# Show us your Head-Fi station at it's current state.  No old pictures please...



## HiFiGuy528

Let's see your headphones station at it's current state.  You can clean things up and bit, but it has to be your current station.  NO old pictures please.
  
 here is mine.  Took the pictures this morning.


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## RexAeterna

just pic of my main amp and headphones. not of whole set-up
  
 http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00391.jpg


 sorry i tried but some reason it won't let me show the image on the forum.


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## DjAmTraX

Here you go.  Are those K272HD?


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## bbophead




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## bbophead

I'm an idiot with pics.  Sorry.


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## RexAeterna

naw,there the K240s. i love'em tho.
  Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> Here you go.  Are those K272HD?


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## bbophead

What's the old Mac piece?


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## DjAmTraX

bbophead said:


> What's the old Mac piece?





That's a C22 Commemorative Edition. It's not that old, just looks old. It's the same exterior as the original C22 of the 60's, but with all new modern parts.


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## Vikingatheart

Hey Trax (if I can call you that), what model iPad is that?


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## DjAmTraX

It's a 64gb Wi-Fi with 3G version. I bought it when it came out, but I don't use it much except as a remote for the Mac Mini and browse the forums while listening to headphones.


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## DjAmTraX

bbophead said:


> I'm an idiot with pics.  Sorry.





I have always had some interest in Peachtree gear. Does it use tube output for headphones too?


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## greenrolaids

Jealous?  Thought so !


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## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> It's a 64gb Wi-Fi with 3G version. I bought it when it came out, but I don't use it much except as a remote for the Mac Mini and browse the forums while listening to headphones.


 


  Damn! I have a 32gb Wi-Fi version and love it. I use it daily for a variety of things. I do use the remote app for when I am not sitting at my desk, and I think it works very well. A bit laggy on occasion, but definitely worth downloading!


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## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





bbophead said:


>


 

 How do you like the airhead? Do you use the crossfeed?


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## jasonb

its an end table next to my couch.
   
  HP G60 laptop running Linux, USB out to a HeadRoom Desktop Amp/DAC with HD650's plugged into it. usually i stream music from Rdio.com or Shoutcast radio, i also have some flac files on the laptop as well.


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## HeatFan12

Here is my current head-fi station in the home office.  Been intact for several weeks now....


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## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Here is my current head-fi station in the home office.  Been intact for several weeks now....


 

 Wow... me likey


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## Slaughter

Very nice. What are you plugging all this in to?
  
  Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Here is my current head-fi station in the home office.  Been intact for several weeks now....


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## sumathias

Lovely pictures. I won't bother posting my K701 with a portable amp and portable dac combo (yes, i know)


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## bbophead

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Quote:
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 It's O.K..  Mostly I don't use the crossfeed because it attenuates the high-mids to highs too much.  You can hear it right away.  I think the other, more expensive headroom products have a switch for the highs but I'm not sure.  The airhead is an improvement over the Memorex (duh) and has two headphone outputs to boot.  Good idea.


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## vinnievidi

Sorry for the bad photos (you can thank my iPhone).  Here's my current setup.
   
   I'm pleased as punch with all of it except the speakers.  Hopefully I will get around to auditioning some towers early next year to replace the Polks I still have from college.  The Denon is quite remarkable at driving my HD650s and SE535, but for some reason the TF10s sound pretty lousy out of it; that is why I got the Headroom micro—though maybe it will go sooner than later, as I don't really use the TF10s for home listening.    
   
   

   
  (Equipment list can be found in my profile)


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## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





bbophead said:


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  Cool. My parents apparently got me a Total BitHead for Christmas, and I'm pretty psyched. I have only really heard good things about it, except that the crossfeed had some minor issues. I guess I will have to see if I like it. Thanks for your thoughts on the Airhead!


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## Tessor

Fantastic setups! This thread gives me all kinds of new ideas to try.


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## GreatDane

PC based. USB to V-DAC > Behringer 2496 > Woo Audio 3 > T1


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## DjAmTraX

*Vinnievidi,*
   
  I like your clean system.  Looks like you're using an iPad to control your Mac Mini too.  Love the SL-1200 turntable!  
   
*HeatFan12,*
   
  You got a serious headphones station.  I love the solid state & tube systems.  Do you still spin CDs?


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## DjAmTraX

Looks like there are more computer music stations than CD players.  I still spin lots of CDs.


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## vinnievidi

You know, once I started using the iPad/ MacMini setup, I don't know how I did without it.  As for the SL-1200, my wife thinks it kills the aesthetic but said I can't replace it until it dies.  Too bad for her that it will last longer than the two of us! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote:



djamtrax said:


> *Vinnievidi,*
> 
> I like your clean system.  Looks like you're using an iPad to control your Mac Mini too.  Love the SL-1200 turntable!
> 
> ...


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## GreatDane

Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> Looks like there are more computer music stations than CD players.  I still spin lots of CDs.


 


  It's just so much more convenient for me. Rip it and forget it. I do have an old Sony 5-disc CDP connected to my Behringer DAC via optical for special CD spinning nights.


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## ccklone

Hey Now,
   
  Here is my computer listening station . . . . . . . 
   

   
  iMac > ALAC > RWA Transit > Opus DAC > Amphora > Fostex T40/AKG K601 or K242HD/Grado SR325 or SR60/AH D-2000/QP805HS/ER4S APS V3/RE0 or A2s
   
  --
  Finest kind,
  Chris


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## BobSaysHi

^ Oh wow, I freaking love the wood in your room. It reminds me of when I used to live in the mountains of Colorado. 
   
  Anyway, here's my room. No cleaning and crappy iPhone 3g pics.
   

   
  If you look carefully, you can see the grubDAC I am working on for another user here, as well as several others scattered about.


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## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> ^ Oh wow, I freaking love the wood in your room. It reminds me of when I used to live in the mountains of Colorado.
> 
> Anyway, here's my room. No cleaning and crappy iPhone 3g pics.
> 
> ...


 


  Are those SR60s on your arm rest?


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## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Quote:
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> ...


 

 Wow, I'm surprised anyone saw those. Yes, that is my headphone resting place until I get a stand. Also, my Minimax is out of it's case on my desk.


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## 2enty3

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> ^ Oh wow, I freaking love the wood in your room. It reminds me of when I used to live in the mountains of Colorado.
> 
> Anyway, here's my room. No cleaning and crappy iPhone 3g pics.
> 
> ...


 

 Okay, maybe a little cleaning should be allowed?


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## 03029174

Hey guys, nice rigs!
   
  Here's mine 
   

   
  It's run off an XP laptop running Foobar and Asio4all and will soon be running Electri-q when i have time to configure it correctly.
  I have 2x One Terabyte HDDs, one as a backup since i lost all my music a few months ago due to a failure. 
  Cary Dac, SPL Phonitor amp and HD800s. Best rig i have ever heard, amazing soundstage and imaging, similar to my old K1000s except have deep and textured bass.
  Will be upgrading the cable and ICs to high quality Silver soon and that should be me done.
   
  The Technics amp is an old cast off which powers a pair of Technics speakers. They are really great, just music room is tiny so they are used for Xbox sessions only.
   
  Keep the pics coming guys, great thread!


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## Mad Dude

I'm currently trying to rip my entire CD collection, so there's quite a mess on my desk 
   
  Please try to ignore the lousy CD player and the crappy speakers. Planning to replace both soon...
  Other than that, there's a Hifiman HE-6, Grado RS1, Senn HD600, audio-gd Roc-SA, Dac Magic, and a comfy Ikea chair.


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## voodoohao

I love looking at these kind of threads hahaha, able to find a lot of really cool setups   Here's my rig 
   
   

   

   
   
  The HD600s are a recent addition


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## Satellite_6

yaaaaaaaay. mine. . . simple.
   


  I'm waiting for a DAC. . .


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## Dual

My simple computer setup.


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## NapalmK

I got back home to find out my room was undergoing some renovations so my main rig has been displaced to the den area. I can't set up my gaming/music rig down there so my netbook has to do. It's a little cramped but really not bad. The Asgard and uDac are my secondary setup at the moment.


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## wilyodysseus

Couch-side listening:


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## VALIENTE

Quote: 





wilyodysseus said:


> Couch-side listening:


 


  I like this very simple setup. Its clean. Plus books are at the back are amazing. After you've read books, you can switch back to listen music! This is a great simple setup! However, I did not find any full size headphone around. Maybe there are kids playing around. In line with this, I like this setup. This is a similar setup with mine. Books and Headphones are great partners too!


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## fatcat28037

Yahma DVD-S1800 (SACD)/Pacific Valvue CDM-12>Cambridge DacMagic>Woo Audio 22


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## bbophead

I wonder if you would mind identifying your equipment.  Inquiring minds ............


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## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> I wonder if you would mind identifying your equipment.  Inquiring minds ............


 

 you_ could_ look at their profile.


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## wilyodysseus

Quote:


> I like this very simple setup. Its clean. Plus books are at the back are amazing. After you've read books, you can switch back to listen music! This is a great simple setup! However, I did not find any full size headphone around.


 
   
  Thanks. Don't underestimate the baby Stax. Despite slightly rolled-off treble, they're on par with my full size cans.


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## bbophead

Sorry, I was replying to BobSaysHi.
   
  That was a pretty good suggestion.  However, the poster has a whole lot of equipment, most of which is not in the pic.


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## fatcat28037

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> I wonder if you would mind identifying your equipment.  Inquiring minds ............


 


   I've edited my post, #42,  to include an equipment list


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## Bazzman

Using it as I type. Pic taken today.


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## bbophead

Wow, nice looking set up.  That Project TT looks mighty fine on top.  I've been thinking about going that direction.  Would you run down top to bottom what the rack consists of and which HP you were listening to?  TIA.


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## Bazzman

Thanks for the comments bbophead.
  Turntable rig is Project Genie>Ortofon 2M Red, Squeezebox Touch, World Audio Designs Pre II pre amp, Darkvoice Figaro amp, Cambridge Audio 640P Phono pre amp, Cambridge Audio DacMagic, Sennheiser HD650 headphones.
  Bedside rig is Squeezebox Duet, iPad 64 GB with camera connection kit to connect to Beresford TC7520 DAC, Onkyo CR515DAB, MB Quart QP400 headphones.
  Looking at getting the Cambridge Audio Sonata CD Player to go on the bottom one day.


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## bbophead

Sounds good.  (I bet!)  No speakers?  Man, you must be all about HPs.  Appreciate your reply.


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## Bazzman

Only speakers I use are for my computer which are Mordaunt Short 402's but I have a pair of Celestion DL6 mk2's in the attic. My profile will show I am more headphones than speakers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


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## dagothur

03029174, FatCat and HeatFan:  I wish I would have had a camera to take a picture of the expression I made when I saw your audio setups of the gods.
  Edit: NapalmK: I don't wish I had a camera for my expression, because I would have been sniffling at the beauty of pairs of Audeze's, RS1s and W1000s all in one place.


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## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





bazzman said:


> Using it as I type. Pic taken today.


 

 I love this bed side system.  I may put one together too.  Thanks for the idea!


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## RestoredSparda

Here's my beginner setup:  Macbook Pro ==> Optical out ==> Sony STR-K790 amplifier ==> Sennheiser HD 595
   
  Also, there's a pair of pretty old KLH bookshelf speakers which sound actually quite nice as the left and right for my surround sound. (only use the PS3 for that when gaming or vegging out with movies)


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## HeatFan12

*Great rigs guys, keep em' coming.....*
   
   
  Quote:


dagothur said:


> 03029174, FatCat and HeatFan:  I wish I would have had a camera to take a picture of the expression I made when I saw your audio setups of the gods.
> Edit: NapalmK: I don't wish I had a camera for my expression, because I would have been sniffling at the beauty of pairs of Audeze's, RS1s and W1000s all in one place.


 
  Thanks dagothur....Head-fi can be addictive...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  
  Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Wow... me likey


 
  Thanks Viking....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
  Quote: 





slaughter said:


> Very nice. What are you plugging all this in to?


 

 If you mean power, I have two surge protectors underneath the stand.  If you mean headphones, I have different ones from high to low impedance.  The WA2, FUN and C-2 have pre-outs that I connect to the A5s, so I can listen to speakers or headphones with a push of a button....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  
  Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> *Vinnievidi,*
> 
> I like your clean system.  Looks like you're using an iPad to control your Mac Mini too.  Love the SL-1200 turntable!
> 
> ...


 


 Thanks DJ,....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Yes, I still spin discs but have to be honest, a lot less than I used to.  Computer audio has gone to another level in terms of simplicity, organization and functionality.   Good Times indeed....
   
  .


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## NapalmK

Quote:


dagothur said:


> NapalmK: I don't wish I had a camera for my expression, because I would have been sniffling at the beauty of pairs of Audeze's, RS1s and W1000s all in one place.


 
  Thanks! I wish my parents felt the same way. They think I'm crazy...


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## AhokZYashA

here it is,,
  my listening station..


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## SpiralStatic

Holy Hi-Fi, Batman! I can't even comprehend some of these setups! Maybe I can get a similar setup once I get out of high school and become a millionaire.


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## Golden Monkey

My pics are semi-old, but nothing has changed in that time, lol (except for more tubes):
   

   
  Tube situation has changed though, and I have most of my rotation like this:
   

   
  And even THAT has changed, as I have moved the non-essentials out of the "tube box", and into my "spares/duplicates box" (not shown - see profile for inventory, lol).  There's also the addition of most of my portable stuff, and the ATH ESW9A's and Beyerdynamic T50p's share stand space with the HD650's.


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## Golden Monkey

Quote: 





greatdane said:


> PC based. USB to V-DAC > Behringer 2496 > Woo Audio 3 > T1


 


 GD, how do you like the T1's with the Woo3?  Are they a good pairing?  Any preference for tubes that go well with the Beyers?  Thx!


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## varunjh

damn how do you guys keep ur setups so clean!!


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## CYoung234

Here is my messy home office setup. The Adcom CD player is heavily modified with a new DAC and power supply. The only thing still stock is the transport, basically. The amp is the L'Espressivo Torpedo.


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## Skylab

Brand new picture of my bedside rig - the main difference is that I have not taken a pic since I got the Edition 8 Limited Edition, which is now the main headphone I use there.


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## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





skylab said:


> Brand new picture of my bedside rig - the main difference is that I have not taken a pic since I got the Edition 8 Limited Edition, which is now the main headphone I use there.


 

 WOW!  I love that amp!  I love old looking Hi-Fi.  Do you plan to use it with your new cans?


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## Skylab

Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> WOW!  I love that amp!  I love old looking Hi-Fi.  Do you plan to use it with your new cans?


 

 Thanks!  The Leben will be used with the Sony R-10's when I get to open them Dec 25th - not the ones you're referring to


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## DjAmTraX

Where do you buy the Leben in the U.S?  I can't seem to find it on Google.


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## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





cyoung234 said:


> Here is my messy home office setup. The Adcom CD player is heavily modified with a new DAC and power supply. The only thing still stock is the transport, basically. The amp is the L'Espressivo Torpedo.


 

 One of my BEST CD players was an Adcom.  I won't dismiss the internal DAC.


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## vinnievidi

http://lebenhifi.com/products/index.html
   
   
   
  Quote:
    
   


djamtrax said:


> Where do you buy the Leben in the U.S?  I can't seem to find it on Google.


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## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





cyoung234 said:


> The amp is the L'Espressivo Torpedo.


 

 *drool*


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## nikongod

mah work rig:
   

   
  zhalou D2.5 with transformer coupled output stage. Headphone amp is stock. 
   

   
  Stuffed animal dog wearing Beyer T1 because he and the headphones are awesome.
   
  In the background a World Audio Designs HD83 and DIY corda cross can be seen, because they are also awesome.


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## zenpunk




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## ohaider

Awesome setups!


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## nivlek




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## RexAeterna

quick pic of full set-up. it's kinda messy.

 http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00405.jpg


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## dagothur

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> quick pic of full set-up. it's kinda messy.
> 
> http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00405.jpg


 

 You have a teddy bear with a noose around its neck, a knife stuck in your desk and a musical keyboard where a computer keyboard should be.
  Makes perfect sense.


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## wind016

He's also got a computer monitor from the 80's and he's running low on water.
 I think I might be kinda scared to meet this guy lol
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


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## RexAeterna

it sure does. i swap keyboards back and forth since there is no room on my table for both. what does noose around neck mean on the teddy bear lamp? i don't fellow. also i always stick the knife in the desk, convinent when i have to cut some wiring, carpet or thick cloth. got from a good friend when he came back from iraq and got out of the marine core
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


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## RexAeterna

lol. it's a CAD display. better picture than any lcd on the planet.has very accurate color reproduction,crystal clear text and very high max resolution of 2560x2048.   i use it for photoshop and gaming. also work on computers a lot besides stereo systems and speakers.
  Quote: 





wind016 said:


> He's also got a computer monitor from the 80's and he's running low on water.
> I think I might be kinda scared to meet this guy lol
> 
> Quote:
> ...


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## MrGreen

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> Yahma DVD-S1800 (SACD)/Pacific Valvue CDM-12>Cambridge DacMagic>Woo Audio 22


 


  How do you like the Dacmagic? I'm using one at the moment and considering upgrading. Do you consider it the bottle neck in your system? I like the way it sounds but I can't help wonder what else is out there. I need to do more listening to other people's gear I think.
   
  I'll post some pics when I get my new stuff.  Can't guarantee the quality (actually I can guarantee it'll be bad)


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## revolink24

My current state is unfinished, but eh, whatever.
   
  Here's my unfinished bedroom rig. The little box on top of the Denon is soon to be a Starving Student, and there's very likely a GS-1 in the works for this rig (notice it's currently lacking a headphone amp.)
   
  Also, sorry about the horrid picture. I couldn't be bothered to get the correct lens or shoe flash out.


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## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> quick pic of full set-up. it's kinda messy.
> 
> http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00405.jpg


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## DjAmTraX

You guys have lots of headphones.   I need to catch up!


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## RexAeterna

who needs a headphone amp when you have that lovely vintage H.H Scott receiver . is that solid state or older tube amplifier? i know H.H Scott and Fisher made a lot of tube receivers/amps. check the schematics of the amp to see what type of resistor is used for output impedance between the speaker power amp and headphone out. lot of vintage gear had either 200-680ohm resistor for both left and right channels@ atleast 1/2w of power effectively for headphone output impedance.   
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> My current state is unfinished, but eh, whatever.
> 
> Here's my unfinished bedroom rig. The little box on top of the Denon is soon to be a Starving Student, and there's very likely a GS-1 in the works for this rig (notice it's currently lacking a headphone amp.)
> 
> Also, sorry about the horrid picture. I couldn't be bothered to get the correct lens or shoe flash out.


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## revolink24

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> who needs a headphone amp when you have that lovely vintage H.H Scott receiver . is that solid state or older tube amplifier? i know H.H Scott and Fisher made a lot of tube receivers/amps. check the schematics of the amp to see what type of resistor is used for output impedance between the speaker power amp and headphone out. lot of vintage gear had either 200-680ohm resistor for both left and right channels@ atleast 1/2w of power effectively for headphone output impedance.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Thanks, nice eye! It's a pretty nice receiver, though being a solid state Scott (admittedly before H.H. Scott was driven into the ground) it's not quite up there with some of the tube ones, but the FM tuner is just awesome and it has a great phono stage. The best part was that it was free! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Some of these vintage receivers are the best bargains in audio if you know where to go.
   
  I'll see about opening it up sometime and figuring it all out.  Modding can be half the fun sometimes. And these solid state H.H. Scott tuners and recievers are sleeper greats.
   
  Not stopping me from drooling at the GS-1 though.


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## dagothur

What sort of Grado am I seeing on your record playing contraption?
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> My current state is unfinished, but eh, whatever.
> 
> Here's my unfinished bedroom rig. The little box on top of the Denon is soon to be a Starving Student, and there's very likely a GS-1 in the works for this rig (notice it's currently lacking a headphone amp.)
> 
> Also, sorry about the horrid picture. I couldn't be bothered to get the correct lens or shoe flash out.


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## revolink24

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What sort of Grado am I seeing on your record playing contraption?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Those would be the HF2s.


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## DjAmTraX

You guys inspired me to set up a bedside system.  I plan to use an Apple Airport Express to stream from my Mac Mini (downstairs) music server and control it with my iPad.  I'm gonna go mini-optical to Toslink Optical to my Apogee Mini DAC and perhaps use my upcoming Sennheiser HD650.  Should be fun.  I'll post pictures once I have everything going.  Stay tuned!


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## TwoTrack

I will try to post pics of my rig tomorrow.


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## dxps26

My Rig - SR225i / HD600 / HD595 / K420 , Cowon D2, Milestone and Creative X-Fi, Lovely Cube Amp, Toshiba Satellite, old Wooden box with adapters, plugs and spare OPA's


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## logwed

Revolink, I really like your vibration isolation right thur. Are those Shakti Cards? For what it's worth, a GS-1 would look nice in there


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## CEE TEE

Using HF-2's to compare Audio-GD Sparrow "B" and older Benchmark DAC1.
   
  Soon I'll have Sparrow "A" to compare also.
   
  Sony X with the TF-10.
   
  I like the Rubbermaid "stand."  Wished it matched, though...  *sarcastic grin* 
   
  Oh, and D12 next to printer...


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## CEE TEE

@RexEterna:
   
  Hey, my Father has one of these *Sansui Receivers* lying around...what can you tell me about it?  
   
_I remember it being 50 Watts per channel and the speakers having magnets that made them ridiculously heavy._
   
  (I admit to using the "Loudness" button- first green text button, have you got it depressed?)
   
  I'll have to search for info on it now!


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## Skylab

This may scare a few people, but here are a few pics of my office:


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## revolink24

Quote: 





logwed said:


> Revolink, I really like your vibration isolation right thur. Are those Shakti Cards? For what it's worth, a GS-1 would look nice in there


 
   
  Yes, those are the awesome Shakti combination turntable leveling and isolation  magic cards. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
   
  Nice turntable, Skylab! I almost picked one of those up a couple of weeks ago (assuming it's a DP-59L)


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## Golden Monkey

Lol...I KNEW Skylab's was going to be epic!  Man, I'd live to hear that Leben...


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## Skylab

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> Nice turntable, Skylab! I almost picked one of those up a couple of weeks ago (assuming it's a DP-59L)


 

 Thanks!  Yup, it's a DP-59L - the king of the Direct Drives!


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## RexAeterna

well i can't say since you never mentioned the model of it(mine is 5000x which is 60wpc@8ohms continuous, 160w max@8ohms) but i can tell you sansui brand is a really nice sounding units for pure,accurate sound reproduction and has massive amounts of muscle behind the power amps used in most sansui gear. lot of military soldiers would buy up sansui gear like crazy overseas back then. was very popular brand in 70's,80's,90's and even now. take it out and give it a listen and see how you like it(if it doesn't require a good clean and well taken care of) and no i don't use the loudness button at all. mine has enough muscle to power anything i throw at it(even headphones). loudness button was really meant to amplify the low and high frequencies at low listening levels  to compensate for lack of bass and highs like some wind instruments,hihats,ect.

 also amps back then was built with real watts. amps was measured across the full frequency spectrum(20hz-20khz) and can double it's power output lower the impedance goes making'em perfect for speakers like magnepan speakers or other planer magnetic gear. that's why people will tell you when you give them a nice vintage unit a listen will be impressed by how much power they can deliver and how it sounds. give it a listen. you'll be surprised. i love all my vintage gear i been collecting.   
  
  Quote: 





cee tee said:


> @RexEterna:
> 
> Hey, my Father has one of these *Sansui Receivers* lying around...what can you tell me about it?
> 
> ...


----------



## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





skylab said:


> This may scare a few people, but here are a few pics of my office:


 

 If I had that office, I'd sleep in it.


----------



## paconavarro

Here its my desk at the office


----------



## Bazzman

Now I like that simple set up Paconavarro. Macbook>E7>DT990 I bet it sounds pretty good aswell.


----------



## Satellite_6

I'm using my new DAC (HRT Music Streamer II) through my dad's SS speaker/headphone amp (NAD C 350) -> HD  650's. This sure beats just using the EF2A. Now I want a big ass SS amp but It wouldn't be very practical. . .


----------



## paconavarro

Yes Bazzman, great sound and all fits in my backpack, even the dt990s with the case.
  
  Quote: 





bazzman said:


> Now I like that simple set up Paconavarro. Macbook>E7>DT990 I bet it sounds pretty good aswell.


----------



## CEE TEE

Thank you Rex!
   
  I'll take a pic of the Sansui unit (might grab it) when I see family over the holidays.  That's exactly what my Father did (purchase the Sansui) while on leave from his Vietnam Tour duty.  I remember showing off how powerful it was to friends and trying to destroy the neighborhood with Def Leppard's Pyromania album... 
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> well i can't say since you never mentioned the model of it(mine is 5000x which is 60wpc@8ohms continuous, 160w max@8ohms) but i can tell you sansui brand is a really nice sounding units for pure,accurate sound reproduction and has massive amounts of muscle behind the power amps used in most sansui gear. lot of military soldiers would buy up sansui gear like crazy overseas back then. was very popular brand in 70's,80's,90's and even now. take it out and give it a listen and see how you like it(if it doesn't require a good clean and well taken care of) and no i don't use the loudness button at all. mine has enough muscle to power anything i throw at it(even headphones). loudness button was really meant to amplify the low and high frequencies at low listening levels  to compensate for lack of bass and highs like some wind instruments,hihats,ect.
> 
> also amps back then was built with real watts. amps was measured across the full frequency spectrum(20hz-20khz) and can double it's power output lower the impedance goes making'em perfect for speakers like magnepan speakers or other planer magnetic gear. that's why people will tell you when you give them a nice vintage unit a listen will be impressed by how much power they can deliver and how it sounds. give it a listen. you'll be surprised. i love all my vintage gear i been collecting.


----------



## FearSC549

Took this a minute ago. Too bad I can't afford anything good


----------



## MrGreen

Those headphones look really stretched...


----------



## jcoops16

I recently cleaned up my cupboard which all my stuff is kept in so heres my kit, Beresford caiman, Bravo V2, Phenix G3 T7, igrados, Denon D2000's. The Grado RS2i's arent visible because I keep them up high out of the reach of my 2 year old toddler who as already smashed my camera this week by yanking it onto the floor.
   
  Under the desk is abit messy but its out of sight most of the time, there I have some Quad 11L2's being fed by a Kenwood A/V amp that my dad gave me. I thought long and hard about getting a stereo amp but the speakers arent positioned anywhere near to where they should be, so thought it would be a waste of an amp, will have to wait till the kids grow up first i think.


----------



## ianmedium

Hope it is OK to post this here!
  I know it is portable but it is my only system now. Apart from a couple of times, the Denons are now officially the home component of my system (IE8's or Ety ER4S's for out and about!)
  So this is my Home/portable set up!


----------



## Golden Monkey

You could do a lot worse than a Stepdance and D5000s Ian!


----------



## ianmedium

Quote: 





golden monkey said:


> You could do a lot worse than a Stepdance and D5000s Ian!


 


  Thank you so much! I am so enjoying this very musical and engaging combination!


----------



## ford2

Minimalism Rules Here.


----------



## ianmedium

Quote: 





ford2 said:


> Minimalism Rules Here.


 


  What are your amps, they look a little like the old Nuvista's that musical fidelity used to make, I am sure they are not but they look great!


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





ianmedium said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Nothing so grand as the mighty Nuvista was in its day,they are a LD DAC 1 and a LD MK Vll,a great combo.


----------



## Gatepc

Quote: 





ford2 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I would love to hear these. Never heard the K1000s and heard great things about them. Also never heard Davids solidstate headphone amps. Have you heard his tube offerings? If so what are your impressions? Also I was not aware that the MK VII had the power to push those headphones.
  
  Anyway my setup below : specs in signature.


----------



## Bazzman

Put my Little Dot I+ to good use and it sits over the headphone stand just right.


----------



## tvrboy




----------



## 11amaberry

I do love cookies


----------



## Bazzman

mmmmmmmmmmmm cookies


----------



## 03029174

Hey nice DAC Tvrboy, how are you finding it? i'm loving mine with the HD800s


----------



## sugarkang




----------



## 03029174

Hey SugarKang, which media player is that on your big screen ..... Please say foobar


----------



## DjAmTraX

sugarkang said:


>





Looks cozy. I like it!


----------



## dagothur

Audeze LCD-2 and Hifiman HE-6 in the same place?
  *insert image of panda puking rainbows*
  Quote: 





tvrboy said:


>


----------



## sugarkang

iTunes.
  I hate it, but I'm dependent on it because of podcasts and smart playlists.
  I wish Google would get on the ball and make an iTunes killer.
   
  God I hate iTunes and their dumb developers. 
   
  I can't use foobar because I like to do a grid thumbnail view (4,000 albums here).
  I believe there was a foobar solution for something like that,
  but foobar is one of those things where the advantage of high customization must be borne out with an equally high learning curve. 
   
   
  Quote: 





03029174 said:


> Hey SugarKang, which media player is that on your big screen ..... Please say foobar


----------



## Mad Dude

(mostly) new stuff:


----------



## Bazzman

Nice one Mad Dude we all like new stuff.


----------



## Bazzman

And talking of new stuff my Cambridge Audio One+ has arrived and works well.


----------



## meme

My current stations as they are at the moment.
   
  Simple Computer Rig ~ (Icon Audio HP8 & Gigalab Moon DAC II)
   

   
  Bedside Rig ~ (Sony X & 12AU7 Starving Student)
   

   
  Main Rig ~ (inc. AMB M³, Esoteric UX-3, Mhdt Havana, etc)


----------



## logwed

Sweet stuff, what are those little floating things beneath your Gigalab Moon?


----------



## meme

Thanks logwed
   
  Those are Nordost aluminium Pulsar Points, the underneath of the dac gets pretty hot so I use them just to help keep the temperature down a little.
   
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> Sweet stuff, what are those little floating things beneath your Gigalab Moon?


----------



## iceshark

Hmmm... since I am not audiophile, I think as a joke I will show you _my_ "audiophile station." I *am* a PC gamer, however, so I can't say my technology isn't up to date. 
  Give you my pic in a bit.


----------



## bbophead

I would swear that's a Tandberg receiver peeking out from down below.


----------



## dallan

Found this thread today so in fairness i didn't move a thing, New Years early afternoon, my mess unspoiled by cleaning, just clutter
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Note to viewer, i changed my headphones today and am listening to the DX1000s instead of the ED8 which is hanging on the door.  Wife has the TV on.  Earlier when quiet i had the HD800s fed with the Zana Deux, now using the Zana Deux as a preamp to tighten up the bass on the v200 feeding the DX1000.


----------



## AuralRelations

Little Country III hybrid amp. Zero DAC/amp below.

  Grado RS2i

  AKG K702


----------



## wind016

Nice setup meme! Where did you get those clear headphone covers??? I think I could use a few of those too
  
  Quote: 





meme said:


> Main Rig ~ (inc. AMB M³, Esoteric UX-3, Mhdt Havana, etc)


----------



## n3rdling

Those are the Stax dust covers.


----------



## Chimera-se

@AuralRelations, I like your setup a lot! What stand is your MBP sitting on?  I like that it's not too high like some others I've seen. Cheers!


----------



## Cdis99

Quote: 





sugarkang said:


> iTunes.
> I hate it, but I'm dependent on it because of podcasts and smart playlists.
> I wish Google would get on the ball and make an iTunes killer.
> 
> ...


 


 How come you don't like iTunes?


----------



## mikop

My listening station is my computer desk...   Simple e7/e9 and astro mixamp plus some headphones constitute all my audio gear.  Have a w1000x and a audio-gd nfb-12 incoming, whenever they get here...  Usually, I have record sleeves over the headphones. removed for pic purpose.
   
  For bed/sofa listening, I usually just grab a fuze and headphone/iem.


----------



## Kremer930

This is my home set up.  I am waiting for the new Schiit Lyr amp and the Hifiman HE6's to complete my toy collection.
   

  Here is a photo of my portable rig.  I am a big fan of the UE10's.

   
   
  I stream my tunes from my Macbook Pro via airport express and then out via optical to the Fun DAC.  I would like to swap out the APE for a Poppulse wifi unit to stream 24/96.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Here's my setup; equipment is listed below in my sig.  The brass footers and weights are from Mapleshade; they help to eliminate transformer hum from the Woo amp, as well as elevating it for better heat dissipation. The rack and the other footers also help with vibration control. The rack weighs approx. 125 lbs. and is extremely stable.
       My house is built on a concrete slab, and is quite sensitve to vibrations from passing vehicles, etc.  The Mapleshade rack has spiked footers than pass through the carpet and onto the concrete below.  
       The  tube dampers are from Herbie's Audio Lab. 
       I'm still using discs; future upgrades will include a Mac Mini running iTunes, outputting to the DacMagic, remote controlled by an iPad (I'm waiting for iPad 2 in a couple of months).


----------



## kboe

Simply awesome Mike.  I love the rack.


----------



## kboe

Ill post pics of my rig this week I hope.


----------



## leng jai

The Darkvoice tube amp is hiding away


----------



## wind016

I love your setup! Hopefully, I'll be able to hear what the EML 5U4G will sound like through my WA6 SE.
   
  I must say though, isn't that just a bit too much brass? I'm worried an earthquake will knock those brass weights onto your tubes and whatever else could happen...
  
  Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> Here's my setup; equipment is listed below in my sig.  The brass footers and weights are from Mapleshade; they help to eliminate transformer hum from the Woo amp, as well as elevating it for better heat dissipation. The rack and the other footers also help with vibration control. The rack weighs approx. 125 lbs. and is extremely stable.
> My house is built on a concrete slab, and is quite sensitve to vibrations from passing vehicles, etc.  The Mapleshade rack has spiked footers than pass through the carpet and onto the concrete below.
> The  tube dampers are from Herbie's Audio Lab.
> I'm still using discs; future upgrades will include a Mac Mini running iTunes, outputting to the DacMagic, remote controlled by an iPad (I'm waiting for iPad 2 in a couple of months).


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote:


wind016 said:


> I love your setup! Hopefully, I'll be able to hear what the EML 5U4G will sound like through my WA6 SE.
> 
> I must say though, isn't that just a bit too much brass? I'm worried an earthquake will knock those brass weights onto your tubes and whatever else could happen...
> 
> ...


----------



## kboe

What wood is used for the shelves, and what are they treated if you know?


----------



## iceshark

Hahaha, my iPod, you're greatest nightmare. Mind you I'm no audiophile, I don't even have an amp let alone a good pair of 'phones. Although I am selling my Dr. Dre Solo HD's for either the Ath-M50 or the Srh750dj... but that will be later on. But oh well... I guess its ok to post


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





chimera-se said:


> @AuralRelations, I like your setup a lot! What stand is your MBP sitting on?  I like that it's not too high like some others I've seen. Cheers!


 


  Thanks for the compliment   The stand is the Macally ECOFAN PRO.  I love wood, as you can see with my RS2i and the bamboo stand matches them, somewhat.  I've had the stand for about a year and it's been great, although a little loud.  I was thinking about wiring two bigger fans to reduce the noise.


----------



## kboe

The Beats aren't my cup of tea, but if you like'em... enjoy to your hearts content.  I know I do!


----------



## iceshark

Quote: 





kboe said:


> The Beats aren't my cup of tea, but if you like'em... enjoy to your hearts content.  I know I do!


 


  Well I didn't know anything about headphones when I bought them... as I said I've been trying to sell them to some of my friends. Its just... well I was talking about this in my most recent post.... the other headphones (Shure 850's and Audio Technica M45's, for example) don't seem as "lively" as the Beats, for some reason. I can't understand it myself, maybe it has to do with something like burn in? They were on display at Guitar Center and I honestly couldn't understand why they sounded like that.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote: 





kboe said:


> What wood is used for the shelves, and what are they treated if you know?


 

 They are old growth maple, from an Amish sawmill in Maryland.  They are air dried, rather than kiln dried.  This keeps them from drying out and possibly warping (although at 2 inches thick, warping would seem unlikely!).  They are coated with a clear lacquer, not a polyurethane.  
   
  Although it may be slightly overkill, I love how heavy and solid it is.  I'm not sure about all of the sonic improvements Mapleshade claims these racks provide, but it is definitely a vibration killer, and it looks great, as well. 
   
  More info about these racks can be found here:  http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/Equipment-Racks/departments/16/


----------



## kboe

Wow what awesome racks.  If the chance arises, I may have to snatch me up one.


----------



## mikop

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Thanks for the compliment   The stand is the Macally ECOFAN PRO.  I love wood, as you can see with my RS2i and the bamboo stand matches them, somewhat.  I've had the stand for about a year and it's been great, although a little loud.  I was thinking about wiring two bigger fans to reduce the noise.


 


  Thanks! I just ordered it from amazon for $33 shipped. Wasn't looking for a laptop stand but heh, when you see something nice, gotta go for it!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





iceshark said:


>


 

 Wow, a leftie. That threw me off.


----------



## iceshark

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Sure wouldn't throw me off... LOL... does it look weird or something?
   
  It depresses me sometimes how there are no high-quality left-handed ergonomic gaming mice sometimes... got to get the ambidextrous ones :'(


----------



## MrGreen

Off topic, but are you familiar with the idea that all left handed people were in fact twins and are pure evil? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanishing_twin 
   
  http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/55/4/298.pdf


----------



## Danthrax

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=deathadder&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=4510400251342278739&ei=WwQgTezgIYL6lwfCksWQDA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQ8wIwAQ#
   
  Left handed mouse


----------



## iceshark

Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> Off topic, but are you familiar with the idea that all left handed people were in fact twins and are pure evil? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanishing_twin
> 
> http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/55/4/298.pdf


 

 Umm... well I hear they were "unlucky." And associated with the act of the Devil... not quite what you put it... But I do know some of the Middle-East still agrees with that assumption.
   
  Do people really still believe in that? LOL. I wouldn't care less anyhow, I'm the type of person who enjoys being myself and being unique for who I am.


----------



## iceshark

Quote: 





danthrax said:


> http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=deathadder&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=4510400251342278739&ei=WwQgTezgIYL6lwfCksWQDA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQ8wIwAQ#
> 
> Left handed mouse


 


  ROFL (sorry for going off-topic) I looked at that EXACT MOUSE. I got mine as last year's Christmas present, for about $80 (expensive mice these days... but I guess you could call me a miceophile )   It came out a few months after I got mine, and the DPI rate isn't as high... mine is something like 5600 DPI and that one is like 3600, plus mine has 6 special programable hotkeys! (that one only had 2) So yeah, I think I got the better deal anyhow...


----------



## Cdis99

What kind of speakers are those?
  
  Quote: 





iceshark said:


> Hahaha, my iPod, you're greatest nightmare. Mind you I'm no audiophile, I don't even have an amp let alone a good pair of 'phones. Although I am selling my Dr. Dre Solo HD's for either the Ath-M50 or the Srh750dj... but that will be later on. But oh well... I guess its ok to post


----------



## iceshark

The Creative I-Trigue 2200. There's a newer version of them, those speakers are 6 years old and still look like they're brand new out of the box excluding some dust and scratches. 
   
  Very nice $100< speakers at the time, although I can't really remember buying them...


----------



## keph

Here are my new HD650 and some cable mods using the Zephone cable..
   
  and the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 also using the Zephone cable.
   
  DAC Musiland Monitor 02 (nice dac price/performance)
   
  AMP Octavart 01 AMP Version (handles hd650 quite nice)
   
  Source Asus G73JH
   
  Speakers Swans M50-W
   
  Remember this is my DORM in BEIJING setup..got better one at home...


----------



## iceshark

OMG OMG OMG YOU HAVE THE RAZER VESPULA!!!!!!! I WANT THAT SO BADDDDDD. (But its $50, lol rip-off)
   
  The Asus G73JH will NEVA beat the Asus G51jx-A1.     Don't see why you'd have an extra keyboard though... the laptop keyboard already comes with plenty of Fn + # hotkeys already.


----------



## Slinkey

Sadly I do not have an amp yet.


----------



## kboe

The 7000s should keep you company until funds appear methinks.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





iceshark said:


> OMG OMG OMG YOU HAVE THE RAZER VESPULA!!!!!!! I WANT THAT SO BADDDDDD. (But its $50, lol rip-off)
> 
> The Asus G73JH will NEVA beat the Asus G51jx-A1.     Don't see why you'd have an extra keyboard though... the laptop keyboard already comes with plenty of Fn + # hotkeys already.


 

 hahaha wanna bet i got 9600++ in vantage hehehehe..the keyboard got it for free from my sister she works at logitech in singapore every time a new product launches i test it first hehehe...ant it just helps when playing games using the G keys hehe..


----------



## iceshark

Quote: 





keph said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Its kind of sad because my Razer Sphex was cheap and it like... well it sort of disintegrated, so to speak (sticky stuff on the bottom started sticking to my desk and I couldn't get it off!) So I got the Razer Kabuto and then I lost it at the Atlanta International Airport during a trip last summer.... X___X
  I'm sticking with my $5 mouse pad for now... lol.


----------



## aroldan

Here's my humble one:


----------



## Marximus

I'm getting a new DAC on Wednesday, and probably some DT150s soon, but here's my current rig.  It's a uDAC from my computer, going to either the Fiio E9 or the Denon AVR-1000 receiver.  Then Denon D5000s or for super casual listening, KSC 75s.
   
  Pictures aren't the best quality.


----------



## iceshark

Wait a sec... that Denon thing looks a lot like something I have downstairs in my house that I believe my dad bought ages ago.... I believe its called the Denon DRA-425R. What is that thing?


----------



## keph

hahah the vespula is really nice should get one hehhe...i got the destructor also hehe but too big for my dorm table..oh yah soon im gonna tell my lil brother to mail me my Graham slee solo from Indonesia...yeahhh
  Quote: 





iceshark said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## keph

canceled...


aroldan said:


> Here's my humble one:


----------



## keph

any suggestions guys i want to buy a new amp for my hd650...


----------



## aroldan

Beg your pardon?
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> canceled...
> 
> 
> aroldan said:
> ...


----------



## keph

sorry i tought just now u used the aune as ur amp..so i said the aune is not that good of an amp cuz ive used it once the limited edition one..it dose not deliver enough power for my hd650..sorry my mistake i didnt see that u used the aune for the dac hehehe..
  Quote: 





aroldan said:


> Beg your pardon?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## aroldan

Aune as DAC is really great, but you're right, it has not enough power to drive correctly the HD650
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> sorry i tought just now u used the aune as ur amp..so i said the aune is not that good of an amp cuz ive used it once the limited edition one..it dose not deliver enough power for my hd650..sorry my mistake i didnt see that u used the aune for the dac hehehe..
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jcoops16

I'll carry on the off topicness alittle bit by mentioning im also left handed and also use a Razer mouse, a salmosa infact.
   
  Over christmas I got a new pair of K701's and both our cameras got dropped so I ordered a new one. So when it comes I will update my rig pictures.


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





mikop said:


> My listening station is my computer desk...   Simple e7/e9 and astro mixamp plus some headphones constitute all my audio gear.  Have a w1000x and a audio-gd nfb-12 incoming, whenever they get here...  Usually, I have record sleeves over the headphones. removed for pic purpose.
> 
> For bed/sofa listening, I usually just grab a fuze and headphone/iem.


 
  How do you like those ATH-AD700? If I am seeing those correctly, and that is in fact what they are.


----------



## Vikingatheart

Here is my humble rig. Its super simple, clean, and sounds pretty darn good. 

   
  Grado SR80i and a Total BitHead. 
   
  BTW, the cruddy stand was made in my basement with some scrap wood in a matter of minutes. But hey, it works!


----------



## ChopaH

How do you like the Total BitHead?


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





chopah said:


> How do you like the Total BitHead?


 


  Its fantastic. I think it has a great sound that really matches the Grados nicely. It really helps the bass out, but also keeps the highs just where I like them. It also sounds great with my PortaPros when I am just using the amp feature on the go.


----------



## 12345142

Quote: 





marximus said:


> I'm getting a new DAC on Wednesday, and probably some DT150s soon, but here's my current rig.  It's a uDAC from my computer, going to either the Fiio E9 or the Denon AVR-1000 receiver.  Then Denon D5000s or for super casual listening, KSC 75s.
> 
> 
> Pictures aren't the best quality.


 
  Nice towel hanger cum headphone stand...I happen to have the exact same one - I found it at HomeSense. I think I'll hang some paper rolls too so my ESW9s don't get any nasty ridges in the headband.


----------



## ShenaRingo326

here's my setup:


----------



## 11amaberry

Quote: 





marximus said:


> I'm getting a new DAC on Wednesday, and probably some DT150s soon, but here's my current rig.  It's a uDAC from my computer, going to either the Fiio E9 or the Denon AVR-1000 receiver.  Then Denon D5000s or for super casual listening, KSC 75s.
> 
> Pictures aren't the best quality.


 

 How/can does the udac drive the D5000s just by itself (not with the e9)?


----------



## kboe

You must try the donut shaped pads, the ones with the holes in them.  The sound is so much more open and detailed without all that foam in the way. 
  Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Its fantastic. I think it has a great sound that really matches the Grados nicely. It really helps the bass out, but also keeps the highs just where I like them. It also sounds great with my PortaPros when I am just using the amp feature on the go.


----------



## logwed

Do you have a thing for light bulbs?


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





kboe said:


> You must try the donut shaped pads, the ones with the holes in them.  The sound is so much more open and detailed without all that foam in the way.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You're saying I should kramer mod the pads, or should I get bowls?


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I like the quarter modded HD414 pads. they cost $5 and I prefer the sound to bowls.


----------



## kboe

Get the bowls, save you current pads just incase you don't like the sound or the fit.


----------



## nikongod

TTVJ Flats FTW.


----------



## kboe

Here is my "Getting back to Basics" rig.  Or as my roommate calls it, "His new SP Extreme Platinum/HRT/Cardas Rig".
   

   
  An iPod feeding AIFF files through an ALO iPod dock, Cardas Quadlink 5-Cs, into a Schiit Asgard and Cardas 702s.
   
   
  Power is cleaned and provided by the PS Audio Duet passive conditioner and Pangea power cables.  (this is the bottom shelf of the above rack)
   

   
   
   
  And yes my pictures are mirrored.


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





kboe said:


> Here is my "Getting back to Basics" rig.  Or as my roommate calls it, "His new SP Extreme Platinum/HRT/Cardas Rig".
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Being a noob, I don't totally get this. What do you mean by "power is cleaned"?


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 It's another one of those "I can hear the difference, I swear" type things. It's the same with cables and burn-in and what-not.


----------



## kboe

I actually don't know myself.... kinda.  It has to do with cleaning the power so that any negative attributes it may have coming from the wall are cought and removed before they enter your power supply.  Think of it like boiling water before you cook with it in the wild.  It was water before you boiled it, now it'll just be better for you.


----------



## Vikingatheart

I get it, I just don't buy it. To each their own I guess


----------



## kboe

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> I get it, I just don't buy it. *To each their own I guess*


 


  My hero!  Its all about the individual in this hobby.  Sure we like to congregate in mass meets where we open portals to other dimensions of audio nirvana, but at the end of the day, it's me in my chair alone with music and beer.  And thats how it should be!


----------



## gopack87




----------



## kboe

Why use the Audio GD DI id your using a laptop? Did you get the early version with limited USB?


----------



## DjAmTraX

A lot of you guys have some serious gear.  I love it!


----------



## ChopaH

I'd do some pretty awful things for some of these set ups lol...


----------



## Marximus

Quote: 





11amaberry said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Not poorly.  It's difficult for me to hear any noticeable differences.  The uDAC *might be* slightly brighter and more energetic.  If you're on a budget, I don't think it'd be a bad choice.


----------



## Marximus

Quote: 





12345142 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for $15 or something.  It's kind of cheesy looking with the rolls, but I'd rather be practical and keep my headphones in good condition than be fashionable and ruin them.


----------



## Kremer930

Hi.  Nice cables on your Triple fi's.  What model are they?


----------



## Kremer930

Quote: 





keph said:


> Here are my new HD650 and some cable mods using the Zephone cable..
> 
> and the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 also using the Zephone cable.
> 
> ...


 

 Sorry Keph.  What brand are the UE cables?  They look very cool.


----------



## sugarkang

Lots of reasons really:
  1. no grid within grid view.  (I like to choose genre first, and then look at album covers)
  2. no deleting source file within iTunes (unless you let iTunes manage your files, which I won't do)
  3. app searching is dumb; no easy way to search within podcast type for example.
  4. no easy way to switch genre thumbnails (must use 3rd party solution)
  5. Any use of EQ will clip the sound on recordings close to 100dB.  Instead they should EQ like a preamp. 
  6. slow
   
  That's for starters. 
   
  iTunes does most things really well but they don't give a crap about power users.
   

   
  Quote: 





cdis99 said:


> How come you don't like iTunes?


----------



## 12345142

That's what WinAmp and foobar2000 are for. Windows Media Player doesn't even have an equalizer and is just as slow, but I use it for syncing my DAPs anyways.


----------



## Clincher09

Sorry for sounding like a total noob here, but I have no idea what the hell any of these things are (besides the DAPs and phones of course).
  Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Let's see your headphones station at it's current state.  You can clean things up and bit, but it has to be your current station.  NO old pictures please.
> 
> here is mine.  Took the pictures this morning.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





clincher09 said:


> Sorry for sounding like a total noob here, but I have no idea what the hell any of these things are (besides the DAPs and phones of course).


 

 What's your point?


----------



## kboe

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> What's your point?


 


  Be nice...


----------



## Clincher09

I was hoping someone could explain it to me.
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## 12345142

Quote: 





clincher09 said:


> Sorry for sounding like a total noob here, but I have no idea what the hell any of these things are (besides the DAPs and phones of course).


 

 I see two receivers, an amp, a tube DAC, and a Mac Mini. Correct me if I'm wrong.
  I don't mean to be brash here, but your thread derailment was slightly irritating.


----------



## Clincher09

I don't see how it was a "derailment". I could have sworn head-fi was a helpful community, and for information on what these items do I thought it would be a better choice to post in a thread that's centered around them rather than starting a new thread. My mistake, I should have thought twice before asking questions. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Quote:



12345142 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## kboe

What is this, be as grumpy as Uncle Erik day?  I only ask because I did't get the PM.


----------



## kboe

Please PM me Clencher09 if you have questions about gear and I'll help you as best I can.  It seems some only want to whine about having to answer questions, especially from a "noob".


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





kboe said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Heh, I didn't mean to come across as harsh. I was legitimately curious why he stated he lacked the knowledge to identify components in the other user's system. Maybe he could've asked "what does this stuff do."
   
  Also, the keyboards at school suck. I can't type very well, so I try to keep it short


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yeah, damn keyboards.


----------



## Vikingatheart

About half of the keyboards at my school are those flimsy, "indestructible" keyboards. AKA, pieces of trash. Typing on those is the most annoying thing ever.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> About half of the keyboards at my school are those flimsy, "indestructible" keyboards. AKA, pieces of trash. Typing on those is the most annoying thing ever.


 

 We have a mac lab, with the old s****y wireless keyboards that are several generations old (the newer ones I don't really have a problem with. they're overpriced, but everything apple sells is overpriced). Some kid spilled something in my keyboard and now it's sticky. Oh, and my scroll wheel doesn't work on the s****y mouses they have in that lab too. 
   
  I'm definitely not an apple worshipper, and I never will be.


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm not gonna lie, I am totally in love with Apple. And I know there stuff is overpriced, but hey... people still keep buying there stuff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I really love Macs for there operating system. I have nothing but problems with windows my whole life, and will never go back to a PC.


----------



## revolink24

Quote: 





vikingatheart said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Apple fans and their poor grammar.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 fixed


----------



## MrGreen

Damn lousy webcam photos.... I just got the amp and phones today, actually. So good. Bloody good. Criminally excellent.


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   Fixed.


----------



## MrGreen

"Fixed." is a sentence fragment...


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> "Fixed." is a sentence fragment...


 


   On your planet,not mine.


----------



## kchew

I took this photo two weeks back but nothing has changed, does it count?
   

   
  Modded Cambridge Audio Azur 840C to Woo Audio WA22. The 840C is also fed an optical signal from my computer's Asus soundcard, not pictured here.


----------



## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





kchew said:


> I took this photo two weeks back but nothing has changed, does it count?
> 
> 
> 
> Modded Cambridge Audio Azur 840C to Woo Audio WA22. The 840C is also fed an optical signal from my computer's Asus soundcard, not pictured here.


 
  Yes it counts. 
   
  I love your cable management!  I'm gonna do the same.  Thanks!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> "Fixed." is a sentence fragment...


 

 It's understood as "it is" fixed.  When somebody says "I'm doing good", and you respond "well", what you're actually saying is "You are well."


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> "Fixed." is a sentence fragment...


 

 nobody likes grammer nazis.


----------



## revolink24

Awww, that's not very nice.


----------



## NapalmK

Quote:


bobsayshi said:


> nobody likes grammer nazis.


 
  I wund'r if'n thurs a gram'r thred round thez perts...


----------



## InnerSpace

Here's my current rack, as of today.


----------



## dagothur

Do I see two pairs of Sennheiser HD-800 and (what appears to be from this angle) a pair of electrostatics?
  Rainbow from mouth launched.
  
  Quote: 





innerspace said:


> Here's my current rack, as of today.


----------



## MrGreen

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Do I see two pairs of Sennheiser HD-800 and (what appears to be from this angle) a pair of electrostatics?
> Rainbow from mouth launched.


 

  I think it might be an ortho or an ultrasone ED and 2 HD800s. I'm more impressed that he forked out $300 for headphone stands. Nice setup man


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Do I see two pairs of Sennheiser HD-800 and (what appears to be from this angle) a pair of electrostatics?


 
  Two HD800s and one Ultrasone Ed10.  I've been a headphone listener for decades, but Head-Fi finally convinced me it's OK not to pursue just one set-up.  So now I've got three flavors.
   
  The HD800s are a little different from each other.  I've often found that with boutique assembly.  I tried six over 18 months and kept two, for different amp combos.


----------



## dagothur

So are your personal servants paid by the hour or do they have salary wages?
  Quote: 





innerspace said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> So are your personal servants paid by the hour or do they have salary wages?


 

 LOL.  But the headphone stands are because of my housekeeper.  I would normally leave them lying around, but she'd "tidy them up", a process usually involving brutality.


----------



## 03029174

Awesome setup InnerSpace, can you explain the differences between your HD800s, never heard of anyone ever mentioning differences between multiple pairs of HD800s


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





03029174 said:


> Awesome setup InnerSpace, can you explain the differences between your HD800s, never heard of anyone ever mentioning differences between multiple pairs of HD800s


 

 Thanks.  There was a thread on here, when Sennheiser came through with the FR traces you can get when you register, and some differences were evident.  The pair I use with the Leben has the treble peak nearer 7khz than 6khz (by ear) and it's fairly pronounced, but I put old BugleBoys in the Leben, both drivers and output, which is a real chocolate-chocolate chip mix in terms of bass and warmth, and the 7khz peak just hits right and perks up the start of the last octave.
   
  The pair I use with the Pinnacle is much flatter - again by ear, a very small bump at about 6khz.
   
  IMO it's very common for low-volume production items to display significant sample variation.  It drives me nuts when people chase SQ changes through cables, for instance, when trying another sample of their favorite headphone would probably get them a much bigger difference.


----------



## Jian

Quote: 





innerspace said:


> Here's my current rack, as of today.


 

 WOO， that's a pinnacle, isn't it? How does the Leben compares to it?


----------



## chrisbrock

This is the rig in my basement. It consists of a Sony Vaio running Foobar for my FLAC collection and Napster for sampling potential new music before purchase. From there the signal goes via USB (WASAPI) to the E7/E9 combo and then to either the MS1i, HD595 or DT770/80. Missing from this picture are a set of DT880/600 and AKG K240s along with a LD MKIV. Those are currently living in the den upstairs.


----------



## Jian

Just been to the headphone fans annual gathering in Hong Kong, took my home rig to there and haven't got time to unpack them. So here are some pics I took 2 days ago at the meeting.


----------



## jasonb




----------



## leesure

Family room rig...usually sourced by my iPad.  Gilmore Lite driving HD-590's
   

   
  Office Setup, Sourced by iMac HPO.  No DAC yet..soon. Little Dot MKIII acting as Headphone Amp for HD-650's and as Preamp for Hafler power amp driving Monitor Audio mini-monitors.
   

   
  A bit of Little Dot Lurve...
   

   
  Portable Rig.  iPhone to JDS Labs cMoy amp driving Grado SR-125i's


----------



## shane55

I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here.
   
  Now I'm so depressed....
   
  You all have some amazing rigs !!!
  And some really nice shots of them too. Way to go !
  Maybe when I grow up....


----------



## MrGreen

Quote: 





jasonb said:


>


 

 What laptop? What specs? Does it have spdif?


----------



## mikerobe

I had a great idea when I was trying to be frugal a while back to buy cheap headphones.  Unfortunately I was more of an audiophile (such a nice sounding word for a costly addiction) than I wanted to admit.  On a recent shopping excursion I slipped on a pair of Bose AE2 (stick with me, I know they aren't that great).  Though the sound made me long for something better than what I had bought previously, the angel on my shoulder whispered that there must be something better for the money out there.  Could've been the devil on the other shoulder that did the whispering, in retrospect.  Quick research when I got home led me to the Grado SR60i, and one of the local dealers was super close to me. 
   
  Oh, if I could take back that car ride.
   
  I got to the store just hoping to check these Grado headphones out.  Crap-balls.  Mini vacuum tube amps?  DACs?  I embarrassed myself by asking extremely ignorant questions, but I was so excited by this.  I had been putting off being a true audiophile until I had a house instead of an apartment.  But vacuum tube amps for headphones?!  Well, I was snickered at when I asked about where to look for info on the web, forums or the like.  I now know why, they knew the pain/joy I was about to encounter.  I left the store without an amp.  While listening to my SR80i headphones, I realized I did need a DAC and/or amp.  I raced back and this is where I am at now as a total initiate.  I figured it would give me a solid foundation while learning about this new hobby. 
   
  Shnikees.


----------



## leesure

Mikerobe,
   
  What amp/dac is that?


----------



## mikerobe

It's the JVD-5M model from a company called Joy Virtue, or so the box leads me to believe.
   
  The store near me had great listening stations and the ability to listen to just about anything amp or dac they had.  I just knew I needed both and figured my ears weren't attuned well enough to really pinpoint differences (or even know which of those differences I would end up preferring).  So I asked for the best bang-for-buck kind of situation, and this is where I ended up.  That store is so close I plan on returning often as I build up my "palate" as it were.  When I know more and have listened to more, then I'll drop some dough.  I'm in it... deep!


----------



## bbophead

Great story and nicely written as well.  In what city do you live?  Must be great.  Enjoy!!!


----------



## averagejose

Current Setup with DIY stand and ASL MKIII amp


----------



## jasonb

it's an HP G60. dual core intel pentium 2.2ghz, 3gb of ram, nothing special. i have it dual booting windows 7 and ubuntu 10.10, and have been using ubuntu 100% of the time since i put it on. linux > windows. linux also is very lightweight so it doesn't use much ram and doesn't really need all that fast of a processor. it works great for what i need it for.
   
  no optical out. i use USB to my Amp/DAC.
  
  Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> What laptop? What specs? Does it have spdif?


----------



## ChopaH

How much of a difference would you say there is when you run your M50's through your amp?

  
  Quote: 





averagejose said:


> Current Setup with DIY stand and ASL MKIII amp


----------



## averagejose

Quote: 





chopah said:


> How much of a difference would you say there is when you run your M50's through your amp?


 
  When run from the amp, the bass is punchier, i also think that the mids shine more so than straight from an ipod. While not the biggest change, imo they benefit from the amp


----------



## romeyp

Now that's what I'm talking about right there. Impressive!
  Quote: 





nivlek said:


>


----------



## sphinxvc

My humble set-up.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> My humble set-up.


 


  That TV tray is such a good idea! I'll have to do that when I get home today.


----------



## 11amaberry

^ I <3 TV trays...


----------



## leesure

Finally added a DAC.
   
  iMac > Maverick Audio D1 > Little Dot MKIII > Sennheiser HD6650
*_______________________________AND* > _Halfer_ amp driving _Monitor Audio_ speakers.


----------



## MadCow

My current home setup, taken today:
   
  Mac Mini -> Cambridge Audio DacMagic -> Onkyo TX-SR508 -> Naim Headline 2 (via Zone 2 output) -> AKG K702


----------



## leesure

Curious...why go through the Onkyo?


----------



## CDewey

He is probably going through the Onkyo so that he can use his Mac as a source for his speakers as well as his headphones.


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

My current setup:
  Computer -> optical cable -> DPA rennaisance DX16 dac -> X-CANv3 tube hybrid amp with Little Pinkie PSU -> Audeze LCD-2 (with Norse Audio cable).


----------



## sphinxvc

@ leesure, great photo, on many levels.


----------



## 11amaberry

@DAC
  /drools...


----------



## yianni




----------



## 2enty3

I'm in my drumming room right now. Been rocking out all day.


----------



## bbophead

Do I spy a VPI Magic Brick in this pic?
  
  Quote: 





leesure said:


> Finally added a DAC.
> 
> iMac > Maverick Audio D1 > Little Dot MKIII > Sennheiser HD6650
> *_______________________________AND* > _Halfer_ amp driving _Monitor Audio_ speakers.


----------



## prtuc2

Quote: 





yianni said:


>


 


  Wow, is that the Silverstone TJ07 BTX mode with Murdermod customized?


----------



## leesure

bbophead said:


> Do I spy a VPI Magic Brick in this pic?





 


Good eye! You do indeed!


----------



## eclein

Brand new/old and I'm loving it!!!! Musical Paradise MP-301, Grado SR60's(being modded), Virtue Audio Piano M1 CD Player*******


----------



## yianni

Quote: 





prtuc2 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  yeah its all custom by me the only murdermod pieces i have are the plexi at the top and the back piece for the btx style motherboard tray oh and the midplate


----------



## olor1n

Haha.. is that a dildo?


----------



## nikongod

It appears to be one of checknote's ceramic sculptures.


----------



## Marximus

Basically, my final setup (upgraded from pictures posted earlier in this thread):  uDAC-2 from HP computer, running to Fiio E9 or Denon AVR-1000, going to either the Denon D5000 or Beyerdynamic DT 150 (super-casual listening:  Koss Pro35A or KSC 75).  The Beyers are currently getting about 98% head-time, despite their far inferior comfort.  They are the best headphones I've ever heard, IMO.  I can't recommend them enough.  I'm keeping the Denons for use with movies or other situations where long-term comfort is of importance.


----------



## Adda

I just bought a Aragon 18k preamp which works wonders as a headphone amp, so much power!


----------



## MadCow

Quote: 





leesure said:


> Curious...why go through the Onkyo?


 
   
  Quote: 





cdewey said:


> He is probably going through the Onkyo so that he can use his Mac as a source for his speakers as well as his headphones.


 


  Yeah, the Onkyo serves as the hub linking multiple sources (PC, BD player, FM radio, etc) to multiple outputs (speakers and headphones).


----------



## ford2

Well time for an upgrade arrived BUT this time it was the speakers,The Quad 12L actives sing.


----------



## jasonb

my couch-side set-up:


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





vwrymen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Bass light and bass heavy,depending on what I am listening to.


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





vwrymen said:


> you mad!


 

 And YOU are pushing the friendship.Crawl back in the hole you came out of.


----------



## RexAeterna

just quick pic. not whole area. just amps i use and headphones since it's headphones section.


     http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00873.jpg


 can fix if want. i can never get the images to work for some reason.


----------



## RexAeterna

Quote: 





vwrymen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  thanx man. i do love my vintage solid state amps . sounds wonderful and has tons of muscle behind the power amp section and headphone out section.


----------



## KingStyles

Its a work in progress.


----------



## Waterfalls

Simple desk set up.
   

   
  And everything else, which is a mess.


----------



## RexAeterna

is that the N64 in the picture? your the man. N64 is such an awesome system. it produced some of the greatest of games of all time.
  
  Quote: 





waterfalls said:


> Simple desk set up.
> 
> 
> 
> And everything else, which is a mess.


----------



## dagothur

I see D2000, D7000, Sr-60 (with giant yellow pads), 650, and M-50.
  How many cookies do I get for right answers?
  
  Quote: 





waterfalls said:


> Simple desk set up.
> 
> 
> 
> And everything else, which is a mess.


----------



## Waterfalls

Yep, I don't have the heart to let go of my N64, even if it is 15 years old.
   
   
  Close, but no dime. HD650 and SR60i are correct but the rest are Sony MDR-XD100 used as a lamp decoration and the bottom two are HD555 and HD280. I still use the 555's occasionally and the 280's are for on the go.


----------



## Kibble Fat

Here is my current setup:  
   
  ASUS G51Jx-X5 iTunes >> AMB Gamma2 Full++ DAC (via USB) >> AMB Mini3 amp >> 75 ohm impedance adaptor >> HiFiMAN RE-Zeros
   
  All DIY except for the headphones


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





vwrymen said:


> I do not mean to offend you, I mean it's cool


 


   All is cool.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





waterfalls said:


> Yep, I don't have the heart to let go of my N64, even if it is 15 years old.
> 
> 
> Close, but no dime. HD650 and SR60i are correct but the rest are Sony MDR-XD100 used as a lamp decoration and the bottom two are HD555 and HD280. I still use the 555's occasionally and the 280's are for on the go.


 
  I must commit seppuku, I have dishonored head-fi.  The 555s looked like Denons because of the shape, but the headband on the 280s should've given it away.


----------



## Fitz

Quote: 





vwrymen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I think you mean why does he have _only_ two pairs of K1000.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





fitz said:


> I think you mean why does he have _only_ two pairs of K1000.


 


  Do all of your pairs have names?


----------



## Fitz

Quote: 





logwed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





   
  I name them after the days of the week, except for one called Nigel, because I ran out of days.


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 As long as their was only a bass heavy and a bass light I will stick with two.
   
  But if their was another flavour I could be tempted to increase the family.


----------



## Semlu

For some reason the pics dont work on the forum.
   
http://tinypic.com/r/vfbjpu/7
http://i54.tinypic.com/verz4i.jpg
http://i51.tinypic.com/sg36m0.jpg


----------



## leesure

Is that your CD player on top of a subwoofer???

And where's the head-fi gear?


----------



## Fitz

Quote: 





ford2 said:


> As long as their was only a bass heavy and a bass light I will stick with two.
> 
> But if their was another flavour I could be tempted to increase the family.


 


  Butter pecan? Strawberry?


----------



## dagothur

Raspberry AKG 1000s color the sound a little too much in the sub-bass, but I think the Butter Pecan is definitely the choice for neutrality.  Then again, as a fan of heavy metal I could vouch for the strawberry.
  Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   I see what you mean about the current state of Head Fi.


----------



## Fitz

Quote: 





ford2 said:


> I see what you mean about the current state of Head Fi.


 

  
  Sorry about that, in the future I'll try to avoid injecting a bit of humor into my AKG obsession. :\


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 So will I.


----------



## nikongod

There is nothing funny about AKG headphones.


----------



## Fitz

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> There is nothing funny about AKG headphones.


 


  Am I going to have to keep my K1000 under close watch to make sure you don't take any "funny" pictures with it?


----------



## eucariote

Not included in the picture are the chair I'm sitting in, an airport express, router and a network drive with all the music.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 2 headphones 1 amp. :/ nuff said.


----------



## m3ta1head

Quote: 





fitz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Noooo! I had subdued the memory of those photos until you brought it up just now.


----------



## dagothur

I just finished a piece of Domino's pizza covered in Thai chili sauce when I scrolled down and saw this beautiful picture.
  Edit: If I may, is that wonderful looking headphone stand DIY, or did you purchase it?
  
  Quote: 





eucariote said:


> Not included in the picture are the chair I'm sitting in, an airport express, router and a network drive with all the music.


----------



## eucariote

The stand was actually made by Tower7.  It is nice, and very handy for putting all my phones in rotation on one stand.


----------



## dagothur

Did you purchase one from him, then?
  Quote: 





eucariote said:


> The stand was actually made by Tower7.  It is nice, and very handy for putting all my phones in rotation on one stand.


----------



## priest

Very utilitarian, I know. The higher-quality headphones are boxed up elsewhere. That's the Squeezebox Touch up top, which I should have turned on before taking the picture.


----------



## eucariote

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Did you purchase one from him, then?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, Towert7 & his dad sell them through a website.


----------



## dagothur

Thanks a bunch.  I'm ordering one of those beautiful stands as soon as I can.
  Quote: 





eucariote said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Priest......wow.  Headphones.  You have a few.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Here's mine as of today.


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





priest said:


> Very utilitarian, I know. The higher-quality headphones are boxed up elsewhere. That's the Squeezebox Touch up top, which I should have turned on before taking the picture.


 

 Glorious


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Here's mine as of today.


 

 Excellent, my man.


----------



## MacedonianHero

^^
   
  Thanks!
   
  Just got the WA2 tonight and I can confirm....amazing pairing with the LCD-2s, HD800s and T1s.


----------



## GreatDane

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> ^^
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Just got the WA2 tonight and I can confirm....amazing pairing with the LCD-2s, HD800s and T1s.


 

 OH man! You suck.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





greatdane said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 If it makes you feel better, my wife was not happy and I had to drop a small bundle on new living room furniture to "make things equal".


----------



## GreatDane

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 "Clever girl" - the man said just before the dinosaur ripped his head off.
   
  lol
   
  Hey, fair is fair.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> ^^
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Just got the WA2 tonight and I can confirm....amazing pairing with the LCD-2s, HD800s and T1s.


 
  Did you opt for any of the optional goodies or would that have caused a new dining room set?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I have spend more than an additional $300 on tubes....so it was all leather living room set.


----------



## Alu

Quote: 





priest said:


> pic
> 
> Very utilitarian, I know. The higher-quality headphones are boxed up elsewhere. That's the Squeezebox Touch up top, which I should have turned on before taking the picture.


 


  Amazing mate.


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Here's mine as of today.


 

 Beautiful Macedonian. So very jealous of that RS1 and Ear+ HD combo.


----------



## RexAeterna

holy crap dude. lot of headphones going on there.how do you find the time to listen to all? i don't think myself would be able deal with more then 2 pairs. overall amazing set-up. really nice collection going on. 
  Quote: 





priest said:


> Very utilitarian, I know. The higher-quality headphones are boxed up elsewhere. That's the Squeezebox Touch up top, which I should have turned on before taking the picture.


----------



## priest

Quote:


rexaeterna said:


> holy crap dude. lot of headphones going on there.how do you find the time to listen to all? i don't think myself would be able deal with more then 2 pairs. overall amazing set-up. really nice collection going on.
> 
> 
> >


 
  @everyone
 Thank you.
   
  @RexAeterna 
  None of them get the time they deserve, but I do try to cycle through them. Some of them are just collection pieces at this point though, that I can't bring myself to sell.


----------



## MomijiTMO

Yeah I'm sure I said I'd only have 2 headphones too. I just can't sell them... it's a collection now . I guess I'm in Priest's camp although I clearly haven't been as bad.


----------



## Kremer930

There are many nice things to lust after in that pic.  I like your choice of cans.  I guess it isn't too hard when you have all of the various bests of class covered off.  Put me down for a Woo and at least the HD800's as wish list items.  And since I am dreaming....why not the Audeze's as well.
   
  How do you know once listening to nice quality tunes has become an infectious obsession?  Has anyone defined it?  Hopefully it is at least 6 pairs of headphones and the same of headphone amps.  If so then I have a little headroom left...
   
  I guess that I should add that any products not shown in the pic but referred to in my rantings where listed in Macedonian Heros signature panel.
  
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Here's mine as of today.


----------



## MacedonianHero

^^^ Gotta say that the WA2 + HD800s is a fabulous pairing. Since you kinda asked, here is a photo with my full sized headphones included:


----------



## dagothur

That is some rainbow-vomit inducing awesomeness right there.
  
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> ^^^ Gotta say that the WA2 + HD800s is a fabulous pairing. Since you kinda asked, here is a photo with my full sized headphones included:


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> That is some rainbow-vomit inducing awesomeness right there.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> ^^^ Gotta say that the WA2 + HD800s is a fabulous pairing. Since you kinda asked, here is a photo with my full sized headphones included:


 


  Yep a pretty nice selection that's for sure.  Think that would be my choice.  Only thing left is the new Stax release when it happens and a Blue Hawaiian. .......always more though huh?  A disease of more....


----------



## dagothur

Or, instead of the C32, he could just get a picture of the car he bought with the money.
  Quote: 





dallan said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Kachui




----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Yep a pretty nice selection that's for sure.  Think that would be my choice.  Only thing left is the new Stax release when it happens and a Blue Hawaiian. .......always more though huh?  A disease of more....


 

 Stax Rig...The Final Frontier. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  My wife would kill me though....


----------



## dallan

Tell me about it, i have to sleep with one eye open already, like this


----------



## ElectroGeek007

Here is mine, as of a few minutes ago 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  It's nothing like many of the incredible ones that have been shown in this thread, but it'll do (for the moment).


----------



## RexAeterna

what you talking about? it's awesome. especially the yamaha receiver. i'm curious on your top blue headphone tho. they look nice. also wondering if that cd player you have there is pioneer cause mine looks exactly like that i have down stairs.
  
  Quote: 





electrogeek007 said:


> Here is mine, as of a few minutes ago
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ElectroGeek007

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> what you talking about? it's awesome. especially the yamaha receiver. i'm curious on your top blue headphone tho. they look nice. also wondering if that cd player you have there is pioneer cause mine looks exactly like that i have down stairs.


 

  Thanks! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The blue pair of headphones is a Stanton Dynaphase Sixty from the early 1970's. It actually just arrived today, and I am going to fix it up, as it is certainly unique looking, and the sound quality will also be improved once I am done. The CD player is an Optimus (one of Radio Shack's now-discontinued house brands) CD-1760. It was quite possibly made by Pioneer, then re-branded as an Optimus.


----------



## priest

Sweet. What's the turntable? Maybe it's in your profile and I just neglected it.
   
  Your HD 800 look white in the photo, which is actually a nice effect.
  
  Quote: 





kachui said:


>


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I got rid of mine.


----------



## Kachui

Quote: 





priest said:


> Sweet. What's the turntable? Maybe it's in your profile and I just neglected it.
> 
> Your HD 800 look white in the photo, which is actually a nice effect.


 

 It is just a humble technics SL-1210M5G...with a Oyaide MJ12 mat.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





ford2 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Your wife or your rig?


----------



## loremipsum

After shooting more than 100 photos trying to get one that isn't blurry as hell, I give up. So just imagine a poorly-crafted foldable stool made in wood shop with an iPod Touch, Westone 1, and ATH-M50 on sitting on it. Honestly I have no idea how you people can take such good photographs
   
  You all have such nice looking setups too, I've just got a tiny desk in my bedroom that barely has enough room for my monitor and keyboard on it


----------



## ford2

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  The wife,life has never been so good.


----------



## leng jai

Onkyo NDS1 and Burson 160 added. Looks like I'm set for a while.


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Onkyo NDS1 and Burson 160 added. Looks like I'm set for a while.


 

 <3 Angus and Julia Stone. Amazing album!


----------



## RexAeterna

yea radioshack did make lot of great stuff. i have couple tape decks and receiver. wonderful. they also were re-branded stuff. lot of it came from fostex for their speakers and headphones. that's why the optimus super tweeters on their speakers were loved among many music lovers and had lot of isodynamic headphones too. i didn't know they made cd players. this is new to me. it must be rare to have a radioshack cd player. well hope you get your headphones working. they look really nice and probably sound nice as well
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





electrogeek007 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## bruze

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Onkyo NDS1 and Burson 160 added. Looks like I'm set for a while.


 

 Beautiful setup


----------



## misformatt

Just saw this on another site and thought it was relevant.


----------



## Connnorrr

Not much, but a start.
   

   
   

   
   
   
  Will likely have more in the future haha.


----------



## ianmedium

^ 
Like the yellow pads on the Grado's


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





ianmedium said:


> ^
> Like the yellow pads on the Grado's


 

 I think he needs to quarter mod them.


----------



## Connnorrr

Maybe some day in the future, would like to try on my stock pads that I have so I know I can cut it straight. Might need to go get a blade of some sort for the job because I don't think a steak knife will do the trick.
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Maybe some day in the future, would like to try on my stock pads that I have so I know I can cut it straight. Might need to go get a blade of some sort for the job because I don't think a steak knife will do the trick.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 

 You don't have to cut it perfect as you flip the pads around so the machine cut hole is the one that you see.


----------



## Connnorrr

Ohhhh ok, well now I've got to go pull these out of the closet and give it a try then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## m3ta1head

Quote: 





misformatt said:


> Just saw this on another site and thought it was relevant.


 
  LOL did you see this on [H]?  Hilarious setup


----------



## leng jai

Best album if 2010 IMO.
  Quote: 





matthewh133 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## monoethylene




----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Best album if 2010 IMO.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I agree. How does the DACMagic pair with the HA-160? I have a HA-160 currently with nothing to plug it into, so I'm in search of a good DAC in that price range. The DACMagic is the one I am considering most atm.


----------



## leng jai

Hard to say for me at this stage, I've only had the Burson for 1 day. I would recommend the DacMagic however, very nice and versatile DAC for the price. Currently got it connected to my Macbook Air via USB, optical to PS3 and optical to the NDS1 and it is working flawlessly.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 How did you cut such a perfect hole in those comfies?


----------



## TheWuss

my work setup.
  simple, but effective.
   
  Foobar2000 -->  Halide Bridge -->  Meier StageDAC -->  WireWorld Eclipse 6 RCAs -->  Woo Audio WA6 (EML5U4G) -->  various cans
   
  sorry for the crappy cellphone camera pic...


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> How did you cut such a perfect hole in those comfies?


 
  Cut best hole I could, then flipped it as was suggested.


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Hard to say for me at this stage, I've only had the Burson for 1 day. I would recommend the DacMagic however, very nice and versatile DAC for the price. Currently got it connected to my Macbook Air via USB, optical to PS3 and optical to the NDS1 and it is working flawlessly.


 

 Great to know thanks!


----------



## Hellrzr




----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





eucariote said:


> The stand was actually made by Tower7.  It is nice, and very handy for putting all my phones in rotation on one stand.


 


  I was looking through this thread and saw your picture.  ^_^
   
  Credit where credit is due though, that stand was actually built by my Dad.  I only designed it.
   
   
  Some really nice stations.  I'll have to take a photo of my modest dorm setup someday and post it here.


----------



## maximosa

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Some really nice stations.  I'll have to take a photo of my modest dorm setup someday and post it here.


 
  Having a quick scan of your signature, I'm going to say that the word "modest" means very different things to the two of us.


----------



## Caphead78

I just sent my Asgard off to get a new chassis (fingerprinting problem) so my setup is defunct for a little bit


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





maximosa said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Well, it's a lot more modest than it used to be.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Most of it is being sold off.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





caphead78 said:


> I just sent my Asgard off to get a new chassis (fingerprinting problem) so my setup is defunct for a little bit


 

 Is that headband DIY? If it is, you did a great job!


----------



## Caphead78

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  No, it is the JMoney band. I bought it from Headroom.
  My DIY skills aren't that good lol


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





caphead78 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Dang, I gotta get me one of those.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I was thinking the same, until i found out they cost about 40$ and the "camel" color has gone out of stock.


----------



## BluFalcon




----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





blufalcon said:


>


 

 I was about to post mine but after seeing yours. no way.
   
  kudos


----------



## commandercup

My setup is embarrassing compared to some of the other setups here, but I love it! I'll be swapping my amp and headphones out with different gear as soon as I can to try out different stuff.


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





blufalcon said:


>


 


 nice set up, sgt


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





blufalcon said:


>


 

 Yes beautiful setup BluFalcon.


----------



## Mkubota1

Just a whole bunch of random stuff.  Actually there is a theme here: I am super prone and sensitive to ear sweats.  So although I have a set of HD-580s (not shown) 80% of my listening is with IEMs.  The rest are things that don't touch my face- which are the K1000s and the Sony PFR-V1s (inside the smaller case).


----------



## Bacci

Here's mine.. a poor man's head-fi station I'm afraid...
  Only an old Philips CD960 player, Nuforce UDAC 2 used as DAC for computer, cheap modded Chinese hybrid AMP and Senn 598's.


----------



## Rasmutte

bacci said:


> Here's mine.. a poor man's head-fi station I'm afraid...
> Only an old Philips CD960 player, Nuforce UDAC 2 used as DAC for computer, cheap modded Chinese hybrid AMP and Senn 598's.




I like your table!
Where did you goy it?


----------



## Bacci

Quote: 





			
				Rasmutte said:
			
		

> I like your table!
> Where did you goy it?


 

 All IKEA stuff


----------



## Mullet

I'll throw my hat into the ring... here's my office set up... My MacBook Pro into a recently built AMB gamma-1 going into an Apheared 47, standard cmoy, or Penguin Caffeine Ultra then finally into my Grado SR80s. This is all 'bout to change when I swap my mini3 for the Penguin. Also, I'm about to "hopefully" build a CTH for work.
   

   
  And here is my home setup. MacBook Pro into an AMB gamma-2 that feeds into a La Figaro 332c (or at the moment Penguin Caffeine Ultra) that goes into a variety of phones depending on the mood. Pictured are my AKG701s and Koss KSC-75s. My other phones include the venerable Sennheiser HD650s and Beyerdynamic DT880 250s.


----------



## monoethylene




----------



## dagothur

It appears the blue pig and orange crab are enjoying your ridiculously awesome setup as much as the rest of us.
  
  Quote: 





monoethylene said:


>


----------



## monoethylene

yeahhh..one is a Beyer and the other is a Senn ))))))


----------



## lescanard

What the hell. It's awesome peaking at everyone's gear.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





lescanard said:


> What the hell. It's awesome peaking at everyone's gear.


 

 What does this tri-braid lead to?


----------



## lescanard

It's a Kimber Kable extender - it leads right to my Beyers.


----------



## monoethylene

Have you made it by yourself the cable?? and is it "better" as others? I am asking because the cable itself is more expensive as a "normal" one..


----------



## lescanard

Quote: 





monoethylene said:


> Have you made it by yourself the cable?? and is it "better" as others? I am asking because the cable itself is more expensive as a "normal" one..


 

 No - I purchased it on Headroom about a year or so ago for probably $75-$80. It looks as though they no longer sell the Kimber brand. It's just a 10 foot headphone extension cable that my Beyers (with stock cables) plug into.


----------



## monoethylene

Quote: 





lescanard said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks.. I was asking because in Germany I can buy it as raw cable and I am wondering why it is more expensive..maybe the brand....Actually I reterminated my Beyers with Mogami Star Quad and it is really an improvement in contrast to the the stock cable.


----------



## dirkpitt45




----------



## lescanard

Quote: 





monoethylene said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'd like to re-cable both of my Beyers someday - but I'm not capable on my own so I would need to send it out.


----------



## monoethylene

uhhhh..I dont know your capabilities but this isnt a hard job if you know how to solder and to use a multimeter. I dont think that you have to send them out
  As you have seen I am using a normal microphone cable instead of the stock cable, in detail a better shielding one and it is really an improvement IMO. I have ordered it at Redco and the plugs in Germany. Further I soldered the coil wire this week because it was broken unfortunately and now the 990's work like a beast.. . To sum up, I think that you shouldnt have fear when recable them..just try it..


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





monoethylene said:


> uhhhh..I dont know your capabilities but this isnt a hard job if you know how to solder and to use a multimeter. I dont think that you have to send them out
> As you have seen I am using a normal microphone cable instead of the stock cable, in detail a better shielding one and it is really an improvement IMO. I have ordered it at Redco and the plugs in Germany. Further I soldered the coil wire this week because it was broken unfortunately and now the 990's work like a beast.. . To sum up, I think that you shouldnt have fear when recable them..just try it..


 

 Ditto. It's very simple.


----------



## dagothur

Wasn't there a story about Jena labs screwing up an RD-10 recabling?
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## yann3804

Quote: 





lescanard said:


> What the hell. It's awesome peaking at everyone's gear.


 

  
  This setup looks amazing, but since I'm a noob... (and would like to know more things)
  I would like to ask some questions, (not particularly about this setup) about what is IN the picture right here,..
   
  So I circled the three different components (in different colours),
   

   
  So my question is... what is that red, blue and green thing I just circled? What are they called?


----------



## revolink24

On the right you have the Cambridge Audio DACMagic, which converts digital audio from a PC or CD player to analog audio so that it can be played back with headphones. The red and blue are the headphone amplifier (A Little Dot MK IV) to drive the headphones (A DAC without a built in amplifier cannot do this alone). The blue things are the vacuum tubes, which are used to amplify the signal through the amplifier. (They were mostly used in the days before transistors and integrated circuits, but live on in the world of high end audio.)





dagothur said:


> Wasn't there a story about Jena labs screwing up an RD-10 recabling?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...




Yep.

(I'm assuming you mean MDR-R10s)

http://apuresound.com/rtr.html


----------



## yann3804

Why is it needed to convert digital audio to analog audio? Couldn't we simply connect the amplifier straight to the PC?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





yann3804 said:


> Why is it needed to convert digital audio to analog audio? Couldn't we simply connect the amplifier straight to the PC?


 

 The DACs in computers aren't very good.  If you have Foobar or Windows 7, you can have the computer run it around the internal DAC into your own.  It improves the signal quite a bit, and generally aids in squeezing every last bit of detail out of your cans.  I know my D7000s have improved by leaps and bounds with my Nuforce HDP.


----------



## leesure

Quote: 





yann3804 said:


> Why is it needed to convert digital audio to analog audio? Couldn't we simply connect the amplifier straight to the PC?


 


  Because the PC sound card that performs that Digital to Analog conversion in your scenario is typically really BAD sounding in relation to an outboard Digital to Analog converter (DAC).  Switching from my PC's soundcard to an outboard DAC has made a bigger difference in the sound of my system than any other electronic change.
   
  EDIT:  Damn!  Too slow!


----------



## TheWuss

yann3804 said:


> This setup looks amazing, but since I'm a noob... (and would like to know more things)
> I would like to ask some questions, (not particularly about this setup) about what is IN the picture right here,..
> So I circled the three different components (in different colours),
> 
> ...




 
That's a trick question. U didn't circle anything. Right?


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> That's a trick question. U didn't circle anything. Right?


 


  Oh snap!  You won that one.


----------



## revolink24

yann3804 said:


> Why is it needed to convert digital audio to analog audio? Couldn't we simply connect the amplifier straight to the PC?




The way all speakers and headphones work is that they need analog audio to operate. The variations in voltage that make up analog audio are what allow the back and forth motion of the driver which creates sound waves. Digital audio is simply a bunch of bits ("samples") of audio, with values of 0 or 1. These cannot create sound without being first converted into analog.

Now in your PC you have both a DAC and a headphone amplifier, hooked up much like the outboard gear you are asking about, just all on your PC's sound card or motherboard. The purpose of the external gear is to achieve a higher quality of digital to analog conversion and amplification.

Hope this helps,

Brendan.


----------



## yann3804

I never saw my audio hardware work this way! That's a nice explanation you gave me.
   
  One last last question (because I know I'm probably wasting your time): You told me that you would connect the DAC to the MP3 player, then the Amp to the DAC, then the headphones to the AMP, so this way...
   
  Headphones > AMP > DAC > MP3
   
  Why would this work? Since it's digital audio?
   
  Headphones > MP3
   
  So MP3 players already have a DAC integrated? then it would be Analog audio to Analog audio?


----------



## leesure

You have to have a source capable of giving you the digital data before it's been converted. Your computer can vie either USB or, in the case of Macs, optical., but an iPod will be outputting an analog signal. That just goes straight to the amp.


----------



## Kobayash1

My humble setup.


----------



## yifu

An iPod can output pure digital signal as well. Its just that digital transports like Wadia itransports for ipods are expensive.
  
  Quote: 





leesure said:


> You have to have a source capable of giving you the digital data before it's been converted. Your computer can vie either USB or, in the case of Macs, optical., but an iPod will be outputting an analog signal. That just goes straight to the amp.


----------



## ardgedee

Any digital media device with a headphone jack -- a computer, a phone, a Zune, iPod, iRiver, and so on -- has a built-in DAC and amplifier. Many of those devices give us the means to skip past the built-in amplifier and/or DAC to use external hardware.
   
  We use external DACs and amplifiers between the computer (and MP3 player) and the headphone for a variety of reasons, but in brief we use them because we hope they are:
   

 Quantitatively better. For example, an external DAC can convert to analog a particular datastream that the computer's software can't. Or the external amplifier is electronically capable of driving a particular pair of headphones that the computer can't.
 Qualitatively better. Which is to say, they sound better than the computer's (or MP3 player's) built-in hardware, even if they're used for doing things the computer (or MP3 player) can do on their own.
   
  Everything else is detail, really. There are vast numbers of people around the world hashing out the finer details of what kind of headphones are better, what kind of amplifiers, which alterations of circuit in a particular amplifier is better, what kind of wire is better, and it's turtles all the way down.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





yann3804 said:


> Why would this work? Since it's digital audio?
> 
> Headphones > MP3
> 
> So MP3 players already have a DAC integrated? then it would be Analog audio to Analog audio?


 

 Every iPod or mp3 player has a DAC and an amp. You can bypass the amp on iPods, but you can't bypass the DAC. It's the same with computers, except that you can bypass the DAC section too.
   
  If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.


----------



## yifu

Ehh. You can bypass the DAC in an iPod. There are heaps of options out there from the cheapest (HRT iStreamer) to ore expensive (Wadia iTransport) and many other offerings in the middle.
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


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----------



## BobSaysHi

I didn't know that. My bad lol
  
  Quote: 





yifu said:


> Ehh. You can bypass the DAC in an iPod. There are heaps of options out there from the cheapest (HRT iStreamer) to ore expensive (Wadia iTransport) and many other offerings in the middle.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## leesure

yifu said:


> Ehh. You can bypass the DAC in an iPod. There are heaps of options out there from the cheapest (HRT iStreamer) to ore expensive (Wadia iTransport) and many other offerings in the middle.





 


'Heaps' is perhaps a bit excessive. I can only find 3. The iStreamer you mention...but that has it's own DAC, the Wadia and the Onkyo NDS-1, which isn't readily available in the US. None of those are particularly portable as they all need AC...not that the OP suggested a need for portability.

Are there any others?


----------



## lescanard

Maybe I am being thick here - but I have a question for those who have shared pics of their rigs with Mac minis...I currently stream my tunes from my Macbook Pro to an Airport Express - then on to my gear (DacMagic, LDMKIV, Headphones etc.). Because of the amount of music I have I keep it on an external drive which requires me to hook the drive to the Macbook Pro. In some of these set-ups - there is a Mac Mini (and an iPad controlling it prob. via the remote app) - but the mini isn't hooked to a monitor (at least not that I can see). How does that work - how do you see what's on the mini (i.e. music files) without a monitor? Is it simply functioning as a Music server that the iPad (or iPhone) controls? Hopefully this makes sense to someone...


----------



## Caphead78

PURE makes a dock as well. It is only around $100. http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-61429&Category=Bedroom
  Quote:



leesure said:


> 'Heaps' is perhaps a bit excessive. I can only find 3. The iStreamer you mention...but that has it's own DAC, the Wadia and the Onkyo NDS-1, which isn't readily available in the US. None of those are particularly portable as they all need AC...not that the OP suggested a need for portability.Are there any others?


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





leesure said:


> 'Heaps' is perhaps a bit excessive. I can only find 3. The iStreamer you mention...but that has it's own DAC, the Wadia and the Onkyo NDS-1, which isn't readily available in the US. None of those are particularly portable as they all need AC...not that the OP suggested a need for portability.Are there any others?


 

  
  Cypherlabs has one coming out, but it's mega-expensive for a portable component...


----------



## Mullet

Quote: 





lescanard said:


> Maybe I am being thick here - but I have a question for those who have shared pics of their rigs with Mac minis...I currently stream my tunes from my Macbook Pro to an Airport Express - then on to my gear (DacMagic, LDMKIV, Headphones etc.). Because of the amount of music I have I keep it on an external drive which requires me to hook the drive to the Macbook Pro. In some of these set-ups - there is a Mac Mini (and an iPad controlling it prob. via the remote app) - but the mini isn't hooked to a monitor (at least not that I can see). How does that work - how do you see what's on the mini (i.e. music files) without a monitor? Is it simply functioning as a Music server that the iPad (or iPhone) controls? Hopefully this makes sense to someone...


 


  All you need to do is turn on Screen Sharing in your Sharing prefs on the Mac Mini, etc. Then you'll see the remote Mac in your sidebar of a Finder window from another Mac on the same network. Then click on Share Screen... Easy peasy. This uses the standard VNC protocol. Alternatively, you can turn on Remote Management if you're using Apple Remote Desktop to control the remote computer. Furthermore, if you turn on Remote Login as well you turn on what is also known as SSH in the Unix/Linux world. This allows for a secure and encrypted tunnel to your remote client. I do this to a Mac Mini hooked up to my Samsung HDTV. Sometimes I'm watching normal TV, but want to access the Mini so I use Screen Sharing to do so. Hope that helps...


----------



## Bacci

The free remote app will allow you to control itunes via any iphone or ipad. It also exists for android phones. I have Itunes in the startup items so I don't need to fire up my tv to listen to music on my mac mini.


----------



## leesure

The Pure i20 looks interesting,  Built in DAC and digital output to go to an external DAC AND video outs all for $99.  Hmmmmm...I'm a little skeptical, but curious enough to risk a c-note.


----------



## Caphead78

Quote: 





leesure said:


> The Pure i20 looks interesting,  Built in DAC and digital output to go to an external DAC AND video outs all for $99.  Hmmmmm...I'm a little skeptical, but curious enough to risk a c-note.


 

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/529956/pure-i-20-ipod-iphone-dock-as-a-dac
  There are some impressions here, it looks promising from this thread, though I do not (yet) own one.


----------



## Skylab

There is also the Cambridge Audio iD100, which is a very nice home dock with coax, toslink, and AES/EBU outs, and a nice remote, for $299.  I have the original Wadia, and the Cambridge is much more versatile (like works with iPad!), and much cheaper than the new Wadia ($289 for the Cambridge).


----------



## lescanard

Quote: 





mullet said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





bacci said:


> The free remote app will allow you to control itunes via any iphone or ipad. It also exists for android phones. I have Itunes in the startup items so I don't need to fire up my tv to listen to music on my mac mini.


 

 Thanks guys - this makes complete sense now. Bacci - I use the Remote app now and love it - I was stumped on how to manage the files on the mini (i.e rip new cds, metadata etc.) without a monitor but forgot about the Screen Sharing option - that's a very simple solution. I'm thinking a Mac Mini in the future may be a great idea as a place to keep a Master Library.


----------



## revolink24

yann3804 said:


> I never saw my audio hardware work this way! That's a nice explanation you gave me.
> 
> One last last question (because I know I'm probably wasting your time): You told me that you would connect the DAC to the MP3 player, then the Amp to the DAC, then the headphones to the AMP, so this way...
> 
> ...




Hi again. I know some other people gave some nice explanations, but I figured I'd try to clarify things a bit.

For this example, I'll use an iPod to make things simpler. Now an iPod has a built in DAC which converts the MP3 files you play to analog audio. Some devices, such as those mentioned above, can bypass this DAC and do their own conversion. These devices in conjunction with the iPod are known as a _digital transport._ A digital transport is the first step in the audio chain.

The next step in the iPod's audio reproduction cycle is the amplification. This is what allows your headphones to be driven by the newly created analog audio, and also what allows volume control to work. This new amplified signal is what drives your headphones directly.

Now it is possible to bypass this internal amplifier using something called a _Line-Out Dock_ or "LOD". This puts out what we audio people call a "line-level" analog signal, which is a constant level ready for amplification. It is this level that comes out of the DAC and goes into the amplifier in your iPod, or whatever amplifier you choose with a line out dock.

Now it may be confusing that digital sources all seem to output analog audio, so here's a brief description of the outputs of players.

Digital formats include Optical TOSLINK, Coaxial, and USB. (Optical TOSLINK and coaxial are, in fact, the same format, known as SPDIF, but that is unimportant at this point.) A device that plugs into any of these ports (which may look like a standard phono plug, but generally colored orange, or else have a red "glow" from the optical LED) is going to have to convert the digital audio to analog.


Anything that uses standard Red/Black/White RCA outputs, 3.5mm and 1/4" headphone jacks, XLR connectors (barring some professional DACs) is using analog audio. These are used for the inputs for amplifiers and the outputs for amps.

The confusion comes in that most people use DACs/amps in the same box, and that we tend to separate them here at Head-Fi.

Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, shoot me a PM so we don't take this thread further off topic.


----------



## 03029174

The rig in its current state
   
  I'm so happy with the rig i've upgraded every cable and power leads as the final icing on the cake. The power leads have just arrived and expecting a package from Whiplash Audio sometime this week containing USB, Custom RCA and HD800 cables.
   
  Here it is in its "Current State"
   
  PS Just figured out i can use a guitar stand as a Headphone stand!!


----------



## leesure




----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





03029174 said:


>


 

 That HD800 looks precarious. Also, those power cables are f'n HUGE.


----------



## BluFalcon

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


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snapple10 said:


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  Quote: 





matthewh133 said:


> Quote:
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 Thanks, guys.  That was a rather modest desk-side head-fi station that also doubles as my family room entertainment center (display and speakers not shown obviously).  My audio specific system is set up in the garage/ home gym (below), but I don't use headphones when I'm jamming out in here.


----------



## 03029174

Yeah, went for a pair of Virtual Dynamics Power Cords, highly recommended by RIP Patrick82 ..... And a few others thank god

The camera angle doesn't do my new stand justice, the foam on the stand and the material of the HD800 headband really grip each other well and the headphones sit nicely in the middle of the head rack.

Just ordered a second stand in chrome so my Telecaster can get the one in the pic back. Will post a final pic when the rest of the cables turn up


----------



## Avi

Simple, but here it is:


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's pics of my current set-up:


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's pics of my current set-up:


 

 Is that *gasp* a stock cable on those dt880s?


----------



## Zombie_X

They are brand new and I have not had time to recable them as I have to finish other cables first . In time they will be recabled and fitted with a 4-pin XLR so I can use them balanced.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> They are brand new and I have not had time to recable them as I have to finish other cables first . In time they will be recabled and fitted with a 4-pin XLR so I can use them balanced.


 

 To what are those Jena cables going?


----------



## Zombie_X

They are going to my DT990, and the wire is not Jena, but rather Neucleotide from Double Helix.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> They are going to my DT990, and the wire is not Jena, but rather Neucleotide from Double Helix.


 

 Well, they sure _look _a lot like Jena cables.  A Beyerdynamic fan, are we?


----------



## Zombie_X

Yes, I own the T1/DT880/DT990. I love the beyer sound the most out of all my headphones.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 lol, if you only knew. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  BTW Zombie_X thanks a lot for your comparisons on the Beyer models. You helped me out quite a bit when I was new and looking for a pair of headphones.


----------



## RexAeterna

i picked up this 1980's Sansui AU-D7 integrated amp last night for 50 bucks and the speakers for 16 bucks to add to my collection. very powerful amplifier with insane amounts of muscle behind the power amp section. i love Sansui amps and receivers. the Technics sound great too with lots of low-end but need a tweeter replacement which is easy since i have tons of extra speakers around my house.


     http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00903.jpg



  in the process of replacing the tweeter so my room is a mess currently and need to do a complete re-arrangment. can fix if want. i know this headphone section but i use all my headphones with all my power amps and vintage receivers.


----------



## revolink24

rexaeterna said:


> i picked up this 1980's Sansui AU-D7 integrated amp last night for 50 bucks and the speakers for 16 bucks to add to my collection. very powerful amplifier with insane amounts of muscle behind the power amp section. i love Sansui amps and receivers. the Technics sound great too with lots of low-end but need a tweeter replacement which is easy since i have tons of extra speakers around my house.
> 
> 
> http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC00903.jpg
> ...




That Sansui looks awesome. I love old Japanese integrateds.


----------



## The Uam

> Thanks, guys.  That was a rather modest desk-side head-fi station that also doubles as my family room entertainment center (display and speakers not shown obviously).  My audio specific system is set up in the garage/ home gym (below), but I don't use headphones when I'm jamming out in here.


 


  My. God.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





the uam said:


> > Thanks, guys.  That was a rather modest desk-side head-fi station that also doubles as my family room entertainment center (display and speakers not shown obviously).  My audio specific system is set up in the garage/ home gym (below), but I don't use headphones when I'm jamming out in here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 +1
   
  What speakers are those?
  Mega-props to whoever aligned the drivers, seriously.


----------



## leesure

Quote: 





blufalcon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Is that the Yamaha 600 power amp?  That was my 1st entre into 'High End' audio.  I paired that with an Adcom GTP-450 pre/tuner and Polk 10b speakers and my dorm room was ROCKIN'.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane!


----------



## RexAeterna

thanks! yea i really like Sansui myself and other favorite are Kenwoods. never was much of a fan of pioneer and marantz. went for crazy prices and still every sansui gear i heard and own performs better. i'm going to post a better picture soon maybe tomorrow cause i'm going to polish up my amps and speakers. finished replacing tweeters in a pair of my technics. i don't own much but i love every single piece i get my hands on.
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


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----------



## BluFalcon

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> Quote:
> 
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 Those would be vintage 70s era Technics SB-7000A speakers.  My dad bought a pair and I grew up listening to these speakers in the late 70s on through the early 90s.  My dad replaced them with a pair of JBL studio monitors and passed the Technics on to me.  Sadly, he sold them off in a garage sale after I moved out of the house back in the early 90s.  I went hunting for these speakers when looking to build a decent garage set-up.  They sound just as amazing as I remember them.   
   

  
  Quote: 





leesure said:


> > I*s that the Yamaha 600 power amp? * That was my 1st entre into 'High End' audio.  I paired that with an Adcom GTP-450 pre/tuner and Polk 10b speakers and my dorm room was ROCKIN'.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane!


 
   
  Ah... the venerable Yamaha MX-600 and MX-1000.  Mighty beasts those are.  Although the true grail of Yamaha amps is the MX-10000.   
   
  No, this isn't either one of those I'm afraid.  What you see pictured is the M-65, which is still more than plenty enough power for me.  The system has a nice wide soundstage, great seperation, deep powerful bass, non-harsh butter smooth highs and crystal clear mids.  My dad had a very similar set-up of Yamaha components, so "a trip down memory lane" was indeed a primary motivating factor when building this system.


----------



## KyungMin




----------



## Bacci

The one thing all these head-fi stations have in common is clutter, why is that?


----------



## RexAeterna

technics did make some damn good vintage speakers. i own a few and damn i love everyone i heard. favorite pair are my sb-2845 i got and replaced the tweeter tho. right speaker tweeter was shot. the widest,highest and deepest soundstage i ever heard from a pair of floor speakers. deep powerful natural bass,God-like smooth mid-range and very high extended highs all driven from my sansui au-d7 amp using some 14 gauge silver/copper stranded wire i got at home dept. i love the look of your speaker set-up man. very well organized and set-up especially your yamaha. yamaha made hell of good vintage amps and receivers. too bad you don't see much of vintage yamaha gear around compared to their HT stuff.
  Quote: 





blufalcon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
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> ...


----------



## detoxguy

Here is the humble start of my setup. In addition to this I have a Grado RA1 (AC) hooked up to my pioneer receiver so I can listen to my vinyl and CD player. I have a Little Dot 1+ with tubes and opamps on the way to add to the iBasso D12 which I plan to use as a DAC most of the time but will also allow me to separate it to go portable now and then. And yes, the 70's curtains rule.


----------



## spickerish

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> Here is the humble start of my setup. In addition to this I have a Grado RA1 (AC) hooked up to my pioneer receiver so I can listen to my vinyl and CD player. I have a Little Dot 1+ with tubes and opamps on the way to add to the iBasso D12 which I plan to use as a DAC most of the time but will also allow me to separate it to go portable now and then. And yes, the 70's curtains rule.
> 
> _pic_


 
  Love the setup. I have the same Johnny Cash figure next to my setup


----------



## leesure

Quote: 





bacci said:


> The one thing all these head-fi stations have in common is clutter, why is that?


 


  I think there has been a mix.  I've seen some very clear and minimalistic looking setups as well as some messy ones.


----------



## davo50

Quote: 





bacci said:


> The one thing all these head-fi stations have in common is clutter, why is that?


 
   
  I noticed that too.  Also, the little figurine / statues everywhere.


----------



## DjAmTraX

Here's the other setup with my PS Audio DAC Link III and Lehmann Black Cube Linear.


----------



## ardgedee

It takes just a few exposed wires to make an orderly stack of metal boxes look like their guts are falling out.


----------



## BluFalcon

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> *technics did make some damn good vintage speakers.* i own a few and damn i love everyone i heard. favorite pair are my sb-2845 i got and replaced the tweeter tho. right speaker tweeter was shot. the widest,highest and deepest soundstage i ever heard from a pair of floor speakers. deep powerful natural bass,God-like smooth mid-range and very high extended highs all driven from my sansui au-d7 amp using some 14 gauge silver/copper stranded wire i got at home dept. i love the look of your speaker set-up man. very well organized and set-up especially your yamaha. *yamaha made hell of good vintage amps and receivers*. too bad you don't see much of vintage yamaha gear around compared to their HT stuff.
> 
> 
> >


 
  You hit it on the head, amigo.  Yamaha amps and old Technics speakers have great synergy as well.  I actually see a lot of used Yamaha amps listed on ebay, audiogon, craigslist, etc.  Their vintage receivers and pro power amps also seem to be highly sought after items.  Glad to see someone else knows first hand how good those old Technics speakers are.  And thanks for the comments on the system.


----------



## Towert7

My modest dorm room headphone setup.






*Stax O2 Mk1:*





*WooAudio GES:*





*MHDT labs Havana:*




  I like the way it sounds.


----------



## dagothur

I would not have that setup anywhere but permanent housing.  It costs as much as a good used car.
  Quote: 





towert7 said:


> My modest dorm room headphone setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## dallan

I like it too Tower7.  I would love a stat set up.  Very nice.


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> Here is the humble start of my setup. In addition to this I have a Grado RA1 (AC) hooked up to my pioneer receiver so I can listen to my vinyl and CD player. I have a Little Dot 1+ with tubes and opamps on the way to add to the iBasso D12 which I plan to use as a DAC most of the time but will also allow me to separate it to go portable now and then. And yes, the 70's curtains rule.


 

 why do so many people on these forums buy apple macs. i dont think there terrible i just think there over priced much like the beats and bose headphones we all seam to hate.
  unfortunately i cannot post any pics of my setup because id ont have a camera on me currently and i would be a laughing stock on here.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> why do so many people on these forums buy apple macs. i dont think there terrible i just think there over priced.


 


  There is a price premium.  People pay it though.  Some like the style, some like the (somewhat) unique factor, others like that its a mainstream unix OS.
  Mostly though, it's either how they look, or the OS you are paying extra for.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I like it too Tower7.  I would love a stat set up.  Very nice.


 


  Thank you kindly!


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


> > why do so many people on these forums buy apple macs. i dont think there terrible i just think there over priced much like the beats and bose headphones we all seam to hate.
> >
> > unfortunately i cannot post any pics of my setup because id ont have a camera on me currently and i would be a laughing stock on here.


 

 Because we enjoy OS X. If we think it's worth our money, we'll buy it. It's much like our headphones. Most people think we're crazy but it's just something we enjoy. I don't hate Windows and I'm not an Apple fanboy. Computers are computers. They get stuff done.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Wow. Maybe I'lll have a setup 1/10th as cool by the time I get to nuclear physics.
   
  Quote: 





> towert7 said:
> 
> 
> > *MHDT labs Havana:*


 
   
   
  I would like to submit my current dorm setup as a contrast:
   
  its almost 2am, i'm procrastinating on a paper (again) and I'm listening to some Tiesto on my Grado SR60's. In the next few weeks I plan to:
  1. clean up this trash...this is just todays junk
  2. build a set of 10" speaker stands of MDF, each one will have a cd rack in it, and the one will have a headphone peg on it, I'll probably paint them black to match the M-Audio AV30's.
  3. Put a Neutrik plug on my SR60 so i stop putting pressure on the straight plug
   
  someday after that I'll get a DAC or Amp, after that...who knows. That is an incredible setup though, especially for being a dorm.


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


> > > why do so many people on these forums buy apple macs. i dont think there terrible i just think there over priced much like the beats and bose headphones we all seam to hate.
> > >
> > > unfortunately i cannot post any pics of my setup because id ont have a camera on me currently and i would be a laughing stock on here.
> 
> ...


 

 ya that is true but cant you find a competitive product based on windows with a better sound card then the apple computers. i would think the only reason to buy apple is the sound quality from what i hear. my toshiba sounds like garbage. but its still a good computer and its well worth the $700 i paid for it. also with os x there is less hard ware and software available for it. i like an open collection of any thing i want. like audio programs. i personally cant stand itunes. just my opinion. but i do like the os that apple has but i really enjoy windows 7 and ubuntu aswell. i just dont see the point in investing alot of money into computers when they are out of date in 6 months. but i still love computers.
   
  now lets get back on topic. the reason i don't want to show off my setup is all i have is some logitech speakers and a few pairs of headphones as well as a computer. nothing special. and i don't have an amp or dac.


----------



## detoxguy

Quote: 





			
				bcasey25raptor said:
			
		

> why do so many people on these forums buy apple macs. i dont think there terrible i just think there over priced much like the beats and bose headphones we all seam to hate.
> unfortunately i cannot post any pics of my setup because id ont have a camera on me currently and i would be a laughing stock on here.


 

 I buy mac for numerous reasons. Starting with build quality, my macbook pro is made out of a solid piece of aluminum instead of random plastic and cheap metal. I also much prefer OSX for stability and ease of use. I could buy a more powerful computer for less money for sure but I can almost guarantee that in 2-3 years the mac will be working much better that a windows based PC. Lastly you simply cannot beat Apple customer service and warranty support. 
  They are more expensive but to me it's worth it. I also get it through an interest-free loan through my employer and don't even notice the deductions from my pay.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> My modest dorm room headphone setup.


 

 Modest my ass!


----------



## n3rdling

Towert7 did you recently switch to the O2?  I thought you used a HE60 for some reason.


----------



## Szadzik

Been looking at all those great setups and could not resist to post my humble station.
   
  As in my sig: HP IQ830UK> Foobar WASAPI> Stepdance> T5ps and HD555s (HD555s for watching movies mainly) In the background hidden Onkyo HTX-22HD for 5.1 experience in movies. Not much, but I mainly listen on the go.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Wow. Maybe I'lll have a setup 1/10th as cool by the time I get to nuclear physics.
> 
> 
> 
> someday after that I'll get a DAC or Amp, after that...who knows. That is an incredible setup though, especially for being a dorm.


 
   
  Oh, are you a physics major?
   
  It's taken me about 8 years to get to this point, so don't feel bad... you have plenty of time!


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Towert7 did you recently switch to the O2?  I thought you used a HE60 for some reason.


 

  
  You're right.  I've have had the HE60 / HEV70 for about 2 years.  5 months ago I picked up a O2 mk1 to compare.
  I preferred the O2, so I recently sold off the HE60.


----------



## leesure

When I'm at Starbucks...


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote:


towert7 said:


> Oh, are you a physics major?
> 
> It's taken me about 8 years to get to this point, so don't feel bad... you have plenty of time!


 


 Yeah, I'm switching from Journalism to a 5 year dual major (applied physics/electrical engineering), although being a freshman all my courses have just been general education courses and I have yet to have a college physics course.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> towert7 said:
> ...


 

 Ah, that's cool.  Good luck with that!  It will start to get hard, but I think it's fun and worth it.


----------



## Durberg3

Cool system.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:



> ya that is true but cant you find a competitive product based on windows with a better sound card then the apple computers. i would think the only reason to buy apple is the sound quality from what i hear. my toshiba sounds like garbage. but its still a good computer and its well worth the $700 i paid for it. also with os x there is less hard ware and software available for it. i like an open collection of any thing i want. like audio programs. i personally cant stand itunes. just my opinion. but i do like the os that apple has but i really enjoy windows 7 and ubuntu aswell. i just dont see the point in investing alot of money into computers when they are out of date in 6 months. but i still love computers.
> 
> now lets get back on topic. the reason i don't want to show off my setup is all i have is some logitech speakers and a few pairs of headphones as well as a computer. nothing special. and i don't have an amp or dac.


 
  I sold my Macbook Pro & tried to buy a Windows laptop late last year, but I kept hitting major design flaws.  I started with companies with reliable hardware, IBM, Toshiba, Sony, Asus.  IBM's dual mouse input device on their thinkpad line was too silly, not enough room on that trackpad.  Toshiba, like many PC laptop manufacturers, routinely skew their keyboard to the left of the screen, I found that non-ergonomic & silly.  Sony Viao's were just as expensive as Apple.  Asus is plagued with the same basic design flaws as Toshiba, etc. until you hit their more expensive laptops, so they were out.  In the end there was no low-cost solution that met my basic common-sense ergonomic requirements like a Macbook.  A 2006 $250 Macbook from craigslist.





  
  Reliability?  I've repaired quite a few Macbooks for myself & others and this one is solid.  Benchmarks show the difference in performance between Macbooks from 2006-2010 are largely negligible, even more so if you upgrade the ram of older versions.  I can boot into Windows or OS X and I use the open-source Songbird as my primary music playback application.  
  To get back on topic, all this left me money leftover for HD650s + amplifier.
  Of course, I am the exception, not the norm. (of Mac users)


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ya i noticed that on my toshiba. the keyboard is very unnatural but i guess this is because i live in canada and they have the cursed bi lingual keyboards. i fine the keyboard to be comfortable though. but i usually just hook up an external keyboard and mouse.


----------



## Maverickmonk

i am always willing to be the first to admit that sony is almost the apple of the windows world, bright colors, chicklet keys, metal cases on some, but Sony has very good deals for students, and thats what caught my attention (and is how I ended up with an EB series VAIO) When I got mine, I built it with Windows 7 professional ($50) and got a free bluray upgrade, $90 in free blurays, and an ATI 5470 (I think) graphics card upgrade for free.
   
  The blue color is also nice and shiney 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Sony Viao's were just as expensive as Apple.


 
   
  Thanks for the well-wishes tower, I look forward to the pain!
   
  I'm sorry for the derail, I'll go sleep and stop talking now


----------



## Kibble Fat

I have no interest in owning a laptop that lasts longer than 4 years.  Plastic is great.  I bought an ASUS laptop that outperforms the highest-end Apple laptop for less than half the price.


----------



## revolink24

I'm a Thinkpad guy. They may be just as expensive as Apple, but boy do I love them.

Rockin' a T410 with a Core i5 and nVidia NVS 3100m, with a 9 cell battery.


----------



## IceClass

An old A/V cart salvaged from a Government sale holds the audio side of things with a Tascam CD transport, Cambridge Audio DacMagic, Sony PS-X6 turntable w/Denon DL-103, Firestone Korora & Supplier, Sony ST-4950 Tuner w/powered antenna, Denon DAP-5500 DAC/Preamp  all either feeding the WOO 2 and headphones or the twin Toshiba M-15 amps on the bottom both running as monoblocks into my nearfield speaker set-up. Everything is plugged into the Monster Power unit on the very bottom.
   
  The IKEA wall cabinet above currently holds a 12" G4 Powerbook & Time Capsule hidden behind the monitor and connected to an Apogee Duet and a couple of external drives which feed ones and zeroes to both the headphone and nearfield rig below.
   
  I'm still patiently waiting for a silver CA 840C or an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 to upgrade the DacMagic but am still having fun being able to switch between the three different DACs I currently have.
  I was planning on replacing my old 12" Powerbook with a nice new Mac Mini but my wife has busted up her screen bezel on her 17" Macbook Pro while on a plane so I'll be using that instead as soon as her 13" MBP arrives in the next day or so. Connected to the monitor in the IKEA wall cabinet and slipped into the stack so as to be able to rip CDs and play visualizers, It should work fine.
  The PSX-6 belongs with my Fisher 500-C integrated downstairs but is currently replacing my Technics SL-10 which is in for adjustments.
  The old AV cart is a beast but it cost peanuts and its main feature for me is that it pulls out easily and allows convenient access to all the rear panels and wires. It makes switching out components a lot more convenient and fun.


----------



## fatcat28037

update for post #42
  Cambridge Audio 99 DVD-SACD/Pacific Valve Vanguard CDM12>Cambridge Audio DacMagic>Woo Audio 22


----------



## Melvins

lol sadness.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> update for post #42
> Cambridge Audio 99 DVD-SACD/Pacific Valve Vanguard CDM12>Cambridge Audio DacMagic>Woo Audio 22


 

 Looking at that head every day, 2-3ft away from me, staring right back at me... would freak me out.
  I mean, look at how long her neck is!


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





melvins said:


> lol sadness.


 


  We all started somewhere.
  Heck, I started out with less than that...
   
  (An old Sony V300, no amp, nothing, and I was thrilled to pieces).


----------



## Melvins

haha yearp. One day when college is out of the way I will splurge like a mofo.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 My thoughts exactly.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> update for post #42
> Cambridge Audio 99 DVD-SACD/Pacific Valve Vanguard CDM12>Cambridge Audio DacMagic>Woo Audio 22


 

 D7000s, RS1s, Akg 1000, Vanguard, Cambridge......
  Wow.  That's pretty much too awesome.


----------



## Bazzman

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 It would freak me out if one day it winked at me.
  Great set up fatcat.


----------



## vinyllp33

It has been a long journey but I think I have arrived at my final destination!


----------



## Geruvah

You caught me in the middle of cleaning up.


----------



## 03029174

Glad you like it vinyllp33, it looks stunning!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





vinyllp33 said:


> It has been a long journey but I think I have arrived at my final destination!


 
  Forgive my ignorance, but are those HE-6s?


----------



## vinyllp33

Yes, those are my new HE-6's, if you can give them the right type and amount of power they are some of the finest sounding headphones available, price no object.
   
  They are being run from the K1000 jack on a Woo WA5 which is feeding them around 8 watts per channel.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





vinyllp33 said:


> Yes, those are my new HE-6's, if you can give them the right type and amount of power they are some of the finest sounding headphones available, price no object.
> 
> They are being run from the K1000 jack on a Woo WA5 which is feeding them around 8 watts per channel.


 
  Oooooh, aren't you lucky?
  Yes.  You have amazing electrostats.  How much did those beauties set you back?


----------



## zajo

Here is the beginning of my set-up.  I just put this together today.
   



   



   
  Senn HD650
  Sony NS999ES CD/SACD player
  Sansui 9090DB
   
  I'm impatiently waiting for my Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball to show up.


----------



## DjAmTraX

That looks comfy. I like it!


----------



## GreatDane

Quote: 





zajo said:


> Here is the beginning of my set-up.  I just put this together today.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  [size=larger]"What yields an even more intense experience than Crack? The most hardcore users say it's a Speedball"[/size]
   






 lol
   
  ...if I didn't know any better.
   
  WOW! That chair looks really sleep worthy.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





zajo said:


> I'm impatiently waiting for my Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball to show up.


 

 aren't we all.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





zajo said:


>


 

 That's a beautiful chair.  A comfortable chair or recliner is as much a part of a rig as anything else.  I'd say...(source/amplifier/headphones) _then_ chair _then_ cables.
   




   
  But really, I do wish I had a headphone friendly pillow.


----------



## betweentheears

WOW.......34 pages of   !!  AWESOMENESS !!


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Here's where I purchased "Amanda", there are others.
   http://onsmartpages.com/storefixturesusa/displayforms/


----------



## fatcat28037

The K1000, RS-1 and D7000 are balanced, hiding behind those two are Grado HF1 & 2, both TRS terminated.


----------



## DjAmTraX

That head will freak me out!


----------



## ardgedee

Maybe it just needs a wig.


----------



## yococo96

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  the v300s were my very first headphones. I had put cotton pads inside of the cups. it sounded much better, even great (for the price).
   my second headphones were r10s


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





yococo96 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 holy crap.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *yococo96* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> my second headphones were r10s


----------



## matthewh133

Anyone else thinking of getting this one for their next headphones?
   
http://onsmartpages.com/storefixturesusa/pages/store/skupicture.nhtml?picture=/nss-folder/pictures/laughing_female_display_head.jpg&UID=11248


----------



## ElectroGeek007

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 This. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  M50's were my second, lol.


----------



## Zombie_X

I recently purchased some DT250's in the 80Ohm variety. I hope they will be a good set of headphones!!
   
  But I will be changing around my set-up shortly and will post more pictures.


----------



## RexAeterna

you have such a beautiful receiver but where's the speakers? have to complement such an amazing receiver with some nice floor standing speakers
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





zajo said:


> Here is the beginning of my set-up.  I just put this together today.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## zajo

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> you have such a beautiful receiver but where's the speakers? have to complement such an amazing receiver with some nice floor standing speakers


 
   
  The Sansui is only being used for a headphone amp temporarily. I have a set of EPI A120's awaiting a driver re-foam and new caps right now, they round out my vintage set-up.  
   
  That is if my new bottlehead amp meets my expectations and can get me away from the receiver.


----------



## Zombie_X

I have a vintage Fischer X-100-B stereo receiver that powers my 300Ohm headphones really well! My dad recently got a NOS Marantz stereo receiver and that thing looks really nice, but I ahve not tested any headphones on it yet... I'll have to ask the model number of it though.


----------



## wilk0076

Just got these delivered today.  Denon AH-D7000s...  Running them through a Pro-Ject USB Box and Headroom II I've had for a bit.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





wilk0076 said:


> Just got these delivered today.  Denon AH-D7000s...  Running them through a Pro-Ject USB Box and Headroom II I've had for a bit.
> 
> *snip*


 
  Nice. The wood Denon models are beautiful. I think I'll be picking up the D5000 some time as my next full-size purchase


----------



## ianmedium

Quote: 





loremipsum said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I agree, the 7000's are stunning! You won't regret the 5000's, I am listening to mine as I type,love em and I can highly recommend the J$ V3 pads, brings it closer to the 7000's signature I feel.


----------



## gyrofx

just starting out. Excuse my noobness . iMac + NuForce uDac 2 HP + D2000


----------



## senndroid

Where did you get that headphone stand?
  
  Quote: 





gyrofx said:


> just starting out. Excuse my noobness . iMac + NuForce uDac 2 HP + D2000


----------



## audiophileman

These are some pretty nice setups.


----------



## Fuiste

Not the nicest out there, but I'm definitely happy with the little setup I've got.  Also, yes, those are custom painted DT770PRO's.  I did it a while ago, but the paint is chipping now.  I'm thinking they're going to be red next time.
   
  Pictured:
  -Beyerdynamic DT770PRO 250ohm
  -Beyerdynamic DT880 Premium 600ohm
  -Lenovo Thinkpad W510
  -Edirol FA66 6-channel I/O DAC
  -Fiio E7 amp
  -Tangled cables everywhere.


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





senndroid said:


> Where did you get that headphone stand?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 


  lol  i have the same logitech speakers. not bad for the price in my opinion


----------



## bcasey25raptor

after seeing all your set ups i wanted to show you my poor mans set up. i don't have much no amps or dac's just my computer, 2 iPods, logitech speakers, a net book, a pair of Sony mdr nc7(which i don't like), pioneer sem390, and my shure srh750dj headphones. oh i almost forgot about my ibuds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





anoldvolvo240 said:


> *snip*


 

 I've never understood how/why people break iPod Touches/iPhones. Mine's seen all sorts of abuse and theres not a singe scratch on the screen. Why not spend $20 on a cheap hard case to protect your investment?


----------



## anoldvolvo240

Quote: 





loremipsum said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 phone call + flailing dog with ear infection + concrete = still fully functioning iphone, now with more character. plus i find cases annoying.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





anoldvolvo240 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Alright then, I think the case is worth the extra pocket space or whatever other annoyances it causes because iProducts are really fragile. One of my friends dropped his iPhone from 2 feet up onto tile and the screen smashed in half and stopped working. Also, I like your wallet, though it seems to be a bit too full


----------



## eucariote

Quote: 





loremipsum said:


> > phone call + flailing dog with ear infection + concrete = still fully functioning iphone, now with more character. plus i find cases annoying.
> 
> 
> 
> Alright then, I think the case is worth the extra pocket space or whatever other annoyances it causes because iProducts are really fragile. One of my friends dropped his iPhone from 2 feet up onto tile and the screen smashed in half and stopped working. Also, I like your wallet, though it seems to be a bit too full


 
   
  I like your wallet too.  It contrasts nicely with the peanut butter.
   
  +1 team scratched & dented ipod touch.


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





eucariote said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 i rarely take my iPods out of their cases because i hate scratches and dents. hence the reason my 3 year old iPod classic still looks rather new.


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Ha I took care of my iPhone for the first 8 months - full otterbox case, and serpeant case for personal use - but then I kind of just stopped caring. Though I aim to replace it with the iPhone 5.. if I actually like it.. stupid iPhone 4 (no offense if you like it, I just don't). But tbh I've always backed BestSkinsForever or Zagg full shields. The phone/ipod still looks sexy (some phones just look better naked) but it's much more protection.
   
  And hey - "Cheap" setups are awesome to begin with, then you really appreciate the upgrades you'll get in the future .


----------



## dagothur

iPhones and HE5s have the same problem with consistency in build quality.


----------



## Ra97oR

And WS70 if outside is cold... Or if I wanted some extra warmth to my music.


----------



## Currawong

In case you are wondering, that is an amp, in pieces, on top. No Stax headphones here at present, however, despite the amp being there.


----------



## ArjanB




----------



## bcasey25raptor

you guys all have such awesome rigs. i wish i had nearly what you all have.


----------



## Melvins

you too?


----------



## leesure




----------



## gyrofx

I got it from Amazon. It's the Sierra Pantryware Banana Holder in Walnut. I got it for 18 dollars shipped. Here's a link to it on Amazon right now.
   
http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Pantryware-Banana-Holder-Walnut/dp/B0008DJVBI/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1297299864&sr=8-8
  
  Quote: 





senndroid said:


> Where did you get that headphone stand?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





leesure said:


>


 

 I always liked the physical size and appearance of the HeadAmp Gilmore Lite.  Looks nice.


----------



## anoldvolvo240

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 scratches and dents add character to my material things, as long as it doesnt affect perfornance. this rule does not apply to cars.


----------



## Smallville

My current dorm room set up. No DAC/Amps yet because I'm broke. Monster Turbines on the way though!


----------



## Melvins

how do you like those XB700's?


----------



## Smallville

They're SO comfy. The pads are like pillows  They do sound somewhat similar to the M50 though.
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> how do you like those XB700's?


----------



## leesure

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Towert7* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...










Yeah, the separate power supply makes it a petite performer.


----------



## Towert7

Is that what the wooden box is?
  Then I must ask, did you build it yourself?


----------



## leesure

Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   


  Quote: 





towert7 said:


> Is that what the wooden box is?
> Then I must ask, did you build it yourself?


 

 Nah...that's a VPI Brick.  http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/ele/2204339824.html.  I just have the Elpac Wall Wart.


----------



## andrewliu6294

My desk setup. Very simple, cuz it's all I can afford, space-wise and budget-wise (being a college student living in the dorms)


----------



## 166848

next to my bed.


----------



## jsturess

Here is my contribution
   
  SH-650 @ Silver Dragon V2
 MF X-PSU V3
 MF X-DAC V3
 MF X-CAN V3 @ Pink Floyd Moded,  6N23P-EB
   
  Source:
 Dvico TviX 6500
   
  Cables:
 X-PSU V3 Pinkie hook up cables
 SUPRA  EFF-I interconnects
 SUPRA LORAD 2.5 Main
 SUPRA ZAC TOSLINK Optic
   
  Do I need say it's sound so f--king great!!!!!


----------



## senndroid

I'll chime in!
  [y'all probably can tell my gear just by looking, but it's in the sig.]


----------



## logwed

The Valhalla looks like a million bucks, how do you like it with the HD650s?


----------



## senndroid

Thanks! I'm still burning in the Valhalla to be honest, I just got it. Initial impressions: the tonality and timbre of the sound isn't too different from the E7/E9 by itself; perhaps a bit fuller in the low end (probably the tubes' doing), and a bit more defined in the treble. The mids are still rich and dark, true to the 650's character. 

 The biggest improvement is in the imaging and separation. I'm listening to Alison Krauss' "Lonely Runs Both Ways," and her dark alto vocal is situated nicely in front of the acoustic guitar and mandolin (improved over the E9). Violin duets are imaged beautifully across the Left and Right ear, almost as if I was watching two violinists on opposite sides of the stage. I would say the Valhalla opened up the 650s more in terms of presentation and balance, less in terms of sound. 
   
  Also, I swear that plant that my girlfriend got me improves the synergy in my chain ^_^ It's a nice addition to the desk.


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





senndroid said:


> I'll chime in!
> [y'all probably can tell my gear just by looking, but it's in the sig.]


 

 cool. how good is the sound quality on your toshiba laptop. like whats the sound card. i have a conexant and i think its garbage but i do love my toshiba laptop.


----------



## senndroid

The Toshiba laptop is solely used for file storage, really. I'm running USB out into the FiiO E7/E9 preamp. Thus, the E7 is serving as an external soundcard (DAC) capable of 16/48. It's a handy little device.
   
  If I try to run 3.5 line-out of the Toshiba, it sounds pretty bad--it's a terrible signal. There's lots of electronic interference, and the termination is weak, too. I don't even know what soundcard I have, but it's not good enough for my ears!


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





senndroid said:


> The Toshiba laptop is solely used for file storage, really. I'm running USB out into the FiiO E7/E9 preamp. Thus, the E7 is serving as an external soundcard (DAC) capable of 16/48. It's a handy little device.
> 
> If I try to run 3.5 line-out of the Toshiba, it sounds pretty bad--it's a terrible signal. There's lots of electronic interference, and the termination is weak, too. I don't even know what soundcard I have, but it's not good enough for my ears!


 
  ya my toshiba sounds really bad. so i want to get a fiio e7. but i dont currently have to money so when i do i will get one.


----------



## senndroid

Get the FiiO E7, you won't regret it. Occasionally you can find them used on head-fi for ~75 dollars, that might be a good option if you're on a budget. An external DAC is necessary for any PC-driven audiophile ^_^


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





senndroid said:


> Get the FiiO E7, you won't regret it. Occasionally you can find them used on head-fi for ~75 dollars, that might be a good option if you're on a budget. An external DAC is necessary for any PC-driven audiophile ^_^


 


  ya i use a pc because i can store more music. i have about 150gb of music so my ipod cannot fit it all. so at home i use my pc. but ya when i have the money i will try and get the fiio e7.


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 As I've told you bcasey - don't bother buying used. I bought an E7 from eBay for $80 shipped to Canada. Just go on eBay, find a "buy it now or best offer" and offer $80 (deducting whatever their shipping quote is). I paid $74 for the unit, $6 for shipping - golden .


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





senndroid said:


> Also, I swear that plant that my girlfriend got me improves the synergy in my chain ^_^ It's a nice addition to the desk.


 


  I really like the plant.  It's the only thing in the photo with any bit of color to it.  I couldn't stand the lack of colors.
  What type of plant is it?  An herb?


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  ya but don't you need to make an account with ebay and sell stuff yourself aswell. i may as well take the ebay route but keep in mind i am only 18 and ordering online is a little tricky.


----------



## senndroid

Thanks for noticing the plant, I like it too. It's a "China Doll," technical term "Radermachera Sinica." It doesn't require a lot of upkeep, just minimal light (I put it by my windowsill sometimes), careful watering, and feeding once a month! I would highly recommend it.

 Also, I like the suggestion of getting a FiiO E7 for ~30 dollars cheaper. If you do decide to go new though, Jack Micca is a great guy! He's around here somewhere...


----------



## Ebunnage

I love these threads! Got most of my inspiration from them. No headphones are seen in the pictures, but I am loaning my Turbines and Cowon S9 to my dad for his trip to Chicago.
   
  After 6 months, 2 gallons of paint, 4 trips to the speaker store, and countless hours/dollars spent at ikea:
   
   

   
   

   

   
   

   
   
  Foobar2000 > Maverick Audio D1 tube out > Harman/Kardon HK3390, which powers:

            Energy ESW-C10 

            Martin Logan Motion 4's (up front)

            PSB B25s (On Sanus steel stands)

   

  I really wish my phone hadn't been stolen, as it had the 'before' pictures from June. The *only* items that stayed from the "old" room were the bass, and the flying-v ukulele.


----------



## Alu

Quote: 





ebunnage said:


> I love these threads! Got most of my inspiration from them. No headphones are seen in the pictures, but I am loaning my Turbines and Cowon S9 to my dad for his trip to Chicago.
> 
> After 6 months, 2 gallons of paint, 4 trips to the speaker store, and countless hours/dollars spent at ikea:
> 
> ...


 


  Jesus, that is one of the most stylish and awesome rooms I've ever seen.


----------



## BluFalcon

Quote: 





alu said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I wholeheartedly agree.  Incredibly clean set-up!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





ebunnage said:


> * flying-v ukulele.*


 

 OH MY GOD.


----------



## GLrunner13

Haha I died laughing when I saw that.  So awesome.
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Speedv1

Really nice setup Ebunnage - looks like your money and time paid off!!


----------



## Dubwicht

This was the state of my bedroom headphone setup this morning.  Can you match cables with phones?


----------



## Ebunnage

Quote: 





alu said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Really nice setup Ebunnage - looks like your money and time paid off!!


 
   
  Thanks you guys! It sounds great too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  My aunt is a genius for buying me that. She has one that's signed by Jake Shimabukuro


----------



## shane55

Can your aunt be my aunt too??


----------



## darkninja67

HP DV6 Select Edition > FiiO E7 amp/DAC > Denon AH-D5000  (not modded or padded yet)


----------



## Alu




----------



## aroldan




----------



## msninja




----------



## ianmedium

Well sir, you live up to the famed Scandinavian trait of form and function! That is a lovely looking set up you have.


----------



## treal512

I'll go against the grain here and post of a pic of my station in a complete mess


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





ianmedium said:


> Well sir, you live up to the famed Scandinavian trait of form and function! That is a lovely looking set up you have.


 

  
  Thank you, but it's nothing special really, I just like the contrast of having mostly white furniture and piano black electronics.
   
  It's just a pity that my speakers aren't white as well, but I got too good a price on that pair of Quadrals that I couldn't resist


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> I'll go against the grain here and post of a pic of my station in a complete mess


 

 I see Pro 750s!!


----------



## treal512

Yep! Loved them for hip hop, electropop, etc.


----------



## trotoir

Here's my current set up. Taken about 2 hrs ago...


----------



## loremipsum

Do you ever use those CDJs for general purpose listening, or just for mixing? How do they sound?


----------



## trotoir

The CDJ 's sound pretty good for general listening too! Including headphones out of the mixer.
   
  I tend to mainly play 320 mp3's via a hard drive with them and my fiio combo to play flacs.
   
  I mix mostly ambient, dub and min tech. If anybody carfes to listen follow the link to soundcloud to hear my stuff.....
   
  http://soundcloud.com/you/tracks
   
  If you like and download then the mixies are in 320kbs.
   
  Enjoy (hopefully).....


----------



## trotoir

I like the minimalist look in you picture msninja!!!


----------



## Connnorrr

Recently redone computer area, added an old DVD player w/ speakers to the mix for when I actually get the house to myself:


----------



## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Here's my current set up. Taken about 2 hrs ago...


 
  Serato as a music library controller?  Interesting idea...  Should sound really good because Rane makes the BEST dj gear.


----------



## RazorJack

Browsing head-fi while waiting for my lame raid group in World of Warcraft to gather :-|
   

   
  Recently had to move things around a bit, temporarily using this setup.
  Hotaudio DAC-WOW (usb dac)
  Meier Audio Corda Concerto
  beyerdynamic DT990/600/J$v2
   
  and one mug of (c)old, vile instant coffee


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Please excuse the bad quality.
   
  Yes, the PC360 is draped over the D7000. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  All the cables are behind and under the desk. Not on top, in case anyone is wondering.


----------



## Riku540

Valentine's Day was almost a week ago now.
   
  Your headphones need to get a room.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





riku540 said:


> Valentine's Day was almost a week ago now.
> 
> Your headphones need to get a room.


 


 ^That right there made my day


----------



## Borgbox

What is your Soundcloud Handle? Mine's pretty easy: Borgbox. Good to see another producer here.
  
  Quote: 





trotoir said:


> The CDJ 's sound pretty good for general listening too! Including headphones out of the mixer.
> 
> I tend to mainly play 320 mp3's via a hard drive with them and my fiio combo to play flacs.
> 
> ...


----------



## trotoir

HI Borgbox
   
  On soundcloud I go under the name Doublevision.
   
  Some more funky dubby stuff on the way but for now there is some Ambient and Min Tech mixes.
   
  What kind of stuff do you produce / into at the moment? Will defo check out you profile.


----------



## Borgbox

Just another bedroom prog house producer here  I love stuff like Kaskade, John Dahlback, Deadmau5. Also into Infected Mushroom, Shpongle, Hallucinogen, Pendulum, Royksopp. My page is pretty sparse as I've had to stop producing for a few months due to a fire. Currently getting back on my feet and back into my DAW =)
  Quote: 





trotoir said:


> HI Borgbox
> 
> On soundcloud I go under the name Doublevision.
> 
> ...


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> Just another bedroom prog house producer here  I love stuff like Kaskade, John Dahlback, Deadmau5. Also into Infected Mushroom, Shpongle, Hallucinogen, Pendulum, Royksopp. My page is pretty sparse as I've had to stop producing for a few months due to a fire. Currently getting back on my feet and back into my DAW =)


 

 sorry to hear about the fire problem I hope you get it all sorted and get your music back up and running again soon!
   
  I like a few of the artists you mention like Dahlbeck, Deadmau5 and Royksopp.
   
  Im also diggin Pantha Du Prince and a lot of Maetrik at present. Have you ever listened to any of these two?


----------



## Borgbox

I have not, I will definitely check them out.
  
  Quote: 





trotoir said:


> sorry to hear about the fire problem I hope you get it all sorted and get your music back up and running again soon!
> 
> I like a few of the artists you mention like Dahlbeck, Deadmau5 and Royksopp.
> 
> Im also diggin Pantha Du Prince and a lot of Maetrik at present. Have you ever listened to any of these two?


----------



## dagothur

I have those same speakers, and a pair of D7000s.  Of course I was fortunate enough to get a deal on a Nuforce Icon HDP, _but_.  Conspiracy, clearly.
  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Please excuse the bad quality.
> 
> Yes, the PC360 is draped over the D7000.
> 
> ...


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I'll try and take a better angle when I get home. I took it on a whim. The PC360 and Mixamp RX unit are usually on a table behind the couch where I have my Eneloop charger. I just happened to leave them over the D7000 last night. @_@

Riku, you crack me up. XD

I'm thinking of putting a table cloth over the entire thing. The glass picks up dust like its hungry for it.


----------



## Riku540

Strangely it got me thinking of what kind of headset we would get if the D7000 and PC360 made a baby.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

A $1200 MSRP headset, that's what. Lol.

My Logitech speakers don't get much use. I probably use them only when I'm nearly about to go to bed and don't feel like having anything on my head. They work fine for the little I spent.


----------



## RexAeterna

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC01077.jpg

 sorry bout pic. but anyways my akg's are hooked up to headphone out of my sansui's. haven't got around to recabling them. the other two on top were projects. the red cyber snipa use to be a 5.1 usb headset but i ripped them apart and soldered 16 gauge copper to all 3 drivers and plugged directly to the speaker outputs of my sansui 5000x(bottom) so there like basically 3-way headphones now and the white ones were some old unknown vintage stereophones my friend gave me and i decided to fix them up and solder some 16 gauge copper on them too to be used directly from speaker outs of my amps.

 gonna make some 14 gauge silver/copper mini xlr cables for my akg 240's soon so i can use them on my speaker outputs too instead.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


rexaeterna said:


> http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/RexAeterna/DSC01077.jpg
> 
> sorry bout pic. but anyways my akg's are hooked up to headphone out of my sansui's. haven't got around to recabling them. the other two on top were projects. the red cyber snipa use to be a 5.1 usb headset but i ripped them apart and soldered 16 gauge copper to all 3 drivers and plugged directly to the speaker outputs of my sansui 5000x(bottom) so there like basically 3-way headphones now and the white ones were some old unknown vintage stereophones my friend gave me and i decided to fix them up and solder some 16 gauge copper on them too to be used directly from speaker outs of my amps.
> 
> gonna make some 14 gauge silver/copper mini xlr cables for my akg 240's soon so i can use them on my speaker outputs too instead.


 
   
  The white ones look like you modded shooting ear muffs.


----------



## RexAeterna

@sphinxvc


 lol,yea you could look at it that way. they look like polit headphones to me more.


----------



## burnliff

Are you by any chance a GHer? With a keyboard like that..
  
  Quote: 





commandercup said:


> My setup is embarrassing compared to some of the other setups here, but I love it! I'll be swapping my amp and headphones out with different gear as soon as I can to try out different stuff.


----------



## Lunatique

The only things that's really changed since I last posted photos of my studio (in the computer setup thread) are that I've now designated the Korg NanoKontrol as my transport control (but I don't use it's faders since I still prefer mouse control), the Icon i-key is now a dedicated keyswitching control (I have another one that I hook up when a patch has really extended keyswitch programming that uses both the higher and the lower octaves, and the guitar foot-stool.
   

   
  How things looked before:

   
  And for those that haven't seen my studio:

   

   
  More photos of the studio can be seen here:
  http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/about_me/images/workspace/cloud_pagoda/cloud_pagoda-studio.htm


----------



## Region2

Lunatique, is it odd that before I scrolled up to see your name and avatar, I knew it was your rig because of the sanitary covers on the ear pads?
   
  Your setup is impressive as always.


----------



## Lunatique

Thanks. 
  
  Quote: 





region2 said:


> Lunatique, is it odd that before I scrolled up to see your name and avatar, I knew it was your rig because of the sanitary covers on the ear pads?


 
   
  Ahahaha, am I really the only one at head-fi that uses them openly? I guess people take them off when they take photos since they aren't exactly flattering, but I'm too lazy to do that. I do prefer the feel of the earpads without the covers, since pleather/leather feels nicer than the coarse sanitary cover fabric. The covers definitely help with the sweaty ears--I don't get them at all when using the covers, but without the covers any pleather/leather will get hot after a while. In some ways it's also a matter of how much I care about the longevity of my headphones. I suppose I could always replace the earpads if they wear out, but what if the company's no longer around and there aren't suitable third-party replacements? They shouldn't wear out that fast though, but I do use astringent and lotion on my face, and I wonder if some of the ingredients will erode the earpads, since today's facial products tend to contain some kind of acidic element.


----------



## dagothur

That studio is a true head-fi 'station.'  Everything in it is devoted to a listening experience.


----------



## BobSaysHi

I saw his name and immediately knew what I was in for.
  
  Quote: 





region2 said:


> Lunatique, is it odd that before I scrolled up to see your name and avatar, I knew it was your rig because of the sanitary covers on the ear pads?
> 
> Your setup is impressive as always.


----------



## nikongod

I like the room treatments a lot


----------



## trotoir

Great looking setup you have there Lunatique, very impressive room indeed.
   
  I notice in your sig that you used to own the d7000. I was wondering if you ever regret parting ways with them from time to time?


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





lunatique said:


>


 

 By chance, have you written your impressions of the O2 mk2 vs the LCD-2?


----------



## Lunatique

Quote:  





> I notice in your sig that you used to own the d7000. I was wondering if you ever regret parting ways with them from time to time?


 

 Yes and no. I usually don't think about the D7000, unless I see information/discussions/photos of it online. With the custom EQ'ing I created for the D7000, it sounded damn good, and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm not using a hardware EQ unit which can apply the EQ setting even when I'm playing video games or watching a movie, I probably would've kept the D7000. But since I'm only using software EQ, I only get to enjoy the D7000 the way I deem to be ideal when I'm using the computer as the source. I've tried to use the D7000 while playing games on my consoles or while watching movies, but without my custom EQ setting, the D7000 gets fatiguing soon, so I couldn't justify keeping it since non of my other headphones have that problem.
   
  The only time I think about the D7000 on my own is when I'm listening to a track that has head-bobbing bass, and I remember how the D7000 does satisfying punchy/heavy bass extremely well, even if it's colored and not neutral. It's one of those situations where you know something isn't "right" but it feels "good," like really fatty or sweet food. I mean, the LCD-2, 007mkII, and M50 all have authoritative bass that sounds like there's a subwoofer in the room, but the D7000 colors the bass in a way where that colored resonance just hits the spot and feels great--even if it colors everything that way. I suppose if I had money to burn and something like the D7000 is merely an insignificant drop in the bucket to me, I'd still have it, just so I can put it on every once a while and throw my middle-fingers up at everything that I believe in that is "right" and "accurate" and bob my head while grinning like the Cheshire Cat. (But definitely with my custom EQ setting activated, otherwise, D7000's tinny/squeezed/splashy treble and recessed mids will annoy me to no end.)
    
  Quote:


towert7 said:


> By chance, have you written your impressions of the O2 mk2 vs the LCD-2?


 

 Yes I have, and I even included the HD650 and the M50 in the comparison review. It's right here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/newestpost/519332


----------



## Riku540

Oooh PS3 as a source.
   
  What audio format do you use for it?


----------



## c3ns0rd

Vader is not pleased with the lack of rig. =p


----------



## Graphicism

Taken this evening showing setup in my sig... the beer steals the show!


----------



## blitz-dice

Lunatique, thats heaven on earth lol


----------



## Lunatique

Yes, it is indeed heaven on earth for me, but if I can get a comfy couch in the studio as well, it would be even better. There something extra nice about lounging on a couch while playing video games or watching a movie. While I can go into the living room and lounge on our super comfy sofa and watch the big screen, it doesn't have the nice sound system I have in my studio. 
  
  Quote: 





riku540 said:


> Oooh PS3 as a source.
> 
> What audio format do you use for it?


 

 The PS3 just happened to be on when I took that shot, and whatever music I have on it are just plain ol' MP3's. My main source is the computer and has been for years now, and I have all kinds of formats on it--from lossy to lossless. J River Media Center is my librarian/player of choice, since it has the best implementation of VST hosting I have ever seen, bar none.


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> Yes and no. I usually don't think about the D7000, unless I see information/discussions/photos of it online. With the custom EQ'ing I created for the D7000, it sounded damn good, and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm not using a hardware EQ unit which can apply the EQ setting even when I'm playing video games or watching a movie, I probably would've kept the D7000. But since I'm only using software EQ, I only get to enjoy the D7000 the way I deem to be ideal when I'm using the computer as the source. I've tried to use the D7000 while playing games on my consoles or while watching movies, but without my custom EQ setting, the D7000 gets fatiguing soon, so I couldn't justify keeping it since non of my other headphones have that problem.
> 
> The only time I think about the D7000 on my own is when I'm listening to a track that has head-bobbing bass, and I remember how the D7000 does satisfying punchy/heavy bass extremely well, even if it's colored and not neutral. It's one of those situations where you know something isn't "right" but it feels "good," like really fatty or sweet food. I mean, the LCD-2, 007mkII, and M50 all have authoritative bass that sounds like there's a subwoofer in the room, but the D7000 colors the bass in a way where that colored resonance just hits the spot and feels great--even if it colors everything that way. I suppose if I had money to burn and something like the D7000 is merely an insignificant drop in the bucket to me, I'd still have it, just so I can put it on every once a while and throw my middle-fingers up at everything that I believe in that is "right" and "accurate" and bob my head while grinning like the Cheshire Cat. (But definitely with my custom EQ setting activated, otherwise, D7000's tinny/squeezed/splashy treble and recessed mids will annoy me to no end.)
> 
> Yes I have, and I even included the HD650 and the M50 in the comparison review. It's right here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/newestpost/519332


 

 Great answer thanks Lunatique!
   
  You still make it sound like a great phone to have and I admit I like my indulgent fatty foods once in a while.
  I kind of have the d7000 down as the final piece to my collection without getting too involved with the whole 'upgrade flu' that's passing around. Although I fear I might already have fallen victim.
  I listen to most of my electronic music through winamp and that has an eq, so hopefully if i need some lipo reducing tweeking  it will suffice.
   
  You gave me the answer that I hoped to hear
   
  Just a small matter of acquiring the denon's but hopefully that will be resolved soon!


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Just a small matter of acquiring the denon's but hopefully that will be resolved soon!


 

 Make sure you ask me about my custom EQ setting when you get it. Once you have tried my setting, you wouldn't want to be without it, because it really takes the D7000 to the next level, where it retains its satisfyingly sinful bass, but the mids are filled out and the treble is no longer annoying.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

c3ns0rd said:


> Vader is not pleased with the lack of rig. =p




Holy cow, I had those two cans at the same time too. XD

Definitely polar opposites, and pretty much had the entire spectrum covered.


----------



## dxps26

current set-up. looking to replace the Creative X-fi with a better DAC, and pass along the HD595's to the needy.


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> Make sure you ask me about my custom EQ setting when you get it. Once you have tried my setting, you wouldn't want to be without it, because it really takes the D7000 to the next level, where it retains its satisfyingly sinful bass, but the mids are filled out and the treble is no longer annoying.


 

 Thats very good of you and I will hold you to that offer once I have reeled them in.


----------



## RTF

Speakers are Quad 11L actives.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

Quote: 





skylab said:


> This may scare a few people, but here are a few pics of my office:


 


  Dude, that's disgusting. You are my hero!


----------



## eucariote

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> Make sure you ask me about my custom EQ setting when you get it. Once you have tried my setting, you wouldn't want to be without it, because it really takes the D7000 to the next level, where it retains its satisfyingly sinful bass, but the mids are filled out and the treble is no longer annoying.


 

 I for one would love to know your EQ settings.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  My D7000 are starting to gather dust because of their abusive bass and treble.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





sonic atrocity said:


> Dude, that's disgusting. You are my hero!


 
  Skylab is a hero to us all.


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Skylab is a hero to us all.


 

 Word on the street is that Skylab was sent by god himself to review the state of the world. He chose headphones instead.


----------



## Skylab

I'm just grateful you people put up with me.


----------



## bbophead

I listen to XM also.


----------



## caracara08

Quote: 





skylab said:


> I'm just grateful you people put up with me.


 


  i wanna see what your portable collection looks like lol.  also your wall of tubes is awesome. thanks skylab!


----------



## trotoir

I wonder what the nett worth would be if all all Head Fi-ers gear was counted up?
   
  Looking at all the pics alone on this thread its gotta be big.
   
  We could sell it all and buy a head fi island. Turn it into one giant speaker!


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> I wonder what the nett worth would be if all all Head Fi-ers gear was counted up?
> 
> Looking at all the pics alone on this thread its gotta be big.
> 
> We could sell it all and buy a head fi island. Turn it into one giant speaker!


 

 Ah yes, Head Fi island. Where the streets would be lit by bespoke tubes and in every school electronics and basic soldering would be compulsory. 
   
  In the main square you would find statues to Nathaniel Baldwin, Nikola Tesla, Marconi and Edison. 
   
  WiFi would be 100Mbps standard.
   
  The law would be strict, but just. Offenders would have to wear Apple ear buds and listen to Sean Hannity 24/7.


----------



## treal512

Oh man, that would be terrible! Apple ear buds with anything 
   
  PS. This reminds me of today's t-shirt on shirt.woot.com that is now sold out.


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





mrq said:


> Ah yes, Head Fi island. Where the streets would be lit by bespoke tubes and in every school electronics and basic soldering would be compulsory.
> 
> In the main square you would find statues to Nathaniel Baldwin, Nikola Tesla, Marconi and Edison.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Fantastic!
   
  Just hope there are no dealers hanging around street corners pushin skullcandy!


----------



## Borgbox

I've got some new equipment on the way. 2x KRK Rokit 8 G2 and a Lexicon Ionix u22. It's gonna rock.


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Fantastic!
> 
> Just hope there are no dealers hanging around street corners pushin skullcandy!


 

 A testimonial from a Head Fi Island rehab (Beyer Institute)
   
  " Well I started on Apple earbuds until this guy came up to me and said "Do you wanna try some thing harsher?" I was like 'no way man!' So I had gone online a couple of times and downloaded images from the Bose site. I wasn't hurting anyone.
  Then he opened his Hanna Montana bag and showed me these Skullcandies. They were so purdy. I said 'well what do they sound like?' He said don't worry about that,  just look at that skull and it's all the overblown bass you could ever want'."


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Thats very good of you and I will hold you to that offer once I have reeled them in.


 
   
  Quote: 





eucariote said:


> I for one would love to know your EQ settings.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I just remembered that I had posted them in my detailed D7000 review thread a while back:
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/490664/my-denon-ah-d7000-review-comparison-with-hd650-and-m50
   
  (BTW, that review was written before I had gotten the LCD-2 and the 007mkII, so it was a lot kinder than what I would write if I were to review it today.)
   
  EasyQ is free, and a high quality pro audio EQ, and I highly recommend it. I swear by J River Media Center (version 16 just came out) as my librarian/player, and it's got the best native VST hosting of any media librarian/player out there by far. No fuss, no third-party wrapper, no limitations to how many you can chain up, and you can arrange the order however you like, turn each on and off quickly, and so on.
   
  Another pro audio plugin (not free, but very reasonably priced) I swear by is Isone Pro (now renamed/rebranded to TB isone, by Tonebooster--same guy, just new company name). It is by far the best software for making your headphones sound like real speakers in an acoustically ideal room. The illusion is damn real, and I never listen to headphones without it. If you're also a musician, I would suggest you try to get Jeroen to sell you the older version ( called Isone Pro), instead of the new version (TB Isone), because the older version is more intuitive and has speaker emulation presets that are extremely useful for trying out your mix on various emulations, such as tinny laptop speakers, boombox, flat panel TV speakers, low-end consumer 2.1 systems, or even how it sounds if someone is standing outside the door. There's a big thread dedicated to Isone Pro I started a while back, and I even got Jeroen to drop in to answer some questions:
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/473885/isone-pro-the-best-thing-you-could-ever-get-for-your-headphones-on-your-computer


----------



## trotoir

Thank you for the updated advice Lunatique. I tried to download and install EasyQ but only a .dll file was in the zip file. Which was odd!?
   
  I am hoping to order the d7k beasties once I get a refund back from some other denon's I got cold feet over!


----------



## trotoir

Quote:  





> '' it's all the overblown bass you could ever want'."


 


  I have a vision of Hugh Grant wearing yellow and red heaphones around his neck in the mug shot!


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Thank you for the updated advice Lunatique. I tried to download and install EasyQ but only a .dll file was in the zip file. Which was odd!?
> 
> I am hoping to order the d7k beasties once I get a refund back from some other denon's I got cold feet over!


 

 I guess you have never used any VST plugins before? VST plugins are .dll's and needs a VST host. That means whatever media player you are using must have the ability to host VST plugins, or use a VST plugin wrapper/host. J River Media Center has the best VST hostings of all media players/librarians. The other ones can host or use wrappers, but they are much more limited in that area than Media Center. Media Monkey, foobar, Winamp are some of them.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





trotoir said:


> I wonder what the nett worth would be if all all Head Fi-ers gear was counted up?


 
   
  Scarily enough, someone started a thread on that very topic.


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> I guess you have never used any VST plugins before? VST plugins are .dll's and needs a VST host. That means whatever media player you are using must have the ability to host VST plugins, or use a VST plugin wrapper/host. J River Media Center has the best VST hostings of all media players/librarians. The other ones can host or use wrappers, but they are much more limited in that area than Media Center. Media Monkey, foobar, Winamp are some of them.


 

 Ahaaaaaa. Tried it with winamp and got it up and running thank you!
   
  D7000's arrive tomorrow!

 Exciting times.
   
  Sorry for moving off thread all!!


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Scarily enough, someone started a thread on that very topic.


 

  
  Can you post the link please Currawong as I cannot seem to find it?
   
  I would be fascinated to read that one.

 Cheers


----------



## Borgbox

My new investments just arrived, KRK rp8g2 x2, Lexicon I-onix u22. Truly massive monitors with every ounce of sub bass I could ever want. Loving this!


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> My new investments just arrived, KRK rp8g2 x2, Lexicon I-onix u22. Truly massive monitors with every ounce of sub bass I could ever want. Loving this!


 

 Congrats!!!
   
  Post pics and inital thoughts please Borgbox.
   
  I love looking at new speakers!


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> I just remembered that I had posted them in my detailed D7000 review thread a while back:
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/490664/my-denon-ah-d7000-review-comparison-with-hd650-and-m50
> 
> (BTW, that review was written before I had gotten the LCD-2 and the 007mkII, so it was a lot kinder than what I would write if I were to review it today.)
> ...


 

 I see that you have some hi-end cans there but.....what's going on? I cannot believe what I see. Did you make Ahmadinejad mad ? Or Kim always Ill mad, perhaps. They don't look like normal wear and tear to me.


----------



## Stoin

Am I the only one who looking at this picture sees past all the audio gear and straight to the Grateful Dead mouse mat?
   
  Quote: 





skylab said:


>


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





stoin said:


> Am I the only one who looking at this picture sees past all the audio gear and straight to the Grateful Dead mouse mat?


 

 I hope not


----------



## Caphead78

Newest addition on right


----------



## theoandtheb

Definitely some amazing setups here...certainly inspiring for future sets. Here's my current environment. I'm really just beginning to scratch the surface of hi-fi audio and as you can tell, my priorities straight out of high school were more focused on a tv and laptop. Ironically the tv gets used more as a monitor now than an actual tv. I wish I could put more funds into some awesome audio gear but sadly college is a mega-downer for recreational spending...
   
  And yes, my walls are green...it was a childhood dream...don't ask.


----------



## jadawgis732




----------



## Borgbox

My new setup. Sorry about the cell phone pictures, I don't have a proper camera (spent all my cash on audio equipment)!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> My new setup. Sorry about the cell phone pictures, I don't have a proper camera (spent all my cash on audio equipment)!


 
  Is that you in the bottom picture?


----------



## Borgbox

How'd you know?! That's Raiden, 2 yo Sibe. He listens to my tracks and, in return, I get to feed him. Win/win I think!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> How'd you know?! That's Raiden, 2 yo Sibe. He listens to my tracks and, in return, I get to feed him. Win/win I think!


 

 He's adorable.  I found a picture of a golden retriever wearing a pair of HD800s.


----------



## Borgbox

Thank you! Every time I try to have him wear headphones he ends up trying to play with them, so I don't do it very often. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> He's adorable.  I found a picture of a golden retriever wearing a pair of HD800s.


----------



## dagothur

I have a little yorkshire terrier, so getting my m50s on him is practically impossible with his little head.
  
  Quote: 





borgbox said:


> Thank you! Every time I try to have him wear headphones he ends up trying to play with them, so I don't do it very often.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





acdoan said:


> I see that you have some hi-end cans there but.....what's going on? I cannot believe what I see. Did you make Ahmadinejad mad ? Or Kim always Ill mad, perhaps. They don't look like normal wear and tear to me.


 

 Did you read the D7000 review? I sort of explained it. Basically, this photo is of the Denon AH-D950, which was the flagship Denon headphone during the previous generation from the mid-90's until the Dx000 series took over. I've had that D950 for many years, and it traveled with me everywhere, in my carry-on bag, in my backpack, in my suitcase, to different countries, and so on. Eventually it just started falling apart bit by bit. I started to tape it up with electrical tape, and that worked for a couple of years until it just couldn't be taped together anymore. The earpad was also worn out to the point of being very uncomfortable. It was because I was trying to replace the D950 that I started on the head-fi path (with the HD555 as the next step).


----------



## Hero Kid

It's not the best system, but it's what I have now. CD player is on the floor under my shoe box, as is my phono-stage. Waiting for my LCD-2s to show up, and more money so I can upgrade my amp/dac.


----------



## mikerobe

I just felt like I should turn the geek factor up to 11.  Yes, that is pretty much the raddest Lego set ever.  And, no, I don't let the ladies see this room.  Computer (off-screen) > Havana DAC > Schiit Lyr (GE Smoked Glass tubes) > ALO cabled LCD-2.
   
  P.S. if you think the Death Star is bad, don't ask for views of the rest of the room.


----------



## ssavage

rest of the room!


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





ssavage said:


> rest of the room!


 








   yeah, let us see


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


>


 

 It looks like you're listening to music in the cloakroom, poor guy, it's the misses isn't it!


----------



## mikerobe

Seriously, no need to see how deep that rabbit hole goes.
   
  @Graphicism, no misses (isn't it obvious?).  If you're referencing the shoes, I hate to admit that they're a bit of a collection as well, Star Wars Adidas.  From left to right you have: Han Solo in Carbonite; Chewbacca; R2-D2/C-3PO; Jabba the Hutt; and (my favorite) the Boba Fetts. 
   
  Seriously, if the Adidas shoes don't give it away, it really gets worse.  And I have a slightly ghetto apartment, so that'll be more evident.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> no misses (isn't it obvious?).


 

 I laughed harder than I probably should have
   
  I'd like to see the rest of your room as well


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> Seriously, no need to see how deep that rabbit hole goes.
> 
> @Graphicism, no misses (isn't it obvious?).  If you're referencing the shoes, I hate to admit that they're a bit of a collection as well, Star Wars Adidas.  From left to right you have: Han Solo in Carbonite; Chewbacca; R2-D2/C-3PO; Jabba the Hutt; and (my favorite) the Boba Fetts.
> 
> Seriously, if the Adidas shoes don't give it away, it really gets worse.  And I have a slightly ghetto apartment, so that'll be more evident.


 

 Cactus in a happy onion, LCD2s, world globe, DAC, Death Star, amp all sitting on a brass glass top table with Star Wars shoes underneath... Yeah I'd like to see the rest of the place too!


----------



## baka1969




----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> My new setup. Sorry about the cell phone pictures, I don't have a proper camera (spent all my cash on audio equipment)!


 

 Sweet!!!
   
  Looks like a rocket thats about to take off!!!
   
  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





baka1969 said:


>


 


  Nice rack. At first,I thought they are the Audio Research and Cary Audio wannabe but then they are indeed.  Again, very nice set up.


----------



## Bacci

Nice cases for the Beta & Sigma 22. Are those Parmetal 20? What about the front panels?


----------



## Borgbox

Hey thanks! Glad to finally have some Nearfields to mix on! I've been using some shoddy philips comp speakers up until now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





trotoir said:


> Sweet!!!
> 
> Looks like a rocket thats about to take off!!!
> 
> Thanks for sharing.


----------



## trotoir

What stuff do you mix Borgbox?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





acdoan said:


> Nice rack. At first,I thought they are the Audio Research and Cary Audio wannabe but then they are indeed.  Again, very nice set up.


 


  Agreed. Ross has some really nice gear. A B22+Sigma22, WA6SE, Cary Xciter. All matched in silver too. Nice.


----------



## baka1969

Quote:Originally Posted by Bacci 

 "Nice cases for the Beta & Sigma 22. Are those Parmetal 20? What about the front panels?"


 Thank you. It turned out better than expected. Yes they're Parmetal cases. The faceplates are a thick 6mm from Front Panel Express. The inside is just as nice too. Lots of nice new caps, a TDK volume pot and the e12 for protection.


----------



## Afrikane




----------



## Skylab

Afrikane, that is beautiful beyond belief.  WOW.


----------



## Caphead78

What Skylab said


----------



## SolidSnake3

x3 that is some amazing gear with looks to match


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Jealousy x10000000
   
  Amazing rig, Afrikane.


----------



## mikerobe

Truly beautiful.  I loved the little hint of the K1000s hiding behind the 800s.


----------



## Afrikane

It's amazing what a bit decent timber (Afzelia burl in this case) can do to transform the pedestrian to something visually appealing.
   
  Different angle with more hint of K1000.


----------



## trotoir

Quote: 





afrikane said:


> It's amazing what a bit decent timber (Afzelia burl in this case) can do to transform the pedestrian to something visually appealing.
> 
> Different angle with more hint of K1000.


 

  
  One word...
   
  Quality


----------



## sphinxvc

^ Beautiful wood.  Very inviting.


----------



## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





afrikane said:


> It's amazing what a bit decent timber (Afzelia burl in this case) can do to transform the pedestrian to something visually appealing.
> 
> Different angle with more hint of K1000.


 
   
  Whoa, very nice.  I kinda miss the HD800.


----------



## loremipsum

Great setup and photo, Afrikane


----------



## snapple10

really, classy


----------



## ianmedium

An update to my last picture, this one has a new component which is wonderful, the Cypher Labs Algorythm solo.
   
  The Headphones are Denon AH-D5000's with Jmoney V3 pads, iPod 160G classic with losless files. Meier Corda Stepdance amp with Energizer an external Energizer XP8000 battery back giving 12volts supply. This is my only system and with these headphones makes it the home based rig. For portable use I have UE triple.fi10's or Etymotic ER4S's


----------



## davo50

Gotta get a new rack - WA22 is kind of cramped in there
   
  .


----------



## Skylab

Nice! I like the Fisher X-100


----------



## dagothur

I made a ridiculous noise when I saw this.
  
  Quote: 





davo50 said:


> Gotta get a new rack - WA22 is kind of cramped in there
> 
> .


----------



## reivaj

just bought the ath m50s today so, I took a pic of them with my amp that I use while its connected to my computer. Its a pretty frugal and modest build but I am very pleased with it. I still can't justify spending over 200 and have yet to commit 200+ on a pair of headphones.
   

   
   
  I do have MS1s.


----------



## IceClass

davo50 said:


> Gotta get a new rack - WA22 is kind of cramped in there
> 
> .






whoa! Woo headamp, ortho cans and a Fisher! My kind of guy!


----------



## ohhgourami




----------



## Amarphael

Beacuse every phone deserves it's own amp...

   
  The F1's i run straight of my y1 DAC, sounds really awesome.


----------



## 03029174

Just received an Axis USB and Reference Twag IC's. Finally finished my rig


----------



## nc8000

My home rig. Old picture but the rig has not changed in 1½ years. AC is supplied by an IsoTek Mini Sub II through IsoTek power cables.


----------



## Racer24

I'm still working on it but here she is today. I'm including reg speakers because I just got them and think they sound amazing.
   
  From left to right: 
  Definitive BP-7006 (left); 
_Media Stack 1 _- Sony 5.1 Receiver, Samsung CD/DVD/MP3 Player, KLH 5 Disc Changer,
  (iBasso D4 Mamba, iPod Nano, Apple Dock on top);
  Toshiba Plasma HDTV 
_Media Stack 2 _- Grado 225i, Pioneer SE-305(vintage), DVR/Cable box, Toshiba D-VR600, Belkin Wireless g;
  Definitive BP-7006 (right)
   
  Out of picture--Definitive Cube, 2 Paradigm reference speakers (rear), & Macbook 
   
  My TF-10s are still off at Fisher being reshelled. I've got my fingers crossed they get here next week (it's been a torturous 2 weeks already).


----------



## rds




----------



## Limberger




----------



## TekeRugburn

As that I'm in hell aka med school right now.... don't have much of a home system.  Mostly listen everything through custom iems and some other universal iems.  Can't bring my headphones from home...so I'm stuck with a mostly portable set-up


----------



## sphinxvc

Update for new additions: DIY headphone stand + AKG K701s.


----------



## r0wr

In college. I wish I could afford better stuff. Lenovo x200 > e7 > e9 > HD600 or Beyer DT880/600.


----------



## Ehr33

The journey so far!


----------



## DjAmTraX

ehr33 said:


> The journey so far!



Beautiful system.


----------



## DjAmTraX

sphinxvc said:


> Update for new additions: DIY headphone stand + AKG K701s.




Nice DIY stand. What media player is that on your Mac?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


djamtrax said:


> Nice DIY stand. What media player is that on your Mac?


 

 Thanks.  The media player - it's iTunes.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  It looks weird because I inverted the colors so it wouldn't cause the auto- focus/white-balance on my camera to go berserk. (command + ctrl + option + 8)
   
  Inverting is also nice for low-light reading.


----------



## mmwanga

HD 595 + cMoyBB v2.03


----------



## Waqar

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> naw,there the K240s. i love'em tho.


 

 Me too


----------



## Speedv1

iPhone Pics.. so not very good but here you go!
   
  Here's a more 'full' pic.. I love listening to my Harman Kardon Go Play with my Pro 750s (So much power (bass from the Go play) yet so much clarity (everything else 750s):

   
  Desk Close Up (Using E7 + Pro 750s):

   
  Stands/Cases/HDD/Soldering stuff:


----------



## theoandtheb

Speed, where did you get those wall hangers?


----------



## vinnievidi

They look like the wall hooks used in music stores for hanging guitars on the wall. 
  
  Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> Speed, where did you get those wall hangers?


----------



## DannyBuoy

This is what it look like in February of 2011. WA6SE (Sophia Princess), D7000, Audio GD NFB2 (left, 1st pic) and what it looks like today (3/24/2011 2nd pic on right) now have Violectric V181 (running balanced) with optional 24Bit USB module, LCD-2 with Norse Audio 8 Wire with balanced Neutrik 4 Pin.Down below same APC UPS, Furman Ac-215A w/Audio GD Custom Power Cords, media Server with 90 GB SSD and 1TB external USB drive. Same ProJect RM6SB with Audio Technica 33EV cart adn RSA F117 Nighthawk Phono. The rat's nest next to the media server is mainly due to the workstation and 4 other monitors...


----------



## moaksb

Quote: 





reivaj said:


> just bought the ath m50s today so, I took a pic of them with my amp that I use while its connected to my computer. Its a pretty frugal and modest build but I am very pleased with it. I still can't justify spending over 200 and have yet to commit 200+ on a pair of headphones.
> 
> I do have MS1s.


 

 What amp is that?


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> Speed, where did you get those wall hangers?


 

 It's just one of these (but it's got a soft texture (I think lol), and it's black, total $5.00 for 2 of them at my local home hardware.


----------



## snapple10

Wanted to post my current after seven months on headfi


----------



## dagothur

Get rid of those AKGs and that's my dream setup (except with a Nuforce Icon HDP hooked up to the Denons).
  
  Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Wanted to post my current after seven months on headfi


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Get rid of those AKGs and that's my dream setup (except with a Nuforce Icon HDP hooked up to the Denons).


 

 I had the AKG FS for a while, actually sounds good with the woo, so , will hold on to it, at least for now. I might sell it to create room for a new pair
  Nuforce icon HDP went back  to amazon when I picked up the DLIII from here, so , almost had your set-up


----------



## dagothur

The Nuforce Icon HDP - Denon D7000 combo is amazing, IMHO.
  Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> I had the AKG FS for a while, actually sounds good with the woo, so , will hold on to it, at least for now. I might sell it to create room for a new pair
> Nuforce icon HDP went back  to amazon when I picked up the DLIII from here, so , almost had your set-up


----------



## m3ta1head




----------



## Blasto_Brandino

OK here is mine;

   
   
   
  I don't usually hook my Lisa III upto the Preamp (although the preamp has dual outputs) I use the Lisa III as a portable and the LLP pretty much just to charge it, I'M NOT buying a stationary amp until the Triad Audio Valve Code is released. I have not yet purchased the tonearm for the TNT (After the CD player I'm currently paying off) The small box on the gold spikes is a radio tuner, a cheap one. but that shelf is for the CD player when it arrives ($1300 of $2100 done so far, making payments) 99% of the time I just run my PC to the stereo...


----------



## Adda




----------



## dagothur

Headphones currently in my possession and my Nuforce Icon HDP.  I'll post another when I get my D7000s back.


----------



## Brent Hutto

Schiit Asgard, Sennheiser HD650, Seiben Z-dock


----------



## Eee Pee

Apple Airport Express
  Theta Cobalt 307 DAC
  DNA Sonett
  Senn HD 800


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Apple Airport Express
> Theta Cobalt 307 DAC
> DNA Sonett
> Senn HD 800


 


  I like that. Minimal, functional, clean lines. What more do you need?


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...




----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


eee pee said:


>


 

 Nice!  Really like it.  Nothing but you and your music.


----------



## jpelg

Quote: 





adda said:


> ThinkPad W510 + SIIG NN-EC2012-S1 + *Echo AudioFire2 *+ Atoll DAC 100 + Aragon 18k + AKG K240DF


 

 /OT:
 How do you like the AudioFire2 as an Firewire->S/PDIF converter? Are you using the stock breakout cable provided by Echo? What OS are you using?


----------



## Adda

Quote: 





jpelg said:


> /OT:
> How do you like the AudioFire2 as an Firewire->S/PDIF converter? Are you using the stock breakout cable provided by Echo? What OS are you using?


 

  
  I like it quite a lot, I unsoldered it's mini-din connector and and added a BNC in stead so I don't have to use the breakout cable/dongle thing.
  I use it with Windows 7 Pro x64, to get it to work trouble free, I have to use a TI Firewire controller with legacy drivers and the 5.5.6 Beta driver for the AudioFire.
  It is possible to get it to work with Linux as well, but it requires a realtime kernel and ffado through jack to work well.
  But when it's configured right it works really well.


----------



## Adda

Here are some pics of my AudioFire2 mod, this is a picture thread after all


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


>


 


  HA-160D - WANT, WANT, WANT! 
   
  Wallet hurts.


----------



## revolink24

brent hutto said:


> Schiit Asgard, Sennheiser HD650, Seiben Z-dock




Nice and simple, and I bet it sounds good.


----------



## Brent Hutto

revolink24 said:


> Nice and simple, and I bet it sounds good.




Yes, I'd say that's just how it sounds. Nice, simple and real good.

The "master plan" involved eventually adding an HRT iStreamer or similar DAC but honestly the way it sounds as is, straight from the Classic, suits me completely. And when it sounds that good there's a lot to be said for keeping it simple. And saving the 200 bucks!


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





mrq said:


> I like that. Minimal, functional, clean lines. What more do you need?


 


  a cold beer.


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> a cold beer.


 

 Heh. True tho.


----------



## lasttodie

Cd player : JVC XL-V252 (18 years old,never been anything wrong with it)
  Amp : Argon HA-1
  Headphones : Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm


----------



## macrocheesium

Dude that head is kind of creepy.


----------



## lasttodie

Even more creepy  it was given to me as a x-mas gift LOL


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





lasttodie said:


> Cd player : JVC XL-V252 (18 years old,never been anything wrong with it)
> Amp : Argon HA-1
> Headphones : Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm


 

 Careful with that stand.  The sharp top can damage the leather.


----------



## bar1

Current collection:
   

   
  -Denon at work.


----------



## tgeml

My Primitive setup, Specs are in SIG.


----------



## Eee Pee

mrq said:


> I like that. Minimal, functional, clean lines. What more do you need?


 
   


sphinxvc said:


> Nice!  Really like it.  Nothing but you and your music.


 
   


jamesmcprogger said:


> a cold beer.


 

 Yep, cold beers for sure and the iPod Touch to control the iMac in the other room.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thanks for the comments fellas.


----------



## darren700

heres my contribution with my brand new darth beyers..


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





bar1 said:


> Current collection:
> 
> 
> 
> -Denon at work.


 

  
  nice colection,
  the v6 is in the center, next to the m50, right?? interesting velour pads, which are those?


----------



## 2enty3




----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


eee pee said:


>


 

 Still can't get over this.  
   
♥


----------



## Ultrazino

Still very entry level:
   

  (I still have the Zero DAC & HFI-780, but they'll change master next week.)
   
  This is where I am right now:


----------



## Brent Hutto

eee pee said:


> Apple Airport Express
> Theta Cobalt 307 DAC
> DNA Sonett
> Senn HD 800





Needs to show the iPhone and the iMac, though. I have a chair by my window too but without my iPod, amp and headphone the only music I hear is the darned earworm-of-the-day stuck in my head!


----------



## davo50

>


 
   
  Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Apple Airport Express
> Theta Cobalt 307 DAC
> DNA Sonett
> Senn HD 800


 
   
  Yeah, that's pretty cool.  Looks like a fine art print... minimalism.


----------



## jooize

This is my rig, but it is soon getting replaced with a desktop setup.
   

  More images available at my Imgur album.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





brent hutto said:


> Needs to show the iPhone and the iMac, though.


 


   

   

   

   
  Yeah, the iTouch is the camera, so I didn't get a picture of it.


----------



## Brent Hutto

[quote="Eee].Yeah, the iTouch is the camera, so I didn't get a picture of it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



[/quote]


Yeah, I hate it when that happens


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





yianni said:


>


 
  those velour pads on the 780's?


----------



## CARRION FEAST

My current set-up, nothing too complicated......a recliner is essential to my listening pleasure!


----------



## WhiteCrow

^^^^LCD-2, LYR, PRO900. I hate you -__-


----------



## lasttodie

My old school setup (ironicly the Radionette cassette player is called "CD 500")


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





tvrboy said:


>


 
  Maybe I need to read further down the thread, but where did you get that headphone stand?


----------



## blankdisc

my setup


----------



## hifidk

Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


> Maybe I need to read further down the thread, but where did you get that headphone stand?


 
   
  Looks like a headphone stand that comes with Sony SA5000.


----------



## WhiteCrow

I will post a pic as soon as my desk cleans it's self...


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


> Maybe I need to read further down the thread, but where did you get that headphone stand?


 
   
  Looks like a stand made packaged with one of their headphones.


----------



## Towert7

Very nice photo *blankdisc*, and very nice setup.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I want the HE-4 SOOOOO badly. Blankdisc, I envy you.


----------



## WhiteCrow

well my desk cleaned its self finally.


----------



## Tinola

Current setup, nothing too special


----------



## Tinola

towert7 said:


> Looks like a stand made packaged with one of their headphones.






oopsydaisy said:


> Maybe I need to read further down the thread, but where did you get that headphone stand?




It is from the sony sa5000 headphones. It comes with it.


----------



## Dogmatrix

A rig to the right Rotel rcd 965-bx - Qed reference audio evolution - La figaro 332s - Sennheiser hd650
  B rig to the left Ipod classic - custom Lod - Little dot mk111 - Beyerdynamic dt770 600 ohm


----------



## Dogmatrix

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> A rig to the right Rotel rcd 965-bx - Qed reference audio evolution - La figaro 332s - Sennheiser hd650
> B rig to the left Ipod classic - custom Lod - Little dot mk111 - Beyerdynamic dt770 600 ohm


 

 Lights out


----------



## voodoohao

wow dogmatrix nice rig! what's those glowy stuffs at the bottom?
   
   
  anyway these are my stuff
   

   
  Headphones
   

   
   
  amps and dac 
   

   
  pretty satisfied with what I have atm 
   
  though it never lasts


----------



## DjAmTraX

Nice collection! Looks like you're a tubes guy too.


----------



## Dogmatrix

The glowy stuffs are my sculptural tribute to the mighty tube or just a lamp really its very heavy and aside the fireside ambiance it makes the rack stable.
  The 337 is very pretty I am feeling temptation rising again. That can collection is borderline ocd, nice work


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





carrion feast said:


> My current set-up, nothing too complicated......a recliner is essential to my listening pleasure!


 


   

 You have the DAC/Amp combo that I want...So...so jealous...


----------



## strannik

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, can you please tell me, how much heat does the Yulong D100 produce in DAC only mode?
  
  Quote: 





carrion feast said:


> My current set-up, nothing too complicated......a recliner is essential to my listening pleasure!


----------



## voodoohao

yup I love the tube signature!  But currently want to try out a bit of what solid state sounds like, that's why I bought the Little Dot now I'm really broke though.
   
  dogmatrix how does the la figaro 332 sound like? looks pretty sweet.
   
  and i really want an lcd2 but can't find one used anywhere in my region


----------



## jronan2

how does the Yulong D100 pair with the LYR? And what is the device about the dac connected to the ipod classic?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> how does the Yulong D100 pair with the LYR? And what is the device about the dac connected to the ipod classic?


 


   

 I'm wondering about the pair, but I was also wondering about the dock. I checked his gear list. It's a ONKYO ND-S1 digital iPod dock


----------



## jronan2

O ok i know what that is, just couldn't tell from the picture. Hopefully he can give us some info on how the yulong dac pairs with the Lyr.


----------



## gmanRI

it's my desk / Head station ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





gmanri said:


> it's my desk / Head station ...


 


   

 Too much of the Mau5 for me. Nice and clean though.


----------



## gmanRI

LOL. True ... I do need to change out the Mau5 ... was on a big kick for a while. Thx on the clean although I have to work at it!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





gmanri said:


> LOL. True ... I do need to change out the Mau5 ... was on a big kick for a while. Thx on the clean although I have to work at it!


 


   

 After hearing the other talent on his label (Feed Me, Skrillex) I'm not as big a fan as I was about a year ago. Still love it though. I'm totally jealous of all of your with Schiit amps. They look sooooooo good. And I want one sooooooo bad.


----------



## jronan2

Wow that's super clean. So jealous...love macs.


----------



## Borgbox

The thing about Skrillex that gets me is he goes from some obscure emo thrash band to pumping out dubstep like nobody's business in the span of like a few months. He absolutely exploded and somehow knew all the ins and outs of production? it just seems fishy to me. And his hair looks absolutely ridiculous.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> After hearing the other talent on his label (Feed Me, Skrillex) I'm not as big a fan as I was about a year ago. Still love it though. I'm totally jealous of all of your with Schiit amps. They look sooooooo good. And I want one sooooooo bad.


----------



## gmanRI

I know the Lyr is amazing looking in person ... I just keep staring at it. The design lines and craftmanship belie the price.


----------



## gmanRI

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> After hearing the other talent on his label (Feed Me, Skrillex) I'm not as big a fan as I was about a year ago. Still love it though. I'm totally jealous of all of your with Schiit amps. They look sooooooo good. And I want one sooooooo bad.


 

 I know the Lyr is amazing looking in person ... I just keep staring at it. The design lines and craftmanship belie the price.


----------



## gmanRI

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Wow that's super clean. So jealous...love macs.


 


  Thanks! jronan2. I've had them for years way back to the all-in-one Apples. Just got the quad core and it is amazingly fast.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





borgbox said:


> The thing about Skrillex that gets me is he goes from some obscure emo thrash band to pumping out dubstep like nobody's business in the span of like a few months. He absolutely exploded and somehow knew all the ins and outs of production? it just seems fishy to me. And his hair looks absolutely ridiculous.


 


   

 I don't mind. It's good stuff no matter how fishy. He does the DubStep, and some excellent Electro House stuff too. I just love listening to it.


----------



## mmayer167

man i would so love a lyr for my orthos!   lucky dogs...  I cant remember if i posted in this thread but here is a super recent pic


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> man i would so love a lyr for my orthos!   lucky dogs...  I cant remember if i posted in this thread but here is a super recent pic


 


   

 It's so tiny...And the wood. Oh my god.


----------



## mmayer167

lol i seriously laughed at ur reply post.     sorry after looking at that i realized how much wooood was in that frame ha, its a cheapo shelf from wally world         
   
  edit: so i felt bad about that woody pic and snappd a quick one of the setup, sorta messy. and yes those are rocks on my shelf, im sort of a geologist...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> lol i seriously laughed at ur reply post.     sorry after looking at that i realized how much wooood was in that frame ha, its a cheapo shelf from wally world
> 
> edit: so i felt bad about that woody pic and snappd a quick one of the setup, sorta messy. and yes those are rocks on my shelf, im sort of a geologist...


 


   

 I meant the headphones and the stand. But the shelf is nice too I guess. lol


----------



## mmayer167

^ thanks, built them a while back. theyre birds eye maple cups and its the longest ive ever kept a single can!  
   
  M


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





gmanri said:


> it's my desk / Head station ...


 

 Very nice!


----------



## hificrazy

I am quite new to hifi head-phones and just in the process of building a system. Currently only this semi mobile combo of Sony D50, AKG K242HD, and Grado RS80i.  
  Contemplate about an upgrade with Yulong D100, Yulong A100, Beyer DT880 and Grado RS1i.  
   

   
  Sony D50 plus Grado RS80i
   

   
  Sony D50 plus AKG K242HD


----------



## Teejaay

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> man i would so love a lyr for my orthos!   lucky dogs...  I cant remember if i posted in this thread but here is a super recent pic


 

 birdseye maple cool looking things you should try quilted maple get some high quality stuff dye it black sand it back dye it some other color and have a really cool look to it.


----------



## TakashiMiike

My wonderful head-fi setup 
  Next upgrade, DAC! then grado PS1000 (if only I were rich  )
   
  But I'm very content with what I have for quiet a while


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> My wonderful head-fi setup
> Next upgrade, DAC! then grado PS1000 (if only I were rich  )
> 
> But I'm very content with what I have for quiet a while


 


   

 'if only I were rich' Yeah...Me too.


----------



## mikerobe

Before:

   
  After:


----------



## Vikingatheart

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> After:


 

 Hey, 'After' you're done with that, could I have it?


----------



## Happy Camper

The RB-1050 and pair of RMB-100s are under the armrest on the lower shelves. I hope to make a final judgment soon on what will drive the HE-6.


----------



## Souji

Headphones: ATH-M50s, Sunrise SW-Xcape, Koss Portapro
  Speakers: Tannoy Reveal 501A


----------



## grokit

I just added a tube buffer stage to my dedicated secondary/bedroom (high-powered) system. There's a Devilsound v2 cable between it and the PowerBook, which is running Pure Music/ALAC. ALO-made speaker tap extension to 4-pin XLR to mate with HE-6/KK. I use a different computer to surf the net while I am listening to this rig, an HP laptop/tablet.


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> After:


 

 Lame... ...it's not the same without the Death Star... at least you kept the cactus to keep it real.


----------



## oopsydaisy




----------



## MorbidToaster

I hate you more than anybody in the entire world right now. In a good way, I promise.



oopsydaisy said:


>


----------



## add2music

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> I am quite new to hifi head-phones and just in the process of building a system. Currently only this semi mobile combo of Sony D50, AKG K242HD, and Grado RS80i.
> Contemplate about an upgrade with Yulong D100, Yulong A100, Beyer DT880 and Grado RS1i.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Nice pictures...


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> I am quite new to hifi head-phones and just in the process of building a system. Currently only this semi mobile combo of Sony D50, AKG K242HD, and Grado RS80i.
> Contemplate about an upgrade with Yulong D100, Yulong A100, Beyer DT880 and Grado RS1i.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   

 [size=medium]Nice pics and I think you will be happy with Yulong D100. I'd get it first and try it as a combo Dac/Amp, then decide if you need the A100 later​[/size]


----------



## nikon131

*TakashiMiike*
  How do you like that amp? I just bought my Grado Sr60's and love it but looking to see what advantage I would get from an amp? Thanks.
  
  Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> My wonderful head-fi setup
> Next upgrade, DAC! then grado PS1000 (if only I were rich  )
> 
> But I'm very content with what I have for quiet a while


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


> Nice pics and I think you will be happy with Yulong D100. I'd get it first and try it as a combo Dac/Amp, then decide if you need the A100 later​


 

 Thanks for the kind advice. Just wonder how big the difference would be between D100 and A100 when each drives 250ohm DT880. Is D100 poweful enough? The D50 is quite powerful driving the K242HD and Grado RS80i at such an ease.


----------



## TakashiMiike

Quote: 





nikon131 said:


> *TakashiMiike*
> How do you like that amp? I just bought my Grado Sr60's and love it but looking to see what advantage I would get from an amp? Thanks.


 
  I love the amp (and I got it for a steal too $120) It is a rather large noticable step up from a budget portable amp, or your computer sound card. The difference was astounding to me, the layers it brought to my music is wonderful, nice lucid midrange, and it cleaned up the high range giving it a nice bit of sparkle again. It really was an astonishing change and I can't recommend it enough. A lot of users use the sr60i with the little dot, you can look into that too, I have not experienced it so cannot talk about it but do not feel afraid of this amp, it is wonderful.
   
  I recommend checking out the mods first, modding your sr60i to your liking, and then grabbin a nice amp


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


>


 

 This made me think, I tried the Clerk of 32ohm Audios Edition9's, I loved them, WHY DID THEY STOP MAKING THEM BUT MAKE!!! THE ED8'S!!!!


----------



## Snag1e

I know the speaker placement is horrible btw, its the best I can do in my dorm..... =/...


----------



## macrocheesium

Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


>


 


  Looks sweet! What's the monitor on the right for?


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





macrocheesium said:


> Looks sweet! What's the monitor on the right for?


 
  Thanks, it's a Wacom Cintiq 21UX and I use it for illustration


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> Thanks for the kind advice. Just wonder how big the difference would be between D100 and A100 when each drives 250ohm DT880. Is D100 poweful enough? The D50 is quite powerful driving the K242HD and Grado RS80i at such an ease.


 

 I'd read these 2 excellent reviews, as they explain it better than I ever could. BTW, project86 has since moved on to an Anedio D1 for his DAC, but that costs more than the D100+A100 combined.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/499562/review-yulong-d100-dac-amp-reference-quality-with-a-reasonable-price
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/535630/review-yulong-a100-headphone-amp


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I hate you more than anybody in the entire world right now. In a good way, I promise.
> 
> 
> Quote:
> ...


 

 Thanks and BTW, I see you're looking for a D100. I gotta say I love mine, and you will not be disappointed, especially for the price. I will eventually get a tube amp to pull out the full potential of my LCD-2s, but for now, I'm very pleased


----------



## MorbidToaster

Planning on a D100/A100 combo by year's end. I'm ore jealous of the set-up in general. I miss my iPad (had to sell it to fund my D7000), and that Wacom tablet is beautiful (something else that I want one day). At any rate, once I get a more respectable desktop set-up (aka when I get my D100) I'll actually get something posted.

Edit: And the ED 8s, of course. Jealous.



oopsydaisy said:


> Thanks and BTW, I see you're looking for a D100. I gotta say I love mine, and you will not be disappointed, especially for the price. I will eventually get a tube amp to pull out the full potential of my LCD-2s, but for now, I'm very pleased


----------



## jraul7

Hi,
   
  This my first post in the site, but have being looking around for a long time. As a music lover and recent father (have a wonderful 14 months old boy that I hope will like music as much as his father), I now have the need of having a good headphones station, as I cannot use the home theater to listen to music at night anymore. After a couple of weeks of looking around, this week I bought a HeadRoom Total BitHead and like 10 minutes ago bought a pair of Seinnheiser HD 598s (call J&R, they'll give you an additional discount over the phone, got them for $179.99). I already have plans for getting a decent dac & amp for home use (Shiit Asgard looks interesting, but regarding a dac, I have no idea yet).
   
  Anyway, on to my current headphone setup:
   

   
  My humble setup consist of:
   
  Dell 5150 (the music server) --> old Creative Soundblaster external card --> Audioengine A2 or Bose MIE2i (please don't laugh, they sound pretty good and are really comfortable, mostly use at the office).
   
  The Macbook I mostly use when listening to music outside my home-office (and for photography (edit pictures), one of my other hobbies). You can also see in the picture a pair of Turtle Beach EarForce x31 wireless headphones which I use for gaming and watching movies late night and a pair of cheap Sony MDR-V150 cans, which I'm thinking of modding them just for fun. I also have a Philips DVP5992 dvd player used to play CD and DVD concerts in this room (not pictured).
   
  Anyway, this is it, hope to have new pics soon as I start receiving stuff from the mail.


----------



## lasttodie

Welcome to Head-Fi, and I do believe the phrase is : Sorry about your wallet


----------



## treal512

So I got a few packages today and had to take this


----------



## grokit

Is that a Yulong tube stage for your Stax amp, and some 6SN7 tubes for rolling into it?
  If so I just ordered the Grant Fidelity version


----------



## treal512

Yessir, very close. It is a Yaqin tube buffer. Everything else spot on though. I got the buffer and the various 6SN7 tubes today.
   
  I was eyeing the Grant version too, but I'm ok with the Hyundai


----------



## francisdemarte

I have that Yaqin buffer too! What is your favorite tube so far?


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Yessir, very close. It is a Yaqin tube buffer. Everything else spot on though. I got the buffer and the various 6SN7 tubes today.
> 
> I was eyeing the Grant version too, but I'm ok with the Hyundai


 

 Haha Yaqin, that's what I meant. I believe that the Grant models are made by Yaqin, I found the pricing to be very similar also.


----------



## jraul7

Thanks, I'm already looking at some DACs and probably a pair of Grados SR60i to mod.... This is gonna be a fun, albeit expensive, ride!


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> I have that Yaqin buffer too! What is your favorite tube so far?


 
   
  Haha, no clue yet.. I've only had it on for maybe an hour and just now pulled the OEM tubes for Raytheon WGT. Do you have a favorite/s?
   
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *grokit* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Haha Yaqin, that's what I meant. I believe that the Grant models are made by Yaqin, I found the pricing to be very similar also.


 
   
  Nice! What are you going to hook it up to? I just took off the machined tube cover and it looks much better.


----------



## grokit

It's going in between the SE output of my balanced DAC and my Bose Cinemate speaker system. I had a Schiit Lyr there that I sent back but the tube preamp sounded really nice in that setup. I've got the smaller Grant tube buffer already on a different SS speaker amp that I've turned into a high-powered headphone rig and I am very impressed; I'm sure this one will be even better. I've also got a few 6SN7 tubes lying around...


----------



## mmayer167

^mind sharing why you sent back your Lyr?  
   
  thanks, 
   
  M


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





grokit said:


> It's going in between the SE output of my balanced DAC and my Bose Cinemate speaker system. I had a Schiit Lyr there that I sent back but the tube preamp sounded really nice in that setup. I've got the smaller Grant tube buffer already on a different SS speaker amp that I've turned into a high-powered headphone rig and I am very impressed; I'm sure this one will be even better. I've also got a few 6SN7 tubes lying around...


 
   
  Ahh, nice, I have heard these are great for speakers. Will need to try hooking this up to my Z5500 one day to see what it does. And yea, I'm sure you have just "a few" 6SN7 lying around


----------



## grokit

M, it's a fine headphone amp but I may have been expecting too much. It struggled with my HE-6 compared to the speaker amp I'm using with it. Even so, the Lyr sounded better than my WA22 did with the HE-6; on another front the WA22 is a very hard act to follow with the LCD-2. I found the Lyr to be perfect for driving the K701, but that's not what I was looking for. Also as I said it's a very good preamp as well. It's a great compromise between power and finesse for the money overall, and very well built but in the end it just didn't work out for me.


----------



## nikon131

Cool thanks, I am gonna have too research those amps. I didn't know it would make such a dramatic change... cheers, thanks for the reply.
  
  Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> I love the amp (and I got it for a steal too $120) It is a rather large noticable step up from a budget portable amp, or your computer sound card. The difference was astounding to me, the layers it brought to my music is wonderful, nice lucid midrange, and it cleaned up the high range giving it a nice bit of sparkle again. It really was an astonishing change and I can't recommend it enough. A lot of users use the sr60i with the little dot, you can look into that too, I have not experienced it so cannot talk about it but do not feel afraid of this amp, it is wonderful.
> 
> I recommend checking out the mods first, modding your sr60i to your liking, and then grabbin a nice amp


----------



## mmayer167

thanks for the response grokit,
   
  M


----------



## ianmedium

Latest update for me!


Ipod classic 160G/CLAS, Meier corda Stepdance with external 15v battery supply, Audeze LCD 2 headphones.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





ianmedium said:


> Latest update for me!
> 
> 
> Ipod classic 160G/CLAS, Meier corda Stepdance with external 15v battery supply, Audeze LCD 2 headphones.


 


  nice 2.5grand portable set up you got there. I for one would mug you if i saw you walking down the street, the CL is a beast paired with the LCD-2's :/ sadly I will never get to experience that outside of 32 ohm audio.


----------



## ianmedium

whitecrow said:


> nice 2.5grand portable set up you got there. I for one would mug you if i saw you walking down the street, the CL is a beast paired with the LCD-2's :/ sadly I will never get to experience that outside of 32 ohm audio.




You know, I actually had a shiver when I read your comment.I purchased the gear over a period of time and that is the first time I have seen the final figure,never given it a thought before.. Yikes, just think, before I joined headfi just under three years ago all I had was a 2gig sony with standard buds!


----------



## msninja

Current setup


----------



## MorbidToaster

Humble but it gets the job done for now. D7000, E9, E7 (DAC), DVD Player (Pile of crap, but the CDs sound alright, and it has COAX for the D100)

I've got a D100 in the mail and once that comes in everything will fall into place for the rest of my rig.


----------



## ianmedium

morbidtoaster said:


> Humble but it gets the job done for now. D7000, E9, E7 (DAC), DVD Player (Pile of crap, but the CDs sound alright, and it has COAX for the D100)
> 
> I've got a D100 in the mail and once that comes in everything will fall into place for the rest of my rig.




Far from humble, D7000's are wonderful headphones and your set up looks nicely balanced, I bet it sounds great!


----------



## MorbidToaster

ianmedium said:


> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> > Humble but it gets the job done for now. D7000, E9, E7 (DAC), DVD Player (Pile of crap, but the CDs sound alright, and it has COAX for the D100)
> ...




Well by years end I hope to be much less humble about it. Hoping to have an A100, D100, HE 6, and a nice Digital CD Player as well. 

I suppose the D7000 does make it a lot less humble than it was a month ago though. 

Oh, D7000 burning in as we speak. Only maybe 20 hours on them so far.


----------



## ianmedium

morbidtoaster said:


> ianmedium said:
> 
> 
> > morbidtoaster said:
> ...




If the 7000's are anything like the 5000's I used to own then they really come on song around the 200 hour mark. Having said that I also enjoyed my 5000's right out of the box as well! Really recommend the J$ pad upgrade as well!


----------



## MorbidToaster

ianmedium said:


> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> > ianmedium said:
> ...




Well I do like them right out of the box, I will admit to that. 

I was considering the J$ pads as well, but from what I've heard they reduce bass impact...and that's a no no for me. I want to give them a try down the line though.


----------



## ianmedium

In my experience they did not reduce bass impact just increased the quality, without them the 5000's bass was a little undefined but with them they were just about perfect!


----------



## francisdemarte

treal512 said:


> Haha, no clue yet.. I've only had it on for maybe an hour and just now pulled the OEM tubes for Raytheon WGT. Do you have a favorite/s?
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! What are you going to hook it up to? I just took off the machined tube cover and it looks much better.






A pair of RCA 8G7F's on adapters



I've also swapped out the stock caps for some Vitamin Q's.

Next set up tubes I want to try are the Shuguang Treasures.


----------



## WhiteCrow

I dislike so many people on this forum for the wonderous gear they have.....that I will never touch.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> A pair of RCA 8G7F's on adapters
> 
> I've also swapped out the stock caps for some Vitamin Q's.
> 
> Next set up tubes I want to try are the Shuguang Treasures.


 

 Nice, those look like the adapters (Glenns(?)) that I have on my WA22 with some Tung-Sol 6F8Gs in it. For my high-powered SS rig I just got the Grant B-283 MKII in, it's the same buffer I think for the most part. I rolled in some Sylvania Bad Boys and they are just what the doctor ordered. I also have the original B-283, which got moved to a speaker rig.


----------



## Martin J

moving out to another apartment next week, so this is how it looks like for now...modest sr60i, fiio e7, pioneer hdj500, px100 and a stock samsung free earphone


----------



## warp08

Electrostaic gear.  RSA A-10 and Headamp Aristaeus energizers.  Esoteric P-03/D-03 separates with G-0x master clock.  K-03 on top of PS Audio Power Plant is for sale.  Headphones shown:  HE60/HE90/SR-007A.  Stand:  Townshend Audio Seismic Sink stand.


----------



## MorbidToaster

warp08 said:


> Electrostaic gear.  RSA A-10 and Headamp Aristaeus energizers.  Esoteric P-03/D-03 separates with G-0x master clock.  K-03 on top of PS Audio Power Plant is for sale.  Headphones shown:  HE60/HE90/SR-007A.  Stand:  Townshend Audio Seismic Sink stand.




Talk about a sexy set up. Also...Boston Legal...Heh...Good show.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





warp08 said:


> Electrostaic gear.  RSA A-10 and Headamp Aristaeus energizers.  Esoteric P-03/D-03 separates with G-0x master clock.  K-03 on top of PS Audio Power Plant is for sale.  Headphones shown:  HE60/HE90/SR-007A.  Stand:  Townshend Audio Seismic Sink stand.


 

 Glancing at map. Northern Virgina's not that far, mind if I stop by for a visit?


----------



## francisdemarte

grokit said:


> Nice, those look like the adapters (Glenns(?)) that I have on my WA22 with some Tung-Sol 6F8Gs in it. For my high-powered SS rig I just got the Grant B-283 MKII in, it's the same buffer I think for the most part. I rolled in some Sylvania Bad Boys and they are just what the doctor ordered. I also have the original B-283, which got moved to a speaker rig.




That's right they are 6F8G's, (Having a hard time keep track of all these tube names) on Glen's adapters.

Also posted the wrong picture of the NOS caps:



The Grant Fidelity B-283 mkII is the same buffer internally but Grant makes some minor cosmetic changes to it. I prefer the look of the Yaqin CD3. It's also slightly cheaper at around $160 shipped from ebay.


----------



## TheOtus

Here it is. An impossibility to get decent pics because of the light coming from the window, and it's not a dream with the shades closed either... So there's my setup and Cooler Master's CM690 case and Fujitsu's 22" LED.


----------



## MorbidToaster

theotus said:


> Here it is. An impossibility to get decent pics because of the light coming from the window, and it's not a dream with the shades closed either... So there's my setup and Cooler Master's CM690 case and Fujitsu's 22" LED.




I've done a few builds in that case. I love it. Cooler Master is general (along with Antec) is my favorite case maker. Matter of fact I'm selling a HAF 932 build right now, and I just sold another Mini ATX Cooler Master case build I did as well. lol


----------



## TheOtus

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> I've done a few builds in that case. I love it. Cooler Master is general (along with Antec) is my favorite case maker. Matter of fact I'm selling a HAF 932 build right now, and I just sold another Mini ATX Cooler Master case build I did as well. lol


 
  Hehheh, I really like the case myself. Those blue led's aren't too overwhelming, they look just right to me, and the case sure has good amount of space.


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Nice, those look like the adapters (Glenns(?)) that I have on my WA22 with some Tung-Sol 6F8Gs in it. For my high-powered SS rig I just got the Grant B-283 MKII in, it's the same buffer I think for the most part. I rolled in some Sylvania Bad Boys and they are just what the doctor ordered. I also have the original B-283, which got moved to a speaker rig.


 
   
  Pictures of the buffer with the Bad Boys! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> That's right they are 6F8G's, (Having a hard time keep track of all these tube names) on Glen's adapters.
> 
> Also posted the wrong picture of the NOS caps:
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like the look of the Yaqin as well. I removed the tube cover like you, but had to put a long piece of black electrical tape over the blue logo. It is the same height and with a good measurement, I've cleanly blacked out the entire plate. Now my tubes glow nice and pretty when the lights are off 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So you prefer 8G7F tubes over the 6SN7 or just those specifically? I'm pretty new to all this tube madness, but already have a nice stash going. What did the cap replacements do?


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Pictures of the buffer with the Bad Boys!


 
   

   
  This is the best I can do ATM; Garfield isn't normally there but he saw the camera and wouldn't leave, he's such a ham.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Current state before dinner. Posted it in the D7000 thread too. Headphone porn tier, IMO.


----------



## DivergeUnify

Probably about as humble as it gets haha


----------



## MorbidToaster

divergeunify said:


> Probably about as humble as it gets haha




I can't get over how much I love those cables. It just looks so good.


----------



## WhiteCrow

someone told me this picture should get me BAN as someone said this should constitute as porn....golden erection LOL


----------



## MorbidToaster

whitecrow said:


> someone told me this picture should get me BAN as someone said this should constitute as porn....golden erection LOL




Any Grado cable that ends in a 1/4" is just beautiful. Whether you like Grado sound of not...The cables are just beautiful.


----------



## DivergeUnify

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> someone told me this picture should get me BAN as someone said this should constitute as porn....golden erection LOL


 

 Is that you, Gametrailers'er?


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





grokit said:


> This is the best I can do ATM; Garfield isn't normally there but he saw the camera and wouldn't leave, he's such a ham.


 
   
  Very nice! My favorite tube so far is the Sylvania VT-231.
   
  Interesting that Grant took the tube cover off too.. they look awful, haha.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





divergeunify said:


> Is that you, Gametrailers'er?


 

 n-nOOOOO <.< "      >.>" not at all


----------



## warp08

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Glancing at map. Northern Virgina's not that far, mind if I stop by for a visit?


 

 Sure, it's practically next door, why not?


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *snip*
> 
> Current state before dinner. Posted it in the D7000 thread too. Headphone porn tier, IMO.


 
  Oh god, what are you gonna do with that smoked sausage?


----------



## MorbidToaster

loremipsum said:


> Oh god, what are you gonna do with that smoked sausage?




I'mma...eat it...?

Slice up the cheese and the sausage. Nice snack.


----------



## Townyj




----------



## Zombie_X

OK guys added some Audioengine 2's to my set-up and slightly re-arranged it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> OK guys added some Audioengine 2's to my set-up and slightly re-arranged it.




I like the wood spacers you're using there. Good idea.

Also, jealous.

Oh, and here's my updated station with my new D100.


EDIT: Also, whatcha playin' on the 3DS? RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACER (and SSFIV) would be my choices.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> OK guys added some Audioengine 2's to my set-up and slightly re-arranged it.


 

 I'm pretty jelly as hell.


----------



## Zombie_X

Asuka-neechan and Ayanami-san!! Evangelion forever!!
   
  I want your Denon's my friend. They are nice headphones.
  



morbidtoaster said:


> I like the wood spacers you're using there. Good idea.





> Also, jealous.
> 
> Oh, and here's my updated station with my new D100.


 



 EDIT: Also, whatcha playin' on the 3DS? RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACER (and SSFIV) would be my choices.


----------



## nc8000

Talking about Evangelion


----------



## WhiteCrow

wow what!!


----------



## nc8000

It's a special limited edition preorder and Japan only AudioTechnica headphone that came out about 3 years ago. It was only produced in the number that had preordered it. I bought it through PriceJapan as a birthday present for my oldest son as he was (and still is) a huge Neon Genesis fan


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> It's a special limited edition preorder and Japan only AudioTechnica headphone that came out about 3 years ago. It was only produced in the number that had preordered it. I bought it through PriceJapan as a birthday present for my oldest son as he was (and still is) a huge Neon Genesis fan


 

 Cool looking headphones but wrong thread lol, that's not a Head-fi station try this one:
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/212768/pics-of-headphones-read-rules/1770.


----------



## nc8000

I know, it's just because Evangelion was mentioned in the previous post
  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> Cool looking headphones but wrong thread lol, that's not a Head-fi station try this one:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/212768/pics-of-headphones-read-rules/1770.


----------



## grokit

I see. Actually no I don't, I looked Evangelion up and then I had to look up what a mecha was and I still don't really have a clue...


----------



## nc8000

A mecha is a humanoid battle machine. Neon Genesis is an anime series from 10 years or so ago and explaining it is virtually impossible


----------



## XATS

Evangelion ftw


----------



## MorbidToaster

I hate to continue the derail but I have to comment. 

Those headphones...HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN....

I didn't get the chance to pre-order those when they were coming out. Basically, I hate you.

@ Zombie
Sure. Trade you for your T1s.


----------



## oopsydaisy

@Zombie_X
  Very nice! What is that "red" amp?
   
  @MorbidToaster
  So you pulled the trigger on the D100! How are you liking it so far?


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Sorry for the bad/blurry pics. My phone cam sucks. My D7000 is currently on it's way to the repair shop, so it ain't here. The PC360 was there temporary for the pics. I usually leave it in the living room near my video game stuff. ANd I desperately need a new mousepad. Just waiting on ordering something else from Amazon so I can group it with an anime mousepad...


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Sorry for the bad/blurry pics. My phone cam sucks. My D7000 is currently on it's way to the repair shop, so it ain't here. The PC360 was there temporary for the pics. I usually leave it in the living room near my video game stuff. ANd I desperately need a new mousepad. Just waiting on ordering something else from Amazon so I can group it with an anime mousepad...


 


  Tifa! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Wait, no Aeris... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And who is that one next to her?


----------



## MorbidToaster

oopsydaisy said:


> @Zombie_X
> Very nice! What is that "red" amp?
> 
> @MorbidToaster
> So you pulled the trigger on the D100! How are you liking it so far?





mad lust envy said:


> Sorry for the bad/blurry pics. My phone cam sucks. My D7000 is currently on it's way to the repair shop, so it ain't here. The PC360 was there temporary for the pics. I usually leave it in the living room near my video game stuff. ANd I desperately need a new mousepad. Just waiting on ordering something else from Amazon so I can group it with an anime mousepad...




@ Oopsy
I'm loving the D100. I mean...look at it. It pairs so well looks wise with the D7000. It sounds excellent too. I've been taking full advantage of the inputs. USB from my Laptop, COAX from the CD player, Optical from my Roku box. I really like it.

@ MLE
The Lyr is so sexy. I know you didn't like the pair too much with the D7000...But I think it's my amp solution. It can power the monster HE 6 and from what I've heard it pairs great with the LCD 2 as well. Plus...I like the tubey sound on the D7000 out of the Peachtree Nova. I think I'll be okay on the D7000. Plus, I've got the amp in the D100 as a back up plan for the D7000. I really like the D100 paired with 'em. EDIT: No joke, I have the exact same chair. I love that thing. Soooooo comfy. I do wish it locked back though. ;~;


----------



## dagothur

I think I've said this before, but we have the same set of Logitech speakers.  I am the more fortunate in the Denon department, as they're atop my head at the moment.
   

  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Sorry for the bad/blurry pics. My phone cam sucks. My D7000 is currently on it's way to the repair shop, so it ain't here. The PC360 was there temporary for the pics. I usually leave it in the living room near my video game stuff. ANd I desperately need a new mousepad. Just waiting on ordering something else from Amazon so I can group it with an anime mousepad...


----------



## Skylab

OK, I have been assembling a "Vintage" rig, which is now complete 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Pioneer SX-1250 receiver, Teac X-10% Reel-to-Reel, Fisher KX-100 for tubes.  Only thing not pictured here is the LCD-2 headphones and the Denon DP-59L turntable.
   




   
  The last shot shows one of the B&W N805's.  And for those who are worried about me, the Sansui EQ is not in the signal path - it's just for the cool spectrum analyzer display


----------



## francisdemarte

That's a fantastic vintage set up there Skylab!


----------



## Zombie_X

Oh nice, those EVA Unit 01 headphones look nice.
   
  Also the EVA series is very hard to describe as it's very confusing and you must watch the whole thing to understand it..
  
  Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> Talking about Evangelion


 


   
  It's a customized Woo Audio 3+ amp. I had someone replace all the caps in side and replace all the resistors with higher quality ones and it even has a new transformer in it that better and the tube sockets are upgraded as well.
   
 Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


> @Zombie_X
> Very nice! What is that "red" amp?






   
   
  I'm playing SSFIV, waiting for BIOHAZARD The Mercenaries...
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> EDIT: Also, whatcha playin' on the 3DS? RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACER (and SSFIV) would be my choices.


----------



## Wedge

My main Head-Fi station at it's current state, the only other one I have is at work.


----------



## MorbidToaster

wedge said:


> My main Head-Fi station at it's current state, the only other one I have is at work.




It's a series of tubes.


----------



## Wedge

I love tube amps.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's a series of tubes.


----------



## MorbidToaster

wedge said:


> I love tube amps.




I'm planning a Lyr pretty soon as my first anything with tubes. And probably my last for quite awhile. Once I get the Lyr and HE-6 I'm putting my Head-Fi spending on hold for awhile...


----------



## Wedge

My friend just bought a Lyr, I have a Peak/Volcano in the mail.  I decided to buy a bunch of different amps.  I am pretty much done buying amps now, just want to get a couple of DACs and some more cans.  I have HE-6 on the way, because folks have been raving on the synergy with the WA-5.  I guess I have 2 amps left I want to get, the Lyr and the new Musical Paradise.  I like listening to a lot of different equipment.


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





wedge said:


> My friend just bought a Lyr, I have a Peak/Volcano in the mail.  I decided to buy a bunch of different amps.  I am pretty much done buying amps now, just want to get a couple of DACs and some more cans.  I have HE-6 on the way, because folks have been raving on the synergy with the WA-5.  I guess I have 2 amps left I want to get, the Lyr and the new Musical Paradise.  I like listening to a lot of different equipment.


 


  The Peak/Volcano is my top choice for my amp purchase. I'd love to hear your impressions, especially if you have LCD-2s


----------



## Wedge

My LCD-2s are in the picture hooked up to the WA-5, K1K port using Q-Audio's cable.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





wedge said:


> My LCD-2s are in the picture hooked up to the WA-5, K1K port using Q-Audio's cable.


 

 Nice setup Wedge.


----------



## Wil

My current set up..nothing special but it's fun, fun, fun to my ears.
   
  As you can see i subscribe to the Low power/ high sensitiviy school for my speakers.
   
  I was so engrossed in photographing my speakers i forgot to snap a few shots of my cans.
   
  Anyway here's what i'm using now:
   
  Sun Audio SV2A3 (3.5watts of pure SET bliss) Power amp
  Darkvoice 337 as headphone amp / pre amp
   
  Sources:
  CEC beltdrive CDP
  Technics SL1210 M5G turntable, Nagaoka MP150 (best value for money MM cart i've heard thus far. I had a Denon 103R and hated it)
  Jolida JD9 Phono
  Valab NOS DAC
  Dell XPS (for my flac files)
   
  Speakers:
  Custom Fostex 207E in TL cabinets with fostex tweeters
   
  Cans: (they're somewhere in the picture, trust me)
   
  Beyer T1
  Hifiman HE5 (waiting for my Lyr to arrive!)
  DT990 600 ohms
  AKG K701

 That's about it!


----------



## Skylab

Very nice rigs, Wedge and Wil! Love seeing all the tubes


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh god...I miss being in a home with tons of shelves of vinyl and CDs...I need to start buying physical media again...I do miss it so...


----------



## mmayer167

wow those are some nice setups guys ^ ...someday
   
  M


----------



## complex

My work setup:
   

   
  PS Audio Digital Link III
  PS Audio GCHA
   
  Sennheiser PX 200-IIi
  Shure SRH840
  AKG K271 MKII
   
  Thinking about also getting a Beyer 770 and A-T A900 to round out my affordable closed headphone collection.


----------



## MorbidToaster

complex said:


> My work setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I love that PS Audio gear. It's so nice and simple.


----------



## Wedge

My work setup I have the PS Audio DLIII, GCHA and I jsut added a WA-22.


----------



## snapple10

same here, love the PS Audio DL III, GHCA combo.  Not too bulky and sound great, too


----------



## Markon101

Quote: 





voodoohao said:


> I love looking at these kind of threads hahaha, able to find a lot of really cool setups   Here's my rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thumbs up for the Emma Watson desktop wallpaper.   (Nice setup too)


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





> Beyerdynamic T1
> Hifiman HE5 (waiting for my Lyr to arrive!)
> DT990 600 ohms
> AKG K701
> ...


 

 Why have the Dt990s and T1s?  Do you find they cover more of the sound spectrum, or hwat?


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> Why have the Dt990s and T1s?  Do you find they cover more of the sound spectrum, or hwat?




My Lyr is officially on its way! Should be here Monday or Tuesday.

Can't wait to get the scratch for those HE 6s. If only this desktop would sell...


----------



## ianmedium

morbidtoaster said:


> dagothur said:
> 
> 
> > Why have the Dt990s and T1s?  Do you find they cover more of the sound spectrum, or hwat?
> ...




Be great to hear your thoughts on the combination!


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Why have the Dt990s and T1s?  Do you find they cover more of the sound spectrum, or hwat?


 


   

 Im assuming he had the DT990/600 before owning the T1. TBH, I wanna get a pair of DT990/600 again as well as the K701 to hear how they sound off the Lyr, but I know it's more of a curiosity than a direct need, as I know I wouldn't touch those two with the HE-4 and D7000 around.


----------



## jronan2

How the hell did your Lyr ship i ordered mine 2 weeks ago.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jronan2 said:


> How the hell did your Lyr ship i ordered mine 2 weeks ago.




Bought a used one from a member on here.


----------



## jronan2

OO..gotcha..can't believe their already found on the trading block


----------



## MorbidToaster

jronan2 said:


> OO..gotcha..can't believe their already found on the trading block




Didn't get a great deal on it, honestly. They sell for what...$450?

I bought mine for...$450. lol

But I save on wait time and shipping, so I'm okay with it. Plus, it's burned in already!


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Considering how new it is, I would have sold it for around the new price too. 

   
   


  
 I told myself I'd never do this, but I think it's time for me to spend on one of those headphone stands in the previous posts that holds like 4-5 cans. This hose hook ain't cutting it anymore. How much is that thing?


----------



## MorbidToaster

mad lust envy said:


> Considering how new it is, I would have sold it for around the new price too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




They're actually fairly cheap. Check around for Necklace Display Racks. They're made to show off necklaces in jewelry stores. One that size might run you...$30?


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Really? Hmm...if anyone can point me to it directly, it's be awesome. I'm looking but all I see are NOT those, lol.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Unless it has mechanical parts, that shouldn't be an issue.


----------



## MorbidToaster

mad lust envy said:


> Really? Hmm...if anyone can point me to it directly, it's be awesome. I'm looking but all I see are NOT those, lol.




http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Velvet-Necklace-T-Bar-Jewelry-Display-Stand-12-H-/170629765173?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ba539835

Tape 2 of those together! lol

http://www.triodisplay.com/catalog/necklacetshirt-bars-acrylic-p-263.html?osCsid=7fcc9371b0cac4d80e9b6f47dd4a30ba

Those are a cool idea if you have wall space.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> Unless it has mechanical parts, that shouldn't be an issue.




It was kind of a joke.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   

 Hmm, are you sure that's it? Because I'm not sure 12" is enough clearance. I don't have a ruler.


----------



## Wedge

The ruler is 9 inches tall.


----------



## jronan2

I built mine for a grand total of about 10 bucks..pretty sure the pictures are in my profile. I just got some ideas from the DIY headphone stand thread and did what I felt like doing. I was going to get the woo audio one for $75 but IMO that's too much money, plus I have 5 headphones for now until I decide what i am going to keep.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jronan2 said:


> I built mine for a grand total of about 10 bucks..pretty sure the pictures are in my profile. I just got some ideas from the DIY headphone stand thread and did what I felt like doing. I was going to get the woo audio one for $75 but IMO that's too much money, plus I have 5 headphones for now until I decide what i am going to keep.




Did mine with copper and some velvet. About $20.


----------



## dagothur

Hard to tell sometimes with that sort of thing, what with ERS paper being used on cables, and power conditioners being used at all.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## nc8000

Amp burnin is not a joke and neither is the use of power conditioners


----------



## Zombie_X

I'm not a believer in burn in, but I do believe cleaner power is better.
   
  Where I live the power is just bad. Constant spikes and surges always worry me so everything I own is on a power conditioner/surge protector. 
   
  My PC set-up is plugged into a Belkin surge protector, while my gaming/theater set-up is on a Monster Power Center (don't hate, their power centers are good when you get them for 50% off).
  
  Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> Amp burnin is not a joke and neither is the use of power conditioners


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> I'm not a believer in burn in, but I do believe cleaner power is better.
> 
> Where I live the power is just bad. Constant spikes and surges always worry me so everything I own is on a power conditioner/surge protector.
> 
> My PC set-up is plugged into a Belkin surge protector, while my gaming/theater set-up is on a Monster Power Center (don't hate, their power centers are good when you get them for 50% off).




My power is awful around here as well. My conditioner has saved me at least once. My best suggestion to everyone looking for a semi cheap solution that works wonders is this.

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=M-8x

This thing is just great...And it's rackmount...so it's nice and slim. After a nasty spike about 4 months ago that knocked out the clocks and whatnot, it actually kept all my equipment on and running. It's not a UPS, but that really solidified my love for these conditioners.


----------



## Zombie_X

I have a Furman as well and it's a rack mount model as well. I used it before I got my _Monster Power Center 3600 MKII _and it's a great little unit.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> I have a Furman as well and it's a rack mount model as well. I used it before I got my _Monster Power Center 3600 MKII _and it's a great little unit.




I was a little disappointed today when I measured everything out. I wanted to stack my DVD player > Furman > D100 > Schiit lyr (When it arrives).

The Furman is just a little too short ;~;

But yeah, I love it. It's only ~$60 from Guitar Center. Planning on another one when I move to make sure I can fit everything on it. Apartment power? No thanks.


----------



## dagothur

You don't really need 'power conditioning' so much as you need a $12 surge protector.  The equipment in your amps and similar gear have their own power conditioners, as they're meant to be plugged into a wall.  It can't affect the sound signature because the gear is already doing the work.  It would be like putting rubber around your lamp cord to prevent it from flickering.
 Amp burn-in is preposterous because 'burn-in' is only necessary in gear with moving mechanical parts.  The drivers need only a short time to relax before being ready to go, unless you're using enormous speakers.  Tubes, SS amps, turntables, etc., don't need the same burn-in for this same fact.


----------



## Zombie_X

I agree with what you just said 100%. I don't really think these $1,000 power conditioners do anything different from the cheaper ones out there. hey won't change sound characteristics either. I know with my Monster one it did lower the noise floor in my theater set-up but that's about all it did.
   
  Oh and would you guys be up to seeing my gaming/theater set-up? I sue it for headphone too 
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> You don't really need 'power conditioning' so much as you need a $12 surge protector.  The equipment in your amps and similar gear have their own power conditioners, as they're meant to be plugged into a wall.  It can't affect the sound signature because the gear is already doing the work.  It would be like putting rubber around your lamp cord to prevent it from flickering.
> Amp burn-in is preposterous because 'burn-in' is only necessary in gear with moving mechanical parts.  The drivers need only a short time to relax before being ready to go, unless you're using enormous speakers.  Tubes, SS amps, turntables, etc., don't need the same burn-in for this same fact.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I agree with what you just said 100%. I don't really think these $1,000 power conditioners do anything different from the cheaper ones out there. hey won't change sound characteristics either. I know with my Monster one it did lower the noise floor in my theater set-up but that's about all it did.
> 
> Oh and would you guys be up to seeing my gaming/theater set-up? I sue it for headphone too


 

 Of course we'd up to seeing your stuff, and no, a power conditioner most certainly cannot do anything to aid in the sound.  Unless you have a $500,000 speaker system designed for the main stage at Ozzfest, you don't need some sexy power conditioning device.


----------



## grokit

Something about tubes makes them take some time to settle down to their true sound signature, especially the NOS ones.


----------



## Zombie_X

OK here's my home theater/gaming set-up that I have in my bedroom. I'm in the process of cleaning up so the pic is a bit messy looking.
   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
   
  And here's a pic of the Harmon Kardon 30BQ's I bought to replace my old Yamaha speakers.


----------



## loremipsum

Mmm, a Gamecube, Dreamcast, and Beyer T1. Nice setup


----------



## Zombie_X

Actually the Beyerdynamic headphone in the picture was a DT880/600Ohm with the JMoney V2 ear pads. I think it compliments the NAD nicely.
   
  Thanks for the nice words as well. And you can tell I am a big gamer. I love the oldie systems a lot. In many ways they surpass all the newer ones.
   
  So everything pictures in the gaming/theater set-up are (not everything is pictured though):

 NAD T747 Surround Sound Receiver
 Monster Power Center HTX 3600 MKII
 Harman Kardon 30BQ 5.1 Speakers & 200W Subwoofer
 Sony Playstation 2
 Sony Playstation 3
 Sega Saturn (x3)
 Sega Dreamcast
 Nintendo Gamecube (x2)
 Nintendo Wii
 Microsoft Xbox360
   
  For the PC set-up I have:

 E-Machines PC (Heavily modified with 12GB of RAM, 2x quad core processors, 2TB HDD, and more)
 Marantz SACD/DVD Changer VC6001
 Music Hall DAC25.2 (Upgraded the caps, upgraded the tube, changed the OPA's)
 X-CANV8P (Mullard E881CC tubes, upgraded caps/resistors, Teflon tube sockets, Little Pinkie V3i PSU)
 Audio-GD ROC
 Woo Audio 3+ (Heavily modified with new transformer, changed all the caps/resistors, Teflon tube sockets)
 APX-1 Input Selector
 Pop-Pulse SPDIF-II USB Converter
 Audioengine A2
 
  
  Quote: 





loremipsum said:


> Mmm, a Gamecube, Dreamcast, and Beyer T1. Nice setup


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Zombie's representing all the gamers out there.


----------



## Zombie_X

Indeed I am . Also MLE, did you get my friend request on Xbox Live? It's from "Zombie of Hell".
   
  Also what does your set-up look like or consist of?
  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Zombie's representing all the gamers out there.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Yeah, I believe I added you way back then. I just don't get on much atm. I'm catching up on all my TV shows/animes as I just got my computer very recently... I have quite a ways to go, but once I am done, I will be gaming again. I will be gaming as soon as my copy of Portal 2 arrives though.

My setup? Hmmm, lemme see if I can take some sort of decent pics... I will post back in a few.

I really don't game anywhere near as much as I used to, but I curently have:

Samsung 52B750 240HZ LCD
Vizio Soundbar (I don't game EVER with this on. I only use it when people are over. My apartments have very thin walls)
Sony Subwoofer (have it set real low because anything more than low would cause complaints. It's powerful for $100 IMHO)

Slim PS3 (120gb)
Slim XB360 (250gb)
Sega Dreamcast (put away though)

Portable:

NDS Lite (hardly touch)
PSP-2000

Let me know if I am on your friends list....


Before I broke up with my last gf, my apartment ALSO had

White Samsung 23" 720p LCD (for the bedroom)
1st Gen 60gb PS3
Wii


----------



## MorbidToaster

mad lust envy said:


> Yeah, I believe I added you way back then. I just don't get on much atm. I'm catching up on all my TV shows/animes as I just got my computer very recently... I have quite a ways to go, but once I am done, I will be gaming again. I will be gaming as soon as my copy of Portal 2 arrives though.
> 
> My setup? Hmmm, lemme see if I can take some sort of decent pics... I will post back in a few.
> 
> ...




I just sold my Xbox recently...The only thing for the rest of the year I wanted to play was Gears 3, and my Live just ran out.

Bought a Roku for Netflix streaming, I'm good. Been watching way too much NUMB3RS and Top Gear to play videogames lately.

Anyone want to play some Steam games sometime? Sawn of War II...TF 2...L4D 2...etc

EDIT: Also, where'd you get those fans? I rather like those...and with a Lyr on the way...I'll need some soon.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yeah you are on there then. Too bad about your 1st gen PS3, those are nice because they support PS2 games.
   
  I also have some Portal 2 coming in the mail this week, maybe we can game then?
   
  Sorry to slightly derail the thread guys...
  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Yeah, I believe I added you way back then. I just don't get on much atm. I'm catching up on all my TV shows/animes as I just got my computer very recently... I have quite a ways to go, but once I am done, I will be gaming again. I will be gaming as soon as my copy of Portal 2 arrives though.
> 
> My setup? Hmmm, lemme see if I can take some sort of decent pics... I will post back in a few.
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

You mean me? If so I bought them off Amazon for $10 each and they run on power from a USB port. quite nifty as you don't have the plug the outlets up in order to cool stuff. Works great for my PS2 slim and Xbox360. Also works really well with my ROC in the summertime as that amp gets hot.
   
  I play L4D1 on steam and some other game like Counter-Strike...
   
  Do you like your headphone set-up a lot?
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I just sold my Xbox recently...The only thing for the rest of the year I wanted to play was Gears 3, and my Live just ran out.
> 
> Bought a Roku for Netflix streaming, I'm good. Been watching way too much NUMB3RS and Top Gear to play videogames lately.
> 
> ...


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I know it looks cramped. That's because it is. I have a small apartment. Also, my walls look bare because my ex took ALL the framed movie posters we had. Pulp Fiction, Pirates Of The Carribean, Symbiote Spiderman from the 3rd movie, WALL-E, and I forget...

Audio wise, my PS3 and 360 are both using HDMI to the TV, and the TV's Optical out is fed to my Vizio Soundbar. I know the TV downmixes everything to 2 channel, which is fine as I'm only using a 2 channel soundbar. I don't have cable TV or anything as I NEVER watch TV. I uhh, only have cable internet, which is where I watch all my TV shows (torrents, watch them then delete them). I had an HDDVR, but my ex took that too, lol. All the furniture except the TV and stand are new. 

The PS3 and 360 are also using the toslink out to the Mixamp 5.8 for virtual surround headphone gaming.You can see the two red leds from the Mixamp 5.8.

I'm not kidding when I say she took everything. XD She did leave me the Slim PS3 and computer desk. Bed, sofas, dinner table, dressers, were all hers.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

zombie_x said:


> Yeah you are on there then. Too bad about your 1st gen PS3, those are nice because they support PS2 games.
> 
> I also have some Portal 2 coming in the mail this week, maybe we can game then?
> 
> Sorry to slightly derail the thread guys...





zombie_x said:


> You mean me? If so I bought them off Amazon for $10 each and they run on power from a USB port. quite nifty as you don't have the plug the outlets up in order to cool stuff. Works great for my PS2 slim and Xbox360. Also works really well with my ROC in the summertime as that amp gets hot.
> 
> I play L4D1 on steam and some other game like Counter-Strike...
> 
> Do you like your headphone set-up a lot?




Hell yeah dude. I wanna finish the single player campaign, but then I'll be up for some co-op. 

Yeah, I have like NO PS3 or 360 games (1 PS3 game, and 3 360 games...), but quite a bit of PS1 and PS2 RPGs. I can't play my PS2 games anymore. 

Everything is in my closet in a box. With me, whatever I don't use, I put away, which is why my house looks bare. I don't display much.


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> You mean me? If so I bought them off Amazon for $10 each and they run on power from a USB port. quite nifty as you don't have the plug the outlets up in order to cool stuff. Works great for my PS2 slim and Xbox360. Also works really well with my ROC in the summertime as that amp gets hot.
> 
> I play L4D1 on steam and some other game like Counter-Strike...
> 
> Do you like your headphone set-up a lot?




I used to play CS but I got so sick of every server being 24/7 Dust...and the aimbots. Ugh.

Anyway...Yeah, I love my D7000...The Lyr should be here by mid next week and I can't wait to try it with them. I bought the Lyr mainly to power some Orthos in the future, but I want to try a little more controlled bass and warmer sound for my Folk music with the D7000s. Really looking forward to it.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Just prepare for the mid recession coming off the Lyr with the D7000.


----------



## MorbidToaster

mad lust envy said:


> Just prepare for the mid recession coming off the Lyr with the D7000.




We'll see. I'll A/B with the D100 and see what I prefer. I literally think I'm going to end up swapping amps depending on what genre I am listening to with the D7000.

Still can't decide which Orthos I want though. Ugh.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Going off what I hear with my HE-4, I'd go for the HE-6 if you're looking at flagships. But that's just me. I have a feeling I wouldn't like the LCD2's tone.

I'm so happy with the HE-4 though, that I'm in no rush to upgrade to the HE-6. It saves me half a grand by going with the HE-4. 

Zombie, I think you'd dig the HE-4 quite a bit. Like a more refined DT880/DT990 hybrid.

Sorry for derailing the thread further. <_<

Back on topic.

Once I get my Fiio L7, I will take pics with the E7 undocked.


----------



## MorbidToaster

mad lust envy said:


> Going off what I hear with my HE-4, I'd go for the HE-6 if you're looking at flagships. But that's just me. I have a feeling I wouldn't like the LCD2's tone.
> 
> I'm so happy with the HE-4 though, that I'm in no rush to upgrade to the HE-6. It saves me half a grand by going with the HE-4.
> 
> Zombie, I think you'd dig the HE-4 quite a bit. Like a more refined DT880/DT990 hybrid.




I like the idea of a neutral flagship from the HE 6...But the LCD 2s supposedly have both that goes deeper (not necessarily more). I really liked the LCD 2s and HE 5LEs comfort wise. They both felt great...But then the HE 5LE seemed to have a little more punch to the sound. It's really hard to choose. 

I think the HE 6 will be my way to go in the end, but I'm always indecisive and then love whatever I get. ie. My D7000


----------



## MorbidToaster

Somewhat related to head-fi stations. I think I've found the stacking solution for mine. 

I wanted to stack the Lyr on my D100 (they measure pretty much perfectly), but the Lyr is like a frying pan. Plus, the D100 I've noticed gets USB connection pop when it gets too hot (figures on top of it after a few hours did this).

So...I found this. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17006&type=page&skuId=9267107&searchpage=true&_requestid=194620

Plan on going DVD Player (17" Wide) > That Stand (14.6" Wide) > D100 (Between the legs of the stand) > Lyr


----------



## reivaj

Here is mine


----------



## MorbidToaster

reivaj said:


> Here is mine




Love those mouse pads!

I own the gigantic half your desk model.


----------



## AuralRelations

Newest member of the family. Technics SL-1200M3D, Grado Gold1, Musical Fidelity V-LPS, Little Country III.


----------



## Tilpo

Most of the dust you see is actually added by the camera. 
My headphones are behind my three monitors, and my sources are
 - The turntable (Sony PS-LX100)
 - My motherboard line out, run by foobar2000 with mainly FLAC

I still have to buy a DAC , but currently my portable set-up needs my immediate attention.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tilpo said:


> Most of the dust you see is actually added by the camera.
> My headphones are behind my three monitors, and my sources are
> - The turntable (Sony PS-LX100)
> - My motherboard line out, run by foobar2000 with mainly FLAC
> ...




I love that turntable. I've owned it before. Nice and low profile (for a turntable)

I has a very similar monitor set up about a year back, too. Want to do it again some day, but I have super limited desk space now, so 1 monitor only now.

Also @Aural. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Had a pair of those back when I was really into vinyl DJing. Crying shame they're quit making them now. Back to Stanton tables for me, I guess.


----------



## Townyj

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I love that turntable. I've owned it before. Nice and low profile (for a turntable)
> 
> I has a very similar monitor set up about a year back, too. Want to do it again some day, but I have super limited desk space now, so 1 monitor only now.
> 
> Also @Aural. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Had a pair of those back when I was really into vinyl DJing. Crying shame they're quit making them now. Back to Stanton tables for me, I guess.


 


 can you not quote with the pics aswell.... Sheesh!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

townyj said:


> can you not quote with the pics aswell.... Sheesh!!!




I'd love to not quote pics, but I'm forced to use the source code mode on Head-Fi because for some reason it really screws up my post formatting on regular mode. 

So, when I quote a post with pictures, I have to go find the code in the post to take out the photos, but keep the formatting. It's a real pain. So I just quote pictures.


----------



## hificrazy

I am building my station quite quickly. These photos are for the very moment. The newly-added Yulong D100 has become the hub connecting my D50 and computer. It's still in the burn-in process. And I just added a quite shabby Yamaha CDX590 as a transport. The CD player has both coaxial and optical output. My next purchase would be a dedicated amplifier. I am thinking about Yulong A100. Heard it at the shop. I am quite impressed. And also thinking about adding a pair of active speakers to hook up with the D100.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> You don't really need 'power conditioning' so much as you need a $12 surge protector.  The equipment in your amps and similar gear have their own power conditioners, as they're meant to be plugged into a wall.  It can't affect the sound signature because the gear is already doing the work.  It would be like putting rubber around your lamp cord to prevent it from flickering.
> Amp burn-in is preposterous because 'burn-in' is only necessary in gear with moving mechanical parts.  The drivers need only a short time to relax before being ready to go, unless you're using enormous speakers.  Tubes, SS amps, turntables, etc., don't need the same burn-in for this same fact.


 

 Tubes, and turntables do need burn in time. Its like a good pair of shoes, they dont fit comfortably, but after a few days they fit fine. Same thing with tubes, they are too perfect in the beginning, and after some burn in, it makes it warm and lushish.


----------



## MorbidToaster

hificrazy said:


> I am building my station quite quickly. These photos are for the very moment. The newly-added Yulong D100 has become the hub connecting my D50 and computer. It's still in the burn-in process. And I just added a quite shabby Yamaha CDX590 as a transport. The CD player has both coaxial and optical output. My next purchase would be a dedicated amplifier. I am thinking about Yulong A100. Heard it at the shop. I am quite impressed. And also thinking about adding a pair of active speakers to hook up with the D100.




How do you like your D100? I've been loving mine. I want an A100 eventually, but with the Lyr on the way, it's more about an Ortho right now. 

Oh, and I was pretty much planning on an active speaker set up run from the D100 as well. I was pretty excited for that option.

EDIT: I might look into one of those CDX590s since it has both, and doesn't look too bad either.


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I just got it. So it's still in the burn-in process. I can't give a full assessment. But for what I've paid and got, I love it. It's the perfect choice for me to build up a hub system. I am quite new to headphones and don't have much experience with gears. In comparison to my D50 which is widely used in China as a hifi source due to its powerful drive and clinical resolution, the D100 is a bit warmer and less clinical. Also its sound is a little bit recessed. It seems that it doesn't produce as many details as the D50. But this could be due to its newness.
   
  When I made my purchase, I did test A100 and another dedicated amp OAK Audio WHA Warmer Amplifier. I couldn't detect any difference between D100 and OAK Audio. I think D100's amp part is really good, at least on par with some dedicated amps. But with A100, things are different. There are noticeble improvements with A100, particularly on vocals. With A100, singer's voices are more prominent and discrete from the instruments. A100 is definitely a potential buy for me. Of cources, other amps recommendations within the same price range are highly appreciated.


----------



## Zombie_X

Oooo, looks so tidy! Also love those AKG's on there.
   
  Which MKII model are they? The K272 right?
  
  Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> I am building my station quite quickly. These photos are for the very moment. The newly-added Yulong D100 has become the hub connecting my D50 and computer. It's still in the burn-in process. And I just added a quite shabby Yamaha CDX590 as a transport. The CD player has both coaxial and optical output. My next purchase would be a dedicated amplifier. I am thinking about Yulong A100. Heard it at the shop. I am quite impressed. And also thinking about adding a pair of active speakers to hook up with the D100.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Tubes, and turntables do need burn in time. Its like a good pair of shoes, they dont fit comfortably, but after a few days they fit fine. Same thing with tubes, they are too perfect in the beginning, and after some burn in, it makes it warm and lushish.


 
     Tubes needing burn-in is like a cable needing burn in.  It's ready to go when you buy it.  They don't need the burn in because there are no mechanical parts to relax and all the electrical components are settled when you switch it on for the first time.  Turntables are mechanical devices, but they don't produce any sound so it's not an issue.


----------



## grokit

Check out the Woo thread, there are many reports of NOS tubes changing sound signature more that once usually before settling down. If that's not break-in I don't know what is.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Check out the Woo thread, there are many reports of NOS tubes changing sound signature more that once usually before settling down. If that's not break-in I don't know what is.


 

 You're just getting used to the sound.  There's nothing to 'settle down.'


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Check out the Woo thread, there are many reports of NOS tubes changing sound signature more that once usually before settling down. If that's not break-in I don't know what is.


 

 Thanks Grokit, its because there is a some what mechanical part called a plate which needs a heating element (electricity) to heat that up to work.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> You're just getting used to the sound.  There's nothing to 'settle down.'


 

 So my shoes, when i buy them new they dont stretch out or anything?


----------



## Skylab

dagothur said:


> You're just getting used to the sound.  There's nothing to 'settle down.'


That's not entirely true. Some NOS tubes will hum very audibly for the first few hours of use, and will then become totally silent with some run in. This is not subjective; it's fact. The 6SJ7GT is a good example, but there are certainly others.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





skylab said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Precisely.  Some obsolete equipment which is likely very old and has not been used - if it all - for quite a while.  Very different from a newly bought tube, or really any other kind of tube.


----------



## Zombie_X

Argh don't tempt me with the HE-6! I'm already saving up for a LCD-2 (absolutely love their sound signature) as I really like the bass on them. To me the LCD-2 sort of reminds me of a HD600 in a way.
  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Going off what I hear with my HE-4, I'd go for the HE-6 if you're looking at flagships. But that's just me. I have a feeling I wouldn't like the LCD2's tone.
> 
> I'm so happy with the HE-4 though, that I'm in no rush to upgrade to the HE-6. It saves me half a grand by going with the HE-4.
> 
> ...


 

  
   
  I would have to agree as well since I had gotten quite a few NOS tube that had bad hum and noise issues but after 4-10 hours those issues were all gone. Burn in ton tubes is real in my opinion.
   
  I know my Tung-Sol 5998's had a lot of hum and crackle noises at first but after they were run for a while they are all gone. Same can be said for the Bugle Boy 6DJ8's I got from Skylab as those had a bit of hum as well but then it vanished.
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Precisely.  Some obsolete equipment which is likely very old and has not been used - if it all - for quite a while.  Very different from a newly bought tube, or really any other kind of tube.


----------



## Townyj

Ahhhh no worries! Just scrolling through a thread with the same pics quoted can be rather annoying  as we all know! haha.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Precisely.  Some obsolete equipment which is likely very old and has not been used - if it all - for quite a while.  Very different from a newly bought tube, or really any other kind of tube.


 

 Very inadequate, crappy tubes that are made in China from the 21 century and what is bad. The good tubes are from the 1940's through the 1960's. Old gear is the best so you obviously dont know much about vintage tubes and gear.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





townyj said:


> Ahhhh no worries! Just scrolling through a thread with the same pics quoted can be rather annoying  as we all know! haha.


 

 x2, need to destress


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Very inadequate, crappy tubes that are made in China from the 21 century and what is bad. The good tubes are from the 1940's through the 1960's. Old gear is the best so you obviously dont know much about vintage tunes and gear.


 
  Vintage tubes might be better because currently SS is something on which more audio manufacturers focus, since SS doesn't need parts replaced and can do nearly everything that tubes can.  Except the signature warmth, but that's a matter of taste.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Very inadequate, crappy tubes that are made in China from the 21 century and what is bad. The good tubes are from the 1940's through the 1960's. Old gear is the best so you obviously dont know much about vintage tunes and gear.


 
   
  Very true, much more often than not vintage NOS tubes are far superior to anything in production today. The warmth that they impart is actually euphonic distortion, which comes in many flavors and many audiophiles find it highly desirable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> Argh don't tempt me with the HE-6! I'm already saving up for a LCD-2 (absolutely love their sound signature) as I really like the bass on them. To me the LCD-2 sort of reminds me of a HD600 in a way.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I still can't decide what to do between the HE 6 and the LCD 2. I felt like the HE 6 had a little more punch, but the LCD 2's Bass goes deeper...

I like the HE 6's looks more...I just don't know. It's so friggin' hard to decide.


----------



## dagothur

Here are two comparison threads.  I have heard tell that the LCD-2 is a nice balance between D7000 and HE-6.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/524510/he-6-vs-lcd-2-comparison-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/509620/for-those-which-have-heard-both-is-there-a-clear-winner-he-6-lcd-2
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Oooo, looks so tidy! Also love those AKG's on there.
> 
> Which MKII model are they? The K272 right?


 

 It's AKG K242HD. Seems there are not many users of this phone. It's my first hi-fi headphone. Then I added Grada sr80i. A Beyer DT880 250ohm is coming very soon.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Tubes needing burn-in is like a cable needing burn in.  It's ready to go when you buy it.  They don't need the burn in because there are no mechanical parts to relax and all the electrical components are settled when you switch it on for the first time.  Turntables are mechanical devices, but they don't produce any sound so it's not an issue.


 

 Here some backup on burn-in FYI;http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/evidence-headphone-break.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> Here are two comparison threads.  I have heard tell that the LCD-2 is a nice balance between D7000 and HE-6.
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/524510/he-6-vs-lcd-2-comparison-thread
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/509620/for-those-which-have-heard-both-is-there-a-clear-winner-he-6-lcd-2




I still can't decide. See, at the Austin meet that went down recently, I liked the HE5LE over the LCD 2 (only slightly)...But that was on a Peachtree Nova, and a Cavalli Liquid Fire...

I need to decide on one to pair with the Lyr. From what I hear, the Lyr puts more control on the bass, and thus could cause the HE 6 to not have enough for me (my biggest worry). BUT...The Lyr is a warm sounding amp, and the LCD 2 is a warm sounding can. I generally like a very, very slight warmth to my sound (but try to get as close to neutral as I can).

I feel like this post is very confusing, but I just feel like the HE 6 would be the best choice...I really, REALLY wish I could hear them out of the Lyr before buying...


----------



## dagothur

Page not found, and I do believe in driver burn-in, but not in burn-in for other components (excluding very old tubes, and even then I'm skeptical).
http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf
 Good read.
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Here some backup on burn-in FYI;http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/evidence-headphone-break.


----------



## fluffygdog95

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/evidence-headphone-break

Try that for a link. I just copied and pasted it. Stupid URL linking sometimes.


----------



## ardgedee

Getting this thread back on course...
   
   


   

  Left column: Fisher X-202-B on top of a Realistic TM-1000 tuner.

  Right column: Hobbyist-built Corda Cross box, Elekit TU-288, Violectric HPA-100 and Cityspot 2020, Cary Xciter DAC.

  Propped on top in the distance: HE-6.

   



   

  The top of the Fisher amp. The 7591s are original, with THE FISHER stamped on the bases. Out of focus in the distance is a Design Acoustics PS-6a.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/evidence-headphone-break
> 
> Try that for a link. I just copied and pasted it. Stupid URL linking sometimes.


 

 According to the chart most of the changes were about 1/10th of a decibel at best.


----------



## MorbidToaster

ardgedee said:


> Getting this thread back on course...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You have an HE-6...This doesn't help at all ;~;


----------



## dagothur

Your source and amp gear is SOOOOO sexy.
  
  Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> Getting this thread back on course...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Timmyw

Hi there,

Very long time lurker here. This is actually my first post! A couple of things caught my interest in this thread, like seeing what people had used for headphone stands. I ended up going with a bike rack that cost me ten dollars and a couple of screws, it's great! 

Thought I would finally post and say hello.




Cheers!


----------



## MorbidToaster

timmyw said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Very long time lurker here. This is actually my first post! A couple of things caught my interest in this thread, like seeing what people had used for headphone stands. I ended up going with a bike rack that cost me ten dollars and a couple of screws, it's great!
> 
> ...




Fallout collection...You've got good tastes, sir. Like the Bike Rack idea as well, fairly low profile.


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's some new Schiit on my DAC today. Just came in and I'm loving it. Tightens up the bass and makes it pretty glorious for my D7000. And it'll power some HE 6s when I get the cash together. 

I will be picking up a monitor spacer to separate the D100 and the Lyr today though. Since the Lyr runs hot, and the D100 seems pretty sensitive to heat, it's not a good idea to stack them for too long.


----------



## sooevo

Wanted to share my little current set-up. 
  Just got the Pioneer sa-1000 in today! A very tubey sounding solid state amp and makes the vocals sound soo velvety smooth with my dt880(not pictured)
  Also a long time lurker here at Head-fi.


----------



## mmayer167

ok so some new things came in the mail this week   Mstage and ad900. heres a pic, sorry the ad is a bit out of focus, just too much distance going on to get it all in focus and i didnt want to take 10 min to get a good shot...   
   
  M


----------



## TMRaven

30 secs worth of my rig at its current state, waiting on standby while I'm at the computer.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tmraven said:


> 30 secs worth of my rig at its current state, waiting on standby while I'm at the computer.




Can I use this as my wallpaper? It's beautiful...

EDIT: Totally wish it was higher resolution, but it's still oh so pretty.


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ok so some new things came in the mail this week   Mstage and ad900. heres a pic, sorry the ad is a bit out of focus, just too much distance going on to get it all in focus and i didnt want to take 10 min to get a good shot...
> 
> M


 

 I like this a lot. Two very different headphones that probably can cover all genre's of music. Very clean and simple. Great set up.


----------



## davo50

Quote: 





tmraven said:


> 30 secs worth of my rig at its current state, waiting on standby while I'm at the computer.


 


  Awesome photo!  Great job.


----------



## treal512

Green heatsink on the uDAC?


----------



## TMRaven

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Can I use this as my wallpaper? It's beautiful...
> 
> EDIT: Totally wish it was higher resolution, but it's still oh so pretty.


 


  I still got the file, and my camera shoots 3:2 at 8.5 megapixels.  Just tell me the resolution.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tmraven said:


> I still got the file, and my camera shoots 3:2 at 8.5 megapixels.  Just tell me the resolution.




yes.wav

2560x1440 is possible. Not a camera guy, so I'm not sure if that's possible.


----------



## TMRaven

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c104/twisted_metal_2/headfiwallpaper.jpg
   
   
  Here you go.  Not quite as sharp or clean as I'd like it to be when full size, but I don't have a dslr. 
   
  That resolution is for the 27 inch iMac.  Fellow iMac user?  I have one as well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tmraven said:


> http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c104/twisted_metal_2/headfiwallpaper.jpg
> 
> 
> Here you go.  Not quite as sharp or clean as I'd like it to be when full size, but I don't have a dslr.
> ...




I get it in this resolution so I can dream of owning one. It's kind of like FLAC...Archival purposes.


----------



## tink97

Evening everyone,  here is my current head fi station.  Sorry for the bad photo, not much of a photographer.  I have a iMac as source feeding the Isabellina HPA by USB and using a pair of Sen 201.
   
  Have a great evening everyone


----------



## MorbidToaster

tink97 said:


> Evening everyone,  here is my current head fi station.  Sorry for the bad photo, not much of a photographer.  I have a iMac as source feeding the Isabellina HPA by USB and using a pair of Sen 201.
> 
> Have a great evening everyone




I'm not sure how to feel about this...


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





tink97 said:


> Evening everyone,  here is my current head fi station.  Sorry for the bad photo, not much of a photographer.  I have a iMac as source feeding the Isabellina HPA by USB and using a pair of Sen 201.
> 
> Have a great evening everyone


 
  Why would you do that?


----------



## gopack87

$2500 amp/dac for $20 headphones


----------



## loremipsum

All he's missing is a 10-foot balanced ALO recable, then he'd be set for life.


----------



## mmayer167

Green heatsink on udac was a passive heatsink i used to have on my asgard but i got rid of that and just ended up sticking it on the udac. it serves no purpose but is just there... I agree with the simple and covers all genre's. I listen to everything so this setup works great, from dubstep to classical   The m-stage drives both ad900 and tp great!       I also have a pair of hd201's and really dig them! sometimes i put them on just for a diff flavour. I have recabled myn with hd600 cable and drilled a small hole in the gray cup and covered it with transpore tape and got a better extension out of the bass. I really like them, perfect portables.   cheers all, M


 Edit: and thank you jronan


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Music starts at the source, headphones are nothing more than the messenger.


----------



## loremipsum

Well, it's not much use when the messenger isn't fluent in the language of the message.


----------



## tink97

LoL sorry guys I had to do it, heh those are just some whatever headphones until my LA7000 lites get in, and that amp really makes them sing i have to say..
   
  Enjoy everyone
   
  Tink97


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





tink97 said:


> ...  I have a iMac as source feeding the Isabellina HPA by USB and using a pair of Sen 201.


 

 Confusing.


----------



## oopsydaisy

@TMRaven
   
  All I can say is wow!


----------



## Maverickmonk

And I thought considering a $200+ Asgard for my SR60's was rediculous! RWA and Senn 201's definitely take the cake for price disparity!
   
   
   
  Another note: It's a shame we have to get to such high end solutions before we get features like remote volume control and remote power buttons. I wonder if a Diy solution could be made with an Arduino AVR board and a servo...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





jigf said:


> Confusing.


 

 Seems pretty simple to me. He's waiting for his "real" headphones lol.


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Seems pretty simple to me. He's waiting for his "real" headphones lol.


 

 Yeah, I posted before reading his response.


----------



## brasewel

Taken from my G2x. The Concerto and Stagedac are gone and the matrix will be gone soon.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Another note: It's a shame we have to get to such high end solutions before we get features like remote volume control and remote power buttons. I wonder if a Diy solution could be made with an Arduino AVR board and a servo...


 

http://www.amb.org/audio/alpha10/


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

tink97 said:


> Evening everyone,  here is my current head fi station.  Sorry for the bad photo, not much of a photographer.  I have a iMac as source feeding the Isabellina HPA by USB and using a pair of Sen 201.
> 
> Have a great evening everyone




/thread

EPIC COMBO.


----------



## revolink24

maverickmonk said:


> And I thought considering a $200+ Asgard for my SR60's was rediculous! RWA and Senn 201's definitely take the cake for price disparity!
> 
> 
> 
> Another note: It's a shame we have to get to such high end solutions before we get features like remote volume control and remote power buttons. I wonder if a Diy solution could be made with an Arduino AVR board and a servo...




Keep an eye on the LCDuino project.


----------



## complex

There will be a black WA5 sitting on top in a couple weeks but for now...


----------



## bcasey25raptor

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> after seeing all your set ups i wanted to show you my poor mans set up. i don't have much no amps or dac's just my computer, 2 iPods, logitech speakers, a net book, a pair of Sony mdr nc7(which i don't like), pioneer sem390, and my shure srh750dj headphones. oh i almost forgot about my ibuds
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 it's been a few months since i posted in here. to elaborate i haven't gotten much new, though i replaced my shure srh750dj with a pair of shure srh840s. my ibuds broke, and i got an ipod docker.
   
  i will post pics now.
   

  that's my main gear, laptop, shure srh840, and pioneer se m390. oh and of course my logitech speakers.
   

  my other important gear is my netbook, rockboxed ipod classic, ipod touch, and an ihome docker (probably crap but it sounds al right to me).
   
   

  that's the greater picture of everything.
   
  as you can see its a poor high school students set up but its ok for a start.


----------



## Danthrax

You're lucky in high school I had a cd player and the headphones that came with it...


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





complex said:


> There will be a black WA5 sitting on top in a couple weeks but for now...


 

  
  I'm jealous already. In a couple of weeks I shall thoroughly despise you.


----------



## hificrazy

After building  the head station in the bedroom, I picked up an old Trio amplifier and hooded it up with my poor Onkyo 515 mini system to set up a station in the living room. The 70's Trio is really awesome in build quality and very beautiful sonically. The 18kg body is built like a tank. I plugged a headphone into Trio's phone jack. To my surprise, it sounded very good with a lot of power. My only complaint is when I turned up the volume to certain level, I could hear obvious background noise. Occasionally, a few cracking noises. Other than that, it sounds really good. Maybe not as smooth as headphone amplifiers but sounds punchier. 
  I'd pay my respect to those engineers who designed and produced such a beautiful machine that can sustain 30 years' use and still works miracles. Next, I'd look around for a paire of proper speakers to mate with the Trio beast.
   

   
  My living room set-up
   

   
  I think Trio's phone out-put is really good.
   

   
  Seduced by the sultry metres


----------



## MorbidToaster

What player are you using down there?
  
  Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> After building  the head station in the bedroom, I picked up an old Trio amplifier and hooded it up with my poor Onkyo 515 mini system to set up a station in the living room. The 70's Trio is really awesome in build quality and very beautiful sonically. The 18kg body is built like a tank. I plugged a headphone into Trio's phone jack. To my surprise, it sounded very good with a lot of power. My only complaint is when I turned up the volume to certain level, I could hear obvious background noise. Occasionally, a few cracking noises. Other than that, it sounds really good. Maybe not as smooth as headphone amplifiers but sounds punchier.
> I'd pay my respect to those engineers who designed and produced such a beautiful machine that can sustain 30 years' use and still works miracles. Next, I'd look around for a paire of proper speakers to mate with the Trio beast.
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## grokit

I'm pretty sure that's his Onkyo 515 mini system.


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> What player are you using down there?


 

 Currently, I am using Sony D50 as the source. Originally, I intended to use the amplifier with the Onkyo. But I couldn't find normal analogue outputs on Onkyo. The only two analogue outputs are for MD and dock (tape) recording respectively. I assume they are the same as the normal output jacks. I only have a RCA to 3.5' cable to link the amplifier with D50 which is a capable source, better than a lot of low-end CD players. Waiting for the delivery of audio cables to try Onkyo's analogue output.


----------



## WNBC

The MD out is a _normal auxillary analog input_, I have one on my Sony mini-stereo system.  I use it to hook up my HM-601 or some DAP in order to use the mini system's attached speakers.  The Trio looks engaging.
  
  Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> Currently, I am using Sony D50 as the source. Originally, I intended to use the amplifier with the Onkyo. But I couldn't find normal analogue outputs on Onkyo. The only two analogue outputs are for MD and dock (tape) recording respectively. I assume they are the same as the normal output jacks. I only have a RCA to 3.5' cable to link the amplifier with D50 which is a capable source, better than a lot of low-end CD players. Waiting for the delivery of audio cables to try Onkyo's analogue output.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

So many amazing setups!! Here's my contribution:


----------



## theoandtheb

^ To be honest, the first thing I saw was the green Miura. But cars were, and still are my first love...even over hifi.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> So many amazing setups!! Here's my contribution:


 


 Pretty HNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH worthy. Stax and that beautiful iMac screen. Not to mention the TUBES.
   
  Jealous.


----------



## shaunybaby

Hi just been looking around not sure if anyone knows but there is two of these kind of threads i like both and just thought i should share the great threads with the people of head fi!
   
  i bestow onto you more pictures of more awesome gear!!

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/344355/pictures-of-your-high-end-system


----------



## MorbidToaster

Found this one the other day and subbed to it as well. I love seeing the set up pictures. They all just look so good.
  
  Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Hi just been looking around not sure if anyone knows but there is two of these kind of threads i like both and just thought i should share the great threads with the people of head fi!
> 
> i bestow onto you more pictures of more awesome gear!!
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/344355/pictures-of-your-high-end-system


----------



## DjAmTraX

My little station look scrappy compared to some of you.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Mine is in shambles at this point. Although I'm looking really forward to posting new pictures next week with my Nova at my desk.
  Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> My little station look scrappy compared to some of you.


----------



## dagothur

Put up your impressions on the D7000 thread and in a review.  I am interested in the possibility of a future upgrade from my Nuforce.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Mine is in shambles at this point. Although I'm looking really forward to posting new pictures next week with my Nova at my desk.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been meaning to write more reviews. Maybe my post 2000 will be a mega D7000/Nova review...Hmmmm...
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Put up your impressions on the D7000 thread and in a review.  I am interested in the possibility of a future upgrade from my Nuforce.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> ^ To be honest, the first thing I saw was the green Miura. But cars were, and still are my first love...even over hifi.


 

 Hahahaha you know, cars have always been my greatest passion, but as I got into audio, I started to spend much more time reading about it than I do reading about cars. I still buy magazines every month and check a car news website many times a day, but I don't read as much about it as I used to. The thing is that I can afford some audio gear, but not many cars, specially here in Brazil, where we pay 55.000 thousand dollars for a Toyota Corolla and 1 million (yes, really) for a Ferrari 458.
   
  Still, glad you like the Miura! Easily one of the greatest looking cars of all time!

  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pretty HNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH worthy. Stax and that beautiful iMac screen. Not to mention the TUBES.
> 
> Jealous.


 
  Hahahahaha thanks, mate! The tubes are actually for an AKG that's out of the picture, but I just found out that they're causing a slight channel imbalance and need to be replaced...


----------



## bcasey25raptor

personally i don't care much for cars, i would be satisfied with a $2000 ugly car from the 80s with customized audio. as long as a car takes me from point a to point b. thats all that matters but i do love the looks of old cars from before 1960.
  
  Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Hahahaha you know, cars have always been my greatest passion, but as I got into audio, I started to spend much more time reading about it than I do reading about cars. I still buy magazines every month and check a car news website many times a day, but I don't read as much about it as I used to. The thing is that I can afford some audio gear, but not many cars, specially here in Brazil, where we pay 55.000 thousand dollars for a Toyota Corolla and 1 million (yes, really) for a Ferrari 458.
> 
> Still, glad you like the Miura! Easily one of the greatest looking cars of all time!
> 
> ...


----------



## theoandtheb

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Hahahaha you know, cars have always been my greatest passion, but as I got into audio, I started to spend much more time reading about it than I do reading about cars. I still buy magazines every month and check a car news website many times a day, but I don't read as much about it as I used to. The thing is that I can afford some audio gear, but not many cars, specially here in Brazil, where we pay 55.000 thousand dollars for a Toyota Corolla and 1 million (yes, really) for a Ferrari 458.
> 
> Still, glad you like the Miura! Easily one of the greatest looking cars of all time!


 

 You have a point. Several grand into an audio set up doesn't sound too bad when you compare it to owning a Miura or 458. Several grand is like an oil change haha. I certainly feel bad for you being forced to spend that much on a Corolla, but Senna is/was a countryman of yours and not mine, so it evens out somewhat I guess.
   


  Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> personally i don't care much for cars, i would be satisfied with a $2000 ugly car from the 80s with customized audio. as long as a car takes me from point a to point b. thats all that matters but i do love the looks of old cars from before 1960.


 
   
  Hey, to each his own. Nothing wrong with that.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





bcasey25raptor said:


> i do love the looks of old cars from before 1960.


 
  same


----------



## brasewel

Just got my Promitheus NOS Dac today. Very warm and musical sounding dac.


----------



## sphinxvc

^ Awesome.  I bet that wood looks much better in person.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That Apache is so sexy...not to mention the LA2000. Beautiful.


----------



## brasewel

Thanks guys. That wood is just pristine. It's a reasonably heavy dac and the workmanship is just stunning.


----------



## loremipsum

New chair with armrests = new headphone stand.


----------



## carledwards

Drool-worthy rig, brasewel!


----------



## dagothur

Rainbow vomit activated.  You might as well put up a picture of a car and call it a day cost wise.
  Quote: 





brasewel said:


> Just got my Promitheus NOS Dac today. Very warm and musical sounding dac.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> I certainly feel bad for you being forced to spend that much on a Corolla, but Senna is/was a countryman of yours and not mine, so it evens out somewhat I guess.


 

 Hahahaha in a way, yes!


----------



## brasewel

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Rainbow vomit activated.  You might as well put up a picture of a car and call it a day cost wise.


 

 Lol first time I heard the phrase rainbow vomit. Had to look that up


----------



## Gu Sensei

I am pretty lucky to have a nice home office space in the cramped living quarters typical to Japan and have been working for a while to get everything in place and maximize the joys of my treasured retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life. The last of the cables are routed and out of sight, so here it is:
   
  From bottom left moving clockwise: my old PC, MacBook Pro for Skype meetings and mobile computing, Fostex HP-A7 32-bit DAC feed from the Mac Mini- my main computer, Dynaudio Excite X16s, source selector for LG 27 inch LCD, Luxman P-1, Leben CS300X w/ Mullard EL84s, Audio Technica headphone stand, Denon D7000s, Sennheiser HD800s, Onkyo ND-S1 iPod dock, Accuphase E-307 integrated amp, & Marantz SA-14 Ver.2. Under the desk is a Blu-ray player, region free dvd player, Behringer CX2310 crossover and JBL L8400 12-inch subwoofer.
   

   
  The Leben is my primary headphone amp but also used as a source selector. The Accuphase drives my speakers and is connected to the crossover and subwoofer. I have a bit of work to do to get the sub/speakers playing nicely together but the extra presence in the lower end is a welcome addition as is.
   
  While my carpentry skills are pretty rudimentary, I occasionally manage to build reasonably functional furnishings that do not look too terrible without close inspection. I built the shelves specifically to accommodate my gear and to raise the speaker tweeters to ear level. I tried my best to make an equilateral triangle between my seating position and the speakers but am limited by desk and room space. I like the cockpit/command center arrangement and have most of my critical components within reach. I keep a nice neat workspace and feel a cool rig arrangement and appearance contributes to the listening experience. I have a decent home theater system in another room, but my office is really the only place where I can sit and listen to music. This is definitely my main rig.
   
  Some additional closeups-
   

   

   

   
  I rigged a power switch for the sub & crossover.


----------



## jeust0999

Nice setup. Cool Leben.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's a beautiful set up you've got there...


----------



## Timmyw

That's a wonderful listening area you have there Gu Sensei, I love it.  Well done.


----------



## maximosa

Not sure I would manage to get much work done in that office Gu Sensei! Truely beautiful!


----------



## grokit

Way to go Greg, really nice setup.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Gu Sensei, just one word: WOW!!!
   
  This has to be one of the most beautiful setups I've seen, from the furniture, to the colours and to the equipment. Specially the Accuphase, I've always considered their gear to be among the prettiest available.


----------



## brasewel

Not only is that a good setup, those are great pictures as well


----------



## Wedge

Nice setup Gu Sensei!  I also have a Leben, with Dynaudio speakers, but I just use the Leben as the amp, hehe.


----------



## kellzey

Dell Windows 7-32-bit running Foobar2000
  PS Audio DLIII DAC
  Little Dot MkIVse
  Grado 325Is


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





gu sensei said:


> I am pretty lucky to have a nice home office space in the cramped living quarters typical to Japan and have been working for a while to get everything in place and maximize the joys of my treasured retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life. The last of the cables are routed and out of sight, so here it is:
> 
> From bottom left moving clockwise: my old PC, MacBook Pro for Skype meetings and mobile computing, Fostex HP-A7 32-bit DAC feed from the Mac Mini- my main computer, Dynaudio Excite X16s, source selector for LG 27 inch LCD, Luxman P-1, Leben CS300X w/ Mullard EL84s, Audio Technica headphone stand, Denon D7000s, Sennheiser HD800s, Onkyo ND-S1 iPod dock, Accuphase E-307 integrated amp, & Marantz SA-14 Ver.2. Under the desk is a Blu-ray player, region free dvd player, Behringer CX2310 crossover and JBL L8400 12-inch subwoofer.


 
 Greg I thought that deserved a repost. VERY nice, buddy!


----------



## loremipsum

Good job Gu Sensei, you've earned the elusive Skylab seal of approval.


----------



## Skylab

Well, my affection for the Leben is entirely his fault...he is the one that turned me on to it. I am forever grateful, Greg!


----------



## WNBC

I need some AV furniture and a saber.


----------



## WhiteCrow

those the XB700 pars on some t50rp's?


----------



## WNBC

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> those the XB700 pars on some t50rp's?


 


  Yeah, XB700


----------



## Ultrazino

Sadly only temporary. I'm really starting to love the T1...


----------



## Gu Sensei

Thanks for the kind words all!
   
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> Well, my affection for the Leben is entirely his fault...he is the one that turned me on to it. I am forever grateful, Greg!


 
   
  Go team Leben!


----------



## MorbidToaster

gu sensei said:


> Thanks for the kind words all!
> 
> 
> Go team Leben!



I'd love to be on team Leben, especially after hearing one at the Austin meet...but price of admission is so high. ;~;


----------



## Borgbox

New camera woo hoo!


----------



## MorbidToaster

God I love KRKs.


----------



## Borgbox

Me too, man! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> God I love KRKs.


----------



## Eric_C

Haha, your station's like a juxtaposition of budget vs top-tier! Seriously:
  990 vs T1
  Tianyun Zero vs A1
  And then a pair of cute Creative speakers??
  Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> Sadly only temporary. I'm really starting to love the T1...


----------



## WhiteCrow

Cleaned it up a bit*hopefully adding a dac soon*
 and the rest.


----------



## Yuceka

Here's my humble listening station 
  Sorry about the pictures, I am not a good photographer


----------



## brasewel

Some pictures taken at a meet on Saturday
   
  Me listening to my setup with the Balanced RWA Isabellina on top


----------



## fluffygdog95

Crappy camera phone shot. :/


----------



## dagothur

But the Opera is so pretty.
  
  Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> Crappy camera phone shot. :/


----------



## k12azy13astard

Compared to what else is on here, my current set up doesn't stack up. But I'm hoping for suggestions.
   

   
  Currently:
  iMac 2.16 Intel Core Duo w/ a 20" LG widescreen (doubles as a Xbox 360 monitor) & 17" Hyundai monitors
  M-Audio Studiophile AV30s
  Bose Triport OE headphones somewhere in the mess 
   
  Any suggestions would be awesome. I'm currently looking to intergrate my iMac and Xbox audio to go though the AV30s, however right now its more of a jerryrig with the xbox going though the imac to have the audio played. Also looking at replacing my used pair of Triport OEs with something better (Well over 4 years old, as I had gotten them from work for free. Gotta love the demo models. Currently thinking of replacing them with Grado SR80i's and a good affordable headphone amp.)


----------



## Ultrainferno




----------



## Eric_C

Ultrainferno: What's that Onkyo on the top of the stack?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> Ultrainferno: What's that Onkyo on the top of the stack?


 


  It's an Onkyo ND-S1 Digital Media Transport


----------



## nc8000

I'm pretty sure it's the ND-S1 iPod dock with digital out
   
  Edit: LOL, did't see that the thread had rolled on to another page


----------



## Eric_C

Haha, thanks guys, for answering the question.


----------



## Bina

This is my rig for few weeks, I borrowed Beyerdynamic T5p, Carat Ruby 2 and Nuforce HDP for review, M2tech Young is borrowed for our saturday meet.
   
  Young is  interesting dac, I have it for 24 hours and it already once crashed my system(Windows 7) and completly delete all data and settings from my Foobar


----------



## polartech

My current listening area. Soon to be joined by some very nice Pioneer SE-L40's..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Still debating one of these. Not sure if want
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> It's an Onkyo ND-S1 Digital Media Transport


----------



## Ra97oR




----------



## oopsydaisy

@Yuceka
   
  As Darth Vader once said, "*Impressive*"


----------



## GrandZechs

Some Old Nerd-Fi for ya. Enjoy


----------



## RazorJack

Nice to see that the DT990 is quite popular, here's mine:
   


 Amped by a Meier Audio Corda Concerto, and equipped with JMoneyAudio version 2 leather pads
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote:


whitecrow said:


>


 
   
  +1 for Vault boy and Bawls!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

+2. I actually have both of those exact things on my desk right now.
   
  Also, some One Piece up in here. I'll take pictures in a few hours and post. You anime fans are gonna have a field day with my set up. 
  Quote: 





razorjack said:


> +1 for Vault boy and Bawls!!


----------



## GrandZechs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> +2. I actually have both of those exact things on my desk right now.
> 
> Also, some One Piece up in here. I'll take pictures in a few hours and post. You anime fans are gonna have a field day with my set up.


 


  Theres actually more Anime relateed things just outside the picture, Ill take a wider shot and edit my first post.


----------



## revolink24

razorjack said:


> Nice to see that the DT990 is quite popular, here's mine:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I also have a bottle of Bawls at my desk at any given time, but I'm pretty jealous of Vault boy.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pictures are pretty terrible, but this is the main listening section. I have a recliner and desk chair that I swap out depending on the situation,

  D7000, Decco2, DVD Player (I know, it's off center, but there's a black CD case to the left of the DVD player). Laptop below is my 'music server'.


Spoiler: And%20this%20one's%20for%20the%20anime%20nerds


----------



## GrandZechs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pictures are pretty terrible, but this is the main listening section. I have a recliner and desk chair that I swap out depending on the situation,
> D7000, Decco2, DVD Player (I know, it's off center, but there's a black CD case to the left of the DVD player). Laptop below is my 'music server'.


 


  Very nice, mines WAY more cluttered than yours, I need to do some cleaning (and update my amp lol)


----------



## MorbidToaster

Hoping to add a set of Klipsch speakers, an SACD player, and a turntable to the mix soon.
   
  I just recently had the shelf idea. I had a set of shelves that just had my figures on it, which was fine, but I wanted my media stuff in a stack. So I took the top (supported) half of the shelves and just put 'em on my tables. BAM. Turned out well, I think.
  
  Quote: 





grandzechs said:


> Very nice, mines WAY more cluttered than yours, I need to do some cleaning (and update my amp lol)


----------



## thekyle

Sorry for low res phone camera pic.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pictures are pretty terrible, but this is the main listening section. I have a recliner and desk chair that I swap out depending on the situation,
> 
> D7000, Decco2, DVD Player (I know, it's off center, but there's a black CD case to the left of the DVD player). Laptop below is my 'music server'.
> 
> ...


 

 Loving the poster, and nice Decco2


----------



## MorbidToaster

Strike Witches is awesome. I've got a Code Geass, Soul Eater, Sgt. Frog, and Black Butler scrolls on my walls as well. Just didn't bother to take pictures of all 4 walls. lol
  Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Loving the poster, and nice Decco2


----------



## revolink24

DANBO! I want one.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Strike Witches is awesome. I've got a Code Geass, Soul Eater, Sgt. Frog, and Black Butler scrolls on my walls as well. Just didn't bother to take pictures of all 4 walls. lol


 
  yea....me and a buddy were going to watch season 2 of strike...but didn't want to be hauled off to jail ha ha.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Couldn't resist Danbo and Yotsuba combo. Was excited to get those.
  
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> DANBO! I want one.


----------



## milosolo




----------



## milosolo




----------



## AuralRelations




----------



## MorbidToaster

Me thinks people in this thread will appreciate those 1200 pics more.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/549616/post-a-photograph-of-your-turntable
   
  I love Technics tables...


----------



## Tilpo

auralrelations said:


>



That is one kick-ass turntable, kudos to you sir.

Unfortunately I have to make due with my old Sony PS-LX 100 with stock needle I found in the attic. If only my parents kept their more hi-fi turntable after it broke down; it might just have had that slight chance of repairability.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That is one kick-ass turntable, kudos to you sir.
> 
> Unfortunately I have to make due with my old Sony PS-LX 100 with stock needle I found in the attic. If only my parents kept their more hi-fi turntable after it broke down; it might just have had that slight chance of repairability.


 

 Ha thanks, Tilpo. Not many mods on it yet besides the new mat and record stabilizer. I really want to swap out the crap RCAs on it. That'll be my next project.


----------



## shaunybaby

I really should post somthing in here soon so i have somthing to look back on when i upgrade, looking at getting Decware taboo amp and lcd-2,s i hear its a great combo.


----------



## Towert7

Moving back home for a few months.  I'll have to post a new picture soon.


----------



## dallan

Well i have done my headphone station but not my normal stereo so here goes.


----------



## ZorgDK

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


>


 

 Love that turntable. Have you replaced the arm?


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





zorgdk said:


> Love that turntable. Have you replaced the arm?


 

 No, the arm is bone stock. I just wrapped it with white teflon tape to damp the arm a bit. Works pretty well considering the mod costs about $1 lol.


----------



## grokit

My highest-powered rig, up in the bedroom:
   

   
  No wimpy headphones need apply


----------



## Dennis




----------



## MorbidToaster

What's the full chain of stuff here?
  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> My highest-powered rig, up in the bedroom:
> 
> 
> 
> No wimpy headphones need apply


----------



## brasewel

That looks like a Alseis RA150 and HE-6. Can't tell what's on the extreme left.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





brasewel said:


> That looks like a Alseis RA150 and HE-6. Can't tell what's on the extreme left.


 
   
  Don't forget the K1000 up top 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I just replaced an old beat up RA150 with a new one, and am demoing a Devilsound v2.1 DAC cable to replace the v2. Lol. I think I will keep this new cable i'm really digging it but I need to switch back to the old one because the amp is running in at the same time just to be sure that I can really hear a difference. I wasn't that happy at first but it's really tightened up just after a couple of days, and it's sure nice to have a consistently black background in both channels now. Solid state amps need to break in too, who knew?
   
  The other details would be that I'm running iTunes with PureMusic on my old 12" G4 Powerbook, and the Devilsound is feeding a Grant Fidelity B-283 MKII tube stage with 6SN7 Sylvania Bad Boys, effectively making the amp a hybrid. I'm very happy with this rig, especially considering that I put the amplification components together for the cost of a Lyr. The amp is balanced so there's definitely room for an upgrade but I'm really digging it the way it is and I really like the form factor (and the sound) of the Devilsound cables.
   
  I could definitely live with this setup as my only listening station. There is even a remote control for iTunes, so I don't have to fuss with the dual volume pots on the RA150 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Considering that the Powerbook is pretty much useless for anything else, this whole setup was quite the bargain


----------



## brasewel

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Don't forget the K1000 up top


 

 Ofcourse. How could I


----------



## davo50

Quote: 





grokit said:


> My highest-powered rig, up in the bedroom:
> 
> 
> 
> No wimpy headphones need apply


 

 Great album you have playing too!


----------



## arsenalfan23

sorry for the messines 
   
  http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h407/arsenalfan_23/IMG-20110517-00041.jpg


----------



## DemonicLemming

Intermediate setup until I get a decent set of shelves for everything, including the rest of my headphones not shown here.


----------



## Tilpo

demoniclemming said:


> Intermediate setup until I get a decent set of shelves for everything, including the rest of my headphones not shown here.



That blue cable looks sexy  Which cable is it exactly?

Also that stack of little boxes, are those tubes?


----------



## DemonicLemming

Blue Dragon from Moon Audio that a member was nice enough to let me test out (along with the Norse cable, the braided one).  The boxes are tubes, yep - two pairs are tubes for my now-sold Little Dot MK3, and the rest are for the Lyr.
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





demoniclemming said:


> Blue Dragon from Moon Audio that a member was nice enough to let me test out (along with the Norse cable, the braided one).  The boxes are tubes, yep - two pairs are tubes for my now-sold Little Dot MK3, and the rest are for the Lyr.


 
  What interconnects and power cord are you using on the Lyr?


----------



## DemonicLemming

Blue Jeans BJ1 interconnects, and the stock power cord.  I may pick up a 14AWG cord from work, but without a bunch of expensive power conditioning stuff (which the EMC side of me still thinks is overblown), I don't see the need for an uber-expensive power cord.  As long as my voltage is stable and within 2% of nominal 120Vac and doesn't have any DC on the line, power doesn't worry me a whole lot.  I did try a higher-end medical-grade power cord and couldn't notice any difference.
  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> What interconnects and power cord are you using on the Lyr?


----------



## jronan2

Yeah I'm going with the Blue jeans cords, i couldn't tell from the picture, they actually look a lot thicker on your set up than the Blue Jeans website. I was also going to go with a hospital grade "jellyfish" cord that is $29 bucks and rated well in the power cords thread, just to see if I find a difference.


----------



## DemonicLemming

I'd say they're about 1/4" thick - not overly bulky, but definitely substantial.  For the price, I'm glad I bought them - definitely an upgrade over the Monoprice cables I was using, and the price is great, too.
   
  Do you happen to have a link to that power cord?  Technically a medical-grade power cord only requires a specific type of plug (that gives strain relief within the moulded end, to ensure that the wires can't come detached inside the plug housing), but I'm still poking through the differences in "audio medical-grade" power cords, and normal ones.
  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Yeah I'm going with the Blue jeans cords, i couldn't tell from the picture, they actually look a lot thicker on your set up than the Blue Jeans website. I was also going to go with a hospital grade "jellyfish" cord that is $29 bucks and rated well in the power cords thread, just to see if I find a difference.


----------



## jronan2

I have no idea about anything with power cords someone just recommended the 6th one on the thread its hospital grade, which is what they told me to get. Only $29 bucks I might try it.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/139344/power-cord-shoot-out-14-power-cords-reviewed


----------



## candc07

Here is mine.


----------



## Rawrbington

Hey candc07, hows the Mav audio?  which model is that? 
   
  anyways, heres mine, i need to tidy up a bit.


----------



## fluffygdog95

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> Hey candc07, hows the Mav audio?  which model is that?
> 
> anyways, heres mine, i need to tidy up a bit.


 

 I have tried to figure out how your Beyers are staying there and have failed. What "ability to float" option did you select in the Manufaktur design? I can not find it.


----------



## ocswing

To me it looks like they're just resting on the receiver. 
  
  Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> I have tried to figure out how your Beyers are staying there and have failed. What "ability to float" option did you select in the Manufaktur design? I can not find it.


----------



## fluffygdog95

My poor monitor contrast prevented me from seeing the extra inch and a half of material sticking out from the light gray metal on top. Much less wizard now. I was trying it with my Beyers and failing.
   
  Thank you for clearing that up!


----------



## ocswing

Heh, the super secret engineering of german headphones. They look like they're floating!
  
  Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> My poor monitor contrast prevented me from seeing the extra inch and a half of material sticking out from the light gray metal on top. Much less wizard now. I was trying it with my Beyers and failing.
> 
> Thank you for clearing that up!


----------



## fluffygdog95

Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Heh, the super secret engineering of german headphones. They look like they're floating!


 

 My Beyers don't float. :c Neither does my German amp. :c 
   
  Vibration free? Maybe?


----------



## mmayer167

jronan2^ the blue jeans cable is really the best cheapest stuff i have ever come across. I have tested the emotiva x series and the bjc is just a cleaner sounding cable idk if its the compressed connection vs soldered or what but blue jeans all the way!  check out the soundstring power cables. their low end 10A cable (white) is really nice and ive been using it for about a year now it too is only 30 bucks and they are great people to deal with.
   
  I just recently threw my wallet out the window and splurged on a HK 3490 2 channel amp feeding a pair of polk rti a3's through bluejeans 12 awg white banana to banana speaker cable and have to say it is a sexy setup. I'll toss up a picture here in the next few days as im out of town here. check back monday for a pic of my new wannabe audiophile setup (headphones included of course)
   
  M


----------



## jronan2

I am going with Blue Jeans for my set up. I don't want to break the bank for cables, they are right around the price range I want to spend, and they look really nice. Do you guys know which rca's are the best they seem to have a few options on the Blue Jeans website? I'm also going to get the Iron Lung power cord eventually. I'm in the process of recovering from the Lyr and LCD 2 purchases.


----------



## mmayer167

^ im using 6 feet blue jean lc-1 rca interconnect for everything. I dont think you could go wrong with any of their options but the lc-1 is a nice size, looks nice and i havent had any interference problems, even with cables running right past modems and tv's.    
   
  http://www.soundstringcable.com/   this is the power cable im using, the white 10A rated one. 30$ and really classy looking.   and in case you wanted to read about soundstring here you go >  http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/moonaudio/moon_soundstring.html
   
  M


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ im using 6 feet blue jean lc-1 rca interconnect for everything. I dont think you could go wrong with any of their options but the lc-1 is a nice size, looks nice and i havent had any interference problems, even with cables running right past modems and tv's.
> 
> http://www.soundstringcable.com/   this is the power cable im using, the white 10A rated one. 30$ and really classy looking.   and in case you wanted to read about soundstring here you go >  http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/moonaudio/moon_soundstring.html
> 
> M


 
  Very nice. How did you order it? I can't seem to figure it out I went under purchasing and it said the page was under construction.


----------



## mmayer167

just email them and use paypal. hes a really nice guy.
   
  I snapped a picture before I headed out of town so here is my current setup. Extremely happy with it! yes i know my tv is old (1996 mnfctr date!) but i like my audio more. i pulled one of the grills off of the polk so you could see what the drivers look like. there is a port on the front and back. I made the speaker stands and amp rack so thats why they arent perfectly straight lol. they do the job well. The amp is a Harmon Kardon 3490, bjc speaker cable with bannanas, speakers are polk rti a3's and dvd/cd player is a toshiba hddvd player from back when they made that stuff ;(  sounds really good via optical to the HK. and the usual headphone suspects ad900 and thunderpants fed via a matrix and udac.
   
   edit: oh yea and thats a sony 8" sub for movies and drum n bass music 
   
  cheers, have a great weekend everybody!
   
  M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Newest addition to the family...HE-500


----------



## supergolf

Not very Head-Fi yet but I feel it coming  CX300 - PX100 - AKG K430 - AKG K518 (foobar), just modded K518 with Blue Tack mod.  Much Better 
   
   
   



   

   
   
   
  edit: Still trying to figure out pictures....


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Heh, the super secret engineering of german headphones. They look like they're floating!


 


   


  Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> My Beyers don't float. :c Neither does my German amp. :c
> 
> Vibration free? Maybe?


 


  Its a custom mod.  you know, no big deal.


----------



## Twinster

These are very good pictures. Black & White make's it more dramatic. Loving it!


----------



## Sylverant

Basically all the stuff in my sig. Fujitsu UH900, DD9 Quartz Tape walkman, Samsung Omnia, MDR-E575, MDR-E434,  ,          K271MKII, HD560 Ovation, and no dac/amp box to do them justice... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  A Fiio E5 through the headphone out to ensure I get enough volume, nothing else. Massive tape collection in the cardboard box.
   

   

   


   
  And Sony CMT-A70 speakers. No soundstage to speak of, and a THD of 10%. Very dirty hp out to. Sounds nice though.


----------



## -su

My bedside setup  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   



   



   
   
  Sorry for bad quality pics tho


----------



## Tenaka

Quote: 





supergolf said:


> Not very Head-Fi yet but I feel it coming  CX300 - PX100 - AKG K430 - AKG K518 (foobar), just modded K518 with Blue Tack mod.  Much Better
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Dell Vostro 1500 spotted , very good (and indestructible) laptop !


----------



## dallan

Here is my real current set up, sitting in my car outside of Starbucks with the macbook on my lap because no tables, surfing Head-fi.


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Here is my real current set up, sitting in my car outside of Starbucks with the macbook on my lap because no tables, surfing Head-fi.


 


  Is that a honda element I see? If so your not the only one that does this lol.


----------



## dallan

My second.  I got one right when the came out in 03 but in 2009 a teen in a BMW nearly totaled it when it was parked, then four months after i got it back a tree feel on it when it was parked.  Got a new one sight unseen for below invoice but it is an SC and kinda bizarre unique color of off white called pearl blue.


----------



## jronan2

Nice I got a '07 ex 5 speed with a cat back exhaust cold air intake a tsx head and intake manifold  and a few other mods lol. It's not a ricer tho, looks stock until I pop v-tec. I would post a pic but I'm not on my main rig. I had a feeling you had a SC because I saw the center console. Ride ride bro I love mine, and use it for all its capabilities.


----------



## dagothur

I was looking at the ED8 Palladiums, but whatever guys.


----------



## theeyealtering

My current workspace/head-fi space.


----------



## dagothur

Nice collection.  Where'd you get the desk?
  Quote: 





theeyealtering said:


> My current workspace/head-fi space.


----------



## Sylverant

Edit: Post doesn't belong here, srry.


----------



## theeyealtering

[size=medium]
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Nice collection.  Where'd you get the desk?






 Cheers. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

[/size]

   
  The desk came from Officeworks (Australian store) I think. But it had shelves and stuff which I removed. I placed the board of the very top shelf on some books which is what the monitor is sitting on.


----------



## dallan

dagothur said:


> I was looking at the ED8 Palladiums, but whatever guys.





Actually those are Ed8 LE. Came out dark in the picture. Great portables along with the Lisa lll there.
cellphone post


----------



## jronan2

Desktop set up Yulong is on the bottom shelf. Next to my desk is my gaming set up..Yeah I'm a try hard..
   

  Nightstand rig...This little unit can pack a punch.
   

  And since we were side tracked on cars, My E and my brother's fresh '00 EK GSR swapped.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That sure is a nice D100 you've got there. (Dohoho) Jealous of the iMac.
   
  Also, I didn't realize the Streamer was that perfect a fit with the E9. That's pretty cool. 
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Desktop set up Yulong is on the bottom shelf. Next to my desk is my gaming set up..Yeah I'm a try hard..
> 
> 
> Nightstand rig...This little unit can pack a punch.


----------



## brasewel

^^ I like the picture better than the setup. Great lighting especially on the 2nd one.


----------



## AnotherBoss

Quote: 





grandzechs said:


> Some Old Nerd-Fi for ya. Enjoy


 


  What are those green headphones?


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





anotherboss said:


> What are those green headphones?


 

 I would guess Razer Orca: http://www.razerzone.com/minisite/orcagallery


----------



## AnotherBoss

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> I would guess Razer Orca: http://www.razerzone.com/minisite/orcagallery


 
   
  How's the sound? The price point seems right. . .


----------



## MorbidToaster

Judging from experience with their other products, probably not very good. 
  
  Quote: 





anotherboss said:


> How's the sound? The price point seems right. . .


----------



## GrandZechs

They are altight for the $35 I payed for em. Lots of great bass impact, but it really messes with the highs. They are a fun sounding set not audiophile grade by no means. Good for fps gaming though. My main gripe is they sound artificial and although there is alot of bass impact the bass quality is not the best. So they are what they are. An odd note, my coworker likes em better than his beats lol. And ya there Orcas.


----------



## brasewel

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Judging from experience with their other products, probably not very good.


 
  Razor makes some awesome mice but that's about it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love their mice visually, but I prefer my MX518 to them for function.
   
  Their mousePADS are my favorite though. Goliathusa is what I've got, takes up half my desk and I love it. 
  
  Quote: 





brasewel said:


> Razor makes some awesome mice but that's about it.


----------



## brasewel

I prefer the Logitech gaming mouses. I have the G-500 and it blows any mice on the market.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah...I'm part of the MX518 (Logitech) Master Race. 
  
  Quote: 





brasewel said:


> I prefer the Logitech gaming mouses. I have the G-500 and it blows any mice on the market.


----------



## GrandZechs

I'v got the deathadder and it works wonders for me, My buddy is an mmo gamer and has a naga which increased is apm by quite a bit. I have used logitech in the past and have no complaints.


----------



## fluffygdog95

Logitech G5!


----------



## Roller

Of course that both Razer and Logitech and top tier mice, no doubt there. I've been using a Razer Copperhead for years now and the little guy never failed me, accuracy and speed when and how I want it.


----------



## Hero Kid

On topic guys?


----------



## Eric_C

So....headphones! They're great, hm?


----------



## crumpler

Here's mine!
   
  Nothing special, just some new speakers for movies and the AT ATH-AD2000s via DACport for serious listening.
   
  Call me a happy camper.


----------



## MorbidToaster

To get back on topic, I might steal this Bedside rig setup from you, by the way. I really enjoy the D7000 with the E9, and that MS just fits perfectly with it. Nice compact (moveable), great sounding rig. 
  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Nightstand rig...This little unit can pack a punch.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





crumpler said:


> Here's mine!


 
   
  Are the HK GLA-55s incredible sounding, or just really good?


----------



## crumpler

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Are the HK GLA-55s incredible sounding, or just really good?


 

 Let's just say i wouldn't use them for critical listening. But they do sound awesome with movies. Surprisingly punchy tight bass and crystal clear highs. 
   
  Guess i'm just more used to the intimate cozy listening experience only a good pair of headphones can deliver.


----------



## Skylab

My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


----------



## Townyj

Have i ever mentioned i despise you  Bet those R10's sound amazing out of the Leben! Not a fan of the Ipod or Imod though.

  
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


----------



## MorbidToaster

Seething...Putrid...Hate...
   
  lol
  Quote: 





townyj said:


> *Have i ever mentioned i despise you*  Bet those R10's sound amazing out of the Leben! Not a fan of the Ipod or Imod though.


----------



## jronan2

Wow Skylab pooped all over my bedside rig lol. It's all good though I think even some of the top audiophiles on here would be surprised how well the D7000's could sound out of a little music streamer and E9. I actually use it as much or sometimes more than the LCD 2 and Lyr.


----------



## Townyj

I love my bedside rig to! Clip+ and MS-1i's for me 
   
  My first ever setup was mainly used as a bedside setup, similar to yours jronan2. But it got in the way in the end. If i ever planned on something again it would be Ipod with the new Fostex DAC/Amp.

  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Wow Skylab pooped all over my bedside rig lol. It's all good though I think even some of the top audiophiles on here would be surprised how well the D7000's could sound out of a little music streamer and E9. I actually use it as much or sometimes more than the LCD 2 and Lyr.


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





townyj said:


> Have i ever mentioned i despise you  Bet those R10's sound amazing out of the Leben! Not a fan of the Ipod or Imod though.


 
   
  LOL!  And yeah, the iMod isn't the best source I have, for sure, but it's the only one that is spouse-approved for the bedside rig.  The Leben gets approval due to its good looks.  And she gets that there has to be a pair of headphones, or there really isn't a rig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  But a big ole' DAC?  No chance.  And the iMod sounds better to me than a tiny little portable DAC would, although I just got the Pure i20, and I'm looking forward to compare it's built in DAC to the iMod.


----------



## Icenine2

Here's my setup at my desk.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Dat WA22...Mmmmmmmmmmm...
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Here's my setup at my desk.


----------



## Icenine2

Soon I'll have a Cavalli Liquid Fire as well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Meh. It's a nice amp. I actually got to hear one at the Austin meet recently. I really enjoyed it, but visually that WA22 is amazing. The tubes just look so good.
  
  Totally jealous of either one though.
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Soon I'll have a Cavalli Liquid Fire as well.


----------



## Townyj

Ahhh yes very nice!! Keeping it to an Imod conserves space for the ridiculously gorgeous amp and "those" headphones 

  
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> LOL!  And yeah, the iMod isn't the best source I have, for sure, but it's the only one that is spouse-approved for the bedside rig.  The Leben gets approval due to its good looks.  And she gets that there has to be a pair of headphones, or there really isn't a rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Dat WA22...Mmmmmmmmmmm...


 


   


  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Here's my setup at my desk.


 

 I have the same exact monitor for my gaming set up. Cheap nice LED LCD with low input lag and response time, good choice for competitive gaming let alone a computer monitor. Nice clean set up.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I honestly can't stop starring at the WA22. It's absolutely gorgeous. 3 Pin, 4 Pin, Single Ended...So many options.
   
  Can't imagine it'll be fun replacing those tubes when they go, though.


----------



## Icenine2

Tubes can be pricey.  Just drop over at the Woo thread and check out the tube buys.  The stockers that come w/are pretty cheap actually.  The ShuGuang Treasures and EML jump it up considerably in sound and price.  I was originally going to replace my HeadRoom Home amp w/a Concerto and take in a listen at Skylab's Ranch.  I had a few days earlier looked into Woo and checked out a Black WA5LE that I couldn't stop looking at.  Just beautiful.  Skylab had a WA6 that I listened to and loved.  After reading the threads I decided on a WA6SE.  After more reading I jumped to the WA22.  I haven't enjoyed listening to music this much in years!  Kids+wife prevent me from listening to the big rig when I want.  A perfect solution.


----------



## MorbidToaster

So. How's that DAC-2? It has every feature I'm looking for in a DAC (minus some sort of Headamp, sadly), and it's right on my budget.
   
   
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Tubes can be pricey.  Just drop over at the Woo thread and check out the tube buys.  The stockers that come w/are pretty cheap actually.  The ShuGuang Treasures and EML jump it up considerably in sound and price.  I was originally going to replace my HeadRoom Home amp w/a Concerto and take in a listen at Skylab's Ranch.  I had a few days earlier looked into Woo and checked out a Black WA5LE that I couldn't stop looking at.  Just beautiful.  Skylab had a WA6 that I listened to and loved.  After reading the threads I decided on a WA6SE.  After more reading I jumped to the WA22.  I haven't enjoyed listening to music this much in years!  Kids+wife prevent me from listening to the big rig when I want.  A perfect solution.


----------



## Icenine2

The DAC2 is wonderful and I agonized over which DAC to buy.  Ayre QB-9 was in the running but too expensive and the W4S I believe is at least it's equal if not it's better.  Plus it has a digital volume control so you can go direct inject into a big rig and skip the preamp (!?!?!) if you're running digital only.  Setup took me all of maybe 10 minutes and I was taking my time.  It sounded good out of the box but w/100+ hrs it really picks up.  No complaints and those guys are a joy to do business with.  Over at the Woo thread there are around four of us with the same amp+DAC.  I have some high-res files all the way up to 176 and it's cool to see it on the display.  The unit is upgradeable too whenever that happens.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





skylab said:


> LOL!  And yeah, the iMod isn't the best source I have, for sure, but it's the only one that is spouse-approved for the bedside rig.  The Leben gets approval due to its good looks.  And she gets that there has to be a pair of headphones, or there really isn't a rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...




   
  Looking forward to that comparison Sky.
   
  I would say that my bedside rig has a better source and just as much power than yours, but you definitely have it beat in the quality of the headphone and amplifier. Actually I don't think I am that far behind in the headphone department; even though yours might be the best ever made the HE-6 and K1000 are no slouches.
   
  As far as the amplifier goes the only area mine would be competitive would be the 6SN7 tube stage I'm using


----------



## MorbidToaster

Both the DAC-1 and DAC-2 have most of the features I'm looking for. The biggest struggle I have with it is the lack of some sort of headamp...Although having a standalone DAC you know it does what it does the best it can.
   
  Maybe if I get this vintage receiver that (hopefully) is coming my way I could get away with returning the Decco2 and then getting a second amp later. 
   
  Hmmmmmm...
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> The DAC2 is wonderful and I agonized over which DAC to buy.  Ayre QB-9 was in the running but too expensive and the W4S I believe is at least it's equal if not it's better.  Plus it has a digital volume control so you can go direct inject into a big rig and skip the preamp (!?!?!) if you're running digital only.  Setup took me all of maybe 10 minutes and I was taking my time.  It sounded good out of the box but w/100+ hrs it really picks up.  No complaints and those guys are a joy to do business with.  Over at the Woo thread there are around four of us with the same amp+DAC.  I have some high-res files all the way up to 176 and it's cool to see it on the display.  The unit is upgradeable too whenever that happens.


----------



## jude

Jack Wu of Woo Audio generously let me borrow his personal Stax SR-009, as well as one of his flagship *Woo Audio WES* amps.
   
  Click on the photos to see larger versions.
   
  You can also see the whole set on Flickr, by *clicking here*.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's freakin' beautiful Jude...You're a lucky one...
   
  Woo really does some amazing work...I always have trouble not starring at them for at least a few minutes...


----------



## n3rdling

What do you think of the sound Jude?


----------



## Icenine2

Jude,
   
  How lucky are you?  How about you talk to Jack about having that sent to me next so I can compare it with my Woo WA22!
   
  BTW-Thanks for all the good work here.  I, as well as everyone else really appreciate the site and all you've done.
   
  Wow.  I just hit 500 posts!!!
  Quote: 





jude said:


> Jack Wu of Woo Audio generously let me borrow his personal Stax SR-009, as well as one of his flagship *Woo Audio WES* amps.
> 
> Click on the photos to see larger versions.
> 
> You can also see the whole set on Flickr, by *clicking here*.


----------



## MacedonianHero

skylab said:


> LOL!  And yeah, the iMod isn't the best source I have, for sure,* but it's the only one that is spouse-approved for the bedside rig. * The Leben gets approval due to its good looks.  And she gets that there has to be a pair of headphones, or there really isn't a rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Consider yourself lucky Rob. My "spouse approved" bedside rig is my iPhone + Westone 4s.....that's it. Not even a Headroom Micro AMP/DAC setup.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  Yeah mine is the Hifiman 801 with JH13s and even that gets a scowl.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




<---  not my face


----------



## asant76

Simple setup:
   

 Vivid Technology V1 + HD580 (Fiio L9 & iPhone)
 HD600 (Brand New - unboxed for pic)
 Dayton Audio DTA (Coming soon: HRT istreamer for iPad)
 Infinity 2000.1 speakers


----------



## scrappyz323

No amps or dac's yet because im just starting my audiophile carrer.  Those are akg k220m's on the jelly belly machine, skull candy's on the skinny guy (I know, I know), and koss dj100 on the
   
   
   
  fat guy.  Also a pair of skullcandy fmj's on the crazy rat looking thing.  Im in the process of recabling my friends hd 428's which are taken apart on the table.  And the box on the right is a power pack for speakers not an amp or anything.                         
   
  <image removed by jude. it was requesting username/password authentication to access it.>


----------



## n3rdling

Host the image on the forum; it's asking for some login from Berkeley.


----------



## brasewel

I thought it was a bug on the website when it first asked me for that log-in.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


skylab said:


> My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


 

 That Crutchfield catalog... are you considering replacing this setup with a Bose SoundDock?


----------



## scrappyz323

Sorry about that I thougt I could copy and paste from my email, also that is my HP elitebook and phillips speakers


----------



## MorbidToaster

scrappyz323 said:


> Sorry about that I thougt I could copy and paste from my email, also that is my HP elitebook and phillips speakers




Those DJ100s are so sick. I need to get a pair for a portarig someday.


----------



## justblair

Here is a couple of piccies of mine



   
  For the next few days at least this is my current setup.  
   
*Source:                *O2 Joggler running Squeezeplay and modified asound.conf, LittleDot DAC_1
*Amp:                    *LittleDot MkV
*Headphones:       *Sennheiser HD650, Koss Pro4AA
   
  I have gotten myself a vintage headphone buzz after my restoration of the Koss 4AA (Details here...), so I have just bought a pair of Koss ESP/6a that are in need of repair.  I am looking forward to hopefully restoring them and adding them to the family.
   
  The Joggler is a much hacked item with additional cooling (Details here...), and a USB output added to it (Details here...).
   
  Not the most imaginative choice for my main HP set, but the LittleDot/HD650 combination is pretty awesome to my ears!


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> Quote:
> 
> That Crutchfield catalog... are you considering replacing this setup with a Bose SoundDock?


 

 LOL - no - Crutchfield is for TV's


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





justblair said:


> I have gotten myself a vintage headphone buzz after my restoration of the Koss 4AA (Details here...)


 

  That was a nice read, like a trip down memory lane. I had a set of those back in the day. How do they hold up to your HD650 sound-wise?


----------



## complex

So I got couple boxes today:


----------



## snapple10

Nice!!!!!!!!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





justblair said:


> Here is a couple of piccies of mine
> 
> For the next few days at least this is my current setup.
> 
> ...


 

 Man, I read that 4AA post a while ago. I'd forgotten all about it until right now. Great work on those.


----------



## Icenine2

Koss Pro 4AA's!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I haven't seen those for years.  How do they sound?


----------



## Icenine2

Complex,
   
  How sweet that setup looks!!!  The sound has to be killer!!   PWD and Woo5 and that rack is sweet too.
  Quote: 





complex said:


> So I got couple boxes today:


----------



## olor1n

Man, Woo Audio amps are so sexy!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Must. Own. WA22.
  
  Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Man, Woo Audio amps are so sexy!


----------



## justblair

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Man, I read that 4AA post a while ago. I'd forgotten all about it until right now. Great work on those.


 

 Thanks, it was pretty enjoyable to do, and skill wise well within the reach of all but the most ham fisted of amateurs...  

  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> That was a nice read, like a trip down memory lane. I had a set of those back in the day. How do they hold up to your HD650 sound-wise?


 

  
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Koss Pro 4AA's!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I haven't seen those for years.  How do they sound?






  
   
  Ok Pro 4AA sound wise.. If you imagine the HD650's but slightly better... The Pro 4AA's sound nothing like that!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  What they do have in their favour is that they sound solid, reasonably musical and controlled.  What goes against them is they sound enclosed and slightly conservative in their presentation.  Bass is not in the same league as the HD650's.  They go fairly low, but in this region the HD650's sound is effortless and free flowing, the Pro4AA sounds limited in comparison.  I should add that a few weeks after writing up the Pro 4AA restoration I added some animal wool to the cups of the Koss phones.  The bass was light and echoing a bit, the wool controlled this, but I could perhaps play around a little with this to see if I can improve this.
   
  The Koss phones alack a little finesse on the delicate highs.  
   
  The HD650's on the other hand demonstrate just how far the technology has moved.  They produce a very free flowing silky effortless sound and this source/amp/phone combination almost dares you to find more challenging music to test it.  I was listening to Goldie's Timeless album last night and the HD650's can drive through a low note whilst at the same time present all the detail of a brush on a symbol.  A real pleasure to listen to.


----------



## RexAeterna

my simple headphone set-up. i'm also horrible at picture taking. if curious.

Top: 1983 hitachi HA-2 amp

middle: 1972 Sansui 5000x receiver

bottom: 1985 yamaha R-9 class A receiver

Headphones: akg 240 sextetts LP(600ohm), akg 240 studios(55ohms)


----------



## project86

Sorry for the terrible picture quality. Components get swapped in and out of this setup almost daily, but this is how it has been for about a week now.
   

   
  LEFT: Squeezebox Touch sitting on a Violectric V200 sitting on the Resonessence Labs Invicta
   
  RIGHT: Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2 sitting on the Anedio D1
   
  Headphones don't really fit in the shot. I'm currently enjoying the W1000 and W2002 with the Svetlana, UM Merlin straight from the Anedio, HD800 from the Invicta, and my Orthos from the Violectric.


----------



## Nom de Plume

The Anedio D1 woos me every time I see it.


----------



## hifidk

Svetlana looks great. I didn't know they sell them here in the US.


----------



## MorbidToaster

nom de plume said:


> The Anedio D1 woos me every time I see it.




It looks so good, and I really want to hear it...it's just missing a few key features or it'd be my next purchase...


----------



## Marximus

Newest iteration:  K601s and FA-011s.


----------



## Nom de Plume

morbidtoaster said:


> It looks so good, and I really want to hear it...it's just missing a few key features or it'd be my next purchase...


 

 It really is a beauty. Regrettably, the shackle that keeps me from purchasing it is the insufficient means to afford it...


----------



## Hennyo

I really like that stand. Simplistic yet tasteful.
  
  Quote: 





marximus said:


> Newest iteration:  K601s and FA-011s.


 


 Thanks for Posting everyone!


----------



## Curly21029

I in no way claim to be a good photographer. 
   


   
  The full listening area.  I thought running the firewire cable under the couch for convenient access was a pretty decent idea.  Actually, I just ran the Apple AC adapter under there after taking these pictures. 
   

   
  Comfiest.  Couch.  EVER! 
   
  And, just because, the POV shot:
   

   
  Listening to an Edition 8 while watching an Elite Kuro = entertainment bliss.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Woooooooooooow. Love it. I still want to try some ED 8s. Dieing to hear them...


----------



## blur510

Quote: 





curly21029 said:


> And, just because, the POV shot:
> 
> 
> 
> Listening to an Edition 8 while watching an Elite Kuro = entertainment bliss.


 

 Is that Zack Morris?


----------



## Curly21029

Quote: 





blur510 said:


> Is that Zack Morris?


 
   
  You mad 'cause he's stylin' on you?


----------



## epyon

Sorry to quote an older post, but I have fond memories of sitting in front of that Pioneer SX-1250 growing up as a child.  I had no idea how sought after that unit is, and right now it is sitting in my parents house.  Im going to go snatch it up this weekend and hopefully it is still running.  Thank you for bringing back some old memories!
  
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> OK, I have been assembling a "Vintage" rig, which is now complete
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Hennyo

1. What a great place to come home and chill out to. I am jealous of your cozy and homely setup. Just looking at it is relaxing.
   
  2. I heard Decco 2 on the my 650's. It was a very pleasant moment. I bet it's _freaking great_ with D7000. Makes me tear up a bit.
   
  3. Gotta get mine up in a few. Thanks for showing us around. It's just as I imagined it, haha 
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pictures are pretty terrible, but this is the main listening section. I have a recliner and desk chair that I swap out depending on the situation,
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: And%20this%20one's%20for%20the%20anime%20nerds


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's a few things changed since then. I actually returned the Decco2 as it didn't pair well with the HE500, though I liked the unit. The other reason is that it's being replaced with (hopefully) a vintage McIntosh receiver (complements off my father if it comes through).
   
  I should be adding a turntable to the mix as well as a new DAC (either W4S DAC-1, or Antelope's Zodiac). And of course the HE500s have been added.
   
 Animeeeeeeeeeeee (Once I get everything new in its place I need to see if I can fit more figures on the equipment shelf. 
  
  Quote: 





hennyo said:


> 1. What a great place to come home and chill out to. I am jealous of your cozy and homely setup. Just looking at it is relaxing.
> 
> 2. I heard Decco 2 on the my 650's. It was a very pleasant moment. I bet it's _freaking great_ with D7000. Makes me tear up a bit.
> 
> 3. Gotta get mine up in a few. Thanks for showing us around. It's just as I imagined it, haha


----------



## Skylab

epyon said:


> Sorry to quote an older post, but I have fond memories of sitting in front of that Pioneer SX-1250 growing up as a child.  I had no idea how sought after that unit is, and right now it is sitting in my parents house.  Im going to go snatch it up this weekend and hopefully it is still running.  Thank you for bringing back some old memories!


It's a great receiver! Definitely go snatch it if you can!


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


epyon said:


> Sorry to quote an older post, but I have fond memories of sitting in front of that Pioneer SX-1250 growing up as a child.  I had no idea how sought after that unit is, and right now it is sitting in my parents house.  Im going to go snatch it up this weekend and hopefully it is still running.  Thank you for bringing back some old memories!


 

 There's an active thread about vintage receivers and integrated amps going on in the Headphone Amps forum, if you have questions. There's a lot of love for that Pioneer - you're very lucky!


----------



## Marximus

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> I really like that stand. Simplistic yet tasteful.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for Posting everyone!


 
  Hand towel rack from Bed Bath and Beyond.  It was ~$15.


----------



## TheWuss

here's my main rig at home...


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

new "toy" to play with...


----------



## Hero Kid

Which is the new toy?


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

LCD-2 , coming from k702.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Woah. Big upgrade there. Especially for your low frequencies. 
  
  Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


> LCD-2 , coming from k702.


----------



## Hero Kid

Quote:


dreaming of a better ... said:


> LCD-2 , coming from k702.


 

 Very nice. Is that the stock cable? It doesn't look like I remember.


----------



## fluffygdog95

Being a Beyer lover, I must say I am quite impressed. I spy the DT990 back there. Don't hide it. You don't need to be ashamed! Some of us like them! 
   
  Tubes and solid state are covered. You have cans that cover a pretty large listening taste, too!

 I think we have the same microfibre cloth. The one under the HE-6.
   

  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> here's my main rig at home...


----------



## dagothur

You make my audio setup look like a pair of iBuds connected to a 1950s ham radio.
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> here's my main rig at home...


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> here's my main rig at home...


 

 You've got three headphones there that I've been lusting after. But ever since I got the LCD-2 and the 007mk2, I sort of lost interest in getting more high-end headphones, since I realize they won't be any "better" than what I already have--just different. And since my best headphones still can't even come close to my Klein + Hummel O 300D reference studio monitors in acoustically fully treated studio, working in conjunction with ARC System and custom EQ curve, I would just be adding new toys for the sake of adding new toys, and they won't really bring me more enjoyment of music, games, and movies. So that's where my headphone journey ended. I suppose if I had money to burn, then I would just buy whatever I'm curious about, but until I become a multi-millionaire. . ..
   
  So, just curious, how do you feel about your headphones and how would you rank them?


----------



## TheWuss

well....   i really like the ones shown in the picture there.
  the only headhpone i still own that i'm not crazy about is the k702.
   
  of those headphones, my hands-down favorite is the LCD-2.  i know it's becoming a love-it or hate-it headphone around these parts. 
  but, to me and my ears (and in my system) it is as near perfection as i've heard.
   
  and, as for a second place favorite, the T1 is it.  it's just amazing.
   
  the HE-6 and Ultrasone i guess bring up the rear...   The Ed.8 is technically not on the same level with the other headphones, but what it lacks in those areas it makes up in musicality, and pure joy.  not to mention isolation, portability, and easy to drive...
   
  the HE-6 is technically an amazing headphone.  and some folks like it more than the LCD-2.  and i can see (hear) why.
  but, to me, the abundance of treble will always keep it from being my favorite headphone.  even though i do like it quite a bit.
  don't get me wrong, with a little bit of parametric EQ, the HE-6 is about as good as i could ever hope for.
   
  so...  i guess i'm pretty much done with headphones for the foreseeable future...


----------



## ocswing

I'm sure there are people here who would gladly take the k702 off your hands!
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> well....   i really like the ones shown in the picture there.
> the only headhpone i still own that i'm not crazy about is the k702.
> 
> of those headphones, my hands-down favorite is the LCD-2.  i know it's becoming a love-it or hate-it headphone around these parts.
> ...


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Woah. Big upgrade there. Especially for your low frequencies.


 
  well i was considering a sidegrade to a more bassy cans but in the end i decided to go all out and get these beauties, i'm loving the bass on them.
   
   


hero kid said:


> Quote:
> 
> Very nice. Is that the stock cable? It doesn't look like I remember.


 


 its the stock cable, yes.


----------



## prtuc2

My desk is a little messy.


----------



## AuralRelations

Newest addition to the family.


----------



## Borgbox

My new addition! AT-LP120, a functional turntable with a USB hook up and (imperfect) integrated RIAA phono. A beautiful copy of the ubiquitous Technics 1200. I've a new cartridge on the way for it, as well as RCA to XLR cables to integrate it into my audio interface. It's currently running into my on board sound through the mic port. I'm in love!


----------



## Hero Kid

USB... turntable...


----------



## marts30

MS Pro, AD2000, AD900, Shure SRH940, Little dot I+, Profire 610, Xonar Essencse ST
   

AD700 on racing rig, bass shaker under chair


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





marts30 said:


> MS Pro, AD2000, AD900, Shure SRH940, Little dot I+, Profire 610, Xonar Essencse ST
> 
> 
> AD700 on racing rig, bass shaker under chair


 

 Wow... VERY nice guitar setup. Steve Vai Jem =)  Is the other V-shaped guitar an Edwards or the official ESP? I think I had the Edwards version of that V guitar before but in white. What guitar amp is that? =) 
   
  I wish I could have kept my half stack I was using in college but it's way too loud.


----------



## Ultrazino

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Newest addition to the family.


 


  Nice to see I'm not the only one still owning a Zero DAC! 
   
  But what's that red Chinese stuff next to it?


----------



## marts30

Quote:


wind016 said:


> Wow... VERY nice guitar setup. Steve Vai Jem =)  Is the other V-shaped guitar an Edwards or the official ESP? I think I had the Edwards version of that V guitar before but in white. What guitar amp is that? =)
> 
> I wish I could have kept my half stack I was using in college but it's way too loud.


   
  Cheers. It's actually not a JEM, I modded a RG360dx (new neck/pickups) Looks and sounds great though  The V is indeed an Edwards AL-120 (Alexi Laiho signature) and the blue one is an ESP Horizon FRII. Amp is Peavey XXX head and Cabinet.


----------



## crayonhead

It's by Firestone Audio. I think it's from the cute series. Correct me if i'm wrong.
  
  Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> Nice to see I'm not the only one still owning a Zero DAC!
> 
> But what's that red Chinese stuff next to it?


----------



## chews89

Quote: 





crayonhead said:


> It's by Firestone Audio. I think it's from the cute series. Correct me if i'm wrong.


 

 It is by firestone. But I'm pretty sure its called the Little Country III with a power supply.


----------



## vinnievidi

What are your impression of the Little Country III?  I've been very curious about it for a while but haven't heard much on it.  
   
   
   
  Quote: 





chews89 said:


> It is by firestone. But I'm pretty sure its called the Little Country III with a power supply.


----------



## DemonicLemming

Where did you get the Nightwish and Ensiferum flag/poster things?  Wouldn't mind something like that for above my computer/headphone setup.
  
  Quote: 





marts30 said:


> MS Pro, AD2000, AD900, Shure SRH940, Little dot I+, Profire 610, Xonar Essencse ST
> 
> 
> AD700 on racing rig, bass shaker under chair


----------



## marts30

Quote:


demoniclemming said:


> Where did you get the Nightwish and Ensiferum flag/poster things?  Wouldn't mind something like that for above my computer/headphone setup.


 

  Ebay or www.fanzone.fi


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> Nice to see I'm not the only one still owning a Zero DAC!
> 
> But what's that red Chinese stuff next to it?


 

 It's the Little Country III headphone amp by Firestone Audio. It's not a bad piece of kit but it is a bit bright, and I'm not just talking about the blue LEDs.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





vinnievidi said:


> What are your impression of the Little Country III?  I've been very curious about it for a while but haven't heard much on it.


 
  Yeah it hasn't gotten much love 'round here or anywhere else for that matter. Stock, it didn't impress me. The Electroharmonix tubes that came with it were crap. Swapped them out for JAN Sylvania tubes from the '70s and they sounded much better. It was dark, veiled, and lacked dynamics before the tube swap. I also changed out the opamp (since it's a hybrid tube amp) with the "super chip" which is two OPA627s. This made it better as well with more impact. 
   
  I like it for what it is but I like my uncle's WooAudio 3 better, which is the same price. It's also annoying to have a 1/8" jack instead of a 1/4".


----------



## reivaj

Just got the dt990 600ohm. Enjoying it greatly so far. Much more bass than the ms2i but you can def tell a difference between the two headphones. I think I am in love. The ms2i and the dt990 600ohm are just awesome!


----------



## fluffygdog95

Hooray! Another DT990 lover!
  
  Quote: 





reivaj said:


> Just got the dt990 600ohm. Enjoying it greatly so far. Much more bass than the ms2i but you can def tell a difference between the two headphones. I think I am in love. The ms2i and the dt990 600ohm are just awesome!


----------



## Townyj

Everytime i see a pair of MS-2's i cream my pants!  I need to get my hands on some PS-1's. Time to save!


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





marts30 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> wind016 said:
> ...


 

 AHA! You fooled me haha  Your preferences in guitar equipment seemed to be very similar to mine when I still had a band. I had a Peavey 5150 half stack and my main guitars were Edwards Kiko (amazing amount of features for the money), Ibanez RG770, and Edwards Les Paul Custom. I have since moved to a warmer and less heavy distortion sound. I sold the Peavey, sold the Ibanez, and I don't really play the Kiko much anymore. I'm currently looking for a nice warm vintage tube amp sound =)


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> There's a few things changed since then. I actually returned the Decco2 as it didn't pair well with the HE500, though I liked the unit. The other reason is that it's being replaced with (hopefully) a vintage McIntosh receiver (complements off my father if it comes through).
> 
> I should be adding a turntable to the mix as well as a new DAC (either W4S DAC-1, or Antelope's Zodiac). And of course the HE500s have been added.
> 
> Animeeeeeeeeeeee (Once I get everything new in its place I need to see if I can fit more figures on the equipment shelf.


 

 I recognized most of the figures in the "click to show" page, nice room 
   
  I really want to try a vintage reel-to-reel setup some day. 
   
  As for the ED 8's, those were mainstream-design cool before the effin' beats came around. If we're talking hip here I can't think of anything cooler; nothing nerdy about that design. Now if cost wasn't a factor...


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





townyj said:


> cream my pants!


 

  
  I hope I never love my Denons that much.


----------



## hardtarget666

Nothing fancy. Just my NFB-10ES & LCD-2.


----------



## Eric_C

^Nothing fancy?? You've got A3X's to boot!


----------



## ocswing

^ It's a very nice and very clean set-up.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Nothing fancy. Just my NFB-10ES & LCD-2.


 


  Very nice and clean!
   
  BTW., We are using exactly the same Dell LCDs at work (in the process of putting 200 Dell PC in place of old HPs).


----------



## Eric_C

hardtarget666: what's the black box behind the monitor?


----------



## hardtarget666

Thanks guys! This thread actually inspired me to set my rig up properly. Some ot the setups posted here are mindblowing.
   
  @Eric_C: Thats a USB 3.0 HDD docking station.


----------



## nc8000

Have been reading up on those A3X and have just ordered a set of B-stock from Thomann to replace my 15 years old Boston Acoustics sub/sat computer set. They look like just the right thing for me. I also have that Dell monitor (or one from that series, in my case the 27" model)

  
  Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Thanks guys! This thread actually inspired me to set my rig up properly. Some ot the setups posted here are mindblowing.
> 
> @Eric_C: Thats a USB 3.0 HDD docking station.


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Thanks guys! This thread actually inspired me to set my rig up properly. Some ot the setups posted here are mindblowing.
> 
> @Eric_C: Thats a USB 3.0 HDD docking station.


 
   
  I've been yearning for the omega headphone stands for so long, and seeing that omega headphone stand with the lcd-2 finally pushed me over the edge, I ordered them today


----------



## hardtarget666

Quote: 





msninja said:


> I've been yearning for the omega headphone stands for so long, and seeing that omega headphone stand with the lcd-2 finally pushed me over the edge, I ordered them today


 


  They are very beautiful indeed. Took me ages to decide which wood finish to go for. Which one did you order?


----------



## Nom de Plume

Those Omega headphone stands are undoubtedly gorgeous, but their pricetag is just unreasonable IMHO. I understand why others would buy them, but - unless I make so much money that I can afford to literally burn some of it - I'd never jump over the fence for one.


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> They are very beautiful indeed. Took me ages to decide which wood finish to go for. Which one did you order?


 


  I was torn between walnut and zebrano, but went for the latter as it had more of an exotic feel and I felt it should pair nicer with my LCD-2's. It's actually a little bit cheaper here in sweden, but still expensive!


----------



## Icenine2

Beautiful for sure!  I'm going to have to get one of those.  Hey Fathers day is coming up!
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> I was torn between walnut and zebrano, but went for the latter as it had more of an exotic feel and I felt it should pair nicer with my LCD-2's. It's actually a little bit cheaper here in sweden, but still expensive!


----------



## Currawong

townyj said:


> Everytime i see a pair of MS-2's i cream my pants!  I need to get my hands on some PS-1's. Time to save!




I just tried a pair of PS-1s at a friend's place. They sounded almost identical to my Symphones Magnums, which can be based around the MS2s and are considerably cheaper.



hardtarget666 said:


> Nothing fancy. Just my NFB-10ES & LCD-2.




This is the way to go I reckon. I had much the same idea in mind, though I need a wider desk if I'm ever to do it.


----------



## Townyj

Hmmm didnt your Magnums cost quite some amount for a modded MS-2..??

  
  Quote: 





currawong said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## a:xus

Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Nothing fancy. Just my NFB-10ES & LCD-2.


 

  
  Gorgeous setup! How would you characterize the sound from the Adam monitors? Forward in the mids as some of their other monitors? 
  Are they insanely analytical so it is difficult to enjoy even well recorded music from them or are the useful for other purposes than production work?


----------



## hardtarget666

Quote: 





a:xus said:


> Gorgeous setup! How would you characterize the sound from the Adam monitors? Forward in the mids as some of their other monitors?
> Are they insanely analytical so it is difficult to enjoy even well recorded music from them or are the useful for other purposes than production work?


 


 Thanks! The A3X's are fairly analytical and detailed with very extended treble response and at low to medium volumes they very much enjoyable but high volumes it becomes difficult to listen to. But keep in mind they are near field monitors so they should really be enjoyed at low to medium volumes. The imaging with these speakers is highly dependant on their placement and positioning. I find the mids are actually very (emphasis on very) slightly recessed due to the emphasised treble (spoilt by the LCD-2 I guess) but overall they are very natural and effortless. With regards to bass, I find that they have a slight mid-bass hump when compared to the super tight LCD-2 bass and obviously don't go very deep (neither do most comparable monitors due to physical limitations)
   
  I actually think the A3X have a lot in common with HE-6 which I listened to during the London meet. Their sound signature is very similar (extended treble, slightly recessed mids with the HE-6 handling deep bass better) and if I want to remind myself how the HE-6 sounded, I just turn my speakers on 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Sorry to go off topic


----------



## nc8000

Mine were shipped today from Germany. With luck I should have them by the weekend. The sound sig you describe seems to be just what I want and I will not be playing the loud as they will be sitting either side of my monitor 2-3 feet from my head.


----------



## monoethylene




----------



## HesterDW




----------



## bbophead

Look Ma, no computer!
   
  Heh.


----------



## Nyvar

Quote: 





> Look Ma, no computer!
> 
> Heh.


 
   
  How's the SQ on that recording of the Prokofiev?  I've heard it leaves a lot to be desired.


----------



## bbophead

I like it O.K..  I was a leveller tonight, not a sharpener.  It do have low bass even on Q701 and Total Airhead.


----------



## a:xus

Awesome, sounds exactly what I need. Totaly over the top computer speakers with great flexibility. Pro gear is so awesome!
  Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Thanks! The A3X's are fairly analytical and detailed with very extended treble response and at low to medium volumes they very much enjoyable but high volumes it becomes difficult to listen to. But keep in mind they are near field monitors so they should really be enjoyed at low to medium volumes. The imaging with these speakers is highly dependant on their placement and positioning. I find the mids are actually very (emphasis on very) slightly recessed due to the emphasised treble (spoilt by the LCD-2 I guess) but overall they are very natural and effortless. With regards to bass, I find that they have a slight mid-bass hump when compared to the super tight LCD-2 bass and obviously don't go very deep (neither do most comparable monitors due to physical limitations)
> 
> I actually think the A3X have a lot in common with HE-6 which I listened to during the London meet. Their sound signature is very similar (extended treble, slightly recessed mids with the HE-6 handling deep bass better) and if I want to remind myself how the HE-6 sounded, I just turn my speakers on
> 
> ...


----------



## phatalleycat

I love that album. Not the most refined, but it's most enjoyable.


----------



## lazysleepyboi

i'm loving thread like this, awesome pictures with head-fi stuff that's entirely out of my reach, awesome! can't wait till i scrap some money for a LCD2......it'll be a while


----------



## bbophead

No worries.  There's plenty of good stuff below the LCD-2.


----------



## lazysleepyboi

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> No worries.  There's plenty of good stuff below the LCD-2.


 


  i'm planning to jump a step after i get enough money. It'll either be the LCD-2 or the HE-5LE, still haven't decided


----------



## MorbidToaster

HE 500 is probably a better choice depending on your amplification...
  
  Quote: 





lazysleepyboi said:


> i'm planning to jump a step after i get enough money. It'll either be the LCD-2 or the HE-5LE, still haven't decided


----------



## Tilpo

I have the same dilemma, I badly want to do a large step up some time, but it costs money. And money is the one thing I don't have a lot of after I discovered I had both a PC enthusiast and an audiophile in me. 
But then again, I am still only 16, so maybe it's a good idea to wait in any case before spending so much.

I personally would love an LCD-2, but the problem with that is that I would also have to upgrade my amplifier to support orthodynamics. I was think the Little Dot VI+ or the Schiit Lyr would be a fairly low priced amp that could do the job. 
On the other hand if I would buy the Senn HD-800 or the Beyer T1, I do not immediately need to upgrade my amp, saving me money in the short (and maybe) long run. 

RAAAAGE. This is so annoying, I am deciding what to get next when I just spent all my money a couple weeks ago on a NFB-12. It will probably take me 6-12 months before I have anywhere near the money required to buy an LCD-2, or similar. 

Damn this site, seriously, you have ruined my life.


----------



## Hero Kid

Blah blah blah... pictures?


----------



## n5750547

This should do for a while. Anyone have any pictures of what should be next? (not that there aren't a few already mentioned in this thread)


----------



## MusicTurtle

I'm pretty happy with this set up. It's lively and engaging bit strong at times which is making me consider picking up a DT 880 if I can wrangle one for cheap.


----------



## DemonicLemming

tilpo said:


> I have the same dilemma, I badly want to do a large step up some time, but it costs money. And money is the one thing I don't have a lot of after I discovered I had both a PC enthusiast and an audiophile in me.
> But then again, I am still only 16, so maybe it's a good idea to wait in any case before spending so much.
> 
> I personally would love an LCD-2, but the problem with that is that I would also have to upgrade my amplifier to support orthodynamics. I was think the Little Dot VI+ or the Schiit Lyr would be a fairly low priced amp that could do the job.
> ...




The nice thing about the LCD-2 is that they don't require nearly as much power as the HE-4/HE-5LE. They scale very well with better amps, but the lower power requirements of the Audez'e really opens up a lot of amp options. The Lyr does seem to be a favorite with the LCD-2s, though, so you definitely wouldn't go wrong if you decided to pick it up.

Back to the thread topic, I'm hopefully going to be working on a simple but efficient headphone stand for my LCD-2s this weekend. There are a few nice stands on ebay, but they're all way too expensive for something so simple. Once I get a bit of spare money next week, I'll have to grab a small set of shelves for all my new audio stuff and stick it next to my desk.


----------



## ManBeard

Current setup:


----------



## Permagrin

^ Nice mouse, probably my favorite.


----------



## fluffygdog95

Mine too!
   

  Quote: 





permagrin said:


> ^ Nice mouse, probably my favorite.


----------



## dagothur

What are those Senns on the right?
 Edit: Nevermind.  HD650s.
  Quote: 





manbeard said:


> Current setup:


----------



## revolink24

New turntable in the bedside rig.


----------



## Eric_C

MusicTurtle: What the--! Is your iPhone/iPod Touch sitting in the E9 dock??


----------



## Elgin1989

My Current Setup


----------



## MorbidToaster

MX 518 master race here. G5 sux. lolololololol
   
  That keyboard is my favorite though. Soooo good. 
   
  Also, HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH.
   
  Quote: 





manbeard said:


> Current setup:


----------



## lazysleepyboi

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX 518 master race. G5 sux. lolololololol
> 
> That keyboard is my favorite though. Soooo good.
> 
> Also, HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH.


 


  i prefer my mx anywhere with my wireless illuminated =] i didnt really like the wired one =/


----------



## lazysleepyboi

Quote: 





elgin1989 said:


> My Current Setup


 


  clean + space = win, nice setup man! i'm really jealous


----------



## blur510

what receiver is that? pretty cool setup.
  
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> New turntable in the bedside rig.


----------



## revolink24

It's an H.H. Scott R. 357, which is essentially just being used for its quite good phono preamp at the moment.


----------



## ManBeard

I have the MX 518 as well. It's a great mouse but I prefer the G5 to it.
   
  Yeah, I'm in love with this keyboard. =)

  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX 518 master race here. G5 sux. lolololololol
> 
> That keyboard is my favorite though. Soooo good.
> 
> Also, HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH.


----------



## MusicTurtle

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> MusicTurtle: What the--! Is your iPhone/iPod Touch sitting in the E9 dock??


 

  
  Yes it is. I bought the Fiio E9i that lets you dock your ipod into it instead of the E7.


----------



## MorbidToaster

musicturtle said:


> Yes it is. I bought the Fiio E9i that lets you dock your ipod into it instead of the E7.




HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS? Purchased.

Edit: Bedside rig: E9i + iPhone 4 (ALAC) + D7000

Also, if that Line Out works with the iPod dock, use it as a transport, too.


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 WHATTTTT?? YOU GUYS STOP BLEEDING MY WALLET


----------



## lazysleepyboi

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> WHATTTTT?? YOU GUYS STOP BLEEDING MY WALLET


 


  LOL i love that comment, you sir just made my day. It's exactly the reason why i should turn away from head-fi, all the eye candy is making want to spend more money.....


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Also, if that Line Out works with the iPod dock, use it as a transport, too.


 


  Wouldn't it need to be a digital output, bypassing the internal iPod DAC, for it to function as an actual transport?


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Wouldn't it need to be a digital output, bypassing the internal iPod DAC, for it to function as an actual transport?


 

 I would think so.


----------



## MorbidToaster

grokit said:


> I would think so.



Point taken. 

Still purchased.


----------



## nc8000

Received mine today and totally agree with your sound description, massive step up from my 15 years old Boston Acoustics sub/sat set
  
  Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Thanks! The A3X's are fairly analytical and detailed with very extended treble response and at low to medium volumes they very much enjoyable but high volumes it becomes difficult to listen to. But keep in mind they are near field monitors so they should really be enjoyed at low to medium volumes. The imaging with these speakers is highly dependant on their placement and positioning. I find the mids are actually very (emphasis on very) slightly recessed due to the emphasised treble (spoilt by the LCD-2 I guess) but overall they are very natural and effortless. With regards to bass, I find that they have a slight mid-bass hump when compared to the super tight LCD-2 bass and obviously don't go very deep (neither do most comparable monitors due to physical limitations)
> 
> I actually think the A3X have a lot in common with HE-6 which I listened to during the London meet. Their sound signature is very similar (extended treble, slightly recessed mids with the HE-6 handling deep bass better) and if I want to remind myself how the HE-6 sounded, I just turn my speakers on
> 
> ...


----------



## hardtarget666

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> Received mine today and totally agree with your sound description, massive step up from my 15 years old Boston Acoustics sub/sat set


 

 Glad your enjoying your setup. I just got the Adam stands and I can't recommend them enough. Tightened up the bass, mid-bass bloat that I was experiencing has dissappeared and the overall sound has improved tremendously. They are a notch up in terms of performance and the best part is they just cost me 30 quid. The stands are an absolute must have and for that price its almost a crime not to get them.


----------



## nc8000

There seems to be 2 different stands for them. Which ones did you get ?
  Is it these http://www.thomann.de/dk/adam_a3_stands_bk.htm ?
  
  Quote: 





hardtarget666 said:


> Glad your enjoying your setup. I just got the Adam stands and I can't recommend them enough. Tightened up the bass, mid-bass bloat that I was experiencing has dissappeared and the overall sound has improved tremendously. They are a notch up in terms of performance and the best part is they just cost me 30 quid. The stands are an absolute must have and for that price its almost a crime not to get them.


----------



## dagothur

So they're just monitor stands?


----------



## nc8000

That's what I assume but I know from other equipment that feet and tables/stands can make a significant difference


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> That's what I assume but I know from other equipment that feet and tables/stands can make a significant difference


 

   I've moved and shaken my Nuforce and speakers while listening to music, and it makes no difference.


----------



## nc8000

It can make a big difference what equipment sits on and how the acoustic coupling is


----------



## Inquartata

Quote: 





> WHATTTTT?? YOU GUYS STOP BLEEDING MY WALLET


 
   
   
  Laughing SO HARD. LOLOL.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> It can make a big difference what equipment sits on and how the acoustic coupling is


 

 So long as your speakers aren't vibrating horribly, the quality of the speaker should allow for some leeway in that regard.


----------



## Eric_C

I'm glad my comment's bringing so much joy to this thread, haha.
  But err...turns out the local distributors where I live don't bring in the E9i. How sad is that?


----------



## bryangww

Quote: 





musicturtle said:


> I'm pretty happy with this set up. It's lively and engaging bit strong at times which is making me consider picking up a DT 880 if I can wrangle one for cheap.


 


  Hey, where did you get the mod for the E9 to dock iphone?


----------



## nc8000

It's not a mod, it's the E9i http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QVMFXE/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/177-4570200-8143442


----------



## n-phect




----------



## Tilpo

n-phect said:


>



Did you just put a headphone on an LP? Won't that damage it?


And what does it say on the mixing table (or whatever you call the thing)? STUPIDITY Would be painful?


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  no it won't damage it. vinyl isn't a cd, its wax.
  its stupidity should be painful, it was on their when i bought it used for $450 , steal!


----------



## n-phect

I played the record with a fork, the sound was A MAZ ING


----------



## bryangww

lol. you brush your teeth there too? AWESOME


----------



## bryangww

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> It's not a mod, it's the E9i http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QVMFXE/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/177-4570200-8143442


 


  Will it still be able to support the E7?


----------



## nc8000

Not the way I understand it. The E9 supports the E7, the E9i supports an iDevice. 2 different products
  
  Quote: 





bryangww said:


> Will it still be able to support the E7?


----------



## wberghofer

Here’s my desk. The Mac Mini can be remotely controlled from my iPhone and is used to wirelessly stream music to different locations in my flat.
   

  My favorite place for headphone listening. The digital signal is received by an Apple Airport Express station placed below the coffee table.
   
  More from my setup and the place I live can be seen here:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here/4275#post_7530676


----------



## Victorious25

Here's my living room (I live alone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ):
   

   
  And a close-up on my actual equipment:
   

   
  Sorry about the crappy quality, I haven't used my camera in a long time and couldn't find the power cord for it, so had to use my phone.


----------



## fluffygdog95

A fellow Wisconsinite that has decent audio stuff? What? That is odd. I'm in Superior, way up north.
  
  Quote: 





victorious25 said:


> Here's my living room (I live alone
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Victorious25

Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> A fellow Wisconsinite that has decent audio stuff? What? That is odd. I'm in Superior, way up north.


     
  Haha, I feel your pain there my friend. The only time I get to go to any kind of hi-fi store or anything of the like is when I'm down in Chicago visiting a friend, luckily that is frequent.
  I live in La Crosse, south west WI.


----------



## fluffygdog95

Not too far away. I have a friend that is going to college in Eau Claire, so it is only a bit farther than that. At least there are a few of us in Wisconsin!


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





bryangww said:


> lol. you brush your teeth there too? AWESOME


 


  i am a wonderful multi tasker.


----------



## lazysleepyboi

Quote: 





fluffygdog95 said:


> Not too far away. I have a friend that is going to college in Eau Claire, so it is only a bit farther than that. At least there are a few of us in Wisconsin!


 


  you guys are lucky you have a headphone place over there, i dont believe that we have any such place here in Los angeles =/


----------



## Maverickmonk

Taken 5 minutes ago, since the last picture I've added a Teac EQA-10 graphics eq (currently used as a source selector with the EQ bipass switch on) that I got at a flea-market for $2, and a Denon DCD-815 CD player I picked up at goodwill for...$4.97 (original price in 1994 was around $275 to $300), I almost felt bad buying it for that cheap, and even moreso now that I have discovered it to be in perfect working order.
  Still listening through the SR60's, which oddly enough are probably the "weakest" link in my signal path now! Isn't that a little backwards?


----------



## MorbidToaster

They'll be fine. 
   
  Also, nice set up there. I miss my DJ stuff...I need to start rebuilding it once I get some extra space in this place...
   
  (Had to sell it because I couldn't afford storage...and it really helped with rent money ;~
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tilpo

maverickmonk said:


> Taken 5 minutes ago, since the last picture I've added a Teac EQA-10 graphics eq (currently used as a source selector with the EQ bipass switch on) that I got at a flea-market for $2, and a Denon DCD-815 CD player I picked up at goodwill for...$4.97 (original price in 1994 was around $275 to $300), I almost felt bad buying it for that cheap, and even moreso now that I have discovered it to be in perfect working order.
> Still listening through the SR60's, which oddly enough are probably the "weakest" link in my signal path now! Isn't that a little backwards?



I'm practically lit with envy right now.

I did get a free stereo amplifier, turntable and pair of speakers I found in the attic. But I don't know if that competes against your epic purchases.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice 2245 there. I just got a 2238 and popped it open to clean/replace the bulbs. Can't wait til it's in perfect working order again. Might have a 2250 coming my way soon, too. 
   
  Also, I love EQs. People can complain all they want about them, but they're fun to fiddle with every now and then.
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Taken 5 minutes ago, since the last picture I've added a Teac EQA-10 graphics eq (currently used as a source selector with the EQ bipass switch on) that I got at a flea-market for $2, and a Denon DCD-815 CD player I picked up at goodwill for...$4.97 (original price in 1994 was around $275 to $300), I almost felt bad buying it for that cheap, and even moreso now that I have discovered it to be in perfect working order.
> Still listening through the SR60's, which oddly enough are probably the "weakest" link in my signal path now! Isn't that a little backwards?


----------



## Maverickmonk

Goodluck with the 2250! I'm considering replacing the bulbs with LED's. Have you recapped the 2238? My 45 seems to be all okay after inspecting it visually and obviously based on how it sounds, (no obviously dried out capacitors or leaking capacitors) but I'm considering at least re-doing the amplifier and preamplifier boards, and replacing the huge output capacitors. I still drop by all the local thriftstores weekly hoping to score a motherload purchase. On audiokarma some people have found old 10xx series Marantz amps, Sansui's, jbl and Cerwin Vega speakers and even a few old McIntosh peices in thriftstores for dirt cheap. It's definitely worth it to check them out
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nice 2245 there. I just got a 2238 and popped it open to clean/replace the bulbs. Can't wait til it's in perfect working order again. Might have a 2250 coming my way soon, too.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Haven't done anything to it (including listening to it yet, although I know it works), but once I replace the bulbs I'll probably take it to a shop in town and see what they think. It's in alright shape, but it's been in storage.
  
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Goodluck with the 2250! I'm considering replacing the bulbs with LED's. Have you recapped the 2238? My 45 seems to be all okay after inspecting it visually and obviously based on how it sounds, (no obviously dried out capacitors or leaking capacitors) but I'm considering at least re-doing the amplifier and preamplifier boards, and replacing the huge output capacitors. I still drop by all the local thriftstores weekly hoping to score a motherload purchase. On audiokarma some people have found old 10xx series Marantz amps, Sansui's, jbl and Cerwin Vega speakers and even a few old McIntosh peices in thriftstores for dirt cheap. It's definitely worth it to check them out


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





wberghofer said:


> My favorite place for headphone listening. The digital signal is received by an Apple Airport Express station placed below the coffee table.


 

 Nice.  I did the same thing, with the Apple Airport Express under the table.  Clean and simple look!
   
  Here's mine, again.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Mine came in today and I want to ask you if your USB connects the docked device to your PC.
   
  I think my USB port is defective because it seems completely useless. 
  
  Quote: 





musicturtle said:


> I'm pretty happy with this set up. It's lively and engaging bit strong at times which is making me consider picking up a DT 880 if I can wrangle one for cheap.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> I played the record with a fork, the sound was A MAZ ING


 

 I think I just died a little.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


n-phect said:


> I played the record with a fork, the sound was A MAZ ING


 


  Sure, dude, you're not even using a beryllium-tipped chromium fork with resonance damping. You have no idea what kind of sound you could be getting with your dinnerware.


----------



## fluffygdog95

That is hilarious. 
  
  Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Sure, dude, you're not even using a beryllium-tipped chromium fork with resonance damping. You have no idea what kind of sound you could be getting with your dinnerware.


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Sure, dude, you're not even using a beryllium-tipped chromium fork with resonance damping. You have no idea what kind of sound you could be getting with your dinnerware.


 
  my head just exploded.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Sounds like an excuse to upgrade with 99.999% pure silver neuron's with cotton dielectric myelin sheaths in the temporal lobe to prevent subconscious crosstalk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





n-phect said:


> my head just exploded.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Sounds like an excuse to upgrade with 99.999% pure silver neuron's with cotton dielectric myelin sheaths in the temporal lobe to prevent subconscious crosstalk


 
   
  I think I suffer from this affliction...


----------



## naurispunk

This is me. A old vinyl player (Сонет 208 с-2), cold beer (Aldara pilzenes) and not so cheap headphones (AKG701). Everything else (except the recods) are left overs from my old PC that I don't use at the moment.


----------



## Tilpo

maverickmonk said:


> Sounds like an excuse to upgrade with 99.999% pure silver neuron's with cotton dielectric myelin sheaths in the temporal lobe to prevent subconscious crosstalk



I heard that the neuron's should be coated with either titanium or gold, to prevent oxidation. It's a pretty damp place up there, and the last thing you want floating around in your bloodstream is silver oxide.
On the other hand titanium can introduce jitter, so you will have to sacrifice a little bit of SQ for that extra build quality!


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





naurispunk said:


> This is me. A old vinyl player (Сонет 208 с-2), cold beer (Aldara pilzenes) and not so cheap headphones (AKG701). Everything else (except the recods) are left overs from my old PC that I don't use at the moment.


 


 Well what can i see there, is that frank turner in the background? finally i see frank turner on here yay!
  he has a great back collection of cds..... favourite song has to be ''Jet lag''.


----------



## naurispunk

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Well what can i see there, is that frank turner in the background? finally i see frank turner on here yay!
> he has a great back collection of cds..... favourite song has to be ''Jet lag''.


 

 It is. Arrived on monday. Unfortunately it arrived with Bad Religion's vinyl wich has been getting most of my attention


----------



## Wedge

Some rearranging.


----------



## jeust0999

Those are some exquisite choices of amplifiers.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





jeust0999 said:


> Those are some exquisite choices of amplifiers.


 

 you ain't lyin'.  geez louise.


----------



## Caphead78

Holy moly... Its safe to say I'm a bit jealous
  Quote: 





wedge said:


> Some rearranging.


----------



## Wedge

Thanks


----------



## Nom de Plume

x3. Amps galore. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> you ain't lyin'.  geez louise.


----------



## hardtarget666

Some quality hardware you got there!


----------



## dahan




----------



## dahan




----------



## Permagrin

^ Better pic with flash? Nice gear ya got there.

I noticed your laptop folded just enough to not go into sleep mode or whatever. I don't know if your OS supports it or you're interested but on mine I can go into advanced power settings and change what closing the lid does to nothing. Quite slick imo.

Cheers!


----------



## Tilpo

wedge said:


> Some rearranging.



I wish I even had close to the fortune it would take to purchase all that gear.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





wedge said:


> Some rearranging.


 

 Nice LCD-2 cable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

permagrin said:


> ^ Better pic with flash? Nice gear ya got there.
> 
> I noticed your laptop folded just enough to not go into sleep mode or whatever. I don't know if your OS supports it or you're interested but on mine I can go into advanced power settings and change what closing the lid does to nothing. Quite slick imo.
> 
> Cheers!




First thing I do with all my Windows based laptops. I actually run my S4 from my laptop in my backpack, rather than my phone sometimes.

Also, is that the Woo stand? I need a tall one for my HE 500.


----------



## -su

updates... just got a 4 lamps room heater  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   



   
  Amp/DAC:
  Maverick D1
  2 pcs DIY CMOY
  Bravo V2 mod
  DIY Gainclone LM1875
  LD MKIII <- the room heater!!
   
  Cans:
  Superlux HD681 mod
  Alessandro MS1i mod
  ATH AD-700 mod
  Shure SRH840
  DT880/250 mod


----------



## Permagrin

Hmm, the angle makes my T.V. look small... :etysmile:


----------



## Tilpo

permagrin said:


> Hmm, the angle makes my T.V. look small... :etysmile:



Nice rig. Could you maybe elaborate on the equipment? I wonder what amp you're using. 

On another note, the following has been quoted from your profile: "Headphone Inventory: Sennheiser HD 650 w/ SAA Equinox cable, Shure SE530s"
While the picture clearly shows an LCD-2. Could you explain this?


----------



## Permagrin

Explanation: I am lazy and don't update stuff. 

The amp is the Burson HA 160. Right next to it is the Burson Audio Buffer 160. As you can see they're not on cuz since I got some nice speakers (the Prodipe Pro 8s seen) I haven't been listening with headphones as much.

On top is the Onkyo C-S5VL, SACD player which is sitting next to the Anedio D1 DAC (/plays the sound of angels simultaneously).

Cheers!


----------



## Twinster

Is it me or the LCD2 look uge on your head? I read tey were heavy but I thought the K701 cups were big. I'm like you, bald and have a smaller then average size head so I guest they would look big on me too. I guest it's all about the sound. . Very nice rig!


----------



## revolink24

Yep, they look totally huge.


----------



## Permagrin

Thanks Twinster. I'm quite happy with it for the time being... lol.


----------



## blur510

nice rig!!
  
  Quote: 





permagrin said:


> Hmm, the angle makes my T.V. look small...


----------



## Permagrin

^ Thanks!


----------



## Nom de Plume

You legitimately have my dream headphone rig (D1>>>HA-160>>>LCD-2). For that, I despise you.
  Glorious rig, Permagrin. 
  
  Quote: 





permagrin said:


> Hmm, the angle makes my T.V. look small...


----------



## detoxguy

drool worthy for sure.
  
  Quote: 





wedge said:


> Some rearranging.


----------



## DragonOwen

Here is my home HP rig (see signature):


----------



## Dynobot

Mac Mini ---->Pure Music--->Firewire--->TC Konnekt 8--->Grado SR*80i--->Me


----------



## gopack87

Will probably sell my DACmini once Schiit's dac is released, but here's my current rig:


----------



## Dynobot

Windows 7 [not seen]+[XMPlay, Foobar, JRiver]--->Valab Dac--->Marantz 2230--->Fischer Audio FA-011--->Me


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





dynobot said:


>


 

 That's interesting. Is that a mike amp? I did a quick search on google.


----------



## Dynobot

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> That's interesting. Is that a mike amp? I did a quick search on google.


 

 Yep it has
  two mic inputs
  spdif input
  firewire input
  balanced output 1/4"
  balanced 1/4"input
  spdif output
  two headphone outputs.
   
  I think the headamp part could be better but the dac part is great.


----------



## HappyDonut

Damn everyone and their awesome setups...I'm going to go broke.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





dynobot said:


> Yep it has
> two mic inputs
> spdif input
> firewire input
> ...


 

 What is the advantage to having a mic amp?
   
  I'm going to try and post a pic later tonight!


----------



## Dynobot

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> What is the advantage to having a mic amp?
> 
> I'm going to try and post a pic later tonight!


 
   
   
  No advantage for me because I never use the Mic functionality.  Its for people who want to record using a Mic.
   
  The main reasons I bought it was because of the Dice anti-jitter technology the TC Electronics uses which it licenses to Weiss.  However its a very good stand alone Dac so now thats all I use it for.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Soundcards meant for recording often have very nice DACs. It's a somewhat overlooked way to go. I used one for a long time because I wanted to record my sets from my mixer. 
   
  There's no advantage to the features you don't use though.
  
  Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> What is the advantage to having a mic amp?
> 
> I'm going to try and post a pic later tonight!


----------



## justie

apogee is a recording interface but tons of people use it solely for DAC purposes.


----------



## Townyj

Im rather confused why you would want to downgrade or more likely a sideways move from the dacmini to the schiit dac....?? Already a few people have said it surpasses the DAC1 and others... But hey whatever floats ya boat.

  
  Quote: 





gopack87 said:


> Will probably sell my DACmini once Schiit's dac is released, but here's my current rig:


----------



## ocswing

Schiit will be releasing 3 DACs, and the first one will be an entry level one. Should be announced at the end of the month. Maybe he's thinking there will be some synergy there, or maybe he's talking about one of the later models they have planned.
  
  Quote: 





townyj said:


> Im rather confused why you would want to downgrade or more likely a sideways move from the dacmini to the schiit dac....?? Already a few people have said it surpasses the DAC1 and others... But hey whatever floats ya boat.


----------



## Townyj

Still... they better be darn good dacs in comparison. Once you start spending around the same mark its hard to justify the upgrade imo.

  
  Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Schiit will be releasing 3 DACs, and the first one will be an entry level one. Should be announced at the end of the month. Maybe he's thinking there will be some synergy there, or maybe he's talking about one of the later models they have planned.


----------



## gopack87

Quote: 





townyj said:


> Still... they better be darn good dacs in comparison. Once you start spending around the same mark its hard to justify the upgrade imo.


 



 Since I barely ever use the amp in the DACmini, I'd rather spend my money on a cheaper, stand alone dac.  Plus synergy with the Lyr from one of the Schiit dacs could also help


----------



## grokit

I would bet that he likes the Lyr better than the DacMini's amp, and that selling the DacMini could easily finance some new Schiit. Whoops he answered already!


----------



## EraserXIV




----------



## n-phect

i think this guy might have an opinion on what headphones sound good


----------



## MorbidToaster

HDJ 2000. Aww yeah. Reppin those.
  
  Quote: 





n-phect said:


> i think this guy might have an opinion on what headphones sound good


----------



## dagothur

Why does he have the sexy flagships in back?  It's like a dust cover on a Ferari.
  
  Quote: 





n-phect said:


> i think this guy might have an opinion on what headphones sound good


----------



## justie

He practically has the flagship models of every headphone company out there..lol


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Why does he have the sexy flagships in back?  It's like a dust cover on a Ferari.


 


  Maybe he's trying to hide them from burglars...


----------



## jronan2

I don't see any ortho's unless I'm blind. I wonder why?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> Maybe he's trying to hide them from burglars...


 


  Or he could just get a bunch of really low-price/crappy full-sized headphones and paint "Bose" on the ear cups to distract the burglar.


----------



## pow3rtr1p




----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Why does he have the sexy flagships in back?  It's like a dust cover on a Ferari.


 

 honestly , he probably has lost his mind.  Right now he is probably out in the woods with a microphone.


----------



## hduong

Here is my modest setup.  Excuse the poor pic.
   
  From left to right:  Denon AH-A100, Senn HD650, Audio-gd C2.1 and Audiolabs 8200CD.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


dagothur said:


> Or he could just get a bunch of really low-price/crappy full-sized headphones and paint "Bose" on the ear cups to distract the burglar.


 

 Probably more likely to take them if it says Bose, sadly.


----------



## Twinster

I think that what he was referring too whit painting the "Bose" name .
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> Probably more likely to take them if it says Bose, sadly.


----------



## sphinxvc

That's what I get for skimming.


----------



## AndyV

Interesting thread and some beatiful gear out there; they really make my K702 look dull 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. But what strikes me most is that it seems like a lot of folks need to save some money not on gear but on furniture upgrade or even do some home renovation LOL. I am not trying to insult anybody but I think those beautiful components and headphones deserve to be placed on as nice and beautiful peace of furniture. It may not change their sound but I TRULLY believe it will make your listening experience even more enjoyable.


----------



## elbuzzard

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> i think this guy might have an opinion on what headphones sound good


----------



## sidel

Quote: 





andyv said:


> Interesting thread and some beatiful gear out there; they really make my K702 look dull
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'd just like to point out that I especially enjoyed the cinder blocks one.  (not offense is meant _at all_)


----------



## nc8000

And the final iteration of my main rig after it has been moved to a shelf next to my bed and all phones recabled with TWag


----------



## Twinster

I don't know why those JBL are in the front row???? They would be the last pair I would use out of this selection


----------



## dagothur

He's hiding the sexy ones in the back.
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> I don't know why those JBL are in the front row???? They would be the last pair I would use out of this selection


----------



## scrappyz323

Here are some updated pictures, nothing to special.  Just my living room entertainment system and the desk in my bedroom.


----------



## Permagrin

^ I have that same Logitech dock/speakers. Very pleased with the sound.


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> He's hiding the bringing sexy ones in the back.


 

 There, I fixed it.


----------



## Lord Mike

I've rationed my headphone collection and have reduced it down to a single Audeze LCD-2 and the trusty Sennheiser HD25.
  Might have to invest in an Edition 8, plus some active ATC nearfields to clean up the cyrus stack.
  But for now, this keeps me very happy.


----------



## sphinxvc

^ Verry nice.


----------



## strannik

Those are the JBL Reference 510 noise cancelling phones. Used to own a pair until they broke. Muddy muddy muddy phones but the bass is decent.
  
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> I don't know why those JBL are in the front row???? They would be the last pair I would use out of this selection


----------



## lawrywild




----------



## Twinster

I know I owned the 410 version and was also Muddy. But at the time I didn't know better so I liked them. My Head-Fi journey started when my JBL 410 cable broked and I was desperated to buy them again because I though they were great. Bought another pair on eBay and while waiting for them to arrived I managed to fix the cable but came across this site from a Google link and my wallet as been flat since. Oh well! I managed to sold the JBL to a coworker and he still like them
  
  Quote: 





strannik said:


> Those are the JBL Reference 510 noise cancelling phones. Used to own a pair until they broke. Muddy muddy muddy phones but the bass is decent.


----------



## KZCloud89

Sweet setup!  Is that Sonus Faber Concertino and how does it sound so close to the wall?

  
  Quote: 





lord mike said:


> I've rationed my headphone collection and have reduced it down to a single Audeze LCD-2 and the trusty Sennheiser HD25.
> Might have to invest in an Edition 8, plus some active ATC nearfields to clean up the cyrus stack.
> But for now, this keeps me very happy.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Ugh I want a pair of those Pro DJ 100s. I've heard they're great...and they look sexy. I just hate that coiled cable. Such a bad decision for those cans. (IMO)
  Quote: 





scrappyz323 said:


> Here are some updated pictures, nothing to special.  Just my living room entertainment system and the desk in my bedroom.


----------



## Lord Mike

Quote: 





kzcloud89 said:


> Sweet setup!  Is that Sonus Faber Concertino and how does it sound so close to the wall?


 
   
  Hi,
  Yes, you are correct, they are Concertinos. Their placement is nowhere near ideal but I do try to bring them out from the wall
 for extended listening sessions.
  Our new apartment isn't exactly conducive to optimal transducer positioning, lol.


----------



## KZCloud89

I also have a pair of Electa Amator II on my fairly large desk now... and they sound horrible haha.  If I recall correctly they need about 3 feet of space to sound their best.  Hopefully we will be moving to a larger place in a few months so I can setup the EA II properly.


----------



## Lurkumaural

If they're inconvenient for you, I can certainly understand.  But they're DJ headphones.  Like studio headphones, you want them shorter at some times, longer at others, and then shorter again when you're back at your spot.  While I can empathize based on all the times I've had to awkwardly stuff coiled cable into my jacket pocket while walking down the street, I couldn't call this a bad design decision; in fact, it was probably the right decision.  Besides, doesn't a recable for exactly this reason happen all the time round these parts?  Because you're adapting purposed equipment to suit your alternative purpose?
   
  I too want these phones.  And because they wouldn't be work cans, I'd want a short, straight cable.  But I'm not gonna put the onus of this preference on the designers.
   
  I just realized that most DJs, even the ones who cut their teeth on hundreds of pounds of shelved or crated records, probably just use their laptops now.  So dipping back to hunker over a crate doesn't happen even nearly as much as it used to.  But I still love the function of a coiled cable, looks be damned.
   
  My two cents.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Ugh I want a pair of those Pro DJ 100s. I've heard they're great...and they look sexy. I just hate that coiled cable. Such a bad decision for those cans. (IMO)


----------



## wdahm519

This is a terrible looking, poorly lit station of mine.  My normal gig room is the living room in my apartment that is much more spacious and well it.  Sorry the pictures turned out like trash.  I tried to save them via Photoshop but they were just that bad.
   
  In the picture:
   
  - HD650 w/ DIY Silver Dragon V3 cable
  - DT990/250
  - SRH840
  - AD700
  - DIY headphone stand (brushed aluminum)
  - Cavalli Bijou amp
  - Twisted Pear Opus DAC w/ Ballsie (24bit/192kHz)
  - DIY Mogami mono interconnects w/ Canare F-09 mono phono plugs
  - MacBook Pro 2.66GHz
  - Self-built PC (3.4Ghz gaming machine with Foobar2k on it.. too loud for reference listening)
  - Crappy small desk w/ even more crappy small chair -- I miss my apartment.


----------



## grokit

Looks like a really nice job on the Bijou, the stand, and the cables, congrats


----------



## MorbidToaster

lurkumaural said:


> If they're inconvenient for you, I can certainly understand.  But they're DJ headphones.  L
> 
> ike studio headphones, you want them shorter at some times, longer at others, and then shorter again when you're back at your spot.  While I can empathize based on all the times I've had to awkwardly stuff coiled cable into my jacket pocket while walking down the street, I couldn't call this a bad design decision; in fact, it was probably the right decision.  Besides, doesn't a recable for exactly this reason happen all the time round these parts?  Because you're adapting purposed equipment to suit your alternative purpose?
> 
> ...




Oh no I understand WHY it's there, I just wish they'd given it a replaceable cable. It was really just a small gripe. I'd still portable them around.


----------



## TheWuss




----------



## dagothur

It looks like you're still borrowing my set-up.  Mind shipping the cans back?
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


>


----------



## Gurloes

I had my father-in-law make me a headphone stand for my desk.


----------



## MickeyVee

Holy Head-Fi Batman! Wow! What a setup!
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


>


----------



## Nom de Plume

D7000. LCD-2. Edition 8. The 3 headphones I covet the most... I'm green with jealousy. 
 Gorgeous collection!
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


>


----------



## AndyV

This is probably the old school...


----------



## RazorJack

World's most horrible photographer's rig:


----------



## leng jai

Major changes lately.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 


  I like your Goomba.


----------



## maximosa

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 
  Love the layout of your room. CM5s are looking boss.


----------



## jmkarthi

Nice arrangement there..
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 

  
  a framed Wings poster!!
  (your room, i.e. your collection of stuff, is sweet.)


----------



## Caphead78

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 

 Why 2 PS3's?


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





caphead78 said:


> Why 2 PS3's?


 

 Multiplayer


----------



## leng jai

Just cause. 
   
  Quote:


caphead78 said:


> Why 2 PS3's?


----------



## BrucYSN

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 

 I love the room arrangement, that's something i would do, btw what do you use to power those B&W baby


----------



## BrucYSN

Quote: 





scrappyz323 said:


> Here are some updated pictures, nothing to special.  Just my living room entertainment system and the desk in my bedroom.


 

 don't crash your TV


----------



## leng jai

The Cambridge amp in my sig.

  
  Quote: 





brucysn said:


> I love the room arrangement, that's something i would do, btw what do you use to power those B&W baby


----------



## lyons238

sennheiser hd280 pro headphones (soon to be replaced) and a focusrite saffre 6 audio interface. i wont list the rest of the gear for the sake of this forum.


----------



## Lurkumaural

I never thought the HD 280 looked very desirable, but seeing it in the context of a modest home production studio changes my mind. This right here is why I dig black headphones like SRH 840 so much.

How do you like the MPK? I had already made all my acquisitions by the time Akai released the '49, so I very much missed the boat on that.

Also, I'm curious as to what extent you or anyone else here uses their studio I/O interface as their main headphone rig. I'm supposed to be shopping for an amp for my >600Ohm pieces, but in the meantime I've got a perfectly good DAC that drives my 2kOhm to way loud by four ticks past silence, so really I've been lagging on even researching new gear.

I should take pictures of my stuff.


----------



## Arleus

I use a Saffire 6 too as both my DAC and headphone amp at the moment when I'm too lazy to turn a desktop amp on. As a DAC, it's essentially transparent, and it's much more featured than a hi-fi DAC in that I like the line/mic/instrument inputs and phantom power, etc. etc. As a headphone amp, it's a bit underpowered (fine for my Grados and K702s, but maybe not for anything up in the 300 Ohm range or low sensitivity cans), and the output impedance is a bit on the high side for low impedance headphones (being quoted at <7ohms). Obviously those two things don't go great together - high output impedance and low power output. Most of the time though, it's 'good enough'.


----------



## lyons238

Quote: 





lurkumaural said:


> I never thought the HD 280 looked very desirable, but seeing it in the context of a modest home production studio changes my mind. This right here is why I dig black headphones like SRH 840 so much.
> 
> How do you like the MPK? I had already made all my acquisitions by the time Akai released the '49, so I very much missed the boat on that.
> 
> ...


 
   
  yeah the hd280's are pretty nice. the bass is not as prominent as i would like it but they are very predictable and good for producing. im actually selling them on ebay but i may cancel the auction and keep them as a second pair of headphones to my ultrasones.
   
  the mpk is really nice. i love all of its features and it is solid as ****. the pads are a little stiff and not as responsive as i would like out of the box. but i did the electrical tape mod which you can look up on google/youtube and now they are nice and sensitive. the mod is very simple and takes about a half hour. or you could just buy the fat pads from mpcstuff.com.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My Axiom 49 has done me very well as far as my (minor) production work has gone. Paired with Omnisphere (VST)...I've enjoyed making some completely synth based Ambient stuff. Haven't had ANY time to DJ (poor DJM 800, just sitting there getting no love ;~, or produce since I got my new job though...
   
  I need to get a little laptop controller like that and start recording a few sets again. I need to just sell my huge rig...It won't be space friendly for my new place...and it'd pay like...6 months worth of rent.


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ... (Jun 19, 2020)

...


----------



## lyons238

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> My Axiom 49 has done me very well as far as my (minor) production work has gone. Paired with Omnisphere (VST)...I've enjoyed making some completely synth based Ambient stuff. Haven't had ANY time to DJ (poor DJM 800, just sitting there getting no love ;~, or produce since I got my new job though...
> 
> I need to get a little laptop controller like that and start recording a few sets again. I need to just sell my huge rig...It won't be space friendly for my new place...and it'd pay like...6 months worth of rent.


 

 yeah its a vci-100. they're solid as **** and they can be modded with new firmware update that adds resolution to the jogs and a whole bunch of other features. they also got custom overlays to go with better mapping. and they have the arcade mod which replaces the 4 buttons below the jog wheels with arcade buttons for beat juggling. all this can be found at djtechtools.com
   
  my lil vci-100 set me back 400 bones though.
   
  btw i had an axiom 25 but sold it to get the mpk. i like the mpk much better. but the axioms are pretty good too.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


>


 

 It still surprises me how many people have a q audio cable.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> i think this guy might have an opinion on what headphones sound good


 


  beautiful!!!!


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





lyons238 said:


> sennheiser hd280 pro headphones (soon to be replaced) and a focusrite saffre 6 audio interface. i wont list the rest of the gear for the sake of this forum.


 

 hey that computer has green buttons!


----------



## shaunybaby

i love looking at some of these setups but atm mine is just too low fi to show on here, but when i get my lyr i might give you guys a peak at my man cave.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


 

 That's a pretty clever way to combine a bedroom with a living room.  If I was still single and lived in a studio apartment, that is exactly what I would do too.
   
  It's kind of curious that psychologically, I shouldn't be thinking that, since now I have a 2-story home with plenty of room and my own private studio build right into the 2nd floor, but there's just something very enticing about that studio apartment aesthetic of having everything in one room.


----------



## meme

Main system as of July ~ just added an almost finished β22.


----------



## Twinster

That a major case work on the B22 ( I'm assuming the copper finish is the Beta & Sigma).
Very awesome and unique. Congrat!

Now it make me want to build one for myself.


----------



## Twinster

Can you share some more pictures of your B22 with inside shot if possible? Thanks


----------



## Tilpo

twinster said:


> Can you share some more pictures of your B22 with inside shot if possible? Thanks



I agree.
It looks beautiful!


----------



## muad

we want more pics! we want more pics!


----------



## RexAeterna

here quick pics. i suck a picture taking.




















you can make fun of my set-up. doesn't bother me. i'm no fashion expert and only 23. it's clean and does it's job absorbing the midrange and high frequencies.also cleans up the imagery and soundstage as well allowing it to be more accurate. just need to add some bass traps and i be set cause i notice lot of build-up in the corners with loud low frequencies.


----------



## detoxguy

here's where I'm at right now. I also have a D-12 and LD1+ running off my MBP in my office/man cave.


----------



## Geruvah

Stand for the HD-650 is on top of the lights, but I was using it.


----------



## Leiker535

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> here quick pics. i suck a picture taking.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Your cat is sleeping on the keyboard o.O?


----------



## RexAeterna

not really. my keyboard was on top of my monitor at that moment but he can be a big pain. he still acts like a big kitten and loves my attention.


----------



## Borgbox

Can I have that Akai APC? I'll tell you what I think of it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





geruvah said:


> Stand for the HD-650 is on top of the lights, but I was using it.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> not really. my keyboard was on top of my monitor at that moment but he can be a big pain. he still acts like a big kitten and loves my attention.


 

 Mine does that too, I guess he figures that if my hands are moving he's bound to be getting some petting so he move in on the keyboard.


----------



## meme

Quote:


twinster said:


> That a major case work on the B22 ( I'm assuming the copper finish is the Beta & Sigma).
> Very awesome and unique. Congrat!
> 
> Now it make me want to build one for myself.


 
   
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> Can you share some more pictures of your B22 with inside shot if possible? Thanks


 
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I agree.
> It looks beautiful!


 


  Thanks for the kind words - it's definitely worth the time, effort and (sometimes) pain building one. I've just posted some nicer pics, including internals here.


----------



## Twinster

Thank you Meme for sharing your nice work on the Beta 22. It's the most beautiful amplifier I have ever seen. Have you build the case from 3mm aluminum sheet?


----------



## strannik

You keep exercise weights within a foot of a tube amp? Blasphemy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Major changes lately.


----------



## meme

Quote: 





twinster said:


> Thank you Meme for sharing your nice work on the Beta 22. It's the most beautiful amplifier I have ever seen. Have you build the case from 3mm aluminum sheet?


 


  Glad you like it!
   
  Yep, I chose 3mm because it's a sensible thickness, easier to cut and mount stuff on. Though it seems that thicker (e.g. 5mm) ali polishes and brushes better for some reason. I only really used copper for looks, because it's harder I only used that for the front panels as there wasn't much drilling to be done.


----------



## LiqTenExp

Made some simple pine shelves to fit everything today.


----------



## sesshin

Nice layout!


----------



## nakaroxx

wow
  which denon is it?5000?what amp are you using with?


----------



## LiqTenExp

AH-D5000
   
  I use it with the Lyr and NFB-12.  The DT770-250 ohms I use with everything but mostly the LD.  The MKVI+ is for the balanced LCD-2 and I also could use the LCD-2 with the Lyr or NFB-12 if I swap it back to the SE cable.


----------



## n-phect




----------



## WobblyGoblin

LiqTenExp
  Nice setup. How do you like the lyr vs the Littledot VI+ for the LCD-2?


----------



## LiqTenExp

They are both very good amps for the LCD-2.  I prefer the LD MKVI+ a tad over the Lyr.  Though the Lyr is 1/2 the cost of the MKVI+ (when both are tubed as they currently are).  I have a post about them in the amps for LCD-2 thread.


----------



## WobblyGoblin

Thanks, that pretty much answers the question I was asking. I'm not sure I'd spend twice as much for a tad better. Will have a look in that thread for the full post. Thanks again.


----------



## LiqTenExp

A tad better here and there is all you will get past the Lyr given the same headphones/source/media and only swapping amps.  You really will have to spend some $$$ to find a worth wild improvement.


----------



## muad

more pictures of the amp please    I love copper!
  Quote: 





meme said:


> Glad you like it!
> 
> Yep, I chose 3mm because it's a sensible thickness, easier to cut and mount stuff on. Though it seems that thicker (e.g. 5mm) ali polishes and brushes better for some reason. I only really used copper for looks, because it's harder I only used that for the front panels as there wasn't much drilling to be done.


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 

 geez so girly  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  that is the coolest headphone stand eva, ill buy that.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> _*geez so girly *_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Nom de Plume

Actually lol'd.


----------



## mmayer167

^ haha samz, nice post up thur, by the way Dragon Ball z was one of my fav shows a while back during the middle school days...
   
  M


----------



## Currawong

Toobs!
   
  Cans, from left to right: LCD-2, Symphones Magnums (The best Grado that Grado never made IMO), Stax SR-009, Smeggy's Fostex TP-50 "Thunderpants" and MB Quart QP-400s (below).
   
  Amps: Cavalli Audio Stacker II (hand-built by dBel84), Stax SRM-007t, Audio-gd Phoenix (below in the last pic).
   
  Headphone stands: Ironically they are about the cheapest available: Koss Hold-a-fones and on the right the largest bull-dog clips available.


----------



## justie

Epic win. especially the first three headphones
   
  Quote: 





currawong said:


> Toobs!
> 
> Cans, from left to right: LCD-2, Symphones Magnums (The best Grado that Grado never made IMO), Stax SR-009, Smeggy's Fostex TP-50 "Thunderpants" and MB Quart QP-400s (below).
> 
> ...


----------



## msninja

Updated pics. Zebrano version of the Sieveking Omega stand for the LCD-2's. Sony MDR-Z1000 at the back for portable use and for the times my gf yells that the LCD-2's are too loud   DIY VH Audio Pulsar Ag cables with Eichmann Bullet plugs.
  FLAC-->Squeezebox Touch-->Benchmark DAC1-->Lyr-->LCD-2
  Also, a Sonab 85 S for the vinyls. (I  have a working Sonab R-4000.2 for it as well)


----------



## plastick

Magnepan MG 20.1 
  AudioResearch-everything
  Rotel Compact Disc
  Home Depot copper wire for speaker wire
  Hydra power purification (doesn't do anything)
  Velodyne low end


----------



## justie

Nice remote control collection 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





plastick said:


> Magnepan MG 20.1
> AudioResearch-everything
> Rotel Compact Disc
> Home Depot copper wire for speaker wire
> ...


----------



## plastick

@ Justie:
   
  I know right?! They are so annoying!
   
  I need one of those fancy Logitech Harmony remotes, haha


----------



## Twinster

Hello Currawong
   
  When you say the  "Symphones Magnums (The best Grado that Grado never made IMO)" can you please provide some impression or link me to proper thread?  I have a set of MS2i that I was thinking of getting upgrade but found their cost a bit to high.
   
  Regards
   
  Simon
  
  Quote: 





currawong said:


> Toobs!
> 
> Cans, from left to right: LCD-2, Symphones Magnums (The best Grado that Grado never made IMO), Stax SR-009, Smeggy's Fostex TP-50 "Thunderpants" and MB Quart QP-400s (below).
> 
> ...


----------



## Permagrin

plastick said:


>




Maggies and real wood floors (dark even) I hate you.


----------



## gelocks

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 

 Darn it!!!
  I WANT THOSE 598s!!!
   
  (and now I want that headphone stand too!!! lol!!)


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 


  Whoa! Where did you get that headphone stand?


----------



## jamesnz

Any decent art supplies shop should have mannequin hands. Good idea!
  Quote: 





wind016 said:


> Whoa! Where did you get that headphone stand?


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





gelocks said:


> Darn it!!!
> I WANT THOSE 598s!!!
> 
> (and now I want that headphone stand too!!! lol!!)


 

 You definitely dont want THOSE EXACT 598s lol...as in the very one in this picture.  They are busted and being returned to sennheiser for replacement.  Yes, they are amazing and my absolute favorite set of the last 15 years sub $1000.  Its rattling and the bass is heavily distorted.  
   


  Quote: 





wind016 said:


> Whoa! Where did you get that headphone stand?


 
   
  I took a trip to awesome island and came back with it.  The locals on the island told me the legend of the most awesome headphones stand of all time, long did I trek into the wild, braving the elements and the wild beasts of old before the very ground shook before my rage, opening up and presenting me with this...ye' artists hand model with pliable fingers that is sold at pretty much any wood or crafts shop 
   
  someone posted a link to them online, but I can't recall where, its about $15 bucks


----------



## jraul7

I see an Ovation, nice guitars.... I think I have that one, is it the shallow or the medium bowl model?
   
  Also a fellow owner of a pair of 598's


----------



## jraul7

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 
   
  I see an Ovation, nice guitars.... I think I have that one, is it the shallow or the medium bowl model?
   
  Also a fellow owner of a pair of 598's


----------



## swbf2cheater

Its a medium bowl but thats a galveston.  It feels more solid and has a much nicer neck than the real ovation I have   The galv is only $100 used
   
  This is my real ovation celebrity in red on the far left below while it sounds better than the Galveston via an amp, it doesnt feel anywhere near as good as the galveston does.  
   
  Ovation celebrity, Dead Vendetta, Westone from the 1970s amazing guitar, and a blueridge acoustic, i also have a few squire fenders that arent worth uploading in picture form

   

   
  Then there is my gypsy guitar, an eagletone gypsy jazz model, I also have a Stagg brand that looks identical to this.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





plastick said:


>


 

 Oh lord. That room is perfect. What kind of wood is the flooring?


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> You definitely dont want THOSE EXACT 598s lol...as in the very one in this picture.  They are busted and being returned to sennheiser for replacement.  Yes, they are amazing and my absolute favorite set of the last 15 years sub $1000.  Its rattling and the bass is heavily distorted.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 LOL That's a Grado way of greeting.


----------



## Nom de Plume

I must find this!
  
  Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


----------



## swbf2cheater

http://gifts.barnesandnoble.com/Home-gift/Wooden-Female-Hand-Artists-Model/e/9780641712159


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


----------



## Nom de Plume

Thank you!
  
  Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> http://gifts.barnesandnoble.com/Home-gift/Wooden-Female-Hand-Artists-Model/e/9780641712159


----------



## jraul7

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Its a medium bowl but thats a galveston.  It feels more solid and has a much nicer neck than the real ovation I have   The galv is only $100 used
> 
> This is my real ovation celebrity in red on the far left below while it sounds better than the Galveston via an amp, it doesnt feel anywhere near as good as the galveston does.
> 
> ...


 
  The Westone looks very nice, and I've never seen a gipsy guitar.... that's a small sound hole, how's the volume?
   
  Before we get thrown out of here to guitar-fi or instruments-fi, these are my guitars:
   

   
  Telecaster Standard (Mexican), My Ovation Celebrity, medium bowl and a no name nylon stringed guitar I picked up at Mexico just because it looked cool. Doesn't play bad, but is not too loud and the action is quite high after the 6th fret (the neck is a little curved). I really like the Ovation, but you need to play with a strap always or else it will slip due to the plastic bowl. The Tele plays like a Tele, great action, could use better electronics.
   
  My latest acquisition:
   

   
  Ibanez Artcore.... great action and sound, I really like this guitar, even unplugged. (POS Fender amp, and the pedal board was sold, I have not been able to play a lot lately).
   
  Last but not least:
   

   
  My acoustic drums, Tama Rockstar... its an entry level kit, but some of the cymbals are really good, all picked up used in eBay (the electronic set in the left has also been sold).
   
  Back to the "listening to music" subject, picking up a second instrument is great because all the music seems new, as you tend to focus more on, in my case, the drums.... as I used to focus more in the guitars which were my first instrument.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Gypsy guitars project very loud with minimal resonance,usually the oval hole models are meant to create sharp, loud, clear solo notes and the d hole models are usually for back up. Go on YouTube right now and search for stochelo Rosenberg, bireli lagrene, ams django Reinhardt so you can get an idea of the gypsy guitar sound and style


----------



## danne

Overveiw

   
  Close up

   
  Detail


----------



## Borgbox

hmm looks like i need to polish up my old washburn and get some new pictures of it.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





danne said:


> Overveiw
> 
> 
> Close up
> ...


 

 Wow, i love it. Tubes... next to a 3 monitored setup. I need to sell some receivers, and than ill see what i can do.


----------



## gelocks

Gorgeous set-up!!
  I need to stop looking at these... **envy mode on!!!**


----------



## Borgbox

these photos made me instantly decide to get a Woo Audio stand.
  
  Quote: 





danne said:


> Overveiw
> 
> 
> Close up
> ...


----------



## danne

Good choice, they are very high quality and looks brilliant!
  I just need to find something to balance out the other side of the stand, you cant have a pair of balanced HD800 and then have an unbalanced headphone stand!
  
  Quote: 





borgbox said:


> these photos made me instantly decide to get a Woo Audio stand.


----------



## gelocks

Quote: 





danne said:


> Good choice, they are very high quality and looks brilliant!
> I just need to find something to balance out the other side of the stand, you cant have a pair of balanced HD800 and then have an unbalanced headphone stand!


 

 LOL! Nice!
  I guess "normal" cheapo "stands" will do for me unless I start getting more
  expensive cans and equipment!


----------



## mitsu763

Photo was taken with my phone. The Pioneer is in need of repair but serves well as a phono stage, tuner, switcher. The WA6 is relatively new to me. Phones are HF2 and PRO 750.


----------



## jraul7

I really, really want a tube amplifier.... but for the wrong reason, they look so cool....


----------



## lawrywild

Quote: 





jraul7 said:


> I really, really want a tube amplifier.... but for the wrong reason, they look so cool....


 


  Is it really a wrong reason?


----------



## grokit

Quote:  

 Very nice in it's (lack of) color scheme, you could call your man cave the Black Hole.


----------



## danne

It does indeed need some more color, but some how you always manage to pick the black stuff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> Very nice in it's (lack of) color scheme, you could call your man cave the Black Hole.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





jraul7 said:


> Ibanez Artcore.... great action and sound, I really like this guitar, even unplugged. (POS Fender amp, and the pedal board was sold, I have not been able to play a lot lately).


 

 forgot to mention i owned a sunburst as75 model, i think thats what it was called but i sold that for an ipod touch when they first came out heh :[  what a dippidy doo dah i was for daps a few years ago lol


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





danne said:


> It does indeed need some more color, but some how you always manage to pick the black stuff


 


 Black head-phone gear looks more efficient and machinist to me.  My Nuforce looks all efficient and deadly.


----------



## 166848

little dot, pure i-20, ipod 160gb, grado 325is


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Duckman




----------



## cifani090

Quote:  

 I Spy the Violectric V200 headphone amp, that i once reviewed


----------



## BrucYSN

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> You definitely dont want THOSE EXACT 598s lol...as in the very one in this picture.  They are busted and being returned to sennheiser for replacement.  Yes, they are amazing and my absolute favorite set of the last 15 years sub $1000.  Its rattling and the bass is heavily distorted.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I have to get those! please give us more info!!!


----------



## BrucYSN

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Toobs!
> 
> Cans, from left to right: LCD-2, Symphones Magnums (The best Grado that Grado never made IMO), Stax SR-009, Smeggy's Fostex TP-50 "Thunderpants" and MB Quart QP-400s (below).
> 
> ...


 

 Was it true that Sr-009 is better than the Sennheiser Orpheus?


----------



## Duckman

You spy rightly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> I Spy the Violectric V200 headphone amp, that i once reviewed


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





brucysn said:


> I have to get those! please give us more info!!!


 

 I posted a link to where to buy them on the last page.  Now, If anyone wants them I will charge an "arm and a leg" as I have access to lots of new stock.  Any takers?  Just raise your hand :3


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


mitsu763 said:


> Photo was taken with my phone. The Pioneer is in need of repair but serves well as a phono stage, tuner, switcher. The WA6 is relatively new to me. Phones are HF2 and PRO 750.


 

 Nice.


----------



## Zombie_X

I ordered some Audioengine 5's to replace the Audioengine 2's. The AE2's will be my TV speakers now 
   
  Also I bought a metal rack so now I have room for more gear!
   
  I will post pictures later this week once the AE5's come.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I ordered some Audioengine 5's to replace the Audioengine 2's. The AE2's will be my TV speakers now
> 
> Also I bought a metal rack so now I have room for more gear!
> 
> I will post pictures later this week once the AE5's come.


 

 You have a huge stack of amps.


----------



## jmkarthi

Hi danne,
   
  That is an amazing setup you got there. Just out of curiosity what kind of music you listen to ? 
   
  Thanks,
  Karthik
   
  Quote: 





danne said:


> Overveiw
> 
> 
> Close up
> ...


----------



## fatcat28037

Update from post #484. I just made a serious change in my setup replacing my transport, DAC and SACD player with a Yahama CD-S2000 player with balanced output.


----------



## sphinxvc

Very nice.


----------



## danne

Thanks!
   
  If I have to chose one, it would be Sinatra, but its quite mixed, but I guess its more jazz than anything else.
  Quote: 





jmkarthi said:


> Hi danne,
> 
> That is an amazing setup you got there. Just out of curiosity what kind of music you listen to ?
> 
> ...


----------



## KZCloud89

I drool every time I see those WA22


----------



## Twinster

Very nice setup indeed!
  
  Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> I just made a serious change in my setup replacing my transport, DAC and SACD player with a Yahama CD-S2000 player with balanced output.


----------



## jeust0999

Silver Woo's look stunning, but the black Woo really grew on me. Gotta get one, soon.


----------



## zero7525

Dt880s (32ohm) and Little Dot 1+ with WE408A tubes and LM4562 opamp
   

   
  EDIT: updated pic


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> Update from post #484. I just made a serious change in my setup replacing my transport, DAC and SACD player with a Yahama CD-S2000 player with balanced output.


 

 Beautiful setup. I bought my CD-S1000 before I got into headfi, but would definitely have purchased the CD-S2000 in hindsight. The internal DAC is fantastic. Love the amber display too!
   
  Here's my black unit.......it's running via analog out to my receiver for 2 channel (pure direct, bi-amped to my Paradigm Studio 40's), and SPDIF out to Matrix Mini-I and Schiit Lyr.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Beautiful setup. I bought my CD-S1000 before I got into headfi, but would definitely have purchased the CD-S2000 in hindsight. The internal DAC is fantastic. Love the amber display too!
> 
> Here's my black unit.......it's running via analog out to my receiver for 2 channel (pure direct, bi-amped to my Paradigm Studio 40's), and SPDIF out to Matrix Mini-I and Schiit Lyr.


 


  Thanks, I really like the CD-S2000, the SACD playback is the best I've heard. I'd been cruising the net for a year looking for one I could afford when I stumbled on this one, a dealer demo in sliver. I just lucked out. Don't you just love the way the CD drawer closes? It sounds like a vault being closed.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Well, I've basically changed over my entire system recently (source, dac, amp) and a few headphones too...so here's the "latest and greatest" photos of my rig. 



CD Player/Transport: Cambridge Audio 650C Azur
DAC: Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2
Amps: Woo Audio WA22 / Schiit Audio Lyr / ibasso D4
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800, beyerdynamic T1, Hifiman HE-6, Audeze LCD-2, Ultrasone Ed. 8 LE


----------



## Zombie_X

Here' pictures of my re-arranged rig:
   

  Audioengine A5's!!! Like 3 times the size of the A2's!
   

   

   

  My old lay-out featuring A2 speakers...
   

  Another pic of my layout, but this time shows the A2's...
   
   
*AND NOW FOR MY DADS RIG:*
   

   

   

   

   

  Gotta love Gold Lion KT88 tubes!


----------



## BobSaysHi




----------



## gelocks

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


>


 

 x2!!!!!!
   
  I have to win the Lotto!!!
  wow!


----------



## Zombie_X

I guess you guys are referring to the pictures I posted?
  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


>


 
   
  Quote: 





gelocks said:


> x2!!!!!!
> 
> I have to win the Lotto!!!
> wow!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I guess you guys are referring to the pictures I posted?


 

 yup


----------



## Maverickmonk

wow, are you looking for a cousin or something? Because I can have an application in the mail tomorrow.


----------



## Zombie_X

If you're aiming that at me then that's good with me  I need more friends anyways.
  
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> wow, are you looking for a cousin or something? Because I can have an application in the mail tomorrow.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


macedonianhero said:


> Well, I've basically changed over my entire system recently (source, dac, amp) and a few headphones too...so here's the "latest and greatest" photos of my rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The Cary's gone?  Was DAC-2 an upgrade or sidegrade for balanced?


----------



## MacedonianHero

sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> The Cary's gone?  Was DAC-2 an upgrade or sidegrade for balanced?




I needed balanced for my WA22. SPDIF-wise they were both very good....but with USB, I do give the nod to the W4S DAC-2.


----------



## N0sferatu

The Headphone Rig
   
  Audio-GD FUN
  Denon AH-D7000
  Sennheiser HD 600 (with HD650 cable)
   

   
  My home theater setup when I don't have to worry about annoying my neighbors (I'm temporarily in an apartment).  Mostly that sub to the left of the TV is what I have to be careful with.  Hehe.  Pardon the wires on the floor I had my drum kit hooked up to the rig before shooting the photo.
   
  LG 55" TV
 Onkyo TX-NR807 AV Receiver THX Select2 Certified
  Front Stage: Klipsch RB-61, RC-52
  Surrounds: Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 (rear not pictured)
  Subwoofer: Outlaw LFM-1 EX


----------



## Zombie_X

I wanted to list everything in my set-up that I use and it's total value:
   
*My Gear:*
  DAC: Music Hall DAC25.2 (with nos Amaperex 6DJ8)
  Source #1: Marantz SACD/DVD VC6001
  Source #2: PC via USB to Pop-Pulse SPDIF II
  Amp #1: Woo Audio WA3+ (Heavily modded),
  Amp #2: Audio-GD ROC
  Amp #3: Musical Fidelity X-CANV8P (With Pinkie V3i PSU, Bugle Boy 6DJ8's)
  Headphones: T1, DT880, DT990, DT250, HD600, K702, MAGNUM V2.5, PRODJ100, KSC75, PX100-IIi, SR-80i
   
   
*Dads Gear:*
  Source #1: Music Hall CD35.2 (Onyx OEM version)
  Source #2: Sony Blu-Ray 
  Pre-Amp: Signature SRp-7g
  Power Amp: Signature SRa4
  Tube Buffer: Musical Fidelity X-10v8 (With Pinkie V3i PSU)
  Surround Receiver: Harmon-Kardon AVR240
  Power Conditioning #1: Tripp Lite ISOlator
  Power Conditioning #2: Tripp Lite LCR2400
  Turn Table: Music Hall MMF5 (w/ Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC Cart.)
  Subwoofer(s): 2x Dayton Audio 10" (no model number on chasis)
  Speakers #1: 2x Wharfedale Opus 2-1
  Speakers #2: 1x Dayton Audio 3-way Center Channel
  Speakers #3: 2x RCA Speakers (yet again no model number)


----------



## Clayton SF




----------



## jmkarthi

*WOW...*  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I wanted to list everything in my set-up that I use and it's total value:


 


  aka look how big my (insert you know what) is...especially addoing the "+" after the total cost haha!
   
  ...you just posted the pictures a few posts back and now this lol...too funny.  I'm not picking on your personally but I can pick someone off who's trying to flaunt a mile out and that's you.


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote:  
   
  awesome setup dude!!!


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Thanks. Sometimes I switch them around--as you will notice. I stopped rolling tubes and now am rolling amps.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Yesterday I used the Zana Deux SE as a preamp. Awesome sounding as a preamp!


----------



## grokit

Yes that's pretty impressive Clayton, nice room as well as your gear of course. All you need now is a zero gravity chair but you probably just didn't picture it.


----------



## Clayton SF

I've never head of a Zero Gravity Chair.
  Like this one? I should look into it.
  Wow. It costs about as much as a good set of headphones and/or headphone amp.


----------



## Zombie_X

Perhaps that was not necessary on my part. I just wanted to add that bit in but I guess it was unneeded. I'll delete the prices out. It's not like I meant to show off, well maybe a little but it's kinda rude to so out the prices will go.
  
  Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> aka look how big my (insert you know what) is...especially addoing the "+" after the total cost haha!
> 
> ...you just posted the pictures a few posts back and now this lol...too funny.  I'm not picking on your personally but I can pick someone off who's trying to flaunt a mile out and that's you.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've never head of a Zero Gravity Chair.
> Like this one? I should look into it.
> Wow. It costs about as much as a good set of headphones and/or headphone amp.





  Yes exactly like that one, it's NASA-approved technology


----------



## Clayton SF

Hey, Zombie_X:
   
  Cool list of your set-up gear.
  And there's nothing wrong with sharing the prices. After all, this thread is all about showing off, isn't it?


----------



## 166848




----------



## Zombie_X

Maybe so but now I feel bad as if I was just putting it out there to show off, which I kinda was.
   
  Also....DARN MAN!! Lot Oh Woo goodness in your pics! Is that PerfectWave transport in there as well? Man what speakers are those? Really rad set-up man.
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Hey, Zombie_X:
> 
> Cool list of your set-up gear.
> And there's nothing wrong with sharing the prices. After all, this thread is all about showing off, isn't it?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Maybe so but now I feel bad as if I was just putting it out there to show off, which I kinda was.


 
  And I'm not showing off as well by posting a gazillion of my amps for all to see. Hey, don't feel bad--you're in good company. "Broke" company. 
   
  The speakers are by Zu Audio. They're called Omen Standard. Yes that is a Perfect Wave Transport. And the discontinued Woo Audio 4.


----------



## flaming_june

I'm personally a big fan of those zu audio speakers.


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> And I'm not showing off as well by posting a gazillion of my amps for all to see. Hey, don't feel bad--you're in good company. "Broke" company.
> 
> The speakers are by Zu Audio. They're called Omen Standard. Yes that is a Perfect Wave Transport. And the discontinued Woo Audio 4.


 

  
  Hey no worries man!  My headphone setup is nothing fancy...I've got more thrown into my home theater than anything else at this point.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> Hey no worries man!  My headphone setup is nothing fancy...I've got more thrown into my home theater than anything else at this point.


 
  Ah. Home theater. If I had the room I would get into home theater but unfortunately I live in an apartment and I couldn't possibly enjoy the full benefits of HT with neighbors so close. That's why the headphone route. I could get lost in HT and good popcorn and good speakers and subwoofers.


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Ah. Home theater. If I had the room I would get into home theater but unfortunately I live in an apartment and I couldn't possibly enjoy the full benefits of HT with neighbors so close. That's why the headphone route. I could get lost in HT and good popcorn and good speakers and subwoofers.


 

  
  Go up a few posts you'll see I put up a photo of my home theater and like you I'm also in an apartment.  You live once and I'm enjoying myself before I move out into a house.  The sub is the main piece that'll get me into trouble lol.  Post 1575.
   
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-it-s-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/1560#post_7615716


----------



## Yuceka

Clayton tell us which bank you robbed... Your sentence will be reduced if you admit now


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





166848 said:


>


 

 Very handsome looking headphones. How do you like them?
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Clayton tell us which bank you robbed... Your sentence will be reduced if you admit now


 
   
  Didn't rob a bank--I broke into my piggy bank. I shouldn't have done that but like N0sferatu's post: You live once. (At least I think I do.)


----------



## 166848

they sound good. only thing i had to compare them with was a pair of bose. but i am very pleased with them. would love to go up the chain of grado's and try the reference series
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Very handsome looking headphones. How do you like them?


----------



## Curly21029

Quote: 





jmkarthi said:


> *WOW...*


 

 My sentiments exactly, but mostly because he was able to find an apartment with such high ceilings. 
   
  Kidding, of course.
   
   
  Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> Go up a few posts you'll see I put up a photo of my home theater and like you I'm also in an apartment.  You live once and I'm enjoying myself before I move out into a house.  The sub is the main piece that'll get me into trouble lol.  Post 1575.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-it-s-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/1560#post_7615716


 

  
  Which LG is that?  It looks like it could be the LH50, LH55 or LD520 but I just can't tell from the picture.


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





curly21029 said:


> Which LG is that?  It looks like it could be the LH50, LH55 or LD520 but I just can't tell from the picture.


 


  If my memory serves me right it's the LD520...why?


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've never head of a Zero Gravity Chair.
> Like this one? I should look into it.
> Wow. It costs about as much as a good set of headphones and/or headphone amp.


 


 My wife and I each have a "Perfecr Chair". It is the most comfortable chair I've ever owned. True they aren't inexpensive but if you enjoy sitting and listening to music, reading or watching TV this chair is worth ever penny.
   
+^GGL&gclid=CJjxsMa4jqoCFdcN2godLDja0Q]http://www.ultimatebackstore.com/product-exec/product_id/85?cid=815^[perfect+chair]+^GGL&gclid=CJjxsMa4jqoCFdcN2godLDja0Q


----------



## Curly21029

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> If my memory serves me right it's the LD520...why?


 

 For no other reason than I'm a display junkie.
   
  LG's come a long way in the past three years.  Apart from some nagging processing problems at the top of the line and black levels on their CCFL-based LCDs that are slightly behind the industry standard, they've really stepped up to being amongst the top-tier.  I'd take an LG over the latest crop of Samsungs any day.  Also, I don't think there is or has ever been a more calibrater-friendly manufacturer and even include some nice tools for casual tweakers.  HUGE points for wanting their customers to enjoy an accurate picture instead of the blown-out garbage that most people watch.  Good stuff.


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





curly21029 said:


> For no other reason than I'm a display junkie.
> 
> LG's come a long way in the past three years.  Apart from some nagging processing problems at the top of the line and black levels on their CCFL-based LCDs that are slightly behind the industry standard, they've really stepped up to being amongst the top-tier.  I'd take an LG over the latest crop of Samsungs any day.  Also, I don't think there is or has ever been a more calibrater-friendly manufacturer and even include some nice tools for casual tweakers.  HUGE points for wanting their customers to enjoy an accurate picture instead of the blown-out garbage that most people watch.  Good stuff.


 

  
  Very true.  That's why I went with them.  The whole 3DTV, LED, etc etc...all helped in bringing the price down very nicely as everyone else buys into the new trend it slashed the price on this model tremendously.  I originally bought a Samsung C650 I think series and I returned it within a day.  The display lag was horrible.  The LG is at least reasonable with display lag when running frame interpolation (120Hz).  It does great black reproduction and was a steal at the price I got it for.  It's true that it's very tweakable as well.  Thanks for looking!


----------



## Rawrbington

this thread just makes me sad.
  i DREAM of just a modest Woo Audio WA3.  Like would be thrilled to have one.
  and then ol dude has a freaking Wall-o-Woos


----------



## strannik

And people call me crazy... very impressive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  What is that rectifier in the WA6 by the way? Looks a bit like an EML 274b by the shape, but it's not?
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> My wife and I each have a "Perfecr Chair". It is the most comfortable chair I've ever owned. True they aren't inexpensive but if you enjoy sitting and listening to music, reading or watching TV this chair is worth ever penny.
> 
> http://www.ultimatebackstore.com/product-exec/product_id/85?cid=815^[perfect+chair]+^GGL&gclid=CJjxsMa4jqoCFdcN2godLDja0Q


 

 That chair costs three times as much as my car.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Who yah callin' crazy? Boo! Ahhhh! Oh, sorry.
  That rectifier is a beaut, yes? It is a CV1863 / 5Z4G. It is in the WA22 as well. It's from the Rochester Factory, England. That was what I was told by the seller. There are markings on the base of my rectifier that read KB/FB.


----------



## strannik

That indeed is a very serious looking tube, I'll have to keep an eye out for that one. None on ebay as of now unfortunately.


----------



## Curly21029

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> Very true.  That's why I went with them.  The whole 3DTV, LED, etc etc...all helped in bringing the price down very nicely as everyone else buys into the new trend it slashed the price on this model tremendously.  I originally bought a Samsung C650 I think series and I returned it within a day.  The display lag was horrible.  The LG is at least reasonable with display lag when running frame interpolation (120Hz).  It does great black reproduction and was a steal at the price I got it for.  It's true that it's very tweakable as well.  Thanks for looking!


 

 Hear, hear!  Down with the gimmicks!  Give me glorious, gamma-correct 2D or give me death!  I mean, would you rather be watching a picture that looks as though you're staring through a window or watching flat cardboard cutouts unnaturally jutting out from an equally flat backdrop?
   
  In addition, the confusion created by manufacturers leveraging the next big display tech (OLED) and referring to LED-lit LCD televisions simply as "LED" is deplorable.  OLED as a large-screen display is still a while off from affordability and, less so, stability, but that hasn't stopped them from spinning the hype to make a quick buck.  In fact, there are CCFL-lit LCDs that are superior to LED-lit LCDs where it counts: the blacks and saturation... and not by a narrow margin.  Full-array is a nice advancement, but blooming artifacts are still ever-present and the return on investment is certainly less than spectacular. (absolutely routed by current plasma tech in this respect, but the plasma-LCD gap has definitely narrowed)  Also, ultra-thin bezels?  Really?  Who watches their TVs from the side anyway?
   
  ...but I digress.


----------



## Nom de Plume

Clayton SF, I don't think you have enough amps.
  Seriously, that is amp *galore*.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ I know. I will begin to sell them off at some point but they are like family to me and kind of regretted selling other things in the past that I bought them back so I'm holding off on selling off equipment until I can no longer afford food.


----------



## Twinster

Do you have a schedule set for some listening time with every one of them?
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ^ I know. I will begin to sell them off at some point but they are like family to me and kind of regretted selling other things in the past that I bought them back so I'm holding off on selling off equipment until I can no longer afford food.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ In the morning I listen to the amps in my den (the WooRoom). This morning it was the WA4. I usually listen to different Woo amp every week. In the evening I listen to my speaker system while I put around the apartment. That's the Decware amps with Zu Audio Omen speakers. In the late evening it is time for the bedside amps--DNA Sonett, Leben, SPL Audior, and Beta 22. Since the Beta 22 is new (built by Corey Warner, by the way of SolderWorksAudio.com) I've been listening to it exclusively at night. I am amazed how good the B22 sounds.
   
  I hardly watch TV anymore.


----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> this thread just makes me sad.
> i DREAM of just a modest Woo Audio WA3.  Like would be thrilled to have one.
> and then ol dude has a freaking Wall-o-Woos


 


  wall o woos lmao


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> That chair costs three times as much as my car.


 


 Yeah but I can't drive my chair to work. Oh wait a sec, I don't work, I'm retired. This is what mine looks like.
   
   

  40 years ago I bought an Ames chair. It's been in my basement for the last 11 years. Last week I cleaned and Oiled all the wood and and took it in to have it reupholstered in Leather. Here's a "before" upholstery shot. This is going in my Cave to be my new "Music Chair".


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


>


 

 Holy Moly it's just stuck to the wall like that!  ...Now that I really would call a zero gravity chair, that's hardcore!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> Yeah but I can't drive my chair to work. Oh wait a sec, I don't work, I'm retired. This is what mine looks like.


 

 Well my car just broke down this morning, so I guess you get what you pay for. Now that chair costs half as much as the car I'm looking at.


----------



## dagothur

Quote:  
  Could you post that at a side-angle?  The supports on that are freaking me out from this angle.


----------



## Clayton SF

Okay guys, I'll help out on this one. Oops. I think this is now grasping the ceiling.... sorry.


----------



## n-phect

Lol


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> Lol


 
   
  Literally!


----------



## fatcat28037

I don't know how to correct the Orientation. The photo is correct in Picasa but when I copied it it flipped. Can anyone help?
  Quote: 





graphicism said:


> Holy Moly it's just stuck to the wall like that!  ...Now that I really would call a zero gravity chair, that's hardcore!


----------



## T-Willi

My work setup. Will take pics of the home setup when I get home of course haa.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> I don't know how to correct the Orientation. The photo is correct in Picasa but when I copied it it flipped. Can anyone help?


 

 Sure thing! Thar yah go!


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Sure thing! Thar yah go


 

 What type of chair is that?


----------



## fatcat28037

An Eames Chair, I bought it in 1971.
   
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eames_chair


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> An Eames Chair, I bought it in 1971.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eames_chair


 

 I thought it was a knock off or something, dont see that color combination often


----------



## CEE TEE

It's a disaster area right now.


----------



## T-Willi

Bedside
   

   
  Entertainment
   

   
  Computer... its not as messy as it looks lol.


----------



## danne

The Eames chair is the best looking chair ever made and it is really nice to sit in as well.
  The day I move to a bigger place, that chair is on the top of the list.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





danne said:


> The Eames chair is the best looking chair ever made and it is really nice to sit in as well.
> The day I move to a bigger place, that chair is on the top of the list.


 


  Yes-in-dede they are one comfy chair. I'll post a few pics next week when I get the chair back from the Upholsterer.


----------



## Naim.F.C

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


 


  Since when did people need nuclear reactors to power headphones? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Awesome set up btw!


----------



## Baird GoW

GOD DAMMIT! Not another 100+ page setup thread to go through... ive already read ALL of http://www.overclock.net/computer-room-office/201467-official-computer-room-pics.html and ALL of http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here. I'll post mine later, I feel like boosting my e-peen.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> GOD DAMMIT! Not another 100+ page setup thread to go through... ive already read ALL of http://www.overclock.net/computer-room-office/201467-official-computer-room-pics.html and ALL of http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here. I'll post mine later, I feel like boosting my e-peen.


 

 there are several good ones on hardforum as well.


----------



## WobblyGoblin

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> there are several good ones on hardforum as well.


 
  stop doing that!!


----------



## palmfish

Here's my headphone station...
   

   
  It's hard to see, but that's a Carver Receiver hiding in there (sorry, I'm not a photographer)...


----------



## dagothur

It's hard not to see that beast.
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Here's my headphone station...
> 
> 
> 
> It's hard to see, but that's a Carver Receiver hiding in there (sorry, I'm not a photographer)...


----------



## Ultrainferno

I received my new toy yesterday. 1000th post


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> I thought it was a knock off or something, dont see that color combination often


 


 You're right, it is a copy, not an original from the Miller Furniture Co., I should have been specific. I purchased it in 1971 at a Department store in Plainfield, NJ. I paid $400, a lot of money back then. As a not-married computer programmer I had the bucks and I enjoyed reading & listening to music (speakers, JBL 101) so a really nice chair seemed like a reasonable thing to own.


----------



## jr41

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I received my new toy yesterday. 1000th post


 
   
  Congratulations - and nice setup!


----------



## Ultrainferno

thanks! Now where is my 1000+ badge


----------



## Eric_C

Ultrainferno: it takes a while to kick in, don't sweat it.
  Which one's the new toy?


----------



## Ultrainferno

I know, I'm just kidding. It's not even important.
  The Burson HA-160-D is the latest addition


----------



## Clayton SF

Ultrainferno: I hope you're doing well. I'll be in your part of the world in August. The Burson HA-160D is looking great.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I received my new toy yesterday. 1000th post


 
  As the other guy mentioned, what are they all your new toys? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> You're right, it is a copy, not an original from the Miller Furniture Co., I should have been specific. I purchased it in 1971 at a Department store in Plainfield, NJ. I paid $400, a lot of money back then. As a not-married computer programmer I had the bucks and I enjoyed reading & listening to music (speakers, JBL 101) so a really nice chair seemed like a reasonable thing to own.


 

 Dont sweat it, the prices of a real one are even too high for me. I have also been looking at other brands that made danish/ bent plywood lounge chairs and i dont mind paying $200 for one.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe




----------



## Teejaay

a small amount of my headphones i use a realtek on board sound card 
   
   
  my new sub got it friday  this is wire hell

   
  screen is 50'' the sub is almost as large as it  also a yamaha power amp hiding. the boxs on walls are bass traps for the headphone people. my headphones still get 90% of the usage.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





teejaay said:


> a small amount of my headphones i use a realtek on board sound card
> 
> 
> my new sub got it friday  this is wire hell
> ...


 

 What speakers are those? Not Martin Logan... nice sub, cool driver.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> What speakers are those? Not Martin Logan... nice sub, cool driver.


 


 They're Magneplanars....


----------



## Eric_C

Why so many Fostex cans? Are they all the same model?


----------



## Teejaay

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> Why so many Fostex cans? Are they all the same model?


 

  
  t20,t40 old fostex. 3 t50rp (i got like 7 of these at least ) others are wooded, they live there as storage until wooded lol


----------



## Eric_C

Hahaha that's awesome. Pix of the woodied cans!


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

What HP amp is that?  Does it run well with the D2000?
  
  Quote: 





dual said:


> My simple computer setup.


----------



## cruizin caleb

It's not much, but it is good for now... my Macbook is not here. and my uDac and Rega Fono Mini are unseen behind the speakers. I really love vinyl so I'm saving for the new Rega RP3 to replace my current Sansui tt in the pictures below...


----------



## jms91

Beautiful set-up!


----------



## Clayton SF

+ beautiful photography!
  I can almost smell the grass and vegetation beyond the vinyl.


----------



## Arvan

This is what i use daily, for music, for computer games and everything puter related stuff. Im looking for an upgrade to separate dac/amp and maby the new AKG k550 if i like the sound ofc


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





cruizin caleb said:


> I'm saving for the new Rega RP3 to replace my current...


 

 Me too.  I've been a VPI fan for many years, but something about the P3 always interested me.  Probably the complete opposite approach to vinyl compared to VPI's.  Now with the announcement of the RP3, I simply must have it.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





arvan said:


> This is what i use daily, for music, for computer games and everything puter related stuff. Im looking for an upgrade to separate dac/amp and maby the new AKG k550 if i like the sound ofc
> 
> <snip>


 

 An absolutely gorgeous photo and setup.  The new color scheme of the K240(or in this case the K242) looks very _very _nice,


----------



## Arvan

Thanx 
   
  I love the cans, but the udac can only be that good..It´s not a bad product but compared to the "other guys" a few dollars up the range...It can´t keep up. Still well worth the money for lets say, a first headphone setup.


----------



## vesperos

in the next feew weeks i will upgrade my source !


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

How is the M-stage compared to the mini-i Vesperos?


----------



## AudioRook

Diggin this setup.
  
  Quote: 





vesperos said:


> in the next feew weeks i will upgrade my source !


----------



## ZorgDK

Quote: 





cruizin caleb said:


> It's not much, but it is good for now... my Macbook is not here. and my uDac and Rega Fono Mini are unseen behind the speakers. I really love vinyl so I'm saving for the new Rega RP3 to replace my current Sansui tt in the pictures below...


 
    
  Great looking setup. Classy and minimalistic. I like vinyl too, don't use it much though, digital is just too convenient.
   
  Quote:


vesperos said:


> in the next feew weeks i will upgrade my source !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## aroldan

What is that cable on the HD650s?
  
  Quote: 





vesperos said:


> in the next feew weeks i will upgrade my source !


----------



## vesperos

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> How is the M-stage compared to the mini-i Vesperos?


 
  sincerely i have not compared 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





zorgdk said:


> - Liking that setup too. What source are ya getting?


 
   
  ( sorry for my english but i'm not sure if i have understand )
 an cd player but i don't know which one.


----------



## vesperos

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> What is that cable on the HD650s?


 

 It's the TWag V2 by Whiplash audio.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

How do you like the M-stage amp?
  
  Quote: 





vesperos said:


> sincerely i have not compared


----------



## DivergeUnify




----------



## tink97

Haha thats my post early spring lol I love it.


----------



## Wingstrike




----------



## DivergeUnify

Quote: 





tink97 said:


> Haha thats my post early spring lol I love it.


 


  i thought the big amp with the relatively inexpensive headphones would be a funny background after I was reading comments


----------



## vesperos

Quote:


hawaiiancerveza said:


> How do you like the M-stage amp?


 

 It's my first headphone amp, i will try to describe for me it have a good open sound, treble extension this due to the class A biasing mod and i like the coloration.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Would you say its a good investment? =)
  
  Quote: 





vesperos said:


> Quote:
> 
> It's my first headphone amp, i will try to describe for me it have a good open sound, treble extension this due to the class A biasing mod and i like the coloration.


----------



## vesperos

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Would you say its a good investment? =)


 

 exactly you have find what i mean !


----------



## Ishcabible

...I read through this entire thread, and it actually makes me sad haha. I'd post a pic, but my IKEA shelf that I was going to store headphones on didn't come with the right parts...


----------



## n-phect




----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





ishcabible said:


> ...I read through this entire thread, and it actually makes me sad haha. I'd post a pic, but my IKEA shelf that I was going to store headphones on didn't come with the right parts...


 


  Please, show it.


----------



## Ishcabible

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> Please, show it.


 
   
  The IKEA shelf or my stuff? I'll put individual stuff, but I don't have a nice group picture like the rest of the people here. My main problem is the TV console houses my turntable and receiver, but not my headphone stuff. Everything's scattered. My headphones are on my computer desk (Which doesn't even have a modern computer in it. It's wasted space basically). My bedroom itself is too small to really organize things, and I don't get a dorm for another 2 years.
   




   
  I'll have a nice picture before the end of the year. I'm too lazy to cut the IKEA boards to size, and I'll have some show-off-able headphones by then.


----------



## TheWuss

here's my home rig...


----------



## Clayton SF

Nice setup! The SPL Phonitor looks quite wicked with those lighted UV meters. And your Little Dot, too! Nice collection of high-end HPs.


----------



## Nom de Plume

Gorgeous setup, TheWuss. Where did you get that chair?


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





nom de plume said:


> Gorgeous setup, TheWuss. Where did you get that chair?


 
  Thanks!

 hmmm...  The chair, it's an Eames replica i ordered from Herman Miller.


----------



## Rawrbington

@TheWuss: Wow, thats a very nice setup.  i love it.
  what are those headphone stands?


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> @TheWuss: Wow, thats a very nice setup.  i love it.
> what are those headphone stands?


 

 Woo Audio  HPS-T.


----------



## cifani090

@TheWuss, what tube amp is that? Are you using it to run your speakers?


----------



## sphinxvc

Looks like the flagship Little Dot.


----------



## TheWuss

Little Dot MKVI+.
  it can serve as a preamp for sure, but my speakers are run straight off the dac.


----------



## Anthony1

@TheWuss

That is a serious ManCave! Sweet setup


----------



## tme110

There are some crazy systems out there!  I'll have to ask my system to pose for some photos.


----------



## JIGF

Changes from last year are new table to make it a bedside rig and the crappy LaCie FireWire speakers. Oh, and moved the system almost 16,000 kilometers.


----------



## olor1n

.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





jigf said:


> Changes from last year are new table to make it a bedside rig and the crappy LaCie FireWire speakers. Oh, and moved the system almost 16 kilometers.


 

 Those _are_ crappy speakers, they could have been so much better coming from the firewire port like they do.


----------



## vesperos

Wow really nice rig TheWuss !


----------



## MickeyVee

Pretty simple system for me.. just got into some real Head-Fi this year..
   
  1) Around the house/portable system - MacBookAir (or iPod U2 or iPhone4) / FiiO E7 / Senn HD-25-1 II (modded - SP headband.. more comfortable & custom silver cable.. sounds awesome on the Matrix Mini-i)
   
  2) Office System - MacMini / Matrix Mini-i / HD650 with Black Dragon cable (plan on adding a Schiit Lyr later this year)


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Nice!  Is the Matrix mini-i enough for the hd650?
  
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Pretty simple system for me.. just got into some real Head-Fi this year..
> 
> 1) Around the house/portable system - MacBookAir (or iPod U2 or iPhone4) / FiiO E7 / Senn HD-25-1 II (modded - SP headband.. more comfortable & custom silver cable.. sounds awesome on the Matrix Mini-i)
> 
> 2) Office System - MacMini / Matrix Mini-i / HD650 with Black Dragon cable (plan on adding a Schiit Lyr later this year)


----------



## grokit

It's certainly enough for the HD600, I can testify to that


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I'm assuming the 650's require more power than the 600?  Or are they just about the same? Because if so... I like the mini-i =)
  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> It's certainly enough for the HD600, I can testify to that


----------



## MickeyVee

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Nice!  Is the Matrix mini-i enough for the hd650?


 

 I would say yes and no.  Yes, it can drive it to nice loud levels (-27 is about as loud as I go, 0=Max, -90=Min).  Does it have the gust to drive the 650's to the fullest?  Not really.. that's why the Lyr is in the plans and I'll use the  Matrix as a DAC and at times, to drive the HD25's. (it real makes the 25's sing!)
   
  As a comparison, I have Martin Logan speakers.. even though my 250wpc Rotel Class D amp can drive them nicely, a lowly (right  100wpc McIntosh amp brings them to life.
   
  Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying the 650's with the Matrix but know that there is so much more potential!


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ah I see.  Let us know when you get the Lyr.  I have been looking at some amps/dacs for the hd650.  I know it would be better to get dedicated amps and dacs but I'm in college and I'm lookin for a double whammy...lol  I had my eye on the mini-i but if there might be a better amp/dac for it I was thinking about the littledot MKiii amp paired with my D10 cobra.  The Audio-gd FUN.  Perhaps for the future the Burson Audio HA-160.  I hear they go well with woo audio amps. I keep reading that tube amps go well with the hd650...lol but I'm still undecided... infact I haven't even pullled the plug on the hd650s yet because my wallet is busted...haha.  But thanks for the info on the Mini-i!  
  
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> I would say yes and no.  Yes, it can drive it to nice loud levels (-27 is about as loud as I go, 0=Max, -90=Min).  Does it have the gust to drive the 650's to the fullest?  Not really.. that's why the Lyr is in the plans and I'll use the  Matrix as a DAC and at times, to drive the HD25's. (it real makes the 25's sing!)
> 
> As a comparison, I have Martin Logan speakers.. even though my 250wpc Rotel Class D amp can drive them nicely, a lowly (right  100wpc McIntosh amp brings them to life.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying the 650's with the Matrix but know that there is so much more potential!


----------



## RingingEars




----------



## n-phect

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Pretty simple system for me.. just got into some real Head-Fi this year..
> 
> 1) Around the house/portable system - MacBookAir (or iPod U2 or iPhone4) / FiiO E7 / Senn HD-25-1 II (modded - SP headband.. more comfortable & custom silver cable.. sounds awesome on the Matrix Mini-i)
> 
> 2) Office System - MacMini / Matrix Mini-i / HD650 with Black Dragon cable (plan on adding a Schiit Lyr later this year)


 

what did you take your pictures with?


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





n-phect said:


> what did you take your pictures with?


 
  Canon Powershot G12 is my guess.
   
  (I cheated. I checked the meta data)


----------



## MickeyVee

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> Canon Powershot G12 is my guess.
> 
> (I cheated. I checked the meta data)


 

 Yup.. Canon G12  with an external flash bounced off the ceiling. (photography is one of my other wallet sucking hobbies)


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Yup.. Canon G12  with an external flash bounced off the ceiling. (photography is one of my other wallet sucking hobbies)


 
  Nice. I'm a Canon-guy too.
  I used to photograph some years ago, but then I lost my interest due to my self-criticism.
  But nowadays I use to take pictures of my headphones, and I like my ED8 photos, odd enough.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> with an external flash bounced off the ceiling.


 
   
  Makes all the difference.  I know because I don't do this, and I see in your pictures just how much light I don't have.
   
  The G12 is an awesome camera.  I don't own one myself, but I come very close to running off with one whenever someone hands me theirs.


----------



## T-Willi

My new desk came in so I figured Id post the new setup  snagged it off of newegg for 100 with free shipping 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  sorry for the bad quality. took it with my cellphone.


----------



## shaunybaby




----------



## MorbidToaster

God I need another flash. I just want to spend my next ~300 bucks on other stuff. lol
  
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Yup.. Canon G12  with an external flash bounced off the ceiling. (photography is one of my other wallet sucking hobbies)


----------



## SuperZero5225

Hey don't make funny me lol. I just started getting into this hobby lol. "Taken from iPhone 3G"


----------



## KB24




----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





superzero5225 said:


> Hey don't make funny me lol. I just started getting into this hobby lol. "Taken from iPhone 3G"


 

 Is that an Acer TimelineX?


----------



## SuperZero5225

Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Is that an Acer TimelineX?


 


  Nope I never heard of that? New line they just released? I have an Acer Aspire 5741


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





superzero5225 said:


> Nope I never heard of that? New line they just released? I have an Acer Aspire 5741


 

 It's been out for a little while. I have a version from last year, but the one in the pic looked similar.


----------



## nc8000

The TimeLineX series has been out for over 2 years. My oldest son has one that is 1½ years old and that was the second generation of the series


----------



## Naim.F.C

The Shiit Lyr evidently is quite popular indeed. Might invest in one later down the line.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





superzero5225 said:


> Hey don't make funny me lol. I just started getting into this hobby lol. "Taken from iPhone 3G"
> 
> <snip>


 
   
  That's a good looking rig you got there, but you must do something about those Skullcandies!


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> That's a good looking rig you got there, but you must do something about those Skullcandies!


 
  Truth! I used to sell those Skullcandies at my old job. They sound pretty terrible.


----------



## LepakVT

My new mahogany headphone stand that I made yesterday + my SR325is
   

   
   
  Fiio E7+E9, Millett MiniMax, Music Streamer II+. Not nearly as cool looking of a setup as others, but I'm happy! I should really get some nice RCA interconnects instead of the cheapo ones I use now.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





lepakvt said:


> My new mahogany headphone stand that I made yesterday + my SR325is
> 
> <snip>
> 
> ...


 

 Nonsense!  Both the Millet and the Fiio combo have an excellent cool(gotta love those tubes) factor not to mention the stellar sound quality.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Nonsense!  Both the Millet and the Fiio combo have an excellent cool(gotta love those tubes) factor not to mention the stellar sound quality.


 

 Not that a cool, sleek little DIY braided interconnect wouldn't sweeten things a bunch.  Just a thought, LepakVT.   If you enjoyed making a stand for your 325's, I'm sure an RCA cable project would be a blast.


----------



## almightyzappa

I'm just coming back to the forums after a long hiatus. I'm stull using my crappy set up from forever ago. I'm working on saving up for some nice quality stuff and this thread is inspiring! Going to need a second Job, but wow all this shiny stuff!


----------



## reedzkee

New town, new apartment, a few new toys.
   

   

   

   

   

   
  Recently fallin in love with vinyl, not sure what took me so long.


----------



## LepakVT

I am going to make another DIY stand and then a set of RCA interconnects is next on my To-Do list
  Quote: 





lurkumaural said:


> Not that a cool, sleek little DIY braided interconnect wouldn't sweeten things a bunch.  Just a thought, LepakVT.   If you enjoyed making a stand for your 325's, I'm sure an RCA cable project would be a blast.


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





almightyzappa said:


> I'm just coming back to the forums after a long hiatus. I'm stull using my crappy set up from forever ago. I'm working on saving up for some nice quality stuff and this thread is inspiring! Going to need a second Job, but wow all this shiny stuff!


 


  Well, you need good equipment to properly enjoy Project X, Zolar Czakl and The Dog Breath Variations. Sound terrific on headphones, such as this:


----------



## T-Willi

Id love to do some diy stuff. How much does a solder kit cost?


----------



## MilesDavis2

Love your setup.  I am saving up for the Bottlehead myself.
  
  Quote: 





ringingears said:


>


----------



## TakashiMiike

My Humble rig  Upgrading my amp and dac next, then my headphones probably to hd800's.


----------



## jtaylor991

I'd love this setup (visuals-wise)! Beautiful! I'm sure with the right equipment your setup will be blissful.
  
  Quote: 





hero kid said:


> It's not the best system, but it's what I have now. CD player is on the floor under my shoe box, as is my phono-stage. Waiting for my LCD-2s to show up, and more money so I can upgrade my amp/dac.


----------



## SuperZero5225

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> That's a good looking rig you got there, but you must do something about those Skullcandies!


 

 Hehe that's why I got the M50's to replace them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


  Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Truth! I used to sell those Skullcandies at my old job. They sound pretty terrible.


 


  Funny thing is...When I first got them.... I thought they were the best out there lol. 


  Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> The TimeLineX series has been out for over 2 years. My oldest son has one that is 1½ years old and that was the second generation of the series


 

 Wow I never knew that! I got this laptop last year too. 
   


  Quote: 





ocswing said:


> It's been out for a little while. I have a version from last year, but the one in the pic looked similar.


 

 Really? I never even heard of them and I got this one last year.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





superzero5225 said:


> Really? I never even heard of them and I got this one last year.


 

 It's supposed to be the thin/light class of laptop for them, but they're pretty well spec'd at a decent price. I have a 14" with i5-460m cpu, radeon mobile 5650, 4gb RAM, dvd drive, 320gb hdd. Just under an inch thick, and supposed to get around 8 hours of battery life. (I get 5 hours normally with pretty decent usage.) $800 at the time.


----------



## jtaylor991

Interesting lamp design. Unique.
  
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


----------



## RingingEars

Quote: 





milesdavis2 said:


> Love your setup.  I am saving up for the Bottlehead myself.


 

 Thanks for the comment.
  I love it. It's a perfect match with 600 Ohm Beyer. I have some new tubes coming next week. Looking forward to doing some rolling.


----------



## detoxguy

This is my current living room setup....it's not the greatest but I'm smiling too hard to care.
   

  I don't know why on earth this keeps coming out sideways...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





skylab said:


> My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


 
   
  Exquisite. If King Tut had owned a tube amp and an electric table-side lamp, this is exactly what the ancient Egyptians would have placed in his antechamber for the boy king to take to the Afterlife.


----------



## dagothur

Do you live on the equator?  That might be it.
  Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> This is my current living room setup....it's not the greatest but I'm smiling too hard to care.
> 
> 
> I don't know why on earth this keeps coming out sideways...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Do you live on the equator?  That might be it.


 

 Very nice.


----------



## Ultrazino

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Do you live on the equator?  That might be it.


 


  LOL, that saved my day!


----------



## KB24

Nice.


----------



## jtaylor991

I think maybe $40-$60 at Radioshack for their brand kit. I have one and it works fine. Comes with the solder stuff and a little stand for when you need to set the wand down and don't want to set it on bare ground.
  
  Quote: 





t-willi said:


> Id love to do some diy stuff. How much does a solder kit cost?


----------



## revolink24

You would be much better off with something like a Hakko Dash.


----------



## AuralRelations

The DCM Time Frames were a bit too big for my humble room so out they went and in came the Paradigm 3se. Scored them for $50 on CL and bought the crappy Omni Mount stands myself. They image quite well and sound better at low volume than the DCMs. I do miss having the DCMs to crank up when the house is empty. I'll store them for the day I get a bigger place.


----------



## wind016




----------



## Hifianddrumming

Quote: 





wind016 said:


>


 


   Consider me envious


----------



## n3rdling

What HP stand is that?


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> What HP stand is that?


 

 I got it from Amazon. It's sold out right now but it seems like the seller will have more colors soon though.


----------



## firgoe

Quote: 





skylab said:


> My bedside rig (only the furniture and room decor changed...)


 

 What an ugly looking phone. no offense


----------



## Eric_C

firgoe, you kidder--that's an iPod! Not a phone.
   
Kidding. I know you meant the Sony R10.


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> What an ugly looking phone. no offense


 







 oh dear...


----------



## firgoe

I mean the headphone is ugly.


----------



## Curly21029

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> What an ugly looking phone. no offense


 


 Oh man!  I was not prepared for that so early in the morning.  I nearly did a spit take with my coffee! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Seriously though, should I be bracing myself for the impending explosion of headphone-nerd rage or... ?


----------



## Vegeta55555

uh oh... you call the king "ugly", i hope you are immortal!


----------



## firgoe

The king? seriously? What is the type and brand of that uxxxx looking king? The box besides it looks cool but the headphone looks oldish and weird.


----------



## shamrock134

It's a Sony R10. You shall be executed for treason!


----------



## Hero Kid

Quote: 





shamrock134 said:


> It's a Sony R10. You shall be executed for treason!


 
   
  Seconded.


----------



## EpicPie

Here's mine.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> What an ugly looking phone. no offense


 

 You mean that brassiere?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How dare you!


----------



## Towert7

You simply can't defend the R10 for looking good.  Yes, looking _unique_.  But not fashionable.  It is an ugly headphone, despite its sound.
  Simple fact is, most large headphones are ugly to the general public.


----------



## Towert7

Quote: 





wind016 said:


>


 

 The stand is a nice shape, but it's a horrible design for your nice stax O2.
  Look at how much it's compressing the ear pads!  Not a good design for the O2 at all!


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> What an ugly looking phone. no offense


 


  
  Quote: 





towert7 said:


> You simply can't defend the R10 for looking good.  Yes, looking _unique_.  But not fashionable.  It is an ugly headphone, despite its sound.
> Simple fact is, most large headphones are ugly to the general public.


 


  I don't think the R10 is ugly.  It's far from the prettiest headphone I have ever owned.  But it IS the best SOUNDING headphone I have ever owned...and I buy headphones for the sound, of course.


----------



## Szadzik

Just a quick photo taken today. I was waiting for WA2, but since it is not gonna arrive any time soon, I decided to show what is there now and will post another one when I get WA2 - in a few months 
   
  Willa lso have to think about power and changing the cable setup.
   
  Notice the windolene? Prepare to buy them in bulk if you want to have a few glass furniture pieces


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> The king? seriously? What is the type and brand of that uxxxx looking king? The box besides it looks cool but the headphone looks oldish and weird.


 


  Okay Mr. firgoe, it's time for an audiophile 101 lesson Head-Fi style.  That headphone you so graciously mocked is the Sony MDR-R10.  So?  What's so special about it, you ask?  It's one of the best dynamic headphones produced *ever*, still besting today's top dynamics such as the HD800 or the T1 for example.  It is no longer in production and as such is very rare, with units going over three grand easy.  If you ever get a chance to listen to one, you'll hear quite quickly why the R10 is so revered despite its admittedly unique looks.


----------



## Daysleeper

Quote:


digital-pride said:


> Okay Mr. firgoe, it's time for an audiophile 101 lesson Head-Fi style.  That headphone you so graciously mocked is the Sony MDR-R10.  So?  What's so special about it, you ask?  It's one of the best dynamic headphones produced *ever*, still besting today's top dynamics such as the HD800 or the T1 for example.  It is no longer in production and as such is very rare, with units going over three grand easy.  If you ever get a chance to listen to one, you'll hear quite quickly why the R10 is so revered despite *its admittedly unique looks*.


 


  it looks like a 50's pin-up girl to me. the curves, the voluptuous and meandering shimmer, the.. i came.


----------



## firgoe

wow.... 3 grands I wander how good it sounds, it's an example that outer look can be deceiving. Now i gotta apologize to the king.
   
  HD800 and T1 physically more attractive tho.
  
  Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Okay Mr. firgoe, it's time for an audiophile 101 lesson Head-Fi style.  That headphone you so graciously mocked is the Sony MDR-R10.  So?  What's so special about it, you ask?  It's one of the best dynamic headphones produced *ever*, still besting today's top dynamics such as the HD800 or the T1 for example.  It is no longer in production and as such is very rare, with units going over three grand easy.  If you ever get a chance to listen to one, you'll hear quite quickly why the R10 is so revered despite its admittedly unique looks.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





shamrock134 said:


> It's a Sony R10. You shall be executed for treason!


 







Ultrasone 8's and LCD-2


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





skylab said:


> I don't think the R10 is ugly.  It's far from the prettiest headphone I have ever owned.  But it IS the best SOUNDING headphone I have ever owned...and I buy headphones for the sound, of course.


 


  I buy headphones cuz of da bling innit*
   
   
*This message was was brought to you by Skullcandy.com


----------



## Skylab

digital-pride said:


> Okay Mr. firgoe, it's time for an audiophile 101 lesson Head-Fi style.  That headphone you so graciously mocked is the Sony MDR-R10.  So?  What's so special about it, you ask?  It's one of the best dynamic headphones produced *ever*, still besting today's top dynamics such as the HD800 or the T1 for example.  It is no longer in production and as such is very rare, with units going over three grand easy.  If you ever get a chance to listen to one, you'll hear quite quickly why the R10 is so revered despite its admittedly unique looks.



Actually I bet there hasn't been pair of R-10's sold for less than $5K in the last couple years.


----------



## firgoe

Quote: 





skylab said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 $5k? is the driver made from gold?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





firgoe said:


> $5k? is the driver made from gold?


 
  No, bacteria.  The amount of work and ridiculous materials put into the R10s is part of the fame.  Also, they look like a pair of D7000s or DX1000s that got tumors.  Pretty they are not, but they are supposedly the greatest dynamic headphone ever.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote:


firgoe said:


> wow.... 3 grands I wander how good it sounds, it's an example that outer look can be deceiving. Now i gotta apologize to the king.
> 
> HD800 and T1 physically more attractive tho.


 


  No worries, the King has informed me that he's forgiven you.


----------



## winkyeye

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> No, bacteria.  The amount of work and ridiculous materials put into the R10s is part of the fame.  Also, they look like a pair of D7000s or DX1000s that got tumors.  Pretty they are not, but they are supposedly the greatest dynamic headphone ever.


 


 I'm not exactly sure but I think the drivers diaphragms are made out of cellulose produced by some sort of bacteria? Must have been crazy hard to have quality control on these things, and thus probably the high cost.


----------



## T-Willi

I had that chair....it was sooooooooo uncomfy lol.
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> ............


----------



## kjoh

You'd probably like the Qualia 010.  A close rival of the R10 with a more modern look. Similar price range too for similar reasons
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





firgoe said:


> wow.... 3 grands I wander how good it sounds, it's an example that outer look can be deceiving. Now i gotta apologize to the king.
> 
> HD800 and T1 physically more attractive tho.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





t-willi said:


> I had that chair....it was sooooooooo uncomfy lol.


 


  You must have had another one, I have had this one from new


----------



## ocswing

Finally got everything set up. Limited space to work with, but I'm pretty happy.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have that same monitor stand. I used it to separate my D100 and Lyr when I had them. Great little stand.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have that same monitor stand. I used it to separate my D100 and Lyr when I had them. Great little stand.


 

 Heh, very nice! I had to make a quick run to Staples when I got my Lyr cause I couldn't figure out where else to put it. It leaves my monitor a little high, but it's not too bad.


----------



## SouthernBoy

Can someone post a pic of HD 800s so I can talk about how ugly they are?


----------



## Icenine2




----------



## MorbidToaster

Wow...What a set up.
   
  The lack of headphones makes me giggle though. Didn't have enough cash left?
  
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


>


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Wow...What a set up.
> 
> The lack of headphones makes me giggle though. Didn't have enough cash left?


 

 Maybe it's a pov shot, so the headphones are on his head. That Cavalli Liquid Fire looks amazing!


----------



## wind016

No speakers? No headphones? Nice clean setup though. Simple yet effective.
  
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

But they're not plugged in...lol
   
  The Liquid Fire is an amazing amp. I heard it at the Austin meet a few months back and was very impressed. It's just plain sexy.
  
  Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Maybe it's a pov shot, so the headphones are on his head. That Cavalli Liquid Fire looks amazing!


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





icenine2 said:


>


 

 I believe I had that same router...forgot the model number though.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I believe I had that same router...forgot the model number though.


 

 The router is probably the last thing that we are interested in this picture I think : )


----------



## jtaylor991

I know I was just so surprised at that coincidence. Sorry for the slight de-rail!
  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> The router is probably the last thing that we are interested in this picture I think : )


----------



## MorbidToaster

To be honest it was one of the first things I noticed. Saw the DAC, saw the amp and went 'Well I guess he doesn't need a quality router, too.'
   
  lol
  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> The router is probably the last thing that we are interested in this picture I think : )


----------



## T-Willi

what I meant was Ive owned that kind of chair before and I just stopped using it since I didnt like how uncomfortable it was. my new chair is heaven though 
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> You must have had another one, I have had this one from new


----------



## BugleBoy

My Rig:
   
  MUSIC
*Amplifier* - Leben CS-300X
*Amplifier* - X-cans V3 Headphone Amp
*Speakers* - ProAc Reference 8 Signature Speakers
*Source* - PowerMac G5 (mp3, FLAC, ALAC)
*Source* - Nakamichi CR-7 Cassette Deck
*Source* - iPod
*Speaker Cable* - AudioQuest 'Bedrock' Bi-wire
*Interconnects* - MIT, Cardas, Monster
   
  Computer:
  iMAC 3.04 Ghz i7, 27 Inch
  MacBook Pro 2.66 Ghz 17 inch
  iPad
  -----------------------
   
  My home office
   



   
   
  ProAc Reference 8 Signature



   
   
  Nakamichi CR-7 Cassette Deck



   
   
  Leben CS-300X



   
  Complete System


----------



## MorbidToaster

I AM SO EXCITED TO GET MY IMAC.
   
  Caps was necessary.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





ocswing said:


> Maybe it's a pov shot, so the headphones are on his head. That Cavalli Liquid Fire looks amazing!


 

 Sweet tube amp, wonder what it looks like at night
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





...
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> The router is probably the last thing that we are interested in this picture I think : )


 

 x2


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





bugleboy said:


> Leben CS-300X


 


  What? No screws on the lid? Easy access, eh? Great for tube rolling.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





t-willi said:


> what I meant was Ive owned that kind of chair before and I just stopped using it since I didnt like how uncomfortable it was. my new chair is heaven though


 


  I know, haha. Still, my chair is pretty comfortable. I can spend hours in it without any tiredness.


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> What? No screws on the lid? Easy access, eh? Great for tube rolling.


 

 Spot on mate. I use different tubes for listening headphones or speakers. Makes it a lot easier to tube roll without having to undo the screws each time.


----------



## Skylab

Very nice rig, BugleBoy!


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





t-willi said:


> what I meant was Ive owned that kind of chair before and I just stopped using it since I didnt like how uncomfortable it was. *my new chair is heaven* though


 

 Wait, you're dead??
   
   
   
   
   
  BugleBoy, I absolutely hate your home office.  I especially hate how your accent wall makes your wood floor look richer.  And the Macs!  Ughhhh!
   
   
   
I want to stop by later with some ALAC files and some work to do.  Is 3:00 good?


----------



## Icenine2

I have Tesla T-1's not in the picture (obvious)
   
  Speakers-built in screen.  If I have anything  I need to listen to that loud I'll get the big rig in service.
   
  Router-use it only for the kids iTouch...............but I should get a new one.  Suggestions?
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I believe I had that same router...forgot the model number though.


----------



## Icenine2

The main computer is hooked up direct inject to cable internet at mucho speed.


----------



## Ishcabible

Quote: 





icenine2 said:


>


 


  I just noted your location. You're roughly 20 minutes away from me. Mind if I ever pop in to hear the awesomeness of the Liquid Fire?


----------



## Radio_head

Yeah and only about 50 miles from me.  I actually am interested in checking out the liquid fire out with my LCD-2's, seeing if its worth the premium over my current setup.  Meet!


----------



## Icenine2

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...........


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> I have Tesla T-1's not in the picture (obvious)
> 
> Speakers-built in screen.  If I have anything  I need to listen to that loud I'll get the big rig in service.
> 
> Router-use it only for the kids iTouch...............but I should get a new one.  Suggestions?


 

 How much you wanna spend?


----------



## Icenine2

Do your worst sir!


----------



## Eee Pee

Oops nevermind, I thought you had the Mac.


----------



## jtaylor991

I'll sell you a 2.4/5ghz (one or the other, not dual broadcast) D-Link Wireless N router for $40 shipped. Not a bad router. I only stopped using it for a much more expensive, heavy duty one because it couldn't handle the 7 or something computers and 2 printers all doing things at the same time very well, needed more bandwidth in the router to process everything. All the internet stuff has to go over a single 100mbps ethernet cable though thanks to Uverse not using gigabit in the gateways and no N. Want pics?
   
  Quote: 





icenine2 said:


> Do your worst sir!


----------



## tme110

I'll take them.  please.  
   
   
   
  The previous time this pic was posted I looked and it and though, wow, he has the same setup skylab has.  Then I noticed it was a repost from skylab - I spend way way too much time on this site.
  
  Quote:t 


firgoe said:


> What an ugly looking phone. no offense


----------



## JIGF

Finally!


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





skylab said:


> Very nice rig, BugleBoy!


 


  Thx Skylab. I am keeping an eye out for couple of items in your rig...the vintage Sansui and Pioneer receivers. Hard to find these here in Oz. But the next on my list is the LCD-2.


----------



## monoethylene

One head-fi station:


----------



## WNBC

That is one serious cassette deck, congrats!
  
  Quote: 





bugleboy said:


> My Rig:
> 
> MUSIC
> *Amplifier* - Leben CS-300X
> ...


----------



## strannik

Hehe the blue circle audio stuff put together looks like a small bomb.
  
  Quote: 





monoethylene said:


> One head-fi station:


----------



## Tilpo

strannik said:


> Hehe the blue circle audio stuff put together looks like a small bomb.



People said the same about someone else's rig having similar components a while back. (or it's the same rig, reposted or updated.)


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> Yeah and only about 50 miles from me.  I actually am interested in checking out the liquid fire out with my LCD-2's, seeing if its worth the premium over my current setup.  Meet!


 

 I feel that we should have a Kenosha meet again, that was such a blast last time.


----------



## monoethylene

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> People said the same about someone else's rig having similar components a while back. (or it's the same rig, reposted or updated.)


 


  It is the same I guess . I ve just removed the Cantate.2..


----------



## Ishcabible

Quote: 





logwed said:


> I feel that we should have a Kenosha meet again, that was such a blast last time.


 

 Yes.


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

Day
   

  night
   

   
  <3


----------



## LiqTenExp

quick little analog setup I put together: 
   

   
  Didn't have room for it anywhere else but in the basement


----------



## jacobs34

Great setup. If you don't mind me asking, what are the specs on that PC?  Looking to build a new rig sometime before Battlefield 3 comes out.
  
  Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


> Day
> 
> 
> night
> ...


----------



## AuralRelations

Looks good! What speakers are those?
  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> quick little analog setup I put together:
> 
> 
> 
> Didn't have room for it anywhere else but in the basement


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


> Day
> 
> night
> 
> <3


 

 I love the Corsair 600 case, good choice
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 You've got a great setup, i wish i had more room, and id copy you (-AKG+T1)


----------



## LiqTenExp

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Looks good! What speakers are those?


 

 paradigm studio 20
   
  table is a Music Hall MMF 5.0, amps are super modded Dynaco MKIII
   
  I am using my Lyr as a preamp for now and there is also a TC-750 MM phono preamp hiding back there.


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> That is one serious cassette deck, congrats!


 


  IMHO...For the very best in cassette recording there is no other game in town (with the possible exception of 1000ZXL). I still transfer all my favourite music from CD to tapes on the CR-7. To my ear the tapes made on this deck are far more musically satisfying than any CD player/DAC combo I have owned.


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

Quote: 





jacobs34 said:


> Great setup. If you don't mind me asking, what are the specs on that PC?  Looking to build a new rig sometime before Battlefield 3 comes out.


 


   
  i5 2500K
  Asus P8P67 Evo
  8GB Mushkin Silverline
  XFX 6970 2GB
  Intel X-25M 80GB
  Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
  Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB
  Corsair AX1200W
  Dell U2711
   
  it runs BC2 with everything on high, 2xAA and HBAO off at 120-90 FPS.
   
  BF3 looks much better so i expect to be able to run it at medium/high setting to get a nice FPS of 60+ (i've no idea of actual performance just speculating)
   
  I'll be definitely upgrading to a new AMD/Nvidia card once they come out, i like the eye candy.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> quick little analog setup I put together:
> 
> 
> 
> Didn't have room for it anywhere else but in the basement


 

 Beautiful. It looks like a shrine.


----------



## Hero Kid

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> quick little analog setup I put together: [...]


 

 I have to ask... why have your speakers so close together? Have you tried moving them further apart (and perhaps further away from the wall)?
  In most cases the most practical location for a speaker is not it's best sounding one.


----------



## Tilpo

hero kid said:


> I have to ask... why have your speakers so close together? Have you tried moving them further apart (and perhaps further away from the wall)?
> In most cases the most practical location for a speaker is not it's best sounding one.



Indeed, it might be better to put them further apart and angle them towards the listener. 
Other than that, I imagine a basement with concrete walls and floor to have horrible room acoustics.


----------



## LiqTenExp

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Indeed, it might be better to put them further apart and angle them towards the listener.
> Other than that, I imagine a basement with concrete walls and floor to have horrible room acoustics.


 


  Actually the laundry hanging up (high end audio treatments, lol ) and all the soft stuff you can't see behind it doesn't make it too bad.  I do plan on moving the speakers.  At the time of the picture I literally just finished moving everything and had not even turned it on.  About half the floor is covered with carpet down there also.  Just no carpet on the side I am on.  
   
  It was either this setup or no setup, I had no room anywhere else.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dreaming of a better ... said:


> i5 2500K
> Asus P8P67 Evo
> 8GB Mushkin Silverline
> XFX 6970 2GB
> ...




It looks better but you may be able to run it as well as BC 2. The engine will run much better on a PC this time. The old one was kind of rough.

I just got that card in my new iMac. Performs well so far.


----------



## LiqTenExp

ok new picture with setup moved around a little now.
   

   
  It's better and my custom corner bass trap (suticase) works great!, JK!!!


----------



## Tilpo

I wonder what the amps on the left and right are. They look identical, so I'm guessing they are for the speakers? Does it really make a large difference by having a separate amp for each channel, because I would imagine it would only bring extra casework and labor.


----------



## LiqTenExp

They are highly modded Dynaco MKIII monoblocks running KT88s.


----------



## elbuzzard

MK III nice.    What mods were done to your Dynaco? Enjoying my ST-70 for many years now.


----------



## dirkpitt45

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It looks better but you may be able to run it as well as BC 2. The engine will run much better on a PC this time. The old one was kind of rough.
> 
> I just got that card in my new iMac. Performs well so far.


 


 You got the 6970m, which is not the the fullsize 6970 he has. Unless you managed to shoe-horn a double slot card into an imac


----------



## MorbidToaster

dirkpitt45 said:


> You got the 6970m, which is not the the fullsize 6970 he has. Unless you managed to shoe-horn a double slot card into an imac




That's what I meant. I was more makjng a point about his card rather than mine. I think he'll be able to run it just fine without a new card. 

Let me rephrase to make you happy. 'I just got the mobile version of that card in my new iMac. Performs well so far.' There, happy?


----------



## LiqTenExp

Quote: 





elbuzzard said:


> MK III nice.    What mods were done to your Dynaco? Enjoying my ST-70 for many years now.


 

  
  Real diode replaced the selenium one, upgraded caps all over, separate bias test points for both power tubes, independent bias control for each tube vs. the stock combined control, AC bias control, banana jacks, IEC power connector, etc.


----------



## grokit

These speakers are kind of close to together as well:
   
  http://www.gianfaldoni.com/
   
  (disclaimer: not my head-fi station)


----------



## ProcessJunkie

I can't stop reading this thread.


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  I removed all my collection to make it simple to bid farewell to the Ultrasone Pro 900's seen in this photo. This is my basic triple monitor setup. Featuring inexpensive M-Audio AV40's with the Matrix Cube DAC (which can feed a 2nd headphone at the same time as feeding the AV40's and the LDMK3), a Little Dot MK III and the Ultrasone Pro 900. Desk was built by me from scratch. Headphone stand is red oak, also built by me from scratch. Alas, Pro 900's sold, they're shipping away this morning. So farewell to them.
   

   
  Very best,


----------



## MorbidToaster

malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> I removed all my collection to make it simple to bid farewell to the Ultrasone Pro 900's seen in this photo. This is my basic triple monitor setup. Featuring inexpensive M-Audio M40's with the Matrix Cube DAC (which can feed a 2nd headphone at the same time as feeding the M40's and the LDMK3), a Little Dot MK III and the Ultrasone Pro 900. Desk was built by me from scratch. Headphone stand is red oak, also built by me from scratch. Alas, Pro 900's sold, they're shipping away this morning. So farewell to them.
> 
> ...




Why are they leaving? Also, how are those M40s?


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Why are they leaving? Also, how are those M40s?


 

 Heya,
   
  Typo on my part, they're the AV40's, edited to reflect that. I like them. They're very detailed and pretty accurate little monitors. I got them because they can travel. They're self powered so I can literally just plug them into the wall at a friend's house, my Sansa Fuze outputs to them and voila, music on the go for more than one person. I use them when I'm not doing any particular listening on headphones for basic tasky stuff, like browsing, youtube, etc. Which means they're rarely on, since I 99% wear headphones when listening to music. Again, I mainly take them with me to places to setup a portable music station essentially (Sansa Fuze + AV40's).
   
  The PRO 900's were glorious with bass. But, they were not my favorite headphone for acoustic & female vocals which I listen to a lot as well. I recently went with the HE-500, which is actually quite bassy for an open-headphone, and it more than covers my bass needs, while still having the generous mids and highs of something more like the SRH940. I had been looking for a headphone that basically combined the strength of the SRH940 and the PRO900 into one phone, and found it in the HE-500. So, sold off my mid-tier headphones immediately. Last one ships out today, the PRO 900. And actually will be selling the Little Dot MK III seen there in the photo soon too as I have no use for it anymore.
   
  Very best,


----------



## MorbidToaster

malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Typo on my part, they're the AV40's, edited to reflect that. I like them. They're very detailed and pretty accurate little monitors. I got them because they can travel. They're self powered so I can literally just plug them into the wall at a friend's house, my Sansa Fuze outputs to them and voila, music on the go for more than one person. I use them when I'm not doing any particular listening on headphones for basic tasky stuff, like browsing, youtube, etc. Which means they're rarely on, since I 99% wear headphones when listening to music. Again, I mainly take them with me to places to setup a portable music station essentially (Sansa Fuze + AV40's).
> 
> ...




Awesome choice. The HE500 are my favorite headphones ever. Sold mine because I was too invested in the hobby, but they made me a mid-head.


----------



## ramzes235

nice pictures malveaux how good are your speakers ?


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





ramzes235 said:


> nice pictures malveaux how good are your speakers ?


 

 Heya,
   
  They're decent, they're very much entry-level. Again, I went with the AV40's because they're pretty portable, self powered (no receiver/amp required separately), and hook up to virtually anything that has RCA/3.5mm/1/4" terminations. The fidelity of the AV40's is rather good. The only thing they can't really reproduce is sub-bass. They're monitors after all. They're more favored in the computer enthusiast community since they're self powered and hook up to anything (so easy to get some entry hifi monitors onto a desk that are not logicraps or something heh).
   
  Re-doing my setup now, since I have the HE-500. Gotta re-organize a setup for them to be centered in and move those monitors over to the computer.
   
  I have a few entry level monitors though. My favorite entry monitor is the Monitor 40 series by Polk. The smaller guy is the Monitor 30 by Polk which I don't like nearly as much. The Monitor 40 though bosses things around, it's range is great, and can do bassy stuff to when needed which is usually tough for a little monitor (not that they're small, but they're smaller than full sized tower speakers).
   
 
   
  Very best,


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





grokit said:


> These speakers are kind of close to together as well:
> 
> http://www.gianfaldoni.com/
> 
> (disclaimer: not my head-fi station)


 

 WOW!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





How ornate and beautiful


----------



## RingingEars

Quote: 





elbuzzard said:


> MK III nice.    What mods were done to your Dynaco? Enjoying my ST-70 for many years now.


 


  MKIII are nice. I have been enjoying my modded ST-70 for a few months as well. You can really do a lot to these old Dynas.
  Here's mine that Will Vincent built for me.


----------



## LiqTenExp

very cool!


----------



## elbuzzard

LiqTenExp. cool.  Im sure those sound great.
   
  Very Nice Ringing Ears. i think I saw your amp in another thread.  Ive seen and heard a few upgraded ST-70s but I have been reluctant to do the major overhaul type of upgrade.  I like the stock look and sound.  Could it be better? maybe.  In the future, when I can rock out my speakers I may do a Van Alstine or Curico audio mod. I will check out will vincent also.  Awesome casework.  White powdercoat? Is that a power button on the front?  To me, that little conveinience is worth alot more than the sonic upgrades Ive auditioned.  Auto bias system would be nice to have too.
   
  Dyna rules!


----------



## thrak

head-fi n00b here with my first post.  finally, after three days i got through this whole thread.  some seriously amazing setups out there, fellas!  i'd post mine but it is in flux atm.  waiting for some schist to arrive.  once the asgard/bifrost combo gets here i will add mine to this awesome collection of gear


----------



## RingingEars

Quote: 





elbuzzard said:


> LiqTenExp. cool.  Im sure those sound great.
> 
> Very Nice Ringing Ears. i think I saw your amp in another thread.  Ive seen and heard a few upgraded ST-70s but I have been reluctant to do the major overhaul type of upgrade.  I like the stock look and sound.  Could it be better? maybe.  In the future, when I can rock out my speakers I may do a Van Alstine or Curico audio mod. I will check out will vincent also.  Awesome casework.  White powdercoat? Is that a power button on the front?  To me, that little conveinience is worth alot more than the sonic upgrades Ive auditioned.  Auto bias system would be nice to have too.
> 
> Dyna rules!


 

 Yep. He has the chassis powder coated to your liking. This one is white with metallic silver trans covers and front plate. The blue light in the front is just a power light. If you look to the left is the power switch.
  This one he wire in triode mode for me so it puts out about 25w, but sounds smooth as buttah.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It runs the coin base 6L6 tubes and 7199 drivers. he also uses the original iron in these.
   
  Here's a couple pics of the build:


----------



## Graphicism

• Zero DAC
  • Sony DR-Z6 (in the box)
 • Beyerdynamic DT880 (on the head)
  • Darkvoice 336i (with Tung-Sol 5998 and Raytheon VT-231)
  • PS Audio DLIII


----------



## aCanadianDude

Graphicism... That's a work of art.


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





graphicism said:


> • Zero DAC
> • Sony DR-Z6 (in the box)
> • Beyerdynamic DT880 (on the head)
> • Darkvoice 336i (with Tung-Sol 5998 and Raytheon VT-231)
> • PS Audio DLIII


 

 Dude. LOL wow... It sounds THAT good huh?


----------



## Lurkumaural

LOL


----------



## Tilpo

That's a beautiful picture.


----------



## DragonOwen

Recently got HE-500 so my work rig now looks like this (sorry for such a mess...): Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 (Blue Dragon optic) -> MyST DAC 1866 OCU -> HiFiMAN HE-500 (Silver Dragon Furutech 6.3 Plug)


  My work rig soon will change a little, because I bought SCHIIT Lyr and I hope to get it in about a week 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And here is my new portable rig: HiFiMAN HM-601 SPbMod -> Westone 4

   
  And here is my home rig (already posted it some time ago, no change there yet...): E-MU 1212m PCI-E (CANARE coaxial) -> NFB-10ES (moon-audio Black Dragon power cable) -> HiFiMAN HE-6 (moon-audio Silver Dragon HP cable [Neutrik 4pin XLR])


----------



## MorbidToaster

I miss mt HE 500... ;~;


----------



## Windsor

Recent rig pic.


----------



## mmayer167

^ you will love your lyr with the ortho! they totally gave my thundies the kick in the pants they needed. And a kick in all the right places is what i mean. its just such a dynamic amp, i love it (GE 6bz7 at the moment)
   
   
  nice setups everyone! 
   
  all the best,
   
  Marc


----------



## palmfish

Here's my newly updated listening corner...


----------



## BobSaysHi

it's been a while. The minimax is in for repairs (I'll get it out this weekend, I promise)
   

   

   
  I take the "I'll clean it tomorrow" approach to life. I piled all my headphones onto the table. T50RP, sr60i modded (disassembled because I'm lazy), and turbines. Not pictured is my other pair of sr80is. The amp is the Millett Hybrid Minimax, and you can see the RA-1 I won in a contest. The DAC is the y1, the y2 is awaiting replacement parts (more like replacement funds).


----------



## MorbidToaster

Peachtree gear is so sexy. 
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Here's my newly updated listening corner...


 


  Logitech Illuminated Keyboard representin'. I love that keyboard so much.


  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> it's been a while. The minimax is in for repairs (I'll get it out this weekend, I promise)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## gelocks

Ok ... so not the best pictures or gear ever, but here's mine:
   
   

   
   
  Cheapo LP + DVD player + PC USB connected to Icon HDP.
  Senn HD600s just arrived at my door today. Connected to HDP out.
  Have my Shure 440s connected to the Lexicon Omega.
   

   
  And the AD700s directly connected to my PC for light gaming or quick music listening.
   

   
  Living room: Cambridge Audio S30s, S50 Center, Denon AVR + Emotiva 10'' sub.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Logitech Illuminated Keyboard representin'. I love that keyboard so much.


 
   
  My 'a' key is wonky, but I don't want to be away from this keyboard long enough to send it in for replacement. 3 year warranty ftw.


----------



## Maverickmonk

That's the home rig, which probably won't be getting a whole lot of love for a while, since I'm back at school. Not seen in the rig is a vintage JVC A40 turntable, and a uDac.
   
  The college rig is just my Koss Pro DJ100's, the uDac, and a pair of AV30 "monitors" that I use as dorm speakers.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo guys got an update for ya!
   
  My SPL Auditor is coming Monday or Tuesday along with a Vilectric V800 DAC and a Violectric HPA200. Thanks to the guys at Aphrodite Cu29 for supplying both Violectric units for demo! 
   
  I will be making video's for each as well as posting a review for each of them.
   
  As for my set-up I will be posting images of all the gear in place sometime this week!
   
   
  Hope that was not too off topic! My bad if it was.


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo guys got an update for ya!
> 
> My SPL Auditor is coming Monday or Tuesday along with a Vilectric V800 DAC and a Violectric HPA200. Thanks to the guys at Aphrodite Cu29 for supplying both Violectric units for demo!
> 
> ...


 

 Not at all I think, although you should start a dedicated thread for it to post all the images, videos and impressions. It'll be more convenient.


----------



## RingingEars

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo guys got an update for ya!
> 
> My SPL Auditor is coming Monday or Tuesday along with a Vilectric V800 DAC and a Violectric HPA200. Thanks to the guys at Aphrodite Cu29 for supplying both Violectric units for demo!
> 
> ...


 

 Nice. Looking forward to it.


----------



## jtaylor991

I did the same thing with my laptop that I was currently using. By the time I had time to call and to be away from it for a while, the person on the phone at Gateway told me I was a month out of warranty. I was all like "!!!!!!!" so yeah bad idea. I asked how much to have the hard drive replaced/fixed since it sounded/felt a bit worn from my torrenting habits, a loose hinge on the monitor, broken mute led that was there from the start when I bought it and an annoying overheating problem.
   
  $200 I was told. I took off the hard drive since I could do it myslef. Still $200. Even just the LED fix is $200. Sending it in is $200. F U GATEWAY!
   
  The overheating was a dusty fan/vent and the feet were too low. Fixed with a new pair of $1 feet for the back and a free compressed air clean at my local computer repair shop. 
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> My 'a' key is wonky, but I don't want to be away from this keyboard long enough to send it in for replacement. 3 year warranty ftw.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'm working on that now actually. I'm building a page in Dreamweaver with all of these videos, reviews, and comparisons. It's nowhere near done but will be one day.
   
  Quote: 





jigf said:


> Not at all I think, although you should start a dedicated thread for it to post all the images, videos and impressions. It'll be more convenient.


----------



## mikerobe

I feel like Ikea furniture is the appropriate mid-fi option to match my comfortably mid-fi listening station.  I am finally able to have all my pieces together, including using the Lyr as a pre-amp. 
   
  I ********* heart music!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> I feel like Ikea furniture is the appropriate mid-fi option to match my comfortably mid-fi listening station.  I am finally able to have all my pieces together, including using the Lyr as a pre-amp.
> 
> I ********* heart music!


 

 Let me be the first to say that LCD-2s with cable upgrades and a myriad of tube amps are not mid-fi.


----------



## MorbidToaster

bobsayshi said:


> Let me be the first to say that LCD-2s with cable upgrades and a myriad of tube amps are not mid-fi.




Yeah...

+1


----------



## cruizin caleb

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> I feel like Ikea furniture is the appropriate mid-fi option to match my comfortably mid-fi listening station.  I am finally able to have all my pieces together, including using the Lyr as a pre-amp.
> 
> I ********* heart music!


 

 i use those exact shelves for storing my vinyls!


----------



## Hero Kid

Quote: 





cruizin caleb said:


> i use those exact shelves for storing my vinyls!


 
   
  The use of the word "vinyls" is normally condemned within any vinyl community. Why you might ask? Well it is not a real word, at all. You can say you have a lot of vinyl, you can say you own dozens of records, but you can't say you own lots of vinyls. So yeah... just for your information 
   
  In summary: The plural of vinyl is vinyl.
  
  Oh and yeah the IKEA Expedit is renowned among record collectors. I have one myself! They are prefect.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





hero kid said:


> The use of the word "vinyls" is normally condemned within any vinyl community. Why you might ask? Well it is not a real word, at all. You can say you have a lot of vinyl, you can say you own dozens of records, but you can't say you own lots of vinyls. So yeah... just for your information


 
   
  lol, glad I'm not the only one who cringed at that.


----------



## cruizin caleb

well now i feel embarrassed. i will do well to remember.


----------



## mikerobe

Aw, man!
   
  Don't put me in a category I ain't ready for yet.  I would rather be at the upper border of the mid-fi than the very bottom of the hi-fi category. 
   
  Everything in my setup is sub four figures, doesn't that qualify me for mid-fi status?  I HAD to get the LCD-2s recabled and the only reason I could get them is because I had a rad tax return. 
   
  Anyway, there are only two tube amps, with the one on top being cheaper than the Lyr.  And the thing to the left is my DAC (Havana), which was the last thing I did before jumping to the vinyl.
   
  Mid-fi 'till I die!!  Or until I get a much more lucrative job!


----------



## detoxguy

The whole mid-fi thing drives me crazy. To me it just smacks of elitism and is completely ridiculous. Get what you like, get what you can afford and classification be damned.
  
  Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> Aw, man!
> 
> Don't put me in a category I ain't ready for yet.  I would rather be at the upper border of the mid-fi than the very bottom of the hi-fi category.
> 
> ...


----------



## mikerobe

I certainly could care less, truthfully. 
   
  To be honest, I got the only stamp of approval I wanted a few days ago.  My dad listened to the system on his recent visit.  When I put "Breakdown" on by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the deal was done.  He realized I had done some research or, at the very least, gotten lucky. 
   
  He approved.


----------



## mikerobe

...thanks for that Head-Fi (and 32 Ohm Audio in Portland).


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> I certainly could care less, truthfully.
> 
> To be honest, I got the only stamp of approval I wanted a few days ago.  My dad listened to the system on his recent visit.  When I put "Breakdown" on by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the deal was done.  He realized I had done some research or, at the very least, gotten lucky.
> 
> He approved.


 
   
  I'd say the only stamp of approval needed is your own.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> ...thanks for that Head-Fi (and 32 Ohm Audio in Portland).


 


  So that's why you _had _to get the recable


----------



## logwed

.


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> I feel like Ikea furniture is the appropriate mid-fi option to match my comfortably mid-fi listening station.  I am finally able to have all my pieces together, including using the Lyr as a pre-amp.
> 
> I ********* heart music!


 



 And what brand of compact loudspeaker may that be?


----------



## mikerobe

Those are the JB3 by John Blue.  As with many of my purchases through my local store, I went in kind of wanting something different, but with the ability to "test-drive," I quickly ended up with these.  I bought the dac/amp combo at that store (before diving into the Lyr/Havana combo), and I used their model to test out some speakers.
   
  Those JB3 speakers ROCK!  They really get the full range in a few songs.  They can sound thin at times, but with more than a few recordings they absolutely sing.  I mentioned "Breakdown" in an earlier post, the JB3s seem to hit every frequency in that song.
   
  http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/johnblue/jb3.html


----------



## m3ta1head




----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





m3ta1head said:


>


 

 I think there's a 911 somewhere missing it's steering wheel and that owner will be none too happy.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I take it you're a fan of Porches?  Nice rig by the way.


----------



## Connnorrr

Ohhh a fellow iRacer? I'm still just a D Class oval 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Too much time making custom paints, not enough time actually racing it would seem.
   
  Quote: 





m3ta1head said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

connnorrr said:


> Ohhh a fellow iRacer? I'm still just a D Class oval
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My problem as well.


----------



## ssrock64

My music creation and listening station. The only audiophile cans I have at the moment are my M50s (I'm too poor to hang onto anything else when I can make money), but I also have some generic cans that I'm too lazy to identify (left), Sennheiser CX150 (Center), and WeSC Maracas (Right). The WeSC cans are actually surprisingly good for $40-dollar style headphones, and the CX150s are okay for cheap bass buds. A friend of mine is currently borrowing my FiiO E3 and my Bithead is in another room hooked to a desktop for better internet music experience, but you can see my Yamaha keyboard, Washburn Lyon, crap CD player, and my $10 Aldi-bought bean-bag chair that I use instead of buying myself a desk for my netbook. My favorite CDs (punk, jazz, and ska) are in the right corner next to my guitar amp.
   
  It's a very basic setup and not very nice, but it lets me compose my stuff (instrumental techno and punk) and hear it through various cans. I use the M50s when composing, but after I record bare-bones melodies on my keyboard I play them back through all of the other HPs.


----------



## eclipes

My HeadFi / Work station. All my inspiration comes from this station, definitely can't live without it.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





eclipes said:


> My HeadFi / Work station. All my inspiration comes from this station, definitely can't live without it.


 

 Nice Grado picture!


----------



## MorbidToaster

+1. That's my favorite Grado picture I've ever seen. They look gorgeous. 
  
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Nice Grado picture!


----------



## eclipes

thanks guys!!


----------



## m3ta1head

Cool to see iRacers on here, of all places!  I mostly race road, and I'm still class D as well-I've spent too much time buying new cars and tracks and not enough time getting proficient with one specific combination.
  
  Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Ohhh a fellow iRacer? I'm still just a D Class oval
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Twinster

SR-325 with Jumbo pad??? How's the high with them? (Nice picture by the way)
  
  Quote: 





eclipes said:


> My HeadFi / Work station. All my inspiration comes from this station, definitely can't live without it.


----------



## eclipes

Hey Twinster, it actually sounds really good, no joke. At first I was a bit afraid about the harsh highs and lack of bass, but turns out it sounds really good and really comfortable as well. I did the turn up the volume a bit compared to L cush pads to balance it out, also a slight EQ tweak on foobar and it sounds perfect now.
  
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> SR-325 with Jumbo pad??? How's the high with them? (Nice picture by the way)


----------



## Twinster

Humm! Ok I have to try it with my Wooden MS2i. I had the SR-325 before but they were recabled with Headphile Silver and find them to hot. Does it improve the stage by a lot?
  
  Quote: 





eclipes said:


> Hey Twinster, it actually sounds really good, no joke. At first I was a bit afraid about the harsh highs and lack of bass, but turns out it sounds really good and really comfortable as well. I did the turn up the volume a bit compared to L cush pads to balance it out, also a slight EQ tweak on foobar and it sounds perfect now.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> +1. That's my favorite Grado picture I've ever seen. They look gorgeous.


 
   
  +1.  It's nice to see the 325 photographed not so brassy.  This picture makes me want to see one again.  I heard one with stock pads, liked it, decided it wasn't worth the store's price.


----------



## Clayton SF

Incredible picture of the Grado on a WooAudio stand. Now I want one. The Grado that is.


----------



## eclipes

yup, soundstage is night and day difference, especially with the warm tube sound, sounds incredible.
  
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> Humm! Ok I have to try it with my Wooden MS2i. I had the SR-325 before but they were recabled with Headphile Silver and find them to hot. Does it improve the stage by a lot?


----------



## eclipes

yeah i have to agree, the price is a bit steep but its even more drastic in Canada. Grados here are wayyy overpriced... and we can't buy it online from US dealers because Grado's policy won't allow international sales. Thank god theres Head Fi
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





lurkumaural said:


> +1.  It's nice to see the 325 photographed not so brassy.  This picture makes me want to see one again.  I heard one with stock pads, liked it, decided it wasn't worth the store's price.


----------



## Ultrazino

Just some pictures to complete my semi-portable mid-fi station.
   
  Portable? Check. Sexy? Check. Does it rock? Hell yeah!

   
  This leaves me some time for the next serious home upgrade (T1 + tube amp).


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm just about ready to drop $80 on one of those sexy Woo double stands. I've wanted one for awhile but I've just never gotten to it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> Just some pictures to complete my semi-portable mid-fi station.
> 
> Portable? Check. Sexy? Check. Does it rock? Hell yeah!
> 
> ...


 


   Man I've owned the Pro 750 twice now. If I can get past the slight comfort issue I have with the Pro line cans I'd like to just get the Pro 900 and never upgrade again. lol
   
  I don't think I'll ever want to get back into the hi-fi section of this hobby again. It's brutal.


----------



## JasonZ10

I guess this would count. It's all up to date aside from the stuff that's in the mail right now.


----------



## Hero Kid

My humble Luxman L-5 amp with my much loved Audeze LCD-2s. They normally live in their box and I am building a stand for them. Not pictured is a Mac Mini with a SSD and external HDD full of FLAC which I use as my primary source. I still need to buy a DAC and do away with the CD player but that is all in the pipeline at the moment. I also have a listening chair and reading light just out of the photo which I use for headphone listening 
   
   





 Pictured: Luxman L-5 Amplifier, Thorens TD-160 MKII with a RB300 tonearm and Monster Cable Alpha 1 MC cart, LEAK 2060 speaker (the other one is on the other side of the room), Audile Enterprises Australia Phono Stage, Marantz CD-63 Mk II and chillin' on the top my Audeze LCD-2s. Although it is worth noting I normally listen to my vinyl rig through speakers.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





jasonz10 said:


> I guess this would count. It's all up to date aside from the stuff that's in the mail right now.


 


  I must say, that is one sick looking computing tower you've got there!


----------



## NimbleRabit

Very nice and clean, I love it.  Is that a leopold (or filco) keyboard?  Great pictures btw
  Quote: 





eclipes said:


> My HeadFi / Work station. All my inspiration comes from this station, definitely can't live without it.


----------



## Zombie_X

Thought I'd update you guys with my new toy :


----------



## mmayer167

? do you like it ?  
   
  I like the lazer scribe and not sure about all the crazy led's. Also, nice work with the wooden blocks!
   
  M


----------



## Zombie_X

Yes the DAC is very good. Far better than the Benchmark DAC1 (with USB) for sure.
  
  Originally I was going to use dense rubber blocks but I made extra maple lying around (lots of maple) so why not? Made a few feet for my DAC, cut out blocks for my speakers, cut some for my X-CANV8P.
   
  Well I do have the rubber blocks I mentioned and they absorb a lot of vibration. Though they don't slip around freely which I like and dislike. Don't know why though.
   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ? do you like it ?
> 
> I like the lazer scribe and not sure about all the crazy led's. Also, nice work with the wooden blocks!
> 
> M


----------



## eclipes

thanks its actually a Ducky 9008 black on black, I post more pics in the keyboard-fi thread.
  
  Quote: 





nimblerabit said:


> Very nice and clean, I love it.  Is that a leopold (or filco) keyboard?  Great pictures btw


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





hero kid said:


> My humble Luxman L-5 amp with my much loved Audeze LCD-2s. They normally live in their box and I am building a stand for them. Not pictured is a Mac Mini with a SSD and external HDD full of FLAC which I use as my primary source. I still need to buy a DAC and do away with the CD player but that is all in the pipeline at the moment. I also have a listening chair and reading light just out of the photo which I use for headphone listening
> 
> Pictured: Luxman L-5 Amplifier, Thorens TD-160 MKII with a RB300 tonearm and Monster Cable Alpha 1 MC cart, LEAK 2060 speaker (the other one is on the other side of the room), Audile Enterprises Australia Phono Stage, Marantz CD-63 Mk II and chillin' on the top my Audeze LCD-2s. Although it is worth noting I normally listen to my vinyl rig through speakers.


 

 Very nice setup, cant believe all the vinyl you have!


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





eclipes said:


> My HeadFi / Work station. All my inspiration comes from this station, definitely can't live without it.


 


  What's with the stoppers on the gimbal? That can't be stock. Looks cool and a good way to lock in the height adjustment.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Thought I'd update you guys with my new toy :


 

 Just on the aesthetics alone... too many lights.  No way would that work for my bedroom rig.  (which is what I was considering it for.)  But if its as good for DACs as the V200 was for solid state...


----------



## Zombie_X

For some reason the LED's are much brighter in my pictures but in real life they aren't nearly that bright, but rather dull. It's one beast of a DAC though.
  
  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> Just on the aesthetics alone... too many lights.  No way would that work for my bedroom rig.  (which is what I was considering it for.)  But if its as good for DACs as the V200 was for solid state...


----------



## Tilpo

If LED's are too bright there is always the simple solution of putting a piece of transparent tape over it. If you do it right you can only see the tape if you look really closely.


----------



## mikerobe

Quote: 





hero kid said:


> Pictured: Luxman L-5 Amplifier, Thorens TD-160 MKII with a RB300 tonearm and Monster Cable Alpha 1 MC cart, LEAK 2060 speaker (the other one is on the other side of the room), Audile Enterprises Australia Phono Stage, Marantz CD-63 Mk II and chillin' on the top my Audeze LCD-2s. Although it is worth noting I normally listen to my vinyl rig through speakers.


 
   
  Ha!!  You weren't lying about you and the Expedit, you even have the same model/size set up all horizontal like.  What are you using as "spacers" for the vinyl, to prevent it from sliding in too much?  Or are you not worrying about it.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> If LED's are too bright there is always the simple solution of putting a piece of transparent tape over it. If you do it right you can only see the tape if you look really closely.


 


  I just stick post-its to my gear on occasion.


----------



## obzilla

OK guys, this is my bedside rig.
  I do most of my listening there.
  It's relatively humble, but I like it. I'm looking into a better furniture / headphone stand solution, but for now it serves quite well.
   
  iPod ALAC or CD / SACD > Marantz SA8004 (SACD Player / USB DAC) > Schiit Lyr > Ultrason Pro 900s / Denon AH D7000s / Audez'e LCD2 Rev2s.
   

   
   
  Hmm, picture is kinda crummy, it's from my cellphone. Maybe I'll take a nicer shot with my SLR later on.


----------



## Tilpo

I wouldn't call Lyr + LCD-2 a 'humble setup'. 

I'm suprised though that the Marantz is able to act as a DAC for the iPod though. I think most USB DAC's can't do that. 

I wonder how the Lyr compares to the headphone output of the Marantz


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I wouldn't call Lyr + LCD-2 a 'humble setup'.


 

 Compared to some of the stuff around here, it's quite pedestrian!
   
   
  Quote: 





> I'm suprised though that the Marantz is able to act as a DAC for the iPod though. I think most USB DAC's can't do that.


 
   
  It's really a versatile unit!
  http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=HiFiComponents&SubCatId=0&ProductId=SA8004
   
  And it sounds incredible vs iPod line out to the Lyr. Direct digital connection to the iPod, and being a great SACD/CD player is exactly why I bought it. I supports optical as well, though I haven't tried it yet, my laptop is pretty firmly anchored in the living room, though I want to try out some 24bit files on it, which the iPod wont handle, so I need to try that out soon.
   
  They tell me that most of the SACD/CD player components are the same as, or as good as the players from the reference series.
  I listened to the reference series in the showroom, they sounded great obviously, but IMO, nothing to warrant the cost, and the lack of iPod direct digital connection.
  Perhaps they are better, but not enough for my money, and I forgo a separate DAC, really a great solution for me.
   
  Quote:


> I wonder how the Lyr compares to the headphone output of the Marantz


 
   
  It drives the D7000s and the 900s flawlessly. It also does well with the LCD2s, but I like the Lyr better with them.
  Though by default I just plug everything into the Lyr as everything I have sounds great coming out of it.
   
  Cheers!


----------



## Baird GoW

You guys don't get a pic of my main setup until I buy my new PC case and my new keyboard. But for the meantime you can see my bed/ portable rig.
 Here is my new portable setup. Everything in the pic is less than a month old except for the RE-262.
 This is a CF WhipMOD > Whiplash Audio Reference LOD > Ray Samuels SR-71B > Balanced HE-300 (HE-6 cable re-terminated with SR-71B connector)
 This was the setup a week ago when I was vacationing in Cancun.

 And this is it now


----------



## jtaylor991

The Marantz SA8004 will probably be my next (first) cd player then!


----------



## obzilla

jtaylor991 said:


> The Marantz SA8004 will probably be my next (first) cd player then!




Go for it man. I currently want not.
It will drive most cans fine, and be as good of a DAC as most in it's price range. 
If you look at it like that, you are getting an SACD/CD player free while solving most of your component chain.
Have a.look in the source forum for the Maramtz SA8004 thread, 
you'll be glad when you buy it


----------



## jtaylor991

So is it good even as a standalone DAC let alone a redbook player (I own no SACDs yet)? I'll probably connect a 160gb iPod Classic 7th or the new 8th gen if announced to it with ALAC and play redbook CDs. I have Senn HD650s BTW
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Go for it man. I currently want not.
> It will drive most cans fine, and be a better DAC than most in it's price range.
> If you look at it like that, you are getting an SACD/CD player free while solving most of your component chain.
> Have a.look in the source forum for the Maramtz SA8004 thread,
> you'll be glad when you buy it


----------



## palmfish

If you don't have any SACD's, I think the SA8004 is overkill. 

If you do have a collection of SACD's, then another (more future-proof) option is the Oppo BDP-95. 

It can play SACD's just like the Marantz, but will also play BluRay music discs and FLAC files. And it has HDMI 1.4.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> If you don't have any SACD's, I think the SA8004 is overkill.
> 
> If you do have a collection of SACD's, then another (more future-proof) option is the Oppo BDP-95.
> 
> It can play SACD's just like the Marantz, but will also play BluRay music discs and FLAC files. And it has HDMI 1.4.


 


  Overkill leaves not a shadow of a doubt .
  Most of what we do in this hobby is overkill by nature .
  That being said, I would still opt for the Marantz UD5005 over the Oppo personally for a universal deck with HDMI and so forth, maybe I'm a fanboy...


----------



## DragonOwen

Got my SCHIIT Lyr yesterday, so here is my test rigs for today:
  - RME HDSP 9632 (CANARE RCA-RCA coaxial cable) -> Audio-GD NFB-10ES [Non-USB, Upgrade 80M TCXO] (moon-audio Black Dragon power cable) -> HiFiMAN HE-6 (moon-audio Silver Dragon [Neutrik 4pin XLR])
  - RME HDSP 9632 (CANARE RCA-RCA coaxial cable) -> Audio-GD NFB-10ES [Non-USB, Upgrade 80M TCXO] (moon-audio Black Dragon power cable) -> SCHIIT Lyr [JJ E88CC Tubes] (Audio-GD Interconnect RCA-RCA cables) -> HiFiMAN HE-500 (moon-audio Silver Dragon [Furutech 6.3" Plug])

  Tomorrow Lyr is going to my work rig, because HE-6 sound better on balance from NFB-10ES then from Lyr... but thats OK, because I was planning to buy Lyr for my work rig, but also wanted to check if it could beat NFB-10ES balanced amp... well HE-6 is certainly sound good with Lyr, but when I plug it to 4pin XLR on 10ES the choice which is better is obvious
  Anyway HE-500 is fantastic with Lyr (and HE-4 too, have a chance to listen it a little yesterday) so no regrets at all, Lyr certainly a great amp for orthodynamic headphones... but HE-6 needs more to make them sound their best


----------



## obzilla

Ah yes, and the oppo doesn't support idevices, much less direct digital, that was a key factor as my collection is all ALAC for iPod use.
it serves as an easy and familiar remote for the unit, and obviously contains my lossless files.

For me it's been ideal.


----------



## palmfish

Good point, I'm not an "i" guy.
   
  I do really like the current Marantz line. They were in the toilet for a while but have really come around in the last few years. Really strong stuff that pays homage to their glory days.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just got my new desk set up and everything situated. Really login' actually having a desk and my MX518 (master race) mouse.
   
  No DAC or Amps atm, just running the HD 598 and Pro 750 out of the headphone jack for the Logitech speakers. It actually gets pretty loud.
   
  Logitech 2.1 speakers (soon to be replaced with Audiengine A5s), Logitech Illuminated Keyboard, Logitech MX 518 Mouse, 27" iMac (w/ Win. 7 64 Bootcamped for games), Magic Trackpad, HP Touchpad, HP Photosmart printer.
   

   
  CD on the desk is 'These Hopeful Machines' by BT
   
  EDIT: New chair on the right, crap my computer WAS sitting on to the left. Cables have since been brought under control (I hate unorganized cables)


----------



## RexAeterna

not much has changed since last time i posted here. just decided to add another studio gem to my collection.






it's one on the right. the original 1976 pioneer monitor 10's. amazing headphone. also i decided to rip apart some old guitar stand i had so i can start hanging my headphones up during the night after use. sorry about bad pic. i am not very good at picture taking and was using some sony digital cam as well.


----------



## Lurkumaural

^ lucky dog.  I want each of these to hop in my box of vintages.
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> [snip] also i decided to rip apart some old guitar stand i had so i can start hanging my headphones up [/snip]


 

 excellent idea! are others doing this as well?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Hmm, picture is kinda crummy, it's from my cellphone. Maybe I'll take a nicer shot with my SLR later on.


 


  I said I would, so here is one. It's cross posted from the Headphone Pics thread, but it still shows the setup, and it's much prettier.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Beautiful pic, and I am so jealous of that Marantz. Maybe once I get out of college I can reward myself with one


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I said I would, so here is one. It's cross posted from the Headphone Pics thread, but it still shows the setup, and it's much prettier.


 

 Very nice setup, anything can run with that Schiit.


----------



## Twinster

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I said I would, so here is one. It's cross posted from the Headphone Pics thread, but it still shows the setup, and it's much prettier.


 

 Very nice composition. And the DOF is amazing. Like a pro!


----------



## mmayer167

Beaut of a pict! Now only if i had a rev. 2 to go with  my Lyr : )


----------



## rawrster

Here's my humble setup: Keces DA-151 Mk2, PPAv2 and Magnum 2.5. Sorry for the bad picture but all I have is a really old point and shoot.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Here's my humble setup: Keces DA-151 Mk2, PPAv2 and Magnum 2.5. Sorry for the bad picture but all I have is a really old point and shoot.


 

 Nonsense!  I've seen some bad photography which yours is not.  Nice setup by the way.


----------



## rawrster

I'm sure it's nothing compared to those with better cameras such as those dslrs 
   
  I do like the setup a lot and it makes for a good inexpensive rig. There really isn't much to complain about with this rig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

rawrster said:


> I'm sure it's nothing compared to those with better cameras such as those dslrs
> 
> I do like the setup a lot and it makes for a good inexpensive rig. There really isn't much to complain about with this rig.




I have an SLR but still take shots with my phone. Lol.

So much trouble to get the SLR photo sometimes...but my iPhone...it's right there.


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I said I would, so here is one. It's cross posted from the Headphone Pics thread, but it still shows the setup, and it's much prettier.


 
  gorgeous photo!  makes me all tingly in my naughty bits   btw, is it an instagram or photoshop?  doesn't look like plain ol' bokeh to me...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





thrak said:


> gorgeous photo!  makes me all tingly in my naughty bits   btw, is it an instagram or photoshop?  doesn't look like plain ol' bokeh to me...


 
   
  Thanks!
 It's plain old bokeh, no PS. Sony Zeiss ZA 85 1.4 wide open on an a900. 
  Dreamy lens it is.
   
  Though, I did use Gimp to desaturate the cool colors, makes the phones pop more, but otherwise, no alteration.


----------



## Draygonn

There's always money in the banana stand


----------



## Baird GoW

We throw away a banana for every buck we take so no one finds out.


----------



## DragonOwen

Here is my updated work rig. The new here are SCHIIT Lyr and ALO OCC-SXC interconnect cables, so my new work rig is: E-MU 1212m PCI-E (optic moon-audio Blue Dragon cable) -> MyST DAC 1866 OCU -> SCHIIT Lyr [Jan Phillips 6922 (E88CC) Tubes] (ALO OCC-SXC) -> HiFiMAN HE-500 (moon-audio Silver Dragon [Furutech 6.3 Plug])


----------



## Yuceka

Is that a microwave right next to the Lyr and your screen? That surely is an odd trinity


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Is that a microwave right next to the Lyr and your screen? That surely is an odd trinity


 

 Yes, it is a microwave 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  There just no other place for it in the room...


----------



## Draygonn

dragonowen said:


> Yes, it is a microwave




Hot Pocket!


----------



## aroldan

That seems to be very convenient for a popcorn listening time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Is that a microwave right next to the Lyr and your screen? That surely is an odd trinity


----------



## Tilpo

I'd rather have a fridge or coffee machine on my desk, but a microwave is fine too. 
Ideal for preparing microwave meals or popcorn without having to move an inch.


----------



## FinBenton




----------



## logwed

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'd rather have a fridge or coffee machine on my desk, but a microwave is fine too.
> Ideal for preparing microwave meals or popcorn without having to move an inch.


 


  All of these things within the reach of my arms! Oh, the wonders of dorm living...


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





finbenton said:


>


 


  NFB-5 in the wild. It looks nice. How does it sound with the Senn?


----------



## FinBenton

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> NFB-5 in the wild. It looks nice. How does it sound with the Senn?


 

  
   
  Got it just today so too early for me to judge but so far its blowing my mind


----------



## Tilpo

finbenton said:


>



What's up with the cushions on the headband?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What's up with the cushions on the headband?


 


 Is there something wrong with it? it looks about right to me. The HD6x0 and I believe the HD580 comes with those cushions.


----------



## MorbidToaster

rawrster said:


> Is there something wrong with it? it looks about right to me. The HD6x0 and I believe the HD580 comes with those cushions.




598 has 'em too.


----------



## Tilpo

No I see now. 
I thought it was an HD650, but now I realize it's a 580. ;____;


----------



## Eee Pee

HD 600's cushions are like that.


----------



## BotByte

Uploading... 
   

   
  oo boy, aren't we hitting the big time today?
   

   
  I got all my furniture for free. How cheap am I?
   

   
  Stare at that for 16 hours a day and tell me how it feels.
   

   
  Oh boy, look at my sho-off pic. Aren't I styling?


----------



## mmayer167

^ nice t50's Love the leather band and pads : )


----------



## MilesDavis2

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Here's my humble setup: Keces DA-151 Mk2, PPAv2 and Magnum 2.5. Sorry for the bad picture but all I have is a really old point and shoot.


 


 Who cares about the photography.  You have great gears.  As long as you're enjoying it. That is all that matters.


----------



## Jibbie




----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





jibbie said:


>


 


  Does the blue lights also condition your room while super cooling your system?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Does the blue lights also condition your room while super cooling your system?


 

 Gets rid of cable jitter, I'm sure.


----------



## jtaylor991

You still have to get up and get the popcorn or microwave meal *trollface*
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'd rather have a fridge or coffee machine on my desk, but a microwave is fine too.
> Ideal for preparing microwave meals or popcorn without having to move an inch.


----------



## jtaylor991

What amp/DAC or whatever else it could be is hat? And are those Senn HD650s? Setup looks nice BTW.
  
  Quote: 





finbenton said:


>


----------



## Jibbie

Haha that'd be nice.  I bought the case for its size and air cooling, not for the lights.  First time I turned the lights off in the room and the computer was on, it was a cool effect, but now I don't take notice of them.
  
  Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Does the blue lights also condition your room while super cooling your system?


----------



## TheWuss

edit:  not sure why these posted so small.  click the image if you want a larger view....


----------



## MorbidToaster

That chair looks terribly uncomfortable.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> edit:  not sure why these posted so small.  click the image if you want a larger view....


 
  Do I spy Liquid Fire #20! Yes I can see your s/n from here.


----------



## TwoTrack

Here is mine: Sony SCD-777ES to Benchmark DAC1 to Grado RS1i.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Uploading...
> <snip>
> 
> 
> ...


 

 So, we finally see what the mysterious BotByte's listening station looks like.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  That's a nice, comfortable looking setup you've got there.


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> So, we finally see what the mysterious BotByte's listening station looks like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Made for a writer more then a Audiophile


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Made for a writer more then a Audiophile


 

 Ah.  Are you an author?


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Ah.  Are you an author?


 


  Currently writing a series of books.
  Have published several short stories, later adopted into collections
  One of those have won me a $250,000 scholarship. It's the money I've been using for college
   
  btw, I go on Headfi in the breaks. You guys are my "little escape"


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

NFB-5?  How are you liking it?  
  Edit:  I read your post after that your enjoying it or better said "mind blowing!"  I just got mine today also did you get the Oamps?  haha a thought just crossed my mind.. what if they sent me yours and you mine?!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





finbenton said:


>


----------



## FinBenton

Haha it had a little sticker on it with my name on it I dont think they got mixed  Mine is stock, I dont know which oamps it has? Phones HD600.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I was just playing with you.  Ya I had changed a few things on mine and I'm using my He-300 currently until my He-4 comes in.  
  Quote: 





finbenton said:


> Haha it had a little sticker on it with my name on it I dont think they got mixed  Mine is stock, I dont know which oamps it has? Phones HD600.


----------



## kjoh

Quote: 





twotrack said:


> Here is mine: Sony SCD-777ES to Benchmark DAC1 to Grado RS1i.


 

 Love this setup!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Currently writing a series of books.
> Have published several short stories, later adopted into collections
> One of those have won me a $250,000 scholarship. It's the money I've been using for college
> 
> btw, I go on Headfi in the breaks. You guys are my "little escape"


 

 That's very impressive BotByte!  Perhaps your next short story could be about a young college bound audiophile.  It would detail his or her search for great sound while trying to juggle classes,research papers and general college life all on a meager budget.  I tell ya, that has best seller written all over it!


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> That's very impressive BotByte!  Perhaps your next short story could be about a young college bound audiophile.  It would detail his or her search for great sound while trying to juggle classes,research papers and general college all on a meager budget.  I tell ya that has best seller written all over it!


 

 I would buy it.


----------



## Towert7

The signal to noise ratio is dropping. 
  Too much talking, not enough pictures!
  ^_^


----------



## BotByte

Uploading....
   
  I redid my station. Anticipating my second most expensive purchase yet.
   

   
  I made some speakers. Placed them on the end. Notice the large space
   

   
  I figured something out. Screw hooks into your speakers and they can hold your T50RP's perfectly.
   

   
  The VOID. I'm anticipating a Turntable maybe Tuesday. Got some LP's already cleaned and ready


----------



## DjAmTraX

This is my web browsing station.  I use it on a daily basis, but I do change the headphones up a bit.  2009 MacBook Pro with 1TB HD and SSD for OS X Lion.  Apogee Duet 2 headphones amp and DAC.  The combo is amazing.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Currently writing a series of books.
> Have published several short stories, later adopted into collections
> One of those have won me a $250,000 scholarship. It's the money I've been using for college
> 
> btw, I go on Headfi in the breaks. You guys are my "little escape"


 

 *Clap Clap Clap* That's really something. I'd like to hear more about this incredible $250K scholarship. Most authors never make that much money in their entire writing careers. 
   
  BTW, I'm also a writer. I created/wrote/illustrated graphic novels in the 90's, then co-wrote a book that teaches digital painting. I also worked as a writer/director for a CG animation studio. I'm currently working on novels.
   
  Head-fi isn't an escape for me though, since I'm also a composer and am just as passionate about audio/music as I am about writing. I'm also an artist and photographer, but I would say after decades of working as a visual artist (in illustration, comics, video games, film/TV), I prefer creative mediums that encompass the 4th dimension naturally.


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> *Clap Clap Clap* That's really something. I'd like to hear more about this incredible $250K scholarship. Most authors never make that much money in their entire writing careers.
> 
> BTW, I'm also a writer. I created/wrote/illustrated graphic novels in the 90's, then co-wrote a book that teaches digital painting. I also worked as a writer/director for a CG animation studio. I'm currently working on novels.
> 
> Head-fi isn't an escape for me though, since I'm also a composer and am just as passionate about audio/music as I am about writing. I'm also an artist and photographer, but I would say after decades of working as a visual artist (in illustration, comics, video games, film/TV), I prefer creative mediums that encompass the 4th dimension naturally.


 

 I hate the money. I didn't even apply for the competition, my agent sent it in on "my behalf". The story has been pushed around like a ball I can't stand to think that my pen name is on it. The scholarship was also very strict and I guess they had me pay for to this day with enough strain of classes and such. You try taking three languages, two sciences, four writing classes and a internship for the year.
   
  I'm currently working on novels, but man I'm stuck at the moment. It is the most difficult job in the world is being a novelist.
   
  See, I rarely leave the house. That's just always have been me. It's either HeadFI or college for my time being.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> I hate the money. I didn't even apply for the competition, my agent sent it in on "my behalf". The story has been pushed around like a ball I can't stand to think that my pen name is on it. The scholarship was also very strict and I guess they had me pay for to this day with enough strain of classes and such. You try taking three languages, two sciences, four writing classes and a internship for the year.
> 
> I'm currently working on novels, but man I'm stuck at the moment. It is the most difficult job in the world is being a novelist.
> 
> See, I rarely leave the house. That's just always have been me. It's either HeadFI or college for my time being.


 
   
  Well, at least all those classes will make you more well-rounded as a writer. 
   
  I didn't enjoy college much, since I was working full-time and going to school full-time as well. I was always so tired and would fall asleep standing on the bus, in class, and I almost never had time to study or do homework properly. I couldn't keep it up physically and dropped out. 
   
  I absolutely agree that writing novels is the hardest creative endeavor ever. It has the lowest entry point in terms of technology, equipment, and prerequisite, but that also means it requires the most out of you, as no gear, tool, or tricks can help you--it all comes from inside of you. Drawing, painting, composing music, shooting photography, making film...etc all are easier than writing novels, because the tools often greatly enhance your work. With writing, nothing can help you, and when you fail, it feels like your soul and intellect is defective somehow, as opposed to simply not having enough skill or knowledge. 
   
  BTW, there are writer's forums out there that are pretty good for discussions, asking questions, getting opinions, doing research...etc. If you're interested I can give you recommendations. I only recently started using them, and they've been useful.


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> Well, at least all those classes will make you more well-rounded as a writer.
> 
> I didn't enjoy college much, since I was working full-time and going to school full-time as well. I was always so tired and would fall asleep standing on the bus, in class, and I almost never had time to study or do homework properly. I couldn't keep it up physically and dropped out.
> 
> ...


 

  
  My greatest strength is my mind and body. Simply I can do whatever I wish. But then my greatest downfall is that I'm the laziest person you will ever meet. It's amazing I can write a novel on a few days, but then it takes me three months to edit it.
   
  I'm a self taught writer, I've got somewhere around 15,000 pages written of trial and error. Only about 200 pages have been published and every page has been read by my agent.
   
  The greatest and worse thing about already being published is that I have a team of people to aid me in my writing. But then they are all idiots and can't seem to figure out why I place that comma there for artistic purposes and not for grammar usage. Bunch of idiots, I use them as the stupid characters in my stories. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The only writing difficulty I have is dulling what I say to standards. I believe that the reader should be able to read between the lines, rather then have me fill in the blanks.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> The greatest and worse thing about already being published is that I have a team of people to aid me in my writing. But then they are all idiots and can't seem to figure out why I place that comma there for artistic purposes and not for grammar usage. Bunch of idiots, I use them as the stupid characters in my stories.


 

 I hope your people never find this post. 
   
  BTW, since you don't have a website linked, I have no way to finding out about the works you have published, or follow your future progress.


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





lunatique said:


> I hope your people never find this post.
> 
> BTW, since you don't have a website linked, I have no way to finding out about the works you have published, or follow your future progress.


 


  I don't use my real name online. Simply I don't want people to find out who I am and what my work is.

 That's just me. I've always been the type of person. Even my friends don't know my real name.
   
  Sorry about that, if you read through some short story collection or attend a writing competition, you might read my works. But since I'm published under several pen names, it's less likely that you'll find each one similar then actually pressing a work to me.
   
  Maybe that is my madness. "Maybe that’s what you have to do to be a genius, is you have to be mad. So if you get mad before the word genius, then maybe you can make genius appear, right?" - John Mayer, Where the Light is, Bold as Love


----------



## Hero Kid

... and back on topic?


----------



## mmayer167

I really enjoyed the last few posts  but i smell a slight d-rail.  Just thought id be the one to say it. Also, i don't see how we can have all these posts about your writing and your work, but no way to read any of it? bad or good, childish and/or perverted, i say what gives. We're all mad, especially us head-fier's, live a little : ) 
   
  M
   
  edit: hero beat me to it...


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> I really enjoyed the last few posts  but i smell a slight d-rail.  Just thought id be the one to say it. Also, i don't see how we can have all these posts about your writing and your work, but no way to read any of it? bad or good, childish and/or perverted, i say what gives. We're all mad, especially us head-fier's, live a little : )
> 
> M
> 
> edit: hero beat me to it...


 

 That's just me. If I post it online, then it's online
   
  Some of my posts every now and then I show off my writing a bit. But that's just about it.
   
  Yes, let's get back to the thread. Whenever my turntable get's here, I will show it off like no to-marrow.


----------



## theoandtheb

Quote:


botbyte said:


> But then they are all idiots and can't seem to figure out why I place that comma there for artistic purposes and not for grammar usage.
> 
> The only writing difficulty I have is dulling what I say to standards. I believe that the reader should be able to read between the lines, rather then have me fill in the blanks.


 


  As a senior writing major, I wholeheartedly agree with this. It drives me nuts when my "readers," the professors, don't understand punctuation or occasional ambiguity for artistic purposes. It's like when punctuation is used for any purpose other than basic grammar, a screen flashes in front of their eyes, "Does not compute. Does not compute." Anyway, it's nice to hear the honest truth sometimes from those in a profession.


----------



## MorbidToaster

God I want one of the Duet series. They're so sleek and sexy.
  Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> This is my web browsing station.  I use it on a daily basis, but I do change the headphones up a bit.  2009 MacBook Pro with 1TB HD and SSD for OS X Lion.  Apogee Duet 2 headphones amp and DAC.  The combo is amazing.


----------



## mmayer167

BotByte: I respect that, no diff than my work. Don't be shy now, flare up the forums all you want : )
   
   
  I'll do it, here is my current temporary situation. I'm in a one bedroom apt. with another guy, which is working out quite well so far ( two weeks in ). This is my corner, on the desk: Lyr (Lorenz fused frame tube rolled), Maverick D1 ( soon to be bifrost), dt880 600ohm, 500gb hard-drive (all my tunes), lamp, trimble juno st (work related...gross), change container...  And hiding up on the dresser are my thunderpants, there's just not enough room for them on the desk.
   

   
   
  M


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





botbyte said:


> Made for a writer more then a Audiophile


 


  Normally I don't point these out, but it seems appropriate. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Shouldn't it be "than" instead of "then"? And shouldn't it be "an" instead of "a"? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  I'm only pulling your leg 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. That's a sweet setup you got there


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Normally I don't point these out, but it seems appropriate.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I write too fast to worry. MS Word always beats with the "Then and Than."
   
  My setup will be even sweeter with my Turntable and everything worked out.
   
  My room is purposely dull for the "writing purpose" which takes my mind off most thing.
   
  Turntable, turntable, I need my turntable!


----------



## DjAmTraX




----------



## mmayer167

^ haha, your post should have gone earlier or did i miss something?
   
  M


----------



## Tilpo

botbyte said:


> My room is purposely dull for the "writing purpose" which takes my mind off most thing.



I think procrastination is something the entire world should be able to relate with.
At times my attention span seems to be less than five minutes. 

Sometimes on the other hand I can get so soaked up in working that I even forget to eat. I most recently had this when I finally had a breakthrough in solving a difficult mathematics problem. It might be the most addictive feeling ever.


----------



## paconavarro

http://instagr.am/p/NCTjm/?ref=nf


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I think procrastination is something the entire world should be able to relate with.
> At times my attention span seems to be less than five minutes.
> 
> Sometimes on the other hand I can get so soaked up in working that I even forget to eat. I most recently had this when I finally had a breakthrough in solving a difficult mathematics problem. It might be the most addictive feeling ever.


 

 I've been procrastinating for the last week. My desk is a mess.
   
  Man, I need to get writing.
   
  Whenever my turntable turns up, god....


----------



## milosz

Headphone altar....
   

   
  Top shelf is for cables and wall-warts, as well as the deluxe boxes that headphones seem to come in now, next shelf has some small DACs (Musical Fidelity VDAC, HRT Streamer, Cambridge DAC Magic  etc) and other sundry accessories and supports the Sennheiser headphone hangers; below that is a deeper shelf for amps.
   
  And, no, that is not some kind of direct-brain-audio-induction device on a stalk at the left, that is just a magnifying lamp type thing, sticking up to keep it out of the way.
   
  Between the high-intensity lamp and the Canon printer is where I put the DAC / AMP / etc currently on audition.  This desk and shelf are behind my computer desk, easily reached when I swivel my chair around.  Stacked up and ready for use  (although hard to see) are: Bottom- Audio-Gd FUN as DAC and dynamic headphone amp, then a Stax SRM-T1 with a Stax SRM-1.mk II on top of it for ESL phones.  The DAC is fed by a Musiland Monitor 01 running off USB to my PC, and in another room is my server on which I have stored about 55,000 FLAC tracks.
   
  Headphones from left to right:

 Stax SR-007
 Koss ESP-950 w/ Stax cable
 HiFiMan HE-6
 Stax Lamda Pro Signatures
 Denon AH-D7000
 Audio Technica ATH-W5000
 Sennheiser HD800
 Audeze LCD-2
   
  Beyer DT-880's, Audio-Gd Compass, Stax SRD-7PRO and my M³  amp are in another room, not in this shot.
   
  Amplifiers from left to right:

 Modified Musical Fidelity XCAN V3
 Little Dot Mk III
 CK²III
 Bijou
 Box containing Ray Samuels Hornet
 Bottlehead Crack/Speedball
 Audio-Gd NFB-10es
 Beta 22


----------



## Draygonn

milosz said:


> Headphone altar....




Beautiful and convenient setup.


----------



## Jibbie

Good God.....
  
  Quote: 





milosz said:


> Headphone altar....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





milosz said:


> Headphone altar....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Amazing collection. Why do you use the Fun as dac and dynamic amp, over something like the NFB-10ES?


----------



## Baird GoW

He probably does use the NFB-10es. It's just that he is a hoarder...


----------



## mRfRag

Quote: 





milosz said:


> Headphone altar....


 

 AMAZING altar!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> He probably does use the NFB-10es. It's just that he is a hoarder...


 

 hahaha it reminded me of this 
   
http://youtu.be/8WuU0W3kdxk


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Moved some stuff around. Been experimenting with some sound fields. I find that if you put on near same audible volume monitors and wear a pair of open-air headphones, all playing the same thing at the same time, it's quite an incredible sound all together. So my Matrix Cube is the DAC, input via SPDIFF right now. From it, it feeds a pair of headphones from it's internal amp, and it outputs to my Schiit Lyr. The Lyr then outputs straight to an HE-500, but also has it's outputs going out to the M-Audio monitors. So all three play at the same time (two headphones and one set of monitors). This way I can switch between headphones seemlessly, but also, when I take them off completely, the monitors are playing softly. When wearing the headphones, having the monitors in the background playing you can get some through the open-air grills of the headphones, and the field it creates is truly fun. Love it!
   

   

   
  Very best,


----------



## palmfish

I have fond memories of when I first started listening to speakers.
   
  Don't rush yourself - take your time. Once you have completely weaned yourself off headphones, enjoy your stereo loudspeakers for a while and then, only then, you can slowly work towards surround sound by a adding a center channel first, then rear surround speakers.
   
  You've taken your first baby steps into a bigger world! Soon you'll be enjoying your music as it was meant to be heard!


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I have fond memories of when I first started listening to speakers.
> 
> Don't rush yourself - take your time. Once you have completely weaned yourself off headphones, enjoy your stereo loudspeakers for a while and then, only then, you can slowly work towards surround sound by a adding a center channel first, then rear surround speakers.
> 
> You've taken your first baby steps into a bigger world! Soon you'll be enjoying your music as it was meant to be heard!


 

 Eh?
   
  I have surround down stairs, great for listening, but not so nice to neighbors at the hours I'm up.
   

   
  Very best,


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


palmfish said:


> ...enjoy your stereo loudspeakers for a while and then, only then, you can slowly work towards surround sound by a adding a center channel first, then rear surround speakers.
> 
> ...Soon you'll be enjoying your music as it was meant to be heard!


----------



## MilesDavis2

Like your impressive setup.  Gave me an idea.  Thanks for sharing.
  Quote: 





milosz said:


> Headphone altar....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Eh?
> 
> I have surround down stairs, great for listening, but not so nice to neighbors at the hours I'm up.
> 
> ...


 



 Poor attempt at humor - didn't translate over the web...
   
  I'm the same as you. Headphones and 2-channel upstairs and home theater downstairs.


----------



## jtaylor991

I would kill for a setup like that (arrangement and room wise)! The chair looks very comfortable, and that TV just adds a nice touch of bliss. A place close to that couch/chair for my laptop and I would  be in heaven, assuming the speakers are good and have a great setup behind them.
  
  Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Eh?
> 
> I have surround down stairs, great for listening, but not so nice to neighbors at the hours I'm up.
> 
> ...


----------



## wdahm519

This is just my lounge set up, not my computer set up, but here it is:
   

 Bijou Tube Amp
 Opus DAC
 HD650 w/ Silver Dragon Cable
 AKG k701
 Beyer DT990 (250)
 1971 Nova Pro (just for fun)


----------



## DjAmTraX

Quote: 





milosz said:


> Headphone altar....


 

 Whoa!  I love it!


----------



## Tilpo

wdahm519 said:


> This is just my lounge set up, not my computer set up, but here it is:
> 
> 
> Bijou Tube Amp
> ...



Awesome set-up. Which one of those three cans do you prefer? Or does it depend on the genre?


----------



## keph

just want to show my head-fi station/working station
   
  it just consist of a Asus G73JH laptop connected to Samsung SA550 27" LCD with Lyrical 5i-DA03 dual WM8741 DAC and a LaFigaro 339 AMP with HD650 headphones and Beyer DT990 600Ohm and a pair of Swans M50 Speakers..
   
  here you go sorry im just a newbie nothing special...


----------



## Tilpo

keph said:


> just want to show my head-fi station/working station
> 
> it just consist of a Asus G73JH laptop connected to Samsung SA550 27" LCD with Lyrical 5i-DA03 dual WM8741 DAC and a LaFigaro 339 AMP with HD650 headphones and Beyer DT990 600Ohm and a pair of Swans M50 Speakers..
> 
> here you go sorry im just a newbie nothing special...



How does the cat sound with that setup? My cats can have a rather piercing treble, so I hardly listen to them.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> How does the cat sound with that setup? My cats can have a rather piercing treble, so I hardly listen to them.


 


  Hahaha my cat is a British Shorthair so eventually it does not have any loud noises it barely Meaoww...


----------



## Clayton SF

Your cat is very comfortable nestled next to your Beyerdynamic DT990 600Ω headphones. It is the same hair color as those headphone pads. Maybe that's why it likes that spot.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Your cat is very comfortable nestled next to your Beyerdynamic DT990 600Ω headphones. It is the same hair color as those headphone pads. Maybe that's why it likes that spot.


 


  hahaha maybe...she likes it there maybe because its warm behind there next to the amp..yeah i just realized that she got the same color like my beyer pads..hahha


----------



## Clayton SF

Just remember not to drink too much whisky otherwise you may end up putting your cat on your head and trying to figure out what that purring sound is that is coming out of your "DT990 headphones."
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  It looks like you have a very comfortable listening area with that couch.


----------



## aroldan

Oh god, that amp... ENVY! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> just want to show my head-fi station/working station
> 
> it just consist of a Asus G73JH laptop connected to Samsung SA550 27" LCD with Lyrical 5i-DA03 dual WM8741 DAC and a LaFigaro 339 AMP with HD650 headphones and Beyer DT990 600Ohm and a pair of Swans M50 Speakers..


----------



## keph

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Just remember not to drink too much whisky otherwise you may end up putting your cat on your head and trying to figure out what that purring sound is that is coming out of your "DT990 headphones."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 hahahha nice one Clayton...yeah all from Ikea the sofa is cheap and comfy...and i can control everthing from where im sitting...hehehe


----------



## keph

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> Oh god, that amp... ENVY!


 


  It's a really price/performance amp really really worth the buying lucky me im in China so its cheaper here and easier to find then people outside China


----------



## TakashiMiike

I love the can's under your speakers, pure gold.


----------



## .Sup




----------



## keph

Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> I love the can's under your speakers, pure gold.


 


  haha Harbin beer...i guess one day if i dont have anything else to drink in my house ill pop those hahaha..


----------



## .Sup

The wuss where did the little dot go?


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Oh I want a HP stand like the one next to your HD800.... drool but so expensive... well when I get my LCD-2 I'll need to get that HP stand!
  
  Quote: 





.sup said:


>


----------



## .Sup

Bare in mind that LCD-2 connectors are very long so the cable might bend as the stand isn't very high. When you get the LCDs measure them and I will measure if the stand is high enough.


----------



## Armaegis




----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





.sup said:


> The wuss where did the little dot go?


 


 still have it.
  but, with the cavalli in the mix, no room left on the desk...


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ah I see.  I may have to detach the cable when I put it on the stand.  It's a beautiful stand!
  
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> Bare in mind that LCD-2 connectors are very long so the cable might bend as the stand isn't very high. When you get the LCDs measure them and I will measure if the stand is high enough.


----------



## Tilpo

armaegis said:


>



What amp are you using to drive those?

I also wonder how the 600ohm version of the HD 21-1 II compares to the regular version. Any large differences?


----------



## nc8000

hawaiiancerveza said:


> Ah I see.  I may have to detach the cable when I put it on the stand.  It's a beautiful stand!




It's the Sieveking stand from Germany and It comes in many different woods. I think I have seen pictures of it with LCD2 and they just fit


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ya I remember maple.  It was my favorite. 
  
  Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> It's the Sieveking stand from Germany and It comes in many different woods. I think I have seen pictures of it with LCD2 and they just fit


----------



## msninja

I use the sieveking zebrano headphone stand with my LCD-2, they are just high enough so it doesn't strain the cables. Very pleased with the look and feel of the wood!


----------



## MorbidToaster

From my experience with them before they went to the great white north the biggest differences are refinements. 
   
  The signature stays the same, but everything just kind of falls into place a little better. Bass seemed a little more punchy and the mids seemed a little fuller. I didn't have the chance to A/B them though as I only has the 25-13 with me.
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What amp are you using to drive those?
> 
> I also wonder how the 600ohm version of the HD 21-1 II compares to the regular version. Any large differences?


 

 amps: iBasso D10, HotAudio DacDestroyer, Apex Butte (review loaner), Bottlehead Crack, a receiver, and briefly a Pico Slim.
   
  As MorbidToaster said, the 600ohm HD25-13-ii just adds a touch of refinement, and I did get a chance to compared them back to back with an Adidas HD25-1-ii. The bass is just a little bit cleaner (and perhaps less impactful), and the treble feels more controlled/subtued. I didn't notice much of a difference in the midrange. The HD25-13 is also surprisingly easy to drive from my Fuze and still reaches very loud levels. Overall I wouldn't say people would notice the difference unless they are very familiar with the regular HD25 and/or get a chance to compare them back to back. If you're like a more aggressive sound or just want earsplitting levels, I would go with the regular HD25-1-ii. If you want something a little more subdued and/or plan to run from OTL tube amps, then the HD25-13-ii is the way to go.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Thats beautiful... what color is that one Walnut?  I know theres 4 colors but the maple stood out the most to me... that color looks good with the LCD-2 though.  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> I use the sieveking zebrano headphone stand with my LCD-2, they are just high enough so it doesn't strain the cables. Very pleased with the look and feel of the wood!


----------



## leng jai

Updated pictures of my setup:


----------



## mmayer167

Wow, nice trio you have ^ I want to hear the T1 so bad! do you prefer it to the d7?      Love the TRON 
   
  M


----------



## Anthony1

leng jai
   
  Are they B&Ws?
   
  How do they sound?
  
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Updated pictures of my setup:


----------



## Gwarmi

Posted in it up under 'Computer Audio' but here it is again! Apologies for the rather crap photo.


----------



## sexiewasd

I'm not going to call it hifi (not even close), but it's what I've got right now.  I'll be upgrading the DAC and amp as soon as I can, but for now it's, well it's better than anything I've had before.
   

  I'm using the YAMAHA A-760 I've had for well, I don't really remember when I got it, but a long time ago.
  It was picking up some USB noise, but I tracked that down to a bad rca cable, now it's just a very low white noise that I can't get rid of, but considering how poor the electric is in this place, and how much RF noise there is I can deal with just white noise for now.  It's only when you get the volume knob up there quite a ways anyway.  I'm using the Zoom R24 as the DAC for now (24Bit 96000 Hz), it's cheap equipment, but so far I've been really impressed with everything it does and the sound quality really is pretty good, ok the headphone out doesn't have much power at all, but other than that it's good.
   

  I still stick by the steelseries 5hv2 usb as one of my favorite headsets.  The sound is, well it doesn't sound good, but it's sounds how it needs to in order to make you win in games, but it's exceedingly comfortable (more than the 701's), it's rugged, and it's a C-media chip so it works with every OS you can install on a x86-64 PC.

  Sorry about the really crap camera, This pic was meant to show the indirect lighting I've just setup, It's got two switch controlled outlets at the back of the desk that go to fluorescent tubes under the desk, behind the tv, and behind the couch, it looks really sweet, just not that good in the picture.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That picture is dark because the camera is taking in so much light from the monitor. 
   
  I'd replace your headphones before worrying about an amp and a DAC upgrade, though.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I-Pod Mini Rockbox and Tweeked IEMs
Internet 3G
   
   

   
   

   
   
Jamming to Kairos by Sepultura.
Don't know why everyone hates this release?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I could totally see myself rocking some of those newly announced Bluetooth Sony buds in the pool with my phone poolside streaming Pandora.
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I-Pod Mini Rockbox and Tweeked IEMs
> Internet 3G


----------



## leng jai

Much prefer it to the D7000s. They've been collecting dust on the stand ever since I got the T1s. At least they look pretty whole doing so.
  
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Wow, nice trio you have ^ I want to hear the T1 so bad! do you prefer it to the d7?      Love the TRON
> 
> M


 


  They are the CM5s. Solid all rounders that do nothing wrong. Build quality is immaculate.


  Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> leng jai
> 
> Are they B&Ws?
> 
> How do they sound?


----------



## sexiewasd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That picture is dark because the camera is taking in so much light from the monitor.
> 
> I'd replace your headphones before worrying about an amp and a DAC upgrade, though.


 

  
   
  I found exactly what I was looking for in the 701's.  If you could listen to the setup you would agree with me that the first thing to change is the amp.  Your right about the picture though.


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Thats beautiful... what color is that one Walnut?  I know theres 4 colors but the maple stood out the most to me... that color looks good with the LCD-2 though.


 

 No it's the zebrano type wood. It's a little bit darker than walnut. I found it suits the LCD-2 better.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ah I see.  YA its nice!
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> No it's the zebrano type wood. It's a little bit darker than walnut. I found it suits the LCD-2 better.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





msninja said:


> No it's the zebrano type wood. It's a little bit darker than walnut. I found it suits the LCD-2 better.


 

 Walnut should be a nice not too deep, not to light brown, not quite chocolatey like wenge or something, but a nice brown
 Zebrano is paler as a wood, but has dark stripes, hence the name zebrano
 Maple is generally very pale, has little grain patterning, unless its flamed, quilted, birdseye, spalted etc.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I feel silly. I forgot they did the green 701s. I thought they were those horrendous Razer Orcas. lol
   
  Couldn't tell from the pictures. Guess I should look harder next time. 
  
  Quote: 





sexiewasd said:


> I found exactly what I was looking for in the 701's.  If you could listen to the setup you would agree with me that the first thing to change is the amp.  Your right about the picture though.


----------



## mmayer167

@ leng jai,  The d7 certainly look good from any angle : )  
   
  Put together  a shelf for my gear so i have some more desk space! Although cramped, I kinda like this setup.
   

   

   
  M


----------



## Clayton SF

^ At least your cords are neatly tucked away. After viewing this picture taken about 10 minutes ago, I have decided to clean up those ugly, unsightly cords!
  Oh, and I forgot where I put those old cassette tapes--there they are, under the Woo amps. The B22 is a great amp too (a DIY amp built by Corey Warner / SWA). They are all wonderful amps.


----------



## .Sup

wow very impressive Clayton! And old school headphones


----------



## mmayer167

^ yea i hate clutter!  a curse or a blessing, im not sure what to call it...
   
  You have plenty of amp power there clayton!  sweet setups buddy
   
   
  M


----------



## sexiewasd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I feel silly. I forgot they did the green 701s. I thought they were those horrendous Razer Orcas. lol
> 
> Couldn't tell from the pictures. Guess I should look harder next time.


 
   
   
  Ok, now your post makes a lot more sense to me (not that I don't need other headphones along with the 701). I'll agree with you on Razor.  I've yet to hear ANY gaming headset that is even as far as decent for music.
   
  I know most people think the green looks silly and cheap, but I don't care green is my favorite color, and neon is my second favorite shade right behind Jaguar alpine, It's just a shame that razor also likes green.


----------



## Draygonn

mmayer167 said:


> M




Lovin' the setup


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> My Humble rig  Upgrading my amp and dac next, then my headphones probably to hd800's.


 

 How are you liking the Hifiman EF2A with your HD600s? I have a pair of HD580s and I just ordered an EF2A.


----------



## treal512

msninja said:


> I use the sieveking zebrano headphone stand with my LCD-2, they are just high enough so it doesn't strain the cables. Very pleased with the look and feel of the wood!


 

 Nice! I was checking out these stands for a while and just found the price to not be worth it.
   

   
  They look great though, especially the Zebrano & LCD-2. (This is not my picture)


----------



## dagothur

Are you sure you wouldn't drop the cash for a jitter-free, 99% OF wood headphone stand?  It improves the sound while it's on the stand with patented BS-logic technology!
  Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Nice! I was checking out these stands for a while and just found the price to not be worth it.
> 
> 
> 
> They look great though, especially the Zebrano & LCD-2. (This is not my picture)


----------



## leng jai

How much are those stands? I really like my Woo stands but the chance of headband damage is worrying.


----------



## treal512

Haha, it's tempting, I won't lie 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I hear the stand needs to be burned in for 500 hours though.
   
   
  They cost around $180 before shipping.


----------



## leng jai

Thats only about 3 times above my price range so I'll need to think about it. That Tivoli radio just put another unnecessary dent in my wallet.


----------



## mmayer167

@ Draygonn, thank you, you setup is nice and clean as well : )


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Butiful!  Haha I spelt it wrong on purpose...lol
 Does anyone know the cables on them?
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Are you sure you wouldn't drop the cash for a jitter-free, 99% OF wood headphone stand?  It improves the sound while it's on the stand with patented BS-logic technology!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Butiful!  Haha I spelt it wrong on purpose...lol
> Does anyone know the cables on them?


 
  I think they're Norse cables, but my lack of faith in cables has stunted my recognition of them.


----------



## treal512

Yep, it's a Norse Audio cable.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Nice! I was checking out these stands for a while and just found the price to not be worth it.
> 
> 
> 
> They look great though, especially the Zebrano & LCD-2. (This is not my picture)


 


 I agree they are beautiful but they are really expensive for a stand.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> wow very impressive Clayton! And old school headphones


 

 How have you been? I was listening to the SPL Auditor last night. Such a great amp--clean lines.
  
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ yea i hate clutter!  a curse or a blessing, im not sure what to call it...
> 
> You have plenty of amp power there clayton!  sweet setups buddy
> 
> M


 
  I know. The furniture is also mix-match. It's either new furniture or new headphones--guess which wins.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

True.  I want one when my hand is covering the price but when I see the price I just pout..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





johntodd said:


> I agree they are beautiful but they are really expensive for a stand.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo guys,
   
  I slightly changed around my set-up in order to fit my SPL Auditor in. Here's the new pictures.


----------



## MorbidToaster

As of now if I were to go high end again I would either own a Burson or the Phonitor, Super curious about the Phonitor.


----------



## sexiewasd

I don't know if any of you have tried steaming and bending wood, but with that bend if that stand is less than $200 then it's worth it.  Maybe not for it's function, but for the amount of work and the failure rate.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> How have you been? I was listening to the SPL Auditor last night. Such a great amp--clean lines.
> 
> I know. The furniture is also mix-match. It's either new furniture or new headphones--guess which wins.


 
  Hey Clayton I've been really good lately, hope you are too!
  I am actually trading my Auditor for a Violectic V100 tomorrow just see how that amp works with my headphones. I see you changed the positioning of the setup a bit? And I am missing some other components on the photo as well? I guess only the best is still there with you.


----------



## tkteo




----------



## gavinfabl

Nothing too elaborate. Musical Fidelity V-DAC & V-PSU into Little Dot MKIV. Optical out goes into Macbook which sits on my lap whilst music playing. The sofa is next to gear. The headphone stand cost £2. Yes £2 !! And has been burned in lol


----------



## palmfish

I found Bach was a little too wide for my headphones (I was nervous he was stretching the band), so I replaced him with Beethoven.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I found Bach was a little too wide for my headphones (I was nervous he was stretching the band), so I replaced him with Beethoven.


 


  LOL! That is awesome.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Hey Clayton I've been really good lately, hope you are too!
> I am actually trading my Auditor for a Violectic V100 tomorrow just see how that amp works with my headphones. I see you changed the positioning of the setup a bit? And I am missing some other components on the photo as well? I guess only the best is still there with you.


 

 Yes, .Sup, I'm doing well and I'm glad you're doing really good, too!
   
  Yes, the missing components are in storage. I can't seem to part with them so they're in my bedroom. I've heard a lot of the Violectic V100. Congrats on that. The Violectic must be great for you to trade your Auditor for it.


----------



## BotByte

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I found Bach was a little too wide for my headphones (I was nervous he was stretching the band), so I replaced him with Beethoven.


 


  The finish on the amp and turntable doesn't match the table. Go out and buy a new table.
   
  Otherwise, very nice.


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I found Bach was a little too wide for my headphones (I was nervous he was stretching the band), so I replaced him with Beethoven.


 


   


  Quote: 





botbyte said:


> The finish on the amp and turntable doesn't match the table. Go out and buy a new table.
> 
> Otherwise, very nice.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





mrq said:


>


 

 My cassette deck also has wood side panels. None of them are the same finish. Somehow I go on...


----------



## gavinfabl

palmfish said:


> I found Bach was a little too wide for my headphones (I was nervous he was stretching the band), so I replaced him with Beethoven.




Agree with everyone else, very funny using Beethoven 

If you find Beethoven too wide, can I suggest Van Gogh


----------



## palmfish

You had to go there... Sick, but funny!


----------



## Draygonn

gavinfabl said:


> If you find Beethoven too wide, can I suggest Van Gogh




lol'ed at that


----------



## Ruckus10

I know what you mean shane55


----------



## MrQ




----------



## palmfish

Someone's enjoying a silver face Pioneer in the dark...


----------



## kjoh

Here's mine. Humble headphone setup but I like it alot


----------



## Moonschlagen

Nice PC-K62 lol


----------



## kjoh

Lol yep. Good eye
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





moonschlagen said:


> Nice PC-K62 lol


----------



## Wingstrike

Do you game like that? With mouse on top and keyboard on the bottom?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





kjoh said:


> Here's mine. Humble headphone setup but I like it alot


----------



## milosz

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Amazing collection. Why do you use the Fun as dac and dynamic amp, over something like the NFB-10ES?


 

 I had the NFB-10ES in another room until recently, using it as a DAC for my Forte 4a / Quad ESL-57's.  But I just recently (days before I took this picture) got an NFB-2, which is now the DAC in that system.  And I recently re-did the shelves a little, when I first put them in, the lower shelf was not deep enough to accommodate  amps like the Beta or the NFB-10.  So, after the NFB-2 arrived, and I had installed deeper shelving boards, I brought the NFB-10 back into this room and stuck it on a shelf.  At some point I will take the FUN out of the "current listening" spot and put in the NFB10.
   
  Part of it is just laziness. There's a bunch of gear, it works, so I'll use that until some day when I have a couple of extra cups of coffee.....and I switch stuff around.
   
  I know, way more detail than you wanted, but....


----------



## kjoh

Lol yeah. I've had that glass desk for a few years now. Keyboard tray wasn't big enough so the mouse went on top.  Got use to it and now I actually find it quite comfortable.
   
  Quote: 





wingstrike said:


> Do you game like that? With mouse on top and keyboard on the bottom??


----------



## Jibbie

I had a similar problem with my glass desk, so I just removed the keyboard tray, pushed the monitor all the way back and now both the keyboard and mouse are on top of the desk.  I couldn't imagine having my hands at different heights.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





jibbie said:


> I had a similar problem with my glass desk, so I just removed the keyboard tray, pushed the monitor all the way back and now both the keyboard and mouse are on top of the desk.  I couldn't imagine having my hands at different heights.


 
  I put the monitor on its wooden stand so I can have room for a textbook or notebook where the mouse is.


----------



## Jibbie

That's definitely a problem with my setup; no room for homework/textbooks.  I use my lap


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





jibbie said:


> That's definitely a problem with my setup; no room for homework/textbooks.  I use my lap


 

   I use to use my lap on my old piece of crap desk, but this new desk is over five feet wide and has two top sections.  The one I don't use for textbooks has my cardboard box headphone stand on it.


----------



## Armaegis

Heh, time to start using wall mounts guys.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Heh, time to start using wall mounts guys.


 


  Bah.  Just use the cardboard boxes from your headphone purchases.  I can fit almost all of my audio gear on it without any problem.


----------



## Dogmatrix

The new rig DT 770 600 for closed HD650 ZXAC Lightning for open
   

   
  332S LA Figaro for tubes
   

   
  Violectric V181 for balanced ss
   

   
  Emotiva ERC2 for plastic
   

   
  Pure for downloads


----------



## Modo

Overview:
   
  
   
  I have  to work here.
   
  From where I sit (AKG K 701, B&W 683):
   
  
   
  The guitar stand idea is from the high-end gallery here on Head-Fi. Thanks. 
   
  PC:
   

   
  Used for work, games, and multimedia. Very quiet (modded Antec Fusion), and very fast (Core i5, SSD). On the DAC part, it has a very well-behaved Seasonic X-560 PSU to give the Xonar Essence ST clean power.
   
  Amp (Yamaha A-S2000):
   

   
  Sometimes, one really is enough.
   
  (Edited to add some specifics.)


----------



## sphinxvc

Wow.  Love the minimalism + woods.  What's the amp?


----------



## Modo

It's the Yamaha A-S2000. Bought for synergy with the 683, turned out to play rather well with the K 701, too. I guess they really meant it when they put "Headphone Amp for Low Impedance Drive" in the description.


----------



## jasonb

My current setup is a 32gb iPhone 4 into AIAIAI TMA-1's with a V-Moda Control-Talk cable and a Beyerdynamic headband pad. The bag is a Protection Racket brand headphone case. It's a portable head-fi station, but this is all I have right now. With the headband pad it makes them comfortable enough to wear at home on the couch or in bed for hours and hours though.


----------



## .Sup

I like your furniture Modo


----------



## Modo

Tank you. The speakers do look almost as good as they sound.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





modo said:


> It's the Yamaha A-S2000. Bought for synergy with the 683, turned out to play rather well with the K 701, too. I guess they really meant it when they put "Headphone Amp for Low Impedance Drive" in the description.


 


 I have the companion disc player, the CD-S2000 pictured in post #1556. It's a great player, CD, SACD and balanced output.


----------



## LFF

My current temp set-up after a small 1 on 1 meet with a fellow head-fi member:
   
  FLAC -> Mystify 2702DAC -> Apex Arete w/ Volcano Power Supply -> Paradox Headphones (Mod'd T50RP's)
   
  EDIT: The small black box on top is my HEED CanAmp which we used for A/B testing/comparing.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really want to try the TTVJ stuff. Been interested in those for quite some time.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Emotiva ERC2 for plastic


 
  How do you like that Emotiva for the DAC? It looks like a great transport but I have wondered about the DAC. I am also looking at the Marantz SA8004, which is a much higher price range, but if this player was almost as good for so much less ($450) then I could upgrade to a better DAC later on.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I really want to try the TTVJ stuff. Been interested in those for quite some time.


 
  The Arete and Volcano sound very nice based on my tastes and preferences. They sound clean and neutral. However, for the price...well...I think it's way too expensive. Just my opinion though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Anything else you'd suggest for the money with the same sound? That's usually what I look for.
  
  Quote: 





lff said:


> The Arete and Volcano sound very nice based on my tastes and preferences. *They sound clean and neutral.* However, for the price...well...I think it's way too expensive. Just my opinion though.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Anything else you'd suggest for the money with the same sound? That's usually what I look for.


 

 If you want wire with gain at an affordable price then look at the Objective 2 amp.


----------



## Windsor

I recently discovered that my old DVD player provides 24-bit/96 kHz audio playback, so I made me a simple new rig. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
*Source:* Marantz DV4100
  -> JPS Ultra Conductor Toslink Optical Digital cable ->
*DAC/Amp:* Lavry DA10
  -> ALO Reference 8 Silver / Copper cable ->
*Headphone:* Audez'e LCD-2 rev2


----------



## Dogmatrix

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> How do you like that Emotiva for the DAC? It looks like a great transport but I have wondered about the DAC. I am also looking at the Marantz SA8004, which is a much higher price range, but if this player was almost as good for so much less ($450) then I could upgrade to a better DAC later on.


 

 The DAC is very good on the ERC2 I am getting an ultra clean highly detailed signal out of the Violectric. Weakest link right now would be the HD 650 and I will be stepping up to planar magnetic down the track, maybe an outboard DAC after that. No SACD on the ERC2 so the Marantz wins there but at more than double the price it has allot of ground to make up and no XLR on the Marantz
   
  The ERC2 was a replacement for my Rotel 965 and it improved on the Rotel by a big margin. Overall it was the balanced output that sold me on the ERC2, it has turned out to be a real bargain and I think it would require a very large spend to better it.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> The DAC is very good on the ERC2 I am getting an ultra clean highly detailed signal out of the Violectric. Weakest link right now would be the HD 650 and *I will be stepping up to planar magnetic down the track*, maybe an outboard DAC after that. No SACD on the ERC2 so the Marantz wins there but at more than double the price it has allot of ground to make up and no XLR on the Marantz
> 
> The ERC2 was a replacement for my Rotel 965 and it improved on the Rotel by a big margin. Overall it was the balanced output that sold me on the ERC2, it has turned out to be a real bargain and I think it would require a very large spend to better it.


 

 I highly recommend the LCD-2 rev2.


----------



## Dogmatrix

Quote: 





windsor said:


> I highly recommend the LCD-2 rev2.


 


 Top of the short list


----------



## jtaylor991

dogmatrix said:


> The DAC is very good on the ERC2 I am getting an ultra clean highly detailed signal out of the Violectric. Weakest link right now would be the HD 650 and I will be stepping up to planar magnetic down the track, maybe an outboard DAC after that. No SACD on the ERC2 so the Marantz wins there but at more than double the price it has allot of ground to make up and no XLR on the Marantz
> 
> The ERC2 was a replacement for my Rotel 965 and it improved on the Rotel by a big margin. Overall it was the balanced output that sold me on the ERC2, it has turned out to be a real bargain and I think it would require a very large spend to better it.




Hmm well I have nothing balanced in my setup and no SACDs so I guess I will be getting the Emotiva ERC2 first, unless I find enough SACD titles and feel like saving for the SA8004.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


>


 

 I saw the Electric Landlady album in my local record store yesterday; it was the first time I laid my eyes on it and in relation to it, I LOL'd quite a bit.
   
  Cool setup re. your gear, too, man - nice dedication to head-fi!


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





windsor said:


> I highly recommend the LCD-2 rev2.


 


  Me too, can't recommend it highly enough.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  Still the bedroom rig, but moved from the nightstand to a temporary piece of furniture until I can get a nicer bedside setup going.
  Added the Woo stand and have been using the Marantz as a DAC more, another reason to get it close to a desk with a computer... LCD2's cable is still plenty long enough to reach where I want when I want to listen in bed, so, temporary, but util.
   
  Dang this is a crummy pic, sorry folks.


----------



## RudeWolf

How do you like the LCD-2 with the Lavry? I'm looking at this kind of setup, but I'm afraid that it will be a bit too tame especially with rock music. Therefore my sights currently are set on the Burson.
  
  Quote: 





windsor said:


> I recently discovered that my old DVD player provides 24-bit/96 kHz audio playback, so I made me a simple new rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Is that furniture from OfficeMax? Looks like something we sell. Also...after my LCD 2 purchase I have to get one of those stands. I've been putting it off for almost a year. I just need to bite the bullet and get one. 
   
  Told myself I wouldn't get back into the high end, but I can't stay away. Nothing puts a smile on my face like music. 
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Me too, can't recommend it highly enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have so many things to consider with my upcoming LCD 2 plans. What I really want is a W4S DAC-1 paired with an SPL Phonitor...but that's about twice the cost of the Burson. 
   
  The Burson is at the top of my list as of now because of the price vs my other ideas.
  
  Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> How do you like the LCD-2 with the Lavry? I'm looking at this kind of setup, but I'm afraid that it will be a bit too tame especially with rock music. Therefore my sights currently are set on the *Burson.*


----------



## Windsor

Quote:


rudewolf said:


> How do you like the LCD-2 with the Lavry? I'm looking at this kind of setup, but I'm afraid that it will be a bit too tame especially with rock music. Therefore my sights currently are set on the Burson.


 
   
  I think the DA10/LCD-2 is a great pairing. I wouldn't call the it tame with rock music, as it has plenty of PRaT and detail that makes for a satisfying combination. It works very well with most music. 
   
  I compared the DA10 to the HA-160D in my recent review of the Burson HA-160D (link). You may find the review interesting and insightful.


----------



## jtaylor991

Is that a Marantz SA8004? It's the only one I know of that can be used as a standalone DAC.
   
  P.S. The pic is fine IMHO, great setup!
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Me too, can't recommend it highly enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Masta Angler

Here's my humble little setup. I'm putting it together one step at a time. Next up is a pair of Paradigm speakers and probably a dedicated headphone amp. Enjoy!


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Quote:
> 
> I think the DA10/LCD-2 is a great pairing. I wouldn't call the it tame with rock music, as it has plenty of PRaT and detail that makes for a satisfying combination. It works very well with most music.
> 
> I compared the DA10 to the HA-160D in my recent review of the Burson HA-160D (link). You may find the review interesting and insightful.


 

 Thanks for the link - that was a very good review! I had a similar opinion of the Burson/LCD-2 combination but am not articulate enough (or a skilled enough listener) to express it as well as you did.
   
  I spent several weeks this summer auditioning headphone equipment and after sampling all the popular choices (AKG, Denon, Grado, etc.) my search ultimately narrowed down to the HD650 and LCD-2 R2. Ultimately, I didn't choose either one because they both sounded a little too "lush" and "dark" for my tastes, but after reading your narrative, I see it may also have been the choice of amps I used when auditioning them. The Burson and the Shiit Asgard are the amps I spent the most time with and I think for my tastes, they weren't a good match for the headphones. I think they are both cut from the same lush cloth.
   
  I ended up with the HD600 and Peachtree Nova and am very pleased with that combination, but I am still tantalized by the LCD-2. The 600 sounds a little lean down low sometimes but it's a trade-off I can easily live with for the rest of the 600's delightful qualities. After reading your review though, I will definitely revisit the Audeze at some point in the future.


----------



## RudeWolf

Thanks! The review was great and in a way affirmed my opinions about Lavry. It's more of a professional tool while Burson is all about euphony.
  
  Quote: 





windsor said:


> Quote:
> 
> I think the DA10/LCD-2 is a great pairing. I wouldn't call the it tame with rock music, as it has plenty of PRaT and detail that makes for a satisfying combination. It works very well with most music.
> 
> I compared the DA10 to the HA-160D in my recent review of the Burson HA-160D (link). You may find the review interesting and insightful.


----------



## Windsor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *palmfish* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Thanks for the link - that was a very good review! I had a similar opinion of the Burson/LCD-2 combination but am not articulate enough (or a skilled enough listener) to express it as well as you did.
> 
> ...


 

 I enjoyed the HD600 when I had one, and would be interested in hearing the HD600 with Burson HA-160D, due to the impactful bass presentation of the Burson, which I think could synergize nicely with the HD600.
   
  If the LCD-2 rev2/HA-160D was my main headphone rig, I would most probably use an aftermarket headphone cable with it. I found there to be a lack of treble extension with the stock-cabled rev2/HA-160D, but the ALO Ref 8 generally increased the clarity and treble extension of the rev2/HA-160D in a way I found really satisfying.


----------



## tme110




----------



## Tilpo

tme110 said:


>



Snob...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



I wish I had as much money as you do


----------



## jetstream




----------



## lextek

Here's Deck-Fi.   Great, warm day here in Western NY.  Macbook w/Bithead stuck to it. I'm liking the computer audio stuff.  HD600s/Cardas and a Blue Moon.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Now that's the way to go about sipping the good life!


----------



## tme110

Thanks for the informative and helpful post.  I guess that almost 30 years  I wasted in school is finally resulting in something.
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Snob...





> I wish I had as much money as you do


----------



## Zombie_X

Nice to see someone else sporting Audio-GD gear! How is their DAC? I've always wondered how their DAC's sounded.
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


>


----------



## Baird GoW

zombie_x said:


> Nice to see someone else sporting Audio-GD gear! How is their DAC? I've always wondered how their DAC's sounded.




They sound absolutely fantastic!


----------



## tme110

+1.  I've gone through a bunch of them now so I like them quite a bit.  They make great digital 'pre-amps' too - (though coax is really the way to go)
  
  Quote: 





baird gow said:


> They sound absolutely fantastic!


----------



## Zombie_X

Hrm... I wonder how they compare to my Violectric V800 DAC.... I know my Audio-GD ROC sound great through it's balanced outputs.
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> +1.  I've gone through a bunch of them now so I like them quite a bit.  They make great digital 'pre-amps' too - (though coax is really the way to go)


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





lextek said:


> Here's Deck-Fi.   Great, warm day here in Western NY.  Macbook w/Bithead stuck to it. I'm liking the computer audio stuff.  HD600s/Cardas and a Blue Moon.


 


 I'll trade you some high end beers for your high end audio setup.  Then we can online chat back and forth comparing which is most satisfying


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Is that furniture from OfficeMax? Looks like something we sell. Also...after my LCD 2 purchase I have to get one of those stands. I've been putting it off for almost a year. I just need to bite the bullet and get one.
> 
> Told myself I wouldn't get back into the high end, but I can't stay away. Nothing puts a smile on my face like music.


 

 It's from staples, and honestly, it's garbage. You might well have the same or similar at officemax, but I wouldn't recommend them either way.
   They are flimsy, rickety, and hard to keep clean.
   
  Take the plunge, you only live once 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Is that a Marantz SA8004? It's the only one I know of that can be used as a standalone DAC.
> 
> P.S. The pic is fine IMHO, great setup!


 


  Indeed it is an SA8004. Stevie Ray Vaughn's 'Texas Flood' never sounded better (to me) than through this set up with the SA8004, Lyr, and LCD2s.
   
  The NA7004 works as a standalone USB / Optical DAC, as well as at least one of the 'Reference' line SACD players, though the reference models only  run through SPDIF with no USB or iPod integration (honestly my favorite feature of the SA8004 unless we call general sound quality a feature).
   
  Glad you like it!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've taken it once already. I've owned the HE 500 and a few higher end amps. I just wanted to step back (sold off all my gear) and see if the plunge was worth it to me, and it totally was. So I'm taking another one and this time for good.
   
  Oh, and I know how awful that furniture is. lol. Then again...I shop at Ikea, so only a slight step above.
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> It's from staples, and honestly, it's garbage. You might well have the same or similar at officemax, but I wouldn't recommend them either way.
> They are flimsy, rickety, and hard to keep clean.
> 
> *Take the plunge, you only live once*


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been interested in the SA8004 for awhile now, but at the price point the OPPO 95 is the same price...I'm not sure which way to go in the end. 
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Indeed it is an SA8004. Stevie Ray Vaughn's 'Texas Flood' never sounded better (to me) than through this set up with the SA8004, Lyr, and LCD2s.
> 
> The NA7004 works as a standalone USB / Optical DAC, as well as at least one of the 'Reference' line SACD players, though the reference models only  run through SPDIF with no USB or iPod integration (honestly my favorite feature of the SA8004 unless we call general sound quality a feature).
> 
> Glad you like it!


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been interested in the SA8004 for awhile now, but at the price point the OPPO 95 is the same price...I'm not sure which way to go in the end.


 

 I went with the Marantz because it serves as a direct iPod transport and is not a "swiss army knife" box..
  When connected it feeds your lossless files from the ipod (or mp3s if you do that I guess) to the DAC (which is superb), bypassing all the internals of the iPod, but you still control the unit with the iPod and it's handy familiar menu set.
   
  The Oppo is also an "all in wonder" player, so to fit the video processing etc in there, some compromises had to be made. Whereas the Marantz is a 2.0 stereo hi-fi unit only.
   
  Also, the Marantz has supplied a proper headphone stage which drives most cans just fine (it even drives the LCD2s well, though the Lyr is better).
  I had it hooked up to some D7ks and it was fantastic.
   
  Check the SA8004 thread in the source gear forum.
   
  Anyways, just my 2 cents.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> I've taken it once already. I've owned the HE 500 and a few higher end amps. I just wanted to step back (sold off all my gear) and see if the plunge was worth it to me, and it totally was. So I'm taking another one and this time for good.


 

  So, curious, why the LCD-2 this time?  Did you hear the Rev.2s at a meet?


----------



## MorbidToaster

While the OPPO is an 'all in one' kind of player it seems to be well liked around here, and the balanced options are there which is kind of nice. 
   
  The iPod transport intrigues me, but I just don't know how often I'd use the thing. I suppose I should do more research on which DAC each uses and make my decision based on that. We'll see. A new SACD player is ridiculously far off still...so I have time.
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I went with the Marantz because it serves as a direct iPod transport and is not a "swiss army knife" box..
> When connected it feeds your lossless files from the ipod (or mp3s if you do that I guess) to the DAC (which is superb), bypassing all the internals of the iPod, but you still control the unit with the iPod and it's handy familiar menu set.
> 
> The Oppo is also an "all in wonder" player, so to fit the video processing etc in there, some compromises had to be made. Whereas the Marantz is a 2.0 stereo hi-fi unit only.
> ...


 


  I'm giving the LCD 2 a shot because I just want to try something different this time. While the HE 500 was my favorite headphone to date I didn't feel completely satisfied. Not sure if the LCD 2 will do that...but I'll give them a shot. After going back down I remembered how much I actually love the music, and not only the equipment matters. I think the LCD 2's more 'fun and organic' sound might be just what I need to just sit down and enjoy my music. 
   
  I tried the LCD 2 Rev. 1 at a meet earlier this year, and I picked the HE 500 blind over them. Not sure if it was the right way to tom but I'll soon find out. 
   
  tl;dr - I think the LCD 2 might just make me happy, and I like being happy.

  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> So, curious, why the LCD-2 this time?  Did you hear the Rev.2s at a meet?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> I'm giving the LCD 2 a shot because I just want to try something different this time. While the HE 500 was my favorite headphone to date I didn't feel completely satisfied. Not sure if the LCD 2 will do that...but I'll give them a shot. After going back down I remembered how much I actually love the music, and not only the equipment matters. I think the LCD 2's more 'fun and organic' sound might be just what I need to just sit down and enjoy my music.
> 
> I tried the LCD 2 Rev. 1 at a meet earlier this year, and I picked the HE 500 blind over them. Not sure if it was the right way to tom but I'll soon find out.
> 
> tl;dr - I think the LCD 2 might just make me happy, and I like being happy.


 

  Cool.  I've been considering them for the longest time too.  Personally, I prefer them or the HE-6 to the HE-500.  
   
  I've been stepping this way and that way over the dark/bright fence myself.  Trying to find that fine balance between warmth, cohesiveness, and detail and separation.  Got my eye on some Stax next before I make that all-in purchase.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think that I could be genuinely happy with something involving the SPL Phonitor. Hoping it'll be the LCD 2, but it might not be. 
   
  I have a certain need to tweak and mess with my sound and I think it drives me to be too hasty for something new most of the time. The Phonitor would give me tons of changes I could use without selling and buying a new pair of headphones. Plus...I just love the idea of making my headphones sound like speakers. 
   
  In the meantime I see myself by year's end with a pair of LCD 2s and a Burson 160D. Popular combo around there parts, and right around my price range for the end of the year. Then I can start worrying about my Phonitor final set up. I'll have my good ol' Pioneer receiver to power my LCD 2 though...so they're coming first. Most likely within a few weeks.
  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> Cool.  I've been considering them for the longest time too.  Personally, I prefer them or the HE-6 to the HE-500.
> 
> I've been stepping this way and that way over the dark/bright fence myself.  Trying to find that fine balance between warmth, cohesiveness, and detail and separation.  Got my eye on some Stax next before I make that all-in purchase.


----------



## sphinxvc

Audio-GD released their new amp/DAC too in the past few weeks.  Not sure if you noticed.
   
  It's a redesigned version of their previous $1K balanced amp/DAC, streamlined in manufacturing to make it cheaper: $500 bones.
   
  Should make it a good contender for the 160D.
   
  And it's got 9 types of digital filters too for tweakers like yourself.
   
  Phonitor looks sick, but pricey.  
   
  I had a SX780, but it just didn't pair well my phones at the time -- the 5LEs.  I've always suspected that tad-bright vintage Pioneer house sound would pair well with the LCD-2s.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Ooooo...I've always wanted to try Audio-gd, but never got around to it. Maybe it's time. Any comparisons about there yet? I love the balanced options it offers over the Burson...and tweaking...
   
  Serious contender. I wonder if it would pair well with the LCD 2. Price sure seems right.
   
  One of the other things I love about the Phonitor is it would power anything I ever threw at it from what it sounds like...and give me all the tweaking options. 
  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Audio-GD released their new amp/DAC too in the past few weeks.  Not sure if you noticed.
> 
> It's a redesigned version of their previous $1K balanced amp/DAC, streamlined in manufacturing to make it cheaper: $500 bones.
> 
> ...


----------



## sphinxvc

I know Olor1n will be trickling in his impressions with the LCD-2 Rev.2 over the next few weeks.  Check the NFB-10 thread.  
   
  He has a Lyr so you'll have a good point of reference.


----------



## grokit

There's not much info here re the new NFB-10SE but for the promo price it certainly looks like quite a contender.


----------



## liamstrain

As of this morning - at my workstation. SR225i, K702, Hifiman EF2a, MB-Pro/iPod Classic 80gb


----------



## Yuceka

Do you think your EF2 is doing your K702 justice?


----------



## CARRION FEAST

My new Head-fi station, finally after having our new place for over a year my wife said it was ok to make the spare bedroom into an office/headphone depository. Happy days!


----------



## mmayer167

what is over your tubes of the lyr? just for dust getting in while not in use?
   
  M


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





lff said:


>


 

 What pads are these on the t50rp?


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> What pads are these on the t50rp?


 
  Modified Fischer Audio FA-003 pleather pads.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yulong D100. Good man. Still my favorite DAC I've used. So many features for such a good price.
  
  Quote: 





carrion feast said:


> My new Head-fi station, finally after having our new place for over a year my wife said it was ok to make the spare bedroom into an office/headphone depository. Happy days!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





lff said:


> Modified Fischer Audio FA-003 pleather pads.


 

 hmm, I see it now! Did you just sew sock material onto the back of the pads?
   
  I'm getting ideas...


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> hmm, I see it now! Did you just sew sock material onto the back of the pads?
> 
> I'm getting ideas...


 
   
  Yes...some small feminine socks. Fits perfectly once you have something to hold them in place and the comfort and seal is superb.
   
  Check the T50RP thread...I just modified the headband for a suspension headband that makes the headphones super comfy!


----------



## LiqTenExp

Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


----------



## MorbidToaster

Is it enough to power the LCD 2 by itself? I'm considering it to pair with mine if it has enough power. Looks great. I'll say that much.
  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the *NFB-10SE*.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


----------



## LiqTenExp

Low gain is plenty!  High gain has a ton of power.  When using the 1/4" plug I use high gain but less than half the way up (I listen on the louder side of things btw).
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Is it enough to power the LCD 2 by itself? I'm considering it to pair with mine if it has enough power. Looks great. I'll say that much.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's very good news. I was planning on pairing them with the Burson by year's end, but this new contender is sounding better and better (especially with 4 pin options)...and the price point seems right as well. 
  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Low gain is plenty!  High gain has a ton of power.  When using the 1/4" plug I use high gain but less than half the way up (I listen on the louder side of things btw).


----------



## tme110

Yes, it has several times over what is needed to power lcd-2s.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah I went and checked out the specs (I hate their website, btw.) and realized it has gobs of power. 
   
  Last but not least...what kind of sound does it have? Does it pair well with the LCD 2s? I'm wobbling on the cliff ready to jump right now. That intro price seems brilliant.
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Yes, it has several times over what is needed to power lcd-2s.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Do you think your EF2 is doing your K702 justice?


 


  Honestly, I have not tried any better amps to know for sure. It is doing better with them than my Headroom Total Bithead... and I have some different tubes on the way to see if I can adjust the sound profile. Both are new (amp and 702) and so burning in before I can really judge. 
   
  For the price I paid, I'm happy. I'm sure I'll be itching to upgrade soonish, and will be curious to see if I can draw more out of these already great cans. 
   
  I will say, the EF2A is already fantastic with the 225i, btw. Great sound for jazz and blues. But they might be working across purposes mixing the 702 with the tube sound of the EF2... we'll see how things develop.


----------



## CARRION FEAST

mmayer167 said:


> what is over your tubes of the lyr? just for dust getting in while not in use?
> 
> M




Yep, just a polishing cloth to keep the dust out


----------



## roker

Quote: 





lff said:


> However, for the price...well...I think it's way too expensive. Just my opinion though.


 

 Glad you said it.
   
  It's the number one reason I steer clear of their products.  I love the sound from their portable amp, but that price is just killing it for me (and others).


----------



## VolcomStone

I was gonna post it.
   
  Then I realized it would just be some MTPGs and an iPod. I think you can visualize how sad it looks.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





roker said:


> Glad you said it.
> 
> It's the number one reason I steer clear of their products.  I love the sound from their portable amp, but that price is just killing it for me (and others).


 
  I have no reason to lie.
   
  I can totally see why people steer clear. Perhaps that's the intention of the price. Sometimes price is more a part of management and product image than it is of its actual perceived value. It does sound great though....


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


 


  Audio-GD gear look so much better in the wild. Can't wait to get mine.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





lff said:


> I have no reason to lie.
> 
> I can totally see why people steer clear. Perhaps that's the intention of the price. Sometimes price is more a part of management and product image than it is of its actual perceived value. It does sound great though....


 
   
  I'm reviewing the budget model right now. So far, not impressed.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I'm reviewing the budget model right now. So far, not impressed.


 
  That sucks....
   
  The Arete + Volcano are impressive in that they really don't sound like anything....but for nearly $2,000.00USD, I'll stick to my Fischer Audio Mystify.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





lff said:


> That sucks....
> 
> The Arete + Volcano are impressive in that they really don't sound like anything....but for nearly $2,000.00USD, I'll stick to my Fischer Audio Mystify.


 

 The Butte doesn't really sound like much either. It's functional, it provides gain, the noise floor is rather disappointing, all in all it just makes me shrug. I wasn't overly impressed with the Ortofon HD-Q7 that I reviewed a while back, but I would rather have that for the significantly nicer build quality and cheaper price.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> The Butte doesn't really sound like much either. It's functional, it provides gain, the noise floor is rather disappointing, all in all it just makes me shrug. I wasn't overly impressed with the Ortofon HD-Q7 that I reviewed a while back, but I would rather have that for the significantly nicer build quality and cheaper price.


 

 Wow...that says a lot. The Arete + Volcano have no noise from what I can tell...very silent and black background....but the price! Oy!


----------



## Armaegis

Granted, some of that noise may simply be due to the higher gain, but I have never had the same problem feeding my various sources into different amps... but anyhow, I should save it for the review.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Granted, some of that noise may simply be due to the higher gain, but I have never had the same problem feeding my various sources into different amps... but anyhow, I should save it for the review.


 


  Looking forward to reading it!


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


 

 NICE! Reminds me a bit of my set up... almost makes me want my DK7s back...  They looked so nice on the Woo stand next to the LCD2s and the Lyr.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





lff said:


> Looking forward to reading it!


 

 Mike at headfonia just wrote a review about Butte if you're interested:
http://www.headfonia.com/little-apex-the-butte/


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Mike at headfonia just wrote a review about Butte if you're interested:
> http://www.headfonia.com/little-apex-the-butte/


 
  Thanks!


----------



## .Sup

You're welcome. I will read it now too


----------



## Butler

Current set up. Next on the docket is selling the E7+E9 to help fund my bifrost+asgard setup. At some point I want to sell the PRO5MK2's to pay for some PRO700MK2's… Moving from DJ Monitoring Headphones to BASS EXPLOSION Headphones. I have my night and highs, the W5K's, I have my dark mids, the ESW9's… the PRO5MK2's monitor like M50's with a little less bass but I just want to have Bass covered too.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


 
  This rig is beautiful and how do you like the LCD 2 with the Schiit Lyr ?


----------



## DragonOwen

Yesterday got my new amp - MS Audio Laboratory FHA 1.3. So here is my new home rig: 
  RME HDSP 9632 (CANARE coaxial) -> NFB-10ES (MS Audio hybrid copper-silver XLRf-XLRm interconnect cables) -> MS Audio Laboratory FHA 1.3 (moon-audio Black Dragon power cable) -> HiFiMAN HE-6 (moon-audio Silver Dragon HP cable [Neutrik 4pin XLR] with MS Audio copper cable adapter from 4pin XLR to 2xTRS (on photos) or MS Audio hybrid copper-silver HP cable [2xTRS])



  It's sound fantastic with HE-6, total win in comparission to amp in NFB-10ES. Every sound now has more "depth" in it and the bass is fantastic, I don't think I want LCD-2 anymore, because I simply don't see how they will compete with HE-6 on my current rig. By the way now I mostly using MS Audio hybrid copper-silver HP cable [2xTRS] (not on the photos), because Silver Dragon sounds to me sharper and little brighter which is slightly (maybe even not slightly) annoying and tiring.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dragonowen said:


> Yesterday got my new amp - MS Audio Laboratory FHA 1.3. So here is my new home rig:
> RME HDSP 9632 (CANARE coaxial) -> NFB-10ES (MS Audio hybrid copper-silver XLRf-XLRm interconnect cables) -> MS Audio Laboratory FHA 1.3 (moon-audio Black Dragon power cable) -> HiFiMAN HE-6 (moon-audio Silver Dragon HP cable [Neutrik 4pin XLR] with MS Audio copper cable adapter from 4pin XLR to 2xTRS (on photos) or MS Audio hybrid copper-silver HP cable [2xTRS])
> 
> 
> ...




How was the 10ES? i'm in the process of ordering one now to pair with LCD 2s.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How was the 10ES? i'm in the process of ordering one now to pair with LCD 2s.


 

 Not sure what do you mean... Are you sure we are talking about the same DAC/Amp? I have NFB-10*ES *and it is discontinued by Audio-GD, so you probably mean NFB-10*SE* which is different from mine, it's on dual WM8741 and mine is on Sabre32 ES9018...
  If we talking about the DAC part of NFB-10*ES *then I can say that it IMO sound better than Lavry DA11 and DAC-19 (other DAC's that I heard was russian, so their names gives you nothing) and about the amp part of NFB-10*ES* I already wrote above...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Guess that's what I get for reading head-fi on my phone at work. 

My mistake.


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Re-arranged desk.
   

_(M-Audio AV40 Monitors, Shure SRH940's, Denon D5000's, Hifiman HE-500's_, _Matrix CUBE, Schiit Lyr)_
   
  Very best,


----------



## liamstrain

Wow, and I thought my computer monitor situation was a bit crazy (2 laptops - 1PC, 1MBP, each with external monitors). Do you have a specific card that can read the orientations and build out a virtual desktop across all that?
   
  Also, are you using the Lyr to drive the speakers as well?


----------



## Optimus Praim

Hey Mal,
  I think you should get a bigger desk..
  It looks tiny with all these monitors..
  Your headphone stand seems like it will fall if you sneeze...


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Wow, and I thought my computer monitor situation was a bit crazy (2 laptops - 1PC, 1MBP, each with external monitors). Do you have a specific card that can read the orientations and build out a virtual desktop across all that?
> 
> Also, are you using the Lyr to drive the speakers as well?


 

 Heya,
   
  Win 7 naturally can do that with all your displays and treat them as a single desktop; you can move it in orientation based on resolutions so that the mouse moves properly from one to another as if there's no seam. No external software needed at all. I have 6 total screens, I simply haven't put the other two into this configuration yet because I need a new desk to fit it the way I want (I used to have them wall mounted, but I'm not wall mounting in this new place).
   
  My circuit is PC's SPDIFF -> Matrix CUBE -> Headphone & -> Lyr -> Headphone & AV-40's. The AV-40's are self powered. However, the Lyr acts as a pre-amp to them (it's not needed at all). I do it this way because the AV40's the Cube and the Lyr are all three playing the exact same thing at the same time, so I can hear it from my monitors when the headphones are not on my head, and I can switch between headphones without unplugging based on my taste. My HE-500 and D5k's are currently plugged in, so I just set one down and put the other one from time to time based on preference. When off, I just hear whatever is going on via my AV40's. So there's no break in sound, ever, headphone on or off. It's awesome.
   
  Very best,


----------



## sphinxvc

That is _so_ annoying.  
   
  lol.


----------



## liamstrain

Hell of a setup, Mal.


----------



## Masta Angler

Well I did a little upgrading to my rig since the last time I posted on here. New upgrades are a Schiit Valhalla Amp and Cambridge Audio DAC.
   
  Overview of rig:

   
  Marantz CD5005, Marantz PM5004, and my new Schiit Valhalla!
   

   
  Schiit Valhalla Amp

   
  Tubes Glowing

   
  The Cambridge Audio DacMagic, APC G5, and Sennheiser HD448

   
  Sennheiser HD650

   
  Entire desk and listening setup


----------



## tme110

Nice system.  I like the look of your APC conditioner.  Though I only say that because mine (a couple pages back) is actually kind of embarasingly ugly.  I just wish APC would state what H-type, J-type and G-type actually meant somewhere.


----------



## Masta Angler

Thanks! I personally don't use APC that much...I like Panamax and mostly for what you said, APC is generally pretty ugly. But then I saw that conditioner on sale last week on vanns.com for $105 and had to jump on it. It looks very different from their normal oval shaped face design and gets the job done. Thanks again for the compliment.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

MMM... I like the way the NFB-10SE sounds like it performs.  I just got the NFB-5 but balanced sounds interesting.   
  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


----------



## chrislangley4253

should I really post a pic of my current set up? Just moved into this dorm room


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> should I really post a pic of my current set up? Just moved into this dorm room


 

 DO IT. I'll post mine if my Hifiman EF2A ever gets here


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just got my order confirmation from Audio-gd. Should be here in a few weeks. I'm excited. I really wish I had some balanced cables to fiddle with for my 598 (or my upcoming LCD 2)...but if I end up with the Phonitor as planned it will be a moot point. 
   
  EDIT: Reading the manual attached to my confirmation makes me confident this was a good purchase.
   
_"We also burn in all products for more than 100 hours and check several times before shipping, to make sure that the products have a good quality control."_
   
_"Second and third year repair guarantee (after the first full 12 months):_
_[size=12.000000pt]If the product has any problems (manufacturing defects and defects which are not caused by the user), the customers only pay for both ways (to and from Audio-gd) shipping costs. Audio-gd will repair the product for free, which includes parts and labor charges."[/size]_
   
  [size=12.000000pt]Why hadn't I bought one of their products before? Burn in: Done.[/size]

   

  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Showing off the NFB-10SE.  The left hand side is still the same with the MKVI+ and PSA DLIII


----------



## Speedv1

Here's a couple shots of my new setup - still moving in a bit.
   

   
  Below you'll find my amps/dacs
   

   
  And here are my beloved 'sones! 900s to the left, 750s to the right.
   

   
  And my "main system" - a sharp eye may catch the HD-25 ii's.
   

   
  And that's about it - it works, I'm just a student, so my budget is still lower for now. Anyways it sounds great to me!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pro 750 and Pro 900. Good choices there. And the HD 25-1 II? Excellent collection so far. 

Jealous of that MacBook. I ended up with a 27" iMac instead of a MacBook Pro and I'm kind of glad I did, but I still get jealous that I don't have one. lol


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pro 750 and Pro 900. Good choices there. And the HD 25-1 II? Excellent collection so far.
> Jealous of that MacBook. I ended up with a 27" iMac instead of a MacBook Pro and I'm kind of glad I did, but I still get jealous that I don't have one. lol


 
  I still cannot decide if I want a Macbook Pro or a iMac....but nice set up I like the Ultrasones on the wall


----------



## MorbidToaster

I went for the iMac because the screen was gorgeous and my 42" was too big for my bedroom in the new place. 27" replaced my bedroom TV and my tower. 
   
  It saved me a ton of space, and I went overboard upgrading it and installing legit Win 7 for my games. It was a great investment, and I think I'll be happy with a netbook later this year for a smaller portable. 
  
  Quote: 





johntodd said:


> I still cannot decide if I want a Macbook Pro or a iMac....but nice set up I like the Ultrasones on the wall


----------



## Baird GoW

Not complete yet... Almost. Getting 2 more dell U2410s a Lian-Li PC-Z70 case and I am currently looking for a new chair. Sorry for crappy pics was using my HTC Thunderbolt with flash cause it is night here.




Closeup of my brand new Mechanical Keyboard Leopold MX Cherry Browns.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That keyboard is ridiculously sexy. Clickity clack. I love mechanical keys.


----------



## calipilot227

Do I dare ask what those beautiful speakers are?


----------



## Baird GoW

Energy RC-10 I also have a BIC Venturi V1020 10" Powered Subwoofer but you can't see it. I may upload that later.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> Energy RC-10 I also have a BIC Venturi V1020 10" Powered Subwoofer but you can't see it. I may upload that later.


----------



## Baird GoW

A fellow redditor on head-fi... could it be?


----------



## treal512

What powers the speakers? Nice setup!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> A fellow redditor on head-fi... could it be?


 

 We are few and far between


----------



## neato

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> A fellow redditor on head-fi... could it be?


 


  We are everywhere my brother


----------



## Baird GoW

treal512 said:


> What powers the speakers? Nice setup!



A Harmon Kardon HK3390


neato said:


> We are everywhere my brother



If there are so damn many of us why don't people wave or say hi? There is a reason I bought a Reddit sticker for my car...
Anyway here is my sub and my bed/portable rig. 

I should mention the TV is not only connected to both my cablebox and consoles but acts as a 4th monitor for watching movies in bed. If any of you are wondering why I whited out the blanket it's because it had personal info on it...


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





neato said:


> We are everywhere my brother


 
   






 All redditor have ninja like skills


----------



## Ultrazino

Exactly what it says in my sig: iPhone 4 (32GB), RSA SR-71, PRO 900, FX700.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> We are few and far between


 

 We are? I feel like everyone is on reddit..
   
  Then again, I just browse imgur.


----------



## jtaylor991

How does Win7 run on a Mac? Macs generally seem to have lower clock speeds and specs etc. since OSX is so much more efficient (for the hardware).  I always wondered if it ran even remotely as well as OSX did.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I went for the iMac because the screen was gorgeous and my 42" was too big for my bedroom in the new place. 27" replaced my bedroom TV and my tower.
> 
> It saved me a ton of space, and I went overboard upgrading it and installing legit Win 7 for my games. It was a great investment, and I think I'll be happy with a netbook later this year for a smaller portable.


----------



## obzilla

jtaylor991 said:


> How does Win7 run on a Mac? Macs generally seem to have lower clock speeds and specs etc. since OSX is so much more efficient (for the hardware).  I always wondered if it ran even remotely as well as OSX did.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jtaylor991 said:


> How does Win7 run on a Mac? Macs generally seem to have lower clock speeds and specs etc. since OSX is so much more efficient (for the hardware).  I always wondered if it ran even remotely as well as OSX did.




It runs great. Gets the full resolution of the iMac monitor, too. Very pleased. I run a barebones install for games only ao nothing else is going i. The background but it works great for Windows only applications. Just pick up an OEM copy and Bootcamp it. Works like a charm.


----------



## dagothur

Am I the only FJ'er on here?

   I should take a picture of my Head-Fi station before I sell my D7000s.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
   
  I thought you lived for those cans, man. Upgrading?

  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Am I the only FJ'er on here?
> 
> I should take a picture of my Head-Fi station before *I sell my D7000s*.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
> 
> I thought you lived for those cans, man. Upgrading?


 
  I upgraded to the LCD-2.  I knew I would end up selling one of them, but the LCD-2 ended out on top.  I'm going to listen to the Denons until they're sold.


----------



## jtaylor991

hahaha i was just asking. i assume that was directed at the efficiency of the OSes
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll be ordering mine as soon as my big ticket item sells. Ordered my NFB 10SE yesterday...so I've got some monster gear on the way. What are you powering them with atm?
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I upgraded to the LCD-2.  I knew I would end up selling one of them, but the LCD-2 ended out on top.  I'm going to listen to the Denons until they're sold.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll be ordering mine as soon as my big ticket item sells. Ordered my NFB 10SE yesterday...so I've got some monster gear on the way. What are you powering them with atm?


 

  
  The Nuforce Icon HDP.  It powers them very well, to the point where the Lyr did little for them.  I was surprised.  My impressions of the comparison I did between it, the Lyr, and the Meir Opera are on the LCD-2 thread.


----------



## Baird GoW

dagothur said:


> The Nuforce Icon HDP.  It powers them very well, to the point where the Lyr did little for them.  I was surprised.  My impressions of the comparison I did between it, the Lyr, and the Meir Opera are on the LCD-2 thread.




Ummm... my guess is that you needed a better DAC... assuming you had HDP->Lyr.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They are pretty easy to power...though I'm not surprised by the fact the Lyr didn't do much. After reading more and more impressions I am less impressed with it than when I had it (and I wasn't too impressed when I had it). 
   
  I would like to compare with the LCD 2 instead of my D7000, but I may not get that chance. 
   
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> The Nuforce Icon HDP.  It powers them very well, to the point where the Lyr did little for them.  I was surprised.  My impressions of the comparison I did between it, the Lyr, and the Meir Opera are on the LCD-2 thread.


----------



## MacedonianHero

If you feed your amp with highly compressed music pretty much any amp can make the LCD-2s sound great. Where the differences come from (really drastically) is for higher resolution music from a great DAC. I found that the HDP would actually clip with the LCD-2s and some of my classical SACDs or Cheskey CDs.
   
  With some compressed Metallica or KISS CDs, even my WA2 (now sold) could power my HE-6s. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But pop in Jazz at the Pawnshop and the lack of power was quite obvious.


----------



## obzilla

jtaylor991 said:


> hahaha i was just asking. i assume that was directed at the efficiency of the OSes




No, it's just the hardware is the same, macs aren't speced lower than PCs.
OSX is generally a faster OS, especially if you don't maintain Windows properly, but the guts are all the same, from the little 2 core 2GB RAM minis and miscellaneous PCs, to the Dodecca Core monster workstations. 

Specs are specs, just depends on what you are willing to pay for. The hardware is identical.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They are pretty easy to power...though I'm not surprised by the fact the Lyr didn't do much. After reading more and more impressions I am less impressed with it than when I had it (and I wasn't too impressed when I had it).
> 
> I would like to compare with the LCD 2 instead of my D7000, but I may not get that chance.
> 
> ...


 


  I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Lyr scaled with the NFB-10SE as dac. If my Lyr vs SE comparisons in the SE thread have contributed to you thinking less of the Lyr, my impressions may have been misconstrued. If anything I was hoping to highlight how good the SE's amp section is (even single ended) by comparing it to the Lyr.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo guys,
   
  I added some old school Koss headphone splitters from the '70s. The circuit board got tossed and I rewired the inside of them completely. One splitter had 0Ohm, 50Ohm, 75Ohm, 100Ohm, and 200Ohm. It was a cool experiment and I'll take pictures of it soon. I also added a Koss Pro4AAAT to my gear and well it isn't so good.
   
  I'll be sure to take pictures soon.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Your input didn't really make me think less of the Lyr...just its price point. I know the Lyr is a fine amp, and not bad for the price. Even if the 10SE didn't hold up quite as well compared to it it still has a fine DAC to go along with it. At this intro price it seems like more and more of a steal.
  
  Quote: 





olor1n said:


> I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Lyr scaled with the NFB-10SE as dac. If my Lyr vs SE comparisons in the SE thread have contributed to you thinking less of the Lyr, my impressions may have been misconstrued. If anything I was hoping to highlight how good the SE's amp section is (even single ended) by comparing it to the Lyr.


----------



## Baird GoW

morbidtoaster said:


> Your input didn't really make me think less of the Lyr...just its price point. I know the Lyr is a fine amp, and not bad for the price. Even if the 10SE didn't hold up quite as well compared to it it still has a fine DAC to go along with it. At this intro price it seems like more and more of a steal.




Wish you could try the 10-*ES*


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd totally be okay with trying it.  Fly right on down here or send it my way once the LCD 2s hit my stoop. 
  
  Quote: 





baird gow said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jtaylor991

I know they are the same, I don't even know why I said that. I was getting at like you might get 2.5ghz performance that you'd get in windows in 1.8ghz on a Mac, you get me? And I am a PC person, I prefer to use my keyboard for the majority of things not my mouse, thank you.
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> No, it's just the hardware is the same, macs aren't speced lower than PCs.
> OSX is generally a faster OS, especially if you don't maintain Windows properly, but the guts are all the same, from the little 2 core 2GB RAM minis and miscellaneous PCs, to the Dodecca Core monster workstations.
> Specs are specs, just depends on what you are willing to pay for. The hardware is identical.


----------



## MorbidToaster

1: I'm using a PC keyboard and mouse on both installs (as I hate the Magic Mouse and like my Logitech keyboard more). They work great for both OSes. Makes no difference except for a few button face changes. 
   
  2: One OS is not more efficient than the other. Either can get bogged down with crap. Mac OS will run just as well on identical hardware whether it's actually a Mac or not. Opposite applies for PC. 
   
  tl;dr - Your computer is what you make of it. 
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I know they are the same, I don't even know why I said that. I was getting at like you might get 2.5ghz performance that you'd get in windows in 1.8ghz on a Mac, you get me? And I am a PC person, I prefer to use my keyboard for the majority of things not my mouse, thank you.


----------



## jtaylor991

OK. If only Macs weren't such a premium in price to PCs 
  I am fine with them being even $500 more than a PC simply for the build quality and support Apple has but not the 2x and 3x prices they have on comparable specced windows PCs. I also hate the pricing premium for pre built PCs from Dell, HP etc. At least it's feasible to learn to build your own PC. If only it was the same for laptops..
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> 1: I'm using a PC keyboard and mouse on both installs (as I hate the Magic Mouse and like my Logitech keyboard more). They work great for both OSes. Makes no difference except for a few button face changes.
> 
> 2: One OS is not more efficient than the other. Either can get bogged down with crap. Mac OS will run just as well on identical hardware whether it's actually a Mac or not. Opposite applies for PC.
> 
> tl;dr - Your computer is what you make of it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

If only indeed. 
   
  I'm by no means much of a Mac fan. This is the first I've owned and PCs have been in my family since their creation. (2 generations of 25+ IBMers in my family). Having built (and sold) many rigs of my own I can say that I agree somewhat on the price. 
   
  I think pretty much everything except the iMac is overpriced for what it is. That being said...I do in fact feel that this iMac is worth its asking price. The screen is absolutely gorgeous...and the convenience of not having a full tower under my desk is great for my new (smaller) place. The 27" version accepts input as well (one of the big selling factors for me), so it's essentially everything I need in the size of a 27" monitor. 
   
  I don't have much of an opinion anymore about which is better (value goes to PC of course, but they're fairly similar from there on in my eyes). 
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> OK. If only Macs weren't such a premium in price to PCs
> I am fine with them being even $500 more than a PC simply for the build quality and support Apple has but not the 2x and 3x prices they have on comparable specced windows PCs. I also hate the pricing premium for pre built PCs from Dell, HP etc. At least it's feasible to learn to build your own PC. *If only it was the same for laptops..*


----------



## liamstrain

The ability to dual (or triple) boot helps offset the cost a bit for me - I only need one machine, not two or three...


----------



## dagothur

The problem was not at all with the files I was using.  I used 4000 kbps Rush as a test track, as well as Dream Theater in FLAC.  Nothing was below 320 kbps in the test playlist.  The Lyr provides energy and dynamic, which the HDP already does.  If you have a more laid-back DAC then it would probably work better with the Lyr.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> The problem was not at all with the files I was using.  I used 4000 kbps Rush as a test track, as well as Dream Theater in FLAC.  Nothing was below 320 kbps in the test playlist.  The Lyr provides energy and dynamic, which the HDP already does.  If you have a more laid-back DAC then it would probably work better with the Lyr.


 


  Rush and Dream Theater... You are blessed among men with a great taste of music my friend!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Rush and Dream Theater... You are blessed among men with a great taste of music my friend!


 


  I have acquired a vast catalog of music over the years.  Of course having said this, a veteran Head-Fi'er will descend from Gallifrey and reveal his/her FLAC collection of 100,000 songs.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I have acquired a vast catalog of music over the years.  Of course having said this, a veteran Head-Fi'er will descend from Gallifrey and reveal his/her FLAC collection of 100,000 songs.


 


  Dr who reference and prog.
 Damn.
 um, have a listen to this, its only a youtube vid, but ahh well,
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg-ckPPOA-4
 better tracks are available on their soundcloud, or just buy the Ep, really good prog

 sorry for any derail/


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Rush and Dream Theater... You are blessed among men with a great taste of music my friend!


 


  At least find some music with a talented drummer!


----------



## Jaysuu




----------



## Baird GoW

Small change to my keyboard.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Reminds me that I need to throw money at HDTracks for 24/96 Moving Pictures.
  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Rush and Dream Theater... You are blessed among men with a great taste of music my friend!


----------



## LiqTenExp

Did that one already, it is a noticeable improvement over my flac rip of the original cd.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Reminds me that I need to throw money at HDTracks for 24/96 Moving Pictures.


----------



## MorbidToaster

And Tommy...
  
  Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> Did that one already, it is a noticeable improvement over my flac rip of the original cd.


----------



## Ziilot

My setup, nothing fancy.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## treal512

Quote: 





jaysuu said:


>


 

 Very nice! Glass + Z5500 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 What kind of desk is that? It looks like my Z-Line Nero.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 

 Can't say I approve of the IEMs, but the hookah looks good


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





ziilot said:


> My setup, nothing fancy.


 
  Simple Clean Quality.


----------



## LarryKingsShoes

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 

 That is a beautiful hookah! It's a shame that the weather is about to turn bad around here because we haven't been able to get out on the patio to smoke ours as much as we would have liked.
   
  Here is my current setup. It's not too fancy but it sounds good. It's my HP laptop with a Focusrite sound card (intended for recording but it sounds great with headphones) and my new Ultrasone Pro 900s. The Scarlett is usually hooked up to my desktop and some cheap studio monitors (Yamaha HS50Ms) but I brought it with me to my parents' house for the weekend.


----------



## rawrster

So my rig has changed since I last posted


----------



## Tilpo

rawrster said:


> So my rig has changed since I last posted



I'm content in terms of comfort with my HD 650, but those Beyers just look so darn comfy.

I want one too!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm content in terms of comfort with my HD 650, but those Beyers just look so darn comfy.
> I want one too!


 


  I think that Yulong and Violectric deserve better phones  Beyers are comfortable but I hated when the outer parts of my ears touched the cloth inside the ear cups.


----------



## Tilpo

yuceka said:


> I think that Yulong and Violectric deserve better phones



I know that feeling. I'll be building a Beta22 soon so I might have to upgrade to an orthodynamic to do the amp any justice


----------



## FinBenton

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> I think that Yulong and Violectric deserve better phones  Beyers are comfortable but I hated when the outer parts of my ears touched the cloth inside the ear cups.


 


  This. They are not as comfy as they look


----------



## rawrster

When I had the HD600 I did not like the comfort or the creaking headband (that was actually the reason I sold them). However with the DT880 they are the second most comfortable headphone I have ever used with K601 being on top. They are as comfortable as they look for me but of course YMMV.
   
  As for my setup deserving better headphones I do have two headphones that are better in the Magnum v2.5 and my modified Fostex T50RP. However as for totl such as HD800, LCD2, etc. I have not tried any of them in my own setup so I cannot make a judgment decision if they are worth buying because of that and I do not feel like losing money and time by buying to try all the various lines although some interest me more than others but there is a meet in November that I'm planning to attend so I can try some nice headphones there 
   
  I think my dac and amp is set for a long time so no need to upgrade there


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





finbenton said:


> This. They are not as comfy as they look


 

 Denon Comfort Master Race reporting in.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Denon Comfort Master Race reporting in.


 

  
  The D7000s are like sitting in a giant leather easy chair.  They're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn.


----------



## tme110

rawrster said:


> I think my dac and amp is set for a long time so no need to upgrade there




That's a good place to be


----------



## TakashiMiike

Totally Content With my turntable/speaker setup at the moment, just want more records


----------



## MorbidToaster

Can't recommend the Yulong enough. So good for the price.
  
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I think my dac and amp is set for a long time so no need to upgrade there


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> Totally Content With my turntable/speaker setup at the moment, just want more records


 

 Very nice setup! What turntable/phonostage/receiver/speakers?


----------



## TakashiMiike

> Very nice setup! What turntable/phonostage/receiver/speakers?




Turntable: Pro-ject Debut III Turntable
Phono: ART DJ-PRE2 Phono
Speakers: KRK Rokit 5 Powered Studio Monitors

Looking to upgrade my phono to the bellari vp130, but all my spending money is going to records at the moment  and thanks


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Can't recommend the Yulong enough. So good for the price.


 

 Seriously..it shouldn't be this good considering how much it costs


  Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> Totally Content With my turntable/speaker setup at the moment, just want more records


 

 I like the way this set up look..nice and clean without taking too much space. I do agree about needing more records as that shelf is a bit empty


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think mine will be going to HDTracks and Beatport pretty soon. 
  
  Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## TakashiMiike

Thanks for the kind comments  here's my speakers + whole setup (messy wires I know, any tips on how to keep them organized would be awesome, wires are really my bane)



Heres a close up of my speaker + my attempt at drawing Benny Goodman in the background ^-^





> I think mine will be going to HDTracks and Beatport pretty soon.




Both great investments


----------



## MorbidToaster

HDTracks is well worth it, but Beatport just wrecks your wallet for WAV upgrades. I've had a 100 USD cart that went to 204 USD when everything was upgraded to WAV. Completely ridiculous. 
   
  Also, on the cable matter. You could try zip ties, or velcro cable ties, but my favorite is something we sell at work. I can't seem to find it online, but it's a flexible plastic tube that you run the cables through. Works pretty well.
  
  Quote: 





takashimiike said:


> Thanks for the kind comments
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## tme110

morbidtoaster said:


> I think mine will be going to HDTracks and Beatport pretty soon.




You missed it, HDTracks had a 20% off sale on Friday - I picked up a few albums.


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's only 3 or so I really want to get right now. Tommy, Moving Pictures, and maybe some Elton John.
   
  They seem  have some sort of sale pretty frequently.
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

Nope, he still has a chance since I have a 20% coupon code that expire the 15th of this month. If he needs it then it's his .
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Uh...Yes? I'd love it. I get paid before that and need to pick up a few things.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Nope, he still has a chance since I have a 20% coupon code that expire the 15th of this month. If he needs it then it's his .


----------



## tme110

morbidtoaster said:


> There's only 3 or so I really want to get right now. Tommy, Moving Pictures, and maybe some Elton John.
> 
> They seem  have some sort of sale pretty frequently.




Funny, I picked up moving pictures and thought about Tommy. 

I got an REM album last time but the new hi-res version didn't even seem slightly better than my 20 year old copy. Before that though I got some classical stuff but sounds unbelievable. Plus, I bought a song at each different sample rate just so I could test DACs.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I would love the Chesky album everyone talks about, too. Tommy is my #1 as The Who is my favorite 'band' ever. Just can't get enough. Thinking about Metallica's Black Album...and Yes...and Ray Charles...Alison Krauss...Miles Davis...
   
  lol
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

MorbidToaster I sent you the code you wanted 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I also have a 50% off code for David Chesky's Urbanacity album, so anyone can use it. Here is he code: urbanThiel
   
  Enjoy the music guys!!


----------



## Hexidecimal

Just finished today. Listening to If Not Now, When? - Incubus through my SRH840s right now.


----------



## .Sup

^^very nice setup


----------



## jtaylor991

Yeah it looks awesome!
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> ^^very nice setup


----------



## tme110

zombie_x said:


> Hrm... I wonder how they compare to my Violectric V800 DAC.... I know my Audio-GD ROC sound great through it's balanced outputs.




Sorry...

Can't answer that but I'm sure they're both fantastic. Personally, I think once you get to the nfb-2 DAC everything above that is for careful analytical listening, not necessarily musical enjoyment. There is a difference between the DAC in my nfb-10 and the nfb-1 but that's not a fair comparison and you've have to A/B them for a while to know the difference. I admit, a few months ago when I was trying to find the perfect no-need-to-upgrade-again DAC I never even knew about the V800 but it looks like something that would have made it to the final round of selections. Though I like the obvious over engineering and crazy power supplies of Audio-GD - funny thing is is that my -1 isn't even close to their higher end (I don't believe going any higher would have done anything for me). And I'm sure you're enjoying your ROC - I do.


----------



## shipsupt

morbidtoaster said:


> I would love the Chesky album everyone talks about, too. Tommy is my #1 as The Who is my favorite 'band' ever. Just can't get enough. Thinking about Metallica's Black Album...and Yes...and Ray Charles...Alison Krauss...Miles Davis...
> 
> lol




If you grab Tommy consider getting the Smithereens cover of it there as well. Great tribute, they play the whole album, and it's well recorded. I like to listen to the Who version and then compare how the Smithereens did it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll look into it but I think I'll only have enough for 3 albums for awhile. 
   
  Going with Moving Pictures (24/96), Tommy (24/96), and Explorations in Space and Time (24/176)
  
  Quote: 





shipsupt said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## palmfish

I can see the appeal of getting hi-rez Chesky recordings (recorded in hi-rez), but I don't get buying hi-rez versions of old albums.

How can an album originally recorded on analog equipment be improved beyond the original fidelity? 16/44 has more than enough resolution to reproduce ALL of the original analog information without loss. If you get an "old" album in 24/96 or above, aren't you just paying for and throwing away a bunch of unused 1's and 0's?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I can see the appeal of getting hi-rez Chesky recordings (recorded in hi-rez), but I don't get buying hi-rez versions of old albums.
> How can an album originally recorded on analog equipment be improved beyond the original fidelity? 16/44 has more than enough resolution to reproduce ALL of the original analog information without loss. If you get an "old" album in 24/96 or above, aren't you just paying for and throwing away a bunch of unused 1's and 0's?


 

 +1 I'm curious as well


----------



## aroldan

This question would require an entirely new thread. If people discuss this here, this thread would be rapidly taken over.
   
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I can see the appeal of getting hi-rez Chesky recordings (recorded in hi-rez), but I don't get buying hi-rez versions of old albums.
> How can an album originally recorded on analog equipment be improved beyond the original fidelity? 16/44 has more than enough resolution to reproduce ALL of the original analog information without loss. If you get an "old" album in 24/96 or above, aren't you just paying for and throwing away a bunch of unused 1's and 0's?


----------



## mikerobe




----------



## Tablo

mikerobe said:


>



...Obvious troll is obvious *facepalm*


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> This question would require an entirely new thread. If people discuss this here, this thread would be rapidly taken over.


 

 Agreed, this isn't the place for it but it is a legitimate question that is worthy of debate.


----------



## Loevhagen

Autumn. Rain. Darkness. Current head-fi setup brighten things up without being bright.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Those headphone stands are gorgeous and I really, really want one...
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Autumn. Rain. Darkness. Current head-fi setup brighten things up without being bright.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Those headphone stands are gorgeous and I really, really want one...


 

 They are beautiful, but I think for the price they are definetly not worth it, although I will probably end up buying one anyway.


----------



## chrislangley4253

current status.. Will update when it's all organized with my sr225i's, matrix m-stage and gamma 2.


----------



## Baird GoW

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Autumn. Rain. Darkness. Current head-fi setup brighten things up without being bright.


 

 What are those blocks of wood under the HE-6 headband for?


----------



## Loevhagen

No wood, just soft replacable spacers on the headband for people with smaller sculls than the HiFiMAN test (doll) head.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





johntodd said:


> They are beautiful, but I think for the price they are definetly not worth it, although I will probably end up buying one anyway.


 

 Spoken like a true convert. Welcome to head-fi, sorry about your wallet


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah...that's why I don't have one yet...But after my Phonitor early next year...maybe...
  
  Quote: 





johntodd said:


> They are beautiful, but I think* for the price they are definetly not worth it, although I will probably end up buying one anyway*.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Those headphone stands are gorgeous and I really, really want one...


 


  You should get. It looks good even without headphones, like a décor


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've got a few things that need to come before one, but I definitely think I'll end up with one eventually. 
  
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> You should get. It looks good even without headphones, like a décor


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## Wingstrike

Keeping it tasteful with B/W photos. I like! Both photos and rig
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Kind of a weird setup but here's mine. iPad - CLAS - Pro-Ject Head Box II - Q-Audio HiFiMan Upgrade Cable - HiFiMan HE-300. You can see some of my portable amps sharing the love with my desktop. Heck, the Continental sounds 1 million times better than my desktop amp.
> 
> 
> I'm going to be upgrading soon to iTunes - DACPort LX - Schiit Valhalla - HD650 with my HiFiMan HE-300 right next to my HD650 on my stand. Anybody like the stand? Sometime in the future I hope to see an HD650, HE-500, AKG K702, & W1000X all resting next to each other on that stand.


----------



## Aizura

Here's my humble setup. Sorry for the bad quality pics, I can't afford a decent camera since all my money went into hifi LOL


----------



## liamstrain

I still donate to MSF... but otherwise, I'm mostly donating to my child's education, and my ear's happiness from now on.


----------



## .Sup

nice setup Aizura! How is the V200 with HD800? Is there enough bass?


----------



## Sylafari

My humble setup:


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> My humble setup:


 
   
  Any rig with the LCD-2 is amazing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How do they sound out of the Asgard?


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Any rig with the LCD-2 is amazing
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Honestly, pretty flipping amazing


----------



## LiqTenExp

I heard the asgard and lcd-2 combo at the last NJ show and thought it was excellent sounding.  It should do about 1W into the LCD-2 which is fine for them.


----------



## Tilpo

liqtenexp said:


> I heard the asgard and lcd-2 combo at the last NJ show and thought it was excellent sounding.  It should do about 1W into the LCD-2 which is fine for them.



I'm gonna build the Beta22 soon. That one should be able to gob up an ear shattering 3.5W into the LCD-2. That's about 126dB of pure awesome


I think the Asgard can do more than 1W though. Output voltate is 20V P-P at 32 Ohms. Output impedance is negligible at 50 ohms.
_P = V^2/R
((20/sqrt(2))^2)/50 = *4Wrms* _
That's an entire decibel more than the Beta22!

All that would remain is actually buying an LCD-2.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm gonna build the Beta22 soon. That one should be able to gob up an ear shattering 3.5W into the LCD-2. That's about 126dB of pure awesome
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Well I figure if you build your own amp then you are saving money right?
   
  I often have pipe dreams about building my own 4 channel B22 but it is a bit ambitions with zero electronics experience...


----------



## Tilpo

drez said:


> lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Honestly I do it because it's fun. I have zero electronics experience as well, but I built a Mini3 without any difficulty. It really isn't that hard, but you do need to do proper research before starting the project. 
It might save money if you have the proper tools. When I built my Mini3 I spent about $80 on parts, but I spent a whopping $120 on tools. Multimeter, soldering wire, tweezers, alcohol, soldering wick, just to name a few.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Kind of a weird setup but here's mine. iPad - CLAS - Pro-Ject Head Box II - Q-Audio HiFiMan Upgrade Cable - HiFiMan HE-300. You can see some of my portable amps sharing the love with my desktop. Heck, the Continental sounds 1 million times better than my desktop amp.
> 
> 
> I'm going to be upgrading soon to iTunes - DACPort LX - Schiit Valhalla - HD650 with my HiFiMan HE-300 right next to my HD650 on my stand. Anybody like the stand? Sometime in the future I hope to see an HD650, HE-500, AKG K702, & W1000X all resting next to each other on that stand.


 


  HD 650s are amazing on a headbox , coming from someone who has that setup currently. i also purchase a pro-ject DAC which worked nicely with the system, however, was a tad too grainy sounding for me and i decided to upgrade the DAC to a PS Audio DL3 which is tons better, however the project amp is amazing for the price and has more than enough power to drive the hd650s + k 701s. i however have the headbox se II which is twice as tall as the headbox II and has 2 jacks. they are however, largely the same amp.


  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> current status.. Will update when it's all organized with my sr225i's, matrix m-stage and gamma 2.


 


  i have the same computer case LOL!! red coolermaster HAF 922. LOOOVE IT!!


----------



## Aizura

Quote: 





.sup said:


> nice setup Aizura! How is the V200 with HD800? Is there enough bass?


 

 There's more than enough bass. It's never bassy ofcourse, because it's a very neutral headphone. The bass is there when it should be and it hits very low, tight and with authority.
  I find the V200 to pair very well with the HD800. It is buttery smooth, and insanely detailed at the same time.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just sold a build I did in a HAF 932. I love those cases even though they weigh a ton.
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i have the same computer case LOL!! red coolermaster HAF 922. LOOOVE IT!!


----------



## LiqTenExp

close but need to do a couple things first.
   
  Vpp = 20
  Vp = 10 = (0.5*Vpp)
  Vrms = 7.07 = (.707*Vp) 
   
  Place 7.07 into your equation and you will get ~1 W
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm gonna build the Beta22 soon. That one should be able to gob up an ear shattering 3.5W into the LCD-2. That's about 126dB of pure awesome
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tilpo

liqtenexp said:


> close but need to do a couple things first.
> 
> Vpp = 20
> Vp = 10 = (0.5*Vpp)
> ...



*Fail* I multiplied by root 2 instead of dividing by it. That explains the factor four difference. 
If I weren't anonymous I'd probably have died of shame by now. 

That means the Asgard can make the LCD-2 produce 121dB, still more than loud enough.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> HD 650s are amazing on a headbox , coming from someone who has that setup currently. i also purchase a pro-ject DAC which worked nicely with the system, however, was a tad too grainy sounding for me and i decided to upgrade the DAC to a PS Audio DL3 which is tons better, however the project amp is amazing for the price and has more than enough power to drive the hd650s + k 701s. i however have the headbox se II which is twice as tall as the headbox II and has 2 jacks. they are however, largely the same amp.
> i have the same computer case LOL!! red coolermaster HAF 922. LOOOVE IT!!


 


  Really? Because I love the HD650's, am considering buying one, and wasn't sure to upgrade to the Schiit Valhalla or not...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Really? Because I love the HD650's, am considering buying one, and wasn't sure to upgrade to the Schiit Valhalla or not...


 

  
  just got my woo wa6se but before that since i used the pro-ject headbox amp lemme just say this. the pro-ject actually scales well with better DACs and is a very good amp by its self (it improved greatly when i got my PS Audio DAC upgrade, i was shocked that the project was capable of so much more for being a $350 dollar amp) . its not too far behind and also performs right on par with other amps around its price range (250-400 price range).   you would probably be better off upgrading to the valhalla, but the pro-ject is a very good amp for the money, made my hd 650s shine and had extremely good synergy with my k 701s as well as powering them to quite decent volume levels. another amp i'd strongly recommend is the music hall ph25.2. it has more juice than the pro-ject and sounds extremely good, its a hybrid tube amp and its a very dynamic and detailed amp. ive heard it more than once and think even though its 399, its definitely worth  every bit of it.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i have the same computer case LOL!! red coolermaster HAF 922. LOOOVE IT!!


 


   


  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just sold a build I did in a HAF 932. I love those cases even though they weigh a ton.


 
   
  I love how roomy they are, the great air flow and the aggressive look. It is a bit chunky in my environment though.


----------



## Tilpo

From both my experience and scientific knowledge I would disagree that better amps improve sound quality further. 
A good amplifier should in my opinion be able to amplify the signal without any audible alteration of the sound. Furthermore it needs to be safe for your headphones and supply enough power to run them at 115-120dB. I.e. 'a wire with gain'. 

I don't get why people would buy expensive tube amps to improve sound quality. The fact that they hear differences between different amps is a bad thing, it means that at least either of the two doesn't do what it's supposed to: amplify the signal without audible changes to the signal.
If you want colored sound: do it at source or at headphone/speaker stage. Gives you the same results for a lot less money. 

The only argument in favor of expensive amps is of course their looks.

I'm sorry for my accusative tone; it's just something that has been bothering me for ages.


----------



## deadlylover

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> From both my experience and scientific knowledge I would disagree that better amps improve sound quality further.
> A good amplifier should in my opinion be able to amplify the signal without any audible alteration of the sound. Furthermore it needs to be safe for your headphones and supply enough power to run them at 115-120dB. I.e. 'a wire with gain'.
> I don't get why people would buy expensive tube amps to improve sound quality. The fact that they hear differences between different amps is a bad thing, it means that at least either of the two doesn't do what it's supposed to: amplify the signal without audible changes to the signal.
> If you want colored sound: do it at source or at headphone/speaker stage. Gives you the same results for a lot less money.
> ...


 

 There are a some expensive amps out there that are just......not brilliant, but there's really no problem with them as long as somebody keeps buying and enjoying them. Then again, if it's okay to change headphones for a coloured sound, why shouldn't we be able to change amps/sources to help us reach our destination? I don't see a problem with that IMO.
   
  Tubes vs SS, there are things that tubes do better than SS, such as high voltage. As long as the designer knows what they're doing, you simply cant say that tubes have the stereotype warm and fuzzy distorted sound.
   
  For instance, the KGSS (all solid state), has a THD+N of about <0.008%, whereas the Blue Hawaii (tube/SS hybrid) has a THD+N of about <0.004%. That's not a typo ^^.
   
  If you start to get into DIY, you'll eventually be able to recognise the overpriced worthless crap from the good stuff.


----------



## Tilpo

deadlylover said:


> There are a some expensive amps out there that are just......not brilliant, but there's really no problem with them as long as somebody keeps buying and enjoying them. Then again, if it's okay to change headphones for a coloured sound, why shouldn't we be able to change amps/sources to help us reach our destination? I don't see a problem with that IMO.
> 
> Tubes vs SS, there are things that tubes do better than SS, such as high voltage. As long as the designer knows what they're doing, you simply cant say that tubes have the stereotype warm and fuzzy distorted sound.
> 
> ...



Very true, but what I'm trying to say is that coloring the sound through headphones and source is simply far cheaper. 
There's a lot of questionable gear out there, and a lot of it has great popularity as well. For example I deeply regret buying my Little Dot, as with more experience I learned that it is colored as hell. When I bought it I lacked the knowledge and experience I have now, and additionally the audio world is very confusing at the beginning. 

I'm also not trying to go hating on amplifiers like the Blue Hawaii, but I do think it's ridiculously expensive for an amplifier. For $500 bucks you should be able to get something reference quality and be done with amps for the rest of your short life. Going this path makes life so much easier and cheaper.

I'll be building a Beta22 within a month's time, and after that I think I'll be happy for the coming years when it comes to amplifiers.


----------



## zenki14

Quote:


tilpo said:


> From both my experience and scientific knowledge I would disagree that better amps improve sound quality further.
> A good amplifier should in my opinion be able to amplify the signal without any audible alteration of the sound. Furthermore it needs to be safe for your headphones and supply enough power to run them at 115-120dB. I.e. 'a wire with gain'.
> I don't get why people would buy expensive tube amps to improve sound quality. The fact that they hear differences between different amps is a bad thing, it means that at least either of the two doesn't do what it's supposed to: amplify the signal without audible changes to the signal.
> If you want colored sound: do it at source or at headphone/speaker stage. Gives you the same results for a lot less money.
> ...


 

 If "amplifying the signal without making audible changes" is the one and only thing that amps are supposed to do, then I take it that tube amps should not even exist and we would just have too few choices.
   
  There are headphones that benefit from amps with color.  I'm thinking about the Lyr for my T1 since I feel it's lacking bass.
  On the other hand I thought RS-1 sounded better with amps that have more clarity and detail (the MK VII+ balanced was pretty good).
   
  I experienced limits of EQ'ing, like the NFB-12 couldn't handle it and bass crackled quite easily, after only about +5dB around 60Hz.
  The mini-i handles EQ'ing better, but my opinion is that it's better to add color towards the end of the chain.  I want to stick with the T1 so the next choice is amps.
   
  To me it's all about synergy (and keeping EQ'ing minimal), so I think it's not a bad thing that all amps sound different, and that some may add color.


----------



## deadlylover

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Very true, but what I'm trying to say is that coloring the sound through headphones and source is simply far cheaper.
> There's a lot of questionable gear out there, and a lot of it has great popularity as well. For example I deeply regret buying my Little Dot, as with more experience I learned that it is colored as hell. When I bought it I lacked the knowledge and experience I have now, and additionally the audio world is very confusing at the beginning.
> I'm also not trying to go hating on amplifiers like the Blue Hawaii, but I do think it's ridiculously expensive for an amplifier. For $500 bucks you should be able to get something reference quality and be done with amps for the rest of your short life. Going this path makes life so much easier and cheaper.
> I'll be building a Beta22 within a month's time, and after that I think I'll be happy for the coming years when it comes to amplifiers.


 

 Agreed, but in my experience, once you find a headphone you like, you'll go balls to the wall to make them sound as best as possible. Which may or may not lead to super expensive amplifiers and such. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  The Blue Hawaii SE from Headamp is expensive, but the thing is, there's nothing out there commercially that compares. So it's hard to say if it's 'worth' the money or not, as there is nothing to compare it to apart from DIY, which is kinda apples to oranges. Electrostatic amps are a niche within a niche, and that doesn't help the pricing at all. High voltage ain't cheap either, and since stats are inherently balanced, you have to double everything even if only using a single ended source. I wish there was a good $500 stat amp to buy, but at the moment, the best value is a $1000 DIY project. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Enjoy building that Beta22, I built a balanced one a while back and had a blast. Fired up perfectly first time, it was my first project too, so I get the warm and fuzzies every time I think about it.


----------



## jtaylor991

The same is said for DACs. Tone matched, if you can hear an audible difference between two DACs then one of them is defective, because they all do the same thing and you should only hear the extra detail or something like that, so sound sig changes. I think I still believe that different amps have different sounds and sound signatures, and yes maybe it is just the stage but it's not like it's (easily) user replaceable anyway.
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> From both my experience and scientific knowledge I would disagree that better amps improve sound quality further.
> A good amplifier should in my opinion be able to amplify the signal without any audible alteration of the sound. Furthermore it needs to be safe for your headphones and supply enough power to run them at 115-120dB. I.e. 'a wire with gain'.
> I don't get why people would buy expensive tube amps to improve sound quality. The fact that they hear differences between different amps is a bad thing, it means that at least either of the two doesn't do what it's supposed to: amplify the signal without audible changes to the signal.
> If you want colored sound: do it at source or at headphone/speaker stage. Gives you the same results for a lot less money.
> ...


----------



## jtaylor991

Oh yeah, my last reply was assuming you meant DAC as "source"
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Very true, but what I'm trying to say is that coloring the sound through headphones and source is simply far cheaper.
> There's a lot of questionable gear out there, and a lot of it has great popularity as well. For example I deeply regret buying my Little Dot, as with more experience I learned that it is colored as hell. When I bought it I lacked the knowledge and experience I have now, and additionally the audio world is very confusing at the beginning.
> I'm also not trying to go hating on amplifiers like the Blue Hawaii, but I do think it's ridiculously expensive for an amplifier. For $500 bucks you should be able to get something reference quality and be done with amps for the rest of your short life. Going this path makes life so much easier and cheaper.
> I'll be building a Beta22 within a month's time, and after that I think I'll be happy for the coming years when it comes to amplifiers.


----------



## Skylab

It's a pity this thread rarely contains photos anymore...


----------



## nc8000

Given all this the interresting question would the be "How do we determine which product is the defective product and which is the real thing". That requires some objective way to decide what the sound should really sound like. And it assumes that the none defective piece of equipment should sound the same no matter what is plugged into it. I think not ....


----------



## Tilpo

jtaylor991 said:


> Oh yeah, my last reply was assuming you meant DAC as "source"



I meant computer/CD as source. What would be the general term for that?



nc8000 said:


> Given all this the interresting question would the be "How do we determine which product is the defective product and which is the real thing". That requires some objective way to decide what the sound should really sound like. And it assumes that the none defective piece of equipment should sound the same no matter what is plugged into it. I think not ....



It's very easy to define what it should sound like for DAC's and amplifiers. A perfect amplifier is something that amplifies a sound signal without any distortion with a set voltage gain. A perfect DAC converts a digital signal to an analog signal without any distortion using some universally-accepted algorithm for conversion at a set peak voltage.
This also means that these devices are fully transparent. 
E.g. adding a fully transparent, or perfect, amplifier to a signal chain and matching volumes will not change the signal in any audible way. 
Another example is if you would add a transparent ADC and DAC to a signal chain. If they don't alter the sound in any audible way then they are transparent. 


A lot of amplifiers on the other hand tend to color the sound. This means that they are not transparent at all; they change the sound signature on purpose. The problem with this is that it can sound good with some headphones and with some music, but bad with others. 
A fully transparent device will add no coloration to the signal and is therefore a perfect all-rounder.


----------



## nc8000

Yes but how do you know what the signal should sound like (in other words what it would sound like if it didn't pass a dac or an amp) in order to decide what amp is the defective one and which one is the real thing ?


----------



## Tilpo

nc8000 said:


> Yes but how do you know what the signal should sound like (in other words what it would sound like if it didn't pass a dac or an amp) in order to decide what amp is the defective one and which one is the real thing ?



I don't even know what you mean any more. 
If you adding a DAC or amp doesn't change the signal in any audible way then it has preserved the signal without any coloration or distortion. 
This can be shown through double blind testing (see whether people can distinguish the setup with an amp added from the identical setup without an added amp). 
And it can be shown through measurement as well in a very objective and quantitative manner. 

There is no 'real thing'. All I'm doing is making the distinction between an amp that does color the sound, and one that does not. 
From an audio engineering point of view an amplifier that colors sound can in a way be considered defective, especially if this is not the intention of the designer. However coloration is not necessarily bad, it can synergize well with certain headphones and certain genres of music.


----------



## nc8000

In order to know if a given amp colors the sound you need to have a refernce for what the uncoloured sound is supposed to sound like. Where do you get that reference from since you can't really listen to the signal without any amp added ?


----------



## Amarphael

What do you insist disscussing this in a 'SHOW US YOU RIG' thread?!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





skylab said:


> It's a pity this thread rarely contains photos anymore...


 

 x2
   
  So I've decided to amp roll again. I've replaced the Decware CSP2+ preamp with the Woo Audio 2 headphone amp/preamp. The WA2 has Mullard EZ80 (1950s), Mullard 6080 (1970), and Mullard ECC88 (1960). It's a little sweeter sounding than the CSP2+.
   
  (click on photo for larger version) Taken this 8 minutes ago. 8 Oct. 2011 at 9:18 A.M. PST.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





skylab said:


> It's a pity this thread rarely contains photos anymore...


 


  x3
   
  Taken five minutes ago.
   

   
  Showing off my nice and short Monoprice power cables, and Signal interconnect.


----------



## MrQ

^ Still keeping it clean and simple, nice. If I remember correctly you had an Airport behind the sonnett?


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





mrq said:


> ^ Still keeping it clean and simple, nice. If I remember correctly you had an Airport behind the sonnett?






  
  Thanks, yeah I had an Airport Express going to a Theta Cobalt 307 DAC into the Sonnet.
   
  I wanted to get even simpler and went back to the old Sony DVP-S9000ES player.
   
  And it's got me buying CDs again.


----------



## Skylab

Apologies if I have posted this before, I don't believe I have.


----------



## SLaRe

Skylab is that amp a Marantz?


----------



## Skylab

It's a Sansui 9090DB - wonderful vintage receiver which sounds great driving the LCD-2.


----------



## nc8000

amarphael said:


> What do you insist disscussing this in a 'SHOW US YOU RIG' thread?!




If you can't be civil please take yourself and your sentiments elsewhere. I'm just responding to other posts. No need for obsene language.


----------



## LiqTenExp

re-organized after selling off a couple items.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Nice touch those wood stands. Did you make them?


----------



## LiqTenExp

yes but please don't mistake me for a carpenter of any kind.  I just took some nice pine 1x12 and simply glue/finishing nailed them together.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





liqtenexp said:


> yes but please don't mistake me for a carpenter of any kind.  I just took some nice pine 1x12 and simply glue/finishing nailed them together.


 

 It's neat, clean, and simple and serves its purpose effectively. I should be as productive.


----------



## LiqTenExp

yeah its cheap too!


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Thanks, yeah I had an Airport Express going to a Theta Cobalt 307 DAC into the Sonnet.
> 
> I wanted to get even simpler and went back to the old Sony DVP-S9000ES player.
> 
> And it's got me buying CDs again.


 


  You can never have enough CDs


----------



## SLaRe

Quote: 





skylab said:


> It's a Sansui 9090DB - wonderful vintage receiver which sounds great driving the LCD-2.


 


  Wonderful and beatiful.


----------



## sphinxvc

Looks like you got another can too, Eee Pee.


----------



## dagothur

Was this this the very first design for the LCD-2?
  
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> Apologies if I have posted this before, I don't believe I have.


----------



## Pudu

skylab said:


> It's a pity this thread rarely contains photos anymore...




I guess I've been lurking around here long enough as a Head-Fi voyeur that it's time I throw my hat in the ring.



Yes, I'm source limited at the moment. I haven't decided the best way to go on that front yet. My old 3rd G iPod sounds surprisingly good still.


----------



## Tilpo

pudu said:


> skylab said:
> 
> 
> > It's a pity this thread rarely contains photos anymore...
> ...



Nice headphone stand.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





mrq said:


> You can never have enough CDs


 

 Or records.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote:


sphinxvc said:


> Looks like you got another can too, Eee Pee.


 

 Very 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 of you.  Couple more, actually.
   
  595, 600, 800


----------



## Pudu

tilpo said:


> Nice headphone stand.





Thanks. He used to be holding a spear, but good music has turned him into a pacifist.


----------



## treal512

After some audio house cleaning, this is what's left


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> After some audio house cleaning, this is what's left


 

 Your not doing too bad, but where did you get that blue head?


----------



## treal512

I just found him along the way. Feel free to rip him a new home


----------



## nick n

Reading / listening / zoning area.


----------



## Draygonn




----------



## ButtUglyJeff

^^^ Nice!!!  How do you like that WA2?


----------



## Tilpo

draygonn said:


>



How does the modded T50RP compare to the DT880?


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> How does the modded T50RP compare to the DT880?


 

 It Obliterates it. Read page 266 of the Fostex thread. That's mod is the evolution of the entire thread, the last 4 weeks of collaborative work amongst LFF, Mrspeakers, and Hennyo. (myself)
   
  It stomps the LCD-2, rev 2 in short. It makes the lcd-2 sound fake. The only thing lcd-2 has on it is that it's driver is bigger. It's worth checking out.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> It Obliterates it. Read page 266 of the Fostex thread. That's mod is the evolution of the entire thread, the last 4 weeks of collaborative work amongst LFF, Mrspeakers, and Hennyo. (myself)
> 
> It stomps the LCD-2, rev 2 in short. It makes the lcd-2 sound fake. The only thing lcd-2 has on it is that it's driver is bigger.


 
  A little off-topic, but I see you've got the T40-RP.  I know there was some debate a while back as to whether or not they used the same drivers.  I take it they do?


----------



## Hennyo

T50.... Yes, the dirvers are slightly different. Basically, in short the T 50 exhibits lower distortion, especially at higher volumes (above 90db) and can handle about 1/3 more power. If not 40% more..
  Smeggy has commented that he has never been able to get a t 40rp to sound quite the same as a t50rp.
   
  pics!. ; ) (HD 650 sold). Another T 50 incoming. (And HD 600 for kicks since it's the only neutral open back headphone left and it's being discontinued.)


----------



## winkyeye

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> It stomps the LCD-2, rev 2 in short. It makes the lcd-2 sound fake. The only thing lcd-2 has on it is that it's driver is bigger. It's worth checking out.


----------



## Hennyo

Well.. Don't beleive me? It's not a joke. Go look at Purrins measurements. It *measures *better than lcd-2... And that's was about a month ago.. Much has been tried / improved upon since then.
  
  Quote: 





winkyeye said:


>


 
  ^


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Hennyo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> [...]
> 
> It stomps the LCD-2, rev 2 in short. It makes the lcd-2 sound fake. The only thing lcd-2 has on it is that it's driver is bigger. It's worth checking out.


 

 Wow, the T50RP must be directly tapped into a Matrix-like reality if it trumps the "fake" illusion that I'm hearing at the moment with the rev.2. You should have used CAPS and exclamation marks to really hammer the point home.


----------



## Hennyo

.....k.. w/e... Why not at leaast give the claim a chance before turning away? Go take a look at the Fostex thread... Not so many would make such a claim unless it were true.. On all fronts.. Measurements and go look at the thread. See what people have found.. What are you out of?
   
  74$ + 20$ in modding material... People have worked very hard on this for a while now.. I suggest you look at it before taking a disrespectful stance.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

Quote: 





winkyeye said:


>


 

 Exactly!
   
  A friend of mine brought his modded T50RP's over to my place for a little comparo, saying that they're the Audez'e giant killers. He left with his tail between his legs, and wanting very badly a pair of LCD-2's. 
   
  Not to say they aren't worth the effort, certainly for the price, and with some time put into them, they sound far better than their sticker price would suggest. But I thought it was way in over its head here against the Audez'e.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *cAsE sEnSiTiVe* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Exactly!
> 
> A friend of mine brought his modded T50RP's over to my place for a little comparo, saying that they're the Audez'e giant killers. He left with his tail between his legs, and wanting very badly a pair of LCD-2's.


 
  You can mod these completely differently and to varying degrees. He probably didn't go into it much. Or this was so long ago that the mods were in their infancy. They've come a long way in the last couple months. Over the last 3 weeks particularly.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

This was last weekend on Sunday. 
   
  Everyone hears things differently. If you feel they trounce a headphone that in this case that sells for 10x the price, then I'd say you're ahead of the game.
   
  Enjoy!


----------



## MomijiTMO

Play nicely children . Headphones are headphones.


----------



## Eee Pee

Or at least post pictures along with your ramblings.


----------



## Magedark

Simple for now. I have a K500, but not in use right now.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





case sensitive said:


> This was last weekend on Sunday.
> 
> Everyone hears things differently. If you feel they trounce a headphone that in this case that sells for 10x the price, then I'd say you're ahead of the game.
> 
> Enjoy!


 
  Please read how I responded to your post.. These headphones are VERY sensitive to what mods you apply... I'm betting his set was.... not optimal.. Since people are curious, I am posting this here. This is the cullimnation and evolution of the entire Fostex thread. And is the result of an Audio Engineer by profession and degree. (Mrspeakers) And another Sound restorationist and Audio engineer. (LFF). Along with everybody who's been modding in the Fostex thread!
   
  Yesterday at 5:27 pm

 


 
 mrspeakers 





  
 offline
 
 812 Posts. Joined 10/2010
 Location: So Cal
 

   OK, guys.  With a drum-roll, and thanks to Hennyo who did some of the last testing while I was traveling to help speed the process along:
   
*Rastapants 2!*
   
   
  The original Rastapants design produced really excellent and enjoyable sound, to my ears.  The sound was super detailed, having excellent attack and decay, and a nice velvet darkness between the notes.  However, I kept feeling I’d peaked at about 85% of the LCD-2.  Then LFF posted that he felt he had a version he thought his current mystery mod had taken him further in sound than the LCD-2. 
   
  Being competitive, my competitive juices got pumping.  Could I get these to sound better than my favorite phone?
   
  There were two areas where I felt it slightly deficient in regards to the LCD-2:

 The upper treble was all there, but a couple of db softer than I’d wanted.  It had the right tone but needed a lift.  The phones weren’t quite dark, but had too much mid bass to really outdo the LCD-2.
 In complex passages, certain vocal overdubs or choral pieces, especially for women, would not have the separation of the LCD-2, and there was a resonance that female vocals hit that I wanted to eliminate
   
  BlueMonkey made a few comments that got me thinking about trying a reflex dot, and alternates to felt.  While I tried a few loose knit fabrics, these all seemed to me to sound like a bare driver and the mids were horrid, and my prior experience with Micropore and Transpore led me to conclude they were really inferior to felt, so I stuck with the felt.  The reflex dot, made the mids harsh and lost the liquid smoothness I wanted, so that was out for me as a solution.  I don’t say this to criticize the BMF concept, which I haven’t implemented, it just didn’t work with my design, and as I thought the Rastapants were VERY close to ideal I didn’t want to go back to the transpore/micropore approach of yore and start from scratch.
   
*Design Changes*
   
  There are two assumptions I made in my original mods that seemed to me to be questionable; first was that there wasn’t enough energy in the cup to warrant vibration control, and second was that the black post in the rear cup was a reflex dot and needed to keep the tonal balance. 
   
  I have written before that there are two problems with the T50: plastic resonances and reflections/standing waves.  Both of these come into play for the Rastapants 2 mod. I decided to do a full frontal assault on both plastic vibration/resonance and standing wave/reflections. 
   
  The key was relatively simple: 
  1) Dynamat the entire back of the cup and cover that with paxmate
  2) Cover the entire interior baffle that’s been stuffed with Plasticine with paxmate
  3) Totally close the vent with tape and cover that and the center post with paxmate
   
  Someone mentioned FatMat for price, which is what I used.  Same material as dynamat at a  fraction of the price.  Because I’m covering the FatMat entirely with Paxmate, I left the on the foil, and pressed it tightly into the cup with the back of a BIC pen, as shown in the photo *(PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED SUNDAY)*.
   
  The FatMat slightly decreases cup volume, which required adjusting the vent, again.  The vent is now totally closed with the O2 pads.  Hennyo is using 840 pads and reported closed worked ideally.       
   
_The effect? Significant increase in separation and localization in the mids, while totally tightening up the bass, reducing distortion and preserving (increasing) extension.  The phones are remarkably balanced with a tremendously powerful and low distortion bottom octace.  The top goes way out there; cymbals are presented with incredible attack and a real sense of brass. This is the sound on my current set, and Hennyo reports that my last set of mods I asked him to run pushed this over the top to "better than LCD-2" for him, as well.  _   
   
  The next mod was totally closing the vent and covering it with electrical tape then paxmate.  This elimated the mid bass warmth and also even that tiny bit of paxmate cleared up some harshness in those female vocals.  A detail touch was putting paxmate on op of the post in the center of the earcup, which had a further impact on that midrange resonance.  The only final detail was adding the foam around the interior of the driver baffle to surround the driver.
   
*The Complete Mod*
   
  So here is the new Rastapants 2 mod in short form (if you did the italics on the first mod skip those):
   
  Inside the baffle:

 _Fill all holes but the two small vents around the driver.  Plasticine is way better than BluTak (or equivalents) because of mass and damping.  No comparison.  Newplast might be too heavy, though it has a higher damping factor I’m not sure it will add value.  Anyone who tries the mod and can A/B would be appreciated._
 In the Rastapants 2 mod, I added in additional plasticine all around the outside rim of the baffle, as shown below.  This creates a bit of a gasket to reduce air leakage.
 PHOTO

 _Remove the white gauze and on a border of rubber cement replace it with a square of stiff 2mm craft felt._
   
  On the ear-side of the baffle:

 _Cut away the felt on top of the driver, leaving only the dust-filter._
 _Surround the driver with Paxmate foam (it's ok to cover those equalizing holes you didn't fill with clay).  (_*INSERT PHOTO)*
   
  On the ear cup:

 Line the entire inside of the cup with FatMat/Dynamat, leaving the foil on.  _Be VERY careful the aluminum does not cut or nick the wires._  I didn't, but I can see it happen.  I cut a big piece out and left slots to allow 1 piece to go around the major obstacles and wires.  Press it down to conform to the surface as best as possible to avoid losing cup volume, then rub it with a small, hard flat object (I used the back of a BIC pen).  I took the little foam dots off the posts and pressed over those, and made a cutout in the FatMat to get around the cable jack and center post.   (*INSERT PHOTO)*
 Cover the entire foil surface with Paxmate (*INSERT PHOTO)*
 Remove the vent felt and cover the vent with electrical tape, then cover this with paxmate.
   
  Earpads:

 _O2 still by far the winner for comfort over the Shure 840 pads but I haven't done a test with the 840 or stock pads yet.  The stock, 840 or Sony 5000 pads might need minor bass tweaks or risers under the pads._
   
*Listening*
   
  I was listening to “Games without frontiers” by Peter Gabriel, an old favorite, and for the first time heard that the opening vocals were actually several voices blending…   Listening to Brian Eno and John Cale’s “Empty Frame,” the wonderful interplay of the backing vocals has never been clearer and for the first time, ever, I heard an acoustic guitar being picked, deep down in the mix.
   
  Electronica from Bluetech has never grooved so hard.  The bass just slams with power, precision, and heft.  Transients were natural, easy and had no sense of overshoot.  Dave Allen's driving bass in Wolgang Press' clear come through with an ominous intensity, never overwhelming, but always present.  
   
  Everything I have heard to date has exceed my expectations and left me really, really enthralled with the music.  I'm just grooving on listening right now.  
   
  According to *Hennyo* who implemented the one mod I hadn't tested:
   
  "This is an amazing closed phone! Never more *speed*, clairty, faster detailed response, less boominess (!!!) have I ever heard before out of a closed phone! This is something to marvel at sir!
   
  LCD-2 _*COULDN'T*_ MATCH THIS. I *mean* that entirely. This is much more coherent / revealingly true."
   
*Summary*:
   
  By adding FatMat to kill rear cup resonance, and an additional layer of Paxmate on the interior of the driver baffle, plus closing the vent and covering that and the center post with paxmate, the T50 has now passed the LCD-2 as my favorite phone.   These are not minor improvements over the Rastapants, these are serious upgrades that elevate this to a world class contender.
   
  Thanks again to Hennyo for testing, LFF for being a sounding board, Smeggy, Sachu, Leeperry, Joelpierce, and all the other contributors who inspired this with great ideas that served as a spring board.  I hope that this design can truly be as enjoyable for anyone, and look forward to hearing feedback, and maybe other optimizations.
   
  I will try to get to Purrin in the next week for tests.


  
   


  Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Or at least post pictures along with your ramblings.


 
  You asked....
   
  Hey all, Welcome to the interior of Rastapants 2! I mean the endgame headphone to ultimatum happiness. (TREMBLE IN FEAR Audez'e.) There's a new designer in town. Dan the Mrspeakers man!
   









































   
  Mrspeakers has produced a great bit of kit. I hope you all LOVE it!
   
  Been using it over the last few days, (About a week at this point, and have been helping him further tweak it through outside opinion / critical impressions. At first I thought he may have been exaggerating in his claims of 'on lcd-2 level' and then 'even beyond.' But about two three days ago I realized this was spot on. Plz at least consider this mod. It is no fluff-entirely something new altogether - the next level of T 50rp.
   
  You're going to be satisfied with this mod.. Sadly so.. No need for moar headphones other than another T50RP's.. (I consider this headphone a godsend headphone at this point.
   
  Thank MrSpeakers for his great work!
   
   
  RastaPants 2! STAX O~T50's. ~ How they'll look.(!!!)
   



   



   
  Plain amazing.
   
  These two are Flysweeps pics as mine have not arrived yet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But they'll be here soon!
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/3525


----------



## Hennyo

Other people have modded these since we released our last 4 weeks collaborative endeavors.. Go read what they think if you don't believe me. They _measure_ better than the lcd-2. (!) Yet they only cost about 100$.
   
  Prices mean nothing. Money is easily manipulated. It isn't a direct interpretation of reality.


----------



## winkyeye

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> Well.. Don't beleive me? It's not a joke. Go look at Purrins measurements. It *measures *better than lcd-2... And that's was about a month ago.. Much has been tried / improved upon since then.


 
   
  I don't understand how you can objectively look at a frequency waterfall graph and say it measures better than something else. It gives you a frequency response and how those frequencies decay overtime. That's great and all but purrin doesn't has square wave measurements or distortion measurements. From Tyl's measurements at Innerfidelity, there are not many headphones out there that objectively measure better than the LCD-2s/HE-500. If you submit your phones to Innerfidelity, and they do measure as well as you say they do, Ill take your statements more seriously.
   
  I can look at any headphones that have a prominent 10k peak in the FR graphs and rule it out because it would be too bright for my tastes, but that wouldn't be a very objective judgement on my part. The LCD-2 rev1 has the perfect amount of the mid to upper register for me, but this might not be true for everyone obviously because lots of people prefer the rev2 over the rev1. From your posts, you're saying there's a night and day difference between different headphones, but not everyone experiences the same drastic contrast between different headphones (especially those over $500) outside of the obvious signature differences, which are very dependent on individual preferences.
   
  And it's not like I'm knocking on your T50rp mods. If you can find something that sounds great after modding, that's great, especially for a closed phone. I commend you for your work but there's no need to go on a mission to devalue other people's purchases.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





winkyeye said:


> I don't understand how you can objectively look at a frequency waterfall graph and say it measures better than something else. It gives you a frequency response and how those frequencies decay overtime. That's great and all but purrin doesn't has square wave measurements or distortion measurements. From Tyl's measurements at Innerfidelity, there are not many headphones out there that objectively measure better than the LCD-2s/HE-500. If you submit your phones to Innerfidelity, and they do measure as well as you say they do, Ill take your statements more seriously.
> 
> I can look at any headphones that have a prominent 10k peak in the FR graphs and rule it out because it would be too bright for my tastes, but that wouldn't be a very objective judgement on my part. The LCD-2 rev1 has the perfect amount of the mid to upper register for me, but this might not be true for everyone obviously because lots of people prefer the rev2 over the rev1. From your posts, you're saying there's a night and day difference between different headphones, but not everyone experiences the same drastic contrast between different headphones (especially those over $500) outside of the obvious signature differences, which are very dependent on individual preferences.
> 
> And it's not like I'm knocking on your T50rp mods. If you can find something that sounds great after modding, that's great, especially for a closed phone. I commend you for your work but there's no need to go on a mission to devalue other people's purchases.


 
  Still skeptical.. More has been posted (LFF has some measurements too. Impulse, FR, ect.) Tyll will get some eventually. This has all been created by ear. (By sound restorationist professionals, audio engineers, and the esoterically inclined! Nobodies trying to 'devalue' your purchase. You might see it that way I guess if you're a defensive person. I'm simply paying attention to both sides-and analyzing the market. Everything now a days costs 1k+.
   
  For example, mid-fi is becoming extinct. The HD 600 is extinct. (discontinued about 2-3 weeks ago). It's replacement comes January, and it's going to be an arbitrary 800$. (inside sources). Do you not feel this is wrong? The market over the last few years.... lcd-2 was orginally designed to be a 665$ end user product... Now it's $1000?! HD 800 was originally designed to be a 5-600$ product. It was released ambitiously at 950-1050. Now it's 1500?
   
  Look around you.
   
  I have nothing more to prove as I'm the one who has them on my head right now. I just countered your point as I felt it was unfair that you discredit myself and around 30 others (many of which own the lcd-2 themselves) of our finding, considering that you know nothing of what's been in the happening. So you may as well stop here.
   
  I've posted my current headphones setup.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> Other people have modded these since we released our last 4 weeks collaborative endeavors.. Go read what they think if you don't believe me. *They measure better than the lcd-2. (!)* Yet they only cost about 100$.
> 
> Prices mean nothing. Money is easily manipulated. It isn't a direct interpretation of reality.


 

 I don't particularly care if they measure a flat line that you could tightrope walk on from here to the east coast. I measure with the holes on either side of my head. 
   
  If anyone here in the bay area has a pair of "properly modded" Fostex that they'd like to bring over for a listening session, I'd be more than happy to be a most gracious host.


----------



## Hennyo

I'll see you at the California Irvine meet! I'm going to be in town. ; ) On vacation from Salt Lake City. ; ) (!!!) I'd love to meet you! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  MrSpeakers (Dan) and (Luis) LFF will be there too. ; ) Along with another 5-6 people with T50rp's. (Not sure what mods they're going to have though.) LFF will be rocking his Pheonix Paradox's though.
   
  Quote: 





case sensitive said:


> I don't particularly care if they measure a flat line that you could tightrope walk on from here to the east coast. I measure with the holes on either side of my head.
> 
> If anyone here in the bay area has a pair of "properly modded" Fostex that they'd like to bring over for a listening session, I'd be more than happy to be a most gracious host.


----------



## winkyeye

That's good. And I wasn't discrediting your build, but you're making a strong statement and from your tone in your posts, you have a pretty strong bias so obviously I'm obligated to take whatever you say with a grain of salt.


----------



## Hennyo

No,no. No bias. I'm doing my best to be completely honest. listened, and I have heard. I had about 2 hours with the rev 2 and 1 1/2 hours with the Rev 1 recabled in ALO chainmail out of a modified Benchmark Dac1 and Balancing Act 300b. I've heard (nearly all) the contenders for best Dynamic headphone out there (non electrostat), except HE-500 and The Sony Qualia.
   
  Do not underestimate the face value of my statement.
   
  This is the best dynamic headphone out there.
   
  And I wouldn't say it unless that took a long, painful time to come to that conclusion.
  Quote: 





winkyeye said:


> That's good. And I wasn't discrediting your build, but you're making a strong statement and from your tone in your posts, you have a pretty strong bias so obviously I'm obligated to take whatever you say with a grain of salt.


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> I'll see you at the California Irvine meet! I'm going to be in town. ; ) On vacation from Salt Lake City. ; ) (!!!) I'd love to meet you!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Henny....I'd love to meet you guys too, but Irvine is a bit south for me, although not impossible. Any chance that any of you guys are planning to come up for the Bay Area meet in Feb?


----------



## Jibbie

That Fostex with those earpads....anyone want to make me one????  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  Looks incredible and comfortable and even if it sounds half as good as you say, for 100 dollars..... anyone want to make me one??


----------



## treal512

Haha, as much as I like tinkering, I was wondering the same thing


----------



## Hennyo

Well.. They are out of stock right now... since headfiers are doing so much with them . ; )
   
  Next American shipment arrives Oct 28th. =p


----------



## sphinxvc

That's beautiful.
   
  And you're right Henyo those waterfall plots for the modded T50s are damn impressive.


----------



## xxhaxx

Have to try modding the t50rp during winterbreak


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> That's beautiful.
> 
> And you're right Henyo those waterfall plots for the modded T50s are damn impressive.


 
   
  The plots you see are LFF's Pheonix paradox. 2 completely different mods, however both are the best ones. They accomplish the same thing in different ways. (princilples).
   
  I will say the RP2 is effing amazing though.
  We don;t know if it's bestter than lff's paradox because we havn't 'measured' it yet. However, I think we may have beat you Luis. ; ) All in good fun anyhow! We'll see


----------



## Jibbie

what pads are those?


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> And you're right Henyo those waterfall plots for the modded T50s are damn impressive.


 


  Can someone post up the graph, or link it, or pm me it? I've checked the Fostex thread, and either missed it, or it didn't show up or something?
 Please and thank you :]


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





jibbie said:


> what pads are those?


 
   
  Stax O2. I call it the
   
  RastaPants 2! STAX O~T50's.. I like the name.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Can someone post up the graph, or link it, or pm me it? I've checked the Fostex thread, and either missed it, or it didn't show up or something?Please and thank you :]


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





hennyo said:


> I will say the RP2 is effing amazing though.  We don;t know if it's bestter than lff's paradox because we havn't 'measured' it yet. However, I think we may have beat you Luis. ; ) All in good fun anyhow! We'll see


 
  I just RP2'd another Fostex to hear the results.
   
  It's very good....and I'm glad my other ideas worked using the same basic principle. HOWEVER...it's a different flavor for sure. As I have been telling everyone who PM'd me regarding the Paradox...it all depends on your sonic signature preferences. I think the major differences between the RP2 and the Paradox is that the RP2 changes a lot of things that the Paradox didn't and that give them different flavors. The pads make a huge difference too. The Stax pads, on my head at least, don't provide a perfect seal like the Fischers and the HiFiMan do. Still, the Stax pads look darn sexy and are still very comfortable.
  
  Here are my beloved Paradox headphones - note that they are missing the suspension headband:
   

   
  With the suspension headband:


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





lff said:


>


 
  *BEHOLD* voice:
   
  These are graphs of the Pheonix Paradox. LFF modded this _by ear_.
   
  Very Different (mod) from the Rasta Pants 2, but I expect they'll measure very similar. (They tackle the T50's problems in different acoustic ways.)
   
  Biggest difference = white stock driver felt on LFF's and he designed (ninja-ly) around there. Whereas Rasta Pants 2 uses Creatology stiff craft felt. Giving it a 'bigger' sound. But admittadly I have not heard LFF's. ; ) Wait for Irvine meet.. Wait for Irvine meet... Must...Be patient..


----------



## Baird GoW

*Hey! How bout we end this rambling now... this is a picture thread...*


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> *Hey! How bout we end this rambling now... this is a picture thread...*


 


  Hey! I posted pics!!!


----------



## Tilpo

If these T50RP's are so popular I will definitely give them a try, but first I'll built a Beta22. 
Honestly I doubt they will be better then the LCD-2, but that doesn't matter. If I can get a great headphone that beats my HD 650 for under $150 then I'll be satisfied enough.

Now let's get back on topic shall we? This isn't the T50RP thread on the DIY sub-forum; this here thread is about pictures of our sweet rigs. 
Pics of the T50RP's are always welcome, but technical discussion should be held elsewhere.


----------



## Amarphael

Some Mod should come over here and really spank some a**es in this thread.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





amarphael said:


> Some Mod should come over here and really spank some a**es in this thread.


 

 Why... We're posting pictures and talking about our current Headphone setups. For like 3 pages before us there were flat walls of text. I don't see the resolve in your arguement, but I do agree this thread should be for only pics and discussing those pics~which we were doing.


   
  The graceful exit ^ =D
   
  Oh, I wish this one were mine. Diy Stax T2. / Drool! Some great stuff in here guys!


----------



## grokit

I wonder when Fostex will come out with their own "modded" T50 (SE).


----------



## rawrster

My setup has changed slightly. D100 > V200 > HE-4


----------



## DragonOwen

Not exactly my setup, more like all of my current audio devices (home and work) putted together and "ON", while I having some comparissions (I think it seems kinda LOL 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





):





   
  The new in my audio devices is LCD-2 rev.2, which I bought yesterday. Here are photos of inside (I had to move damping a little, because it was slightly off and there was a little gap) if someone interested:


   
  And here the graph of my LCD-2 rev.2:


----------



## WNBC

Learned my Ikea lesson which was that color of the furniture may not be all in the same location in the warehouse.  In any case I had to go with an all white scheme instead of the sleek black look.  I was definitely not making a return trip to that zoo.  
   
  W4S DAC-2 and Lyr on the upper deck.  Woo and Sennheiser headphone stands.  Swan M200 MKIII speakers.  Eventually when we move into a house I'll go with one long desk but this current set up will be fine for now.  Don't think I'll be adding anything new to the mix anytime soon.


----------



## sphinxvc

I've been wondering about those speakers, how do they sound?


----------



## WNBC

I like the desk.  What's underneath the cover?  Printer or microwave or treasure chest? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Not exatly my setup, but all my current (home and work) devices putted together and "ON", while I having some comparissions (I think it seems kinda LOL
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> I like the desk.  What's underneath the cover?  Printer or microwave or treasure chest?


 
  Printer


----------



## WNBC

Very clear and transparent with my gear but some have called them slightly veiled like Senns.  Detailed as well.  Plenty of volume.  Some people might want more bass and throw in a subwoofer but not me, it's kind of perfect for my needs.  I use the Lyr as pre-amp to these active speakers.  Ideal for near field listening and the sound will fill a small room but not going to do it for a large room.  I need to do a bit more listening before I make any formal statements.  I use the LCDs most of the time so the Swans haven't received the love they deserve.  At the $400 price point there is a lot of competition for active desk speakers.  If I had to do it again I might forgo the wood panels and go with the NHT M-00 mini monitors because of the extra inputs.
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I've been wondering about those speakers, how do they sound?


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





nick n said:


> Reading / listening / zoning area.


 


  Is that a power cable used for the electrostatic rig? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice headphone stand, what is it?


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm gonna build the Beta22 soon.


 

 Hey Tilpo...Where are you buying the parts from? Is it through AMB?
   
  I was considering building one myself...but haven't done enough research yet for sourcing all the parts.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've got all black brown Ikea stuff and it looks excellent. I do totally hate shopping there though. 
   
  You have quite a few things that I have on my wish list. DAC-2, Woo stands, T50, Fischers, and a nice LCD 2 cable.
   
  Jealous.
  
  Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Learned my Ikea lesson which was that color of the furniture may not be all in the same location in the warehouse.  In any case I had to go with an all white scheme instead of the sleek black look.  I was definitely not making a return trip to that zoo.
> 
> W4S DAC-2 and Lyr on the upper deck.  Woo and Sennheiser headphone stands.  Swan M200 MKIII speakers.  Eventually when we move into a house I'll go with one long desk but this current set up will be fine for now.  Don't think I'll be adding anything new to the mix anytime soon.


----------



## Parall3l

Quote: 





bugleboy said:


> Hey Tilpo...Where are you buying the parts from? Is it through AMB?
> 
> I was considering building one myself...but haven't done enough research yet for sourcing all the parts.


 


  GlassJarAudio sells kits with recommended parts I think, apart from the 3 to 6 Beta 22 boards you also need a few other things like the Sigma 22 power supply, chasis etc etc


----------



## Tilpo

parall3l said:


> GlassJarAudio sells kits with recommended parts I think, apart from the 3 to 6 Beta 22 boards you also need a few other things like the Sigma 22 power supply, chasis etc etc



Yeah I'll be ordering from GlassJarAudio, they put it in a nice kit and it's cheaper than directly ordering from Mouser. I'll be ordering two Beta22 boards with 8x gain and one Sigma22 board. Additionally their shipping costs are quite low because they put all of it in a big envelope instead of a box. 
I also changed the design slightly so that I'm able to use it as a pre-amp as well as having two switchable headphone outputs and two RCA inputs.
I will be ordering the knob for the pot and a couple switches from the eBay seller partspipe as they look nicer than anything mouser ships. Apart from that it's also affordable and with free shipping. 

I'm thinking of ordering the chassis from Par-Metal, but if the shipping costs are too high I have to order from THL audio as they offer ridiculously low shipping costs. ($23 for a 3kg parcel from Taiwan to Netherlands)


----------



## Parall3l

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Yeah I'll be ordering from GlassJarAudio, they put it in a nice kit and it's cheaper than directly ordering from Mouser. I'll be ordering two Beta22 boards with 8x gain and one Sigma22 board. Additionally their shipping costs are quite low because they put all of it in a big envelope instead of a box.
> I also changed the design slightly so that I'm able to use it as a pre-amp as well as having two switchable headphone outputs and two RCA inputs.
> I will be ordering the knob for the pot and a couple switches from the eBay seller partspipe as they look nicer than anything mouser ships. Apart from that it's also affordable and with free shipping.
> I'm thinking of ordering the chassis from Par-Metal, but if the shipping costs are too high I have to order from THL audio as they offer ridiculously low shipping costs. ($23 for a 3kg parcel from Taiwan to Netherlands)


 

 Cool 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'm also looking at the Par-Metal chasis, although I'm going to get some cheap wood and use those as front and back panels since thats the cheapest option for me.


----------



## Tilpo

parall3l said:


> Cool
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I tried to do my own front panel for my Mini3 and the result was disastrous. As a result I will stick with pre-cut.


----------



## nick n

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Is that a power cable used for the electrostatic rig?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## chrislangley4253

woah woah.. What is that madness Nick N.
   
  Could I get some specs and maybe an idea how cool that runs?


----------



## saved by grace

Macbook > HRT Streamer II > MIT CVT Terminator 1 Interconnect >  Cary SLI 80  >  Grado RS2i


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





nick n said:


>


 
  Please give us some more pictures of that. That is amazing looking. Mine is also a novelty computer (built unconventionally) I might post it if you elaborate? = ) That is quite possibly the most beautfiul thing I've ever seen. PLEASE elaborate more on it. (Specs, and hi-res pics if you can please)


----------



## s1rrah

Currently ... (as in right now) ... my Head-fi Station(tm) is a Sflo:2 DAP / Headstage Arrow HE amp / and some Shure SE535's (in my ears, sorry, not in the shot).
   
  10.10.11
  4:34pm CDT
  Houston, TX
  (At a bar, writing and drinking tequila)
   
  ...
   

   
  ...
   
  Rock.
   
  .j


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





s1rrah said:


> 4:34pm CDT
> 
> (At a bar, writing and drinking tequila)


----------



## nick n

With simply room air movement, doesn't get hotter than 50 celcius for the hottest core. With one of these placed about 5 feet away
everything stays *below* 40 celcius. ( By the way that USB fan is tiny maybe 5 or 6 inches wide )That's not really a massive amount of airflow from that.
  That Scythe Orochi CPU heatsink doesn't need much movement to do it's job well.
  Two new ones but unfortunately my camera sucks.

   
   
  Oh and *YEAH DO POST UP YOURS*, if not here then in the computer rigs thread. I just put this here since it was part of the head-fi station.  I will go into that computer thread and post the link to the older original post wit the specs, and put some more updated pics there with a link to the old one
   That way this thread doesn't get hijacked too badly
   
   
*here's a bit of the build pics and actual specifications in the Computer Rigs thread..* with link to the original post
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here/5520


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Yeah I'll be ordering from GlassJarAudio, they put it in a nice kit and it's cheaper than directly ordering from Mouser. I'll be ordering two Beta22 boards with 8x gain and one Sigma22 board. Additionally their shipping costs are quite low because they put all of it in a big envelope instead of a box.
> I also changed the design slightly so that I'm able to use it as a pre-amp as well as having two switchable headphone outputs and two RCA inputs.
> I will be ordering the knob for the pot and a couple switches from the eBay seller partspipe as they look nicer than anything mouser ships. Apart from that it's also affordable and with free shipping.
> I'm thinking of ordering the chassis from Par-Metal, but if the shipping costs are too high I have to order from THL audio as they offer ridiculously low shipping costs. ($23 for a 3kg parcel from Taiwan to Netherlands)


 

 Thanks Tilpo & Parall3l...This will help narrow my search. Is sigma22 available in 240V kit?
   
  Also, does anyone know how much it might cost the get one built by...say http://solderworksaudio.com or any others?


----------



## Austin Morrow

A couple of big updates. Got the HD650 for by B-Day today (yay!!) and the Schiit Valhalla (YAY!!!!!!) and am now in near complete aural heaven. What to do next? Get a HRT Music Streamer II+, a Equinox cable upgrade for the HD650, and lastly, convert my ALAC files to FLAC for Fidelia.


----------



## WNBC

Congrats, I had that same set-up a while ago (Val + HD650 mk1 w/ Equinox cable) but with a different DAC (uDAC-2 and PS Audio DLIII).  I thought it sounded fantastic.  Some called the combo too dark (the guy I sold the amp to had HD650 but luckily he loved the Valhalla with his K701).  I really enjoyed the slam and impact of the HD650 being driven by the Valhalla.  
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> A couple of big updates. Got the HD650 for by B-Day today (yay!!) and the Schiit Valhalla (YAY!!!!!!) and am now in near complete aural heaven. What to do next? Get a HRT Music Streamer II+, a Equinox cable upgrade for the HD650, and lastly, convert my ALAC files to FLAC for Fidelia.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Congrats, I had that same set-up a while ago (Val + HD650 mk1 w/ Equinox cable) but with a different DAC (uDAC-2 and PS Audio DLIII).  I thought it sounded fantastic.  Some called the combo too dark (the guy I sold the amp to had HD650 but luckily he loved the Valhalla with his K701).  I really enjoyed the slam and impact of the HD650 being driven by the Valhalla.


 


  I disagree with what some of the people say about the Valhalla. The treble seems to sparkle more on the HD650 and has more overall velocity. I wonder if that will change with burn in though... I will have to wait and see.
   
  Here's is what I am going to have as my final setup: iMac - Fidelia - FLAC - DACPort LX - Valhalla - Equinox Cable - HD650.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Does it not support ALAC as well? Why convert if it does?
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


>


----------



## mcdeeda

at the library right now, here's my portable setup


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Does it not support ALAC as well? Why convert if it does?


 


  I'm going to convert to FLAC to work with my Studio-V DAP. It doesn't support ALAC and then I can use FLAC on both Fidelia and on my DAP.
   
  On a side note..I am very impressed with the Valhalla so far. About 6 hrs of burn in on the tubes and the Valhalla really sparkles up the HD650's treble region. With that being said, until I get either the Cambridge DACMagic or the DACPort LX, I probably have yet to see the HD650's full potential. The build quality aside, I love listening to Maroon 5 on my HD650's!!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I disagree with what some of the people say about the Valhalla. The treble seems to sparkle more on the HD650 and has more overall velocity. I wonder if that will change with burn in though... I will have to wait and see.
> 
> Here's is what I am going to have as my final setup: iMac - Fidelia - FLAC - DACPort LX - Valhalla - Equinox Cable - HD650.


 


  Oddly enough, Mike at Headfonia reviewed all three models together and like you, found the Valhalla to have the most treble sparkle of the bunch.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Oddly enough, Mike at Headfonia reviewed all three models together and like you, found the Valhalla to have the most treble sparkle of the bunch.


 


  I haven't tried the other Schiit amps, but I know that my ears sense a treble increase on the HD650 via the Valhalla.


----------



## Twinster

I strongly recommend you go with the Dacport LX. If you don't need balance input and don't mind the one port option on the Dacport the detail the Centrance provide is just amazing you will gain a nice portable amp/dac.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm going to convert to FLAC to work with my Studio-V DAP. It doesn't support ALAC and then I can use FLAC on both Fidelia and on my DAP.
> 
> On a side note..I am very impressed with the Valhalla so far. About 6 hrs of burn in on the tubes and the Valhalla really sparkles up the HD650's treble region. With that being said, until I get either the Cambridge DACMagic or the DACPort LX, I probably have yet to see the HD650's full potential. The build quality aside, I love listening to Maroon 5 on my HD650's!!


----------



## Armaegis

I have to admit, I giggled a little bit as I was setting this up...


----------



## dagothur

What are the headphones on the end?
  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I have to admit, I giggled a little bit as I was setting this up...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What are the headphones on the end?


 


  Same here, would like to know. They look pretty big.


----------



## Lunatique

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I have to admit, I giggled a little bit as I was setting this up...


 

  I'd giggle too if I had that collection. 
   
  Some of you might giggle a bit at this video of a "fly-through" of my studio in its current state (especially if you're under the influence...):


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


dagothur said:


> What are the headphones on the end?


 

 On the left end is a Koss 6ALC.
  On the right end is... dunno, man. got me.
   
  Nice display, though.


----------



## Skylab

Pretty sure they are vintage Pioneer headphones.


----------



## Austin Morrow

My very humble setup. Going to get a DACPort LX. Right now it's HD650 - Valhalla.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I have to admit, I giggled a little bit as I was setting this up...


 
  What is your favorite headphone overall out of all of those in the picture ?


----------



## lootbag

weee~


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





lootbag said:


> weee~


 


  Nice!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





lootbag said:


> weee~


 

  
  How's the Synergy with the HRT Music Streamer and the Lyr?


----------



## lootbag

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> How's the Synergy with the HRT Music Streamer and the Lyr?


 
   
   
  It's quite good and I am more than happy with it.
  The sound is very dynamic... slight loss in refinement compared to the W4S DAC-2 I had for a month beforehand, a $1.5K DAC.
  It was returned... couldn't justify keeping it with my minimal audio equipment and slight improvement in sound.
   
  The HRT MSII was a little finicky to setup with Foobar2000 and WASAPI, but was figured out in the end.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





lootbag said:


> It's quite good and I am more than happy with it.
> The sound is very dynamic... slight loss in refinement compared to the W4S DAC-2 I had for a month beforehand, a $1.5K DAC.
> It was returned... couldn't justify keeping it with my minimal audio equipment and slight improvement in sound.
> 
> The HRT MSII was a little finicky to setup with Foobar2000 and WASAPI, but was figured out in the end.


 


  I had issues running the MSII through the Wasapi enabled Foobar2000.  How did you eventually work around it?


----------



## lootbag

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> I had issues running the MSII through the Wasapi enabled Foobar2000.  How did you eventually work around it?


 

 Hope this helps.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/532501/just-got-a-new-dac-hrt-musicstreamer-ii-and-noticing-pops-in-the-audio/15#post_7820407
  It was really one simple setting that fixed it all for me.
  Sounds excellent now, problem free.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I have to admit, I giggled a little bit as I was setting this up...


 


  From left to right... 
  Koss 6ALC, Grado SR125, AKG K240 Sextett MP, Beyer DT880/250, Beyer DT250/250, Audio Technica A900, Pioneer HDJ-2000, Senn HD25-13-ii, AiAiAi TMA-1, V-Moda M80, Beyer DT1350, Beyer T50p, Realistic Pro 30, Jana BJ-2000
   
  hanging below...
  UE700, SE215
   
  My ortho transplants aren't shown, but I've also a Fostex T40v1 in a Phiaton PS500 shell, and a SFI-120ohm in a Sextett (incomplete).
   
   
   
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What are the headphones on the end?


 
   

  Quote: 





skylab said:


> Pretty sure they are vintage Pioneer headphones.


   

  Koss 6ALC on the left, and a Jana BJ-2000 on the right (and yes, I really did get it just for the name)
   
  The Koss is a friggin tank and sounds like an ibud in a plastic bucket. It may not survive a nuclear apocalypse like the DT48, but you should be able to fight off at least a zombie uprising or two with it.
   
  The Jana doesn't even work properly because the pots on both sides are so old and corroded. They're rated at 8 ohm but I can't seem to measure (probably because the pots are all messed up). The headband on that thing is possibly the fluffiest most comfortable headband I've ever tried. 

  
  Quote: 





lunatique said:


> I'd giggle too if I had that collection.
> 
> Some of you might giggle a bit at this video of a "fly-through" of my studio in its current state (especially if you're under the influence...):


 

 Pfft, showoff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Seriously though, major envy at your studio there. 

  
   

  
  Quote: 





johntodd said:


> What is your favorite headphone overall out of all of those in the picture ?


 

 for home: AKG K240 Sextett from my Bottlehead Crack+Speedball
   
  for portable: Pioneer HDJ-2000


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> From left to right...
> Koss 6ALC, Grado SR125, AKG K240 Sextett MP, Beyer DT880/250, Beyer DT250/250, Audio Technica A900, Pioneer HDJ-2000, Senn HD25-13-ii, AiAiAi TMA-1, V-Moda M80, Beyer DT1350, Beyer T50p, Realistic Pro 30, Jana BJ-2000


 
   
  Have you tried the HD-25 with the velour pads? I use the HD-25 as my main on-the-go headphone and found that the velour pads make the HD-25 more neutral than with the pleather pads. I haven't tried the HD-25013-ii thought. Have you you compared it to the regular HD-25 models?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Have you tried the HD-25 with the velour pads? I use the HD-25 as my main on-the-go headphone and found that the velour pads make the HD-25 more neutral than with the pleather pads. I haven't tried the HD-25013-ii thought. Have you you compared it to the regular HD-25 models?


 

 I tried the velours only briefly but preferred the pleather for isolation. I have indeed compared the HD25-13 vs the HD25-1. I've got my review up here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1-in-progress/
  While I like the sound of the HD25, it clamps too hard for me to use it on a regular basis.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I tried the velours only briefly but preferred the pleather for isolation. I have indeed compared the HD25-13 vs the HD25-1. I've got my review up here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1-in-progress/
> While I like the sound of the HD25, it clamps too hard for me to use it on a regular basis.


 

 I still notice the clamping pressure of the HD25, but only after a few hours. Thanks for sharing the link, Armaegis - nice work.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I haven't tried the other Schiit amps, but I know that my ears sense a treble increase on the HD650 via the Valhalla.


 

 Are you using the stock tubes, or are you rollling yet? The Valhalla is my favorite amp that I've never heard.
  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I tried the velours only briefly but preferred the pleather for isolation. I have indeed compared the HD25-13 vs the HD25-1. I've got my review up here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1-in-progress/
> While I like the sound of the HD25, it clamps too hard for me to use it on a regular basis.


 

 I had issues with the clamping as well with the HD-25-II, it sounded very technically proficient but didn't really "sing" to me so I returned them to Addidas, who was closing them out at the time. I picked up a used pair of MS-400 and prefer them for comfort as well as sound.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Are you using the stock tubes, or are you rollling yet? The Valhalla is my favorite amp that I've never heard.
> I had issues with the clamping as well with the HD-25-II, it sounded very technically proficient but didn't really "sing" to me so I returned them to Addidas, who was closing them out at the time. I picked up a used pair of MS-400 and prefer them for comfort as well as sound.


 

 Ooh, a Grado was my entry to head-fi, but I think the MS400 may have been the start of my downward spiral.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

my WA6SE with sofia 274b and raytheon 6EW7, my PS digital link III with Vlink spdif converter and my k701s 
   
  yes that on the left is my computer with a huge fissile sticker i got from work.


----------



## liamstrain

Nice rig! I expect the WA6SE and the 701 play VERY nicely together.


----------



## dahan




----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





dahan said:


>


 

 That would be gorgeous in person.Really cool!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





dahan said:


>


 

 hows that GES/stax combo treating ya?


----------



## Armaegis

Holymoly, he's upgraded since I last saw him!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Is ti bad that I noticed the bobble head first? 
  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Holymoly, he's upgraded since I last saw him!


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> ...the MS400 may have been the start of my downward spiral.


 

 I think they're a fun little headphone, got them used but like new. With the fold-up feature and the hard case they are great for travel and sound perfect out of my Kindle's MP3 player which doesn't even have a volume control(!). And I can take them places that I would feel weird with my Ed8s.
   
  They are better than the MS300 that I tried but not as good as the PS500. But the PS500 has no case, doesn't fold, and a really long microphonic cord.
   
  If you want to talk downward spiral try a pair of Beats or Triports


----------



## roker

I wanna snap a photo of my setup, but I'm one piece away from finishing up here.
   
  I know this has been said countless times, but I'll be all set for a while after I get this piece.
   
  I kept my last setup for 2 years in a row.  I think I can do another 2 years what this new one.


----------



## MorbidToaster

roker said:


> I wanna snap a photo of my setup, but I'm one piece away from finishing up here.
> 
> I know this has been said countless times, but I'll be all set for a while after I get this piece.
> 
> I kept my last setup for 2 years in a row.  I think I can do another 2 years what this new one.




I have 2 items in the mail. Once they arrive I'll snap a pic.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dahan said:


>


 
   
  I thank you for putting the HD650 right next to all your top tiers.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have 2 items in the mail. Once they arrive I'll snap a pic.


 


  I can't wait to see it.
   
  You've been working on it for a while.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have 2 items in the mail. Once they arrive I'll snap a pic.


 
  I know you have the NFS-10SE in the mail but what else is coming ?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Koss ProDJ100. Nothing too big but they're one of the best budget phones I've heard...especially under $50.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Koss ProDJ100. Nothing too big but they're one of the best budget phones I've heard...especially under $50.


 
  Oh ok thanks...I was just wondering and I agree.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





>


 
   
   
  Great idea there - costs about as much as a headphone stand though


----------



## lootbag

Haha, but I had the book before the headphones and it's actually useful for some references.
  Multifunctional~
  
  Quote: 





drez said:


> Great idea there - costs about as much as a headphone stand though


----------



## MorbidToaster

@lootbag
   
  What cable are you using? I'm curious as I want to do something similar (i.e 4 pin to SE adapter)


----------



## lootbag

Norse Norn.
   
  Link to Norse Audio's Facebook photos below (includes photos of the cable).
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001682448235&sk=photos


----------



## bcart180

Here is my setup:


----------



## Tilpo

Nice setup bcart180. 

I would love to seem some night shots of that LED lighting behind your desk.
I'm thinking of doing something similar, where do you buy lighting like that?


----------



## Ziilot

Quote: 





bcart180 said:


> Here is my setup:


 

  
  Love that Pink Floyd poster.. or is it painting? Looks pretty big!


----------



## bcart180

Quote:


tilpo said:


> Nice setup bcart180.
> I would love to seem some night shots of that LED lighting behind your desk.
> I'm thinking of doing something similar, where do you buy lighting like that?


 
   

   

   


 As for the lighting, it's called DIODER made by IKEA.  Check out their website.
   

  
  Quote: 





ziilot said:


> Love that Pink Floyd poster.. or is it painting? Looks pretty big!


 

 It's just a poster mounted on foam core backing!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I didn't realize DIODER did colors. I've seen it before when buying most of my furniture.


----------



## Tilpo

bcart180 said:


> As for the lighting, it's called DIODER made by IKEA.  Check out their website.



Ah very nice, but I remember seeing your post previously. It just didn't occur to me that you were the same poster.
What did you change since last post? 

Such a bad timing actually. My parents went to IKEA just yesterday.
Ah well, I live in the Netherlands. The country with the most IKEA's per unit of area.


----------



## bcart180

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What did you change since last post?


 

 It's the same setup!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Hanging out with my favorite listening partner.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

The dog or the coke? 


  
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Hanging out with my favorite listening partner.


----------



## Pudu

tilpo said:


> ... Ah well, I live in the Netherlands. The country with the most IKEA's per unit of area.




Doesn't the Netherlands have the highest "everything/unit of area"? 

Certainly my in-laws are denser there than anywhere else. Um .... that is to say, there are more of them per unit area (well volume actually -> my brother-in-law lives on the second floor).


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll be updating later today with a picture. My NFB10SE got here but is having to go back to China...So I moved my receiver onto my desk for now. Sick of not being able to listen at my desk...
   
  EDIT: My first real contribution to this thread since I moved to my new place. 
   
  iMac is new, LCD 2s are new, desk is new.
   

   

   

   
  Pictures are terrible. iPhone 4.


----------



## kingoftown1

I'm really jealous of all that clean open desk space more than anything
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll be updating later today with a picture. My NFB10SE got here but is having to go back to China...So I moved my receiver onto my desk for now. Sick of not being able to listen at my desk...
> 
> EDIT: My first real contribution to this thread since I moved to my new place.
> 
> ...


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll be updating later today with a picture. My NFB10SE got here but is having to go back to China...So I moved my receiver onto my desk for now. Sick of not being able to listen at my desk...
> 
> EDIT: My first real contribution to this thread since I moved to my new place.
> 
> ...


 
  Nice rig. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..and why does your NFB10SE have to go back to China ?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





lootbag said:


> weee~


 


 Very nice photograph!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I believe it's set to the wrong voltage. Whatever is wrong I certainly can't use it. lol
   
  EDIT: As far as desk space goes there was a printer where the receiver was until yesterday. Was sick of not having my cans at my desk so I moved the printer to another room and unhooked my speaker rig. 
  Quote: 





johntodd said:


> Nice rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## crumpler

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I believe it's set to the wrong voltage. Whatever is wrong I certainly can't use it. lol
> 
> EDIT: As far as desk space goes there was a printer where the receiver was until yesterday. Was sick of not having my cans at my desk so I moved the printer to another room and unhooked my speaker rig.


 


  Now time for some computer speakers no?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The wimpy little Logitech pair does me fine for now. I rarely use them. I've been wanting some Audioengine A5s for quite some time, but I think they're being pushed out of my mind by another set of KRKs. More versatile because they aren't paired monitors, and I've owned a pair before. 
   
  Either way...speakers are_ not_ priority right now.
  
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *crumpler* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Now time for some computer speakers no?


----------



## lootbag

Thanks!
  
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very nice photograph!


----------



## FinBenton




----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





crumpler said:


> Now time for some computer speakers no?


 


  lol i thought the same thing, i used to own those exact speakers before i got my klipsch promedia 2.1 (i don't even use those as much anymore, after i got my wa6se and bought more cans)
   
  gave my old logitechs away to my mom, she likes them alot, she doesn't care as much for the bass so the speakers are ok (those things are like 20 bucks but sounds pretty good, i was actually impressed at the speaker quality for their price)


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





finbenton said:


>


 


  That looks so clean, and nice.
 What amp is that?
 and whats your source?


----------



## Jibbie

Its in his sig.
  
  Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> That looks so clean, and nice.What amp is that?and whats your source?


----------



## MorbidToaster

My good speakers are in the living room hooked up to the TV. I've got a set of vintage JBLs and a set of Klips I swap out from time to time. 
   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> lol i thought the same thing, i used to own those exact speakers before i got my klipsch promedia 2.1 (i don't even use those as much anymore, after i got my wa6se and bought more cans)
> 
> gave my old logitechs away to my mom, she likes them alot, she doesn't care as much for the bass so the speakers are ok (those things are like 20 bucks but sounds pretty good, i was actually impressed at the speaker quality for their price)


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





finbenton said:


>


 

 Wow great photograph.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll be updating later today with a picture. My NFB10SE got here but is having to go back to China...So I moved my receiver onto my desk for now. Sick of not being able to listen at my desk...
> 
> EDIT: My first real contribution to this thread since I moved to my new place.
> 
> ...


 

  
  nice keyboard.
   
  I like the look of the 598s.  That's for sure.


----------



## bcart180

Another shot...


----------



## Tilpo

Weeeh ~ Finally a new charger for my camera arrived. Lost the old one for who knows how long, but now I can finally take pictures again.


(I know I need a need a new camera, but I don't plan to buy one anytime soon._ Deal with it_)

General overview. I switched the middle monitor since last time for a LG Flatron IPS236. Very good bang for buck; a 23" IPS monitor for the price of a TN one. 
I also added a bit of foams under the speakers for both dampening and angling. Incredible difference in sound quality! (although they still need upgrading.


Another overview; this is of all my amps and sources. Pictured at the bottom is a Technics M45 tape deck, never going to use it, but awesome nonetheless.


My NFB-12 and Littledot MKIV w/ 6H30PI driver tubes


My receiver. Acts as power amplifier and phono preamplifier. 
The headphone output has a loud hiss on the background on any volume, other than that it's not half bad.


My turntable; a Sony PS-LX100. Not a very good one, but it gets the job done just fine. 
Headphone stand is a €1.00 Ikea hook. 


My portable rig. I am currently in the process of ordering a knob for the potentiometer of the Mini3.


My PC. Built for about $600, minus the graphics card which I salvaged from an old computer.
GPU: VaporX HD 5770
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE @ 3.9GHz. I can clock higher, but that causes instability of some programs.
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H, with 4GB DD3-1600 RAM and 2.5TB storage.
PSU: Cooler Master M520 (520W)
Cooling: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B
Case: Lancool Dragon Lord PC-K62


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're technically my girlfriends. Though I use them more than she does. I gave them to her when I bought my HE 500s a few months back. She's rough with her tech sometimes so they stay in a drawer in my desk unless she wants to use them.
   
  She listened for about 3 hours yesterday. I was so proud. lol
  
  Quote: 





roker said:


> nice keyboard.
> 
> I like the look of the 598s.  That's for sure.


----------



## kjoh

Nice computer rig! I'm impressed you kept that in the $600 mark. I've got the same case. Bit of a pain to work with but it sure looks great.  Oh and thumbs up for the palmtop tiger
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Weeeh ~ Finally a new charger for my camera arrived. Lost the old one for who knows how long, but now I can finally take pictures again.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

My little downstairs set up (the glass of red is an essential part hic!)
   
   

   
   
  Upstairs rig pic coming soon, though I wouldn't get too excited.


----------



## Tilpo

kjoh said:


> Nice computer rig! I'm impressed you kept that in the $600 mark. I've got the same case. Bit of a pain to work with but it sure looks great.  Oh and thumbs up for the palmtop tiger



Thanks!

Taiga is awesome. Flatchested tsundere ftw. 
I personally find the K-62 to be user friendly. Never once needed a screwdriver.
Although in some cases it takes a bit to figure out how it works.

PS: When quoting posts such as mine, remove the images. It's very annoying to have a long quote like that in my opinion.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My little downstairs set up (the glass of red is an essential part hic!)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Does that make it a budget Red Wine Audio setup?


----------



## scott111184

I'm far from a hi-fi station but here is my setup so far.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> Does that make it a budget Red Wine Audio setup?


 


  HAoHOahoaHoAOHaOH, laugh of the day.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> Does that make it a budget Red Wine Audio setup?


 


  Thats a fine high end Shiraz I'll have you know!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My little downstairs set up (the glass of red is an essential part hic!)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  LOLOLOL!!! the budget red wine setup comment made me laugh really hard as well.

  
  Quote: 





scott111184 said:


> I'm far from a hi-fi station but here is my setup so far.


 


  those Q701's just really stand out.


----------



## aroldan

Waiting for the Crack to arrive (Sorry for the crappy picture)


----------



## Tilpo

aroldan said:


> Waiting for the Crack to arrive (Sorry for the crappy picture)



Ooh, leather padded HD 650. 
Did you make the pads yourself or did you buy them? If you did buy them I'd love to know where. Seems like an interesting mod.


----------



## aroldan

I made them. It was a fun history:
   
  When I ordered the headband pad, they send me a pair of Beyerdynamic ear pads by mistake. Just for fun, I cut the leather cover and adjusted it to the HD650. The HD650 always had an annoying movement on my head and I happily realized that with the cover, they stayed on the place. The downside effect (for me) is a more boomy sound.
   

   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Ooh, leather padded HD 650.
> Did you make the pads yourself or did you buy them? If you did buy them I'd love to know where. Seems like an interesting mod.


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





> Waiting for the Crack to arrive (Sorry for the crappy picture)


 
   
  I feel like a pair of sa5k would be what a crackhead listens too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   lol i couldnt help but laugh, i know what your waiting for but that was my first thought  
   
  I really liked my indeed when i had it, lots o punch!! It does look kinda funny perched up there tho  
   
  M


----------



## aroldan

lol, those names doesn't really help. If I say "the Crack will complement the FUN" I would be in trouble with the DEA 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> I feel like a pair of sa5k would be what a crackhead listens too
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mmayer167

this is true. ^


----------



## eclipes

another UPDATE...


----------



## Digital-Pride

Such beautiful rigs on display here!  I hope to have mine completed soon so I can join the party.


----------



## FuzzyD

I kind of love the green Q701's, so why won't I get them??
  
  Quote: 





scott111184 said:


> I'm far from a hi-fi station but here is my setup so far.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> I kind of love the green Q701's, so why won't I get them??


 


  b/c you "kind of" love them... and don't "truly" love them...


----------



## Wingstrike

Recently got the LCD2 Rev 2s. I know there are WAY better amps out there for these, but I'm commissioning someone to build me an M^3. He's just busy till January, so it'll come later =)


----------



## RexAeterna

not my complete headphone set but here's couple i rewired for speaker outputs.








i rewired my 240 sextetts like couple weeks ago with a 4-pin male neutrik XLR connector with silver contacts and made a female 4-pin XLR to 18awg silver/copper speaker wire plug.

yesterday i rewired my 240DF's completely with 18awg silver/copper speaker wire i had and using 24k gold dayton banana plugs at the end. the speaker box is not finish but i did it the ghetto way real quick to see if everything works. i bought 24k gold 5-way binding posts as well and everything functions perfectly. just need to put the cover over it and done.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> not my complete headphone set but here's couple i rewired for speaker outputs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice strings.


----------



## eclipes

intense
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> not my complete headphone set but here's couple i rewired for speaker outputs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mmayer167

^ ditto, that cable looks like it could power a small city!!!  lol     i've always wanted to try the speaker termination mod. I'd be scurrd to blow my stuff up tho with one unintentional flick of the volume knob 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  M


----------



## calipilot227

College-fi!!!
   

   
  Left-to-right: Hifiman EF2A (Raytheon 6AK5W tubes), Sennheiser HD580, modded Grado SR60i (on top of the speaker), Sony SS-B1000 speakers, Lenovo Ideapad Y570, Fiio D5 (hiding behind the EF2A). Sony SA-W2500 subwoofer under the desk.
   

   
  Denon DRA-325R receiver and Sony CDP-45 CD player ($30 and free, respectively).
   
  Living room rig:
   

   
  Onkyo Fusion S-39 speakers ($30 at Salvation Army)

   

   
  Receiver (Sony GX800ES), CD Player (Sony CDP-C400), Turntable (Technics SL-QD33), Xbox 360, and a Cambridge Basscube 8 hiding behind the chair


----------



## markkr

What scares me most isn't blowing my headphones with this mod... its ruining my headphones with that Mariah Carey CD. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 <j/k>


----------



## RexAeterna

markkr said:


> What scares me most isn't blowing my headphones with this mod... its ruining my headphones with that Mariah Carey CD.




lol. that's not even mine. i took it from a friend at the time cause i used it for cutting circular speaker cloths for making protectors for my sextetts. i had nothing around my house so only idea i had was use a cd and cut around it with my exacto knife.


----------



## RexAeterna

mmayer167 said:


> ^ ditto, that cable looks like it could power a small city!!!  lol     i've always wanted to try the speaker termination mod. I'd be scurrd to blow my stuff up tho with one unintentional flick of the volume knob
> 
> 
> 
> ...




18 awg wiring is actually pretty thin.you know,the camera adds about 10lbs or so on . nothing compared to the 14 AWG silver/copper wire i use for my speakers which are like twice as thick. my 240 sextetts and 240DF's respond very well out of speaker outputs. they do like the extra power running out my 1985 Yamaha R-9 receiver in class A .

i could use headphone jacks as well if i ever plan on making a balanced 1/4'' TRS cable for them but since i keep them home i have no need to really since i rather use my amps speaker outputs around my house instead.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





markkr said:


> What scares me most isn't blowing my headphones with this mod... its ruining my headphones with that Mariah Carey CD.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 That's alright, she's a good singer


----------



## MrQ

I've been trying to hunt down a vintage pair of 240 sextettes since getting the Pioneer Monitor 10's. Hadn't thought of modding them.


----------



## TheWuss

stitched together a panorama of my listening area...  turned out okay, i guess.


----------



## Fantasysage

Well, I got a set of PS500's like 4 hours ago but other than that it is up to date.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice left wall you've got there.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> stitched together a panorama of my listening area...  turned out okay, i guess.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> stitched together a panorama of my listening area...  turned out okay, i guess.


 

 The wall on the left looks like a musical mosaic. Are those all CDs?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





fantasysage said:


> Well, I got a set of PS500's like 4 hours ago but other than that it is up to date.


 


  I love that setup.


----------



## eclipes

nice setup.... that lamp looks really cool actually
  
  Quote: 





fantasysage said:


> Well, I got a set of PS500's like 4 hours ago but other than that it is up to date.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





windsor said:


> The wall on the left looks like a musical mosaic. Are those all CDs?


 

 yep.  and, believe it or not, those are Ikea bookshelfs.  so, the CDs are two layers deep...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have the same shelves, albeit less CDs (sadly I lost most of my collection).
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> yep.  and, believe it or not, those are Ikea bookshelfs.  so, the CDs are two layers deep...


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

I apologize for the crummy cell phone picture. One of these days I'll have to break down a buy an actual camera. The rack isn't tilted....I am. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  click pic to enlarge


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

^^ how could someone possibly afford a camera after buying all that....


----------



## cAsE sEnSiTiVe

^^^ Probably why I don't own one.


----------



## johntodd

Quote: 





case sensitive said:


> ^^^ Probably why I don't own one.


 
  I love your rig.


----------



## Redcarmoose

With a system like this there is really no complete reason to own a camera. Who cares about photos? Who needs em?


----------



## TheOtus

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> yep.  and, believe it or not, those are Ikea bookshelfs.  so, the CDs are two layers deep...


 

 How many CD's there are? Approximately. =D


----------



## TheWuss

theotus said:


> How many CD's there are? Approximately. =D


. In the photo? Probably around 3000. But there are more, elsewhere inthe house, for a totalof 5000.


----------



## eclipes

holy smokes....


----------



## TheOtus

Oh my god, I have less than 300 at the moment. = ) Though I've been collecting them for less than two years now, and I can't afford them because I prefer to buy new and many aren't available as used either.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> . In the photo? Probably around 3000. But there are more, elsewhere inthe house, for a totalof 5000.


 


  that's going to take forever to convert them to Apple Lossless or FLAC!


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





roker said:


> that's going to take forever to convert them to Apple Lossless or FLAC!


 


 You're not kidding!  I only have a third of them done at this point...


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> . In the photo? Probably around 3000. But there are more, elsewhere inthe house, for a totalof 5000.


 


  I only have 3000 cds but it seems like a lot. I don't know what I would do with 5000. I had 65 boxs of records which I have scaled down to 30 boxes. It just gets to a point where it's insane. The amazing thing to me has been how you can remember so much of the music just by seeing the CD or record. Each CD or record also can have some other memories attached to it too!
   
  Remember too, if you spend a year and get all the CDs made into FLAC files you always can spend another year ripping them again if your drive fails as you have back-up.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I only have 3000 cds but it seems like a lot. I don't know what I would do with 5000. I had 65 boxs of records which I have scaled down to 30 boxes. It just gets to a point where it's insane. The amazing thing to me has been how you can remember so much of the music just by seeing the CD or record. Each CD or record also can have some other memories attached to it too!
> 
> *Remember too, if you spend a year and get all the CDs made into FLAC files you always can spend another year ripping them again if your drive fails as you have back-up.
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, and thats a real pain in the ass. What CD player are you using? I really like the design of the $40-60 high-end CD players that have very intricate design for the CD placement.


----------



## Redcarmoose

My cd player is an 11 year old Rega. I'm waiting for it to die.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I only have 3000 cds but it seems like a lot. I don't know what I would do with 5000. I had 65 boxs of records which I have scaled down to 30 boxes. It just gets to a point where it's insane. The amazing thing to me has been how you can remember so much of the music just by seeing the CD or record. Each CD or record also can have some other memories attached to it too!
> 
> Remember too, if you spend a year and get all the CDs made into FLAC files you always can spend another year ripping them again if your drive fails as you have back-up.


 
  I never want to go through that! When I ripped my collection, I saved everything on 2 USB hard-drives as I went. One is plugged into my computer for streaming and the other is in storage in my office.
  
  Memory is cheap.


----------



## sphinxvc

You should keep another safely tucked away Shawshank Redemption style.  Just in case.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I guess we will have to wait a year, memory just doubled in cost! 
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Memory is cheap.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> My cd player is an 11 year old Rega. I'm waiting for it to die.


 






 Im trying to find a picture of those CD players that are on the top, and you flip them open and you take out the center, put the CD in, and screw down the center piece again and play. Im not sure who it was made by, can you guys help me!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've got my library in 3 places at the moment. Main PC, Laptop, and External HDD. 
   
  If I had a library that took that long to rip it'd be in a RAID config. If 1 fails, the others are safe. Then just pop in another good drive to replace the bad drive and boom. Back to normal.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Im trying to find a picture of those CD players that are on the top, and you flip them open and you take out the center, put the CD in, and screw down the center piece again and play. Im not sure who it was made by, can you guys help me!


 


  Go to the CD Player section of Audiogon, it's like a garage sale for audio gear. I'm sure you will see one.
   
   
   
   
  Talk about old!
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-Monitor-10-Vintage-Stereo-Headphones-/220882199595?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d9ae42b


----------



## jtaylor991

I rip my CDs as I buy them so that doesn't happen. I might not play the physical CDs since I buy just as many downloads from Bandcamp anyway. I might hook up WMC7 to my TV in my listening room or get a Marantz NA7004.
  
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I only have 3000 cds but it seems like a lot. I don't know what I would do with 5000. I had 65 boxs of records which I have scaled down to 30 boxes. It just gets to a point where it's insane. The amazing thing to me has been how you can remember so much of the music just by seeing the CD or record. Each CD or record also can have some other memories attached to it too!
> 
> Remember too, if you spend a year and get all the CDs made into FLAC files you always can spend another year ripping them again if your drive fails as you have back-up.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Go to the CD Player section of Audiogon, it's like a garage sale for audio gear. I'm sure you will see one.
> 
> Talk about old!
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-Monitor-10-Vintage-Stereo-Headphones-/220882199595?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d9ae42b


 

 I have, nothing yet. Checking out the Audiokarama thread on CD players.


----------



## Ultrazino

My PRO 900 retired. It's for TV and games only now.


----------



## TheOtus

My god, now I got scared of my HDD possibly failing! = ( Need to buy another one for backup...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I would _never_ have my library in only one place...
   
  I guess after losing most of my CD collection I'm more paranoid than most.
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> My god, now I got scared of my HDD possibly failing! = ( Need to buy another one for backup...


----------



## TheOtus

Well yeah, it's obviously clever to have a back-up. I have the CD's but ripping is quite a job to do. I think I have some of my collection in and external HDD, but it's old and cheap, maybe I'll get a better one.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My suggestion would be an exclosure. Hard drives made to be driven hard (internals) are much more reliable than your run of the mill external ones. 
   
  Enclosure + Internal can run you less than an external as well, which is nice.
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Well yeah, it's obviously clever to have a back-up. I have the CD's but ripping is quite a job to do. I think I have some of my collection in and external HDD, but it's old and cheap, maybe I'll get a better one.


----------



## TheOtus

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> My suggestion would be an exclosure. Hard drives made to be driven hard (internals) are much more reliable than your run of the mill external ones.
> 
> Enclosure + Internal can run you less than an external as well, which is nice.


 
   
  What kind of enclosure do you mean exactly? Never seen ones for HDD. And I figure that the internal HDD needs some sort of power supply and some way to transfer the files.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Hard drive enclosures basically take an internal HDD and make it  an external one. They have their own power supplies, and software. The nice thing about them is that you can use multiple internals for different things, and they're much more reliable. 
   
Example
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Quote:
> 
> What kind of enclosure do you mean exactly? Never seen ones for HDD. And I figure that the internal HDD needs some sort of power supply and some way to transfer the files.


----------



## TheOtus

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Hard drive enclosures basically take an internal HDD and make it  an external one. They have their own power supplies, and software. The nice thing about them is that you can use multiple internals for different things, and they're much more reliable.
> 
> Example


 
   
  Thanks, might look more in to those. = )


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> My PRO 900 retired. It's for TV and games only now.


 

 I've always loved the look of the 900's.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Getting me paranoid, about half of my music collection is of free downloads, made available by the bands, that I can't download anymore, and they're all saved to one hard drive...
 Waiting for a laptop, and external hd. then i'll be safe.


----------



## ardgedee

I needed about six months to rip about 1200 disks, because I was spending the time proofreading the tagging and fixing it and rectifying artist data for each one and browsing the web for album art. When the data coming in off the net was accurate things could go pretty quickly. The CD drive was on a long USB cable so I could rip the disks directly on the music server without having to get up from my desk to do it. Since then I've ripped a hundred or so more, but now that the intense batch copy session is done, I usually do the work on my own computer and uploaded to the server manually.
   
   
  There are two external hard drives for my music collection, one exists only as a duplicate of the other. Both are connected to an old computer I use as the household music server. Every so often, after adding a few albums, I boot up the second drive, open a shell session and _rsync_ them. When the duplication's not going on, the second drive is powered down. Everything (plus the network hardware) is on a hefty UPS so that power problems don't mess things up. All files are ALAC, since it was the path of least resistance.
   
  I buy music on CD whenever possible. For the time being there's still nothing better than owning hard copies. If the future of cheap bandwidth, cloud storage and ubiquitous flexibly high-res audio files become the norm, I'll make the switch.


----------



## Branded

Hi,  I'm new here, i've been reading this forum for a few months and decided to join today.  Here is what i am using.


----------



## liamstrain

Allo Branded - welcome. 
   
  Has Quincy Jones shown up to beat the hell outta Dre yet? 
   
   
  Seriously though, what is that cute little tube amp?


----------



## roker

I think it's a Bellari
   
  I can kind of tell by it's design.
   
  It's distinctive to say the least


----------



## Branded

Liamstrain,  Yeah the Q701 sounds a million times better then the Detox Pro.   But the Detox Pro is fun with the super heavy but tight bass.  That why i have both lol.  The amp is Bellari and it sounds amazing with the Q701.  I am waiting on the BeyerDynmanics T70 my locate dealer says it sounds like the Q701 but more bass.


----------



## loopfreak

Quote: 





branded said:


> Hi,  I'm new here, i've been reading this forum for a few months and decided to join today.  Here is what i am using.


 
  You have mission m30, fine little speaker.


----------



## roker

I had to send my amp back under warranty to get it fixed/tweaked
   
  So I suppose my picutre is going to get delayed now.
   
  My custom desktop stands are supposed to be done by next week, but I haven't heard a word from the builder yet.
   
  Waiting games suck.  I have to use my NuForce Icon Mobile for right now.
   
  Talk about torture.


----------



## Branded

Yeah i have the whole mission setup, M35i, M3c2i, M30i and MS8.  I love the sound they make.

  
  Quote: 





loopfreak said:


> You have mission m30, fine little speaker.


----------



## loopfreak

Think that is very good setup for home theater, nothing too fancy but they do a hell of a job.
    
   
  Quote:


> Yeah i have the whole mission setup, M35i, M3c2i, M30i and MS8.  I love the sound they make.


----------



## Draygonn




----------



## MorbidToaster

I need to build one of those Bottlehead amps. i should get a speaker kit from them...
   
  Also, I wish I could be comfortable with stands like that, but the small headband indention bugs me _so _much.
  
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


>


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I need to build one of those Bottlehead amps.


 


  They're fun, and not really too difficult, but I can only relate that to building the old Paramour mono blocks and Foreplay preamp.  The instructions for those two kits were spot on and super easy to follow.  I didn't even test anything before I turned them on, I just went for it... while hiding behind a wall.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I was strongly considering the mono blocks. From what I've heard they sound great...and for the price? Win win. 
   
  I'd probably do it that way too. I did it with my first PC build years and years ago. Complete build, no testing, power on and hope for the best.
  
  Quote: 





eee pee said:


> They're fun, and not really too difficult, but I can only relate that to building the old Paramour mono blocks and Foreplay preamp.  The instructions for those two kits were spot on and super easy to follow.  I didn't even test anything before I turned them on, I just went for it... while hiding behind a wall.


----------



## Eee Pee

[size=medium]I wonder how much voltage and amperage was present.  I'm probably glad I got everything correct on all three kits...​[/size]

   
   
  Weird, I copy pasted this and it changed fonts.
   
  Almost looks like I quoted something.


----------



## Sylafari

Do you need to solder for the Bottlehead Crack?
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


>


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> stitched together a panorama of my listening area...  turned out okay, i guess.


 


  Correction: It turned out great! maybe a future pix will show your guitar on a stand in all its wooden glory.


----------



## Draygonn

sylafari said:


> Do you need to solder for the Bottlehead Crack?




Yes, its mostly soldering and wire trimming.


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Yes, its mostly soldering and wire trimming.


 


  Didn't bring my solder tools to college so I guess no Bottlehead Crack for me yet


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Also, I wish I could be comfortable with stands like that, but the small headband indention bugs me _so _much.


 

 I just got a dollar store pool noodle and cut a piece of that to hang on the hook, then put my headphones on those. For something a little less colourful, pipe insulation from a hardware store does basically the same thing, the downside being that you no longer have leftover pool noodle with which to attack people.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *SilentOne* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I wish I had a man cave that looked like that. Cheers man I'm green with envy


----------



## MorbidToaster

You could just attack them with an uninsulated pipe because you used the insulation for a headphone stand. 
   
  I think I'll just bite the bullet soon and get myself a Woo stand.
  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I just got a dollar store pool noodle and cut a piece of that to hang on the hook, then put my headphones on those. For something a little less colourful, pipe insulation from a hardware store does basically the same thing, the downside being that you no longer have leftover pool noodle with which to attack people.


----------



## Armaegis

_What's the banana stand for?_
   
_To hold my headphones._
   
_And the pool noodle?_
   
_To hang on the stand so I don't dent my headband._
   
_And the pipe?_
   
_That's for people who ask too many questions..._


----------



## Marximus

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You could just attack them with an uninsulated pipe because you used the insulation for a headphone stand.
> 
> I think I'll just bite the bullet soon and get myself a Woo stand.


 

 I got a hand towel rack from Bed Bath and Beyond.  ~$13.  No nasty indentations.  Then I got some napkin rings to spread the pressure out more evenly over the headband.


----------



## Tilpo

marximus said:


> I got a hand towel rack from Bed Bath and Beyond.  ~$13.  No nasty indentations.  Then I got some napkin rings to spread the pressure out more evenly over the headband.



Nothing beats a $0.99 Ikea headphone stand.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> _What's the banana stand for?_
> 
> _To hold my headphones._
> 
> ...


 


  X2


----------



## TheWuss

Bought myself a bedside rig.
  Was looking for something compact, solidly built, good-looking, and of really high quality for the price.
  But I didn't want an all-in-one amp/DAC.  Wanted the ability to mix and match components in the future.
   
  I think Violectric knocks it out of the park on all counts.
   
  Violectric DAC V800 and HPA V200.
  Cambridge iD100 ipod dock.
   
  sorry for the crappy pic...


----------



## liamstrain

Wow - your "bedside" rig, is really nice. Would make a great main rig too. 
   
  What do you usually listen with?


----------



## TheWuss

ultrasone edition 8, mainly. 
  and hifiman he-6 when the wife isn't around to hear the sound leakage...


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Bought myself a bedside rig.
> Was looking for something compact, solidly built, good-looking, and of really high quality for the price.
> But I didn't want an all-in-one amp/DAC.  Wanted the ability to mix and match components in the future.
> 
> ...


 

 Nice, how is the id100 remote?


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Nice, how is the id100 remote?


 


 functionally, it's great.  but, i find that i have to really aim it right at the dock.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> functionally, it's great.  but, i find that i have to really aim it right at the dock.


 


  I find that to be the case with my Wadia 170i's remote, as well...


----------



## .Sup

Same with the Onkyo ND-S1


----------



## tink97

Hey all so though I would post my current rig.  Waiting for a decware Mini torii to complete the setup and then will be getting a better stand for the setup heh.
   
  Its a marantz pm300 vintage with a AVA vision dac  and using a pair of LCD-2 rev1 with q cable and I do enjoy the music from this little nice system I have.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ nice lcd-2 r1


----------



## eclipes

Oh my, i want this to be my main rig.......
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Bought myself a bedside rig.
> Was looking for something compact, solidly built, good-looking, and of really high quality for the price.
> But I didn't want an all-in-one amp/DAC.  Wanted the ability to mix and match components in the future.
> 
> ...


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





tink97 said:


> Hey all so though I would post my current rig.  Waiting for a decware Mini torii to complete the setup and then will be getting a better stand for the setup heh.
> 
> Its a marantz pm300 vintage with a AVA vision dac  and using a pair of LCD-2 rev1 with q cable and I do enjoy the music from this little nice system I have.


 


  Nice rig, Tink!


----------



## RexAeterna

my crappy DIY balanced 1/4'' TRS to speaker output box i made.
















i used a project box from local radioshack to make this. i used left over female 1/4'' TRS jacks i had laying around and i reused my 24k gold 5-way binding post and gold plated banana connectors.

the speaker posts ar not perfectly aligned as you can tell since i did everything by eye. i knew it wasn't gonna turn out perfect but it works. now i can plug in any headphone to be used off the speaker outputs if i want. using my Pioneer Monitor 10 on speaker outputs brings them to a new level as well which i am pretty shock cause i was only expecting more gain and that's all. it must be the power they hunger since they use aluminum voice coils instead. it only cost me 7 bucks and couple hours to make(i do things slow and take my time).

good thing about using speaker outputs as well is output impedance is close to zero as well so you get perfect dampening no matter what(even though when it comes to headphones dampening should be last of concern since most headphones are mechanically dampened and most don't suffer from impedance spikes and dips like lot of speakers do.)


----------



## Austin Morrow

A few updates. Firstly, the Woo Audio stand arrived.
   

   
  Secondly, Fang sent me out a EF2 for a review, my impressions on that later..
   

   
  The desk from a few feet back...and rocking the Grado (courtesy of Mike over at Headfonia.com) wallpaper.
   

   

   
  Alos, Jason from Schiit said that he'd send me out a Bifrost review sample sometime soon, but they are all out of stock right now and can't even keep up with regular orders right now, these things are selling like mad.


----------



## mmayer167

Woo! your woo stand looks nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




     So does the rest of your setup. I've always liked the look of that he-300 such a classic looking phone.
   
  M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Current rig. No actual headphone amp, but the Marantz sounds good and does my just fine right now. Box of CDs to the right, Norah Jones (SACD) currently playing. The LCD 2 is leaning on my AGD DI. It's all sitting on a big piece of glass so nothing scratches the wood on the desk. 
   
  Chain: iMac > AGD DI (USB to Coax) > Upscaling to 24/192 > SA8004 > LCD 2
   
  Will take pictures when I get my loaner LF in a few days. I've also just ordered a Q cable and a Woo headphone stand. Gonna be updating regularly over the next month or so.


----------



## francisdemarte

In my experience most of Marantz equipment has excellent sounding headphone outs.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm a big Marantz fan. I'll hopefully be getting my 2238 redone soon. Excellent headphone out on that one too.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm a big Marantz fan. I'll hopefully be getting my 2238 redone soon. Excellent headphone out on that one too.


 

 Literally, ill only be a Marantz fan once i own a black version. That's the only way ill take a Marantz...


----------



## mmayer167

Alright, i'm finally up to date! Took so long but it's definitely worth the wait. 
   

   
  The closed t50 sounds open with this setup, its different but awesome. The bifrost is a great piece of gear. 
   
  M


----------



## calipilot227

Made some changes to my desk rig and living room rig:
   

  (New Pioneer bookshelf speakers, some new CD's on the top shelf)
   

   
  Same speakers (Onkyo S-39), new TV (free on craigslist 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## lextek

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Alright, i'm finally up to date! Took so long but it's definitely worth the wait.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   
  Nice Schiit!


----------



## bcart180

Here is my setup:


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Made some changes to my desk rig and living room rig:
> 
> 
> (New Pioneer bookshelf speakers, some new CD's on the top shelf)
> ...


 


 Buetiful real world setup calipilot227 and even comes with a free television from craigslist. Truly you are a survivor with creature comforts galore. Thanks for the inspiring view


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Made some changes to my desk rig and living room rig:
> 
> 
> (New Pioneer bookshelf speakers, some new CD's on the top shelf)
> ...


 


  Mmm, Starburst fruit chews!
   
  Are you a pilot? what do you fly?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Mmm, Starburst fruit chews!
> 
> Are you a pilot? what do you fly?


 

 Yeah, my desk could use a little cleaning 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am currently a student pilot, flying Cessna 152's


----------



## RexAeterna

calipilot227 said:


> Made some changes to my desk rig and living room rig:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




awesome choice in bookshelf speakers. i have the floor models of the pioneers in my acoustically controlled man cave and man do they sound amazing. people say they're bass light but i find them perfect with nice natural,very tight controlled bass. what i liked as well is they use peerless woofers from the looks of them and peerless makes amazing clean sounding woofers. Andrew Jones who designed them did a fantastic job on them i think. also congrats on the tv. i have crap load around my area for free but they simply too darn big for my house and it's weird stairway. you find some crazy stuff a lot people end up giving away on craigslist. i only pick up broken CRT projection HDTV's for spare parts cause i like using their tubes and flyback transformers for projects.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> awesome choice in bookshelf speakers. i have the floor models of the pioneers in my acoustically controlled man cave and man do they sound amazing. people say they're bass light but i find them perfect with nice natural,very tight controlled bass. what i liked as well is they use peerless woofers from the looks of them and peerless makes amazing clean sounding woofers. Andrew Jones who designed them did a fantastic job on them i think. also congrats on the tv. i have crap load around my area for free but they simply too darn big for my house and it's weird stairway. you find some crazy stuff a lot people end up giving away on craigslist. i only pick up broken CRT projection HDTV's for spare parts cause i like using their tubes and flyback transformers for projects.


 

 Yeah, they popped up on Woot! for $60, so I pulled the trigger 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm very happy with the way they sound (especially with the soft-dome tweeters), and I don't find them to be THAT bass-light. I have a subwoofer under the desk for the times that I need a little more bass.
   
  And yes, 32" CRT TV's are *very* heavy. The guy I got it from lived in a 2nd-floor condo, and it took four people to get it down the stairs and into my car. Fortunately, my building has an elevator.


----------



## RexAeterna

lucky you,i wish i had an elevator. i once scored a well sought after 24'' professional sony gdm-fw900 crt monitor some guy was just getting rid of. that beast was well over 100lbs but i found the hidden inner strength to carry it up 3 flights of stairs cause i was determined to hook that sucker up. i love CRT monitors still.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current rig. No actual headphone amp, but the Marantz sounds good and does my just fine right now. Box of CDs to the right, Norah Jones (SACD) currently playing. The LCD 2 is leaning on my AGD DI. It's all sitting on a big piece of glass so nothing scratches the wood on the desk.
> 
> Chain: iMac > AGD DI (USB to Coax) > Upscaling to 24/192 > SA8004 > LCD 2
> 
> Will take pictures when I get my loaner LF in a few days. I've also just ordered a Q cable and a Woo headphone stand. Gonna be updating regularly over the next month or so.


 

 I don't know why, but I like the look of that setup quite a bit...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I was impressed with the looks of the SA8004. Wasn't sure what to think from pictures. Vey nice flat black.
  
  Really simple as of now. Enjoying it a lot.
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I don't know why, but I like the look of that setup quite a bit...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I was impressed with the looks of the SA8004. Wasn't sure what to think from pictures. Vey nice flat black.
> 
> Really simple as of now. Enjoying it a lot.


 

 Yeah, for me, it's sleek and simple. doesn't take up too much overall character in my opinion.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Excuse the low quality pic, but here are a few updates. Recently reinstalled my nice JBL speakers I got a few years back for my B-Day. Awesome soundstage and treble, but no bass. Still waiting on the Bifrost and Double Helix Cables "Molecule" for my HD650.


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current rig. No actual headphone amp, but the Marantz sounds good and does my just fine right now. Box of CDs to the right, Norah Jones (SACD) currently playing. The LCD 2 is leaning on my AGD DI. It's all sitting on a big piece of glass so nothing scratches the wood on the desk.
> 
> Chain: iMac > AGD DI (USB to Coax) > Upscaling to 24/192 > SA8004 > LCD 2
> 
> Will take pictures when I get my loaner LF in a few days. I've also just ordered a Q cable and a Woo headphone stand. Gonna be updating regularly over the next month or so.


 
   
  Grats on your new purchases. What cable is plugged into the SACD player? Looks Japanese


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Grats on your new purchases. What cable is plugged into the SACD player? Looks Japanese


 


  Kinda reminds me of an electrostatic cable.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Yeah, my desk could use a little cleaning
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I remember those Trinitrons when they were new.
   
  I've never flown a 152 - I got my Private FW in a Tomahawk.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I remember those Trinitrons when they were new.
> 
> I've never flown a 152 - I got my Private FW in a Tomahawk.


 

 We jokingly call the 152 the "Old Man's Airplane," because it's easy to fly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very stable, low stall speed, doesn't float too much on landing (or not as much as the 172).


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Bought myself a bedside rig.
> Was looking for something compact, solidly built, good-looking, and of really high quality for the price.
> But I didn't want an all-in-one amp/DAC.  Wanted the ability to mix and match components in the future.
> 
> ...


 


  I had the V800 inside for a couple of months. Your set up looks nice. And though we understand the conditions and all, that stack deserves _detail_. Perhaps, later when you've the chance you could re-shoot it. It's certainly deserving of our eyes...


----------



## Adda

I finally got my DF's rebuilt with all new parts ordered from AKG.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's the stock Rev 2 cable. I actually really hate it. I love ribbon cables, but when it's all bunched up in the termination and the Y split is cheap I don't. Reason for ordering a Q cable yesterday.

  
  Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Grats on your new purchases. What cable is plugged into the SACD player? Looks Japanese


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> We jokingly call the 152 the "Old Man's Airplane," because it's easy to fly
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I assume you're studying to be an airline pilot? Best of luck to you!
   
  And don't crank those HD580's to loud...


----------



## roker

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I had the V800 inside for a couple of months. Your set up looks nice. And though we understand the conditions and all, that stack deserves _detail_. Perhaps, later when you've the chance you could re-shoot it. It's certainly deserving of our eyes...


 

  
  shhh, he spent all his money on that setup!  
   
  Who would have anything left to buy a decent camera?
   
  I agree with you 100% it looks great and needs a better picture to drool over.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Well, I assume you're studying to be an airline pilot? Best of luck to you!
> 
> And don't crank those HD580's to loud...


 

 You got that right 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I actually listen to most of my music with speakers nowadays (not sure if that's better or worse), but I never turn it up to the point where my ears bleed (or anywhere close to it for that matter)


----------



## roker

The shininess of the Dacmini makes it hard to take a photo with a flash.  I need to borrow a good camera and take better pics.
   
   
  I would pay someone to show me or fix my setup to look as wire free as possible.  I think that's reason why people pay so much for fancy wires.  I think my sound system is 80% complete.  I'd like to buy a small subwoofer to get some bass, but it's negligible.  I probably don't need to give my neighbors a reason to complain.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





roker said:


> The shininess of the Dacmini makes it hard to take a photo with a flash.  I need to borrow a good camera and take better pics.
> 
> 
> I would pay someone to show me or fix my setup to look as wire free as possible.  I think that's reason why people pay so much for fancy wires.  I think my sound system is 80% complete.  I'd like to buy a small subwoofer to get some bass, but it's negligible.  I probably don't need to give my neighbors a reason to complain.


 

 How does that DACMini sound?


----------



## roker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> How does that DACMini sound?


 


  I'm very happy with it.  I don't want to write a 3 sentence review to sell it short, but I am going to write a review as soon as time permits (I'm thinking next weekend).


----------



## TwoTrack

My Grado RS-1is on location at a classical recording.  They really get the violin tone perfect.  These are daisy chained Sound Devices recorders which we use to record in hirez.


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





twotrack said:


> My Grado RS-1is on location at a classical recording.  They really get the violin tone perfect.  These are daisy chained Sound Devices recorders which we use to record in hirez.


 

 a _PAIR_ of 722's!!  sweet!


----------



## TheWuss

Happy Thanksgiving, Head-Fiers!
  Today I am thankful for good music and good gear to listen with!
   
  My office rig has been brought home, as my firm is in the process of moving to a new office building.
  So, most of my gear can be seen in this shot (with the exception of my Violectric bedside rig)  --  Reunited and it feels so good!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I want my Woo stand to come in... ;~;
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Happy Thanksgiving, Head-Fiers!
> Today I am thankful for good music and good gear to listen with!
> 
> My office rig has been brought home, as my firm is in the process of moving to a new office building.
> So, most of my gear can be seen in this shot (with the exception of my Violectric bedside rig)  --  Reunited and it feels so good!


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Happy Thanksgiving, Head-Fiers!
> Today I am thankful for good music and good gear to listen with!
> 
> My office rig has been brought home, as my firm is in the process of moving to a new office building.
> So, most of my gear can be seen in this shot (with the exception of my Violectric bedside rig)  --  Reunited and it feels so good!


 

 Holy ****... That's an amazing collection of audio gear...


----------



## DVDRey

A small part of my set up. (because moving soon).


----------



## MorbidToaster

How do you like that Auditor? Still very interested in SPL products.
  
  Quote: 





dvdrey said:


> A small part of my set up. (because moving soon).


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How do you like that Auditor? Still very interested in SPL products.


 


   
  I'll say, that Auditor looks awesome.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Happy Thanksgiving, Head-Fiers!
> Today I am thankful for good music and good gear to listen with!
> 
> My office rig has been brought home, as my firm is in the process of moving to a new office building.
> So, most of my gear can be seen in this shot (with the exception of my Violectric bedside rig)  --  Reunited and it feels so good!


 


  It always pleases me to see that people keep the HD650 among some of their summit Fi fear.


----------



## DVDRey

Quote: 





> How do you like that Auditor? Still very interested in SPL products.


 
   
  Its an excellent amp, very clear, very detailed, great dynamic, large soundstage, large reserve power, no background noise..., but analytical and relatively cold.
   
  Better than H1MPA, but H1MPA is much more musical.


----------



## darren700

Finally completed my Audio-GD Setup today with the final addition of the Digital Interface (With Olimex USB-Isolator)
  Loving this setup so far, let me know what you guys think!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Finally completed my Audio-GD Setup today with the final addition of the Digital Interface (With Olimex USB-Isolator)
> Loving this setup so far, let me know what you guys think!


 


  Looks awesome and quite clean. Ive always loved the look of those Denons.


----------



## Kremer930

Ditto to Obazavil's comment.  Amazing rig TheWuss.  It wasnt until I went back and looked closely that you have just about every great can currently available.  LCD3 and SR009 to come perhaps....  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  If you had to keep only one can....which would it be and why?
   

  
  Quote: 





obazavil said:


> Holy ****... That's an amazing collection of audio gear...


----------



## TheWuss

kremer930 said:


> Ditto to Obazavil's comment.  Amazing rig TheWuss.  It wasnt until I went back and looked closely that you have just about every great can currently available.  LCD3 and SR009 to come perhaps....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Haha. Thanks. Still undecided about laying out $2k for lcd3.
Right now if i had to keep one canit would be hd800. No doubt.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Haha. Thanks. Still undecided about laying out $2k for lcd3.
> Right now if i had to keep one canit would be hd800. No doubt.


 

 If I could only own one, it would be my LCD-3s. If I could own 2...it would be my LCD-3s and HD800s. Thankfully that's not the case.


----------



## TheWuss

macedonianhero said:


> If I could only own one, it would be my LCD-3s. If I could own 2...it would be my LCD-3s and HD800s. Thankfully that's not the case.



Dang it peter! You're not making this any easier!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Dang it peter! You're not making this any easier!


 

  





 Buahaha!
   
  My thoughts on the differences FWIW (likely not much):
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/a/comparisons-of-the-lcd-3-and-the-lcd-2-rev-2


----------



## Kremer930

Wow.  Interesting to read such high praises for the HD800 and the new kid on the block the LCD3.  I am going to wait until I have sent the power of Schiits new statement amp through the 6's to see how much change it makes to them.  I fear that if the obsession with improvement isnt quelled by that then a shiny set of LCD3's may be next in my sights.


----------



## Swatcsi

So I see you both own, T1's and hd800's how much better are the hd800's because I heard the t1s and am strongly considering getting them with my new amp/dac. I usually rely on my own ears but there is no way for me to give the hd800's a listen in my area 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Haha. Thanks. Still undecided about laying out $2k for lcd3.
> Right now if i had to keep one canit would be hd800. No doubt.


 
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> If I could only own one, it would be my LCD-3s. If I could own 2...it would be my LCD-3s and HD800s. Thankfully that's not the case.


----------



## Questhate

Just added a couple of speakers to my desk yesterday... 
   

   
  Terrible lighting to be taking pictures right now.


----------



## RexAeterna

i got my lazy self to finish terminating my 240DF. got it finally fully recabled and terminated for 4-pin XLR. uses 18 gauge silver/copper wire for the rewiring.







also added a pair of Fostex T50rp to my collection few days ago.






i stuffed the cups with loads of mineral wool and cotton balls to kill the resonance and got the channels finally even out across the spectrum of 20hz-20khz. replaced the pads with some extra older 240 sextett spare pads i had and stuffed them with cotton. also used pair of extra foam discs from my 240's and put over the felt of the driver as well. they sound amazing now and unbelievable for the 53 bucks i bought them for. got them running off of speaker outputs with the ghetto little DIY female 1/4'' balanced TRS to speaker output box i made. simple box,nothing but straight wire, no resistors or anything. works well. not the best pics since phone cam sucks so i tried at least.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Just added a couple of speakers to my desk yesterday...
> 
> 
> 
> Terrible lighting to be taking pictures right now.


 


  Those headphone racks look awful stressed. You should just send me over those Ultrasones, Fostex's and Grados.  You know, to relieve all that structural stress.


----------



## B-Dawk20

It was messy that day >_<


----------



## Questhate

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Those headphone racks look awful stressed. You should just send me over those Ultrasones, Fostex's and Grados.  You know, to relieve all that structural stress.


 
   
  Oh! Good thinking. Very nice of you to offer. Just shoot me your address and I'll be sure to.... wait a sec, I see what you did there.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Oh! Good thinking. Very nice of you to offer. Just shoot me your address and I'll be sure to.... wait a sec, I see what you did there.


 


  Lol. Funny stuff....


----------



## B-Dawk20

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Oh! Good thinking. Very nice of you to offer. Just shoot me your address and I'll be sure to.... wait a sec, I see what you did there.


 


  Naw man naw, just trying to give the K701 a home where it can be used every day


----------



## KyungMin

SRH440, MDR-V6, M50, DT990 (600 ohm) Pro900
   

  K701, HD598, Beats Studio (ONLY cuz I liked the color)


----------



## MorbidToaster

*[size=1em]You tricked me! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻[/size]*
   
  Quote: 





questhate said:


> Oh! Good thinking. Very nice of you to offer. Just shoot me your address and I'll be sure to.... wait a sec, I see what you did there.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *[size=1em]You tricked me! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻[/size]*


 
  ┬──┬ ﻿ノ( ゜-゜ノ)


----------



## MorbidToaster

*[size=1em](╯°□°）╯*[/size]*[size=1em]︵ [/size]**[size=1em] [/size]*/(.□ . \)
   
(Yes, I'm taking this all the way)
  
  Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> ┬──┬ ﻿ノ( ゜-゜ノ)


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *[size=1em](╯°□°）╯*[/size]*[size=1em]︵ [/size]**[size=1em] [/size]*/(.□ . \)
> 
> (Yes, I'm taking this all the way)


 


  (¬_¬)


----------



## Eee Pee

Less whatever that is, and more Head-Fi station pictures please.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Or more tacos.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





kyungmin said:


> SRH440, MDR-V6, M50, DT990 (600 ohm) Pro900
> 
> 
> K701, HD598, Beats Studio (ONLY cuz I liked the color)


 


  I'll take that K701 off your hands.


----------



## colmustard




----------



## B-Dawk20

@KyungMin Nice! Saw the first picture and no 701, nearly a travesty with the Mio avatar. Then the second picture came and I was satisfied


----------



## Tilpo

b-dawk20 said:


> @KyungMin Nice! Saw the first picture and no 701, nearly a travesty with the Mio avatar. Then the second picture came and I was satisfied



Makes me wonder exactly how many of us have a Mio-with-K701 avatar.


----------



## Szadzik

Just two quick shots taken today.
   
  My PC>USB>Burson HA-160D>Woo Audio WA2>T1s.
   
  I have been thinking about selling the Burson and buying a DAC, but have not had time to find a DAC that would be good but not too expensive (500GBP max I think).


----------



## MorbidToaster

Love the streamlined look of the glass and metal. Very simple. Where are those shelves from? They seem short enough to go under my desk...
   
  Just nice shots in general, too.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Love the streamlined look of the glass and metal. Very simple. Where are those shelves from? They seem short enough to go under my desk...
> 
> Just nice shots in general, too.


 


  Wish I still had my room set up properly back home.. all glass curved furniture. My nightstand was just one curved piece of glass and my desk two curved pieces of glass and 4 brushed nickel legs.. I really liked it, but now it's all in my nephews room seeing as I'm not actually home, he has more need for a desk than me


----------



## bcart180

Here is my contribution:


   
  And at night:


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





bcart180 said:


> And at night:


 

 I like your Pink Floyd poster. I have a small one in my office.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Love the streamlined look of the glass and metal. Very simple. Where are those shelves from? They seem short enough to go under my desk...
> 
> Just nice shots in general, too.


 


  Thanks. The shelf is from Argos.co.uk, very cheap too 50GBP 
   
  I paid less for the desk that I bought on a sale for 40GBP.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





bcart180 said:


> Here is my contribution:
> 
> 
> 
> And at night:


 


  God, I love that setup. Still waiting on a Bifrost...


----------



## RexAeterna

i decided to clean up a bit and it's time for me to cover my table with something and find something else i can make a mess on when i do my DIY projects cause the table is very old and made of nice filipinio mahogany and i made enough solder marks on it and scratches from working on it and since it's my main desk as well,i tried to make it half decent looking.













not all my headphones,but basically main ones i use all the time. also i guess i'm getting better at taking pics(even though it's from a crappy phone cam. seems though it can't capture dark reds very well and makes it look lighter).


----------



## John In Cali

rexaeterna said:


> i decided to clean up a bit and it's time for me to cover my table with something and find something else i can make a mess on when i do my DIY projects cause the table is very old and made of nice filipinio mahogany and i made enough solder marks on it and scratches from working on it and since it's my main desk as well,i tried to make it half decent looking
> not all my headphones,but basically main ones i use all the time. also i guess i'm getting better at taking pics(even though it's from a crappy phone cam. seems though it can't capture dark reds very well and makes it look lighter).




Is that a DBZ wallet i spot?


----------



## RexAeterna

john in cali said:


> Is that a DBZ wallet i spot?




yup. vegeta. my favorite character. i had it since i was little where DBZ finally hit the states and toonami was still around. still one of my favorite shows even to this day.


----------



## Caladbolg

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> yup. vegeta. my favorite character. i had it since i was little where DBZ finally hit the states and toonami was still around. still one of my favorite shows even to this day.


 


  He missed the Metroid Fusion GBA cartridge next to it. Mine quit saving :/ Love that game


----------



## RexAeterna

caladbolg said:


> He missed the Metroid Fusion GBA cartridge next to it. Mine quit saving :/ Love that game




good eyes.i loved it as well but i haven't played it in awhile. been a big metroid fan since the NES days.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i decided to clean up a bit and it's time for me to cover my table with something and find something else i can make a mess on when i do my DIY projects cause the table is very old and made of nice filipinio mahogany and i made enough solder marks on it and scratches from working on it and since it's my main desk as well,i tried to make it half decent looking.


 

 A little while ago I picked up a cultured marble slab (like the sort of stuff they make bathroom counters out of) at a garage sale and have been meaning to turn it into a worktable. I figure that should be pretty well scratch/burn resistant unless I do something really stupid...


----------



## wotts

Just moved in to a new place and got the computer/head-fi equipment setup. Here's a few shots:
   

   

   

   
  There are a few more pictures in my profile album. Also, please ignore the decor...I moved into my sister's old house, and the room was my nephew's. My mother painted it, and wasn't ready to have it covered.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That set up look fantastic...


----------



## RexAeterna

armaegis said:


> A little while ago I picked up a cultured marble slab (like the sort of stuff they make bathroom counters out of) at a garage sale and have been meaning to turn it into a worktable. I figure that should be pretty well scratch/burn resistant unless I do something really stupid...




marble sounds like a great idea. i will look into that. maybe local home dept or something cuts marble maybe. i have to find out. thanks for the advice! i would of never thought of that.


----------



## Questhate

Quote: 





wotts said:


>


 


  Drooling over this Beta22!


----------



## jamesnz

The only thing to look out for with marble is that it can stain pretty easily. ( or is that granite?). Probably a good place to look would be kitchen bench top companies. They may have off cuts etc that are big enough...


----------



## jtaylor991

Beautiful!! I'd love that setup.
  
  Quote: 





wotts said:


> Just moved in to a new place and got the computer/head-fi equipment setup. Here's a few shots:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





jamesnz said:


> The only thing to look out for with marble is that it can stain pretty easily. ( or is that granite?). Probably a good place to look would be kitchen bench top companies. They may have off cuts etc that are big enough...


 
   
  I think granite is the one that stains since it is porous.

 On a tangential note, every day on my way home from work I pass by a place that sells the formed kitchen/bathrom countertops. I keep wanting to drive in and ask if they have any b-stock bathroom sink counters, so I can mount a speaker into it (the sink curvature would make a natural horn right? heh)


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i decided to clean up a bit and it's time for me to cover my table with something and find something else i can make a mess on when i do my DIY projects cause the table is very old and made of nice filipinio mahogany and i made enough solder marks on it and scratches from working on it and since it's my main desk as well,i tried to make it half decent looking.
> 
> not all my headphones,but basically main ones i use all the time. also i guess i'm getting better at taking pics(even though it's from a crappy phone cam. seems though it can't capture dark reds very well and makes it look lighter).


 
  Digging all the custom cables
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





wotts said:


> Just moved in to a new place and got the computer/head-fi equipment setup. Here's a few shots:
> 
> There are a few more pictures in my profile album. Also, please ignore the decor...I moved into my sister's old house, and the room was my nephew's. My mother painted it, and wasn't ready to have it covered.


 

 Nice setup, in music heaven it looks like.


----------



## RexAeterna

cifani090 said:


> Digging all the custom cables





thanks! the fostex are next on my list to be re-cabled. gonna make them balanced as well.


----------



## wotts

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> That set up look fantastic...


 
  Quote:


jtaylor991 said:


> Beautiful!! I'd love that setup.


 
  Quote:


cifani090 said:


> Nice setup, in music heaven it looks like.


 

  
  Thanks for all the kind words!
  
   


  Quote: 





questhate said:


> Drooling over this Beta22!


 

 Thanks! I took some design elements (liberally) from the group build conducted here a while back. I'll add some more pictures of the insides on my profile album this weekend.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

some people have coffee...


----------



## Tilpo

jamesmcprogger said:


> some people have coffee...



Digging the evangelion

Also: waht is the headphone in front of the Sony? (not the AKG, but the one with the dual headband)


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Digging the evangelion
> Also: waht is the headphone in front of the Sony? (not the AKG, but the one with the dual headband)


 


  Pioneer SE-L40


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Digging the evangelion
> *Also: waht is the headphone in front of the Sony? *(not the AKG, but the one with the dual headband)


 


   


  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> *Pioneer SE-L40*


 

 I never knew you had a Vintage Pioneer very nice man


----------



## SouthernBoy

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> Pioneer SE-L40


 
  What's that to the right of the headamp?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





southernboy said:


> What's that to the right of the headamp?


 
   
  iBasso D3 and a USB HUB


----------



## MorbidToaster

Since there's some EVA love in here I'll post this. 
   

   
  They currently sit atop my receiver powering my speakers.
   
  (And the orientation has been borked once again)
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Digging the evangelion


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Well, not headphones, but also updated my film room today courtesy of UPS.
  Nothing fancy, inexpensive stuff, but _potent_ describes it well.
   

   
  Very best,


----------



## palmfish

Polk Audio?


----------



## mmayer167

^ nice, I like it! 
   
  M


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Well, not headphones, but also updated my film room today courtesy of UPS.
> Nothing fancy, inexpensive stuff, but _potent_ describes it well.
> ...


 

 Looks beautiful! Great setup if it sounds anything like it looks


----------



## palmfish

OK, here's my other head-fi station (well, my AVR does have a headphone jack)...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Bad pic, sorry. Two setups, for each headphone
   
  - LCD-2 Rev 1
  - Hifiman HE-500
  - Lafigaro 339
  - Violectric V100
  - Audio GD NFB3
  - Rein Audio X-DAC (New Dac/New company)
   
  Saturday afternoons are good


----------



## irvin59




----------



## MorbidToaster

How do you like the transporter?


----------



## palmfish

I love the look of the Transporter! I have my Squeezebox Touch set to display VU meters just cause they look cool.


----------



## irvin59

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How do you like the transporter?


 


  I love the Transporter-great sound and looks cool. The big plus for me is that it does 24/96, which the other Logitech devices don't. I did buy it a long time ago and I think now it's expensive for the SQ.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





irvin59 said:


> I love the Transporter-great sound and looks cool. The big plus for me is that it does 24/96, which the other Logitech devices don't. I did buy it a long time ago and I think now it's expensive for the SQ.


 

 The Touch does 24/96 coax and optical. Just not via USB (which I don't use anyways).
   
  The price of admission for the latest greatest is always high. But just a couple of years later, digital streaming is so ubiquitous.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





irvin59 said:


>





  ^^^^gorgeous


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Bad pic, sorry. Two setups, for each headphone
> 
> - LCD-2 Rev 1
> - Hifiman HE-500
> ...


 

 x2. Yes, and Sundays too.
  Nice rig.
  And good to hear from you as well.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> The Touch does 24/96 coax and optical. Just not via USB (which I don't use anyways).


 

 The Touch doesn't have balanced outputs for Irvin's LD MKVI+ though.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





roker said:


> ^^^^gorgeous


 

 Agreed, so I posted it in the best looking meters thread.


----------



## Coolzo

I hope you like dust! Apologies for crappy flash pics:



  The small yellow thing on top of my comp is a MidiSport for my ancient keyboard, lol. Headphones are Senn HD595s, speakers are, well, idk what model, but they're decent AudioSource bookshelf speakers. Dusty receiver is a Pioneer SX-780, sub is from a set of Boston BA7900 5.1 PC speakers. I have a currently inactive Asus Xonar Essence ST (not pictured), currently using FiiO E10 as a DAC and going back-and-forth between E10 and E9 for an amp. E9 serves as a preamp/passthrough for the receiver as well.
   
  Portable setup:

   
  Koss PortaPros (soon to be replaced by a to-be-determined model of Senn earphones), Sansa Clip+ 2GB player+16GB microSD card, and FiiO E6 amp.


----------



## Austin Morrow

I'm trying to get my hands on a good DAC. Maybe the X-DAC from Rein Audio...


----------



## starwa1ker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm trying to get my hands on a good DAC. Maybe the X-DAC from Rein Audio...


 
   
  Is that the Woo Audio stand? I wish someone would sell one at the marketplace.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





starwa1ker said:


> Is that the Woo Audio stand? I wish someone would sell one at the marketplace.


 


  Yep, that's the Woo Audio stand. I'm in love with it. Woo Audio should have some back in stock soon.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're shipping current orders on the 7th. I have one on order but I might cancel it and wait until my big purchases in January to make sure I have enough.
  
  Quote: 





			
				Austin Morrow said:
			
		

> Yep, that's the Woo Audio stand. I'm in love with it. Woo Audio should have some back in stock soon.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're shipping current orders on the 7th. I have one on order but I might cancel it and wait until my *big purchases* in January to make sure I have enough.


 


  What toys?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





> *MorbidToaster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif


 


  I could have swore last week you had 3600 posts. Now your almost breaking 5000, sheesh!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I held the 'Most posts in 30 days' spot for quite awhile recently. I had that comment earlier in the year when I broke 2000, too. I had almost 1000 in a month. Just post when I feel like I can contribute / have a question.
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I could have swore last week you had 3600 posts. Now your almost breaking 5000, sheesh!


 

 A pair of Maggie 1.7s or Monitor Audio RX8s...And probably an Apache or some other nice headlamp / preamp.
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> What toys?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I held the 'Most posts in 30 days' spot for quite awhile recently. I had that comment earlier in the year when I broke 2000, too. I had almost 1000 in a month. Just post when I feel like I can contribute / have a question.
> 
> A pair of Maggie 1.7s or Monitor Audio RX8s...And probably an Apache or some other nice headlamp / preamp.


 

 Nice. My next big guns coming up here real soon are the HiFiMan HE-500 and HE-6.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Still haven't heard the HE6 but I did love my HE500 before I sold it and I might end up owning one again eventually. It's a really great headphone. Definitely want to give the HE6 a listen though...Feel incomplete without at least hearing it.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Nice. My next big guns coming up here real soon are the HiFiMan HE-500 and HE-6.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Still haven't heard the HE6 but I did love my HE500 before I sold it and I might end up owning one again eventually. It's a really great headphone. Definitely want to give the HE6 a listen though...Feel incomplete without at least hearing it.


 


  Yeah. I am using an HD650 now. From what I have heard, some people actually prefer the HE-500 over the LCD-2.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah. I am using an HD650 now. From what I have heard, some people actually prefer the HE-500 over the LCD-2.


 


  I prefer the PortaPro to my Magnums. Especially with a silver cable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're in the same league and until recently in the same price range. I prefer it in quite a few ways over the LCD 2, but I think the LCD 2 fits better for 90% of my listening. 
   
  I want to get an HD 600 sometime next year and give it a shot as well because I hear it's very neutral and I like that in a headphone. 
   
  OT: I should really take a new picture with my Q cable.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah. I am using an HD650 now. From what I have heard, some people actually prefer the HE-500 over the LCD-2.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're in the same league and until recently in the same price range. I prefer it in quite a few ways over the LCD 2, but I think the LCD 2 fits better for 90% of my listening.
> 
> I want to get an HD 600 sometime next year and give it a shot as well because I hear it's very neutral and I like that in a headphone.
> 
> OT: I should really take a new picture with my Q cable.


 

 I love my Q-Cable. Rgd. the HD600. I don't find it to be totally neutral. There is a slight emphasis on the upper treble but other than that it's pretty balanced. I went with the HD650 because _I find it_ it to be more fun.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The HD 600 wouldn't be there for 'fun'. I have my LCD 2 for that. It'd be more for critical listening and a few select genres I think it'd do better than the LCD 2.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I love my Q-Cable. Rgd. the HD600. I don't find it to be totally neutral. There is a slight emphasis on the upper treble but other than that it's pretty balanced. I went with the HD650 because _I find it_ it to be more fun.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The HD 600 wouldn't be there for 'fun'. I have my LCD 2 for that. It'd be more for critical listening and a* few select genres* I think it'd do better than the LCD 2.


 


  Ah. Yes, now that I agree with. I use the HD800 for critical listening, but may switch to the HE-6 once I hear it...


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah. I am using an HD650 now. From what I have heard, some people actually prefer the HE-500 over the LCD-2.


 


  Yes. I also prefer HE-500 over HE-6. Half the price and half the hassle to drive them.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The HD 600 wouldn't be there for 'fun'. I have my LCD 2 for that. It'd be more for critical listening and a few select genres I think it'd do better than the LCD 2.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 


  I keep the HD650 around for when the LCD-2 can't hit the 'fun' threshold.


----------



## RexAeterna

these came about about couple days ago.







really nice looking and sounding headphone. they seem to handle well driving from speaker outputs and has some very good power handling.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> I keep the HD650 around for when the LCD-2 can't hit the 'fun' threshold.


 


   
   Awesome. I love my HD650's!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> these came about about couple days ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You lucky monkey. My two ultimate headphones that I want to add to my collection are both the AKG K601 as well as the AKG K501...


----------



## RexAeterna

austin morrow said:


> You lucky monkey. My two ultimate headphones that I want to add to my collection are both the AKG K601 as well as the AKG K501...




thanks! i heard about the k501's and k601's a a lot so i went to try for the k601's. very nice sounding too. i still want to try the k500/501's since you can find those relatively cheap still. my favorite AKG headphones though are still the K240DF's


----------



## Destroysall

The more the merrier!   I like this setup.  How are the HD 595s paired with the FiiO e10??
  
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> I hope you like dust! Apologies for crappy flash pics:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## RexAeterna

that is nice set-up but no acoustic treatment? fiberglass people! fiberglass! it's dirt cheap and amazing at absorbing frequencies across the band from 20hz-20khz. i just finished my room over the weekend with big roll of fiberglass i bought. love the dead sound in my room now.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> thanks! i heard about the k501's and k601's a a lot so i went to try for the k601's. very nice sounding too. i still want to try the k500/501's since you can find those relatively cheap still. my favorite AKG headphones though are still the K240DF's


 


  I haven't tried the K240DF's, I should try and find a pair somehow. As for the K501's, I over them. Honestly, I thought the K501's sounded a lot more natural than the rather artificial K701's.


----------



## RexAeterna

austin morrow said:


> I haven't tried the K240DF's, I should try and find a pair somehow. As for the K501's, I over them. Honestly, I thought the K501's sounded a lot more natural than the rather artificial K701's.




i never liked the 701 either when i tried them. i mean i only heard them for five minutes at a store but five minutes is all i need to determine if i like the overall presentation of the headphone. the 601's surprisingly sounds nothing like the 701 for some reason. midrange is always the top choice for me when choosing headphones since i like clean accurate midrange and somehow the k701 managed to mess that up while the current k601's i'm using seem to have a nice clean midrange without sounding weird. not as clean/clear as my 240DF or modded Fostex t50rp but very nice and enjoyable. the top frequencies are more laidback due to the dip they have when i first noticed when i put them on my head. overall very nice sounding. the imaging sounds right as well and not artificial like most other headphones try to do.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i never liked the 701 either when i tried them. i mean i only heard them for five minutes at a store but five minutes is all i need to determine if i like the overall presentation of the headphone. the 601's surprisingly sounds nothing like the 701 for some reason. midrange is always the top choice for me when choosing headphones since i like clean accurate midrange and somehow the k701 managed to mess that up while the current k601's i'm using seem to have a nice clean midrange without sounding weird. not as clean/clear as my 240DF or modded Fostex t50rp but very nice and enjoyable. the top frequencies are more laidback due to the dip they have when i first noticed when i put them on my head. overall very nice sounding. the imaging sounds right as well and not artificial like most other headphones try to do.


 


  Yes! The K501's had such a natural midrange to me, and that's what I love about it! To my ears, the K701 have some of the most unnatural and artificial mids I ave heard, and I'm surprised that people even sometimes brag about the K701's having a super sweet midrange. Maybe I'm just not amping/hearing it correctly?


----------



## RexAeterna

austin morrow said:


> Yes! The K501's had such a natural midrange to me, and that's what I love about it! To my ears, the K701 have some of the most unnatural and artificial mids I ave heard, and I'm surprised that people even sometimes brag about the K701's having a super sweet midrange. Maybe I'm just not amping/hearing it correctly?




the k701's are exaggerated for the amping needs so your fine. most people fix headphone or speaker flaws by using an amp that colors the sound of it most likely and that's what gives them the assumption the headphone or speaker being picky. it's only picky cause you need to match it with a certain coloration(like tubes most likely). me personally just a very boring person i guess since i like things that's close to ''straight wire with gain'' but it's perfectly cool liking colorations. no faults in that at all cause that's someone preferences. only coloration i enjoy is from the music itself.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not exactly a complete station shot, but I'm pretty proud I finally got the 'Purple People Eater' done.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Not exactly a complete station shot, but I'm pretty proud I finally got the 'Purple People Eater' done.


 

 Very cool! I think you are the only one that has done such a thing. Need more pictures if not...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Not exactly a complete station shot, but I'm pretty proud I finally got the 'Purple People Eater' done.


 


  Okay, that's just awesome. I have nothing else to stay. God, I love my Q-Audio cable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I'd love to take credit for the idea I have to admit I think one Head-fier has done this before me. I saw him put a red backdrop in his LCD 2. I did decide to take it a step futher with the cable colors & backdrop though.
   

  
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Very cool! I think you are the only one that has done such a thing. Need more pictures if not...


 

  
  I'm glad others like it. I think it all came out really well. I feel I put my own spin on the typical LCD 2.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Okay, that's just awesome. I have nothing else to stay. God, I love my Q-Audio cable.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While I'd love to take credit for the idea I have to admit I think one Head-fier has done this before me. I saw him put a red backdrop in his LCD 2. I did decide to take it a step futher with the cable colors & backdrop though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  It is awesome, and unique too in it's own way. Most people would've have gone like red or something more cliche. The purple scheme just makes it all that much more of an individual design!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I got the idea after taking a look at the grills on the LCD 2 and realizing they were black. 
   
  I put 2 and 2 together with the fact I had just bought a purple and black cable from Steve and thought it was a cool idea. It's the first time I've done anything DIY concerning audio and I kind of want to do more...
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> It is awesome, and unique too in it's own way. Most people would've have gone like red or something more cliche. The purple scheme just makes it all that much more of an individual design!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I got the idea after taking a look at the grills on the LCD 2 and realizing they were black.
> 
> I put 2 and 2 together with the fact I had just bought a purple and black cable from Steve and thought it was a cool idea. *It's the first time I've done anything DIY concerning audio and I kind of want to do more...*


 
   
  Yeah, I'm currently in the process of modifying the _everything_ on my SR80i's. New aluminum cups, grill, bigger ear cups, leather headband. The full meal deal.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wanted to get my girlfriend a 225i and do a lot of custom work with it for our anniversary but it was super expensive at the time. Still might do it down the line.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah, I'm currently in the process of modifying the _everything_ on my SR80i's. New aluminum cups, grill, bigger ear cups, leather headband. The full meal deal.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Nothing much has changed. Decided to add a EF2A since I was getting tired of all the cables my JBL speakers had. It was taking up too much space.
   

   

  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I wanted to get my girlfriend a 225i and do a lot of custom work with it for our anniversary but it was super expensive at the time. Still might do it down the line.


 


  You should. From what I know, modding Grado's is one of the most fun activities to do around here on Head-Fi.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote:


destroysall said:


> The more the merrier!   I like this setup.  How are the HD 595s paired with the FiiO e10??


 


  The HD595s sound very fun on the E10! Especially a good pairing with the bass boost setting. The mid setting also sounds quite nice with rock and metal. By default, the E9 seems to be a bit more detailed and open, however, albiet having less bass than the E10s boosted setting. As a DAC, the E10 seems to be more or less on par with my unmodified Essence ST. Whatever HPs you pair it with, though, the E10 is a steal at $80! 


  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> that is nice set-up but no acoustic treatment? fiberglass people! fiberglass! it's dirt cheap and amazing at absorbing frequencies across the band from 20hz-20khz. i just finished my room over the weekend with big roll of fiberglass i bought. love the dead sound in my room now.


 


  We're about to sell our house and move, so I figured I'd wait till the new place, then do some cheap acoustic treatment


----------



## Lou Erickson

All the great pictures got to me, and I took a new photo.
   

   
  What you can't see is the Squeezebox Classic (the remote is there!) that hooks this stack of vintage gear to my server full of Ogg files.  There's also a pair of cheap ($20 or less) JVC speakers just so it can put sound into the room.
   
  The Marantz SE-1/EE-1 electrostatic headphones aren't working; they were a whim off of eBay.  The Stax SRD-7 and SR-X Mark 3 weren't a whim and work very well, despite looking a bit ragged.
   
  The Marantz 2220 tuner works surprisingly well considering its age.  I spent yesterday afternoon hitting it with contact cleaner, and it's like a new system.  The Marantz 6300 TT was professionally serviced, however, and works great.  Well, except for the stuck foot and the failing timing light.  Fixes for those are coming.  
   
  For being about the same age I am (I am older by a coule or three years) this system has a lovely sound and I really enjoy listening to it.  I have other systems, for other uses, but this one winds up playing a lot of music.
   
  As a note, no, I usually don't use CDs directly.  I have a vintage PCDP that can plug into this but usually just rip them onto the server where they are available from all my systems.  We have three squeezeboxen in the house and many computers.  Even my phone gets a copy of the music libary, via rsync.  
   
  The turntable, however, I do spin discs on.  It's a different thing.
   
  My next big purchase is probably a record cleaning machine.  My vinyl is in awful shape, all being inherited and from second-hand stores.


----------



## RestoredSparda

....


----------



## RestoredSparda

If you don't mind me asking, what do you use the EF2A for? I was curious as it's right next to your Schiit, which I'm sure you prefer, and you mentioned something about replacing speakers w/ too many cables? Is it possible your using the EF2A as a part of your speaker system? 
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Nothing much has changed. Decided to add a EF2A since I was getting tired of all the cables my JBL speakers had. It was taking up too much space.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah, I'm currently in the process of modifying the _everything_ on my SR80i's. New aluminum cups, grill, bigger ear cups, leather headband. The full meal deal.


 

 been there, done that..
   
  Upgrade to magnum drivers. You will *not* be dissapointed. Don't get me wrong, the sr80i drivers are nice, I'm listening to a pair right now, in aluminum actually. My magnum drivers will be in tomorrow. But, the magnums are in a tier of their own. 
   


  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I wanted to get my girlfriend a 225i and do a lot of custom work with it for our anniversary but it was super expensive at the time. Still might do it down the line.


 

 I would also suggest magnums to you over the 225i's.. I am transitioning from 225i's to magnums right now, You can build a pair of magnums for about the same price as a custom 225i, if you do it right.


----------



## Draygonn

morbidtoaster said:


>



Baltimore Ravens colors! Beautiful MT.


----------



## kingpage

The paint job could have ruined the sound quality.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> The paint job could have ruined the sound quality.


 


  he should have gone with silver paint. *shakes head*


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> If you don't mind me asking, what do you use the EF2A for? I was curious as it's right next to your Schiit, which I'm sure you prefer, and you mentioned something about replacing speakers w/ too many cables? Is it possible your using the EF2A as a part of your speaker system?


 

 I removed my JBL Speakers because there were too many cables, 5 in total, and they were hogging the power strip. As for the EF2A, I replaced my speakers with that. My Schiit  sounds a lot better, but if I want to hear what the computer is playing then I'll just hook up my HD650's to the EF2A.
   


  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> been there, done that..
> 
> Upgrade to magnum drivers. You will *not* be dissapointed. Don't get me wrong, the sr80i drivers are nice, I'm listening to a pair right now, in aluminum actually. My magnum drivers will be in tomorrow. But, the magnums are in a tier of their own.


 

 Yeah. People have wanted me to review those, but they didn't really appeal to me much. I'll have to look into them again.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yeah. People have wanted me to review those, but they didn't really appeal to me much. I'll have to look into them again.


 


  What didn't appeal to you?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> What didn't appeal to you?


 


   
  Ive grown off the Grado sound, and really jut wasn't very interested.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Ive grown off the Grado sound, and really jut wasn't very interested.


 

 Have you actually heard the magnums? Or are you just writing them off as another Grado? Just curious, you can and will do whatever you want


----------



## RexAeterna

chrislangley4253 said:


> he should have gone with silver paint. *shakes head*




naw. red would of worked better. blue just makes the treble darker. you don't want to do that on a headphone with already rolled off treble response. the red will give it hotter sound and even it out on top.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





lou erickson said:


> All the great pictures got to me, and I took a new photo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I like that 70's Marantz gear - very nice.
   
  When I come home with a stack of records from the 2nd hand store, I use a big metal salad bowl, a paintbrush and clear dishsoap.


----------



## jude

​ *(Click on above photo to enlarge.)*​   

 Audeze LCD-3 with Moon Audio Silver Dragon adapter cable
 Schiit Audio Bifrost DAC (with USB option)
 Ray Samuels Audio Apache fully balanced preamp and headphone amp


----------



## MorbidToaster

Jude. Please please please let me know how you think the Apache holds up compared to more recent 'high end' gear that you've heard. I didn't get any reponses in the thread I started about the Apache and I'm considering buying one to use a Preamp and Headamp in January.
   
  Much appreciated. It's a good chunk of change at 3k but if it's still quality for that much it's a bargain to use as the end of my headphone chain and the Pre in my speaker chain (ideally I could find one used for 2k here by then).
  
  Quote: 





jude said:


> ​ *(Click on above photo to enlarge.)*​
> 
> Audeze LCD-3 with Moon Audio Silver Dragon adapter cable
> Schiit Audio Bifrost DAC (with USB option)
> Ray Samuels Audio Apache fully balanced preamp and headphone amp


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> Jude. Please please please let me know how you think the Apache holds up compared to more recent 'high end' gear that you've heard. I didn't get any reponses in the thread I started about the Apache and I'm considering buying one to use a Preamp and Headamp in January.
> 
> Much appreciated. It's a good chunk of change at 3k but if it's still quality for that much it's a bargain to use as the end of my headphone chain and the Pre in my speaker chain (ideally I could find one used for 2k here by then).



At 3k I'd go for a fully balanced dual power supply Beta22. A lot more fun to build as well.
I never get people who buy such expensive amps. Headphones/speakers I can understand, but at high prices all amplifiers should essentially be fully transparent.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I don't have the expertise to do a B22 build or I'd do a  balanced B22 with pre outs.
   
  Is anyone still building them? That'd be ideal but the Apache is at the top of my list atm because it's just what I need. Just won't get to audition it so I need an idea of how it holds up to amps like the Darkstar, LF, and Leben. Any higher end comparissons are welcome actually.
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> I don't have the expertise to do a B22 build or I'd do a  balanced B22 with pre outs.
> 
> Is anyone still building them? That'd be ideal but the Apache is at the top of my list atm because it's just what I need. Just won't get to audition it so I need an idea of how it holds up to amps like the Darkstar, LF, and Leben. Any higher end comparissons are welcome actually.



Honestly it's not that hard. I built a Mini3 with no prior experience whatsoever, and not long after that I started building a B22 with which I am almost done.
It's not that difficult, you just need to have the patience.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

@wotts Very cozzy setup, man.


----------



## Mad Dude

Thought I'd take a few pictures while there isn't complete chaos on my desk...
   
   

   

   

   
  Meier Audio stuff, a T1, a Squeezebox touch, and a cheap Yamaha micro system. Lacking the CD player though, which died a sudden death two days ago... but then again I hardly use it anymore since the addition of the Squeezebox. I *do *still buy the CDs anyway


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Meier Audio stuff, a T1, a Squeezebox touch, and a cheap Yamaha micro system. Lacking the CD player though, which died a sudden death two days ago... but then again I hardly use it anymore since the addition of the Squeezebox. I *do *still buy the CDs anyway


 
   
  Nice photos of a very nice system, congrats 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  At least your main Yamaha unit still works. I have a 4-piece JVC system that sounded great when I put it into storage, and when I took it out the main unit won't turn on anymore. So I have a dual casette, cd player and tuner that won't work with anything else 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Oh well, the speakers are still theoretically good for something.


----------



## John In Cali

My newly reorganized room, I'll post some pictures of my computer room later. Really wish I could get rid of my bed and sleep on the floor so I have proper imaging and I could put my other floorstanders in here too. 
Sorry for the crappy phone pic. On top of the speakers are my K240 and my 940


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Thought I'd take a few pictures while there isn't complete chaos on my desk...
> 
> 
> Meier Audio stuff, a T1, a Squeezebox touch, and a cheap Yamaha micro system. Lacking the CD player though, which died a sudden death two days ago... but then again I hardly use it anymore since the addition of the Squeezebox. I *do *still buy the CDs anyway


 


  Simplicity at it's finest. Love how the T1 matches the Meier stuff.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





jude said:


> ​ *(Click on above photo to enlarge.)*​
> 
> Audeze LCD-3 with Moon Audio Silver Dragon adapter cable
> Schiit Audio Bifrost DAC (with USB option)
> Ray Samuels Audio Apache fully balanced preamp and headphone amp


 
   
   
  Nice.
   
  I like the spikes.
  
  I know you guys are all about the LCD-3 right now, but I'll happily take an LCD-2 and not even think "what if"


----------



## Timestretch

First picture taken a little while ago during day, lower picture taken at night.   
    
  I have a small bedroom in an apartment shared with a few other roommates. I spend the vast majority of my not-at-work time leaning back in my high backed, fake leather office chair, right in front of the computer you see in that image above.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





roker said:


> Nice.
> 
> I like the spikes.
> 
> I know you guys are all about the LCD-3 right now, but I'll happily take an LCD-2 and not even think "what if"


 

 Every time I see the Bifrost I can't help but think that it's one of the best looking DAC's and also one of the most sleekest looking. I'm also digging the look of the LCD-3's, but as Roker said, I'll gladly take an LCD-2. but, I will be thinking what it the entire time.


----------



## RexAeterna

coolzo said:


> We're about to sell our house and move, so I figured I'd wait till the new place, then do some cheap acoustic treatment




awesome! your gonna hear big improvement. i can't stress myself enough always recommending room treatment is a must. no one listens and then wonders why their multi-thousand dollar stereo system sounds like junk. dead sounding rooms are great for relaxing as well. i love sitting in my room hearing ''silence'' just doing some deep thinking. sitting in a dead room also helps re-tune your hearing cause it's good taking a break once in while. lot of people hate dead sounding rooms. that's why they add diffusers(like wood or something) to give it more liveliness.

fiberglass is way to go. cheap and has perfect absorptive properties. how thick and how much depends on how dead you want to make it sound. i like using cinder blocks as speaker stands(cinder. not concrete. cinder is different believe it or not. cinder material acts like a sponge absorbing reflections down to 100hz and so dense it kills your cabs resonance from directing itself to the floors and resonating in the room) as well. great way tighten bass response of speaker due to the density. great for putting sub-woofers on as well. well, good luck on your move!


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> awesome! your gonna hear big improvement. i can't stress myself enough always recommending room treatment is a must. no one listens and then wonders why their multi-thousand dollar stereo system sounds like junk. dead sounding rooms are great for relaxing as well. i love sitting in my room hearing ''silence'' just doing some deep thinking. sitting in a dead room also helps re-tune your hearing cause it's good taking a break once in while. lot of people hate dead sounding rooms. that's why they add diffusers(like wood or something) to give it more liveliness.
> fiberglass is way to go. cheap and has perfect absorptive properties. how thick and how much depends on how dead you want to make it sound. i like using cinder blocks as speaker stands(cinder. not concrete. cinder is different believe it or not. cinder material acts like a sponge absorbing reflections down to 100hz and so dense it kills your cabs resonance from directing itself to the floors and resonating in the room) as well. great way tighten bass response of speaker due to the density. great for putting sub-woofers on as well. well, good luck on your move!


 
  High frequencies can be absorbed by relatively thin material - heavy curtains placed in prime reflection spots will effectively absorb reflections. For lower frequencies (bass modes occur mostly between 20 and 200Hz), you need thicker denser material. 4" to 6" thick acoustic foam is best. I've never tried fiberglass but I would think it's good for reflections but too sparse/light to be effective on low frequencies unless it's tightly packed.
   
  My listening/theater room is open on one side and irregularly shaped, so bass resonance isn't a problem for me. I do have windows and bare walls on two sides though, so I use heavy curtains to attenuate reflections. Of course, my AVR has auto room correction EQ to fine tune the phase, group delay, etc. - things that you otherwise cannot control.
   
  Finally, having a "dead" room is just as bad as having a "live" room. Some reflections are necessary to add realism and depth to loudspeaker sound. The key is placing damping material strategically while still allowing some reflections to occur.


----------



## RexAeterna

palmfish said:


> High frequencies can be absorbed by relatively thin material - heavy curtains placed in prime reflection spots will effectively absorb reflections. For lower frequencies (bass modes occur mostly between 20 and 200Hz), you need thicker denser material. 4" to 6" thick acoustic foam is best. I've never tried fiberglass but I would think it's good for reflections but too sparse/light to be effective on low frequencies unless it's tightly packed.
> 
> My listening/theater room is open on one side and irregularly shaped, so bass resonance isn't a problem for me. I do have windows and bare walls on two sides though, so I use heavy curtains to attenuate reflections. Of course, my AVR has auto room correction EQ to fine tune the phase, group delay, etc. - things that you otherwise cannot control.
> 
> Finally, having a "dead" room is just as bad as having a "live" room. Some reflections are necessary to add realism and depth to loudspeaker sound. The key is placing damping material strategically while still allowing some reflections to occur.




for optimal listening and how to determine a speaker and amps performance i think dead sounding rooms a must. you'll see how the speakers dispersion pattern really is on and off axis and that will determine the height,depth,and width of the ''tweeter's'' soundstage and imaging capabilities. that's why speakers are always tested in anechoic chambers. some people find it bad but i think it's awesome. it just not good at all to play instruments in the room itself since they rely on ''echo'' in the room. but listening to music is different story cause if your speakers and amp are transparent enough it will play the ''room'' it was recorded in so you will hear the recording rooms own reverb and echo,ect. through the speakers without your room adding it's own reflections in the process.

it's not for all of course for everyone but me personally enjoy dead rooms very much. i guess i'm just weird or something. 

fiberglass is cheaper than acoustic foam and will work the same way. it's the thickness of the fiberglass that determines it's absorptive properties. mineral and rock wool works the same way but bit more expensive but it's a trade-off for certain people cause mineral/rock wool is much safer to work with unlike fiberglass. people rather spend the extra for safety reasons. curtains are great like you said as well. carpet is awesome as well and will help absorb down to the midrange depending how thick the carpet is of course. high frequencies down to the midrange is never a problem to eliminate with basic household stuff. just when it comes to the mid-bass down to the sub-bass rigid fiberglass or mineral/rock wool is way to go i think. i used 6'' thick fiberglass for my walls and i have a big roll of 9'' thick fiberglass wrapped in a bed sheet thrown in the corner behind my speaker to absorb from the mid-bass down to the deepest sub-bass.

hit up audio karma. they have forums dedicated for room treatment with measurements of different materials. great place to learn about treating your room and finding the correct measurements for your needs. they'll even help draw out diagrams and so forth for optimal positioning of the treatment used. they have a lot more knowledge then just vintage audio.


----------



## palmfish

I've been visiting Audio Karma for years. Great wealth of knowledge there.
   
  I imagine you need a very powerful amp (and efficient speakers) to get good volume with all the absorption going on in your room!


----------



## RexAeterna

palmfish said:


> I've been visiting Audio Karma for years. Great wealth of knowledge there.
> 
> I imagine you need a very powerful amp (and efficient speakers) to get good volume with all the absorption going on in your room!




i wouldn't say my amp is a monster but it can handle 2ohm nominal loads and has a true class A power amp section. my speakers aren't very efficient either at all with 87db@1w@1m so takes some good power to get them going. my room is not very big either so reaching high sound pressure levels is not very hard. the absorption help make loud listening less fatiguing due to no treble energy resonating in the air and being absorbed. just not very good when i want to play my guitar cause it sounds odd from it being vacuumed out and not allowed to echo against the walls so this area strictly music listening and relaxing for me.


----------



## wotts

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> @wotts Very cozzy setup, man.


 

 Thanks  Since I moved in, I've been here a lot been.
  
   
   
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Thought I'd take a few pictures while there isn't complete chaos on my desk...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 That looks sharp!  May I ask where did you got the desk? I am looking to switch out this corner unit someday (it's HUGE!) for a more traditional desk.


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Thought I'd take a few pictures while there isn't complete chaos on my desk...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I have to ask what you desktop image is? 
   
  M


----------



## Kudos

Quote: 





wotts said:


> That looks sharp!  May I ask where did you got the desk? I am looking to switch out this corner unit someday (it's HUGE!) for a more traditional desk.


 

 Look like an Ikea Jonas.


----------



## Joe-Siow

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Bad pic, sorry. Two setups, for each headphone
> 
> - LCD-2 Rev 1
> - Hifiman HE-500
> ...


 

 Any impressions on the Rein Audio X-DAC from Germany?
  Understand they are going for USD 780 now


----------



## fatcat28037

HA! That's the same Sealy Posturpedic desk chair I have.
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> I hope you like dust! Apologies for crappy flash pics:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





kudos said:


> Look like an Ikea Jonas.


 

  
  It's not exactly the same desk, but very similar. I think mine is a discontinued model, and it was only ~ 80$. Anyway, it's a cheap IKEA desk, so of course it's not made of solid wood and won't last very long. Mine already has a crack in the top plate. I guess I'm going to replace it with a real desk (not IKEA 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) next year.
   

  
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> I have to ask what you desktop image is?
> 
> M


 

  
  That's an image of a glacier (I think) from the NASA Earth Observatory. There's a lot of fascinating, very high-resolution satellite images on that site. I have a bunch of them set to slideshow and I caught myself more than once just staring at the Desktop...


----------



## mmayer167

Yea it caught my eye since i'm sort of an image analyst. check out modis today website for some fun stuff   
   
  M


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





joe-siow said:


> Any impressions on the Rein Audio X-DAC from Germany?
> Understand they are going for USD 780 now


 


  Quite fond of it actually. Musical, neutral and clear. Not as dark and less focussed on the bass as the Audio GD NFB3, I especially like it with the LCD-2s, it's a great match with the Violectric amp.
  Full review is due next week


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> x2. Yes, and Sundays too.
> Nice rig.
> And good to hear from you as well.


 

 Thanks. Hope you had a great trip a while back


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Thanks. Hope you had a great trip a while back


 
   
  Thanks. I did have a great trip back. KLM is such a great airline. I fell asleep and missed lunch service on the return to the States and when I woke up the flight attendant said they didn't want to wake me but if I wanted my meal now he'd serve it. I said yes--and a La Chouffe please! (No La Chouffe but I had a great flight anyway.) It's almost time to go back!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks. I did have a great trip back. KLM is such a great airline. I fell asleep and missed lunch service on the return to the States and when I woke up the flight attendant said they didn't want to wake me but if I wanted my meal now he'd serve it. I said yes--and a La Chouffe please! (No La Chouffe but I had a great flight anyway.) It's almost time to go back!


 

 Never had a bad flight on Air France/KLM


----------



## DVDRey

What is "la chouffe" ??


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dvdrey said:


> What is "la chouffe" ??


 


  http://bit.ly/v5t96l


----------



## RazorJack

Quote: 





dvdrey said:


> What is "la chouffe" ??


 


  It's a Belgian beer, that I personally am not very fond of. Quite hyped around here where I live though.


----------



## DVDRey

Thx for clarification, I ll have to revise my beer knowledge. .


----------



## chrislangley4253

About time I contribute.
   

   

   


   
  I'll post pics of the inside of the computer over on the comp thread
   
  Gear is as follows:
 v4 Magnums
  Matrix M-Stage
  Objective 2
  Gamma 2
  Maximo iM-590 case
  Etymotic case
  1984 IBM Model M Keyboard
  10ft Canare extender with Neutrik plugs
  Logitech G5000 (modded with Teflon discs)
  Func Industries 1030 Archetype Mousepad
  Haf 992 PC Case
   
  The first screen is my foobar set up
  The second one is a close up on some Lambdas


----------



## MorbidToaster

Such a great computer case. My tower of power was in one as well.
   
  EDIT: A 932, but same difference.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Such a great computer case. My tower of power was in one as well.


 


  Nice and roomy and cool.. A bit bulky, but it looks mean, so it's okay


----------



## wotts

I checked out the one Kudos linked. It would be a bit small for what I'm looking for. Thinking about going the executive route, but they are so pricey.

  
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> It's not exactly the same desk, but very similar. I think mine is a discontinued model, and it was only ~ 80$. Anyway, it's a cheap IKEA desk, so of course it's not made of solid wood and won't last very long. Mine already has a crack in the top plate. I guess I'm going to replace it with a real desk (not IKEA
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's huge, and weighs a ton (being a steel case), but it's got top notch air flow and can pretty much fit anything you want it to. When I upgraded I sold my i7 build to my grandmother of all people. She now has a 932 under her desk. 
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> Nice and roomy and cool.. A bit bulky, but it looks mean, so it's okay


----------



## John In Cali

chrislangley4253 said:


> About time I contribute.
> 
> 
> I'll post pics of the inside of the computer over on the comp thread
> ...




so I am not the only one with a STAX background even though i don't own any.

Cheap keyboard(musical) Vintage(ish?) Kenwood amp, dual monitors, computer i built, Zune playing Lykke Li, Stax backround and head-fi open on the main monitor, fan under the amp and comp, and cheap truck subwoofer that is only used as footrest. I use the keyboard on my lap and mouse on my armrest, they just sit on my keyboard(musical) when im not using them.
And behind that.

My couch with vintage(ish?) Kenwood floorstanders.


----------



## MorbidToaster

OfficeMax chair. A...Zeal II if memory serves me?
  
  Quote: 





>


----------



## John In Cali

morbidtoaster said:


> OfficeMax chair. A...Zeal II if memory serves me?




Ha im actually not sure, a friend of mine gave it to me.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.officemax.com/office-furniture/chairs/product-prod2780362
   

  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## John In Cali

Just looked it up, not the Zeal II but it looks really close, only difference is the back extends all the way to meet the bottom, there is no gap, maybe the Zeal I?


----------



## jtaylor991

I wish there was a chair that went from directly behind my head and all the way down to my back to meet the "butt" piece AND it leaned back fairly far. Is that so hard to make!
   
  Also, what's with seats in cars that touch you until mid back and curve all the way back and the headpiece is like 1-2ft away? Makes it impossible to sleep in them on long drives (as a passenger). Kills my neck after 10min if I am even tired enough to fall asleep with the pain in the first place
  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Just looked it up, not the Zeal II but it looks really close, only difference is the back extends all the way to meet the bottom, there is no gap, maybe the Zeal I?


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://relaxtheback26.reachlocal.com/?scid=2192175&kw=5511410&pub_cr_id=11309598950
   
  You mean...Zero Grav Recliners? Welcome to the best chairs in the world, my friend.
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> *I wish there was a chair that went from directly behind my head and all the way down to my back to meet the "butt" piece AND it leaned back fairly far. *Is that so hard to make!
> 
> Also, what's with seats in cars that touch you until mid back and curve all the way back and the headpiece is like 1-2ft away? Makes it impossible to sleep in them on long drives (as a passenger). Kills my neck after 10min if I am even tired enough to fall asleep with the pain in the first place


----------



## jtaylor991

Yeah like that, but the leg part isn't necessary, and wheels would be nice since the chair I'm describing is after all an office chair.. I've been in a $40 Cabela's one and they're great!
   
  I'll post a pic of my current chair. My chair would be my favorite in the world most likely if it supported my head a bit. It leans back too. Maybe I can figure out how to measure how far it leans back. It leans back plenty for me! The executive type office chairs that do go behind your head and are described as I did my dream chair seem to never have a lean back feature, like they stay mostly upright except for maybe 2inches if you push back really hard before you just tip the chair.
   
  But, my chair doesn't have the height levers/controls etc but I haven't needed them yet. They would be useful in other's situations though I bet.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://relaxtheback26.reachlocal.com/?scid=2192175&kw=5511410&pub_cr_id=11309598950
> 
> You mean...Zero Grav Recliners? Welcome to the best chairs in the world, my friend.


----------



## John In Cali

Chair-Fi?


----------



## jtaylor991

YES. That needs to be a subforum. Good listening chairs thread! 
  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Chair-Fi?


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.head-fi.org/t/256822/chair-fi/45
   
  I think your dream chair is the post before the last one. 
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> YES. That needs to be a subforum. Good listening chairs thread!


----------



## RexAeterna

chrislangley4253 said:


> About time I contribute.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




old mechanical keyboards 

best way to go for best responsiveness. i use an old Dell mechanical keyboard. very responsive. doesn't delay like most USB keyboards. great also for when i play stepmania. usb keyboards doesn't have the responsiveness to keep up with 600bpm or greater tempo. 

the HAF is a nice case and i like the red lights even though i'm not a fan of flashy rigs with bling. it's very good case. i still need to replace my antec 900 i have. surprisingly it has more then enough room to house my 2 year old HD5870 that i got on launch. going for over 400 bucks at the time i can't believe how fast they sold. i got lucky and scored one off Tiger Direct.


----------



## RexAeterna

jtaylor991 said:


> I wish there was a chair that went from directly behind my head and all the way down to my back to meet the "butt" piece AND it leaned back fairly far. Is that so hard to make!
> 
> Also, what's with seats in cars that touch you until mid back and curve all the way back and the headpiece is like 1-2ft away? Makes it impossible to sleep in them on long drives (as a passenger). Kills my neck after 10min if I am even tired enough to fall asleep with the pain in the first place




i have an office max chair like that but don't know exact model. i found it in the trash lol. it was in perfect condition though so i grabbed it and cleaned it off. i'm 6ft and it extends fully from my head to the lower back,no gap in between. it's pretty comfty and i like the riser on it so i can have the chair up higher due to my long legs.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> old mechanical keyboards
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 the red lights are pretty low key, I'm planning to wire them up to a switch so they are completely optional, It comes pre-wired with a switch to the front leds, I just have to connect it in with the top and side fan.


----------



## jtaylor991

Lucky!
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i have an office max chair like that but don't know exact model. i found it in the trash lol. it was in perfect condition though so i grabbed it and cleaned it off. i'm 6ft and it extends fully from my head to the lower back,no gap in between. it's pretty comfty and i like the riser on it so i can have the chair up higher due to my long legs.


----------



## jtaylor991

I use a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate for my mechanical keyboard. I could survive with a regular keyboard though, I'm not addicted and I don't see a GIANT difference like some do. Build quality yes but not usability.
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> old mechanical keyboards
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jtaylor991

It sure is! $1500 doesn't seem overly expensive for something I will use so much. I oughta save up for that in the future 
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/256822/chair-fi/45
> 
> I think your dream chair is the post before the last one.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll probably have a Zero G recliner be the last piece in my audio rig.
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> It sure is! $1500 doesn't seem overly expensive for something I will use so much. I oughta save up for that in the future


----------



## jtaylor991

Sweet! Looks nice! I actually don't need the chair that terribly much since I have a listening station now in my basement (headphones) and an actual recliner for my stereo. I have a sectional couch too that is hard to work with. Terribly uncomfortable to sit in upright. I got such a great deal on it, I'd hate to sell it, and it's such a hassle to move, and I've moved it a few times now. I hope I can figure something out soon
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll probably have a Zero G recliner be the last piece in my audio rig.


----------



## mikerobe

This is my personal shrine to head-fi.org and the now-gone-to-a-better-place-but-still-sorta-lives-on-through-alo 32 ohm store in my city of Portland, OR.  Somewhere in my research of audio reproduction at home I came across an article by Henry Rollins that was best summed up by a quote somewhere along the lines of "I'm glad I bought the vinyl/lps/records."  My system will keep evolving (mostly due to awesome places like this).  But I am glad I am wasting my money on the vinyl.


----------



## mikerobe

Sorry, forgot about the most important part to head-fi.  Here is the headphone inventory.  Grados started it, ie8s cemented it, LCD-2s finalized it.


----------



## sphinxvc

Mike, what kind of record player is that?


----------



## palmfish

I looks like a Pro-Ject RM-1.3.
   
  That's a handsome setup Mikerobe.
   
  I was fortunate enough to be able to visit 32 Ohm before they shut their doors. What a great shop - It was great having a place like that in town but I guess it didn't make sense economically. Too bad...


----------



## grokit

Quote:


palmfish said:


> I was fortunate enough to be able to visit 32 Ohm before they shut their doors. What a great shop - It was great having a place like that in town but I guess it didn't make sense economically. Too bad...


 

 Wow, I was sure they would make it. First I heard of their demise, I was hoping to visit sometime. Bummer


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's half the reason I planned to move there in a few years. Ugh
  
   Quote:


grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> Wow, I was sure they would make it. First I heard of their demise, I was hoping to visit sometime. Bummer


----------



## mikerobe

It is, indeed, the Pro-Ject RM-1.3.  I don't know if I was sold some snake oil, but I dug that for a slightly inexpensive TT, I got some higher-end(ish) features.  Conical feet, motor that is detached, and it looks kinda purdy.
   
  As far as 32 ohm, I believe you can still visit all of those great people at wherever ALO is now (still in SE Portland).  It is by appointment only, so maybe it's even better.  So the great advice that I got is still available, albeit a little more exclusive now.


----------



## jbhildebrand

This is my work listening system:
  - Maverick Audio TubeMagic A1
  - iPod dock w/remote (usual source is a 60gig iPod Classic, but my iPhone was sitting in today)
  - Beyerdynamic DT770's
  - Crossfeed kit (housed in the red cigar box) from tangentsoft.net
   
  I'm thinking of switching out the A1 for my Littledot MkIII from home... I really don't need the speaker outs from the A1 at work, so I think it's going to become part of my PC audio system at home, and it'll give me more time to listen to the Littledot.  I LOVE the DT770's for work, it keeps the bustle of the office out without having to resort to hazardously high volumes and they're dead quiet for everyone else. (I used to get major complaints about the volume of my music when I was using my Grado's at work).  I'm on the fence about the crossfeed kit... it definitely reduces listening strain, but at the cost of muddying up the sound a bit too much for my taste.
   
  The only thing I'm missing now is an iPod dock that will give me digital out (and a DAC to go with it)  I'm thinking of the Pure doc.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> This is my personal shrine to head-fi.org and the now-gone-to-a-better-place-but-still-sorta-lives-on-through-alo 32 ohm store in my city of Portland, OR.  Somewhere in my research of audio reproduction at home I came across an article by Henry Rollins that was best summed up by a quote somewhere along the lines of "I'm glad I bought the vinyl/lps/records."  My system will keep evolving (mostly due to awesome places like this).  But I am glad I am wasting my money on the vinyl.


 

  Nice little system, so its at the ALO/32 Ohm Audio store now?
   
  Quote: 





jbhildebrand said:


> This is my work listening system:
> - Maverick Audio TubeMagic A1
> - iPod dock w/remote (usual source is a 60gig iPod Classic, but my iPhone was sitting in today)
> - Beyerdynamic DT770's
> ...


 

 I like it, congrats!


----------



## grokit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbhildebrand* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I really don't need the speaker outs from the A1 at work, so I think it's going to become part of my PC audio system at home


 

 The A1 D1 is a great DAC/amp for a PC audio system, very versatile.


----------



## mmayer167

the D1 is the dac/amp combo the A1 is just an amp.
   
  M


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Nice little system, so its at the ALO/32 Ohm Audio store now?


 

 They closed the old store (32 Ohm) and moved to a different building (ALO). I haven't been there yet (I live 3 hours away) but I understand it is not a storefront open to the public. It's by appointment only and most likely more of a warehouse for their online business. There is a thread here that covered the open house/meet they had a couple months ago...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> the D1 is the dac/amp combo the A1 is just an amp.
> 
> M


 

 Thanks for correcting me. I used to have a D1 and should have kept it, great little piece of kit


----------



## mmayer167

I agree, I had one for a while too. 
   
  M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Update: Got a hook for my extra cable, rearranged a bit.
   

   

   
  EDIT: Cables are a mess because of the rearranging. Power conditioner is a Furman M-8x


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Update: Got a hook for my extra cable, rearranged a bit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love the new Mac's. But, what keyboard is that?


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's the 'Logitech Illuminated Keyboard'. I've had it for about 4 years and have 0 problems with it. Soft white backlighting and low profile keys like a laptop. I prefer mechanical keyboards but this one still hasn't died yet and I love it. 
  
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Austin Morrow* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I love the new Mac's. But, what keyboard is that?


----------



## Killa Sound

my first step...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's the 'Logitech Illuminated Keyboard'. I've had it for about 4 years and have 0 problems with it. Soft white backlighting and low profile keys like a laptop. I prefer mechanical keyboards but this one still hasn't died yet and I love it.


 


  I'll have to look into that. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## OneFellSwoop

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Killa Sound* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> <snip>
> 
> my first step...


 


  What case is that for your iPod?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





killa sound said:


> my first step...


 

 Uh oh...It's a slippery slope from here


----------



## Toys

PC, Streamer II, Meng tube amp, Sr225i awaiting Bowl pads. Really keen on the arrival of the bowls, and when I get some short Audioquest cables I post a photo.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





killa sound said:


> my first step...


 


  a very nice step 


  Quote: 





toys said:


> PC, Streamer II, Meng tube amp, Sr225i awaiting Bowl pads. Really keen on the arrival of the bowls, and when I get some short Audioquest cables I post a photo.


 

 Wash the bowls when you get them with some soap.. Dry them with a hairdryer, It will make them a bit more comfortable initially.


----------



## Tilpo

onefellswoop said:


> > Originally Posted by *Killa Sound* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> ...



I have the same case (or at least identical in looks).

I don't know what model it is, but it's not really a good case; I scratched the metal back of the iPod as well as the screen.
It's not the end of the world since I use it for music only, but I still find it ridiculous that an official third party Apple product can damage the iPod.


----------



## Joe-Siow

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quite fond of it actually. Musical, neutral and clear. Not as dark and less focussed on the bass as the Audio GD NFB3, I especially like it with the LCD-2s, it's a great match with the Violectric amp.
> Full review is due next week


 

  
  Can't wait for your review my friend. I'm in the market for a mid range DAC for my Burson amp and an incoming LCD-2. 
   
  If the X-DAC is transparent and detailed then I might get me one of those.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's the 'Logitech Illuminated Keyboard'. I've had it for about 4 years and have 0 problems with it. Soft white backlighting and low profile keys like a laptop. I prefer mechanical keyboards but this one still hasn't died yet and I love it.


 


  I can't change songs on my Illuminated. Can you do that?


----------



## jbhildebrand

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Thanks for correcting me. I used to have a D1 and should have kept it, great little piece of kit


 

 I have a D1 at home, it's my home theatre DAC.  It's fed by my Sony Blu-Ray player and media PC, and feeds into my K12G amp and pair of Mordant Short speakers... I'll get pics of that setup posted here soon.  I love the D1, I want to pic up another for my PC at home to match up with the A1.  I've got a pair of Minimus 7's in the PC room that sound great... eventually the PC setup will be PC=>D1=>A1=>Minimus 7's


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


>


 

 I like how the CD cover art matches the grillecloth on the LCD-2. Nice setup!


----------



## MorbidToaster

It'll be even nicer when I finally decide what amp I'll be getting. 
   
  Dark Side of the Moon SACD. Aww yeah.
  
  Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> Quote:
> 
> I like how the *CD cover art matches the grillecloth on the LCD-2*. Nice setup!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah. It works fine on both my Mac and PC install. The Mac one just requires you to hold the Function key (Fn).
  
  Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> I can't change songs on my Illuminated. Can you do that?


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah. It works fine on both my Mac and PC install. The Mac one just requires you to hold the Function key (Fn).
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I do think it requires a component to work with foobar2000. foo_httpcontrol should do it IIRC. 
It might work with stock version of fb2k nowadays though.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *MorbidToaster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Dark Side of the Moon SACD. Aww yeah.


 

 Probably the only reason I would buy an SACD player ... well Pink Floyd in general.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah. It works fine on both my Mac and PC install. The Mac one just requires you to hold the Function key (Fn).


 

 I've testet that but it wont work!
   
  I can pause the song, but not change. Weird!


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





roker said:


> Probably the only reason I would buy an SACD player ... well Pink Floyd in general.


 


  Wish You Were Here also recently came out on SACD. Both remasters are very good.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> HA! That's the same Sealy Posturpedic desk chair I have.


 


  It's comfy, isn't it? :3 Birthday present from teh momma XD


  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> for optimal listening and how to determine a speaker and amps performance i think dead sounding rooms a must. you'll see how the speakers dispersion pattern really is on and off axis and that will determine the height,depth,and width of the ''tweeter's'' soundstage and imaging capabilities. that's why speakers are always tested in anechoic chambers. some people find it bad but i think it's awesome. it just not good at all to play instruments in the room itself since they rely on ''echo'' in the room. but listening to music is different story cause if your speakers and amp are transparent enough it will play the ''room'' it was recorded in so you will hear the recording rooms own reverb and echo,ect. through the speakers without your room adding it's own reflections in the process.
> it's not for all of course for everyone but me personally enjoy dead rooms very much. i guess i'm just weird or something.
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Wow, that post of mine spawned more conversation that I thought it would! Thank you both, I shall check it out!


----------



## B-Dawk20

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Thanks for correcting me. I used to have a D1 and should have kept it, great little piece of kit


 


  It sometimes feels like I'm the only one around here with a D1


----------



## N0sferatu

I've had this thing for a few months now and recently moved it to another part of my sound stage but since I don't believe I've ever posted up my other audio hobby here's my wonderful bass thumper.  My non-headphone audio station.
   
  Outlaw LFM-1 EX.  a.k.a. the coffee table lol
  http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/lfmEX.html
   
  Out with the old 10" and in with the new...


----------



## Graphicism

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


>


 

 That's a good looking table!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> I've had this thing for a few months now and recently moved it to another part of my sound stage but since I don't believe I've ever posted up my other audio hobby here's my wonderful bass thumper.  My non-headphone audio station.
> 
> Outlaw LFM-1 EX.  a.k.a. the coffee table lol
> http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/lfmEX.html
> ...


 

 MOAR BASS!!!


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> MOAR BASS!!!


 


  nothing like 100dB+ and holding it under 20Hz hehe.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> nothing like 100dB+ and holding it under 20Hz hehe.


 


  I'd have such a hard time convincing my wife/guests that it is NOT a place to set your drinks/dinner.


----------



## Audio-Omega

Sony SCD-XA3000ES  >>  audio-gd NFB-8.1  >>  Apex Peak and Volcano  >>  Sennheiser HD800


----------



## TheWuss

great rig, Omega.
  i certainly love my 800 from the Peak.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Obviously you need another one for the other side of the couch. Then they could be tables...until it shatters someone's glass while watching a movie.
   
  What sub is that exactly?
  
  Quote: 





graphicism said:


> That's a good looking table!


----------



## Audio-Omega

Yeah Apex Peak and Sennheiser HD800 is a good combination.


----------



## wildcat46734

After Christmas, I'm going to be looking to upgrade my overall setup. I currently have a macbook pro and an ipod nano 1st generation. Hopefully I will be getting an ipod classic for christmas but if not its not a big deal. For headphones I have Grado SR-80i with leather headband, holes punched, dyanamat on the driver, and wooden cups. I am looking to buy both a DAC and an amp. I was looking at either the Little Dot MKI or MKII tube amps. How nicely do either of those sound with modified grados? Also should i use an optical cable out of my mac or a LOD out of my ipod? Finally will I need to get a DAC? If so what would you suggest thats fairly cheap (preferably <100 but can go up to 150). Thanks for the help


----------



## N0sferatu

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> I'd have such a hard time convincing my wife/guests that it is NOT a place to set your drinks/dinner.


 


  I agree and that's why I moved it to the front.  Don't mind the mess of wires I got lazy when I took this photo.
   

   

  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Obviously you need another one for the other side of the couch. Then they could be tables...until it shatters someone's glass while watching a movie.
> 
> What sub is that exactly?


 


   
  With the plexiglass top I could use them as tables.  I find it sounds better in the front so I moved it up no more table haha.
   
  I mentioned in my first post up a little bit the model and a link to it.  It's a Outlaw LFM-1 EX.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





n0sferatu said:


> I agree and that's why I moved it to the front.  Don't mind the mess of wires I got lazy when I took this photo.
> 
> With the plexiglass top I could use them as tables.  I find it sounds better in the front so I moved it up no more table haha.
> 
> I mentioned in my first post up a little bit the model and a link to it.  It's a Outlaw LFM-1 EX.


 

 Great setup! I should possibly consider getting rid of my desk and getting speaker stands, a bigger tv and i can just use that as my monitor.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





audio-omega said:


> Sony SCD-XA3000ES  >>  audio-gd NFB-8.1  >>  Apex Peak and Volcano  >>  Sennheiser HD800


 

 How is the Apex Peak? I have that coming next month and would love to hear exactly what it sounds like. Seems like it would be an awesome amp for both the Sennhesier HD650 and the Sennhesier HD800.


----------



## lextek

Not the best pictures.  AppleTV2, Cambridge Audio DACMagic, Schiit Valhalla and HD600s w/Moon Audio Blue Dragon.  
  The speaker set-up is same AppleTV2, DACMagic, Modded (Tweak-Kit) T-amp, original Paradigm Atoms and all Kimber cables.


----------



## Destroysall

Very cool mod!  I would love to hear your impressions on the Valhalla and HD 600 setup.
  Quote: 





lextek said:


> Not the best pictures.  AppleTV2, Cambridge Audio DACMagic, Schiit Valhalla and HD600s w/Moon Audio Blue Dragon.
> The speaker set-up is same AppleTV2, DACMagic, Modded (Tweak-Kit) T-amp, original Paradigm Atoms and all Kimber cables.


----------



## lextek

I'm loving the Valhalla with HD600/Blue Dragon.  It really nails the midrange.  Not a tubey sound.  Tough to beat for the price.  I did order a Bottlehead Crack for a project....................


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





lextek said:


> I'm loving the Valhalla with HD600/Blue Dragon.  It really nails the midrange.  Not a tubey sound.  Tough to beat for the price.  I did order a Bottlehead Crack for a project....................


 


  I've been considering a Blue Dragon for the HD650. Still, I don't know. I want something with cloth or fabric around it, like the Q-Audio cable. So far I have looked at Double Helix Cables, and the Zu Mobius (which I can't seem to find anywhere)....


----------



## Tilpo

austin morrow said:


> lextek said:
> 
> 
> > I'm loving the Valhalla with HD600/Blue Dragon.  It really nails the midrange.  Not a tubey sound.  Tough to beat for the price.  I did order a Bottlehead Crack for a project....................
> ...



Have you considered DIY? It's a lot of work, but the results can be absolutely stunning.


----------



## lextek

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   
  I had the Zu Mobius years ago.  Contacted Zu custom only now.  About $400.  My Blue Dragon is DIY.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Have you considered DIY? It's a lot of work, but the results can be absolutely stunning.


 


  I have, but don't have the time, since I'm 16, and am in High School. I might just get the ALO Audio Cyro cable, seeing as they are only a 30 minute drive away and after auditioning them a few times, sound pretty good and make the HD650's cable look absolutely beastly.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I have, but don't have the time, since I'm 16, and am in High School.


 








 I had nothing but time in high school, and nothing to do with it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

He's also super busy reviewing gear. 
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> I had nothing but time in high school, and nothing to do with it.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> He's also super busy reviewing gear.


 


  and obviously has other hobbies.. I was talking strictly about myself


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wasn't calling you out or anything. 
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> and obviously has other hobbies.. I was talking strictly about myself


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> I had nothing but time in high school, and nothing to do with it.


 


  That was when I was in Middle School. In High School. Here's how my average week goes. 
   
  Monday through Thursday: School - Homework - Listen to Music - Head-Fi - Review 1-2 Products - Bed
  Friday Through Sunday: Listen To Music - Review 2-3 Products - Friends - Family - Movies - Bed


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> That was when I was in Middle School. In High School. Here's how my average week goes.
> 
> Monday through Thursday: School - Homework - Listen to Music - Head-Fi - Review 1-2 Products - Bed
> Friday Through Sunday: Listen To Music - Review 2-3 Products - Friends - Family - Movies - Bed


 
  My high school schedule
   
  Monday through Sunday - Sleep in school - WoW- Sleep in school- WoW
   
  For middle school, replace WoW with EQ. 
   
  Nowadays I casually internet, sleep through lecture.. study the morning of tests. Speaking of tests.. I have a math one on tuesday. I'll catch you guys on the flip side


----------



## B-Dawk20

Question for you cable enthusiasts. How easy are they to replace? Say for a senn HD650? Just want to know how my options will go in the future if I ever want to try out cable swapping.


----------



## MorbidToaster

As long as it's not hardwired it's an easy plug n play recable.
  
  Quote: 





b-dawk20 said:


> Question for you cable enthusiasts. How easy are they to replace? Say for a senn HD650? Just want to know how my options will go in the future if I ever want to try out cable swapping.


----------



## B-Dawk20

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> As long as it's not hardwired it's an easy plug n play recable.


 
   
   
  Hmmm, do most high end headphones have disconnecting cables? I just did some quick searching and it seems like the HD650 is indeed disconnectable and looking on moon-audio's website, they make their cables to be a bunch of different types(including the 650).


----------



## MorbidToaster

A lot of high end cans do indeed have removable cables. 
   
  HD650, 600, 800. LCD 2 / 3, HE5LE, 500, 6. 
   
  The most popular cables from aftermarket manufactures are the LCD series and the HE series cables.
  
  Quote: 





b-dawk20 said:


> Hmmm, do most high end headphones have disconnecting cables? I just did some quick searching and it seems like the HD650 is indeed disconnectable and looking on moon-audio's website, they make their cables to be a bunch of different types(including the 650).


----------



## B-Dawk20

oh ok then.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> A lot of high end cans do indeed have removable cables.
> 
> HD650, 600, 800. LCD 2 / 3, HE5LE, 500, 6.
> 
> *The most popular cables from aftermarket manufactures are the LCD series and the HE series cables.*


 

 I thought the HD650 has some pretty popular aftermarket cable attraction when it was in it's prime?


----------



## MorbidToaster

By most popular I meant they have the most companies making them from what I've seen. 
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I thought the HD650 has some pretty popular aftermarket cable attraction when it was in it's prime?


----------



## Audio-Omega

Apex Peak has plenty of power to drive HD800 and HD600.  It has good resolution as well.  The most important is the right tube and the good thing is that there is only one tube to roll.  
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/501934/apex-peak-volcano-review#post_6776561
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> How is the Apex Peak? I have that coming next month and would love to hear exactly what it sounds like. Seems like it would be an awesome amp for both the Sennhesier HD650 and the Sennhesier HD800.


----------



## ardilla

Bedside rig last week
  
   
  I had decided to finally get the Stax stuff, but after having it on loan I ended up not to. For some reason I was more fatigued by it than by what I had, and was somewhat dissapointed by the (too?) neutral midrange (but this I'd probably get used to)  -  and also it wasn't as comfortable as I hoped. Technically speaking it's superior, of course. Deep bass is amazing. Treble..... Anyway - I actually planned for my bedside table to look like this..... LOL


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> Bedside rig last week


 


  Bedside rig huh?
  Whats your main rig look like then?


----------



## ardilla

If you insist 
   

  
  Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> Bedside rig huh?
> Whats your main rig look like then?


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> If you insist


 

 Nice
   
  And what about your portable rig?


----------



## ardilla

Haha -  I bet you'll be impressed:
   

   

  
  Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> Nice
> 
> And what about your portable rig?


----------



## Tilpo

ardilla said:


> If you insist




 


ardilla said:


> Bedside rig last week
> 
> 
> I had decided to finally get the Stax stuff, but after having it on loan I ended up not to. For some reason I was more fatigued by it than by what I had, and was somewhat dissapointed by the (too?) neutral midrange (but this I'd probably get used to)  -  and also it wasn't as comfortable as I hoped. Technically speaking it's superior, of course. Deep bass is amazing. Treble..... Anyway - I actually planned for my bedside table to look like this..... LOL



Now I'm starting to understand why you are spamming the "Best looking tube amp" thread. 

What on earth do you do for a living to be able to afford such great riches?


----------



## kingoftown1

Loved seeing the Fostex in your main setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





ardilla said:


> If you insist


----------



## ardilla

Quote:

   


kingoftown1 said:


> Loved seeing the Fostex in your main setup


 
    


   
  Beautiful, isn't it )
   
   
       Quote:


tilpo said:


> Now I'm starting to understand why you are spamming the "Best looking tube amp" thread.
> What on earth do you do for a living to be able to afford such great riches?


 
   

  1) What do yo mean SPAMMING??
  2) My car is from the early eighties. All my furniture is 2nd hand. I don't drink nor smoke. I almost never eat out. I cut my own hair. I never wear shoes. I sold three of my kidneys.... Priorities, my dear Tilpo )
  BTW: If you think my setups looks expensive, you haven't spent enough time around this place.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 1) What do yo mean SPAMMING??
> 2) My car is from the early eighties. All my furniture is 2nd hand. I don't drink nor smoke. I almost never eat out. I cut my own hair. I never wear shoes. I *sold three of my kidneys*.... Priorities, my dear Tilpo )
> BTW: If you think my setups looks expensive, you haven't spent enough time around this place.


 

 Only three, what are you going to do with the ones that are left?


----------



## ardilla

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Only three, what are you going to do with the ones that are left?


 
   
  The remaining 5 kidneys is going to by me this.....


----------



## Tilpo

ardilla said:


> 1) What do yo mean SPAMMING??
> 2) My car is from the early eighties. All my furniture is 2nd hand. I don't drink nor smoke. I almost never eat out. I cut my own hair. I never wear shoes. I sold three of my kidneys.... Priorities, my dear Tilpo )
> BTW: If you think my setups looks expensive, you haven't spent enough time around this place.



I think you have more than 50% of the posts in that thread.

And true. I've seen far more expensive setups around here, but I won't name anyone 
Still a very impressive rig. You should be proud of it!

(That is, be proud of the rig itself. Be ashamed of how you collected the money)


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's one for 25k on Audiogon now. 
   
  Also, a chair like that is my last purchase after I complete my speaker set up.
   
  That one is probably (roughly) 3 grand.
  
  Quote: 





ardilla said:


> The remaining 5 kidneys is going to by me this.....


----------



## ardilla

tilpo said:


> I think you have more than 50% of the posts in that thread.
> And true. I've seen far more expensive setups around here, but I won't name anyone
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  I'm very happy with my stuff (though there's always something to upgrade  I'm especially happy with the Cary SLI-80 which is by far the best headphones amp I've heard. Some claim it betters the Lebens that are much discussed around here. It is also fabulous with speakers. For it's price my Creek SS amp is also a double great headphone+speakers amp. All Creek's are supposedly good with headphones. 
  BTW, *Tilpo*, I think I'll go ahead and post a picture in the *best looking tube amp thread *


----------



## RestoredSparda

Here's my current setup....pales in comparison to a lot of the gear in this thread but I enjoy it!   =)


----------



## drez

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's one for 25k on Audiogon now.
> 
> Also, a chair like that is my last purchase after I complete my speaker set up.
> 
> That one is probably (roughly) 3 grand.


 

 Huh beat me to it on the chair lol.
   
  $25K for a HE90/Oprpheus - might have to photoshop a dialysis machine into the photo though, maybe also swap the Corb' Chaise Lounge for a hospital bed.  Sill worth it?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Here's my current setup....pales in comparison to a lot of the gear in this thread but I enjoy it!   =)


 

 How does the Fiio E7/E9 stack up to the HiFiMan EF2A?


----------



## Rawrbington




----------



## Austin Morrow

Waiting on the Schiit Bifrost, the Rein Audio X-DAC, and the Wyred 4 Sound uDAC. Which one to choose when they arrive....


----------



## Rawrbington

i envy your tidiness and your lyr.
  there's a reason why i didn't include my entire desk....
   
  its filthy


----------



## MorbidToaster

The silver always makes your photos look fantastic. Can't wait to see a picture like this with the Bifrost.
   
  Sucks that I had to cancel my Woo stand order but until my LF is paid for I'm not buying anything big for awhile.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Waiting on the Schiit Bifrost, the Rein Audio X-DAC, and the Wyred 4 Sound uDAC. Which one to choose when they arrive....


----------



## MorbidToaster

I work pretty hard to keep mine clean as well but my girlfriend insists on stacking her random junk on some of it. I clean it almost every other day. 
  
  Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> i envy your tidiness and your lyr.
> there's a reason why i didn't include my entire desk....
> 
> its filthy


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The silver always makes your photos look fantastic. Can't wait to see a picture like this with the Bifrost.
> 
> Sucks that I had to cancel my Woo stand order but until my LF is paid for I'm not buying anything big for awhile.


 


  Thanks MT. While I am anticipating the arrival of my Bifrost. I'm more interested in the Wyred 4 Sound uDAC: $399 - 24/192 - USB Input - as small as a palm. I'm currently reviewing the Valhalla, but maybe I should wait until the Bifrost arrives and add them to these photos.
   

   

   

   

   



  Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> i envy your tidiness and your lyr.
> there's a reason why i didn't include my entire desk....
> 
> its filthy


 


  Thanks, I don't have the Lyr, that's a Valhalla. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Ah, but see, I envy your WA2 a lot more than I love my tidiness.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's one for 25k on Audiogon now.
> 
> Also, a chair like that is my last purchase after I complete my speaker set up.
> 
> That one is probably (roughly) 3 grand.


 

 This chair is awfully similar to the one in the picture and less than $400. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Corbusier-Chaise-Lounge-Chair/dp/B001G3Y92A
   
  Get it now! List price is $3k!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Looks like my estimate was right on the money. Still looks like a cheap chair though. I'd prefer wood.
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Saintly* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> This chair is awfully similar to the one in the picture and less than $400. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Corbusier-Chaise-Lounge-Chair/dp/B001G3Y92A
> 
> Get it now! List price is $3k!


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





saintly said:


> This chair is awfully similar to the one in the picture and less than $400. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Corbusier-Chaise-Lounge-Chair/dp/B001G3Y92A
> 
> Get it now! List price is $3k!


 


  Holy cow it does say it's $2600 off, is that ligit?  I initially thought the rating was pretty low but one of the 2 raters was just an idiot.


----------



## ardgedee

I suspect a $400 version of a $3,000 chair is not particularly authentic. This has nothing to do with somebody cluelessly giving it a bad rating because he bought a cheap knockoff through some other vendor off some other site, but because there's no evidence that this particular vendor is any better._ (*EDIT:* If you check the seller of that "Le Corbusier" lounge selling for $400, you'll also find an "Eames" lounge, "Noguchi" coffee table, and so on, also at prices more worthy of knockoffs than originals. You know the occasional "Audio-Technica" headphones people find on Chinese websites and then complain here that they're flimsy and sound bad? It's like that.)_
   
  The real thing is probably sturdier than it looks. That's a large part of why the original costs so much. By contrast, knockoffs are probably not as sturdy as they look. That's a large part of why people get unhappy with them. The flaw in reasoning is assuming the knockoff was built in exactly the same way as the real thing.
   
  I'm always a little amused and a little annoyed when people here go ballistic over the price of quality furniture. A couple grand for something to sit on doesn't seem excessive in contrast with what we spend on things we put on our ears.


----------



## jtaylor991

And from the looks of it it doesn;t even support the back of your head. How terrible for a chair of that price, seriously. My neck would hurt after 10min with that thing bulging my neck forward and letting my head fall back over it 
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's one for 25k on Audiogon now.
> 
> Also, a chair like that is my last purchase after I complete my speaker set up.
> 
> That one is probably (roughly) 3 grand.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> I suspect a $400 version of a $3,000 chair is not particularly authentic. This has nothing to do with somebody cluelessly giving it a bad rating because he bought a cheap knockoff through some other vendor off some other site, but because there's no evidence that this particular vendor is any better._ (*EDIT:* If you check the seller of that "Le Corbusier" lounge selling for $400, you'll also find an "Eames" lounge, "Noguchi" coffee table, and so on, also at prices more worthy of knockoffs than originals. You know the occasional "Audio-Technica" headphones people find on Chinese websites and then complain here that they're flimsy and sound bad? It's like that.)_
> 
> The real thing is probably sturdier than it looks. That's a large part of why the original costs so much. By contrast, knockoffs are probably not as sturdy as they look. That's a large part of why people get unhappy with them. The flaw in reasoning is assuming the knockoff was built in exactly the same way as the real thing.
> 
> I'm always a little amused and a little annoyed when people here go ballistic over the price of quality furniture. A couple grand for something to sit on doesn't seem excessive in contrast with what we spend on things we put on our ears.


 

 For $400 it is definitely a reproduction, built by who knows, probably with flimsy steel tubing.  I'm amazed with the cr4p you can find on Amazon.


----------



## Lloyd84




----------



## Kojaku

That's my rig in its not-at-school form. The usual school form includes a 32-inch Samsung monitor and some Altec Lansing AV2620s. 
   

   
  All the non-essentials (excluding the DAC and amp of course, but that's for later). The monitor's an old Dell one I salvaged from my Dad's old desktop and the old Yamaha computer speakers are there for when I need a bit better locative sound (Gaming, etc.). The Razer Naga is there for precision gaming, with button mapping for browsing, music, and general use .
   

   
  My little beast. Ironically named "Mac", he's an alienware m15x with specs too long to list, unless of course someone asks...
   

   
  My DAC/amp setup. On the left is my JDS Labds CmoyBB v2.03. It's fed via a 26 AWG gold/copper alloy interconnect made for me by head-fi member Chris_Himself and sourced by my FiiO E10, which by the way has great technicals for a cheap DAC. In the middle is my ALO Audio 24AWG Cryo Silver Cricket LOD for making the Cmoy portable.
   
  Aaaaaand hear come my headphones/IEMs in no particular order...
   

   
  My HiFiMan RE-262s. Fantastically clean, yet musical, mid-centric dynamic IEM.
   
   

  My Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10s. Viciously articulate, detailed almost to a fault, and lots of fun for a triple-armature.
   

   
   
  An early Christmas gift from the most wonderful and audiophile-tolerant girlfriend ever. V-moda Crossfade M-80s. The new portable, semi-open headphone sensation that's sweeping the head-fi nation. Sexy mids, authoritative bass, and smooth treble.
   

  My lovelies. Grado SR225i enclosed in African mahogany cups by Cabillas, with a 24AWG Solid-Core Cryo Silver recable with MDPC-X Grey Sleeving and DHC 1/8-inch termination by Chris_Himself, and a sheepskin leather headband with padding by yours truly. Sparkly, detailed, but not sizzly highs. Punchy, clean, but not overwhelming bass. AND OH GOD THE MIDS. Lush, yet detailed. Mmmm.
   
  Missing from this line-up are my Fostex T50RPs, currently out for modding.
   
  Sorry if this post was TL;DR status!
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





lloyd84 said:


>


 


  Ragdoll?


----------



## ardilla

Quote: 





drez said:


> Huh beat me to it on the chair lol.
> $25K for a HE90/Oprpheus - might have to photoshop a dialysis machine into the photo though, maybe also swap the Corb' Chaise Lounge for a hospital bed.  Sill worth it?


----------



## Lloyd84

Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> Ragdoll?


 

 Himalayan Colourpoint by the name of Charlotte.  LOVES a camera.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





ardilla said:


>


 

 Gold!  Almost missed it lol.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I think I could live with that.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> How does the Fiio E7/E9 stack up to the HiFiMan EF2A?


 


  No comparison amp wise. DAC wise there is a bit more background noise / hiss on the EF2A while the Fiio is dead silent. I use the music streamer II with the EF2A though and with that combo the E7/E9 is really just a paper weight I plug in every so often to remind me of what I used to listen to.


----------



## MorbidToaster

OfficeMax chair? Then again, I think it's a Serta so you may have gotten it somewhere else. Good chair. 
   
  Nice Envy, too. The ink is ridiculous but it sure is a sexy printer.
  
  Quote: 





lloyd84 said:


>


----------



## Lloyd84

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> OfficeMax chair? Then again, I think it's a Serta so you may have gotten it somewhere else. Good chair.
> 
> Nice Envy, too. The ink is ridiculous but it sure is a sexy printer.


 


  Not too sure on the brand, but it came from Costco (so awesome to finally have it in Aus!).  Yeah, the ink is $$$, fortunately I only print once in a blue moon.  TBH it was more a case of form over function, and the fact that I got it new for $149 AUD.


----------



## shaunybaby

''My little beast. Ironically named "Mac", he's an alienware m15x with specs too long to list, unless of course someone asks...''
   
  i would like to know


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





kojaku said:


>


 

 Loving the M15x.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




It's a shame Alienware is only including the magnesium alloy chassis for the M18x now to keep costs down.
   
  Here's my current set-up: Beyerdynamic T1, Meier Corda Concerto, Alienware M15x, and HRT MS II behind the laptop.
   
*EDIT:  I can't seem to get a photo to appear here using Flickr or Imageshack.  Can someone help?*


----------



## wotts

Charlotte looks a lot like my himalayan. Orion is a doll face bluepoint.
   

   
  He was helping me build the b22. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The other himalayan is a flame point who goes by Mr. Sophie. There's good story behind his name.
   

   
  He was waiting for Orion to get out the chair so he could help.

  
  Quote: 





lloyd84 said:


> Himalayan Colourpoint by the name of Charlotte.  LOVES a camera.


----------



## Kojaku

Alienware M15x "Mac":
   
  -Intel 940XM (Core i7 Quad-Core extreme edition) OC'ed to 2.5gHz/3.5gHz (turbo boost)
  -ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850, 1GB GDDR5, OC'ed to 800/1100
  -8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3, 1600 speed
  -500 GB 7200 RPM Samsung Hard Drive
  -Samsung BD-ROM Combo drive
  -Full_HD 1920x1080 capable 15.6-inch screen
  -Additional cooling provided by Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste, additional cooling fins on both processor and video card.


----------



## Draygonn

ardilla said:


>






rawrbington said:


>




Nice. WA2s are gorgeous.


----------



## ardilla

Quote:  





> Nice. WA2s are gorgeous.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> The remaining 5 kidneys is going to by me this.....


 

 Thank you for the ad! This ad is live an audio orgasm in audio heaven.


----------



## Lloyd84

Quote: 





wotts said:


> Charlotte looks a lot like my himalayan. Orion is a doll face bluepoint.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  The do love to "help", don't they?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Here are my three.
   
  Miss Lily

   
  Miss Charlie

   
  Raggy

   
   
  /kitties
  begin: audio porn


----------



## dagothur

Cat-fi.


----------



## ardgedee

Cat-fi.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Man those are some gorgeous cats.


----------



## Destroysall

Only 96 pages later, I must comment on your setup!  It's amazing!!  Definitely does make me entirely envious!  Dell Triple Monitor Setup, HD 800, WA22, Woo Audio Stand, Fractal Design case, a Shag Rug (where can I get one like that, btw?), just gorgeous!!
  
  Quote: 





danne said:


> Overveiw
> 
> 
> Close up
> ...


----------



## roker

what are you using for a DAC?


----------



## MacedonianHero

^^^ Too funny, change out your black WA22 (same tubes right now as you) with a silver one and add a W4S Dac-2 and we have the exact same rig...including the Balanced Cardas HD800 cables.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Only 96 pages later, I must comment on your setup!  It's amazing!!  Definitely does make me entirely envious!  Dell Triple Monitor Setup, HD 800, WA22, Woo Audio Stand, Fractal Design case, a Shag Rug (where can I get one like that, btw?), just gorgeous!!


 


  mine will be kinda like that. except a WA6SE and more mid-fi headphones. do plan on getting LCD-2 and T1s though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I keep leaning further and further towards the T1 as my 'other' headphone (aka. not my LCD 2). It just seems like the perfect pair, and I've heard the T1 is staggeringly good for gaming. 
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> mine will be kinda like that. except a WA6SE and more mid-fi headphones. do plan on getting LCD-2 and T1s though.


----------



## jamesnz

Quote: 





lloyd84 said:


>


 

 How are the quad speakers? I'm looking at getting a pair. Either 12l or monitor audio rx1s.


----------



## Destroysall

Lol, no mouse?
   

 Very awesome setup!!  I love tidiness.  How does Essence One pair with the DT250?
  Quote: 





lloyd84 said:


>


----------



## Tilpo

destroysall said:


> Lol, no mouse?



He's afraid that it shall be hunted by the feline creature presented in the second image.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> He's afraid that it shall be hunted by the feline creature presented in the second image.


 
  LOL.  Best to be safe then to be hunted.


----------



## Lloyd84

Quote: 





jamesnz said:


> How are the quad speakers? I'm looking at getting a pair. Either 12l or monitor audio rx1s.


 

 Utterly brilliant.  I lost count of how many different speakers I auditioned when first built my system, Focal, Monitor Audio, Dynaudio etc.  The Quads were the only ones I heard that seemed to present the music without their own flavour or colouration affecting the sound.  Now I just need to get them a room that will do them justice.  Also, they like plenty of power as they aren't terribly efficient.  The Quad 909 power amp I demoed them with was superb.
   


  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Lol, no mouse?
> 
> 
> Very awesome setup!!  I love tidiness.  How does Essence One pair with the DT250?


 


  Magic trackpad.  You can't see it properly due to it being pushed up against the keyboard, and my camera's over enthusiastic idea of proper exposure.
   
  The 250's are great with the E1.  Very nice to listen to, and if you have a lot of loudness war affected pop recordings it will smooth them out.  The E1 also has great control over the bass, so you get an excellent sense of rhythm and timing.  It's a very "musical" combination that does the best it can with all frequencies, rather than being super micro detailed, or MOAR BASS oriented, etc.


  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> He's afraid that it shall be hunted by the feline creature presented in the second image.


 


  Quote:


destroysall said:


> LOL.  Best to be safe then to be hunted.


 

  
  HAH! Trust me, it would be safe.  My cats have actually cornered a mouse once before, and all they did was stare at it.  I had to catch and release the little bugger.  (I couldn't kill it, by that stage it was so fat and slow it looked like a pygmy hamster - just too cute.)


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

not my full station, but here's my new headphone stand


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> not my full station, but here's my new headphone stand


 

 That's one way to store your headphones...


----------



## John In Cali

bee inthe attic said:


> not my full station, but here's my new headphone stand




Very awesome but it must be strange having people over.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Very awesome but it must be strange having people over.


 


  LOL. would be an interesting conversation starter......


----------



## Armaegis

What kind of pads are those mounted on the Grado?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> What kind of pads are those mounted on the Grado?


 


  he appears to be using beyer pads.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote:


john in cali said:


> Very awesome but it must be strange having people over.


 

  
  lol, i get more questions as to why i have 4 different headphones than comments on the _stand_.
   
   
  ....and yes, they are Beyer DT 770 pads and headband.


----------



## jtaylor991

How'd you fit those on there?
  
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> lol, i get more questions as to why i have 4 different headphones than comments on the _stand_.
> ...


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> not my full station, but here's my new headphone stand


 


  Why do you have a warheard on the table?


----------



## zenki14

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I keep leaning further and further towards the T1 as my 'other' headphone (aka. not my LCD 2). It just seems like the perfect pair, and I've heard the T1 is staggeringly good for gaming.


 

 For gaming I personally recommend the DT990/600 over the T1... more bass, and it's lighter on the head.
  Single side cable felt more casual and easier for long sessions.
   
  For music, I just love the T1


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> not my full station, but here's my new headphone stand


 
  Heard the c-pads really recess the sound. how do you like them? I haven't heard much about their sound quality.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## MorbidToaster

Current state with the loaner LF. I've put a down payment on one from the next run...I honestly don't want it to leave my house...and I don't want to go to work for the next few...weeks.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current state with the loaner LF. I've put a down payment on one from the next run...I honestly don't want it to leave my house...and I don't want to go to work for the next few...weeks.


 

 God. I love the look of the Liquid Fire. I don't remember who it was, but one of the representatives from Cavalli sat me down with the LCD-2 and the LF and it sounded magical.  Like a match made in heaven!


----------



## B-Dawk20

What a set up morbid! How does my boy MJ sound with that setup?
   
   
   
  Currently at my friends house, figured I'd take a few pictures.
   
   

   
   
  My D1 with with my M50s oh wait, I forgot something!
   
   

   
   
  There's mah buddy, forgot to put him in the picture. My computer is a custom inside an old compaq case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   

   
  Cable management? What is that?
   
   
  A few of my friends setup, he's not into audio much though. Convinced him to use the AD's for gaming though.


----------



## tink97

Here is my current setup for the computer LCD-2 rev 1 with q audio cable and dac mini cx.  I rather enjoy this combination very much and I have to say I really love the small footprint it has on my small desk


----------



## MorbidToaster

Best he ever has to my ears. It's a fantastic album...and man it sounds even better on the LF.
  
  Quote: 





b-dawk20 said:


> What a set up morbid! How does my boy MJ sound with that setup?


----------



## B-Dawk20

Time to add the Liquid Fire to your sig Morbid


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





tink97 said:


> Here is my current setup for the computer LCD-2 rev 1 with q audio cable and dac mini cx.  I rather enjoy this combination very much and I have to say I really love the small footprint it has on my small desk


 


  Awesome setup. How are you liking the LCD-2's (as if that hasn't been asked thousands of times)?


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current state with the loaner LF. I've put a down payment on one from the next run...I honestly don't want it to leave my house...and I don't want to go to work for the next few...weeks.


 

 Your "barneys" found a mate to mate with


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm moving back to stock felt tonight. I want to better evaluate the sound of the LF without the slightly thicker felt changing things. Plus I think the purple (while nice) is a bit much with the LF red and black scheme.
  
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Your "barneys" found a mate to mate with


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm moving back to stock felt tonight. I want to better evaluate the sound of the LF without the slightly thicker felt changing things. Plus I think the purple (while nice) is a bit much with the LF red and black scheme.


 


  Are you going to post a review of the LF when you are done with it? I'll be very curious to see if we are hearing the same things...


----------



## tink97

Hey Austin Morrow
   
  I actually really love the sound from the LCD-2, its basically everything people rave about it and I love it with the q cable because not only do I feel a clearer sound but its light as a feather so I never notice it when i wear the headphone 
   
  Over my journey on head fi I have owned alot of different headphones, mostly from wanting to hear how they sounded and I found the LCD-2 to be what I am looking for in the sound.  Very natural and great detail without a harsh treble, the soundstage to me sounds very nice also 
   
  Enjoy
   
  tink97


----------



## MorbidToaster

Maybe. Probably not until Febuary though as this loaner doesn't have much time on it (and neither does my Q cable). Just too many factors preventing a solid review at the moment.

  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Are you going to post a review of the LF when you are done with it? I'll be very curious to see if we are hearing the same things...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Maybe. Probably not until Febuary though as this loaner doesn't have much time on it (and neither does my Q cable). Just too many factors preventing a solid review at the moment.


 


  Oh. I know what you means. Sometimes it takes me 2-3 months to review audio related things. May I ask where you got the LF loaner? There is one down at ALO Audio which is 30 mins away from me that I can go down and audition any time. (lucky me).


----------



## Coolzo

Updated system pics are here (http://www.head-fi.org/t/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here/5910#post_7978161), fearturing my shiney new HS50Ms, the glorious successor to the infamous NS-10Ms!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Got mine from straight from Cavalli for a few days. Thankfully I live near HQ. 
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Oh. I know what you means. Sometimes it takes me 2-3 months to review audio related things. May I ask where you got the LF loaner? There is one down at ALO Audio which is 30 mins away from me that I can go down and audition any time. (lucky me).


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm moving back to stock felt tonight. I want to better evaluate the sound of the LF without the slightly thicker felt changing things. Plus I think the purple (while nice) is a bit much with the LF red and black scheme.


 

 Now that i think of it, the purple felt would look pretty cool with copper grills (below)


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Got mine from straight from Cavalli for a few days. Thankfully I live near HQ.


 


  Ah, very lucky. Isn't it nice to have a audio company nearby? I'm so happy that ALO Audio is so close.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


>


 

 I spy with my little eye one headphone that shouldn't be on that stand.


----------



## snapple10

lol,
  It has been around the longest.  I think that is my third pair , in over 10 years, then I found headfi
  I do not use it much but I guess I am loyal.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> lol,
> It has been around the longest.  I think that is my third pair , in over 10 years, then I found headfi
> I do not use it much but I guess I am loyal.


 


  As long as you have all those other high end headphones around, your good.


----------



## linuxid10t

Don't have a setup currently due to moving, but here is an old pic with all my headphones on.  From the inside out: generic earbuds, Grado SR-60i, Denon AH-D1100, Sennheiser HD595.


----------



## TheWuss

dang.  the hd595 could be worn by a giant.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


>


 

 yay another DL III and WA6SE combo1!!!! 
   
  love that dac. i got hd 650s, 325 as well lol.
   
  might buy hd 600s and t1 in the next couple weeks too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  may i also know where you got that headphone stand ? exactly what i need for my 5-6 pairs  of cans lol


----------



## IcedTea

After seeing everyone's head fi station I don't want to post a picture of my lowly gear 
   
  I still don't have a DAC yet


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> After seeing everyone's head fi station I don't want to post a picture of my lowly gear
> 
> I still don't have a DAC yet


 


  It doesn't matter if you have lowly gear. Post anything you want. All I had was a pair of SR80i's and my iPod when I first started. It's all good!


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> yay another DL III and WA6SE combo1!!!!
> 
> love that dac. i got hd 650s, 325 as well lol.
> 
> ...


 

 My hubby made the headphone stand for me about a year ago. 
   
  I like my current set-up but every time I get money, like now, I think of upgrading my gears.


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> After seeing everyone's head fi station I don't want to post a picture of my lowly gear
> 
> I still don't have a DAC yet


 
  please do post.
   
  Cost has nothing to do with it , Just enjoy music!!!!


----------



## slwiser

Squeezebox Touch + Lavry DA10 + SPL Phonitor with a Senn HD-800 on the shelf above.
   
  Setup is my easy chair setup while surfing the net on my notebook or half way watching TV.


----------



## hamoor

i dont like to brag, but this is the best setup that will let any audiophile drool over it


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

zenki14 said:


> For gaming I personally recommend the DT990/600 over the T1... more bass, and it's lighter on the head.
> Single side cable felt more casual and easier for long sessions.
> 
> For music, I just love the T1




Thank you for that comment on the DT990 vs the T1 for gaming.

I've always wanted to have a T1, as it sounds like the flagship for me, but I didn't wanna lose too much bass from the 600ohm DT990.


----------



## IcedTea

I love the missing earbud


----------



## bowei006

Mine's not that good. i've not spent much money on amps and DAC's or any of that yet.


----------



## Baird GoW

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Ah, very lucky. Isn't it nice to have a audio company nearby? I'm so happy that ALO Audio is so close.


 
  If I lived near ALO audio I would feel like walking in and harassing them anytime I passed the store. They are *mean *and *evil *people going off my experience with them.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> If I lived near ALO audio I would feel like walking in and harassing them anytime I passed the store. They are *mean *and *evil *people going off my experience with them.


 


  Is it their extreme prices or what?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> If I lived near ALO audio I would feel like walking in and harassing them anytime I passed the store. They are *mean *and *evil *people going off my experience with them.


 


  Hmm. I talk to them all the time. Ken and Caleb are quite nice people in person actually. Why do you not like them?


----------



## grokit




----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





grokit said:


>


 


  WA22 - DHX Cable - LCD-2 Rev. 2?


----------



## grokit

That's a Rev.1


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





grokit said:


> That's a Rev.1


 


  Sorry, I'm a noob.


----------



## 192405

Quote: 





hamoor said:


> i dont like to brag, but this is the best setup that will let any audiophile drool over it


 


 Im getting all hot and bothered over that setup :$ It's sooo. Expeeeeensive and nice...


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





elemein said:


> Im getting all hot and bothered over that setup :$ It's sooo. Expeeeeensive and nice...


 

 check out those buds... want


----------



## roker

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Is it their extreme prices or what?


 


  nice eye candy though.
   
  I just can't get myself to buy anything from them when they rape you with those prices.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





roker said:


> nice eye candy though.
> 
> I just can't get myself to buy anything from them when they rape you with those prices.


 


  yeah.. i had an :O face when I saw that their LOD's were $150....Well there's a reason why many portable setups use FiiO LOD's  i'll just stick to HPC22W wire


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





grokit said:


>


 


   
  No DAC?


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> No DAC?


 


  hmmmm, it's probably out of the picture.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> No DAC?


 

  
  You don't always need a DAC. I've tried the iPod > WA2 > LCD-2 and it sounded quite brilliant.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





grokit said:


> That's a Rev.1


 

 Sorry i just wanted to post after every comment i make instead of leaving it and too get my post count up


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Sorry i just wanted to post after every comment i make instead of leaving it and too get my post count up


 


  Your kidding me right. Umm, no. I couldn't care in the least about my post count.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Your kidding me right. Umm, no. I couldn't care in the least about my post count.


 

 Lets not fight, since thats not aloud at Head-Fi, and lets be real gentlemen about it. I literally see stupid comment made like that, where as it should be just left plane. No need to answer with 1 word. IMO thats just what i do, and you dont always have to respond to everything.


----------



## Melvins

too much herpin' not enuff derpin'


----------



## Jaysuu




----------



## Tilpo

jaysuu said:


>



Gorgeous setup.

What are the cans in the back?
And that amp kind of looks like the HifiMan amp (forgot model number). Am I correct?


----------



## grokit

Dac...


----------



## John In Cali

grokit said:


> Dac...




Like the LEDs on the Bravo(amp?) and the red letters on the Matrix(DAC?) almost looks retro for some reason. Whats it look like with your headphones? Or is it too hard for you to take them off or even move out of your seat with that wonderful set up?


----------



## grokit

Headphones are hanging out by the amp, although there's also a HD600 at the end of that cord somewhere 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  edit: the Bravo is a usb-spdif converter. The Matrix is a balanced DAC and SE headamp.


----------



## Wil




----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





wil said:


>


 


 Could you tell me the name of those speakers, and did you get them in Singapore? THX


----------



## Tilpo

redcarmoose said:


> Could you tell me the name of those speakers, and did you get them in Singapore? THX



They are Adam A3x's. The text is clearly visible on the second image.


----------



## Wil

Thanks for replying on my behalf Tilpo..
   
  Redcarmoose, those are indeed Adam A3x's.
   
  I got them from Luther music @ Coleman Street.


----------



## detoxguy

new toy


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Lets not fight, since thats not aloud at Head-Fi, and lets be real gentlemen about it. I literally see stupid comment made like that, where as it should be just left plane. No need to answer with 1 word. IMO thats just what i do, and you dont always have to respond to everything.


 


  Okay. I respect your comments, and I'll agree not to fight. I'll try to make my posts more in depth and contributive. As for posting in everything, I'll try not to do that either. I post when I feel like I should give input. If it's about something funny then I'll laugh along and joke around. If we are talking about something serious, then my posts are usually a little longer. Just know that in all honesty and couldn't care in the slightest it about my post count at all. Thanks for telling me though. I won't be as hyperactive.


----------



## Tilpo

detoxguy said:


> new toy




Very nice!

I'm thinking of getting a pair as well. I'll start collecting a small fortune right after I'm done with my Beta22. (currently waiting for new fuses, but delivery is very slow due to Christmas time)


----------



## eclipes

Another Update ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  Swans M200 MKIII  x  NFB-12  x  Yaqin CD3


----------



## sphinxvc

Wil, detoxguy & eclipes, nice photos.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Wil, detoxguy & eclipes, nice photos.


 


  Just feeling like I'm drunk when I look at them


----------



## fir3dp

wil said:


>





whoa thats tempting... i have the lyr and lcd2 too.. hows the speaker compared to the headphones? think ill screw iphone and go for the speakers  heck i can live with a cheap phone


----------



## roker

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> whoa thats tempting... i have the lyr and lcd2 too.. hows the speaker compared to the headphones? think ill screw iphone and go for the speakers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 I was considering buying an ipod for use when I'm at work (bigger HDD), but then I realized I can't live without the convience of downloading a random song when the need arises.


----------



## jtaylor991

120gb Zunes aren't that expensive on ebay and they have that. Unlimited for $15/month or pay by the song. It prefers MS points though but I'm pretty sure plain currency works too, it may cost like some tens amount of cents more per album or something though.
  
  Quote: 





roker said:


> I was considering buying an ipod for use when I'm at work (bigger HDD), but then I realized I can't live without the convience of downloading a random song when the need arises.


----------



## Choobaka

Here's my first contribution to this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   

   
  And my (relatively) old Nakamichi on an adjacent wall


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





choobaka said:


> Here's my first contribution to this thread
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  nice hd 598s!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





choobaka said:


> Here's my first contribution to this thread
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  Nice HD598's. How are you liking them with the Matrix M-Stage?


----------



## Hero Kid




----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





hero kid said:


>


 

  
  Fixed.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





choobaka said:


> And my (relatively) old Nakamichi on an adjacent wall


 

 I almost bought that same one a few years ago on closeout (about 300 and some change), does it hold up?


----------



## shamrock134

My man cave.


----------



## Choobaka

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> nice hd 598s!


 

 Thanks ^_^
   
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Nice HD598's. How are you liking them with the Matrix M-Stage?


 

 Thanks. I've also got a MusicStreamer II behind the monitor. I like this pair a lot for the HD598's. Don't know exactly how much is coming from each component, but the MSII+M-Stage adds a good amount of warmth to the overall sound sig. The mids are even more lush, and the bass doesn't leave me wanting (although I don't listen to bass-heavy genres). Overall, I think this pair helps round out the HD598 and addresses the criticisms of it being bass-light.
   
   
  Quote: 





roker said:


> I almost bought that same one a few years ago on closeout (about 300 and some change), does it hold up?


 


 I think I bought mine back in... 2006? I've had no issues with it to date. I use it if I'm on my bed, as my headphones don't reach quite that far. I don't do any particularly critical listening with it, but I find it quite enjoyable to listen to and it looks nice to boot.


----------



## IcedTea

I like the portal cube Shamrock


----------



## mmayer167

How audiophiles do movies! It's an old Toshiba hd-dvd player pushing bitstream via optical to the Bifrost and Lyr. The Vizio 1080p tv does the job just fine.  
   
  hope you like it   
   
  M


----------



## dagothur

All you need is a pair of LCD-2s and you'll have the perfect set up.
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> How audiophiles do movies! It's an old Toshiba hd-dvd player pushing bitstream via optical to the Bifrost and Lyr. The Vizio 1080p tv does the job just fine.
> 
> hope you like it
> 
> M


----------



## mmayer167

Indeed! wanna trade 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  I still cant get over how flippn awesome your lcd-2 sound with my bifrost-lyr combo! 
   
  M


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Indeed! wanna trade
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I'll have to think about it.  Maybe if I got a pair of LCD-3.
 Yeah.  That combo was absolutely fantastic.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> How audiophiles do movies! It's an old Toshiba hd-dvd player pushing bitstream via optical to the Bifrost and Lyr. The Vizio 1080p tv does the job just fine.
> 
> hope you like it
> 
> M


 

 Not saying your TV is bad or anything, but people seem dumbfounded that I have more invested in my audio setup than I do my TV.  I don't have cable either.  I have a computer loaded with lossless and 320 kps bitrate files and that entertains me just as well.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> How audiophiles do movies! It's an old Toshiba hd-dvd player pushing bitstream via optical to the Bifrost and Lyr. The Vizio 1080p tv does the job just fine.
> 
> hope you like it
> 
> M


 

 That's a great movie - one that screams for surround sound...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I love my headphones too, but until the movie (and record) studios embrace binaural soundtracks, I'll leave mine on their stand when I want envelopment.


----------



## mmayer167

^ agreed, the detail retrieval is what gets me with the headphone movie rig   
   
  M


----------



## chrislangley4253

bed time
   
  PC>Gamma2>Objective2>Magnum V4's


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ agreed, the detail retrieval is what gets me with the headphone movie rig
> 
> M


 

 I have no desire to watch movies (or play games) with headphones. But somehow, it's easy for me to suspend belief with music. I suppose all those years listening to music in stereo (with all it's flaws) made the leap to headphones easier for me.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> bed time
> 
> PC>Gamma2>Objective2>Magnum V4's


 


  Bed time for me as well. iPhone 4 - TTVJ Slim - HD650's


----------



## Jaysuu

Quote: 





jaysuu said:


>


 

 Quote:


tilpo said:


> Gorgeous setup.
> What are the cans in the back?
> And that amp kind of looks like the HifiMan amp (forgot model number). Am I correct?


 
   
   
   
  Other headphones I have are Sr60i, Ultrasone Dj1 and Pro 900.
  The amp is Mappletree Mad ear Super II


----------



## linuxid10t

This deserves one upping...  Think I will have to put EVERYTHING in my bed tonight...
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> bed time
> 
> PC>Gamma2>Objective2>Magnum V4's


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> This deserves one upping...  Think I will have to put EVERYTHING in my bed tonight...


 
   
  haha, I could have thrown the laptop in my bed and used that as a source, plenty of room when the girlfriend isn't here


----------



## ardilla

what's that screen-thing? 
  
  Quote: 





eclipes said:


> Another Update !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## JoeMarioZ

My Humble Station... Specs in the signature
   
  Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so I want another set of IEM's. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> My Humble Station... Specs in the signature
> 
> Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so I want another set of IEM's. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


 


  wow i like the q701, very pretty green color. i could even match it with some of the clothes i have!


----------



## The8thst

There isn't really a computer in this rig, so it will be a little different. I do have the logitec squeezebox setup so I can stream music from my computer, but 90% of the time I put a CD in and hide in the corner.

Headphone relevant equipment:
Carver C-1
Onyx xcd-99
Logitech Squeezebox

Other Equipment:
Parasound T/DQ-1600 Tuner
Panamax Surge Protector
Soundcraftsman MA5002A Amplifier (behemoth of an amp)

Not in picture:
Martin Logan Sequel Speakers (currently packed up to sell at my buddy's HiFi shop to partially finance something new)

Pictures:









and the big guys waiting to be loaded into the truck:


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have the Power Amp that matches your Carver. I'll be using it soon until I replace it with my (planned) W4S monos.
   
  What rack are those in, by the way?


----------



## grokit

Quote:


joemarioz said:


> Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so *I want another set of IEM*'s. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


 
    
  Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> wow i like the q701, very pretty green color. i could even match it with some of the clothes i have!


 

 What kind of tips do you put on those babies for a good seal inside your ears?




   
   
  My favorite universal IEMs are the JVC Fx700s.


----------



## JoeMarioZ

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> What kind of tips do you put on those babies for a good seal inside your ears?
> 
> ...


 


  Actually that is one of my main problems... the damn seal...


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have the Power Amp that matches your Carver. I'll be using it soon until I replace it with my (planned) W4S monos.
> 
> What rack are those in, by the way?


 


  Hey, I have an original Carver Receiver (MXR-130) that I bought new in 1985!


----------



## eclipes

haha its not audio related. Its just a digital picture frame but displayed as time and calender.
  
  Quote: 





ardilla said:


> what's that screen-thing?


----------



## TheOtus

Newest set-up. Got a pair of new tables. (When my parents visited, they told how nice the tables look. They are together the cheapest single part...) A new Dell screen with e-IPS panel, the colors on this thing are amazing. Here's an overview:
   

   
  Closer view of the DAC / amp and headphones:


----------



## eclipes

nice, love Dell IPS screens, you should have bought the single long table which is basically those 2 tables combined and without the 2 legs in front. Very similar desk setup like mine. Very Nice.
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Newest set-up. Got a pair of new tables. (When my parents visited, they told how nice the tables look. They are together the cheapest single part...) A new Dell screen with e-IPS panel, the colors on this thing are amazing. Here's an overview:
> 
> 
> 
> Closer view of the DAC / amp and headphones:


----------



## TheOtus

eclipes said:


> nice, love Dell IPS screens, you should have bought the single long table which is basically those 2 tables combined and without the 2 legs in front. Very similar desk setup like mine. Very Nice.


 

 Yeah, I would've preferred that kind of table but couldn't find one long enough. And the legs aren't in the way so no problem. = )


----------



## The8thst

morbidtoaster said:


> I have the Power Amp that matches your Carver. I'll be using it soon until I replace it with my (planned) W4S monos.
> 
> What rack are those in, by the way?




The pre-amp still sounds surprisingly good, and the headphone ouput seems to have a ton of power.

The rack is a Middle Atlantic Slim-5 20" deep. They are nice inexpensive racks for small jobs or for fitting into cabinets. They assemble in such a way that you can cut the rails to any length you need and the top still bolts on and provides all the support of an unmodified version.

10 minutes with a sawzall and you can have a custom height rack.


----------



## The8thst

I just realized that I should have taken a picture of the setup I was using to listen to a pair of SR125's when I dropped my speakers off over lunch. I didn't realize Scott had signed up as a Graco dealer, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a pair of SR 125s and a pair of SR60s on the counter.

It went like this:
Meridian Sooloos -> McIntosh C50 -> Grado ... and I must say I liked the Grados much better than I thought I would.












Now I just need to try to figure out if I will still like the phones with gear that mere mortals can afford (a recurring problem with my job).


----------



## MorbidToaster

Those look like Ikea tabkes and legs. 
   
  As a side note I used to use four 4' white plastic tabkes as a modular desk system. Had them in a big L desk at one point, an 8' long 4' deep desk at on point, and even a big square at one point. Lots of options.
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Yeah, I would've preferred that kind of table but couldn't find one long enough. And the legs aren't in the way so no problem. = )


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> My Humble Station... Specs in the signature
> 
> Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so I want another set of IEM's. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


 

 Nice setup, now are you liking the Q701's? Mine come in a  few days. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now, as for the recommendations, you have $500 to spend? That's a lot of options. Can you tell me what you are looking for in terms of your preferred sound signature.


----------



## jtaylor991

What's the thing farthest to the left?
  
  Quote: 





the8thst said:


> I just realized that I should have taken a picture of the setup I was using to listen to a pair of SR125's when I dropped my speakers off over lunch. I didn't realize Scott had signed up as a Graco dealer, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a pair of SR 125s and a pair of SR60s on the counter.
> It went like this:
> Meridian Sooloos -> McIntosh C50 -> Grado ... and I must say I liked the Grados much better than I thought I would.
> 
> ...


----------



## The8thst

jtaylor991 said:


> What's the thing farthest to the left?




http://www.meridian-audio.com/sooloos/

It is a digital media storage and playback system made by Meridian Sound. They are a very elite level audio company that specializes in 2-channel and surround sound signal processing and loud speakers.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





the8thst said:


> There isn't really a computer in this rig, so it will be a little different. I do have the logitec squeezebox setup so I can stream music from my computer, but 90% of the time I put a CD in and hide in the corner.
> Headphone relevant equipment:
> Carver C-1
> Onyx xcd-99
> ...


 

 Nice man cave and Martin Logans!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> My Humble Station... Specs in the signature
> 
> Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so I want another set of IEM's. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


 
  I would go for the Yulong D100.  I tried the combo recently, and it was extremely pleasing.


----------



## jtaylor991

I found a store near me but the retailers that carry this kind of stuff don't seem to like to tell you prices. How much was yours? I've been looking for an interface like that for SO LONG! Zune is close with the looks (GUI) but now that I know it exists that thing to shuffle your albums to keep all your music playing every once in a while is so interesting.
  
  Quote: 





the8thst said:


> http://www.meridian-audio.com/sooloos/
> It is a digital media storage and playback system made by Meridian Sound. They are a very elite level audio company that specializes in 2-channel and surround sound signal processing and loud speakers.


----------



## JoeMarioZ

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Nice setup, now are you liking the Q701's? Mine come in a  few days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Well, they're great.. I personally don't believe in the burning effect, I think my ears just have to get used to the sound. Bass is great, a little shy, but great for my taste,treble is very present, highs are excellent. and the HUD MX1 is a great companion and has no problem riding them. As for my sound preference, I love reggae mostly, and instrumental music, still haven't scratched that far to know about sound signatures though...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> Well, they're great.. I personally don't believe in the burning effect, I think my ears just have to get used to the sound. Bass is great, a little shy, but great for my taste,treble is very present, highs are excellent. and the HUD MX1 is a great companion and has no problem riding them. As for my sound preference, I love reggae mostly, and instrumental music, still haven't scratched that far to know about sound signatures though...


 


  Awesome. I get mine on Saturday. I'm hoping they will be a good contrast to the HD650. Hopefully they fit my rather small head.


----------



## The8thst

jtaylor991 said:


> I found a store near me but the retailers that carry this kind of stuff don't seem to like to tell you prices. How much was yours? I've been looking for an interface like that for SO LONG! Zune is close with the looks (GUI) but now that I know it exists that thing to shuffle your albums to keep all your music playing every once in a while is so interesting.




Generally if you have to ask how much Meridian costs you can't afford it.

I don't have one, but I work in the ultra high end home automation industry and my friend has it setup as a demo in his store. I don't sell the Meridian myself, but I would estimate a retail price in the $12,000 range for a single zone with the touch screen.

Another option that is slightly less and will do DVDs as well as music with a better interface is Kaleidescape. The Kscape Cinema One is around $6-7k retail and you control it with included remote and plug in HDMI to any TV for arguably the best media server UI available.

Another option is a company called Audio Request (www.request.com but their site is down right now because they are moving to a larger office space). It doesn't have as good of an onscreen UI, but the web interface is pretty good.

Or you could go the common man's way and build a home theater PC (with a touch screen monitor if you choose) for considerably less money.


----------



## The8thst

cifani090 said:


> Nice man cave and Martin Logans!




Thanks man. It has taken a long time to save up the money to put it together. The Martin Logans are now gone and sitting on consignment in my local HiFi shop to make room for something that will actually create some pressure and move some air. The electrostatic speakers did sound nice, but I just couldn't fell the music with them.

I am leaning towards the new Revel line that will be released at CES or B&W as the successor to the Logans.


----------



## IcedTea

Its also paired with a DT880 on the right side. Still no DAC yet  
   
  I'm just worried that I won't be able to hear a GIANT difference with a DAC in part of the rig. It was like night and day when I got the valhalla for my phones, would you guys know if it will be another super upgrade with a DAC?


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Its also paired with a DT880 on the right side. Still no DAC yet
> 
> I'm just worried that I won't be able to hear a GIANT difference with a DAC in part of the rig. It was like night and day when I got the valhalla for my phones, would you guys know if it will be another super upgrade with a DAC?


 

 If you aren't using anything that has a nice DAC in it right now, you'll likely find that it will increase the sound quality. If you're unsure, don't feel like you have to spend a ton of money to get started. Find a cheaper DAC that _*you*_ feel comfortable buying and give it a try. Heck you could find something in the for sale section too. Maybe get something that has a nice return window on it, then you can try it and decide for yourself. The best way to find if a DAC is right for you is to try one out.
   
  PS: Love the rig, they look so nice in the dark.


----------



## eclipes

yeah nowadays, there are plenty of places that have 30day guarantee test period. All you need to shell out is shipping. There isn't really anything to lose.


----------



## grokit

Might as well try the Bifrost since you already have a Valhalla


----------



## Connnorrr

One of these days i'll get my hands on a Bifrost to go with my Valhalla..


----------



## IcedTea

thanks connorr 
   
  yeaa... I was thinking about saving up for the bifrost actually. However, I would need to usb version 
   
  And the price of the bifrost would be about the same as both the valhalla and dt880 for me. Which is kinda why I've been holding out for so long, I was think a bout getting a music streamer and be done with it, but I don't want to pay 150 to hear a little difference. I'll rather save up for something better and not have to worry about upgrading again.
   
  Did you hear a big difference Connorr? Your rig was what I was thinking about going for.
   
  When I have a stable income and more leftover money to spare I'll consider it then, but till that day comes, I need to find the best mid-fi rig I can come up with just enjoy music 
   
  But a bifrost would make my rig look so much more complete... haha


----------



## mmayer167

^ not to fuel your desire for a bifrost, but...  Ever since I paired up the bifrost with my lyr i have not had any upgradeitus, im just happy! Probably because anything better is just totally un-attainable for me. The sound is so dam good with everything and every headphone i've plugged into it at a few mini meets ive been to has sounded awesome, specifically the Q701 sounded friggen sweet, and the lcd-2 was not too shabby either haha! I might get one (Q701) just because the synergy was so glorious. 
   
  I considered the music streamer but after reading a few comments from people who have heard both, the bifrost was clearly the right choice. It is a solid choice and great place to build your rig from.
   
  my 2c 
   
  M


----------



## Yuceka

For me the difference between the Bifrost and the Music Streamer were not night and day. There were some things that MS did better and other things Bifrost did better but when you consider the form and price factor, I decided to stick with the MS.


----------



## John In Cali

Seriously, a DAC makes a bigger difference than an amp, when I got my DAC(M-Audio 192) I couldn't believe how much difference it made with my Shure 940.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Its also paired with a DT880 on the right side. Still no DAC yet
> 
> I'm just worried that I won't be able to hear a GIANT difference with a DAC in part of the rig. It was like night and day when I got the valhalla for my phones, would you guys know if it will be another super upgrade with a DAC?


 


  My Valhalla doesn't go nearly as bright. They don't look like rolled tubes, though....


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ not to fuel your desire for a bifrost, but...  Ever since I paired up the bifrost with my lyr i have not had any upgradeitus, im just happy! Probably because anything better is just totally un-attainable for me. The sound is so dam good with everything and every headphone i've plugged into it at a few mini meets ive been to has sounded awesome, specifically the Q701 sounded friggen sweet, and the lcd-2 was not too shabby either haha! I might get one (Q701) just because the synergy was so glorious.
> 
> I considered the music streamer but after reading a few comments from people who have heard both, the bifrost was clearly the right choice. It is a solid choice and great place to build your rig from.
> 
> ...


 
  +1.  The Bifrost/Lyr combo makes everything shine.  Although Schiit is pretty backed up at this point, the Bifrost is a worthy upgrade if you don't already have a DAC in that price range.


----------



## IcedTea

really? Is it a lot dimmer that what mine looks like?


----------



## u47

Here is my 'old school' source rig with new Lyr amp and T-1 phones. ReVox C-270 transport running at 15 ips with Nortronics head wired directly to an outboard tape preamp(King/Cello) with Dolby decoder for source. No digital at this point- will add that next month. Thinking of purchasing LCD-3 shortly. 
   
  U47


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> really? Is it a lot dimmer that what mine looks like?


 


  Here's mine:


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





u47 said:


> Here is my 'old school' source rig with new Lyr amp and T-1 phones. ReVox C-270 transport running at 15 ips with Nortronics head wired directly to an outboard tape preamp(King/Cello) with Dolby decoder for source. No digital at this point- will add that next month. Thinking of purchasing LCD-3 shortly.
> 
> U47


 


  I was actually thinking about this as my next tier upgrade in the future. The Lyr with the LCD headphones. 
   
   
  What time did you take your pic connor?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> really? Is it a lot dimmer that what mine looks like?


 


  Yes, a lot dimmer, even in compete darkness.


  Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Here's mine:


 


  Very much like this one.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> I was actually thinking about this as my next tier upgrade in the future. The Lyr with the LCD headphones.
> 
> 
> What time did you take your pic connor?


 


  That was at night if I remember correctly, the light is coming from my screen.


----------



## IcedTea

Are my tubes going to blow up...o.O


----------



## eclipes

haha who knows, mine are a lot dimmer as well. But i've always wanted it to be that BRIGHT, looks way cooler 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Are my tubes going to blow up...o.O


----------



## vid

I've got a very picturesque station...
   

   
  ...in my desk drawer.
   
  Vintage AKG K 141 (left) and vintage Beyer DT990. When I use them, they get plugged into an extension which runs to the back of the computer and connects to an Auzen Bravura (not pictured), from which the phones then suck up whatever power they can. But most of the time I use earbuds and not full-sized cans.
   
  The headband of the DT990 is a piece of cloth cut in a hurry from an old t-shirt.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Are my tubes going to blow up...o.O


 


  Haha, probably not, my tubes just aren't as confident in their firepower as yours...


----------



## RudeWolf

You guys do realize, that the appearance of tubes in an image mostly depend on how was the exposure done? I can make it look like a day at 1:00AM and vice versa.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> You guys do realize, that the appearance of tubes in an image mostly depend on how was the exposure done? I can make it look like a day at 1:00AM and vice versa.


 


  I guess that's true. Let's find out what camera he using first though before we make any guesses.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


austin morrow said:


> My Valhalla doesn't go nearly as bright. They don't look like rolled tubes, though....


 

 It's not advisable to roll tubes in the Valhalla.
   
   
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> really? Is it a lot dimmer that what mine looks like?


 
  Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Here's mine:


 
   
  Agreed, it's just a different exposure. Notics that the pic with the brighter tubes has zero shadow detail compared to the pic with the dimmer tubes.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> It's not advisable to roll tubes in the Valhalla.
> 
> ...


 

 I know it's not advisable to roll tubes. But I've seen people who've said they'v rolled the tubes as long as they are the appropriate tubes.


----------



## The8thst

icedtea said:


> Are my tubes going to blow up...o.O




I don't know about headphone amps at all, but I know quite a bit about larger tube amps (hifi and guitar). I assume you don't have to worry about bias temp since these are just preamp tubes, but I thought I would mention that bias can make your tubes run hotter/colder, brighter/dimmer, and greatly effects the sound in power tube sections on larger amps.

Is bias worth anything in headphone amps?


----------



## TheWuss

dagothur said:


> Although Schiit is pretty backed up at this point


Constipated, you could say.


----------



## sphinxvc

Patiently awaiting my Zodiac.  It'll go where the uDAC2 is sitting now.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Patiently awaiting my Zodiac.  It'll go where the uDAC2 is sitting now.


 

  
  Very simple and clean step you got going there with the HD650's. Loving it, I am a huge neat freak so that setup looks real nice in my eyes.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> It's not advisable to roll tubes in the Valhalla.
> 
> ...


 

 Tried getting another picture with a different capture mode thing on my camera in total darkness, they look a bit brighter now.


----------



## Squa7ch




----------



## MorbidToaster

Dragonball speaker stands and an MX518 (mouse master race). Nice.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


austin morrow said:


> Very simple and clean step you got going there with the HD650's. Loving it, I am a huge neat freak so that setup looks real nice in my eyes.


 

 Thanks.  I like the minimalism too, though I do have a Mac Mini on my list to add to the Zodiac, amp & HPs.


----------



## infam0ussteven

Quote: 





squa7ch said:


>


 
  Same setup as you!

  I know you guys probably don't like those beats but I got them for free, who doesn't like free things? Haha..
  I wonder if the beats will get better with more burn time.. Certainly not my kind of sound.


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





squa7ch said:


>


 

 I have that same monitor, very nice, but are you getting a lot of backlight bleed on yours? Mainly just on the bottom, and then i need to calibrate the thing because the colors are a little off compared to my Acer that is next to it.


----------



## Tilpo

infam0ussteven said:


> Same setup as you!
> 
> I know you guys probably don't like those beats but I got them for free, who doesn't like free things? Haha..
> I wonder if the beats will get better with more burn time.. Certainly not my kind of sound.



Makes me wonder. Do the Beats scale up with better amplification?

I'd sell them if I were you though. I assume it was a Christmas present given the time of the year, but if I were given that as a present I'd have the urge to punch whomever bought that. (or demand a return).


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Makes me wonder. Do the Beats scale up with better amplification?


 

 Its impossible for them to.  At least the for Studios anyway.  They're ANC and have their own amp built into them.  It can't be bypassed either like on some other ANC models.


----------



## eclipes

The beats sounds alrightt.. but for that price, heck no. Its all about the marketing and trend, nothing else.
  
  Quote: 





maverickronin said:


> Its impossible for them to.  At least the for Studios anyway.  They're ANC and have their own amp built into them.  It can't be bypassed either like on some other ANC models.


----------



## Yuceka

No one likes crap, even if it's for free


----------



## infam0ussteven

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Makes me wonder. Do the Beats scale up with better amplification?
> I'd sell them if I were you though. I assume it was a Christmas present given the time of the year, but if I were given that as a present I'd have the urge to punch whomever bought that. (or demand a return).


 
  What I hate about these is the fact that the bass drowns out almost everything, it's hard to believe these are worth as much as my IE 8..
  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> No one likes crap, even if it's for free


 
  LOL. You have a good point there.


----------



## Tablo

yuceka said:


> No one likes crap, even if it's for free



Could sell for lots of $$$ though


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





tablo said:


> Could sell for lots of $$$ though


 


  good point. and i would love a pair of free beats. pink especially


----------



## RazorJack




----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice.


----------



## Tilpo

razorjack said:


>



Always nice to see a fellow Dutch headphile. 

How are you liking the T1's out of the Jazz?

I do wonder what fuels you obsession for German audio products (so many Beyers and Jan Meier's)


----------



## RazorJack

The T1 sounds great through the Corda JAZZ, and Hotaudio DAC-WOW as source. Rediscovering a lot of my favorites during my high school teenage years in melodeath/trash metal. 
  Actually I mainly use my DT990/600 with the Jazz (just thought it would be fun to make a photo with my two latest head-fi products together).
  I wouldn't exactly say I'm obsessed with German audio products. My analog rig is Japanese turntable/American cartridge/DIY phono. And don't forget that Jan Meier is a fellow Dutchman as well, it just so happens that he moved to Germany.
  But yeah, Meier + beyer = my cup of tea


----------



## Squa7ch

It's does bleed a little through the bottom but not noticeable unless it's dark when I'm watching a moving or something.  It took me forever to find the right settings that I was happy with.
  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> I have that same monitor, very nice, but are you getting a lot of backlight bleed on yours? Mainly just on the bottom, and then i need to calibrate the thing because the colors are a little off compared to my Acer that is next to it.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> Tried getting another picture with a different capture mode thing on my camera in total darkness, they look a bit brighter now.


 


  I'll go overexpose mine and make them look like they are on fire.


----------



## rawrster

A bit messy but this is what I use depending on my mood  Gear is in my signature if you are wondering what it is.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> A bit messy but this is what I use depending on my mood  Gear is in my signature if you are wondering what it is.


 


  Quick question, why do you have an HE-300 if you already have an HE-500? Good contrast to the signature and easier on the ears? Just a guess....


----------



## dagothur

He-300 is the portable offering by HifiMan.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I don't consider the HE-300 portable, and HiFiMan doesn't market it as portable. And, it's open back.


 


  It's also low impedance and uses dynamic drivers.  It isn't directly marketed as such, but it's the closest thing to portable Hifiman has.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Quick question, why do you have an HE-300 if you already have an HE-500? Good contrast to the signature and easier on the ears? Just a guess....


 


  The HE500 and HE300 sound very different and are good contrasts to each other depending on my mood. The HE500 is clearly the superior phone but that doesn't make the HE300 any less enjoyable. Also sometimes I like using my backup dac and amp since it does sound a bit different and also it makes for a great budget system considering how little money I have invested in it compared to my main dac and amp. It reminds me that I don't always have to spend a lot of money for something to sound good. My HE300, DA151 dac and PPAv2 amp sound surprisingly good even next to my D100 and V200 
   
  Of course the HE300 may not be used as much when I get my Magnums back from Marty but that's still 2 months or so away..
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> He-300 is the portable offering by HifiMan.


 

 The HE300 is not meant to be used portable and the only time I will take it outside the house is if I am bringing it to a meet. It is easier to drive and also lighter but it still is not very portable.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> The HE500 and HE300 sound very different and are good contrasts to each other depending on my mood. The HE500 is clearly the superior phone but that doesn't make the HE300 any less enjoyable. Also sometimes I like using my backup dac and amp since it does sound a bit different and also it makes for a great budget system considering how little money I have invested in it compared to my main dac and amp. It reminds me that I don't always have to spend a lot of money for something to sound good. My HE300, DA151 dac and PPAv2 amp sound surprisingly good even next to my D100 and V200
> 
> The HE300 is not meant to be used portable and the only time I will take it outside the house is if I am bringing it to a meet. It is easier to drive and also lighter but it still is not very portable.


 


  Don't get me wrong, I liked the HE-300 when I had it for awhile, but I realized that the HE-300 and the HD650 share too much of the same and when an offer popped up for a Q701 trade, I immediately wen on it and traded for a Q701, because just like you stated above, I find a need a good contrast for the various types of music genres that I tend to listen to all ranging from classical to electronica to rock.


----------



## rawrster

It does sound quite similar to the HD650 so if I had both one of them eventually would have to go. However I would rather have something with the HE300 signature but closer to the HE500 in ability but I'm pretty happy right now.
   
  I can't really complain too much about my gear right now. Sure it can be better but right now I would rather spend my money getting more music as well as discovering new bands and such. music forum here i come


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> It does sound quite similar to the HD650 so if I had both one of them eventually would have to go. However I would rather have something with the HE300 signature but closer to the HE500 in ability but I'm pretty happy right now.
> 
> I can't really complain too much about my gear right now. Sure it can be better but right now I would rather spend my money getting more music as well as discovering new bands and such.


 

  
  Me neither. I love my HD650 and when my Hot Audio DAC Wow, Q701, and Bifrost show up, my setup will be done until I get enough money for a high end setup. Do you have the Rev 1 or the Rev 2 of the HE-300's? I have the Rev 1 of the HE-300's and didn't like the sound signature at all. Fortunately, the guy who I traded the AKG Q701's with absolutely loves the sub bass energy of the HE-300's. Whatever rolls your boat I guess, and to each his own.


----------



## MohawkUS

My main computer and audio rig.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> My main computer and audio rig.


 

 Isn't your DS a little bit overkill for your US's? Then again, everybody has their own opinion a setup. Would you be willing to sell me that HA-160DS at a good cost? I really (REALLY) want it...


----------



## MohawkUS

haha, yeah its a bit overkill. I really wanted something with the sound sig of the Burson though. I'm trying to upgrade to some planars right now to take full advantage of the Burson. You should buy one, you'd love it :evil: Aggressive, somewhat analogue sounding, and great bass... perfect!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> haha, yeah its a bit overkill. I really wanted something with the sound sig of the Burson though. I'm trying to upgrade to some planars right now to take full advantage of the Burson. You should buy one, you'd love it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I've talked with Burson before. But I'm holding out for something even better. I might buy a Burson amp, or wait for a headphone to go with my Burson amp....


----------



## Squa7ch

Haha yeah I've had these tapes since I was a teenager...was obsessed with it back then.  I've been thinking of upgrading to a G110 and G500 but the prices are constantly changing, sometimes I see the G500 for $45-50 then it goes up to as high as $80...hmm
   
  Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Dragonball speaker stands and an MX518 (mouse master race). Nice.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The MX518 is the best mouse. No need to upgrade. 
  
  Quote: 





squa7ch said:


>


----------



## vlenbo

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The MX518 is the best mouse. No need to upgrade.


 


  Funny about that, I hope that he won't upgrade, I found out that there was better mice out there at similar prices but only because I looked at the dpi settings instead of thew hole package. I have a cyber snipa mouse now with 5000dpi at 50 dollars, but I used to have the mx518 and gave it to my sister.
   

   
  Also, I have a huge  question, I don't have any headphone holders like you guys have, is it bad that I leave my headphone right side up with the cable being pushed by the force of the headphones themselves? Meaning, will it damage?
   
  WARNING : It's a huge size, and has been shot at 3200iso, be vary wary that it has a lot of noise. (Wish I could have fixed that)


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





vlenbo said:


> Funny about that, I hope that he won't upgrade, I found out that there was better mice out there at similar prices but only because I looked at the dpi settings instead of thew hole package. I have a cyber snipa mouse now with 5000dpi at 50 dollars, but I used to have the mx518 and gave it to my sister.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The way you have them leaning in the picture should be just fine, but if you're really worried, just lay them down.


----------



## rawrster

or you can just get a headphone stand


----------



## vlenbo

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> The way you have them leaning in the picture should be just fine, but if you're really worried, just lay them down.


 


  I don't usually let them lean or stand up, which I did do for a few seconds and set them back down, thanks.
   
   
  Quote: 





> or you can just get a headphone stand


 
  I will hopefully one of these days, I just hope no damage to the wire has been done for leaving it leaning AND standing up for a few seconds/minutes.


----------



## Squa7ch

I actually bought a Razer Lachesis last year sometime and used it once or twice and put it back in the package where it now sits in my closet unused haha.  I didn't like how flat it felt under my hand, although the 1000Hz report rate was nice for fps games (especially when using a CRT with a higher refresh rate).  Also, it messed with my uDAC-2 when I used it as well.  The uDAC-2 refused to work if I had the Lachesis plugged in, thinking it has to do with the uDAC-2 using a standard 125Hz polling rate and the Lachesis using a 1000Hz polling rate.  I haven't tried it with my new build though.


----------



## fir3dp

waiting for bitfrost to come... soon i hope ... if i have the money


----------



## MorbidToaster

Fantastic set of images there...


----------



## MohawkUS

Did you guys notice the G500 in my picture? 
 I wouldn't worry about going with a G500 though, I never need to go over 2400 dpi, its almost too fast. I would go for the 518, I don't really have an opinion on the whole optical vs. laser option, but I really liked the Razer Abyssus I used to own. I kinda regret selling it, but that rubber coating really held dirt and I'm only comfortable with a palm grip the way my desk is set up now a days.


----------



## DragonOwen

Here is my current rig. I've changed my NFB-10ES with my new DAC - MS Audio laboratory DAC 1.0 (close view on the second photo). It's sound fantastic, my NFB-10ES have lost to him compleatly and in every aspect, the level of this devices is just different, especcialy on accustic instruments (on piano MS Audio DAC is absolutely marvelous). So tomorrow I will sell my NFB-10ES and I'm sure I won't regret this in any way (actually this foto from a two days ago, already sold my LCD-2 rev.2 + Silver Dragon balanced 4pin cable that you see on this foto... and HE-500 which you see on this foto I use on my work rig, so It's just temporary was at my home rig for some testing)
  And some LOL photo:

   
  Here you can see almost all of my audio-devices working at the same time: 3 DAC's - NFB-10ES (on coaxial), MyST DAC 1866 OCU (on optic) and MS Audio laboratory DAC 1.0 (on AES/EBU), connected to computer via RME 9632, working at the same time. To MyST DAC 1866 OCU connected SCHIIT Lyr and to MS Audio lab. DAC 1.0 connected MS Audio lab. FHA 1.3 (full-fet balanced HP amp). So NFB10-ES and MyST DAC 1866 OCU has build in HP amp's, so to them I connected LCD-2 rev.2 and Westone 4, to Lyr I connected HE-500 and to FHA 1.3 I connected HE-6....... And all 4 headphones on this photo is working at the same time and have different amp's, so 4 people can lisen to this system at the same time whitout any worries on the volume they like.... of course it's just a LOLphoto, but I decided to put it in this thread, maybe someone will have interested in photo of such system 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  P.S. Sorry for my bad english and bad quality photos.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Trying out my new soft boxes. Hopefully my desktop turns out colorful enough.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Trying out my new soft boxes. Hopefully my desktop turns out colorful enough.


 

 Lighting looks great, but the idea is to have the boxes and stands out of the photo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm joking. If your bedroom is anything like mine, I would have trouble finding enough space to set them up in the first place


----------



## MorbidToaster

New book, old felt. 
   
  Listening time...


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> New book, old felt.
> 
> Listening time...


 

 I love how that was a DIY amp (i think...) and they plop some tubes and a beautifully made case and attenuators and now i cant stop looking at it!


----------



## B-Dawk20

@DragonOwen Can I come over your house?


----------



## Leiker535

Missed the DT880's though...
   
  Tomorrow I'll clean/organize this, then I'll post another pics.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





b-dawk20 said:


> @DragonOwen Can I come over your house?


 


  I don't think my gear is worth traveling from USA to Russia 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Especially since it's now become a little less, because I already sell LCD-2 and NFB-10ES waiting in the box for a courier which will take it (in a few hours from now) and NFB-10ES will be shipped to it's new owner.... but now I have money for WooAudio GES with premium parts upgrade package and I already bought Stax 507 which is now being shipped to me... so probaply in a few months I will post updated photos of my home rig with added electrostatic setup


----------



## shinyknights

Sony Vaio and ATH-A900 any night!


----------



## mrpink44

I've been a long time lurker of this thread (love the audio porn), but finally got around to snapping some pics. Don't mind the cables in my analog rig - they'll be hidden as soon as I decide on a rack and a new phono amp (either the Jolida or Cambridge).
   
  Hidden in the darkness of the TV stand is a Onkoyo receiver.


----------



## Nyvar

The set up is in a state of flux, but this is it at the moment.  Asgard and Denons are going up for sale.  The tank to the left is a little 75g and houses my listening buddy Cui.  I've had him since he was 1.5" and he's about 9" now.  Spends most of his time at the side watching me. 
   

   
  Cui:


----------



## TheWuss

nice rig.  how do you like the wyred 4 sound??


----------



## Nyvar

> how do you like the wyred 4 sound??


 
   
  It's incredible.  Even straight out of the box it brought out detail, widened the sound stage, everything was seriously kicked up a notch.  Not to mention how versatile it is.  I have USB in from my laptop, optical from my desktop, coax for digital from the Marantz, and RCA from the Marantz analog out to the pass through for listening to SACDs.  It did take somewhat over 150 hours to settle down, but I'd couldn't be happier.  
   
  There's a great thread on it here: 
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/508721/does-anyone-own-the-wyred4sound-dac-2
   
  As a side note, I agree with the crowd there, the Venom 3 does make an audible difference and is worth the cost.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm more and more excited about my future DAC 2 purchase the more I hear about it. 
   
  On the (slight) off topic of the Venom 3...has anyone compare it to the PS Audio Jewel? Those are the 2 cables I'm looking at for my system.


----------



## Leiker535

Quote: 





leiker535 said:


> Missed the DT880's though...
> 
> Tomorrow I'll clean/organize this, then I'll post another pics.


 
   

   
  Much better now huh?


----------



## eclipes

a little off topic too, but which unit should the Venom 3 be plugged in that best reveals its strength. The dac or the amp?
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm more and more excited about my future DAC 2 purchase the more I hear about it.
> 
> On the (slight) off topic of the Venom 3...has anyone compare it to the PS Audio Jewel? Those are the 2 cables I'm looking at for my system.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The amp is what I've heard reveals cord changes the most. 
   
  I've had no experience with it though, just what I've read around here.
  
  Quote: 





eclipes said:


> a little off topic too, but which unit should the Venom 3 be plugged in that best reveals its strength. The dac or the amp?


----------



## Nyvar

> The amp is what I've heard reveals cord changes the most.


 
   
  I use it with the W4S, and the difference was notable, that said I haven't tried it with an amp.   Since I'm going with Decware interconnects, once the amps are burned in about 400 hours, or sooner depending on cash flow,  I plan to pick up their power cords.


----------



## UnityIsPower

Word.....


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh my. That's horribly inappropriate.
  
  Quote: 





unityispower said:


> Word.....


----------



## Lurkumaural

unityispower said:


> Word.....


That's gotta be the slickest driver transplant and silver recable I've seen yet.


----------



## Tilpo

leiker535 said:


> Much better now huh?



NO. Worse.

There aren't any tubes in the LD MK III


----------



## Leiker535

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> NO. Worse.
> There aren't any tubes in the LD MK III


 


  I know, one broke so I take the others out and I'm keeping them in a safe box(you get paranoid after breaking a tube...) until the replacement arrives, it would be already here if wasn't for christmas


----------



## Tilpo

leiker535 said:


> I know, one broke so I take the others out and I'm keeping them in a safe box(you get paranoid after breaking a tube...) until the replacement arrives, it would be already here if wasn't for christmas



How did it break? If I'd accidentally break it by e.g. shattering the glass I'd never be able to forgive myself.
My MK IV does have a metal structure around the tubes to protect it, so I don't worry too much.

I really like my MK IV, but when I have finished building my Beta22 I'm going to sell it since I'm not such a fan of the random ticks I get when no sound is playing, or the background noise when the knob is past 2 o'clock.


----------



## Ultrainferno

New rack. Not the prettiest but it gets the job done


----------



## Austin Morrow

Decided to change a few things around. Even though I'm giving them away at the Seattle meet, I put the NC1000CH's back on my headphone rack, hooked up my SR80i's to the Blue Yeti for monitoring, and took the boxes off the lights.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

just moved back to my apartment. that audio rack is actually a book case from walmart i got for 20 bucks!  best deal ever lol.
   
  DT 990 are missing from pic since i sent to beyerdynamic for service (fail driver)
   
  theres also a klipsch pro media 2.1 missing from the pic, just hooked it up again.


----------



## eclipes

like the lighting there, but would've better if the 2 strobes weren't in the picture. nice clean setup.
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Decided to change a few things around. Even though I'm giving them away at the Seattle meet, I put the NC1000CH's back on my headphone rack, hooked up my SR80i's to the Blue Yeti for monitoring, and took the boxes off the lights.


 


  Intense setup mate, i need to take a trip to walmart too then haha.


  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> just moved back to my apartment. that audio rack is actually a book case from walmart i got for 20 bucks!  best deal ever lol.
> 
> DT 990 are missing from pic since i sent to beyerdynamic for service (fail driver)
> 
> theres also a klipsch pro media 2.1 missing from the pic, just hooked it up again.


----------



## John In Cali

dubstep girl said:


> just moved back to my apartment. that audio rack is actually a book case from walmart i got for 20 bucks!  best deal ever lol.
> 
> DT 990 are missing from pic since i sent to beyerdynamic for service (fail driver)
> 
> theres also a klipsch pro media 2.1 missing from the pic, just hooked it up again.




Woah you really like your desktop icons don't you?
Woah that rack looks perfect with you audio stuff, im going to have to get myself one.
Woah what do guys or, well anybody say when they see that, i imagine some comments along the lines of "Wow looks like a NASA control center", i get enough of that with my two monitor setup and zero tubes.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Woah you really like your desktop icons don't you?
> Woah that rack looks perfect with you audio stuff, im going to have to get myself one.
> Woah what do guys or, well anybody say when they see that, i imagine some comments along the lines of "Wow looks like a NASA control center", i get enough of that with my two monitor setup and zero tubes.


 


  lol i get that all the time. and everyones like OMG!@#!@# the mouse just moves from screen to screen its so cool!!! and then if i move windows and pages around, they are even more impressed lol...


----------



## kingpage

Many have probably asked you to marry them on the spot, no?


----------



## manveru

My very first "station":


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





manveru said:


> My very first "station":


 


  Not bad at all.  In fact, color me jealous.


----------



## B-Dawk20

LOL headphone meet at dubstepgirl's house?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





b-dawk20 said:


> LOL headphone meet at dubstepgirl's house?


 

  
   
   there will be LCD-2 on that rack very very soon too as well. hopefully placing an order today


----------



## B-Dawk20

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> there will be LCD-2 on that rack very very soon too as well. hopefully placing an order today


 


   
  Yup, headphone meet at dubstep girl's house


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Not bad at all.  In fact, color me jealous.


 
   
  Thanks.


----------



## eclipes

looks really good manveru. Clean and simple.
  
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> Thanks.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New rack. Not the prettiest but it gets the job done


 

 Excellent. It goes with the drapes and the floor too. Perhaps I'll get to see it in 2012.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Excellent. It goes with the drapes and the floor too. Perhaps I'll get to see it in 2012.


 


  Thanks! you're always welcome for some good Belgian beers & food


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





manveru said:


> My very first "station":


 

 What Sansui G is that?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> What Sansui G is that?


 

 G-5700. It's mostly just for looks as of now unfortunately. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I used to have some speakers to hook up to it but not anymore. Tried experimenting with the headphone out but it has massive channel imbalance and tons of static on one side.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





manveru said:


> G-5700. It's mostly just for looks as of now unfortunately.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Sorry to hear that, have you considered getting it serviced?


----------



## chrislangley4253

manveru said:


> G-5700. It's mostly just for looks as of now unfortunately.   I used to have some speakers to hook up to it but not anymore. Tried experimenting with the headphone out but it has massive channel imbalance and tons of static on one side.




A screwdriver and some deoxit are your friends.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> A screwdriver and some deoxit are your friends.


 

  
  +1.
   
   
  and hey, your from missouri, awesome! lol


----------



## manveru

Thanks for the ideas. I ought to learn how to do this sort of thing.


----------



## UnityIsPower

Quote: 





lurkumaural said:


> That's gotta be the slickest driver transplant and silver recable I've seen yet.


 


  Thanks, good to know people recognize true perfection. Took me 2 year in a deserted car, wile being chased by sharks, on one foot, and no food, to design the fittings... I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Luckily it turned out to be a hallucination... I forget to take me pills. d{-_-}b


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Sorry to hear that, have you considered getting it serviced?


 

 Where does one go for that sort of thing?


----------



## jtaylor991

chrislangley4253 said:


> A screwdriver and some deoxit are your friends.






dubstep girl said:


> +1.
> 
> 
> and hey, your from missouri, awesome! lol




Hey I'm from Missouri too!!


----------



## Squa7ch

Me too!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

missouri head-fi meet?


----------



## jtaylor991

YES!!
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/568093/kansas-city-mo-ks-meet-anyone#post_7847609
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> missouri head-fi meet?


----------



## Branded

Small update.  Bought a Cambridge DAC Magic and replaced the Beats Pro Detox with the AKG K550.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





branded said:


> Small update.  Bought a Cambridge DAC Magic and replaced the Beats Pro Detox with the AKG K550.


 

 yay dacmagic!!! <3
   
  and good job on disposing of the beats. you could of sold them and gotten more expensive cans tho.


----------



## Branded

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> yay dacmagic!!! <3
> 
> and good job on disposing of the beats. you could of sold them and gotten more expensive cans tho.


 


 I did sell the beats pro only got $350 for them.  I was considering the Beyer T70P and the AKG K550.  I like the fun sound of the K550 and alot less $.  I do have my eyes set on the Hifiman HE500.


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





branded said:


> Small update.  Bought a Cambridge DAC Magic and replaced the Beats Pro Detox with the AKG K550.


 

 Feels great to detoxify your set up doesn't it?
  /badpun


----------



## tribestros

Impromptu setup at home for the Winter Break...left my Grados in Denton...and my good sources/amp...but my baby (my MacBook), some books will suffice while I build a headphone rack for when I go back to the apartment.  And the sick new NuForce uDAC2.  I'll have better setup to post later.


----------



## Branded

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Feels great to detoxify your set up doesn't it?
> /badpun


 


 it sure does!!


----------



## Draygonn




----------



## cifani090

^^^ Looks like you happen to love your tubes.


----------



## Questhate

Quote: 





branded said:


> Small update.  Bought a Cambridge DAC Magic and replaced the Beats Pro Detox with the AKG K550.


 

 Is that a Bellari?
   
  I heard a K701 and Grados through the Bellari at a Hifi shop several months ago and liked the pairing a lot. Don't remember how the amp looks exactly, but I *think* it looks like that.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





draygonn said:


>


 


  I absolutely love that setup. When mine is done, I'll have a setup that looks similar to that as well. I'll update the pictures periodically and be super excited once I get the HA-160DS!


----------



## Draygonn

cifani090 said:


> ^^^ Looks like you happen to love your tubes.



Attack of the 5998s 


austin morrow said:


> When mine is done, I'll have a setup that looks similar to that as well. I'll update the pictures periodically and be super excited once I get the HA-160DS!



I can't wait to see it!


----------



## Arvan

New amp/dac and a new set of cans.
   
  The HRT head streamer and the Shure srh-840..My k242s and nuforce is stuffed away for .. well it might be a very long time til i get em out and dusted off


----------



## Branded

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Is that a Bellari?
> 
> I heard a K701 and Grados through the Bellari at a Hifi shop several months ago and liked the pairing a lot. Don't remember how the amp looks exactly, but I *think* it looks like that.


 


  Yup, Its the Bellari.  I really like it sounds alot better then my old setup E7/E9 combo, i also changed out the factory tube to a Canadian made tube i got from a small hifi shop.


----------



## TheWuss

the 840 is such a great headphone for the price.
  goofy looking headband aside.


----------



## paconavarro

Here's mine. Making some space for my JDSlabs O2 ... they shipped it today!!!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





paconavarro said:


> Here's mine. Making some space for my JDSlabs O2 ... they shipped it today!!!


 


  Awesome setup, Francisco. Here's mine:
   

   
  Still waiting for three DAC's to arrive. The Schiit Bifrost, the Hot Audio DAC WOW, and the Burson audio HA-160DS combo.


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Awesome setup, Francisco. Here's mine:
> 
> 
> 
> Still waiting for three DAC's to arrive. The Schiit Bifrost, the Hot Audio DAC WOW, and the Burson audio HA-160DS combo.


 

 What are the cans to the right of the picture?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> What are the cans to the right of the picture?


 


  Able Planet NC1000CH. I'm giving them away at the next Head-Fi meet.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> the 840 is such a great headphone for the price.
> goofy looking headband aside.


 

 If that headband was only more comfortable, they'd still be with me. I preferred them to the SRH-940s actually.


----------



## nmxdaven

With the upstairs office getting redone, im confined to the downstairs for a few weeks. 
   
  PB1 + DB2 that go everywhere I do. Behind them are my old sony's all fed through optical for CD listening.
   

   
  D2000's overseen by the family crest.
   

   
  Some cans and IEM's im currently playing with.

   
  Most importantly, hidden in the back is the 8tb backup array in Raid 1.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love your blue walls. I really wish I could paint my current apartment...
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Awesome setup, Francisco. Here's mine:
> 
> 
> 
> Still waiting for three DAC's to arrive. The Schiit Bifrost, the Hot Audio DAC WOW, and the Burson audio HA-160DS combo.


----------



## linuxid10t

YES!!!  In St. Louis preferably 
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> missouri head-fi meet?


 

 Also, got a new pair of speakers today, hope they are decent.  They are Polk R300.  Only had $200 to spend from Christmas.


----------



## Swoosh

Some of these set-ups are insane.. and humbling. I'm still new to this kind of thing and it isn't easy for a teenager to fund larger purchases.
   
  Out of curiosity, will there ever be a New Jersey Head-Fi meet?


----------



## lextek

Quote: 





swoosh said:


> Some of these set-ups are insane.. and humbling. I'm still new to this kind of thing and it isn't easy for a teenager to fund larger purchases.
> 
> Out of curiosity, will there ever be a New Jersey Head-Fi meet?


 


   
  It's not easy for some of us non-students either.  I'm sure a meet will pop up in your area.


----------



## Swoosh

Quote: 





lextek said:


> It's not easy for some of us non-students either.  I'm sure a meet will pop up in your area.


 

 Oh, I don't doubt that. Everybody has their own situation. Whatever money I earn I end up saving because "good" schools generally don't give scholarships.
   
  I just searched and apparently there is a mini meet on January 28th, but it's already full. Will have to stay on my toes for next time.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





swoosh said:


> Some of these set-ups are insane.. and humbling. I'm still new to this kind of thing and it isn't easy for a teenager to fund larger purchases.


 


  I know just how you feel. Don't worry, you'll get your chance. I bought all my cool toys when I was in my 20's. I'm all grown now up with a wife, two kids, two mortgages, three cars, a 401k, etc. and no longer have glowing tubes and fancy script on my components.
   
  Fortunately, this hobby is ruled by the law of diminishing returns. A lot of this fancy gear is really cool and fun to play with, but you don't get a lot of added performance for your money past a certain point. You can get truly excellent performance for well under $1000.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





swoosh said:


> Oh, I don't doubt that. Everybody has their own situation. Whatever money I earn I end up saving because "good" schools generally don't give scholarships.
> 
> I just searched and apparently there is a mini meet on January 28th, but it's already full. Will have to stay on my toes for next time.


 


  The Ivies give generous financial aid, for the most part.


----------



## Currawong

I've joined the portable rig insanity. My set-up while I'm in Australia for the holidays:
   

   
  iPhone or iPod digital out
  Fostex HP-P1 DAC/amp
  Triad Audio L3 amp.
  Symphones Magnums (modded Grados)
   
  It is rather crazy, but taking all of it on chance the result has been surprisingly good.


----------



## KyungMin

MDR-V6, M50, DT990 (600 ohm), RP-HTX7, Pro 900
   

   
  K701, ONTO, Beats Studio, HD598, SRH440, SRH940


----------



## John In Cali

Woah that is a lot of mid tiers.  Why sell a few and get LCD-2?
  NIce setup.  Why so many DS and iPhones?


----------



## KyungMin

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Woah that is a lot of mid tiers.  Why sell a few and get LCD-2?
> NIce setup.  Why so many DS and iPhones?


 


  I pretty much collect games and Buy a new Iphone whenever they come out..
  I'm in the market for a K1000 and after that either the LCD-2 or HD800


----------



## Swoosh

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I know just how you feel. Don't worry, you'll get your chance. I bought all my cool toys when I was in my 20's. I'm all grown now up with a wife, two kids, two mortgages, three cars, a 401k, etc. and no longer have glowing tubes and fancy script on my components.
> 
> Fortunately, this hobby is ruled by the law of diminishing returns. A lot of this fancy gear is really cool and fun to play with, but you don't get a lot of added performance for your money past a certain point. You can get truly excellent performance for well under $1000.


 

 This is very inspiring
   


  Quote: 





saintly said:


> The Ivies give generous financial aid, for the most part.


 

 They give financial need based money. My problem is that I don't want my parents to have to pay for a lot of it. Even so, at 50K a year for the average Ivy, they still cost a lot.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





swoosh said:


> They give financial need based money. My problem is that I don't want my parents to have to pay for a lot of it. Even so, at 50K a year for the average Ivy, they still cost a lot.


 


  What I'm saying is that should your family demonstrate any financial aid need, then you won't have to pay the full amount.  It'll be easier for you to save up towards that.
   
  Also, average Ivies cost more than $50k a year nowadays...  Penn is $56k this year and rising about 2k every year.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

thats y i ended up going to a cheap tech college instead.
   
  its great though, 2 month internship paid about $14,000 total (minus tax).
   
  hence all my purchases 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  gonna buy LCD-2 now that i got my last checks, waiting for them to go through before i place my order.
   
   
   
  i have my eyes set out on a pair of hd 600 and d2000 as well, or maybe d7000s...hmm.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i have my eyes set out on a pair of hd 600 and d2000 as well, or maybe d7000s...hmm.


 
  If you like the D7000s and HD6x0, then you will really like the LCD-2s.  I owned a pair of D7000s for eight months before replacing them with the LCD-2s.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

does the lcd-2 have better bass? (texture, impact, quantity, deep bass, etc?)


----------



## Squa7ch

for what they cost I hope they would xD


----------



## Defiant00

Now that my setup's complete, here it is:


----------



## jtaylor991

Do you collect any classic games like the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES, 80s i think) or SNES, Sega etc? I might get into that soon...oh no, not another wallet eating hobby! XD
   
  Edit: Also, on the iPhones, why keep all of them? I see the benefit of keeping the previous one as a backup but ehy all? iPods for different genres maybe?
  
  Quote: 





kyungmin said:


> I pretty much collect games and Buy a new Iphone whenever they come out..
> I'm in the market for a K1000 and after that either the LCD-2 or HD800


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> does the lcd-2 have better bass? (texture, impact, quantity, deep bass, etc?)


 


  There is a little less impact, but overall the bass is definitely of better quality.  I wrote a review of the LCD-2 with the D7000 as a comparison.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Now that my setup's complete, here it is:


 

 I really like your setup! It is the epitome of simplicity, quality, and performance. Well done!


----------



## Destroysall

Your thoughts on this setup?  It looks very nice!
  
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Now that my setup's complete, here it is:


----------



## RexAeterna

jtaylor991 said:


> Do you collect any classic games like the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES, 80s i think) or SNES, Sega etc? I might get into that soon...oh no, not another wallet eating hobby! XD
> 
> Edit: Also, on the iPhones, why keep all of them? I see the benefit of keeping the previous one as a backup but ehy all? iPods for different genres maybe?




nes systems are like what? 10 bucks refurbish or so. if you do metroid is the best. metroid is my favorite series besides zelda from nintendo. also use to love the megamen series as well. after X2 though i basically stop playing them. haven't seen good megaman game since legends.

also i would suggest sell all the iphones and ipods cause they all are horrible when it comes quality of the headphone jack. not the sound but the jack itself. my itouch i had i use my k601 on,everytime i move left channel cuts cause stupid jack. the adapter i use weighs less then a feather so it's not straining it. my cheap sony mp3 walkman i had never gave me issues with it's jack or any problems and that been kicked,stomped on,thrown,evrything and still functioning like a boss.


----------



## sphinxvc




----------



## sphinxvc

Added the CTH & turned the lights back down...


----------



## Radio_head

Hmmm... never thought about it but maybe the hamsa and spock's "live long and prosper" are related - although I always assumed Spock's gesture was based on what the Jewish Kohanim do in their blessing to the people.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


radio_head said:


> Hmmm... never thought about it but maybe the hamsa and spock's "live long and prosper" are related


 

 Given that the show was made in the 60s, I always thought the easiest link was the V-gesture, but you've got a point, might have all trickled down from the hamsa.


----------



## MorbidToaster

God that Zodiac is pretty...I think W4S will have me covered but the Zodiac + still calls to me...
  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


>


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I really like your setup! It is the epitome of simplicity, quality, and performance. Well done!


 

 Haha thanks. Of course when it's actually all hooked up and sitting on my desk it doesn't look nearly as neat  Does sound good though.
   


  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Your thoughts on this setup?  It looks very nice!


 

 Thanks! It's sort of hard for me to objectively say. Once I get into something I typically research then buy what I (hopefully) will keep for a long time with few steps in between (all the decent cans I've heard I currently own and are in my sig).
   
  With that said; I think for me I've reached an excellent price/sound point and don't intend to upgrade any time soon. The HD600s continue to amaze me at how good they are at everything I throw at them. The Asgard has more than enough power (since adding the Bifrost I rarely go above 9) and is dead silent even all the way up. The Bifrost is...interesting for me, since it's my first proper DAC. Going from using my laptop's headphone jack to the Bifrost it definitely sounds better, but it's not the sort of difference that immediately jumps out at you. Things are just more detailed and clearer; I find I can much more easily pick apart or focus on specific parts of a song; yet at the same time music sounds much more properly musical for lack of a better term. I suspect being able to hear a lot more of the subtle little details really helps pull a song together.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> God that Zodiac is pretty...I think W4S will have me covered but the Zodiac + still calls to me...


 

 I think that's the just the Zodiac, the Zodiac+ is black and about $1000 more.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> God that Zodiac is pretty...I think W4S will have me covered but the Zodiac + still calls to me...


 

 Well if you don't need the AES the silver is just as good.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  I'm lovin' it so far.  
   
  Just bought Camera+ on the iPhone and got inspired to try it out:


----------



## Austin Morrow

Sorry, really need to ask. Although I already posted my Head-Fi station a page or so back, I forgot to ask something regarding the Sennhesier HD650's. Has anyone tried the Burson HA160DS or HA-160D with both the HD650 and the AKG K7XXX series? If so, how do they sound? I'm getting my Burson in a few days and update everyone with some pics of how it looks.


----------



## jtaylor991

Uh, nope..
  Consoles with absolutely nothing just bare system start at like $37-44 USD
  Ones that have most of the stuff but may not include a controller or AC adapter and some may include a game, system has yellowing and scuffs/chips etc start at like $55 on amazon used section for Nintendo NES Consoles. There's one I'm lookin at on ebay comes with everything and 4 games $75 plus like 8 or 9 buck shipping. I'm mad because I asked if it included TV connection cable and power cord etc and he said "Console includes everything..." like I'm an ignorant guy who didn't read the post that says "NES Console, 2 controllers and 4 games" 
   
  but yeah theyre more than that as collectors items. ones that are special and go for like >$800 or so (maybe thats SNES idk) have the original packaging and everything included at purchase too. I have the original SNES console and like 9 games I havent counted lol, and like 3-4 old NES games that went to my console that's who knows where... 
   
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> *nes systems are like what? 10 bucks refurbish or so*. if you do metroid is the best. metroid is my favorite series besides zelda from nintendo. also use to love the megamen series as well. after X2 though i basically stop playing them. haven't seen good megaman game since legends.
> also i would suggest sell all the iphones and ipods cause they all are horrible when it comes quality of the headphone jack. not the sound but the jack itself. my itouch i had i use my k601 on,everytime i move left channel cuts cause stupid jack. the adapter i use weighs less then a feather so it's not straining it. my cheap sony mp3 walkman i had never gave me issues with it's jack or any problems and that been kicked,stomped on,thrown,evrything and still functioning like a boss.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Sorry, really need to ask. Although I already posted my Head-Fi station a page or so back, I forgot to ask something regarding the Sennhesier HD650's. Has anyone tried the Burson HA160DS or HA-160D with both the HD650 and the AKG K7XXX series? If so, how do they sound? I'm getting my Burson in a few days and update everyone with some pics of how it looks.


 


  I did a lot of research before I bought my DACmini and I remember a member talking about how the 160D was tuned using the 650.  It's all in that gigantic thread.  I'm pretty sure a few people said it sounded great with the 701s as well.


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Sorry, really need to ask. Although I already posted my Head-Fi station a page or so back, I forgot to ask something regarding the Sennhesier HD650's. Has anyone tried the Burson HA160DS or HA-160D with both the HD650 and the AKG K7XXX series? If so, how do they sound? I'm getting my Burson in a few days and update everyone with some pics of how it looks.


 


   
  Might be better to hit the search button as this is a pictures thread


----------



## manveru

Room40, your avatar is the definition of BOSS.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah I know. I meant the + was the one I was looking at. They all look great.
  
  Quote: 





roker said:


> I think that's the just the Zodiac, the Zodiac+ is black and about $1000 more.


----------



## trentino




----------



## roker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah I know. I meant the + was the one I was looking at. They all look great.


 

  
  agreed.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Attractive combo.  May I ask what your source is?  I've been tempted to try a Bifrost, but haven't heard of any Mac users doing it yet...
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Now that my setup's complete, here it is:


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





buttuglyjeff said:


> Attractive combo.  May I ask what your source is?  I've been tempted to try a Bifrost, but haven't heard of any Mac users doing it yet...


 


  I'm using it with my desktop (sound card optical out) and with my work laptop through USB, both which sound excellent (I haven't attempted to A/B optical vs USB and honestly probably won't since I don't have a choice with the laptop).


----------



## Terps Fan

HP G72> Flac> Foobar2000/WASAPI> iBasso D7 "Sidewinder"> AKG K550/Shure SRH840


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





trentino said:


>


 

  
  very nice, i've been planning to buy some hd 600s, but i already have T1 and hd 650


----------



## roker

those AKG 550s are some nice looking headphones.  Are they worth the 300 dollar price tag?


----------



## Destroysall

Very nice!  How is the PRaT on the HD600 compared to your Grado?  I have read a lot about how the Asgard seems to really love both Grados and Sennheisers.  Is it toe-tapping good for both?
  
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Haha thanks. Of course when it's actually all hooked up and sitting on my desk it doesn't look nearly as neat  Does sound good though.
> 
> 
> Thanks! It's sort of hard for me to objectively say. Once I get into something I typically research then buy what I (hopefully) will keep for a long time with few steps in between (all the decent cans I've heard I currently own and are in my sig).
> ...


----------



## Terps Fan

Quote: 





roker said:


> those AKG 550s are some nice looking headphones.  Are they worth the 300 dollar price tag?


 


 Yes they are.  I love them.  With the D7 and flac downloads from HD Tracks they are amazing.


----------



## DragonOwen

My temporary setup (STAX SRM-T1 is not mine, it was given me by a friend for about until 10 January... I'm in process of ordering WooAudio GES for my SR-507 right now):

   
  Even in this setup SR-507 is beating HE-6 for Me, so I'm afraid even think of what will be with upgraded GES


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice. wish i could get into electrostats. but i don't know how good the cheaper ones are. plus i would buy a GES as well.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> My temporary setup (STAX SRM-T1 is not mine, it was given me by a friend for about until 10 January... I'm in process of ordering WooAudio GES for my SR-507 right now):
> 
> 
> Even in this setup SR-507 is beating HE-6 for Me, so I'm afraid even think of what will be with upgraded GES


 

  
  You need a new desk or an audio rack of some sort.
   
  There's just too much going on.
   
  Besides that, it still looks like a formidable man cave setup.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


austin morrow said:


> Sorry, really need to ask. Although I already posted my Head-Fi station a page or so back, I forgot to ask something regarding the Sennhesier HD650's. Has anyone tried the Burson HA160DS or HA-160D with both the HD650 and the AKG K7XXX series? If so, how do they sound? I'm getting my Burson in a few days and update everyone with some pics of how it looks.


 
   
  The Burson 160 amp section was designed with the HD650 at hand, they go very well together.


----------



## RexAeterna

jtaylor991 said:


> Uh, nope..
> Consoles with absolutely nothing just bare system start at like $37-44 USD
> Ones that have most of the stuff but may not include a controller or AC adapter and some may include a game, system has yellowing and scuffs/chips etc start at like $55 on amazon used section for Nintendo NES Consoles. There's one I'm lookin at on ebay comes with everything and 4 games $75 plus like 8 or 9 buck shipping. I'm mad because I asked if it included TV connection cable and power cord etc and he said "Console includes everything..." like I'm an ignorant guy who didn't read the post that says "NES Console, 2 controllers and 4 games"
> 
> but yeah theyre more than that as collectors items. ones that are special and go for like >$800 or so (maybe thats SNES idk) have the original packaging and everything included at purchase too. I have the original SNES console and like 9 games I havent counted lol, and like 3-4 old NES games that went to my console that's who knows where...




go to local play and trade if you have one. they sell used NES systems all the time(well mine does) also really? the one in my play and trade sells them for like 40 bucks and it comes with 2 controllers and all necessary adapters. nes games are like a buck or so as well.


----------



## jtaylor991

Well they don't have any stores near me and nothing older than the PSP and original DS is on their website 
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> go to local play and trade if you have one. they sell used NES systems all the time(well mine does) also really? the one in my play and trade sells them for like 40 bucks and it comes with 2 controllers and all necessary adapters. nes games are like a buck or so as well.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Sorry, really need to ask. Although I already posted my Head-Fi station a page or so back, I forgot to ask something regarding the Sennhesier HD650's. Has anyone tried the Burson HA160DS or HA-160D with both the HD650 and the AKG K7XXX series? If so, how do they sound? I'm getting my Burson in a few days and update everyone with some pics of how it looks.


 

 I listened to the HD 650 extensively with the Burson and Peachtree Decco at 32 Ohm last summer. I also enjoyed the HD 650 with a Schiit Asgard in my home for a couple of weeks. Honestly, they all sounded the same to me. I wouldn't own the Burson simply because of it's annoying (to me) stepped volume control.
   
  I'm looking forward to hearing about your impressions when you get it.


----------



## shortyg83




----------



## John In Cali

dubstep girl said:


> very nice. wish i could get into electrostats. but i don't know how good the cheaper ones are. plus i would buy a GES as well.




I feel exactly the same way. Anyone want to tell us how lower end(under $1000) Stax compare to other cans in their price range. 
Any links, ive been trying to search this to no avail forever.


----------



## Connnorrr

Two new pieces to my rig! The Woo stand and the HD650! I got these from my dad in our late Christmas at his place today. Rocking the HD650's right now.


----------



## John In Cali

connnorrr said:


> Two new pieces to my rig! The Woo stand and the HD650! I got these from my dad in our late Christmas at his place today. Rocking the HD650's right now.




Can you ask your dad if he wants a new son?  Super nice, and the great pic makes me more jealous of the HD650 than i usually am.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> I feel exactly the same way. Anyone want to tell us how lower end(under $1000) Stax compare to other cans in their price range.
> Any links, ive been trying to search this to no avail forever.


 

 I bought my used 507 for $675 on Audiogon and even new they cost a little lower than $1000. As for comparission they are in one class of sound quality as HD800 and HE-6 and the sound signature is little alike (as example LCD-2 has different signature and even different ideology of sound IMO). I currently think that I would probably sell HE-6 because the 507 gives me the things that I like in HE-6 and gives me some other good points: the 507 gves the feeling that music not connected to headphones (HE-6 also gives that effect, but in 507 it's just fantastic), they sound compleatly free and the sound is very detailed but not bright and not getting me fatigued from it, the speed and bass are very good, ... So for My tastes 507 is probably best HP I ever heard, but for people who searching more like LCD-sound (less detailed, but full-bodied and "warm" sound) I don't think they will like 507 (and HE-6 too) because 507 are may be a little too much "air", transparent and "cold" for them.
  When I was thinking about what Stax cans I should buy, I read head-fi and some russian forums (I consulted with some Stax-users there through the PM), so this is what I "learned" about Stax after this:
   - 507 and 007 is in one class of sound, they just have different sound signature, but the class level is the same (but the price is quite different, so I decided to not even look on 007);
   - 407 is almost like 507, the main difference is bass, but if change the pads of 407 on the pads from 507 the sound of 407 become almost as 507 (bass too) (but I didn't want to make modifications and I don't like the color, so I decided to buy used 507);
   - 307 is not good as 407 (it's not common opinion, but most of posts I read tells me that);
   - 009  is a comleatly different level compared to any other HP thats exists right now.


----------



## John In Cali

dragonowen said:


> I bought my used 507 for $675 on Audiogon and even new they cost a little lower than $1000. As for comparission they are in one class of sound quality as HD800 and HE-6 and the sound signature is little alike (as example LCD-2 has different signature and even different ideology of sound IMO). I currently think that I would probably sell HE-6 because the 507 gives me the things that I like in HE-6 and gives me some other good points: the 507 gves the feeling that music not connected to headphones (HE-6 also gives that effect, but in 507 it's just fantastic), they sound compleatly free and the sound is very detailed but not bright and not getting me fatigued from it, the speed and bass are very good, ... So for My tastes 507 is probably best HP I ever heard, but for people who searching more like LCD-sound (less detailed, but full-bodied and "warm" sound) I don't think they will like 507 (and HE-6 too) because 507 are may be a little too much "air", transparent and "cold" for them.
> When I was thinking about what Stax cans I should buy, I read head-fi and some russian forums (I consulted with some Stax-users there through the PM), so this is what I "learned" about Stax after this:
> - 507 and 007 is in one class of sound, they just have different sound signature, but the class level is the same (but the price is quite different, so I decided to not even look on 007);
> - 407 is almost like 507, the main difference is bass, but if change the pads of 407 on the pads from 507 the sound of 407 become almost as 507 (bass too) (but I didn't want to make modifications and I don't like the color, so I decided to buy used 507);
> ...




That was great thanks, and i know what you were talking about when you said free, it was exactly what i thought while auditioning the 009, like you said, it sounds like music, not headphones. How much bass does the 507 have? Im not bass needy. So im wondering if the 407 will give me the Stax sound for cheap while still being balanced enough.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> That was great thanks, and i know what you were talking about when you said free, it was exactly what i thought while auditioning the 009, like you said, it sounds like music, not headphones. How much bass does the 507 have? Im not bass needy. So im wondering if the 407 will give me the Stax sound for cheap while still being balanced enough.


 
   
  507 in my current setup with T1 amp have bass just exatly like I need in the amount, speed and quality of bass, it's approximately as HE-6 (maybe a little more) in my current setup in terms of ammount... but LCD-2 have a lot more ammount of bass (not speed and quality though IMHO). What will be with 507 and different amp (for example GES, which have a lot of bass itself by some opinions on head-fi and discription on the wooaudio site) I don't know, but hope will know in a few months


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice, i've been planning to buy some hd 600s, but i already have T1 and hd 650


 

  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice. wish i could get into electrostats. but i don't know how good the cheaper ones are. plus i would buy a GES as well.


 

 Dubstep Girl, admitting you have a problem is the first step on the path of recovery.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Dubstep Girl, admitting you have a problem is the first step on the path of recovery.


 


   
   
  lol wow i didnt even notice both those posts. i do have a headphone addiction. i want them all!!!


----------



## Tilpo

dubstep girl said:


> lol wow i didnt even notice both those posts. i do have a headphone addiction. i want them all!!!



I wanna be the very best
like no one ever was.
to buy them is my real test
to wear them is my cause.

Gotta have'em all!
POKEMON! Headphones!


----------



## mmayer167

Lol i was just gonna say pokemon!

M


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

connnorrr said:


> Two new pieces to my rig! The Woo stand and the HD650! I got these from my dad in our late Christmas at his place today. Rocking the HD650's right now.




Two very, very different sounding headphones. Which do you prefer?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I wanna be the very best
> like no one ever was.
> to buy them is my real test
> to wear them is my cause.
> ...


 


  lmao i was thinking pokemon too when i read the post


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice. wish i could get into electrostats. but i don't know how good the cheaper ones are. plus i would buy a GES as well.


 


  Koss ESP 950 is only $600 and comes with an energizer/amp, and apparently has good sound.


----------



## roker

I mean dubstep can't sound good with every headphone out there, right?
   
  then again, I'm not sure dubstep sounds good with any headphone
   




   
  I kid, I kid


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice!  How is the PRaT on the HD600 compared to your Grado?  I have read a lot about how the Asgard seems to really love both Grados and Sennheisers.  Is it toe-tapping good for both?


 


  In short, yes it is. Personally I think PRaT is a really nebulous hard-to-define (or agree on) property, but they do both sound excellent out of the Asgard.


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent




----------



## Deadmice

There is my station in all its glory


----------



## Digital-Pride

Nice!  How about a night time version, with all those lights on?


----------



## Clayton SF

My amp's bedside manner is to keep me calm during this new year as I am overwrought with _afternewyearseve_ recovery.


----------



## Deadmice

Blam, nighttime. @Clayton SF  Well they do say music is the best medicine


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





deadmice said:


> Blam, nighttime. @Clayton SF  Well they do say music is the best medicine


 

 LOL. Nighttime! YES! Show me the way! I am moving towards the light!


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks! I'll mention it to him, haha.
   


  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  I've only had a day with it so far, and I haven't done any A/B tests yet, so I can't say. I'll let you know when I feel like I've got a good grasp on how I feel about the HD650.


----------



## dagothur

What headphones are those?
  
  Quote: 





defectiveaudiocomponent said:


>


----------



## John In Cali

dagothur said:


> What headphones are those?




Glad im not the only one asking that. They don't seems to be in his profile unless they are on the list of his previous cans.
Im guessing some vintage ortho's since he seams to be into that sort of thing.


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What headphones are those?


 

 Quote:


john in cali said:


> Glad im not the only one asking that. They don't seems to be in his profile unless they are on the list of his previous cans.
> Im guessing some vintage ortho's since he seams to be into that sort of thing.


 

 Good guess! It is a Magnat RT-10. You can see the planar magnetic / orthodynamic driver through the grilles. It is amazing what they made back then. It does not have a "vintage" sound, IMHO - it sounds very good.


----------



## wijnands

This is what I listen to:


----------



## RexAeterna

deadmice said:


> Blam, nighttime. @Clayton SF  Well they do say music is the best medicine




yesssss. super cool and probably keeps you very relaxed,focused and detraction free from the outside world. i thought about putting christmas lights around my room to help me focus more and allow me to keep my lights and blinds off/closed at all times to help me concentrate more on certain tasks and block me off from the outside world but haven't bothered since i been forcing my body and internal clock to get back on schedule and so forth.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

those lights are pretty. i should of done something like that for christmas lol


----------



## Connnorrr

I like the lights too. I have some garland that have the multicolor lights in them on my desk which is awesome at night, so much so, I'm keeping them up year round now.


----------



## Deadmice

I know right? And the best part is, is that they provide enough light so im not straining my eyes too much to do anything. But they do heat up my room pretty quick so i don't keep them on a lot.


----------



## Connnorrr

My room is the hottest in the house anyway, so I never even notice heat. I love the low light for late night music listening though!


----------



## indydieselnut

Here's mine...back in the Woo camp after a long hiatus.  WA6-SE (current production stock), Marantz SA8004, Kimber Hero ICs, HD650 w/Black Dragon (current production) recable.  The glass in the Woo is currently Sylvania skinny-bottle 6DE7 with the Sophia Electric Princess 274b rectifier.  I had a great collection of driver tubes for the Woo from when I've owned one in the past.  I have an EML 5U4G-meshplate to roll in after the first hundred hours.  Mine is a typical head-fi story...started my journey with a WA6-SE, HD650s, and a Cambridge 840C.  Countless amps, sources, 'phones, and $$-spent later, I realized I missed my first love.  I couldn't be happier with this current setup and plan to sit back and enjoy the music.  Cheers.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice to see another SA8004 around these parts.


----------



## indydieselnut

My favorite source I've owned.  Let me see if I can remember them all - 840C, DacMagic, Apollo, Wavelength Brick v.2, Saturn, Rega DAC, MHDT Havana...  I think the SA8004 is a great source for a "typical" head-fier.  You have a good iPod interface, DAC, transport, and "native" SACD capability.  The weak link for me is the USB input, but that is easily remedied with something like a V-link.  My two cents is it's a keeper.   
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nice to see another SA8004 around these parts.


----------



## tme110

i'd really like to be able to test out a SA8004 and compare it with my OPPO.


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's a few threads around here with that comparison and it was one I was really curious about to. I decided on the 8004 because of all the things it could do and I needed a place to (re)start my head-fi journey.
  
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> i'd really like to be able to test out a SA8004 and compare it with my OPPO.


 

 I used it with the Audio-gd DI and avoided the USB in. Either way I recommend it a lot around here because it's really the ultimate 'start and building block' piece. You get so much in the unit and even when everything else is upgraded you can feed it to your DAC for your CDs. It even has a nice headphone out like most of Marantz's other offerings. 
   
  Quote: 





indydieselnut said:


> My favorite source I've owned.  Let me see if I can remember them all - 840C, DacMagic, Apollo, Wavelength Brick v.2, Saturn, Rega DAC, MHDT Havana...  I think the SA8004 is a great source for a "typical" head-fier.  You have a good iPod interface, DAC, transport, and "native" SACD capability.  The weak link for me is the USB input, but that is easily remedied with something like a V-link.  My two cents is it's a keeper.


----------



## ri_toast

There's no place like home, right?


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





ri_toast said:


> There's no place like home, right?


 

 Nice ortho setup.


----------



## Rawrbington

current state!
  green glow


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> current state!
> green glow


 

 Love the green glow of your Yamaha! How's it sound compared to your WA2?


----------



## Yakult

Budget Stax. Actually listening via Sony MP3 player at the moment so the E7 is just for show.


----------



## John In Cali

yakult said:


> Budget Stax. Actually listening via Sony MP3 player at the moment so the E7 is just for show.




Which Stax? How are they? Can you compare them with other cans?


----------



## Destroysall

Very interesting.  I'm glad to hear you love the setup.  I do have a question, if you don't mind me asking.  Do you listen to fast-paced music (metal, etc.)?  I've been curious to know how the HD 600 cope with fast paced music as I'm debating between it and the HD 598.
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Haha thanks. Of course when it's actually all hooked up and sitting on my desk it doesn't look nearly as neat  Does sound good though.
> 
> 
> Thanks! It's sort of hard for me to objectively say. Once I get into something I typically research then buy what I (hopefully) will keep for a long time with few steps in between (all the decent cans I've heard I currently own and are in my sig).
> ...


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very interesting.  I'm glad to hear you love the setup.  I do have a question, if you don't mind me asking.  Do you listen to fast-paced music (metal, etc.)?  I've been curious to know how the HD 600 cope with fast paced music as I'm debating between it and the HD 598.


 


  I have recently been listening to some orchestral, a lot of remixes (techno, trance, glitchy electronica etc.) a couple game soundtracks, my older Linkin Park CDs and some anime music. To my ears the HD600s have sounded excellent with all of it.


----------



## MohawkUS

destroysall said:


> Very interesting.  I'm glad to hear you love the setup.  I do have a question, if you don't mind me asking.  Do you listen to fast-paced music (metal, etc.)?  I've been curious to know how the HD 600 cope with fast paced music as I'm debating between it and the HD 598.




I found the 598 too boring for metal and its supposed to be faster paced and more energetic than the 6xx series. Great texture and soundstage though.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote:


john in cali said:


> Which Stax? How are they? Can you compare them with other cans?


 
  x2
   
  I have been trying to find comparisons with stax and other cans for some time with out much luck, I'm very interested in them


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> I have recently been listening to some orchestral, a lot of remixes (techno, trance, glitchy electronica etc.) a couple game soundtracks, my older Linkin Park CDs and some anime music. To my ears the HD600s have sounded excellent with all of it.


 

 Thanks for your insights.  Is the sound lively or musical? 
  
   


  Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> I found the 598 too boring for metal and its supposed to be faster paced and more energetic than the 6xx series. Great texture and soundstage though.


 


 Thanks.  Is there any way to make the 598 more faster paced?


----------



## obzilla

New bedroom system is finally up and running. But just barely. The Burson HA 160D came today, it's just starting to get its feet wet, though I definitely like it so far. A worthy upgrade over the Lyr.
   
  The cable with the LCD2s is from Norse Audio. And they are hanging on a Woo Audio stand, really nice btw.
   
  The stand is a stainless steel AV component rack from Boltz furniture. It weighs over 100lbs, so vibration is essentially null.
   
  There is a W4S DAC2 in the living room waiting for an amp. It was previously paired with the Lyr. I plan on putting a WA22 with that set up, and float the LCD2s back and forth until I can afford a pair of 3s, late Feb if I am lucky.


----------



## obzilla

....


----------



## Laciel

Just got an email from Jack that my wa3 has been shipped, omg im so excited, i suffer PSWAS(post shipping waiting anxiety symptom). I have a very simple setup of a pc with HT omega halo claro to wa3 then to my hd650, it's my first setup, and hopefully i will upgrade or expand it soon. Will share picture when i have them hook up.


----------



## Questhate

Not sure why your pictures are showing upside down, but good thing that Rodrigo y Gabriela album cover looks the same either way!


----------



## mtkversion

^ Must be one of those Australian cameras ....


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Not sure why your pictures are showing upside down, but good thing that Rodrigo y Gabriela album cover looks the same either way!


 


  Fixed now... just opened them and saved them in Preview... odd, must be retaining the iPhone orientation. Stupid Apple.
   
  And yeah, R&R sound good from any orientation


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's Apple on that one. My iPhone pictures do the same thing here on Head-fi.
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Fixed now... just opened them and saved them in Preview... odd, must be retaining the iPhone orientation. Stupid Apple.
> 
> And yeah, R&R sound good from any orientation


----------



## manveru

Wow, for some very strange reason I had no idea that the Burson was that huge. All the other pictures I've seen made it look way smaller, like it would fit in one hand. The brain is a funny thing!


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Wow, for some very strange reason I had no idea that the Burson was that huge. All the other pictures I've seen made it look way smaller, like it would fit in one hand. The brain is a funny thing!


 


  Watch DJTrax's unboxing, it's not unwieldy per se, but yeah, it's a big unit, about 15lbs. The DS and other models are smaller, this is their biggest unit.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Watch DJTrax's unboxing, it's not unwieldy per se, but yeah, it's a big unit, about 15lbs. The DS and other models are smaller, this is their biggest unit.


 

 Yeah. I was under the impression that the DS fit in the palm of your hand, and side by side the D looked about 1.75x wider. Now I'm going back to look at pictures I've seen before and it looks totally different. I don't know how I didn't see it before, haha.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

just ordered LCD-2s and d2000s finally


----------



## Tilpo

dubstep girl said:


> just ordered LCD-2s and d2000s finally



Congratulations. 

Seeing your headphone collection makes me think I seriously need to get a part-time job.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> just ordered LCD-2s and d2000s finally


 


  Mini-meet at Dubstep Girl's place!  I call first dibs on the RS1i!


----------



## grokit

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> It's Apple on that one. My iPhone pictures do the same thing here on Head-fi.


 

 You guys are obviously holding the phone upside-down


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Love the green glow of your Yamaha! How's it sound compared to your WA2?


 


  thanks.
  it does ok.  the more i compare them though the bigger the difference.  the yamaha has a nice bit of detail but it just can't get close to the dynamics, soundstage and musicality of the woo.


----------



## Defiant00

Since it's all relative, this is in comparison to my Grados:
   
  The HD600s are what I would consider more laid back and musical; not boring, but without the Grado in-your-face treble (I'm somewhat sensitive to sibilance). They are very clear and detailed, which to me helps bring the music together (all the little details I've missed before in a wall of sound). I also find them excellent even at lower volumes.

  Because of this they have become my most-used cans and the ones I keep at work, as I find them non-fatiguing even for the 6+ hours I usually listen to them daily.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Thanks for your insights.  Is the sound lively or musical?


 

 As with anything, just my 2c, I am no headphone (or terminology) expert. Also, in a general sense, my current audio focus is midrange/clarity, if you are a bass/treble head then these may not be the cans for you.


----------



## Destroysall

Ah I see.  I like the sound of them being musical.  Thank you very much for your insights, it really does help in making a decision.  
  
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Since it's all relative, this is in comparison to my Grados:
> 
> The HD600s are what I would consider more laid back and musical; not boring, but without the Grado in-your-face treble (I'm somewhat sensitive to sibilance). They are very clear and detailed, which to me helps bring the music together (all the little details I've missed before in a wall of sound). I also find them excellent even at lower volumes.
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

senns are great for long listening sessions.
   
  especially when your right ear hurts cause you listened to music too loud earlier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  WA2 + T1 at the max volume possible.


----------



## BloodyPenguin

My Portable (and only) Music Station:  Alessandro MS1i; FiiO E6; FiiO L3; 4th Gen iPod Nano.
   
   

   
  ..


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





bloodypenguin said:


> My Portable (and only) Music Station:  Alessandro MS1i; FiiO E6; FiiO L3; 4th Gen iPod Nano.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  not bad. i love the solid all black look.


----------



## thenorwegian

Here's my head-fi station as it is right now..
   

   
  From left to right (headphones): ultrasone pro 2900, sony mdr-xb1000, audio technica m50, audio technica w1000x, sony mdr-xb700 and wrapped around the speaker is the audio technica pro700mk2's. Forgot to include the audio technica a900's in the picture.
   
  From left to right (hardware): schiit asgard, denon rcd-m38, musical fidelidy m1 hpa, my pc (on the floor, old quad core 3,3ghz with asus xonar essence stx audio card), eizo coloredge cg223w monitor and lying infront of it is an asus 1215b portable (the new one, with 4gb ram, amd e450 cpu, radeon 6320 bla bla bla)
   
  Speakers are dali zensor 1's.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1.
> 
> 
> and hey, your from missouri, awesome! lol


 

  
   


  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Hey I'm from Missouri too!!


 


   


  Quote: 





squa7ch said:


> Me too!


 


   


  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> missouri head-fi meet?


 


   


  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> YES!!
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/568093/kansas-city-mo-ks-meet-anyone#post_7847609


 


   


  Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> YES!!!  In St. Louis preferably
> 
> 
> Also, got a new pair of speakers today, hope they are decent.  They are Polk R300.  Only had $200 to spend from Christmas.


 


  lol, lets do it guys.. My house has a basement 


  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Do you collect any classic games like the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES, 80s i think) or SNES, Sega etc? I might get into that soon...oh no, not another wallet eating hobby! XD
> 
> Edit: Also, on the iPhones, why keep all of them? I see the benefit of keeping the previous one as a backup but ehy all? iPods for different genres maybe?


 
   
  I do, and I'm in missouri. I have a ton of vintage gaming consoles and games from refurbishing foreclosed homes. 
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Well they don't have any stores near me and nothing older than the PSP and original DS is on their website


 

 we have a few nice local shops in st. louis.. I would imagine you have at least one in KC.
   

  
  Quote: 





bloodypenguin said:


> My Portable (and only) Music Station:  Alessandro MS1i; FiiO E6; FiiO L3; 4th Gen iPod Nano.


 
  I dig it.


----------



## Deadmice

Its a small world when you realize you're talking to people nearby lol
  @BloodyPenguin Nice, looks sleek


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> lol, lets do it guys.. My house has a basement
> 
> I do, and I'm in missouri. I have a ton of vintage gaming consoles and games from refurbishing foreclosed homes.
> 
> ...


 


  The website locator said no locations within 100 miles of my zipcode.


----------



## BloodyPenguin

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> not bad. i love the solid all black look.


 
   
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> I dig it.


 

      Quote:


deadmice said:


> @BloodyPenguin Nice, looks sleek


 

  
  Thanks for the comments.  Did not mean to go with the all black look, guess it just happened that way.  I am just happy how is sounds all together.  
   
  ..


----------



## s043uf

Got myself started with the whole headphone deal just recently. Living in a apartment and listening to music during the late hours of the night wasn´t popular with the neighbours using speakers only.
  Anyways the setup starts with a Argon Dac (noname stuff with a Wolfson chip) hooked up to the computer via optical, a Littledot MkIII amp with 6H30Pi power tubes and Voshkod 6zh1p-ev driver tubes and to top it off HD650:s with a somewhat cheaper replacement cable (wanted a shorter cable, unfortunatly it´s sleeving makes it a bit stiff).
  I apologize for the bad picture quality, i don´t know what happened to my camera, it used to take better pictures.


----------



## Joe-Siow

Here's mine. HP Envy 17 feeding the Audio Lab M-DAC. Amp is Burson HA-160 and headphone is LCD-2.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> The website locator said no locations within 100 miles of my zipcode.


 


  I mean there are some mom and pop type shops.. little holes in the wall where you can get refurbished consoles on the cheap from people who know what they are doing.


----------



## DVDRey

Quote: 





> eizo coloredge cg223w monitor


 
   
  Good choice


----------



## thrak

Partial view of my listening station.  My office is very dark and getting good overall pics is difficult.  What you don't see is the computer, chair and a few headphones.


----------



## Tilpo

thrak said:


> Partial view of my listening station.  My office is very dark and getting good overall pics is difficult.  What you don't see is the computer, chair and a few headphones.



Nice setup. 

Those rings around the tubes, do they serve any purpose other than looks? Weren't those to reduce microphonics? I always wondered whether that actually worked or not.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Nice setup.
> Those rings around the tubes, do they serve any purpose other than looks? Weren't those to reduce microphonics? I always wondered whether that actually worked or not.


 

 They're tube guards.  I think they are mainly intended to protect the tubes from damage.


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You are exactly right.  Technically they are used to reduce microphonics from vibrations.  I understand that they are usually only meaningful with speaker systems.  But!  I got them purely for the looks


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





joe-siow said:


> Here's mine. HP Envy 17 feeding the Audio Lab M-DAC. Amp is Burson HA-160 and headphone is LCD-2.


 

 Nice setup! Can i have it


----------



## darren700

Got a new 1/4" L-Bracket Extension made up by chris_himself. So now its low-profile and i dont have to dodge a wire everytime i go to change volume. Done for now until i can afford LCD2 and a balanced amp (thinking Augio-GD Pheonix).


----------



## jtaylor991

There's one shop I saw that might have what I'm looking for, but it doesn't seem like a mom and pop shop but a small chain with like 5 stores in some neighboring states (Here, Kansas, Okla, Texas I think) but let's continue this on PMs 
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> I mean there are some mom and pop type shops.. little holes in the wall where you can get refurbished consoles on the cheap from people who know what they are doing.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

my lcd2 and d2000 should arrive in the mail tomorrow!! 
   
  omg so excited@#@#!


----------



## MorbidToaster

But which will get the first listen? I know what my pick would be. 
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> my lcd2 and d2000 should arrive in the mail tomorrow!!
> 
> omg so excited@#@#!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

lol of course


----------



## darren700

Totally Jelous... i have been longing for a LCD2 but soo much moneys... i want postpone buying a house lol... but i wont... hmmm tax return: LCD2's or a Emotiva 5 Channel Beast of an amp for my HT....
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> my lcd2 and d2000 should arrive in the mail tomorrow!!
> 
> omg so excited@#@#!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been considering Emotiva over W4S for my speaker rig, but their lack of decent DAC choices is stopping me.
  
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Totally Jelous... i have been longing for a LCD2 but soo much moneys... i want postpone buying a house lol... but i wont... hmmm tax return: LCD2's or a *Emotiva 5 Channel Beast of an amp for my HT....*


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been considering Emotiva over W4S for my speaker rig, but their lack of decent DAC choices is stopping me.


 

 Well i have a Marantz SR-6005 that i am using as my HT Receiver, it performs the DAC so the Emotiva is fine for me (is there even any 5 or 7 channel DAC's anyways??). If i was looking for amplification for a two channel setup, i would look at a DAC as well. those W4S Amps and DAC's look awesome but are way out of my budget


----------



## MorbidToaster

For HT you're right. But I meant EMotiva in general. Seems like great budget stuff, and they had better options but no longer make them. Unfortunate. 
   
  I plan on a W4S from top to bottom (DAC, Monos, Pre) with my SA8004 as the transport for my 2 channel.
  
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Well i have a Marantz SR-6005 that i am using as my HT Receiver, it performs the DAC so the Emotiva is fine for me (is there even any 5 or 7 channel DAC's anyways??). If i was looking for amplification for a two channel setup, i would look at a DAC as well. those W4S Amps and DAC's look awesome but are way out of my budget


----------



## SixthFall

Well, as soon as I actually get my rig in the mail, I will be _Shure_ to post it


----------



## nick n

A while since I posted here and since i've been playing with some settings on the camera good excuse to do so. At it's current state as in 5 minutes ago ( and still ) devoid of any attempt to pretty it up for photos 
  This is the listening area, feed-source and other cans are elsewhere.  All electrostats in this area for the past little while. A couple of unobtainiums in this pic.


----------



## Kremer930

The emotiva gear is awesome value. I just got the 2 and 5 channel power amps and the processor. It seriously cranks the focals. I got it just to see how it compared to my Onkyo and it seriously beats it. Absolute bargain.


----------



## ardgedee

My mobile office when traveling.
   
 
   

 iPad 2
 Nuforce LOD
 Leckerton UHA-6S
 Sennheiser HD 25-1 II
   
  I took these in May, so I guess these pics are technically verboten, but the setup is exactly the same to this day, down to the lockscreen and wallpaper (though not some of the apps).


----------



## indydieselnut

Congratulations!  I had the LCD-2 for a month before I returned it...I could never get comfortable.  However, I have a much larger than average melon and I fear this was the culprit.  They sounded lovely while I had them. 
   
  Also, I've been in love with the Denons for a long time.  I've owned two pairs of D2000 and two pairs of D7000 over the years.  Closed headphones have always had a soft spot in my heart and the 2000's are some of the most enjoyable headphones I've ever owned.  Enjoy! 

  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> my lcd2 and d2000 should arrive in the mail tomorrow!!
> 
> omg so excited@#@#!


----------



## Joe-Siow

Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Nice setup! Can i have it


 

  
  It's a small time rig considering the rigs of some of the guys here. But I am very pleased about it and the fact that it sounds very good for me.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

my d2000s should arrive in the next couple hours, so excited!@!#!#!#


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> my d2000s should arrive in the next couple hours, so excited!@!#!#!#


 


  And she just can't hide it!  She about to loose control and I think she likes it!  Sorry, I couldn't resist.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> And she just can't hide it!  She about to loose control and I think she likes it!  Sorry, I couldn't resist.


 


  LOL


----------



## Cente




----------



## Dubstep Girl

what speakers are thoese, they look cute.


----------



## kchau

Quick cell phone pic, didn't feel like taking out the camera


----------



## unl3a5h3d

Quote: 





kchau said:


> Quick cell phone pic, didn't feel like taking out the camera


 
  Nice stand!


----------



## roker

Quote: 





kchau said:


> Quick cell phone pic, didn't feel like taking out the camera


 


  a bottle of red is a must.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> My mobile office when traveling.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Y U NO LAPTOP?


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





nick n said:


> A while since I posted here and since i've been playing with some settings on the camera good excuse to do so. At it's current state as in 5 minutes ago ( and still ) devoid of any attempt to pretty it up for photos
> This is the listening area, feed-source and other cans are elsewhere.  All electrostats in this area for the past little while. A couple of unobtainiums in this pic.


 

 nice setup!  btw, where'd you get the dust covers?  i am a smoker and prefer to cover my gear/hps when not in use.  the better to minimize dusting....


----------



## SixthFall

What do you think of the Q701?
  Quote: 





kchau said:


> Quick cell phone pic, didn't feel like taking out the camera


----------



## nick n

Quote: 





thrak said:


> nice setup!  btw, where'd you get the dust covers?  i am a smoker and prefer to cover my gear/hps when not in use.  the better to minimize dusting....


 

 Oh actually those are from a dollar store! They do the same thing as the larger more expensive Stax covers, but for about $2 each. They sell as Sweater travel bags and you just cut the bottoms off carefully.
   That or you can use those thicker plastic zippered bags that come with blankets. They seem a little thicker.
  I put two tiny breather holes in the top corners of each in case of moisture buildup inside, and also tacked a small thing of silica gel to the back of the stands.


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> What do you think of the Q701?


 

 i like it, might not be for everyone though:
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/588071/looking-for-my-next-pair-of-headphones-for-valhalla/30
   
   


  Quote: 





roker said:


> a bottle of red is a must.


 


  where would i put it?


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





kchau said:


> where would i put it?


 


  lol, look closer at your own picture.


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> lol, look closer at your own picture.


 


  ah, perhaps you should zoom in. 
  its a wooden ball and cup toy


----------



## Dubstep Girl

just  got my d2000s and lcd-2!!!
   


   
   
  should get my dt 990s back from repair on monday or tuesday hopefully.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





kchau said:


> ah, perhaps you should zoom in.
> its a wooden ball and cup toy


 


  looks just like a bottle of wine!


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





nick n said:


> Oh actually those are from a dollar store! They do the same thing as the larger more expensive Stax covers, but for about $2 each. They sell as Sweater travel bags and you just cut the bottoms off carefully.
> That or you can use those thicker plastic zippered bags that come with blankets. They seem a little thicker.
> I put two tiny breather holes in the top corners of each in case of moisture buildup inside, and also tacked a small thing of silica gel to the back of the stands.


 

 thats a great idea!  thanks.  i'll have to look into that.  i'm sure it will improve on my current t-shirt-as-a-dust-cover method


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *thrak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> t-shirt-as-a-dust-cover method


 

 Haha, I do the exact same thing. I'd also like to get some of those nifty plastic bags.


----------



## Allforheather

I made a picture of my newly required "portable rig"
   

   
  This is made with some FP-3000B instant film and my beloved RB67


----------



## roker

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> looks just like a bottle of wine!


 


 same here.
   
  I zoomed in on it and assumed it just had a really long neck.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


chrislangley4253 said:


> Y U NO LAPTOP?


 
   
  I haven't taken mine on a plane since I bought an iPad. It hasn't been necessary, and I would just as soon not have the extra weight and liability.


----------



## Yakult

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Quote:
> x2
> 
> I have been trying to find comparisons with stax and other cans for some time with out much luck, I'm very interested in them


 


  The budget Stax was a Lambda normal bias and SRD-6/SB with a Fiio E7 and A1. Sounds really nice but distinctly metallic which some people might not like. Sound is pretty balanced and has good extension. It's clear and has good sound stage.
   
  Vs ATH-AD700, the soundstage doesn't seem as wide but there's actual bass.
  Vs M50, the metallic highs are sort of similar but the Lambda sounds more cohesive. The m50 bass sounds boomy in comparison.
  Vs HD280, they don't really sound alike at all.
   
  The Stax generally sounds better than other headphones I've listened to (K240S, SR60i, V6, mostly entry level). It seems fragile to me but I treat it carefully. The comfort is great because it's surprisingly light and has basically no clamping force. The sound leaks a lot though.


----------



## Allforheather

Quote: 





yakult said:


> The budget Stax was a Lambda normal bias and SRD-6/SB with a Fiio E7 and A1. Sounds really nice but distinctly metallic which some people might not like. Sound is pretty balanced and has good extension. It's clear and has good sound stage.
> 
> Vs ATH-AD700, the soundstage doesn't seem as wide but there's actual bass.
> Vs M50, the metallic highs are sort of similar but the Lambda sounds more cohesive. The m50 bass sounds boomy in comparison.
> ...


 


  It's an open-back, so your music supposes to leak out.


----------



## shipsupt

Cool shot.  What glass did you use?

  
  Quote: 





allforheather said:


> I made a picture of my newly required "portable rig"
> 
> 
> 
> This is made with some FP-3000B instant film and my beloved RB67


----------



## The Shining

obzilla said:


>




Nice setup and great choice of music!


----------



## Destroysall

Very nice setup, *obzilla*.  Which Dell monitor is that, and where can one get that shelf?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice setup, *obzilla*.  Which Dell monitor is that, and where can one get that shelf?


 


  he said it was from boltz.
   
http://www.boltz.com/home-theater-component-stands-storage-racks.html
   
  looks cool.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice setup, *obzilla*.  Which Dell monitor is that, and where can one get that shelf?


 


  he said it was from boltz.
   
http://www.boltz.com/home-theater-component-stands-storage-racks.html


----------



## Tilpo

yakult said:


> The budget Stax was a Lambda normal bias and SRD-6/SB with a Fiio E7 and A1. Sounds really nice but distinctly metallic which some people might not like. Sound is pretty balanced and has good extension. It's clear and has good sound stage.
> 
> Vs ATH-AD700, the soundstage doesn't seem as wide but there's actual bass.
> Vs M50, the metallic highs are sort of similar but the Lambda sounds more cohesive. The m50 bass sounds boomy in comparison.
> ...




Hmmm. I'm thinking about getting a STAX rig too then, after I've saved up enough for an HE-500 first. 
I might build an electrostat amplifier. Kevin Gilmore's design for a SS one seems very attractive, but I'll have a look around. After that I could buy a Lambda series one. Probably a 407, or a 507. 

Soooo much stuff to buy, soooo little money to spend it on.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice setup, *obzilla*.  Which Dell monitor is that, and where can one get that shelf?


 

  
  Yup, like above it is from Boltz. Heavy and sturdy as hell. I have another one just like it, with a 10" shelf on the bottome and industrial locking wheels.
  They're a great outfit (Boltz), made in the US and relatively speaking a good deal for the money. Once I get my Woo WA22, I'll post a picture of that setup.


  Quote: 





the shining said:


> Nice setup and great choice of music!


 

 Nothing comes into this home without enduring the Rodrigo and Gabriela test


----------



## Allforheather

Quote: 





shipsupt said:


> Cool shot.  What glass did you use?


 

 kl90 with few lamps in the hotel room..lol


----------



## rogan

RP-HTX7, E7, Stay+ and head-fi on a saturday afternoon!


----------



## Deadmice

I really like the RP-HTX7's, i have a white pair and find they give ya good bang for your buck


----------



## dirtpacker




----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





dirtpacker said:


>


 

 Re-upload...


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





dirtpacker said:


>


 


  Nice rig!  Though the photo seems to be missing something...


----------



## leng jai

New pics for 2012


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice room! i love all your cool stuff!!


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> New pics for 2012


 
   
  That is such an awesome layout!  Neat and cozy.


----------



## bcart180

I added a lamp today.


----------



## Laciel

Just got the wa3, love it, gonna add a bifrost next month to complete the setup


----------



## Destroysall

Whoa, very cool!  A penny for your thoughts on the WA3 and the HD650?
  Quote: 





laciel said:


> Just got the wa3, love it, gonna add a bifrost next month to complete the setup


----------



## Laciel

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Whoa, very cool!  A penny for your thoughts on the WA3 and the HD650?


 


  Thanks, I am pretty noob but i will try my best to describe  my experience, initially i used the halo claro(*LME49720NA opamp)* to drive my hd650, it's sounded good, very detailed, but the low was pretty hash, i get fatigue with only a few minutes of listening, i had EQ down the low to get a comfortable listen, i did some reading in head-fi, and concluded that the warm sound and price point of the wa3 suit me well, so i ordered it with Sylvania 7236 NOS and a pair of Philips 6922 JAN, i was right, the wa3 tamed my hd650, it sound great, it's no longer hash, i could listen for hour without fatigue, although i have to say i am not completely satisfied, i think it's probably because the wa3 haven't break-in completely with my around 10 hours of use,  also i am still using my halo claro as a temporary DAC,  i know that this is a rough work around the result is likely not the best. I will get a bifrost next month and i will update my experience after the break-in.


----------



## basshead1

bcart180 said:


> I added a lamp today.




Buttcracks on the wall 

Sent from my htc thunderbolt using Tapatalk


----------



## Destroysall

Very nice.  How do the mids sound?  Is it forward or laid-back?  Also, I did see you wanted to upgrade to the Bifrost.  I can't wait to hear how that combo does.
  Quote: 





laciel said:


> Thanks, I am pretty noob but i will try my best to describe  my experience, initially i used the halo claro(*LME49720NA opamp)* to drive my hd650, it's sounded good, very detailed, but the low was pretty hash, i get fatigue with only a few minutes of listening, i had EQ down the low to get a comfortable listen, i did some reading in head-fi, and concluded that the warm sound and price point of the wa3 suit me well, so i ordered it with Sylvania 7236 NOS and a pair of Philips 6922 JAN, i was right, the wa3 tamed my hd650, it sound great, it's no longer hash, i could listen for hour without fatigue, although i have to say i am not completely satisfied, i think it's probably because the wa3 haven't break-in completely with my around 10 hours of use,  also i am still using my halo claro as a temporary DAC,  i know that this is a rough work around the result is likely not the best. I will get a bifrost next month and i will update my experience after the break-in.


----------



## Laciel

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice.  How do the mids sound?  Is it forward or laid-back?  Also, I did see you wanted to upgrade to the Bifrost.  I can't wait to hear how that combo does.


 

  
  I would say laid back, i just plugged my ps3 in my wa3 and play CDs thru it, it sound better then with halo claro lol, i really need a DAC


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





basshead1 said:


> Buttcracks on the wall
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Old Pink Floyd poster pretty famous one at that.


----------



## omerbu1

Very Basic Rig,Fiio E11 is about to join
   
  FLAC->Cowon C2 8 GB->Denon AVR-3300(some circuit mods)->Audio Technica ATH M50
   
  looks like Stax and APEX Pinnacle in contrast of what other kids in my school own.
   
  here's a pic


----------



## mmayer167

I moved and thought i'd post a quick candid shot of what it looks like now. See sig for gear. 
   

   
  -M


----------



## RestoredSparda

New bedside rig; sounds great for the small size. The Senns are growing on me big time...and as a consequence haven't placed the DT 990s on my skull for some time.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> New bedside rig; sounds great for the small size. The Senns are growing on me big time...and as a consequence haven't placed the DT 990s on my skull for some time.


 

 That's pretty sweet actually. I love how compact it is.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





manveru said:


> That's pretty sweet actually. I love how compact it is.


 

 +1 I love the synergy between my Sennheisers and the EF2A, especially with the NOS Raytheon tubes.


----------



## SixthFall

Its a Technics SU-CH900 pretty soon it will pe paired with a Bellari HA540 for my cans


----------



## jtaylor991

Still my dream apartment setup! 
  
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> New pics for 2012


----------



## tribestros

I want to have relations with those B&W monitors.
   
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> New pics for 2012


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're pretty. I wonder how they sound though. I wasn't a fan of the floor standers in that lin.
  
  Quote: 





tribestros said:


> I want to have relations with those B&W monitors.


----------



## leng jai

As I've said before the aesthetic and build quality were a significant factor in my purchase. Audio wise they are very solid all rounders - I wouldn't say they have weaknesses and at the same time I'm not amazed by any particular frequency. Theres little doubt in my mind that you could get better sound for the money. My bedroom setup is probably holding them back as well. 
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're pretty. I wonder how they sound though. I wasn't a fan of the floor standers in that lin.


----------



## winkyeye

Just moved back to my room on campus. Now waiting for some balanced connectors to arrive in the mail.


----------



## Destroysall

It seems like I will always ask someone how there setup deals with Metal or fast-paced music, but really, how well does this setup do Metal?  It looks like a decent and nice setup to me.
  
  Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> New bedside rig; sounds great for the small size. The Senns are growing on me big time...and as a consequence haven't placed the DT 990s on my skull for some time.


----------



## John In Cali

winkyeye said:


> Just moved back to my room on campus. Now waiting for some balanced connectors to arrive in the mail.




Enough beer, or did your girl(LCD-2) need some too?


----------



## fatcat28037

Is that a *Music Collector *screen I see on your monitor? I also have the Tivolo stereo radio, mine's clock with  CD player, it's a great little unit. I'd like to find the sub for it a reasonable price.
  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> New pics for 2012


----------



## LCfiner

looks like iTunes to me.


----------



## leng jai

Yep, just iTunes


----------



## roker

Ok, got a better picture of my dac/amp:
   

   
   
  Here are my portables plus a custom 2 foot extension cable I had made so I can use comfortably from where I sit.  The adapter is from Vmoda (allows for smartphone compatible headphones to work with 1/4 adapters):
   

   
  Surprisingly my Phonaks take a bit to push them.  Probably the most power hungry headphones I own.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Yep, just iTunes


 


  Didn't recognize it, I'm not an iTunes user.


----------



## winkyeye

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Enough beer, or did your girl(LCD-2) need some too?


 
  Those are just some of the empty bottles I've collected over the semester


----------



## Dubstep Girl

well its basically unchanged as far as the system goes. theres my WA2 and WA6SE on the stand....
   

   
   
  heres the 3 monitor setup again, now with eyefinity! 
   
  also notice the cheap HTIB speakers on the wall, and the klipsch pro media 2.1 as well...
   
\
   
   
  and here are all the headphones laying in my counter.
   
  just got the dt 990s back from beyerdynamic and theres my brand new LCD-2!!!!oh and lets not forget the d2000!


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> It seems like I will always ask someone how there setup deals with Metal or fast-paced music, but really, how well does this setup do Metal?  It looks like a decent and nice setup to me.


 


  I've yet to find any genre the HD600s don't do well. I listen to a lot of Tool, Chevelle, and Rock in general, and I have no complaints. I still have moments where my jaw just drops and I have to smile at how much fun I'm having. People say senns are usually laid back and have a...cough...cough...'veil' to the sound, but I have yet to find such a thing. I get impressive bass impact, beautiful mid range, and sweet treble. If I had to pick what this set up does well, or at least the HD600s, I would say guitars never sounded so clean, detailed, like an _actual _guitar to put it bluntly. Also, I don't miss the massive bass of my DT 990s, as the HD600 does well in this department and I feel it's a more realistic amount of bass. 
   
  Back to your original question, yes this setup does Metal / Rock quite well for me, but I've always heard Grado rules in that department, a brand I have yet to delve into.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> I've yet to find any genre the HD600s don't do well. I listen to a lot of Tool, Chevelle, and Rock in general, and I have no complaints. I still have moments where my jaw just drops and I have to smile at how much fun I'm having. People say senns are usually laid back and have a...cough...cough...'veil' to the sound, but I have yet to find such a thing. I get impressive bass impact, beautiful mid range, and sweet treble. If I had to pick what this set up does well, or at least the HD600s, I would say guitars never sounded so clean, detailed, like an _actual _guitar to put it bluntly. Also, I don't miss the massive bass of my DT 990s, as the HD600 does well in this department and I feel it's a more realistic amount of bass.
> 
> Back to your original question, yes this setup does Metal / Rock quite well for me, but I've always heard Grado rules in that department, a brand I have yet to delve into.


 

 yeah, if you like the hd 600s now when it comes to rock, you ain't heard nothing yet. wait till you pop in a pair of SR-325is and play Forty-Six & 2


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> +1 I love the synergy between my Sennheisers and the EF2A, especially with the NOS Raytheon tubes.


 


  Thanks. I bought a bunch of tubes off of ebay, some Tung Sol and Raytheon, and I'm having fun swapping and attempting to put a finger on the change in sound. Good way to burn up some free time.  =)        Could I ask what your source / DAC is? I have an issue with the massive amounts of gain on the EF2A. I have to put iTunes on half volume to be able to turn the EF2A up at all and not blow a driver. I'd be curious to know if you have the same 'issue', and how you work around it with sound quality in mind.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Thanks. I bought a bunch of tubes off of ebay, some Tung Sol and Raytheon, and I'm having fun swapping and attempting to put a finger on the change in sound. Good way to burn up some free time.  =)        Could I ask what your source / DAC is? I have an issue with the massive amounts of gain on the EF2A. I have to put iTunes on half volume to be able to turn the EF2A up at all and not blow a driver. I'd be curious to know if you have the same 'issue', and how you work around it with sound quality in mind.


 

 I have the same problem, unfortunately, with my EF2A and HD580s. I usually set my system volume in Windows to 85-94% so that I can turn the volume pot up high enough to be free of channel imbalance. I don't have this issue when I plug in my iPod or CD player line-out into the amp, however.


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


>


 
  Those headphones seem ready to be "burned" in.


----------



## RexAeterna

kingpage said:


> Those headphones seem ready to be "burned" in.




by that, do you mean gasoline and a lighter?


----------



## Draygonn

cuz they're near the stove, lol.

DubstepGirl is on her way to matching DXCStore


----------



## Yuceka




----------



## MorbidToaster

Ugh. I can't decide to get my DAC 2 or MacBook Pro first. First world problems.


----------



## RexAeterna

morbidtoaster said:


> Ugh. I can't decide to get my DAC 2 or MacBook Pro first. First world problems.




you want a pc. you know you do.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really don't. Granted, the first thing I'll eb doing with the Macbook is boot camping Win 7 on it. Just like I did with my iMac.
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jronan2

Get a dac first dude wait for the MBP updates coming this spring. This is what I'm doing. Then the problem will be whether to go with an air or pro.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Air isn't even a consideration for me, but is there any rumor about the updates? It'd be a few months down the line for either one as I've got the LF to pay for in February. 
  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Get a dac first dude wait for the MBP updates coming this spring. This is what I'm doing. Then the problem will be whether to go with an air or pro.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Ugh. I can't decide to get my DAC 2 or MacBook Pro first. First world problems.


 


  Get the DAC2... Macbooks will refresh again this summer.


----------



## jronan2

Ivy Bridge will be coming to the MBP this spring, whether it has a CD Drive, SSD or 7200 etc is still up in the air, plus the speculation of a redesign. Check out macrumors for more info but I would def. wait. I'm leaning for an air my friends got one, even with a dual core i7 the SSD is such a difference in performance I fell in love. Even if the new MBP's dont get an SSD I'm throwing one in there.  Without pc gaming and not a photographer my computer needs aren't that demanding, so the air my be right up my alley. Got decisions to make late spring/early summer. Yeah the LF would take me maaaad long to pay off I remembered reading the one you had was a loaner.


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Ivy Bridge will be coming to the MBP this spring, whether it has a CD Drive, SSD or 7200 etc is still up in the air, plus the speculation of a redesign. Check out macrumors for more info but I would def. wait. I'm leaning for an air my friends got one, even with a dual core i7 the SSD is such a difference in performance I fell in love. Even if the new MBP's dont get an SSD I'm throwing one in there.  Without pc gaming and not a photographer my computer needs aren't that demanding, so the air my be right up my alley. Got decisions to make late spring/early summer. Yeah the LF would take me maaaad long to pay off I remembered reading the one you had was a loaner.


 


  my air (late 2011) doesnt have spdif. one of the things i miss most from my pro.


----------



## jronan2

Yeah that is a huge draw back. I use usb with my laptop/bedside rig just to keep it simple and portable, but your right I forgot to mention that plus I have no idea if they will ever put spdif in the air since its so damn small to begin with, probably no room I'm assuming.


----------



## Tilpo

draygonn said:


> cuz they're near the stove, lol.
> 
> DubstepGirl is on her way to matching DXCStore



That is awesome. Awesomely obsessive, that is. 

Why not go with buying 2-3 flagships instead of a heap of cheapies? Curiosity? The need to review?



yuceka said:


>



Nice setup. What do you use as a DAC? 

At first I thought those HE-5's were an LCD-2, lol. How do they compare, btw? 
I heard that many people actually prefer the old wooden HE-5, despite some of its issues (cracking wood).


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Yeah that is a huge draw back. I use usb with my laptop/bedside rig just to keep it simple and portable, but your right I forgot to mention that plus I have no idea if they will ever put spdif in the air since its so damn small to begin with, probably no room I'm assuming.


 


  my mini has spdif, but its on the wrong side of the room. I hear they are slimming down the pro's, and that a new case is coming, pretty nice considering theyve kept the same design since 06-07.


----------



## faverodefavero

So, here goes my systems:
   
  _A:Windows7 64Bits Desktop PC, iTunes (using WASAPI trough Quicktime) with HT Omega ClaroHalo (with XT) - AK4396VF DAC > Schiit Lyr, NOS GE 6BZ7 tubes (USA) > HiFiMan HE-5LE (better than HE-500 with good amplification, IMO) with a 'single crystal' OCC balanced headphone Cable  and a pair of Infrasonic Blow5D Near-field Studio Monitors (pre-amplified by the Lyr). All cabled with BlueJeansCable. 
   
  _B:Windows7 64Bits Desktop PC, iTunes (using WASAPI trough Quicktime) with Asus Xonar Essence STX - PCM 1792A DAC >  Xonar Essence's internal TI TPA6120A2 Hi-fi Headphone Amplifier on 'ExtraHighGain' (600Ohms) mode > Beyerdynamic DT990 (2005 edition) 600Ohms version.
   
  _C ("Mobile" Gaming):Windows7 64Bits Alienware M17x* > Creative Audigy 2ZS THX Notebook edition (using an Express-card to PCMCIA adapter) for optical digital out > Astro MixAmp (1st Gen) as Dolby DAC and HP-Amp > Astro A40 (1st Gen).
   
  _D:Windows 7 64Bits Dell XPS Notebook, iTunes (using WASAPI trough Quicktime) > Fiio E7 or Practical Devices XM6 (with WM8742 DAC and AD8397 amplifier/buffer) as DAC and HP-Amp > Any headphones (list bellow).
   
  _E: Either iMod* (5G) with 'V2 Copper 18' cable and Practical Devices XM6 or iPhone4 with Auzentech iFuzen HP-1 (1st Gen) or Fiio E7, again using any Headphones seen on the list bellow.
   
  My other (not listed on my systems) headphones: AKGs K702* and K271 MKII; Bowers&Wilkins P5; Koss Porta-Pro; AudioTechnica ATH-ESW9A; Marshal Major; Magnum* (Grado SR325is mod). Also got a spare Auzentech Xi-Fi Forte 7.1 (1st Gen), not being used ATM.
   
  *: Not with me at the moment (left in work, other house or with friends, family etc.), so no pics for those (sorry).
   
  The photos (took them right now):


----------



## RexAeterna

morbidtoaster said:


> I really don't. Granted, the first thing I'll eb doing with the Macbook is boot camping Win 7 on it. Just like I did with my iMac.




but, you have a macbook and no firewire interfaces. you know it's a sin not to have firewire interfaces/dacs if your system has a good firewire host? it's ok. since you didn't know, i can find it within myself to forgive you.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I want to eye/eargasm all over some of the stuff you guys have.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





faverodefavero said:


> So, here goes my systems:
> 
> _A:Windows7 64Bits Desktop PC, iTunes (using WASAPI trough Quicktime) with HT Omega ClaroHalo (with XT) - AK4396VF DAC > Schiit Lyr, NOS GE 6BZ7 tubes (USA) > HiFiMan HE-5LE (better than HE-500 with good amplification, IMO) with a 'single crystal' OCC balanced headphone Cable  and a pair of Infrasonic Blow5D Near-field Studio Monitors (pre-amplified by the Lyr). All cabled with BlueJeansCable.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love the display case.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote:


rexaeterna said:


> but, you have a macbook and no firewire interfaces. you know it's a sin not to have firewire interfaces/dacs if your system has a good firewire host? it's ok. since you didn't know, i can find it within myself to forgive you.


 

 There are Thunderbolt hubs shipping imminently with firewire and USB outs. It makes me hold out hope that the next MBP revision will have no optical drive and only ports for power and Thunderbolt - and maybe an Ethernet socket, since I still use that at home. I use Firewire and USB all the time, but not when I'm carrying my laptop around, so good riddance to deadweight.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not sure if want. I love their look right now...Hmmm...I was really planning on the DAC first anyway as it will finish my headphone set up (with the exception of new headphones eventually). The redesign worries me greatly. Sometimes Apple knocks it out of the park (iPhone 4), sometimes it just gets worse (ie. rounded edges on their last MacBook. Gross). 
   
  I'll wait and see I suppose. If I don't like what they have to say about the revamp there's usually a few day window to order the older models before they switch.
   
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Ivy Bridge will be coming to the MBP this spring, whether it has a CD Drive, SSD or 7200 etc is still up in the air,* plus the speculation of a redesign.* Check out macrumors for more info but I would def. wait. I'm leaning for an air my friends got one, even with a dual core i7 the SSD is such a difference in performance I fell in love. Even if the new MBP's dont get an SSD I'm throwing one in there.  Without pc gaming and not a photographer my computer needs aren't that demanding, so the air my be right up my alley. Got decisions to make late spring/early summer. Yeah the LF would take me maaaad long to pay off I remembered reading the one you had was a loaner.


----------



## jronan2

Yeah if you don't like the new redesign (if it happens) there will be a clearance sale on the 2011 MBP's, happens everytime. That also is another option for me if I don't like the direction they are taking. A lot of people are unsure what they are going to do because all the rumors sound like the new MBP's will basically just be what the air's are now, with better specs? Anyway I'm going to wait it out but as much as my white MacBook has been the best and most reliable computer I have ever had and still runs just as strong today, I'm really getting sick of the plastic look and oldish, outdated feel. Sorry for the slight derail.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I just really like the overall design on the MBP right now. Rounded, but still holds the rectangular shape. They just feel right to me. I'll wait it out. I'm looking to get a 15.6" with the upgraded gloss screen, so we'll see what kind of  stuff is on the new models.
  
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Yeah if you don't like the new redesign (if it happens) there will be a clearance sale on the 2011 MBP's, happens everytime. That also is another option for me if I don't like the direction they are taking. A lot of people are unsure what they are going to do because all the rumors sound like the new MBP's will basically just be what the air's are now, with better specs? Anyway I'm going to wait it out but as much as my white MacBook has been the best and most reliable computer I have ever had and still runs just as strong today, I'm really getting sick of the plastic look and oldish, outdated feel. Sorry for the slight derail.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That is awesome. Awesomely obsessive, that is.
> Why not go with buying 2-3 flagships instead of a heap of cheapies? Curiosity? The need to review?
> Nice setup. What do you use as a DAC?
> At first I thought those HE-5's were an LCD-2, lol. How do they compare, btw?
> I heard that many people actually prefer the old wooden HE-5, despite some of its issues (cracking wood).


 

 I use HRT Music Streamer as my main DAC but from time to time I switch to Calyx Coffee DAC. They are both amazing value. 
   
  You're right about the HE-5. Many people will disagree with me but I prefer the HE-5 to LCD-2 (rev.1) any day of the week. Up until I got my HE-500, HE-5 were my best cans I've heard to date. People here are already sick of me praising them but they're that good. I think Fang should bring them back to the market instead of the obsolete HE-5LE which I never understood why it exists today for the same price of a brand new HE-500. Wood issues appear if you're living in a very humid place. I've never had any wood issues and I think they're gorgeous. Like I said, I've heard all the Hifiman cans, except for the HE-4 and HE-500 aside, HE-5 are still my favorite.


----------



## Tilpo

yuceka said:


> I use HRT Music Streamer as my main DAC but from time to time I switch to Calyx Coffee DAC. They are both amazing value.
> 
> You're right about the HE-5. Many people will disagree with me but I prefer the HE-5 to LCD-2 (rev.1) any day of the week. Up until I got my HE-500, HE-5 were my best cans I've heard to date. People here are already sick of me praising them but they're that good. I think Fang should bring them back to the market instead of the obsolete HE-5LE which I never understood why it exists today for the same price of a brand new HE-500. Wood issues appear if you're living in a very humid place. I've never had any wood issues and I think they're gorgeous. Like I said, I've heard all the Hifiman cans, except for the HE-4 and HE-500 aside, HE-5 are still my favorite.



The main reason they stopped producing the woodies was that the manufacturer of the cups was very unreliable. They probably are unable (or find it a too big investment) to produce the wooden cups themselves, so they had to outsource it.
Maybe if they could set up a good contract with another company they could restart producing them.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> The main reason they stopped producing the woodies was that the manufacturer of the cups was very unreliable. They probably are unable (or find it a too big investment) to produce the wooden cups themselves, so they had to outsource it.
> Maybe if they could set up a good contract with another company they could restart producing them.


 

 Maybe they should contact Bilavideo....


----------



## Taowolf51

My Fiio E7 died (I know, I'm saving up for a new DAC), so I decided to grab an old surround sound receiver and try it out. Hoo-lee crap. It's simply amazing. Especially considering how damn cheap it was.


----------



## John In Cali

taowolf51 said:


> My Fiio E7 died (I know, I'm saving up for a new DAC), so I decided to grab an old surround sound receiver and try it out. Hoo-lee crap. It's simply amazing. Especially considering how damn cheap it was.



Are you using it as a dac? Running optical or spdif?


----------



## Taowolf51

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Are you using it as a dac? Running optical or spdif?


 


  Yeah, I'm running optical from my computer.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





taowolf51 said:


> My Fiio E7 died (I know, I'm saving up for a new DAC), so I decided to grab an old surround sound receiver and try it out. Hoo-lee crap. It's simply amazing. Especially considering how damn cheap it was.


 
   
  What happened to your E7? Mine died on me too a few months ago.


----------



## TruBrew

I am loving all of the pics. I am hoping my STAX replacement headband arrives tomorrow. If it does I will snap some pictures of my current setup. I just like having things perfect before submitting pictures of it into permanent record.


----------



## linuxid10t

OH GOD!  Awful receiver.  Have the same one at home.  They hold back a pair of HD5XX, let alone the D7000.  UPGRADE NOW, I COMMAND YOU!!!
  
  Quote: 





taowolf51 said:


> My Fiio E7 died (I know, I'm saving up for a new DAC), so I decided to grab an old surround sound receiver and try it out. Hoo-lee crap. It's simply amazing. Especially considering how damn cheap it was.


----------



## RexAeterna

ardgedee said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> There are Thunderbolt hubs shipping imminently with firewire and USB outs. It makes me hold out hope that the next MBP revision will have no optical drive and only ports for power and Thunderbolt - and maybe an Ethernet socket, since I still use that at home. I use Firewire and USB all the time, but not when I'm carrying my laptop around, so good riddance to deadweight.




i didn't know that was out. have to check it out. i don't own any macbooks personally but have them at the college studios all the time.


----------



## Taowolf51

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> What happened to your E7? Mine died on me too a few months ago.


 
   
  The miniUSB female simply broke off everything when I was plugging it in. It's rattling around in the housing right now. 
  Emailed Fiio, hope I get a reply.
  
   
   


linuxid10t said:


> OH GOD!  Awful receiver.  Have the same one at home.  They hold back a pair of HD5XX, let alone the D7000.  UPGRADE NOW, I COMMAND YOU!!!


 

  Haha, I know, it's a POS receiver. However, I'm surprised how well it's holding up. It's definitely better than the Fiio, I'd say, which is something I *never* expected. Ya gotta be careful with it, though. All the settings but one (including the "music" setting) sound AWFUL. The D7000's were a recent surprise, so I've been saving up for an NFB-12.
  My brother has a denon receiver, forget which one, but I may sneak over and steal it for a short time.


----------



## John In Cali

taowolf51 said:


> The miniUSB female simply broke off everything when I was plugging it in. It's rattling around in the housing right now.
> Emailed Fiio, hope I get a reply.




I don't know what kind of warranty FIIO has but if all else fails, that is a very simple soldering fix.


----------



## Austin Morrow

The Burson HA-160DS has arrived. Loving it so far. Makes a really nice addition to my desktop. I await the Bifrost...


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> The Burson HA-160DS has arrived. Loving it so far. Makes a really nice addition to my desktop. I await the Bifrost...


 

 How are you liking the K701's in comparison with the HD650?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> How are you liking the K701's in comparison with the HD650?


 


  To be completely honest, I was in high favor of the HD650's at first before trying them both out on the Burson amp. After getting the Burson amp however, I like them both about equal, can't really pick honestly.


----------



## Draygonn

taowolf51 said:


> My Fiio E7 died (I know, I'm saving up for a new DAC)




My E9 just started making a hiss unless the headphone jack is pressed down. Probably a loose connection. My O2 has been shipped, perfect timing.


----------



## Taowolf51

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Yeah. I looked up the problem on Head-fi, and found a thread about the same problem. The OP cracked open the case and apparently said it wasn't a simple soldering fix. Dunno how, though. I'm hoping I can fix it if all else fails.
  I actually have no idea how he opened it. The screws in the back look like hex wrench holes, except they're perfectly round...
   




draygonn said:


> My E9 just started making a hiss unless the headphone jack is pressed down. Probably a loose connection. My O2 has been shipped, perfect timing.


 

  Hooray quality!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





faverodefavero said:


> So, here goes my systems:
> 
> _A:Windows7 64Bits Desktop PC, iTunes (using WASAPI trough Quicktime) with HT Omega ClaroHalo (with XT) - AK4396VF DAC > Schiit Lyr, NOS GE 6BZ7 tubes (USA) > HiFiMan HE-5LE (better than HE-500 with good amplification, IMO) with a 'single crystal' OCC balanced headphone Cable  and a pair of Infrasonic Blow5D Near-field Studio Monitors (pre-amplified by the Lyr). All cabled with BlueJeansCable.
> 
> ...


 

 very very nice.


----------



## linuxid10t

I would say the E7 is better, but it doesn't really push enough power.  The Sony on the other hand pushes way more power, which probably helped a lot.  I don't think Headphonia had a very good review of the NFB-12.
  
  Quote: 





taowolf51 said:


> Haha, I know, it's a POS receiver. However, I'm surprised how well it's holding up. It's definitely better than the Fiio, I'd say, which is something I *never* expected. Ya gotta be careful with it, though. All the settings but one (including the "music" setting) sound AWFUL. The D7000's were a recent surprise, so I've been saving up for an NFB-12.
> My brother has a denon receiver, forget which one, but I may sneak over and steal it for a short time.


----------



## Tilpo

dubstep girl said:


> very very nice.



Would you please omit the images when you are quoting posts like that. It's annoying.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

showing them again emphasizes the point.


----------



## Taowolf51

linuxid10t said:


> I would say the E7 is better, but it doesn't really push enough power.  The Sony on the other hand pushes way more power, which probably helped a lot.  I don't think Headphonia had a very good review of the NFB-12.


 
   
  That's entirely possible. The first thing I noticed was the extra power, though there seems to be a fair amount of detail as well. The E7 (for me at least) was never very impressive, and I'd expect it to be able to drive a 25 ohm set of cans well enough.
  Either way, I'm stuck with the Sony STR-K700 until I can afford something decent. It's much nicer than I expected (since the HTIB it is a part of *sucks*).


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





taowolf51 said:


> The miniUSB female simply broke off everything when I was plugging it in. It's rattling around in the housing right now.
> Emailed Fiio, hope I get a reply.


 

 This is how mine died:


----------



## Leiker535

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> This is how mine died:


 


  They got shot?!


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





leiker535 said:


> They got shot?!


 


  At least had they been shot my house wouldn't have had the smell of melted plastic for a good while after. I had been charging it, left the room to go eat. I forgot my phone and when I walked back into my room I could smell something burning. Found my E7 glowing red with a bit of smoke rising from that spot, which is right where the miniUSB plugs in to charge it.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

sounds like a short in the cable//connection somewhere. did you call them?


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> sounds like a short in the cable//connection somewhere. did you call them?


 


  I sent them an email, but I don't really remember their response, I'd have to look it up. I simply used it as an excuse to upgrade my DAC. It wasn't a big deal.


----------



## linuxid10t

That FIIO E7 looks like a lawsuit...  LOL


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> That FIIO E7 looks like a lawsuit...  LOL


 


  haha yea, remember the exploding iphones? people sued the crap outta apple for that


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yeah i remember that, something about the batteries being lithium something


----------



## atl5

My setup since joining HF.
   
  HP

   
  Desktop, Bedroom & Portable


----------



## tonyjin

****ty picture of the dorm setup.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





tonyjin said:


> ****ty picture of the dorm setup.


 

 Dang, I wish my dorm setup was that nice


----------



## khoi14021993

Quote: 





tonyjin said:


> ****ty picture of the dorm setup.


 


   
   
  your dorm is my palace


----------



## Eric_C

^ Better a bad pic of a good setup than vice versa. 
  And good grief that lava lamp is bright.


----------



## John In Cali

tonyjin said:


> ****ty picture of the dorm setup.




Very nice lava lamp, bet it gets your mixes coming out great. (hoping someone is on the inside and can appreciate the joke)


----------



## Dubstep Girl

im down to 2 monitors until i get one of them serviced.
   
  did get a 51 inch plasma though


----------



## tonyjin

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> ^ Better a bad pic of a good setup than vice versa.
> And good grief that lava lamp is bright.


 


  It's actually not bright at all, but my iPhone turned it into a mini-sun


----------



## MorbidToaster

You poor girl
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> im down to 2 monitors until i get one of them serviced.
> 
> did get a 51 inch plasma though


----------



## mmayer167

tonytiger, that is a very nice dorm setup  
   
  -M


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's grrrrrrrrrreat!
  
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> tonytiger, that is a very nice dorm setup
> 
> -M


----------



## detoxguy

awesome
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's grrrrrrrrrreat!


----------



## rogan

Last picture before being packed up to be sent to me so ill update with a picture of my full setup when they arrive 
   
  Grado mods ftw.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Those are fantastic...Probably my favorite Grados I've ever seen.
  
  Quote: 





rogan said:


> Last picture before being packed up to be sent to me so ill update with a picture of my full setup when they arrive
> 
> Grado mods ftw.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





rogan said:


> Last picture before being packed up to be sent to me so ill update with a picture of my full setup when they arrive
> 
> Grado mods ftw.


 

 WOAH. That is some serious schiit.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I would love to hear more details on those modded Grados.  Very sharp looking set of cans...


----------



## rogan

modded by Sylvan of ohrenholz


----------



## Austin Morrow

Updated. The new Rein Audio X-DAC. Review coming soon.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Updated. The new Rein Audio X-DAC. Review coming soon.


 

 nice setup! and love the woo stand!


----------



## HwangMiHee

austin morrow said:


> The Burson HA-160DS has arrived. Loving it so far. Makes a really nice addition to my desktop. I await the Bifrost...




Is that a good microphone?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> nice setup! and love the woo stand!


 

 Thanks, I was going for a all aluminum and silver look.
   


  Quote: 





hwangmihee said:


> Is that a good microphone?
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 

 Yes, Blue makes some great microphones!


----------



## leng jai

One more addition today:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> One more addition today:


 


  w00t!##!@##!@##@!#


----------



## Draygonn

leng jai said:


> One more addition today:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





draygonn said:


>


 


  the WA2 club grows stronger....


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





roker said:


> I mean dubstep can't sound good with every headphone out there, right?
> 
> then again, I'm not sure dubstep sounds good with any headphone
> 
> ...


 


  You shouldn't kid, it's a laughable genre. but to each their own. will upload my pictures in tha' morning


----------



## detoxguy

whether or not you like dubstep (I don't) calling it a "laughable genre" is ridiculous. 
   
  I thought endless bickering over headphones (rumours, impressions etc.) was annoying enough but we shouldn't be judging other people's musical tastes
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> You shouldn't kid, it's a laughable genre. but to each their own. will upload my pictures in tha' morning


----------



## scottie584

It's laughable when it's the same noises and wobbles for every single tune out there. Everyone thinks that's total crap, because it generally is. But to find the good stuff, you have to look deeper and find the darker stuff that is focused on low bass. Example being Skrillex = noises and wobbles vs. Burial = Deep bass and ambience.


----------



## Coq de Combat

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> whether or not you like dubstep (I don't) calling it a "laughable genre" is ridiculous.
> 
> I thought endless bickering over headphones (rumours, impressions etc.) was annoying enough but we shouldn't be judging other people's musical tastes


 


  I can't agree more with you. It feels a little tasteless to criticize taste. Some like meat, some like veggies, some like red, some like blue, and so on. No need to bash things like that.
   
  @*Melvins*, that was not directly directed at you, just a general thought I have when it comes to internet in general. People are generally not especially tolerant with other peoples taste in whatever..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Hallelujah. I'm not the only one defending a (mostly) good genre against generalizations. I do really feel DubStep is one of the genres where the 'mainstream' sound is just awful.
  
  Quote: 





scottie584 said:


> It's laughable when it's the same noises and wobbles for every single tune out there. Everyone thinks that's total crap, because it generally is. *But to find the good stuff, you have to look deeper and find the darker stuff that is focused on low bass. *Example being Skrillex = noises and wobbles vs. Burial = Deep bass and ambience.


----------



## Deadmice

I tend to explain it this way when my friends question me, there's a lot of good dubstep, but theres a lot of really really crappy stuff too.
  On an equipment note all these tube amps look like something from the future to me lol


----------



## Mad Dude

Felt the urge to rearrange my setup today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 This is the result:


----------



## John In Cali

deadmice said:


> I tend to explain it this way when my friends question me, there's a lot of good dubstep, but theres a lot of really really crappy stuff too.
> On an equipment note all these tube amps look like something from the future to me lol




Yet they are from the past. I agree though.


----------



## leng jai

Theres a lot of crappy stuff in everything that exists in our world.


----------



## Terps Fan

Nice and clean Mad Dude!  I like it.


----------



## Llloyd

the cans are sr80 and HE-500


----------



## tribestros

Grado SR60i, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Bose OEs in their case, NuForce uDAC2-hp, Sony Turntable...nothin fancy.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Grado SR60i, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Bose OEs in their case, NuForce uDAC2-hp, Sony Turntable...nothin fancy.


 


   
  Bet it sounds great though


----------



## roker

Quote: 





melvins said:


> You shouldn't kid, it's a laughable genre. but to each their own. will upload my pictures in tha' morning


 


  nah, I was really joking.
   
  While I don't like it (wobble wobble wobble), it reminds me of how ostracized people would make me feel about liking hip-hop/rap as a teenager (even honest fundamental stuff) so I suppose it makes me feel like I'm an old man and/or hypocrite .... still would've catch me listening to it.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Felt the urge to rearrange my setup today
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I likey.


----------



## yenny

Thought I'd share my current setup


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





llloyd said:


> the cans are sr80 and HE-500


 

 What turntable is that? I think I might recognize it...


----------



## Destroysall

^Interesting setup.  I do have a question though.  Is it possible to hook up a record player to a tube amp like a Little Dot?  If so, is it something worth a shot or is it pointless?


----------



## John In Cali

destroysall said:


> ^Interesting setup.  I do have a question though.  Is it possible to hook up a record player to a tube amp like a Little Dot?  If so, is it something worth a shot or is it pointless?




You could use it as a pre-amp, but a record player still needs to go through a phono amp, it adds a special eq needed for vinyl to sound normal. In that case though you might as well get yourself a phono tube amp.


----------



## kingpage

Still waiting for the FiiO E10 to complete it.


----------



## Coolzo

Okay, so updated a few things. Mainly production/dj gear, but the Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 (shiney red audio interface) makes a SUPER good DAC, far superior to my E10 or Essence ST. Apologies for the dumb phone pic quality, someone seems to have hijacked my camera... oh and I need a new desk quite badly, its a getting a little crowded


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice ^


----------



## John In Cali

dubstep girl said:


> very nice ^




Agreed.

Im loving the white cones of the monitors. What monitors are those?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yeah the white cones look cool.


----------



## John In Cali

dubstep girl said:


> yeah the white cones look cool.




If they sound good ill have to get them, starting a home recording studio so if my mixing station ever gets past dreams i will post pics.


----------



## Coolzo

They are the infamous Yamaha HS50M, epic tools for production! They match perfectly with my white background (which contains black text), and my black+white foobar  and thanks Dubstep Girl! Works well indeed  Just got the interface in the mail today, for a shocking $120 new.
  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Agreed.
> Im loving the white cones of the monitors. What monitors are those?


 


   
  They aren't exactly "hi-fi" speakers, and are EXTREMELY unforgiving, but the statement does hold true: If you can make your mix sound good on the Yamahas, then they will sound good on any source (that isn't broken or cheap). I recommend them!


----------



## Coolzo

Sorry, double post.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





coolzo said:


> They are the infamous Yamaha HS50M, epic tools for production! They match perfectly with my white background (which contains black text), and my black+white foobar  and thanks Dubstep Girl! Works well indeed  Just got the interface in the mail today, for a shocking $120 new.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 unforgiving as in extremely revealing then?


----------



## John In Cali

coolzo said:


> They are the infamous Yamaha HS50M, epic tools for production! They match perfectly with my white background (which contains black text), and my black+white foobar  and thanks Dubstep Girl! Works well indeed  Just got the interface in the mail today, for a shocking $120 new.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Ahh I've heard of the Yamaha NS10's, so i know what you are talking about. Well thanks for making my wallet cry, but they have become the next thing on my long list of things to buy.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> unforgiving as in extremely revealing then?


 


  Yes, exactly this. You will hear the tiniest distortions and whatnot. Also, they are not necessarily "fun" for music listening, as they are flat. But if your music is good, it'll sound good 
  @John, yes! Sorry for your wallet man, haha Christmas present


----------



## RexAeterna

coolzo said:


> Yes, exactly this. You will hear the tiniest distortions and whatnot. Also, they are not necessarily "fun" for music listening, as they are flat. But if your music is good, it'll sound good
> @John, yes! Sorry for your wallet man, haha Christmas present




nice setup.but what made no sense to me when i hear people say that. ''the speaker/headphone is flat/natural but not fun for music'' what? if they are flat they be perfect all-rounder. for bad compression artifacts,ect. either get speaker/headphone that colors the sound or learn to deal with it. i rather learn to deal with it cause i don't want to waste money on gear that doesn't get the job done. only coloration should be the music itself. i love your yamaha monitors btw. i listened to the HS80M sometime ago and never wanted to leave them.


----------



## manveru

That's awesome Coolzo. I've yet to hear the NS10/HS50m, but definitely would like to someday for my own mixing. How's the Focusrite working out as an interface?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The HS series are absolutely no fun for music...Some of you may know how I feel about them already.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





manveru said:


> That's awesome Coolzo. I've yet to hear the NS10/HS50m, but definitely would like to someday for my own mixing. How's the Focusrite working out as an interface?


 


  So far only used it as a DAC for music listening, as I just recieved it today. However, I can say that the clarity it provides is incredible! Soundstaging is excellent, and the smallest details are revealed. Balanced TRS outs are also nice. For now, I will use it for that and a MIDI interface, however the preamps will undoubtedly see use in the near future. They are supposed to be some of the best preamps you can get on an interface. So far, so amazing!
   
  Quick edit, not too impressed with the headphone amp on the Focusrite, however. Much prefer my E9, the Focusrite amp completely negates the said soundstaging.


  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> nice setup.but what made no sense to me when i hear people say that. ''the speaker/headphone is flat/natural but not fun for music'' what? if they are flat they be perfect all-rounder. for bad compression artifacts,ect. either get speaker/headphone that colors the sound or learn to deal with it. i rather learn to deal with it cause i don't want to waste money on gear that doesn't get the job done. only coloration should be the music itself. i love your yamaha monitors btw. i listened to the HS80M sometime ago and never wanted to leave them.


 


  What it means, is essentially that low-quality lossy files, poor recordings, or music with poor mixing/mastering are instantly identifiable. It doesn't cause the mids and treble to be more forward, for example, so it doesn't "add" anything to say rock music, like Grados. Bass isn't superepicomgwtfbbqBOOOOOM, but it's there when it should be and where it should be. 
   
  EDIT: MorbidToaster states my case exactly. I use my HD595s and *will* use my upcoming DT990 600s for listening. I only use the Yammies for production


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The HS series are absolutely no fun for music...Some of you may know how I feel about them already.


 

 Yup, that's the point!


----------



## Destroysall

I got to demo the HS50m the other day, and as far as studio monitors go, they are great for their size.  Awesome setup though, Mr. Coolzo sir.


----------



## Destroysall

Sorry for double post.
   
   
  So I did a google search, and in this website, they sell phono amps and they have a diagram.  How would this go if i went with either the Little Dot MkII or MkIII?
   
http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc750lcpp.html
   
  Would it go:
   
  Record player>Phono amp>LD Tube Preamp>Receiver+Speakers?
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> You could use it as a pre-amp, but a record player still needs to go through a phono amp, it adds a special eq needed for vinyl to sound normal. In that case though you might as well get yourself a phono tube amp.


----------



## Tilpo

llloyd said:


> the cans are sr80 and HE-500



Is that a toothbrush under the dust cover?


----------



## RexAeterna

coolzo said:


> So far only used it as a DAC for music listening, as I just recieved it today. However, I can say that the clarity it provides is incredible! Soundstaging is excellent, and the smallest details are revealed. Balanced TRS outs are also nice. For now, I will use it for that and a MIDI interface, however the preamps will undoubtedly see use in the near future. They are supposed to be some of the best preamps you can get on an interface. So far, so amazing!
> 
> Quick edit, not too impressed with the headphone amp on the Focusrite, however. Much prefer my E9, the Focusrite amp completely negates the said soundstaging.
> 
> ...




that's the whole point of them though. my speakers and headphones provides low-level detail lot of stuff in music(annoying compression artifacts,bad mixing/mastering in music) but i still find enjoyment out of it. gives enough impact for music. only way see natural speakers or headphones ''not fun'' if your a basshead. also room treatment will help lot. i have my room filled with 6'' and 9'' thick fiberglass and nice and dead sounding. treating a room will have big time effect on way speakers perform. i personally would never spend money on something that didn't do it's job cause i feel i be wasting my money. that's my opinion though.


----------



## John In Cali

destroysall said:


> Sorry for double post.
> 
> 
> So I did a google search, and in this website, they sell phono amps and they have a diagram.  How would this go if i went with either the Little Dot MkII or MkIII?
> ...




Yep that sounds right. Does your receiver have a built in phono pre? Some do and it might save you money, not sure on the quality though. But there would be no way to use the LD in that signal path. I'd definitely go with the way you wrote, only use the built in pre while you are waiting for the real pre or waiting for the money for the real pre.


----------



## Destroysall

Well, the one I plan on using is this one.  It has a built in phono amp.  However, its like you said, I'm not sure of the quality of the included phono amp.  So if it has a built in phome preamp, then there wouldn't be any way to use the LD?
  
  Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Yep that sounds right. Does your receiver have a built in phono pre? Some do and it might save you money, not sure on the quality though. But there would be no way to use the LD in that signal path. I'd definitely go with the way you wrote, only use the built in pre while you are waiting for the real pre or waiting for the money for the real pre.


----------



## hodgjy

My little corner of the world.  Today is starting out as a metal day, so it's going to be the Asgard driving my DT990 600 ohms.


----------



## John In Cali

destroysall said:


> Well, the one I plan on using is this one
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I guess you could put the LD in between the the Turntable and phono pre but you have to make sure that their is basically no gain, or you'd get clipping. I don't know if the LD has channel imbalance problem at that low of levels like some amps do.


----------



## GamerOne

My simple, yet very beautifully sounding setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (though I am thinking about changing the K701's for some warmer-sounding headphones)


----------



## hodgjy

Very nice.  The M-Stage Matrix looks nice next to your display.
  
  Quote: 





gamerone said:


> My simple, yet very beautifully sounding setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





gamerone said:


> My simple, yet very beautifully sounding setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  very nice. simple.


----------



## eclipes

Minimalism. Love it.
  
  Quote: 





gamerone said:


> My simple, yet very beautifully sounding setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Kremer930

Gamerone - very tidy rig and workstation. I wish my desk was that clean. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Before you move on from the 701's see if you can have a listen through a Schiit Lyr. It will give the 701's a bottom end that you probably never knew existed.


----------



## kingtz

Here's my modest setup:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





kingtz said:


> Here's my modest setup:


 


   
  modest!?!
   
  dude, that setup is epic! 
   
  for what you pay, it should come very close to world class.
   
  hd 650s are awesome!!!!


----------



## hodgjy

Nice!  How is the synergy between your V-Dac and Valhalla?
  
  Quote: 





kingtz said:


> Here's my modest setup:


----------



## leng jai

Love that stand, have three of them myself. Too bad they leave dents on headphones with cushioned headbands


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> I guess you could put the LD in between the the Turntable and phono pre but you have to make sure that their is basically no gain, or you'd get clipping. I don't know if the LD has channel imbalance problem at that low of levels like some amps do.


 

 That turntable has a built-in phono preamp so you simply treat it as any other analog device with RCA output (CD player, tape deck, etc). Just plug it directly into your amp and you're set.


----------



## kingtz

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> modest!?!
> 
> dude, that setup is epic!
> 
> ...


 


  Thanks. I really love it, which is why I can't quite yet justify upgrading to my dream headphones, the LCD2. Maybe one day when I am rolling around in extra cash... 


  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Nice!  How is the synergy between your V-Dac and Valhalla?


 


  I don't have much experience with other DACs in the V-DAC's price range or higher, so I am not qualified to make that comparison. However, my previous DAC (that I still use) was the uDAC, and all the distortion that I used to hear disappeared after getting the V-DAC, but this is more of a testimony to the V-DAC's quality than anything else.


  Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Love that stand, have three of them myself. Too bad they leave dents on headphones with cushioned headbands


 

 Yeah, which is why you'll see that white foam that I "installed" so as not to damage my headband (since the HD650 doesn't have foam directly in the middle).


----------



## leng jai

I actually used the HD650s on the stand unmodded and it was fine. Not really a fan of adding foam since to me it ruins the aesthetics which defeats the purpose of the stand for me. Now that I've only got two cans I bought the other model and it works fine.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> My little corner of the world.  Today is starting out as a metal day, so it's going to be the Asgard driving my DT990 600 ohms.


 


  I was thinking of getting the Asgard to drive my DT990 600s when they arrive...  how's that sound for you?


----------



## Austin Morrow

A better pic of my desktop.


----------



## leng jai

Your photo arouses me


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





leng jai said:


> Your photo arouses me


 


  Mine? Thanks. I find it to be quite a good looking photo.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> A better pic of my desktop.


 

 I really do enjoy your photos.


----------



## hodgjy

It's a good match.  The Asgard warms up the 990s a little and takes some of the sizzle out of the highs.  It is pleasing to me. 
   
  However, I feel like the sound stage on the 990s is a little more narrow than my HD600s, and the sound stage on the Asgard is a little more narrow than my WA3.  So, when using my Asgard-990 combo, the sound stage is narrower than my WA3-HD600 combo.  It's not by much, but I can tell.  So, if you are used to massive sound stages, beware.  But, tone-wise, the Asgard-990 combo is very nice.  I like it.  They have good synergy.
  
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> I was thinking of getting the Asgard to drive my DT990 600s when they arrive...  how's that sound for you?


----------



## leng jai

Yep. I'm regularly aroused by inanimate objects
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Mine? Thanks. I find it to be quite a good looking photo.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> I really do enjoy your photos.


 


  Thanks. I try to take the best shots, albeit my lighting is absolutely horrendous around my desk...


----------



## grokit

Quote:


kremer930 said:


> Before you move on from the 701's see if you can have a listen through a Schiit Lyr. It will give the 701's a bottom end that you probably never knew existed.


 

 Agreed, the Lyr/K701 is an unusually synergistic headphone/amp combo.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> Agreed, the Lyr/K701 is an unusually synergistic headphone/amp combo.


 


  kinda like the WA6SE, guess the k701s do sound their best out of powerful amps.
   
  the k701 have very good bass coming out of the WA6SE and i would never describe them as bass lacking.
   
  they are also very smooth and more natural sounding compared to the typical cold sound people say they hear from the k701.


----------



## hodgjy

One of the trends I've concluded with the 701s is they pair very well with transformer coupled tube amps and hybrid amps.  They provide the necessary current and volts but still maintain good impedance matching.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> One of the trends I've concluded with the 701s is they pair very well with transformer coupled tube amps and hybrid amps.  They provide the necessary current and volts but still maintain good impedance matching.


 


  +1. 
   
  good power + tube warmth is just what they need.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> *kinda like the WA6SE, guess the k701s do sound their best out of powerful amps.*
> 
> the k701 have very good bass coming out of the WA6SE and i would never describe them as bass lacking.
> 
> they are also very smooth and more natural sounding compared to the typical cold sound people say they hear from the k701.


 


  Yep. The Burson HA-160DS, like the Lyr, brings out the life in my Q701. Absolutely improved low end and so much more energetic.


----------



## Llloyd

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> What turntable is that? I think I might recognize it...


 


   
  It's a terrible sony usb turntable.  PS-LX300


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Yep. The Burson HA-160DS, like the Lyr, brings out the life in my Q701. Absolutely improved low end and so much more energetic.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





llloyd said:


> It's a terrible sony usb turntable.  PS-LX300


 

 Oh, I thought it was a Technics SL-QD33, lol. It looks similar from the front.


----------



## hodgjy

I have the non-USB version, the LX250.  It's not THAT bad.  It certainly does benefit from a stylus upgrade.  An elliptical stylus is a great upgrade over the stock conical.
  
  Quote: 





llloyd said:


> It's a terrible sony usb turntable.  PS-LX300


----------



## Branded

I exchanged the AKG K550 for Beyerdynamic T70P.  And bought the HD650 off my friend.  I find myself listening to the T70P the most really loving the sound from them


----------



## mmayer167

^ nice lineup! 
   
  x5 on the lyr-q701/k70x combo. It has been getting all the head-time lately. 
   
  -M


----------



## MohawkUS

I just got this in last night, a Dual 1209





Now I just need to get a receiver so I can stop plugging it into my Burson and cranking it up to 80% volume to hear it.


----------



## hodgjy

Nice!  And not to mention with a proper phono stage you'll get RIAA equalization making the vinyl sound more lively.
  
  Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> I just got this in last night, a Dual 1209
> 
> 
> 
> Now I just need to get a receiver so I can stop plugging it into my Burson and cranking it up to 80% volume to hear it.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





branded said:


> I exchanged the AKG K550 for Beyerdynamic T70P.  And bought the HD650 off my friend.  I find myself listening to the T70P the most really loving the sound from them


 


   
  very nice trio. looks like you got the better end of the deal lol with the t70p


----------



## noahp

My first dedicated headphone setup:


----------



## hodgjy

That is very awesome.  Going lossless off the iPad?
  
  Quote: 





noahp said:


> My first dedicated headphone setup:


----------



## Rawrbington

that TT is awesome!
   
  got a new camera so you guys will have to suffer through a few pics.
  the yamies fairly photogenic but the rest of my stuff/room is usually filthy and unsightly


----------



## hodgjy

I love Yamaha stuff.  Got a few pieces myself.
  
  Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> that TT is awesome!
> 
> got a new camera so you guys will have to suffer through a few pics.
> the yamies fairly photogenic but the rest of my stuff/room is usually filthy and unsightly


----------



## Branded

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice trio. looks like you got the better end of the deal lol with the t70p


 


  Thanks Dubstep Girl.  I had to pay $300 more for the exchange to the T70P lol.  But i did get the HD650 for a steal.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





branded said:


> Thanks Dubstep Girl.  I had to pay $300 more for the exchange to the T70P lol.  But i did get the HD650 for a steal.


 


   
  I'm pretty sure I saw more than one ad selling T70 for $325-$350. Tough luck, man.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





noahp said:


> My first dedicated headphone setup:


 

 i love the simplicity of this. very very cool.


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'm pretty sure I saw more than one ad selling T70 for $325-$350. Tough luck, man.


 


  where?


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





noahp said:


> My first dedicated headphone setup:


 
   
  what are you using to get sound off of your ipad?


----------



## hodgjy

I'm gonna guess Apple TV to Toslink to Bifrost.
  
  Quote: 





kchau said:


> what are you using to get sound off of your ipad?


----------



## TruBrew

My guess is airport express. That is how I would do it.
  
  Quote: 





kchau said:


> what are you using to get sound off of your ipad?


----------



## noahp

I have a Mac Mini (in another location) and an AIr Port Express.  Toslink from AirPort Express to the Bifrost.  The iPad is just a remote control, though technically it could source to the AIr Port Express, but my library's too big to keep on my iPad.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





branded said:


> I exchanged the AKG K550 for Beyerdynamic T70P.  And bought the HD650 off my friend.  I find myself listening to the T70P the most really loving the sound from them


 

 What are your thoughts on the differences/similarities between the T70p and the Q701?


----------



## Branded

Quote: 





ocswing said:


> What are your thoughts on the differences/similarities between the T70p and the Q701?


 


 I find the Q701 and the T70P to be very different sounding headphones.  The Q701 has a very wide sounds stage, the T70P have better bass and sounds smoother i think the T70P is more fun to listen to.  The similarites is both have amazing detail.  What i find with the T70P is running off a ipod touch and Fiio E11 its sounds more flat compare to running of my PC > Dacmagic > Bellari it really starts to give out the full range.


----------



## Tilpo

rawrbington said:


> that TT is awesome!
> 
> got a new camera so you guys will have to suffer through a few pics.
> the yamies fairly photogenic but the rest of my stuff/room is usually filthy and unsightly



Nice setup! Isn't it a bit overkill on the amplification though? With an WA2 you'd expect at least one flagship.


----------



## TheOtus

hodgjy said:


> Nice!  And not to mention with a proper phono stage you'll get RIAA equalization making the vinyl sound more lively.


 

 Tell me I misunderstood. RIAA is a necessarity, not an upgrade option.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





noahp said:


> I have a Mac Mini (in another location) and an AIr Port Express.  Toslink from AirPort Express to the Bifrost.  The iPad is just a remote control, though technically it could source to the AIr Port Express, but my library's too big to keep on my iPad.


 


  Yup, I do the exact same thing with my iPhone. Remote library management with a portable device is good stuff.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> where?


 


   
  In the classifieds a few days ago.


----------



## hodgjy

Yes it is. 
  
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Tell me I misunderstood. RIAA is a necessarity, not an upgrade option.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> that TT is awesome!
> 
> got a new camera so you guys will have to suffer through a few pics.
> the yamies fairly photogenic but the rest of my stuff/room is usually filthy and unsightly


 

 Nice setup! How would you describe the Yamaha sound? This should be moved into the vintage receiver thread...


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Nice setup! Isn't it a bit overkill on the amplification though? With an WA2 you'd expect at least one flagship.


 


  perhaps a little.
  in due time though.
  just couldn't afford all of it at once


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> perhaps a little.
> in due time though.
> just couldn't afford all of it at once


 


  same.
   
  i had my WA6-SE and used only mid-fi cans with it at first like the hd 650 and the sr-325is.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


noahp said:


> I have a Mac Mini (in another location) and an AIr Port Express.  Toslink from AirPort Express to the Bifrost.  The iPad is just a remote control, though technically it could source to the AIr Port Express, but my library's too big to keep on my iPad.


 

 A Mac Mini is on my want list.  Since I was issued a laptop from work and sold off my Macbook I've been using my iPhone with a Pure i20 dock as a source.  I had to downconvert all my lossless music to 320kbps to get it all to fit.  Trouble is I can't, ahem, download anything this way.
   
  Along with the Mac Mini I've been considering picking up the cheapest Mac on the planet, the now discontinued perfectly-hackintoshable <$200 Dell Mini 10v.  If I get the 10v, I would have two laptops & two screens in my life, which is an aesthetic no-no, and something I can't reconcile in peace in my brain.  And if I get the more expensive Mac Mini, I will have to deal with setting up remote screen sharing on my work laptop.
   
  By the way, great avatar!  Did you do it yourself?


----------



## RexAeterna

giving pair of balanced Sony SA5000 an audition from a loaner. i can see why these headphones have an underground fellowing. i been enjoying their speed,clarity,dynamics,soundstage,stereo image and detail. slightly sharp sounding on the top-end to point of annoyance but not piercing since it's very smooth sounding. will sound piercing on very bad recordings that lack complete dynamics. i find no issues with the bass either people complained about. fast,great decay and allows you to ''hear'' the impact without any accentuation.it has good extension at both ends too but i think it has bit more focus on the ''air'' extension cause it gives great sense of space and airness to music which is very pleasant sounding. i'm really enjoying them.

i also added a new interface about little over week ago. the Echo audiofire 2 was highly reccomended by my friend and lot of people that record. very revealing and clean sounding interface. don't know why it's not more popular around here. also love the professional balanced high output voltage gain it feeds to my fully serviced 1985 Yamaha R-9 receiver. also if wondering what the ghetto black box is i have the SA5000 hooked up to. it's just simple box that i made to use to test/run headphones off speaker outputs.


----------



## Draygonn

O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


----------



## hodgjy

Nice looking setup.  And great choice in the TS5998s.  Also my favorite power tube.
  
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


 

 Great! Is that a book on Thermionic Valves, by chance?


----------



## hodgjy

Also, one question for you.  What are the sonic similarities/differences between the WA2 and Crack?  I've been interested in cutting my teeth with a soldering iron on the Crack.
  
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


----------



## Jason36

this is my very modest work based listening station........PC > uDAC2 > Headphones
   

   
  and this is a simple system I also use at home either in the lounge or the bedroom (main system is in the dining room)

  I have undertaken some basic mods to the Grado's and have fitted L-Cush ear pads. However I am also awaiting wooden cups, rewire, aluminium Gimbals and magnum V4 drivers to arrive


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


 


  nice


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> O2 has arrived, finishing the speedball upgrade this week.


 
   
  Sweet rig!  How does the HD800 sound with the O2?


----------



## mmayer167

^ ditto on the o2 800 combo?   It does a great job with my paradox and q701. Surprisingly feeds the q701 enough current to get the bass up to 90 percent of what the lyr can feed it!  
   
  -M


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> it has good extension at both ends too but i think it has bit more focus on the ''air'' extension cause it gives great sense of space and airness to music which is very pleasant sounding. i'm really enjoying them.


 

 What kind of magic SA5000 with actual bass extension did you get your hands on?  That was my my number one complaint with them.  They were pretty awesome otherwise.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> giving pair of balanced Sony SA5000 an audition from a loaner. i can see why these headphones have an underground fellowing. i been enjoying their speed,clarity,dynamics,soundstage,stereo image and detail. slightly sharp sounding on the top-end to point of annoyance but not piercing since it's very smooth sounding. will sound piercing on very bad recordings that lack complete dynamics. i find no issues with the bass either people complained about. fast,great decay and allows you to ''hear'' the impact without any accentuation.it has good extension at both ends too but i think it has bit more focus on the ''air'' extension cause it gives great sense of space and airness to music which is very pleasant sounding. i'm really enjoying them.
> i also added a new interface about little over week ago. the Echo audiofire 2 was highly reccomended by my friend and lot of people that record. very revealing and clean sounding interface. don't know why it's not more popular around here. also love the professional balanced high output voltage gain it feeds to my fully serviced 1985 Yamaha R-9 receiver. also if wondering what the ghetto black box is i have the SA5000 hooked up to. it's just simple box that i made to use to test/run headphones off speaker outputs.


 

 It surprises my how under the radar the SA5000's are. I've heard nothing but positive things on those headphones.


----------



## RudeWolf

Why, if it isn't the Red Book by Jung! Good to see some educated fellows around here. I too did two psychoanalysis courses in my undergraduate.


----------



## palmfish

My undergraduate degree is in psychology, but I don't remember reading the "Red Book."


----------



## hodgjy

Don't let the ghost of Joe McCarthy hear you say, "Red Book."
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> My undergraduate degree is in psychology, but I don't remember reading the "Red Book."


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Don't let the ghost of Joe McCarthy hear you say, "Red Book."


 
  Joe McCarthy drank himself to death, like any good Russian.


----------



## Draygonn

hodgjy said:


> Nice looking setup.  And great choice in the TS5998s.  Also my favorite power tube.



Thanks. I love the 5998s on the WA2 so much I picked up one for the Crack and a spare.




dubstep girl said:


> nice



Thanks DG. Not as extensive as your collection of course. 




hodgjy said:


> Also, one question for you. What are the sonic similarities/differences between the WA2 and Crack? I've been interested in cutting my teeth with a soldering iron on the Crack.





saintly said:


> Sweet rig!  How does the HD800 sound with the O2?





mmayer167 said:


> ^ ditto on the o2 800 combo?   It does a great job with my paradox and q701. Surprisingly feeds the q701 enough current to get the bass up to 90 percent of what the lyr can feed it!



I'm planning on spending an afternoon comparing the WA2, Crack, and O2 when I finish the speedball upgrade. 




silent one said:


> Great! Is that a book on Thermionic Valves, by chance?



A book that covers Thermionic Valves would be much larger 




rudewolf said:


> Why, if it isn't the Red Book by Jung! Good to see some educated fellows around here. I too did two psychoanalysis courses in my undergraduate.



I'm so excited about the Red Book. I wish I could read German.




palmfish said:


> My undergraduate degree is in psychology, but I don't remember reading the "Red Book."



It was released in 2009. The first half is scanned from his original work. The 2nd half is an English translation. From Wikipedia:



> Red Book
> Main article: Red Book (Jung)
> 
> In 1913 at the age of thirty-eight, Jung experienced a horrible "confrontation with the unconscious". He saw visions and heard voices. He worried at times that he was "menaced by a psychosis" or was "doing a schizophrenia." He decided that it was valuable experience, and in private, he induced hallucinations, or, in his words, "active imaginations." He recorded everything he felt in small journals. Jung began to transcribe his notes into a large, red leather-bound book, on which he worked intermittently for sixteen years.[8]
> ...


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Heres mine.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ LCD-2


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ LCD-2


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


>


 


  ^ nice username


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Thanks!  I like yours too!  Dubstep is awesome! 
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ nice username


----------



## RexAeterna

maverickronin said:


> What kind of magic SA5000 with actual bass extension did you get your hands on?  That was my my number one complaint with them.  They were pretty awesome otherwise.




they actually reached down pretty well around 30hz. i noticed more of them start to have a good roll off from 50hz is where it started for me. have to have a good seal. it could be possible like lot headphones he tests has trouble to get a good seal especially since the drivers are angled. also don't he take lot of compensations cause he uses full out head dummy and torso? i could be wrong but, at same listening level down to the sub-bass area it was audible to me nicely, but will admit since they seem like complete open design with not much bracing or dampening they will tend to make a slight rattle when trying to dig down to the sub-bass. they're bass is fine to me personally though.


----------



## Tilpo

Very nice, Hawaiianbeer.
I've always wondered whether a thing such as the DA11 is worth it. Shouldn't it be possible to achieve similar imaging effects with the use of DSPs?


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I would think so.  I have played with the V200 and the Da11 and the imaging and I could hear the difference whether I tried the image centered or wider.  But I don't know much about this topic.  I think the Realizer would be really good for that because it can be used as a DAC and has the power all in one but only excepts digital through HDMI input.  Sillysally has one you might want to check with him about the Realizer.  Realizer isn't cheap either...$$$$$
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Very nice, Hawaiianbeer.
> I've always wondered whether a thing such as the DA11 is worth it. Shouldn't it be possible to achieve similar imaging effects with the use of DSPs?


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ LCD-2


 

 The Lavry DA 11 to V200 caught my eyes more.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

They are nice!  Im in the process of burning them in. 
  
  Quote: 





ocswing said:


> The Lavry DA 11 to V200 caught my eyes more.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> It was released in 2009. The first half is scanned from his original work. The 2nd half is an English translation. From Wikipedia:  Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  2009, that explains it. I missed it by more than 20 years.


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> they actually reached down pretty well around 30hz. i noticed more of them start to have a good roll off from 50hz is where it started for me. have to have a good seal. it could be possible like lot headphones he tests has trouble to get a good seal especially since the drivers are angled. also don't he take lot of compensations cause he uses full out head dummy and torso? i could be wrong but, at same listening level down to the sub-bass area it was audible to me nicely, but will admit since they seem like complete open design with not much bracing or dampening they will tend to make a slight rattle when trying to dig down to the sub-bass. they're bass is fine to me personally though.


 

 The gray curves on the bottom are raw data form different positions and none of them have much deep bass.  The top is averaged and compensated with the independent of direction HRTF.  He tests them for a good seal by watching the 30Hz square waves while positioning them on the dummy head.
   
  I never got anything near that low with my pair.  The level of the bass before it falls off a cliff is fine and you don't always need tons of extension but I had lots of tracks that were nearly missing their drums and bass guitars when played through the SA5000.  It didn't react well when I tried to EQ up the bass below about 80Hz or so where it starts to roll off.  Though open dynamics never get ruler straight to DC like planars can there are plenty of other open dynamics without such a steep roll off.
   
  I really did like the rest of the sound though...


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ LCD-2


 


   


  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


>


 


   


  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ nice username


 


   


  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Thanks!  I like yours too!  Dubstep is awesome!


 

 These were the best posts that I've ever encountered here in terms of the quality of their content.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Haha why thank you.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> These were the best posts that I've ever encountered here in terms of the quality of their content.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> These were the best posts that I've ever encountered here in terms of the quality of their content.


 


   
  (Couldn't resist 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

ya thats why I got the wink...lol


----------



## Sylafari

I think I own too much for a college student... >.> (With a Grado HF2 incoming)


----------



## Connnorrr

Well hey, if you're feeling burdened by it, you can always send it my way! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice little station though! I miss my SR80i's sometimes.
  
  Quote: 





sylafari said:


> I think I own too much for a college student... >.> (With a Grado HF2 incoming)


----------



## RexAeterna

maverickronin said:


> The gray curves on the bottom are raw data form different positions and none of them have much deep bass.  The top is averaged and compensated with the independent of direction HRTF.  He tests them for a good seal by watching the 30Hz square waves while positioning them on the dummy head.
> 
> I never got anything near that low with my pair.  The level of the bass before it falls off a cliff is fine and you don't always need tons of extension but I had lots of tracks that were nearly missing their drums and bass guitars when played through the SA5000.  It didn't react well when I tried to EQ up the bass below about 80Hz or so where it starts to roll off.  Though open dynamics never get ruler straight to DC like planars can there are plenty of other open dynamics without such a steep roll off.
> 
> I really did like the rest of the sound though...




i don't know what to say honestly then. maybe i'm getting just harmonics then? i tested in audacity with tone generator and it actually reached down to 20hz fine for me rumbling. must be harmonics i guess. i can't say for sure. do you still own a SA5000?


----------



## Amarphael

I think MR is a quite exaggerating. The graph shows a mere -5db on Rch and about -7/8db Lch rollof at 30hz and almost no rolloff at 40hz. Which is a long way from something that's missing all bass guitars and drum sections from a track... My pair defintley went plenty deep and overall very satysfying level of bass body and slam. Though admittedly not on par with true open low-bass heavy-champs like the HD800 and AD2K.


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i don't know what to say honestly then. maybe i'm getting just harmonics then? i tested in audacity with tone generator and it actually reached down to 20hz fine for me rumbling. must be harmonics i guess. i can't say for sure. do you still own a SA5000?


 

 I don't have a pair anymore so I can't do another round of testing.
   
  Quote: 





amarphael said:


> I think MR is a quite exaggerating. The graph shows a mere -5db on Rch and about -7/8db Lch rollof at 30hz and almost no rolloff at 40hz. Which is a long way from something that's missing all bass guitars and drum sections from a track... My pair defintley went plenty deep and overall very satysfying level of bass body and slam. Though admittedly not on par with true open low-bass heavy-champs like the HD800 and AD2K.


 

 Even if you look at the grey trace with the best extension its all downhill after 55Hz.  I don't recall getting that much extension out of them myself.  Maybe they fit you heads better, but that's still a far cry from being neutral in the low bass.  The HD800s aren't even neutral in the low bass though are a lot closer than the SA5000s.
   
  Open headphones that are neutral through the low bass would include the LCD-2, HE-6, and SR-507.  I'm not aware of any open dynamic that's flat to below 30Hz like those are.
   
  This is probably getting to OT though...


----------



## linuxid10t

So, this may sound crazy, but I am pretty sure everyone here on Head-Fi takes better pictures than I do...  LMAO


----------



## tonyjin

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> I think I own too much for a college student... >.> (With a Grado HF2 incoming)


 


  Don't worry, there are always college students with more.


----------



## xxhaxx

My college setup: LCD2, DT880, Bifrost, Lyr (with a couple set of tubes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), Fiio E10, Triplefi
   
  Quote: 





tonyjin said:


> Don't worry, there are always college students with more.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





tonyjin said:


> Don't worry, there are always college students with more.


 


  me?


----------



## TruBrew

I am also in college as well. Dubstep Girl does have more than me however.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





trubrew said:


> I am also in college as well. Dubstep Girl does have more than me however.


 


   
  your stuff i think costs more.


----------



## TruBrew

Maybe so, but you still have an exceptional collection. I often wish I had more options to play around with. I am running low on funds, but I think I may be able to make one new purchase this semester. I just don't know what I should buy yet.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Im in college... but my wife won't let me have more than a few Hps...lol


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





trubrew said:


> Maybe so, but you still have an exceptional collection. I often wish I had more options to play around with. I am running low on funds, but I think I may be able to make one new purchase this semester. I just don't know what I should buy yet.


 

  
  PS1000


----------



## Dubstep Girl

that would be my next purchase.


----------



## xxhaxx

^Envious 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Currently saving up for a new camera lens


----------



## TruBrew

I would consider it. They seem like they may be over priced, but they are likely worth around the used price. I have never heard a Grado, and I would very much like to. I almost purchased a custom Magnum V4, but waited too long to decide. The PS500 also seems interesting. My short list is HD800, K1000, Grado (don't know which one). I am also thinking about upgrading to a new STAX amp, but most of the reasonably priced good ones are out of production. The HD-800 I would buy for the soundstage. If it is too bright, I would mod it. The K1000, well it just seems cool. And the Grado would be for my rock music.
   
  The T1 was going to be my first $1000 headphone, but I changed my mind to the HE-6. I want something different from my LCD-3, and I don't use the STAX for music. I don't like the sound. I just keep it for the Realiser. I was thinking that something like the GES might bring out the best in them and subdue my desire for new headphones. But then the GES would kind of hinder me from ever buying Omegas. So many things to consider. 
   
  What is your favorite Grado? I listen to a decent amount of 60's rock, and I hear that the Grado would be a good mix. The thing is I don't want to give up resolution.
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> PS1000


----------



## TruBrew

I am done buying Camera gear. I have a D90 with
  10.5mm f2.8
  50mm f1.8
  70-210 f4.5.6
  SB-900
   
  I figure eventually I will buy a 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, and sell the fisheye. However what I want costs money. Audio comes first for now. Maybe in 5-6 years I will buy the new gear. Along with a D10K, or whatever the new camera then is.
  Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> ^Envious
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

for me hd 800 and ps1000.
   
  having heard those and owning lcd-2/t1 i can say that the ps1000 where the most enjoyable headphones i've ever listened to. very musical and great bass and dynamics. they would be good for almost any genre, can't think of a place where the ps1000 would fall behind.
   
   
  i've heard every grado on the main line except the ps500. 
   
  the rs1 with the flats are very fun but may be too colored for your taste. they are smooth and warm while maintaining aggressive mids and punchy midbass. way different from all the other grados. the GS1000 are similar, but huge soundstage and darker sounding with alot of bass. 
  the rs1 do have good detail though, but if you really wanted to not lose any resolution, you will have to go up to the ps1000 or get the ps500.
   
  the sr325is are a good option as well, but may be too low-fi for your taste. personally though, the sr325 are hard to beat, you just need an amp with smooth highs cause many find them "bright"
   
   
  if you just want pure musical enjoyment and love an analog sound with your 60's rock, the RS1 are the ones to get though, hands down. its all about the music with those. they are really good for pop too due to their mid-bass hump. very natural sounding headphones that can be quite euphonic with the right amp.


----------



## xxhaxx

^ Lol my current sent up is D700, 14-24, 24 1.4, 50 2.8, 85 1.8, and 70-200 
  And I am so tempted to get the fuji x pro when it comes out


----------



## TruBrew

Thanks. I suppose I am willing to sacrifice some, but it has to be an even trade. I obviously want a second headphone that provides me with a reason to listen to them. 
   
  An example. I owned the HE-6 and LCD-2 at the same time. Both detailed, both fun to listen too. Also, they excelled at different things. Giving each a place, but not making one necessarily inferior. I guess my point is, I don't want to buy a headphone that I find to lose in every category to the LCD-3, or sacrifices too much in an effort to gain something else.
   
  The RS1, and PS1000 may fit that. I am concerned I will find the HD-800 too bright, but the sound stage seems like an exciting factor. I would consider the HE-6 again, I loved them, but I no longer really have anything that can drive them. I do own the SX-950, but I moved it into the family living room. Sound stage isn't my biggest concern, so I am leaning toward the Grado. The RS1 and PS1000 are not likely at my top two. I would throw the PS500 into the mix, but I am guessing there is nothing they would beat the PS100 at. The way you describe the GS1000 makes it sound like the Audeze predecessor. 
   
  Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> for me hd 800 and ps1000.
> 
> having heard those and owning lcd-2/t1 i can say that the ps1000 where the most enjoyable headphones i've ever listened to. very musical and great bass and dynamics. they would be good for almost any genre, can't think of a place where the ps1000 would fall behind.
> 
> ...


 

  
   
  Edit:
   
  Very nice camera gear you have. I would love the D700. A lot of my shooting seems to be in low light. I would trade my D90 and SB900 for that in a second. I hate the flash. It does its job, but I would rather not use it. 
   
  As for the new X-Pro, I will be honest. I have not read much about it. I saw the announcement but did not read about it. I am trying to keep myself away from new camera gear. I wanted to get the X100 a while back, but this new camera looks like it blows that one away.


xxhaxx said:


> ^ Lol my current sent up is D700, 14-24, 24 1.4, 50 2.8, 85 1.8, and 70-200
> And I am so tempted to get the fuji x pro when it comes out


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





trubrew said:


> Thanks. I suppose I am willing to sacrifice some, but it has to be an even trade. I obviously want a second headphone that provides me with a reason to listen to them.
> 
> An example. I owned the HE-6 and LCD-2 at the same time. Both detailed, both fun to listen too. Also, they excelled at different things. Giving each a place, but not making one necessarily inferior. I guess my point is, I don't want to buy a headphone that I find to lose in every category to the LCD-3, or sacrifices too much in an effort to gain something else.
> 
> The RS1, and PS1000 may fit that. I am concerned I will find the HD-800 too bright, but the sound stage seems like an exciting factor. I would consider the HE-6 again, I loved them, but I no longer really have anything that can drive them. I do own the SX-950, but I moved it into the family living room. Sound stage isn't my biggest concern, so I am leaning toward the Grado. The RS1 and PS1000 are not likely at my top two. I would throw the PS500 into the mix, but I am guessing there is nothing they would beat the PS100 at. The way you describe the GS1000 makes it sound like the Audeze predecessor.


 
   
  If I may, I'd suggest looking more into the HD800s.  I had the T1s and loved them but I find the HD800s a notch ahead technically.  If detail is a priority of yours, then the HD800 is where it's at.
   
  I was also concerned about excess treble (in addition to weak bass and thin sound) when considering the HD800s but I'm glad I went for it as I don't find any of those characteristics in my pair.  Sure, the treble is prominent but it's still coherent with the rest of the frequencies and not bothersome.


----------



## TruBrew

This is why I will never make a decision. Like I think I mentioned somewhere. I know a guy who owes the PS1000. We are not best friends or anything, but I may be able to convince him to let me borrow them for a few days. He said he knew someone else that used to own/still owns the HD-800. I don't think I can pull off borrowing those. I think listening to at least one pair is a good start. Who knows, maybe I will be blown away, or hate them. That would narrow things down.
   
   
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> If I may, I'd suggest looking more into the HD800s.  I had the T1s and loved them but I find the HD800s a notch ahead technically.  If detail is a priority of yours, then the HD800 is where it's at.
> 
> I was also concerned about excess treble (in addition to weak bass and thin sound) when considering the HD800s but I'm glad I went for it as I don't find any of those characteristics in my pair.  Sure, the treble is prominent but it's still coherent with the rest of the frequencies and not bothersome.


----------



## Melvins

adding a Fiio e10 to this set up soon, unless someone has any other suggestions for a cheap DAC....
   
  I know that this pales in comparison to a lot of your guy's set up, but it makes me happy. That's a 1TB Iomega mac hard drive you see in a few of the pics. All my stickers are from shows I've attended.


----------



## Connnorrr

If it makes you happy, that's all that really matters. Plus it looks nice and cozy.
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> adding a Fiio e10 to this set up soon, unless someone has any other suggestions for a cheap DAC....
> 
> I know that this pales in comparison to a lot of your guy's set up, but it makes me happy. That's a 1TB Iomega mac hard drive you see in a few of the pics. All my stickers are from shows I've attended.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





trubrew said:


> I would consider it. They seem like they may be over priced, but they are likely worth around the used price. I have never heard a Grado, and I would very much like to. I almost purchased a custom Magnum V4, but waited too long to decide. The PS500 also seems interesting. My short list is HD800, K1000, Grado (don't know which one). I am also thinking about upgrading to a new STAX amp, but most of the reasonably priced good ones are out of production. The HD-800 I would buy for the soundstage. If it is too bright, I would mod it. The K1000, well it just seems cool. And the Grado would be for my rock music.
> 
> The T1 was going to be my first $1000 headphone, but I changed my mind to the HE-6. I want something different from my LCD-3, and I don't use the STAX for music. I don't like the sound. I just keep it for the Realiser. I was thinking that something like the GES might bring out the best in them and subdue my desire for new headphones. But then the GES would kind of hinder me from ever buying Omegas. So many things to consider.
> 
> What is your favorite Grado? I listen to a decent amount of 60's rock, and I hear that the Grado would be a good mix. The thing is I don't want to give up resolution.


 

 How do you like the Realiser? Does it work as advertised?


----------



## roker

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> that would be my next purchase.


 


  What is your current favorite headphone?
   
  How does the D2000s stack up to your other headphones?  I've been wanting to venture out but I don't know which direction to go.  The LCD2 seems like a good choice, but I'm aware of my disdain for uncomfortable headphones.  What do you think?


----------



## TruBrew

Yes. They work very well. I sold the standard STAX system it came with and bought the SR-507 and SRM-T1 instead. It was a nice combo but I wanted to make sure I had something that would not have problems reproducing bass. I think the 202 has a bit of an issue with that. You can use any headphone, the faster the better. The HE-6 I used to own did well. The STAX however is faster, and more comfortable for long periods. It can't reproduce tactile bass like a real system, and it only tracks your motion 30 degrees in each direction. So it is not perfect, but still deserves the praise in my opinion. I was going to buy some tactile transducers, but I am not sure it is worth the extra cost. I think it would be nice, but I am not sure if I would prefer that or new headphones. I have had the system for probably a year now with no complaints due to lack of rumble. The STAX go very low.
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> How do you like the Realiser? Does it work as advertised?


 
   
   
  I feel bad, I seem to be a bit responsible for this thread going off topic. I will try to take a picture of my room tomorrow. The batteries for my camera flash are currently going through a discharge/recharge cycle.


----------



## tme110

The e17 gives you a lot more options and higher res.
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> adding a Fiio e10 to this set up soon, unless someone has any other suggestions for a cheap DAC....
> 
> I know that this pales in comparison to a lot of your guy's set up, but it makes me happy. That's a 1TB Iomega mac hard drive you see in a few of the pics. All my stickers are from shows I've attend


----------



## jronan2

I wish the E17 was like $100 or a tad more, although a good value I can't see shelling out $150 for it. I honestly don't think it's going to sell as good as they planned, but I'm probably wrong.


----------



## John In Cali

melvins said:


> adding a Fiio e10 to this set up soon, unless someone has any other suggestions for a cheap DAC....
> 
> I know that this pales in comparison to a lot of your guy's set up, but it makes me happy. That's a 1TB Iomega mac hard drive you see in a few of the pics. All my stickers are from shows I've attended.




Have you given the HM101 any thought? Heard of some build quality issues with FIIO. And the HM101 looks like a good choice overall.


----------



## Melvins

Hmm interesting, it should also be said that I have an amazon gift card for a hundred bucks so I'm trying to find something in that range, that I can buy from amazon. Would I need any extra chords to run the DAC through my LD1+? Since the E10 is both an amp and a dac I just need the DAC portion of it. also, is the E17 released yet?


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Have you given the HM101 any thought? Heard of some build quality issues with FIIO. And the HM101 looks like a good choice overall.


 


  oh wow, yeah that looks nice and it's so much cheaper...


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> PS1000


 


   


  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> that would be my next purchase.


 


   
  until you hear my magnums


----------



## John In Cali

melvins said:


> oh wow, yeah that looks nice and it's so much cheaper...




You are right, as a reward for saving you so much money i think i should get what is left on the gift card.  Half?
And ya, Hifiman did nail the aesthetic aspects of it, from what i heard they did well on the on the sound too.


----------



## Melvins

but is it better than the e10...is the question


----------



## jronan2

According to Mike at headfonia with his E17 review, the E17 completely destroys the E10, basically says there is no comparison. But he also doesn't know yet if he completely agrees with the price tag, which is a little confusing. I also wish the price was a little cheaper so it would be a no brainer to get with a portable set up, but that is without hearing it yet, just a few reviews and comments.


----------



## Melvins

I can't find anywhere to even buy it..


----------



## SixthFall

Hate to ruin the party, but can we see some more pics??


----------



## John In Cali

sixthfall said:


> Hate to ruin the party, but can we see some more pics??




I don't think the discussion is keeping anyone from posting pics. They will come when they come, otherwise having a meaningful discussion about a related topic does no harm.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> I don't think the discussion is keeping anyone from posting pics. They will come when they come, otherwise having a meaningful discussion about a related topic does no harm.


 


  +1


----------



## Melvins

+8322839, that's how some people are on headfi though. in fact we are bumping the thread, garnering it more attention. Anyway, I think I am just going to with the E10, because I can't really find anywhere that says the hifiman's are better than the E10's


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> the sr325is are a good option as well, but may be too low-fi for your taste. personally though, the sr325 are hard to beat, you just need an amp with smooth highs cause many find them "bright"


 


 If you get a chance, listen to the 325s with the "Magnium" upgrade.  You won't call them "low-fi" for sure...


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





melvins said:


> +8322839, that's how some people are on headfi though. in fact we are bumping the thread, garnering it more attention. Anyway, I think I am just going to with the E10, because I can't really find anywhere that says the hifiman's are better than the E10's


 


  Hey, don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading discussions like this so I'm sorry if you took it wrong, I just like looking at other peoples setups (maybe because mine is soooo bad)


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> According to Mike at headfonia with his E17 review, the E17 completely destroys the E10, basically says there is no comparison. But he also doesn't know yet if he completely agrees with the price tag, which is a little confusing. I also wish the price was a little cheaper so it would be a no brainer to get with a portable set up, but that is without hearing it yet, just a few reviews and comments.


 


  I don't think he implied the E17 destroyed the E10.  I think he meant the E17 overall has better sound quality and features, and when one considers all the features the E17 has as well as sound quality, 150.00 doesn't seem bad at all. 
   
  Melvins, the E17 comes out in February.  Or you can get one of the new batch of E10 with upgraded headphone jacks also being released in February.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Terrible photo, but I set it up really quick to make sure it worked (it was in great shape, but I'm a paranoid individual) before I invested in a new cart and phono stage for it.
   
  It works like a charm and I'm excited to get it up and running with my LF on the way soon.


----------



## fatcat28037

Not new gear but still a big change to my listening environment. I've replace my Leslie Dame Mission style CD cabinet which had a capacity of 960 CDs with a shelve unit I built. The new shelves will handle 1290 CDs. I used Popular wood and MinWax Stain, Gunstock #231. I slanted the top shelve down and the bottom 3 up to make the CD titles easier to read. It was a fun project that I've wanted to do this for over a year.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Great job. I'm pretty jealous of the shelves...and the CDs to be honest. I'm slowly rebuilding my collection and can only dream of filling shelves like that right now.


----------



## dunpeal

mine


----------



## rogan

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> Not new gear but still a big change to my listening environment. I've replace my Leslie Dame Mission style CD cabinet which had a capacity of 960 CDs with a shelve unit I built. The new shelves will handle 1290 CDs. I used Popular wood and MinWax Stain, Gunstock #231. I slanted to top shelve down and the bottom 3 up to make the CD titles easier to read. It was a fun project that I've wanted to do this for over a year.


 
   
  this is great, when i finish university something i really want to do is make a list of say my favourite 300-400 albums and see if i can get hold of them on ebay/record shops 2nd hand as cheap as possible, just dont have the time or space at the moment but one day!
   
  I also need a record player but cant afford one at the moment (not a half decent one anyway)


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Terrible photo, but I set it up really quick to make sure it worked (it was in great shape, but I'm a paranoid individual) before I invested in a new cart and phono stage for it.
> 
> It works like a charm and I'm excited to get it up and running with my LF on the way soon.


 

 Is that a PL-518 I see?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Mmhm. It was a recent gift from my uncle. He bought it way back when and it's in perfect shape. Other than the stylus and cartridge.

  
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Is that a PL-518 I see?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Mmhm. It was a recent gift from my uncle. He bought it way back when and it's in perfect shape. Other than the stylus and cartridge.


 

 Very nice! Mine needs a new cart as well. I'm eyeing the Shure M97.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's one I'm considering. Along with a Grado.
  
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Very nice! Mine needs a new cart as well. I'm eyeing the Shure M97.


----------



## jono454

Because I work at Mcdonalds temporarily..this will have to do. Not shown are my Ultrasone pro550 and Grado Sr60 cause i lent them out to friends who had beats by dre.


----------



## SixthFall

The Bellari is a very welcome addition


----------



## Coolzo

Updated! Added Yamaha 10 channel mixer, and DT990 Premium/600 ohm. My proper camera is still AWOL, so apologies once more for crappy phone pics. I attempted to make all (well, maybe not the overhead view) as high-quality as possible.


----------



## scottie584

Is that the Mixtrack Pro? How is it?


----------



## Coolzo

It's the regular Mixtrack, didn't need the interface on the pro. It works and feels pretty nice, although I haven't used it much quite yet (still getting gear dialed in). It is all plastic though, which is my only complaint. gets the job done and is surprisingly sturdy though.


----------



## johnman1116

I didnt want to post in here until I "finished" my main rig. No plans for any major upgrades, might get some BJCs soon. In the future, HD650 and WA6. Dream rig would be HD650, WA6SE and Audeze. Oh and I wanted some denon 2ks too but who knows. Wow... I didnt realize how ridiculous that sounded; "NO PLANS FOR ANY MAJOR UPGRADES". HA!
   
  Anyways, here is my humble rig. About $900 later....
   
   

  Audioengine A5, Schiit Asgard, HRT Music Streamer +, Audio Technica M50, Sennheiser HD598, UE Triple Fi. 10.
  oh and i got a PA2v2 + lod in there somewhere.


----------



## mRfRag

I have the same headphones! And i was thinking getting Asgard and the A5! How the A5 works with Asgard? I want a warm hifi speakers, the a5 will make my happy? Do you have the A5 connected to the Asgard outs?
  
  Quote: 





johnman1116 said:


> I didnt want to post in here until I "finished" my main rig. No plans for any major upgrades, might get some BJCs soon. In the future, HD650 and WA6. Dream rig would be HD650, WA6SE and Audeze. Oh and I wanted some denon 2ks too but who knows. Wow... I didnt realize how ridiculous that sounded; "NO PLANS FOR ANY MAJOR UPGRADES". HA!
> 
> Anyways, here is my humble rig. About $900 later....
> 
> ...


----------



## johnman1116

Quote: 





mrfrag said:


> I have the same headphones! And i was thinking getting Asgard and the A5! How the A5 works with Asgard? I want a warm hifi speakers, the a5 will make my happy? Do you have the A5 connected to the Asgard outs?


 

 lol cool! I think this is a common path for many head-fiers, especially the noobies like me! 
  So i ran into a problem: cant connect Asgard to speakers, so i a rca to rca cable which i can connect from my music streamer to asgard. To connect to speakers, i have a Rca to 3.5mm adapter using the rca from the asgard. Basically i have to change the cables. actually not as annoying as i thought it was going to be.
   
  A5: To me, they have a solid audiophile bass and crisp treble. definitely not recessed mids. Theyre like studio monitors with audiophile qualities making for fun listening. Speakers that can get LOUD! 
   
  i dont think you want to use the asgard with the A5 because theyre powered speakers. maybe using the line-level out but idk.


----------



## mRfRag

Is only for control the volume with Asgard  
   
  The a5 are more like the HD598 or M50? I want the HD598 sound in my speakers! 
   
  Are you happy with the changed sound of the HD598 with the Asgard? Are more warm?


----------



## Jason36

Here's a few pictures of my main home system setup :


----------



## MorbidToaster

God I miss DJing. All this MixTrack talk is making me want to just get the NS6 I've had my eye on. 
  
  Quote: 





scottie584 said:


> Is that the Mixtrack Pro? How is it?


 
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> It's the regular Mixtrack, didn't need the interface on the pro. It works and feels pretty nice, although I haven't used it much quite yet (still getting gear dialed in). It is all plastic though, which is my only complaint. gets the job done and is surprisingly sturdy though.


----------



## pdiddypdler

What's the difference between the mixtrack and mixtrack pro?
   
  Is it worth the extra $100?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The Pro is basically the whole package. Mainly the ability to use headphones with it for cueing. 
   
  The MixTrack is missing some key features unless you have another interface.
   
  EDIT: So yes, worth the extra $100 if you're just starting out.
  
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> What's the difference between the mixtrack and mixtrack pro?
> 
> Is it worth the extra $100?


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The Pro is basically the whole package. Mainly the ability to use headphones with it for cueing.
> 
> The MixTrack is missing some key features unless you have another interface.
> 
> EDIT: So yes, worth the extra $100 if you're just starting out.


 
  Sweet, I think I'll get one in the next month or so. Is it a lot better than the Vestax Typhoon? I've played with the Typhoon a bit.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Have never used it. Can't say for sure, but I usually trust Numark to put out a good product. The MixTrack and MixTrack Pro are definitely one of those good products. 
  
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Sweet, I think I'll get one in the next month or so. Is it a lot better than the Vestax Typhoon? I've played with the Typhoon a bit.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





jason36 said:


> Here's a few pictures of my main home system setup :


 

  
   
  always loved how the xcan looks


----------



## Jason36

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> always loved how the xcan looks


 


  Cheers Dubstep Girl, they are a cracking headphone amplifier as well....especially with Grado's.
   
  I was going to sell it and get a combined DAC / HP amp.....but it's too good to let go so I am going to upgrade the transistors and capacitors, change the valve and then get a longer potentiometer and change the volume knob to an aluminium one. 
   
  Should improve the sound to go with my wooded Grado's and Magnum V4 headphones.


----------



## Navyblue

This might not qualify as "head-fi station", but it is where headphones are used. The set up might look schizophrenic. In the beginning there was a CD based speaker system. Then I got into headphones and and started to add more headphone oriented stuffs, hence the Marantz player with headphone out and the headphone amp. Then I find myself preferring speakers and use the player and headphone amp for speakers. Then I got sick of changing CDs and turn it into a PC based system, hence the DAC.
   
  I now use the headphone mostly when it is too late into the night to use the speakers, especially late night PC gaming.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





navyblue said:


>


 

 Woah. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Nice job. That's one of the coolest looking rooms I've ever seen, like the place where Batman goes to listen to music, haha.


----------



## johnman1116

Quote: 





mrfrag said:


> Is only for control the volume with Asgard
> 
> The a5 are more like the HD598 or M50? I want the HD598 sound in my speakers!
> 
> Are you happy with the changed sound of the HD598 with the Asgard? Are more warm?


 
   
  Using headphones with my dac that bypasses the onboard sound, yes the asgard controls the volume
  A5s are definitely more like the m50s. I dont know much about other speakers so i cant really give out recommendations. i do hear that the Swans are quite good and offer a more audiophile sound compared to Audioengine.
  I havent used my hd598s without my asgard but the asgard is definitely a warm, smooth sounding amplifier.
  hd598 can come off a bit bright (maybe) but offers great detail in that region. Very open sound. Full mids.


----------



## treal512

Wow, nice room, Navyblue. And K501s


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Woah.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  lol i thought the same thing!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> <snip>
> <snip>
> <snip>
> 
> ...


 
   
   That looks more like a command center.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Very impressive.


----------



## PerfectBass

First post! 
  Figured if I was going to post something it should be this.
   
  Really like my HFi-580s, got them because of Head-Fi. Last headphone I will ever need, unless they break.
  Also, by the mouse, those are Apple In-Ears not buds. Really great sound, nothing compared to the 580s though.
  Anyone know of a good universal IEM with a similar sound to the 580s?


----------



## tme110

Those rear ported A5's don't like having their backs against the wall do they?
  
  Quote: 





johnman1116 said:


> I didnt want to post in here until I "finished" my main rig. No plans for any major upgrades, might get some BJCs soon. In the future, HD650 and WA6. Dream rig would be HD650, WA6SE and Audeze. Oh and I wanted some denon 2ks too but who knows. Wow... I didnt realize how ridiculous that sounded; "NO PLANS FOR ANY MAJOR UPGRADES". HA!
> 
> Anyways, here is my humble rig. About $900 later....
> 
> ...


----------



## scottie584

Quote: 





perfectbass said:


> First post!
> Figured if I was going to post something it should be this.
> 
> Really like my HFi-580s, got them because of Head-Fi. Last headphone I will ever need, unless they break.
> ...


 

 Isn't the output impedance of the E9 too high for the 580s?


----------



## yenny

Quote: 





scottie584 said:


> Isn't the output impedance of the E9 too high for the 580s?


 


  It's probably a bit too high. Just using the e7 might be better.


----------



## Sylafari

The newly formed trio!


----------



## voodoohao

Here's my most updated setup ))


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

That SS amp looks sweet.


----------



## voodoohao

Haha it's a X-Can V8P, actually a tube amp, the tubes are hidden inside  And yeah I love how it looks!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> The newly formed trio!


 

 Beautiful headphones. Sweet keyboard too.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

voodoohao said:


> Haha it's a X-Can V8P, actually a tube amp, the tubes are hidden inside  And yeah I love how it looks!




Whuuuut? I thought people were all about tube pr0n. 

There went my interest. I'm an SS man, but I understand the love for tubes...

Lol, a few added/replaced letters, and this would sound like a completely different conversation.


----------



## DjAmTraX

I have the same MF amp.  Great amp for the money.  What tube are you using?  I have Gold Lion, but I kinda like the stock Jan better.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Woah.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I had to overcome a lot of resistance for my wife to agree on my vision when we were renovating.

  
  Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Wow, nice room, Navyblue. And K501s


 


  Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 K501 has been my only "hifi" can for a while.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> lol i thought the same thing!


 
  Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> That looks more like a command center.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  It's kind of my throne at home.


----------



## PerfectBass

Quote: 





yenny said:


> It's probably a bit too high. Just using the e7 might be better.


 


  The E9 sounds better bass wise, less muddy sounding than the E7. Average listening volume for me at about 9 o'clock with the gain switch down and using the 1/4 inch out.
  I reserve the E7 for DAC and portable use. It all matches up perfectly and sounds great to my ears.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> It's a good match.  The Asgard warms up the 990s a little and takes some of the sizzle out of the highs.  It is pleasing to me.
> 
> However, I feel like the sound stage on the 990s is a little more narrow than my HD600s, and the sound stage on the Asgard is a little more narrow than my WA3.  So, when using my Asgard-990 combo, the sound stage is narrower than my WA3-HD600 combo.  It's not by much, but I can tell.  So, if you are used to massive sound stages, beware.  But, tone-wise, the Asgard-990 combo is very nice.  I like it.  They have good synergy.


 


  By warm, do you mean to say that it also warms up the mids? Mainly out of curiosity, it would be nice to have an amp which brought out the mids a bit more, however.


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Beautiful headphones. Sweet keyboard too.


 


  Its an IBM Model M Mechanical Keyboard my dad had, nothing like the original mechanical keyboard


----------



## PerfectBass

Quote: 





yenny said:


> It's probably a bit too high. Just using the e7 might be better.


 


  Sorry, are you saying that this could possibly damage the headphones even at a reasonable volume level? I wouldn't think so, but I'm no expert.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

No. Just that TECHNICALLY, the E9 is distorting the sound because your headphones are too low in impedance. But in practice, honestly can't tell a damn difference. All I hear is improvements.

People are just damn paranoid about numbers and specs, instead of what they actually hear. The D7000 out of the E9 is dead quiet, sounds fantastic, and is noticeably more enjoyable than just off the E7.


----------



## voodoohao

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Whuuuut? I thought people were all about tube pr0n.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Haha I see what you did there LOL. Anyway I'm looking into getting a Concerto/StageDac combo, heard it pairs well with the LCD2s. 
   
   

  Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> I have the same MF amp.  Great amp for the money.  What tube are you using?  I have Gold Lion, but I kinda like the stock Jan better.


 

 High 5 I'm using the gold lion tubes too, actually I haven't heard the stock tubes yet when I bought the amp it came with the gold lions, the stock tubes are better?


----------



## voodoohao

Quote: 





navyblue said:


>


 
   
   
  Wow Navyblue is that a saxophone? How do you get it to glow blue like that?!


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Edit: Nvm...maybe the pc tower has some lights on it... looks like the glow's source is pretty low to the ground.


----------



## voodoohao

Oh crap I'm such a noob hahaha


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I edited my last post. Pretty sure its not the screen, but his PC, as the source seems to be low to the ground based off the reflection.


----------



## AlfredWong

I truly recommend the MoPads for those having their monitors on desk.

  Played with my cam yesterday night, interesting but not quite there.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





voodoohao said:


> Wow Navyblue is that a saxophone? How do you get it to glow blue like that?!


 
   
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Edit: Nvm...maybe the pc tower has some lights on it... looks like the glow's source is pretty low to the ground.


 


  Yes, there is a clear window on the PC casing and there is blue light in it. 
   
  Not that I am into this sort of things, when I bought the PC case I didn't know that it was windowed, which is kinda ugly when left dark, so I thought I might as well make it funky.


----------



## wotts

I have to ask what the fantastic looking liquor is. I had some friends over tonite for Jack Daniels Single Barrel and we had a great tasting.
  
  Quote: 





alfredwong said:


> I truly recommend the MoPads for those having their monitors on desk.
> 
> Played with my cam yesterday night, interesting but not quite there.


----------



## AlfredWong

Quote: 





wotts said:


> I have to ask what the fantastic looking liquor is. I had some friends over tonite for Jack Daniels Single Barrel and we had a great tasting.


 

 Camus Il de Re Cliffside Cellar cognac. Jac's Single - hard to fetch around my area but I like JD and would give a try when possible =D!


----------



## johnman1116

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Those rear ported A5's don't like having their backs against the wall do they?


 
  i know, i know.. IM SORRY! 
   
  Its the only spot where i can really put the speakers, unless i mount it i guess. There's about 6 to 8" away from the wall angled diagonally.
   
  lol if i opened my window, would that be enough space?


----------



## trotoir

Hi djAmTrax
   
  I see you have a Lehmann Black Cube Linear. Is that the normal one or the USB DAC version?
   
  I am itching to pull the trigger and maybe purchase this as an upgrade to my Fiio E7 / E9 combo.
   
  Would you recommend the BCL ? And I am also curious as to what kind or electronic music you listen through it.
   
  Vey nice set up  in total you have there on the first post. Very nice indeed!!!


----------



## manveru

I managed to sell my Audioengine A2 and get some Polk Monitor 40s at a loss of only $5. Huge upgrade for less than the price of a fast food combo meal. Ah, the internet! Unfortunately the stands I ordered haven't been shipped yet, so they're just flooring it for now. Finally got the old Sansui up and running and put to good use. The headphone out is functional now for the most part and sounds surprisingly good. Much better than the Cube--warmer, ballsier, better dynamics--though still too noisy for the more sensitive HM5.
   

   

   
  It looks rather charming all lit up in the dark.


----------



## Mcarter3




----------



## Loevhagen

Snaphots as-is today*):
   

   

   

  *) The Hegel DAC was replaced with a Brio-R


----------



## roker

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Snaphots as-is today*):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  niiice piano black finish


----------



## AlfredWong

My friend got that stand too, and I always think of this when looking at that.


----------



## soze

very clean!
  
  Quote: 





mcarter3 said:


>


----------



## Melvins

set up with my new DAC, also, my new music listening/homework station.


----------



## Lucsteva




----------



## cifani090

@Lucsteva, have you found our vintage receiver thread?


----------



## jtaylor991

Finally! My headphone setup:


----------



## vsin

Quote: 





mcarter3 said:


>


 

 Can I get more info on this awesome setup?


----------



## HeyWaj10

My humble headphone setup:


----------



## Zombie_X

I see someone likes the X-CANV8P a lot. I still love and use mine. I mainly use my low impedance stuff on it as well as my K501's. I think it does great with all my headphones but anything over 250Ohm is used only on my Audio-GD ROC and SPL Auditor.
   
  What tubes are you using? I use Amperex Bugle Boy 6DJ8's and I think it makes the music very smooth and fluid.
  
  Quote: 





voodoohao said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

OfficeMax desks. Aww yeah.

  
  Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> My humble headphone setup:


----------



## Mcarter3

Vsin,
   
  Hardware list:
  Dell Studio 8100 XPS desktop
  Fiio E9/E7
  Grado SR225i
  Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 250 ohm
  Astro mixamp
  360
  Denon AVR 1910 (upgraded the living room theater system and decided to use it in the bedroom for now rather than sell it)
  2x dell SP2309W monitors, one on a monoprice mount (15 bucks!!!!!)
  2x klipsch RB-61 bookshelves (won an auction for what I thought was 2, turned out to be 4!!)
   
  Coming tomorrow: Denon D5000 (will most likely replace the beyers. I scored on quite a few deals the last 3 months and have also been spending way too much time at head fi)
   
  Ive cleaned up the cables a little better now and will probably play with my camera a little bit more to try to get some nicer pics in the next few days
   
  Thanks for the comments


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Finally! My headphone setup:


 

 Digital Link III -


----------



## roker

Al these pics of the LDI+ is making me miss mine a little bit .... well, I wouldn't trade it for the DACmini, but I still miss it.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





roker said:


> Al these pics of the LDI+ is making me miss mine a little bit .... well, I wouldn't trade it for the DACmini, but I still miss it.


 

 How do you like the DACmini?  I'm thinking about upgrading my DAC from my HRT MS II but I'm not sure if the amp in the DACmini will be on par with my Concerto since I'm looking for a 2-in-1 system to save space.


----------



## chrislangley4253

PC>Gamma 2>Objective 2

  V4 Magnums (also some Portapros and other stuff)

  fish friend

   
  not the best pics, but you guys get the jist of it.


----------



## treal512

Loving the glass desks. I especially like the one with wooden drawers. Chris, yours is very unique. It looks like hell to keep clean though, haha!


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Loving the glass desks. I especially like the one with wooden drawers. Chris, yours is very unique. It looks like hell to keep clean though, haha!


 


  maybe I'll post a picture of my matching nightstand. pretty neat. it's all one bent piece of glass, my phone doesn't do them justice.


----------



## tribestros

Here's a bigger photo of my entire desk/TV area.  Pioneer VSX-518, Sony LX300 Turntable, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Grado SR60i, NuForce uDAC2-HP, my MacBook.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ bose


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Call of Duty MW 3 + Tool... there's a joke in there somewhere. 

I keed.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow same computer case as me, love the glass desk and the grados in the corner


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> wow same computer case as me, love the glass desk and the grados in the corner


 


  not much grado about them anymore  The headband will be replaced tomorrow when I try out some limba cups in place of aluminum


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^ bose


 


  They have decent and super cheap bookshelf speakers. There are a few decent Bose products, like headphones and their bookshelf speakers.


----------



## Destroysall

I'd agree.  I recall enjoying their "best" home theater setups along a few months back.  Plus I enjoyed their old Bose Companion 3 Series II, and QC15.  They aren't a bad company, just they aren't the greatest, ofc.

  
  Quote: 





tribestros said:


> They have decent and super cheap bookshelf speakers. There are a few decent Bose products, like headphones and their bookshelf speakers.


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> My humble headphone setup:


 

 those are some sexy can's, how do you like them with your LD1+?


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> PC>Gamma 2>Objective 2
> 
> V4 Magnums (also some Portapros and other stuff)
> 
> ...


 


  I need to start saving up for a pair of magnums, does our deal still stand for you to help construct a pair for me?


----------



## trentino

My current setup.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





melvins said:


> I need to start saving up for a pair of magnums, does our deal still stand for you to help construct a pair for me?


 


  if you send them, I will build them. Just bought a new iron. It would be cool if you picked up return shipping, seeing as I'm broke, broke.


----------



## Melvins

yeah I could cover shipping. I'd probz just get em' sent directly to your house. I need gimbals, a headband and some shells though seeing as I would like to make some of my money back and just straight sell my 125i's once we get this going...


----------



## HeyWaj10

Quote: 





melvins said:


> those are some sexy can's, how do you like them with your LD1+?


 


 I couldn't agree more   They sound excellent with the LD1+, very rezzy in the midrange with an almost liquid sound to them.  The cups on the Denons make for a great improvement in bass tightness, impact, and dynamics.  Overall, the signature is almost exactly what I was looking for in my prog metal/rock music tastes.  Plenty of crunch and soar. 
   
  I definitely need an upgraded DAC though...the uDac2, while not bad for the price, I have a feeling is not allowing the full potential of what this setup has to offer.  Looking into either an HRT MSII+ or a Bifrost (awful time trying to decide).


----------



## Melvins

yeah, I feel like the warmth allotted by the LD1+ makes metal and rock music shine especially nice, not to mention Jazz. They same can be said for adding wood housing to a can, which you obviously did. yeah man I had a tough time picking out a DAC recently and just settled on something simple and cost efficient. turned out to be a wise choice in my opinion


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Finally! My headphone setup:


 

 HD650. Me Gusta


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> HD650. Me Gusta


 


  +1


----------



## Connnorrr




----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ nice.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





saintly said:


> How do you like the DACmini?  I'm thinking about upgrading my DAC from my HRT MS II but I'm not sure if the amp in the DACmini will be on par with my Concerto since I'm looking for a 2-in-1 system to save space.


 


  I'd wager a guess in saying the Concerto is probably more powerful, but the DACmini can hold it's own.  As long as your not running some notoriously hard to drive headphones (Beyer 600 Ohm or HiFiMan Orthos), then you should be ok.  I've seen plenty of anecdotes where owners of AKG 701s, Senn 650s, LCD2s, etc. were driven easily.   I've seen stock photos of the DACmini with Beyer 880s/T1s.  It has no problems driving my headphones (well the only two that really benefit from the extra push are the D2000s and surprisingly my Phonak IEMs) and in comparison to other headphone amps I've owned or listened to (LDI+, Fubar, EF2A, TTVJ portable, NUFORCE Icon and uDAC, just to name a few) it definitely has more push than them.


----------



## metalsonata

Love the lamp--where'd you get it?
  
  Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> My humble headphone setup:


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





roker said:


> I'd wager a guess in saying the Concerto is probably more powerful, but the DACmini can hold it's own.  As long as your not running some notoriously hard to drive headphones (Beyer 600 Ohm or HiFiMan Orthos), then you should be ok.  I've seen plenty of anecdotes where owners of AKG 701s, Senn 650s, LCD2s, etc. were driven easily.   I've seen stock photos of the DACmini with Beyer 880s/T1s.  It has no problems driving my headphones (well the only two that really benefit from the extra push are the D2000s and surprisingly my Phonak IEMs) and in comparison to other headphone amps I've owned or listened to (LDI+, Fubar, EF2A, TTVJ portable, NUFORCE Icon and uDAC, just to name a few) it definitely has more push than them.


 


  Thanks for the reply.
   
  I'm definitely not worried about the volume as every amp I've ever tried has easily provided adequate amounts for the T1 I used to have and the HD 800 I have now.  It seems like a lot of people believe having power in excess of the required amount helps open up the sound though.
   
  I emailed Centrance and was told the DACmini outputs 5.1V RMS or 87mW per channel into 300 ohms. I'm not really sure how that compares with other mid-high end solid states out there but 87mW seems a bit low? Can someone help interpret the spec?


----------



## Navyblue

There is a common misconception that loudness is equated to power. The fact is loudness has to do with gain.
   
  power = voltage x current
   
  current = voltage / impedance
   
  One can have a lot of volume (voltage) with insufficient power (or current). In this case we'd get a lot of distortion.
   
  For amplifiers, a higher impedance load (headphone) is easier to drive as it demands less current.


----------



## atmospheric




----------



## BigOakTopher

My current setup, Headroom micro stack AMP/DAC.


----------



## AlfredWong

I am happy and shocked by the popularity of DT770 Pro 80, just that all owners are keeping low profile or something.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> There is a common misconception that loudness is equated to power. The fact is loudness has to do with gain.
> 
> power = voltage x current
> 
> ...


 
   
  power does not equal current.
   
  and higher impedance isn't easier to drive unless its an OTL amp.
   
  you gotta get the right amp for the right headphone.


----------



## stv014

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> and higher impedance isn't easier to drive unless its an OTL amp.


 

 The statement that _"For amplifiers, a higher impedance load (headphone) is easier to drive as it demands less current."_ is correct, as long as you just replace the headphones and do not touch the volume knob. The problem is that - assuming equal efficiency, and an output impedance that is low enough - the high impedance headphone will be quieter, so you need to turn up the volume to compensate, and if the amplifier cannot output the necessary higher voltage, it will distort.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> power does not equal current.
> 
> and higher impedance isn't easier to drive unless its an OTL amp.
> 
> you gotta get the right amp for the right headphone.


 

 I did not say power equal current, in fact I said power = voltage x current
   
  Higher impedance load is easier to drive for any amplifier, assuming there is enough voltage swing. This is how low impedance ribbon speakers can burn out amplifiers if they are not up to the task. Again current = voltage / impedance.
   
  As for "right amp for the right headphone", I can't really say it is wrong as it is technically non specific. But a better way to put it is, IMO, a good amplifier can drive any load well, a less good amplifier can drive some load well.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





stv014 said:


> The statement that _"For amplifiers, a higher impedance load (headphone) is easier to drive as it demands less current."_ is correct, as long as you just replace the headphones and do not touch the volume knob. The problem is that - assuming equal efficiency, and an output impedance that is low enough - the high impedance headphone will be quieter, so you need to turn up the volume to compensate, and if the amplifier cannot output the necessary higher voltage, it will distort.


 

  
  This is the misconception that I was trying to address. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  When an amplifier can not output the necessary voltage, it will sound soft, but not necessary distort. The sound will distort where there is not enough power (or current, as power = voltage x current). When an amplifier can not drive a load to sufficient volume, it means that it does not have enough gain, although sufficient gain does not mean sufficient power.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> There is a common misconception that loudness is equated to power. The fact is loudness has to do with gain.
> 
> power = voltage x current
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





navyblue said:


> This is the misconception that I was trying to address.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks for the clarification.  
   
  Can you comment on the proficiency of the DACmini's amp section based on the specs I was given by Centrance which I posted earlier?  The voltage swing is +/- 15V.
   
  Thanks.


----------



## Twinster

Here are the specification from Centrance Website.
   

 [size=x-small] 

  [size=x-small]Output Impedance[/size]

  [size=x-small]25 Ohms (Line output); 10 Ohm (Headphone output) **[/size]

 [size=x-small] [/size]  [size=x-small]Output Power[/size]

  [size=x-small]1.5W (total), drives 32...600 Ohm headphones[/size]

 [size=x-small] [/size]  [size=x-small]Max Output level*[/size]

  [size=x-small]+13.5dBV (32 Ohms load)[/size]

 [size=x-small] [/size] [size=x-small] [/size]  [size=x-small]+18.6dBV (300 Ohms load)[/size]


 [td] [size=x-small] 
[/td] [td] [size=x-small] [/size][/td] [td]  [size=x-small]+19.0dBV (600 Ohms load)[/size]

 [/td] 
[/size][/size]


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I emailed Centrance and was told the DACmini outputs 5.1V RMS or 87mW per channel into 300 ohms. I'm not really sure how that compares with other mid-high end solid states out there but 87mW seems a bit low? Can someone help interpret the spec?


 

 Here's more specs that Centrance gave me through email.


----------



## stv014

Quote:  





> This is the misconception that I was trying to address.


 
   
  I am not sure what misconception you are trying to address in my previous post, other than not including the possibility of not enough gain to reach the clipping level even at the maximum volume (and amplifiers designed to drive headphones or speakers will clip at 100% volume more often than not).


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





bigoaktopher said:


> My current setup, Headroom micro stack AMP/DAC.


 


  Where did you get that beautiful headphone stand?


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'm definitely not worried about the volume as every amp I've ever tried has easily provided adequate amounts for the T1 I used to have and the HD 800 I have now.  It seems like a lot of people believe having power in excess of the required amount helps open up the sound though.
> 
> I emailed Centrance and was told the DACmini outputs 5.1V RMS or 87mW per channel into 300 ohms. I'm not really sure how that compares with other mid-high end solid states out there but 87mW seems a bit low? Can someone help interpret the spec?


 
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> Here are the specification from Centrance Website.
> 
> 
> [size=x-small]
> ...


 

 Hmm...
   
  The numbers on their site don't match what they told you in the email.  +18.6dBV should be 8.5VRMS and 5.1VRMS should be +14.15dBV.


----------



## BigOakTopher

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Where did you get that beautiful headphone stand?


 

 Yeah I really like the stand & it has pegs on both sides for the cords. I have a couple other single stands by HALWoodworking too for my Grados & a vintage pair.
   
  I bought the stand from http://www.halwoodworking.com/wood-headphone-stands.asp


----------



## authistic

I want to take the chance of this discussion to ask the pros something:
   
  ATM I am driving my headphones with a very cheap speaker amp I bought years ago. It's a Pioneer A307R.
  I'm looking for a dedicated headphone amp atm. Problem is, it seems like I'm a very loud listener. I usually turn the volume knob on my amp
  on 12 o clock.. and it's pretty loud. I dont know what information I need to evaluate to know what kind of amp I need.
   
  Only thing I knew is the amp hast 80W @ 4 Ohm and 55W @ 8 OHM.
  I cant find any infos on the Headphone Out. Can someone help me?
   
  greets
   
  PS: I use HD650 mainly.


----------



## dorino

A current picture would be an empty desk. 'tis a sad day.


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





authistic said:


> I want to take the chance of this discussion to ask the pros something:
> 
> ATM I am driving my headphones with a very cheap speaker amp I bought years ago. It's a Pioneer A307R.
> I'm looking for a dedicated headphone amp atm. Problem is, it seems like I'm a very loud listener. I usually turn the volume knob on my amp
> ...


 

 You're using the headphone jack right?
   
  First I'd suggest that you listen softer and save your hearing.  Second many speaker amps with headphone outs just run the headphones off the speaker taps with some resistors in between.  This is bad for most 'phones but can be good for some.  It probably gives your HD650s some extra bass since their impedance curve peaks around 90Hz which you may or may not like.  I do know you're not in danger of needing all that amp's power since 55W into 8ohms is about 21 volts and that would be more than 1.3 watts into the HD650s which would hopefully destroy them instantly before your ears were assaulted by 130dB SPL for any period of time.
   
  An amp with a lower output impedance will likely reduce the bass a little bit and make it a bit tighter but if you like the bass on the HD650s the way it is now then you probably wouldn't benefit much from a different amp.  What other headphones do you have?  Those might benefit more.


----------



## authistic

Well atm I still have K701, M50 and AKG K141S but all three will be gone in like a week.. so I only have the HD650 left. Actually it could be nice if the Bass would be tighter. I use HD25 now on my mobile rig, and I kinda like the sound because I can hear more details in the guitars.
   
  Sometimes it feels like the bass of the 650 "bleeds" into the mids and stealing details.
  I'm pretty sure that's what everyone calls the "veil".
  Everyone on this forum is saying that you can remove that veil with good amping and I thought my old amp would count as bad amping, so I have hope to remove it. The only option left would be looking into a more bright headphone. But I tried the DT880 which is too bright on the other side. The HD25 is close to perfect, but still it sounds a bit too "low quality" compared to the full and mature Sound of the HD650. I don't think I can find a headphone really offering exactly what I want. Also tried the HD800 which is very good but still too bright.
   
  So what I thought was removing the veil on the 650s by better amping and creating a sound close to perfect.


----------



## maverickronin

Something with a low output impedance and some decent output voltage should work nicely.  The Objective2 will meet those requirements.  The guy who designed it likes it with his HD650s.


----------



## TheWuss

well, the dark star came in, so here is my home head-fi station in its curren state:
   

  Overall shot.  Not pictured is my listening chair.  You can just see the arm of the chair on the far left of this shot...
   

  Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2, RSA DarkStar, and Cavalli Liquid Fire, pictured.
   

  HD800, and HE-6, pictured.
   

  Violectric Stack (V800 and V200) with Squeezebox transport.  T1, D7000, and desktop monitors.  Channel Islands power supply with the Squeezebox.
   

  LCD-2, and HD650.
   
   
  ....  I'm done with headphones for a while....  
  well, I've said that several times.  But this time I mean it...


----------



## IcedTea

You have a very clean desk for all the headphones that occupy it!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> You have a very clean desk for all the headphones that occupy it!


 


  I'll say. I want that Dark Star. Is it really that good with the HE-6?


----------



## metalsonata

If I had a corner like that I'd probably never leave it.


----------



## TheWuss

well, the dark star is still fresh out of the box.  but, so far the he-6 is sounding better than i've ever heard it....


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> well, the dark star is still fresh out of the box.  but, so far the he-6 is sounding better than i've ever heard it....


 


  Very awesome. I hope you post a in depth impressions sometime in the future!


----------



## TheWuss

Quote:  





> Very awesome. I hope you post a in depth impressions sometime in the future!


 

 i will do my best.


----------



## HeyWaj10

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Love the lamp--where'd you get it?


 


 Target!! I love that lamp...put a low wattage bulb in there for a light glow at night...gives a very warm feeling to the room.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





stv014 said:


> I am not sure what misconception you are trying to address in my previous post, other than not including the possibility of not enough gain to reach the clipping level even at the maximum volume (and amplifiers designed to drive headphones or speakers will clip at 100% volume more often than not).


 

 What I meant was, when an amplifier can not output sufficient voltage, it does not necessarily distort, it may simply sound soft, or lack dynamic. Or as you said, not enough gain to clip, or not enough input voltage to clip, or too high an impedance load to clip. I can't comment on whether it is more often than not because it is dependent on the input and output condition, but IME, I can plug any headphone into my portable players, or most other headphone jacks, and not have obvious distortion, they would typically just sound soft and lifeless. But plugging low impedance passive speakers into them is another matter.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Thanks for the clarification.
> 
> Can you comment on the proficiency of the DACmini's amp section based on the specs I was given by Centrance which I posted earlier?  The voltage swing is +/- 15V.
> 
> Thanks.


 

 Assuming it is capable of +/- 15V into 300 ohms. IMO it is enough for HD650 and the likes, it is also a pretty typical desktop headphone amp specs. That's all I can comment based on the numbers, but we all know numbers and sound are separate issues. If it sounds good to you, I suppose it can't be that bad. I also agree that there seems to be hype around here that a headphone needs super duper power to drive, IMHO quantity is seldom the issue, however quality can be.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i will do my best.


 

 Looking forward to it! Killer setup!


----------



## johnman1116

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> well, the dark star came in, so here is my home head-fi station in its curren state:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  dood...... DEWD!!!!
  you really like that WireWorld huh?


----------



## Naim.F.C

TheWuss, it would be great to get your opinion on all of the cans you own, and comparisons. How do you find the V200?


----------



## TheWuss

Their cables are exceptional.


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Removed a lot of stuff, got rid of a lot of stuff, and finished my red-oak headphone stand finally with it's feet and stuff. I moved backwards in amps to solid state and prefer it actually with my current fav, the HE-500. Added Bifrost to complete the setup.
   

   

   

   

   
  And one with my other passion, and expensive hobby, pipes!
   

   
   
  Very best,


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





malveaux said:


>


 

 Beautiful pipe collection. Is that a tin of McClelland there in the corner? I think I may recognize it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

DS vs LF impressions...Now please.


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Beautiful pipe collection. Is that a tin of McClelland there in the corner? I think I may recognize it.


 


   
  Rotating between a few different blends. I really like that Astley's No. 88, a nice red Virginia. Carter Hall is a staple of mine. Always trying different cavendish blends from Peterson.
   
  Very best,


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Rotating between a few different blends. I really like that Astley's No. 88, a nice red Virginia. Carter Hall is a staple of mine. Always trying different cavendish blends from Peterson.
> 
> Very best,


 

 Nice. From the little piece of the picture on the side it looked sort of like something from the Craftsbury collection. Looks like Butera has the exact same size/shape tins. I don't really smoke much anymore, but I love cavendish.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Removed a lot of stuff, got rid of a lot of stuff, and finished my red-oak headphone stand finally with it's feet and stuff. I moved backwards in amps to solid state and prefer it actually with my current fav, the HE-500. Added Bifrost to complete the setup.
> 
> ...


 

  
   
  very nice.


----------



## mmayer167

^Ditto +1 to that! 
   
  -M


----------



## dorino

All my headphones are either in the shop, or getting shipped to me. BUT I finally found a mannequin head at a yardsale. It's really light, styrofoam, no chips in it or pieces missing. I decoupaged on some artwork of roses. I thought it might be appropriate in this thread. This cheap headset will have to do for modeling it.


----------



## claybum

Here's my stuff........
   

   
  The bookshelf speakers are B&W DM601 S2 and are driven by the Marantz. I purchased these as an upgrade to my Audioengine A5 and am very pleased. My source for the Marantz is the Emotive ERC1 or the pre out of the Headroom ultra.
   

   

   

   
  Close up of the Marantz.
   
   

   
  My new purchase...Pioneer SA9800. This might be the best headphone amp I have, just need to give it some more time to be sure.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





dorino said:


> All my headphones are either in the shop, or getting shipped to me. BUT I finally found a mannequin head at a yardsale. It's really light, styrofoam, no chips in it or pieces missing. I decoupaged on some artwork of roses. I thought it might be appropriate in this thread. This cheap headset will have to do for modeling it.


 

 I might have to bring back my nude sculpture of alexander the great as my headphone stand.. I let mom put it in her bathroom as decor


----------



## dorino

Adjusting for inflation (source: Google) the SA-9800 would have cost 2200 dollars new, I'd hope it'd be good. lol


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> Assuming it is capable of +/- 15V into 300 ohms. IMO it is enough for HD650 and the likes, it is also a pretty typical desktop headphone amp specs. That's all I can comment based on the numbers, but we all know numbers and sound are separate issues. If it sounds good to you, I suppose it can't be that bad. I also agree that there seems to be hype around here that a headphone needs super duper power to drive, IMHO quantity is seldom the issue, however quality can be.


 

  
  I think the +/- 15V is the voltage swing of the amp in general and not specifically into 300 ohms.  I'm clueless when it comes to specs though so forgive me if I'm wrong.
   
  Anyways, I sprang for a Benchmark DAC-1 so hopefully there'll be no regrets.


----------



## claybum

Quote: 





dorino said:


> Adjusting for inflation (source: Google) the SA-9800 would have cost 2200 dollars new, I'd hope it'd be good. lol


 


  Thanks for the calculation, I like it. I paid $450 for the amp. My next project is to procure some big speakers for this monster and find a place to put it. I'm running out of room!!!!


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





claybum said:


> My new purchase...Pioneer SA9800. This might be the best headphone amp I have, just need to give it some more time to be sure.


 


  i believe it.
  i picked up a ratty sx 650 recently.
  blown away by how good the HP jack sounds on that thing.
  can only imagine how nice it is on the 9800!!!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> i believe it.
> i picked up a ratty sx 650 recently.
> blown away by how good the HP jack sounds on that thing.
> can only imagine how nice it is on the 9800!!!


 


  even compared to like the WA2?


----------



## Rawrbington

not by itself.
  but when pre'd by the woo its close to having the same musicality as the wa2 has.
  just missing a little bit of detail.
   
  since i got it i've been using it 90% of the time.
  without the wa2 as a pre amp its not as good.
  but its still surprisingly good.
   
  if i had the cash i'd pick up a 1050 or 950.
   
  my only regret is i think i rushed and over paid a little for this one considering its physical condition.  good thing is it was only 80 bucks, probably overpaid by 20 bucks though
  but sonically it was def worth it


----------



## metalsonata

Pretty sure you need to take a pair of headphones to the bathroom, stick 'em on, take a picture, and share with us. Because that sounds awesome.
  
  Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> I might have to bring back my nude sculpture of alexander the great as my headphone stand.. I let mom put it in her bathroom as decor


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Pretty sure you need to take a pair of headphones to the bathroom, stick 'em on, take a picture, and share with us. Because that sounds awesome.


 


   
  This or just steal it back and tell yo momma ya got more important things to do with it


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Finally! My headphone setup:


 
  Such a relaxing looking pic...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 good to come home to and just relax I bet.  Except when the wife wants attention.


----------



## dorino

My replacement 80i's got here. I'll have to take a picture of the headphone stand mannequin head with some proper 'phones on it.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Pretty sure you need to take a pair of headphones to the bathroom, stick 'em on, take a picture, and share with us. Because that sounds awesome.


 

 Will do
   


  Quote: 





melvins said:


> This or just steal it back and tell yo momma ya got more important things to do with it


 

 Lol, i thought about it.. people give me odd looks when they see it though, and it takes up a bit of room on my desk (not much more than the banana stand though)


----------



## Melvins

you have both? Been thinking about investing in a banana but my laptop or the light by my bed usually suffice as places to hang my cans. And who cares about what people think, hence why we're in this hobby to begin this. Right?


----------



## IcedTea

I thought it was cause of the music?


----------



## Melvins

Nope. street cred.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





melvins said:


> you have both? Been thinking about investing in a banana but my laptop or the light by my bed usually suffice as places to hang my cans. And who cares about what people think, hence why we're in this hobby to begin this. Right?


 


  I actually have a banana stand, the statue and another hanger thing that works well as a headphone holder

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-5E12-FastTrack-Hose-Hook/dp/B0009J5NUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1327541235&sr=1-1


----------



## Melvins

worrddd yeah I just couldn't see spending money on something that I could easily use something else, to serve the exact same purpose. FO FREE.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





melvins said:


> worrddd yeah I just couldn't see spending money on something that I could easily use something else, to serve the exact same purpose. FO FREE.


 


  mine just get set down on my desk like.. 99% of the time anyways. that or on the floor by my bed, maybe I'll move the stand over there


----------



## Melvins

Might as well use em' if ya bought em mang


----------



## Draygonn

chrislangley4253 said:


> I might have to bring back my nude sculpture of alexander the great as my headphone stand.. I let mom put it in her bathroom as decor







chrislangley4253 said:


> Lol, i thought about it.. people give me odd looks when they see it though,




Depends on how you hang the headphones


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Depends on how you hang the headphones


----------



## IcedTea

Where did you get the statue at?
   
  I wish there was a monkey king statue for me to hang my DT880 lol


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Where did you get the statue at?
> 
> I wish there was a monkey king statue for me to hang my DT880 lol


 


  found it


----------



## Melvins

I believe he was asking, "Where did you find it."


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> I wish there was a *monkey king statue* for me to hang my DT880 lol


 

 This! This would be the greatest headphone stand of all time!


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





melvins said:


> I believe he was asking, "Where did you find it."


 


  uhmm. I found it in a house we bought that was absolutely full of stuff.


----------



## mmayer167

Current state of my stuffs. A friend, actually a member here, (fluffygdog95) borrowed me his pro900 and Ibasso d6 for a few days. Thought id share a little gear gathering and my head-fi setup as of tonight  
   

   
  -M


----------



## jtaylor991

Yeah it's nice to relax, but I'm still 14 in high school and procrastination still bites! I've had second thoughts on even owning this stuff with so little time to use it but the only thing I would rather use the money for is a car in a couple of years anyway.
   
  And the wife thing, there's the one girl, but it's not looking bright as my former best friend is now dating her...yeah love sucks but I'll figure it out. I can't bring myself to stop talking to them just yet (if you heard the whole story you'd probably understand why I'd cnsider but even just this to me warrants that somewhat).
   
  Off to do homework! 
  
  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Such a relaxing looking pic...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mmayer167

Woof, hold your head up buddy! 
   
  -M


----------



## Melvins

you're one lucky 14 year old with such a set up.
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Yeah it's nice to relax, but I'm still 14 in high school and procrastination still bites! I've had second thoughts on even owning this stuff with so little time to use it but the only thing I would rather use the money for is a car in a couple of years anyway.
> 
> And the wife thing, there's the one girl, but it's not looking bright as my former best friend is now dating her...yeah love sucks but I'll figure it out. I can't bring myself to stop talking to them just yet (if you heard the whole story you'd probably understand why I'd cnsider but even just this to me warrants that somewhat).
> 
> Off to do homework!


----------



## Melvins

oh. and screw homework. gets you nowhere in life.
   
  WIINNNEEEBAGGOOO WARRIIIOORRR


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Woof, hold your head up buddy!
> 
> -M


 

 x 2
   
  Remember that what you're doing now is paving the way for your future.  Studying may be a pain in the ass but you may regret it later in life if you don't take it seriously now.
   
  Regarding the "love," try not to let it get to you too much.  It's obviously easier said than done but years down the road, you're going to look back and realize how trivial the whole occurrence is.  Honestly, not many people find their soul mates at 14.


----------



## metalsonata

Wow, I seriously love that statue lol. I've long wanted to get a nice big Buddha to hold onto my headphones for me (or perhaps a nice bust or two of my favorite authors), but I may have to shift gears now.


----------



## manveru

Most terrifying stand ever? Most terrifying stand ever.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Wow, I seriously love that statue lol. I've long wanted to get a nice big Buddha to hold onto my headphones for me (or perhaps a nice bust or two of my favorite authors), but I may have to shift gears now.


 


 I like it too.. maybe i'll make it a permanent fixture in my room again.


----------



## jtaylor991

I agree with both points, and I'm over the love part mostly (I'm over the hump/worst part at the least) but I'm not over why my friends (both were my dearest friends) would do something like this to me both knowing about my feelings. When it comes up, I'll share what's on my mind, but I'm not gonna bring it up myself.
   
  And I'm in a private school getting straight A's (that's not proper grammar but it looks better than As  working hard, I understand how important my education is. My plans for my work life are a 6 figure IT job, maybe a bit of hip hop production on the side (emceeing not so sure, but I'd love to be one of the few IT guy rappers lol) but not for money
   
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> x 2
> 
> Remember that what you're doing now is paving the way for your future.  Studying may be a pain in the ass but you may regret it later in life if you don't take it seriously now.
> 
> Regarding the "love," try not to let it get to you too much.  It's obviously easier said than done but years down the road, you're going to look back and realize how trivial the whole occurrence is.  Honestly, not many people find their soul mates at 14.


----------



## scottie584

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Most terrifying stand ever? Most terrifying stand ever.


 

 You know how people say that if they had x setup, they'd never leave it? Now you know.


----------



## dorino

manveru, I'm scared that if I scroll down or turn my head, that statue's going to be behind me. Damnit, Doctor Who!
   
   
   


> My plans for my work life are a 6 figure IT job


 
   
  Plans are funny things. I'm looking at starting out at around 60-70 grand in the IT field post-graduation, but only with a 2 year degree (plus 4-5 certifications... Cisco, etc). Assuming I can find a job, but that's the median starting salary. 
   
   


> one of the few IT guy rappers


 

 Few? Don't want to burst your bubble, but nerdcore is a thing and it's _awesome_.


----------



## Zombie_X

This may sound off topic but has anyone ever played the game Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver? I was asking because I am making a stand out of Fimo that resembles Raziels open fist for holding my T1's on. It's no where near done. That will be my headphone stand!
   
  Also for kicks, here's my very first set-up, about 4 years ago:

   

  Gotta laugh how it was the X-CANV8P and it's internal DAC and only the K701. How much my set-up has evolved...
   
   
  An here's my current set-up:

   

   

   
  The entire set-up is night and day different!


----------



## Destroysall

@Zombie_X, very nice setup dude!  And I still have my copy of Soul Reaver, I love that game!


----------



## Zombie_X

Thanks man, though I should snap new pictures sometime! It's funny how much it's evolved over 3-4 years.
   
  Also for SR, I will post pictures of the headphone stand once it is done! I need a lot of Fimo for this thing!
  
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> @Zombie_X, very nice setup dude!  And I still have my copy of Soul Reaver, I love that game!


----------



## Questhate

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


>


 

 I love this idea for a headphone stand. I may have to steal this. 
   
  The Ikea stands I have leave indentations on the padding of my headbands, and I'm too cheap to spring for those Omega stands.


----------



## dorino

I'm really impressed by how convenient the mannequin head is. I'm going to build a small weighted base for it so it's easier to take headphones off of it. Downside of styrofoam! Haha.


----------



## metalsonata

So I ran the naked Alexander thing by the GF to see if she was cool with it. She said no way--she'd rather I have a statue of a naked woman on my desk holding my headphones than a statue of a naked man.
   
  Her reasoning:
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



"I'd rather have to see statue-esque boobs every day than statue-esque balls."


   
  She said she'd be cool with it if I could find a replica of David though. I guess he's hotter than Alexander?


----------



## Eric_C

Zombie_X: VERY keen to see your Soul Reaver stand! I loved that game.


----------



## soze

My station at it's current state.


----------



## Draygonn

@soze, now that is awesome!


----------



## IcedTea

How tall is that spiderman?!


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





questhate said:


> I love this idea for a headphone stand. I may have to steal this.
> 
> The Ikea stands I have leave indentations on the padding of my headbands, and I'm too cheap to spring for those Omega stands.


 


  lol, thanks. Didn't realize it would be such a hit. 


  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> So I ran the naked Alexander thing by the GF to see if she was cool with it. She said no way--she'd rather I have a statue of a naked woman on my desk holding my headphones than a statue of a naked man.
> 
> Her reasoning:
> 
> ...


 

 haha, I can't argue with that, although I appreciate human form in general, not just women. 
   


  Quote: 





soze said:


> My station at it's current state.


 
  awesome spidey!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I own 2 heads from Pier 1 (Glass ones) they weight a lot more tahn foam but still could use a proper base. I tend to not use them anymore as I'm paranoid about the pads being worn down.
  
  Quote: 





dorino said:


> I'm really impressed by how convenient the mannequin head is. I'm going to build a small weighted base for it so it's easier to take headphones off of it. Downside of styrofoam! Haha.


 


   
  I'm in the same boat certification wise, but without the 2 year degree. I've tried quite a few things in the 'tech industry' and while I love technology I hate everything I've tried with it job wise. It's got me quite upset lately. I want to just finish up with an art degree, but they're so useless in the real world.
  
  The other route I'd like to take would be attempting to get my doctorate in literature and teaching at a college level. This would take the next 10 years of my life and is a serious commitment...but it certainly seems like a better idea than IT work.
   
  EDIT: Nerdcore is bad and you should feel bad. lol
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *dorino* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Plans are funny things. I'm looking at starting out at around 60-70 grand in the IT field post-graduation, *but only with a 2 year degree (plus 4-5 certifications... Cisco, etc). *Assuming I can find a job, but that's the median starting salary.
> 
> *Few? Don't want to burst your bubble, but nerdcore is a thing and it's awesome.*


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





questhate said:


> I love this idea for a headphone stand. I may have to steal this.
> 
> The Ikea stands I have leave indentations on the padding of my headbands, and I'm too cheap to spring for those Omega stands.


 



   
  It works


----------



## soze

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> How tall is that spiderman?!


 


  18" Tall.


----------



## jeckyll

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> This may sound off topic but has anyone ever played the game Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver? I was asking because I am making a stand out of Fimo that resembles Raziels open fist for holding my T1's on. It's no where near done. That will be my headphone stand!
> 
> Also for kicks, here's my very first set-up, about 4 years ago:
> 
> ...


 

 LOL,  I currently have those Altec L. speakers you had (in a 5.1 config) and looking to replace them with Audioengine A5+
  /endhijack


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> It works


 


  what is that stand exactly?


----------



## keph

My Current set up for now..will show more pictures tomorrow..
   
  AMP: Modded LaFigaro 339 with Tung-Sol 5998 & GEC CV1067 Tubes.
HPs: HiFiman HE-500 with Norse Audio 8-wire cable.
DAC: Lyrical 5i-10 Dual WM8471 with AD797BR Opamps
DDC: Teradak Teralink X2.


----------



## cifani090

Quote: 





keph said:


> My Current set up for now..will show more pictures tomorrow..
> 
> AMP: Modded LaFigaro 339 with Tung-Sol 5998 & GEC CV1067 Tubes.
> HPs: HiFiman HE-500 with Norse Audio 8-wire cable.
> ...


 

 Loving the tube amp! How does it sound with the HE-500's?


----------



## keph

THX...It Sounds Fantastic...since HE-500 is quite a bright headphone pairing it with a tube amp seems the rite choice...its one of my favorite pairing...i like it better then using a solid state amp..
  
  Quote: 





cifani090 said:


> Loving the tube amp! How does it sound with the HE-500's?


----------



## CrocsRock

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> So I ran the naked Alexander thing by the GF to see if she was cool with it. She said no way--she'd rather I have a statue of a naked woman on my desk holding my headphones than a statue of a naked man.
> 
> Her reasoning:
> 
> ...


 


 There is a time in every man's life when an opportunity presents itself. This is that time. You have been given carte blanche to go out and get a marble statue of a naked lady to hold your A/V paraphernalia. Fire up your credit card and grab that brass ring. Destiny calls.


----------



## Questhate

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> lol, thanks. Didn't realize it would be such a hit.


 

 Yes. Now I gotta figure out where to get one locally. I'd better wait until I'm off my work computer before I google "miniature naked man".


----------



## airs

Fun with Snapseed.


----------



## Melvins

what camera did you use to snap that pic?


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Yes. Now I gotta figure out where to get one locally. I'd better wait until I'm off my work computer before I google "miniature naked man".


 

 lmao.. This one is worth about 200 - 250 dollars apparently. I had no idea until I googled the stuff on the bottom.


----------



## airs

iPhone 4s built in 
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> what camera did you use to snap that pic?


----------



## Tilpo

keph said:


> My Current set up for now..will show more pictures tomorrow..
> 
> AMP: Modded LaFigaro 339 with Tung-Sol 5998 & GEC CV1067 Tubes.
> HPs: HiFiman HE-500 with Norse Audio 8-wire cable.
> ...



What's with the little white piece of wire going from the La Figaro towards a black piece of tape?
Kind of messes up the otherwise flawless look of the setup, if you ask me. 

Also: what is the purpose of the TeraLink? Is there really any audible advantage to convert the USB signal? Or do you use it because you the DAC does not support USB?


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What's with the little white piece of wire going from the La Figaro towards a black piece of tape?
> Kind of messes up the otherwise flawless look of the setup, if you ask me.


 
  Chassis ground?


----------



## airs

Is that a ground wire or something? Heh


----------



## metalsonata

Oh believe me, I've been scouring the interwebs for a good one already.
   
  :-D
  
  Quote: 





crocsrock said:


> There is a time in every man's life when an opportunity presents itself. This is that time. You have been given carte blanche to go out and get a marble statue of a naked lady to hold your A/V paraphernalia. Fire up your credit card and grab that brass ring. Destiny calls.


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





melvins said:


> what is that stand exactly?


 

 It's not a stand. It's just some Feng Shui decoration stuff that I got for my birthday, and I only got room for it above my speaker


----------



## IcedTea

Is that a tiger on top? or an asian unicorn?


----------



## Wingstrike

Here's mine. My LCD2s are going to be gone soon though.


----------



## keph

tilpo said:


> What's with the little white piece of wire going from the La Figaro towards a black piece of tape?
> Kind of messes up the otherwise flawless look of the setup, if you ask me.
> Also: what is the purpose of the TeraLink? Is there really any audible advantage to convert the USB signal? Or do you use it because you the DAC does not support USB?




Yes it some how like a chassis ground..without that there was an audible ground noise since I live in an apartment with bad grounding..but when I touch my amp and dac together with one hand the noise was gone so I stck that cable to my dac's silvery casing..funny huh..

And since my dac does not have USB input I use the Teralink as a USB from my laptop to I2S to my DAC converter..IMO I2S sound much better than coaxial/optical it adds more air, body and sound stage...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





keph said:


> THX...It Sounds Fantastic...since HE-500 is quite a bright headphone pairing it with a tube amp seems the rite choice...its one of my favorite pairing...i like it better then using a solid state amp..


 


  I agree, I use the HE-500 as well with this amp. Very good synergy


----------



## Draygonn

wingstrike said:


> Here's mine. My LCD2s are going to be gone soon though.




very nice picture


----------



## Arvan

Added the M50 to my collection yesterday.


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Is that a tiger on top? or an asian unicorn?


 


   
  It's a tiger.
  But I have no idea what is the Chinese writing on it means


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





wingstrike said:


> Here's mine. My LCD2s are going to be gone soon though.


 


  all the lovely power hitters


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





melvins said:


> all the lovely power hitters


 

 The ones that only offer less than 10% sonic improvement over your Sr125s?  Yeah, remember that...?


----------



## dorino

Quote: 





saintly said:


> The ones that only offer less than 10% sonic improvement over your Sr125s?  Yeah, remember that...?


 

 You've been waiting for this, haven't you?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dorino said:


> You've been waiting for this, haven't you?


----------



## IcedTea

I like the Ban Dai mouse pad under the woo stand 
   
  what is it a picture of?


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





saintly said:


> The ones that only offer less than 10% sonic improvement over your Sr125s?  Yeah, remember that...?


 

 Uhh yeah of course. And I stand completely behind that sentiment.


----------



## chrislangley4253

LETS ARGUE AGAIN


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> LETS ARGUE AGAIN


 


  I know right? Anyway, let's get everybody back on task, since this is a picture thread. Recently reorganized my setup. Not pictured is the Q701. Was cleaning the ear cups at the time.


----------



## Digital-Pride




----------



## Draygonn

welcome to head-fi, sorry about your delicate sensibilities.


----------



## chrislangley4253

pretty, as always Austin.


----------



## IcedTea

I like your set up, the 650 still going strong for you?
   
  lol, its like we're opposites. I'm a Windows, Beyer, Canon guy. 
   
  But I do have an old iphone! And I got the blue yeti too  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I know right? Anyway, let's get everybody back on task, since this is a picture thread. Recently reorganized my setup. Not pictured is the Q701. Was cleaning the ear cups at the time.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> pretty, as always Austin.


 

 Thanks, Chris. Always nice to have a mature and kind person commenting on the forums. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> I like your set up, the 650 still going strong for you?
> 
> lol, its like we're opposites. I'm a Windows, Beyer, Canon guy.
> 
> But I do have an old iphone! And I got the blue yeti too


 


  Thanks, and yes the HD650 is still going strong for me (waiting for the HD700 so I'll have both that can contrast together). But I love Beyerdynamic, especially the DT990 and T1 (I'd pick the T1 over the HD800, LCD-2, HE-6 and all others from what I've auditioned). Thanks for the comments though!


----------



## Destroysall

What happened to the Valhalla?
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I know right? Anyway, let's get everybody back on task, since this is a picture thread. Recently reorganized my setup. Not pictured is the Q701. Was cleaning the ear cups at the time.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> What happened to the Valhalla?


 


  I still have it, I'm awaiting the Bifrost, and once I get that, that stack will go where my Blue Yeti mic currently resides.


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> It's a tiger.
> But I have no idea what is the Chinese writing on it means


 


  The top character means fortune, and the bottom one means wealth.


----------



## Lewcifer

I just got the A5+ and D1 in today.


----------



## Destroysall

Can't wait to hear your impressions on it. 
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I still have it, I'm awaiting the Bifrost, and once I get that, that stack will go where my Blue Yeti mic currently resides.


----------



## Wingstrike

It's the same picture as the MG Sazabi box. It's actually those cutting pads for plastic modeling. The woo stand have sharp edges that scratches my desk, so I use that to guard it
  
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> I like the Ban Dai mouse pad under the woo stand
> 
> what is it a picture of?


----------



## IcedTea

What kind of strat is that? And is that a boss digital delay I spy near the amp? 
  
  Quote: 





lewcifer said:


> I just got the A5+ and D1 in today.


 


   


  Quote: 





wingstrike said:


> It's the same picture as the MG Sazabi box. It's actually those cutting pads for plastic modeling. The woo stand have sharp edges that scratches my desk, so I use that to guard it


 

 Oh thats cool. I've always wanted to build a model of the blue zaku from gundam 08th ms team, but i can never find it


----------



## jtaylor991

Austin Morrow, what do you use the Blue Yeti for? You mentioned podcasts once and I could use something to do


----------



## Lewcifer

It's an American Special and that's a Boss NS-2. I usually use that with my PRS and Peavey amp though...
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> What kind of strat is that? And is that a boss digital delay I spy near the amp?


----------



## Arbite

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/398627_351800701498019_100000042752623_1464276_1678736521_n.jpg
   
   
  Currently being reorganized.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Austin Morrow, what do you use the Blue Yeti for? You mentioned podcasts once and I could use something to do


 


  I use the Yeti for podcasting, and it works great!


----------



## jtaylor991

austin morrow said:


> I use the Yeti for podcasting, and it works great!




I figured. What do you podcast about? Could you link?


----------



## ITCW




----------



## Terps Fan

My God ITCW!  That right there, step by step is where I'm going.  It may take me a while, and the equipment may not be the same, but that glass, black, silver, stripped down, pinned down presentation just sits me right on my ass.  Very nice sir.


----------



## Tilpo

@ITCW
I have a very similar black glass desk, but mine isn't a corner one. Oh, how I want a corner desk 

Very nice setup, btw. Is that can Amstel?


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Thanks, Chris. Always nice to have a mature and kind person commenting on the forums.


 

  
   
  haha, I'm not always mature and kind. I'm pretty sure I have verbally attacked you before... Stupid apple fanboy with spelling errors all over your blog! (btw, want me to let you know when I find such errors? I thought about sending you a PM or something.. But, I don't know.. A lot of people wouldn't appreciate that). At least if people are complaining.. it means they are visiting, eh?
   
  It is a really, really pretty set up though. I'm genuinely jealous of how good looking everything on your desk it. Also, you have some photography skills


----------



## IcedTea

Is that Nip tuck I see?
  
  Quote: 





itcw said:


>


----------



## IcedTea

oh man, how do you like the PRS compared to the strat? Any plans on getting a les paul too?  
   
  I just have a menial squier stagemaster and a fender 25r amp :/ 
   
  haha but its something to start with I guess, I do enjoy my loop pedal however.
  Quote: 





lewcifer said:


> It's an American Special and that's a Boss NS-2. I usually use that with my PRS and Peavey amp though...


----------



## ITCW

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> My God ITCW!  That right there, step by step is where I'm going.  It may take me a while, and the equipment may not be the same, but that glass, black, silver, stripped down, pinned down presentation just sits me right on my ass.  Very nice sir.


 

 Thanks, Terps Fan. BTW, are you an UMD grad? I was a Terp myself.
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> @ITCW
> I have a very similar black glass desk, but mine isn't a corner one. Oh, how I want a corner desk
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks. It's my first-ever L-desk. Looks nice, but took 4 hours to build! And it's a can of A&W Root Beer,  not Amstel.
   
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Is that Nip tuck I see?


 

 Yessir, only the best drama ever! (CSI and 24 come close)


----------



## 4-HGeek

Is that A&W Root Beer? I freaking love root beer! Where'd you get yours? I got mine from a grocery store. Do you amp yours?
   
  Seriously, though. Really, really nice setup. Plenty of room to kick back. I need a headphone stand like yours.
  Quote: 





itcw said:


>


----------



## lextek

Quote: 





4-hgeek said:


> Is that A&W Root Beer? I freaking love root beer! Where'd you get yours? I got mine from a grocery store. Do you amp yours?
> 
> Seriously, though. Really, really nice setup. Plenty of room to kick back. I need a headphone stand like yours.


 

 Ah root beer.  Henry Weinharts is the best!  Can't get it here in NY have to order it.


----------



## TheOtus

Nice looking indeed. I still hate corner desks from the bottom of my heart. xD The space at the very corner is hard to reach, making it practically un-usable. In my opinion it's all a visual thing.


----------



## Lewcifer

I like my Strat better than my PRS. I have played a lot of Strats and never liked any of them until I found this one and it is awesome. It feels perfect and has the Texas Special pickups which sound amazing. A Les Paul will be the next guitar I buy, actually almost bought one when I decided to try this Strat and then decided immediately that I had to buy this one.

  
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> oh man, how do you like the PRS compared to the strat? Any plans on getting a les paul too?
> 
> I just have a menial squier stagemaster and a fender 25r amp :/
> 
> haha but its something to start with I guess, I do enjoy my loop pedal however.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Put your PC tower there...or a diagonal monitor. 
   
  Or get a curved desk and put a plant in the unused floor space.
   
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Nice looking indeed. I still hate corner desks from the bottom of my heart. xD The space at the very corner is hard to reach, making it practically un-usable. In my opinion it's all a visual thing.


----------



## Melvins

Hey Morbid Toaster--your avatar always reminds me of a 16 album. Just similar colors I guess


----------



## MorbidToaster

Wiki: Sludge Metal (I stopped reading) Not my thing. I can see it a bit I suppose.
   
  It's actually from an oil painting that was made for the cover of BT's 'These Hopeful Machines'. I'm actually considering getting it tattooed if I can find the right artist.

   

  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> Hey Morbid Toaster--your avatar always reminds me of a 16 album. Just similar colors I guess


----------



## Melvins

that's intense. Here's the album I was referring to:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah I figured it was when I looked on wiki. Admittedly the art is pretty awesome.
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> that's intense. Here's the album I was referring to:


----------



## DragonOwen

Got two WooAudio stands yesterday, so this how my home rig looks like now:



   
  The second stand (for single HP - HPS-R) is still in the box, I will take it to my work at monday.


----------



## TheOtus

morbidtoaster said:


> Put your PC tower there...or a diagonal monitor.


 

 Putting the PC there doesn't solve the issue. Behind the monitor there's still wasted space. It would also be unpractical and uncomfortable to to type in front of the screen, unless you place the keyboard right on the edge of the desk.

  


> Or get a curved desk and put a plant in the unused floor space.


 
   
  That's a possibility but not enough reason to get a curved desk. It would also be annoying to water the plant.


----------



## Tilpo

dragonowen said:


> Got two WooAudio stands yesterday, so this how my home rig looks like now:
> 
> 
> The second stand (for single HP - HPS-R) is still in the box, I will take it to my work at monday.




Awesome rig. How do the HE-6 and HE-500 compare? I heard some people claim that the HE-500 is actually better than the HE-6. Might be because they have different sound signatures.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Awesome rig. How do the HE-6 and HE-500 compare? I heard some people claim that the HE-500 is actually better than the HE-6. Might be because they have different sound signatures.


 


  HE-500 not even close to HE-6, they are in different class IMO. From what I listened only STAX SR-507 and HD-800 are in the same class as HE-6. But the sound of HE-6 is quite bright and they very hard to drive, so I think that maybe because of this people may prefer HE-500 over HE-6... of course it's only IMHO. I now have an amp that were actually made for HE-6 (it's balanced and very powerful) so to me the difference between HE-6 and HE-500 is quite clear... But the brightness and sibilace of HE-6 make me think to try something other, so I bought STAX SR-507 and now in process of buying WooAudio GES with premium parts upgrade and DACT... I actually already listened SR-507 for a week after New Year (friend gave me his SRM-T1 amp) and I think that I may sell HE-6 after I get GES, because even with SRM-T1 the 507 sound better than HE-6 in most of parameters
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  By the way, today I had a chance to listen HE-500 with SPL Phonitor... Veeery good sound, actually it's the the best sound I've heard out of HE-500, It's like they sounded on 120% of they capabilities with Phonitor. So I highly recomend HE-500 to people taht own Phonitor.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also listened HE-300 and IMO they sound bad... not much I can say more, because I stopped to liseten them very fast... trey are just bad IMO (and stock cable is making them even worser... when I putted the stock silver cable of HE-500 to HE-300 they became better, but still not good IMO...)


----------



## metalsonata

I've been wondering how an HE-500 would sound on my Phonitor. :-D
  
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> HE-500 not even close to HE-6, they are in different class IMO. From what I listened only STAX SR-507 and HD-800 are in the same class as HE-6. But the sound of HE-6 is quite bright and they very hard to drive, so I think that maybe because of this people may prefer HE-500 over HE-6... of course it's only IMHO. I now have an amp that were actually made for HE-6 (it's balanced and very powerful) so to me the difference between HE-6 and HE-500 is quite clear... But the brightness and sibilace of HE-6 make me think to try something other, so I bought STAX SR-507 and now in process of buying WooAudio GES with premium parts upgrade and DACT... I actually already listened SR-507 for a week after New Year (friend gave me his SRM-T1 amp) and I think that I may sell HE-6 after I get GES, because even with SRM-T1 the 507 sound better than HE-6 in most of parameters
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## oaklandrkg




----------



## Zombie_X

I would say no. I have not heard the combo but the HE-500 requires a lot of current and neither the Phonitor nor the Auditor can supply. Something like the Lyr would be better suited or even the X0CANV8P.
  
  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> I've been wondering how an HE-500 would sound on my Phonitor. :-D


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I would say no. I have not heard the combo but the HE-500 requires a lot of current and neither the Phonitor nor the Auditor can supply. Something like the Lyr would be better suited or even the X0CANV8P.


 
  How can you say yes or no when you have not heard the combo?


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


>


 


  Awesome avatar.


----------



## Melvins

not a bad set up either lol.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I would say no. I have not heard the combo but the HE-500 requires a lot of current and neither the Phonitor nor the Auditor can supply. Something like the Lyr would be better suited or even the X0CANV8P.


 

 I own Lyr and HE-500, actually it's my work rig right now (I use them already for about half of year), but I still think that HE-500 sound better with Phonitor... again it's only My opinion based on what I hear... By the way HE-6 is horrible with Phonitor, just an awful sound (but I was expecting that
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## metalsonata

I'd really like to move into the world of orthos, but have been hesitant about doing so, because I figured that they may not pair well with my Phonitor. Suspect my first step will be HE-500--worse come to worse I can just always return them I suppose. ^^
  
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> I own Lyr and HE-500, actually it's my work rig right now (I use them already for about half of year), but I still think that HE-500 sound better with Phonitor... again it's only My opinion based on what I hear... By the way HE-6 is horrible with Phonitor, just an awful sound (but I was expecting that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DragonOwen

Here comes my work rig with added Woo Audio stand:



   
*metalsonata, *
  It's only My opinion so I think you should seek for some more opinions on this matter before buying HE-500... About orthos, LCD-2 is also good to my ears with Phonitor, also my friend has Phonitor and LCD-2 and it's his favorite rig (he also own some Acustic Arts DAC on 1704... so he like "dark" sound)


----------



## oaklandrkg

Quote: 





melvins said:


> Awesome avatar.


 


  Thanks. Are you a Bukowski fan?


  Quote: 





melvins said:


> not a bad set up either lol.


 


  Looking to step up from the Fubar III, I originally purchased Headroom's "micro stack" aka the micro DAC & amp combo.
   
  However I wasn't hearing much of a difference between using the Headroom DAC and using the Fubar III to feed the Micro Amp. It wasn't a matter of wishful thinking because I had spent the money and I _wanted _to hear the difference, but those differences just weren't making themselves apparent to my ears. Perhaps that might be partially because I had rolled the Fubar's opamp for the Burr Brown 627, than again, it might not.
   
  Ultimately, I held onto the Micro Amp but returned the Micro DAC and haven't looked back since. Honestly, to my ears even the Micro Amp doesn't bring much if any improvement compared to the Fubar's amping capabilities, either. Just my opinion, but I think a lot of people on head-fi are a little too quick to look down on or simply ignore many/most of the sub$500 DACs/amps/DAC-amp combos.
   
  Anyways, now with the addition of the AH-D2000 to my hi-fi family, I just recently split things up into two rigs;
  - Primary Rig is the Fubar III is still hooked up to my computer and now serves as the both the DAC and amp
  - In the bedroom for my secondary rig I have a Sansa Clip+ plugged into the Micro Amp
  ... I go back and forth switching the HD-650 and the AH-D2000 between both rigs. And yes, I think both my rigs sound fantastic; it was a very pleasant surprise discovering the wonderful sound I get from the Sansa Clip+.
   
  I'm in the middle of moving, but once I get settled in my new place I'll post some pictures of rigs in their new home.
   
  Cheers.


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> Thanks. Are you a Bukowski fan?
> 
> 
> Looking to step up from the Fubar III, I originally purchased Headroom's "micro stack" aka the micro DAC & amp combo.
> ...


 


  ALways thought about investing in the clip but I honestly listen to 90% of my music from my laptop so it wouldn't be worth the investment. I'm a huge Bukowski fan. What are your favorite works by him?


----------



## manveru

Nice to see some other Bukowski readers. My favorite novel of his that I've read has always been Ham on Rye.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i really need to get a woo audio stand, they look so cool...


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> Thanks. Are you a Bukowski fan?
> 
> 
> Looking to step up from the Fubar III, I originally purchased Headroom's "micro stack" aka the micro DAC & amp combo.
> ...


 


   


 Sure my K501 sounds better out of my $1000 DAC and $1000 amp. However plugging it into a $100 Creative USB sound card is far from bad. In internet forums like this, the newbies who exagerate what they hear tend to be numerous and loud.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Me too. I had one ordered over the holidays but unfortunately had to cancel. Will be re-ordering in a month or so. Really want one.

  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i really need to get a woo audio stand, they look so cool...


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> In internet forums like this, the newbies who exagerate what they hear tend to be numerous and loud.


 

 It's not limited to noobs...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I had a Clip+ and now I have a Zip. I continue to be impressed with the SQ out of these little things. Sandisk knocked it out of the park!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> It's not limited to noobs...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Agreed. Say what you will, but if you ever hear another $30 player that sounds this good, please PM me


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Agreed. Say what you will, but if you ever hear another $30 player that sounds this good, please PM me


 

 I have a little DIY desktop amp I won from a raffle at a head-fi meet. I plugged the Zip into the amp with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm adapter and plugged in my HD 600's and let me tell you, this little system sounds as good as many full-size systems. I guarantee in a double-blind test, I bet this system is indistinguishable from many $1000 systems.
   
  PM sent!
   
  EDIT: My 5th Gen iPod (the one with the Wolfson WM8758 DAC chip) also does very well. I personally think stand-alone DACs are highly overrated.


----------



## metalsonata

Thanks for the info. ^^
  
  Quote:


> *metalsonata, *
> It's only My opinion so I think you should seek for some more opinions on this matter before buying HE-500... About orthos, LCD-2 is also good to my ears with Phonitor, also my friend has Phonitor and LCD-2 and it's his favorite rig (he also own some Acustic Arts DAC on 1704... so he like "dark" sound)


----------



## palmfish

Here's the little rig...


----------



## Zombie_X

I still would stray away from using any of the HiFiMan ortho's with either the Auditor/Phonitor. Those amps have an output impedance of 10Ohms and can eb used with headphones at 80Ohms or higher. Remember output impedance multiplied by 10. Both amps are more aimed for high voltage output rather than current. That's why they clip really fast with low impedance loads. They struggle to output the current required. All HiFiMan orthos, except the HE-400, are low sensitivity and low impedance. They need a lot of current for them to sound good. 
   
  Anyways I'll be posoting new pics soon for my set-up. Oh and my Soul Reaver headphone stand is kind of on hold right now. Too much going on in my life to work on it at the moment.


----------



## Draygonn

Unlike dynamics, orthos don't suffer from impedance mismatching problems.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I still would stray away from using any of the HiFiMan ortho's with either the Auditor/Phonitor. Those amps have an output impedance of 10Ohms and can eb used with headphones at 80Ohms or higher. Remember output impedance multiplied by 10. Both amps are more aimed for high voltage output rather than current. That's why they clip really fast with low impedance loads. They struggle to output the current required. All HiFiMan orthos, except the HE-400, are low sensitivity and low impedance. They need a lot of current for them to sound good.
> 
> Anyways I'll be posoting new pics soon for my set-up. Oh and my Soul Reaver headphone stand is kind of on hold right now. Too much going on in my life to work on it at the moment.


 


   


  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Unlike dynamics, orthos don't suffer from impedance mismatching problems.


 

 Exactly...damping factors and orthos are really a concern. kwkarth mentioned this a while ago and my personal experiences have confirmed it. Heck, even on my WA22, I prefer the high output impedance setting with my LCD-3s. But for dynamics, the low impedance setting works quite a bit better.


----------



## Zombie_X

Realy? Heck you learn something new all the time. I'm a dynamic headphone man and thought it applied to both.
  
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Unlike dynamics, orthos don't suffer from impedance mismatching problems.


----------



## Melvins

Ham on rye is great but tales of ordinary madness is great. I prefer his short story collections over his novels.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Realy? Heck you learn something new all the time. I'm a dynamic headphone man and thought it applied to both.


 
  I never understood this.
   
  Planars don't have physical movement that needs to be dampened, but they still present an electrical load to the amp, which can affect frequency response.
  
  Is this correct?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I never understood this.
> 
> Planars don't have physical movement that needs to be dampened, but they still present an electrical load to the amp, which can affect frequency response.
> 
> Is this correct?


 

 But the load across the frequency spectrum is flat with orthos...quite different from most regular dynamics:


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> But the load across the frequency spectrum is flat with orthos...quite different from most regular dynamics:


 

 So if the load is flat, and mechanical dampening isn't an issue, then output impedance doesn't matter?


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I never understood this.
> 
> Planars don't have physical movement that needs to be dampened, but they still present an electrical load to the amp, which can affect frequency response.


 

 That's backwards.  Planar magnetics need _lots _of mechanical and acoustic damping.  There has to be so much of it that it usually seems to make differences caused by electrical damping unimportant.
   
  Planars are also almost completely resistive loads with an impedance that doesn't change over the audio band so the FR isn't affected either.


----------



## metalsonata

Thanks for the info, guys.


----------



## Rawrbington

do they still cause power loss with a low impedance can and high output impedance?


----------



## Danthrax

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> But the load across the frequency spectrum is flat with orthos...quite different from most regular dynamics:


 



   
  Most dynamics don't fluctuate as bad as the hd800...


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





danthrax said:


> Most dynamics don't fluctuate as bad as the hd800...


 
   
  Pretty much all of the higher end Senns and Beyers do that to some degree though.
   
  Also, a little zoom will show the differences more clearly since Headroom's scale on the impedance graphs is a huge compromise.
   
Q701  LCD-2


----------



## Dubstep Girl

my WA2 doesn't have enough power for the LCD-2, i'm sure even though they can tolerate impedance mismatching more, they still need enough power, something my otl can't give my lower impedance LCD-2


----------



## headhog

It's what i use to listen to my t.v
   

   
  The white rope strand is holding it to a guitar stand.


----------



## snapple10

bedside rig
                                                                                                    Rediscovering Cds again


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Rediscovering Cds again


 


  I use the same CD player.  It's not too bad, really.  Then the occasional SACD, and it's quite nice.


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> I use the same CD player.  It's not too bad, really.  Then the occasional SACD, and it's quite nice.


 
  Cool,
  got a good deal from the original owner. I am liking it so far.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> bedside rig
> Rediscovering Cds again


 

  
   
  pretty nice bedside right you got there.
   
  how good is the ps audio headphone amp?
   
  i know the DL III is a great DAC and works great with my WA6SE


----------



## snapple10

GCHA is not bad at all, with its internal DAC but the DLIII does things better- clearer


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i notice you have a v-link too. i am quite impressed since i have one as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  do you think it sounds better with the vlink or  direct to the DL III?
   
  i always keep the vlink on


----------



## snapple10

I have not tried it with v link, might do that sometime .
   
  I wish I can get the v link in silver to match 
   
   
  have been using 
  computer> v link> DLIII> GHCA> phones


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> <snip>                                                                                               <snip>
> bedside rig
> Rediscovering Cds again


 

  
  Very nice looking setups you got there.  I especially like the chrome SR325is.


----------



## snapple10

Thanks
   
  The Grado is growing on me


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





danthrax said:


> Most dynamics don't fluctuate as bad as the hd800...


 

 No they don't. That's one of the things that make the HD800s so hard to drive, but no dynamics are as ruler flat as orthos (but the Q701s look close).


----------



## Saintly

Can't get picture uploaded.


----------



## Draygonn

saintly said:


> Can't get picture uploaded. :mad:




You can upload your images using the picture icon


Very nice setup btw. 
Saintly's Rig:


----------



## Saintly

Oh, I had no idea there was a built-in image feature.
   
  Thanks Draygonn! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Btw, have you gotten a chance to do some close listening of the O2?


----------



## SixthFall

Finally finished my setup!! The stereo system is feeding the amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I miss good ol' Technics gear.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I miss good ol' Technics gear.


 


  Its great  it only cost me a $90 i pod dock for a trade too


----------



## John In Cali

There you go, i am also jealous of your technics gear, very jealous.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> EDIT: If someone could flip the 1st pic around, that would be great!!


 

  
  Using the skills that Draygonn taught me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Edit: Damn, did not see that John already did it.


----------



## SixthFall

Thanks guys! Yeah, I bought it from my mom, she had it in her painting studio. The speakers were included.


----------



## Tilpo

sixthfall said:


> Finally finished my setup!! The stereo system is feeding the amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




That tube amp, I certainly recognize it by I failed in identifying it. Would you be so friendly as to elaborate?


----------



## mmayer167

Bellari?
   
  -M


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That tube amp, I certainly recognize it by I failed in identifying it. Would you be so friendly as to elaborate?


 


   


  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Bellari?
> 
> -M


 


  Yep, It's a Bellari HA540.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





maverickronin said:


> That's backwards.  Planar magnetics need _lots _of mechanical and acoustic damping.  There has to be so much of it that it usually seems to make differences caused by electrical damping unimportant.
> 
> Planars are also almost completely resistive loads with an impedance that doesn't change over the audio band so the FR isn't affected either.


 

 So low damping factors and distortion are still issues with low impedance planar headphones paired with a high output impedance amp?
   
  I'm curious because it might explain why my Sennheisers sound good with my Peachtree Nova (30 ohm output impedance) but every low impedance headphone I've tried (including the new HiFiMan HE-400 planar) has sounded muddy and bloated.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> So low damping factors and distortion are still issues with low impedance planar headphones paired with a high output impedance amp?
> 
> I'm curious because it might explain why my Sennheisers sound good with my Peachtree Nova (30 ohm output impedance) but every low impedance headphone I've tried (including the new HiFiMan HE-400 planar) has sounded muddy and bloated.


 
  Generally the rule is headphone impedance > 8x output impedance.
   
  Although that shouldn't really be an issue with the HE-400 since they're orthos...that one might just be the headphone


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> So low damping factors and distortion are still issues with low impedance planar headphones paired with a high output impedance amp?
> 
> I'm curious because it might explain why my Sennheisers sound good with my Peachtree Nova (30 ohm output impedance) but every low impedance headphone I've tried (including the new HiFiMan HE-400 planar) has sounded muddy and bloated.


 

 I know that overall they are _less _affected than a dynamic of the same impedance would be but I don't know exactly how much less or a good rule of thumb though.  It probably also varies from model to model as well.
   
  Planar magnetics rely on physical and acoustic damping.  Even with a near zero output impedance they still need it to sound good.  Some models may benefit from the added electrical damping but even with an infinite output impedance and a damping factor of zero they'll still have all the physical and acoustic damping to help them while the average dynamic won't and the dynamic will clearly do worse since most dynamics rely exclusively on electrical damping.  I don't know exactly where that extra distortion mentioned in the Benchmark article I think you're referencing comes from so it might affect planars too.  I don't think anyone has actually tested any of this in depth though.
   
  A lower output impedance is probably technically better but the difference doesn't appear to be audible with many models based on anecdotal evidence and the math suggests it should be less audible.  I don't hear it with my planars but I don't have your combination of gear so there could be other factors as well.


----------



## John In Cali

Any one know if a balanced amps output impedence is doubled or halved when connected in balanced vs only using one side and connecting the other side to ground?


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





maverickronin said:


> I know that overall they are _less _affected than a dynamic of the same impedance would be but I don't know exactly how much less or a good rule of thumb though.  It probably also varies from model to model as well.
> 
> Planar magnetics rely on physical and acoustic damping.  Even with a near zero output impedance they still need it to sound good.  Some models may benefit from the added electrical damping but even with an infinite output impedance and a damping factor of zero they'll still have all the physical and acoustic damping to help them while the average dynamic won't and the dynamic will clearly do worse since most dynamics rely exclusively on electrical damping.  I don't know exactly where that extra distortion mentioned in the Benchmark article I think you're referencing comes from so it might affect planars too.  I don't think anyone has actually tested any of this in depth though.
> 
> A lower output impedance is probably technically better but the difference doesn't appear to be audible with many models based on anecdotal evidence and the math suggests it should be less audible.  I don't hear it with my planars but I don't have your combination of gear so there could be other factors as well.


 

 OK, that makes sense. It's starting to come together for me, thanks. Yes, I did read the Benchmark article, and it comes closest to explaining it, but nothing I have read is definitive.
   
  I'm not an engineer so I don't have a full grasp on all the different kinds of damping and how they affect headphone performance. On the other hand, it's mostly academic for me at this point as most experts seem to agree that low output impedance is always going to be better (unless you happen to like the way a particular amp flavors the sound). SS amps with higher output impedance ratings and OTL amps are all pretty much coloring the sound in any one or more ways (FR, distortion, etc.), but lots of people here enjoy looking for that special amp/headphone synergy, so there is a place for them - just not in my home.
   
  It appears that there are some companies that have solid engineering behind their front panels and strive for zero ohm output impedance (Benchmark, Grace, etc.). Since it makes the most sense to me, I'll just stick with that philosophy too. I've got a Violectric amp on the way and I'm looking forward to comparing it to my 30 ohm Peachtree. Pictures when it gets here!


----------



## Saintly

I just got my V200 yesterday and I'm liking the way it sounds.  All Violectric amps have 10 ohm output impedance.


----------



## TheOtus

sixthfall said:


> Its great  it only cost me a $90 i pod dock for a trade too


 

 Nice looking gear indeed, too bad it's not in better shape.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I just got my V200 yesterday and I'm liking the way it sounds.  All Violectric amps have 10 ohm output impedance.


 


  I think you're looking at input impedance 10 kohm.
   
  http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/technical-data.php
   
  From the Violectric FAQ page:
   
_*Why is a high damping factor essential ? *_
  
_When actuated, electro-dynamic systems respond with a counterforce. When the voice coil of a headphone has been displaced by the signal, an (error)-current will be induced when it swings back to its initial position. This current must be suppressed as far as possible, which is effected best if the amplifier's output impedance is the lowest possible. The damping factor describes nothing but the ratio between output impedance of an amplifier and a given load. Since there is no known technical specifications, we define the load (voice coil impedance) as 50 ohms. This results in an output impedance of <0.06 ohms in case of the HPA V200._


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I think you're looking at input impedance 10 kohm.
> 
> http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/technical-data.php
> 
> ...


 

 Whoops, I am.  I should've read the manual before making an ass out of myself, haha.
   
  At any rate, I think you'll like what you hear.  It's very smooth and natural with a touch of warmth.


----------



## tink97

My new listening section,  Decware Mini Torii, LCD-2 rev1 and AVA Vision dac, and comfy couch lol


----------



## weipim

LOOK WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO ME... after only four months from blank desk to:
   
   
  the worse is that, more are coming....


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





weipim said:


> LOOK WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO ME... after only four months from blank desk to:
> 
> 
> the worse is that, more are coming....


 

 I would love to see the whole view of the desk, and full specs of the PC/headfi


----------



## metalsonata

You're welcome.
  
  Quote: 





weipim said:


> LOOK WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO ME... after only four months from blank desk to:
> 
> 
> the worse is that, more are coming....


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> I would love to see the whole view of the desk, and full specs of the PC/headfi


 
  Lolll，the other part of the desk, is just a Sager np8170 and a Steelseries sensei. the monitor is a dell u2410
   
  the desk is a ikea vika
   
  I just notice that my desk has a "Fi" spectrum from headfi to gamefi hahaa
   

  
   


  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> You're welcome.


 


  Thanks~~ I wanted to troll out a bunch of FUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFU guys, but in a good way


----------



## Draygonn

weipim said:


>




Nice setup. I wonder how many Head-Fi'ers go from nothing to warp speed in 4 months.


----------



## weipim

ha, thanks a lot, this is actually a shrinked down version, to some extend, I had a few more things a few weeks ago:
   
  fiio e10+e9, akg K240 Studio, hfi 580, ATH-M50S etc...
   
  ohhh aand forgot to include in this is a matrix m-stage....


----------



## MohawkUS

draygonn said:


> Nice setup. I wonder how many Head-Fi'ers go from nothing to warp speed in 4 months.




I dunno, I had a Grado SR-80i and Xonar Essence for over a year before I decided to upgrade. And I've seen people who've made their way up to the high end orthos within a couple months.


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> I dunno, I had a Grado SR-80i and Xonar Essence for over a year before I decided to upgrade. And I've seen people who've made their way up to the high end orthos within a couple months.


 

  
  well to be honest I don't mean to showoff anything or so what, all it is is a fast growing hobby for me and I now actually focus more onto music appreciation than actual gears.


----------



## Draygonn

weipim said:


> and I now actually focus more onto music appreciation than actual gears.




Makes sense. I'm still waiting on my Thunderpants and Bifrost, but other than that I got my rig right where I want it in 4 months. I now focus on trying out new artists and accumulating music. 

You mentioned more are coming?


----------



## TheOtus

Weipim, nice setup! Are those D5000 or D7000?
   
  Must be a nice monitor by the way, I have the Dell U2412M myself, loving it.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Nice setup. I wonder how many Head-Fi'ers go from nothing to warp speed in 4 months.


 
  I reached warp speed in around 6 month


----------



## manveru

I only wish I had the money to attain warp speed in a matter of months...


----------



## IcedTea

It took me about a year to get my stuff...
   
  and its only a DT880 and Valhalla lol 
   
   
  hopefully the Bifrost soon when its back in stock


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Weipim, nice setup! Are those D5000 or D7000?
> 
> Must be a nice monitor by the way, I have the Dell U2412M myself, loving it.


 

 Yeah, mine is the older model, u2410, the 16:10 one, so both are ips which is eye-fi i guess
   


  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Makes sense. I'm still waiting on my Thunderpants and Bifrost, but other than that I got my rig right where I want it in 4 months. I now focus on trying out new artists and accumulating music.
> You mentioned more are coming?


 


  NIceeee, I don't know anything about thunderpants but i'm sure that thing will make ppl jizzling. I don't want to kill all the fun so I will wait it to ship to me and post a revamped setup here once I received it, took soooo damn long between order to shipping..... >.<
  
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> I only wish I had the money to attain warp speed in a matter of months...


 

 I don't have money either, but I have kidneys


----------



## weipim

just order it, I order mine when its oos, and received it in a few days after order....
   
  however if you haave a windows machine like i do, bifrost sometimes can be a pita to deal with, personally i am still struggling with no 192khz bit rate in win7. and you can't really count on jason to help you since he's not familiar with win7


----------



## TheOtus

weipim said:


> Yeah, mine is the older model, u2410, the 16:10 one, so both are ips which is eye-fi i guess


 

 I got the impression that U2410 is a better model than mine, I might be wrong though. Both are IPS though, which sure is eye-fi. The colors, oh my. = ) Mine is also 16:10, which is far superior to the standard wide screens.
   
  Again, are those Denon's D5000 or D7000?


----------



## TheOtus

Messing up here...


----------



## weipim

shiiit sorry I totally forgot, it's the d7000 from EE 
   
  i thought urs is 1080p 
   
  but i might be wrong.


----------



## weipim

btw, buying TN pannels is like having a pair of Beats on your eyes, no ****....


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Nice setup. I wonder how many Head-Fi'ers go from nothing to warp speed in 4 months.


 


  +1


----------



## TheOtus

weipim said:


> shiiit sorry I totally forgot, it's the d7000 from EE
> 
> i thought urs is 1080p
> 
> but i might be wrong.


 

 No problem! And cool, must be fine phones, would be interesting compare to the current top Audio-Technica's.
   
  My display is also 1920 x 1200, yes. I strongly prefer it to the lower resolutions, 1080p simply doesn't have any advantages over this.


----------



## bfreedma

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Nice setup. I wonder how many Head-Fi'ers go from nothing to warp speed in 4 months.


 


  I think I represent that comment.
   
  Unless going from nothing other than IEM's to Grado PS-1000's and a Woo Audio WA6-SE with the Sophia Princess doesn't count as "warp speed" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I learned my lesson about the cost of upgradeitis while building my HT setup and figured it was better not to repeat that process...


----------



## Synkro

So many awesome setups in this thread...


----------



## Kreyson

Taken with my Cell Phone.
   
  And Yes, that is a MechaGodzilla figurine on top of the computer case!
   
  - HT Omega Claro Halo sound card and Senns HD650


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had an HE500, D7000, and Peachtree Decco2 within 3 months of active posting here.
   
  Now after just over a year I've got my LCD 2, SA8004, and a Liquid Fire incoming. Hoping to stop spending on gear this year and just buy a ton of music.
   
  EDIT: I ended up selling all the first stuff because I had to make sure in my head that tossing diminishing returns for absolute perfection was something I really wanted to do. It was. So I started to rebuild.


----------



## Jerry_Banana

My little head-fi station...


----------



## liamstrain

I don't think any rig that includes a Stax 009 counts as "little" 
  Nice rig.


----------



## omerbu1

Quote: 





jerry_banana said:


> My little head-fi station...


 

 I have only one thing to say: Holy crap!


----------



## fipple8

My headphone-only set-up must be considered really old-school by now: all electronics ca. 2006-2007! My source for the Peter Daniel NOS DAC is an iMac using iTunes and BitPerfect connected with a Trends UD-10.1. The Squeezebox Classic (SB3) is for wi-fi Internet radio only. Headphones are 62 ohm AKG K-701 and Beyerdynamic DT-880 600 ohm. The Decware CSP2 gets the best from both; all the dynamic range, treble extension, and bass these headphones can produce. Tubes are NOS: 1959 Russian 5U4G rectifier, a pair of '60s Sylvania 6922s for the power tubes, and a ca. 1970 RCA-branded Dutch Amperex 6DJ8 for the driver. For now, all my music files are 16/44.1 so this set-up is perfect.


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





weipim said:


> Lolll，the other part of the desk, is just a Sager np8170 and a Steelseries sensei. the monitor is a dell u2410
> 
> the desk is a ikea vika
> 
> ...


 

 From what you said there, I believe that you are a very valued focus person.
  Thanks to you, who sharing the same money spending physiology to me , I believe that my D7000 won't disappoint me.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





fipple8 said:


> My headphone-only set-up must be considered really old-school by now: all electronics ca. 2006-2007! My source for the Peter Daniel NOS DAC is an iMac using iTunes and BitPerfect connected with a Trends UD-10.1. The Squeezebox Classic (SB3) is for wi-fi Internet radio only. Headphones are 62 ohm AKG K-701 and Beyerdynamic DT-880 600 ohm. The Decware CSP2 gets the best from both; all the dynamic range, treble extension, and bass these headphones can produce. Tubes are NOS: 1959 Russian 5U4G rectifier, a pair of '60s Sylvania 6922s for the power tubes, and a ca. 1970 RCA-branded Dutch Amperex 6DJ8 for the driver. For now, all my music files are 16/44.1 so this set-up is perfect.


 

 Very NICE. I love the Decware amps.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





jerry_banana said:


> My little head-fi station...


 

 Nice!  How awesome does the Legend(SR-009) sound?


----------



## GruGruxKing

Just ordered a pair of HD600, Schiit Asgard, and a NuForce uDAC. Very first headphone setup, I'm excited 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## liamstrain

Hell of a start! Welcome to HeadFi, sorry about your wallet!
   
  Post pics when you've got it all rigged up.


----------



## mmayer167

I had that exact setup for a while GruGruxKing!  You entered with a killer setup! Enjoy  
   
  -M


----------



## Clayton SF

I love Decware amps, too.
  And the amp built by 2359glenn.


----------



## Tilpo

clayton sf said:


> I love Decware amps, too.
> And the amp built by 2359glenn.



Very nice!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Nice looking gear indeed, too bad it's not in better shape.


 


   
  It's actually in very good shape. My mom did get some white acrylic paint on the main power button, but other than that it's pretty much perfect, no dings, all the displays are still very bright. The speakers are in immaculate condition too.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





theotus said:


> No problem! And cool, must be fine phones, would be interesting compare to the current top Audio-Technica's.
> 
> My display is also 1920 x 1200, yes. I strongly prefer it to the lower resolutions, 1080p simply doesn't have any advantages over this.


 

 I just borrowed a pair of D7000's from a head-fier locally.  Looking forward to comparing them to my W1000X over the next week in the comfort of my own home.


----------



## GouldPhoto

Current setup. Not shown, comfy chair left, great view of the woods behind the house out of 4 windows.
   
  Laptop (lossless) -> Foobar 2000 (wasapi) -> Stello DA100 -> WA6SE -> HD-800
   

   
  Steve


----------



## TheOtus

sixthfall said:


> It's actually in very good shape. My mom did get some white acrylic paint on the main power button, but other than that it's pretty much perfect, no dings, all the displays are still very bright. The speakers are in immaculate condition to


 

 Good to hear, just didn't look like it in the pic. = )
   
   
  And Jerry_Banana, very nice. Even though my lust for Stax is lessened these days, would be nice to try.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





gouldphoto said:


> Current setup. Not shown, comfy chair left, great view of the woods behind the house out of 4 windows.
> 
> Laptop (lossless) -> Foobar 2000 (wasapi) -> Stello DA100 -> WA6SE -> HD-800
> 
> ...


 

 That's a gorgeous picture!  I love the effect from blurring the background (sorry, don't know the fancy photography term for it).


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





saintly said:


> That's a gorgeous picture!  I love the effect from blurring the background (sorry, don't know the fancy photography term for it).


 


 Shallow depth of field, usually with a large aperture


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





saintly said:


> That's a gorgeous picture!  I love the effect from blurring the background (sorry, don't know the fancy photography term for it).


 

 I love me some bokeh too.


----------



## GouldPhoto

Quote: 





saintly said:


> That's a gorgeous picture!  I love the effect from blurring the background (sorry, don't know the fancy photography term for it).


 
  Thanks, and as mentioned the term is Bokeh. And for those interested it was taken using a 135/1.8 lens at f2.8 1/13sec ISO800.


----------



## liamstrain

Sort of. Shallow depth of field describes that there is a blurred background. The term bokeh talks about the nature of the blurring (smooth = good bokeh, or harsh = bad bokeh, etc.). 
   
  That's just semantics though. Nice photo! Nice rig.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

weipim said:


> LOOK WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO ME... after only four months from blank desk to:
> 
> 
> the worse is that, more are coming....




I sure hope you're not using the D7000 with the Lyr... yikes. Noise galore. Though it looks like you are. 

Bad combo, IMHO. That and the Lyr busted one of my drivers on my first D7000... and that was without raising the volume... I just wouldn't trust it...

As for me, I's still deciding on whether I'm going Bifrost+Asgard, Yulong D100 alone, Dacmini alone, NFB-5 alone... so many choices, but I'd prefer an all-in-one, though the Bifrost+Asgard looks nice. The Lyr was way too much amp for the D7000 and recessed the mids a bit too much for me with the two sets of tubes I used.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I almost said something, but didn't for some reason. Hiss and that driver blow out still scares me. I stopped using mine with the Lyr pretty quick.

  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> I sure hope you're not using the D7000 with the Lyr... yikes. Noise galore. Though it looks like you are.
> Bad combo, IMHO. That and the Lyr busted on of my drivers on my first D7000... and that was without rasing the volume... I just wouldn't trust it...
> As for me, I's still deciding on whether I'm going Bifrost+Asgard, Yulong D100 alone, Dacmini alone, NFB-5 alone... so many choices, but I'd prefer an all-in-one, though the Bifrost+Asgard looks nice. The Lyr was way too much amp for the D7000 and recessed the mids a bit too much for me with the two sets of tubes I used.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Mad Lust Envy*
> 
> 
> I sure hope you're not using the D7000 with the Lyr... yikes. Noise galore. Though it looks like you are.
> ...


 
  Are some Lyrs defective or does that model actually destroy D7000 headphones? (For some odd reason.)


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

The D7000 is almost IEM efficient. Pairing it with a powerplant like the Lyr was a bad idea to begin with.

At the time that the Lyr busted my first D7000, I believe two other people with Ed. 8s had their drivers blown by the Lyr. This is from knowledgeable people with plenty of headphone experience. 

I'd just advised against it for safety's sake.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It was discussed for a few pages in the D7000 thread, but I can't remember the exact reason. It was said to have blown an ED8 and MLE's D7000.

  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Are some Lyrs defective or does that model actually destroy D7000 headphones? (For some odd reason.)


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Looking forward to posting mine on Tuesday (REEAAALLLYY LOOKING FORWARD OMGAH) first "audiophile" setup and I'm excited to hear how good high endish headphones sound.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> As for me, I's still deciding on whether I'm going Bifrost+Asgard, Yulong D100 alone, Dacmini alone, NFB-5 alone... so many choices, but I'd prefer an all-in-one, though the Bifrost+Asgard looks nice. The Lyr was way too much amp for the D7000 and recessed the mids a bit too much for me with the two sets of tubes I used.


 


  The DACmini looks gorgeous and has some impressive technology behind it.  Have you read the stuff on their website?


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

saintly said:


> The DACmini looks gorgeous and has some impressive technology behind it.  Have you read the stuff on their website?




Yeah, I'd love to have it, but it's just damn expensive, and I'd need to spend $100 extra for the 1ohm output mod. $900 is a bit hard to swallow, whereas $500 (D100), and $700 (Asgard+Bifrost) is quite a bit easier. If the DacMini sold for $700 w/1 ohm mod, I'd have bought it already.


----------



## weipim

Hey man thanks for your kind advice, I actually read about ur busted driver before plugging in and I have ready maveaux saying that he plugs the d7000 to the lyr all the time and no problem so far, so that's why I used it. I think i'll be looking at another amp though~
   
  as for your problem, I guess I can contribute, I've listen to the dacmini, the d100 and the music fidelity mdac, they were all pluged onto a stello CD player playing authentic cds. Honestly, out of these 3, I will pick a dacmini anytime regardless if I have money or not. the d100's amp section is just plain awrkward. I haven't tried its dac part alone, but I feel like project86's review is not growing on me as he described.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Yeah, I'd love to have it, but it's just damn expensive, and I'd need to spend $100 extra for the 1ohm output mod. $900 is a bit hard to swallow, whereas $500 (D100), and $700 (Asgard+Bifrost) is quite a bit easier. If the DacMini sold for $700 w/1 ohm mod, I'd have bought it already.


 
   
  Would the default 10 ohm really interfere with the D7000s that much?  
   
  Honestly though, having gone this far out, you might as well shell out that extra $200 for long term happiness.  There is a Dacmini with $700 asking price.  I'm sure you can hack it down a bit and send it to Centrance for the mod if you want.
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/593613/centrance-dacmini-for-sale


----------



## Terps Fan

Those are great pictures guys!  I added the cMoy to my system.  This picture shows it being used with a Xicon 412-112055 AC adapter.  Very enjoyable amp!


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

My Fiio E9 has a 10ohm output. It makes the bass loose and uncontrolled, whereas it sounds nice and controlled off the measly E7 (with it's very low output impedance). Rule of thumb is to have at least 1/8 the headphone impedance coming from your amp. So for the Denon's 25ohm, I need amps with less than 3ohms more or less.

weipim, doesn't the background noise bother you?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> My Fiio E9 has a 10ohm output. It makes the bass loose and uncontrolled, whereas it sounds nice and controlled off the measly E7 (with it's very low output impedance). Rule of thumb is to have at least 1/8 the headphone impedance coming from your amp. So for the Denon's 25ohm, I need amps with less than 3ohms more or less.
> weipim, doesn't the background noise bother you?


 

 I'm aware of that general suggestion but many people prefer pairing Beyerdynamic T1 or HD 800 with OTL amps of 100+ ohm output impedance.  Perhaps the dampening factor is more crucial for the low output impedance of the D7000.
   
  Did you check out that Dacmini for sale?  You might be able to get the whole thing including the mod done for less than $800 if you bargain.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

I could, but I don't wanna wait for the Dacmini, then ship it to Centrance for the mod. I may as well just buy a new one.


----------



## Zombie_X

I had a customer who bought a Lyr and had tons of hiss from the high output. He bought a 100Ohm impedance adapter from me to make the headphone harder to drive and it worked fine for him. So far it's been 4 months and his headphones are alive. He said the adapter got rid of all the hiss entirely as well as give him more range on the volume knob.
   
  The Lyr itself is insanely powerful and can trash many headphones, so be careful guys! Don't end up with magic smoke coming from your drivers. It can drive a lot of headphones well and some headphones can't handle it. The D7000 is 25Ohm and incredibly sensitive so that's a big factor in how a headphone will blow. If you have low impedance and high sensitivity headphones, do not use them on the Lyr. I would recommend the Asguard instead as it has a fraction of the power.
  
  Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> The D7000 is almost IEM efficient. Pairing it with a powerplant like the Lyr was a bad idea to begin with.
> At the time that the Lyr busted my first D7000, I believe two other people with Ed. 8s had their drivers blown by the Lyr. This is from knowledgeable people with plenty of headphone experience.
> I'd just advised against it for safety's sake.


----------



## Uncle00Jesse




----------



## Zombie_X

That Schiit looks quite frosty, almost Bifrosty...
   
  How is that DAC? I'm intrigued by it somewhat.
  
  Quote: 





uncle00jesse said:


>


----------



## RexAeterna

i gotten bored and really curious so i went and ordered some neutrik 3-pin connectors and then put some 18awg pure 99.99% OFC bare speaker wire to see what it'll be like to run the SA5000 off some speaker amps. loving the results so far driving them off of speaker outputs.


----------



## palmfish

I got my Objective2 amp today. It's so small and adorable - it's also a serious performer!
   
  Here's my temporary setup while I burn-in the D7000's and test the O2 with my Peachtree Nova. The Nova has a 30 ohm output impedance and the D7000s bass is definitely looser than when hooked up to the O2. On some poorer recordings, the Nova does warm up the sound nicely - kind of rounds off the harsh edges, but the O2 is definitely tighter and more accurate.
   
  I'm completely sold on <1 ohm output impedance amps. More photos when I get my Violectric!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really want an O2.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'd like to try one myself. They look quite interesting.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I really want an O2.


----------



## kingoftown1

I'd say the O2 is almost as good as palmfish's wonderful headphone stand


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Too bad its wearing the headphones backwards.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Too bad its wearing the headphones backwards.


 


  Well, he was deaf after all...
   
  Actually, he wears them backwards so I don't have to flip them around every time I want to use them.
   
  You do have a good eye though - good job! Nobody ever noticed it when he used to wear the Sennheisers


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> I'd say the O2 is almost as good as palmfish's wonderful headphone stand


 

 Thank you. But as you know (from your signature), the O2 is pretty wonderful too.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





mad lust envy said:


> Too bad its wearing the headphones backwards.


 
   
  What tipped you off?  The pads?  Or the hinges?  Or something else?


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





lurkumaural said:


> What tipped you off?  The pads?  Or the hinges?  Or something else?


 


  The pads are pretty obvious.


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

Yup. The front side of the pads are very thin.


----------



## Lurkumaural

I agree the pads are obvious, but the hinges caught my eye sooner than the pads did.  Hence the question.


----------



## ivantoar

Newcomer to audio world. I'm still far away behind most of members here.
   
​  ​  Laptop (Foobar + 320 MP3/FLAC) -> Fiio E10 -> Superlux HD668b. Currently living with a room mate so no speakers


----------



## liamstrain

No Hoegaarden either...


----------



## ivantoar

​   
  At least I still got them  This explains where my money went before I joined here


----------



## TheOtus

When I realized how much more joy music gives me than alcohol, I stopped using alcohol, completely. Been going about 5 months so far I think. Well, I have known that for a while, maybe this is more symbolic decision. But I really don't need alcohol, no-one who can find real joy and happiness needs.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





ivantoar said:


> ​
> At least I still got them  This explains where my money went before I joined here


 
  Your wallet probably still hates you but you liver thanks you.


----------



## MorbidToaster

*MX518 brofist*
  
  Quote: 





ivantoar said:


> Newcomer to audio world. I'm still far away behind most of members here.
> 
> ​  ​  Laptop (Foobar + 320 MP3/FLAC) -> Fiio E10 -> Superlux HD668b. Currently living with a room mate so no speakers


----------



## ivantoar

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Your wallet probably still hates you but you liver thanks you.


 
    
  Haha my wallet hates me regardless what hobby/interest I'm in  but my liver surely appreciate that I stepped away from collecting spirits 
   
  Quote:


theotus said:


> When I realized how much more joy music gives me than alcohol, I stopped using alcohol, completely. Been going about 5 months so far I think. Well, I have known that for a while, maybe this is more symbolic decision. But I really don't need alcohol, no-one who can find real joy and happiness needs.


 

 I don't drink that much and I never regard alcohol is a source of my happiness but I must admit that I enjoy trying different kinds or brands of beers and spirits, that's why I have many of them. Oh I never get drunk either, I know when to stop.
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *MX518 brofist*


 

 Brofist* This mouse have amazing build quality.
   
  So yeah, I'm saving my money and decided to upgrade my current setup, will post pic later if I have any change in setup.


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





theotus said:


> When I realized how much more joy music gives me than alcohol, I stopped using alcohol, completely. Been going about 5 months so far I think. Well, I have known that for a while, maybe this is more symbolic decision. But I really don't need alcohol, no-one who can find real joy and happiness needs.


 


  yeah but you always have both


----------



## Mad Lust Envy

ivantoar said:


> I don't drink that much and I never regard alcohol is a source of my happiness but I must admit that I enjoy trying different kinds or brands of beers and spirits, that's why I have many of them. Oh I never get drunk either, I know when to stop.
> 
> 
> Brofist* This mouse have amazing build quality.
> ...




I have the same mousepad.


----------



## TheOtus

Quote: 





melvins said:


> yeah but you always have both


 

 You probably meant that "...you can always have..."
   
  Why I'm against alcohol, is the fact that personally it gives me absolutely nothing on it's own. And if I'm not having a good time with my head clear, alcohol isn't the solution. I rather turn the music on. = )


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





theotus said:


> You probably meant that "...you can always have..."
> 
> Why I'm against alcohol, is the fact that personally it gives me absolutely nothing on it's own. And if I'm not having a good time with my head clear, alcohol isn't the solution. I rather turn the music on. = )


 
   
   
  I'm not against alcohol, but I absolutely understand your point.  Sitting down and listening to music can always put me in a the perfect mood, regardless of what's going on.  That's something alcohol could never do.


----------



## sphinxvc

After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


----------



## snapple10

I want one, just for the look


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


 

 Gorgeous!  I'm really thinking about getting the Zodiac in place of my Benchmark DAC-1 USB.  How would you compare it to other DACs that you've heard?


----------



## sphinxvc

Well, the other DACs I've owned weren't top tier, so there isn't much of a comparison there, the Zodiac is clearly better in every department. I have listened to a few ESS-based DACs, like the W4S units, and the NFB-11 I owned, I did not find them to my liking.  The Ref. 7, I haven't really spent enough time to offer a comment, I had a very brief audition with it.  None of my auditions though made an impression on me as the one I had with the Zodiac Gold.  That's what I went on when buying the Silver, and it does share enough of that Zodiac Gold heritage.
   
  I highly recommend a third-party PS with any Zodiac though (Welbourne Labs or Teddy Pardo), there are blacker backgrounds, better dynamics, micro details, and imaging.
   
  There are a number of Zodiac owners on head-fi that you should PM for their thoughts.  They aren't the most prolific posters or reviewers, so PM is the way to go.  
   
  A couple of them have even owned W4S DAC2s, Ref. 7s and the like, and they have very interesting positions on what DAC they prefer.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Cheers.


----------



## TigzStudio

The Zodiac is not just another pretty face.  
   
  Amazing unit.  Glad you are liking your Zodiac with the new PS so far.  I may have to try out the Teddy PS sometime and compare. I am sure yours is probably a bit better than the Welbourne and possibly on par with the Voltikus, although this is just speculation.  Would be an interesting shootout if someone had all three. 
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


----------



## CEE TEE

Gotta get the Super 7 in there where the Squeezbox is (and maybe a different SS amp), but:


----------



## kchau




----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





kchau said:


>


 


  The simplicity of you room is really nice, your set-up sounds really nice too.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Well, the other DACs I've owned weren't top tier, so there isn't much of a comparison there, the Zodiac is clearly better in every department. I have listened to a few ESS-based DACs, like the W4S units, and the NFB-11 I owned, I did not find them to my liking.  The Ref. 7, I haven't really spent enough time to offer a comment, I had a very brief audition with it.  None of my auditions though made an impression on me as the one I had with the Zodiac Gold.  That's what I went on when buying the Silver, and it does share enough of that Zodiac Gold heritage.
> 
> I highly recommend a third-party PS with any Zodiac though (Welbourne Labs or Teddy Pardo), there are blacker backgrounds, better dynamics, micro details, and imaging.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks for the detailed reply!  I'll look into it some more.


----------



## kchau

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> The simplicity of you room is really nice, your set-up sounds really nice too.


 


  thanks,
  i can just get out of the chair and crawl in to bed when im done listening. ha


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





kchau said:


> thanks,
> i can just get out of the chair and crawl in to bed when im done listening. ha


 


  Ha, i organized my room like that for the same purpose.


----------



## Stevesebastianb

That "Antelope Zodiac" is sexy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





cee tee said:


> Gotta get the Super 7 in there where the Squeezbox is (and maybe a different SS amp), but:


 

 Nice set up! High five for another Bay Area Technics 1200 owner. Have you modified your 1200? Also, What vintage receiver is that?


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


 

 Love your rig it's a fine looking piece of kit. Quick question, hows the amp on the Zodiak or do you use a dedicated headphone amp?


----------



## TheOtus

Zodiac looks really interesting, I was about to get one earlier. = )


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


digitalfreak said:


> Quick question, hows the amp on the Zodiak or do you use a dedicated headphone amp?


 

 I use an O2 for gain.  It's transparent enough that it lets the Zodiac shine, but it just can't control the LCD-2 drivers like a proper, more powerful amp can.  The Zodiac's head-amp is perfect for something like custom IEMs, Edition 8s, Denon DX000s, only the most efficient HPs in other words.
   
  My custom DIY amp's currently being built, I just have to wait two more months to get it.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Hopefully that one is transparent enough to let the Zodiac shine too, it's tube based and not shy about it.


----------



## CEE TEE

auralrelations said:


> Nice set up! High five for another Bay Area Technics 1200 owner. Have you modified your 1200? Also, What vintage receiver is that?




JUST got the 1200 so I have a bunch of reading to do and have not done any mods yet...am already interested in rolling an MC cart, though...

The Sansui is a 5000A and already showing a lot of promise with HD 800. @purrin is kind enough to help me re-cap the Sansui at the Bay Area Meet next weekend so I'm excited to see if I can reclaim some of the top end FR. Also hoping the Sansui can serve as my first pre-amp so I can borrow some pre-amps and see what would work best over some time getting to know everything together...thanks!!!


----------



## Cakebaker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


 

 If it sounds as good as it looks, I'm sure it was well worth the wait.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





cee tee said:


> JUST got the 1200 so I have a bunch of reading to do and have not done any mods yet...am already interested in rolling an MC cart, though...
> The Sansui is a 5000A and already showing a lot of promise with HD 800. @purrin is kind enough to help me re-cap the Sansui at the Bay Area Meet next weekend so I'm excited to see if I can reclaim some of the top end FR. Also hoping the Sansui can serve as my first pre-amp so I can borrow some pre-amps and see what would work best over some time getting to know everything together...thanks!!!


 

 Ooo I've been thinking about getting an MC cart as well. Been eyeing the NOS SAE 1000LT because there are so many positive reviews about it. What cart(s) are you looking at? 
   
  I have a Pioneer SX-850 that I would like recapped as well. It hisses throughout the volume range. I wonder what the problem is.


----------



## CEE TEE

*@AuralRelations*:  It will take me awhile before I make _any_ recos...but I have a Stanton 680 EL on it and just bought a Shure M97XE to keep me going until I know enough to "need" more...
   
  If you get that NOS SAE 1000LT cart, please PM me with your report (after you have lived with it a leetle bit)!  I'll try to remember to let you know if re-capping takes some "hum" out of my Sansui.  Ping *@shipsupt* with Pioneer vintage receiver questions, he replaced a 950 with a re-capped 950 IIRC...





  
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *AuralRelations* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Ooo I've been thinking about getting an MC cart as well. Been eyeing the NOS SAE 1000LT because there are so many positive reviews about it. What cart(s) are you looking at?
> 
> I have a Pioneer SX-850 that I would like recapped as well. It hisses throughout the volume range. I wonder what the problem is.


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> I'm not against alcohol, but I absolutely understand your point.  Sitting down and listening to music can always put me in a the perfect mood, regardless of what's going on.  That's something alcohol could never do.


 

 this is true but under the influence of some chemical the interaction between music and mind can honestly leave you breathless.


----------



## zhenya




----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





zhenya said:


>


 

 Love that SL-1200!


----------



## AuralRelations

@zhenya: Is that a KAB SL-1200MK5? Beautiful deck!


----------



## zhenya

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> @zhenya: Is that a KAB SL-1200MK5? Beautiful deck!


 


  Thanks!  It's a 1210M5G with KAB tonearm damper.


----------



## RexAeterna

cee tee said:


> JUST got the 1200 so I have a bunch of reading to do and have not done any mods yet...am already interested in rolling an MC cart, though...
> The Sansui is a 5000A and already showing a lot of promise with HD 800. @purrin is kind enough to help me re-cap the Sansui at the Bay Area Meet next weekend so I'm excited to see if I can reclaim some of the top end FR. Also hoping the Sansui can serve as my first pre-amp so I can borrow some pre-amps and see what would work best over some time getting to know everything together...thanks!!!




bringing the sansui up to spec will probably bring the high frequency response back defiantly if having issues in that range. i never had high frequency issues with my sansui before and never had humming issues with it either and it still has the original power filter caps inside. it should also make a great preamp as well since it can output up to 1.5v rms which is basically a +4dbu gain and what lot of professional power amps need to run at their fullest. people don't know but sometimes an under-powered power amp can sound too lean and bright and not performing way it should due to not enough voltage feeding the inputs. my yamaha likes lot of voltage from balanced outputs feeding it's inputs i found out and what got me reading up on pre-amps bit more and the whole -10dbv,0dbv,+4dbu gain thing.


----------



## scottie584

Quote: 





zhenya said:


>


 
  That is a pretty, _pretty _photo.


----------



## CEE TEE

*@RexAeterna*,  that is great news- thanks!!  Would be nice if I could go 1200 > Sansui > EC Super 7 or SS amp > HD 800 and not need a separate pre-amp.
   
  Yep- PRETTY photo, *@zhenya*!
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> bringing the sansui up to spec will probably bring the high frequency response back defiantly if having issues in that range. i never had high frequency issues with my sansui before and never had humming issues with it either and it still has the original power filter caps inside. it should also make a great preamp as well since it can output up to 1.5v rms which is basically a +4dbu gain and what lot of professional power amps need to run at their fullest. people don't know but sometimes an under-powered power amp can sound too lean and bright and not performing way it should due to not enough voltage feeding the inputs. my yamaha likes lot of voltage from balanced outputs feeding it's inputs i found out and what got me reading up on pre-amps bit more and the whole -10dbv,0dbv,+4dbu gain thing.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> <snip>


 

 What's wrong Rex?  You look so sad...


----------



## tribestros

Beautiful.  Should have bought a Panamax instead of a Monster, but, eh. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





zhenya said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's without a doubt the prettiest 1200 I've ever seen. I want one.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Beautiful.  Should have bought a Panamax instead of a Monster, but, eh.


 


  +1
   
  i love my monster power center though


----------



## zhenya

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Beautiful.  Should have bought a Panamax instead of a Monster, but, eh.


 


 Ha, not at the price I paid!  I just needed a pretty way to plug everything in and give some basic protection!


----------



## RexAeterna

digital-pride said:


> What's wrong Rex?  You look so sad...




someone ate my left over mint ice cream. i got some more though so i'm good.


----------



## maxmays1

JEALOUS!!! >T1's


----------



## maxmays1

Quote: 





greatdane said:


> PC based. USB to V-DAC > Behringer 2496 > Woo Audio 3 > T1


 
  JEALOUS!>T1's


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





maxmays1 said:


> JEALOUS!>T1's


 


  Wery Jealous +1


----------



## Clayton SF

wery wery gealous +2


----------



## weipim

Aye!!! copyright fee plzzzz
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> wery wery gealous +2


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





weipim said:


> Aye!!! copyright fee plzzzz


 

 Ooopz. Sowey. Iz take it back. No money fer copywhite feez.
   
_I am extremely gealous..._


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Ooopz. Sowey. Iz take it back. No money fer copywhite feez.
> 
> _I am extremely gealous..._


 


  lmao, i give up, too hard to read


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
_*Ooopz. Sowey. Iz take it back. No money fer copywhite feez.*_
  Oops. Sorry. I will take it back. (I have) no (more) money for copyright fees. [--I've spent it all on headphones.]


----------



## liamstrain

Office set up: K702, Grado 225, Yulong D100 (under the computer), EF2A, and MB Pro running Fidelia (with Redline monitor). Still enjoying the EF2A as an alternate amp (with the D100's dac output). This will do until I get in the Beyer 880/600 +Senn 600 and the Bottlehead Crack later this month. Then I should be done for a while.* **
   

   
  *barring a windfall or loss of control on my part. 
  ** sorry about the crappy cellphone pic.


----------



## kchau

You've seen my setup at home, now this is my setup at work (q701 #2, asgard, iphone>lod)


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had a very similar set up last year. my D100 was under a riser that I kepy my laptop on. Mine wasn't a MB Pro though.  I spent that money on the D7000 I was pairing with it.
   
  I love the D100.
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Office set up: K702, Grado 225, Yulong D100 (under the computer), EF2A, and MB Pro running Fidelia (with Redline monitor). Still enjoying the EF2A as an alternate amp (with the D100's dac output). This will do until I get in the Beyer 880/600 +Senn 600 and the Bottlehead Crack later this month. Then I should be done for a while.* **
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Eee Pee

Needs more green cable.


----------



## dagothur

I tried the Q701 -> Yulong D100 combo about six weeks ago.  The Q701 handles death metal extremely well, and is a lot more enjoyable than the reviews of the K701 or K702 lent me to thinking.


----------



## liamstrain

The Q and K sound exactly alike to me. *shrug*
   
  I enjoy the K702 with the D100, certainly. Usually for metal/rock/jazz, I'm using the Grado anyway. Can't wait to build the bottlehead and throw in into the mix with the new cans.


----------



## rorymacneill09

Quote: 





> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  The curve you see in the frequency response plot is due to the mechanical resonance of the dynamic driver. I do think that impedance matching is still reasonably important for orthos, an amp, headphone impedance mismatch will create a standing wave which in turn causes signal attenuation. I think the reason why you like the high impedance tap because orthos require a high voltage swing from the amplifier. Since V=iR, if R is big, i can be small to cause a big V.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





kchau said:


> You've seen my setup at home, now this is my setup at work (q701 #2, asgard, iphone>lod)


 

  
  Very nice.  I really like the all black look of the Q701.


----------



## phandrew

Just received the DAC today so pretty much pushed everything on the table aside to make room.


----------



## IcedTea

That's an intense rig there buddy


----------



## Lurkumaural

You have a picture of a Crack pinned to your cubicle wall.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Hilarious.
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Office set up: K702, Grado 225, Yulong D100 (under the computer), EF2A, and MB Pro running Fidelia (with Redline monitor). Still enjoying the EF2A as an alternate amp (with the D100's dac output). This will do until I get in the Beyer 880/600 +Senn 600 and the Bottlehead Crack later this month. Then I should be done for a while.* **
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Draygonn

lurkumaural said:


> You have a picture of a Crack pinned to your cubicle wall.     Hilarious.


----------



## s043uf

Got my Little dot mkVII+ and Matrix Mini-i DAC today. Running fully balanced with reterminated stock cable. I must say i´m impressed, the 650:s are like a new pair of headphones. So much and well controlled bass it´s insane compared to running it from the mkIII.
  The DAC is alot better than what i had earlier. Hopefully i will be satisfied for some time now (my wallet doesn´t like me anymore).


----------



## MorbidToaster

So much in such a small space. I'm impressed. I like the fact that the speakers are up on stands, too.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Just got my first audio setup! This site has been amazing in helping me choose the components, thanks all!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Needs more green cable.


 

 Needs moar BASS


----------



## metalsonata

What make is that lamp? It's really cool looking.
  
  Quote: 





s043uf said:


> Got my Little dot mkVII+ and Matrix Mini-i DAC today. Running fully balanced with reterminated stock cable. I must say i´m impressed, the 650:s are like a new pair of headphones. So much and well controlled bass it´s insane compared to running it from the mkIII.
> The DAC is alot better than what i had earlier. Hopefully i will be satisfied for some time now (my wallet doesn´t like me anymore).


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> What make is that lamp? It's really cool looking.


 


  I hadn't noticed it, because I didn't find it eye-catching.  I'd love something like that for my late-night soldering.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





getsugassj said:


> Just got my first audio setup! This site has been amazing in helping me choose the components, thanks all!


 

 Veeerrrry nice!  What item is that on the right?  It looks impressive.


----------



## s043uf

It´s made by a swedish company called Cottex. I don´t think they make anything for other markets than the swedish. It´s indeed a nice lamp though, sturdy too, all metal construction.

  
  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> What make is that lamp? It's really cool looking.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Veeerrrry nice!  What item is that on the right?  It looks impressive.


 


  My computer, the case is a Danger Den Tower 29 LDR and the fans are Enermax TB Apollish, it's mah pride and joy hahaha.


----------



## Melvins

did you get it custom made or what have you


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Quote: 





melvins said:


> did you get it custom made or what have you


 


  I ordered the case specifically to have a single 5.25 bay (for clean aesthetics) but that's it. I do wish I ordered it with 3 top mounted 120mm fan holes for another radiator but that's what my dremel is for, haha.


----------



## Melvins

....yeah I don't understand any of that


----------



## Draygonn

getsugassj said:


> I ordered the case specifically to have a single 5.25 bay (for clean aesthetics)



Clean aesthetics is the dream. I spent plenty of time stealth modding my fan controller and Blu Ray drive.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i have a crappy case compared to those 
   
  coolermaster haf 922.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Woooooah. You take that back. The 932 is a fantastic case, though not quite as clean looking. You could mount a ton of 120 LCD fans in it if you so desired.
   
  If you want clean get yourself a nice Lian Li and mod it a bit.
   
  EDIT: Leaving the post as proof I can't read. The 922 is still a nice case, and I stand by the Lian Li recommendation.

  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i have a crappy case compared to those
> 
> coolermaster haf 922.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Clean aesthetics is the dream. I spent plenty of time stealth modding my fan controller and Blu Ray drive.


 


  I did the same with my dvd drive on my first tower (which was a 922 as well Dubstep Girl) and I refused to go back afterwards. Yours is absolutely gorgeousm meshes seamlessly with the rest of the case. It probably helps that it's a Silverstone lol.


----------



## Draygonn

getsugassj said:


> I did the same with my dvd drive on my first tower (which was a 922 as well Dubstep Girl) and I refused to go back afterwards. Yours is absolutely gorgeousm meshes seamlessly with the rest of the case. It probably helps that it's a Silverstone lol.




Thanks, stealth modding ftw  The case is a Coolermaster ATCS 840. I added a Silverstone CFP51 for an additional 120mm fan intake. I've got two 480s that I didn't want to water cool so I had to get creative with the airflow to keep the rig cool and quiet.


----------



## palmfish

My Violectric arrived today...


----------



## oaklandrkg

Sorry for the super late response, I had to spend this last week moving out of my apartment.
   
  Props for recognizing the pic of Hank. Yeah, big big big fan myself, but you probably could guess that in my choice of avatars. I have to say despite Bukowski's subject matter and rep, he was a literary genius in the highest of forms. And I still find that true after studying at one of the top English programs in the country. I love his short stories, maybe not more than his novels or poetry, but yeah, they're definitely amazing. I think his short stories seem to stand out so much because unlike novels, there's just not a lot of great short story writers out there. Women and Factotum are my favorite novels, and Tales of Ordinary Madness is simply an all-time great. You might try checking out Betting on the Muse, which is a huge collection of his poems and short stories.
   
  Yup, that right, getting all literary up in head-fi.
   
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> ALways thought about investing in the clip but I honestly listen to 90% of my music from my laptop so it wouldn't be worth the investment. I'm a huge Bukowski fan. What are your favorite works by him?


 


   


  Quote: 





melvins said:


> Ham on rye is great but tales of ordinary madness is great. I prefer his short story collections over his novels.


----------



## John In Cali

palmfish said:


> My Violectric arrived today...




Wow those woods match so well i was wondering why you have a silver circle type thing on top of your nova. Nice setup by the way.


----------



## Maxvla

currawong said:


> I've joined the portable rig insanity. My set-up while I'm in Australia for the holidays:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




"Portable" rig insanity indeed. Nice one Currawong. LOL


----------



## Maxvla

dubstep girl said:


> very nice. wish i could get into electrostats. but i don't know how good the cheaper ones are. plus i would buy a GES as well.






john in cali said:


> I feel exactly the same way. Anyone want to tell us how lower end(under $1000) Stax compare to other cans in their price range.
> Any links, ive been trying to search this to no avail forever.





SR202/207 with the accompanying amp is excellent and fairly cheap ~ $400-500

I prefer the 202 to the 303 and 404.


----------



## RexAeterna

morbidtoaster said:


> Woooooah. You take that back. The 932 is a fantastic case, though not quite as clean looking. You could mount a ton of 120 LCD fans in it if you so desired.
> 
> If you want clean get yourself a nice Lian Li and mod it a bit.
> 
> EDIT: Leaving the post as proof I can't read. The 922 is still a nice case, and I stand by the Lian Li recommendation.




they have great cable management and air flow but look like poop in my opinion. i like lian-li cases but for some reason i been wanting a antec P183 case as well. i been wanting to replace my crappy antec 900 i had for years(i was younger and liked the flashly lights i will admit. now just plain annoying). the antec 900 though has nice air flow and big enough to fit 11'' and 12'' gpus(fits my 5870 with more then enough room to spare. was worried when the 5870 launched at the time cause the size of it is just beastly).


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll agree they look crappy, but for airflow and cables I haven't used anything better. 
   
  Lian Li has got to be my favorite though. Looks wise. I might build a fanfree music server in one later this year.
  
  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> they have great cable management and air flow but look like poop in my opinion. i like lian-li cases but for some reason i been wanting a antec P183 case as well. i been wanting to replace my crappy antec 900 i had for years(i was younger and liked the flashly lights i will admit. now just plain annoying). the antec 900 though has nice air flow and big enough to fit 11'' and 12'' gpus(fits my 5870 with more then enough room to spare. was worried when the 5870 launched at the time cause the size of it is just beastly).


----------



## Destroysall

I'm on the same boat as you guys.  I've been looking at Fractal Design, Corsair, and Silverstone cases myself.  I have the Cooler Master HAF 912, which is a great little case, but I want something more sleek as this thing has way to many LEDs in it.


----------



## akwok

Quick shot:


----------



## MorbidToaster

God those Omega stands are sexy.
  
  Quote: 





akwok said:


> Quick shot:


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Wow those woods match so well i was wondering why you have a silver circle type thing on top of your nova. Nice setup by the way.


 

 Thank you.
   
  Silver circle?


----------



## spekkio

A home away from home:


----------



## Uncle00Jesse

is that an srm-252? if so, how does it power the 007a?


----------



## jronan2

How much do those omega stands go for?


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> How much do those omega stands go for?


 


  180 bucks from elusive disc.
   
  I’m considering getting one soon.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I want one but they're just too short for most of the cans I have/want.
  
  Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> 180 bucks from elusive disc.
> 
> I’m considering getting one soon.


----------



## mab1376

Playing around with my littledot as a preamp 
   
  QOTSA - Lullabies to Paralyze -> Shure MX97e Phono cart -> ATLP120 -> Cambridge Audio 640p Phono Stage -> LittleDot MK IV SE (preamp) (LM Ericsson 403b tubes) -> iBasso D6 -> Beyer T70


----------



## Digital-Pride

Well done everyone!  Very impressive setups.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





spekkio said:


> A home away from home:


 

  
  How are you finding the Audinst's DAC section?
   


  Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Playing around with my littledot as a preamp
> 
> QOTSA - Lullabies to Paralyze -> Shure MX97e Phono cart -> ATLP120 -> Cambridge Audio 640p Phono Stage -> LittleDot MK IV SE (preamp) (LM Ericsson 403b tubes) -> iBasso D6 -> Beyer T70


 


  Nice!  I'll have to listen to a turn table based rig one of these days.


----------



## jronan2

180 bucks is insane, too rich for my blood. I heard they were expensive but that just sounds crazy to me. I'm sure its top quality wood and craftsmanship but at the end of the day it's still a headphone stand. I thought the woo audio stands were on the expensive side, I guess you can call them competitively priced. I'll stick with my custom stands thanks for the info though.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


digital-pride said:


> Nice!  I'll have to listen to a turn table based rig one of these days.


 

 Same here.


----------



## Rocky

My place of relaxation


----------



## Digital-Pride

^ Just looking at that photo has me feeling more relaxed.


----------



## spekkio

Quote: 





uncle00jesse said:


> is that an srm-252? if so, how does it power the 007a?


 


  It works fine actually. Bass and treble extension is not lost, it's just that the headphone sounds a little flat. Not enough dynamic range...

  
  Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Well done everyone!  Very impressive setups.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The Audinst's Dac section is pretty decent. It definitely glosses over some fine details and has less bass than I would like, but it is a great small solution in a box. Very good for travellers


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





spekkio said:


> The Audinst's Dac section is pretty decent. It definitely glosses over some fine details and has less bass than I would like, but it is a great small solution in a box. Very good for travellers


 

 If you're open to trying something new, the HRT Music Streamer II is absolutely fantastic.  At $150, it's a bargain for its performance, IMO.  It also pretty much fits into a pocket so it would be even better than the Audinst for portability.


----------



## zhenya

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> 180 bucks is insane, too rich for my blood. I heard they were expensive but that just sounds crazy to me. I'm sure its top quality wood and craftsmanship but at the end of the day it's still a headphone stand. I thought the woo audio stands were on the expensive side, I guess you can call them competitively priced. I'll stick with my custom stands thanks for the info though.


 

 Asian knock-offs of pretty decent quality are available for ~$50.  See my earlier photos for one.


----------



## awaynes




----------



## manveru

^^^
  What kind of mic is that? Looks kind of like an Audix...


----------



## awaynes

It's an MXL V63M.


----------



## crumpler

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Quick shot:


 
   
  Very nice clean setup!
   
  Just a side note tho, isn't your monitor a tad low?


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I'm on the same boat as you guys.  I've been looking at Fractal Design, Corsair, and Silverstone cases myself.  I have the Cooler Master HAF 912, which is a great little case, but I want something more sleek as this thing has way to many LEDs in it.


 

 I would definitely recommend the R3 from Fractal Design. I'm not well versed in cases, but this replaced my ancient Antec case and has been all positives since I got it. Quiet and sleek is what I was looking for and that's what I got with the OEM case and a few Noctua fans.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> I would definitely recommend the R3 from Fractal Design. I'm not well versed in cases, but this replaced my ancient Antec case and has been all positives since I got it. *Quiet and sleek is what I was looking for* and that's what I got with the OEM case and a few Noctua fans.


 


  For sure, same here!  Quiet almost feels like a must for me since my case can get loud, unfortunately.  I am really considering either the Fractal Design R3 or the Corsair 600T White as a future chasis.


----------



## s043uf

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> For sure, same here!  Quiet almost feels like a must for me since my case can get loud, unfortunately.  I am really considering either the Fractal Design R3 or the Corsair 600T White as a future chasis.


 


 The 600T is a nice case but it´s neither sleek nor quiet. Now i know they made some changes on the fans for later models (white ones are definitly later revision) so it could have gotten better, but between those two i would go for the Fractal if you are searching for something quiet.
  Can also recommend Nzxt:s H2 as a alternative in the quiet department.


----------



## msninja

two quick shots with my mobile (sorry!). Most of the electronics are hidden (along with the Benchmark DAC1),showing the Lyr, squeezebox touch, LCD-2 rev1 on the omega zebrano stand and the ATH-W3000ANV on the Woo stand.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Awesome, simply awesome.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





msninja said:


>


 
   
  Ack! Why do you do these things to me! It's just too beautiful. I think I'm going to have a heart attack.


----------



## BeYourSound

Carver Magnetic Field Power Amplifier Model M-200t
  Carver Preamplifier C-2
  Carver Fm/Am Synthesized Tuner Model TX-2
  Carver TL-3300 Compact Disc Player

  Boston Acoustics A400 3-way Loud Speaker System

   
  Computer Set-up
   
  HP ED808aa 2.1 Speaker System
  HP Harman/Kardon Satellite Speakers
  And of course the Sony MDR-XB500 Headphones


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love Carver gear. I have some of my own and it's fantastic. I actually can't use the power amp in my apartment because it blows the circuit instantly. D:


----------



## BeYourSound

Yeah its really old equipment but works brilliantly. Superb quality.


----------



## jimibird

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/jimibird/2012-02-10185635.jpg


My current rig


----------



## jimibird

Oop that didnt work!

 http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/jimibird/Hifi/2012-02-10185635.jpg

That should.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





jimibird said:


> Oop that didnt work!
> http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/jimibird/Hifi/2012-02-10185635.jpg
> That should.


 

 That's amazing. I'm quite jealous! How do you like the Young? It's one of the coolest looking pieces of audio gear I've ever seen.


----------



## jimibird

I love the young, it sounds so un-digital. I bought it because it looked so cool though!. The display wizzes acoss when you change input or turn off.


----------



## Tilpo

jimibird said:


> Oop that didnt work!
> http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/jimibird/Hifi/2012-02-10185635.jpg
> That should.



Is that a HiFiMan HE-5, HE-5LE, HE-500 or HE-6?


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





jimibird said:


> Oop that didnt work!
> http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k512/jimibird/Hifi/2012-02-10185635.jpg
> That should.


 
   
  Is that a Furman power strip on the bottom? How do you like it?


----------



## MorbidToaster

No experience with their strips, but I own 2 of their conditioners and I love them.

  
  Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Is that a Furman power strip on the bottom? How do you like it?


----------



## LostChild1

Here it is, and YES I'm getting a Black Keyboard soon.


----------



## Kremer930

If they are HE6 being powered by the Darkvoice 337 then wait until you feed them some more power. If you are at all like me you will scare yourself with the improved dynamics and bass impact. 
   
  The 337 is a nice amp though. Try some Tung sol 5998 tubes. Beautiful.


----------



## mmayer167

I like the white keyboard 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Just bust out some flat black spraypaint! 
   
  -M


----------



## jimibird

The cans there are HE-500's, on trial from a UK dealer. Will be giving the HE-6's a go too hopefully. The HE-500's sound great though. Not sure if the darkvoice has enough juice to power the HE-6. 
   
  The mains block is a Russ Andrews silencer block. It's pretty good.


----------



## Zombie_X

Kinda did a little revision of the set-up. Also, don't mind the air conditioners in the background, after all my set-up is in the attic... No room anywhere else in the house for it 
   
  But I was in the middle of eating some Merkts and decided to snap these pictures. I even have the almighty milk crate of headphones in the shot as well. I also wanted to show you a drawing of Goku, because I wanted to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## zuk0v

Pretty simple, but it's about as intricate a setup I'm allowed to have in Air Force tech school:
   

   
  edit: picture got reversed somehow. whatever


----------



## Destroysall

how does this setup do? 
  
  Quote: 





zuk0v said:


> Pretty simple, but it's about as intricate a setup I'm allowed to have in Air Force tech school:
> 
> 
> 
> edit: picture got reversed somehow. whatever


----------



## zuk0v

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> how does this setup do?


 


  I'm not an audiophile (yet), but it's by far the best audio experience I've ever had. The soundstage is opening up for me a little bit more every day - I just got this setup about 5 weeks ago, and I'm loving it. The bands I've listened to that sound the best so far on it are The xx, Temper Trap, and Miike Snow. I'm guessing this has something to do with the HD650's supposedly being "dark".
   
  I wish I could comment on the quality of the Fiio e7/e9, but it's the only amp/dac combo I've ever used, so there's nothing to compare it to. All in all, it was worth the ~$450 I spent on the whole set-up, and I would have gladly spent more.


----------



## Rawrbington

i love the xx on my 650 rig.


----------



## shadow419

Quote: 





zuk0v said:


> Pretty simple, but it's about as intricate a setup I'm allowed to have in Air Force tech school:
> 
> 
> 
> edit: picture got reversed somehow. whatever


 

 Biloxi, San Antonio, or Amarillo?


----------



## zuk0v

Quote: 





shadow419 said:


> Biloxi, San Antonio, or Amarillo?


 
   
  biloxi 
   
  almost done, then on to japan.


----------



## shadow419

Beware of the locals and the Brown Recluse.  lol


----------



## dorino

Recluse spider bites are just *awesome*. It's great when part of your flesh just outright dies.


----------



## Digital-Pride

^Lol wut?  If part of my flesh ever dies like that, my reaction would be far less favorable.


----------



## Kremer930

Jimibird- if you are contemplating the HE6 then borrow a Lyr as well. I would love to test my HE6 with the rsa dark star. Wish there was a local shop or headfier with the rsa near me.


----------



## TruBrew

Unfortunate that you are shipping out. I would have said that you should come to New Orleans whenever we manage to put a meet together. However, I don't see that happening too soon.
  
  Quote: 





zuk0v said:


> biloxi
> 
> almost done, then on to japan.


----------



## RexAeterna

added a new toy. found a good condition 1980's Yamaha M-45 class A power amp. paid only 40 bucks cash for it. have my speakers and my 240DF hooked up to the speaker outputs. i'm horrible at taking pics with my phone.


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> added a new toy. found a good condition 1980's Yamaha M-45 class A power amp. paid only 40 bucks cash for it. have my speakers and my 240DF hooked up to the speaker outputs. i'm horrible at taking pics with my phone.


 


  Bricks?


----------



## detoxguy

I am enjoying this immensely.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Bricks?


 


  The cinder blocks prevent USB jitter.


----------



## RexAeterna

speedv1 said:


> Bricks?




cinder blocks. underneath the cinderblocks is 9'' thick of fiberglass. cinder blocks are also great 100hz bass traps and will cancel out any resonance 100hz and above. i also couldn't just put the amp directly on the sheet that's covering/protecting the fiberglass. it needs breathing room especially in class A. also cinder is different material than concrete if anyone doesn't know.


----------



## RexAeterna

dagothur said:


> The cinder blocks prevent USB jitter.




it's actually firewire. cinderblocks might stop mass vibrations as well but that's not reason i'm using them.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> I am enjoying this immensely.


 

 Nice: RS-1 + Mad Ear+HD and HE-500 + Lyr.
   
  Two great combinations.


----------



## AltairDusk

Set my headphones down for a minute and snapped a quick pic of my setup with my phone. It's not much compared to a lot of the rigs in here but I'm loving it.
   

   
  Okay, hopefully the picture works this time


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> added a new toy. found a good condition 1980's Yamaha M-45 class A power amp. paid only 40 bucks cash for it. have my speakers and my 240DF hooked up to the speaker outputs. i'm horrible at taking pics with my phone.


 

 That's what I call a solid sonic foundation.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





altairdusk said:


> Set my headphones down for a minute and snapped a quick pic of my setup with my phone. It's not much compared to a lot of the rigs in here but I'm loving it.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Okay, hopefully the picture works this time


 

 Nice.  How are you liking the HFi-2400?


----------



## vladzakhar




----------



## AltairDusk

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Nice.  How are you liking the HFi-2400?


 


  Thanks, I love them.  I've had those and the e7 for quite awhile now, the e9 is only a few days old.  I was actually somewhat surprised that they sound even better out of the e9, given their reputation for being fairly easy to drive and the performance off the e7 alone I really wasn't expecting much change.  Mainly got the e9 to prepare for future purchases (PRO-2900 soon), silly as it sounds I find that I really enjoy having a big volume knob to turn instead of clicking buttons too.


----------



## KneelJung




----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





kneeljung said:


> Spoiler: Picture%20hidden


 

  
  What's the headphone on the left speaker? Grado?


----------



## TruBrew

My guess would be a SR225


----------



## JimmyFrost

Just recently took over the front living room as my office. Really digging it. 595's are my reading headphones and just plug into my Galaxy S II. My 650's are powered by my Essence STX and serve as my main music and gaming headphones. Not pictures are my DT990's and HeadAmp4 which are at work. I just finished a 3 day tour of this thread and I am very much in awe of all your wonderful equipment and setups.


----------



## sphinxvc

Wow.  Great photos, decor & living space.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Wow.  Great photos, decor & living space.


 


  +1


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Wow.  Great photos, decor & living space.


 


  Totally agree there!  The lighting is excellent and the place looks amazingly comfortable and gorgeous!  Just out of curiosity, is that an Ikea Expedit desk?


----------



## Zombie_X

In all my set-ups my SPL Auditor looks washed out in the pictures, here's a good one for ya guys!


----------



## MorbidToaster

That space looks amazing. So warm and cozy. Chair looks nice, too.


----------



## JimmyFrost

Thanks for the the comments! It has been a great place to unwind.
  
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Totally agree there!  The lighting is excellent and the place looks amazingly comfortable and gorgeous!  Just out of curiosity, is that an Ikea Expedit desk?


 

 It is, I have another in our guest room. Great value, and exactly what I needed.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





jimmyfrost said:


> Thanks for the the comments! It has been a great place to unwind.
> 
> 
> It is, I have another in our guest room. Great value, and exactly what I needed.


 


  Vey nice!  I've been considering one myself.


----------



## metalsonata

Hey Zombie-X, how do the Auditor and the Violectric V800 sound together? I've got a Phonitor and have been thinking about upgrading my DAC for a while now, and the V800 has been one of my top choices. I'm working with limited room, and pretty much every review I've stumbled across raves about how much quality is squeezed into such a relatively small unit. Plus I think it looks just peachy. ^^


----------



## Zombie_X

I think the is a great pairing. The ADC is super transparent and detailed just as my Auditor is, and also should be with the Phonitor. It should be quite a step up above your Micro DAC in every way, in fact it may stomp it. The sound between them should have a pretty big gap. Another plus is you get to go fully balanced. This gives you lower noise floor as well as an overall cleaner sound.
   
  I think you should hit Robert up from Aphrodite Cu29 and get a unit to demo, he should be very accommodating. He let me borrow both the V800 DAC and the V200 at the same time.
   
  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Hey Zombie-X, how do the Auditor and the Violectric V800 sound together? I've got a Phonitor and have been thinking about upgrading my DAC for a while now, and the V800 has been one of my top choices. I'm working with limited room, and pretty much every review I've stumbled across raves about how much quality is squeezed into such a relatively small unit. Plus I think it looks just peachy. ^^


----------



## metalsonata

Boy, now I'm all excited. ^^ Exactly what my wallet did not want to hear.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I think the is a great pairing. The ADC is super transparent and detailed just as my Auditor is, and also should be with the Phonitor. It should be quite a step up above your Micro DAC in every way, in fact it may stomp it. The sound between them should have a pretty big gap. Another plus is you get to go fully balanced. This gives you lower noise floor as well as an overall cleaner sound.
> 
> I think you should hit Robert up from Aphrodite Cu29 and get a unit to demo, he should be very accommodating. He let me borrow both the V800 DAC and the V200 at the same time.


----------



## Zombie_X

Check out my review of the V800, and sorry about your wallet man!
  
  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Boy, now I'm all excited. ^^ Exactly what my wallet did not want to hear.


----------



## AltairDusk

Quote: 





jimmyfrost said:


> Thanks for the the comments! It has been a great place to unwind.
> 
> 
> It is, I have another in our guest room. Great value, and exactly what I needed.


 


  Wow, I didn't even recognize that desk and I'm using one right now (attached to the 4 square wide bookcase though).  That space just looks so amazing it completely outclasses the space mine is in, haha.


----------



## metalsonata

Good review. I think I know what my next major purchase will be.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Check out my review of the V800, and sorry about your wallet man!


----------



## Hibuckhobby

It seems my wallet is threatened evey time I come to this site  Hibuck...


----------



## Zombie_X

Tell me about it....
  
  Quote: 





hibuckhobby said:


> It seems my wallet is threatened evey time I come to this site  Hibuck...


----------



## Draygonn

jimmyfrost said:


> >



I need to get a setup like this.



{presently listening to You're So Cool - Hans Zimmer}


----------



## marts30

ms2i
  ad900
  brainwavz b2
   
  xonar st
  profire 610
   
  klipsch rb81 II
  yamaha r-s500
   
  magnum v4 on the way


----------



## tike71

Shot this in November, but nothing has changed.
  Denon D7000 on WooAudio stand
  Anedio D1 DAC/HP amp
  B&W Stereo speakers
  SVS SB13 Subwoofer
  Rotel RB-1552 2ch power amp
  Belkin power console


----------



## TopCaliber

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> Shot this in November, but nothing has changed.
> Denon D7000 on WooAudio stand
> Anedio D1 DAC/HP amp
> B&W Stereo speakers
> ...


 


  Maaan, I'd kill for that set up.
   
  Everything but that dell desktop lol.


----------



## BeYourSound

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> Shot this in November, but nothing has changed.
> Denon D7000 on WooAudio stand
> Anedio D1 DAC/HP amp
> B&W Stereo speakers
> ...


 


  Sweet Mother of God Batman. Well done!


----------



## Melvins

Spent all your money on audio equipment, can't afford lights?


----------



## marts30

Quote:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  Bat caves don't have lights :O
   
  OK I lie:


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





melvins said:


> Spent all your money on audio equipment, can't afford lights?


 


  Hey, even Batman needs needs to unwind sometimes.


----------



## Eric_C

FTFY
  (marginally)


----------



## Dubstep Girl

thats a really cool setup. how good is that sub?


----------



## tike71

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> FTFY
> (marginally)


 


Thanks, but the photo was intentionally shot like that. It consists of several layers in an effort to "paint with light"


  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> thats a really cool setup. how good is that sub?


 


  Quite good. It's not going to output as much as a ported sub, but I prefer it for its musicality. Plus it features low and high pass filters so I can run the system more efficiently


----------



## Melvins

you abstract mother you


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> Thanks, but the photo was intentionally shot like that. It consists of several layers in an effort to "paint with light"
> 
> 
> Quite good. It's not going to output as much as a ported sub, but I prefer it for its musicality. Plus it features low and high pass filters so I can run the system more efficiently


 


  guess im gonna need a ported sub for my needs. im a basshead and love subs that hit hard lol.


----------



## Eric_C

tike71: sorry man, I didn't mean to mess with any artistic intent there. It's just that folks were having trouble seeing the gear clearly, so I ran it through a quick "auto-correct" edit. Again, no harm intended.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> guess im gonna need a ported sub for my needs. im a basshead and love subs that hit hard lol.


 
   
  Make sure you get a front-ported one if you want it to go up against the wall. But if you have room a rear port will give more impact.
  And 15" or bigger is mandatory for a true basshead, don't let anybody tell you different


----------



## tike71

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> tike71: sorry man, I didn't mean to mess with any artistic intent there. It's just that folks were having trouble seeing the gear clearly, so I ran it through a quick "auto-correct" edit. Again, no harm intended.


 


  No worries, and no apologies needed =)


----------



## Sylafari

Woo Audio Stand!


----------



## Szadzik

Finally set up my PC and audio equipment - an almost finished build - now just waiting to buy a USB>SPDIF transport in a few months to make it a complete setup.


----------



## aspenx

My humble setup. Headphones not in the pic as I was wearing them when I took it a few minutes ago.


----------



## manveru

That's not that humble at all!


----------



## msninja

Took a pic of my new favorite:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





manveru said:


> That's not that humble at all!


 


  +1


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Finally set up my PC and audio equipment - an almost finished build - now just waiting to buy a USB>SPDIF transport in a few months to make it a complete setup.


 


  wow SA-5000 look awesome.


----------



## aspenx

Quote: 





manveru said:


> That's not that humble at all!


 


  Really? Oops. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  It's a lousy pic anyways. Too lazy to get the proper camera outta the dry box.


----------



## aspenx

Dug out some really old PC speakers and tried them out with the amp's preamp section.
   
  Sounds terrible but at least it keeps my ears cool.
   
  Music playing: Vienna Teng - I Am Nothing Without You
  Pic taken with the android flickr app with Paris filter


----------



## TheWuss

the W3000 is following me around this forum like a puppy dog.
  every thread i visit, there it is, looking up at me with its lonely eyes.  "don't you want me?" it seems to be saying.
  ARGH!!!!
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> Took a pic of my new favorite:


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> the W3000 is following me around this forum like a puppy dog.
> every thread i visit, there it is, looking up at me with its lonely eyes.  "don't you want me?" it seems to be saying.
> ARGH!!!!


 


  Well, the site moniker is "sorry about your wallet".


----------



## MorbidToaster

This is probably my favorite picture in the entire thread. It's shots well, it's simple, and the W3000 is amazing.
   
  EDIT: Is that paper lamp from Ikea? Oh, and I kind of stole it for my wallpaper.
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> Took a pic of my new favorite:


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> wow SA-5000 look awesome.


 


  Yep, they look like a piece of art from 21st century, they sound awesome too


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> This is probably my favorite picture in the entire thread. It's shots well, it's simple, and the W3000 is amazing.
> 
> EDIT: Is that paper lamp from Ikea? Oh, and I kind of stole it for my wallpaper.


 
   
  Thank you, and yeah it's an IKEA lamp 
   
  Here's a close-up I took at the same time. You can see the amazing finish of the can in the way that they totally reflect the surroundings (in this case, you can see out my window into the snowy abyssal plain of my neighourhood)


----------



## davidgotsa

Looks amazing msninja!
   
  At least you have something fun to do inside during that cold winter you have in Umeå.


----------



## Ultrazino

All I need right now:


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





msninja said:


> Took a pic of my new favorite:


 

 That's a very nice set up.  Would love to see more of the room.


----------



## mmayer167

^ nice ultrazino, how do you like the new philips?
   
  -M


----------



## Tilpo

For a couple weeks I now I have archived the new images posted in this thread, as well as a few others on head-fi, on my Tumblr. 

I would love some feedback. 
To any one interested, here is the link.


----------



## Ultrazino

mmayer167 said:


> ^ nice ultrazino, how do you like the new philips?
> 
> -M



I like them a lot! Very pleasant sound, warm with great soundstage. Open enough for home use, isolates enough for portable use.

The Philips is great if you want it simple. Leightweight and comfortable, I never feel like not picking it up.

If you have a specific sound signature you prefer, or an headphone that fares extremely well in one field, then you will probably prefer an alternative. I have yet to find a headphone that is as harmonic and well thought out, though.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


tilpo said:


> For a couple weeks I now I have archived the new images posted in this thread, as well as a few others on head-fi, on my Tumblr.
> I would love some feedback.
> To any one interested, here is the link.


 

_Nice!_  Much better than having to read the in betweens on this thread.  
   
  You might want to check our recent *meet impressions thread* out, some decent rigs and very nice photos there.


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





daigo said:


> That's a very nice set up.  Would love to see more of the room.


 

 I have no real shot of my living room, but here's something I took the other day with the crappy phone camera. Most of the stuff is hidden inside the furniture! sorry about the cables, I just bought a new TV, I haven't had time to get a cable list yet!

   
   
  considering your avatar, I would assume you would approve of this shot containing some of the assorted movies I have


----------



## oaklandrkg (Apr 29, 2021)

.


----------



## jtaylor991

So what model is it? I might wanna buy it. Good enough to be driven out of a smartphone/ipod? (Samsung Focus and Zune, maybe ipod classic later)
  
  Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> I like them a lot! Very pleasant sound, warm with great soundstage. Open enough for home use, isolates enough for portable use.
> The Philips is great if you want it simple. Leightweight and comfortable, I never feel like not picking it up.
> If you have a specific sound signature you prefer, or an headphone that fares extremely well in one field, then you will probably prefer an alternative. I have yet to find a headphone that is as harmonic and well thought out, though.


----------



## aspenx

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> For a couple weeks I now I have archived the new images posted in this thread, as well as a few others on head-fi, on my Tumblr.
> I would love some feedback.
> To any one interested, here is the link.


 


  Hmm, the pic you've used for my setup (I have a newer one, that's less bad) shows the NFB-2 , not DAC-19, and my ATH-CKM99 is in the pic too.
   
  Nice compilation by the way.


----------



## Zombie_X

Nice looking speakers man!
   
  Also, are those some Japanese Dreamcast games I see in the CD rack? The ones with the orange and white spines?
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


>


----------



## Destroysall

That is just gorgeous!  And with a small collage of THE Audrey Hepburn!  JUST AMAZINGLY AWESOME +1,000!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote: 





msninja said:


> Took a pic of my new favorite:


----------



## Ultrazino

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> So what model is it? I might wanna buy it. Good enough to be driven out of a smartphone/ipod? (Samsung Focus and Zune, maybe ipod classic later)


 

 All in here: 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/591929/philips-fidelio-l1-review-and-appreciation-updated#post_8080192


----------



## n3rdling

Rack:


   
  Top to bottom:
  Blue Hawaii amp
  Sennheiser HEV90 Orpheus
  Blue Hawaii PSU / Dayton speaker amp
  Menace amp
  Menace PSU
  Accuphase DP 75
   
  Headphones:

   
  Top to bottom, left to right:
  HE90 / HE90 / SR009 / R10 / R10
  4070 / SR Omega / SR Omega / HE60 / SR007mk1
  SR 5 / SR Lambda Signature / Thunderpants / SR Sigma / SR Lambda


----------



## manveru

^^Putting everyone to shame, haha. I salute you, sir.


----------



## scottie584

Now that, that is ridiculous.


----------



## Destroysall

MOTHER OF GOD, I tip my hat to you sir, very nice!!
  Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Rack:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Shogunner

Nothing special at all, but it works for when I wanna do radio and stuff. Also, you're not seeing my SRH840's and 4AA's in the picture.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





manveru said:


> ^^Putting everyone to shame, haha. I salute you, sir.


 


  +1


----------



## zenki14

I don't normally quote photos, but the page has changed, and it's the most insane collection I've ever seen.
   
  My god...
   
  Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Rack:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## faverodefavero

+1. Insane, insane indeed...
  
  Quote: 





zenki14 said:


> I don't normally quote photos, but the page has changed, and it's the most insane collection I've ever seen.
> 
> My god...


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Nice looking speakers man!
> 
> Also, are those some Japanese Dreamcast games I see in the CD rack? The ones with the orange and white spines?


 

 Unfortuntely no that's just cd's , although I do own a dreamcast and a nes actually, hidden inside the media furniture 
   
  The speakers are pretty good, they're a german brand called Quadral. The model name is Platinum Ultra 9.


----------



## Draygonn

shogunner said:


> Nothing special at all, but it works for when I wanna do radio and stuff. Also, you're not seeing my SRH840's and 4AA's in the picture.




“Never follow an animal act or child act” - Johnny Carson
I think we can add n3rdling's setup to that list

What mic are you using Shogunner?


----------



## Shogunner

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> “Never follow an animal act or child act” - Johnny Carson
> I think we can add n3rdling's setup to that list
> What mic are you using Shogunner?


 


  An MXL990, it's my beater microphone I use for Skype. I use an AntLion modmic for my Sennheisers, and not pictured are the follow;
   
  AKG Perception 200
  Audio-Technica AT4040
  Shure SM7B
  Electro Voice RE27.
   
  I'm kind of a radio/producer nerd lol.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





shogunner said:


> Nothing special at all, but it works for when I wanna do radio and stuff. Also, you're not seeing my SRH840's and 4AA's in the picture.


 

 Pocky! Mmm...


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Rack:
> 
> 
> Headphones:


 
   
  Now that's impressive!
   
  I am truly sorry that I didn't get to listen to any of your amps while at last Saturday's Bay Area Meet. It was my first table at my first meet and I was just mesmerized by the members and rigs--WOW. Truly a wonderful experience. I did, however, hear about your table throughout the meet but by the time I got comfortable enough to mingle we all had to box up and move on out of there to give up our space to the Wedding Party. Headphones and Marriage--"such a complicated business."
   
  Perhaps I'll make it down to LA when you all have your S.Cal meet.


----------



## metalsonata

Wow. You guys all make me jealous.


----------



## AltairDusk

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> Am I the only one who uses a La-Z-Boy?


 

 La-Z-Boys are awesome but I couldn't use one at my computer.  The relaxed leaned back position just doesn't work for me and gaming.  I do have a fairly nice leather office chair that I got for free when my company moved to a new (already furnished) office though.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  When it's not such a mess I'll post a pic taken further back so the overall setup is shown rather than only the amp and headphones.


----------



## DarknightDK

Quote: 





msninja said:


> Took a pic of my new favorite:


 

 Beautiful picture. Loving the W3000ANV!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> <snip>


 

  
  Nice setup.  Did you have to wait long to get the FA-011?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think we had a member actually get out of going to a wedding to come to the Texas meet in March. lol
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Now that's impressive!
> 
> I am truly sorry that I didn't get to listen to any of your amps while at last Saturday's Bay Area Meet. It was my first table at my first meet and I was just mesmerized by the members and rigs--WOW. Truly a wonderful experience. I did, however, hear about your table throughout the meet but by the time I got comfortable enough to mingle we all had to box up and move on out of there to give up our space to the Wedding Party. Headphones and Marriage--"such a complicated business."
> 
> Perhaps I'll make it down to LA when you all have your S.Cal meet.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Your headphone stand is the leader in the clubhouse.  At least in my opinion...
  
  Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


----------



## jtaylor991

I'd love to get a nice big monitor and use a recliner like that but getting up out of it and trying to get it positioned right (scooting back and forth) would be virtually impossible 
  Maybe someday I'll try it though and see how it works out
  
  Quote: 





altairdusk said:


> La-Z-Boys are awesome but I couldn't use one at my computer.  The relaxed leaned back position just doesn't work for me and gaming.  I do have a fairly nice leather office chair that I got for free when my company moved to a new (already furnished) office though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had a recliner and a 42" for awhile that I used for everything. It was when I had my D7000 fed by the Decco2. Just sit and do whatever in that chair all day. 2 feet away? Bed.
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I'd love to get a nice big monitor and use a recliner like that but getting up out of it and trying to get it positioned right (scooting back and forth) would be virtually impossible
> Maybe someday I'll try it though and see how it works out


----------



## vladzakhar




----------



## MorbidToaster

I really like this one. Super clean. 
   
  But...why the black stand?
  
  Quote: 





vladzakhar said:


>


----------



## Zombie_X

OH? I wonder how those speakers compare to the Wharfedale Opus 2-2's my dad has....
   
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> Unfortuntely no that's just cd's , although I do own a dreamcast and a nes actually, hidden inside the media furniture
> 
> The speakers are pretty good, they're a german brand called Quadral. The model name is Platinum Ultra 9.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> For a couple weeks I now I have archived the new images posted in this thread, as well as a few others on head-fi, on my Tumblr.
> I would love some feedback.
> To any one interested, here is the link.


 
  Great collection! Here are feedback on 3 of the photos:
   

  The headphones are HiFiMan HE-5LE connected to a Decware Mini Torii SE-X. This was my table at the Bay Area Meet that was held on 11 February 2012. The amp to the right of it is the DIY amp by 2359glenn.
   
   

  The amp flanked by the Decware amps is a DIY amp that I got from 2359glenn (also seen above to the right of the Mini Torii SE-X). Glenn's amp is of an excellent design that uses a 3DG4 rectifier.
   
   

  The amp to the right is a Decware CSP2+ with a contemporary walnut base.
   
  P.S. I was in The Netherlands a few months ago. I was so sorry that I missed your country's skatable frozen canals you had a few weeks ago.


----------



## vladzakhar

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I really like this one. Super clean.
> 
> But...why the black stand?
> 
> ...


----------



## Maxvla

Temporary setup while waiting for the Stax energizer and headphones. May end up moving all my audio stuff to the living room again, but this is a handy setup.

PL720 > SX-9 (phono stage -> preamp outs) > WA6 > UERM

Odd mix of old and new tech.

Forgive the crappy phone pics. I never seem to have good pictures... ever.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> MOTHER OF GOD, I tip my hat to you sir, very nice!!


 


  ^^^


----------



## Jaysuu




----------



## Zombie_X

Here's my updated layout


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's my updated layout


 

 ^^^ I have that CD too--Eddie Mis _Rabbit Dream_. Excellent sound. The tracks certainly give my DT990 600ohm headphones a workout. And you own a rare Red Woo--beautiful!


----------



## Radio_head

I believe the album is by Head-Fi's very own Acix.


----------



## Zombie_X

Thanks Clayton, the Woo is nice and so is the CD. Acix has very good skills 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ^^^ I have that CD too--Eddie Mis _Rabbit Dream_. Excellent sound. The tracks certainly give my DT990 600ohm headphones a workout. And you own a rare Red Woo--beautiful!


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Nice setup.  Did you have to wait long to get the FA-011?


 

 Thanks.  I ordered mine from Frogbeats and they arrived in 4 days, their service is second to none.


----------



## Carl6868

My meagre setup


----------



## MorbidToaster

That M DAC is an attractive little piece of kit.


----------



## ITCW

I just added a DacMagic. My setup is finally complete:


----------



## Zombie_X

Woo Audio WA3+, DACMagic, T1, Belkin Pure AV cables (which are really nice for the money).
   
  Looks nice bro!
  
  Quote: 





itcw said:


> I just added a DacMagic. My setup is finally complete:


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


>


 


  I'm actually curious how you get the keyboard shelf to work. I've got some back problems myself, and a recliner sounds awesome.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





itcw said:


> I just added a DacMagic. My setup is finally complete:


 
  awesome!


----------



## Leiker535

eric_c said:


> I'm actually curious how you get the keyboard shelf to work. I've got some back problems myself, and a recliner sounds awesome.




Would you please lend me your sit?


----------



## theoandtheb

Where did you get that desk ITCW?


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





leiker535 said:


> Would you please lend me your sit?


 


  Sorry, what?


----------



## ThePandemonium

My little modest set up (compared to all of you), I am a college student on an internship.  My home theater system is where it is at though, it is my pride and joy.


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





msninja said:


> Thank you, and yeah it's an IKEA lamp
> 
> Here's a close-up I took at the same time. You can see the amazing finish of the can in the way that they totally reflect the surroundings (in this case, you can see out my window into the snowy abyssal plain of my neighourhood)


 


  wow....an amazingly beautiful can


----------



## Zombie_X

I see a NAD T747 in there. It's a great amp man, was even better at the $600 they were reduced to.
  
  Quote: 





thepandemonium said:


> My little modest set up (compared to all of you), I am a college student on an internship.  My home theater system is where it is at though, it is my pride and joy.


----------



## Destroysall

Very very nice.  And I also see Bose C20s?  Very interesting..how are they?  I am fully aware of their "rep" around head-fi community, but I find that they tend to release good products ever so often.
  Quote: 





itcw said:


> I just added a DacMagic. My setup is finally complete:


----------



## ThePandemonium

That is exactly what I paid for it.   You just cannot beat it for that price, it sounds amazing.
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I see a NAD T747 in there. It's a great amp man, was even better at the $600 they were reduced to.


----------



## ITCW

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Woo Audio WA3+, DACMagic, T1, Belkin Pure AV cables (which are really nice for the money).
> 
> Looks nice bro!


 

 Thanks! Btw, how did you know what AV cable I used? I can't even see it in the photo.
   
  Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> Where did you get that desk ITCW?


 
   
http://www.officemax.com/office-furniture/home-small-office-furniture-collections/sauder-lake-point-collection/product-prod3360122?history=fibrv475|prodPage~15^freeText~l+desk^paramValue~true^refine~1^region~1^param~return_skus@ocjbeoy3|prodPage~15^paramValue~true^refine~1^position~16^region~1^param~return_skus@pty7q7ho|prodPage~15^paramValue~true^refine~1^position~31^region~1^param~return_skus^return_skus~Y
   


destroysall said:


> Very very nice.  And I also see Bose C20s?  Very interesting..how are they?  I am fully aware of their "rep" around head-fi community, but I find that they tend to release good products ever so often.


 

 Thanks. I like the Companion 20's. I don't use them for critcal listening-- only for watching movies and playing games. But they handle music pretty well-- nice detail and instrument separation for pc speakers. Plus, they pack solid bass for a 2.0 system, and can reach very high volumes without distortion.


----------



## Redrider469

If you're wondering, I blurred out family pics for privacy reasons.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Nice setup.  Is that real jellyfish you've got there?


----------



## crepuscular457

Fairly simple...looks like butt too. But sounds nice.


  Computer optical out (check that clear cable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ) > fiio d3 > apheared 47 > 325is 
   
  It would be nice if I had a hex wrench small enough to actually mount the volume knob i have on the amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Also its too bad that the external box for the Creative sound card is just for looks as the sound card blew a few months back. good thing my motherboard has optical out.


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Nice setup.  Is that real jellyfish you've got there?


 


  Thanks! Boy do I wish they were REAL! Its a mood lamp though.
  http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/9a8c/?srp=1


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





itcw said:


> Thanks. I like the Companion 20's. I don't use them for critcal listening-- only for watching movies and playing games. But they handle music pretty well-- nice detail and instrument separation for pc speakers. Plus, they pack solid bass for a 2.0 system, and can reach very high volumes without distortion.


 

  
  Yea, for sure.  Do you have it hooked up to the DacMagic as well?


----------



## dmcs414

Quote: 





melvins said:


> wow....an amazingly beautiful can


 


  Quoted for truth.  Nobody makes cans like that but audio-technica.  Stunning.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think the leatherheads look even better. Mmmmm...

  
  Quote: 





dmcs414 said:


> Quoted for truth.  Nobody makes cans like that but audio-technica.  Stunning.


----------



## socialscene

It is great to see so many setups here!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





redrider469 said:


> Thanks! Boy do I wish they were REAL! Its a mood lamp though.
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/9a8c/?srp=1


 


  That looks awesome.  I think I'll get one for myself.  Thanks for the link.


----------



## theoandtheb

Awesome mouse pad redrider!


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





theoandtheb said:


> Awesome mouse pad redrider!


 


   
  haha Thanks!


----------



## Zombie_X

I use them as well and I could tell by the way the wire looked as well as how the back of the plug looks.
   
  I tinks I haz gud I's..
  
  Quote: 





itcw said:


> Thanks! Btw, how did you know what AV cable I used? I can't even see it in the photo.


----------



## Clayton SF

Sorry.
  Deleted post--wrong thread.
  It belongs _*here*_.


----------



## sphinxvc

I came home to find an early birthday present on my chair!
   

   
  I also have a pair of vintage Mordaunt Short MS20 speakers & Creek CAS4040 integrated amp on loan from a friend for a while.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I came home to find an early birthday present on my chair!
> I also have a pair of vintage Mordaunt Short MS20 speakers & Creek CAS4040 integrated amp on loan from a friend for a while.


 

 HAPPY early BIRTHDAY!!!
   
  It will make your actual birthday day all that much better now that you've gotten a sneak preview!


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


clayton sf said:


> HAPPY early BIRTHDAY!!!


 

 Thanks!!


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I came home to find an early birthday present on my chair!
> 
> 
> 
> I also have a pair of vintage Mordaunt Short MS20 speakers & Creek CAS4040 integrated amp on loan from a friend for a while.


 


  Nice. Happy Birthday!
   
  I just bought a new MacBook Pro and I believe the logic board may need replacing (well documented issue). Less than a week old and all this after converting my extensive flac library to alac! Bummed.


----------



## sphinxvc

Thanks man, it's actually not for another ~45 days, but I'll take the Mac Mini.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Configuring the "headless" mode right now and it's relatively pain free with another Mac in the house.  I imagine it would be a real headache with a PC & VNC client...I tried for 5 minutes before I gave up.  Now with my iMac I see the mini right in the finder bar as an optional screen.


----------



## weipim

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> Thanks!!


 


  dude, i think i'll probably forget to wish you happy birthday on ur actual birthday day, so,....
   
  HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYY~!!!!!


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


weipim said:


> dude, i think i'll probably forget to wish you happy birthday on ur actual birthday day, so,....
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYY~!!!!!


 

 Thx.
   
  Quote:  





> I just bought a new MacBook Pro and I believe the logic board may need replacing (well documented issue). Less than a week old and all this after converting my extensive flac library to alac! Bummed.


 

 I see I somehow missed this part of your post.  That blows.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


sphinxvc said:


> Thanks man, it's actually not for another ~45 days, but I'll take the Mac Mini.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Happy upcoming, and congrats on the new Mini! So the iMac is the monitor for it? How is the Mini connected to the iMac, USB or video or TB or?


----------



## MorbidToaster

This is _still _an issue? Not sure how much I want a MB Pro in that case...They're supposedly unveiling the revamp soon, but I kind of hate buying into new hardware at the start, too...Ugh...I really need a new laptop, and I was pretty set on a MB Pro, but there've been tales of 6+ LB replacements in a 2 year span.
  
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I see I somehow missed this part of your post.  That blows.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


grokit said:


> Happy upcoming, and congrats on the new Mini! So the iMac is the monitor for it? How is the Mini connected to the iMac, USB or video or TB or?


 

 Thanks, the iMac is the main monitor for it yes, but they sit about 60 feet apart so it's really only for configuration.  The mini's screen is shared over the wifi network with the iMac.  I set it up last night to be able to boot & go, so I don't really need the monitor nearby.  I mainly plan to use my iPhone to control it.  Once the mini boots, it starts up iTunes or Fidelia & is ready to output to the Zodiac and go.


----------



## dorino

My sub-600 dollar set up.




*Desktop:* HRT Music Streamer II -> 18V JRC4556 Cmoy -> Grado SR-325is
_(AudioQuest interconnects, generic USB cable, Grado mini adapter)_
*Portable:* 2nd gen iPod Touch -> 18V JRC4556 Cmoy -> Grado SR-325is
_(FiiO L9 LOD)_
   
300USD for headphones. 40USD for amp. 150USD for DAC. 60USD for cables.


----------



## sphinxvc

I know this is really not the place, but I can't think of any other...I was just able to set up my iPhone as a _monitor _for the Mac Mini.  I think that's pretty damn cool.  It works really well.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


dorino said:


> My sub-600 dollar set up.


 

 Nice.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> Thanks, the iMac is the main monitor for it yes, but they sit about 60 feet apart so it's really only for configuration.  The mini's screen is shared over the wifi network with the iMac.  I set it up last night to be able to boot & go, so I don't really need the monitor nearby.  I mainly plan to use my iPhone to control it.  Once the mini boots, it starts up iTunes or Fidelia & is ready to output to the Zodiac and go.


 


  Wait, so you can use an iPhone to control the Mac Mini.  So are you just using your Mac Mini as a music server?


----------



## sphinxvc

Basically, but now that I have my phone set up to be the main monitor I'll be using it for downloads, burning, browsing (it's faster than my phone's browser) and pretty much anything else I'd use a computer for.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Basically, but now that I have my phone set up to be the main monitor I'll be using it for downloads, burning, browsing (it's faster than my phone's browser) and pretty much anything else I'd use a computer for.


 


  Is this an app that you are using to do such a thing?  It sounds very cool and I would love to try it myself.


----------



## sphinxvc

LogMeIn installed on both, probably not the most secure thing since it's web based, but it works _really _well.  Go ahead and PM me if you have any other questions, I don't want to take over this thread.


----------



## dorino

Just wanted to throw out another +1 to Travis at Amped Up - Contacted him about his amp having a bit too much gain for my tastes (low volume is biased towards one ear, which is pretty impossible to avoid on Cmoy amps (we're talking like, 6-7 o'clock kind of range. Really low.) but the gain is so high that it's difficult to get it to work with my iPod without it being uncomfortably loud or extremely low in volume and as such imbalanced.
   
  So, he's going to lower the gain for me. (one advantage of the JRC4556 is it really works with any gain, from what I've read, without becoming unstable)


----------



## oaklandrkg

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> I'm actually curious how you get the keyboard shelf to work. I've got some back problems myself, and a recliner sounds awesome.


 


  Well, first off let me humbly interject that using a recliner is an absolutely baller genius idea, especially if you have a busted back, but even if you don't it's still pure baller genius. The human body just isn't designed to spend much time in a seated position; if your gonna sit on your ace, at least make it comfy as possible.
   
  Anyways, here's some pointers for the recliner:
   
  First, you're gonna need a table that stands higher than average.
   
  I went Ikea and bought an inexpensive model that had adjustable metal legs so I could raise it to the appropriate height
   
  In the beginning the keyboard sat on the side-table next to the recliner, but I wanted that space for other items so I built the shelf/cubby for the keyboard on the underside of the desk.
   
  The shelf is pretty simple: I went to the hardware store and bought (1) a wooden board meant for use as a shelf and (2) four L-shaped brackets, all said and done it was only a few bucks. I made my measurements, then screwed the L-brackets into the bottom of the desk and then screwed the wood board between the L-brackets. It's way way sturdy enough to hold the keyboard, do it right and you only have to do it once.

 Here's a pic to help makes sense from what I described. The perspective is from sitting in the recliner. Realized only after I took it that I *probably* should have had the keyboard on the shelf instead of my lap... 'doh!


----------



## Eric_C

Oh so you actually use the keyboard on your lap?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> Here's a pic to help makes sense from what I described. The perspective is from sitting in the recliner. Realized only after I took it that I *probably* should have had the keyboard on the shelf instead of my lap... 'doh!
> 
> 
> -snippy snippy-


 

  
  Ingenuity is a fine thing.


----------



## pbjabba

Got my first amp and dac setup today  Dat aluminium...
   





   
*Obligatory "sorry for the crappy phone pics" message*


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





pbjabba said:


> Got my first amp and dac setup today  Dat aluminium...


 


  Very nice! asgard/bifrost  combo
   
  i've been wanting to get maybe a Lyr/Bifrost combo for my xbox and for gaming (xbox optical out connected to DAC)


----------



## Saintly

pbjabba said:


> Got my first amp and dac setup today  Dat aluminium...
> 
> 
> *Obligatory "sorry for the crappy phone pics" message*





 
 


Beautiful! How do you like it?


----------



## pbjabba

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm really enjoying it so far. Since upgrading I finally understand why people find the Alessandro MS2 fatiguing, at louder volumes the treble is a bit like being stabbed in the ears  -_-
   
  I haven't had a chance to try out the setup with my Fostex T50RP yet, I'm sure there will be a nice improvement with those as well though. I really should get around to modding those things soon...


----------



## IndieScent

gawd, how come many of you can be so neat with cables?
  my stuff with its messy cables >_<


----------



## Tilpo

Color me impressed, that is a very nice setup you got there.


----------



## misformatt

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> gawd, how come many of you can be so neat with cables?
> my stuff with its messy cables >_<


 
   
  A fellow Ming-Da owner!  Does it get much use with headphones with your WA2 around?  The Ming-Da certainly has gobs of power, but it can be a bit noisy on low-impedance/high-sensitivity cans.


----------



## Puffery

Portable and Home setups


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Color me impressed, that is a very nice setup you got there.


 


  if this aimed at me, thanks.


  Quote: 





misformatt said:


> A fellow Ming-Da owner!  Does it get much use with headphones with your WA2 around?  The Ming-Da certainly has gobs of power, but it can be a bit noisy on low-impedance/high-sensitivity cans.


 
   
  the mingda mainly serve as power amp for my speaker now (that is until I can afford a real power amp). and yes, mine is also noisy for low impedance cans. though i heard some owner dont have this problem.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





puffery said:


> Portable and Home setups


 

 Dude very cool.  I see you once owned the HD 598, how did it compare with the HD650 and HD25?


----------



## Puffery

The HD650 is darker/warmer and has a much fuller sound then the HD598. The HD598 was slightly more airy although the detail of the HD650 more then makes up for it. However HD598 is no slouch as I preferred it to the D2000, not sure why, perhaps the mids and soundstage captivated me a little more then the bass of the D2000. The HD25 is a very good portable headphone, but sounds messy/grainy compared to the HD598/HD650. The bass of the HD25 is a lot more in your face then the HD598/HD650 and provides a fun portable experience. Also there is a peak somewhere in the highs of the HD25 that bothers me, this is not present in the other sennheisers.


----------



## Shogunner

Also, because I'm an idiot, open this picture in a new tab in it's maximum fit on your screen, sit back, cross your eyes, and focus on the center


----------



## stubzor

My v90 came in today. So that makes my setup 1/3 complete. Will be getting the 650s and a yet to be named dac within the next month or two. For now I'll have to hold out with my creative sound card and k240 mkiis. Woe is me.

  Its a poor quality pic. Sue me.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





puffery said:


> The HD650 is darker/warmer and has a much fuller sound then the HD598. The HD598 was slightly more airy although the detail of the HD650 more then makes up for it. However HD598 is no slouch as I preferred it to the D2000, not sure why, perhaps the mids and soundstage captivated me a little more then the bass of the D2000. The HD25 is a very good portable headphone, but sounds messy/grainy compared to the HD598/HD650. The bass of the HD25 is a lot more in your face then the HD598/HD650 and provides a fun portable experience. Also there is a peak somewhere in the highs of the HD25 that bothers me, this is not present in the other sennheisers.


 

 Interesting impressions.  Is the HD650 fun to listen to?


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,

 It's not a bad picture at all. The V90 looks simple, clean, and sexy. Violectric amps always tickle my fancy 
   
  Quote: 





stubzor said:


> My v90 came in today. So that makes my setup 1/3 complete. Will be getting the 650s and a yet to be named dac within the next month or two. For now I'll have to hold out with my creative sound card and k240 mkiis. Woe is me.
> 
> Its a poor quality pic. Sue me.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





shogunner said:


>


 
   
  What are your pc specs


----------



## Shogunner

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> What are your pc specs


 


   
  Power supply is a Corsair AX850 and I should be getting a 7950 next month


----------



## Dubstep Girl

my computer,  your temperatures are alot cooler than mine. 
   
  Windows 7 Pro - 64 bit
  CPU : i7 920  oc'd to 3.8ghz with HT on
  Cooling: Corsair H50 liquid cooling with extra fan in push-pull configuration
  Case: Coolermaster HAF 922
  RAM : 12 GB DDR3 @ 1600mhz
  MOBO: Asus P6T
  GFX: 2 x ATI HD 5870 in crossfire. 
  HDD: 2 x 1 tb 7200rpm, gotta buy a third hard-drive for more music storage
  Optical: Generic lightscribe CD/DVD burner and LG Super Multi Blue - Blu ray burner
  Audio: X-Fi Titanium, only for my promedia 2.1
  Power Supply: Corsair 750W (i wish i could upgrade this soon, my computer is basically at the limit due to the graphics cards...)


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





shogunner said:


> Power supply is a Corsair AX850 and I should be getting a 7950 next month


 

  
  Beautiful. I was torn between the 7950 or dual 6950 2gbs, I chose the latter.  Not sure why, maybe an ego thing but the performance should be near identical.  I had an SSD but it caused too many fragmentation issues, best to stick with a very large SSD or none at all.


----------



## keph

here is mine just bought some Audio-gd stuffs..


----------



## Shogunner

Keph that setup is gorgeous. Also cheater, thanks. Also I would have went with the 7950 I think, I'm scared of microstuttering lol (not to mention AMD Northbridge supports single CPU only ).


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow very very nice


----------



## keph

Thx...
  
  Quote: 





shogunner said:


> Keph that setup is gorgeous.


----------



## keph

Thx...love ur specs..if i din't have my G73 laptop i love to make a desktop..
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> wow very very nice


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Shogunner* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Also, because I'm an idiot, open this picture in a new tab in it's maximum fit on your screen, sit back, cross your eyes, and focus on the center


 

 i do believe this is the first stereoscopic headphone setup i've seen.
  great job!!


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





keph said:


> here is mine just bought some Audio-gd stuffs..


 


  Very nice!
   
  I do wonder why la figaro/darvoice would have chosen a 3 pin xlr/TRS combo jack, rather than just a locking TRS...


----------



## keph

Thx...hmmm i actually don't even know why haha..
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Very nice!
> 
> I do wonder why la figaro/darvoice would have chosen a 3 pin xlr/TRS combo jack, rather than just a locking TRS...


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





keph said:


> here is mine just bought some Audio-gd stuffs..


 
   
  How do you like both the HE-500 and LCD-2? If you had to choose one, which one would it be?


----------



## keph

they both sound different to me...im new to the LCD-2 but loving it ever since..but for now if i have to choose one hmmm since ive got the HE-500 about 4-5months ago and got used to it ill pick the HE-500...but in any other ways they both sounded AMAZING...!
  
  Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> How do you like both the HE-500 and LCD-2? If you had to choose one, which one would it be?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Having owned both I can say they both have their place. For a 'one size fits all' headphone I'd pick the HE 500, but for me the LCD 2 beat it out. Since I listen to a lot of bass heavy stuff and the LCD 2's bass texture and depth are pretty much unmatched.
   
  Both are a fantastic choice and with used LCD 2 prices and the new HE 500 price...They're pretty much on the same level.
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> they both sound different to me...im new to the LCD-2 but loving it ever since..but for now if i have to choose one hmmm since ive got the HE-500 about 4-5months ago and got used to it ill pick the HE-500...but in any other ways they both sounded AMAZING...!


----------



## monoethylene




----------



## treal512

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i do believe this is the first stereoscopic headphone setup i've seen.
> great job!!


 

 +2!!


----------



## kellybundy110

http://i.imgur.com/19hlH.jpg




http://i.imgur.com/tROo9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Y3snu.jpg


----------



## stubzor

How do you like that dacmagic in the corner? Im thinking about getting one myself.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *liamstrain* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Very nice!
> 
> I do wonder why la figaro/darvoice would have chosen a 3 pin xlr/TRS combo jack, rather than just a locking TRS...


 

 Perhaps they want to assert that it will drive a K1000/HE-6.


----------



## TheWuss

That would be 4 pin xlr, no?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> That would be 4 pin xlr, no?


 


  You are correct.  The EF-6 has four-pin balanced just for the purpose of the HE-6's termination.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> Perhaps they want to assert that it will drive a K1000/HE-6.


 


  They would, if it were a 4 pin combo jack (which I don't even think Neutrik makes), but that looks to me to be a single 3 pin combo jack... not the right connector for a balanced headphone.


----------



## RexAeterna

liamstrain said:


> They would, if it were a 4 pin combo jack (which I don't even think Neutrik makes), but that looks to me to be a single 3 pin combo jack... not the right connector for a balanced headphone.




i have 4-pin neutrik silver contact connectors terminated on all my headphones. single 4-pin xlr is a balance connector and much more logical then the weird dual 3-pin xlr configuration with headphones. 4-pin xlr on headphones make more sense to me personally.


----------



## liamstrain

Agreed. My point is, the 339 posted above has a single 3 pin xlr/trs combo jack on the face. I don't understand this choice.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

so....... much...... toys.......
  Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Rack:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Navyblue

XLR and balanced connection are designed for pro audio use, thus 2 x 3 pin XLR choice is more consistent. 4 pin XLR isn't nearly as common.
   
  TRS is actually a somewhat flawed connection, as the plug is being inserted or removed, there is a possibility that the right output and ground be shorted which would blow the right channel output. This is especially true for high end headphone amp that is capable of providing gobs of current in split seconds. A 3 pin XLR for unbalanced stereo termination would eliminate that risk.


----------



## Silent One

_Woo Audio WA 6 Special Edition_; 6AS7 OTL Amp Custom Built by 2359glenn.


----------



## kellybundy110

love it but look into the dac magic plus .


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





silent one said:


> _Woo Audio WA 6 Special Edition_; 6AS7 OTL Amp Custom Built by 2359glenn.


 


  that custom amp is pretty. wonder how it sound like? and the cost


----------



## Saintly




----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice!
   
  how does the Phoenix compare to the WA6?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice!
> 
> how does the Phoenix compare to the WA6?


 
   
  Thanks!
   
  The Phoenix and WA6 sound quite similar actually in that both have a touch of warmth which handles the HD 800's treble quite nicely.  The Phoenix, like the V200 that I had and sold, has a very smooth and organic sound yet it manages to maintain a great 3-dimensional soundstage and instrument separation.  I'm pretty excited that it sounds better than the amp of the Benchmark Dac1 USB.  The V200, in comparison to the Dac1 and indirectly to the Phoenix and WA6, sounded somewhat veiled with a constricted soundstage and smearing of intricate passages.  For example, individual instruments in a section (first violins, cellos, etc) could not be heard distinctly from each other with the V200.
   
  The WA6 has more midrange emphasis and a tad more bass quantity although the differences between it and the Phoenix are not night and day to my ears.  This WA6 has the premium parts upgrade (Blackgates and V-caps) which added $300 to the price tag.  I have not heard a stock model.
   
  I've read that the Phoenix in balanced mode is considerably better than single ended, so I'm looking forward to hearing that.  I have a fully balanced cable coming and I will update with pictures and more impressions.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice. yeah, i can imagine the phoenix becoming noticeably better when you go balanced.
   
   
  i'm gonna buy hd 800s for my WA6-SE and WA2 in the next week or 2, glad to hear that the WA6 helps with the treble, i was worried my WA6-SE would still make the hd 800s a little bright.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice. yeah, i can imagine the phoenix becoming noticeably better when you go balanced.
> 
> 
> i'm gonna buy hd 800s for my WA6-SE and WA2 in the next week or 2, glad to hear that the WA6 helps with the treble, i was worried my WA6-SE would still make the hd 800s a little bright.


 
   
  The WA6 sounds fantastic with the HD800.  If I hadn't snatch up the Phoenix at such a great price and ordered balanced silver cables for the HD 800, then I would keep the WA6 for a loooooong time without any desire to upgrade.
   
  I hear that the WA6-SE sounds quite SS-like for a tube amp but you'll probably be fine.  At any rate, your WA2 will definitely tame the treble quite well.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

the sophia upgrade smooths out the highs really well on the WA6-SE, but its definitely a very dynamic amp that sounds very SS like.
   
  either way, shall the WA6-SE fail me, i got the WA2!


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> the sophia upgrade smooths out the highs really well on the WA6-SE, but its definitely a very dynamic amp that sounds very SS like.
> 
> either way, shall the WA6-SE fail me, i got the WA2!


 


  Haha, I just edited in the part about the WA2 without reading this post.  You're covered!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yeah. the T1 and the WA2 are amazing, i can only imagine that it will do good with the HD 800 too.


----------



## hodgjy

My new (new to me) toy from Serbia taking her place next to the Asgard.


----------



## sphinxvc

nvm


----------



## Dubstep Girl

trafomatic head one


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> trafomatic head one


 

 Thx for the quick reply, I only thought to click on his profile after I posted.


----------



## The8thst

My current work setup with temporary "Headphone Amp".


Closeup of the temporary "Amp" a B&K Ref 50 Pre/Pro.


----------



## lextek

I think the B&K stuff has a pretty good headphone out.


----------



## Timestretch

Here's some pictures I took today. I just discovered the "old fashioned filter" on my phone camera, haha. This is my bedroom in my apartment.





  Sorry, last picture's pretty awful; taken in the pitch black.


----------



## nick n

I love looking at other people's setups!
   A bit different now here.
  New spotless restored/tweaked vintage Lafayette amp and Teac EQA-5.

  Tied into this stuff about 5 feet away. rest of headphones, TT's and vinyl, cd's, cassettes elsewhere.


----------



## jtaylor991

Fresh pics of my vinyl rig/stereo that I just took <1hr ago.
   
   
  Left speaker:
   

   
   
   
  Right speaker:
   
   

   
   
   
  Receiver:
   

  Between the Lenovo X200 tablet laptop (for school, rented from them) with the Strange Music logo/decal on the back and the receiver is my PS Audio DLIII DAC, I decided to try it with my stereo and it fits in nicely. I'm enjoying it.
   
   
   
  Darker and a bit more detailed pic of the receiver:
   

   
   
   
   
  Turntable:
   

   
   

  Ortofon Omega cartridge, sorry it wasn't quite in focus, good budget cartridge, worth $30 to start you off IMO
   
   

  I love knowing I can play any record of any speed or size on this turntable...
   
   
   
   
   
  My messy excuse of cable management:
   

   
   

  My APC UPS power supply/battery backup
   
   
   
   
  Dual CS-5000 Turntable
  JVC R-X500B Receiver
  Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers (not sure which version of them, they have a dome tweeter, all I know)
   
  I inherited this setup when my neighbor passed away just from old age. For nothing at all. The turntable even had a Shure V15V-MR cartridge on it and it sounded great but the stylus is torn to shreds apparently and why buy a new $50 only to find the money wasted because the cartridge is worn out anyway? So I'm on my $30 Ortofon Omega cartridge.
   
  The cassette tapes, VHS and CDs behind the right speaker are all my Dad's except the top shelf of CDs with the tall DVD case at the beginning of the stack, which are my CDs, and I have like 4 more that don't fit in there.
   
  There ya go, my friends! I've already posted pics of my headphone setup, and if you want more pics, I have plenty more of this stereo that are a lot brighter and a lot darker (I bracket my photographs) if you want more cool looking pics to store for whatever reason, I don't mind. I saw Tilpo had an album on their (her or his?) blog of some headphone setups that had been posted around for instance. I'll also take more of my/my Dad's actual record collection too.
   
  My Dad bought a bunch of those power supplies from Amazon one day. He has one at his work, I have one in my bedroom behind my computer rig/battlestation some might call it, and this one here behind the stereo. I don't need the battery backup, but the extra surge protection is nice I guess.
   
  Happy Head-Fi browsing and music listening!


----------



## grokit

No headphones


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


>


 

 Your stereo rig has come a long way from when you posted your first pic. I salute you, sir


----------



## Maxvla

Thanks for quoting the pictures again. I missed them the first time two posts above yours.


----------



## calipilot227

Oops, my bad. Fixed


----------



## Maxvla

Thanks


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





grokit said:


> No headphones


 
  I posted them up some while ago, if you feel like scrolling back a month or so, I'm too lazy to here at 4am lol
  
   


  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Your stereo rig has come a long way from when you posted your first pic. I salute you, sir


 

 Thanks! I'm likin' it! I moved everything to the table in the back just because it looks cooler to me, like a command center behind me, but I don't get to watch my records play 
  Also, I need to figure out my seating arrangement and also I hate how the sound loses some quality if I lay back a few inches in the recliner vs. upright, but I'll probably get used to it.
   
  My next upgrade (besides a new cartridge, I'm trading in some stuff at a local shop today/tomorrow [Sunday, technically today but the day hasn't started yet for me and some others I assume, so whatever floats your boat I guess lol] and maybe I'll get a new cartridge and a reel-to-reel! ) would be a new amp, since I bet my soundstage could be a lot better with a new amp and a correct distance from the speakers. I have my recliner in front of and enclosed inside my sectional couch, so I feel kinda pushed up close but it sounds right, but I'll have to measure everything out. The TV there, which needs to be there for when guests stay here, and that window make things look off center when I measure stuff out, and it just doesn't feel right. I'll figure it out someday. I'm glad you remember!


----------



## jtaylor991

Here ya go, buddy!
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-its-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/3780#post_8080348
  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> No headphones


----------



## grokit

Oh yeah, I remember now


----------



## nc8000

With my latest purchase Audiolab 8200CD cd player and dac


----------



## Destroysall

Sometimes my phone will take a pic just right and sometimes it don't.  Here's my HD280 PRO, forgive me for not adding in either my E10 or iPod.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Sometimes my phone will take a pic just right and sometimes it don't.  Here's my HD280 PRO, forgive me for not adding in either my E10 or iPod.


 


  Very excellent, especially for a phone pic, indeed


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's more pics of my dads set-up if anyone is interested


----------



## winkyeye

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> With my latest purchase Audiolab 8200CD cd player and dac
> -----


 

 What cable is that for the HE-500s?


----------



## nc8000

winkyeye said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Whiplash Audio TWag V2 Eclipse terminated in the balanced Kobicon connector Ray Samuels use for Protector and SR71-B. All my phones are cabled and terminated that way and I then have a number of pigtals for other connections (1/8" trs, 1/8" trrs and 2 x 3-pin xlr).


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's more pics of my dads set-up if anyone is interested
> 
> <snip>


 


 Wow, your dad has a nice setup.  I guess you inherited his love for all things audio?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Zombie, what furniture is that? It looks great and I need a new rack soon.


----------



## hodgjy

That is totally wicked.  Now I see where your interest in audio equipment comes from! 
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's more pics of my dads set-up if anyone is interested


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Zombie, what furniture is that? It looks great and I need a new rack soon.


 


  Looks to me like the VTI BL404 with silver frames and black shelves.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043HBCB2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851


----------



## MorbidToaster

I thought so but wanted to confirm. that VTI stuff has been catching my eye every time. Going to buy one once I get my gear together.
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Looks to me like the VTI BL404 with silver frames and black shelves.
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043HBCB2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851


----------



## roker

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I love knowing I can play any record of any speed or size on this turntable...


 

  
  Don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure you need a special cartridge/stylus to play 78s
   
  good thing for you that that's only regulated to very old records
   
  my paltry vinyl collection dates back to the 50s and there isn't a 78 to be found.


----------



## roker

Quote: 





kellybundy110 said:


> love it but look into the dac magic plus .


 


  If it's the same dac as the dacmagic, I'd steer 3000 miles away from it with no regrets


----------



## jtaylor991

Yeah I always thought it was because the high speed wore down the needle faster, and it still kinda is, but the wider grooves have a lot of bouncing around in there creating more noise, so it's worth it to get a 78 stylus apparently. I'm not so sure about cartridges though.
  
  Quote: 





roker said:


> Don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure you need a special cartridge/stylus to play 78s
> 
> good thing for you that that's only regulated to very old records
> 
> my paltry vinyl collection dates back to the 50s and there isn't a 78 to be found.


----------



## Zombie_X

Indeed, it all started with him suggesting some HD595's to me and well, you see where I am now.
  
  Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Wow, your dad has a nice setup.  I guess you inherited his love for all things audio?


 


   
  It's made by VTI, though I don't know the price nor model number.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Zombie, what furniture is that? It looks great and I need a new rack soon.


 


   
  Yup 
  
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> That is totally wicked.  Now I see where your interest in audio equipment comes from!


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Indeed, it all started with him suggesting some HD595's to me and well, you see where I am now.


 

 Hey, how do you like that Little Pinkie PSU?
   
   
  This is my setup these days, obviously I'm a messy guy... Also taken with my webcam because I'm also a classy man


----------



## Zombie_X

I love the Pinkie PSU. It give my X-CANV8P gobs of juice. I see you have a basic, yet nice set-up.
   
  You still live in Milwaukee at all? It's been 4 yours since I've actually seen you. We have to meet up sometime and compare our gear. Last time yuo were here all I had was the X-CANV8P and a K701/HD600.
   
  Speaking of Sennheiser's, how's your SPC cable holding up?
  
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> Hey, how do you like that Little Pinkie PSU?
> 
> 
> This is my setup these days, obviously I'm a messy guy... Also taken with my webcam because I'm also a classy man


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I love the Pinkie PSU. It give my X-CANV8P gobs of juice. I see you have a basic, yet nice set-up.
> 
> You still live in Milwaukee at all? It's been 4 yours since I've actually seen you. We have to meet up sometime and compare our gear. Last time yuo were here all I had was the X-CANV8P and a K701/HD600.
> 
> Speaking of Sennheiser's, how's your SPC cable holding up?


 

 I'm still there over the summers and stuff, we definitely should get together! The cable is doing nicely, I might have to have you take a look at it though, the right channel is a little touchy sometimes. 
   
  We should find some guys and have a proper head-fi meet sometime, too. There's a pretty decent southeastern WI contingent, IIRC.


----------



## hodgjy

On Wisconsin!  I'm originally from Green Bay!
  
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> There's a pretty decent southeastern WI contingent, IIRC.


----------



## Baird GoW

Updated my desk a bit...turned my side monitors to portrait, moved my DI and DI PSU behind my main monitor (they will be hidden when my 30"  Dell U3011 arrives). A couple other minor things. Doing alright for a 20 year old?


----------



## mmayer167

Nice! ^ I have a HK amp too. 
   
   
  Eau Claire, Wisconsin here @ hodgjy  not southeast by any means but it's still the same state!
   
  -M


----------



## Maxvla

Love the display arrangement.


----------



## Baird GoW

WAYYYYY better than when the sides were in landscape... Once I get my 30" in the middle I'll be set (it's height and pixel count 2560x1600 is exactly the same as the portrait on my side monitors 1200x1600). This in eyefinity >>>>>> 3 Landscape eyefinity.


----------



## nc8000

jtaylor991 said:


> Yeah I always thought it was because the high speed wore down the needle faster, and it still kinda is, but the wider grooves have a lot of bouncing around in there creating more noise, so it's worth it to get a 78 stylus apparently. I'm not so sure about cartridges though.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...




Rega makes a dedicated 78rpm cartridge (and dedicated turntable). I have one and about 200 old records, the oldest one being a Caruso recording from 1908 that is only recorded on one side, weighs a ton and is several mm thick


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> Updated my desk a bit...turned my side monitors to portrait, moved my DI and DI PSU behind my main monitor (they will be hidden when my 30"  Dell U3011 arrives). A couple other minor things. Doing alright for a 20 year old?


 
  Awesome setup! What model are the portrait monitors?


----------



## jtaylor991

Is it necessary to have a 78rpm cartridge to play them? Is it bad for a regular one? I don't doubt that a dedicated one for 78s is better, but is it necessary to get the job done decently? And sounds cool! Do 78s sound better than 33s and 45s in general to you, or lower quality?
  
  Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> Rega makes a dedicated 78rpm cartridge (and dedicated turntable). I have one and about 200 old records, the oldest one being a Caruso recording from 1908 that is only recorded on one side, weighs a ton and is several mm thick


----------



## nc8000

78's are ancient mono records that they probably stopped making not long after the second world war so sq is generally very poor, you only listen to them for artistic reasons. They are rough an coarse so I would never subject a stereo cartridge to them. Also the grove is wider so the delicate stereo needle will extract a lot more noise than the bigger mono needle (remember that when these records were first made the needle was literally that, a steel needle). In 50's to 70's you had cartridges that had 2 needles and you would rote it and use one for 78 and the other for 45 and 33 (and 16, records were made for that speed as well)


----------



## Baird GoW

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Awesome setup! What model are the portrait monitors?


 

 Thanks! I think so too!This is the 3rd layout I've had in my room, and about the 5th time I've made changes to this setup in particular. I think this time the layout is a keeper.
  Really old E207WFP they don't come with the monitor stands I'm using. And I bought the stands hoping they would fit... They didn't so I had to modify them with my dremel before they would work.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> In 50's to 70's you had cartridges that had 2 needles and you would rote it and use one for 78 and the other for 45 and 33.


 

 That brings back memories - I had forgotten about those.


----------



## tme110

I never did know why those needles flipped over


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> Updated my desk a bit...turned my side monitors to portrait, moved my DI and DI PSU behind my main monitor (they will be hidden when my 30"  Dell U3011 arrives). A couple other minor things. Doing alright for a 20 year old?


 


  Nice Setup, I see you got Energy RC-10's, i have them aswell and love them, awesome sound for the price and size. I spy a Audio-GD Power Filter! Wish they still sold those, i would pick one up in a heart beat.


----------



## John In Cali

Just got some monitor wall mounts from monoprice, like $7 for both monitors. Got rid of the huge table that took most of the space in my room previously. Definitely not up to par with some other set ups, but i like mine a bunch. Just need to take care of the cable mess.


----------



## The8thst

baird gow said:


> Updated my desk a bit...turned my side monitors to portrait, moved my DI and DI PSU behind my main monitor (they will be hidden when my 30"  Dell U3011 arrives). A couple other minor things. Doing alright for a 20 year old?




Everyone should have the chance to experience the awesomeness of a good 30" monitor. I love mine. You will not be dissapointed.


----------



## iamsilvermember

Just got into this headphone fever...  Spent a grand in only 1 month!!  My current setup:
   
  Audirvana>Streamer ii+>Asgard>HD650
   
  I think come to head-fi forum too much.


----------



## logwed

Member since 2005, only had audio fever starting in this last month? Interessant...
   
  Very clean rig!


----------



## iamsilvermember

Thanks logwed. I was an earphone fan before 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Kind of off topic, but to get rid of wires I also want to get the Apple Bluetooth keyboard, but I love the number pad so much that I cannot justify getting one.  Anyone feel the same way?


----------



## GM325i

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> For a couple weeks I now I have archived the new images posted in this thread, as well as a few others on head-fi, on my Tumblr.
> I would love some feedback.
> To any one interested, here is the link.


 


  Thanks for doing this!


----------



## BranMuffin

Here's a quick picture of my setup
   
  Denon dn-2500f > daveco LEM-5 > Hifiman EF-5 > Hifiman HE-4
   
  or
   
  Pc > creative xfi HD > EF-5 > HE-4 or senheiser pc350 (for gaming)
   

   
  love the bose 802 series 2 on a ramsa amp
   
  also got a wharfedale pro sub a15 hiding out of the picture
   
  and a closer shot of the hifiman gear


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





iamsilvermember said:


> Thanks logwed. I was an earphone fan before
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I use the wired Apple keyboard with my self-built pc because I find typing on that chiclet style keyboard comfortable.  Losing the numpad would be a no no for me too.


----------



## Tilpo

gm325i said:


> Thanks for doing this!




And thank you for your appreciation!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have the wireless Apple keyboard that came with my iMac but only use it in bed.  I use a Logitech Illuminated Keyboard (still going strong after 5 years) at my desk.
  
  Quote: 





daigo said:


> I use the wired Apple keyboard with my self-built pc because I find typing on that chiclet style keyboard comfortable.  Losing the numpad would be a no no for me too.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Quote: 





iamsilvermember said:


> Thanks logwed. I was an earphone fan before
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Ever since I increasingly use laptops, I stopped missing number pads.
   
  But this is an option...
   
http://www.lmp-adapter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:8337-lmp-bluetooth-keypad&catid=1:lmp-keypad&Itemid=2


----------



## darren700

just got my O2 today, sounds great so far.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





daigo said:


> I use the wired Apple keyboard with my self-built pc because I find typing on that chiclet style keyboard comfortable.  Losing the numpad would be a no no for me too.


 

 Me and you both!  I love this keyboard.  However, I have considered getting the Apple wireless keyboard along with the item Jeff mentioned below.
   


  Quote: 





buttuglyjeff said:


> Ever since I increasingly use laptops, I stopped missing number pads.
> 
> But this is an option...
> 
> http://www.lmp-adapter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:8337-lmp-bluetooth-keypad&catid=1:lmp-keypad&Itemid=2


----------



## Baird GoW

The last pics I posted are annoying me because of how dirty my A/V cabinet was. I cleaned up a little so you could see it clean. Also my ant farm was missing in the last pics. Sorry if this second post pisses anyone off.


----------



## toyman

New to the headphone scene, but here's my station. I need a stand, which I think I found this morning.  I wanted something different and I think I found it.  I'll post once I get it in use.


----------



## Tilpo

toyman said:


> New to the headphone scene, but here's my station. I need a stand, which I think I found this morning.  I wanted something different and I think I found it.  I'll post once I get it in use.




You might want to reupload those images; they are indredible small and unclear.


----------



## kebbin15




----------



## RestoredSparda

Very nice. That's a pic of almost exactly what i wish to purchase, except I would shoot for the HE 5 instead. I'm curious, how are you liking the HiFiMan sound???
  Quote: 





branmuffin said:


> Here's a quick picture of my setup
> 
> Denon dn-2500f > daveco LEM-5 > Hifiman EF-5 > Hifiman HE-4
> 
> ...


----------



## BranMuffin

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Very nice. That's a pic of almost exactly what i wish to purchase, except I would shoot for the HE 5 instead. I'm curious, how are you liking the HiFiMan sound???


 


  I'm actually loving the hifiman sound I picked the HE-4 as it's known for having a slight "fun" eq curve and they came bundled with the EF-5 amp at a slightly reduced cost. (my wallet liked that!) They are also a lot more comfortable than expected the amp drives them very well and seem to warm them up nicely all in all I am a satisfied customer!
  although always curious on how the other HE series headphones sound. I suggest if you can audition them before you buy!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





branmuffin said:


> I'm actually loving the hifiman sound I picked the HE-4 as it's known for having a slight "fun" eq curve and they came bundled with the EF-5 amp at a slightly reduced cost. (my wallet liked that!) They are also a lot more comfortable than expected the amp drives them very well and seem to warm them up nicely all in all I am a satisfied customer!
> although always curious on how the other HE series headphones sound. I suggest if you can audition them before you buy!


 


  Do you find that there's a difference in the RCA cables you use with your EF-5 or is it just the placebo effect?


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





toyman said:


> New to the headphone scene, but here's my station. I need a stand, which I think I found this morning.  I wanted something different and I think I found it.  I'll post once I get it in use.


 


  Welcome to head-fi! Sorry for your wallet.
   
  Looks like you have quite a setup from the looks of your sig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Full desk

  Up close


----------



## Draygonn

morbidtoaster said:


>




It arrived! Congrats. Are you done with headphones and fully moved on to speakers now?


----------



## IcedTea

omg, I was lucky enough to audition the liquid fire at a local meet
   
  it was eargasmic with the HE-6..
   
  till I found out how much the amp costed


----------



## MorbidToaster

I plan on a DAC upgrade down the line, but that will be incorporated into both set ups. I'm done with buying expensive stuff, but I'd like to own a few more pairs of cans. Maybe a Thunderpants.
   
  EDIT: My speaker set up is starting strong though. My MMGs are on their way.
   
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> It arrived! Congrats. Are you done with headphones and fully moved on to speakers now?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm done with buying expensive stuff


 
  Most often quoted statement by a head-fi'er before upgrading.  How is the Liquid Fire treating you?


----------



## Maxvla

Don't you guys worry. After the 10th we'll have him dreaming of stats.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Love it. Ordered 2 days into my time with on in December. Alex hit a home run.
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Most often quoted statement by a head-fi'er before upgrading.  How is the Liquid Fire treating you?


 


  Oh I'm already dreaming, but I do want to focus on upgrading my TT and speaker set up first.


  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Don't you guys worry. After the 10th we'll have him dreaming of stats.


----------



## Zombie_X

Liquid Fire eh? I might have to hit Robert up and see if I can get one to borrow.
   
  Not bashing, but when I previously heard one I didn't think it was all that impressive... I was underwhelmed by it.


----------



## IcedTea

I think for me it might have been that I only have the DT880s and valhalla amp at home. I also didn't have a DAC at the time either


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Full desk


 

 That's a powerful rig you've got there!
   
   
  Oh, and I love your desktop wallpaper


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Liquid Fire eh? I might have to hit Robert up and see if I can get one to borrow.
> 
> Not bashing, but when I previously heard one I didn't think it was all that impressive... I was underwhelmed by it.


 


 must have been the source.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  no kidding, i have the V200 and Liquid Fire sitting a few feet from each other.
  each morning the V200 awakens, and bows to the Liquid Fire.


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> Liquid Fire eh? I might have to hit Robert up and see if I can get one to borrow.
> 
> Not bashing, but when I previously heard one I didn't think it was all that impressive... I was underwhelmed by it.




The LF is the only product I've heard with my LCD 2 that I use the term 'night and day' with. The bass and detail it brings out are just amazing. 

It was also my first non-blind buy in this hobby, so I had to be impressed.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

hd 650s gone and i have w5000s now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  hd 800 incoming next week + denon d7000 shortly after. 
   
  also, upgrading my PC again! this time getting a 1200W power supply and getting a SSD drive + maybe a tb or 2 for music 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  those 24/96 flac really take up alot of space....


----------



## MorbidToaster

It really is a fantastic photo. I'd love to see more if you rearrange and what not.
  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> That's a powerful rig you've got there!
> 
> 
> Oh, and I love your desktop wallpaper


----------



## BranMuffin

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Do you find that there's a difference in the RCA cables you use with your EF-5 or is it just the placebo effect?


 


  You know what I can't really say how the rca cables affect the sound of the EF-5 as I've only tried the average quality ones I had lying around at home.


----------



## DragonOwen

Got my WooAudio GES (premium parts upgrade, DACT CT2 stepped attenuator) today, so now I can finally listen my SR-507 (which I got on 29 december 2011) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Sorry for so many photos, I just can't pick the best of them, so dicided to upload them all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And by the way, the two devices in front of the monitor is my DAC and balanced amp for HE-6 (look in my signature) and it's just a temporary place for them, in a few days I will make a shelf for them (didn't expect that GES will arrive so fast, only 8 days from USA to my home in Russia)


----------



## Tilpo

Awesome setup DragonOwen.

I wonder how the HE-6 and the 507 compare.


Also, why did you wait so long when you did have the 507? Depending on the amp you had before you could have bought a transformer for about $200 as a temporary solution. Selling it after you do have a proper amp won't be a problem either since there are enough people that want one.


----------



## manveru

Quote:  

 Holy frak.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Awesome setup DragonOwen.
> I wonder how the HE-6 and the 507 compare.
> Also, why did you wait so long when you did have the 507? Depending on the amp you had before you could have bought a transformer for about $200 as a temporary solution. Selling it after you do have a proper amp won't be a problem either since there are enough people that want one.


 

 The GES is still burning-in so can't do a proper comparission right now... but I'm about 80% sure that I will be selling my HE-6 soon, based on what I'm hearing right now from my SR-507.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  There was some issues with payment and bank blocked my money transfer for 30 days, so that's why I have to wait for two months... I bought used 507 on audiogon for 675, so it was pretty hot deal, so I bought them right away. This is my first electrostatic headphones and GES is my first electrostatic amp, so transformer will not helped me in any way (and I don't have any free money right now (or two months ago), it all was putted in getting GES (I even sold my LCD-2 + Silver Dragon balanced cable)), but I had HE-6 with me, so it wasn't very boring waiting of amp for 507, because HE-6 is superb headphones.
  P.S. Sorry for my bad English, hope you understand what I'm trying to tell.


----------



## Tilpo

dragonowen said:


> The GES is still burning-in so can't do a proper comparission right now... but I'm about 80% sure that I will be selling my HE-6 soon, based on what I'm hearing right now from my SR-507.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Two months? Seems you made a typo in that case, since 29 December _2010_ is 14 months ago!

And you don't need an electrostatic amp to use a transformer. In fact, you use it to allow a 'normal' amp to drive electrostats by simply increasing the voltage of a powerful headphone amp or speaker amp. Since you had an amp that could drive an HE-6 I think you'd have no problem driving an electrostat.
But if you'd have to wait two months, then it ain't that bad. At first I thought you had to wait 14 months, which would seem almost like an eternity to me.

Congratulations on your upgrade, by the way. I'm sure you'll be very happy


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Two months? Seems you made a typo in that case, since 29 December _2010_ is 14 months ago!
> And you don't need an electrostatic amp to use a transformer. In fact, you use it to allow a 'normal' amp to drive electrostats by simply increasing the voltage of a powerful headphone amp or speaker amp. Since you had an amp that could drive an HE-6 I think you'd have no problem driving an electrostat.
> But if you'd have to wait two months, then it ain't that bad. At first I thought you had to wait 14 months, which would seem almost like an eternity to me.
> Congratulations on your upgrade, by the way. I'm sure you'll be very happy


 

 Yes, sorry, my mistake, still kinda living in 2011  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  My amp for HE-6 (MS Audio lab. FHA 1.3) is balanced and gives about 6 watts on 50 Ohm in pure class A and it was basically made for HE-6 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But still I never think to try driving SR-507 from it...
  Thanks, I'm already feel happy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, now I will have to only save some money to buy 009, so that I will be even more happy... but it will probably take about 2 years for me to save so much money


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





baird gow said:


> The last pics I posted are annoying me because of how dirty my A/V cabinet was. I cleaned up a little so you could see it clean. Also my ant farm was missing in the last pics. Sorry if this second post pisses anyone off.


 

 Shpongle! Nice setup.
   
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Full desk
> 
> Up close


 

 Wow, nice. Someone has the "itis" bad


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been wanting a proper amp for those LCD 2 since I got them. I now have it. I chickened out in the last run, but I was completely on board for the Feb run after hearing the LF in my home again.

  
  Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Wow, nice. Someone has the "itis" bad


----------



## Melvins

my Magnums are in the process of being made. Should have them by my birthday. CANNOT WAIT


----------



## MohawkUS

Just ordered me a pair of vintage Stax: SR-5NB and a SRD-6 transformer box. I'll be running it off of my dad's Pioneer SX-6 and my cheap $40 Sherwood S-7210A receiver until I can sell my Burson and pick up a beefy vintage integrated amp. From what I've read these should be real kickass metal phones.


----------



## Melvins

what metal do you listen to?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice woo audio GES.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I plan on a DAC upgrade down the line, but that will be incorporated into both set ups. I'm done with buying expensive stuff, but I'd like to own a few more pairs of cans. Maybe a Thunderpants.
> 
> EDIT: My speaker set up is starting strong though. My MMGs are on their way.


 

 Hello morbid I am presuming that your talking about Magnepan MMGs right?, if you are getting some can you tell me how they are i have been looking at them for some time and would love to know how they stack up against your headphones.


----------



## MohawkUS

melvins said:


> what metal do you listen to?




All the good stuff: Black, Doom, Thrash, Grindcore, some Death. My last.fm is in my sig. I've been doing a lot of listening on youtube and vinyl lately so my last isn't really up to date, but should give you a good idea. We're already friends on last.fm funny enough.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm really looking forward to getting them. They're probably another 2 weeks out because their factory is a bit backed up right now, but I'll report in as soon as I get them.

 I was looking for quite awhile before I decided on a pair of Maggies. I hope I like them. They're gorgeous speakers and have a reputation to match. If I like them I'll probably fill out the rest of the spectrum with an REL sub.
  Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Hello morbid I am presuming that your talking about Magnepan MMGs right?, if you are getting some can you tell me how they are i have been looking at them for some time and would love to know how they stack up against your headphones.


----------



## Zombie_X

I don't know, I ran it from my DAC right off my PC with lossless files from HDTracks. I played a bunch of other files on it as well with the same results.
   
  I wasn't saying it sounded bad, but I just didn't like the signature over my other amps. It's a good amp for sure, but IMO not worth the price. I just much prefer my V200 and Auditor to it. Nothing wrong with that though.
   
  If the price was $1,500 cheaper I would get it right away. I just feel that for the price that it does nothing that is extraordinary. 
   
  Like I said I am not bashing the amp at all, I do like it, but find it overpriced for what it's capable of.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> must have been the source.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## akwok

Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


 





 *drool*


----------



## hodgjy

X2.  Impressive setup.
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> *drool*


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


 


  You wanna trade setups?


----------



## Maxvla

mohawkus said:


> Just ordered me a pair of vintage Stax: SR-5NB and a SRD-6 transformer box. I'll be running it off of my dad's Pioneer SX-6 and my cheap $40 Sherwood S-7210A receiver until I can sell my Burson and pick up a beefy vintage integrated amp. From what I've read these should be real kickass metal phones.




If your SX-6 is anything like my SX-9 regarding protection circuits it won't work.


----------



## MohawkUS

maxvla said:


> If your SX-6 is anything like my SX-9 regarding protection circuits it won't work.




To be honest, I probably won't get to use the SX-6, but by 'won't work' do you mean it won't play or it'll blow a fuse if I try? Is this kind of protection circuit in a lot of receivers? Sounds like something I should look out for when I upgrade from the dying Sherwood.


----------



## Maxvla

An energizer is a highly inductive load and some receivers don't like that and won't play. My Harman Kardon cheapy receiver worked ok, but occasionally it would shut off while listening. Got my SRM-323S today and it's performance is significantly better, but I'm also using very demanding stats.


----------



## MohawkUS

maxvla said:


> An energizer is a highly inductive load and some receivers don't like that and won't play. My Harman Kardon cheapy receiver worked ok, but occasionally it would shut off while listening. Got my SRM-323S today and it's performance is significantly better, but I'm also using very demanding stats.




huh, so it won't actually damage anything, it will just trigger the protection circuits right? I'm guessing most of the integrated amps/receivers from early to mid 70s probably wouldn't have this 'feature'? I know the SX-6 is from 1981 but it's a bit ahead of it's time feature wise, doesn't even have a knob for volume.


----------



## Maxvla

Mine is from the same line, the SX-9 was top of the line. There were models from 4 to 9, 9 being a Japan only model. Yes, the electronic volume control people said was bad back then, now it's in use in almost every hifi piece made.

It won't damage anything, but it can cause the amp to shut off or simply not cooperate. If you try to push the amp volume to max to try to get sound and forget to turn it down you might cause some problems.


----------



## ericfarrell85

Remaining Interests: HD800, Audiophilleo 2 - Then I'd like to take a hiatus for a little while and enjoy my gear (anyone say *Déjà vu?*)


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> Remaining Interests: HD800, Audiophilleo 2 - Then I'd like to take a hiatus for a little while and enjoy my gear (anyone say *Déjà vu?*)


 
  Nice set up! I just sold most of my stuff, thinning the herd eh


----------



## dagothur

I wouldn't mind it at all if you sent me one of those Stax and maybe an energizer.
  Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


 

 where did you get the little androids??


----------



## akwok

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> where did you get the little androids??


 


  I got a couple of them for free from a Google stall during the last Siggraph here in Vancouver.  You can buy them (and several other variations) on eBay:
   
  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=android+vinyl+figure&_sacat=0&_odkw=android+vinyl+figure&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





akwok said:


> I got a couple of them for free from a Google stall during the last Siggraph here in Vancouver.  You can buy them (and several other variations) on eBay:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=android+vinyl+figure&_sacat=0&_odkw=android+vinyl+figure&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313


 


  Thanks!


----------



## tme110

Just make sure your amp has enough space to 'breath'
  
  Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got a new rack to put all my stuff in. Much more space efficient!


----------



## Austin Morrow

A few new additions. I put the X-DAC on top of my HA-160DS (don't know why, I never use it) and added a few things to my second setup. HRT Music Streamer II+ - Schiit Valhalla - ZXAC SXC Cable - Q701.


----------



## Kremer930

I love the look of the Valhalla with the staggered height tubes peering out.  Whilst it is nice to see the full tubes exposed, having them partially poking through looks stylish.


----------



## akwok

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Just make sure your amp has enough space to 'breath'


 


   
  Yup.  The KGSS is "warm", but the Luxman is pretty cool when it's on.  Really no heat issues at all (which was an initial concern with this type of shelf)


----------



## lextek

austin morrow said:


> A few new additions. I put the X-DAC on top of my HA-160DS (don't know why, I never use it) and added a few things to my second setup. HRT Music Streamer II+ - Schiit Valhalla - ZXAC SXC Cable - Q701.




Love the B&W photos


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





lextek said:


> Love the B&W photos


 


  Thanks. Trying to keep it simple, but I have a thing for black and white. I'm considering trading off the HA-160DS for a LCD-2.


----------



## SixthFall

got a new cabinet  Think its time for me to get a new source and dac though. +10 points to whomever can guess what CD I'm listening to. (sorry for the rotated pic, idk how to fix it)


----------



## davidgotsa

Nice setup. Peter Gabriel - Up.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I need some Peter Gabriel...


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> Nice setup. Peter Gabriel - Up.


 


  Points awarded (dont ask me what they are for though), such a great album too


----------



## davidgotsa

Where did you get that stand? It looks nice and simple. 
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Points awarded (dont ask me what they are for though), such a great album too


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> Where did you get that stand? It looks nice and simple.


 

http://www.amazon.com/Umbra-Palm-Metal-Towel-Tree/dp/B004IK82AI/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1330830221&sr=8-11


----------



## sphinxvc

[got a loaner version of the amp I'm having built]


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





manveru said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Umbra-Palm-Metal-Towel-Tree/dp/B004IK82AI/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1330830221&sr=8-11


 


  $15 at home outfitters


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Thanks. Trying to keep it simple, but I have a thing for black and white. I'm considering trading off the HA-160DS for a LCD-2.


 


  Really, have you really preferred the HRT+Valhalla combo more than the Burson per say?


----------



## ratchetman123

Sony STR-DG720 105 watt per channel 7.1 amplifier/ receiver.  Sony MDR-7506 Professional Studio Monitor headphones, Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Studio Monitor headphones. iPod Nano (1st generation, 4 GB) hooked up to amplifier via the line out dock, iPod Classic ( 2nd generation,10 GB) Apple TV (1st gen, 30 GB)
   

  Bottom right: Polk Audio PSW-10 subwoofer
   

  Two Polk Audio Monitor 60's (3 5.25" bi laminate drivers, 1 1" dome tweeter each, max power handling 200 watts each) This is the same room, these are hooked up to the same system (the Sony STR-DG720) I am planning on expanding it to a 4.1 system later.  It is currently only a 2.1 system, but the Polk's are very nice.  You can also see my dog in the picture haha.  I also have an old MacBook 2006 (white model) which you can barely see in the second picture.  I guess you could call me a collector of older Apple products.


----------



## ratchetman123

Nice Mac man.  And cans haha


----------



## SixthFall

Yeah, nice rig!


----------



## calipilot227

How are you liking the Monitor 60's? And how is the bass without the subwoofer?


----------



## Mozu

I do about 90% of my listening on this setup. Apologies for the crap camera, crap lighting, and mediocre camera skills.


----------



## logwed

Those Grados are modified to the maximum.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





mozu said:


> I do about 90% of my listening on this setup. Apologies for the crap camera, crap lighting, and mediocre camera skills.


 

 Pssh, billion times better than my camera skills. The only thing i do well is landscapes


----------



## DragonOwen

Maked a shelf on the side of my table and this how my home rig looks like now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (I really like the look of my rig now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and even more I like how it sounds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) :


----------



## Gwarmi

Pokemon PsyDuck has a very important job - keeping the Audiophilleo up on the back of the Rega DAC


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Pokemon PsyDuck has a very important job - keeping the Audiophilleo up on the back of the Rega DAC


 


  Because PsyDuck can is a physic type pokemon and can use Physic


----------



## obzilla

My living room set up/refuge.
   
  The Omegas and GES are new... currently nothing for the LCD2s, though an amp is on the way.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That chair...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That chair...


 


  It's one of the 'better' knock offs, but not genuine. Sure is comfy though, pretty too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Oh yeah, up top on the CD rack is that Doors DVDA box set I had mentioned to you in another thread. Great buy.


----------



## ratchetman123

Well first off the Monitor 60's are amazing!  They also have good bass down to about 44 Hertz which is nice.  Compared to the Monitor 70's I would say the 60's perform a little worse with music, but there in no noticeable difference using them with just a movie and such.  The subwoofer (PSW-10) is great for a small room such as mine but I would not honestly recommend it for a larger living room, I feel it just does not produce enough bass.  It's also worth mentioning that this is Polk's budget sub.  It only get's down to about 35 Hertz and when you get that low it emits annoying port noise.  The subwoofer is good for my needs and is way better than a comparable Sony model (Never cared for Sony's speakers) but it's not going to pump out bass like Polk's higher end  models or brands like Velodyne.  All and all I still love it, Polk's products are built like tanks and the enclosures are constructed incredibly well.  I am planning on purchasing two Polk Monitor 40's for a 4.1 system.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


obzilla said:


> My living room set up/refuge.
> 
> The Omegas and GES are new... currently nothing for the LCD2s, though an amp is on the way.


 
   
  Nice!


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> $15 at home outfitters


 

 Around the same for a similar one at bed bath and beyond.  I use one with wood trim for my headphones.


----------



## nmxdaven

Not my main listening area, but an area I'm at waaaaaaaaay more than my house. (My office)
   
  Not that much money invested but it gets me through the day quite well.
   
   

   
  Sony's, stuffing, padding and crossovers added. Sound pretty darn good for how much they cost. Feeding them 125w (x4) each and they can get quite impressive.
   

   
  Onkyo receiver, Sony 775 CD player, BSR EQ, Valabs NOS DAC behind it all.
   

   
  A few phones to get me through the day. Don't currently have an amp in here. I need to get a bigger desk so I'm thinking of buying something to go along with it, or maybe just moving in some stuff from the house.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


>


 

 Nice. What equalizer is that?


----------



## nmxdaven

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Nice. What equalizer is that?


 


  Thanks! Its a BSR from '83. Wonderful little unit. Had it at the house for years before I replaced it with a dbx 231S.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> Not my main listening area, but an area I'm at waaaaaaaaay more than my house. (My office)
> 
> Not that much money invested but it gets me through the day quite well.


 
  It looks like a good chunk of change for such a sweet office set-up.


----------



## nmxdaven

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> It looks like a good chunk of change for such a sweet office set-up.


 


  I mean its all relative, but all put together it was probably a bit north of a grand/ grand.5 or so for the speakers, dac, amp, eq, and cd. Compared to some of the guys in here that have more than that invested in a single tube amp I think its pretty darn low budget.
   
  Everything in my office was at one point in my home, so at least it gives the outdated stuff a place to go. The general flow goes like this....... House > Office > Ebay.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> I mean its all relative, but all put together it was probably a bit north of a grand/ grand.5 or so for the speakers, dac, amp, eq, and cd.


 
  That is actually pretty cheap for a full, sexy speaker set up.


----------



## ratchetman123

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> How are you liking the Monitor 60's? And how is the bass without the subwoofer?


 


Well first off the Monitor 60's are amazing!  They also have good bass down to about 44 Hertz which is nice.  Compared to the Monitor 70's I would say the 60's perform a little worse with music, but there in no noticeable difference using them with just a movie and such.  The subwoofer (PSW-10) is great for a small room such as mine but I would not honestly recommend it for a larger living room, I feel it just does not produce enough bass.  It's also worth mentioning that this is Polk's budget sub.  It only get's down to about 35 Hertz and when you get that low it emits annoying port noise.  The subwoofer is good for my needs and is way better than a comparable Sony model (Never cared for Sony's speakers) but it's not going to pump out bass like Polk's higher end  models or brands like Velodyne.  All and all I still love it, Polk's products are built like tanks and the enclosures are constructed incredibly well.  I am planning on purchasing two Polk Monitor 40's for a 4.1 system


----------



## sphinxvc

Having a little showdown at my house.  [Thanks to T-Money for the HD800 loaner]
   

   
  The challenger.
   

   
  Hopefully, an HE-500 joining in soon.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


>


 
   
  Oh my...


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Having a little showdown at my house.  [Thanks to T-Money for the HD800 loaner]


 
  I didn't realize the HD800s were so big.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I didn't realize the HD800s were so big.


 


  Big and ballin'!


----------



## IcedTea

Is the challenger winning any points at the moment?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


icedtea said:


> Is the challenger winning any points at the moment?


 

 On weight & comfort, treble presence (which is a double-edged sword) and maybe by a hair in imaging.  Quick A/Bs are revealing the LCD-2s, in a word, sound more "real."  Every instrument with proper timbre.  Every voice natural.  Proper sonic _weight_.  They're both very good.


----------



## IcedTea

so if you were to only have one, you'll probably go with the LCD-2s?


----------



## sphinxvc

Haven't spent enough time with it to reach any conclusions yet.


----------



## kingoftown1

well color me interested


----------



## Saintly

The difference in detail retrieval should be pretty obvious.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Surprised Soundstage wasn't mentioned yet.
  
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> The difference in detail retrieval should be pretty obvious.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Thanks. Trying to keep it simple, but I have a thing for black and white. I'm considering trading off the HA-160DS for a LCD-2.


 


  If you get LCD-2s, I have a feeling the Burson would be sorely missed...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think I'll have to agree here.
  
  Quote: 





buttuglyjeff said:


> If you get LCD-2s, I have a feeling the Burson would be sorely missed...


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


saintly said:


> The difference in detail retrieval should be pretty obvious.


 

 Hearing a bit of that, I don't think it's actual detail retrieval though, rather just more high frequency detail due to the tonal balance, and a more spacious stage to lay everything out in.  Will confirm.
   
  Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Surprised Soundstage wasn't mentioned yet.


 

 The x or z axis isn't startlingly bigger than the LCD-2, but the y axis definitely is.  That y axis makes the HD800 feel more like a room filled with sound, which is nice.
  I'm still yet to go through the gamut of hi-res, low-res songs, different genres, raw without crossfeed, _with _cross feed engaged, etcetera.  I think I may put up my thoughts in a separate thread after I get the HE-500...and possibly an Audiophilleo in the mix.


----------



## davidgotsa




----------



## chaosallied

how is the HE-500 compared to the HD650 hooked up with the Lyr? =)


----------



## faverodefavero

Is that me or everyone seems to have a Lyr nowadays? I wonder if Lyr can actually drive HE-6 and LCD-3 really well (doing them justice) and matching up to their quality (as headphones) in sound... Can anyone care for a brief comment on this, please?


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





faverodefavero said:


> Is that me or everyone seems to have a Lyr nowadays? I wonder if Lyr can actually drive HE-6 and LCD-3 really well (doing them justice) and matching up to their quality (as headphones) in sound... Can anyone care for a brief comment on this, please?


 


  IMHO Lyr is driving HE-6 good, but not very good and not even close to what they are capable of


----------



## davidgotsa

I have barely listened to the HD650 since I got the HE-500 so I can't really say what the exact differences are.
   
  But one thing that stands out is the bass for sure, the HD650 seems thin compared to the HE-500. Everything just seems a lot more natural, you feel closer to the singer and I also prefer the instrument separation.
   
   As I said, I have only listened to the HD650 for an hour or two since I got the HE-500. 
  
  Quote: 





chaosallied said:


> how is the HE-500 compared to the HD650 hooked up with the Lyr? =)


----------



## kingoftown1

Just got the D18 in today.  Figured I'd take a quick shot.  I'll probably end up hiding the Audinst away so things aren't so cluttered-looking


----------



## sphinxvc

Very nice looking O2.


----------



## Zombie_X

I got a new piece of gear to add to my set-up. It's a KRK KNS-8400 headphone.
   
  My dad on the other hand upgrade from his Music Hall MMF-5 to a Marantz TT-15. I'll probably pass my WA3+ on to him as well, he needs a dedicated headphone amp after all!
   
  I'll post pics of the turntable after it's all done being set-up.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Very nice looking O2.


 


  yes i love it, very jelous of the neutrik 1/4 jack, the stock blue 3.5mm on mine suck...
   
  could we get more details about the case and moar pictures? Where is the on/off and gain buttons? Could we possibly get an inner and back picture?


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> yes i love it, very jelous of the neutrik 1/4 jack, the stock blue 3.5mm on mine suck...
> 
> could we get more details about the case and moar pictures? Where is the on/off and gain buttons? Could we possibly get an inner and back picture?


 
  The back panel isn't as minimal or pretty.  Basically, the board is set up backwards with power, gain, input, etc on the back panel, while the volume pot and headphone jack are wired long enough to reach the front.  The case was just made from scrap aluminum.  You should check out the "Post pics of your builds..." thread to check out some truly nice enclosures


----------



## chaosallied

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> I have barely listened to the HD650 since I got the HE-500 so I can't really say what the exact differences are.
> 
> But one thing that stands out is the bass for sure, the HD650 seems thin compared to the HE-500. Everything just seems a lot more natural, you feel closer to the singer and I also prefer the instrument separation.
> 
> As I said, I have only listened to the HD650 for an hour or two since I got the HE-500.


 

 Thanks a lot, now your comment rattles my curiosity on the HE-500 even more...


----------



## Kojaku

Here's my college head-fi station. Nothing too fancy, but it's home 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## manveru

I would call woodied Grados and Thunderpants pretty fancy. Those are beautiful.


----------



## Kojaku

Both are Sapele. The Grados were a very long process. The TP's are very recent additions. Glad you like them 

Kojaku


----------



## Draygonn

kojaku said:


>




Beautiful. I love that both headphones use the same wood.


----------



## Coolzo

Kojaku, I'd practically kill for those woodied headphones of yours.


----------



## koonhua90

About one month ago, I had this:
   

   
  and this:
   

   
  Went through this much of tubes, and more:
   

   
  Wasn't really satisfied with the amp-headphone matching, and the comfort of the headphones, so I got this:


   
  and this:


   
  Great sound. Then wanted something more comfortable, so I got this:


   

   

   
  Half a year ago, I didn't have any headphones. Now I have these:


   
  Life is good. Now I can start working towards the 009.


----------



## Disengager

PC ---> HRT Music Streamer II ----> Schiit Asgard ----> HiFiMan HE-500's
   
  Sounds so amazing.


----------



## manveru

Dear koonhua90,
   
  You are brilliant.
   
  Good day.


----------



## Kojaku

coolzo said:


> Kojaku, I'd practically kill for those woodied headphones of yours.




I'm very DIY-friendly. I prefer the passion that goes into DIY cans.

Kojaku


----------



## manveru

P.S. That picture of your 007s is now my wallpaper.


----------



## koonhua90

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Dear koonhua90,
> 
> You are brilliant.
> 
> Good day.


 

 Lol thanks. Reading 9gag and reddit a lot helps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> P.S. That picture of your 007s is now my wallpaper.


 
   
  I was gonna take the picture without my hands holding it, but there was no way I could get proper lighting on the headphone in my room, and using flash wouldn't be nice. Maybe if you want, I can shoot a proper one and send to you thru PM.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Want.
  
  Quote: 





koonhua90 said:


> I was gonna take the picture without my hands holding it, but there was no way I could get proper lighting on the headphone in my room, and using flash wouldn't be nice. Maybe if you want,* I can shoot a proper one and send to you thru PM. *


----------



## koonhua90

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Want.


 

 Give me time till this weekend. I need to get down to finish the piling schoolwork.


----------



## manveru

Want x2. That would be wonderful.


----------



## SixthFall

manveru said:


> Want x2. That would be wonderful.




X3, id love it!


----------



## n3rdling

Nice upgrades koonhua!


----------



## Tilpo

sixthfall said:


> X3, id love it!



X4

Can't have enough beautiful pictures on my tumblr.


----------



## akwok

Quote: 





koonhua90 said:


> About one month ago, I had this:
> 
> and this:
> 
> ...


 


  Great pics!

 Edit:  nevermind, the pads seem to be fine from this angle.


----------



## Chris_Himself




----------



## daigo

Quote: 





chris_himself said:


>


 

 Double person bottle as a headphone holder.  Genius.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





koonhua90 said:


> About one month ago, I had this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I love the look of the SR-507s (or whatever model these are close to, all the ones with vintage looking grilles and rectangular pads), they look so sexy and professional with that rectangular grille. The SR-009s look kinda ugly in comparison IMO.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jtaylor991 said:


> I love the look of the SR-507s (or whatever model these are close to, all the ones with vintage looking grilles and rectangular pads), they look so sexy and professional with that rectangular grille. The SR-009s look kinda ugly in comparison IMO.




The 007 is without a doubt the best looking headphone to me. Stunning.


----------



## calipilot227

Sweet audio Jesus...
   

   
  Sony CDP-211 (free on Craigslist), Little Dot MKIII, Sennheiser HD580. Phil Collins' "Face Value" CD is hiding under the headphones.


----------



## Zombie_X

Got my new camera and am trying a new shooting style.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Got my new camera and am trying a new shooting style.


 


  That looks very nice, Austin. I can't tell you how much I love the look of the red WA3. Good thing my WA6 will be here soon!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Got my new camera and am trying a new shooting style.


 

 Hmm, I like that shooting style, So is it as easy as just taking a picture of what you want to share.. 
  (oh if anyone know the keyboard shortcut to disable the french part of my keyboard, that would be great. I have no question mark ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ URRGHH!)


----------



## koonhua90

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I love the look of the SR-507s (or whatever model these are close to, all the ones with vintage looking grilles and rectangular pads), they look so sexy and professional with that rectangular grille. The SR-009s look kinda ugly in comparison IMO.


 
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The 007 is without a doubt the best looking headphone to me. Stunning.


 
   
   
  Yep it's a 507 with basic lambda headband. Not as comfortable as the 007 though. The 007 Mk1 is indeed stunning looking. Champagne color metal frame with brown leather. The 007A now is not as eye catching anymore.


----------



## sphinxvc

Speaking of good looking Omegas, I took this a while ago:
   

   
  Agree with the Toaster that they look great.


----------



## Zombie_X

It's pretty much the same. I just customized the Macro settings, exposure, and used some other color settings. So it's pretty much the same thing.
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Hmm, I like that shooting style, So is it as easy as just taking a picture of what you want to share..
> (oh if anyone know the keyboard shortcut to disable the french part of my keyboard, that would be great. I have no question mark ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ URRGHH!)


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> It's pretty much the same. I just customized the Macro settings, exposure, and used some other color settings. So it's pretty much the same thing.


 


  Ahh, i was just joking about. It really is a good photo! Damn, I want a red woo now.  (could you pretty please post some photos of it?)


----------



## Zombie_X

Sure, I have one photo now, but once my batteries charge I will post some.
   

  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Ahh, i was just joking about. It really is a good photo! Damn, I want a red woo now.  (could you pretty please post some photos of it?)


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sure, I have one photo now, but once my batteries charge I will post some.


 

 *Drool


----------



## dagothur

I wish I had the kind of cash to have three pairs of upper-tier Stax.
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Speaking of good looking Omegas, I took this a while ago:
> 
> 
> 
> Agree with the Toaster that they look great.


----------



## Maxvla

Was that at a meet.. I'm hoping?? Haha. 2 pair of MK1 and 1 MK2 is a lot for 1 person


----------



## MorbidToaster

I am thinking about going all out after I move the LF and LCD 2 into the main stack with the speaker rig. And by all out I mean saving for an 007 and amp to go with it for the desk rig.
   
  Then again, I'm a dreamer.
   
  EDIT: Not a Head-fi station, but it's what I'm looking at now. UPA-1s just came in...Now my MMGs need to get here....


----------



## Maxvla

You aren't supposed to start dreaming of other gear until AFTER the meet, silly.


----------



## ManBeard

maxvla said:


> Was that at a meet.. I'm hoping?? Haha. 2 pair of MK1 and 1 MK2 is a lot for 1 person





 
 


Yeah that was my setup from the last NJ meet back in August. I wish I owned all of them haha. One of the mk1's is mine, the mk2's belong to wavoman (which were modded by spritzer)...I forget who the other mk1's belong to.


----------



## Tilpo

manbeard said:


> Yeah that was my setup from the last NJ meet back in August. I wish I owned all of them haha. One of the mk1's is mine, the mk2's belong to wavoman (which were modded by spritzer)...I forget who the other mk1's belong to.



What's the DAC in the picture? 

Looks like an Audio-GD but I can't recognize the exact model


----------



## RexAeterna

manbeard said:


> Yeah that was my setup from the last NJ meet back in August. I wish I owned all of them haha. One of the mk1's is mine, the mk2's belong to wavoman (which were modded by spritzer)...I forget who the other mk1's belong to.




wait.. there's meets in nj? when did that happen? i thought it was only in the west coast or closest place like NY or something? if there is any meets this summer be glad to go. bring up all my power amps up there for people see what it's like driving headphones off speaker outputs of bigger power amps and stuff.


----------



## DragonOwen

Decided to take a photo of my home rig with HE-500 on it, because will be selling them in a few days (will be selling Lyr too...):


  If anyone interested in reason of why I'm selling them, it's quite simple - I just realized that I lisen music at work extremely rare, so dicided to almost compleatly sell my work rig (E-MU 1212m PCI-E, HE-500 + Silver Dragon, SCHIIT Lyr + collection of tubes to it) and buy something that will play good out of HM-601 build-in amp and will be portable and can be used on the street... so yesterday I ordered a Sony MDR-Z1000, I think they will be good for my goals


----------



## Sasu

Here is my current setup. On the mainset I have Sennheiser HD-600, Leben CS300X, Naim CD5i, Origin live Aurora Turntable. In the bedroomset I have Lehman Rhinelander amp and Arcam rDac. I must say Leben is absolutely the best headphone amp I have ever heard.


----------



## ManBeard

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What's the DAC in the picture?
> Looks like an Audio-GD but I can't recognize the exact model


 


  It's a Reference 7.


  Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> wait.. there's meets in nj? when did that happen? i thought it was only in the west coast or closest place like NY or something? if there is any meets this summer be glad to go. bring up all my power amps up there for people see what it's like driving headphones off speaker outputs of bigger power amps and stuff.


 


   
  Yeah, there's usually at least one meet a year in NJ. Not sure about this year but check the meets forum every once in a while.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I am thinking about going all out after I move the LF and LCD 2 into the main stack with the speaker rig. And by all out I mean saving for an 007 and amp to go with it for the desk rig.


 


  Do it, you'll love them.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  My LF is currently "out for delivery" right now, a sick day may be in order.


----------



## manveru

Quote:  

 First post on Head-fi. Already has Leben CS-300X. _Nice._


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> My LF is currently "out for delivery" right now, a sick day may be in order.


 


 *cough cough*
  i've done worse


----------



## Sanotter

My setup  it all arrived today!


----------



## Sasu

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> *cough cough*
> i've done worse


 


   


  Quote: 





manveru said:


> First post on Head-fi. Already has Leben CS-300X. _Nice._


 



 I just found this forum and think it´s very informative. I´ve had my Leben for over a year now. So far I´ve used it with finnish made Aurelia Ambera speakers. I´ve never had good headphones so I decided to go for Sennheiser HD 600. Could not be happier with the combination.


----------



## palmfish

I just picked up these old Pioneer headphones (SE-30A). I replaced the rotting pleather parts with Oregon Aero pads and headliner. Now my office setup is complete!


----------



## Tilpo

palmfish said:


> I just picked up these old Pioneer headphones (SE-30A). I replaced the rotting pleather parts with Oregon Aero pads and headliner. Now my office setup is complete!



They look awesome. Is there any way you could get better (read: larger) images though?


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> They look awesome. Is there any way you could get better (read: larger) images though?


 

 I can try...


----------



## palmfish




----------



## Jaypops

My home setup.


----------



## Destroysall

I love it!  Simple and clean!
   
  Two questions, if you don't mind me asking.  What's your impressions on this setup?  Also, I like (from the small portion viewable) the look of that desk/table top.  Mind if I ask what type of desk that is?
  
  Quote: 





jaypops said:


> My home setup.


----------



## Jaypops

Thanks!
   
  I haven't really spent enough time with either the 500's or DM+ (both purchased in March), but first impressions are positive. They seem to play well together for now, but I think a dedicated headamp will find its way into the setup soon.
   
  The desk is actually a coffee table 
  I sometimes move the Mac in to the living room, so that I can watch TV and listen to music at the same time.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I love it!  Simple and clean!
> 
> Two questions, if you don't mind me asking.  What's your impressions on this setup?  Also, I like (from the small portion viewable) the look of that desk/table top.  Mind if I ask what type of desk that is?


----------



## Destroysall

Any ideas of what amp your thinking of investing in?  I have heard that Schiit's Asgard is a good pairing for the HE-500.
   
  Very nice!  I would have never of thought of that being a coffee table.  
  Quote: 





jaypops said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I haven't really spent enough time with either the 500's or DM+ (both purchased in March), but first impressions are positive. They seem to play well together for now, but I think a dedicated headamp will find its way into the setup soon.
> 
> ...


----------



## Jian

Rearranged my stuff, not much changes except the new batch LCD3.


----------



## Jaypops

My headphone guy is insisting that I try the Violectric V100 and V200. He should have them in stock (and also the HiFiMan EF6) by the end of the month, so I'll have to give them a listen.
   
  The Schiit amps look interesting, especially the Lyr. But then I would be compelled to buy the Bitfrost aswell 

  
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Any ideas of what amp your thinking of investing in?  I have heard that Schiit's Asgard is a good pairing for the HE-500.
> 
> Very nice!  I would have never of thought of that being a coffee table.


----------



## Jian

V200 is a very decent amp with lots of juice.


----------



## maxsayer

Wish I had a camera On me


----------



## Zombie_X

My dad got his Marantz TT-15 turntable in, here it is


----------



## Austin Morrow

Recently reorganized my desktop. I now have the HRT MS II+ feeding the Valhalla while it resides on top of the Burson Audio HA-160DS. I would be using my Rein Audio X-DAC, but I think it's a faulty unit (that's $800 dollars just sitting there, and Rein hasn't contacted me yet about it). Current;y amping the Q701 with the Valhalla and the HD650 with the HA-160DS. That cable you see is a courteous review sample of the man you see above me.


----------



## Tilpo

Did you get bored with the black an white, Austin?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Did you get bored with the black an white, Austin?


 


  Yep. Some color in one's life never hurts.


----------



## TheWuss

let's see....  what's new?  i guess just the ATH-W5000
   
  but here are some up-to-date pics of my main rig.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> let's see....  what's new?  i guess just the ATH-W5000
> 
> but here are some up-to-date pics of my main rig.


 


  Does the HD650 sound too dark with the Dark Star, or what does it sound like?


----------



## TheWuss

not too dark, no.
  it actually sounds amazing from the dark star.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> not too dark, no.
> it actually sounds amazing from the dark star.


 


  Oh wow. I'm guessing it scales up gloriously well? The best I've heard the HD650 is through the LF and some really nice Sony CD Player. What are you sing as your source to the DS?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Oh wow. I'm guessing it scales up gloriously well? The best I've heard the HD650 is through the LF and some really nice Sony CD Player. What are you sing as your source to the DS?


 


  Looks like a W4S DAC2, at least that's what mine looks like


----------



## ZorgDK

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> let's see....  what's new?  i guess just the ATH-W5000
> 
> but here are some up-to-date pics of my main rig.


 
   
  That's a pretty descent beginner setup you've got there. 
   
  Looks very nice!


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's pictures of my bedroom's gaming/home theater set-up. Quite extensive and geek ridden pictures in bound!


----------



## Kremer930

If I wasnt so afraid of DUST then a sexy turntable like that could just about sway me.....
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> My dad got his Marantz TT-15 turntable in, here it is


----------



## Jian

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's pictures of my bedroom's gaming/home theater set-up. Quite extensive and geek ridden pictures in bound!


 
   
  Dreamcast rocks!!!!!!!


----------



## Zombie_X

Yup, Power Stone, JSR, House Of The Dead 2, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Guilty Gear, Sonic Adventure, and many more!
  
  Quote: 





jian said:


> Dreamcast rocks!!!!!!!


----------



## Han Bao Quan

The computer is my source, HT Omega Halo XT
   

   
  Good Schiit!!! 
   

   
  One month ago
   

   
  Now, the Beyer and Senns are being borrowed by my friends.


----------



## Zombie_X

I salute your rack of headphones sir!
  
  Quote: 





han bao quan said:


> The computer is my source, HT Omega Halo XT
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Han Bao Quan

Why Thank you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, yeah I'm running out of space, and out of cash too :
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Need to save up for the Senn HD700 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I salute your rack of headphones sir!


----------



## JIGF

Updated with an Audiosource Amp-100 and a pair of Raw Acoustics HT2


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





jigf said:


> Updated with an Audiosource Amp-100 and a pair of Raw Acoustics HT2


 

 Nice wallpaper.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> that custom amp is pretty. wonder how it sound like? and the cost


 


  Thanks, IndieScent. I've been slow to put some hours on it - about 80 at this writing. It sounds beautiful - rich, detailed, separation, air and decay. Nice depth, too. $450 but the markets are moving...


----------



## MorbidToaster

How does he like it? Heck, how do you like it? It's on my short list of potential TTs. What cart is he rolling with? Stock?
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> My dad got his Marantz TT-15 turntable in, here it is


----------



## Zombie_X

It came with the ClearAudio Virtuoso Wood cart. That cart alone goes for $1,000 and it was included free with the TT-15. I think it blows his old Music Hall MMF-5 out of the water. The difference in sound quality is staggering. The MMF-5 had a Sumiko cart on it, but I don't remember the model.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How does he like it? Heck, how do you like it? It's on my short list of potential TTs. What cart is he rolling with? Stock?


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's on the higher end of my price range (like the cap) but with that new info on the cart it might jump to the top...Other than it being beautiful and me being a bit Marantz fan.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> It came with the ClearAudio Virtuoso Wood cart. That cart alone goes for $1,000 and it was included free with the TT-15. I think it blows his old Music Hall MMF-5 out of the water. The difference in sound quality is staggering. The MMF-5 had a Sumiko cart on it, but I don't remember the model.


----------



## Zombie_X

Music Direct includes the Virtuoso Wood cart for free with the order.
   
  Also they have a dust cover for $300! Fricking nuts man! I could make one for 1/8 of that price.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's on the higher end of my price range (like the cap) but with that new info on the cart it might jump to the top...Other than it being beautiful and me being a bit Marantz fan.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Very true on the dust cover. Man that's tempting. If only I had money at the moment. lol
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Music Direct includes the Virtuoso Wood cart for free with the order.
> 
> Also they have a dust cover for $300! Fricking nuts man! I could make one for 1/8 of that price.


----------



## TheWuss

i spy a lot of wireworld in this pic.
  and, of course, some robert aphrodite stuff as well.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Quote:


silent one said:


>


----------



## RexAeterna

zombie_x said:


> Also they have a dust cover for $300!




it better be bulletproof and bombproof or someones getting punched in the face(everyone knows i have to protect my favorite record when the world ends).


----------



## Tilpo

rexaeterna said:


> it better be bulletproof and bombproof or someones getting punched in the face(everyone knows i have to protect my favorite record when the world ends).



You're forgetting radiation proof, air tight, self-sterilizing, earthquake proof, and 'hufterproof' (Dutch word, means safe from vandalism).

You don't want your records to be safe from any harm. Even the slightest dust particle might change the sound signature!


----------



## lxar

My new setup: Flac--> amarra -->  benchmark dac1 pre --> Focal cms 50 nearfield monitors. The 650's are still here


----------



## jtaylor991

I don't know about you but I do...lol
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> You're forgetting radiation proof, air tight, self-sterilizing, earthquake proof, and 'hufterproof' (Dutch word, means safe from vandalism).
> *You don't want your records to be safe from any harm. Even the slightest dust particle might change the sound signature!*


----------



## Tilpo

jtaylor991 said:


> I don't know about you but I do...lol



You got me. 

Maybe I should have added immunity to typos to the list.


----------



## RexAeterna

worked on this little guy earlier i picked up few days ago:












the top picture is inside the 1980's H/K 770 power amp. dual-mono and completely discrete with two large Toroidal transformers for left and right channel. direct coupled. the preamp(bottom peice) is completely discrete as well. testing the SA5000 off the speaker outputs of the power amp(i always run headphones off of speaker outputs). this guy might be small but packing some serious punch and able to easily double it's output power with extra dynamic headroom to spare.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> You got me.
> Maybe I should have added immunity to typos to the list.


 

 Nah, save it for the computer rig thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (or "Keyboard-fi" as it became recently)


----------



## SixthFall

Sorry bout the pics, don;'t know how to flip them. I just got the CD3 buffer and loving it!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Sorry bout the pics, don;'t know how to flip them. I just got the CD3 buffer and loving it!


 

 Right click on image file -> Rotate clockwise


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Right click on image file -> Rotate clockwise


 







 DUHH! Thanks!


----------



## Dr`Ken

This is it at its current state.
  Run down:
  Sager NP8662 (notebook on the left side) -> Audio-GD FUN -> JH13
  Main Rig (PC) -> NI Komplete Audio 6 -> KRK VXT8 + M-Audio SBX10
                                                          -> Sennheiser HD555


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





dr`ken said:


> This is it at its current state.
> Run down:
> Sager NP8662 (notebook on the left side) -> Audio-GD FUN -> JH13
> Main Rig (PC) -> NI Komplete Audio 6 -> KRK VXT8 + M-Audio SBX10
> -> Sennheiser HD555


 

 Hmm the keyboard matches the monitors


----------



## mmayer167

Hey dagothur, any pictures of your lcd's playing with your nfb?  
   
  -M


----------



## shaunybaby

woah! I don,t pop in for 2 days and you guys shoot up 43 posts, things move quick around here, oh plus my dad got a new camera so I will post some pictures of my rig soon


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Hey dagothur, any pictures of your lcd's playing with your nfb?
> 
> -M


 


  I will have to get a picture up soon.  It's a beautiful matching.


----------



## Zombie_X

MorbidToaster,


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> MorbidToaster,


 








 You wanna let me borrow that for a bit.... I promise i'll give it back


----------



## Zombie_X

Sorry but it isn't mine...
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> You wanna let me borrow that for a bit.... I promise i'll give it back


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry but it isn't mine...


 


  Damn, well i guess i need to get to know your dad really well eh?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks for more pictures. It's a very pretty table. The cart it comes with is a bit jaw dropping. Seems like an excellent buy at 1500. We'll see over the next few months, but it's on the list as I said earlier. 
   
  Oh, and I recently ordered a VTI rack (finally) too.


----------



## Han Bao Quan

That's some lovely setup you got there buddy, I wish my room was bigger 
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> MorbidToaster,


----------



## AuralRelations

That Marantz TT-15 is so beautiful. It's quite a deal with the Clear Audio Ebony cartridge as well! Definitely a tempting purchase down the line.


----------



## Zombie_X

I may have to get a VTI rack for my video game setup, should look more open than it does now..
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Thanks for more pictures. It's a very pretty table. The cart it comes with is a bit jaw dropping. Seems like an excellent buy at 1500. We'll see over the next few months, but it's on the list as I said earlier.
> 
> Oh, and I recently ordered a VTI rack (finally) too.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I bought the old version of the 404 single stack. The 9" 7" 7" instead of the 13" 9" 7". I think it'll fit quite everything nicely I think. Black poles, black shelves and the brushed silver spikes. 
   
  If I like it enough I'll get another and mix and match. I love swappable furniture.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I may have to get a VTI rack for my video game setup, should look more open than it does now..


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I will have to get a picture up soon.  It's a beautiful matching.


 


  Sweet! I hope to hear it soon. Till then I'll drool over the posts above and beyond this page... This thread really "images" how important sound is to life!
   
  -M


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Sweet! I hope to hear it soon.
> -M


 
  I hope so as well.  The combo is quite an experience, and I think you should try it with the Q701 and the Paradox.


----------



## mmayer167

lol the q is gone now. The Paradox has won out the test of time. Currently slackjawed starring at the screen  I still feel the inner fire for sweet gear but sound quality is just putting out those flames whenever I plug in with my setup (yes the Bifrost-Lyr was better but not ~600 $better, current setup is 90%+ of the Lyr-Bifrost). And below is a quick and dirty of my current setup for those wondering. 
   

   
  -M


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





dr`ken said:


>


 


  Nice star wars wallpaper. Care to share a link?


----------



## Squa7ch

http://i.imgur.com/pXSbX.jpg


----------



## Coolzo

My rig from Saturday's meet, here in Phoenix (MacBook '08, Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 as DAC, Pioneer SX-780 reciever, Beyer DT990/600)

   
   
  Trying the HD600s; I like these! Must buy before they go out of production...

   
  My HD280s, HFI-580s, thetheory's Fostex in the back, my PortaPros in the corner, and of course my hat.


----------



## Dr`Ken

Quote: 





jigf said:


> Nice star wars wallpaper. Care to share a link?


 

  
  Couldn't find the original link. But I had it saved in my wallpapers folder and just posted it up on imgur: http://i.imgur.com/wBm0I.jpg
   
  The resolution is 1920x1080 btw. Enjoy!


----------



## kingoftown1




----------



## Zombie_X

Perhaps.
   
  If anyone is wondering, I rent from him. Living on your own if way to expensive and I don't make enough money in life in order to move out. I don't even make enough to afford a car.. Odd because I have enough for audio gear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Damn, well i guess i need to get to know your dad really well eh?


----------



## MorbidToaster

zombie_x said:


> Perhaps.
> 
> If anyone is wondering, I rent from him. Living on your own if way to expensive and I don't make enough money in life in order to move out. I don't even make enough to afford a car.. Odd because I have enough for audio gear




That's why never being able to drive by law is both a gift and a curse. More free to spend but.more reliant on others for transport.


----------



## JIGF

Quote:


dr`ken said:


> Couldn't find the original link. But I had it saved in my wallpapers folder and just posted it up on imgur: http://i.imgur.com/wBm0I.jpg
> 
> The resolution is 1920x1080 btw. Enjoy!


 

 Amazing! Thanks!


----------



## Zombie_X

Oh I get around by buss quite a bit. Just for long distances I need transport.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That's why never being able to drive by law is both a gift and a curse. More free to spend but.more reliant on others for transport.


----------



## mmayer167

^ That wallpaper is awesome! thanks
   
  -M


----------



## RestoredSparda




----------



## hodgjy

Buses are better for the environment, too! 
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Oh I get around by buss quite a bit. Just for long distances I need transport.


----------



## Eric_C

RestoredSparda: You bought ALL of that recently??


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> RestoredSparda: You bought ALL of that recently??


 


  Um....just the desk, the SE 315, Presonus AudioBox, and the AV40s. 
   
  I have a problem....    XD


----------



## hodgjy

Nonsense!  It's a gift of impulsive buying.  For example, by the grace of some superior force, I was compelled to buy $80 worth of rectifiers this last few weeks.  Yep, impulsive (or, is it compulsive???) buying is a gift.  Not a problem.......
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> I have a problem....    XD


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been impulse buying a ton of vinyl lately. It's rough.
  
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Nonsense!  It's a gift of impulsive buying.  For example, by the grace of some superior force, I was compelled to buy $80 worth of rectifiers this last few weeks.  Yep, impulsive (or, is it compulsive???) buying is a gift.  Not a problem.......


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Perhaps.
> 
> If anyone is wondering, I rent from him. Living on your own if way to expensive and I don't make enough money in life in order to move out. I don't even make enough to afford a car.. Odd because I have enough for audio gear


 


   
  Hmmm, maybe you don't have a car because you spend it all on audio stuff??


----------



## Rawrbington

anybody want to build me an audio tower/rack?
  not sure how long i can go with this 20$ wire stand from homedepot with mdf "wood" under the components


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> anybody want to build me an audio tower/rack?
> not sure how long i can go with this 20$ wire stand from homedepot with mdf "wood" under the components


 

 I absolutely love the way the DLIII looks...came so close to buying one.


----------



## Maxvla

I actually think your stand looks great with your components. Keep it


----------



## Rawrbington

heh
  thanks.
  maybe it looks better in the pictures.
  it sucks cause finding the right audio tower isn't as easy as i thought it would be lol


----------



## Maxvla

The silver components/chrome rack and bright wood look nice in the pictures. Dunno about in person though. Colors you'd see in IKEA or something.


----------



## AppleDappleman

Its been a while since I picked up camera. Figured its about time to show my main setup/portable. 
   




 Its all I can afford right now. One day I'll compete with your setups haha.


----------



## Maxvla

It's not a competition, as much as some would like to make it out to be. People find bliss at different price points, or in some cases, never. Sometimes it has nothing to do with price and it just happens to be a magical synergy with oddly combined gear. Enjoy what you have and experiment with other gear if you aren't happy.


----------



## Rawrbington

man the 770 pro 80s are one of my all time favorite cans.
  im pretty sure i will never sell mine.
   
  great shots too man.
  enjoy the music!


----------



## hanrytt

Dang, some of you guys have some crazy setups.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





hanrytt said:


> Dang, some of you guys have some crazy setups.


 


  Hey, we all started somewhere, as long as you enjoy the sound it makes, that's all that counts!!!


----------



## Zombie_X

Nag, life is just too expensive... well maybe I do spend too much on gear..
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Hmmm, maybe you don't have a car because you spend it all on audio stuff??


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Nag, life is just too expensive... well maybe I do spend too much on gear..


 


  Haha, yeah I may have that disease as well too, Ive been given 6 months (well my wallet has)


----------



## manveru

We should just redesign all of our cities so that you don't need a car to get everywhere, haha.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





manveru said:


> We should just redesign all of our cities so that you don't need a car to get everywhere, haha.


 


  HMMMM, or we could invent a system of public transportation and call it a bus.... MUHAHAHAHA!


----------



## manveru

All I'm saying is, our cities are built around a network of roads, which necessitates the use of cars to get anywhere. It doesn't make any sense at all if you think about it. Better yet, let's have efficient design _and _public transportation. And free hifi for everybody. Fwohoho!


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





manveru said:


> All I'm saying is, our cities are built around a network of roads, which necessitates the use of cars to get anywhere. It doesn't make any sense at all if you think about it. Better yet, let's have efficient design _and _public transportation. And free HEAD-FI for everybody. Fwohoho!


 

 FIXED


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





dr`ken said:


> This is it at its current state.
> Run down:
> Sager NP8662 (notebook on the left side) -> Audio-GD FUN -> JH13
> Main Rig (PC) -> NI Komplete Audio 6 -> KRK VXT8 + M-Audio SBX10
> -> Sennheiser HD555


 

  
   
  How do you like your monitors setup like that? It looks cool and space saving but how is it productivity wise?


----------



## Draygonn

I ride a motorcycle year round, way cheaper than a car. 

Office:


Listening/Reading area rig awaiting Thunderpants:


----------



## manveru

Quote:  

 The Bottlehead amps are so beautiful. Also the quote in your sig is absolutely hilarious. One of the more awesome things I've read today.


----------



## ratchetman123

Nice iMac, what screen size is it?
  Quote: 





lxar said:


> My new setup: Flac--> amarra -->  benchmark dac1 pre --> Focal cms 50 nearfield monitors. The 650's are still here


----------



## MorbidToaster

Looks like a 27" to me
  
  Quote: 





ratchetman123 said:


> Nice iMac, what screen size is it?


----------



## shostabrovich

These just came in today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Second pair of headphones after my grado 60.


----------



## SixthFall

shostabrovich said:


> These just came in today :bigsmile_face: . Second pair of headphones after my grado 60.




That's a great set of cans you got there! How do you like them and what are you running out of?


----------



## lxar

it is 27 inches indeed.


----------



## shostabrovich

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> That's a great set of cans you got there! How do you like them and what are you running out of?


 

  
  Currently I just have it hooked up to E10 and flac from my pc. Might consider getting the O2 amp in the future because the E10 can't drive them very loud. I listen to a lot of classical recordings, which have naturally much lower volume than most "modern" stuff. 
   
  So far it's great, very analytic sound compared to my Grado but I'm starting to like it. I bought them from Studio Economik in Montreal for the great price they had.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





shostabrovich said:


> Currently I just have it hooked up to E10 and flac from my pc. Might consider getting the O2 amp in the future because the E10 can't drive them very loud. I listen to a lot of classical recordings, which have naturally much lower volume than most "modern" stuff.
> 
> So far it's great, very analytic sound compared to my Grado but I'm starting to like it. I bought them from Studio Economik in Montreal for the great price they had.


 


  Glad you like them!


----------



## drez

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Hmmm, maybe you don't have a car because you spend it all on audio stuff??


 

 This is pretty much me also - probably spend around 6 grand on audio gear in the last year, no money for car, laptop, or any other mundane necessities that don't improve sound quality.
   
  In the last month I have spent $405 on earpads alone which I can't recoup as I have modified them for use on HifiMan earphones
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Nowdays I only use the Audez'e vegan's anyway as these are the least resonant...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i spy a lot of wireworld in this pic.
> and, of course, some robert aphrodite stuff as well.


 


  Ethical? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Robert passed the Wireworld cables on to me as a candy substitute... and now I'm addicted!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i love those spikes, wish i could put those on my woos, except i don't want to damage where i put them.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i love those spikes, wish i could put those on my woos, except i don't want to damage where i put them.


 







 Thanks, Dubstep Girl. The spikes do come with discs to protect surfaces, like mini saucers for the pointed tips. But in my case, I want them diggin' into the wood.


----------



## Jaysuu




----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> How do you like your monitors setup like that? It looks cool and space saving but how is it productivity wise?


 


  Im not the OP but i had my monitors set up like that for a short time(only moved them for another random reason)  and they work great, honestly i felt they were way better like that than other other way, things flow fast with them like that.  You should give it a try.


----------



## MorbidToaster

VTI came in today. Just got everything in the rack...Maggies come in tomorrow.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice!


----------



## snapple10

Nice. 
  me like it


----------



## MorbidToaster

The TT is actually going to move soon and I'll move the LF up and put the pre amp where the LF is now.


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> VTI came in today. Just got everything in the rack...Maggies come in tomorrow.


 
   
  love those VTI racks. been thinking about getting one.
 could you measure and tell me how wide the rack is from inside of the left post to the inside of the right post?


----------



## palmfish

Are those Emotiva UPA-1's?
   
  Never mind, I zoomed in and saw the label.
   
  How do you like them? I'm thinking about buying a pair...


----------



## Draygonn

Beautiful setup MT


----------



## Coolzo

Excuse me Mr. Toaster, but you are causing me to have a pleasurable sensation by simply looking at your rig. I think I'm starting to fall in love with the looks of Emotiva gear too, dang.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The simple stuff like the UPA-1 is really pretty, but the 'tons of silver buttons' stuff they do is a bit...flashy looking. I love the blue glow, and I love the silver accents, but I wish they would use a knob for source selection.
   
  They don't look bad either way though.
  
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> Excuse me Mr. Toaster, but you are causing me to have a pleasurable sensation by simply looking at your rig. I think I'm starting to fall in love with the looks of Emotiva gear too, dang.


 


  Thanks.


  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Beautiful setup MT


 


  Yes they are (as you know) and I like them a lot. They were my tax return buy this year. I'll get back to you tomorrow once I get my Maggies and really unleash they power they offer. My 4301Bs are pretty easy to drive and don't really let them breathe much, IMO.


  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Are those Emotiva UPA-1's?
> 
> Never mind, I zoomed in and saw the label.
> 
> How do you like them? I'm thinking about buying a pair...


 


  I'll get a more accurate measurement when I get back home tomorrow, but I believe they are 20" from pole to pole (inside).


  Quote: 





rawrbington said:


> love those VTI racks. been thinking about getting one.
> could you measure and tell me how wide the rack is from inside of the left post to the inside of the right post?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Gearing up for the Head-Fi meet. This is about 2/3 of what's going on in Seattle. Pictured from left to right. Sennhesier HD650 - AKG Q701 - ZXAC SXC Q701 Cable - Schiit Valhalla - Burson Audio HA-160DS - (Portable Amps) - Pro-Ject Head Box II - Rein Audio X-DAC - HiFiMan EF2A - HRT Music Streamer II+


----------



## Maxvla

Aftermath of my review.. wires everywhere!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Aftermath of my review.. wires everywhere!


 


  Any chance you'd review the Bifrost and the WA6 together, or a impressions? My Bifrost arrives soon and my Woo arrives tomorrow.


----------



## Maxvla

In my opinion reviews are nearly worthless if they are single items by themselves. Even if you are referencing other items, I think a complete review of all involved equipment (those being compared, that is) is most informative and accurate.

That said, I have only one DAC and only one dynamic amplifier, so you can guess what I won't be reviewing. 

I did include some brief description of the Bifrost and WA6, though under the Test system heading.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Gearing up for the Head-Fi meet. This is about 2/3 of what's going on in Seattle. Pictured from left to right. Sennhesier HD650 - AKG Q701 - ZXAC SXC Q701 Cable - Schiit Valhalla - Burson Audio HA-160DS - (Portable Amps) - Pro-Ject Head Box II - Rein Audio X-DAC - HiFiMan EF2A - HRT Music Streamer II+


 
   
  man u gotta get rid of that head box lol.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> man u gotta get rid of that head box lol.


 


  It's not terrible. It works.


----------



## darren700

Heres the current state of my Rig.
  Still not sure if im going to keep the NFB-10SE as i dont care for the amp section too much, I much prefer the sound of the JDS O2.
  Would like to sell the NFB10 and get a really nice balanced DAC. thinking Rein X-DAC, PS Audio Digital Link III, Yulong D18 or possibly new Schiit Balanced.
   
  Love the O2 amp, cannot recommend it enough, planning on getting the desktop version from JDS labs the second its released. (PS Customer Service from JDS Labs is Top Notch!)
  Going to base my rig off the O2 for a while i think, until i find something i like more, (Again with possibly the Schiit Balanced Solid State, or Violectric V181)
   
  I think im nearing the end of my search for the perfect cans for me at least... I am content with the LCD2v2's and my modded D2k's for home, and the D1100 and Monster Turbine Copper for portable.
  The only other pair of cans im considering is a pair of thunderpants eventually to see what the hype is about and if they can match or beat my denon's.
   
  /endrant.. enjoy the pics.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> In my opinion reviews are nearly worthless if they are single items by themselves. Even if you are referencing other items, I think a complete review of all involved equipment (those being compared, that is) is most informative and accurate.


 
  A good review includes a comparison chain to control variables.  It's science, y'know.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Does the O2 use a 1/4" or 1/8" jack? Pretty set on picking one up for the desk now that the LF is in the main stack.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Does the O2 use a 1/4" or 1/8" jack? Pretty set on picking one up for the desk now that the LF is in the main stack.


 


  Its 1/8" Jack for input and output on the portable version.
  You could commision someone in the DIY forums here to build you one with a bigger enclosure with 1/4" and RCA's, or just wait for the desktop version thats coming out in a couple months.


----------



## Maxvla

dagothur said:


> A good review includes a comparison chain to control variables.  It's science, y'know.




Completely agree, but I don't like reviews that just off hand reference gear for the majority of their perspective. If someone isn't a dedicated Head-fier they will have no frame of reference. I hesitated mentioning the Edition 9 for fit, and Sony XB500 for distant sound in my review since I wasn't reviewing those cans, but they are popular enough that most head-fiers will be familiar with them.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> It's not terrible. It works.


 


  lol true.
   
  curious, how much better is the burson or valhalla compared to it. ive been interested in trying solid state for a while now. also considering a grado ps1000 purchase...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll probably wait then. Do you have a link to info on the desktop version?
  
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Its 1/8" Jack for input and output on the portable version.
> You could commision someone in the DIY forums here to build you one with a bigger enclosure with 1/4" and RCA's, or just wait for the desktop version thats coming out in a couple months.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll probably wait then. Do you have a link to info on the desktop version?


 
  no linking allowed, but a simple google search will find it pretty quick


----------



## MorbidToaster

Heh. I thought maybe a builder had put something out like JDS. Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> no linking allowed, but a simple google search will find it pretty quick


----------



## Austin Morrow

dubstep girl said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




They're all in totally different classes. The Valhalla smokes the Head Box and the Burson smokes the Valhalla. They're both speedy (Burson has some amazing transient response). What exactly, specifically, are you needing?


----------



## Blurr

Connected to the home theatre in my mancave


----------



## Tilpo

That's some awesome vintage gear, Blurr.


----------



## Blurr

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That's some awesome vintage gear, Blurr.


 


  Thanks 
  As a young student I was dreaming of getting these gears but could not afford them, now I am very happy with it.


----------



## Ser182

[=

][/]

Nothing special but helps pass the day at work.


----------



## hodgjy

That is an impressive looking setup.  Your review made me reconsider the HD598s.  I have the HD600s and love them, but I'm always looking for a bigger soundstage.
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Aftermath of my review.. wires everywhere!


----------



## hodgjy

If I were to buy another solid state amp, I'd get the Heed CanAmp.  No doubt.  This may interest you as well.
  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ive been interested in trying solid state for a while now. also considering a grado ps1000 purchase...


----------



## Maxvla

IMO, the soundstage is not very different between the 600 and 598.


----------



## eltocliousus

Fostex didn't make the photoshoot unfortunately.
  I don't know what my next set will be, thinking maybe some 598s or an ultrasone, that or the L1 if they're released in Europe by that time.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

ive been looking for a super accurate, fast, neutral, solid-state sound. much more than the WA6-SE. 
   
  of course if even the burson smokes the valhalla, i'm sure the WA6-SE/WA2 are also a bit better which makes me wonder if i need to enter the thousand dollar range for a SS amp if i want to be impressed.


----------



## hodgjy

Sounds like the CanAmp to me.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ive been looking for a super accurate, fast, neutral, solid-state sound. much more than the WA6-SE.
> 
> of course if even the burson smokes the valhalla, i'm sure the WA6-SE/WA2 are also a bit better which makes me wonder if i need to enter the thousand dollar range for a SS amp if i want to be impressed.


----------



## manveru

New girlfriend:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Maggies arrived today...One of which is DOA.


----------



## Kremer930

Now that is no fun at all.  How long until they can ship you a new one?  I assume that the Maggies factory is not far from you, ie in the US at least.
   
  I am hanging out to hear what you think of the Emotiva amp driving the maggies.
   
  Best of luck for a quick resolution.


----------



## LCfiner

Well, I finally got the last piece of my setup in yesterday (the silver Woo stand).
   
  So right now it goes like this: iMac > Benchmark DAC1 > Woo GES (stock, no upgrades) > Stax Omega 2 Mk1
   
  I also use the DAC1 to feed my speakers. Swans T200b active monitors. I’m very happy with this setup
   
   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  so good.


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> Now that is no fun at all.  How long until they can ship you a new one?  I assume that the Maggies factory is not far from you, ie in the US at least.
> 
> I am hanging out to hear what you think of the Emotiva amp driving the maggies.
> 
> Best of luck for a quick resolution.




Well I can tell you they require a ton more power than my old 4301Bs from just testing the one that worked. I think the UPA-1 will power them beautifully once I get a working pair.

I am in the US, but I do worry about them being backed up. That's what took so long too get these. They are closed for the day so I have to call again tomorrow.

I tested everything but the fuses so I hoping it's a fuse (they send extras). I'll report back in tomorrow after I call them...


----------



## Ser182

Please give a lil report on those Maggie's . I have been interested in them for years.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





ser182 said:


> Please give a lil report on those Maggie's . I have been interested in them for years.


 

 +1 Especially given their supposed price/performance ratio


----------



## shaunybaby

sorry to hear about the DOA morbid, I am looking forward to reading what you think on them compared to your headphones


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





manveru said:


> New girlfriend:


 

  
  I've always been curious about hanging the AT's like that. Is it OK in the long run?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Eric_C* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I've always been curious about hanging the AT's like that. Is it OK in the long run?


 

 Not sure, as I just got them today. They didn't fit on the hose hook stand I was previously using, so I tried something different. I don't imagine it'd be a problem considering the metal bands and how light they are, but I'll have to monitor it over time just in case. Simply setting them down on a flat surface might prove more practical at this point though.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> I've always been curious about hanging the AT's like that. Is it OK in the long run?


 

 I hang my AT's like that from a towel rack stand.  Doesn't do them any harm.


----------



## Eric_C

Quote: 





daigo said:


> I hang my AT's like that from a towel rack stand.  Doesn't do them any harm.


 


  -Rubs chin-
  Iiiiinteresting...


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Eric_C* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> -Rubs chin-
> Iiiiinteresting...


 


  The cups aren't heavy enough to seriously deform the supporting wires, no reason to worry


----------



## epocs

The setup I've had for the past year or so? 
   
  Meier StageDAC -> Headamp GS-1 -> Audeze LCD-2 Rev 2 / Sennheiser HD 800 / MartinLogan Purity Speakers
   
  Having some scotch in the meanwhile doesn't hurt either.


----------



## n3rdling

Direct light is really bad for those ML panels...you might want to tilt that lamp head a little bit.  
   
  LCFiner, is your O2mk1 brand new?  Those pads look great!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





epocs said:


> The setup I've had for the past year or so?
> 
> Meier StageDAC -> Headamp GS-1 -> Audeze LCD-2 Rev 2 / Sennheiser HD 800 / MartinLogan Purity Speakers
> 
> Having some scotch in the meanwhile doesn't hurt either.


 

 Never seen electrostatics in a nearfield setup before. But I just love those Martin Logans. Ah...someday


----------



## LCfiner

No, I got them used from cantsleep here in the forums. I don't think he was the first owner, either. But they didn't have a lot of hours on them and, yeah, pads are in excellent shape.
  
  Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Direct light is really bad for those ML panels...you might want to tilt that lamp head a little bit.
> 
> LCFiner, is your O2mk1 brand new?  Those pads look great!


----------



## Zeebra

Holy crap *epocs*, your setup instantly became my no.1 favourite as I've been long dreaming of such setup! I wish they actually did a A3 sized planar speaker, maybe one that could (should?) be hooked near a wall to gain emphasis on lower frequencies.

I would LOVE to do ABX the Mangepan MMG's vs my Behringer B3031A, none of them around Finland I'm afraid. I can't hold onto my "scientific" view when talking about magnetoplanars and electrostatics, there's something magical about them :3


----------



## Kremer930

Mmmmmmmmmmm Maggies.  I have always been interested too.
   
  Interesting to see how much power they take.
  
  Quote: 





epocs said:


> The setup I've had for the past year or so?
> 
> Meier StageDAC -> Headamp GS-1 -> Audeze LCD-2 Rev 2 / Sennheiser HD 800 / MartinLogan Purity Speakers
> 
> Having some scotch in the meanwhile doesn't hurt either.


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> Mmmmmmmmmmm Maggies.  I have always been interested too.
> 
> Interesting to see how much power they take.




Those are Martin Logans...


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> Now that is no fun at all.  How long until they can ship you a new one?  I assume that the Maggies factory is not far from you, ie in the US at least.
> 
> I am hanging out to hear what you think of the Emotiva amp driving the maggies.
> 
> Best of luck for a quick resolution.




Got a call this morning and they wanted to send me a new pair today...but they wanted to charge my card again and then refund it when the DOA unit got there. 

That would be okay if I had 600 bucks lieing around, but I don't. So they emailed me a shipping label and I have to mail mine back and get my new pair next week. I understand their stance though. 

I'm going to try and move some cash around to get then earlier, but eiher way that's good service.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Got a call this morning and they wanted to send me a new pair today...but they wanted to charge my card again and then refund it when the DOA unit got there.
> That would be okay if I had 600 bucks lieing around, but I don't. So they emailed me a shipping label and I have to mail mine back and get my new pair next week. I understand their stance though.
> I'm going to try and move some cash around to get then earlier, but eiher way that's good service.


 


  Glad to hear that at least they're responding quickly and taking care of you. Really looking forward to your impressions, as I think some speakers are next for me as well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I was able to borrow the 600 from a friend and the speakers should get to me next Wednesday. UPS will then pick up the DOA unit and I will be refunded once it gets to Magnepan. Refund should be in by the end of month. Hoping it all goes smoothly.
  
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Glad to hear that at least they're responding quickly and taking care of you. Really looking forward to your impressions, as I think some speakers are next for me as well.


----------



## Blurr

morbidtoaster said:


> Got a call this morning and they wanted to send me a new pair today...but they wanted to charge my card again and then refund it when the DOA unit got there.
> That would be okay if I had 600 bucks lieing around, but I don't. So they emailed me a shipping label and I have to mail mine back and get my new pair next week. I understand their stance though.
> I'm going to try and move some cash around to get then earlier, but eiher way that's good service.




600 for a pair?! I couldn't even them for that price here in the netherlands on the second hand market...:blink:


----------



## MorbidToaster

In ths US they're 600 USD a pair straight from the factory. The retailers don't actually sell them at all. The MMG is available only directly through them. Shipping to CONUS is about...40 USD.

 I guess we're a bit spoiled when we're close to the factory. 
   
  Quote: 





blurr said:


> 600 for a pair?! I couldn't even them for that price here in the netherlands on the second hand market...


----------



## Maxvla

Makes me want to sell my Paradigms and give them a try at that price...


----------



## MorbidToaster

If you've got a bit to tie up for awhile they have a no frills return policy (you just pay shipping) and even an upgrade program if you like them enough to want a bigger model.

  
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Makes me want to sell my Paradigms and give them a try at that price...


----------



## daigo

Nice choice in scotch, epocs.  Glenfiddich is my favorite.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> If you've got a bit to tie up for awhile they have a no frills return policy (you just pay shipping) and even an upgrade program if you like them enough to want a bigger model.


 

 I've always loved the way they sound in demo rooms, but I don't have enough room in my home to let them breathe properly.
   
  Great choice though Morbid - especially with a well placed subwoofer helping at the bottom.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll be looking at subs asap. I've got an REL 8" in mind already I just want to try and audition one first.

  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I've always loved the way they sound in demo rooms, but I don't have enough room in my home to let them breath properly.
> 
> Great choice though Morbid - especially with a well placed subwoofer helping at the bottom.


----------



## Uncle00Jesse

pardon my ingorance. but if i were to buy a set of those speakers straight from the factory, what would i need to power them? A reciever? Power amplifier? Sorry i'm kind of clueless when it comes to speakers.


----------



## Maxvla

Something that will run 4 ohm stable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Maggies are pretty notourious for being power hungry. Most suggest at least a few hundred watts per channel. Receivers could do the job but are usually frowned upon because they often provide a lot less power than they claim. An integrated amp from a trusted company or serpate pre and power amps would be a better choice.
   
  EDIT: And as Max said, of course something that will match the 4 ohm speakers.
   
  Quote: 





uncle00jesse said:


> pardon my ingorance. but if i were to buy a set of those speakers straight from the factory, what would i need to power them? A reciever? Power amplifier? Sorry i'm kind of clueless when it comes to speakers.


----------



## jtaylor991

I'm in KC so I have a local dealer...are they worth that $600? Would they be an upgrade form say vintage Polk Audio Monitor 10s? $600 for those seems too good to be true! Seriously, I find it hard to believe *quality* panar speakers can be made for that price. I'd love some impressions when you get 'em!
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> In ths US they're 600 USD a pair straight from the factory. The retailers don't actually sell them at all. The MMG is available only directly through them. Shipping to CONUS is about...40 USD.
> 
> I guess we're a bit spoiled when we're close to the factory.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll put you on the list for my impressions when I get them. Quite a few people have asked to know what I think. Most people consider the MMG one of the best values in the speaker world and that's what drew me to them in the first place.

 I haven't heard the Polk 10s, but I have a set of vintage JBLs and vintage Klipsch speakers and while the Maggies are more power hungry from my short amount of time in a show room with them they best the vintage picks in quite a few ways. The will need a sub to sound their best no doubt, but that's a trade off with a lot of more modern speakers.
   
  Everyone I've told about the DOA MMG has been blown away. Magnepan is well known for teir very tight QC. I imagine it might be a fault somewhere with shipping, but I'll never know.
   
  I decided I'll be doing a qrite up on them (short but sweet) as so many people have asked for my impressions. I'm eager to compare them to my LCD 2.2 / LF rig.
   
  EDIT: And the MMGs are only sold factory direct. They no longer sell them through retailers. If a local retailer has them I imagine they might be old stock.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I'm in KC so I have a local dealer...are they worth that $600? Would they be an upgrade form say vintage Polk Audio Monitor 10s? $600 for those seems too good to be true! Seriously, I find it hard to believe *quality* panar speakers can be made for that price. I'd love some impressions when you get 'em!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





epocs said:


> The setup I've had for the past year or so?
> 
> Meier StageDAC -> Headamp GS-1 -> Audeze LCD-2 Rev 2 / Sennheiser HD 800 / MartinLogan Purity Speakers
> 
> Having some scotch in the meanwhile doesn't hurt either.


 

 That's an awful set up.  You should let me take it off your hands.


----------



## Tilpo

dagothur said:


> That's an awful set up.  You should let me take it off your hands.



I see what you did there


----------



## Draygonn

Those maggies MT has are an attempt to get people to experience planars without a huge expense. The 600 is factory direct and once you have tested them they can be exchanged towards a more expensive pair for the full 600. I've heard nothing but good stuff from their reviews. I might get a set one day but I'm starting with omni's. I'm ordering a pair of Duevel Planets. Not as precise as the maggies, but having a sweetspot anywhere in the room intrigues me.


----------



## Maxvla

Just make sure you dust them often


----------



## jtaylor991

http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
  "Order directly from Magnepan by calling 1-800-474-1646 or you have the option to order from your nearest Magnepan dealer." So I guess you can order from them and pick them up? Idk but ordering directly sounds like a better option. Once I get the money, these sound like they'll be my nedxt speakers. I'd need a better amp too. I'm running off a vintage JVC that came with my Polks that would possibly have enough power but I already feel like better soundstage could be had from my current speakers with a better amp (maybe), so I doubt my current receiver (JVC R-X500b) would do Maggies justice. Can't wait to hear your impressions!
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll put you on the list for my impressions when I get them. Quite a few people have asked to know what I think. Most people consider the MMG one of the best values in the speaker world and that's what drew me to them in the first place.
> 
> I haven't heard the Polk 10s, but I have a set of vintage JBLs and vintage Klipsch speakers and while the Maggies are more power hungry from my short amount of time in a show room with them they best the vintage picks in quite a few ways. The will need a sub to sound their best no doubt, but that's a trade off with a lot of more modern speakers.
> 
> ...


----------



## Ser182

[VIDEO][/VIDEO][=
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





][/]
Here are my Sony xb500 getting some burn in time. Not bad for a bass head.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Added in a WA6.


----------



## Maxvla

As Amy Winehouse would say, you are Back to Black (and white)!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> As Amy Winehouse would say, you are Back to Black (and white)!


 


  Okay. I'm done now with black and white. Why, do you think it looks bad?


----------



## Maxvla

LOL, no. Just noting the change from color back to b/w


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> LOL, no. Just noting the change from color back to b/w


 


  Alright, awesome. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sorry, I just have a thing for black and white, it just looks so much more fancy than boring old color.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Gonna have to agree. The B&W looks good every time. 
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Alright, awesome.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Gonna have to agree. The B&W looks good every time.


 

 Thanks MT. Always appreciated.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

hey what mic is that in that pic?


----------



## Austin Morrow

dubstep girl said:


> hey what mic is that in that pic?




Dubstep Girl, that mic is the Blue Microphones Yeti. Despite being limited to 16/44.1, it's still one of the best microphones I've ever tried under $100, and it's so diverse when it comes to options.

Looking for a new microphone?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i need a mic. don't have one lol, i want for talking to ppl and stuff, and in case i ever need to record something. i want something with really good quality
   
  desk mic would work best im assuming, better than a headset since i have headphones lol


----------



## Zeebra

dubstep girl said:


> i need a mic. don't have one lol, i want for talking to ppl and stuff, and in case i ever need to record something. i want something with really good quality
> 
> desk mic would work best im assuming, better than a headset since i have headphones lol




You can get any large diaphragm microphone with a desktop stand. The Blue Yeti is a good microphone, but since it's an USB one it has it's own A/D converter, so it shows up as an individual sound card in Windows 7 and that might cause some issues. I haven't been able to make USB microphones work with low latency ASIO drivers, so doing any sort of effects or noise removal "live" is impossible. Then again, doing the same trick is very easy on an audio interface that supports multiple inputs and outputs at the same time, and your microphone choices are much broader when you have a sound card with a phantom power supporting XLR input.

I wouldn't know an English equivalent to the Finnish saying "hunger grows while you're eating" but I hope you won't end up wanting more once you get a good quality mic but lack the connectivity for some more intricate applications ;3

Then again, a lot of podcasters and artists with acoustics quitar cope with just a single USB mic, so I might be just obsessed with tinkering


----------



## IcedTea

+1 on the blue yeti, I think its really good for a usb mic. 
   
   
  I might buy a mic/midi interface to record my guitar into my computer but that's in the future


----------



## MarioImpemba

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That would be okay if I had 600 bucks lieing around, but I don't.


 
   
  I'm sure this will get me castrated here, but...
  
  Don't have $600 lieing [sic] around, but have a +$4,000 headphone rig...
   
   
  Anyway, I've been eyeballing those Emotiva mono-blocks + Maggies (MMG's or 1.7's) for awhile; nice choice.


----------



## Ken Rosenberg

Please delete.


----------



## s043uf

Small update on the listening corner, added the Denon AH-D5000 some weeks ago. Managed to find a Sennheiser headphone hanger that worked like a charm with my desk (well relatively atleast, hate the tangling properties of the denon cable).
   
  As a sidenote i switched the apple keyboard for a mechanical one with red switches (taka taka taka, ohh the pleasure). Bought a small nixie clock also, it proved to be very hard to capture it properly in pictures.


----------



## keph

jst got some new dummy headphone stand...audio-gd di will be arriving soon...


----------



## MorbidToaster

marioimpemba said:


> I'm sure this will get me castrated here, but...
> 
> Don't have $600 lieing [sic] around, but have a +$4,000 headphone rig...
> 
> ...




I understand where you're coming from a little bit...but the only time I have 600 to spare is when I'm saving for something. I budget very tightly and bills are the priority but any extra money is for toys. I have an emergency fund that doesn't get touched unless it's a true emergency.

MMGs were in the budget, a second pair was not. Heck if I had 600 bucks lieing around I'd have my Emotiva Pre amp in that stack already.


----------



## RexAeterna

marioimpemba said:


> I'm sure this will get me castrated here, but...
> 
> 
> Don't have $600 lieing [sic] around, but have a +$4,000 headphone rig...
> ...






keph said:


> jst got some new dummy headphone stand...audio-gd di will be arriving soon...




you should so get some magic markers and make some awesome faces on them. it'll give them character!

awesome set-up btw.


----------



## MarioImpemba

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have an emergency fund that doesn't get touched unless it's a true emergency.


 

 Fair enough - that'll teach me to pass judgement 
   
  Where is that rack from btw? It looks nice. I'm having a hard time finding anything reasonably priced.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's a VTI BL404 with the 9, 7, 7 spacing. Also available with 13, 9, 7 spacing. 
   
  I'd had my eye on one for a long time (since I started here) but never really had the gear to put into it. Now that I needed space for my 2ch system it was time to get one. They range anywhere from 325 to about 400 USD (depending on spacing and shelf options). Well worth it, IMO. 
   
  The last thing I need to do to it is fill the poles with buckshot and sand (the spikes unscrew for this).
   
  Oh, and yeah...after watching my parents go bankrupt twice I learned to be extremely careful with money. Emergency funds are important. Heck I had to pull some out of it a few months ago because of car troubles.
   
  Quote: 





marioimpemba said:


> Fair enough - that'll teach me to pass judgement
> 
> Where is that rack from btw? It looks nice. I'm having a hard time finding anything reasonably priced.


----------



## MarioImpemba

Pre-move.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





ken rosenberg said:


> That amp sitting on the lower shelf looks a lot like the Sansui G-33000, what model is it?


 

 If it was a beastly G-33000 I would need a bigger shelf! Haha. It's a G-5700.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I got my mits on Dr. Cavalli's personal CTH...Okay maybe he said I could borrow it but now I kind of don't want to let it go. For one, it's gorgeous, and secondly it's brought out bass in the 598s I haven't heard before. 
   
  They aren't bass light, but with this little bugger they've been cranked way up.
   
  Other than that I just cleaned up the desk and moved the piece of glass from this desk into another room. 
   
  EDIT: Added these 2 beauties to the empty space. Needed some more color anyway.


----------



## TheWuss

doing a little shoot-out of sorts between my stock HE-6 and a hard-wired Zeus recabled pair.
  fun times.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Considering how much I hate the HiFiMan connectors...I'd probably do this with mine if I even wanted a pair. lol
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> doing a little shoot-out of sorts between my stock HE-6 and a hard-wired Zeus recabled pair.
> fun times.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> doing a little shoot-out of sorts between my stock HE-6 and a hard-wired Zeus recabled pair.
> fun times.


 


  TheWuss, If I mud ask, why on Earth do you have two HE-6's? Isn't 1 already legendary enough as it is?


----------



## Zombie_X

Sohryu nee-san! Ayanami-san! Chou cawaii!!
   
  Sorry Japanese cuteness overdose... need to punch a wall now...
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I got my mits on Dr. Cavalli's personal CTH...Okay maybe he said I could borrow it but now I kind of don't want to let it go. For one, it's gorgeous, and secondly it's brought out bass in the 598s I haven't heard before.
> 
> They aren't bass light, but with this little bugger they've been cranked way up.
> 
> ...


----------



## Clayton SF

I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


----------



## Maxvla

Clayton you have all these world class amps but only mid-fi headphones. Time to get some better cans


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Clayton you have all these world class amps but only mid-fi headphones. Time to get some better cans


 


  I bet they scale up quite well though. No need for world class cans as long as he is satisfied. I prefer the HD650 over the HD800.


----------



## Zombie_X

Agreed  Clayton you need a T1 in there! 
   
  Also I bet your apartment complex's manager hates you for all the power you drain..
  
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Clayton you have all these world class amps but only mid-fi headphones. Time to get some better cans


----------



## Draygonn

clayton sf said:


>




A WA4 sighting. Awesome.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> A WA4 sighting. Awesome.


 


  +1


----------



## Clayton SF

When I bought the K701 3 years ago it was a high-end headphone--so were the others. So I settled on those three headphones and simple got better amps. Austin Morrow is right, they all scale up. But you know, a T1 certainly could compliment the system as well as others. But I creep along with the phones.
   
*So with my new D7000, I actually get to hear it on 7 different systems--so it's like I just got 7 new headphones!*
   
  HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!


----------



## MorbidToaster

How do you like the Emotiva transport? Is that the new one or the first generation.
   
  It's pretty funny to see amongst all that fantastic gear.
   
  EDIT: I see it's the ERC-1. 
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How do you like the Emotiva transport? Is that the new one or the first generation.
> It's pretty funny to see amongst all that fantastic gear.
> EDIT: I see it's the ERC-1.


 

 Yes. It is the ERC-1. It is a fantastic transport. It has 2 RCA outputs, 1 XLR output. A 5-year warranty (I've already returned it once for repairs with a quick 2-day turnaround). So with no switching of cables, that transport is the source for all 7 of those amps. Love it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm considering picking up the ERC-2, but I'm also considering a few options at double the price that are just transports. 
   
  I love my other Emotiva gear so far. What was the warranty repair for?
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Yes. It is the ERC-1. It is a fantastic transport. It has 2 RCA outputs, 1 XLR output. A 5-year warranty (I've already returned it once for repairs with a quick 2-day turnaround). So with no switching of cables, that transport is the source for all 7 of those amps. Love it.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm considering picking up the ERC-2, but I'm also considering a few options at double the price that are just transports.
> I love my other Emotiva gear so far. What was the warranty repair for?


 

 The CD mechanism itself went wonky. I would put a CD in the slot and it would take the disc and I could hear it spinning up really fast. It just wouldn't engage the disc. So I returned it (had to pay for shipping to them but they took care of its return).
   
  I hear the OPPO BDP-93 is pretty awesome as a transport and then some. But that's up there in the 1K bracket.


----------



## MorbidToaster

clayton sf said:


> The CD mechanism itself went wonky. I would put a CD in the slot and it would take the disc and I could hear it spinning up really fast. It just wouldn't engage the disc. So I returned it (had to pay for shipping to them but they took care of its return).
> 
> I hear the OPPO BDP-93 is pretty awesome as a transport and then some. But that's up there in the 1K bracket.




I have an SA8004 but I don't need the bells and whistles it offers anymore. Considering the Aune Cyclone once the 8004 sells. I'm looking at the BDP-95 too but again the bells and whistles comes into play.


----------



## Maxvla

I'd stick with a Philips based transport in your price range Travis. My Rotel has one. Don't know if you used it much but it was on my stat rig. It reads a disc very quickly and is quick to respond to button presses. I love it. This is part of what a quality transport should give you. The one I linked you in your thread has a Philips transport, a later model, and better than mine.


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> I'd stick with a Philips based transport in your price range Travis. My Rotel has one. Don't know if you used it much but it was on my stat rig. It reads a disc very quickly and is quick to respond to button presses. I love it. This is part of what a quality transport should give you. The one I linked you in your thread has a Philips transport, a later model, and better than mine.




I'm pretty set on it after looking at other options in the range. It's nice and small and I love top loaders. Thanks for the link. That's why it's on the wish list. 

Once someone picks up he SA8004 the Cyclone will probably be ordered the next day.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


 

 Sweet X-15 model up on the Auditor


----------



## hodgjy

I've said this before, and I'll say it again.  Clayton is my hero because he has one of the sickest setups I've ever seen.  I am so jealous that I'm not scared to admit that.
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I've said this before, and I'll say it again.  Clayton is my hero because he has one of the sickest setups I've ever seen.  I am so jealous that I'm not scared to admit that.


 


  It's truly amplifier heaven...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I've said this before, and I'll say it again.  Clayton is my hero because he has one of the sickest setups I've ever seen.  I am so jealous that I'm not scared to admit that.


 
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> It's truly amplifier heaven...


 

 Thanks.


----------



## Draygonn

logwed said:


> It's truly amplifier heaven...




it really is a showroom

I like the β22 faceplates


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> it really is a showroom
> I like the β22 faceplates


 

 Thanks. I stressed out on the design and finally just said who cares. Corey Warner built the 22.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks. I stressed out on the design and finally just said who cares. Corey Warner built the 22.


 


  Well, it's a nice B22. How does it sound with your D7000's?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Well, it's a nice B22. How does it sound with your D7000's?


 
  Well I've actually had he D7000 for less than 24 hours but I've manage to put it (and myself) through various amp paces.
  So far--and this is just a quick list:
  SS amps seems to have an incredible synergy with the D7000--
     The SPL Auditor emphasizes all of the good qualities of the D7000.
     The B22 is incredibly detailed. I believe at this point the B22 is made for the D7000
     The Zana Deux is close to the B22 with a slight edginess to the sound--
          mind you--the D7000 is still very young
     The WA2 is clean almost the most SS sounding tube amp
  and the Liquid Fire seems to make the D7000 glow. And slightly over-enhanced I'd say--
   
  But these are young findings.
   
  I'm just very impressed with the D7000 and need to kick back a little on my beginners enthusiasm because I want to just enjoy this new headphone before I get too critical--which I am loath to do.
   
  But I've noticed that the D7000's mids are velvety compared to the DT900 600 ohms which I love as well. The 990's mids seem slightly clearer and forward (believe it or not) compared to the D7000. I think the strong bass of the D7000 might fluff up the mids a tiny bit.


----------



## logwed

Clayton, it took me SO long to figure out what the plane was in your pic (not the X15). Didn't think of trainers for a while...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I creep along with the phones.


 

 Yes, you're obviously an amp man!

  
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> It's truly amplifier heaven...


 

 X 3


----------



## ISALULA

clayton sf said:


>




Sweet Lord... Gorgeous setup ! 

Congrats


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





			
				Clayton SF said:
			
		

>


 
   
  X4 amazing... but i think the question on everyones mind is why so many ultra high end amps and no high end cans? Very surprised to not see LCD2's, HE-6, T1's, etc in this picture. PS, where are the stax that are plugged into that amp on the bottom left?


----------



## Shubar

Aye...
   
  Sense = Zero
   
  Awesomeness = Exploding


----------



## Tilpo

darren700 said:


> X4 amazing... but i think the question on everyones mind is why so many ultra high end amps and no high end cans? Very surprised to not see LCD2's, HE-6, T1's, etc in this picture. PS, where are the stax that are plugged into that amp on the bottom left?



Doesn't look like an electrostatic amp to me. It's more likely to be a power supply, or power conditioner.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Doesn't look like an electrostatic amp to me. It's more likely to be a power supply, or power conditioner.


 

 Oh, upon closer inspection, i beleive your right, that is definately way to big off a cord for stax cans, deff power supply.


----------



## Anthony1

With that much crumpet lying around I would be putting some $ into a purpose built cupboard.
   
  Clayton you are the equivalent of the guy in this ad for this thread
  You win 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> With that much crumpet lying around I would be putting some $ into a purpose built cupboard.
> Clayton you are the equivalent of the guy in this ad for this thread
> You win


 
   
  That's funny. I was looking up cupboards and shelves this morning for this dreary lot of furniture. My question has always been to either spend it on amps or furniture. Hence no furniture worth worth buying. And I appreciate the guy in the ad. Like me he messes up the ambiance, yes? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Most of my friends are just so impressed by the sound that they don't even mention the mix-and-match (or mismatch) setup I have. So my next purchase is a nice piece of structure to showcase my amps, etc. I actually really don't notice it until I look at pictures of it--too immersed in the music I guess. But that will change.
   
  Perhaps a few of these like MorbidToaster has: VTI Shelf Audio Rack
  I welcome suggestions, please!
   
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Oh, upon closer inspection, i beleive your right, that is definately way to big off a cord for stax cans, deff power supply.


 
   
  It is a hybrid amp called a Music Fidelity X-CAN V8p. The very first headphone amp I purchased in 2009. It uses two 6DJ8 tubes and sounds fantastic.
   
  EDIT: My mistake. I reread the above. The black box is the power supply to the amp directly above it: The Zana Deux SE.


----------



## kingoftown1

How do you like the DLIII compared to the Dacmagic?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> How do you like the DLIII compared to the Dacmagic?


 

 The DLIII and the DacMagic are great but I prefer the DLIII. Although DacMagic definitely holds its own both in price points and presentation, compared to the DLIII it can sound a little bright and slightly thinner.
   
  You do have a selection of three sonic filters with the DacMagic; the DLIII is factory set.
  The DacMagic is fixed at 96kHz; the DLIII has a select button for 96kHz and 192kHz.


----------



## daigo

Wow Clayton SF, the three amps you brought to the meet aren't even in the picture 
  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I just got the D7000. It is by far the best of my hp bunch.


 
  Wow, that's some pretty impressive schiit you have there


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





daigo said:


> Wow Clayton SF, the three amps you brought to the meet aren't even in the picture


 

 I know. They're in the same room but on the opposite wall. And the rest of the amps are in my den/bedroom. I know. I am seriously thinking about having a garage sale this year before my building manager declares my apartment a disaster area.


----------



## manveru

There are now 2 1/2 pages of just reactions to Clayton's post, haha.


----------



## Kremer930

Yep. Add me on to that list as well. The fact that there are a couple of amps on the other side of the room and another in his den is just amazing. 

Add in the LCD2/3 or T1 plus some funky furniture rack and I think that you will have many a head-fier drooling with envy. Well done!


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Clayton you are insane, in a good way . Out of curiosity what amps are on the opposite wall?


----------



## darren700

show us the other side of the room! We want moar!


----------



## RexAeterna

you guys seem to have an overly obsession for the poor guy. he must be a super stud or something cause you guys remind me bit of like the fans of the twilight series(i can see it now. all you guys flinging your arms screaming moment he enters the forums lol)..


----------



## Clayton SF

By the way, <my apartment is a mess right now so no pix yet>...
  If I don't pay rent, then my Landlord just hits the release button and my
  little home falls through the roof of _*Le Central.*_


----------



## Maxvla

Looks bigger from the inside


----------



## hodgjy

And by garage sale, you really mean the FS forums here, right?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I know. They're in the same room but on the opposite wall. And the rest of the amps are in my den/bedroom. I know. I am seriously thinking about having a garage sale this year before my building manager declares my apartment a disaster area.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> And by garage sale, you really mean the FS forums here, right?


 
  Yes. And I'd PM y'all first, _hodgiy_.


----------



## Silent One

Silent One will remain silent on the secret handshake (sorry). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But, I'll be visiting Clayton's Showcase in the next 2-3 weeks. And will have all of you in mind. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Great power on display as usual, Clayton!


----------



## peck1234




----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


>


 


  Thats a pretty nice set up there. I always liked Yamaha stuff


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Silent One will remain silent on the secret handshake (sorry).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I've PM'd you re transportation.


----------



## ericpwiseguy

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/02/16/manifest-destiny-by-mark-reigelman/
  Manifest destiny


----------



## Clayton SF

ericpwiseguy--
   
  thanks for the info on who built this quaint little home.
   
*peck1234*
  You have a very nice setup.
  The headphones look great on the grille.


----------



## peck1234

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Thats a pretty nice set up there. I always liked Yamaha stuff


 


  Thank's, yes Yamaha makes some some of the best quality receiver's in my opinion.   Absolutely 0 distortion and 0 hiss.  Love it.


----------



## TheOtus

Thank you peck1234, needed some new pictures. ;D Everyone will probably ignore them though, still so excited...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> X4 amazing... but i think the question on everyones mind is why so many ultra high end amps and no high end cans? Very surprised to not see LCD2's, HE-6, T1's, etc in this picture. PS, where are the stax that are plugged into that amp on the bottom left?


 

 What is a high-end can? One that costs over $1K? I don't have any cans that are >$1K but some day I will. I actually thought that the D7000 was high-end. At any rate the D7000 is high-end in my system at the moment.


----------



## aroldan

Amazing setup Clayton. What of those amps do you like better with your HD650?


----------



## RexAeterna

peck1234 said:


> Thank's, yes Yamaha makes some some of the best quality receiver's in my opinion.   Absolutely 0 distortion and 0 hiss.  Love it.




yes they do. i still find their power amps from the 80's one of the best achievement in absolute audio fidelity. yamaha made some of most accurate and powerful amps around with very little negative feedback. Harman Kardon was another in the 80's from the japanese market that made insanely accurate and transparent gear. yamaha and harman kardon still makes them like they use to but expect paying over few grand for them.


----------



## shaunybaby

I got my dads camera last night and decided to take some quick shots for you guys 

   
  hope you like em


----------



## Adu

My current set-up:


----------



## BeYourSound

So many amazing and beautiful setups! Everyone has their own bit of originality, makes me check this thread out everyday. You guys rock, keep on


----------



## ratchetman123

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Heres the current state of my Rig.
> Still not sure if im going to keep the NFB-10SE as i dont care for the amp section too much, I much prefer the sound of the JDS O2.
> Would like to sell the NFB10 and get a really nice balanced DAC. thinking Rein X-DAC, PS Audio Digital Link III, Yulong D18 or possibly new Schiit Balanced.
> 
> ...


 

 I noticed some OVERWERK The Nth Degree album artwork on your computer screen.  Nice!


----------



## MorbidToaster

ratchetman123 said:


> I noticed some OVERWERK The Nth Degree album artwork on your computer screen.  Nice!




It was a great free release. I think I'd have been a bit disappointed if I paid for it. It is growing on me though.


----------



## RexAeterna

testing out a pair of Stax 2020 basic II system thanks to very,very kind head-fier. so far really liking how they sound.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> Amazing setup Clayton. What of those amps do you like better with your HD650?


 
  The HD650 sound great on the Liquid Fire and the Woo Audio 2. And the solid state Beta 22 is also incredibly great with the 650. Lately after a few years of tube amps I am starting to lean toward ss amps. They not finicky like tube amps. IMHO.


----------



## Ser182

[=
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




][/]

Here is office setup.


----------



## Zombie_X

I should take pictures of the mighty milk crate of headphones...


----------



## tdockweiler

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I should take pictures of the mighty milk crate of headphones...


 

 Only a milk crate? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I must have entire plastic bin filled with them!
  Are you like me and are crazy enough to have one filled with cables too?
  I cleaned my house last week to put it up for sale and must have had about 15 adapters for various headphones.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I should take pictures of the mighty milk crate of headphones...


 


  Uh oh....


----------



## m0gwai

Here's some pictures of my current electrostatic setup...
   

   

   

   

   

   
  and the non-headphone station
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Hope you like it


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





m0gwai said:


> Here's some pictures of my current electrostatic setup...
> 
> Hope you like it


 

 You sir have one beautiful home!


----------



## Tilpo

Wow. 

Beautiful pictures. Also makes me notice again how incredibly beautiful the WES looks.


----------



## Melvins

your avatar is primo as well


----------



## DragonOwen

*m0gwai*
  You have my dream setup, I'm extreamly jealous 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Right now I selled some stuff (Lyr, HE-500) and selling my balanced HP amp FHA 1.3 and HE-6 to save some money to buy 009, but it's still will be only half of the sum that I need... so will have to save money for at least half of a year from now (probably more...)... and after that I'm planning to live with GES + 009 combo for a year or two until I can change GES to WES... so again I'm extreamly jelous of your audio rig, it's really the rig of my dreams


----------



## m0gwai

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> *m0gwai*
> You have my dream setup, I'm extreamly jealous
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you!
   
  I can't say I have listened/owned everything but it's safe to say that when it comes to high-end headphones I have owned all of the 'usual suspects', same goes for the amp/dac and I can tell you that it's a step above everything I heard so far, there's something about a high end electrostatic setup that can't be matched by anything dynamic in my own opinion.
   
  Yes it's a lot of money but this is getting you the best headphones has to offer, for speakers this would get you at the very begining of what is considered high-end so it's not a bad investement in the end, at least in my book.


----------



## tme110

That is pretty slick


----------



## MorbidToaster

m0gwai said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I can't say I have listened/owned everything but it's safe to say that when it comes to high-end headphones I have owned all of the 'usual suspects', same goes for the amp/dac and I can tell you that it's a step above everything I heard so far, there's something about a high end electrostatic setup that can't be matched by anything dynamic in my own opinion.
> 
> Yes it's a lot of money but this is getting you the best headphones has to offer, for speakers this would get you at the very begining of what is considered high-end so it's not a bad investement in the end, at least in my book.




I think this LF is here to stay. After hearing the 007 on a few amps at the Austin meet I want one (Or just Stax in general), but they couldn't replace my LCD 2.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





melvins said:


> your avatar is primo as well


 

 We can't stop here. This is bat country!


----------



## tme110

updated pic, I sold off a lot of equipment and changed some stuff out.  I did have a chance to move up to a Eddie Current amp but didn't because I was happy with my current system but I'm still wondering about that decision...


----------



## JoeMarioZ

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> My Humble Station... Specs in the signature
> 
> Long time lurker here... I just started with Hi-Fi Audio... and am about to invest on my portable setup. I bought B&W C5, but I am going to sell them for a good price, so I want another set of IEM's. My budget is 500$ PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.


 
   


   
  It's getting a little crowded, just the portable headphones missing.
  Specs in the signature.


----------



## Melvins

hey how do you like those speakers? For the price? Have always considered buying a pair


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





melvins said:


> hey how do you like those speakers? For the price? Have always considered buying a pair


 


  x2 I have wanted some speakers to replace my terrible TV speakers for some time.


----------



## MorbidToaster

shaunybaby said:


> x2 I have wanted some speakers to replace my terrible TV speakers for some time.




x3. Considering a pair for my desk. 

Maggies came and they work this time. I'll post pics soon.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





joemarioz said:


> It's getting a little crowded, just the portable headphones missing.
> Specs in the signature.


 

 I'd say the Westone 4. I wasn't the biggest fan when I heard them myself, but i also didn't have my porta-rig when i tested them. Just be aware that with IEM's, amp pairing is uber-important, so you'd better have an amp with the characteristics that you love to drive them 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've PM'd you re transportation.


 


  Is it any wonder _"The City That Knows How" _has such gracious hosts? Thanks kindly for the invite. Can't wait for jc9394 to get back out here! On the head-fi station note, I'm currently trying to get my 6AS7 OTL amp Blacked out! I want the face plate, volume control knob and power button to all be anodized Black. Sitting on Black spikes to boot? That's a pix I look forward to posting!


----------



## tme110

I have the AE5's (I'm guessing those were 2's or something) and love them.  I actually like using them better than my main system (though my main system is set up in a worst-case senario room).  though, and esp with something like a TV, they'll only sound as good as the signal they get so I'd use an external DAC.  Even a cheap one made a significant difference in my setup.
   
  I'd get the Maggie mini's myself but I don't have an amp in my entire house that can power them.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> x3. Considering a pair for my desk.
> Maggies came and they work this time. I'll post pics soon.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Restacked and cleaned up the whole room.

  The Maggies work this time. New carpet, too.
   
  Oh, and Wii's are dumb.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Restacked and cleaned up the whole room.
> 
> The Maggies work this time. New carpet, too.
> 
> Oh, and Wii's are dumb.


 


  Sir, that gear looks yummy.


----------



## Kremer930

morbidtoaster said:


> Restacked and cleaned up the whole room.
> 
> The Maggies work this time. New carpet, too.
> 
> Oh, and Wii's are dumb.




Nice rig morbid. The rack and blue lights of the emotive gear looks great. 

I initially thought that you had two xpa1 units and was thinking that the Maggie's really liked a lot of power. The fact that you have upa1 instead makes the power demands far more reasonable. 

I had also heard that Maggie's needed to be over a metre off the back wall. Your look great in your setting. Can I ask why they are angled in so much? Is this due to your seat being close or is it a Maggie preference. 

Thanks and once again Great Toys!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> Nice rig morbid. The rack and blue lights of the emotive gear looks great.
> I initially thought that you had two xpa1 units and was thinking that the Maggie's really liked a lot of power. The fact that you have upa1 instead makes the power demands far more reasonable.
> I had also heard that Maggie's needed to be over a metre off the back wall. Your look great in your setting. Can I ask why they are angled in so much? Is this due to your seat being close or is it a Maggie preference.
> Thanks and once again Great Toys!!!




The seat is close. Unfortunatly this room doesn't give the Maggies enough room to breath but the new place will be bigger an a much better room for them. 

They're 2 feet off the back wall (again this isn't the ideal setting yet).

As for the Emotiva amps. I saw no reason to push 1000 wats per channel. I've heard they sound a bit colder than the UPA-1s and I like a slight warmth. Other than that...they save on my electrical bill.


----------



## TehJam

Hey Morbid, what sub do you use?


----------



## MorbidToaster

tehjam said:


> Hey Morbid, what sub do you use?




None yet. Got my eye on an 8" REL. These aren't really for EDM listening yet because I have no sub, but my rock collection is sounding great.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> None yet. Got my eye on an 8" REL. These aren't really for EDM listening yet because I have no sub, but my rock collection is sounding great.


 


  But of course, why don't you just listen to Skrillex?


----------



## MorbidToaster

They actually perform really well upwards of 100hz...so now would be the time...

I'll still pass though.


----------



## Blurr

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> None yet. Got my eye on an 8" REL. These aren't really for EDM listening yet because I have no sub, but my rock collection is sounding great.


 


  For rock I would definately look for a closed casket instead of a bassreflex system, less thumping better extension.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not anywhere near set on anything, but I need punch for my EDM. 
   
  Remember, it needs to be able to keep up with the Maggies, too. That seems to be the biggest concern when looking for a sub. 
   
  Suggestions?
  
  Quote: 





blurr said:


> For rock I would definately look for a closed casket instead of a bassreflex system, less thumping better extension.


----------



## TruBrew

When I had Maggies I thought about buying a Rythmik F12 or F15 sub. I don't remember much about them anymore, but their must have been a reason I had my eye on them.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I don't think they'll be going anywhere as they're like...the one thing the girlfriend has taken interest in (and by that I mean commented on) as far as my audio fetish goes. 
   
  'They look really pretty.'
  
  Quote: 





trubrew said:


> When I had Maggies I thought about buying a Rythmik F12 or F15 sub. I don't remember much about them anymore, but their must have been a reason I had my eye on them.


----------



## shaunybaby

so morbid how are you finding your time with the maggies? are they all that people say they are? I have had my eye on them for some time and always wanted some but I am a bit off put by how much people say they need powerwise.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They do need (I'd say) at least 200 watts per channel. This is just judging by the amount I know my UPA-1s are putting in relative to the level I have to turn the pre up to.
   
  So far I'm really enjoying them. It's weird to go from my LCD 2 to the MMG because soundstage goes from meh to wow instantly. 
   
  These are also the most position based speakers I've ever heard so I can tell it's going to be a long process getting them exactly right for your space.
   
  The bass was the biggest thing I was worried about and I have to say I'm impressed. They need a well integrated sub to sound their best (not from experience but I can just tell), but they're no slouch without one either. 
   
  I'll be posting a more in depth impression in a few days probably because you and about 20 other people have asked me to comment once I got them in.
   
  Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> so morbid how are you finding your time with the maggies? are they all that people say they are? I have had my eye on them for some time and always wanted some but I am a bit off put by how much people say they need powerwise.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Restacked and cleaned up the whole room.
> 
> The Maggies work this time. New carpet, too.
> 
> Oh, and Wii's are dumb.


 

 Absolutely beautiful. I would love to hear a pair myself


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Absolutely beautiful. I would love to hear a pair myself


 
  Obviously not the same, but bestbuy carries the Martin Logans in some of its Magnolia audio areas, they also carry Turbines if you are interested, they are all available for demo.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I would love to hear a higher end Martin Logan set. Those and Maggies are gorgeous...


----------



## JoeMarioZ

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> x3. Considering a pair for my desk.
> Maggies came and they work this time. I'll post pics soon.


 


  These are great, no regrets here, they are able to fill the whole room up, without sounding screechy at all, and work great with my HUD-MX1, the best for the price.


----------



## Blurr

I haven't heard many subs so I won't make a guess at it. I do think edm would benefit more from bass extension than beats by dre like thumping from a bassreflex port kind of bass.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Not anywhere near set on anything, but I need punch for my EDM.
> 
> Remember, it needs to be able to keep up with the Maggies, too. That seems to be the biggest concern when looking for a sub.
> 
> Suggestions?


----------



## Zeebra

morbidtoaster said:


> x3. Considering a pair for my desk.
> Maggies came and they work this time. I'll post pics soon.




I would not recommend the Audioengine 2's, they're way too small to reproduce the whole frequency range, and if you try getting them louder to hear some lows too, they're going to go beyond their maximum woofer excursion and distort, BADLY. For very low listening volumes they are adequate, but if you need to have tiny footprint on the speakers and want better freq. response I would recommend Genelec 6010A. It's the only brand I've heard do tiny monitors that sound great, but in general I favour bigger speakers with 5-8" woofers, they deliver much more impact without working on their limits.

EDIT: I liked my pair, liked them more when I got them a 10" subwoofer and got the crossover right, but listening to them against 8" monitors that hardly need a subwoofer (for music material at least), I got a whole new level of continuity in the sound spectrum that was lacking with tiny monitors and a subwoofer.

But as I said, for low volume level use only, I'd still get them.


----------



## Kremer930

morbidtoaster said:


> Not anywhere near set on anything, but I need punch for my EDM.
> 
> Remember, it needs to be able to keep up with the Maggies, too. That seems to be the biggest concern when looking for a sub.
> 
> Suggestions?




Have you ever had any feedback on either of the Emotiva subs? They look like beasts but I guess it is not knowing how tight they are. I wish I could audition them. 

I have a miller and Kreisler and it does a great job. Not sure how it compares to the new generation of subs with digital amps though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> Have you ever had any feedback on either of the Emotiva subs? They look like beasts but I guess it is not knowing how tight they are. I wish I could audition them.
> I have a miller and Kreisler and it does a great job. Not sure how it compares to the new generation of subs with digital amps though.




I love their speaker amps so far but there's not much info on the speakers out there. I haven't even heard them mentioned as far as Maggie pairing goes.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





zeebra said:


> I would not recommend the Audioengine 2's, they're way too small to reproduce the whole frequency range, and if you try getting them louder to hear some lows too, they're going to go beyond their maximum woofer excursion and distort, BADLY. For very low listening volumes they are adequate, but if you need to have tiny footprint on the speakers and want better freq. response I would recommend Genelec 6010A. It's the only brand I've heard do tiny monitors that sound great, but in general I favour bigger speakers with 5-8" woofers, they deliver much more impact without working on their limits.
> EDIT: I liked my pair, liked them more when I got them a 10" subwoofer and got the crossover right, but listening to them against 8" monitors that hardly need a subwoofer (for music material at least), I got a whole new level of continuity in the sound spectrum that was lacking with tiny monitors and a subwoofer.
> But as I said, for low volume level use only, I'd still get them.


 

 I think most people prefer bigger speakers, if not all given the choice. The reason for the A2s is limited space and price. Thanks for mentioning the Genelecs, cause other than that I had only seen the A2s and B&W MM1s, but price wise none of them match up. A2 is $200, Genelec is $350, and B&W is $500. So how does the A2 fare against the Genelec taking price into consideration?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think I might end up with a pair of those Emotiva 4s for my desk. I've heard a lot of good things.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





zeebra said:


> I would not recommend the Audioengine 2's, they're way too small to reproduce the whole frequency range, and if you try getting them louder to hear some lows too, they're going to go beyond their maximum woofer excursion and distort, BADLY. For very low listening volumes they are adequate, but if you need to have tiny footprint on the speakers and want better freq. response I would recommend Genelec 6010A. It's the only brand I've heard do tiny monitors that sound great, but in general I favour bigger speakers with 5-8" woofers, they deliver much more impact without working on their limits.


 

 I don't understand why people get tiny little desktop speakers with 3" woofers and then complain about how they don't produce deep bass or play at very loud volumes (though IME they got much louder than I could ever possibly want before distorting). I'm not trying to defend them or say they're the best, but obviously if you have unrealistic expectations you will be disappointed.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think I might end up with a pair of those Emotiva 4s for my desk. I've heard a lot of good things.


 

 Those are just on the large size for what I'd put on my desk, though a possibility.


----------



## MorbidToaster

ocswing said:


> Those are just on the large size for what I'd put on my desk, though a possibility.




Just over 6" wide and 7" deep. Very deskable for me though they coukd be a bit big for a smaller space


----------



## Zeebra

ocswing said:


> A2 is $200, Genelec is $350, and B&W is $500. So how does the A2 fare against the Genelec taking price into consideration?



Holy crap, if you can get Genelecs for so little (they're 420€ a pair, between 500-600 USD here) I would get them in a jiffy! I might and most likely would buy them over my 8" Behringer monitors if I could trade them for no lost money.

I have heard them both, not in the same space against each other though, but in very similar conditions: off FiiO E7, near a wall, about five feet apart. The Genelec has the type of mid-high separation that sounds great, and packs a surprising punch for the size, with good definition in the low end. In comparison the A2 seem to have a slower less defined response in the low notes and starts distorting at loud, where Genelec doesn't. I'm sort of a Genelec fanboy though, so I'd take myself with a slight grain of salt. But you get some street credibility with them, at least from pro-audio peeps


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





zeebra said:


> Holy crap, if you can get Genelecs for so little (they're 420€ a pair, between 500-600 USD here) I would get them in a jiffy! I might and most likely would buy them over my 8" Behringer monitors if I could trade them for no lost money.
> I have heard them both, not in the same space against each other though, but in very similar conditions: off FiiO E7, near a wall, about five feet apart. The Genelec has the type of mid-high separation that sounds great, and packs a surprising punch for the size, with good definition in the low end. In comparison the A2 seem to have a slower less defined response in the low notes and starts distorting at loud, where Genelec doesn't. I'm sort of a Genelec fanboy though, so I'd take myself with a slight grain of salt. But you get some street credibility with them, at least from pro-audio peeps


 

 Yeah, my friend does audio and loves Genelec. I was ready to pull the trigger, but when I investigated that price it was only for one and not the pair. At $600 I would hope the Genelec is better, but at $200 for the A2s I'm not sure there is anything that really competes at the same price/size. I'm mainly just looking to replace my everyday computer speakers that just went out. The consumer space is disappointing for price/performance in my opinion, but to get into near-field monitors the price starts jumping up pretty quick.


----------



## Zeebra

ocswing said:


> Yeah, my friend does audio and loves Genelec. I was ready to pull the trigger, but when I investigated that price it was only for one and not the pair. At $600 I would hope the Genelec is better, but at $200 for the A2s I'm not sure there is anything that really competes at the same price/size. I'm mainly just looking to replace my everyday computer speakers that just went out. The consumer space is disappointing for price/performance in my opinion, but to get into near-field monitors the price starts jumping up pretty quick.



The A2 will most likely do fine for non-headphone listening and casual volume levels. If you can get the A5 though, I'd say "bigger is better" in this case 
Bigger, and not too expensive options I personally loved:
- Behringer B2030A (most likely cheapest of these three), my boyfriend had these, they aren't far off from the B3030A, never tried them "loud" though.
- Behringer B3030A, "smooth" and non-fatiguing highs, very lovely detail and never distorts
- M-Audio Studiophile Bx5a Deluxe (have not heard the original or D2 but I'd have heard they're not far off), lot of grunt in low frequencies, not too annoying either.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





zeebra said:


> The A2 will most likely do fine for non-headphone listening and casual volume levels. If you can get the A5 though, I'd say "bigger is better" in this case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for the info! I think I'm going to get the A2s for now and just return them if I'm disappointed. They are mainly just for casual stuff as I tend to put on my headphones for involved listening right now. Money isn't the primary concern though. I just have a small desk, like having dedicated computer speakers, and want to hold off on a bigger purchase for regular monitors when I've got my own place. At that point size/price will definitely take less priority over sound quality.


----------



## jude

This is the Sennheiser RS 220 in my living room rig, which consists of a MacBook Air (2011 13"), Fostex HP-A3 DAC/amp, AudioQuest Forest optical cable, and Sennheiser RS 220 wireless headphone system.
   
  The drumsticks belonged to Alex Van Halen, and were given to me by Jerry Harvey of JH Audio, at a Van Halen concert (February 20, 2012, in Detroit) for which Jerry was the monitoring engineer.
   
​ *(Click on the photo to enlarge.)*​


----------



## MorbidToaster

God I want a pair of those 220s...


----------



## RexAeterna

blurr said:


> I haven't heard many subs so I won't make a guess at it. I do think edm would benefit more from bass extension than beats by dre like thumping from a bassreflex port kind of bass.




subs are sooooo yesterday. word around block is that rotary woofer way to go for deep,deep extension down to dc flat(0hz) so clear out your basement or attic and put one of those suckers in there for true earthquake sub-bass.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





jude said:


> This is the Sennheiser RS 220 in my living room rig, which consists of a MacBook Air (2011 13"), Fostex HP-A3 DAC/amp, AudioQuest Forest optical cable, and Sennheiser RS 220 wireless headphone system.
> 
> The drumsticks belonged to Alex Van Halen, and were given to me by Jerry Harvey of JH Audio, at a Van Halen concert (February 20, 2012, in Detroit) for which Jerry was the monitoring engineer.
> 
> ​ *(Click on the photo to enlarge.)*​


 

 Absolutely gorgeous photography, Jude. What camera and lens did you use to snap a picture of the RS220 with? Also, will you be making (hopefully in the not so distant future) a video review or demonstration of the Sennhesier RS220 on an episode of Head-Fi TV? I know I'd enjoy a show, and a lot of other people pry would too.


----------



## Zeebra

Ya'll bitches posting on a Jude page! Actually nevermind someone rearranged posts in a way that puts me on a different page so now I look like a total tool 

As an on-topic addition, I moved my fan headers from a controller to motherboard, applied fan throttling schemes in BIOS, and my desktop is whisper quiet now. Makes listening music a LOT more enjoyable!


----------



## Blurr

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> subs are sooooo yesterday. word around block is that rotary woofer way to go for deep,deep extension down to dc flat(0hz) so clear out your basement or attic and put one of those suckers in there for true earthquake sub-bass.


 


  LOL, never heard of it before, has a nice read about it, other than shaking your furniture I doubt you would be able to hear such low frequentie. It would be nice to recreate a disaster area in your living room with such a system though.


----------



## markc8773

My Set Up
   

   
  My Wadia 171 and Gradp PS1000

   
  HeadRoom Ultra Amp and Desktop Power Supply

   
  Shunyata Hydra Cyclops With Cobra Zitron Power Cable

   
  Nordost Valhalla (S/PDIF) Coaxial Digital Cable

   
  Finite Elemente Pagode Signature Rack

   
  Shunyata Venom 3 Power Cable


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> My Set Up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's a very awesome setup! Simplicity and cleanliness is the key to any setup, IMHO.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> That's a very awesome setup! Simplicity and cleanliness is the key to any setup, IMHO.


 

 Thank  you
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  It took a while to save up but it's well worth the wait.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Restacked and cleaned up the whole room.
> 
> The Maggies work this time. New carpet, too.
> 
> Oh, and Wii's are dumb.


 

 Very nice setup friend. Those VTI racks are absolutely awesome. My old man has the same one and they look even better in person. Very reasonable prices too.


----------



## Tilpo

blurr said:


> LOL, never heard of it before, has a nice read about it, other than shaking your furniture I doubt you would be able to hear such low *frequentie*. It would be nice to recreate a disaster area in your living room with such a system though.




I can see you're Dutch. 


PS: the word you seek is frequency.


----------



## MorbidToaster

markc8773 said:


> Very nice setup friend. Those VTI racks are absolutely awesome. My old man has the same one and they look even better in person. Very reasonable prices too.




Once I get the time I need to fill the.poles and buy another set.


----------



## Blurr

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I can see you're Dutch.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  idd had het niet eens door


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Hey gang thought i would share. The top is my project studio, and the bottom is my bedside rig.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Hey gang thought i would share. The top is my project studio, and the bottom is my bedside rig.


 

 What do you think of those Herbie's feet? Worth the money?


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

auralrelations said:


> What do you think of those Herbie's feet? Worth the money?




My amp was having a problem with hum so I got them for isolation and they did help. As far as making the amp sound better, like the website claims. I can't hear a difference


----------



## jude

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Absolutely gorgeous photography, Jude. What camera and lens did you use to snap a picture of the RS220 with? Also, will you be making (hopefully in the not so distant future) a video review or demonstration of the Sennhesier RS220 on an episode of Head-Fi TV? I know I'd enjoy a show, and a lot of other people pry would too.


 

 Thank you, Austin! The camera was a Nikon D300, and the lens is a Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED.
   
  As for the RS 220: It was in *the **Fall Gift Guide*, and I think it has been mentioned in an least a couple of the Head-Fi TV episodes, but, admittedly, not the subject of a full episode yet. I'm not sure yet if there'll be a dedicated episode for the RS 220, as I'm far behind on videos right now. If there is one, the video's conclusion would be this: I love it! It has been one of my most-used headphones since its arrival. The freedom afforded by its wirelessness, combined with its fidelity (which far exceeds any other wireless headphone I've yet used), makes it a first-grab headphone whenever I'm around it. Though it doesn't sound exactly like an HD 600 at its best, it still does remind me of a well-driven HD 600. Again, I _love_ the RS220 for what it is (and what it sounds like it's not): a wireless headphone.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Austin if you were wondering I used an iPhone 4.....with flash on


----------



## Saintly

Here's what I'll be sticking with for a while.
   

   
  The cable is OCC silver made by Toxic Cables.  Workmanship is absolutely stellar.


----------



## Draygonn

Now that is a nice looking cable!


----------



## Kremer930

dailydoseofdaly said:


> Austin if you were wondering I used an iPhone 4.....with flash on




Ha ha ha. That is funny. 

But what did you use for post processing and what phone cover were you using at the time?


----------



## dagothur

What is that Audio GD stuff you have there?  It looks like you've cannibalized a Phoenix.
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> Here's what I'll be sticking with for a while.
> 
> 
> 
> The cable is OCC silver made by Toxic Cables.  Workmanship is absolutely stellar.


----------



## jude

dailydoseofdaly said:


> Austin if you were wondering I used an iPhone 4.....with flash on


 
   
  Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Ha ha ha. That is funny.
> But what did you use for post processing and what phone cover were you using at the time?


 
   
  LOL. Smart alecks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Austin asked, and I just pasted an answer I gave to Sennheiser's Eric Palonen on Facebook, when he asked me what my camera settings for that photo were. Yes, it does probably answer _Austin's_ question _too_ much, though.
   
  EDIT: I shortened it. A lot.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Now that is a nice looking cable!


 

 Frank at Toxic Cables did an amazing job.  The iPad 2's camera is awful but in person, you can actually see the individual strands of silver within the cable.  

  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What is that Audio GD stuff you have there?  It looks like you've cannibalized a Phoenix.


 
   
  Yep that's a Phoenix.


----------



## Kremer930

jude said:


> LOL. Smart alecks.  Austin asked, and I just pasted an answer I gave to Sennheiser's Eric Palonen on Facebook, when he asked me what my camera settings for that photo were. Yes, it does probably answer _Austin's_ question _too_ much, though.




Sorry Jude. That wasn't aimed at you. I am a keen photographer too. I laughed because Daily implied that it was only a matter of times until Austin asked about his 'high quality' photo too. At least that is how I interpreted it. 

Your photo was great and hearing of your settings and post processing just showed the efforts you went to and hence why it was a good photo. 

I will be forever grateful for your efforts in establishing such a fine place as Headfi which has contributed greatly to my love of music and the lean-ness of my wallet.


----------



## Kremer930

Is that the UK toxic cables? Do they do other cables besides the HD800,LCD2/3 and HE6?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Is that the UK toxic cables? Do they do other cables besides the HD800,LCD2/3 and HE6?


 

 Yeah it's the UK Toxic Cables.  I think they'll do whatever cable you ask them to do.  Just email them instead of buying the pre-made ones through their eBay store.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

kremer930 said:


> Sorry Jude. That wasn't aimed at you. I am a keen photographer too. I laughed because Daily implied that it was only a matter of times until Austin asked about his 'high quality' photo too. At least that is how I interpreted it.
> Your photo was great and hearing of your settings and post processing just showed the efforts you went to and hence why it was a good photo.
> I will be forever grateful for your efforts in establishing such a fine place as Headfi which has contributed greatly to my love of music and the lean-ness of my wallet.





I was just poking fun at Jude's very thorough reply. That stuff is totally Greek to me but if you get it your probably a good photographer too.

Saintly nice setup, very clean.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Yep that's a Phoenix.


 
  For some reason it didn't look like it at first.  How's it sound with the HD800's?  I've heard tell it's a bit dark of an amp.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> For some reason it didn't look like it at first.  How's it sound with the HD800's?  I've heard tell it's a bit dark of an amp.


 

 Yeah, sorry my iPad 2 camera is awful.
   
  It sounds great with the HD800.  I wouldn't call it dark by any means but the treble is tamed a bit.  However, it doesn't give up any technicalities such as detail, separation, and soundstage to achieve the slight touch of warmth like the V200 did.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Here's what I'll be sticking with for a while.
> 
> 
> 
> The cable is OCC silver made by Toxic Cables.  Workmanship is absolutely stellar.


 

  
  Saintly, that is a very awesome setup. I must ask though, it looks as if though you aren't using the DAC1 anymore, why keep it on top of your stack?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Saintly, that is a very awesome setup. I mud ask though, it looks as if though you aren't using the DAC1 anymore, why keep it on top of your stack?


 

 Thanks.
   
  I am using the Dac1 USB still.  The Phoenix is the 2 black boxes.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I am using the Dac1 USB still.  The Phoenix is the 2 black boxes.


 


  Oh, I see. Thanks for pointing that out.


----------



## hodgjy

A few new things (and recycled old things) since my last picture.
   
  -Added a bamboo block for placing under the Trafomatic.
  -Got the Fostex T50RP.  Modded them.
  -The Fostex still had some corrections to be made, so I busted out my old Sony Discman (really good sound) and Behringer graphic eq so I could tweak the sound to my taste for use with the Asgard and T50RP.  I applied a slight v-shape curve to balance out the T50RP.
  -The Onkyo only feeds the Trafomatic now.  No eq necessary.


----------



## Cla55clown

Nice setup hodgjy. I know you just got the T50s and you weren't initially impressed with them. How has the modding been going and what did you do? Also, does the Schiit on the left drive them well?


----------



## hodgjy

I'm still tweaking the T50RPs.  Despite loading them with plasticine and felt, they still sound a tad bit hollow and honky.  Eq'ing them a little, especially about a -1 db adjustment at 1 khz, does wonders.  I'd say I'm about 95% where I want them to be.  After listening extensively some more, I may crack them open and try some new mods.
   
  Unfortunately, I don't think the Asgard is an ideal pairing for the T50RPs.  I think some of the hollowness and honk is due to damping because when I drive the T50RPs with my Yamaha receiver, some of the hollowness and honk goes away.  The Asgard isn't terrible at driving them by any means, but they are far from being ideal, at least IMHO.
   
  But, for now, my mods and eq'ing makes the T50RPs pretty enjoyable.  I can understand some of the planar magic, especially their speed.  I was listening to some fast music tonight and was highly impressed with the transients.
  
  Quote: 





cla55clown said:


> Nice setup hodgjy. I know you just got the T50s and you weren't initially impressed with them. How has the modding been going and what did you do? Also, does the Schiit on the left drive them well?


----------



## Draygonn

hodgjy said:


>




Nice eye candy. The Trafomatic is a looker.


----------



## hodgjy

Thank you!  The Trafomatic is gorgeous on the ears, too!  I've never heard my HD600s sound better.  I fell into the deal of a lifetime here in the FS section.  So glad I did!
  
  Quote: 





cla55clown said:


> Nice setup hodgjy.


 
   
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Nice eye candy. The Trafomatic is a looker.


----------



## Zombie_X

Not really an update, but  have some new..."toys" on my desk...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Not really an update, but  have some new..."toys" on my desk...


 

  
  I'm guessing you got Uncharted: Golden Abyss?


----------



## Zombie_X

Indeed 
  
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm guessing you got Uncharted: Golden Abyss?


----------



## pdiddypdler

Zombie do you think the vita is worth it at the moment with the current line up of games?


----------



## Canuck99

My beginners set up:
  Sources: iPad 2 with LOD into old RadioShack receiver & old DVD player that no longer plays DVDs but plays CDs into the same receiver
  Headphones: Alessandro MS1 and Sennheiser HD438 (with ugly chrome removed)


----------



## hodgjy

Nice looking setup.  Those old Radio Shack receivers were sometimes hidden gems.
   
  What type of heat does it put out?  I just saw you're potentially blocking the vents with your DVD player. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





canuck99 said:


> My beginners set up:
> Sources: iPad 2 with LOD into old RadioShack receiver & old DVD player that no longer plays DVDs but plays CDs into the same receiver
> Headphones: Alessandro MS1 and Sennheiser HD438 (with ugly chrome removed)


----------



## Zombie_X

I would say hold off a bit. The current line up does not inspire much confidence...
  
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Zombie do you think the vita is worth it at the moment with the current line up of games?


----------



## hodgjy

The horror!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Those cans deserve more respect than tossed into a milk crate!  I would be more than happy to prop them on display in my home. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


>


----------



## Zombie_X

I keep all my expensive headphones in silk bags in the crate, you just can't see them clearly . I just don't have room to have everything out. That's why there is a milk crate there..
   
  But I am careful when taking care of my headphones. The T1's never go in the crate, but everything else does. The T1 goes back into it's case, or gets hung on the end of my gears rack. 
  
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> The horror!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Canuck99

@Hodgiy -it does put out some heat - you are right, I will find or improvise some short legs for it to make sure it is not touching and stopping heat escaping - thanks.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Very similar to what I want it to end up like. TT will replace the iMac and I'll most likely run a server like the W4S W2. Monos will be on stands outside the rack as well. I've got plans...big plans. 
   
  TV moved to the bedroom. I like watching TV in bed anyway.


----------



## TheWuss

MT - always exciting to see someone who has a clear vision, and knows where their system is headed...
  and, has the patience to see it through.
  i've enjoyed watching the evolution of your rig as much as my own.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  of course, it doesn't hurt that we have a few choice pieces of quality gear in common.


----------



## eyalcat

Quote: 





mikerobe said:


> I had a great idea when I was trying to be frugal a while back to buy cheap headphones.  Unfortunately I was more of an audiophile (such a nice sounding word for a costly addiction) than I wanted to admit.  On a recent shopping excursion I slipped on a pair of Bose AE2 (stick with me, I know they aren't that great).  Though the sound made me long for something better than what I had bought previously, the angel on my shoulder whispered that there must be something better for the money out there.  Could've been the devil on the other shoulder that did the whispering, in retrospect.  Quick research when I got home led me to the Grado SR60i, and one of the local dealers was super close to me.
> 
> Oh, if I could take back that car ride.
> 
> ...


 

 Loved the toaster/coffee machine/amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My problem at this point is that I'm coming to a crossroads. I need to decide if I want to keep CDs as a physical medium (so buying a transport) or if I want to keep them as a hard copy and use a server (buying a server). 
   
  The server has some cool features and easier operation, but it's the more expensive option of the 2. 
   
  My other problem lately is deciding what to get next. It's pretty terrible, I know.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> MT - always exciting to see someone who has a clear vision, and knows where their system is headed...
> and, has the patience to see it through.
> i've enjoyed watching the evolution of your rig as much as my own.
> 
> ...


----------



## hodgjy

Even though there are many advantages of lossless rips on a server, I still choose to spin CDs.  There's just something gratifying to me when spinning a CD in my player.  For some reason, I feel more attached to the music because I can see the physical media.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> My problem at this point is that I'm coming to a crossroads. I need to decide if I want to keep CDs as a physical medium (so buying a transport) or if I want to keep them as a hard copy and use a server (buying a server).
> 
> The server has some cool features and easier operation, but it's the more expensive option of the 2.
> 
> My other problem lately is deciding what to get next. It's pretty terrible, I know.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Here's the other problem though. 
   
  I plan on running vinyl as well and I'm worried about the physical media losing its charm and just becoming tedious if I have to load both CDs and clean vinyl. 
   
  Vinyl is a lot of work, and I'm not sure if I want to do the extra work it takes to spin CDs, too.
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Even though there are many advantages of lossless rips on a server, I still choose to spin CDs.  There's just something gratifying to me when spinning a CD in my player.  For some reason, I feel more attached to the music because I can see the physical media.


----------



## hodgjy

I agree that vinyl is a lot of work, which is why I got out of it after dabbling briefly a few years ago.  But, excuse my ignorance, what is the extra work involved in spinning CDs? 
   
  1.  Open jewel box and take CD out. 
  2.  Hit open tray.
  3.  Put CD in tray.
  4.  Close tray.
  5.  Press play.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Vinyl is a lot of work, and I'm not sure if I want to do the extra work it takes to spin CDs, too.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah but a server is...
   
  1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
  2. Push play.
   
  You also would have to add a step 6 if you want a specific track on the CD.  That's a lot of work!
   
  EDIT: CDs also come with pulling them off the shelf (much less finding it among a thousand others even if they are alphaed). 
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I agree that vinyl is a lot of work, which is why I got out of it after dabbling briefly a few years ago.  But, excuse my ignorance, what is the extra work involved in spinning CDs?
> 
> 1.  Open jewel box and take CD out.
> 2.  Hit open tray.
> ...


----------



## Ser182

Impressive setups. I can only dream.


----------



## hodgjy

I see your point.  But, I tend to listen to an album from start to finish.  The albums I like the most are usually live shows (and their sets flow nicely) or concept prog rock albums (that tell a whole story).  So, I'm not fumbling around.  When the CD is over, I get up, go to the bathroom, refill my drink, and get a new CD.
   
  Servers are extremely convenient.  I don't mind CDs, though, and I dread the day of re-ripping all of my CDs to FLAC.  It took me long enough to rip most of them to 128 kbs when the iPod first came out, and even longer to re-rip them to 256 kbs when larger iPod drives came out.  I think I'm done ripping for a while!!!!!
   
  I guess if you already have the server, the motivation to use it trumps spinning CDs.  I don't have a server, and my lack of motivation to set one up trumps all!!!
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah but a server is...
> 
> 1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
> 2. Push play.
> ...


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah but a server is...
> 
> 1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
> 2. Push play.
> ...


 

 i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
  and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
  the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
  and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
   
  with a cd, you make a committment to listen to the album.  or, at least that's how i used to do it.
  and i miss it.
  that's why i'm going to buy a really nice player soon...


----------



## jtaylor991

My headphone rig has always consisted of playing music over USB to a DAC, and I agree. I keep buying music to grow my collection, but just scrolling through a list, I never feel like listening to anything. It's weird. I plan on getting a dedicated CD player soon too, hoping that playing the physical media makes me appreciate the music that much more.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
> and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
> the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
> and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've had a very...sporadic style of listening for a very long time. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just slow down and not skip around so much...
   
  Food for thought indeed.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
> and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
> the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
> and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
> ...


----------



## hodgjy

I've found that when I'm traveling and my iPad is my main music source, I jump around between songs a lot, and sometimes I don't even finish the whole song before jumping.  It's all about the convenience, I suppose.  After reading TheWuss's, it got me thinking that the skipping around is one of the reasons why I don't enjoy listening to music from my iPad.  It's not the inherent hit in sound quality; it's the hit in the listening experience.  I don't listen to albums from start to finish.  I'll be sure to do that more when I travel.  The flights may go quicker, too!


----------



## MorbidToaster

This is a horrible habit that I have.
  
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I've found that when I'm traveling and my iPad is my main music source, I jump around between songs a lot, and *sometimes I don't even finish the whole song before jumping*.  It's all about the convenience, I suppose.  After reading TheWuss's, it got me thinking that the skipping around is one of the reasons why I don't enjoy listening to music from my iPad.  It's not the inherent hit in sound quality; it's the hit in the listening experience.  I don't listen to albums from start to finish.  I'll be sure to do that more when I travel.  The flights may go quicker, too!


----------



## silwen

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've had a very...sporadic style of listening for a very long time. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just slow down and not skip around so much...
> 
> Food for thought indeed.


 

 Just to share my setup, I decided against a transport in favour of a turntable (Rega P7). It's a nice change to the cd and the computer-dac route. I personally think that if you're unsure, you could go the vinyl route second hand and then if you're unhappy, sell it off. Turntables generally hold their price since the technology is near stagnant. I am personally waiting a few more years before I jump into servers (no particular reason why). 
   
  I feel that starting up the turntable is more satisfying that using redbooks. The turntable also helps upgraditis as you can change EVERYTHING on it. Cartridge, tone arm, phono stage etc. Also, the turntable should last you the longest.


----------



## jtaylor991

I agree, but what if the music the listener prefers isn't available on vinyl? For stereo use I could maybe go all vinyl if all my music was available on it.
  
  Quote: 





silwen said:


> Just to share my setup, I decided against a transport in favour of a turntable (Rega P7). It's a nice change to the cd and the computer-dac route. I personally think that if you're unsure, you could go the vinyl route second hand and then if you're unhappy, sell it off. Turntables generally hold their price since the technology is near stagnant. I am personally waiting a few more years before I jump into servers (no particular reason why).
> 
> I feel that starting up the turntable is more satisfying that using redbooks. The turntable also helps upgraditis as you can change EVERYTHING on it. Cartridge, tone arm, phono stage etc. Also, the turntable should last you the longest.


----------



## silwen

That's true. Vinyl does take some effort and it's range of music is at the moment quite limited. I was under the impression that the listener who is already considering vinyl already thought of this bit and has accepted that particular limitation which is why on the wish list I see the Rega P3. 
   
  Also, when quoting the said person I was replying, I noticed he has a computer audio setup. I made a presumption that he would not replace that, and that the transport or server or turntable were in addition to not in replacement of. 
   
  Vinyl would be my first choice when possible but when that doesn't work out, I revert to the computer. I hope that helps.


----------



## jtaylor991

Yeah, I guess I didn't make those same assumptions, wasn't meaning anything negative 
  I have both a computer setup and vinyl. I keep destroying my styli though, ask Skylab haha
  I seem to prefer vinyl on my stereo and digital on my headphones for now but that will change soon hopefully. I want to be more flexible. Like when I want to listen to a digital only album on my stereo, or vinyl but I don't feel like having to stay in the sweet spot for the entire length of the album.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have to have a computer somewhere in my system because a lot of my music is download only. Unfortunately physical copies of about 80% of my downloaded stuff literally don't exist. 
   
  I'm mainly trying to decide if I want to have 2 mediums or 3. Vinyl, CDs, and computer...or just Vinyl and a computer (still buying CDs for hard copies).
  
  Quote: 





silwen said:


> That's true. Vinyl does take some effort and it's range of music is at the moment quite limited. I was under the impression that the listener who is already considering vinyl already thought of this bit and has accepted that particular limitation which is why on the wish list I see the Rega P3.
> 
> Also, when quoting the said person I was replying, I noticed he has a computer audio setup. I made a presumption that he would not replace that, and that the transport or server or turntable were in addition to not in replacement of.
> 
> Vinyl would be my first choice when possible but when that doesn't work out, I revert to the computer. I hope that helps.


 
    
  Vinyl is the most satisfying medium to me which is why there's no question that I want my TT listening to be my best sounding option. 
   
  I've been spinning wax since I was a kid on my father's system. I then DJed for a few years with a lot of vinyl as well. 
   
  I do like that they hold their value and are pretty much 'brand new innovation' proof. 
   
  Quote:


silwen said:


> Just to share my setup, I decided against a transport in favour of a turntable (Rega P7). It's a nice change to the cd and the computer-dac route. I personally think that if you're unsure, you could go the vinyl route second hand and then if you're unhappy, sell it off. Turntables generally hold their price since the technology is near stagnant. I am personally waiting a few more years before I jump into servers (no particular reason why).
> 
> I feel that starting up the turntable is more satisfying that using redbooks. The turntable also helps upgraditis as you can change EVERYTHING on it. Cartridge, tone arm, phono stage etc. Also, the turntable should last you the longest.


----------



## jtaylor991

Same here. If it's in my library and exists on CD, I have the CD, but most of my indie music (from bandcamp) doesn't. I've thought about finding a template to make those insert cards that fit those slim jewel cases and just burning CDs and having the album art right there printed on like stock or glossy paper through my inkjet printer. I'll do this if I get a CD player, as I don't want to be all mixed up like this. I don't want half download half CD for stereo usage.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have to have a computer somewhere in my system because a lot of my music is download only. *Unfortunately physical copies of about 80% of my downloaded stuff literally don't exist.*
> 
> I'm mainly trying to decide if I want to have 2 mediums or 3. Vinyl, CDs, and computer...or just Vinyl and a computer (still buying CDs for hard copies).


----------



## silwen

Being that you have a mac, is it possible to convert the mac to act as a music server using an iphone/ipad or equivalent device as a remote? I would do that over a music server unless you're going high end in which case the sound quality should carry a more hefty consideration. 
   
  Considering that you do not have hard copies of your music, is it going to be a major hassle to burn it in? Would burning what is in your computer into a cd increase your listening pleasure? If you, like me, continue to buy CDs cause they're in hard copy and can be put onto the computer, then it seems like a good enough reason for a transport.
   
  However, assuming (it might not be for you), that this decision at hand is purely for leisure. The cleaning and setting of the disc, the setting up of it and the waiting for that moment when the stylus contacts the disc is all apart of the hobby. TT encourages you to relax, to listen and take your time. It's something you can't do on a CD. 
   
  I think, that you want a transport cause you have CDs and it is more convenient, but you want the vinyl because you derive pleasure from it. 
   
  If it's a hobby, go with what puts a bigger smile on your face when it counts. 
   
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have to have a computer somewhere in my system because a lot of my music is download only. Unfortunately physical copies of about 80% of my downloaded stuff literally don't exist.
> 
> I'm mainly trying to decide if I want to have 2 mediums or 3. Vinyl, CDs, and computer...or just Vinyl and a computer (still buying CDs for hard copies).


 


  Haha. I don't worry about it. 
  Ouch, how do you keep destroying the styli? It must be terribly expensive to replace. 
  I switch between my headphones and stereo for vinyl. It's a small but worthwhile hassle to have to reconnect the interconnects from the stereo to the headphones.

  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Yeah, I guess I didn't make those same assumptions, wasn't meaning anything negative
> I have both a computer setup and vinyl. I keep destroying my styli though, ask Skylab haha
> I seem to prefer vinyl on my stereo and digital on my headphones for now but that will change soon hopefully. I want to be more flexible. Like when I want to listen to a digital only album on my stereo, or vinyl but I don't feel like having to stay in the sweet spot for the entire length of the album.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have to have a computer somewhere in my system because a lot of my music is download only. Unfortunately physical copies of about 80% of my downloaded stuff literally don't exist.
> 
> I'm mainly trying to decide if I want to have 2 mediums or 3. Vinyl, CDs, and computer...or just Vinyl and a computer (still buying CDs for hard copies).


 

 I have all 3 (well 4 if you count my tape deck), but I find that since I added streaming capability, my CD player collects dust now. I really enjoy wireless streaming, although I do admit to experiencing less immersion sometimes (skipping tracks, jumping around, etc.). I organized my music by files though, and that's how I sort so I still mostly listen to complete albums from start to finish.
   
  It was a long tedious process to rip all my CD's to FLAC, but it was also enlightening in that it forced me to lay hands on CD's I hadn't even glanced at in years. I have actually rediscovered a lot of forgotten gems thanks to my computer.
   
  It was also liberating to clear all those shelves of jewel cases and pack them away under my house.


----------



## jtaylor991

First, I had a stylus for a while and it had skipped off some 45s and played on the rubber mat for a bit and scratched across some records (from my arm oops, no damage to the records done though) and some failed attempts at carefully placing the needle back down by hand. My local record shops examined it under the microscope and said it was fine, but I was still skeptical about it. Another record store said it was good (examined it by ear though), then I don't remember what happened but I did something to it and the next week they said it wasn't in so great condition anymore. I got a new stylus from them for $20 and now I just played a really dirty 45 on that new stylus the other day, barely used mind you because I was afraid of messing it up on dirty records and most of mine were dirty, and that thing ate it up. First it skipped off the edge onto the rubber mat and played for a second or two (I don't remember but I couldn't catch it in time) and it looked OK to me, and previous experience told me it was, so I played the 45, and out of curiosity I looked at the tip really closely and it was about half the length it was when I put it on the record (and it looked a bit dull at first but it looks still a bit sharp though) 
   
  So I've only had to buy one new stylus, but still, I suck at this vinyl thing. Grr. I plan on getting a new stylus and this time, I'm only playing records that have been cleaned recently (I don't see the need to clean records every time, I don't believe dust can get bad enough to resist a surface dusting after half an hour). I just have to hope a deep scratch doesn't mess it up this time, but the only way to prevent that is to not play the record at all (you probably won't know it's there until you play the record).
   
  I have an Ortofon Omega cartridge ($30 on Amazon) and it's good. I got a replacement tip for it from the store. It's the one that looks similar but black and it costs $50 (the store sells them for $20 though, I never would buy it at $50 as a new cartridge AND stylus is only $30). I'll get another one of those; it works, but a tight fit on the cartridge. I did this because the store uses these tips and mine worked on theirs, so he figured the other way around should work too, and it did, but like I said this new one was a tiny bit smaller and took some pressure to get on (some silver still shows from the cartridge connector so it isn't 100% on, but a full connection is being made as far as I can tell, it sounds fine to me).
  
  Quote: 





silwen said:


> Haha. I don't worry about it.
> Ouch, how do you keep destroying the styli? It must be terribly expensive to replace.
> I switch between my headphones and stereo for vinyl. It's a small but worthwhile hassle to have to reconnect the interconnects from the stereo to the headphones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

See one thing I'd want either way would be my CDs on display. I'm proud of collections like vinyl and CDs. Not to say you aren't, but if I could have an entire wall in my home dedicated to just CDs on shelves...I would. 
   
  I've been toying with the idea of picking up a Squeezebox Touch and then just streaming all of my download only stuff from there and using CDs when I have them. 
   
  I think what I would end up doing if I decide to go with a nice transport is deleting all of my CD rips (from the library but keeping the files as back ups just in case) so that I'd use the CD if I had it rather than just selecting it from the digital list. That would force (bad word considering it wouldn't be like...this horrible experience) to use my transport which I think would ultimately make me the happiest. 
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I have all 3 (well 4 if you count my tape deck), but I find that since I added streaming capability, my CD player collects dust now. I really enjoy wireless streaming, although I do admit to experiencing less immersion sometimes (skipping tracks, jumping around, etc.). I organized my music by files though, and that's how I sort so I still mostly listen to complete albums from start to finish.
> 
> It was a long tedious process to rip all my CD's to FLAC, but it was also enlightening in that it forced me to lay hands on CD's I hadn't even glanced at in years. I have actually rediscovered a lot of forgotten gems thanks to my computer.
> 
> It was also liberating to clear all those shelves of jewel cases and pack them away under my house.


----------



## palmfish

morbidtoaster said:


> See one thing I'd want either way would be my CDs on display. I'm proud of collections like vinyl and CDs. Not to say you aren't, but if I could have an entire wall in my home dedicated to just CDs on shelves...I would.
> 
> I've been toying with the idea of picking up a Squeezebox Touch and then just streaming all of my download only stuff from there and using CDs when I have them.
> 
> I think what I would end up doing if I decide to go with a nice transport is deleting all of my CD rips (from the library but keeping the files as back ups just in case) so that I'd use the CD if I had it rather than just selecting it from the digital list. That would force (bad word considering it wouldn't be like...this horrible experience) to use my transport which I think would ultimately make me the happiest.




I grew up with vinyl, and then CDs when I was in college. I never thought twice about cleaning records or handling discs - until I got my Squeezebox Touch. I didn't expect it, but once I got the touch, all of a sudden, playing discs became a pain in the &@$.

I play vinyl for the pleasure of going through the ritual, but when I just want to listen to music, the Squeezebox gets 98% of my time. I love the iPod interface BTW - it has made aiming a remote seem antiquated.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really want to give the Squeezebox a shot. I've heard a lot about them and wanted one for awhile. It's cheap enough to just try and from what I understand I can integrate it with my iTunes library. It won't play my 24/192 files, but I have like...2 albums worth of those, but that's not a big deal as I have a lot more 24/96.
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I grew up with vinyl, and then CDs when I was in college. I never thought twice about cleaning records or handling discs - until I got my Squeezebox Touch. I didn't expect it, but once I got the touch, all of a sudden, playing discs became a pain in the &@$.
> I play vinyl for the pleasure of going through the ritual, but when I just want to listen to music, the Squeezebox gets 98% of my time. I love the iPod interface BTW - it has made aiming a remote seem antiquated.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> First, I had a stylus for a while and it had skipped off some 45s and played on the rubber mat for a bit and scratched across some records (from my arm oops, no damage to the records done though) and some failed attempts at carefully placing the needle back down by hand. My local record shops examined it under the microscope and said it was fine, but I was still skeptical about it. Another record store said it was good (examined it by ear though), then I don't remember what happened but I did something to it and the next week they said it wasn't in so great condition anymore. I got a new stylus from them for $20 and now I just played a really dirty 45 on that new stylus the other day, barely used mind you because I was afraid of messing it up on dirty records and most of mine were dirty, and that thing ate it up. First it skipped off the edge onto the rubber mat and played for a second or two (I don't remember but I couldn't catch it in time) and it looked OK to me, and previous experience told me it was, so I played the 45, and out of curiosity I looked at the tip really closely and it was about half the length it was when I put it on the record (and it looked a bit dull at first but it looks still a bit sharp though)
> 
> So I've only had to buy one new stylus, but still, I suck at this vinyl thing. Grr. I plan on getting a new stylus and this time, I'm only playing records that have been cleaned recently (I don't see the need to clean records every time, I don't believe dust can get bad enough to resist a surface dusting after half an hour). I just have to hope a deep scratch doesn't mess it up this time, but the only way to prevent that is to not play the record at all (you probably won't know it's there until you play the record).
> 
> I have an Ortofon Omega cartridge ($30 on Amazon) and it's good. I got a replacement tip for it from the store. It's the one that looks similar but black and it costs $50 (the store sells them for $20 though, I never would buy it at $50 as a new cartridge AND stylus is only $30). I'll get another one of those; it works, but a tight fit on the cartridge. I did this because the store uses these tips and mine worked on theirs, so he figured the other way around should work too, and it did, but like I said this new one was a tiny bit smaller and took some pressure to get on (some silver still shows from the cartridge connector so it isn't 100% on, but a full connection is being made as far as I can tell, it sounds fine to me).


 

 I cringed when I read this. Please, buy a cheap record brush and use it every time you want to play a record.
   
  It takes 30 seconds, and it will save your records, save your stylus, and sound better too.
   
  http://www.musicdirect.com/p-7193-hunt-eda-mk-6-carbon-fiber-brush.aspx
   
  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=664470&Q=&is=REG&A=details
   
  I own both of these and they are great. The Hunt brush is dry and is quick and easy. The Audio Technica brush can be used dry or you can add fluid to the chamber and moisten the pad. These brushes have been around for years and are time-tested and proven.
   
  You should also clean your stylus after every 2 or 3 albums or so. I use:
   
  http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Clean-Eraser-Cleaning-8-Count/dp/B001339ZMW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332714015&sr=8-1
   
  You just cut off a small block and rest it on the deck. Lower your stylus onto the pad 3 or 4 times and you're done. Don't wipe or scrub, the pads have microscopic fingers that clean the stylus with barely any force.
   
  You can literally clean your record and stylus in less than 2 minutes, and the AT brush + magic eraser combined cost less than $25. There's no excuse not to.


----------



## jtaylor991

Cool! I guess a record brush would be better than my lil' feather duster I have. I can use it dry, right? I do have a stylus cleaner, but I only have used it a few times (from playing not-cleaned-recently records). I just never thought it was necessary to clean the stylus so often if the record itself is clean, but I guess dust can get on there. My dad has an old Memorex record brush:
   

   
  Would this work dry? Do you recommend a new one? Also, if I use it dry (either the Hunt brush or this one), how would I clean the brush itself? Dust would have to build up on it after even a few uses.
   
  And this is my stylus cleaner:
   

   
  The lid to the bottle of fluid has a little brush that I apply to the actual stylus cleaning brush (in the front, closest to you). Is rinsing the stylus cleaner brush (again closest to you in the front) under tap water good enough, or is that bad (from the crap that can be in tap water)? And I know the rule, back to front, towards me.
  
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> I cringed when I read this. Please, buy a cheap record brush and use it every time you want to play a record.
> 
> It takes 30 seconds, and it will save your records, save your stylus, and sound better too.
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just a heads up a lot of people (myself included) clean each side of an album before play, and clean the stylus after each full album (heck some clean after each side). 
   
  That's why we say vinyl is a lot of work.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Cool! I guess a record brush would be better than my lil' feather duster I have. I can use it dry, right? I do have a stylus cleaner, but I only have used it a few times (from playing not-cleaned-recently records). I just never thought it was necessary to clean the stylus so often if the record itself is clean, but I guess dust can get on there. My dad has an old Audio-Technica record brush:
> 
> (pic)
> 
> ...


 

 Pictures didn't come through.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Cool! I guess a record brush would be better than my lil' feather duster I have. I can use it dry, right? I do have a stylus cleaner, but I only have used it a few times (from playing not-cleaned-recently records). I just never thought it was necessary to clean the stylus so often if the record itself is clean, but I guess dust can get on there. My dad has an old Memorex record brush:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 OK, I can see the pictures in IE.
   
  Wow, that's an old brush! I remember those. There's no reason why it won't work as long as the velvet is still supple. Feel it with your finger and make sure there aren't any hard spots. You can use it wet or dry (not wet, per se, just a little damp to remove static) but if your record is dirty enough that you feel it needs to be wet, you're better off washing the record with soap and water in the sink. You can clean the brush by wiping/scraping it across the edge of the plastic cover.
   
  Yes, that stylus brush is also fine (I have one of those too). It looks like you're in business - now USE THEM! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  As MT said, some people clean their stylus more often. I personally don't think it's necessary and limit it to every 2nd or 3rd record. YMMV.


----------



## Maxvla

thewuss said:


> MT - always exciting to see *someone who has a clear vision, and knows where their system is headed...*




If you only knew... LOL


----------



## Maxvla

thewuss said:


> i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
> and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
> the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
> and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
> ...




Just need some self control. I've been listening primarily with a computer based rig all along and almost always listen to full albums.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Cool! I guess a record brush would be better than my lil' feather duster I have. I can use it dry, right? I do have a stylus cleaner, but I only have used it a few times (from playing not-cleaned-recently records). I just never thought it was necessary to clean the stylus so often if the record itself is clean, but I guess dust can get on there. My dad has an old Memorex record brush:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 OK, I can see the pictures in IE.
   
  Wow, that's an old brush! I remember those. There's no reason why it won't work as long as the velvet is still supple. Feel it with your finger and make sure there aren't any hard spots. You clean the brush by scraping it along the edge of the plastic case. You could even drag it across your (clean) denim jeans if it's got a lot of lint on it. I would just use it dry. If your records are really dirty, you should wash them in the sink with soap and water and let them air dry before playing them. I fill a big salad bowl halfway with water and add two drops of clear dish soap. Then I use a NEW paint brush to thoroughly clean in the grooves.
   
  Yes, that stylus brush is also fine (I have one of those too). Be very gentle with that brush. The bristles are very stiff and do not need much force to clean. Just dab at the stylus, do not drag it. And as MT said, some people clean their stylus more often. I personally don't think it's necessary and limit it to every 2nd or 3rd record. YMMV.


----------



## Draygonn

maxvla said:


> I've been listening primarily with a computer based rig all along and almost always listen to full albums.




I do that as well. If I don't like certain songs on an album I delete them from the playlist.


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> If you only knew... LOL




Hush you. You know nothing.


----------



## jtaylor991

I sincerely apologize for causing such a sin as having to use IE! I typed "(pic)" there because I needed to go take pics of this stuff real quick, and I accidentally clicked Submit before I put them in, so I went back and edited the post, apparently after you had seen the post. And thanks for the advice!
   
  Edit: Should I wipe the records with the brush clockwise, counterclockwise, or from the center outwards and go around, or what? And it has a LOT of dust on it, like I scraped the edge of the lid across it and dust came off like sawdust from an electric saw, so should I rinse it in the sink and let it air dry it, or hairdry it or something?
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> OK, I can see the pictures in IE.
> 
> Wow, that's an old brush! I remember those. There's no reason why it won't work as long as the velvet is still supple. Feel it with your finger and make sure there aren't any hard spots. You can use it wet or dry (not wet, per se, just a little damp to remove static) but if your record is dirty enough that you feel it needs to be wet, you're better off washing the record with soap and water in the sink. You can clean the brush by wiping/scraping it across the edge of the plastic cover.
> 
> ...


----------



## olddtfan

Here is my little system consisting of a Onkyo TX - 8255 receiver, A Phillips upsampling DVD player and my brand new senhiser HD 650 headphones.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I sincerely apologize for causing such a sin as having to use IE! I typed "(pic)" there because I needed to go take pics of this stuff real quick, and I accidentally clicked Submit before I put them in, so I went back and edited the post, apparently after you had seen the post. And thanks for the advice!
> 
> Edit: Should I wipe the records with the brush clockwise, counterclockwise, or from the center outwards and go around, or what? And it has a LOT of dust on it, like I scraped the edge of the lid across it and dust came off like sawdust from an electric saw, so should I rinse it in the sink and let it air dry it, or hairdry it or something?


 

 Wash it in the sink with dish soap if it's that dirty.
   
  Before you play the record, put it on the platter and turn the platter on (45 RPM). Then you use the brush while the record is rotating underneath.
   
  I actually just made some videos with the help of my lovely daughter. You aren't the first person who I've spoken with about this, so I thought it might be helpful. I'm uploading them to YouTube now. I'll post links when they're ready.


----------



## Zombie_X

I see the Liquid-Fire everywhere, it's too bad I can not like the amp as much as I would like. The amp looks sexy though, gotta love the tubes showing through the front panel in the amp!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think there's probably right around 10 of them out there on the market now. I was number 64 and I got one from the most recent shipment.
   
  That's really the best part...I don't understand the companies that make tube based systems and don't show it off. Peachtree does it (even with only one tube). 
   
  I can't really understand anyone not liking it, but refresh my memory (we talked about this before)...What was your source?
   
  Oh, and for anyone that was asking me to talk about the MMGs before...These things absolutely rip apart poorly recorded and low bitrate stuff. I literally can't enjoy listening to it if it's low bitrate. My LCD 2 is much more forgiving.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I see the Liquid-Fire everywhere, it's too bad I can not like the amp as much as I would like. The amp looks sexy though, gotta love the tubes showing through the front panel in the amp!


----------



## TheWuss

Yeah, zombster, you have called in the jury too soon on the liquid fire.
If you keep going around saying you dont care for it, i am likely to pull your cool card, dude.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Yeah, zombster, you have called in the jury too soon on the liquid fire.
> If you keep going around saying you dont care for it, i am likely to pull your cool card, dude.


 


  Ouch. TheWuss is going to pull your cool card, not a good thing.


----------



## Zombie_X

I never said it wasn't good or anything, I was just expecting more for the money. I just may have thought the leap from $1000 amps to a $3000 one would be giant but to me it wasn't. It's definitely a good sounding amp and it's worth more than what I currently have, I just can't justify the money for it. 
   
  Also, OH NO, NOT MY COOL CARD!! I need that... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Yeah, zombster, you have called in the jury too soon on the liquid fire.
> If you keep going around saying you dont care for it, i am likely to pull your cool card, dude.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Diminishing returns really kicks you in the face around 1k, so I can understand that a bit...
   
  That cool card thing is legit though...Wuss and I have one so we're okay for awhile, but you are on thin ice. 
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I never said it wasn't good or anything, I was just expecting more for the money. I just may have thought the leap from $1000 amps to a $3000 one would be giant but to me it wasn't. It's definitely a good sounding amp and it's worth more than what I currently have, I just can't justify the money for it.
> 
> Also, OH NO, NOT MY COOL CARD!! I need that...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Even though there are many advantages of lossless rips on a server, I still choose to spin CDs.  There's just something gratifying to me when spinning a CD in my player.  For some reason, I feel more attached to the music because I can see the physical media.


 


  You're front-running... this revival is catching on. Amarra (and I believe Pure Music and a few other software music players) allows you to play the CD in memory without having to import the disc.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
> and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
> the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
> and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
> ...


 


  Making a commitment inside the listening room can really enhance one's listening pleasure. And it's not always apparent at first but later. For me, sometimes the collective body of work from the album/CD will linger quite nicely - in ways 60 minutes of random tracks, though favorites, may not.
   
  The time or two a week (sometimes, three nights a week) I listen, I'll listen long enough to do both - seek & scan for a time, but also select a work and listen through.


----------



## Tilpo

I personally always listen to albums using my PC. I very rarely skip in the middle of an album, and I don't understand how people can do this either. 
When I start listening to an album, I do so with the intention of finishing it. If I have to leave in the middle of the album, then I will resume it as soon as I get back. 

Nothing beats a fast internet connection and a 1.5TB hard drive.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I never said it wasn't good or anything, I was just expecting more for the money. I just may have thought the leap from $1000 amps to a $3000 one would be giant but to me it wasn't. It's definitely a good sounding amp and it's worth more than what I currently have, I just can't justify the money for it.
> 
> Also, OH NO, NOT MY COOL CARD!! I need that...


 

  
   
  so how does a more expensive amp like the LF compare to for example, my wa6-se?


----------



## m0gwai

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Diminishing returns really kicks you in the face around 1k, so I can understand that a bit...


 

 This is very true.


----------



## keph

I am done for now...


----------



## Tilpo

You should get a second or third monitor. Although that might require a bigger desk and mess up your monitor placement.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> You should get a second or third monitor. Although that might require a bigger desk and mess up your monitor placement.


 


  If he had a need for a second or third monitor, I'm sure that he would have them already...
   
  I like how you've got the La Figaro set up, I take it that you dig symmetry


----------



## keph

1 27" is enough for me atm...and this is actually a rented apartment where ill be staying for the next 2-3years and then go back to my home country...
  
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> You should get a second or third monitor. Although that might require a bigger desk and mess up your monitor placement.


 


   
  Thx, yeah i really like symmetry..everything needs to be straight and in proper place...hehe
  
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> If he had a need for a second or third monitor, I'm sure that he would have them already...
> 
> I like how you've got the La Figaro set up, I take it that you dig symmetry


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I personally always listen to albums using my PC. I very rarely skip in the middle of an album, and I don't understand how people can do this either.
> When I start listening to an album, I do so with the intention of finishing it. If I have to leave in the middle of the album, then I will resume it as soon as I get back.
> Nothing beats a fast internet connection and a 1.5TB hard drive.


 


  A faster internet connection and a 3TB hard drive?


----------



## Tilpo

john in cali said:


> A faster internet connection and a 3TB hard drive?




My internet connection is faster than the speed of my HDD, acutally. To put it to full use I would have to go RAID or SSD. 

Maybe 4x 2TB hard disks in RAID 0?


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I personally always listen to albums using my PC. I very rarely skip in the middle of an album, and I don't understand how people can do this either.
> When I start listening to an album, I do so with the intention of finishing it. If I have to leave in the middle of the album, then I will resume it as soon as I get back.
> Nothing beats a fast internet connection and a 1.5TB hard drive.


 


  For me, it depends on the album. If I'm listening to Sibelius' 5th Symphony or Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here, I will definitely listen from start to finish. If it's Spoon or Devo, then I might skip around a bit.


----------



## Shubar

Been a very interesting audio journey for me. After the arrival of my balanced cables, guess I will be taking an extremely long hiatus from HeadFi - well until the LCD4s (if that ever happens) or when Stax's become more affordable in Australia :O)


----------



## Kremer930

Wow. Would so love a Dark Star. Nice rig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

shubar said:


> Been a very interesting audio journey for me. After the arrival of my balanced cables, guess I will be taking an extremely long hiatus from HeadFi - well until the LCD4s (if that ever happens) or when Stax's become more affordable in Australia :O)




Nice rig. I still see a DAC 2 in my future unless those guys at Anedio step their game up and give me a black D2. 

Really want to compare the LF and DS myself...


----------



## silwen

Oh alright, the damage isn't so costly then. You might want to follow the suggestions and clean the record and the stylus ever so often. I use an Ortofon Rondo Red MC which burned a £400 hole in my pocket so I cringed when you said you had to replace your stylus since a replacement stylus could cost about 75% of the cartridge. Take care of it and it will be a pleasure to listen to. 
  
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I have an Ortofon Omega cartridge ($30 on Amazon) and it's good. I got a replacement tip for it from the store. It's the one that looks similar but black and it costs $50 (the store sells them for $20 though, I never would buy it at $50 as a new cartridge AND stylus is only $30). I'll get another one of those; it works, but a tight fit on the cartridge. I did this because the store uses these tips and mine worked on theirs, so he figured the other way around should work too, and it did, but like I said this new one was a tiny bit smaller and took some pressure to get on (some silver still shows from the cartridge connector so it isn't 100% on, but a full connection is being made as far as I can tell, it sounds fine to me).


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> My internet connection is faster than the speed of my HDD, acutally. To put it to full use I would have to go RAID or SSD.
> Maybe 4x 2TB hard disks in RAID 0?


 


  Or maybe 2 of these 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227765


----------



## Tilpo

john in cali said:


> Or maybe 2 of these
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227765




Might need to upgrade/overclock my motherboard as well to get anywhere near full potential out of that bad boy.


----------



## Sylverant

Finally moved my speaker and headphones/equipment around, and am really happy with the setup.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Finally moved my speaker and headphones/equipment around, and am really happy with the setup.


 

 Very impressive, I see a lot of care and thought put into your headphone display.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Finally moved my speaker and headphones/equipment around, and am really happy with the setup.


 
  Audio technicas? NOBODY likes audio technicas.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

For now, down the retro route. And as per my wallet, this will be my end-of-game setup for quite a while...
   

   
  And for good measure, some proper tube glow:


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> For now, down the retro route. And as per my wallet, this will be my end-of-game setup for quite a while...


 

 That is now the wallpaper on my phone


----------



## MorbidToaster

sixthfall said:


> That is now the wallpaper on my phone




This.


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


fatcat28037 said:


> Very impressive, I see a lot of care and thought put into your headphone display.


 

 I don't have any stands so for now that will have to do, I ran out of space. I might put a cloth cover underneath them too be safe. I plan on putting hooks in my wall; lining them up the incline over that pocket. That Will look pretty neat imo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Audio technicas? NOBODY likes audio technicas.


 

 Every one likes AT woodies...which I don't have!
   
  I think I might paint the damn things metallic blue and silver so they look as advertised, which I think Is a pretty cool color scheme.


----------



## MorbidToaster

FiiO is putting out a headphone stand so maybe you can afford stands for all of those now.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Quote:
> 
> I don't have any stands so for now that will have to do, I ran out of space. I might put a cloth cover underneath them too be safe. I plan on putting hooks in my wall; lining them up the incline over that pocket. That Will look pretty neat imo
> 
> ...


 

 Nope, i HATE wood cups. Concrete is where it's at! Also absorbs resonances 
   


  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> FiiO is putting out a headphone stand so maybe you can afford stands for all of those now.


 


  Nice, but can it dethrone the classic banana stand??


----------



## Maxvla

Almost anything dethrones a banana stand. Thin hanging point will do damage to any padded headband or leather strap band.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Almost anything dethrones a banana stand. Thin hanging point will do damage to any padded headband or leather strap band.


 

 Except if you have hd600's! MUHAHAHAHAHA


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> This.


 


  More this.


----------



## jtaylor991

Haha yeah I love how it's like recessed in the middle so the stick out thingy of the banana stand doesn't even make contact. Problem other headphone owners? XD
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Except if you have hd600's! MUHAHAHAHAHA


----------



## jtaylor991

Beautiful setup, keph! I'd love to have an easy chair recliner like that, but how do you get in and out of it? Does it have wheels? And what Darkvoice/LaFigaro is that? I had a DV 337 but the sound signature wasn't right for my 650s and my ears and the dual knobs were annoying sometimes, so I sold it. I feel a bit ignorant for not taking my time to tube roll, it may have simply been that I needed different tubes but oh well. I'd prefer an A/B to make a quicker decision rather than deeply analyze with listening to albums on each set of tubes as I forget the SS by the time they are cool enough to switch (I hate my short term memory ).
   
   


keph said:


> I am done for now...


----------



## jtaylor991

I think some Auralex Mopads might help (a lot) with isolating the speakers from the desk to reduce vibration, but maybe you have a solution in place I can't see. Enjoy 
  
  Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Finally moved my speaker and headphones/equipment around, and am really happy with the setup.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

how does the LCD-3 work with that WA2?


----------



## RestoredSparda

New camera....new pic.    =)
   
  Great rigs guys, it's always fun to get home from work and check out the posted setups.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> New camera....new pic.    =)
> 
> Great rigs guys, it's always fun to get home from work and check out the posted setups.


 

 i remember I almost bought an ef2a back when I started. How do you like it? Does it have enough gain for you?...


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


jtaylor991 said:


> I think some Auralex Mopads might help (a lot) with isolating the speakers from the desk to reduce vibration, but maybe you have a solution in place I can't see. Enjoy


 

 Nope not all. I see that these aren't very expensive either. They could really help with the low bass distortion I'm getting, I hadn't thought of that, thanks.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


sixthfall said:


> That is now the wallpaper on my phone


 

 and MorbidToaster, John In Cali et al, glad you like it! I don't have nearly as much time for photography these days as I'd like, so this was a fun little experiment. The tricky part was getting at least two of them in focus with the macro; even with a fairly narrow aperture and very long exposure the focus plane was little more than an inch deep and the slightest bit of turn would noticeably shift it. Otherwise very little processing.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> how does the LCD-3 work with that WA2?


 
  VERY well to my ears! I wanted to go OTL even though technically this apparently means it's a bit under-powered, but frankly I can turn it up much louder without distortion than I would ever put on my ears. And I have yet to receive a clear explanation what I am supposed to be missing out with the LCD-3 not being "fully driven" (in Sound Science) Not a problem you'd have with your WA6SE, and since you have an LCD-2, from what I've read you should probably have a pretty good idea what the LCD-3 would sound like (at least relative to the the likes of a T1 or HD800)
   
  Between it and the W3000ANV in the pic, I think I have the gamut of my preferred sound signature covered, and from having tried a T1 for many hours with various combinations I also now know what is NOT my preference -at all-. And my long-time companion, the W5000, is alas falling a bit by the wayside because the W3000 offers everything I like about it, but better, more and without the flaws (more apparent in some kinds of music than others of course)


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


>


 

 Did you by chance crop this? In other words, do you have this with a height of 1080? If not, this will make a great scrolling wallpaper on my phone.
   
  Late to the party I know, but here:
   

   
  Sorry for the terrible quality. Also my 580s are hung on the tip of a small banana hook U Jelly non HD6xx owners?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  <edit> Yes, I'm listening to Adele, deal with it.


----------



## Melvins

gonna post my new magnum infused set up.....
   
   
  TOMORROW. too late right now. god, so many of you have so many beautiful set ups. I have to stop coming here to stop getting influenced to invest so much into this hobby! I really do like it too much.


----------



## MohawkUS

I've been messing around with vintage gear lately

 The CD player sounds horrible, take all of the negative qualities you hear about digital audio and there you have it. I'm planning on hooking my computer's onboard sound up to the Sherwood when I get the proper interconnects. It will do until I sell my Burson and get a proper DAC. The receiver is a Sherwood S-7120A and the headphones: Stax SR-5NB.

 The headphones are amazing, even as it is now it smokes my old Ultrasone PRO2900s, never before has my metal been so clear and fast, and the bass is to die for. Don't listen to people who say that stats don't do bass, I've never heard drums or bass sound this good before.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

oooh ok thanks.
   
  my WA2 won't power the LCD-2 loud enough to my liking. 
   
  so i have to use WA6-SE with WA2 as pre-amp.


----------



## TheOtus

jtaylor991 said:


> Haha yeah I love how it's like recessed in the middle so the stick out thingy of the banana stand doesn't even make contact. Problem other headphone owners? XD


 

 Not a problem. = )


----------



## GM325i

Its not much... at all, but it sounds great and I love it!
   

   
  Updated to current driver design, 8 conductor re-cable, two hole punch mod and some dynamat


----------



## liamstrain

I like that your cable matches your CMoy case.


----------



## Kremer930

Great rig. Nothing really old school about a Woo and orthodynamics. Definitely cutting edge stuff. Very sweet indeed. 

It is also great to see the Cambridge iD100 digital dock getting some exposure. What source output do you use? 




thegrumpyoldman said:


> For now, down the retro route. And as per my wallet, this will be my end-of-game setup for quite a while...


----------



## Austin Morrow

I've always thought that an HD800 + Silver Cable + Woo Audio Silver Aluminum Headphone Stand + Woo Audio WA2 Silver looks like an absolutely breathtaking setup.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Nope, i HATE wood cups. Concrete is where it's at! Also absorbs resonances
> 
> 
> 
> Nice, but can it dethrone the classic banana stand??


 

 Speaking of Banana Stands.............................


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> Speaking of Banana Stands.............................


 

 Ha, nice use of the stand to prevent bruising.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

finally! i've been waiting soo long to share this.
   
  gone are my HD 650 and 325is. soon to go are my dt 990/k701 (still debating on this). i might even get rid of my Pro 900 and RS1 if i really find a good deal (PS/GS1000, ED8, etc).
   
   
  sorry for backwards pics, my computer isn't being nice to me right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  t1 back from repair, basically brand new model with new serial number and headband and everything.
   

   
  my top 4 headphones and my favorites by far.
   

   
  WA2/WA6-SE, DL III, Monster Power Center. Also, you can see my K701, DT 990 - 600, RS1i with buttons, Pro 900s
   

   
  K701
   

   
  another pic, kinda dusty i know lol.


----------



## zenpunk




----------



## Dubstep Girl

omg! what amp is that!? its awesome looking!


----------



## Focker

Woo Audio gear is so beautiful...


----------



## MorbidToaster

LittleDot Mk VI it looks like.


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> LittleDot Mk VI it looks like.




Correct, the + model to be precise. I had the plain VI model and it was excellent for higher impedance cans.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> finally! i've been waiting soo long to share this.


 

  Nice.  You've been busy.


----------



## ZenErik

HD800 coming tomorrow, and I may upgrade from the Gilmore Lite + DPS to a GS-1.


----------



## manveru

How do your AD2Ks sound out of the Lite?


----------



## Draygonn

austin morrow said:


> I've always thought that an HD800 + Silver Cable + Woo Audio Silver Aluminum Headphone Stand + Woo Audio WA2 Silver looks like an absolutely breathtaking setup.




everything but the silver cable


----------



## MorbidToaster

So that LittleDot can be used as a Preamp...and it's balanced...
   
  That looks like a nice little pre amp package...Hmmm...


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> everything but the silver cable


 


  Those fostex's arent deserving enough to be on the same rack as the 800's


----------



## logwed

Be sure to let us know about the differences between them, I know that I've always been curious about that.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





zenpunk said:


>


 

 I Spy an Audiolab MDAC, soo jelous, i wish i could get my hands on one right now but i gotta wait another 2-3 months before they are in stock. How are you liking it so far? any comments?


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> So that LittleDot can be used as a Preamp...and it's balanced...
> 
> That looks like a nice little pre amp package...Hmmm...




And is not all that expensive at $700ish.


----------



## ZenErik

Quote: 





manveru said:


> How do your AD2Ks sound out of the Lite?


 


  I just got the amp today. Have hardly listened yet. Been cleaning up and wasting time taking pictures, haha.
   
  Here is another shot. I decided that I might as well add a few figures to the headphone setup. Only small ones. I do not take larger figures out of their boxes, ever.


----------



## PinoyPogiman

i recently (And Finally) got some "Banana Keeper's" Banana stand for my headphones, the Sennheiser in the middle which i currently use.
  typically, i have a VOX Guitar amp, Ihome speaker, Ipod Classic 5.5th gen, & Ipod Touch for my whole Headfi Station. (of course some are not in the pics..)


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> And is not all that expensive at $700ish.




My thoughts exactly...but there's other priorities atm. Like source upgrades across the board.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> My thoughts exactly...but there's other priorities atm. Like source upgrades across the board.


 

 i love upgrades that cost nothing


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> My thoughts exactly...but there's other priorities atm. Like source upgrades across the board.




And a cartridge () or maybe that was included in 'source upgrades'


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> And a cartridge.




That too...If anything would sell and Magnepan would give me my refund.

Though I have nothing to mount it on atm.


----------



## Maxvla

They still haven't refunded you? I'm battling a refund issue myself with the SRM-323. Elusive Disc is taking an eternity just to get me an RMA # to send the silly thing back. Sent an email Sunday asking for an update and still no word. Slowing my purchase of HD800s down a bit. Got a refund coming from my Focal headphones too but so far that's still sort of on schedule.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> i remember I almost bought an ef2a back when I started. How do you like it? Does it have enough gain for you?...


 


  Yeah, too much gain actually. Have to lower the dec volume in order to get the amp to a listenable volume without channel imbalance. But when I hit that sweet spot it just....works.  =)


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> They still haven't refunded you? I'm battling a refund issue myself with the SRM-323. Elusive Disc is taking an eternity just to get me an RMA # to send the silly thing back. Sent an email Sunday asking for an update and still no word. Slowing my purchase of HD800s down a bit. Got a refund coming from my Focal headphones too but so far that's still sort of on schedule.




They got the old ones mid last week and processed the refund. I think I'm just waiting on my bank but waiting is waiting. I think the whole 'charge and refund' system they have is a bit silly though.


----------



## Maxvla

When I returned my Fidelio L1s to Apple my bank had money the next day. Perhaps it's just cause it's Apple that it was done so quickly.


----------



## Draygonn

sixthfall said:


> Those fostex's arent deserving enough to be on the same rack as the 800's


Fostex's are keeping the stand warm for Thunderpants which are in the mail somewhere in the midwest atm.


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> When I returned my Fidelio L1s to Apple my bank had money the next day. Perhaps it's just cause it's Apple that it was done so quickly.




They said by the end of the month. I've got my money for bills covered so it's not super urgent.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


lilkoolaidman said:


> Did you by chance crop this? In other words, do you have this with a height of 1080? If not, this will make a great scrolling wallpaper on my phone.


 
  Ask and ye shall receive (within the means of the possible)


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


zenpunk said:


>


 

 Dem meters <3
  
  Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> Ask and ye shall receive (within the means of the possible)


 
   
  Really cool looking picture


----------



## Maxvla

Here's the Little Dot MKVI meter up close and personal:






and a night picture of mine before I sold it:


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


kremer930 said:


> Great rig. Nothing really old school about a Woo and orthodynamics. Definitely cutting edge stuff. Very sweet indeed.
> It is also great to see the Cambridge iD100 digital dock getting some exposure. What source output do you use?


 
  Uhm, the CA DacMagic 100 under the iD100 if that's what you mean. I bought the 2 in tandem for a compact solution. Other than the iPod-ina-dock, on occasion a long TOSlink from my Macbook to the DacMagic 100 while I work, it makes browsing my music collection so much easier. Which is also why I'm not so happy with the iD100's somewhat limited iPod support and flacky iPad support (via remote) as per other thread... but I love the DacMagic, for me it does the job just fine for anything I throw at it, and at a compact size.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


maxvla said:


> Here's the Little Dot MKVI meter up close and personal:


 
  I really like that thing, the dials are like a turbo charger for the retro design (in the best possible way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) Too bad I can must not start a collection of cool tube amps. I'll just have to stick with ogling this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/417493/best-looking-tube-amp


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> oooh ok thanks.
> 
> my WA2 won't power the LCD-2 loud enough to my liking. so i have to use WA6-SE with WA2 as pre-amp.


 
  I'll stop going OT after this. But whoa! I just dug up the ole volume meter (not used since I first got the Valhalla) and at full volume I'm getting 100+dB/m average (A-weighted) with spikes up to 115dB/m (undistorted, or as undistorted as Metallica can be - not that it matters much..) That's not loud enough for you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I know from the thread in Sound Science that there are people listening at that volume, but that would be way past my pain level and any possible enjoyment... On a good day when I'm not tired, I'll "crank it up" (relatively speaking 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) to ~80 with spikes in the upper 80s, so about 12-1pm on the WA-2 volume (with the LCD-3s, on more sensitive/ easy to power headphones it's lower of course)
   
  Like your gear, looks like you got most head-fi bases covered!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> Ask and ye shall receive (within the means of the possible)


 

 Thank you. 'tis a wonderful picture.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> I'll stop going OT after this. But whoa! I just dug up the ole volume meter (not used since I first got the Valhalla) and at full volume I'm getting 100+dB/m average (A-weighted) with spikes up to 115dB/m (undistorted, or as undistorted as Metallica can be - not that it matters much..) That's not loud enough for you?
> 
> 
> ...


 

 It could be that her source is starting at a lower line level than yours.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> It could be that her source is starting at a lower line level than yours.


 


  line level?
   
  you mean my DAC?
   
  i know i can't turn up the volume with my LCD-2 past 11 or 12 without it distorting. and so at 9 or 10 o clock, thats not loud at all for me on the LCD-2


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> line level?
> 
> you mean my DAC?
> 
> i know i can't turn up the volume with my LCD-2 past 11 or 12 without it distorting. and so at 9 or 10 o clock, thats not loud at all for me on the LCD-2


 

 Yup, the voltage going out of your sources line out, in this case your dac. The line out voltage varies from source to source. Someone using the amp with an iPod Video/Classic will probably be using the amp at a bit of a higher volume level than out of a dedicated desktop component.
   
  As a pre-amp, the WA2 is basically further multiplying your sources gain.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wonder what someone with my DAC has to say bout line voltage. that could be the reason why i don't find those headphones as easy to drive as other people.
   
  and why for example, if i use my sound card as a dac, its louder.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


liamstrain said:


> It could be that her source is starting at a lower line level than yours.


 
  Quite possible, could explain the extra gain the WA-2 seems to help with, as per your post above. The DacMagic 100 outputs [size=10.000000pt]2.3V rms, which I think is pretty standard.[/size]
   
  Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> i know i can't turn up the volume with my LCD-2 past 11 or 12 without it distorting. and so at 9 or 10 o clock, thats not loud at all for me on the LCD-2


 
  I  see from your pic that you seem to use the stock tubes, so maybe there -is- a difference at higher levels (I only used mine for a couple of hours at normal levels before replacing them) I can turn mine up at least to 4 o'clock (5 being the max.) without any distortion, I actually did my burn-in (more like driver fail test) that way, using them kinda like desktop speakers for hours, with a variety of genres with no audible distortion. Usually even max. volume was OK except with a few brickwalled albums.
   
  Anyhoo, you have the ultimate preamp-amp combo to make it work so it's all good ^_^


----------



## Dubstep Girl

oh wow. 
   
  and those are sylvania 7236 NOS power tubes direct from woo audio
   
   
  lol yeah i do enjoy my WA6-SE/WA2 combo alot. i tend to use the WA2 for most of the gain nowadays since the WA6-SE is a noisier amp and shows background noise past 1-2 o clock.
   
  luckily, when i use the WA6-SE alone, usually i don't have to raise the knob past 10 since most headphones are crazy loud at that point.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> and those are sylvania 7236 NOS power tubes direct from woo audio


 
  So they are the upgraded ones, hard to tell from the pic. Anyway, nicer-sounding does not necessarily mean more powerful. Not that I'm the expert on all things tube anyway, just enjoying listening to them.


----------



## zenpunk

Upgraded from a Stagedac and Mytek Stereo96DAC and I think it is slightly better than both, more detailed so better imaging and more realistic to my ears. Incredible value for money for sure.
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> I Spy an Audiolab MDAC, soo jelous, i wish i could get my hands on one right now but i gotta wait another 2-3 months before they are in stock. How are you liking it so far? any comments?


----------



## hodgjy

The OTL design on the WA2 will put out lots of voltage, but less current.  The LCD-2 craves current.  So, as you turn up the volume on the WA2, you are increasing the voltage going through the LCD-2.  It seems that they clip once you turn the pot passed 11.  For best results, you'll need an amp that supplies wicked current.  The Lyr and Headamp GS-1 are of this nature.
  
  Edit: changed voltage to current.
   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> line level?
> 
> you mean my DAC?
> 
> i know i can't turn up the volume with my LCD-2 past 11 or 12 without it distorting. and so at 9 or 10 o clock, thats not loud at all for me on the LCD-2


----------



## Kremer930

thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> Uhm, the CA DacMagic 100 under the iD100 if that's what you mean. I bought the 2 in tandem for a compact solution. Other than the iPod-ina-dock, on occasion a long TOSlink from my Macbook to the DacMagic 100 while I work, it makes browsing my music collection so much easier. Which is also why I'm not so happy with the iD100's somewhat limited iPod support and flacky iPad support (via remote) as per other thread... but I love the DacMagic, for me it does the job just fine for anything I throw at it, and at a compact size.




Sorry that I wasn't clear. I was wondering if you used coax, optical or balanced out of your id100 to your dac? I found that the coax is the nicer sounding on my Onkyo dock but I am yet to compare on the id100. 

Cheers


----------



## SixthFall

hodgjy said:


> The OTL design on the WA2 will put out lots of voltage, but less current.  The LCD-2 craves current.  So, as you turn up the volume on the WA2, you are increasing the voltage going through the LCD-2.  It seems that they clip once you turn the pot passed 11.  For best results, you'll need an amp that supplies wicked voltage.  The Lyr and Headamp GS-1 are of this nature.




I think you mean wicked current not voltage?


----------



## hodgjy

Yes, that is correct!  I had a brain fart.  Thanks for noticing that.
  
  Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> I think you mean wicked current not voltage?


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Yes, that is correct!  I had a brain fart.  Thanks for noticing that.


 

 hahaha, no worries, my brain does that all the time


----------



## nmxdaven

Finally updated my office headphone rig a bit.
   
  USB to M2Tech -> Channel Islands Audio VDA-2 and VAC-1 -> M^3 and o11 -> D2k's or LCD2's. Blue Jean cables all around.


----------



## SixthFall

nmxdaven said:


> Finally updated my office headphone rig a bit.
> 
> USB to M2Tech -> Channel Islands Audio VDA-2 and VAC-1 -> M^3 and o11 -> D2k's or LCD2's. Blue Jean cables all around.




How do you like the vda-2?? I just picked one up on the for sale section yesterday.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> Finally updated my office headphone rig a bit.
> 
> USB to M2Tech -> Channel Islands Audio VDA-2 and VAC-1 -> M^3 and o11 -> D2k's or LCD2's. Blue Jean cables all around.


 

 Dude, your HP already has Beats Audio which iz teh best. U dnt need all that


----------



## Melvins




----------



## nmxdaven

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> How do you like the vda-2?? I just picked one up on the for sale section yesterday.


 

 A bit warm, excellent detail and separation. Honestly, I was hoping it would be a little MORE laid back, and thats what the reviews seemed to state, but paired with the M^3 it seems a tad warmer than what I was going for. Nothing nearly as bright as my benchmark though. Its growing on me more and more.

  Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Dude, your HP already has Beats Audio which iz teh best. U dnt need all that


 

 I had to get it, theres just TOO much bass on the laptop. Rattles the windows.


----------



## Melvins

#basegod


----------



## SixthFall

nmxdaven said:


> A bit warm, excellent detail and separation. Honestly, I was hoping it would be a little MORE laid back, and thats what the reviews seemed to state, but paired with the M^3 it seems a tad warmer than what I was going for. Nothing nearly as bright as my benchmark though. Its growing on me more and more.
> 
> 
> I had to get it, theres just TOO much bass on the laptop. Rattles the windows.




Awezome, I cant wait till it gets here


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


kremer930 said:


> Sorry that I wasn't clear. I was wondering if you used coax, optical or balanced out of your id100 to your dac? I found that the coax is the nicer sounding on my Onkyo dock but I am yet to compare on the id100.


 
  Mostly using optical, but I've switched to coax for the dock for now so I can leave the TOSlink connected when I want to hook up the Macbook. Honestly can't hear a difference. The USB to Macbook works fine too, and gives me access to the higher bitrates & sampling frequencies but I only used that experimentally and determined that once again I couldn't hear a noticeable improvement, so the long optical cable is the more flexible (literally) & convenient choice.


----------



## nmxdaven

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Awezome, I cant wait till it gets here


 


  As far as price/performance its a total beast. Quite a few magazines were putting it up against 2-3k options, and I have to say that while it sounds _different_, its just as good as my benchmark.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> As far as price/performance its a total beast. Quite a few magazines were putting it up against 2-3k options, and I have to say that while it sounds _different_, its just as good as my benchmark.


 


  Nice! So would you value it higher than msrp then?


----------



## Coolzo

New place, pretty much how it looks now (taken yesterday) aside from a brand new Asgard


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





coolzo said:


> New place, pretty much how it looks now (taken yesterday) aside from a brand new Asgard


 

 I think I have that same keyboard, or a model from the same line. That SX-780 is beautiful too.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





manveru said:


> I think I have that same keyboard, or a model from the same line. That SX-780 is beautiful too.


 


  Well, it's a cheap "Yamaha Education Suite" keyboard, I'm in serious need of an upgrade lol. I inherited it from my sister, whom was going to learn piano but never did... and thanks! It sounds beautiful too  My Asgard is better, but the SX-780 isn't a far cry from it.


----------



## manveru

Haha yeah, I used to use it when I was learning piano several years ago.


----------



## ZenErik

Now with HD800. I am quite pleased.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice! and that lucky star figure is sooo cute!!!


----------



## Zombie_X

Since we are talking about anime... here's a nice Master Grade Gundam model I built over the weekend.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Since we are talking about anime... here's a nice Master Grade Gundam model I built over the weekend.


 

 YES YES YES YES YES. Mine mine mine mine mine.
  That is AWESOME!
  Now I can go to bed.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love Gundams. Bravo.

I built a Shadow and Dragon model back in the day.


----------



## Zombie_X

The new Master Grade models that started coming out in 2011 are a lot like a miniature Perfect Grade model. It took me three days to build this Wing Zero model. I ahve two more models on the way as well as some official liner pens and paint markers from Bandai.
   
  I'll be getting a Perfect Grade Wing Zero Custom later on in the months..
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I love Gundams. Bravo.
> I built a Shadow and Dragon model back in the day.


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


zombie_x said:


> The new Master Grade models that started coming out in 2011 are a lot like a miniature Perfect Grade model. It took me three days to build this Wing Zero model. I ahve two more models on the way as well as some official liner pens and paint markers from Bandai.
> 
> I'll be getting a Perfect Grade Wing Zero Custom later on in the months..


 

 mmm Perfect Grade, do want. Is that the Katoki version of the Wing Zero?
   
  Which will you be getting, the 1st gen Custom or 2nd? I've always wanted the 1st gen ever since I was a child, I'm not sold on the 2nd gen's semi-transparent pink gloss in all honesty.


----------



## Maxvla

Trimmed back down to the basics, sold or selling all the stuff I just bought within the last couple months. Nothing beat out the UERM/WA6/Bifrost setup. But wait! stealth HD800, Bryston BHA-1, Schiit Mjolnir, Schiit Gungnir all incoming soon!


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The new Master Grade models that started coming out in 2011 are a lot like a miniature Perfect Grade model. It took me three days to build this Wing Zero model. I ahve two more models on the way as well as some official liner pens and paint markers from Bandai.
> 
> I'll be getting a Perfect Grade Wing Zero Custom later on in the months..


 
  I've always wanted a PG Wing Zero Custom.  My HG silver edition Wing Zero Custom is the only Gundam model kit that I still have displayed, sitting on top of my book case collecting dust.


----------



## TheWuss

just got a SolidSteel 3.5 rack.
   
  reorganized, cleaned up, and looking better than ever...
  tomorrow i'll receive the Musical Fidelity M1 CDT transport.
  then, as planned, i'll be able to play CDs as well as digital files.
   
  good times...


----------



## Maxvla

Wow, Wuss.. There was a desk under there after all!


----------



## Clayton SF

Wuss. I didn't realize that TheDarkStar was smaller than the LF.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Gotta give me some impressions on that M1 CDT as it's one of the top transports on my list. Also still considering that DAC 2...


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> just got a SolidSteel 3.5 rack.
> 
> reorganized, cleaned up, and looking better than ever...
> tomorrow i'll receive the Musical Fidelity M1 CDT transport.
> ...


 
  It must be awful having all those sweet hifi components.  I bet you'd feel a lot better sending a few of those pieces to me.


----------



## Maxvla

Shipping to Antarctica is too expensive.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Shipping to Antarctica is too expensive.


 


  I can just pick it up when my research cycle is over.  Shipping to Wisconsin shouldn't be too bad, no?


----------



## Zombie_X

I'll be getting the non plated one, I can't stand the pearl color on the pieces. Right now I have two Perfect Grade models built: MS-06J Zaku and the RX-78-2 Gundam, both from the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime.
   
  The two new model arriving are: RX-78-5 Gundam (Master Grade 1/100), and Deathscythe Hell (High Grade 1/100).
   
  The Deathscythe Hell is from back in the late 1990's when Gundam Wing was airing on TV, and when all Gundam models were only in HG (High Grade) format. I like that nostalgic, simplistic molding from back then.
  
  Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Quote:
> 
> mmm Perfect Grade, do want. Is that the Katoki version of the Wing Zero?
> 
> Which will you be getting, the 1st gen Custom or 2nd? I've always wanted the 1st gen ever since I was a child, I'm not sold on the 2nd gen's semi-transparent pink gloss in all honesty.


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## socksfelloff

Well I can finally post in this thread! Playing around with my new camera
   
  MBP 2011
  Fiio e7/e9
   
  Beyer dt990 600ohm

  Alessandro MS1i's


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


zombie_x said:


> I'll be getting the non plated one, I can't stand the pearl color on the pieces. Right now I have two Perfect Grade models built: MS-06J Zaku and the RX-78-2 Gundam, both from the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime.
> 
> The two new model arriving are: RX-78-5 Gundam (Master Grade 1/100), and Deathscythe Hell (High Grade 1/100).
> 
> The Deathscythe Hell is from back in the late 1990's when Gundam Wing was airing on TV, and when all Gundam models were only in HG (High Grade) format. I like that nostalgic, simplistic molding from back then.


 

 Nice! I have the Wing Gundam and Shenlong, which I picked up at yard sales. As such the shape isn't too good and I only have the box to the Wing Gundam. I also didn't get to build them as they already were built by the previous owner. Missing the buster rifle as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  They're both High Grade 1/100, and came in a red box with a golden square labeled "HG 1," which also appears to be from the late 1990's. Probably the same series as the ones you have coming in. I like the molding too, kind of roundish.
   
  I had the Wing Zero in a much smaller size, 1/144 HG, but someone played with it and broke it at some point. And not me, a "friend" ><
   
  The 1/144 are much too fragile, not worth buying under 1/100 scale.


----------



## TheOtus

thewuss said:


>


 

 Careful with the chair so you won't damage the floor... Is the floor genuine wood by the way, or laminate? Hard to guess from the pictures. Just thinking as I'm getting a new floor and wondering if I should have some sort of protection under the chair.


----------



## Connnorrr

Very nice, I started out with a very similar set up, DT990 600ohm, and the SR80i. How do you like your DT990's?
  
  Quote: 





socksfelloff said:


> Well I can finally post in this thread! Playing around with my new camera
> 
> MBP 2011
> Fiio e7/e9
> ...


----------



## socksfelloff

I am very happy with them. It was a toss up between these and some 650hds. They are great all around headphones for me. My musical interests span most genres and i also use them for gaming and movies with dolby headphone. 

They are far comfier to me then my ad700s and i have no issues wearing them for hours at a time. 




connnorrr said:


> Very nice, I started out with a very similar set up, DT990 600ohm, and the SR80i. How do you like your DT990's?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## Terps Fan

Hey Socks!  Boy, very nice!  Very clean.  My favorite systems in this thread are one like yours.  Simple, well thought out and streamlined.  Good job.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





socksfelloff said:


> I am very happy with them. It was a toss up between these and some 650hds. They are great all around headphones for me. My musical interests span most genres and i also use them for gaming and movies with dolby headphone.
> They are far comfier to me then my ad700s and i have no issues wearing them for hours at a time.


 


  I actually ended up getting the HD650's before x-mas last year, they are a neat second pair to have with the DT990's. I actually moved up from the AT-A700's, and searched around for a while before settling on the DT990's myself.


----------



## MickeyVee

Here's the latest pic of my HP office system with the addition of the Carot One.


----------



## Tilpo

Very nice picture, Mickey


----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





melvins said:


>


 


  somebody quick, compliment my set up! I NEEDS DA AFFIRMATION


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





melvins said:


> somebody quick, compliment my set up! I NEEDS DA AFFIRMATION


 


  IT IS TEH BOM DIGGETAY.  Nice woodie Grados by the way.


----------



## zenpunk

I love your books...very niiiiiice pile.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> somebody quick, compliment my set up! I NEEDS DA AFFIRMATION


----------



## peanuthead




----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





peanuthead said:


> Amazing picture by peanut head.


 


  That picture made my day.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I actually have my eye on that same chair for my listening chair. At least until I invest in a Zero Gravity recliner.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





peanuthead said:


> -snip-


 
  Now _that_ is a truly classy set up.


----------



## MickeyVee

x2!
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Now _that_ is a truly classy set up.


----------



## Draygonn

peanuthead said:


>


I need a chair like that for my secondary rig. Gorgeous setup peanuthead.





melvins said:


>




Cool rig Melvins. Got a better pic of your LD1+?


----------



## n3rdling

What chair is that?


----------



## TMRaven

Looks to be one of the Poang ikea chairs.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


n3rdling said:


> What chair is that?


 
  Looks like goode ole Ikea: Poäng (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=poang)
   
  -Many- different configurations & covers, for a variety of budgets, good bang for the buck. Have a couple myself, and the footstool. Love them, very comfortable, other people have commented on that as well.


----------



## peanuthead

Good ol' Ikea Poang.
  Thanks for the compliments guys.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I almost picked one up last Ikea trip with a red cover. I will be getting one soon though. Awesome chairs.


----------



## mmayer167

Ditto, I have a cloth covered Ikea Poang. Wish it was leather but it is mighty comfortable, especially with an ottoman. 
   
  Great looking gear in the last few pages! That carrot amp caught my eye, haven't seen that before... The lust for new gear is bad! Holding strong. I'm enjoying rehab  
   
  -M


----------



## MickeyVee

They are awesome.  I bought one for listening but unfortunately,even at 6', the back is just a few inches too short for a comfortable head placement.  My wife loves it and now uses it and she's 5'8".
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I almost picked one up last Ikea trip with a red cover. I will be getting one soon though. Awesome chairs.


----------



## MorbidToaster

mickeyvee said:


> They are awesome.  I bought one for listening but unfortunately,even at 6', the back is just a few inches too short for a comfortable head placement.  My wife loves it and now uses it and she's 5'8".




I'm 5'11" so it's a bit to short for me too but like I said...only need one til I get my zero g recliner. Best. Chairs. Ever.


----------



## wlz12

Me and my brother's(ID: keph) Headphone Collection

   
  My current setup, just got my HE-300 returned and my new Razer Mamba today


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wlz12 said:


> Me and my brother's(ID: keph) Headphone Collection


 
  very nice. 
   
  i've owned all those headphones except for the hifimans.and the ones on the far right.
   
  how does the HE-500 compare to the others and the LCD-2?


----------



## Tilpo

Very nice pictures, I really like the flashy lights on the third one.


----------



## toyman

Just updated my space for a bit more convenience.  Since I don't have a remote, the pre & CD are beside me now.  My Q701's are hanging safely from a bath hook mounted to the underside of the table.  I need to make a stand instead of having them stacked, but that's a project in the near future.  The stack is (from the bottom up) Sunfire Tubed Control Center (pre), NAD 525Bee CDP, and Maverick D1.  The notebook feeds lossless Itunes, Pandora and Spotify, and the Maverick is connected to the pre as a source so I can play the same steaming audio thru my Vandersteen 2's on the front end.  The Sunfire is connected to a Carver TFM45 amp also. It's nice to not have to get up to change a CD or adjust the volume.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice.
> 
> i've owned all those headphones except for the hifimans.and the ones on the far right.


 


  Sennheiser HD25-1 ii
   
  Very nice set up wlz12 - is that one of the la figaro/dark voice tube amps? how do you like it?


----------



## wlz12

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice.
> 
> i've owned all those headphones except for the hifimans.and the ones on the far right.
> 
> how does the HE-500 compare to the others and the LCD-2?


 

  
  Thanlks for the compliment, its hd25 1-II a very nice portable headphone which also scales up quite well with a proper amp.

 Well, i've just entered the audiophile world half a year ago so, sorry if these are not very good descriptions. Through my ears the treble on the HE-500 is more sparkly with more energy, and if there are acoustic instruments such as a guitar, the instruments are more 'alive' than the LCD-2 , although the soundstage and imaging on the LCD is a tad better. The mids on the HE-500 is a bit thicker, but i prefer LCD's as its more sweeter. On the bass section there's no beating LCD as its a monster, but the bass on HE-500 is pretty good too except for its sub bass. 

 Hope this can help you, cheers
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Very nice pictures, I really like the flashy lights on the third one.


 


   
  Thanks Tilpo, if its at night, i just don't turn on my lights as the lights which come from the tubes are somehow quite soothing.
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Sennheiser HD25-1 ii
> 
> Very nice set up wlz12 - is that one of the la figaro/dark voice tube amps? how do you like it?


 

 Thanks Liamstrain, yes its the la figaro 339 paired with Tungsol 5998 and RCA 5693. Sometimes while listening to it i feel i'm in heaven. For me among all the amps i tried, its simply the best. Infact there's two in my apartment, one for me and the other is a modded one especially made by yuking himself for my big brother. You should check the dark voice thread as my impressions will not be sufficient to describe this beast.


----------



## socksfelloff

Thank you very much! There are some killer setups in this thread. I am in a transition period with all of my toys so i figured a simple setup at the dining room table would do! 



terps fan said:


> Hey Socks!  Boy, very nice!  Very clean.  My favorite systems in this thread are one like yours.  Simple, well thought out and streamlined.  Good job.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





toyman said:


> Just updated my space for a bit more convenience.  Since I don't have a remote, the pre & CD are beside me now.  My Q701's are hanging safely from a bath hook mounted to the underside of the table.  I need to make a stand instead of having them stacked, but that's a project in the near future.  The stack is (from the bottom up) Sunfire Tubed Control Center (pre), NAD 525Bee CDP, and Maverick D1.  The notebook feeds lossless Itunes, Pandora and Spotify, and the Maverick is connected to the pre as a source so I can play the same steaming audio thru my Vandersteen 2's on the front end.  The Sunfire is connected to a Carver TFM45 amp also. It's nice to not have to get up to change a CD or adjust the volume.


 
  w00t D1
   

   

   
  Just recently stole got this from work. I may make it my avatar in the future, but I like the one I have now.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wlz12 said:


> Well, i've just entered the audiophile world half a year ago so*, sorry if these are not very good descriptions. *Through my ears the treble on the HE-500 is more sparkly with more energy, and if there are acoustic instruments such as a guitar, the instruments are more 'alive' than the LCD-2 , although the soundstage and imaging on the LCD is a tad better. The mids on the HE-500 is a bit thicker, but i prefer LCD's as its more sweeter. On the bass section there's no beating LCD as its a monster, but the bass on HE-500 is pretty good too except for its sub bass.


 
   
  hmmm and nope, you explaned it quite well. and when i have trouble describing sound, i see it as a sort of puzzle. describing sound is like solving a crime, you have all this evidence which leads to ideas and thoughts based on past experiences and events. you have different leads and clues you find, and you have many different people telling the the story, you just have to put it together 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  well thanks for the comparison!


----------



## Tilpo

lilkoolaidman said:


> Just recently stole got this from work. I may make it my avatar in the future, but I like the one I have now.




Fluttershy > Rarity


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Fluttershy > Rarity


 


  I'll admit that Rarity isn't my favorite, Rainbow Dash is (although not recently). But Rarity was one of the better looking toys. Rainbow Dash's colors were all messed up


----------



## wlz12

hahahaha thanks for the compliment, kinda true what you said about solving crimes and stuff. Though for me when i read the description of different sounds, i just imagine it inside my mind.
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> hmmm and nope, you explaned it quite well. and when i have trouble describing sound, i see it as a sort of puzzle. describing sound is like solving a crime, you have all this evidence which leads to ideas and thoughts based on past experiences and events. you have different leads and clues you find, and you have many different people telling the the story, you just have to put it together
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MagmaVander

new to this forum(and to the whole *good music gear thing*)
   
  HD800-Musical Fidelity V Dac II-Trafomatic Head One-Computer(with cheap interconnects and usb for now)


----------



## nmxdaven

Upgraded my belkin conditioner in my home theater rig, so it moved over to my headphone station.


----------



## dagothur

That's a pretty nice setup for a someone new to Head-Fi.

  
  Quote: 





magmavander said:


> new to this forum(and to the whole *good music gear thing*)
> 
> HD800-Musical Fidelity V Dac II-Trafomatic Head One-Computer(with cheap interconnects and usb for now)


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





magmavander said:


> new to this forum(and to the whole *good music gear thing*)
> 
> HD800-Musical Fidelity V Dac II-Trafomatic Head One-Computer(with cheap interconnects and usb for now)
> 
> ...


 


  New or not, very nice way to start!


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> New or not, very nice way to start!


 


  Or to end.  Crazy rig man!


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Or to end.  Crazy rig man!


 

  
  Very true, he might be one of the few people here that get at least close to their ideal setup right from the start.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





toyman said:


> Just updated my space for a bit more convenience.  Since I don't have a remote, the pre & CD are beside me now.  My Q701's are hanging safely from a bath hook mounted to the underside of the table.  I need to make a stand instead of having them stacked, but that's a project in the near future.  The stack is (from the bottom up) Sunfire Tubed Control Center (pre), NAD 525Bee CDP, and Maverick D1.  The notebook feeds lossless Itunes, Pandora and Spotify, and the Maverick is connected to the pre as a source so I can play the same steaming audio thru my Vandersteen 2's on the front end.  The Sunfire is connected to a Carver TFM45 amp also. It's nice to not have to get up to change a CD or adjust the volume.


 
  That's a really good spot to lay back and listen to some goods tunes.


----------



## MagmaVander

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Or to end.  Crazy rig man!


 


  and i got this amp for less than 500$ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 pretty big upgrade from my SR80-uDAC-Computer that I had before.
  seriously I don't think I can upgrade to any better rig in the future. I just need some good interconnects\usb cable, and maybe to change the VDAC power supply, heard it does good things to it..
   
  Now I just need some other phones for Metal music, HD800 don't sound good with this genre.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





magmavander said:


> seriously I don't think I can upgrade to any better rig in the future


 
  That's the first thing a Head-Fi'er says before an upgrade.  Good luck, you have a really nice set up.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> That's a pretty nice setup for a someone new to Head-Fi.


 

  lol i was about to say the same thing.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *MagmaVander* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Now I just need some other phones for Metal music, HD800 don't sound good with this genre.


 


  Beyerdynamic T1.
   
  also they have a bit more bass so they work better for other genres as well.


----------



## Melvins

what's your favorite can for dub step, dub step girl?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

ultrasone pro 900 by far.


----------



## MagmaVander

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> Beyerdynamic T1.
> 
> also they have a bit more bass so they work better for other genres as well.


 

 Don't think I can spend that kind of money again on a headphone.. (used most of my Army money on the this rig already )
   
  maybe I will get the Grado SR225


----------



## filuS

This is my current audio setup, its nothing special yet, I started getting into this hobby 6 months ago.
 

 

 

​   For portable use I have ATH-EW9 clip-on woodies with Cowon J3 as source (for video I use my Samsung Galaxy SII).
  As for home listening you can see there ATH-W1000X and ATH-W3000ANV headphones (for both I have Zoppa Pro acrylic/wooden stands which are basically cheaper copies of AT stand from portugal), Audio-GD NFB-12 DAC and Project Sunrise hybrid amplifier. DAC and amp are connected with Supra DAC-X rca cables, my music is streamed from my laptop via usb to nfb-12. Everything is temporarily on TV table, I plan on getting separate audio rig but it has time, I dont have TV yet and I want to get my audio setup finished first before I get one, so no need to hurry for another piece of furniture here.
 This setup is far from complete tho, I dont have immediate plans because I spend a lot on headphones lately (which are keepers for life time btw, at least I have no need to invest more on this front), but in next year or two I want to switch my chain with Anedio D2 and Zana Deux SE (or Svetlana 2/Yamamoto HA-02, will see how much I will spend on it) and maybe get some dedicated audio source instead of using my laptop (most likely some sort of HTPC so I will have all in one device for home entertainment system).


----------



## Mad Dude

Finally, after more than three months of waiting, my CSP2+ has arrived 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some listening to do...


----------



## MorbidToaster

The lighting from outside looks like what I'm hoping to get in the new place. Nice cozy corner.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





filus said:


> This is my current audio setup, its nothing special yet, I started getting into this hobby 6 months ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  that's quite a deep jump for getting started =/ Regardless...that's a damn sweet setup.


----------



## manveru

Quote:  

 Beautiful. Your possible future DAC and amp chain is exactly what I'd like to go for too.


----------



## MaDOS

They don't give us nearly enough space in these dorms TT.  Anyways this is what I got.


----------



## peanuthead

Nice!
  
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Finally, after more than three months of waiting, my CSP2+ has arrived
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





mados said:


> They don't give us nearly enough space in these dorms TT.  Anyways this is what I got.


 

 Yeeps, playing SC2 with keyboard and mouse on different levels like that would be weird...


----------



## Zeebra

logwed said:


> Yeeps, playing SC2 with keyboard and mouse on different levels like that would be weird...



To be honest there would be decent room for a bigger table in that corner, if the drawer wasn't on the way. I'm in a dorm and I've got limited space, but still plenty IMO


----------



## Trist

Quick phone pic of my rig!
  FiiO E10 > Just Audio AHA-120 > Sennheiser HD600


----------



## tribestros

Decent setup for a dorm.  Finally got my freaking Bose speakers replaced with some B&Ws.


----------



## DragonOwen

Got new tubes for my GES, now it's 6S4A GE USA tubes as power tubes and 5751 GE USA tubes as driver tubes. It's cost me about $350, but it's worth it, the sound now it's quite a big upgrade over the sound with stock tubes


----------



## telecaster

Resonnance of high spheres


----------



## Focker




----------



## liamstrain

Focker - is that a power amp down there? Which one? and what are you running from it?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Focker - is that a Cary power amp down there? What are you running from it?


 


  That's actually a Grant Fidelity tube buffer...it's in the same signal path as my Meier Jazz amp


----------



## Hennyo

Great setups all! Thanks for posting. All of these look very delicious. =-0
  
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Got new tubes for my GES, now it's 6S4A GE USA tubes as power tubes and 5751 GE USA tubes as driver tubes. It's cost me about $350, but it's worth it, the sound now it's quite a big upgrade over the sound with stock tubes


 

 Nice!.. I like 507's.
  I bet it looks better in person (with better lighting) and correct colors. Looking very good!


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> -snip-


 
  Should've gone with the red fabric.  Bass response is way better.


----------



## Eric_C

swbf2cheater said:


>




Remind me not to disturb you when you're at your listening station.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Thats what its there for.  You know those pesky family members who insist on talking to you while you are listening to your headphones, and continue talking without giving you the chance to remove them or shut off your music?  Well, I just reach over and pull that out, usually they go away and refuse to come back.


----------



## Melvins

Super man needs a blade?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Thats what its there for.  You know those pesky family members who insist on talking to you while you are listening to your headphones, and continue talking without giving you the chance to remove them or shut off your music?  Well, I just reach over and pull that out, usually they go away and refuse to come back.


 


  Oh man, I wish I could have one on me for that reason. I hate it when people talk to you while you have headphones in or on and then don't simply tap you on the shoulder or make a "remove your headphones" type gesture before talking to you. Then, they snicker because "LOL he didn't hear me because he had headphones on.
   

   
  My reaction when they can't believe or are somehow surprised that I couldn't hear them while using headphones.


----------



## MohawkUS

I hate that, it's almost like they've never seen headphones before. It doesn't help that I wear open headphones half the time; which I don't need to remove to hear them.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 


  I live in a place where it is against the law to own a firearm. I have a sword for protection. Not that I have any skill in the use of the thing. Any intruder would see this crazy 260lb guy in his underwear running at them holding a Samurai sword like a wood-chopping axe. Hopefully they would run?


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I live in a place where it is against the law to own a firearm. I have a sword for protection. Not that I have any skill in the use of the thing. Any intruder would see this crazy 260lb guy in his underwear running at them holding a Samurai sword like a wood-chopping axe. Hopefully they would run?


 

 Nope, they'll shoot you.


----------



## obzilla

New DAC today. Calyx 24/192 DAC, very very nice hunk of metal. Looks deceptive, it is literally built like a tank in that it is a huge chunk of solid aluminum (4.5kg !!). Sounds great too! I will try to snag a NAD M51 this weekend too and keep the winner.


----------



## Oregonian

Here's mine..............pretty much doubles as my computer setup.  Sennheiser 428's and Panasonic RTF600's currently on the wall............fed by either iTunes, Pandora or my iPad running Equalizer into my E10 DAC/AMP The XB500's are downstairs.   Versatile, loud and thumps.


----------



## MorbidToaster

obzilla said:


> New DAC today. Calyx 24/192 DAC, very very nice hunk of metal. Looks deceptive, it is literally built like a tank in that it is a huge chunk of solid aluminum (4.5kg !!). Sounds great too! I will try to snag a NAD M51 this weekend too and keep the winner.




Do you have the Mini hooked up to a monitor or do you control it in a different way?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Do you have the Mini hooked up to a monitor or do you control it in a different way?


 


  "Screen Sharing" via my Macbook Air (or my girlfriend's Macbook Pro), or the remote app on my iPhone and iPad.
  It doesn't even have a keyboard or mouse plugged in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Just the power cable and a Cardas Clear USB cable feeding the DAC.
   
  It pulls it's music from a time capsule elsewhere in the living room that has my CD collection in ALAC along with some HDTracks and DVDA rips I have. Love the setup personally. Although, wifi once in a great while can hesitate on a track, so I may add a thunderbolt drive and mirror the audio collection so that the Mini can pull files locally.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've heard tell of people controlling it with LogMeIn, but I tried that and it was pretty horrible. I'd like to incorporate something like this for my desktop set up, but we'll see how it goes. Still working on the main system...
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've heard tell of people controlling it with LogMeIn, but I tried that and it was pretty horrible. I'd like to incorporate something like this for my desktop set up, but we'll see how it goes. Still working on the main system...


 


  If you already have an iDevice or another Mac, you already have all the software you need built in to the OS nothing else required. 
  Super convenient.


----------



## TruBrew

I use Remote Desktop to control my Mac Mini and it works perfectly.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Nope, they'll shoot you.


 


  HA! Ya............ you may be right!


----------



## Focker

I really enjoyed my Squeezebox Duet when it was working, but the Apple products are so much more reliable. I currently use an Airport Express with the remote app on my iPhone....not a single problem with it.


----------



## MattTCG

I will have to clean off my desk first  It tends to be a catch all in my house.


----------



## judomaniak

may not be the most expensive system out there but i like it. great synergy and very expressive. thanks for looking


----------



## detoxguy

Hey, greeting from a fellow toon towner...
  That ASL is a great amp. I'm sure you're loving the sound. I'll assume you saw David at pulsworks?


----------



## judomaniak

u got that right Dave is a great guy very helpful


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I will have to clean off my desk first  It tends to be a catch all in my house.


 

 Perhaps, if we stop back by Monday...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> u got that right Dave is a great guy very helpful


 


  Your system looks very enjoyable to me!


----------



## snapple10

got stuff organized this weekend, especially my desk


----------



## snapple10

Family room too got organized except the cables


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Family room too got organized except the cables


 

 Martin Logans?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> may not be the most expensive system out there but i like it. great synergy and very expressive. thanks for looking


 


  That amp looks like it costs a lot more than $500. I had to look it up just because of how sexy it looked and the switchable transformer.


----------



## detoxguy

Having owned one I can also say it sounds like it costs more than $500.00 too.
  
  Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> That amp looks like it costs a lot more than $500. I had to look it up just because of how sexy it looked and the switchable transformer.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Grain. iMac - iTunes - ALAC - X-DAC - WA6 - HD650.


----------



## Destroysall

Very awesome setup, Austin!  How is this setup going for ya?
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Grain. iMac - iTunes - ALAC - X-DAC - WA6 - HD650.


----------



## judomaniak

Quote: 





> *Originally Posted by lilkoolaidman /img/forum/go_quote.gif*
> 
> 
> 
> *That amp looks like it costs a lot more than $500. I had to look it up just because of how sexy it looked and the switchable transformer.*


 
  thanks alot $500 and i'm pretty happy with it i've had this amp for about 8 months now  and have no desire to upgrade. sure i like a better amp but would have to pay alot more for a little bit better sound


----------



## Kremer930

snapple10 said:


> Family room too got organized except the cables




Nice lounge rig. Can't wait for Emotiva to bring out their new processor to make use of the balanced inputs to the amps.


----------



## MorbidToaster

kremer930 said:


> snapple10 said:
> 
> 
> > Family room too got organized except the cables
> ...




 I can't express how frustrated I am with that new processor. They've been talking about a balanced pre for years but this new pro comes first? Ugh.

I do love my current Emotiva gear though. Run a similar set up at the moment. Considering trading up to 1.7s from my MMGs to give those MLs a run for their money.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow snapple, very nice!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

HD 800s with new cables and the WA2


----------



## Redrider469




----------



## MickeyVee

WooHoo.. another ML owner!! Electro Motions, right? Nice. Here's mine..

  
  Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Family room too got organized except the cables


----------



## devgru

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> New DAC today. Calyx 24/192 DAC, very very nice hunk of metal. Looks deceptive, it is literally built like a tank in that it is a huge chunk of solid aluminum (4.5kg !!). Sounds great too! I will try to snag a NAD M51 this weekend too and keep the winner.


 


  Beautiful.


----------



## MorbidToaster

devgru said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I do feel a bit like I'm nabbing his style but my set up will look similar in a month or so once I get the money the Mini server.


----------



## MickeyVee

x2.. if you see any drool in the pictures, it's probably me
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





devgru said:


> Beautiful.


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> WooHoo.. another ML owner!! Electro Motions, right? Nice. Here's mine..


 


  yes, ESL.
   
  Just  hooked them up to the Emotiva UPA-1 this weekend and they got really loud. The neighbors are in trouble now


----------



## MorbidToaster

Have you ML owners tried a pair of Maggies? Mainly the 1.7s. My local guys have mixed feelings on the hybrids and suggest quads if I wanted to give an Electrostat a shot.


----------



## devgru

And now MLogans. What a great thread!


----------



## MickeyVee

I've heard the Maggies and prefer the Logans.. my wallet spoke.  Absolutely no problem with the hybrid.. woofer/panel integration is seamless. I would suggest an audition if you can.  I'm sure that there's a ML dealer in Austin.  For $2K you can get the Electro Motion ESL or clear out Vista's (which is what I have).
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Have you ML owners tried a pair of Maggies? Mainly the 1.7s. My local guys have mixed feelings on the hybrids and suggest quads if I wanted to give an Electrostat a shot.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Anyone here see this?


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's between the 1.7s and ESLs. I of course have to consider the trade program from my MMGs, but it's not that big a deal.
   
  No rush either as the MMGs sound fantastic (best speaker value ever).
   
  Why'd you prefer the ML?
   
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> I've heard the Maggies and prefer the Logans.. my wallet spoke.  Absolutely no problem with the hybrid.. woofer/panel integration is seamless. I would suggest an audition if you can.  I'm sure that there's a ML dealer in Austin.  For $2K you can get the Electro Motion ESL or clear out Vista's (which is what I have).
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> HD 800s with new cables and the WA2


 

 now, I want silver 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Nice !


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I like the video over all I think it's a bit funny they only showed/mentioned Martin Logans.

  
  Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Anyone here see this?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's between the 1.7s and ESLs. I of course have to consider the trade program from my MMGs, but it's not that big a deal.
> 
> No rush either as the MMGs sound fantastic (best speaker value ever).


 


 Tha'ts how I started, too. I've had Maggie 3.6s for the past three years and have no desire to upgrade at all. I've always found MLs to be fatiguing and a tad on the harsh side..and I sort of lost interest in the line when they started focusing on the mass market. They have a very large following, though, and I know many people who love them. Just like wth anything else, we're all different in what we prefer.
   
  I completely agree with you about the MMG being the best value on earth. I had mine for over two years and, quite honestly, could have been very happy with them if I didn't have the means to get into bigger Maggies. I have yet to hear the new x.7 Maggies, but I am very active on a couple Maggie forums and everyone is singing their praises.
   
  You have some nice options between the MLs and the Maggies...good luck with your choice!


----------



## MickeyVee

it was about the synergy.. I first heard the ML's with McIntosh and I had to have them.  They seemed a little smoother overall with better bass and a 3D soundstage. Now I just have tow work on getting some McIntosh electronics. YMMV. back to headphones.. just ordered a pair of HiFiMan HE-400's (same tech as Maggies, i believe).  Don't think I'll be able to afford Stax electrostatics.
  BTW.. Martin Logan has at least half a dozen videos on YouTube. This is one I haven't seen.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's between the 1.7s and ESLs. I of course have to consider the trade program from my MMGs, but it's not that big a deal.
> 
> No rush either as the MMGs sound fantastic (best speaker value ever).
> 
> Why'd you prefer the ML?


----------



## n3rdling

Quad > ML


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Family room too got organized except the cables


 

 Seated on your couch, music playing, I could get lost like no other!


----------



## Tilpo

I thought this was a headphones forum


----------



## RexAeterna

i know riiiiight? these people and their speakers. i mean my word, don't these guys have any respect around here to stay on topic? besides everyone knows speakers are meant for old people and sooo oldskool. headphones and subs is where it's at!


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I thought this was a headphones forum


 


  I certainly would be happy to see more speaker knowledge shared on here, wouldn't you?


----------



## Kremer930

Always happy to see other high end or value for money audiophile gear.


----------



## MohawkUS

logwed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Don't worry, it's just high school/college kids like me that are jealous we have no where to put speakers


----------



## RexAeterna

logwed said:


> I certainly would be happy to see more speaker knowledge shared on here, wouldn't you?




yes,but there is a place for that already. audiokarma. it's all bout speakers and amps(vintage and new). it's complete opposite of head-fi. while head-fi is good for, well, head-fi. audiokarma is good place for all your speaker and speaker amp needs and are very friendly too.


----------



## MaDOS

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> Don't worry, it's just high school/college kids like me that are jealous we have no where to put speakers


 


  Ain't that the truth.  Hardly have the space to put my cheapo desk speakers let alone some decent speakers


----------



## Hibuckhobby

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> may not be the most expensive system out there but i like it. great synergy and very expressive. thanks for looking


 


 Love those ASL amps.  Mine has closely matched E-84's and a nos 5751 with windmill getter.
  Hibuck....


----------



## judomaniak

Quote: 





> Love those ASL amps.  Mine has closely matched E-84's and a nos 5751 with windmill getter.
> Hibuck....


 
  i woundn't mind trying some tube rolling. read  lots about which tubes sound good. do you have to bias them and if so how. sorry i'm new to tubes and not sure what to do


----------



## MagmaVander

Bought some new toys
 A Supra power cable for my headphone amp, only fits with an adapter as you can see

  Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II Interconnects between DAC and Headphone amp

 the whole family

 the Musical Fidelity VDAC II sits on the HD800 case, if you look closely you may see a Chord USB between the DAC and the PC. also a new toy.


----------



## ericfarrell85

Wonderful Taboo has replaced the Lyr since last I posted.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ very nice


----------



## snapple10

me like it 
  great pics in the last few pages


----------



## ericfarrell85

Seems I'm going to need a longer table as the HE6's are pleading for a speaker amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and just when I was beginning to think that my headphone exodus came to a conclusion.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> Seems I'm going to need a longer table as the HE6's are pleading for a speaker amp
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The Audio-GD amp offerings are quite powerful.  The 10SE could potentially run six watts into the HE-6, which seems plenty enough.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It obviously needs a few hundred watts per channel. Buy a pair of UPA-1 mono blocks and cram those suckers full of power. 

  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It obviously needs a few hundred watts per channel. Buy a pair of UPA-1 mono blocks and cram those suckers full of power.


 
  The Master-2 runs 1kW at 2 ohms.  That should be good, no?


----------



## ericfarrell85

My Decware Taboo and Lyr both run at 6 watts (though obviously not into 50ohms). I'm thinking something more like an Pioneer SX1280 speaker amp. I don't believe there is any other headphone that I would go to such great lengths and expense for, but in my eyes the HE6 are worth the devotion.


----------



## doggybags

Sony D-5 CDP
  Shanling PH3000 Headphone Amp
  Sennheiser HD650
  Smashing Pumpkins <3
  Simple but amazing :>


----------



## Maxvla

You like them S's


----------



## doggybags

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> You like them S's


 


  I could've put "the smashing pumpkins" but yea...you know. Can't break the flow.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Emotiva could get you a set that'll do 1k into 4 ohms. Blow those mothers up. Mono blocks rule.


----------



## crichard

Umm... actual CDs...
  
  Quote: 





jasonb said:


> its an end table next to my couch.
> 
> HP G60 laptop running Linux, USB out to a HeadRoom Desktop Amp/DAC with HD650's plugged into it. usually i stream music from Rdio.com or Shoutcast radio, i also have some flac files on the laptop as well.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> My Decware Taboo and Lyr both run at 6 watts (though obviously not into 50ohms).


 

  
  Yeah, but I think the impedance of the HE6 is a little higher than 8 ohms.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I actually have my eye on that same chair for my listening chair. At least until I invest in a Zero Gravity recliner.


 
   
  The *Perfect Chair*


----------



## MorbidToaster

fatcat28037 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




They're amazing aren't they? Hoping to get one by the end of the year.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're amazing aren't they? Hoping to get one by the end of the year.


 


  My wife and I each have one, they're in our living room for TV and reading. Not inexpensive but well worth every penny, absolutely the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in.
   
  This chair is in my Office/Den/Man Cave, I'll sit here when listening if not at my desk.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're amazing aren't they? Hoping to get one by the end of the year.


 


  Too bad they are so ugly.


----------



## Maxvla

Do you actually sit in them or do you lay in them?


----------



## MorbidToaster

You stay in a sitting position but when you recline it's similar to laying back.

  
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Do you actually sit in them or do you lay in them?


----------



## Maxvla

Interesting. If I ever run into one I'll have to try it.


----------



## markc8773

My always updated Headphone set up:
   
   

   
   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
  My new toy is the Synergistic Research Tranquility Base which took my system to a whole another level!


----------



## ZenErik

Got my GS-1.  This table holds a lot of my best gear. Headphone + arcade stick gear.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


>


 

 The floor is lava!


----------



## markc8773

The floor is lava to my $1 G power cable. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> The floor is lava!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> My always updated Headphone set up:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 So, the tranquility base is powered to remove electromagnetic interference around anything on top of it? That's kinda neat if it works.


----------



## dagothur

Why not just put your components in a box made of Permalloy?


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> So, the tranquility base is powered to remove electromagnetic interference around anything on top of it? That's kinda neat if it works.


 


  Too bad a Faraday cage (aka, ANY grounded metal case) will protect anything inside that cage (metal box) from external static and non-static electrical fields, and insulate them pretty well from electromagnetic interference (granted not all, but at least you don't have to go buy a fancy end-table that's too short for any good use to do it).
   
  I guess... I just don't see the point.
   
  Hmm another interesting fact from the Synergistic Reserach...
   
  "Outperforms state-of-the-art $10,000+ isolation platforms and racks."
   
  Yeah, I designed and built and isolation platform that out-performs many of the "heap of rocks" isolation tables for under $50 too.  Not impressed!!!
   
  Maybe I'm being too critical...


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> So, the tranquility base is powered to remove electromagnetic interference around anything on top of it? That's kinda neat if it works.


 
   
  In a nut shell, yes. The Tranquility Base removes any unwanted noise generated within the components themselves. It comes with two bullets (filters). One for a more smooth mellow sound and the other for a more transparant sound. It is the second most significant upgrade I made to my system second only to my Nordost Valhalla digital cable. It made a world of a difference in sound. I was skeptical at first, but when I first connected it I heard the improvement instantly. I heard a more transparent sound with a wider sound stage and tighter bass. If you have the $$$ for one, I would highly recommend the Tranquility Base for your system even if you do own a high end; amp, dac, source component, etc... Best money I've spent so far!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Too bad a Faraday cage (aka, ANY grounded metal case) will protect anything inside that cage (metal box) from external static and non-static electrical fields, and insulate them pretty well from electromagnetic interference (granted not all, but at least you don't have to go buy a fancy end-table that's too short for any good use to do it).
> 
> I guess... I just don't see the point.
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I said it was a neat concept, not that I agreed with it.
   
  That kinda stuff is too _insane_ for me. I have a piece of sodalite which is, metaphysically speaking, supposed to clear electromagnetic toxins when placed next to electronic equipment. Maybe I could put it next to my gear and see if it changes anything 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  To each their own I guess.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Too bad a Faraday cage (aka, ANY grounded metal case) will protect anything inside that cage (metal box) from external static and non-static electrical fields, and insulate them pretty well from electromagnetic interference (granted not all, but at least you don't have to go buy a fancy end-table that's too short for any good use to do it).
> 
> I guess... I just don't see the point.
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  When placed on my coffee table, the Tranquility Base (along with all my components) outperformed my Finite Elemente Pagode Signature Rack. I even have the upgraded Cerapuc feet for even more isolation. The Base is that good.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 When I combined it with my Signature Rack, WHOA NELLY!!! I was truly amazed.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Well, I said it was a neat concept, not that I agreed with it.
> 
> That kinda stuff is too _insane_ for me. I have a piece of sodalite which is, metaphysically speaking, supposed to clear electromagnetic toxins when placed next to electronic equipment. Maybe I could put it next to my gear and see if it changes anything
> 
> ...


 


  A good budget component that a does what the Tranquility Base does just not as good, is the Shakti stone. You place it on top or near to one of your components to remove any EMI/RFI noise. It's around $200 on music direct.com
  I have one too and I notice a difference it made in my sound which is a little deeper backround.  Another highly recommended component.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Why not just put your components in a box made of Permalloy?


 


  No disrespect bro, but that's ghetto status.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> A good budget component that a does what the Tranquility Base does just not as good, is the Shakti stone. You place it on top or near to one of your components to remove any EMI/RFI noise. It's around $200 on music direct.com
> I have one too and I notice a difference it made in my sound which is a little deeper backround.  Another highly recommended component.


 

 I have many upgrades to do in my system before I move onto stuff like cables, racks, etc. As soon as a get an LCD3 > Liquid Fire setup, I'll consider it. Right now, my funds are better spent elsewhere IMO.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> I have many upgrades to do in my system before I move onto stuff like cables, racks, etc. As soon as a get an LCD3 > Liquid Fire setup, I'll consider it. Right now, my funds are better spent elsewhere IMO.


 


 I hear you bro. The LCD3 & Liquid Fire is a World Class combination. Best of luck on your journey friend.


----------



## Melvins

i'm confoosed


----------



## Eric_C

I have a Bag of Holding. What does that do for my audio?


----------



## TruBrew

Quote:



eric_c said:


> I have a Bag of Holding. What does that do for my audio?


 

  It makes your audio portable. That bag looks big enough to hold a whole room of equipment. I am not sure how you will implement the floor risers with it though.


----------



## Austin Morrow

trubrew said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Exactly. Depending on what you have, you may want to consider one of ALO's black bag things for your portable gear.


----------



## Eric_C

Sometimes I just sit inside my bag and listen. It's pretty convenient that way.


----------



## Tilpo

eric_c said:


> Sometimes I just sit inside my bag and listen. It's pretty convenient that way.




Good way to shelter your self from all the horrible things happening in the world outside.


----------



## TruBrew

Also I believe it blocks EMF.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *markc8773* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> A good budget component that a does what the Tranquility Base does just not as good, is the Shakti stone. You place it on top or near to one of your components to remove any EMI/RFI noise. It's around $200 on music direct.com
> I have one too and I notice a difference it made in my sound which is a little deeper backround.  Another highly recommended component.


 

 I'm not trying to troll here but EMI/RFI absorberson the whole  are pretty dodgy IMO - the largest magnitude of EMI/RFI is actually coming from within the components themselves, and shielding within components is best left to the engineers who designed them as shielding/absorbtive material can be a double edged sword.
   
  Don't get me wrong tweaks are great just you need to be careful not to go overboard on items that probably won't match their price with performance, unless your rig is already the best gear money can buy.  I can't say for sure if  a $2k isolating platform will be a better way to spend money than investing $2k more in a DAC, trasnport or amplifier, and personally I would love to find out just I am not willing to take that risk and would rather spend the money on tried and tested components (eg I have a hard time believing that spending $10K on tweaks would give better results than taking that money and investing it in transport, DAC, headphones and amplifier).  I guess that's just my own opinion though.
   
  Anyway I will post some photos up next week when my Master 6/ Ref 7.1 combination arrives, might order some power chords but again I wonder if that money would do better invested in a better transport or saving for some STAX gear.


----------



## Eric_C

^ Um... I think markc8773 meant it as a joke...


----------



## Zeebra

wdahm519 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


or maybe you're making sense


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





zeebra said:


> or maybe you're making sense


 


  Tell him what he's won Vanna!
   
  Support platforms, and cable supports.... this is madness.
   
  Next upgrade, magic pebbles!
   

   
   
  http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina19.htm


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.coconut-audio.com/

I'm just going to leave this here...


----------



## TWIFOSP

Hyperspace power cables are old news.  I open up two wormholes between my components for complete transmission.  The ripping of the fabric of time and space has an added benefit of going back in time and using fresh military grade NOS power from pre-war times when eletricity was fresh and clean. 
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> I'm just going to leave this here...


----------



## lilkoolaidman

I'm wondering if patrick82 re-registered...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> I'm just going to leave this here...


 


  I feel dumber now...


----------



## Silent One

markc8773 Doin' it Grand in the Southland!


----------



## MorbidToaster

lilkoolaidman said:


> I'm wondering if patrick82 re-registered...




It seemed appropriate for the coversation at hand.


----------



## judomaniak

Quote: 





> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> > http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> ...


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> No disrespect bro, but that's ghetto status.


 

 Ghetto status that agrees with electromagnetic principles and is already implemented in lab components.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Bio-radiation and EMF have always had an adverse effect on the audio signal. Decal Industries of Japan has now fabricated the Bioregen 4 taking the known harmonic fields back to the way frequencies were when time first began in the solar system.
   
  The Bioregen 4 takes a reading of both EMF and earth rays. Counter measures include an emission of the opposite EMF frequency and earth ray potentials. We are left with a pure signal operating endowment in real-time. At a price of $45,000 usd the Bioregen 4 makes the most of your amplification and signal transportation.
   
  The isolated teledyne trans-ponds to a real-time logic signal creating a perfect, harmonically accurate listening area thus enhancing the sonic potential of your entire system.


----------



## ringyring

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> I'm just going to leave this here...


 


  This can't be real...


----------



## davidgotsa

I want the cable that costs $52 000... 
  
  Quote: 





ringyring said:


> This can't be real...


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> I'm just going to leave this here...


 
  Looking at the entire website, the whole thing has got to be an elaborate prank... please. Ex.: "Designed for small components where only a single tower is needed (the component is *placed on its side*)." Balanced alright. 3 months build time for 3 rocks as feet, 1 month for each because they can't make them in parallel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  And as an experienced Photoshop user, I just have to be in awe of their product shots...
   
  Either way, it's hilarious to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I needed something funny today.


----------



## MagmaVander

My improvised headphones stand, originally a guitar hanger. too lazy to put a nail on the wall


----------



## Tilpo

"Heaven's Gate has taken 10,000 hours to design using a collection of liquidity techniques we invented over the years. Everything that increases liquidity is in this product!"
$595 is actually a steal, considering it took them _more than five years_ to develop, (assuming a 40-hour work week)


----------



## MorbidToaster

tilpo said:


> "Heaven's Gate has taken 10,000 hours to design using a collection of liquidity techniques we invented over the years. Everything that increases liquidity is in this product!"
> $595 is actually a steal, considering it took them _more than five years_ to develop, (assuming a 40-hour work week)




The return policy is the best part, IMO.


----------



## nmxdaven

I have no idea what your talking about. Look at this promo shot. A shark is EATING a planet! You know its a serious power cable when a shark is eating a planet. But what I really want to know is why that dolphin looks like its trying to hump my new cable. No way I'm paying 42,000 now that its "used."


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


>


 

 That's some clever subliminal messaging there.  What they really sell is strips of LSD in balls of clay or rolled up in the power cable, and they're showing you what some people see while on their product.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

hahah! i was just about to say something along the lines of that.
   
   
  looks like something i'd see when i'm tripping really hard.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





silent one said:


> markc8773 Doin' it Grand in the Southland!


 


 Thanks for the support. For awhile there I thought I was being attacked by haters.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Yes I spent some good money on the amp/dac, transport, power conditioner, and various audio tweeks but I'm 100% happy with the way my setup sounds like and I wouldn't hesitate to make the same decision all over again. But to each their own.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> ^ Um... I think markc8773 meant it as a joke...


 


 I actually meant it


----------



## preproman

That GS-1 is one BAD MOFO !!!!!!!

  
  Quote: 





zenerik said:


> Got my GS-1.  This table holds a lot of my best gear. Headphone + arcade stick gear.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





drez said:


> I'm not trying to troll here but EMI/RFI absorberson the whole  are pretty dodgy IMO - the largest magnitude of EMI/RFI is actually coming from within the components themselves, and shielding within components is best left to the engineers who designed them as shielding/absorbtive material can be a double edged sword.
> 
> Don't get me wrong tweaks are great just you need to be careful not to go overboard on items that probably won't match their price with performance, unless your rig is already the best gear money can buy.  I can't say for sure if  a $2k isolating platform will be a better way to spend money than investing $2k more in a DAC, trasnport or amplifier, and personally I would love to find out just I am not willing to take that risk and would rather spend the money on tried and tested components (eg I have a hard time believing that spending $10K on tweaks would give better results than taking that money and investing it in transport, DAC, headphones and amplifier).  I guess that's just my own opinion though.
> 
> Anyway I will post some photos up next week when my Master 6/ Ref 7.1 combination arrives, might order some power chords but again I wonder if that money would do better invested in a better transport or saving for some STAX gear.


 

 When I was in the process of buying all my components, I had the notion that I wanted to get the best or next to the best in buying quality stuff. So I put a balance on my budget on every component that I bought. The first was my amp. I understand that my amp ain't on the same level say as the mighty Liquid Fire or Dark Star, it's still good enough to power my headphones and left me with more change in my pocket to go after a killer interconnect, power conditioner, and my Tranquility Base. So my point is yes I could have spent more $$$ on the Amp & DAC, but I wouldn't have had any left over to spend on the interconnects, etc... IMHO, it's more of a waste of money if you can't get the full potential of such an expensive amp and DAC. Remember, having a good interconnect is as important as the amp/dac itself. Maybe in your perspective you saw it as a compromise, but to me I saw it as an opportunity to buy "tweaks" that would exceed going the other route. Cheers friendo


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> So my point is yes I could have spent more $$$ on the Amp & DAC, but I wouldn't have had any left over to spend on the interconnects, etc...


 

  
  You would have been much better off had you done that in terms of performance. If you just get off on tweaks, that's a another story, and that's fine.
   
  It's like the $20,000 car with $30,000 in mufflers, spoilers, racing stripes etc. It will never be as good or as fast as a $50,000 car, it just won't so don't say that it will. But if tweaks and mods are your thing, then your money is making you happy, and no one is to judge, but you will in no way approach the performance of the higher end stock model.


----------



## n3rdling

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> Remember, having a good interconnect is as important as the amp/dac itself.


 


  You should've read more before you bought stuff.   There is no magic in sound reproduction.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> You would have been much better off had you done that in terms of performance. If you just get off on tweaks, that's a another story, and that's fine.
> 
> It's like the $20,000 car with $30,000 in mufflers, spoilers, racing stripes etc. It will never be as good or as fast as a $50,000 car, it just won't so don't say that it will. But if tweaks and mods are your thing, then your money is making you happy, and no one is to judge, but you will in no way approach the performance of the higher end stock model.


 

 Agree to disagree.Then the other way is like buying the Corvette Z1 $70 K+ car and feeding it with AMPM gas. Not really using it to full potential. My amp is like a stock car yes? If so then my tweaks are like adding turbos, exhaust, cold air intake, etc.. Not as mufflers, spoilers, and racing stripes. Besides, my rig strait up outperformed my Uncle's setup(RS Darkstar, Benchmark H with HiFiman HE-6) in terms of transparancy, dynamics, and depth. So to say that tweaks will not make a system as good or if not better than a higher end amp is pure ignorance _IMO_. Also, please don't tell me what I can and cannot say about tweaks being better. It's my opinion just like you have your opinion on this matter. I do respect your opinion that's why I don't tell you what you can say or cannot say about it. But if you come at me like that then I take it as an attack and I will protect my boundries. Time for a beer


----------



## manveru

Meanwhile, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum...


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> You should've read more before you bought stuff.   There is no magic in sound reproduction.


 


 I did a lot of reading about this stuff homie. Believe me when I say daddy did his homework and nailed it. Just my opinion.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Meanwhile, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum...


 


 Nice bro.


----------



## n3rdling

I don't think anybody should get mad over this stuff, especially since this is just a picture thread.   Mark, check out the 'meets/impressions' subforums here; we have two very nice meets coming up here in LA.  You should try to go!  You'll have a lot of fun and get to learn a ton by hearing all the different setups.  Let me know if you have any questions.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> Also, please don't tell me what I can and cannot say about tweaks being better. It's my opinion just like you have your opinion on this matter. I do respect your opinion that's why I don't tell you what you can say or cannot say about it. But if you come at me like that then I take it as an attack and I will protect my boundries.


 


  It was meant as the "impersonal you". As in to say "_one_ cannot say...", not you specifically.
  Attacks? Boundaries? Yeah.. certainly time for a beer buddy. 
   
  And I'll take that Corvette on budget gas any day over a Civic with $20,000 worth of parts stapled to it, but to each his own.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> It was meant as the "impersonal you". As in to say "_one_ cannot say...", not you specifically.
> Attacks? Boundaries? Yeah.. certainly time for a beer buddy.
> 
> And I'll take that Corvette on budget gas any day over a Civic with $20,000 worth of parts stapled to it, but to each his own.


 

 I'm just a dude posting up pictures of his rig. Haters gonna hate, but to each his own rite?


----------



## dagothur

That's a $1000 portable (looking) set up right there. Very nice.
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> Meanwhile, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum...
> -snippety-


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> I don't think anybody should get mad over this stuff, especially since this is just a picture thread.   Mark, check out the 'meets/impressions' subforums here; we have two very nice meets coming up here in LA.  You should try to go!  You'll have a lot of fun and get to learn a ton by hearing all the different setups.  Let me know if you have any questions.


 


  Right on. Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated. I'm still fairly new to this website community. Cheers!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> Nice bro.


 

 Thanks.
  
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> That's a $1000 portable (looking) set up right there. Very nice.


 

 This is actually my setup _period_ for the time being, haha.


----------



## markc8773

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Thanks.
> 
> 
> This is actually my setup _period_ for the time being, haha.


 

 It' still a very nice setup nonetheless


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> It' still a very nice setup nonetheless


 

 Thanks. I'm enjoying the music regardless, definitely. As it turns out the Matrix Cube DAC/amp I used to have didn't actually sound any better to me than the Cowon, so off to the FS forums it went...


----------



## TMRaven




----------



## Tilpo

How are the HE-400's? They are a relatively new model, and I haven't read that many reviews about them yet.


----------



## rawrster

My newest additions  I picked up a HD800 and a Woo Audio stand.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My newest additions  I picked up a HD800 and a Woo Audio stand.


 


  Yet, the wallet still looks rather healthy.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My newest additions  I picked up a HD800 and a Woo Audio stand.


 
   
  Are you going o be recabling the HD800 seeing as your Grado's are modded?


----------



## TMRaven

tilpo said:


> How are the HE-400's? They are a relatively new model, and I haven't read that many reviews about them yet.




Head-Fi will be getting one within a week or two as part of a comparison between mainly the D2000 and snippets of the HD650 here and there.


----------



## Deep1923

hey there ! heres my setup
   
  Aune MK2 SE + Denon AH-D5000 
   
  Is there someone who has a d5000. if so. What amp can you recommend? Im thinkin about to test the yulong u100


----------



## AltairDusk

Quote: 





markc8773 said:


> Agree to disagree.Then the other way is like buying the Corvette Z1 $70 K+ car and feeding it with AMPM gas. Not really using it to full potential. My amp is like a stock car yes? If so then my tweaks are like adding turbos, exhaust, cold air intake, etc.. Not as mufflers, spoilers, and racing stripes. Besides, my rig strait up outperformed my Uncle's setup(RS Darkstar, Benchmark H with HiFiman HE-6) in terms of transparancy, dynamics, and depth. So to say that tweaks will not make a system as good or if not better than a higher end amp is pure ignorance _IMO_. Also, please don't tell me what I can and cannot say about tweaks being better. It's my opinion just like you have your opinion on this matter. I do respect your opinion that's why I don't tell you what you can say or cannot say about it. But if you come at me like that then I take it as an attack and I will protect my boundries. Time for a beer


 

 Turbochargers work on proven scientific principles and the performance increases can be measured reliably with impartial tools such as a dynamometer.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Yet, the wallet still looks rather healthy.


 

 LOL I like your sense of humor  Actually no the HD800 purchase did not hurt the wallet in a sense since I sold off 2 headphones and a dac which I wasn't using as much which came out to be around what I spent on the HD800. The FS area is definitely one of the good things about head-fi which allows me to do stuff like this.
   


  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Are you going o be recabling the HD800 seeing as your Grado's are modded?


 

 Honestly I don't put much weight on sound differences with cables. However what I do value is the look as well as the build quality of them. As of right now the plan is to not get any kind of after market cable as typically they are quite expensive but I will keep an eye out for the FS to see if anything comes up for a decent price but for sure I will not be getting them anytime soon. Right now the plan is to sell off a few more things as I'm doing a house cleaning pretty much and just going to stick with what I have or add another headphone.


----------



## Austin Morrow

rawrster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Alright. I'll be getting an HD800 sometime in the future along with a few cables, and once I am done reviewing them, I'd be happy to send one off to you.


----------



## kebbin15




----------



## Melvins

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> LOL I like your sense of humor  Actually no the HD800 purchase did not hurt the wallet in a sense since I sold off 2 headphones and a dac which I wasn't using as much which came out to be around what I spent on the HD800. The FS area is definitely one of the good things about head-fi which allows me to do stuff like this.


 
  yes, the for sale area is definitely a huge plus to being part of this community. Selling off my old grado's essentially paid for my new magnums. Was a wonderful trade off if you asks me


----------



## MorbidToaster

Calyx 24/192 just came in. It weighs a lot more than I expected. It feels like the whole thing is a solid block. Sounds great so far. 
   
  From left to right...
  Calyx 24/192, Calyx PSU, LF, MBP 13.3 
   
  LCD 2s are on my head.


----------



## darren700

morbidtoaster said:


> Calyx 24/192 just came in. It weighs a lot more than I expected. It feels like the whole thing is a solid block. Sounds great so far.
> 
> From left to right...
> Calyx 24/192, Calyx PSU, LF, MBP 13.3
> ...




Looks great, surprised you went with calyx instead of w4s dac2. I can't wait to get my audiolab mdac next month


----------



## MorbidToaster

I got the Calyx for the same price as the W4S and a few have reported it sounds better. I also like how...simple the Calyx is. Just a no non-sense DAC. 
   
  I'd love to compare the 2 myself though.
  
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## silversurfer616

Very happy with my new Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Plus!


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Very happy with my new Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Plus!


 
  Very nice layout SS...hmm ... coffee


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Very happy with my new Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Plus!


 


  I'll have to say, that setup is very clean and I am digging it a lot. Good work!


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Very happy with my new Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Plus!


 
   
  Rigception! Sorry, could not resist


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Calyx 24/192 just came in. It weighs a lot more than I expected. It feels like the whole thing is a solid block. Sounds great so far.
> 
> From left to right...
> Calyx 24/192, Calyx PSU, LF, MBP 13.3
> ...


 


  Nice!!! I told you about the weight on the Calyx! It's like a discus!
   
  When you get a chance, would you mind doing a little A/B'ing with and without the PSU? You got a good deal on yours included... but they are a $400 add on, and I am suspicious of the value in that $400. PM me if you don't mind as I don't get to all the threads often enough.


----------



## charliex

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> now, I want silver
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Nice setup : )


----------



## MorbidToaster

I guess it was hard to understand until I actually got it in my hands. 
   
  I'll for sure do some of that for you. I'll A/B regular PSU, Add On PSU, and USB power (can't believe this thing can run on USB alone).
  
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## oaklandrkg

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


>


 


  Greatest. Website. Ever.
   
   
 Ice King Power Accelerator 6m - $50,000 
 


 




 

  Ice King was designed to be used between wall and power strip. If Ice King is plugged directly into the component, it will sound too revealing.

 Ice King acts as a power accelerator to give maximum energy to the system while cleaning noise.

 It's our most transparent and revealing product ever built. *Ice King has more detail and transparency than real life itself. *The listener is transported to another planet. On this planet there is no wind or life. It's cold but super clean, textured and transparent. The details are in your face with no disturbance. The bass is big and powerful. The soundstage is HUGE, open and clean with a blacker background. It sounds both liquid smooth and sharp. Ice King is cold as ice and has no emotion, he will swing his deadly blade at you and show you the truth. If there is any problem in your system, Ice King will show it.

 There are many cables that are cold and detailed, but they are always thin and edgy. Many cables have great bass, but lack detail. Ice King has the biggest bass while sounding the coldest. It's super detailed, but also silky clean.

 Combine Ice King with VibraGround Predator for ultra low noise floor, and VibraPortal Heaven's Gate for liquidity.

 $50,000 E-mail us to order: info@coconut-audio.com
 We need a $5000 down payment using Paypal before starting to build this cable. The rest of the payment is done using Escrow.com for the most secure transaction. The money you deposit are safe and are only released to us after you confirm delivery. Choose between Euro or US plugs.
 3 months building time



*Features*

 5.8 meter super copper. (it's a little shorter than 6m, this was done for fine-tuning purposes)
 Thick aluminum shield (full coverage).
 Ice King Crystal Formula (full coverage).
 AC noise cleaning.
 Vibration cleaning.
 Natural ground cleaning.
 Liquification cleaner.
 Optic buffering.
 Clarity window cleaner.
 Silver powder 3D shield.
 Pure Quartz to absorb environmental RFI/EMI near plugs.
 Tree fiber shell.
 Furutech FI-50M plugs.



*System warm-up*

 Because Ice King is so revealing it shows things other cables can't. The capacitors in audio gear are a weakness because they behave asymptotically, when the system is turned on, the capacitors require an infinite amount of time to reach perfect performance. During this warm-up, different sound signatures will be heard at exactly the same warm-up times. Keep a log book and write down everything to keep track of it. After 5 weeks of warm-up the system will start to stabilize. Don't do critical listening until 5 weeks has passed. In the end you will notice that Ice King doesn't really sound cold, it merely reveals coldness from the capacitors.


----------



## phreak9i6

15" i7 macbook pro -> Jolida Glass FX DAC -> Schiit Lyr -> Moon-Audio Silver Dragon cables ->Audeze LCD-2.
   
  Next steps: Moon-Audio cable upgrades for jumpers and USB.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> when the system is turned on, _*the capacitors require an infinite amount of time to reach perfect performance*_. During this warm-up, different sound signatures will be heard at exactly the same warm-up times. Keep a log book and write down everything to keep track of it. After 5 weeks of warm-up the system will start to stabilize. Don't do critical listening until 5 weeks has passed. In the end you will notice that Ice King doesn't really sound cold, it merely reveals coldness from the capacitors.


 

  
  I don't think they know what the word _infinite_ means.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Very happy with my new Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC Plus!


 


  Great! But, I found myself squinting trying to get a better look at the French book _Style Parisien_.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





oaklandrkg said:


> Greatest. Website. Ever.
> 
> 
> Ice King Power Accelerator 6m - $50,000
> ...


 


  WTH did I just read???
   
  Sorry for quoting the whole thing, but this is hilarious. Reminds me of the Denon AKDL1: http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AKDL1-Dedicated-Link-Cable/dp/B000I1X6PM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334479324&sr=8-1


----------



## skimminst

Well,
  this is my small -all analog, the cd player is not connected- listening station.

  ...the Yamaha PC Box is part of the PC setup and not of the audio chain.
   
  Oh, I just saw by looking on the incoice: today it's the 8th year I bought the HD600.


----------



## Timestretch

Small update since last pic. Namely, the isolation transformer behind the amp/dac. Just a simple desktop PC set, aging but comfortable reclining office chair not in picture.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.coconut-audio.com/
> I'm just going to leave this here...


 


  Haha!  I love this:
   
  "The noise from the entire system is drawn to Ground using a 0.06mA suction force." 
   
  Too bad current isn't units of force... its units of -- CURRENT!  Suction force?  What is this company smoking?


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Haha!  I love this:
> 
> "The noise from the entire system is drawn to Ground using a 0.06mA suction force."
> 
> Too bad current isn't units of force... its units of -- CURRENT!  Suction force?  What is this company smoking?


 


  That's Patrick82's site, if you weren't aware. That should clear up any confusion you have.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Haha!  I love this:
> 
> "The noise from the entire system is drawn to Ground using a 0.06mA suction force."
> 
> Too bad current isn't units of force... its units of -- CURRENT!  Suction force?  What is this company smoking?


 


  They mean it's .06mA of current in the opposite direction of the noise of the system.


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





skimminst said:


> Well,
> this is my small -all analog, the cd player is not connected- listening station.
> 
> ...the Yamaha PC Box is part of the PC setup and not of the audio chain.
> ...


 


 Do they have "Fabrikverkauf" in Gifhorn?If so I have to check that out next time I am back in the "fatherland"!


----------



## DNZGamer

I really don't have much in the way of amplification and DACs (no DACs). Even the E11 is on loan until my Headstage arrives in the next few days.
   

   
  Will be looking for a dedicated shelving unit once I get more headphones (and more heads ^^).


----------



## IcedTea

love the umbrella corp wallpaper


----------



## DNZGamer

Haha, yeah, getting ready for Resident Evil 6.


----------



## Kremer930

dnzgamer said:


> I really don't have much in the way of amplification and DACs (no DACs). Even the E11 is on loan until my Headstage arrives in the next few days.
> 
> 
> 
> Will be looking for a dedicated shelving unit once I get more headphones (and more heads ^^).




Love your headphone stands. Where did you get them and are they expensive? Cheers.


----------



## MorbidToaster

You can buy them from Pier 1 for around 20 USD. I have 2 but I ended up not using them...
   
  I want to make them fishbowls, actually.
  
  Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## nmxdaven

Really need to move to a triple sided desk setup. I dont even have room for my woo on here at the moment.


----------



## scud80

My just-completed listening/testing station.  Audio comes in through airport express, macbook pro, or iphone/ipod (hp-p1 as optical transport or dac, or just a Fiio LOD).  Amps: Zero dac/amp, Little Dot Mk V, O2, Fostex HP P1 (I *love* how versatile this thing is), Fiio E11, Mini^3.  Headphones: Apple earbuds, Darth Beyer v3, AKG K701 (recabled by ALO after my brother's cat chewed through the original cable), Sony MDR-XB500, Etymotic ER-6i (not pictured).  Denon AH-D2000 are being repaired currently, and AKG K550 and Focal Spirit One are on order (I'm just going to keep one set of sealed cans and then sell the rest).  Adding a high-end set of cans after sampling the options at the LA meet this weekend (leaning heavily towards LCD-2 after a previous test listen), and then I'll revisit the amp/dac pairing options.


----------



## DNZGamer

Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Love your headphone stands. Where did you get them and are they expensive? Cheers.


 


  They are about as much as a decent stand. I got them at Pier 1 for $30 but I see it is $20 each in the US so I would say they fairly cheap.
   
  I was looking at stands online and they also run about $30 to even $100 and I would have to pay shipping and wait and so forth. I thought these would look more stylish in my room than most headphone stands anyways.


----------



## skimminst

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Do they have "Fabrikverkauf" in Gifhorn?If so I have to check that out next time I am back in the "fatherland"!


 

 Oh, Gifhorn is not Wennebostel/Wedemark (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wennebostel) it is still 60km apart.
   
  But as long as I no there is no "Fabrikverkauf" at the Sennheiser HQ 
   
  -I wish there were...!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





carrion feast said:


> Yep, just a polishing cloth to keep the dust out


 


  this is genuis and I am stupid.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I don't think they know what the word _infinite_ means.


 


  I do think they know how to rustle jimmys.


----------



## johnman1116

In the process of finding the "perfect" headphone or headphones  
  But currently: M50, HD 598, DT 880 600ohm, HD 600; Asgard CmoyBB, HRT MS II+
   
  Spend quite a bit of money (from my prospective) but its all fun.


----------



## msninja

a little post-easter update


----------



## drez

Quote: 





msninja said:


> a little post-easter update


 

 I zoom in and see Meshuggah Koloss (on a white iPad) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 was not expecting that lol.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





msninja said:


> a little post-easter update


 


  Dis schiits intense yo.


----------



## manveru

^^Looks like a picture right out of a magazine.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





deep1923 said:


> Is there someone who has a d5000. if so. What amp can you recommend? Im thinkin about to test the yulong u100


 

 If you can find an AV123 x-head that works well, it's a bargain and sounds great with the D5000, I like it way better than my WA22 with that headphone.
   
   
  Quote: 





skimminst said:


> Oh, I just saw by looking on the incoice: today it's the 8th year I bought the HD600.


 
  Happy anniversary
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




!


----------



## Focker

> Spend quite a bit of money (from my prospective) but its all fun.


 

  
  Amen to that!


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





drez said:


> I zoom in and see Meshuggah Koloss (on a white iPad)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Hehe, I love Meshuggah, and that has nothing to do with them being from my hometown 
   
  I'm using the squeezebox touch as a digital transport for all my cd's (converted to flac) and then using the new ipad with the iPeng app as the remote. Loving it compared to the iphone, since the fantastic screen resolution translates really well for the album art.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





msninja said:


> Hehe, I love Meshuggah, and that has nothing to do with them being from my hometown
> 
> I'm using the squeezebox touch as a digital transport for all my cd's (converted to flac) and then using the new ipad with the iPeng app as the remote. Loving it compared to the iphone, since the fantastic screen resolution translates really well for the album art.


 

 What an awesome setup!  I bet that would look pretty impressive with the iPad as remote control (makes me wonder how much loner those expensive universal remotes have left to live.)  I too am a big fan of Meshuggah, seeing them live was a mind blowing experience, having them in the same town must have its advantages.  Those speakers (and your living room generally) look very nice, which make/model are they?


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





msninja said:


> a little post-easter update


 

 I want to hear Meshuggah out of those speakers


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





drez said:


> What an awesome setup!  I bet that would look pretty impressive with the iPad as remote control (makes me wonder how much loner those expensive universal remotes have left to live.)  I too am a big fan of Meshuggah, seeing them live was a mind blowing experience, having them in the same town must have its advantages.  Those speakers (and your living room generally) look very nice, which make/model are they?


 
  Thanks, and yeah I agree about universal remotes. Logitech has started to transition though, they are releasing new products now with an iphone app that makes you able to use the app as a remote for everything that uses IR. There's a reciever that connects to your router that gets the wifi signal from the iphone and converts it to IR. Not sure how necessary this will be since many manufacturers are already making products with smartphone apps included, but it's good to see Logitech trying to broaden their range.
   
  The speakers are german, Quadral Platinum ultra 9, and I'm powering them with a Harman Kardon HK990 with a Benchmark dac1 (which also is used for the headphone amps). They're very nice and suits my preferences, although not at all high-end by any means. Meshuggah is a very visceral experience at high volumes


----------



## Mad Dude

Some small updates in my setup... Added new tubes to the CSP2 and a Sony MDR-Z1000. Also, sad as it is, decided that the HD600 will replace the T1...
   

   
   
   

  
  Quote: 





msninja said:


> I'm using the squeezebox touch as a digital transport for all my cd's (converted to flac) and then using the new ipad with the iPeng app as the remote. Loving it compared to the iphone, since the fantastic screen resolution translates really well for the album art.


 

  
  Just wondering, how responsive is the iPad when using it to control the SB Touch? I've been thinking about getting a used iPad 2 as a remote for my Touch, but considering how sluggish it is to control via my Android phone, I'm hesitating...


----------



## msninja

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Some small updates in my setup... Added new tubes to the CSP2 and a Sony MDR-Z1000. Also, sad as it is, decided that the HD600 will replace the T1...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Hmm, well I first used an older ipod touch 3rd gen as a remote, and the app was definately a bit laggy, but after I got an iphone 4S and later on, the new ipad, I've had no problems whatsoever with responsiveness with the ipeng app. I would say go for it, with the pricedrop, the ipad 2 is a steal if you get the smaller model.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





msninja said:


> Hmm, well I first used an older ipod touch 3rd gen as a remote, and the app was definately a bit laggy, but after I got an iphone 4S and later on, the new ipad, I've had no problems whatsoever with responsiveness with the ipeng app. I would say go for it, with the pricedrop, the ipad 2 is a steal if you get the smaller model.


 

 That's good to know, thanks!


----------



## mmerline

msninja said:


> a little post-easter update




Any details on the curved wood stand at the right of the photo?

I've seen them around Head-Fi before but don't know the maker, price or where to purchase.


----------



## Mad Dude

These are called the "Omega" headphone stands, made by Sieveking Sound, see http://www.sieveking-sound.de/equipment/detail/id/16
   
  They look great, but I'm afraid they could possibly flatten the earpads over time...


----------



## emremusic

Could you please explain your decision? I'm interested in HD600s too..
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Some small updates in my setup... Added new tubes to the CSP2 and a Sony MDR-Z1000.* Also, sad as it is, decided that the HD600 will replace the T1...*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





emremusic said:


> Could you please explain your decision? I'm interested in HD600s too..


 
   
  I'm not very good at explaining how I came to my decision, however I tried to word my impressions in the HD600 thread, see http://www.head-fi.org/t/538255/sennheiser-hd-600-appreciation-thread/1365#post_8314161
   
  In short, I think the HD600 is the most natural sounding headphone available right now, to my ears anyway. Technically there are much better headphones available, but ultimatively I found that these technical advantages do not neccessarily improve my listening enjoyment. It was a great experience while I had the T1 and other higher-end headphones, but now that I have come back to the HD600 I think that's one of the best decisions I made so far in this hobby.


----------



## wilky61

Noob audiophile. I feel like I can't even call myself an "audiophile" with this setup (maybe I can get away with it in front of my friends but not on this website). Does this count as "mid-fi" or something?
   


 HP Pavilion g7 > FLAC/ALAC > Foobar2000 > WASAPI > FiiO E17 > AKG Q701

 (Currently, _Aja_ by Steely Dan.)


----------



## liamstrain

Nothing wrong with that set up at all. Mid-fi certainly. Head-fi, definitely.


----------



## wilky61

Anybody with a FiiO product = head-fi, definitely.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I am curious, though. On a scale of 1 to 10 (low-fi to summit-fi), approximately where would something such as the above photograph fall? Obviously, with a setup worth about $400 and with a portable amplifier, I'm going to be nowhere near the 8/9/10 range of the spectrum... But I really don't know if I'm at like a '5' or really closer to like a '3.'
  
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Nothing wrong with that set up at all. Mid-fi certainly. Head-fi, definitely.


----------



## detoxguy

You can call yourself audiophile with that set up. You can call yourself an audiophile when you have an appreciation for music and seek out gear to improve how it sounds. Mid-Fi is a rubbish term used most often to make people feel better about their own purchases than as any kind of statement about sound quality. There is way too much focus on price in this hobby and all that does is to further segregate an already small community into the haves and have-nots. 
   
  You like music, and you bought gear within your budget to improve the sound quality so that you can enjoy your experience with music even more. You sir, are an audiophile.
  
  Quote: 





wilky61 said:


> Noob audiophile. I feel like I can't even call myself an "audiophile" with this setup (maybe I can get away with it in front of my friends but not on this website). Does this count as "mid-fi" or something?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jude

MacBook Air --> Amarra --> Lavry DA11 --> HiFiMAN EF6 amplifier --> HiFiMAN HE6 planar magnetic headphone
   
​ *(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)*​


----------



## Kremer930

My guess is that you are around a 5. The cans are great and the front end is good but those cans need some current to give their best I think. I don't know the difference between Q701 and K701/2 but 2watts per channel into my old 702's was nowhere near as nice as when I gave them 4 watts from the Lyr. The bass improved heaps.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





jude said:


> MacBook Air --> Amarra --> Lavry DA11 --> HiFiMAN EF6 amplifier --> HiFiMAN HE6 planar magnetic headphone


 
  Have you taken the opportunity to use the EF6 with another pair of headphones, like the LCD-2s or HD800s?  If so, how did it sound?


----------



## jude

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Have you taken the opportunity to use the EF6 with another pair of headphones, like the LCD-2s or HD800s?  If so, how did it sound?


 
   
  Only very briefly, as the EF6/HE6 sounds so good I don't think much to break 'em up. I'll be using more headphones with it soon, though.


----------



## wilky61

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> You can call yourself audiophile with that set up. You can call yourself an audiophile when you have an appreciation for music and seek out gear to improve how it sounds. Mid-Fi is a rubbish term used most often to make people feel better about their own purchases than as any kind of statement about sound quality. There is way too much focus on price in this hobby and all that does is to further segregate an already small community into the haves and have-nots.
> 
> You like music, and you bought gear within your budget to improve the sound quality so that you can enjoy your experience with music even more. You sir, are an audiophile.


 

 This is a great post with several great points, very thoughtful. Thanks.
   
  Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> My guess is that you are around a 5. The cans are great and the front end is good but those cans need some current to give their best I think. I don't know the difference between Q701 and K701/2 but 2watts per channel into my old 702's was nowhere near as nice as when I gave them 4 watts from the Lyr. The bass improved heaps.


 

 Hmm, yeah I actually felt kinda guilty spending $140 on the DAC/amp. I'm guessing I would need to go way beyond that price level for an upgrade, though. I have done enough comparison testing with my Logitech Z2300's headphone jack vs. the E17's headphone jack to determine that the DAC is definitely cleaning up the sound that I experience... so I'd probably need a desktop amp ($300 maybe?) and a separate DAC unit (no clue on the price really) to make the upgrade worthwhile...
   
  Gonna stick with this for a long while; as a first-year high school teacher, my budget isn't as large as some.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





jude said:


> MacBook Air --> Amarra --> Lavry DA11 --> HiFiMAN EF6 amplifier --> HiFiMAN HE6 planar magnetic headphone


 


  How do you find the Lavry DA11's sound when compared to DACs such as Burson HA-160D (DAC section) and Antelope Zodiac+?


----------



## jude

Quote: 





roller said:


> How do you find the Lavry DA11's sound when compared to DACs such as Burson HA-160D (DAC section) and Antelope Zodiac+?


 

 I've never used the Burson, but I have used the Antelope, and I find them very comparable. At that level, I'm usually more focused on the features, as, again, I find the sound comparable.
   
  I have two Lavry DA11's, as I like its digitally-controlled analog stepped volume / output level control--and I also _really_ like its PIC (Playback Image Control) feature, which, in the context of a headphone rig, is a variable crossfeed circuit that does its work in the digital domain. What I love about PIC is that it has very little impact on tonal balance.
   
  I think at least one of the Antelope Zodiac models goes up to 24/384, whereas my Lavry tops off at 24/96 via USB. Given that very little of my music is above 24/96 (actually, overwhelmingly most of what I've got is 16/44.1, and I don't expect that to change much soon), I'm cool with it.
   
  I'll have to spend more time with the Antelope soon. And maybe I'll give the Burson a try at some point.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





jude said:


> MacBook Air --> Amarra --> Lavry DA11 --> HiFiMAN EF6 amplifier --> HiFiMAN HE6 planar magnetic headphone
> 
> ​ *(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)*​


 

 Do I see some Tony Bennetts?  Impressions (and have you heard the original DJ 100, or even the 200)?


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





jude said:


> I've never used the Burson, but I have used the Antelope, and I find them very comparable. At that level, I'm usually more focused on the features, as, again, I find the sound comparable.
> 
> I have two Lavry DA11's, as I like its digitally-controlled analog stepped volume / output level control--and I also _really_ like its PIC (Playback Image Control) feature, which, in the context of a headphone rig, is a variable crossfeed circuit that does its work in the digital domain. What I love about PIC is that it has very little impact on tonal balance.
> 
> ...


 



 If I'm not mistaken, only the Zodiac Gold supports 24/384, but lack of content and honestly lack of palpable differences between 24/96+ and 24/96 isn't enough to warrant going for that model. I do think Antelope should extend the stepped relay volume attenuator to the lower models and the gain adjustments though. I'm curious as to how good their jitter management system is, though.
   
  It's interesting to read about the DA11's PIC, as that was another thing that drew my attention to the SPL Phonitor.
   
  There have been some reviews that had the HA-160D having a warmer presentation when compared to the Zodiac. Do you find the Zodiac to have a particularly neutral or neutral to bright presentation?


----------



## jude

Quote: 





roller said:


> If I'm not mistaken, only the Zodiac Gold supports 24/384, but lack of content and honestly lack of palpable differences between 24/96+ and 24/96 isn't enough to warrant going for that model. I do think Antelope should extend the stepped relay volume attenuator to the lower models and the gain adjustments though. I'm curious as to how good their jitter management system is, though...


 

 I think it's very cool that the Zodiac Gold is all but future-proof, as far as current formats go. 24/384...given how much drive space my 24/192 albums require, I can't imagine the storage requirements of 24/384.
   
  I've been playing with the Kingrex UD384 DAC, and that also can go up to 24/384 (and also supports DSD, which I also have no recordings in, outside of my SACD's). But it is nice to know (with the UD384) that it fully supports my 24/192 stuff, too.
   
   


roller said:


> ...It's interesting to read about the DA11's PIC, as that was another thing that drew my attention to the SPL Phonitor...


 

  I use the DA11's PIC feature quite regularly.
   
  The SPL Phonitor has the most versatile crossfeed I've ever used, and it's entirely analog. If you're a crossfeed user (and probably even if you aren't), it's hard not to be impressed by the level of customizability afforded by the Phonitor's crossfeed. (We did a *Head-Fi TV episode about the SPL Phonitor*.)
   
   


roller said:


> ...There have been some reviews that had the HA-160D having a warmer presentation when compared to the Zodiac. Do you find the Zodiac to have a particularly neutral or neutral to bright presentation?


 

  It's been a while, but I remember the Zodiac as neutral and resolving, but definitely not sterile or harsh. I feel similarly about the Lavry DA11.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





jude said:


> I think it's very cool that the Zodiac Gold is all but future-proof, as far as current formats go. 24/384...given how much drive space my 24/192 albums require, I can't imagine the storage requirements of 24/384.


 
   
  My main concern over getting 24/384 and 32/384 DACs is that they just might not deliver enough on the very high resolution front. Unless music is made from the ground up to take advantage of such formats, I feel it might just be overkill. I would rather get the highest quality 24/96 DAC available. But then again, products aiming at the highest bit depths and sampling rates tend to keep up in terms of components and implementation.
   
   
  Quote: 





jude said:


> I've been playing with the Kingrex UD384 DAC, and that also can go up to 24/384 (and also supports DSD, which I also have no recordings in, outside of my SACD's). But it is nice to know (with the UD384) that it fully supports my 24/192 stuff, too.


 
   
  I've been reading a bit about the Kingrex UD384, and it looks a rather interesting device. What left me puzzled was that I found no proprietary driver availability, which is a requirement for anything above 24/96 on Windows, since the Microsoft generic audio drivers are only USB Class 1 compliant. Unless the USB input only goes up to 24/96 and 24/384 is only available through S/PDIF.
   
   
  Quote: 





jude said:


> I use the DA11's PIC feature quite regularly.
> 
> The SPL Phonitor has the most versatile crossfeed I've ever used, and it's entirely analog. If you're a crossfeed user (and probably even if you aren't), it's hard not to be impressed by the level of customizability afforded by the Phonitor's crossfeed. (We did a *Head-Fi TV episode about the SPL Phonitor*.)


 
   
  Which crossfeed implementation (between DA11 and Phonitor) do you find more effective and less intrusive, tonal wise?
   
   
  Quote: 





jude said:


> It's been a while, but I remember the Zodiac as neutral and resolving, but definitely not sterile or harsh. I feel similarly about the Lavry DA11.


 
   
  Good to know. The Zodiac has been on my consideration list for quite some time. But at the same time, I worry about future support for newer OSes, as I do use USB input quite often.


----------



## TWIFOSP

I have both the Phonitor and DA11 now and I am loving the combo and flexibility to get the image right on old recordings and adjust the soundstage.  
   
  Regarding the tonal balance of the Phonitor, the crossfeed is indeed excellent and like you say does not affect the tonal balance.  The speaker angle control on the other hand can and does remove low frequencies when turned up too high, however.  The DA11 PIC feature does roughly the same thing as the speaker angle control on the phonitor, but does so with much less effect on the frequencies.  At least to my ears.  Either way, I love having both in my chain.
   
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





jude said:


> I use the DA11's PIC feature quite regularly.
> 
> The SPL Phonitor has the most versatile crossfeed I've ever used, and it's entirely analog. If you're a crossfeed user (and probably even if you aren't), it's hard not to be impressed by the level of customizability afforded by the Phonitor's crossfeed. (We did a *Head-Fi TV episode about the SPL Phonitor*.)


----------



## Austin Morrow

Thought I'd upload a video of my desktop setup. Anyway, it's in 1080p, but very dark. 
   
  Headphones: Grado PS1000 - Sennhesier HD650
  Headphone Amps: Woo Audio WA6 - ALO Audio The National
  Source/DAC: Rein Audio X-DAC
  Cables: Whiplash Audio TWag V2 HD650 Cable
   
  Bonus points to who can guess this very famous song and artist!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I feel trolled that the song is 'Money'. I expected something harder.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I feel trolled that the song is 'Money'. I expected something harder.


 


  Good job, MT. Wasn't that hard. Probably the most listened to song I have.


----------



## doggybags

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Thought I'd upload a video of my desktop setup. Anyway, it's in 1080p, but very dark.
> 
> Headphones: Grado PS1000 - Sennhesier HD650
> Headphone Amps: Woo Audio WA6 - ALO Audio The National
> ...


 


  I get to watch roger waters perform the Wall in LA in a month or so


----------



## Redcarmoose

Our theme song here should be "no money", cuz we spent it all.
  
  Quote: 





doggybags said:


> I get to watch roger waters perform the Wall in LA in a month or so


----------



## Silent One




----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 

  
  Let me guess. You're into vibration dampening? 
  Very cool looking setup, the mac mini looks wicked on the spikes.
  I had the W4S DAC2 in black, I must say the sliver looks better.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Let me guess. You're into vibration dampening?
> Very cool looking setup, the mac mini looks wicked on the spikes.
> I had the W4S DAC2 in black, I must say the sliver looks better.


 

 BIG thanks, obzilla! If you look closely... the amp is naked! I ordered twin Maple platforms for the Mac & amp but only one shipped. Perhaps, in 10 days and then the rack will be filled. I'm still in adventure mode - trying and buying. What I'd like to buy for the amp is the 3"x3" & 5.75 lb brass footers from Mapleshade. But at $415 for a trio, I decided to leave 'em on the shelf. Do you know how much music I can buy... plus attend a concert?!


----------



## Focker

Nice to see a fellow fan of Pierre's goodies at Mapleshade Records


----------



## Kremer930

silent one said:


>





Is that the Mach2 music server or just a Mac mini on spikes? Looks cool.


----------



## Silent One

I've an open mind and decided to see what he's got! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Gonna need a job to shop there...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Is that the Mach2 music server or just a Mac mini on spikes? Looks cool.


 

 Thanks. The spikes are identical - Darryl referred me. I'm aware that my rubber caulk is showing because the spikes are temporary, while I keep trying new configurations.


----------



## obzilla

Quote:  


  Hey, where did you get that after market power cable for the Mac Mini????


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Hey, where did you get that after market power cable for the Mac Mini????


 

 Aphrodite Cu29
   
  www.aphroditecu29.com
   
   
  WireWorld Power Conditioning Cords 
 Electra 5* OCC Copper w/Furutech 24k Gold connectors (Music server)
 Electra 5* OCC Copper w/Furutech 24k Gold connectors (DAC)
 Electra 5* OCC Copper w/Furutech 24k Gold connectors (Amp)


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Aphrodite Cu29
> 
> www.aphroditecu29.com
> 
> ...


 

 Jesus, the cheap version is $1,200!
  Scratch that off my list of possible tweaks.
   
  EDIT:, ah wait, that's their 'flagship', the lower ranks are much more reasonable it seems. Worst website in the world to navigate...


----------



## MorbidToaster

> I plan on putting some IsoNode feet on my Mini when I get it mainly just to raise it up a bit to match the Calyx 24/192's height.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 

 http://www.audioquest.com/power-cables/nrg-x2
   
  I think this whole series would fit. There's a lot of companies that do some that would fit, me thinks. 
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Jesus, the cheap version is $1,200!
> Scratch that off my list of possible tweaks.
> 
> EDIT:, ah wait, that's their 'flagship', the lower ranks are much more reasonable it seems. Worst website in the world to navigate...


 

 I'm going to miss it because it's so ridiculously expensive. Really wish I could go...
   
  Quote: 





doggybags said:


> I get to watch roger waters perform the Wall in LA in a month or so


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





jude said:


> MacBook Air --> Amarra --> Lavry DA11 --> HiFiMAN EF6 amplifier --> HiFiMAN HE6 planar magnetic headphone
> 
> <Picture Snip>​


 


  OT, but congrats on the D4. I don't even want to know how big of an upgrade that was from the D300 since that's what I'm still shooting with (and wow at the lack of noise at that ISO).


----------



## judomaniak

hey Silent One love the set up. What kind of crazy tube is that with green wires, i like the look of it


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> hey Silent One love the set up. What kind of crazy tube is that with green wires, i like the look of it


 

 That would be the rare 1957 United Electronics Company USAF-596 Rectifier. _This tube knows how to swing!_


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 
   
  Awesome set-up! 
   
  What kind of spikes are those and how do you attach them?  Do you need to screw/bolt them in?


----------



## wilky61

They kinda look like they've been epoxied on to me...
  
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> Awesome set-up!
> 
> What kind of spikes are those and how do you attach them?  Do you need to screw/bolt them in?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Updated some stuff. Been testing out the Woo X and X-DAC, but switching back to the X-DAC + HA-160DS very soon. I miss the clarity and PRaT. Oh, and I recently acquired a PS1000, which has been quite a letdown so far, not in terms of sonics, but in terms of everything else.


----------



## Silent One

Austin, by _everything else_, do you mean comfort and fit? A low price/performance value ( what U pay & what U get)?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Awesome set-up!
> 
> What kind of spikes are those and how do you attach them?  Do you need to screw/bolt them in?


 
  Quote: 





wilky61 said:


> They kinda look like they've been epoxied on to me...


 


  They're Dayton speaker spikes and can be found here: Dayton Audio DSS4-BK Black Speaker Spike Set 4 Pcs. 240-717   I'm using Rubber Calk so I can easily install/remove different footers while experimenting. The Mac normally sits on TriAbsorbers, pictured underneath the spikes of the amp, that too, is just an experiment. Trying different combos to see which sonic presentation will prove enjoyable to listen to.
   
  No plans on drilling into the Mac, but the Epoxy idea sounds appealing if I stay with the spikes. Thanks, wilky61...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Austin, by _everything else_, do you mean comfort and fit? A low price/performance value ( what U pay & what U get)?


 


  The sonics are really good, but don't top other dynamics like the T1 and the HD800. The PS1000's on par with the HD800 and T1, but have a much less price to performance ratio. For $1400 (or even as low as $1000 for the T1), you can get something almost as good, with even better characteristics, like the HD800 or the T1. The $1695 price tag is way too much, as I'd put it around $1000 for pure sonics. Once you take into consideration Grado's very poor build quality, fit, and comfort, the value goes down a lot. Only about $800 to $900, if even that.


----------



## snapple10

Austin Morrow: I have my eyes set on PS1000. Was out of stock and got words this afternoon that it is  back in stock.  This is not helping


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Austin Morrow: I have my eyes set on PS1000. Was out of stock and got words this afternoon that it is  back in stock.  This is not helping


 
   
  EDIT: Oh, I see what you're getting at. You'd be better off with the HD800 or T1 for that matter.


----------



## RBNYC2

This is my bedroom audio setup. My computer is off to the left.
   
  Equipment:
  Computer -> Moon 100D DAC (via SPDIF, pictured to the left of the headphones) 
  NAD C375BEE integrated amp -> Totem Rainmaker speakers
  Little Dot MKIII headphone amp -> Shure SRH940 headphones
   
  I also have a pair of Grado 325is, and I just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic dt-880's (600 ohm) literally 5 minutes ago. I'm hoping the 880's are to my liking.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





silent one said:


> They're Dayton speaker spikes and can be found here: Dayton Audio DSS4-BK Black Speaker Spike Set 4 Pcs. 240-717   I'm using Rubber Calk so I can easily install/remove different footers while experimenting. The Mac normally sits on TriAbsorbers, pictured underneath the spikes of the amp, that too, is just an experiment. Trying different combos to see which sonic presentation will prove enjoyable to listen to.
> 
> No plans on drilling into the Mac, but the Epoxy idea sounds appealing if I stay with the spikes. Thanks, wilky61...


 
   
  Thank you!


----------



## Draygonn

My secondary rig is coming together. Next step, VTI rack and Poang.


----------



## wdahm519

I'm jealous of your Squeezebox Touch.  That's my next purchase.  Are you using it with a NAS hooked up to your router?  Its getting to be a real pain in the arse to use my computer just to listen to music.


----------



## PlayerN07

My work setup:

   
  Like a BOSS!


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's a gorgeous picture. I should really build a Bottlehead amp just for fun. 
   
  Are you running the Touch straight from the RCA outs or using another DAC?
   
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> My secondary rig is coming together. Next step, VTI rack and Poang.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> The sonics are really good, but don't top other dynamics like the T1 and the HD800. The PS1000's on par with the HD800 and T1, but have a much less price to performance ratio. For $1400 (or even as low as $1000 for the T1), you can get something almost as good, with even better characteristics, like the HD800 or the T1. The $1695 price tag is way too much, as I'd put it around $1000 for pure sonics. Once you take into consideration Grado's *very poor build quality*, fit, and comfort, the value goes down a lot. Only about $800 to $900, if even that.


 
   
  I understand the comfort issue, especially with the weighty metal housing of the PS1000, but I have found their build quality to be very good even in the lower models like the SR60 and SR80.


----------



## Windsor

Here's a quick pic of my current setup:
   

   
  I love how the HD 800 matches the laptop's colour scheme; that's the REAL reason I wanna keep the HD 800.


----------



## MorbidToaster

What stand is your MBP on? I'm looking for a decent one for my new baby.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> What stand is your MBP on? I'm looking for a decent one for my new baby.


 
   
It's a 'Just Mobile Xtand Pro.' I bought it from the Apple store online a few years back, but I just checked on the site and couldn't see it. It's probably still in production though.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Austin Morrow: I have my eyes set on PS1000. Was out of stock and got words this afternoon that it is  back in stock.  This is not helping


 
   
  Listen for yourself, brother...he has no idea what you'll like and dislike. You can find those with positive and negative opinions about every headphone on the planet...all that matters is what sounds best to you. And there is nothing wrong with Grado build quality...I've researched this issue since I first came on this site last year, and it's total bunk. Grado products have no higher rate of failure than any other company's headphone line. I love my T1s and am pretty much infatuated with their comfort, but my Grado 80s and 325s are built equally as solid and get just as much head time as my T1s do. I fall asleep with either the T1s or 325s on my head nearly every night.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wish I could sleep in headphones...
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Listen for yourself, brother...he has no idea what you'll like and dislike. You can find those with positive and negative opinions about every headphone on the planet...all that matters is what sounds best to you. And there is nothing wrong with Grado build quality...I've researched this issue since I first came on this site last year, and it's total bunk. Grado products have no higher rate of failure than any other company's headphone line. I love my T1s and am pretty much infatuated with their comfort, but my Grado 80s and 325s are built equally as solid and get just as much head time as my T1s do. *I fall asleep with either the T1s or 325s on my head nearly every night.*


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rbnyc2 said:


> This is my bedroom audio setup. My computer is off to the left.
> 
> Equipment:
> Computer -> Moon 100D DAC (via SPDIF, pictured to the left of the headphones)
> ...


 
   
  You have excellent taste!  
   
  I've always thought that Totem speakers were some of the sharpest looking on the market...not to mention they sound great. Like you, I'm a Beyerdynamic and Grado guy, and very happy with my Little Dot amp, as well. Good luck with the 880s...and don't forget that if they aren't quite your cup of tea, the T1s are waiting for you with open arms (haha)


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I wish I could sleep in headphones...


 
   
  LOL


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really do, but I can see how that'd be funny. If I could sleep on my back, I would probably sleep with cans on most nights.
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## roob

Imma so happy!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I want that copy of Bad...


----------



## manveru

Yeah, that's pretty slick.


----------



## roob

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I want that copy of Bad...


 
   
  It sure looks good, doesn't it


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I really do, but I can see how that'd be funny. If I could sleep on my back, I would probably sleep with cans on most nights.


 
   
  Oh, I thought you were joking about literally sleeping IN the heaphones....like, "I love them so much, I just want to get IN them!" 
   
  Most nights I don't really intend to forget to take them off, but I found my favorite sports talk radio station from Philly available on my iTunes...so after I listen to some music, I relax with some sports talk and end up falling asleep.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





roob said:


> Imma so happy!


 
   
  Is that a Denon DP-23F? My dad has that in his rig. Doesn't sound too bad for a fully automatic.


----------



## RBNYC2

Quote: 





focker said:


> You have excellent taste!
> 
> I've always thought that Totem speakers were some of the sharpest looking on the market...not to mention they sound great. Like you, I'm a Beyerdynamic and Grado guy, and very happy with my Little Dot amp, as well. Good luck with the 880s...and don't forget that if they aren't quite your cup of tea, the T1s are waiting for you with open arms (haha)


 
   
  I do love the Totems. I've wanted to upgrade to better pair for a while, but the Rainmakers are just so great for the price. 
   
  Regarding the Beyerdynamics--do you have a lot of experience with their stuff? I was initially going to buy the dt-770's because I wanted a good closed back headphone, but I went for the 880's on a whim at the last minute. I knew I'd probably like them better, and I couldn't resist. Since we have such similar taste, can you recommend a good closed-back headphone in that price range? Also, have you done any tube rolling with the little dot?


----------



## Draygonn

wdahm519 said:


> Are you using it with a NAS hooked up to your router?



The squeezebox touch is connected via Wireless and my computer does most of the dirty work. At the Village Meet this weekend it will do its own processing and grab songs from a USB thumbdrive.




morbidtoaster said:


> Are you running the Touch straight from the RCA outs or using another DAC?




Right now I'm using RCA outs, I plan on getting an ODAC when they release. I've done a lot of streamlining and rooted Touch Toolbox 3.0 to get the ST as efficient as possible. The analog outs sound better than stock and are good enough at this point that I'm not sure if an ODAC is necessary with the Crack (its not highly detailed) but it will be cheap enough to play around with.


----------



## roob

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Is that a Denon DP-23F? My dad has that in his rig. Doesn't sound too bad for a fully automatic.


 
   
  Indeed it is! Got it pretty cheap because it wasn't in working order. My first ever turntable and I'm happy with the sound. Michael Jackson, for instance, was a completely new (and better) experience


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rbnyc2 said:


> I do love the Totems. I've wanted to upgrade to better pair for a while, but the Rainmakers are just so great for the price.
> 
> Regarding the Beyerdynamics--do you have a lot of experience with their stuff? I was initially going to buy the dt-770's because I wanted a good closed back headphone, but I went for the 880's on a whim at the last minute. I knew I'd probably like them better, and I couldn't resist. Since we have such similar taste, can you recommend a good closed-back headphone in that price range? Also, have you done any tube rolling with the little dot?


 
   

 My experience with BeyerDs started with the DT880s a couple months ago. I liked them well enough, but I can't say I liked them more than my Grado 325s. Jan Meier of Meier Audio, the guy I bought my amp from, has a package deal with the T1s and the Sennheiser HD800s. I had only received the amp a couple days earlier, so I asked if he'd honor his package deal pricing if I ordered a pair of T1s on the spot - he agreed. The T1s are a significant step up, in my opinion, but for the price tag I think the DT880s are a very solid headphone. On top of that, they are amazingly comfortable.
   
  The guy you want to talk to about BeyerDs is Zombie_X. He's here on head-fi and he's got some videos on youtube comparing the 770s, 880s, 990s, and the T1s. Here's his youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheZXReviews   You can also PM him here on head-fi.
   
  The closed headphone I often hear others rave about in the same price range is the Denon AD-H2000. I've never heard it, though, so can't really offer much help unfortunately.
   
  With regard to the LD amp, I have a tube guy that I trust and he suggested I go with some AEG/Telefunken NOS tubes. I had the stock tubes in for a few days and then installed the new ones. I didn't do a lot of comparing, but the LIttle Dot sounded pretty darn good to me in both configurations. You can change some of the settings on the LD to accept a few different tube tubes if you really want to get into it, and there is an entire thread related to tube rolling in the LD I+ here on  head-fi. I'll try to find it and either PM it to you or update this post.
   
  EDIT: Here's the LD I+ tube rolling thread....probably enough info in here to make your head spin! lol   http://www.head-fi.org/t/364043/little-dot-i-tube-rolling


----------



## RBNYC2

Thanks for the info. I actually watched Zombie-X's videos before making my purchase coincidentally, but I didn't see him talking about the 770s much, if at all. I will PM him.
   
  As far as the tube rolling, I've tried a few pairs of different tubes--namely the EF95 Voshkod and Mullard M8100 tubes. The Mullards have a nice warmth that tames the harsh highs of my SRH940's, but the Voshkod's are the best by far. I was wondering if there was anything else that really stood out that you may have tried, as sometimes those guides can be overwhelming.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Here's a quick pic of my current setup:
> 
> 
> 
> I love how the HD 800 matches the laptop's colour scheme; that's the REAL reason I wanna keep the HD 800.


 
  Left handed person spotted. Btw, does that trackpad right click and middle click if you were to use MagicPrefs?


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Left handed person spotted. Btw, does that trackpad right click and middle click if you were to use MagicPrefs?


 
   
  The pictured trackpad is set up for regular and right click. What is middle click and what is MagicPrefs?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





windsor said:


> The pictured trackpad is set up for regular and right click. What is middle click and what is MagicPrefs?


 
   
  Middle click is where you would click on the scroll wheel of a normal mouse to free scroll or open links in new tabs. MagicPrefs is what I use to customize my Magic Mouse so that I can click with three fingers to Expose', Middle click, and tap the stem of the Apple to show my desktop. It's really quite cool.
   
  I only ask because I had the choice of opting for the trackpad and I thought it would have been interesting, but I decided not to because not being able to do all that stuff would drive me crazy. Of course, my Magic Mouse couldn't do all that either until I found MagicPrefs. I would think it would work with the trackpad as well.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Middle click is where you would click on the scroll wheel of a normal mouse to free scroll or open links in new tabs. MagicPrefs is what I use to customize my Magic Mouse so that I can click with three fingers to Expose', Middle click, and tap the stem of the Apple to show my desktop. It's really quite cool.
> 
> I only ask because I had the choice of opting for the trackpad and I thought it would have been interesting, but I decided not to because not being able to do all that stuff would drive me crazy. Of course, my Magic Mouse couldn't do all that either until I found MagicPrefs. I would think it would work with the trackpad as well.


 
   
  Thanks for explaining that. The MagicPrefs website says that MagicPrefs works with the Apple Trackpad, so if you got a trackpad you could probably do all the things you did with your Magic Mouse. I'll keep you posted if I play around with it and will probably do so after I get thought my next batch of music.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


lilkoolaidman said:


> Left handed person spotted. Btw, does that trackpad right click and middle click if you were to use MagicPrefs?


 
  I was stuck using a Macbook for quite a while and really got used to the trackpad to the point where I purchased the standalone one for my desktop. At this point (Lion), Apple actually supplies most of the gestures I'd ever use with it... except for middle-clicking, which quite a few non-Apple apps use.
   
  I used MagicPrefs briefly but thought it was overkill in terms of customization but most importantly -at the time- wreaked havoc when inside a virtual machine. I also have to work on machines where I don't have permissions to install software or drivers, so I didn't want to become dependent on it.
   
  However for my personal use I found MiddleClick, a tiny selfcontained open source app that does only this one thing (3 fingers to middle-tap or click), without any problems so far in (Snow) Leopard or Lion: http://clement.beffa.org/labs/projects/middleclick/ It can run in userspace, no installation required, just add it to your startup items if desired.
   
  Oh, and recently I had to fix somebody's Windows 7 laptop and it reminded me why I used to hate trackpads and use an external mouse everytime 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Windows 7 is solid, but there are just some UI things that Apple's hardware/software/OS combo works out exceptionally well. OK, time to get back on topic...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I understand the comfort issue, especially with the weighty metal housing of the PS1000, but I have found their build quality to be very good even in the lower models like the SR60 and SR80.


 
   
  I'm talking in the sense of the PS1000's. Their build quality and choice of materials is terrible for $1695 considered to both the HD800 and the T1, and that's totally fair to say.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm talking in the sense of the PS1000's. Their build quality and choice of materials is terrible for $1695 considered to both the HD800 and the T1, and that's totally fair to say.


 
   
  Makes you wonder where the money is going. I have never been able to get over the Grado build quality.
  They could be the perfect phone, but they feel like duct tape, hot glue, and staples.
   
  Grado fans don't take offense, it's just my perception.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Makes you wonder where the money is going. I have never been able to get over the Grado build quality.
> They could be the perfect phone, but they feel like duct tape, hot glue, and staples.
> 
> Grado fans don't take offense, it's just my perception.


 
   
  Everyone needs to spend their money in the way the feel is best for them. I had concerns about build quality after reading some of the posts on here when I first signed up and began participating. I ended up speaking to five people in the industry who had pretty extensive backgrounds with Grados, who were not associated with the company, and who would not have any particular bias or reason to not be up front with me (that I could determine). One person had a modification biz, two of them were well-established audio reviewers/critics, one is the founder of an audio company that focuses primarly on headamps, and the last one was someone I respect on another audio forum website with over 20 years experience in headphones.  Two OTHER manufacturers were mentioned as having relatively poor build quality - particularly over the last few years - but Grados, while simple in their design, aren't any more problematic than any other company. AFter that, I decided to buy a pair...and based on my admittedly limited experience thus far, I have found the concerns to be completely unfounded. Simple does not mean cheap. Retro doesn't mean cheap. Just with anything else, if you take proper care of your things, you'll likely encounter fewer problems. If you fail to take care of your gear, you'll likely have more.
   
  It just seems that people on head-fi tend to overexaggerate a bit more than I've experienced on other forums.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm talking in the sense of the PS1000's. Their build quality and choice of materials is terrible for $1695 considered to both the HD800 and the T1, and that's totally fair to say.


 
   
  Why in the world would you buy a $1695 headphone from a company you feel makes "terrible choices in materials" and has lousy build quality? I don't see the sense in that.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





focker said:


> .
> 
> It just seems that people on head-fi tend to overexaggerate a bit more than I've experienced on other forums.


 
   
  I'm not exaggerating. I literally and truly think the look and feel shoddy. The caveat is that beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.So if you're happy, congratulations, but I'm not a fan of pizza boxes and foam bowls.
  Simple is great, and often superior from design and engineering standpoints, fewer opportunities for failure.
  Simplicity is not implicitly cheap though.  I expect more for my money, that's all.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't now til you try? 
   
  I'm also pretty sure those are a review sample.
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I'm not exaggerating. I literally and truly think the look and feel shoddy. The caveat is that beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.So if you're happy, congratulations, but I'm not a fan of pizza boxes and foam bowls.
> Simple is great, and often superior from design and engineering standpoints, fewer opportunities for failure.
> Simplicity is not implicitly cheap though.  I expect more for my money, that's all.


 
   

 Yes, you've made it very clear that you don't like Grados. I wasn't referring to you specifically.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





focker said:


> I wasn't referring to you specifically.


 
   
  Nor I to you. No worries.


----------



## genclaymore




----------



## roob

Terrific amp!


----------



## FinBenton

My station in a new place, Im happy


----------



## dmcs414

Has there ever been a "_Head-Fi'er at their Head-Fi station actively listening_" image_ _thread?  Because I think that would be cool, especially if the pics incorporated the music enjoyed by the subject.  Put a slightly more personal take on this "let's all show off our gear" type thing, which is cool enough, but rather impersonal, if you ask me.


----------



## davidgotsa

Good idea, you should start one. 
  Quote: 





dmcs414 said:


> Has there ever been a "_Head-Fi'er at their Head-Fi station actively listening_" image_ _thread?  Because I think that would be cool, especially if the pics incorporated the music enjoyed by the subject.  Put a slightly more personal take on this "let's all show off our gear" type thing, which is cool enough, but rather impersonal, if you ask me.


----------



## manveru

Quote:  
   
  That would certainly be interesting, haha.


----------



## dmcs414

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> Good idea, you should start one.


 
   
  I had a feeling someone might say that.  If the idea gets enough traction, I certainly will.  
   
  Edit-  The little daemon on my left shoulder is whispering in my ear that it will almost certainly turn into a joke "Meet Joe Head-Fi'er" type thread in "that other subforum" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, but I'm flicking him off as I type this, as I kinda want to see what people would do with it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The problem (and reason it doesn't exist IMO) is that Head-fiers can take much prettier pictures of their gear than they can of themselves while listening to their gear. 
   
  It'd have to be all 'Facebook staring at camera while holding it' style. For the most part anyway.
   
  Quote: 





dmcs414 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## dmcs414

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The problem (and reason it doesn't exist IMO) is that Head-fiers can take much prettier pictures of their gear than they can of themselves while listening to their gear.
> 
> It'd have to be all 'Facebook staring at camera while holding it' style. For the most part anyway.


 
   
  Well, I'd think to get a decent shot, we'd have to rely on a loved one, friend, etc. to capture us in our natural environment.  I agree, trying to achieve the effect with a self-taken shot would be a lesson in futility.


----------



## Deep1923

my little station if you want to call it "station"


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





focker said:


> Why in the world would you buy a $1695 headphone from a company you feel makes "terrible choices in materials" and has lousy build quality? I don't see the sense in that.


 
   
   
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Don't now til you try?
> 
> I'm also pretty sure those are a review sample.


 
   
  Exactly MorbidToaster. If I wasn't reviewing it (which I am), then I'd buy and try, and sell it off, or at least audition it at a meet or store.
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Why in the world would you buy a $1695 headphone from a company you feel makes "terrible choices in materials" and has lousy build quality? I don't see the sense in that.


 
   
  To answer your question in the easiest way possible. It's a loaner unit that I am taking a look at. Also, look at my post above.


----------



## MorbidToaster

know, by the way. lol


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> know, by the way. lol


 
   
  I know you say? Sorry, fragmented sentence.


----------



## MorbidToaster

No, I meant to do that. Ya know? 
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No, I meant to do that. Ya know?


 
   
  Last post but before we got off track, but that was an very good 7000'th post, ya know?


----------



## MorbidToaster

7k was technically in the LF thread. 
   
  You should review the Signature Pro...because I want one...
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Exactly MorbidToaster. If I wasn't reviewing it (which I am), then I'd buy and try, and sell it off, or at least audition it at a meet or store.
> 
> 
> To answer your question in the easiest way possible. It's a loaner unit that I am taking a look at. Also, look at my post above.


 
   
  Ahhh, I see. So you borrowed it from a friend or something in order to write up a blog post?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





finbenton said:


> My station in a new place, Im happy


 
   
  You've a great plant, a window to the world, and then there's the music...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





focker said:


> Ahhh, I see. So you borrowed it from a friend or something in order to write up a blog post?


 
   
  Eh, no. Grado sent it over.
   
  Anyway, I'll be posting a new photo of my setup in just a few minutes. I completely re-arranged everything...again.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll post one soon too. I rearranged everything today because I had furniture I wasn't using and wanted to incorporate it.
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Eh, no. Grado sent it over.
> 
> Anyway, I'll be posting a new photo of my setup in just a few minutes. I completely re-arranged everything...again.


 
   
  Grado sent a $1695 pair of headphones to a minor for a blog review?


----------



## MorbidToaster

focker said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Plenty of companies have sent him stuff. Heck the loaner programs have sent more expensive gear to lesser known members.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Time to get this thread on track. Anyway, here is my "personal" setup. X-DAC - Woo 6 - Whiplash Audio TWag V2 - HD650. The sound of this setup is excellent, the HD650's have a signature off this setup that is too die for.


----------



## rawrster

How do you like the x dac? I been thinking of getting a second dac in case my current one ever has any issues. I'm still early in the process of deciding budget but something like the x dac does seem pretty interesting.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> How do you like the x dac? I been thinking of getting a second dac in case my current one ever has any issues. I'm still early in the process of deciding budget but something like the x dac does seem pretty interesting.


 
   
  The X-DAC is an excellent DAC. Although I fear it may make your HD800 appear bright and edgy. It's a very resolved, detailed, and extremely extended DAC in both ranges.


----------



## rawrster

I've heard rumors of this bright and edgy HD800. I'd rather not experience that  Of course I should probably determine budget since I've gone from 400ish to over 1k on how much I want to spend.
   
  Hopefully I'll have something to add to this thread tomorrow after work


----------



## Sniperbombers

nothing special sadly =/


----------



## MorbidToaster

New bedside set up for awhile. Since I can't use the Calyx in my 2ch system yet there's no need to be without a bedside rig for now. 
   
  Now using Audirvana Plus and really liking it. Rocking some 24/96 Moving Pictures right now. Going to replace the stand the Macbook is on soon with something a bit more nice looking and low profile. 
   
  Nice to finally be able to sit in bed and listen.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Plenty of companies have sent him stuff. Heck the loaner programs have sent more expensive gear to lesser known members.


 
   

 I'm sure that's true. As I told him in a PM, I give him credit for being resourceful enough to make that happen. I'm just surprised that Grado would do that.
   
  Anyway, here is the newest addition to my headphone rig....just picked it up from my P.O. Box 30 mins ago...another Larry Dale original.


----------



## Draygonn

morbidtoaster said:


>




The LF has a real nice look to it. How's your speaker setup doing?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Same as it's been for awhile now. No proper preamp (digital pre via XDA-1). The Calyx cleaned me out for awhile but I should get a proper pre in there soon and it'll be getting more love. 
   
  So...iMac > XDA-1 > UPA-1 Monos > MMGs
   
  I'd have it already if someone would buy my CD player. ;~;
   
  After the pre upgrade I'll be adding a SB Touch, Turntable (finally), and Mac Mini.
   
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Austin Morrow

MorbidToaster - That setup looks absolutely fantastic, and a amazing bedside rig at that. Good to listen to some music in the wee hours of the night.


----------



## Coolzo

Morbid, I wish I had money right now, because if I did (by some miracle) have $800 to blow I'd prolly buy that SA8004 from you. No regularly paying job (or car) at the moment though...


----------



## driver 8

I rearranged my bedside rig a bit:
   

   
  My other 2 home headphones (LCD2 rev.2 and the HE-500's) are on banana hangers on the lower level of that nightstand my monitor, HD800's, and HP-P1 are sitting on.  Not sure if I want to frame that print before I hang it up or not.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> I rearranged my bedside rig a bit:
> 
> [snip]
> 
> My other 2 home headphones (LCD2 rev.2 and the HE-500's) are on banana hangers on the lower level of that nightstand my monitor, HD800's, and HP-P1 are sitting on.  Not sure if I want to frame that print before I hang it up or not.


 
   
  Your bedside setup looks like its in dire need of a NAS and some kind of wireless player such as the Squeezebox Touch.  That's a lot of gear for a bedside though, hah.


----------



## rawrster

My rig looks a bit different than the last time so a new pic!


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My rig looks a bit different than the last time so a new pic!


 
   
  I love the way the AD2000 looks. I'd love to own one of those.


----------



## driver 8

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Your bedside setup looks like its in dire need of a NAS and some kind of wireless player such as the Squeezebox Touch.  That's a lot of gear for a bedside though, hah.


 
  Well it's also my main setup as I still don't get why anyone would want to sit up straight and listen to music, or do anything productive >_>
   
  My PC's just a bit to the left of the picture with a somewhat lengthy USB cable running up to the V-Link.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> Well it's also my main setup as I still don't get why anyone would want to sit up straight and listen to music, or do anything productive >_>
> 
> My PC's just a bit to the left of the picture with a somewhat lengthy USB cable running up to the V-Link.


 
   
  Makes sense.  I listen next to my desk in a comfy chair.  I also like listening while doing work, but to each his own.  I also prefer to sit up!
   
  I only suggested the NAS + SQ Touch because then you wouldn't need the computer there.  You'd still have the great quality up to 24/96 but it would be located on a little handheld device.  Its something I will be incorporating soon enough, once funds permit.


----------



## Draygonn

I'd like to thank everyone who recommended the VTI rack and Poang chair. I love my new setup.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> I'd like to thank everyone who recommended the VTI rack and Poang chair. I love my new setup.


 
   
  Gorgeous.


----------



## Silent One

Well, that was quick! Glad it worked out for you, Draygonn. I still need to save up for my small VTI rack. Cannot make out the book's title.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wish I'd gotten the Cherry shelves...


----------



## TheWuss

well...  today was a VERY big day for me.
   
  i joined "Club Analog". 
   
  VPI Classic w/ Dynavector XX-2 Mk.2 moving coil cartridge. 
   
  Had to go w/ an ultra cheap phono stage for the time being.  so that i could get the best table and cartridge possible... 
  next step will be a better phono stage, no doubt...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice table you've got there...One of my upcoming purchases is a really awesome TT. I think I'll be getting an 'in between' table in the mean time though as I'm sick of not being able to spin my LPs.


----------



## sjay

finally got my rig up and running today, it consists of a Lyr with Matsu****a tubes , Audio GD NFB3 and a Squeezebox Touch.
   
  i put it together for my bedroom
   
  NB: this is my first attempt at headfi.
   
  .


----------



## MorbidToaster

I like it, though I think I'd move the Lyr in line with the front of the NFB 3 instead of the back. 
   
  First (and a great) attempt. Enjoy.


----------



## sjay

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I like it, though I think I'd move the Lyr in line with the front of the NFB 3 instead of the back.
> 
> First (and a great) attempt. Enjoy.


 
   

 it will block off the air vents for the nfb3 if I do that and i dont want to risk over heating it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

There aren't any vents in the back, too?
   
  Odd...Makes sense though. Excuse my ignorance about the NFB 3.
   
  Quote: 





sjay said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## sjay

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There aren't any vents in the back, too?
> 
> Odd...Makes sense though. Excuse my ignorance about the NFB 3.


 
   
  the transformer is up the front and  i assume thats where the majority of the heat comes from, hence the air vents at the front.
   
  i picked the nfb3 up yesterday for 200 locally on the 2nd hand market , off a fellow member actually. I also have an nfb2 in my main rig in the lounge and i feel bang for buck the AudioGD options represent good value.
   
  thanks for the feedback


----------



## MohawkUS

sjay said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You've got to be one of the few guys on the forum with an NFB2 and 3. I think you'd make a lot of people happy if you posted some comparisons(myself included.  ) I just got in a Bifrost but it's not a very good match for my system. It was actually a bit of a let-down, so I'm back in the market for a new DAC.


----------



## sjay

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> You've got to be one of the few guys on the forum with an NFB2 and 3. I think you'd make a lot of people happy if you posted some comparisons(myself included.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  give me a few weeks and i will do a write up as i need time to compare them both properly, maybe longer.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sjay said:


> with Matsu****a tubes


 
   
  lol, that word filter doesn't miss a beat


----------



## drez

Quote: 





focker said:


> lol, that word filter doesn't miss a beat


 
   
  Rofl Japanese language, blaspheming all the time and trying to do so surreptitiously!  How rude.


----------



## ZenErik

Thinking of trying out the W5000 and HA5000 next, but I am very happy with my setup.


----------



## oyster

Finally i have something presentable


----------



## Zombie_X

Nice! I can appreciate Analog audio but I just don't have room for a turntable. So I'll use my Marantz CD player till I move..
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> well...  today was a VERY big day for me.
> 
> i joined "Club Analog".
> 
> ...


----------



## Tilpo

I think your main problems would be not having enough room for all the records, room for your turntable (and pre-amp) are the least of your worries, especially after considering the cost of it all.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Probably around mid-fi, but i just i want to be part of the fun. 
   


 Sound Blaster X-Fi HD > Grado SR60i


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Probably around mid-fi, but i just i want to be part of the fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Sound Blaster X-Fi HD > Grado SR60i


 
   
  Great picture, simple setup, audio bliss.


----------



## Destroysall

Cozy looking setup.  Are the Poang chairs really comfortable?
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> I'd like to thank everyone who recommended the VTI rack and Poang chair. I love my new setup.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're great chairs especially for the price. Changeable covers and what not is nice, too. They're a solid investment.
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Cozy looking setup.  Are the Poang chairs really comfortable?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Great picture, simple setup, audio bliss.


 
   
  Thanks, man! 

 I just got the X-FI HD, and i'm in love with this little black thingy. The first song i played through it, i was like "holy #$%%", and just let myself slide on the chair slowly, i couldn't believe how awesome it sounded for the price.

 I guess i compensate the lack of great and expensive equipment with the above-average picture and lighting quality.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *ProcessJunkie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> The first song i played through it, i was like "holy #$%%", and just let myself slide on the chair slowly


 
   
   
  i love that feeling.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> I'd like to thank everyone who recommended the VTI rack and Poang chair. I love my new setup.


 
   
  Lovely simple setup there.


----------



## Windsor

I had an idea to switch from listening to music at the computer in audio file format to mainly CDs for a while, so last night I changed my rig and created this simple setup.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Probably around mid-fi, but i just i want to be part of the fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Sound Blaster X-Fi HD > Grado SR60i


 
   
  I have yet to find another headphone that I _enjoy _as much as the SR60


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I have yet to find another headphone that I _enjoy _as much as the SR60


 
   
  The SR60i is my true audiophile headphone, so i don't really have a large base to compare, but i really freakin love it. I even love the totally bad-and-cheesy-designed box it came in.


----------



## qohelet

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> I'd like to thank everyone who recommended the VTI rack and Poang chair. I love my new setup.


 
   
  No offense... i feel like someone is gonna be on the electric chair... that tube amp is creepy looking..


----------



## qohelet

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Probably around mid-fi, but i just i want to be part of the fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Sound Blaster X-Fi HD > Grado SR60i


 
   

 Very nice headphone! How's the sound quality of this? does it need an amp? hows the portability? planning to buy one to add on my collection of hp.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> The SR60i is my true audiophile headphone, so i don't really have a large base to compare, but i really freakin love it. I even love the totally bad-and-cheesy-designed box it came in.


 
   
  As you can see in my signature, the first time I heard the Grado 80s I could not believe how much I loved them. I know the 60s are nearly identical, so I fully understand why you enjoy them so much. For $79 and $99 respectively, they offer a whole lot of great sound for not a lot of money. I've since upgraded to 325s, but not going to ever sell my 80s.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> The SR60i is my true audiophile headphone, so i don't really have a large base to compare, but i really freakin love it. I even love the totally bad-and-cheesy-designed box it came in.


 
   

 I could easily live with the SR60i or SR80i as my only headphone.  If no other Grado existed and these were sold for $500, i bet there would still be a huge following.


----------



## Draygonn

destroysall said:


> Cozy looking setup.  Are the Poang chairs really comfortable?



I'm 5'8" and it is the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. Tall people should probably look elsewhere.


qohelet said:


> No offense... i feel like someone is gonna be on the electric chair... that tube amp is creepy looking..



Haha, you reminded me of The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix. A wet sponge and an electrostat rig might just end up that way 



silent one said:


> Well, that was quick! Glad it worked out for you, Draygonn. I still need to save up for my small VTI rack. Cannot make out the book's title.




The book is so big it needs it's own pedestal. I'm glad I finally have a good place to read it. The two 7" shelves are used as a TV stand. Since the rack is so open I will have to do some better cable management to hide the DirecTV wires. The shelves are so beautiful, sometimes I stare at them instead of the screen. Next step, Deuvel Planets.
 



manveru said:


> Gorgeous.





windsor said:


> Lovely simple setup there.



Thanks guys. I'm on cloud 9.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Better picture of my rig


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks for reminding me I need to sell my XDA-1. 
   
  Nice picture, by the way.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Thanks for reminding me I need to sell my XDA-1.
> 
> Nice picture, by the way.


 
   
  @MorbidToaster
   
  I'm thinking the same thing.  What are you thinking of upgrading to?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have a Calyx 24/192 DAC already. My XDA-1 is just a pre-amp at the moment so I'm going to get a USP-1 pre and do away with the XDA-1 so I can use my Calyx DAC with my 2ch rig. 
   
  I wish Emotiva would just put out their Balanced Pre already. They've been talking about it for years and it's still not here.
   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *qohelet* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> No offense... i feel like someone is gonna be on the electric chair... that tube amp is creepy looking..


 
   
  You've never seen a Bottlehead Crack before? I want one desperately...


----------



## brokenthumb

Here's my little corner.  E7 feeding the Burson HA-160 to HD650.  Planning a dac upgrade soon.  Grado SR80i's also laying on the desk and a Music Hall MMF 2.2 to the left.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Here's my little corner.  E7 feeding the Burson HA-160 to HD650.  Planning a dac upgrade soon.  Grado SR80i's also laying on the desk and a Music Hall MMF 2.2 to the left.


 
   
  The way you used the corner of your room is Wow...


----------



## AuralRelations

Post more pics of that gorgeous turntable, brokenthumb!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> I'm 5'8" and it is the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. Tall people should probably look elsewhere.


 
  Lol, is 6'2" tall?


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Post more pics of that gorgeous turntable, brokenthumb!


 
   
  Done!


----------



## Maxvla

brokenthumb said:


> Done!



Magical levitating turntable!


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Here's my little corner.  E7 feeding the Burson HA-160 to HD650.  Planning a dac upgrade soon.  Grado SR80i's also laying on the desk and a Music Hall MMF 2.2 to the left.


 
   
  Just amazing. I'm now using the HD650 box just like you


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> Just amazing. I'm now using the HD650 box just like you


 
   

 Yeah it works great.  Until I buy a headphone stand I feel safer putting it in the box to avoid any paint chipping.


----------



## Tilpo

brokenthumb said:


> Yeah it works great.  Until I buy a headphone stand I feel safer putting it in the box to avoid any paint chipping.




I use a headphone stand, and yet the paint does chip a bit. It's almost unavoidable it seems.


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I use a headphone stand, and yet the paint does chip a bit. It's almost unavoidable it seems.


 
   
  IIRC the paint chipping is more due to stretching of the headband than letting it lay on a surface. I've had my HD650 for 3 years having bought them used, and used them without a stand for 2 years. No chipping of any sort.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





logwed said:


> IIRC the paint chipping is more due to stretching of the headband than letting it lay on a surface. I've had my HD650 for 3 years having bought them used, and used them without a stand for 2 years. No chipping of any sort.


 
   
  +1
   
  The paint is more rigid than the underlying base. If the base/headband flexes too much, the paint chips off rather than bending.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> +1
> 
> The paint is more rigid than the underlying base. If the base/headband flexes too much, the paint chips off rather than bending.


 
   

 That's great to know.  I always thought it was from being put down or picked up off a desk or maybe them sliding around on a surface.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Hey, brokenthumb,

 Nice setup you there, and amazing way to use the corner space.

 What are those things behind your display? Some sort of organizer? 

 And i HOLY JESUS ON A STICK, that's one beautiful TD you got there. Is that a transparent vinyl?


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Hey, brokenthumb,
> 
> Nice setup you there, and amazing way to use the corner space.
> 
> ...


 
   

 Thanks!  The silver things are made onto the desk and they swing 360 degrees, so I can position them wherever.  They came with those little storage trays that attach to them.
  Yeah that's a transparent vinyl of _Florence + the Machine Morning Becomes Eclectic_.  The acrylic platter is really cool b/c if you put a colored vinyl on it then platter seems to glow that color also.  I guess it's the light I have over the turntable that shines on it making it sort of glow the color.  I've got some Clear, Red, Blue, Orange and Yellow vinyl.  The Orange is from No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom and looks sick, it's transparent Orange!


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Colored vinyl is among the most beautiful things that man can lay it's hands on. I trully envy you, brokenthumb.

 I imagine if someone could do a mod to a turntable, add some LEDs to it, inside the platter somehow, and the thing would backlit the transparent vinyl while it spins, i mean, JUST IMAGINE THAT.

 I get carried away too easily.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Sounds like you need some Coke Bottle vinyl (Disturbed Sickness 10 year), purple (color purple ost), maybe some white...


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Sounds like you need some Coke Bottle vinyl (Disturbed Sickness 10 year), purple (color purple ost), maybe some white...


 
   
  I had to google this coke bottle vinyl thing. It's freakin beautiful.


----------



## MorbidToaster

processjunkie said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The Coke Bottle is probably my favorite. Purple and Blue probably tie for second. Green is another good one. Then again...Colored vinyl is just sexy.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The Coke Bottle is probably my favorite. Purple and Blue probably tie for second. Green is another good one. Then again...Colored vinyl is just sexy.


 
   
  I just recently got into vinyl, i made my first purchase a few days back (Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues, double heavy vinyl), i don't even have a TD yet. I feel kinda silly saying this, but i think you guys headfiers will understand my disease.

 i'm currently drolling for this:


----------



## AuralRelations

Your mmf 2.2 is beautiful, brokenthumb! My humble Technics is no match for sexiness but it sounds pretty damn good. I just received my KAB TD-1200 damper. I am convinced tone arm fluid damping is a gift from the gods... I shall post pictures in a bit.


----------



## AuralRelations

Not quite the looker but I lover her just the same. Had to show off my new Bill Evans 10" I got on Record Store Day!


----------



## scud80

that's a nice looking piece of vinyl there.  i got a small stack of stuff on record store day too (in line at 6:45am woo!) ... the problem is that i sold my turntable the day before.  i also had an m3d, but decided that i want to try a belt drive instead.  i'm getting one of the new pro-ject debut carbon tables once they start shipping, so i'm sans-table for a few weeks.


----------



## AuralRelations

Quote: 





scud80 said:


> that's a nice looking piece of vinyl there.  i got a small stack of stuff on record store day too (in line at 6:45am woo!) ... the problem is that i sold my turntable the day before.  i also had an m3d, but decided that i want to try a belt drive instead.  i'm getting one of the new pro-ject debut carbon tables once they start shipping, so i'm sans-table for a few weeks.


 
   
  Let us know how the new Pro-ject compares to your old MD3. I love the simplicity and ease of use of the SL-1200 line. Changing VTA on the fly awesome!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Interested to hear about the Carbon as I'm looking into getting it as a table in between buying my Nottingham. 
   
  Quote: 





scud80 said:


> that's a nice looking piece of vinyl there.  i got a small stack of stuff on record store day too (in line at 6:45am woo!) ... the problem is that i sold my turntable the day before.  i also had an m3d, but decided that i want to try a belt drive instead.  i'm getting one of the new pro-ject debut carbon tables once they start shipping, so i'm sans-table for a few weeks.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Got the Rain Design stand in today. Really streamlines the set up.


----------



## Maxvla

Now it's time to get you a proper camera.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had a D5100 for awhile but sold it to fund more audio gear. 
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Now it's time to get you a proper camera.


----------



## Tilpo

@AuralRelations

Nice record. I personally love Bill Evans, one of the best Jazz pianists.


----------



## BradleyC

Here is my workplace rig assembled with the help of much head-fi lurking.  HD650 and Nuforce HDP for when I am sitting at the desk (connected via USB to a computer running iTunes and Spotify, and toslink to a Pure i20 dock).  SR60i (my first foray into Grados, purchased last week) and SE210s for when I'm working in the lab (or want a change of style).  And a Fiio E11 (also purchased last week) connected to an ipod classic for portable use.

  (and yes my cell phone camera is terrible)


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





bradleyc said:


> Here is my workplace rig assembled with the help of much head-fi lurking.  HD650 and Nuforce HDP for when I am sitting at the desk (connected via USB to a computer running iTunes and Spotify, and toslink to a Pure i20 dock).  SR60i (my first foray into Grados, purchased last week) and SE210s for when I'm working in the lab (or want a change of style).  And a Fiio E11 (also purchased last week) connected to an ipod classic for portable use.


 
   
  Great choice on the Pure i20 dock...I use that thing all the time...I love having it around. Welcome to the Grado club, btw...the 60s and 80s are two of the craziest values in audio!


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





focker said:


> Great choice on the Pure i20 dock...I use that thing all the time...I love having it around. Welcome to the Grado club, btw...*the 60s and 80s are two of the craziest values in audio!*


 
   
  +1 GAZILLION


----------



## Austin Morrow

Been messing 'round with the Valhalla & X-DAC.


----------



## Focker

Very nice, Austin...those balanced cables look fantastic. Who did those? ALO?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





focker said:


> Very nice, Austin...those balanced cables look fantastic. Who did those? ALO?


 
   
  Custom made from Whiplash Audio. They're on par (and if not better) with ALO's cables, pretty darn cool.


----------



## rawrster

Those cables look so sweet. I love the look of aftermarket cables although they are definitely on the expensive side which is one thing holding me back from any aftermarket cable.


----------



## MorbidToaster

There are a lot of companies driving prices down on great quality aftermarket cables. My favorite that I've used is my Q Cable. Practically weightless, flexible, customizable, and with a lot of color options. Plus, I've never had customer service as good as Steve's. 
   
  Depending on how long you need them to be they can be quite affordable.
   
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Those cables look so sweet. I love the look of aftermarket cables although they are definitely on the expensive side which is one thing holding me back from any aftermarket cable.


----------



## WayTooCrazy

Quote: 





focker said:


> btw...the 60s and 80s are two of the craziest values in audio!


 
   
  Have to agree... too bad I sold mine.  May have to get another pair to Mod and keep!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





waytoocrazy said:


> Have to agree... too bad I sold mine.  May have to get another pair to Mod and keep!


 
   

 I know Grados aren't for everyone, but considering a pair of SR60s is like $79, it's one of the biggest no-brainers in audio, IMO. Im biased since I really love Grados, but when I first started up with this side of the hobby a few months ago, I was just buying a handful of headphones from some of the leading companies that were under $100. Even if someone doesn't care for the higher end Grados, it's really hard to find a better performer for $79.
   
  This thread is awesome...I am really loving seeing pics of everyones headphone rigs. Good stuff!!


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There are a lot of companies driving prices down on great quality aftermarket cables. My favorite that I've used is my Q Cable. Practically weightless, flexible, customizable, and with a lot of color options. Plus, I've never had customer service as good as Steve's.
> 
> Depending on how long you need them to be they can be quite affordable.


 
   
  They are cheaper than they used to be but it's still a bit of an investment when they are mostly for looks and build quality.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Of course...
   
  I bought mine because I wanted a longer, more flexible, less microphonic cable. I'm considering a second one (silver) to try a new flavor and to get one a bit shorter depending on my needs. One long and one short would be nice sometimes.
   
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Makiah S

Here ya go, not the best Set Up in the world but until I get some Fincial Aid checks [or a job] it's the best I got :3


----------



## scud80

I was planning to be able to post an update with some new LCD-2s soon, but then Zu put their Omen speakers on sale for close to half off just for this week so I'm getting a pair of those instead.  LCD-2 to come after selling off some gear!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> Here ya go, not the best Set Up in the world but until I get some Fincial Aid checks [or a job] it's the best I got :3


 
   
>blowing financial aid checks on headphones
>ISHYGDDT


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> >blowing financial aid checks on headphones
> >ISHYGDDT


 
  Yea, tha'ts a prety Ishigitty digtty doo worthy statement.


----------



## WayTooCrazy

As long as they are aware that they'll be paying that back @ 3 x it's worth (imagine a $200 ipod costing you well over $800 or more)... then it's your money...


----------



## BradleyC

Quote: 





focker said:


> I know Grados aren't for everyone, but considering a pair of SR60s is like $79, it's one of the biggest no-brainers in audio, IMO. Im biased since I really love Grados, but when I first started up with this side of the hobby a few months ago, I was just buying a handful of headphones from some of the leading companies that were under $100. Even if someone doesn't care for the higher end Grados, it's really hard to find a better performer for $79.
> 
> This thread is awesome...I am really loving seeing pics of everyones headphone rigs. Good stuff!!


 
  The Grado SR60i sound is a huge difference from my beloved HD650s.  But that's what I find to be the most fun aspect of headphones, It is much more affordable (and space efficient) to buy multiple sets of headphones than speakers... The SR60s are absolutely amazing for $79, and I am really enjoying them with rock music in particular.  The E11 is a little warmer than my HDP and ipod headphone out, and I find it compliments the SR60 very well for my tastes.  The only problem is now I want to explore the higher end Grados (just as I have climbed up the Sennheiser product line over the years)...  Sorry about the wallet is right....


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





waytoocrazy said:


> As long as they are aware that they'll be paying that back @ 3 x it's worth (imagine a $200 ipod costing you well over $800 or more)... then it's your money...


 
   
  I used reimbursement for pay for my LCD-2s because it's money that I otherwise don't use at all.  Yay grants!


----------



## Pr0fessiona1

Here is mine. Older Technics su-g91 amp for the Polk speakers. Denon dcd-660 cd player tucked away in the right corner behind the Bottlehead crack with speedball feeding the HD-650s. With signal coming from the Emotiva xda-1 which is fed via optical out of my desktop. Sound is really nice trying to decide what the next upgrade is gonna be. Maybe Cables for the 650's and some decent interconnects? Or perhaps some new tubes?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





bradleyc said:


> The Grado SR60i sound is a huge difference from my beloved HD650s.  But that's what I find to be the most fun aspect of headphones, It is much more affordable (and space efficient) to buy multiple sets of headphones than speakers... The SR60s are absolutely amazing for $79, and I am really enjoying them with rock music in particular.  The E11 is a little warmer than my HDP and ipod headphone out, and I find it compliments the SR60 very well for my tastes.  The only problem is now I want to explore the higher end Grados (just as I have climbed up the Sennheiser product line over the years)...  Sorry about the wallet is right....


 
   
  Well said. I remember back in November when I frst started taking interest, I was really beating myself up trying to figure out which headphones to buy. With speakers and home audio gear, I tend to keep my stuff far longer than most , and I was looking at headphones the same way I do speakers. I figured I'd make a decision and then keep them for years lol. Thankfully I found head-fi, and I started to realize exactly what you just said - that the whole idea of having fun is trying out all sorts of different cans and having a few of them around for variation. As much as I've come to love Grados, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun if I didn't have some Beyerdynamic headphones around, too.


----------



## choC.

*My Setup:* Xonar Essence STX -> Matrix M-Stage -> HiFiMAN HE-400


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really like the blue. How're you liking them? I haven't read too many impressions on the 400.


----------



## Makiah S

Oh please I mean scholarships not Grants -.- the kind of scholarship where you get a check at some ceremony and that's the end of it there's no paying back since they are awarded for good grades and well written essays... still nice Seinfeld reference, although it seems I was being made fun of... George's face made it worth while! But seriously the community college is dirt cheap so every one usually waste there "scholarships" on party'n but I'd rather save mine for cans, and gas money e.e


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Damn, that blue led really goes along with the blue details on the HE-400. Nice looking setup, i bet it sounds as good.


----------



## choC.

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I really like the blue. How're you liking them? I haven't read too many impressions on the 400.


 
   
  Absolutely in love with them.
   
  Outstanding sound stage, resolution, pace and detail - they really sound great with any genre.


----------



## MorbidToaster

choc. said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The HE500 was a fantastic all rounder too. I wish I'd held on to it sometimes.


----------



## choC.

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The HE500 was a fantastic all rounder too. I wish I'd held on to it sometimes.


 
   
  Any reason you let them go apart from $$?


----------



## MorbidToaster

choc. said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I had decided the LCD 2 was the can for me and while I'd make that choice again there are times I feel the HE500 would be better suited for what I was listening to.

At their new price (I bought them first run at 1k) I could see myself owning them again someday.


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I had decided the LCD 2 was the can for me and while I'd make that choice again there are times I feel the HE500 would be better suited for what I was listening to.
> At their new price (I bought them first run at 1k) I could see myself owning them again someday.


 
   
  I'm considering the HE-500 for my next major can upgrade based on what I've read (and it's pricetag. Expensive, but seems to be a good value considering the 1k+ cans). What's your take on the sound signature compared to the LCD2? I have heard the LCDs, but not the HiFiMans (yet).


----------



## MorbidToaster

coolzo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Soundstage is better on the HE500. Upper end detail is more apparent. Mids feel a little less natural but not in a bad way. The mids come down to preference really. The LCD 2 bests them in bass texture by quite a bit, but that's their strength.

HE500s are more comfortable while still being heavy but neither really gave me a problem there. 

In short the HE500 feels less natural and more airy than the LCD 2. Either is a great choice though. Both improve quite a bit with better gear (as most orthos do).


----------



## Coolzo

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Soundstage is better on the HE500. Upper end detail is more apparent. Mids feel a little less natural but not in a bad way. The mids come down to preference really. The LCD 2 bests them in bass texture by quite a bit, but that's their strength.
> HE500s are more comfortable while still being heavy but neither really gave me a problem there.
> In short the HE500 feels less natural and more airy than the LCD 2. Either is a great choice though. Both improve quite a bit with better gear (as most orthos do).


 
   
  Hmm, I'm torn... well, I'll have plenty of time to think about it until I actually have that kind of cash laying around. Thanks for your impression MT!


----------



## Silent One

Added new 4" Maple platform underneath OTL amp - TS-BGRP VT-231; TS-5998's; USAF-596.


----------



## .Sup

Looks nice Silent One. What do these platforms do?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Looks nice Silent One. What do these platforms do?


 
   
  They allow one to chop broccoli whilst listening to The Hungarian Suicide Song.
   
  (ask if you don't get the reference due to obscurity).


----------



## Tilpo

obzilla said:


> They allow one to chop broccoli whilst listening to The Hungarian Suicide Song.
> 
> (ask if you don't get the reference due to obscurity).




I feel proud for understanding that reference. 
It's mainly because Venetian Snares made a cover of it, though.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Looks nice Silent One. What do these platforms do?


 
   
  Thanks, .Sup! The Maple platforms resonate. The components above it usually have internal vibrations. The platforms are part of a system to receive that unwanted energy, serving as a sink (reservoir). The Black Isoblocks underneath each corner is designed to keep energy (vibrations) from entering the component from the ground via the platform the component sits on.
   
  The transformation for me, what I noticed immediately was the opening of the middle in my sound signature. The change largely emphasized the mid-range, while maintaining or shoring up the Bass (with the right materials used as footers/spikes/platforms). I've still some tweaking to do, but it was like being inside a roadster with the windows down and removing the T-tops. Short of a Drop-top convertible but much more wide open than before.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> They allow one to chop broccoli whilst listening to The Hungarian Suicide Song.
> 
> (ask if you don't get the reference due to obscurity).


 
   
  Ok, we're asking. Sunrise is coming shortly and I'm thinking waffles & pure Canadian Maple syrup not veggies... and suicides.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I feel proud for understanding that reference.
> It's mainly because Venetian Snares made a cover of it, though.


 
   
  Since I haven't heard of Venetian Snares 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





...


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> Ok, we're asking. Sunrise is coming shortly and I'm thinking waffles & pure Canadian Maple syrup not veggies... and suicides.




But it's such a beautiful song to chop broccoli to

[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAzJ_7CeWbc[/VIDEO]


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Ok, we're asking. Sunrise is coming shortly and I'm thinking waffles & pure Canadian Maple syrup not veggies... and suicides.


 
   




   
  Well, they basically look like giant cutting boards. Regardless of perceived sonic benefits, they look like big kitchen cutting boards. So what pun could be made with music and cutting boards?
   
  The famous SNL skit with Dana Carvey, a ridiculous song called "Chopping Broccoli".
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRW27fyvwCs
   
  Which uses the score from a song called "Hungarian Suicide Song" by composer Rezso Seress.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WBZwLkvpFI
   
  Hence when asked "what do they do?", they let you chop broccoli while listening to Hungarian Suicide Song.
   
  Jokes lose all impact when spelled out, but there you go.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Well, they basically look like giant cutting boards. Regardless of perceived sonic benefits, they look like big kitchen cutting boards. So what pun could be made with music and cutting boards?
> 
> The famous SNL skit with Dana Carvey, a ridiculous song called "Chopping Broccoli".
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRW27fyvwCs
> ...


 
   
  I appreciate it. At least you didn't leave me in the dark... and silent. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Headed into the kitchen for breakfast now. will return and watch/listen to the material you and Tilpo left for me... thanks!


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Looks nice Silent One. What do these platforms do?


 
   
  Dampen vibrations - as would any heavy (relatively stable) material (many people use sand filled hollow platforms) - the isoblocks help as well. Whether that makes any difference for this kind of equipment is another question. 
   
  Mostly I see value in this only for turntables.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Dampen vibrations - as would any heavy (relatively stable) material - the isoblocks help as well. Whether that makes any difference for this kind of equipment is another question.
> 
> Mostly I see value in this only for turntables.


 
  Maple blocks also make your solid state components look classier.  Although Caribbean Rosewood might be optimum for that.


----------



## MorbidToaster

liamstrain said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Turntables, CD players and tube amps are supposedly the most susceptable. I'll be experimenting with granite soon for a few components but I'm definitely a 'believe it when I hear it' guy.

Makes perfect sense for a turntable though. The mapleshade platforms are.fairly cheap.and gorgeous though. I could see myself classin' it up with one once I get my Nottingham.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The mapleshade platforms are.fairly cheap.and gorgeous though. I could see myself classin' it up with one once I get my Nottingham.


 
   
  They sure are. I had some speaker plinths a few years ago...unbelievable quality. I find Pierry Sprrey one of the most interesting people in audio...I talk to him every so often, and I will try any suggestion he makes. He's easily one of the sharpest people I've ever met. And if  you ever want a true reference recording, pick up some Mapleshade recordings...WOW, it's unreal how good CD quality can be when the proper time is taken to set up the recording environment. There is a sampler CD they sell that I recommend  highly. My personal favorite artist would be the ARC Choir. I love listening to them perform.


----------



## hodgjy

Some new toys for my rig.  Since last time, I added a new laptop computer and ripped my CDs to lossless.  Added a V-DAC II to round out the collection.  The Trafomatic has never sounded better.
   
  Edit: not sure why the preview is fuzzy, but the image is clear when you click on it.


----------



## Silent One

Beautifully presented, hodgjy.


----------



## hodgjy

Thank you! More importantly, it sounds wonderful. 



silent one said:


> Beautifully presented, hodgjy.


----------



## wdahm519

Does the harddisk on your laptop spinning up cause some noise in that source that your computer is sitting on?


----------



## TWIFOSP

Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


----------



## liamstrain

Noice. Some very interesting gear... Sony CD-3000's on the shelf next to the Lyr?


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





twifosp said:


> Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


 
   
  Congrats, that setup looks nothing short of amazing.


----------



## TWIFOSP

Yup.  Still one of my favorite cans.  The sound stage is amazing.
   
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Noice. Some very interesting gear... Sony CD-3000's on the shelf next to the Lyr?


----------



## hodgjy

It might, so I'll have to find out. I just put that setup together today for the first time. I don't plan on using the cd player when the computer is there and vice versa, so even if it did make noise, it won't be an issue.



wdahm519 said:


> Does the harddisk on your laptop spinning up cause some noise in that source that your computer is sitting on?


----------



## peck1234




----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





twifosp said:


> Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


 
   
  SPL Phonitor, Audeze LCD-2, HD800 Lavry DA11, Schiit Lyr and Bifrost, Sony CD3000 and that device next to the Lyr/Bifrost stack.  You've pretty much got it covered.
 Very impressive set-up, to say the least.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





twifosp said:


> Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


 
   
  Great! But I kind of was hoping to get a shot of the Cello 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





... still audio!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


>


 
  Bose 301!? Blasphemy!


----------



## indydieselnut

I've been working to get everything organized as I've been very pleased with the sound of my system.  I ended up sourcing some beautiful curly maple for the top of my SA8004 and to support my WA6-SE.  Light oil finish with some paste wax to finish.  People can say what they will, I've always needed my setup to be well organized to enjoy it fully.  Beautiful systems on here...keep them coming!  Looks like I spotted a fellow cellist a few posts up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  We could start a cello-fi thread...


----------



## DNZGamer

I love the design and color of that corner! Textured walls too. Very clean audio setup. Would be worried about an earthquake smashing everything down on it though with those narrow and high wall shelves.
  Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Here's my little corner.  E7 feeding the Burson HA-160 to HD650.  Planning a dac upgrade soon.  Grado SR80i's also laying on the desk and a Music Hall MMF 2.2 to the left.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice to see another SA8004 in the mix. Mine might be for sale, but it's still a fantastic player. I personally love the way it looks...They did a good job with this generation of components.


----------



## johnman1116

Quote: 





dnzgamer said:


> I love the design and color of that corner! Textured walls too. Very clean audio setup. *Would be worried about an earthquake smashing everything down on it though with those narrow and high wall shelves.*


 
   
  LOL!


----------



## feigeibomber

Testing out my new Burson Audio HA-160D..


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Testing out my new Burson Audio HA-160D..


 
   
  I'll bet that sounds fantastic. But seriously, how well do the Apple buds scale up on the Burson?


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'll bet that sounds fantastic. But seriously, how well do the Apple buds scale up on the Burson?


 
   
 Best thing i've ever heard.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Best thing i've ever heard.


 
   
  Yeah, I've heard that they have really great synergy. The Burson helps fill out the bass.


----------



## akwok

Got the SR-009s today.  This will probably be the last shot I'll take of these three headphones -- while I really like the HD800 and SR-007, it's pointless to keep them since the SR-009 just sounds plain better than either.


----------



## R_burke

Thunderpants TP-1, WOO Audio WA2


----------



## wdahm519

What are those Manley's powering?


----------



## devouringone3

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got the SR-009s today.  This will probably be the last shot I'll take of these three headphones -- while I really like the HD800 and SR-007, it's pointless to keep them since the SR-009 just sounds plain better than either.


 
   
  Nice Majestouch Ninja with KBC-PBT white engraved key caps ^^;
   
  Exactly the reason why I decided to never buy a end-game Stax flagship headphone, to never end the game. I just removed SR009 from my buy... *dream list, because it would defeat the purpose of owning other inferior headphones I've amassed, which I already like thank you.
   
  Since I've bought a Grado HP-2 I just don't listen to my other Grados anymore.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got the SR-009s today.  This will probably be the last shot I'll take of these three headphones -- while I really like the HD800 and SR-007, it's pointless to keep them since the SR-009 just sounds plain better than either.


 
   

 next to those Stax cans, the HD800 look hideously out of place
  nice setup


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





indydieselnut said:


> I've been working to get everything organized as I've been very pleased with the sound of my system.  I ended up sourcing some beautiful curly maple for the top of my SA8004 and to support my WA6-SE.  Light oil finish with some paste wax to finish.  People can say what they will, I've always needed my setup to be well organized to enjoy it fully.  Beautiful systems on here...keep them coming!  Looks like I spotted a fellow cellist a few posts up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Absolutely adore the Maple treatment, indydieselnut. Yes, I spotted your peer at the top of these pages. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You ever gig at the Indiana Opera House? I understand they have really fine acoustics. I believe my "Starker Plays Baker" DVD was recorder there. However, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm unable to spy the French bubbly sitting in the background.


----------



## Maxvla

bee inthe attic said:


> next to those Stax cans, the HD800 look hideously out of place
> nice setup




I beg to differ.


----------



## Tilpo

akwok said:


> Got the SR-009s today.  This will probably be the last shot I'll take of these three headphones -- while I really like the HD800 and SR-007, it's pointless to keep them since the SR-009 just sounds plain better than either.




Ah, I so wish that was my setup.

Guess I've still got a long ways to go.


----------



## detoxguy

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> What are those Manley's powering?


 
   
  speakers.


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> next to those Stax cans, the HD800 look hideously out of place
> nice setup


 
   
  They all look good to me.. nice stuff Bee


----------



## jpierson

My setup, which occasionally has headphones plugged into it.......


----------



## Jakuthu

I wish I was rich like you guys.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





jakuthu said:


> I wish I was rich like you guys.


 
   
  I think some people just prioritize a little differently.


----------



## theRunawayV

Sorry for the bad quality, but what I'm currently running is: Marantz 2252b --> Project debut III turntable ---> Grado SR60i Thinking about buying a pair of Sennheiser HD600's. Anyone have any experience/suggestions about the integrated amp being able to drive those Senn's?


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





dnzgamer said:


> I love the design and color of that corner! Textured walls too. Very clean audio setup. Would be worried about an earthquake smashing everything down on it though with those narrow and high wall shelves.


 
   
  It's not earthquakes we worry about here, it's a Tornado or Hurricane you need to look out for!


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





therunawayv said:


> Sorry for the bad quality, but what I'm currently running is: Marantz 2252b --> Project debut III turntable ---> Grado SR60i Thinking about buying a pair of Sennheiser HD600's. Anyone have any experience/suggestions about the integrated amp being able to drive those Senn's?


 
   
  I bet that setup sounds sweet especially with older original vinyl.  Grado and Vinyl go really well together.


----------



## olddtfan

The reciver will drive them just fine.


----------



## theRunawayV

Quote: 





olddtfan said:


> The reciver will drive them just fine.


 
   
  Sweet, thanks for the input!
   
  Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> I bet that setup sounds sweet especially with older original vinyl.  Grado and Vinyl go really well together.


 
   
  Yes, it's very warm and crisp sounding. Do you know how well Sennheiser handles vinyl?


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





therunawayv said:


> Do you know how well Sennheiser handles vinyl?


 
   
  Just fine. The 600s's handle pretty much everything nicely.


----------



## MohawkUS

therunawayv said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Sennheiser and Grado are like polar opposites sound wise, make sure that's what you want before you buy. Otherwise you might just want to try a higher end Grado. 
 Vintage amps can be quite good for headphones, my Sherwood S-7210A was able to best my old Burson 160DS for not even 1/10th the price. The only real issues you come in contact with would be impedance mismatches. That only really would come up with low-impedance phones like your Grados though, if those sound fine then I don't think you'll have any worries. You can usually tell if you're having impedance problems because the bass will sound 'un-natural', if you had that problem you'd pick up on it rather quick.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quick shot from my iPhone. On Tapatalk. Didn't feel like getting out the Nikon.

Looks like I'll be inputting a different image...


----------



## Tilpo

Please get out the Nikon. 

This image is horrible in comparison to you usual pictures.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I need one of those sexy yetis...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





r_burke said:


> Thunderpants TP-1, WOO Audio WA2


 
   
  Great nook! I really enjoy the way everything is neatly nestled into it. This could also be the very reason why I missed it yesterday, while flying through Head-Fi space!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Please get out the Nikon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah, I'll redo that in a few minutes. My bad...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Here you go with the Nikon. HA-160DS - Toxic Cables SPC - HD650. I should have my Burson HA-160 + DA-160 combo here soon and may upgrade to an LCD-2 Rev. 2 sometime in the near future. For now, I'll stick with my HD650's.


----------



## hodgjy

Crop that bottom left corner out, or reshoot it with the table's edge causing a distraction, and you've got one brilliant photo!
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Here you go with the Nikon. HA-160DS - Toxic Cables SPC - HD650. I should have my Burson HA-160 + DA-160 combo here soon and may upgrade to an LCD-2 Rev. 2 sometime in the near future. For now, I'll stick with my HD650's.


----------



## theRunawayV

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> Sennheiser and Grado are like polar opposites sound wise, make sure that's what you want before you buy. Otherwise you might just want to try a higher end Grado.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah, I figured the Senn's would have a very different sound signature. I have thought about just upgrading to some 325i's or even the RS1's but I find that I haven't been listening to much metal or hard rock lately (why I bought the Grado's). I've been listening to stuff like Sigur Ros - more laid back. Plus I wanted to hear something different than the Grado's. I'll most likely audition before I buy, though.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





twifosp said:


> Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


 
   
  Nice looking rig.


----------



## DNZGamer

Thanks for making everyone feel inadequate, akwok!
  Quote: 





akwok said:


> Got the SR-009s today.  This will probably be the last shot I'll take of these three headphones -- while I really like the HD800 and SR-007, it's pointless to keep them since the SR-009 just sounds plain better than either.


----------



## Kremer930

jpierson said:


> My setup, which occasionally has headphones plugged into it.......




Great looking rig. Do the VU meters become distracting whilst watching movies? I have always had a soft spot for those amps. Absolutely classic look.


----------



## Maxvla

You can turn them down or off if you want to.


----------



## jpierson

Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Great looking rig. Do the VU meters become distracting whilst watching movies? I have always had a soft spot for those amps. Absolutely classic look.


 
   
  I've never found them distracting.


----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup, which occasionally has headphones plugged into it.......


 
   
  Gooner?


----------



## jpierson

ocswing said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Hahaha. No. Just great to have on with music in the background.


----------



## MorbidToaster

What speaker cables are you running? They look hardcore. Why so long though?


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


twifosp said:


> Got new shelves and rearranged my office today:


 

 Nice setup! Is that an SPL Phonitor? How do you like it, does the crossfeed make a notable difference compared to a "regular" headphone amp? Tried it with the LCDs, any impressions? Cheers!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





therunawayv said:


> Sorry for the bad quality, but what I'm currently running is: Marantz 2252b --> Project debut III turntable ---> Grado SR60i Thinking about buying a pair of Sennheiser HD600's. *Anyone have any experience/suggestions about the integrated amp being able to drive those Senn's?*


 
   
  The HD580/HD600 is relatively easy to drive. They sound good with my receiver or from the headphone jack on my Sony CDP-211, although they sound even better with tube amps like the Little Dot MKIII. I find they compliment the SR60 very nicely (and are much more comfortable). I would always recommend trying them out first before buying, but I think you'll like them.
   
  Very nice turntable btw. Ditto for the receiver._ _I've always loved the look of the old Marantz and Pioneer receivers.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup, which occasionally has headphones plugged into it.......


 
   
  Is that a McIntosh preamp I see?


----------



## Tilpo

therunawayv said:


> Sorry for the bad quality, but what I'm currently running is: Marantz 2252b --> Project debut III turntable ---> Grado SR60i Thinking about buying a pair of Sennheiser HD600's. Anyone have any experience/suggestions about the integrated amp being able to drive those Senn's?



If it drives the SR60i well, then it will most likely drive the HD600's even better. 
Most receivers like that tend to have high impedance outputs on the headphone jacks. This usually means they can drive high impedance headphones better than low impedance ones. Since the SR60i is of lower impedance, I think it'll drive the HD600's just fine. 

I couldn't find the exact specs of the headphone output, but the manual does say "It [the headphone jack] is internally connected to the power amplifier section through isolation resistors to provide adequate sound level...".
This confirms the high output impedance of the amp, and also means it should have plenty power for the HD600's.

Also, what volume settings are you using when playing through the SR60's?


----------



## MorbidToaster

calipilot227 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hard to miss the meters. I noticed the speakers first, myself.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Rearranged the furniture again. Going to need to buy that next set of VTI shelves sooner rather than later. Popped that Crown preamp into the mix which means I can finally hear my Calyx DAC in my 2ch rig. 
   
  Oh, and don't worry. the LF isn't directly on the carpet. 
   
  Lately I've been running completely computer based. I'm controlling the iMac via screen sharing from my MBP. Hopefully I'll end up with a Mac Mini and mainly controlling it via iPad. 
   
  Audirvana Plus has been fantastic lately. Finally found a software I can settle down with. Works flawlessly with iTunes integration which means it will also work perfectly via the iTunes Remote app.


----------



## darren700

wow that looks awesome morbid! great job.


----------



## jpierson

morbidtoaster said:


> What speaker cables are you running? They look hardcore. Why so long though?




Straight Wire. I used to have the system in another room and had the components off to the side instead of the middle. 


It's a MA6300 integrated and a MCD201.


----------



## hodgjy

X2
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> wow that looks awesome morbid! great job.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> wow that looks awesome morbid! great job.


 
   
  Agreed. 
   
  Now hang up that artwork.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks all.
   
  Unfortunately I've had that thing on the floor for months now and have either not had a place for it (which I do now), or been too close to moving to a new place (which is what's going on now). 
   
  It's an original done by a family friend that I'm very proud to own and it will be on the wall at the new place. 
   
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup, which occasionally has headphones plugged into it.......


 
   
  woah! nice you have some B&W 704,s i was really wanting to lean to these but my budget would not allow it, but they really are good looking  i currently have some b&w p5,s which are great and look nice as well, hope you are enjoy them


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote:  
   
  How are the MMGs?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Still goin' strong. 
   
  They sound pretty great but I'm still curious about other speakers. I definitely see myself upgrading by early next year but I like the Maggie sound. They do take up a lot of space though and unless I move to a bigger place I might have to cross them off the list for apartment living.
   
  All that being said they sound great with anything I've thrown at them so far. The bass is satisfying enough for most music but I'd recommend a sub for bass heavy stuff. The wall of sound they throw is pretty cool. Really different from my vintage JBLs.
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> How are the MMGs?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Still goin' strong.
> 
> They sound pretty great but I'm still curious about other speakers. I definitely see myself upgrading by early next year but I like the Maggie sound. They do take up a lot of space though and unless I move to a bigger place I might have to cross them off the list for apartment living.
> 
> All that being said they sound great with anything I've thrown at them so far. The bass is satisfying enough for most music but I'd recommend a sub for bass heavy stuff. The wall of sound they throw is pretty cool. Really different from my vintage JBLs.


 
   
  Interesting, thanks.  I was considering them but seeing as I'm in an apartment, I'll probably pass.  I know panel speakers need air to breathe behind them too.  Space is far too expensive in NYC.


----------



## Tilpo

sphinxvc said:


> Interesting, thanks.  I was considering them but seeing as I'm in an apartment, I'll probably pass.  I know panel speakers need air to breathe behind them too.  Space is far too expensive in NYC.




Sad truth about any speakers pretty much. If you're in a small room/apartment, like most of us (young) head-fiers, you are going to have bad acoustics.
Probably one of the many reasons we tend to go for headphones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Even with mediocre acoustics speakers sound better than headphones a lot of the time. Floorstanders can be a bit much but I'd go for a nice set of small stand speakers.


----------



## liamstrain

Current desk set up, added the newly finished Bottlehead back into the mix.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

dt 880!


----------



## liamstrain

Yup. The 880/600 - really nice through the Crack. Ditto the HD600's. Closeup of the relevant portion.


----------



## drez

^ I really like this setup, whats the DAC under the MBP?


----------



## liamstrain

Yulong D100. Really a great piece of kit.


----------



## Lurkumaural

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Current desk set up, added the newly finished Bottlehead back into the mix.


 
   
  sex
  drugs
  helvetica
  bold
   
_brilliant._


----------



## MorbidToaster

liamstrain said:


> Yulong D100. Really a great piece of kit.




Still regret selling mine sometimes. Very good value to price there.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Yup. The 880/600 - really nice through the Crack. Ditto the HD600's. Closeup of the relevant portion.


 
  Where'd you get that stand for your HD600s?


----------



## liamstrain

It's one I made, from some copper pipe, all thread, 4" PVC and scrap wood/leather/foam I had in the big box of materials.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Interesting, thanks.  I was considering them but seeing as I'm in an apartment, I'll probably pass.  I know panel speakers need air to breathe behind them too.  Space is far too expensive in NYC.


 
   
  There's actually a few advantages that Maggies have with regard to apartment living. First, they don't resonate through walls, floors and ceilings like a typical dynamic box speaker will. Second, the dipole radiation pattern typically will result in far less need for room treatments and/or a room with good acoustic properties. I had about 24 pieces of GIK absorption panels that made my former DeVore Fidelity Super 8s sound really nice. Maggie doesn't like them at all, though, and with my 3.6s they didn't truly sound their best until I took down almost all of the panels and left only one at the first reflection points on the side and one in the back of the room behind the listening position. Third, the MMGs are very, very light. Once you find where they sound best, you can easily mark the carpet/floor and then move them in and out of position when needed. So while they do need room to breathe when you're listening, they can actually take up LESS room when not in use. For a larger room where the 1.7s or 3.7s are the best choice, I know someone who actually put casters on the Maggies so that they would very easily slide into position.
   
  There are lots of great speakers out there, but it's very hard to find others than can do what Maggies can, especially at their price point. I had the MMGs for 2 years and I've been on a love fest with Magnepan every since


----------



## MorbidToaster

focker said:


> There's actually a few advantages that Maggies have with regard to apartment living. First, they don't resonate through walls, floors and ceilings like a typical dynamic box speaker will. Second, the dipole radiation pattern typically will result in far less need for room treatments and/or a room with good acoustic properties. I had about 24 pieces of GIK absorption panels that made my former DeVore Fidelity Super 8s sound really nice. Maggie doesn't like them at all, though, and with my 3.6s they didn't truly sound their best until I took down almost all of the panels and left only one at the first reflection points on the side and one in the back of the room behind the listening position. Third, the MMGs are very, very light. Once you find where they sound best, you can easily mark the carpet/floor and then move them in and out of position when needed. So while they do need room to breathe when you're listening, they can actually take up LESS room when not in use. For a larger room where the 1.7s or 3.7s are the best choice, I know someone who actually put casters on the Maggies so that they would very easily slide into position.
> 
> There are lots of great speakers out there, but it's very hard to find others than can do what Maggies can, especially at their price point. I had the MMGs for 2 years and I've been on a love fest with Magnepan every since




All of this is true albeit a bit dependant on your room more than the speakers themselves. I should have focused a bit more on the positives too.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


>


 
   
  Are you wishing the LF could be used as a preamp?


----------



## MorbidToaster

tme110 said:


> Are you wishing the LF could be used as a preamp?




You have no idea how much I bug Alex about that everytime I see him. I've been wishing that since before I got mine. Didn't stop me though. 

In short: Yes


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





focker said:


> There's actually a few advantages that Maggies have with regard to apartment living. First, they don't resonate through walls, floors and ceilings like a typical dynamic box speaker will. Second, the dipole radiation pattern typically will result in far less need for room treatments and/or a room with good acoustic properties. I had about 24 pieces of GIK absorption panels that made my former DeVore Fidelity Super 8s sound really nice. Maggie doesn't like them at all, though, and with my 3.6s they didn't truly sound their best until I took down almost all of the panels and left only one at the first reflection points on the side and one in the back of the room behind the listening position. Third, the MMGs are very, very light. Once you find where they sound best, you can easily mark the carpet/floor and then move them in and out of position when needed. So while they do need room to breathe when you're listening, they can actually take up LESS room when not in use. For a larger room where the 1.7s or 3.7s are the best choice, I know someone who actually put casters on the Maggies so that they would very easily slide into position.
> 
> There are lots of great speakers out there, but it's very hard to find others than can do what Maggies can, especially at their price point. I had the MMGs for 2 years and I've been on a love fest with Magnepan every since


 
   
  I'm liking your perspective on this.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And I hold Devore Fidelity in high regard, so what you're saying pushes me just that much closer to MMGs.  
   
  MT, what do you use to power them?  Trying to get an idea of what would be adequate and an idea of what total cost might be.


----------



## MorbidToaster

sphinxvc said:


> I'm liking your perspective on this.
> 
> And I hold Devore Fidelity in high regard, so what you're saying pushes me just that much closer to MMGs.
> 
> MT, what do you use to power them?  Trying to get an idea of what would be adequate and an idea of what total cost might be.




Emotiva UPA-1 Monoblocks. 350wpc into 4 ohms. I'd recommend around 200 and if you can get it, high current. Maggies love power. Don't go too crazy with MMGs though as you'll hit a limit with the small bass space anyway.

Edit: 700 for the pair. I've got my eye.on some Odyssey Monoblocks in the future.


----------



## TehJam

Emotiva UPA-1s, they're pretty cheap from what I can see.

Cheap in speakers is a little wonky though.

Edit:

Got me Morbid.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They might be the cheapest mono blocks out there. I really like them. Mine might be up for sale towards year's end, but that'll only be because of upgrades. At 700 bucks a set I'd suggest them to anyone looking to get started. There's just something fun about having mono blocks.
   
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Emotiva UPA-1s, they're pretty cheap from what I can see.
> Cheap in speakers is a little wonky though.
> Edit:
> Got me Morbid.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> It's one I made, from some copper pipe, all thread, 4" PVC and scrap wood/leather/foam I had in the big box of materials.


 

 I think I'm gonna take a trip to the hardware store and steal your design


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> I think I'm gonna take a trip to the hardware store and steal your design


 
  hahah likewise.


----------



## RexAeterna

liamstrain said:


> It's one I made, from some copper pipe, all thread, 4" PVC and scrap wood/leather/foam I had in the big box of materials.




awesome! now just need to add some arms and call him wall-e


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Current desk set up, added the newly finished Bottlehead back into the mix.


 
  I really want to just make one of those Sex, Drugs, Helvetica Bold for myself.


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> I really want to just make one of those Sex, Drugs, Helvetica Bold for myself.


 
  Nice work station liamstrain.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I'm liking your perspective on this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
   
  I agree with MT about power...Maggies love lots of current, but for the MMGs I would just pick up a used 2-channel amp and avoid using a receiver. Used parasound, Rotel, B&K, anthem, outlaw, emotiva, etc, etc should be just fine. 100wpc and stable into 4 ohms is all you need to be happy.
   
  I'm gonna break the rules and show a past pic of my DeVores...great little speakers!


----------



## MorbidToaster

As I said before I'm going to end up at an fork in the road come the end of the year where I'll need to pick between Maggies, Stats, and good ol' boxes. I'll be auditioning a lot more than I did before getting the MMGs because I'd like to really get to a settling down point with my system and just get more music. 
   
  Lots of people say this, but after 2 years of fiddling I think I'm really starting to get to the point where I'm sick of buying gear and just want to relax and listen. 
   
  I can tell my headphone journey is almost up (a few more I'd like to try) concerning amps and cans, and I've got a pretty good idea of where I want my sources and speakers to be.
   
  So close, yet so far away. The gear urge will never stop, but I can feel myself getting very close to 'satisfied'.
   
  Oh, and to be on the off topic...I'm looking at Zu speakers, more Maggies (1.7s), or some various stat models (not MLs).


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> As I said before I'm going to end up at an fork in the road come the end of the year where I'll need to pick between Maggies, Stats, and good ol' boxes. I'll be auditioning a lot more than I did before getting the MMGs because I'd like to really get to a settling down point with my system and just get more music.
> 
> Lots of people say this, but after 2 years of fiddling I think I'm really starting to get to the point where I'm sick of buying gear and just want to relax and listen.
> 
> ...


 
   
  this is pretty much where i am right now.
  i have stumbled upon the headphones and related gear that give me the most enjoyment.
  and i just can't see any upward movement at this point in time...
   
  so as far as my audio journey, it is vinyl and speakers, phono stages, and the like....  for now....


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





focker said:


>


 
   
  Awesome.  How much do those run?  Are they a now-discontinued model?  & what projector do you use?
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> ...I'd like to really get to a settling down point with my system and just get more music.


 
   
  Thankfully, I'm already there.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Maybe an LCD-3 to consolidate my 2 phones sometime down the pipeline, or maybe not.  No complaints either way.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Awesome.  How much do those run?  Are they a now-discontinued model?  & what projector do you use?
> 
> 
> Thankfully, I'm already there.
> ...


 
  Those were around 5k back in 2006...John DeVore has updated the line and I've heard that the current models are even better. Actually he's right there in your part of the world, right in NYC. John is a great guy...you can take a lot of pride owning his stuff.  As for projector, I went to a Epson 3010 last year...it's their entry level 3D and for the money it's really great. I'm actually considering adding a headphone set-up to it for use in addition to the Maggies...I love watching movies with headphones lately.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Update: HeadRoom UDAC - HeadRoom DPSU - HeadRoom BUDA - Whiplash Audio TWag V2 - Sennhesier HD650.


----------



## Silent One

Nice stack... AM _doin' it right_ in the p.m.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Nice stack... AM _doin' it right_ in the p.m.


 
   
  Thanks, Silent One. Haha, it's quite a nice setup.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





focker said:


> Those were around 5k back in 2006...John DeVore has updated the line and I've heard that the current models are even better. Actually he's right there in your part of the world, right in NYC. John is a great guy...you can take a lot of pride owning his stuff.  As for projector, I went to a Epson 3010 last year...it's their entry level 3D and for the money it's really great. I'm actually considering adding a headphone set-up to it for use in addition to the Maggies...I love watching movies with headphones lately.


 
   
  I've heard John's 3XL's before.  Amazing.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> I really want to just make one of those *Sex, Drugs, Helvetica Bold* for myself.


 
  So edgy, so hip.


----------



## The8thst

morbidtoaster said:


> As I said before I'm going to end up at an fork in the road come the end of the year where I'll need to pick between Maggies, Stats, and good ol' boxes. I'll be auditioning a lot more than I did before getting the MMGs because I'd like to really get to a settling down point with my system and just get more music.
> 
> Lots of people say this, but after 2 years of fiddling I think I'm really starting to get to the point where I'm sick of buying gear and just want to relax and listen.
> 
> ...




Make sure to listen to a lot of different amps with those Zu speakers. They are very picky about their power source.


----------



## MorbidToaster

the8thst said:


> Make sure to listen to a lot of different amps with those Zu speakers. They are very picky about their power source.




I know the local Zu dealer pretty well so I might just haul my amps down there and have a party.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I know the local Zu dealer pretty well so I might just haul my amps down there and have a party.


 
   
  Zus being so efficient I'm considering a pair to go with my WA5 once it gets in.


----------



## mmayer167

Nice Austin! How does that TOTL headroom stack go with the Senny? Compared to the other recent dac/amp setups you have run through. Have any other balanced cabled phones to plug into it? I have always had the urge to try me some headroom gear! 
   
  -m


----------



## MorbidToaster

You ordered a WA5, too? Christ.
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Zus being so efficient I'm considering a pair to go with my WA5 once it gets in.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You ordered a WA5, too? Christ.


 
   
  Need an amp in that second setup man! It should be here in a week


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think you more than anyone else here makes me feel inadequate. 
   
  It's cool. I don't think the WA5 would be for me anyway...
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Need an amp in that second setup man! It should be here in a week


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think you more than anyone else here makes me feel inadequate.
> 
> It's cool. I don't think the WA5 would be for me anyway...


 
  Waffle much?


----------



## MorbidToaster

idgi.
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Waffle much?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> idgi.


 
   
  Well you say that it's not for you on one hand, and on the other a sense of inadequacy.... seems like a waffling (flip flopping) reaction to me. 
   
  But don't worry, you have helped corrupt me as well. We are all guilty.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Inadequate because I'm either following in your footsteps or you're stealing my ideas and doing them first. 
   
  The WA5 isn't for me (I don't think so), but I wouldn't mind a WA22 in the mail, either...
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Well you say that it's not for you on one hand, and on the other a sense of inadequacy.... seems like a waffling (flip flopping) reaction to me.
> 
> But don't worry, you have helped corrupt me as well. We are all guilty.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Inadequate because I'm either following in your footsteps or you're stealing my ideas and doing them first.
> 
> The WA5 isn't for me (I don't think so), but I wouldn't mind a WA22 in the mail, either...


 
  I ordered the WA5 more than 2 weeks ago, so no worries, the Woo coincidence is simply that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Curious why the WA5 wouldn't be for you?.. it has a preamp


----------



## MorbidToaster

It has speaker outs but I don't see a pre out...
   
  Anyway. It's huge, too much rolling temptation, and it's pretty expensive. I'd like to hear one but man It's big. lol
   
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I ordered the WA5 more than 2 weeks ago, so no worries, the Woo coincidence is simply that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Nice Austin! How does that TOTL headroom stack go with the Senny? Compared to the other recent dac/amp setups you have run through. Have any other balanced cabled phones to plug into it? I have always had the urge to try me some headroom gear!
> 
> -m


 
   
  It's very high end, but a little overpriced at $2999. Very lush and dark, with incredible bass.


----------



## theRunawayV

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> If it drives the SR60i well, then it will most likely drive the HD600's even better.
> Most receivers like that tend to have high impedance outputs on the headphone jacks. This usually means they can drive high impedance headphones better than low impedance ones. Since the SR60i is of lower impedance, I think it'll drive the HD600's just fine.
> I couldn't find the exact specs of the headphone output, but the manual does say "It [the headphone jack] is internally connected to the power amplifier section through isolation resistors to provide adequate sound level...".
> This confirms the high output impedance of the amp, and also means it should have plenty power for the HD600's.
> Also, what volume settings are you using when playing through the SR60's?


 
  Sorry it took forever to reply, I didn't see this post until now, lol. I can usually only put the volume knob to about 12 o clock before the brightness becomes too shrill for my ears.(this is pretty loud) But yeah, I've changed my mind since that post; I purchased a 325i and it should be here tomorrow. They have the same impedance as my sr60i's and I'm thinking about also buying the little dot mk 1+ tube hybrid amp.


----------



## anetode

My two favorite heatsinks: Woo stand & Daft the cat


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





anetode said:


> My two favorite heatsinks: Woo stand & Daft the cat


 
   
  Might be my impression alone, but it seems Daft the cat isn't particularly eager to part with the headphones


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> It's very high end, but a little overpriced at $2999. Very lush and dark, with incredible bass.


 
  Interesting, thanks for the input. The simple comment was all I was looking for  I would also agree on the price point, not too attractive. I assume you got it on loan for review? Have you posted such review yet, if not do you have a time frame yet? Anything further just take to PM, I hate to clutter up this forum  
   
  -m


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Interesting, thanks for the input. The simple comment was all I was looking for  I would also agree on the price point, not too attractive. I assume you got it on loan for review? Have you posted such review yet, if not do you have a time frame yet? Anything further just take to PM, I hate to clutter up this forum
> 
> -m


 
   
  It's a review unit, and yes, I will have a review posted in about a month.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





roller said:


> Might be my impression alone, but it seems Daft the cat isn't particularly eager to part with the headphones


 
   
  Awesome avatar.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Awesome avatar.


 
   
  Thanks  And awesome DAC.


----------



## TheWuss

just took delivery of my second Apex Peak/Volcano.
   
  yes, an amp so versatile and so impressive that i have decided to own two of them.
  one for home rig.  one for work rig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Damn Wuss. That's some high praise right there.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> just took delivery of my second Apex Peak/Volcano.


 
   
  Member of the month award?


----------



## TheWuss

morbidtoaster said:


> Damn Wuss. That's some high praise right there.


 i am not deluded. I know the peak is not for everyone. But, It happens to be my flavor. It has taken me almost 3 years to figure out what my flavor is, but the peak is certainly it. 

not that anyone really cares, but i figure i should explain my "take" on the liquid fire and peak:

LF: smooth, organic, warm, intimate, bassy(er), powerful, dynamic

Peak: fast, etched, light, separated, analytical, bass-light(er), tight

this is, of course, great over-generalization.
they are small degrees apart from one another, in the grand scheme of things.
and, these are just my impressions, having owned both amps for a number of months....


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's all good. I haven't tried them so who am I to judge? They're not my favorite looking amps in the world, I'll say that. 
   
  I've actually never tried TTVJ stuff at all...Been wanting to though...Pinnacle? 
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> i am not deluded. I know the peak is not for everyone. But, It happens to be my flavor. It has taken me almost 3 years to figure out what my flavor is, but the peak is certainly it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## grokit

It sure makes for easy tube rolling


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





grokit said:


> It sure makes for easy tube rolling


 
   
  This!


----------



## Benjamin6264

- HiFiMAN flagships wherever there can be one (great synergy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




);
  - DIY Moon Audio Silver Dragon cable (from the time they still sold the V3 in bulk);
  - DIY Mini-Mini (TWag Eclipse with 2x Oyaide Rhodium, one straight and one 90°);
  - DIY power cord (Mil-Spec SPC & Valab rhodium-plated plugs, with EMI rejection tape and braided copper shield);
  - Audioquest Carbon Mini-USB (I usually use DAP mode though - one less component can't hurt);
  - Cheap power conditioner from eBay deals.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> just took delivery of my second Apex Peak/Volcano.
> 
> yes, an amp so versatile and so impressive that i have decided to own two of them.
> one for home rig.  one for work rig.


 
  Congratulations.........................................................you must feel like the lucky farther of newly born twins! Two cigars!


----------



## Dillont3

Here is my current setup, I haven't been at this too long and my budget is pretty limited right now so it is nothing special, but it makes me happy.


----------



## latimerfripp

Took some shots with a decent camera at last 

Headphones-Grado SR225I/HD800-Trafomatic Head One Amp-Musical Fidelity vdac II(using a guitar hanger for the HD800 and a simple screw on the wall for the 225...)

A closer look at the Amp and Dac, you can also see a Chord USB cable/Supra power cable/Chord Chorus 2 interconnects


A Moon Audio Blue Dragon V3 HD800 cable, it was originally a 20 FT long cable, but it was too much for me so i cut it down(waaayyyy to much unfortunately, It's just too short now so I use the original cable) 


And finally-not headphone related, but my other hobby-guitars


----------



## MorbidToaster

How did you like the Blue Dragon with the 800? If I went Moon it'd be that cable.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How did you like the Blue Dragon with the 800? If I went Moon it'd be that cable.


 
   
  I did recently sell my balanced Gold Cardas cable for my HD800s, so now I'm hunting for a replacement. I've got the Blue Dragon on my short list for my HD800s. Drew makes great cables and has outstanding customer service. I think I'll be giving him a call next week.


----------



## MorbidToaster

macedonianhero said:


> I did recently sell my balanced Gold Cardas cable for my HD800s, so now I'm hunting for a replacement. I've got the Blue Dragon on my short list for my HD800s. Drew makes great cables and has outstanding customer service. I think I'll be giving him a call next week.




I'll probably end up with another 4 pin cable with all the trimmings (adapters). I don't use them right now on my LCD 2 cable but I like having the options.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll probably end up with another 4 pin cable with all the trimmings (adapters). I don't use them right now on my LCD 2 cable but I like having the options.


 
   
  I find unless you have an amp for a 4pin, it can be a bit too heavy and cumbersome. As a result, I've recently picked up a single ended ALO Chainmail cable for my LCD-3s. My 4pin balanced Silver Dragon w/ single-ended adapter will be going up for sale a few days after the ALO cable arrives and some sonic comparisons can be made.


----------



## devouringone3

Quote: 





benjamin6264 said:


> - HiFiMAN flagships wherever there can be one (great synergy!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love those one brand set ups, good job! Can't get any more synergic!
   
   
  Quote: 





latimerfripp said:


> Took some shots with a decent camera at last
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love how randomly those headphones seem to be floating on bare white walls .
   
   
  My stuff

   
 (to power my HPA-1 amplifier)
   
 (Joseph Grado interconnects)
   
 (Grado pads box, holds up to two spare pairs)
   
 (My current favorite)
   
  Before and after lemon oil treatment


----------



## preproman

Where can I get a few Grado Boxes like that?


----------



## Benjamin6264

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Where can I get a few Grado Boxes like that?


 
   
  +1, it looks very nice.


----------



## twizzleraddict

As of 5/5/2012, here's my rig:
   

   
  This "hobby" is going to cause me to go through gear-nervosa so subject to change over time. Ug!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *twizzleraddict* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> This "hobby" is going to cause me to go through gear-nervosa so subject to change over time. Ug!


 
   
   





 Head-Fi makes for a great Online Support Group, yes?


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Testing out my new Burson Audio HA-160D..


 
   
  This is actually hilarious to me. $5 Apple buds with a >$1K headphone DAC/Amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  It must make those buds sound like $50 at least!


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Head-Fi makes for a great Online Support Group, yes?


 
   
  Lifelong member. Good thing I don't belong to any other "support group". I'd be out in the street corner begging like a homeless person, or worse, just plain homeless. But at least I'd have some decent headphones out there!


----------



## TheWuss

twizzleraddict said:


> This is actually hilarious to me. $5 Apple buds with a >$1K headphone DAC/Amp.
> 
> It must make those buds sound like $50 at least!


I have been wanting to start a thread of ironic headfi images. And that would be a nice one.
Some early ideas: 
K1000 plugged into an ipod.
Ibuds plugged into pinnacle (or similar uber high end amp)
Fiio amp plugged into berkeley alpha dac (or similar high end source)

You get the picture...


----------



## devouringone3

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Where can I get a few Grado Boxes like that?


 
   
  This box used to accompany the oldest RS1 made, I think from 1994 to 1998. There are two types with a minor variation according to age (mine is oldest variation), a different latch. Somewhen from 2009 to 2010-2011, Grado offered a very similar wooden box, only bigger, that could fit any of their headphone. You would commit to purchase and tell them which headphone you wanted to fit and they would insert the right foam in it (from SR60i to PS1000). Here's a picture of the oldest and the most recent of these box, from pcf here on Head-Fi:
   

   
   
  Quote: 





benjamin6264 said:


> +1, it looks very nice.


 
   
  You need to buy it used on Head-Fi for unfair prices , only way because they are now completely discontinued. Some people have successfully DIY-made themselves something very similar to store their Grados though, you could get inspired by them.
   
  Have been there when the bigger box was being sold (for 95$ I think) I would have bought one for each of my Grados, lol.
   
   
  Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> This is actually hilarious to me. $5 Apple buds with a >$1K headphone DAC/Amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I always wanted to buy and try Apple Earbuds but think 29.99 U$D, 35 CAD was too much for a otherwise-free headphone. Never used an Apple product of my life.
   
  But I want a to try Apple EarBud badly, lol. Because I'm a huge Fostex fan.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> I always wanted to buy and try Apple Earbuds but think 29.99 U$D, 35 CAD was too much for a otherwise-free headphone. Never used an Apple product of my life.
> 
> But I want a to try Apple EarBud badly, lol. Because I'm a huge Fostex fan.


 
   
  I would've given you mine for the price of shipping, but I already gave them to a friend. They're actually not _too bad_. Very shouty mids, widely rolled off bass, but the highs (surprisingly) aren't shrill to the point of unbearable. $30 is definitely too much. $5 or less though would be a good price.


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I have been wanting to start a thread of ironic headfi images. And that would be a nice one.
> Some early ideas:
> K1000 plugged into an ipod.
> Ibuds plugged into pinnacle (or similar uber high end amp)
> ...


 
 I have a pair of wanna-be Beats that i have yet to test out..


----------



## devouringone3

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> I would've given you mine for the price of shipping, but I already gave them to a friend. They're actually not _too bad_. Very shouty mids, widely rolled off bass, but the highs (surprisingly) aren't shrill to the point of unbearable. $30 is definitely too much. $5 or less though would be a good price.


 
   
  Thanks that's awesome from you
   
  Yup that's the price I would wish to find/have, but on eBay and even Amazon, they're all fake, at this price!
   
  And I want original Apple earbuds, lol... so that's a stupid deadlock.
   
  I'm not paying 35 dollars plus shipping when all the people in the world basically throw these away every time they buy an iPod or an iPhone.
   
   
  Maybe I could ask for someone's old pair in an Apple boutique when the guy just has purchased a new iPortableDevice which automatically comes with a newer and whiter pair for him anyway.


----------



## mrAdrian

Put up a wtb classification


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> I always wanted to buy and try Apple Earbuds but think 29.99 U$D, 35 CAD was too much for a otherwise-free headphone. Never used an Apple product of my life.
> 
> But I want a to try Apple EarBud badly, lol. Because I'm a huge Fostex fan.


 
   
  Let me know if you need a pair. Always willing to help a fellow Quebecois out (I'm in California now). Send me a PM with address and I'll get it out this week from my workplace. There are too many laying around that folks don't use/keep them, instead they just get tossed like waste here.


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


>


 
   
  DX1000! I'd like to try those so badly.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The Ladies love the Jeklin Look.  Its trending.


----------



## RexAeterna

well duh! everyone knows a jacklin float man is a sexy man.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> As of 5/5/2012, here's my rig:
> 
> 
> 
> This "hobby" is going to cause me to go through gear-nervosa so subject to change over time. Ug!


 
   
  How are you liking the Little Dot DAC? I've been eyeing it for a while


----------



## Douger333

Nottingham Space 294/Grado Gold1,Grado PS500's, Bottlehead Smack amp, Philips CDR820 transport, Musical Fidelity M1DAC, AVA Super PAS 3i preamp


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> How are you liking the Little Dot DAC? I've been eyeing it for a while


 
  I've just had it for about 2 months now. Still letting it burn in and will switch between that and the Burson. They do sound good with my Grados. I'll provide more impressions when I've had more dedicated time to listen and jot down some notes on comparing the 2 DAC/amps I have. I also got some loaner headphones that will help me pinpoint characteristics of the amp across a few cans to give folks better impressions of how they mate with each. Should be interesting so stay tuned on a review in the next couple of months...


----------



## keph

All new setup...Stello DA220 and U3 just came today...


----------



## Boss429

Very nice keph. I always love the shots of tubes lit up in the dark. Very nice!!!


----------



## mrAdrian

What tubes does the WA6 use? Is the big one a 6AS7?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> What tubes does the WA6 use? Is the big one a 6AS7?


 
  nope its not the 6AS7 the WA6SE use the 5U4G or 274B Rectifier...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





boss429 said:


> Very nice keph. I always love the shots of tubes lit up in the dark. Very nice!!!


 
  Thx Boss...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love seeing those Notts tables around here lately. Hoping to get mine in a few months. Wont be a 294 though. How do you like it?
   
  Quote: 





douger333 said:


> Nottingham Space 294/Grado Gold1,Grado PS500's, Bottlehead Smack amp, Philips CDR820 transport, Musical Fidelity M1DAC, AVA Super PAS 3i preamp


----------



## Douger333

Thanks! I really love it! It is 1:00 in the morning and I am listening to Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and will sadly force myself to turn it off to get some sleep... I enjoy my CD's but I still have my LP's from back in the day, most in mint condition, and they sound more relaxed with deeper detail. When I say relaxed I mean better developed and defined, no excitement is compromised!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





douger333 said:


> Thanks! I really love it! It is 1:00 in the morning and I am listening to Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and will sadly force myself to turn it off to get some sleep... I enjoy my CD's but I still have my LP's from back in the day, most in mint condition, and they sound more relaxed with deeper detail. When I say relaxed I mean better developed and defined, no excitement is compromised!


 
  It's so nice when sleep is not a priority! Enjoy.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





douger333 said:


> Thanks! I really love it! It is 1:00 in the morning and I am listening to Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and will sadly force myself to turn it off to get some sleep... I enjoy my CD's but I still have my LP's from back in the day, most in mint condition, and they sound more relaxed with deeper detail. When I say relaxed I mean better developed and defined, no excitement is compromised!


 
   
   
  lol, no way...last night I was listenign to theradiostation.org and I heard a Hendrix song called "Angel" that blew me away. After that they played one of the deeper Zeppelin cuts off one of their early albums, so I decided to fire up my iTunes and listen to more. I've always known who Jimi Hendrix was, but I never spent much time with his music...shame on me! The guy was amazing! Pairing Jimi with the Grado PS500s is quite an experience...


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





anetode said:


> My two favorite heatsinks: Woo stand & Daft the cat


 
   
  Nice. 
   
  How do you find the HD 800 from the Lavry DA11?


----------



## lasttodie

My head fi station is not much to brag about, but it is MY little corner of the house and I LOVE IT 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Turntable: Sony PS-J10 (paid 6 $ for it on a flea market)
  Amp       : Argon HA 1
  IEM        : Sony MDR-EX 83


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## manveru

Been using this pro audio interface as a DAC/amp for a while and got a new stand.


----------



## anetode

windsor said:


> Nice.
> 
> How do you find the HD 800 from the Lavry DA11?




The HD800s respond better than any other headphone I've tried to the PIC crossfeed adjustments and the amp section has all the gain I'd ever need. Except that now after being spoiled with the PIC settings I want to go all out with an SPL Phonitor.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Been using this pro audio interface as a DAC/amp for a while and got a new stand.


 

 HOHOHO. Is that the new FiiO HS1? I didn't even know they were shipping yet...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

See if you can spot the changes...hehe.
   


   
  Hehehe.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> HOHOHO. Is that the new FiiO HS1? I didn't even know they were shipping yet...
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
  Indeed it is. I'm not really sure what the situation is with their availability, but I was able to order one directly from Fiio via email. I took the liberty of writing a little review.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> See if you can spot the changes...hehe.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I've never seen a crock pot with a USB connection before.


----------



## Kojaku

dagothur said:


> I've never seen a crock pot with a USB connection before.


 

LOL, that's a USB mic hahaha.

Kojaku


----------



## colinharding

Here's my headphone rig.  Everything except the DAC and Sonos is old school.  Amp is two Eico HF-30s that have been put together in one chassis for stereo output, preamp is 6SN7 based with two Western Electric output capacitors in a Mu-Metal chassis, DAC is a Synthesis Matrix with four smooth plate telefunken 12AX7 tubes for the output stage.  I just connect my headphones, fully modded AKG340, straight to the amp and they sound great!  I didn't have a tripod to capture the "tube glow" but you get the idea


----------



## WhiteCrow

my god....dem tubes.


----------



## obzilla

Just finished putting this mother chugger together. Holy built like a tank Batman!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Hnnnnnnnnnnngh...WA5


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Hnnnnnnnnnnngh...


 
   
  That's EXACTLY the noise I made when lifting either part.


----------



## liamstrain

that's pretty though.
   
  Are those the stock 300B? or your own stash?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> that's pretty though.
> 
> Are those the stock 300B? or your own stash?


 
   
  Stock, though I will have a set of Sophias coming in the next week or so.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Just finished putting this mother chugger together. Holy built like a tank Batman!


 
   
  Hmm...maybe one day...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Hmm...maybe one day...


 
   
  If you can get by on mac and cheese for a few months, the sacrifice pays off and I highly recommend giving it a shot.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Also, your location is a bit ambiguous, there may be like named location in many galaxies, you should specify "Milky Way". Imagine you order a WA5 and it winds up in Washougal, Washington.... but in the _Sextans A_ galaxy!


----------



## keph

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> If you can get by on mac and cheese for a few months, the sacrifice pays off and I highly recommend giving it a shot.


 
  With the new WA6SE, Stello DA220 and Stello U3 i ate Instant Noodle for the past few months...for Music all you need is SACRIFICE alot of them to be exact...


----------



## anetode

keph said:


> ...for Music all you need is [COLOR=FFF0F5]SACRIFICE[/COLOR] [COLOR=000000]alot of them to be exact...[/COLOR]




Tell me about it. I've had to sell of my children to afford a stax rig. Then I ran out of children, now I'm on the most wanted list for running an international kidnapping ring, all because of Bjork.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





anetode said:


> Tell me about it. I've had to sell of my children to afford a stax rig. Then I ran out of children, now I'm on the most wanted list for running an international kidnapping ring, all because of Bjork.


 
   
  lol. Just make sure my cousin doesn't catch you. He's responsible for nailing you miscreants on the "FBI's Most Wanted" list. Is Bjork really worth it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'd rather just do the piggy bank method to save up for a specific component price range. Mac & Cheese for a few months would cause me to spend more $$ on doctor bills.


----------



## jude

I like to move around a lot, just to change up the vibe from time to time. This is the rig I've been using most of the week while sitting at the front reception desk at the office (we don't have a receptionist to sit there):
   
​ *(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)*​  ​  In the photo: Meier Audio Corda HA2 MkII headphone amplifier (a classic little amp); HRT iStreamer (iDevice DAC); HiFiMAN HE-400 planar magnetic headphone; Apple iPhone 4S. (Cabling by Cardas and AudioQuest.)


----------



## TMRaven

You listen at remarkably low levels!


----------



## jude

Quote: 





tmraven said:


> You listen at remarkably low levels!


 
   
  Well it is well known that the HE-400 is rather sensitive for a planar-magnetic headphone.


----------



## keph

jude said:


> I like to move around a lot, just to change up the vibe from time to time. This is the rig I've been using most of the week while sitting at the front reception desk at the office (we don't have a receptionist to sit there):
> 
> 
> 
> ...




i wanna work there as ur receptionist...haha


----------



## Joedotcom

I just setup a little station at work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Sent (and possibly poorly text-to-speech transcribed) from a mobile device.


----------



## obzilla

I brought the LF out of the bedroom to roll in some new tubes, and I have placed it in the living room rig next to the WA5, with which I will be doing some comparisons once the new tubes show up for the WA5.
   
  Crap picture, but since them being together will be rare, I figured I would pop off a cell phone shot.


----------



## Eee Pee

Let's see, what should I do tonight?  Hmmm, watch crappy TV?  Nah.  Fire up the LF?  Hmmmm.  Nah, let's do the WA5.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Let's see, what should I do tonight?  Hmmm, watch crappy TV?  Nah.  Fire up the LF?  Hmmmm.  Nah, let's do the WA5.


 
   
   
  La bonne vie...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





joedotcom said:


> I just setup a little station at work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Looks more like a Sub-Station! Very nice...


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Let's see, what should I do tonight?  Hmmm, watch crappy TV?  Nah.  Fire up the LF?  Hmmmm.  Nah, let's do the WA5.


 
   
  It's decisions like these that keep me up all night. Double entendre and pun quite intended!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Might have a Leben in the mix soon too...and my HD800s get here tomorrow.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Might have a Leben in the mix soon too...and my HD800s get here tomorrow.


 
   
  Nice setup as always MT.... but where oh where do you sit?


----------



## MorbidToaster

obzilla said:


> Nice setup as always MT.... but where oh where do you sit?:evil:




I can lay down on my amazing couch from here...Though I'd still want your chair as I do like to sit more than lie down when I listen...

tl;dr - Stop trolling and give me that chair!


----------



## ProcessJunkie

The Liquid Fire is one of the sexyest piece of audio gear i've ever seen in my life.


----------



## MorbidToaster

processjunkie said:


> The Liquid Fire is one of the sexyest piece of audio gear i've ever seen in my life.




You'd be surprised how many people hate the way it looks. I like it personally. Tube windows are fun.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You'd be surprised how many people hate the way it looks. I like it personally. Tube windows are fun.


 
  The tubes are exposed, the thing is black with little red details, it's big and bulky, what in gods name can people dislike on it?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> The tubes are exposed, the thing is black with little red details, it's big and bulky, what in gods name can people dislike on it?


 
   
  My girlfriend calls mine "Darth Maul"


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's actually pretty small compared to other amps in the price range. Something I've always kind of liked about it.
   
  Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> The tubes are exposed, the thing is black with little red details, it's big and bulky, what in gods name can people dislike on it?


 
   
  Seems appropriate...
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> My girlfriend calls mine "Darth Maul"


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Might have a Leben in the mix soon too...and my HD800s get here tomorrow.


 
   
  Liquid Fire Looking Good... even the cat sat up and took notice!


----------



## eriktous

morbidtoaster said:


> Might have a Leben in the mix soon too...and my HD800s get here tomorrow.




Uhm, that red book on the top shelf... bedtime stories?


----------



## ProcessJunkie

It's still pretty big to me, since all i have is a SoundBlaster X-Fi. But yeah, i hear you.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's actually pretty small compared to other amps in the price range. Something I've always kind of liked about it.
> 
> 
> Seems appropriate...


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> The tubes are exposed, the thing is black with little red details, it's big and bulky, what in gods name can people dislike on it?


 
   


 I cant say I dislike it per se, but I love when tube are on top of the amp. The way LF looks is less appealing to me than the look of Zana Deux SE or WA2 for example (I consider black WA2 to be one the best looking amps I have seen so far).


----------



## MorbidToaster

eriktous said:


> Uhm, that red book on the top shelf... bedtime stories?




Ahahaha. It's actually my girlfriend's believe it or not. Most of the book and movies on that shelf are hers.

A few Headfiers have met her. They understand.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You'd be surprised how many people hate the way it looks. I like it personally. Tube windows are fun.


 
   
  It's definitely a polarizing piece of gear. It looks like @$$ to me though. Much prefer the sexiness of a Woo Audio or Eddie Current amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

twizzleraddict said:


> It's definitely a polarizing piece of gear. It looks like @$$ to me though. Much prefer the sexiness of a Woo Audio or Eddie Current amp. :tongue_smile:




I love the way Woo gear looks but EC stuff has never caught my eye.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I love the way Woo gear looks but EC stuff has never caught my eye.


 
   
  I used to say that, until I saw a few good picks of a Balancing Act. Super swinging sexy looking piece of gear.


----------



## liamstrain

black + red = 1980's crappy design cliche. The verizon checkmark of doom logo, comes to mind. Nothing sexy. 
   
  I don't mind the LF, personally, but it is not really what I would call a great looking design - more akin to the signage on the kung-fu school near my house, than a piece of high end audio gear (the yin yang is probably partially at fault). Lacks, subtlety, maybe...


----------



## TWIFOSP

The LF looks like an engineer designed it and not some art house obsessed with design type person.  Aesthetically it could be improved if that is your thing.  Personally I like the engineering look, gives it a "I'm here for serious business" look.


----------



## TheWuss

not to mention that Bank Gothic font.  that's so 1997.


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  End of the day, my mains are still camping with the Schiit Stack (Bifrost, Asgard & Lyr). HE-500 & D5000.
   

   
  Very best,


----------



## grokit

The red knob is a bit much, but I don't mind the rest of the LF's aesthetics.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





twifosp said:


> The LF looks like an engineer designed it and not some art house obsessed with design type person.  Aesthetically it could be improved if that is your thing.  Personally I like the engineering look, gives it a "I'm here for serious business" look.


 
   
  The Zana Deux looks like an engineer designed it. 
   
  the LF looks like an engineer who thinks he's a graphic designer, and likes kung-fu movies, designed it.
   
   
  Speaking as a designer by trade - I'd be lying if I said that wasn't at least a little important to me.


----------



## Radio_head

The BA is the most beautiful current production amp that I can think of.  The LF looks better (and smaller) in person than on a screen.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> End of the day, my mains are still camping with the Schiit Stack (Bifrost, Asgard & Lyr). HE-500 & D5000.
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's one nice stack of Schiit!  Do you prefer the Asgard or Lyr with the HE-500?  I'm thinking of trying one of those.


----------



## TheWuss

funny how beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
  i find the EC stuff horrible.
  the "school bus brake light" indicator.  the "1950's oven" knobs.
  the strange choice of putting an angled portion in the top plate???  What??
  the "textured" metallic finish. 
  i think the tubes are the only part of that package that is visually appealling.  and Craig can't take credit for that.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> The BA is the most beautiful current production amp that I can think of.  The LF looks better (and smaller) in person than on a screen.


 
   
  I think the WA5 and WES and BHSE are all prettier than the BA, but that's a damn fine top 4.
   
  The LF is indeed smaller and less visually offensive in person. Wile the red knob stands out, our monitors exaggerate red more than any other color, so it's not quite so "loud" in person.


----------



## MorbidToaster

obzilla said:


> I think the WA5 and WES and BHSE are all prettier than the BA, but that's a damn fine top 4.
> 
> The LF is indeed smaller and less visually offensive in person. Wile the red knob stands out, our monitors exaggerate red more than any other color, so it's not quite so "loud" in person.




The BH is one sexy amp I'll give you that. I still think Woo and Mc take the cake on looks for me. Tubes and meters. Mmmm...


----------



## keph

Some new update...
   
  sorry for crappy pics...


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





keph said:


> sorry for crappy pics...


 
   
  They look pretty good to me!


----------



## MDR30




----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> That's one nice stack of Schiit!  Do you prefer the Asgard or Lyr with the HE-500?  I'm thinking of trying one of those.


 
   
  Heya,
   
  I like both. The Asgard puts about 1.3 watts into the HE500's impedance level, so is sufficient and sounds sufficient, but the Lyr definitely takes it up a notch and is most noticeable in the bass regions and the Lyr is a little warmer. The Asgard is a touch brighter. I tend to run the D5000 from the Asgard and the HE500 from the Lyr. But again, the HE500 drives from both just fine. I do prefer the Lyr though. But I will say I waffle back and forth. Some times I just want to listen from the Asgard and it gives it a touch of brightness that sometimes I just want to hear with certain music.
   
  Very best,


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Way better than the most of the crap that are silk screened into audio gear these days, at least it's not a Dafont font.
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> not to mention that Bank Gothic font.  that's so 1997.


----------



## MorbidToaster

This is going to be the exact kind of thing Apex is going to want to hear comes June 1st and his sponsir forum opens.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> End of the day, my mains are still camping with the Schiit Stack (Bifrost, Asgard & Lyr). HE-500 & D5000.
> 
> ...


 
   
   
_........In this corner... we have the contender... wearing Silver trunks... weighing in at a fighting trim 17 pounds... representing Schiit Incorporated..._


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





keph said:


> Some new update...
> 
> sorry for crappy pics...


 
   

   
  Seriously, if this is one of your "crappy" photos, I'd love to see one of your "good" photos


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mdr30 said:


>


 
  Nice ortho collection.


----------



## fabio-fi

Quote: 





keph said:


> Some new update...
> 
> sorry for crappy pics...


 
   
  I notice you have the Pro900's in your sig. How do they sound with tubes?


----------



## Brooko

Very humble set-up compared to a lot of the stations here - but I really like it.  The Grados are full woodies (325is), along with the DT880 600 and the Senn HD600s.  Dac is NFB-12 into an LD MKIV.  Portables are iPhone4 or iPod Touch 4 with Arrow HE4G, and SE535 Ltd Ed.
   
  And yes, it's how my desk usually looks (neat freak).


----------



## jude

​ *(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)*​  ​   
  Sennheiser HD 800, in glossy black with Sennheiser-blue accents. (The custom coloring was applied by Colorware.)
   
  Also in the photo: Ray Samuels Audio Raptor OTL tube headphone amp; HRT iStreamer iDevice DAC; Apple iPhone 4S. (Cabling by Cardas and AudioQuest.)


----------



## TehJam

Wow, that's pretty...


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





jude said:


> ​ *(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)*​  ​
> Sennheiser HD 800, in glossy black with Sennheiser-blue accents. (The custom coloring was applied by Colorware.)
> 
> Also in the photo: Ray Samuels Audio Raptor OTL tube headphone amp; HRT iStreamer iDevice DAC; Apple iPhone 4S. (Cabling by Cardas and AudioQuest.)


 
   Didn't know a HD800 could look so good!


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





brooko said:


> Very humble set-up compared to a lot of the stations here - but I really like it.  The Grados are full woodies (325is), along with the DT880 600 and the Senn HD600s.  Dac is NFB-12 into an LD MKIV.  Portables are iPhone4 or iPod Touch 4 with Arrow HE4G, and SE535 Ltd Ed.
> 
> And yes, it's how my desk usually looks (neat freak).


 
   
  Nice to see someone else using KDE in here. And a NFB-12 too! Is it USB or SPDIF between them? I tried both but haven't yet decided on which is more practical. So far I'm leaning for SPDIF since it frees a USB port and makes KDE more happy. Else it always whine when I power on/off the NFB. The downside is since KDE doesn't know if the NFB is on or not, it won't revert to my laptop's speakers (or line out) when it's off.
   
  And how do you power on/off the NFB under all this? do you leave it on all the time?


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I think the HD800 looks great in (almost) all black I think I like Maxvla's better. The flat black looks soooo good.
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Didn't know a HD800 could look so good!


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While I think the HD800 looks great in (almost) all black I think I like Maxvla's better. The flat black looks soooo good.


 
  I agree. Maxvla's looks awesone.


----------



## pdiddypdler

Did you get your HD800 yet Morbid?


----------



## Brooko

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Nice to see someone else using KDE in here. And a NFB-12 too! Is it USB or SPDIF between them? I tried both but haven't yet decided on which is more practical. So far I'm leaning for SPDIF since it frees a USB port and makes KDE more happy. Else it always whine when I power on/off the NFB. The downside is since KDE doesn't know if the NFB is on or not, it won't revert to my laptop's speakers (or line out) when it's off.
> 
> And how do you power on/off the NFB under all this? do you leave it on all the time?


 
   
  NFB-12 is connected via SPDIF.  I then have a splitter connection (splits an RCA out into two RCA outs for each channel) attached to the DAC-out on the NFB-12.  One connection goes to the powered speakers (RCA to 3.5mm socket), and the other RCA go to the Little Dot (home/custom made interconnects - work well, look good, and were actually quite easy to make).
   
  If I want the H/P from the NFB-12, I just use the H/P switch.
   
  If I want the speakers on, I just turn them on, flick the switch on the NFB-12 to variable, and use it's volume control to adjust.
   
  If I want to use the LD, I set the switch on the NFB-12  at fixed, and use the volume control on the LD (I make sure the speakers are off though).
   
  I turn the NFB-12 off when I'm not using it - just reach behind the stand.
   
  Photo of the set-up from above:


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Did you get your HD800 yet Morbid?


 
   
  Indeed he has.... he might be off the radar for a bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  His HD800 money put these here today... 
   
  A good day all around!


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Indeed he has.... he might be off the radar for a bit
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Awesome! I'll look forward to some impressions from you both.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't get too excited guys...I sure as hell aint.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/583586/qq-v3-0/705#post_8377083
   
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Did you get your HD800 yet Morbid?


 
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Indeed he has.... he might be off the radar for a bit


 
   
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> Awesome! I'll look forward to some impressions from you both.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Don't get too excited guys...I sure as hell aint.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/583586/qq-v3-0/705#post_8377083


 
   
   
  Awwww crap. That sucks man!!!
   
  It says "successfully delivered" on my end.
  Are they open tomorrow?


----------



## MorbidToaster

_Closed until Monday._
   




   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Awwww crap. That sucks man!!!
> 
> It says "successfully delivered" on my end.
> Are they open tomorrow?


----------



## pdiddypdler

Aww that sucks.. bad luck man.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> _Closed until Monday._


 
   
  Man, sorry to hear that... you've made it this far, just a little bit more to go then.
  Again, that sucks to hear.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I blame your government...and my stupid lazy landlords...
   
  I'm going to go in their Monday_ livid._
   
  Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Man, sorry to hear that... you've made it this far, just a little bit more to go then.
> Again, that sucks to hear.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I blame your government...and my stupid lazy landlords...
> 
> I'm going to go in their Monday_ livid._


 
   
  I'm American. We have the same government dog.
   
  **postal alert issued for Austin, TX 05/14/12, all postal employees to report for work armed**
  Go get em


----------



## TehJam

Now he has to listen to his LCD-2...


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's like a third world country, really.
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Now he has to listen to his LCD-2...


 
   
  Also, no beef with the postal service. They're slow, but I already knew that. I'm going to go to my leasing office angry. The land ladies have been rubbing us the wrong way since we moved in and this is the last straw. It's _completely_ ridiculous.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's like a third world country, really.


 
   
  Tonight, if you want something to do with your LCD-2, you could try some EQ. I had great results EQ'ing the LCD-2 to a neutral response, as described here.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Too depressed. Watching TV instead. Trying to plan my next audio related move (beyond getting my HD800s on Monday).
   
  EDIT: Well...I did get just get my Aphex Twin CD in...
   
  Quote: 





windsor said:


> Tonight, if you want something to do with your LCD-2, you could try some EQ. I had great results EQ'ing the LCD-2 to a neutral response, as described here.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Too depressed. Watching TV instead. Trying to plan my next audio related move (beyond getting my HD800s on Monday).
> 
> EDIT: Well...I did get just get my Aphex Twin CD in...


 
   
  Our feelings don't come from stuff, only our thinking about stuff. 
   
  What Aphex Twin CD did you get?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I love the way Woo gear looks but EC stuff has never caught my eye.


 

 Agreed 100%. My (now sold) silver WA22 was damn hot looking, but the LF is pretty good too. I've never been a fan of the look of EC amps either.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been a big Aphex Twin fan for a long time but I'm only now kind of picking up physical copies. Got a copy of (my favorite) the Richard D James Album. Have 85-92 on vinyl, should be getting Classics on vinyl next week, and Selected Ambient II soon on vinyl as well. 
   
  Oh, and I did find something to do. Decided to finally prep my 4301Bs for repainting. Whoever painted these cabinets last time should be shot. Blue and white? Yuck.
   
  Quote: 





windsor said:


> Our feelings don't come from stuff, only our thinking about stuff.
> 
> What Aphex Twin CD did you get?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Agreed 100%. My (now sold) silver WA22 was damn hot looking, but the LF is pretty good too. I've never been a fan of the look of EC amps either.


 
   
  Mean looking cable you got there Mr... If i may know what IC are you using mostly??i see some cool looking Nordost you got there..


----------



## keph

Quote: 





manveru said:


> They look pretty good to me!


 
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Seriously, if this is one of your "crappy" photos, I'd love to see one of your "good" photos


 
  Thank You for your nice comments...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





fabio-fi said:


> I notice you have the Pro900's in your sig. How do they sound with tubes?


 
  Yeah ive sold the Pro900 about a year ago, thats the only Headphone which i ever sold..i used to drive it with the LaFigaro 336 with 5998 tubes and some VT-231 which is awesome.. I dont really like the 900's that much since at that time i also bought HD650 and DT990...


----------



## TheWuss

took a couple shots today of my rig...


----------



## TheWuss

oh, and this...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Whatcha spinnin'?


----------



## TheWuss

Black sabbath self titled. 180 gram reissue.


----------



## Loevhagen

The Wuss: That is a serious corner.


----------



## Anmldr

Here is my bedside rig.  Nothing to write home about, but considering I've only been in this hobby for a month.  And it all started because I wanted to be able to improve my ability to pick up on heart conditions on little furry animals.


----------



## TheOtus

Neat looking, must sound nice. = )


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





keph said:


> Mean looking cable you got there Mr... If i may know what IC are you using mostly??i see some cool looking Nordost you got there..


 
   
  LoL, I feel like a rapper with all the bling bling on with the ALO Chainmail. All I need now is a clock or golden $ to hang off of it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But at least it sounds great!
   
  Yep,,,you guessed correctly. Nordost Red Dawns to my Liquid Fire and Nordost Blue Heavens to my GS-1.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Black sabbath self titled. 180 gram reissue.


 
   
  Nice! Gotta love Sabbath!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





anmldr said:


> Here is my bedside rig.  Nothing to write home about, but considering I've only been in this hobby for a month.  And it all started because I wanted to be able to improve my ability to pick up on heart conditions on little furry animals.


 
   
  Looks plenty good to me! I use an Apple Express, Little Dot I+ and Grados, too


----------



## TWIFOSP

Hey KRK buddy.  Rokits are such good little monitors
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> took a couple shots today of my rig...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Agree. It's actually something I notice every time he posts his rig. lol
   
  Oh hey Wuss what rack are you using? 
   
  Quote: 





twifosp said:


> Hey KRK buddy.  Rokits are such good little monitors


----------



## TheWuss

Solidsteel 3.5
I goofed and bought a turntable larger than my rack, though. Lol.
So the top shelf is by me. Ha


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks. I was having trouble recalling that brand a few weeks ago when I was browsing new racks. I like them a lot.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Solidsteel 3.5
> I goofed and bought a turntable larger than my rack, though. Lol.
> So the top shelf is by me. Ha


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Agreed 100%. My (now sold) silver WA22 was damn hot looking, but the LF is pretty good too. I've never been a fan of the look of EC amps either.


 
   
  Just to add to the list of opinions, I think the EC amps look good, Woo too, but the LF looks like a gamer's custom PC to me.  Never seen one in person though, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.  The LCD-3 is another thing that looked much better in person to me than it did in pics.
   
  Quote: 





anmldr said:


> Here is my bedside rig.  Nothing to write home about, but considering I've only been in this hobby for a month.  And it all started because I wanted to be able to improve my ability to pick up on heart conditions on little furry animals.


 
   
  I just love the way people integrate art into their rigs.  I need to find a nice sculpture or two, maybe some rocks, make it more creative.  More audio altar.


----------



## sphinxvc

The altar sans art.  The speakers are Mordaunt Short MS20s, and aren't hooked up to anything at the moment, which is why they're in that ridiculous position.  I need to find a cheap integrated on craigslist. 
   

   
  I do have one piece of art, and it's that tray I keep my Mac Mini in.  Got it from *this *artist.


----------



## driver 8

Just hang up some vinyl record sleeves.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I need to frame a few of my more...prized albums.
   
  Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> Just hang up some vinyl record sleeves.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> Just hang up some vinyl record sleeves.


 
   
  Unfortunately - don't own any vinyl nor have I tried it.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> The altar sans art.  The speakers are Mordaunt Short MS20s, and aren't hooked up to anything at the moment, which is why they're in that ridiculous position.  I need to find a cheap integrated on craigslist.
> 
> 
> 
> I do have one piece of art, and it's that tray I keep my Mac Mini in.  Got it from *this *artist.


 
   
   
  Currently in-session with Thelonious Monk - Straight, No Chaser "Live" (club unknown) streaming from Paris M2 Radio... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Beautiful looking tray; audio ensemble. Just went to her site, more beauty to see. However, if you're using your Mac mini as a music server, you may wanna revisit using the tray to improve sonics.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Currently in-session with Thelonious Monk - Straight, No Chaser "Live" (club unknown) streaming from Paris M2 Radio...


 
   
  Awesome.
   
   


silent one said:


> Beautiful looking tray; audio ensemble. Just went to her site, more beauty to see. However, if you're using your Mac mini as a music server, you may wanna revisit using the tray to improve sonics.


 
   
  Thanks.  And maybe it does improve sonics.


----------



## Clayton SF

I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


 
   
  Speaking of beautiful amps...


----------



## MorbidToaster

It keeps happening...
   
  My spending plan file literally reads 'Leben CS600, Zu Omen Speakers'
   
  How big a step up is the 600? It doubles the power for more speaker choices. Any headphone improvements? Really trying to decide if almost double the price is worth it.
   
  EDIT: God I want one...
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


 
   
   
  I am now officially and seethingly jealous.
  How is the CS600 with the Zu Omens?


----------



## scud80

just got my omens in a couple weeks ago.  they're a really nice step up in lower-mid/upper-bass performance from my previous speakers (horns from the horn shoppe).  plus they look gorgeous (mine are the black walnut finish).


----------



## tme110

and how do you like it over the ZD?
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It keeps happening...
> 
> My spending plan file literally reads 'Leben CS600, Zu Omen Speakers'
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

What?
   
  Quote: 





tme110 said:


> and how do you like it over the ZD?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Just to add to the list of opinions, I think the EC amps look good, Woo too, but the LF looks like a gamer's custom PC to me.  Never seen one in person though, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.  The LCD-3 is another thing that looked much better in person to me than it did in pics.
> 
> 
> I just love the way people integrate art into their rigs.  I need to find a nice sculpture or two, maybe some rocks, make it more creative.  More audio altar.


 

 In person the LF is quite good looking (and sonically boy does it bring the goods). That said, I've never been a fan of any of the EC amps looks wise. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


 
   
  Despite having to peer through late night low level fog and 50 degree temps, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 it looks good from the East Bay. Congrats on the upgrade! By-the-way, I really could use an audio rack like you've assembled. I'm fast running out of real estate in my _sized-for-Tokyo_ listening room... (iow small!)


----------



## darren700

Patiently awaiting my Audiolab MDAC and Audio-GD DI-DSP and PSU.
  should have them both by the end of the month (Fingers crossed).
   
  Still have to decide on what balanced amp to go with to pair with the MDAC.
  So far im thinking either Schiit Mjolnir, Bryston BHA-1, or Little Dot VI+.
   
  what would you guys suggest around the $750-1400 price range for balanced?
   
  anyways, heres my rig as it is now, interestingly i prefer the Audio-GD C2-SA to the JDS O2 (with LCD2v2), but thats probably because i love bass and the C2-SA is slighly warm.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Talk about bling.

 Nice setup, dude.
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I didn't think that I'd have the heart to do it but I've replaced my Leben CS300XS with a CS600; and I am happier for it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

HD800s in the house ya'll. Work in 2 hours (unfortunately) but these things are blowing my mind so far. My LCD 2s definitely still have a place in this system, but talk about complimentary cans. Wow. Worth the wait.


----------



## Clayton SF

Thanks, everyone.
   
  This really is a great sounding system. The Zu Omens perform incredibly well and seem to be a perfect match for the Leben CS600, IMO. Even with the volume level set low, with music at its minimum and still audibly enjoyable, the bass response is full, the mids are there and the highs are very clear.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Did you get to try them with the CS300X, too?
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks, everyone.
> 
> This really is a great sounding system. The Zu Omens perform incredibly well and seem to be a perfect match for the Leben CS600, IMO. Even with the volume level set low, with music at its minimum and still audibly enjoyable, the bass response is full, the mids are there and the highs are very clear.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> HD800s in the house ya'll. Work in 2 hours (unfortunately) but these things are blowing my mind so far. My LCD 2s definitely still have a place in this system, but talk about complimentary cans. Wow. Worth the wait.


 
   
  Finally! Glad that worked out!


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> HD800s in the house ya'll. Work in 2 hours (unfortunately) but these things are blowing my mind so far. My LCD 2s definitely still have a place in this system, but talk about complimentary cans. Wow. Worth the wait.


 
  Can't wait to hear your impressions. In the many HD800 threads out there.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Did you get to try them with the CS300X, too?


 
   
  Yes I did. I got the Zu Omens based on the CS300X which I got first. The guys at Zu Audio had said that they had tested the Leben CS300X with the Omens with excellent results. The 300 holds its own that's for sure but the 600 certainly out blings shines the 300. When I first played music on the 600 I was floored. Not only was the amp upgraded, it upgraded the loud speaker sound as well. More guts and growl, I'd say. Even with classical music, and especially with acoustic guitar. Mind you, I am still using the stock tubes.


----------



## MorbidToaster

While this is highly subjective do you feel it was worth almost twice the price? Tough one to stomach.
   
  And out of curiosity what's the going rate on the CS600 lately? Always hard to get a proper price outside of contacting a dealer.
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Yes I did. I got the Zu Omens based on the CS300X which I got first. The guys at Zu Audio had said that they had tested the Leben CS300X with the Omens with excellent results. The 300 holds its own that's for sure but the 600 certainly out blings shines the 300. When I first played music on the 600 I was floored. Not only was the amp upgraded, it upgraded the loud speaker sound as well. More guts and growl, I'd say. Even with classical music, and especially with acoustic guitar. Mind you, I am still using the stock tubes.


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Nice ortho collection.


 
   
  Well, the shelf is quite dark, but on top of the Dynaco Stereo 35 amp hides a Dual DK830, which is probably the best open ortho PMB manufactured (DAC might protest, defending the virtues of the very rare Magnat RT10).


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





mdr30 said:


> Well, the shelf is quite dark, but on top of the Dynaco Stereo 35 amp hides a Dual DK830, which is probably the best open ortho PMB manufactured (DAC might protest, defending the virtues of the very rare Magnat RT10).


 
  A Dynaco ST-35!  Very nice amp, we called them "shoebox" amps back in the day.  Replace those caps with some Aerovox V-161 or Vitamin Q's and it will really sing!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mdr30 said:


> Well, the shelf is quite dark, but on top of the Dynaco Stereo 35 amp hides a Dual DK830, which is probably the best open ortho PMB manufactured (DAC might protest, defending the virtues of the very rare Magnat RT10).


 
  I really like the look of them, at least.  Google says they don't exist, unfortunately.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> what would you guys suggest around the $750-1400 price range for balanced?


 
  NFB-10 easy


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> What?


 

 I was actually adding on to your question and asking clayton about his ZD (ZanaDuex).


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I really like the look of them, at least.  Google says they don't exist, unfortunately.


 
   
  Wikiphonia has entries for all these.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> NFB-10 easy


 
   
  I had one already and did not like the sound with LCD2's at all. i vastly prefered the Objective 2 over the NFB-10SE, besides that doesnt have a analogue input, which i need.
   
  thanks though.


----------



## TMRaven

My headphones are usually on my bed during the day when I'm not listening to them.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> I had one already and did not like the sound with LCD2's at all. i vastly prefered the Objective 2 over the NFB-10SE, besides that doesnt have a analogue input, which i need.
> 
> thanks though.


 
   
  LittleDot Mk VI+ might be an option at that price point.
   
  for Solid state, I don't think you'd be able to build a Beta 22 in that range, but you could cobble together a balanced DynaLo (Dynamid) circuit for that.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





tmraven said:


> My headphones are usually on my bed during the day when I'm not listening to them.


 
   
  Cute setup!


----------



## grokit

Quote:
Originally Posted by* darren700 *View Post

what would you guys suggest around the $750-1400 price range for balanced?


The upcoming Schiit Mjolnir is $750 I think. And the new Bryston BHA1 weighs in at $1295.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by* darren700 *View Post
> what would you guys suggest around the $750-1400 price range for balanced?
> The upcoming Schiit Mjolnir is $750 I think. And the new Bryston BHA1 weighs in at $1295.


 
   
  Or a used WA22.


----------



## grokit

obzilla said:


> Or a used WA22.


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> A Dynaco ST-35!  Very nice amp, we called them "shoebox" amps back in the day.  Replace those caps with some Aerovox V-161 or Vitamin Q's and it will really sing!


 
   
  Oh boy it sings. I changed all caps and resistors and added as many RIFA current supply electrolytes as there was space for. A series resistor (ouch!) on the outputs, don't know if the transformers are happy sharing ground, but there it is. Huge sound and sound stage!


----------



## MohawkUS

mdr30 said:


> Oh boy it sings. I changed all caps and resistors and added as many RIFA current supply electrolytes as there was space for. A series resistor (ouch!) on the outputs, don't know if the transformers are happy sharing ground, but there it is. Huge sound and sound stage!




Nice setup, especially those SR-5s there on the right. It's amazing how good the sound of these old headphones can really be, miles above any modern headphone I've tried though I haven't heard any of the flagships. How would you compare your other headphones to the SRs?


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> LittleDot Mk VI+ might be an option at that price point.
> 
> for Solid state, I don't think you'd be able to build a Beta 22 in that range, but you could cobble together a balanced DynaLo (Dynamid) circuit for that.


 
   
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> The upcoming Schiit Mjolnir is $750 I think. And the new Bryston BHA1 weighs in at $1295.


 
   
  Those are the amps i am already considering, the bryston, schiit mjolnir and the little dott Mk VI+; guess im considering the right ones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I'd love to get a balanced B22 but at over 2K its well out of my price range. would a 2 or a 3 channel single b22 ended even compare to the other balanced amps im considering?
   
  I think Im just gonna have to wait and see how the schiit and the bryston do when they come out. it will be interesting to see if the bryston is worth the extra $500 over the schiit or the little dot.
   
  I will look into the balanced DynaLo as well, thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





tmraven said:


> My headphones are usually on my bed during the day when I'm not listening to them.


 
  That's an awesome setup. So simple yet so beautiful.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While this is highly subjective do you feel it was worth almost twice the price? Tough one to stomach.


 
  Congrats on the HD800s! I'm kinda rediscovered them with my LF and just today popped in my newly arrived Mullard E88CC/CV2492s and these are great tubes for the HD800s. Clean, transparent and a touch of the Mullard sweetness/euphonic sound.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Really enjoying them. That 3 days was rough knowing they were 100 yards away.
   
  Only got a few hours with them this morning but man what a great few hours. I like the Tungsram Reds but I do think they'd benefit a little more (the LCD 2.2 is great with the reds) from a tube that adds a little low end weight. Not much, just a tiny bit.
   
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Congrats on the HD800s! I'm kinda rediscovered them with my LF and just today popped in my newly arrived Mullard E88CC/CV2492s and these are great tubes for the HD800s. Clean, transparent and a touch of the Mullard sweetness/euphonic sound.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Really enjoying them. That 3 days was rough knowing they were 100 yards away.
> 
> Only got a few hours with them this morning but man what a great few hours. I like the Tungsram Reds but I do think they'd benefit a little more (the LCD 2.2 is great with the reds) from a tube that adds a little low end weight. Not much, just a tiny bit.


 

 Glad you're enjoying them. I've had mine now for just over 2 years and they're not going anywhere until the HD900s.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tmraven said:


> My headphones are usually on my bed during the day when I'm not listening to them.


 
   
  Nice. Clean. Simple. Is that a charging pad on the left?


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Nice. Clean. Simple. Is that a charging pad on the left?


 
   
  I don't believe so. It's a Wacom tablet. You can see the stylus in the background.


----------



## vinnievidi

posted to wrong thread


----------



## TheOtus

Holy moly, that's not a cheap tablet... I have a much smaller one and that wasn't cheap either.


----------



## liamstrain

wacom users of the world, unite! (love my 6x9 Intuos 2) 
   
  I love it almost as much as I love my headphone setup.


----------



## TMRaven

It seemed expensive before I was introduced to head-fi.


----------



## marts30




----------



## Coolzo

Something about this picture that I just love  Do they (the Grados) all receive equal use?
  Quote: 





marts30 said:


> (le grados)


----------



## Trance88

My brand new Audio Technica ATH-M50 and my "headphone amp" which is a 1975 Pioneer SX636. Funny how the lights show up in a light blue when they're actually aqua green.

  I just took this picture about 10 minutes before posting it here.


----------



## marts30

Indeed, well - obviously the MS1 a little less, but they're a better portable. Brainwavz B2 IEM is very nice also. My little dot I+ will arrive shortly (last one died, haha).
   
  Quote: 





coolzo said:


> Something about this picture that I just love  Do they (the Grados) all receive equal use?


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> HD800s in the house ya'll. Work in 2 hours (unfortunately) but these things are blowing my mind so far. My LCD 2s definitely still have a place in this system, but talk about complimentary cans. Wow. Worth the wait.


 
   
  Welcome to the HD800/LCD-2 club MT! I thought I'd soon be rid of the LCD-2 after acquiring the HD800, but going back to the LCD-2 for the first time in a while reminded me of how good it truly is. Two fine headphones that just compliment each other so well.


----------



## feigeibomber

iPhone really doesnt do this photo justice..


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> iPhone really doesnt do this photo justice_.._


 
  I like it anyway.


----------



## Horse-Fi

where did you get those cute little legs?^^"?


----------



## grokit

olor1n said:


> Welcome to the HD800/LCD-2 club MT! I thought I'd soon be rid of the LCD-2 after acquiring the HD800, but going back to the LCD-2 for the first time in a while reminded me of how good it truly is. Two fine headphones that just compliment each other so well.




X2, these are very complimentary cans, and when you combine them with the variability of tube-rolling the possibilities are truly infinite.


----------



## calipilot227

Got the K701s yesterday
   

   
  My HD580s are hiding up in the corner
   
  Edit: The more I listen to the K701, the more I like the HD580s. They may find a new home before long.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I don't believe so. It's a Wacom tablet. You can see the stylus in the background.


 
   
  Obviously mistaken, I thought what the Wacom tablet was resting on, along with the other mobile device, was potentially a charging pad. And since I wasn't aware of Wacom tablets before your post, thanks for the intro - will proceed to shop; check it out some!


----------



## TheOtus

liamstrain said:


> wacom users of the world, unite! (love my 6x9 Intuos 2)
> 
> I love it almost as much as I love my headphone setup.


 
   
  Intuos 4 here... Roughly 4 x 7 inches.


----------



## jtaylor991

How exactly do Wacom tablets work? Do you draw on that while looking at your screen? I guess it could be somethingt to get used to but sounds really tacky/annoying/quirky IMO.


----------



## TMRaven

Yes you draw while looking at the screen.  Wacom also sells an insanely expensive one where you draw on the tablet itself.  It's not really something that hard to get used to-- it only took me an hour or so.  It's not that quirky either.


----------



## liamstrain

Not quirky at all - and doesn't take long to get used to. If you do a lot of photo retouching, or illustration, they are quite useful. Because the pen/tablets are both pressure and angle sensitive, you gain a LOT of control and accuracy - as well as fluidity when drawing, especially over a mouse.


----------



## calipilot227

I think this discussion belongs in the computer thread
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here/7020#post_8381529


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

parts of my man-cave:


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> parts of my man-cave:


 
   
  Nice set up Bee.


----------



## calipilot227

@Bee inthe Attic
   
  Of course you would post that rig right after mine


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> How exactly do Wacom tablets work? Do you draw on that while looking at your screen? I guess it could be somethingt to get used to but sounds really tacky/annoying/quirky IMO.


 
  Wacom tablets are just like a mouse pad, but you use a pen instead of a mouse, and you can apply different levels of pressure, creating various levels of stroke widths.

 It's kinda tricky to get used to, mainly cause you don't look directly at the surface you're drawing on, like on paper, so you have to learn to compensate that.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Wacom tablets are just like a mouse pad, but you use a pen instead of a mouse, and you can apply different levels of pressure, creating various levels of stroke widths.
> 
> It's kinda tricky to get used to, mainly cause you don't look directly at the surface you're drawing on, like on paper, so you have to learn to compensate that.


 
   
  I've been using them for 10+ years. I don't even think about it anymore.
   
  There is the Cintique, which is a draw-on-screen version. I find looking down at a monitor more awkward than drawing normal while looking up. But some folks seem to like them.


----------



## asmagus




----------



## pdiddypdler

You guys and your awesome pictures....


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> I've been using them for 10+ years. I don't even think about it anymore.
> 
> There is the Cintique, which is a draw-on-screen version. I find looking down at a monitor more awkward than drawing normal while looking up. But some folks seem to like them.


 
  The Cintiq is pretty cool, but i don't think it make such a great difference if you really know what you're doing. Plus, they're expensive as a car. (Or a flagship pair of cans + a balanced amp )


----------



## Draygonn

Cactus is blooming, good time for a picture.


----------



## Mad Dude

Added an LCD-2 Bamboo (Rev. 3?), a Marantz CD6004, new tubes, and a plant. The latter just makes my system sound so much more organic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   

   
  Despite the addition of the LCD-2 (and some further T50RP modding), the HD600 remains my favourite headphone... by far.
   

   

   

   

   
  The last photo is my "headphone closet" where I keep unused headphones, tubes and whatnot. Keeps everything (mostly) dust-free.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Cactus is blooming, good time for a picture.
> [snip]


 
   
  Very nice 
  I see you have a balcony right next to your listening station as well. I love sitting outside on a nice day while listening with headphones - not from a portable system, but from my desktop setup.


----------



## jtaylor991

Hmm, interesting. I would never draw with a mouse. How would any bit of accuracy be possible with that? Well you could practice but still. I have a Lenovo X200 convertible tablet and the stylus works well, but no pressure sensor or anything. Speaking from my experience right now I think I'd rather choose my thickness from a menu (as a beginner) as if I wanted to draw a long, thick line my hand would get tired from pushing down, especially if I were trying to do it with a very specific path and/or design and had many trials and errors.


----------



## anetode

draygonn said:


> Cactus is blooming, good time for a picture.




Please tell me that you sometimes listen to your HD800s while jumping on that trampoline


----------



## TruBrew

^ that made me laugh super hard.


----------



## sphinxvc

Head-fi'ers love Ikea.  Everytime I see that chair I regret not getting the leather cushions, they would have gone so well with my vegan pads.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





asmagus said:


>


 
   
   
  Beautiful Meier gear!


----------



## Draygonn

mad dude said:


>



We should add the Poang chair to the equipment list to see how many head-fiers have one 




mad dude said:


> I love sitting outside on a nice day while listening with headphones - not from a portable system, but from my desktop setup.



It's soooo nice. I should have moved it away from my computer sooner.




anetode said:


> Please tell me that you sometimes listen to your HD800s while jumping on that trampoline



Of course, is there any other way to trampoline?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> parts of my man-cave:


 
  Those Grados; I want. Did you use some cups from some K701s with a J$ headband?


----------



## driver 8

Just got some Woo swag
   

   
  Should move the bonsai back a bit.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Those Grados; I want. Did you use some cups from some K701s with a J$ headband?


 

 The cups are Headphile C-pads (with Beyer DT 770 pads). They look greyish from my flash, but they are really jet black.
  The headband is from the Beyer DT 770 Pro line.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> The cups are Headphile C-pads (with Beyer DT 770 pads). They look greyish from my flash, but they are really jet black.
> The headband is from the Beyer DT 770 Pro line.


 
  Wow, $255 is a bit steep for those. It doesn't look like mahogany in your picture at all. But then again, it's a very niche market. Pretty cool


----------



## TheOtus

sphinxvc said:


> Head-fi'ers love Ikea.  Everytime I see that chair I regret not getting the leather cushions, they would have gone so well with my vegan pads.


 
   
  Actually, due to expensive gear Head-Fi'ers are too poor to get anything better. = )


----------



## drez

^ this is true


----------



## irishmark

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Let's see your headphones station at it's current state.  You can clean things up and bit, but it has to be your current station.  NO old pictures please.
> 
> here is mine.  Took the pictures this morning.
> 
> ...


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





irishmark said:


> what is that setup?..........cool


 
   
   
  Looks like a McIntosh C22 Preamplifier - with a Denon CD or SACD source, a Belari tube amp (HA-540?) a Lehmann Black Cube Linear headphone amp, and a MacMini with iPad remote desktop to the mini. Also looks like an older Sony CD player underneath.


----------



## Tilpo

41 images posted to my tumblr from this thread alone from the short two weeks I was gone. 

I'm starting to love you guys and your gear more and more 



brooko said:


> Very humble set-up compared to a lot of the stations here - but I really like it.  The Grados are full woodies (325is), along with the DT880 600 and the Senn HD600s.  Dac is NFB-12 into an LD MKIV.  Portables are iPhone4 or iPod Touch 4 with Arrow HE4G, and SE535 Ltd Ed.
> 
> And yes, it's how my desk usually looks (neat freak).




That setup looks vaguely familiar... 


How are you liking my Little Dot MKIV with the NFB-12? To be honest, I do miss it some times.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> 41 images posted to my tumblr from this thread alone from the short two weeks I was gone.
> I'm starting to love you guys and your gear more and more
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  But mine isn't there hehe...


----------



## Tilpo

keph said:


> But mine isn't there hehe...



I put everything in the queue as to not flood the blog with images. It should pop up either tomorrow or the day after.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I put everything in the queue as to not flood the blog with images. It should pop up either tomorrow or the day after.


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> Nice setup, especially those SR-5s there on the right. It's amazing how good the sound of these old headphones can really be, miles above any modern headphone I've tried though I haven't heard any of the flagships. How would you compare your other headphones to the SRs?


 
   
   
  The Stax is certainly an interesting headphone but it's not my ideal one. I find the overall balance good with clarity and sufficient bass, but the treble is a bit too busy and diffuse. The best orthos have a body to the instruments that is totally seductive, and that quality is lacking in the Stax and many other electrostatics except the most expensive.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Wow, $255 is a bit steep for those. It doesn't look like mahogany in your picture at all. But then again, it's a very niche market. Pretty cool


 

 Yeah, my poor picture taking skills don't show off the beauty of the wood.
   
  While these do go for $225, I bought a used older model (I bought the 8th version I think, while the current ones are now version 10).
  I got them from a Head-Fier for a reasonable cost within a week or so of posting a wanted add. They are out there if you search. And they make Grado's hella comfy!!


----------



## Draygonn

brooko said:


>




I like the look of that LD MKIV


----------



## peck1234

Just got my EMOTIVE XDA-1 in today!!! Loving the HELLZ out it! Dead accurate, no echo or harsness like the Xonar ST or the HRT Music Streamer II.   
   
  My #1 DAC ive tried thus far.  !


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Nice, I was actually looking at it myself since I wanted a decent DAC w/ volume control (since my dock doesn't  -_-) but alas I wouldn't be to fit it within my current setup... Looks great on yours! Let us know how you like it in the long run...


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Just got my EMOTIVE XDA-1 in today!!! Loving the HELLZ out it! Dead accurate, no echo or harsness like the Xonar ST or the HRT Music Streamer II.
> 
> My #1 DAC ive tried thus far.  !


 
  WHAT!? $200 for a balanced DAC capable of 24/192? How have I not heard anything about this?
   
  Congratulations.


----------



## peck1234

It's freaking fantastic I know, MSRP was $350 a couple months ago.  I think there going to realease the XDA-2 Soon, sothe XDA-1 is a steal right now. 
   
  BTW, is it ok that I have it on top of my amp?  (top gets a lil hot)


----------



## RexAeterna

lilkoolaidman said:


> WHAT!? $200 for a balanced DAC capable of 24/192? How have I not heard anything about this?
> 
> Congratulations.





i guess you never heard of audio interfaces?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> It's freaking fantastic I know, MSRP was $350 a couple months ago.  I think there going to realease the XDA-2 Soon, the the XDA-1 is a steal right now.
> 
> BTW, is it ok that I have it on top of my amp?  (top gets a lil hot)


 

 Keeping it in a cooler place wouldn't hurt, but I don't think it's necessary. I have my DAC and LD on top of my receiver and I've never had any problems with it. As long as it has space for air to flow around the stuff on top, it should be fine.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> i guess you never heard of audio interfaces?


 
  Well, yes, but that XDA-1 looks friggin amazing.


----------



## peck1234

Here's a high res iphone shot.  : )


----------



## MorbidToaster

The XDA-1 is an even better deal when you use the Preamp feature as well. I sokd mine recently but would definitely recommend it at 200. 

Oh and it should be fine on top.


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Here's a high res iphone shot.  : )
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  How do you like the Yamaha amp? I'm about to pull trigger for it to start a budget speaker rig.


----------



## peck1234

The AX-497 is freaking fantastic.  Seriously no noise at even the highest volumes and it does not "touch" or "misform the audio in anyway"  just makes it louder.


----------



## TMRaven

It doesn't add bass impact, soundstage depth, reduce sibilance and makes the mids smoother and more forward like every other 'great' amp out there in the eyes of an audiophile?  It must be flawed.


----------



## peck1234

Quick update on the XDA-1.    Ice COLD response.   Ive A/Bed 4 of my freinds and my onboard Realtek ALC888 sounds better than this DAC.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.   
   
  To bad it looks good, but it sure dont sound good.


----------



## vinnievidi

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> The AX-497 is freaking fantastic.  Seriously no noise at even the highest volumes and it does not "touch" or "misform the audio in anyway"  just makes it louder.


 
  Just giving a shout out to the AX-497.  I had one a couple years ago and loved it--design and performance.  The headphone stage was super clean and could drive my K701 with ease.


----------



## MohawkUS

peck1234 said:


> Quick update on the XDA-1.    Ice COLD response.   Ive A/Bed 4 of my freinds and my onboard Realtek ALC888 sounds better than this DAC.   .
> 
> To bad it looks good, but it sure dont sound good.



 Is it just the cold nature of it that you hate or is it worse in other ways as well? How's the soundstage, dynamics, etc.? I actually like my onboard sound more than the Bifrost I demoed. I found the Bifrost too smooth and slower in the transient attack, though it had a much better timbre. I'm actually a fan of a colder sound as long as it isn't too harsh. I have a lot of black metal and such.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Just got my EMOTIVE XDA-1 in today!!! Loving the HELLZ out it! Dead accurate, no echo or harsness like the Xonar ST or the HRT Music Streamer II.
> 
> My #1 DAC ive tried thus far.  !


 
   
  Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> It's freaking fantastic I know, MSRP was $350 a couple months ago.  I think there going to realease the XDA-2 Soon, sothe XDA-1 is a steal right now.
> 
> BTW, is it ok that I have it on top of my amp?  (top gets a lil hot)


 
   
  Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Quick update on the XDA-1.    Ice COLD response.   Ive A/Bed 4 of my freinds and my onboard Realtek ALC888 sounds better than this DAC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  How did you go from loving it to hating it so quickly? Just wondering as I've had my eye on this DAC for a while


----------



## painted klown

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Quick update on the XDA-1.    Ice COLD response.   Ive A/Bed 4 of my freinds and my onboard Realtek ALC888 sounds better than this DAC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I am a fan of Emotiva products and currently own dual XPA-1monoblocks, an XPA-5, and dual Ultra Sub 12s. In the past I have owned dual USP-1 monos and their USP-1 as well.
   
  Upon the initial release of the XDA-1 I had strongly considered getting one because it is fully balanced. However, when the reviews started coming in, there was a lot of the same complaints that you are mentioning. While it seemed to be accurate, a lot of people considered its sound to be too "clinical", and even sibilant in the upper frequency range. I decided to pass...
   
  If you don't mind, can you please elaborate on what specifically you do not like about its sound? At the new price point of $200, I have had some renewed interest, but I am concerned that it wouldn't mate well with my B&W 684s, which are sibilant enough as it is (too much so at high volume) being that they have aluminum dome tweeters in them. It just makes me "iffy" on plunking down the cash for one.
   
  Also, please note that Emotiva themselves have said that when the volume is not set to 80 (full) then the signal coming from the XDA-1 is downgraded. Initially, the volume was a huge selling point, but after it was discovered that you lose information when lowering the volume control, it was recommended to use the XDA-1 with a pre-amp.
   
  Perhaps try using it as a DAC into your current pre and see what you think of it. It may (or may not) help. 
   
  Good luck! )


----------



## grokit

peck1234 said:


> Just got my EMOTIVE XDA-1 in today!!! Loving the HELLZ out it! Dead accurate, no echo or harsness like the Xonar ST or the HRT Music Streamer II.
> 
> My #1 DAC ive tried thus far.  !







peck1234 said:


> Quick update on the XDA-1.    Ice COLD response.   Ive A/Bed 4 of my freinds and my onboard Realtek ALC888 sounds better than this DAC.   .
> 
> To bad it looks good, but it sure dont sound good.




What a difference less than four hours with it makes eh? I demo'd one of the early-release units and didn't even get that far with it, it wouldn't give me enough line voltage to amplify. They said it was fine, even though I had other DACs around that worked while theirs didn't with any amp I tried. Weirdly the early reviews complained of too high of a level so they may have over-compensated with mine as they said they had corrected it.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

That's really too bad. It's really sexy looking and the balanced is nice. Perhaps I'll stick with my D1


----------



## peck1234

Yes sorry for the mixed impressions.  When I first plugged everything in, I was very exited by the new sound of the XDA-1.  I will say I still enjoy it more than the Xonar ST and HRT Music streamer.   But after a few hours of listening, (just like with the other DACS)  somthing just did'nt sound right. 
   
  XDA-1
   
  The Vocals the XDA-1 produces have a very open and "live" (airy) feeling to them.  High's seem slightly elevated,  and some attacks (mainly cymbals and hi-hats) are sibilant.  
   
  High frequencies are extremely cold a lack the detail and "grain" that my onboard audio/CD Player gives out.  One song which made this issue VERY clear to me was
   
*Craft Spells - Your Tomb  *http://www.datafilehost.com/download-22efa143.html
   
  The bells from the very start of the song just sound terrible on the XDA-1.  Completly lacking detail, texture, and attack compared to my ALC888.  Very shrill sounding.  The best I can do is to replicate it EQ wise on my ALC888 and I ended up with the picture below.  
   
  Along with the airy vocals, and siblilant high's, the XDA-1 makes for a very unbalanced and undynamic sounding DAC.   
   
  Honestly Realtek's new chipsets. (yes we are talking onboard audio here)  sound fantastic if you ask me, their new ALC898 boasts 110db SNR, I may just upgrade motherboards, because ive had it with soundcards and EDACS.


----------



## painted klown

Quote: 





peck1234 said:


> Yes sorry for the mixed impressions.  When I first plugged everything in, I was very exited by the new sound of the XDA-1.  I will say I still enjoy it more than the Xonar ST and HRT Music streamer.   But after a few hours of listening, (just like with the other DACS)  somthing just did'nt sound right.
> 
> XDA-1
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for the update and further explanation of your findings. Very useful information, for sure.  )


----------



## MorbidToaster

Here's a few shots of the new place and set up. Woo stand came in the mail yesterday. Pretty nice to actually have a legit stand. Internet is going in today and then it's time for Diablo III...Spooky sounds on the HD800. Looking forward to it.
   
  New apartment is great, new roomates are 10x better than the old ones. Just a good move all around...Now I need to recable the HD800. The stock cable is nice but tangles almost as bad as my D7000. Annoying.


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler:  Click to show images
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very nice setup.

Is the HD 800 cable really that annoying? When I auditioned it, it seemed the cable was very high quality and tangle-free.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tilpo said:


> Very nice setup.
> Is the HD 800 cable really that annoying? When I auditioned it, it seemed the cable was very high quality and tangle-free.




It's not horrible but when I walk away from the desk I often am cut a bit short by a tangle in the cable. It's also a bit stiff so it doesn't hang as well as I'd like on that hook.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Very nice setup.
> Is the HD 800 cable really that annoying? When I auditioned it, it seemed the cable was very high quality and tangle-free.


 
   
  It's high quality in terms of sound and comfort, even build quality. But for some reason it has a tendency to get underfoot and in the way, for me at least.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


>


 
  I see you've got the LCD-2 with a balanced cable, so where's the balanced component?


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> I see you've got the LCD-2 with a balanced cable, so where's the balanced component?




Got them more for options than anything else. I have 2 adapters for it and use the 1/4" on the LF.

I do have a WA22 in my sights though.


----------



## TheOtus

Time for a smooth off-topic; do balanced amps, in general, accept un-balanced sources and still drive balanced headphones? It's sort of un-clear for me how is a balanced XLR different from an un-balanced RCA output in a DAC? Both have one contact used for the ground and one for the signal, only a different connector.


----------



## grokit

Good luck with the "balanced amps, in general" thing.


----------



## jtaylor991

X2. I thought also that it was about having separate ground wires, and with the balanced from headphones to amp, you'd have that anyway right? I don't see why the source needs to be balanced as much, at least to have an effect. I wouldn't be surprised if the source connection being balanced contributed somehow but I'd like an explanation, and I'd think that balanced would work with an unbalanced source connection (DAC-->amp) but balanced amp-->headphones connection would still make a difference, just to a lesser extent, if it's about the grounding. And how would the grounding make such a difference anyway?
   
  P.S. Otus, i think balanced uses one ground wire for each side vs. one shared ground wire, so your statement would not be true in that case. dual 3pin XLR uses one pin for signal, one for ground, and one is unused, and this goes for each side. 4pin does the same, one pin for ground and one for signal X2 for both sides/channels, equaling 4pins. Don't ask me why separate 3pin connectors were used, maybe they thought the separation helped by having separate connectors and found later this wasn't the case and started using 4pin? Who knows lol.
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> Time for a smooth off-topic; do balanced amps, in general, accept un-balanced sources and still drive balanced headphones? It's sort of un-clear for me how is a balanced XLR different from an un-balanced RCA output in a DAC? Both have one contact used for the ground and one for the signal, only a different connector.


----------



## KimLaroux

Guys, this is a pictures thread. Stop speculating and start reading.
   
  Let's keep this thread for geek pr0n, kay?


----------



## TekeRugburn

Temporary station.....  very moderate full size can setup


----------



## Tilpo

tekerugburn said:


> Temporary station.....  very moderate full size can setup



I think you forgot to include the picture...


----------



## grokit

It's definitely temporary if there's ever an earthquake :eek: !


----------



## TekeRugburn

Quote: 





grokit said:


> It's definitely temporary if there's ever an earthquake
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  its the most i can do while doing rotations in Brooklyn.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tekerugburn said:


> its the most i can do while doing rotations in Brooklyn.


 
   
  To your pursuit... _wishing you excellence!_


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tekerugburn said:


> Temporary station.....  very moderate full size can setup


 
   
   
  Love the Bass in the photograph!


----------



## dleblanc343

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Love the Bass in the photograph!


 
  I second that, it looks like an Ibanez sr500


----------



## thenorwegian

Behind me.. Sound coming from my pc with an asus xonar essence stx soundcard connected to an abrahamsen v6 dac.
   

   
  Infront of me...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not quite how surround sound works but okay.


----------



## thenorwegian

I knew something was wrong  I hate surround sound. The dali zensor speakers are mainly used for when I'm listening to the radio only. The xtz 99.26 mkII's are for when I want to enjoy some quality sounds, and everything playing together is for whenever I got the house to my self and just want to play loud


----------



## beaver316

My setup, pretty simple but awesome sound.
   
  Sennheiser IE80 IEMs
  Fiio E17 DAC and AMP


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Behind me.. Sound coming from my pc with an asus xonar essence stx soundcard connected to an abrahamsen v6 dac.
> 
> 
> 
> Infront of me...


 
   
   
  Two W1000Xs huh? You must like them.
   
  The speaker setup seems, 'extreme'.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Two W1000Xs huh? You must like them.

The speaker setup seems, 'extreme'.  
[/quote]

Looks like he has another pair of headphones hanging way in the back ground. Can't make out the type


----------



## R_burke

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> What are those Manley's powering?


 
  GR Research OB5s


----------



## thenorwegian

Quote: 





obzilla said:


> Two W1000Xs huh? You must like them.
> 
> The speaker setup seems, 'extreme'.


 
   
  I *love* the w1000x, so I got another pair just in case one would break. The spare ones are kept in the AT case, locked away - for emergency use only  I rearly use all speakers as I rent an appartment in a house where there lives 2 other families, so there's almost always some one home here  About 90% of the time I only use the xtz 99.26's. But on rare occasions I'm alone here, and then I can release a wall of sound 
   
*DAILYDOSEOFDALY: *My other headphones are locked away, so nothing but w1000x goodness in the picture  But I have sony xb700+xb1000, audio technica pro700mk2 and ultrasone pro 2900 (that are all for sale). After I got the w1000x I stopped looking for other headphones.


----------



## Tilpo

thenorwegian said:


> I *love* the w1000x, so I got another pair just in case one would break. The spare ones are kept in the AT case, locked away - for emergency use only  I rearly use all speakers as I rent an appartment in a house where there lives 2 other families, so there's almost always some one home here  About 90% of the time I only use the xtz 99.26's. But on rare occasions I'm alone here, and then I can release a wall of sound
> 
> *DAILYDOSEOFDALY:* My other headphones are locked away, so nothing but w1000x goodness in the picture  But I have sony xb700+xb1000, audio technica pro700mk2 and ultrasone pro 2900 (that are all for sale). After I got the w1000x I stopped looking for other headphones.



Have you ever compared the W1000X to other similarly priced models? 
If not, why didn't you try another headphone instead of a second W1000X?


----------



## thenorwegian

Havn't tried anything in the same price range as the w1000x yet. In addition to the ones mentioned, I've owned sony mdr-f1, beyerdynamic dt770 and audio technica m50. Right now I'm *very* happy with what I got, so I don't feel the need to go searching for anything else. But when the need to get some new gear comes again, the hifiman he-500 and lcd-2's are next on the "to do" list.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Infront of me...


 
  I like this idea. If I get some money, I just may buy some decent monitors so that I can switch between them and my floor-standing, because right now, I have to sit back a ways from my computer to get a good image from them, but it would be nice to have some near-fields.


----------



## thenorwegian

It works very well here atleast. The xtz 99.26's are the only ones I've taken any concideration with regards to placement and getting the best possible sound to where I'm sitting. I started with just those two, and found the best distance they could stand apart from eachother to bring me into the sweet spot - and then I did the final adjustments moving them away from the wall. They're also somewhat isolated from the desk itself by flat rubber feet. After that I just threw the rest in there (well, the dali's are on rubber feet aswell - and the floorstanding dynavoice speakers are on spikes), as none of them are for critical listening.
   
  The sound from the abrahamsen v6 dac goes to the musical fidelity m1 hpa, so I don't have to turn anything else on when I just want to enjoy music through my headphones. Then the M1 is connected to the big XTZ amp which runs the xtz speakers. Even when the M1 is turned off it still passes the signal on to the XTZ, so I don't have to have the M1 on at all times. The denon rcd-m38 is running the dali speakers, and is mostly used for whenever I want to listen to the radio. And the denon pma-700ae amp is taking care of the dynavoice F6 EX speakers.


----------



## twizzleraddict

"Wall of Sound" comes to mind when I see more than 2 pairs of speakers next to each other.


----------



## TekeRugburn

Quote: 





silent one said:


> To your pursuit... _wishing you excellence!_


 
  thanks!


----------



## Windsor

Middle of the night headphone comparison.


----------



## driver 8

Where'd you get the Amperiors?


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> Where'd you get the Amperiors?


 
   
  I got them in the UK. They're on sale at Apple stores the first month of release. I can buy you a pair and send them to you if you like.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Middle of the night headphone comparison.


 
   
  Just finished a comparison between the pictured headphones (HD 25-1, M50s, HD 600, Amperior, HD 800, and LCD-2 rev.2) using ten different types of music/audio. I might post it as an article if anybody wants to read it...


----------



## Silent One




----------



## neddamttocs

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Just finished a comparison between the pictured headphones (HD 25-1, M50s, HD 600, Amperior, HD 800, and LCD-2 rev.2) using ten different types of music/audio. I might post it as an article if anybody wants to read it...


 
   
  I'd personally read it as it has some of the headphones I am interested in getting.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 
   


neddamttocs said:


> I'd personally read it as it has some of the headphones I am interested in getting.


 
   
  OK, watch this space.


----------



## Redcarmoose

http://www.head-fi.org/t/610846/the-amazing-60-dollar-3rd-world-full-size-hi-fi#post_8397309
   
   
    I could stay here all day. Where is my drink?
   
   
  No room reflections. No floor vibrations and a 12 foot 6 inch distance to the sweet spot. Total system cost was $60.00 usd brand new, minus DVD player and cords.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





windsor said:


> OK, watch this space.


 
   
  Here it is: http://www.head-fi.org/a/comparing-headphones-sennheisers-hd-800-hd-600-hd-25-1-and-amperior-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-ath-m50s


----------



## Greyson




----------



## Tilpo

greyson said:


>



Nice! 

What turntable is that?


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





greyson said:


>


 
   
  Cosy-looking rig!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Technics 1200 somethin' or other with a clamp. I could pick out the clamp too but it's 8:30am.
   
  Still need to get that 180g Miles Davis. 
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Nice!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Greyson

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> What turntable is that?


 
   
   
  Technics SL-1210Mk2


----------



## Tilpo

greyson said:


> Technics SL-1210Mk2


Is that you're only source? Or do you also have a digital system?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/610846/the-amazing-60-dollar-3rd-world-full-size-hi-fi#post_8397309
> 
> 
> I could stay here all day. Where is my drink?
> ...


 
   
  Gorgeous--I love your living space, the last picture you posted was equally stunning.  Where is this?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Gorgeous--I love your living space, the last picture you posted was equally stunning.  Where is this?


 
  Bali


----------



## Defiant00

Only have my phone here at work, but here's my current setup with the new cans.


----------



## IcedTea

How do you like the Asgard with the LCD-2?
   
  Love the clean look btw


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Only have my phone here at work, but here's my current setup with the new cans.


 
   
  That's an expensive set up to keep at work.
   
  I get paranoid and have to leave my HD800s with a trusted colleague every day that I step out for lunch.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> That's an expensive set up to keep at work.
> 
> I get paranoid and have to leave my HD800s with a trusted colleague every day that I step out for lunch.


 
   
  They should be providing you a locked cabinet at your desk to secure personal items. At the very least, you can leave for lunch without worrying much. I'd take the gear home myself, being paranoid too.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> They should be providing you a locked cabinet at your desk to secure personal items. At the very least, you can leave for lunch without worrying much. I'd take the gear home myself, being paranoid too.


 
   
  Well yes, under standard circumstances they would, but our office is undergoing a renovation, so many standard amenities are suspended.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> How do you like the Asgard with the LCD-2?
> 
> Love the clean look btw


 
   
  Love it; so far I've found I typically listen around 9 o'clock and if I really want to crank it maybe 10 so it definitely has more than enough power for me. I actually got to listen to the Lyr for a bit recently and it had the opposite effect from what I was expecting, now I'm actually no longer interested in it (it sounded great, but for my listening level no better than the Asgard).
   
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> That's an expensive set up to keep at work.
> 
> I get paranoid and have to leave my HD800s with a trusted colleague every day that I step out for lunch.


 
   
  Well, it is where I do most of my listening. I had no real qualms about leaving it and the HD600s out, but the LCD-2s are definitely going to be locked up whenever I leave for the day (or taken home for the weekend).


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Bali


 
   
  I liked the long winded explanation better.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
   
  That price is not bad.  Maybe some time down the line I might be in touch (and I would bring my phones for a minimeet).


----------



## asmagus

Late night comparison


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I liked the long winded explanation better.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  We get all types of interesting tenants, at the moment we have a guy writing a book about India, a newspaper publisher and a girl teaching pole dancing on site. We have a total of three people from California. Last month we had two girls teaching Hula-hoop dancing. It is never not interesting.
   
  Yesterday we had a visitor who had traveled around Ubud and had tried twelve raw food pies. So I'm always being educated about stuff I would never know about. There is no good places to buy electronics but great nightly shows with-in walking distance with live music..


----------



## serious7

Quote: 





voodoohao said:


> I love looking at these kind of threads hahaha, able to find a lot of really cool setups   Here's my rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Where do I get a  table top stand like this? I need a stand for my 2 headphones.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





serious7 said:


> Where do I get a  table top stand like this? I need a stand for my 2 headphones.


 
   
  Looks DIY.


----------



## Greyson

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Is that you're only source? Or do you also have a digital system?


 
   
  I have a dock for my Zune HD that you can see in front of my record bin, which has my Lossless music collection on it.


----------



## mrAdrian

asmagus said:


> Late night comparison




Interesting choice of headphones, I'll be waiting to hear your thoughts on them XD


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





serious7 said:


> Where do I get a  table top stand like this? I need a stand for my 2 headphones.


 
   
   
  +1


----------



## jjacq

Just finished cleaning. Will be selling most of the headphones very soon.


----------



## Tilpo

jjacq said:


> Just finished cleaning. Will be selling most of the headphones very soon.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pictures



Decided which ones you're going to keep yet? Or are you selling all of them to fuel more expensive headphones. 

Very nice headphone stand you've got there by the way, but I think I already told you that before.



serious7 said:


> Where do I get a  table top stand like this? I need a stand for my 2 headphones.



It looks like a stand for a desk with a roll of cardboard on top, with a nice paint job. If this is DIY then it shouldn't be too much work. Still a very nice idea.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





jjacq said:


> Just finished cleaning. Will be selling most of the headphones very soon.


 
   
  Dare to say 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...cute. Nice clean up and staging, Jjacq! Love your avatars, by the way...


----------



## Silent One

Still under construction...but emerging.


----------



## jjacq

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Decided which ones you're going to keep yet? Or are you selling all of them to fuel more expensive headphones.
> Very nice headphone stand you've got there by the way, but I think I already told you that before.


 
  Yeah I wanna sell everything except for the D2000 and HD25-1 for now. The HD25's are gonna stay for sure for portable use and the D2000 + others will be used to fund an LCD-2 or something haha I hope so!
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Dare to say
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   Haha I have a feeling it's gonna be messy some time soon again. I'm still waiting for my turntable belt so I still have yet to see if it's hard to use with this setup lol. The isolation pads were supposed to be for my A5 speakers but the amp is making it fall down so nevermind.
   
  Quote:


silent one said:


> Still under construction...but emerging.


 
   
  I like the table a lot and...I spy a Sansui? I have one but not sure what's happening to it right now cuz it's still on service. :S!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





jjacq said:


> Yeah I wanna sell everything except for the D2000 and HD25-1 for now. The HD25's are gonna stay for sure for portable use and the D2000 + others will be used to fund an LCD-2 or something haha I hope so!
> 
> 
> *I like the table a lot and...I spy a Sansui?* I have one but not sure what's happening to it right now cuz it's still on service. :S!


 
   
  1977 Pioneer SX-650. Also, I have 100+ pounds on the desk; now sagging in the middle - being replaced in 7-10 days by a coffee table 47.5" L versus 42" L for the desk. Then, I'll have more room to lay the amp down flat.


----------



## Coolzo

Moved houses, went through a few cans, bought and sold an Asgard, got rid of that cheap white plastic "rack", and modded some T50RP (aka Coolpants, lol). About time I make another contribution (sorry for the pics, just couldn't get quite the right lighting for some reason, and I need a tripod+more skill):


----------



## allyl

Computer --> Eastern Electric Minimax Plus --> Violectric V200 --> HD800. 
  To think I started with a u-DAC2 feeding FA-003s. So much for affordable audio...


----------



## mmayer167

Those eastern electric mini max's tickle my fancy every time I see one! Last time I looked they weren't easy to find either, where did you get yours? Also how would you compare the nfb 10se flavor to the v200? did you ever run the v200 out of the 10se dac?
   
  Nice rig allyl! 
   
  -M


----------



## allyl

I bought the minimax directly from Morningstar Audio. It was shipped quickly and superbly packed. I really liked the idea that it's based off the well spec'd Sabre chip, yet gives options for both opamp and tube rolling. I have a NOS Amperex 12AU7 on the way to get that process started, and will likely pick up some opamps to roll as well. 
   
  I liked the nfb-10se at first, but sort of lost interest in it the more I listened. It just had too relaxed of a sound for me, even with its gobs of power. I never ran the v200 out of the 10se, but I from (imperfect) memory, I think the v200 has a slightly smaller soundstage, but much better control and presence, at least for me. I'm hoping that the tweaking I'll be able to do with the Minimax will keep me occupied for quite some time.
   
  Thank you for the compliment!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





coolzo said:


> Moved houses, went through a few cans, bought and sold an Asgard, got rid of that cheap white plastic "rack", and modded some T50RP (aka Coolpants, lol). About time I make another contribution (sorry for the pics, just couldn't get quite the right lighting for some reason, and I need a tripod+more skill):


 
   
  That SX on the bottom (780) is looking fantastique!


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





silent one said:


> That SX on the bottom (780) is looking fantastique!


 

 It looks beautiful! I've seen a few on the forum recently. I can't wait to have mine all restored and running at 100%


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> It looks beautiful! I've seen a few on the forum recently. I can't wait to have mine all restored and running at 100%


 
   
  I want a BIGGER amp. So, now I'm finally perusing CL up and down the coast. Perhaps, $350-$500 would do. And then finally pursue some pre-owned HE-6's and get 'em _hard wired._


----------



## Coolzo

Thanks guys! It was sitting in my grandma's garage for six months or so... I took it apart and individually cleaned all the visible components with alcohol wipes, then dusted the PCBs and whatnot. Made it look beter, and removed some noise 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If you ever get a vintage amp, it's ENTIRELY worth it.
   
  EDIT: If you see my avatar (the album cover of my latest experimental/electronic release), it's a GIMPd out pic of my receiver right after I cleaned it.
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> It looks beautiful! I've seen a few on the forum recently. I can't wait to have mine all restored and running at 100%


 
   
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> That SX on the bottom (780) is looking fantastique!


----------



## Tilpo

coolzo said:


> Thanks guys! It was sitting in my grandma's garage for six months or so... I took it apart and individually cleaned all the visible components with alcohol wipes, then dusted the PCBs and whatnot. Made it look beter, and removed some noise  If you ever get a vintage amp, it's ENTIRELY worth it.
> 
> EDIT: If you see my avatar (the album cover of my latest experimental/electronic release), it's a GIMPd out pic of my receiver right after I cleaned it.



Replacing the caps is also never a bad idea, if you've got some decent soldering skills.


----------



## Silent One

My SX-650 is lookin' ruff & stuff! But, we're going to make it do what it do, baby.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





silent one said:


> My SX-650 is lookin' ruff & stuff! But, we're going to make it do what it do, baby.


 
   
   
  Cool table you got there SO...btw what is that thing below the wood stand??it looks like a small heatsink..hehe


----------



## Tilpo

keph said:


> Cool table you got there SO...btw what is that thing below the wood stand??it looks like a small heatsink..hehe



Probably things to increase mechanical absorption. We discussed his rig in some more detail a couple weeks back.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yeah look like those component isolation thingys


----------



## Focker

Nice Mapleshade gear


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're Isoblocks. They come with the Mapleshade platforms.


----------



## keph

yeah looks like a spongy but hard material...


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





silent one said:


> My SX-650 is lookin' ruff & stuff! But, we're going to make it do what it do, baby.


 
   
  Do the isolation platforms under the mac mini and power conditioner do anything for sound quality? I understand the need for them under the tube amp, but I didn't think digital components were affected by vibration...


----------



## Tilpo

calipilot227 said:


> Do the isolation platforms under the mac mini and power conditioner do anything for sound quality? I understand the need for them under the tube amp, but I didn't think digital components were affected by vibration...



I can't see the technical basis either, but hey, if it works for him, then it works for him.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





keph said:


> yeah looks like a spongy but hard material...


 
   Both, because it's a combo of cork & rubber sandwich style.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Do the isolation platforms under the mac mini and power conditioner do anything for sound quality? I understand the need for them under the tube amp, but I didn't think digital components were affected by vibration...


 
  Everything matters...especially digital gear. The biggest transformation can be heard with the Mac mini music server. To me, this makes sense as it is first in line and digital. It blew the presentation wide open - bigger, wider, taller and deeper soundstage. I haven't tested the power conditioner yet, just completed swapping out the desk before sunrise. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Currently, I'm out of optional footers to try. So at the most basic testing, I'll give it a few days with, then without. 
   
  The main reason it's underneath the conditioner is because the Maple block is now an extra - might as well use it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Next up, Brass footers!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I can't see the technical basis either, but hey, if it works for him, then it works for him.


 
   
  As it happens in real life, not every component will benefit to the same degree, if at all. Of the three main components, the Mac showed the biggest improvement with the Maple platform/Isoblocks. The amp improved but to a lesser degree. And the DAC is just flat out stubborn! Things definitely change but it has been less than favorable. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Tried different footers, still a mixed bag. Hopefully, Brass footers will swing it back the other way. But they're expensive, so I might have to wait until July/August. But that ain't going to stop me from enjoying the music. I'll make the best of what I have today, the tomorrows will take care of themselves.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





focker said:


> Nice Mapleshade gear


 
   
  Busted!


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> As it happens in real life, not every component will benefit to the same degree, if at all. Of the three main components, the Mac showed the biggest improvement with the Maple platform/Isoblocks. The amp improved but to a lesser degree. And the DAC is just flat out stubborn! Things definitely change but it has been less than favorable. :blink:
> 
> Tried different footers, still a mixed bag. Hopefully, Brass footers will swing it back the other way. But they're expensive, so I might have to wait until July/August. But that ain't going to stop me from enjoying the music. I'll make the best of what I have today, the tomorrows will take care of themselves.



I'm fine with there being a difference in sound quality, I just don't see which physical phenomenon would cause this. Electrical transmission shouldn't be influenced by small amounts of mechanical vibration.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> yeah look like those component isolation thingys


 
   





 I think they look fun! May try bouncing them off the table and into a glass or something. Maybe challenge a friend over pizza!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm fine with there being a difference in sound quality, I just don't see which physical phenomenon would cause this. Electrical transmission shouldn't be influenced by small amounts of mechanical vibration.


 
  I don't think with tubes or components that lack moving parts there really is one.  I've picked up my NFB and shook it while listening to music, and there's no noticeable difference in sound to me.  Of course if Silent One notices a difference and sees the value in dampening, more power to him.


----------



## Tilpo

dagothur said:


> I don't think with tubes or components that lack moving parts there really is one.  I've picked up my NFB and shook it while listening to music, and there's no noticeable difference in sound to me.  Of course if Silent One notices a difference and sees the value in dampening, more power to him.



Not seeing the value in dampening saves you money, and ignorance _is_ bliss, after all.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Not seeing the value in dampening saves you money, and ignorance _is_ bliss, after all.


 
   
  Unless the ignorance is costing you money... but that's a whole other discussion.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm fine with there being a difference in sound quality,* I just don't see* which physical phenomenon would cause this. Electrical transmission *shouldn't* be influenced by small amounts of mechanical vibration.


 
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> *I don't think* with tubes or components that lack moving parts there really is one.  I've picked up my NFB and shook it while listening to music, and there's no noticeable difference in sound to me.  Of course if Silent One notices a difference and sees the value in dampening, more power to him.


 
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Not seeing the value in dampening saves you money, and ignorance _is_ bliss, after all.


 
   
  I appreciate the input and the opportunity for an exchange. That said, I notice both of you in the quotes above express phrases (bold type) that suggests what you're thinking. That's great. But, what have you tried inside the listening room? Would love to share in your joy and experiences with this kind of thing. You needn't read very many of my posts on the matter going back 60 days. In any of them, my adventures will be obvious - trying this, that and the  other. Results are like running water, they vary. And above all, it's been fun.
   
  This really is all about tuning, and tuning is definitely not for everyone. Also, what I have discovered with footers, spikes and platforms, is that there is no free lunch. Same could be said when rolling tubes. Your sonic presentation give you anything new? Then it taketh away something on the backside. 
   
  Enjoyed the NFB illustration. Though, it did leave me wondering, if you too, were vibrating while listening for vibrations then....


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> I appreciate the input and the opportunity for an exchange. That said, I notice both of you in the quotes above express phrases (bold type) that suggests what you're thinking. That's great. But, what have you tried inside the listening room? Would love to share in your joy and experiences with this kind of thing. You needn't read very many of my posts on the matter going back 60 days. In any of them, my adventures will be obvious - trying this, that and the  other. Results are like running water, they vary. And above all, it's been fun.
> 
> This really is all about tuning, and tuning is definitely not for everyone. Also, what I have discovered with footers, spikes and platforms, is that there is no free lunch. Same could be said when rolling tubes. Your sonic presentation give you anything new? Then it taketh away something on the backside.
> 
> Enjoyed the NFB illustration. Though, it did leave me wondering, if you too, were vibrating while listening for vibrations then....:blink:



Isn't everything about what we're thinking. 
Just because you think there is a difference doesn't meant there is one. :wink_face:

But I'll leave my skepticism for another day. Discussing it here has no benefit for either of us, and this will therefore be my last post regarding the matter. 

Have fun with your rig. It looks awesome in any case.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I appreciate the input and the opportunity for an exchange. That said, I notice both of you in the quotes above express phrases (bold type) that suggests what you're thinking. That's great. But, what have you tried inside the listening room? Would love to share in your joy and experiences with this kind of thing. You needn't read very many of my posts on the matter going back 60 days. In any of them, my adventures will be obvious - trying this, that and the  other. Results are like running water, they vary. And above all, it's been fun.


 
  I'm not denying that your experiences are valid.  I've never done any kind of dampening because I don't believe in it, but I suppose that's kind of confirmation bias.  I'm not sure if picking up my NFB, shaking it and wobbling it around is a good enough experiment, but that's what I'm basing my opinion on.  I will, however, be purchasing component feet in the fall when I get the Koss ESP-950 so the NFB can have proper airflow with the E90 on top of it.


----------



## TheWuss

even if dampening does make a difference, i sho ain't payin' $500 for a piece of wood.
  and a non-exotic softwood species at that.
   
  sorry, but mapleshade is some overpriced stuff.
  no offense intended to their customers.
   
  man, they gotta be making a thousand percent profit on some of that stuff.
   
  i get their catalog.  and i'm not even sure who sold my name to them.  probably audio advisor or music direct or somebody.  but when i get it in the mail, it is opened, laughed at heartily, and then put in the recycling box where it belongs.


----------



## grokit

I've gotten a couple of blocks from this guy, more variety and better prices:
http://www.timbernation.com/mapleplatform_popup.cfm


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


thewuss said:


> even if dampening does make a difference, i sho ain't payin' $500 for a piece of wood.
> and a non-exotic softwood species at that.
> 
> i get their catalog.  and i'm not even sure who sold my name to them.  probably audio advisor or music direct or somebody.  but when i get it in the mail, it is opened, laughed at heartily, and then put in the recycling box where it belongs.


 
  Couldn't agree more, and also ended up with their catalogue without requesting it, prolly via AA. Their music selection has some interesting offerings though.


----------



## Tilpo

grokit said:


> I've gotten a couple of blocks from this guy, more variety and better prices:
> http://www.timbernation.com/mapleplatform_popup.cfm



If you can sell expensive products like that, why not pay $100 and get a proper looking website?
It always annoys me to see how badly some companies (audio related or otherwise) can just fail at marketing, while it shouldn't be expensive/difficult to do a decent job at it.


----------



## TheOtus

I could get one just because they look great. = )


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Isn't everything about what we're thinking.
> Just because you think there is a difference doesn't meant there is one.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks, Tilpo. Seems, this single thought has gotten buried with the amusing comments that followed. The Sound & Science Forum should be the destination for a lot of today's opinions. But this is my view.
   
  What's more, everyone has a different reality and their perspective around it. Being skeptical has its place. And in this hobby, rightfully so. Life really is precious. If you don't like something, move on and try something else....if at all. What, some don't find this hobby to be fun or fun anymore? Passion! I like that in my fellow head-fier's. Though, many tend to misplace their energy, as evidenced by posts. This isn't unique to Head-Fi.
   
  You and others would be hard-pressed to duplicate many of your own listening experiences on a daily basis. Let alone, try to call others out on their experiences. "Prove it!" "Do a test with..." "If you don't do it like this, then it doesn't count" and...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The mind. Memory and the brain. Emotions. Factors that will leave many with different experiences over the same thing. Throughout one's life. Further, just because someone doubts my shared experiences, doesn't mean I did not have them. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Perhaps, we'll return to our regularly schedule program later today.


----------



## jtaylor991

My new setup in my bedroom:
   
   
 
  
 Dual CS-5000 Turntable>NAD Phono Stage PP-1>Audio-gd Compass in Super mode (amp only, bypassing internal DAC) by RCA>Sennheiser HD650s with stock cable>Me 
  
 and for digital: My Computer by USB>PS Audio DLIII DAC>Audio-gd Compass in Super mode (amp only, bypassing internal DAC) by cheap RCA cable>Senn 650s>Me


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> even if dampening does make a difference, i sho ain't payin' $500 for a piece of wood.
> and a non-exotic softwood species at that.
> 
> sorry, but mapleshade is some overpriced stuff.
> ...


 
   
  I'm always pulling for the small independents. They really can make a difference in this hobby. Having options is a wonderful thing too. I don't think I'd pay $500 for a piece of wood either. Now, Tea or Champagne on the other hand...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And it really shouldn't matter but, I only paid for the original 2" end-grain Maple block from Bed, Bath & Beyond. And I thought it cost way too much.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I'm not denying that your experiences are valid.  I've never done any kind of dampening because I don't believe in it, but I suppose that's kind of confirmation bias.  I'm not sure if picking up my NFB, shaking it and wobbling it around is a good enough experiment, but that's what I'm basing my opinion on.  I will, however, be purchasing component feet in the fall when I get the Koss ESP-950 so the NFB can have proper airflow with the E90 on top of it.


 
   
  Will you test for optimum airflow? Our hobby was made for exploration.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





theotus said:


> I could get one just because they look great. = )


 
   
  I'll trade one if you have an autographed VCD/DVD of Karen Mok's "Very Karen Mok Live Tour."


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grokit said:


> I've gotten a couple of blocks from this guy, more variety and better prices:
> http://www.timbernation.com/mapleplatform_popup.cfm


 
   
  I seen a few head-fiers head over there in 2010 and they seemed content.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Will you test for optimum airflow? Our hobby was made for exploration.


 
  I've not taken thermodynamics yet, so my scientific perspective is clouded. *wink*
 I'm using my Zune in its aluminum case as a heatsink right now, but I think not covering the top vent with an amp/energizer that is known to get extremely hot is a good idea.


----------



## MohawkUS

dagothur said:


> I've not taken thermodynamics yet, so my scientific perspective is clouded. *wink*
> 
> I'm using my Zune in its aluminum case as a heatsink right now, but I think not covering the top vent with an amp/energizer that is known to get extremely hot is a good idea.




 My vintage amp performs best hot(with something over the vent), but it also has trouble getting going if I don't play something through it for a while(have to crank it and play something a little loud to get it going again). Could just be that the old caps are starting to go, it was only $40 and in it's current state still beats my old Burson so I put up with it's few issues. As for vibration dampening; we must remember that science doesn't have the answers to everything and our knowledge on things is constantly evolving, old theories are being proved wrong almost daily, and the only way to further advance our knowledge is through experimenting. As for me, I'll just remain in the 'ignorance is bliss' category for now. I don't have the money to spend on such things, but my CD player sounded many times better when it was on my amp(and it's airvent) as opposed to my computer desk. I know for a fact my computer is pumping vibrations through the desk as I can see the water in my cup moving whenever the computer is on.
 I'd post a picture of my rig and my new cassette deck if I had the camera, but unfortunately it'll have to wait until my dad gets back from his trip. Until then you'll have to live with the stock picture here.  
http://www.vintagecassette.com/tandberg/tcd_300
 It's a very good sounding deck, and if you can get past the tape hiss you'll notice a very accurate timbre. I tried a Yamaha 1020 a few weeks back and this deck sounds many times better. Plus it's nice having gear so old that it's not at all computerized. As you start cramming more circuitry in the sound gets more congested, or so I've found at least.

edit: Well, that's interesting. My amp hasn't had any problems all day with the channels going out, maybe my heat theory was right after all. The hottest day of the year so far and my amps working better than ever, can't be a coincidence.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not on either side ofthe argument here, but $500 is for a 24x24x4 Mapleshade platform with Isoblocks.
   
  Most people don't need one near that big and while the Mapleshade platforms comes out to a bit more considering everything it's not a gigantic difference between the 2 sites.
   
  Timbernation 18x24x4 w/ Brass Cones = 325
  Mapleshade 18x24x4 e/ Brass Footers = 405
   
  Not a big difference. Then there's return policy to consider (didn't read to see if Timbernation has one) but Mapleshade's is 30 days. Just playing both sides here. Don't demonize Mapleshade when the alternatives aren't that big a difference. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I'm always pulling for the small independents. They really can make a difference in this hobby. Having options is a wonderful thing too. I don't think I'd pay $500 for a piece of wood either. Now, Tea or Champagne on the other hand...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## grokit

For all we know, Timber Nation could be making the Mapleshade platforms on a contractual basis :confused_face:


----------



## grokit

Speaking of isolation, look what arrived today:



Not sure what they'll do besides provide separation and dampen vibration, but that's enough for me. They sure feel impressive in my hands.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They look like skateboard wheels. Totally legit though.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Speaking of isolation, look what arrived today:
> 
> Not sure what they'll do besides provide separation and dampen vibration, but that's enough for me. They sure feel impressive in my hands.


 
   
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They look like skateboard wheels. Totally legit though.


 
   
  How much do carbon skate board wheels cost?


----------



## MickeyVee

And where did you get them from??
  Quote: 





darren700 said:


> How much do carbon skate board wheels cost?


----------



## grokit

mickeyvee said:


> And where did you get them from??
> 
> 
> darren700 said:
> ...




$40 shipped.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





grokit said:


> For all we know, Timber Nation could be making the Mapleshade platforms on a contractual basis


 
   
   
  Pretty sure it's the Amish folks who make the Mapleshade maple stuff.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





focker said:


> Pretty sure it's the Amish folks who make the Mapleshade maple stuff.


 

 yep


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> yep


 
   
  maybe I should also add...the Amish make very NICE stuff


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Not on either side ofthe argument here, but $500 is for a 24x24x4 Mapleshade platform with Isoblocks.
> 
> Most people don't need one near that big and while the Mapleshade platforms comes out to a bit more considering everything it's not a gigantic difference between the 2 sites.
> 
> ...


 
   





 As the importer of such fine Maple from MS, hopefully my comments aren't being misconstrued. Not demonizing Mapleshade, rather, pulling for them and small independents. I really do feel I could have done better with the BB&B purchase though, redirecting those funds elsewhere. I'm also looking forward to getting big Brass footers from both Mapleshade and Eden Sound - 3"x"3 6 lbs each. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well, I'm "Yobless" actually, so this could take a while. But, I do accept gifts, so maybe this summer.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





focker said:


> Pretty sure it's the Amish folks who make the Mapleshade maple stuff.


 
   
  Yup, a cat named Ben and his son I believe. In person, these examples are very nice. And wood offers an appealing quality about the home as well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

No no I was siding with you (kind of) somewhat. I just quoted you to include myself in the conversation.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> As the importer of such fine Maple from MS, hopefully my comments aren't being misconstrued. Not demonizing Mapleshade, rather, pulling for them and small independents. I really do feel I could have done better with the BB&B purchase though, redirecting those funds elsewhere. I'm also looking forward to getting big Brass footers from both Mapleshade and Eden Sound - 3"x"3 6 lbs each.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Speaking of isolation, look what arrived today:
> 
> *Not sure what they'll do besides provide separation and dampen vibration,* but that's enough for me. They sure feel impressive in my hands.


 
   
  See what happens when we start luxuriating? Our expectations are raised with footers, super premium ice-cream and so on....


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No no I was siding with you (kind of) somewhat. I just quoted you to include myself in the conversation.


 
   
  I hear better than I see 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but I'm with you now.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Yup, a cat named Ben and his son I believe. In person, these examples are very nice. And wood offers an appealing quality about the home as well.


 
   
  heck yeah, it's beautiful work...I had some speaker plinths from mapleshade....the finish on them was amazing. Unlike the guy who said he laughs at the catalog and tosses it, I will pretty much listen to anything Pierre wants to tell me about audio. He's one of the most interesting people in audio and even though the music his studio puts out isn't really the type I listen to, the recording quality is just incredible. I have four mapleshade albums and I use them for reference all the time. I wish all artists would record that way...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





focker said:


> heck yeah, it's beautiful work...I had some speaker plinths from mapleshade....the finish on them was amazing. Unlike the guy who said he laughs at the catalog and tosses it, I will pretty much listen to anything Pierre wants to tell me about audio. He's one of the most interesting people in audio and even though the music his studio puts out isn't really the type I listen to, the recording quality is just incredible. I have four mapleshade albums and I use them for reference all the time. I wish all artists would record that way...


 
   
  Pierre is just the kind of person this hobby needs. While Best Buy has its place in Corporate and Urban/Suburban America, without efforts from the Pierre's of the world, this hobby would be in trouble. 
   
  I'm looking forward to purchasing some of his recordings out of appreciation for his craftsmanship. And none of the titles are grabbing at me! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Perhaps, you could PM or state the four titles here for me. It would serve as a starting point....thanks.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Pierre is just the kind of person this hobby needs. While Best Buy has its place in Corporate and Urban/Suburban America, without efforts from the Pierre's of the world, this hobby would be in trouble.
> 
> I'm looking forward to purchasing some of his recordings out of appreciation for his craftsmanship. And none of the titles are grabbing at me!
> 
> ...


 
   
  Absolutely! The two I always recommend off the bat are the ARC choir and the Sampler CD, which is called the Mapleshade Music Festival. If you only pick one, go with the Sampler first. The other two I have are the "Best of Mapleshade Vol 1" and one of the "Asante" albums, which is sort of like a one man drum band.  If you've never heard any of his recordings, you're in for a sonic treat...even if you don't care for the music genre, you'll be amazed at the quality of the recording.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





focker said:


> Absolutely! The two I always recommend off the bat are the ARC choir and the Sampler CD, which is called the Mapleshade Music Festival. If you only pick one, go with the Sampler first. The other two I have are the "Best of Mapleshade Vol 1" and one of the "Asante" albums, which is sort of like a one man drum band.  If you've never heard any of his recordings, you're in for a sonic treat...even if you don't care for the music genre, you'll be amazed at the quality of the recording.


 
   
  Great! It'll be nice to have something to look forward right after the Memorial holiday weekend.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Great! It'll be nice to have something to look forward right after the Memorial holiday weekend.


 
   
  Let me know what you think...I'm glad you asked for suggestions, cause when I get home I'm going to give a listen...been a while since I fired one of them up


----------



## TheOtus

silent one said:


> I'll trade one if you have an autographed VCD/DVD of Karen Mok's "Very Karen Mok Live Tour."


 
   
  Maybe I'll just buy one. xD


----------



## TheWuss

too much talky.  not enough pik-chahhhhh!!!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Alright admittedly that pair looks a lot nicer with that tube, Wuss.


----------



## TheWuss

Thanks, MT.
  sorry for the crappy iphone pic.
   
  MOAR PICTURES, PLEASE!!!


----------



## Fuiste

Not bad for a college student, I'd say, eh?
  Sorry about the poor picture quality.


----------



## Tilpo

fuiste said:


> Not bad for a college student, I'd say, eh?
> Sorry about the poor picture quality.



I might buy some decent near-field monitors too in the near future. 

How are the KRK's compared to your headphones?
I would personally want the a passive monitor though, to save on amplifier costs since I already have a suitable speaker amp.


----------



## Fuiste

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I might buy some decent near-field monitors too in the near future.
> How are the KRK's compared to your headphones?
> I would personally want the a passive monitor though, to save on amplifier costs since I already have a suitable speaker amp.


 
  The KRK's are easily best in their price range if you want to go the powered route.  $500 for the pair.  Really neutral sounding, maybe slightly bass-deficient if you don't have a woofer.  This is totally room dependant, however.  I'd compare them to a DT880 - 600 Ohm if I had to, but it's really hard to compare phones and near-fields.
   
  If you've already got an amp, I might look to some passive monitors like you said, but it is really handy being able to "plug and play" the KRK's anywhere in the house if I'm having people over.  They also get surprisingly loud, which may/may not be important for you.


----------



## Tilpo

fuiste said:


> The KRK's are easily best in their price range if you want to go the powered route.  $500 for the pair.  Really neutral sounding, maybe slightly bass-deficient if you don't have a woofer.  This is totally room dependant, however.  I'd compare them to a DT880 - 600 Ohm if I had to, but it's really hard to compare phones and near-fields.
> 
> If you've already got an amp, I might look to some passive monitors like you said, but it is really handy being able to "plug and play" the KRK's anywhere in the house if I'm having people over.  They also get surprisingly loud, which may/may not be important for you.



Aren't they near fields, meaning that they are not so much room dependent? At least significantly less than normal speakers.


----------



## Fuiste

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Aren't they near fields, meaning that they are not so much room dependent? At least significantly less than normal speakers.


 
  True, I was talking about cases where you're playing them louder/not using them strictly as nearfields.  I use them for entertaining a lot, and as such they need a bit of help in the bass department at times (Bigger rooms, non-optimal spacing, etc...).  For personal (read: intended) use, they're great.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





fuiste said:


> The KRK's are easily best in their price range if you want to go the powered route.  $500 for the pair.  Really neutral sounding, maybe slightly bass-deficient if you don't have a woofer.  This is totally room dependant, however.  I'd compare them to a DT880 - 600 Ohm if I had to, but it's really hard to compare phones and near-fields.
> 
> If you've already got an amp, I might look to some passive monitors like you said, but it is really handy being able to "plug and play" the KRK's anywhere in the house if I'm having people over.  They also get surprisingly loud, which may/may not be important for you.


 
   
  I'd like to recommend the Tannoy Reveal 501A. I never tried them anything more than out of the headphone jack on my computer (I probably didn't even really know what an external DAC was back then ) but auditioning them at Guitar Center against the 6 inch KRKs I can say the Tannoys have a lot more treble, like the KRKs sounded like they had no treble in comparison, like not bright but after hearing both I couldn't believe the extra presence with the Tannoys. But like I said I never tried them out in a quality setup, so I don't know how their performance is quality-wise but they had a lot more/better (IMO) treble presence (vocals were more present too, that's probably where I noticed the difference at first, but this is like 2yrs ago keep in mind) and they did get loud! They punched hard, but I doubt they had very deep bass for 5" woofers (I think they're 5 inch anyway), but they were loud 
  Just wanted to toss that out there, and the "a" is for active BTW.
   
  Edit: I just saw on this one review I was skimming for the woofer size that there was a trim switch for the treble, and I don't remember it but maybe that accounted for the difference. Oh well still..if you can try both I'd recommend it.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

WARNING: Terrible picture quality ahead!
   
   
   
  I'm sure this would go better in the "pictures of your portable rig" thread, but I'm not following that thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Just got the ZO and I'm loving it so far.
   
  And while I'm at it...
   

   
  Does anyone have any ideas about what to do about this? For some reason, one night, I was using a pencil and thought I could throw it into my pen cup just to the upper right of my speaker. Well, I missed and it hit my speaker square in the dust cap. If it were on the diaphragm, I could have smoothed it out by reaching in through the port.


----------



## liamstrain

You might try a bit of blue tak or non-marking low tack adhesive scotch tape and see if you can tug it back out a bit. Some people do specific dust cap replacements (you can buy kits) - which is not terribly difficult, but depending on the material of the driver can be rougher.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Aren't they near fields, meaning that they are not so much room dependent? At least significantly less than normal speakers.


 
  They sound horrible from more than a meter away, at least they did in my room. Amazing near-fields though, very detailed.


----------



## Tilpo

.sup said:


> They sound horrible from more than a meter away, at least they did in my room. Amazing near-fields though, very detailed.



Would the same be true for the Rokkit 6's? The 8's are a bit above my budget to be honest.

I look into other options as well, but as far as I know KRK is the way to go for budget near fields.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> too much talky.  not enough pik-chahhhhh!!!!!


 
   
   
  A productive looking corner...


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> too much talky.  not enough pik-chahhhhh!!!!!


 
   
  It's just a little weird to see that nice equipment next to the $6 keyboard


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Would the same be true for the Rokkit 6's? The 8's are a bit above my budget to be honest.
> I look into other options as well, but as far as I know KRK is the way to go for budget near fields.


 
  I meant Rokit 5 which I owned, sorry, should have clarified. For smaller rooms 5/6s are better any way.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Just got my HE-500s in the mail! Currently completed setup:


----------



## manveru

Loving that Kenwood!


----------



## MattTCG

What's up with the vintage receiver's and high end hp's? Maybe I need to dig out the 12 year old Denon out of the attick and quite spending money on amps.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> What's up with the vintage receiver's and high end hp's? Maybe I need to dig out the 12 year old Denon out of the attick and quite spending money on amps.


 
   
  There are many factors, but one simplified explaination is that in the 70's (and early 80's), there were no op-amps or such, so all stereo amps were wired with simple transistors in analog circuits. (Now look at an ad for an expensive headphone amplifier, you will probably see one company or another bragging about "discrete output topology" and "no opamps in the signal path". Same thing)
   
  Well built 60's, 70's, and to an extent 80's amps have a raw power, warmth, and quality to them that fits well with high end phones. Also: these amps had no specific headphone amplifier, so the headphone port is just a choked down (via resistor)  output from the power amp section. If you're willing to put the time into replacing the wear parts (capacitors go bad over time and need replacing), vintage stereo gear makes a great bang for your buck amp for your headphones.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





getsugassj said:


> Just got my HE-500s in the mail! Currently completed setup:


 
   
  very very nice, from the vintage receiver to the computer case.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> There are many factors, but one simplified explaination is that in the 70's (and early 80's), there were no op-amps or such, so all stereo amps were wired with simple transistors in analog circuits. (Now look at an ad for an expensive headphone amplifier, you will probably see one company or another bragging about "discrete output topology" and "no opamps in the signal path". Same thing)
> 
> Well built 60's, 70's, and to an extent 80's amps have a raw power, warmth, and quality to them that fits well with high end phones. Also: these amps had no specific headphone amplifier, so the headphone port is just a choked down (via resistor)  output from the power amp section. If you're willing to put the time into replacing the wear parts (capacitors go bad over time and need replacing), vintage stereo gear makes a great bang for your buck amp for your headphones.


 
   
  So that year 2000 Denon probably doesn't meet the criteria of which you speak?


----------



## TheOtus

Would you consider that vintage yourself?


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> So that year 2000 Denon probably doesn't meet the criteria of which you speak?


 

 Not really, but I've found Denon gear to have a quite decent headphone output of its own. Not hi-fi, but certainly better than straight out of a laptop. Give it a shot and decide for yourself where it stands


----------



## mmayer167

Had a thought. People should stop saying sorry for bad picture quality and say sorry for not posting a picture instead. Any picture is great! Heeding my own advice, I'm sorry for not posting a picture 

Good lookin stuff in here! 

-m


----------



## TheWuss

matttcg said:


> It's just a little weird to see that nice equipment next to the $6 keyboard :eek:


. What can i say? My workplace does not have much of a I.T. Budget. 
Oh, and war eagle. Love the avatar almost as much as my own.


----------



## Katun

Quote: 





getsugassj said:


> Just got my HE-500s in the mail! Currently completed setup:


 
   
  Holy! How about a close up of that case! No, really.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> What can i say? My workplace does not have much of a I.T. Budget.


 
  Enough for the Zodiac Gold, though.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





katun said:


> Holy! How about a close up of that case! No, really.


 
   
  Only if you want your retinas burned out!! JK, man. I used to bling out my customer pc's back in the day.


----------



## sphinxvc

That computer reminds me of a Liquid Fire.


----------



## Zombie_X




----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

That's quite the Solid State Stack you have there!


----------



## calipilot227

Nice Violectric stack!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


>


 
   
   
  "The Lab" would be appropriate.


----------



## GetsugaSSJ

Quote: 





katun said:


> Holy! How about a close up of that case! No, really.


 
   
Here's the Imgur album for the pictures of the case, I can't seem to view it, though.
   
  Here's one I'm able to see, however:


----------



## Zombie_X

Indeed, and that's not even all my amps! I still have to put my WA3 in the shot as well as my FiiO E9. 2 manyz ampz!
   
  Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> That's quite the Solid State Stack you have there!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice


----------



## preproman

Where can I get a headphone stand like that?
   
   
  Quote: 





fuiste said:


> Not bad for a college student, I'd say, eh?
> Sorry about the poor picture quality.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


>


 
   
  This is awesome, I love the Violectric look.


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ... (Jun 19, 2020)

....


----------



## devouringone3

Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


>


 
   
  Nice keyboard, you must be on Geekhack to own a Clack Factory skull escape?
   
   


dreaming of a better ... said:


> Genelec 8030A's & Matrix Quattro Dac, not bad for my first speaker setup
> 
> i've not used my LCD-2 ever since i bought speakers so i'm going to sell them...


 
   
  Not nice position for your headband.
   
  Many of us use headphones because we can't have speakers playing loud nearby, I think you're lucky to have the choice to which you want to listen to.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> Many of us use headphones because we can't have speakers playing loud nearby, I think you're lucky to have the choice to which you want to listen to.


 
  I feel a bit bad in this respect as I have a choice but prefer headphones to my stereo for the flexibility (like being able to fidget in my seat and move around a bit), but I guess that doesn't mean I can't have studio monitors too...


----------



## devouringone3

Nonoo, some people deliberately choose headphones over speakers and vice-versa, for thousands of different good reasons... only a minority of us are constrained to using headphones I think.
   
  "Dreaming Of A Better..." should keep both in my opinion because you never know when you're going to go in an environment where you'd need (or want) to listen, or make somebody listen to music, somewhere you won't have handy, or be permitted speakers.


----------



## Kremer930

dreaming of a better ... said:


> [/URL]
> 
> Genelec 8030A's & Matrix Quattro Dac, not bad for my first speaker setup
> 
> i've not used my LCD-2 ever since i bought speakers so i'm going to sell them...




Is that good for the band and cushions? Is there a chance of diminishing the clamping force? Great pic otherwise though. The wood grain has a wonderful warm hue.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> "Dreaming Of A Better..." should keep both in my opinion because you never know when you're going to go in an environment where you'd need (or want) to listen, or make somebody listen to music, somewhere you won't have handy, or be permitted speakers.


 
   
  Or at least downgrade to some less expensive headphones and pocket the difference if he needs money.


----------



## s043uf

Couple of changes made during the weekend, switched to toslink and got rid of alot of distortion that the usb somehow picked up. Also tried my D5000:s with a old Nikko STA-5050 i had lying around and found that it sounded better to my bass loving ears than both the LD mkIII and MkVII+, only downside is the size of it.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





s043uf said:


> Couple of changes made during the weekend, switched to toslink and got rid of alot of distortion that the usb somehow picked up. Also tried my D5000:s with a old Nikko STA-5050 i had lying around and found that it sounded better to my bass loving ears than both the LD mkIII and MkVII+, only downside is the size of it.


 
   
  Do those HD650s have woodies?   Please share your comments and post more pics please!


----------



## Raser

My temporary station, hopefully going to move it to a better place soon. And only one amp at the moment, updates are going to be big after the summer 
   

   
  (sorry for the crappy photo quality.)


----------



## liamstrain

What CD player is that?


----------



## Raser

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> What CD player is that?


 
  If that question is for me. Then that is Audiolab 8200CD-V12E, newer version of the 8200CD. Combined cd player and dac. I have been very happy with it. I think im going to post a review of it in the near future.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Gorgeous receiver! It actually looks just perfect with the Little Dots. Comically enough, I almost bot an LD MKIII, but decided not to so I could get another receiver instead, due to the price/performance ratio
  Quote: 





s043uf said:


>


----------



## s043uf

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Do those HD650s have woodies?   Please share your comments and post more pics please!


 
  Yes they have Paduak woodies and a Beyer headband, nothing much to say soundwise since they are screened. Lookswise it starts looking like the great headphones they truly are.


----------



## Maverickmonk

-+-----++---------------------000000000000000000000000


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





raser said:


> (sorry for the crappy photo quality.)


 
   
  What putter is that?


----------



## Windsor

Here's the upper parts of my present rig, as pictured on some of the lower parts of my listening room.


----------



## Focker

s043uf...WOW, those are beautiful!!!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





raser said:


> My temporary station, hopefully going to move it to a better place soon. And only one amp at the moment, updates are going to be big after the summer
> 
> (sorry for the crappy photo quality.)


 
  That looks really nice.  Love it!  I have been considering moving away from the "desktop audio experience" so I can not sit in my computer chair all the time.  Thus I have considered investing in a CD Player/DAC unit.
  Quote: 





s043uf said:


> Yes they have Paduak woodies and a Beyer headband, nothing much to say soundwise since they are screened. Lookswise it starts looking like the great headphones they truly are.


 
  I'll say; they look gorgeous!  Must be really comfortable too!


----------



## Raser

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> That looks really nice.  Love it!  I have been considering moving away from the "desktop audio experience" so I can not sit in my computer chair all the time.  Thus I have considered investing in a CD Player/DAC unit.


 
  Same thing here, hope that i could get a own room for music listening soon. Somehow the focusin to just listening to music would be much easier when you have the own space for it. I really can recommend that Audiolab unit, nothing but good things to say. And imo reasonably priced.
   

   Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> What putter is that?





  I knew that someone is going to pick this one up  That is my backup putter, Wilson Staff 8882. The love for the blade putters is almost as crazy as love for the headphones ;D


----------



## longbowbbs

OK, here is today's rig. Sennheiser HD650's stock (Soon to have Toxic Cable 8ft Cryo pure OCC Stranded Silver cables!) Sources are a Mac Mini with Amarra software, USB out with Audioquest USB cable to the Cambridge DAC Magic Plus. Also I can output the Mac Mini via TosLink to the Denon AVR-4311 with it's internal DAC. The CD/DVD-A/SACD player is the Denon DVD-5900 via Denon-Link to the AVR-4311.
   
  Speakers are M&K S-150's (LCR), M&K ss-150's for surrounds with an SVSound PB12+ Sub. The WD HD on the Mac is for Time Machine backup via Firewire. I do NOT want to  lose 300GB of music ripped AIFF. Once was enough!
   
  The road setup is a pair of B&W P5's, my Macbook Pro and the NuForce uDac2.


----------



## wilky61

My first audiophile purchase was an E10, but I returned it almost immediately because I learned that the E17 was coming out. Bought an E17 for $140 and used it for about a month, but I recently sold it for $180ish on Amazon and decided to upgrade again. This upgrade cost me a pretty penny... don't think I will be sinking any more $$ into this hobby any time soon.
   
  FYI, I don't really use my Logitech Z2300 desktop speakers anymore. The amp is sitting on top of my old desktop tower that I don't really use anymore either. And although you can see Foobar open on my laptop, I have since switched to MusicBee (due to issues with Foobar's WASAPI plugin).
   
  Not sure how I would connect my M-Stage to my Logitech Z2300 even if I wanted to (anybody have any ideas?). The Logitechs have this input mini-jack that I would normally plug into my laptop's headphone jack... maybe I could use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter that came with my Q701... or would I need to use the RCA output on the back of the amp and somehow connect it to my Logitech Z2300 with some specific adapter/cable?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





wilky61 said:


> Not sure how I would connect my M-Stage to my Logitech Z2300 even if I wanted to (anybody have any ideas?). The Logitechs have this input mini-jack that I would normally plug into my laptop's headphone jack... maybe I could use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter that came with my Q701... or would I need to use the RCA output on the back of the amp and somehow connect it to my Logitech Z2300 with some specific adapter/cable?


 
  You need a female 1/4th to male RCA.


----------



## wilky61

Thanks for the reply, dagothur. Do you mean female 1/8" to male RCA cable/adapter? The Logitech Z2300's input is a mini-jack, like this:
   

   
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> You need a female 1/4th to male RCA.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





wilky61 said:


> Thanks for the reply, dagothur. Do you mean female 1/8" to male RCA cable/adapter? The Logitech Z2300's input is a mini-jack, like this:


 
  1/8.  Yes.  I was just thinking of the cable I'm using, which has a 1/4th female.


----------



## wilky61

*AH HA!* I just racked my brain and my room... I knew I had seen a cable along these lines about a week or two ago when I was surveying my RCA cable... and I just found it, still in its plastic wrapper... turns out it's a FEMALE rca to female 3.5mm cable, though...
   
  So maybe I'll do this: Matrix M-Stage's output --> male RCA to male RCA --> female RCA to female 3.5mm stereo --> male 3.5mm stereo to Logitech Z2300
   
  lol, hopefully all those cables don't degrade the signal (I ain't too worried since I wouldn't use the desktop speakers much). I just have to figure out where I'm gonna hide all of these cables. Thanks again for your help.
   
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> 1/8.  Yes.  I was just thinking of the cable I'm using, which has a 1/4th female.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> OK, here is today's rig. Sennheiser HD650's stock (Soon to have Toxic Cable 8ft Cryo pure OCC Stranded Silver cables!) Sources are a Mac Mini with Amarra software, USB out with Audioquest USB cable to the Cambridge DAC Magic Plus. Also I can output the Mac Mini via TosLink to the Denon AVR-4311 with it's internal DAC. The CD/DVD-A/SACD player is the Denon DVD-5900 via Denon-Link to the AVR-4311.
> 
> Speakers are M&K S-150's (LCR), M&K ss-150's for surrounds with an SVSound PB12+ Sub. The WD HD on the Mac is for Time Machine backup via Firewire. I do NOT want to  lose 300GB of music ripped AIFF. Once was enough!
> 
> The road setup is a pair of B&W P5's, my Macbook Pro and the NuForce uDac2.


 
   
  Gotta love SVS products.
   
  How is the sub treating you? I'm looking into an SB-12 NSD sometime this year.


----------



## Matrixnobu

Man Windsor! I will take anyone of those HP's


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





matrixnobu said:


> Man Windsor! I will take anyone of those HP's


 
   
  They're all great! I'm gonna enjoy them when I have them as it probably seems that by the end of this week I'll just have the Senns left.


----------



## hodgjy

I did some tweaking over the holiday weekend.  I got a new shelf so I could have all my gear easily accessible.  Behind the computer (out of sight) is the V-DAC II that decodes the songs off the computer as well as my Onkyo CD player.  On the bottom shelf, I have the Asgard stacked on top of a Sony DVD player.  I've tried numerous times to find an amp that drives my DT990/600 better than the Asgard, but I can't.  The Asgard drives them better than the Trafomatic, if you can believe that.  It's just richer and fuller, whereas the Trafomatic leaves it a little lean.
   
  Edit: I'm not sure why the photo below is blurry, but it's clear if you click on it.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I did some tweaking over the holiday weekend.  I got a new shelf so I could have all my gear easily accessible.  Behind the computer (out of sight) is the V-DAC II that decodes the songs off the computer as well as my Onkyo CD player.  On the bottom shelf, I have the Asgard stacked on top of a Sony DVD player.  I've tried numerous times to find an amp that drives my DT990/600 better than the Asgard, but I can't.  The Asgard drives them better than the Trafomatic, if you can believe that.  It's just richer and fuller, whereas the Trafomatic leaves it a little lean.
> 
> Edit: I'm not sure why the photo below is blurry, but it's clear if you click on it.
> 
> -snip-


 
  Where did you get that shelf?  I recently inherited a hefty Sony receiver and my desk is starting to get crowded with my speakers and the NFB.


----------



## faverodefavero




----------



## Tilpo

Nice pictures, faverodefavero!

Quite a collection you have there.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





faverodefavero said:


>


 
   
  So much good stuff in hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I think I just want to head over NOW and play with all your gear just for the heck of it. An audio lover's playland here.


----------



## TheOtus

Too much gear, too few CD's...


----------



## ProjectDenz

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Too much gear, too few CD's...


 
   
  FLAC and other digital files are the way of the future.


----------



## Tilpo

projectdenz said:


> FLAC and other digital files are the way of the future.



"Streaming is the way of the future" or so they say. I prefer actually having the files, since that means complete albums (even obscure ones), at higher-than-streaming quality.


----------



## TheOtus

To talk back, CD's are digital. xD
   
  I listen through my PC too, but I have 99% of it all as CD. Reasons are that I don't like to pay for a file only and the fact is that very little amount of good music is available as lossless downloads.
   
  EDIT: Streaming is the last option. There is absolutely no sense in that when it comes to music you're listening often.


----------



## Tilpo

theotus said:


> To talk back, CD's are digital. xD
> 
> I listen through my PC too, but I have 99% of it all as CD. Reasons are that I don't like to pay for a file only and the fact is that very little amount of good music is available as lossless downloads.
> 
> EDIT: Streaming is the last option. There is absolutely no sense in that when it comes to music you're listening often.



If you go through legal routes that is. 

A lot of obscure music is more easily available for free download (in FLAC), than it is for purchase.


----------



## TheOtus

Well, I go to work and I pay for my food, gasoline, clothes etc, why would I steal music? = /
   
  That also depends, most of my favorite albums are not available as lossless anywhere.


----------



## ProjectDenz

Erm yes, the legal route 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.

 I bought my last CD about 8 years ago, go figure.

 I wouldn't say I listen to obscure music, and I have a habit of taking only a few songs that I like from an album (unless it is an awesome album where all songs are awesome, which is relatively rare for me). So buying CDs to get only a few songs at a time is wasteful for me.


----------



## colinharding

Don't want to step on any toes here, but I stream all my music.  It's not "lossless" unless it's analogue lol so anything that is not going on my turntable is going to be streamed through sonos.  Had a transport, but couldn't discern a difference between it and my sonos and it's a hell of a lot easier just to stream the music through MOG or Rhapsody then going out to buy some overpriced cds.


----------



## TheOtus

"Oh my, I just paid 1000$ for a pair of headphones! But, now I can't afford to BUY MUSIC?! Oh well, why should I support the artists, I listen to the GEAR anyway."
   
  Sorry, does not make sense.


----------



## obzilla

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> If you go through legal routes that is.
> A lot of obscure music is more easily available for free download (in FLAC), than it is for purchase.


 
   
  Unless you mean_ 'made freely available for download BY THE CONTENT OWNERS'_ . If it isn't the band or record label, or some kind of authorized distributor, it's stealing
   
  You could argue that it easier to steal purses than it is to go to a bank. There are a lot more people with purses than there are banks, and the people come walk by you, you have to bother yourself and walk or drive to a bank. Taking money from people that walk past you is much more convenient and economic....


----------



## colinharding

Oh I'm certainly not endorsing that you _steal_ any music, I pay a monthly subscription fee some of which goes back to the artists themselves, it's just more economical than buying cds.  Just because I have a $1000 dollars to spend on headphones doesn't mean I should spend another $1000 on music...especially when I can get $1,000,000 worth of music for $10 a month.


----------



## Tilpo

I wasn't even debating the ethics of music piracy, I was just stating that in my experience a lot of rare stuff is more easily available for illegal download than it is for purchase. Gosh. 

With hindsight it was stupid even posting that, since I could expect this thread to derail because of it.


----------



## ProjectDenz

Quote: 





theotus said:


> "Oh my, I just paid 1000$ for a pair of headphones! But, now I can't afford to BUY MUSIC?! Oh well, why should I support the artists, I listen to the GEAR anyway."
> 
> Sorry, does not make sense.


 
   
  Can't afford? Of course I can. Do I want to dish out the cash, well why should I. There's no credible incentive or disincentive in my eyes, and most of the artists I listen to are either too rich for me to worry about them making money or too dead for them to care.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





projectdenz said:


> Can't afford? Of course I can. Do I want to dish out the cash, well why should I. There's no credible incentive or disincentive in my eyes, and most of the artists I listen to are either too rich for me to worry about them making money or too dead for them to care.


 
   
  Ohhhh that gave me a good laugh haha x2!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





projectdenz said:


> most of the artists I listen to are either too rich for me to worry about them making money or too dead for them to care.


 
   
  Well as long as YOU'RE okay with it...that's all that matters.


----------



## faverodefavero

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Too much gear, too few CD's...


 
   
  6703 songs...


----------



## TheOtus

Quote: 





projectdenz said:


> Can't afford? Of course I can. Do I want to dish out the cash, well why should I. There's no credible incentive or disincentive in my eyes, and most of the artists I listen to are either too rich for me to worry about them making money or too dead for them to care.


 
   
  Well, good for you, though being poor is a lesser problem than being an immoral prick. = )
   
   


faverodefavero said:


> 6703 songs...


 
   
  Either that's not all of the records in the picture or long albums. I have bit under 4000 songs but that collection appears to be larger than the one in the picture.


----------



## faverodefavero

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Either that's not all of the records in the picture or long albums. I have bit under 4000 songs but that collection appears to be larger than the one in the picture.


 
   
  Well, believe it or not, around 4500 songs are in that picture... Really, around 300 albums.


----------



## TheOtus

faverodefavero said:


> Well, believe it or not, around 4500 songs are in that picture... Really, around 300 albums.


 
   
  That I can easily believe, but earlier you said 6703 songs and I thought that it's all in the picture, which was hard to believe. = )


----------



## hodgjy

Tragedy of the Commons.  Read it.  Learn.  Understand.  Move beyond your selfish simpleton viewpoint of life.
  Quote: 





projectdenz said:


> Can't afford? Of course I can. Do I want to dish out the cash, well why should I. There's no credible incentive or disincentive in my eyes, and most of the artists I listen to are either too rich for me to worry about them making money or too dead for them to care.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Getting a little hostile guys...Calm down. 
   
  And just to dispel the 'overpriced' CD thing...I recently bought 13 CDs from a store for 121 tax included. Less than 10 bucks a CD. Most CDs are available as downloads via Amazon for maybe...2 dollars less than the CD. Why not buy the CD? Even most new releases can be had around 10 dollars. CDs aren't overpriced anymore unless you're looking for something really old, or limited editions. In that case, just get the download.


----------



## TheWuss

having a good belly laugh seeing you guys bicker over the future of tangible media.
   
  meanwhile, i am safe and secure in the knowledge that when "the computers turn against us", i'll still have my vinyl records.


----------



## drez

Audio setup in my study/guestroom.  
  Win7/JPLay workstation > 7cm USB > JKSPDIF mk3 > Furutech silver coax > AudioGD Reference 7 > silver XLR IC's > AudioGD Master 6 > HifiMan HE-6 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Apologies for crappy photo but this setup doesn't want to photograph well.  It told me so.


----------



## colinharding

Oh very nice and clean!!!  Are those "magic erasers" underneath the headphone amp?


----------



## drez

those are just pieces of timber - the college student version of isolation feet


----------



## liamstrain

$35 for isolation feet is too much, after you spent all that dosh on the rest of that? 
   
  Nice rig though.


----------



## hodgjy

I have some friends in the audio business.  They are in the mastering/mixing portion.  So, stealing music doesn't only affect the artists who recorded it, it also affects the sound engineers.  While it's tempting to not feel bad about ripping off a singer who makes millions of dollars a year, it's tragic to rip off the sound mixers who work for contracts at much lower dollar amounts.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Getting a little hostile guys...Calm down.
> 
> And just to dispel the 'overpriced' CD thing...I recently bought 13 CDs from a store for 121 tax included. Less than 10 bucks a CD. Most CDs are available as downloads via Amazon for maybe...2 dollars less than the CD. Why not buy the CD? Even most new releases can be had around 10 dollars. CDs aren't overpriced anymore unless you're looking for something really old, or limited editions. In that case, just get the download.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I understand your position and I'm passionate about this topic as well, but this isn't the place for this discussion. I agree with you, but it's getting a little heated in a picture thread.
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I have some friends in the audio business.  They are in the mastering/mixing portion.  So, stealing music doesn't only affect the artists who recorded it, it also affects the sound engineers.  While it's tempting to not feel bad about ripping off a singer who makes millions of dollars a year, it's tragic to rip off the sound mixers who work for contracts at much lower dollar amounts.


----------



## keph

More pics...Hope you all enjoy...


----------



## Tilpo

keph said:


> More pics...Hope you all enjoy...



Trust me, we do enjoy.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That second shot is a work of art...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





keph said:


> More pics...Hope you all enjoy...


 
   
  Isn't that the broken DAC?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Isn't that the broken DAC?


 
   
  1st and 2nd pic was taken yesterday night right before the Stello U3 Suddenly died ( the black box on top of the Stello DA220MKII ) last 2 pic was just now after i sent the Stello U3 back to Hong Kong for exchange..and for the exchange with the Stello U3's place i get a full box of driver/power tubes for my WA6SE out of nowhere hehe...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Trust me, we do enjoy.


 
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That second shot is a work of art...


 
   
  Thanks...kinda hard to take clean pics without a Tripod...


----------



## colinharding

Have you tried a Western Electric 274b against your Sophia Princess yet??  Those are very nice pics btw.


----------



## jtaylor991

I don't wanna de-rail more, but a lot of my music is in FLAC digital download from Bandcamp, and some are a free download only, paying is not an option.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Have you tried a Western Electric 274b against your Sophia Princess yet??  Those are very nice pics btw.


 
   
  Nope WE274b is too expensive...i would not pay that much for a tube hehe...Btw mine isnt a Sophia Princess mine is the Full Music the IMO Sophia Princess OEM...


----------



## MohawkUS

My policy has always been that if I can't convince myself that the music is worth paying for, it's not worth listening to either. And I avoid the big/corrupt record labels. I only buy from bands themselves or labels so small that one of the bands I listen to usually owns it. Afterall we're in this hobby because we want our music to sound good, if there wasn't anyone making the music, what would we have to listen to?

 I've got about 100 CDs, 25 Records, and 12 Cassettes, and I've probably downloaded 15 albums for free(either the artist had it for free on bandcamp, or it was not available for purchase anywhere).
I have to import most of my music from Europe and pay the high shipping costs that go along with that, but just remember without the artists you'd have nothing. Or at least all you'd have left are the artists that Hollywood shoves down your throat every time you turn the TV on. 
Plus I like having physical copies of my music, music is what keeps me going, and this room would be pretty much empty without it. 

 I'm just out of high school and only started collecting music a few years back, I'm sure my collection is nothing compared to some of you, but it's pretty good for a jobless teen I'd think.  I don't bother with cellphones or any of that stuff so I put most of my money into my gear and my music.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That second shot is a work of art...


 
   
  And, for that matter, so are the rest 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  As for the piracy argument:


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





keph said:


> Nope WE274b is too expensive...i would not pay that much for a tube hehe...Btw mine isnt a Sophia Princess mine is the Full Music the IMO Sophia Princess OEM...


 
   
   
  Full Music, hmmm I've never heard of those guys, bio says they've been around since the mid 90's though.  Were you able to audition a few different 274b tubes and decided upon the Full Music brand?  I only ask as was searching for that tube myself haha, Sophia was very lean for my taste, WE hit the spot, but Valve Art was a very close and very economical second.


----------



## Silent One

In the spirit of vinyl, what this thread could use is a "B" side. A companion page, if you would. It's natural for members to have reactions to what has been presented. But, if some of those reactions need to be shaken up for further debate then, I would think it polite for those spirited parties to step aside or into the next room like in any other social meet-n-greet setting.
   
  Wait... I like a good debate!


----------



## keph

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Full Music, hmmm I've never heard of those guys, bio says they've been around since the mid 90's though.  Were you able to audition a few different 274b tubes and decided upon the Full Music brand?  I only ask as was searching for that tube myself haha, Sophia was very lean for my taste, WE hit the spot, but Valve Art was a very close and very economical second.


 
   
  this is my first time using a Rectifier so the ones that are recommended by the WOO threads are the Sophia 274B, EML, Tung-Sol 5U4G (I have one)...seems that before i bought the Full Music 274b i found out somewhere that Sophia Princess is a rebranded Full Music..i just love the Full Music's sound better than Tung-Sol..


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I did some tweaking over the holiday weekend.  I got a new shelf so I could have all my gear easily accessible.  Behind the computer (out of sight) is the V-DAC II that decodes the songs off the computer as well as my Onkyo CD player.  On the bottom shelf, I have the Asgard stacked on top of a Sony DVD player.  I've tried numerous times to find an amp that drives my DT990/600 better than the Asgard, but I can't.  The Asgard drives them better than the Trafomatic, if you can believe that.  It's just richer and fuller, whereas the Trafomatic leaves it a little lean.
> 
> Edit: I'm not sure why the photo below is blurry, but it's clear if you click on it.


 
   
   
  Your ensemble is really coming together. In my head, I can hear Jazz emanating from it beautifully.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





keph said:


> More pics...Hope you all enjoy...


 
   
   
   
  Very nice, keph. I like the twin chassis design of your WooAudio _WA 6 Special Edition _serving as book-ends.


----------



## hodgjy

Thank you!  It's still a work in progress......as is this hobby in general.  While not jazz, I did enjoy a nice Blues Traveler and The Black Keys listening session last night.
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Your ensemble is really coming together. In my head, I can hear Jazz emanating from it beautifully.


----------



## colinharding

keph said:


> this is my first time using a Rectifier so the ones that are recommended by the WOO threads are the Sophia 274B, EML, Tung-Sol 5U4G (I have one)...seems that before i bought the Full Music 274b i found out somewhere that Sophia Princess is a rebranded Full Music..i just love the Full Music's sound better than Tung-Sol..


 
   
   
   
  Rebranded I assume at a much more reasonable price haha, can't argue with that!  Yeah as far as 5U4G's go I generally stick with any American brand NOS tube as they seemed to have the synergy I needed while being easy on my wallet.  If you want a change though I would definitely recommend the Valve Art as they sound quite nice.  WE is just a much fuller and musical tube, but the price is a huge drawback.  Thanks for the info though, I was not aware that the Sophia was a rebrand.


----------



## hodgjy

It is amazing how far I've come in about two years time.
   
  My first "good" rig (WA3, Teac CD deck, DT880/250)
   

   
  Current rig (Trafomatic Experience Head One, V-DAC II, HD600)
   

   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Your ensemble is really coming together. In my head, I can hear Jazz emanating from it beautifully.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> It is amazing how far I've come in about two years time.
> 
> My first "good" rig (WA3, Teac CD deck, DT880/250)
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Yes, indeed!


----------



## grokit

colinharding said:


> keph said:
> 
> 
> > this is my first time using a Rectifier so the ones that are recommended by the WOO threads are the Sophia 274B, EML, Tung-Sol 5U4G (I have one)...seems that before i bought the Full Music 274b i found out somewhere that Sophia Princess is a rebranded Full Music..i just love the Full Music's sound better than Tung-Sol..
> ...




Don't forget the WE 274B knockoff, the Psvane 274B. Have you guys heard that one?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Don't forget the WE 274B knockoff, the Psvane 274B. Have you guys heard that one?


 
   
  yeah the Psvane makes a lot of knockoffs...its quite cheap here in Beijing, maybe ill give it a try...


----------



## colinharding

Oh wow, nope never heard about that.  Though I'm not surprised as a lot of Western Electric gear is knockoff equipment these days.  You have to be very careful when buying WE as some of the knockoffs are quite good (not sounding unfortunately).  Most of the time the seller will tell you that the materials used are the same as WE standards (or cannibalized WE parts) and that the gear is not original but there are always those cases where the seller tries to pass it off as original.  I wouldn't mind giving that tube a try if I didn't already have an original one lol.


----------



## grokit

Well I don't know if the Psvane is as good as the original WE, but it's Shuguang's top brand (above the Treasures), and they make some great tubes.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





drez said:


>


 
  How did you manage to get the vegan LCD-2 pads onto the HE-6?  Also, that's a _beautiful _setup.


----------



## faverodefavero

tilpo said:


> Nice pictures, faverodefavero!
> Quite a collection you have there.



 
 Thanks!!


----------



## faverodefavero

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> So much good stuff in hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I think I just want to head over NOW and play with all your gear just for the heck of it. An audio lover's playland here.


 
  Haha... Thank you, man!


----------



## grokit

My newly-consolidated "hybrid" system:



It's a bit cramped in the corner of my basement/office/man-cave, but now I can drive any dynamic headphone well, whether it be SE, balanced, or max-powered balanced.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grokit said:


> My newly-consolidated "hybrid" system:
> 
> 
> 
> It's a bit cramped in the corner of my basement/office/man-cave, but now I can drive any dynamic headphone well, whether it be SE, balanced, or max-powered balanced.


 
   
   





 MY GOODNESS!
   
  Well done, grokit! I see my Glass is front and center (_the Mighty 596_).


----------



## Eee Pee

Sonett with tubes from the late 80s and late 60s
  Sony CD player from 2001 
  HD 700 from 2012
   
  Tubes from various places in time
   
  In rotation CDs from all over the map
   

   
   
  Long live the CD!  And records.
   
  And hopefully my tubes.


----------



## tme110

Wow, that was 80 new posts in only 1 day - that has to be a record for this thread.


----------



## snapple10

but more pictures plz


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Wow, that was 80 new posts in only 1 day - that has to be a record for this thread.


 
   
  You can attribute that to irrelevant discussion.
   
  I did get to see some super shmexy pictures though


----------



## grokit

Here's the bedroom rig I cobbled together around the D5000 after removing the RA150/HE-6:



The old 12" Powerbook is still running strong, with Pure Music pumping ALAC into a DAC WOW that is in the back amongst the wires. Then on to the tube stage and x-head. And yes, that's a fully-functional 1G iPod, with a firewire interface (no dock connector), mechanical click wheel and 5GB of storage.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Here's the bedroom rig I cobbled together around the D5000 after removing the RA150/HE-6:





> -snip-





> The old 12" Powerbook is still running strong, with Pure Music pumping ALAC into a DAC WOW that is in the back amongst the wires. Then on to the tube stage and x-head. And yes, that's a fully-functional 1G iPod, with a firewire interface (no dock connector), mechanical click wheel and 5GB of storage.


 
   
  Yummy.
   
  How do you like your D5000 with the tubes? Is the extension compromised at all?


----------



## grokit

I would say no, but I haven't tried the DAC WOW without the tubes yet. I like that combo better than the Devilsound DAC cable, which I preferred without the tube stage. The next step is to roll some different tubes in, this is only the second pair...


----------



## PleasantNoise

Finally found my camera hiding under a bookshelf, so I can finally post here.



 rig is
 Kenwood dp-730
 Akai Am-2350
 KEF C40's
  And Shure Srh-940's

 The whole rig was free, except for the Shures and the speakers which were bought used for around US$100

 Oh, and in the spirit of the media rant on here.  I purchase CD's, I pay alot for shipping, I buy new, used, from major chains, independent stores, and online, from record labels, the artist themselves, and amazon. 
 Music to me is very important, so I'm happy paying whatever it costs to get. I don't feel anyone on this forum should try to justify stealing music. Suck it up and pay for it. Nothing in life is free, taking something for free comes at the expense of others, even if it is indirect.  You don't steal your headphones. The music you listen to should easily outweigh the cost of the medium you use to listen to it with. Got a problem with it, don't bring it here, PM me, or start a new thread and send me a link to it.
 The internet could  be a beautiful opportunity for sharing knowledge and information, yet it's tainted with illegal activity and general disregard for others.


----------



## grokit

The internet is just a reflection of society at large, which is and has always been generally tainted with illegal activity and disregard for others. The added enabling bonus is anonymity


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's brighter shot for you guys. Kinda bad shot but it's the best I can take in an attic...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's brighter shot for you guys. Kinda bad shot but it's the best I can take in an attic...


 
  OMG. I wish I had an attic stuffed with stuff like yours. Nice! Especially like the X-CAN V8p.


----------



## Zombie_X

You don't want an attic like this, trust me...
   
  The X-CANV8P is quite rare and desirable now. It has one of the most pleasurable signatures I've heard on an amp. Totally liquid mids, silky highs, and robust yet tight bass. You have one don't you?
   
  Also did you ever look into those Signature amps I told you about?
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> OMG. I wish I had an attic stuffed with stuff like yours. Nice! Especially like the X-CAN V8p.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's brighter shot for you guys. Kinda bad shot but it's the best I can take in an attic...


 
   
  Do you need to wear sun glasses to go change the settings on the Violectric DAC? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And why so many amplifiers? Is it just a temporary situation to find what you like best, or are you actually using them all?


----------



## grokit

Basement guy to attic guy: nice rack!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> You don't want an attic like this, trust me...
> 
> The X-CANV8P is quite rare and desirable now. It has one of the most pleasurable signatures I've heard on an amp. Totally liquid mids, silky highs, and robust yet tight bass. You have one don't you?
> 
> Also did you ever look into those Signature amps I told you about?


 
   
  Yes! It was my very first headphone amp. I got it in 2009. I am just using it with the wall wart it came with, though. Any idea where I can get a decent power supply?
   
  I have never swapped out the tubes in my X-CANV8P. Never had to (don't know how either). Which tubes are you using in your X-CAN?
   
  Those Signature amps are really nice looking amps. I've never seen one nor have I ever heard one.


----------



## Zombie_X

The Volectric stuff isn't that bright in person. The camera I use amplifies the LED's a bit too much. They are actually quite dull when lit. They all get use, well the X-CANV8P doesn't really. It's more of a collectors item to me now. As much as I want to sell some amps, I love them all too much!
   
  Oh and Gundam-kun wishes to say hi to everyone:
   

   
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Do you need to wear sun glasses to go change the settings on the Violectric DAC?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Here's brighter shot for you guys. Kinda bad shot but it's the best I can take in an attic...
> 
> (pic)


 
   
Hey, could you link me to your review of the Auditor? Nevermind, found it.
   
  I remember reading it once, and what do you think of it vs. the Violectric in terms of transparency as well as overall accuracy, detail, etc. (and the SS)? Did you ever write a review for the Violectric? I'm looking at trying a transparent/neutral amp and I'm gonna start with the O2 to see if I like it and move up from there and I know of SPL and Violectric making good amps for that (at least SPL 'cause it's studio gear).


----------



## Zombie_X

The SPL is a lot more accurate, transparent, and is a lot more detailed. It's a very neutral amp while the V200 is very warm and euphonic. I ahve a review of the V200 in my signature actually as well as my Auditor review.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Hey, could you link me to your review of the Auditor? Nevermind, found it.
> 
> I remember reading it once, and what do you think of it vs. the Violectric in terms of transparency as well as overall accuracy, detail, etc. (and the SS)? Did you ever write a review for the Violectric? I'm looking at trying a transparent/neutral amp and I'm gonna start with the O2 to see if I like it and move up from there and I know of SPL and Violectric making good amps for that (at least SPL 'cause it's studio gear).


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> but more pictures plz


----------



## drez

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> How did you manage to get the vegan LCD-2 pads onto the HE-6?  Also, that's a _beautiful _setup.


 
   
  The Audeze pads come with plastic rings which work perfectly as spacers when attached (with double sided tape) to the new plastic Hifiman rings.  It was actually very straightforward, I just wish they came in black or grey
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  To me they offer the ultimate sound quality - completely open sound, huge soundstage with proper forward projection and excellent detail, I just keep going back to them after rotating to other pads.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> You don't want an attic like this, trust me...
> 
> The X-CANV8P is quite rare and desirable now. It has one of the most pleasurable signatures I've heard on an amp. Totally liquid mids, silky highs, and robust yet tight bass. You have one don't you?
> 
> Also did you ever look into those Signature amps I told you about?


 
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Yes! It was my very first headphone amp. I got it in 2009. I am just using it with the wall wart it came with, though. Any idea where I can get a decent power supply?
> 
> I have never swapped out the tubes in my X-CANV8P. Never had to (don't know how either). Which tubes are you using in your X-CAN?
> 
> Those Signature amps are really nice looking amps. I've never seen one nor have I ever heard one.


 
   
  Got the answers from you. Thanks, Zombie_X!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INZPcnmPED8


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The SPL is a lot more accurate, transparent, and is a lot more detailed. It's a very neutral amp while the V200 is very warm and euphonic. *I ahve a review of the V200 in my signature actually as well as my Auditor review.*


 
  D'oh!! Thanks.


----------



## csteimnetz1

I took some quick pictures to put up here. Not much of a rig yet but it is growing (as my wallet permits).


----------



## Tilpo

Awesome pictures, csteimnetz1.

And don't worry. The HD600 is already an excellent piece of mid-fi. Taking your time and slowly trying out more and more stuff is a lot of fun, but I'm sure you already know that.


----------



## csteimnetz1

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Awesome pictures, csteimnetz1.
> And don't worry. The HD600 is already an excellent piece of mid-fi. Taking your time and slowly trying out more and more stuff is a lot of fun, but I'm sure you already know that.


 
   
  Thanks. Just got my HD600's the other day and they are awesome. I just need a solid desktop amp and I have been looking at the Schiit Asgard. I just have save up the money.


----------



## Tilpo

csteimnetz1 said:


> Thanks. Just got my HD600's the other day and they are awesome. I just need a solid desktop amp and I have been looking at the Schiit Asgard. I just have save up the money.



The Asgard is a nice entry level amp as far as I know. I know you'll love it.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





csteimnetz1 said:


> *snip*


 
   gotta love that picture! very nice looking turntable


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Awesome pictures, csteimnetz1.


 
   
  +1, great pictures.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> gotta love that picture! very nice looking turntable


 
  Yep, it's a Dual CS-5000. I have one here as well, right next to me, also with a green record on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'd post a pic but I'm too lazy
  I got mine for free as well  (with a Shure V15V-MR cart!) u jelly?


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





csteimnetz1 said:


> Thanks. Just got my HD600's the other day and they are awesome. I just need a solid desktop amp and I have been looking at the Schiit Asgard. I just have save up the money.


 
   
  The HD600's punch well above their weight. Great headphones. They play very nicely with the Bottlehead Crack, too, if you have a bit of the DIY bug and want to play around with Tubes. 
   
  Nice Dual. Mine is quite a bit older (a late 60s 1019) and more tatty looking - but they made very solid turntables.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

The HD600s are, IMO, _the_ best price/performance headphone.


----------



## mmayer167

@ csteimnetz1
   
  I had the hd600 and asgard at the same time and it was seriously special. Neutral enough but still fun and engaging, as i'm sure you have read elsewhere it is one of the better "synergy's". On the flip side to this hd600+asgard is amazing, the asgard didn't fare as well with my other headphones at the time especially the k601. IMO the asgard is definitely worth its price but it may not be exciting enough for some. if you plan on living with the hd600 for a while which I suggest because they are excellent, you would/should  like the Asgard paired with them. 
   
  My appologies for the long winded "sales-pitch". aaaand for not posting a picture! 
   
  -M


----------



## longbowbbs

This is the rig I use when I travel for business. (I am in the hotel as I type this listening to some good tunes..
   

   
  Dunno why it is upside down. It's ok on my end....
   
  anyway, MBPro 13, NuForce uDac2, Audioquest Cinnamon USB cable, Sennheiser HD650's and the Droid Razr for 4G hotspot.


----------



## csteimnetz1

Quote: 





> @ csteimnetz1
> 
> I had the hd600 and asgard at the same time and it was seriously special. Neutral enough but still fun and engaging, as i'm sure you have read elsewhere it is one of the better "synergy's". On the flip side to this hd600+asgard is amazing, the asgard didn't fare as well with my other headphones at the time especially the k601. IMO the asgard is definitely worth its price but it may not be exciting enough for some. if you plan on living with the hd600 for a while which I suggest because they are excellent, you would/should  like the Asgard paired with them.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I have heard so many good things about the HD600 and Asgard combo and I am very close to pulling the trigger. Do you have any experience with the AKG Q701's and the Asgard because I plan on getting them next and I was wondering if they would work well (maybe not as well as the HD600's) with the Asgard. Thanks


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> This is the rig I use when I travel for business. (I am in the hotel as I type this listening to some good tunes..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Glad to see I'm not the only crazy one who uses a Mac computer with an Android phone and tablet. Although, I've been thinking about ditching my phone for an iPhone.


----------



## antberg

just a little on the past the HD600 was considered hifi...


----------



## hodgjy

X2.

Plus, the HD600s scale really well with amping. They sound excellent on my Asgard, but are truly sublime on my Trafomatic. 



antberg said:


> just a little on the past the HD600 was considered hifi...


----------



## 4-HGeek

Not much. I do use an iPod Touch 4th-Gen and an iPad 2 for mobile/living room listening. Not pictured (on the floor under the desk) is my modest Sony STR-DE197 receiver for the Sony SS-D117 speaker pair.
   
  The SRH840s are by far my most versatile/favorite pair. The HD598s really shine their best with acoustic and orchestral.
   
  The stand is black steel pipe and fittings with an unstained (but oiled) oak base. I think I spent about $18 USD on supplies total for the stand.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Glad to see I'm not the only crazy one who uses a Mac computer with an Android phone and tablet. Although, I've been thinking about ditching my phone for an iPhone.


 
  I took the photo with my iPhone..


----------



## johnman1116

So many positive thoughts on the HD600+Asgard in just 2 pages. Here I am trying to get rid of both.
  I should have another listen


----------



## mmayer167

A wise statement to take with you johnman, "the grass may be greener on the other side, just make sure to take water with you!"  So many of us on head-fi, myself included, don't really know how good what were listening to, is. I wish I had my hd600 and asgard back on many occasions, but then think about where it led me and reminisce in the memory of good gear gone knowing that i'm happier today because of it  Head-fi is awesome because life would be so boring without dreams! 
   
  -M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Right now I have an iMac, MBP, and a Galaxy Note. While I love the screen size on the note, I miss my iPhone quite a bit. It was a smoother, better experience for me. I plan on getting an iPhone 5 (or whatever it'll be called once they get 4G) and probably not get another Android device. App selection is another major concern from switching for me. 
   
  Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Glad to see I'm not the only crazy one who uses a Mac computer with an Android phone and tablet. Although, I've been thinking about ditching my phone for an iPhone.


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> Right now I have an iMac, MBP, and a Galaxy Note. While I love the screen size on the note, I miss my iPhone quite a bit. It was a smoother, better experience for me. I plan on getting an iPhone 5 (or whatever it'll be called once they get 4G) and probably not get another Android device. App selection is another major concern from switching for me.



I never owned an iPhone, but I do quite love my Galaxy Note. I mainly use it for reading manga, web browsing and listening to music. I almost never use it for playing games or anything like that. 
The support for 64GB microSD cards is a big plus as well, as I now have plenty storage on this device. Additionally you can quickly switch batteries on the go, and I always bring two extra batteries with me in my wallet. Never ran out of battery. Ever.


----------



## DE Nefta

I only use this for on the go:


----------



## hodgjy

What headphones are those?
   
  Quote: 





de nefta said:


> I only use this for on the go:


----------



## TheOtus

AIAIAI TMA-1 I suppose.


----------



## hodgjy

^ Thanks!  They look cool.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Correct. Really great cans if you like a dark signature. Amazing durability.
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> AIAIAI TMA-1 I suppose.


 
   
  I've never had a problem with my battery running out on my Note or iPhone when I had them. Never needed extras in the Note. Without extras the iPhone definitely lasted longer while doing the same amount of work. Probably the smaller screen. Web browsing is nice on the larger screen I will admit, but the innacurate keyboard really bugs me. Innacurate compared to my previous iPhone anyway.
   
  They both have their strengths but I tink once the iPhone gets 4G it'll be a trump card for me.
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I never owned an iPhone, but I do quite love my Galaxy Note. I mainly use it for reading manga, web browsing and listening to music. I almost never use it for playing games or anything like that.
> The support for 64GB microSD cards is a big plus as well, as I now have plenty storage on this device. Additionally you can quickly switch batteries on the go, and I always bring two extra batteries with me in my wallet. Never ran out of battery. Ever.


----------



## sphinxvc

~


----------



## DE Nefta

That's the AIAIAI tma-1. Pretty nice headphone.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Right now I have an iMac, MBP, and a Galaxy Note. While I love the screen size on the note, I miss my iPhone quite a bit. It was a smoother, better experience for me. I plan on getting an iPhone 5 (or whatever it'll be called once they get 4G) and probably not get another Android device. App selection is another major concern from switching for me.


 
  Yes, that's another thing... 4G. I should get a 4G phone in general because I feel like if I'm going to be paying $30 a month, might as well get the fastest speed possible.
   
  Really, I don't care if I were to get an iPhone 4 with an A4 processor. I just remember my first generation iPod touch being so smooth in comparison to my Xperia now.


----------



## Kojaku

I just picked up these TRON edition DT-880 Manufaktur. Now, I've always found the whole Beyer line a bit....kekekeke....BRIGHT, but I couldn't resist 
   
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> I just picked up these TRON edition DT-880 Manufaktur. Now, I've always found the whole Beyer line a bit....kekekeke....BRIGHT, but I couldn't resist
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
  You Win!


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> I just picked up these TRON edition DT-880 Manufaktur. Now, I've always found the whole Beyer line a bit....kekekeke....BRIGHT, but I couldn't resist
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
  What shiny player is that too? And the cable!
   
  Holy I can even see music notes out of it. Truly amazing light drawing skills... @@


----------



## Zombie_X

Nothing new but a comparison from my first set-up to my current one. Quite the difference actually.
   
*My first set-up:*

   
   
*My current set-up:*


----------



## BruinAnteater

Here's my set up, as is:
   

   
  And this is with every thing IDd:


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Nothing new but a comparison from my first set-up to my current one. Quite the difference actually.
> 
> *My first set-up:*
> 
> ...


 
  It's like the bat cave of audio.  Usually I'd make a quip about how you can send me your stuff, but I don't have the room for all that incredible gear!


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Nothing new but a comparison from my first set-up to my current one. Quite the difference actually.
> 
> *My first set-up:*
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sorry about your wallet.


----------



## Zombie_X

I know!
   
  I always try to sell my stuff but get drawn back because I love all my gear equally! This hobby hurts.. Plus I still have to get a HD700...
   
  EDIT:
  Just ran the numbers for all my audio gear in my house and have a total of around $11,000 for everything! Crap I feel bad now..
   
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Sorry about your wallet.


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Here's my set up, as is:
> 
> 
> 
> And this is with every thing IDd:


 
   
  What Sabbath DVD is that you're watching?


----------



## BruinAnteater

Its the Quadrophonic version of Paranoid, I guess originally released in the late 70s? Its on a DVD, transferred from the original album and redone in 5.1. Its not DVD-A, just a standard DVD with the dts soundtrack. There's no video, just the album and the splash screen. If you buy the "Deluxe Edition" of Paranoid from Sanctuary, you get this as a bonus (along with an all instrumental version of Paranoid as a third disc). To be honest, that was my first time listening to that exact disc (I ripped the remastered album on Disc 1 for my portable player when on the go, and I usually listen to the album on SACD at home), and it was just not very good...lol. I just wanted something cool looking in the background when I took the picture.
   
  However, the remastered RBCD of the album does sound great, definitely the best CD version of this album out there, so it's totally worth buying if you are curious about the two bonus CDs. Actually, I also have "Black Sabbath," "Master of Reality," "Vol. 4," "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," "Heaven and Hell," "Mob Rules," "Live Evil," and "Dehumanizer" all from the same Sanctuary remasters and they all sound AWESOME. In addition to Paranoid, I also have Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Heaven and Hell on SACD, of course, the Sanctuary remasters don't reach the level of quality as the SACDs, but the SACDs are also single layer, so if you want to rip and be portable, or if you want to listen in your car, I would highly recommend getting the Sanctuary remasters of all your fav Sabbath albums.


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Its the Quadrophonic version of Paranoid, I guess originally released in the late 70s? Its on a DVD, transferred from the original album and redone in 5.1. Its not DVD-A, just a standard DVD with the dts soundtrack. There's no video, just the album and the splash screen. If you buy the "Deluxe Edition" of Paranoid from Sanctuary, you get this as a bonus (along with an all instrumental version of Paranoid as a third disc). To be honest, that was my first time listening to that exact disc (I ripped the remastered album on Disc 1 for my portable player when on the go, and I usually listen to the album on SACD at home), and it was just not very good...lol. I just wanted something cool looking in the background when I took the picture.
> 
> However, the remastered RBCD of the album does sound great, definitely the best CD version of this album out there, so it's totally worth buying if you are curious about the two bonus CDs. Actually, I also have "Black Sabbath," "Master of Reality," "Vol. 4," "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," "Heaven and Hell," "Mob Rules," "Live Evil," and "Dehumanizer" all from the same Sanctuary remasters and they all sound AWESOME. In addition to Paranoid, I also have Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Heaven and Hell on SACD, of course, the Sanctuary remasters don't reach the level of quality as the SACDs, but the SACDs are also single layer, so if you want to rip and be portable, or if you want to listen in your car, I would highly recommend getting the Sanctuary remasters of all your fav Sabbath albums.


 
   
  Oh cool, nice background anyway. I too have some of the Sanctuary remasters and yes they are pretty nice. One of my faves is Vol. 4, a very _crankable_ album IMO.  I am not much of a new Sabs fan though. I don't have an SACD player so I will have to take your word for it.


----------



## DragonOwen

Yesterday got myself a CD-transport, it's April Music Stello CDT100. It's not new, first owner bought it in 2008, but considering how cheap I bought it (about $200 US) I think it's still a very good deal. It's fully functional, but have some scrathes and damage on paint, but again considering the price it's doesn't really matter... so here some fotos of my current rig:


  Planning to change RME 9632 on Lynx AES16 soon (it's already paid and now is on it's way to me) and now in a process of saving up money for buying STAX SR-009 (hope to bought them this year), so probably there will be no more changes in rig for some time... but as I have not many CD's and was planning to start listening classic music for some time, I decided to buy "The Decca Sound 50 CD Set" so I could "kill two birds with one stone" with this purchase.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Really? Man, Heaven and Hell is my favorite Sabbath album, followed by Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I also love Vol 4, "Wheel of Confusion," "Snowblind," "Tomorrow's Dream," "Supernaut" are all awesome songs!


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Really? Man, Heaven and Hell is my favorite Sabbath album, followed by Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I also love Vol 4, "Wheel of Confusion," "Snowblind," "Tomorrow's Dream," "Supernaut" are all awesome songs!


 
   
  Naw, wasn't a RJD fan nor Ian Gillan's work in Sabbath. But, that's just me. I like the stuff that started it all.


----------



## frix

My office rig 



   
  Workmate made this for me.
  Guess I was talking a bit too much about headphones and amps lately


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





frix said:


> My office rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It looks pretty cool, so I am posting the photo:


----------



## frix

thanks, I kinda failed posting it correctly


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> EDIT:
> Just ran the numbers for all my audio gear in my house and have a total of around $11,000 for everything! Crap I feel bad now..


 
  What a wonderful investment... you should feel *great*!


----------



## hodgjy

I agree.  You could have spent that money on booze and cocaine, which you'd have nothing to show for them at this point.
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> What a wonderful investment... you should feel *great*!


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> What a wonderful investment... you should feel *great*!


 
   
  Well knowing how much he spent certainly justified the amount I spent, so I feel great regardless XD


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I agree.  You could have spent that money on booze and cocaine, which you'd have nothing to show for them at this point.


 

 "I've spent most of my money on booze and women; the rest I just wasted."


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ nice cable + new LCD-2


----------



## Kojaku

Just got a special little package from Chris_Himself. Brace yourselves for cable porn!
   


   
   
  Man, everything is so much more coherent. There isn't unnatural heft to vocals...There's a tad more air in the image. The changes are small, but definitely tangible. Plus, they're damn beautiful!
   
  Kojaku


----------



## tdockweiler

ALO SXC?
   
  Opps..photos only I guess. Sorry.
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Just got a special little package from Chris_Himself. Brace yourselves for cable porn!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





tdockweiler said:


> ALO SXC?
> 
> Opps..photos only I guess. Sorry.


 

 Actually it's 7N Solid-Core Cryo-Treated Silver via Chris_Himself. The dyed cotton sleeving is actually from Steve Eddy of Q-Audio. 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





tdockweiler said:


> ALO SXC?
> 
> Opps..photos only I guess. Sorry.


 
   
  Looks like a very impressive cable. I'll be looking forward to hear your thoughts.


----------



## wdahm519

This is my desktop headphone setup.  It consists of:

 HifiMan HE-500 using HE-6 cable
 EHHA Rev A Hybrid amp using Telefunken 6GM8 tubes
 ODAC standalone 24/96
 Squeezebox Touch modified for up to 24/192 output via USB


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> This is my desktop headphone setup.  It consists of:
> 
> HifiMan HE-500 using HE-6 cable
> EHHA Rev A Hybrid amp using Telefunken 6GM8 tubes
> ...


 
  How's the ODAC?


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> This is my desktop headphone setup.  It consists of:
> 
> HifiMan HE-500 using HE-6 cable
> EHHA Rev A Hybrid amp using Telefunken 6GM8 tubes
> ...


 
  Now that is elegant!!! I like how big the clock is as well, so that you can see how many hours you've spent nestled between your HE-500


----------



## wdahm519

The ODAC is tremendous.  It sounds more transparent than my TPA Opus DAC, which requires big toroidal transformer and all that mess.  I feel as though the bass and highs extend further on the ODAC comparatively. 
   
  Colinharding, that clock is also the Squeezebox Touch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (not sure if you knew that, if you were just making a joke sorry for my internet ignorance).


----------



## Austin Morrow

Burson Audio HA-160DS not shown here, but I rearranged my desktop.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> The ODAC is tremendous.  It sounds more transparent than my TPA Opus DAC, which requires big toroidal transformer and all that mess.  I feel as though the bass and highs extend further on the ODAC comparatively.
> 
> Colinharding, that clock is also the Squeezebox Touch
> 
> ...


 
  Do you think it would be more detailed than, say, my DLIII? How is it in overall detail retrieval (for the price)? What DACs in a (much?) higher price range does it stand up to, if any?


----------



## colinharding

Ohhh haha nope I didn't realize that just thought you really liked to keep track of how much time you spent at the listening station so you'll have to forgive my ignorance on that one lol.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Burson Audio HA-160DS not shown here, but I rearranged my desktop.


 
   
   
  whenever you post a pic of your setup, it makes me miss my hd 650s. they look so cool on that stand.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Do you think it would be more detailed than, say, my DLIII? How is it in overall detail retrieval (for the price)? What DACs in a (much?) higher price range does it stand up to, if any?


 
   
  The ODAC has been tested against the Benchmark DAC1 Pre ($1600 MSRP) to have identical performance.  It also measures basically the same (DAC1 Pre measures a tiny tiny bit better, but so close you'd never know).  Both the ODAC and the DAC1 Pre are completely transparent DACs, as any DAC should be.
   
  It might be better than your DLIII, since I'm assuming the DAC1 Pre is better than your DLIII.  However, don't take my word for it as I have never personally heard the DAC1 Pre or the DLIII myself.  I just know it was an upgrade from my Opus.
   
  $100 for the ODAC board is a freaking bargain.


----------



## Sherlockaled

Hi guys, this is my current setup. After going through this thread and the portable setup thread, I just cannot help but spend some money on the E10 and the Philips Uptown. Not in this picture is the Shure SRH440. Hope everyone enjoys my pictures .


----------



## Clayton SF

Nice setup. Great photos. What in the world are you growing next to your MacBook? I want one.


----------



## branqazwsx

Schiit Asgard and a Teac CD - P650 with connected with Binary Audio interconnects


----------



## Katun

Quote: 





branqazwsx said:


> Schiit Asgard and a Teac CD - P650 with connected with Binary Audio interconnects


 
   
  How are you liking your P650?


----------



## Sherlockaled

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Nice setup. Great photos. What in the world are you growing next to your MacBook? I want one.


 
  Here you go 
http://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-OR08-W-Grass-Charging-Station/dp/B00252XYWW
   
  Its where I keep my fone, ipod, wallet + car keys underneath.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





sherlockaled said:


> Here you go
> http://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-OR08-W-Grass-Charging-Station/dp/B00252XYWW
> 
> Its where I keep my fone, ipod, wallet + car keys underneath.


 
   
  Must have!  That's really neat.  No space on my desk for one though.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> The ODAC has been tested against the Benchmark DAC1 Pre ($1600 MSRP) to have identical performance.  It also measures basically the same (DAC1 Pre measures a tiny tiny bit better, but so close you'd never know).  Both the ODAC and the DAC1 Pre are completely transparent DACs, as any DAC should be.
> 
> It might be better than your DLIII, since I'm assuming the DAC1 Pre is better than your DLIII.  However, don't take my word for it as I have never personally heard the DAC1 Pre or the DLIII myself.  I just know it was an upgrade from my Opus.
> 
> $100 for the ODAC board is a freaking bargain.


 
  i think the DL III is amazing


----------



## longbowbbs

Here is what I was auditioning this week....
   

   
  Top row only..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I brought my MBPro and HD650's to play with the Cary SLi 80 and the W4S DAC2....Very nice!


----------



## ProjectDenz

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is what I was auditioning this week....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Fantastic looking tube set-up.


----------



## MorbidToaster

How much does that Cary actually go for? I've heard great things.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow very nice setup


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How much does that Cary actually go for? I've heard great things.


 
  They run $4000+ depending on options. It is a great sounding rig and a nice pairing with the W4S DAC2. I was running AIFF files at 1411 via the MBPro with Amarra. USB at 192K.


----------



## linuxid10t

DEAR GOD...  Just saying, the entire setup looks expensive...  I am kinda surprised you are running the HD650 considering how much you are spending on the rest of the rig.
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> They run $4000+ depending on options. It is a great sounding rig and a nice pairing with the W4S DAC2. I was running AIFF files at 1411 via the MBPro with Amarra. USB at 192K.


----------



## ProjectDenz

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> They run $4000+ depending on options. It is a great sounding rig and a nice pairing with the W4S DAC2. I was running AIFF files at 1411 via the MBPro with Amarra. USB at 192K.


 
   
  I think it's about time you invested in a HD800


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> DEAR GOD...  Just saying, the entire setup looks expensive...  I am kinda surprised you are running the HD650 considering how much you are spending on the rest of the rig.


 
  Who says you can't upgrade from there? I love the 650's but....


----------



## keph

I prefer the HD650 than the HD800 by a long shot...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





keph said:


> I prefer the HD650 than the HD800 by a long shot...


 
   
  I hear this all the time....I can't believe how many people have the same preference as you. I really need to hear a pair of 650s....and 700s


----------



## MorbidToaster

From what I've been hearing people with this preference will like the HD700.
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> I prefer the HD650 than the HD800 by a long shot...


 
   
  As for that Cary...I'd say it's an integrated first and headphone amp second...it does speakers, too.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





focker said:


> I hear this all the time....I can't believe how many people have the same preference as you. I really need to hear a pair of 650s....and 700s


 
  I used to prefer HD600 to HD800 but then something changed.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





.sup said:


> I used to prefer HD600 to HD800 but then something changed.


 
   
  Was it your ears or your wallet?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





.sup said:


> I used to prefer HD600 to HD800 but then something changed.


 
   
  something you can put your finger on? 
   
  Some of the criticisms I've heard of the HD800s have just been plain odd...I'm fascinated by this headphone because of it and can't wait to hear it. But just based on the early feedback on the 700s, this may be where I spend my money. I'm still bothered by the fact that I did not like the 518s at all. I really want to have another pair of Senns in-house that I love.


----------



## .Sup

Well I sold the little dot amp and DacMagic which was the best combo I have ever heard in pursuit of trying new things and HD600 just didn't sound as good with anything else. I then sold HD600. Then I switched the opamps in my Auditor and the sound wasn't thin and analytical any more and I started enjoying HD800.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





keph said:


> I prefer the HD650 than the HD800 by a long shot...


 
  And i prefer the HD600 over both the 650 and 800.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Well I sold the little dot amp and DacMagic which was the best combo I have ever heard in pursuit of trying new things and HD600 just didn't sound as good with anything else. I then sold HD600. Then I switched the opamps in my Auditor and the sound wasn't thin and analytical any more and I started enjoying HD800.


 
  Ah okay, that makes sense...that Auditor is a beauty!


----------



## faverodefavero

Well, I stay with the HD800 any day. But I agree that it's not for every kind of music, but I use it for Orchestrated music, String trio/quartets, Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock and there's just no other headphone, in my opinion, I've ever heard that can stand up to the natural way the HD800 presents sweet string plucking, voices and soft drum beats. I've not heard every headphone on earth, far from that, though (I need to listen to Stax 009 and Beyerdynamic T1 ASAP!).


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





focker said:


> I really need to hear a pair of 650s....and 700s


 
   
  I agree with the 700's, I would like a pair of those too.  But the 650's are nothing special.  Even with great amping they are "meh".  For a little more money, the HE-500's deliver a lot more quality.  
   
  But this thread is getting derailed.  
   
*Post some pictures people!*


----------



## keph

For the price performance i pick the middle one...650 paired with a great amp makes one of the worlds best Headphones Period...


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





keph said:


> For the price performance i pick the middle one...650 paired with a great amp makes one of the worlds best Headphones Period...


 
   
   
  What constitutes a great amp?  I've heard them with what I consider a great amp and they aren't special to my ears.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> What constitutes a great amp?  I've heard them with what I consider a great amp and they aren't special to my ears.


 
  There is a reason there are so many brands and styles....Everyone will have a different "Best" combination. If you have found yours, that is an awesome thing. For me, I am currently enjoying the 650's and the Cambridge DMPlus off the Mac Mini with Amarra. 
   
  The good news is that the quest continues! I really enjoyed the 650's on the Cary SLI-80 through the Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 this week. Another possible mountain to climb (or buy as it were...)


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





keph said:


> For the price performance i pick the middle one...650 paired with a great amp makes one of the worlds best Headphones Period...


 

 If there's one thing that I can't turn back from when it comes to the flagship planars, it's the blackness of the background. The grainless, breathable (within the image) sound is just too captivating to turn away from. Now, I've heard many many people sing praises of the scalability of the HD-650s, which I can't argue with. But on a purely performance-based standpoint, the planars are more linear, more extended...Not as intimate, but I feel like there's a different league for the flagship planars...(not to say that well-engineered dynamics cannot overcome typical dynamic issues, the HD-800 is a perfect example of that).
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Dubstep Girl

the hd 650s scale up really well, but no way can they match the LCD-2.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> the hd 650s scale up really well, but no way can they match the LCD-2.


 
  I would hope the LCD-2's would sound better for the extra cost! Still, sometimes it is a battle for best value. The 650's are certainly a contender for that crown..


----------



## TheWuss

Well, considering the hd650 with stock cable is garbage, the price of a well-scaling model is around $600. 
I keed. I keed.


----------



## MorbidToaster

For overall best value I'd honestly pick the 598. 98% there unamped and just fantastic in general. 
   
  On Topic: My current station while my LF in in the hospital. I'm holding Alex's personal CTH hostage...and his jacket that he left at my house in March.


----------



## dagothur

What headphone stand is that?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Well, considering the hd650 with stock cable is garbage, the price of a well-scaling model is around $600.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  New cables on order for the 650's from Toxic...Frank is the man!  Furutech plug as well!
   

   
 Sennheiser HD650 HD600 HD580 8ft Cryo Pure OCC Stranded Silver cable


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What headphone stand is that?


 
   
  Are you referring to the Woo Audio stand in Morbid's pic?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Are you referring to the Woo Audio stand in Morbid's pic?


 
  It seems I am.  I've been moving my set up around and I'd like to have a headphone stand to save me some room.


----------



## fatcat28037

The Woo Banana Hanger can also be used for headphones.


----------



## longbowbbs

Maybe if I get this for my HD-650's they will ripen into some HD-800's....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> The Woo Banana Hanger can also be used for headphones.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> New cables on order for the 650's from Toxic...Frank is the man!  Furutech plug as well!
> 
> 
> 
> Sennheiser HD650 HD600 HD580 8ft Cryo Pure OCC Stranded Silver cable


 
   
  Silver cables with clear dielectric look so purdy


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> The Woo Banana Hanger can also be used for headphones.


 
   
   
  Yeah, but let's not forget fellow member mwilson's episodes with those ants in his Stax.


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

The Wharfedale Isodynamic is connected through the speaker taps to the Akai.
  It's nice to spin some vinyl discs.
   
  All current state-of-the art gear of course.


----------



## Tilpo

defectiveaudiocomponent said:


> The Wharfedale Isodynamic is connected through the speaker taps to the Akai.
> It's nice to spin some vinyl discs.
> 
> All current state-of-the art gear of course.



Is that a vertical turntable? 
Wow. Never seen something like that. 

Which TT is it exactly?


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

It's a Mitshubishi LT-5V vertical linear tracking turntable. 
  I just got it working today, with a new belt.
   

  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Is that a vertical turntable?
> Wow. Never seen something like that.
> Which TT is it exactly?


----------



## Tilpo

defectiveaudiocomponent said:


> It's a Mitshubishi LT-5V vertical linear tracking turntable.
> I just got it working today, with a new belt.



It looks ridiculously awesome. 

Where did you get it?


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

It is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I found it cheap at a charity shop.
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> It looks ridiculously awesome.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MDR30

Quote: 





defectiveaudiocomponent said:


> The Wharfedale Isodynamic is connected through the speaker taps to the Akai.
> It's nice to spin some vinyl discs.
> 
> All current state-of-the art gear of course.
> ...


----------



## linuxid10t

I LOVE the look of that turntable o.O  It doesn't look high end and expensive, just so...  DIFFERENT.  LOL
  Quote: 





defectiveaudiocomponent said:


> The Wharfedale Isodynamic is connected through the speaker taps to the Akai.
> It's nice to spin some vinyl discs.
> 
> All current state-of-the art gear of course.


----------



## DefectiveAudioComponent

So it seems.
  It sounds good 
   
  Quote: 





mdr30 said:


> Wonderful Still-Leben. Does the Akai cater for the watts demanded by the isodynamic?


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Is that a vertical turntable?
> Wow. Never seen something like that.
> Which TT is it exactly?


 

 vertical and portable - the first Sony Discman:


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> I LOVE the look of that turntable o.O  It doesn't look high end and expensive, just so...  DIFFERENT.  LOL


 
  That is what it so great about finding gear in charity shops. I found a couple of great turntables over the years. You look for records and at times you see turntables. Older receivers add that special tone. Most of my life has been enjoying rigs like this. At the price they cost you can collect a couple of systems. Just remember capacitors can only have a 20 year lifespan at times! You also benefit from finding an electronic repair guy who is fair to check stuff out or repair stuff at a good price.
   
  Every once-in-a-while you can find a great cartridge too on a turntable!
   
   
  One great aspect of buying used gear is the price it costs keeps everything "fun". I remember before the big vinyl resurgence, you could buy Thorns TD-160s for $100.00 on E-Bay. It is kind of a rush getting new/old gear and finding it sounds great. I also found that there was a lot of "ear-tuning" going on, where it took me a couple hours of listening to a new/old rig, to be able to appreciate the new sound characteristics.


----------



## hsubox

My humble headfi station/bedside table
   
  Pictured:
  - Onkyo CS325 CD player/mini stereo
  - JDSLabs CMoyBB
  - Grado SR225i
  - AKG Q701, both on an Ikea-nstein headphone stand
  - Green Lanter, natch
  - junk
   
  Not pictured:
  - My portable players, e.g. iPhone, iPods, iPad.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


>


 
   
  Probably the nicest looking rig I've seen in this thread!


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> That is what it so great about finding gear in charity shops. I found a couple of great turntables over the years. You look for records and at times you see turntables. Older receivers add that special tone. Most of my life has been enjoying rigs like this. At the price they cost you can collect a couple of systems. Just remember capacitors can only have a 20 year lifespan at times! You also benefit from finding an electronic repair guy who is fair to check stuff out or repair stuff at a good price.
> 
> *Every once-in-a-while you can find a great cartridge too on a turntable!*
> 
> ...


 
  I got a free Dual CS-5000 (included in an entire stereo rig) with a Shure V15V-MR cart on it. My record store guy said it costs about $500. The stylus is bad though; is it worth risking $50 on a new (well technically NOS) stylus for it on ebay to see if the cartridge is any good? Last I remember I thought it sounded great, but who knows if I was hearing thigns right or what it sounds like compared to my new setup (even at $30, the fact it's new).


----------



## Redcarmoose

If you can post a photo of the Shure cartridge as there are a couple different types. As far as I know they are out of production but there are needle replacements. I'm no expert but the funny coincidence here is I found one at a thrift-shop. I used it for years. The Shure V15s are some of the best trackers ever made. You may upgrade your table and transfer the cart to something new. 
   
  As all the older turntables out there I have seen, I never knew of Duals being that great, but most are lower line. Yours looks top of the line? It looks great. Get someone to help you set it up right, ground it, and enjoy. I would make it clear that the new needle for the Shure replacement really did work-out for other people first.
   
  That is the best part about Head-Fi.........you have true knowledgeable  folks to get you correct info. I would go to Skylabs new thread about turntable set-up and even PM him about a replacement needle. If it is the correct replacement needle and gets you a new Shure sound it is worth $50.
   
   
  Enjoy!


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





windsor said:


> Probably the nicest looking rig I've seen in this thread!


 
  oh yeah..im loving the HT set up!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I got a free Dual CS-5000 (included in an entire stereo rig) with a Shure V15V-MR cart on it. My record store guy said it costs about $500. The stylus is bad though; is it worth risking $50 on a new (well technically NOS) stylus for it on ebay to see if the cartridge is any good? Last I remember I thought it sounded great, but who knows if I was hearing thigns right or what it sounds like compared to my new setup (even at $30, the fact it's new).


 
  Looks like the table is a keeper!  Wow!
   
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=168386


----------



## linuxid10t

Thanks for the tips.  I find vintage stuff for cheap and take it home.  I have done some of my own electronics work (on said vintage electronics (amps.))  I would really love to get a turntable though.  I really like vinyl from what I've seen of it.  Not to mention I just got a tube amp.  I mean, vinyl + tubes = drool, right?
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> That is what it so great about finding gear in charity shops. I found a couple of great turntables over the years. You look for records and at times you see turntables. Older receivers add that special tone. Most of my life has been enjoying rigs like this. At the price they cost you can collect a couple of systems. Just remember capacitors can only have a 20 year lifespan at times! You also benefit from finding an electronic repair guy who is fair to check stuff out or repair stuff at a good price.
> 
> Every once-in-a-while you can find a great cartridge too on a turntable!
> 
> ...


----------



## Mutombo

Quick phone shot of my work setup:


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





mutombo said:


> Quick phone shot of my work setup:


 
  How do you like the Asgard? I'm tossing up between it and the Lyr...


----------



## MorbidToaster

For your current cans I'd go with the Asgard. What are you future headphone plans?
   
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> How do you like the Asgard? I'm tossing up between it and the Lyr...


----------



## pdiddypdler

morbidtoaster said:


> For your current cans I'd go with the Asgard. What are you future headphone plans?




I really don't think it would be worth it with my current cans.
There's a few headphones I'm considering at the moment, the HD600, HE500 and maybe even the LCD-2. For the last two I would have thought the Lyr would be better because of the higher power output.

Think I might also have a crack at building an ODAC and O2, should be fun.

Good times ahead.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





mutombo said:


> Quick phone shot of my work setup:


 
   
  for a work setup, thats pretty good....


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> I really don't think it would be worth it with my current cans.
> There's a few headphones I'm considering at the moment, the HD600, HE500 and maybe even the LCD-2. For the last two I would have thought the Lyr would be better because of the higher power output.
> Think I might also have a crack at building an ODAC and O2, should be fun.
> Good times ahead.


 
   
  Haven't tried the HE500s, but I find the Asgard excellent with both the HD600 and LCD-2. I also got to try out the Lyr for a bit and, at least at my typical listening level (fairly low, around 9), I didn't find it to be any better than the Asgard with my LCD-2s.
  
  Of course, if you're interested in tube rolling then it's a whole different story.


----------



## stubzor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


>


 
  MT, is that a diy stand for your cd or did you buy it. If you bought it id love to find out where as id like to proudly display BT's THM or even TBU if i can get my hands on it.


----------



## .Sup

Ikea has similar racks


----------



## MorbidToaster

I honestly don't know where they (I have 2 of the wooden stands) came from. They came with these 2 small replica paintings that my mother gave me. I'd like to find more. They're basically mini easels. 
   
  It just so happened to fit that box set perfectly. 
   
  Quote: 





stubzor said:


> MT, is that a diy stand for your cd or did you buy it. If you bought it id love to find out where as id like to proudly display BT's THM or even TBU if i can get my hands on it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The actual shelf is the typical Ikea Expedit that a lot of people around these parts use for their media.
   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> Ikea has similar racks


----------



## colinharding

@ MorbidToaster, where did you get that Dali clock....I want one hahaha!


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> @ MorbidToaster, where did you get that Dali clock....I want one hahaha!


 
  Ha I knew that clock looked familiar.


----------



## liamstrain

No real equipment updates - but I moved to a new desk and rearranged. (I need a bigger cube).


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> No real equipment updates - but I moved to a new desk and rearranged. (I need a bigger cube).


 
  Are those both your monitors? Otherwise it looks like you are slowly encroaching on your cube mate's territory....hifi style lol


----------



## liamstrain

Hah - yah, I have two laptops, each with external monitors at my desk.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005AJUQIW/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001D3T8ZG&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WH70896T5ZE89ZPMXEC
   
  I didn't buy it (it was a gift) but this should be the same one. I actually want to get another 'wall clock' version to go with it. Which they also make.
   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> Ha I knew that clock looked familiar.


 
   
  Quote: 





colinharding said:


> @ MorbidToaster, where did you get that Dali clock....I want one hahaha!


----------



## colinharding

Nice thanks, it should be on its way to my house as we speak!


----------



## Silent One




----------



## .Sup

what's that? The new addition under the mini.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





.sup said:


> what's that? The new addition under the mini.


 
   
  Mac mini platform from Atomic Audio Labs. It's for isolation...


----------



## .Sup

A shot of Hifiman boxes...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





.sup said:


> A shot of Hifiman boxes...


 
   
  And your little buddy...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It's beautiful.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/atomic-audio-labs-mac-platform-isolation-platform-free
   
  There it is if anyone was wondering. Interesting. Any improvements over just the Mapleshade block?


----------



## DE Nefta

That was also my question. It looks nice.


----------



## DE Nefta

Where did you get it?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://app.audiogon.com/listings/atomic-audio-labs-mac-platform-isolation-platform-free
> 
> There it is if anyone was wondering. Interesting. Any improvements over just the Mapleshade block?


 
   
  Thanks for the link. Just woke up to discover HF removed the pix. I got happy; splashed the pix across two other threads. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I got a late start last night. Will be listening at length this evening into the night. Will return...
   
   
*Update: *The manufacturer omitted (accidentally) the tuning washers needed with the platform. Sent out to me immediately from New Mexico but may not reach me until Monday or Tuesday. There goes my entire weekend, one that would have provided the best free time for my evaluations.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





de nefta said:


> That was also my question. It looks nice.


 
   
  Isolation platform made by Atomic Audio Labs.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





de nefta said:


> Where did you get it?


 
   
  Got it from a dealer in SoCal - True Audiophile. Can visit the mfg's website or audio dealers online. My system below:


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Got it from a dealer in SoCal - True Audiophile. Can visit the mfg's website or audio dealers online. My system below:


 
   
Certainly looks nice. (Audio jewelry 



) 
   
With all the other stuff going on inside the Mini's case, the claims of "The sound is more focused, tightens up the bass, makes the mid-range and top end open way up. It simply makes the Mac Mini more musical." a little hard to swallow, though.


----------



## Mutombo

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> How do you like the Asgard? I'm tossing up between it and the Lyr...


 
   
  I like it a lot so far.  I've only had it a couple weeks so I'm still getting a feel for it, but so far I love the sound, the look, the build quality, etc.  It's a nice amp for the price.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I can't wait to put it through the paces. Waiting for the washers to arrive...


----------



## anetode

.sup said:


> A shot of Hifiman boxes...




Looks like hifiman squashed your cat :confused_face:


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





anetode said:


> Looks like hifiman squashed your cat


 
  Nah.  The HE-6 comes with a complimentary kitty.


----------



## anetode

dagothur said:


> Nah.  The HE-6 comes with a complimentary kitty.




A live one, I hope


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





anetode said:


> A live one, I hope


 
   
  They put a live one in the box, but you know how long postage can take... hopefully they have a good DOA policy.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> They put a live one in the box, but you know how long postage can take... hopefully they have a good DOA policy.


 
  The cat is preserved by the SQ of the HE-6.  The cats slowly drain the efficiency of the headphones so that they may survive in adorable condition upon arrival.  That's why they're so ridiculously hard to drive.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> The cat is preserved by the SQ of the HE-6.  The cats slowly drain the efficiency of the headphones so that they may survive in adorable condition upon arrival.  That's why they're so ridiculously hard to drive.


 
   
  That makes a lot of sense if you think about it. No wonder.


----------



## mmayer167

Indeed. Hifiman doesn't use moisture packets, they use KITTENS!


----------



## spekkio

My setup: Head-Fi Glitched Version


----------



## wdahm519

Oh boy...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





spekkio said:


> My setup: Head-Fi Glitched Version


 
   
  I like both versions!


----------



## dallan

Current mess


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice gear tho.


----------



## dallan

Thanx


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> If there's one thing that I can't turn back from when it comes to the flagship planars, it's the blackness of the background. The grainless, breathable (within the image) sound is just too captivating to turn away from. Now, I've heard many many people sing praises of the scalability of the HD-650s, which I can't argue with. But on a purely performance-based standpoint, the planars are more linear, more extended...Not as intimate, but I feel like there's a different league for the flagship planars...(not to say that well-engineered dynamics cannot overcome typical dynamic issues, the HD-800 is a perfect example of that).
> 
> Kojaku


 
  "For the price performance" He said. 650's are (even with the new price increase) a third of the price of the flagship planners. I'd expect the flagship planners to be better, blacker backround.. etc, infact I'd expect to "see" John Coltrane never mind hear him for the price they are.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> "For the price performance" He said. 650's are (even with the new price increase) a third of the price of the flagship planners. I'd expect the flagship planners to be better, blacker backround.. etc, infact I'd expect to "see" John Coltrane never mind hear him for the price they are.


 

 Right, but i wasn't really talking price value. I was talking pure performance. Also, i hear that the Revision 2 drivers for the HE-400 are much much more neutral. At that price, the value, for a planar, (not a flagship mind you) is very good. That said, I'll admit to not being a huge fan of the 650s, even when driven well. It's just not as captivating.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Right, but i wasn't really talking price value. I was talking pure performance. Also, i hear that the Revision 2 drivers for the HE-400 are much much more neutral. At that price, the value, for a planar, (not a flagship mind you) is very good. That said, I'll admit to not being a huge fan of the 650s, even when driven well. It's just not as captivating.
> 
> Kojaku


 
  Yeah but _he_ was, my friend.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   There's a multitude of threads on the subject. Only.. for me, its still nice to see a headphone such as the 650 competing with the new planners. Even if it is "price per performance"


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yeah but _he_ was, my friend..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Good point. I think after jumping to flagship planars, it's easy to lose perspective. I remember when price/performance ratio was the most important factor in all my purchases and DIYing...Ah, the old days of the Grado-modding thread...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## themoddingden

Heatfan12> I just had a org !!!! freaking shnutt I need to do something


----------



## Windsor

Due to the shower in my apartment being repainted and giving of a stench that makes my eyes water, my rig and I have relocated to the communal living room - here's a quick pic:


----------



## Clayton SF

^ I'd say you've got it made in the shade with your setup. Just put on some excellent music and pop a pizza in that brick nook of yours and you're set! What a cool hot setup!


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ^ I'd say you've got it made in the shade with your setup. Just put on some excellent music and pop a pizza in that brick nook of yours and you're set! What a cool hot setup!


 
   
  I'm really grateful for the pictured set up, which is currently feeding my soul music by the Miles Davis Quintet.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





windsor said:


> I'm really grateful for the pictured set up, which is currently feeding my soul music by the Miles Davis Quintet.


 

 LOL.  Funny you should mention that, I'm listening to Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" as we speak.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> LOL.  Funny you should mention that, I'm listening to Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" as we speak.


 
  I bought the Legacy Edition CD on Amazon and the highs are pretty harsh. I've heard other masters are better (and likely worse too), how's yours? Mine:  http://www.amazon.com/Kind-Blue-Miles-Davis/dp/B000002ADT/ref=tmm_acd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1339449282&sr=8-2
   
  Wow, I don't think (180g) vinyl was an option when I bought it...oh well...
  I heard the Columbia Records 180g or 45rpm or something was the best one of all.


----------



## grokit

I have Kind of Blue, as well as Kind of Blue @50 (CD rips), and on certain songs there is quite a bit of background noise that I find irritating. Too bad because it's some of his best work.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've heard the 180g vinyl is very good. I've been meaning to pick it up.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I bought the Legacy Edition CD on Amazon and the highs are pretty harsh. I've heard other masters are better (and likely worse too), how's yours? Mine:  http://www.amazon.com/Kind-Blue-Miles-Davis/dp/B000002ADT/ref=tmm_acd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1339449282&sr=8-2
> 
> Wow, I don't think (180g) vinyl was an option when I bought it...oh well...
> I heard the Columbia Records 180g or 45rpm or something was the best one of all.


 
   
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> I have Kind of Blue, as well as Kind of Blue @50 (CD rips), and on certain songs there is quite a bit of background noise that I find irritating. Too bad because it's some of his best work.


 
   
  Mine is the same.  I don't find the highs to be too harsh in most of the tracks other than the Alternative version of "Flamenco Sketches".  I, too, find that the background noise does become irritating as well.  Wish it were better as it is indeed some of his best.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've heard the 180g vinyl is very good. I've been meaning to pick it up.


 
   
  I don't have a Turntable, but if what you speak is true, it seems I will have to invest in one..


----------



## wolfetan44

iPod, Fiio E11, and UE TF10's with a Westone Cable. Want to get Sennheiser HD600/650's but need to know what amp to get. Any advice is apprieciated!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> iPod, Fiio E11, and UE TF10's with a Westone Cable. Want to get Sennheiser HD600/650's but need to know what amp to get. Any advice is apprieciated!


 
  You and me both.  I've read that the Bottlehead Crack is a great amp for Sennheisers.  I think pairing that amp with a DAC like the HRT MusicStreamer II/II+ would be a nice and "warm" setup.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote:  
   
  If money is tight, get the HD600/650 now. They sound fairly good out of the E11, assuming you're in high-current, high-gain mode. At the $200-250 range, I'd highly recommend the Little Dot MKIII. I didn't really like the Hifiman EF2A when I owned it. It had too much gain even for the Senns. These are the only desktop amps I have heard, however.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> You and me both.  I've read that the Bottlehead Crack is a great amp for Sennheisers.  I think pairing that amp with a DAC like the HRT MusicStreamer II/II+ would be a nice and "warm" setup.


 
  Add that all up and its $700 for the Bottlehead Crack, HRT MusicStreamer II, and the HD600's. Jeez thats a lot of money. I dont know if I cant appreciate it either. Because I havent tried a pair of real headphones yet. Is it worth it to just buy (For me) what will be the best I can get? Or start low?


----------



## calipilot227

^ Buy the best setup you can possibly afford right now. It will save you a ton of money in the long run, versus incrementally upgrading.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> If money is tight, get the HD600/650 now. They sound fairly good out of the E11, assuming you're in high-current, high-gain mode. At the $200-250 range, I'd highly recommend the Little Dot MKIII. I didn't really like the Hifiman EF2A when I owned it. It had too much gain even for the Senns. These are the only desktop amps I have heard, however.


 
  Just saw this. I like where your coming from! Get 650 now then save up for a good amp.. Smart!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> ^ Buy the best setup you can possibly afford right now. It will save you a ton of money in the long run, versus incrementally upgrading.


 
  Or get 650 then the Bottle head and HRT Musicstreamer II+ later?


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Want to get Sennheiser HD600/650's but need to know what amp to get. Any advice is apprieciated!


 
  I got the 580s which are almost exactly the same as the 600s and I'm using a Little Dot 1+ with some Mullard CV4010 tubes and I think it sounds great. The tube upgrade really lifted the veil on them and tightened up the bass.


----------



## calipilot227

Upgrading your headphones will make the most noticeable difference, even with the E11. While they won't reach their full potential, they will still sound good out of the E11.
   
  That said, if it's possible, you should get a good desktop amp as well. I hope this alleviates some confusion.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Upgrading your headphones will make the most noticeable difference, even with the E11. While they won't reach their full potential, they will still sound good out of the E11.
> 
> That said, if it's possible, you should get a good desktop amp as well. I hope this alleviates some confusion.


 
  I need money! Haha.


----------



## linuxid10t

You kinda miss out on a lot of the fun doing that though... :3
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> ^ Buy the best setup you can possibly afford right now. It will save you a ton of money in the long run, versus incrementally upgrading.


----------



## grokit

The Schiit Valhalla reportedly does very well with the HD650.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





grokit said:


> The Schiit Valhalla reportedly does very well with the HD650.


 
  Thats alot of money sir. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I just read a review and somebody on Amazon reviewed it and said it was so good! I just want to try it out for myself and see if it really is so amazing to have a nice pair of headphones and a nice amp.


----------



## Stonez

This is my night time set up at the nurses station.  I usually use my Brainwavz Beta's that came with my Alpen, but my youngest daughter decided to give them a bath in a glass of water.  I'm drying them out as we speak.  Using F2K + Wasapi on my Asus Aspire notebook and listening to Ashes To Ashes (a Bowie cover) by Warpaint.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Thats alot of money sir.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The Asgard is pretty good Schiit as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I haven't heard it, but it reportedly sounds very good with Senns


----------



## Currawong

Please keep to posting pictures and the chat to other threads preferably. Thanks.


----------



## Pojosama

If you have a 650, get the O2 and ODAC (or wait for the assembled desktop model, which should be the same thing). It's all you'll ever need, and it's relatively cheap.
   
  EDIT: sorry, forgot this was a picture thread for a second. So used to just browsing it. : (


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





pojosama said:


> If you have a 650, get the O2 and ODAC (or wait for the assembled desktop model, which should be the same thing). It's all you'll ever need, and it's relatively cheap.
> 
> EDIT: sorry, forgot this was a picture thread for a second. So used to just browsing it. : (


 
  I've been thinking about the same thing, at least the O2. Gonna try it sometime to see if I like neutral and of so look into the SPL Auditor or something of the like.
   
  Sorry for the off topic...but why can't we discuss too?


----------



## hodgjy

One change since my last picture.  I was inspired by Silent One to try some isolation cones.  Well, that and the fact the handmade feet that came with the amp were not the same size, so I had a chronic wobble!  I also can't seem to find a level shelf in my entire apartment, so the adjustable feet are a nice touch.
   
  So far, I can't tell any change in the sound, but the change in my mind is very positive.  I love the way it looks!


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *hodgjy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I also can't seem to find a level shelf in my entire apartment


 
   

   
  That made me lol, does this resemble your place?


----------



## hodgjy

Yes it does. And my mind, too! 



grokit said:


> That made me lol, does this resemble your place?


----------



## mmayer167

Current setup. Paradox are not pictured because they are at work  The e11 and odac stack go with me to work since the paradox is more fun out of the e11 than the O2 and the O2 isn't extremely portable given it does well with the power plugged in. 
   

   
  The D2k's have dynamat on the small butt of the driver and around the rubber puck in the cup per a partial markl mod. Also, the D2k's have Fischer audio fa-003 pads on them, which is an incredible improvement over stock. Mids come through, the minor sibilance there was is supressed and bass is taught and could knock out Chuck Norris playing infected mushrooms tracks. Seriously impressed with this setup on the D2k, excellent combo with the Paradoxed t50rp. Detail retrieval nears that of the paradox with a fun factor of the slightly v shaped freq curve.  
   
  Second picture of the Fischer fa-003 pads on the D2k (fa-003 pads are the exact same thing as brainwavz hm5 pads from mp4 nation). 
   

   
  Fellow Dx000 owners pass this on on other threads if you would like. 
   
  -M


----------



## jjacq

Quote: 





stonez said:


> This is my night time set up at the nurses station.  I usually use my Brainwavz Beta's that came with my Alpen, but my youngest daughter decided to give them a bath in a glass of water.  I'm drying them out as we speak.  Using F2K + Wasapi on my Asus Aspire notebook and listening to Ashes To Ashes (a Bowie cover) by Warpaint.


 
  Nice I have almost the same setup with my HD25's and the E17! I hope your Brainwavz beta is okay now...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





stonez said:


> This is my night time set up at the nurses station.  I usually use my Brainwavz Beta's that came with my Alpen, but my youngest daughter decided to give them a bath in a glass of water.  I'm drying them out as we speak.  Using F2K + Wasapi on my Asus Aspire notebook and listening to Ashes To Ashes (a Bowie cover) by Warpaint.


 
   






 She was merely testing...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> One change since my last picture.  I was inspired by Silent One to try some isolation cones.  Well, that and the fact the handmade feet that came with the amp were not the same size, so I had a chronic wobble!  I also can't seem to find a level shelf in my entire apartment, so the adjustable feet are a nice touch.
> 
> So far, I can't tell any change in the sound, but the change in my mind is very positive.  I love the way it looks!


 
   
  More pix, Currawong, without a doubt. Just gonna 'neak in a quick tip. For those of you without level surfaces and adjustable feet, switching to three feet will solve the problem of balance. Make an equilateral triangle if space underneath permits.
   
  Lastly, I find the front-end, source or whatever is at the beginning of your stream to be the most sensitive to changes and vibrations. Will follow up your tweak as it heads over to the Trafomatic thread.


----------



## mrAdrian

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-Ebony-Wooden-Spike-Isolation-Kit-Cone-4-Base-S2-/280756105105?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speaker_Stands_Brackets&hash=item415e5e2f91#ht_4332wt_1163
   
  Would these work?


----------



## hodgjy

Those look very similar to what I purchased, with the key difference being wood vs. metal.

http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-ISO-4SN-Satin-Nickel-Isolation/dp/B0030BQBU4

I'm pretty with these.



mradrian said:


> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-Ebony-Wooden-Spike-Isolation-Kit-Cone-4-Base-S2-/280756105105?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speaker_Stands_Brackets&hash=item415e5e2f91#ht_4332wt_1163
> 
> Would these work?


----------



## Face




----------



## Anda

Quote: 





face said:


>


 
   
  Nice setup. Picture quality not so much


----------



## Tilpo

Don't shoot me for the badly organized cables!

In truth I didn't even take this picture with the intention of posting it here, but I thought I might just as well since I haven't posted any pictures here for quite a long time.
I'll make a better picture some other time.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Don't shoot me for the badly organized cables!
> In truth I didn't even take this picture with the intention of posting it here, but I thought I might just as well since I haven't posted any pictures here for quite a long time.
> I'll make a better picture some other time.


 
   
  Bang! Those cables would drive me nuts. I've become a little obsessive about cleaning up my desk area, especially with regard to cable management.
   
  
   
   
   
  Nice setup though. I like the headphone hooks.


----------



## Tilpo

bee inthe attic said:


> Bang! Those cables would drive me nuts. I've become a little obsessive about cleaning up my desk area, especially with regard to cable management.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Maybe I should do a slightly better job, but I never even see them myself, so why bother?


----------



## Maxvla

New amp. Now you see why I want Schiit to make a black option...



I'll be able to test it with some balanced DACs in a couple weeks in Dallas at the meet there.

And with the UERM in use:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Very cool looking new amp. Looking forward to hearing it in Dallas. Really looking forward to seeing those all black HD800s in person, too. 
   
  What cable are you running?


----------



## Maxvla

Cables are by Chris_Himself, extremely minimalist, no sleeving, just bare black wire, heat shrink Y connection, and Switchcraft black 4pin XLR with gold contacts. I hate thick heavy cables. These are a bit annoying at first due to them being wound up in shipping, but they are extremely light and eventually will straighten out nicely.

I have XLR ICs ready for use as well, in the same style but 3 pin of course, just need a balanced DAC!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Planning on waiting for the new Schiit or thinking about something else?
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Cables are by Chris_Himself, extremely minimalist, no sleeving, just bare black wire, heat shrink Y connection, and Switchcraft black 4pin XLR with gold contacts. I hate thick heavy cables. These are a bit annoying at first due to them being wound up in shipping, but they are extremely light and eventually will straighten out nicely.
> 
> I have XLR ICs ready for use as well, in the same style but 3 pin of course, just need a *balanced DAC!*


----------



## Maxvla

Yeah new Schiit probably. I want to listen to yours at the meet, and any other balanced DACs that show up.


----------



## anetode

Better start saving up.

edit: nvm, looks like you're just going to go for the same ol' schiit


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh man that matching DAC would look good...
   
  Bryston stack vs Schiit pile.
   
  Quote: 





anetode said:


> Better start saving up.
> edit: nvm, looks like you're just going to go for the same ol' schiit


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## ocswing

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> New amp. Now you see why I want Schiit to make a black option...
> 
> I'll be able to test it with some balanced DACs in a couple weeks in Dallas at the meet there.
> And with the UERM in use:


 
   
   
  Looks great Maxvla! I'm jealous of everything in that shot.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> New amp. Now you see why I want Schiit to make a black option...
> 
> I'll be able to test it with some balanced DACs in a couple weeks in Dallas at the meet there.
> And with the UERM in use:


 
   
  Nice looking gear - the HD800 with black cable is stunning!  How long ago did the Bryston arrive?


----------



## Mad Dude

Newest addition: The Kenwood KH-K1000.
   

   
   
  Next picture: The portable setup, which is getting more and more use lately. Shown here at it's resting place atop a pile of CDs.


----------



## Maxvla

drez said:


> Nice looking gear - the HD800 with black cable is stunning!  How long ago did the Bryston arrive?



Just last night.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Newest addition: The Kenwood KH-K1000.


 
   
  Very clean looking setup. What Marantz CDP is that?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Looks like an SA8004 to me.


----------



## wdahm519

Looks like some Meier Audio gear up there?  I like it.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Looks like an SA8004 to me.


 
   
  It's merely a CD6004. I'd love to have the flexibility that the SA8004 offers with its digital inputs, but other than that I don't really need SACD playback. Even though the number of SACDs in my collection has doubled recently - from one to two. Both are hybrid SACD/CDs, of course.
   
  And yes, that's Meier gear. Recently, I strongly considered replacing it with an audio-gd Ref. 10.2 (I'd love to have a remote control for my amp, and balanced is nice too) - but I eventually decided to purchase more music instead.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Oh man that matching DAC would look good...
> 
> Bryston stack vs Schiit pile.


 
   
  while i'm quite interested in the schiit gungnir, i have a feeling the bryston BDA-1 would take that contest.
  as it probably should.  It's $2,200.


----------



## MorbidToaster

True, but Schiit has quite the 'giant killer' rep. Who knows?
   
  Plus, seeing how the pair fairs for considerably less is still helpful.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Quote:
> 
> while i'm quite interested in the schiit gungnir, i have a feeling the bryston BDA-1 would take that contest.
> as it probably should.  It's $2,200.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> It's merely a CD6004. I'd love to have the flexibility that the SA8004 offers with its digital inputs, but other than that I don't really need SACD playback. Even though the number of SACDs in my collection has doubled recently - from one to two. Both are hybrid SACD/CDs, of course.
> 
> And yes, that's Meier gear. Recently, I strongly considered replacing it with an audio-gd Ref. 10.2 (I'd love to have a remote control for my amp, and balanced is nice too) - but I eventually decided to purchase more music instead.


 
   
  Wait til you pick up some SACDs on closeout since the format is sorta kinda trying to stay alive but fairly dead for the most part...


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

A Black HD800?  Custom?
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> New amp. Now you see why I want Schiit to make a black option...
> 
> I'll be able to test it with some balanced DACs in a couple weeks in Dallas at the meet there.
> And with the UERM in use:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Colorware custom. Unfortunately you can only buy new from them now.
   
  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> A Black HD800?  Custom?


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Colorware custom. Unfortunately you can only buy new from them now.


 
  Wow how much more is the price to have that done?


----------



## Maxvla

http://www.colorware.com/p-289-sennheiser-hd-800.aspx

http://www.head-fi.org/t/426508/sennheiser-hd800-appreciation-thread/3765#post_8338820


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ya I actually looked it up and bookmarked it.  Thanks!  Too bad they don't custom to many headphones...


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Colorware custom. Unfortunately you can only buy new from them now.


 
   
  Poor, poor Morbid...


----------



## MorbidToaster

First world problems. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Poor, poor Morbid...


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I'm guessing you can't send your phones to them to color it.  Idk... I wouldn't want to go through too much to just color something...lol


----------



## Connnorrr

No new gear, but I did get some additions to my desk. So much more space!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Added a new piece to my collection. Need to get a Bifrost in, it's essential for this review. The 24/96 kHz USB $399 Wyred 4 Sound uDAC. Fantastic sounding and looking piece of equipment. Plays nice over coaxial on the Mac with the Halide Design S/PDIF Bridge too. Has a cool blue LED when turned on.
   

   
  A bit blurry.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I've wondered about this.  Got some impressions?
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Added a new piece to my collection. Need to get a Bifrost in, it's essential for this review. The 24/96 kHz USB $399 Wyred 4 Sound uDAC. Fantastic sounding and looking piece of equipment. Plays nice over coaxial on the Mac with the Halide Design S/PDIF Bridge too. Has a cool blue LED when turned on.
> 
> 
> 
> A bit blurry.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> A bit blurry.


 
   
  That looks...so cool.


----------



## swbf2cheater




----------



## manveru

^^I'm envious of those JVCs too! >.< Loving it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I would really like to hear a pair myself.
   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> ^^I'm envious of those JVCs too! >.< Loving it.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





manveru said:


> ^^I'm *envious *of those JVCs too! >.< Loving it.


 
   
  Enjoy


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Enjoy


----------



## grokit

Breakfast of champions!


----------



## TheWuss

"And in Paris, you can buy beer at McDonald's."


----------



## Tilpo

thewuss said:


> "And in Paris, you can buy beer at McDonald's."



You can't in the US?


----------



## linuxid10t

Nope.  No fast food restaurants here serve alcohol.
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> You can't in the US?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> Nope.  No fast food restaurants here serve alcohol.


 
   
  ikr


----------



## mrAdrian

Picked up my study mate today  Just a quick snap with my phone haha. The pile behind the amp is my 'untidy' corner so sorry about that~
   
   

  I just thought tonight is quite cold...
   
  Can't wait till exams are over, then I can really take pictures of my babies with well, my study mate tonight...


----------



## Tilpo

Too bad. 
Not that I think fast food and beer is a good combination, but I'd like to have the choice at least. 

Here most fast food places do sell beer, but at a slightly higher price than soft drinks.


----------



## ProjectDenz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Too bad.
> Not that I think fast food and beer is a good combination, but I'd like to have the choice at least.
> Here most fast food places do sell beer, but at a slightly higher price than soft drinks.


 
   
  French fries slathered in mayonnaise?
   
  And not just ordinary beer in a cup, they serve it in a glass.


----------



## linuxid10t

Part of it is that you need a special license here to sell alcohol.  At least in the US it would be a huge liability for any fast food restaurant to even try.  The other big problem is that most people just use the drive thru rather than walking in, and drinking and driving is bad...
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Too bad.
> Not that I think fast food and beer is a good combination, but I'd like to have the choice at least.
> Here most fast food places do sell beer, but at a slightly higher price than soft drinks.


----------



## Tilpo

projectdenz said:


> French fries slathered in mayonnaise?
> 
> And not just ordinary beer in a cup, they serve it in a glass.



I don't see why foreigners would find the combination of fries an mayonnaise weird. It really is a good sauce for fries.

And I've never even drunk beer from a cup in my live. Who on earth would serve beer in a cup?



linuxid10t said:


> Part of it is that you need a special license here to sell alcohol.  At least in the US it would be a huge liability for any fast food restaurant to even try.  The other big problem is that most people just use the drive thru rather than walking in, and drinking and driving is bad...



I see.
Drive-thru's are very rare in Europe as far as I know.


----------



## ProjectDenz

You get beer in plastic or paper cups at sporting venues usually.


----------



## DE Nefta

Nice pictures, especially the one of the beer!


----------



## swbf2cheater

Its cream soda, not beer.  Twas' my dinner, I didn't go to bed that night and kept funky hours after a trip overseas.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> Nope.  No fast food restaurants here serve alcohol.


 
   
  A few do. Just not most. Chipotle here in Chicago sells beer, for instance.


----------



## mrAdrian

Pictures drowned in fastfood/beer conversation  But that was an interesting find, beer at McD and chips with mayo haha!


----------



## linuxid10t

Chipotle is a chain, but I would hardly call it fast food...
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> A few do. Just not most. Chipotle here in Chicago sells beer, for instance.


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Pictures drowned in fastfood/beer conversation  But that was an interesting find, beer at McD and chips with mayo haha!


 
  Sorry, I will fix this by putting up a new photo.  It is an awful photo, but what the hell, I'll post it.  It is my Sennheiser HD595 and Qinpu A3.


----------



## Tilpo

linuxid10t said:


> Sorry, I will fix this by putting up a new photo.  It is an awful photo, but what the hell, I'll post it.  It is my Sennheiser HD595 and Qinpu A3.



That amp actually looks really awesome.

Care to make a better photo? Because I really like the looks of you rig.


----------



## mrAdrian

Is the qinpu good?


----------



## jtaylor991

Nevermind I read the rest of it I understand now (I simply wondered why not)
   
  P.S. Hey you live in MO too! Creve Coeur....we have the weirdest city names, huh? I like in KC (which isn't really weird IMO) but we DO have a city in the name of Tightwad, MO. Yep, that's right.
   
  Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> Nope.  No fast food restaurants here serve alcohol.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Nevermind I read the rest of it I understand now (I simply wondered why not)


 
   
  Liquor licences are expensive.


----------



## Kojaku

Looks like a normal set of TPs being driven out of some tablet...











But what's this behind door #1?










Porta-reference rig assembled . Left out the USB cords for cleanliness, but still über portable and fanTAStic sounding for the portability factor 

Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Well done, Kojaku!


----------



## Kojaku

silent one said:


> Well done, Kojaku!




Haha, thanks!

Yeah, I gave up on getting through airport security a long while ago xD...


Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  At one time, so were cup-holders inside cars. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Until the Germans caved in to serve the Gluttonous Americans.


----------



## hodgjy

This is way off topic, but you can also thank women's buying preferences for cars now having 86 cup-holders each.  One of the deciding factors for women buyers was the number and size of cup holders.  True fact. 
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> At one time, so were cup-holders inside cars.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Looks like a normal set of TPs being driven out of some tablet...


 
   
  Are those Thunderpants fitted with Audez'e pads?


----------



## Kojaku

windsor said:


> Are those Thunderpants fitted with Audez'e pads?




Why yes they are 

Kojaku


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That amp actually looks really awesome.
> Care to make a better photo? Because I really like the looks of you rig.


 
  I will be reviewing it and taking some better pictures.  It is very well built (milled aluminum) and the wood on it is quite nice looking.  It also has a couple of cool features such as the LEDs flashing while the unit warms up.  Not only does it have that, but to prevent damage to your headphones, it has a built in relay which only engages once the amp is warmed up.
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Is the qinpu good?


 
  Yes, and a review is forthcoming.  A couple of quick things first.  I replaced the tubes with NOS GE 5670s I found at my local electronics shop (Gateway Electronics (best electronics shop ever.))  With the NOS tubes, it sounds sooooooo much better than with the Chinese tubes it comes with.  Biggest difference there is just how much smoother and less noisy the NOS tubes are.  You can turn the amp all the way up and get no hiss out of my HD595s.  Sound sig wise, it is a little dark with very authoritative sound.  It sounds like a very big, powerful amp (kind of like an integrated speaker amp (not in a bad way.))  It is also very smooth and sounds absolutely amazing with vocals or symphonic music.  That being said, it handles any music very well, vocals and symphonic just stand out.  Soundstage wise, it is pretty decent but the imaging can be a little (very tiny) bit fuzzy at times although, this may just be a function of it being a tube amp.  Also, did I say smooth?  It is very smooth (but detailed) 
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Nevermind I read the rest of it I understand now (I simply wondered why not)
> 
> P.S. Hey you live in MO too! Creve Coeur....we have the weirdest city names, huh? I like in KC (which isn't really weird IMO) but we DO have a city in the name of Tightwad, MO. Yep, that's right.


 
  Yup, not only do I live in Missouri too, but I was on the KC minimeet that never happened thread if you remember me from there 
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Looks like a normal set of TPs being driven out of some tablet...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That has got to be one of the coolest portable setups I have ever seen o.O
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> At one time, so were cup-holders inside cars.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  America, home of the free and home of the large/many cup holders...  That being said, there are soooooooooo many uses for cup holders beyond just holding cups...


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> But what's this behind door #1?
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
  Kojaku, that looks great.  You should have made the phones the main focus rather than the tablet (i.e. would have been nice to get a better look)


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> But what's this behind door #1?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Why do I get the feeling it's now only a matter of time before someone starts posting pics of a CLAS rig strapped to their iPad alongside a specially manufactured man bag specially fitted for carrying 4 different amps, 4 different headphones, CLAS, iPad, interconnects, and a bottle of french red wine for charming the ladies?


----------



## Kojaku

sphinxvc said:


> Kojaku, that looks great.  You should have made the phones the main focus rather than the tablet (i.e. would have been nice to get a better look)




Well, it was supposed to be about the rig...and I posted pics in the TP thread. If you'd like more on here, I can do that 

Kojaku


----------



## sphinxvc

No I'm good, saw the pictures.  Looks good.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Yuceka

Some people mentioned a Dallas meet, I believe? Is there a dedicated thread for this? I'm very interested.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.head-fi.org/t/611514/dallas-tx-beat-the-heat-mini-meet-sunday-june-24th
   
  There ya go.
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Some people mentioned a Dallas meet, I believe? Is there a dedicated thread for this? I'm very interested.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/611514/dallas-tx-beat-the-heat-mini-meet-sunday-june-24th
> 
> There ya go.


 

 Morbid you gotta move to Winnipeg Canada one of these days so I can arrange a headphone meet and me and my buddies can have a chance to try out all your toys.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I do like Canada. 
   
  Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Morbid you gotta move to Winnipeg Canada one of these days so I can arrange a headphone meet and me and my buddies can have a chance to try out all your toys.


----------



## CrystalT

Please excuse the poor quality pictures. Lighting in my room is mediocre.
   




   
  Pictured:
   
  Sources:
   
  HP Pavillion DV6000
  Zune HD 16GB (Found this in a parking lot. someone backed over it. glass is cracked, but no damage to the touch screen. Everything works properly, just no sync cable. ordered one from MP.)
  Sylvania 4GB+32GB SD card
   
  Reciever/Amp:
   
  Pioneer VSX-9900
   
  Speakers:
   
  x2 Jensen TF-3-A.
  x2 cheap vintage panasonic 2-way speakers.
   
  (Should probably just use only the vintage jensens, but I like the body the panny speakers add.)
   
  Cans:
   
  Grado SR60i


----------



## jtaylor991

XanderTJ: The pic didn't work, the HTML tag got included as part of the hyperlink, so here:


----------



## grokit

nvm


----------



## CrystalT

Thanks, haha.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> XanderTJ: The pic didn't work, the HTML tag got included as part of the hyperlink, so here:


----------



## SeeHear

With old tubes...
   
  And new... l
   
  Headphones are varied, but main ones are HD650s.  Also use an RSA SR71B with my P5 or the 650s or various IEM.


----------



## Silent One

@ SeeHear
   
  An isolation question for you: what unit is the WA2 sitting atop? And what is the unit below sitting on?


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





seehear said:


> With old tubes...
> 
> And new..
> 
> Headphones are varied, but main ones are HD650s.  Also use an RSA SR71B with my P5 or the 650s or various IEM.


 
   
  How well do the HD650's synergies with your WA2?


----------



## TheWuss

silent one said:


> @ SeeHear
> 
> An isolation question for you: what unit is the WA2 sitting atop? And what is the unit below sitting on?


Musical fidelity m1 dac.


----------



## Matrixnobu

Here is a picture of my old reference headphones Sennheiser HD-545's that
  I got in 1992. Along with my new reference the Beyerdynamic T1's. Amazingly
  the sound is quite similar just more detail in the T1's. But that is expected since
  they cost 6x what the Sennheisers did back then.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





seehear said:


> l
> 
> Headphones are varied, but main ones are HD650s.  Also use an RSA SR71B with my P5 or the 650s or various IEM.


 
   
  very nice, i think i have almost the same tube combination as you do too!


----------



## XpzV15

Current Setup minus my tubie
   
   

  Part of my current setup that i was too lazy to transfer to my computer
   
  i have another rig in my room but i can't bring my fat ass to climb up the stairs now

 Tech Specs: Creative X-Fi (forgot the exact model) > Adcom GFP-555 II >-----GFA-555 II > JBL J900 MV
                                                                                                            |-----MS2i

 Tech specs for the other rig in my room
  Laptop > Darkvoice La Figaro 336C > MS2i


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





xpzv15 said:


> Tech specs for the other rig in my room
> Laptop > Darkvoice La Figaro 336C > MS2i


 
   
  DV336 with MS2i! How do you find that combo, especially do you find any roll offed bass? I'm thinking of modding my Darkvoice with Fitz' own modifications.


----------



## MorbidToaster

What interconnects are those?
   
  Quote: 





xpzv15 said:


>


----------



## project86

Sorry for terrible pic. It doesn't capture everything, but this is a good chunk of my stuff all together. My chair sits in front of this stand so this picture is fairly close to the view I get when listening.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Sorry for terrible pic. It doesn't capture everything, but this is a good chunk of my stuff all together. My chair sits in front of this stand so this picture is fairly close to the view I get when listening.


 
  Looks like you got about 4 combos there.  Which one do you keep - if you had to keep only one?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Looks like you got about 4 combos there.  Which one do you keep - if you had to keep only one?


 
   
  Well, I keep them all because I use them for reviews. If I only had higher end amps and DACs, how would I properly compare a lower end model being reviewed? 
   
  Which is my favorite? That kind of depends on what I'm listening to.
   
  I like my custom IEMs with the Anedio D2 DAC, straight from the headphone out. Unbelievable levels of detail.
   
  I like my Lawton LA7000 and Thunderpants from the Violectric V200, which pairs best with the matching V800 DAC. Both are very dynamic and bass impact is exceptional.
   
  I like my modded W1000x from the Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2 amp, as fed by the Anedio D2. It's a sweet, slightly romantic sound that oozes with character.
   
  I like my Ultrasone Signature Pro from the Kao Audio UD2C-HP. Warm, punchy, full bodied sound with great tonal accuracy. 
   
  I like my HE-400 in balanced mode with the Yulong Sabre D18 DAC and matching A18 amp. Very smooth. This combo is my favorite for recordings that aren't very well done.
   
  But everything on the rack has its strengths.


----------



## montanari

my classical essential system
  to listen when i'm outside my country


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Beyond reasonable doubt--
   
  'Silent One' likes this answer.


----------



## Zombie_X




----------



## SeeHear

Quote: 





silent one said:


> @ SeeHear
> 
> An isolation question for you: what unit is the WA2 sitting atop? And what is the unit below sitting on?


 
   
  In the earlier picture, it is on a musical fidelity M1DAC, which is sitting on a glass shelf with rubber feet that originally shipped with a Sunfire Cinema Grand power amplifier. The WA2 now sits directly on the glass while I wait for a "proper" rack from Salamander and the vinyl cones we spoke about last week.


----------



## SeeHear

austin morrow said:


> How well do the HD650's synergies with your WA2?



 
 That's an interesting question: I had some problems with the WA2 when is still had the original tubes. When it wasn't squealing or oscillating, the 650s sounded really good - tight, extended bass with good punch, proper mid-range and decent treble. Now, with these new tubes, a bit of the punch and dynamics are gone, but the sound stage, airiness, the definition of the individual performers/instruments is much clearer. The sound stage is wider and the image is way more defined. I can hear the singers comprising a chorus and the individual horns in a brass section - they sound very coherent, but you can tell the many comprise the one.


----------



## hodgjy

You have perfectly described the differences between the 7236 and 6080 tubes.  The 6080s are known for their wide sound stage, but unfortunately, for their somewhat flat presentation.  The 7236 are known to be punchy.
  Quote: 





seehear said:


> That's an interesting question: I had some problems with the WA2 when is still had the original tubes. When it wasn't squealing or oscillating, the 650s sounded really good - tight, extended bass with good punch, proper mid-range and decent treble.Now, with these new tubes, a bit of the punch and dynamics are gone, but the sound stage, airiness, the definition of the individual performers/instruments is much clearer. The sound stage is wider and the image is way more defined. I can hear the singers comprising a chorus and the individual horns in a brass section - they sound very coherent, but you can tell the many comprise the one.


----------



## xzobinx

you have the collector edition 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  damn I wanted that but didn't have enough money at the time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


>


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





seehear said:


> That's an interesting question: I had some problems with the WA2 when is still had the original tubes. When it wasn't squealing or oscillating, the 650s sounded really good - tight, extended bass with good punch, proper mid-range and decent treble.Now, with these new tubes, a bit of the punch and dynamics are gone, but the sound stage, airiness, the definition of the individual performers/instruments is much clearer. The sound stage is wider and the image is way more defined. I can hear the singers comprising a chorus and the individual horns in a brass section - they sound very coherent, but you can tell the many comprise the one.


 
   
  Grab a set of Tung Sol 5998s and all of your problems will be solved. They also made the computer rated version of that tube (7236) but I have never heard it.


----------



## Zombie_X

I got it for $80 at Best Buy last week. You should see if a local one by you has some.
   
  Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> you have the collector edition
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


>


 
  That setup is epic. like a epic edition


----------



## Lunatique

I'm staying temporarily at an apartment while we're shopping for a new home. I didn't bring any small speakers with me this time--I only brought a M50 and a Westone 4. While both are fine, the truth is, my first choice is never headphones. To me, headphones are like things I must use if I don't want to bother other people, or want to shut out outside noise. In normal situations, I would never use headphones if I could help it, unless the speakers I'm using just sounds so bad that the headphones I have would be a vast improvement. 
   
  So after living for a few weeks with just the M50 and the Westone 4, I just couldn't stand it anymore, so I did a lot of research on the best small desktop speakers on the market, and ended up getting the Audioengine A2's.  I just posted a detailed review of it at my site: http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/about_me/wordpress/?p=1794


----------



## Tilpo

lunatique said:


> I'm staying temporarily at an apartment while we're shopping for a new home. I didn't bring any small speakers with me this time--I only brought a M50 and a Westone 4. While both are fine, the truth is, my first choice is never headphones. To me, headphones are like things I must use if I don't want to bother other people, or want to shut out outside noise. In normal situations, I would never use headphones if I could help it, unless the speakers I'm using just sounds so bad that the headphones I have would be a vast improvement.
> 
> So after living for a few weeks with just the M50 and the Westone 4, I just couldn't stand it anymore, so I did a lot of research on the best small desktop speakers on the market, and ended up getting the Audioengine A2's.  I just posted a detailed review of it at my site: http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/about_me/wordpress/?p=1794



What are you using as a stand for the A2's? 

Currently I use blocks of foam from packaging material to support them, but I can't use them in an angle and it's kinda wobbly in any case.


----------



## liamstrain

Nice review, Lunatique. I've had been contemplating a set - but the little MicroFonken I'm building should serve my needs once properly eq'd.


----------



## Matrixnobu

I think those stands are sold by Audioengine themselves.


----------



## SeeHear

colinharding said:


> Grab a set of Tung Sol 5998s and all of your problems will be solved. They also made the computer rated version of that tube (7236) but I have never heard it.



 
 Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. Now, where to buy them?


----------



## Tundra tunes

My simple setup.
   

 HP all-in-one with Beats Audio using Grooveshark
 Ath M50 LE
 Sony XB500
 Fiio E6 amp


----------



## XpzV15

morbidtoaster said:


> What interconnects are those?


 
  The lettering on the cables say Cable DNA Laborotories USA HMK 300 but i have no idea where it's from because i found it at a factory surplus store (they sell old extra things from closed down factories) for 4 bucks so why not give it a try?

 Also MOAR PICTURES!




Spoiler: Pics%20here!




 more pics coming soon ad i upload them (damn those 6MB pictures)


----------



## Matrixnobu

This is my work rig for a few days. Got Bill Belichick and Jack Nicklaus on stage.


----------



## MickeyVee

yes they are .. http://audioengineusa.com/DS1-Desktop-Stand-Pair 
  Quote: 





matrixnobu said:


> I think those stands are sold by Audioengine themselves.


----------



## Matrixnobu

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> yes they are .. http://audioengineusa.com/DS1-Desktop-Stand-Pair


 
   
  I thought so. By the way your avatar is awesome


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





seehear said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yes, I should have remembered... blame it on the ice-cream! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That Salamander will be much welcomed.


----------



## ivanrocks321

This is half of my room's listening area (speaker setup). Consist of OQO model 2, Meridian 596, Martin Logan Aerius speakers, Parasound: HCA-2200MK2, DAC-1000, PL/P-1500


----------



## ivanrocks321

The rest of the room with my main headphone setup with some portable listing stuff on the table.


----------



## MickeyVee

Another ML owner.. Sweet!  I'm running Vista's. I posted my main A/V setup a month or two ago. Checked out your headphone inventory.. makes sense for a ML owner.. me, I went darker.
  Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


> This is my 1/2 room speaker setup. Consist of OQO model 2, Meridian 596, Martin Logan Aerius speakers, Parasound: HCA-2200MK2, DAC-1000, PL/P-1500


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


> The rest of the room with my main headphone setup with some portable listing stuff on the table.


 
   
   
   
  grado HP1000 and the K1000!!!!


----------



## ivanrocks321

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> grado HP1000 and the K1000!!!!


 
  Yeah, sometimes I get them mixed up too. K1000 and HP1000 both got 1000 in the name wish they called the HP2 that and the HP1 that instead of both as HP1000.


----------



## ivanrocks321

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Another ML owner.. Sweet!  I'm running Vista's. I posted my main A/V setup a month or two ago. Checked out your headphone inventory.. makes sense for a ML owner.. me, I went darker.


 
  By the way what amp are u using with your vista's wondering if my HCA-2200MK2 is a good pairing with the aerius or if i need to go tubes for them. I dont know what you mean makes sense for a ML owner but I hope it means good taste lol.


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


>


 

 Headphones to escape the crying baby?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Headphones to escape the crying baby?


 
   
  Nah, you need closed cans for that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Grados just won't cut it


----------



## Tilpo

ivanrocks321 said:


> This is half of my room's listening area (speaker setup). Consist of OQO model 2, Meridian 596, Martin Logan Aerius speakers, Parasound: HCA-2200MK2, DAC-1000, PL/P-1500




*drools*

Do those Martin Logan's have similar crazily precise sound stage to Stax? 



mickeyvee said:


> yes they are .. http://audioengineusa.com/DS1-Desktop-Stand-Pair
> 
> 
> matrixnobu said:
> ...



There is an Audioengine reseller in a town adjacent to me, coincidentally I have to go to that town tomorrow in any case so I think I'ma drop by the store. Hopefully they sell a pair of those stands, because they are relatively cheap and exactly what I need.


----------



## ivanrocks321

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Headphones to escape the crying baby?


 
  Its the other way around its to keep me from crying, when my daughter decides she wants the big people bed (checkout the drawings on this sitehttp://www.howtobeadad.com/tag/baby-sleep-positions) so I go listen a bit to calm me down. 
   
  And I do have a closet rig but that one is to escape wife, the door to the closet is right next crib for a quick getaway! And the martin logans made of pure magic while STAX are made of 50% magic so Martin Logans are better. Plus they are electrostatic but also dynamic at the same time, so for me they give me the best of both worlds in a great speaker.


----------



## Tilpo

ivanrocks321 said:


> feigeibomber said:
> 
> 
> > Headphones to escape the crying baby?
> ...



From that site I'm guessing your daughter either chooses the "Booby Trap" or "The Dog House"


----------



## MorbidToaster

Have you listened to a true full anne 'stat speaker?
   
  Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


> Its the other way around its to keep me from crying, when my daughter decides she wants the big people bed (checkout the drawings on this sitehttp://www.howtobeadad.com/tag/baby-sleep-positions) so I go listen a bit to calm me down.
> 
> And I do have a closet rig but that one is to escape wife, the door to the closet is right next crib for a quick getaway! *And the martin logans made of pure magic while STAX are made of 50% magic so Martin Logans are better.* Plus they are electrostatic but also dynamic at the same time, so for me they give me the best of both worlds in a great speaker.


----------



## ivanrocks321

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Have you listened to a true full anne 'stat speaker?


 
  No but I really want to, would like to try some quads or other stat speakers but hard to demo around my part of town.


----------



## DE Nefta

And you can sleep with that in your bedroom?


----------



## Mad Dude

Oh **** - my headphone setup has shrunk! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  A couple of days ago:

   
   
  Now:

   
   
  ... Still sounds rather decent


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


> The rest of the room with my main headphone setup with some portable listing stuff on the table.


 
  Hi. Is your Beta 22 the work of Corey Warner (SWA)? It compliments your silver aluminum gear next to it.


----------



## .Sup

Mad Dude what happened to your setup?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Mad Dude what happened to your setup?


 

 Hi .Sup
   
  How have you been? Good to see you. 
   
  Clayton


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Hi .Sup
> 
> How have you been? Good to see you.
> 
> Clayton


 
  Hello Clayton likewise!
  I have seen photos of your latest setup. When you think it can't get any better...


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Mad Dude what happened to your setup?


 
   
  I've decided to sell my Meier Audio gear in favor of a new balanced system - though I'm not sure at all if that's a wise decision. I do however remember that when I had an inexpensive balanced audio-gd amp, the HD600 made quite a change. And since they are my main headphones now, I'll give it another try (but this time with a non-colored sounding amp.)
   
  The Decware amp is temporarily out of service, as it has unfortunately developped some problems. I'm trying to figure out if I can fix it myself or if it needs a (very costly) trip to Decware in the US...
   
  So for now, the iBasso PB2 will have to do... And I have to say It does perform quite admirably.


----------



## .Sup

Which amp will you be getting? I am also considering a Decware amp.


----------



## Mad Dude

I'm not sure yet. Top of my list are the new Schiit one, and the audio-gd offerings - Master-8 + a DAC would be great, but rather costly. The Ref. 10.2 would be a more economic solution. I'd really like to have a remote for my setup... yes I'm lazy 
   
  The Decware CSP2+ is a top amp by all means. The only issue that I have is that it's background is not very quiet - there's a constant audible hum, which I've not yet experienced with other tube amps. This is no concern when listening to Rock, Pop or similar music, but I cannot listen to any classical pieces when using the Decware. The hum is just too much during quiet passages, unfortunately.
  Plus, my CSP2 has started hissing rather strongly in one channel, and it does not seem to be caused by bad tubes... I'm in touch with Steve Deckert, the founder of Decware, and we're trying to figure out the source of the trouble. But I'm afraid the amp will need a service at Decware - which means spending at least $350 or even more on shipping to the US and back plus import taxes, even with the repair covered by warranty. Not looking forward to that... It's a real shame because the amp sounds perfectly wonderful apart from the hum and hissing.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> I'm not sure yet. Top of my list are the new Schiit one, and the audio-gd offerings - Master-8 + a DAC would be great, but rather costly. The Ref. 10.2 would be a more economic solution. I'd really like to have a remote for my setup... yes I'm lazy
> 
> The Decware CSP2+ is a top amp by all means. The only issue that I have is that it's background is not very quiet - there's a constant audible hum, which I've not yet experienced with other tube amps. This is no concern when listening to Rock, Pop or similar music, but I cannot listen to any classical pieces when using the Decware. The hum is just too much during quiet passages, unfortunately.
> Plus, my CSP2 has started hissing rather strongly in one channel, and it does not seem to be caused by bad tubes... I'm in touch with Steve Deckert, the founder of Decware, and we're trying to figure out the source of the trouble. But I'm afraid the amp will need a service at Decware - which means spending at least $350 or even more on shipping to the US and back plus import taxes, even with the repair covered by warranty. Not looking forward to that... It's a real shame because the amp sounds perfectly wonderful apart from the hum and hissing.


 
  I had hiss with my Starving Student. It was not the tubes. It worked well with desktop DAC but not with portable devices as I got hiss. Then I got hiss with every device. Haven't used for a while and now its been working without any noise what-so-ever for the past year. I have no idea what the problem was. I have also replaced the headphone jack but I doubt that is what solved the problem. Mystery.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> I'm not sure yet. Top of my list are the new Schiit one, and the audio-gd offerings - Master-8 + a DAC would be great, but rather costly. The Ref. 10.2 would be a more economic solution. I'd really like to have a remote for my setup... yes I'm lazy
> 
> The Decware CSP2+ is a top amp by all means. The only issue that I have is that it's background is not very quiet - there's a constant audible hum, which I've not yet experienced with other tube amps. This is no concern when listening to Rock, Pop or similar music, but I cannot listen to any classical pieces when using the Decware. The hum is just too much during quiet passages, unfortunately.
> Plus, my CSP2 has started hissing rather strongly in one channel, and it does not seem to be caused by bad tubes... I'm in touch with Steve Deckert, the founder of Decware, and we're trying to figure out the source of the trouble. But I'm afraid the amp will need a service at Decware - which means spending at least $350 or even more on shipping to the US and back plus import taxes, even with the repair covered by warranty. Not looking forward to that... It's a real shame because the amp sounds perfectly wonderful apart from the hum and hissing.


 
   
  We europeans normally don't have to pay import taxes again if you have to send it back for service. When I first paid customs duties on my LCD-2 they sent me an invoice I paid stating I was clear of duties in case I had to send it back for repairs. I just have to send them a copy of that form in case they ask for money next time. Do check that locally, might save you a lot!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Now:
> 
> 
> 
> ... Still sounds rather decent


 
   
  580's


----------



## MickeyVee

What I meant was revealing headphones aligning with revealing speakers  I was a compliment 
  I'm using Rotel 1560AVR.. had an external Rotel 1572 amp (2x250) bu there was no difference.  Going to go for Prima Luna integrated next.
  Quote: 





ivanrocks321 said:


> By the way what amp are u using with your vista's wondering if my HCA-2200MK2 is a good pairing with the aerius or if i need to go tubes for them. I dont know what you mean makes sense for a ML owner but I hope it means good taste lol.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> 580's


 
   
  Best headphones I could ever have for ~$100


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Best headphones I could ever have for ~$100


 
   
  I paid $175 for mine, jealous! I think they're the best under $200, maybe $250


----------



## ivanrocks321

nope it was done by someone else, and it does match with all the other stuff on the table, though it might look tacky but turned out to be very nice in the end once I got it all together. This headphone setup is what im ending my journey with and im glad it looks awesome while sounding that way too.
   
   
  please delete double post on accident! sorry!


----------



## ivanrocks321

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Hi. Is your Beta 22 the work of Corey Warner (SWA)? It compliments your silver aluminum gear next to it.


 
   
  nope it was done by someone else, and it does match with all the other stuff on the table, though it might look tacky but turned out to be very nice in the end once I got it all together. This headphone setup is what im ending my journey with and im glad it looks awesome while sounding that way too.


----------



## MorbidToaster

IMO the 598 is the best value under 250. Just to chime in here.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> IMO the 598 is the best value under 250. Just to chime in here.


 
   
  Without having memorably heard the HD 598, I'd vote for a used HD 600, which IMO works well with pretty much anything.


----------



## MorbidToaster

windsor said:


> Without having memorably heard the HD 598, I'd vote for a used HD 600, which IMO works well with pretty much anything.




The 600 requires a resonable amp though. Plus if we're going used the 598 is the best under 200


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> IMO the 598 is the best value under 250. Just to chime in here.


 

 Lol, but isn't the 598 bass-recessed when compared to the 580/600?


----------



## MorbidToaster

No. It's a little brighter and has a larger soundstage, but the bass is similar. I don't find the 598s lacking in any area. It's a great all rounder and takes no amp. I haven't really heard a reasonably priced amp that improved the 598s much at all.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Lol, but isn't the 598 bass-recessed when compared to the 580/600?


----------



## ericpwiseguy

heres my head-fi station in the gallery http://www.head-fi.org/gallery/album/view/id/657586/user_id/148346


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





ericpwiseguy said:


> heres my head-fi station in the gallery http://www.head-fi.org/gallery/album/view/id/657586/user_id/148346


 
   
  I think you need a couple more displays then you will be set!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  j/k


----------



## mmayer167

Love the baseball greats tribute! Did you put that together or find it somewhere?

-m


----------



## MorbidToaster

This is pretty fantastic.
   
  Quote: 





ericpwiseguy said:


> heres my head-fi station in the gallery http://www.head-fi.org/gallery/album/view/id/657586/user_id/148346


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> This is pretty fantastic.


 
   
  I love the gold telephone 
   
  Update: and the rest, of course - what a beautiful setup!


----------



## ericpwiseguy

phone is www.nativeunion.com and the MLB picture i found pre done in a frame shop thanks for the comments. its a truly enjoyable sickness not to mention the basement  When I'm not listening to headphones.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





ericpwiseguy said:


> phone is www.nativeunion.com and the MLB picture i found pre done in a frame shop thanks for the comments. its a truly enjoyable sickness not to mention the basement  When I'm not listening to headphones.


 
   
  OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MARRY ME


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No. It's a little brighter and has a larger soundstage, but the bass is similar. I don't find the 598s lacking in any area. It's a great all rounder and takes no amp. I haven't really heard a reasonably priced amp that improved the 598s much at all.


 

 Really?  I always thought it was a bright can with a tad more focus on the mids.  Makes me more curious on how they would sound.


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Really?  I always thought it was a bright can with a tad more focus on the mids.  Makes me more curious on how they would sound.


 
  Grados are bright, HD598s are nowhere near bright.  They are pretty mid-centric with slightly above neutral of bass if amped.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pretty much this. They respond well to a decent EQ though. Paired with a J3 and some BBE they sing on just your regular HO.
   
  Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> Grados are bright, HD598s are nowhere near bright.  They are pretty *mid-centric with* *slightly above neutral of bass if amped.*


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pretty much this. They respond well to a decent EQ though. Paired with a J3 and some BBE they sing on just your regular HO.


 
  The J3 must be pretty nice because they are pretty awful out of an iPod, laptop, or phone.  Speaking of which, is there a phone who's sound quality on the HO doesn't suck (that isn't an Apple product?)


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> The J3 must be pretty nice because they are pretty awful out of an iPod, laptop, or phone.  Speaking of which, is there a phone who's sound quality on the HO doesn't suck (that isn't an Apple product?)


 

 Don't worry most HO outs on Apple products suck just as bad as the HO out on an Android/ Sony/Blackberry etc etc etc.
   
  To answer your question though the latest greatest phenomenon on head-fi as far as DAP's go seems to be the iBasso DX100. It's supposed to sound pretty good the only bad part the Android OS on it seems to be chalked full of bugs. If you can tolerate your music suddenly out of the blue sounding like the chipmunks you're good to go.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Don't worry most HO outs on Apple products suck just as bad as the HO out on an Android/ Sony/Blackberry etc etc etc.
> 
> To answer your question though the FOTM on head-fi as far as DAP's go seems to be the iBasso DX100. It's supposed to sound pretty good the only bad part the Android OS on it seems to be chalked full of bugs. If you can tolerate your music suddenly out of the blue sounding like the chipmunks you're good to go.


 
   
  There, I fixed that for you.
   
  Now could we go back to pictures please?
   

   
  My Millett Starving Student hybrid going trough another bench test. Also on this picture are the two DIY headphones stands, a modified SRH440, a Q701 and an NFB-12.
   
  Yep, this is what an EE student's room mess looks like.


----------



## Kremer930

Wow. Love the basement theatre setup. What are the speakers which are soaking in the McIntosh love?


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Best headphones I could ever have for ~$100


 
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I paid $175 for mine, jealous! I think they're the best under $200, maybe $250


 
   
   
  I have yet to hear a pair of headphones that are better (and not just different) than the HD580 & 600... at _any _price.


----------



## ericpwiseguy

Eggleston Savoys with Mc 1201 monos


----------



## XpzV15

I'm back again here are more pics of my rig
 Enjoy!




Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!




5.1 rig amp


 Rest of the 5.1 rig (Still under construction)


  Moar!


  Whee
   

  Headphone time!
   

  Yum!
   

  That's all!


----------



## longbowbbs

How do you like your Grado's?


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





kremer930 said:


> Wow. Love the basement theatre setup. What are the speakers which are soaking in the McIntosh love?


 
   
  They look a bit like some of the older Wilson's, but I did not recognize them.


----------



## sphinxvc

I got a couple of new toys for the home office and for the office office...
   

   
  The little triangle thing on the seat is a Lenovo handheld keyboard & mouse for controlling the music server / Mac mini.  The trackpad on it is the same style as the Blackberry trackpad.  Works great so far.
   

   
  A transportable Objective stack for the office office.


----------



## liamstrain

Good looking rig in the home office. I really wish the base O2 was configured differently - a little industrial design can do wonders. 
   
  What headphones do you run off the 02 at the office office?


----------



## sphinxvc

Thanks, for now it's just the HD800's when I take them there, but that can be worrying so soon it will just be the BA IEMs I have incoming.


----------



## brotherlen

HD580s were the first decent headphones I ever bought, can never go back after that.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pretty much this. They respond well to a decent EQ though. Paired with a J3 and some BBE they sing on just your regular HO.


 
   

 Not really an EQ person.  I used to use it, but it got annoying sitting down and tampering with the EQ for just one artist/song.  Now I just have it disabled and listen to my music as is.  On another note, how does the HD598 compare with the Beyerdynamics "Premium" DT990/600?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I don't know. I never really cared for the DT990. 
   
  Also, they don't require EQ at all. It's just a way to boost the bass a tiny bit which some might want. It only really needs it when unamped. 
   
  I never used EQ on mine regularly, and the EQ I was suggesting wasn't 'for one artist/song'. A small amount goes well with _everything._
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Not really an EQ person.  I used to use it, but it got annoying sitting down and tampering with the EQ for just one artist/song.  Now I just have it disabled and listen to my music as is.  On another note, how does the HD598 compare with the Beyerdynamics "Premium" DT990/600?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I don't know. I never really cared for the DT990.
> 
> Also, they don't require EQ at all. It's just a way to boost the bass a tiny bit which some might want. It only really needs it when unamped.
> 
> I never used EQ on mine regularly, and the EQ I was suggesting wasn't 'for one artist/song'. A small amount goes well with _everything._


 

 Ah, I see.  My apologies for misunderstanding. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  How is the punch/PRaT on the HD598?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Slightly lacking in punchiness but so are most of the open cans in it's price range. I often find it more recording dependent than anything.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Ah, I see.  My apologies for misunderstanding.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## scott111184

Posted in wrong thread, sorry.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Heh...UKFDubstep. 
   
  Nice set up.


----------



## sphinxvc

I brought a pair of Bose Triports to work today and they're sounding damn good.  They mask the ODAC's tendency to butcher internet radio to a near perfect degree.


----------



## mrAdrian

sphinxvc said:


> I brought a pair of Bose Triports to work today and they're sounding damn good.  They mask the ODAC's tendency to butcher internet radio to a near perfect degree.




Any comparisons with your other flagships say the hd800 or lcd2 in terms of listening to the radio? How about digital radio?

Eager to hear your thoughts


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> I brought a pair of Bose Triports to work today and they're sounding damn good.  They mask the ODAC's tendency to butcher internet radio to a near perfect degree.


 

 I don't really remember what the original Triports sounded like, but I've heard the AE2s and honestly, if I didn't have another headphone, and I got them as a gift or for a good price, I wouldn't be that upset. They're not as bad as people put them out to be. I think they're bashed just for the sake of bashing bose.


----------



## grokit

I thought that was the Triport's sole strength, the ability to make overly compressed music sound a little better.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> I don't really remember what the original Triports sounded like, but I've heard the AE2s and honestly, if I didn't have another headphone, and I got them as a gift or for a good price, I wouldn't be that upset. They're not as bad as people put them out to be. I think they're bashed just for the sake of bashing bose.


 
  I think people bash Bose for the same reason they bash Beats: Yeah, they're fun headphones and look kind of nice, but the price/performance ratio is abysmal.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





grokit said:


> I thought that was the Triport's sole strength, the ability to make overly compressed music sound a little better.


 
   
  This. I used a pair for a few years straight out of an iPod, and at the time, I thought they sounded excellent (keep in mind, I started out as a basshead like many others on this forum). But when I got the HD280 and re-ripped my music into lossless, out they went.


----------



## K_19

The Triport AE2 are still the most comfortable circumaural closed-back headphone that I've ever worn.  Incredibly light, no clamp at all. Nothing else comes close in comparison. Very satisfied with them using it as my desktop headphone for videos, movies, youtube, etc.
   
  Of course, I find them lacking for music and I have much better options for those. But for computer use, I find comfort and isolation as my top priority, so...


----------



## devouringone3

Just wanted to showcase the latest addition to my rig:
   
 9 volts batteries, Grado interconnects... yes, but if you look carefully...
   
 the power supply of my ADL GT40 DAC has a red Apple on top of it!, used as a heatsink!
   
  I had nowhere else to place it, my desk is too crowded: http://www.head-fi.org/t/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here/7125#post_8478411
   
And No I did not buy my apple from www.Coconut-audio.com for 599$ !
   
  I used it yesterday to listen to music... this type of human body energy sounds quite good if you want my opinion. I'm not using this item for it's dia-piezo-magnetic field conditioning properties, lol.


----------



## Windsor

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> Just wanted to showcase the latest addition to my rig:
> 
> 9 volts batteries, Grado interconnects... yes, but if you look carefully...
> 
> ...


 
   
  hehe - it seems you have a Red Apple ADL edition amp.


----------



## musiclover666

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> Just wanted to showcase the latest addition to my rig:
> 
> 9 volts batteries, Grado interconnects... yes, but if you look carefully...
> 
> ...


 
  Please tell me people don't actually order stuff from that site. LMAO


----------



## devouringone3

windsor said:


> hehe - it seems you have a Red Apple ADL edition amp.


 
   
  Lol you're right  Chinese apple edition GT40 DAC!
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/606173/comparison-adc-interface-for-hifi-recording-1000-usb-pre2-adl-esprit-rme-babyface-adl-gt40-other-analogue-digital-usb-convertsers-experiencies-comparisons-reviews/15#post_8470871
   
  It's Ursdiego's idea actually, lol.
   
   


musiclover666 said:


> Please tell me people don't actually order stuff from that site. LMAO


 
   
  Lol I would not recommend it . It would be like buying Lessloss' Blackbody Ambient Field Conditioner.


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> IMO the 598 is the best value under 250. Just to chime in here.



A used HD598 can be had for substantially less, like $150 range.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The comment still stands. 
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> A used HD598 can be had for substantially less, like $150 range.


----------



## Maxvla

destroysall said:


> Lol, but isn't the 598 bass-recessed when compared to the 580/600?



I find the bass slightly rounder with a bit more of a bump in mid-bass that is nice for non-classical recordings. It's certainly not a neutral headphone, but not as extreme as a Grado or Ultrasone. I liked it best in my review featuring the HD600, Focal Spirit One, and Philips Fidelio L1.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/601061/mid-fi-shootout-hd600-hd598-focal-spirit-one-philips-fidelio-l1



linuxid10t said:


> Grados are bright, HD598s are nowhere near bright.  They are pretty mid-centric with slightly above neutral of bass if amped.




Yes. This ^^


----------



## dorino

Listening on the couch. "Mad Dog" by MrSpeakers (modded T50RP) w/ stock cable -> Grado 1/4 to 1/8 adapter -> O2 amp -> FiiO L9 LOD -> iPod Touch (second gen)


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





dorino said:


> Listening on the couch. "Mad Dog" by MrSpeakers (modded T50RP) w/ stock cable -> Grado 1/4 to 1/8 adapter -> O2 amp -> FiiO L9 LOD -> iPod Touch (second gen)


 
   
  I like it!


----------



## Matrixnobu

+2.....    I really would like to hear one of these modded T50RP's!


----------



## dorino

Quote: 





manveru said:


> I like it!


 
  Works quite well. I'd prefer to have my laptop with my full library and DAC, but It's in the shop getting the "D" key replaced. Apparently I turn right in video games too much, because it broke off. In normal use, though, which means it's under warranty. 
   
  EDIT: If you're curious about the modded Fostex, my review has become the de facto discussion for the Mad Dog, it seems.


----------



## LFF

My current traveling rig...
   
  FLAC/Hi-Res + Custom Amp/DAC + Custom T50RP "Paradox" = Neutral & Natural Audio Nirvana....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Will be at the LA August meet for those who are interested in hearing it....


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





lff said:


> Will be at the LA August meet for those who are interested in hearing it....


 
   
  Looking forward to it.


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I love the way they look, and will admit they're super fun to listen to with some big EQ tweaks...I wasn't blown away by the Thunderpants I heard.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While I love the way they look, and will admit they're super fun to listen to with some big EQ tweaks...I wasn't blown away by the Thunderpants I heard.


 
  It's tough because Smeggy has continuously evolved and refined his design since they first came out. Check out the measurements from an older version, compared to those of some newer ones. All of them are going to sound different. Then there are the non-Smeggy mods like those from LFF which again, are very different, and sometimes get lumped into the "Thunderpants" category (even though LFF has a different name for his). 
   
  So making blanket descriptions about Thunderpants in general doesn't really work. I've tried 4 different Smeggy versions and finally found one that I really enjoy.


----------



## MorbidToaster

project86 said:


> It's tough because Smeggy has continuously evolved and refined his design since they first came out. Check out the measurements from an older version, compared to those of some newer ones. All of them are going to sound different. Then there are the non-Smeggy mods like those from LFF which again, are very different, and sometimes get lumped into the "Thunderpants" category (even though LFF has a different name for his).
> 
> So making blanket descriptions about Thunderpants in general doesn't really work. I've tried 4 different Smeggy versions and finally found one that I really enjoy.




Don't get me wrong. I heard them with a huge bass boost and they were super fun. Not sloppy at all and kicked like a mule. 

The problem in what you just described is that I heard a fairly new pair so I could only assume a newly ordered pair would sound roughly like those.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Don't get me wrong. I heard them with a huge bass boost and they were super fun. Not sloppy at all and kicked like a mule.
> The problem in what you just described is that I heard a fairly new pair so I could only assume a newly ordered pair would sound roughly like those.


 
   
  Fair enough. I do find it a bit frustrating that there is no real way to know how many different revisions there are. Also, choice in pads seems to have a very significant contribution to the resulting sound - more than it does on the average headphone. But I certainly accept the possibility that you just flat out didn't care for them.


----------



## MorbidToaster

project86 said:


> Fair enough. I do find it a bit frustrating that there is no real way to know how many different revisions there are. Also, choice in pads seems to have a very significant contribution to the resulting sound - more than it does on the average headphone. But I certainly accept the possibility that you just flat out didn't care for them.




Heard them with stock pads and Stax pads. The Stax pads were better but the wow factor just wasn't there without heavy EQ.


----------



## MickeyVee

Latest update as of today.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

mickeyvee said:


> Latest update as of today.




Your rig is growing fast. Looks good


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks - It's more changing/refining than growing 
  Matrix Mini-i changed into an Audioengine D1 and a Schiit Lyr
  Senn HD650 magically turned into a pair of HD700
  Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Your rig is growing fast. Looks good


----------



## brokenthumb

Very nice!  HD700 and HE-400 are two headphones I would love to hear one day.
   
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Latest update as of today.


----------



## linuxid10t

My vacation "rig."  HEADCEPTION!


----------



## MorbidToaster

The HD700 certainly seems like it's getting a bad rep for no reason around here. It's a nice sounding headphone. 
   
  I do think the price point should be lower, but from a pure sound standpoint they sound great. Heard them from a modest portable set up today as well as my own Liquid Fire rig and they sounded great from both. 
   
  Quick Impressions (vs the HD800): They have a smaller soundstage, clamp tighter, and are much smaller than I expected them to be. They're still really comfy, and the stock cable puts the HD800's on blast. Less detail, more bass (punch factor goes up quite a bit, less extension though), more up front and intimate due to smaller soundstage (not always a bad thing), but I did notice that with more complicated music they do collapse into themselves a bit. I was listening to a complicated Jazz track and the cymbals did get a little lost when it became more layered and complicated. 
   
  HD800 is a better choice no doubt, but the sound you get out of a decent portable amp was _really_ nice.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The HD700 certainly seems like it's getting a bad rep for no reason around here. It's a nice sounding headphone.
> 
> I do think the price point should be lower, but from a pure sound standpoint they sound great.


 
   
  I think they are very polarizing. I did not like the sound of them at all (tried them on a few different amps including the liquid fire). I much preferred the HD-650 over the 700, and frankly, the 600 over both of them.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I felt 700 > 600 > 650.
   
  We had all 3 present today at the Dallas meet.
   
  Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> I think they are very polarizing. I did not like the sound of them at all (tried them on a few different amps including the liquid fire). I much preferred the HD-650 over the 700, and frankly, the 600 over both of them.


----------



## FinBenton

Got Sony MDR XB-500 "Black Noir" editions, some old junk on the background..


----------



## Tilpo

finbenton said:


> Got Sony MDR XB-500 "Black Noir" editions, some old junk on the background..




Who needs an LCD-2 or HD600, when you've got EXTRA BASS HEADPHONES like the XB-500?
*wub wub wub wub wub*




On a more serious note, they do look pretty. More so than I thought they would look.


----------



## Samehada

Quote: 





finbenton said:


> *picture*
> 
> Got Sony MDR XB-500 "Black Noir" editions, some old junk on the background..


 
   
  Looks quite nice ! Also , congratulations for hitting a one digit gold league rank !


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





finbenton said:


> Got Sony MDR XB-500 "Black Noir" editions, some old junk on the background..


 
  I got the the Blue edition! It's nice.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





finbenton said:


> Got Sony MDR XB-500 "Black Noir" editions, some old junk on the background..


 
  Well done on playing starcraft!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Well done on playing starcraft!!!


 
  It is always good to dominate the universe yet not disturb your family...


----------



## darren700

My vacation rig in the camper for this week  Turning out to be a great vacation so far!
  The LCD2 travel case makes a surprisingly good laptop stand
   
  Laptop Running Jriver with 1TB of FLACs
  JDS ODAC + JDS O2
  Ipod 5.5 240g Rockboxed + JDS C421
  Denon D2000s (Mark L, J$ Pads, Norse Norn4 wire Balanced)
  Denon D1100 (Mogami Recable)
  LCD2v2 (Norse Norn 8 Wire Balanced)
   
  sorry for the crappy pictures, i suck at photography.


----------



## colinharding

Now THAT is the paradigm of a traveling rig, three headphones, couple different amp flavors.  Additionally, not only does the rig move, but it's surroundings do as well ie the camper haha.  Not bad at all!


----------



## beaver316

Looking through this thread really makes me excited to get my station set up. For now i'll just show stock images of my dream setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
  Beyerdynamic T1
   

   
  With the Woo Audio WA2 and the....
   

   
  Schiit Bifrost DAC
   
  God i can't control my excitement. Now to find a job...


----------



## filuS

while we are at our dream setups, I will post mine (bold ones are already at my home or ordered&paid):
   
  Headphones: *Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV* - ~$1000

   
  DAC: Calyx DAC 24/192 with custom power source - £1495.00 together with KingRex PSU II 5V

   
  Amp: Analog Design Svetlana 2 - $1499.00

   
  Rack: Norstone Bergen 2 - €249.00

   
  Chair: *Artus 2 Black* - €199.00 (ordered month ago, according to seller one more month till it arives)

   
  as source I want to use some cheep netbook, most likely with some mods to satisfy my needs (no fans, ssd hdd, 2GB DDR3 memory), together with some cheap 10'' Android tablet as remote controller, so another ~€500 to add.
  I have done some steps towards completing my dream setup, but right now I am stuck in "no money" land and poorly paid job as freshly graduated engineer. Hopefully in year or two I will be able to have everything I want and lift myself to audio nirvana.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Looking through this thread really makes me excited to get my station set up. For now i'll just show stock images of my dream setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Good Luck 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...You Sir will enjoy the Woo and T1...


----------



## MorbidToaster

My dream set up is so close...I like my DAC a lot, the LF is magic and my HD800 are my favorite cans to date. 

It's really just small stuff left except my listening chair (ouch) and my turntable.

I'll be hearing the LL + 009 soon but I honestly don't think it'll be for me...


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





keph said:


> Good Luck
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I know i will. Right now im listening to 'The MF Life' by Melanie Fiona through my Sennheiser IE80 using the Fiio E17. The sound really is blissful, and i only paid 400 euro for this setup, i can't help but feel i will be floored when i have a listen to this album with my dream setup which will cost me around 2000 euro


----------



## keph

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice..But remember we all here come from nothing to something...keep saving up


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> My vacation rig in the camper for this week  Turning out to be a great vacation so far!
> The LCD2 travel case makes a surprisingly good laptop stand
> 
> Laptop Running Jriver with 1TB of FLACs
> ...


 
  Ha. Is that one of those Gateway gaming laptops?


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





keph said:


> Nice..But remember we all here come from nothing to something...keep saving up


 
  Just a friendly reminder- no one has got rich by saving.


----------



## MorbidToaster

rudewolf said:


> Just a friendly reminder- no one has got rich by saving.




Pretty sure no one has hit it big right after buying a WA2 and T1 either


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





eke2k6 said:


> Ha. Is that one of those Gateway gaming laptops?


 
  yup, nice eye, p7803 fx i think, its the one with core 2 duo @ 2.2ghz, gtx9800, 4gb ram and 1.2TB raid 0
  4 years old and no issues at all yet, its built like a tank


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Pretty sure no one has hit it big right after buying a WA2 and T1 either


 
  +1


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> My vacation rig in the camper for this week  Turning out to be a great vacation so far!
> The LCD2 travel case makes a surprisingly good laptop stand
> 
> Laptop Running Jriver with 1TB of FLACs
> ...


 
  Can you listen whilst sitting/lying outside with this rig?


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Can you listen whilst sitting/lying outside with this rig?


 
  yes thats the best part, the laptop powers the odac and the o2 is powered by two 9v inside it.


----------



## Destroysall

Is there a dream setup thread?  If not their should be one.


----------



## JIGF

This may qualify.


----------



## anetode

filus said:


> Chair: *Artus 2 Black* - €199.00 (ordered month ago, according to seller one more month till it arives)




Wow! Link please?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





jigf said:


> This may qualify.


 
  What are those headphones in that last picture?  They looked like Omega 2's at first but that's not it.


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I felt 700 > 600 > 650.
> 
> We had all 3 present today at the Dallas meet.


 
   
  I'd rank them the exactly the opposite.  I'd put the 598 above the 700 too...


----------



## Kojaku

maverickronin said:


> I'd rank them the exactly the opposite.  I'd put the 598 above the 700 too...




Someone likes his cans dark...

Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

I really hope someone brings a pair to the LAX meet on August 18th so I can confirm what I've been reading around the nets. It seems that the 700 is confused, according to reports. Not quite as bright and transparent as an 800, but not as warm and textured as a 650... Conceptually, it didn't really sound too promising to me at first read. But anyway, back to the thread! Yay for sexy chairs(?)!

Kojaku


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





anetode said:


> Wow! Link please?


 
   

 http://www.vera-nabytok.sk/p/3489/polohovatelne-kreslo-artus.aspx
   
  don't mind the language, I think this chair is made and sold in Slovakia only since I have not find any abroad reseller for it (it might be produced under different name tho, one never knows). In the link, you can find some detailed pictures of this chair in white version, hope it will be at least as comfy as it looks on those pics


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> What are those headphones in that last picture?  They looked like Omega 2's at first but that's not it.


 

 They look like HiFiMan Jades.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They weren't that bad...and it wasn't just me that thinks they out did the 650s from the meet. The 600s are always a weird thing to place for me, but while the price is too high (which I said earlier) the 700 was _not_ a bad sounding headphone...
  
 Less bright (than the HD800), less detailed (than the HD800), more thump (than the HD800), and collapsed soundstage when something gets _really_ complicated. For some people it will definitely be a winner. I wouldn't buy one, but it's not that bad...
  
 EDIT: Just buy a used HD800 instead. 
  
 Quote:


----------



## 5Kurt

My gear:

 Netbook with 2TB USB HDD,
 M2Tech Young DAC,
 Graham Slee SRG II + PSU 1 amplifier,
 Grado GS 1000i,
 Grado SR 80i


----------



## MorbidToaster

I like the 'mobile cart' set up. Heck that's practically transportable.


----------



## colinharding

Here, come on in and have a seat no need to move...my rig comes to you!


----------



## maverickronin

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Someone likes his cans dark...


 
   
  Not necessarily.  Bright is fine too just as long as treble is _really _good quality with out many peaks or ringing.  I'd take the better Stax Lambdas over any of those and my Phonak PFE232s aren't exactly dark either.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





5kurt said:


>


 
   
   
  GS1000!!


----------



## brokenthumb

I've always loved the look of the GS1000.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> GS1000!!


 
  The GS1000i's don't have the i on them - do they?


----------



## floydfan33

Revised Desktop Rig.
   

   
  Fiio E17/E9 and Ultrasone Edition 8 Ruthenium


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





preproman said:


> The GS1000i's don't have the i on them - do they?


 
   
   
  correct, they don't.
   
   
  as far as i know they both say grado statement series on top and gs1000 at bottom


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Revised Desktop Rig.
> 
> 
> 
> Fiio E17/E9 and Ultrasone Edition 8 Ruthenium


 
   
  Sweet.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Revised Desktop Rig.
> 
> Fiio E17/E9 and Ultrasone Edition 8 Ruthenium


 
   
  Summit-fi and Budget-fi all rolled into one!


----------



## Eee Pee




----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





eee pee said:


>


 
   
   
  That pic has amazing quality in both the content and image. What cam do you use? please be an affordable one.


----------



## LCfiner

I think I’m done for a while. I’m really enjoying the LCD3 on the Amphora. I find the LCD3 to be about as difficult to drive to volume as the Joe Grado HP1000.
   
  Maybe later this year, I’ll look into a more powerful amp, but my wallet needs to recuperate first.
   

   

   
   
  iMac iTunes > HRT MS2 > ALO Amphora > LCD3 (stock cable)


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Summit-fi and Budget-fi all rolled into one!


 
  Actually really nice synergy with the Fiio (both with the E9 and with the E17 standalone). The Ed 8 is a little more dynamic with my Lyr/Bifrost (background hiss though), but it's close.
   
  The Edition 8's sound pretty good direct out of my iPhone anyway! I may actually stop regretting selling my LA7000's


----------



## MorbidToaster

Be careful with that. I believe 2 members on the boards had blown drivers in their Ed. 8 because of the Lyr. 
   
  Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Actually really nice synergy with the Fiio (both with the E9 and with the E17 standalone). The Ed 8 is a little more dynamic with my* Lyr/Bifrost* (background hiss though), but it's close.
> 
> The Edition 8's sound pretty good direct out of my iPhone anyway! I may actually stop regretting selling my LA7000's


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Be careful with that. I believe 2 members on the boards had blown drivers in their Ed. 8 because of the Lyr.


 
  I had read that thread. I have the newer version with the relay, but given the level of background hiss with the Lyr/Edition 8 (it's dead quiet with my LCD-2), I don't think I would use them anyway.
   
  Thanks for the warning though!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Gotta look out for fellow members. I was glad someone told me before I blew my D7000 with it.
   
  Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> I had read that thread. I have the newer version with the relay, but given the level of background hiss with the Lyr/Edition 8 (it's dead quiet with my LCD-2), I don't think I would use them anyway.
> 
> Thanks for the warning though!


----------



## 5Kurt

Quote: 





preproman said:


> The GS1000i's don't have the i on them - do they?


 

 No they don't have an "i". I have been using this combination for 6 months and very happy with it.
   
  But I have auditioned a Sugden HA-4 amp and it was much much better than Graham Slee. (nearly 3x more expensive) Probably I will upgrade to Sugden soon.


----------



## 5Kurt

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> I've always loved the look of the GS1000.


 

 Me too. Mahogany gives a warm feeling and it is surprisingly light...


----------



## anetode

filus said:


> http://www.vera-nabytok.sk/p/3489/polohovatelne-kreslo-artus.aspx
> 
> don't mind the language, I think this chair is made and sold in Slovakia only since I have not find any abroad reseller for it (it might be produced under different name tho, one never knows). In the link, you can find some detailed pictures of this chair in white version, hope it will be at least as comfy as it looks on those pics




Stupid Slovacs, hogging all the well-priced comfy chairs :angry_face:


----------



## colinharding

And here I could have sworn it would be the Italians....fooled again


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





jigf said:


> That pic has amazing quality in both the content and image. What cam do you use? please be an affordable one.


 
  Thanks.  It's hard to get the actual blue of the Sonett in a picture, but this one is very close.
   
  The picture was taken with an old Canon PowerShot A75.  A lower end model from years ago.


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's a slightly updated set-up. The X-CANV8P and WA3 have been sold off to fund my T5p, though my dad bought the X-CANV8P and uses it in place of his X-10 v3 tube buffer.


----------



## Clayton SF

Zana Deux SE as preamp until Friday. Then who knows how I'll rearrange my system for the weekend.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^ nice!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Zana Deux SE as preamp until Friday. Then who knows how I'll rearrange my system for the weekend.


 
   
  It would be fun to see these in the dark!


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> It would be fun to see these in the dark!


 
  The Zana Deux is legendary. They'd be even better to hear in the dark.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> The Zana Deux is legendary. They'd be even better to hear in the dark.
> 
> Kojaku


 
  I would love to get to a meet and actually see (and hear!!) some of these amazing amps in person.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Zana Deux SE as preamp until Friday. Then who knows how I'll rearrange my system for the weekend.


 
   
  These look like preps for an Alien movie. I love how they used wood trims / moldings for the enclosure. They took "Thinking outside the box" to an art form.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Zana Deux SE as preamp until Friday. Then who knows how I'll rearrange my system for the weekend.


 
   
  Ahhh... My Dream setup, a couple of Decware's...BTW nice 596's Sir, i will be putting the 596's soon for my WA6SE and like you i prefer the cables looking forward than backwards. Makes it looks like an experimental thingy..


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> These look like preps for an Alien movie. I love how they used wood trims / moldings for the enclosure. They took "Thinking outside the box" to an art form.


 
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> Ahhh... My Dream setup, a couple of Decware's...BTW nice 596's Sir, i will be putting the 596's soon for my WA6SE and like you i prefer the cables looking forward than backwards. Makes it looks like an experimental thingy..


 
  Thanks! I think its very Steampunk, yes?
  keph, I like your adapter.  
   
  I'm going to try to meet Ultrainferno in Holland next month.
  I going to see if I can take my WA2 along with me as a carry-on
  and dump it off on him for a year.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks! I think its very Steampunk, yes?
> keph, I like your adapter.
> 
> I'm going to try to meet Ultrainferno in Holland next month.
> ...


 
   
   
  Thank You Sir...Any plans to go to Beijing? maybe you can bring me some Taboo too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Tubes just arrived today, right after i commented on your post while chatting with Ultrainferno what a coincidence.


----------



## Tilpo

zombie_x said:


> Here's a slightly updated set-up. The X-CANV8P and WA3 have been sold off to fund my T5p, though my dad bought the X-CANV8P and uses it in place of his X-10 v3 tube buffer.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Images!



Ah, Zombie_X's rack.

Is it just me, or is it significantly less packed than last time? IIRC you also had all your headphones on the picture last time.


----------



## mrAdrian

Darkvoice 336i
  Keces DA151


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  I took out two amps and reorganized all the cables.
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Ah, Zombie_X's rack.
> Is it just me, or is it significantly less packed than last time? IIRC you also had all your headphones on the picture last time.


----------



## fir3dp

went to look for a cheap headphone stand but they are all over $50 so made a $4 one temporally first...
  New tubes too! cheap tube but first time changing tubes and quite amazed by the difference too


----------



## dleblanc343

May I ask where you ordered this chair? I really need a good chair and that seems to be an amazing price for what it is!
   
  Nevermind sorry, I see it's been posted
  Quote: 





filus said:


> Chair: *Artus 2 Black* - €199.00 (ordered month ago, according to seller one more month till it arives)


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Zana Deux SE as preamp until Friday. Then who knows how I'll rearrange my system for the weekend.


 
   
  Your audio journey continues to be fantastique!


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Eek! Caught again!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> went to look for a cheap headphone stand but they are all over $50 so made a $4 one temporally first...
> New tubes too! cheap tube but first time changing tubes and quite amazed by the difference too


 
  Are those some KRKs? Or Creative Gigaworks?


----------



## .Sup

Not KRKs that's for sure


----------



## caracara08

looks like gigawork t20
   
  edit: or the t10. cant remember their numbering


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Not KRKs that's for sure


 

 Yeah, they look too small, but I thought maybe it could be the camera angle.


----------



## Redcarmoose

The secondary Heavy Metal and Hot Water Head-fi Station


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> went to look for a cheap headphone stand but they are all over $50 so made a $4 one temporally first


 
   
   
  Here is a cheap headphone stand for you:
   
  http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-5E12-FastTrack-Hose-Hook/dp/B0009J5NUY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/181-4671343-9653831


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> The secondary Heavy Metal and Hot Water Head-fi Station


 
   
  Newsflash, man in Indonesia electrocutes himself in bathtub while listening to music


----------



## grokit

.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Newsflash, man in Indonesia electrocutes himself in bathtub while listening to music


 
  I'm very careful-it's about as dangerous as a light switch on the wall.


----------



## liamstrain

*Waits for someone to try the same with electrostatics... *


----------



## grokit

Oh man I would just use a portable for that!


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I'm very careful-it's about as dangerous as a light switch on the wall.


 
   
  If the switch is connected to the output of the GFCI, as it should, then you are correct.
   
  I am taking for granted that your system IS connected into a GFCI protected outlet. Because, it is, right?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Oh man I would just use a portable for that!


 
  I have in the past. I may get a wood table and a longer cord. The Woo sounds great. I also have three micro shut-off switches in the 220 line, if there is ever an issue. I would not listen to it in a thunder storm though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Probably shouldn't be in the tub in a thunder storm either... 
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I have in the past. I may get a wood table and a longer cord. The Woo sounds great. I also have three micro shut-off switches in the 220 line, if there is ever an issue. I would not listen to it in a thunder storm though.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Probably shouldn't be in the tub in a thunder storm either...


 
  I actually have two lightning rods on my roof. About a year ago I had lightning about 100 feet above the house. It sounded like 10,000,000 aluminum cans being crushed above. No loud boom just the SSSSSSS.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That would have made for a great audio sample...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> If the switch is connected to the output of the GFCI, as it should, then you are correct.
> 
> I am taking for granted that your system IS connected into a GFCI protected outlet. Because, it is, right?


 
   
  Right?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Right?


 
  I have the equivalent for here, so no worries. I will most likely move my amp. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> That would have made for a great audio sample...


 
  It really was a once in a lifetime sound. The sssss coming from 100 feet up and 100 feet in every direction. I don't know why there was no loud boom but it was an electrical storm with lots of bright light.


----------



## Matrixnobu

That looks like heaven on earth!!!!!!
   
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> The secondary Heavy Metal and Hot Water Head-fi Station


----------



## Jaypops

Considering replacing the DM+ with a Bifrost (if only for matching looks).
  Have anyone compared the two?


----------



## wallace

All you need!!!


----------



## sfoclt

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I'm very careful-it's about as dangerous as a light switch on the wall.


 
   
  Just make sure it's a GFCI outlet.


----------



## manveru

New HRT HeadStreamer. It's so tiny!


----------



## yoyojoe

lupin


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





yoyojoe said:


> lupin


----------



## Tilpo

yoyojoe said:


> lupin



Well spotted! I didn't even see it at first. 

If you like Lupin III, you should definitely watch the new series that just finished airing the other day. (Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna)


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





jaypops said:


> Considering replacing the DM+ with a Bifrost (if only for matching looks).
> Have anyone compared the two?


 

 I haven't compared them, but the Schiit is pretty neutral sounding. As in, boring neutral. That's not a bad thing, but if your DacMagic has some coloration that you like, you may miss that with the Schiit.


----------



## Jaypops

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> I haven't compared them, but the Schiit is pretty neutral sounding. As in, boring neutral. That's not a bad thing, but if your DacMagic has some coloration that you like, you may miss that with the Schiit.


 
   
  As long as the instrument separation is good, I'm fine with the dac being neutral. Thanks


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





matrixnobu said:


> That looks like heaven on earth!!!!!!


 
  only if with Nigella Lawson in bikini serving any Foie Gras dish or Toro` Sahimi  XD


----------



## Clayton SF

Well I'd settle for Nigella Lawson serving up some salted caramel. Why does the UK have the best magazine covers?
   
  Check, please.


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





antberg said:


> only if with Nigella Lawson in bikini serving any Foie Gras dish or Toro` Sahimi  XD


 
   
  Hmmmm ... flesh ...


----------



## ITCW




----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  Still using the Belkins? I remember you having their Pure AV aeries of RCA cables.
   
  Quote: 





itcw said:


>


----------



## Dubstep Girl

eew, bose speakers.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but nice headphones


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> eew, bose speakers....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The Companion 2s aren't bad if you get them for a good price, and you need the space. For the price, I would rather get some AV40s though.


----------



## grokit

Bose speakers are generally much better than Bose headphones.


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Well I'd settle for Nigella Lawson serving up some salted caramel. Why does the UK have the best magazine covers?
> 
> Check, please.


 
   
  mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> eew, bose speakers....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  LOL


----------



## IceClass

Space is always at a premium on Ice Station Zebra. I needed a stand-up desk that didn't cost an arm and a leg. It also needed to fit in a weirdly shaped alcove in the office I share with my partner and allow easy access to my nearfield/headphone rig without taking room away from or overpowering my ability to get work done - or my partner's for that matter. In the end I found something at IKEAHacks that I thought might fit the bill. I was up until late last night getting it all put in and wired in properly (hence the almost empty Black Bush) and so far, I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out.
  I might also add that one side benefit is that the slight - but annoying - hum that I experienced in my WA2 with my previous set-up has completely disappeared in favour of an inky black background.
  I do however now need a slightly taller stool that's capable of adjusting between 31" and 36".
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  ... and yeah, no one will ever accuse the British media or Nigella of subtlety. 
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


----------



## Tilpo

So here I was thinking it was just your average computer setup... Until I noticed the plethora of awesome looking audio equipment underneath it. 

[rule]

On a semi-related note,  my Tumblr solely dedicated to archiving all the content you guys post on this forum has reached 1,000 posts today. 
Thanks to everyone for the heaps of awesome images!


----------



## Silent One

Could it be that your wooden compartments are cutting down on EMI/RFI? Glad the hum has disappeared in the WA2!


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> Could it be that your wooden compartments are cutting down on EMI/RFI? Glad the hum has disappeared in the WA2!



Maybe rewiring all of it fixed a previous ground loop issue? Usually EMI causes a hiss more than a hum. Hums are almost always power related, and the wood shouldn't really affect.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Ice Station Zebra.


 
   
  Awesome! And what stands out are the feet on your WA2!
   
  They make the WA2 look like a spacecraft--docked at Ice Station Zebra and ready for its flying orders!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love cozy set ups like that. Really awesome.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yes, but two things: This stuff (both of 'em) can reappear or come from other parts of the system; can originate from other articles inside the room (environment) having nothing to do with the gear. Sometimes, one benefits from simply rewiring. Other times, placement and proximity to stuff is very relevant as well.


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> Yes, but two things: This stuff (both of 'em) can reappear or come from other parts of the system; can originate from other articles inside the room (environment) having nothing to do with the gear. Sometimes, one benefits from simply rewiring. Other times, placement and proximity to stuff is very relevant as well.



Fair enough. 
Putting any audio equipment near the fluorescent lamp on my desk also makes it give a crazy buzz. 

I still think the wiring is a more probable cause.


----------



## Silent One

A few moons back, removing a vast amount of metal furnishings inside the listening room helped. Replaced the outgoing articles with wooden ones.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Space is always at a premium on Ice Station Zebra. I needed a stand-up desk that didn't cost an arm and a leg. It also needed to fit in a weirdly shaped alcove in the office I share with my partner and allow easy access to my nearfield/headphone rig without taking room away from or overpowering my ability to get work done - or my partner's for that matter. In the end I found something at IKEAHacks that I thought might fit the bill. I was up until late last night getting it all put in and wired in properly (hence the almost empty Black Bush) and so far, I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out.
> I might also add that one side benefit is that the slight - but annoying - hum that I experienced in my WA2 with my previous set-up has completely disappeared in favour of an inky black background.
> I do however now need a slightly taller stool that's capable of adjusting between 31" and 36".


 
  I would love to be able to get the wires cleaned up like that. I seem to always have a major rats nest. It drives me crazy...


----------



## telecaster

I don't need that many tubes...


----------



## MattTCG

Here's mine....


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





telecaster said:


> I don't need that many tubes...


 
  How do you like the La Figaro and what tubes have become your favorite for it?


----------



## telecaster

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> How do you like the La Figaro and what tubes have become your favorite for it?


 

 I love it, it's insane, I did "some" mods but in the end the stock 339 was already pretty good. I rewired the tube socket and changed the power supply to use 6C5 tubes. My favorites combo is smoked glass english CV1932 drivers with Chatham 6AS7G. But GEC 6080 is very sweet in itself and I love it with Osram L63. Bendix 6080WB are so nice with classical music and nuovo metal too...
  Here's my mods


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





telecaster said:


> I love it, it's insane, I did "some" mods but in the end the stock 339 was already pretty good. I rewired the tube socket and changed the power supply to use 6C5 tubes. My favorites combo is smoked glass english CV1932 drivers with Chatham 6AS7G. But GEC 6080 is very sweet in itself and I love it with Osram L63. Bendix 6080WB are so nice with classical music and nuovo metal too...
> Here's my mods


 
  Nice!! You are a soldering iron wizard..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  That has never been my thing but I am always impressed by what others can do. Congrats on a sweet piece and keep on Rollin'


----------



## telecaster

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nice!! You are a soldering iron wizard..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks mate! Took a long time to wired this puppy cleanly, the gold plated copper wire marred so easily it demanded some tricks to pull this off.


----------



## FinBenton

Isnt that kinda dangerous, what if some of those high voltage solder points come lose and hit the caseing?


----------



## telecaster

Tube amp aren't hot enough to melt lead! I did the soldering myself and I did it well. It's more than solid and perfect in every connection. But you got me worried that I might add teflon tubing on B+ wiring...


----------



## telecaster

It is dangerous in all point to point wired tube amp then. Advantages with hard wiring is the wire stay where I put it.


----------



## dallan

So i have shown my higher end headphone stuff but never my mid-fi listening area.  This is actually listening to sat provider streaming sirius.  Instead of going thru the shown dac/tube buffer set up it is going from the sat receiver to a dacmagic that is out of site behind tv and to the integrated amp that way.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





telecaster said:


> I love it, it's insane, I did "some" mods but in the end the stock 339 was already pretty good. I rewired the tube socket and changed the power supply to use 6C5 tubes. My favorites combo is smoked glass english CV1932 drivers with Chatham 6AS7G. But GEC 6080 is very sweet in itself and I love it with Osram L63. Bendix 6080WB are so nice with classical music and nuovo metal too...
> Here's my mods


 
  These are some awesome pictures btw


----------



## .Sup

Indeed they are. Could you tell me what camera did you use?


----------



## telecaster

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Indeed they are. Could you tell me what camera did you use?


 

 Sure, this is not a camera forum though! Sony Nex3 with adapter. First shot is SMC takumar 24mm f3.5@5.6 maybe. Second and third I presume are from Pentax-A 50mm f1.2 @2 or 2.8. Processed with Lightroom.


----------



## .Sup

telecaster said:


> Sure, this is not a camera forum though! Sony Nex3 with adapter. First shot is SMC takumar 24mm f3.5@5.6 maybe. Second and third I presume are from Pentax-A 50mm f1.2 @2 or 2.8. Processed with Lightroom.



I know and I also know a good camera doesn't necessarily make good photos 
Thanks!


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...

no more cable mess, simple and clean setup.


----------



## FinBenton

Really nice setup, is that Topre keyboard, do you like it?


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi all,
   
  I won't post pictures of my updated station till have new LED lights installed in the "Bat Cave" but will post pictures of my visit to Music Direct tomorrow. Would you all be interested in that?


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> my visit to Music Direct tomorrow. Would you all be interested in that?


 
  Snap some of the VPI Traveler, and yes, I'd be interested.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I won't post pictures of my updated station till have new LED lights installed in the "Bat Cave" but will post pictures of my visit to Music Direct tomorrow. Would you all be interested in that?


 
   
  Sure!


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  Sure guys I'll snap pictures of those tomorrow for you!
   
  I'm going to meet Bes when I go in tomorrow, that is if he is still there. He's helped me the past 4 times there and is an awesome guy to deal with!


----------



## Clayton SF

I'm interested! Yes I am! Thanks in advance for posting the pictures.


----------



## darren700

Heres My Rig as it sits now.
  The only other thing i want to add any time soon is a nice balanced amp to match all my balanced cans and balanced W4S DAC1. Thinking Schiit Mjolnir if it gets good reviews.
  Just got my custom Thunderpants Last week and have been loving them so far. such fat bass!.
   
  Sorry i suck at taking pictures. enjoy.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





darren700 said:


>


 
  Are those Thunderpants with an LCD2 headband?


----------



## darren700

Yes 
   
  Audeze Leather Headband
  Audeze LCD2 Pads
  Pink Flame Wood
  2 Bass ports per driver (one on top and bottom)
  7 Foot Balanced with SE Adapter.


----------



## Draygonn

How do the Thunderpants compare to the LCD-2? If I don't get mine soon I might ask for my $ back and try the Audezes.


----------



## darren700

The Audeze is definately better at Mids, Treble, And Bass Quality.
  The Thunderpants have alot more quantity of bass then the LCD2's but the quality is lacking when compared to the LCD2's.
   
  Some songs just dont seem to sound right to me with the Thunderpants, probably due to a slight dip in the mids as described by people in the Group Buy Thread.
   
  Basically id say the thunderpants are like a bassier version of the LCD2's with slightly less quality all around.
  Id also say their Sound Quality is in between my Modded Denon D2000's and the LCDv2's
   
  In no way do the thunderpants replace my LCD2's, i just wanted something to complement them.
  If i had to choose between the LCD2v2 and Thunderpants i would definitely choose the LCD2v2
   
  hope this helps!


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Are those Thunderpants with an LCD2 headband?


 

 I nearly shat bricks thinking that was  LCD-2 Mod


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I nearly shat bricks thinking that was  LCD-2 Mod


 
  +1


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> *Sorry i suck at taking pictures*. enjoy.


 
   
  I'd politely disagree. Sure, lighting is key. And you'd certainly want detail and resolution. But conceptually, if you're able to convey what you've framed, I strongly believe that counts for something. So, pick up your camera 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and keep on keeping on...
   
  Also, it looks like you're hosting a mini-meet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And yes, we enjoyed the pix.


----------



## calipilot227

My DSLR is at my parents' house, so I had to make do with my iPhone camera:
   

   
  Top to bottom:
   
  -Lenovo Y570 (connected via optical SPDIF, capable of outputting bit-perfect 24/192)
  -Sony DVP-NC685V (Standard CD: connected via Coax SPDIF. SACD: connected via RCA)
  -Emotiva XDA-1
  -Pioneer SA-6500 II
  -Nakamichi BX-2 Cassette Deck
   
  -Ikea POÄNG Chair ​




   
  Not pictured (or connected yet): JBL P40 speakers. Placement in this room isn't ideal, nor are the room's acoustical properties. Also, I live in an apartment and would like to remain on good terms with my neighbors 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Overall, this rig delivers _exactly_ the sound I want. The SA-6500 is very transparent, although I use the tone controls to boost the bass just a tad, which gives the bass a nice impact. I am definitely finished upgrading for the foreseeable future


----------



## Tilpo

darren700 said:


> Yes
> 
> Audeze Leather Headband
> Audeze LCD2 Pads
> ...



How on earth did you acquire the headband and pads?


----------



## Tilpo

calipilot227 said:


> My DSLR is at my parents' house, so I had to make do with my iPhone camera:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have a Pioneer SA-6300 which I use to drive my SR-202's and speakers. This thing is awesome, especially considering I found it in the attic.


----------



## darren700

tilpo said:


> How on earth did you acquire the headband and pads?




Smeggy ordered them from Audeze when he built them. They sell them...


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have a Pioneer SA-6300 which I use to drive my SR-202's and speakers. This thing is awesome, especially considering I found it in the attic.


 
   
  Very nice! I paid $35 at a thrift store for the amp. It absolutely wipes the floor with my Little Dot MKIII. No amps in my attic, however I did find an unused Monster THX optical cable along with some Audioquest RCA interconnects in my garage


----------



## .Sup

zombie_x said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I won't post pictures of my updated station till have new LED lights installed in the "Bat Cave" but will post pictures of my visit to Music Direct tomorrow. Would you all be interested in that?



I absolutely would


----------



## Clayton SF

^ x2


----------



## Tilpo

clayton sf said:


> ^ x2



x3


----------



## colinharding

^ x4!


----------



## dagothur

Judging by your math, that would mean x24 people want to see Zombie's photos.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Judging by your math, that would mean x24 people want to see Zombie's photos.


 
   
  Unless they are multiplying OPx2, OPx3, OPx4, etc...?


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi All,
   
  I didn't take as many as I would like because my batteries died.. but here's a few..
   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  And lastly my temporary traveling set-up. I have all my music on a 64GB SD Card and I bought the HRT HeadStreamer today.


----------



## TMRaven

Nice QRDs.  Did you diy them?


----------



## Silent One

Added 1980 Vintage Pioneer SX-D7000 Receiver Amp - 120 wpc; 50 lbs; Dual Phono Stage (MC/MM).


----------



## KimLaroux

What's the black box on the top right? An headphone case?


----------



## manveru

Wow, that D7000 looks huge!


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> And lastly my temporary traveling set-up. I have all my music on a 64GB SD Card and I bought the HRT HeadStreamer today.


 
   
  Is that a volume control between HRT and headphones? Link?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





anda said:


> Is that a volume control between HRT and headphones? Link?


 
   
  Huh, I just noticed that.
   
  I'm guessing you don't like using the digital volume control Zombie?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> What's the black box on the top right? An headphone case?


 
   
  Yes. When not in use, I park my Denon D7000 on top.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Wow, that D7000 looks huge!


 
   
  Yup. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And chubby @ nearly 50 lbs.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> And lastly my temporary traveling set-up. I have all my music on a 64GB SD Card and I bought the HRT HeadStreamer today.


 
   
   
  A true mobile professional.


----------



## Currawong

Summer Eco rig since the power company is threatening to start rolling blackouts if we use too much.


----------



## sphinxvc

@Silent One
   
  Those woodblocks look great.  Are you able to store all your music on the MacMini, or is there a hidden HD somewhere?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> @Silent One
> 
> Those woodblocks look great.  Are you able to store all your music on the MacMini, or is there a hidden HD somewhere?


 
   
  I have an internal 60GB Solid State Drive; 8GB Ram for the mini - one of the external Firewire HDD's is located underneath the Maple platform supporting the mini. The other external HDD is right up against the Pioneer SX-650 on the bottom shelf, left side.


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Added 1979-80 Vintage Pioneer D7000 Receiver Amp - 120 wpc; 50 lbs; Dual Phono Stage (MC/MM).


 
   
  Awesome feet on the Mac Mini. Where did you find them?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Dayton Speaker Spikes:
   
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?PartNumber=240-717
   
   
  The Speaker spikes are temporary while I await funding for 3"x3" 6 lb brass footers for each Maple platform.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi All,
> 
> ****
> 
> And lastly my temporary traveling set-up. I have all my music on a 64GB SD Card and I bought the HRT HeadStreamer today.


 
  Your traveling setup is neat, nice and light... I like! +++


----------



## Tilpo

Been a long time since I posted my rig here. 

Yesterday I finished three DIY monitor stands. (note that both screens and speakers are 'monitors' in this case).
I then decided to clean everything up and make some pictures. The quality is so-so, even though I used a decent camera. I'm just oblivious when it comes to photography.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Been a long time since I posted my rig here.
> Yesterday I finished three DIY monitor stands. (note that both screens and speakers are 'monitors' in this case).
> I then decided to clean everything up and make some pictures. The quality is so-so, even though I used a decent camera. I'm just oblivious when it comes to photography.


 
   
  So the monitor stands are finally done. Looking good! More vintage amp love as well.


----------



## longbowbbs

Tilpo, that is a tidy station. Some nice choice to play with. Looking really good!


----------



## Clayton SF

Tilpo. It looks like some of the best stations I've seen are located in attics. I guess it is a comforting and safe feeling to be up there in an attic with your favorite things.


----------



## Tilpo

clayton sf said:


> Tilpo. It looks like some of the best stations I've seen are located in attics. I guess it is a comforting and safe feeling to be up there in an attic with your favorite things.



I'm not in an attic actually.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Summer Eco rig since the power company is threatening to start rolling blackouts if we use too much.


 
   
  A socially managed rig? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well played.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Added 1980 Vintage Pioneer SX-D7000 Receiver Amp - 120 wpc; 50 lbs; Dual Phono Stage (MC/MM).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'm not in an attic actually.


 
   
  My mistake. It just seemed like you were setup in an attic. Nevertheless, your room looks great!


----------



## Tilpo

clayton sf said:


> My mistake. It just seemed like you were setup in an attic. Nevertheless, your room looks great!



Thanks!



longbowbbs said:


> Tilpo, that is a tidy station. Some nice choice to play with. Looking really good!



Thanks!



manveru said:


> So the monitor stands are finally done. Looking good! More vintage amp love as well.



Yep, did take a while. Three layers of paint on two sides and 30h drying time in between. That's a lot of time just spent waiting.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  If you were cutting grass on the Fairway, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that was money well earned.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  Yes it's a volume control from the HRT to the T5p's. It's an older version of the Sennheiser HZR6. It initially came with a 20ft cord but I chopped it down to 6-7".  It controls the L/R volume independently but can be used to lower both at once.
   
  Here's the link to it on Amazon > Sennheiser HRZ62
   
  Also I do use the digital control on my PC to a certain extent, right around 50% total volume, then use the auxiliary volume control to further adjust it. This way I won't degrade the sound by using the internal volume control of my PC. See I always thought if you lower the volume digitally that it alters the sound, so I use the HRZ6 to adjust it lower while keeping the SQ intact.
   
  Quote: 





anda said:


> Is that a volume control between HRT and headphones? Link?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Also I do use the digital control on my PC to a certain extent, right around 50% total volume, then use the auxiliary volume control to further adjust it. This way I won't degrade the sound by using the internal volume control of my PC. See I always thought if you lower the volume digitally that it alters the sound, so I use the HRZ6 to adjust it lower while keeping the SQ intact.


 
   
  Hm, I was under the impression that the HeadStreamer is supposed to avoid sound degradation from PC volume control by using it to digitally control the built-in analog attenuator? Having a knob is more fun though.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  I'd rather fiddle with my volume externally 
   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> Hm, I was under the impression that the HeadStreamer is supposed to avoid sound degradation from PC volume control by using it to digitally control the built-in analog attenuator? Having a knob is more fun though.


----------



## prtuc2




----------



## Clayton SF

^ Wow. It looks like you could take the S7 underwater.  Nice amp. I own the Zana Deux SE and the Transcription Amp.
   
  EDIT: Oops. I was looking at the interior of your computer and not the S7. Never mind. The S7 still looks great.


----------



## longbowbbs

It would be fun to compare the S7 to the Zana Deux. Sweet day for the ears!


----------



## drez

Quote: 





telecaster said:


> I love it, it's insane, I did "some" mods but in the end the stock 339 was already pretty good. I rewired the tube socket and changed the power supply to use 6C5 tubes. My favorites combo is smoked glass english CV1932 drivers with Chatham 6AS7G. But GEC 6080 is very sweet in itself and I love it with Osram L63. Bendix 6080WB are so nice with classical music and nuovo metal too...
> Here's my mods


 
   wow that is the most beautiful wiring & layout I have ever seen.


----------



## telecaster

Quote: 





drez said:


> wow that is the most beautiful wiring & layout I have ever seen.


 

 Thanks for the kind words mate!


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi all,
   
  Back home and I have nice shots of the HRT HeadStreamer as a part of my set-up:
   

   
  And now better shots of my set-up, thanks to the new lighting I have in here!


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Back home and I have nice shots of the HRT HeadStreamer as a part of my set-up:


 
  Nice setup man.
   
  Also, I was watching HiFiGuy's video about that HeadStreamer. I'm very interested in them. I think it'd be a pretty good improvement over my iMic when I use my MacBook as a source. And it'll work with Linux. Can't go wrong with that, IMO.


----------



## n3rdling

Tilpo, you should hang the 202's by the plastic only, instead of both the plastic and the headband.  That way you don't put any wear on the headband while not in use


----------



## Tilpo

n3rdling said:


> Tilpo, you should hang the 202's by the plastic only, instead of both the plastic and the headband.  That way you don't put any wear on the headband while not in use



Thanks for the suggestion. 
The headband was already pretty worn out when I got it, so I don't think it will make much difference, but I'll do it anyway.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  The HRT HeadStreamer is very nice indeed. You can also use it as a stand alone DAC if you set the volume to 100% and use a mini-RCA cable. I think it sounds very good, maybe worth double it's price. The headphone amp is not that powerful but has more than enough juice for IEM's and low impedance headphones (16Ohm-32Ohm). I tried my T5p one, for which it was purchased, and it passed with flying colors.
   
  It's a neutral DAC/amp with maybe a hint of treble emphasis, but not harsh at all. The bass on the T5p's was tight and defined with excellent extension on definition.
   
  Quote: 





brownbear said:


> Nice setup man.
> 
> Also, I was watching HiFiGuy's video about that HeadStreamer. I'm very interested in them. I think it'd be a pretty good improvement over my iMic when I use my MacBook as a source. And it'll work with Linux. Can't go wrong with that, IMO.


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi,
> 
> The HRT HeadStreamer is very nice indeed. You can also use it as a stand alone DAC if you set the volume to 100% and use a mini-RCA cable. I think it sounds very good, maybe worth double it's price. The headphone amp is not that powerful but has more than enough juice for IEM's and low impedance headphones (16Ohm-32Ohm). I tried my T5p one, for which it was purchased, and it passed with flying colors.
> 
> It's a neutral DAC/amp with maybe a hint of treble emphasis, but not harsh at all. The bass on the T5p's was tight and defined with excellent extension on definition.


 

 Thanks for the overview, I was wondering about the amp in there. Yeah, my main use would be to try to use it as a standalone DAC. That's pretty much the weakest part of my setup right now, I have pretty high quality files and such, but when I use the laptop I feel like the iMic is a real bottleneck. It's main use is to allow a microphone input on computers that don't have one. I got it because I screwed up my sound in my MacBook and needed a USB soundcard, way before I got into headphones.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  The HeadStreamer can be used to fill that need then. You can also sue one of the other HRT streamers if you need RCA output.
   
  Quote: 





brownbear said:


> Thanks for the overview, I was wondering about the amp in there. Yeah, my main use would be to try to use it as a standalone DAC. That's pretty much the weakest part of my setup right now, I have pretty high quality files and such, but when I use the laptop I feel like the iMic is a real bottleneck. It's main use is to allow a microphone input on computers that don't have one. I got it because I screwed up my sound in my MacBook and needed a USB soundcard, way before I got into headphones.


----------



## Audiophile03

Here is a pic of my HeadFi setup which consists of a pair of modded Denon AH-D2000's with Denon AH-D7000 wood cups, MarkL Mod, re-cabled with pure silver from Home Grown Audio, and a 1/4" Furutech FP-704 plug, TCC TC-754 Preamp, Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp, Kenwood KD-2077 turntable with Ortofon 2M Blue cart, HRT iStreamer DAC connected to iPad 2, Onkyo TA-W200 cassette deck, and a Sony Bluray for CD's all connected with MIT AVt 3 interconnects. While not in use, the Denon's sit on a glass head from Pier 1 Imports until I get my custom made African Mahogany wood stand made by a friend from the AudioKarma site.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Here is a pic of my HeadFi setup which consists of a pair of modded Denon AH-D2000's with Denon AH-D7000 wood cups, MarkL Mod, re-cabled with pure silver from Home Grown Audio, and a 1/4" Furutech FP-704 plug, TCC TC-754 Preamp, Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp, Kenwood KD-2077 turntable with Ortofon 2M Blue cart, HRT iStreamer DAC connected to iPad 2, Onkyo TA-W200 cassette deck, and a Sony Bluray for CD's all connected with MIT AVt 3 interconnects. While not in use, the Denon's sit on a glass head from Pier 1 Imports until I get my custom made African Mahogany wood stand made by a friend from the AudioKarma site.


 
   
  Can you share a sneak preview of the African Mahogany wood stand? Well, we can wait a few days I suppose. But if it ain't coming 'till August, then by all means...


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Hey gang thought i would share. The top is my project studio, and the bottom is my bedside rig.


 
  Sorry to quote pictures guys, but this was awhile back, and I just noticed it, and it might not be seen, but:
   
  dailydoseofdaly, is that a Kay bass? I think I spy the badge down there on the tailpiece. Strung with Spiro mediums I believe? That's really cool man, I've got a Kay from 1941 and just put some Velvets on it, it sings. What year was yours made?


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Here is a pic of my HeadFi setup which consists of a pair of modded Denon AH-D2000's with Denon AH-D7000 wood cups, MarkL Mod, re-cabled with pure silver from Home Grown Audio, and a 1/4" Furutech FP-704 plug, TCC TC-754 Preamp, Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp, Kenwood KD-2077 turntable with Ortofon 2M Blue cart, HRT iStreamer DAC connected to iPad 2, Onkyo TA-W200 cassette deck, and a Sony Bluray for CD's all connected with MIT AVt 3 interconnects. While not in use, the Denon's sit on a glass head from Pier 1 Imports until I get my custom made African Mahogany wood stand made by a friend from the AudioKarma site.


 
   
  very nice setup.
  you listen to cassette tapes?


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> very nice setup.
> you listen to cassette tapes?


 
  Heck ya! I still regularly listen to cassette, reel to reel, vinyl, CD, Pandora....just about everything! I'd give you all a preview of the stand but I am waiting for my friend to send me the blueprints. He's working on a 3D draft of it before he gets to work on it. I'll hopefully get an email in the next day or two.


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Heck ya! I still regularly listen to cassette


 
   
  Got to love the cassettes. I recently just got back into them last year or so, and honestly, they have a sound. They really do. I love going to thrift stores and such and finding old cassettes for like a quarter and buying like the whole box, then sifting through them and finding what's good and what's not. Although I've never thrown one out. I guess I'm a cassette packrat.


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





brownbear said:


> Got to love the cassettes. I recently just got back into them last year or so, and honestly, they have a sound. They really do. I love going to thrift stores and such and finding old cassettes for like a quarter and buying like the whole box, then sifting through them and finding what's good and what's not. Although I've never thrown one out. I guess I'm a cassette packrat.


 
  I'm the same way with records. I love to go to the thrift stores and find lots of good, unplayed records people forgot existed!


----------



## whirlwind

To think I am getting rid of all of my physical music, and my wife is happy........at least we now have some space back...lol....and I now have 3 large hard drives of flac files


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





whirlwind said:


> To think I am getting rid of all of my physical music, and my wife is happy........at least we now have some space back...lol....and I now have 3 large hard drives of flac files


 
   
  Hm. For the most part I've never owned or used physical media ever


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Hm. For the most part I've never owned or used physical media ever


 
  IMHO, I love the sound and personality that vinyl produces best, especially if you get the right combo of equiptment to produce the sound!


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> IMHO, I love the sound and personality that vinyl produces best, especially if you get the right combo of equiptment to produce the sound!


 

 I agree, and I think cassettes as well are a unique sound that can sound quite good. However for me, it's easier to maintain a digital collection because most of my songs are downloads.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Hm. For the most part I've never owned or used physical media ever


 
   
  i still have my old collection of cassette tapes that I grew up with like Bell Biv Devoe, C&C Music Factory, Reality Bites Soundtrack.... I mean, uhhh, I too have NEVER owned physical media.


----------



## brokenthumb

New addition to my setup... LCD-2!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> IMHO, I love the sound and personality that vinyl produces best, especially if you get the right combo of equiptment to produce the sound!


 
   
  I'm sure some people would be pretty skeptical of this, but I sometimes use a software plugin which is supposed to emulate the sound of vinyl. I often use it when playing background music through speakers, as the decreased treble response makes it more easygoing and non-fatiguing


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> New addition to my setup... LCD-2!


 
   
  Beautiful. I probably don't need to ask but, how do you like them?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> i still have my old collection of cassette tapes that I grew up with like Bell Biv Devoe, C&C Music Factory, Reality Bites Soundtrack.... I mean, uhhh, I too have NEVER owned physical media.


 
   
  I'm not sure if I'm reading the meaning behind this response correctly, but I wasn't trying to put anyone/thing down by my comment. Just a harmless fact statement. Me being relatively young definitely has a lot to do with it.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





brownbear said:


> Beautiful. I probably don't need to ask but, how do you like them?


 
   
  Thanks!  My favorite headphone I've heard so far.  The LCD-2 with a good vinyl album is absolute musical heaven for me.


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Thanks!  My favorite headphone I've heard so far.  The LCD-2 with a good vinyl album is absolute musical heaven for me.


 

 Awesome. Glad to hear you like them.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





manveru said:


> I'm not sure if I'm reading the meaning behind this response correctly, but I wasn't trying to put anyone/thing down by my comment. Just a harmless fact statement. Me being relatively young definitely has a lot to do with it.


 

 i was just making fun of my embarrassing tape collection..... first listing some, and then pretending that i never owned them.
   
  i do have a sweet spot for those aforementioned bands though. i also have hundreds of dead and phish shows on cassette in storage somewhere that i'm all excited to find. wow, posts above have inspired me to dig up my tape deck. i'll post some pictures when it's all set up.


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Thanks!  My favorite headphone I've heard so far.  The LCD-2 with a good vinyl album is absolute musical heaven for me.


 
  That sounds like heaven there! Are you running a tube or ss headphones amp? I have been running a ss amp since day one of my venture into the HeadFi world but have wanted to try out a tube headphones amps for comparison. I am running tubes in my HiFi system and was thinking it would bring the same effect as it has on my loudspeakers.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> That sounds like heaven there! Are you running a tube or ss headphones amp? I have been running a ss amp since day one of my venture into the HeadFi world but have wanted to try out a tube headphones amps for comparison. I am running tubes in my HiFi system and was thinking it would bring the same effect as it has on my loudspeakers.


 
   
  A ss amp.  I'm actually running the turntable through my old Pioneer receiver that has a phono stage.  I had been using a Bellari VP130 tube phono stage and headphone amp but I liked the Pioneer sound better.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Hm. For the most part I've never owned or used physical media ever


 


 HERESY!
  sorry, had to 
 Physical media is just sooooooo much nicer, be it cds (which I prefer) vinyl, or even reel to reel, cassette, 8track etc for the extreme cats out there.

 Also, sorry all for the use of cats, been listening to alot of jazz as of late....


----------



## Silent One

It's alright, still some night cats out doin' music... and other!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> HERESY!
> sorry, had to
> Physical media is just sooooooo much nicer, be it cds (which I prefer) vinyl, or even reel to reel, cassette, 8track etc for the extreme cats out there.
> 
> Also, sorry all for the use of cats, been listening to alot of jazz as of late....


 
   
  Hehe. Depends what you mean by "nicer."


----------



## idratherbeflyin

Just a quick note to say I'm loving this thread. I'm very new to all of this and have been using the photos to look up/learn about various pieces of gear. Keep the great photos coming!


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

brownbear said:


> Sorry to quote pictures guys, but this was awhile back, and I just noticed it, and it might not be seen, but:
> 
> dailydoseofdaly, is that a Kay bass? I think I spy the badge down there on the tailpiece. Strung with Spiro mediums I believe? That's really cool man, I've got a Kay from 1941 and just put some Velvets on it, it sings. What year was yours made?




Yeah it's a Kay 1963. Plays great


----------



## Tilpo

idratherbeflyin said:


> Just a quick note to say I'm loving this thread. I'm very new to all of this and have been using the photos to look up/learn about various pieces of gear. *Keep the great photos coming!*



If only they actually did that. Too much text, guys!

On a related note, if you want to see some more stuff, check out the Tumblr. in my signature. Got an insane amount of pictures of head-fi rigs on there.


----------



## sphinxvc

^ That's such a kick-ass website.  
   
  Funny that my plantronics + LCD-2 made it there.


----------



## Tilpo

sphinxvc said:


> ^ That's such a kick-ass website.
> 
> Funny that my plantronics + LCD-2 made it there.



Don't underestimate my amount of lurking on this website.


----------



## Mad Dude

Rearranged my setup (again) and reinforced it with some Stax.
   

   

   

   

   
  I designed and built this state-of-the art wooden mini-shelf myself, using only the finest high-end audiophile components, such as IKEA pen holders and double sided tape. It adds a completely new sense of luxury to my system. Needless to say that the improvements it made to sound quality are tremendous.


----------



## Tilpo

How are you liking those Lambdas? (they are 407's, right?).
I personally have a pair of SR-202's, and I like them much more than my trusty HD650's.


----------



## Mad Dude

They are SR-404 Signatures (are there non-signature SR-404s? Not sure). I've received them today, so I'll have to do more listening to form a real opinion. For now, I love the soundstage and the speed. I'm surprised about the frequency response - Having read countless times that the Lambdas are bass-light, I think this isn't true at all. Even though I'm sceptical of anything that doesn't sound exactly like the Sennheiser HD600, the Lambdas may get a permanent place in my system...


----------



## Tilpo

mad dude said:


> They are SR-404 Signatures (are there non-signature SR-404s? Not sure). I've received them today, so I'll have to do more listening to form a real opinion. For now, I love the soundstage and the speed. I'm surprised about the frequency response - Having read countless times that the Lambdas are bass-light, I think this isn't true at all. Even though I'm sceptical of anything that doesn't sound exactly like the Sennheiser HD600, the Lambdas may get a permanent place in my system...



The Lambdas aren't bass light at all. But instead, they seem to lack a bass thump in my experience. Bass extension goes _really_ low for longer notes, but thumps somehow get attenuated a lot. Percussion instruments (especially lower pitched ones), also seem to lack a bit of impact.


----------



## Mad Dude

Interesting, my perception is almost the opposite: While there is quite a good punch (comparable to the Senn HD600, which isn't very shy in this regard), but the bass doesn't seem to extend very low and the resolution isn't very good either in the lowest frequencies. As a result, it can sound a bit boomy at times. However, other frequencies do not seem to be affected by this at all (very unlike dynamic headphones, where a boomy bass would often bleed into the mids).
   
  What fascinates me the most is the treble. I don't think I've ever heard a hi-hat sound like a hi-hat through a headphone before. I thought the higher-end dynamics and orthos were pretty good in this area, but when compared to the stats... not even close.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> ^ That's such a kick-ass website.


 
   
  +1
   
  It's great to see all of those setups on one page.  Great idea!


----------



## Clayton SF

Too many pictures to post.
  Here's my Flickr account of my Setups both _Current _and in the _Past_.
  Ultrainferno and I will be getting together in Amsterdam in mid-August. Beer bust anyone?
   
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/


----------



## Tilpo

clayton sf said:


> Too many pictures to post.
> Here's my Flickr account of my Setups both _Current_ and in the _Past_.
> Ultrainferno and I will be getting together in Amsterdam in mid-August. Beer bust anyone?
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/



I'd love to come. 
(Especially if the two if you bring your gear. That would make a legendary combination)


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I'd love to come.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'm not bringing any gear, unless Clayton SF wants me to bring something. I'll just be there for the company and the beer


----------



## Tilpo

ultrainferno said:


> I'm not bringing any gear, unless Clayton SF wants me to bring something. I'll just be there for the company and the beer



Awww.
Well, if you don't mind the company of a youngster, I'd love to come.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I'm not bringing any gear, unless Clayton SF wants me to bring something. I'll just be there for the company and the beer


 
   
_No gear just beer._
  And good company.


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> _No gear just beer._


 
  I lol'd. No gear, just beer. Maybe a new Head-Fi shirt design is in order? Lol.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





brownbear said:


> I lol'd. No gear, just beer. Maybe a new Head-Fi shirt design is in order? Lol.


 

 Amen to this. I'd love to get a standard screen of a head-fi shirt then maybe customize underneath the logo with my favorite pair of cans or something...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Amen to this. I'd love to get a standard screen of a head-fi shirt then maybe customize underneath the logo with my favorite pair of cans or something...
> 
> Kojaku


 
  No gear, just beer.
  And my favorite pair of cans (like in cans of beer?) 
   
  STOP.


----------



## whirlwind

Heres mine


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





whirlwind said:


> Heres mine


 
   
  Ah, A700s. I remember thee fondly.


----------



## whirlwind

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Ah, A700s. I remember thee fondly.


 
  Yea...these are old and they sound great...I still use them for gaming all the time.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Heck ya! I still regularly listen to cassette


 
   
  hooked up the 'ol cassette deck, dug up many of my tapes... and .... broken!
   
  out of all the gear i've ever owned (including my original NES game system, turntables, etc.) none have faltered - until now. guess it wasn't meant to be. my tapes are stuck inside and the decks won't open or play. might have to look for my old walkman to satiate my nostalgia.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  I spy a Genesis Model 2. I also have a NES but it's NIB. I use my Retron3 to play NES/SNES/Genesis games, all on one system. Also the NES is quite durable and if the pins for the reader ever break, you can buy a replacement for around $10.
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> hooked up the 'ol cassette deck, dug up many of my tapes... and .... broken!
> 
> out of all the gear i've ever owned (including my original NES game system, turntables, etc.) none have faltered - until now. guess it wasn't meant to be. my tapes are stuck inside and the decks won't open or play. might have to look for my old walkman to satiate my nostalgia.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Nothing's really changed but I did get a new (to me) Klipsch subwoofer a while ago, plus I'm bored so here ya go...
   
   
  @Bee inthe Attic, I think that's one of the few cassette setups I've seen in this thread. Good thing you can find decent cassette players second-hand.


----------



## manveru

Well then, I guess it's kind of ironic that I have this Teac C-3X deck. I tested out one of my dad's old cassettes with it a while back and it seems to work ok, not that I ever actually use it for anything other than the fact that I think it looks cool. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  (This is an old picture.)


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo,
> 
> I spy a Genesis Model 2. *I also have a NES but it's NIB.* I use my Retron3 to play NES/SNES/Genesis games, all on one system. Also the NES is quite durable and if the pins for the reader ever break, you can buy a replacement for around $10.


 
  that's awesome.
   
   
   
  Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> @Bee inthe Attic, I think that's one of the few cassette setups I've seen in this thread. Good thing you can find decent cassette players second-hand.


 
  not second hand. bought it in 1992. been in storage for the last decade, and I just hooked it up today. doesn't want to play though.


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> not second hand. bought it in 1992. been in storage for the last decade, and I just hooked it up today. doesn't want to play though.


 
  Right, well that's what I'm saying. If you wanted another cassette player and you can't get yours to work, they're easy to find second-hand and very cheap.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Well then, I guess it's kind of ironic that I have this Teac C-3X deck. I tested out one of my dad's old cassettes with it a while back and it seems to work ok, not that I ever actually use it for anything other than the fact that *I think it looks cool*.


 
   
  That it does!


----------



## RexAeterna

bee inthe attic said:


> that's awesome.
> 
> 
> 
> not second hand. bought it in 1992. been in storage for the last decade, and I just hooked it up today. doesn't want to play though.




probably worn out belt. them sitting around for while in consent changes in humidity and temperature can cause the belts to wear down. doesn't take much either with most decks. just takes time.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Right, well that's what I'm saying. If you wanted another cassette player and you can't get yours to work, they're easy to find second-hand and very cheap.


 

 oh, gotcha


----------



## goropeza

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Been a long time since I posted my rig here.
> Yesterday I finished three DIY monitor stands. (note that both screens and speakers are 'monitors' in this case).
> I then decided to clean everything up and make some pictures. The quality is so-so, even though I used a decent camera. I'm just oblivious when it comes to photography.


 

 Wow pretty epic! Always wanted a 3 screen setup but I like mine pretty good too. I like my setup to have a very small footprint and be sleek. I'll post pics as soon as I get around to cleaning up a little. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Katun

^ I spy an Ikea chair.


----------



## jtaylor991

My dad has a fairly big cassette collection (IMO). I'll have to post pics of it along with my deck, It came with my other stereo gear and that turnbed out to be decent after I became an audiophile and researched it, so maybe my cassette deck is actually decent, but I didn't think so (just an assumption price-wise, sounds fine to me).
  Too bad I'm out of town at the moment..hopefully I'll remember


----------



## Lux Nocte

I can't even conceive the idea of having one of these setups for another fifteen years, nonetheless, these are awesome.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





katun said:


> ^ I spy an Ikea chair.


 
   
  Ikea should sponsor head-fi, actually.  Every other post seems to feature an ikea chair or furniture.


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Ikea should sponsor head-fi, actually.  Every other post seems to feature an ikea chair or furniture.


 
  It is funny because it is true... LMAO


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> It is funny because it is true... LMAO


 
  +1


----------



## Tilpo

katun said:


> ^ I spy an Ikea chair.



Guilty as charged!

I was in need for a new chair because my old one broke down. Walked round Ikea and found this one. I sat on it for just a single second and noticed how ridiculously comfortable this is. 
Ikea is awesome beyond words.


----------



## longbowbbs

I have to drive 200 miles to get an Ikea store.....


----------



## Tilpo

longbowbbs said:


> I have to drive 200 miles to get an Ikea store.....:mad:



Ouch.

There is one in a 20min drive, two more in a 45min drive, and a total of 12 in a 2-3 hour drive.


----------



## Audiophile03

tilpo said:


> Ouch.
> There is one in a 20min drive, two more in a 45min drive, and a total of 12 in a 2-3 hour drive.




That's one of the reasons I miss living in Germany...Ikeas on every corner!  I could drop the kids off at the day care there and roam the store all day!


----------



## longbowbbs

It is an all day affair when I go. They tore down a sports arena and built the store on the same footprint!


----------



## Draygonn

sphinxvc said:


> Ikea should sponsor head-fi, actually.  Every other post seems to feature an ikea chair or furniture.


The Poang chair is in so many pictures it could have it's own gallery.


----------



## .Sup

I use one of their racks as my main audio rack and have the same chair as above but in black (Fredrik I think)


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm not entirely sure about which set of shelves would work as a main rack. I never seemed to find one.


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> That's one of the reasons I miss living in Germany...Ikeas on every corner!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 But the real "diaspora" is New Zealand.The next Ikea store is in Australia!!!
  That's why I miss Germany,too....and the snow,...and......could go on!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> But the real "diaspora" is New Zealand.The next Ikea store is in Australia!!!
> That's why I miss Germany,too....and the snow,...and......could go on!


 
  That makes my 200 miles look like next door


----------



## BrownBear

I've never been to an Ikea. You guys really want to make me go to one like right now. Lol. There's one about 60 miles from me. Which isn't that far, really.


----------



## MomijiTMO

My IKEA is 20 mins away. Sorry guys and gals.
   
   
   


silversurfer616 said:


> But the real "diaspora" is New Zealand.The next Ikea store is in Australia!!!
> That's why I miss Germany,too....and the snow,...and......could go on!


 
   
  You can stay at my house overnight if you want to come to the Logan IKEA


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> But the real "diaspora" is New Zealand.The next Ikea store is in Australia!!!
> That's why I miss Germany,too....and the snow,...and......could go on!


 
   
  I put my IKEA on a 737 cargo jet for three hours for horrendous charges to get it to Ice Station Zebra. My Expedit hacked stand up desk cost three times as much to fly as it did to buy.
  Right now I have some more IKEA on the yearly ship but it's currently late, stuck in ice somewhere


----------



## grokit

Ice Station Zebra, you live on a movie set


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Ice Station Zebra, you live on a movie set


 
   
   
  Some days it does indeed feel like it ...


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'm not entirely sure about which set of shelves would work as a main rack. I never seemed to find one.


 
   
  The simple LACK end tables are usually hacked up and stacked to make a suitable rack with some measure of isolation.
   
  Check this out: http://www.ikeahackers.net/2011/12/ikea-lack-audiophile-rack.html
   
  Looks pretty good too!


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's actually really awesome...
   
  Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> The simple LACK end tables are usually hacked up and stacked to make a suitable rack with some measure of isolation.
> 
> Check this out: http://www.ikeahackers.net/2011/12/ikea-lack-audiophile-rack.html
> 
> Looks pretty good too!


----------



## zakazak

I like my desktop 
   

   
   

   
  Links:
  http://files.bestmail.ws/musik/hd600-desktop1.jpg
  http://files.bestmail.ws/musik/hd600-desktop2.jpg
   
  I really enjoy the HD 600 + Audio-GD NFB 12.1 over my old setup (just HD 555 :S).


----------



## Draygonn

twizzleraddict said:


> The simple LACK end tables are usually hacked up and stacked to make a suitable rack with some measure of isolation.


That is really neat.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





zakazak said:


> I like my desktop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nicely done! I don't know how it happens but if I have any two electronic devices next to each other I have a major rats nest with all the wires.... I think I would have this even if I went wireless...


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





zakazak said:


> I like my desktop
> 
> I really enjoy the HD 600 + Audio-GD NFB 12.1 over my old setup (just HD 555 :S).


 
   
  Yeah, very nice setup. I like how it looks with the walls like that, the blue and white. Very nice.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





zakazak said:


> I like my desktop
> 
> I really enjoy the HD 600 + Audio-GD NFB 12.1 over my old setup (just HD 555 :S).


 
   
  I like your desktop too. And your walls as well. Very nice sound room!


----------



## linuxid10t

Featured:

 Stax Lambda Pro
 Stax SRD-7/SB adapter box (it says adaptor on it, but adaptor isn't a word...  LOL)
 Qinpu A3 amp with the speaker output going into the Stax
  Featured Tubes:

 GE GL-5670 in amp
 GE JG-5670 in front on top of transformer
 Chinese 6N3T behind on top of transformer
   
  I still want to hook up my Polk R300 to the Stax speaker out.  Also, not featured is my Sennheiser HD595 and Denon AH-D1100.


----------



## jham1496

Quote: 





linuxid10t said:


> Featured:
> 
> Stax Lambda Pro
> Stax SRD-7/SB adapter box (it says adaptor on it, but adaptor isn't a word...  LOL)
> ...


 
  How do you like the qinpu for the stax.  im looking to get it for speakers and im wondering how it works for headphones


----------



## linuxid10t

Quote: 





jham1496 said:


> How do you like the qinpu for the stax.  im looking to get it for speakers and im wondering how it works for headphones


 
  It is really awesome with the Stax.  It corrects some of the tonality issues of the Stax and has plenty of power and dynamics with them.  They can double as speakers as well as headphones they are so loud.  Anyway, tubes with Stax just sound so good.  With a solid state amp, they are just so cold and uninviting.  HeadphoneAddict had some great things to say about the Qinpu/Stax combo as well.  Just search qinpu a3 and you should find it pretty fast.  I also did a full review on Head-Fi as well as Amazon.
   
http://www.amazon.com/review/RF3GSB7UITD55/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0057ODYX4&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
   
  I would like to mention, when I say the Stax play loud before clipping, I am talking 118 dB plus, enough for hearing damage.  Please do not see this as a downside.


----------



## zakazak

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nicely done! I don't know how it happens but if I have any two electronic devices next to each other I have a major rats nest with all the wires.... I think I would have this even if I went wireless...


 
   
  Same here.. I try to hide them below/behind my desktop stand or through a whole that leads under the table  Need to figure out a way to completely hide them.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





zakazak said:


> Same here.. I try to hide them below/behind my desktop stand or through a whole that leads under the table  Need to figure out a way to completely hide them.


 
  I need to spend a weekend contemplating a cable clean up and see what I can end up with. It would be nice to have a more streamlined setup.


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I need to spend a weekend contemplating a cable clean up and see what I can end up with. It would be nice to have a more streamlined setup.


 

 Yeah cables have always been one of those things I just try to ignore. But they can get frustrating, like when picking up a headphone and every other headphone on the desk comes with it. Or tripping over the surge protector under the desk and pulling the lamp off said desk.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Spend a little time to organize and get these:
   
  http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Reusable-Self-Gripping-Inches-90924/dp/B000F5K82A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1342162926&sr=8-2&keywords=velcro+ties
   
  Should help with keeping the cables in a clean strip that you can tie along the back of your desk/rack/table as well. 
   
  Velcro FTW again!


----------



## MorbidToaster

These are my choice as well. They work with cloth cables (a rare plus) because they aren't just typical 'velcro'.
   
  Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Spend a little time to organize and get these:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Reusable-Self-Gripping-Inches-90924/dp/B000F5K82A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1342162926&sr=8-2&keywords=velcro+ties
> 
> ...


----------



## BrownBear

Interesting. Thanks for the recommendation guys, I'm going to check these out.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Part of the collection. My top 4, not in correct order


----------



## Silent One

Looks good from here! Which one tends to see more head time above the others?


----------



## linuxid10t

I'm guessing this guy likes orthos...
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Part of the collection. My top 4, not in correct order


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Looks good from here! Which one tends to see more head time above the others?


 
   
  Of these 4 , the HE-500 and HD650 get the most time, then LCD2 and HE-400
  HE-500 with the 339 OTL
  HD650 with the Crack OTL
  LCD-2 with the V200
   
  you see now why I need that WA2, there's an OTL amp missing! One setup per headphone


----------



## Dubstep Girl

you like hd-650 more than lcd-2?
   
  they have almost the same sound


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> you like hd-650 more than lcd-2?
> 
> they have almost the same sound


 
   
  I do yes. I wouldn't say they have the same sound but I know what you mean. Part of the reason is comfort, I really don't like the Audez'e pads 
  But let's be serious, they're all great headphones. It's just personal preference


----------



## Dubstep Girl

the hd 650s are better for longer listening sessions and they're still smoother than the lcd-2
   
  how do you like the HE-500?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like the Audez'e pads.


----------



## Ultrainferno

In combination with a smooth warm tube amp they are my all time fav pair. the V200 is also a good pairing Unless you listen to a lot of rock, the HE-500 is a great allrounder, of course it doesn't have the bass slam of the LCD2, but all the rest makes up for it. Perfection. I could live without the LCD2, not the HE-500


----------



## Dubstep Girl

oooh nice.
   
  ive been eyeing the HE-500 for quite some time now, thinking of getting them after i sell rs1i (which i still enjoy alot) 
   
  i wonder how it compares to the T1/HD 800 though. does it have a unique sound signature? or is it similar to them? ive heard all sorts of weird things about the he-500, further adding to the mystery.


----------



## dleblanc343

I think the he500 is closer to the t1 than hd800, but the t1 is the only of the three I don't own. the he500 is incredibly smooth and non fatiguing and very linear. It's got warmer sound than the two german phones making it better with recordings that arent great. They also sound a lot like speakers, the soundstage is good and three dimensional, where it's width and depth are pretty much equally extended. It's no hd800 though. I too prefer the he500's source data sign over the lcd2, warmn but not quite as dark and the headphone is more comfortable/cheaper. Only annoyances are cables and connectors


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Part of the collection. My top 4, not in correct order


 
   
  Yummy! Okay. I know where you live. I'm checking the train schedules right now. I am going to take the next train south and will knock on your door.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Yummy! Okay. I know where you live. I'm checking the train schedules right now. I am going to take the next train south and will knock on your door.


 
   
  Better lock these in the safe then as I'll be out of the country 
  I could bring the HE-500 with my portable rig to A'dam if you want!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Better lock these in the safe then as I'll be out of the country
> I could bring the HE-500 with my portable rig to A'dam if you want!


 
  Darn! Enjoy France. I don't think you need to bring the HE-500 as I will probably get one myself (thank you, you) and also, drinking in a pub in Amsterdam while listening to headphones might be hazardous to my health. The cord wrapped around my neck while I try to lift beer glass to mouth. Not a pretty sight.


----------



## .Sup

dubstep girl said:


> oooh nice.
> 
> ive been eyeing the HE-500 for quite some time now, thinking of getting them after i sell rs1i (which i still enjoy alot)
> 
> i wonder how it compares to the T1/HD 800 though. does it have a unique sound signature? or is it similar to them? ive heard all sorts of weird things about the he-500, further adding to the mystery.



HD800 has better soundstage, more emphasized details and sounds crisp to me. HE-500 is the only headphone that doesn't have emphasized treble and at the same time doesn't sound mellow. Lots of details, perfect bass, for me much more enjoyable than HD800 bass and liquid mids. For me its the perfect headphone. And all that out of an SS amp. I have not desire for a tube amp at this point. The two headphones complement each other nicely though.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> HD800 has better soundstage, more emphasized details and sounds crisp to me. HE-500 is the only headphone that doesn't have emphasized treble and at the same time doesn't sound mellow. Lots of details, perfect bass, for me much more enjoyable than HD800 bass and liquid mids. For me its the perfect headphone. And all that out of an SS amp. I have not desire for a tube amp at this point. The two headphones complement each other nicely though.


 

 I am eyeing the HE-500 too. Can't wait to hear it on the SPL Auditor and others.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





.sup said:


> HD800 has better soundstage, more emphasized details and sounds crisp to me. *HE-500 *is the only headphone that doesn't have emphasized treble and at the same time doesn't sound mellow. Lots of details, perfect bass, for me much more enjoyable than HD800 bass and liquid mids. *For me its the perfect headphone. And all that out of an SS amp*. I have not desire for a tube amp at this point. The two headphones complement each other nicely though.


 
  Yep, I'd go with that too at the moment. I have no want at all to try anything else in the near future. Nothing stands out or is lacking on the HE-500. Thats a true sign of a great headphone! Really quite efficient too.


----------



## .Sup

clayton sf said:


> I am eyeing the HE-500 too. Can't wait to hear it on the SPL Auditor and others.



For me the current setup I truly enjoy is iPod digital out>Audio GD REF 5>Auditor>HE-500.
It has speed, musicality, detail and entertainment. But that is just my taste. For me its the perfect headphone and I will be taking it (headphone) with me on vacation next week.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





.sup said:


> For me the current setup I truly enjoy is iPod digital out>Audio GD REF 5>Auditor>HE-500.
> It has speed, musicality, detail and entertainment. But that is just my taste. For me its the perfect headphone and I will be taking it (headphone) with me on vacation next week.


 
   
  Ultrainferno is on his way to the south of France.
  I'm heading to Holland next month.
   
  Have fun on your vacation. Where yah heading?


----------



## IcedTea

Mr. Clayton! Are you no longer in the bay area?!


----------



## .Sup

clayton sf said:


> Ultrainferno is on his way to the south of France.
> I'm heading to Holland next month.
> 
> Have fun on your vacation. Where yah heading?



Croatia, Istra. Enjoy in Holland, I have to go there once


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Mr. Clayton! Are you no longer in the bay area?!


 

 Oops. Sorry. Anticipating my trip to Holland I changed my location early. I am still here. But will be there later. 
   
  I'm back now. That was quick!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Oops. Sorry. Anticipating my trip to Holland I changed my location early. I am still here. But will be there later.
> 
> I'm back now. That was quick!


 
  Clearly, no chocolate or beer in SF...


----------



## spkrs01

Wonder why the wife has started to complain...........three months into cans!?!?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The Bladelius usb DAC, HD650 and DT1350 are camera shy as are the IEMs


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Wonder why the wife has started to complain...........three months into cans!?!?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Hahaha, that dead horse icon always makes me laugh.   Great collection though!


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Wonder why the wife has started to complain...........three months into cans!?!?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Three months and you've already got all that !? Wow


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Three months and you've already got all that !? Wow


 
   
  Not the portable stuff......that's accumulated since January I think.
   
  Must admit has been great fun all the way
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..............


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Wonder why the wife has started to complain...........three months into cans!?!?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I would say that is better than a good start! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Do you have a current favorite portable rig?


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I would say that is better than a good start!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Something that can go into the pocket right? In that case it would probably be the iBasso DX100 with these little beauties 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 on a silver/gold hybrid cable
   

   
  Count the BA drivers in here..........


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


>


 
  I must know what those are !!


----------



## Audiophile03

Woooo!! My portable rig should be arriving shortly in the mail today! My portable system will consist of Leckerton Audio UHA-3 headphones amp/DAC, Modded Grado SR-80 cans, and WhipLash LOD connected to my 80gb iPod. I'm excited to hear how this setup sounds! I'll post some pics later. Geez, I'm on the road of no return...just got into HeadFi for the first time and I have two rigs already this month. The wife's gonna kill me


----------



## longbowbbs

spkrs01 said:


> Something that can go into the pocket right? In that case it would probably be the iBasso DX100 with these little beauties :wink_face:  on a silver/gold hybrid cable
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Nice! How about yr favorite iPod combo? It may not be a pocket capable, but I am going for best sound quality.


----------



## silversurfer616

In addition to the HD650,I have now a LCD2 Rev1.
  Also running the Eastern Electric DAC with the tube in, as it gives a warm touch to the SS Phoenix amp.


----------



## Br777

I also run LCD-2's off this rig, but will soon be selling them in favor of the customs.
   
   
  this is my end all rig.. i've tried everything else i could want to try, and this sounds the best to me.
  most of the time i favor the customs (westone es-5's), and clip zip, and thats it.


----------



## goropeza

Really like my setup as well. Definitely cost a lot of time and money but I can honestly say I'm finally pretty satisfied with my PC station! Heres pics!
   
  Info on the PC: I7 990X EXtreme Edition
                        EVGA GTX 570 SLI
                        Asus Rampage III mobo
                         Swiftech liquid cooling loop
                         30 in HP ZR30w monitor
   


 match made in heaven. Look closely enough at the D7000 cups and you can see me taking the pic lol
   
   

   
  Love the small footprint, which is partly why I went for an all in one unit.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





goropeza said:


>


 
   
  Those headphones really do look good together.


----------



## goropeza

LOL I know right? It's like they were meant for each other...


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I must know what those are !!


 
   
  I had them made for me.....they are a pair of 20 BA drivers IEM, 10 BA per side- 2 bass, 2 lower-mids, 2 upper-mids, 2 highs and 2 super highs
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  I have had them for about six weeks, sound really good and I will be bringing them back to have them re-shelled in to customs.........


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





goropeza said:


> Really like my setup as well. Definitely cost a lot of time and money but I can honestly say I'm finally pretty satisfied with my PC station! Heres pics!
> 
> Info on the PC: I7 990X EXtreme Edition
> EVGA GTX 570 SLI
> ...


 
   
  I thought the burson amp was way too much for either of those hp's??


----------



## goropeza

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I thought the burson amp was way too much for either of those hp's??


 

 Not sure what you're talking about. Are you talking about pricewise? Granted the Burson probably costed me almost as much as both of the HP's put together, however it made a great pairing with the D7000 (more so than the HD 598).


----------



## Run

Here is my new setup. Love the way it sounds!


----------



## lilkoolaidman

Quote: 





run said:


> Here is my new setup. Love the way it sounds!


 

 Are your D2Ks modded? If so, how do they compare to the LCD-2s?


----------



## Run

Quote: 





lilkoolaidman said:


> Are your D2Ks modded? If so, how do they compare to the LCD-2s?


 
   
  D2k's are stock.  The D2k's have more bass response.  I listen to them about 80% of the time. I love them, but it is a real treat when I listen to the LCD-2's.  They are much more detailed through the mids and highs.
   
  I pretty much use the D2k's for casual listening, Gaming, Hip-Hop and Electronic music and I use the LCD-2's for everything else.
   
  I didn't want to mod the D2k's that's why I got the LCD-2's. Now I have the best of both worlds.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Love the desktop, I have the same one here
  Quote: 





goropeza said:


>


----------



## Mad Dude

I've recently disconnected my PC from my headphone setup - I always use my CD player or the Squeezebox touch as source - so I had to find a solution to use headphones with my PC. I've settled for this, uh, high-end solution, consisting of a Behringer UCA-222 and my modded T50RP. The result sounds surprisingly good!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





run said:


> Here is my new setup. Love the way it sounds!


 
   
   
  Did you build your own M^3?  How do you like it.  Does it have the power you need?


----------



## Tilpo

preproman said:


> Did you build your own M^3?  How do you like it.  Does it have the power you need?



The main thing that scared me off building the M^3 at least is it's low amount of power. 

Then again, the LCD-2 and entire Denon line don't need that much power, so it should be fine in his case.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> The main thing that scared me off building the M^3 at least is it's low amount of power.


 
   
  M^3 low power?  Not as much as the B22 I know.  But not low.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/397457/rockhopper-m-3-the-review


----------



## MomijiTMO

You can make a beefy M^3 too .


----------



## Tilpo

preproman said:


> M^3 low power?  Not as much as the B22 I know.  But not low.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/397457/rockhopper-m-3-the-review



Just rechecked the specs on AMB's website. Indeed far more power than I remember.

Weird. I remember the low power of the M3 being a deal breaker, but looking at it again this is simply not true.
Ah well, my Beta22 is powerful enough to power small speakers, and hopefully my Lambdas too. That's quite a feat for a headphone amp.


----------



## MomijiTMO

Maybe you got told a porkie?  Now you have the beta 22 you wonder have to wonder what if?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Testing the new BeatsPro on my Apogee Duet 2 and 11" MacBook Air.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Testing the new BeatsPro on my Apogee Duet 2 and 11" MacBook Air.


 
   
  How are you liking them? Any good?


----------



## Run

No, I did not build my own, but owing this amp has inspired me to give it a try.  I find that they have plenty of power.  I only need the gain at about 10 o'clock to drive the LCD-2's.  Mine is build by YBM audio, which I picked up off the forums.  YBM offers alot of different upgrades.  When I was searching for a new amp, I was looking for something that could drive the LCD-2's but would also have good synergy with my Denon's as well.  I really wanted a Burson, but when this came up I thought I'd give it a try as it was another amp I was looking at.  I am very pleased with the results! Not only that but I also was able to get a great DAC by CI audio, so if I feel the need to go back to tubes later I have the freedom to swap out.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Testing the new BeatsPro on my Apogee Duet 2 and 11" MacBook Air.


 

 They look like toy town headphones in this pic...


----------



## Silent One

Very clean ensemble, HiFiGuy528. I nearly bought the Duet2 back in May (2011). Placed an order and was placed on a waiting list but asked for a refund later that day. I'm still curious about the performance.


----------



## BrownBear

Yes, very nice setup HiFiGuy, the Apogee Duet 2 looks great, and I love the colors of these three units and how they go together.


----------



## Silent One

It could easily pass for a listening station inside an audio boutique.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Very clean ensemble, HiFiGuy528. I nearly bought the Duet2 back in May (2011). Placed an order and was placed on a waiting list but asked for a refund later that day. I'm still curious about the performance.


 
   
  I would have ordered one if they had kept the firewire interface from the original Duet, as I didn't want to have my digital music coming in from HDD and going out to DAC with the same bus (USB). But they changed the Duet2 to USB, because I guess it's still a Windows world after all.
  But no worries, now my music library is on my Drobo, cruising in via firewire 800 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  That is a sweet-looking little laptop setup though *HiFiGuy528*, congrats!


----------



## DE Nefta

How are the Pro's, I had the studio's, but they are to over bassed and to overprised.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> How are you liking them? Any good?


 
  Quote: 





de nefta said:


> How are the Pro's, I had the studio's, but they are to over bassed and to overprised.





  Please take a look at the BeatsPro thread.  I don't want to derail this thread.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/618474/first-look-at-the-new-revised-beats-by-dr-dre-beatspro-headphones-unboxing-video-impressions-to-come
   
  The Duet 2 is worth the money in performance.  I too love the simple one box listening setup.  Everything is at arm's reach.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





run said:


> I also was able to get a great DAC by CI audio,


 
   
   
  I was looking at that DAC.  How do you like it?  Are you using the SE or the Balanced config.


----------



## Run

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I was looking at that DAC.  How do you like it?  Are you using the SE or the Balanced config.


 
   
  Single End, I find it really makes the highs shine while still allowing the bass to be present and punchy.  It performs extremely well for the price.  I love it!


----------



## MorbidToaster

grokit said:


> I would have ordered one if they had kept the firewire interface from the original Duet, as I didn't want to have my digital music coming in from HDD and going out to DAC with the same bus (USB). But they changed the Duet2 to USB, because it's still a Windows world after all.
> But no worries, now my music library is on my Drobo, cruising in via firewire 800
> 
> That is a sweet-looking little laptop setup though *HiFiGuy528*, congrats!




As far as I know the Duet 2 is still Mac only. I've been thinking about getting one for portable use with my MBP along with a Signature Pro. It could be used as a standalone balanced DAC too.

The only thing stopping me is the breakaway cables for recording. I just think it's an odd design...


----------



## HiFiGuy528

You can get the optional Duet 2 Breakout box for $99.


----------



## MorbidToaster

hifiguy528 said:


> You can get the optional Duet 2 Breakout box for $99.




I know and I would, but it still has a 6' cable to the box.


----------



## aroldan

My humble, bad shooted pictures of my home-office:
   
  The Bottlehead Crack is on a loaner:
   

   
  A wider view:

   

   
  And I can chill out by listening my favorite music and the view from my window:


----------



## BrownBear

Quote: 





aroldan said:


> My humble, bad shooted pictures of my home-office:


 
   
  Nice setup. I like how it's in the corner, and the view is nice. How're you liking the Bottlehead Crack?


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





brownbear said:


> Nice setup. I like how it's in the corner, and the view is nice. How're you liking the Bottlehead Crack?


 
  Thank you!. The Crack is a really nice amp for the HD650. The bass is deep and the mids are lovely. I use it for jazz and classic rock listening. I must say that it's still stock (no tube upgrades, nor speedball). For classical listening I prefer the FUN.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *grokit* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> But they changed the Duet2 to USB, because I guess it's still a Windows world after all.


 
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> As far as I know the Duet 2 is still Mac only. I've been thinking about getting one for portable use with my MBP along with a Signature Pro. It could be used as a standalone balanced DAC too.
> 
> The only thing stopping me is the breakaway cables for recording. I just think it's an odd design...


 
   
  Whoops, thanks, fixed. Surprising though if that's the case. Maybe the Duet3 will be Thunderbolt!


----------



## RexAeterna

grokit said:


> I would have ordered one if they had kept the firewire interface from the original Duet, as I didn't want to have my digital music coming in from HDD and going out to DAC with the same bus (USB). But they changed the Duet2 to USB, because I guess it's still a Windows world after all.
> But no worries, now my music library is on my Drobo, cruising in via firewire 800
> 
> That is a sweet-looking little laptop setup though *HiFiGuy528*, congrats!




windows utilizes firewire/IEEE just as well as mac. it depends all on your motherboard or laptop that supports a IEEE/firewire connector. lot of motherboards nowadays i believe uses a texas instrument chip for IEEE but of course you can always change it to legacy to have bit more control if you need to on certain software or if you're not lucky enough to have a texas instrument host controller.

if you want something like the duet, try echo. echo uses the same texas instrument converters as apogee and RME uses. has good software support as well.


----------



## dorino

A fair set up on top of my new desktop.
   
  HRT MS2 -> JDS O2 -> Senn HD598


----------



## tool462

Moar pictures!


----------



## Arvan

I just had a little inventory check this afternoon..I did not put everything to the test but this pretty much sums it up


----------



## Audiophile03

Here's the portable setup: iPod 5G 60gb (survived 2 deployments!), Leckerton Audio UHA-3 amp, modded Grado SR80's, and WhipLash Elite Reference LOD. I'm loving the Grado's but will hopefully get them sent off to Headphile next month for their wood cups and c-pads.
  I ended up having to use an "L" adapter to fit both the input and headphones plugs. Both plugs were just too large for this tiny little amp. Its a temporary fix till I can figure out how to fit them both without having to use a silly adapter.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I just had a little inventory check this afternoon..I did not put everything to the test but this pretty much sums it up


 

 No open cans for you, eh?
   
  Kojaku


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> No open cans for you, eh?
> 
> Kojaku


 
  I had the exact same thoughts! But isn't his AKG open?


----------



## Yuceka

They're semi open


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





rexaeterna said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It sure does, I had a Vaio laptop with a mini-IEEE interface built in. So the Duet2 isn't OS-limited?


----------



## KimLaroux

grokit said:


> It sure does, I had a Vaio laptop with a mini-IEEE interface built in. So the Duet2 isn't OS-limited?




It still is limited to Mac. I believe the constraints are on the software side. The Duet was designed for apple computers.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yup.
   
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> It still is limited to Mac. I believe the constraints are on the software side. The Duet was designed for apple computers.


----------



## devgru

Quote: 





grokit said:


> It sure does, I had a Vaio laptop with a mini-IEEE interface built in. So the Duet2 isn't OS-limited?


 
  I own the Duet2 and Babyface, and have owned an Echo Audiofire. May have the same converters, but they certainly differ quite a bit on SQ. The Duet2 has more output but sounds a little rough compared to the RME. A harder edge even though i consider the RME more transparent. The Echo isn't in the same league, IMO.
   
  I've had kernel panics on a top-spec MacPro with the Duet2. TotalMix on the RME is rock-solid and it's dual-platform. The hardware EQ on the RME is fantastic. I've not found the need to go beyond the factory EQ presets, however.
   
  I bought one recently for my sis on her birthday and found it for ~$600 shipped at juno.co.uk. Literally received it overnight from the UK to NorCal. Can't beat their price. 
   
  I own three of the RMEs. One in my home office, wife has one and one at work. I also record work-related morning "podcast" on the RME and some of my coworkers noticed the improvement when I switched from the Apogee to the RME. Not bashing the Apogee as I do use it quote a bit with my less sensitive phones and it also makes a great DAC.
   
  Can't go wrong with either.


----------



## Mcarter3

Quote: 





br777 said:


> I also run LCD-2's off this rig, but will soon be selling them in favor of the customs.
> 
> 
> this is my end all rig.. i've tried everything else i could want to try, and this sounds the best to me.
> most of the time i favor the customs (westone es-5's), and clip zip, and thats it.


 
  what all other amps and dacs have you tried? I am very interested in the O2+objective and thinking about buying just to try and get it over with


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





devgru said:


> I've had kernel panics on a top-spec MacPro with the Duet2.


 
  Just out of curiosity has anybody else experienced kernel panics with the Duet2?


----------



## Arvan

Not for now i´m afraid..I live in a 2 room flat with my girlfriend and the TV and my computer is in the same room..Sometimes we both use cans ( very social eh ) But often i´m the one cranking the music so that´s why i don´t have any open cans..Next purchase will be! Maybe Grados


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Here's the portable setup: iPod 5G 60gb (survived 2 deployments!), Leckerton Audio UHA-3 amp, modded Grado SR80's, and WhipLash Elite Reference LOD. I'm loving the Grado's but will hopefully get them sent off to Headphile next month for their wood cups and c-pads.
> I ended up having to use an "L" adapter to fit both the input and headphones plugs. Both plugs were just too large for this tiny little amp. Its a temporary fix till I can figure out how to fit them both without having to use a silly adapter.


 
  LOD cable is the most expensive component in the rig!


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





arvan said:


> Not for now i´m afraid..I live in a 2 room flat with my girlfriend and the TV and my computer is in the same room..Sometimes we both use cans ( very social eh ) But often i´m the one cranking the music so that´s why i don´t have any open cans..Next purchase will be! Maybe Grados


 
   
  A head-fi'er has a girlfriend?
   
  Not sure if srs...


----------



## .Sup

arvan said:


> Not for now i´m afraid..I live in a 2 room flat with my girlfriend and the TV and my computer








cactus_farmer said:


> A head-fi'er has a girlfriend?
> 
> Not sure if srs...




Guess what the "girlfriend" is


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Guess what the "girlfriend" is


 
   
  Lulz


----------



## Audiophile03

pdiddypdler said:


> LOD cable is the most expensive component in the rig! :tongue_smile:




Oddly enough, a friend hooked me up with this LOD for the cost of shipping ($6).


----------



## DE Nefta

You lucky person


----------



## ssrock64

Just finished relocating to Alabama and I don't yet have my Woo stands unpacked (hence the lack of headphones in this photo), but currently my can collection (minus a few odds and ends that are still packed away) is hanging on two makeshift racks (made from metal piping and bubble wrap) shoved between my couch and my wall. It's not pretty, so I decided to share this most recent photograph of my bedroom speaker setup:
   
​   
   
  Those little Mission 771s back quite an audio punch for their size and the price point they sold at thirteen years ago, and I'd still say they're quite competitive today. It's too bad that company is now an IAG subsidiary. They Missions are fed by a Sherwood RVD-6090R (the same receiver I drive most of my headphones straight out of) that gets its music either from the Sony CDP-C245 beneath it or my computer (complete with another DAC for overkill), which you can see a trace of in the unmentionable-brand cable coming out of the front input (the Monster 1/8" to RCA is the only cable of its type I have, and I'm out of RCA to RCA cables to plug into the back of my uDAC2 because I have three setups throughout the house at the moment). I only own one record player and decided to use it in my living room setup, so I'm without any vinyl sound in this room. That's fine though, because my CD collection and Live Music Archive downloads are enough to keep me company in here.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> In addition to the HD650,I have now a LCD2 Rev1.
> Also running the Eastern Electric DAC with the tube in, as it gives a warm touch to the SS Phoenix amp.


 

 This got lost a few pages back. Great setup with equipment that's not simply the go-to.


----------



## humphy01

Very nice looking setup.


----------



## Silent One

Dare to say, silversurfer616 looks focused.


----------



## silversurfer616

Thanks guys!


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Just finished relocating to Alabama and I don't yet have my Woo stands unpacked (hence the lack of headphones in this photo), but currently my can collection (minus a few odds and ends that are still packed away) is hanging on two makeshift racks (made from metal piping and bubble wrap) shoved between my couch and my wall. It's not pretty, so I decided to share this most recent photograph of my bedroom speaker setup:
> 
> ​
> 
> Those little Mission 771s back quite an audio punch for their size and the price point they sold at thirteen years ago, and I'd still say they're quite competitive today. It's too bad that company is now an IAG subsidiary. They Missions are fed by a Sherwood RVD-6090R (the same receiver I drive most of my headphones straight out of) that gets its music either from the Sony CDP-C245 beneath it or my computer (complete with another DAC for overkill), which you can see a trace of in the unmentionable-brand cable coming out of the front input (the Monster 1/8" to RCA is the only cable of its type I have, and I'm out of RCA to RCA cables to plug into the back of my uDAC2 because I have three setups throughout the house at the moment). I only own one record player and decided to use it in my living room setup, so I'm without any vinyl sound in this room. That's fine though, because my CD collection and Live Music Archive downloads are enough to keep me company in here.


 

 Nice to see a pair of mission speakers !
 My dad owns a pair of Mission 731's, they sound pretty good, but when it comes to vocals, IMO, nothing beats the Rogers LS3/5a


----------



## thenorwegian

Muuhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

thenorwegian said:


> Muuhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!




How does the M1 compares to that $$$ big boy?


----------



## longbowbbs

thenorwegian said:


> Muuhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!




I am liking the Antelope! How does it perform? Any particulars you like about it?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Are you laughing because it's paired with the M1? lol
   
  Seriously though. The black gold is impressive. It's what I'd get if I wanted one. 
  Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Muuhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!


----------



## twizzleraddict

Latest iteration...new can and a Woo Audio stand.
   

   

   
   
  The Shures are a real treat to listen to right now...going to wait until the "new car smell" wears off before jotting down impressions.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Sure is a nice stand you've got there. Wink.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Sure is a nice stand you've got there. Wink.


 
   
  I wonder where I got it from?  Thanks MT!


----------



## thenorwegian

The antelope is a loaner. I ordered one, but they were sold out  So slightly frustrated I cancelled my order and bought the audiolab m-dac instead. Then I was offered to loan a zodiac and try it out untill they get a new batch in stock. So that's what I'm doing now  As for comparisons, I'm getting a hegel hd20 this weekend aswell so after spending some hours listening to all of them with my he-500's, I'll make a thread about it. More than likely I'll do that on sunday, as I have to return the hegel monday morning. Right now it's too early to say anything definitive as I've only had the zodiac for a bit over 1 hour.
   
  The only thing I'll say right now is that I hoped that whatever I would hear from the zodiac would be so minute in difference to the m-dac that I could dismiss it as some over-priced bling for hi-fi posers, totally not worth the price. But right now...*keeping in mind I havn't A/B'ed the two and I might just be imagining this/placebo/whatever*...I think I need a zodiac gold with voltikus in my life
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  But I'll make a thread about it when I have done the dac's justice. Let's not derail this thread


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll be doing some A/Bing of my Calyx DAC and the new Cambridge 851C once my Mapletree Line Router gets here (Mmmmm...instantly switchable inputs). Then again...I hope the Calyx sells before the LR 1 is done because I want my new TT. D:
  Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> The antelope is a loaner. I ordered one, but they were sold out  So slightly frustrated I cancelled my order and bought the audiolab m-dac instead. Then I was offered to loan a zodiac and try it out untill they get a new batch in stock. So that's what I'm doing now  As for comparisons, I'm getting a hegel hd20 this weekend aswell so after spending some hours listening to all of them with my he-500's, I'll make a thread about it. More than likely I'll do that on sunday, as I have to return the hegel monday morning. Right now it's too early to say anything definitive as I've only had the zodiac for a bit over 1 hour.
> 
> The only thing I'll say right now is that I hoped that whatever I would hear from the zodiac would be so minute in difference to the m-dac that I could dismiss it as some over-priced bling for hi-fi posers, totally not worth the price. But right now...*keeping in mind I havn't A/B'ed the two and I might just be imagining this/placebo/whatever*...I think I need a zodiac gold with voltikus in my life
> 
> ...


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


>


 
   
  Nice.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  X2, looking forward to a full report


----------



## TigzStudio

How many hours did the Zodiac loaner have when you received it out of curiosity?  If it has relatively little hours so far, it will get even better with some time.
   
  I bought my first Antelope near release in the form of the Zodiac+ with custom power supply and I still have and love it to this day in my secondary studio system (primary headphone system has a gold / volt now).
   
  Yes the price of entry is a bit higher for some of the Antelope gear, but they certainly back it up. 
   
  Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> The antelope is a loaner. I ordered one, but they were sold out  So slightly frustrated I cancelled my order and bought the audiolab m-dac instead. Then I was offered to loan a zodiac and try it out untill they get a new batch in stock. So that's what I'm doing now  As for comparisons, I'm getting a hegel hd20 this weekend aswell so after spending some hours listening to all of them with my he-500's, I'll make a thread about it. More than likely I'll do that on sunday, as I have to return the hegel monday morning. Right now it's too early to say anything definitive as I've only had the zodiac for a bit over 1 hour.
> 
> The only thing I'll say right now is that I hoped that whatever I would hear from the zodiac would be so minute in difference to the m-dac that I could dismiss it as some over-priced bling for hi-fi posers, totally not worth the price. But right now...*keeping in mind I havn't A/B'ed the two and I might just be imagining this/placebo/whatever*...I think I need a zodiac gold with voltikus in my life
> 
> ...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Nice to see a pair of mission speakers !
> My dad owns a pair of Mission 731's, they sound pretty good, but when it comes to vocals, IMO, nothing beats the Rogers LS3/5a


 

 The thing that's really kept me from loving any other speaker the size and price of the 771 is that it produces fantastic bass. It's insane how detailed yet present the bass is on these little two-way bookshelvers.


----------



## goropeza

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Latest iteration...new can and a Woo Audio stand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Ahh I have the same amp and just finished posting my thoughts on it. Love the Burson! It's killing me inside that you have the black Woo Audio stand and not the silver one to match! UGGHH


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Latest iteration...new can and a Woo Audio stand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That is one heavy duty cable..


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> That is one heavy duty cable..


 
   
  It's an APureSound v3 cable w/the Furutech plug. Pretty hefty plug!
   
  Quote: 





goropeza said:


> Ahh I have the same amp and just finished posting my thoughts on it. Love the Burson! It's killing me inside that you have the black Woo Audio stand and not the silver one to match! UGGHH


 
   
  Read your great mini-review on the Burson earlier. I couldn't have said it any better myself TBH. Yeah, any one want to trade the black stand for a silver one? Seriously though, I plan to rearrange things when I figure out where to get a wide enough monitor stand that will accomodate the Power Wave DAC that's on the way, alongside the Burson.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll be doing some A/Bing of my Calyx DAC and the new Cambridge 851C once my Mapletree Line Router gets here (Mmmmm...instantly switchable inputs). Then again...I hope the Calyx sells before the LR 1 is done because I want my new TT. D:


 
   
   
  What does the Mapletree Line Router allow you to do?  Can you post a link to it?


----------



## grokit

Scroll down: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/otherproducts.htm


----------



## DE Nefta

Very nice setup. Hoe does it sound?


----------



## MorbidToaster

grokit said:


> Scroll down: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/otherproducts.htm




There ya go.



preproman said:


> What does the Mapletree Line Router allow you to do?  Can you post a link to it?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Scroll down: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/otherproducts.htm


 
  Another interesting Tube manufacturer...I can't keep up with all of them


----------



## tme110

I have his line router myself - like it quite a bit


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> I have his line router myself - like it quite a bit


 
  OK...What does a line router do?


----------



## Face

I have one of his Line 2A preamps, sounds great for the money and there are a few upgrades available.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> OK...What does a line router do?


 
   
  This was already answered:
   
   


grokit said:


> Scroll down: http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/otherproducts.htm


 
   
  Looks like it does pretty much exactly what the name implies.


----------



## Draygonn

longbowbbs said:


> OK...What does a line router do?  :confused_face_2:


otherwise known as a switchbox


----------



## Arvan

Trying out the 160 flats on my galaxy S2.. I am impressed with this little can! Great comfort and i like the sound better then the porta pro. Good isolation and much MUCH lower leakage then the portas...It´s a damn shame i ordered the silver color! It was a mistake from my side..Well il just order some black ones.. Gotta catch em all


----------



## mrAdrian

Shall we give ot a change? Inspired by Arvan:

Welcome to head-fi,
Gotta catch'em all!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> otherwise known as a switchbox


 
  That is the only name I knew them as...I need to study up on how to speak Engineer...


----------



## jtaylor991

So, you have multiple inputs and one output, like if your (pre)amp only has one input? I could use something like that.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Lloyd's Line Routers can be configured for any numbers of inputs and outputs up to 6. 
   
  So...5 in 1 out, 1 in 5 out, etc. 
   
  I ordered mine as a 3 in 2 out. This leaves me 1 in for my TT, 1 in for my CD/DAC and 1 extra. The 2 outs means 1 for the headphone system and 1 for the speaker system. 
   
  I'm really looking forward to getting mine. He does a balanced model as well.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> So, you have multiple inputs and one output, like if your (pre)amp only has one input? I could use something like that.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Shall we give ot a change? Inspired by Arvan:
> Welcome to head-fi,
> Gotta catch'em all!


 

 Then we might get sued when a new user finds out that we've robbed them of all their money, because it wasn't clear when they showed up.


----------



## thenorwegian

Just missing the hegel hd20 now, and my weekend is complete(-ely awesome!) (zodiac + lcd-3 are on loan, I do not own them... yet? )


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Just missing the hegel hd20 now, and my weekend is complete(-ely awesome!) (zodiac + lcd-3 are on loan, I do not own them... yet? )


 
  Love the pun.....Great gear! Enjoy your awesome weekend!


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Just missing the hegel hd20 now, and my weekend is complete(-ely awesome!) (zodiac + lcd-3 are on loan, I do not own them... yet? )


 
  How good is the amping section of the Zodiac?


----------



## thenorwegian

Will do as much testing as time allows me to between the dacs, the headphone output of them (mdac+zodiac), and he-500 vs lcd-3. The musical fidelity m1 hpa doesn't seem to mind driving both the he-500 and lcd-3 at the same time, that's impressive (and makes a/b'ing them a breeze)


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> How good is the amping section of the Zodiac?


 
   
  It's only good enough for ultra-efficient things like CIEMs, reg IEMs or Ultrasones, maybe?  Denons?  Very clean and precise otherwise.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> It's only good enough for ultra-efficient things like CIEMs, reg IEMs or Ultrasones, maybe?  Denons?  Very clean and precise otherwise.


 
  Well, that's not very good at all. haha. Thanks, Sphinx.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 
  You sir, are a true canhead! I subscribe to your youtube channel..These diesels looks cool indeed!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 

 Diesel makes headphones?!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 
  Loving the Dragonfly!


----------



## Moosecraft

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Diesel makes headphones?!


 
  they're made by monster


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


>


 
  You sir, own my dream set up.  I am mad jelly.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Just missing the hegel hd20 now, and my weekend is complete(-ely awesome!) (zodiac + lcd-3 are on loan, I do not own them... yet? )


 
   
  Whoa!  That's my dream system too.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 

 Are they built well, and is the plastic prone to HP glossysmudge disease?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

ssrock64 said:


> Are they built well, and is the plastic prone to HP glossysmudge disease?




It is surprisingly well built. Feels great in the hand. Much more solid than my Beats Solo HD.


----------



## njtc

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 
   
  I saw theses at the diesel shop and couldn't stop staring at them. They look pretty damn sexy, but way too cool for me.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

The headphones look so nice it makes me what to be cool and buy a pair of $600 Diesel jeans. I'm just not cool enough to sport the jeans.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> The headphones look so nice it makes me what to be cool and buy a pair of $600 Diesel jeans. I'm just not cool enough to sport the jeans.


 

 I visited the 5th Avenue Diesel store twice in a day once, and since I had gotten to know the layout of the place the first time through I didn't think much of using the elevator the second time through, when I had a friend with me. What I didn't realize is that they had moved a mannequin in front of the elevator button to keep people form noticing it because there was a private party upstairs. Luckily I'd dressed as fashionably as possibly that day (I wanted to be able to browse in stores like Fendi and Wempe without getting stared at), and ended up attending the party for the heck of it.


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Just missing the hegel hd20 now, and my weekend is complete(-ely awesome!) (zodiac + lcd-3 are on loan, I do not own them... yet? )


 
   
  Nice 
   
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLeWf2qn_p4&feature=youtu.be
   
  fast forward to 2:22 and look on the left


----------



## sphinxvc

Can we stop bumping that Zodiac pic?  I cringe every time I see the LCD-3 and it's yoke bolts resting on it.  Pick it up with the slightest amount of lateral force and you'll have a scratched DAC.  A scratched expensive DAC.  I treat my Zodiac like a newborn, and it's just a third of the price.
   
  Sometime ago there was a classified pic of a guy who kept a Sonicweld Diverter ontop of his Zodiac (no sharp edges whatsoever mind you) and it left a nice imprint of four feet.  I've been paranoid since.


----------



## Bradsnake412

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.


 

 Very nice headphones Hopefully you get the Diamond Tears by JYP


----------



## Dogmatrix

Game over .


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Game over .


 

 Please make my life and tell me that's real carbon fiber on your headphone stand and not just a stick-on plastic.


----------



## stevenlongs

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Game over .


 
   
  Girl enters room...asks if the carpet was bought in turkey.
  Guy enters room...sits himself in the La-Z-Boy.
  Headfier enters room...grounds himself in front of the audio equipment...later found dead for standing on the carpet shoes on.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Game over .


 
  Indeed!  I don't think I would ever leave the chair...


----------



## Bradsnake412

what is the 3rd one on the right headphones name ^_^


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





bradsnake412 said:


> what is the 3rd one on the right headphones name ^_^


 
Violectric HPA V181
   
  I missed the headphone only part.


----------



## Kremer930

spkrs01 said:


> I had them made for me.....they are a pair of 20 BA drivers IEM, 10 BA per side- 2 bass, 2 lower-mids, 2 upper-mids, 2 highs and 2 super highs .
> 
> I have had them for about six weeks, sound really good and I will be bringing them back to have them re-shelled in to customs.........




What are they and I am guessing I don't really want to know, but must ask....how much are they?:rolleyes:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





bradsnake412 said:


> what is the 3rd one on the right headphones name ^_^


 
  I believe it is the HiFiMan HE-500....


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> So, you have multiple inputs and one output, like if your (pre)amp only has one input? I could use something like that.


 

 You can pick between several different DACs to connect to a selection of several different amps.  Pretty awesome for a/b-ing and trying new toys.


----------



## thenorwegian

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Can we stop bumping that Zodiac pic?  I cringe every time I see the LCD-3 and it's yoke bolts resting on it.  Pick it up with the slightest amount of lateral force and you'll have a scratched DAC.  A scratched expensive DAC.  I treat my Zodiac like a newborn, and it's just a third of the price.
> 
> Sometime ago there was a classified pic of a guy who kept a Sonicweld Diverter ontop of his Zodiac (no sharp edges whatsoever mind you) and it left a nice imprint of four feet.  I've been paranoid since.


 
   
  If it helps you sleep: I'm not a total retard, and treat my own and other's gear with care. I even cleaned the hegel HD20 because it was dirty when I got it. So don't worry about the zodiac, it's as shiny as when it was new


----------



## sphinxvc

I'm good as of this page.  =]  
   
  No cringing yet.


----------



## revolink24

Posted this in the computer rigs thread, figured I might as well post it here too. Not a very exciting rig, I've been drifting away from the hobby because of my limited college budget, but I enjoy my rig anyway. Haven't set up my CD Player yet. Pretty nice for college life. Headphones not pictured though.


----------



## magic12345

hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.




A very nice looking pair of headphones


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> Posted this in the computer rigs thread, figured I might as well post it here too. Not a very exciting rig, I've been drifting away from the hobby because of my limited college budget, but I enjoy my rig anyway. Haven't set up my CD Player yet. Pretty nice for college life. Headphones not pictured though.


 
  What turntable is that?


----------



## jtaylor991

So, with that line router, you buy it configured for however many inputs and outputs you want (6 total)? Could you reconfigure that manually later on? 
 Sorry, there's just no details that I could find on that horrible website 
  Like go from 3 inputs and 1 output to 4 inputs and 2 outputs by hand, myself? I'd hate to run across a situation where another arrangement would be useful but I can't change it.


----------



## nc8000

hifiguy528 said:


> Listening to the new Diesel VEKTR headphones.  I love the way it looks.  The sound is surprisingly  good.




I see a Dragonfly. How do you like it ?
I'm well pleased with mine


----------



## MorbidToaster

jtaylor991 said:


> So, with that line router, you buy it configured for however many inputs and outputs you want (6 total)? Could you reconfigure that manually later on?
> 
> Sorry, there's just no details that I could find on that horrible website
> Like go from 3 inputs and 1 output to 4 inputs and 2 outputs by hand, myself? I'd hate to run across a situation where another arrangement would be useful but I can't change it.




You cannot change it later. You have to live with it. I believe he actually cuts the back panel to your specs. 

I'm excited to get mine. I talked to Lloyd about it in May and finally ordered.


----------



## revolink24

calipilot227 said:


> What turntable is that?




It's a highly under appreciated 1970s model, the Sony PS-X5.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> *snip*





>


 
   
  I like this poster you have, very nice indeed


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> Posted this in the computer rigs thread, figured I might as well post it here too. Not a very exciting rig, I've been drifting away from the hobby because of my limited college budget, but I enjoy my rig anyway. Haven't set up my CD Player yet. Pretty nice for college life. Headphones not pictured though.


 
  Are you sure you should have that bottle near your audio station?  It might make your treble.._a bit hot_.


----------



## MorbidToaster

dagothur said:


> Are you sure you should have that bottle near your audio station?  It might make your treble.._a bit hot_.




csimiami.wav


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Are you sure you should have that bottle near your audio station?  It might make your treble.._a bit hot_.


 
   
  Yeah, LOTS of hot sauces there...including that sriracha one.
   
  A pretty sweet college student set up tho!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Workin on getting a decent picture XD so far, ive got a decent 2:1 speaker setup, a good mid size tower PC, and my HD518 cans. working on finding a decent amp, but im loooooooow on cash


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Game over .


 
   
  Nice ensemble of gear. For a future upgrade, I'd recommend looking in to the replacement of the metal rack and a reduction of EMI/RFI.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> So, with that line router, you buy it configured for however many inputs and outputs you want (6 total)? Could you reconfigure that manually later on?
> Sorry, there's just no details that I could find on that horrible website
> Like go from 3 inputs and 1 output to 4 inputs and 2 outputs by hand, myself? I'd hate to run across a situation where another arrangement would be useful but I can't change it.


 

 I was thinking you could just open it up and wire it anyway you wanted to but if you buy a 4 -2 combo then there are only 4 spots on the one switch and 2 on the other and probably not too much you can do about that.  in the unlikely event that 6 positions isn't enough for you you could always just connect to it backwards - the 4-2 config would turn into a 2+4.  I'm not sure how that could ever not be enough choices for you.
   
  It is nice dealing with Lloyd though.  I ordered mine in a custom enclosure and I asked for a 4+3 where I had 1 output option that go to both amps.  I also wanted to get upgraded RCA terminals on mine since it was a extra connection I was adding to my system and he said he thought it was a waste on money so I didn't go that route.


----------



## goropeza

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> Posted this in the computer rigs thread, figured I might as well post it here too. Not a very exciting rig, I've been drifting away from the hobby because of my limited college budget, but I enjoy my rig anyway. Haven't set up my CD Player yet. Pretty nice for college life. Headphones not pictured though.


 
   
  I'm actually pretty impressed! Not bad for a college setup! I still need to buy a turn table and I saw one at a respectable price at my local Post Exchange. I just really wish I could redo the furnishings in my barracks room. It really kind of limits what I can hook up electronically =/


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Quote: 





nc8000 said:


> I see a Dragonfly. How do you like it ?
> I'm well pleased with mine


 
   
  I'm a happy user.  I think the sound is great, but I do wish it was $50 less, $199?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> I'm a happy user.  I think the sound is great, but I do wish it was $50 less, $199?


 

 So you're saying it's not quite the value king that Jude thinks it is?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> So you're saying it's not quite the value king that Jude thinks it is?


 
  Now that it is burned in it is rivaling my DMPlus...I feel it is a great value!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I think it's a portable KING.  $249 is a lot of money IMO.


----------



## nc8000

In this hobby it's mid-fi at best


----------



## Mad Dude

My HD600 has been exiled & sent to the bedside rig...

   
   
  Meanwhile, voltage has risen to dangerous levels in the main listening station


----------



## JMcMasterJ




----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> My HD600 has been exiled & sent to the bedside rig...
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, voltage has risen to dangerous levels in the main listening station


 
   
   
  I see Stacks & Stax of audio goodness!


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> My HD600 has been exiled & sent to the bedside rig...
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, voltage has risen to dangerous levels in the main listening station


 

 Like your Keith Haring inspired Chair(Ikea,I guess).


----------



## LCfiner

Last two setups are real nice. 

Which ATH cans are those connected to the super 7? (at least I think those are audio technics cans)


----------



## MorbidToaster

lcfiner said:


> Last two setups are real nice.
> Which ATH cans are those connected to the super 7? (at least I think those are audio technics cans)




He lists a W3000ANV on his profile. It would've been my guess either way.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> He lists a W3000ANV on his profile. It would've been my guess either way.


 

 Well, at least you'll never have to wonder an amp is a super7 - seems pretty distinctive from any angle


----------



## Rocko1

Quote: 





djamtrax said:


> Here you go.  Are those K272HD?


 

 Love the old Sansui. What model is that?


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I see Stacks & Stax of audio goodness!


 
   
  The former are primarily there due to overflowing CD racks... So a lot of stuff gets piled up on top of my audio equipment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Like your Keith Haring inspired Chair(Ikea,I guess).


 
   
  I'm not sure if is supposed to resemble Haring's style, but there definetly is some semblance - Reminded me of his pictures when I first saw the chair.
  Regarding Ikea: I'll need to get another BILLY (I think that's what they're called) CD rack. Or two, just to make sure.


----------



## silversurfer616

If you got lots of wall space,try hanging the Billy horizontaly!!!
  I know,sounds weird but looks great!


----------



## JMcMasterJ

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> He lists a W3000ANV on his profile. It would've been my guess either way.


 
   
  Yep, W3000ANV. I'll take a better picture when I find my camera charger (just moved). The previous was with my iphone.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mad dude said:


>


 
  ESP/950 Owners' Official Secret Fist-Bump That Doesn't Actually Exist (AKA EOOSF-BTDAE) activated!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Meanwhile, voltage has risen to dangerous levels in the main listening station


 
  How are you liking the Koss electrostats?


----------



## wolfetan44

So do I need a DAC or can I just get a O2 amp and use it? Or would I need a HRT MusicStreamer? Sorry that may sound dumb but im trying to learn


----------



## njtc

This is what i'm doing right now.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> So do I need a DAC or can I just get a O2 amp and use it? Or would I need a HRT MusicStreamer? Sorry that may sound dumb but im trying to learn


 
  If you can afford it, get a DAC. The amp could be used out of a line out on your computer (or something else with a line out) but it won't be anywhere near it's full potential and may even only help minimally without a DAC. From what I've read I bet the HRT would be a fine choice, or you could go for an ODAC for a matching set 
   
  And headphone out is not the same as line out. The former is already amplified, so you'd be amplifying an amplified signal, so go with line out (unless headphone out is the absolute only thing you have, then I think 50% on that is the recommended volume). This only applies without a DAC though. The DAC would connect by USB, optical or coax, getting a digital signal that has no amplification, but would be converted into a line out that goes from it (the DAC) to your amp.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





njtc said:


>


 
   
  Awesome furniture.


----------



## wolfetan44

jtaylor991 said:


> If you can afford it, get a DAC. The amp could be used out of a line out on your computer (or something else with a line out) but it won't be anywhere near it's full potential and may even only help minimally without a DAC. From what I've read I bet the HRT would be a fine choice, or you could go for an ODAC for a matching set
> 
> And headphone out is not the same as line out. The former is already amplified, so you'd be amplifying an amplified signal, so go with line out (unless headphone out is the absolute only thing you have, then I think 50% on that is the recommended volume). This only applies without a DAC though. The DAC would connect by USB, optical or coax, getting a digital signal that has no amplification, but would be converted into a line out that goes from it (the DAC) to your amp.


which to get first?a amp or.adac?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The new Cambridge 851C being put through its paces with a fantastic sounding (recording as well as music) album. Also trying it as a transport for the Calyx DAC and I'll be testing USB implementations soon. 
   

   
  The whole setup as of now. The HD800s normally sit in their box, but I moved it for the sake of the photos. 
   
  ----
   
  Looking forward to getting my Line Router from Mapleshade to properly A/B these 2 DACs. I'll also be putting all this in a proper rack again once I get my turntable (if someone would buy my Calyx DAC, anyway).


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The new Cambridge 851C being put through its paces with a fantastic sounding (recording as well as music) album. Also trying it as a transport for the Calyx DAC and I'll be testing USB implementations soon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I am not even going to ask how much you like the Cavalli...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What were you using as a CD transport before the 851 arrived?


----------



## Redrider469

My new setup arrived yesterday!  Sounds Fantastic! Just need to make sure I don't get the cops called 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Denon AVR-1312
  Polk Monitor 30s
  Velodyne VX-11
  The computer is hooked up to the receiver via HDMI so I get support up to 96k/24bit 192k/24bit


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> which to get first?a amp or.adac?


 
  amp u can use the rca to 3.5 or 3.5 to 3.5 to connect without the dac


----------



## MorbidToaster

Many people around here know I'm pretty vocal about my LF because Alex is a local guy for me. Gotta give those local builders and shops support! ...and I just really like the LF.
   
  I used the Marantz SA8004 as a transport right after the Calyx DAC arrived, but I sold it soon after because I preferred the USB implementation of the Calyx. The transport part of the Cambridge is more impressive than the SA8004 as it's harder to tell a difference between the 2 inputs now.
   
  Up until now I was just using USB from my MBP.
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I am not even going to ask how much you like the Cavalli...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Roomba90

How does the amp sound? I use also rdio.com or grooveshark.com.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> If you got lots of wall space,try hanging the Billy horizontaly!!!
> I know,sounds weird but looks great!


 
   
  That's actually sounds very neat! I'll have to give that some thought. Thanks for the idea.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> ESP/950 Owners' Official Secret Fist-Bump That Doesn't Actually Exist (AKA EOOSF-BTDAE) activated!


 
   
  You mean it's time to form the Secret Society of ESP-950 owners and start challenging the Stax Mafia? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> How are you liking the Koss electrostats?


 
   
  I will reserve final judgement until I've had them for a month or two. But I think I've aquired enough experience in this hobby to say with some certianty that these are the beast headphones I've heard so far. There are several headphones that do some things, even many things, better than the ESP-950, but I've not seen/heard anything that managed a performance that is as balanced as the ESP-950. When I say "performance" I include non-sound related criteria such as wearing comfort - and the Koss simply excels in all areas. I've already given up on finding a suitable upgrade over the HD600... When I first put on the ESP-950 my jaw dropped because these sound EXACTLY like the HD600 where the frequency response is considered (which is, in my opinion, what a headphone should sound like). That's all to my ears only, of course, and does not necessarily apply to everyone.
   
  Just keep in mind that the ESP-950 costs only ~ $700, including the amp. Therefore, it is lower mid-fi at the very best and will never perform nearly as well as the new, shiny, expensive flagship headphones.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> You mean it's time to form the Secret Society of ESP-950 owners and start challenging the Stax Mafia?


 
  Patience. We need Milwaukee to produce a new flagship electrostat first, then the war will have begun.


----------



## Mad Dude

They merely need to rise the ESP-950's price to something safely over $10'000, and voila! a new flagship headphone is born that easily bests the SR009. At least until Stax releases its next flagship made entirely from 99.9999999% pure unobtanium...


----------



## danne

Today I've got a new member in my family and I'm loving it!


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> which to get first?a amp or.adac?


 
  I'd say an amp, you can't really use a DAC without one (well hooked up to your stereo or something but just generally it wouldn't be very useful).


----------



## mmayer167

@ danne, Very nice looking, and I'm sure sounding setup. 
   
  -M


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





danne said:


> Today I've got a new member in my family and I'm loving it!


 
  How's that Zodiac treating you with the HD800s?  I've always been curious about the sound from the aristocrat's DAC.


----------



## danne

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> How's that Zodiac treating you with the HD800s?  I've always been curious about the sound from the aristocrat's DAC.


 
  So far so good, however I've recived it today and only have a few hours on it, but it has managed to impress me well during those hours.


----------



## sphinxvc

Great to see more people entering the Zodiac fold.  Have you got a dedicated PS to go with it too?


----------



## Silent One

Zodiac ~
   
  I'd love to go there but cannot gain entry without my wallet. Oh, I have it right here (empty)!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Many people around here know I'm pretty vocal about my LF because Alex is a local guy for me. Gotta give those local builders and shops support! ...and I just really like the LF.
> 
> I used the Marantz SA8004 as a transport right after the Calyx DAC arrived, but I sold it soon after because I preferred the USB implementation of the Calyx. The transport part of the Cambridge is more impressive than the SA8004 as it's harder to tell a difference between the 2 inputs now.
> 
> Up until now I was just using USB from my MBP.


 
  That does not surprise me. Everything I have read about the 851 seems top of the line at a great price point.


----------



## madbull

this is my bedside rig, which is bringing me great joy at the moment:


----------



## MorbidToaster

The last 2 headphones I really want to hear...
   
  T1 and LCD 3.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The last 2 headphones I really want to hear...
> 
> T1 and LCD 3.


 
  Considering you like your HD800 (I'm assuming. If you hate them you can give them to me), the T1 would probably suit you best. It's got just a touch more bass, and I actually prefer it to the HD800 overall.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well what I'm thinking is...Keep the HD800 and get an LCD 3 to go with it. 
   
  I feel the T1 would get me a good middle ground...but what fun is that?
   
  I loved my LCD 2, but the HD800 beat it out for me in most ways (it's technically superior). The thing the LCD 3 would do is kick out the jams for EDM and Rock.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Considering you like your HD800 (I'm assuming. If you hate them you can give them to me), the T1 would probably suit you best. It's got just a touch more bass, and I actually prefer it to the HD800 overall.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well what I'm thinking is...Keep the HD800 and get an LCD 3 to go with it.
> 
> I feel the T1 would get me a good middle ground...but what fun is that?
> 
> I loved my LCD 2, but the HD800 beat it out for me in most ways (it's technically superior). The thing the LCD 3 would do is kick out the jams for EDM and Rock.


 
  The LCD-3 is superior to HD800 (admittedly not a fan of the harshness sound) but the HD800 was superior to LCD-2. The T1 definitely falls in the middle.
  Doesn't suffer from overdone treble, is fairly balanced and offers a fun house sound. Greatly complimentary to either LCD-3 or HD800.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Quote: 





madbull said:


> this is my bedside rig, which is bringing me great joy at the moment:


 
   
  The Woo match well with the T1?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I can't imagine detail retrieval is any better on the LCD 3, and soundstage certainly isn't. 
   
  From what I've read anyway of course. Comfort on the HD800 is probably better, too. Considering it's pretty much unchanged from the LCD 2.
   
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> The LCD-3 is superior to HD800 (admittedly not a fan of the harshness sound) but the HD800 was superior to LCD-2. The T1 definitely falls in the middle.
> Doesn't suffer from overdone treble, is fairly balanced and offers a fun house sound. Greatly complimentary to either LCD-3 or HD800.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I can't imagine detail retrieval is any better on the LCD 3, and soundstage certainly isn't.
> 
> From what I've read anyway of course. Comfort on the HD800 is probably better, too. Considering it's pretty much unchanged from the LCD 2.


 
  My ears disagree. But preference always plays a role in these cases.
   
  Comfort varies person to person, I don't feel there is any clamping pressure with the LCD-3's and the ear pads are very much more comfortable than LCD-2
  Then again the HD800 is really hard to beat comfort wise.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





madbull said:


> this is my bedside rig, which is bringing me great joy at the moment:


 
   
  Gettin' tidy!


----------



## LCfiner

morbidtoaster said:


> I can't imagine detail retrieval is any better on the LCD 3, and soundstage certainly isn't.
> 
> From what I've read anyway of course. Comfort on the HD800 is probably better, too. Considering it's pretty much unchanged from the LCD 2.




Comfort on the hd800 is better than the lcd3 but the lcd3 is better than the lcd2. The softer pads really make a difference. It's closer to how the omega 2 feels. Less pressure on the side of the head.

As for details, well, I think the lcd3 matches the hd800. It just doesn't spotlight the high frequency stuff as much with volume. But I'm not really one to focus on detail except for brief periods auditioning gear. 

Soundstage, yeah, nothing really beats the hd800 for a wide and tall soundstage. That's always immediately impressive.


----------



## ssrock64

I think it's true by any technical standard that the HD800 has the edge in both detail and soundstage, but they're such different pairs that it doesn't really matter. They're just different takes on a world-class headphone.


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> The Woo match well with the T1?


 
   
  I'm enjoying this combo.
  (the hd800 on the other hand sounds bad on the wa3).


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





njtc said:


> This is what i'm doing right now.


 

 That is very tasteful!


----------



## danne

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Great to see more people entering the Zodiac fold.  Have you got a dedicated PS to go with it too?


 
  It's wierd that there is not more of them here on the forum, it's really an amazing product, even the built in amp is pretty good compared to other dac's with built in amp's.
  I do not have the dedicated PS to it yet, but there is always nice to have an upgrade to look forward to


----------



## White Lotus

Using a generic mug tree as a headphone stand = win. 
   
  (But no where near as elegant)


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





danne said:


> It's wierd that there is not more of them here on the forum, it's really an amazing product, even the built in amp is pretty good compared to other dac's with built in amp's.
> I do not have the dedicated PS to it yet, but there is always nice to have an upgrade to look forward to


 
  Is there a specific amp you can compare the built-in amp to?


----------



## danne

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Is there a specific amp you can compare the built-in amp to?


 
   
  I do prefer it to both the built in amp in the Lavry and in the Grace that I've heard.
  It's hard to say what it might be on par with, its always best to hear for your self


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





danne said:


> I do prefer it to both the built in amp in the Lavry and in the Grace that I've heard.
> It's hard to say what it might be on par with, its always best to hear for your self


 

 That probably is my only best bet then.  I hope I can hear it one day.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> Using a generic mug tree as a headphone stand = win.
> 
> (But no where near as elegant)


 
   
  How'd you get your 011's so shiny?


----------



## White Lotus

Quote: 





defqon said:


> How'd you get your 011's so shiny?


 
   
   
  Loving care. And also those little micro fiber cloths that come with sunglasses. 
   
*E:* I think this might be one of the more shiny grains that they have available - they came in a few different types of wood, AFAIK


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> Loving care. And also those little micro fiber cloths that come with sunglasses.
> 
> *E:* I think this might be one of the more shiny grains that they have available - they came in a few different types of wood, AFAIK


 
  As in the brass logo, I see some reflection off the shine of the brass logo.


----------



## White Lotus

Quote: 





defqon said:


> As in the brass logo, I see some reflection off the shine of the brass logo.


 
   
   
   
  Oh.. Are they not normally that reflective? I didn't do anything special to the brass area..


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





danne said:


> It's wierd that there is not more of them here on the forum, it's really an amazing product, even the built in amp is pretty good compared to other dac's with built in amp's.
> I do not have the dedicated PS to it yet, but there is always nice to have an upgrade to look forward to


 
   
  Yup.  It's a good amp, but for the right load...hi-efficiency stuff mostly.  The Z's also totally immune to those clocking converters IME.  And the all-analog preamp is unique to the Z at it's price range.  Can I ask why you got the "+" model?  Before I bought it, I asked Antelope if there was a sonic difference between the "+" and the base Silver model, and they said no.  Only differences are inputs/outputs...like AES, de-jittered out, trimmable balanced output...stuff I would probably never use, so I went with the base model.
   
  When you do get to the PS, it's well worth it.  There are cheaper alternatives to Antelope's PS too.  Look up Welbourne Labs & Teddy Pardo.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





madbull said:


> this is my bedside rig, which is bringing me great joy at the moment:


 
  Very nice! How do you like the HDP? I assume the Woo is awesome...


----------



## danne

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Yup.  It's a good amp, but for the right load...hi-efficiency stuff mostly.  The Z's also totally immune to those clocking converters IME.  And the all-analog preamp is unique to the Z at it's price range.  Can I ask why you got the "+" model?  Before I bought it, I asked Antelope if there was a sonic difference between the "+" and the base Silver model, and they said no.  Only differences are inputs/outputs...like AES, de-jittered out, trimmable balanced output...stuff I would probably never use, so I went with the base model.
> 
> When you do get to the PS, it's well worth it.  There are cheaper alternatives to Antelope's PS too.  Look up Welbourne Labs & Teddy Pardo.


 
  I'm very excited about the de-jitter out's and thought I wanted to try them out, also the default color of the + beeing black to match the rest of my gear.
  I will most likely go for the antelope PS in the future, it feels like right way to go.


----------



## sphinxvc

Cool.


----------



## Arvan

No cans right now..Had to remove some spiderweb from the speakers..Sad but true


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





arvan said:


> No cans right now..Had to remove some spiderweb from the speakers..Sad but true


 
  Such a nice environment !!


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





arvan said:


> No cans right now..Had to remove some spiderweb from the speakers..Sad but true


 
  That is very very very beautiful.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





arvan said:


> No cans right now..Had to remove some spiderweb from the speakers..Sad but true


 
   
  I want to sit there, drink that wonderful coffee of yours (European I'm guessing) and listen to Eva Cassidy as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Nice and clean setup.


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> I want to sit there, drink that wonderful coffee of yours (European I'm guessing) and listen to Eva Cassidy as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sweden in fact..We like white here in Scandinavia haha! We call it "ljust & fräscht"


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Yup.  It's a good amp, but for the right load...hi-efficiency stuff mostly.  The Z's also totally immune to those clocking converters IME.  And the all-analog preamp is unique to the Z at it's price range.  Can I ask why you got the "+" model?  Before I bought it, I asked Antelope if there was a sonic difference between the "+" and the base Silver model, and they said no.  Only differences are inputs/outputs...like AES, de-jittered out, trimmable balanced output...stuff I would probably never use, so I went with the base model.
> 
> When you do get to the PS, it's well worth it.  There are cheaper alternatives to Antelope's PS too.  Look up Welbourne Labs & Teddy Pardo.


 

 For those wondering (IMO) the built in amp on the Zodiac's do not do justice with headphones like LCD-2/LCD-3, a separate amp is needed.  It does however work well with certain headphones (as mentioned high efficiency) and sounds nice in those cases. 
   
  In regards to the Wellborne Labs external PS there is one slight issue. 
  I was the first person to ever get a Wellborne labs PS for the Zodiac as I worked with them to have one made custom for the first time specifically for it (sent specs. / dimensions / pictures their way).  Now I am not sure if this is still the case with the latest units but the WL PS case had an audible vibration  with the case when turned on (all people that I have asked some time back have said the same thing with the Wellbourne).  You put your ear close enough to it and you could hear it.  Despite this however the WL certainly improves the sonics over the stock cheapo walwart for not having to pay the big price tag for a separate PS.  I haven't personally tried the Teddy Pardo, but I have heard good things.  I have only tried Voltikus and WL, and have been quite happy with the results.


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





tigzstudio said:


>


 
   
  Hey Tigz, good thing you posted that Tate Hall video, I am enjoying his podcast quite a bit thanks to you.


----------



## sphinxvc

So, minus the vibration issue, was the leap from the WL to the Voltikus worth it?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





arvan said:


> No cans right now..Had to remove some spiderweb from the speakers..Sad but true


 

 Hope ya don't mind me asking, but what's your setup?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Hope ya don't mind me asking, but what's your setup?


 
   
  It´s various bits and bobs..
   
  CD transport is a Pioneer PD-s504, the receiver is a Onkyo TX-SR 507 so it´s nothing fancy at all. 
   
  Speaker setup is the following. 
   
  Front - Tangent evo E5
  Center - Tangent evo E24
  Rear - Dynavoice comet C1 ( also in white )
  Subwoofer -  Velodyne impact mini ( white ) 6,5" sub with an 8" slave
  Xbos 360 slim 250gb and a nintendo wii ( sold the ps3 )
   
  So overall it´s nothing fancy since i never use it much. Plays loud enough for movies and videogames and actually sounds okej!
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
  The stands is made by my friend..I was looking for something similar to the Dynaudio stand 3..Nevermind the cables that are lying all over the place..They have bin on the "to do list" for over a year now  Let me know if you want more details.


----------



## silversurfer616

It looks like "IKEA HEAVEN" plus central heating!!!
   
  None of the houses here in NZ have central heating and we have winter right now.
  "Put on two more jumpers",they say!


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> It looks like "IKEA HEAVEN" plus central heating!!!
> 
> None of the houses here in NZ have central heating and we have winter right now.
> "Put on two more jumpers",they say!


 
  Well the only furniture that is from IKEA in our home is the bench for the multimedia..All the other stuff is from other stores or 50-60:s retro stuff..
   
  Central heating is nice, our water and electricity works the same way..All included in the rent. So is 100/100 mb/sec internet connection  Spoiled!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> Oh.. Are they not normally that reflective? I didn't do anything special to the brass area..


 

 Wow...I don't need any more mid-fi gear and I know I'd never listen to it, but that picture alone of the FA-011 makes me want it so bad.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Wow...I don't need any more mid-fi gear and I know I'd never listen to it, but that picture alone of the FA-011 makes me want it so bad.


 
   
  Read reviews first... You would be very lucky to see one in such a nice condition, esp the bronze badge. Most people received them with some rust stains...
   
  That pic got me so jelly!


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





arvan said:


> Well the only furniture that is from IKEA in our home is the bench for the multimedia..All the other stuff is from other stores or 50-60:s retro stuff..
> 
> Central heating is nice, our water and electricity works the same way..All included in the rent. So is 100/100 mb/sec internet connection  Spoiled!


 
   
  I see the two "cute lighted animals" that are also from Ikea (I bought them for my toddler!) as well, so you've got other Ikea "accessories" to accent the home. 
   
  Swedes do have a very high cost of living standard so getting the utilities and internet connection included in the rent is great!


----------



## White Lotus

Will post more photos of the FA-011 Later tonight. Didn't realise it was hard to get them in good condition!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> Will post more photos of the FA-011 Later tonight. Didn't realise it was hard to get them in good condition!


 
   
  Well just one with a shiny brass logo.


----------



## VanDerGraaf




----------



## MorbidToaster

I really hate those gigantic terminations...


----------



## TheWuss

sorry for the crummy iphone pics.
   
  but, just thought i'd show off my recent additions...
   
  the Manley Labs Chinook phono strage.
  Track Audio Isolation feet for the table.
   
  and Adam Audio ARTist 5 monitors...


----------



## Hakone

Vacation station is allowed right?
  It is after all the current state of the listening station.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





hakone said:


> Vacation station is allowed right?
> It is after all the current state of the listening station.


 
   
  I don't ever remember my Gengar being that happy.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I don't ever remember my Gengar being that happy.


 
  No, but I believe that's Haunter, and he always had that creepy smile. Actually, all three of those guys were pranksters in the first season on the anime.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





connnorrr said:


> No, but I believe that's Haunter, and he always had that creepy smile. Actually, all three of those guys were pranksters in the first season on the anime.


 
   
  I'm talking about the first image. Gengar always had a smile, but with a crunched brow, an evil smile, not a happy smile.


----------



## Hakone

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Gengar always had a smile, but with a crunched brow, an evil smile, not a happy smile.


 
   
  Ah, I think that is his trademark evil smile actually. I think the fact that his eyes are closed make him seem happy somehow.


----------



## revolink24

hakone said:


> Vacation station is allowed right?
> It is after all the current state of the listening station. :happy_face1:




It passes because of the Glenlivet.


----------



## Connnorrr

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I'm talking about the first image. Gengar always had a smile, but with a crunched brow, an evil smile, not a happy smile.


 
  Fair enough, I didn't notice it in the upper portion of the picture. It does look a bit off with the closed eyes.


----------



## Arvan




----------



## hodgjy

Very nice.  I have the same V-DAC II and Trafo combination.  It's excellent.  I'd ditch that EZ81 rectifier for an EZ80.  Get an Ei or RFT and hear the difference!
   
  Quote: 





vandergraaf said:


>


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> So, minus the vibration issue, was the leap from the WL to the Voltikus worth it?


 
   
  For me it was worth it, but still quite subtle.  I sort of describe it like jumping from the LCD-2 rev 2 to the LCD-3 but with 25% less difference than this.  Being that its hard to quantify should tell you that the jump is not super significant between the WL and Volt.
   
  Honestly I plan soon to get the Zodiac Silver (have not heard it yet) just so I can compare it over a lengthy period to the Gold / Volt and the Plus that I currently own.  I am very curious to hear any differences.  Regardless I am a big fan of Antelope.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





tigzstudio said:


> For me it was worth it, but still quite subtle.  I sort of describe it like jumping from the LCD-2 rev 2 to the LCD-3 but with 25% less difference than this.  Being that its hard to quantify should tell you that the jump is not super significant between the WL and Volt.


 
   
  Understood.
   
   


tigzstudio said:


> Honestly I plan soon to get the Zodiac Silver (have not heard it yet) just so I can compare it over a lengthy period to the Gold / Volt and the Plus that I currently own.  I am very curious to hear any differences.  Regardless I am a big fan of Antelope.


 
   
  Cool.  PM me or post about it when you do.  Marcel from Antelope himself told me there's no difference between the Silver & Plus sonically, but it would still be good to get another opinion.


----------



## VanDerGraaf

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Very nice.  I have the same V-DAC II and Trafo combination.  It's excellent.  I'd ditch that EZ81 rectifier for an EZ80.  Get an Ei or RFT and hear the difference!


 
  Thanks for the advice, pretty much impossible to find tubes here in stores and I hate buying from Ebay, pretty soon I will need to get new 6S45p's tubes and that's probably the only place to get some ):


----------



## HeatFan12

Had a little room in a bedroom.
   
  Pretty flexible setup: Laptop, Audio-GD FUN (A) (Moon OPA), Yaqin tube buffer, iPod dock & A5s.


----------



## Emospence

Quote: 





arvan said:


>


 
  Ah. Sweet.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





arvan said:


>


 
  Sleek is the word that comes to mind with your color-matched setup. My portable setup is an array of red, white, pink, brown, silver, and green when you add together the Clip+, CMoyBB, and whatever headphones I happen to be using.


----------



## ValentinHogea

My first pic in here... Here we go!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> My first pic in here... Here we go!


 
   
  I like those Denon headphone stands. The La Figaro has me curious; wanting a listen...congrats on the 1st pix!


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I like those Denon headphone stands. The La Figaro has me curious; wanting a listen...congrats on the 1st pix!


 
  Great that you like 'em. I bought them for the price mostly. Searched around like a nut and all the nicer headphone stands were like between 100-400 $. Went to my local hifi-dealer and got to buy their old expo models for 40$ a piece. Too bad I've never touched a Denon-product. But who knows...
   
  The La Figaro sounds astounding the LCD-2's sound great with 6080WB (and the HD650's sound the best I've ever heard them). However, being fresh in the game I have only listened to cheaper gear. Waiting for some new tubes and a Burson HA-160D to evaluate the LCD-2's better. The beauty of audiophilia. It's easy to upgrade. Hard to downgrade....
   
  Headfonia will post a review of the LA 339, think it'll be compared to the Crack, VA-200 etc...
   
  BW,
  V


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> My first pic in here... Here we go!


 
   
  Nice and clean setup there.
   
  What model laptop is that Asus?  Looks cool!  Kind of steampunkish.  Is it a copperish color or is the pic fooling me?


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





tigzstudio said:


> Nice and clean setup there.
> 
> What model laptop is that Asus?  Looks cool!  Kind of steampunkish.  Is it a copperish color or is the pic fooling me?


 
   
  Thanks!
   
  It's their Macbook Air-clone they call it Zenbook. 25% cheaper than the Macbook Air with exactly the same components. I like. Being a PC-guy and all.
  It exists in three (read: two, one a very strong nailpolish-pink that's horrible). Pinkish silver ("Rose gold") and Dark Grey. Mine is the rose gold. Might seem girly at first but it grows on you. http://zenbook.asus.com/zenbook/?c=rose_pink
   
  They seem to have released a premium Zenbook-model now "Prime" had no idea... Check 'em out!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> My first pic in here... Here we go!


 
  Great looking rig! How would you compare the HD650's and the LCD-2's?


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Great looking rig! How would you compare the HD650's and the LCD-2's?


 
  Thanks! We'll with the current components that are according to a friend "the best" amp at a reasonable cost for the HD650 (but not exactly optimal for LCD-2, have a couple of tubes coming in that will make the LA339 better with the LCD-2)...
   
  The LCD-2 are bassier both quantity and qualitative (which was my prime interest). Midranges are much clearer, more transparent. And treble has more sparkle. But I'm not really a treble guy so it's hard for me to assess. The soundstage is wider, higher and more "in your face". Big difference? Yes. Worth 2,5x the money? For me absolutely. But when it comes to hi-fi and camera lenses the 10-rule starts to apply after a while. 10 times more expensive, 10% better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Will I get the LCD-3's? Probably in a couple of years... I'm more than satisfied with the LCD-2's. Highly recommend finding a second hand-pair if one has the cash to spend. But


----------



## H20Fidelity

heatfan12 said:


> Had a little room in a bedroom.
> 
> Pretty flexible setup: Laptop, Audio-GD FUN (A) (Moon OPA), Yaqin tube buffer, iPod dock & A5s.





^^ That's my laptop!  Could pickins sunshine! ^^


----------



## DragonOwen

Just now got my SR-009, listen it only for 10-20 minutes by now, but it's already clear to me that I will be selling my SR-507, because 009 is simply better in every way, but tonal balance is quite similliar


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Just now got my SR-009, listen it only for 10-20 minutes by now, but it's already clear to me that I will be selling my SR-507, because 009 is simply better in every way, but tonal balance is quite similliar


 
  Wonderful setup DragonOwen!! The Woo GES looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


>


 
   
  Finally, a purely functional audiophile station! Very cool. All these spotless, carefully decorated white-glove homes have been giving me the creeps.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Finally, a purely functional audiophile station! Very cool. All these spotless, carefully decorated white-glove homes have been giving me the creeps.


 
  I clearly occupy the other end of the spectrum....I never met a wire that could not get snarled...


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote:


>


 
  Wow, very industrial looking.
   
  Your whole set-up makes me think of a cyborg.
   
  To be honest, I'd prefer a room that looks a little more homely, but that is a good aesthetic.


----------



## titusgroan

This looks like its straight out of the Matrix


----------



## Face

Definitely has a cool industrial look to it.


----------



## Face

Since someone complained about the image quality last time I posted my rig, here you go...


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





h20fidelity said:


> ^^ That's my laptop!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   




   
  Love the Acer laptops H20...Here is my other one that sits next to the first setup I posted..
   
  Good times....


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





face said:


> Since someone complained about the image quality last time I posted my rig, here you go...


 
   
  This makes me want to go get an LED light kit and mount it where my keyboard tray is. I can't see what I'm typing when I listen in the dark with the lights turned down OFTEN. 
   
  Nice setup!


----------



## Face

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> This makes me want to go get an LED light kit and mount it where my keyboard tray is. I can't see what I'm typing when I listen in the dark with the lights turned down OFTEN.
> 
> Nice setup!


 
  Thanks!  I'm using the multi-color dioder set from Ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





face said:


>


 
   
  mINT > HE-6?  How's that working out for you?


----------



## Face

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> mINT > HE-6?  How's that working out for you?


 

 Well.  They sound great off both the speaker and headphone sections.


----------



## sphinxvc

New toy!  K1000s.


----------



## madbull

Congrats for the K1000! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I'm searching for one too... is yours the bass heavy version?


----------



## ValentinHogea

They look awesome. A certain german glow over them. Like a sinister 80's Audi Quattro on nitromethanol.
   
  What will you be driven those beasts with?


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> New toy!  K1000s.


 
  Congrats!  Love the K1000, enjoy.
  You know the K1000 and the Antelope silver do look nice together.  Very photogenic!
   
  Your making me want to pull the trigger on that Z silver right this minute....*opens new browser to sweetwater / audiogon*


----------



## mrAdrian

What is that large tube beast underneath?


----------



## Silent One

Way to bring 'em home, sphinxvc!


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


>


 
   
  Three of my favorites, welcome to the KK club!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> Thanks!
> 
> It's their Macbook Air-clone they call it Zenbook. 25% cheaper than the Macbook Air with exactly the same components. I like. Being a PC-guy and all.
> It exists in three (read: two, one a very strong nailpolish-pink that's horrible). Pinkish silver ("Rose gold") and Dark Grey. Mine is the rose gold. Might seem girly at first but it grows on you. http://zenbook.asus.com/zenbook/?c=rose_pink
> ...


 
  Umm how is that 25% cheaper than Air? 
   
  http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX21E-DH71-11-6-Inch-Ultrabook-Aluminum/dp/B005SY30I2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424031&sr=8-1&keywords=Asus+Zen
   
  http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MD223LL-11-6-Inch-VERSION/dp/B005CWJ8YA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424090&sr=8-5&keywords=Macbook+Air


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Umm how is that 25% cheaper than Air?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX21E-DH71-11-6-Inch-Ultrabook-Aluminum/dp/B005SY30I2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424031&sr=8-1&keywords=Asus+Zen
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MD223LL-11-6-Inch-VERSION/dp/B005CWJ8YA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424090&sr=8-5&keywords=Macbook+Air


 
   
  You should be comparing it to the 128gb MacBook Air and it can be bought for a whole lot cheaper than that particular Amazon listing whereas apple products vary very little in price from one retailer to another.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> New toy!  K1000s.


 
  Beautiful. How are they comparing to their 2 new brothers?
   
  (incidentally, I can put you in touch with a good window cleaner... )


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





devhen said:


> You should be comparing it to the 128gb MacBook Air and it can be bought for a whole lot cheaper than that particular Amazon listing whereas apple products vary very little in price from one retailer to another.


 
  Did you look at the links? 
   
  Zen 128Gb : $1099 
  Air 128Gb: $1044 
   
  I don't know where you can find things cheaper than Amazon...


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Did you look at the links?
> 
> Zen 128Gb : $1099
> Air 128Gb: $1044
> ...


 
   
  I did a quick search on Google Shopping and there are tons of places that have them cheaper. Here's one example:
   
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821604-REG/ASUS_UX21E_DH52_Zenbook_UX21E_DH52_Ultrabook_11_6_.html
   
  The same can't be said for apple products. They're about as strict on MSRP as Sennheiser is.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> I don't know where you can find things cheaper than Amazon...


 
   

   
  Kojaku


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Beautiful. How are they comparing to their 2 new brothers?
> 
> (incidentally, I can put you in touch with a good window cleaner... )


 
   
   

   
   
   
  lol.  I don't know I think the dirty window adds to the rugged industrial look of the K1000.    However the peeping tom trying to get a look at his K1000's through the window might get a bit frustrated.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Whew! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Glad you didn't make any typos! After starting your post with the word "Three..." 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just happy you didn't use too many "K's!"


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tigzstudio said:


> lol.  I don't know I think the dirty window adds to the rugged industrial look of the K1000.    However the peeping tom trying to get a look at his K1000's through the window might get a bit frustrated.


 
  LOL!!


----------



## wolfetan44

What are some good mods for the SR80i's? I just bought them. I cant wait! Im getting two new pair of headphones in the next few weeks! The Grado SR80i and the Ultimate Ear TripleFi 10's. Can't wait. I've already used the UE TF10's but they are getting replaced for warranty. I will post a picture of my set up in a couple of weeks.


----------



## Kojaku

wolfetan44 said:


> What are some good mods for the SR80i's? I just bought them. I cant wait! Im getting two new pair of headphones in the next few weeks! The Grado SR80i and the Ultimate Ear TripleFi 10's. Can't wait. I've already used the UE TF10's but they are getting replaced for warranty. I will post a picture of my set up in a couple of weeks.


 

Make friends with the recently deceased Grado modding thread (where I had my humble head-fi beginnings). Search SR60 Mod Part II.

Kojaku


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> New toy!  K1000s.


 

 So jelly of your setup


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


>


 
   
  Very nice P. You should keep all 3. That's a cool collection.


----------



## mrAdrian

<no one bothered mentioning the B2's!>


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





madbull said:


> Congrats for the K1000!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  No idea, it's 5K serial which is right around where they switched to B/L.
   
  Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> What will you be driven those beasts with?


 
   
  Pass Labs Aleph 3.  
   
   


mradrian said:


> What is that large tube beast underneath?


   
  Check the link in my signature.
   

  Quote: 





tigzstudio said:


> Congrats!  Love the K1000, enjoy.
> You know the K1000 and the Antelope silver do look nice together.  Very photogenic!
> 
> Your making me want to pull the trigger on that Z silver right this minute....*opens new browser to sweetwater / audiogon*


 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Way to bring 'em home, sphinxvc!


 
   
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> Three of my favorites, welcome to the KK club!


 
   
  Thanks guys.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Beautiful. How are they comparing to their 2 new brothers?
> 
> (incidentally, I can put you in touch with a good window cleaner... )


 
   
  Lol.  The windows fit the neighborhood just fine, thank you.  
   
  Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Very nice P. You should keep all 3. That's a cool collection.


 
   
  Thanks man.  That's the plan.


----------



## Eee Pee

That's a very cool collection, made even better by the Pass Aleph 3.  Awesome.  I've wanted one of those for about 15 years or so.  Since they came out.  Nice!


----------



## Arvan




----------



## aroldan

^^ Great picture, love it!


----------



## winkyeye

new settlement


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





arvan said:


>


 
  This looks like an advertisement!  Nice shot...


----------



## senson

Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





senson said:


> Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though


 
  Nice to be able to go between SS and Tubes!  Sweet setup..


----------



## El_Doug




----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Umm how is that 25% cheaper than Air?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX21E-DH71-11-6-Inch-Ultrabook-Aluminum/dp/B005SY30I2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424031&sr=8-1&keywords=Asus+Zen
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MD223LL-11-6-Inch-VERSION/dp/B005CWJ8YA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1343424090&sr=8-5&keywords=Macbook+Air


 
  It seems like you guys in the US have it better than us over here in EU.'
   
http://produkter.mediamarkt.se/store/vasteras/dator/barbar-dator/ultrabook/zenbook-ux31e-ry009v.html
http://produkter.mediamarkt.se/store/vasteras/dator/barbar-dator/notebook/13/apple-air-13-mc965s-a.html
   
  13,3" 4 GB i5-2557M, 128 GB SSD, Apple has 1440x900 Asus has 1600x900
   
  7990 SEK for Asus (1165 USD)
  10790 SEK for Apple (1571 USD)
   
  It's more than 25%... Anyways, you guys seem to have it better over there


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> It seems like you guys in the US have it better than us over here in EU.'
> 
> http://produkter.mediamarkt.se/store/vasteras/dator/barbar-dator/ultrabook/zenbook-ux31e-ry009v.html
> http://produkter.mediamarkt.se/store/vasteras/dator/barbar-dator/notebook/13/apple-air-13-mc965s-a.html
> ...


 
http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MD232LL-13-3-Inch-VERSION/dp/B00746YD24/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343503081&sr=1-4&keywords=macbook+air+13
http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX31E-DH72-13-3-Inch-Ultrabook-Aluminum/dp/B005USC9LA/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343503061&sr=1-2&keywords=Asus+Zenbook+UX31
   
  The Asus has an i7@1.8GHz and the Apple i5@1.8GHz, but still somewhat comparable.
  Asus 1274 USD, Apple 1425 USD. Not as big of a difference as here in EU.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





senson said:


> Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though


 
   
  Awesome setup, how would you compare listening to your monitors versus headphones?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> <no one bothered mentioning the B2's!>


 

 I actually came close, but then again it was only because I'm not much of an IEM guy and couldn't identify them on sight.


----------



## senson

Quote:


tehjam said:


> Awesome setup, how would you compare listening to your monitors versus headphones?


 
    Thank you. I prefer headphones because 1. somehow I can't concentrate when I use monitors 2. I can't get loud enough(neigbors). I still like to listen through monitors when I go to sleep


----------



## iluvmusic

I am not as hard core as you guys but I have ipad3 (used to take the pic.lol)  iphone4S that are great sources and the mac book pro i5 13" a sony amp and some B&W P5s (not shown) and the new Harman Kardon BTs  oh and some classic Boston A40Vs


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





iluvmusic said:


> I am not as hard core as you guys but I have ipad3 (used to take the pic.lol)  iphone4S that are great sources and the mac book pro i5 13" a sony amp and some B&W P5s (not shown) and the new Harman Kardon BTs  oh and some classic Boston A40Vs


 

 How would you compare the SQ and build quality on the P5 and Harman Kardon?


----------



## iluvmusic

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> How would you compare the SQ and build quality on the P5 and Harman Kardon?


 
   
  I have had the P5s for 1 year and yes they are definitely a work of art visually and build quality wise BUT the sound sound does not match up...  
  They sound good but fail to wow you because they lack volume and range and soundstage and transparency...  Tonally they are nice but -you will always feel like something is just missing in their sound.
   
  They will open up with use but still will always lack sparkle and that sense of wide high-fidelity sonics that you expect from B&W and at $300.  Their problem is not in one area it seems more like the whore sound spectrum is muffles or flattened which causes you ti increase you volume to hear subtleties that should be audible at moderate volume…
   
  I auditioned my friends BTs that he burned in for 20 hours they are fantastic when run through wire and good over blue tooth… Their build quality is nice but not as extreme as the P5s..lol I knew i had to have them.  Their sound is exactly what the B&W P5s should have been … the HKs are bigger and don't look as great as the P5s but they wow you and have that satisfying depth and width and transparency  in their sound and they have much better volume so you don't need to blast you volume to hear subtleties in the sound. They maintain a warm sound minus the muddiness that can happen with warm cans ..  the high are sparkly but not artificial forced or sibilant at all..  The bass is full tight and dynamic and punchy but very harmonic and melodic and there is good sub and mid bas distinction which enable these cans to play everything you throw at them very nicely..


----------



## Arvan

I was going to organize stuff this weekend..Guess what, that did not happen!


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I was going to organize stuff this weekend..Guess what, that did not happen!
> 
> 
> 
> That chair looks pretty sweet! I wish my chair had a headrest of a sort.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I was going to organize stuff this weekend..Guess what, that did not happen!


 
   
  Nice CD rack!


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





redrider469 said:


>


 
  I´ts comfortable, but barely holds together..Cheap and horribly built!


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I´ts comfortable, but barely holds together..Cheap and horribly built!


 
  That sucks! Mine's been alright but it still gets an annoying squeak everyonce and a while from a loose bolt or two.
 I guess that's to be expected though....I bought it at Target for $14 on clearance


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I´ts comfortable, but barely holds together..Cheap and horribly built!


 
  For how long did it hold together? My office just bought a bunch of these and so far there have only been some screws sticking in butt.


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> For how long did it hold together? My office just bought a bunch of these and so far there have only been some screws sticking in butt.


 
  Well maybe for 1,5 ears now..But it is by no means something i would except from my job as an chair..Here in Sweden i would almost guess that it´s by law required ergonomic quality chairs if you sit by your desk every day...So why in the world do i have a chair like this? I spend the most of my living life in it


----------



## LugBug1

My current HE500 set up
   

   
  (wife chose the wallpaper..)


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My current HE500 set up
> 
> 
> 
> (wife chose the wallpaper..)


 
  What amp/dac is that? Look like a good matching amp/dac with your HE500


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> What amp/dac is that? Look like a good matching amp/dac with your HE500


 
  Thanks. It's the Audio gd C2.2 amp and Arcam Rdac. The C2 is the best amp I've tried yet, plenty of power with over 3 watts going into 32 ohms.


----------



## Ziion

Quote: 





senson said:


> Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though


 

 That's a beautiful set up! What brand are those speakers?


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





ziion said:


> That's a beautiful set up! What brand are those speakers?


 
   
  M-Audio, nice little monitors.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're the entry level M-Audio monitors. Pretty nice bang for you buck there actually. 
  Quote: 





ziion said:


> That's a beautiful set up! What brand are those speakers?


----------



## Ziion

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're the entry level M-Audio monitors. Pretty nice bang for you buck there actually.


 
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> M-Audio, nice little monitors.


 

 Thank you both! found 'em on Amazon and Ebay both between $75-80


----------



## senson

Quote: 





ziion said:


> That's a beautiful set up! What brand are those speakers?


 
  Thank you. They are M-audio AV40s


----------



## Arvan

My listening station is..Let´s say..under construction today


----------



## Face

Nothing like coffee from a French Press.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





face said:


> Nothing like coffee from a French Press.


 

 +1


----------



## MickeyVee

How do you like the rDAC.. I have one on order to mate up with my Schiit Lyr.
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My current HE500 set up
> 
> 
> 
> (wife chose the wallpaper..)


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





arvan said:


> My listening station is..Let´s say..under construction today


 
  What are you working on?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> What are you working on?


 
   
  Fully open version of the JVC HA-RX700


----------



## ValentinHogea

Quote: 





arvan said:


> Fully open version of the JVC HA-RX700


 
  Sounds interesting. Your own idea or DIY-"common knowledge"? I'm thinking... What'll happen to the bass response?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





valentinhogea said:


> Sounds interesting. Your own idea or DIY-"common knowledge"? I'm thinking... What'll happen to the bass response?


 
  I found out that someone else has already done this on this forum, don´t remember who.. 
   
  Surprisingly the bass response is better..I think everything is better so far..Sound stage and clarity is way increased! Still i have not listened on this more then an hour or so..Maybe i´l post and impression later on.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I found out that someone else has already done this on this forum, don´t remember who..
> 
> Surprisingly the bass response is better..I think everything is better so far..Sound stage and clarity is way increased! Still i have not listened on this more then an hour or so..Maybe i´l post and impression later on.


 

 How exactly do you define "better"?


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> How exactly do you define "better"?


 
  Whatever I like more is 'better'.  I have spoken.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Whatever I like more is 'better'.  I have spoken.


 
  Haha. Do you have any objective measurements to back this claim?


----------



## Arvan

More is always better isn´t it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Biggest improvement is sound stage and clarity, midrange is pushed forward a bit making voices more defined. I find the bass to be more prominent and more detailed..I am no good at writing fancy words describing the difference in sound as you guys clearly noticed by now.
   
  i can´t A-B the cans, semi vs open unfortunately..Try it out for yourself 
   
  No measurements to back it up...But it´s clearly differences in the sound..Or my own madness kicking in!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





arvan said:


> More is always better isn´t it?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Sounds delish already.  Can we see the final product, please?


----------



## Arvan

The final result..Finish isn´t top so i might redo the grills..It was kid of hard to get it looks nice with just a wire cutter and some brute force  My father has my dremel so i might head over there and fix it up properly...The metal grill is from a slaughtered Antec 300 computer case


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





arvan said:


> The final result..Finish isn´t top so i might redo the grills..It was kid of hard to get it looks nice with just a wire cutter and some brute force  My father has my dremel so i might head over there and fix it up properly...The metal grill is from a slaughtered Antec 300 computer case


 
  Those look gorgeous!  DIY in all its glory and beauty.


----------



## Arvan

Kinda looks like a shure 1840 and some hifiman.. significantly cheaper though


----------



## .Sup

senson said:


> Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though



Do I see Windows 7 on that Apple display? Through mini dvi and it works? I am thinking of buying one too.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> How do you like the rDAC.. I have one on order to mate up with my Schiit Lyr.


 
  I think its a brilliant dac for the money. Comparing it to my Vdac that I upgraded from, it has better seperation and extension, deeper clearer bass. It's a fraction brighter at the top but with no hardness at all. I've only used it through the coaxial input so can't comment on usb or optical. It's going to be a keeper for me for a while.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Whatever I like more is 'better'.  I have spoken.


----------



## senson

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Do I see Windows 7 on that Apple display? Through mini dvi and it works? I am thinking of buying one too.


 
  I use HD6990 with mini display port. Any graphic cards with minidisplay port or display port with adaptor will work.
  If you wanna use 100% of ACD(isight Bright adjustment etcs..) you can install drivers from bootcamp but you will need OSX for that.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





senson said:


> Current set up. I should be happy for a while. I still want see LCD2 or 3 in that picture though


 
   
  Well done, senson ,
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is a double delight of leisure and productivity. Even the tea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 is prominently displayed in its rightful place (_pssst...your clocks are 4 minutes apart _





 ).


----------



## Face

Looks great, but two clocks?


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





face said:


> Looks great, but two clocks?


 

 He thought, "Well, having dual clock management works in DACs..."
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Arvan

Maybe a keeper of peace..Not time? ;D


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





face said:


> Looks great, but two clocks?


 
   
  I have four clocks inside my listening room. Two are set to local time - Paris, France. The other two - Los Angeles; San Francisco. Though, the two cities are both in the Pacific Standard Time Zone, the have different sunrise/sunset times.
   
  Of these four clocks, one is a fun and stimulating 24-hour Binary clock.


----------



## .Sup

senson said:


> I use HD6990 with mini display port. Any graphic cards with minidisplay port or display port with adaptor will work.
> If you wanna use 100% of ACD(isight Bright adjustment etcs..) you can install drivers from bootcamp but you will need OSX for that.



Thanks for info. I actually found a thread where somebody says he installed bootcamp on win7.


----------



## Face

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Of these four clocks, one is a fun and stimulating 24-hour Binary clock.


 
  Great, I just ordered one...thanks.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





face said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  ThinkGeek? 





   
  Though, it would seem anyone running it in 12 hour mode would only be getting half the joy.


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks.  Just picked mine up a few hours ago. Letting it burn in. From everything I've read, it's USB implementation is suppose to be brilliant so that's the route I'm taking.
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I think its a brilliant dac for the money. Comparing it to my Vdac that I upgraded from, it has better seperation and extension, deeper clearer bass. It's a fraction brighter at the top but with no hardness at all. I've only used it through the coaxial input so can't comment on usb or optical. It's going to be a keeper for me for a while.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





face said:


> Looks great, but two clocks?


 
   
  Who are we to talk when we all have two ears but multiple pairs of headphones... Who knows maybe one offers him better resolution while the other is simply more dynamic.
   
  Wait now I get it, its a analogue and a digital combination! Just like we having turntables and CD players and DACs all in the same house.


----------



## senson

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Well done, senson ,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





face said:


> Looks great, but two clocks?


 
  Thanks guys  it's like all in one set up, I work, play and sleep there(bed is right next to it so I don't need seperate bed set-up
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). I think, being living in a studio apartment makes me a super lazy person.
  I have 5clocks in my studio, don't know why but i just do lol


----------



## ssrock64

Quote:  





> I have 5clocks in my studio, don't know why but i just do lol


 
  No shame. I've had up to seven at a time (not including my watches) without having them on different time zones. The only thing I hated about it was that it kept me from procrastinating.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





senson said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
_I found a friend... _


----------



## Mad Dude




----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





mad dude said:


>


 
   
  I have NEVER seen such a cool equalizer for my whole life!!!


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> I have NEVER seen such a cool equalizer for my whole life!!!


 
  +1


----------



## crepuscular457

Wonder how long it took to get that equalizer to sound the same on both channels?


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





mad dude said:


>


 
  so your hd 600 came back to the main rig


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> I have NEVER seen such a cool equalizer for my whole life!!!


 
   
   
  EQ's are COOL (apologies to people who have seen my photo in another thread):


----------



## ssrock64

I remember the first time I ever recorded an album at my friend's studio, and I literally spent 40 minutes toying around with an EQ that big, only to have him change them all to his liking later...


----------



## .Sup

It looks nice but it must be a pain to equalise each channel separately


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





skylab said:


> EQ's are COOL
> [...]


 
   
  Alright, your EQ wins the coolness contest. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  And yes, they are awesome devices. It's a shame that one rarely sees an EQ in a Hifi/Headfi-system. People go about spending loads of cash for exotic amplifiers and DACs to get "more warmth" or "more treble sparkle"... With an EQ, a simple adjustment of the sliders achieves just about the same effect.
   
  Quote: 





crepuscular457 said:


> Wonder how long it took to get that equalizer to sound the same on both channels?


 
   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> It looks nice but it must be a pain to equalise each channel separately


 
   
  It's actually quite easy. It isn't necessary to adjust both channels to exactly the same settings - a 1 or 2db difference in a certain frequency isn't really an issue. At least my wooden ears can't detect differences as long as both channels are approximately adjusted the same.
  Of course, a digital (hardware) EQ is more convenient to use in this regard, but I wanted to be able to adjust the settings quickly according to what I'm isteningt to (and my mood), and for this purpose the EQ works just fine. It takes me about 20-30 seconds to find a new setting for both channels, als long as only a part of the frequency spectrum has to be adjusted (which is usually the case).
   
  ... It's so nice to finally being able to listen to the remastered Beatles albums withouth that awful boosted bass!
   
   
  Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> so your hd 600 came back to the main rig


 
   
  Yep, I've been missing it - for no good reason, I'm just being sentimental. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  But then again, the HD600 is the one headphone that never disappoints me no matter what I want to listen to. Even though the Koss ESP950 arguably sounds better (not much!), I'd still pick the HD600 if I had to choose between the two.


----------



## .Sup

I miss my HD600. I was thinking about equalizers too, a friend has a nice Technics one but its in poor condition because he smokes a lot.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Even though the Koss ESP950 arguably sounds better (not much!), I'd still pick the HD600 if I had to choose between the two.


 
  Why's that? I tend to prefer my ESP950 over my HD600 for general listening duties.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why's that? I tend to prefer my ESP950 over my HD600 for general listening duties.


 
   
  Yeah...The ESP 950 is good at lots of things, but there are some glaring issues with it by comparison, methinks. Its treble is ringy and peaky and its midrange harmonic distortion patterns are ugly for an electrostat...I would think the HD600 would be a better all-rounder...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





mad dude said:


>


 
   
  I was kinda hoping for a close up, so I can see that bad boy with my poor tired eyes.


----------



## .Sup

silent one said:


> I was kinda hoping for a close up, so I can see that bad boy with my poor tired eyes.



http://www.laaudio.co.uk/resources/images/eq231g%20pic.jpg


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
_Yosaw, yosaw, yosaw!  _


----------



## grokit

No bypass on that bad boy? How do the graphic and filter switches work?


----------



## Arvan

Got myself some new "portables"


----------



## MomijiTMO

Nice picture! I hope you're liking them too .


----------



## Arvan

I found the pads rather shallow as many had said..The pad quality is great but it feels like they just didn´t put enough stuffing in there..Lucky me the SRH-840 pads fit like a glove..Much more comfort


----------



## .Sup

Are those z1k or z700?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Are those z1k or z700?


 
  It´s the z700 sir


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I found the pads rather shallow as many had said..The pad quality is great but it feels like they just didn´t put enough stuffing in there..Lucky me the SRH-840 pads fit like a glove..Much more comfort


 

 How are the sonic characteristics altered?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> How are the sonic characteristics altered?


 
   
  i have not put enough time through these cans to say anything bout the sound really..But as for now i did not hear any alternations in the sonics. The pads are rather equal in quality and material. Just that the 840 pads have better foam/wool whatever they stuff it with.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Onwards and upwards. The left half of the photo ( - the Cambridge player) is now for sale.


----------



## linglingjr

I'll post mine in 4 days, when my Q701s get here


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Onwards and upwards. The left half of the photo ( - the Cambridge player) is now for sale.


 
   
  How are you finding your 009's for electronic 'genre' music?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Since that's quite a bit of my listening (roughly 60% lately, usually more) it's important that they sound great with EDM, and they do. I was worried to say the least when I first heard them, but after spending about...30 seconds with the bass I knew I was in for a treat. Best extension I've heard, and the detail it pulls out is fantastic. Impact is all there. I really couldn't ask for more. 
   
  The one thing the HD800s still take the cake at is the staging for Ambient works. It's really something to behold, but the 009s added detail makes up for the slight drop is stage width. The birds might not sound perfectly in place on my BT albums, but they sound even more like real birds, and that's okay.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> How are you finding your 009's for electronic 'genre' music?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Since that's quite a bit of my listening (roughly 60% lately, usually more) it's important that they sound great with EDM, and they do. I was worried to say the least when I first heard them, but after spending about...30 seconds with the bass I knew I was in for a treat. Best extension I've heard, and the detail it pulls out is fantastic. Impact is all there. I really couldn't ask for more.
> 
> The one thing the HD800s still take the cake at is the staging for Ambient works. It's really something to behold, but the 009s added detail makes up for the slight drop is stage width. The birds might not sound perfectly in place on my BT albums, but they sound even more like real birds, and that's okay.


 
   
  Sounds pretty good, a tradeoff for more detail ditching the effort of staging by the HD800's, unfortunately I'd have to save up 3 weeks worth of pay to afford an 009 and I'm not the neutral type of person, not to mention another few grand for a well worth matching amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It wouldn't be happening if I wasn't planning to sell literally _every other nice thing I own_ (including one of my Macs) to get there. It simply wouldn't be an option.
   
  Don't get me wrong, the 009s staging is still the second best I've heard, but the HD800s does one that one thing better. Pretty amazing when you consider their relative prices.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Sounds pretty good, a tradeoff for more detail ditching the effort of staging by the HD800's, unfortunately I'd have to save up 3 weeks worth of pay to afford an 009 and I'm not the neutral type of person, not to mention another few grand for a well worth matching amp.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It wouldn't be happening if I wasn't planning to sell literally _every other nice thing I own_ (including one of my Macs) to get there. It simply wouldn't be an option.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, the 009s staging is still the second best I've heard, but the HD800s does one that one thing better. Pretty amazing when you consider their relative prices.


 
   
  Ohh...I thought you purchased the Lightening and the 009 as an addition to your HD800 + Fire combo.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just a loaner. 
   
  While I'd like to keep both I simply couldn't afford it. Especially since I still need a turntable in the mix!
   
  EDIT: Plus, look at that desk...There's not enough room for all of it! 
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Ohh...I thought you purchased the Lightening and the 009 as an addition to your HD800 + Fire combo.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just a loaner.
> 
> While I'd like to keep both I simply couldn't afford it. Especially since I still need a turntable in the mix!
> 
> EDIT: Plus, look at that desk...There's not enough room for all of it!


 
   
  Clearly you need to save up more for a bigger desk


----------



## MrGreen

Things I want/need
  - Bigger place (I don't have room for half of my instruments anymore and treatment for anything other than mids and above )
  - Better sound treatment (it's only good for vocals, it's only foam. But it does well for those thing on the wall I actually record on. Possibly some diffusers, but near-perfect LEDE is what I really want. I also have too much foam, which is why there's foam on a wall I don't play any sound towards (it's also opposite a window)).
  - Better drivers from nvidia (god damnit nvidia)
  - Repaint my walls (!!)
  - Possibly some speakers (quads?)
  - More time to do some serious recording for the album I have been working on for way too long now ()
   
-


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mrgreen said:


> Things I want/need
> - Bigger place (I don't have room for half of my instruments anymore and treatment for anything other than mids and above )
> - Better sound treatment (it's only good for vocals, it's only foam. But it does well for those thing on the wall I actually record on. Possibly some diffusers, but near-perfect LEDE is what I really want. I also have too much foam, which is why there's foam on a wall I don't play any sound towards (it's also opposite a window)).
> - Better drivers from nvidia (god damnit nvidia)
> ...


 
  Looking good. It does take awhile and you will probably never be "Done" since we all keep enjoying what we have and searching for more....


----------



## Clayton SF

I just love the look of this 5Ц8C Russian tube (1972).
  Custom OTL 3DG4 amp by 2359glenn.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> I just love the look of this 5Ц8C Russian tube (1972).
> Custom OTL 3DG4 amp by 2359glenn.




Gorgeous! What amp are you using it with?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Gorgeous! What amp are you using it with?


 
   
  Thanks.
  It's an amp designed and built by 2359glenn.
  An incredible sounding OTL amp with lots of power. 
   
  1 Rectifier either: 3DC4, 5AU4, 5Ц8C with adapter, 596 with adapter.
  2 Power tubes: 6AS7
  1 Driver tube: 6SN7


----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> Thanks.
> It's an amp designed and built by 2359glenn.
> An incredible sounding OTL amp with lots of power.
> 
> ...




Absolutely fabulous! 

How does it compare to some of the other tube amps you have heard?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Absolutely fabulous!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I roll amps like others roll tubes. So I have different amps for the different moods rather than the different music. But, sometimes that changes too. I'm not too particular with fine tuning sound; I fine-tune my attitude more than anything else. It easier and cheaper. So... Among all of the amps that I've heard and own--I'd say that this amp is one that I listen to more than others. These are my top three in shifting order. 1) Leben CS600, 2) Glenn's 3DG4 OTL, 3) Liquid Fire. I guess in position 4 would be WA22 but that ends up being #1 sometimes too. Mood & Music finds the amp. And the headphones of choice right now: 1) D7000, 2) DT990 600 ohms.


----------



## RexAeterna

mrgreen said:


> Things I want/need
> - Bigger place (I don't have room for half of my instruments anymore and treatment for anything other than mids and above )
> - Better sound treatment (it's only good for vocals, it's only foam. But it does well for those thing on the wall I actually record on. Possibly some diffusers, but near-perfect LEDE is what I really want. I also have too much foam, which is why there's foam on a wall I don't play any sound towards (it's also opposite a window)).
> - Better drivers from nvidia (god damnit nvidia)
> ...




looking good there! like the set-up. also if you don't mind diy or not really caring for super cool looking aesthetics i would hit up local home dept and get some roxual mineral wool. 38 bucks for 50lb bag(12 slabs). not bad price at all. easy to cut and if you're not good with wood work or whatever you can put some pretty sheets and wrap the cut mineral wool and staple directly on the wall. i believe r-19 roxual is good down to 100hz. if want to absorb lower can always get r-35 or can simply double the density by slapping two r-19's together or whatever. thing is with mineral wool it is not flexible like fiberglass so it can't be shaped to any form. fiberglass is killer absorber too. different densities though so have to look at the r- value of them. fiberglass while more flexiable and easier to work with mineral wool is much denser per r-value and comes in higher r-values than fiberglass. you can only get high density fiberglass over mneral wool is if you live in canada or other cold areas where it's needed.


----------



## MrGreen

I live in Australia.

 Does mineral wool have health concerns like raw fibreglass?

 Ty.


----------



## qusp

does this count? =) my balanced HD600 are just off camera and i'm driving them directly from a modified DIY balanced amp 'the wire' connected straight to the dac current outs. its a very transparent amp; great for testing things out before installing in the main rig.
   
  its a sabre ES9012 dac and the collection of green boards there is the spdif/i2s fifo buffer good for about 0.5ps jitter at the output. n this pic its running async with the dac, but I normally run it as master clock. jitter pretty much doesnt get any lower. the sound? simply put...wow!. this is just whats on the test bench, my other dac (same but with discrete IV stage) will be taken to another level by this thing.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





qusp said:


> does this count? =) my balanced HD600 are just off camera and i'm driving them directly from a modified DIY balanced amp 'the wire'


 
   
  Only if you are to bring it to the Sydney meet.


----------



## dahan

Added: Senn HD800, W4S Dac 1.
  Gone: Denon D7000, DacMagic.


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Only if you are to bring it to the Sydney meet.


 
  thats the plan


----------



## grokit

Nice setup, *dahan*!


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet! Awesome collection!
  Quote: 





dahan said:


> Added: Senn HD800, W4S Dac 1.
> Gone: Denon D7000, DacMagic.


----------



## darren700

Quote: 





dahan said:


> Added: Senn HD800, W4S Dac 1.
> Gone: Denon D7000, DacMagic.


 

 Love it! How do you feel on the T1 complementing the LCD2? is it worth it too own both?
  I am highly considering picking up a T1  to go with my LCD2's and D2000's.
   
  thanks.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

New addition to the Daly casa, the Lcd3s. Will post pics of rig+cans when i get my camera back next week


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dahan said:


> Added: Senn HD800, W4S Dac 1.
> Gone: Denon D7000, DacMagic.


 
  T1 vs. HD800 in your opinion: Go!


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> New addition to the Daly casa, the Lcd3s. Will post pics of rig+cans when i get my camera back next week


 
  LCD-3s............Hmmmmmmmm, I may need to have another mini-meet.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

fatcat28037 said:


> LCD-3s............Hmmmmmmmm, I may need to have another mini-meet.




Yeah I was meaning to catch up with you, I wanted to see how they would scale up on the wa22. Will pm you


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Yeah I was meaning to catch up with you, I wanted to see how they would scale up on the wa22. Will pm you


 
  A fairly good step up from the Lyr on my experiences. Owned both at the same time. Both were great, just the WA22 was a good bit greater. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  BTW, love your headphone stands.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> New addition to the Daly casa, the Lcd3s. Will post pics of rig+cans when i get my camera back next week


 
   
  Congrats on the new arrival, looking forward to your impressions!


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

macedonianhero said:


> A fairly good step up from the Lyr on my experiences. Owned both at the same time. Both were great, just the WA22 was a good bit greater.
> 
> BTW, love your headphone stands.




Yeah it will be a minute before I can afford a wa22, may have to live vicariously through fatcat's for the time being. 
You can pick up the stands at pier1 for $20 a head


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Yeah it will be a minute before I can afford a wa22, may have to live vicariously through fatcat's for the time being.
> You can pick up the stands at pier1 for $20 a head


 
   
  Nice...thanks for the info about Pier 1.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have 2 but don't use them for fear of pad compression. One is now a fishbowl (well that's the plan) and the other actually has a hat on it in my closet.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The birds might not sound perfectly in place on my BT albums, but they sound even more like real birds, and that's okay.


 
   
  I like this quote.  It sums up my 009 experiences too.  
   
  The 009s show you it's not worth chasing 24/96 with dynamic cans...they can't even reveal everything on 16/44.


----------



## dahan

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> Love it! How do you feel on the T1 complementing the LCD2? is it worth it too own both?
> I am highly considering picking up a T1  to go with my LCD2's and D2000's.
> 
> thanks.


 

 The T1 is very fun to listen to and is a nice complementary headphone to the dark more laid back sound of the LCD2. I listen to many genres of music, I found that the T1 is very versatile and suit most music very well. I personally prefer the T1 more in my system. The T1 is more comfortable to wear for long period of time..


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Nice...thanks for the info about Pier 1.


 
   
   
  Hey P.,
   
  CB & LBJ finally got their first championship.
    
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  My humble bedside rig.  Best part of the rig (after sound of course....lol)...No power cords....


----------



## Ultrainferno

Tubes and Glenmorangie. Doesn't get any better...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Hey P.,
> 
> CB & LBJ finally got their first championship.
> 
> ...


 
   
  LoL, thanks for rubbing it in about CB4. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 He needed Wade and James to go over the top...he could never do it on his own.
   
  Nice bedside rig!


----------



## songmic

Apple iMac
  Sonic Studio Amarra
  April Music Stello U3
  Metrum Acoustics NOS Mini DAC Octave
  Burson Soloist
  Fostex TH900


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





songmic said:


> Apple iMac
> Sonic Studio Amarra
> April Music Stello U3
> Metrum Acoustics NOS Mini DAC Octave
> ...


 
   
  Simple and sweet, I love it.


----------



## EpicPie

My normal setup when I'm just listening. Behringer NOX404, Beyer DT990 250OHM. I use the trim to control the input so I don't get any distortion. The EQ comes in handy, sometimes.

   
   
  All my audio stoof.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Very, very humble. It's not usually this filthy but the bloody cat slept on my desk last night


----------



## longbowbbs

songmic said:


> Apple iMac
> Sonic Studio Amarra
> April Music Stello U3
> Metrum Acoustics NOS Mini DAC Octave
> ...




Nice and elegant! Are you enjoying the Soloist?


----------



## songmic

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nice and elegant! Are you enjoying the Soloist?


 
   
  Yes, it's one of the best solid-state headphone amps I've heard. I recently purchased it to drive my TH900, and the Soloist takes it to a whole new level of performance.


----------



## longbowbbs

songmic said:


> Yes, it's one of the best solid-state headphone amps I've heard. I recently purchased it to drive my TH900, and the Soloist takes it to a whole new level of performance.




I was listening recently to the HA-160D with my Senn HD650's and it was a very nice SS amp. What were you using before the Soloist?


----------



## songmic

Before the Soloist I had owned a Schiit Lyr. It was a decent amp for driving my previous LCD-2, but it turned out that the TH900 is highly sensitive to noise from vacuum tubes or high-power amps. A couple weeks after I sold my LCD-2 for a TH900, I felt that I needed a decent solid-state headphone amp with low output impedance for driving such low-impedance, high-sensitivity cans. So here I am, and I'm very happy with it.


----------



## LugBug1

Just got these Bamboo Bad Boys so I'm showing them off


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





epicpie said:


> All my audio stoof.


 
  Holy god. How do I have a larger desk than you and still I'm not able to accomodate a vinyl setup, headphone amps, a computer station, or have any free space? All I have it my CD player/reciever setup that either runs out a 1/4" jack or goes to my Missions.


----------



## EpicPie

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Holy god. How do I have a larger desk than you and still I'm not able to accomodate a vinyl setup, headphone amps, a computer station, or have any free space? All I have it my CD player/reciever setup that either runs out a 1/4" jack or goes to my Missions.


 
  My table is pretty large imo.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Holy god. How do I have a larger desk than you and still I'm not able to accomodate a vinyl setup, headphone amps, a computer station, or have any free space? All I have it my CD player/reciever setup that either runs out a 1/4" jack or goes to my Missions.


 
   
  You need a bottle of lube on your desk to make it fit like he has.


----------



## EpicPie

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> You need a bottle of lube on your desk to make it fit like he has.


 
  I don't have any lubricant on my desk though. lol


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> You need a bottle of lube on your desk to make it fit like he has.


 

 I think it's just because I'm a clean freak. I could fit three laptops in random locations on my desk if I truly wanted to (or have a really spaced-out three-monitor setup), but as you can see a few pages back on the thread I have some space still that I simply want to keep free.


----------



## DragonOwen

Not much changed since I last posted photo of my rig (only that I selled my SR-507 today), but now I made a few photo of my vinyl & phono, which I didn't post before, so decided to post them here now:


   
  And again made photos of my rig, but now it's Z1000 in the place of SR-507, which I selled today:


----------



## EpicPie

Nice setup dragon.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Indeed. I'm wondering how the 009 pair with the GES (or rather how it would compare with my planned LL) as I might have to nab a GES in between in LL so I have something to listen to. 
   
  Quote: 





epicpie said:


> Nice setup dragon.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very very nice.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Indeed. I'm wondering how the 009 pair with the GES (or rather how it would compare with my planned LL) as I might have to nab a GES in between in LL so I have something to listen to.


 
  009 is sound fantastic, it's sounded so great that it overcome my view of ideal sound, there is nothing that I don't like in sound of 009, it's simply the best headphones I heared (from the tops of headphones in the past I owned LCD-2 rev.2, HE-6/500, SR-507, and listened to D7000, W5000, HD800, GS1000, Ultrasone Edition 8/10, Beyerdynamic T1/911, SR-007(SZ2)). Still listened LCD-2 rev.1 with CablePro cable with good amps (Phonitor and DIY good amp) and it was better than 009 in transmission of atmosphere of rock and jazz music, because 009 was playing too clear and too pretty, it was sounding a little bit like Pink Floyd was making a concert in Philarmonia and was dressed in tuxedos... so it sounded great in 009, but I think LCD-2 is closer to the true. Also emotionally on vocal this LCD-2 was clearly better than 009, although 009 technically was beter on vocal, but the emotions that I feel listening to that LCD-2 was outstanding (especially track Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow).
   
  Didn't listened to LL, but compared my upgraded GES (5751 GE drive tubes & 6S4A GE power tubes) with KGSS on 507/007(SZ2)/009 and I liked GES better on all of headphones (even though GES shouldn't be powerful enough to drive 007, but I get a distortion only on a volume far above of my comfortable volume and below that level I liked sound of GES more than KGSS). With 009 the sound is more rich and liquid with GES, although KGSS has a little more drive, becase it's darker and have more bass than my GES, but GES have enough bass and drive to my likings and I don't like dark sound, so GES is my choice... but listened KGSS + 009 in the house of the owner of KGSS and on his rig with Acustic Arts DAC 1 Mk II, Chord Gold Reference power cable (it was Black Dragon from moon-audio when we listened it in my place) and Power Plant P5 the sound of KGSS is become better, so I guess with KGSS+009 you need to have a "soft" sounding DAC and power cable, or it will sound a little harsh... but in case of 507 I didn' like them with KGSS even at the place of KGSS owner, it's still sounded harsh, especially violins sounded not very pleasant to me. With 007 (SZ2) it's too much bass with KGSS, on some tracks with a lot of bass I clearly heared a hum and it really was very loud hum but there was no hum on GES+007(SZ2) on the same track.
   
  By the way listened April Eximus DP1 on sunday at my place and my DAC again showed me that I need some really great DAC to clearly outperform my MS Audio lab. DAC 1.0, because Eximus was so close to sound of my DAC that I can almost say that  they sound the same, actually I didn't listened to so alike DAC's never before, very very alike sound.


----------



## Arvan

Im giving some love to my Z700s today..Since i bought em i have not really used them much...Im very impressed by the midrange, very good articulation! And very flat with no surprises..Some say it is rather boring, well that might be true..But if you want this kind of signature i think they are very solid indeed. 
   
  The line out of my cd player and the C-moy really makes the sonys blast...I barely have to touch the volume knob at all...Almost blew my ears when i first hit play


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks a lot for the lengthy response. I'm sure I'll like it until I get the change together for the LL. We've had a similar list of headphones and come to similar conclusions. 
   
  Concerning the Rev. 1 it's definitely the most emotional can I've heard. It's very forgiving and good at giving you a sense of atmosphere. I plan on having a more forgiving rig once more time passes and a Rev 1 might be a good idea.
   
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> 009 is sound fantastic, it's sounded so great that it overcome my view of ideal sound, there is nothing that I don't like in sound of 009, it's simply the best headphones I heared (from the tops of headphones in the past I owned LCD-2 rev.2, HE-6/500, SR-507, and listened to D7000, W5000, HD800, GS1000, Ultrasone Edition 8/10, Beyerdynamic T1/911, SR-007(SZ2)). Still listened LCD-2 rev.1 with CablePro cable with good amps (Phonitor and DIY good amp) and it was better than 009 in transmission of atmosphere of rock and jazz music, because 009 was playing too clear and too pretty, it was sounding a little bit like Pink Floyd was making a concert in Philarmonia and was dressed in tuxedos... so it sounded great in 009, but I think LCD-2 is closer to the true. Also emotionally on vocal this LCD-2 was clearly better than 009, although 009 technically was beter on vocal, but the emotions that I feel listening to that LCD-2 was outstanding (especially track Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow).
> 
> Didn't listened to LL, but compared my upgraded GES (5751 GE drive tubes & 6S4A GE power tubes) with KGSS on 507/007(SZ2)/009 and I liked GES better on all of headphones (even though GES shouldn't be powerful enough to drive 007, but I get a distortion only on a volume far above of my comfortable volume and below that level I liked sound of GES more than KGSS). With 009 the sound is more rich and liquid with GES, although KGSS has a little more drive, becase it's darker and have more bass than my GES, but GES have enough bass and drive to my likings and I don't like dark sound, so GES is my choice... but listened KGSS + 009 in the house of the owner of KGSS and on his rig with Acustic Arts DAC 1 Mk II, Chord Gold Reference power cable (it was Black Dragon from moon-audio when we listened it in my place) and Power Plant P5 the sound of KGSS is become better, so I guess with KGSS+009 you need to have a "soft" sounding DAC and power cable, or it will sound a little harsh... but in case of 507 I didn' like them with KGSS even at the place of KGSS owner, it's still sounded harsh, especially violins sounded not very pleasant to me. With 007 (SZ2) it's too much bass with KGSS, on some tracks with a lot of bass I clearly heared a hum and it really was very loud hum but there was no hum on GES+007(SZ2) on the same track.
> 
> By the way listened April Eximus DP1 on sunday at my place and my DAC again showed me that I need some really great DAC to clearly outperform my MS Audio lab. DAC 1.0, because Eximus was so close to sound of my DAC that I can almost say that  they sound the same, actually I didn't listened to so alike DAC's never before, very very alike sound.


----------



## Pstraums

This was meant for use at work. Right now it's at home.  Enjoying the T 90 and the Aune T1


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





pstraums said:


> This was meant for use at work. Right now it's at home.  Enjoying the T 90 and the Aune T1


 
   
  What a neat looking amp! How do you like it?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





pstraums said:


> This was meant for use at work. Right now it's at home.  Enjoying the T 90 and the Aune T1


 

 What do you think of the T90?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





pstraums said:


> This was meant for use at work. Right now it's at home.  Enjoying the T 90 and the Aune T1


 

 Any possible comparisons to the DT990/600Ω, despite the T90 being the replacement of the DT880?


----------



## mrAdrian

is T90 the replacement of the 880 not the 990?!!


----------



## sphinxvc

F3 clone arrived a few days back, so I rearranged.  
   
  Too much stuff now.


----------



## pelli

Here are my first pics of my home rig...

   

   
  .
   

   

   
  It's the bedroom set-up and the amp also runs into some Klipsch KG 3.5s for those non-headphone moments.


----------



## Focker

I always love seeing Cary gear...beautiful stuff!


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





focker said:


> I always love seeing Cary gear...beautiful stuff!


 
  Thank you, I've always wanted to own some Cary gear.  I recently got a killer deal on both the CAI-1 and CDP-1 and couldn't pass up the chance.  No tubes, but to my ears the sound is still excellent!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> is T90 the replacement of the 880 not the 990?!!


 
  Yes, hence the design of the cups bearing the resemblance to the DT 880.  Both are a semi-open design compared to the DT990, which is fully open.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

So here's my updated end-of-my-line setup. At least as far tube amps go. No really. I'll stop here.
  (not sure if it should go in the high-end thread or here, but it sure is for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> So here's my updated end-of-my-line setup. At least as far tube amps go. No really. I'll stop here.
> (not sure if it should go in the high-end thread or here, but it sure is for me
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I think you misunderstand the whole "end-of-the-line" phrase if you keep updating and upgrading it!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow nice.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> So here's my updated end-of-my-line setup. At least as far tube amps go. No really. I'll stop here.
> (not sure if it should go in the high-end thread or here, but it sure is for me
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  PURE dock sighting!!! woohooo!!!!
   
  One of the best kept secrets in audio! (shhhhhhh!!!!!)


----------



## Destroysall

Talk about bliss.  Very nice setup, *TheGrumpyOldMan*.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


focker said:


> PURE dock sighting!!! woohooo!!!!
> One of the best kept secrets in audio! (shhhhhhh!!!!!)


 
  Tell me about it. I kept having nothing but problems with my fancy Cambridge Audio dock, iPad support is laughable even though the form factor lends itself well to it. Worse, intermittent dropouts with CA's own DacMagic 100, constant dropouts with the otherwise great M-DAC... tried switching cables, iPods, jitter correction settings etc. Haven't updated this in that thread yet, but bleh.
   
  Got tired of it, dusted off my Pure i20, hooked it up, everything else the same... not -one- dropout since. At less than 1/3 the cost. Passes the M-DAC BitPerfect test with flying colors.
   
  Only drawbacks are the flimsy remote but I got a great little remote from Acoustic Research w/ learning anyway.
   
  And second is that stylistically the silver doesn't match, but frankly I can not justify blowing 3x the money again on the Arcam drDock or even more on the Wadia 171 when this thing gets the job done: pass a stream of 0 & 1 accurately to the DAC. Just a digital stream, no brighter sounding zeros or fuller ones offering a more 3-dimensional soundstage or anything else that would justify a higher cost. IMHO, of course.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> So here's my updated end-of-my-line setup. At least as far tube amps go. No really. I'll stop here.
> (not sure if it should go in the high-end thread or here, but it sure is for me
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'd say that was summit-fi, and it's summit else! Beautiful.
   
  I'm looking at the Mdac for my next purchase. Is the headphone out any good.. with planners? Could be a nice bedside option


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


lugbug1 said:


> I'd say that was summit-fi, and it's summit else! Beautiful.
> 
> I'm looking at the Mdac for my next purchase. Is the headphone out any good.. with planners? Could be a nice bedside option


 
  I guess "planners" you mean planar magnetics, not these




   
  I think the headphone out is VERY good. I had a private discussions with one of the guys on the PFM forum (a must-visit place for any M-DAC owner) who also owns $$$$ gear. He thought just saying that it's very good -for a built-in option- was doing it a disservice. I only have to relativise that because I really like the tube sound (as you can tell from the pic)
   
  Practically speaking, it can drive pretty much anything, including my LCD-3s. However that is indeed pushing it a bit. Let's say you have LCDs anyway, want a bedside rig with no fuss, then yes, the M-DAC will absolutely do the job. But will they sound their absolute best? Some might argue not quite.
   
  On the other hand, until it found its resting place next to the WA22, I myself used it for many hours with my W3000s and thought it sounded absolutely splendid, in some respect cleaner and more detailed than my WA2 while retaining all the other qualities. As a DAC, I would recommend without hesitation. It has so many sophisticated options (some of which made me understand digital audio, and the limits of my equipment better), is so well supported by the designer that I don't think there are many options even at a higher price that would offer more. But this thread is probably the best for more on this subject.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> I guess "planners" you mean planar magnetics, not these
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks for that, I've read some great reviews for it, but the specs for the headphone out are rarely mentioned. Cheers


----------



## Mad Dude




----------



## darren700

So i think i have reached a point where i am completly satisfied with my rig as well.
   
  Audio-gd Digital Interface DSP w/ TXCO & PSU ---> Wyred 4 Sound DAC1 (supercap upgrade) ---> AMB Balanced B22 w/O22 --> LCD2v2
   
  This setup sounds amazing to me and i see no need to upgrade further. (famous last words i know).
   
   
  Other Gear In The Rig:
  Audio-GD C2-SA
  Nad 5000 CDP
  APC H15 Power Conditioner
  Yamaha HTR5730
  Energy RC10 Speakers
  JDS O2 (with Black Faceplate)
  JDS ODAC
  JDS C421
  Ipod 5.5g (240gb)
  Denon D2000
  Denon D1100
  Denon HP700
   
  Sorry about the mess and my lack of photography skills.


----------



## KimLaroux

You know a guy has cash when he's got many thousands dollars worth of equipment all stuffed within a couple cubic meters, and can still stuff a stash of money in between this equipment. And the reason for this is there's not enough place left in his wallet.


----------



## darren700

Thanks, but im not that loaded lol, just work 60 hours a week and have alot of spare cash since Im Living at my parent's currently (im 24).
  Also note i drive a 1998 Monte Carlo Z34 (275000K or 170877mi) which is worth $1000 at most.
  I find this quite ironic because i tallied the cost of only my headphone rig shown here ands its north of $5000 (not including the computer or monitors).
  I think i might have an audio addiction...
   
  But the car serves its purpose and i enjoy audio alot more.
  Saving for a house right now.... but i Have to stop spending money on audio gear and saving more!! lol.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

+1 
   
  not making any more headphone purchases in a while.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> Tell me about it. I kept having nothing but problems with my fancy Cambridge Audio dock, iPad support is laughable even though the form factor lends itself well to it. Worse, intermittent dropouts with CA's own DacMagic 100, constant dropouts with the otherwise great M-DAC... tried switching cables, iPods, jitter correction settings etc. Haven't updated this in that thread yet, but bleh.
> 
> Got tired of it, dusted off my Pure i20, hooked it up, everything else the same... not -one- dropout since. At less than 1/3 the cost. Passes the M-DAC BitPerfect test with flying colors.
> ...


 
   
  Totally agree. I can see how aesthetics can be a deal breaker for some, but for $99 or whatever the thing costs, it's almost a no-brainer in terms of function.  For a time I was even using the internal DAC and just outputting the signal via the analog outs into my powered Audioengine speakers...fantastic sound for a very small price. Does a whole lot for very little....really glad to see yours in action!


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's because you own half the great cans out there...
   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1
> 
> not making any more headphone purchases in a while.


----------



## MomijiTMO

darren700 said:


> Thanks, but im not that loaded lol, just work 60 hours a week and have alot of spare cash since Im Living at my parent's currently (im 24).
> Also note i drive a 1998 Monte Carlo Z34 (275000K or 170877mi) which is worth $1000 at most.
> I find this quite ironic because i tallied the cost of only my headphone rig shown here ands its north of $5000 (not including the computer or monitors).
> I think i might have an audio addiction...
> ...



Sounds good dude. You have done pretty well AND you are thinking of the future (mortgage ) which is rare to see these days. Having an older reliable car is a good way to go.


----------



## Skylab

About 10 years ago when I bought my B&W N800's, a co-worker was scoffing at me for having speakers that cost $20K. I asked him what kind of car he drove. His answer: a Lexus. I said "well, I drive a 10 year old Jeep. Priorities, man, priorities". Shut him right up 

Not to mention the idiot was wearing a $2,000 wristwatch


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That's because you own half the great cans out there...


 
  Half full, HALF EMPTY


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





skylab said:


> About 10 years ago when I bought my B&W N800's, a co-worker was scoffing at me for having speakers that cost $20K. I asked him what kind of car he drove. His answer: a Lexus. I said "well, I drive a 10 year old Jeep. Priorities, man, priorities". Shut him right up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  And in 15-20 years, what will his Lexus be worth compared to your speakers.


----------



## MacedonianHero

New additions to my rack:

 GS-X
   
   

   
  Waiting on Steve Eddy (QCables) to send me my new balanced LCD-3 and HD800 cables.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Someone seriously needs to buy my LF... Seeing yours reminded me mine's for sale.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Someone seriously needs to buy my LF... Seeing yours reminded me mine's for sale.


 





 Sorry.


----------



## darren700

sweet setup you got there MacedonianHero. Nice and Clean. Really liking the look of that GS-X.
  Would love a comparison of the GS-X and LF when you have the cables.
  Im curious to see how the GS-X Preforms.
   
  Are you using the 650C as a transport to the DAC2 via Coaxial?
  I am doing that with my Old NAD 5000 CDP through my Audio-GD DI DSP (which reclocks the signal) to the W4S DAC1 and it sounds superb.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Any possible comparisons to the DT990/600Ω, despite the T90 being the replacement of the DT880?


 
   
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> is T90 the replacement of the 880 not the 990?!!


 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Yes, hence the design of the cups bearing the resemblance to the DT 880.  Both are a semi-open design compared to the DT990, which is fully open.


 
   
  Are you sure? Beyer's site lists them as open, not semi-open. Most people are expecting a semi-open T80 to show up soon to replace the 880.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





darren700 said:


> sweet setup you got there MacedonianHero. Nice and Clean. Really liking the look of that GS-X.
> Would love a comparison of the GS-X and LF when you have the cables.
> Im curious to see how the GS-X Preforms.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks...I'm pretty happy with it.
   
  I'll definitely report back when I get my balanced cables for my LCD-3s and HD800s and can get the full power out of the GS-X with them.
   
  You are correct, I'm using the 650C as a transport to the DAC-2 via coax. It has the exact same CD mechanism as the 850C, so for my needs, its a great fit.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> New additions to my rack:
> 
> GS-X
> 
> ...


 
   
  That GS-X, what does it sound like. I have one coming a few months from now (the parts over at HeadAmp are out of stock and Justin still has to build one) and would love to know the main signature it produces.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> That GS-X, what does it sound like. I have one coming a few months from now (the parts over at HeadAmp are out of stock and Justin still has to build one) and would love to know the main signature it produces.


 
  Extremely transparent!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> That GS-X, what does it sound like. I have one coming a few months from now (the parts over at HeadAmp are out of stock and Justin still has to build one) and would love to know the main signature it produces.


 
   
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Extremely transparent!


 
  ^^^ THIS
   
  To the max!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Are you sure? Beyer's site lists them as open, not semi-open. Most people are expecting a semi-open T80 to show up soon to replace the 880.


 
  I mean, correct me if I'm wrong.  I read somewhere on here (can't find it where) that the T90 was actually a replacement for the DT880, but really, I could be wrong.  My apologies.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1
> 
> not making any more headphone purchases in a while.


 
  +100
  That is so true for me as well... After buying SR-009 I don't have a money for my audio hobby, actually I got in debt to buy them and I still have to pay up a big part of it... so really no audio purchases for a while for me too, especially since if I want to buy something it will be something like Berkeley Alpha DAC or WooAudio WES amp, so it will cost me quite a lot of money.... on the other hand it seems I don't need to buy any headphones no more, SR-009 looks like the end game cans for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  P.S. I don't have a car, but I got SR-009 and I'm happy


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> +100
> That is so true for me as well... After buying SR-009 I don't have a money for my audio hobby, actually I got in debt to buy them and I still have to pay up a big part of it... so really no audio purchases for a while for me too, especially since if I want to buy something it will be something like Berkeley Alpha DAC or WooAudio WES amp, so it will cost me quite a lot of money.... on the other hand it seems I don't need to buy any headphones no more, SR-009 looks like the end game cans for me
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Your system is amazing DragonOwen. I am happy for you that you have, in a sense, reached the end of the HP journey. Now you can sit on top of the mountain and watch everyone else as they climb!


----------



## Uncle George

My Schitts and a basic EQ. 
   

   
  Waiting for Whiplash Audio parts to arrive to make some better interconnects... From what I've just read on the forum, looks like I'm not the first one who have communication issues.. and I'm in for a long wait..


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> My Schitts and a basic EQ.
> [...]


 
   
  Very nice setup - By now I think that an EQ, whether hardware or software, is essential in any audio system.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> My Schitts and a basic EQ.
> 
> 
> 
> Waiting for Whiplash Audio parts to arrive to make some better interconnects... From what I've just read on the forum, looks like I'm not the first one who have communication issues.. and I'm in for a long wait..


 
  If I were you, I'd sell that Valhalla and get a Lyr for those AKGs


----------



## tme110

Is there a new GS-X in the works?  Is that it?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> Is there a new GS-X in the works?  Is that it?


 
  That's the older/current model.
  GS-X can be upgraded with new modules soon. Thread.


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> That's the older/current model.
> GS-X can be upgraded with new modules soon. Thread.


 

 Thanks. I looked for a GS-X thread and looked on the manufacturer sight but never found anything about it.  Those BHSE's Justin had at the DC meet were amazing so I can't wait to see these.  though it will be hard to leave my tube amps....


----------



## angelsblood

Quote: 





auralrelations said:


> Little Country III hybrid amp. Zero DAC/amp below.
> 
> Grado RS2i
> 
> AKG K702


 
  those are cute pre amps u got there!


----------



## indieman

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> My Schitts and a basic EQ.
> 
> ...
> 
> Waiting for Whiplash Audio parts to arrive to make some better interconnects... From what I've just read on the forum, looks like I'm not the first one who have communication issues.. and I'm in for a long wait..


 
   
  Try calling them. Just got my adapter in from them. After waiting a week with no shipping info, I finally just called them. Talked to Mike, he said he would take care of it. Like two days later it came in express mail (from moon audio?)  Thanks Mike!


----------



## Uncle George

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> If I were you, I'd sell that Valhalla and get a Lyr for those AKGs


 
  Obviously you are not me then.. cos I didn't think the Lyr were much better than Valhalla. 
  Or maybe my ears simply isn't good enough. Tried the Woo Audio WA3 as well... and i still prefered Valhalla.


----------



## Uncle George

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Very nice setup - By now I think that an EQ, whether hardware or software, is essential in any audio system.


 
  =)
  My original amp, a vintage Technics had tones of bass and warmth, the Valhalla sounded thin compared to it.
   
  Actually, compared to Valhalla, the Technics only lost on clarity/detail and noise. 
   
  Tried software EQ and didn't like it.. a lot of distortion. Hardware EQ is the way to go..


----------



## Uncle George

Quote: 





indieman said:


> Try calling them. Just got my adapter in from them. After waiting a week with no shipping info, I finally just called them. Talked to Mike, he said he would take care of it. Like two days later it came in express mail (from moon audio?)  Thanks Mike!


 
  Thanks, 
   
  I've got a reply from Craig today, he said he was in hospital and promised he will send the parcel straight away. 2 hours later I've received an USPS shipping confirmation. 
   
  Not meant to be rude or unsympathetic, Just wondering.. he could have told someone else to send the goods.. while he is at hospital.. instead of having me wait 5 days to get a response...


----------



## logwed

Wow you really sound like a good person


----------



## muad

+1
  Quote: 





logwed said:


> Wow you really sound like a good person


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





logwed said:


> Wow you really sound like a good person


 
  Obviously he's a businessman.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> Thanks,
> 
> I've got a reply from Craig today, he said he was in hospital and promised he will send the parcel straight away. 2 hours later I've received an USPS shipping confirmation.
> 
> Not meant to be rude or unsympathetic, Just wondering.. he could have told someone else to send the goods.. while he is at hospital.. instead of having me wait 5 days to get a response...


 
   
  Craig's in the hospital?? I was worried about why he wasn't returning my emails. I posted a review a while ago and thought his business shut down or something along those lines.


----------



## zdmetal

Pretty terrible compared to what most of you have, but I'm relatively new to this hobby.


----------



## Skylab

Yeah, I even check my work emails while I'm surgery, what a slacker :rolleyes:

Craig is a great guy, hope he is OK.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





zdmetal said:


> Pretty terrible compared to what most of you have, but I'm relatively new to this hobby.


 
  This is a very nice set up. Clean and with some variety!


----------



## basman




----------



## snapple10

nice! you are definitely a Grado's fan
  I have my cds in crates like that , might have to go an organized them better after seeing yours


----------



## basman

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> nice! you are definitely a Grado's fan
> I have my cds in crates like that , might have to go an organized them better after seeing yours


 
   
  Hi, thanks maybe a Grado fan boy too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I love that crate and I find it easy to move from my headphone rig to speaker rig. I have two of it I might sort it out to separate the Rock and Easy listening cd's.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





basman said:


>


 
  Oh, I see "The DECCA Sound" boxset here, not a long ago I bought myself this boxset, but with 50CD's, looks like yours is a bit smaller, guess it's 5 CD's version of this boxset... by some coincidence right now I'm listening 24 CD from this boxset: Dvorak: Symphony No.9 & No.8 . Actually this boxset is my first step in listening classical music... from the 24 CD's that I already listened I'm pretty much sure I make the right choice to buy this boxset, because I like all of them (some more (Strauss, R.: Eine Alpensinfonie), some less (Britten: War Requiem), but overall I liked them all)


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





basman said:


>


 
   
  that's a lot of Grados. Looks great!


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

basman said:


>




Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


 
  Yeah, thats just for show. Later on he'll be dancing around with his GS1000's on,  drinking out of it, mark my words! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  lovely set up by the way


----------



## Tilpo

dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer




Filling it with beer?

My God, you sir are a genius.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

tilpo said:


> Filling it with beer?
> My God, you sir are a genius.




I do what I can


----------



## LCfiner

Latest desk setup. downsized a bit from the LCD3 and Burson Soloist. But the SQ is still pretty awesome.
   
  HD650 stays at the desk. The Mad Dogs get ferried between work and home. 
  DAC is the JDS Labs ODAC (behind the computer. not shown)
  Amp is the ALO Amphora
   
  I also have the portable ALO Continental charging here (that goes to work, too)


----------



## basman

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Oh, I see "The DECCA Sound" boxset here, not a long ago I bought myself this boxset, but with 50CD's, looks like yours is a bit smaller, guess it's 5 CD's version of this boxset... by some coincidence right now I'm listening 24 CD from this boxset: Dvorak: Symphony No.9 & No.8 . Actually this boxset is my first step in listening classical music... from the 24 CD's that I already listened I'm pretty much sure I make the right choice to buy this boxset, because I like all of them (some more (Strauss, R.: Eine Alpensinfonie), some less (Britten: War Requiem), but overall I liked them all)


 
   
  I like Decca's recording, it sounds good and nice material too.


----------



## basman

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


 
   
   
  Whoaaaa I didn't know about that! I will try it this evening with Heineken and Crispy Pata


----------



## basman

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yeah, thats just for show. Later on he'll be dancing around with his GS1000's on,  drinking out of it, mark my words!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks! might worth a try eh.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





basman said:


> I like Decca's recording, it sounds good and nice material too.


 
  Yeah, it sounds so good, that it looks like I now have to re-listen first 23 CD's
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




... because looks like with SR-009 I can listen this recordigs on a whole new level of quality in comparison to what I heard in SR-507... It still amazes me what a great headphones SR-009 is, I didn't have such big sound quality leap ever since I first heard HE-6 when I was still having Beyerdynamic DT880 600Ohm... to me 009 sound better than perfect 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
   
  P.S. I'm afraid to listen Sennheiser Orpheus and first Stax Omegas (if I have a chance) if they really sound better than 009 like people says... because if it's really true, then I'm afraid that listening them will take me to heaven a little bit earlier than I was planning


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





basman said:


>


 
   
  Holy Grado awesomeness!!!  Can I come over? lol


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


 
   
   
  You can fill it with BEER?!?!?!?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


 
  Would that be a functional metaphor?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Would that be a functional metaphor?


 
  I think we're all to visit Pier 1 this weekend.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> Thanks,
> 
> I've got a reply from Craig today, he said he was in hospital and promised he will send the parcel straight away. 2 hours later I've received an USPS shipping confirmation.
> 
> Not meant to be rude or unsympathetic, Just wondering.. he could have told someone else to send the goods.. while he is at hospital.. instead of having me wait 5 days to get a response...


 
   
  Sounds like this Craig guy better get his damn priorities in order.


----------



## longbowbbs

http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html
   
  Let the games begin!


----------



## Tilpo

longbowbbs said:


> http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html
> 
> Let the games begin!




No International Shipping. :mad:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> No International Shipping.


 
  Tell them you are going to use Stella.. See if they bend!


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Tell them you are going to use Stella.. See if they bend!


 
  Too many head choices are freaky.


----------



## Tilpo

longbowbbs said:


> Tell them you are going to use Stella.. See if they bend!




Stella? 

Nah. I personally like Grolsch better.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

paradoxper said:


> Too many head choices are freaky.




Yeah I would be less inclined to drink out of a black glass humanoid head


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





basman said:


>


 

 I spy with my little eye...seven of something.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> Latest desk setup. downsized a bit from the LCD3 and Burson Soloist. But the SQ is still pretty awesome.
> 
> HD650 stays at the desk. The Mad Dogs get ferried between work and home.
> DAC is the JDS Labs ODAC (behind the computer. not shown)
> ...


 
  How are you liking the Mad Dog compared to what you've owned before? I'm thinking of skipping on another flagship the next time I purchase and just finding the best value I can.


----------



## .Sup

basman said:


>



I love this photo and your room!


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> How are you liking the Mad Dog compared to what you've owned before? I'm thinking of skipping on another flagship the next time I purchase and just finding the best value I can.


 
   
  Oh man, I really, _really_ like them. 
   
first impressions
   
more comments
   
  The last couple years, I had found myself getting a little frustrated at a lot of the 500-ish dollar headphones out there (and some even more expensive ones) as I found they all had some key weakness (either shoutiness or bloated bass or "wall of sound" imaging, etc) and had thought I would be forced to keep a real high end model around (SR-007 or LCD3 or HD800) to get the kind of sound I wanted. I'm not a huge details or technicalities freak but I kept finding that I had to get the headphones that excelled in both FR and technicalities to get the sound I wanted. And that's really, really expensive.
   
  But, for my taste and priorities, the Mad Dogs get closer to the high end cans I had that any of the other midrange models I have owned (~500 bucks).
   
  They're mostly flat, they don't have nasty treble peaks, they have great, precise imaging. They have just enough technical proficiency for me not to worry about the fidelity of the reproduction (fast response, black background, good separation, lack of grain) and just enjoy the natural frequency response.
   
  Their bass extends well but is not perfectly textured (brand new pads announced _today_ might end up improving this and I can't wait to order them). I think they're one of the best headphones I have ever heard, at any price, and while they are NOT as good as the LCD3 I just had (or the SR007 or the HD800), I couldn't justify keeping the LCD3 as it just costs _so much more _and the difference wasn't big enough for me to keep it. 
   
  they're also very comfortable. But they do need a lot of power for amping. They should be treated like an LCD2 or HD650 in terms of amp power and quality necessary to make them sing.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> Oh man, I really, _really_ like them.
> 
> first impressions
> 
> ...


 
   Yep, yep. x2 all you've stated.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





zdmetal said:


> Pretty terrible compared to what most of you have, but I'm relatively new to this hobby.


 
   
  Hey awesome setup, especially for one climbing the ladder! You've almost gotten every different sounds, that was the approach I've taken - one bassy headphone, one neutral, one grado, one... *see profile/pm me*
   
  Gotta wonder did you custom built that table corner for the headphones however... *wink* And lastly, do not underestimate headfi, a lot of us are 'new to this hobby' yet our list grows quick
   
  Quote: 





basman said:


>


 
   
  I LISTENED TO A PAIR OF PS-1 YSTDAY and it sounds STUNNING!!! You must have a listen if you dig the grado sound, it is unbelivable!!!


----------



## Armaegis

I can't tell if headfi'ers are naturally meticulously clean, or if you guys just shove things out of sight before taking pictures.


----------



## Tilpo

armaegis said:


> I can't tell if headfi'ers are naturally meticulously clean, or if you guys just shove things out of sight before taking pictures.




Unfortunately it's probably the latter. At best a bit of both.


----------



## Uncle George

While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
   
  There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style. 
   
  What do ya think? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 <=omg, that's an K701!


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Stuck with a crappy old table for the time being - my carpenter's working on other jobs but when he comes in patch up my (hard to reach)  roof I have a detailed sketch of an audio rack waiting for him.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> ...


 
  Awesome photos and I love the classic rig! What camera did you use?


----------



## genclaymore

I finally gotten around to take a picture, sorry for the picture quality. I took it with my cellphone camera.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Quality pics Uncle George. Might be some new desktop wallpaper in my future


----------



## Uncle George

=) Thank you for the kind comments, 
   
  Camera is Nikon D300s with Nikkor 24-85mm. 
  (don't get bogged down on the camera model or lens, eqipment is only part of the equation. A iPhone can take awesome photos too.)
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Awesome photos and I love the classic rig! What camera did you use?


 
   
  Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Quality pics Uncle George. Might be some new desktop wallpaper in my future


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> =) Thank you for the kind comments,
> 
> Camera is Nikon D300s with Nikkor 24-85mm.
> (don't get bogged down on the camera model or lens, eqipment is only part of the equation. A iPhone can take awesome photos too.)


 
  I am a Canon guy myself. Shots like that take some skill. and, oh, BTW, the Rig is nice too...


----------



## tokendog

Shots like that also take some finesse with photo shop in almost ALL cases.  Great photos. I like the darker exposure.


----------



## zdmetal

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Hey awesome setup, especially for one climbing the ladder! You've almost gotten every different sounds, that was the approach I've taken - one bassy headphone, one neutral, one grado, one... *see profile/pm me*
> 
> Gotta wonder did you custom built that table corner for the headphones however... *wink* And lastly, do not underestimate headfi, a lot of us are 'new to this hobby' yet our list grows quick


 
   
  Thanks, I tried my best to diversify so I could get a good taste of the different styles and sounds.  The desk isn't actually custom built at all it's just some cheapy pile I bought from a local auction for $30. I think it's just a Wal-Mart brand one that you buy and assemble yourself. The openings are great for storing cables, 6.3mm adapters, cases, etc. and the edges work great for the headphone clamps I bought.


----------



## BullHorn

Wow, some of these setups really put my setup to shame. I'm at work now, I'll take a picture when I get home.
   
  It's just my PC, connected to a Lexicon Alpha USB sound interface for recording guitar, then into a PA2V2 or Fred_fred_2004's 3-channel rechargeable cMoy and then into my Ultrasone Pro 900 or AKG K240.


----------



## Yuceka

Very nice. If you don't mind me asking, how do you connect your iPad to your Cantate ?
  Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Stuck with a crappy old table for the time being - my carpenter's working on other jobs but when he comes in patch up my (hard to reach)  roof I have a detailed sketch of an audio rack waiting for him.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Stuck with a crappy old table for the time being - my carpenter's working on other jobs but when he comes in patch up my (hard to reach)  roof I have a detailed sketch of an audio rack waiting for him.


 
   
  Wow, that Meier amp is beautiful! I've never seen that one before...how many years ago did you pick it up? I love my Corda Jazz, but would love to see Jan design them like that again!


----------



## kstaken

Excellent shots! Composition and lighting are exquisite. Any camera that can deliver shallow depth of field could take these shots but not in the hands of just any photographer.
   
  Quote: 





uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> ...


----------



## MomijiTMO

uncle george said:


> =) Thank you for the kind comments,
> 
> Camera is Nikon D300s with Nikkor 24-85mm.
> (don't get bogged down on the camera model or lens, eqipment is only part of the equation. A iPhone can take awesome photos too.)




Indeed.

You all should have a look at this 'book'. Most of my photos are done with my iPhone. Why? It's always in my pocket.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Camera-Thats-With/dp/0321684788


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Those are among the best pictures I've seen on this forum. You have a good eye for photography. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Unlike me, I'm of the analytical side. And I have a very bad camera phone.


----------



## ISALULA

uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> What do ya think?   <=omg, that's an K701!




Great pics ! I like very much too.


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





focker said:


> Wow, that Meier amp is beautiful! I've never seen that one before...how many years ago did you pick it up? I love my Corda Jazz, but would love to see Jan design them like that again!


 
   
  Close to second on my priorities when I bought it - it just looked too damn good next to the iPad2 I got as a gift. Came out exactly as I imagined it in my head.
   
  I just bought off the forum a few months ago, March 2012; it came out 2009 but I had no cash for it then, plus my primary system was still a Marantz CD80 > NAD304 > Wharfedale Pi10SE on custom sand-loaded, welded-joint stands (plus an SR225 as back-up). Got to listen to the Cantate.2 around June 2011, loved it, waited 'til this one was posted. I actually didn't have enough cash when it was posted since I just paid for a plane ticket to see my brother in California, but I managed to sell a few things ASAP (so I won't dent my trip money) and jsut shipped it there - it arrived just ahead of me.
   
  The case though wasn't entirely Dr. Meier's design; AFAIK it's a Shanling chassis and they were (are?) the sub-contractors, I think, since Meier pumped up production since he can't keep up with demand building amps himself/with a small crew in Germany. Unfortunately production costs need to be taken into account so later the UFO-like Shanling chassis were dropped. BTW, I got to listen to a Shanling SCD-T200 - similar but wider chassis, tube output - with the Cantate and the sound was absolute delicious. Treble had great extension, midrange was just lush enough without  being obviously artificially "sweet" (ie, "just right"), and bass had a lot of audible impact but you won't hear it coming from in front of the vocals. I'm saving up for it since one of the units i listened to is being sold used with the barely-used NOS tubes for just under US$900. Hope it's still there by December.
   
  BTW, I was at a meet this weekend and the amp didn't look as good under bright white light with blue cast-off from the carpet. The silver and the grey-blue panels just had too much contrast.
   
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Very nice. If you don't mind me asking, how do you connect your iPad to your Cantate ?


 
   
  I hooked up the CCK with the USB-A port to the dock port of the upright desk dock, then a standard USB-A to USB-B cable takes the digital signal to the Cantate's USB DAC. I also have Monkey Mote on it, so at some point I might also occasionally use my laptop as source with the iPad as remote, since disadvantages of using it upright (despite being a perfect music server ergonomically) are 1) limited storage space and 2) it's not ergonomic for reading my magazine subscriptions on the iPad while it's on the dock. But so far with just my most favorite metal albums, a few acoustic audiophile recordings and music demo discs from Focal and B&W,  I'm just using a little over 16GB. I just stream pop ballads and house/party music off the net when I want to listen to them.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





momijitmo said:


> Indeed.
> You all should have a look at this 'book'. Most of my photos are done with my iPhone. Why? It's always in my pocket.
> http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Camera-Thats-With/dp/0321684788


 

 You, sir, are not what I thought you looked like (if that IS you and not some cleverly-hired model/actor in the book's videos) .


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> You, sir, are not what I thought you looked like (if that IS you and not some cleverly-hired model/actor in the book's videos) .


 
   
  I'm curious what makes you think that is the poster in the videos?  I may have missed something though.


----------



## BullHorn

These photos make me want to get a tabletop amp and source even though I don't think I even need one...


----------



## angelsblood

Quote: 





dailydoseofdaly said:


> Nice,glad to see someone else using the glass head as a stand and not just for filling with beer


 
   
  lol!


----------



## Accoun

Not exactly the newest photo, not full rig, but still part of my "collection". Sent this to a contest (photo is crap, but they said they won't judge the technique, just what's on it), maybe I have a chance as an "interesting rig"? That's what you call "classic" (at least in "portable", heh)! 






  Yes, it' a bit dusty, but now? Whatever...


----------



## Heathen999

I been playing around with the different headphone stands for the last 2 weeks or so. I never really hit on the look of one I liked. So last Wednesday, while sitting at my ugly, old, falling apart computer stand it came to me. Why not build a new desk and make the headphone stand part of it and, add a spot for amps and what not. So I spent the evening drawing up different desks and finally hit on one I kind of liked. So Friday off to the lumber store I went and started the building process. I am still 100% its what I want or will settle on, but its atleast functional and a heck of a lot better than what I had been using since moving the man cave from the upstairs to the dungeon....I mean basement......lol
   
  Well anyway here is a couple pictures of the current listening station. Nothing really elaborate, but its functional and suites me well. At least for the time being. 
   
  Pictures are taken from my iPhone and I am about the farthest thing from a photographer that you will ever find. Sorry for the crappy pics, but its the best I can do.


----------



## indieman

Nice job! Love the diagonal can stands.


----------



## indieman

Quote: 





accoun said:


> Not exactly the newest photo, not full rig, but still part of my "collection". Sent this to a contest (photo is crap, but they said they won't judge the technique, just what's on it), maybe I have a chance as an "interesting rig"? That's what you call "classic" (at least in "portable", heh)!
> ...
> 
> Yes, it' a bit dusty, but now? Whatever...


 
  What cd player is that? The portapro cable looks modified... (or is there an amp outside the picture between the two


----------



## Tilpo

I wish good cameras were cheaper. 

So many excellent rigs that are being degraded by bad quality pictures.


----------



## Accoun

@Indieman: Bought used, AFAIK the cable is stock - it has been rejacked, though (don't remember what jack it is).
 Player is SONY D-50 - first Discman ever. ^_^

 @Tilpo: I wish good camera skills were cheaper (speaking for myself). ;-/


----------



## calipilot227

Quote:  
   
  Doesn't get much more classic than a Discman and PortaPros


----------



## Pettnolf

New and only stationary rig!
  Upgraded from HD600 with x-can v2 which have now found a new home on my fiancees head.
  She thought I was crazy for spending so much on a pair of headphones but once she tried them on her face lit up and she understood what headphones was about..
   
  Couldn't let her go back to some crappy low-fi headphones after that so she got my old rig


----------



## .Sup

Gratz Pettnolf! I wish I could do such a big jump with the upgrade since I am positive 009 would be the end game for me (until Stax releases something better) but I just can't afford it, sadly.


----------



## 188479

Here is my modest system:


----------



## DragonOwen

*Pettnolf*
  LOL, we not only have partly same rig (WooAudio GES, SR-009, WooAudio Stand), but even my mouse is the same is yours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Congratulation, hope you like yours SR-009 + GES as much as I like mine


----------



## .Sup

get out kev, that's no modest rig! Very nice!


----------



## Armaegis

My mind is slightly boggled at what some of you guys call "modest"...


----------



## colinharding

Posted this in another forum, figured it qualifies here as my system has changed.  Got a new rack for the equipment.  Pulled it out of an old theatre near my house along with the amps on the bottom.
   
   

   
  Preamp (gold), McCurdy transformer coupled interstage (grey amp and headphone amp), Norther Electric 4045C transformer coupled output amplifiers.  One was still on when I found it!  Still need some shelves for the DAC and tuner, but it's getting there.
   
   

  Top of rack.


----------



## Pettnolf

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> *Pettnolf*
> LOL, we not only have partly same rig (WooAudio GES, SR-009, WooAudio Stand), but even my mouse is the same is yours
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks! It's by far the best i've heard. Much better than HD800 which was the second best i've heard before SR-009.
   
  Rediscovering music right now.
   
   
  Haha that is just awesome that we have almost the same rig!
   
  It's a great mouse also. Great minds think alike


----------



## Tilpo

armaegis said:


> My mind is slightly boggled at what some of you guys call "modest"...




Anything below an HE90 is modest.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Posted this in another forum, figured it qualifies here as my system has changed.  Got a new rack for the equipment.  Pulled it out of an old theatre near my house along with the amps on the bottom.


 
   
  What a sight!


----------



## MomijiTMO

Holy cow, those transformers are huge.


----------



## .Sup

momijitmo said:


> Holy cow, those transformers are huge.



they seem rather modest


----------



## MomijiTMO

I hope you're kidding. How much would these cost? Gah.


----------



## logwed

I figured that I may as well take a picture of my rig before I head back to school. Disclaimer: It is very difficult to take a picture with the Nexus 7's camera (which sucks anyway)




EDIT: oh wow that turned out even worse than I had anticipated 
EDIT EDIT: resized to diminish crappiness of photo.


----------



## tme110

How do you like the pk90?  I'm trying to get a pk100 but they can't even return my email to tell me if there's a wait time to get one. compare it with any other transport?
  Quote: 





188479 said:


> Here is my modest system:


----------



## 188479

> How do you like the pk90?


 
   
  It's actually a PK100 tmw110!  I had the exact same problem, took them forever to send an email back about purchasing one.  Keep at it and you will get one, I have been very happy with it.  Don't have anything to compare it with as I was using a laptop before, but it does exactly what I wanted it to do.  One thing I will mention about Auraliti, when I received my unit I had a weird problem with it.  Ray bent over backwards to help me out with it...probably the _best_ customer service I have received from any company.  All is well now and the unit is working perfectly...I can play any digital file (up to 24/192) and it outputs nicely to the Bifrost.  Still working on ripping all of my CD's, but its a lot of fun to sit in my comfee chair with the Ipad and be able to browse through all of my digital music!


----------



## MohawkUS

Some very nice modest rigs in here, I hope you don't mind if I add my modest vintage rig to the list. 



The amp is a vintage Sherwood S-6000. There isn't much info on it but it seems to have the same hardware as a S-7800 but with some of the upgrades the 8800A model brought. Some of the vintage guys will know what I'm talking about, I'm still pretty new to the scene.  The amp hasn't seen any restoration services yet. I bought it with the intention of taking it to a local tech but it arrived in much better shape than I had anticipated so I might just do the work myself. It could do with some cleaning and capacitors of that age are usually in not too good shape, but that's to be expected with things 30 years past their expiration date.

And here is a closeup of the face. 



Typical late 60s Sherwood, back when they made them in the US. I've also got one of their first gen Japanese made amps and they are a completely different beast. They very slightly share design and sound signature but they are very distant cousins to the American made amps.



I've got a cheap cartridge at the moment but it sounds pretty good. I'll probably replace it with another Audio Technica when I can afford to. I find their signature sound works better in carts than it does in their headphones.

And my tape deck, good for metal demo tapes and for when you just need an album on analog but the vinyl is just too expensive.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Your rack costs more than a lot of people's entire systems. While I get your modesty comment was a joke, in all seriousness how do you like the Mapleshade rack?
   
  I was looking at one myself recently (or at least one of their TT stands). Is it sturdy enough? I'm honestly a little confused about how it all goes together.
   
  Quote: 





188479 said:


> Here is my modest system:


----------



## Silent One

That Mapleshade rack is calling out to me...


----------



## Focker

Love Mapleshade products...


----------



## anoxy

MohawkUS - beautiful station. I'm a sucker for the vintage setups.
   
  I wish I had a worthy head-fi station to post here. Some day...


----------



## L-G-C

My Dad's/ My rig. Its pretty good. Too bad its in the workshop, in my garage. I need it to be moved ASAP.
   

   

   

   

  oh, and they're all technics..


----------



## 17trevop




----------



## basman

Quote: 





accoun said:


> Not exactly the newest photo, not full rig, but still part of my "collection". Sent this to a contest (photo is crap, but they said they won't judge the technique, just what's on it), maybe I have a chance as an "interesting rig"? That's what you call "classic" (at least in "portable", heh)!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  This is an awesome vintage setup!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I spy with my little eye...seven of something.


 
   
  You got it!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> ...


 
  Superb and nice headphone and camera rig!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





.sup said:


> I love this photo and your room!


 
  Thanks!


----------



## vinnievidi

Great photos, really. Love the white K701 and red cable jacket
   
   
  Quote: 





uncle george said:


> While reading Head fi, I realised I've never taken a proper photo of my headphone and amp!
> 
> There are plenty of studio hi-key shots of AKG and Shiits, I went for an alternative style.
> 
> ...


----------



## manveru

People...is it really necessary to keep quoting the same post and include all the pictures in it? Just sayin'.


----------



## anoxy

forum noobs


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





heathen999 said:


> I been playing around with the different headphone stands for the last 2 weeks or so. I never really hit on the look of one I liked. So last Wednesday, while sitting at my ugly, old, falling apart computer stand it came to me. Why not build a new desk and make the headphone stand part of it and, add a spot for amps and what not. So I spent the evening drawing up different desks and finally hit on one I kind of liked. So Friday off to the lumber store I went and started the building process. I am still 100% its what I want or will settle on, but its atleast functional and a heck of a lot better than what I had been using since moving the man cave from the upstairs to the dungeon....I mean basement......lol
> 
> Well anyway here is a couple pictures of the current listening station. Nothing really elaborate, but its functional and suites me well. At least for the time being.
> 
> Pictures are taken from my iPhone and I am about the farthest thing from a photographer that you will ever find. Sorry for the crappy pics, but its the best I can do.


 
   
   
  Great job!!


----------



## colinharding

momijitmo said:


> I hope you're kidding. How much would these cost? Gah.


   


   
  Well lucky for me they were free hehehe.  The amps were made in Canada in the late 1930's as the Canadian arm of Western Electric, hence the "northern" instead of "western" electric.  The humble power transformers operate at 25hz, which is why they are so large.  Those beasts would cost a great deal as they would have to be custom made today unless you could find a pair on ebay or in an estate sale.  Below is a pic of the sticker on the output transformer, thought some of you might be interested.


----------



## 188479

Quote: 





> in all seriousness how do you like the Mapleshade rack?
> 
> I was looking at one myself recently (or at least one of their TT stands). Is it sturdy enough? I'm honestly a little confused about how it all goes together.


 
   
  Its very, very sturdy!  I like it a lot.  It went togeter pretty easy, but you do need two people to do it.  And note that it's very heavy.  Basically you have 4 threaded poles, you put the footers on the end of each pole, slide a shelf down (which steadies the whole thing) and then you have a bunch of nicely machined brass rings that thread down and lock the shelves where you want them.  Since it is all thread, you can put the shelves anywhere.  Only tool you need is a level for the shelves.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That was the idea I got from it when I saw the pictures. Good that it's heavy, that's important. I really like the fact that you can put the shelves anywhere. Looking even better now.
   
  Quote: 





188479 said:


> Its very, very sturdy!  I like it a lot.  It went togeter pretty easy, but you do need two people to do it.  And note that it's very heavy.  Basically you have 4 threaded poles, you put the footers on the end of each pole, slide a shelf down (which steadies the whole thing) and then you have a bunch of nicely machined brass rings that thread down and lock the shelves where you want them.  Since it is all thread, you can put the shelves anywhere.  Only tool you need is a level for the shelves.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





manveru said:


> People...is it really necessary to keep quoting the same post and include all the pictures in it? Just sayin'.


 
   
  This forum seems to be the only one I frequent that this is a steadily recurring problem.


----------



## Branded

Just got a new favorite


----------



## .Sup

That red sleeve going into AKGs really does look nice, is it Nylon?


----------



## Uncle George

Sorry I'm not sure of the material, it's Nike shoe lace, 
http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/red/home?locale=en_US
  I couldn't find the material description.. but unlikely to be cotton~
   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> That red sleeve going into AKGs really does look nice, is it Nylon?


----------



## Pstraums

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> What a neat looking amp! How do you like it?


 
   
  I like the sound it produces, and feels plenty strong enough for the T-90s. Plan to check out some other tubes though. Stock are probably cheapest sort    Nice value for money in my book.


----------



## .Sup

uncle george said:


> Sorry I'm not sure of the material, it's Nike shoe lace,
> http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/red/home?locale=en_US
> I couldn't find the material description.. but unlikely to be cotton~



Lol I work at Intersport and we have a full box of those. What a coincidence. They are expensive though but since its for a good cause I might buy one.


----------



## Pstraums

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> What do you think of the T90?


 
   
  I Like it a LOT, but more info in the T90 thread at this forum


----------



## angelsblood

Quote: 





waterfalls said:


> Simple desk set up.
> 
> 
> 
> And everything else, which is a mess.


 
   
  ohhh good old n64!!! classic classic!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Stuck with a crappy old table for the time being - my carpenter's working on other jobs but when he comes in patch up my (hard to reach)  roof I have a detailed sketch of an audio rack waiting for him.


 
   
  How does your Sudgen amp sound with your 650's?


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> This forum seems to be the only one I frequent that this is a steadily recurring problem.


 

 I dont mind it for threads like this, lets me see images from other pages without having to sift through


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





heathen999 said:


> I been playing around with the different headphone stands for the last 2 weeks or so. I never really hit on the look of one I liked. So last Wednesday, while sitting at my ugly, old, falling apart computer stand it came to me. Why not build a new desk and make the headphone stand part of it and, add a spot for amps and what not. So I spent the evening drawing up different desks and finally hit on one I kind of liked. So Friday off to the lumber store I went and started the building process. I am still 100% its what I want or will settle on, but its atleast functional and a heck of a lot better than what I had been using since moving the man cave from the upstairs to the dungeon....I mean basement......lol
> 
> Well anyway here is a couple pictures of the current listening station. Nothing really elaborate, but its functional and suites me well. At least for the time being.
> 
> Pictures are taken from my iPhone and I am about the farthest thing from a photographer that you will ever find. Sorry for the crappy pics, but its the best I can do.


 
  Now that is one swag setup.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rushnerd said:


> Now that is one swag setup.


 
   
  Yep, considering he just built the entire thing on a whim....pretty impressive!


----------



## Armaegis

Things like that make me wish I had woodworking skills and the tools to do it. Hmm though my garage *does* have wiring for 220... but ugh I have enough time/money eating hobbies as it is.


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





defqon said:


> How does your Sudgen amp sound with your 650's?


 
   
   
  Not a Sugden Bro, it's a Meier Corda Cantate.2. My favorite amp for the HD600 (plus the RS1, and a K701 with old pads) so far. It's one of the most neutral combo among amps I've tried*. Curiously enough at a meet last weekend there was a very pronounced "hole" in the midrange which while visible in response graphs (I remember there's a dip somewhere, or maybe that was a Beyer 880?), but never heard it at home. The difference was the higher noise due to all the people there with other open headphones, plus I didn't bring my voltage regulator. Both could have contributed to it but I can't be 100% on it.
   
   
  *Little Dot MkII (with a Marantz CD60, NOS DAC) - lacked a bit of drive/PRAT ; NOS DAC had the biggest soundstage with K701 though 
  Ibasso PB1 (with a 5g iPod and Cowon S9) - a bit too warm ; some distortion with the Cowon
  Burson HD160D (using internal DAC) - had that "live" feel to it, but can't use the iPad without a powered hub, and the volume control requires you to fix the digital gain on your CD rips or going from one to another may require you to work the volume control, and I'm not fond of it
  fully discrete custom Class A amp (with an unknown DAC) - sounds like the Burson, but was a custom job worth more than the Cantate and the chassis was too large if it'll share a desk with a laptop, plus a DAC (can't stack, too hot)
  super CMOY with 4x3.7v li-Ion batteries - drives like a desktop amp, but has a too sweet midrange bloom in the vocals


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Not a Sugden Bro, it's a Meier Corda Cantate.2.


 
  Looks so much like a Sugden Headmaster from the quick glimpse at the picture.


----------



## drez

Quote: 





pettnolf said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Biggest upgrade ever?


----------



## angelsblood

Quote: 





limberger said:


>


 
   
  lol! table tennis racket headphone stand ftw!!!


----------



## angelsblood

Quote: 





happy camper said:


> The RB-1050 and pair of RMB-100s are under the armrest on the lower shelves. I hope to make a final judgment soon on what will drive the HE-6.


 
   
  for a second, i thought it was a coffee machine!! XD


----------



## Heathen999

Quote: 





focker said:


> Yep, considering he just built the entire thing on a whim....pretty impressive!


 
  ........and a prayer...........lol
   
  Quote: 





rushnerd said:


> Now that is one swag setup.


 
  Thank you.


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Looks so much like a Sugden Headmaster from the quick glimpse at the picture.


 
   
  Yep, kind of, but the Shanling chassis used by Meier has really pronounced corner pillars. The Sugden chassis has practical advantages though - when I rest the cans on the Cantate and pick it up it snags the hole on top, although I do it gently enough that I haven't scratched either. Still, if I pick it up straight off a flat surface, it wouldn't. Really need a proper headphone stand - the hook on the banana stand is too low the cable connecters squish on the bottom, but the top squishes the headband padding.


----------



## joeling

Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :
   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  Regards,
  Joe Ling


----------



## MorbidToaster

1) Jesus christ
  2) How do you like the Woo Audio stack? Still think it looks gorgeous.


----------



## msninja

holy *%#!!! that's some fantastic gear...


----------



## BobinNJ

Here's my money-pit:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> 1) Jesus christ
> 2) How do you like the Woo Audio stack? Still think it looks gorgeous.


 
  ROFLMAO!!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





joeling said:


> Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Heh, typical noob setup...    
   
  Suppose you've got to start somewhere


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





joeling said:


> Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  This is what I call a modest setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but how the w3000 fair with others of you collection


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





joeling said:


> Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :
> 
> *snip*
> 
> ...


 
   
  At first I was thinking to myself "wow, that must have been one heck of a meet". Then I realized... wait, that's just one guy?!?


----------



## Focker

LOL@comments 
   
  lmao@"tennis racket headphone stand"


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> At first I was thinking to myself "wow, that must have been one heck of a meet". Then I realized... wait, that's just one guy?!?


 
  I did the exact same thing! It looks exactly like a meet, minus the notecards.


----------



## MomijiTMO

Yay a W3000ANV appeared!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





joeling said:


> Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :


 
  BRB, gonna go have a jealousy-induced heart attack.


----------



## mmayer167

^ Ditto, that is a "Stacked" table! Looks like fun  
   
  -M


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ Ditto, that is a "Stacked" table! Looks like fun
> 
> -M


 

 I think you mean Staxed table.


----------



## Kojaku

Porta-headfi station? Coffee-House headfi station? Desktop headfi station? Same difference 
  
  
 Kojaku


----------



## nick n

did somebody say Stax?
   Had a shot for someone else from last night so what the heck.


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





kojaku said:


>


 

 Never seen such a combo before, usually its more like those big rigs, RX MK3, SR71B, PB2, really curious as to how well that Pico Amp drives the LCD-2...


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Never seen such a combo before, usually its more like those big rigs, RX MK3, SR71B, PB2, really curious as to how well that Pico Amp drives the LCD-2...


 
  I can drive it to bursting, even without the second gain. This is seriously one of the most powerful/compact solid state amps I've ever seen.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## joeling

Thanks guys for the comment. The Woo amp is still breaking in. Not been listening as much due to crazy workload. I like the Stax phones. Sounds nice & comfortable to wear. The LCD is less comfortable. I am still hunting for an amp to suit the HE-6.
   
  In recent times, I am starting to look for comfort over all other parameters. From the picture, the phone plugged into the Leben jack is actually my trusty more than 10 year old Grado SR60. To me, this phone is qute comfortable (maybe I'm just used to it). So, I am going to hunt for a Grado phone. Any recommendations to match with the Leben ? Or to match a Yamamoto head amp ?
   

   
  Regards,
  Joe Ling


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





joeling said:


> In recent times, I am starting to look for comfort over all other parameters. From the picture, the phone plugged into the Leben jack is actually my trusty more than 10 year old Grado SR60.


 
   
  That might be one of the best kept secrets in audio, mainly because so many people have believed the "rumor" that the Grado 60s/80s are not comfortable. The pads are a tad scratchy out of the box, but if you just toss them in with the laundry once or twice, preferably with fabric softener, they become some of the most comfortable headphones on earth. My 80s have become able to compete with my T1s on comfort. The pads are super soft, and it feels like they are just gently resting on my head. 
   
  BTW, beautiful gear you have!!


----------



## MohawkUS

focker said:


> That might be one of the best kept secrets in audio, mainly because so many people have believed the "rumor" that the Grado 60s/80s are not comfortable. The pads are a tad scratchy out of the box, but if you just toss them in with the laundry once or twice, preferably with fabric softener, they become some of the most comfortable headphones on earth. My 80s have become able to compete with my T1s on comfort. The pads are super soft, and it feels like they are just gently resting on my head.
> 
> BTW, beautiful gear you have!!




+1

I used to think Grados were uncomfortable, but then I tried some other brands. I'm not sure what it is, but anything with those velvety pads I just can't get comfortable with. I never tried softening the pads on the Grados, they were comfortable enough. I still regret selling them.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> +1
> I used to think Grados were uncomfortable, but then I tried some other brands. I'm not sure what it is, but anything with those velvety pads I just can't get comfortable with. I never tried softening the pads on the Grados, they were comfortable enough. I still regret selling them.


 
   
  I can understand it more with some of the higher end Grados since not everyone like supraaurals, but I can wear my 80s for hours and hours and my ears stay cool and comfortable.


----------



## .Sup

After seeing Joe's photos I don't feel like looking at this thread any more. It became boring after his post, no offence guys.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





nick n said:


> did somebody say Stax?
> Had a shot for someone else from last night so what the heck.


 
   
  Nice to see some vintage Stax there, good old, SR-40 electrets, 05, 003 and Lambda's and is that a Signature series Lambda? (Nova?)


----------



## Uncle George

I'm plugged!!
  I love carbon fibre...


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





joeling said:


> Sorry about the photo quality. Some small changes to my rig in the room downstairs :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  you just made some head-fier jelous 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Anyway how is the sr009 sound like trough your setup?


----------



## joeling

I'm at a loss for how to respond 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Mightily flattered.
   
  I am warming up to the SR009. Sounded kind of rough around the edges initially. I thought the SR007 was more coherent. Now after a few more hours, I'm beginning to understand why it is double the price...
   
  Regards,
  Joe Ling
   
  PS : Grado GS1000i & PS 1000 - which one less bright & good for vocals ?


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





joeling said:


> I'm at a loss for how to respond
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  PS1000. it's still a bit treble happy but the mids are much more prominent and rich compared to the GS1000.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





joeling said:


> PS : Grado GS1000i & PS 1000 - which one less bright & good for vocals ?


 
   
  Judging by your cans/amps, you might wna try find a pair of PS-1... Heard it during a recent meet, and it was so good I still couldn't get over it!


----------



## mmayer167

CTH is a recent arrival. Paradox have been here forever. ODAC and c421 stack is a nice portable. The ODAC also does pretty well with the CTH and its tube flavor. USB is a audioquest forest with a ferrite choke on it, and the mini to rca cable is a Signal Cable. 
   
  This is at work. Computer is a CMStormEnforcer case, Asus z77 deluxe board, GTX560Ti Video, i5 at 4.2GHz, Corsair GS800 power, 16gig ram... 
   
   

   
  Cheers, 
   
  -M


----------



## MorbidToaster

One of the guys I've met here really enjoyed his Thunderpants with the CTH. It was a pretty fun sound.


----------



## mmayer167

Yea, It's a fun change from the O2 which is so neutral with the Paradox. Tube dependent, the CTH can be so many different sounds.
   
  Wish I had the scratch to pick up your LF! I'll have to settle for the CTH, which really isn't leaving me wanting much else 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  -M


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> CTH is a recent arrival. Paradox have been here forever. ODAC and c421 stack is a nice portable. The ODAC also does pretty well with the CTH and its tube flavor. USB is a audioquest forest with a ferrite choke on it, and the mini to rca cable is a Signal Cable.
> 
> This is at work. Computer is a CMStormEnforcer case, Asus z77 deluxe board, GTX560Ti Video, i5 at 4.2GHz, Corsair GS800 power, 16gig ram...
> 
> ...


 
  I wish my set up were so compact.  Alas, my amp is fat and my headphones the LCD-2s.


----------



## mmayer167

^ I do miss the days of not having to hold the amp down to plug in! just jam it in there and the beast takes it like a champ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  There is ALOT going on inside that case, the one I have even has sonicap gen2's in it! CTH must really test a builders squint-eye and patients. The thing really is a mighty mini-amp. Although my aural memory is typical of most humans (not excellent) I would say I prefer it to the Lyr. Granted the DAC is different as well but the CTH seems to pull you into the music, where as for me, the Lyr was just really pleasing to listen to. They're just different, I'll leave it there.
   
  Sorry, this isn't a review and discussion thread.....
   
  -M


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Porta-headfi station? Coffee-House headfi station? Desktop headfi station? Same difference
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
  I have always wanted a pair of these to mod! That sure does look like a sweet portable setup!


----------



## nick n

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Nice to see some vintage Stax there, good old, SR-40 electrets, 05, 003 and Lambda's and is that a Signature series Lambda? (Nova?)


 

 two PWB V0/1 based on either SR-1 or 2 drivers we don't know for sure but one of the two, SR-40, SR-50 (closed back), SR-5, 001 MK2 portable, two Lambda Nova Classics, a Signature sure would be nice especially a Nova line one.


----------



## WhiteCrow

some awesome schiit right here. Also my dummy head is wearing my sunglasses and douching it up right now.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> some awesome schiit right here. Also my dummy head is wearing my sunglasses and douching it up right now.


 
  Very smart! Looks like a perfect HE500 set up.
  Don't know what your stance is in regards to aftermarket cables, but my HE500's sounded even better with one.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *WhiteCrow* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> some awesome schiit right here. Also my dummy head is wearing my sunglasses and douching it up right now.


 
   
  Nice. Is that additional padding you've added to the HE500's headband? Headband comfort is the only thing keeping me away from the Hifimans. Is that a permanent mod? How is the comfort?


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  Here's a nice video of my gear :


----------



## Tilpo

mmayer167 said:


> CTH is a recent arrival. Paradox have been here forever. ODAC and c421 stack is a nice portable. The ODAC also does pretty well with the CTH and its tube flavor. USB is a audioquest forest with a ferrite choke on it, and the mini to rca cable is a Signal Cable.
> 
> This is at work. Computer is a CMStormEnforcer case, Asus z77 deluxe board, GTX560Ti Video, i5 at 4.2GHz, Corsair GS800 power, 16gig ram...
> 
> ...




Would you mind sharing that wallpaper?


----------



## mmayer167

Sure, I found it somewhere on head-fi recently. 
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/436863/head-fi-wallpapers-logos/165   its on this page.
   
  -M


----------



## Tilpo

mmayer167 said:


> Sure, I found it somewhere on head-fi recently.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/436863/head-fi-wallpapers-logos/165   its on this page.
> 
> -M




Thanks.


----------



## stevenlongs

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> some awesome schiit right here. Also my dummy head is wearing my sunglasses and douching it up right now.


 
  NZXT source 210 ftw.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> NZXT source 210 ftw.


 
  Yea, I love it. like the most non-ricer case under $200 and I snagged it for $30!
   
  Quote: 





devhen said:


> Nice. Is that additional padding you've added to the HE500's headband? Headband comfort is the only thing keeping me away from the Hifimans. Is that a permanent mod? How is the comfort?


 
  No it's actually on the dummy head they sit too slow other wise. I don't find them uncomfortable but now that you mention it.I just tried it*double sided leather safe tape* and it feels great.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very smart! Looks like a perfect HE500 set up.
> Don't know what your stance is in regards to aftermarket cables, but my HE500's sounded even better with one.


 

 well it has the Silver HE-6 cable. I was thinking of making a copper one just for the halibut.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo,
> 
> Here's a nice video of my gear :


 
  I honestly didn't realize you had so many Beyers.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  Maybe a bit too much, no? I know I have too many and I should sell some but man it' hard to part with them if you love them.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I honestly didn't realize you had so many Beyers.


----------



## Armaegis

Is it "bey-er" or "bye-er"? (I always thought it was the latter)


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo,
> 
> Maybe a bit too much, no? *I know I have too many and I should sell *some but man it' hard to part with them if you love them.


 
   
  That's hearsay. Just for that, you should buy another one as atonement.


----------



## songmic

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Is it "bey-er" or "bye-er"? (I always thought it was the latter)


 
   
  I too thought it was pronounced bye-er, then I realized many people pronounce it bey-er. Then again, many people say Sennheiser when it should be pronounced closer to Zennheiser...


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





songmic said:


> I too thought it was pronounced bye-er, then I realized many people pronounce it bey-er. Then again, many people say Sennheiser when it should be pronounced closer to Zennheiser...


 

 Beyer is pronounced bye-er and Sennheiser is just that...Sennheiser and not Zennheiser.
  I know this because German is my first language!


----------



## Ultrainferno




----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  They pronounces it as "bye-er", but I say "bey-er". I think I'll stick to the way I pronounce it as saying bye-er sounds off to me.
   
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Is it "bey-er" or "bye-er"? (I always thought it was the latter)


----------



## .Sup

Very nice Ultra but two HE-400s? What's the reason behind it?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Very nice Ultra but two HE-400s? What's the reason behind it?


 
   
  It's a Rev 1 and Rev 2. I never bothered sending the Rev 1 with problems back (one of the first sent out by Hifiman) and I just got a latest Rev. Funny enough I find the Rev 1 sounding better, more open and it doesn't have this layer covering the sound. Maybe the R2 will open up after some more hours (I hope)


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


>


 
  Very nice. Are they hung in order of preference..?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very nice. Are they hung in order of preference..?


 
   
  Thank you. Not really no. I think that would be: He-500 > LCD-2 > HD650 > HE-400 > ...
  But the LCD-2 and HE-500 do switch from position regularly depending on my mood, music and amp used. It all are great headphones


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Thank you. Not really no. I think that would be: He-500 > LCD-2 > HD650 > HE-400 > ...
> *But the LCD-2 and HE-500 do switch from position regularly depending on my mood, music and amp used*. It all are great headphones


 
  Yup I'm the same..  
  Although, If I could only keep one it would probably be the LCD2's.. but just by a whisker!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


>


 
   
  Now, that's a "Boutique" shot right there!


----------



## jono454

My current setup
   

   
   
  Can someone recommend me a nice small 2.0 or 2.1 speaker to use when i'm not using my headphones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Emotiva Airmotiv series. 4s or 5s for that space, me thinks.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

So here's part 2 of my rig... After a couple of weeks of listening, getting rid of my WA2 since I got the big brother is turning out to be not so obvious... (different <> better, see Ardilla's comparison with which I have to concur at this time)
   
  So for now I have hooked it up to the same source (conveniently the RCA output was still available) and I really enjoy my current tube selection with my final folly (headphone-wise anyway -_-; ), the TH900.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Emotiva Airmotiv series. 4s or 5s for that space, me thinks.


 
  Thanks for the tip, will look into those.


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Can someone recommend me a nice small 2.0 or 2.1 speaker to use when i'm not using my headphones.


 
  MV Audio 40. It is worth every penny.
  I bought 2 pairs because I love it so much!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> MV Audio 40. It is worth every penny.
> I bought 2 pairs because I love it so much!


 
  Are you referring to these?
   
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MAudioAV40.html


----------



## haquocdung

That's the one.
  I got a lot of potential. I pair it with an ODAC and it blow my old creative sound card, because of the sound is deep and I feel very natural with it.


----------



## .Sup

jono454 said:


> My current setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...



you must wear your headphones 24/7


----------



## Tilpo

.sup said:


> you must wear your headphones 24/7




But. But. 

Sometimes speakers are nice too.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





.sup said:


> you must wear your headphones 24/7


 
  Hahah yep...for the time being. Before this i had a laptop so i didn't need speakers but when i built my new desktop setup i didn't account for speakers.


----------



## ArjanB




----------



## angelsblood

O.... M.... G.... one hell of a setup.... you can have a Head-Fi orgy in your house lol!
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


----------



## Face

That is a beautiful setup!  But why is the TV not in the center?


----------



## Clayton SF

Hi. Because I don't use it and there's no more room in my little apartment to chuck that TV away.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





angelsblood said:


> O.... M.... G.... one hell of a setup.... you can have a Head-Fi orgy in your house lol!


 
   
  I like how the heater is at the back... What's the need of it after so many tube amps in the house...


----------



## cavedave

I might as well play along.


----------



## mrAdrian

What is that amp? Saw it twice in the thread today


----------



## colinharding

It is the Vincent Audio KHV-1 headphone and preamplifier I believe.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> I might as well play along.


 
   
  That is absolute crap.


----------



## muad

Is that a sarcastic compliment or a comment on the excessive use of vibration damping?


----------



## Tilpo

muad said:


> Is that a sarcastic compliment or a comment on the excessive use of vibration damping?




I think he was talking about the carpet looking so boring.

Imo I dislike carpet like that in terms of comfort, cleanability and looks.


----------



## Focker

LOL...
   
  Just felt like after 527 pages, somebody had it comin'!


----------



## twizzleraddict

The station as it stands today. I'm switching between the PWD and the Burson's DAC. Interesting differences.
   
   

   
   

  The "money shot" was inspired by this: http://cashcats.biz/


----------



## MorbidToaster

How do you like the PWD? Still catches my eye every time.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> The "money shot" was inspired by this: http://cashcats.biz/


 
  Who even comes up with things like that?


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> How do you like the PWD? Still catches my eye every time.


 
  It's been a great change. Added a LOT to the music in terms of tonality, richness and being a bit more full-bodied on certain instruments (strings for the most part). And I've only got the MKI version. Wondering what the MKII adds along with Asynchronous USB.
   
  It's definitely a piece of gear that is upgradeable and will fit into a full audio system (with SPEAKERS FINALLY!!!) at some point in the future just nicely.
   
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Who even comes up with things like that?


 
  I don't know. A buddy of mine is cats crazy and first time I saw this, I thought to myself "What is thisssssss????" I guess dumb things stick in most people's heads and they act on it. I hope I am not about to start a CashCans thread of pictures now!


----------



## Mcarter3

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


>


 
  Hey..... I know those Denons 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Hope you are enjoying them!


----------



## devhen




----------



## stevenlongs

I like it, awesome pics devhen!


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> I like it, awesome pics devhen!


 
   
  Thanks! Looks like we have pretty similar setups. Gotta love that quality German engineering


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Thanks! Looks like we have pretty similar setups. Gotta love that quality German engineering


 
   
  Very pretty, loving the Violectric + T-something combo (don't know which Beyer it is....).


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Very pretty, loving the Violectric + T-something combo (don't know which Beyer it is....).


 
   
  Thanks! Actually its the DT 770 Premium 600 ohm. And technically the amp isn't a Violectric but its made by the same company. Its the new Lake People G109-S. Its extremely similar to the Violectric V100 but is slightly less expensive and a little more handsome IMO.  Its also a tad smaller. More info here:
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/620082/lake-people-g103-g109-thread-anyone-have-these-yet


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Thanks! Actually its the DT 770 Premium 600 ohm. And technically the amp isn't a Violectric but its made by the same company. Its the new Lake People G109-S. Its extremely similar to the Violectric V100 but is slightly less expensive and a little more handsome IMO.  Its also a tad smaller. More info here:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/620082/lake-people-g103-g109-thread-anyone-have-these-yet


 
   
  Oh cool, I remember seeing their stuff on the site along with Violectric, I would definitely consider their amps if I had the money


----------



## cavedave

And is crap something you know alot about?


----------



## cavedave

Quote: 





focker said:


> That is absolute crap.


 
  Is crap something you know alot about.? Are you a child?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> Is crap something you know alot about.? Are you a child?


 
  He was being sarcastic after seeing Clayton SF's setup


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





defqon said:


> He was being sarcastic after seeing Clayton SF's setup


 
   
  Compared to that almost everyone's setup is crap


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> Is crap something you know alot about.? Are you a child?


 
   
  Easy there, big guy....just a joke


----------



## cavedave

Quote: 





focker said:


> Easy there, big guy....just a joke


 
  Explain it to me I like jokes.


----------



## William007

Will be buying an HD600 to make it perfect


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> Explain it to me I like jokes.


 
   
  It's so much more fun if you find the clue yourself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I don't think he was attacking you personally, don't worry about it


----------



## cavedave

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> It's so much more fun if you find the clue yourself
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Some things on this web site never seem to change and peoples sick ideas about what they think is funny is one of them. As far as being worried far from it. Like my dear mother use to say if you can not say any thing good dont say nothing at all. Now that is a clue.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> It's so much more fun if you find the clue yourself
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Exactly, thank you lol. He has a very nice system.


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> Some things on this web site never seem to change and peoples sick ideas about what they think is funny is one of them. As far as being worried far from it. Like my dear mother use to say if you can not say any thing good dont say nothing at all. Now that is a clue.


 

 "sick idea"? this wasn't a joke making light of the suffering of people. jeesh. it was just a goofy one liner.


----------



## Focker

CaveDave, honestly, I meant no offense. It's just that everyone - myself included - loves looking at all these beautiful systems and then discussing them for a bit until the next set of pics comes along. It just struck me funny for someone to say, out of the blue, "that is crap", sort of as a contrast to all the drooling that we all do most of the time. And as has been pointed out, recently there was a system that pretty much blew everyones mind, so that just sort of increased the humor that I saw in my own comment.  It had nothing to do with your pics specifically. A lot of people would love to have those Audez'e headphones you have there. 
   
  Besides, if I were truly going to crap on someone, it would be LCFiner. 
   
  (crossing fingers)


----------



## LCfiner

Ha!
   
  you're gonna love my new setup. Magnum'd Grados (see, I still love _some _Grados ) and the Mad Dogs


----------



## MattTCG

Uhm yeah, let's lighten it up here just a bit guys. Focker was just having fun with no ill will intended. so let's move on and enjoy the thread!!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> Ha!
> 
> you're gonna love my new setup. Magnum'd Grados (see, I still love _some _Grados ) and the Mad Dogs


 
   
  Nice! I definitely couldn't crap on those pics haha


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





focker said:


> Nice! I definitely couldn't crap on those pics haha


 
  lmfaooo


----------



## cavedave

Quote: 





focker said:


> That is absolute crap.


 
  I guess you guys will have to forgive me for being such a poor sport. I guess I should have seen when I post something and someone responds the way Focker did I was suppose to know it was just some light humor. Sorta like when it someone is pissing down my back and then telling me it is raining. Boy where have I been all these years most likley some where none of you have been. I think I will go back there and leave you all to your weird sense of humor. Must be a kid thing or a sighn of the times we are in and the way things are heading. South quickly. HINT.


----------



## Silent One

_If it lightens the mood any..._
   
  I had the good fortune of sitting in with Clayton for a listening session at his boutique..er..apartment. I also had the good fortune in the past to work at Disneyland while in college. Wanna know what "The House of Mickey Mouse" has in common with Clayton's apartment?




   
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



Magic!


----------



## Tilpo

Guys, let's stop this discussion and get back on topic.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





cavedave said:


> I guess you guys will have to forgive me for being such a poor sport. I guess I should have seen when I post something and someone responds the way Focker did I was suppose to know it was just some light humor. Sorta like when it someone is pissing down my back and then telling me it is raining. Boy where have I been all these years most likley some where none of you have been. I think I will go back there and leave you all to your weird sense of humor. Must be a kid thing or a sighn of the times we are in and the way things are heading. South quickly. HINT.


 
  Mr. Doom and Gloom, you are blind to humor. But nice crap!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





silent one said:


> _If it lightens the mood any..._
> 
> I had the good fortune of sitting in with Clayton for a listening session at his boutique..er..apartment. I also had the good fortune in the past to work at Disneyland while in college. Wanna know what "The House of Mickey Mouse" has in common with Clayton's apartment?


 
   
  Don't keep us waiting


----------



## Silent One

Look up! ^


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Look up! ^


 
   
   
  Btw, have I heard stories from you when I met Clayton.... Jk, nothing but good 
  To get back on topic, here is an awful quality pic of my actual portable setup featuring the new Beyerdynamic


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  So, how do you like it?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





silent one said:


> So, how do you like it?


 
   
  Haven't made up my mind yet. But the bass is good!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Compared to that almost everyone's setup is crap


 
  I own one of the same pieces..I have a slice of paradise..


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I own one of the same pieces..I have a slice of paradise..


 
  +2


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





mcarter3 said:


> Hey..... I know those Denons
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 





 Why, yes, yes indeed! They are very fun headphones to listen to. Thanks! 
   
  Now back to the rest of the awesome pics. After seeing ClaytonSF's pic, I'm not sure I want to show any more of my system.  BTW, there's crap on his wall as the paint is peeling off in his apartment.


----------



## longbowbbs

twizzleraddict said:


> Why, yes, yes indeed! They are very fun headphones to listen to. Thanks!
> 
> Now back to the rest of the awesome pics. After seeing ClaytonSF's pic, I'm not sure I want to show any more of my system.  BTW, there's crap on his wall as the paint is peeling off in his apartment. :veryevil:




If you had gear like that would you bother to paint? Those cans would never leave my head.


----------



## Tilpo

longbowbbs said:


> If you had gear like that would you bother to paint? Those cans would never leave my head.




Perhaps the only thing I'd bother to paint were the cans themselves. Like those fancy HD800 paintjobs.


----------



## paradoxper

Cues Maxvla.


----------



## William007

http://www.colorware.com/p-289-sennheiser-hd-800.aspx like these 
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Perhaps the only thing I'd bother to paint were the cans themselves. Like those fancy HD800 paintjobs.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> BTW, there's crap on his wall as the paint is peeling off in his apartment.


 
   
  LOL.
   
  Clarification. That is not paint peeling off my apartment. It is a custom built sound baffle used when playing music through my speakers.


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> http://www.colorware.com/p-289-sennheiser-hd-800.aspx like these



Yep, like those.

I was just too lazy to post the URL myself since I forgot the name of the company who made them.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> LOL.
> 
> Clarification. That is not paint peeling off my apartment. It is a custom built sound baffle used when playing music through my speakers.


 
  Touche! Knowing SF real-estate (I have a condo in the Richmond district), I know the "sound baffle" well! It's built up over hundreds of years of multiple coats of varying paint!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Perhaps the only thing I'd bother to paint were the cans themselves. Like those fancy HD800 paintjobs.


 
  I noticed that if you buy them from Colorware they only add $100 to the price for the colors. Not bad!


----------



## Tilpo

longbowbbs said:


> I noticed that if you buy them from Colorware they only add $100 to the price for the colors. Not bad!




Not to us Europeans. 

International shipping -> add $100.
Import duties, 20% + €16 -> add $320 + €16. 
In the end it would cost me €1,500-1,550. Whereas walking to a store some 200m away from my home they sell them for €1,000, albeit without paint job.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Not to us Europeans.
> International shipping -> add $100.
> Import duties, 20% + €16 -> add $320 + €16.
> In the end it would cost me €1,500-1,550. Whereas walking to a store some 200m away from my home they sell them for €1,000, albeit without paint job.


 
   
  Very expensive for an HD800.
   
  --
   
   

   
  Update to my station: out go the LCD-2 & K1000.  In comes the HE-6.


----------



## RushNerd

I really wish I had a nice camera available, but all I have is my Sony Bloggie  : \
  I hate the wooden desk, usually I have a flat glass desk I use that goes much better with this setup.
  Yes that monitor is suspended by an arm, yes I built that computer from the ground up.


----------



## MattTCG

Hey nice setup!! I recognize the old Klipsch 2.1's. Had them myself for quite a while. 
   
  Asgard-d5k...very nice.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





rushnerd said:


> I really wish I had a nice camera available, but all I have is my Sony Bloggie  : \
> I hate the wooden desk, usually I have a flat glass desk I use that goes much better with this setup.
> Yes that monitor is suspended by an arm, yes I built that computer from the ground up.


 
   
  Very nice. I have the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 as well. They are really quite decent and the powered headphone jack has TONS of power (it can push my 600 ohm 770s probably twice as loud as anything else I've ever tried). To be honest, I'd go with something else if I had it to do over again--maybe the M-Audio AV40 which can be had for ~$130--but the ProMedia 2.1 is pretty decent and that powered headphone jack is quite impressive.
   
  I built my computer from scratch as well. Always have. Its the way to go.


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Very nice. I have the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 as well. They are really quite decent and the powered headphone jack has TONS of power (it can push my 600 ohm 770s probably twice as loud as anything else I've ever tried). To be honest, I'd go with something else if I had it to do over again--maybe the M-Audio AV40 which can be had for ~$130--but the ProMedia 2.1 is pretty decent and that powered headphone jack is quite impressive.
> 
> I built my computer from scratch as well. Always have. Its the way to go.


 
  I made a thread here on using the promedia jack as a HP amp before, no one really chimed in. I'm glad SOMEONE else found this out, it does have a shocking amount of power when used like that (drove my old 990 600ohms great too!). Thankfully I have the Asgard now so I don't have to fool with that anymore (and the speaker leakage lol)
   
  If I had to do it over again, i'd go for used self-powered bookshelf speakers, though at the price point it's a close call.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





rushnerd said:


> I made a thread here on using the promedia jack as a HP amp before, no one really chimed in. I'm glad SOMEONE else found this out, it does have a shocking amount of power when used like that (drove my old 990 600ohms great too!). Thankfully I have the Asgard now so I don't have to fool with that anymore (and the speaker leakage lol)
> 
> If I had to do it over again, i'd go for used self-powered bookshelf speakers, though at the price point it's a close call.


 
   
  That's funny, I had pretty much the same experience with the PM2.1. Before I got my LP G109 amp I asked a couple people around here who also had the PM2.1 how much of an upgrade they thought it would be going from it to a dedicated amp and they all said pretty much the same thing-- basically, "pft. yeah. anything will be better than that, that's like plugging directly into your computer." And I thought to myself....hmm I don't think these guys have even tried the headphone jack on these. Wow, is it ever different from plugging directly into a computer. In fact, when I got the G109, which is a pretty dang powerful amp in its own rite, I was surprised to find it less powerful overall compared to the PM2.1. The PM2.1 at just over 50% volume pushes my 600 ohm 770s as loud as the G109 does at max! Granted, the PM2.1 doesn't get a whole lot louder between 50-100% volume but that it was louder than the G109 was a pretty big surprise for me. Pretty much like plugging headphones into any other speaker amplifier, I would guess.
   
  I should probably do some more A/B comparisons but the quick ones that I've done have shown a little bit of coloration in the mids with the PM2.1's headphone jack, have you experienced that? They sound a bit emphasized and bunched up in the mids; a bit harsh. But only slightly. Overall pretty dang good, I'd say. For those who are starting out and want some bookshelf/computer speakers and the ability to put off getting a dedicated headphone amp for a while... the PM2.1 is a great option. Its the reason I was able to put off getting the G109 as long as I did.


----------



## mteinum

As its today
   



  TakeT H2+ / TR2
  MAE SET-1
  Burson PRE-160
  Mytek Stereo 192 DSD DAC - Squeezebox / Mac, Audirvana
  Rega Planar 3, 24V, Boozhound Labs RIAA


----------



## longbowbbs

That MAE SET-1 is terrific! What speakers have you tried with it?


----------



## shaunybaby

Oh Yeah i made a new stand for all my hi fi stuff...... (sorry for bad pictures will take better pictures when its nice and full of gear and stuff)


----------



## Sab666

The new setup:
   
   

   
  ..and the cable leads to:


----------



## KimLaroux

Why the two speaker sets? One for music and one for gaming?


----------



## LordShad0w

That amplifier (MAE SET1) is absolutely beautiful. Wow.
 If I may ask, how much is it and where can one be had?


----------



## muad

I hope you realize that I'm going to copy your stand sometime in the future... but Im gonna tell everyone it was my idea 
  Seriously though, Beautiful work!
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



 


shaunybaby said:


> Oh Yeah i made a new stand for all my hi fi stuff...... (sorry for bad pictures will take better pictures when its nice and full of gear and stuff)


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





mteinum said:


> As its today


 
   
  Beautiful pic of a beautiful system!


----------



## mteinum

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> That MAE SET-1 is terrific! What speakers have you tried with it?


 
   
  MAE is a 2x6,5W single ended tetrode. 5B/255M output tubes and E83F driver. I have used it on my DIY Dallas II horns with Fostex FE203EnS (99dB/1W), Monopulse 42A (∼90dB/1W) and Klipsch Heresy III (99dB/1W). Right now it's on duty as amplifier for the Taket H2+ 
   
  Quote: 





lordshad0w said:


> That amplifier (MAE SET1) is absolutely beautiful. Wow.
> If I may ask, how much is it and where can one be had?


 
   
  Thanks! This is a DIY kit, It now sells for NOK 7000 (USD 1200), the acrylic top and wooden frame is not included in the kit.
   
  The kit is sold by Motron Siv.ing. B Kvanlid (bryn@motron.no). Hans Kise is working together with Brynjar on this and you can get the kit from him as well. Troels Gravesen have written some words about it: http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/NorwegianWood.htm


----------



## WhiteCrow

.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





mteinum said:


> As its today
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 those ear pads just look so bad.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mteinum said:


>


 
  This photo deserves to be shown again, what a fantastic set up!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> This photo deserves to be shown again, what a fantastic set up!


 
   
  Agreed, awesome pic and great looking amp


----------



## Sab666

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Why the two speaker sets? One for music and one for gaming?


 
   
  Spot on! Its also connected to a nearby PS3. M-Audios and the LCD-3s are purely for music.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> This photo deserves to be shown again, what a fantastic set up!


 
   
  It's certainly very unique.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> Oh Yeah i made a new stand for all my hi fi stuff...... (sorry for bad pictures will take better pictures when its nice and full of gear and stuff)


 
   
   
  Why is there a hole in the bottom-most shelf?


----------



## LordShad0w

Quote: 





mteinum said:


> MAE is a 2x6,5W single ended tetrode. 5B/255M output tubes and E83F driver. I have used it on my DIY Dallas II horns with Fostex FE203EnS (99dB/1W), Monopulse 42A (∼90dB/1W) and Klipsch Heresy III (99dB/1W). Right now it's on duty as amplifier for the Taket H2+
> 
> 
> Thanks! This is a DIY kit, It now sells for NOK 7000 (USD 1200), the acrylic top and wooden frame is not included in the kit.
> ...


 

 Thank you so much! I now have something to start saving for 
 It is truly a beautiful piece. Again, thank you for sharing.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Why is there a hole in the bottom-most shelf?


 
  +2


----------



## Tilpo

mteinum said:


> As its today
> 
> 
> 
> ...




How are you liking the TakeT?
It always seemed a bit fishy to me.


----------



## widdyjudas

pictures are 5 mins old...
   
  Whole:





   
  Cans:




   
  Source: Asus G73JW, Samsung 7plus (used to take the picture, so its not there)
  Cans: Sennheiser IE8, Audio Technica m50.
  Amp: TBA, considering Fiio E7.
   
  This is it, my start to the Head-Fi world, since my friend introduced this website. Damn him! my wallet hurts so bad, but feels so good...
  Question; What benefit can I get from the Fiio E7 for my IE8 and M50? Do I really need it? Since the sound quality of both cans are good enough for me from my Asus.


----------



## mrAdrian

Nothing too fancy PC with dual monitors for productivity. Uni student! The purple light is supposed to be blue, I could have fixed it but couldn't be bothered. It looks cool too!
   

  Audio-gd NFB 5.2
  Darkvoice 336i
  Alessandro MSPro (they normally sit on my dear Mr.Headphone as shown in the photo but they were on my head while I took the picture, unfortunately)
   

  My other full sized:
  Sennheiser HD580
  Sony SA3000
  Denon D2000


----------



## MorbidToaster

Cowboy Bebop and awesome accent lighting. Minus points for the shutter shades. 
   
  EDIT: Note to self...buy a bunch of those awesome light strips from IKEA.


----------



## Tilpo

morbidtoaster said:


> Cowboy Bebop and awesome accent lighting. Minus points for the shutter shades.
> 
> EDIT: Note to self...buy a bunch of those awesome light strips from IKEA.




I have those strips too.
It's nice for taking pictures, and I guess it looks kinda cool. But it's nothing more than a gimmick, you get bored of it quite quickly.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have those strips too.
> It's nice for taking pictures, and I guess it looks kinda cool. But it's nothing more than a gimmick, you get bored of it quite quickly.


 
   
  They were pretty cheap when I bought them in HK. Yes they are a gimmick, but the feeling you get when you turn off all lighting except the LEDs after a long assignment, and play a very awesome song through a very awesome setup (please don't say it's crap, I'll cry); is just too good to be true


----------



## William007

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have those strips too.
> It's nice for taking pictures, and I guess it looks kinda cool. But it's nothing more than a gimmick, you get bored of it quite quickly.


 
  where did you buy it?


----------



## MorbidToaster

If overdone it's a gimmick, but I've seen a few friends that put a strip at the back of all their shelves and it's extremely functional.
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have those strips too.
> It's nice for taking pictures, and I guess it looks kinda cool. But it's nothing more than a gimmick, you get bored of it quite quickly.


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> where did you buy it?




The clue is in the word 'IKEA' in MT's post I quoted.


----------



## William007

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> The clue is in the word 'IKEA' in MT's post I quoted.


 
  haha, ok thanks will buy them this weekend  are they any good?


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> haha, ok thanks will buy them this weekend  are they any good?




I don't think they are. 

But others seem to disagree with me.


Though I think they may suit your desk pretty well.


----------



## William007

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I don't think they are.
> But others seem to disagree with me.
> Though I think they may suit your desk pretty well.


 
  okay thanks


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> okay thanks




They're only €20 in any case. Not that expensive.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have those strips too.
> It's nice for taking pictures, and I guess it looks kinda cool. But it's nothing more than a gimmick, you get bored of it quite quickly.


 
   
  Not a gimmick if you turn down the lights at night, and try finding the keys while typing/playing your favorite FPS. I sometimes hit the wrong keys without any lighting above the keyboard so it's got a purpose to it as well!


----------



## Tilpo

twizzleraddict said:


> Not a gimmick if you turn down the lights at night, and try finding the keys while typing/playing your favorite FPS. I sometimes hit the wrong keys without any lighting above the keyboard so it's got a purpose to it as well!



Yeah, but I don't do that.

Late at night I always keep my room well lit, because otherwise I have trouble sleeping later.

And I can blind type pretty well. 


I don't game either.


----------



## firev1




----------



## William007

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> They're only €20 in any case. Not that expensive.


 
  do you get one led strip? what colour are they in?


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20119418/ White only model
  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/ Multicolor model (White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red)
   
  EDIT: You've also got the pucks (good for shelves) and the flex strip.
   
  Quote: 





william007 said:


> do you get one led strip? what colour are they in?


----------



## Tilpo

firev1 said:


>



Nice rig!

You should drop by the anime thread sometime.


----------



## William007

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20119418/ White only model
> http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/ Multicolor model (White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red)
> 
> EDIT: You've also got the pucks (good for shelves) and the flex strip.


 
  thanks will buy them for sure!


----------



## MorbidToaster

The poster with Patchi on it makes me happy <3


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





mradrian said:


>


 
  I like the improvised coke cans as a stand


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> I like the improvised coke cans as a stand


 
   
  It's convenient as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but I never dare taking any one can away...


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





william007 said:


> do you get one led strip? what colour are they in?


 
  I have one in the back of my monitor in my picture set.
   

  Here is another pic showing off the backlight


----------



## mrAdrian

Haha should get a headfi station at the dark thread!


----------



## Mad Dude

I've re-arranged my desk somewhat, here's the result:


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> I've re-arranged my desk somewhat, here's the result:


 
   
   
  The Denon's...how are they?


----------



## Mad Dude

From an objective point of view, they're bad. Really bad. And yet, for some reason unknown to me, I'm enjoying them. The D7100 is clearly not worth $1200, but even so I can't bring myself to dislike them very much. I'm going to write a full review at some point, but I need some more listening time until then.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


>


 
   
  I hope you didn't pay more for that stand than you did for the actual headphones, haha.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> From an objective point of view, they're bad. Really bad. And yet, for some reason unknown to me, I'm enjoying them. The D7100 is clearly not worth $1200, but even so I can't bring myself to dislike them very much. I'm going to write a full review at some point, but I need some more listening time until then.


 
   
_Burn baby, burn...get some hours in. _




  Nice room rearrangement!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





manveru said:


>


 
  Sieve King Omega wood stand for the ATH-M50s.  Never change, Head-Fi.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Sieve King Omega wood stand for the ATH-M50s.  Never change, Head-Fi.


 
   
  Hahaha. I've got the opposite situation. Rearranged my stuff a little:


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





manveru said:


>


 
   
  Polk Monitor 40 or TSi200?


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Hahaha. I've got the opposite situation. Rearranged my stuff a little:


 
  lol@ the sony's and the mousepad.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Polk Monitor 40 or TSi200?


 
   
  Monitor 40. Sold the Audioengine A2s a while back and used the money to upgrade to the Polks while they were on sale at Newegg.


----------



## Face

Quote: 





william007 said:


> haha, ok thanks will buy them this weekend  are they any good?


 
  I'm a big fan.  They look cool and help prevent eye strain.


----------



## IcedTea

What kind of interface is that?


----------



## Face

J. River in Theater Mode.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Why is there a hole in the bottom-most shelf?


 
  That hole is there so i can side my computer in but not have any of the nasty vibrations it would give off if i put it straight onto one of the shelves, plus my station is in a small space, so everything is compact as always.
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Haha should get a headfi station at the dark thread!


 
   
  I like that idea the pictures of glowing screens people hulked over there keyboards typing , could get really arty!


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





manveru said:


>


 

 I only paid around 15usd, shipping included...


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





face said:


> I'm a big fan.  They look cool and help prevent eye strain.


 
   
  Nice and clean. What Tannoys are those? Self-powered speakers? I'm going to have to go get some LED lighting now for under the desk.


----------



## Face

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Nice and clean. What Tannoys are those? Self-powered speakers? I'm going to have to go get some LED lighting now for under the desk.


 

 They're Tannoy Revolution DC4.  They're passive speakers and are powered by a Wyred 4 Sound mINT.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> I only paid around 15usd, shipping included...


 
   
  What? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Must be an imitation then. I wouldn't use one of those stands myself because I don't like the idea of my headphones being stretched, but out of curiosity where did you get it?
   
  Quote: 





face said:


> They're passive speakers and are powered by a Wyred 4 Sound mINT.


 
   
  How do you like the mINT with your headphones? I like the idea of a single component which does everything.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





manveru said:


> What?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yes, I know its a fake, bought it from China... The quality is not that good, but it works. I really need to stretch my M50 a bit, got a pretty big head.
  What benefit I can get from Fiio E7 for my m50 and ie8? anyone? Want to make sure before I throw 100usd for something I will not use often.


----------



## Face

Quote: 





manveru said:


> How do you like the mINT with your headphones? I like the idea of a single component which does everything.


 
  I love it!  Does everything I need, and well too.  The single box appeals to me too, having a DAC-2, STP-500 or STP-SE/ST500 on my desk would be too much.  FYI, I use the speaker amp section on the HE-6s, so the headphone jack doesn't get much use.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Yes, I know its a fake, bought it from China... The quality is not that good, but it works. I really need to stretch my M50 a bit, got a pretty big head.
> What benefit I can get from Fiio E7 for my m50 and ie8? anyone? Want to make sure before I throw 100usd for something I will not use often.


 
   
  Well, it looks nice in any case, going by the pictures.
   
  About getting an E7, this is just my own personal advice. I wouldn't expect a huge super obvious change in sound or anything like that, especially if as you said you already think the sound coming from your computer is good enough. Unless you have problems with audible noise/hiss or lack of power or something, I'd say it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to spend the money on something which may or may not make a critical difference in your enjoyment of the music.
   
  Quote: 





face said:


> I love it!  Does everything I need, and well too.  The single box appeals to me too, having a DAC-2, STP-500 or STP-SE/ST500 on my desk would be too much.  FYI, I use the speaker amp section on the HE-6s, so the headphone jack doesn't get much use.


 
   
  Neat


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Well, it looks nice in any case, going by the pictures.
> 
> About getting an E7, this is just my own personal advice. I wouldn't expect a huge super obvious change in sound or anything like that, especially if as you said you already think the sound coming from your computer is good enough. Unless you have problems with audible noise/hiss or lack of power or something, I'd say it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to spend the money on something which may or may not make a critical difference in your enjoyment of the music.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks for the compliment, it really looks nice and the most important thing is it works.
  I got the feeling that my M50 doesn't get enough power from my asus. It doesn't sound as loud and clear as my IE8. Usually, I put 24-30% to my M50, and just 18% to my Ie8.
  Its no problem for me to spend the 100usd, the problem is; is it a waste of my money now?
  later, I will eventually buy another cans to replace the M50, probably Beyer dt770/880 or Denon D5000/7000 (don't like the new denon, feels like beats rip-off, which is bad enough). So I will use the E7 with the next cans later.


----------



## ArthurPower

*widdyjudas*, where can we order one of these cheap headphone stands from China? 
   
  Arthur


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





arthurpower said:


> *widdyjudas*, where can we order one of these cheap headphone stands from China?
> 
> Arthur


 
  I give you the link, its in Chinese so good luck.
  http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3.17.36&id=16533099061&
  You might have better luck looking from EBAY.
  I don't know if you can order it from US or Europe or not. I live in Hongkong now, so its easy for me to order something from China.


----------



## firev1

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Thanks for the compliment, it really looks nice and the most important thing is it works.
> I got the feeling that my M50 doesn't get enough power from my asus. It doesn't sound as loud and clear as my IE8. Usually, I put 24-30% to my M50, and just 18% to my Ie8.
> Its no problem for me to spend the 100usd, the problem is; is it a waste of my money now?
> later, I will eventually buy another cans to replace the M50, probably Beyer dt770/880 or Denon D5000/7000 (don't like the new denon, feels like beats rip-off, which is bad enough). So I will use the E7 with the next cans later.


 
  Unless you need something that will work with android devices, the E7 is a little "dated" in a sense as practically everyone is going for a 24 bit interface. If you are just looking for a portable amp, get a CmoyBB, Objective 2, E11 or Headamp Pico. All these are more refined and pack more power than the E7.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





firev1 said:


> Unless you need something that will work with android devices, the E7 is a little "dated" in a sense as practically everyone is going for a 24 bit interface. If you are just looking for a portable amp, get a CmoyBB, Objective 2, E11 or Headamp Pico. All these are more refined and pack more power than the E7.


 

 I will use the amp for home use, with my asus. I don't like to bring too many things outside, and my samsung7plus already powers my IE8 enough.
  The main problem is pricing, I want to keep it around 100usd. In Hongkong, its very expensive to buy a decent amp. Any thought on Fiio E17? Its only 50usd difference from the E7 here.


----------



## Tilpo

widdyjudas said:


> I will use the amp for home use, with my asus. I don't like to bring too many things outside, and my samsung7plus already powers my IE8 enough.
> The main problem is pricing, I want to keep it around 100usd. In Hongkong, its very expensive to buy a decent amp. Any thought on Fiio E17? Its only 50usd difference from the E7 here.




I have an IE80 myself, and I personally don't think it benefits from amping all that much over driving it directly from my phone (Galaxy Note). 

In fact, one of my two amps is actually worse than my phone, because my phone actually has a really low noise floor, but the amp doesn't. Since these IEM's have a crazy high sensitivity the noise floor may be one of the most important things to look for in an amp/DAC.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> I will use the amp for home use, with my asus. I don't like to bring too many things outside, and my samsung7plus already powers my IE8 enough.
> The main problem is pricing, I want to keep it around 100usd. In Hongkong, its very expensive to buy a decent amp. Any thought on Fiio E17? Its only 50usd difference from the E7 here.


 
   
  I find the E17 quite an upgrade over the E7. And, don't tell me its expensive to buy things in HK please... You have never been to AUS I am sure


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> I find the E17 quite an upgrade over the E7. And, don't tell me its expensive to buy things in HK please... You have never been to AUS I am sure


 
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I have an IE80 myself, and I personally don't think it benefits from amping all that much over driving it directly from my phone (Galaxy Note).
> In fact, one of my two amps is actually worse than my phone, because my phone actually has a really low noise floor, but the amp doesn't. Since these IEM's have a crazy high sensitivity the noise floor may be one of the most important things to look for in an amp/DAC.


 

  I will use the amp/dac for the M50 with my asus for home use, not for outdoor use. My IE8 got enough power from my Asus and samsung7plus.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> I find the E17 quite an upgrade over the E7. And, don't tell me its expensive to buy things in HK please... You have never been to AUS I am sure


 

 I have been to Aus before and I know its expensive there. In HK, most goods are more expensive than in USA (damn those Americans, you got better price yet you still complain...) LED tv and mobile phone/tablet for example... Some are comparable.
  For cans, the pricing here is reasonable. Some are more expensive than USA, but most are comparable or cheaper. I just bought my IE8 for USD 280 last month. I can get the IE80 for USD 350, but the seller said the difference is not the worth 70usd, and you can't even hear the difference while on the go.
  I hope what the seller said is true, I can't test both since its sealed.
  The FIIO E17 is about USD 150 here, not a bad price. However I'm still considering before wasting my money for it. The E7 is about 90-100usd here.


----------



## Tilpo

widdyjudas said:


> I have been to Aus before and I know its expensive there. In HK, most goods are more expensive than in USA (damn those Americans, you got better price yet you still complain...) LED tv and mobile phone/tablet for example... Some are comparable.
> For cans, the pricing here is reasonable. Some are more expensive than USA, but most are comparable or cheaper. I just bought my IE8 for USD 280 last month. I can get the IE80 for USD 350, but the seller said the difference is not the worth 70usd, and you can't even hear the difference while on the go.
> I hope what the seller said is true, I can't test both since its sealed.
> The FIIO E17 is about USD 150 here, not a bad price. However I'm still considering before wasting my money for it. The E7 is about 90-100usd here.



In my case the IE80 was actually cheaper than the IE8.
From what I've heard it's not necessarily an upgrade in any case. Some prefer the IE8, others the IE80.

In my case the IE80 was €200, so that's about the same as you bought yours for.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> (damn those Americans, you got better price yet you still complain...)


 
   
  Your point?.....


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Your point?.....


 

 No offense here...


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> In my case the IE80 was actually cheaper than the IE8.
> From what I've heard it's not necessarily an upgrade in any case. Some prefer the IE8, others the IE80.
> In my case the IE80 was €200, so that's about the same as you bought yours for.


 

 Thats a good price, good for you!
  I consider my cans now as a start. Later I will change my m50, maybe to beyer 770 or Senn HD 650. I'm pretty sure those 2 need amp, so I'm still considering on buying the FIIO E17 perhaps.
  Satisfied enough with my IE8, but I will eventually buy custom like unique melody


----------



## William007

widdyjudas said:


> Thats a good price, good for you!
> I consider my cans now as a start. Later I will change my m50, maybe to beyer 770 or Senn HD 650. I'm pretty sure those 2 need amp, so I'm still considering on buying the FIIO E17 perhaps.
> Satisfied enough with my IE8, but I will eventually buy custom like unique melody



Maybe buy something like the O2? That's not so expensive?


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> Maybe buy *build* something like the O2? That's not so expensive?



FTFY


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Maybe buy something like the O2? That's not so expensive?


 

 I can't find o2 brand in HK pricing website... My best bet now is FIIO e17, Maybe I'll get it next month...


----------



## William007

tilpo said:


> FTFY



Do you know the diference between these? 
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=O2Full
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/our-products/heaphone-amplifiers/ehp-o2-portable-audio-headphone-amplifier/


----------



## William007

widdyjudas said:


> I can't find o2 brand in HK pricing website... My best bet now is FIIO e17, Maybe I'll get it next month...



Look there ^ i posted 2 o2's


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> Do you know the diference between these?




I believe the JDSLabs version has different than standard opamps. But I don't know if that'll cause such a big difference.



widdyjudas said:


> I can't find o2 brand in HK pricing website... My best bet now is FIIO e17, Maybe I'll get it next month...




Just build one


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Look there ^ i posted 2 o2's


 

 Those are good price! However I prefer to buy something locally in HK, so I can use the waranty easily. For DIY, I'm lazy, no thanks...
  Thanks for the help, but I'll stick to the FIIO E17 for now. Until I'm rich enough too afford those expensive rigs and the HD800...


----------



## William007

tilpo said:


> I believe the JDSLabs version has different than standard opamps. But I don't know if that'll cause such a big difference.
> Just build one



Not everybody can solder very good.. I can


----------



## Tilpo

william007 said:


> Not everybody can solder very _good_.. I can



Not everyone mixes Dutch and English grammar, you do :rolleyes:

I kid, I kid.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> I give you the link, its in Chinese so good luck.
> http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3.17.36&id=16533099061&
> You might have better luck looking from EBAY.
> I don't know if you can order it from US or Europe or not. I live in Hongkong now, so its easy for me to order something from China.


 
   
  Try here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OHMS-WOOD-HEADPHONE-STAND-RACK-Modern-Designed-High-Quality-omega-curve-/200798766798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec08a06ce


----------



## stv014

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I believe the JDSLabs version has different than standard opamps. But I don't know if that'll cause such a big difference.


 
   
  No, it uses the standard ones (NJM2068 and NJM4556). You may be confusing it with JDS Labs' own amplifiers, the cMoyBB and C421.


----------



## Tilpo

stv014 said:


> No, it uses the standard ones (NJM2068 and NJM4556). You may be confusing it with JDS Labs' own amplifiers, the cMoyBB and C421.




I didn't check. 
I just remembered something like that. Guess I remembered wrong.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Try here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OHMS-WOOD-HEADPHONE-STAND-RACK-Modern-Designed-High-Quality-omega-curve-/200798766798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec08a06ce


 
  That's 5 times the price of the one he linked though


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> That's 5 times the price of the one he linked though


 
  It's five times as pretty, and five times not a Chinese rip-off.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> It's five times as pretty, and five times not a Chinese rip-off.


 
   
  It's almost 3 times less than this!
   
  http://www.musicdirect.com/p-1095-omega-headphone-stand.aspx


----------



## jono454

Can't you just pick something out from ikea that looks like a stand?
   
  I walked around walmart in the toiletry area and found myself a nice headphone stand that fits my K702s and DT990s. Home Depot probably has some nice looking 'stands' too.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> It's five times as pretty, and five times not a Chinese rip-off.


 
  You're right.  It's a Taiwanese rip-off.


----------



## William007

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Those are good price! However I prefer to buy something locally in HK, so I can use the waranty easily. For DIY, I'm lazy, no thanks...
> Thanks for the help, but I'll stick to the FIIO E17 for now. Until I'm rich enough too afford those expensive rigs and the HD800...


 
  those are already assembled


----------



## William007

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Not everyone mixes Dutch and English grammar, you do
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  i can solder cables don't have the need for more skills


----------



## .Sup

3 pages and no photos. Get serious


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





.sup said:


> 3 pages and no photos. Get serious


 
  x2
   
       

   
   The happy couple!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tilpo

silent one said:


> :evil: :evil:


----------



## longbowbbs

We need a new Head-fi.org shirt that says:
   
  Got Tariff?
   
  I am selling a guitar on e-bay and it has $381 CAD worth of Tariff and tax to ship from Wisconsin to Canada. Shipping is another $150 USD....We have not even priced the guitar!!!
   
  Do we really need governments?  Just asking.....


----------



## LugBug1




----------



## tattare

I need a better camera and a new chair.


----------



## Draygonn

.sup said:


> 3 pages and no photos. Get serious


----------



## morls

Here's my rig...


----------



## schaaf

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> x2
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm such a nerdy new-dad-to-be that I noticed the Cybex Aton before the headphones! Love that carseat. Also, the headphones aren't bad either.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> It's five times as pretty, and five times not a Chinese rip-off.


 

 I'm pretty sure that is a Chinese rip-off too... the same thing as mine. The original one is very expensive. But still 60usd is an ok price.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





schaaf said:


> I'm such a nerdy new-dad-to-be that I noticed the Cybex Aton before the headphones! Love that carseat. Also, the headphones aren't bad either.


 

 I see that the Audeze is famous here, how is it compared to HD800 sound?
  Also is that hifiman HE 500 on the right? How is the sound? I can't find this brand in HK, damn!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> I see that the Audeze is famous here, how is it compared to HD800 sound?


 
   
  Night and day. I'd consider both two very different interpretations of what neutral sounds like. I prefer the former, but love the latter as well.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Night and day. I'd consider both two very different interpretations of what neutral sounds like. I prefer the former, but love the latter as well.


 

 Damn, your collections are heaven! It will be a long time before I can afford such a collection like yours.
  How is it compared to HD 650? I know it can compete with those 2, but just curious for the sound characteristic. I will eventually replace my M50 with HD650 or maybe Beyer 770/880.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Damn, your collections are heaven! It will be a long time before I can afford such a collection like yours.


 
  We can enjoy the vicarious thrill from afar. It takes awhile to build up those collections and to decide what you appreciate best with your own musical tastes.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Damn, your collections are heaven! It will be a long time before I can afford such a collection like yours.
> How is it compared to HD 650? I know it can compete with those 2, but just curious for the sound characteristic. I will eventually replace my M50 with HD650 or maybe Beyer 770/880.


 
  Thanks. I'm pretty happy with my setup in the current state.
   
  Depends what sound signature your after? What music you listen to? Your upstream gear?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





morls said:


> Here's my rig...


 
   
  This is actually one of the cooler setups I think I've ever seen.


----------



## widdyjudas

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Thanks. I'm pretty happy with my setup in the current state.
> 
> Depends what sound signature your after? What music you listen to? Your upstream gear?


 

 Now I listen to Susan Wong's music. But I also listen to oldies like queen's. But I also will game with it, CS, L4D, SC2.  Currently my gear only ATm50 and Senn IE8, planning to buy FIIO e17.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





manveru said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
_Has a nice pro audio look to it._


----------



## morls

Quote: 





silent one said:


> _Has a nice pro audio look to it._


 
   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> This is actually one of the cooler setups I think I've ever seen.


 
  Thanks. It's taken a while to get to this stage. I use the Lavry for 2 channels of AD/DA conversion via the saffire s/pdif. The good thing about the saffire is that it also has 2xADAT, the second of which can be assigned as a 2nd s/pdif. Connects to laptop via firewire, a great mobile setup.
   
  I use this rig for recording, mixing and mastering, all via the beautiful Lavry converters. If I'm recording more than 2 tracks simultaneously, I can also use the saffire pre's which are not too bad. I'm waiting on delivery of an API A2D, which has 2 pre's and 2 channels of AD conversion, which I'll run into the system via the 2nd ADAT as s/pdif. The A2D has inserts between the preamps and converters, so there's another layer of flexibilty there too...


----------



## Silent One

Amazing! Well thought out...


----------



## morls

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Amazing! Well thought out...


----------



## morls

I initially had problems driving the HD-650's from the saffire headphone out. Once I realised I could make the headphone out line level (+4dB) it made a world of difference.


----------



## deadbeat

My setup... pretty basic really. Macbook > D100II > HD650 for any serious listening. My Windows laptop has Foobar on it. Use the CX300IIs for outdoor/noisy situations and the HDJ-500s are just for casual listening.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





schaaf said:


> I'm such a nerdy new-dad-to-be that I noticed the Cybex Aton before the headphones! Love that carseat. Also, the headphones aren't bad either.


 
  haha well spotted! And yes its a very good car seat


----------



## stijntjeuh

My cans on a homemade headphone stand: (Knex)
  Grado SR80I, Beyerdynamic DT660 and AKG K501
   
   

   
   
   

   

   
  sources: iPod Nano + Fiio E5, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and directly from my laptop. 
                +Shure SE215 for portable use


----------



## 188479

Very cool looking stand! What dis you make it out of? I also like the B/W....nice effect.


----------



## .Sup

draygonn said:


>



Awesome setup! After getting HD800 I was close to getting the WA2 as well but decided I spent enough money. On a related note; I finished my Crack with Speedball, will post pics soon.


----------



## longbowbbs

Deadbeat, I like the setup. Everything is well thought out. Lot's of good listening i'll bet!


----------



## bowei006

Old setup:
   

   
   

   

   

   
   
   
   
   
  New setup:


----------



## stijntjeuh

Quote: 





188479 said:


> Very cool looking stand! What dis you make it out of? I also like the B/W....nice effect.


 
  I made it out of different sets of K'nex. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Homemade design! Pictures were taken with Samsung Galaxy Nexus.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


>


 
  Nice and clean! Your going to enjoy that setup!


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nice and clean! Your going to enjoy that setup!


 
  *You're 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thanks. I am making this a temp setup for when I get a room redesign. The old one was too bulky feeling with too many headphones and equipment under the desk.
   
  Currently testing placement of my consumer speaker and subwoofers and they are doing fine.


----------



## Heathen999

Quote: 





stijntjeuh said:


> My cans on a homemade headphone stand: (Knex)
> Grado SR80I, Beyerdynamic DT660 and AKG K501


 
   
  Very nice, I really that. Looks very good!!!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Current #2 home rig....
   
   

   
  HP Elite PC with Windows 7 Pro > Lossless FLAC or WAV files > JRiver 17 > Audioquest Dragonfly > Toxic Cables Silver Poisons > HD650's.
   
  The Thermaltake is there to be a backup for the Audio files via e-sata connection. Hot swap capable for drives with 2 bays.


----------



## Mr.Sir

My hodge-podge of a collection:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mr.sir said:


> My hodge-podge of a collection:


 
  NIce Hodge Podge!


----------



## Anaxilus




----------



## MorbidToaster

Hnnngh.


----------



## .Sup

morbidtoaster said:


> Hnnngh.



ah don't be so envious


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


>


 
  it's like a headphone orgy


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


>


 
  What a mess... dread to think what the rest of his house is like..


----------



## Anaxilus

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> What a mess... dread to think what the rest of his house is like..


 
   
  What do you mean?  That is the whole house.


----------



## bowei006

I'm jelly


----------



## zeinharis

^
  ^
  ^
  I'm bean


----------



## paradoxper

I bet that EC schiit sounds ok. 
   
  -Jelly as well


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> What do you mean?  That is the whole house.


 




   
  x3 on the Jelly


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> What do you mean?  That is the whole house.


 
  LOL!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> What do you mean?  That is the whole house.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





stijntjeuh said:


> My cans on a homemade headphone stand: (Knex)
> Grado SR80I, Beyerdynamic DT660 and AKG K501


 
   
  Nice. How do you like those Beyer 660s? I haven't been able to find much about them around here, I guess not a lot of people have them, but they seem like they would be pretty good.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Old setup:


 
   
  I spy a deals thread K422. Sweeeeeeeeet. How do you like them ?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Only missing in the pix were pizza boxes! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It truly looks like a post eval summary stack. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Your informative posts speaks to this. Keep up the good work!


----------



## Anaxilus

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Only missing in the pix were pizza boxes!


 
   
  That's what the Grados came in.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





devhen said:


> I spy a deals thread K422. Sweeeeeeeeet. How do you like them ?


 
  I like them  They were a good deal. Would have been better if closed..but whatever


----------



## bbophead

> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll butt in.  I really like my 660's.  Needed a closed can to go with my open.  There is actual sub-bass, a little more and cleaner than the 990 600 ohm that I'm trying out.  It's a narrower soundstage, to be expected, and a little lively in the upper mids but I'm a 325i owner so I don't mind.


----------



## MattTCG

Here's mine...sorry for the camera phone pic in advance.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's a LOT of gear. How do you have time to enjoy any of it??? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'd be confused which one to grab and where to plug it into...


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Here's mine...sorry for the camera phone pic in advance.


 
  Let me see what you have
   
  Asetek based All in one liquid cooler. Looks like Corsair series
   
  EVGA Nvidia Graphics card
   
  Corsair PSU
   
  are my guesses right?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> I'll butt in.  I really like my 660's.  Needed a closed can to go with my open.  There is actual sub-bass, a little more and cleaner than the 990 600 ohm that I'm trying out.  It's a narrower soundstage, to be expected, and a little lively in the upper mids but I'm a 325i owner so I don't mind.


 
   
  Hmm. Sounds awesome. A closed Beyer without recessed mids? I'll have to pick one up but I've been waiting to find them on sale... $240 seems like too much for these when you can find the 770/880/990s for less.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Let me see what you have
> 
> Asetek based All in one liquid cooler. Looks like Corsair series
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah, but what mobo and how much ram?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Yeah, but what mobo and how much ram?


 
   
  Trick question, they're not visible. Otherwise I could tell ya. haha


----------



## Audiophile03

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Current #2 home rig....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What dock is that you have the internal HDD plugged into...I would really like to get one of those!


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Yeah, but what mobo and how much ram?


 
  I was going off what I can see in the pic but judging by the components I know in the system and how and what users generally buy
  Gigabtye mobo with 4-8GB DDR3 of RAM. Most likely 8GB.
  I'm going with a Sandy Bridge guess too


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> What dock is that you have the internal HDD plugged into...I would really like to get one of those!


 
   
  They're very handy. Newegg has several. You can get the full speed of the hard drive if you get one of the USB 3 models (if you have a USB 3 jack).


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> I was going off what I can see in the pic but judging by the components I know in the system and how and what users generally buy
> Gigabtye mobo with 4-8GB DDR3 of RAM. Most likely 8GB.
> I'm going with a Sandy Bridge guess too


 
  i7 sandy bridge with Asus!! Dude you are way off. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Current o/c?


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> i7 sandy bridge with Asus!! Dude you are way off.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I guess I was off with the motherboard lol
   
  4GHz - 4.2GHz after Intel Turbo Boost


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> I guess I was off with the motherboard lol
> 
> 4GHz - 4.2GHz after Intel Turbo Boost


 
   
  4.0 spot on!! Nice 1...


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> 4.0 spot on!! Nice 1...


 
   
  Nice setup you've got there. I've got a pre-Sandy Bridge i7-920 @ 3.8 GHz with default core voltage.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Ah, pizza from Brooklyn..._fond memories._


----------



## MorbidToaster

Do they make a Thunderbolt one yet? D: Want.
   
  Quote: 





devhen said:


> They're very handy. Newegg has several. You can get the full speed of the hard drive if you get one of the USB 3 models (if you have a USB 3 jack).


----------



## layums

morbidtoaster said:


> Your rack costs more than a lot of people's entire systems. While I get your modesty comment was a joke, in all seriousness how do you like the Mapleshade rack?
> 
> I was looking at one myself recently (or at least one of their TT stands). Is it sturdy enough? I'm honestly a little confused about how it all goes together.
> 
> ...




Is that lamp near the turntable a tip from Michael fremer?


----------



## nick n

Really liking all these different pics.
   
  Current bedroom setup, I'd enjoy it more if I could stop falling alseep 
  A dynamic, ortho, and electrostatic type. All 3 bases covered.


----------



## MioAKG701

All of these fancy setups 
 Im stuck with my ATH-M50 and Soundblaster USB HD
  Im more like poor Mio and her ampless AKG-K701 and CD Player
 Once I get out of college ill invest in a more robust setup.


----------



## layums

draygonn said:


> .sup said:
> 
> 
> > 3 pages and no photos. Get serious




What is that cute lite tube amp at the bottom????


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





layums said:


> What is that cute lite tube amp at the bottom????


 
   
http://www.bottlehead.com/


----------



## nick n

*Mio:*
  Doesn't have to be pricy depending on what you like/want. ( not saying mine is anything special but it's more than I need . )
  My setup there was scooped for ~55 bucks total ( Wharfedale Denton speakers, Nikko Receiver, Micro Seiki TT ( free), Luxman Cd player ).
   
  Hit up garage sales or thrift shops you'd be amazed at what you can find if you are take your time, are discriminating, and a huge amount of luck. And it's fun hunting.
  I'm heading out now again to check around


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





nick n said:


> Doesn't have to be pricy depending on what you like/want. ( not saying mine is anything special but it's more than I need . )
> My setup there was scooped for ~55 bucks total ( Wharfedale Denton speakers, Nikko Receiver, Micro Seiki TT ( free), Luxman Cd player ).
> 
> Hit up garage sales or thrift shops you'd be amazed at what you can find if you are take your time, are discriminating, and a huge amount of luck. And it's fun hunting.
> I'm heading out now again to check around


 
  ..... I need to go and get some thrift shop stuff now.....


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> This picture has been posted twice and nobody has noticed... is that a closed Grado? What is the story with that?


 
  I noticed
   
  Anaxilus posted it first. I was wondering what LFF was doing


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> I noticed
> 
> Anaxilus posted it first. I was wondering what LFF was doing


 

 It was a micro-meet. Three people were there enjoying that stuff and much more.
   
  That is not a closed grado, it's a stratoKOSSter. Look it up if you don't know what it is.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





lff said:


> It was a micro-meet. Three people were there enjoying that stuff and much more.
> 
> That is not a closed grado, it's a stratoKOSSter. Look it up if you don't know what it is.


 
  Oh I see now...the picture he posted was from a mini meet.......................wow...that made me think that he actually owned all of that hahah


----------



## Anaxilus

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Oh I see now...the picture he posted was from a mini meet.......................wow...that made me think that he actually owned all of that hahah


 
   
  Well there were only three people there so more like a micro meet if a meet at all.  More like, 'hey LFF, were soldering some crap and I have your HE5, want to stop by for a burger?  Oh, bring your new IEMs!"  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I omitted 4-5 other phones as we ran out of space.


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> Well there were only three people there so more like a micro meet if a meet at all.  More like, 'hey LFF, were soldering some crap and I have your HE5, want to stop by for a burger?  Oh, bring your new IEMs!"
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 As well as the sources, T2 and other amps we had there.....
   
  So much gear and conversation....so little time!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


>


 

 are those closed back Grados?


----------



## LFF

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> are those closed back Grados?


 

 Read a few posts back (under 10 so not much reading!!!) and you'll have your answer.


----------



## purrin

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Oh I see now...the picture he posted was from a mini meet.......................wow...that made me think that he actually owned all of that hahah


 
   
  Actually I do own everything in that pic except for Wachara's DIY electostatic headphone and the LCD2r2.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





morls said:


> I initially had problems driving the HD-650's from the saffire headphone out. Once I realised I could make the headphone out line level (+4dB) it made a world of difference.


 
   
  Is that only something you can do on the big Saffire units, or can it be done on the small ones as well?


----------



## William007

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


>


 
  Is that gray headphone on top a Stax SR-009?


----------



## William007

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> What do you mean?  That is the whole house.


----------



## Ultrainferno




----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Is that gray headphone on top a Stax SR-009?


 
  that's sr007


----------



## tool462

How do the "StratoKossters" sound compared to all those behemoths?  Got me 2 pairs of KSC-75's the other day for $9.70 each so I have some experimenting to do


----------



## William007

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> that's sr007


 
  haha thanks


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





purrin said:


> Actually I do own everything in that pic except for Wachara's DIY electostatic headphone and the LCD2r2.


 
  Still pleased with the EC I suspect....


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  $182 - amazon


----------



## operamatt

fiio dac and amp
  headphones are an ah-d2000 and my sennheiser mm550's


----------



## stijntjeuh

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Nice. How do you like those Beyer 660s? I haven't been able to find much about them around here, I guess not a lot of people have them, but they seem like they would be pretty good.


 
  I only have them for about a week so they are probably not fully burned-in, but so far I like them. A lot. I only have those 2 other cans on the picture to compare with, and.. The Beyers are definitely the most comfy ones! Soundwise they are what I exspected them to be, balanced with both decent highs and lows. The Grado is very rock 'n roll and the AKG is extremely analytical, the beyer is in the middle of those two extremes.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You can't go wrong with the DT660 for their price!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





operamatt said:


> fiio dac and amp
> headphones are an ah-d2000 and my sennheiser mm550's


 
   
  Great workstation! MPro!  I can't quite make out your speakers. What are they?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

On the floor testing this headphones.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> On the floor testing this headphones.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  you sir deserve a medal 
  this just beats the clas+mk3+beats studio of driver 8


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> On the floor testing this headphones.


 
   
   
  Dre Beats + McIntosh = a match made in heaven..


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> On the floor testing this headphones.


 
   
  That's just wrong.....


----------



## xzobinx

I don't think so. If there's a hole, I plug 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> That's just wrong.....


----------



## William007

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> I don't think so. If there's a hole, I plug


 
  +1


----------



## operamatt

lol plug. just don't listen.


----------



## operamatt

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Great workstation! MPro!  I can't quite make out your speakers. What are they?


 
  the monitors are alesis prolinear 720 dsp's
& thanks for the compliment.


----------



## Goodfella1138




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





goodfella1138 said:


>


 
  I am loving all these sweet workstations and their near field monitors!  Lovin' the Burson too!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> I don't think so. If there's a hole, I plug


 
  I used to be like that.. But you will settle down eventually when you find the right headphone, you can be sure of that. I did. I truly believe that there is a headphone out there for everybody..!
   
  here's a pic of my life partner.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> here's a pic of my life partner.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How long have you two been together?
 Also, HifiGuy, Beats + McIntosh is quite possibly the funniest combination I've seen.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> How long have you two been together?
> Also, HifiGuy, Beats + McIntosh is quite possibly the funniest combination I've seen.


 
  Well lets just say, I've past the honeymoon period and I still take her to bed with me every night! 
   
  About 2 months 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I know its not that long... (I spent 7 years with the 650's!) but I just love what they do. I've went through quite a few phones in the last couple of years and these are the most expensive. I'm constantly wanting to check out the HD800's but I keep telling myself they will be too sharp and analytical for me as I think I must appreciate the more laid back warm sound. So, because I'm not that wealthy and can't see myself ever being able to afford an SR009, I'm planning on being happy with these for the forseable future. Unless the price of the LCD3 comes down in the next few years...


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Very, very humble. It's not usually this filthy but the bloody cat slept on my desk last night


 
   
   
  The red HD 25 pads are awesome!
   
  Where did you get them?


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





scoglio said:


> The red HD 25 pads are awesome!
> 
> Where did you get them?


 

 check E-bay, people sell custom dyed pads all the time.


----------



## crooner

current setup:


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> check E-bay, people sell custom dyed pads all the time.


 
   
  Cool,I'll check it out for sure!
   
  Gonna upload some photos to this thread,too to see what you think about my setup


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





crooner said:


> current setup:


 

 I like it.


----------



## warrenpchi

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> On the floor testing this headphones.


 
   
  LOL!  I'm lovin' all the replies about how funny this post is!  Mainly because I know that his post isn't a joke... he's actually testing them because he's got a review to finish up.


----------



## jtaylor991

I listened to my friend's Beats Pros the other day and they were decent, a bit muddy overall, deep bass but not blasting in your face, soundstage seemed a bit funny like vocals were hard to make out and were placed differently than my IEMs. I might buy 'em for $150 or so.


----------



## Skylab

This thread continues to need pictures. So while I know quite a few of you have seen my man cave, I did just take a perspective shot, so it's a new pic as per thread rules 










I took the LCD-3's cables off for the pic since I thought it looked nicer


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> $182 - amazon


 
   
  Yeah just noticed that yesterday. Speak of the devil.
   
  Quote: 





stijntjeuh said:


> I only have them for about a week so they are probably not fully burned-in, but so far I like them. A lot. I only have those 2 other cans on the picture to compare with, and.. The Beyers are definitely the most comfy ones! Soundwise they are what I exspected them to be, balanced with both decent highs and lows. The Grado is very rock 'n roll and the AKG is extremely analytical, the beyer is in the middle of those two extremes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Awesome. Sounds like something I'm interested in getting. Now I just need to decide if I want to get these or the new Custom One Pro. Errr, I mean which one I want to get first.


----------



## Eee Pee

You even lined up the tape reels.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





skylab said:


> This thread continues to need pictures. So while I know quite a few of you have seen my man cave, I did just take a perspective shot, so it's a new pic as per thread rules


 
   
  No worries. I wouldn't even mind if you posted the exact same picture once every week. Your vintage man cave is a sight to behold!


----------



## Focker

love the look of that reel-to-reel Pioneer!   I'm often tempted to put together a nice near field system...would be a good excuse to send some more money to John DeVore.


----------



## longbowbbs

Rob, that looks like a most awesome stress reducing environment. Be careful returning to the real world. Do it in small stages like decompressing for Scuba!


----------



## Silent One

The boutique look never gets old, Skylab!




   
  The Pioneer SX-1980 is a bit distracting, though. Long to have one!


----------



## silversurfer616

My listening room....and soon we will have spring here in NZ and everthing will be green in front of me!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





skylab said:


> This thread continues to need pictures. So while I know quite a few of you have seen my man cave, I did just take a perspective shot, so it's a new pic as per thread rules
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 sploosh


----------



## TierAngst

Nothing fancy, but the whole audio setup was under $500 and for that price I have no complaints! 
   

   
  The setup as seen in the picture: 
   
 Cans: MrSpeakers Mad Dog Modded Fostex T50RP
  
 Speakers: Boston Acoustics A60
 Amp: NAD 7100
 Dac: ODAC


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> sploosh


----------



## Skylab

Thanks all for the kind words 



longbowbbs said:


> Rob, that looks like a most awesome stress reducing environment. Be careful returning to the real world. Do it in small stages like decompressing for Scuba!




That's exactly it's purpose...relaxation and stress reduction. And it sure does the trick!


----------



## leobussinger

Hey, I really like this, man. I want to build a table like this. Could you give me detailed measurements including the drawer? Thank you and congratulations


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> My listening room....and soon we will have spring here in NZ and everthing will be green in front of me!


 
  That is just a cool fckng room and deserves to be reposted on the next page. Straight classy with the book case, china display and artwork. That goldish frame reminds me of Beauty and The Beast.


----------



## crooner

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> I like it.


 

 Thanks! Sounds really good. Lots of synergy going on!


----------



## firev1

Cool to see another NAD setup, how are the Mad Dogs ?
  Quote: 





tierangst said:


> Nothing fancy, but the whole audio setup was under $500 and for that price I have no complaints!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





leobussinger said:


> Hey, I really like this, man. I want to build a table like this. Could you give me detailed measurements including the drawer? Thank you and congratulations


 
  whos table are you referring to?


----------



## kalkain

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Rob, that looks like a most awesome stress reducing environment. Be careful returning to the real world. Do it in small stages like decompressing for Scuba!


 
  Leave? If i had a room like that... You'll need teams of horses to drag me out of there


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





kalkain said:


> Leave? If i had a room like that... You'll need teams of horses to drag me out of there


 
   

   
  Here you go!


----------



## TierAngst

Quote: 





firev1 said:


> Cool to see another NAD setup, how are the Mad Dogs ?


 
   
  I'm glad I found the NAD and it was a steal at $40, especially with a working remote and functioning volume motor. 
   
  They're easily the best I've tried so far but I haven't really been anywhere that lets you demo the higher end ($300+) stuff and have been avoiding doing so in case I decide I like something I can't afford a lot more! Very inefficient though so you really need a fairly powerful amp to push them, the NAD has no problem pushing them to ear bleeding levels where my old head amp had to be maxed out before it became uncomfortably loud.


----------



## Eee Pee

New VPI Traveler with a somewhat clear Alice In Chains disc on it.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> New VPI Traveler with a somewhat clear Alice In Chains disc on it.


 
  Very kewl!  Tell us more, cartridge, phono preamp?  Good color match with the Sonnett(?).


----------



## Eee Pee

Grado Sonata from 1998 (I just looked at the receipt).  Still pleasant, but will be replaced soon.
  First gen Rega Brio is playing the part of the phono stage at the moment.  Meh, and will be replaced soon.
  Bad color match.  Like, not even close.  It's a sad/darker blue, where as the Sonett is a happier/lighter blue.
   
  Best part is, I like it a lot!  Been spinning vinyl since the moment I got it.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> New VPI Traveler with a somewhat clear Alice In Chains disc on it.


 
   
  Wonderful! I was looking at the traveler at my dealers but I had no time to play..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (Good album choice too!) Wonder if my venerable Grado MF3E+ would do it justice....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (It has been sitting on the shelf for awhile....20 years??!!)


----------



## Armaegis

Not nearly as pretty as you some of you guys, but here's one of my current setups...
   

   
  left of computer: Nuforce Icon2 (dac, headphone amp, speaker amp), Nuforce S-X speakers (the W-1 sub is down by the floor)
  headphones: Pioneer HDJ-2000 (modded), HiFiMan HE-6 (powered off the speaker tap seen on the far right), Fostex T50rp (also modded)
  iems: VSonic GR07, Nuforce NE-770X


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


>


 
  What's your opinion of the HDJ2000? I love mine.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Not nearly as pretty as you some of you guys, but here's one of my current setups...
> 
> photo
> 
> ...


 
   
  What do you think of the speakers? I see they're $135 off.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Grado Sonata from 1998 (I just looked at the receipt).  Still pleasant, but will be replaced soon.
> First gen Rega Brio is playing the part of the phono stage at the moment.  Meh, and will be replaced soon.
> Bad color match.  Like, not even close.  It's a sad/darker blue, where as the Sonett is a happier/lighter blue.
> 
> Best part is, I like it a lot!  Been spinning vinyl since the moment I got it.


 
  Absolutely!
   
  Real nice.  Maybe a tube phono stage coming?


----------



## Maverickmonk

Space saving in a college apartment. Built the shelf/desk-extender/headphone stand of cheap poplar, also the shelf the xbox/laptop sits on.
   
  Setup: Gamma2 >> M-Audio AVS-30's >>HE-400. I need to build a desktop amp for here at school, since the receiver was too large to bring along


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> What's your opinion of the HDJ2000? I love mine.


 
   
  I was probably one of the early proponents of the HDJ-2000 here on head-fi. Definitely one of my favourites. Stock, I like them more than the usual culprits like the M50 or 840. Modded, even more so which evens out the bass hump and improves clarity. While a bit more expensive than the other DJ choices, you pay for the better build quality too. 
   
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> What do you think of the speakers? I see they're $135 off.


 
   
  As a set with the W-1 (which is also on sale), I think they are fantastic. I'm actually currently working on a review for the whole set along with the Icon2. 
   
  The speakers by themselves, I would describe them like an Audio Technica AD700/900. Airiness to the sound, bass light, good texture but a bit soft in the upper reaches, separation excellent though again there's a bit of softness to the edges. I would not recommend the speakers just by themselves; they need a sub to fill out the sound.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> As a set with the W-1 (which is also on sale), I think they are fantastic. I'm actually currently working on a review for the whole set along with the Icon2.
> 
> The speakers by themselves, I would describe them like an Audio Technica AD700/900. Airiness to the sound, bass light, good texture but a bit soft in the upper reaches, separation excellent though again there's a bit of softness to the edges. I would not recommend the speakers just by themselves; they need a sub to fill out the sound.


 
   
  Interesting, I will definitely look at the speakers. Although the sub doesn't quite dig deep enough for my liking (Nu-Force states 50-150 hz response) so I would probably go with a different one.


----------



## leobussinger

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> whos table are you referring to?


 
  This white table with black glass...


----------



## ssrock64

Added two new items to my bedroom rig. Can you guess what they are before seeing the second and third photos?
   

   

  The first is a turtle lamp that I found at a garage sale a few years ago and decided to finally bring out.
  Sure it's not directly sound-related, but it has increased my enjoyment of my cans more than any recable ever did.
   

  This is one of the most simple and humble works of a local artist who paints very vibrant and detailed scenes on feathers, and being a Poe fan I had to grab this from a gallery nearby. It sits on top of the right bedroom speaker. Again, it's not a sonic upgrade but it's made this new apartment feel more like home.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I was probably one of the early proponents of the HDJ-2000 here on head-fi. Definitely one of my favourites. Stock, I like them more than the usual culprits like the M50 or 840. Modded, even more so which evens out the bass hump and improves clarity. While a bit more expensive than the other DJ choices, you pay for the better build quality too.


 
  I don't know about you, but I sometimes wish they'd have gone with a larger version of the HDJ1500's weird earpads for the HDJ2000 (though it would be utterly impractical). Besides that, I absolutely love them and think they're one of the least appreciated cans here on Head-Fi.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Interesting, I will definitely look at the speakers. Although the sub doesn't quite dig deep enough for my liking (Nu-Force states 50-150 hz response) so I would probably go with a different one.


 
   
  I hesitate to even call the W-1 a sub. It's really more a woofer repurposed for low end duty. It does a decent job, but lacks the reach for the really low end grunting and starts to distort when you crank it up. At low levels though, and for not super-bassy music, it's very nice. It's really no bigger than a bookshelf speaker. I could feasibly tuck it in behind my desk, whereas I wouldn't be able to do the same with a full sized sub.
   
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I don't know about you, but I sometimes wish they'd have gone with a larger version of the HDJ1500's weird earpads for the HDJ2000 (though it would be utterly impractical). Besides that, I absolutely love them and think they're one of the least appreciated cans here on Head-Fi.


 
   
  I wonder if you could actually switch the pads. Personally I'd rather have circumaural pads, but some folks prefer on-ear. 
   
  I did demo the HDJ-1500 the other day though, and was hugely disappointed. It felt like the entire lower half of the spectrum was missing. Maybe the store pair was defective...


----------



## Sylverant

Moved my speakers onto my desk and and built a new computer XD
   
  Running off of the Realtek 898 because the cheap (but quality) Corsair psu I went for doesn't have sufficient power on the +12 volt rail to power the Asus Essence STX I bought for the computer. Not sure whether to return it or wait till I can afford to upgrade the psu.


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Moved my speakers onto my desk and and built a new computer XD
> 
> Running off of the Realtek 898 because the cheap (but quality) Corsair psu I went for doesn't have sufficient power on the +12 volt rail to power the Asus Essence STX I bought for the computer. Not sure whether to return it or wait till I can afford to upgrade the psu.


 
  Mighty fine case there, i've got the same one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  ...Woah same headphones too, are you me?


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


dscythe said:


> Mighty fine case there, i've got the same one
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Maybe 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 lol, I couldn't help but wanna see what your running the K271 with since they're a little picky. I tried them with a D2+ once and all I'll say is that it loves Cowon players. Personally I want an X7, but the J3's is awesome! Lucky


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Quote:
> 
> Maybe
> 
> ...


 
  Haha yeah they are a bit, they really dont like my old reciever, they sound great on the j3 and out of my E10 though


----------



## Stommager

Hi!

 That's my current setup.
 I like to keep it simple, budget wise and flexible.

 Superlux + iRiver makes my portable gear.

 Besides iRiver, E-MU uses input of my laptop computer, Pioneer PD-S507 CD Player and occasionally TV set.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





stommager said:


> Hi!
> 
> That's my current setup.
> I like to keep it simple, budget wise and flexible.
> ...


 
   
  Good start. Are you using the Regal (or any other) regulated linear power supply with the E-MU 04040 USB? It enhanced mine; gave it more depth.


----------



## clintinz

These are my new (old) monitors. Lovely sound with the Marantz.


----------



## WhiteCrow

HEADPHONESIS!


----------



## Stommager

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Good start. Are you using the Regal (or any other) regulated linear power supply with the E-MU 04040 USB? It enhanced mine; gave it more depth.


 

 No, I'm using standard power supply.
  I've never even considered changing it, but now that You have mentioned, it sounds like a good idea 
  I've been already looking for some posts on this topic, but it seems that all replacement PSUs require changing of the connector.
  Do You know any regulated linear power supplies that will fit E-MU out of the box?


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Wonderful! I was looking at the traveler at my dealers but I had no time to play..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   They seem like a pretty good table, pretty sold.  Little weird how they mount the arm with the big ring for VTA adjustment and then one single thumbscrew holds everything in place.  I remember reading so much about the tonearms needed to be one with armboard/plinth, and this seems to get away from that a little bit.
   
  Quote:


bbophead said:


> Absolutely!
> 
> Real nice.  Maybe a tube phono stage coming?


 
   
  I'm thinking solid state for the phono.  Maybe for the interim the small Soundsmith MMP3, and just stash is under the VPI, or try to.  Stealth mode clean look.  Not sure really, as I'm not sure what cartridge I'll go with when I feel the need to move to something other than the Grado.  So many options.
   
  What I really wanted to do was get the package with the Grado Gold on Father's Day as it was 20% off and that would have came close to being a free cart.  Decision would have been made right there.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





sylverant said:


> Moved my speakers onto my desk and and built a new computer XD
> 
> Running off of the Realtek 898 because the cheap (but quality) Corsair psu I went for doesn't have sufficient power on the +12 volt rail to power the Asus Essence STX I bought for the computer. Not sure whether to return it or wait till I can afford to upgrade the psu.


 
   
   
  corsair not enough power? really? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  i have their 1200W psu


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> HEADPHONESIS!


 
  How is the BiFrost/Lyr combo working for you??
   
  I'm thinking about getting a Lyr and some Orthos in the future


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> corsair not enough power? really?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 JESUS!?!?! are you powering a bitcoin mining rig with that or a car?


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Ah, pizza from Brooklyn..._fond memories._


 
   
  Pizza from _Queens_ my friend.  Just a tip from a native.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> This thread continues to need pictures. So while I know quite a few of you have seen my man cave, I did just take a perspective shot, so it's a new pic as per thread rules


 
   
  My, the perspective shot really shows off the T-Rex footprint of the 1980.  What a beast.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> JESUS!?!?! are you powering a bitcoin mining rig with that or a car?


 
   
  lol nah, i really don't do anything with it these days. its a bit overkill, which shows up in the electric bill 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  i have 2 hd 5870 graphics cards, an overclocked i7 920, and like 5 hard drives in it.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> lol nah, i really don't do anything with it these days. its a bit overkill, which shows up in the electric bill
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 a bit over kill? I think a 750 watt for that rig would be a bit over kill 1200 watts is shooting a rabbit with a tank.


----------



## Sylverant

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> corsair not enough power? really?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 lol, I didn't actually mean "power" so to speak, I meant that my particular model, the builders series CX600V2, only has 40 amps on the +12 volt rail and my Gigabyte HD6850OC, 2 burners, 2 hard drives, card reader and 3 extra fans pretty much uses that all up. When I installed my STX it sounded awful, and insufficient amps on the +12 volt rail is the only logical explanation, as I did disable my on board in the bios before installing it.
   
  Edit: The confusion was my fault for not mentioning that, sorry


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





stommager said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Jameco Electronics is having a Closeout on the very model I purchased in 2010 for $9.95:
   




  Appx 2.75" x 3.25" x 5"
  Note: I happened to have three adapters from different Creative Lab products, so I hacked one and mated to a 5-pin pancake panel connector, also from Jameco. You could always ask them for help with fitting a tip for the E-MU.
   
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_689661_-1
   
  Bonus - Blast from the past...first Vacuum Tube amp with E-MU 0404 USB Interface w/Regal regulated linear supply.


----------



## .Sup

I had the same 0404 usb paired with LD MKIV SE as my first audio headphone setup.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> check E-bay, people sell custom dyed pads all the time.


 

  They're actually "proper" aftermarket pads manufactured by "Zomo". My headband pad was in bits, so I thought "Why not."
   
  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sennheiser-HD25-HD-25-SP-Velour-Teddy-Red-Replacement-Ear-Pad-Set-By-Zomo-/270934673236?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item3f14f70754
   
  I didn't buy from this seller though - mine were about half that price, and I've never seen them as cheaply since!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Bonus - Blast from the past...first Vacuum Tube amp with E-MU 0404 USB Interface w/Regal regulated linear supply.


 





 So that's what you can blame all of this on!


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> They're actually "proper" aftermarket pads manufactured by "Zomo". My headband pad was in bits, so I thought "Why not."
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sennheiser-HD25-HD-25-SP-Velour-Teddy-Red-Replacement-Ear-Pad-Set-By-Zomo-/270934673236?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item3f14f70754
> 
> I didn't buy from this seller though - mine were about half that price, and I've never seen them as cheaply since!


 
   
  Thanks!
  In fact they're not really cheap,but maybe one day I'll do this customization


----------



## ScOgLiO

So,here we go: my humble setup!
  Just began in "audiophile" world,so nothing too fancy,but I'm enjoying it.Looking forward to get better stuff anyway
   





   




   




   
   
  Hope you can see the pics,as I had problems uploading...sorry for awful quality.
   
  Btw it's HP pc with iTunes (mp3 320kbps tunes) or Foobar2000 (for FLAC files) -> Creative SounBlaster X-Fi HD (USB) -> Sennheiser HD-25 or old pair of AKG K514
   
  Also have a 64gb iPod Touch 4th gen for portable listenings,with AKG K340 IEMs (soon replaced by Shure SE215)
   
  Looking to get a good open back headphone (maybe the Senn HD 598)
   
   
  (Actually,it didn't work...any idea to upload the pics in a proper way?)


----------



## antberg

Scoglio you Italian right?


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





antberg said:


> Scoglio you Italian right?


 
  Yep!


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





scoglio said:


> (Actually,it didn't work...any idea to upload the pics in a proper way?)


 
   
  Just click the image button on the toolbar and then use your Imgur URLs.


----------



## Yuceka




----------



## MorbidToaster

Your sushi looks a bit droopy.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Your sushi looks a bit droopy.


 
  Its sad because he is ignoring it while grooving to the Schiit/Stax combo....


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Your sushi looks a bit droopy.


 

 It's because they're homemade


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Your sushi looks a bit droopy.


 
  They're not droopy, they're bowing to the Stax.


----------



## MorbidToaster

What's in it?
   
  I had some great stuff recently.
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> It's because they're homemade


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> It's because they're homemade


 
   
  Screw those guys I think they look delish. Good job on the hommade sushi. And on the Stax.


----------



## dukeskd

What are you pairing with the Schiits?


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> What are you pairing with the Schiits?


 
  x2, seeing the Stax next to a Schiit stack threw me off; for a second I thought you were driving them with the Lyr (or whatever amp it is, I figured it was a Lyr in conjunction with my assumption) and then I realized that wasn't possible.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





yuceka said:


>


 
  Nice. How would you compare your 404LE to the HE500's that I see you also have?


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Just click the image button on the toolbar and then use your Imgur URLs.


 
  Tried this way first,but it says to retry because of a server error...


----------



## Radio_head

Try retrying.  Maybe there was a server error.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> What are you pairing with the Schiits?


 
  I was using the Lyr as a pre-amp with my Stax SRM-1/MK 2
   
  Quote: 





devhen said:


> Screw those guys I think they look delish. Good job on the hommade sushi. And on the Stax.


 
  Thanks mate. They were ok. Certainly I've had better  But the entire combo was something to die for that night.
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> What's in it?
> 
> I had some great stuff recently.


 
  Mostly salmon, tuna and a regular California roll stuff 
   
  Quote: 





dagothur said:


> They're not droopy, they're bowing to the Stax.


 
  Exactly!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice. How would you compare your 404LE to the HE500's that I see you also have?


 

 Hmm I should update my info here more often.
   
  I no longer have the HE-500, nor the Lyr as I sold them both. After hearing the 404LE I knew that I couldn't go back. A lot of things can be said in terms of comparing the two but if I were to cut it short which I should as this is a picture thread, I don't think I will or can ever go back to a desktop system that is not Stax (or electrostatics but I haven't listened to other brands). There's not a single thing that I miss from my old Orthodynamic setups which include Audez'e and almost all the Hifimans. Nothing I have ever owned comes anywhere close to SR-404LE.


----------



## ScOgLiO

Ok,this time it all went good: here we are!
   
  Nothing fancy,but starting to enjoy headphone listening,looking to get better equipment in the future
   

   

   

   
   
   
  So,as said: HP pc with iTunes (mp3 320kbps stuff) or Foobar2000 (for FLAC files) -> Creative SounBlaster X-Fi HD (USB) -> Sennheiser HD-25 or old pair of AKG K514
  
 Also have a 64gb iPod Touch 4th gen for portable listenings,with  Shure SE215 (just bought them today,I'm burning-in them right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )
  
 And...looking to get a good open back headphone (maybe the Senn HD 598)
   
   
  Sorry guys,bad pics here...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Replace 404LE with 009 and that's pretty much my story right there.
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Hmm I should update my info here more often.
> 
> I no longer have the HE-500, nor the Lyr as I sold them both. After hearing the 404LE I knew that I couldn't go back. A lot of things can be said in terms of comparing the two but if I were to cut it short which I should as this is a picture thread, I don't think I will or can ever go back to a desktop system that is not Stax (or electrostatics but I haven't listened to other brands). There's not a single thing that I miss from my old Orthodynamic setups which include Audez'e and almost all the Hifimans. Nothing I have ever owned comes anywhere close to SR-404LE.


----------



## calipilot227

New apartment, some new gear:
   
  Polk Monitor 7's, Cambridge Basscube 8
   

   
  This rig is used mostly for vinyl.

   
  Top to bottom: Thorens TD-145, Technics SL-MC4, Sony GX800ES (90 wpc, 5.1 surround receiver).

   
  A new rack is next on my shopping list.
   

   
  Bringing up the rear, the Pioneer SP-BS21LR.
   
  I discovered that this receiver sounds quite good in "Live" mode for music. It filters the frequencies that would normally reverberate in a concert hall and sends them to the rear speakers with a slight delay. Much better than four channel stereo. It also allows me to use Dolby 5.1 surround without a center channel (feeds this to the front speakers).


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Hmm I should update my info here more often.
> 
> I no longer have the HE-500, nor the Lyr as I sold them both. After hearing the 404LE I knew that I couldn't go back. A lot of things can be said in terms of comparing the two but if I were to cut it short which I should as this is a picture thread, I don't think I will or can ever go back to a desktop system that is not Stax (or electrostatics but I haven't listened to other brands). There's not a single thing that I miss from my old Orthodynamic setups which include Audez'e and almost all the Hifimans. Nothing I have ever owned comes anywhere close to SR-404LE.


 
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Replace 404LE with 009 and that's pretty much my story right there.


 
   
  Pretty much same said for me, although I still have my LCD's and HD800's and a fair few other can's just keeping it around for whatever may happen in the future. Nice balance as I listen to wide range of genre's. Once you go stat's you never look back, probably the most worthwhile upgrade after mid-high end Stax is speaker's.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The 009 is the only model that's done it for me so I can't exactly get behind the 'once you go Stats you never go back' thing. 
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Pretty much same said for me, although I still have my LCD's and HD800's and a fair few other can's just keeping it around for whatever may happen in the future. Nice balance as I listen to wide range of genre's. Once you go stat's you never look back, probably the most worthwhile upgrade after mid-high end Stax is speaker's.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The 009 is the only model that's done it for me so I can't exactly get behind the 'once you go Stats you never go back' thing.


 
  While I haven't heard the 009 yet,  I have heard the 007 line up and few other lower end based on the Lambda frame, heck even my own cheap Lambda Pro's do a better job then most my other headphones, it's the first headphone I grab to listen to music with. I'm sure like yourself, if I auditioned the 009, I'd probably be gobsmacked so hard, expect to see everything on sale from me in the F/S section next day and from what I've read the 009 is an upgrade in almost all aspects of sound over the 007 rather then a sidegrade.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The 009 is the only model that's done it for me so I can't exactly get behind the 'once you go Stats you never go back' thing.


 
   
  Is it also the only model you've tried at home though?
   
  (side note...another Dallas head-fi meet!  Sometime...it would be cool if my trips to Dallas coincided with on of your meets.)


----------



## MorbidToaster

Unfortunately the Dallas meets don't have very flexible dates because of the space they're being held in. Someday. 
   
  I've heard the 507 in home and the rest have been at meets, yes. Though some of the ones I heard at meets were in silent rooms. 
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Is it also the only model you've tried at home though?
> 
> (side note...another Dallas head-fi meet!  Sometime...it would be cool if my trips to Dallas coincided with on of your meets.)


----------



## sphinxvc

Gotcha.


----------



## Stommager

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Jameco Electronics is having a Closeout on the very model I purchased in 2010 for $9.95:
> 
> Appx 2.75" x 3.25" x 5"
> Note: I happened to have three adapters from different Creative Lab products, so I hacked one and mated to a 5-pin pancake panel connector, also from Jameco. You could always ask them for help with fitting a tip for the E-MU.
> ...


 
   
  Well, I have followed Your advice and I must admit that I'm glad that I did.
  I went to ask in my local shops, and surprisingly found this:


   
  It's a genuine linear, regulated power supply, big and heavy, 5V, 1A. I also got this small reducing plug to make it fit.
  The result is quite convincing.
  First I switched PSUs a bit and tried to find definite differences, but it was difficult. So I listened to it for a longer time. The overall feeling was that the sound is slightly more relaxed. Some unimportant details were pushed back in their place, and the mood of the track became more apparent. E-MU seems to be less dry as it used to be.
  It might be just my imagination, but one way or another I'm happy with this upgrade 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thanks!


----------



## Audiophile03

Here are my Grado SR60's. I had them on here before but I just got my HEADPHONELOUNGE mahogany wood cups, saddle brown leather headband and a pair of L-Cush earpads installed.
   
   

   
   
   
  My friend from AudioKarma just finished the preamp for my headphones setup....here is a preview!!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





stommager said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Outstanding pick up!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> My friend from AudioKarma just finished the preamp for my headphones setup....here is a preview!!


 
  She's a beauty, but the moment anything goes wrong inside it'll burn your house down.


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> She's a beauty, but the moment anything goes wrong inside it'll burn your house down.


 
   
  That's a great point...worth heavy consideration.


----------



## stevenlongs

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> That's a great point...worth heavy consideration.


 
  It looks airtight to me...will it burn?


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> It looks airtight to me...will it burn?


 

 The real question is... will it blend?


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> She's a beauty, but the moment anything goes wrong inside it'll burn your house down.


 
  Uh, it looks like a passive preamp. I doubt it's going to make toast, let alone fry an egg...


----------



## Audiophile03

Thanks everyone for your concern but 1. It was built by a professional, 2. It is passive so no power source, 3. It will go quite nicely with my headphones amp.


----------



## Matrim604

Hi all, been lurking around here a while but just joined up.  Here's my little desktop setup with a NuForce Icon HDP.  I also have a Fiio E09K setup beside my bed to use with my iPhone.
   





   




   
  *EDIT* Hmm, can't seem to get my images to work...


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





stommager said:


> Well, I have followed Your advice and I must admit that I'm glad that I did.
> I went to ask in my local shops, and surprisingly found this:


 
   
  Witamy na forum!


----------



## Draygonn

matrim604 said:


> Hi all, been lurking around here a while but just joined up.  Here's my little desktop setup with a NuForce Icon HDP.  I also have a Fiio E09K setup beside my bed to use with my iPhone.


Nice


----------



## Stommager

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Witamy na forum!


 

 Cześć!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Hi all, been lurking around here a while but just joined up.  Here's my little desktop setup with a NuForce Icon HDP.  I also have a Fiio E09K setup beside my bed to use with my iPhone.
> 
> 
> 
> *EDIT* Hmm, can't seem to get my images to work...


 
   
  What kind of desk is that?


----------



## justie

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Hi all, been lurking around here a while but just joined up.  Here's my little desktop setup with a NuForce Icon HDP.  I also have a Fiio E09K setup beside my bed to use with my iPhone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Holy S*** thats a nice table! and a razer naga with a mbp lol.

 Oh and awesome headphones


----------



## TehJam

That is an awesome desk that I would love to try to build. Headphone setup is really cool too.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've kind of been wanting to do something with Granite. For some reason the wood inspires me to.
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> That is an awesome desk that I would love to try to build. Headphone setup is really cool too.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've kind of been wanting to do something with Granite. For some reason the wood inspires me to.


 
   
  That sounds pretty darn cool to me, first I gotta wait for the old ikea desk to break though.


----------



## Matrim604

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> What kind of desk is that?


 
   
  Thanks everyone!  It's an ironwood table, pretty much just a cross section slab of ironwood I had made into a desk.  The shape makes a pretty ideal laptop desk with the protruding arm rest/mouse area =)  It's heavy as hell but super sturdy and I left it pretty rustic looking with minimal finishing.  Here is another pic, a little clearer than the last.
   
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t140/matrim604/IMG_1152.jpg


----------



## Armaegis

Where does one even get giant slabs of wood like that? I shudder to think how much that must have cost...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Where does one even get giant slabs of wood like that? I shudder to think how much that must have cost...


 
   
  How 'bout getting through the door? Around the corner down the hall?? And up the stairs???


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





silent one said:


> How 'bout getting through the door? Around the corner down the hall?? And up the stairs???


 
  the weight??!


----------



## Matrim604

silent one said:


> How 'bout getting through the door? Around the corner down the hall?? And up the stairs???:blink:




Lol I actually hired professional movers to move it for me, and once they got it done they told me if I ever move, to call someone else. .


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I knew there was more to this!


----------



## justie

And its ironwood too! that must've weighed a car!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Thanks everyone!  It's an ironwood table, pretty much just a cross section slab of ironwood I had made into a desk.  The shape makes a pretty ideal laptop desk with the protruding arm rest/mouse area =)  It's heavy as hell but super sturdy and I left it pretty rustic looking with minimal finishing.  Here is another pic, a little clearer than the last.
> 
> http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t140/matrim604/IMG_1152.jpg


 
  Beautiful table, me thinks a couple of woody headphones may look the part


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Lol I actually hired professional movers to move it for me, and once they got it done they told me if I ever move, to call someone else.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Same here. My professional movers said to leave it where it is when I move 'cause no one will ever move it again.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





matrim604 said:


> Hi all, been lurking around here a while but just joined up.  Here's my little desktop setup with a NuForce Icon HDP.  I also have a Fiio E09K setup beside my bed to use with my iPhone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  A fellow HDP owner and possessor of a quarter of a tree!  I hope for your sake you don't ever move from your current home.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> A fellow HDP owner and possessor of a quarter of a tree!  I hope for your sake you don't ever move from your current home.


 
   
  I think the only way someone will beat this is with a literal cave for a mancave with a table hewn from the stone walls by his own bare hands.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I think the only way someone will beat this is with a literal cave for a mancave with a table hewn from the stone walls by his own bare hands.


----------



## Matrim604

Quote: 





eee pee said:


>


 
   
  Hehe be sure to post pics if it happens!  =)


----------



## Armaegis

Male bravado demands it!


----------



## wes008

scoglio said:


> Ok,this time it all went good: here we are!   Nothing fancy,but starting to enjoy headphone listening,looking to get better equipment in the future             So,as said: HP pc with iTunes (mp3 320kbps stuff) or Foobar2000 (for FLAC files) -> Creative SounBlaster X-Fi HD (USB) -> Sennheiser HD-25 or old pair of AKG K514   Also have a 64gb iPod Touch 4th gen for portable listenings,with  Shure SE215 (just bought them today,I'm burning-in them right now  )   And...looking to get a good open back headphone (maybe the Senn HD 598)     Sorry guys,bad pics here...



If you don't mind me asking, what midi controller is in the third picture?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## ScOgLiO

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> If you don't mind me asking, what midi controller is in the third picture?
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


 
   
  If you mean the one in the center (the keybard is also a MIDI one) it's simply a Hercules MK4 that I use sometimes to mix music at friends' parties or to waste some of my free time


----------



## jackskelly

file://localhost/Users/matthewkelly/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2012/09/12/20120912-200421/100_3965.JPG
   

  My first post on Head-Fi


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> file://localhost/Users/matthewkelly/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2012/09/12/20120912-200421/100_3965.JPG
> 
> My first post on Head-Fi


 
  The pic didn't work, try again. localhost means it's on your compute,r which you can't link to here, you have to upload it. Maybe it was an upload that head-fi messed up>


----------



## Ultrainferno

Don't think I ever posted a pic of the Crack before


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Don't think I ever posted a pic of the Crack before


 
   
  Nice tubes. 
   
  Another shot of the full amp build would be great!


----------



## .Sup

twizzleraddict said:


> Nice tubes.
> 
> Another shot of the full amp build would be great!



Is that the stock tube?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Is that the stock tube?


 
   
  It's the stock WestingHouse branded Tung-Sol and a 12AU7 RCA Clear Top


----------



## .Sup

ultrainferno said:


> It's the stock WestingHouse branded Tung-Sol and a 12AU7 RCA Clear Top



 i have the exact same combo. The thing is that my stock power tube looks like its 50 years old and dirty as hell, your seems to be brand new and very clean.


----------



## layums

manveru said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Are they any good, and what's all the extra mods about. They are expensive.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Don't think I ever posted a pic of the Crack before


 
   
  That's so beautiful that I'm not sure whether to be insanely jealous or fall in love with you (in a purely heterosexual "bromance" way you understand)


----------



## Draygonn

layums said:


> Are they any good, and what's all the extra mods about. They are expensive.


The Crack is a popular DIY OTL amp. The build is fairly simple and usually takes 7-10 hours. It sounds amazing with high impedance cans like the Senns and Beyers. Bottlehead makes several types of amps, including a new guitar amp.




.sup said:


> i have the exact same combo.



When will we get to see pictures of your Crack? (I hope this post doesn't end up on a weird google search)


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> The Crack is a popular DIY OTL amp. The build is fairly simple and usually takes 7-10 hours. It sounds amazing with high impedance cans like the Senns and Beyers. Bottlehead makes several types of amps, including a new guitar amp.
> 
> When will we get to see pictures of your Crack? (I hope this post doesn't end up on a weird google search)


 
   
Too late.


----------



## longbowbbs

Got a shirt to help with this problem....
   
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/product/work-t-shirt-mens-short-sleeve-longtail-t-95587.aspx


----------



## MorbidToaster

Current state at my mother's house before we head to Dallas this weekend for a wedding. Just got it and I already have to say goodbye for 2 days.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The Stax arriveth! It'll be waiting for you when you get back at least.


----------



## CrystalT

The current status of my audio stuffs~
   
  Grado SR60i
  Skullcandy Hesh 2.0
  Zune HD
  Pioneer VSX-9900S
  Audio misc/junk drawer with broken HSA Golden Crystal, and broken MEelec CC51


----------



## longbowbbs

You have to love this thread! MT's top of the line new system and Crystal T's classic Grado fun set up back to back. Good times can be had with both systems.


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current state at my mother's house before we head to Dallas this weekend for a wedding. Just got it and I already have to say goodbye for 2 days.


 
  At last, congrats Morbid


----------



## Arvan

Since i got my clip+ i have bin using it more then i expected..On the walks to/from my job and at home doing the dishes and other booring stuff 
   
  Flac only and on the picture paired with philips "the stretch"...A super durable headphone with a solid bass, not quite the best sounding but durability/comfort and price makes it a good beater. Clip+ drives them well. My Galaxy s2 does not.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> That's so beautiful that I'm not sure whether to be insanely jealous or fall in love with you (in a purely heterosexual "bromance" way you understand)


 
   
  Hahaha. Thanks, I'm getting more experienced with the Canon dslr. I really should take a pic of the full crack, I'm very happy with how the color of the wood turned out.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Too late.


 

 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Now that's on my work's web history. I thought it would just be a screenshot of a Google search.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Now that's on my work's web history. I thought it would just be a screenshot of a Google search.


 




   
  Try explaining that one to the boss! "its a headphone amp! honestly!"


----------



## MorbidToaster

That is true, and I feel well 'sent off' by this new Swans album I'm about to finish listening to. 2 hours of amazing music before I leave.
   
  Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> The Stax arriveth! It'll be waiting for you when you get back at least.


----------



## anoxy

Beautiful photo Arvan! 
   
  I love the look of full sized cans hooked up to a tiny clip. I need to get some Sennheiser HD-25-1 II for my clip.


----------



## .Sup

draygonn said:


> The Crack is a popular DIY OTL amp. The build is fairly simple and usually takes 7-10 hours. It sounds amazing with high impedance cans like the Senns and Beyers. Bottlehead makes several types of amps, including a new guitar amp.
> 
> When will we get to see pictures of your Crack? (I hope this post doesn't end up on a weird google search)



Here it is: http://www.head-fi.org/t/476650/crack-bottlehead-otl/1260#post_8700826
:happy_face1:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Beautiful photo Arvan!
> 
> I love the look of full sized cans hooked up to a tiny clip. I need to get some Sennheiser HD-25-1 II for my clip.


 
  Awesome cans! You'll love them. They are nice and light for portable use too!


----------



## .Sup

8 more photos in higher resolution on my Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sups_photos/sets/72157631542345075/


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Beautiful photo Arvan!
> 
> I love the look of full sized cans hooked up to a tiny clip. I need to get some Sennheiser HD-25-1 II for my clip.


 
  I was very close to by the HD25-1 II but the money went somewhere else  Ended up getting the mdr zx700 for portable use insted but....Did not enjoy them very much..Guess i will look at the hd 25 when some money rolls in again


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I just put this up.  I hope it will give you guys some insights on what I use to test headphones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice to see someone else that appreciates Rane gear. Used their mixers for years when I was a DJ and will probably be investing in one of their nice EQs soon.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I was very close to by the HD25-1 II but the money went somewhere else  Ended up getting the mdr zx700 for portable use insted but....Did not enjoy them very much..Guess i will look at the hd 25 when some money rolls in again


 
  Worth the wait!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Here it is: http://www.head-fi.org/t/476650/crack-bottlehead-otl/1260#post_8700826


 
  I'm afraid to click that now.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I'm afraid to click that now.


 
  Keep repeating..."It's only money...."


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current state at my mother's house before we head to Dallas this weekend for a wedding. Just got it and I already have to say goodbye for 2 days.


 

 Best keep the ants away from them.


----------



## ssrock64

longbowbbs said:


> Keep repeating..."It's only money...."  :veryevil:



Yes, but I moved from Wisconsin to Alabama for this kind of money.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





.sup said:


> 8 more photos in higher resolution on my Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sups_photos/sets/72157631542345075/


 
  Nice room Sup, looks cheerfull and relaxing.


----------



## silversurfer616

Like your Armani bags and the Ruth Orkin poster on the wall....makes me realize how much I love Italy!
  Good headphones,too!


----------



## .Sup

I love Italy as well. I'm there every year, after all its only an hour away from me. Going to Tuscany in October. I sit on my couch and look at that poster. Its so interesting.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Yes, but I moved from Wisconsin to Alabama for this kind of money.


 
  Good Point...Avert your eyes!


----------



## ssrock64

Those Armani bags are what I noticed, too. It's only fitting, I guess, to store such high-end gear in a suitable bag.


----------



## dagothur

I remember once a custom cable maker telling a friend of mine that he would be selling his newest cable for $600 a pop as well as storing it in a 1.2k Luis Vuitton bag.  I was assured this was not gouging.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> I remember once a custom cable maker telling a friend of mine that he would be selling his newest cable for $600 a pop as well as storing it in a 1.2k Luis Vuitton bag.  I was assured this was not gouging.


 
  ....if you don't look successful......


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> ....if you don't look successful......


 
  It was a really nice handbag - I would love to store my LCD-2s in it -  but the guy just got done trying to assure me that cables weren't snake oil or overpriced.  Consistency is key to customer satisfaction.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current state at my mother's house before we head to Dallas this weekend for a wedding. Just got it and I already have to say goodbye for 2 days.


 
   
  Congrats on arriving at the end game.  Btw, those two look like they have almost the same footprint.  Based on them both being blue/black...with some feet to space things out...might look good stacked atop each other.


----------



## MorbidToaster

sphinxvc said:


> Congrats on arriving at the end game.  Btw, those two look like they have almost the same footprint.  Based on them both being blue/black...with some feet to space things out...might look good stacked atop each other.




The LL gets really hot and unfortunately the Cambridge is the smaller of the 2 so it'd go on top.

They both deseve their own shelves anyway. I do kind of love the fact they match though.


----------



## longbowbbs

Nice new Avatar Morbid!


----------



## MorbidToaster

longbowbbs said:


> Nice new Avatar Morbid!




It's easily one of the best albums that's hit this year. Blew me away. My #2 so far.


----------



## Loevhagen

Current using the LCD-3 and Mjolnir - nice combo placed adjacent to my most used chair. 
   
  ... and I'm starting to believe.


----------



## xzobinx

you always spoil me with your photos first the v200 and now the Mjolnir. Any chance for a beachie version 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current using the LCD-3 and Mjolnir - nice combo placed adjacent to my most used chair.
> 
> ... and I'm starting to believe.
> 
> ...


----------



## Loevhagen

Ha, ha. Beach version must be in a nine months time. Summer is definitive over here in Norway.


----------



## louis12345

First time posting here 
   
  I'm a student, that's why it's a 'bedroom setup' 
   
  Just got my speakers: <3
   
  Gear:
  - Senn HD650
  - Little Dot MKIII and DAC_1
  - Pure i-20 dock -> iPhone or iPod Classic 240GB
  - Pioneer LX-424 (got it for 10 EUR today)
  - Epos Epic 5
  - WDTV Live
  - LG 50PA6500
   
   

   
  I had a 80's Hitachi amp, but it wasn't powerful enough to drive the Epics (clipping), the Pioneer (70's) amp can drive them perfectly and is vintage.
   
   

   
  IT'S GLORIOUS 
   
  I spend way too much money on my audio stuff xD
  That's two years of working as a student here and there (+ repairing iPhones regularly) worth of stuff.
   
  Next step: Logitech Squeezebox Touch
  Next step^2: Vincent SV-226MKII


----------



## Ultrainferno

Nice speakers! And another fellow Belgian. Woot!


----------



## calipilot227

Oh....my...god.......
   
  And I thought the Epic 2's were beautiful speakers! Very, very nice!


----------



## longbowbbs

I would love to hear those Epic 5's...Great looking gear!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current using the LCD-3 and Mjolnir - nice combo placed adjacent to my most used chair.
> 
> ... and I'm starting to believe.


 
  I would like to have this.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current using the LCD-3 and Mjolnir - nice combo placed adjacent to my most used chair.
> 
> ... and I'm starting to believe.


 
   
  HOLY SCHIIT!!!!!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





louis12345 said:


> First time posting here
> 
> I'm a student, that's why it's a 'bedroom setup'
> 
> ...


 

 This is one of the best all-around "student" setups I think we've had on here. Congrats.


----------



## longbowbbs

My dorm didn't look like that!


----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> [pic]


 
  Wait, what is the second thing the iPod is going to (the tube), a DAC of some sort or a battery? I noticed it's going to both that and the amp. Looks nice, although I've heard the Pro 900s (if that's what those are) are generally not very good cans for the majority of stuff, but handle electronic/hip hop well. As long as you enjoy it though!


----------



## wolfetan44

jtaylor991 said:


> Wait, what is the second thing the iPod is going to (the tube), a DAC of some sort or a battery? I noticed it's going to both that and the amp. Looks nice, although I've heard the Pro 900s (if that's what those are) are generally not very good cans for the majority of stuff, but handle electronic/hip hop well. As long as you enjoy it though!


the LOD?


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> the LOD?


 
  I noticed the LOD is going to two separate things: the amp, and whatever the other thing is which is what I'm curious about


----------



## Jerseyboy

Just moved house. Today's system before the cabling was put in !!!!


----------



## Radio_head

You win.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Wait, what is the second thing the iPod is going to (the tube), a DAC of some sort or a battery? I noticed it's going to both that and the amp. Looks nice, although I've heard the Pro 900s (if that's what those are) are generally not very good cans for the majority of stuff, but handle electronic/hip hop well. As long as you enjoy it though!


 
   
  Look closer at the pic. There are two separate cables plugged into different things.
   
  iPod out to USB input of the Fostex DAC/amp. 3.5mm to female XLR cable plugged into the headphone out of the Fostex, and the Ultrasones which are apparently terminated in XLR plugged into that.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





jerseyboy said:


> Just moved house. Today's system before the cabling was put in !!!!


 
  I don't have enough room for all that awesome.  You sir, have made me raspberry jelly.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

jtaylor991 said:


> Wait, what is the second thing the iPod is going to (the tube), a DAC of some sort or a battery? I noticed it's going to both that and the amp. Looks nice, although I've heard the Pro 900s (if that's what those are) are generally not very good cans for the majority of stuff, but handle electronic/hip hop well. As long as you enjoy it though!



It's an iPod classic (apple lossless of course) with a custom LOD going to my Fostex HP-P1 Amp/DAC 
Those are pro 2900s which are in my opinion superior to my hd650s. My custom cables for the 2900s are on their way. 
This is my portable rig by the way. Very handy for road trips and such.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

jerseyboy said:


> Just moved house. Today's system before the cabling was put in !!!!


 
Very nice. How do you like the phonitor?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

wolfetan44 said:


> the LOD?



LOD = Line Out Dock


----------



## MorbidToaster

radio_head said:


> You win.




This.


----------



## metalsonata

Listening to this right now on my Denon 700s. Can only imagine how perfect it must sound on a pair of Stax. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That is true, and I feel well 'sent off' by this new Swans album I'm about to finish listening to. 2 hours of amazing music before I leave.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jerseyboy said:


> Just moved house. Today's system before the cabling was put in !!!!


 
   
  Someones either been very very good....or very very bad!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> LOD = Line Out Dock


 
  I know that. The guy was asking what the thing was and I was guessing lol.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

wolfetan44 said:


> I know that. The guy was asking what the thing was and I was guessing lol.



Ha ha.. Oh, sorry man. I misunderstood


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Ha ha.. Oh, sorry man. I misunderstood


 
  Its ok


----------



## rudeboy89

Wow, I need to step my game up by the looks of things around here 0_o


----------



## Rawdawg3234

rudeboy89 said:


> Wow, I need to step my game up by the looks of things around here 0_o


 It's not a competition man. Just an obsession. What kind of setup are you working with?


----------



## wolfetan44

DO you guys think I could trade the Grado SR80i with bowl pads for a Fostex T50RP?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The new stuff actually came home today now that I'm back in town.
   
  EDIT: Massive Attack's Mezzanine is playing (in case anyone was wondering).
   


Spoiler: No%20white%20bulbs%20in%20the%20house.%20I%20made%20due.


----------



## Marximus

To the left of the KICAS is just a Dayton speaker amp.  Works well for my Bostons, though.  Really enjoying the KICAS.  Doesn't pick up on computer noise like my Schiit Asgard did.  Getting NVX XPT100s in later this week, and I'll determine whether the 8400s stay or go.


----------



## xzobinx

now paint the sr009 blue and you're done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: No%20white%20bulbs%20in%20the%20house.%20I%20made%20due.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The new stuff actually came home today now that I'm back in town.
> 
> EDIT: Massive Attack's Mezzanine is playing (in case anyone was wondering).
> 
> ...


 
   
  Massive Attack is awesome....Mezzanine is a great album.


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





focker said:


> Massive Attack is awesome....Mezzanine is a great album.


 

 It's also a great club in SF.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

focker said:


> Massive Attack is awesome....Mezzanine is a great album.


 
Are they? What genre?


----------



## metalsonata

Downtempo/Trip Hip.
   
  Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Are they? What genre?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yup. Trip Hop / Downtempo. If you've ever watched an episode of House you've heard their song 'Teardrop' from Mezzanine. 
   
  I'm picking up some of their vinyl soon. Excited.
   
  Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Downtempo/Trip Hip.


 
   
  Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Are they? What genre?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

metalsonata said:


> Downtempo/Trip Hip.



Sounds like some trippy techno. I'll have to hear it through my setup. Thanks for the recommendation. 
Check out Machine Head 
Look for the song Hallowed Be Thy Name. One of the BEST sounding bands of all time.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Are they? What genre?


 
   
  I'm truly late to the game in appreciating this kind of music, but they sort of fall under that "electronica" heading. I've also heard the "trip-hop" term, as metalsonata said...all this electronica/club/house/trance type of stuff is pretty new to me, but I've found that I LOVE listenign to it. There is a track by an artist named ATB called Autumn Leaves that I can't get out of my head. I've listened to it over and over and am infatuated with the instrumentals and vocals. It's just not stuff you're goign to hear on a top 40 station, you know? I find it very interesting and it always seems to have an impact on me. I dont' do much dancing since I hit 40, but that's what it makes me feel like doing...it just fills me with energy lol.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's very different from Techno or like...4 on the floor Trance stuff. It's really mellow and deep. Generally deep reaching bass. One of the things I could compare it to style wise (and it's a bit of a stretch) is Bjork. The music reminds me of some of her stuff, but with (IMO) better vocal work. 
   
  Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Sounds like some trippy techno. I'll have to hear it through my setup. Thanks for the recommendation.
> Check out Machine Head
> Look for the song Hallowed Be Thy Name. One of the BEST sounding bands of all time.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

morbidtoaster said:


> It's very different from Techno or like...4 on the floor Trance stuff. It's really mellow and deep. Generally deep reaching bass. One of the things I could compare it to style wise (and it's a bit of a stretch) is Bjork. The music reminds me of some of her stuff, but with (IMO) better vocal work.



Yeah it's not what I usually listen to but I don't mind trying out different stuff. Good tunes is good tunes.
The most techno/trance like music I listen to is rammstein. I'm more into metal


----------



## MickeyVee

OK.. you guys got me going so I did some searching/listening on iTunes and purchased *ATB - Distant Earth Deluxe Edition*.
  I've been kind of losing my love for the HE400 in favour of the HD700 but listening to this album with the HE400 has brought the magic back.  I'm really enjoying it!
  Getting some new furniture for my office on Wednesday.. a leather recliner and a side table specifically for headphone listening and watching TV.  I'll post the office pics once I get everything setup...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> OK.. you guys got me going so I did some searching/listening on iTunes and purchased *ATB - Distant Earth Deluxe Edition*.
> I've been kind of losing my love for the HE400 in favour of the HD700 but listening to this album with the HE400 has brought the magic back.  I'm really enjoying it!
> Getting some new furniture for my office on Wednesday.. a leather recliner and a side table specifically for headphone listening and watching TV.  I'll post the office pics once I get everything setup...


----------



## Rawdawg3234

mickeyvee said:


> OK.. you guys got me going so I did some searching/listening on iTunes and purchased *ATB - Distant Earth Deluxe Edition*.
> I've been kind of losing my love for the HE400 in favour of the HD700 but listening to this album with the HE400 has brought the magic back.  I'm really enjoying it!
> Getting some new furniture for my office on Wednesday.. a leather recliner and a side table specifically for headphone listening and watching TV.  I'll post the office pics once I get everything setup...



I'm jealous man. I'm trying to find a new house now so my setup is in disarray. Looking forward to the day everything is how I want it.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Anyone have a red wine setup to post a few pics of?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> OK.. you guys got me going so I did some searching/listening on iTunes and purchased *ATB - Distant Earth Deluxe Edition*.
> I've been kind of losing my love for the HE400 in favour of the HD700 but listening to this album with the HE400 has brought the magic back.  I'm really enjoying it!
> Getting some new furniture for my office on Wednesday.. a leather recliner and a side table specifically for headphone listening and watching TV.  I'll post the office pics once I get everything setup...


 
   
  I cant wait to see the pics! I love having a dedicated headphone station...one of the best ways to relax is to fire up the headphones while relaxing in a comfy chair and surfing the net.


----------



## MickeyVee

I'm pretty lucky, my office/man cave is 10x18.. it's all Santa Fe rustic pine furniture and my desk is actually a Santa Fe dining table.. add a 32" Sony XBR HDTV, PS3, HD PVR, my headphone system and my MacMini desktop system, it's pretty sweet.  Once the recliner and table are in, my wife may never seem me again. Will just have to add a bar fridge, paint it and replace the closet doors....
  Patience my friend.. it took me 30+ years to get here
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is my first man cave and we've been in this place for 3 years.
  Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> I'm jealous man. I'm trying to find a new house now so my setup is in disarray. Looking forward to the day everything is how I want it.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> I'm pretty lucky, my office/man cave is 10x18.. it's all Santa Fe rustic pine furniture and my desk is actually a Santa Fe dining table.. add a 32" Sony XBR HDTV, PS3, HD PVR, my headphone system and my MacMini desktop system, it's pretty sweet.  Once the recliner and table are in, *my wife may never seem me again*. Will just have to add a bar fridge, paint it and replace the closet doors....
> Patience my friend.. it took me 30+ years to get here
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Not sure about others but I very echo with this. Mum/Dad/gf just could not reach me unless physically tapping/hitting me. A good yell fails, a phone call fails, knock on door fails etc...
   
  For (more than) a minute there, I lost myself~ For (another) minute there, I lost myself~


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





focker said:


> Massive Attack is awesome....Mezzanine is a great album.


 
   
  Mmmmmmm. "Angel" has long been one of my demo tracks when auditioning kit. If it can handle that intro bass properly and then not fall apart at the crescendo/climax, then it's in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I saw them live on the "Mezzanine" tour, complete with Horace Andy. Absolutely magical! On the downside, I started smoking (cigarettes!) again that night, after having quit for over two years


----------



## Maverickmonk

MorbidToaster, i've said it before, but you have exceptional taste in music. I want some Massive Attack vinyl desperately, why must they only release limited runs! Definitely having a session and listening to Heligoland because of this post.

Also, there's no shame in an Ikea chair, i've got one on my wishlist for sure!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks! Speaking of which...my Tool vinyl should be here today. 
   
  I agree on the limited runs, and the lack of shame for Ikea chairs (and furniture in general). It's functional and cheap...and for the most part looks nice.
   
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> MorbidToaster, i've said it before, but you have exceptional taste in music. I want some Massive Attack vinyl desperately, why must they only release limited runs! Definitely having a session and listening to Heligoland because of this post.
> Also, there's no shame in an Ikea chair, i've got one on my wishlist for sure!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Mmmmmmm. "Angel" has long been one of my demo tracks when auditioning kit. If it can handle that intro bass properly and then not fall apart at the crescendo/climax, then it's in
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Heck yeah, Angel is a great bass track...love the atmosphere of that song. They must be a great show live!


----------



## Moosecraft

My newbie setup


----------



## CrystalT

Amazingly, the Skullcandy Hesh 2.0 pads fit perfectly over the quarter modded stock comfys. They stay on perfectly.
   



   
   
   
  Any recommendations for a headband mod?


----------



## .Sup

Those shots look like they've been taken underwater


----------



## CrystalT

Well excuuuuuuuuuse me for only having a 5MP camera.


----------



## MorbidToaster

You kids and your crazy mods.


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





crystalt said:


> Well excuuuuuuuuuse me


----------



## CrystalT

Glad someone got the reference

Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using Tapatalk 2


----------



## grokit

That's not where it's from


----------



## Focker

LOL Grokit...I grew up on Steve Martin...I used to always beg my dad to put the Steve Martin stand up cassettes in when we were in the car back in the late 70s early 80s.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Sounds like some trippy techno. I'll have to hear it through my setup. Thanks for the recommendation.
> Check out Machine Head
> Look for the song Hallowed Be Thy Name. One of the BEST sounding bands of all time.


 
  lol they are a lot different from electronica. Anyone here enjoy Aphex twin? I started listening to him more after "Come to daddy" left a bad taste in my ears. So far xtal and windowlicker are my favorite from him. Beats antique are also an awesome trance/electronic group.


----------



## nick n

windowlicker... that video... actually had the girlfriend scream briefly when it turned around.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> lol they are a lot different from electronica. Anyone here enjoy Aphex twin? I started listening to him more after "Come to daddy" left a bad taste in my ears. So far xtal and windowlicker are my favorite from him. Beats antique are also an awesome trance/electronic group.


 

 I've always been a fan of Aphex Twin, but I really have to be in the mood (*edited to remove me mixing up Aphex Twin and Squarepusher - which I still often do!!*), I seem to recall he admitted in an interview that if he was asked to do a remix but didn't have time, he'd take the money and deliver any old tune he had lying around, with nothing of the original artist added!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





nick n said:


> windowlicker... that video... actually had the girlfriend scream briefly when it turned around.


 

 Yeah. I don't watch his video's any more heh.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love Aphex Twin. I own quite a bit of vinyl of his. They've been repressing a lot of it recently too.


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Yeah. I don't watch his video's any more heh.


 
  Chris Cunningham somehow managed to make Aphex's videos as abstractly cerebral as his music, they are quite a marvel.
   
  I realized some years ago (in the right "state of mind") that his music is on a totally different plane, It's so profoundly inspired and visual at times it really lets your mind wonder with it and explore.
   
  Both of his ambient works are classics in my book, and if there was ever music for elevated levels of consciousness (or to bring one to that state) this is it.


----------



## anoxy

omgyjya switch7 ftw. love that scene in children of men


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *I love Aphex Twin*. I own quite a bit of vinyl of his. They've been repressing a lot of it recently too.


 
  Me too, "Acoustica: Alarm will sound performs Aphex Twin" is worth checking out aswell, great hifi music. It's not Mr James himself but an acoustic band covering his music to tremendous effect.


----------



## rawrster

My table was running out of space so I picked up something from Home Depot and put all my equipment there instead of my crowded desk. I'm thinking of picking up some wood or something to put on top of the 3 racks however.


----------



## William007

Looks very nice


----------



## garysan

Here's my effort. Just got the Sieveking stand today


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





garysan said:


> Here's my effort. Just got the Sieveking stand today


 
  Very nice indeed


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





garysan said:


> Here's my effort. Just got the Sieveking stand today


 

 woah, some one with the HD700, how are they?


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yes, very clean look, congrats! How do you like the Bose 2.1's?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My table was running out of space so I picked up something from Home Depot and put all my equipment there instead of my crowded desk. I'm thinking of picking up some wood or something to put on top of the 3 racks however.


 
   
  Or instead of wood, how about  a nice smooth stone... http://www.homedepot.ca/product/travertine-limestone-sand-buff-12-inches-x-24-inches/919956


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> woah, some one with the HD700, how are they?


 
  I'm really pleased with them. Originally had HD558 which were ok but sounded a bit like headphones and had a rather sharp bass roll off so really deep base was lost on them. The 700's are a class act. I haven't noticed any treble peak as a lot of early reviews (mostly end-user) have pointed out and find the treble really sweet and musical. The bass is very low but never overblown or loose - very tight and controlled. Comfort is ridiculously good.
   
  I'm contemplating changing the rDAC for an Audiolab M-DAC so it'll be interesting to hear how the different DAC's compare with the 700's.


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Yes, very clean look, congrats! How do you like the Bose 2.1's?


 
  Had the Companion 5's for a few years now. Sound is overall, pretty good although the bass needed to be reigned in a bit using the dial on the back of the bass unit. I am hoping to change to the B&W MM-01 when funds allow as these look (and sound) like a better solution but I will certainly miss the foot rest


----------



## longbowbbs

I do like the MM-1's. I have had a pair for over a year and the image like crazy. Not a big low end since it is a 3" woofer, but they are crystal clear.


----------



## metalsonata

Love seeing Massive Attack and Aphex Twin getting some love on this thread. For those of you new to this particular kind of music and who like it I'd also really recommend that you check out Portishead, Boards of Canada, Venetian Snares, Autechre, and Flying Lotus. Some of them are more difficult to get into than others, but I find them all to be well worth getting past the learning curve. Happy listening!


----------



## MorbidToaster

metalsonata said:


> Love seeing Massive Attack and Aphex Twin getting some love on this thread. For those of you new to this particular kind of music and who like it I'd also really recommend that you check out Portishead, Boards of Canada, Venetian Snares, Autechre, and Flying Lotus. Some of them are more difficult to get into than others, but I find them all to be well worth getting past the learning curve. Happy listening!




All awesome suggestions. Reminds me I need to get that new Flying Lotus album...and to listen to my Autechre LPs again.


----------



## metalsonata

Yep, new FlyLo on the 1st of October, I believe. Very excited. Each new track/music video that drops leaves me wanting more.
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> All awesome suggestions. Reminds me I need to get that new Flying Lotus album...and to listen to my Autechre LPs again.


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





garysan said:


> Here's my effort. Just got the Sieveking stand today


 
  One of the best days of my auditory life was selling my companion3 2.1 and using the money to buy the Klipsch 2.1 new. Wow.
   
   
   


metalsonata said:


> Love seeing Massive Attack and Aphex Twin getting some love on this thread. For those of you new to this particular kind of music and who like it I'd also really recommend that you check out Portishead, Boards of Canada, Venetian Snares, Autechre, and Flying Lotus. Some of them are more difficult to get into than others, but I find them all to be well worth getting past the learning curve. Happy listening!


 
  You must know my taste because I know most of those names, will have to check out the others. I still can't figure out "Music has the right to children".


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





garysan said:


> I'm really pleased with them. Originally had HD558 which were ok but sounded a bit like headphones and had a rather sharp bass roll off so really deep base was lost on them. The 700's are a class act. I haven't noticed any treble peak as a lot of early reviews (mostly end-user) have pointed out and find the treble really sweet and musical. The bass is very low but never overblown or loose - very tight and controlled. Comfort is ridiculously good.
> 
> *I'm contemplating changing the rDAC for an Audiolab M-DAC *so it'll be interesting to hear how the different DAC's compare with the 700's.


 
  Same here, be sure to post impressions if you do


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Love seeing Massive Attack and Aphex Twin getting some love on this thread. For those of you new to this particular kind of music and who like it I'd also really recommend that you check out Portishead, Boards of Canada, Venetian Snares, Autechre, and Flying Lotus. Some of them are more difficult to get into than others, but I find them all to be well worth getting past the learning curve. Happy listening!


 
  Don't forget Tricky! He was with the original Massive Attack and his early solo albums are as good as MA


----------



## Mad Dude

I've finally managed to put together a "semi-portable" setup that sounds decent. Semi-portable because it doesn't rely on local files on the DAP but rather on streaming my full music library which is stored on a NAS. This means that it can't be used outside the house (or at least not outside the range of my WLAN) but still allows freedom of movement. So far I'm very happy with it:
   

   
  ... and with this, I intend to quit Head-Fi, at least for a while. Goodbye everybody!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> ... and with this, I intend to quit Head-Fi, at least for a while. Goodbye everybody!


 
  Heard that one before... He'll be back!  and we'll have his wallet!


----------



## MorbidToaster

People always say goodbye to Head-fi when their wallets are empty. Then they come back when they've saved for something else.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Heard that one before... He'll be back!  and we'll have his wallet!


----------



## ssrock64

I just keep coming on here because I don't want to leave one day, come back, and find that the Sennheiser HD1200 has blown everything out of the water for $50.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I just keep coming on here because I don't want to leave one day, come back, and find that the Sennheiser HD1200 has blown everything out of the water for $50.


 
   
  That would be the day.


----------



## Destroysall

Wait! Don't leave yet, I have yet to ask what headphone stand is that?!
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> I've finally managed to put together a "semi-portable" setup that sounds decent. Semi-portable because it doesn't rely on local files on the DAP but rather on streaming my full music library which is stored on a NAS. This means that it can't be used outside the house (or at least not outside the range of my WLAN) but still allows freedom of movement. So far I'm very happy with it:
> 
> 
> 
> ... and with this, I intend to quit Head-Fi, at least for a while. Goodbye everybody!


----------



## .Sup

http://www.thomann.de/gb/search_BF_rooms_audio_line.html


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> People always say goodbye to Head-fi when their wallets are empty. Then they come back when they've saved for something else.


 





How did you know *hangs head in shame*


----------



## William007

Simply the best...


----------



## wolfetan44

I feel bad for your Asgard.
  Quote: 





william007 said:


> Simply the best...


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Simply the best...


 
  I think the guys at Shiit would Shiit if they saw this pic


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> I think the guys at Shiit would Shiit if they saw this pic


 
  Schiit*


----------



## William007

http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a9/a99c95d6_image.jpeg now for real  sorry for the high ISO noise


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a9/a99c95d6_image.jpeg now for real
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  ha ha ha that's much better


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a9/a99c95d6_image.jpeg now for real
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Cheeky


----------



## William007

lugbug1 said:


> Cheeky :wink_face:



Could you post the picture on here for me? I can't do it on my ipad


----------



## paralas

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a9/a99c95d6_image.jpeg now for real
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Wow! What are those gigantic mother******ers in white!?


----------



## William007

paralas said:


> Wow! What are those gigantic mother******ers in white!?



Wharfedale Isodynamic (ID1) the best cans i ever heard


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a9/a99c95d6_image.jpeg now for real
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Good play!  Are those the 325's?


----------



## stevenlongs

My home setup!


----------



## allyl

That's a good looking setup steven


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> My home setup!


 
  what are your impressions of the sig pros?


----------



## William007

longbowbbs said:


> Good play!  Are those the 325's?



Nope SR80i's


----------



## stevenlongs

Quote:


allyl said:


> That's a good looking setup steven


 
  thanks! someone had good taste har har! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
     
  Quote:


rawdawg3234 said:


> what are your impressions of the sig pros?


 

  Sry I don't understand what you are trying to say lol.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Nope SR80i's


 
  Classic! Very nice


----------



## William007

longbowbbs said:


> Classic! Very nice



Thanks man  i'll be upgrading soon


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Could you post the picture on here for me? I can't do it on my ipad


 
  there you go


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> what are your impressions of the sig pros?


 

 I doubt those are sig pros, more like Sonys.


----------



## William007

Thanks man


----------



## William007

lugbug1 said:


> there you go



Thanks man


----------



## stevenlongs

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> I doubt those are sig pros, more like Sonys.


 
  ah yeah, it's the MDR-V6


----------



## MickeyVee

As promised a few days ago, here's my office setup with the new furniture.  My desktop and armchair setups.


----------



## .Sup

very nice Mickey!


----------



## longbowbbs

DF and MBAir   lucky it all doesn't float away...


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Good play!  Are those the 325's?


 
   
  You must be viewing the forum on your smartphone.  If you view the image at its full res you can see its the SR 80.
   
  Edit: Oops, nvm, he already answered that.


----------



## garysan

mickeyvee said:


> As promised a few days ago, here's my office setup with the new furniture.  My desktop and armchair setup.




Really like your armchair listening 'spot' - flawless victory there Mickey


----------



## MorbidToaster

I thought about moving my recliner into the listening spot but my roomies would be unhappy with that. They like it for TV watching. 
   
  Quote: 





garysan said:


> Really like your armchair listening 'spot' - flawless victory there Mickey


----------



## detoxguy

rawdawg3234 said:


> I think the guys at Shiit would Shiit if they saw this pic




I think the guys at Schiit have better things to do than get caught up in lame *ss Beats bashing.

I get he was being cheeky but the whole pouncing on anything Beats like hobos on a ham sandwich is getting so damn old.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> I think the guys at Schiit have better things to do than get caught up in lame *ss Beats bashing.


----------



## detoxguy

I'm really curious to try those Wharfdales


----------



## talisman42

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My table was running out of space so I picked up something from Home Depot and put all my equipment there instead of my crowded desk. I'm thinking of picking up some wood or something to put on top of the 3 racks however.


 
   
  well, this does promote good airflow. Excessive heat significantly degrades the life of electronic components


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> I doubt those are sig pros, more like Sonys.


 
   At first glance they looked like ultrasones.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> I think the guys at Schiit have better things to do than get caught up in lame *ss Beats bashing.
> I get he was being cheeky but the whole pouncing on anything Beats like hobos on a ham sandwich is getting so damn old.


 
  If you want attention you coulda just asked instead of trying to bash on someone who was bashing on someone.
  I'm so tired of these haters who hate on other haters.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> As promised a few days ago, here's my office setup with the new furniture.  My desktop and armchair setups.


 
  Very nice setup.. I'd be spending a whole lot of time in there.


----------



## detoxguy

rawdawg3234 said:


> If you want attention you coulda just asked instead of trying to bash on someone who was bashing on someone.
> I'm so tired of these haters who hate on other haters.




:rolleyes:


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> I'm so tired of these haters who hate on other haters.


 
   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsIePCqYBGY


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> If you want attention you coulda just asked instead of trying to bash on someone who was bashing on someone.
> I'm so tired of these haters who hate on other haters.


 

 I'm getting so tired of these haters bashing on haters bashing haters on here. It's getting meta.


----------



## detoxguy

Awesome


Hey Focker, how are those PS 500's treating you? I've made the hard decision to part with my RS1i in order to help fund a new turntable and am thinking I may get a pair of the 500's down the road to get back into Grados


----------



## machoboy

I can't wait until the word "hater" falls out of style. Every time someone says something like "don't be a HATER" or "that's for HATERS" I picture them in some tie dye man-dress and cokebottle sunglasses doing the peace sign and can't take them seriously for the next few hours.
   
  but I digress.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Whatever. You're just a hater.
   
  Quote: 





machoboy said:


> I can't wait until the word "hater" falls out of style. Every time someone says something like "don't be a HATER" or "that's for HATERS" I picture them in some tie dye man-dress and cokebottle sunglasses doing the peace sign and *can't take them seriously for the next few hours.*
> 
> but I digress.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

focker said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsIePCqYBGY



Ha ha ha ha.. What do you mean " you people"?!?!


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> At first glance they looked like ultrasones.


 
  I would hope that the Ultrasones look a bit better at that price range compared to the MDR-V6


----------



## machoboy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Whatever. You're just a hater.


 
  Lemme tell you what else I hate, Grados. Grados and battery-powered amps. Feels so good to let the hate rage.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'm with you on Grados. Haven't met a single one I liked. 
   
  Quote: 





machoboy said:


> Lemme tell you what else I hate, Grados. Grados and battery-powered amps. Feels so good to let the hate rage.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

morbidtoaster said:


> I'm with you on Grados. Haven't met a single one I liked.



Have you tried the ps 1000s?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Have you tried the ps 1000s?


 
  Really think they're quite bad for the price. I'd much rather take the RS1s any day of the week over them.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Phew... Good thing I didn't buy them then. Almost got a pair off of eBay for 800


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Phew... Good thing I didn't buy them then. Almost got a pair off of eBay for 800


 
   
  If you're curious about Grado headphones, the RS1i is the one to get IMO. I've owned most Grados over the years and wanted to really like the PS1000s, but just couldn't get into them.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> Awesome
> Hey Focker, how are those PS 500's treating you? I've made the hard decision to part with my RS1i in order to help fund a new turntable and am thinking I may get a pair of the 500's down the road to get back into Grados


 
   
  Dude, I have yet to have a serious challenge to the greatness of the 500s. I think in the next few months I'll have the chance to audition some higher level cans, so it'll be interesting....but for right now, the 500s are at the top of my mountain all by themselves


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Ha ha ha ha.. What do you mean " you people"?!?!


 
   
   
  Everyone needs to chill out with all this Grado hate and just sit back and share a refreshing can of Booty Sweat....
   
  ...all the anti-Love is crampin' my style!


----------



## ssrock64

I personally love the PS1000, but it's true that they don't really have a niche. They're too analytical and have a sound signature that differs just enough to piss off traditional Grado fans, and are too similar to the other flagships in terms of pure resolution to warrant the extra hundreds you pay over a T1 or HD800


----------



## rawrster

I changed my rack a bit so the 3 columns are a bit closer together. I also got the Mjolnir amp but just need to wait for my HD800 cable to come in but in the meantime it's just there to look pretty.
   
  I was going to get some wood but I decided to go against it and just keep it as it is since it's functional now and definitely cleans up my desk by a considerable amount.


----------



## machoboy

my current hater setup is laying in a bathtub full of haterade listening to ipod > 32 kbps dubstep mp3 > Beats by Dr. Grado waiting to die of electrocution to end my misery but the voltage is too low
   
  all of my booty sweat was absorbed by rash-inducing $0.003 grado earsponges
   
  anyway I'm currently remodeling my headfi station while awaiting the arrival of my beyerdynamics but here are some things I brought in yesterday to hold me over
   
  new mics (for stereo vocal tracking) -
   
   

   
   
  old akai real to reel (for ???)-


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Really think they're quite bad for the price. I'd much rather take the RS1s any day of the week over them.


 
  The RS1's are them ones I have liked of the Grado line.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> anyway I'm currently remodeling my headfi station while awaiting the arrival of my beyerdynamics


 
   
  Which ones?


----------



## machoboy

dt 880 pro and dt 990 pro are both set to arrive on tuesday


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> dt 880 pro and dt 990 pro are both set to arrive on tuesday


 
   
  Very cool.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> ) -
> 
> 
> old akai real to reel (for ???)-


 

 Making yourself look cool, or as a giant paperweight


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Making yourself look cool, or as a giant paperweight


 
  I have some great reel tapes for mine, reel tape can even be sonically superior to vinyl


----------



## machoboy

It's too heavy for looking cool, or else I would gladly tote it around Venice beach on my shoulder plugged into a car battery.
   
  I've never used one of these before. All I know is that these Akais have a strong cult following so replacement parts are available and that I got it for cheap.
   
  Plus, having a bunch of reel tapes will make all the vinyl collectors look like mainstream newbs.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> It's too heavy for looking cool, or else I would gladly tote it around Venice beach on my shoulder plugged into a car battery.
> 
> I've never used one of these before. All I know is that these Akais have a strong cult following so replacement parts are available and that I got it for cheap.
> 
> *Plus, having a bunch of reel tapes will make all the vinyl collectors look like mainstream newbs.*


 
  Good, you understand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  inb4 reel tapes outsell vinyl XD


----------



## calipilot227

Still have yet to dip my toes into reel to reel tape. I'm about 90% vinyl (have been since I was 5 years old when I got my first TT, a Dual 1019), but SACD is definitely growing on me. If only it was as cheap as used vinyl...
   
  Now, back to the pics!


----------



## machoboy

It weighs about as much as a chunk of granite the same size. Everything is steel and wood.. I wish they still made stuff with this level of quality.


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Still have yet to dip my toes into reel to reel tape. I'm about 90% vinyl (have been since I was 5 years old when I got my first TT, a Dual 1019), but SACD is definitely growing on me. If only it was as cheap as used vinyl...
> 
> Now, back to the pics!


 
  What are you using to play SACD?


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I have some great reel tapes for mine, reel tape can even be sonically superior to vinyl


 


 I have some cds, they make my vinyl sound like sh!t.
 vinyl is cool, but for actually listening to music, cds every time.


----------



## machoboy

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> I have some cds, they make my vinyl sound like sh!t.
> vinyl is cool, but for actually listening to music, cds every time.


 
   
  Which genres of music?
   
  I have to disagree. If I'm just relaxing and listening then I go for the vinyls.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Gonna have to completely disagree. Makes me wonder what you're spinning vinyl on though.
   
  Some people may not like the more warm sound I guess? For musicality it simply can't be beat by any CD.
   
  Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> I have some cds, they make my vinyl sound like sh!t.
> vinyl is cool, but for actually listening to music, cds every time.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> If you're curious about Grado headphones,* the RS1i is the one to get *IMO. I've owned most Grados over the years and wanted to really like the PS1000s, but just couldn't get into them.


 
  x2 I miss mine...


----------



## LugBug1

Can you still buy Reel tapes? or are they only collectable from the analogue era?


----------



## William007

detoxguy said:


> I'm really curious to try those Wharfdales



Best cans i've ever heard, needs decent amplification


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> Which genres of music?
> 
> I have to disagree. If I'm just relaxing and listening then I go for the vinyls.


 

 mostly metal, and jazz. I just find any little clicks and pops really annoy the crap out of me, they distract me, and I just can't learn to ignore them.
  
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Gonna have to completely disagree. Makes me wonder what you're spinning vinyl on though.
> 
> Some people may not like the more warm sound I guess? For musicality it simply can't be beat by any CD.


 

 Spinning them on a piece of junk, which won't help at all. I can't afford a nice enough setup to make anything good of vinyl :c


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> I'm pretty lucky, my office/man cave is 10x18.. it's all Santa Fe rustic pine furniture and my desk is actually a Santa Fe dining table.. add a 32" Sony XBR HDTV, PS3, HD PVR, my headphone system and my MacMini desktop system, it's pretty sweet.  Once the recliner and table are in, my wife may never seem me again. Will just have to add a bar fridge, paint it and replace the closet doors....
> Patience my friend.. it took me 30+ years to get here
> 
> 
> ...






  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> As promised a few days ago, here's my office setup with the new furniture.  My desktop and armchair setups.


 
  I know it may be a dumb question to ask, but where did you get the furniture? I tried Google searching "Sante Fe rustic pine furniture", but up came too many options (obviously). However, I didn't see yours.


----------



## Chris J

Hey man, you need help!
  You are hardcore crazy!
  Or I'm just jealous?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> As promised a few days ago, here's my office setup with the new furniture.  My desktop and armchair setups.


----------



## MorbidToaster

No wonder you think it's worse. 
   
  The cracks and pops also shouldn't be an issue if you get good vinyl and get it properly cleaned. There may still be a few, but I've experienced vinyl just as quiet as a CD.
   
  Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Spinning them on a piece of junk, which won't help at all. I can't afford a nice enough setup to make anything good of vinyl :c


----------



## DragonOwen

A little late, but congrats on getting LF + 009 combo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  By the way, I have great changes coming in my home rig... basically soon it will be the whole new rig, only SR-009 is gonna stay 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  So what is coming: silver Linn Akurate DS/0/D is already being shipped to me (it still somewhere between Singapore and Russia) and I'm also in a process of buying used silver WooAudio WES (MAXXED) from a fellow audiophile from Moskow (so shipping will be a 1-2 days max) + he add as a bonus Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval XLR interconect cables (1.5 m) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. So, as I were saying, a whole new rig is coming! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Will post some pictures when it's all come to me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The new stuff actually came home today now that I'm back in town.
> 
> EDIT: Massive Attack's Mezzanine is playing (in case anyone was wondering).
> 
> ...


----------



## Ultrazino

Nothing fancy, all Mid-Fi, but good enough for me and for daily use.
   
   

   
  Just a temporary setup as the doors of the rack are still missing. But this is where I will hide my headphones. Before I had them under the TV, close to the ground:
   
   

   
  Philips Fidelio M1 & L1, Sony MDR-Z1000 and Beyerdynamic DT-880 (600 Ohm) - Meier Audio Corda Rock, FiiO E17 and Tianyun Zero DAC 09.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No wonder you think it's worse.
> 
> The cracks and pops also shouldn't be an issue if you get good vinyl and get it properly cleaned. There may still be a few, but I've experienced vinyl just as quiet as a CD.


 
   
  Same here. First time I heard a nice vinyl rig was about 20 years ago...a buddy and I were just starting to get into hifi, and we went over to the house of a guy named Scott Sterling who used to work with Bobby P of Merlin Audio. We were completely ignorant to what vinyl could sound like, so when he said he was going to put on a suzanne vega 'record", we both were like, What? What we heard over the next few minutes absolutely floored us. Rich, beautiful music and vocals just filling the air....I've never forgotten that demo. I don't have a vinyl rig, but I have a love for it nonetheless!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> Philips Fidelio M1 & L1, Sony MDR-Z1000 and Beyerdynamic DT-880 (600 Ohm) - *Meier Audio Corda Rock*, FiiO E17 and Tianyun Zero DAC 09.


 
   
  Haven't seen the Rock in the wild before. How do you like it?


----------



## Ultrazino

I have nothing to compare the Rock to. It's an amp, it sounds clean and it's powerful. Build quality is good, but that's all I can say. I use it rarely because it's much easier to just use the headphone out of my Yamaha speaker amp, which almost sounds the same.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





ultrazino said:


> I have nothing to compare the Rock to. It's an amp, it sounds clean and it's powerful. Build quality is good, but that's all I can say. I use it rarely because it's much easier to just use the headphone out of my Yamaha speaker amp, which almost sounds the same.


 
   
  Gotcha


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I changed my rack a bit so the 3 columns are a bit closer together. I also got the Mjolnir amp but just need to wait for my HD800 cable to come in but in the meantime it's just there to look pretty.
> 
> I was going to get some wood but I decided to go against it and just keep it as it is since it's functional now and definitely cleans up my desk by a considerable amount.


 
   
   
  rawrster,
   
  How you like your AD2Ks?


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Can you still buy Reel tapes? or are they only collectable from the analogue era?


 
  Yeah, I got all mine on eBay, just plain old 7" factory recorded tapes. A couple places still make and sell blank recording tape too, for our little niche market (here's some: http://www.fullcompass.com/category/Reel-To-Reel-Tape.html but only the RMGI tape is for recording, the other stuff is for like aligning your heads etc., not recording stuff on)
   
  Just search "reel to reel tape" on ebay and refine your results and there's plenty. Here's some (I prefer buy it now myself but play with it all you want to):  http://www.ebay.com/sch/Other-Formats-/618/i.html?LH_BIN=1&_nkw=reel+to+reel+tape&_dmpt=Music_Other_Formats&Format=Reel%252Dto%252DReel%2520Tape&rt=nc
   
  I have usually paid around $15 per tape, and $30 for this one that I got in a bidding war with someone for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  If you can find a deck, get some tapes and you'll thank yourself. I found my deck in working condition for $75 at a local record shop, but it has its own quirks that could use some fixing (doesn't record, only plays forward). Look on craigslist and stuff too, but avoid the ones that have built in speakers etc, those are portable ones and are going to be of inferior quality. eBay has plenty too but they're going to be >$200, like for a pretty good one around $400-800 but that'd be a nice, fully restored and serviced TEAC or something, so it's probably worth it for the no hassle (and better decks than you can find anywhere else for sale haha) if you wanna go that way. Lemme know how ya do 
  I'd recommend Tapeheads.net for more help in getting started etc.


----------



## reza7392d

my recent rigs, nothing special


----------



## insanefountain

=
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  here is my Set up 
   
  late 1980's Denon Pma 720 amp (great punchy sound) 
  Turntable is a Trio trio kd 1033 turntable refurbished by myself new Linz wiring and what not.
  Denon CD Player DCD-560 again late 80's early 1990s I rarely listen to Cd's 
  my Headphone amp is a epiphany acoustics ehp-o2 using NwAvGuy's diagnostics 
  and this powers the headphones the tricky but great 600 ohm AKG K 240DF.
   
  took me a while to get the system set up exactly as I want it and now I cannot get to bed at night as its soo good. Really would not swap it for anything.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Gonna have to completely disagree. Makes me wonder what you're spinning vinyl on though.
> 
> Some people may not like the more warm sound I guess? For musicality it simply can't be beat by any CD.


 

 I have to disagree listening to the vinyl rips anyways of Pinkfloyd's Wish you were here versus the CD of the same year; the CD bests it in almost every way. I do admit I like the warm sound of vinyl but I hate the non existent dynamic range and constant clicking and popping.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Um...What?
   
  Vinyl more often than not has better dynamic range. To my ears, and even the numbers. 
   
  http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=mumford&search_album= Just one example, though not a very good one. 
   
  Again...I've heard plenty of vinyl that completely quiet when cleaned properly.
   
  EDIT: I can definitely understand people not liking that good ol' RIAA, but the comment about dynamic range throws me off. It's one of the main reasons to buy more modern stuff on vinyl over CDs. Even new stuff like the Mumford & Sons album (which really deserves much better mastering) gets better dynamic range.
   
  Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> I have to disagree listening to the vinyl rips anyways of Pinkfloyd's Wish you were here versus the CD of the same year; the CD bests it in almost every way. I do admit I like the warm sound of vinyl but I hate the* non existent dynamic range* and constant clicking and popping.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Yeah, I got all mine on eBay, just plain old 7" factory recorded tapes. A couple places still make and sell blank recording tape too, for our little niche market (here's some: http://www.fullcompass.com/category/Reel-To-Reel-Tape.html but only the RMGI tape is for recording, the other stuff is for like aligning your heads etc., not recording stuff on)
> 
> Just search "reel to reel tape" on ebay and refine your results and there's plenty. Here's some (I prefer buy it now myself but play with it all you want to):  http://www.ebay.com/sch/Other-Formats-/618/i.html?LH_BIN=1&_nkw=reel+to+reel+tape&_dmpt=Music_Other_Formats&Format=Reel%252Dto%252DReel%2520Tape&rt=nc
> 
> ...


 
  Nice one, thanks for that


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Um...What?
> 
> Vinyl more often than not has better dynamic range. To my ears, and even the numbers.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'm guessing the greater dynamic range is due to different mastering on the vinyl than the CD. I thought the actual physical dynamic range of vinyl itself was less than CD...?


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's how I understand it, but the numbers speak for themselves as far as actually hearing it goes. 
   
  http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=tool&search_album= Another example. 
   
  Floyd is a strange beast though. Because it's been redone so many time I'm not surprised at some of these numbers. I could see WYWH sounding better via CD, but for the most part I'd still take vinyl if dynamic range is something you love.
   
  http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=pink+floyd&search_album=wish+you+were+here
   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> I'm guessing the greater dynamic range is due to different mastering on the vinyl than the CD. I *thought the actual physical dynamic range of vinyl itself was less than CD...?*


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh, and just to be on topic. Here's a new picture. I decided I wanted the recliner as my listening chair instead of the Poang (which is now in the TV room).
   
  EDIT: Mmmmm...Microfiber.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Oh, and just to be on topic. Here's a new picture. I decided I wanted the recliner as my listening chair instead of the Poang (which is now in the TV room).
> 
> EDIT: Mmmmm...Microfiber.


 
  What stand is that for the Macbook?


----------



## longbowbbs

morbidtoaster said:


> Oh, and just to be on topic. Here's a new picture. I decided I wanted the recliner as my listening chair instead of the Poang (which is now in the TV room).
> 
> EDIT: Mmmmm...Microfiber.




If we don't hear from you for a couple of days we're sending in the rescue squad...they will find you under the bags of Doritos with a silly smile on your face and your LL melted to the desk!


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That's how I understand it, but the numbers speak for themselves as far as actually hearing it goes.


 
   
  Yep, true. Just wanted to be clear.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.amazon.com/Rain-Design-10032-mStand-Laptop/dp/B000OOYECC
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What stand is that for the Macbook?


 
   
  I'm actually out of Doritos, unfortunately. I had some popcorn and a quesadilla today though. That was fun. 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> If we don't hear from you for a couple of days we're sending in the rescue squad...they will find you under the bags of Doritos with a silly smile on your face and your LL melted to the desk!


----------



## Radio_head

There is nothing that inherently sounds better about the vinyl medium.  It happens to be that many vinyl releases are taken from older masters instead of "remastered" like CD re-releases that are often victims of the loudness war.  Even among current releases, vinyl masters can be superior as it is assumed it is released for the audiophile where other formats may be released for radioplay/average listeners who like it loud.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Right on both accounts. I guess that was the point I was trying to make.
   
  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> *There is nothing that inherently sounds better about the vinyl medium*.  It happens to be that many vinyl releases are taken from older masters instead of "remastered" like CD re-releases that are often victims of the loudness war.  Even among current releases, *vinyl masters can be superior as it is assumed it is released for the audiophile where other formats may be released for radioplay/average listeners who like it loud.*


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> There is nothing that inherently sounds better about the vinyl medium.  It happens to be that many vinyl releases are taken from older masters instead of "remastered" like CD re-releases that are often victims of the loudness war.  Even among current releases, vinyl masters can be superior as it is assumed it is released for the audiophile where other formats may be released for radioplay/average listeners who like it loud.


 
   
  This is what I was thinking as well.


----------



## longbowbbs

I have about 300 records in the basement and no current turntable....hmmm....I do have a Grado cartridge sitting on the shelf. Maybe I'll have to revisit vinyl again.


----------



## MickeyVee

The Brick (in Canada)
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I know it may be a dumb question to ask, but where did you get the furniture? I tried Google searching "Sante Fe rustic pine furniture", but up came too many options (obviously). However, I didn't see yours.


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks.. it's actually a pretty basic system compared to some completely awesome systems posted here.
  Quote: 





chris j said:


> Hey man, you need help!
> You are hardcore crazy!
> Or I'm just jealous?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





preproman said:


> rawrster,
> 
> How you like your AD2Ks?


 
   
  I like them a lot. Unfortunately it doesn't get as much head time as I would like it to since it is right next to the HD800 but when I do use them they sound great. The only thing I wish was that the AD2000 had a higher quality cable in terms of build quality. It holds up fine but considering the price it should look and feel better. Also I wish they were available outside of Japan. I would have gotten them a lot sooner had they not been one of the many Japan only headphones that AT likes to do for many of their headphones.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I like them a lot. Unfortunately it doesn't get as much head time as I would like it to since it is right next to the HD800 but when I do use them they sound great. The only thing I wish was that the AD2000 had a higher quality cable in terms of build quality. It holds up fine but considering the price it should look and feel better. Also I wish they were available outside of Japan. I would have gotten them a lot sooner had they not been one of the many Japan only headphones that AT likes to do for many of their headphones.


 
   
   
  Get them re cabled.


----------



## rawrster

If I used them more often I would consider them but not worth recabling them when they get used once every few months.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> If I used them more often I would consider them but not worth recabling them when they get used once every few months.


 
   
   
  Gotcha


----------



## Chris J

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> There is nothing that inherently sounds better about the vinyl medium.  It happens to be that many vinyl releases are taken from older masters instead of "remastered" like CD re-releases that are often victims of the loudness war.  Even among current releases, vinyl masters can be superior as it is assumed it is released for the audiophile where other formats may be released for radioplay/average listeners who like it loud.


 
   
  The real answer is...............it depends.
  I have stuff that sounds phenomenal on vinyl, and stuff that sounds the same vinyl or CD, and stuff that sounds better on CD.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I bought Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" on vinyl.  It sounds terrible. So I bought the CD, it sounds terrible.       Massive compression, both formats.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Some of the Floyd stuff sounds great, if you pick the correct vinyl version. 
  My original vinyl Floyd stuff from the 70's sounds like doodoo.
  My Japanese vinyl "The Wall" sounds..................


----------



## dukeskd

I have the SACDs of Floyd's Dark side of the Moon, Queen A Night at Opera, Eagles - Hotel California, Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed, and all sound amazing and superior to lossless files/mp3.
  However, there are certain remasters that completely mess up with the sound and the original recordings sound like utter crap, including the mastering and mixing itself.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





chris j said:


> The real answer is...............it depends.
> I have stuff that sounds phenomenal on vinyl, and stuff that sounds the same vinyl or CD, and stuff that sounds better on CD.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Good stuff, the Japanese pressing is very nice.  I'll try not to derail this thread too much but here's what I've learned through many vinyl collection years.  The country of origin generally has more to do with the vinyl itself than it does the actual sound quality or mastering of the record.  UK vinyl is very nice but can be soft sounding, german is also top notch with very quiet vinyl, japanese has by far the best vinyl but most of their recordings suffer from off master copies; this is especially the case for western music.  Generally the Japanese like their mastering a bit on the bright side as well where UK, and German pressings are "tube cut" giving the music a nice smokey, rich sound.  American vinyl can be the worst, quality wise, but their mastering far exceeds their counterparts.  Rich, emotional, 3D.  Generally speaking it is best to get the pressing from the country it was originally recorded in, more often than not, getting a pressing from another country only results in very expensive copy of a copy of the master.  For example, I have a rare pressing of one of the original The Wall recordings, right off the master, and one from Japan.  The latter cost me more and is quieter (the vinyl itself), but is brighter with a bit of edge.  The original is rich and musical just like Pink Floyd would have liked it.  I still like them both though and you're right, it really does depend.  That being said, somethings just sound bad from the get go...c'mon Bruce!!


----------



## grokit

Yeah it depends for sure. As another example even if you get the vinyl from the country it was recorded in, you still need an early pressing as well. So many variables!


----------



## Rawdawg3234

while we're talking about vinyls. I have a bunch of early Beatles Vinyls and I was wondering what they're worth? I was guessing $10 a piece


----------



## machoboy

I'm surprised how little discussion vinyl usually gets on head-fi.
   
  I know a lot of the posters are more into the portable headphones or even IEM side of things but for those with a system at home and high end full size headphones, you're missing out if you've never experimented with "obsolete" audio formats.
   
  Especially if you're running a tube amp, might as well hook up a phono and a lava lamp for the full effect.
   
  In fact hopefully some people have some head fi stations like that with radical pix


----------



## RushNerd

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> I'm surprised how little discussion vinyl usually gets on head-fi.
> 
> I know a lot of the posters are more into the portable headphones or even IEM side of things but for those with a system at home and high end full size headphones, you're missing out if you've never experimented with "obsolete" audio formats.
> 
> ...


 
  Don't even remind me. I still have 200 vinyls, but my over the years my turntables kept breaking, and amping them was always an issue. I adore vinyl a lot of albums I really admire I want to not go digital with.
   
  I have the Asus Essence now with the schiit asgard, but I don't think those would help me much if I got a new turntable right? I only have my Klipsch 2.1 now, no fancy stereo. Only thing I could think to do is maybe route a turntable into my Essence's line in?


----------



## Skylab

Guys, I'm sorry, but I can't take it - it's not "vinyls". It's RECORDS. We talk about "vinyl", but that doesn't refer to a singular record. You can say "I like vinyl". But that refers to the whole category. You collect and listen to RECORDS, not "vinyls". 

OK, phew. Got that off my chest. As you were


----------



## Armaegis

Pfft, vinyl? Real audiophiles play music off wax cylinders...


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Pfft, vinyl? Real audiophiles play music off wax cylinders...


 
  Nooo, they play off of magnetized strips of tape on a reel


----------



## jazzerdave

Here's my most recent addition to my setups:
   
   

   
  I'll try to post a pic of this setup with the recently acquires HD650's and something from my setup at work soon.


----------



## detoxguy

skylab said:


> Guys, I'm sorry, but I can't take it - it's not "vinyls". It's RECORDS. We talk about "vinyl", but that doesn't refer to a singular record. You can say "I like vinyl". But that refers to the whole category. You collect and listen to RECORDS, not "vinyls".
> OK, phew. Got that off my chest. As you were



+ about a bagillion


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh god I wanted to do it but I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you for getting that off my chest.
   
  Quote: 





skylab said:


> Guys, I'm sorry, but I can't take it - it's not "vinyls". It's RECORDS. We talk about "vinyl", but that doesn't refer to a singular record. You can say "I like vinyl". But that refers to the whole category. You collect and listen to RECORDS, not "vinyls".
> OK, phew. Got that off my chest. As you were


 
   
  Also...boom.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Oh god I wanted to do it but I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you for getting that off my chest.


 
  Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wanted another nice wooden box. 
   
  Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


----------



## wolfetan44

eee pee said:


> Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


Why not?


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Also...boom.


 
   
ಥ_ಥ​   
  Why?


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I wanted another nice wooden box.


 
  Should be buying record player and such.


----------



## Armaegis

For true stereo... a pair of headphones for each ear. Obviously.


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


 
  Why have one pair when you can have two at twice the price...


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Oh god I wanted to do it but I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you for getting that off my chest.
> 
> 
> Also...boom.


 
  Uh, yea. Where's the BHSE.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


 
  It's the only way he'll allow his girlfriend into his listening room.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 makes sense.


----------



## shamazo

Here mine, don't even know what half the stuff is, salvaged from my parents day of hi-fi.
  If anyone knows of this receiver can they tell me about it, I tried searching for it.

   
  After looking up the turntable to seems to be lowish end? I think, any ways, someone if you can tell me more about it. I tried looking as well. Its a Beogram rx 2 if you cant see in the photo

   
  And finally the shot with the cans. ( they are hanging on the screen, sr-60i)


----------



## calipilot227

The Beogram is hardly a low-end turntable


----------



## shamazo

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> The Beogram is hardly a low-end turntable


 
  I just got the idea from the MCC 5 that's on it, now that I mention it where can I get a replacement for it? (the cartridge)


----------



## CJG888

That Nakamichi receiver should also be fairly decent.....


----------



## shamazo

The only bad thing I can say about it is the lack of a phono input and i dont yet have a pre amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Why would I need one of those...?
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Uh, yea. Where's the BHSE.


 
   
  Also...
   


Spoiler: SPOILER%20ALERT



 
   
  One of them is Dr. Cavalli's. I'm a fraud.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I did actually propose this. She gave me that 'youraudiphilehobbyhasrobbedusblindalready' look.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> It's the only way he'll allow his girlfriend into his listening room..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I did actually propose this. She gave me that 'youraudiphilehobbyhasrobbedusblindalready' look.


 
  Yup I'm familiar with that look..


----------



## .Sup

eee pee said:


> Same.  And why on Earth do you have two 009s?



you need 4 for true balanced system


----------



## kungfuthug

That MacBook stand is called Mstand by Rain. 

I love it. Have it. Recommend it.


----------



## CJG888

shamazo said:


> calipilot227 said:
> 
> 
> > The Beogram is hardly a low-end turntable
> ...




It's a very good cartridge. It can be repaired, but this isn't entirely cheap:

http://www.schallplattennadeln.de/B-O-MMC-Reparatur-Repair/REPARATUR-MMC-1-5/MMC-1-5-Reparatur-mit-elliptischer-Diamant-Nadel.html

I suspect the Expert Stylus Company in the UK can fix/retip it too.


----------



## shamazo

well its not dead yet, but if it did die would it be better to get a new turntable or cartridge? (bearing in mind the proprietary cartridges needed)


----------



## longbowbbs

morbidtoaster said:


> I wanted another nice wooden box.




ROFLMAO!!!!


----------



## DragonOwen

Here is my home rig for a few days before WES arrives (got Linn Akurate DS/0/D today, so decided to post pics with it):


----------



## gamtha

Most people could never in their life afford one pair of 009's. And MT over here goes out and lays 10g's on two pair. Whatever you are doing for yourself... it's obviously working.
   
  edit: I see he borrowed a pair. Still jelly.


----------



## Radio_head

He borrowed one pair.


----------



## gamtha

lol...
   
  what is with all of these contradictions in lots of these headfi setups? I am seeing high quality tube amplifiers, thousands of dollars worth of headphones and then off to the side, xbox 360's, mac's, ipads and beatles posters. I thought headfi was a place inhabited with people that have good taste?
   
  edit: not a beatles fan, or an apple fan.


----------



## gamtha

Where can I borrow me some 009's?


----------



## Radio_head

Before being able to borrow, fellow Head-Fier's need to know that you are high class and have good taste, as that is what we are all about.  Try posting a picture of your monocle collection for starters so we can get to know you.


----------



## xzobinx

dip on you ges if it go to the fs
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Here is my home rig for a few days before WES arrives (got Linn Akurate DS/0/D today, so decided to post pics with it):
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


----------



## gamtha

My webcam broke, but this is my exact setup. Not sure why the images won't show. I am on a computer at my community college and it sucks.
   
   
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9Yb6r-521Vs/SweKb8dZhTI/AAAAAAAAAl8/y8WwpdTpxnw/s1600/2009_1121_144514AA.JPG
   
http://cdn.head-fi.org/7/72/724bdffb_2010-07-2217.28.42.jpg
   
http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/781/713/486/486713781_336.jpg
   
http://www.sellitnowstores.com/ebay/jason/sept11/turntable/DSCN9123.JPG
   
http://www.weedfarm.com/images/otherimages/CV11667.jpg


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> Before being able to borrow, fellow Head-Fier's need to know that you are high class and have good taste, as that is what we are all about. * Try posting a picture of your monocle collection for starters so we can get to know you.*


 
   
  Thanks. And by high class do you mean I have to eat imported russian caviar while sipping Chteau Margaux with my pinky raised? Or do you mean respectful of other peoples equipment and trustworthy?
   
  edit: you are funny. I like you.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I love Aphex Twin. I own quite a bit of vinyl of his. They've been repressing a lot of it recently too.


 
   I can't imagine Aphex Twin on vinyl. Do you have his Selected Ambient works 85-92? It is an amazing album. Very atmospheric. Listen to Xtal while you are going to sleep. Your life will change forever.


----------



## .Sup

gamtha said:


> Where can I borrow me some 009's?



I heard MT has two...


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I can't imagine Aphex Twin on vinyl. Do you have his Selected Ambient works 85-92? It is an amazing album. Very atmospheric. Listen to Xtal while you are going to sleep. Your life will change forever.


 

 I went to sleep listening to an Austrian experimental/industrial band called Gothmog in 1989 and had the most disturbing dreams I've ever experienced without chemical influence. That changed my life. I'll never go to sleep listening to anything remotely disturbing ever again!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had to have a bit of fun when I realized I'd have 2 in the house for a few days. I knew the Head-fi collective would poop when I posted that. 
   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> Most people could never in their life afford one pair of 009's. And MT over here goes out and lays 10g's on two pair. Whatever you are doing for yourself... it's obviously working.
> 
> edit: I see he borrowed a pair. Still jelly.


 
   
  Lustmord is another awesome thing like that to listen to when going to bed. Great nightmares from that stuff, and by great I mean horrible.
   
  Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> I went to sleep listening to an Austrian experimental/industrial band called Gothmog in 1989 and had the most disturbing dreams I've ever experienced without chemical influence. That changed my life. I'll never go to sleep listening to anything remotely disturbing ever again!


 
   
  I've actually got 4, I just didn't want to make you guys too jealous.  Gotta stockpile them now since all the Stax CHINA fiasco. 
   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> I heard MT has two...


 
   
  I have 85-92, Selected Ambient 2, I Care Because You Do, and Richard D. James Album. Looking at getting Classics soon. I had a copy on hold at my local store for awhile but never went to pick it up. $50 was steep. Stupid imports.
   
  As for sleeping to stuff like that...Not really a great idea. Though I haven't had a dream in over 10 years that I actually remember. 
   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I can't imagine Aphex Twin on vinyl. Do you have his Selected Ambient works 85-92? It is an amazing album. Very atmospheric. Listen to Xtal while you are going to sleep. Your life will change forever.


 
   
  That's what I did. I actually had to make sure he knew I was serious. So I welded 2 monocles together and then attached them via solid gold plated caviar bars (yes, gold plated caviar) to my ears.
   
  He knew was an upstanding gentleman I was at that point. He actually offered me his house as well as he thought I was much better suited for it than he, but I decided to let him keep it. I'm just that good of a guy.
   
  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> Before being able to borrow, fellow Head-Fier's need to know that you are high class and have good taste, as that is what we are all about.  Try posting a picture of your monocle collection for starters so we can get to know you.


 
   
  The fact he could drive about 20 minutes and kick in my door if I 'borrowed' them too long might help. Seriously though, try to find guys you live close to you. They're usually much more willing to let you come over/borrow stuff.
   
  I've also given him well over 7 grand of my money, that might help.
   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> Where can I borrow me some 009's?


 
   
  You're seeing...the best console on the market, computers that tend to gravitate towards the 'artsy' type (i.e. music nerds), the best giant universal remote out there, and one of the most well known bands in the world?
   
  Yes, I'm sure that means they all have bad taste. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> lol...
> 
> what is with all of these contradictions in lots of these headfi setups? I am seeing high quality tube amplifiers, thousands of dollars worth of headphones and then off to the side, xbox 360's, mac's, ipads and beatles posters. I thought headfi was a place inhabited with people that have good taste?
> 
> edit: not a beatles fan, or an apple fan.


----------



## Draygonn

eee pee said:


> And why on Earth do you have two 009s?


He needs the second to upgrade his portable rig.


----------



## longbowbbs

gamtha said:


> Thanks. And by high class do you mean I have to eat imported russian caviar while sipping Chteau Margaux with my pinky raised? Or do you mean respectful of other peoples equipment




DragonOwen can hook you up with the caviar!


----------



## Audiophile03

Got my headphones stand in the mail today which was built by my good friend from AudioKarma. Thanks Will!


----------



## anoxy

That's sweet. A dual stand of that style would be pretty cool too.


----------



## gamtha

> You're seeing...the best console on the market, computers that tend to gravitate towards the 'artsy' type (i.e. music nerds), the best giant universal remote out there, and one of the most well known bands in the world?
> 
> Yes, I'm sure that means they all have bad taste.


 
  I was using your " I have two 009's lets see how long this comment can troll people" method by saying the beatles suck. Only their early work sucks. Let it be is a wonderful song. But they are a vastly overrated band. And apple products are just sub par pc's for computer illiterate people that have lots of money. I spend 800 dollars on my pc and not only does it look nicer, but it will out perform the most expensive mac pro in any area that a computer can top another. Oh, and it sounds better... way better.  Apple is consumer grade garbage that all the little hipster sheep and gullible soccer moms line up for year after year for so they can waste their money and think they have bragging rights.
   
  btw... the rolling stones >>>>>>> the beatles any day of the week. The beatles are a highbrow boy band for old hippies. Aftermath and let it bleed >>>>> anything the beatles have ever created.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I was using your " I have two 009's lets see how long this comment can troll people" method by saying the beatles suck. Only their early work sucks. Let it be is a wonderful song. But they are a vastly overrated band. And apple products are just sub par pc's for computer illiterate people that have lots of money. I spend 800 dollars on my pc and not only does it look nicer, but it will out perform the most expensive mac pro in any area that a computer can top another. Oh, and it sounds better... way better.  Apple is consumer grade garbage that all the little hipster sheep and gullible soccer moms line up for year after year for so they can waste their money and think they have bragging rights.
> 
> btw... the rolling stones >>>>>>> the beatles any day of the week. The beatles are a highbrow boy band for old hippies. Aftermath and let it bleed >>>>> anything the beatles have ever created.


 
   
  Fair enough. Just don't get your subjective opinion on the Beatles mixed up with objective analysis. Some people around here make that mistake and end up losing respect for their feedback because everyone knows it will be subjectively biased.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> . And apple products are just sub par pc's for computer illiterate people that have lots of money. I spend 800 dollars on my pc and not only does it look nicer, but it will out perform the most expensive mac pro in any area that a computer can top another. Oh, and it sounds better... way better.  Apple is consumer grade garbage that all the little hipster sheep and gullible soccer moms line up for year after year for so they can waste their money and think they have bragging rights.
> 
> btw... the rolling stones >>>>>>> the beatles any day of the week. The beatles are a highbrow boy band for old hippies. Aftermath and let it bleed >>>>> anything the beatles have ever created.


 
  Way to defend you Anti-Apple view points. the Mac Pro's are the only thing
  that are vastly over-rated and overpriced. But they're also a professional tool.
   
  There's plenty of knowledgable people here that use both. for video editing, programming,
  servers, etc. Your comments are a little hasty and don't qualify as being meaningful. But enjoy.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Way to defend you Anti-Apple view points. the Mac Pro's are the only thing
> that are vastly over-rated and overpriced. But they're also a professional tool.
> 
> There's plenty of knowledgable people here that use both. for video editing, programming,
> servers, etc. Your comments are a little hasty and don't qualify as being meaningful. But enjoy.


 
   
  I've owned Apple products since the IIc in 1984 (yeah, I know I'm old) and IMO they're as good as tech/human interface gets period IME. Oh and IME, not fact as others would have us believe. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I love the Beatles, Rolling Stones and feel one doesn't have to love one and hate the other. That said, I'd take Floyd over either band.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> I've owned Apple products since the IIc in 1984 (yeah, I know I'm old) and IMO they're as good as tech/human interface gets period IME. Oh and IME, not fact as others would have us believe.


 
   
  The only fact is that the PowerPC processor Macs used to use was indeed superior to Intel/AMD/x86. But that is no more the case now that they've moved to Intel.
   
  They're moving to ARM-based procs in the future (replacing OSX with iOS) which will be yet another step down in pure processing power.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Got my headphones stand in the mail today which was built by my good friend from AudioKarma. Thanks Will!


 
   
  love it!


----------



## gamtha

I am taking out built up angst from all of the know nothing apple enthusiasts  who try to tell me that pc's suck when there are hundreds of thousands of computers and companies out there. Anything you can do on a mac, you can do on a pc, just as well... for half the price. I can't stand it when people tell me they are better for photography, music listening, editing or recording music... it's just not true. It depends on the computer and how it is built. And forget tablets. Forget them. There are computers that cost much more than mine, but I will out preform them because with a little bit of research (something apple enthusiasts don't care for) you can make every internal piece of hardware work in harmony like those giant lego machines that people build.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





devhen said:


> The only fact is that the PowerPC processor Macs used to use was indeed superior to Intel/AMD/x86. But that is no more the case now that they've moved to Intel.
> 
> They're moving to ARM-based procs in the future (replacing OSX with iOS) which will be yet another step down in pure processing power.


 
   
  So you're saying the PowerPC processors were better than the i7 currently.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I am taking out built up angst from all of the know nothing apple enthusiasts  who try to tell me that pc's suck when there are hundreds of thousands of computers and companies out there. Anything you can do on a mac, you can do on a pc, just as well... for half the price. I can't stand it when people tell me they are better for photography, music listening, editing or recording music... it's just not true. It depends on the computer and how it is built. And forget tablets. Forget them. There are computers that cost much more than mine, but I will out preform them because with a little bit of research (something apple enthusiasts don't care for) you can make every internal piece of hardware work in harmony like those giant lego machines that people build.


 
   
  Its leftovers from the days when Macs ran on PowerPC processors which were in fact better than Intel/x86 for heavy tasks like video and photo editing. That is no longer the case. Photoshop on Windows 7 runs just as well as it does on Mac thanks to them now sharing the same underlying hardware. At this point its a matter of which operating system you prefer and whether you feel like the heavy markup on Macs is worth it. (I don't BTW).


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I am taking out built up angst from all of the know nothing apple enthusiasts  who try to tell me that pc's suck when there are hundreds of thousands of computers and companies out there. Anything you can do on a mac, you can do on a pc, just as well... for half the price. I can't stand it when people tell me they are better for photography, music listening, editing or recording music... it's just not true. It depends on the computer and how it is built. And forget tablets. Forget them. There are computers that cost much more than mine, but I will out preform them because with a little bit of research (something apple enthusiasts don't care for) you can make every internal piece of hardware work in harmony like those giant lego machines that people build.


 
  Sigh.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> So you're saying the PowerPC processors were better than the i7 currently.


 
   
  Yes a modern day IBM PowerPC proc would wipe the floor with an i7.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I am taking out built up angst from all of the know nothing apple enthusiasts  who try to tell me that pc's suck when there are hundreds of thousands of computers and companies out there. Anything you can do on a mac, you can do on a pc, just as well... for half the price. I can't stand it when people tell me they are better for photography, music listening, editing or recording music... it's just not true. It depends on the computer and how it is built. And forget tablets. Forget them. There are computers that cost much more than mine, but I will out preform them because with a little bit of research (something apple enthusiasts don't care for) you can make every internal piece of hardware work in harmony like those giant lego machines that people build.


 
   
  Anytime you want to take your crusade elsewhere...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Yes a modern day IBM PowerPC proc would wipe the floor with an i7.


 
  I was referring to the PowerPC chipsets from the old Mac days.


----------



## longbowbbs

macedonianhero said:


> I've owned Apple products since the IIc in 1984 (yeah, I know I'm old) and IMO they're as good as tech/human interface gets period IME. Oh and IME, not fact as others would have us believe. :mad:
> 
> I love the Beatles, Rolling Stones and feel one doesn't have to love one and hate the other. That said, I'd take Floyd over either band.




Yep, Apple II for me now enjoying a MBPro( and a couple others) I have a PC too....as the Beatles would say they all "Come Together" just fine on the home network.

The best part now are their role for storing hi Rez files and letting me listen to the whole collection without looking the right CD case.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> I was referring to the PowerPC chipsets from the old Mac days.


 
   
  Well they're still in use today in applications where processing power is more important than power consumption (for ex the PS3) and yes they still offer superior processing power.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





focker said:


> Anytime you want to take your crusade elsewhere...


 

 he started it .


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> he started it .


 
   
  Well at least post some pics of cool audio gear while you're crusading...throw us a bone.


----------



## Sab666

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Yes a modern day IBM PowerPC proc would wipe the floor with an i7.


 
   
  Care to give some examples/models of current modern day PowerPC processors that would do so ?


----------



## longbowbbs

:rolleyes:


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> Care to give some examples/models of current modern day PowerPC processors that would do so ?


 
   
  As far as I know IBM still sells servers running modern day PowerPC processors for applications where pure processing power is more important than power consumption.
   
  There are no longer any consumer grade computers running PowerPC.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





focker said:


> Well at least post some pics of cool audio gear while you're crusading...throw us a bone.


 
   








   





   
  I'm such a tease.


----------



## Sab666

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I'm such a tease.


 
   
  That first pic... Is that some sort of a Stargate ??


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





focker said:


> Well at least post some pics of cool audio gear while you're crusading...throw us a bone.


 
   
  Here's my current portable "rig".


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I'll admit my internet tone (pft) was sarcastic I would like to point out that I never said anything about Macs being better than PCs, or even just as good. So me 'starting it' is going a bit far. Not trying to point the finger right back at you, but you did just open up and insult people's personal taste. 
   
_"computers that tend to gravitate towards the 'artsy' type (i.e. music nerds)"_
   
This is completely true whether it's based on old pretenses or not. Just go take a look at an art school campus now-a-days.
   
  Grandfather was a 25 year IBMer, as was my mother (another 25 years), and I do IT work for a living (fairly simple stuff but I could be doing more if I didn't hate the field). I'm not just a know-nothing sheep in the Apple cluster. I personally (YMMV as always) prefer OSX for basic, everyday stuff. I couldn't live without a PC of some sort in the house, and I don't. 
   
  And I still stand by the iPad being the best remote you'll get. 
   
  Also, Jena Labs cables. Awwww yeah.


----------



## gamtha

It's my budget setup for one of my guest rooms.


----------



## longbowbbs

​


sab666 said:


> That first pic... Is that some sort of a Stargate ?? :eek:




It costs about as much as a Stargate!


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While I'll admit my internet tone (pft) was sarcastic I would like to point out that I never said anything about Macs being better than PCs, or even just as good. So me 'starting it' is going a bit far. Not trying to point the finger right back at you, but you did just open up and insult people's personal taste.
> 
> _"computers that tend to gravitate towards the 'artsy' type (i.e. music nerds)"_
> 
> ...


 

 No self respecting creator of interesting imagery or sound will ever refer to themselves as an "artist." That word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if you want to find talent or good taste, stay far away from any "art school campus."


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> No self respecting creator of interesting imagery or sound will ever refer to themselves as an "artist." That word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if you want to find talent or good taste, stay far away from any "art school campus."


 
  There's no reason to be antagonistic.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> No self respecting creator of interesting imagery or sound will ever refer to themselves as an "artist." That word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if you want to find talent or good taste, stay far away from any "art school campus."


 
   
  Everything leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Pics or GTFO. ;P


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> There's no reason to be antagonistic.


 
  I think I left some lighthearted undertones in my rants. I am not referring to any of you.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Everything leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Pics or GTFO. ;P


 
  pics of what? *blushes*


----------



## MorbidToaster

Would you prefer the term 'Liberal Arts' school? There's plenty of talent coming out of them, but there's also a ton of crap, admittedly. 
   
  I never even used the word artist. Calm down. I'm just trying to make the point that people still see Apple products as the more 'artsy' end of the spectrum. Again, calm down.
   
_God. What's with all the hostility, man?_
   
   
   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> No self respecting creator of interesting imagery or sound will ever refer to themselves as an "artist." That word leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if you want to find talent or good taste, stay far away from any "art school campus."


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> There's no reason to be antagonistic.


 
   
  Especially when we're talking about semantics and stereotypes.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> It's my budget setup for one of my guest rooms.


 
  LOL


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Would you prefer the term 'Liberal Arts' school? There's plenty of talent coming out of them, but there's also a ton of crap, admittedly.
> 
> I never even used the word artist. Calm down. I'm just trying to make the point that people still see Apple products as the more 'artsy' end of the spectrum. Again, calm down.
> 
> _God. What's with all the hostility, man?_


 

 I just like ranting. No hate. If it makes you feel any better, here...


----------



## devhen

Yeah we're trying to run an online community here. Users with < 20 posts coming in here offending every head-fi'er who might consider themselves an "artist" is a no-no. Back to the topic people.


----------



## gamtha

I hope I don't get banned for this...


----------



## gamtha

back on topic though. Can anyone that owns the sr 009's tell me how they differ in sound compared to any lambda? (using the same amp of course)
   
  and devhen... don't be "that guy."  I am not using profanity, just expanding on prior topics in a slightly aggressive, yet professional manner.
  
  and for the 20+ posts knock. I have been watching the forums for many years. There is no reason to think less of me because I recently decided to post.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd ask in the Stax thread. You'll probably get a ton of responses. While the mafia is a bit hard to deal with sometimes, they know their stuff.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'd ask in the Stax thread. You'll probably get a ton of responses. While the mafia is a bit hard to deal with sometimes, they know their stuff.


 
  I'll try there. I am trying to decide if it is worth draining my college fund in order to import a pair of 009's with an amp.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Depends on what you're going to college for. 
   
  They're very good, but a respectable Lambda rig is nothing to thumb your nose at...and you could still go to college.
   
  Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I'll try there. I am trying to decide if it is worth draining my college fund in order to import a pair of 009's with an amp.


----------



## gamtha

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Depends on what you're going to college for.
> 
> They're very good, but a respectable Lambda rig is nothing to thumb your nose at...*and you could still go to college.*


 
  that too.


----------



## Kojaku

And back to the thread...just got this setup in  mmmmm, detailed, extended, yet grainless 

With the wooden beauties:






With my favorite:






Dark and Sexy shot:






Kojaku


----------



## Audiophile03

Here is the bedside setup. I have a DAC for iphone audio and I have my turntable below for my vinyl. I am really loving the passive preamp my good friend made for me. The sound is superb!


----------



## himmej

why did they ban me?


----------



## himmej

grado? Audeze lcd 2? What is this armature hour?


----------



## himmej

closed headphones leave a bad taste in my mouth. Get yourself some real headphones like this.
   





  
   
  responding to audiophile3 and his generic username.


----------



## Kojaku

himmej said:


> closed headphones leave a bad taste in my mouth. Get yourself some real headphones like this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You, sir...have a remarkable ability to toss money around. Jude loves those, but the cost/performance ratio...it's ridiculous.

Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

himmej said:


> grado? Audeze lcd 2? What is this armature hour?




What exactly do you mean by "armature hour"?

Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> You, sir...have a remarkable ability to toss money around. Jude loves those, but the cost/performance ratio...it's ridiculous.
> Kojaku


 
   
  they are not terribly priced and have a unique sound. Their design is worth the cost alone.


----------



## devhen

He's not tossing money around, he's getting pictures off of the internet and posting them.
   
  He means "amateur hour" but he's not all that smart.
   
  He was just banned for using a disrespectful tone while ranting about things that are completely off-topic.


----------



## paradoxper

This dude is like Googleeli before he pulled his head out of his ass. 2cents.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> What exactly do you mean by "armature hour"?
> Kojaku


 
   
  Amateur hour. Auto correct ftw. And I was joking. Do forums completely drain everyone of their ability to comprehend sarcasm or have fun? Jeeze...


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





himmej said:


> they are not terribly priced and have a unique sound. Their design is worth the cost alone.


 
  Goodness gracious...The converter alone is a reference amp's worth of cost. For a "unique" sound, that cost is justified? And I thought you were simply posting a pic of your rig, not necessarily at home.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Goodness gracious...The converter alone is a reference amp's worth of cost. For a "unique" sound, that cost is justified? And I thought you were simply posting a pic of your rig, not necessarily at home.
> 
> Kojaku


 
   

 Headphone Inventory
   -Cabillas Sapele Woodied Grado SR225i's
 -Thunderpants TP1
 -HiFiMan Re-262
 -V-Moda M-80 (gift from my girlfriend)
 -Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10
 -Audez'e LCD-2 Rev.2 Bamboo
   Headphone Amp Inventory
   Pico DAC/Amp
   Source Inventory
   Samsung Galaxy S3 (Pebble Blue, 16GB + 32GB microSD)
 Archos 101 g9 Turbo (16GB+32GB microSD)

 DACs:
 Pico DAC/Amp
   Cable Inventory
   -Sliver/Gold alloy 3.5mm interconnect (via Chris_Himself)
 -Silver Right-Terminating LOD (via Chris_Himself)
 -Solid Core Cryo-Silver Cotton-Sheathed LCD-2 Cable (via Chris_Himself)
   Other Audio Equipment
   Various 5.1 Systems from Altec Lansing and Bose. Nothing too fancy.
   Audio-Related Tweaks
   Wood Cup mod, dress sock pad mod, 99.9% cryo-silver recable.
   Music Preferences
   Funk, Hip-Hop, R&B, Smooth Jazz, Kpop, Jpop, Classical/Orchestral, Acoustic (mainly piano).
   Gear-Fi (Favorite Non-Audio Gear & Gadgets)
   My Alienware m15x, spec sheet too long for head-fi.
   
   
   
  yeah.... you are really short on money... *rolls eyes*


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wonder...
   
  Quote: 





himmej said:


> why did they ban me?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Honestly none of that costs all that much in the grand scheme of Summit-fi.
   
  Quote: 





himmej said:


> yeah.... you are really short on money... *rolls eyes*


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I wonder...


 
   
  Somebody apparently didn't learn after they were banned the first time... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Edit: Back on topic, si vout plait


----------



## himmej

He has a 200 dollar phone. Probably a 1200 dollar computer. A thousand dollar + pair of headphones. A 150 dollar pair of ear buds. A 700 dollar pair of headphones. And another 200 dollar pair of headphones.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





himmej said:


> and define smart.


 
   
  Its the opposite of this:
   
  Calling Mac users idiots because you can do the same thing with a PC for less money, and then 10 minutes later saying the design alone, of  an extremely expensive headphone, makes it worth the cost.


----------



## Kojaku

morbidtoaster said:


> Honestly none of that costs all that much in the grand scheme of Summit-fi.




Yeah and I'm an honest college student who works 5 different campus jobs to afford my hobby, tuition, and lodging. Plus I never buy components at cost. Either I work with the people I buy from, or I buy used. I was talking value, not straight cost.

Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Yeah and I'm an honest college student who works 5 different campus jobs to afford my hobby, tuition, and lodging. Plus I never buy components at cost. Either I work with the people I buy from, or I buy used. I was talking value, not straight cost.
> Kojaku


 

 you are one of those people that likes to talk about themselves quite a bit. Kill that ego before it gets to big.
   
  Concerned parent


----------



## machoboy

Quote: 





himmej said:


> Amateur hour. Auto correct ftw. And I was joking. *Do forums completely drain everyone of their ability to comprehend sarcasm* or have fun? Jeeze...


 
  Speaking from 10+ years of solid forum experience, yes, absolutely. Sarcasm is missed by lazy reading, feuds unravel, and before you know it, you're all hunting each other down cross country. Beware.


----------



## Kojaku

Well anyway,
   
  I've been wondering how people have felt about Bifrost/Asgard LCD-2 pairings. I hear people find them "stale", but I honestly find a rather interesting balance between the neutrality of the Bifrost/Asgard setup and the natural tone of the LCD-2 Rev.2...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Well anyway,
> 
> *I've *been wondering how people have felt about Bifrost/Asgard LCD-2 pairings.* I* hear people find them "stale", but* I *honestly find a rather interesting balance between the neutrality of the Bifrost/Asgard setup and the natural tone of the LCD-2 Rev.2...
> 
> *Kojaku*


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





himmej said:


> you are one of those people that likes to talk about themselves quite a bit. Kill that ego before it gets to big.
> 
> Concerned parent


 
  Anyway, what's your read of the TakeT? Was that pure joking, or do you really find the can to be out of the league of the LCD-2 and other planars?
   
  Kojaku


----------



## MorbidToaster

Woah woah. I wasn't attacking your setup. I was saying that he was touting you as some rich dude that could afford anything because of the gear you have.
   
  We all work hard for our gear around here. Heck, if we're talking value anything that involves an 009 is crap. Diminishing returns kicked in a_ long_ time ago.
   
  EDIT: I meant that in the grand scheme of Summit-fi, you haven't spent much at all, though you've got some of the best value out there.
   
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Yeah and I'm an honest college student who works 5 different campus jobs to afford my hobby, tuition, and lodging. Plus I never buy components at cost. Either I work with the people I buy from, or I buy used. I was talking value, not straight cost.
> Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Woah woah. I wasn't attacking your setup. I was saying that he was touting you as some rich dude that could afford anything because of the gear you have.
> 
> We all work hard for our gear around here. Heck, if we're talking value anything that involves an 009 is crap. Diminishing returns kicked in a_ long_ time ago.


 
  Oh no, I realized where you were coming from. I wasn't responding to you. I was responding to him, with your quote being a tag onto which I relayed my post. In any case, I was curious about the TakeT, since we're trying to place the thread on track again.
   
  Kojaku
   
  Edit: My apologies if I came off as offensive. I was simply addressing the matter at hand.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Anyway, what's your read of the TakeT? Was that pure joking, or do you really find the can to be out of the league of the LCD-2 and other planars?
> 
> Kojaku


 
  They crush the LCD-2. Luckily, those cans hold their value so you can sell them on ebay and get the taket h2 for around
  120000 yen over seas. Much larger sound stage. And very pronounced highs. They also look like a crazy headfier made them in his garage.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just wanted to make sure. I was confused. 
   
  Seriously though. I hate Grados, but I'll be damned if every time I see a pair with nice cups I don't want to buy some.
   
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Oh no, I realized where you were coming from. I wasn't responding to you. I was responding to him, with your quote being a tag onto which I relayed my post. In any case, I was curious about the TakeT, since we're trying to place the thread on track again.
> 
> Kojaku
> 
> Edit: My apologies if I came off as offensive. I was simply addressing the matter at hand.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





himmej said:


> They crush the LCD-2. Luckily, those cans hold their value so you can sell them on ebay and get the taket h2 for around
> 120000 yen over seas. Much larger sound stage. *And very pronounced highs*. They also look like a crazy headfier made them in his garage.


 
  Isn't that a personal preference? Do you mean to say something about higher level detail? Also, what were you driving and sourcing them with, for curiosity's sake?
   
  Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Woah woah. I wasn't attacking your setup. *I was saying that he was touting you as some rich dude that could afford anything because of the gear you have.*
> 
> We all work hard for our gear around here. Heck, if we're talking value anything that involves an 009 is crap. Diminishing returns kicked in a_ long_ time ago.
> 
> EDIT: I meant that in the grand scheme of Summit-fi, you haven't spent much at all, though you've got some of the best value out there.


 
  actually I have said quite the opposite. I listed my gear in a thread and said plain as day that I wish I could listen to a headphone as beautiful as the 009. I was told to post some pictures of nice gear and now it turns around on me. I jokingly stated that a extremely expensive space age looking setup was for "one of my guest rooms" you guys take things too seriously around here.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> *Isn't that a personal preference*? Do you mean to say something about higher level detail? Also, what were you driving and sourcing them with, for curiosity's sake?
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
  No it is not personal preference. It is an observation. Yes higher levels of detail. Again, I do not own these. I have fellow audiophile friend overseas that has a pair in his collection. I am just a starving college student.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just wanted to make sure. I was confused.
> 
> Seriously though. *I hate Grados*, but I'll be damned if every time I see a pair with nice cups I don't want to buy some.


 
  Now we are talking...


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





himmej said:


> No it is not personal preference. It is an observation. Yes higher levels of detail. Again, I do not own these. I have fellow audiophile friend overseas that has a pair in his collection. I am just a starving college student.


 
  Hm, and you don't remember the rig he ran 'em out of? I just have no idea what woud pair well with a heil-type, piezo-polymer driver...since I haven't ever seen one in the wild xD...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Hm, and you don't remember the rig he ran 'em out of? I just have no idea what woud pair well with a heil-type, piezo-polymer driver...since I haven't ever seen one in the wild xD...
> 
> Kojaku


 
  when you get into silly expensive hifi equipment, things start to take on overly minimalistic designs and start to look like metal cabinets. Can't tell one from the other. Just a shiny golden cd player with green text that weighed about 80 lbs at least.


----------



## machoboy

morbidtoaster said:


> Just wanted to make sure. I was confused.
> 
> Seriously though. I hate Grados, but I'll be damned if every time I see a pair with nice cups I don't want to buy some.



 
 See? The hate is contagious. I'm like a Sith Lord.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Wait, what? You obviously implied that he had no shortage of money when he commented on the TakeT's price...and yet he's not rich (at least judging by his gear and his own admission).
   
  Now I'm just confused.
   
  Quote: 





himmej said:


> actually I have said quite the opposite. I listed my gear in a thread and said plain as day that I wish I could listen to a headphone as beautiful as the 009. I was told to post some pictures of nice gear and now it turns around on me. I jokingly stated that a extremely expensive space age looking setup was for "one of my guest rooms" you guys take things too seriously around here.


----------



## paradoxper

Those TakeT's have a special amplifier don't they? Meaning, you can't drive them off a traditional headamp.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Hm, and you don't remember the rig he ran 'em out of? I just have no idea what woud pair well with a heil-type, piezo-polymer driver...since I haven't ever seen one in the wild xD...
> 
> Kojaku


 





   
  this was in his collection. It's TEAC. Not sure which model.


----------



## machoboy

Quote: 





himmej said:


> See, you are being a sarcastic ninny and no ban for you. Lets bet money they are trying to figure out a way to rid me for good. *gets popcorn*


 
   
  I always get banned from every forum, haha.
   
  I'm actually a really nice guy who holds doors open for old ladies and stops to help people change their tires and tries to advise other forumites but you know how it is, if a mod reads one line the wrong way or out of context you get zapped. Sarcastic personalities don't mesh with text-based communication.
   
  You must have better things to do than this though? "Revenge posting" is pretty silly.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


>


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Those TakeT's have a special amplifier don't they? Meaning, you can't drive them off a traditional headamp.


 
  They have a converter that you plug speaker outputs into.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





himmej said:


>


 
  Thought so.


----------



## himmej

Quote: 





machoboy said:


> I always get banned from every forum, haha.
> 
> I'm actually a really nice guy who holds doors open for old ladies and stops to help people change their tires and tries to advise other forumites but you know how it is, if a mod reads one line the wrong way or out of context you get zapped. Sarcastic personalities don't mesh with text-based communication.
> 
> You must have better things to do than this though? "Revenge posting" is pretty silly.


 

 while I'm not revenge posting anymore because I am cooled off. I'm sure as soon as I get comfortable posting again they will ban me. But it's the internet. I have to use sarcasm and debate and rant. It's in my nature. For the most part I am polite, but veteran members take it way too far. I guess I'm not made for forums. According to the mods I'm just an illiterate, mean spirited ghost that haunts the forums. I may have gotten a little carried away but I never directly attacked anyone and I was joking the whole way through. Maybe slightly derailing a thread should get me a pm, but for someone like me who may have a future as a long time headfier, the mods sure do hit that ban button quickly. Probably couldn't make it through the police academy.


----------



## paradoxper

Back on topic before this thread gets locked down.


----------



## calipilot227

Some good Schiit you got there


----------



## pwnm30rdi3

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Back on topic before this thread gets locked down.


 
   
  So jealous of your schiit right now...  How much do you love it?...


----------



## widdyjudas

Just came back from Hongkong to find a replacement for my AT M50. I'm looking for decent bass, with good SQ and good soundstage, and most importantly comfortable!!! SQ must be better than the senn IE8.
  I will use it for music (pop, old rock, jazz) and gaming (l4d2, csgo and sc2). I'm hoping seniors on this thread can help me.
  After some research, I decided my option to be beyer 770 pro 80 ohm, senn hd650 and denon d5k.
  For the Denon, none of the shops has the old model. They already being replaced with the 400, 600 and 7100. They have the d7000 model, but its too expensive for me...
  In the end, I tested Beyer 770 pro 80, hd650, denon 400, and ultrasone 900.
  First I ruled out ultrasone since the clamp is too much, not comfortable enough for me.
  Moving to beyer. The comfort is ridiculous for a closed can. I can barely feel the headphone on my head and I absolutely loved it! Sound wise the Bass is very strong, I like it. SQ definitely a step up to my M50, but details are drowned by the bass qty. Soundstage is wide, which is important to me for gaming purpose.
  HD 650, not as comfort as the beyer since the clamp is a bit tight. But it still comfy for me compared to M50 and ultrasone. Bass qty just enough for me and the SQ is definitely better than Beyer. Details are not drowned by the bass and soundstage is also wide. Although I can't compare the soundstage with Beyer since I'm not testing in a quite room.
  Denon 400, comfort wise just a little bit below beyer. Bass qty maybe too much for me and the SQ is about the same like Beyer if not less. But for twice the price of beyer and even more expensive than 650, I ruled it out.
  So now my options are between Beyer 770 pro 80 (usd 220) and HD 650 (usd 360) . One question is how is the soundstage comparison between these 2 cans? Since its also important to me for gaming.
  I'm having difficulties on choosing which one to buy, so please seniors help me...
  I will use it indoor with my asus g73jw and Fiio e17 (for now).


----------



## devhen

@widdyjudas
   
  I think you've got the wrong thread. Did you mean to post to the recommendations thread?
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/529144/recommendations-thread-i-e-dont-start-a-new-thread-ask-for-advice-here-please-read-op


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





himmej said:


> this was in his collection. It's TEAC. Not sure which model.


 
  VRDS-10,


----------



## widdyjudas

sorry didn't notice the rule... Oh well, I'll just post it there then.
 But if someone kind enough too help, I will be thankful..


----------



## Ultrainferno

Too much blabla, too little pics. Someone should clean this thread up


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> And back to the thread...just got this setup in
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
   
  I leave for 12 hours and what the hell happened to this thread!?
   
  Kojaku, you just posted my dream setup.  Literally the 3 cans I want with the Schiit combo!  Woody Grado, modded T50RP (on the way!) and LCD-2 to see how they compare and see if I can tune the T50's close.
   
  I'm on my way to your house, wherever it is.


----------



## Kojaku

tool462 said:


> I leave for 12 hours and what the hell happened to this thread!?
> 
> Kojaku, you just posted my dream setup.  Literally the 3 cans I want with the Schiit combo!  Woody Grado, modded T50RP (on the way!) and LCD-2 to see how they compare and see if I can tune the T50's close.
> 
> I'm on my way to your house, wherever it is.




Haha. It's in Los Angeles at UCLA . The modded grados are a very special flavor of my pad mod. Takes the edge off the treble still, but doesn't bundle extra unnecessary low-end warmth. Very nice . 

Kojaku


----------



## tool462

Where would the T50RP's fit in the mix with that setup?  Do you find them similar to the LCD-2 as some reviews have said?  Mine won't have wood cups but I'd like to tune them in that direction.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





pwnm30rdi3 said:


> So jealous of your schiit right now...  How much do you love it?...


 
  I am really digging it. Best balanced setup I've heard yet. But GS-X is just around the corner.


----------



## Freazy

This is my current setup wich i am verry happy about 
   
  Wyred4sound DAC-2 & Cavalli Liquid Fire with stock JJ's (for the moment,still have to install my NOS Siemens & Halske E88CC from 1959)
   
   

   
  My beautiful and verry good sounding Audeze LCD-3 with Moon-audio Silver Dragon 3 HP cable
   

   
  My NOS Siemens & Halske E88CC from 1959 with gold pins
   

   
  W4S DAC-2 in action
   

   
  LF in action,isn't she a beaut 
   

   
  My 'old' Audeze LCD-2 Rev.2 wich is sleeping in the travel case at the moment
   

   
  My current 2 headphones wich i like
   
   

   
  And another shot i just took with the LF sleeping underneath the covers


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





himmej said:


> He has a 200 dollar phone. Probably a 1200 dollar computer. A thousand dollar + pair of headphones. A 150 dollar pair of ear buds. A 700 dollar pair of headphones. And another 200 dollar pair of headphones.


 
  Are you his accountant all of a sudden? Good for him.....It's a hobby.....


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





himmej said:


> grado? Audeze lcd 2? What is this armature hour?


 
  Banned for really bad puns!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





gamtha said:


> I'm such a tease.


 
   
   
   
*****WOW*****​


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





widdyjudas said:


> Just came back from Hongkong to find a replacement for my AT M50. I'm looking for decent bass, with good SQ and good soundstage, and most importantly comfortable!!! SQ must be better than the senn IE8.
> I will use it for music (pop, old rock, jazz) and gaming (l4d2, csgo and sc2). I'm hoping seniors on this thread can help me.
> After some research, I decided my option to be beyer 770 pro 80 ohm, senn hd650 and denon d5k.
> For the Denon, none of the shops has the old model. They already being replaced with the 400, 600 and 7100. They have the d7000 model, but its too expensive for me...
> ...


 
   
  You can spread out the 650's so they are not tight and they will bend just fine. After some break in time (<50+ hours) they become one of the best HP's around. They scale up with the quality you give them as well or better than any HP I have ever heard.  My.02. Good luck with the search!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> I leave for 12 hours and what the hell happened to this thread!?


 
   
  MY thoughts exactly...This going to sleep thing gets in the way of my posting!


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Haha. It's in Los Angeles at UCLA
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Have those can's always had a bit of treble harshness in your opinion?  I auditioned the Rev 1 (have heard the Rev 2 but on Woo gear, not my own) with my system but found them to be very natural, more akin to a HD650 on steroids, smooth, 3D, rich, organic.  I'm all tubes, DAC through amp though.  Just wondering if most people thought they had a bit of a treble spike to them.  Congrats on the UCLA attendance btw, almost went to Berkeley but the tuition was out of this world if you're not in-state.  Looks like I need to get my hands on a Rev 1...


----------



## .Sup

preproman said:


> *****WOW*****​



This could be a nice HE-6 rig don't you agree?


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Well anyway,
> 
> I've been wondering how people have felt about Bifrost/Asgard LCD-2 pairings. I hear people find them "stale", but I honestly find a rather interesting balance between the neutrality of the Bifrost/Asgard setup and the natural tone of the LCD-2 Rev.2...
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
  Personally I think they sound very good together. I had a chance to switch back and forth with another member's Lyr (and try various different tubes) and the best I heard the Lyr sound was as good as the Asgard but not better (all of course IMO, and I also typically don't listen very loudly). Still want to try a Mjolnir though.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


>


 
   
  Beautiful.  This deserves a bump.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





.sup said:


> This could be a nice HE-6 rig don't you agree?


 
   
   
  Show Nough   .Sup you hit the nail on the head with that one..


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





preproman said:


> *****WOW*****​


 
  This is Positive Feedback's editor's well-known system (http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue51/lamm.htm). Go away for a weekend and watch things go trollalololololollling downhill.


----------



## Loevhagen

Bought the NAD M51 as a DAC / pre amp to some active speakers - but before I move it over to it's planned position, I put it in the head-fi rig. Hm. It might be there longer than I planned.


----------



## colinharding

Wow those two pieces of equipment aesthetically compliment each other a lot more than I was expecting, nice rig!  Pic of the speakers?  Or we can wait till you've got them permanently settled for the full visual effect...


----------



## .Sup

Very nice Hagen. Where did you order it from?


----------



## Loevhagen

Locally in Norway: http://www.hifiklubben.no/produkter/stereo/da-konverter/nad_m51_da-konverter.htm. Price in USD is 2100 and EUR is 1600.
   
  They just got a new batch into the stock after quite some time - and I jumped it.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Bought the NAD M51 as a DAC / pre amp to some active speakers - but before I move it over to it's planned position, I put it in the head-fi rig. Hm. It might be there longer than I planned.


 
   
   
   
  Actually looks really good together.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Bought the NAD M51 as a DAC / pre amp to some active speakers - but before I move it over to it's planned position, I put it in the head-fi rig. Hm. It might be there longer than I planned.


 
  What an awesome combo. And you consistently take some of the most beautiful pictures.


----------



## silversurfer616

As I see a lot of Norse Cables here,I just received my adapter cable(LCD2 Moon Audio chain mail8  cable adaptor to Hifiman HE500)and it is a huge upgrade in sound compared to the HE500 silver stock cable.
  Will post pics later...just wanted to say that Norse is really UP THERE!


----------



## Loevhagen

^^ Thanks. The initial impression is that the M51 sounds a tad meatier than the V800. Which one I prefer is uncertain p.t. The Mjolnir is not a bright sounding amp. Quite surprised by how well the Mjolnir performs with the LCD-3 and LCD-2.


----------



## preproman

That might be a Q cable


----------



## MorbidToaster

It is.
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> That might be a Q cable


----------



## silversurfer616

This is the NORSE adapter to use my LCD ALO Chain Mail with a HE500.


----------



## .Sup

looks heavy


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> And back to the thread...just got this setup in
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice, very nice!
  Yeah I think the LCD2's sound good with the Asgard, its a lovely sounding amp and it really brings out the higher frequencies just nice and smooth.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Back on topic before this thread gets locked down.


 
  Thats the one that I want!!
  Congrats, they look sooo good together, Bet they don't sound too bad either with your LCD3s'?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Thats the one that I want!!
> Congrats, they look sooo good together, Bet they don't sound too bad either with your LCD3s'?


 
  Eh, they sound ok. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No really though, it's a fantastic setup. Mjolnir is the best SS amp I've heard yet.


----------



## LCfiner

Latest config of my desktop rig
   
  JDS Labs ODAC > ALO Amphora > MrSpeakers Mad Dogs and Symphones Magnum v4
   
   

   

   
   
  The Mad Dogs generally requires the Amphora volume to move beyond 1 o'clock to get the volume I want but it's not harsh or strained in sound. It compares very well to the Soloist I had to sell earlier this month. The Magnums are, no surprise, much easier to power and sound excellent on the setup.


----------



## Focker

Larry Dale stand sighting!!! Woohoo!!


----------



## LCfiner

Yeah, I've had that double stand for a while, but had been using the single silver Woo stand back when I was using a single headphone all the time. Now I switch back and forth more often.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> Yeah, I've had that double stand for a while, but had been using the single silver Woo stand back when I was using a single headphone all the time. Now I switch back and forth more often.


 
   
  The Woo stand is great looking, too, but even though Larry's stands are pricey, I really love mine. They look better in person than they do in pics, IMO...


----------



## snapple10

LCfiner
  you got two of the phones I am still curious about
  Nice pics!


----------



## madriz




----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





madriz said:


>


 
  T90? Very nice shot. How does it compare to the DT880?


----------



## madriz

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> T90? Very nice shot. How does it compare to the DT880?


 
   
  Here's a small review I posted on another forum.
   
   


> So far T90 seems to be the DT880 successor IMO. It shares almost the same tonality as DT880 but more forward treble. It was pretty harsh outside the box but after near 200 hours the harshness has subsided but not entirely gone. The mids do sound a bit recessed because of the treble. As for the bass it behaves almost similar to DT880; it will appear when the source demands it. The quality and quantity of the bass it is definitely better compared to DT880, can't really do any comparison with T70 as I've auditioned it only for a few hours but I recall from memory the T70 bass is not that much better than DT880. Selection of source is also important as T90 is much more revealing and unforgiving than DT880.
> 
> As for comparison with T1, no doubt T1 is better. T90 treble is much more forward and harsher compared to T1. Everything else T1 is probably better by a notch.


----------



## niten

Quote: 





madriz said:


>


 
   
  I like your taste in books.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





madriz said:


> Here's a small review I posted on another forum.


 
  Nice review. I've always thought the T90 was the successor to the DT990 and that beyerdynamic would release a T80 to compliment the DT880. It seems I am wrong with that assumption. Anywho, I love my DT990. The treble can be very high for some, and sometimes I feel it to be that case, but as you say, the sound of a headphone is dependent on the source.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Nice review. I've always thought the T90 was the successor to the DT990 and that beyerdynamic would release a T80 to compliment the DT880. It seems I am wrong with that assumption. Anywho, I love my DT990. The treble can be very high for some, and sometimes I feel it to be that case, but as you say, the sound of a headphone is dependent on the source.


 
   
  According to their site the T90 is an open headphone so it would be the successor to the 990 as the numbering implies. I still expect to see a semi-open T80 eventually.


----------



## madriz

Quote: 





niten said:


> I like your taste in books.


 
  I really like them. Just started reading the fifth book.
   
  And yeah, at first I do not expect it to sound like DT880 at all. Maybe something a lot like DT990 or something completely new (IMO T70 is very different to DT770) but the more I listen to them the more similar they sound.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Bought the NAD M51 as a DAC / pre amp to some active speakers - but before I move it over to it's planned position, I put it in the head-fi rig. Hm. It might be there longer than I planned.


 
   
   
  Everything looks good with a bunch of Schiit on top.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Bought the NAD M51 as a DAC / pre amp to some active speakers - but before I move it over to it's planned position, I put it in the head-fi rig. Hm. It might be there longer than I planned.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Still waiting for my Gungnir to ship, but this photo makes me regret losing patience on sourcing a NAD M51 and settling for the Schiit instead. Damn.


----------



## DragonOwen

WES [MAXXED] has arrived! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  So here is some photos of my new home rig:


----------



## IcedTea




----------



## MorbidToaster

If it's maxed you paid damn near what a BHSE costs. Rough.
   
  EDIT: Though it does look great.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> If it's maxed you paid damn near what a BHSE costs. Rough.
> 
> EDIT: Though it does look great.


 
  It's used and I have a big discount to what original buyer payd for it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also I got XLR Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval interconnects (1.5 m) as a bonus


----------



## Ultrainferno

Gorgeous. congratulations. Can you remove the top plastic protection completely? (the connectors too?)


----------



## .Sup

very nice Dragon! Is it that much better from GES?


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Gorgeous. congratulations. Can you remove the top plastic protection completely? (the connectors too?)


 
  It can be done, but don't have a reason to do so...
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> very nice Dragon! Is it that much better from GES?


 
  As for my first impression it's like my SR-009 became something like SR-011... is this enough for the answer to your question?


----------



## jazzerdave

My rig at work:


----------



## Focker

LOL


----------



## William007

jazzerdave said:


> My rig at work:



Do i see a bose can in the first pic on the left?


----------



## colinharding

and a knife?  is that used for "active component protection" while you're at work?


----------



## MorbidToaster

"Don't touch my cans!"
   
  Quote: 





colinharding said:


> and a knife?  is that used for "active component protection" while you're at work?


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Do i see a bose can in the first pic on the left?


 
   
  Yes you do.  I'm not particularly fond/proud of them, but I will cop to owning a pair.
   
   
  Quote: 





colinharding said:


> and a knife?  is that used for "active component protection" while you're at work?


 
   
  MorbidToaster knows what's up.  I'm in Texas, so it's expected that I carry a knife.  I guess it says "don't touch my cans without prior consent".  In reality it's just another useful tool - I open a lot of boxes and whatnot.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> *MorbidToaster knows what's up.  I'm in Texas, so it's expected that I carry a knife.*  I guess it says "don't touch my cans without prior consent".  In reality it's just another useful tool - I open a lot of boxes and whatnot.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Yes you do.  I'm not particularly fond/proud of them, but I will cop to owning a pair.
> 
> 
> 
> MorbidToaster knows what's up.  I'm in Texas, so it's expected that I carry a knife.  I guess it says "don't touch my cans without prior consent".  In reality it's just another useful tool - I open a lot of boxes and whatnot.


 
  It also means "Touch my Schiit and suffer the consequences."


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> WES [MAXXED] has arrived!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Headphone rig > $10K, cellphone $20. Typical head-fier 
   
  VERY nice.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> It also means "Touch my Schiit and suffer the consequences."


 
  we never tire of the Schitt jokes..


----------



## xzobinx

the fat 6 is damn good even at today standard 
  Quote: 





aroldan said:


> Headphone rig > $10K, cellphone $20. Typical head-fier
> 
> VERY nice.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> WES [MAXXED] has arrived!


 
   
  Congratulations DragonOwen! I know you have waited a long time for this. It looks fantastic.


----------



## nff

my listening station when I'm not on the PC.  (you shall not be getting a pic of that but i will tell you it consists of a  xonar dx  e9 and a pair of frankenzone's)   the records are under the turntable  and the booze is under the speaker.  
  anyways setup there is  nextech auto turntable (not great but was cheap) > E11  into either grado sr60  ath-a700  or B2's depending on what I'm listening to.  the mini system is a Sony mhc-gx45 which is dieing.


----------



## Emospence

Halfway through book 5 atm
  Quote: 





madriz said:


>


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





emospence said:


> Halfway through book 5 atm


 





 They all die!   
   
  I am semi patiently waiting for #6.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Seriously. It's like reading 'they all die' the book. 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> They all die!
> 
> I am semi patiently waiting for #6.


----------



## wolfetan44

Do you need a DAC for the amp to work?


----------



## nff

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Do you need a DAC for the amp to work?


 
  which amp  and amps only run on analogue signal so if your trying to feed an amp a digital signal then yes your going to need a d/ac  like you cant plug a SPDIF or a optical cable into a amp and hope it works.  where as you can plug any line level or phono into the amp and it should work to some extent.


----------



## obobskivich

wolfetan44 said:


> Do you need a DAC for the amp to work?




Depends on what you're sourcing from. Does your source have a line level analog output? If yes, then you're fine. If not, then yes you need a DAC. Remember that a lot of devices have DACs built into them (like CD players, computers, etc). 



nff said:


> which amp  and amps only run on analogue signal so if your trying to feed an amp a digital signal then yes your going to need a d/ac  like you cant plug a SPDIF or a optical cable into a amp and hope it works.  where as you can plug any line level or phono into the amp and it should work to some extent.




You can't run a raw (as in un-equalized/pre-amp'd) phono line into a line sink; it'll be overly bright and won't have enough gain.  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_curve


----------



## nff

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> Depends on what you're sourcing from. Does your source have a line level analog output? If yes, then you're fine. If not, then yes you need a DAC. Remember that a lot of devices have DACs built into them (like CD players, computers, etc).
> You can't run a raw (as in un-equalized/pre-amp'd) phono line into a line sink; it'll be overly bright and won't have enough gain.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  hence the " to some extent"


----------



## VaryCold

just got it, but makes my ear painful in wearing, so maybe I have to sell it


----------



## colinharding

Oh man that's really too bad.  Aside from that how do they compare to your other cans?


----------



## drez

Quote: 





varycold said:


> just got it, but makes my ear painful in wearing, so maybe I have to sell it


 
   
  You order these from overseas?  The Aussie price is insane.


----------



## wolfetan44

obobskivich said:


> Depends on what you're sourcing from. Does your source have a line level analog output? If yes, then you're fine. If not, then yes you need a DAC. Remember that a lot of devices have DACs built into them (like CD players, computers, etc).
> You can't run a raw (as in un-equalized/pre-amp'd) phono line into a line sink; it'll be overly bright and won't have enough gain.  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_curve


a schiit Valhalla?


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> a schiit Valhalla?


 
   
  All headphone amps will work without a DAC (Valhalla included), provided your source doesn't only have digital outputs.  What source(s) are you using?


----------



## rudeboybass

(image missing)
  yes they do have velour pads


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> All headphone amps will work without a DAC (Valhalla included), provided your source doesn't only have digital outputs.  What source(s) are you using?


 
  A PC.


----------



## colinharding

So if you don't want a DAC just 1/8'' jack out of the pc will carry your music out via a Y cable with analogue on the other end into your headphone amp.  It will work, sound will suffer though as compared to using a DAC.  Technically you are still using a DAC, as the music resides on the PC digitally, you are also using the PC to convert that into an analogue signal to send out to your amp.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> A PC.


 
   
  Quote: 





colinharding said:


> So if you don't want a DAC just 1/8'' jack out of the pc will carry your music out via a Y cable with analogue on the other end into your headphone amp.  It will work, sound will suffer though as compared to using a DAC.  Technically you are still using a DAC, as the music resides on the PC digitally, you are also using the PC to convert that into an analogue signal to send out to your amp.


 
   
  The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.


 
   
  Well yeah, I'm sorry.  It isn't going to sound terrible by any means, but within the context of an external DAC there is a lot of improvement to be had.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.


 
  Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?


 
   
  The HRT Music Streamer II is a great USB-only DAC for the price (~$150).


----------



## mrAdrian

or this?
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/627335/fs-beresford-tc-7510-mk6-unmodded


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?


 
  You can take a 1/8" to RCA cable and plug it straight from the audio out on your pc to the RCA input on the Valhalla.  The HRT Music Streamer II DAC is ~ $160 (available at Audio Advisor), and the stand-alone ODAC (from JDS labs) is ~ $160 with the RCA output option.  There are many more options on the market, but that's a start.  If your PC is a desktop, you could always get a new soundcard like the Asus Xonar Essence ST.


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## RamblinE

Just fixed my DIY tube amp  It's an S5 Electronics K12G. 8wpc. 
   
  Yesterday I built one of those little boxes to load the amp and reduce the signal voltage (I think that's what it does) so that you can drive headphones off the speaker taps. 
   
  Feeding the amp with the tape-outs from my preamp and driving a pair of AKG K701s


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





varycold said:


> just got it, but makes my ear painful in wearing, so maybe I have to sell it


 
  That's too bad. I really was hoping they'd fix the fit/comfort issues of the Triple.fi 10


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> That's too bad. I really was hoping they'd fix the fit/comfort issues of the Triple.fi 10


 
  Waiting on reshelled TF10s from Unique Melody...WOO for comfort and proper seal at the 3/5 the cost of the UE900
   
  Kojaku


----------



## SixthFall

Shure SRH940, JDS C421 (OPA 2227).
   
  Sorry for the crappy phone pic.


----------



## obobskivich

colinharding said:


> So if you don't want a DAC just 1/8'' jack out of the pc will carry your music out via a Y cable with analogue on the other end into your headphone amp.  It will work, sound will suffer though as compared to using a DAC.  Technically you are still using a DAC, as the music resides on the PC digitally, you are also using the PC to convert that into an analogue signal to send out to your amp.




The PC actually has a bona fide DAC in it, but there's this huge disjoint between Digital To Analog Converters as a class of commodity ICs, and fancy aluminum boxed magic components that cost thousands of dollars and are built around those COTS parts, at least in the world of audio. 

It isn't a Y cable either (that's a splitter) - you'd want a TRS mini (3.5mm or 1/8") to RCA stereo adapter, this may exist as a cable. 




colinharding said:


> Well yeah, I'm sorry.  It isn't going to sound terrible by any means, but within the context of an external DAC there is a lot of improvement to be had.




I think "lot" should be qualified here. A lot of people expect to hear this life-altering night and day difference between a PC soundcard and mega-buck external devices, and the reality is, that different just isn't there.

The biggest potential issue for onboard/integrated audio is grounding faults which will produce hum/buzz/etc on the output. A discrete soundcard will get you around this, as long as your power supply doesn't ripple like a hurricane (and if this is a cheaply built OEM machine, especially a white-box, it almost certainly does - cheap power supplies are like a plague). 




wolfetan44 said:


> Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?




See jazzerdave's reply. In addition to what he said, I'd echo that if you are using a desktop PC, get a soundcard instead - you'll save $100. At least. You should also look at the USB based audio interfaces from Creative and others, likely will save money too (spending a fortune for features limited "audiophile" parts has never made sense to me). 

Also if your PC has a digital audio output (a lot of newer machines do), you could hook up to a S/PDIF DtoA. This assumes that you're having issues with the onboard output; if you just want to spend some money, there's a lot of better things you could spend it on (like new cans, new music, etc). 




jazzerdave said:


> You can take a 1/8" to RCA cable and plug it straight from the audio out on your pc to the RCA input on the Valhalla.  The HRT Music Streamer II DAC is ~ $160 (available at Audio Advisor), and the stand-alone ODAC (from JDS labs) is ~ $160 with the RCA output option.  There are many more options on the market, but that's a start.  If your PC is a desktop, you could always get a new soundcard like the Asus Xonar Essence ST.




This.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> I think "lot" should be qualified here. A lot of people expect to hear this life-altering night and day difference between a PC soundcard and mega-buck external devices, and the reality is, that different just isn't there.


 
   
  Definitely agree. I use an AudioEngine D1 DAC and it does a great job for me. I didn't choose it because it was all I could afford, I chose it because it's all I need to get the job done. I've seen more and more people choosing it lately and they are finding out the same thing that i did...that's it's a very competent DAC (and also has a built-in headphone amp, to boot) that will allow you to allocate more money to your headphones since it's so inexpensive. I haven't heard the HRT piece, but I know it's very highly regarded, as well. Play around with higher priced DACs later on down the road...for the first time, I really think a product like either of these is ideal.


----------



## LordShad0w

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> You can take a 1/8" to RCA cable and plug it straight from the audio out on your pc to the RCA input on the Valhalla.  The HRT Music Streamer II DAC is ~ $160 (available at Audio Advisor), and the stand-alone ODAC (from JDS labs) is ~ $160 with the RCA output option.  There are many more options on the market, but that's a start.  If your PC is a desktop, you could always get a new* soundcard like the Asus Xonar Essence ST.*


 
   
  I run the Asus Xonar Essence ST myself and I must say it truly IS a night and day difference from the onboard sound. Very clean and the built in amp is quite nice. I frequently use it to switch from  low gain to mid gain when going from my HD280's to my HD590's and it works just as it should. I have not yet rolled any new chips into it, but even at it's baseline it is a fantastic card and well worth the price if you plan to use your PC as your source as I do.
   
  Hope this helps


----------



## TwinQY

My everyday bedside rig. Fiio E10 not in pic. The table is actually for Go (self-made), but I barely use it anymore. Stand is a typical banana stand from a local store. Put a scarf to cover it so that the top of the headband doesn't press down on one specific point, which would probably make it deform.
  .


----------



## Sab666

Recently I built a dedicated music player which is totally fanless and silent. Running Win 7 64bit, 8Gb RAM, 250 GB SSD. More info HERE


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





lordshad0w said:


> I run the Asus Xonar Essence ST myself and I must say it truly IS a night and day difference from the onboard sound. Very clean and the built in amp is quite nice.


 
   
  To be fair, I don't think this is a valid comparison. Onboard sound cards are *extremely* underpowered. Anything with a built-in amplifier will absolutely be a night and day difference. Run an amp off of your onboard sound card and you'll probably find a much smaller difference between it and the Xonar.
   
  Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> I think "lot" should be qualified here. A lot of people expect to hear this life-altering night and day difference between a PC soundcard and mega-buck external devices, and the reality is, that different just isn't there.


 
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Definitely agree. I use an AudioEngine D1 DAC and it does a great job for me. I didn't choose it because it was all I could afford, I chose it because it's all I need to get the job done. I've seen more and more people choosing it lately and they are finding out the same thing that i did...that's it's a very competent DAC (and also has a built-in headphone amp, to boot) that will allow you to allocate more money to your headphones since it's so inexpensive. I haven't heard the HRT piece, but I know it's very highly regarded, as well. Play around with higher priced DACs later on down the road...for the first time, I really think a product like either of these is ideal.


 
   
  I agree here but I would add that the biggest difference I experienced going from my Realtek ALC888 onboard sound card to the HRT MSII was with the ASIO4ALL driver and bit-perfect audio. I know a lot of people say there is no difference between bit-perfect ASIO and Windows DirectSound but I disagree entirely. The combination of the MSII and the ASIO driver gives me a more dynamic sound, more "air", and just overall that slightly more detailed and spacious feel, similar to going from 320k mp3 to lossless. The first time I used ASIO with my MSII it actually angered me. "I've been using DirectSound all this time thinking I was getting full quality audio??? Grrrr." These days 99% of my listening is done with 16bit 44.1khz FLAC CD rips through the MSII with ASIO4ALL. I can never go back.


----------



## William007

wolfetan44 said:


> Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?



Fiio D3
EDIT: that's a coax, optical dac, sorry


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





devhen said:


> I agree here but I would add that the biggest difference I experienced going from my Realtek ALC888 onboard sound card to the HRT MSII was with the ASIO4ALL driver and bit-perfect audio. I know a lot of people say there is no difference between bit-perfect ASIO and Windows DirectSound but I disagree entirely. The combination of the MSII and the ASIO driver gives me a more dynamic sound, more "air", and just overall that slightly more detailed and spacious feel, similar to going from 320k mp3 to lossless. The first time I used ASIO with my MSII it actually angered me. "I've been using DirectSound all this time thinking I was getting full quality audio??? Grrrr." These days 99% of my listening is done with 16bit 44.1khz FLAC CD rips through the MSII with ASIO4ALL. I can never go back.


 
   
  I have a lot of fun comparing the different levels of quality against each other...I've found myself listening to a lot of internet radio via my TuneIn Radio app. I put significantly more time on that app than I do MOG, and I love MOG. The streams  have varying levels of quality, anywhere from 28k to 320k. And then on top of that I have my entire CD collection ripped in Apple Lossless. When I saw the differences of file size displayed in graphical format, I was SHOCKED with how much less info there was in even a 320k track compared to a lossless track. It's pretty dramatic to see it on display like that. So the fact that I can say there are times when the MP3 level of quality can APPROACH the lossless level of quality says a lot about MP3. There are some tracks that I have in both formats and the lossless format is clearly better sounding, but then there are actually times when the MP3 file can hold it's own. I'm very impressed by this, especially since I can be very discerning when I'm focused on it. I find I can really enjoy the quality of something like MOG and the mp3 tracks. Or an Amazon/iTunes download. I'd always choose the lossless track over a lesser resolution, but the software that's in play these days to strip down the CD version and convert it to MP3 is really doing a great job, IMO.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





focker said:


> I have a lot of fun comparing the different levels of quality against each other...I've found myself listening to a lot of internet radio via my TuneIn Radio app. I put significantly more time on that app than I do MOG, and I love MOG. The streams  have varying levels of quality, anywhere from 28k to 320k. And then on top of that I have my entire CD collection ripped in Apple Lossless. When I saw the differences of file size displayed in graphical format, I was SHOCKED with how much less info there was in even a 320k track compared to a lossless track. It's pretty dramatic to see it on display like that. So the fact that I can say there are times when the MP3 level of quality can APPROACH the lossless level of quality says a lot about MP3. There are some tracks that I have in both formats and the lossless format is clearly better sounding, but then there are actually times when the MP3 file can hold it's own. I'm very impressed by this, especially since I can be very discerning when I'm focused on it. I find I can really enjoy the quality of something like MOG and the mp3 tracks. Or an Amazon/iTunes download. I'd always choose the lossless track over a lesser resolution, but the software that's in play these days to strip down the CD version and convert it to MP3 is really doing a great job, IMO.


 
  I totally agree. Most of my music is in Apple Lossless format, but occasionally I will use either YouTube, Spotify, or Last.fm to listen to music. I even purchase some music from the iTunes store. I always prefer lossless format, but I don't rule out lossy codecs entirely (such as AAC).
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


>





  How is this setup? It looks nice.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Shure SRH940, JDS C421 (OPA 2227).
> 
> Sorry for the crappy phone pic.


 
  Solid setup!  The amp is nice and compact. How does it all sound?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> Recently I built a dedicated music player which is totally fanless and silent. Running Win 7 64bit, 8Gb RAM, 250 GB SSD. More info HERE


 
  Sharp and clean! I'll bet the Audio-gd makes the LCD-3's sing!


----------



## Sab666

It certainly does! I haven't tried many other amps with the LCDs but it was a clear winner (for me) over the Sugden HA-4, and Schiit Mjolnir.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> It certainly does! I haven't tried many other amps with the LCDs but it was a clear winner (for me) over the Sugden HA-4, and Schiit Mjolnir.


 
  I like the Fit-PC too!  Awesome little box. Does yours have the single or dual drive bays?


----------



## Nectar

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> Recently I built a dedicated music player which is totally fanless and silent. Running Win 7 64bit, 8Gb RAM, 250 GB SSD. More info HERE


 
   
  Very clean set up.  Being fan less and silent is there ever any problems with heat etc?  Excuse my ignorance on the matter.


----------



## Sab666

Just a single bay in which I have a 250Gb SSD which is more than enough for the OS and few essential software. I have external 2Tb connected via USB 3.



longbowbbs said:


> I like the Fit-PC too!  Awesome little box. Does yours have the single or dual drive bays?


----------



## Sab666

I did have an issue with heat after doing 122 Windows updates in a row!  (about an hour and a half of constant strain on CPU and HD) Had to cool it down with a frozen pea bag.. But running JRiver MC, or even Photoshop 5 it doesn't break a sweat. 



nectar said:


> Very clean set up.  Being fan less and silent is there ever any problems with heat etc?  Excuse my ignorance on the matter.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> Recently I built a dedicated music player which is totally fanless and silent. Running Win 7 64bit, 8Gb RAM, 250 GB SSD. More info HERE


 
   
  That's really cool. What OS/music software are you using?


----------



## Sab666

The first is actually in the text you quoted, Windows 7 64bit. I'm using it primarily to play flac or wav over JRiver MC 17.


----------



## garysan

Ok, can someone tell me to stop spending money please - at least for a bit...?
   
   

 ​


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





garysan said:


> Ok, can someone tell me to stop spending money please - at least for a bit...?
> 
> 
> 
> ​


 
  Stop spending money. Forever. You shall use every last bit of your money, hunt and gather for food, ride a bike to generate electricity and have a "Will work for music" sign
  Have fun


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





garysan said:


> Ok, can someone tell me to stop spending money please - at least for a bit...?
> 
> 
> 
> ​


 
  Lol, please do tell about this setup.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Hate to break it to ya, but you're in way too deep.
   
  Quote: 





garysan said:


> Ok, can someone tell me to stop spending money please - at least for a bit...?


----------



## yokken

Loving my DT880/250s, had 'em for 2 weeks now. They sound great with the E17. Drinking some limited release Lagunitas Sumpin' Wild right now... bought 3 bombers of it yesterday. One of my favorite beers of all time.


----------



## Signy

Mostly my gaming rig and head-fi. I'm just starting on this. And yes I'm having issues with my dpc latency... :'( It has been a week of trying and i can't find the culprit.
   
   
  Hmmm no BBcode on this forum?


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Hate to break it to ya, but you're in way too deep.


 
  haha he speaks the truth


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Lol, please do tell about this setup.


 
  I love the Lehmann head-amps, they have such a super-sweet treble, never bright, never harsh.  I had the Lehmann Rhinelander before it (actually still have it here in its box - must sell) and they're very similar sounding. I wanted the BCL because of its linear/integral PSU and the fact I could upgrade the mains cable at a later date. I suppose it would be fair to say that the BCL has slightly more authority and a more 'full bodied' sound than its cheaper brother but I wouldn't be unhappy if I still only had the Rhinelander.
   
  I've swapped to the M-Dac from the Arcam rDAC because I've heard nothing but good things about it and it looks better  I've been listening to it for the past few days and fettling with the filters and FW versions (they do sound different). The designer, John Westlake is supporting it outside of Audiolab along with programmer Dominik and has been releasing updated FW for it but because of memory limitations within the internal processors, he's had to shunt processes around which has altered it's sonic sig. slightly. Some people prefer the original 'shipping' FW sq whereas others prefer the more clinical sound in the latest FW versions. There's TONS of information about all this on www.pinkfishmedia.net where John and Dom are quite prolific forum members. To summarise, I've (currently) settled on FW version A0.8 with the Optimal Transient XD filter and 'Phase Select' set to Reverse (180deg).
   
  The HD700 I managed to get quite cheaply and so couldn't really say no. They are great and I'm delighted with them - super comfortable. A great step up from the 558's I was using.
   
  Using a standard USB cable from my iMac (iTunes running on SSD) with Mark Grant G1000HD interconnect between DAC and amp. Currently got a NAIM PowerLine fitted to the Lehmann which is kindly on loan from a very nice customer of mine  Thanks Chai. This will need to go back soon and not sure if I've heard or appreciated a difference over standard lead TBH...
   
  Think that should cover everything 
   
  PS: Don't tell the wife how much these things cost.... I lie well


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





sab666 said:


> Recently I built a dedicated music player which is totally fanless and silent. Running Win 7 64bit, 8Gb RAM, 250 GB SSD. More info HERE


 
  very nice. I love the lcd3s especially with the norse cable. I think those will be my next investment. How's the bass response?


----------



## Necrontyr

Here is my modest rig, apologies for the shameless instagram


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





necrontyr said:


> Here is my modest rig, apologies for the shameless instagram


 
  ha ha. Great photo


----------



## Boss429

Quote: 





necrontyr said:


> Here is my modest rig, apologies for the shameless instagram


 
   
  Nice rig!!!!


----------



## MickeyVee

All I can say is... WOW!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





garysan said:


> Ok, can someone tell me to stop spending money please - at least for a bit...?
> 
> 
> 
> ​


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





necrontyr said:


> Here is my modest rig, apologies for the shameless instagram


 
   
  +1 for nice rig and for another he400 owner...


----------



## longbowbbs

We getting a nice run of simple but really strong rigs here lately!


----------



## Sab666

The low end and mid is what makes the LCD-3s so damn great. But you need an amp with a bit of muscle to get sharp and accurate bass and the Audio-gd packs 6W into 50ohms so there no problems driving these to full potential. I got the Norse cable primarily for the 4-pin XLR output. 



rawdawg3234 said:


> very nice. I love the lcd3s especially with the norse cable. I think those will be my next investment. How's the bass response?


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> We getting a nice run of simple but really strong rigs here lately!


 

 "overly simplistic metal cabinets" to paraphrase an earlier post xD? (haha JK, i posted on of them).
   
  Kojaku


----------



## nff

Quote: 





signy said:


> Mostly my gaming rig and head-fi. I'm just starting on this. And yes I'm having issues with my dpc latency... :'( It has been a week of trying and i can't find the culprit.
> 
> 
> Hmmm no BBcode on this forum?


 
  nice rig and nendroids.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Solid setup!  The amp is nice and compact. How does it all sound?


 
  Thanks! It sounds great, the amp is a great pairing with the 940's. I find that the 940's need a little more oomph in the low end, and the bass boost on the amp is perfect for the job. Just gives it a little more body without really changing anything else. Oh, and it sounds awesome with the 4.ai's as well.


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
  You have to love it when it can pull double duty!


----------



## joehalo




----------



## manveru

Quote:  
   
  Nice Yammy.


----------



## joehalo

Thanks, 20$ at a thrift store. I am very happy with it : )


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





necrontyr said:


> Here is my modest rig, apologies for the shameless instagram


 
  Nothing modest about the HE-400, I would say they are %70 the headphone the HE-500 are but can be run off of a phone to a respectable volume and have a nice airy timber to them.


----------



## Hente

joehalo said:


> Thanks, 20$ at a thrift store. I am very happy with it : )



Wow, was it in complete working condition? You're damn lucky man.


----------



## RamblinE

neatened up a bit. the voltage divider box is to the left down on the rack.


----------



## LordShad0w

Quote: 





devhen said:


> To be fair, I don't think this is a valid comparison. Onboard sound cards are *extremely* underpowered. Anything with a built-in amplifier will absolutely be a night and day difference. Run an amp off of your onboard sound card and you'll probably find a much smaller difference between it and the Xonar.


 
   
  The difference was just as marked between the Xonar and my Creative Fatality card with front panel and all the bells and whistles.
 It is simply a quality card. The DACs in it are great and it does everything I want.

 All I can tell you is what I hear. 
   
  I would show you my rig but that would just be a pic of my machine. lol
  Thank you to all of you for posting such wonderful pictures. Makes my day!


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
  Classic Yamaha joehalo!  The chair looks like a perfect comfy listening station too...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


>


 
   
  You kept the X-Dac, that's not nice Austin


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


>


 
   
  It would be interesting to compare the X-DAC with my DMPlus since they both use the Wolfson 8740....


----------



## joehalo

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> ^^
> Classic Yamaha joehalo!  The chair looks like a perfect comfy listening station too...


 
  It is very comfy, Thanks.
   
  Quote: 





hente said:


> Wow, was it in complete working condition? You're damn lucky man.


 
  Everything worked but the bulbs were out. Face is about perfect and only a few dings on the body. I replaced the bulbs and cleaned the pots, now it looks and sounds great!


----------



## sobrietywarrior

Sweet setup.


----------



## Seanhammer

Hi everyone!

 I'm new to this site but I've been lurking for quite some time now and figured it's time for me to join up. So, as an introduction, here is my current not-so-high-end audio set up:
   




   
*Stereo Amp*: Nakamichi TA-3
*EQ*: Pioneer SG-9500
*CD*: Nakamichi CDPlayer2
*Cassette*: Harmon/Kardon CD191
*Phono*: Technics SL-1300MK2
*Mixer*: Tascam M-164UF
*Speakers*: Yamaha NX-GX500; Logitech Z130
*Headphones*: AKG K702; Grado SR-60i
*Headphone Amp*: JDS Labs cMoyBB v2.03; JDS Labs O2
*Laptop*: Macbook Pro 13" Mid-2009 2.26GHz
*Laptop Cooler*: Cooler Master Notepal U2
*External HDD: *WD 160GB


----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## MattTCG

^^very nice rawdawg...very nice^^


----------



## DragonOwen

A little rearrangements in my home rig placement: removed the shelf from table and put WES on it's place (also sell April Stello CDT100 today, because I won't be able to use it with Akurate)... now I think it all looks more harmoniously


----------



## longbowbbs

DragonOwen, it has been fun to watch your system progress. Great job and congrats!


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> DragonOwen, it has been fun to watch your system progress. Great job and congrats!


 
  Thanks, 
  I think that I'm still not finished with my system progress 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ... but have to pay my debt for purchasing WES and Akurate first 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
  Next I plan to do something about power... I'm thinking of buying something like Power Plant P3/P5 or Dussun X800/1200/1600 in the middle-end of next year


----------



## longbowbbs

Always something to add, upgrade, change, improve, modify, (I could keep going!)


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's a pretty set up there, Rawdawg. Still really want to hear the 2 Signature cans (Pro and DJ)


----------



## longbowbbs

RawDawg3234 lookin really good!. I always love the Woo Candy! What Wadia are you using?


----------



## Necrontyr

My work Head-fi station , however normally I USB to my PC too


----------



## Arvan

Not really my station but..I just finished my open back JVC HA-RX 700 today, the final mod was to put a new more sturdy 6,3mm plug..Can´t do much more to improve sound on these. It was a fun can to play arround with!


----------



## pwnm30rdi3

Quote: 





arvan said:


> Not really my station but..I just finished my open back JVC HA-RX 700 today, the final mod was to put a new more sturdy 6,3mm plug..Can´t do much more to improve sound on these. It was a fun can to play arround with!


 
   
  Pretty picture with nice depth. Did you use a Macro lens?


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





pwnm30rdi3 said:


> Pretty picture with nice depth. Did you use a Macro lens?


 
  Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 nikon d300 and sb-900, thanx


----------



## William007

necrontyr said:


> My work Head-fi station , however normally I USB to my PC too



Is that a grado plugged in your E7?


----------



## jazzerdave

This is very similar to my coworker's head-fi station except he uses Windows phone.
  Quote: 





necrontyr said:


> My work Head-fi station , however normally I USB to my PC too


----------



## Necrontyr

william007 said:


> Is that a grado plugged in your E7?




Thats an E17 ( has the buttons on top ) 

and nope, these are my grados ( those headphones ^^ in my last post are my sennheiser HD 595's )


----------



## William007

necrontyr said:


> Thats an E17 ( has the buttons on top )
> and nope, these are my grados ( those headphones ^^ in my last post are my sennheiser HD 595's )



Theplug looks identical of that of my sr80


----------



## Necrontyr

Thats actually the plug of my HifiMans which are sitting somewhere to the side  

The Alessandro MS-1 Plug is identical to the SR-60/80/125 etc plugs afaik


----------



## amandarae

Wow!


----------



## amandarae

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> This is the NORSE adapter to use my LCD ALO Chain Mail with a HE500.


 
  Someday.....I will copy this


----------



## amandarae

Great looking set up you have there!


----------



## amandarae

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> Here is the bedside setup. I have a DAC for iphone audio and I have my turntable below for my vinyl. I am really loving the passive preamp my good friend made for me. The sound is superb!


 
  Beautiful!!


----------



## amandarae

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> New toy!  K1000s.


 
  Wow!  Amazing set up you have there!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





arvan said:


> Not really my station but..I just finished my open back JVC HA-RX 700 today, the final mod was to put a new more sturdy 6,3mm plug..Can´t do much more to improve sound on these. It was a fun can to play arround with!


 
  I haven't been keeping track of all the HARX mods that've been going on recently. How do your creations sound?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

morbidtoaster said:


> That's a pretty set up there, Rawdawg. Still really want to hear the 2 Signature cans (Pro and DJ)



Wasn't a big fan of the sig pros at first but I let them break in a little an did some tube rolling. Now they're unbelievable. They really open up your system and expose all the source weaknesses. 
I also hear great things about the sig dj's


----------



## Rawdawg3234

longbowbbs said:


> RawDawg3234 lookin really good!. I always love the Woo Candy! What Wadia are you using?



I'm using the wadia 171. I'd give my impressions of it but I don't have anything to compare it to. I will say that the remote only needs 3 buttons. The rest are useless .


----------



## longbowbbs

Does the 171 have a DAC as part of its capabilities?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]





longbowbbs said:


> Does the 171 have a DAC as part of its capabilities?



No. It bipasses the 6 cent DAC in the iPod and produces a cd quality digital signal.
Wadia has a DAC called the 121 decoding computer.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> No. It bipasses the 6 cent DAC in the iPod and produces a cd quality digital signal.
> Wadia has a DAC called the 121 decoding computer.


 
  Nice, direct access to the files. Sweet system RD!


----------



## Rawdawg3234

longbowbbs said:


> Nice, direct access to the files. Sweet system RD!



Thanks man. There are definitely some weaknesses to the 171 but once I get my setup how I want it there won't be any issues.
What source are you using?


----------



## mechgamer123

I don't really have a "station" at this time, but I usually listen to headphones in bed or in close proximity.
  All my stuff:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Ultrasones are notorious for needing a large amount of burn in so I kind of get that.
   
  Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Wasn't a big fan of the sig pros at first but I let them break in a little an did some tube rolling. Now they're unbelievable. They really open up your system and expose all the source weaknesses.
> I also hear great things about the sig dj's


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





amandarae said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  X2, and congrats on the KKs. What do you think of them, and did you get an early number or later?
   
  Also where is your HE6, on your head?


----------



## William007

mechgamer123 said:


> I don't really have a "station" at this time, but I usually listen to headphones in bed or in close proximity.
> All my stuff:



Looks great!


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





amandarae said:


> Wow!  Amazing set up you have there!


 
   
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> X2, and congrats on the KKs. What do you think of them, and did you get an early number or later?
> 
> Also where is your HE6, on your head?


 
   
  That's a really old pic, but thanks guys.  Actually it's only a few months old, but in audio gear years we're looking at...at least 4+ years.
   
  Liked the K1Ks but the F3 didn't have enough push for them.  Seemed like they needed a nice pre- running to high wattage solid state amp (exactly as you have done Gro).  Just wasn't willing to invest that much time and energy into them.  The LCD-2s have departed as well.


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I haven't been keeping track of all the HARX mods that've been going on recently. How do your creations sound?


 
  Soundstage is vastly improved, the bass is tight and airy..Open them up improves the sound quite a bit..Great separation of instruments and a light detailed sound. Similair to the k701 but not as refined is the way i would put it.


----------



## William007

http://cdn.head-fi.org/f/fb/fb050827_image.jpeg


----------



## Armaegis

Is it just me or do those prices seem a little out of whack?


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/f/fb/fb050827_image.jpeg


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Is it just me or do those prices seem a little out of whack?


 
  "Out of whack" absolutely. Grado's cost a fortune in Europe. I paid £490 for my RS1's from the USA, if I'd bought from my nearsest dealer they would have been £849.50...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





william007 said:


> http://cdn.head-fi.org/f/fb/fb050827_image.jpeg


 
   
  Where is that? UK somewhere no doubt


----------



## William007

ultrainferno said:


> Where is that? UK somewhere no doubt :rolleyes:



My crib^^
No it's in Harrods


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





william007 said:


> My crib^^
> No it's in Harrods


 
  Makes sense.. Anyone who shops in Harrods can defo afford those prices


----------



## William007

Could somebody sugest me a good usb dac/amp for <$50, i was looking at the D5 but it has way to much noice,( does anybody have experiance with the D5/SR80i) i know this has to be in some kind of recomandation thread, i don't wanna look for it so please help me


----------



## DragonOwen

I know I just recently post photos of my rig, but yesterday my friend came by with his good camera and take some photos... so I decided to post some of them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 :


----------



## wolfetan44

Thats all you got?? Mine is a lot better. Haha. I wish I had a eighth of the setup you have!
  Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> I know I just recently post photos of my rig, but yesterday my friend came by with his good camera and take some photos... so I decided to post some of them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Yuceka

Man that Woo WES had better be glowing like an freaking radioactive material from another world considering its design, beauty, and price.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

dragonowen said:


> I know I just recently post photos of my rig, but yesterday my friend came by with his good camera and take some photos... so I decided to post some of them   :




There are very few times in my life when I've been jealous and this is one of them. Amazing setup man. I hope you get to enjoy it daily.


----------



## sphinxvc

Beautiful.  Considering you just paid about $7-8K for that rig, I pardon you for posting it multiple times.  
   
  The table's decor matches the GES (WES? -- the silver Woo).  
   
  Nice rig.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Could somebody sugest me a good usb dac/amp for <$50, i was looking at the D5 but it has way to much noice,( does anybody have experiance with the D5/SR80i) i know this has to be in some kind of recomandation thread, i don't wanna look for it so please help me


 
  E10, plain and simple.


----------



## tool462

I have a better monitor than DragonOwen!
   
   
   
  Oh the small victories in life...


----------



## elbastardo

My current set-up. I'm no photographer and I am in dire need of a new desk.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





elbastardo said:


> My current set-up. I'm no photographer and I am in dire need of a new desk.


 
   
  X-Dac + Violectric, very nice! I loved the combo a lot with the LCD-2. But I sold the X-DAC finally


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





elbastardo said:


> My current set-up. I'm no photographer and I am in dire need of a new desk.


 
  What did you do to the Denon cable? How did you do that?!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> E10, plain and simple.


 
  Good suggestion but whatever you do, wherever you buy a Fiio product, please please don't buy it from Micca Distributors. They have been causing me so much trouble for the E17 that I bought that I want to write it in the sky that they have an absolutely rude and terrible customer service.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Good suggestion but whatever you do, wherever you buy a Fiio product, please please don't buy it from Micca Distributors. They have been causing me so much trouble for the E17 that I bought that I want to write it in the sky that they have an absolutely rude and terrible customer service.


 
  That's terrible. In that case, I would recommend purchasing from J&R.


----------



## mRfRag

My head-fi soundstation :$


----------



## louis12345

Me gusta


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





mrfrag said:


> My head-fi soundstation :$
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  Very nice and classy portable rig!


----------



## Doc-holliday

This is my desk setup as of today:





I used 2 ipod touches here just to show that i use 2 apps to control my music (obviously u only need 1). The apple remote app and the onkyo app. I usually use the "direct mode" for HP use but you can see you can adjust basic eq and surround options from one of the onkyo menu's. 




I simply use the hp out on the reciever, nuthing fancy. To me the dual burr browns in this thing and their hp amp sound amazing so im happy for now. Fiio e10 on top gets no use. The ipod classic hooks direct to the reciever bypassing apple dac but for some reason you cant use usb and headphone out at the same time. Its ok works better to have apple remote and listen to all my alac files from the pc. 






Excuse my typing. Did this on my ipad.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





doc-holliday said:


> This is my desk setup as of today:
> 
> I simply use the hp out on the reciever, nuthing fancy. To me the dual burr browns in this thing and their hp amp sound amazing so im happy for now. Fiio e10 on top gets no use. The ipod classic hooks direct to the reciever bypassing apple dac but for some reason you cant use usb and headphone out at the same time. Its ok works better to have apple remote and listen to all my alac files from the pc.
> 
> Excuse my typing. Did this on my ipad.


 
  Yeah, I have a nice onkyo unit as well and I agree, the hp out on them is nothing short of outstanding.


----------



## elbastardo

Just braided it. Easy and quick.
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> What did you do to the Denon cable? How did you do that?!


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Good suggestion but whatever you do, wherever you buy a Fiio product, please please don't buy it from Micca Distributors. They have been causing me so much trouble for the E17 that I bought that I want to write it in the sky that they have an absolutely rude and terrible customer service.


 

 that's not my experience. Someone could have been having a bad day or...beats me.


----------



## Origin89

Quote: 





elbastardo said:


> My current set-up. I'm no photographer and I am in dire need of a new desk.


 
   
   
  How did you braid the Denon like that? Is there a site you can refer me to with instructions? I tried braiding mine into a chain link, but it wouldn't hold right.


----------



## jazzerdave

Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):


 
  That's a sexy rig right there


----------



## elbastardo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-m6C5-T0M  What the video doesn't show, is that it's crucial that you have no slack at the loop by the jack. Braid it all the way until the loop is just as tight as the rest of the braid.
   
  Quote: 





origin89 said:


> How did you braid the Denon like that? Is there a site you can refer me to with instructions? I tried braiding mine into a chain link, but it wouldn't hold right.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> that's not my experience. Someone could have been having a bad day or...beats me.


 
  This is not the right thread to discuss this but I really do care about customer service so let me just end it with this:
   
  I ordered a new E17 from Micca Distributors through Amazon. They sent me a used unit with every item in the package out of order and all the stickers been peeled off. When I told them about it, they said it is impossible  Impossible? So they asked me to send it back to investigate the matter. So I asked them if they'll send me another unit while this "investigation' is going on. They said no  And if you read the emails, I have never seen more rude customer service than this. And then the left channel goes dead. No sound at all. Thanks to Amazon guarantee service, they forced them to take the unit back. They did but they refunded some of my money and not all of it. They're basically treating it as though I tried it, didn't like it and returned it. So I am really pissed off and lost at least $35 just by ordering it from them. I'll avoid them like the plague next time.


----------



## longbowbbs

jazzerdave said:


> Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):




I like the Bottlehead. How does it compare to the CSP2+?


----------



## William007

jazzerdave said:


> Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):
> /quote]
> 
> Looks great!


----------



## William007

jazzerdave said:


> Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):



Looks great!


----------



## Origin89

Quote: 





elbastardo said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-m6C5-T0M  What the video doesn't show, is that it's crucial that you have no slack at the loop by the jack. Braid it all the way until the loop is just as tight as the rest of the braid.


 
   
  Perfect. Thanks.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I like the Bottlehead. How does it compare to the CSP2+?


 
   
  Well, it's definitely a better match for the Q701 than the CSP2+.  The Decware really didn't seem to like the low-impedance load and was rather grainy and broke up easily.  The Bottlehead handles the load much better and sounds pretty good.  Here's a breakdown:
   
  The CSP2+ is way better with the HD650 than it is with the Q701.
  The S.E.X. drive both, but I prefer it with the Q701.
  Out of the possible combinations of the CSP2+, S.E.X., Q701, and HD650, I like the HD650/CSP2+ combo the best. Not too far off is the Q701/S.E.X. combo.
   
  Now, I've also got a Decware Taboo on the way that could just throw everything off.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Here's the system I set up in my bedroom last night (Denon DVD-2200 --> Bottlehead S.E.X. --> AKG Q701):


 
   
  Nice....makes me miss my Denon 2900 universal player! I loved that thing.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





focker said:


> Nice....makes me miss my Denon 2900 universal player! I loved that thing.


 

 I know I've usually been able to find the 3910 for $150-$250 on eBay.  The 2200 can be had for ~$100.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I know I've usually been able to find the 3910 for $150-$250 on eBay.  The 2200 can be had for ~$100.


 
   
  I still have my 2900 sitting in my closet...the repair estimate I got for it a few years ago was like $100 or so. Probably not worth getting it serviced, but it was a fantastic player when I bought it new in 2002.


----------



## Redrider469

Here's an update on my setup. Got myself a new desk along with a new monitor and keyboard. I can actually sit up straight at my desk now!
   
   



   
  Last one here just shows some of the lighting I have going on. The picture makes it look harsh but it's very soothing in person.


----------



## Doc-holliday

redrider469 said:


> Here's an update on my setup. Got myself a new desk along with a new monitor and keyboard. I can actually sit up straight at my desk now!




Who cares about the desk, keyboard and monitor....... I got my eye on that Lava lamp!. Nice!


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





doc-holliday said:


> Who cares about the desk, keyboard and monitor....... I got my eye on that Lava lamp!. Nice!


 
  Haha thanks! That thing is from the early 90's I believe. Its been the only mood lighting that I've always kept and haven't even thought of getting rid of.


----------



## mechgamer123

doc-holliday said:


> This is my desk setup as of today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Which model onkyo is that?
I should look into those for the headphone SQ alone considering my Pioneer has channel imbalance issues :/
Also, may I ask if you own a PS3? I did have an onkyo a couple years ago, but the video DAC it used caused trouble with PS3s...
Edit: iPad autocorrect :mad:


----------



## Doc-holliday

mechgamer123 said:


> Which model onkyo is that?
> I should look into those for the headphone SQ alone considering my Pioneer has channel imbalance issues :/
> Also, may I ask if you own a PS3? I did have an onkyo a couple years ago, but the video DAC it used caused trouble with PS3s...
> Edit: iPad autocorrect :mad:




It is the TX-NR509. I got it refurbished from accessoriesforless.com. They are the only authorized refurb dealer for onkyo if you check the onkyo site. The newest version of this reciever is the TX-NR414 I believe. The specs are virtually identical so I chose to go with the 509 and save a few bucks. 

I don't have PS3 but I'll bet it would work. The last sony I had was glitchy on the hdmi pass through of my computer to my monitor because my monitor is not 1080 it is a 1920X1200. But the onkyo handles it seamlessly. Not a single problem with the higher resolution. 

Hope that helps.


----------



## allyl

Enjoying this quite a bit at the moment!


----------



## mechgamer123

Quote: 





doc-holliday said:


> It is the TX-NR509. I got it refurbished from accessoriesforless.com. They are the only authorized refurb dealer for onkyo if you check the onkyo site. The newest version of this reciever is the TX-NR414 I believe. The specs are virtually identical so I chose to go with the 509 and save a few bucks.
> I don't have PS3 but I'll bet it would work. The last sony I had was glitchy on the hdmi pass through of my computer to my monitor because my monitor is not 1080 it is a 1920X1200. But the onkyo handles it seamlessly. Not a single problem with the higher resolution.
> Hope that helps.


 
  I believe I had the 307 or 308, I'm assuming they fixed it then with their latest batch of receivers...
  im having an issue with my Vsx-920k right now where if I reboot my PC hooked up to it, it will change black to green and white to pink...
  thanks for the site as well.


----------



## vinyl addict

My secondary analogue system


----------



## MorbidToaster

Favorite Technics table.
   
  Still want to own one.


----------



## justie

How epic would it be if someone could use an actual CD/vinyl jukebox as their transport :O


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been wanting to get another Jukebox lately but all the iPod based ones apparently suck. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





justie said:


> How epic would it be if someone could use an actual CD/vinyl jukebox as their transport :O


----------



## Doc-holliday

mechgamer123 said:


> I believe I had the 307 or 308, I'm assuming they fixed it then with their latest batch of receivers...
> im having an issue with my Vsx-920k right now where if I reboot my PC hooked up to it, it will change black to green and white to pink...
> thanks for the site as well.



Yea you won't have that problem with the model I have. Listening to mine right now with my DT990s....

On the subject, here is an interesting thread on their high end line. This doesn't have HDMI and home stereo type functions but has novel things called "knobs" on the front and "audiophile grade" capacitors and components inside. Dacs are top tier. Won't be good with your ps3 but will be a hell of a headphone/stereo desk setup. 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/621917/onkyo-a-5vl-a-game-changer


----------



## justie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been wanting to get another Jukebox lately but all the iPod based ones apparently suck.


 
   
  yeah, its not exactly easy to find something that looks like this, uses CD/vinyl but still has a decent dac or even better, digital out


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





redrider469 said:


> Here's an update on my setup. Got myself a new desk along with a new monitor and keyboard. I can actually sit up straight at my desk now!
> 
> Last one here just shows some of the lighting I have going on. The picture makes it look harsh but it's very soothing in person.


 
  Aren't you worried about over stretching your headphones like that?


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





vinyl addict said:


> My secondary analogue system


 
   
  47 laboratory, nice!  They make a great DAC as well.


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Aren't you worried about over stretching your headphones like that?


 
  Originally yes, but the clamp force was high so I decided to stretch them out a bit. They still clamp just fine with having them stretched out as such. I don't see it as any different than having the headphones on all the time. The Ultrasone bands are also pretty flexible and durable so if I really needed to, I could increase the clamping force if they were to ever get too stretch out


----------



## MorbidToaster

Wasn't sure what that stuff was and now that you've answered my question...their entire line seems fairly reasonable. Wonder where I can hear some...
   
  Quote: 





colinharding said:


> 47 laboratory, nice!  They make a great DAC as well.


----------



## bluedolphin

I Am planning to get a Headphone stand Either audio technica Glastand (will Denon D5000 be too heavy for them?)  or something else maybe from Zoppapro
  For now my only solution is this  (as i dont want to harm my Alienware screen by hanging them on it)
   
  The ideal solution would be a round swing stand that could take 3 headphones but need somewhere to buy one


----------



## bluedolphin

Well Atleast i am not going to buy a Zoppa headphone stand
  I called their number they said they didnt understand and just hang up on me 2 time
  and their website is down


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Wasn't sure what that stuff was and now that you've answered my question...their entire line seems fairly reasonable. Wonder where I can hear some...


 
  The PiTracer CD Transport is $32,500


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice! Ill post pictures later today of my setup.
  Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
   
  That really has a high tech look to it.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Wasn't sure what that stuff was and now that you've answered my question...their entire line seems fairly reasonable. Wonder where I can hear some...


 
   
  Deja Vu Audio Ltd, McLean VA.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





thoth said:


> Well Atleast i am not going to buy a Zoppa headphone stand
> I called their number they said they didnt understand and just hang up on me 2 time
> and their website is down


 
   

   
  Pay me instead dude


----------



## MorbidToaster

Of course you picked the most expensive item. I guess I should've said 'almost the entire line'.
   
  The only other thing above 10k is the TT, but for the DACs, Phono Stages, and Amps it seems very reasonable if the sound holds up.
   
  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> The PiTracer CD Transport is $32,500


----------



## longbowbbs

I appreciate the total "Go for it" approach to Summit-Fi, but seriously, $32,000 for a CD player? Considering the direction of music consumption and the advance of lossless codecs you wonder where the tipping point is for a product making sense.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Of course you picked the most expensive item. I guess I should've said 'almost the entire line'.
> 
> The only other thing above 10k is the TT, but for the DACs, Phono Stages, and Amps it seems very reasonable if the sound holds up.


 
  Yes, it was an "entire line" comment.  Perhaps I take statements like that too literally.
   
  Keep in mind the DACs, phono stages, and amps all need to be paired with "humpty"s or "dumpty"s ($2500 and $3500) PS's for optimal performance.  That brings the price up quite a bit.
   
  That said, some of their products do come up at decent discounts on Audiogon once in a while.


----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## Focker

I have yet to see a non-drool inducing pic of a Woo amp.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


>


 
  That looks really cool, love the stand aswell


----------



## Moosecraft

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


>


 
  How do you like the ED10?


----------



## .Sup

hifiguy528 said:


> Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!



Will you make a video review of UE6000?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Will you make a video review of UE6000?


 
   
  I will in a few weeks after some ear time.


----------



## .Sup

hifiguy528 said:


> I will in a few weeks after some ear time.



awesome, can't wait


----------



## longbowbbs

I am going to have to get some kind of stand for the 650's...


----------



## Gofre

Finally bought everything I need for my desk at uni, very happy with the setup now so I thought I'd share [=

   
  The relevant audio goodies are a 2011 Mac Mini>>FiiO E17>>Arcam Alpha 8 driving (For the moment) a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s and Philips Fidelio L1s.


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
  That is a very fine system for school! How are you enjoying the Wharfdales?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

moosecraft said:


> How do you like the ED10?



I liked them before but I just got them back from a recable and they are fantastic. I have my "punchy" tubes in and they sound amazing. Awesome bass response and clarity.


----------



## Gofre

Thanks  they're fantastic, most of my listening gets done through headphones (This is head fi after all!) so I didn't want to spend too much. Luckily I inherited the amp and cabling from my father, and I had enough amazon credit to get the 9.1s for about £70, an absolute steal for that! I don't think I'm likely to find anything better for that sort of money. Part of me wants a sub, but they're bassy enough for my tastes most of the time and I'm not sure the people on lower floors would particularly appreciate it, they're loud enough as it is.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

longbowbbs said:


> I am going to have to get some kind of stand for the 650's...



Sennheiser makes a nice little desk mounted pad so they can hang off the edge of your station.


----------



## longbowbbs

Found it! Cheap too....I don't have a desk type that it would work on, but great concept.


----------



## vinyl addict

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks friend....good things come in small packages


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!


 
  How does the Focusrite Forte compare to the Apogee Digital Duet 2?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!


 
  How does the Focusrite Forte compare to the Apogee Digital Duet 2?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd be interested on this one too. They made improvements on the Duet feature wise, IMO. So I'd really like to hear how it performs.
   
  No breakaway outputs is a huge plus, PC and Mac, and the option for a proper PSU.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> How does the Focusrite Forte compare to the Apogee Digital Duet 2?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'd be interested on this one too. They made improvements on the Duet feature wise, IMO. So I'd really like to hear how it performs.
> 
> No breakaway outputs is a huge plus,* PC and Mac*, and the option for a proper PSU.


 
  This is what primarily got me interested..


----------



## William007

Quote: 





gofre said:


> Finally bought everything I need for my desk at uni, very happy with the setup now so I thought I'd share [=
> 
> 
> The relevant audio goodies are a 2011 Mac Mini>>FiiO E17>>Arcam Alpha 8 driving (For the moment) a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s and Philips Fidelio L1s.


 
  i love wharfedale  nice setup btw
   
  400TH POST


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> Just got this in.  Focusrite Forte & UE6000 headphones.  Sounds great!


 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> How does the Focusrite Forte compare to the Apogee Digital Duet 2?


 
   
  Recently Echo Audio also released the Echo2. Has anyone had a chance to hear that?
   
  I'm currently using a NI Traktor 2 which is great for outputs and functionality, but the headphone out leaves me a little wanting.


----------



## niten

Quote: 





gofre said:


> Finally bought everything I need for my desk at uni, very happy with the setup now so I thought I'd share [=
> 
> 
> The relevant audio goodies are a 2011 Mac Mini>>FiiO E17>>Arcam Alpha 8 driving (For the moment) a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s and Philips Fidelio L1s.


 
  That is quite the long wall at a university.
  My next step would be throwing up a painting/picture/poster on that wall.


----------



## manveru

Quote: 





niten said:


> That is quite the long wall at a university.


 
   
  I was thinking the same thing.


----------



## detoxguy

After much overhaul this is where I will be staying for a while I'm hoping. I added a Bifrost which replaced my LD DAC_1 and upgraded the Rega RP1 to the RP3 with Grado Gold cartridge, added the Mapletree L2X preamp, and upgraded my crappy audio rack to the Target S230. I'm pretty happy with this, which is good because I've spent all my money!


----------



## Focker

Nice rack, Detox! haha


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





focker said:


> Nice rack, Detox! haha


 
  +1


----------



## longbowbbs

Well done Detoxguy! Terrific looking setup. I'll be it sounds wonderful.  What wood color is the shelf on the rack?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

focker said:


> Nice rack, Detox! haha



+1. Beautiful setup. We've seen your rack. Now show us your cans.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> +1. Beautiful setup. We've seen your rack. Now show us your cans.


 






  (We never REALLY move on from Jr. High do we?)


----------



## Gofre

Quote: 





niten said:


> That is quite the long wall at a university.
> My next step would be throwing up a painting/picture/poster on that wall.


 
   
  Quote: 





manveru said:


> I was thinking the same thing.


 
   
  I've got the top room, which is a bit U-shaped loft conversion. It looks big in pictures but there's a massive chunk cut out the middle, it's only about four foot wide to the wall opposite the radiator.


----------



## Gofre

niten said:


> That is quite the long wall at a university.
> My next step would be throwing up a painting/picture/poster on that wall.


 
   


manveru said:


> I was thinking the same thing.


 
   
  I've got the top room, which is a bit U-shaped loft conversion. It looks big in the picture but there's a massive chunk cut out the middle, it's only about four foot wide to the wall opposite the radiator.


----------



## thenorwegian

Current setup...


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Current setup...


 
   
  Very nice...What cans are those?  I recognize some of them but just curious.


----------



## thenorwegian

Thanks. Denon d7100, audio technica w1000x and hifiman he-500.
   
  *edit to correct misstake*


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Thanks. Denon d7100, audio technica w100x and hifiman he-500.


 
  How are the Hifiman HE-500?


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How are the Hifiman HE-500?


 
   
  IMO, the HE-500 would be the best out of those three...but then again, perspective is relative.


----------



## thenorwegian

The short way of describing the he-500 is "believe the hype". I had an he-500 that got sold when I bought the audeze lcd-3, but the lcd-3 was uncomfortable for me so I sold it and bought another he-500 (the one I have now). And while the lcd-3 is the better headphone, it's not by enough to make me really miss it when I have the he-500.


----------



## anachronsimic

I have a feeling I am going to be spending quite some time just looking through this thread. So much stuff to see.


----------



## detoxguy

longbowbbs said:


> Well done Detoxguy! Terrific looking setup. I'll be it sounds wonderful.  What wood color is the shelf on the rack?




This one is the cherrywood veneer.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> The short way of describing the he-500 is "believe the hype". I had an he-500 that got sold when I bought the audeze lcd-3, but the lcd-3 was uncomfortable for me so I sold it and bought another he-500 (the one I have now). And while the lcd-3 is the better headphone, it's not by enough to make me really miss it when I have the he-500.


 
  Ok thanks. I'll probably get Mad Dogs because there more practical and can use them anywhere. HE-500's only at home. Thanks!


----------



## jazzerdave

So I keep making changes.  Here I've got pictures of the most recent iteration of my living-room setup.  Next to my ST-70 is the Decware CSP2+ driving the HD650.  It's also feeding the Decware Taboo that sits right nextdoor.  That is powering the AKG Q701.  Sometime soon I need to unplug everything a reroute all the cords to get rid of a bit of hum that's crept up..


----------



## longbowbbs

OK...Now I can't wait for the CSP2+ to get shipped...It got delayed for Zenfest. Should be shipped any day now.....


----------



## HPManiac

Here are my rigs: Sorry for the dark photos, I was testing the F1.8 lens on my point-and-shoot.
   
  1. PC rig - you can't see the Kingrex UD384 + PSU feeding the Lebel CS300x into LCD2rev2s/HifiMan HE-5s/880s/702s/650s/ESW10Jpns/DT1350s/K550s ços they're behind the monitor. The Stax is a Lambda Sig (404 and 006t) driven by aformentioned PC-Kingrex or Marantz SA8003
   
   

   
  2. The bedroom rig - a Cyrus CD8x feeding a Musical Fidelity M1 DAC feeding a M1 HPA, or a Cyrus 8vs integrated driving an Epos ELS 2.1 setup


----------



## .Sup

thenorwegian said:


> Current setup...



How is the Taurus?


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





hpmaniac said:


> Here are my rigs: Sorry for the dark photos, I was testing the F1.8 lens on my point-and-shoot.
> 
> 1. PC rig - you can't see the Kingrex UD384 + PSU feeding the Lebel CS300x into LCD2rev2s/HifiMan HE-5s/880s/702s/650s/ESW10Jpns/DT1350s/K550s ços they're behind the monitor. The Stax is a Lambda Sig (404 and 006t) driven by aformentioned PC-Kingrex or Marantz SA8003
> 
> 2. The bedroom rig - a Cyrus CD8x feeding a Musical Fidelity M1 DAC feeding a M1 HPA, or a Cyrus 8vs integrated driving an Epos ELS 2.1 setup


 
  I need to know what those LCD-2 Cables are !!!!!!!


----------



## thenorwegian

Quote: 





.sup said:


> How is the Taurus?


 
   
  I took a chance buying it as I could only find 6moons review of it, but I pretty much agree with 6moons about everything. It's a very good amp. Most impressive is the amount of power, big soundstage and massive amounts of air it gives you. Sounds great with everything I have, and the same goes for the lcd-3 I sold.


----------



## .Sup

thenorwegian said:


> I took a chance buying it as I could only find 6moons review of it, but I pretty much agree with 6moons about everything. It's a very good amp. Most impressive is the amount of power, big soundstage and massive amounts of air it gives you. Sounds great with everything I have, and the same goes for the lcd-3 I sold.



Did you compare it to other amps as well?


----------



## LinkPro

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Current setup...


 
   
  How's the D7100 so far? I had the W1000X before, and have the D7000 now, but still curious about the D7100.


----------



## Focker

I wish I liked the sound of my Q701s as much as I like how they look in photos! I don't know what it is, but I find these headphones very photogenic...every time I see them in a pic I go over and look at mine lol.


----------



## thenorwegian

*SUP:* I've only had the shiit asgard and musical fidelity m1 hpa before the auralic taurus. The Musical Fidelity M1 HPA is a massive improvement over the shiit asgard, and the taurus is an improvement ove the m1 hpa. The m1 hpa colors the sound a bit, while the taurus is pretty neutral.
   
*LINKPRO:* I'm suprised at how much sub-bass the d7100 has, it's really a beast. Beeing a "top of the line" headphone I was expecting something a bit more refined, but the denon d7100 really is a party monster. You're fully aware you've got some bass happy headphones on you no matter what kind of music you listen to with them. If any basshead is looking to upgrade to some true "hifi sound", but doesn't want to loose out in the bass department - I'd suggest the d7100 in a heartbeat. It's for anyone that wants to FEEL the music aswell as hear it. Everyone else should stay away. Personally I'm very happy with them. I have the he-500 for when I want to do some critical listening, just me and the music. The W1000X for when I want music a bit more in the background when I'm doing other stuff at the same time, and the D7100 for when I want to get kicked in the head with bass.They're also super comfortable. Can wear them for hours, just like the w1000x.


----------



## .Sup

thanks for your input norwegian!


----------



## Arvan

I just got the superlux HD330 today..First impression is....I am impressed! Review to follow


----------



## anoxy

Nice, they look a lot like Beyers. Are they made by the same people?


----------



## Arvan

Well i don´t really know, i have heard that superlux is a pretty big manufacturer of various electornic componets like drivers etc..They look like beyers, and feels alot like DT 770. They share the same construction with mixed aluminum / plastic.
   
  They actually sound very good..Considering the price of 29euro..It is a rather amazing product!


----------



## justie

Where do u people get those head busts for headphone stands? So awesome XD


----------



## rawrster

My rig has changed a bit since my last picture. I sold my V200 amp and awaiting the return of my Mjolnir and in between I picked up a HE-6


----------



## HPManiac

Hi,
   
  They're ALO Reference cables.
   
  Cheers.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pier One Imports has 'em for $20 all day long.
   
  Quote: 





justie said:


> Where do u people get those head busts for headphone stands? So awesome XD


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My rig has changed a bit since my last picture. I sold my V200 amp and awaiting the return of my Mjolnir and in between I picked up a HE-6


 
   
  Looking good.


----------



## RamblinE

Superlux is a transducer OEM that specializes more in microphones I think but has been making wildly successful cheap headphones for a while now. 
   
  I have a beater pair of Superlux HD681s. They have their own unique sound but they're styled very closely after the AKG K240. The sibling to the HD681, the HD688b has what appear to be AKG cups and the padded wing system from Audio Technica's Audiophile line. Superlux headphones have a unique sound but are stylistic rip offs.


----------



## Yuceka

How do they not get sued over their designs?


----------



## RamblinE

Beeeeeats me hahahahaa.


----------



## justie

Gentlemen, meet my mancave XD
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


----------



## CrystalT

http://www.imgur.com/nDtl0.jpeg


----------



## Dyaems

nice legs


----------



## justie

Nice speaker stands  also, legs wide open? :O


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> How do they not get sued over their designs?


 
   
  AKG, Beyer, and Beats (in the case of Fanny Wang), etc aren't as touchy as Apple apparently.


----------



## CrystalT

Those aren't stands. I put my monitors on top of my vintage floor standing speakers

I was kneeling on my chair for a better view, so yes, enjoy the candid knee shot. Don't fap, now, gentlemen.


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My rig has changed a bit since my last picture. I sold my V200 amp and awaiting the return of my Mjolnir and in between I picked up a HE-6


 
   
   
  Though you haven't used the Mjolnir with both (I assume) yet, if you had to keep one...HD800's or HE-6?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> My rig has changed a bit since my last picture. I sold my V200 amp and awaiting the return of my Mjolnir and in between I picked up a HE-6


 
  Nice. The HE6's always just look sooo slick


----------



## niten

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice. The HE6's always just look sooo slick


 
  And the best part is they sound better than they look.


----------



## MHOE

This is my head-fi station in its current state 
   
*Serious*: PC => O2/ODAC => Denon AH-D7000
*Casual*: Xonar Essence ST => Fiio E9 (pre-amp) => Speakers (positioned behind and towards the left from the image below)
   

   

   
   
   O2/ODAC has finally arrived!
   

   
   
  I love this topic, many many great rigs!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> AKG, Beyer, and Beats (in the case of Fanny Wang), etc aren't as touchy as Apple apparently.


 
  Well this is actually a bit beyond being touchy. It's the exact same design. If you covered the Superlux sign, I'd say someone modded their Beyers.


----------



## spekkio

My current setup. When your Stax Omega II Mk1s are in storage, you know speakers are the real deal. Though I do miss the stats' transients and neutrality once in a while.


----------



## dolor

Sorry about those red dots in the image. My digital camera must be broken.


----------



## sobrietywarrior

My work setup in progress...


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> Though you haven't used the Mjolnir with both (I assume) yet, if you had to keep one...HD800's or HE-6?


 
  The Mjolnir is coming back to me today but I'm not home to pick it up so probably later this week I will be able to try them.
   
  Right now the HD800 is my favorite headphone and pretty much suits me perfectly. The HE-6 I haven't had much time yet since I'm using the D1 dac/amp until my Mjolnir returns but it will have to be realy good to surpass the HD800. When I have a fair comparison which will be with that amp then i will know but it will take something special to surpass the HD800.


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> The Mjolnir is coming back to me today but I'm not home to pick it up so probably later this week I will be able to try them.
> 
> Right now the HD800 is my favorite headphone and pretty much suits me perfectly. The HE-6 I haven't had much time yet since I'm using the D1 dac/amp until my Mjolnir returns but it will have to be realy good to surpass the HD800. When I have a fair comparison which will be with that amp then i will know but it will take something special to surpass the HD800.


 
   
  I think, in my experience, the only thing the HE-6 significantly passes the HD-800 in is bass.  The HD-800 sounds more open, has better separation, is more comfortable, and goes toe to toe in most other areas.  The only reason I use the HE-6 over the HD-800s is when I want more bass.  Bass aside, the HE-6s are a step above in most areas over the LCD-2.2s when amped properly, but I still prefer the LCD-2s because of the signature Audeze sound and oh, that sweet luscious bass.  I just can't go without it...  If bass was not something I was too concerned with, I'd go with the HD-800s and be done with it.  No second guesses or doubts about it.


----------



## HeadCare

Quote: 





dolor said:


> Sorry about those red dots in the image. My digital camera must be broken.


 
  You captured blood from the spirit world


----------



## dolor

Quote:


headcare said:


> You captured blood from the spirit world


 
  I wish, would be probably nicer than the poltergeist always tangling my headphone cords


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really should get a decal like this for my MBP. The Joker one is the one I've had my eye on for awhile.
   
  Quote: 





sobrietywarrior said:


> My work setup in progress...


 
   
  I don't know. I picked the HD800 over the LCD 2.2 even though I listen to a lot of Bass Heavy EDM. I felt the HD800's bass just has more texture than the LCD 2 or HE-6. There was something about it.
   
  Quote: 





tokendog said:


> I think, in my experience, the only thing the HE-6 significantly passes the HD-800 in is bass.  The HD-800 sounds more open, has better separation, is more comfortable, and goes toe to toe in most other areas.  The only reason I use the HE-6 over the HD-800s is when I want more bass.  Bass aside, the HE-6s are a step above in most areas over the LCD-2.2s when amped properly, but I still prefer the LCD-2s because of the signature Audeze sound and oh, that sweet luscious bass.  I just can't go without it...  If bass was not something I was too concerned with, I'd go with the HD-800s and be done with it.  No second guesses or doubts about it.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





justie said:


> Gentlemen, meet my mancave XD
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Dost thou play Darksiders 2?


----------



## justie

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Dost thou play Darksiders 2?


 
  Finished in 3 days XD currently rushing uni assignments but after that ill have to download the DLC and go through it in apocalyptic again haha


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dolor said:


> I wish, would be probably nicer than the poltergeist always tangling my headphone cords


 
  Crap, I have them too!


----------



## rawrster

My setup is now complete for a some time  Also no that is not how I store my HE6. It was just for the picture.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Do you have a Gungnir on order? I bet your tune will change about the HD800's bass when you get that dac in your chain. The LCD-2's bass is a bloated fart cannon in comparison.


----------



## bigmarcelo

study set up .... 
   
  MDAC, imac with Amarra, SBT via USB to MDAC (not pictured), wooaudio WA6... Senn HD650, Moon Audio Silver Dragon cables... 
   
  I'm also testing here my newly received audioquest Dragonfly on my macbookpro with amarra .... sounds very decent indeed.... if I could just put a tube buffer inside!!! but wait.. my gobive portatube + does....


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
  Very nice collection. All great gear...


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Do you have a Gungnir on order? I bet your tune will change about the HD800's bass when you get that dac in your chain. The LCD-2's bass is a bloated fart cannon in comparison.


 
   
  Sorry to stray from topic, but I do, in fact.  It hasn't shipped yet but should this week.   Then I will have the Gungnir / Mjolnir stack.  I am looking forward to trying the combo with all of my headphones.  Thanks for your input on what to expect though.


----------



## .Sup

rawrster said:


> My setup is now complete for a some time  Also no that is not how I store my HE6. It was just for the picture.



Did you buy your HE-6 used? Because that's the old v1 with heatshrink cable. I hate it, it touches my shoulders. Do you always have both headphones connected?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





.sup said:


> Did you buy your HE-6 used? Because that's the old v1 with heatshrink cable. I hate it, it touches my shoulders. Do you always have both headphones connected?


 
   
  Yes I got mine used. I don't mind the old cable but I was not aware there were multiple cables. I had originally hoped I could run both at the same time but the two headphones I use with that amp do not have similar specs so one either runs too loud or not loud enough. I just had them both plugged in at the time.


----------



## 28980

Mine right now; not nearly as awesome of parts as some of the ones in here but oh well.
   
   

   
   

   
   
  xpost from the anime thread


----------



## Rawrbington

thats a great clean setup.
  put those speakers on some cinder blocks or something
  im a fan of those pioneers.  Killer small bookshelves.
   
  which senn's are those?


----------



## 28980

hd 558s; cinderblocks.. are ugly though. I'm trying my hand at some woodworking this winter break with a friend. hopefully it doesn't look like a "5th grade arts and craft project" as he predicts it to turn out as.


----------



## calipilot227

I'm running a pair of those as rear surrounds in my home theater setup. I use these stands:
   
http://www.amazon.com/SANUS-SYSTEMS-BF-31B-Speaker-Stands/dp/B00006JQ5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349926045&sr=8-1&keywords=sanus+speaker+stands
   
  They come with plastic feet and carpet spikes.


----------



## 28980

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I'm running a pair of those as rear surrounds in my home theater setup. I use these stands:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/SANUS-SYSTEMS-BF-31B-Speaker-Stands/dp/B00006JQ5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349926045&sr=8-1&keywords=sanus+speaker+stands
> 
> They come with plastic feet and carpet spikes.


 
  Thanks for the tip! I just spent like $400 monday so probably won't get those. I think DIY home project would be more fun anyways no matter how poorly it turns out, I like giving stuff a go myself sometimes. If that ends up going bottoms up; well I can always buy a premade one sometime later. 
   
  Edit:
   
  Also, just curious do you use the c21 and fs51's for your surround system or something else? I might upgrade eventually but not sure about what matches with what generally.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





28980 said:


> Thanks for the tip! I just spent like $400 monday so probably won't get those. I think DIY home project would be more fun anyways no matter how poorly it turns out, I like giving stuff a go myself sometimes. If that ends up going bottoms up; well I can always buy a premade one sometime later.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Also, just curious do you use the c21 and fs51's for your surround system or something else? I might upgrade eventually but not sure about what matches with what generally.


 
   
  I actually use a pair of Magnepan MGII's as mains, one Polk Monitor 7C as the center, and the Pioneer BS21's as the rears. Also running a Cambridge Basscube 8. It's a bit of a mix, but it sounds good to my ears 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Although, sticking with the Pioneer towers, center, and sub isn't a bad way to go. They sound _very_ good for their price point.


----------



## 28980

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I actually use a pair of Magnepan MGII's as mains, one Polk Monitor 7C as the center, and the Pioneer BS21's as the rears. Also running a Cambridge Basscube 8. It's a bit of a mix, but it sounds good to my ears
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yeah I just think the towers are kinda gross looking to be honest. Well I probably won't be updating for a while this was my splurge purchase along with a pait of m80's. Gotta save up some more for grad school and then many splurge again when there's another good deal haha.


----------



## samsquanch

ok, finally getting around to posting a picture of my setup.  I just moved into a new place with three friends, and I'm pretty sure my room wins the stereo competition.
   
   

   
  Sources:  Technics SL-23 turntable with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge sitting on a sand box, which runs into a Hagerman Buggle phono pre.  PS3, laptop both run into a Cambridge Audio Dac Magic.
   
  All sources run into a 3 in 4 out switch box I made
   
  Speaker Amp:  A Pioneer VSX-D498 that I've had since middle school, that I fixed yesterday, bad rotary encoder on the volume knob.
   
  Speakers:  Tannoy DI6 that I have mounted on some MDF.
   
  Headphone amp:  Beta 22 (3 Channel)
   
  Headphones:  Audio-Technica M-50, Beyer DT-880 Pro (250 ohm), and a crappy turtle beach headset I use for gaming.
   
  Flanked on both sides by my record collection, as well as movies.
   
  It's so nice to be moved in.


----------



## 28980

Very nice! I should probably look into getting a switchbox eventually. How difficult was it to make (I'm a complete electronics noob)
   
  And wow, nice vinyl collection. Well its the first pic I've seem of one so far and its to me its impressive.
   
  Or.. atleast I think those are vinyls right?


----------



## samsquanch

The switch box was pretty easy to build, time consuming, but it's a simple idea, signal comes in, goes through a relay, goes out through another one, and the knobs on the front pick which relay gets used.
   
  Yep all vinyl, on the left shelf the top two cubes are metal, second down punk, third down on the right is country.  Top two cubes of the right shelf is pre 90's rock, second shelf down on the right is jazz, blues and post 1990 rock, and below all that on the third shelf down are my punk 7"s.  I'm a bit obsessive about organizing my records, separated by genre, alphabetical and chronological.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I actually use a pair of Magnepan MGII's as mains


 
  Love seeing other Maggie owners around head-fi....nice speakers, man!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


>


 
   
  Nice rack! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Did you build it yourself?
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Love seeing other Maggie owners around head-fi....nice speakers, man!


 
   
  Thanks! Yeah, once you hear planars, it's hard to go back. What do you use to drive yours? I think a power amp is going to be my next upgrade when the money supply allows for it.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Nice rack!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Dude, depending on your price range, I'll give you one of the best kept secrets in Maggies...find yourself a used Butler 2250. I have used Butler amps for the past seven years and they are AMAZING with Maggies. BK Butler used to pair with Jim Winey at the larger audio shows like RMAF and CES. His amps are ideal for Maggies because they give you the balls of solid state and are stable down to and below 2ohms, but they also incorporate tubes so you get a very subtle amount of tube influence on the sound.  It's an unbelievable pairing. I was biamping my 3.6s with a 2250 and a 5150 until just recently and everyone who heard my Maggies was just floored. A new 2250 is nearly 3k, but on the used market not many people know about them and you can haggle someone down to around $1200. You'll never need another amp.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





focker said:


> Dude, depending on your price range, I'll give you one of the best kept secrets in Maggies...find yourself a used Butler 2250. I have used Butler amps for the past seven years and they are AMAZING with Maggies. BK Butler used to pair with Jim Winey at the larger audio shows like RMAF and CES. His amps are ideal for Maggies because they give you the balls of solid state and are stable down to and below 2ohms, but they also incorporate tubes so you get a very subtle amount of tube influence on the sound.  It's an unbelievable pairing. I was biamping my 3.6s with a 2250 and a 5150 until just recently and everyone who heard my Maggies was just floored. A new 2250 is nearly 3k, but on the used market not many people know about them and you can haggle someone down to around $1200. You'll never need another amp.


 
   
  Yeah, probably looking for something under $1,000. Eyeing the Emotiva XPA-2 (500 wpc at 4 ohms, $799 new), or an Adcom GFA-555 (I've seen them on eBay around $500).


----------



## Arvan




----------



## 28980

@arvan
   
  Nice! Where'd you get your mint tin for your cmoy from? I'm looking for a cool one but its a pain >_>.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Nice rack!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yup, just some MDF and all thread, three legs so it's super easy to level!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I had a pair of UPA-1s for my MMGs and they definitely did the job. The guy that bought them locally brought his own unit to try and avoid buying the monos with the speakers, but in the end he took the UPA-1s home.
   
  Plus with their new Preamp _*finally*_ being released...Now's the time to buy.
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Yeah, probably looking for something under $1,000. Eyeing the Emotiva XPA-2 (500 wpc at 4 ohms, $799 new), or an Adcom GFA-555 (I've seen them on eBay around $500).


----------



## 28980

Man people and their DIY is so impressive; I probably can't even cut wood straight.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Yeah, probably looking for something under $1,000. Eyeing the Emotiva XPA-2 (500 wpc at 4 ohms, $799 new), or an Adcom GFA-555 (I've seen them on eBay around $500).


 
   
  If you're considering those, I'd strongly recommend adding the Adcom GFA-5802 to your list.  Having heard the XPA-2 for a little while and Adcom 555, 5500, 565, 5800, and 5802 extensively, the 5802 is the winner in my book.  That thing will run at full power at 1 ohm for a day and not blow up.  It's a beast - an absolute beast.  There may be better amps (I've hear a few), but they cost >= 500% more.  I personally run tube amps, but in the budget SS category, I can't give a stronger recommendation.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





28980 said:


> Man people and their DIY is so impressive; I *probably* can't even cut wood straight.


 
   
  Won't know until you try...


----------



## 28980

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Won't know until you try...


 
   
  I am over winter break! Going to attempt some speaker stands with mdf.


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





28980 said:


> @arvan
> 
> Nice! Where'd you get your mint tin for your cmoy from? I'm looking for a cool one but its a pain >_>.


 
  I bought the c-moy from e-bay..Seller had many to choose from. I guess they have some over at amazon.


----------



## RazorJack




----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I had a pair of UPA-1s for my MMGs and they definitely did the job. The guy that bought them locally brought his own unit to try and avoid buying the monos with the speakers, but in the end he took the UPA-1s home.
> 
> Plus with their new Preamp _*finally*_ being released...Now's the time to buy.


 
   
  Last Off-topic post, I promise!
   
  I'll probably end up using my Denon AVR-3805 as a preamp for a while, but their new preamps and surround processors look _very_ good.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Yeah, probably looking for something under $1,000. Eyeing the Emotiva XPA-2 (500 wpc at 4 ohms, $799 new), or an Adcom GFA-555 (I've seen them on eBay around $500).


 
  Cool, Emotiva should be a great choice. Also consider pre-owned B&K, Rotel, and Anthem.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





razorjack said:


>


 
   
   
  Nice!! Meier + T1 is a winner


----------



## Silent One




----------



## MickeyVee

Wow! Nice. Tell us about the amp.. make/model/SQ..
  Quote: 





silent one said:


>


----------



## Silent One

It's a custom built OTL tube amp by MOT 2359glenn on head-fi. (very robust; well built)
   
  Tubes:
   
  United Electronics USAF-596 rectifier (1957)
  Tung-Sol 5998 power tubes
  Tung-Sol Black Glass Round Plate VT-231 drive tube (mid-'40's)
   
  The amp sounds very very nice; very revealing. Tube selections will take you where you want to go. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Update: We have a thread centered around the activities of 2359glenn. He has other builds coming down the pike.
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/600110/2359glenn-studio/870#post_8770993


----------



## jackskelly

Hopefully this works finally, my first picture ever on Head-Fi! I just got the T1's last week and I'm really loving them. They really go well with the NuForce DAC-100, which I also got recently, as it is an amp that is specifically recommended for high impedance headphones. The first pair of headphones I bought, while in college, were the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm, which you can see have been relegated beneath the 3 headphones I regularly listen to. This thread is really great, I'm glad to be able to contribute in any kind of way.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Hopefully this works finally, my first picture ever on Head-Fi! I just got the T1's last week and I'm really loving them. They really go well with the NuForce DAC-100, which I also got recently, as it is an amp that is specifically recommended for high impedance headphones. The first pair of headphones I bought, while in college, were the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm, which you can see have been relegated beneath the 3 headphones I regularly listen to. This thread is really great, I'm glad to be able to contribute in any kind of way.


 
  Didnt work


----------



## jackskelly




----------



## jackskelly




----------



## jackskelly




----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


>


 
  Nope.


----------



## jackskelly




----------



## jackskelly

Yeah, I don't know why it's not working, it looks fine on the previews, but it shows up as blank once I post it. It's very frustrating.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Yeah, I don't know why it's not working, it looks fine on the previews, but it shows up as blank once I post it. It's very frustrating.


 
  Happens to me all the time. I can never figure it out.


----------



## jackskelly

I made the image very small, so if this doesn't work, I'm not sure what will.


----------



## Silent One

jackskelly, would you kindly outline your steps...something is not quite right.


----------



## jackskelly

Yes, well I'm using a MacBook Pro first off. I imported a picture from my camera, which is a simple 12 mp point & shoot, copied it, and pasted it in the reply box for the thread. When I try to paste it, I get a new window stating:

  Because of your browser security settings, the editor is not able to access your clipboard data directly. You are required to paste it again in this window.
  Please paste inside the following box using the keyboard (*Ctrl/Cmd+V*) and hit OK
   
  So I then paste it in that window, it shows up, click "OK" then click Preview, and I can see the picture, then I click Submit and nothing happens. It may be something with my browser security settings. When I click on the "Insert Image" icon in the text box I'm typing in currently, I get the message "
  ...and now I'm not getting that message anymore.


----------



## jackskelly




----------



## jackskelly

Now it strangely worked, I made it much smaller to increase the chances of it working. I really don't know what happened.


----------



## jackskelly

A larger photo.


----------



## Silent One

Great...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 now I'm free to watch baseball! Nice stuff by-the-way...


----------



## snapple10

+1 on the " nice stuff" 
No baseball for me. Sport took a lot of my time in college


----------



## jackskelly

Thanks for the compliments, I still have a long way to go when it comes to high-end audio, but I'm enjoying what I have now.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Thanks for the compliments, I still have a long way to go when it comes to high-end audio, but I'm enjoying what I have now.


 
  Wow, that looks so nice!


----------



## Focker

How do you like those NuForce amps, Jack?


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> A larger photo.


 
   
  Man boss, you be curling those 100lbs dumbbell while relaxing with your headphones on?


----------



## jackskelly

It's Jacks,
   
  I think the NuForce DAC-100 sounds great with both the T1 and HD800. as it was designed for both high impedance phones. The details are extraordinary, I'm a classical pianist, but I listen to all genres. I also own the LCD-2, and it sounds great, but not as great with the DAC-100, it's also not the most comfortable headphone. It sounds better with the Schiit Lyr that I own, I've thought about getting a better amp, I'll think about it.


----------



## jackskelly

Haha, not usually whilst wearing my headphones, but sometimes. It does make it more interesting.


----------



## Armaegis

One armed 100lbs curls? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Yowza, do you wrestle bears to be able to afford all that gear?


----------



## colinharding

No, he wrestled the gear _from_ the bears!  The audiophile comes in all shapes and sizes Armaegis.


----------



## Armaegis

Those bears have good taste. Yogi doesn't steal just picnic baskets folks!


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> One armed 100lbs curls?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Those are 40's


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Thanks for the compliments, I still have a long way to go when it comes to high-end audio, but I'm enjoying what I have now.


 
  At least you should be set on headphones for a while... HD800, LCD-2 or 3, T1?.  Love the clean look!


----------



## Speedv1

Here's my setup.
   
*Sources: *MBP 15" i7, Mac Mini, iPad 64gb 3G, Transformer Prime, iPod Classic, Samsung Galaxy Note.
*Amp:* ZO2, used to have an MKIII but just found that the ZO2 worked well for my phones, no need for anything more.
*Phones*: Grado 325is modded, Beats Wireless (yes I have beats, use them on the go - find them to be relatively fun (but inaccurate) phones)
  ** Not shown: Senn 555 modded, Grado 125, Monster Turbine Golds
   
  As a side note that Harman Kardon dock you see is unreal sounding. I used to have a 5.1 KEF setup but honestly found that I was perfectly satisfied with the HK dock.. weird I know.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


>


 
  The pic was worth the wait! very nice indeed. You'd think that you had been on here for years with a set up like that!
   
  (they're LCD2 Bamboo's for the guy who was asking)


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tool462 said:


> Those are 40's


 
   
  Ah, so wrestling BooBoo then


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





speedv1 said:


>


 
  Got enough computers?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Here's my setup.
> 
> *Sources: *MBP 15" i7, Mac Mini, iPad 64gb 3G, Transformer Prime, iPod Classic, Samsung Galaxy Note.
> *Amp:* ZO2, used to have an MKIII but just found that the ZO2 worked well for my phones, no need for anything more.
> ...


 
  My room looks that neat and organized too.....Then I wake up....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Nice setup Speedv1!


----------



## Boss429

Very nice setup Speedv1!




   
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> My room looks that neat and organized too.....Then I wake up....


 
   
  Glad I am not the only one with that problem.


----------



## lukeahale




----------



## Loevhagen

Current amp. NAD M51 downstream and LCD-3 upstream.


----------



## IcedTea

what kind of media player is that??


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> what kind of media player is that??


 
  Its a amp.


----------



## lukeahale

I am guessing that question was for me?  Zune.
   
  Or maybe it wasn't


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lukeahale said:


> I am guessing that question was for me?  Zune.


 
  Oh, my bad


----------



## lukeahale

wolfetan44 said:


> Oh, my bad



 
 We both decided to assume... only one person can tell us who assumed wrong. IcedTea? your response?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lukeahale said:


> We both decided to assume... only one person can tell us who assumed wrong. IcedTea? your response?


 
  Pretty sure he was talking about you because i've never seen that media player and the amp isn't really a media player


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lukeahale said:


> We both decided to assume... only one person can tell us who assumed wrong. IcedTea? your response?


 
  IcedTea, who was it!?


----------



## lukeahale

wolfetan44 said:


> Pretty sure he was talking about you because i've never seen that media player and the amp isn't really a media player



 
 Hence my assumption that it was directed at me. But you never know!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lukeahale said:


> Hence my assumption that it was directed at me. But you never know!


 
  I hope I win


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current amp. NAD M51 downstream and LCD-3 upstream.


 
   
  Schiit should be commissioning you for their promo pics. Seriously.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Schiit should be commissioning you for their promo pics. Seriously.


 
  Why?


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Why?


 

 I think he's intimating that it's a good shot?
   
  Which it actually is - and would genuinely work well as a commercial product shot (IMHO)


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> I think he's intimating that it's a good shot?
> 
> Which it actually is - and would genuinely work well as a commercial product shot (IMHO)


 

 Oh, unless it's not his shot and is actually a commercial Schiit product shot, in which case I'll be quiet.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Oh, unless it's not his shot and is actually a commercial Schiit product shot, in which case I'll be quiet.


 

 Is it bad form to reply to your own message whilst quoting it?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Oh, unless it's not his shot and is actually a commercial Schiit product shot, in which case I'll be quiet.


 
  Im pretty sure its a commercial Schiit product shot. Not done by the HeadFier.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Is it bad form to reply to your own message whilst quoting it?


 

 If so, I may be heading for the record books. Or the stocks.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Im pretty sure its a commercial Schiit product shot. Not done by the HeadFier.


 

 Well you might have said that and saved me making an arse of myself. Sheesh


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> If so, I may be heading for the record books. Or the stocks.


 
  It's horrible, why would you do such a thing!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Well you might have said that and saved me making an arse of myself. Sheesh


 
  I will try harder next time


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I will try harder next time


 

 I should think so to. In fact, you should really be editing my posts before I make them, just in case. Get on the cae, man!


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  No, I'm certain the photo was taken by the poster. He's done this before.


----------



## Jamesy1969

See!?!?!! "cae". What on Earth is a "cae"???  Where's my proof-reader?


----------



## longbowbbs

Loevhagen takes terrific photos. I don't know if that was his, but he has posted some beautiful photos that he has taken.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> No, I'm certain the photo was taken by the poster. He's done this before.


 

 Well, in that case I retract all of my previous posts intimating that I'm an arse! I'm actually an astute viewer of good product shots.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> No, I'm certain the photo was taken by the poster. He's done this before.


 
  Woah, amazing photographer.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> See!?!?!! "cae". What on Earth is a "cae"???  Where's my proof-reader?


 
  Ah, sorry man it totally fooled me. I messed up, ill do better next time!


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Got enough computers?


 
   
  Haha I will admit that having two tablets is overkill but honestly the other two get used regularly.
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> My room looks that neat and organized too.....Then I wake up....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





boss429 said:


> Very nice setup Speedv1!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Haha I study too much to enjoy it, so it stays cleaned because things rarely move!


----------



## longbowbbs

I have to move some things around this weekend. The Decware CSP2+ shipped today....Gotta have a nice clean house for the new tubes!


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





lukeahale said:


>


 
  Mirin' your speakers !! I got the same ones


----------



## xzobinx

olor1n said:


> Schiit should be commissioning you for their promo pics. Seriously.



The pictures of v200 on violectric site are his so I would expect the same


----------



## lukeahale

I absolutely love my speakers. They are incredible for near-field listening. And they look as good as they sound!


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> IcedTea, who was it!?


 
  Lol, 
   
  it was actually for the media player skin (Zune), I haven't seen one like that before.
   
  But as I was typing it I guess the Schiit amp post beat me to it hahaha


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Mirin' your speakers !! I got the same ones


 
  How do you like them? Was eyeing up a set not to long ago.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Lol,
> 
> it was actually for the media player skin (Zune), I haven't seen one like that before.
> 
> But as I was typing it I guess the Schiit amp post beat me to it hahaha


----------



## mikiphile

My rig in college. Lenovo SL510 =USB=> Bifrost =ALO=> Lyr (CV2492 Mullard) = > stock K701

 The black box is a hardcase for transporting cigars... right now (as it was never used for cigars) it transports my tubes.
   
  I nearly got arrested in Dubai airport because they didnt know what they were


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mikiphile said:


> My rig in college. Lenovo SL510 =USB=> Bifrost =ALO=> Lyr (CV2492 Mullard) = > stock K701
> 
> The black box is a hardcase for transporting cigars... right now (as it was never used for cigars) it transports my tubes.
> 
> I nearly got arrested in Dubai airport because they didnt know what they were


 
   
   
  Nice rig and great use of resources.....


----------



## calipilot227

New rack. It looks like a Sanus (bought it on Craigslist for $25). Nice thing is it actually supports the weight of my receiver. The cheap rack I had before was starting to sag in the middle.


----------



## CrystalT

Shown:
   
  Audio Technica ATH-T400
  Grado SR60i
  Skullcandy Hesh 2.0
  Zune HD 16 gb
  Focusrite VRMBox (used purely as a usb dac/amp through Foobar/Asio. Not using the software.


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





mikiphile said:


> I nearly got arrested in Dubai airport because they didnt know what they were


 
  Please tell the story, got me interested.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Please tell the story, got me interested.


 
  x2


----------



## mikiphile

Quote: 





sixthfall said:


> Please tell the story, got me interested.


 
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> x2


 

 hehe,, so while on my internship in the UAE (I was in Abu Dhabi), I bought the Schiit gear from a fellow head-fier in Dubai along with 2 sets of tubes. On my way home I had packed them in my luggage which I checked in (I hate doing this, im always afraid something might happen to them) while I had the tubes in the hand luggage (in the box), being the most shock sensitive and all.
   
  So as I passed passport control and went for the security check, I had my bag x-rayed and they asked me to stand aside. It was the first (and only) time something like this had happened, ive never had any trouble at airports before, and I fly quite often. The Arab lady that was working as security made me open the bag in the most cautious way possible and asked me to open the box where the tubes were.
   
  At this point, I realized I might be in risk of loosing the tubes, because I know how ignorant people can be and just treat them as hazardous objects and ask me to throw them away. This got me really nervous and the lady seemed to have noticed that. I could see her eyes (being the only thing I can see, as she was all covered in the habaya) moving around, as she started raising her voice and gathering other security. Eventually as I opened the box with like 5 security guards staring at me, she takes one of the tubes and starts swinging it around trying to figure out what it is. One guard that spoke English asked me to explain what it was and I tried explaining that it was about: audio, music, headphones, amplifier... etc. They seemed even more confused.

 Eventually I realized that our word for tube (in Macedonian, that as a language was largely influenced by Turkish which in turn has a lot of Arabic words) is "lampa" (like lamp), so I said that and they started repeating: lampa, lampa.. and started laughing... I was so confused and angry, yet relieved when she put the tube back and eventually let me go.

 Imagine having your brand new tubes taken away because someone has never seen anything like it...


----------



## SixthFall

Quote: 





mikiphile said:


> hehe,, so while on my internship in the UAE (I was in Abu Dhabi), I bought the Schiit gear from a fellow head-fier in Dubai along with 2 sets of tubes. On my way home I had packed them in my luggage which I checked in (I hate doing this, im always afraid something might happen to them) while I had the tubes in the hand luggage (in the box), being the most shock sensitive and all.
> 
> So as I passed passport control and went for the security check, I had my bag x-rayed and they asked me to stand aside. It was the first (and only) time something like this had happened, ive never had any trouble at airports before, and I fly quite often. The Arab lady that was working as security made me open the bag in the most cautious way possible and asked me to open the box where the tubes were.
> 
> ...


 
  I would have ****ted myself  Must have been kind of scary


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





mikiphile said:


> hehe,, so while on my internship in the UAE (I was in Abu Dhabi), I bought the Schiit gear from a fellow head-fier in Dubai along with 2 sets of tubes. On my way home I had packed them in my luggage which I checked in (I hate doing this, im always afraid something might happen to them) while I had the tubes in the hand luggage (in the box), being the most shock sensitive and all.
> 
> So as I passed passport control and went for the security check, I had my bag x-rayed and they asked me to stand aside. It was the first (and only) time something like this had happened, ive never had any trouble at airports before, and I fly quite often. The Arab lady that was working as security made me open the bag in the most cautious way possible and asked me to open the box where the tubes were.
> 
> ...


 
  That's an interesting story. I am also from Turkey and the word for tube in Turkish is tüp which could also mean propane tank  I'm glad you used the word lamba which is less problematic than saying audio tube in Turkish


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> New rack. It looks like a Sanus (bought it on Craigslist for $25). Nice thing is it actually supports the weight of my receiver. The cheap rack I had before was starting to sag in the middle.


 

 Some has to be crude and say it.... So I guess I might as well.
 ..
 No-one likes a Saggy Rack.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Some has to be crude and say it.... So I guess I might as well.
> ..
> No-one likes a Saggy Rack.


 





 Lol. twas a dirty job but someone had to do it. Well done that man.


----------



## Massacare

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39084680/Audio/Audio%20Trip/PA141574.JPG
   
  a bit dusty there and here


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Some has to be crude and say it.... So I guess I might as well.
> ..
> No-one likes a Saggy Rack.


 
   






 Good thing I replaced it. Well done, sir.


----------



## William007

massacare said:


> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39084680/Audio/Audio%20Trip/PA141574.JPG
> 
> a bit dusty there and here



Love the keyboard


----------



## Massacare

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Love the keyboard


 
   
  it's RF-103UB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  pretty much one of my best mate for long typing session


----------



## William007

massacare said:


> it's RF-103UB
> pretty much one of my best mate for long typing session



It's a mechanical keyboard right?


----------



## .Sup

very interesting story miki, here we also say lampa or lampe in plural which is slang for tubes. Seems like a universal word for Balkan and it seems for far east as well.


----------



## Massacare

Quote: 





william007 said:


> It's a mechanical keyboard right?


 

 literally not-too-mechanical.
  it's hybrid anyway, topre capacitive switch.
  using combination of rubber and spring


----------



## Norway

This is a very enjoyable setup. I think I prefer Asus Xonar Essence One over Woo Audio WA6-SE and Grace Design m903 with the LCD-3s. More powah!


----------



## MattTCG

So you're the who actually bought the Essence!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 jk
   
  It's interesting that you prefer it to the WA6, which is very highly regarded. Very interesting.


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> So you're the who actually bought the Essence!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  No stone should be left unturned in the search for high fidelity 
   
  Well, One > WA6SE was an overstatement, the WA6SE is preferable on some recordings but land behind on others. It's much smoother and doesn't control the bass as well as the Essence One. When I run elektronica like "Trentemoller" on One vs WA6-SE Beyerdynamic T1 sounds much wider and more controlled imo. The bass just consumes you. When I compared them I had a couple of RCA 6DE7 tubes in Woo + Mullard GZ37 rectifier, (military with brown base/raf markings). The T1's gets harsh on higher volumes on some types of music, so Woo is a better alternative for that. On electronica where things don't pierce your ears I'd definitely go with Xonar.  I also like to run HD 650 and HD 600 on One. More defined and controlled bass, just like with LCD-2 r1/LCD-3/T1. The highs on HD 650 are pretty smooth too, so you can play them really loud on One without problems.
   
  I'll be getting some opamps which enables me to switch things up a bit in the coming days, can't wait! 
   
I relate a lot to most of this review of Xonar Essence One with LCD-2. I run bit perfect from foobar through ASIO and have flashed the unit with the latest firmware.


----------



## oomi25

I Just finished my Balance B22/Buffalo Dac DYI project and here's some pictures 
   
   
   
   
  .


----------



## 28980

Quote: 





oomi25 said:


> I Just finished my Balance B22/Buffalo Dac DYI project and here's some pictures
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  It looks awesome. and then.. permanent marker :C. get some engraved and then stained words for that thing! and iso cones. but it looks awesome congrats! How long did it take?


----------



## MattTCG

Yeah, looks too good for handwritten indicators.


----------



## rawrster

That's a really original build. I don't think I've seen them in an all wooden casing before. It looks great.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow nice pics. definitely get something besides sharpie marker though


----------



## oomi25

I didn't use marker, it's painted. That was the only cheap alternative I had. But I still take suggestions.


----------



## 28980

Quote: 





oomi25 said:


> I didn't use marker, it's painted. That was the only cheap alternative I had. But I still take suggestions.


 
   
  I would say if you wanted to take the time to remove the paint and etch it in with a template that you could probably make yourself and then cover the areas not etched and stain the parts etched a darker color? I have no idea how to work with woods so I'm not sure if this is feasible or not.


----------



## ssrock64

I actually like the paint. The font goes along with the wood an imparts more of a warm and inviting feel than a pure nameplate.


----------



## MattTCG

I'll bet there's some place that sells pre-made lettering for cheap. Google, here I come.


----------



## oomi25

Quote: 





28980 said:


> It looks awesome. and then.. permanent marker :C. get some engraved and then stained words for that thing! and iso cones. but it looks awesome congrats! How long did it take?


 
   
   
  Took me about a month. Yes, I had alot of time to spend on that project


----------



## pelli

How about going to a local trophy shop and getting silver pates engraved that match the dials?  Shouldn't cost more than $30 for all three and would add a nice clean look...


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





pelli said:


> How about going to a local trophy shop and getting silver pates engraved that match the dials?  Shouldn't cost more than $30 for all three and would add a nice clean look...


 
   
  Oh man, I never thought about using a trophy shop, but it's brilliant! I'll have to give it a try for my next build. Thanks for the idea.


----------



## Armaegis

Or etch it in with a woodburning kit... though that's a skill that needs to be learned all its own. It'd look nice though.


----------



## calipilot227

Haven't listened to one of these in a while... Looks like my Nakamichi BX-2 is still running strong after all these years!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





oomi25 said:


>


 
  Really nice work. I would sand the lettering off and stain the wood with wood dye, and then varnish with wax. You could have a nice Rosewood or Mahogany colour to match yur LCD2's!


----------



## Massacare

Quote: 





norway said:


> This is a very enjoyable setup. I think I prefer Asus Xonar Essence One over Woo Audio WA6-SE and Grace Design m903 with the LCD-3s. More powah!


 
  Nice!
  Have you tried the xonar with HD 650?


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Oh man, I never thought about using a trophy shop, but it's brilliant! I'll have to give it a try for my next build. Thanks for the idea.


 
  Can't wait to see how it turns out!


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





massacare said:


> Nice!
> Have you tried the xonar with HD 650?


 
   
  Sure. I have tried it with LCD-2 r1, LCD-3, HD 600, HD 650, D7000, T1 and some others lower end cans, all of which I currently own. Here are some initial impressions of Asus Xonar Essence One. I've not yet started changing the opamps, but sure will. I feel the value of this product is really high, and find it weird that not more head-fiers have it or are talking about it. The biggest downside is that the volume knobs are cheap and there are imbalances on the lowest settings, but you can just turn down the volume in foobar and have a greater range with lower impedance and highly sensitive cans.
   
  I'd say HD 650 and Essence One is a very good combo. HD 650 can be a bit too smooth, laidback and lacking in details, but with the stock Essence One it is more up front, controlled and detailed in my ears. I currently own Grace Design m903 and Woo Audio WA6-SE with a ton of tubes, and that's what I'm basing the statements on. It's hard to describe sound unless you have something to compare it with.
   
  Here is a pdf file with a step by step tutorial for swapping the opamps, and also some opamp recommendations and sound descriptions.


----------



## Massacare

Quote: 





norway said:


> Sure. I have tried it with LCD-2 r1, LCD-3, HD 600, HD 650, D7000, T1 and some others lower end cans, all of which I currently own. Here are some initial impressions of Asus Xonar Essence One. I've not yet started changing the opamps, but sure will. I feel the value of this product is really high, and find it weird that not more head-fiers have it or are talking about it. The biggest downside is that the volume knobs are cheap and there are imbalances on the lowest settings, but you can just turn down the volume in foobar and have a greater range with lower impedance and highly sensitive cans.
> 
> I'd say HD 650 and Essence One is a very good combo. HD 650 can be a bit too smooth, laidback and lacking in details, but with the stock Essence One it is more up front, controlled and detailed in my ears. I currently own Grace Design m903 and Woo Audio WA6-SE with a ton of tubes, and that's what I'm basing the statements on. It's hard to describe sound unless you have something to compare it with.
> 
> Here is a pdf file with a step by step tutorial for swapping the opamps, and also some opamp recommendations and sound descriptions.


 

 Thanks a lot dude. From what you're saying, looks like we have some common in term of taste with the HD 650. I'll think when the essence one is available at my country, I'll buy it. Right now I'm still using some china-made value class DAC/AMP (Topping D2, in case if you ask), and I'm still not pretty much impressed by how it sounds. The Topping D2 has made the HD 650 sounds more forward and energetic than how it normally does, but I'm still not getting the "wow" factor. I think I'll try this essense one. Thanks for the information by the way.


----------



## Yuceka

I just have to be that grammar Nazi  Shouldn't that be "balanced" and not "balance"


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





massacare said:


> Thanks a lot dude. From what you're saying, looks like we have some common in term of taste with the HD 650. I'll think when the essence one is available at my country, I'll buy it. Right now I'm still using some china-made value class DAC/AMP (Topping D2, in case if you ask), and I'm still not pretty much impressed by how it sounds. The Topping D2 has made the HD 650 sounds more forward and energetic than how it normally does, but I'm still not getting the "wow" factor. I think I'll try this essense one. Thanks for the information by the way.


 
   
  You're welcome  I just found this thread on Asus Xonar Essence One on here. Seems like it has received some attention on the boards after all. Plowing through it right now.
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> I just have to be that grammar Nazi  Shouldn't that be "balanced" and not "balance"


 
   
  Not sure what you are referring to here, but if that was directed towards me and you plan on continuing proof reading my posts I'm afraid you just found yourself a full time job


----------



## Yuceka

I was talking about this  
  Quote: 





oomi25 said:


> I Just finished my Balance B22/Buffalo Dac DYI project and here's some pictures
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> I was talking about this


 
  awww bless him, suppose he just needs to get the pen out again and add the D on.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> awww bless him, suppose he just needs to get the pen out again and add the D on.


 
   
  Then it would be DBalance.


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Then it would be DBalance.


 
  I suggest that he appends it.


----------



## mrAdrian

'The'Balance? Sounds like an awesome name for it!


----------



## vc1187

Headphones from left to right: LCD2, HD650, HE500


----------



## anoxy

But where do you sit?


----------



## wolfetan44

Whats that tube amp with the name La Figaro on it? Never mind found it.
  Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> Headphones from left to right: LCD2, HD650, HE500


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> But where do you sit?


 
  On the couch of course! 
   
  cables are barely long enough, though I do need a new LCD2 cable, 6 ft is not long enough.


----------



## longbowbbs

1st day with the new Decware CSP2+! Source is an HP Elite PC with JRiver and .WAV lossless files running through an Audioquest Dragonfly to the CSP2+. Cables are Toxic Cables Silver Poisons connected to the Sennheiser HD650's....Sweeeeeet....


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> Headphones from left to right: LCD2, HD650, HE500


 
  I've got to say, thats probably the most epic headphone placements i've seen so far


----------



## talisman42

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> Headphones from left to right: LCD2, HD650, HE500


 
   
  Very nice setup. I'm looking to do something like this, too that is headphone friendly - however, my budget probably limits me to the Ikea route :/ Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





talisman42 said:


> , my budget probably limits me to the Ikea route :


 
  I love IKEA....got a new "couch" from them last year and love it!


----------



## tool462

Your white dog must not shed much...
   
  If I bought a black couch it would be white in a week from my White German Shepherd


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





focker said:


> I love IKEA....got a new "couch" from them last year and love it!


 
   
  Hey, lovin' the couch. How much? And does the middle section fold out also or no? Looks like two chaise lounges with a chair in middle.


----------



## Yuceka

How are the mids on the couch?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Recessed.
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> How are the mids on the couch?


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Recessed.


 
  The dog gives that 'natural' feel to the music.


----------



## Armaegis

An ottoman ought to bring those mids right back up though. Or a six pack.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





focker said:


> I love IKEA....got a new "couch" from them last year and love it!


 
  Nice sub "Woofer" you've got there...


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice sub "Woofer" you've got there...


 
   
  Now that was funny.


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice sub "Woofer" you've got there...


 
  All jokes aside, that's a cute dog.


----------



## longbowbbs

Here is the latest iteration.....
  .
   
  MacBook Pro>Lossless AIFF>Amarra 2.4.2>iTunes>DacMagic Plus>Decware CSP2+>Toxic Cable Silver Poisons>Sennheiser HD650's....Best I have had so far.


----------



## MattTCG

^^Nice...me like^^


----------



## longbowbbs

Thank Matt!  It is just liquid......


----------



## .Sup

very nice long B. I used to have a similar setup 

HD600 DM and Littledot. Still my fav setup so far.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> All jokes aside, that's a cute dog.


 
   
  Thanks! My little guy pased away this Feb, unfortunately...not trying to be a downer, cause he had a really, really great life....he would have had 17 years if he'd made it til July. I had him from when he was only a few weeks old...I dont usually like small dogs as much a larger ones, but Bichons are just little balls of personality.
   
  Tool462: You got it....Bichons don't shed at all, really...understandable about the German Shepherd  
   
  Matt: Yep, I put "couch" in parentheses cause you're exactly right....it's two chaise lounges with a chair in the middle. You can mix and match different configurations, but this was the one I liked best. I don't remember the exact cost since I compared to many different arrangements, but it ended up being around $800 if I'm not mistaken. It's even less depending on the fabric you choose...the black fabric I got was the most expensive option they had, IIRC.  I wanted something that looked nice but that was also durable since I do have a larger dog still and because Im built like an NFL offensive lineman lol.  I bought an ottoman for the open part in the middle, but I liked the functionality of a little table (non-IKEA) in the middle instead. I should really take another pic that has the table, cause it's really a nice little piece. I got it on Overstock.com and supposedly it's hand made in a little village in India.
   
  Yuceka/LugBug1: lol, well played


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





.sup said:


> very nice long B. I used to have a similar setup
> HD600 DM and Littledot. Still my fav setup so far.


 
  Thanks .Sup! The wait for the CSP2+ was worth it.
   
  Are you still enjoying the Bottlehead?


----------



## .Sup

longbowbbs said:


> Thanks .Sup! The wait for the CSP2+ was worth it.
> 
> Are you still enjoying the Bottlehead?



Its 2:8 am here. I just turned it off a minute ago


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

So excited, because tomorrow, my turntable arrives!  I'll try and get pics put as soon as I can, what with football game tomorrow night, and marching competition all day Saturday....:rolleyes:


----------



## longbowbbs

What are you getting for a new Turntable?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> So excited, because tomorrow, my turntable arrives!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice! I can't wait to see them...I've really contemplated putting a simple analog system together....I love seeing what others do with theirs.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is the latest iteration.....
> .
> 
> MacBook Pro>Lossless AIFF>Amarra 2.4.2>iTunes>DacMagic Plus>Decware CSP2+>Toxic Cable Silver Poisons>Sennheiser HD650's....Best I have had so far.


 
  That looks the bees knees! I love the look of those amps. I used to have a C3m OTL tube amp with the 650's and it was brilliant. The 650/600's really benefit from tubes, they turn into a soundstage beast!
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Yuceka/LugBug1: lol, well played


 
  I'm sorry to hear about the dog my friend. Hes a champ!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I'm sorry to hear about the dog my friend. Hes a champ!


 
   
  Thanks


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is the latest iteration.....
> .
> 
> MacBook Pro>Lossless AIFF>Amarra 2.4.2>iTunes>DacMagic Plus>Decware CSP2+>Toxic Cable Silver Poisons>Sennheiser HD650's....Best I have had so far.


 
   
  It really shows dedication to this hobby when a mbp is used as a headphone stand.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is the latest iteration.....
> .


 
   
  Looks great! Are you sure it doesn't need a 596 tube?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Looks great! Are you sure it doesn't need a 596 tube?


 
  It came with a 5U4G and I rolled a 5Y3G JAN Sylvania into it.   I am sure I'll get around to the 596 someday. Think I need an adapter for that one though....


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> It came with a 5U4G and I rolled a 5Y3G JAN Sylvania into it.   I am sure I'll get around to the 596 someday. Think I need an adapter for that one though....


 
   
  Yes indeed but Keph, Glenn and Woo make them. Woo owners seem to love them!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

longbowbbs said:


> What are you getting for a new Turntable?



I have no idea. Its my dads old one from when he was in high school. Its been at my grandparents house for the past 20~ years and I'm just now hearing about it! :O they're coming down this weekend for my brothers birthday, and bringing the old turntable with them.


----------



## Loevhagen

Salt & Pepper. Spicy music enjoyment.


----------



## wolfetan44

loevhagen said:


> Salt & Pepper. Spicy music enjoyment.


Amazing setup!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Great picture, too.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Salt & Pepper. Spicy music enjoyment.


 
  Nice. Just had a look though your photos and anyone who hasn't seen go have a look! your in for a treat. Some gorgeous photography of LCD2's n stuff.  Me thinks he may not be using his phone camera though.. like I do


----------



## William007

Damn i want a setup like that


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





focker said:


> Nice! I can't wait to see them...I've really contemplated putting a simple analog system together....I love seeing what others do with theirs.


 
  Hey, the price is sure right for him! I hope it is still in working order.
   
  I have about 300 records in the basement. One of these days I'll have to get another TT and play with them again.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Looks great! Are you sure it doesn't need a 596 tube?


 
  I just rolled in a new Golden Lion 6922 in the lead spot and dropped a JAN Sylvania 5U4G in the Rectifier position...Nice!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  '596'? Where do we vote?!


----------



## longbowbbs

If only I had some choices...


----------



## Loevhagen

Thanks. I shoot the majority of the photos hand held and no artificial light setup. The high-rez photos in the blog gallery is taken under slightly different environment, but still simple. I do not believe in light box, etc. Too much fuzz. 
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice. Just had a look though your photos and anyone who hasn't seen go have a look! your in for a treat. Some gorgeous photography of LCD2's n stuff.  Me thinks he may not be using his phone camera though.. like I do


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Salt & Pepper. Spicy music enjoyment.


 
   
  I love that Schiit.
   
  You'd think I would get bored of saying that.  I don't.


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
  I really enjoy Loevhagen's photography.....


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> ^^
> I really enjoy Loevhagen's photography.....


 

 Don't we all...


----------



## FortLaudSTU

Samsung Laptop - Apple Lossless - JRiver Media Center(Wasapi Event) - rDac(via usb) - WA2 Amp - HD800 - cozy sofa!!


----------



## Focker

dat AMP!!!!!!


----------



## anoxy

dat jealousy!


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> dat jealousy!


 
  LOL!!


----------



## ssrock64

Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


 
   
  Because they clean it up before they take the photo? =P


----------



## jixuanran

picture later`


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> Because they clean it up before they take the photo? =P


 
  Or they don't bother dirtying their place up. I personally hate clutter myself and my place itself always is clean and clutter free. It's a necessity for many reasons, but the biggest one is because it helps creativity. It's easier to relax, think straight, everything. I love it! 
   
  Destroysall.


----------



## RamblinE

I now have a feeling that I didn't clean up enough....


----------



## CJG888

What are the speakers? Is that a Fostex driver?


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





cjg888 said:


> What are the speakers? Is that a Fostex driver?


 
  Aurasound NS3 drivers. Just kinda mapped them real fast on WinISD and made a solid wood enclosure for them. Use a sub w/ them most of the time but I mapped them down below 60hz before building.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





rambline said:


> I now have a feeling that I didn't clean up enough....


 
  Those Moccasins got asynchronous USB?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


 

 Because the people with dirty setups are too ashamed to take pictures...


----------



## Loevhagen

Perfect match. Capable sound with capable seeting facility. 
  Quote: 





fortlaudstu said:


> Spoiler: Picture%20of%20the%20setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


 
    
  I managed to keep mine clutter-free because there's not much space to put anything else. And whatever the headphone table looks like, the work station with the laptop-DAC-active monitors is the exact opposite, with piles of paper and office supplies everywhere. I find that when I clean up, I find it too hard to get back to work because I want to keep the clutter as far away from that desk, even if that was what I was working on


----------



## grokit

armaegis said:


> ssrock64 said:
> 
> 
> > Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?
> ...




I resent resemble that remark


----------



## Destroysall

Old photo, but wanted to share it anyway. Hasn't changed at all since then.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


 
  OCD. Tis very common in this hobby..
   
  Only in my case it's "Obsessive Clutter Disorder"


----------



## ssrock64

I keep mine clean, too, but not to the standard of everyone who posts on here. About half of you look like your homes are magazine displays.


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Why is everyone's setup so CLEAN?


 
  Chicks dig a clean setup.


----------



## jazzerdave

I don't know that any of my setups qualify as clean.
   
  There's a big pile of speaker cables and tube boxes to the right of the Decware.
   

   
  This one isn't all that clean in the first place; zoom out and it's worse.
   

   
  This wasn't cleaned up for the picture, but just out of view to the right is a decent amount of clutter.


----------



## Ultrainferno

When you've spent thousands on gear, isn't it logic to keep it clean and neat?


----------



## .Sup

once a year everyone cleans their room and take a photo of their setup for headfi...


----------



## sphinxvc

ssrock64 said:


> I keep mine clean, too, but not to the standard of everyone who posts on here. About half of you look like your homes are magazine displays.


 
   






  It's a matter of perspective, I guess.
   
  Only person I can remember who had magazine-worthy decor was Redcarmoose.
   
    
  Quote:


vc1187 said:


> Chicks dig a clean setup.


 
   
  Lol.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Woah, I could totally do an Ikea magazine.
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> It's a matter of perspective, I guess.
> 
> Only person I can remember who had magazine-worthy decor was Redcarmoose.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


>


 
  I always get irrationally nervous when I see somebody's equipment next to a fireplace...


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I always get irrationally nervous when I see somebody's equipment next to a fireplace...


 
   
  I'm not sure that's really all that irrational.  I really don't like the design of my living room and would prefer a better option for placement.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Woah, I could totally do an Ikea magazine.


 
   
  Lol, I think you have to buy the proper pads for your chair first.  =P
   
*Redcarmoose:*
   

   
   
  To be fair, I think he runs a resort.  Can't seem to find the link to the site now.


----------



## talisman42

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Old photo, but wanted to share it anyway. Hasn't changed at all since then.


 
   
  Then you must have kept your glass topped off!


----------



## sphinxvc

MT takes first place for fireplace rigs:
   

   
  Background:


----------



## MorbidToaster

sphinxvc said:


> Lol, I think you have to buy the proper pads for your chair first.  =P
> 
> *Redcarmoose:*
> 
> ...




See but what you don't know is the comforter I'm ghettoing it up with is also from Ikea.


----------



## zeinharis

Love the background more


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


>


 
   
  "Alright honey, I'll let you listen to my headphones if you can find them; and what did you throw into the fireplace?"


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> MT takes first place for fireplace rigs:


 
  I came close to pointing out that one earlier, but somebody with enough money for a full SR009 setup might be able to hire an assassin.


----------



## MorbidToaster

You say that like I have any money left after buying said setup. 
   
  I'll shoot you guys an update in a little bit. I added another Expedit 4x4 that my TT will go on once I get it later this week. Hid the cables really well, too.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I came close to pointing out that one earlier, but somebody with enough money for a full SR009 setup might be able to hire an assassin.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> Chicks dig a clean setup.


 
   
  Maybe, but how do you get them into the house?
   
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I came close to pointing out that one earlier, but somebody with enough money for a full SR009 setup might be able to hire an assassin.


 
   
  Payment for the assassins is allowing them to listen to the setup. One album per hit seems appropriate.


----------



## vc1187

armaegis said:


> Maybe, but how do you get them into the house?




How do you get any chick in the house? Depending on the chick just convince them:

a) you've devoted your life to God or...
b) you l have a lot of money or...
c) you're gay and willing to go shopping with them.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> How do you get any chick in the house? Depending on the chick just convict them:
> a) you've devoted your life to God or...
> b) you l have a lot of money or...
> c) you're gay and willing to go shopping with them.


 
  haven't tried the 1st one. Should take note


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> haven't tried the 1st one. Should take note


 
  You've tried the 3rd one?  You're a sick man...


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> haven't tried the 1st one. Should take note


 
  Oh yeah, and where I live, Christianity is a huge thing... which is why #1 really does apply here lol...


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





vc1187 said:


> How do you get any chick in the house? Depending on the chick just _*convict*_ them:


 
   
  That's a prison you're thinking of.


----------



## vc1187

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> That's a prison you're thinking of.


 
  hahaha, okay fixed.


----------



## RamblinE

Head-Fi'ers don't have girlfriends.


----------



## calipilot227

lugbug1 said:


> OCD. Tis very common in this hobby..
> 
> Only in my case it's "Obsessive Clutter Disorder"




I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in the correct alphabetical order. AS THEY SHOULD BE. :veryevil:


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Head-Fi'ers don't have girlfriends.


 
   
  Quote:


vc1187 said:


> How do you get any chick in the house? Depending on the chick just _*convict*_ them:


 
   
  They do! But they are called convicts


----------



## William007

rambline said:


> Head-Fi'ers don't have girlfriends.



Wrong, they see their setup as girlfriend


----------



## Signy

Quote: 





william007 said:


> Wrong, they see their setup as girlfriend


 
   
  I'm can prove you wrong. I'm an otaku, gamer and head-fi'er and i do have a gf.


----------



## William007

Shht i'm speaking for most head-fiers


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Head-Fi'ers don't have girlfriends.


 
  Unfortunately some of us have wives...Which means that you're constantly trying to get them OUT of the house 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in the correct alphabetical order. AS THEY SHOULD BE.


----------



## Armaegis

Figured I'd share this... http://www.theaudiophileswife.com/
   
  Ok gentleman, let's get back to talking about rigs shall we?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I haven't read this blog in ages.
   
  Thanks.
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Figured I'd share this... http://www.theaudiophileswife.com/
> 
> Ok gentleman, let's get back to talking about rigs shall we?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Turntable arrived, and its a Kenwood KD-66FCL! I don't ACTUALLY get it yet (parents commandeered it) because of poor grades 
  This is gonna look really swell sitting on top of my Kenwood KR-V5570 receiver. Can't wait.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Turntable arrived, and its a Kenwood KD-66FCL! I don't ACTUALLY get it yet (parents commandeered it) because of poor grades
> This is gonna look really swell sitting on top of my Kenwood KR-V5570 receiver. Can't wait.


 
  it's gonna look what?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd say it's an improvement over my iPhone 4 (the camera I mean). As for the system...Later this week that box and Macbook will be moving and there will be a turntable there (finally). Not the one I really wanted, but a decent used deal to hold me over. 
   
  The 851 is also due for an upgrade, but that'll be awhile considering the options I'm looking at.


----------



## pdiddypdler

What's the black thing to the left of the Macbook?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Amon Tobin Boxset. 
   

   
  Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> What's the black thing to the left of the Macbook?


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Amon Tobin Boxset.


 
  Very nice.
   
  Decent setup too.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

focker said:


> it's gonna look what?



swell. Its means good I guess? Might just be a southern thing. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/_/dict.aspx?word=swell
Adjective form of course.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Horses can't talk, much less recognize regional phrases. Go eat some oats or something. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> swell. Its means good I guess? Might just be a southern thing. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/_/dict.aspx?word=swell
> Adjective form of course.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Horses can't talk, much less recognize regional phrases. Go eat some oats or something.


 
  I almost spit orange juice all over my amp, thanks.


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Horses can't talk, much less recognize regional phrases. Go eat some oats or something.


 
  I read that as hosers and immediately checked to see if he was from Canada


----------



## MorbidToaster

Glad I could be of service. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> I almost spit orange juice all over my amp, thanks.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Head-Fi'ers don't have girlfriends.


 
  My girlfriend's a headfi-er in disguise.
   
  Fiio E10 / HiFiMan EF2 / Samsung Galaxy S Voodoo (she did it herself) --> AD900 / FA011 / TS02
   
  Her setup would put quite a number of our junior headfi-er to shame, really.


----------



## CrystalT

new additions:
   
  x2 Pioneer CS-G301WAII
  Audio Technica M50 /w removable cable mod.
  120 watt active subwoofer to work with the KRK monitors.
   
  Probably going to phase out my monitors. The vintage pioneer speakers blow them out of the water. so much that i'm sidelining my Jenson speakers until i move to a larger apartment.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

morbidtoaster said:


> Horses can't talk, much less recognize regional phrases. Go eat some oats or something.



I lol'd. Now gimme some sugar cubes.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


>


 
   
  Glad you have a couple things to tide you over until you get some decent things to listen to....


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





crystalt said:


> >Calling Morbid Toaster's set up "decent"
> >Mine is mostly stuff i salvaged.
> 
> Even if I'm happy with my set up, do you expect me not to be a little offended by that?


 
  Wow man your almost in the same boat as me, <3 I will say this to any one who Hates on the Zune HD... let me tell you man it does ONE THING GOOD... and that's DARK and DIRTY 320k DUB STEP... other than that it's useless <3
   
  here's my rig
   
   

  Tier 1 and Tier 2, that is a JDS Labs cMoy BB with mah Dt 880s


----------



## KingLocal

Sorry if the pictures are not so great.....  
   
  STAX SR-009s on top of the desk, Headamp KGSS + Smyth Realizer (HDMI) under the desk; everything sits on a 2-shelf BrightStar amp stand.  Although I know many here are not tweek fans, the KGSS was (IMHO) transformed by the liberal application of Dynomat to the inside and Black Ravioli footers underneath.  
   
  I am very pleased with the sound overall, but the Realizer is a (very) poor DAC, which is how it is now being used.  I am looking into outboard DACs with good Toslink interfaces (not a common thing).  In the meantime, I think I will buy a Red Wine Black Lightning Battery PSU.  I believe that power is by far the most important aspect of a component and if I upgrade the crappy wall-wart PSU for the Realizer, an outboard DAC might not even be necessary... maybe.  (BTW, the PSU on the KGSS is wonderfully over-built and it was relatively unaffected by different power cords, conditioners and other power treatments--they made some difference, but one far too small to justify their often-steep price.)
   
  The vase is the Egg Vase by Marcel Wanders for Moooi.


----------



## Makiah S

The staxs look nice <3


----------



## xzobinx

I think crystaIT is joking as well 
   
  Quote:


paradoxper said:


> He was just teasing, man.


 
  that's the rat 9, right? picture is a bit dark so I'm not sure if there is any cable. 
  Quote: 





kinglocal said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## CrystalT

I'm serious. That post really bothered me. :|
   
  Calling a high end rig like Morbid's "decent?"
   
  How is that supposed to make me feel about what I have?
   
   
  Quote: 





mshenay said:


> Wow man your almost in the same boat as me, <3 I will say this to any one who Hates on the Zune HD... let me tell you man it does ONE THING GOOD... and that's DARK and DIRTY 320k DUB STEP... other than that it's useless <3
> 
> here's my rig
> 
> ...




   
  So you're calling my portable source useless too, then? I don't listen to dubstep at all. Mostly progressive, and avant-garde


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





crystalt said:


> I'm serious. That post really bothered me. :|
> 
> Calling a high end rig like Morbid's "decent?"
> 
> ...


 
  Again, he was teasing. MT has one of the nicest rigs around. What matters most is what enjoyment you get out of your system,
  not other's opinions about it.


----------



## calipilot227

mradrian said:


> My girlfriend's a headfi-er in disguise.
> 
> Fiio E10 / HiFiMan EF2 / Samsung Galaxy S Voodoo (she did it herself) --> AD900 / FA011 / TS02
> 
> Her setup would put quite a number of our junior headfi-er to shame, really.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> My girlfriend's a headfi-er in disguise.
> 
> Fiio E10 / HiFiMan EF2 / Samsung Galaxy S Voodoo (she did it herself) --> AD900 / FA011 / TS02
> 
> Her setup would put quite a number of our junior headfi-er to shame, really.


 
  Mine has Audio Technica ATH-M50s and AD700s. 
   
  She really surprised me when she said on her own, without any prompting from me, that she wanted an Audioquest Dragonfly as a dac/amp.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





kinglocal said:


> (BTW, the PSU on the KGSS is wonderfully over-built and it was relatively unaffected by different power cords, conditioners and other power treatments--they made some difference, but one far too small to justify their often-steep price.)


 
   
  My friend have KGSS, we tried some power cords and had quite a difference in sound... because the amp is not mine I only had a chance to compare a couple power cords: Black Dragon from moon-audio and Cardas Golden Reference, but there was quite a difference, I don't like KGSS with Black Dragon it souded harsh and music became batch of sounds, with Golden Reference the sound became a lot more soft, smooth and musical (although I still like upgraded GES more)... Still I think that Black Dragon is very good power cord, it's in the same league as Golden Reference, but it's just bad companion to KGSS... On my current system though I liked Black Dragon more than Golden Reference on both amp (WES) and DAC (Linn Akurate DS/0/D)...
  So my point of all this writting that the power cable is important to KGSS, IMO KGSS need soft, smooth and misical power cord and DAC.
  BTW DAC is veeery important with KGSS IMO, because I didn't like KGSS at all (compared to GES of course) on my rig sometime ago and many others that been there were agree with me... you don't know my DAC from that time, it's from russian company, but it quite a good DAC (I compared it to April Eximus DP1 and couldn't find a differences in sound) and have a very neutral sound signature. And when I listened KGSS on the rig of his owner whose have Accustic Arts DAC 1 MkII as a DAC, then I heared KGSS could sound much-much better then it were in my rig...
   
  P.S. It's all just my IMHO, but maybe it will be interesting to someone


----------



## Massacare

New stuff (old stuff actually :rolleyes.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





crystalt said:


> So you're calling my portable source useless too, then? I don't listen to dubstep at all. Mostly progressive, and avant-garde


 
  xD remember my friend what makes an Audiophile is his or her love for music, my opinion doesn't matter and you SHOULD ignore it unless your looking for a specified sound! The ZUNE HD is dark, and that can be good for a number of things, in addition I'm not sure how the other one sounds. Either way no worries bro
   
  Also to you guys who have Gf's with Head-fi set ups and are NOT members... you are very lucky xD
   
  Wow, the Audioquest Dragonfly... seems like something I need ME GUSTA q.q
   
  Is it purely hard ware or is it also software? I have Spdif out on my Mobo, but it's a dual pin connector so I need to find a bracket... although a USB DAC like that would be might useful as well!


----------



## Arvan

Just got this old heap running again, Just some new rca-connectors and a new ground cable. Like new!


----------



## William007

arvan said:


> Just got this old heap running again, Just some new rca-connectors and a new ground cable. Like new!



What cartridge are you using'


----------



## Arvan

Quote: 





william007 said:


> What cartridge are you using'


 
  Some Ortofon, don´t really know


----------



## tribestros

I have finally got a system I'm really satisfied with, figured I'd post some pics even though my camera (my phone) is pretty lackluster. (I need a SD card reader for my camera).
   

  My desk/entertainment rack off to the right. I use my MacBook for my MP3/FLAC/CD music. I also have a NuForce uDAC2 to do most of the hardwork for my receiver.
   

  Over here, I've got a Pioneer VSX-519 (entry level receiver, got the big dog in the living room, but a FANTASTIC receiver), a really nice old Kenwood KD-48F, my headphones up top, and a fairly average Pyle Preamp in the back.
   

  Sennheiser 558, Grado SR60i, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Koss KSC-75 and some Bose OE TriPorts I use occasionally for portable use. They are good. Haters gonna hate.
   

   
  My Uncle has this pretty average old turntable but with this amazing old legendary cartridge, the Audio-Technica 8008, going for a ridiculous price of $350 on eBay. It sounds incredible.
   

   
  Out here in the living room, my Toshiba 42ZV650U, a Marantz NR1602 which sounds godly with a pair of headphones, a pair of Yamaha towers and a cheap Sony center channel. Some other nice stuff.


----------



## William007

arvan said:


> Some Ortofon, don´t really know



Doesn't really matter, nice picture! And have a lot of fun with your turntable, i enjoy mines every day!


----------



## William007

@tribestros
Damn man, looks good!


----------



## Duckman

Apologies for the picture quality


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





duckman said:


> Apologies for the picture quality


 
  What amp is that?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What amp is that?


 
  DNA Stratus
   
http://www.dnaudio.com/DNA-Stratus-2A3-headphone-amplifier.html


----------



## Arvan

I hope there is nothing wrong with classics these days. No shiny plastic and no fancy-pants "apple certified remote"
   
  I bought them yesterday  Rather expensive but i am conviced that this is a headphone that will treat me good, for many years


----------



## Bunchies

Dem Sennheisers did me a world of good without an amp. You won't be dissapoint.


----------



## fatmaggot

Quote: 





bunchies said:


> You won't be dissapoint.


 
  Reminds me of this


----------



## DigitalFreak

The newest acquisition for the mobile rig
   
                                        (Click to enlarge)

   
  V-MODA M-100 with custom croc plates, 64 GB iPod 3rd gen, ALO RX MKII amp.
   
  Nowhere as capable as the crazy home rigs some of you boppers have but hey so far I'm loving every second of it. Gimme another year or so and maybe my mobile journey will be far enough along that I can concentrate on a nice home rig setup. I can hardly wait to start selling my organs to make my wish come true.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I hope there is nothing wrong with classics these days. No shiny plastic and no fancy-pants "apple certified remote"
> 
> I bought them yesterday  Rather expensive but i am conviced that this is a headphone that will treat me good, for many years
> 
> ...


 
   
  I must have had mine for about 15 years by now, and have only had to replace the pads. Until quite recently, they were my only 'phones and were used either portably (un-amped), from the headphone out of my soundcard, or from the headphone out of several integrated amps.
   
  I've always loved them and didn't feel the need to upgrade...
   
*...until finding head-fi!!!*


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





arvan said:


> I hope there is nothing wrong with classics these days. No shiny plastic and no fancy-pants "apple certified remote"
> 
> I bought them yesterday  Rather expensive but i am conviced that this is a headphone that will treat me good, for many years


 
  Those are pretty much very reliable portable headphones. Even new ones that sound good and won't "break" aren't as resistant to scratches.


----------



## npw112

My Home Rig:
   
  AKG Q701
  Aune X1 Mini DAC Headphone Amp
  FiiO HS1 Headphone Stand
   

   
  My Portable Rig:
   
  Audio Technica ATH-M50
  Apple iPod Classic 160GB
  FiiO E6 Headphone Amplifier


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





npw112 said:


> My Home Rig:
> 
> AKG Q701
> Aune X1 Mini DAC Headphone Amp
> ...


 
  That E6 is a great little amp, I use it with my pc and my Dt 880s or XB700s, but I'm wanting to invest into a more SERIOUS Dac and AMP combo since I found my Spdif out my Mobo, and there's actually a BRACKET that's been like right above my HDMI ports all along xD


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> Reminds me of this


 
  That looks like Simon Cowell finding his son wearing Beats... instead of his brand


----------



## colinharding

Simon Cowell must be hitting the gym.....hard.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> That looks like Simon Cowell finding his son wearing Beats... instead of his brand


 
  ikr xD
   
  I'm actually currently about to start looking getting a entry Level Tube Amp to go with a Pair of a Good DAC


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> ikr xD
> 
> I'm actually currently about to start looking getting a entry Level Tube Amp to go with a Pair of a Good DAC


 
  I'm sorry, but what has that got to do with a beefed up Simon Cowell joke?? Am I missing something 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Hah! I think I've got it. Are you getting a pair of Cowell phones and getting an amp to go with em? And a dac?


----------



## Loevhagen

*Here* (PSii) is your entry level tube amp.


----------



## .Sup

loevhagen said:


> *Here* (PSii) is your entry level tube amp.



isn't this diy?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> ikr xD
> 
> I'm actually currently about to start looking getting a entry Level Tube Amp to go with a Pair of a Good DAC


 
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> *Here* (PSii) is your entry level tube amp.


 
  ahhh I see. Thanks Loevhagen.  Also Mshenay, the Little Dot1+ is a great starter tube amp for the money too. Loads of info on the thread of the same name.


----------



## Loevhagen

If you browse, you'll see that this can be bought assembled for some added cost. I'm lazy; so I bought it assembled. $249. No brainer when I hear what it can do. On a Norwegian forum, several members have bought this - and man ... this little amp is a gem.  It is my default HE-500 amp. Hands down. 
   
  PostScript: I use a Siemens NOS tube. 
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> isn't this diy?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I vote CTH if you're going for entry level tube amp. Alex knocked it out of the park with that one.


----------



## sharkz

I love my cfcubed built CTH with my T50RPs and am planning on pairing them with HE-400. I honestly cant' recomend one enough. It's a great entry level tube amp. I also have an Indeed tube amp which is stock and no where near as good. Definitely has a lot of potential to be modded though.


----------



## MacedonianHero

New addition to the family:
   

   

   
  Next up a new 27" iMac when they're released in December.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> New addition to the family:
> 
> 
> Next up a new 27" iMac when they're released in December.


 
   
  Very nice audio gear


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> New addition to the family:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sweet MH!! Congrats on the new addition.....


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Sweet MH!! Congrats on the new addition.....


 
  Thanks! Loving what I'm hearing so far.


----------



## hodgjy

I have a few new additions.  My iPod Classic 160 GB and Pure i-20 dock were delivered today.  A few weeks ago, I put some new feet on my Asgard (stick on) and then got a little more daring my with Trafomatic.  I took the bottom plate off to drill larger holes to screw new feet into that.  I wanted isolation cones.  Plus, the original handmade feet were uneven and wobbled.
   
  Overall, I'm digging my setup.  I think I'm done for awhile.  The path of my main rig is listed in my signature.


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet! Congrats! I've heard the 007 and would love to hear the 009.  Enjoy!!
  Next up for me is the new MacMini with the Fusion drive.
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> New addition to the family:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

oooooh wow. very nice


----------



## Duckman

After all these years holding out MH, you've joined the mafia


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





duckman said:


> After all these years holding out MH, you've joined the mafia


 
  I did. Lol. The SR007 mk1s got me close to joining but being out of production I was worried about repairs in the long run. The MK  II's were no where as tempting. But these are the "real deal". Can't get them off my head.


----------



## Kojaku

Endgame (at least for awhile):
   
   


   
  Setup has changes a bit since last time I posted here. No, I did NOT spend $160 on an actual Omega stand. The Lyr is running Tesla E88CC Gold Pins right now. Very nice for an affordable tube 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Endgame (at least for awhile):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice pics. A good value, clean and simple system. Not a bad place to end up.


----------



## pwnm30rdi3

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Endgame (at least for awhile):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Where did you buy that headphone stand at?


----------



## jixuanran

really nice set `


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





pwnm30rdi3 said:


> Where did you buy that headphone stand at?


 
  Search U-type headphone stand on eBay. Then proceed to froth at the mouth.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Yuceka

For the love of God please don't quote the pictures just to ask one sentence question!!!!


----------



## anoxy

Or get one of these baller glass heads for 16 bucks:
  http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've got my eye on one of the new 2tb Mini servers. 
   
  Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Sweet! Congrats! I've heard the 007 and would love to hear the 009.  Enjoy!!
> Next up for me is the new MacMini with the Fusion drive.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Or get one of these baller glass heads for 16 bucks:
> http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html


 
  I'm gonna be honest, I considered those awhile back...they creep me out...
   
  Kojaku


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have 2 and never use them due to pad compression.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I have a few new additions.  My iPod Classic 160 GB and Pure i-20 dock were delivered today.  A few weeks ago, I put some new feet on my Asgard (stick on) and then got a little more daring my with Trafomatic.  I took the bottom plate off to drill larger holes to screw new feet into that.  I wanted isolation cones.  Plus, the original handmade feet were uneven and wobbled.
> 
> Overall, I'm digging my setup.  I think I'm done for awhile.  The path of my main rig is listed in my signature.


 
   
  Nice effort! Now you can turn your focus to college football, tenure, the family and holidays!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> New addition to the family:


 
   
  Makes me wanna walk straight into your den for a demo, no matter what music is on tap!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Endgame (at least for awhile):


 
  Classic set-up. Congrats and enjoy!


----------



## hodgjy

Thanks!  And that's the plan, so thanks for the well wishes!
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Nice effort! Now you can turn your focus to college football, tenure, the family and holidays!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Thanks!  And that's the plan, so thanks for the well wishes!
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
   
  I call it_ living well..._


----------



## keph

Got a new Frosted glass table which i DIY'ed a Bit...Hope you all like it..


----------



## kid vic

Quote: 





keph said:


> Got a new Frosted glass table which i DIY'ed a Bit...Hope you all like it..


 
  SO SEXY!!! Until it gets cluttered


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





keph said:


> Spoiler: PIcs%3A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Is this a particular Frosted glass table? Meaning, where'd ya pick it up at?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





kid vic said:


> SO SEXY!!! Until it gets cluttered


 
   
  I always keep my table clean hehe...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Is this a particular Frosted glass table? Meaning, where'd ya pick it up at?


 
   
  yup a normal frosted glass table you can buy anywhere...i bought mine in Ikea for $200 and added some LED strips...


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Endgame (at least for awhile):
> Setup has changes a bit since last time I posted here. No, I did NOT spend $160 on an actual Omega stand. The Lyr is running Tesla E88CC Gold Pins right now. Very nice for an affordable tube
> 
> Kojaku


 
  May i ask how much that cable was? Thanks!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





keph said:


> yup a normal frosted glass table you can buy anywhere...i bought mine in Ikea for $200 and added some LED strips...


 
  You should have gotten a clear top and then stored your tube collection under it as a display.....


----------



## keph

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> You should have gotten a clear top and then stored your tube collection under it as a display.....


 
   
  well if its a clear top it will not have the same lighting effect as with the frosted one...anyways my Tubes isn't that much too..i provide donations though hehe...
   
  Edit. WOW at last 500 Posts...


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet setup!  I can definitely see this being an endgame (for a while  Looking to get the LCD2 myself but it may be a while.  
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Endgame (at least for awhile):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Makes me wanna walk straight into your den for a demo, no matter what music is on tap!


 
  Right now...And Justice for All by Metallica. Well, the SR009s are great with metal!


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





keph said:


> Got a new Frosted glass table which i DIY'ed a Bit...Hope you all like it..


 
   
  Awesome. Where did you source the lights?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Awesome. Where did you source the lights?


 
   
  From Taobao aka Chinese ebay...


----------



## Kojaku

feigeibomber said:


> May i ask how much that cable was? Thanks!




Cable was a one-off that's the only silk-wrapped cable Chris_Himself ever made for the LCD-2. It cost me the same as his regular cables for the LCD-2, I think $170, but I'm an old customer of his so I dunno if: 1. He'd ever do it again (silk wrapping is supposedly a pain to get on) or 2. It'd be nearly as cheap.

Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





keph said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like your design concept.


----------



## KingLocal

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> My friend have KGSS, we tried some power cords and had quite a difference in sound... because the amp is not mine I only had a chance to compare a couple power cords: Black Dragon from moon-audio and Cardas Golden Reference, but there was quite a difference, I don't like KGSS with Black Dragon it souded harsh and music became batch of sounds, with Golden Reference the sound became a lot more soft, smooth and musical (although I still like upgraded GES more)... Still I think that Black Dragon is very good power cord, it's in the same league as Golden Reference, but it's just bad companion to KGSS... On my current system though I liked Black Dragon more than Golden Reference on both amp (WES) and DAC (Linn Akurate DS/0/D).


 
   
  I find your experiences interesting....  I am using a very inexpensive GTT Audio PC.  On a variety of components I have found these to be a little hard (not "bright," per se, but edgy) and lacking in musicallity--when compared to more expensive PCs--but I have still found it a great upgrade from stock chords and a great bargain, given its price.  Anyway, I now have one running to my KGSS but was eager to upgrade it to something better.  I tried it against several Shunyatas and Wire Worlds and a PS Audio PerfectWave P10 I had sitting around and while I DID HEAR A DIFFERENCE IN EACH CASE (I think I prefered the Shunyata Python the most), I did not think it was nearly so great as I expected.  Definitely not enough to justify the +/- $1000 jump in price.  Given the difference I had heard between the GTT and other cords in other front-end and power gear, I attribute the relative LACK of difference to the PS in the KGSS.
   
  Unlike many in this forum, I am actually a big believer in the importance of a good PC and I am not knocking them.  And if I have another $1000 floating around, I might indeed get the Shunyata.  But, in this case, I found my money better spent on Black Ravioli footers.  Like DragonOwen, I'd like to say that this is just IMHO.  Your experience might (and likely will) vary.


----------



## wiinippongamer

I find my money better spent on things that actually do something.


----------



## detoxguy

Quote: 





wiinippongamer said:


> I find my money better spent on things that actually do something.


 
  Yet no problem with useless posts...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I like your design concept.


 
   
  Thanks SO. Glad you like em...


----------



## keph

Quote: 





detoxguy said:


> Yet no problem with useless posts...


 
   LOL'ed


----------



## keppa

Peachtree usually serving my Amphion Ion + Rel Quake 2.1, and Grado's my Yamaha NU1 piano, purpose for which they sound very nice!


----------



## Focker

I drool over those Amphion speakers every time I see 'em....got any pics? . That Peachtree Nova is probably a great match for Grados!


----------



## Asyde

Hola!
   
  I'm a fairly novice audiophile but I'm expanding quickly. Been lurking on the site for a while but only recently made an account. I love these threads so I thought I would contribute! I just turned my loft into an Art studio / Office / Listening Room. Here are the before and after pics! 
   
**Edit: Kept giving me errors when I tried to post the pics, so I listed the links in spoilers. sorry for the inconvenience.


Spoiler: Before%2FCleanout



http://imageshack.us/a/img6/2126/img3489l.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img705/6324/img3490je.jpg





Spoiler: After



http://imageshack.us/a/img442/3566/img3432ke.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img594/7353/img3403z.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img502/1720/img3406k.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img716/6041/img3424xx.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img831/9396/img3452q.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img546/7933/img3486kx.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/a/img690/5403/img3410s.jpg


   
  Got rid of the old beat up corner desk and I am currently making designs to build a new one. The drafting table I built about a month ago using spare parts off an old Boeing desk. It used to be military green and un-stained birch. I refinished the metal and built a new Maple top. I think everything looks much nicer now!  However I am still rebuilding building supply drawers for it. I'm also building hardwood risers for the speakers stands since they are pretty low (24").  Audio wise currently I am powering everything off of a Marantz SR5007 but I am looking to upgrade relatively soon to a separate DAC/Tube Amp combo. Still doing  my research on what I want 
   
  Cans & Speakers:
  AKG Q701 (White)
  AKG K550
  B&W CM1 (Rosenut)
  Klipch 2.1 Computer speakers & Sub
   
  Amp/DAC:
  Marantz SR5007 Receiver
   
  Sources:
  PC > X-Fi Titanium via SPDIF >
                                                 SR5007 > B&W CM1 / AKG Q701 / K550  & Pre-Out to Klipch 2.1
  iPad/iPod & iPhone > Airplay/USB >
   
  PC Specs:
  Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 Extreme
  Asus Rampage Formula
  8gb Gskill ram
  HD 5850
  X-Fi Titanium sound card
  128gb Corsair SSD for system
  2TB WD HDD for storage


----------



## snapple10

Nice!
   
  Really like the after pics. well done


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





asyde said:


> Hola!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's a pretty sweet setup there! Nice!


----------



## ssrock64

That has to be one of the best-designed setups I've come across. Some are comfy, some are really cool, some are awesomely overdone, but this one is perfect. It just does everything right for my senses.


----------



## ssrock64

In other news, I obtained a rack today exclusively for my transportable setup. I've established a rule about bringing $300+ equipment out of the house after some idiot damaged my W3 (which was already my second pair after a friend broke the first last year) on the bus, so I'm limiting myself to the FA-003 for out-and-about and the SR60i for at work. I wouldn't wish the same fate upon my T5p or PS1000, even though I got them specifically because they were low-resistance and could be done 98% justice by a uDAC2 and a laptop. Everything gets cleared off the rack each morning and is put back on when I get home.
   

   
  Also, if nobody's noticed from my past photos, I have an unhealthy obsession with the color black. My Missions (featured here with my black cat) are black, my desk is black, my new rack is black, my computers are both black (I bought a black cover for my MacBook), and most of my audio equipment shares that same attribute. Anyone want to bestow upon me, say, an HD800 or SR009 to cleanse my palette. No? I thought I'd give it a try.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Grado-modding first. Climb the ladder  haha xD
   
  Kojaku


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


>


 
   
  My cat oversees my rig too. Glad she let's me use it...


----------



## LinkPro

More College-fi! Pardon the noob photograph skills, I just recently got into this hobby. Don't even have a DSLR yet


----------



## PanamaHat

Speaking of college-fi lol. I really need a new amp, been considering the Matrix m-stage


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





linkpro said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  voz


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Also, if nobody's noticed from my past photos, I have an unhealthy obsession with the color black. My Missions (featured here with my black cat) are black, my desk is black, my new rack is black, my computers are both black (I bought a black cover for my MacBook), and most of my audio equipment shares that same attribute. Anyone want to bestow upon me, say, an HD800 or SR009 to cleanse my palette. No? I thought I'd give it a try.


 
   
  Have you noticed the HE-6 is black? Just sayin... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  edit: and while you're at it, you should get a RSA Dark Star to power them.


----------



## allyl

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Speaking of college-fi lol. I really need a new amp, been considering the Matrix m-stage


 
  Which CM Storm model is that? (cherry red/blue/black) And how do you like it?


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice way dealing with the E17!
   
  And the Tabasco spicing things up


----------



## PanamaHat

> Which CM Storm model is that? (cherry red/blue/black) And how do you like it?


 
  Blue switches. I didn't like them before I got these rubber o-rings to dampen the sound and make the keyswitch travel distance shorter. It feels great now, almost like my friends topre switch keyboard


----------



## Asyde

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Nice!
> 
> Really like the after pics. well done


 
   
  Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> That's a pretty sweet setup there! Nice!


 
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> That has to be one of the best-designed setups I've come across. Some are comfy, some are really cool, some are awesomely overdone, but this one is perfect. It just does everything right for my senses.


 
  Wow, Thank you! A lot of the ideas came from this site, Some of the setups are pretty inspiring! My next project is building a nice hardwood desk instead of using a crappy fold up table. Hopefully it will add that "finished" touch to it! I know there is a thread for this, But do you all have any recommendations for a good AMP / DAC for Q701&K550 that matches my studio? I'd love to get a nice Tube Amp setup but there are just so many options I get a bit lost. I would like to keep it under the $500 range if possible, but I can splurge if its worth it and looks great!


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





wiinippongamer said:


> I find my money better spent on things that actually do something.


 

 Many audiophiles have lost their way and forgot about the music.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> Many audiophiles have lost their way and forgot about the music.


 
  Yes, so true....it's fun to get caught up in the gear, but I often wonder if people like to buy the gear more than they do the POINT of buying the gear.


----------



## keppa

Yeh, sure thing. Got them in silver finish to fit the Rel and Peachtree to make them a matching bunch. 
   
   
   




   
  Meh, whatever with the straight image link.
   
http://whm02.louhi.net/~pekkapuh/soundwall.jpg


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Speaking of college-fi lol. I really need a new amp, been considering the Matrix m-stage


 
   
  Looks nice 
   
  But I have to ask, what kind of tabasco is that?


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





keppa said:


> Yeh, sure thing. Got them in silver finish to fit the Rel and Peachtree to make them a matching bunch.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Beautiful!  Love the contemporary look!


----------



## keppa

Quote: 





focker said:


> Beautiful!  Love the contemporary look!


 
   
  Thanks! In that sense the Amphions fit there perfectly. 
   
  And yeh must admit that on equipment for the sake of equipment, not just soundwise decisions made here. But more to hide away the equipment in plain sight


----------



## .Sup

twizzleraddict said:


> That's a pretty sweet setup there! Nice!



agreed, GJ on cleaning the room


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





linkpro said:


> More College-fi! Pardon the noob photograph skills, I just recently got into this hobby. Don't even have a DSLR yet


 
   
  Great start!


----------



## preproman

Sub.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





keppa said:


> Yeh, sure thing. Got them in silver finish to fit the Rel and Peachtree to make them a matching bunch.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looks great!  Might want to toe those speakers in a bit though to really lock the image in the center.


----------



## PanamaHat

> But I have to ask, what kind of tabasco is that?



Buffalo lol. It's just there to fill the empty space


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Have you noticed the HE-6 is black? Just sayin...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Don't get me excited now; I'll never pay off my loans.


----------



## wolfetan44

So I went and tried the Sennheiser Amperiors, and I didn't really like them because I felt the highs were recessed and the treble was really forward. So saying that I came to thinking that headphone review I read are all subjective. Is that true? And I also thought the UE6000's were pretty good. Too bad Apple's UE9000's weren't working


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> So I went and tried the Sennheiser Amperiors, and I didn't really like them because I felt the highs were recessed and the treble was really forward. So saying that I came to thinking that headphone review I read are all subjective. Is that true? And I also thought the UE6000's were pretty good. Too bad Apple's UE9000's weren't working


 
  Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
   
  Kojaku


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
> 
> Kojaku


 
  Sorry I'm not too familiar with headphone lingo, any help with the lingo?


----------



## jazzerdave

kojaku said:


> Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
> 
> Kojaku




I doubt it. Seems contradictory.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Sorry I'm not too familiar with headphone lingo, any help with the lingo?


 
  Also, I'll never write reviews; but I know what I want in a headphone.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
> 
> Kojaku


 
  Seems to me he's saying the treble is weak and he didn't like the placement he was hearing the treble from to boot.


----------



## Errymoose

Poor photography...  Not really something I'm into so I don't have a good camera.   But I'm finally happy with all the gear I have for the moment. 
  Included a photo of the desk setup with the speakers powered by the rotel amp you can see in the second image


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> So I went and tried the Sennheiser Amperiors, and I didn't really like them because I felt the highs were recessed and the treble was really forward. So saying that I came to thinking that headphone review I read are all subjective. Is that true? And I also thought the UE6000's were pretty good. Too bad Apple's UE9000's weren't working


 
  Also this is not the proper thread to discuss this.


----------



## snapple10

still simplifying things
   
   

   

   

   
   
  okay, I cleaned up a little


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Also this is not the proper thread to discuss this.


 
  Sorry, is there any place to discuss this?


----------



## Yuceka

Maybe in Sennheiser Amperior thread?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> still simplifying things
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  You're making strides. Curiously, is that a 5" tape reel atop a stack of CDs? Got a R2R (reel-to-reel) Tape Deck??


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Don't get me excited now; I'll never pay off my loans.


 
   
  Here's my HE-6 being powered off my rather affordable and tiny power house Nuforce Icon2 speaker amp. Hmm, looks like all my stuff is black too.


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


----------



## dbdynsty25

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Blue switches. I didn't like them before I got these rubber o-rings to dampen the sound and make the keyswitch travel distance shorter. It feels great now, almost like my friends topre switch keyboard


 
   
  Way too clicky...reds FTW.  Add some ABS black on black key caps with engraved letters...stealth board.  Got two of em.    CM Storms are awesome.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think one of the best 'budget high end' rigs out there is the HE6 + Emotiva Mini-X. Srsly good for ~1k.


----------



## PanamaHat

> Way too clicky...reds FTW. Add some ABS black on black key caps with engraved letters...stealth board. Got two of em.  CM Storms are awesome.



Lol I only read they were ideal for typing. Reds do intrigue me though I won't be buying a new keyboard for a while until I can afford the HHKB pro2  all blacked out of course


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think one of the best 'budget high end' rigs out there is the HE6 + Emotiva Mini-X. Srsly good for ~1k.


 
   
  +1
   
  Great deal, price and sound.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Here's my HE-6 being powered off my rather affordable and tiny power house Nuforce Icon2 speaker amp. Hmm, looks like all my stuff is black too.


 
   
  Nice.  I was looking at the Icon too.  
   
  But just ordered the mini-x.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Lol I only read they were ideal for typing. Reds do intrigue me though I won't be buying a new keyboard for a while until I can afford the HHKB pro2
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





dbdynsty25 said:


> Way too clicky...reds FTW.  Add some ABS black on black key caps with engraved letters...stealth board.  Got two of em.    CM Storms are awesome.


 
   
  I'm loving the keyboard nerd out.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It happens a lot. lol
   
  Also, just to chime in. I like _as much noise as possible._
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I'm loving the keyboard nerd out.


----------



## Massacare

dbdynsty25 said:


> Way too clicky...reds FTW.  Add some ABS black on black key caps with engraved letters...stealth board.  Got two of em.    CM Storms are awesome.




Topre FTW


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Here's my HE-6 being powered off my rather affordable and tiny power house Nuforce Icon2 speaker amp. Hmm, looks like all my stuff is black too.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  I forgot you had an HDJ2000. Your opinion? I can't remember if you were one of the owners who commented positively when I posted about it on the "most underestimated" thread.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I forgot you had an HDJ2000. Your opinion? I can't remember if you were one of the owners who commented positively when I posted about it on the "most underestimated" thread.


 
   
  I'm not sure if I commented there, though I was one of the early promoters (if not the first) of the HDJ-2000 on head-fi. To my ears it's better than the other DJ offerings, though when it first came out it was also quite a bit more expensive. Current sale prices have come down though, which makes it a very high recommendation from me. I've also extensively modded mine (see profile for link).


----------



## Rawdawg3234

kojaku said:


> Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
> 
> Kojaku




I'm thinking he was confusing highs with mids. I think he was describing them as "bright"


----------



## .Sup

kojaku said:


> Am I the only person who is confused by the phrase "highs were recessed and the treble was really forward"?
> 
> Kojaku



yeah lol I didn't get this part either


----------



## colinharding

I think all you need to get out of that statement is that he didn't like it lol, whatever the reason we're not sure, but bottom line is....he didn't like it due to some treble/highs reason


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> I think all you need to get out of that statement is that he didn't like it lol, whatever the reason we're not sure, but bottom line is....he didn't like it due to some treble/highs reason


 
  Yeah but was it because they was recessed or was they too forward..or both?


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yeah but was it because they was recessed or was they too forward..or both?


 
   
  I think the answer is just, yes


----------



## wolfetan44

Honestly, I just didn't like it; but dont know how to say it.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Honestly, I just didn't like it; but dont know how to say it.


 
  To be fair you _can _have rolled off treble thats still peaky lower down. So what you described is probs spot on!




   
(don't want to start a debate on this... not here


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> To be fair you _can _have rolled off treble thats still peaky lower down. So what you described is probs spot on!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm sure I described it wrong


----------



## Freerider

HD700, Decco65, and Martin Logan Motion 4s off to each side


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





silent one said:


> You're making strides. Curiously, is that a 5" tape reel atop a stack of CDs? Got a R2R (reel-to-reel) Tape Deck??


 
  still importing Cds to my server, that was a cd from Queens The Stone Age


----------



## Ultrainferno

Moving in to the new house, temporary setup. Will post a finished (better) pic in a few weeks


----------



## Clayton SF

ULTRAinferno!
  You forgot to unpack your shoes.
  And,
  You have 3 amps on the top shelf that I currently do not have in my possession!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Haha. I run 3 4x4 Expedits as well.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Haha. I run 3 4x4 Expedits as well.


 
   
  The ultimate audio storage unit


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ULTRAinferno!
> You forgot to unpack your shoes.
> And,
> You have 3 amps on the top shelf that I currently do not have in my possession!


 
   
  Is that spot good enough for the WA2?


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00208646/
   
  My goal by the end of next year is to have 1 of these full of vinyl and the other full of CDs. Stop buying gear and just dump tons of money into music.
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> The ultimate audio storage unit


----------



## Ultrainferno

morbidtoaster said:


> http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00208646/
> 
> My goal by the end of next year is to have 1 of these full of vinyl and the other full of CDs. Stop buying gear and just dump tons of money into music.




I have that one in my other mancave but in white :d


----------



## Clayton SF

It is beautiful. Make sure you secure it to the wall in case of an earthquake or heavy metal music or both.


----------



## MorbidToaster

One of those will fit 1000+ LPs and well over that CD wise. Looking forward to making it my new year's resolution.
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I have that one in my other mancave but in white :d


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> One of those will fit 1000+ LPs and well over that CD wise. Looking forward to making it my new year's resolution.


 
   
  I suggest reinforcing the shelves along the backside with some brackets.  I have had one of those collapse when fully loaded down with LPs.  They're great though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jazzerdave said:


> I suggest reinforcing the shelves along the backside with some brackets.  I have had one of those collapse when fully loaded down with LPs.  They're great though.




Oh yeah. Gonna reinforce them and straight up bracket it to the wall.


----------



## Scyy

Here's my current setup, I know a little messy...







Only really got into high end audio about 5 or 6 months ago so still going forward. Considering checking out the LCD2 or 650 next. I am leaning towards the LCD's as if I'm going to drop more money I want a substantial upgrade. Not in the image are some tf10, gr06, ath a700 and samson 850.


----------



## dolor

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Moving in to the new house, temporary setup. Will post a finished (better) pic in a few weeks


 
  Gee, those are all nice things you have there.


----------



## IcedTea

@Scyy nice setup! How do you like the He-400 with the Asgard? (btw, I spy a dreamcast  )
   
  @ Ultrainferno Soo.. I assume you kinda like music?


----------



## Scyy

icedtea said:


> @Scyy nice setup! How do you like the He-400 with the Asgard? (btw, I spy a dreamcast  )
> 
> @ Ultrainferno Soo.. I assume you kinda like music? :wink_face:




I'm liking it so far since I got them back a few days ago. A pretty good upgrade from the E17 I was using prior to sending them back to headdirect. And yup, if my camera went further down you would see a Sega saturn and genesis on that shelf too .


----------



## keph

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Moving in to the new house, temporary setup. Will post a finished (better) pic in a few weeks


 
   
   
  Wait for my Present Ultra...and your setup will be more amazing...very cool placements btw..


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> @Scyy nice setup! How do you like the He-400 with the Asgard? (btw, I spy a dreamcast  )
> 
> @ Ultrainferno Soo.. I assume you kinda like music?


 
   
  Not really, I just don't want to look bad on here


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





dolor said:


> Gee, those are all nice things you have there.


 
   
  thanks! your profile doesn't look bad either


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## snapontom

Here is what I have so far.  The cup holder works for the headphones.  This is a iPhone, mp3, Pandora, iPure, BITFROST, DECWARE CSP2+, DECWARE TABOO, LCD2 rev2, Norse Audio headphone cable, Bob Latino ST-120 Amp, Hammond Organ tubes from the 1960s.  On order is a USAF 596 rectifier tube and a DUAL CS5000 turntable with a Shure cartridge.   It is in my garage, the house gets the TV, not my choice.  Oh, and high effiency Klipsch Heresy III bookshelf speakers.


----------



## longbowbbs

Love the Pics, Tom!  Are you using the CSP2+ as a HP amp or only as a Pre-amp with the Taboo and the Heresy's? Here is my current setup featuring Decware...


----------



## snapontom

I use the CPS2+ as a preamp for the taboo and also as a preamp for the Dynaco 120.  Before I got the CSP2+, I ran the Bitfrost directly into the Dynaco with great results.  I have a headphone jack on the CSP2+ but it is not suited to the LCD2 headphones.


----------



## longbowbbs

The Taboo is definitely designed for Planers and the CSP2+ loves the HD650's and HD800's.


----------



## Killface

So basically my first setup ever and starting the burn in process... so far really liking it.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





killface said:


> So basically my first setup ever and starting the burn in process... so far really liking it.


 

 At first I thought that was an SR009 on the stand and thought "first setup ever?!?!?!?!?"


----------



## detoxguy

Quote: 





snapontom said:


> I use the CPS2+ as a preamp for the taboo and also as a preamp for the Dynaco 120.  Before I got the CSP2+, I ran the Bitfrost directly into the Dynaco with great results.  I have a headphone jack on the CSP2+ but it is not suited to the LCD2 headphones.


 
  I just got my *Bifrost*, loving it so far.


----------



## MorbidToaster

No cans in the picture, but if you're wondering...009s and HD800s.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No cans in the picture, but if you're wondering...009s and HD800s.


 
  Is that your loaner gear? Looking good. 
   
  Is it good to have the HD800's back in the stable?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





killface said:


> So basically my first setup ever and starting the burn in process... so far really liking it.


 
   
  Nice start!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No cans in the picture, but if you're wondering...009s and HD800s.


 
   
  So does this put the 851 on the back burner for awhile? How is the PS stack?


----------



## DefQon

Interested to know if the two black things on the right is a music server?


----------



## paradoxper

Looks like the Perfectwave DAC and Player. Unless you're talking about the two black boxes on second shelf.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## hodgjy

I love it. And the spun brass feet are cool, too.



silent one said:


>


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I love it. And the spun brass feet are cool, too.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks! I had such a good time spinnin', I'm only going to bed now (0630 hrs). Gotta make sure I can get some rest for: Oregon @ USC; 'Bama @ LSU!!!




   
  Dem feets weigh 6 pounds each! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The table has more punch with 'em!


----------



## jazzerdave

morbidtoaster said:


> No cans in the picture, but if you're wondering...009s and HD800s.




Wait a second. I know you'd been considering getting the PWD/PWT. Did you get it, or did Alex loan you his as well as the LG? (By the way everything looks nice there and I am - of course - jealous.)


----------



## MorbidToaster

jazzerdave said:


> Wait a second. I know you'd been considering getting the PWD/PWT. Did you get it, or did Alex loan you his as well as the LG? (By the way everything looks nice there and I am - of course - jealous.)




Loaners. He knows I've been wanting to hear this PS gear for a long time. Should get into some actual comparisons today.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No cans in the picture, but if you're wondering...009s and HD800s.


 
   
   
  How do you spin the LPs?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 
  Nice....I love the maple base with the Brass feet!  One of these days I have to replace my VJ Walker table....Lonely stack of records in the basement!


----------



## basman

Station Rev.1


----------



## jazzerdave

morbidtoaster said:


> Loaners. He knows I've been wanting to hear this PS gear for a long time. Should get into some actual comparisons today.




Well then you'll be listening to the same setup I loved so much. Have fun!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





basman said:


> Station Rev.1


 

 Ice station. Looks like snow out there. A nice setup to keep warm.


----------



## MorbidToaster

preproman said:


> How do you spin the LPs?




I don't right now unfortunately. I've been between TTs for some months. I have a line on a used VPI Scout + Dyna cart right now that if I can get for a good price I'll be all over.


----------



## hodgjy

Love it. Love the Floyd.



basman said:


> Station Rev.1


----------



## LugBug1

Picked up an original Arcam Delta Black Box today, equipped with the old Philips TDA 1541a dac chip. It's in perfect condition and sounds very nice up to now. Only just trying it but the soundstage seems very airy and it has a nice balanced, musical sound. It's replacing the Vdac in my 2nd rig.


----------



## narvarr

basman said:


> Station Rev.1




Is that a Miracord record player?


----------



## MorbidToaster

I won't show the (almost) same picture I did earlier, but this was from the mini meet at my place today. We actually ended up having every CA production amp ever in one room, too.
   
  LF, LL, LG.


----------



## ThatPhilDude

Quote: 





basman said:


> Station Rev.1
> 
> 
> Forgive me if i'm wrong but is the of the singer and guitarist on the dvd rack Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Nice rig by the way but you could do do with some more Grados
> ...


----------



## tool462

ssrock64 said:


> At first I thought that was an SR009 on the stand and thought "first setup ever?!?!?!?!?"



 
 I had the same double take.


----------



## Doc-holliday

The main attraction here is obviously the headphone stands.....

$6 wooden toilet paper roll holders from Ross....


----------



## obobskivich

Is that actually a surviving XHD3000? Or is it just an FHD240x? Can't quite get an idea of scale.  (Gut says FHD240x because it looks glossy though).

Nice stand idea btw!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I won't show the (almost) same picture I did earlier, but this was from the mini meet at my place today. We actually ended up having every CA production amp ever in one room, too.
> 
> LF, LL, LG.


 
  Are you posting any impressions of your mini meet? Like to read. Especially with the HE500's compared to those big boys


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Are you posting any impressions of your mini meet? Like to read. Especially with the HE500's compared to those big boys


 
   
  +1


----------



## DefQon

Nice picture, what camera/gear was the pic taken out of?


----------



## Doc-holliday

obobskivich said:


> Is that actually a surviving XHD3000? Or is it just an FHD240x? Can't quite get an idea of scale.  (Gut says FHD240x because it looks glossy though).
> Nice stand idea btw!




Thanks! Yessir it is an old 24". Good eye. 

@DefQon dunno if the camera gear question was directed at me or the repost but JIC it was taken with a canon G1x. No flash. One bedside lamp. Taken on 1600 iso - virtually no grain.

Great little camera.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://www.head-fi.org/t/634762/3-musketeer-mini-meet-impressions-11-3-12-austin-texas
   
  For those of you wanting impressions. The other guys should be adding their impressions soon as well.


----------



## basman

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Ice station. Looks like snow out there. A nice setup to keep warm.


 
  Yup, headphone season has just started and I'm grounded for flying!
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Love it. Love the Floyd.


 
  x2
   
  Quote: 





narvarr said:


> Is that a Miracord record player?


 
  It's just an old horse Thorens TD160
   
   
  Quote: 





thatphildude said:


>


 
  Correct, Richie and Bon Jovi


----------



## dcginc

my new pile of...
   

   

   
  headphone station housed in our family's 50 plus year old RCA Victrola cabinet


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dcginc said:


> my new pile of...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Old Yamahas are some of the coolest cans out there.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dcginc said:


> headphone station housed in our family's 50 plus year old RCA Victrola cabinet


 
   
  Your cabinet..._nice tradition._


----------



## DragonOwen

There was a mini-meet at my place on sunday, decided to post few pictures from it here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





:


----------



## keppa

Guess it's worth giving an update as there's pair of new headphones and also a stand for them to hang out with.


----------



## MuZI

Quote: 





keppa said:


> Guess it's worth giving an update as there's pair of new headphones and also a stand for them to hang out with.


 
   
  Where did you get the stand?


----------



## keppa

I got the stand from ebay, by German manufacturer saegezahn-designlabor.




dcginc said:


> my new pile of...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Oh, my dad has pair of those Yamaha's from somewhere 70's. Should try find them and give a go as I'm abou to visit this weekend.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> There was a mini-meet at my place on sunday, decided to post few pictures from it here
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  All the ingredients for the perfect head-fi party! Very very nice.


----------



## wolfetan44

What I do all day everyday.


----------



## longbowbbs

dragonowen said:


> There was a mini-meet at my place on sunday, decided to post few pictures from it here  :




Do you have an inventory to identify all the gear? Looks like a great day!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Spyin' all day?
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What I do all day everyday.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spyin' all day?


 
  Nope, Scoutin' all day man.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pft. 
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nope, Scoutin' all day man.


----------



## wolfetan44

morbidtoaster said:


> Pft.


You play Spy? Sound terrible. Whats your Steam ID?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Spy is actually my least favorite and least played. lol
   
  Soldier, Engy, Medic are my tops. 
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> You play Spy? Sound terrible


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Do you have an inventory to identify all the gear? Looks like a great day!


 
   

  From left to right: Audez'e LCD-3 (with custom silver-gold cable from russian master [nick "victorvvo" on russian forum]), Audez'e LCD-2 rev.2 [bamboo] (with... not sure what cable is this, probably custom copper cable from another russian master [nick "Nobody" on russian forum] or maybe it's Blue Dragon from moon-audio (there were 5 different not stock cables for LCD's on this meet...)), Audez'e LCD-2 rev.1 (CablePro Reverie cable), HiFiMAN HE-6 (moon-audio Silver Dragon cable), Sennheiser HD800 (stock cable), STAX SR-009... also in upper right corner there is WooAudio WES amplifier witch is "MAXXED" exept that I changed Sophia 6SL7 driver tubes on Raytheon 6SU7WTY [Tungsol made] (moon audio Black Dragon power cord) and under the monitor is Linn Akurate DS/0/D (moon audio Black Dragon power cord), between them is XLR Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval interconnects cables... in front of WES is remote control from Linn Akurate DS.
   

  From left to right: Zen Amp (CANARE DIY RCA interconnects, Cardas Golden Reference power cord) - custom made amp by russian master [nick on russian forum - "victorvvo"], 3-channel Beta22 amp (ALO OCC-SXC RCA interconnects, moon-audio Black Dragon power cord)... Ipad 3 on the top of Beta22 with Kinsky running on it to control playback through Akurate via wi-fi


----------



## calipilot227

morbidtoaster said:


> Spy is actually my least favorite and least played. lol
> 
> Soldier, Engy, Medic are my tops.




Heavy right here  Haven't played in a long time


----------



## tool462

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Heavy right here
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I haven't really played since it turned into a completely different game.
   
  Someday I'll give it another shot but I liked the "old" ways.


----------



## bfreedma

No the best picture - still working out the new camera.
   

   
   
  Gear:  Oppo 93 (shelf below pic) -> Wyred4Sound DAC2 -> Woo Audio WA6-SE / Bryston BHA-1 -> Grado PS1000
   
  Woo Audio tubes in pic - USAF-596 and 6GL7s
  Bryston - Customized with a blue LED instead of green to match the rest of the LEDs in the rig.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Invite me over for a few of those drinks and I'll bring you a brand new NOS 596


----------



## tool462

The value of the Tequila shelf alone > the value of my headphone setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Add in the rum and whiskey shelves...
   
  Got a couple sexy bottles of distilled cereal in there that I'd love to try!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.


 
  Very nice.
  Though I can see a few bottlenecks in your system.... I could come over and fix that for you if you like?


----------



## bfreedma

Thanks folks!  Collecting whiskey is my other hobby.  Sad/happy to say that the picture represents about a third of the collection - the really good stuff isn't in the shot.  If I place my headphones on the bar, I suppose it would justify another pic later 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  If anyone is in the Philly area, drop me a PM.  And bring your headphones so I can audition some while we test drive the bar


----------



## bfreedma

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Invite me over for a few of those drinks and I'll bring you a brand new NOS 596


 
   
  Deal!


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Gosh!!, i need to get my hands on those bottle.. meant those setup.. hmmm.. yup those setup


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> Thanks folks!  Collecting whiskey is my other hobby.  Sad/happy to say that the picture represents about a third of the collection - the really good stuff isn't in the shot.  If I place my headphones on the bar, I suppose it would justify another pic later
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Oh - I'm in DC,  might be worth the trip.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> Thanks folks!  Collecting whiskey is my other hobby.  Sad/happy to say that the picture represents about a third of the collection - the really good stuff isn't in the shot.  If I place my headphones on the bar, I suppose it would justify another pic later
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Oh - I'm in DC,  might be worth the trip.  Getting back home is the question.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spy is actually my least favorite and least played. lol
> 
> Soldier, Engy, Medic are my tops.


 
  Steam ID?


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> Thanks folks!  Collecting whiskey is my other hobby.  Sad/happy to say that the picture represents about a third of the collection - the really good stuff isn't in the shot.  If I place my headphones on the bar, I suppose it would justify another pic later
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm not in the Philly area, in fact I'm not even in the US but a mighty fine invite. I don't drink either but hey-ho... 
   
  Now if the Eagles O-line would just sort themselves out.....


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Invite me over for a few of those drinks and I'll bring you a brand new NOS 596


 
  And I'll tag along and help carry the NOS 596 tube for you.


----------



## longbowbbs

DragonOwen, thanks for e list! It would be fund to try all the versions of the audeze's at the same time.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I spy Hibiki on the bottom left shelf...my favorite. Good taste!


----------



## bfreedma

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> I spy Hibiki on the bottom left shelf...my favorite. Good taste!


 

 Very cool - not many people would recognize that bottle.


----------



## Armaegis

The Nuforce bonanza today. From top left: LPS2-192k power supply and usb converter, Icon2, DAC-100, speaker tap, HAP-100, and the Bottlehead Crack + Speedball
   
  headphone from left: Sextett MP, Senn HD25-13, Pioneer HDJ-2000, HE-6, Senn HD595, AKG K240M, M50
   
  I wish I could take better pictures. Those newforce amps are quite nice, but have just a simple black face that don't really come out in pictures.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.


 
  Quote: 





bfreedma said:


> If anyone is in the Philly area, drop me a PM.  And bring your headphones so I can audition some while we test drive the bar


 
   
  I called in to relieve him of the bottlenecks that were quite clearly hampering his set up.. hic..
   

   
  One more to go... hic


----------



## anetode

bfreedma said:


> No the best picture - still working out the new camera.




I approve of everything but the Japanese "Scotch". Bleh


----------



## tomatee

Hi everyone,
   
  Here is my current equipment, very happy with it at the moment.
   
  Source: Mac Book Pro + Amarra > Optical Out > CI Audio VDA2 DAC + VAC1 Power Supply > Woo Audio WA6 > HD800
  Tubes: Sophia Princess 274B, 7N7
   
  Thanx for commenting!


----------



## sphinxvc

^ Sweet.


----------



## Crimson Tear

Sorry for the Schiity picture.


----------



## marcelvdk

the system - speakers setup (Hyperion HPS938, Rogue Audio Tempest2, Audio Analogue Meastro).
   
   

  the headphone setup. (Hifiman HE500 and harmony design Ear90)


----------



## Markizz

Here ya go


----------



## calipilot227

Rearranged the room a little, and finally got rid of the 270lb CRT TV 



This pic is awful. Need to get my DSLR back .


No Ikea furniture in this room, sorry 


And the TV's replacement:


----------



## Focker

Maggies in da house!!!!


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





marcelvdk said:


> the system - speakers setup (Hyperion HPS938, Rogue Audio Tempest2, Audio Analogue Meastro).
> 
> 
> 
> the headphone setup. (Hifiman HE500 and harmony design Ear90)


 
  Sweet, where did you get that headphone stand?


----------



## MegaMushroom

Not the most glorious setup, but EF2A is fed by usb.  I tend to stick to the 598s for the bulk of my listening needs.  
  Those tiny speakers?  Dug em out a few months back.  Pack a punch for the size.  Hopefully I'll be able to realize
  my dream of something a bit more upscale in the near future.  HD650 powered by Bottlehead most likely. 
  EDIT: uploaded from different source.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





markizz said:


> Here ya go


 

 Maserati; Good choice. I had the privilege of driving a Gran Turismo S two years ago, and is was a fantastically refined car.


----------



## MuZI

Quote: 





crimson tear said:


> Sorry for the Schiity picture.


 
   
  Nice, my Asgard + Bitfrost should be coming any day now...


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





marcelvdk said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That Hyperion speaker set up must be real nice. I've read about them so much in the past and they are well-regarded, along w/the Rogue gear. What is your split on the speaker vs. headphone listening time? I'd be listening to the speaker system the majority of the time since the Hyperions should be very resolving, even at low volumes.


----------



## NZheadcase

basman said:


> Station Rev.1




Wow this setup is sooo cool! I wish i could build something like that someday. Need to win the lotto first. :rolleyes:


----------



## Killface

Just curious - are your asgard and bifrost color matched? As in the same shade of metal? Mine don't seem to match at all and I was wondering if this was normal.


----------



## Scyy

killface said:


> Just curious - are your asgard and bifrost color matched? As in the same shade of metal? Mine don't seem to match at all and I was wondering if this was normal.




Mine are near identical.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





killface said:


> Just curious - are your asgard and bifrost color matched? As in the same shade of metal? Mine don't seem to match at all and I was wondering if this was normal.


 
  May we see the colors?


----------



## Kojaku

killface said:


> Just curious - are your asgard and bifrost color matched? As in the same shade of metal? Mine don't seem to match at all and I was wondering if this was normal.




My Asgard and my BiFrost matched, but my Lyr is actually slightly darker than my BiFrost.

Kojaku


----------



## Killface

wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Will post tomorrow as I am not where the schiit is at.

@kojaku

Its my bifrost that is a slightly differebt color. Just cosmetic I know but I was curious.


----------



## Porter1

Quote: 





killface said:


> Will post tomorrow as I am not where the schiit is at.
> @kojaku
> Its my bifrost that is a slightly differebt color. Just cosmetic I know but I was curious.


 

 no need, you can clearly see it in your post here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/497902/schiit-asgard-unboxing-and-first-impressions/1635#post_8850825
   
  first thing i noticed.  it would bug me, too, but possibly excusable if you love the equipment


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





porter1 said:


> no need, you can clearly see it in your post here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/497902/schiit-asgard-unboxing-and-first-impressions/1635#post_8850825
> 
> first thing i noticed.  it would bug me, too, but possibly excusable if you love the equipment


 
  Thing is, it doesn't look like that in Schiit's photos


----------



## Porter1

i agree it really doesn't. all of the photos on their website look to be about the same hue as the Asgard in Killface's photo.


----------



## IcedTea

I think it just has to do with their production run on the cases. 
   
  Not only that, but their LED can be different from each production run too. If you're OCD it will bother you, then I would just suggest placing the schiit unit behind your monitor lol 
   
  I used electric tape the block out my Bifrost's led because it didn't match my lyr :/ 
   
  But in the end, its all about the music right?


----------



## Crimson Tear

You just had to make me look more closely didn't you?  My Asgard is slightly more silver looking with the Bifrost being a bit more of a dull grey.  It's not readily apparent, but now it's probably going to bother the hell out of me.


----------



## Loevhagen

Picture taken yesterday of my favorite headphone.


----------



## tool462

I'll buy anyone's Schiit gear that bothers them due to different colors.  Of course I will be paying the discounted funky color price.


----------



## zeinharis

That is a great picture Loevhagen, and a great headphones as well


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Just realized I forgot to post the photo of the listening chair I got as a gift when I posted the rest of my set-up many, many pages ago


----------



## Killface

crimson tear said:


> You just had to make me look more closely didn't you?  My Asgard is slightly more silver looking with the Bifrost being a bit more of a dull grey.  It's not readily apparent, but now it's probably going to bother the hell out of me.




Hahaha sorry it was the first thing I noticed and it did bother me... But they sound amazing so they are keepers for me


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





killface said:


> Hahaha sorry it was the first thing I noticed and it did bother me... But they sound amazing so they are keepers for me


 
   
  Could set up a colour match thread for people to swap darker coloured schit with brighter coloured ones...


----------



## rustablad

My current portable solution with not so portable headphones.


----------



## marcelvdk

Build the stand myself. Made from MDF and some alu tube.
   
  greetz,
   
  Marcel


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  HE-500 on speaker tap with an Emotiva speaker amp.
   
  
   
   
   
  Very best,


----------



## Loevhagen

Sweet.


----------



## Silent One

Oh man! Someone has been cookin' in the kitchen...nice stuff, MalVeauX!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I disagree. The Signature Pro is very portable, IMO. After finally listening to and seeing one in person I'd really like to own it. It's much more portable than my old Pro 750.
   
  Quote: 





rustablad said:


> My current portable solution with not so portable headphones.


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I disagree. The Signature Pro is very portable, IMO. After finally listening to and seeing one in person I'd really like to own it. It's much more portable than my old Pro 750.


 
   
  Haha hell I used to used Pro 900s as my portables, so trust me, the Signature Pro isn't the strangest portable choice.


----------



## TrollDragon

That's an amazing headband on those HE-500's, well worth the price & very comfy.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## longbowbbs

loevhagen said:


> Picture taken yesterday of my favorite headphone.




You need to do this for a living...


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I disagree. The Signature Pro is very portable, IMO. After finally listening to and seeing one in person I'd really like to own it. It's much more portable than my old Pro 750.


 
   
  Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Haha hell I used to used Pro 900s as my portables, so trust me, the Signature Pro isn't the strangest portable choice.


 
   
  Portability is in the eye of the beholder.
   
  I use a Beyer DT770 premium, re-cabled with a detachable locking braided cable in a sheath (Brian over at BTG Audio did the mod) with my Sansa Fuze and Fiio E11 as my _portable setup_.
   
  I get a lot of odd looks, some smiles, and I stare down kids and adults with their trashy fashion headphones by Monster and other junk-manufacturers.
   

   
   
  Very best,


----------



## wolfetan44

Guys, do you think the Schiit Asgard is better than the O2? My options for X-Mas is O2 + ODAC. Or get the ODAC and then some other stuff like albums and then get the Asgard for my birthday. Which do you guys think has more power that can drive any headphone I throw at it? Headphones like ones that are $500 and less. No Beyer T1's haha.


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Guys, do you think the Schiit Asgard is better than the O2? My options for X-Mas is O2 + ODAC. Or get the ODAC and then some other stuff like albums and then get the Asgard for my birthday. Which do you guys think has more power that can drive any headphone I throw at it? Headphones like ones that are $500 and less. No Beyer T1's haha.


 
   
  Heya,
   
  The O2 is a very good amp for it's cost. The Asgard is also very good for it's cost. I would probably put a small towards the Asgard being a little better. Not by much. The question is whether it's worth $100 more, and in that sense, I don't think it's $100 better. The O2+ODAC setup for $300ish is really just one of the most cost effective setups. Any decent solid state amplifier will drive almost all headphones pretty well (even a T1). Whether it has a good synergy with it, well, that's up to your ears. They're powerful enough to even enjoy some Orthos on.
   
  Very best,


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> The O2 is a very good amp for it's cost. The Asgard is also very good for it's cost. I would probably put a small towards the Asgard being a little better. Not by much. The question is whether it's worth $100 more, and in that sense, I don't think it's $100 better. The O2+ODAC setup for $300ish is really just one of the most cost effective setups. Any decent solid state amplifier will drive almost all headphones pretty well (even a T1). Whether it has a good synergy with it, well, that's up to your ears. They're powerful enough to even enjoy some Orthos on.
> 
> Very best,


 
  Hm, thanks Mal. I think i'll wait till my birthday next year, and just stick with my FiiO E11 for now. A FiiO E11 and a ODAC will do pretty well, right?


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Hm, thanks Mal. I think i'll wait till my birthday next year, and just stick with my FiiO E11 for now. A FiiO E11 and a ODAC will do pretty well, right?


 
   
  Heya,
   
  I wouldn't pair an ODAC with a Fiio E11. The E11 is strictly portable and limited to it's battery's life span at the power output, which is variable based on it's load. Sure, it will work, but it's far from ideal. I would pair the ODAC with a desktop (powered) amplifier that is not going to run out of a battery during listening (which cannot even be used while it's charging). I wouldn't stress so much on needing a DAC right now. Most devices have rather good DAC's as it is. I wouldn't stress about it, I would put more effort into finding your ideal headphone and a good matching amplifier that has a synergy with the headphone that pleases your preferences the most.
   
  Very best,


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> I wouldn't pair an ODAC with a Fiio E11. The E11 is strictly portable and limited to it's battery's life span at the power output, which is variable based on it's load. Sure, it will work, but it's far from ideal. I would pair the ODAC with a desktop (powered) amplifier that is not going to run out of a battery during listening (which cannot even be used while it's charging). I wouldn't stress so much on needing a DAC right now. Most devices have rather good DAC's as it is. I wouldn't stress about it, I would put more effort into finding your ideal headphone and a good matching amplifier that has a synergy with the headphone that pleases your preferences the most.
> 
> Very best,


 
  So amp first? You think so? How would I connect it to my computer?(the O2)


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Very best,


 
   
  Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Very best,


 
   
  Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Very best,


 
   
  Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Very best,


 
   
  Spiffy cables.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> So amp first? You think so? How would I connect it to my computer?(the O2)


 
  Ohh. With a 3.5 to 3.5mm cable?


----------



## wolfetan44

Pretty good music collection for a 13 year old, eh? Then my profile picture is me trying to go for a Austin Morrow picture.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Profile Picture:


----------



## wolfetan44

Nobody likes my pictures?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The SR80 shot is quite nice. Don't get discouraged when people don't comment though. Especially when you were the last person to post.


----------



## rustablad

Just due to the fact that I take the subway at rush hour, and I am always on the move, they are a tad large, but better than most over ears because they grip your head like a VICE. I treasure my PROs, they are like an extra limb to me, one I can't spend more than a day without listening to...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Pretty good music collection for a 13 year old, eh? Then my profile picture is me trying to go for a Austin Morrow picture.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Great pics, and very good music! Radiohead, Beatles, Bob dylan are some of my absolute faves.


----------



## calipilot227

All that Radiohead is DYING to be played on vinyl


----------



## marcelvdk

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> That Hyperion speaker set up must be real nice. I've read about them so much in the past and they are well-regarded, along w/the Rogue gear. What is your split on the speaker vs. headphone listening time? I'd be listening to the speaker system the majority of the time since the Hyperions should be very resolving, even at low volumes.


 
  I've just recently got into headphones, because of my childeren. At evenings i use the headphone. In the weekend, of during weekdays after work i listen to the hyperions. So at this time i listen for 70% to the headphones and 30% speaker. BUT the headphone made me realize what the accoustic enviroment does toe the sound of my system. The hyperions would be better off in a bigger room thats for sure. I've got some problems with the mid-low freqs, In in allother parts the play really sweet.


----------



## wolfetan44

calipilot227 said:


> All that Radiohead is DYING to be played on vinyl


I only have Animal Collective and Deer hunter vinyl. Where's this Radiohead vinyl you talk about?


----------



## wolfetan44

lugbug1 said:


> Great pics, and very good music! Radiohead, Beatles, Bob dylan are some of my absolute faves.


Thank you! All thanks to my Dad's DSLR.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nobody likes my pictures?


 
   
  Hate 'em.
   
  No, actually they're very good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I'm always a fan of good shallow DoF.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Hate 'em.
> 
> No, actually they're very good
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks man! Whats DoF?


----------



## Loevhagen

Depth of Field: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nobody likes my pictures?


 
  I do! Also, I'm 15


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Depth of Field: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field


 
  Oh, thanks. I was wondering how people always did that. I thought it was a computer effect, I guess all you need is a good camera. It was really annoying when the camera would not take the UE photo.. It could not focus at all


----------



## anoxy

I'm 23 (since we're mentioning our ages?) and I liked your shot of the SR-80 as well. The other ones could do with a bit more creativity/focus and watch those shadows. I'm no photographer though...used to own a DSLR but sold it because I just didn't use it enough.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> I'm 23 (since we're mentioning our ages?) and I liked your shot of the SR-80 as well. The other ones could do with a bit more creativity/focus and watch those shadows. I'm no photographer though...used to own a DSLR but sold it because I just didn't use it enough.


 
  The UE shot was impossible to get. The camera just kept messing stuff up
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Thanks for all the comments on the Sr80i's guys!


----------



## sphinxvc

Temporary head-fi rig...Cambridge 350C > loaner SR-212 > loaner SR-003


----------



## jtaylor991

sphinxvc said:


> Temporary head-fi rig...Cambridge 350C > loaner SR-212 > loaner SR-003




hows the sr003? they look like theyd be pretty crappy but they're STAX so...


----------



## calipilot227

wolfetan44 said:


> I only have Animal Collective and Deer hunter vinyl. Where's this Radiohead vinyl you talk about?




Radiohead has released most, if not all of their albums on vinyl. Thom Yorke's voice sounds so rich and full on the vinyl mix of In Rainbows; you _must_ hear it if you haven't already.


----------



## jasonb

My new couch-side headphone station. Laptop -> E17 -> Q701.


----------



## fatmaggot

I think it is incredible how you guys are so young, yet seem to have been on head-fi for so long, judging by your post count, I am 16, and I know of no one at my school who has nice headphones, except for a person who i had encouraged to by m-50's after he sold his beats pros.


----------



## simonpking

[size=10pt]i'm shocked that some many people's listening stations are in front of computers. I find a computer screen distracts me from the whole art of listening.[/size]


----------



## jasonb

Agreed, and a couch or a recliner will usually be more comfortable than a desk chair. 
  Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=10pt]i'm shocked that some many people's listening stations are in front of computers. I find a computer screen distracts me from the whole art of listening.[/size]


----------



## simonpking

[size=small]The liner notes for Gil Scott-Herons last album included these words on [size=12pt]listening [/size]to music - [/size]
   
_[size=small]"for the first time under optimum conditions. Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset...Get rid of all distractions (even her or him)...Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles...Listen all the way through. Think about what you’ve got."[/size]_[size=small][size=10pt][/size][/size]


----------



## jasonb

I like that.
  Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=small]The liner notes for Gil Scott-Herons last album included these words on [size=12pt]listening [/size]to music - [/size]
> 
> _[size=small]"for the first time under optimum conditions. Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset...Get rid of all distractions (even her or him)...Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles...Listen all the way through. Think about what you’ve got."[/size]_[size=small][size=10pt][/size][/size]


----------



## simonpking

[size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of those forum users who have their systems setup in front of computers. [/size][/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I’ve noticed over the last few years, especially since buying an iphone that I don’t listen to music properly anymore. On my iphone or computer I might have +$300 headphones on but I’m really not listening, I’m to busy swiping and left-clicking. [/size][/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I have more of a traditional listening station setup. My gear faces a wall in the living room and fortunately we don’t have a TV or computer in that room. If there was one I’m thinking that I might miss that opportunity of getting lost-in-the-music.[/size][/size][/size]


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of those forum users who have their systems setup in front of computers. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I’ve noticed over the last few years, especially since buying an iphone that I don’t listen to music properly anymore. On my iphone or computer I might have +$300 headphones on but I’m really not listening, I’m to busy swiping and left-clicking. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I have more of a traditional listening station setup. My gear faces a wall in the living room and fortunately we don’t have a TV or computer in that room. If there was one I’m thinking that I might miss that opportunity of getting lost-in-the-music.[/size][/size][/size]


 
  I think it really boils down to what kind of listener you are. There are those who go flipping through songs in between each play and 
  then some who sit down and listen to albums all the way through.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Agreed, and a couch or a recliner will usually be more comfortable than a desk chair.


 

 idk about you, but a lot of us are limited. I live in a college apartment. my desk is where I live, so it's the only place any listening can get done. (I also don't have room for excess furniture)


----------



## simonpking

[size=10pt][size=medium][size=small]true - i find myself that technology is making me more of the former - jumping between tracks. worse still is when i find myself not even listening to the full track thanks to mp3 players and their time scroll bar.[/size][/size][/size]


----------



## jasonb

Very true and very insensitive of me. sorry about that.
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> idk about you, but a lot of us are limited. I live in a college apartment. my desk is where I live, so it's the only place any listening can get done. (I also don't have room for excess furniture)


----------



## simonpking

[size=10pt]good point. i'm in my mid thirties - its taken me this long to buy the (mid-ranged) audio gear i have and a house big enough to house it and my records.[/size]


----------



## Maverickmonk

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Very true and very insensitive of me. sorry about that.


 
  No need to be sorry! In fact, I 100% plan on getting a nice lounge chair setup back at home this winter break! because I am too ADD to sit in front of a computer screen and focus on the music


----------



## longbowbbs

Wolfetan44, Nice Grado 80's! Keep working on the music collection, your listen to it forever!


----------



## KamijoIsMyHero

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of those forum users who have their systems setup in front of computers. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I’ve noticed over the last few years, especially since buying an iphone that I don’t listen to music properly anymore. On my iphone or computer I might have +$300 headphones on but I’m really not listening, I’m to busy swiping and left-clicking. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I have more of a traditional listening station setup. My gear faces a wall in the living room and fortunately we don’t have a TV or computer in that room. If there was one I’m thinking that I might miss that opportunity of getting lost-in-the-music.[/size][/size][/size]


 
  a few reasons, I find new music with headphones on the computer, plus I don't like plain listening all the time(I already zone out too much lol), I find my music has the ability to set my mood through out the day so I keep my set up with me as much as possible
   
  And due to being a student, a laptop has to be the most portable way to enjoy my music everywhere I go


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=small]The liner notes for Gil Scott-Herons last album included these words on [size=12pt]listening [/size]to music - [/size]
> 
> _[size=small]"for the first time under optimum conditions. Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset...Get rid of all distractions (even her or him)...Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles...Listen all the way through. Think about what you’ve got."[/size]_[size=small][size=10pt][/size][/size]


 
  I do that a lot. I make it a priorty to listen to music for one hour everyday. Just laying in my bed, listening to the music and only the music


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Wolfetan44, Nice Grado 80's! Keep working on the music collection, your listen to it forever!


 
  Yep, I'm trying to find a nice CD player. Any suggestions? My dad is getting a Rega RP1 for Christmas, so I'm pretty pumped for that. But, vinyl are pretty expensive therefore, CD's are much more conveinent.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> hows the sr003? they look like theyd be pretty crappy but they're STAX so...


 
   
  Don't write them off, they're bad ass.  I can think of a lot of well regarded phones or IEMs these could displace.  
   
  Now...if only they were more comfortable.  
   
  Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=10pt]i'm shocked that some many people's listening stations are in front of computers. I find a computer screen distracts me from the whole art of listening.[/size]


 
   
  Definitely.  I've moved away from computer based set ups for the past year for the same exact reason.


----------



## PanamaHat

What I'm working with at the moment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll be upgrading to something much better soon


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Don't write them off, they're bad ass.  I can think of a lot of well regarded phones or IEMs these could displace.
> 
> Now...if only they were more comfortable.
> 
> ...


 
  What is your source then?


----------



## niten

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Couldn't help but noticing that you lived in Westchester County.
  Glad to see that there are some other head-fi members from my area.
   
  Any ideas yet where you are going to go with your next upgrade?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





niten said:


> Couldn't help but noticing that you lived in Westchester County.
> Glad to see that there are some other head-fi members from my area.
> 
> Any ideas yet where you are going to go with your next upgrade?


 
  *Inside Niten's head* "If PanamaHat is getting a Sennheiser HD600 system, I am going to his house. Good thing he lives near."


----------



## sphinxvc

Simonpking, you might like/agree with this article.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What is your source then?


 
   
  I just bought the Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC, which can play music off a built-in SD card reader, so that's one of them.  And the other, which will feed into the Invicta as a transport, is the Cambridge 350C I posted a picture of.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Simonpking, you might like/agree with this article.
> 
> 
> I just bought the Resonessence Labs Invicta DAC, which can play music off a built-in SD card reader, so that's one of them.  And the other, which will feed into the Invicta as a transport, is the Cambridge 350C I posted a picture of.


 
  Oh, that sounds really nice
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Do you like the 350C?


----------



## PanamaHat

> Couldn't help but noticing that you lived in Westchester County.
> Glad to see that there are some other head-fi members from my area.
> 
> Any ideas yet where you are going to go with your next upgrade?


 
  Nice man. Yea, New York is a hot bed. I wish I had gone to that meet in White Plains a while back.
  I'm gonna go for the Matrix M-stage (classA opa627ap) and I'm not sure what headphone to go with yet. I've been considering a few options all under $400


----------



## sphinxvc

wolfetan44 said:


> Oh, that sounds really nice . Do you like the 350C?




Well, I've had it for all of one day, but it seems fine so far. Analog output isn't too shabby and it'll be fine for occassional stand in duties when necessary (like now). I bought it because the transport mehanism's supposed to be half decent, so if it plays my CDs properly, without breaking, then I'll like it.


----------



## simonpking

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Simonpking, you might like/agree with this article.


 
   
  [size=10pt]thanks. that’s on the money - i've certainly had to work on my top-down listening in the face of change.[/size]


----------



## Focker

What's with all the yapping? Let's get some PICTURES!!!!!


----------



## MuZI

My computer is specd for gaming so it's far too loud. My laptop distracts me... my netbook at times isn't powerful enough to play the media I want.
   
  Just put the CD into a player and ready to go!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Temporary head-fi rig...Cambridge 350C > loaner SR-212 > loaner SR-003


 
  Nice. What else have you got coming? I see the Resonessence Invicta, but what headphones, are you joining the Stax Mafia...??


----------



## MegaMushroom

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of those forum users who have their systems setup in front of computers. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I’ve noticed over the last few years, especially since buying an iphone that I don’t listen to music properly anymore. On my iphone or computer I might have +$300 headphones on but I’m really not listening, I’m to busy swiping and left-clicking. [/size][/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt] [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=13.5pt][size=13.5pt]I have more of a traditional listening station setup. My gear faces a wall in the living room and fortunately we don’t have a TV or computer in that room. If there was one I’m thinking that I might miss that opportunity of getting lost-in-the-music.[/size][/size][/size]


 
   
  I find my chair to be comfortable enough to justify this.  Just turn my monitor off and put my feet up on the desk and chill for an entire album.  Although I am planning on a more dedicated setup next to my reading seat.  It just takes a real desire to listen to music that let's me do it in front of a computer.


----------



## simonpking

Quote: 





focker said:


> What's with all the yapping? Let's get some PICTURES!!!!!


 
   
  fair enough - here's my current setup. i was kinda hoping there would be a pair of v-moda m100s on that stand by now, but like a few on this forum i'm still waiting,,,


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> Hmmm, I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of those forum users who have their systems setup in front of computers.
> 
> I’ve noticed over the last few years, especially since buying an iphone that I don’t listen to music properly anymore. On my iphone or computer I might have +$300 headphones on but I’m really not listening, I’m to busy swiping and left-clicking.
> 
> I have more of a traditional listening station setup. My gear faces a wall in the living room and fortunately we don’t have a TV or computer in that room. If there was one I’m thinking that I might miss that opportunity of getting lost-in-the-music.


 
   
  I use an iPad2 as a dedicated music server. I have it on the iPad dock/stand so I can easily flick through the media library. Any distractions will come from messages/calls going into my Android phone. Got a slightly nicer chair for the job though - a low collapsible director's seat from the local Philharmonic - the only thing my office chair does better is that it has a high-back for resting my head on. However that tends to lull me to sleep anyway so I can live without it for critical listening.
   
  My secondary set-up are Swan active speakers with my laptop. I use it primarily to give me good audio while working; and every time some tracks get their turn to play I take my hands off the keyboard and listen more critically than mostly just background music. I also use it as background music even when I'm working on physical documents away from the computer table, and use my Android phone as a remote.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





simonpking said:


>


 
  Really nice pics!


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Oh, thanks. I was wondering how people always did that. I thought it was a computer effect, I guess all you need is a good camera. It was really annoying when the camera would not take the UE photo.. It could not focus at all


 
   
  It's actually much more about the lens than anything else, and is also affected by the camera's sensor size and how close you are. And remember, it's an SLR so you could always just manually focus it.


----------



## LugBug1

Just trying out me Wife's camera...
   
  Bedside rig

   
  Living room rig

   
(Not much better than me phone camera... think I'll get a new camera for xmas... yes I think so


----------



## HeyWaj10

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> HE-500 on speaker tap with an Emotiva speaker amp.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Malveaux,
   
  How does this setup rank vs. something like a Bifrost/Lyr combo?  Is the expense/process of the XLR-->Speaker tap cable worth it?  I'm highly interested in going the HE-500 route, but was wondering if going into all of the cable mods is required to really reach their potential?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## simonpking

i'm impressed lugbug that you've got a bedroom and a living room setup - do they run off the same music source?


----------



## Armaegis

Got some big toys today...
   

   
  left stack: Nuforce LPS-2U-192k, with Icon2 on top and speaker breakout box 
  middle stack: Nuforce DAC-100 (top), HAP-100 (bottom), HE-6 sitting on top, AKG Sextett MP in front
  right stack: Schiit Bifrost (bottom), Lyr (top) 
  right: Bottlehead Crack + Speedball, LCD-2 in front
   
  The LPS is usb converter and outputs both optical and coax. I'm feeding these simultaneously into the DAC-100 and Bifrost.
   
  I'll be reviewing the Nuforce gear. Comparing dacs by feeding them both into the HAP-100 and switching back and forth by a button. Comparing amps probably referencing with the DAC-100 since it has a built in amp along with preout.


----------



## niten

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Got some big toys today...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That is one serious cable on the HE-6.
  What is it?


----------



## Armaegis

That's an 8-strand braid by Norse Audio. I'll be making a similar one for the LCD2; probably in a twisted two-tone.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Finally up and running with my analogue stuff. Got a great deal on it, and it sounds good to me. 
   
  You guys should be able to recognize the vinyl.


----------



## grokit

armaegis said:


> That's an 8-strand braid by Norse Audio. I'll be making a similar one for the LCD2; probably in a twisted two-tone.




That's what I thought but no wooden splitter...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Finally up and running with my analogue stuff. Got a great deal on it, and it sounds good to me.
> 
> *You guys should be able to recognize the vinyl. *


 
   
  No clue, but clue me in. I just started to look at record clamps. What can you share about your experience with this one?


----------



## MorbidToaster

silent one said:


> No clue, but clue me in. I just started to look at record clamps. What can you share about your experience with this one?




Tool - Lateralus. Most VPI tables include clamps. This is stock. 

I honestly prefer weights. If you have a high torque table I'd get a weight rather than a low mass clamp.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks. Will have to see if it's high torque or not. If so, would the weight be placed on the perimeter of the table?


----------



## MorbidToaster

The ring weights are honestly better, but absurdly expensive most of the time. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Thanks. Will have to see if it's high torque or not. If so, would the weight be placed on the perimeter of the table?


----------



## simonpking

here is the full Gil Scott-Heron liner note on how to listen to an album


----------



## sugi123

Quote: 





massacare said:


> New stuff (old stuff actually
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How do the 650's sound with that amp?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





grokit said:


> That's what I thought but no wooden splitter...


 
   
  *shrug* maybe it's just different from their current offerings? or one of their earlier ones? The wires are in a teflon sleeving as well, rather than fabric. It's got their branding on it. Still a gorgeous cable in any event.


----------



## MalVeauX

Been switching between my Hifimans and speakers lately.
   

   
  Very best,


----------



## Focker

lol What


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Been switching between my Hifimans and speakers lately.
> 
> 
> 
> Very best,


 
  That is a lot of speakers..


----------



## pwnm30rdi3

THAT LOOKS LOUD! lol.


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nobody likes my pictures?


 

 Your pictures are great but your haircut is better!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silversurfer616 said:


> Your pictures are great but your haircut is better!


 
  Haha, thanks. I should've done my hair for Head-Fi! I was uploading the pictures on this and I said to myself,"And this is how I represent my self to Head-Fi? Shame on me."


----------



## PanamaHat

malveaux said:


> Been switching between my Hifimans and speakers lately.
> 
> 
> 
> Very best,




Wicked 7.2 system Malveaux  but why not set it up in surround?


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Wicked 7.2 system Malveaux
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It is usually sphered around in a surround setup, I just wanted to have a little crescent shaped extended stereo moment for fun.
   
  Very best,


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> *shrug* maybe it's just different from their current offerings? or one of their earlier ones? The wires are in a teflon sleeving as well, rather than fabric. It's got their branding on it. Still a gorgeous cable in any event.


 
   
   
  Is that cable hard wired into the HiFiman headphone?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Congrats...you're up to some good stuff! I have watched your acquisitions, patience and payoff.


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> Malveaux,
> 
> How does this setup rank vs. something like a Bifrost/Lyr combo?  Is the expense/process of the XLR-->Speaker tap cable worth it?  I'm highly interested in going the HE-500 route, but was wondering if going into all of the cable mods is required to really reach their potential?
> 
> Thanks!


 
   
  Heya,
   
Information here.
   
  Long story short, I much prefer this setup to my bifrost/lyr. The cost of the cable and this amp is less than the cost of a new Lyr. You can have a speaker tap adapter made for like $30~40 or so. I made a very expensive cable, but it still was less than the cost of the Lyr. You can get the adapter and a good speaker amp like this mini-X here for $250 or less. That leaves a lot of room for DAC options. As for the Bifrost, it's a good DAC, no doubt, but I find the price tag not justified (and I went USB on mine). I don't really notice much difference between it and my NFB12 as a DAC or something like a Music Streamer II, but maybe my ears just are not golden enough. Point being, for $250+$150 you can get the source setup capable of really pushing the HE-500 to it's limits (you can even go to HE-6 if you want, it can handle that beast too) which is very inexpensive if you think about it. I was just playing around with this for fun and it just so happened to be a better sound, to me, than the Lyr and other amps. But I sort of expected it to as orthos just seems to love tons of current.
   
  Very best,


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Been switching between my Hifimans and speakers lately.
> 
> 
> 
> Very best,


 
  Dang!!, great setup you've got there Mal 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> Is that cable hard wired into the HiFiman headphone?


 
   
   
  Yeah it's look like it, cuz i don't see any connectors on the headphones.. but then again i'm not pretty sure..


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Is that cable hard wired into the HiFiman headphone?


 
   
  Yep.


----------



## Destroyer95

Thats my current set up:
   
  Overview:
   

   
  Macbook Air (early 2012) -> Schiit Lyr -> Hifiman He500 / Akg K550
   
   
   
  Shot of the Lyr:
   
   

   
   
  And a try of a macro shot of my K550:


----------



## colinharding

Shot of the Lyr is definitely my favorite of the bunch, looks very sultry with those glowing tubes swaddled in aluminum. Great job!!


----------



## PanamaHat

> Macbook Air (early 2012) -> Schiit Lyr -> Hifiman He500 / Akg K550




Optical out to RCA? That's a sweet setup, real clean


----------



## parbaked

Rega Planet > MAD Ear+ HD Super 2 > vintage Grado 325


----------



## MorbidToaster

The Planet is a seriously sexy CD player.


----------



## Destroyer95

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Optical out to RCA? That's a sweet setup, real clean


 
  No unfortunetly the Macbook Air´s dont have optical out, so its just the standart output.
  And also thanks for the comments


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





destroyer95 said:


> No unfortunetly the Macbook Air´s dont have optical out, so its just the standart output.
> And also thanks for the comments


 

 All that and no DAC?


----------



## Destroyer95

Yeah i know, but i just got my lyr and he500s two weeks ago so that really hurt my wallet ( lyr + he500s were about 1300 $ cause i live in germany) and as I am only 17  and apart from that the dac of the MacBooks is quite decent but a dedicated dac will be my next purchase


----------



## pwnm30rdi3

Quote: 





destroyer95 said:


> Thats my current set up:
> 
> Overview:


 
   
  Very clean looking set-up. I love it!
  I gotta ask, why do your neighbors have bars on all their windows?


----------



## Destroyer95

pwnm30rdi3 said:


> Very clean looking set-up. I love it!
> I gotta ask, why do your neighbors have bars on all their windows?




D that's quite usual here and we have it too, it is that the kids don't fall out off the windows when they are open.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





simonpking said:


> i'm impressed lugbug that you've got a bedroom and a living room setup - do they run off the same music source?


 
  No, I've got two laptops. One main one downstairs and a little netbook that I use only for music upstairs


----------



## hippie

a while ago my skull candy's broke, found Head-fi looking for something new, didn't even know what IEM stood for.
   
  2 Months later I got this:
   
  laptop>FLAC, or Garrard mk. 2> Fisher 400>AKG Q701, or two Twinaziom 12in
   
   

   
  Thanks head-fi, learned a ton!!


----------



## dinopolis




----------



## longbowbbs

I like the Little Dot hanging out incognito....


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dinopolis said:


>


 
  Nice! welcome to head-fi, soz about your wal... hah too late.


----------



## grokit

destroyer95 said:


> panamahat said:
> 
> 
> > Optical out to RCA? That's a sweet setup, real clean
> ...




Even if the Air did have an optical out, there's nowhere for it to go at this point.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





pwnm30rdi3 said:


> Very clean looking set-up. I love it!
> I gotta ask, why do your neighbors have bars on all their windows?


 

 He keeps burgling them to pay for his head-fi gear


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Finally up and running with my analogue stuff. Got a great deal on it, and it sounds good to me.
> 
> You guys should be able to recognize the vinyl.


 
   
  Very nice! I didn't realize Lateralus was available on Vinyl, have you heard the CD too? If so can you discern much differences between the vinyl and cd? I know the CD version was mastered pretty well.


----------



## Maverickmonk

That fisher is absolutely beautiful 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





hippie said:


> a while ago my skull candy's broke, found Head-fi looking for something new, didn't even know what IEM stood for.
> 
> 2 Months later I got this:
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

beaver316 said:


> Very nice! I didn't realize Lateralus was available on Vinyl, have you heard the CD too? If so can you discern much differences between the vinyl and cd? I know the CD version was mastered pretty well.




The CD is probably the better choice because it's still produced very well. 

Fun fact: All of Tool's albums are on vinyl except 10,000 Days. Aenima is the only rare one though. Legit copies to for around 300 bucks. Lots of fakes.


----------



## silversurfer616

Alternating between HE500 and LCD2Rev2(both balanced with ALO chain mail/Norse adapter for HE500)and I love them both but the nod goes to the Audeze as they are more visceral and closer to "live instruments"!


----------



## wolfetan44

Just tried the LCD 2 + LCD 3, Sennheiser HD800 + HD700, Shure 1840 ,and the Beyerdynamic T1 on the Antelope Zodiac Gold. I have to say, I could not stand the LCD 2 and LCD 3. They were way too heavy and I do not know how people like them very much. I could not even focus on the music due to the weight. My favorite was between the T1 and the HD800. I'm not sure which one I liked better, I felt the T1 sounded better. But, the HD800 was more comfortable but still sounded great. The source was some CD player that was really high-end, did not catch the name though. Anybody in the Bay Area I recommend going to AudioHigh, the employees were very nice.


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Just tried the LCD 2 + LCD 3, Sennheiser HD800 + HD700, Shure 1840 ,and the Beyerdynamic T1 on the Antelope Zodiac Gold. I have to say, I could not stand the LCD 2 and LCD 3. They were way too heavy and I do not know how people like them very much. I could not even focus on the music due to the weight. My favorite was between the T1 and the HD800. I'm not sure which one I liked better, I felt the T1 sounded better. But, the HD800 was more comfortable but still sounded great. The source was some CD player that was really high-end, did not catch the name though. Anybody in the Bay Area I recommend going to AudioHigh, the employees were very nice.




If you were heeling the Zodiac as a headphone amp you weren't hearing any of those cans at their best. Unfortunately the Zodiac Amos have kind of a throw away amp.


----------



## Armaegis

I find the clamp on the LCD2 a bit more distracting than the weight. I feel some softer pads (or memory foam) would be better too.


----------



## sphinxvc

.
   
   
  Nvm.........


----------



## wolfetan44

They were using some amp that I could not recognize. I know they were using an amp though.


----------



## Y2HBK




----------



## calipilot227

Looks like that Schiit might cause some heat issues with the Mac Mini...


----------



## Y2HBK

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Looks like that Schiit might cause some heat issues with the Mac Mini...


 
   
  Ive been keeping a very close eye on the temperature between the two as a precaution. The Schiit combo does not seem to get nearly as hot as everyone has made it out to be. Maybe I lucked out.


----------



## longbowbbs

Sweet Setup!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> They were using some amp that I could not recognize. I know they were using an amp though.


 
   
  Wait. You mean you live in _"The City that knows how"_ and you didn't go Android or iOS6 all over that foreign box?!


----------



## wolfetan44

silent one said:


> Wait. You mean you live in _"The City that knows how"_ and you didn't go Android or iOS6 all over that foreign box?! :blink:


Haha, it sounded amazing though.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   





 I bet the lost opportunity hit you well after you had already left. Glad a Brick & Mortar was able to take care of an audition.


----------



## wolfetan44

silent one said:


> I bet the lost opportunity hit you well after you had already left. Glad a Brick & Mortar was able to take care of an audition.


. I don't know what CD player it was but it sounded so good. The Sennheiser HD800 was amazing.. I cant get over it, this is not good.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> . I don't know what CD player it was but it sounded so good. The Sennheiser HUD800 was amazing.. I cant get over it, this is not good.


 
   
   
  I see you have a nice camera on your avatar.  Go back and take some pictures.  Inquiring minds want to know.


----------



## Jaawa

My daily PC-rig, took the photo just now, been this way for years


----------



## wolfetan44

preproman said:


> I see you have a nice camera on your avatar.  Go back and take some pictures.  Inquiring minds want to know.


Its my dads. And, I can't go all the time. I'm going in a week though as were buying a Rega RP1 and Music Hall Marimbas. So, I'll try to see what it was.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  This is great to hear! Did you go to the Mountain View store or did _The City_ get a store?


----------



## wolfetan44

silent one said:


> This is great to hear! Did you go to the Mountain View store or did _The City_ get a store?


Mountain View.


----------



## keph

Thor's Hammer...


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice! How do you like the LCD2's?


----------



## antberg

Sorry,been posting in the wrong thread!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





keph said:


> Thor's Hammer...


 
  Gorgeous set of photos, *keph*. I see in your profile that you have the Beyerdynamic DT 990, how is it when paired with either the Schiit or the Woo Audio amplifier?
   
  Destroysall.


----------



## longbowbbs

Lovin' the 596 on your Woo Keph!


----------



## grokit

keph said:


> Thor's Hammer...



Your Mjolnir looks great perched on top of your DA220MKII, and the WA6SE flanking ups the ante, very nice looking setup!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Lovin' the 596 on your Woo Keph!


 
   
  He actually killed one of the 596 I sent him. Just took one big chunk of glass right out of it. I wonder if I still have that picture


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sans stills & video, I'd settle for the audio of this event mishap...


----------



## fatmaggot

all i have to show for 2 months worth of oogling over headphones
   

  Sorry about the quality, but i lent my SD card to my friend today.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> all i have to show for 2 months worth of oogling over headphones
> 
> 
> Sorry about the quality, but i lent my SD card to my friend today.


 
   
  The gamecube caught my attention, i still play mine every so often.


----------



## fatmaggot

favourite console of all time, the games made for it are in a class of their own.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> favourite console of all time, the games made for it are in a class of their own.


 
  I see that you're playing Sunshine. Great game, great game.


----------



## beaver316

I can't stop playing super smash brother melee  One of my favourite games of all time.


----------



## fatmaggot

stopped just the other day, i unlocked all the stages except for dreamland 64, just finished super mario sunshine today, aiming to finish either windwaker or 1000 year door next, i love school holidays.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> stopped just the other day, i unlocked all the stages except for dreamland 64, just finished super mario sunshine today, aiming to finish either windwaker or 1000 year door next, i love school holidays.


 
  I hope that you finished Sunshine with 120 shine sprites.
  The Blue Coins isn't that hard to get...
  Go for PMTTYD next.


----------



## fatmaggot

only 75, it's not that I don't want to get the coins, it is more the 100 coin star. At the moment just finishing the story is enough for me, as I have been playing it since  I was 8. My parents sold our Gamecube for $10 and bought a PS2. I only just bought my own Gamecube last year.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> He actually killed one of the 596 I sent him. Just took one big chunk of glass right out of it. I wonder if I still have that picture


 
  1812 Overture will do it every time...


----------



## Silent One

Sadly, I love to hear the sound of glass breaking. Just not rare tubes and Champagne flutes.


----------



## keph

Speak of the Devil...
   
   

   

   
  ATM i'm Crying again...Thx guys for reminding me...


----------



## longbowbbs

Ouch!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





keph said:


> Speak of the Devil...
> 
> 
> ATM i'm Crying again...Thx guys for reminding me...


 
   
  It's still funny


----------



## snapontom

the adaptor for the 596 looks better than mine


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> The gamecube caught my attention, i still play mine every so often.


 
   
  Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> favourite console of all time, the games made for it are in a class of their own.


 
   
  Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> I see that you're playing Sunshine. Great game, great game.


 
   
  Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> I can't stop playing super smash brother melee  One of my favourite games of all time.


 
   
  SNES all the way!! Super Mario World!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I see you have a nice camera on your avatar.  Go back and take some pictures.  Inquiring minds want to know.


 
  Found out the CD player preproman! Its a Esoteric X01-D2. Only retailed for $20,000 when it first came out. Not that much money for a CD player
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. No wonder it sounded so good.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> SNES all the way!! Super Mario World!


 
  SNES you say, EarthBound, I say.


----------



## LCfiner

Testing out some new toys. bit of a messy setup today
   
  Just received W4S DAC1 and Senn HD700.
   
   

   
   
  Also got my Koss ESP 950 and the Mad Dogs for comparisons.
   
  buuuuut... My Amphora amp is out for a wiring repair at ALO so the 1K source and 1K headphone are connected to... a 40 dollar cmoy.
   
  YEAH!
   
  honestly, cmoy doesn't do a terrible job. sounds a bit lush and bloomy, but the technical merits of the HD700 still come through. (side note: still unsure how I feel about the HD700 but I know I don't hate them.)


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Found out the CD player preproman! Its a Esoteric X01-D2. Only retailed for $20,000 when it first came out. Not that much money for a CD player . No wonder it sounded so good.




Figured it'd be hooked up to an Esoteric something or other.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Figured it'd be hooked up to an Esoteric something or other.


 
  Esoteric is known for being very good?


----------



## calipilot227

wolfetan44 said:


> Esoteric is known for being very good?




At that price, it'd damn well better be!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> At that price, it'd damn well better be!


 
  I was thinking that. Never know though. I need more money for audio
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Just got a Rega RP1,Music Hall Marimba's, and a Parasound ZPhono Preamp though, not quite sure why I'm researching CD players now. Damn this hobby!


----------



## calipilot227

wolfetan44 said:


> I was thinking that. Never know though. I need more money for audio . Just got a Rega RP1,Music Hall Marimba's, and a Parasound ZPhono Preamp though, not quite sure why I'm researching CD players now. Damn this hobby!




Once you go vinyl, you don't really go back :veryevil: How are you liking your Rega?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Once you go vinyl, you don't really go back
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I can't use speakers all the time though! And the turntable will be downstairs, here's to hoping the Beyerdynamic DT880's have a long cord! Anyways, they come next week. But, I will not be trying them next week as I'm getting them for Christmas. How's this sound for Christmas? The stuff listed above plus Beyerdynamic DT880's, O2 amp, and a MAYBE a ODAC. Only reason I have to wait till Christmas is I'm 13. Also to add, the turntable and speakers is for my dad for Christmas. It's not all for me
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I hope I get to open it though. This audio hobby is getting expensive


----------



## niten

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I can't use speakers all the time though! And the turntable will be downstairs, here's to hoping the Beyerdynamic DT880's have a long cord! Anyways, they come next week. But, I will not be trying them next week as I'm getting them for Christmas. How's this sound for Christmas? The stuff listed above plus Beyerdynamic DT880's, O2 amp, and a MAYBE a ODAC. Only reason I have to wait till Christmas is I'm 13. Also to add, the turntable and speakers is for my dad for Christmas. It's not all for me
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Forget all that!
  I say drill a hole into your wall or ceiling, feed a custom 20ft+ cable through said hole, snake it through the walls perhaps, and finally have it come out neatly by your desk/preferred upstairs listening location.
   
  From then on you can be one of those guys with a (more than likely) one-of-a-kind setup.
  Keep us posted!


----------



## stacker45

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The CD is probably the better choice because it's still produced very well.
> Fun fact: All of Tool's albums are on vinyl except 10,000 Days. Aenima is the only rare one though. Legit copies to for around 300 bucks. Lots of fakes.


 
   
  Nice rig, i really like the VPI Scout, i have a Technics SL-1200MK2 with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, and i believe that the Scout would be a worthwhile upgrade, i wonder if my 2M Black would be a good match for the Scout's arm tough, by the way, what cart do you have on yours?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





niten said:


> Forget all that!
> I say drill a hole into your wall or ceiling, feed a custom 20ft+ cable through said hole, snake it through the walls perhaps, and finally have it come out neatly by your desk/preferred upstairs listening location.
> 
> From then on you can be one of those guys with a (more than likely) one-of-a-kind setup.
> Keep us posted!


 
  Like that'll happen


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  And the addiction hasn't even kicked in yet.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Esoteric is known for being very good?


 
   
  If the Emperor has no clothes would a reviewer tell him?  Of Course Absolute Sound did dis the Audio Research Dac 8 recently....Kinda of amazing...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> And the addiction hasn't even kicked in yet.


 
  I can see the picture of him in the paper, standing along the roadside with a sign....
   
  "Will work for Hi Fi"....


----------



## MorbidToaster

Most people are quite fond of them and build quality wise they're top notch. To put it in perspective quite a few 009 rig owners own a K-01. 22k I believe? 
   
  I've been considering their latest CDP for myself, but it's steep at ~7k.
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> If the Emperor has no clothes would a reviewer tell him?  Of Course Absolute Sound did dis the Audio Research Dac 8 recently....Kinda of amazing...


 
   
  Keep your 2M Black. It's pretty much the best MM cart you'll get (and some will argue the best period under 1500 bucks). Not sure how it'd pair with the Scout, but it was my planned cart until I got a good deal on this rig. 
   
  I have the VPI edition Dynavector 20x. It's 1mv rather than the .3 or 3mv typical options.
   
  Quote: 





stacker45 said:


> Nice rig, i really like the VPI Scout, i have a Technics SL-1200MK2 with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, and i believe that the Scout would be a worthwhile upgrade, i wonder if my 2M Black would be a good match for the Scout's arm tough, by the way, what cart do you have on yours?


----------



## longbowbbs

Not questioning its qualities. It is one of those pieces where few can afford it and few could discern the actual sonic benefits over something for perhaps a 3rd of the price. It would be a fun afternoon to have it, the K-07 and say a top end Cary to experience the capabilities and differences. I am not sure I could hear the difference...I blame that on Metallica (and Megadeath, and Alice Cooper....hmmm...long list here....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )
   
  BTW, Good call on the new iBuds...Much better bass response than the originals.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Told ja. 
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> BTW, Good call on the new iBuds...Much better bass response than the originals.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





niten said:


> Forget all that!
> I say drill a hole into your wall or ceiling, feed a custom 20ft+ cable through said hole, snake it through the walls perhaps, and finally have it come out neatly by your desk/preferred upstairs listening location.
> 
> From then on you can be one of those guys with a (more than likely) one-of-a-kind setup.
> Keep us posted!


 

 Now, devise a system to automatically switch between records using a mechanical arm and a computer program operable upstairs.


----------



## Armaegis

Like an old school jukebox...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I can see the picture of him in the paper, standing along the roadside with a sign....
> 
> "Will work for Hi Fi"....


 
  Dude, I would totally do that. I want to work for AudioHigh really bad right now


----------



## keph

Quote: 





snapontom said:


> the adaptor for the 596 looks better than mine


 
   
  That was the first batch...now i have the 2nd batch the same one which the people from the group buy bought...Where did you get yours?
   
   

   
  I personally thinks this one is the better looking one...


----------



## jazzerdave

morbidtoaster said:


> Most people are quite fond of them and build quality wise they're top notch. To put it in perspective quite a few 009 rig owners own a K-01. 22k I believe?
> 
> I've been considering their latest CDP for myself, but it's steep at ~7k.




I do have a decent amount of respect for Esoteric's products, but I've found many of them (including the K-01) to be a little to dry or analytic sounding for my tastes.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I agree. Not really considering them anymore. Should be finally hearing a Cantana this week.
   
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I do have a decent amount of respect for Esoteric's products, but I've found many of them (including the K-01) to be a little to dry or analytic sounding for my tastes.


----------



## Puffery

This will probably hold me off for a long time. It has been a fun journey to get here though.


----------



## fra107

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


>


 

 Thanks for posting this, after i've seen this picture i've decided to recable that thin cable with a 7N OCC Copper........
   

   
  Anybody knows what kind of cable is the internal stock cable of the LCD-2?


----------



## dmort

I considerately cropped out most of the mess that is under the desk. And... I've got an emotiva xda-1, some emotiva cable, and a headphile stand all slated to arrive next week. Cool.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Battlestation
   

   
   
  Bedside rig
   

   
  And inside for all you curious cookies 
   
  Gear: Battlestation: FLAC/WAV>Foobar2k WASAPI>CyberAcoustics CA3602/HD518
           Bedside: Kindle Fire with WINAMP Pro/Classical 101.1 FM radio>FLAC/WAV> Kenwood KR-V5570> HD518
           Not-So-Portable-Portable-Rig: Kindle (same as before)> Sony MDR-XB500


----------



## niten

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Oh wow that brings back memories.
  That is a relatively old desk. I have the same thing downstairs. No longer use it as the computer desk in my house, but it used to be where I spent all my time on the computer until around 2000.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

niten said:


> Oh wow that brings back memories.
> That is a relatively old desk. I have the same thing downstairs. No longer use it as the computer desk in my house, but it used to be where I spent all my time on the computer until around 2000.




Which is funny because my great-grandfather hand-made that exact desk. But if you have a similar one, that's cool  only problem is that the rollers on the roll-out part stick.


----------



## MuZI

Kindle Fire can play FLAC?


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





muzi said:


> Kindle Fire can play FLAC?


 
   
  Isn't it Android? If it is even if it doesn't have the native Android player app you can just download a player app that can play that format.


----------



## beaver316

Just my temporary rig until my dac arrives. Taken with my toaster camera (bad quality).
   
   

   
  Diamond DVD-1301 cd player > Matrix M-Stage > Hifiman HE-400


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

It is a modified Android, its native player not only sucks, but sucks. Amazons NEW mp3 cloud id awful, so I had to manually put all the music on it, and then I had to find an. APK for winamp because Amazon didn't have it at the time.


----------



## Hooster

A corner of it. I mainly use a computer as a source but that is outside the pic as is my Music Streamer II.
  Dynaudio speakers, re cabled AKG Q701, Audio GD NFB-6, Acoustic Reality power amp.


----------



## TheOtus

Recently bought Luxman SQ-N100 paired with my ORB. How much I love this... Too bad I planned the amp for speakers, going to get new ones soon.


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





hooster said:


> A corner of it. I mainly use a computer as a source but that is outside the pic as is my Music Streamer II.
> Dynaudio speakers, re cabled AKG Q701, Audio GD NFB-6, Acoustic Reality power amp.


 
  Hooster which Dynaudio you got?I suppose you turned your speakers upsidedown because you sit in a pretty low couch?
  Beside the jokes,how does they sound,especially in the low region (Not a basshead,thought).


----------



## Hooster

Quote: 





antberg said:


> Hooster which Dynaudio you got?I suppose you turned your speakers upsidedown because you sit in a pretty low couch?
> Beside the jokes,how does they sound,especially in the low region (Not a basshead,thought).


 
   
  Audience 42. They sound fantastic and what bass there is is excellent. Nothing like a subwoofer but the bass that is there is real with plenty of slam. I don't really miss having more. (I went to these from largeish floorstanders) My power amp has an extremely high damping factor and that helps a lot I think. A weak amp with poor damping would probably result in a flabby bass. The speakers are upside down because my normal listening position is above them.


----------



## dukeskd

A shabby quality photo since the DSLR cam isn't with me, however this is my current headphone arsenal (with a few missing).


----------



## hifimanrookie

Can anyone tell me how to upload pics directly onto this thread? As i wanna share my rig pics with u guys  .Thanks


----------



## jtaylor991

hifimanrookie said:


> Can anyone tell me how to upload pics directly onto this thread? As i wanna share my rig pics with u guys  .Thanks




When you're writing a post up in the toolbar above the typing box is a little portrait to the right of the piece of film. Click that then upload away 

Also, mods, we should sticky this somewhere, like with a screenshot and a circle around the button or something.


----------



## Jaawa

Hey I'm hifimanrookie and this is a picture of my jarl-ballin' swag setup
   

  1. click insert image
  2. choose to upload from computer if that's what you like
  3. browse to your image file, hit open
  4. choose your size for the inserted image
  5. hit submit and voilá


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





hooster said:


> Audience 42. They sound fantastic and what bass there is is excellent. Nothing like a subwoofer but the bass that is there is real with plenty of slam. I don't really miss having more. (I went to these from largeish floorstanders) My power amp has an extremely high damping factor and that helps a lot I think. A weak amp with poor damping would probably result in a flabby bass. The speakers are upside down because my normal listening position is above them.


 
  Nice Hooster,i always have been a Dynaudio.Never heard any of them ,but on the internet plenty of forums talk very well about them.A good choice for an amplifier must indeed help for a better performance,thank you.


----------



## hifimanrookie

jaawa said:


> Hey I'm hifimanrookie and this is a picture of my jarl-ballin' swag setup
> 
> 
> 1. click insert image
> ...




Thanks!


----------



## noobandroid

This is my home desk where i spend most of my time, listening to my audio, cleaning up the rigs (dusty room *cough cough*), and surf / print / work, part of my life is here


----------



## kkhaha

Quote: 





noobandroid said:


> This is my home desk where i spend most of my time, listening to my audio, cleaning up the rigs (dusty room *cough cough*), and surf / print / work, part of my life is here


 

 The Tissue really comes in very handy


----------



## socksfelloff

I did a little photoshoot with my dt990 600ohm and my nexus 7 because I wanted to make some wallpapers. I couldn't find any i was satisfied with.

If anyone wants the originals @ 4320x3240 I can post a link -_-





For those taking notice, your right. The 600ohm headphones are hooked up to just the jack and no they don't work well like that. It was just for show.


----------



## hifimanrookie

and here is my day to day audio rig..a modded Darkvoice 337, a Hifiman HE500 with Double Helix Cables Quicksilver copper cable and a Hifiman HM602
  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  above pic is the headphone set for my gaming pc!
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
  so here u have it...hope u enjoyed my pics..
   
  ps. a bit of offtopic..my last pic is my DIY Work in progress watercooled rig for gaming..this is first cycle..next step is the water cooling cycle for the CPU and GPU. the 2nd radiator and 2nd pump will be outside of the D800 case!
   
  the next pics are made by fellow headfi friends in a meet last sunday.
   

   

   
  on this meet i still had my he300 (silver) and my modded m-stage (on left) both are sold on the meet


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> and here is my day to day audio rig..a modded Darkvoice 337, a Hifiman HE500 with Double Helix Cables Quicksilver copper cable and a Hifiman HM602
> 
> 
> so here u have it...hope u enjoyed my pics..
> ...


 
  Good stuff, the 337 amp certainly looks the business!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice gear! What tubes are you using in the 337?  (Was that a small pile of catnip next to the HE500's?....hmmmm.)


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> Nice gear! What tubes are you using in the 337?  (Was that a small pile of catnip next to the HE500's?....hmmmm.)




Thanks! My rig sounds not to bad either  the power tubes are Svetlana 6AS7G's (very solid state sounding!) but will be replaced in two weeks(2 pairs are on their way from the usa) by tung sol 5998 or bendix 6080WB (with graphite blocks inside)..depending which sounds best..the driver tubes are tungsol sj7gt..they will stay..buti will try rca 5693 reds later..choices choices 
No catnips..sorry but dutch candy and pepernoten (dont have a clue how to translate that into english )..if ur into that..


----------



## hifimanrookie

​


lugbug1 said:


> Good stuff, the 337 amp certainly looks the business!



Thanks..and according to many people on the last meet last sunday..it sounded sweet on my he500..some even preffered it over audio gd andmusical fidelity amps costing much more..


----------



## jtaylor991

I had a DV 337 with Tung Sol 5998s and I forget which other tubes but it disgusted me with my 650s it was so dark. I then downgraded to an Audio-gd Compass and I'm so much happier. God I hated that thing, those dual knobs and how dark it was, man...


----------



## hifimanrookie

jtaylor991 said:


> I had a DV 337 with Tung Sol 5998s and I forget which other tubes but it disgusted me with my 650s it was so dark. I then downgraded to an Audio-gd Compass and I'm so much happier. God I hated that thing, those dual knobs and how dark it was, man...



Senheisers dint do very well with 337 i understand..as i bought the amp from someone who just hsd bought a hd700and he said he was horrified with the sound..and trust me..he had more then 6 pairs of tubes laying around..so he tried them all..now he has some kind of custommade hybrid and he loves it very much..thats why i could get his 337 for a good price as with my he500 and the tubes i choose it sings! He also had his smaller brother..the 3322..with philips tubes and rca i think ..and omg..never heard a amp sound so badly on my he500..others find the 3322 a very good sounding amp..but not with the he500,.so i guess the 337 dont do well with hd700 also..but..did u try svetlana powertubes? As with those the 337 has almost a solid state sound..thats what people said to me on the meet last sunday i attended..and many liked it..even one who tried his hd650 with my amp..and he loved it..BUT..maybe it has also to do with my source..a very warm and powerful sounding hm602 on lineout. Well..as long ur happy with ur audio gd..thats most important..but by selling ur 337 u made somebody else a very happy man/woman.


----------



## longbowbbs

No questions AMP/Headphone combos are good or bad. My HD650's are great with the Decware CSP2+...Tube rolling is fun but I have not found a really bad combo.


----------



## jtaylor991

hifimanrookie said:


> BUT..maybe it has also to do with my source..a very warm and powerful sounding hm602 on lineout. Well..as long ur happy with ur audio gd..thats most important




Yeah I'm happy with it for what it is, but better would be nice. Vinyl shows a nice soundstage but I feel like it could be bigger with my digital library. It sounds nice, I just think I want something that has better overall soundstage and maybe detail too.
Yeah I remember when I went from a FiiO E7 line out to a PS Audio DLIII (wow what a jump!!) it sounded a lot better but still horrific compared to now. Glad you enjoy the amp, cheers!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Pretty good music collection for a 13 year old, eh? Then my profile picture is me trying to go for a Austin Morrow picture.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looking good, my friend! And nice photography by the way, also, excellent music collection.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Looking good, my friend! And nice photography by the way, also, excellent music collection.


 
  Thanks! Using my dad's camera, its very nice


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





fra107 said:


> Thanks for posting this, after i've seen this picture i've decided to recable that thin cable with a 7N OCC Copper........
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody knows what kind of cable is the internal stock cable of the LCD-2?


 
   
  You and DragonOwen will be the 3rd and 4th people(s) I know from these board's that have re-cabled the innards of the LCD2's other than myself and another _ex-_member. Btw do you know you just voided your warranty? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Happy listening.


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





defqon said:


> You *and DragonOwen* will be the 3rd and 4th people(s) I know from these board's that have re-cabled the innards of the LCD2's other than myself and another _ex-_member. Btw do you know you just voided your warranty?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  A little correction: *I* *did not rewired them *





, I just take a photo of my stock LCD-2 rev.2 without grill and damper (damper was inserted askew (not noticed it in the shop when I bought them), so I had to remove grill to insert dumper correctly and meanwhile take a photo of inside...), nothing more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  BTW I selled LCD-2 to my friend in a few months after buying them to buy WooAudio GES with upgrades... now (after a few "evolutions" of my rig) I may want to buy LCD-2 again (maybe even LCD-3), because LCD-2/3 is the probably only headphones that I may want to listen even having WES+009 combo... but I'm still not sure that I want to buy an amp for non-electrostatic headphones for only to sometimes listen to LCD-2/3, so I may just buy SR-007, because I had find their sound somewhat similliar to LCD-2 when I had a chance to compare them (but at that time I didn't have WES, so only listened 007 with KGSS and GES and it was SR-007 SZ2 version... so the sound 007 SZ3 + WES may become a surprise for me
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)... but it's all plans for not very near future, now I'm saving up money to buy PS Audio Power Plant P3 or P5, because (as I see it) the power is the most weak part of my rig now


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





defqon said:


> You and DragonOwen will be the 3rd and 4th people(s) I know from these board's that have re-cabled the innards of the LCD2's other than myself and another _ex-_member. Btw do you know you just voided your warranty?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Make that 5! Silver.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> A little correction: *I* *did not rewired them *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Ohh ok no problem, little correction there than, it looked as if you re-wired them as I couldn't find your original post but found fra107 quote your picture and his so I assumed you had your's rewired.
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Make that 5! Silver.


 
   
  You will be the 4th now.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Did Silver address and sweeten the top for the LCD-2?


----------



## Ultrainferno

It did, maybe even a bit too much


----------



## Silent One

Maybe the Neotech super copper stuff would strike a great balance...


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Maybe the Neotech super copper stuff would strike a great balance...


 
   
  That would bloat the sound. Pure silver or Pure silver with gold alloys I can recommend (or you can just get some Piccolino and use that).


----------



## antberg

Posting as test for E-Mail subscription issue


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





defqon said:


> That would bloat the sound. Pure silver or Pure silver with gold alloys I can recommend (or you can just get some Piccolino and use that).


 

 Because that inch of wire is really the do-or die aspect of the LCD's tone.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Appreciate the comment, as I have no idea. And could very well come into a pre-owned LCD-2 in 2013. Not as my primary but looking to compliment my only cans - D7000/Balanced. For you and the others, was the return on the mod slight or noticeable?


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Because that inch of wire is really the do-or die aspect of the LCD's tone.


 
   
  Hahaha, ahhh got good laugh out of that.  I mean yeah I'm sure it makes a difference but PleasantNoise has a point...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
*A poor one, I might add.* 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Sometimes, the margin between something being merely good and great, great and extraordinary is very fine. I could offer up many examples from manufacturing to the service industry. 
   
  Since I'm fixin' to make dinner, let's look at recipes for example. Suppose you examined a new recipe for a dish you find to be good. You notice the only difference between the new one and one's you've experience with calls for just a hint of spice "X" in place of one that's time honored. It can't possibly make a difference!
   
  You even read reports of a few online who've tried it - doesn't make a difference in the taste of the dish. Only to learn much later, from someone else no doubt, that the difference isn't in the taste of the dish itself, but whatever it's paired with - side dish or drink. Is no one looking to elevate their experience with a dish? Why should audio be any different?


----------



## dukeskd

It's inappropriate to compare food to electronics.


----------



## Hooster

I would get rid of that silly bit of wire and connect my cans from driver to socket as simply as possible.


----------



## grokit

dukeskd said:


> It's inappropriate to compare food to electronics.



I disagree, analogies are delicious


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





hooster said:


> I would get rid of that silly bit of wire and connect my cans from driver to socket as simply as possible.


 
   
  Or spend the money on perception "enhancing" peripherals instead


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> It's inappropriate to compare food to electronics.


 
   
  On what day?! Truth manifest itself in different ways.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hooster said:


> I would get rid of that silly bit of wire and connect my cans from driver to socket as simply as possible.


 
   
  Do what you will, just make sure you show it here...


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





silent one said:


> On what day?! Truth manifest itself in different ways.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> It's inappropriate to compare food to electronics.


 
  Unless you like eating currents


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





silent one said:


> *A poor one, I might add.*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I like the analogy, especially as I'm eating dinner right now..
 But, if this is the case, then all the food we eat is heavily processed, packaged for long term storage, then heated up in a microwave. so why settle for freeze dried, microwaved music, when you could have live music, imperfections and all..


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Tired, hungry and weak, responding to the posts all I could think of was food. By default. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 We're feeling all better now and starting our midnight listening session. I personally use to hear a lot of live music in and around LA and San Diego...lots during the week/weekend. Despite bad acoustics, it was still possible to emotionally connect to good music. And if it were a well known commercial act, it actually took the CD from the singer/band to another level of appreciation.
   
  Earlier this summer, I commented on the 50th anniversary of "The Girl From Ipanema" and how much I love the singer Astrud Gilberto. That if I heard the song in an elevator, I could still connect to it. Memory and emotions are familiar bedfellows.
   
  After all this chat, I feel I owe this thread more pix..._and rightfully so. _Perhaps, the first 10 days of December.


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Tired, hungry and weak, responding to the posts all I could think of was food. By default.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 The less amplified the music, the better. I love metal gigs, but at the same time, my favourite thing is sitting down with my friend and playing our favourite songs on acoustic, sitting under a tree somewhere, it's just so pleasant, it has this feel about it that very loud music just cannot have.

 Funny, on a forum full of people that spend so much time on the end of headphones, searching for that perfect listening experience, for me the best listening experience is always a very simple one, free from complication.
  But still, I love recorded music and a nice system from which to listen to it on. It's just too easy to get caught up in the shiny things and forget the music..


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> The less amplified the music, the better. I love metal gigs, but at the same time, my favourite thing is sitting down with my friend and playing our favourite songs on acoustic, sitting under a tree somewhere, it's just so pleasant, it has this feel about it that very loud music just cannot have.
> 
> Funny, on a forum full of people that spend so much time on the end of headphones, searching for that perfect listening experience, for me the best listening experience is always a very simple one, free from complication.
> But still, I love recorded music and a nice system from which to listen to it on. It's just too easy to get caught up in the shiny things and forget the music..


 
  My thoughts exactly, great post.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  +2!


----------



## DefQon

Some people don't know sarcasim lol.


----------



## Silent One

New angle, to afford time until I make minor changes in December...


----------



## beaver316

What amp is that Silent One? It looks a lot like a tube version of the Matrix M-stage. I like!


----------



## Silent One

Thanks. It's a custom built 6AS7 OTL amp by MOT 2359glenn here on Head-Fi. Current tube complement:
   
  United Electronics USAF-596 rectifer (1957)
  Tung-Sol 5998's
  Tung-Sol Black Glass Round Plate VT-231 (1942-44 est)


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Thanks. It's a custom built 6AS7 OTL amp by MOT 2359glenn here on Head-Fi. Current tube complement:
> 
> United Electronics USAF-596 rectifer (1957)
> Tung-Sol 5998's
> Tung-Sol Black Glass Round Plate VT-231 (1942-44 est)


 
  Bit hardcore on the dampening, those cones will do just fine.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I'm looking for a tube amp for my speakers, could anyone point me to the correct thread? Can't seem to find it
  Thanks!


----------



## Silent One

You mean it's been that long since you stopped over at 2359glenn|studio? _Custom built, baby...draw it, dream it, he'll make it!_
   
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/600110/2359glenn-studio/1110#post_8894307


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## hifimanrookie

​


silent one said:


> +2!




+3 only pity i cant play any instruments..wish i could..oh well..everyone has its specialities


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> New angle, to afford time until I make minor changes in December...



Those feet..what brand are those? There are brass right?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  They are Papa Bear Brass footers from edenSound Audio. They measure 3"x 3" and weigh 6 pounds each.


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> They are Papa Bear Brass footers from edenSound Audio. They measure 3"x 3" and weigh 6 pounds each.



They look the business.and i am sure no one even dares to rob u in ur own home as u could use those as projectiles..
Seriously..i take my hat of for ur rig..big respect! I just entered the tube world (since 4 weeks actually) so i am going to read all the threads about that..i also subscribed to ur glenn thread..very interesting reading material..good work..


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks kindly. Looking forward to watching your growth with Glass. As a Computer Audiophile, I placed the internals of my OTL amp under a 48" Black light, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




searching for Easter eggs.


----------



## kryten123

Sorry for the Off Topic Guys.
   
  Just wondering if you guys have seen and want to participate in this:
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/637099/2012-head-fi-holiday-gift-exchange
   
  We're hoping the thread will be added to the Home page to make it more visible to everyone.
   
  Cheers


----------



## Silent One

That's a great idea!


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> Thanks kindly. Looking forward to watching your growth with Glass. As a Computer Audiophile, I placed the internals of my OTL amp under a 48" Black light, :tongue_smile: searching for Easter eggs.



Computer audiophile?  is that a new kind of human being? Mmmmm lets think about it..u are into high end audio and high end computering? Well we have lots in common then i am a computer loon (check my avatar pics) and a rookie audiophile.... Did u make a start in putting a tube amp internals into a big pc housing? And that watercooled? 

But nice pic..soooo purple..


----------



## Silent One

Not quite a computer loon yet, but always striving. I tweaked a 2010 Mac mini music server for my audio rig. Got a couple of TT's and portables as well. May bring a Reel-to-reel home one day...
   
  Whoa! I'm in California and hadn't noticed the sun just came up - way past my bed time! This overnight listening session has now gone _Final._


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> Not quite a computer loon yet, but always striving. I tweaked a 2010 Mac mini music server for my audio rig. Got a couple of TT's and portables as well. May bring a Reel-to-reel home one day...



Cool! Am impressed! Damn..ur one of a kind..  ..i am into watercooling all whats possible (and i mean all) to get the highest possible reliable speed..am now working on a rig with two seperate water cycles with their own pumps/radiators and reservoirs..and the still to build 2nd cycle will have a external pump/reservoir/radiator build into a custommade aluminium mattblack rack and powered by its own separate powerunit..it gives me headaches sometimes to figure out..but its fun! And i am going the same way with my 337 i think..as i read about powercaps, better capacitators and so on..  this is the beginning of the end..aaaaarrrrgggghhh


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Thanks kindly. Looking forward to watching your growth with Glass. As a Computer Audiophile, I placed the internals of my OTL amp under a 48" Black light,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Are you using vintage sprague black beauty capacitors?  I like


----------



## Silent One




----------



## SladeWilson




----------



## Silent One

Nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ensemble.


----------



## colinharding

That's quite a collection of oil caps you've got there!  I retrofitted my DAC with two paper and oil Western caps (can style) from the 40s gotta love that vintage sound. You should try some Aerovox V161 caps in place of those spragues, my fav sound from the vintage styles.


----------



## hifimanrookie

colinharding said:


> That's quite a collection of oil caps you've got there!  I retrofitted my DAC with two paper and oil Western caps (can style) from the 40s gotta love that vintage sound. You should try some Aerovox V161 caps in place of those spragues, my fav sound from the vintage styles.



Anyone has experience with ultracaps? The guy who is going to upgrade my 337 uses those for.the upgrade..am just curious..if u guys have experience with those


----------



## Il Baffo

Long time on Head-fi, never posted...In Italy I have a *reallly* better system, now I live in London and I have to use these. I'm happy anyway, I think Fio E17 and PRO 900 it's a good match.


----------



## chris3g

my first hp setup. he-400, e09k/e17, pc source running foobar and spotify, tablet remote control


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





chris3g said:


> my first hp setup. he-400, e09k/e17, pc source running foobar and spotify, tablet remote control


 
   
  What chair is that...


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Anyone has experience with ultracaps? The guy who is going to upgrade my 337 uses those for.the upgrade..am just curious..if u guys have experience with those


 
   
  Haven't heard of those, the output caps in the 337 are huge though, 6mf or something like that if I remember correctly.  So it is hard to find something that will work and will fit in the chassis.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





chris3g said:


> my first hp setup. he-400, e09k/e17, pc source running foobar and spotify, tablet remote control


 
   
  Are those THREE stacked subs...right next to your head??


----------



## chris3g

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> What chair is that...


 
   
  it's an Eames lounge chair


----------



## chris3g

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Are those THREE stacked subs...right next to your head??


 
   
  yes, there are actually 4 of them, but if i am sitting in that chair then they are not typically on at the same time


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





chris3g said:


> it's an Eames lounge chair


 
   
  I thought so.  I want your job.  Now.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> That's quite a collection of oil caps you've got there!  I retrofitted my DAC with two paper and oil Western caps (can style) from the 40s gotta love that vintage sound. You should try some Aerovox V161 caps in place of those spragues, my fav sound from the vintage styles.


 
   
  Beautifully laid out. My pix above is from an early Sprague Advert...


----------



## chris3g

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> I thought so.  I want your job.  Now.


 
   
  looking at your equipment list, it would appear you're doing fine


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





chris3g said:


> looking at your equipment list, it would appear you're doing fine


 
   
  Yeah, I figured that would be the response.   I'd still have to sell a couple of my headphones to find myself in that beautiful chair.  It looks so comfortable.  Maybe one day I'll decide to stop dreaming and just purchase one.


----------



## hifimanrookie

colinharding said:


> Haven't heard of those, the output caps in the 337 are huge though, 6mf or something like that if I remember correctly.  So it is hard to find something that will work and will fit in the chassis.




Thanks for ur reply..i knowthey are big.


----------



## ssrock64

chris3g said:


> my first hp setup. he-400, e09k/e17, pc source running foobar and spotify, tablet remote control




Speaking on the Eames chair, I've got the same one at my place!


----------



## fizzix

New to the head-fi world.
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/75699576@N02/8224895153/
  Sorry don't know how to post the picture of it d


----------



## JIGF

Latest iteration.
   
Components additions were the Technics SL-D3 turntable and ART DJ Pre II phono preamp.


----------



## sphinxvc

That's pretty rad.  
   
  [size=small]♥ the style of your stairs.[/size]
   
  [size=small]In most homes that's wasted space.[/size]


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





chris3g said:


> my first hp setup. he-400, e09k/e17, pc source running foobar and spotify, tablet remote control


 
  Please change it to velour pad right away , best $10 that you could spend to improve a headphone significantly.


----------



## chris3g

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> Please change it to velour pad right away , best $10 that you could spend to improve a headphone significantly.


 
   
  Already ordered, I think they will arrive tomorrow


----------



## Gazoozles

So much nice equipment...


----------



## fizzix




----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





fizzix said:


>


 
  Nice. Good ole M50's, can't go wrong!


----------



## paaj

Living room head-fi/hifi corner. Currently (and I promised myself: for the whole of 2013... fingers crossed) consisting of a MacMini as source, HiFace to the Naim Supernait (acts as a DAC) with the rec-out into the Stax SRM-006T and Stax SR-404. Speakers are the lovely Wilson Benesch Arc's. 
  Just picked up this Stax set yesterday and while the SR404 is not quite like how I remember the 404LE, it does get close so I'm actually very happy now. Just the leather pads and a bit of oil to stop the creaking and I'm set.
   

   
   
  Workspace in the attic. Headphone out of the Macbook into an Epiphany built O2 and then through an 120Ω adapter into the Q701's. Nice and simple.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

paaj said:


> Workspace in the attic. Headphone out of the Macbook into an Epiphany built O2 and then through an 120Ω adapter into the Q701's. Nice and simple.




I think you need a DNA Stratus to match that desk


----------



## paaj

Hey, that's a pretty nice looking amp... maybe someday 
  Or the horrible blue version of the BHSE:


----------



## Ultrainferno

That BHSE is HUGE! but awesome


----------



## longbowbbs

I still like the Ferrari red for the Liquid Fire volume knob.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I'm so bored I'm even taking pictures. Good thing The Beatles are keeping me company


----------



## Silent One

I like that shot! Here...not bored...sleepy.._.but never bored._


----------



## LugBug1

Heres a pic with my new addition driving my orthos very well indeed. Quite brilliant actually! Its an odd litttle set up but it works well. Old Arcam Black box dac from 89 and the Mistral hp509 hybrid tube amp. I got a bargain on both items. In total cost - less than $300! (obviously not including hp's) And compared to my other (approx $800) rig, it actually sounds better...


----------



## Silent One

Your ensemble..._making it do what it do._


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Your ensemble..._making it do what it do._


----------



## hifimanrookie

ultrainferno said:


> I'm so bored I'm even taking pictures. Good thing The Beatles are keeping me company



Is this ur 339? nice pic!


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Heres a pic with my new addition driving my orthos very well indeed. Quite brilliant actually! Its an odd litttle set up but it works well. Old Arcam Black box dac from 89 and the Mistral hp509 hybrid tube amp. I got a bargain on both items. In total cost - less than $300! (obviously not including hp's) And compared to my other (approx $800) rig, it actually sounds better...


 
   
  Looks clean and simple, I like it. Hey sometimes the cheaper wine has more depth and characteristics than the more expensive wine!


----------



## jtaylor991

Could I get a full-rez version of this photo? I want this for my desktop. Awesome!!
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I'm so bored I'm even taking pictures. Good thing The Beatles are keeping me company


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Is this ur 339?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  thanks! That's a WA2 fyi


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Could I get a full-rez version of this photo? I want this for my desktop. Awesome!!


 
   
  You can get the full version by clicking on it twice. But PM me your email


----------



## Ultrainferno

This is the 339 (& WA2). Repost, sry
   

   
  And something I did earlier:


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> That's pretty rad.
> 
> [size=small]♥ the style of your stairs.[/size]
> 
> [size=x-small]...[/size]


 
   
  Thanks.


----------



## hifimanrookie

ultrainferno said:


> This is the 339 (& WA2). Repost, sry
> 
> 
> 
> And something I did earlier:



I see u have rca 5693? Reds on ur figaro..how do they sound? Nice pics by the way!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I see u have rca 5693? Reds on ur figaro..how do they sound? Nice pics by the way!


 
   
  They sound great with the LCD 2 but I do prefer the EF80 TFK.
  WB do is off with the LCD2 pic, I was too lazy


----------



## Silent One

Hey everybody 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 it's a Pot-Luck @ Ultra's this Friday evening...


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> Hey everybody
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Whats that?


----------



## hifimanrookie

Geesh..now ihave to find out if they fit my 337 also..the tfk's  geesh this tube sickness is getting out of hand!!!!!!


----------



## Draygonn

ultrainferno said:


>


Nice glowing shot Ultra.




> Show us your Head-Fi station at it's current state.


----------



## hifimanrookie

draygonn said:


> Nice glowing shot Ultra.



Is that a woo audio headphone stand?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Geesh..now ihave to find out if they fit my 337 also..the tfk's
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yes, but we'r good at lending each other support through recovery. Ask rosgr63...


----------



## Draygonn

hifimanrookie said:


> Is that a woo audio headphone stand?


Yes, they do such beautiful work with aluminum I had to get the headphone stand.



silent one said:


> Yes, but we'r good at lending each other support through recovery.


Wallet recovery? Perhaps a Head-Fi Bake Sale to help the most afflicted members.


----------



## longbowbbs

Can someone bake muffins to look like 274b's?  and can we get $600 each for them?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> thanks! That's a WA2 fyi


 
  Nice, nice, nice, (naughty &) nice


----------



## hfflt

It took awhile to read whole thread throughout to be honest. But it was fantastic experience, by the way. So many inspiring and enjoyful systems, so many happy and skillful people. It's so great! Sadly but so far I don't have anything to show off, but I will cherish my passion to music and it's reproducting perpetually!


----------



## jazzerdave

Got my new Koss ESP-950's in yesterday. They may not feel like they're built all that well (the amp too), but they sound so very good


----------



## hifimanrookie

hfflt said:


> It took awhile to read whole thread throughout to be honest. But it was fantastic experience, by the way. So many inspiring and enjoyful systems, so many happy and skillful people. It's so great! Sadly but so far I don't have anything to show off, but I will cherish my passion to music and it's reproducting perpetually!
> :rolleyes:




Welcome to a new evolution of the homo sapiens..called the headphone sapiens


----------



## pelli

Just got my LCD-2s today.  Thanks Black Friday!  Pardon the point & shoot quality and the fingerprints, but I couldn't resist snapping a pic of the bedroom rig.  The hardest part of getting the shot was taking off the headphones long enough to make this happen!


----------



## ihideinbarrels

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Just got my LCD-2s today.  Thanks Black Friday!  Pardon the point & shoot quality and the fingerprints, but I couldn't resist snapping a pic of the bedroom rig.  The hardest part of getting the shot was taking off the headphones long enough to make this happen!


 

 Very nice! How are you liking your LCD-2?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Nice glowing shot Ultra.


 
   
  Crack + HD800/600 = Sex in your ears! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Btw what coke bottle 6AS7 tube is that and what 12AU7 are you running at the front?


----------



## Ultrainferno

I might have overdone it this time...
   

   
   
  Thank God there's light at the end of the tunnel


----------



## Silent One

Ultrainferno!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I might have overdone it this time...
> 
> Thank God there's light at the end of the tunnel


 
   
No you haven't.
   
_*I can see the light.*_
_*I see the light.*_
_*I see.*_
_*I*_
_*I*_
_*I, I, *_
_*ai yai yai !*_


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I might have overdone it this time...
> 
> 
> Thank God there's light at the end of the tunnel


 
  Love it!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Got my new Koss ESP-950's in yesterday. They may not feel like they're built all that well (the amp too), but they sound so very good


 
  So you've joined the semi-secret society of ESP950 owners!


----------



## Heathen999

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I might have overdone it this time...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Very nice pics!!!!
  Really like the last one.....great and fitting touch!!!


----------



## Draygonn

defqon said:


> Crack + HD800/600 = Sex in your ears!


Doc and Queen have put together an amazing kit!




defqon said:


> Btw what coke bottle 6AS7 tube is that and what 12AU7 are you running at the front?



 Its running a Tung Sol 5998 and electro-harmonix 12AU7.


----------



## Loevhagen

Creative pictures, Ultrainferno. Thumbs up. 
   
  BTW: Have you painted the Omegas - or are they replica?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> BTW: Have you painted the Omegas - or are they replica?


 
   
  They're replicas, I think. haven't checked what kind of wood is under the paint 
  and thanks!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Moved the TV in. New Xbox. Loaner Cantana.


----------



## hifimanrookie

ultrainferno said:


> I might have overdone it this time...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Geesh..seeing ur pics i am sure u could earn lots of money in advertisement photography..u have a gift! Ur pics ooze character..well done..
And maybe a stupid question..how many amps/ phones u owe?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> And maybe a stupid question..how many amps/ phones u owe?


 
   
  This isn't a competition but they're not all in the picture, I'll give you that 
  And thanks for the kind words. I don't think the photography is that good tbh.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> This isn't a competition but they're not all in the picture, I'll give you that
> And thanks for the kind words. _*I don't think the photography is that good*_ tbh.


 

 Well the photo made me faint so I think it's effective, at least.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

my new and reasonably compact little head-fi station
   

   
  Just got the Mjolnir today. LCD-3s and Anedio D2 are in the pic also


----------



## hifimanrookie

ultrainferno said:


> This isn't a competition but they're not all in the picture, I'll give you that
> And thanks for the kind words. I don't think the photography is that good tbh.



And ur humble..damn..u must be a great guy  not all in the picture? Geeeeshh! And my friends and family think i am out of my wits owning 5 headphones.. What would they think about someone like u?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Keeping it a secret is part of the fun


----------



## jazzerdave

ssrock64 said:


> So you've joined the semi-secret society of ESP950 owners!




I'm happy to be a member. Cheers!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Well the photo made me faint so I think it's effective, at least.


 
  Maybe that's because you left your LCD-3's at Ultra's house....


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Very nice! How are you liking your LCD-2?


 
  I love them.  I went into my room to give them a quick listen, and stumbled out 3 hours later wondering what time it was.  There "pretty" so I got the approval from my girlfriend as well.  Lets hope she likes the looks of the Mjolnir and Gungnir too


----------



## BruinAnteater

Here are not so great updated pictures of my main entertainment setup:


----------



## BillyAppleSauce

I could take a photo of my apple earbuds, but I won't.  Their white.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Here are not so great updated pictures of my main entertainment setup:


 
  I have that same Samsung TV myself. Great LCD!


----------



## anoxy

BruinAnteater, that looks way comfy, and just an overall pleasant experience...let's be friends and hang out at your place all the time 
   
   
   
*Ultrainferno*


> This isn't a competition but they're not all in the picture, I'll give you that
> And thanks for the kind words. I don't think the photography is that good tbh.


 
  How would you say you'd rank them in terms of usage time?


----------



## sphinxvc

Alright so I went from all this shi+...
   
   
   

   
   
  To this...
   
   
   

   
  With a pair of these:
   
   

   
  And no computer in the chain at all:
   
   

   
  And I couldn't be happier.
   
  --
   
  Apologies that I had to soften the pictures a bit, noise was introduced by the lighting correction app I use on my iPhone.


----------



## anoxy

No more headphones?


----------



## sphinxvc

Just the UM3X and an incoming Paradox.  Might just consolidate both down to a custom IEM later.


----------



## Silent One

@ sphinxvc
   
  This is pleasing...


----------



## wolfetan44

bruinanteater said:


> Here are not so great updated pictures of my main entertainment setup:


How do you like the Rega? I just picked one up myself, but have to wait till Christmas to get a listen of them.


----------



## calipilot227

What are you using as your source (displayed on the TV)?


----------



## sphinxvc

The DAC.  It has an SD card input.


----------



## dmort

Updated - the oppo and the xda-1 are all hooked up now and I am using emotiva's optical and rca cables to make the connections. Oh, and I have a blue stained headphile stand for the k601s.


----------



## hifimanrookie

wolfetan44 said:


> How do you like the Rega? I just picked one up myself, but have to wait till Christmas to get a listen of them.




I love what u did with those white names on the different parts of ur rig..good job..but where did u put ur suround boxes and subwoofers? Its ur movie centre also right?


----------



## TheWuss

here is a shot of my rig in transition.  (sorry, it's a bit of a mess)
   
  I just bought the Audio Research VSi60 integrated amp.
  amazing.
   
  the JBL E50's are merely stand-ins.
  i will be purchasing Harbeth Super HL5s in the next couple weeks.
   
  i guess this counts as a head-fi rig, because it contains my DarkStar and HE-6, but i really reconfigured this because i am moving more toward 2 channel, and toward vinyl playback...
   

   
  Shunyata Hydra Alpha 6   //   Bryston BDA-1 DAC   //   Squeezebox Touch w/ CIA power supply   //   Manley Chinook Phono Stage   //   VPI Classic turntable w/ Dynavector XX-2 Mk2 cart.
  Audio Research VSi-60 Integrated Amp   //   Ray Samuels DarkStar Headphone Amp   //   HifiMan HE-6 headphones
   
  (WireWorld interconnects, Shunyata power cords, Kimber speaker cables)


----------



## BruinAnteater

I absolutely love the Rega. Its hooked up via the Rega Mini Phono Amo w/ USB ADC. Its a little sensitive to skips and surface dust/dirt, but as long as you clean your stylus and records before playing, you'll be fine. I love it!


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I love what u did with those white names on the different parts of ur rig..good job..but where did u put ur suround boxes and subwoofers? Its ur movie centre also right?


 
   
  Was the question for me? If you see the last past picture, you can make out the Evo2-20s I have as surrounds on the side of the couches. The center is in the top center spot of the entertainment center. I live in a condo, so I really don't need/can have more than one sub so the REL T2 on the lower right is my only sub. It's more than enough sub though.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> BruinAnteater, that looks way comfy, and just an overall pleasant experience...let's be friends and hang out at your place all the time
> 
> 
> 
> How would you say you'd rank them in terms of usage time?


 
  Of course! Whenever you're in the OC in So Cal you can come on over! I love demoing my setup, even if my neighbors have a different opinion


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I have that same Samsung TV myself. Great LCD!


 
  Its been a damn good TV, it was the right size for the two apartments that I lived in before, but I just bought a condo with high ceilings and the poor TV looks absolutely TINY on my huge wall. Also, although it hasnt happened in a few weeks, for a good while it appeared the screen was about to die (picture would suddenly go out and id get a jaggy colored image on the screen). I'll probably be getting a 60" sometime in the somewhat near future.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Its been a damn good TV, it was the right size for the two apartments that I lived in before, but I just bought a condo with high ceilings and the poor TV looks absolutely TINY on my huge wall. Also, although it hasnt happened in a few weeks, for a good while it appeared the screen was about to die (picture would suddenly go out and id get a jaggy colored image on the screen). I'll probably be getting a 60" sometime in the somewhat near future.


 
  There was a firmware update on Samsung's website. You load it into a thumb drive and use the USB port on the TV to update.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice to see you still making a post and improvements to your rig. Glad to hear your vinyl rig is working out. Loving mine as well and should be getting a respectable speaker rig come tax time.
   
  Listening to anything new lately?
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> here is a shot of my rig in transition.  (sorry, it's a bit of a mess)
> 
> I just bought the Audio Research VSi60 integrated amp.
> amazing.
> ...


----------



## TheWuss

Yeah, the beatles vinyl remasters. Which are a bit of a mixed bag. With the beatles, and beatles for sale. Those are the really nice sounding ones. Michael fremer says sgt pepper is great too. But have not heard it yet.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd like to get the box set soon, but first priority music wise the The Who set.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Yeah, the beatles vinyl remasters. Which are a bit of a mixed bag. With the beatles, and beatles for sale. Those are the really nice sounding ones. Michael fremer says sgt pepper is great too. But have not heard it yet.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Alright so I went from all this shi+...
> 
> 
> 
> With a pair of these:


 
   
  Excellent taste!! Here's my former DeVores...loved my time with them! (sorry for splotches!)


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'd like to get the box set soon, but first priority music wise the The Who set.


 
  I have "Whos Next" on 180g vinyl and it sounds absolutely fantastic!


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





silent one said:


> @ sphinxvc
> 
> This is pleasing...


 
   
  Thanks Silent One, and Lol @ the new avatar.
   
  Quote: 





focker said:


> Excellent taste!! Here's my former DeVores...loved my time with them! (sorry for splotches!)


 
   
  =]
   
  Thx man, your finish must have been stunning in person.  I put a Netflix movie on that little 21.5" monitor yesterday and you weren't kidding about how immersive it can get.  I think a larger TV for movie watching is creeping up on my list.  =[  
   
  Edit: Did I say TV?  I meant projector.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> With a pair of these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ihideinbarrels

Been lurking for only about...5-6 years. Finally got the courage to sign up for an account and start posting. I must admit, it's pretty intimidating here. Here's a picture of my "head-fi" station


----------



## jham1496

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Been lurking for only about...5-6 years. Finally got the courage to sign up for an account and start posting. I must admit, it's pretty intimidating here. Here's a picture of my "head-fi" station


 
   
  Excellent photo and im sure it sounds great too!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Been lurking for only about...5-6 years. Finally got the courage to sign up for an account and start posting. I must admit, it's pretty intimidating here. Here's a picture of my "head-fi" station


 
  Welcome! Lovely pic of my favorite headphone


----------



## Dubstep Girl

oooh its a newer lcd-2 as well


----------



## hifimanrookie

​


longbowbbs said:


> There was a firmware update on Samsung's website. You load it into a thumb drive and use the USB port on the TV to update.



All forgot about that..updating the firmware on my samsung led.. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## hfflt

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


>


 
   
  Looks great! Welcome and enjoy the stay.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> =]
> 
> Thx man, your finish must have been stunning in person.  I put a Netflix movie on that little 21.5" monitor yesterday and you weren't kidding about how immersive it can get.  I think a larger TV for movie watching is creeping up on my list.  =[
> 
> Edit: Did I say TV?  I meant projector.


 
   
  Dammit, I really need to check and see who I'm responding...guess I've already showed you those lol.  And yeah, the DeVores are the only speakers I've ever heard that could give me the same amazingly accurate tonality and realism that I was able to get with Maggies. I loved my time with my Monkeys!  Those are beautiful speakers!!


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> I have "Whos Next" on 180g vinyl and it sounds absolutely fantastic!


 
   
  Which master is this? It's a great album that differs so much...Steve Hoffman's CD master was great and I love, love, _love_ the SHM-SACD version (although it takes a bit of volume to bring the dynamics to life) but most of the CD masters were, well, a touch, *****
   
  Sadly I don't have a vinyl system anymore.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Ray Samuels DarkStar Headphone Amp   //   HifiMan HE-6 headphones
> 
> (WireWorld interconnects, Shunyata power cords, Kimber speaker cables)


 
   
  How's that DS and HE-6 combo? Jude and Steve did make a comment separately while ago that the DS + HE-6 combo is extremely good.


----------



## ihideinbarrels

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> oooh its a newer lcd-2 as well


 

 Yup! Just got it this week. Quite an upgrade from the HD600. Is it really easy to tell the difference between the rev.1 and rev.2 other than the headband?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Yup! Just got it this week. Quite an upgrade from the HD600. Is it really easy to tell the difference between the rev.1 and rev.2 other than the headband?


 
  Not conclusively.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Yup! Just got it this week. Quite an upgrade from the HD600. Is it really easy to tell the difference between the rev.1 and rev.2 other than the headband?


 
  Rev.1 has foam headband, Audeze printed on the metal grill.
  Rev.2 version 1 is Rosewood, has leather handband and doesn't have plastic angled connectors.
  Rev.2 version 2 is Bamboo, which is what you have, can come in dark or light shades in colour but the drivers between all rev.2's are all the same, the reason they used a different material for the housing is because the Rosewood versions are prone to cracking near the headphone jack area (although not all have this problem, just inconsistencies through the batches).


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Rev.1 has foam headband, Audeze printed on the metal grill.
> Rev.2 version 1 is Rosewood, has leather handband and doesn't have plastic angled connectors.
> Rev.2 version 2 is Bamboo, which is what you have, can come in dark or light shades in colour but the drivers between all rev.2's are all the same, the reason they used a different material for the housing is because the Rosewood versions are prone to cracking near the headphone jack area (although not all have this problem, just inconsistencies through the batches).


 
  Just to clarify. There have been confirmed instances of Rev 2 serials with Rev 1 drivers.
  And Rev 1 serials with Rev 2 drivers.
  So the only conclusive way to know which you have is to check with Audeze.


----------



## jazzerdave

paradoxper said:


> Just to clarify. There have been confirmed instances of Rev 2 serials with Rev 1 drivers.
> And Rev 1 serials with Rev 2 drivers.
> So the only conclusive way to know which you have is to check with Audeze.




From David Mahler's "Battle of the Flagships" mega-review, here's what he wrote about Audeze serial numbers:



davidmahler said:


> Audez'e generates the serial numbers at random. As a result, this may ultimately lead to some uncertainty and confusion when purchasing an LCD-3 used. However, the generous frequency response report included with every individual LCD-3 definitively specifies the manufacture date. Make sure you keep this datasheet




Am I correct to assume the cases you're referencing are where the headphones drivers don't match the headband or grills?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote:  





> Am I correct to assume the cases you're referencing are where the headphones drivers don't match the headband or grills?


 
  It would seem so. What I was trying to emphasis was even though there are differentials
  from Rev 1 to Rev 2 to tell them apart and even w/included data sheet, (they do get lost)
  there have been quite a few "ignorant" "false" listings in the F/S forum.
  So it was a word of caution. 
   
  If you want to know for sure, contact Audeze.


----------



## niten

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Rev.1 has foam headband, Audeze printed on the metal grill.
> Rev.2 version 1 is Rosewood, has leather handband and doesn't have plastic angled connectors.
> Rev.2 version 2 is Bamboo, which is what you have, can come in dark or light shades in colour but the drivers between all rev.2's are all the same, the reason they used a different material for the housing is because the Rosewood versions are prone to cracking near the headphone jack area (although not all have this problem, just inconsistencies through the batches).


 
  Another clarification I can add would be that the Rev.2 "version 2" is more accurately described as the update with the black angled connectors.
   
  This version can come in both Rosewood and Bamboo, though bamboo is the more common offering of the two in this version. The cracking of the wood in the previous versions were due to the design of the wood around the mini-xlr connection and not due to the type of wood. The benefits of the bamboo composite would be that it is a more renewable source than the rosewood, while also being slightly lighter.
   
  Below is the announcement that Audeze sent out around the time of this change:


----------



## silversurfer616

Quote: 





ihideinbarrels said:


> Been lurking for only about...5-6 years. Finally got the courage to sign up for an account and start posting. I must admit, it's pretty intimidating here. Here's a picture of my "head-fi" station


 
  that's a great photo....nice blurred background!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





niten said:


> Another clarification I can add would be that the Rev.2 "version 2" is more accurately described as the update with the black angled connectors.
> 
> Pretty much what I said earlier in my post
> 
> ...


 
   
  ...


----------



## Currawong

You guys need to move this discussion to the LCD-2 thread I reckon.


----------



## jazzerdave

Well, here's a recent addition to my setup: 



Got my Hifiman speaker adapter in today from ALO and hooked the HE-6 up in this chain:

_Denon DVD-3910 --> Modwright SWL9.0se --> modified Dynaco ST-70 --> HE-6_

The picture might be terrible, but the sound is absolutely wonderful!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I spy Decware.


----------



## Austin Morrow

I spy Decware as well!


----------



## wolfetan44

How much is a good speaker amp?


----------



## longbowbbs

I have my Denon DVD-5900 hooked up to my CSP2+ . Very happy with this combo....


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How much is a good speaker amp?


 
  I don't mean to be offensive but asking this question here is almost like asking this question to someone in New York City : "I'm looking for my cousin. His name is Michael. Do you know him?"


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How much is a good speaker amp?


 
  A question that could easily derail this thread, make a new thread and you will get more responses.


----------



## wolfetan44

Haha, ok. Anyways, I was looking for Michael, he's in NY?! I hope.


----------



## Armaegis

Or Tony if you're in Brooklyn.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Or Tony if you're in Brooklyn.


 
  Tony?


----------



## Mcberto

Please continue your conversation through PM.


----------



## Armaegis

Not quite desktop per se...


----------



## hifimanrookie

jazzerdave said:


> Well, here's a recent addition to my setup:
> 
> Got my Hifiman speaker adapter in today from ALO and hooked the HE-6 up in this chain:
> _Denon DVD-3910 --> Modwright SWL9.0se --> modified Dynaco ST-70 --> HE-6_
> The picture might be terrible, but the sound is absolutely wonderful!



Hope u dont have a cat ..as cats love so many cables together..mine did.


----------



## beaver316

My latest setup. Laptop > RCA ODAC > Matrix M-Stage > Hifiman HE-400
   
  I'll be sticking with this one for a while


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Hope u dont have a cat ..as cats love so many cables together..mine did.


 
   
  No cat.  I do however have a dog, but she learned her lesson when she chewed through a live power cable as a puppy.  She generally avoids cords and cables of all sorts.
   
  Also, I'm trying to work out a better place for the cables (heck a better place for everything) as I certainly don't like them routed across my living room floor.  If I ever get it figured out and everything looking nice and neat, I'll have a friend take some photos with a DSLR instead of using the camera on my phone.  Until then, enjoy the pic of my big mess o' cables.


----------



## rudeboybass

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o787/nickdiver69/poo3.jpg
sony A865+Ibasso t5 
Vmoda Lp2 W/ rayon chelene earpads


----------



## rudeboybass

15.5"macbook pro retina 2.6ghz/i7/16gb ram 
Sony A865+Ibasso T5
Vmoda LP2 w/ chelene pads+ aiaiai beatport cable
sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much bass it shakes your eyes:rolleyes:


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> My latest setup. Laptop > RCA ODAC > Matrix M-Stage > Hifiman HE-400
> 
> I'll be sticking with this one for a while


 
   
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



 
 
  
  
 
  
  


   
   
  This is exactly what I want 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How do you like it?


----------



## hifimanrookie

I used to have a mstage and a he400 and he300.. And it was very good..a bit bright maybe with the he400..but wow with the gain on 10db this little baby drove the he400 perfectly..for me for the price this baby was perfect..


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I used to have a mstage and a he400 and he300.. And it was very good..a bit bright maybe with the he400..but wow with the gain on 10db this little baby drove the he400 perfectly..for me for the price this baby was perfect..


 
  Great to hear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Can you compare the he300 and he400 a bit?


----------



## hifimanrookie

[/INDENT]





panamahat said:


> Great to hear   Can you compare the he300 and he400 a bit?



To be honest..not really.not with the mstage...and with this i will probably jump on somebodies foot  but..i loved the he300 more on the mstage then the he400..the he400 was more of everything of the 300..as the he 400 has a more pronounced and more agressive tremble.and a deeper going bass...the he300 is more laidback and dark..maybe its because its a dynamic phone...thats also why i sold the he400 in 3 months time and went for the he500.. But then again..its how i felt..both phones are excellent in their own way...if u like strong tremble and deep rumble u will like he400..i prefer a bit dark and natural and balanced sound ...the he400 has a v-form sound signature...


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> [/INDENT]
> To be honest..not really.not with the mstage...and with this i will probably jump on somebodies foot
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Haha, that seems to be what I gather from reading around here and elsewhere. The he-300 does appear to be better for the price since it's most frequently compared to the hd600/650 etc, no doubt due to  the darker sound sig. Thanks.


----------



## hifimanrookie

[/QUOTE]





panamahat said:


> Haha, that seems to be what I gather from reading around here and elsewhere. The he-300 does appear to be better for the price since it's most frequently compared to the hd600/650 etc, no doubt due to  the darker sound sig. Thanks.



Ur welcome 
And the he300 is easier to drive ..u can drive it on gain 0 Db.. 
If u do get the mstage..i got the black one..so much more classier imho..dont forget to check if the gainswitches sticker is not upside down...lolz..


----------



## MuZI

Current VERY MODEST set up...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





muzi said:


> Current VERY MODEST set up...


 
  Very nice (never modest with the legends that are the 650's!). Love the cabernet.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> ...the he400 has a v-form sound signature...


 
   
  The Rev 1 did, the latest batches are pretty linear actually


----------



## hifimanrookie

ultrainferno said:


> The Rev 1 did, the latest batches are pretty linear actually




But still they havemore pronounced tremble and bass then the dynamic based he300 imho


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> This is exactly what I want
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like it a lot! I love how the M-stage and ODAC match with black bodies and sliver front plates. I won't even think about upgrading at all unless I go for something really high end, like the LCD3 or Hifiman HE-600 with a heavyweight amp. Maybe a few years from now.
   
  The setup is perfect for me though. The M-stage and HE400 are a great pairing because the amp is on the warm side, while the HE400 can be a little cold with it's treble spikes. Together they slightly tame the treble, I have yet to experience any fatigue or piercing highs in all my music collection, and I have a lot of badly recorded mainstream songs. Perhaps Im not too sensitive to it. Bass is also very satisfying. I won't say much more about the sound since I don't have much basis for comparison but all I can say is that I love the sound. There's not one genre I've tested that doesn't sound good.
   
  You'll be really happy with this setup no doubt.


----------



## The Frenchy

My bedroom station:
   
  http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2797/philipsinbedroom.png
   
  Full Philips as you can see. MCM906/L1/Wifi streamium receiver to play the music on my comp and to have webradios from the entire world (french ones are crap)
   
  P.S.: Yes i like Philips, there even are two others Philips products in the picture, will you find them?


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





the frenchy said:


> P.S.: Yes i like Philips, there even are two others Philips products in the picture, will you find them?


 
  I see the sonicare toothbrush. Is this your bathroom rig?


----------



## Clayton SF

I love Philips. A grand Dutch company.
  Their vacuum tubes are some of the best made in Europe.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I love Philips. A grand Dutch company.
> Their vacuum tubes are some of the best made in Europe.


 
  Yup. Themselves and Sony produced the first cd players. I remember my dad getting a Philips cd player in the early 80's.... Don't think he liked it much If I remember. He had a fab turntable at the time.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yup. Themselves and Sony produced the first cd players. I remember my dad getting a Philips cd player in the early 80's.... Don't think he liked it much If I remember. He had a fab turntable at the time.


 
   
  This year was actually the 30th anniversary of the first release of the consumer CD players, and my Dad actually got the first three CDP form factors reunited.  There was actually a third in addition to the Philips (top-loader) and Sony (tray/drawer) models.  The third form factor (vertical loading) was one that was licensed to multiple brands like Dual and Denon.
   
  Here's some pictures:
   
  The Dual:

   
  The Philips:

   
  The Sony:

   
  I'll try to post some actual pictures of his room when I get back over to his house sometime soon.  It's kinda neat to see all the gear he's got.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> This year was actually the 30th anniversary of the first release of the consumer CD players, and my Dad actually got the first three CDP form factors reunited.  There was actually a third in addition to the Philips (top-loader) and Sony (tray/drawer) models.  The third form factor (vertical loading) was one that was licensed to multiple brands like Dual and Denon.
> 
> Here's some pictures:
> 
> ...


 
  I'd love to see that thanks. Yeah my dad has had some great gear over the years, shame he didn't keep it all though. He always part-ex'd his stuff when he upgraded. He now has a modern set up of Arcam and Cambridge Audio. (he is 75 though and hasn't got much hearing left bless..


----------



## The Frenchy

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> I see the sonicare toothbrush. Is this your bathroom rig?


 
  No, i built a small kitchen with an american bar (cocktail bar? I'm not sure how to say in english) in my bedroom, like that i can eat or brush my teeth when i'm too lazy to go upstairs haha
   
  Tip: the other is in the audio player window reflection, and it's not really a product but a box of a product 
   
  P.S.: i can't use the "insert picture" thing because of a server issue problem, is it normal?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





the frenchy said:


> No, i built a small kitchen with an american bar (_*cocktail bar*_? I'm not sure how to say in english) in my bedroom, like that i can eat or brush my teeth when i'm too lazy to go upstairs haha
> 
> Tip: the other is in the audio player window reflection, and it's not really a product but a box of a product
> 
> P.S.: i can't use the "insert picture" thing because of a server issue problem, is it normal?


 
   
  Is it a _*Wet-bar*_?


----------



## The Frenchy

I think, but it's not what there is in your pic, we call "bar americain" the long and thin table near the little fridge to have a drink on few high seats


http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6561/baramricain.png

Or in the main kitchen:

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/974/cuisinea.png

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8494/img0840ot.jpg


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





the frenchy said:


> I think, but it's not what there is in your pic, we call "bar americain" the long and thin table near the little fridge to have a drink on few high seats


 
   
  Oh, we call that a _*mini bar*_.


----------



## metalsonata

Apologies for the lack of photography skills and the lack of decent camera equipment. You get the idea tho--this is what sits next to my computer desk. I'm wearing my HD 650s, which is why they aren't in the picture. My D7000s are at work, mated with an ALO PanAm. (Great combination, by the way!)


----------



## Yuceka

^^ Methinks your source and the amp deserve a bit better phones


----------



## Silent One

I'd have the D7000 at home and perhaps, one of the other two at work. Okay, for the sake of full disclosure 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I own the bad boys...


----------



## metalsonata

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I'd have the D7000 at home and perhaps, one of the other two at work. Okay, for the sake of full disclosure
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Except I work in close proximity to other people, so open headphones aren't ideal for work. Otherwise I totally would, because the D7000 is my favorite. However, I think I do almost enjoy it more with the PanAm than I do the Phonitor--the resolution and clarity isn't anywhere near the same level, but man, I've never heard a better pairing for hip hop and electronic music. 
   
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> ^^ Methinks your source and the amp deserve a bit better phones


 
   Believe me, it's a daily struggle to not pull the trigger on something like an HD800 or one of the Audeze models.... maybe once the wallet has some extra padding I will. Though I shouldn't be in too big of a rush, because honestly, both the 650 and the K701 sound fabulous from the Phonitor anyways.


----------



## mrAdrian

Maybe buy a dt880 to complete the trio? Shifts your attention from 1000+ headphones, and should make a good compliment to your senn, akg


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


>


 
   
  Those are great headphones. I'm listening to them, as I write, on my Mini Torii SEx.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





metalsonata said:


> Apologies for the lack of photography skills and the lack of decent camera equipment. You get the idea tho--this is what sits next to my computer desk. I'm wearing my HD 650s, which is why they aren't in the picture. My D7000s are at work, mated with an ALO PanAm. (Great combination, by the way!)


 
   
  I find it outright ridiculous that, in a GALLERY thread, people apology for posting what they think is a low quality picture, while 90% of the other posts are text only. You don't see many people excusing themselves for not posting a picture, so why should you excuse a low quality one? At least you posted a picture, thanks.


----------



## metalsonata

I'll try to remember to snap a picture of my work setup tomorrow. It will be of similarly poor quality, but Kim is right. At least it'll be a picture. ^^
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> I find it outright ridiculous that, in a GALLERY thread, people apology for posting what they think is a low quality picture, while 90% of the other posts are text only. You don't see many people excusing themselves for not posting a picture, so why should you excuse a low quality one? At least you posted a picture, thanks.


 
   
  I've considered it, though these days I'm leaning more towards selling the K701 or the 650 and putting that money towards one of the 1000+ headphones. Probably an Audeze if the 650 goes, or an HD800 if the 701 goes. Though ideally I'd like to hold onto them just in case the differences between them and the upgrades are extremely slight and not justifiable in price to me.
   
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Maybe buy a dt880 to complete the trio? Shifts your attention from 1000+ headphones, and should make a good compliment to your senn, akg


----------



## DefQon

I think you'd be pretty much pushing about the full potential out of those K701's using that Phonitor, assuming you have a high quality source input. I have to agree with Jude while ago when he made a video review on the Phonitor's + HD800 combination, it truly sounds quite unique with a lot of depth and realism compared to any other high end SS/tube amp I've tried, built, owned, auditioned. Heard a small setup at a Jaben's here in the CBD, think it was a Marantz CD player looked like the CD5300 or something > the Phonitor > Stock HD800 13XXX serial + a McIntosh test CD, one of the classical pieces it was playing provided a realistic and deep sound and detail retrieval that my B22 has never provided for me.


----------



## jtaylor991

metalsonata said:


> Except I work in close proximity to other people, so open headphones aren't ideal for work. Otherwise I totally would, because the D7000 is my favorite. However, I think I do almost enjoy it more with the PanAm than I do the Phonitor--the resolution and clarity isn't anywhere near the same level, but man,* I've never heard a better pairing for hip hop and electronic music. *




D7000s with the Phonitor or PanAm? I need to look at this combo...


----------



## metalsonata

General consensus seems to be that the Phonitor is one of the best amps for the HD800, period. It's certainly what I'm leaning toward at the moment--that said, I'd say that a good half (probably more) of my music collection probably wouldn't necessarily play nice with the 800s, which is why I'd wanna hold onto the 650s, or eventually get an Audeze or HiFiMan to complement the 800s. Almost everything sounds good on the 650, no matter how poorly recorded lol. Reviews of the Audeze phones when paired up with a Phonitor are decidedly mixed, however. Some people praise the pairing, others bash it. Oh well. Back to the topic--we need moar pictures!
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> I think you'd be pretty much pushing about the full potential out of those K701's using that Phonitor, assuming you have a high quality source input. I have to agree with Jude while ago when he made a video review on the Phonitor's + HD800 combination, it truly sounds quite unique with a lot of depth and realism compared to any other high end SS/tube amp I've tried, built, owned, auditioned. Heard a small setup at a Jaben's here in the CBD, think it was a Marantz CD player looked like the CD5300 or something > the Phonitor > Stock HD800 13XXX serial + a McIntosh test CD, one of the classical pieces it was playing provided a realistic and deep sound and detail retrieval that my B22 has never provided for me.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Maybe buy a dt880 to complete the trio? Shifts your attention from 1000+ headphones, and should make a good compliment to your senn, akg


 
   
  +1
   
   
  i had alot of fun when i had my mid-fi collection last year


----------



## Clayton SF

_*Decware in December.*_
   

_*ZP3*_ phono preamp
_*Mini Torii SEx*_ (v.1) integrated amp
_*CSP2+*_ preamp, used as headphone amp


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> _*Decware in December.*_
> 
> 
> _*ZP3*_ phono preamp
> ...


 
   
  I want your SEX. Damn that sounds awfully wrong 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Great setup C!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I want your SEX. Damn that sounds awfully wrong
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  LOL. Maybe I can bring you one of them next year if you buy a step-down transformer.
  Does that sound right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Or is that recommended?


----------



## Ultrainferno

I already have one for the CLAS. We'll see in a few months when we've fixed a date!


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1
> 
> 
> i had alot of fun when i had my mid-fi collection last year


 
   
  Had fun with mid-fi? Tell me about it ^^
   
  Main:

  Now I know I have subst'd a DT880 with a DT1350, and had the HD600 by the older HD580, K701 by his two elder brothers K500, K400...
  The 'Grado' is actually an Alessandro MSPro, I listen to a lot of rock and therefore it deserves a special stand.
  The SA3000 offers a unique sound signature, very analytical. And I got it for cheap, and it stacks up so well to the SA5000, and it looks very awesome like the Qualia.
  The ZX700 really should go upstairs to my bedroom rig, but I just got them (little beyers are a bit too painful) for ~$30 from ebay and so they are under testing.
   
  Bedroom:

  Dad's old setup when he was in HK alone. A cookie for the first person who identifies the DAC from my laptop, into an unknown tube amp (looks pretty DIY/garage job), into some Kenwood passives I believe. It is really relaxing to listen to speakers as to headphones imo, as in my setup they are far more forgiving, and headphones to me are always more of a 'concentrated' kind of listening experience.
   
  To the right is my trusty iPod, just in case my main portable goes wrong. It is a Sflo:2 so you get the idea. My gateway drug is hanging alone on the stand. It is a MS1000 with all sorts of mods which stirs up memories. Will definitely not sell it away for money. It is the headphone that I am most 'emotionally' attached to.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *mrAdrian*
> 
> A cookie for the first person who identifies the DAC from my laptop, into an unknown tube amp (looks pretty DIY/garage job), into some Kenwood passives I believe


 
   
  Stoner Acoustics?


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Stoner Acoustics?


----------



## beaver316

Nice improvisation with the bottles for speaker stands mrAdrian..


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Had fun with mid-fi? Tell me about it ^^
> 
> Main:
> 
> ...


 

 is that an audio gd nfb 10.2 reference  i am seeing on the first pic? how does it sound?


----------



## kidchunks

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> is that an audio gd nfb 10.2 reference  i am seeing on the first pic? how does it sound?


 
   
  Looks more like the NFB 5.2, nice cans mrAdrian!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Nice improvisation with the bottles for speaker stands mrAdrian..


 
   
  It's likely he's paying a sonic penalty for their use, however...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> It's likely he's paying a sonic penalty for their use, however...


 
  He probs won't notice if he's drank the contents prior to using em!


----------



## DragonOwen

After I changed DAC on net streamer (and also bought NAS and Ipad) I gradually stop listening music while using my PC (mostly listening while liying on the couch and controlling playback of music content on NAS with Ipad throgh Wi-Fi (all connected to router of course)) and recently I realised that I can now move away my rig from PC (have a problem with free space over my computer table...), so bought used Atacama Equinox stand, free a little space at a corner of my room and now my rig is very compact and comfortably standing there, and my computer table is free at last... so far I could't be any happier with the current disposition, then I already are 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


   
  P.S. Sorry for bad photos, made them via Ipad...


----------



## Silent One

The photos are fine, as is the gears...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's the very thought 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that led to my own! So, we trying to help.


----------



## hifimanrookie

dragonowen said:


> After I changed DAC on net streamer (and also bought NAS and Ipad) I gradually stop listening music while using my PC (mostly listening while liying on the couch and controlling playback of music content on NAS with Ipad throgh Wi-Fi (all connected to router of course)) and recently I realised that I can now move away my rig from PC (have a problem with free space over my computer table...), so bought used Atacama Equinox stand, free a little space at a corner of my room and now my rig is very compact and comfortably standing there, and my computer table is free at last... so far I could't be any happier with the current disposition, then I already are
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have the atacama equinox rack also..simple and classy..


----------



## metalsonata

Here's my modest (but addictive!) setup at work. The D7000s normally rest on a Woo Audio stand, but I've got a lot of desktop room, so I tend to spread things out, so it's way to the right of this stuff.


----------



## Silent One

Very nice. How do you like the Headroom stack with the D7000?


----------



## metalsonata

It's a pretty nice pairing, though at the moment I'm preferring it with the ALO stack--though this could just be due to it being new equipment, and new equipment always sounds awesome. Eventually I'll switch back to the Headroom stack and do a real comparison between the two.
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Very nice. How do you like the Headroom stack with the D7000?


----------



## DefQon

Is that a PanAm stack I see there next to the Headroom stack?
   
  So it's PanAm amp + DAC + Power Supply?
   
  @mrAdrian: Those bottles just gave me an idea.


----------



## metalsonata

Yep.
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Is that a PanAm stack I see there next to the Headroom stack?
> 
> So it's PanAm amp + DAC + Power Supply?
> 
> @mrAdrian: Those bottles just gave me an idea.


----------



## hifimanrookie

metalsonata said:


> Here's my modest (but addictive!) setup at work. The D7000s normally rest on a Woo Audio stand, but I've got a lot of desktop room, so I tend to spread things out, so it's way to the right of this stuff.



Nice little touch..that rubik cube


----------



## longbowbbs

Clayton, what are you using for the rectifier in the CSP2+?


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> is that an audio gd nfb 10.2 reference  i am seeing on the first pic? how does it sound?


 
  Hey see below, and you owe me an update of your Darkvoice mods!
   
  Quote: 





kidchunks said:


> Looks more like the NFB 5.2, nice cans mrAdrian!


 
  You are right, it is a NFB 5.2  Sounds vewry neutral to me with maybe a touch of warmth. Never too analytical, and powerful enough.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> That's the very thought
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I actually haven't drank those bottles yet @@ Woops guilty as charged. I should probably finish them up ASAP to get away from it. They work however! And I don't get nasty resonance from resting on the desk. I tried using a few pieces of marbles first but think they sounded a bit muddy still. The tube amp is lifted so I get more desktop space.
   
  The 'dampening' on the home setup are actually paper rolls @@, and are only used to provide spacing between the two components, as it gets hot. Should I use any other material e.g. aluminium or brass rolls, or put some felt beneath the rolls? How do 'dampening' work?


----------



## Silent One

I'm having a second look right now. It's an hour past midnight and I thought I just read/interpreted the use of paper underneath a hot component...with no fear of smoke/fire. Glad it works. While you may not be getting nasty resonances, experimenting may simply yield better options. 
   
  Dampening can be a hit or miss field. And the sheer number of possibilities that exist - some without ever spending a dime or several - is mind boggling. I keep playing with my gears and accessories and have slowly eliminated some options. But spent a few $$$ to find out. Platforms, footers, different surfaces, cabinets and such. But, I flat out refuse to stand on my head, no matter what's promised!
   
  If you're using the PC as a music server (yes
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, even Macs are personal computers, don't let Mister Softee tell you otherwise), even that could benefit from dampening. Best I can tell you is to start listening, playing with arrangements with a config, two or several. And if you do try something commercial, maybe try something you could return in 30 days. Or try an inexpensive option and play around with combos some more.
   
  Your source will have the biggest benefit, and so on down the chain...
   
  PS...just in case a few readers are left wondering who Mister Softie is, that would be Microsoft (MSFT ticker symbol).


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I'm having a second look right now. It's an hour past midnight and I thought I just read/interpreted the use of paper underneath a hot component...with no fear of smoke/fire. Glad it works. While you may not be getting nasty resonances, experimenting may simply yield better options.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Hey hopefully it won't get THAT hot to ignite beneath my tube amp. If the bottom of that gets to those temperature ranges, the amp might be well dead already, as with my headphones etc around it. As long as they aren't touching the tubes, I guess they should be fine.
   
  I'll send you a pm regarding dampening


----------



## Barry S




----------



## _nomad

My mancave:
   

   

   
   
  Sorry about the crappy pictures, it's a bit too dark to get any proper shots in there atm..


----------



## hfflt

Last two systems are very nice and inviting. Ant that stand...
   
  Nomad, do not worry about pictures, please. They are fabulous.


----------



## TheWuss

the Harbeths have arrived...
  Please excuse the homemade mass-loaded stands.   : (
  my quick solution while i await the arrival of Skylan stands...   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  it is early yet, but i can already see a REL sub in my near future.
  the Harbeths' midbass is terrific, but i want extension down to 20 Hz, please.


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





barry s said:


>


 
  Looking good.
  Can you take a pic of it in the back so I can see how do you split dac output to 2 amps?


----------



## Silent One

_nomad, you're doing just fine inside that cave!


----------



## Loevhagen

Too dark _nomad? Hm. OK, but It looks very good from this side.


----------



## The Frenchy

Oh i can post pictures now, was annoying to be able to only post links


----------



## judomaniak

Hey Nomad I love the space, very interesting ceiling, do you bang your head on it though?


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> Hey Nomad I love the space, very interesting ceiling, do you bang your head on it though?


 
   
  With all those grado's, most probably - by speculation


----------



## Barry S

It's really simple. The Gungnir has one set of balanced output XLR jacks that feed the Mjolnir and there are two sets of single-ended output RCA jacks--one set of which feeds the Lyr. I think I could feed a third single ended amp at the same time.



haquocdung said:


> Looking good.
> Can you take a pic of it in the back so I can see how do you split dac output to 2 amps?


----------



## MorbidToaster

This rig is pretty Hnnnngh worthy. Hnnnghbeths. 
   
  Can't wait to get my speakers...Might wanna audition first though. Trying to find a way to hear Audio Notes.
   
  Ahahaha. Oh Harbeth.
   

 *Impedance* 6 ohms - easy to drive *Sensitivity* 84dB/1W/1m
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> the Harbeths have arrived...
> Please excuse the homemade mass-loaded stands.   : (
> my quick solution while i await the arrival of Skylan stands...
> 
> ...


----------



## Clayton SF

Nice mancave, _nomad. Does it get cold up there when there is snow just above your head?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> the Harbeths have arrived...
> Please excuse the homemade mass-loaded stands.   : (
> my quick solution while i await the arrival of Skylan stands...
> 
> ...


 
  Looking good! Which model of Harbeth's did you get?


----------



## Loevhagen

My head-fi station is a complex state - but I enjoy it more than ever:


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> My head-fi station is a complex state - but I enjoy it more than ever:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I always love a nice family picture!


----------



## beaver316

You couldn't possibly need all those headphones, care to give me one?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> My head-fi station is a complex state - but I enjoy it more than ever:


 
  At first I thought you had six of them, but then I thought about it for half a second.


----------



## Loevhagen

And - at a split second I thought; hey - shouldn't oil be the perfect Friday gift? Yes. 
   
  The HiFiMANs are well kept in the level below.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> My head-fi station is a complex state - but I enjoy it more than ever:


 
  Haha like it! Now let me see, I have my t shirt draw, my underpants draw...  And my sock LCD2/3 draw!


----------



## Loevhagen

And that defines a NERD...


----------



## hifimanrookie

lugbug1 said:


> Haha like it! Now let me see, I have my t shirt draw, my underpants draw...  And my sock LCD2/3 draw!



Maybe a silly question..and pls forgive me if i offend u in any way..why u need 5 audezes? U use one every day so they wont wear off to quickly? Or its like collecting cars..u buy them and then put them in a garage not using them..
U have a fortune in headphones! Wish i could even own one of them  but still..i love the family pic..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> And that defines a NERD...


 
  haha we're all Nerds here my friend!


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Looking good! Which model of Harbeth's did you get?


 
  Super HL5 in cherry finish.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Maybe a silly question..and pls forgive me if i offend u in any way..why u need 5 audezes? U use one every day so they wont wear off to quickly? Or its like collecting cars..u buy them and then put them in a garage not using them..
> U have a fortune in headphones! Wish i could even own one of them
> 
> 
> ...


 
  5 Audeze's? He's got only 3  And they all have different drivers so maybe that's why.


----------



## hifimanrookie

​


yuceka said:


> 5 Audeze's? He's got only 3  And they all have different drivers so maybe that's why.



Oops my bad..only three? wow.. Now i am disapointed..lolz... but how many hifimans he has also? Hehehe


----------



## Loevhagen

Meh. I'm deaf on one ear - i.e. the 6 Audeze are all left driver versions. Enjoy them all. 
   
  HiFiMAN: Only need 4 left drivers. Do not like the HiFiMANs that much as the Audezes...


----------



## hifimanrookie

loevhagen said:


> Meh. I'm deaf on one ear - i.e. the 6 Audeze are all left driver versions. Enjoy them all.
> 
> HiFiMAN: Only need 4 left drivers. Do not like the HiFiMANs that much as the Audezes...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Super HL5 in cherry finish.


 
   
  That is a beautiful thing!
   
  We need a report on how they sound....


----------



## Silent One

I am left wondering, _nomad, is dude on the wall and dude on the floor the same dude?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  If my desire could be converted to USD, I'd certainly bring 'em home.


----------



## hificrazy

My rig update - a dirty cheap tube-amp mated the Beyer flagship = a Wow factor, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  This little thing is really powerful,


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> My rig update - a dirty cheap tube-amp mated the Beyer flagship = a Wow factor,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm really digging that "old school" painting, but nice rig!


----------



## _nomad

Quote: 





judomaniak said:


> Hey Nomad I love the space, very interesting ceiling, do you bang your head on it though?


 
   
  I just moved in, so I'm slowly getting used to it :b
   



clayton sf said:


> Nice mancave, _nomad. Does it get cold up there when there is snow just above your head?


 
   
  The snow is't bothering me, but we've got about 69F here now, so that litttle electric heater is working hard atm
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I am left wondering, _nomad, is dude on the wall and dude on the floor the same dude?


 
   
  Could've been, if they weren't different species


----------



## hifimanrookie

Edited..my apologies..


----------



## Skylab

Dude three threads is TOO MANY to post that same exact question, and this is a PICTURE thread! BTW I responded in one of the others.


----------



## LugBug1

I was just about to post.. PM Skylab


----------



## hifimanrookie

skylab said:


> Dude three threads is TOO MANY to post that same exact question, and this is a PICTURE thread! BTW I responded in one of the others.



I know..read my last line..this is not my normal way of posting..u know me guys..copy-paste actions thats not me...but am desperate..this looks like a good deal and the guy needs cash fast..

Anyway..Thanks for ur advice guys..and my apologies about posting the same question.. 

In seconds thoughts i found it smarter to just delete that question from here alltogether as ur right! .once again..thanks!


----------



## Destroysall

Being a year late, mind me asking what is the DT990 like with leather pads instead of the velour.
  Quote: 





razorjack said:


> World's most horrible photographer's rig:


----------



## Avi

Meier Envy in full force


----------



## Focker

No doubt...that's a great shot of the Meier gear!


----------



## Avi

Alright, I have to post my work setup now. Has a Meier in it, of course 
   
  At home I have a better set of headphones and a better amp; same DAC though.
   
  Note how I color-coordinate foobar to the Meier LED 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I also stopped using the iMod as I have the DACport LX, and instead use a 1TB USB3.0 Seagate drive to hold my music


----------



## DontBend Ascend

Humble but it has to do for the time being:


----------



## Focker

I wish I liked the sound of AKG phones as much as I liked how amazing they look in photos!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





focker said:


> I wish I liked the sound of AKG phones as much as I liked how amazing they look in photos!


 
  Same here. The K550 is one sexy headphone, but has been too controversial for me to buy a pair for myself just yet, especially based on my mixed experiences with their previous offerings.


----------



## DontBend Ascend

Yeah I've read that they are pretty hit and miss for people, also considering their size. I had a hard time with pulling the trigger, but I am very happy with them which has the unfortunate side effect that my Hd598 don't get much use anymore


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





pwnm30rdi3 said:


> Where did you buy that headphone stand at?


 

 man, honestly once you hit that level. LCD2, HE-500, HD-800, HE-6 it's THE endgame other than stax; all of them have such similar levels of detail and presentation it really turns into a preference game rather than an objectively superior game.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





dontbend ascend said:


> Humble but it has to do for the time being:


 
   
  Meet typical head-fier: 4 310 $ humble setup.
   
yes I did calculate the sum of everything on the desk, in Australian prices


----------



## sphinxvc

Might as well put the rent or mortgage into the calculation then.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Same here. The K550 is one sexy headphone, but has been too controversial for me to buy a pair for myself just yet, especially based on my mixed experiences with their previous offerings.


 
   
  I agree, the K550s are beautiful looking in pics...same with the 701/702 and most of the other AKG pics I've seen...I really wanted to like them dammit! lol


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dontbend ascend said:


> Yeah I've read that they are pretty hit and miss for people, also considering their size. I had a hard time with pulling the trigger, but I am very happy with them which has the unfortunate side effect that my Hd598 don't get much use anymore


 

 The fact that your username has told me that I'm not the only lover of GYBE on Head-Fi has made my day.


----------



## Nixon

Quote: 





focker said:


> I wish I liked the sound of AKG phones as much as I liked how amazing they look in photos!


 
  Know the feeling. I would love a set but the mids, especially vocals can sound a bit metallic. They've gone down from £250 to £150 now though, incredible price, even if I just use them for techno music.


----------



## Focker

Quote: 





nixon said:


> Know the feeling. I would love a set but the mids, especially vocals can sound a bit metallic. They've gone down from £250 to £150 now though, incredible price, even if I just use them for techno music.


 
   
  Yep, I know when I sold my Qs a couple weeks ago, I had to lower the asking price since Amazon has them at a really attractive price right now. For those who like the sound, it's a great time to buy. In the meantime I'll continue to enjoy their photogenic qualities


----------



## MorbidToaster

thewuss said:


> the Harbeths have arrived...
> Please excuse the homemade mass-loaded stands.   : (
> my quick solution while i await the arrival of Skylan stands...
> 
> ...




So after auditioning speakers today I think I've decided to go with...these. Harbeth Suoer 5s. Absolutely put Zu and Devore on blast.


----------



## abcd




----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> So after auditioning speakers today I think I've decided to go with...these. Harbeth Suoer 5s. Absolutely put Zu and Devore on blast.


 
   
  Cool.  Could you post your demo impressions of all three in the '_pics of your high end rig'_ thread?  It's a bit more conducive to that discussion than this one.  IIRC people were following your pre-demo thoughts on that thread anyway.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I was planning on it. Just remembered that the exact speaker I was wowed by was recently talked about here as well.
   
  Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Cool.  Could you post your demo impressions of all three in the '_pics of your high end rig'_ thread?  It's a bit more conducive to that discussion than this one.  IIRC people were following your pre-demo thoughts on that thread anyway.


----------



## sugi123

Will take better photos on the weekend, but this is my current setup:

   
  From the right - B&W MM1, Audeze LCD-2, Sennheiser HD 650, Mac mini 2011, and the Fiio E7/E9 (soon to be HRT Music Streamer II+ and M-Stage amp  )


----------



## Doc-holliday

A bit grainy taken from my ipad directly. But added a couple things since I last posted here. Namely the Lyr and the HD650.


----------



## randerson07

I do almost zero listening by headphone or speakers for that matter at home, since the birth of my 2nd child. So I decided to put some better, by my standards, bits into my work setup.
   
  Just added this week, Fiio E10 and Alessando MS1(loving them both so far). Also pictured, ATH M35, K240 Mkii, Ipod Shuffle, Ipod classic, new style apple earbuds, Boston Acoustics HD5, and my in-laws' old Penncrest receiver.

   
  Edit: yeah its always that cluttered, headphones or not.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





sugi123 said:


> Will take better photos on the weekend, but this is my current setup:
> 
> 
> From the right - B&W MM1, Audeze LCD-2, Sennheiser HD 650, Mac mini 2011, and the Fiio E7/E9 (soon to be HRT Music Streamer II+ and M-Stage amp  )


 
  Nice, love the look of the B&W's and those stands aswell!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Using my Lyr as a preamp for the speakers....I got lazy and didnt want to switch cables every time I wanted to listen to my cans.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Using my Lyr as a preamp for the speakers....I got lazy and didnt want to switch cables every time I wanted to listen to my cans.


 
  Those A2's?


----------



## DefQon

Is that a polystyrene mannequin head or is it solid it solid plastic/glass? Thinking of getting one for my upcoming SR-Omega's.


----------



## anoxy

definitely styrofoam. pier 1 has glass heads for like 12 bucks.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I have 2 of the heads and don't use them for stands due to paranoia about pad wear.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Those A2's?


 

 Yeah, so far I like them. they have a little recession in the mids but a really nice and airy treble...also mountains of bass, though they do distort when too loud, they get very loud very fast. They also have a channel imbalance from left to right, I notice that the right id NOTABLY quieter than the right one until its at a moderately loud level.
    
  Quote:


anoxy said:


> definitely styrofoam. pier 1 has glass heads for like 12 bucks.


 
  Yeah, I got it at good will for 10 cents...so not too shabby.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I have 2 of the heads and don't use them for stands due to paranoia about pad wear.


 

 lol I'm not too worried. The pads are cheap and the velours are VERY firm.


----------



## randerson07

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


>


 
  More importantly which Benchmade was in that blue box?


----------



## MorbidToaster

My 009 pads are over 100 bucks for a new set, so I'm extremely careful, lol.
   
  Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> lol I'm not too worried. The pads are cheap and the velours are VERY firm.


----------



## earIEMusik

The Command Center


----------



## CDewey

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> More importantly which Benchmade was in that blue box?


 
  inquiring minds want to know    I too have a fetish for audio and pocket knives.   Got to open new boxes somehow right 
   
  Proud owner of BM 710, 806, 690, and 551


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





eariemusik said:


> The Command Center


 
   
  Looks like home!  Nice!


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> More importantly which Benchmade was in that blue box?


 
   

  Model 51 Balisong.


----------



## longbowbbs

New additions are the USAF-596 Rectifier with the 2359Glenn adapter and the brand new Toxic Cables "Silver Widow" HP Cables for the HD650's.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> New additions are the USAF-596 Rectifier with the 2359Glenn adapter and the brand new Toxic Cables "Silver Widow" HP Cables for the HD650's.


 
  That cable


----------



## Draygonn

longbowbbs said:


> New additions are the USAF-596 Rectifier with the 2359Glenn adapter and the brand new Toxic Cables "Silver Widow" HP Cables for the HD650's.


 Wow. That is a nice rig.


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> New additions are the USAF-596 Rectifier with the 2359Glenn adapter and the brand new Toxic Cables "Silver Widow" HP Cables for the HD650's.



That cable is sexy..and damn..u got it superfast coming from the UK! Lucky basterd


----------



## longbowbbs

I only take off the HP's to take pictures...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> New additions are the USAF-596 Rectifier with the 2359Glenn adapter and the brand new Toxic Cables "Silver Widow" HP Cables for the HD650's.


 
  Brilliant, I just love that amp! Perfect 650 set up. The clean and dynamic CA dac (my dad's got the same), powerful tube amp and silver cable, sorted.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Wow. That is a nice rig.


 
  Thanks DG...I always enjoy the pics if your rig as well.   As they say...Nice Crack!


----------



## wolfetan44

What is the most relaxing headphone? Would it be the 650?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What is the most relaxing headphone? Would it be the 650?


 
  I would say so yes. (once you've given the headband a little stretch)


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I would say so yes. (once you've given the headband a little stretch)


 
  Is it a lay-down-in-bed headphone? Or does it not work well when laying down?


----------



## metalsonata

It's got a firm enough grip that it doesn't shift around if you wear it lying down. I know that I've certainly fallen asleep with 650s on more than few times.
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Is it a lay-down-in-bed headphone? Or does it not work well when laying down?


----------



## longbowbbs

650's are great, but as full sized HP's you can't roll over well with them....Many multi hour sessions with mine!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Is it a lay-down-in-bed headphone? Or does it not work well when laying down?


 
  Absolutely, again once you've adjusted the headband because they do have a vice grip when new. They were the most comfortable hp's I've ever had


----------



## LugBug1

Heres another angle of my latest downstairs rig.


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> 650's are great, but as full sized HP's you can't roll over well with them....Many multi hour sessions with mine!



Then a good quality iem comes into play..like a westone um3x..and surprise surprise..i have one for sale


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Heres another angle of my latest downstairs rig.


 
   
  Those LCD connectors are taking a little bit of pressure there dude. It would really bug me


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Those LCD connectors are taking a little bit of pressure there dude. It would really bug me


 
  Nah they're fine, The weight is taken up on the stand.   
   
  (love the avatar!)


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nah they're fine, The weight is taken up on the stand.
> 
> (*love the avatar!*)


 
   
  Anger management cracks me up!
   
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LZ35Ar3r2k


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Anger management cracks me up!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LZ35Ar3r2k


 
  Yeah I love it. But then again I love anything with Jack in!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Then a good quality iem comes into play..like a westone um3x..and surprise surprise..i have one for sale


 
  To be fair, the westones are great sleeping iems. I had both the 2's and 3's and you can lay on your side with your head on pillow no probs as they mold into your ear very nicely. Very comfortable.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Then a good quality iem comes into play..like a westone um3x..and surprise surprise..i have one for sale


 
  Aww....and my ACS Custom T1's arrive next week....


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Heres another angle of my latest downstairs rig.


 
   
  What's that amp you're using?


----------



## alv4426

My setup, including the only thing I bought on cyber Monday a new computer monitor. Its keeping my upgradetis at bay.... for now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## randerson07

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Model 51 Balisong.


 

 Nice, my other knives are Kershaw's but I do have 1 Benchmade, a 5000sbk


----------



## parbaked

Hackman Puukko knife designed by Tapio Wirkkala.
  Great for trimming cables or slicing salami...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Brilliant, I just love that amp! Perfect 650 set up. The clean and dynamic CA dac (my dad's got the same), powerful tube amp and silver cable, sorted.


 
  Thanks LugBug1....It took some time to get the pieces together.  I love this rig!


----------



## CDewey

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> Nice, my other knives are Kershaw's but I do have 1 Benchmade, a 5000sbk


 
  Nice!   You all have good taste in knives as well as headphones!


----------



## Mediahound

My desk as of today:
   
   

   
   
  Audeze LCD2, Schiit Bifrost & Lyr, Audioengine A5+ in bamboo (S8 sub under desk), MacPro.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> My desk as of today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thats an extremely nice looking setup.


----------



## DefQon

So clean layout/setups when you only have a few head gear.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> Nice, my other knives are Kershaw's but I do have 1 Benchmade, a 5000sbk


 

 Nice, I'm kind of a knife slut, I have A LOT of them; most of them are cheap but I have some okay perfect point throwing knives and my Benchmade bali....I'm hoping for a nice kitchen knife for Christmas........(implying I didn't order it my self
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) That your EDC? the 51's mine, not that I use it a lot but it's menacing if need be and a great utility knife.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





anda said:


> What's that amp you're using?


 
  Its the Mistral HP509. I bought it about a year and a half ago to go with my RS1's. Hunted it out recently and it turns out to be fantastic with orthos. Especially LCD2's. Really is quite a refined sound for the price.
   
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=mistral%20hp509&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&ved=0CFIQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2Fmistral-HP-509-Head-AMP-USB-Sound-card-Tube-Amplifier-PreAmp-tube-AMPLIFIER-%2F120819759283&ei=UTzMUILcI6Gu0QXnm4HwBg&usg=AFQjCNG60jchgYeEJWfM5VvEypJrtPW-Hw


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Its the Mistral HP509.


 
   
  Thanks


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> My desk as of today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sweet and clean! I'll bet the sound is terrific!


----------



## chn68b

My current setup.

Meridian M30 active speakers
Grado SR60
Pro-ject headbox
Thorens TD160 Super with SME 3009 Improved arm and Ortofon 2m Red cart
Thorens Restek pre-amp
Squeezebox Classic
Unnamed DAC (bought it for the chipset) sounds excellent.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





chn68b said:


> My current setup.
> Meridian M30 active speakers
> Grado SR60
> Pro-ject headbox
> ...


 
   I love that component stand!  What is the turntable on the floor?


----------



## jazzerdave

I guess I had to pile on the cans and knives theme. Here we have the Taboo and Mad Dog featured along side a Shun 10" slicing knife and a Kershaw Groove. 

_- Apologies to those of you who may be tired of us knife nuts._


----------



## chn68b

pelli said:


> I love that component stand!  What is the turntable on the floor?


 Cheers, that's just a record cleaning box I made up from an old turntable. It connects to a vacuum cleaner, there's a pipe on one side plumbed into a jar inside the box which acts as a liquid trap, as I clean the records, the tubing coming out at the top sucks the dirty residue off the vinyl, leaving it clean and dry.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> My desk as of today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Such a gorgeous setup. Very peaceful indeed. What keyboard is it you use? Also which Mac Pro?
   
  destroysall.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





chn68b said:


> Cheers, that's just a record cleaning box I made up from an old turntable. It connects to a vacuum cleaner, there's a pipe on one side plumbed into a jar inside the box which acts as a liquid trap, as I clean the records, the tubing coming out at the top sucks the dirty residue off the vinyl, leaving it clean and dry.


 
  Awesome!  Very creative.


----------



## Mediahound

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Such a gorgeous setup. Very peaceful indeed. What keyboard is it you use? Also which Mac Pro?
> 
> destroysall.


 
  Thanks. That's a keyboard called Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2. I really like it for the tactile keyswitches and very compact size which is more ergonomic as you don't have to move your arm as much to get to the trackpad/mouse.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> My desk as of today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  HNNNGGG. nice symmetry going on.... if only the bifrost had some fake tubes, a dial and fake jack.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Portable rig at school.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> Thanks. That's a keyboard called Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2. I really like it for the tactile keyswitches and very compact size which is more ergonomic as you don't have to move your arm as much to get to the trackpad/mouse.


 
  Very nice! I wish Ikea still made the Jerker desk. It appears in almost everyone's photos and it appears appealing.  You have a very nice setup, good sir! 
   
  destroysall.


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> My desk as of today:
> 
> 
> Audeze LCD2, Schiit Bifrost & Lyr, Audioengine A5+ in bamboo (S8 sub under desk), MacPro.


 
   
  Beautiful setup, do you like listening through speakers or headphones more?


----------



## CDewey

chn68b said:


> My current setup.
> Meridian M30 active speakers
> Grado SR60
> Pro-ject headbox
> ...




Sweet setup. I managed to fuse the voice coil on a pair of meridian active monitors... Meridian didn't think it was possible... Lol. They wanted to know exactly how. What cd, track, volume etc... They fixed them of coarse. Amazing speakers. Avoid Henry Rollins at ear bleeding volume. Hahaha


----------



## CDewey

K





jazzerdave said:


> I guess I had to pile on the cans and knives theme. Here we have the Taboo and Mad Dog featured along side a Shun 10" slicing knife and a Kershaw Groove.
> _- Apologies to those of you who may be tired of us knife nuts._


 

I love the knife & headphone pics! How else do we open the boxes containing new toys!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Portable rig at school.


 
   
   
  one of my fav pink floyd albums


----------



## asdfghjkzxcvbnm

Where can I find any affordable headphone stands?


----------



## randerson07

L





whitecrow said:


> Nice, I'm kind of a knife slut, I have A LOT of them; most of them are cheap but I have some okay perfect point throwing knives and my Benchmade bali....I'm hoping for a nice kitchen knife for Christmas........(implying I didn't order it my self:veryevil: ) That your EDC? the 51's mine, not that I use it a lot but it's menacing if need be and a great utility knife.



Its my once in a while carry. Its a big knife. I use a kershaw skyline as my edc, nice and light and i dont worry about all the thrashing i do on it at work.


----------



## randerson07

jazzerdave said:


> I guess I had to pile on the cans and knives theme. Here we have the Taboo and Mad Dog featured along side a Shun 10" slicing knife and a Kershaw Groove.
> _- Apologies to those of you who may be tired of us knife nuts._




Nice.

If it hasnt been started already, someone should start a headphone/knife/gun thread.


----------



## wilyodysseus

cdewey said:


> K
> I love the knife & headphone pics! How else do we open the boxes containing new toys!




So _that's_ why so many of you have your audio gear on cutting boards!


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> Nice.
> If it hasnt been started already, someone should start a headphone/knife/gun thread.


 
   
  You can have my headphones when you pry them from my cold dead hands!


----------



## CDewey

randerson07 said:


> Nice.
> If it hasnt been started already, someone should start a headphone/knife/gun thread.




Agreed!


----------



## Roller

Seems like you might've missed this thread...


----------



## Clayton SF

I've posted my living room setup. Now here's my current listening station in my bedroom/den. Southern exposure. It is beginning to rain again.
   
  I am listening to Muse, The 2nd Law. Rainy day music.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've posted my living room setup. Now here's my current listening station in my bedroom/den. Southern exposure. It is beginning to rain again.
> 
> I am listening to Muse, The 2nd Law. Rainy day music.


 
  Aw, its raining for you. I live in Foster City, heard of it? Its not raining here


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Aw, its raining for you. I live in Foster City, heard of it? Its not raining here


 
   
  False alarm. I saw a guy walking with an umbrella over his girlfriend. I guess it was just sprinkling--now it isn't.
   
  Foster City. That is such a beautiful city to see when landing at SFO. It's looks like a marina from the air. Whenever I fly in from Europe the jet always makes this steep banking maneuver and big old u-turn before leveling off to land at SFO. I probably could see our house from my plane seat!
   
  Here are two photos from my seat heading south and just before we pass Foster City and then do that big old u-turn and head on back to SFO. This was taken on August 23 of this year returning from a trip to meet up with Ultrainferno in The Netherlands.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've posted my living room setup. Now here's my current listening station in my bedroom/den. Southern exposure. It is beginning to rain again.
> 
> I am listening to Muse, The 2nd Law. Rainy day music.


 
   
  I love the juxtaposition of the amp against the narrow ally. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Tell me that you are challenging that amp with more than just a ddt990??


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> Where can I find any affordable headphone stands?


 
  There's a guy on ebay called chmayu that sell's Sieveking imitations (except it's not branded) in different wood colours/types and also other headphones such as the one's that come with the LTD Ed 10, I purchased the dark wood one but still hasn't arrived yet due to delay's in shipping since it is almost xmas. All the seller's stands go for $38-45 each + 6-9 bucks for shipping which has a tracking number.


----------



## wolfetan44

clayton sf said:


> False alarm. I saw a guy walking with an umbrella over his girlfriend. I guess it was just sprinkling--now it isn't.
> 
> Foster City. That is such a beautiful city to see when landing at SFO. It's looks like a marina from the air. Whenever I fly in from Europe the jet always makes this steep banking maneuver and big old u-turn before leveling off to land at SFO. I probably could see our house from my plane seat!
> 
> Here are two photos from my seat heading south and just before we pass Foster City and then do that big old u-turn and head on back to SFO. This was taken on August 23 of this year returning from a trip to meet up with Ultrainferno in The Netherlands.


I really like living in Foster City. Ah yes, that big turn. I see everything near me when the plane does that turn


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I love the juxtaposition of the amp against the narrow ally.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks. I have these headphones as well. I really like the D7000. I'd like to get the HE-500 though. Maybe next year.


----------



## MattTCG

The he500 is great but be prepared it's a good bit heavier than anything else you've got there. My fav is the hd650 which you've already got.


----------



## hifimanrookie

clayton sf said:


> I've posted my living room setup. Now here's my current listening station in my bedroom/den. Southern exposure. It is beginning to rain again.
> 
> I am listening to Muse, The 2nd Law. Rainy day music.



May i ask which model woo audio u have..asi cant find it on their site and it reaally looks special!


----------



## MattTCG

I wouldn't even venture to guess the price tag on that amp. Yes I will 4k...


----------



## Clayton SF

It is a Woo Audio 4. It was discontinued in 2009 but Jack built a custom one for me in 2011.
   
It was introduced in 2005 as a speaker amp. It is one of my favorites.
   
  Here is the discontinued site for the WA4.


----------



## hifimanrookie

clayton sf said:


> It is a Woo Audio 4. It was discontinued in 2009 but Jack built a custom one for me in 2011.
> 
> It was introduced in 2005 as a speaker amp. It is one of my favorites.
> 
> Here is the discontinued site for the WA4.



Thanks clayton for ur explanation..it is really a very beautiful amp!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The D7000 looks stunning even in a crowd. The WooAudio WA4 always reminds me of an architect's building mock-up. Modern meets Art Deco, perhaps?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





silent one said:


> The D7000 looks stunning even in a crowd. The WooAudio WA4 always reminds me of an architect's building mock-up. Modern meets Art Deco, perhaps?


 
   
  The D7000 in a crowd? Yes. The WA4 Metropolis.


----------



## charliex

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Pretty good music collection for a 13 year old, eh? Then my profile picture is me trying to go for a Austin Morrow picture.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Wolftan44,
   
  Some great music for a 13 year old, and to think that when I was your age the first album (vinyl) that I ever purchased was 'December's Children' by the Rolling Stones ... then I got lost in the 60's...16 during the Summer of Love and 18 at Woodstock in '69 - those were the best days for music ever.
  Keep collectin' and enjoyin' - Bryan


----------



## bearjk1982

its just simple... and simply the best on my ears


----------



## wolfetan44

charliex said:


> Hey Wolftan44,
> 
> Some great music for a 13 year old, and to think that when I was your age the first album (vinyl) that I ever purchased was 'December's Children' by the Rolling Stones ... then I got lost in the 60's...16 during the Summer of Love and 18 at Woodstock in '69 - those were the best days for music ever.
> Keep collectin' and enjoyin' - Bryan


Thanks! I've tried listening to The Rolling Stones, as my brother really likes them, but I couldn't really get into them. Took me a while to get into Bob Dylan but I did!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks. I have these headphones as well. I really like the D7000. I'd like to get the HE-500 though. Maybe next year.


 
   
  I like the DacMagic in the setup....I have enjoyed the DM+ for quite awhile.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Thanks. I have these headphones as well. I really like the D7000. I'd like to get the HE-500 though. Maybe next year.


 
   
  very nice. its always fun having all those mid-fis to play around with, reminds me of my WA6-SE days. hows the WA4 sound btw? oh and lol im interested in getting the HE-500 as well. been considering swapping or selling D7000 for a pair, but i dunno if its worth it, especially since i have T1/HD800.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Try seeking out a fellow member who could provide you with a loan/audition. This might prevent you from giving up the discontinued - but in high demand - D7000. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Especially since you've got the T1/HD800 in your collection. There's also:
   
  http://www.thecableco.com/Product/NEW-Headphone-Lending-Library


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Try seeking out a fellow member who could provide you with a loan/audition. _*This might prevent you from giving up the discontinued - but in high demand - D7000.*_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  ooooh, thanks
   
   
  and yeah, i was afraid of getting rid of d7000s, i see prices are going up cause the newer denons fail


----------



## Mediahound

Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Beautiful setup, do you like listening through speakers or headphones more?


 
  I prefer headphones but can't listen to them all day so I go to the speakers often.


----------



## calipilot227

clayton sf said:


>




Love the KLM 744s


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





mediahound said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I long to listen to speakers (_again_) instead of headphones. But, my current living arrangement won't allow it. Actually, that's not entirely true. But, I wouldn't be able to enjoy them, so why bother?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Try seeking out a fellow member who could provide you with a loan/audition. This might prevent you from giving up the discontinued - but in high demand - D7000.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The D7000 is discontinued? I just bought mine in March of this year. I wonder if my D7000 are the real deal?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> The D7000 is discontinued? I just bought mine in March of this year. I wonder if my D7000 are the real deal?


 
  Where have you been?


----------



## MorbidToaster

You can still find them...They're just gonna get really hard to come by. 
   
  D7100 replaced them.
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> The D7000 is discontinued? I just bought mine in March of this year. I wonder if my D7000 are the real deal?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Where have you been?


 

 How embarrassing.
   
  That's a question I've been asking myself lately and so have my friends.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I've been here and there but have been hopscotching threads that I guess I totally missed the D7000 annihilation talk. Eek!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Your's is authentic, the only real change is status - they moved from production to legacy and legendary. Po' D7100...BIG shoes to fill!


----------



## jtaylor991

I never heard anything about D7ks being discontinued either....will the D7100s be a suitable replacement?


----------



## Silent One

It will be a matter of taste. Some might even prefer the latest Denon line. Due to lack of motivation, I've not heard the D7100.


----------



## wolfetan44

Does that look like a suitable replacement? So ugly
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and people say the D7000 sounds better.


----------



## preproman

Looks pretty sweet to me..


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Looks pretty sweet to me..


 
  To each his own, I guess. Anyways, have to admit: the Denon D7000 looks better.


----------



## preproman

True That..


----------



## Silent One

It makes me shudder.._.in a bad way._


----------



## CDewey

wolfetan44 said:


> Thanks! I've tried listening to The Rolling Stones, as my brother really likes them, but I couldn't really get into them. Took me a while to get into Bob Dylan but I did!




Fantastic music for a 13 year old! I see all your Radiohead. Do everything in your power to see them live. Best shows I've been to in the last decade. Look out for their 2 disc collector sets. I picked them up used for good prices.


----------



## SolMan

On top is an Technics SL-10 Turntable with Audio-Technica P205CMK3 Cartridge with Soundsmith Cantilever. Second tier has a PS Audio GCPH preamp phono stage with with Mod1 and Audio-technica ATH-W3000ANV headphones.  Third tier has an 
  a Benchmark DAC1 USB and ADC1 USB.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





cdewey said:


> Fantastic music for a 13 year old! I see all your Radiohead. Do everything in your power to see them live. Best shows I've been to in the last decade. Look out for their 2 disc collector sets. I picked them up used for good prices.


 
  Saw them live 2012
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Should've posted a picture of my poster I got from their concert. I have The Bends 2 disc and a Kid A collectors edition.


----------



## CDewey

wolfetan44 said:


> Saw them live 2012  Should've posted a picture of my poster I got from their concert. I have The Bends 2 disc and a Kid A collectors edition.




Sweet! Did Caribou open for them at your show? First time I heard them and picked up some of their CDs at the show.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





cdewey said:


> Sweet! Did Caribou open for them at your show? First time I heard them and picked up some of their CDs at the show.


 
  Other Lives opened.


----------



## TheOtus

Off-topic... Even though I love japanese brands, that new Denon is still a total failure when it comes to external design. = /


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Off-topic... Even though I love japanese brands, that new Denon is still a total failure when it comes to external design. = /


 
  +1


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've posted my living room setup. Now here's my current listening station in my bedroom/den. Southern exposure. It is beginning to rain again.
> 
> I am listening to Muse, The 2nd Law. Rainy day music.


 
   
  I've always wanted to audition the WA4. Always seemed like a neat little tube amp. I remember trying the LCD-2's a year or so back with the Woo Audio WA22 and remember how perfect the synergy was between the two.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Off-topic... Even though I love japanese brands, that new Denon is still a total failure when it comes to external design. = /


 

 +3 -- It reminds me of a can opener that has just opened a fat, plush leather lid --


----------



## Danthrax

I think the new Denon's look a lot better than the old ones. It looks like a modern headphone, very stylish.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I have the new 600 and 7100 with me right now. Design sucks, sound is good.
  I'm not a fan of the design, and you need a really big head for the Denons to fit, even at the smallest setting


----------



## mrAdrian

danthrax said:


> I think the new Denon's look a lot better than the old ones. It looks like a modern headphone, very stylish.


 they look too different so i guess we're just nostalgic over the old classy design.

Myself included  old denon > new denon


----------



## Silent One

Sennheiser must be flattered. I noticed Denon, Beats and other cans seem to all have borrowed the rounded sweeping headband style I first noticed on Senn 5XX series a few moons back. Or earlier.
   
  Maybe it's an attempt to look modern. Not my tea...


----------



## preproman

I need some of that tea you're always drinking.


----------



## Silent One

I need to get in bed before sunrise...one of these days. Been doin' computer/hard drive maintenance all-night for peace of mind. Maybe music Tuesday night with tea...and you in spirit.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





danthrax said:


> I think the new Denon's look a lot better than the old ones. It looks like a modern headphone, very stylish.


 
   
  Well, the D7100 might look more modern but its looks certainly don't match the price tag, IMHO.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





roller said:


> Well, the D7100 might look more modern but its looks certainly don't match the price tag, IMHO.


 
  That's exactly the problem. I actually enjoy both of the designs, but a top-tier headphone should be more elegant than the D7100 is.


----------



## CDewey

ssrock64 said:


> That's exactly the problem. I actually enjoy both of the designs, but a top-tier headphone should be more elegant than the D7100 is.




I feel that headphones like d7k or d7100 are so large that I would never leave the house with them. With that in mind I couldnt care less what they look like.


----------



## hifimanrookie

cdewey said:


> I feel that headphones like d7k or d7100 are so large that I would never leave the house with them. With that in mind I couldnt care less what they look like.



+1 i totally agree..if i could buy best sounding headphone ever looking like **** and because of that looks being very affordable....i would choose it without even blink over any shiny sexy looking less sounding headphone! As i only use it at home..alone!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> That's exactly the problem. I actually enjoy both of the designs, but a top-tier headphone should be more elegant than the D7100 is.


 
   
  +1


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1


 
  +2


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

too much talk about denon cans, not enough pictures.


----------



## wolfetan44

Should I make a thread where we post pictures of our newly unwrapped audio equipment?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Should I make a thread where we post pictures of our newly unwrapped audio equipment?


 

 Yes! Because we are always unwrapping.


----------



## jazzerdave

Well, here's the current (possibly temporary*) setup. At the time of the picture, I'm actually using the Cavalli Liquid Glass as a preamp, but I've been testing it with the Mad Dog and HE-6 (also testing the LG as a preamp feeding the speaker amp to power the HE-6). So far, I'm enjoying it and haven't even started tube rolling yet.



Here's a shot of the LG after unboxing with some of the tubes I'll be rolling through:



*_The Liquid Glass isn't temporary, but the configuration of the system could easily change._


----------



## hifimanrookie

jazzerdave said:


> Well, here's the current (possibly temporary*) setup. At the time of the picture, I'm actually using the Cavalli Liquid Glass as a preamp, but I've been testing it with the Mad Dog and HE-6 (also testing the LG as a preamp feeding the speaker amp to power the HE-6). So far, I'm enjoying it and haven't even started tube rolling yet.
> 
> Here's a shot of the LG after unboxing with some of the tubes I'll be rolling through:
> 
> *_The Liquid Glass isn't temporary, but the configuration of the system could easily change._



Wow..nice rig u have!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Well here it is! http://www.head-fi.org/t/641640/new-audio-gear-pictures


----------



## MorbidToaster

God the LG looks good. If I ever do dynamics again it'd probably be my pick.
   
  Congrats. Glad to see more Texans buying Alex's stuff. 
   
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Well, here's the current (possibly temporary*) setup. At the time of the picture, I'm actually using the Cavalli Liquid Glass as a preamp, but I've been testing it with the Mad Dog and HE-6 (also testing the LG as a preamp feeding the speaker amp to power the HE-6). So far, I'm enjoying it and haven't even started tube rolling yet.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Keeping the pics coming on this thread.
   
  Current office rig.
   

   
   

   
  Current home rig:


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> +2


 
   
  The AH-D600 doesn't look that bad
   

   
  sounds pretty good too actually!


----------



## driver 8




----------



## daigo

Nice EC Balancing Act.  Hard to go wrong with that or the Zana Deux from the EC line up of amps.


----------



## pelli

Love the setup *driver 8*!  Very clean!!!
   
  Here is my latest bundle of joy.  Until my Q cable shows up Friday it is just an expensive paperweight...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Here is my latest bundle of joy.  Until my Q cable shows up Friday it is just an expensive paperweight...


 
  The suspense has to be killing you...


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> The suspense has to be killing you...


 
  Like watching "Jaws" for the first time...


----------



## Barry S

I think you'll dig your LCD-2 with the Mjolnir--it's like strapping on a jetpack.
   
   
  Quote: 





pelli said:


> Love the setup *driver 8*!  Very clean!!!
> 
> Here is my latest bundle of joy.  Until my Q cable shows up Friday it is just an expensive paperweight...


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Keeping the pics coming on this thread.
> 
> Current office rig.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like offices that encourage wine on the desk. There aren't enough of them. Luckily, I work from home. *hic*


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> I like offices that encourage wine on the desk. There aren't enough of them. Luckily, I work from home. *hic*


 
   
  It's not a regular thing here in the US. Something about corporate policy being a bit "stuffy" when it comes to displaying alcohol in the open office environment. The IT team that I work with has a whiskey bar near their area. It's a wonder anything ever gets done on our servers, applications and databases!!!


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ...




----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





dreaming of a better ... said:


>


 
   
  What game is that??? Looks interesting!


----------



## randerson07

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> What game is that??? Looks interesting!


 

 Looks like its this....
  http://www.playhawken.com/


----------



## DefQon

Very very clean setup.


----------



## PanamaHat

Makeshift station on the night I came back from school for winter break


----------



## tdunks

Here is mine, best I can muster in my dorm.
 Out of the picture is my Macbook Pro

   
   
  Also, yes I am a Lindsey Stirling fan!


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





tdunks said:


> Here is mine, best I can muster in my dorm.
> Out of the picture is my Macbook Pro
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice collection there. Where did you get that stand? I really like it with the cable anchors


----------



## tdunks

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Nice collection there. Where did you get that stand? I really like it with the cable anchors


 

 The stand was custom build by myself and a buddy of mine. Totally one-of-a-kind


----------



## snapple10




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


>


 
   
  Another member of the mighty USAF-596 club!


----------



## snapple10

Yeah! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Might be cheaper to tube roll than phone roll, lol


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


>


 
   
Looking good over there, snapple10......_looking good._


----------



## snapple10

Thanks. Still have too many phones, still deciding which are staying


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Yeah!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Maybe I can roll a 596 with my iPhone5??!!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tdunks said:


> Here is mine, best I can muster in my dorm.
> Out of the picture is my Macbook Pro
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
You need to come over to the dark side and sample some Tina Guo on Electric Cello. 





   
"Forbidden City."


----------



## RamblinE

Wish I could maintain a setup as clean as some of you folks have. Currently need to work on dedicated stands for the speakers and a REAL preamp/headamp, not that Chinese toy I'm using.
   

   

   

   

   

   
  That's the AKG K701, Grado SR60i, Monoprice 8320 w/ Complys and the bass ports covered and AKG K422's. Got a new toy today for $20 though that could be a game changer. They're the closest a portable set has come to sounding like the K701s yet.
   

   
  Sennheiser PX200.


----------



## GrindingThud

Nice Mission 70s there, always loved the sound of those.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





rambline said:


>


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Nice Mission 70s there, always loved the sound of those.


 
  They're really holding me over from feeling like I have to upgrade speakers.


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





rambline said:


>


 
  I spy Topping TP-21, don't often see such an amplifier on Head-Fi, how do you reckon they pair with the AKG's? (I have the Topping TP-21 aswell)


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I spy Topping TP-21, don't often see such an amplifier on Head-Fi, how do you reckon they pair with the AKG's? (I have the Topping TP-21 aswell)


 
  The opamp in the TP21 sounds screechy and hollow. It also struggles to drive the K701 and has a nasty background buzz to it. 
   
  I use the Indeed G2 to drive my headphones. Hopefully soon that'll be a Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1.


----------



## Austin Morrow

I like Xilent's remix of Figure 8 by "Ellie Goulding."


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> I like Xilent's remix of Figure 8 by "Ellie Goulding."


 
   
  Dude, wrong thread. --> http://www.head-fi.org/t/142023/


----------



## basman

double post


----------



## Silent One

A cozy corner without a doubt!


----------



## calipilot227

I spy a Thorens... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Although I suspect the VPI gets used considerably more.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





tdunks said:


> Here is mine, best I can muster in my dorm.
> Out of the picture is my Macbook Pro
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Have you met her in person?


----------



## MattTCG

@basman...very nice setup. The best thing about it for me is NO computer anywhere in site.


----------



## h2oxide

Edit - Not letting me upload pics for now


----------



## jazzerdave

It's not the full station, but I rolled some new tubes into the LG, and they're great so far...


----------



## longbowbbs

Looking great JD! I love the DVD-3900 too....I have the DVD-5900 and 3910 here....


----------



## Mad Dude

Not three months ago I wrote in this very thread that I intended to stop buying gear for a while. Now guess what happened to that resolve... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  When I saw this beautiful Mapletree amp I just couldn't resist:


----------



## pelli

Beautiful!  Quite the classy set-up. If it sounds half as good as it looks, you must be in heaven!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Finally got some LP frames. Rearranged everything so it's more compact and my amp/CDP isn't on the other side of the room. 
   
  In case anyone wants to know, that Cambridge 851C is for sale. Moving more towards analogue and need money for the speaker fund.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Looks great MorbidToaster!! I have such as itch to get a turntable setup. Just don't know even how to get started.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Not three months ago I wrote in this very thread that I intended to stop buying gear for a while. Now guess what happened to that resolve...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looking good MD!
   
  What are those HP Stands?


----------



## hfflt

Godlike corner, Morbid. Enjoy every minute of it!


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Beautiful!  Quite the classy set-up. If it sounds half as good as it looks, you must be in heaven!!!


 
   
  Thanks! It does sound beautiful, even though it doesn't offer the extreme level of detail like a top-tier-system would (with flagship dynamic HPs, orthos, stats...). But then again, I find that I'm not missing much. 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Looking good MD!
> 
> What are those HP Stands?


 
   
  Thanks! That stand is made by "Rooms Audio" and sold by Thomann: http://www.thomann.de/gb/rooms_audio_line.html
  Pretty, but expensive.
   
  (Edit: I've just noticed that they don't sell the version of the HP stand anymore that I have. Weird.)


----------



## longbowbbs

Too bad...I like your version better than the current lineup....


----------



## h2oxide




----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> Too bad...I like your version better than the current lineup....



Yeah to bad..but i just saw on the woo audio website they also sell head stands..but OMG expensive!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





silent one said:


> A cozy corner without a doubt!


 
  Thanks!
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I spy a Thorens...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You've got it, VPI in full time service.
   
  Quote: 





matttcg said:


> @basman...very nice setup. The best thing about it for me is NO computer anywhere in site.


 
  Thanks, zero compression music factory!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Finally got some LP frames. Rearranged everything so it's more compact and my amp/CDP isn't on the other side of the room.
> 
> In case anyone wants to know, that Cambridge 851C is for sale. Moving more towards analogue and need money for the speaker fund.


 
   
  Really nice!


----------



## basman

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


>


 
   
  Very clean setup and superb!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





basman said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What speakers are those, Basman?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Thanks! That stand is made by "Rooms Audio" and sold by Thomann: http://www.thomann.de/gb/rooms_audio_line.html
> Pretty, but expensive.
> 
> (Edit: I've just noticed that they don't sell the version of the HP stand anymore that I have. Weird.)


 
   
  They still do sell it, but you need to email them, I have 2 of those myself, the dark burnt burgundy type of colour and your one.


----------



## basman

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What speakers are those, Basman?


 
  Hi, Those speaks are not mine but I guess it's a pair of speaker from DynaAudio.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





basman said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Oh


----------



## hifimanrookie

defqon said:


> They still do sell it, but you need to email them, I have 2 of those myself, the dark burnt burgundy type of colour and your one.



May i ask what prices are?


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What speakers are those, Basman?


 

 Hi, he quoted my setup. The speakers are Dynaudio Focus 160 (in my sig)


----------



## conheo

i have just take a pic of my current, wish i have more room for my gear.


----------



## hfflt

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


>


 
   
  Very clean and rich looking setup. I just can't get enough of your keyboard -- how lovely it looks.


----------



## diegozpulido




----------



## diegozpulido




----------



## Silent One

The audio appears to be fine. I'm more interested in your 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 racing gear! How do you like the racing set up?


----------



## TheWuss

It is a very Merry Christmas at the Wusster house...
  My (finally) completed 2-channel rig.


----------



## MattTCG

Very nice looking setup!! I long for a turn table setup.


----------



## Eee Pee

Please tell me you built a little riser stand for a Zerodust thing for your stylus, so on the way over to the record it gets a little plop on the Zerodust first.  Cause that's awesome.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eee Pee 




> Please tell me you built a little riser stand for a Zerodust thing for your stylus, so on the way over to the record it gets a little plop on the Zerodust first. Cause that's awesome.





Yep. That is exactly what i did. Hahahaha


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> That is exactly what i did.


 
   
  Well done!


----------



## MorbidToaster

What'd you end up mounting the Harbeths to the Skylans with? Still plan to get the HL5 asap. With the haul I got from one family's Christmas yesterday (the good side that gives money) I put another good dent in the speaker fund.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> It is a very Merry Christmas at the Wusster house...
> My (finally) completed 2-channel rig.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'll bet the AR integrated sounds amazing with your Harbeth's!


----------



## swmtnbiker




----------



## GrindingThud

Nice stack! How do the Schiits compare?


----------



## swmtnbiker

I'm in the process of comparing right now. Eventually I'll end up with only one of these amps. Looks like I'll be keeping my DAC. In all of my recent evaluations (HRT Music Streamer II, ODAC, Bifrost, Modi) I haven't been able to find anything affordable that I feel is a worthy successor to the VDA-1.


----------



## anetode

Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


>


 

 Aww, cute little baby schiits...


----------



## TheWuss

morbidtoaster said:


> What'd you end up mounting the Harbeths to the Skylans with? Still plan to get the HL5 asap. With the haul I got from one family's Christmas yesterday (the good side that gives money) I put another good dent in the speaker fund.



Noel at Skylan sells these small rubber discs called Q-Bricks. They sit where the threaded rods terminate, and transfer the load and vibration down into the legs of the stand.


----------



## swmtnbiker

anetode said:


> Aww, cute little baby schiits...




It's a whole family of Schiits...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Good to know. Shame I'll have to wait so freakin' long. I know it'll be worth it but damn it...It's always hard.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Noel at Skylan sells these small rubber discs called Q-Bricks. They sit where the threaded rods terminate, and transfer the load and vibration down into the legs of the stand.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Please tell me you built a little riser stand for a Zerodust thing for your stylus, so on the way over to the record it gets a little plop on the Zerodust first.  Cause that's awesome.


 
   
  That was my thought exactly...before I happened upon your post.


----------



## Eee Pee

It's a good idea.


----------



## Silent One

Taking a bit of latitude in the thread, quick question: if I get some of the same stuff (zero...), would I be able to skip the cleaner/treatment liquid stuff?


----------



## Eee Pee

If you could buy a sponge that was sticky to blot yourself with, would you not shower anymore?


----------



## Silent One

I would bathe, sponge or no...


----------



## fatcat28037

I've added a Yamaha A-S300 stereo amplifier to use a a dedicated K1000 driver. It works better that the WA22.


----------



## MorbidToaster

God I love the way those Yamaha CDPs look. They're gorgeous. I had my eye on one awhile back but decided against it.


----------



## fatcat28037

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> God I love the way those Yamaha CDPs look. They're gorgeous. I had my eye on one awhile back but decided against it.


 
  I bought mine through Hi-Fi Heaven in Green Bay, WI. It was a display model and I paid WAY less than street price. there is a silver 2000 and a black 1000 listed as display models right now.
   
http://hifiheaven.net/store/Display-Models?sort=pd.name&order=DESC


----------



## longbowbbs

The Hi Fi Heaven guys are great. I bought my 650's there and I am in the store at least every other month. Randy is terrific.


----------



## prtuc2

Merry Christmas everyone just sharing my picture.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





prtuc2 said:


> Merry Christmas everyone just sharing my picture.


 
  You too! Nice amp!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Also, dat cable


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> You too! Nice amp!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  +1
   
  also dat dac


----------



## longbowbbs

That Super 7 is a sweet amp!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





fatcat28037 said:


> I bought mine through Hi-Fi Heaven in Green Bay, WI. It was a display model and I paid WAY less than street price. there is a silver 2000 and a black 1000 listed as display models right now.
> 
> http://hifiheaven.net/store/Display-Models?sort=pd.name&order=DESC


 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> The Hi Fi Heaven guys are great. I bought my 650's there and I am in the store at least every other month. Randy is terrific.


 

 WHY DID I NEVER MEET UP WITH YOU GUYS WHIlE I STILL LIVED IN GREEN BAY?
   
  I literally spent my entire life at Hi-Fi Heaven before college.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





prtuc2 said:


> Merry Christmas everyone just sharing my picture.


 
   
   
   
  O  the new PS Audio Nuwave DAC..  How do you like it?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> WHY DID I NEVER MEET UP WITH YOU GUYS WHIlE I STILL LIVED IN GREEN BAY?
> 
> I literally spent my entire life at Hi-Fi Heaven before college.


 
  We moved back to Wisconsin after 20 years in Florida...Looks like we missed each other as life went by....Go Gators....


----------



## prtuc2

Quote: 





preproman said:


> O  the new PS Audio Nuwave DAC..  How do you like it?


 
  Yes, that is the new PS Audio Nuwave DAC.  I left some impressions on the original thread already, but here is a quick rundown.
   
  Good clarity clearly a step up from the HRT MS II+
 Great detail retrieval (I know my HD650 and my mp3 isn't the best for this DAC)
 Soundstage I would say average nothing spectacular and at the same time nothing too compress in
  Great bass very tight and controlled (if I am right the bass it should be one thud, instead of having some echoes or multiple thud when the bass strike)
   
  There is something that I did not about this DAC is that the SQ changes dramatically upon different inputs (usb being the worse, coax the best), so people relying on usb input probably look else where or get a converter I should say.
  I also feels that it has a little analytical maybe due to the clarity improvement over my HRT MS II+.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not exactly a Head-fi 'station' pic...but it's definitely related. At the relatives for Christmas and made use of my father's power tools to get them all cut down. 
   
  It's not finished quite yet as the shelves aren't attached to each other. Need to get some L brackets and get 'em completely done but for $50 all in I think it's a gorgeous rack. 
   
  2" feet, shelf spacing is 10", 8" and 8". 21 5/8" x 21 5/8" (width between legs is 17 5/8")
   
  ...I love Ikea.


----------



## TheWuss

Awesome, MT! Good work there.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Now I just hope I made it well enough to put my planned 80lb+ speaker amp on. 
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Awesome, MT! Good work there.


----------



## wolfetan44

You guys should see my Head-Fi station right now. Its awesome!


----------



## wolfetan44

Also, I just got a O2/ODAC. What should my computer's volume be on? 100%? 0%? 50%? Any idea's guys?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Now I just hope I made it well enough to put my planned 80lb+ speaker amp on.


 
  Planned....


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Also, I just got a O2/ODAC. What should my computer's volume be on? 100%? 0%? 50%? Any idea's guys?


 
   
  Computer volume at 100%. Use the O2 only for volume control. Why not give us a peak at your station..


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  100%? Really? Sweet. I will in a bit. My brother is going back to LA for work


----------



## MorbidToaster

longbowbbs said:


> Planned....




Might be a few months but the Line Magnetic 218ia is in the lead. Weighs a ton.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> 100%? Really? Sweet. I will in a bit. My brother is going back to LA for work


 
   
  Yeah software wise it should all be max, Windows control and your music player.


----------



## hifimanrookie

beaver316 said:


> Computer volume at 100%. Use the O2 only for volume control. Why not give us a peak at your station..



+1 i agree..pc soundcard on 100% and yeah post a pic


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Might be a few months but the Line Magnetic 218ia is in the lead. Weighs a ton.


 
  Did you make a decision on the Harbeth's yet?


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Might be a few months but the Line Magnetic 218ia is in the lead. Weighs a ton.


 
   
  Tuuuuubes, looks yummy. Should be a very nice setup, with very nice speakers (too bad the live sound setup didn't work though).


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## dukeskd

Very nice setup wolfetan44


----------



## Minitrox

Here is my listening area =)


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





dukeskd said:


> Very nice setup wolfetan44


 
  Thanks!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I haven't heard anything that comes close in the price range so far so I'm pretty set on the Harbeths. They're just sooooo good.
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Did you make a decision on the Harbeth's yet?


 
   
  While it is a shame the big ol' actives didn't work it might have been for the best. The Harbeths are pretty much better in every way except danceability. 
   
  Quote: 





tehjam said:


> Tuuuuubes, looks yummy. Should be a very nice setup, with very nice speakers (too bad the live sound setup didn't work though).


 
   
  Oh, and just for fun...Here's the new $50 rack with stuff on it at home. Cables are a little messy as I forgot to route them before I pushed the rack completely against the wall. Nothing on the bottom shelf and that CD player will be out the door soon, it seems.
   
   

   
  One thing that's pretty cool though is that the power conditioner fits perfectly under it as well.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I haven't heard anything that comes close in the price range so far so I'm pretty set on the Harbeths. They're just sooooo good.
> 
> 
> While it is a shame the big ol' actives didn't work it might have been for the best. The Harbeths are pretty much better in every way except danceability.
> ...


 
   
  Simply gorgeous. Always love your setups, Morbid.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I haven't heard anything that comes close in the price range so far so I'm pretty set on the Harbeths. They're just sooooo good.
> 
> 
> While it is a shame the big ol' actives didn't work it might have been for the best. The Harbeths are pretty much better in every way except danceability.
> ...


 
   
   
  OK...Has to be said....Nice Rack.....To bad I don't play many CD's anymore. You have a rediculously (I think I murdered the spelling...)good price on the 851C!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I feel like I post here too much, but it's fun when you get something new or make a major change. 
   
  Quote: 





austin morrow said:


> Simply gorgeous. Always love your setups, Morbid.


 
   
  I'm really happy with the way it came out. Just need to wrap it up. 
   
  Even if you don't play CDs it's a fantastic unit. The DAC is great and it does everything a good USB DAC does, and more. 
   
  I should have held out for more on the 851, but I'm really just trying to get all the coin together and see where the speaker fund is at...and I'm buying so much vinyl lately the digital stuff hardly ever gets a listen.
   
  I plan to keep a digital rig, and eventually get it back up to a respectable place (in relation to the rest of the system of course), but for now I'm going to majorly downgrade my digital so I can upgrade my analog faster.
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> OK...Has to be said....Nice Rack.....To bad I don't play many CD's anymore. You have a rediculously (I think I murdered the spelling...)good price on the 851C!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I feel like I post here too much, but it's fun when you get something new or make a major change.
> 
> 
> I'm really happy with the way it came out. Just need to wrap it up.
> ...


 
   
  No question it is a great DAC. However, I just dropped the bomb on CIEM's...So, back to saving up for another toy. I do enjoy the DacMagic Plus. I have always enjoyed either Wolfson or AKM DAC's.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> snip


 
  Sweet head amp mate, wouldn't mind hearing one myself.


----------



## savagetuna

Got a pretty good haul this Christmas. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Just getting started, but I have very high aspirations!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





savagetuna said:


> Got a pretty good haul this Christmas.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That is a good day!


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





savagetuna said:


> Got a pretty good haul this Christmas.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Congrats! The e17 is definitely one of the best pieces of hardware you can get. Serves as a portable when you want it, dac/amp at your desk, great eq, and a decent dac when you decide to upgrade amps. I don't think I'll ever let go of mine ^_^


----------



## savagetuna

I know! I've hardly put it down all day haha. Just to clarify, what I got today were the e17 and the q701s. I already had the iPad and the hd 439s haha. Santa is very generous to me but not that much haha.


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





savagetuna said:


> I know! I've hardly put it down all day haha. Just to clarify, what I got today were the e17 and the q701s. I already had the iPad and the hd 439s haha. Santa is very generous to me but not that much haha.


 
  That's still a killer setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have fun rediscovering your music and don't give in to upgraditis


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Oh, and just for fun...Here's the new $50 rack with stuff on it at home. Cables are a little messy as I forgot to route them before I pushed the rack completely against the wall. Nothing on the bottom shelf and that CD player will be out the door soon, it seems.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yup, very nice. Looks well smart! Though you do realise all your gear from now on will have to be black


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Not exactly a Head-fi 'station' pic...but it's definitely related. At the relatives for Christmas and made use of my father's power tools to get them all cut down.
> 
> It's not finished quite yet as the shelves aren't attached to each other. Need to get some L brackets and get 'em completely done but for $50 all in I think it's a gorgeous rack.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Oh man, I'm ready to Pre-Order!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I can't tell you just how in love with this album I am. THIS SOUNDS FANTASTIC


----------



## MorbidToaster

lugbug1 said:


> Yup, very nice. Looks well smart! Though you do realise all your gear from now on will have to be black




Nah. It matches the other furniture so it'll be fine. However, for $50 I could build another, too. 

Could do...Birch, black, black-brown (mine), green, red, grey, or white.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nah. It matches the other furniture so it'll be fine. However, for $50 I could build another, too.
> Could do...Birch, black, black-brown (mine), green, red, grey, or white.


 
  In that case put me on the pre-order list too. I'll have a Birch!


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nah. It matches the other furniture so it'll be fine. However, for $50 I could build another, too.
> Could do...Birch, black, black-brown (mine), green, red, grey, or white.


 
  OK not to overload you but could you do something similar but for CDs, like a CD shelf/stand? I could really use something like that.
   
  Edit: After this let's take to PM...


----------



## MorbidToaster

What size would you want it? The Lack stuff would be too thick to be practical for CDs. I think the best way to go about it would be a 4x2 Expedit set vertically and then add extra shelves.
   
  I'm perfectly willing to post tutorials on how to do this stuff for you guys. It's easy, cheap, and looks good. If I had the time right now I'd probably just build 'em and sell 'em for like...$120 or something, but I don't. 
   
  I'll take any requests for something and if it's practical I'll try to find a way to do it (ie. CD rack). No promises though. 
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> OK not to overload you but could you do something similar but for CDs, like a CD shelf/stand? I could really use something like that.
> 
> Edit: After this let's take to PM...


----------



## dcginc

like the cans stand, did you paint or order in white?


----------



## pelli

Here is my current bedroom setup...  Just got the balanced Q cable yesterday and can finally listen to my Mjo!!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Here is my current bedroom setup...  Just got the balanced Q cable yesterday and can finally listen to my Mjo!!!


 
  Beautiful set up!


----------



## pelli

Thanks Wolfetan44!
   
  I got iPhone fever and decided to post the living-room setup


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Thanks Wolfetan44!
> 
> I got iPhone fever and decided to post the living-room setup


----------



## RestoredSparda

It's been a year, thought I'd post an update.  New amp and DAC,  HiFiMan EF-5, and audioquest Dragonfly. I'm a happy camper.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Thanks Wolfetan44!
> 
> I got iPhone fever and decided to post the living-room setup


 
   
  At first I spotted the HD650 and the Darkvoice and I thought wow, then I saw the CARY :O and other brands that I haven't even heard of...


----------



## Heathen999

Awesome set-ups pelli!!!!!!!!!!!!
  Congrats!!


----------



## swmtnbiker

pelli said:


> Thanks Wolfetan44!
> 
> I got iPhone fever and decided to post the living-room setup




BEAUTIFUL! But, you definitely need a bigger display...


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Thanks Wolfetan44!
> 
> I got iPhone fever and decided to post the living-room setup


 

 what tubes u use in ur 337 se? cool setup by the way!


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> what tubes u use in ur 337 se? cool setup by the way!


 
  Amprex Bugleboy Mesh Plates (EF80)  and RCA (6AS7G)
   
  Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


> BEAUTIFUL! But, you definitely need a bigger display...


 
  Lucky for my wallet I m MUCH more auditory than visual 
   
  Quote: 





heathen999 said:


> Awesome set-ups pelli!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Congrats!!


 
  Thanks!
   
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> At first I spotted the HD650 and the Darkvoice and I thought wow, then I saw the CARY :O and other brands that I haven't even heard of...


 
  HSU Research makes great subs and the speakers are Quad 11L2's.  The Panamax is a power conditioner.


----------



## DefQon

Can't people just snip those pictures out when quoting, some of us don't want the same pictures posted over and over again...
   
  Anyway..
   
  @MT: How are those Furman power conditioners doing for you? Any noticeable sound improvement? I've been wanting to get for ages as there is a lot of noise in my room where my audio racks are but the cheapest I've looked at has been the Thors and the Furman's come cheap too.


----------



## swmtnbiker

defqon said:


> Can't people just snip those pictures out when quoting, some of us don't want the same pictures posted over and over again...




There. Happy now?


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Amprex Bugleboy Mesh Plates (EF80)  and RCA (6AS7G)
> 
> Lucky for my wallet I m MUCH more auditory than visual
> 
> ...


 

 thanks for the answer concerning the tubes


----------



## TehJam

Quote: 





pelli said:


>


 
   
  So jealous of your VTF-2, wish I had a sub like that.


----------



## Clayton SF

My current setup for
  Vivaldi
  Vinyl
  4
  Seasons


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





tehjam said:


> So jealous of your VTF-2, wish I had a sub like that.


 
  Keep your eyes open on Audiogon.  I got it for a steal! Super fast and Musical.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> My current setup for
> Vivaldi
> Vinyl
> 4
> Seasons


 
  I love the graphite tone arm!  What is to the right of the Decware?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> My current setup for
> Vivaldi
> Vinyl
> 4
> Seasons


 
  Nice! Clayton, are you going to the meet in 1Q 2013?


----------



## Clayton SF

^ It's the Leben CS600


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nice! Clayton, are you going to the meet in 1Q 2013?


 

 I hope to but I need to see if I can get the weekend off and a ride like last year.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ^ It's the Leben CS600


 
   
  I thought so, Beautiful!  That and the Omens are part of my dream system!


----------



## Clayton SF

*^* Those Omens are so perfect for my apartment in SF. They push sound without bothering the neighbors. And they look so so great as well.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gotcha.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> My current setup for
> Vivaldi
> Vinyl
> 4
> Seasons


 
   
  We have the same turntable!  I know I love mine!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really like them. They're ~$100 bucks and have saved my equipment on 3 occasions. Sound differences aren't something I've listened for as I would even sacrifice some SQ for protection. I plan to upgrade to something nicer eventually though. 
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Can't people just snip those pictures out when quoting, some of us don't want the same pictures posted over and over again...
> 
> Anyway..
> 
> @MT: How are those Furman power conditioners doing for you? Any noticeable sound improvement? I've been wanting to get for ages as there is a lot of noise in my room where my audio racks are but the cheapest I've looked at has been the Thors and the Furman's come cheap too.


 
   
  Also, screw you Clayton. That 600 is pretty much the dream. I guess I'll just have to settle for an LM 218 or 300XS.


----------



## hippie

Here's how the set up looks right now, kinda depressing.......
   

   

  and here's what I'm rocking till I get everything fixed.....


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> My current setup for
> Vivaldi
> Vinyl
> 4
> Seasons


 
   
  Have you had a listen to the famous Nigel Kennedy version?


----------



## hificrazy

Gosh, just drained my wallet again. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 After a recent purchase of a T1, I took another plunge and picked up a second-hand tube amp - Ting Feng 3PRO (literally means Hear the Wind in Chinese) which was in a very nice condition. TF is a DIY brand by a guy living and working near Guangzhou. The amp is highly regarded here in the headphone community in China but I think it's rarely known ouside the country. Tube fans here always compare it with those Chinese tube amps such as DarkVoice, La Figaro, and Little Dot whhich have already established their names overseas.
   
  3 PRO is the top line of the brand at an online retail price of RMB4,980. It features 2xShu Guang 6H5C (mine are Russian equavelents), 2xTelefunken EF800 (the seller gave me two plus Siemens EF80), a 6.35 phone socket, a XLR socket (the amp is unbalanced), a pair of RCA inputs and a pair of RCA outputs. There is a higher bespoke 3PRO version which is modified to the customer's specifications at a cost of RMB2,000.
   
  Soundwise, my initial impression is very positive. So many details, very dynamic but also smooth, no hush treble. People say it mates very well with T1. I feel HE500 has more chemistry with it. When adjusting the volume control to the very high, I can hear current noices. Otherwise it's quite dark. I tried it as the pre-amp on my speaker system. There is always audible background noices. But the sound is much fuller and richer in tones. One thing annoys me is the heat and power hunger of the beast. It also weigts like a tank.
   
  Here are a few shots of my rig at its latest status.

with the T1
   

  With the Hifiman HE500

  Another angle


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> ^ It's the Leben CS600


 
   
  Wow, awesome!
  The Leben/Omen combo has been on my potential purchase list for a while now. I've even considered buying them "blind" so to speak as opportunities for an audition are scarce this side of Ice Station Zebra.
  While I can easily imagine this to be a great set up for Vivaldi, how does it fare with other types of music from say, Jazz to modern pop/rock?
  Is this a fairly universal system or are there trade=offs a potentially interested purchaser with highly eclectic musical tastes should consider?
  Any impressions you'd care to share would be most welcome.
  Cheers.


----------



## FOX1201

Here's my computer rig. Not as impressive as some of the other rigs on here, but I enjoy it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   

   
  Harman/Kardon 630 Twin Powered Stereo connected to PC
  Sony CDP-C312M Disc Player
  Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 80 ohm/ Custom One Pro 
  Sony MDR-XB700


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Wow, awesome!
> 
> Any impressions you'd care to share would be most welcome.
> Cheers.


 
   
  Thanks! The Zu Omens and Leben CS600 will not disappoint you. The Omens will transcribe anything the Leben throws at it; It seems that the Omens are made for the Leben (both the CS300X and CS600). Vivaldi certainly shines but my taste ranges from grounding classical music to the stratospheric rock music.
   
  These are the LPs that I have listened to in the last 2 days. All incredible sounding. Especially music from the 60s like Nancy Wilson and Gabor Szabo _Bacchanal _(original on Skye Records I got as a teenager).


----------



## GrindingThud

iTouch 4, BDP-S570
Pure i20, VR-507, WA3 on the way 
HD-558, Mission 700

The Daft Punk Remix of 'Life is Sweet' rocks.


----------



## Clayton SF

I've set up a listening station so that my dinner guests can listen to some of their favorite recordings while I make Mexican Posole (well attempt to). If the Posole doesn't turn out to be good, then I can always order a few pizzas from _Uncle Vito's_!


----------



## Silent One

clayton sf said:


>


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've set up a listening station so that my dinner guests can listen to some of their favorite recordings while I make Mexican Posole (well attempt to). If the Posole doesn't turn out to be good, then I can always order a few pizzas from _Uncle Vito's_!


 
   
  Well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 presented!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice Grizzly Bear!


----------



## jham1496

Few pics of my setup.  Just got the Maverick Tubemagic a1 (rca 5654 black plate tubes) for Christmas, loving it so far.  Dt 990 pros are good for the price, but a little to bright for me, im looking around for a used hd 580 to buy.


----------



## anoxy

lol diggin the coke bottle!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> I've set up a listening station so that my dinner guests can listen to some of their favorite recordings while I make Mexican Posole (well attempt to). If the Posole doesn't turn out to be good, then I can always order a few pizzas from _Uncle Vito's_!


 
   
  I'll be right over!


----------



## jham1496

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> lol diggin the coke bottle!


 
  haha.  thanks


----------



## Destroysall

Simple setup in desperate need of amplifier and source upgrade. Was looking at both the Schiit Bifrost and Valhalla, but not sure which to go with first.


----------



## Leveler

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Simple setup in desperate need of amplifier and source upgrade. Was looking at both the Schiit Bifrost and Valhalla, but not sure which to go with first.


 
  how does the EF2A handles the Beyers?


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Simple setup in desperate need of amplifier and source upgrade. Was looking at both the Schiit Bifrost and Valhalla, but not sure which to go with first.


 
   
  If you'd only be using it through USB I'd take a serious look at the Modi as well, it's very close to the Bifrost's USB mode at less than 1/4 the price.


----------



## hificrazy

In the winder, I have another heater.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





leveler said:


> how does the EF2A handles the Beyers?


 
  In terms of power I wouldn't call it proper, but adequate. Driving 600Ω headphones is most certainly out of it's league. As far as sound is concerned, using just the headphone amplifier via analogue inputs, the sound is pleasantly smooth and neutral with a slight lush thanks to the Mullard tubes. It helps bring out the mids in the headphone a bit more. It's a decent upgrade to the headphone amplifier in the FiO E10, but aforementioned is not meant to power headphones with such a large impedance rating.
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> If you'd only be using it through USB I'd take a serious look at the Modi as well, it's very close to the Bifrost's USB mode at less than 1/4 the price.


 
  I have considered the new Modi, but I did want to try not using USB if I went with the Bifrost. Does the Bifrost sound different when not using it in USB mode?
   
  destroysall.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Simple setup in desperate need of amplifier and source upgrade. Was looking at both the Schiit Bifrost and Valhalla, but not sure which to go with first.


 
   
  I built this very same setup for my girlfriend except with the AD900 and FA011 instead of your Beyer DT990


----------



## sprite40

Great pictures hificrazy!
   
  Very nice glow on these tubes


----------



## sprite40

[size=medium][size=medium]My current setup[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]I really like the very neutral and detailed LCD-2 and[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium] I have a Poetic Series[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium]cable on the way[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]from Plus sound audio[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium] I hope it will improve the sound.[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]My favorite tubes are the 6DR7’s “Pinnacle” and 6EM7’s in combination[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium] with the[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]NOS RCA 5R4GY JAN 1940's and the Sophia Princess rectifier tube’s, [/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]the Philips 5R4GYS made in Holland I think is a good and cheap allround rectifier tube.[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]The headphone stand is a combination of the IKEA stand and a cutting board.[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]The Burson Audio DA160 DAC made the LCD’s even more detailed,[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium] and in combination[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]with a good set of shielded power cables[/size][/size][size=medium][size=medium] I somehow got rid of the noise I had[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]from the power line and pc.[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Overall I think this is a good combo.[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]List of my gear:[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Woo Audio WA6-SE[/size][/size]
  Burson Audio DA160 DAC
  [size=medium][size=medium][size=medium][size=medium]Musical Fidelity V-CAN II[/size][/size][/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Musical Fidelity V-DAC II[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Pioneer PD-S707 CDP[/size][/size]
  [size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Audeze LCD-2 Rev2[/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Beyerdynamic T90 [/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Sennheizer HD 598[/size][/size][size=medium] [/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium][/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium]Homemade Headphone stand [/size][/size]
  [size=medium][size=medium][/size][/size]
  [size=medium]The RCA JAN 1940's tube is a beautiful [size=11pt]rectifier tube[/size][/size]
  with the smooth black plates
  [size=medium][/size]
  [size=medium][/size]
  [size=medium][/size]
  [size=medium][/size]


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I have considered the new Modi, but I did want to try not using USB if I went with the Bifrost. Does the Bifrost sound different when not using it in USB mode?


 
   
  It's been reported to sound a little different by some people (I haven't done enough of a comparison to have an opinion). Of course, if you have non-USB sources then the Bifrost is obviously more useful than the Modi.


----------



## 4ND3R5

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *sprite40* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> [size=medium][size=medium]Homemade Headphone stand [/size][/size]
> [size=medium][size=medium][/size][/size]


 
  Is the base plate ikea hacked too, or did you make that yourself?


----------



## sprite40

No it is not IKEA hacked, i got it on sale in a local store, but here is the link to the brand online store, this is a Danish product
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
http://www.ferm-living.com/cutting-board-1/


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> Here are a few shots of my rig at its latest status.


 
  Nice! Looks like a Woo.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> iTouch 4, BDP-S570
> Pure i20, VR-507, WA3 on the way
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Been loving the abundance of Mission rigs of late!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Nice! Looks like a Woo.


 
   
  ikr, up front not so much, but at this angle, i first thought it was a  WA2 or something


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ikr, up front not so much, but at this angle, i first thought it was a  WA2 or something


 
   
   
  At a quick angle look it does look like a WA2.  hificrazy are those 6H13C power tubes?  Nice rig.
   
  You have nice gear like that, you have to fill in your profile so we know what it is....


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> In the winder, I have another heater.


 
   
  What tubes? 6SN7 bottle shape variants?


----------



## 4ND3R5

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *sprite40* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> No it is not IKEA hacked, i got it on sale in a local store, but here is the link to the brand online store, this is a Danish product
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thought it looked like a cutting board or a back plate for a hunting trophy  Looks really nice with the metal. And I can understand the differentiation from the swedes  I'm Finnish.


----------



## Silent One

At first glance it looks just like a weapon


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





defqon said:


> What tubes? 6SN7 bottle shape variants?


 
   
  Hi DefQon,
   
  FYI, my TF 3 PRO uses USSR OTK 6H5C for power and Telefunten EF800 for signal (with Siemens EF80 as spares). The standard configurations for 3 PRO and higher versions are Chinese-made Nanjing 6H5C and Telefunten EF800. I am quite new to tube amps, having aquired the TF 3 PRO for just two days. But my adrenaline is surging as the listening experience is so unprecedent. IMO, Beyer T1 and HE500 are consummate with the TF 3 PRO.
   
  Hi, Sprite40
   
  Drooling over your gear! So classy in style!
   
  Now I am looking for extra tubes to stock and roll for my TF 3 PRO. I find there are quite a lot of options for the 6H5C replacements (though some are unbearably pricey). Can anyone shed some light on replacements of the EF80? I find the options are quite limited.
   
  Here I've just borrowed a few pictures of some hand-made bespoke amps for you to appreciate.
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Finally, my glowing heater.


----------



## jonny564

Just got this in today, Its like they were made for eachother. HE-500's dont get in till Wednesday so i havent been able to use it yet
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. So i will have to update in a few days


----------



## fizzix

What kind of speakers are those?
  Quote: 





hificrazy said:


> Gosh, just drained my wallet again.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

they look like onkyo d-312's


----------



## hificrazy

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> they look like onkyo d-312's


 
   
  ONKYO CR515 as the backup. Current main system is PCHIFI though foolbar-Yulong D100-Ting Feng 3 PRO.


----------



## Avi

Really poor quality for the home system; one day I'll get it right


----------



## Crispy808

Quote: 





jonny564 said:


> Just got this in today, Its like they were made for eachother. HE-500's dont get in till Wednesday so i havent been able to use it yet
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yes!  Impressions please!  I hear nothing but good things about this amp/hp combo.


----------



## sprite40

I realy like the look of the D7000, very robust and clean design, I would certainly not call that poor quality
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thank you for the pictures Avi!


----------



## goatonboat

For some reason, image tool isn't working:
   
  http://i.imgur.com/irDjw.jpg


----------



## Mani ATH 87




----------



## GrindingThud

WA3+, iTouch gen4, Pure i20, HD558, and a groovy stand made from a odd modern picture frame:


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> For some reason, image tool isn't working:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/irDjw.jpg


 
  I know what your next purchase ought to be...


----------



## anoxy

It has never been called an iTouch, nor will it ever be 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  /petpeeve
   
  cool rig though =)


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





pelli said:


> I know what your next purchase ought to be...


 
  Yeah, seriously. You need a new headphone stand...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> For some reason, image tool isn't working:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/irDjw.jpg


 

 That's a really cool picture to go to waste in a link:
   

   
  It also just gave me an idea. I'm gonna get a Yuin at one point and hook it up to all my equipment, then pretend as if my equipment has transformed humble earbuds. It'd easily fool the public.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> WA3+, iTouch gen4, Pure i20, HD558, and a groovy stand made from a odd modern picture frame:


 
  A rather interesting setup. How is it?


----------



## GrindingThud

LoL, ok, iPod touch. 


anoxy said:


> It has never been called an iTouch, nor will it ever be :angry_face:
> 
> /petpeeve
> 
> cool rig though =)


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> For some reason, image tool isn't working:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/irDjw.jpg


 
   
  You win, good job.


----------



## GrindingThud

So, far, I like it quite a bit. At first I was going to get a better DAC and use the optical output....then I realized it had an internal DAC and figured I'd use that for a while (my wallet thanked me). Output sounds better than iPod out, and better than my receiver out. More space between things and clearer. I was looking for small so I could fit the end table space, and also for tubes (simply because I think they are cool). Oh, and the sub base is sweet...


destroysall said:


> A rather interesting setup. How is it?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> LoL, ok, iPod touch.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Colloquially...it's an iTouch.


----------



## anoxy

Ok, sOne.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Ok, sOne.


 
   
  touché


----------



## basman

From TT thread:


----------



## Yuceka

^^^^ Someone really likes Grados  Why oh why?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Cuz they sound amazing.


----------



## PanamaHat

Pardon my amateur iphone photography. In case anyone was interested in size comparisons, here ya go.
   
  My setup: Samsung 5 series (solid state) --> odac --> e17 --> Beyer COP
   
  Double dac'ing? The odac does make the sound in this chain noticaebly brighter than with the e17 alone. Instrument separation and soundstage also improve with the odac.
   
  *Eagerly awaiting my M-stage*


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





basman said:


> From TT thread:


 
  Your opinion of the Bryston equipment?


----------



## dcginc

Desktop system
   

 Nuforce S3-BT speakers
 Schiit Modi DAC
 Wireworld Ultraviolet USB
 Canare L-4E6S RCA's


----------



## beaver316

PanamaHat, the way your setup is right now you're not 'double daccing', if thats even possible. The dac in the E17 is being bypassed.
   
  You'll certainly enjoy the M-stage


----------



## olor1n

.


----------



## Anthony1

sweet setup and not too shabby at all.
   
  Is that a FAT PS3?


----------



## DefQon

What do you do on that PS3? I hear some people use it as a music streamer. I need to find some use for mine.


----------



## longbowbbs

^^
   
  Sweet shot olor1n!...Reaching that HP nirvana point...


----------



## olor1n

Thanks. Yup, it's a fat PS3. Not much use for it or the 360. My music is fed straight from the MBP. The PS3 is mainly used to stream video from the NAS.


----------



## preproman

I heard you can also rip SACDs on the PS3..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Your Mjolnir looks _way_ suffocated.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Your Mjolnir looks _way_ suffocated.


 
   
  Just the angle. The MJ has plenty of breathing room.


----------



## deftronix

Very nice olor1n! I am considering an M51 for my MJ too because I want to use it as a pre for monitors as well. Which do you like with this particular combo more, HD800 or LCD2?


----------



## jham1496

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Apologies for the crappy iPhone pic. A lot of crap on my desk I need to rearrange. This is probably my Head-Fi endgame. Speakers are next.


 
  Thats a great shot, does not look like a phone pic.  Nice setup


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Apologies for the crappy iPhone pic. A lot of crap on my desk I need to rearrange. *This is probably my Head-Fi endgame*. Speakers are next.


 
   Yeah right.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dcginc said:


> Desktop system
> 
> 
> Nuforce S3-BT speakers
> ...


 

 Your opinion of the Modi? I'm thinking of getting the Schiit M/M combo for a transportable work setup.


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> *Eagerly awaiting my M-stage*


 
  heh, aren't we all


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## mrAdrian

That grado, how where did you get it from? How does it sound?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> That grado, how where did you get it from? How does it sound?


 
  Turbulent Labs. I'm selling it right here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/644684/grado-sr80i-l-cush-leather-ear-pads-beyer-headband-fits-on-grado#post_9025091 I think it takes harshness off the highs and is a little bit less aggressive, other than that, sounds great.


----------



## goatonboat

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> .


 
   
  Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

lol. amped beats


----------



## pelli

Doesn't Dr Dre make an amp?  That stuff on your desk is probably messing up the sound...


----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Doesn't Dr Dre make an amp?


 
  Let's hope not.....


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 
   
  I believe the violectric it's gonna add a lot of transparencies, improving the staging, give more transient responses to the beats


----------



## mrAdrian

Dawg you should get the studios! I heard they have a built-in amp
   
  Dawg you should double amp those beasty beats!


----------



## driver 8

I've actually heard the studios sound better that way.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 

 hah the fake ones too boot.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 
  You just took that joke to a whole new level.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 
  Thats a nice cable, is it a Pink Crystal Piccolo? Looks the business.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 

 Worst priorities


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





deftronix said:


> Very nice olor1n! I am considering an M51 for my MJ too because I want to use it as a pre for monitors as well. Which do you like with this particular combo more, HD800 or LCD2?


 
   
  Missed this initially. I prefer the HD800 for its clarity, precision and comfort. I use the M51 for powered speakers as well and it does a great job. Only qualm is that I sometimes wish it had volume control on the actual unit itself. It's annoying when I've left the remote on the other side of the room or I have to reach around the back of the speakers to turn the volume down (lazy, I know).


----------



## Avi

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  WICKED
   
  Now just add some Bose Triports, please


----------



## goatonboat

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Haha, just pulling your leg. This is my real setup:


 
  Well after all the ridicule about my headphones being inadequate I sold the amp and dac.
   
  After taking some suggestions on board I am now proud to present my LCD-2 + Nexus 4/ FiiO E05 stack.
   

   
  It was a bit quiet at first so i bought new cables and now its all good! Thanks Head-Fi for your great advice!


----------



## feigeibomber

I wonder if anyone has actually thought of balancing Beats by Dre headphones..


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I wonder if anyone has actually thought of balancing Beats by Dre headphones..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I wonder if anyone has actually thought of balancing Beats by Dre headphones..


 
  Probably a great way of wasting electricity


----------



## Armaegis

At one point I wanted to strip out the drivers from the Beats Studio and replace them with something better (possibly an ortho), then replace the noise cancelling circuit with a small amp. 
   
  It's a backburner project that I might still do someday, though I'm just not willing to fork out the money for the shell. Even the fakes aren't so cheap anymore, and their build quality is atrocious (moreso).


----------



## zeinharis

goatonboat said:


> Well after all the ridicule about my headphones being inadequate I sold the amp and dac.
> 
> After taking some suggestions on board I am now proud to present my LCD-2 + Nexus 4/ FiiO E05 stack.
> 
> ...




I'll bet those fiio e05 will compensate your violetric.. Hahahahahaha

Dang!! I just spit my coffee off.. Wkwkwkwkwkwkwk


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





goatonboat said:


> Well after all the ridicule about my headphones being inadequate I sold the amp and dac.
> 
> After taking some suggestions on board I am now proud to present my LCD-2 + Nexus 4/ FiiO E05 stack.
> 
> ...


 
  Much better priorities!


----------



## mrAdrian

We need a 'ridiculous head-fi setup' thread!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> We need a 'ridiculous head-fi setup' thread!


 
   
  Ridiculous as in overkill or iBuds, Dre Beats sort of thing?


----------



## mrAdrian

Could be a ridiculous cable, could be a ridiculous price tag, or an overkill etc. Something to laugh at


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Ridiculous as in overkill or iBuds, Dre Beats sort of thing?


 
   
  Yeah prep, not too ridiculous though, perhaps such as Diamond DAC IV > DarkStar > Dre Beats or DacMini > Millett 307A > iBuds


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Could be a ridiculous cable, could be a ridiculous price tag, or an overkill etc. Something to laugh at


 
  I wonder if those pictures of the modded iBuds with IE8 drivers and piccolino wires are still around.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> We need a 'ridiculous head-fi setup' thread!


 
   
  How about using a car inverter to power an amplifier to run an HE-6?


----------



## Avi

I believe the HE-6 can only be run effectively from a portable fusion bottle.
   
  Actually, I believe the below is a leaked photo from HiFiMan's new amp research department:


----------



## TLC

Quick window shot on a rainy day in Dallas.  Hard to arrange because my office has a bay window and no straight walls.  Nice because it looks out over the forest leading to Lake Grapevine - very relaxing.  The other listening station is in a window seat by the pool, with the amp sitting in the window on foot-thick walls (ICF house).  The WBQHS (whiz-bang quick headphone stand) is an embarrassment, but I have a nice slab of black walnut to make a new one someday.  Very pedestrian setup, but I enjoy it.  Nothing has ever been able to touch the Stax that I bought new a very, very long time ago when, for a brief moment, they were the best in the world.  The small box is unrelated - it is used for home automation programming.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





tlc said:


> Quick window shot on a rainy day in Dallas.  Hard to arrange because my office has a bay window and no straight walls.  Nice because it looks out over the forest leading to Lake Grapevine - very relaxing.  The other listening station is in a window seat by the pool, with the amp sitting in the window on foot-thick walls (ICF house).  The WBQHS (whiz-bang quick headphone stand) is an embarrassment, but I have a nice slab of black walnut to make a new one someday.  Very pedestrian setup, but I enjoy it.  Nothing has ever been able to touch the Stax that I bought new a very, very long time ago when, for a brief moment, they were the best in the world.  The small box is unrelated - it is used for home automation programming.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I don't think anyone here's going to criticize you for spending your money on headphones instead of a nice stand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  At least I certainly wouldn't; I wish I had some Stax.


----------



## fatcat28037

A can of flat black spray paint gives PVC a whole new look.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice and rainy here in Austin, too. I realize that you're not on my list of Texas Head-fiers. 
   
  Will you be making it to the big Austin meet this year? March 2nd. Link in my sig. I'll CC you on the PM I just sent out as well.
   
  Quote: 





tlc said:


> Quick window shot on a rainy day in Dallas.  Hard to arrange because my office has a bay window and no straight walls.  Nice because it looks out over the forest leading to Lake Grapevine - very relaxing.  The other listening station is in a window seat by the pool, with the amp sitting in the window on foot-thick walls (ICF house).  The WBQHS (whiz-bang quick headphone stand) is an embarrassment, but I have a nice slab of black walnut to make a new one someday.  Very pedestrian setup, but I enjoy it.  Nothing has ever been able to touch the Stax that I bought new a very, very long time ago when, for a brief moment, they were the best in the world.  The small box is unrelated - it is used for home automation programming.


----------



## anoxy

fatcat28037 said:


> A can of flat black spray paint gives PVC a whole new look.



Gimme one!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nice and rainy here in Austin, too. I realize that you're not on my list of Texas Head-fiers.
> 
> Will you be making it to the big Austin meet this year? March 2nd. Link in my sig. I'll CC you on the PM I just sent out as well.


 
  Do you think the LAu will be there?


----------



## Greed

These rigs are absolutely amazing... pics soon for mine. Subscribed


----------



## 4ND3R5

Pardon my bad photography.


----------



## turokrocks

Quote: 





4nd3r5 said:


> Pardon my bad photography.


 
  The asus looks nice, I might get the Muses edition..


----------



## 4ND3R5

Quote: 





turokrocks said:


> The asus looks nice, I might get the Muses edition..


 

 I have the standard op-amps, have been thinking about swapping them out. Just have to find more info and see if there is any point going with anything other than the muses.


----------



## turokrocks

Quote: 





4nd3r5 said:


> I have the standard op-amps, have been thinking about swapping them out. Just have to find more info and see if there is any point going with anything other than the muses.


 
  Please check the below:
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/542563/asus-essence-one-headphone-amp-dac-cebit-2011/1020#post_9003358


----------



## 4ND3R5

Quote: 





turokrocks said:


> Please check the below:
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/542563/asus-essence-one-headphone-amp-dac-cebit-2011/1020#post_9003358


 

 Thanks!


----------



## antberg

4nd3r5,are those what speakers are those?


----------



## 4ND3R5

Quote: 





antberg said:


> 4nd3r5,are those what speakers are those?


 

 They're Behringer MS-40s, nothing special but pretty decent for the price. They are probably next on my upgrade list.


----------



## wes008

I was having a really rough day, but man, goatonboat, you brought a smile to my face  Thanks dude.


----------



## AuxNuke

Current rig.  Happy with it


----------



## LugBug1

New stand


----------



## aroldan

Quote: 





auxnuke said:


> Current rig.  Happy with it


 
   
  Everytime I see someone else's HD650 I realize that I have a big head


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> New stand


 
  lookin' good!!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> lookin' good!!


 
  Thanks


----------



## GrindingThud

Kickin back to a GE 5998A brown base in my WA3+.... I'm liking this tube quite a bit, it's got solid state like control of things down low while not going all itchy up high. I need to let it cook for a while and let the tunes sink in some more:


hmmm, not exactly the thread I wanted this to land in, thought I was in Woo land.....doh.


----------



## DJBunyan

Dorm setup. Gets the job done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  Xbox 360 doubles as a nice headphone stand!


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





djbunyan said:


> Dorm setup. Gets the job done
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Until now it never really hit me just how small the magni/modi stack is.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tangster said:


> Until now it never really hit me just how small the magni/modi stack is.


 
  Yeah defo. But then again most set ups on top of that Demon Denon beast would look small


----------



## TheWuss

my 2-channel rig.
  it no longer sports headphones.   but, i'm posting it anyway.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> my 2-channel rig.
> it no longer sports headphones.   but, i'm posting it anyway.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  How do you like your Bryston DAC?


----------



## pelli

^ I love the turntable stand!  Does it work?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> my 2-channel rig.
> it no longer sports headphones.   but, i'm posting it anyway.


 
  I'm not just repaying the compliment. That is one hell of a rig! I don't think I'd be using hp's either if I had that. 
   
  I luv the 1950's? radio aswell.


----------



## PanamaHat

yep


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> How do you like your Bryston DAC?


 
   
  love it to pieces.
   
  Quote: 





pelli said:


> ^ I love the turntable stand!  Does it work?


 
   
  seems to work pretty well.  it is made of mahogany.  and fairly solid.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I'm not just repaying the compliment. That is one hell of a rig! I don't think I'd be using hp's either if I had that.
> 
> I luv the 1950's? radio aswell.


 
   
  yep.  a 1950's a.m. radio with a pull-out 78 rpm turntable.
  fully functional.  but seldom used.


----------



## kramer5150

Also my guitar setup for headphone practice at night.

   
   
  CD transports, Macbook pro, Entech, Larocco PPA, Millet and LED candles for mood lighting

   
   
  Koss and Grado

   
   
  AKG, Sennheiser, Jays, Yuin, Bose, pimeta, Govibe 2.0, Millet tubes


----------



## judomaniak

um, got the time


----------



## MorbidToaster

thewuss said:


> love it to pieces.
> 
> 
> seems to work pretty well.  it is made of mahogany.  and fairly solid.
> ...




What speaker cables are you using? I just ordered some Emotiva to fill the void. 

Gonna need to order my Skylan stands soon so my HL5s won't be without the. Too long. Still jealous of the analog rig.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


>


 
  There's not much more in the world you could want besides an assortment of watches and an ESP-950


----------



## TheWuss

morbidtoaster said:


> What speaker cables are you using? I just ordered some Emotiva to fill the void.
> 
> Gonna need to order my Skylan stands soon so my HL5s won't be without the. Too long. Still jealous of the analog rig.



Speaker cables are kimber 8TC with wireworld banana plugs on the amp side, and silver spades on the speaker end. 
They were given to me by fellow head-fier che15.


----------



## MorbidToaster

One thing I really liked about the Emotiva cables is they came with spades or 'naners that you can switch at anytime. Never owned real speaker cables before because my MMGs were best run from bare wire.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Speaker cables are kimber 8TC with wireworld banana plugs on the amp side, and silver spades on the speaker end.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> yep


 
  agh, you got your m-stage already? Still waiting on mine in the mail haha


----------



## LinkPro

The German tank when out of combat:
   

   
  D7000-ception, if you know what I mean 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   

   
  I think my headphone journey can stop for a while after these two, I need some funds to replace my 2.5 year old desktop computer which has been BSOD'ing a lot lately!


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> my 2-channel rig.
> it no longer sports headphones.   but, i'm posting it anyway.


 
   
  Don't you love it when a great 2-channel rig comes together? Nice, nice and nice!


----------



## jono454

Sorry double post.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





auxnuke said:


> Current rig.  Happy with it


 
  I am EXTREMELY curious as to what you think of the HE-500 paired together with the EF-5. I have the EF-5 and have been considering the HE-500s for a while but couldn't justify the price of it. I won't get to listen to them before buying them and I'm not sure they would be the best match.
   
  How does it stack up against your HD650s?


----------



## MorbidToaster

They sound good together. I heard them at a mini meet a few months ago.
   
  Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Sorry double post.


----------



## beaver316

My latest setup, im satisfied for now


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> I wonder if anyone has actually thought of balancing Beats by Dre headphones..


 
   
  No joke, I have. *Hangs head in shame*


----------



## pdiddypdler

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> My latest setup, im satisfied for now


 
  > Ears > Brain > Penis > Explosion.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> CD transports, Macbook pro, Entech, Larocco PPA, Millet and LED candles for mood lighting
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice stuff Kramer, glad to see you you back and still have those oldschool Pimeta's and kramer modded KSC-75's 
   
  Is that a Koss A-250 and ESP950 there?
   
  Also can you please post a more close-up picture of the 3 amp's ?  The two looks like really nice DIY stuff.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





pdiddypdler said:


> > Ears > Brain > Penis > Explosion.


 
   
  I did mention I was satisfied


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> I did mention I was satisfied


 
  Err?


----------



## beaver316

Nevermind


----------



## feigeibomber

Sorry, i had to post this

*Please don't Quote Pictures, instead use the Spoiler tool / Delete from Quote, Head-Fi'ers prefer not seeing pictures repeated multiple times. Thank you*


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





feigeibomber said:


> Sorry, i had to post this
> 
> *Please don't Quote Pictures, instead use the Spoiler tool / Delete from Quote, Head-Fi'ers prefer not seeing pictures repeated multiple times. Thank you*


 

 THANK YOU


----------



## Canuck99

My new setup last night - LG CD/DVD player => Laptop (w Fubar) => E10 => LD MkIII => HD600
  What could be better? having two sets of matched driver tubes in the mail.


----------



## AuxNuke

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> I am EXTREMELY curious as to what you think of the HE-500 paired together with the EF-5. I have the EF-5 and have been considering the HE-500s for a while but couldn't justify the price of it. I won't get to listen to them before buying them and I'm not sure they would be the best match.
> 
> How does it stack up against your HD650s?


 

 The EF-5 pairs wonderfully with the HE-500.  It gives them a very coherent sound stage, almost as if there was a "sphere" of audio around your head.  I've listened to many amps in multiple price ranges with the HE-500 and, while some high quality amps like the WA2 and Phonitor are fantastic and have a bit more detail and texture, the EF-5 is one of the few amps that makes me stop analyzing the music and just enjoy it. 
   
  VS the HD 650.  This is a tough one for me to answer.  On one hand, the HE-500 is a clear step up from the HD 650.  It is sonically, a better performer with a much more balanced sound.  The bass detail (as with any good ortho) is excellent and treble is extended and completely non-fatiguing.  The mid range is where these cans really excel and you'd be hard pressed to find a genre of music that they don't "fit."  On the other end, the HD 650 sounds _very_ good with good amping!  However, the characteristics of the overall HD 650 sound still exist; slightly recessed but detailed highs, warm lush sound, full mids, and a musical albeit sometimes slow presentation .  If I am doing a comparison, I usually pick 3 songs of different genres and listen to all 3 in a row with one set of phones and then listen to the same 3 songs with the other.  In this type of listening, I usually prefer the HE-500's sound and dynamic presentation hands down to the HD 650... _but_ there is just something about that laid back HD 650 sound.  While the HE-500 is the better phone and I reach for it 65% of the time (the other 35% is divided between the HD 650 and DT 880), there are songs that I prefer on the HD 650.  For example, the 650's groove on RHCP's "Tell Me Baby" (listen loud!) and the trumpet on Jimmy Cobb Quartet's "My Foolish Heart" sounds extremely lifelike and controlled (even more so that the usually better HE-500). 
  That's why, IMHO, you'll want to keep both


----------



## jono454

Thank you for the in-depth response. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. It's not often I find people with a similar setup with the headphones I want in question. 
   
  While I would love to have both the 650 and HE-500. If you had to keep just one between the 650 and HE-500, would it be safe to say you'd choose the HE-500?
   
  I notice in your display pic you also have the Q701s. If you had them before, how do they stand against the HE-500s?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





canuck99 said:


> My new setup last night - LG CD/DVD player => Laptop (w Fubar) => E10 => LD MkIII => HD600
> What could be better? having two sets of matched driver tubes in the mail.


 
  How is the FiiO E10 with the Little Dot MkIII?
   
  Destroysall


----------



## AuxNuke

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Thank you for the in-depth response. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. It's not often I find people with a similar setup with the headphones I want in question.
> 
> While I would love to have both the 650 and HE-500. If you had to keep just one between the 650 and HE-500, would it be safe to say you'd choose the HE-500?
> 
> I notice in your display pic you also have the Q701s. If you had them before, how do they stand against the HE-500s?


 
   
  Yes, I would choose the HE-500 over the HD 650 if I were to keep just 1.  It just does so much right to my ears.
   
  Regarding the Q701's:  I owned them for about a year.  They were an interesting phone with an airy and wide soundstage.  It made listening to large orchestral pieces, such as Holst's The Planets suite, very fun.  They were also a "quick" headphone that gave some speed to electronica and trance music.  I ended up selling them for a few reasons:  First, the treble was fatiguing.  It was not sibilant per say but the brightness peaks of this headphone made for short listening sessions.  However, the treble is what gives these phones some perceived detail; YMMV here as everyone's ears are different.  Second, the overall sound lacked coherence.  The sound was tilted towards bright with slightly recessed mids and mildly recessed bass.  The mids would improve with significant amping but the bass never really stood out in any song.  Lastly, the headphone was not that comfortable on my head.  The earpads are stiffly padded and tended to be a little scratchy over a longer listening session.  Other owners had mentioned that the bumps on the headband were uncomfortable; for me, it wasn't the bumps, but the pressure the headband exerted on the top of my head.  Overall, I can see why some would love the airy, detailed, and bright presentation of the phones but for me, the Q701 was not a match.


----------



## thenorwegian

How it looks right now...


----------



## beaver316

Nice picture! I noticed on the hifiman phone at the far right the cups are not symmetrical. You can actually fix that by twisting the cups. Just grab and twist.


----------



## Vitor Teixeira

thenorwegian said:


> How it looks right now...




Humm.... Taurus....
Mine's just arrived, playing 24/7.
What's your impressions after fully burn-in?
Do you use it (obviously) in balanced mode, right? If so, what cables have you find to have the best synergy with it?


----------



## thenorwegian

The taurus is the best amp I've heard. Works great with everything, sounded nice with the lcd-3's (sold) aswell. I havn't bothered with any balanced cables as I couldn't tell any difference when switching between balanaced and unbalanced cables on the lcd-3's.


----------



## MickeyVee

This is my current system as of today.. new MacMini 2012 i7, added the v-moda M100 and trying to figure out what to do with my new Schiit Magni. It doesn't seem to pair well with the HD-700 or M-100.  The only thing I want to do in 2013 in add a pair of HE-500 and some tube risers for the Lyr.


----------



## jasonb

Just picked up a nice little headphone stand from Best Buy on sale for $4.99. So here is my updated couch-side listening station. 
   
  HP G60 (Win 7) laptop -> E17 -> Q701


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Just picked up a nice little headphone stand from Best Buy on sale for $4.99. So here is my updated couch-side listening station.
> 
> HP G60 (Win 7) laptop -> E17 -> Q701
> -snip-


 
  What was that called? I want to see if I can find it in the UK.


----------



## jasonb

What was what called? The stand? 
   
  If you are talking about the stand, then it is this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketfish%26%23153%3B---Rocketfish%26%23153%3B-Universal-Headset-Stand/3526165.p?id=1218408987392&skuId=3526165
  Quote: 





tangster said:


> What was that called? I want to see if I can find it in the UK.


----------



## CDewey

Didn't know that stand existed. It's in stock at several of my local stores. Going to have to grab a few.


----------



## earphiler

^^ thank you I saw that best buy stand before, can't believe I hadn't tried it. The end looks sharp, but for $5 it's worth a shot.
   
  Plus your headband looks like a similar leather-thin style like my he-400


----------



## kid vic

Quote: 





			
				kramer5150 said:
			
		

> AKG, Sennheiser, Jays, Yuin, Bose, pimeta, Govibe 2.0, Millet tubes
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
   
  Just got my AKG K240 studios, frigging in love!


----------



## Canuck99

@Destroysall the E10 is okay, but I will upgrade in the future. The amp part gives out a warm sound with tight bass but does not open up the soundstage. The E10 is smaller than I expected. It is an improvement over the laptop headphone out when using the LD.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> The taurus is the best amp I've heard. Works great with everything, sounded nice with the lcd-3's (sold) aswell. I havn't bothered with any balanced cables as I couldn't tell any difference when switching between balanaced and unbalanced cables on the lcd-3's.


 
   
  How are you liking the new D7100? I didn't like the vocals but it was great for classic.


----------



## kman1211

My current set-up. Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm and AKG K240 MKII. HiFiMAN EF2A for the amp and an ASUS Xonar DX for DAC. Sorry for the poor quality picture, only camera I have is on my iPod Touch.


----------



## PinoyPogiman

Source: Asus G73JH Gaming Laptop w/ Windows 8 pro.
  Grado SR80i  - For partial analytical music listening sessions..?
  Sony XB500 - for occasional use, for Basshead sessions(not too much into basshead'ery) and occasional gaming.
  Koss Portapro- primarily set for Gaming use, but usually my beater cans. as they are durable and lightweight, plus VERY comfortable.
   
  Amp: no amp, besides just run thru the computer's decent soundcard ( not necessary for any of my cans)


----------



## PinoyPogiman

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Just picked up a nice little headphone stand from Best Buy on sale for $4.99. So here is my updated couch-side listening station.
> 
> HP G60 (Win 7) laptop -> E17 -> Q701


 
   
  Quote: 





pinoypogiman said:


> Source: Asus G73JH Gaming Laptop w/ Windows 8 pro.
> Grado SR80i  - For partial analytical music listening sessions..?
> Sony XB500 - for occasional use, for Basshead sessions(not too much into basshead'ery) and occasional gaming.
> Koss Portapro- primarily set for Gaming use, but usually my beater cans. as they are durable and lightweight, plus VERY comfortable.
> ...


 
   
  if its supplied, my Local wallyworld(walmart) carried these Plastic Banana Stands. and they work perfectly!
   
  how is the rocketfish one compared to it? I usually have my headphones hanging on my Banana stands.
   
  despite that they do 1 single thing, hang stuff..


----------



## Tangster

Here's my desk station I guess. Nothing special. Kinda miffed I had to sacrifice my dual screens to fit the speakers. The lower speakers aren't connected, they're just there as temporary stands until I can get some proper monitor stands.


----------



## thenorwegian

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> How are you liking the new D7100? I didn't like the vocals but it was great for classic.


 
   
  I mostly use the hifiman's for everything, but when I'm in a party mood and just want some fun I'll grab the d7100's. I can't really understand all the hate the d7100's have got.


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> I mostly use the hifiman's for everything, but when I'm in a party mood and just want some fun I'll grab the d7100's. I can't really understand all the hate the d7100's have got.


 
  I haven't heard them yet(sadly) but I'm willing to bet a large portion of the hate was due to the initial sale price of the D7100.


----------



## FNgr8

Quote: 





tangster said:


> Here's my desk station I guess. Nothing special. Kinda miffed I had to sacrifice my dual screens to fit the speakers. The lower speakers aren't connected, they're just there as temporary stands until I can get some proper monitor stands.


 
  Dual screen?  Pfffft.


----------



## driver 8

I used to keep an Arizona jug like that by my listening station too.


----------



## kramer5150

Just a little update with Earmax tubes.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> I used to keep an Arizona jug like that by my listening station too.


 

 i do the same thing, but i use it for water. they are way sturdier than regular water jugs you buy at the store


----------



## DefQon

@Kramer: I've seen the prices for those Earmax's before on ebay, quite expensive for what it does and it's size. Anything stellar out of it?


----------



## nc8000

The EarMax (I had the AE version which this looks like it might be) was a very nice amp but it didn't really synergize well with the L3000 I had at that point so I sold it


----------



## kramer5150

Its a strange little amp.  Everyone loves earmax OTL amps with senns.  No disappointment there.  Great extension at the ends of the spectrum and plenty of bass impact without disrupting the Senn house sound in my HD580.  I LOVE it with my koss A250 though.  The OTL tube "tubbyness" work wonders with the A250 upper midrange coloration its a very "FUN" presentation for jazz, vocals and ambient recordings.  Its one of my fave setups Earmax => A250 for stuff like Carmen Lundy, Rene Marie, Diana Krall, Alan Parsons project, Moody Blues stuff like that.
   
I'm still tweeking around with my Grados.  I think I got it dialed in now though with an impedance adapter.  I only have flat pads though... no bowls which is generally my preference for the added sense of "air" around notes.
   
  The other thing is I ditched the stock power supply long ago.  I am using a 51W (20.5V - 2.5A) military surplus power supply to push it.  The amp seems to strain less at louder volumes.  Even with lower impedance cans.  The OEM wall wart supply runs out of steam earlier in the volume knob sweep.
   
  FWIW I am running a Sylvania ECC81 in between two AEG/Telefunken ECC86 tubes.  I haven't spent much time tube rolling though.  Theres probably some room for improvement there.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Moved the bedside to the computer room.


----------



## Eplan

Crummy picture, but whatever. Headphone setup at the front (RS325is to the extreme right, and left is my laptop). Main system is rather obvious lol.


----------



## HeatFan12

Welcome back Kramer. Been a long time. Still rockin' the Number Cruncher I see. I still have mine as well. First dac I ever purchased. Good times indeed.

Cheers!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Katun

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Welcome back Kramer. Been a long time. Still rockin' the Number Cruncher I see. I still have mine as well. First dac I ever purchased. Good times indeed.
> 
> Cheers!


 
   
  Dido. The first time I clicked into Head-Fi over 5 years ago was in his Kramer Modded KSC75 thread. Good times.


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Welcome back Kramer. Been a long time. Still rockin' the Number Cruncher I see. I still have mine as well. First dac I ever purchased. Good times indeed.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> ...


 
   
  YUP!! absolutely rockin'  a Queen data-stream through the Koss A250 as I type this.  There are better DACs, but I just love the OPA2107 this ones been modded with.  Were you the one who bailed me out on my ill-fated DIY?  I can't remember.  If that was you big thanks!!  Its still going strong and sounding better than ever.  Truth is I never really left, I listen to headphones all the time.  But thanks for the warm welcome back.
  Quote: 





katun said:


> Dido. The first time I clicked into Head-Fi over 5 years ago was in his Kramer Modded KSC75 thread. Good times.


 
  LOL you're not the first to recall all that KSC75 hype, that was a lot of fun.  I think I'll be forever linked to those cheap little silver clips.  and yes I still listen to mine all the time.
   
  thanks for the warm welcome.


----------



## garysan

Always nice to see a 16610 
   
  Quote: 





eplan said:


> Crummy picture, but whatever. Headphone setup at the front (RS325is to the extreme right, and left is my laptop). Main system is rather obvious lol.


----------



## Eplan

garysan said:


> Always nice to see a 16610




Good eye! I didnt realize it was in the picture!!

After being on AudioKarma and the Gon, I;ve come to realize these two hobbies usually go hand-in-hand. Have you got any?


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





eplan said:


> Good eye! I didnt realize it was in the picture!!
> 
> After being on AudioKarma and the Gon, I;ve come to realize these two hobbies usually go hand-in-hand. Have you got any?


 
  I'm an Omega man myself...


----------



## MDCLXVI

Here is my desktop:
   

   
  iPod classic > Wadia 171i transport > Burson Conductor > ATH-W3000ANV (hiding in a cosy blanket)
   
   

   
  Close-up with the W3000s coming out to play


----------



## longbowbbs

MDCLXVI:  Nice clean system!  BTW...London Fire?


----------



## MDCLXVI

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> MDCLXVI:  Nice clean system!  BTW...London Fire?


 
  Thanks very much!
   
  The serial number of my beloved W3000s


----------



## Eplan

Very nice! Before I got 16610, I was an Omega man - had a Seamaster (circa mid 1960s), and a MK4.5 Speedmaster. Plan to grab another Speedy sometime in the near-ish future, as well as a 166.024... As over-played as the Rolie is, it's a definite keeper.


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





eplan said:


> Good eye! I didnt realize it was in the picture!!
> 
> After being on AudioKarma and the Gon, I;ve come to realize these two hobbies usually go hand-in-hand. Have you got any?


 
  I'm a watch dealer so a few yes  Not too many personally but always plenty in stock I can choose from.
   
  I have a penchant for 1940's Rolex Bubblebacks which I used to collect. Sold them off though to buy something BIGGER (a couple of AP Royal Oak Offshores) which have also gone now - sold one to buy a car actually! Recently looked at my watch box and decided it was rather bereft so bought a lovely 1946 bubbleback, one that I found which was all nice and original and not messed about with. Been wearing it all week and am a very happy bunny


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,



 Laptop is off to the right hand side here...

 Cheers Rich


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





bedlam inside said:


> Laptop is off to the right hand side here...


 
   
  Nice. Would you mind shooting some close-ups of the rack?


----------



## Eplan

garysan said:


> I'm a watch dealer so a few yes  Not too many personally but always plenty in stock I can choose from.
> 
> I have a penchant for 1940's Rolex Bubblebacks which I used to collect. Sold them off though to buy something BIGGER (a couple of AP Royal Oak Offshores) which have also gone now - sold one to buy a car actually! Recently looked at my watch box and decided it was rather bereft so bought a lovely 1946 bubbleback, one that I found which was all nice and original and not messed about with. Been wearing it all week and am a very happy bunny




Very nice!! I haven;t had the luxury to see any of AP;s offerings in the flesh, but seen and handled plenty from the other guys though - GP, JLC, PP, Breguet.

Obviously a Patek is the ultimate goal, however I think a JLC would be a nice _real_ goal.


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  
  Quote: 





anda said:


> Nice. Would you mind shooting some close-ups of the rack?


 

 Can try, but then I need to take my real camera to work... 

 It is not a rack BTW, just three units stacked on each other directly. One is a DAC one is a power supply for the DAC and last one is a Headphone Amp...

 Cheers Rich


----------



## dcfis

garysan said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




watch freak here too. focus mainly on vintage Rolex and vintage Seiko divers though really looking at a white RO

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





bedlam inside said:


> t is not a rack BTW, just three units stacked on each other directly. One is a DAC one is a power supply for the DAC and last one is a Headphone Amp...


 
   
  Of course. Stack was the word I was looking for


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  
  Quote: 





anda said:


> Of course. Stack was the word I was looking for


 

 I had a look, they now have a website that has information - in September when I first heard the set-up at the [size=small]Whittlebury[/size] Show they had ought there:

http://www.ifi-audio.com/

 Cheers Rich


----------



## XamTheOctopus




----------



## ohsoslo

nice background pic


----------



## whoever

My soon to be upgraded station.....humble i am! It's a start!


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  Quote: 





anda said:


> Nice. Would you mind shooting some close-ups of the rack?


 

 Okay, as I was doing a little cable test today, so I took the good camera to snap some photos. Here you go:




 You can find some more in this album:
   
http://www.head-fi.org/g/a/732547/ifi-stack-photos/

 Cheers Rich


----------



## En_R

kramer5150 said:


> \
> 
> LOL you're not the first to recall all that KSC75 hype, that was a lot of fun.  I think I'll be forever linked to those cheap little silver clips.  and yes I still listen to mine all the time.
> 
> thanks for the warm welcome.




You sir, are the reason I bought the KSC75 (modded the **** out of it), and started my head-fi (hifi?) journey. Pretty much when I think back to the old head-fi I equate my experience to you, Duggeh (Jecklin floats and Taket H2 indeed), and Uncle Erik (hilarious). Also mwilson, who sold me a pair of defective iems (Shure's flagship at the time)- never confronted him about it. 

Hats off to you 

Oh yeah pictures.

 

This is like a week old but I'll update it when I get home.


----------



## Digital-Pride

en_r said:


> You sir, are the reason I bought the KSC75 (modded the **** out of it), and started my head-fi (hifi?) journey. Pretty much when I think back to the old head-fi I equate my experience to you, Duggeh (Jecklin floats and Taket H2 indeed), and Uncle Erik (hilarious). Also mwilson, who sold me a pair of defective iems (Shure's flagship at the time)- never confronted him about it.
> 
> Hats off to you
> 
> ...




THAT. IS. WICKED. COOL.


----------



## sharkz

Quote: 





en_r said:


> You sir, are the reason I bought the KSC75 (modded the **** out of it), and started my head-fi (hifi?) journey. Pretty much when I think back to the old head-fi I equate my experience to you, Duggeh (Jecklin floats and Taket H2 indeed), and Uncle Erik (hilarious). Also mwilson, who sold me a pair of defective iems (Shure's flagship at the time)- never confronted him about it.


 
   
  Quite a jump up from the KSC-75's to that gorgeous Stax setup....
   
  I agree 100% though, I joined right around the same time and have many fond memories of reading posts by those you mentioned. Sadly my setup hasn't progressed to nearly the same point yours has.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Hey, you still haven't completely left those KSCs behind. I see a bit of Koss legacy in that jawdropping setup of yours...


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's nothing. If he takes pictures of the full set up at home you're all in for a treat.


----------



## LugBug1

Get home soon and take those pics!


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





bedlam inside said:


> Okay, as I was doing a little cable test today, so I took the good camera to snap some photos. Here you go:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/g/a/732547/ifi-stack-photos/


 
   
  Great, thanks. Seems like a nice little combo


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





anda said:


> Great, thanks. Seems like a nice little combo


 

 If a regular (non-Head-Fier) person saw that combo and also saw that it was considered compact....


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> If a regular (non-Head-Fier) person saw that combo and also saw that it was considered compact....


 
  Well, it is quite compact. The entire stack would fit inside the Schiit Asgard and is only ~1/5th of the weight. That's tiny!


----------



## Armaegis

I think we need a more zoomed out shot to get a proper sense of scale.


----------



## DragonOwen

At last got myself a power regenerator - PS Audio Power Plant P5. So here is my rig as it is now:
   


   
  Also been busy a few days with testing of few power cords and as result I bought Neotech NP-3200 (1.5m length, China Oyaide connectors) to use it with WES and Rainbow Air Hi-End (2m length, Furutech FI-E11(G) connectors) to use it with Akurate... I already have two Black Dragon power cords (4 and 8 ft length, Furutech FI-E11(G) connectors), one of them (probably 8 ft) is going to be used to supply power to Power Plant P5, the second one I probably going to sell (probably 4 ft).
  Here the fotos of mine Neotech NP-3200 (first foto) and Rainbow Air Hi-End (not mine, but mine is exactly the same... it's a cable that one man making in mine hometown) (second foto):
   

   
  P.S. Sorry for my bad English and crappy photos (Ipad 3...)


----------



## beerguy0

My lab bench rig as of right now:
   
  Grub Dac > Goldpoint Headphone Pro > Denon AH-D5000


----------



## mrAdrian

Won't you worry damaging your lovely Denon's in the lab??


----------



## Magicman74

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> My lab bench rig as of right now:
> 
> Grub Dac > Goldpoint Headphone Pro > Denon AH-D5000


 

 This man is a mad Scientist !!


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Won't you worry damaging your lovely Denon's in the lab??


 
   
  I rotate my headphones, depending on mood, etc. I also have a set of Denon AH-D1001s, which is my more usual lab phone, but lately I've been working a lot of hours, and spending most of that time at my bench. I find the 5000s more comfortable for long sessions. I usually use them in my office or at home, but I haven't had time to listen at home lately, since I'm always at work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I lock them up at night, and keep them on a hook, out of the way, when I'm not listening.
   
  Quote: 





magicman74 said:


> This man is a mad Scientist !!


 
   
  Actually, I do work in R&D


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I think we need a more zoomed out shot to get a proper sense of scale.


 

 There is one in the photoset...



 Cheers Rich


----------



## masamy

Quote: 





en_r said:


> You sir, are the reason I bought the KSC75 (modded the **** out of it), and started my head-fi (hifi?) journey. Pretty much when I think back to the old head-fi I equate my experience to you, Duggeh (Jecklin floats and Taket H2 indeed), and Uncle Erik (hilarious). Also mwilson, who sold me a pair of defective iems (Shure's flagship at the time)- never confronted him about it.
> 
> Hats off to you
> 
> ...





>





> Nice setup. What is the name of the D/A ?


----------



## raybanner

small update


----------



## Monir

Pretty messy at the moment, I'll have to find a different desk to set it up properly.


----------



## MDCLXVI

raybanner said:


> small update


 

   
  Nice setup! I like those wooden plinths for each piece of gear.


----------



## FUFox

Mine ...
   
  DIY Headamp and D/A - Lcd2 rev2 - Sr325 (vintage)


----------



## raybanner

mdclxvi said:


> Nice setup! I like those wooden plinths for each piece of gear.




Thats the small update you are talking about


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





raybanner said:


> small update


 
  Like to the look of those fidelio's, really want to try some.


----------



## olor1n




----------



## Draygonn

^^^

I love this thread. Such nice eye candy.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote:  
  Nice.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Are the LCD-2's your current favorite with the MJ/51?


----------



## Cuete

Simply love this thread! So many good looking/sounding rigs.

 Heres mine: (Sorry  for bad quality, im a terrible photographer)

 Overall
 http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj531/Cuete666/1F364993-2F1A-4C65-8E48-8C63AA4D1505-12216-00005CB4A7DE4500.jpg

 Music: PC>Foobar>Audioengine D1>Kenwood KR-6600>Modded T50RP/Speakers
 http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj531/Cuete666/6DF96250-A0C5-403F-8945-BEA48656A201-12216-00005CB87D03C415.jpg

 Gaming: Xbox/PS3>Astro MixAmp>Sennheiser PC360
 http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj531/Cuete666/3FE950C2-3BAA-4A5C-9431-39C8B54BFFC5-12216-00005CB8D9D41397.jpg

 I plan on replacing the D1 with a dedicated DAC, and hook the D1 up to my bedside notebook. Any tips for a new DAC? <200$


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Cuete* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I plan on replacing the D1 with a dedicated DAC, and hook the D1 up to my bedside notebook. Any tips for a new DAC? <200$


 
  HRT Music Streamer II.
  ---------------------------------------
  Here is my headphone setup this morning. Doing some "Blue in green" listening and enjoying a nice cup of fresh coffee.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   
  Destroysall


----------



## Ultrainferno

I wanna know the name of that DAC too!


----------



## Stoin

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. So long in fact, that in a couple of weeks it will be all-change as I'm forced to move flat.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Very nice. respect!


----------



## Armaegis

This is my NuForce Trifecta:
  HDP
  Icon2 speaker amp
  LPS power supply
   
  I just love how everything works together here:
  - the LPS serves improved power to the HDP and Icon2
  - the LPS also acts as USB-spdif bridge, which I feed into the HDP
  - HDP as dac into the Icon2 
  - Icon2 into speaker tap, into my HE-6
   
  edit: before I got the whole setup, I was actually running the HE-6 off just the Icon2 alone since it's also a usb dac.


----------



## wolfetan44

Just looked at the Hifiman website(reminded by Armaegis) and the Hifiman HE-500 is a pound!! I wonder how heavy a LCD2 is.. Nice set up, Armaegis!


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





stoin said:


> I've been meaning to post this for a while now. So long in fact, that in a couple of weeks it will be all-change as I'm forced to move flat.


 
  It's going to hurt so much moving that collection of CDs. Do I see, D2Ks on the record player, then HD600, GS1000, SR325? Very nice setup.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Just looked at the Hifiman website(reminded by Armaegis) and the Hifiman HE-500 is a pound!! I wonder how heavy a LCD2 is.. Nice set up, Armaegis!


 
   
  Thanks Wolfetan.
   
  According to the Headroom page, the LCD2 is 1.15 lbs


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thats just insane. No wonder I couldn't wear those weights headphones for more than a minute.


----------



## Stoin

tangster said:


> It's going to hurt so much moving that collection of CDs. Do I see, D2Ks on the record player, then HD600, GS1000, SR325? Very nice setup.




You do see those. Well spotted.

I'm not too worried about moving the CDs. The boxes they're in are pretty good. There's about 70 discs per box, so the weight isn't so bad and the boxes are sturdy enough that they don't need emptied. The records and the stand however...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





stoin said:


> I've been meaning to post this for a while now. So long in fact, that in a couple of weeks it will be all-change as I'm forced to move flat.


 
  A very aesthetically pleasing room...


----------



## RestoredSparda

Upgrade to the smaller rig.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  No. That crown belongs to the HD800. The LCD-2 does sound nice through this system though.


----------



## XamTheOctopus

Quote: 





stoin said:


> I've been meaning to post this for a while now. So long in fact, that in a couple of weeks it will be all-change as I'm forced to move flat.


 
  This looks nice and cosy.
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Thats just insane. No wonder I couldn't wear those weights headphones for more than a minute.


 
  I do not mean to offend but are you a twig? I know it's all personal preference but the LCD2 honestly feel like they're barely there on me. Even when I first got them I was baffled at how many softies complained how heavy they were.


----------



## beaver316

Quote:  





> I do not mean to offend but are you a twig?


 
   
  That honestly made me laugh more than it should have.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> That's nothing. If he takes pictures of the full set up at home you're all in for a treat.


 
  Yeh not to mention his got 2 SR-009's.


----------



## Kiont

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> ^^^
> 
> I love this thread. Such nice eye candy.


 
  Good for your eyes, very bad for your wallet.


----------



## h2oxide

I've viewed Stoin's setup 4 times now. Stop quoting the image and clogging the thread with regurgitated pictures, really not that hard.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


> I've viewed Stoin's setup 4 times now. Stop quoting the image and clogging the thread with regurgitated pictures, really not that hard.


 
   
  First world problems man..


----------



## h2oxide

Confident any bit of complaining on Head-fi would constitute a first world problem. Whatovit?


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


> Confident any bit of complaining on Head-fi would constitute a first world problem. Whatovit?


 
   
  We may as well abolish all the rules then


----------



## mrAdrian

It finally came down from the portable thread to the Head-Fi station thread...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> No. That crown belongs to the HD800. The LCD-2 does sound nice through this system though.


 
  How is the 650 compared to the big boys?


----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


> I've viewed Stoin's setup 4 times now. Stop quoting the image and clogging the thread with regurgitated pictures, really not that hard.


 
  +1


----------



## Mani ATH 87

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


> I've viewed Stoin's setup 4 times now. Stop quoting the image and clogging the thread with regurgitated pictures, really not that hard.


 

 Someone's jealous


----------



## tme110

Made some updates.  Previously after I got the Aurality player then a empirical synchro-mesh I think I had an audio melt down and just sold almost everything I had.  I just had too many little boxes, headphones and doohickeys.

   
  I sold a bunch off normally then got the OPPO bdp-105 which let me sell off all my DACs and my USB converters and media players (since it is a DLNA renderer and 24/192 USB DAC).  I also sold off my AVR and am going straight from my OPPO to my power amp.  Though that did cause me to have to upgrade from the XPA-200 (not shown above) to my new XPA-5.  I like this setup though I may go for the emotiva XMC-1 if it ever comes out.  I also have a new GS-X coming which may or may not replace my Zana Duez.  Though once my new Ascen_d acoustic Sierra _Towers (speakers) show up I'm not sure how much more headphone music I'll be listening too. Actually, I haven't been doing almost any headphone listening for a while but I'm not sure why.  So a strange and massive audio change..
   

   
  Also went from my nice but older Sony TV to the new XBR HX950 which is about 100 times better.  Very happy with the PQ.


----------



## Monir

^ Me like. Zana Deux is one badass looking amp


----------



## tme110

I realized that was a pretty bad pic so I tried again but I don't have a real camera so there probably was no real point...
   
  Though not your typical headfi rig, I've been through a couple dozen components in the last couple years and I'm zeroing on what I want so once this is set, and I'm sure no one will believe it, but I'm confident I wont have a need to upgrade anymore.  I may try things for the fun of it but I've had enough headfi toys now not to need to (or wonder) upgrade much more.
   
   
  It still looks better in person. The funny thing is that I've contacted several high-end custom audio rack makers and none of them even wrote me back.
   

   
  And my basement (ie office) rig: (hidden is a AGD amp/dac)


----------



## jtaylor991

Banana stand


----------



## olor1n

Listening to Herbie Hancock's The Joni Letters in 96/24. I'm really starting to warm to the LCD-2 again.


----------



## Defiant00

Great picture *Olor1n*!


----------



## garysan

Quote: 





raybanner said:


> small update


 
  Love your wooden plinths  Did you buy them or make them? If bought, where from pray tell?


----------



## raybanner

i quote myself from another thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   



raybanner said:


> its a handmade product. i made it for myself.
> 
> i'm planning to create more samples in order to offer them to you.
> 
> ...


----------



## randerson07

Quote: 





raybanner said:


> i quote myself from another thread


 

 No to take this in thread in the wrong direction, but what does a plinth do?
   
  They look cool thats for sure, and I understand their use on a turntable, but under an Amp?


----------



## yomomma1

Some SERIOUS rigs here! May need to step my game up!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





randerson07 said:


> No to take this in thread in the wrong direction, but what does a plinth do?
> 
> *They look cool thats for sure*


 
   
  Yeah that's pretty much it


----------



## raybanner

common man, its just for the optics


----------



## hifimanrookie

raybanner said:


> i quote myself from another thread



Thats actually a very good idea!!!


----------



## hifimanrookie

randerson07 said:


> No to take this in thread in the wrong direction, but what does a plinth do?
> 
> They look cool thats for sure, and I understand their use on a turntable, but under an Amp?



It depends on the kind of wood and the feet under it...with the right parts it can be used as a completely isolated kind of anti vibration stand..especially a tube amp would benefit from that and a cd mechanism


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> It depends on the kind of wood and the feet under it...with the right parts it can be used as a completely isolated kind of anti vibration stand..especially a tube amp would benefit from that and a cd mechanism


 
  Now you know I luv you hifimanrook. But what was actually humorous about the above post? The laughing emoticon?? I can't read into any kind of irony, dryness or deliberate buffoonery. It seems to be a very straight forward statement about the isolation of hifi components...?


----------



## hifimanrookie

lugbug1 said:


> Now you know I luv you hifimanrook. But what was actually humorous about the above post? The laughing emoticon?? I can't read into any kind of irony, dryness or deliberate buffoonery. It seems to be a very straight forward statement about the isolation of hifi components...?



Yeah i know..i use that emoticon to much. I will better my life,i promise


----------



## LugBug1

Your a goodin


----------



## fizzix

emoticon police clocking in overtime


----------



## sunseeker888

headphone/computer station
  i need a new camera, yes.
  i haven't included pics of most of my other gear since it is not headphone related.


----------



## olor1n




----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ... (Jun 19, 2020)

...


----------



## devhen

Which Genelec's are those?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





olor1n said:


>


 
  Yea, your Rosewood is just sexy. Best looking pair of Rev2's I've seen.


----------



## Dreaming Of A Better ... (Jun 19, 2020)

...


----------



## merkil




----------



## aschnickelfritz

Here is my desktop rig at the moment...


----------



## Monir

Woah, was that two HE-400 in a row?


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





monir said:


> Woah, was that two HE-400 in a row?


 
   
  Make it three


----------



## aschnickelfritz

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Make it three


 
   
  Ha! At least I'm in good company.


----------



## Monir

Damn, would've made it four - I'm still waiting on mine to arrive.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks. It's difficult to capture the woodgrain with the iPhone. Previous snaps I've posted makes it look lighter than what it is. This is closer to how it appears irl.


----------



## Sylafari

My humble college setup:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> My humble college setup:


 
   
  lol not bad


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> My humble *AWESOME *college setup:


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> lol not bad


 
  No kidding. I thought college students were poor these days with rising tuition!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> My humble college setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  My humble college rig....from 1983!!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





sylafari said:


> My humble college setup:


 
  "humble"


----------



## merkil

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> My humble college rig....from 1983!!


 
  That walkman is sick!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> My humble college rig....from 1983!!


 
   
  Hmmm, let's see..."Workout tapes" + Car seat means you drove to your workouts, but where? Are you a Rower?


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> No kidding. I thought college students were poor these days with rising tuition!


 
  We are poor


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> No kidding. I thought college students were poor these days with rising tuition!


 
   
  We are... just maybe not him? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I thought I had a pretty nice college set-up (Dragonfly -> Glite -> AD2000/HD600), but that pretty much blows my set-up away. And I only bought the AD2000 as a gift to myself for finding a job.
   
  Reminds me that I should post my station here.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i bought most of my stuff while i was in college. the first year of college i only had the hd 650 and a cheap portable amp. after internship, i spent most of the money on buying my Woo amps, buying alot of mid-fi headphones (back when i had the 701s, grados, and beyers), and eventually selling them for what i have now.


----------



## Destroysall

My goals in terms of headphone listening equipment isn't too high. All I want is the Schiit Bifrost and Schiit Valhalla. Once I get that, my headphone journey would be satiated at last. Life and the purchasing of music is what pushes me back from purchasing these upgrades sooner.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Quote:


destroysall said:


> My goals in terms of headphone listening equipment isn't too high. All I want is the Schiit Bifrost and Schiit Valhalla. Once I get that, my headphone journey would be satiated at last. Life and the purchasing of music is what pushes me back from purchasing these upgrades sooner.


 
  Good luck with that... :\ That's exactly how I started out. No telling how far you will go or how long it will take to get there, but it's pretty safe to bet that the above won't be the end of your Head-Fi journey


----------



## TrollDragon

My meager station driven with foobar2000 on the PC or Fidelia on the MacBook C2D.


----------



## turokrocks

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> My humble college rig....from 1983!!


 
  and still looks awesome.
  Did you know Steve Jobs got from one of his employee's Walkman (after his trip to Japan where he was amazed by the number of people carrying the Walkman and disk man) and dismantled it and asked his team to build a "New" device with such build quality..etc and after some years, the ipod came....
  In a way the Sony brought us the ipod!!
  Even the new Walkmans have an application to simulate the old cassette tapes


----------



## Duckman

Deskspace problem


----------



## MorbidToaster

My head kind of exploded yesterday when I was making 'the list' of upgrades and stuff I'd want to make to my system and for the first time ever I ran out of stuff to put on it...
   
  Granted, I've moved to speakers (which I consider part of my 'Head-fi' journey), but I finally see that light at the end of the tunnel that equals just a ton of music buying instead of big money upgrades.
   
  Don't worry though, the list is still quite daunting (especially since I plan to cut down to part time at work, along with a major pay cut). So I might still be buying for awhile, but I know now that it won't be forever.
   
  Quote: 





thegrumpyoldman said:


> Quote:
> Good luck with that... :\ That's exactly how I started out. No telling how far you will go or how long it will take to get there, but it's pretty safe to bet that the above won't be the end of your Head-Fi journey


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> My goals in terms of headphone listening equipment isn't too high. All I want is the Schiit Bifrost and Schiit Valhalla. Once I get that, my headphone journey would be satiated at last. Life and the purchasing of music is what pushes me back from purchasing these upgrades sooner.


 
  I agree, purchasing music sets me back as well. Everytime I go to buy a CD I end up walking out with at least 5. They also force me to return by giving me a $10 coupon on my next purchase that expires in 2 weeks which pretty much guarantees my return because a CD usually costs about $6 lol.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





duckman said:


> Deskspace problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  What the heck is that? A power amp?


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> We are... just maybe not him?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Its the fruits of hundreds of hours of labor during the summer break!


----------



## Duckman

An F5 (FirstWatt) clone.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





duckman said:


> Deskspace problem


 

 Saw the PDX and instantly knew you were from Aus. G'day! Also I never understood why people bought 10-20W class A p/ch for headphones? Seems bizarre even for the HE-6


----------



## Duckman

I'm getting a little bit of noise in the 3; but otherwise it sounds very nice.
   
  Probably better suited to the HE6.


----------



## Teddy Tc




----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





teddy tc said:


>


 
  "If i fits, i sits"


----------



## hifimanrookie

Humble setup for a student? Geesh..am starting to believe i was student in the wrong period


----------



## hifimanrookie

teddy tc said:


>



Again those cats..they really have a noose for the right stuff


----------



## beaver316

Audiophile kitty?


----------



## Monir

Audiophile kitty helps with the purr-n-in


----------



## beaver316




----------



## Jason36

Changes to my office workstation....replaced the uDAC2 with a Schiit Modi / Magni combo for use with my HD650 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  So far I am really impressed with these small boxes!!


----------



## Ehr33

This is my HD650 rigs. Little Dot stacks with Onkyo NDS1.


----------



## Magicman74

I'm low budget but here is my bedroom jam area..  Also Since Hi-FI cat's are stalking us I'll put in Charlie enjoying his Denon.  Everything is in my bedroom!!!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jason36 said:


> Changes to my office workstation....replaced the uDAC2 with a Schiit Modi / Magni combo for use with my HD650
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Elaborate on the differences...


----------



## Gumy

longbowbbs said:


> My humble college rig....from 1983!!




Lier! The picture says 2013!


Jk..I kinda still remember seeing them when I was really young. Like 5 months old or something..


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





gumy said:


> Lier! The picture says 2013!
> 
> 
> Jk..I kinda still remember seeing them when I was really young. Like 5 months old or something..


----------



## Gumy

redcarmoose said:


>




Lol


----------



## hifimanrookie

gumy said:


> Lier! The picture says 2013!
> 
> 
> Jk..I kinda still remember seeing them when I was really young. Like 5 months old or something..



I used to own a walkman from akai with automatic cassette direction reverse (and automatic tape kind recognition) and a seperate boxed 6 channel (batt. powered!) analog equalizer connected by a custom cable...damn that was mobile high end back in the days..those were the days...


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 
   
  As your 5 000th post, maybe you could break this habit.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Why would he do that? It's hilarious. lol
   
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> As your 5 000th post, maybe you could break this habit.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





turokrocks said:


> and still looks awesome.
> Did you know Steve Jobs got from one of his employee's Walkman (after his trip to Japan where he was amazed by the number of people carrying the Walkman and disk man) and dismantled it and asked his team to build a "New" device with such build quality..etc and after some years, the ipod came....
> In a way the Sony brought us the ipod!!
> Even the new Walkmans have an application to simulate the old cassette tapes


 
  I like that my tapes still work...The Walkman is still a fun device.....


----------



## anetode

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


>


 
   
  Bose? What a poseur.
   
  My cats have way better taste. Seriously, I have about four sets of speakers lying around and they only ever perch on the Usher BE718s. Like a pair of obsidian kitty guardians of the gate, in full stereo and color-coordinated to the speakers.


----------



## HeroicPenguin

My college set-up: Dragonfly -> Gilmore Lite -> AD2000/HD600. Nice little set-up.


----------



## Silent One

Nice layout, HeroricPenguin! I could certainly thrive with that.


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> I like that my tapes still work...The Walkman is still a fun device.....



I agree..i also still have lots of tapes laying around and sometimes use them in my vintage sony tapedeck..


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> My college set-up: Dragonfly -> Gilmore Lite -> AD2000/HD600. Nice little set-up.


 
   
  How do you like those Audioengine A2's? I keep trying to maintain a desktop speaker setup that is mostly capable of full-range reproduction but it's becoming VERY frustrating.


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Quote: 





rambline said:


> How do you like those Audioengine A2's? I keep trying to maintain a desktop speaker setup that is mostly capable of full-range reproduction but it's becoming VERY frustrating.


 
  I like the A2s a lot! They have a pretty mid-forward sound that I enjoy. No real thumping bass or lots of sparkle, but they're small and have a sound sig that I like a lot. They're not really hi-fi, but they're great for the purpose that I use them for. Don't expect miracles, but for $200, they're pretty great. I actually use them more than my headphones, which are much more expensive since they're a great, relaxing listen.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> I like the A2s a lot! They have a pretty mid-forward sound that I enjoy.* No real thumping bass* or lots of sparkle, but they're small and have a sound sig that I like a lot. They're not really hi-fi, but they're great for the purpose that I use them for. Don't expect miracles, but for $200, they're pretty great. I actually use them more than my headphones, which are much more expensive since they're a great, relaxing listen.


 
  Really? Mine are bass cannons with the right song. They really work with what ever music you play with them I find.


----------



## olor1n

The A2s are excellent bang for buck IMO. Placement is key to alleviate its oft cited shortfalls. Surprisingly they also respond very well to the source. I thought I'd heard its ceiling when it was fed by the Bifrost, but it scaled well to the Gungnir and yet again to the NAD M51.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> The A2s are excellent bang for buck IMO. Placement is key to alleviate its oft cited shortfalls. Surprisingly they also respond very well to the source. I thought I'd heard its ceiling when it was fed by the Bifrost, but it scaled well to the Gungnir and yet again to the NAD M51.


 
  I'm using them through my Bifrost, and I agree. I could hear A lot of noise and distortion through my on board sound card.


----------



## Case

DT-880 Pro
Aune T1 DAC/AMP w/ JJ E88CC tube


----------



## Shrew

My college dorm setup. Very pleased with the headphones.


----------



## Synthax




----------



## MorbidToaster

Coming to see us in Austin come March?
   
  Quote: 





shrew said:


> My college dorm setup. Very pleased with the headphones.


----------



## anoxy

Super classy Synthax...


----------



## Shrew

morbidtoaster said:


> Coming to see us in Austin come March?




Maybe, what's happening?


----------



## Synthax

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Super classy Synthax...


 

 Thank You for your words anoxy, nice to hear as I'm very new to headphones world.


----------



## Maxvla

shrew said:


> Maybe, what's happening?



A head-fi meet. Check his signature.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





synthax said:


>


 
  That is so cool, I love it! What are those speakers?


----------



## mmayer167

Just for fun, here is a current state shot. I busted my knee and ankle last week skiing so I am on the couch for the immediate future... My gear had to move since it seriously helps with the time spent on my ass and pain. O2 isn't  in the pic, it's at work.
   
  ~M


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd take a CTH over an O2 anyway. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Just for fun, here is a current state shot. I busted my knee and ankle last week skiing so I am on the couch for the immediate future... My gear had to move since it seriously helps with the time spent on my ass and pain. O2 isn't  in the pic, it's at work.
> 
> ~M


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'd take a CTH over an O2 anyway.


 
  Me too, especially since there's a nice mullard involved  
   
  The O2 does a fantastic job with the modded d2k though... I'll survive  
   
  Funny thing about being injured, it brought me back to head-fi... I was on a many month hiatus happily enjoying my gear, damn this place and all it's shiny new things! 
   
  Glad to see you're still around MT 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  ~M


----------



## devhen

Added a couple items to my corner 'o 'phones (880 Pro & PRO 750)


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well I'm not much of a Head-fier anymore now that I've traded in my headphones for speakers, but I do still want to audition a few cans to pair with my incoming Leben 300 when I do need that intimate headphone listening.
   
  As of now though I don't have a decent pair of cans to my name. D:
   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Me too, especially since there's a nice mullard involved
> 
> The O2 does a fantastic job with the modded d2k though... I'll survive
> 
> ...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well I'm not much of a Head-fier anymore now that I've traded in my headphones for speakers, but I do still want to audition a few cans to pair with my incoming Leben 300 when I do need that intimate headphone listening.
> 
> As of now though I don't have a decent pair of cans to my name. D:


 
   
  You mean you haven't strapped a headband to a pair of speakers yet?


----------



## MorbidToaster

If I did that with the Harbeths I think I'd get an ear full of super tweeter. Ouch.
   
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> You mean you haven't strapped a headband to a pair of speakers yet?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well I'm not much of a Head-fier anymore now that I've traded in my headphones for speakers, but I do still want to audition a few cans to pair with my incoming Leben 300 when I do need that intimate headphone listening.
> 
> As of now though I don't have a decent pair of cans to my name. D:


----------



## mmayer167

MT, you went from 009's to speakers, i hope you are enjoying it! Do you have a full blown speaker rig atm? still have your turntable gear? Not going to lie there are a lot of times i look over at my headphones when my speakers are on and wonder why I still have headphones. I still use my headphones all day at work so they're useful there, and sometimes my speakers just cant pull out the technicalities or pure intimate joy the paradox/CTH can. 
   
  Apologies if i'm clogging a picture thread.
   
  ~M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


>


 
   
  I've ordered my speaker rig but it hasn't arrived yet. I ordered a Leben 300XS and a pair of Harbeth HL5s a little over 2 weeks ago. Hoping we hear they ship next week but it could be a couple more weeks. 
   
  Basically I've been without more than my laptop speakers for 2 weeks plus now. It's actually been genuinely effecting my life. The wife(ish) commented on my being a bit more irritable and moody lately and we both think that's the problem. 
   
  As for the turntable...I still have it but the current analog rig will be for sale soon. I expect my tax return within 3 weeks and that combined with 2 paychecks in that time will be invested into a new phono stage and turntable.  I've become quite dedicated to vinyl as a format and the new speaker rig will most likely not have a digital source run through it at all for awhile. I think I've pretty much decided on the new table and stage.
   
  After those 2 upgrades I honestly think I'll be slowing down with big purchases for awhile. I'll want a new cart eventually, but the 20X has low hours and I really just have too much vinyl I want to buy right now to think about saving for another few months to get the cart I want. It's all about the music, after all.
   
  EDIT: Though I will want to buy a set of headphones after I hear a bunch in March at the Texas meet. Thinking maybe a T1, but we'll see.
   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> MT, you went from 009's to speakers, i hope you are enjoying it! Do you have a full blown speaker rig atm? still have your turntable gear? Not going to lie there are a lot of times i look over at my headphones when my speakers are on and wonder why I still have headphones. I still use my headphones all day at work so they're useful there, and sometimes my speakers just cant pull out the technicalities or pure intimate joy the paradox/CTH can.
> 
> Apologies if i'm clogging a picture thread.
> 
> ~M


----------



## LugBug1

Well MT its very exciting anyways!
   
  Be sure to post pics asap.
   
  Suppose you've done the best of the best hp wise, so no-one can blame you for doing the speaker thing now.
   
  As for hp's for the Leben... mmm? If I was going to buy a cheaper hp for casual listening that I'd not heard before, it'd probs be the DT880's.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well I'm not much of a Head-fier anymore now that I've traded in my headphones for speakers, but I do still want to audition a few cans to pair with my incoming Leben 300 when I do need that intimate headphone listening.
> 
> As of now though I don't have a decent pair of cans to my name. D:


 
  Man, I think I just got equipment whiplash. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Even with vinyl, you may need a couple of subs.  i know I do.


----------



## mmayer167

^ ditto on the pictures and enjoy! 
   
  ~M


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't worry, I've already started planning rearranging the room for the day they show up. Pics will be up quickly. Thought I need to order my stands from Skylan (my dealer said he'd just sell them to me at cost), I'll take pics whether they're on proper stands or not. 
   
  The main deciding factor was when the wife(ish) was complaining about the headphones. She wasn't able to listen with me, and now that she actually cares about that, it was time to get speakers. We don't really half ass anything audio wise in my house, so trading the rig was the only way to go. 
   
  The 880s were a consideration, but the headphones will still get enough head time to warrant something like the T1. I won't be buying blind though. There should be a T1 at the March meet.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Well MT its very exciting anyways!
> 
> Be sure to post pics asap.
> 
> ...


 
   
  One of the main things I was looking for was a speaker that didn't need subs. We've got apartment living ahead of us for years to come and subs don't work too well with apartments. The Harbeths blew me away with their bass and absolutely obliterated the other speakers I had auditioned.
   
  I don't think we need a sub anytime soon. Especially with our vinyl rig performing as well as it will in the low end.
   
  Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Man, I think I just got equipment whiplash.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Don't worry, I've already started planning rearranging the room for the day they show up. Pics will be up quickly. Thought I need to order my stands from Skylan (my dealer said he'd just sell them to me at cost), I'll take pics whether they're on proper stands or not.
> 
> The main deciding factor was when the wife(ish) was complaining about the headphones. She wasn't able to listen with me, and now that she actually cares about that, it was time to get speakers. We don't really half ass anything audio wise in my house, so trading the rig was the only way to go.
> 
> ...


 
  I agree..big heavy powerfull subs dont go well in appartments as u have. Neighbours..


----------



## bbophead

> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sounds like you got a heck of a deal.  When you move into a house, you WILL be getting subs.  I've never heard Harbeths but physics is physics.  The 880's are nice enough but not game changers.  But, you knew that.  Best of luck.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yup. That's why I returned my QSC K10s...Those thing rock the house...and the neighbors weren't fond of them.
   
  Littler different than the Harbeths though. One's a big, loud, booming stage monitor and the other is more about delicacy. 
   
  Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I agree..big heavy powerfull subs dont go well in appartments as u have. Neighbours..


 
   
  I honestly prefer condos (similar to apartment living) so we may never end up in a house.  Nothing is a game changer headphone wise for me anymore. Just gotta find something that pairs well with the Leben. 
   
  Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Sounds like you got a heck of a deal.  When you move into a house, you WILL be getting subs.  I've never heard Harbeths but physics is physics.  The 880's are nice enough but not game changers.  But, you knew that.  Best of luck.


----------



## MickeyVee

I rented a brand new condo a few years ago, their first tenant in a new building.   Construction was great and soundproofing was amazing.  I was able to run a full 5.1 Martin Logan / Rotel system at pretty decent levels and the neighbours never complained.  When I ran into them, I asked if they heard the music and they said no.  If you get a good construction, you may be lucky with a full system.
  Best of luck with the new system and Happy Listening!!
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *MorbidToaster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I honestly prefer condos (similar to apartment living) so we may never end up in a house.  Nothing is a game changer headphone wise for me anymore. Just gotta find something that pairs well with the Leben.


----------



## jasonb

Do we have a speaker-fi or 2.1-fi section or thread here somewhere on head-fi? 
   
  I also have a decent 5.1/2.1 setup. I have Infinity Alpha 50 front towers that are bi-amped by an older Yamaha RX-V2500, along with a 600 watt RMS Epik Sentinel 12" ported subwoofer. The towers are front-ported dual 8" woofers, a 5 1/4" mid, and 1" tweeter. For music they are crossed at 40hz, and the sub handles 40hz and lower. My room is setup to be very symmetrical so imaging and sound-stage is spot on when sitting in the sweet spot. The only thing this system lacks is room treatments to reduce ringing and reflections, but It's not an option here.


----------



## gibbro

Dont mind me, it is pretty basic.
   
  http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1136/20130130123131.jpg


----------



## Maxvla

gibbro said:


> Dont mind me, it is pretty basic.
> 
> http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1136/20130130123131.jpg



Looks like a great setup. I would suggest a better stand for your mic though. Get it up in your face for a better recording!


----------



## SoundPon3

My main setup is about as simple as it gets


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice HM5!


----------



## gibbro

maxvla said:


> Looks like a great setup. I would suggest a better stand for your mic though. Get it up in your face for a better recording!



 
 Nice, cool stand! I have a stand for when I am actually recording, got the tripod for most duties.


----------



## willmax

My humble setup, hope you guys like it.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

love the way the headphones are hanging


----------



## Synthax

Quote: 





rambline said:


> That is so cool, I love it! What are those speakers?


 

 Hi RamblinE, these are French, hand made speakers Rehdeko RK115, they are quite unique due to construction of wide range speaker with cone. And extreme sensitivity above 102dB. Actually hard to find, not continued. You can find more here: https://sites.google.com/site/rehdeko/Home/game
  Generally love or hate sound. But I find them genious due to organic nature of sound.


----------



## SoundPon3

gibbro said:


> Nice, cool stand!I have a stand for when I am actually recording, got the tripod for most duties.



lol I have too many stands to choose from. My favorites would be my good k&m and my Hercules stands


----------



## SoundPon3

wolfetan44 said:


> Nice HM5!



thanks! I want to get the shure 840 velour pads for them though.... I want to see what all the hype is about. Ps these are the jaycar ones so I only paid $100 and then $75 for my E10 so I think I have possibly the cheapest rig here


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





willmax said:


> My humble setup, hope you guys like it.
> 
> [Snips pictures]


 
  Nice a D5k and D7k. My D2k are seriously nice phones after a partial markl mod. No more flabby bottom end  
   
  It's funny how we all view our setups, I mean you have well over a grand into that and it's humble... Compared to the likes of Summit-fi i guess. Very nice willmax.
   
  ~M


----------



## MrTie84

At this exact moment, CORDS EVERYWHERE!


----------



## wolfetan44

I would go crazy. Seriously. I'm going crazy with a DT880 and a O2/ODAC..


----------



## MrTie84

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I would go crazy. Seriously. I'm going crazy with a DT880 and a O2/ODAC..


 
   
  I am this is getting routed and cleaned up, I figured i'd just post Au Natural. I just borrowed the HE400 + Schiit Stack, so I'm playing with the toys too much to care too much about the mess atm.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





mrtie84 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ah, lucky!


----------



## kramer5150

Reconfigured some stuff around now that I've gone 100% PC as source.  Macbook Pro / iTunes, Darkvoice tubes and my 3 fave cans.  Need a bigger nightstand.  Oh and I'm modding the darkvoice with smaller on/off switches, thats why the face panel is off.


----------



## SoundPon3

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> Reconfigured some stuff around now that I've gone 100% PC as source.  Macbook Pro / iTunes, Darkvoice tubes and my 3 fave cans.  Need a bigger nightstand.  Oh and I'm modding the darkvoice with smaller on/off switches, thats why the face panel is off.


 
  How many watches do you have????
  Oh and is that a line 6 guitar pedal?


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> Reconfigured some stuff around now that I've gone 100% PC as source.  Macbook Pro / iTunes, Darkvoice tubes and my 3 fave cans.  Need a bigger nightstand.  Oh and I'm modding the darkvoice with smaller on/off switches, thats why the face panel is off.


 
  I have a 337 also and its modified to have the on/off switches on the back of the amp... What dac u use with ur 337?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> Reconfigured some stuff around now that I've gone 100% PC as source.  Macbook Pro / iTunes, Darkvoice tubes and my 3 fave cans.  Need a bigger nightstand.  Oh and I'm modding the darkvoice with smaller on/off switches, thats why the face panel is off.


 

 Every time I see an ESP, I smile insanely.


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I have a 337 also and its modified to have the on/off switches on the back of the amp... What dac u use with ur 337?


 
   
  Modded Entech number cruncher, the one with multiple switchable sources.  So I was using it as a source selector between two DVD decks on the coax and the Macbook on toslink optical.  I (along with the help of another member) modded the output side with an OPA2107.  There are better dacs but I like the way it sounds, but that will probably be my next upgrade.  no big hurry though.
   
  Yeah the switch on this thing is huge... and theres TWO of them!!, one for each monoblock.  I've already bumped it a couple times.  Tubes don't like rapidfire power cycles.  I have to go to Frys today and pick up a second DPDT so its the  same right to left.  One things for sure, darkvoice made it _nearly impossible_ to replace any of the user interfacing components under the front plate.  I had to buy a special 90 degree ratcheting screwdriver to get the six screws off.
  Quote: 





soundpon3 said:


> How many watches do you have????
> Oh and is that a line 6 guitar pedal?


 
  25 watches, yes its an older script logo POD 2.0 from ~10 years ago.  I use it for bedroom headphone practice late at night.


----------



## kramer5150

Thats not an esp 950, its an A250 form the late 1990 time frame.  I'd like to try a 950 some day.


----------



## sharkz

It's too bad those A250s (and there was another similar family member if I remember correctly) were discontinued and became impossible to find. I remember reading your threads about them years ago and always wanted to try them. They looked like the struck a good balance of things I wanted for a great price.


----------



## FuzzyD

Quote: 





shrew said:


> My college dorm setup. Very pleased with the headphones.


 
   
  What did you use for the inside of the headband?


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





willmax said:


> My humble setup, hope you guys like it.


 
   
  You're joking right? Please tell me you're joking. You have well over 3 thousands dollars worth of headphones on these shelves. And that's not even counting the amplifiers and DACs.
   
  If you're not joking, then you have the most remarkable way of rationalizing your spending.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> You're joking right? Please tell me you're joking. You have well over 3 thousands dollars worth of headphones on these shelves. And that's not even counting the amplifiers and DACs.
> 
> If you're not joking, then you have the most remarkable way of rationalizing your spending.


 
  Or his daddy or mum is a ceo or from old money


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> You have well over 3 thousands dollars worth of headphones on these shelves.


 
   
  Where did you get the $3k  + figure from? From what I can see:
   
  K550 - $150-220
  D5k - $450-550
  D7k - $650-800
  HD650 - $350-400


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Where did you get the $3k  + figure from? From what I can see:
> 
> K550 - $150-220
> D5k - $450-550
> ...


 
  Ok..2000$ without the amps..lolz


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Where did you get the $3k  + figure from? From what I can see:
> 
> K550 - $150-220
> D5k - $450-550
> ...


 
   
  I used MSRP prices, and his profile:


 Grado RS2 w/ Button 500$ Grado Black SR325 - p!nk drivers 300$ Denon D5000 700$ Denon D7000 1000$ FrankenGrado SR325 300$ Sennheiser HD650 500$ AKG K550  300$ AKG K450 75
 
   
  Total 3675$ (+ taxes)
   
  And from what I can see, that's a Beyerdynamics T1 box on the top shelf - another 1400$. With this, it's more like 5 k$.
   
  Any way you look at it, it's far from an "humble" setup. The thing is, recently many people posted similar setups while referring to them as "humble". It seems as if anything short of a SR-009 setup is considered "humble", even if this includes owning a copy or two of _everything_ short of a SR-009.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> I used MSRP prices, and his profile:
> 
> 
> Grado RS2 w/ Button 500$ Grado Black SR325 - p!nk drivers 300$ Denon D5000 700$ Denon D7000 1000$ FrankenGrado SR325 300$ Sennheiser HD650 500$ AKG K550  300$ AKG K450 75
> ...


 
  I agree..a humble setup is in my eyes under 750: an amp + headphones..but hey..we are on headfi.. There are other rules here.. My complete headphone  rig is probably considered also a poor mans choice ( as in humble) being just under 3000 euros  with cabling included.


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> I used MSRP prices, and his profile:
> 
> 
> Grado RS2 w/ Button 500$ Grado Black SR325 - p!nk drivers 300$ Denon D5000 700$ Denon D7000 1000$ FrankenGrado SR325 300$ Sennheiser HD650 500$ AKG K550  300$ AKG K450 75
> ...


 
  Well my collection certainly starts to increase in value when I go by RRP. I thought he was being ironic.


----------



## olor1n

Slow, boring, veiled? Lol...


----------



## calipilot227

Just pulled the trigger on a pair of HD650's How much I end up liking them will determine whether or not my trusty 580's will go up for sale.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Just pulled the trigger on a pair of HD650's How much I end up liking them will determine whether or not my trusty 580's will go up for sale.


 
  Nice! Also, how do I get it so I can show my rig on every post?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *wolfetan44* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Nice! Also, how do I get it so I can show my rig on every post?


 
   
  In your profile, at the bottom of the page, you can set your signature.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yay! Thanks for the help!


----------



## NA Blur

My rig as of January 26th 2013.
   
  Listening to Rodrigo Y Gabriela's Hanuman with a pair of balanced HE-500.  The soundstage is awesome with the HE-500 and the BUDA.  My Denon AH-D2000 pose for the photo as well.  They are an amazing scalable headphone that keep giving me more the better I feed them.  The IEMs in the pic are some JH Audio 10 x3 Pro that sound really really good through the rig.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





na blur said:


> My rig as of January 26th 2013.
> 
> Listening to Rodrigo Y Gabriela's Hanuman with a pair of balanced HE-500.  The soundstage is awesome with the HE-500 and the BUDA.  My Denon AH-D2000 pose for the photo as well.  They are an amazing scalable headphone that keep giving me more the better I feed them.  The IEMs in the pic are some JH Audio 10 x3 Pro that sound really really good through the rig.


 
  Nice rig!


----------



## MickeyVee

[size=small]Right! [/size]
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Looks pretty awesome and elegant to me! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Slow, boring, veiled? Lol...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





willmax said:


> My humble setup, hope you guys like it.


 
   
   
  Nice willmax,
   
  Everyone talking about the nice phone collection, but the gems here are the Rokits....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Headphones- 2K
  Amps & DACs- 2K
  Rokits- Priceless
   




   
  Love them Rokits...
   
  Cheers!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Slow, boring, veiled? Lol...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  I assume this is a very happy pair of HD650's!


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





>


 
  I've always considered using studio monitors as hi-fi monitors. Must be pretty darn nice.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I agree..a humble setup is in my eyes under 750: an amp + headphones..but hey..we are on headfi.. There are other rules here.. My complete headphone  rig is probably considered also a poor mans choice ( as in humble) being just under 3000 euros  with cabling included.


 
   
  +1
   
  i consider my setup to be humble as well, considering what some people have.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I wouldn't


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> +1
> 
> i consider my setup to be humble as well, considering what some people have.


 
  Three flagships and an LCD2. That's only "humble" compared to those with a SR-009 for use and one spare, or those with a drawer full of top-tier customs.


----------



## willmax

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Nice willmax,
> 
> Everyone talking about the nice phone collection, but the gems here are the Rokits....
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks HeatFan12, I couldn't agree more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  I don't know if you remember but thanks to your thread comparing the Audioengine and the Rokit that I ended up deciding on getting the Rokit 6 and I am soooo glad I did - I'm also glad that I got the Rokit 6 over the Rokit 5 much fuller sound without the need for a subwoofer 
   
  Thanks to all of you appreciating my setup - when I say humble what I mean is that I don't have most of the Top Guns out there like LCD2, LCD3, HE-6, HE-800 and the like, other than T1 and D7000, my other phones are relatively mid-fi in comparison, I still love all of them dearly though and believe they are very good value for money. The only part of my setup that is maybe a bit week could be the amp/DAC side of things. I'm looking at improving that by possibly getting a Yulong D100 MKII in the near future will see.


----------



## DefQon

Yeh I got a humble rig as well, I'm pretty much seating on mid-fi equipment atm.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





tangster said:


> Three flagships and an LCD2. That's only "humble" compared to those with a SR-009 for use and one spare, or those with a drawer full of top-tier customs.


----------



## LugBug1

A couple of new additions to play with on my living room rig. Bereford Bushmaster dac and Xcan v2.


----------



## Loevhagen

Loooooking goooood. 
   
  Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Slow, boring, veiled? Lol...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## wudai_e

My humble headphone rig, didn't show my speaker rig because the title.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> [size=small]Right! [/size]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I assume this is a very happy pair of HD650's!


 
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Loooooking goooood.


 
   
  Thanks. I miss the HD800, but I'm enjoying the HD650/LCD-2 from this setup.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd call my rig humble as well considering my best can is a Phillips Uptown right now.


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Slow, boring, veiled? Lol...


 
   
  Nice.  (this your first pic?)
   
  --
   
  Haven't posted in a while, doing small pics to compensate for low-res:
   
   

   
  Exaggerated exposure for a look @ Vader Paradox's matte black finish:


----------



## Yuceka

HD650 slow, boring, veiled? Hell yes! 
   
  Or not... until you put a little over $2000 behind them. Having to spend that much for a $300 headphones.. even my grandmother would become "not" slow, boring or veiled


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> HD650 slow, boring, veiled? Hell yes!
> 
> Or not... until you put a little over $2000 behind them. Having to spend that much for a $300 headphones.. even my grandmother would become "not" slow, boring or veiled


 
   
  Uh, that rig was assembled for the HD800. And I also have the LCD-2. I've ruffled a few feathers in the HD650 thread by stating its ceiling could be reached with very affordable gear. Some there seem to think the sky's the limit for that headphone (which is absurd).
   
  I also enjoy the HD650 straight from my MBP's hp out fwiw. I don't find it slow or veiled from that either. I've owned 2 HD650s and they've been lively, dynamic headphones with rich textures.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *sphinxvc* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> [...]
> 
> ...


 
   
  No, I've posted crappy iPhone pics before. Check my profile.
   
  I really like the utilitarian look of your headphone gear. Do you lug that around with you?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Man that Invicta Paradox combo must be great.


----------



## Maxvla

Sphinx that is a great minimalist setup. Would be interesting to hear.


----------



## wudai_e

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'd call my rig humble as well considering my best can is a Phillips Uptown right now.


 
  To be honest, I'd wish I just stick with my old HD650. My Bryston HD800 set up is good, but seriously, NOT $2800 good. Hence humbled


----------



## MorbidToaster

Eh. My 009 rig was absolutely 10k+ good, don't get me wrong. Its just that...the speakers were better. 
   
  Quote: 





wudai_e said:


> To be honest, I'd wish I just stick with my old HD650. My Bryston HD800 set up is good, but seriously, NOT $2800 good. Hence humbled


----------



## wudai_e

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Eh. My 009 rig was absolutely 10k+ good, don't get me wrong. Its just that...the speakers were better.


 
  I have yet to experience what 10K+ good feels like, so no comments there 
   
  Agreed on the speakers


----------



## HiFiGuy528

current setup at the new headphones cave.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> current setup at the new headphones cave.


 
  Bit of a dogs dinner isn't it? 
   
  But seriously, thats all you need. Nice set up and nice chair, sorted.


----------



## bmahe

In my home office.


----------



## anoxy

What headphones are those HiFiGuy528? The new Denons?


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





hifiguy528 said:


> current setup at the new headphones cave.


 
  Thats all you need...
  Good cans, DAC, amp
  Good tunes
  Good cave
  Good throne
  Good companion
  Macbook pro and a groovy bit-stream


----------



## kramer5150

great looking setups!!


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





wudai_e said:


> I have yet to experience what 10K+ good feels like, so no comments there
> 
> Agreed on the speakers


 
  Yeah me too..i wish i could try one of those godlike cans one day in my life..just to see what the difference could be to my excellent he500.. Its a wish.


----------



## Destroyer95

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> What headphones are those HiFiGuy528? The new Denons?


 
   
  That are the D7100


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Yeah me too..i wish i could try one of those godlike cans one day in my life..just to see what the difference could be to my excellent he500.. Its a wish.


 
  About 10% apparently...
   
  Which is a lot when you get to that stage... But boy is it going to cost us ha!


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's more than 10% to be improved over the HE500, IMO.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> About 10% apparently...
> 
> Which is a lot when you get to that stage... But boy is it going to cost us ha!


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's more than 10% to be improved over the HE500, IMO.


 
  Even if its 100% improvement..realistically its more then 100 % more expensive..but still i wanna hear one one day..just to hear what an almost perfect headphone would sound like..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah but even at $700 for the HE-500, you gave up absolute price / performance a long time ago. 
   
  Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Even if its 100% improvement..*realistically its more then 100 % more expensive*..but still i wanna hear one one day..just to hear what an almost perfect headphone would sound like..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah but even at $700 for the HE-500, you gave up absolute price / performance a long time ago.


 
  Thats true.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Thats true.


 
  I agree also..but i mean compared to a minimal acceptable soundquality..for me the he500 delivers almost high end sound for minimal price..compared to the real top dogs.. Ofcourse a 100 euro bud has a better price performance then a he500.. I think for hifiman the phone with best perfomance/ price is the he300 no question about it..for 249 euro it performs wonderfully for the price..the he500 for sure dont perform more then 100% better


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I've always considered using studio monitors as hi-fi monitors. Must be pretty darn nice.


 
   
  Quote: 





willmax said:


> Thanks HeatFan12, I couldn't agree more
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Studio monitors and a lot of hi-fi speakers supposedly want to accomplish the same goal. Flat line transparency. Of course this hardly ever actually happens. 
   
  Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


>


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I agree also..but i mean compared to a minimal acceptable soundquality..for me the he500 delivers almost high end sound for minimal price..compared to the real top dogs.. Ofcourse a 100 euro bud has a better price performance then a he500.. I think for hifiman the phone with best perfomance/ price is the he300 no question about it..for 249 euro it performs wonderfully for the price..the he500 for sure dont perform more then 100% better


 
  Yeah the HE500 is probably the best of the bunch regarding price per performance. But they are still expensive compared to hp's a few years ago. Having lived with the 650's for several years and then diving into HE500 and LCD2 the price doesn't justify the better SQ. Even though the sound _is_ better. If they were a few hundred bucks more then yes it would make more sense. But it's big business now... Anyways this is clearly a derailer, so I'll stop


----------



## giraffe

My home office setup, where I spend most of my time.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





giraffe said:


> My home office setup, where I spend most of my time.


 
  Nice pic..and am glad u didnt mention the word humble


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Studio monitors and a lot of hi-fi speakers supposedly want to accomplish the same goal. Flat line transparency. Of course this hardly ever actually happens.


 
   
  No doubt...I hear ya MT.  My goal was my budget with a couple of connection options for my spare room....The Rokits fit the bill nicely.....


----------



## giraffe

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> Nice pic..and am glad u didnt mention the word humble


 
   
  Haha I thought about going to the other extreme and calling it my summit-fi setup


----------



## HeatFan12

Nice giraffe,
   
  Are you using the C-2 as a pre to your speakers?
   
  Cheers!


----------



## giraffe

Yeah, I am. I keep the level on the speakers so that they match closely to the volume of the headphones I use most often, so I just adjust volume on the C-2. I don't use the speakers very much though.


----------



## jronan2

Rokit 6's are just fine for my needs. I get yelled at when I turn them up anyway, so I resort to headphones.
   
  Some new additions for the new year. Christmas bonus didn't last long.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Probably one of my favorites as far as everything fitting together goes. Very, very nice.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Loving PF trough my speakers, they really know how to make audio equipment shine. I'm waiting for the E7 to drop back down to ~$50 on amazon again.


----------



## GrindingThud

FORTRAN 77......now that's old school. 



ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Loving PF trough my speakers, they really know how to make audio equipment shine. I'm waiting for the E7 to drop back


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





giraffe said:


> Yeah, I am. I keep the level on the speakers so that they match closely to the volume of the headphones I use most often, so I just adjust volume on the C-2. I don't use the speakers very much though.


 
   
  Nice indeed....I like the flexibility of the C-2 as well as the power....Cheers!!!
   




   
   
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Rokit 6's are just fine for my needs. I get yelled at when I turn them up anyway, so I resort to headphones.
> 
> Some new additions for the new year. Christmas bonus didn't last long.


 
   
   
  J. great to see you are still rockin' the RP6s.....Great setup btw...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Cheers!


----------



## MickeyVee

Sister systems.. my home office rig..
   

   
   
  Quote: 





bmahe said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





giraffe said:


> Haha I thought about going to the other extreme and calling it my summit-fi setup


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Sister systems.. my home office rig..


 
   
  That looks great. How do you like the HD 700's? I've never heard a pair, but I'm curious because I own a pair of HD 800's (which I love) and I've listened to the 650's.


----------



## tootallmoose

My current favorite setup.  Caught the headroom micro stack on the garage sale a couple weeks ago and have been loving it!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tootallmoose said:


> My current favorite setup.  Caught the headroom micro stack on the garage sale a couple weeks ago and have been loving it!!


 
  How much was it at the garage sale


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> No, I've posted crappy iPhone pics before. Check my profile.
> 
> I really like the utilitarian look of your headphone gear. Do you lug that around with you?


 
   
  Just around the house, not as often as I should.  
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Sphinx that is a great minimalist setup.


 
   
  Thanks.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Had I seen that stack on my way to Trader Joe's, I would have simply returned home without groceries.


----------



## Maxvla

Headroom had it's own garage sale. They posted about it in the sponsor announcements forum.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Headroom had it's own garage sale. They posted about it in the sponsor announcements forum.


 
  Your almost-all black HD800 is beautiful, Maxvla.


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks! Love the HD700 - sold my HD650 shortly after I got them.  I haven't heard an HD800 on a proper system. I think i'm going to go for the HE500 as a second pair and then call it a day 
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> That looks great. How do you like the HD 700's? I've never heard a pair, but I'm curious because I own a pair of HD 800's (which I love) and I've listened to the 650's.


----------



## tootallmoose

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How much was it at the garage sale


 
  $400 for the stack


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tootallmoose said:


> $400 for the stack


 
  Stolen!  Nicely done...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tootallmoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice!


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Thanks! Love the HD700 - sold my HD650 shortly after I got them.  I haven't heard an HD800 on a proper system. I think i'm going to go for the HE500 as a second pair and then call it a day


 
  U think?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Thanks! Love the HD700 - sold my HD650 shortly after I got them.  I haven't heard an HD800 on a proper system. I think i'm going to go for the HE500 as a second pair and then call it a day


 
   
  You should try to hear the HD 800's on a good system. I'd really like to hear the HD 700's sometime, it'll probably have to be at a meet.


----------



## Maxvla

jackskelly said:


> You should try to hear the HD 800's on a good system. I'd really like to hear the HD 700's sometime, *it'll probably have to be at a meet*.



Got March 2nd free?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/633886/3rd-annual-austin-texas-spring-meet-march-2nd-2013
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633886/3rd-annual-austin-texas-spring-meet-march-2nd-2013/195#post_9034033


----------



## MorbidToaster

Considering we'll have pretty much every top amp I'd want to hear them on there...Good suggestion. 
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Got March 2nd free?
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/633886/3rd-annual-austin-texas-spring-meet-march-2nd-2013
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/633886/3rd-annual-austin-texas-spring-meet-march-2nd-2013/195#post_9034033


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Considering we'll have pretty much every top amp I'd want to hear them on there...Good suggestion.


 
   
  Haha, No, I'm too busy with work right now, I'd love to come to the Austin Meet, but I just can't that weekend.


----------



## MorbidToaster

You're missing out, then. D:
   
  Liquid Glass, Liquid Fire, BHA-1, Phonitor, GS-X, Leben 300XS...
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Haha, No, I'm too busy with work right now, I'd love to come to the Austin Meet, but I just can't that weekend.


----------



## Destroysall

I just purchased the new FiiO HS1 headphone stand the other day and it finally arrived. I like it!
   
  Destroysall


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You're missing out, then. D:
> 
> Liquid Glass, Liquid Fire, BHA-1, Phonitor, GS-X, Leben 300XS...


 
   
  Anything else? Haha, I really would like to, but I just doubt I'll be able to. I should organize a Houston meet instead!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Mid summer Dallas metroplex meet? Thats around when I can drive myself


----------



## Oeufdepoire

Ready for _Saturday night listening session _#_2 - Discovering the HD600, part III_ :
 ​ ​  ​  Laptop (without internet - wi-fi isn't strong enough to reach my room from the basement), GrubDAC, Millett "Starving student", and SR80i & HD600.


----------



## Draygonn

hifimanrookie said:


> a humble setup is in my eyes under 750: an amp + headphones..but hey..we are on headfi..


Whew, barely made it. Got the Crack, Speedball, TS5998 and HD650s for $740.
​


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Whew, barely made it. Got the Crack, Speedball, TS5998 and HD650s for $740. ​


 
  Tung sols 5998 are wonderful tubes..


----------



## MickeyVee

Classic, nice!
  Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Whew, barely made it. Got the Crack, Speedball, TS5998 and HD650s for $740. ​


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





oeufdepoire said:


> Ready for _Saturday night listening session _#_2 - Discovering the HD600, part III_ :
> ​ ​  ​  Laptop (without internet - wi-fi isn't strong enough to reach my room from the basement), GrubDAC, Millett "Starving student", and SR80i & HD600.


 
   
   
  That looks pretty inviting to me...


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Whew, barely made it. Got the Crack, Speedball, TS5998 and HD650s for $740. ​


 
   
   
  That is gorgeous!


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





oeufdepoire said:


> Ready for _Saturday night listening session _#_2 - Discovering the HD600, part III_ :
> ​ ​  ​  Laptop (without internet - wi-fi isn't strong enough to reach my room from the basement), GrubDAC, Millett "Starving student", and SR80i & HD600.


 
   
  Cozy looking..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Considering we had 2 Dallas summer meets last year it could definitely be a thing that happens.
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Mid summer Dallas metroplex meet? Thats around when I can drive myself


----------



## bbophead

> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  A Houston meet would be mighty nice.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

morbidtoaster said:


> Considering we had 2 Dallas summer meets last year it could definitely be a thing that happens.



I'd be glad to bring my SR80i's and HD518's, which I'm sure NONE of you have heard


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well I sure ain't gonna plan it. Get it together, Trav. 
   
  Quote: 





bbophead said:


> A Houston meet would be mighty nice.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well I sure ain't gonna plan it. Get it together, Trav.


 
  MT, You could change your title from Headphoneus Supremus to Meet Concierge!


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well I sure ain't gonna plan it. Get it together, Trav.


 
   
  Has there ever been a Houston meet? As a native Houstonian, I'm curious.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think they either had a small one or failed to get one together years ago. 
   
  There hasn't been one to my knowledge since I've been on Head-fi. Though Houston Audio Society does a lot down there it's much more speaker focused.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Has there ever been a Houston meet? As a native Houstonian, I'm curious.


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think they either had a small one or failed to get one together years ago.
> 
> There hasn't been one to my knowledge since I've been on Head-fi. Though Houston Audio Society does a lot down there it's much more speaker focused.


 
   
  That's really quite a shame.  One must be organized at some point, after I get my SR-009's, and as a treat, anyone who wants can listen to Fred's system, haha.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My door is always open to Head-fiers. I've had a few people take me up on it and were really thankful they did. Bring me some booze or vinyl and we'll call it even. 
   
  Although if you bring over beer I'm gonna turn you out the door. 
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> That's really quite a shame.  One must be organized at some point, after I get my SR-009's, and as a treat, anyone who wants can listen to Fred's system, haha.


----------



## DivergeUnify




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Hey MT, what city do you live in? I'm actually considering brining over some of my fav Rush vinyls to have a listen on your god-mode system sometime in the future.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Austin. And if you're looking for a 'god mode' headphone system I don't have one anymore...but I think my speakers sound better 
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Hey MT, what city do you live in? I'm actually considering brining over some of my fav Rush vinyls to have a listen on your god-mode system sometime in the future.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Fred Crowder?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Fred Crowder?


 
   
  Yes


----------



## bmahe

Quote: 





bmahe said:


> In my home office.


 
   
  I see that I'm not the only schiit lover here


----------



## bmahe

At first I was going to order the Lyr too, but Jason from Schiit thinks the Valhalla is a better match with the T1.


----------



## bmahe

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Sister systems.. my home office rig..


 
   I meant to reply to this post


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Your speaker rig is what I meant MT


----------



## Greyson

When they arn't glued to my reciever...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greyson said:


> When they arn't glued to my reciever...


 
  Nice photo!


----------



## fir3dp

have sold my lcd2+lyr+bitfrost and went to this
   

   
  cant say its better but i am enjoying it more.
  Arcam dac -> cambridge audio amp azur or something-> tannoy DC6
   
  really miss the intimate feeling you get from headphones now and then


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> have sold my lcd2+lyr+bitfrost and went to this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You like it better though?


----------



## awsanderson

my new/first rig
  Schiit Gungnir and Lyr, Sennheiser hd650's.
   
  Yeah!! I can post pictures now   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Sorry for the poor quality pics


----------



## fir3dp

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> You like it better though?


 
   


 yup..
  enjoying it!
   
  kinna brings my jazz music to life. imaging from speakers are just different. Not better but different 
   
  there are times i still wanna lie on my bed, close my eyes and listen to headphones. Cant do that with these haha


----------



## Simcon

fir3dp said:


> have sold my lcd2+lyr+bitfrost and went to this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Don't you miss being able to thoroughly enjoy your music, without risking being evicted by the landlord due to disruptive behavior from having the music on too loud 4 am in the morning? Or simply stay on the safe side and not risk disrupting the missis in whatever monumental task she might be up to. (Hmm... it might seem as if I'm slightly biased and subdued...)


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thats what I do every night!


----------



## fir3dp

Quote: 





simcon said:


> Don't you miss being able to thoroughly enjoy your music, without risking being evicted by the landlord due to disruptive behavior from having the music on too loud 4 am in the morning? Or simply stay on the safe side and not risk disrupting the missis in whatever monumental task she might be up to. (Hmm... it might seem as if I'm slightly biased and subdued...)


 
  i live in an apartment, play the drums, learning the sax. I'm sure they will be fine with music 
 hahaha
   
  i will prob get another headphones soon thanks to you guys. Looking at the higher end grado and just pair it with my speaker amp. Would have gotten it if i hadn't spent so much on my bike which i still am 
   
  im still in school so im quite poor and the only missis is my mom hahaha


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  May want to get a Magnum driver Grado.


----------



## fir3dp

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> May want to get a Magnum driver Grado.


 

 i'll look into that. love the open sound from the grados  but not any time soon.


----------



## MickeyVee

Apologies for the repost of a similar pic but got a new lens today and have been playing with it along with some alternative type processing.  I really like this version - hope you do too -
  Love listening to the setup while I'm processing pictures or just surfing...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





fir3dp said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm really missing my Grado's: I may get a FWJ from MCA for a lot of money..


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





divergeunify said:


>


 
  I spy with my little eye.... HD650's and Fiio E17/E9 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 By the end of this week, that will be my headphone rig.
   
  Edit: Nope, that's an E7, my bad.


----------



## UrbanSmooth

READ 'EM AND WEAP, LADDIES Y LASSES!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> READ 'EM AND WEAP, LADDIES Y LASSES!!!!!!!!!!!


 
  Didnt know they made Teal K701s


----------



## calipilot227

^


----------



## Armaegis

You have to remember to properly stretch the headband, otherwise you end up with a limp soundstage.


----------



## Maxvla

anthony1 said:


> Didnt know they made Teal K701s



At least they finally fixed the bumps in the headband.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Oh my god that's hilarious.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Apologies for the repost of a similar pic but got a new lens today and have been playing with it along with some alternative type processing.  I really like this version - hope you do too -
> Love listening to the setup while I'm processing pictures or just surfing...
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Great shot MV! How are the V-Moda's?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh god. Couldn't stop laughing.
  Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> Didnt know they made Teal K701s


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +1


----------



## Monir

Quote: 





anthony1 said:


> Didnt know they made Teal K701s


 

 Wow


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I might be getting a uDac-2 soon. My friend works at bestbuy, and gets TONS of great discounts. If she can get it for ~70$ I'll be super happy.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice Cans!  I had a pair like that.  There was a lot of weight to the lows but the mids and highs were jumbled into soup...


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks.  I got the v-modas as a fun HP to plug directly into my iDevices and MBA.  They're a fun HP but from the mids up, pretty much a polar opposite to the HD700. Bass is different too.  Lots of it but not nearly as tight and clean as the Senns. Just got to put everyting into perspective and they become an enjoyable can.  Definitely like them better than the M80 or HD25's I had.  Just want to add the HE500 and I'm pretty much done... for now... famous last words..
   
   
  Quote:


longbowbbs said:


> Great shot MV! How are the V-Moda's?


----------



## Defiant00

The new arrivals:


----------



## bmahe

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Apologies for the repost of a similar pic but got a new lens today and have been playing with it along with some alternative type processing.  I really like this version - hope you do too -
> Love listening to the setup while I'm processing pictures or just surfing...


 
   
  HDR? Nice pic.


----------



## bmahe

And this is my office gear. My old DT880 with a Fiio E10 - way better than this awfull dell soundcard


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  In addition to looking elegant, it looks like huge bang for the buck!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> The new arrivals:


 
   
  Very nice! Only thing missing in the photograph is your Train ticket.


----------



## Errymoose

Been trying out a bunch of stuff lately... this sounds superb, though.


----------



## UrbanSmooth

pelli said:


> Nice Cans!  I had a pair like that.  There was a lot of weight to the lows but the mids and highs were jumbled into soup...




I had to scrape and save up for several years to finally purchase those sons of guns. My arm....my leg...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> I had to scrape and save up for several years to finally purchase those sons of guns. My arm....my leg...


 
   
  Have you considered DIY? You could have saved at least one limb.


----------



## zenki14

Rig update.

   
  Errymoose: I agree, Violectric + T1 = Superb


----------



## wudai_e

I wish the cable is detachable ... 
  Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> READ 'EM AND WEAP, LADDIES Y LASSES!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## swmtnbiker

Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> READ 'EM AND WEAP, LADDIES Y LASSES!!!!!!!!!!!


 
   
  I bet the microphonics are an issue...


----------



## Armaegis

Are they on-ear or around-ear? or around-head?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Are they on-ear or around-ear? or around-head?


 
  I think around head.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





zenki14 said:


> Rig update.
> 
> 
> Errymoose: I agree, Violectric + T1 = Superb


 
  Did you find balancing the T1 made much of a difference (don't want to go back for a balanced amp now though.... but interested all the same!)


----------



## zeinharis

Judging by its cable, it's probably they are around-neck type of headphones


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What Vioelectric amp is that?


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What Vioelectric amp is that?


 
  V181...


----------



## K_19

Posted this on the Stax thread, but may as well post it here too:
   
   
   

   
  I have to sell the Wyred 4 Sound DAC-1 for now unfortunately, but will very likely come back to it few months down the road. I'll have to chug along with the good old Stello DA100 meanwhile...


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Been trying out a bunch of stuff lately... this sounds superb, though.


 
   
  Somebody had to ask... why is the DACMagic placed upside down?


----------



## zenki14

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Did you find balancing the T1 made much of a difference (don't want to go back for a balanced amp now though.... but interested all the same!)


 
   
  Yes.
  I find the difference big enough to justify sticking to balanced setups.
   
  However, if you have the V200 you don't need to worry,
  as project86 who auditioned both the V181 and V200 (and wrote great reviews) kept the V200.
  For single end the V200 must be the winner.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Somebody had to ask... why is the DACMagic placed upside down?


 
  Probably cause I was so excited moving things around and then so absorbed in the music that I did not notice it was upside down until I'd taken the photo...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks.


----------



## DivergeUnify

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I spy with my little eye.... HD650's and Fiio E17/E9
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  E7/E9, correct.  Congratulations on the soon-to-be setup.  It's pretty great, although my Grados have been soaking up my listening time recently


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Somebody had to ask... why is the DACMagic placed upside down?


 
  Why, it cuts down on the treble, of course!


----------



## joehalo




----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





urbansmooth said:


> READ 'EM AND WEAP, LADDIES Y LASSES!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## alv4426

^^^How did you get your hands on the 2015 Beets Pro prototype?!?!?!?


----------



## Uber_Roxxorz

Quote: 





alv4426 said:


> ^^^How did you get your hands on the 2015 Beets Pro prototype?!?!?!?


 

 I actually laughed out loud when I read this.  But seriously... them cans.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Nice cans!  Love the "Blue"tooth phone!


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





achmedisdead said:


>


 
  I died.


----------



## Monir

^ I approve the refined headband


----------



## nick n

^ it looks like those two outer rows  are audiophile grade  nano-standoff feet  to ensure proper skull to headband vibration isolation and a pure black clean background. ( proprietary carbon embedded rubber composite )


----------



## longbowbbs

Only the Sugar variety can be audiophile!


----------



## RespectheSQ

Hey guys just started getting into headphones in the past couple months. Figured I would put up a couple pictures
   
   
   


   

   
  Not all of my audio stuff but a good amount of it


----------



## Silent One

Congrats RespectheSQ! Looks like you certainly got a handle on those cold winters up there!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Hey guys just started getting into headphones in the past couple months. Figured I would put up a couple pictures
> 
> [PICS]
> 
> Not all of my audio stuff but a good amount of it


 
  Just started? *Shudder* I hate to think where you'll end


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Hey guys just started getting into headphones in the past couple months. Figured I would put up a couple pictures
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I normally don't quote photos, so please mind me on this one. I would love to see a full photograph of your loudspeakers (despite this being a headphone station thread).  What are they and what Marantz receivers are those as well.


----------



## jazzerdave

Not really my place to respond, but that's a Marantz 2230 stacked on top of a 2220 (30 and 20 wpc respectively).  I've got a 2270 on the bench at home.  Great receivers.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Had a 2270 for awhile myself. My favorite vintage gear. Old Pioneers didn't match up, IMO.
   
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Not really my place to respond, but that's a Marantz 2230 stacked on top of a 2220 (30 and 20 wpc respectively).  I've got a 2270 on the bench at home.  Great receivers.


----------



## nick n

ahhh beautiful AT-705. Have a NOS one here also. Love the thing.
   
  And an SR-80 too I'd say you are doing pretty good so far there.
  Nice picture. Thanks for posting


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Hey guys just started getting into headphones in the past couple months. Figured I would put up a couple pictures
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Love the look of that Marantz, have always had a thing or so for the clean, retro looks of Luxman, Marantz and McIntosh gear.
   
  Also see a few vintage electret goodies, SR-80's? and a AT electret? forgot the model. Say what do you like about those SR-80's?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





nick n said:


> ahhh beautiful AT-705. Have a NOS one here also. Love the thing.
> 
> And an SR-80 too I'd say you are doing pretty good so far there.
> Nice picture. Thanks for posting


 
  Bugger you beat me to it. 705's that's the one, awfully reminds me of the dynamic driver version.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Hey guys just started getting into headphones in the past couple months. Figured I would put up a couple pictures
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Great photos and great gear in general, but you gotta love vintage receiver glory.


----------



## RespectheSQ

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Just started? *Shudder* I hate to think where you'll end


 
   
  Haha! I tend to get a little carried away in my hobbies. Did the same with cars, motorcycles, speakers and now headphones lol
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I normally don't quote photos, so please mind me on this one. I would love to see a full photograph of your loudspeakers (despite this being a headphone station thread).  What are they and what Marantz receivers are those as well.


 
  Here's some quick pics I just took of the speakers. They are KEF Fivetwo model 11's 
   

   

   
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Love the look of that Marantz, have always had a thing or so for the clean, retro looks of Luxman, Marantz and McIntosh gear.
> 
> Also see a few vintage electret goodies, SR-80's? and a AT electret? forgot the model. Say what do you like about those SR-80's?


 
  Thanks for the great comments guys! I love Marantz receivers and the headphone out on them is fantastic.  The SR-80's are fantastic, they are very open and have a wonderful soundstage. I love listening to live recordings on them and am constantly playing Daft Punk Alive 2007, it just sounds so real as if I was there in the crowd.  The AT-705's are great electrets as well and have a fantastic high end. I think my next purchase will be either a dac or a set of Stax electrostatics, haven't quite decided yet. It doesn't help looking at all of your rigs! lol


----------



## Teddy Tc

Q701

Balcony

Listening to this

Ok, not my rig, but what I'm doing now.

Bliss


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Most recently primary setup that I'm enjoying.
   

   
  Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2, tube pre-amp output to the Little Dot MK III, pre-amp out to the Emotiva a-100 mini-X. Outputs to a recabled Hifiman HE-500, cable is balanced XLR to 4x banana plugs, sheathed braided cable by Brian over at BTG Audio.
   
  Butter. Syrup. And beautiful.
   
  Very best,


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Most recently primary setup that I'm enjoying.
> 
> ...


 
   
  And of course a pic from Mal wouldn't be complete without a tobacco pipe. 
   
  Great looking HE-500. They look a lot more comfy than the stock ones.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2, tube pre-amp output to the Little Dot MK III, pre-amp out to the Emotiva a-100 mini-X. Outputs to a recabled Hifiman HE-500, cable is balanced XLR to 4x banana plugs, sheathed braided cable by Brian over at BTG Audio.


 
  SO. MUCH. AMPAGE. 0_0 I would love to hear that setup. How warm is it in relation to the HE-500's normal sound sig?


----------



## RespectheSQ

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> Heya,
> 
> Most recently primary setup that I'm enjoying.
> 
> ...


 
  Awesome setup, how do you like the D2?I've been looking at dac options and its one of my top pics. I love Emotiva gear, great choice


----------



## MalVeauX

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> SO. MUCH. AMPAGE. 0_0 I would love to hear that setup. How warm is it in relation to the HE-500's normal sound sig?


 
   
  It's actually just a lot of volume control and tubiness. The HE500 is already on the warm side of neutral, like almost all of Hifimans' HE series. The warmth from the D2 alone is nice, it's not a big difference, but a nice little tube pre-amp out stage that is adding some butter to it all. The LDMK3 OTL acting as a pre-amp between the D2 and Emotiva is not just adding more tubiness but also giving me a great deal more of volume control on the Emotiva so that I can flex it's muscles even more. The warmth overall is definitely warmer than stock HE500 from a very reference level solid state (such as the O2 which I also have an have tested with). It's about as close sounding to that "speaker sound" that I like as I've found so far.
   
  Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Awesome setup, how do you like the D2?I've been looking at dac options and its one of my top pics. I love Emotiva gear, great choice


 
   
  I really like the D2. I spent quite some time with it now. But I can't comment on how the DAC chipset sounds compared to another chipset. I don't think my ears can hear micro or nano differences honestly. But I can definitely hear the difference of the tube pre-amp stage of the unit compared to my other solid state DACs with their solid state pre-amp stages. Adding a tube without using a tube amplifier as the main power unit was the point. And as a DAC, otherwise, it performs wonderfully and has all the digital connections I need (usb, coax, optical). It would be near perfect if it just had analog intput as well, but alas, so far most gear is not perfect as it is.
   
  Very best,


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Haha! I tend to get a little carried away in my hobbies. Did the same with cars...


 
  Elaborate on that first category...


----------



## Maxvla

Send him a pm about it so we don't drag this thread off topic.


----------



## DenonBeaver

Pretty simple for now, some Schiit stuff, Fiio E17 for portable, streaming spotify premium. Looking for some LCD2 to add


----------



## docboyd

Quote: 





denonbeaver said:


> Pretty simple for now, some Schiit stuff, Fiio E17 for portable, *streaming spotify premium*. Looking for some LCD2 to add


 
  Woot! So similar over here! love me some spotify premium...I'm also semi hunting for LCD2


----------



## Pulse14




----------



## Kayvin

Quote: 





docboyd said:


> Woot! So similar over here! love me some spotify premium...I'm also semi hunting for LCD2


 
  Must be something in the air, I also have been seriously considering a set of LCD2's. But both my wallet and my wife would not be happy!


----------



## Monir

Quote: 





pulse14 said:


>


 

 Love the lighting, really complements the vinyl atmosphere


----------



## Mad Dude

My ESP-950 gets less use than it deserves these days, but every once in a while it gets out to play and beat up my other headphones. I tend to forget how great they really are.


----------



## autoteleology

What's the giant EQ-looking thing in your shelving unit?


----------



## devhen

An EQ?


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> My ESP-950 gets less use than it deserves these days, but every once in a while it gets out to play and beat up my other headphones. I tend to forget how great they really are.
> 
> [pics removed]


 
  Crumpler!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yup. Lol
   
  Quote: 





devhen said:


> An EQ?


----------



## DefQon

Marantz 5003 player?


----------



## Draygonn

tus-chan said:


> What's the giant EQ-looking thing in your shelving unit?


LA Audio EQ231-G


----------



## Grevlin

More pics: link in my sig.


----------



## swmtnbiker

The Crack+Speedball has arrived...


----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> LA Audio EQ231-G


 
  That's just awesome....


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


> The Crack+Speedball has arrived...
> 
> { snipidy snipped the picture }


 
  That's some nice ampage you have there 
   
  The soloist have an iron fist on the sound like i thought the lyr did when I had one?
   
  ~M


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


> The Crack+Speedball has arrived...


 
   
  Will that nice Schiit next to it be neglected now because of it?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> My ESP-950 gets less use than it deserves these days, but every once in a while it gets out to play and beat up my other headphones. I tend to forget how great they really are.


 
  If you forget about them again, I'm always in the market for another pair


----------



## swmtnbiker

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> That's some nice ampage you have there
> 
> The soloist have an iron fist on the sound like i thought the lyr did when I had one?


 
   
  The Burson is a fine amp without a doubt, but I find the Lyr with a nice pair of vintage Bugle Boys more pleasing with my Senns. The Crack on the other hand, well, it's too soon to say for sure, but I just *may* be putting some Schiit up for sale soon. Possibly. I'll be spending some more quality time with all of this fine equipment before I make a final decision, but the Bottlehead simply kicks booty with the HD-650. The glowing testimonials are there for very good reason.


----------



## swmtnbiker

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Will that nice Schiit next to it be neglected now because of it?


 
   
  Oh, I love my Lyr and actually prefer it to the Soloist with my setup. However I just may have developed a Crack addiction today. A few more weeks will tell me for sure, but the Crack is most definitely a force to be reckoned with in this equation.


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


> The Burson is a fine amp without a doubt, but I find the Lyr with a nice pair of vintage Bugle Boys more pleasing with my Senns. The Crack on the other hand, well, it's too soon to say for sure, but I just *may* be putting some Schiit up for sale soon. Possibly. I'll be spending some more quality time with all of this fine equipment before I make a final decision, but the Bottlehead simply kicks booty with the HD-650. The glowing testimonials are there for very good reason.


 
  Nice, I've really itched to try the bottlehead! That itch went away when I first got my CTH but true to head-fi form the bottlehead looks good again  I'm not sure it would fair as well with my current headphones as it does with the hd6xx series... Enjoy my friend, and good luck deciding what to do with the Lyr 
   
  ~M


----------



## shrimants

The speaker placement is.....less than ideal.....to say the least. But its quite literally the only configuration possible for this room. I could take out the book case and go at a diagonal/corner desk type setup but the table legs would get in the way and speaker placement still wouldnt be that great. I've sold the Audioengine A5's up there, but right now there is a problem with the area the subwoofer crosses over and the speakers drop out. Very boomy and such.

HD650 and O2 on the way, fed from AMB Gamma 2 F++.


----------



## autoteleology

derp


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> LA Audio EQ231-G


 
  Looking at those settings, they must be listening to LCD2. A little added roll off at the sub level, a dash down in the upper mids and a slight upward tilt for the upper treble. More hifi friendly


----------



## BruinAnteater

As far as this setup goes I am pretty much done when it comes to audio equipment. I have all the pieces I ever wanted, at least for as long as I own this place: its a condo so I can't realistically buy (and enjoy) anything more powerful than what I have, and at the volumes that I do listen at this stuff all sounds wonderful. So here we go:
   
  First a Panoramic View:
   

   
  The Main Setup:
   

  Labeled:

   
  Computer Desk Setup:
   

  Labeled:
   

   
  Portable Setup:
   

   
  Media Closet (unfinished - needs painting):
   

  Labeled:

   
   
  Now some more detailed shots:
   

  Entertainment Center featuring: Wharfedale Evo2-30 Towers as fronts, Evo2 Center Channel, Evo2-20 Towers as rears (not shown), REL T2 Sub (not shown), Denon AVR-4311CI, Oppo BDP-105, Rega RP1, Sony PS3 and TiVo Premiere. Also shown: Sennheiser HD650 (powered by the Oppo's wonderful built-in headphone amp).
   

  Computer Desk with a 22" AOC monitor, Wharfedale Diamond 7.1 Bookshelf speakers, Fiio E9 Headphone Amp. The 7.1s and Fiio E9 are fed by a Yamaha HTR 3064 Reciever which is fed by a Yamaha S2500 SACD Player via analog, and either the computer's E-MU 1212m PCI Sound Card (when running JRiver for music or Audacity/Sonar 4 when ripping LPs and editing the WAVs) or the onboard RealTekHD card (when doing everything else)
   

  Tall Shot of my computer area showing off my LZ I blown up album cover!
   
  Some of the Equipment:
   

  Rel T2 Sub
   

  Rega RP1 Turntable
   

  Sennheiser HD650s
   

  Wharfedale Evo2 Center, Denon AVR-4311CI, Oppo BDP-105
   

  PC: 3rd Gen Core i7, 16GB DDR3 RAM, 240GB SSD, 7TB of HDD storage space, ATI HD5750 Graphics Card, E-MU 1212m PCI 192K/24-Bit Sound Card, Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit.
   

  Where the computer outputs its sound: Yamaha HTR-3064 and a Yamaha DVD-S2500 SACD-DVDA-CD Player
   
  As for the future, like I said, audio equipment for my living room/computer area I am pretty much set. I can only see myself adding MAYBE a headphone tube amp (but thats hard to justify because the Oppo does such nice work with my HD650s). I could see myself buying a few more pairs of cans: HD700s for home use, Amperiors and/or Momentums for road use with my PX360s going to my wife, and maybe some HD598s for desk/office use.
   
  However, I do realize that my little 40" TV looks quite silly on my big ass wall, so eventually a 60" TV will make its way there. My friend is also trading me his slightly older but slightly higher end Yamaha HTR 5950 for my 3064, so that will temporarily reside as my computer amp.  When I get my 60" TV for the living room, my 40" will go to my bedroom where I dont have anything hooked up yet. The 5950 will go to the bedroom, where I also have a Sony SACD Changer, and I will probably pick up an old Oppo DVP-980 or Denon 2910 and run it analog out to the Yamaha HTR 5950 (which does NOT have HDMI). The PS3 will also makes its way there as a BR player and I will connect it and the cable box via HDMI directly to the TV, and sound will be optical to the Yamaha for both. As far as speakers go, I am on the fence of getting a set of Wharfedale Achromatic speakers, probably one of the two towers as fronts, and the rest the smaller, or maybe picking up a used set of Wharfedale Zaldeks, or maybe just go Frankenstein and pick up whatever used/good deal Wharfedales I come across Ebay or Craigslist until I have 5.1 of them.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





shrimants said:


> The speaker placement is.....less than ideal.....to say the least. But its quite literally the only configuration possible for this room. I could take out the book case and go at a diagonal/corner desk type setup but the table legs would get in the way and speaker placement still wouldnt be that great. I've sold the Audioengine A5's up there, but right now there is a problem with the area the subwoofer crosses over and the speakers drop out. Very boomy and such.
> 
> HD650 and O2 on the way, fed from AMB Gamma 2 F++.


 
  Really Loving the look of this setup! I'm jelly..


----------



## longbowbbs

1 Hour old...New Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 joining the Decware CSP2+.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The REL is gorgeous. Those were always my favorite of their line. Why a White RP1 though?


----------



## autoteleology

>


 
   
  I am truly jealous of your condo space. I also enjoy your computer setup, but I am left with my head scratching as to why you have multi-thousand dollar PC components, and then a $50 graphics card.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The REL is gorgeous. Those were always my favorite of their line. Why a White RP1 though?


 
   
  It was a demo, cheaper price. Problem is that I ordered it on a Wednesday and by Sunday they had a grey one also on sale as a demo!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

nice pc.
   
   
   
  wish i had that much storage, i only have 4 tb and its already half full.
   
   
   
   
   



tus-chan said:


> I am truly jealous of your condo space. I also enjoy your computer setup, but I am left with my head scratching as to why you have multi-thousand dollar PC components, and then a $50 graphics card.


 

   
   
   
  i was wondering the same thing lol, guess he uses it more for music and media than games. the 5750 is still a decent card though. im still running on crossfired 5870s myself.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I am truly jealous of your condo space. I also enjoy your computer setup, but I am left with my head scratching as to why you have multi-thousand dollar PC components, and then a $50 graphics card.


 
  LOL...Actually, the computer rig cost either just under or just over $1K. The most expensive stuff was the processor which was about $230, and the SSD drive which was like $160 I think. The HD space is mostly carry over from past systems. I actually had more HDs than I could connect (since the SSD and the BD drive both took up an SATA slot on my MoBo; my old DVD drive was IDE). So I kept the fastests and biggest drives and bought one 3TB drive (after dumping my older drives, this was a net 1TB gain of space over what I had before).
   
  And HEY! That card was the shiznit back when I bought it (also a carryover from my old system). Im not a gamer though, and I WAS going to  just use the onboard graphics but decided to slap the 5750 back in since I could connect my monitor via DVI and then connect the PC to the Denon via HDMI (all that cabling is inwall). So thats another reason I didnt need a nicer graphics card: for streaming movies and such to my TV, the Denon does a fantastic job with it!


----------



## autoteleology

> The most expensive stuff was the processor which was about $230


 
   
  Nu uh. Where did you get an i7 for $230?


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> nice pc.
> 
> wish i had that much storage, i only have 4 tb and its already half full.
> 
> i was wondering the same thing lol, guess he uses it more for music and media than games. the 5750 is still a decent card though. im still running on crossfired 5870s myself.


 
  Believe it or not, I am probably going to buy another 3TB drive within a few months. The other really nice thing about the computer is the case: it has a port on top connected to the PSU and one of the SATA ports, so I can hotswap drives without having to resort to USB or buying expensive external HDDs


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Nu uh. Where did you get an i7 for $230?


 
  Microcenter! this is the exact one I got: http://microcenter.com/product/388575/Core_i7_3770K_35GHz_LGA_1155_Processor
   
  and it look like they have even more powerful ones for about the same price or just a bit more.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> LOL...Actually, the computer rig cost either just under or just over $1K. The most expensive stuff was the processor which was about $230, and the SSD drive which was like $160 I think. The HD space is mostly carry over from past systems. I actually had more HDs than I could connect (since the SSD and the BD drive both took up an SATA slot on my MoBo; my old DVD drive was IDE). So I kept the fastests and biggest drives and bought one 3TB drive (after dumping my older drives, this was a net 1TB gain of space over what I had before).
> 
> And HEY! That card was the shiznit back when I bought it (also a carryover from my old system). Im not a gamer though, and I WAS going to  just use the onboard graphics but decided to slap the 5750 back in since I could connect my monitor via DVI and then connect the PC to the Denon via HDMI (all that cabling is inwall). So thats another reason I didnt need a nicer graphics card: for streaming movies and such to my TV, the Denon does a fantastic job with it!


 
   
  and to think a similar setup cost me over 3000 a few years back. (12 gb DDR3, i7 920, 1200W psu, 2 hd 5870s, a 2tb, double 1tb, a 256ssd, corsair h50 cooling, haf 922 case, and a blu ray burner)
   
  Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Microcenter! this is the exact one I got: http://microcenter.com/product/388575/Core_i7_3770K_35GHz_LGA_1155_Processor
> 
> and it look like they have even more powerful ones for about the same price or just a bit more.


 
   
   




   
  when he said 230, i was already thinking microcenter, thats about how much i paid for an i7 920 a few years ago, when the i7 920 was 299 or more everywhere else. microcenter has the cheapest processor prices around, alot of their other stuff is cheaper than newegg as well.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> As far as this setup goes I am pretty much done when it comes to audio equipment. I have all the pieces I ever wanted, at least for as long as I own this place: its a condo so I can't realistically buy (and enjoy) anything more powerful than what I have, and at the volumes that I do listen at this stuff all sounds wonderful. So here we go:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Awesome and a gadget geek's haven.  If I was single, this is a pretty sweet setup. My wife (and kid) wouldn't tolerate all the exposed toys unfortunately.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> 1 Hour old...New Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 joining the Decware CSP2+.


 
  Nice! How does it compare to the Dacmagic it replaced?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice! How does it compare to the Dacmagic it replaced?


 
  My initial reaction is good, but I want to spend some time with it before I do a formal compare. My sense is better bass and more sense of space. For 2.5X the price, it is a clear upgrade. I am still a fan of the DM+ for the price, but this is moving up the ladder for sure.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

JESUS CHRIST WHERE DO YOU PEOPLE COME UP WITH ALL THIS MONEY.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Jobs? And this time of year tax returns. I got mine already. New turntable.
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> JESUS CHRIST WHERE DO YOU PEOPLE COME UP WITH ALL THIS MONEY.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I can't wait tilli get a job... My goal by the end of senior year is a Music Hall USB-1 turntable, bigger speakers for my room rig, a Schiit Modi/Magni stack, a HE-400, and wood for my Grados. I've got 2 1/2 years to get that accomplished...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

And by modi/magni I mean bifrost/lyr


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> JESUS CHRIST WHERE DO YOU PEOPLE COME UP WITH ALL THIS MONEY.


 
  60+ hours per week for work....I wish there was a secret.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> 60+ hours per week for work....I wish there was a secret.


 
   
  That's a lot of work time. I hope you can listen to your headphones while you work.


----------



## mmayer167

Haha there is a secret, but it's illegal 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  For me, if that was my secret, my gear would always remind me of how bad of a person I am...  So no, it's not my secret, I also work damn hard to have the gear I do. I listen all day at work so i'd say I have it pretty good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  ~M


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I can't wait tilli get a job... My goal by the end of senior year is a Music Hall USB-1 turntable, bigger speakers for my room rig, a Schiit Modi/Magni stack, a HE-400, and wood for my Grados. I've got 2 1/2 years to get that accomplished...


 
  LOL...I like your other  comment of "where do you get your money from." Then I like the "we got jobs" comment. Then I read this post about getting a TT by the end of your senior year. I was just thinking about how I have been out of high school for exactly HALF MY LIFE. Im 34, and I graduated about 17 years ago (class of 96)!!!! If you could get that geat by the time you graduate, congrats to you! You are already way farther ahead than I was at that age!
   
  Old man talk now: When I was your age, I remember listening to cassettes on the lowest end Walkman around, with whatever earbuds came with it. At home, I had to make do with whatever was the late 80s version of a Sony HTiB, which had a TT, Cassette and finally a CD player! I Had exactly 2 CDs for most of my Sohpmore and Junior years! Then I discovered columbia house and the ridiculous ways a person could exploit them! Even then I always loved putting on my set of earbuds and tuning out the world and get lost in the music. Sometime in my senior year I was able to finally afford a Discman.
   
  Now some boring story about how I went about getting bit by the Hi/Head-Fi bug and how I gathered my equipment:
  My first attempt at Hi-Fi gear was building a good sound system for my 87 Honda Accord my freshman year at UCLA. LOL. It consisted of 4 Pioneer Speakers, and a 1000W Jensen Amp. I used to love it! Then some dickwad stole my amp in Hollywood. Ever since then, most of my music $$$ was spent either on concerts or car audio. It kinda had to be this way. Ever since I moved out of my parents house some 17 years ago, I always live in apartments and always had complaints from neighbors about noise, so a full blown system was never really in mind. Over my years, I owned a JVC mini-surround system (real boom boxy look), and 3 HTiB setups: a Panasonic, Sony and Yamaha (in fact my HTR-3064 is a carry over).
   
  My first attempt at Hi-Fi came five years ago with...ahem...a pair of Bose headphones and IEMs. I was so impressed that I bought a set of Bose Companion 3 computer speakers (which just recently got retired when I picked up the Wharfe 7.1s/EMU 1212. I bought a cheapy universal Sony BR player so I could listen to SACDs (my cheapo Sony HTiB reciver could do DSD) and I was hooked! Mind you, this didn't happen until about just over a year ago. Ive been flip flopping between work and school since high school, and during my work phases my money was spent on cars, modding cars and car audio. When the home/head-fi bug hit me hard, I still had about a year to go before I finished my second bachelors and went on to grad school, where I was a student BUT ALSO AN EMPLOYEE!!! During my last remaining student days I picked up my HD650s off Amazon's from a killer X-mas special ($350). I also got my FiiO E7 a few weeks later and although I liked what they could do with my 650s, they still lacked. Over the next couple of months I was able to buy a pair of Sennheiser PX360s, the Cowon J3 and a FiiO E9, and finally knew what Head-Fi was all about on the portable end (J3+E7+PX360) and at home (HD650s+E9). I was officially stung. From there, I picked up my Yamaha S2500 SACD player at a stupid price ($15+$20 for shipping!!) and jumped on the Wharfedale Evo2 closeout sale prices when I got the Evo2-20 Towers and Center.
   
  That was all by March of last year. Every nickle and dime that was left over from financial aid from school and my "cut" of the refund from my wife's and I's taxes went to buying all I listed above. We finally bought this condo this summer, right after I graduated (I was already admitted to a grad school and given TA-ship which paid me a paltry, but sufficient salary). First week of taking ownership I bought the Evo2-30 towers. A month later after getting my first paycheck, I got the REL T2...and the story repeats itself from there: a new paycheck, a part goes into buying new equipment. Sometimes I buy something with that "cut" sometimes I save the cut, until I can buy something much more substantial (like the Denon and Oppo).
   
  My wonderful and understanding wife, who hated the look, bulk, idea of the Evo2-20s finally became a believer when she heard the Norah Jones SACD played from the S2500 through the Evo2-30s. She still resists though. She did not know why the heck id buy a damn turntable, but when she heard Adele 21, Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison, and Bob Marley - Legend on vinyl she again believed (so much so that she liked the idea of the Rega being placed prominently on top of our entertainment center, which stunned me since she always complained about clutter, and I actually wanted to toss the turntable in my media closet so the bass would affect it less and so the EC area could look cleaner). Again she wondered what the hell I was thinking buying the Denon and the Oppo...until she saw how bad ass video looked now (still not completely sold on the audio qualities of this set up...not yet at least..).
   
  So, long story even longer: you are lucky! You have all these resources and the where-with-all to use them to spend your money RIGHT. Old man talk: by the time your my age, your set up will be one like I could have only dreamed of when I was 34


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Awesome and a gadget geek's haven.  If I was single, this is a pretty sweet setup. My wife (and kid) wouldn't tolerate all the exposed toys unfortunately.


 
   
  I actually am married! (Check my stupid long previous post about my wife's objections and eventual acceptance). You are right though: no kids. Well our teen age niece does live with us, we are her guardians, but shes a teenager and happily sticks with her Beats and Ipod (and her hand me down Sony HTiB). My wife and I are on a mission to buy a descent 32" TV for her, cuz we want to upgrade our 40" to a 60"...and since we've been promising her a TV, if we buy a 60" and put the 40" in our room instead of hers, she'd rightfully melt down. I want my 40" in my bedroom, it still a great TV! So I am on a mission to find a good, CHEAP 32" this weekend (and by good, I mean durable; my niece doesn't see a difference between HD and SD).
   
  However, my heart does sink to my intestines whenever my friends/family with kids come over. Speaker grilles go on, hanging/accessible wires get put away and I switch on my hawk vision and swoop in whenever a rugrat invades my Hi-Fi airspace.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Haha there is a secret, but it's illegal
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Same here. I'm a student and instructor. Except for class time, most of my day is spent with cans on: either in my office as I grade or do my own work, or at home when I am studying. I wish i didnt share my office with so many other grad students. I love em all, but they always want to talk talk talk. If I can manage to walk in with my cans on, I can get a good half hour to an hour in of listening time until someone has to tap me to get me to take of my cans. Then they bait me and I start talking talking talking. I'm sure you can't tell how much I can talk


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I am truly jealous of your condo space.


 
   
  Thanks for the compliment! I love it! It actually isn't massive (its the biggest place I ever lived in since moving out on my own though, that's for sure). Its just under 1200 sq.ft. and before this, I think the biggest apartment I ever lived in was about 960sq ft. (and the one I moved FROM just before buying this one was 780 of the most wasted sq.ft imaginable). What does make my place feel much bigger than it is, and the main reason why we bought it is the vaulted ceilings. I think at their highest, they are 19ft high, so that really really gives the feeling of alot of space (I am 6' 2" tall and I can easily stand up and walk around in my attic, and still have a ton of space above my head; made doing in-wall cabling runs much easier). I love love love it!
   
  A few friends of mine have houses houses. No doubt their places have much more square footage than ours, but they 'feel' smaller only because of the standard ceilings. So I am quite happy here. If only I could transplant this place to a lot without sharing walls with anyone! My neighbors are super nice, and have yet to complain about noise (even though I've had Dark Side of The Moon SACD playing loud enough that the REL was literally shaking my kitchen lights and glassware...literally). For sure the place has great sound insulation, but no way am I not radiating at least the bass down to them! I try to check myself as much as possible, cuz even if they are too nice to complain, I shouldn't take advantage of them.


----------



## silversurfer616

My latest addition is a HD800 and Sophia Princess for the WA6.
  Have to get used to the sound of the Sennheiser, though!


----------



## TheOtus

Overall picture of the latest setup. Not much to be changed. I enjoy listening to it a lot, too bad I don't have time to do that as much as I used to. Been starting to work out a bit, to tighten up and lose some weight, which is a good way to spend time too though.
   

   
  Another angle. Behind the DAC there's a new 500W converter, for that 15W DAC. ;D
   

   
  ATH-ESW11LTD on the stand.
   

   
  Closer view of the Luxman. An excellent amplifier, with speakers too.
   

   
  Just spending my time, shooting pictures...


----------



## wolfetan44

Is the WA6 good with the HD800?


----------



## silversurfer616

Yes,it is better than with my Phoenix as the tubes take away the" brightness".
  But I also have a well burnt in Cardas cable and after 2 weeks(mind the HD800 is ca 2 years old)my brain slowly adjusts as well.


----------



## R-Audiohead

D100 -> BHA-1 -> CharterOak SP-1.
   
  Sounds quite nice


----------



## wolfetan44

Ah, that or an LCD-3 will be my rig in a year or two(
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





theotus said:


> Overall picture of the latest setup. Not much to be changed. I enjoy listening to it a lot, too bad I don't have time to do that as much as I used to. Been starting to work out a bit, to tighten up and lose some weight, which is a good way to spend time too though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Really like the setup and the wallpaper! In your room, I mean!


----------



## TheOtus

bruinanteater said:


> Really like the setup and the wallpaper! In your room, I mean!


 
   
  You like my room's wallpaper more than the picture of Nao Nagasawa, my dear all-time idol? Thanks a lot. -____- '
   
  Nah, just joking. = ) I like the wallpaper too, something a bit special but nothing over the top. Thanks for the comment!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> And by modi/magni I mean bifrost/lyr


 
  I'd go for the Magni... Seriously. 
   
  An incredible amount of amp for the money and size, and as good as any other mid price amp I've heard. And I've heard quite a few over the years. (haven't heard the Lyr though )


----------



## Maxvla

wolfetan44 said:


> Is the WA6 good with the HD800?



Barely acceptable. There is a lot of room for improvement. I had to listen to this combo for about three months while I was waiting for my BHA-1 to be delivered and I was glad to see it go.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 






 Whats a good combo then?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Whats a good combo then?


 
   
  Woo Audio 2


----------



## wolfetan44

dubstep girl said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > :eek:  Whats a good combo then?
> ...


What about the WA7


----------



## autoteleology

> Whats a good combo then?


 
   
  Sennheiser Orpheus and HEV90.

 I took it to its logical endgame. We can stop now.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Whats a good combo then?


 
   
  Liquid Glass with Coin Base RCA 6SN7s


----------



## MDCLXVI




----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  There are countless threads dedicated to discussing ancillary components for the HD800. Why not pose these questions there?
   
  Fwiw, It's a demanding headphone, infamous for highlighting deficiencies in a chain. Your source also has to be equal to the task. It baffles me that so much focus is placed on amping requirements. Sure, the HD800 demands (a relatively high minimum level) of quality amplification compared to other headphones, but too often people put all their eggs in that basket. The possibility that the source component is the culprit is often overlooked. Careful consideration has to be taken with all components when building a system around the HD800. Anyone who has spent time with this headphone knows this. Those who haven't will regurgitate the old myths of grating treble, lack of bass and unnatural imaging.


----------



## lukEM22

Listening to a 320kbps Busta rhymes and Chris Brown song that came on my Nexus (Why Stop Now) and I just discovered the amp in my Bose companions is better than straight out of the Nexus, plugged in my XB500's and actually smiled at the bass. Whenever I would read reviews and somebody would say something like "uncontrollable grin" or something when they listen to a new pair of cans, I would categorize them as weird. Well, there is more bass through the XB's and this Bose amp than I get in my car with the bass all the way up (which I can't stand anyways).
 Albeit, I may be hysterical because I'm on some heavy meds for the flu right now, but wow. I did not think I could achieve this much bass in a headphone. If I could find a pair of headphones that sound the same as the XB500's, and fold I think I would be set for life.
   
  I don't even want to imagine what this would sound like through a ZO2.3, or an iBasso, or any other bass boost amp. This is so incredible to me I turned on my computer, went straight to this thread and typed this. This is a basshead's dream!
  And yes, this is all the headphone equipment I have. Right now I'm trying to find a 1/4in. adapter so I can plug these bad boys into a Denon home reciever I have, and turn the bass boost all the way up (out of curiosity)
   
   

   
   
  Apologies for low quality picture, I cant find the cord that hooks my camera up to my computer.
   
  I could probably put this in the "Non audiophile reactions" thread too


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Jobs? And this time of year tax returns. I got mine already. New turntable.


 
  I'm on the fence about spending ANY of my tax return money on gear. I need to put a new roof on my convertible. If I do get gear though I'm on the fence between a Maverick Audio D1 Plus or a Matrix M-Stage


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mdclxvi said:


>


 
  Far too tidy... Need some beer bottles and used tissues. Be more believable 
   
  (apart from that, bloody nice set up!)


----------



## MDCLXVI

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Far too tidy... Need some beer bottles and used tissues. Be more believable
> 
> (apart from that, bloody nice set up!)


 
   
  Haha.. thanks very much!
   
  And don't worry, it only looks that tidy in the photo.. the other side of the room is a mess


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





devhen said:


> That's a lot of work time. I hope you can listen to your headphones while you work.


 
  Here are last weeks travel toys....


----------



## wolfetan44

morbidtoaster said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > :eek:  Whats a good combo then?
> ...


That's a lot of money.. No HD800 for me I guess..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Fwiw, It's a demanding headphone, infamous for highlighting deficiencies in a chain. Your source also has to be equal to the task. It baffles me that so much focus is placed on amping requirements. Sure, the HD800 demands (a relatively high minimum level) of quality amplification compared to other headphones, but too often people put all their eggs in that basket. The possibility that the source component is the culprit is often overlooked. Careful consideration has to be taken with all components when building a system around the HD800. Anyone who has spent time with this headphone knows this. Those who haven't will regurgitate the old myths of *grating treble, lack of bass and unnatural imaging.*


 
  I'd say thats the same with all good headphones. If any of the above (bolded) is happening with a modern mid price dac and amp, then it has to be a fault of the headphone (and maybe recordings) and not the equipment. Theres far too many comments on the HD800 needing certain requirements to calm the treble and boost the bass to ignore; And that would be called coloring the headphone, which is different to pursuing super high end transparency.  But as you say.. this is for another thread.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It's actually the opposite of your assumption from my experience. The HD800 is such a transparent headphone that it demands the same from the ancillary components. Other headphones are just not as capable at rendering everything fed to it. Case in point, the LCD-2. Sounds great from the Gungnir/Mjolnir stack. Very little to complain about. The HD800 however exposed the Gungnir as inadequate and replacing it with the NAD M51 confirmed this. The M51 is a touch warmer than the Gungnir but the Schiit is hardly the last word in neutrality and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has heard the M51 label it as coloured. What it is is a natural sounding DAC that actually imposes less of its inherent signature on the presentation than the Gungnir. So in essence it's more transparent and allows the HD800 to do its thing.
   
  I think people that go down the path of tubes, EQ and mods to colour and tame the HD800 are those who find issue with its inherent FR signature. Ask those people to listen to the HD800 from a neutral (whatever that means) and transparent setup and I'd suspect you'd find very few who would still claim _"grating treble, lack of bass and unnatural imaging"_. If they're honest, some may say the treble is still too extended, or the bass lacks some colouration and emphasis for their preference.
   
  Bending the HD800 to your preference and getting the best from it can be two separate pursuits, you're right in that regard. It's not a fault of the HD800 though if some people want a different FR signature from it and use gear to achieve that. Not everyone with the HD800 has this goal though. Deficiencies in a chain still need to be addressed however to alleviate the HD800's capacity to spotlight weaknesses.


----------



## RestoredSparda

New horse in the stable. =)

First impressions are very very positive.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Double post.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Does that mean the O2/ODAC is good for it?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Does that mean the O2/ODAC is good for it?


 
  "Drive virtually any full size cans including 600 Ohm and current hungry planar models!"


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I've gotten my Sennys back, can't take a picture as the iPhone won't let me upload pictures due to some ******** apple excuse.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What?


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I sometimes listened to the HD800 straight from the MBP and enjoyed it. I'd never tell others to stop there though. I'm sure the o2/odac faithful will preach the absurdity of going beyond their end-game.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I just won't be able to upgrade 1 or 2 years after my purchase of a HD800.


----------



## autoteleology

> I sometimes listened to the HD800 straight from the MBP and enjoyed it. I'd never tell others to stop there though. I'm sure the o2/odac faithful will preach the absurdity of going beyond their end-game.


 
   
  Hey, I'm not going to say that the O2 and ODAC are the absolute last word in DACs and amps, but unless I had a very power hungry headphone (more on this later), I see little to no reason to upgrade from it, especially at the price point differences.

 I think the ODAC is good enough for anyone who isn't looking for end-game gear. I wish the O2 put out a bit more power (it kind of sucks at high gain). Their form factors are also horrendous. That's it. I have a dedicated amp for my Stax, for obvious reasons, but aside from that I think my O2 and ODAC are good enough. I think spending lots and lots of money on end-game sources and amps is a bad choice unless you have lots of money to burn. You get to a point of diminishing returns and at some point you have to ask yourself if spending fortunes for small returns is really worth it.
   
  I would say putting my money into getting the best headphones is a much more worthy quest. A fantastic source and amp will still sound like rubbish out of Beats Solos. Conversely, a Sony R10 would probably still sound pretty darn good out of an iPod (not like I could speak from experience, though). The headphone you use is 90% of the sound and to be spending as much on amps and DACs as you are on the headphones, to me, is not worthwhile and simply distracts from the real point of our hobby - enjoying the music.
   
  Anyway, this is all off-topic and I think if any further discussion needs to be made, it should be taken to PM.


----------



## olor1n

Spoiler: quoted%20for%20posterity



Quote:


tus-chan said:


> > I sometimes listened to the HD800 straight from the MBP and enjoyed it. I'd never tell others to stop there though. I'm sure the o2/odac faithful will preach the absurdity of going beyond their end-game.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


   


   

  LOL! Like clockwork. At least you guys are consistent.


----------



## drez

Does this headphone look familiar?  not quite the same level of photograpgphy but IPad was in my hands.
IMO though I totally agree HD800 needs a good source and DAC if you are using it with transparent solid state amplifier. HD800 lets you hear what your gear sounds like with pretty brutal honesty.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What?


 
  A quote from NwAvGuy


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





drez said:


> Does this headphone look familiar?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice. Was the Bel Canto worth it?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gotcha


----------



## drez

olor1n said:


> Nice. Was the Bel Canto worth it?




I think so, it was quite a step up from the ap2/purepower. Really brings out a lot more musical information and nuance, the music sounds more confident (as in less vague) and refined also. Unfortunately it still doesn't fix bad recordings, but good recordings sound incredible.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





drez said:


>





> Unfortunately it still doesn't fix bad recordings, but good recordings sound incredible.


 
  If someone figures out a device that can do that they will sell a ton of them!


----------



## sphinxvc

Unfortunately good sound engineers can't be bought/sold, I think there's some kind of technicality that applies.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> If someone figures out a device that can do that they will sell a ton of them!


 
  A large contingent of folks on another forum I'm known to would argue that the device you speak of exists. Equalizers. NOT SAYING I AGREE. Just sayin'.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Grevlin

Wow - those are some big wood platforms. What are the details on those?
   
  Do you have some isolation gear under them?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Wow - those are some big wood platforms. What are the details on those?
> 
> Do you have some isolation gear under them?


 
   
  Maple platforms: 15x12x4 inches; 18 pounds each
  Brass footers    : 3x3 inches; 6 pounds each (under Mac mini music server)
  Isoblocks         : 2 inches each
   
  Sitting atop a coffee table...


----------



## GrindingThud

Is that the 2359glenn studio amp? Looks pretty sweet. Is there a website to buy them from?



grevlin said:


> Wow - those are some big wood platforms. What are the details on those?
> 
> Do you have some isolation gear under them?


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Maple platforms: 15x12x4 inches; 18 pounds each
> Brass footers    : 3x3 inches; 6 pounds each (under Mac mini music server)
> Isoblocks         : 2 inches each
> 
> Sitting atop a coffee table...


 

 Very nice.
   
  When my ears and brain learn enough to appreciate the gear, I'll have to upgrade.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Is that the *2359glenn studio amp?* Looks pretty sweet. Is there a website to buy them from?


 
   
  Yup, that's one of his OTL models - he does custom builds. just send him a PM or inquiry inside the thread.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/600110/2359glenn-studio


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks. The TV stand under the TT is temporary. I just fired up the table Friday night and haven't figured out yet where to put it and on what.


----------



## RamblinE

I was about to say, I think I recognize those maple plateforms from the www.MapleshadeStore.com catalog.


----------



## DefQon

That's a bit overkill for just dampening alone.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 






  No...It's CABLES!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 
  So, a good friend of mine runs Stillpoints.( www.stillpoints.us ) His anti-vibration equipment racks can run $12,000....for the rack....SO, I am loving the TV Tray!


----------



## Foxjam

Will have more pics soon hopefully.  Not pictured are my M-50s, AD700, iBasso D7, and Lenovo U160 laptop.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> So, a good friend of mine runs Stillpoints.( www.stillpoints.us ) His anti-vibration equipment racks can run $12,000....for the rack....*SO, I am loving the TV Tray!*


 
   
  I know, I know.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Look...over there! It's the new audiophile aural platform, with 33% less, um, stuff! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You know how we are as a bunch in this hobby - a need comes up and we immediately start looking around for a quick fix until the delivery truck comes.
   
  I'm moving this spring and have decided to wait, so I can make a better decision on where it goes and on what.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Will have more pics soon hopefully.  Not pictured are my M-50s, AD700, iBasso D7, and Lenovo U160 laptop.


 
   
  Nice. At least you went to the highlight reel.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

>several hundred dollar maple isolation blocks with brass cylinders
>turntable (most weak to vibration messing with sound) is on a tv tray


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> So, a good friend of mine runs Stillpoints.( www.stillpoints.us ) His anti-vibration equipment racks can run $12,000....for the rack....SO, I am loving the TV Tray!


 
  Nothing really, my old uni spent £1.5million in vibration dampening a new building for the electron force microscopes. Imagine what it could do for your turntables.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  ROFL!!! It's all good! I am holding off on a couple of things myself because I have no good way to place them....


----------



## Jasper9395




----------



## mmayer167

^ Gear orgy!
   
  nice


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





foxjam said:


>


 
  So awesome, but, $800 of amplification for $400 headphones?  I would get the Pan Am if I had the money though ^_^ Very nice, man.


----------



## Maxvla

wes008 said:


> So awesome, but, $800 of amplification for $400 headphones?  I would get the Pan Am if I had the money though ^_^ Very nice, man.



You seem to think more expenditure on the amp than the cans is unusual. It is actually most common.


----------



## Foxjam

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> So awesome, but, $800 of amplification for $400 headphones?  I would get the Pan Am if I had the money though ^_^ Very nice, man.


 
   
  Just thinking about the future.  Probably getting the LCD-2 at some point this year.  Also it was only $670.  When you buy the Pan Am and the Gateway at the same time it's cheaper.


----------



## TheOtus

wes008 said:


> So awesome, but, $800 of amplification for $400 headphones?  I would get the Pan Am if I had the money though ^_^ Very nice, man.


 
   
  I have around 3000$ amplification for 1600$ phones. = ) Just my participation to this topic.


----------



## Currawong

I have....well lets not go there, but I don't eat out, smoke or drink. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Now I'll need to upload shots of the PanAm and WA7 for this thread when I get home.


----------



## wes008

Whoah, I got shot down  Hey, I've done it before too. Just not at (Edit: actually only $270 more) twice the price of the headphones.
  Quote: 





theotus said:


> I have around 3000$ amplification for 1600$ phones. = ) Just my participation to this topic.


 
  This makes more sense to me, it's at the summit of audio, where amplification makes all the difference. And I've never used the HE-400, maybe they need a good amp.


----------



## Silent One

Now, that's something I wanna see, Currawong...them there fireflies!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> ROFL!!! It's all good! I am holding off on a couple of things myself because I have no good way to place them....


 
   
  Been watching basketball all day. Only noticed now that an early Sheila Chandra CD is showing on the rack...


----------



## SeanDavid010

I'm a teacher, and this is my desk in my classroom:
   
   

   
  My iPad feeds the Schiit M&M stack via a CCK, which goes to my Sennheiser 598s.  The speakers are Paradigm Mini-Monitors.  The Darth Vader cross-stitch was a Christmas gift from my wife, and the fish's name is Terrence.


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice M&M, Sean!


----------



## kramer5150

Heres a new pic of some old tubes...


----------



## calipilot227

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> >several hundred dollar maple isolation blocks with brass cylinders
> >turntable (most weak to vibration messing with sound) is on a tv tray




Only in Silent One's rig...will you see a Mac Mini on a Mapleshade platform, and a turntable on a folding TV tray 

Only joking, it's all in good fun. Nice, clean-looking rig, Silent One!


----------



## Massacare

Small update


----------



## zeinharis

That's one beautiful LCD2r2 Wiem!!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tangster said:


> Nothing really, my old uni spent £1.5million in vibration dampening a new building for the electron force microscopes. Imagine what it could do for your turntables.


 
   
  The most sensitive electron microscopes in my lab are in the basement, sitting on servo/microgauge controlled air suspensions, sitting on a giant concrete slab, sitting on a spring legged platform, on thick rubber/butyl isolation pads on the floor. Even then, if you need to do very fine imaging (100000x and up), you have to do it at night when the building is quiet and there's no traffic outside. And I'm not allowed to speak in the room or down the hallway, because my voice is deep enough to cause resonance that mucks up the scans.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I have....well lets not go there, but I don't eat out, smoke or drink.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm running a Little Dot 1+ _because_ I eat out, smoke and drink. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Might have to re-evaluate my priorities.....?......!


----------



## Massacare

zeinharis said:


> That's one beautiful LCD2r2 Wiem!!




thanks dude :rolleyes: .


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> I'm running a Little Dot 1+ _because_ I eat out, smoke and drink.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Just cut out the smoking and drinking and you can gradually afford a TOTL headamp!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I pay myself this same attention inside the listening room, no talking. When critical listening is involved, mind you. All other times, singing and toe tapping allowed.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  In photography we call this contrast. In audio, we call this _being broke._


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I don't smoke. I cut back on dining out. And even reduced my Champagne purchases. Yet, the price of French bubbly is still killing my audio dreams.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> Heres a new pic of some old tubes...


 
   
  What amp is the glass sitting in?


----------



## wotts

Quote: 





silent one said:


> What amp is the glass sitting in?


 
   
   
  I'm thinking something from Darkvoice/La Figaro.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> I'm a teacher, and this is my desk in my classroom:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How do you keep your students from messing with your stuff? Im a grad student/instructor and I share my office with 7 other semi-responsible grads/instructors, but the constant traffic of students through the office always makes me too weary of leaving my stuff unattended.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Now that I'm starting to settle gear wise I'm actually looking forward to increasing spending on all of those things. 
   
  I'd love to start smoking a pipe on the porch again along with various alcohol based music enhancers.  I think it'll mainly be spent on good loose leaf tea though. Really looking forward to taking some tea time with my system.


----------



## SeanDavid010

bruinanteater said:


> How do you keep your students from messing with your stuff? Im a grad student/instructor and I share my office with 7 other semi-responsible grads/instructors, but the constant traffic of students through the office always makes me too weary of leaving my stuff unattended.




Oh, that's simple: In real life I am huge and terrifying. 

Students do not touch my things. This is known.


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> Now that I'm *starting to settle gear wise* I'm actually looking forward to increasing spending on all of those things.
> 
> I'd love to start smoking a pipe on the porch again along with various alcohol based music enhancers.  I think it'll mainly be spent on good loose leaf tea though. Really looking forward to taking some tea time with my system.



Who are you kidding?!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Now that I'm starting to settle gear wise I'm actually looking forward to increasing spending on all of those things.
> 
> I'd love to start smoking a pipe on the porch again along with various alcohol based music enhancers.  I think it'll mainly be spent on good loose leaf tea though. Really looking forward to taking some tea time with my system.


 
   
  You supply 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 tea and all that good music you be listening to, and I'll bring the Pecan pie...


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think it'll mainly be spent on good loose leaf tea though. Really looking forward to taking some tea time with my system.


 
  My family, being Indian, always have tea time. In my opinion, tea goes great with Parle-G biscuits.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





silent one said:


> What amp is the glass sitting in?


 
   
  Darkvoice 337


----------



## Silent One

Thanks. Had it been daytime or the lights in the room on...


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> My family, being Indian, always have tea time. In my opinion, tea goes great with Parle-G biscuits.


 
   
  That looks very inviting!


----------



## Silent One

The pilot on the stove is lit...
   

   
   
   
  ...time to start cooking!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





silent one said:


> The pilot on the stove is lit...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Wow!  Awesome setup!  I'll bet it sounds as good as it looks!  That really makes me want to go buy some tube amps!  
   
  What are we looking at here?


----------



## Silent One

A custom 6AS7 based OTL vacuum tube amp by fellow member and "MOT" 2359glenn. Up front is the Brimar 13D1 tube sitting atop a voltage quadrupler, because the tube is 25 volts instead of 6. Behind it is a pair of Tung-Sol 5998's and in the rear sits The BIG Russian, a 5U8 rectifier.


----------



## Currawong

The rest of my desk is too cluttered to be shown at the moment.


----------



## Silent One

That's a really nice ensemble, Currawong...


----------



## jfoxvol




----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> I'm a teacher, and this is my desk in my classroom:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Couple questions:
   
  1. I'm getting in to Apple bling. You said CCK - is that the Apple hard drive sitting under the headphones? I have an iPad so I'm guessing I would just need the wireless HD?
   
  2. How much time do you get to enjoy music during the school day? Do you sometimes play some tunes for the students?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





currawong said:


> The rest of my desk is too cluttered to be shown at the moment.


 
  Sweet Amos!  That Firefly is bigger than I thought.


----------



## autoteleology

How exactly does one go about replacing the tubes on the Firefly? Is the glass top removable?


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> Oh, that's simple: In real life I am huge and terrifying.
> 
> Students do not touch my things. This is known.


 
   LOL..I should start using that. Im huge and terrifying too. I should put trust in that!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Only imr will tell I suppose. 
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Who are you kidding?!


----------



## sphinxvc

Putting all the technical stuff aside, that Mac Mini looks pretty cool on top of those, whatever they are.  Thumbs up.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm real jealous of that setup. Do you like the Firefly with the LCD-3? That or the Mojo/Gungir will be my amp when I get my LCD-3


----------



## SeanDavid010

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Couple questions:
> 
> 1. I'm getting in to Apple bling. You said CCK - is that the Apple hard drive sitting under the headphones? I have an iPad so I'm guessing I would just need the wireless HD?
> 
> 2. How much time do you get to enjoy music during the school day? Do you sometimes play some tunes for the students?


 
  A couple of answers:
   
  1.  CCK refers to the Apple Camera Connection Kit for the iPad.  It's basically just a 30-pin dock connector to USB adapter that allows you to run your iPad right into a USB DAC.  (For some DACs you need to run a powered USB hub between the iPad and the DAC.  This is the case with my Schiit Modi.)  Underneath my headphones is just my computer - a little Mac Mini.
   
  2.  Since I teach high school, I have a prep hour in the middle of the day, so for 75 minutes each day the door is locked, headphones are on, and I am _amazingly_ productive.  It is truly astounding how focused I can be whilst listening to my favorite music on those 598s.  As for playing music for my students, before school, during lunch, and after school my door is open and music is playing.  Right now I'm in the middle of a poetry unit with my seniors, and the first thing we do is examine music as poetry.  We take 2 or 3 days to listen to different songs from all genres, look at the lyrics, and talk about how the music influences the tone, mood, and meaning of the lyrics.  The students all have a chance to play songs of their own choosing for the class, and then we even have a poetry-out-loud type presentation when they perform the lyrics of their favorite song to an audience in the auditorium.
   
  In short, music is an integral part of my instruction, workflow, and creative process.


----------



## Simcon

seandavid010 said:


> A couple of answers:
> 
> 1.  CCK refers to the Apple Camera Connection Kit for the iPad.  It's basically just a 30-pin dock connector to USB adapter that allows you to run your iPad right into a USB DAC.  (For some DACs you need to run a powered USB hub between the iPad and the DAC.  This is the case with my Schiit Modi.)  Underneath my headphones is just my computer - a little Mac Mini.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you've actually managed to make a subject, by many considered to be boring, into something that actually could be enjoyable and fun. Credits to you for being awesome and different .


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





simcon said:


> Sounds like you've actually managed to make a subject, by many considered to be boring, into something that actually could be enjoyable and fun. Credits to you for being awesome and different
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  +1


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Darkvoice 337


 
  Ultrain is correct... a really good sounding amp for a broad range of impedance loads.  Very layered soundstage with the tung-sol 5998.


----------



## Speedv1

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> 2.  Since I teach high school, I have a prep hour in the middle of the day, so for 75 minutes each day the door is locked, headphones are on, and I am _amazingly_ productive.  It is truly astounding how focused I can be whilst listening to my favorite music on those 598s.  As for playing music for my students, before school, during lunch, and after school my door is open and music is playing.  Right now I'm in the middle of a poetry unit with my seniors, and the first thing we do is examine music as poetry.  We take 2 or 3 days to listen to different songs from all genres, look at the lyrics, and talk about how the music influences the tone, mood, and meaning of the lyrics.  The students all have a chance to play songs of their own choosing for the class, and then we even have a poetry-out-loud type presentation when they perform the lyrics of their favorite song to an audience in the auditorium.
> 
> In short, music is an integral part of my instruction, workflow, and creative process.


 
   
  Wow, I wish I had you as a teacher! Truly amazing!


----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





simcon said:


> Sounds like you've actually managed to make a subject, by many considered to be boring, into something that actually could be enjoyable and fun. Credits to you for being awesome and different
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +1


----------



## SeanDavid010

Quote: 





simcon said:


> Sounds like you've actually managed to make a subject, by many considered to be boring, into something that actually could be enjoyable and fun. Credits to you for being awesome and different
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





speedv1 said:


> Wow, I wish I had you as a teacher! Truly amazing!


 
  Thanks, guys!  I have to say, though, it's not really work when you love teaching as much as I do.  Seriously, I can't imagine doing anything else.
   
  And in an attempt to keep this thread on topic, I just tried to take one of those newfangled panoramic photos on my iPhone.  Here's my desk (and most of my classroom) with all my gear off to the right: 
   
   
   

   
  ...And in the interest of full disclosure, here's the other (messy) half of my desk:


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


>


 
   
  Love that album (if that's Break of reality and my eyes do not deceive me.)


----------



## Armaegis

Is... is that the severed hand of a disobedient child from your class?


----------



## SeanDavid010

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Is... is that the severed hand of a disobedient child from your class?


 
  Ha!  Earlier this year my Sophomores worked on a project where they took an Edgar Allan Poe story and turned it into a play that they performed for the school.  That (plastic) severed hand is a prop left from _The Tell-Tale Heart_.  They brought in all these plastic body parts, and when it came time to dismember the old man, they stuffed plastic hands, feet, and a head under some loose floorboards.  They did the whole thing by candlelight, and it was _really_ creepy.
   
  In fact, if you look closely, you can see one of the feet balanced on the nose of my swordfish.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> Thanks, guys!  I have to say, though, it's not really work when you love teaching as much as I do.  Seriously, I can't imagine doing anything else.


 
  It's gotta be especially fun to do what you do when given the freedom you seem to have (and it sounds like it works!)


----------



## V-Duh

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> How exactly does one go about replacing the tubes on the Firefly? Is the glass top removable?


 
  The glass just sits on top in a slight recess.  Easy tube access.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Now that I'm starting to settle gear wise I'm actually looking forward to increasing spending on all of those things.
> 
> I'd love to start smoking a pipe on the porch again along with various alcohol based music enhancers.  I think it'll mainly be spent on *good loose leaf tea* though. Really looking forward to taking some tea time with my system.


 
  Is that what you kids call it these days..?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  Quote: 





currawong said:


> The rest of my desk is too cluttered to be shown at the moment.


 
  "Woo" hoo! I do love the look of those fireflies. Might get the wife one as an ornament pressie, and when shes not in I'll plug my hp's in


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





seandavid010 said:


> A couple of answers:
> 
> 1.  CCK refers to the Apple Camera Connection Kit for the iPad.  It's basically just a 30-pin dock connector to USB adapter that allows you to run your iPad right into a USB DAC.  (For some DACs you need to run a powered USB hub between the iPad and the DAC.  This is the case with my Schiit Modi.)  Underneath my headphones is just my computer - a little Mac Mini.
> 
> ...


 
   
  A BIG cheer to you, SeanDavid010, for your effort and enthusiasm!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Putting all the technical stuff aside, that Mac Mini looks pretty cool on top of those, whatever they are.  Thumbs up.


 
   
  Thanks, sphinxvc. I'm trying my best to keep my fellow members in the Northeast with some diversion from the big storm. When I actually listen to digital through the Mac mini music server, I usually place about 3-3.25 lbs on top - the tea kettle works perfectly. This is because the mini is lighter than a stack of fluffy pancakes...or Astrud Gilberto's vocals.
   
  When the tweak is placed underneath the Sony PS-X5, no further assistance is needed. It's akin to going from wiping crumbs off the side of your mouth, to getting 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 punched dab smack in it! Increased dynamics, enhanced mids and shimmering finish.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well, it's called tea in my house...lol
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Is that what you kids call it these days..?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Grevlin

Thanks for the info SeanDavid - your class sounds great, I hope your students appreciate it.


----------



## nmxdaven

We recently moved, and thankfully I now have room for a home office. (No more Houston traffic for me!) So here's a quick overview of my current setup. Still trying to figure out where to put items. Everythings very messy.
   
  From left to right....
   

   
  Two of my setups here so far. (STAX and 650/lcd2's) Its already crowded so trying to figure out where the rest goes. Unfortunately my wife doesnt allow any of my audio stuff anywhere else in the house. (Happy wife, happy life)
   

   

   
   
  6TB Raid (1) box stuffed in the desk for now.
   

   
  Some of my vintage gaming gear. (Still have 2 more boxes of it to try and fit somewhere)
   

   
  250 pound trinitron. One of the best TV's ever for older games. Some of my guitar gear in the reflection.


----------



## MickeyVee

Seriously drool-worthy, stunning, simple and clean!! Is my jealousy showing through? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





currawong said:


> The rest of my desk is too cluttered to be shown at the moment.


----------



## StudioSound

silent one said:


> When I actually listen to digital through the Mac mini music server, I usually place about 3-3.25 lbs on top - the tea kettle works perfectly. This is because the mini is lighter than a stack of fluffy pancakes...or Astrud Gilberto's vocals.


Can I ask what the reason for this kind of vibration isolation is on the Mac Mini?

I'm slowly making my way back through this topic (about 100 pages so far) and this sort of thing is particularly intriguing.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd guess mainly hard drive isolation.
   
  Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Can I ask what the reason for this kind of vibration isolation is on the Mac Mini?
> 
> I'm slowly making my way back through this topic (about 100 pages so far) and this sort of thing is particularly intriguing.


----------



## Armaegis

I figured aesthetics and bragging rights...


----------



## Silent One

To control/tune resonances. This isn't limited to the Mac mini per se, rather many sources are sensitive to vibrations. Initially, I floated the mini on Dayton speaker spikes like the ones under the DAC; amp. I got the idea to try it after speaking to a fellow Computer Audiophile, who was also a founding partner for Mach2Music.
   
  The presentation improved a bit. Floating the little one on brass footers improved things further. BTW, the footers in the pix are upside down during down time. The fine point goes down into the Maple when I'm in-session. The Mac is prone to sliding off its perch otherwise.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I figured aesthetics and bragging rights...


 
   
  I like 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 aesthetics...


----------



## StudioSound

silent one said:


> To control/tune resonances. This isn't limited to the Mac mini per se, rather many sources are sensitive to vibrations. Initially, I floated the mini on Dayton speaker spikes like the ones under the DAC; amp. I got the idea to try it after speaking to a fellow Computer Audiophile, who was also a founding partner for Mach2Music.
> 
> The presentation improved a bit. Floating the little one on brass footers improved things further. BTW, the footers in the pix are upside down during down time. The fine point goes down into the Maple when I'm in-session. The Mac is prone to sliding off its perch otherwise.


You're having problems with resonances transferring from your Mac Mini transferring to your amplifier? If you put an SSD in there, or use a player that loads tracks into memory rather than off the hard drive (such as JRiver MediaCenter) there shouldn’t be any need for that. (though I am skeptical that a notebook hard drive would cause enough vibration to do anything in the first place)

The Mac sliding off its perch would certainly risk damaging the hard drive though.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
_My mini is supercharged.........of course it's got a _



_ SSD inside_. Your notebook could also benefit from tuning/isolation/vibration control - you are not immune...sorry. In your quest to get greater understanding, you may actually be over analyzing how I achieved a thing or two. Don't overlook the internal 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 fan and a few other challenges.
   
  And yes, been doin' memory play as well. Between OS X, Linux & Windows, I have 19 quality audio players; combos of players/servers.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
   
  Back to your analysis. Perform each and every suggestion you've made and will make next, and your chassis can STILL be tuned. Many will assume the box they get from the factory and inside the listening room, once heard is the sound signature of their device. Environment can have a huge impact on one's sonic presentation from the feet they stand on, to the surface that supports those feet, design of the case and housing and so on...lots of stuff to examine if one is in pursuit of excellence. Or simple improvement, 'cause that's what enthusiasts do.
   
  But then, your reality and motivation may differ from my own...
   
  Post Script.:  One nice thing I really loved about one of my Linux setups was having MPD (Music Player Dameon) on the Network, while having the front-end client on my notebook pc. It was on par with the Mac/Amarra combo. But after a year having, tweaking and experimenting  with several audio players, clients and servers, I ended up where I started...back on the Mac primarily with a few preferred audio players.
   
  With all the chat, I'm gonna have to contribute another pix later today.


----------



## StudioSound

silent one said:


> _My mini is supercharged.........of course it's got a _
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you understand how computers or digital audio works.

And I'm surprised to hear that you prefer OS X for playback - I don't think there is currently anything better than WASAPI on Windows 7/8.
WASAPI Event Style via JRiver MediaCenter and its 64-bit internal audio processing engine (and a 500ms hardware buffer if you want - though it shouldn't be necessary) is probably the best output you will get from a computer.

I also agree with whoever it was that pointed out it was funny that you're using vibration isolation on the Mac Mini, and a TV tray for the turntable.
I'm not meaning to pick on you, I just found it very odd and wondered about the reasoning behind it.


----------



## Currawong

Fascinating as the discussion is, please keep on topic and post more pictures please.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

grevlin said:


>




Congrats on getting quints!!


----------



## LugBug1

My current bedside rig. The Bushmaster and DT880's are a match made in heaven


----------



## StudioSound

currawong said:


> Fascinating as the discussion is, please keep on topic and post more pictures please.


No interesting setup to show really, so here's a photo of my headphones:


----------



## sphinxvc

Quote: 





silent one said:


> When I actually listen to digital through the Mac mini music server, I usually place about 3-3.25 lbs on top - the tea kettle works perfectly. This is because the mini is lighter than a stack of fluffy pancakes...or Astrud Gilberto's vocals.


 
   
  This is too cool.  Can you post a pic if you get a chance?


----------



## R-Audiohead

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> No interesting setup to show really, so here's a photo of my headphones:


 

 Been meaning to try these guys after my Z1000 disappeared, as the Z1000 costs more and I've heard these are almost identical.


----------



## StudioSound

r-audiohead said:


> Been meaning to try these guys after my Z1000 disappeared, as the Z1000 costs more and I've heard these are almost identical.


That's interesting, because the MDR-7520 costs more than the Z1000 here.

Jude says that they _don't_ sound the same, with his preference being the MDR-7520:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/644542/sony-mdr-z1000-and-sony-mdr-7520-essentially-identical#post_9022211


----------



## R-Audiohead

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> That's interesting, because the MDR-7520 costs more than the Z1000 here.
> 
> Jude says that they _don't_ sound the same, with his preference being the MDR-7520:
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/644542/sony-mdr-z1000-and-sony-mdr-7520-essentially-identical#post_9022211


 

 I think Jude himself notes the differences are very subtle, but yes...
   
  I remember reading that awhile back


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Fascinating as the discussion is, please keep on topic and post more pictures please.


 
   
  Agreed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Currawong! but not without a parting shot @ StudioSound...I'll keep it brief.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  With respect to this thread, a final comment addressing your views. I have the opposite opinion - it seems that you neither know my understanding of digital, computers and audio or my reality inside my own listening room. And do I really need to point out that people navigate the world with different sensitivities? It's becoming quite common on head-fi of members who make comments, not having a direct experience. But expressing what the feel/know to be true. Usually, this is based on what others (experts?) may have weighed-in on.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Really though, I respect your opinion and others. But have been pointing out what my own experiences are with tweaking...and their results. This seems fair to me.
   
  That my reality challenges your understanding should bring questions from you; others, and rightfully so. Yes, I did the Win7-Jriver-JPlay-WASAPI this and that, UNIX, Linux and the other suggestions you made.
   
_"I don't think there is..." and "Probably the best output..."_ sounds like opinion, not fact. It did sound good, though.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Don't be so fast to kick Linux/Unix users to the curb.
   
  Please stay focused, all of these other things are beside the point - it should be about tweaks shown inside the pix. For reax from you and others, feel free to express further on the backside (PM). Nuthin' wrong with friendly conversation and the exchange of ideas.




   
*LASTLY,  *I thought the contrast of the TV tray sitting next to the mini was funny, too. I'm almost certain I explained that contrast a few posts up, but: I had just set the TT up for the first time; I am preparing to move and decided not to accommodate the TT until after the change in residence.
   
  And remember, Audio can be fun, entertaining and engaging...don't be afraid to play around with your gear.




   
  Below: The turntables inside the foyer, waiting to get boxed.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





sphinxvc said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Trial & error...




   
  ...or Pilot error? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Below is one of many pix _while conducting listening tests_ on the mini. Still haven't gone final with the little one yet. There are brass mini discs available to accomplish what the tea kettle is doing, so this isn't permanent. But now my new TT & vacuum tube amp pairing has my attention.


----------



## I right I

PS1 - $25
PS1 Mods/parts - $75
Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
Woo Audio WA6 - $620
Nordost Frey RCAs and Brahma power cord - $2,800
Having your priorities in order: priceless


----------



## Teddy Tc

Right now.
3am,
cup of tea,
Laura Marling,


----------



## Teddy Tc

Now with added picture..



teddy tc said:


> Right now.
> 3am,
> cup of tea,
> Laura Marling,


----------



## _nomad

Just a quick question - the Mac mini is a digital transport, no? With an SSD to boot. I fail to see the point of the wood and brass.
I mean, discussing the sound quality of different cables is one thing, but I don't believe for one second that anyone would be able to hear any actual difference sq wise whatsoever between a digital transport on brass spikes and one without them. How is there even a discussion on this? Far out. This is brilliant pebbles territory.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My current bedside rig. The Bushmaster and DT880's are a match made in heaven


 
   Bedside rig ey? I have a portable setup, a setup for my desk, and the biggie for my living room. Starting on building a system for my bedroom, but what I never thought of was a rig specifically for my bedside!!! Wonderful!!!! Thank you so much! You just gave me another reason to justify buying more gear!!!


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





_nomad said:


> Just a quick question - the Mac mini is a digital transport, no? With an SSD to boot. I fail to see the point of the wood and brass.
> I mean, discussing the sound quality of different cables is one thing, but I don't believe for one second that anyone would be able to hear any actual difference sq wise whatsoever between a digital transport on brass spikes and one without them. How is there even a discussion on this? Far out. This is brilliant pebbles territory.


 
   
  Im sure the vibration of the system could translate into unwanted noise. Think about when you are jogging and the cable continously slaps your side: you can definitely hear that transmit. But I think your questioning whether a MacMini with an SSD would vibe enough to warrant such an extensive anti-vibe setup. I have two ideas on this:
   
  a) Although Im not sure what other equipment the person has (need to scroll back up to see which setup you are talking about), but usually the higher end the equipment you have, the more likely you are to hear noise from ambient disturbances (static from the circuits, actual vibration from the source, etc). So for someone with my setup, where the highest end piece of equipment I have is my Wharfedale Evo2-30s and my HD650, chances are, at the volumes I'd normally run, I would hear absolutely NO difference from running components such as stand alone transports (which people like because of the simplified, and hence quieter circuitry and machinery), power conditioners, super expensive cables that cost more than any single piece of equipment, or even anti-vibe stuff like what you are describing. But for some people with very high end, very sensitive and very loud equipment, I can see how trying minimize little stuff like that could add up to a much cleaner sound.
   
  my other thought is:
   
  b) **** like wood and brass just looks so damn nice!!!!!!!! Its beautiful stuff! Even if it gave no real tangible audio benefits, its just beautiful to look at. If you prize your setups as much as they do (and as much as I do) and could afford nice accents like that, why not? I try to make setups look as aesthically pleasing as possible, and if I had th ecash for some nice brass spikes or really nice high end dense wood, I would totally go for it. I really admire some of the setups I've seen here; some more for the furniture they have than the actual equipment!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





_nomad said:


> Just a quick question - the Mac mini is a digital transport, no? With an SSD to boot. I fail to see the point of the wood and brass.
> I mean, discussing the sound quality of different cables is one thing, but I don't believe for one second that anyone would be able to hear any actual difference sq wise whatsoever between a digital transport on brass spikes and one without them. How is there even a discussion on this? Far out. This is brilliant pebbles territory.


 
   
  Greetings _nomad. To keep it brief, yes it's a Mac mini music server. Yes, the pix is a shot of one of my experiments at a moment in time (not final). And make no mistake, I'm not out to convince anyone to believe what they will...or won't.
   
  However...
   
  ...failure to see - discussing the sound quality - digital & brass - and brilliant pebbles? Your view is an indictment IF you have no hands-on/ears-on experience with these materials inside the listening room. Though, speculating can make for interesting chat. I leave now under the impression that some of you have this firm belief that digital is somehow immune to environmental stuff. And that Silent One is
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 looney! Trust me, he is of sound mind. Now, if I were to drop the 36 lb tweak on your BIG toe, then....


----------



## Currawong

There's supposedly some valid science behind vibration damping for electronics, but it's _really_ not for this thread*.
   
*Which means if you keep posting about it, I may have to start deleting posts. Please practice self-moderation.


----------



## _nomad

currawong said:


> There's supposedly some valid science behind vibration damping for electronics, but it's _really_ not for this thread*.
> 
> [COLOR=A9A9A9]*Which means if you keep posting about it, I may have to start deleting posts. Please practice self-moderation.[/COLOR]




Noted.


----------



## ssrock64

Not much in the way of my entire setup present here, but a glimpse at what I've been listening to of late with the Mad Dogs (haven't ordered myself the new Alpha Pads yet). Also, I apologize for the fact that this went through an Instagram filter; the original is on my phone and it's a pain to get it off of that.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





i right i said:


> PS1 - $25
> PS1 Mods/parts - $75
> Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
> Woo Audio WA6 - $620
> ...


 
   
  Holy f$@king ****. Contrasting those Nordost with the rest of the rig. But why? You're just as about as insane as I when I purchased almost 14 meters of Crystal Piccolino double run cables. Btw, how's the PS1 1002's I presume as a transport? Having heard good stuff about them I'm about to dive in one to get it tube buffered or Lampizarated.


----------



## I right I

I had the cables left over from a two-channel stereo system I have since sold. The power cord is overkill but I love the RCAs in this setup. The PS1 is purr-fect with a tube amp. I use it for a transport and DAC. It's a model 5501 that's been modded with audiophile-grade caps and metal-film resistors feeding aftermarket RCA terminals directly off of the Asahi Kasei AK4309AVM DAC chipset (its an excellent DAC and the source of the PS1s magic). The power supply was recapped and calibrated. The transport was rebuilt and damped. It sounds as good as my Musical Fidelity CD player did (though it doesn't read scratched CDs as well). A guy on Audiogon sells them for $100 shipped. His Audiogon name is djdonis. It's by far the best CD player I have heard for the money. The Oppo BDP-95 and 105 have even better DACs if you can swing the extra dough.


----------



## samandhi

My current portable rig (with a spare IPod)
   

 IPod Touch 3rd Generation
 IPod Touch 5th Generation
 Fiio E17 DAC/Amp
 Sennheiser Momentum Headphones
 Oakley Spikes (for mood)


----------



## Grevlin

^--------     EPIC Can Stand!!


----------



## StudioSound

silent one said:


> Below is one of many pix _while conducting listening tests_ on the mini. Still haven't gone final with the little one yet. There are brass mini discs available to accomplish what the tea kettle is doing, so this isn't permanent. But now my new TT & vacuum tube amp pairing has my attention.





i right i said:


> PS1 - $25
> PS1 Mods/parts - $75
> Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
> Woo Audio WA6 - $620
> ...




I'm at a complete loss for words here. Totally speechless.

I think I need to stay out of this topic for the sake of my sanity.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





i right i said:


> PS1 - $25
> PS1 Mods/parts - $75
> Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
> Woo Audio WA6 - $620
> ...


 
  I like this guy


----------



## I right I

LOL.


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





i right i said:


> PS1 - $25
> PS1 Mods/parts - $75
> Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
> Woo Audio WA6 - $620
> ...


 
  Do you have Spongebob boxers by any chance?  Does an ostrich wearing K1000s sound familiar to you?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





i right i said:


> PS1 - $25
> PS1 Mods/parts - $75
> Sennheiser HD598s (not shown) - $250
> Woo Audio WA6 - $620
> ...


 

 What did you do to mod the PS1? I own the SCPH-1001 model and want to do some modifications to my own..


----------



## I right I

dagothur said:


> Do you have Spongebob boxers by any chance?  Does an ostrich wearing K1000s sound familiar to you?



Um, no. I used to share an apartment with Kenny Powers and an emu that wore K-Swiss tubes.


----------



## I right I

destroysall said:


> What did you do the PS1? I own the SCPH-1001 model and want to do some modifications to my own..



I have a SCPH-5501. The power supply was recapped and calibrated, the transport was rebuilt and damped, RCAs were added, and nos ERO MKT capacitors were used along with metal film resistors in line between the DAC and RCAs as the output stage (it operates in parallel with the stock audio outs). I used the good bits (the transport and DAC) while side-stepping the junk. I recommend a new housing for your 1001 to move the power supply away from the transport and DAC. Spend the cash on good capacitors and resistors and you're in business. There is no shortage of documentation on the web for these mods. Be careful with adding a tube circuit. The 1001 doesn't respond well. The sound becomes too rolled off and it sounds like a Bose system! You can use an outboard power supply to correct the problem but at that spending point, just buy an Oppo BDP-95.


----------



## samandhi

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> ^--------     EPIC Can Stand!!


 
    Thanks!


----------



## StudioSound

dagothur said:


> Do you have Spongebob boxers by any chance?  Does an ostrich wearing K1000s sound familiar to you?


Those components look intact, and there is not nearly enough ERS cloth on display…


----------



## I right I

samandhi said:


> Thanks!



You deserve the praise. That's super cool. I'm going to copy the $hit out of that for my office! I hope you don't mind...


----------



## Pudu

Latest edition to the listening area is one half of a pair of plantation chairs we found and had refinished. 



The main problem now is staying awake while listening.


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice! I like the chair and the T1! Thats the WA22 right?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nice! I like the chair and the T1! Thats the WA22 right?


 
   
  thats the WA2, they look very similar don't they?


----------



## ximkolo

Bored browsing the web in bed with my "bed set" lol.  Microsoft Surface, Fiio e11, He-500.


----------



## Draygonn

pudu said:


> Latest edition to the listening area is one half of a pair of plantation chairs we found and had refinished.
> 
> 
> Spoiler


That is so cool.


----------



## Pudu

draygonn said:


> That is so cool.




Cheers! We've been looking for some nice plantation chairs for the better part of a decade. Found these sitting in a huge warehouse full of the most amazing junk  ... I mean antiques and furniture. They needed a bit of work, but came out beautifully. 





wolfetan44 said:


> ... Thats the WA22 right?






dubstep girl said:


> thats the WA2, they look very similar don't they?





Yep, those woos share a lot of similarities. Here's a better picture to help with the confusion.


----------



## Tangster

Nothing as great looking as most(beautiful W3000ANV Pudu and a great listening chair!), but here what I've been taking to uni each day this week.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





pudu said:


> Cheers! We've been looking for some nice plantation chairs for the better part of a decade. Found these sitting in a huge warehouse full of the most amazing junk  ... I mean antiques and furniture. They needed a bit of work, but came out beautifully.
> 
> Yep, those woos share a lot of similarities. Here's a better picture to help with the confusion.


 
   
   
  LOL!!!!!!!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





dagothur said:


> Do you have Spongebob boxers by any chance?  Does an ostrich wearing K1000s sound familiar to you?


 
  patrick82 by any chance? hehe


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





defqon said:


> patrick82 by any chance? hehe


 
   
  Hahahaha. Does he have anything new going after his audio accessory site?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tangster said:


>


 
  What interconnect is going from the Clip to the E11? Looks nice.


----------



## autoteleology

It's pretty easy to tell around here on who's got a lot of disposable income.


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> What interconnect is going from the Clip to the E11? Looks nice.


 
  Custom made interconnect. Acrolink carbon fibre and gold jacks, 28AWG 6N copper wire.


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





pudu said:


> Cheers! We've been looking for some nice plantation chairs for the better part of a decade. Found these sitting in a huge warehouse full of the most amazing junk  ... I mean antiques and furniture. They needed a bit of work, but came out beautifully.
> 
> Yep, those woos share a lot of similarities. Here's a better picture to help with the confusion.


 
   
   
  Is it just me or is the 5998 not plugged in?  How do you get it to do that without falling over...!!!!???  Thats one beast of an amp.


----------



## I right I

defqon said:


> patrick82 by any chance? hehe



OK. Explain what (who) you are talking about. I guessing that you are making me the butt of an inside joke. If that's the case, don't be sheepish. Please, make fun of me directly. I can take it. It's no fun though if I don't know the context. In fact, it's pretty much a j@g-off thing to do. You should avoid offending people you don't know IMO. Your sense of decency and good form may not have the same standards. Idk. That's just my two cents.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





i right i said:


> OK. Explain what (who) you are talking about. I guessing that you are making me the butt of an inside joke. If that's the case, don't be sheepish. Please, make fun of me directly. I can take it. It's no fun though if I don't know the context. In fact, it's pretty much a j@g-off thing to do. You should avoid offending people you don't know IMO. Your sense of decency and good form may not have the same standards. Idk. That's just my two cents.


 
   
  He's not offending you. Look up patrick82 on headfi and google. His Body building posts still make me laugh


----------



## alv4426

googling is not that difficult, and believe me when it comes to learning of the greatness of patrick82 its worth the 15 secs of your time to type and click.
  Quote: 





i right i said:


> OK. Explain what (who) you are talking about. I guessing that you are making me the butt of an inside joke. If that's the case, don't be sheepish. Please, make fun of me directly. I can take it. It's no fun though if I don't know the context. In fact, it's pretty much a j@g-off thing to do. You should avoid offending people you don't know IMO. Your sense of decency and good form may not have the same standards. Idk. That's just my two cents.


----------



## I right I

Thanks. That's pretty funny. Fair enough. I do own stupid-expensive cables. They make a difference. Are the differences worth the money? Nah. Not really. (Except the RCAs - huge performance increase for not much $). Unless you buy stuff you really like and plan to keep. I will swap out amps, DACs, phones, hell - my whole system(!) before I want to upgrade my cables. So for me, the (partial) cure for upgrade-itis was money well-spent.


----------



## Draygonn

ultrainferno said:


> He's not offending you. Look up patrick82 on headfi and google. His Body building posts still make me laugh


OMG I didn't know about his bodybuilding posts. I just started reading and almost had a stroke from laughing too hard.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> I'm at a complete loss for words here. Totally speechless.
> 
> I think I need to stay out of this topic for the sake of my sanity.


 
   
  Any good judgement you may have had was already missing. At least protect your sanity from escaping you, too.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 By not listening carefully, you rushed in to enlighten me over a problem you saw as not being fully understood by me. Rather than understanding it from an enhancement point of view. 
   
  You should post new pix of your own and/or make meaningful contributions to this wonderful thread. Your attempts to ridicule fell flat; DOA. As Currawong pointed out last night, this isn't the thread for your attempts. Yet, you posted anyway...


----------



## V-Duh

I would love to see some more current Head-Fi station photos...


----------



## I right I

New output tubes (6GL7s) added since yesterday...


----------



## Grevlin

My first rig:
   

   
   
  More pics down in my sig:


----------



## I right I

grevlin said:


> My first rig:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I like it!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





v-duh said:


> I would love to see some more current Head-Fi station photos...


 
   
  The old...
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!









   
  From left to right:
  Koss something, Grado something, AKG K240 Sextett MP, Beyer DT880 (250 ohm?), Beyer DT250 (250 ohm), Audio Technica ATH-A900, Pioneer HDJ-200, Sennheiser HD25-1-ii, AiAiAi TMA-1, V-Moda M80, Beyerdynamic DT1350, Beyerdynamic T50p, Realistic Pro30, Jana Labs BJ-2000 (I love that name)
   
  at bottom: Ortofon EQ7, Shure SE215
   
  Not shown: who knows anymore


   
  The new...
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!




   
  From left to right:
  Fostex T50rp (my own mods w/J$ Beyer pads), V-Moda Crosfade (w/T50rp drivers), Fostex T50rp (modified BMF DBV3), Fostex T50rp (BMF DBV#3 on loan), HiFiMAN HE-6
   
  Not shown:
  Fostex T50rp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  amps: Nuforce Icon2 speaker amp (for the HE-6), Nuforce HDP (to feed the Icon2 and for regular headphones), Nuforce LPS (power supply for the previous two, and spdif bridge for the HDP)


----------



## Sonoranrunner

Hifiman EF2a and AKG 271mkII's


----------



## autoteleology

While I have no opinion on the effect of vibration dampening on digital audio, I would like to point out that you, Silent One, are being extremely condescending to those who have questions about your rig, and there is no need for you to be so.
   
  While I have not heard your system and therefore have no right to comment on it, you have to admit that it is a point worthy of contention as the very fine points of audio hardware are quite subject to FUD. What could have been an opportunity to educate us on how and why it makes a difference, instead turned into you egging on the naysayers by being the type of person most people like to prove wrong.
   
  We are all here for the same thing and we are all eager to learn more about our hobby. There is no need for such attitude on anyone's part.
   
   
  As for my actual hardware, I may post later, but it is quite difficult to get a good shot because my room has very, very poor lighting, and as a result, makes everything inside of it unphotogenic.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> My first rig:
> 
> More pics down in my sig:


 
  Very tasteful first rig. Good stuff!


----------



## MorbidToaster

One issue may be the fact that people would want him to educate every time he posts a picture of his rig. I vaguely remember him going fairly in depth one of the first times he posted it. 
   
  At this point he'd have to write a lecture every time he posts in this thread. He's probably just gotten tired of defending it and become snarky. 
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> While I have no opinion on the effect of vibration dampening on digital audio, I would like to point out that you, Silent One, are being extremely condescending to those who have questions about your rig, and there is no need for you to be so.
> 
> While I have not heard your system and therefore have no right to comment on it, you have to admit that it is a point worthy of contention as the very fine points of audio hardware are quite subject to FUD. What could have been an opportunity to educate us on how and why it makes a difference, instead turned into you egging on the naysayers by being the type of person most people like to prove wrong.
> 
> We are all here for the same thing and we are all eager to learn more about our hobby. There is no need for such attitude on anyone's part.


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very tasteful first rig. Good stuff!


 

 Thanks
   
  My next project is getting a Turntable rig together in the next few weeks.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> While I have no opinion on the effect of vibration dampening on digital audio, I would like to point out that you, Silent One, are being extremely condescending to those who have questions about your rig, and there is no need for you to be so.
> 
> While I have not heard your system and therefore have no right to comment on it, you have to admit that it is a point worthy of contention as the very fine points of audio hardware are quite subject to FUD. What could have been an opportunity to educate us on how and why it makes a difference, instead turned into you egging on the naysayers by being the type of person most people like to prove wrong.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sorry, this view isn't correct. Anyone care to read conversations from the beginning, as opposed to the latest posts? You'll see that I was patient and engaged any and everyone, despite this being a picture thread. I was polite at every turn, even after the original antagonist suggested that I didn't understand computers and computer audio. Or what the heck I was doing.
   
  We can agree to disagree but I take exception to being portrayed as condescending. 
   
  FURTHER Comments anyone? Please PM me. This invite was kindly expressed earlier as well...
   
  Kind Regards,
   
  S.O.


----------



## samandhi

Quote: 





i right i said:


> You deserve the praise. That's super cool. I'm going to copy the $hit out of that for my office! I hope you don't mind...


 
  Nah, I don't mind at all. I am wondering if it is funner to see the stand being used for HP, or emptying the bottle to get the stand.. I just might have to start a big collection of headphones, just so I can get more stands.....=P


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> V-Moda Crosfade (w/T50rp drivers)


 
  Interesting, I hadn't heard you did that. Got a thread on it?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> While I have no opinion on the effect of vibration dampening on digital audio, I would like to point out that you, Silent One, are being extremely condescending to those who have questions about your rig, and there is no need for you to be so.
> 
> While I have not heard your system and therefore have no right to comment on it, you have to admit that it is a point worthy of contention as the very fine points of audio hardware are quite subject to FUD. What could have been an opportunity to educate us on how and why it makes a difference, instead turned into you egging on the naysayers by being the type of person most people like to prove wrong.
> 
> We are all here for the same thing and we are all eager to learn more about our hobby. There is no need for such attitude on anyone's part.


 
  I really don't feel that Silent One has been condescending. People are questioning his dampening, and he's answering each and every one of them. S.O. has to defend his setup, and to put real soul behind any argument, you have to truly believe in your side. He certainly does  Also, being rude isn't an effective way to stop snobbishness. Let's get back to sharing rig pics.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Interesting, I hadn't heard you did that. Got a thread on it?


 
   
  Here you go... http://www.head-fi.org/t/648893/ortho-transplant-t50rp-drivers-into-v-moda-crossfade-in-progress-lots-of-pictures


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Here you go... http://www.head-fi.org/t/648893/ortho-transplant-t50rp-drivers-into-v-moda-crossfade-in-progress-lots-of-pictures


 

 Thanks!


----------



## swmtnbiker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> One issue may be the fact that people would want him to educate every time he posts a picture of his rig. I vaguely remember him going fairly in depth one of the first times he posted it.
> 
> At this point he'd have to write a lecture every time he posts in this thread. He's probably just gotten tired of defending it and become snarky.


 
   
  If so, including a link to one of his previous lectures would solve that little problem. People generally post pictures of their gear to generate reactions and comments.


----------



## I right I

samandhi said:


> Nah, I don't mind at all. I am wondering if it is funner to see the stand being used for HP, or emptying the bottle to get the stand.. I just might have to start a big collection of headphones, just so I can get more stands.....=P



Sadly, that vodka is just OK. If you like martinis, try Stoli Elit. Expensive as hell but I don't drink that often!


----------



## Maxvla

armaegis said:


> The new...
> 
> Fostex *T50rp* (my own mods w/J$ Beyer pads), V-Moda Crosfade (w/*T50rp *drivers), Fostex *T50rp* (modified BMF DBV3), Fostex *T50rp* (BMF DBV#3 on loan), HiFiMAN HE-6
> 
> ...



I'm sensing a theme.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just a coincidence, obviously.
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I'm sensing a theme.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I'm sensing a theme.


 
   
  I forgot to mention... Incoming: Beyer COP (that's I'm going to stick T50rp drivers into 



)


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I forgot to mention... Incoming: Beyer COP (that's I'm going to stick T50rp drivers into
> 
> 
> 
> )


 
   
  I noticed you were going to try that and it sounds really interesting. Do you think the adjustable bass ports will have the same effect once the T50rp drivers have been transported? Or are ortho driver's bass response not as effected by the amount of air flow?


----------



## Simcon

armaegis said:


> I forgot to mention... Incoming: Beyer COP (that's I'm going to stick T50rp drivers into
> 
> 
> 
> ...




What is up with this glorious madness, I fear that if I ever were to meet you, you might even attempt to mod me and stick T50rp drivers onto my mouth just to try and see what happens. I even would go so far as to suspect that you enjoy the crafting and modding more that the you're enjoying the listening through the cans... Or are you doing these awesome stuff in the name of Science? No matter what, I certainly hope that you'll continue to share your cool, and somewhat mad, projects. I'm going to follow you in awe .


----------



## calipilot227

wes008 said:


> I really don't feel that Silent One has been condescending. People are questioning his dampening, and he's answering each and every one of them. S.O. has to defend his setup, and to put real soul behind any argument, you have to truly believe in your side. He certainly does  Also, being rude isn't an effective way to stop snobbishness. Let's get back to sharing rig pics.




I feel bad, not sure how to ask this, but am I the only one who though Silent One was a she?


----------



## Silent One

No reason to feel bad, I'm okay with it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's been pointed out to me by other audio members (and in commerce before meeting others) that it's my writing style. I have no idea what others see, but many tend to suggest the same thing.
   
  But we all love music and the gears that presents it, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 right?


----------



## I right I

calipilot227 said:


> I feel bad, not sure how to ask this, but am I the only one who though Silent One was a she?



http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=bkwT8W2JLYo&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbkwT8W2JLYo


----------



## Draygonn

maxvla said:


> I'm sensing a theme.


Its a good theme 


camera died, cellphone camera sucks...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





devhen said:


> I noticed you were going to try that and it sounds really interesting. Do you think the adjustable bass ports will have the same effect once the T50rp drivers have been transported? Or are ortho driver's bass response not as effected by the amount of air flow?


 
   
  Being able to adjust the bass vents should have an effect on the sound. There have been many posts in the T50rp thread that show the changes from taping over the vents to varying degrees. The size of the baffle port also affects sound. 
   
  Quote: 





simcon said:


> What is up with this glorious madness, I fear that if I ever were to meet you, you might even attempt to mod me and stick T50rp drivers onto my mouth just to try and see what happens. I even would go so far as to suspect that you enjoy the crafting and modding more that the you're enjoying the listening through the cans... Or are you doing these awesome stuff in the name of Science? No matter what, I certainly hope that you'll continue to share your cool, and somewhat mad, projects. I'm going to follow you in awe
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Oh don't be silly... I'd stick some Yamaha YH-5M drivers into your ear canals.
   
  I think it might be fair to say that I enjoy the craft almost more than the listening. I have links in my sig to a few other transplant projects. Which reminds me, I really should finish up that SFI/Sextett transplant one of these days.


----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





silent one said:


> No reason to feel bad, I'm okay with it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You mean, cerebral and considerate of others? These are traits not often associated with the male of the species, after all.


----------



## I right I

silent one said:


> No reason to feel bad, I'm okay with it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It was the pic of the rasta chick you had as your photo.


----------



## Silent One

Ah, yes...."Her silent smile." Since we're in between new photographs being posted, perhaps I should bring her back. I'll ask a model or two if they'd like to shoot me a pix of them standing in front of their own head-fi station.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> No reason to feel bad, I'm okay with it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  More Omnipresent than Gender specific....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The all seeing SO!


----------



## Pudu

silent one said:


> Ah, yes...."Her silent smile." Since we're in between new photographs being posted, perhaps I should bring her back. I'll ask a model or two if they'd like to shoot me a pix of them standing in front of their own head-fi station.




There are models who appreciate head-fi? :eek:

I gotta get me one o' them.


----------



## wes008

Wait, I'm still confused. Is Silent One a girl or are his pics always of a model?


----------



## I right I

wes008 said:


> Wait, I'm still confused. Is Silent One a girl or are his pics always of a model?



Yes.


----------



## Pudu

Always.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





silent one said:


>


----------



## Draygonn

pudu said:


> Always.


VOGUE!


----------



## Pudu

kramer5150 said:


> Is it just me or is the 5998 not plugged in?  How do you get it to do that without falling over...!!!!??? ...




That's the beauty of it. The Woo2 is such a well balanced amp, the tung-sol doesn't need to be actually plugged in. This way it smooths out the music without affecting the timbre. "_Having something in the signal path gives loss of detail and dynamics. With VibraPortal _unplugged 5998_ the performance is always maximum._"


Also it's a handy place to store the 5998 - the other one I keep under my pillow.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The current (and very unfortunate) state of my gear at the moment. That is to say, NONE.
   
  Waiting on delivery of my speakers, amp, and turntable. Oh, and speaker stands. 
   
  At least I can look at all my vinyl...


----------



## I right I

morbidtoaster said:


> The current (and very unfortunate) state of my gear at the moment. That is to say, NONE.
> 
> Waiting on delivery of my speakers, amp, and turntable. Oh, and speaker stands.
> 
> At least I can look at all my vinyl...


What's on the way?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Harbeth HL5, Leben 300XS, Skylan stands, and a WTL Amadeus.
   
  Quote: 





i right i said:


> What's on the way?


----------



## calipilot227

i right i said:


> It was the pic of the rasta chick you had as your photo.




That's what had me questioning, nothing to do with his writing style.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Harbeth HL5, Leben 300XS, Skylan stands, and a WTL Amadeus.


 

 HOLY!! Throw me in a lake and call me a duck, this is way into the high end!! Please take pics, please!!!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I feel bad, not sure how to ask this, but am I the only one who though Silent One was a she?


 
  Nooo.. He's a lady's man


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> He's not offending you. Look up patrick82 on headfi and google. His Body building posts still make me laugh


 
  Oh my god, I thought I was the only one who has stumbled upon his BB posts hahaha... got to love the expression of that pen13 looking cable picture he posted on the thread he was asking for help on gaining mass. hhahahaha


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The current (and very unfortunate) state of my gear at the moment. That is to say, NONE.
> 
> Waiting on delivery of my speakers, amp, and turntable. Oh, and speaker stands.
> 
> At least I can look at all my vinyl...


 
  Looks like your gear has an airy presentation...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> HOLY!! Throw me in a lake and call me a duck, this is way into the high end!! Please take pics, please!!!


 
  Planning on it. Just all has to come in first. Lol


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Looks like your gear has an airy presentation...


 

 Must be a Bose system


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's no music in my life, this is no time to joke. It's srs.
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Looks like your gear has an airy presentation...


----------



## Dillan




----------



## Dillan

Sorry room is kind of dark.  Headphone collection is above the monitor on a shelf.


----------



## Simcon

I feel there is something missing in the pictures of your stations and mancaves, there should also be a rating of your knobs . Hilarious stuff, someone feel like spicing your pictures up with a "knob review" ?
http://www.youtube.com/user/KnobFeel


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's no music in my life, this is no time to joke. It's srs.


 
  Hold in there bud
   

   
  They'll be worth it when they get there! And make sure even before you press play.. That you post pics!!


----------



## mmayer167

^ the picture will look better if they are playing music...


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





simcon said:


> I feel there is something missing in the pictures of your stations and mancaves, there should also be a rating of your knobs
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  What... what did I just watch? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  edit: although the Brennan one is funny...


----------



## Teddy Tc

armaegis said:


> What... what did I just watch?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Now I watched it, I blame you all.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The current (and very unfortunate) state of my gear at the moment. That is to say, NONE.
> 
> Waiting on delivery of my speakers, amp, and turntable. Oh, and speaker stands.
> 
> At least I can look at all my vinyl...


 
   
  I like the rack you put together; size of each compartment. A bit blurry-eyed at this writing but, is that a single ensemble or three smaller cabinets placed together? I'm going to need something for the second half of the year, as SoundStageDirect has offered to be my valet.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Pft. Pushing play first, you don't see the music otherwise. Duh.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Hold in there bud
> 
> They'll be worth it when they get there! And make sure even before you press play.. That you post pics!!


 
   
  It's 3 2x2 expedits (Ikea) smashed together. This is temporary as when I move the TV will be in a totally different part of the house, I think, and the audio stuff will be in the rack I made. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I like the rack you put together; size of each compartment. A bit blurry-eyed at this writing but, is that a single ensemble or three smaller cabinets placed together? I'm going to need something for the second half of the year, as SoundStageDirect has offered to be my valet.


 
   
  Got an update from my dealer today and it sounds like I might have another 2 damn weeks before it all gets here. This sucks. All these foreigners are killing my listening time.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Got an update from my dealer today and it sounds like I might have another 2 damn weeks before it all gets here. This sucks. All these foreigners are killing my listening time.


----------



## MorbidToaster

More like this...
   

   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


>


----------



## mmayer167

Hmmmm what's this from the mail man today!? I haven't even pressed play yet LB!! lolz  

 I must say this little brick turned out as perfect as I'd hoped it was going to size and form wise. It's going to be my travel from home and work rig, and totally portable when I need to run the ipod. I'll post a yay or nay on the sound later, and maybe link to a review when i've had plenty of time with it. 
   
  Cheers!
   
  ~M


----------



## wolfetan44

Got some new tea to enjoy whilst listening to music! Yes, the best $30 I've spent in a while. And yes, I consider this part of my Head-Fi station since I drink it at night while relaxing with music.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Great way to spend money. I had some great green today myself with some valentines day sushi. 
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Got some new tea to enjoy whilst listening to music! Yes, the best $30 I've spent in a while. And yes, I consider this part of my Head-Fi station since I drink it at night while relaxing with music.


----------



## wolfetan44

Yes, I love tea


----------



## GrindingThud

Nice selection, where did you get it? My stock is running low. 


wolfetan44 said:


> Got some new tea to enjoy whilst listening to music! Yes, the best $30 I've spent in a while. And yes, I consider this part of my Head-Fi station since I drink it at night while relaxing with music.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There's no music in my life, this is no time to joke. It's srs.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Sorry MT....You have really run the gamut lately. I know you will be a happy camper with the Harbeth's the the Leben. 
   
  I finally got home with the HD800's. Here is the new family photo...


----------



## wolfetan44

http://www.dellaterrateas.com/custom-try-me-pack/ 
  Got 3 of them. Really great for me. Been trying to explore


----------



## MorbidToaster

I like the jack in front on the Decware a lot more than the top mounted ones.


----------



## Maxvla

And the plain sides instead of the crown molding.


----------



## V-Duh

Does the jack in the front make changing the wood base more difficult?  It appears when top mounted you just lift the amp out from the base real easy-like.  Although, the front jack may actually be behind the wood so it doesn't affect anything.  Can't tell from photos...


----------



## GrindingThud

Thanks.. I've had wonderful service from this small tea shop and they have an amazing selection: http://www.teatrader.com/


wolfetan44 said:


> http://www.dellaterrateas.com/custom-try-me-pack/
> Got 3 of them. Really great for me. Been trying to explore


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Thanks.. I've had wonderful service from this small tea shop and they have an amazing selection: http://www.teatrader.com/  Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll keep them in mind for my next tea purchase. Won't be for a while though


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Yes, I love tea


 
  My Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls just dropped three hours ago...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## I right I

I thought I was the only tea drinker here! Awesome!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I like the jack in front on the Decware a lot more than the top mounted ones.


 
   
   Definitely a better choice for me.
   
  Quote:


maxvla said:


> And the plain sides instead of the crown molding.


 
   
  I love the simple look of clean Maple.
   
  Quote: 





v-duh said:


> Does the jack in the front make changing the wood base more difficult?  It appears when top mounted you just lift the amp out from the base real easy-like.  Although, the front jack may actually be behind the wood so it doesn't affect anything.  Can't tell from photos...


 
   
  You would have to have them cut the new base with the same hole for the jack. Otherwise It is almost as simple as a normal drop in.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





i right i said:


> I thought I was the only tea drinker here! Awesome!


 
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/205270/tea-fi


----------



## Grevlin

silent one said:


> My Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls just dropped three hours ago...




Groovy

But maybe keep that a little more quiet...the man is always listening.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Absolutely. It's my wood of choice. It's a shame I couldn't get my Harbeths and Leben in Maple. 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I love the simple look of clean Maple.


----------



## SIDWULF

Quote: 





simcon said:


> I feel there is something missing in the pictures of your stations and mancaves, there should also be a rating of your knobs
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That was awesome. haha subscribed.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Absolutely. It's my wood of choice. It's a shame I couldn't get my Harbeths and Leben in Maple.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  I am eyeing the new Taboo Mk III in Maple.....


----------



## MorbidToaster

Do it. That black plate with a Maple base will be _sexy. _
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I am eyeing the new Taboo Mk III in Maple.....


----------



## Silent One

Recently, I posted a photograph of a $1,400 table sitting on top of a $14 stand. Absurd, right? I enjoyed sharing a laugh with some of you over this. In fact, during the shoot, I laughed so hard I'm surprised I didn't achieve a strobe effect with my pix. But, you know what they say, the devil 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 is in the details. 
   
  This isn't as absurd as one might think. Let's take a closer look, shall we?
   




   
The music hall mmf-7.1 turntable is a two speed belt driven audiophile turntable employing the unique dual-plinth construction originated by music hall. The distinctive design isolates the critical sound reproducing components; platter, main bearing, tonearm, and cartridge on the top platform from the adjustable tip toe feet which are mounted on the bottom platform.  Sorbothane hemispheres separate the two platforms and provide additional vibration damping. The motor, switch, and wiring are completely decoupled from the turntable and isolated on their own vibration damping puck.




   
From a listening perspective, the temporary TV stand poses no ill effects. Listening to the table on the audio rack and my desk prior, confirms this.


----------



## MorbidToaster

So you're saying that there's no need to isolation platforms, then? HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?
   
  I plan to get one for my new Amadeus just as a 'piece of mind' kind of thing. Then again, speaker systems are a different beast.


----------



## Silent One

No, the two key things being said by both me and the manufacturer is: It has a built-in isolation platform/with other isolation tweaks for components; the surface it rests on is still important but as placed, I am not encountering any problems. 
   
  I'm patiently waiting with you - can't wait for you to get your stuff! What kind of iso treatment will you use for the table?


----------



## Pudu

All I can say is that I hope you still have the plastic cover for the Music Hall ... you know so you can still eat your dinner without getting pot noodle stuck in the drive belt.





longbowbbs said:


> I finally got home with the HD800's. Here is the new family photo...
> 
> 
> Spoiler




Excellent use of a Macbook. 

I bet that sounds brilliant. Very nice.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Probably a Mapleshade Isoblock 4" platform. Simple, looks nice, and WTL recommends a platform, so I may as well get one. Might get one for the Leben later on purely for looks just so they match height wise. 
   
  I'll probably put them on the Expedits the way they are now and get the maple Expedits when we move so it all goes together well. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> No, the two key things being said by both me and the manufacturer is: It has a built-in isolation platform/with other isolation tweaks for components; the surface it rests on is still important but as placed, I am not encountering any problems.
> 
> I'm patiently waiting with you - can't wait for you to get your stuff! What kind of iso treatment will you use for the table?


----------



## Silent One

No 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




eating allowed in either the listening room or reserved book room. Drinks, on the other hand...


----------



## Pudu

Right cuz there's far less risk of damage from some misplaced carménère.


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Got some new tea to enjoy whilst listening to music! Yes, the best $30 I've spent in a while. And yes, I consider this part of my Head-Fi station since I drink it at night while relaxing with music.
 
  I also like to enjoy herbs that come in platic bags while listening to music, but its not tea


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> I also like to enjoy herbs that come in platic bags while listening to music, but its not tea


 
   
  +1


----------



## Magicman74

+2  LOL!!!


----------



## PleasantNoise

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> I also like to enjoy herbs that come in platic bags while listening to music, but its not tea


 
  Wow... weed innuendos, hilarious.


----------



## Magicman74

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Got some new tea to enjoy whilst listening to music! Yes, the best $30 I've spent in a while. And yes, I consider this part of my Head-Fi station since I drink it at night while relaxing with music.
 

 Looks like a bunch of:


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





pleasantnoise said:


> Wow... weed innuendos, hilarious.


 
  Yeah, I haven't seen something this cleaver since the forth grade......Kids these days man.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well I mean...you _can_ make tea with it...


----------



## I right I

pleasantnoise said:


> Wow... weed innuendos, hilarious.




Oh, that's what they meant? I thought they were talking about those premade salads at Trader Joe's! I was WAY off! I'll go eat some peyote buttons now... See you in three days. Ciao


----------



## bfreedma

Quote: 





magicman74 said:


> Looks like a bunch of:


 
   
  Nice! - wonder how many got the reference.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





bruinanteater said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## BruinAnteater

Quote: 





magicman74 said:


> Looks like a bunch of:


 
  Hehehehe!


----------



## I right I

Lets do pics of tea-brewing rigs!


----------



## Ultrainferno

I've had about as much "tea" related posts as I can take. This is a picture thread for gear, remember?


----------



## MorbidToaster

There's a Tea-Fi thread for the rest. 
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I've had about as much "tea" related posts as I can take. This is a picture thread for gear, remember?


----------



## wolfetan44

Sorry bout that guys.


----------



## Pudu

Agreed.

It says " No *old *pictures please" not No pictures please".


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I just ordered an E7, can't wait till it ships.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Sorry bout that guys.


 
  You should be...This thread should be steeped in pics...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mmayer167

haha I was wondering where the tea fi was going to stop  I too am a fan of good tea. The dragonwell from Jing is particularily nice!
   
  And back on track with an action shot from work. Today is a good day with new gear at work  
   
  Cheers, 
   
  ~M


----------



## wolfetan44

What pads on the Fostex and what cable?


----------



## Armaegis

Kinda looks like a V-Moda cable. Not sure about the pads though.


----------



## mmayer167

HM5 pads and a vmoda cable. I wish the cable wasn't purple but it's all vmoda had in stock when I got it. I may get a grey one, but i hardly notice the purple anymore... Best cable i've encountered for the t50


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> More like this...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Sorry MT....You have really run the gamut lately. I know you will be a happy camper with the Harbeth's the the Leben.
> 
> I finally got home with the HD800's. Here is the new family photo...


 
  Great stuff. I'm now officially jealous of your set up :/
   
  How are you adjusting to the them in comparison to your 650's? Are they a revelation?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Soundstage....WWWWWIIIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEE......My 650's with the Toxic's are great. These are another level. Micro detail is superior. I am hearing small things I have never heard before. 
   
  I will probably never sell the 650's. Different presentation, but I feel like I have made the big time.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Soundstage....WWWWWIIIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEE......My 650's with the Toxic's are great. These are another level. Micro detail is superior. I am hearing small things I have never heard before.
> 
> I will probably never sell the 650's. Different presentation, but I feel like I have made the big time.


 
God Good stuff!!
   
  Yeah, I will own a pair one day. But for now I'll just have to listen to my pretend HD800's... The K701's. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I think that most people who love the 650's (including myself) its hard to break away, even with something that is clearly superior. Maybe build a little cosy bedside rig for your retired 650's? you know, just so they don't feel too old and useless


----------



## nassq8

Denon D7000 (my favorite) top on the NFB-15.32 amp, HE-500 and K702 Anni in the background. Nice combo to capture all sound flavors.


----------



## Silent One

I'm still trying to get acquainted with my new HD650's. Was hesitant to get 'em dolled-up. Maybe I should leave them sit out and become Toxic.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I'm still trying to get acquainted with my new HD650's. Was hesitant to get 'em dolled-up. Maybe I should leave them sit out and become Toxic.


 
  mmm... blank/black avatar, not a good sign. Toxic's great, but you got quite a wait..
   
  My love for the 650's didn't really unfold until I tried them with a hybrid amp. They benefit from SS speed and tube soundstage. This affected them much more than any cable I tried.


----------



## I right I

ultrainferno said:


> I've had about as much "tea" related posts as I can take. This is a picture thread for gear, remember?


I was being sarcastic


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





a good sign? Waiting in the dark can be fantastique! Like, when I meditate for example...
   
  Good to see his business increase. By the time I save up, he should be ready for me.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Not
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Haaa.. Thats ok then. Nice to see someone else who meditates round here   Empty your mind for half n hour then put your 650's back on. They'll sound effing marvelous!  
   
  Yeah, Toxic is enjoying a well derserved flurrish of orders. He's the man.


----------



## Loevhagen

Current setup. It´s a mess p.t. while assessing the permutations, including the "keepers" and "leavers".


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current setup. It´s a mess p.t. while assessing the permutations, including the "keepers" and "leavers".


 
   
  Looks like you have a Project Sunrise in there?? How do you like it?


----------



## samandhi

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> haha I was wondering where the tea fi was going to stop  I too am a fan of good tea. The dragonwell from Jing is particularily nice!
> 
> And back on track with an action shot from work. Today is a good day with new gear at work
> 
> ...


 
   
   
    There is a lego dude trapped in your desktop rig... =P


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current setup. It´s a mess p.t. while assessing the permutations, including the "keepers" and "leavers".


 
  Blo0dy hell. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm guessing your gonna keep that litttle one on top for your hifimans, the Violectric will stay for your LCD's. Possibly the Burson for your Fostex.
   
  The rest of the Schitt will have to go 
   
  I'll take the Nad off your hands.


----------



## Loevhagen

@ devhen: It is indeed a PSii (using Siemens 1974tube). Input Caps are active (I know - they should have been bypassed, but I am a safety freak - like to have a buffer from DC spikes). The PSii must be one of the most understated amps ever. 
   
  @ LugBug1: Your are 50% right.  HiFiMAN HE-6 is the first item to be a "leaver" - after using 5 speaker amps and quite some headphone amps to make it shine. The HE-6 didn´t suit my taste. Tried it for 1 year+ but had to leave.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> @ devhen: It is indeed a PSii (using Siemens 1974tube). Input Caps are active (I know - they should have been bypassed, but I am a safety freak - like to have a buffer from DC spikes). The PSii must be one of the most understated amps ever.
> 
> @ LugBug1: Your are 50% right.  HiFiMAN HE-6 is the first item to be a "leaver" - after using 5 speaker amps and quite some headphone amps to make it shine. The HE-6 didn´t suit my taste. Tried it for 1 year+ but had to leave.


 
  Is the Fostex new?
   
  50% right..mmm.. Ok then, the Schitt will be going because I know you've had that a while, and we all know newer stuff is better right? Violectric staying, Nad staying, Fostex staying. Burson going.


----------



## Loevhagen

I get the impression that you think I buy & sell all the time. I actually not selling. Well; the HE-6 had to leave the house. 
   
  The Fostex is 4 weeks "old".


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I get the impression that you think I buy & sell all the time. I actually not selling. Well; the HE-6 had to leave the house.
> 
> The Fostex is 4 weeks "old".


 
  Nooo not at all, thought you were aluding to a 'who staying, whos going' with your pic... nevermind  
   
  Yeah can't see me ever getting the HE-6's. I like an easy life...


----------



## Loevhagen

The HE-6 was a rough ride for over a year. Glad to have transformed them to cash.


----------



## DefQon

Not bad mid-high fi stack there Loevhagen


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





samandhi said:


> There is a lego dude trapped in your desktop rig... =P


 
  Most people get a kick out of it at the office  non computer people are like "wait, howd he get in there!?" lol mouthbreathers...


----------



## samandhi

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Most people get a kick out of it at the office  non computer people are like *"wait, howd he get in there!?"* lol mouthbreathers...


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> Most people get a kick out of it at the office  non computer people are like "wait, howd he get in there!?" lol mouthbreathers...


 
   
  "What...like you open up the box, case, thingy?!"
   
   





   
  ...normal people - crack me up.


----------



## Modular

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



 
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Current setup. It´s a mess p.t. while assessing the permutations, including the "keepers" and "leavers".


 
   
   


   
   
  Absolutely fantastic to see another Project Sunrise 2 out there. This amp is fantastic and deserves way more attention than it gets. Love mine and it was a blast to build.


----------



## devhen

Either of you guys know much about Project Horizon?
   
  How does your Project Sunrise do with lower impedance cans?


----------



## Modular

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Either of you guys know much about Project Horizon?
> 
> How does your Project Sunrise do with lower impedance cans?


 
   


 I don't have any first-hand experience with Horizon. From what I've read, it's basically a higher power version of the Sunrise.
   
  My Sunrise drives my 64ohm Somic and 32 Ohm Samson's very well. I have it set at the 5ohm output level to give greater control of the bass and bypass the output caps (for now). I don't quite understand why they even put the 68ohm output option on the amp, since it seems way to high for even 300 ohm drivers (the highest recommended for Sunrise) but hey, I don't design these things. I just enjoy them!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I think the 650's will be the new "On the road" HP's. I will still listen to them as much as I do now....Not exactly tough duty..


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





nassq8 said:


> Denon D7000 (my favorite) top on the NFB-15.32 amp, HE-500 and K702 Anni in the background. Nice combo to capture all sound flavors.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Nice set up nassq8! WHat cable are you using on  the Denon's?


----------



## keph

New Toy !!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   

   
   

   
   

   
  Sorry for crappy pics, SLR missing donno where...


----------



## Maxvla

SLR?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> SLR?


----------



## _nomad

Single lens reflex camera


----------



## Maxvla

Yeah, he said XLR the first time. Audio on the brain.


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





keph said:


> New Toy !!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Very nice!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





keph said:


> New Toy !!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Welcome back, keph! Good to hear the SLR wasn't part of the deal...


----------



## mmayer167

mmmmmm, pretty Leben


----------



## mmayer167

Damn, I would get put on the next page right after I post the looking up emoticon... leaving it...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Kept, when did you order your 300XS? Or did you buy used? I've been waiting around a month on my new 300XS.


----------



## parbaked

Keph is in China so his situation might not be relevant to US. It also depends if you will settle for a 100V Japan model or are willing to wait for a 120V US model (or 220V for China), which is what I assume you are doing.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Sick new turntable.
   

  No, I am not joking right now.


----------



## mmayer167

That was the first amp I ever bought for headphones! Your post reminds me of the picture from back in the day of the hd201 plugged into a redwine setup. #roughingit at the casa 'de MT.


----------



## Maxvla

Now that... that is a high end rig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't worry, I posted it in the 'High End System' thread, too.
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Now that... that is a high end rig.


----------



## anoxy

What kinda turntable is that? And how much do I have to pay for one?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well Tempered Labs Amadeus...and a little under $3k.
   
  Quote: 





anoxy said:


> What kinda turntable is that? And how much do I have to pay for one?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Sick new turntable.
> 
> 
> No, I am not joking right now.


 
   
  Didn't like your old Rega ones?
   
  LOL the unforgettable E5, still have one somewhere.....should make a thread and say that you sold the Stax gear just for the Philips + E5...lol @ the reactions....


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well Tempered Labs Amadeus...and a little under $3k.


 
  Well **** me sideways


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Now that... that is a high end rig.


 
  Maybe in Colorado at 10,000 ft!...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Hey at least MT can spin some vinyl on the awesome TT.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Well **** me sideways


 
  Classic reaction...lol


----------



## MorbidToaster

Never owned a Rega. Was considering the RP8 when I was looking at new ones but the Amadeus was just too nice to pass up.
   
  The worst part is that the Downtowns have something wrong with the inline volume control as well, so they're not even proper. lol
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Didn't like your old Rega ones?
> 
> LOL the unforgettable E5, still have one somewhere.....should make a thread and say that you sold the Stax gear just for the Philips + E5...lol @ the reactions....


 
   
  While that is true I'm basically just making sure I don't need to return any of these recent LP purchases due to pressing defects. 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Maybe in Colorado at 10,000 ft!...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Haha. The golf ball and fishing line is a bit deceptive, but when you see one in person you understand. It's really a stunning piece of kit. I picked it because cueing something up on it is a friggin' dream compared to any other hollow arm table I used.
   
  Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Well **** me sideways


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Never owned a Rega. Was considering the RP8 when I was looking at new ones but the Amadeus was just too nice to pass up.


 
   
  Wait..I thought your old one's were the Rega's......or am I just thinking you sold everything off including your turntable and then bought an Amadeus? Man I be trippin'...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I owned a PL-518 and a Scout. They're gone and the Amadeus remains.
   
  Though the RP1 is my favorite entry level recommendation though.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Wait..I thought your old one's were the Rega's......or am I just thinking you sold everything off including your turntable and then bought an Amadeus? Man I be trippin'...


----------



## Grevlin

morbidtoaster said:


> Well Tempered Labs Amadeus...and a little under $3k.




Wow - nice. 

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Music Hall MMF 2.2...my first turntable. 

I don't have $3K skills or ears yet- for turntables.


----------



## wolfetan44

Here it is!
  http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=70


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Sick new turntable.
> 
> 
> No, I am not joking right now.


 
  Very nice TT
   
  I also like the looks of those philips too haha. Seriously.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





tangster said:


> Very nice!


 
   
  Thanks..
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Welcome back, keph! Good to hear the SLR wasn't part of the deal...


 
   
  Hey SO..Long time no post been busy everyday i hope this new year not as busy as the last and i hope to hear my Leben everyday its amazing..
   
  Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> mmmmmm, pretty Leben


 
   
  Yes she is Pretty
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Kept, when did you order your 300XS? Or did you buy used? I've been waiting around a month on my new 300XS.


 
   
  I got my Leben second hand from Hong Kong, the owner has purchased a CS600 so the CS300 ran away from him to me...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (glad it didn't ran to you first)
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Keph is in China so his situation might not be relevant to US. It also depends if you will settle for a 100V Japan model or are willing to wait for a 120V US model (or 220V for China), which is what I assume you are doing.


 
   
  I got it Second hand... But there are a lot new CS300XS and other models here in China/Hong Kong...but yeah its 220V


----------



## davidk9205

Try to ignore the speakers 
  No music ever played through them.
  Headphones only, I promise!


----------



## autoteleology

>


 
   
  What camera model is that? It's a dead ringer for mine.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> While that is true I'm basically just making sure I don't need to return any of these recent LP purchases due to pressing defects.


 
  What cartridge are you using?


----------



## ardgedee

The view from the listening chair.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> What cartridge are you using?


 
  Dynavector 20X 1mv VPI special.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> The view from the listening chair.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sweet Mac!


----------



## Mad Dude

Once again my Squeezebox Touch needs to make way for the good old Compact Disc... The SBT is a great device but there's so much work involved in ripping and tagging everything properly, I'm getting a bit tired of it. The simplicity of small silver discs is rather appealing to me at this moment. And now I'm seriously contemplating adding a turntable to this setup - decisions, decisions...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

That's a GORGEOUS headphone stand Mad Dude!! I absolutely love the grain and how the coloring matches the amplifier. Nice rig man! and I, among MANY others (MT) will tell you that vinyl is love on a black platter.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well if you're going for easy a TT isn't the way to go, but it'd be great. 
   
  I miss my SA8004 now that I need a digital source of some sort again. Think I might just go universal though to play movies and stuff, too.
   
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Once again my Squeezebox Touch needs to make way for the good old Compact Disc... The SBT is a great device but there's so much work involved in ripping and tagging everything properly, I'm getting a bit tired of it. The simplicity of small silver discs is rather appealing to me at this moment. And now I'm seriously contemplating adding a t*urntable to this setup* - decisions, decisions...


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I absolutely love the grain and how the coloring matches the amplifier.


 
   
  Thanks! After buying the Mapletree amp I wish I'd gotten a Maple headphone stand rather than the Zebrano one I have, but it still fits nicely.
   
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well if you're going for easy a TT isn't the way to go, but it'd be great.


 
   
  That's my concern as well, although I'm somewhat more confident about fiddling with mechanical parts rather than bits and bytes, ha ha. Anyway, I'd love to be able to pick up obsucre old records I've never heard of at garage sales and play them on a turntable, so sooner or later I'll have to buy one I guess.


----------



## davidk9205

Canon 600d


----------



## Destroysall

mad dude said:


> Once again my Squeezebox Touch needs to make way for the good old Compact Disc... The SBT is a great device but there's so much work involved in ripping and tagging everything properly, I'm getting a bit tired of it. The simplicity of small silver discs is rather appealing to me at this moment. And now I'm seriously contemplating adding a turntable to this setup - decisions, decisions...



I agree. I've been purchasing CDs much more since I got a decent CDP. I want a turntable, but I need to get some loudspeakers first.


----------



## MorbidToaster

If you get a turntable you'll quickly become addicted to buying LPs. It's a disease. 
   
  I've found that LPs are the only things that can stop me from upgrading my system. You get paid and think 'Well I could get a new pair of cans...' then you think about how many records you could get...and you'll pick records every time. 
   
  I only have amy phono stage and PSU left to get before I plan on slowing down, but I keep buying vinyl... 
   
  Especially when you just start out. You'll go to a shop and say 'Oh man this is one of my favorite records I have to get it.'...Over and over. 
   
  CDs never had the same effect on me. 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I agree. I've been purchasing CDs much more since I got a decent CDP. I want a turntable, but I need to get some loudspeakers first.


----------



## Maxvla

@ MT

Oppo


----------



## StudioSound

mad dude said:


> Once again my Squeezebox Touch needs to make way for the good old Compact Disc... The SBT is a great device but there's so much work involved in ripping and tagging everything properly, I'm getting a bit tired of it. The simplicity of small silver discs is rather appealing to me at this moment. And now I'm seriously contemplating adding a turntable to this setup - decisions, decisions...


Buy dBpoweramp and rip to lossless, which means you will only ever need to rip once. dBpoweramp takes away a lot of the tagging hassles, and what I had to get into my head from the start was that it was more important to get the rip done, than mess with tagging files. Their "PerfectMeta" is good enough most of the time and you can make quick decisions with it before ripping if you want to. Editing metadata can be done at any stage, and dBpoweramp even makes renaming files and changing your folder structures relatively painless.

Once I forced myself to just let PerfectMeta do its work, rip the disc immediately upon insertion and automatically eject it when done, I was getting through my library considerably faster. You can spend as much time as you like with the files making changes later, but if you try to get your metadata "perfect" each time you put a disc in to rip it, you will be exhausted by the process 20 discs in. Instead if you just handle the job of swapping discs out, it will go by so much quicker.


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Sweeeeeet....MD......Cheers!!
   
   
  I hear ya...I love computer audio, iDevices...etc.... but there will always be something about just throwing a disc in and relaxing...
   
   
  Posted this in the Ultrasone thread....Brought out my Yamaha receiver yesterday and brought my CDPs up to make a small little nightstand tower of CD love...
   
  Cheers!!!


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> If you get a turntable you'll quickly become addicted to buying LPs. It's a disease.


 
   
   
  I can well believe that. It's bad enough with CDs, at least for me.
  That being said, I've already started aquiring some LPs, before having decided whether to get a turntable or not. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Buy dBpoweramp and rip to lossless, which means you will only ever need to rip once. dBpoweramp takes away a lot of the tagging hassles, and what I had to get into my head from the start was that it was more important to get the rip done, than mess with tagging files. Their "PerfectMeta" is good enough most of the time and you can make quick decisions with it before ripping if you want to. Editing metadata can be done at any stage, and dBpoweramp even makes renaming files and changing your folder structures relatively painless.
> 
> Once I forced myself to just let PerfectMeta do its work, rip the disc immediately upon insertion and automatically eject it when done, I was getting through my library considerably faster. You can spend as much time as you like with the files making changes later, but if you try to get your metadata "perfect" each time you put a disc in to rip it, you will be exhausted by the process 20 discs in. Instead if you just handle the job of swapping discs out, it will go by so much quicker.


 
   
  Thanks for the suggestion! However, I already have my entire library in FLAC (ripped with EAC) and tagged all files the same way. I wouldn't like to introduce another tagging scheme which may be different from what I'm using now. Tagging with EAC, and editing it with MP3Tag afterwards, works quite well for me but it takes time. I buy about 10 CDs each month, sometimes more, and sometimes I just don't want to go through all the business of ripping and tagging before I can listen to a new album. Regular single-disc albums of contemporary music is easy enough, but with albums with multiple discs things start to get complicated. Even worse is classical music, which requires a very special method of tagging for my music library.
   
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *HeatFan12*/img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> but there will always be something about just throwing a disc in and relaxing...


 
   
  That's exactly what I'm talking about...


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> *I hear ya...I love computer audio, iDevices...etc.... but there will always be something about just throwing a disc in and relaxing...*
> 
> 
> Posted this in the Ultrasone thread....Brought out my Yamaha receiver yesterday and brought my CDPs up to make a small little nightstand tower of CD love...
> ...


 
   
  Interesting - same thing is said for vinyl records. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  CD's seem to be getting the same nostalgia-boost.
   
  I'm suffering from both. I've been ordering CD's like crazy and I'm even building up a vinyl collection. (And I don't even have my first TT yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## DigitalFreak

Hope nobody minds to much me posting my ghetto-fi rig. After seeing the setups that MorbidToaster HeatFan12 and Destroyall are rocking to it's intimidating posting mine. Try not to laugh to hard boys it may be ghetto-fi compared to what others on here are packing but it still sounds awesome to my ears.
   

   
  On far right we have the CLAS -db aka Raven taking up all mobile and home DAC duties. Below her we have a Leckerton UHA-6S aka Eva with op amp OPA209AID rolled into her. Waiting in the wings we have a ALO RX MKII aka Itoru and a Leckerton UHA-4 aka Sally with op amp AD8610ARZ. From far left to right we have a Grado SR60i a Sennheiser HD25-ii-ii Adidas a V-Moda M-80 and finally the V-MODA M-100. Music management software is iTunes and below out of frame is a Acomdata 500GB external HD with all my music. As you can all see my head-fi station is highly approved by Mr Smiley so that must count for something.


----------



## TrollDragon

Wow... I really wouldn't classify $2K+ worth of portable units "Ghetto"...

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Hope nobody minds to much me posting my ghetto-fi rig. After seeing the setups that MorbidToaster HeatFan12 and Destroyall are rocking to it's intimidating posting mine. Try not to laugh to hard boys it may be ghetto-fi compared to what others on here are packing but it still sounds awesome to my ears.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Very nice D Freak......Schiiiiit if that's ghetto-fi...lol....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Making the most of my DAP...lol...That's ghetto-fi.....


----------



## DigitalFreak

Thanks guys but lets be honest I'm pretty small potatoes compared to some of the Summit-Fi stuff we run across on here. Next step is to concentrate more on home listening and upgrade my headphones. I have a Paradox coming in and towards the end of the year I'll probably take the plunge and get a flagship can to compliment it. This hobby really is a journey as well as friggin expensive.


----------



## bareyb

I guess this is as good a place to ask this as any....
   
  Would it be blasphemy to use my E17 portable amp as a Preamp for a larger Amp? I like having the Tone controls. I figured I could run the headphone "out" to the Amp "in". Would that be so wrong??? Seems like the E17 is pretty clean...


----------



## driver 8

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Thanks guys but lets be honest I'm pretty small potatoes compared to some of the Summit-Fi stuff we run across on here. Next step is to concentrate more on home listening and upgrade my headphones. I have a Paradox coming in and towards the end of the year I'll probably take the plunge and get a flagship can to compliment it. This hobby really is a journey as well as friggin expensive.


 
   
  What flagship were you thinking? 
   
  Also, you'll like the Paradox and it's pretty damn legit as both a portable and a home headphone (although I use it portably more).


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Sweet Mac!


 
   
  Thanks! Its sound feels totally at home to me. It has the best balance of grace and power and transparency that I've gotten out of a vintage receiver.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> What flagship were you thinking?
> 
> Also, you'll like the Paradox and it's pretty damn legit as both a portable and a home headphone (although I use it portably more).


 

 Not to sure yet. All I've read about Fostex's offering is appealing. I've also always been a Grado fan and Audeze an Hifiman impressed me when I had a chance to hear the LCD 2 and HE- 6. If I go Audeze or Hifiman it will probably be the LCD 2 rev2 or the HE500. I'm not convinced its worth investing an extra 1000 bones on the LCD 3 and the HE 6 is way to demanding to get the full 100% of its capabilities rig wise. I mulled over Sennheiser but I really don't think the HD800 would be my cup of tea. If you have any suggestions for me to research I'm all ears.


----------



## Armaegis

And from there you're just a stone's throw away from going Stax...


----------



## Maxvla

digitalfreak said:


> Not to sure yet. All I've read about Fostex's offering is appealing. I've also always been a Grado fan and Audeze an Hifiman impressed me when I had a chance to hear the LCD 2 and HE- 6. If I go Audeze or Hifiman it will probably be the LCD 2 rev2 or the HE500. I'm not convinced its worth investing an extra 1000 bones on the LCD 3 and the HE 6 is way to demanding to get the full 100% of its capabilities rig wise. I mulled over Sennheiser but I really don't think the HD800 would be my cup of tea. If you have any suggestions for me to research I'm all ears.



You should hear the HD800 somehow before you decide. They don't sound how a lot of people describe them (ear piercing treble monsters with zero bass), they actually have really hard hitting bass with good, proper volume and have some of the best detail short of high end stats.

I'll be working on my own comparison of the HD800 and LCD-2 soon.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> You should hear the HD800 somehow before you decide. They don't sound how a lot of people describe them (ear piercing treble monsters with zero bass), they actually have really hard hitting bass with good, proper volume and have some of the best detail short of high end stats.
> 
> I'll be working on my own comparison of the HD800 and LCD-2 soon.


 

 I can vouch for this statement. I got to demo the HD800 for a good amount of time and they are really fabulous. The amount of detail was amazing. I did feel they were a tad source reliant, but even through the headphone amp of the FiiO E10, they were amazing!


----------



## wes008

DigitalFreak very nice stuff! I think Ghetto-fi would be a series of sloppy DIY projects and unbranded Chinese gear bought off of eBay


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> You should hear the HD800 somehow before you decide. They don't sound how a lot of people describe them (ear piercing treble monsters with zero bass), they actually have really hard hitting bass with good, proper volume and have some of the best detail short of high end stats.
> 
> I'll be working on my own comparison of the HD800 and LCD-2 soon.


 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I can vouch for this statement. I got to demo the HD800 for a good amount of time and they are really fabulous. The amount of detail was amazing. I did feel they were a tad source reliant, but even through the headphone amp of the FiiO E10, they were amazing!


 


 The HD800's bass in a word is "unremarkable" and I mean that in a good way. The HD600 for example has really nice bass when your pads are new, the nit starts to get it deeper which is usually nice, then at some point it just bloats. It's not totally inarticulate but it's noticeably less nimble. On the opposite side of the spectrum I've heard cans like ATs and AKG's K70x cans on some amps and sources where the percussion sounds "hollow" - it was loud enough to be audible but the notes just lacked the deeper frequencies. It was like putting a mic near the drum then slapping it mildly with your hand vs just hitting it hard with the sticks - they can be perceived to be the same loudness but they just don't sound the same.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> but even through the headphone amp of the FiiO E10, they were amazing!


 
  o_O I actually have heard of someone driving them off of their iPod... that or the HD 650. Either way, it's possible, just not ideal. I am still on the side of having sufficient amps and sources before upgrading cans though. Not to say what you did was bad, I'd rather hear them off an E10 than not hear them at all.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> DigitalFreak very nice stuff! I think Ghetto-fi would be a series of sloppy DIY projects and unbranded Chinese gear bought off of eBay


 
  Thanks man you're very kind.
   
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> And from there you're just a stone's throw away from going Stax...


 
  Shhhhhh you Hifiman HE6 owner. You're just as bad a influence on me as head-fi. By the way how did the party go? A good time was had by all I trust.
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> You should hear the HD800 somehow before you decide. They don't sound how a lot of people describe them (ear piercing treble monsters with zero bass), they actually have really hard hitting bass with good, proper volume and have some of the best detail short of high end stats.
> 
> I'll be working on my own comparison of the HD800 and LCD-2 soon.


 
  I'm sure it's a great can it's just so many people have commented it sounds it's best depending on source. The truth is my gear won't do the job. Unless I'm willing to further invest in gear such as Bryston, Schiit, PSAudio, Eddie Current, Antelope Audio etc that can won't shine to it's true potential. Down the road I can see it happening and I would love to hear for myself what the fuss is about but for now it's not in the cards. The other stuff I've named from my research don't seem to source finicky and seem easy enough to drive. Once you get your review up please do message me I would love to read your comparisons.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> o_O I actually have heard of someone driving them off of their iPod... that or the HD 650. Either way, it's possible, just not ideal. I am still on the side of having sufficient amps and sources before upgrading cans though. Not to say what you did was bad, I'd rather hear them off an E10 than not hear them at all.


 

 I've heard the HD800 through many more amplifiers other than the E10, including the Leben CS300X. The E10 may not be an "ideal" pairing, but it didn't demonstrate any large faults. I find the headphone amplifier of the E10 to be very neutral in addition to the given warmth of the DAC portion of the unit. Paired with the HD800, I found it made for a nice listening experience.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Shhhhhh you Hifiman HE6 owner. You're just as bad a influence on me as head-fi. By the way how did the party go? A good time was had by all I trust.


 
   
  I think my heart may have skipped a beat when I took a bite of the homemade marshmallows and caramel... because I thought about it: I was eating maple syrup whipped with gelatin and icing sugar, dipped into sugar dissolved in corn syrup, butter and cream.


----------



## Uber_Roxxorz

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> My first rig:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I almost completely missed that Purdue University seal. Go Boilers!


----------



## I right I

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> That's a GORGEOUS headphone stand Mad Dude!! I absolutely love the grain and how the coloring matches the amplifier. Nice rig man! and I, among MANY others (MT) will tell you that vinyl is love on a black platter.




I'm curious about this. What about vinyl is so appealing? I have not heard enough high-end TTs to make a blanket statement but the TTs I have heard lacked any real bass extension. Is that normal?


----------



## sonance

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Once again my Squeezebox Touch needs to make way for the good old Compact Disc... The SBT is a great device but there's so much work involved in ripping and tagging everything properly, I'm getting a bit tired of it. The simplicity of small silver discs is rather appealing to me at this moment. And now I'm seriously contemplating adding a turntable to this setup - decisions, decisions...


 
  Quite curious - which headphone stand is that?


----------



## Pudu

Is it this one?


It looks lovely ... especially with your amp.


I moved the woo to TDY abroad (all the way to the computer room) for the purpose of accessing the new boy.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





i right i said:


> I'm curious about this. *What about vinyl is so appealing?* I have not heard enough high-end TTs to make a blanket statement but the TTs I have heard lacked any real bass extension. Is that normal?


 

 i'm sure it's different for everybody, but the appeal of vinyl for me is in the ritual:
   
  ...pulling the cardboard album out from the shelf and and appreciating the cover art, holding the organic sleeve in your hands, carefully sliding out the vinyl and clasping it by the edges, placing it on the platter and meticulously removing dust or other particles, setting the stylus down with the gentleness of your fingertip, and feeling the music as if one was lounging in a small nightclub...
   
  when i listen to digital music, i tend to shuffle between artists every five songs or so. with vinyl, I always listen to the entire album front to back - it becomes more of an experience. vinyl listening rarely becomes background music to me, but garners my full attention. the warmth and small imperfections of my vinyl add to this overall experience when listening through speakers; but become a hinderance to getting lost in the music when headphone listening. therefore, i only listen to vinyl through speakers.


----------



## IcedTea

Its been awhile since I've last posted in this thread. Before it was just the Dt880s paired with the Valhalla  
   
   

  Fell in love with these phones after a head fi meet last year. Sold my DT880s when I realized all of my listening were with the Senns
   

  My Bifrost had a REALLY bright white LED. So I did what I could think of as a solution
  >.< 

  Wanted to give Orthos a try. I mainly use the HE-400 for electronic music or when I'm in the mood for really bassy songs. Maybe one day in the future I'll be able to get some LCD-2  
   
   

  I still have the Vahalla, its just sitting in its box however :/
   
  I need to set up another rig to use it with my HD650s lol


----------



## calipilot227

bee inthe attic said:


> i'm sure it's different for everybody, but the appeal of vinyl for me is in the ritual:
> 
> ...pulling the cardboard album out from the shelf and and appreciating the cover art, holding the organic sleeve in your hands, carefully sliding out the vinyl and clasping it by the edges, placing it on the platter and meticulously removing dust or other particles, setting the stylus down with the gentleness of your fingertip, and feeling the music as if one was lounging in a small nightclub...
> 
> when i listen to digital music, i tend to shuffle between artists every five songs or so. with vinyl, I always listen to the entire album front to back - it becomes more of an experience. vinyl listening rarely becomes background music to me, but garners my full attention. the warmth and small imperfections of my vinyl add to this overall experience when listening through speakers; but become a hinderance to getting lost in the music when headphone listening. therefore, i only listen to vinyl through speakers.




This. Although I quite enjoy vinyl through headphones as well.

Also, lack of bass could be a particular cartridge, a mismatch between the cart and tonearm mass (low-compliance MC on a light arm, for instance), or improperly adjusted VTA.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





icedtea said:


>


 
   
   
  very nice! 2 of the very best headphones in that price range!


----------



## IcedTea

What do you think the next step should be Dub girl?


----------



## haquocdung

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> What do you think the next step should be Dub girl?


 
  We own the same collection, and I wish I can do a fusion of both can to make it LCD2.2


----------



## IcedTea

They'll become the HDE1050?


----------



## Pudu

Actually *HED 1050* isn't half bad for a headphone name... (okay, it's all bad).


----------



## ALSO

In any price range!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  If it is a decent cartridge then VTA is a definite first thing to explore.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





i right i said:


> I'm curious about this. What about vinyl is so appealing? I have not heard enough high-end TTs to make a blanket statement but the TTs I have heard lacked any real bass extension. Is that normal?


 
   
  It doesn't take a particularly high-end turntable to get solid bass extension.  It's also not hard to screw something up in the chain to where you lose out on said bass extension.  A mismatch between cartridge and tonearm, the wrong mat for your table, poor isolation, or a slight misalignment here or there could all potentially reduce bass extension.  However, if you get everything set up properly on a TT that can track properly, you can always try out the Telarc recording of 1812 overture.  The 5Hz cannon blasts are definitely there (they'll also potentially blow out the drivers on your speakers/headphones if you're not extremely careful).


----------



## MorbidToaster

Big part of it, but I found my 2k TT rig blew my 6k digital one out of the water. Most likely due to superior mastering on the LP cuts of most records.
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> i'm sure it's different for everybody, but the appeal of vinyl for me is in the ritual:
> 
> ...pulling the cardboard album out from the shelf and and appreciating the cover art, holding the organic sleeve in your hands, carefully sliding out the vinyl and clasping it by the edges, placing it on the platter and meticulously removing dust or other particles, setting the stylus down with the gentleness of your fingertip, and feeling the music as if one was lounging in a small nightclub...
> 
> when i listen to digital music, i tend to shuffle between artists every five songs or so. with vinyl, I always listen to the entire album front to back - it becomes more of an experience. vinyl listening rarely becomes background music to me, but garners my full attention. the warmth and small imperfections of my vinyl add to this overall experience when listening through speakers; but become a hinderance to getting lost in the music when headphone listening. therefore, i only listen to vinyl through speakers.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





i right i said:


> I'm curious about this. What about vinyl is so appealing? I have not heard enough high-end TTs to make a blanket statement but the TTs I have heard lacked any real bass extension. Is that normal?


 
   
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> when i listen to digital music, i *tend to shuffle between artists every five songs or so*. with vinyl, I always listen to the entire album front to back - it becomes more of an experience. vinyl listening rarely becomes background music to me, but garners my full attention. the warmth and small imperfections of my vinyl add to this overall experience when listening through speakers; but become a hinderance to getting lost in the music when headphone listening. therefore, i only listen to vinyl through speakers.


 
   
  This. I have exactly the same issue with digital players - it's just too simple to switch between tracks and albums. I tend to listen to a couple of favourite tracks on a certain album, then switch to the next one - even though I know that I'd get more enjoyment of exploring full albums, sometimes discovering songs that I didn't like at first but which grow after repeated listenings. It's better with CDs, but it's still rather simple to skip tracks. That's why I'm looking forward to a turntable setup - since you virtually can't skip between tracks and switching between records is a lot more laborious when compared to digital sources, one tends to listen to full albums (or sides, correctly speaking) rather than single tracks.
  Other than that, I like the possibility of picking up large quantities of records dirt cheap. There are still lots of people selling their old LP collections, so there are plenty of bargains to be found.
  Of course there also are people who maintain that vinyl sounds better than digital media, but to be honest I think that's mostly nonsense. While there surely are some LPs that are mastered better than their CD counterparts, I wouldn't go for vinyl for sound quality alone. Especially not when playing old, scratched records you've picked up for $1 at some garage sale, ha ha.
   
   
  Quote: 





pudu said:


> Is it this one?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
   
  That's the one, and thanks!


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Big part of it, but I found my 2k TT rig blew my 6k digital one out of the water. Most likely due to superior mastering on the LP cuts of most records.


 
  That's probably where most of the improvement comes from.  Mastering on most vinyl is usually better than the cd or digital counterparts.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I have that one in the archives! Awesome LP.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I have that one in the archives! Awesome LP.


 

  On a couple setups I've had, the cannon blasts will throw the needle straight out of the groove.  I played in through my dad's B&W matrix 803's, and the blast was fully extending the drivers (the rest of the track was probably sitting around 70-75dB).  It's certainly my reference for a TT setup's tracking ability.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  My problem with recommending that album is that one must be vewy, vewy caweful with it.  One can blow drivers, maybe even amps and possibly damage the stylus.  I've never been tempted for those reasons.  A good set up disc with the appropriate tools would be a better choice, IMHO.


----------



## dlalfjf1234

I have to say, i really like my denon ah-d 7100


----------



## parbaked

Brought my Rega P2 with Benz Micro Silver cartridge out to play.
  Using a David Manley VTL Maximal Preamp's phono section  (2 x 12AX7A triodes) into my MAD HD Super 2.
  Sounds superb. May put the CD player away for a while...


----------



## calipilot227

Is that an acrylic platter on your P2?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Brought my Rega P2 with Benz Micro Silver cartridge out to play.
> Using a David Manley VTL Maximal Preamp's phono section  (2 x 12AX7A triodes) into my MAD HD Super 2.
> Sounds superb. May put the CD player away for a while...


 
   
  I don't trust this shot......at all! This pix is endangering me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 to skip a Monday night movie with a friend. A beautiful shot I might add, parbaked!


----------



## parbaked

It's the original mdf platter. I wouldn't get acrylic for this table but maybe glass.
  For now the stock plater is working...


----------



## parbaked

That Benz cartridge should be named "Chrome", not "Silver". It's bling.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> It's the original mdf platter. I wouldn't get acrylic for this table but maybe glass.
> For now the stock plater is working...


 
   
  That's interesting. The platter mine came with was MDF, but the edge was beveled and it was painted the same color as the table. Different production run, maybe? Mine was from around 2008. I've since upgraded to the glass platter, and it brought a surprisingly noticeable improvement, notably in clarity and timing. I mostly bought it for asthetics, but I was happy to have it improve the sound.
   
  The price, unfortunately seems to have increased in the last few years. I remember reading of a time when they were $75 brand new from Rega. I bought mine used for $90 shipped on eBay, but Needledoctor is asking $135 for the brand new ones. Go figure.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> What do you think the next step should be Dub girl?


 
   
  LCD-2 and HE-500.
   
  I haven't heard the HE-500 yet though, but im putting my D7ks up for sale soon to buy them! 
   
  and as far as the LCD-2 go, I feel they're the high-end version of the HD- 650s, they sound so similar! But then i hear that the HE-500 sound similar to the HD 650 as well lol


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> That's interesting. The platter mine came with was MDF, but the edge was beveled and it was painted the same color as the table. Different production run, maybe? Mine was from around 2008. I've since upgraded to the glass platter, and it brought a surprisingly noticeable improvement, notably in clarity and timing. I mostly bought it for asthetics, but I was happy to have it improve the sound.
> 
> The price, unfortunately seems to have increased in the last few years. I remember reading of a time when they were $75 brand new from Rega. I bought mine used for $90 shipped on eBay, but Needledoctor is asking $135 for the brand new ones. Go figure.


 
  I bought the P2 in '05. I'd like to get a glass platter if I find an original for <$100. I did try the new resin platter from an RP1 but preferred the MDF. The MDF is actually a pretty solid platform. I think the key is the exterior laminate.


----------



## parbaked

new old toy came today.
  HPA-2 with PS-1 power supply:
   

  Vinyl for now but still trying to figure out what she should play with...


----------



## RespectheSQ

parbaked said:


> Brought my Rega P2 with Benz Micro Silver cartridge out to play.
> Using a David Manley VTL Maximal Preamp's phono section  (2 x 12AX7A triodes) into my MAD HD Super 2.
> Sounds superb. May put the CD player away for a while...
> 
> ...


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





respecthesq said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Slippery....like butter...


----------



## AsianBatman

You didn't happen to purchase that fine thing on Ebay did you? 
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> new old toy came today.
> HPA-2 with PS-1 power supply:
> 
> 
> Vinyl for now but still trying to figure out what she should play with...


----------



## attilahun

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> new old toy came today.
> HPA-2 with PS-1 power supply:
> 
> 
> Vinyl for now but still trying to figure out what she should play with...


 
  Outstanding purchase!!


----------



## TooPoor

Just received two new toys in the mail....
   

   
  Ignore the cheap cab (although decent at its price point me thinks). Meridian is the temp DAC off screen. Time for burn in!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





toopoor said:


>


 
  You enjoy you're evening!


----------



## TooPoor

Immediate impression: definitely suffering from 'new toy' syndrome. These out of the box sound better to me than my HE-400's. We'll see how I feel in a couple days! Still have some custom interconnects/cables incoming.


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





toopoor said:


> Just received two new toys in the mail....
> 
> 
> 
> Ignore the cheap cab (although decent at its price point me thinks). Meridian is the temp DAC off screen. Time for burn in!


 

 Remember...
   
   
   
   
   
  ...just one glass is considered healthy.


----------



## swmtnbiker

Yeah baby!


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





swmtnbiker said:


> Yeah baby!


 

 Which John are you?


----------



## TooPoor

I just noticed... There's no glass in the pic. And this is why I spend so much on headphones/equipment. If I had to manually input my bank/credit card info, I'd have more money and less head-fi gear. Though Alice in Chains Unplugged - Nutshell would never sound so good.


----------



## swmtnbiker

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Which John are you?


 
   
  Take-a her to The Pit!!! Usa more honey.
   
  Smallberries BTW...


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Remember...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  There's still room to top off that glass


----------



## Chris_Himself




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

My E7 arrived, loving it as a portable amp, will post pics later when I get home.


----------



## Mad Dude

Rearranged my bedroom setup so that there's enough space for a forthcoming turntable on top. The downside is that now I have no place to stack my CDs anymore - all my of CD racks (not pictured) are overflowing and I don't have any more space for additional ones. First World problems, I know... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The EQ is adjusted for my speakers by the way, not the HD600 in the picture. The latter doesn't need any bass bump in my opinion.


----------



## TheWuss

1. How do u have the new steven wilson already?
2. Which turntable is forthcoming?
3. I always enjoynseeing your rig. Very visually appealling.


----------



## Mad Dude

Thanks! The new SW album has been out here (Switzerland) since February 15th, for whatever reason. Strange, as the official release date is March 1st here in Europe. Anyway, the album is pretty good, but not great - personally I liked Grace For Drowning quite a bit more than The Raven That Refused To Sing. Still, it is certainly worth a listen, particularly the 2nd half.
  Regarding turntables, I've more or less decided on a Pro-Ject XPression III for a start. Simple and cheap. Later I'm also planning to get a vintage Thorens or Rega, but first I need something that works without having to fix it first...


----------



## Grevlin

Just finished putting together my vinyl rig:
   

   

   
  And of course - it sounds great through my 702's


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Just finished putting together my vinyl rig:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
   
   
  Looks great! And I bet it sounds wonderful, too. How do you like the Music Hall turntable? I'm currently looking for one and the mmf 2.2 is at the top of my list, along with the Pro-Ject Xpression III.


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Looks great! And I bet it sounds wonderful, too. How do you like the Music Hall turntable? I'm currently looking for one and the mmf 2.2 is at the top of my list, along with the Pro-Ject Xpression III.


 

 Well, I'm really really new to vinyl but it sounds fantastic so far. I'm working on giving my growing collection of records a good cleaning.
   
  I was going to go for the ProJect Debut Carbon but they are sold out everywhere until sometime in March. I went with the mmf 2.2 instead, and I'm really happy so far. I researched for a long while before ordering everything.
   
  I'll slowly upgrade as time goes on. The only thing on my radar so far is a speed control box. I did get the Music Hall cork mat which pretty much fixes the one weak spot on most turntables in the $400-$500 range which is: really crappy felt mat that charges up with static electricity.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Well, I'm really really new to vinyl but it sounds fantastic so far. I'm working on giving my growing collection of records a good cleaning.
> 
> I was going to go for the ProJect Debut Carbon but they are sold out everywhere until sometime in March. I went with the mmf 2.2 instead, and I'm really happy so far. I researched for a long while before ordering everything.
> 
> I'll slowly upgrade as time goes on. The only thing on my radar so far is a speed control box. I did get the Music Hall cork mat which pretty much fixes the one weak spot on most turntables in the $400-$500 range which is: *really crappy felt mat that charges up with static electricity.*


 
   
  Totally agree on that point.  I replaced my mmf 2.2 mat with acrylic and no more static.
   

   
  Also added a new addition to my listening station last week.


----------



## Grevlin

That acrylic platter just looks so slick - I might have to get one just for looks


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> LCD-2 and HE-500.
> 
> I haven't heard the HE-500 yet though, but im putting my D7ks up for sale soon to buy them!
> 
> and as far as the LCD-2 go, I feel they're the high-end version of the HD- 650s, they sound so similar! But then i hear that the HE-500 sound similar to the HD 650 as well lol


 

 Hi dubstep girl! I don't think the HE-500 sounds similar to the HD650. Much more detail-soundstage-neutrality in the HE-500s.


----------



## Ultrainferno

HD650, LCD-2 & HE500 are my 3 fav open headphones in my collection. All great headphones (not necessarily on the same amps though)


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Also added a new addition to my listening station last week.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Nice addition brokenthumb!


----------



## MorbidToaster

The issue with Matless acrylic is that you can't leave it spinning when you flip your record. That was a big reason for me getting the Amadeus...but now the weird foam mat is a static problem. 
   
  I decided today that instead of a new phono stage I'll be getting a NitGrit RCM first and use an anti static fluid. No more worries and you get your records squeaky clean.
   
  Quote: 





grevlin said:


> That acrylic platter just looks so slick - I might have to get one just for looks


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nice addition brokenthumb!


 
   
  Thanks!
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *The issue with Matless acrylic is that you can't leave it spinning when you flip your record*. That was a big reason for me getting the Amadeus...but now the weird foam mat is a static problem.
> 
> I decided today that instead of a new phono stage I'll be getting a NitGrit RCM first and use an anti static fluid. No more worries and you get your records squeaky clean.


 
   
  Yea, I always turn the turntable off when flipping sides.  I also did this with the stock platter though.


----------



## Grevlin

I never considered grabbing a record with the platter still spinning...seems like a bad idea.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> HD650, LCD-2 & HE500 are my 3 fav open headphones in my collection. All great headphones (not necessarily on the same amps though)


 
   
  You mean, we don't get your favourite pairings with our Tea & Cookies?


----------



## Chris_Himself

Quote: 





silent one said:


> You mean, we don't get your favourite pairings with our Tea & Cookies?


 
   
  I JUST made a post about cookies.. I'm not joking. This is weird lol. 
   
  HD650 is closer to both orthos than it's price point would suggest. It's just that it had been a while since I came back and revisited it that I really adore it's lush sound. Plus I mean for the price, cmon.. you can walk away with an amazing rig for under 1k!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> HD650, LCD-2 & HE500 are my 3 fav open headphones in my collection. All great headphones (not necessarily on the same amps though)


 
   
   
  I have the HE-500 of the 3..looking to either pick up the 650 or LCD 2 sometime in the future..
   
  Think the LYR/Bifrost combo is sufficient to drive them?


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Totally agree on that point.  I replaced my mmf 2.2 mat with acrylic and no more static.
> 
> 
> 
> Also added a new addition to my listening station last week.


 
  Would you be so kind as to provide a high res version of that turntable shot, at least 2560x1440? I want to make it my wallpaper :]


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> I have the HE-500 of the 3..looking to either pick up the 650 or LCD 2 sometime in the future..
> 
> Think the LYR/Bifrost combo is sufficient to drive them?


 
  Lyr for LCD2 is plenty of power and sounds just fine. You can get away with the HD650 as well but the HD650 is one that would really benefit from something such as OTL tube amp. The Crack comes to mind. The 650's scaling depends on the amp you're driving them. The better the amp the better the sound.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Would you be so kind as to provide a high res version of that turntable shot, at least 2560x1440? I want to make it my wallpaper :]


 
   
  Here you go.  It scaled down to 2560 x 1706.  Thanks for asking!


----------



## MorbidToaster

My dealer pretty much leaves whatever table he has hooked up on when he's in the shop.
   
  It's no more scary than cueing something up. I love it, especially since the Amadeus takes a long time to spin up to speed. 
   
  Always powered down with my Scout but with a mat table you can flip when it's on no problem.
   
  Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> Yea, I always turn the turntable off when flipping sides.  I also did this with the stock platter though.


----------



## anoxy

Fantastic, you're the man!


----------



## MickeyVee

Yup.. the Bifrost/Lyr drive all of them pretty well.  Had the HD650 and it was nice with the Lyr.  Hooked up the LCD2 to the Bifrost/Lyr at a HeadFi meet and it was outstanding.  Just picked up the HE500 today and it's pretty amazing with the combo. Going to take a while to break in.  Honestly, if you have the HE500, skip the HD650 and go for the LCD2.  Of all three, I think the HD650 would get the least love.  Just my opinion.
  Quote: 





jono454 said:


> I have the HE-500 of the 3..looking to either pick up the 650 or LCD 2 sometime in the future..
> 
> Think the LYR/Bifrost combo is sufficient to drive them?


----------



## Armaegis

Everyone has such neat and clean setups. Me... not so much.
   
   

  headphones: Grado SR325is, Grado HF-1, Beyer COP
  amps: Nuforce DAC-100 and HAP-100
  other stuff in picture: alligator clips, tweezers, screwdriver, mini screwdrivers, post it notes, opamps, cables, empty padded envelopes, tin of bandaids
  just outside the picture: a multimeter (I was measuring the outputs on the amps)
   
   

My glorious headphone stand composed of an empty cd spindle hanging from a twist tie wedged between some boxes. Oh yeah, and a Brainwavs HM3. Behind it: an envelope with miscellaneous earpads, another bag with miscellaneous cables, a computer speaker, water bottle, and some extra bubble wrap. Above it: a mysterious box labelled MISC PARTS. I don't even remember what's in the box anymore. I'm a little afraid to look. Next to the mystery box are... more mystery boxes. Unlabelled. Zounds!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Everyone has such neat and clean setups. Me... not so much.


 
  I've always believed that chaos on the outside means an ordered mind. A need for order on the outside means chaotic mind.
   
  Tidiness is pointless


----------



## TheGame21x

In the picture above: JDS Labs O2+ODAC combo, Toshiba SD-3960 DVD player (which is also an excellent CD player), Pure i-20 iPod Dock and DAC/Transport, iPod Classic 6th gen 120GB loaded with ALAC tracks and playing John Coltrane’s_ Blue Train _into my HD-600s_._ Oh, and a Seagate FreeAgent 500GB external hard drive and a box of kleenex but those aren't related to the setup, of course.
   


   
  And in case you're curious about what's above the setup...
   

   
  Because yes, I am a _*massive*_ nerd.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nah man, Halo is totally mainstream now. 
   
  Quote: 





thegame21x said:


> And in case you're curious about what's above the setup...
> 
> 
> 
> Because yes, I am a _*massive*_ nerd.


----------



## StudioSound

lugbug1 said:


> I've always believed that chaos on the outside means an ordered mind. A need for order on the outside means chaotic mind.
> 
> Tidiness is pointless


Living in a mess means that there's a whole lot you're having to keep track of in your head for no good reason. "Where did I leave _______" just doesn't happen here.
Everything has its place, and if it's not being used, it goes back where it belongs.
I can't sit back and _really_ relax and enjoy the music if the place is a mess.

Messy people are either lazy, or they own too much stuff.


morbidtoaster said:


> Nah man, Halo is totally mainstream now.


Halo dolls are not though.


----------



## GrindingThud

LoL, those aren't dolls, they're action figures! 


studiosound said:


> Halo dolls are not though.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Living in a mess means that there's a whole lot you're having to keep track of in your head for no good reason. "Where did I leave _______" just doesn't happen here.
> Everything has its place, and if it's not being used, it goes back where it belongs.
> I can't sit back and _really_ relax and enjoy the music if the place is a mess.
> 
> Messy people are either lazy, or they own too much stuff.


 
  Like I said, chaotic mind


----------



## madriz

> Einstein: If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?


 
  Food for thought.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





studiosound said:


> Messy people are either lazy, or they own too much stuff.


 
   
  I think I'm guilty on both counts here...


----------



## autoteleology

> Einstein: If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?


 
   
  http://lifehacker.com/5949900/wonderful-things-happen-when-your-brain-is-empty
   
  http://lifehacker.com/5957553/stop-procrastinating-by-clearing-to-neutral

 Food for thought right back at you, sir.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





madriz said:


> Food for thought.


 
   
  "People attribute all kinds of crazy made-up crap to me. It's embarrassing." -- Albert Einstein


----------



## autoteleology

> "People attribute all kinds of crazy made-up crap to me. It's embarrassing." -- Albert Einstein


 
   
  You can never believe anything you read on the internet. - Abraham Lincoln


----------



## Marleybob217

"Use the force, Harry" - Gandalf


----------



## MorbidToaster

Leben, Amadeus, Skylan Stands...WONDER WHAT'S MISSING.

  Mine came in but had an issue with the headphone out. Borrowing the dealer's until mine is fixed. That works I guess...Still upsetting.

  Currently going through records and seeing which ones need to be cleaned before the meet this Saturday. Lots of them need it as they're distorting pretty heavily. Shame I won't have my RCM by then. 
  ----
  This space obviously isn't ideal, and when the speakers are on those stands they're going to be in front of the TT and amp, but I can flip a record from the side and only need to adjust volume between albums. Once we move it'll be no issue as we'll have more space.


----------



## gareyg

Nice!


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> Leben, Amadeus, Skylan Stands...WONDER WHAT'S MISSING.



Your money.


----------



## MorbidToaster

That's been missing for years now. 
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Your money.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Your money.


----------



## calipilot227

More like:


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

calipilot227 said:


> More like:



Aaaaand by bringing in LE funny LE XD face maymays, you've ruined the humor.


----------



## che15

Sorry for the poor pictures and the mess, I like neat but I am not a neat freak
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
  My system Imac with Amarra , AP1 with PP, Balanced Havana, Peak-Volcano, W3000anv, LCD2 hardwired with Zeus cable, HE500
  When I have some time I will organize my system and take better picts , hopefully


----------



## che15

sorry I inserted pictures but they don't show up, you get the attachments , if you wold like to see the bad pictures


----------



## DefQon

I've always been so close to pull a plug on a MHDT labs Havana dac just for modding but is the sound worth it?


----------



## DigitalFreak

Meet my newest acquisition, AKG K240 MP Sextette
   
  Hope nobody minds me posting a video instead of pics


----------



## Maxvla

digitalfreak said:


> Hope nobody minds me posting a video instead of pics




I totally mind...!! :angry_face: :evil:


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I totally mind...!!


 
   

   
  Hope that's better


----------



## Armaegis

You better baby those pristine looking Sextetts


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> You better baby those pristine looking Sextetts


 

 You better believe I am 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Thanks again for selling them to me. I'm really enjoying them right now. The Tragically Hip really sounds good on them


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

After some recent updates


----------



## niten

leonardo drummond said:


> After some recent updates




Love the look of your desk setup.
GS-X is drool-worthy as well.


----------



## Armaegis

I keep updating my Nuforce stack. I called it the Nuforce Trifecta before, but now I think it's closer to Nuforce Towers...
   
   
   
   

   
  I managed to get my hands on the discontinued Nuforce RJ45CX (in the middle), which was basically just a converter box from RJ45 to speaker binding posts at the rear (the Icon line of amps use RJ45 connectors to conserve space). I opened it up and added the 4-pin XLR to the front, which took me far longer than I care to admit because I didn't have any appropriate drill bits or a drill press, so I wound up dremelling the whole thing (ugh!).
   
  From left to right:
  Icon2 speaker amp
  RJ45CX - modded with 4-pin XLR on front
  HDP 
   
  Sitting on top of an LPS-2U-192k power supply for the Icon2 and HDP, and also spdif bridge for the HDP
   
  On the right: regrilled and redamped HE-6


----------



## ZenErik

Working on simplifying my life. Not quite there. Mac Mini definitely helps. I have not had a desktop in years.


----------



## sling5s




----------



## TooPoor

Bifrost here Wednesday... The ME does quite a good job though. Very impressed.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





sling5s said:


>


 
  This I like....


----------



## sling5s

Thanks.  The Violectric V200 amp and V800 dac really is a great combo.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> This I like....


----------



## DigitalFreak

Updated photo of my rig. I forgot a few things last time so here they are. That's everything less my IEM's.


----------



## wolfetan44

How are you liking your Sr80i, Digital?


----------



## DigitalFreak

It's a SR60i and that can is what got me into head-fi. I enjoy it very much and it holds a lot of sentimental value because it's the first decent sounding headphone I ever bought.


----------



## DefQon

Had to move these out for just a pic that said, 1/10th of my gear.
   
  The Stax mafia (the Don SR-Omega's are at a friends) so a humble Stax shot (with more incoming my way):


----------



## bngbox

I figured I would finally post a picture of mine after browsing this thread for a while. Just a simple setup in my apartment for now!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





defqon said:


> The Stax mafia (the Don SR-Omega's are at a friends) so a humble Stax shot (with more incoming my way):


 
  You've done it. You've committed the ultimate crime of words. I assumed it was a foregone conclusion that somebody would do this eventually, but I didn't know the day would be today. Not so soon!
   
  You know you're deluding yourself when you've put the words "humble" and "Stax" in the same sentence.


----------



## wes008

Nice setup, bngbox! Those are expensive stands for not-so-expensive headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Or are those knock-offs?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> After some recent updates


 
   
   
   
   
  SWEET


----------



## bngbox

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Nice setup, bngbox! Those are expensive stands for not-so-expensive headphones
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Haha I actually got them for the equivalent of about $14-$16 USD each here in China and I believe they're made of walnut wood. I like to think of wooden omega-style headphone stands as a generic items that everyone should make. And I'm not sure why people haven't other than the Sieveking ones! They definitely work well enough and are sturdy, well-built, and level/stable. They don't have that cool 'zebrano' or bamboo design but, I think they still look nice (especially for the price)


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





bngbox said:


> Haha I actually got them for the equivalent of about $14-$16 USD each here in China and I believe they're made of walnut wood. I like to think of wooden omega-style headphone stands as a generic items that everyone should make. And I'm not sure why people haven't other than the Sieveking ones! They definitely work well enough and are sturdy, well-built, and level/stable. They don't have that cool 'zebrano' or bamboo design but, I think they still look nice (especially for the price)


 
  I will have to pick some of those up!


----------



## FinancialWar

head-fi.org fail
   
There was a problem submitting this to the server. Please try again.


----------



## PanamaHat

Ain't she a beaut? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Listening to the Project Sunrise ii  with the odac and dt770's. (Sorry about the iPhone pic quality)


----------



## bngbox

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Ain't she a beaut?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That is gorgeous. Did you build it yourself??


----------



## FinancialWar

Quote: 





bngbox said:


> That is gorgeous. Did you build it yourself??


 
  what is it?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Ain't she a beaut?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Liar! That's the Project Horizon!


----------



## autoteleology

> Haha I actually got them for the equivalent of about $14-$16 USD each here in China and I believe they're made of walnut wood.


 
   
  Is there somewhere I can get those on the internet? The ones that everyone else has are way out of my budget.


----------



## bngbox

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Is there somewhere I can get those on the internet? The ones that everyone else has are way out of my budget.


 
   
  Yeah I know, they're super expensive in the States. You can get them on this site and they're all legitimate sellers. I just don't know if they send to the U.S. =/ And you would need to be able to read Chinese...lol. I would offer to bring some back for people but that would be like smuggling goods haha. So many nice kinds of stands for the equivalence of about $14-25 USD each. The conversion is 6.23 RMB to 1 USD, for your info.
   
http://list.tmall.com/search_product.htm?q=%B6%FA%BB%FA%BC%DC&type=p&cat=all&userBucket=17&userCell=37


----------



## bngbox

Quote: 





financialwar said:


> what is it?


 
   
  It's a kit amp! I don't know much about it yet because I haven't done my reading, but it looks to be pretty cool. =p
   
http://www.garage1217.com/graphic_design_002.htm


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Liar! That's the Project Horizon!


 
  Nope! I asked them to add an extra pair of heatsinks to help keep the components cool. The chips underneath the heatsinks get SERIOUSLY hot so it was worth it. 
   
   
  Quote: 





bngbox said:


> That is gorgeous. Did you build it yourself??


 
  I wish I had the time and patience haha. I ordered it assembled


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Ahhh, I see. I've been seriously considering the Project Horizon. I'm with you... I'm lazy and would rather order it fully assembled. 
   
  How do you like it?? What headphones are you using with it?


----------



## bngbox

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Nope! I asked them to add an extra pair of heatsinks to help keep the components cool. The chips underneath the heatsinks get SERIOUSLY hot so it was worth it.
> 
> 
> I wish I had the time and patience haha. I ordered it assembled


 
   
  Haha it's definitely worth the $50 or whatever more, assembled.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Ain't she a beaut?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Had a chance to listen to a Project Sunrise at a recent meet and it's an impressive little amp.  So it is a DIY or fully assembled.  Might pick up a kit and put it together as practice for soldering after a long break away from trying DIY.


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





bngbox said:


> Haha it's definitely worth the $50 or whatever more, assembled.


 
  Yep. I think I'd like to build one of their kits down the line though, maybe the Ember when that is released.
   
  Quote: 





devhen said:


> Ahhh, I see. I've been seriously considering the Project Horizon. I'm with you... I'm lazy and would rather order it fully assembled.
> 
> How do you like it?? What headphones are you using with it?


 
  It's goood. I've had experience playing my dt770 out of my pal's Little Dot mkiii and I think the Sunrise performs favorably. I hope to push the performance even further when my new tubes arrive


----------



## FinancialWar

what is the function of an Amp?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





financialwar said:


> what is the function of an Amp?


 
  Alright, I'll take this one. So inside all products that you can listen to music on in this modern age, be it your phone, ipod, computer w/sound card, or hi-fi system, there are two important things to get digital audio into our ears. You probably know that data is stored in ones and zeroes, right? Well, we can't hear ones and zeros. So our media players have a device called a DAC in them. DAC stands for digital audio convertor (or digital to analog convertor). It's the DAC's job to turn the ones and zeroes into sound that you can hear. Once it's converted, you're not quite done yet. You probably also know that sound is created by objects vibrating. Inside your headphones or speakers, there is a driver: usual a piece of thin film/membrane with a coil. Electricity goes through the coil, moving the membrane, and produces the sound the electricity is transmitting. But DACs aren't designed to power headphones. They output a votlage and current level that is unsuitable to plug most headphones into. So inside our music players, next to the DAC, we have an amplifier. The amplifier's job is to power the headphones and transmit the now analog sound from the DAC into the headphones at a volume that is to your liking. Here on Head-Fi we use external amps and DACs because they're higher quality and more suited to our headphones than the $2 components in our phones or computers. Hope that helped, others can tell you the added benefits of a clean source/proper amping.


----------



## autoteleology

> Spoiler: Picture


 
   
  Is that a Razer Naga?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Here on Head-Fi we use external amps and DACs because they're higher quality than the $2 components in our phones or computers.


 
  And more powerful for headphones that normal players simply can't handle, too.


----------



## FinancialWar

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Is that a Razer Naga?


 
  it's Logitech G600, it's a logitech's answer to the Naga, it essentially have double amount of buttons that the naga because of the G-shift button.


----------



## autoteleology

Quote: 





financialwar said:


> it's Logitech G600, it's a logitech's answer to the Naga, it essentially have double amount of buttons that the naga because of the G-shift button.


 
   
  I looked it up and I was very impressed until that I saw it was a wired mouse. Is there a wireless version?


----------



## FinancialWar

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I looked it up and I was very impressed until that I saw it was a wired mouse. Is there a wireless version?


 
  I don't think so, neither is naga. You probably get better answer if you asked on overclock.net or something.


----------



## Avi

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  You don't want a wireless as a gamer. Wired has faster polling and no chance of losing power at a key moment.


----------



## autoteleology

Quote: 





avi said:


> You don't want a wireless as a gamer. Wired has faster polling and no chance of losing power at a key moment.


 
   
  I have a Razer Naga Epic, which can be both wired and wireless. I was just curious about the Logitech mice, is all.


----------



## MorbidToaster

MX518 master race. Checking in.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> You've done it. You've committed the ultimate crime of words. I assumed it was a foregone conclusion that somebody would do this eventually, but I didn't know the day would be today. Not so soon!
> 
> You know you're deluding yourself when you've put the words "humble" and "Stax" in the same sentence.


 
  LOL....just until I get another picture shot when I get enough money to invest in a BHSE and then I'll have my SR-Omega's with it in for another shot.


----------



## FinancialWar

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I have a Razer Naga Epic, which can be both wired and wireless. I was just curious about the Logitech mice, is all.


 
   
  if you already have a Naga, how did you mistaken the mouse in my pic as a naga??


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX518 master race. Checking in.


 
   
  mx518 Red Leader. Checking in.


----------



## DefQon

Still have my MX518...G9 rolling noobs.


----------



## autoteleology

> if you already have a Naga, how did you mistaken the mouse in my pic as a naga??


 
   
  I actually thought it was a Naga Hex, because the keys don't look at all like the keypad on the regular Naga. I didn't really take a close look at the picture (would have noticed the Logitech logo), and I wasn't aware of any other mice with side keypads.


----------



## Maxvla

I have a Razer Naga Hex. At first I didn't like it very well, but now it feels pretty natural. I would bet there is a better fit for me, but no reason to buy a new one as I'm not currently doing much gaming.

It replaced a Razer Mamba that eventually lost it's tracking ability.


----------



## JohnnyBlaze554

I have a HiFiMAN EF5 coming to fill the empty space should be here any day then I'll update


----------



## Pudu

fizzix said:


> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> > MX518 master race. Checking in.
> ...




I had to ditch my MX500 last year when it developed coil whine and drove me crazy. :basshead:


----------



## wolfetan44

I have some nice stuff coming in guys
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Will update when I get both things.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Logitech M515: simple, wireless speedy master race. The super scroll wheel is fun too


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





n3rdling said:


> Rack:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Hate to be quoting an old pic posted here a year ago, but this kind of setup still amazes me to this day.


----------



## Armaegis

Jebus... I could have bought a house with all that...


----------



## Maxvla

New arrival - Matrix X-Sabre DAC - Finally all black, as audio gear should be, IMO.


----------



## MorbidToaster

All black everything black cards black cars all black everything.


----------



## Maxvla

My car is stealth gray (which is actually kind of a slate blue). Black isn't usually my choice for cars. Dark versions of red, blue and green, IMO. Occasionally silver....


----------



## Armaegis

Black cars are a pain in the ascii to keep shiny. They look great when freshly detailed, but the moment is fleeting.


----------



## fizzix

Pretty sure that was a quote from a song lol


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Black cars are a pain in the ascii to keep shiny. They look great when freshly detailed, but the moment is fleeting.


 
  Yes, but you can OWN the moment!


----------



## wes008

[sorry, accidental quote]


----------



## autoteleology

> Blue Hawaii amp
> Sennheiser HEV90 Orpheus
> Blue Hawaii PSU / Dayton speaker amp
> Menace amp
> ...


 
   
  TWO Orpheuses? Is that, like, Orpheii?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Hate to be quoting an old pic posted here a year ago, but this kind of setup still amazes me to this day.


 
  ...and n3rdling is officially the winner of Head-Fi...


----------



## ssrock64

I came up with a price of $104073.52 looking around the used market for the amazing equipment shown on the last page, and that's without the Menace amp (which I couldn't find conclusive info on).
   
   
  Wow.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> ...and n3rdling is officially the winner of Head-Fi...


 
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I came up with a price of $104073.52 looking around the used market for the amazing equipment shown on the last page, and that's without the Menace amp (which I couldn't find conclusive info on).
> 
> 
> Wow.


 

 It highly pays to be a n3rdling I guess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  What an incredible collection


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> ...and n3rdling is officially the winner of Head-Fi...


 
  He's dragged his gear up to Northern California a couple of times for meets.  Really amazing gear and a great guy to boot.


----------



## TheWuss

my little audiophile corner of the house, as of today...


----------



## beaver316

Im thinking of using this as my headphone stand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. What do you think?


----------



## traehekat

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> my little audiophile corner of the house, as of today...


 
   
  Very nice. I've been looking for a new desk chair just like that, but in black. Where did you pick that up if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## TheWuss

Quote:


traehekat said:


> Very nice. I've been looking for a new desk chair just like that, but in black. Where did you pick that up if you don't mind me asking?


 
   
  It's a modern replica by Herman Miller of the Eames task chair.
   
http://vitalitywebb.com/HermanMiller/Seating.htm?gclid=CKC7qZGL17UCFQo3nAodbHwABw


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Im thinking of using this as my headphone stand
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Just as long as you don't keep your headphones plugged in. I worry about electrical problems


----------



## beaver316

I thought about that, can it really do damage?


----------



## JohnnyBlaze554

Came Today


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> I thought about that, can it really do damage?


 
  Well, the sparks in those connect when you touch it, right? It's not prom pressure, it's from the electricity in your fingers. I don't think any real electricity would be transmitted from the headphones just sitting on it, but who knows.


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





johnnyblaze554 said:


> Came Today


 
  How do you like the EF5?


----------



## MickeyVee

Very Nice!
  Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Im thinking of using this as my headphone stand
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## JohnnyBlaze554

The HE5 brings out some more detail and space in my HE-500 I havn't tried it out much with anything else but I suspect I'll like it alot with a few of my other headphones as well, nice to have both solid state and tube now


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





johnnyblaze554 said:


> Came Today


 
  As a current owner of a EF-5.
   
  I would highly recommend the OP627 x 2 mod.
   
  Makes it that much better. I just picked up the Lyr and I feel that both are good amps but the EF-5 just does some things better.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Black cars are a pain in the ascii to keep shiny. They look great when freshly detailed, but the moment is fleeting.


 
  They look better in the shade too.
   
  Sorry for the shameless '80s Gino Vanelli reference. I own a black Acura. And I will NEVER buy another black car! I wash and wax it and it looks freakin' unbelievable for about 20 minutes.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote:


macedonianhero said:


> Sorry for the shameless '80s Gino Vanelli reference.


 
  Gino Vannelli.  ha!!
  "I just wanna stop" is classic yacht rock.


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I came up with a price of $104073.52 looking around the used market for the amazing equipment shown on the last page, and that's without the Menace amp (which I couldn't find conclusive info on).
> 
> 
> Wow.


 
  The Menace was a DIY amp (one of a kind) by Nugget Audio, IOW ... n_maher.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Quote:
> Gino Vannelli.  ha!!
> "I just wanna stop" is classic yacht rock.


 
  Kudos to the American who still remembers an '80s Canadian rock icon. LoL.


----------



## jtinto

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> New arrival - Matrix X-Sabre DAC - Finally all black, as audio gear should be, IMO.


 
  Maxvla, I like the "stealth" look of your gear too
  Your HD-800 cable looks great, I don't recognize it ... details please


----------



## JohnnyBlaze554

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> As a current owner of a EF-5.
> 
> I would highly recommend the OP627 x 2 mod.
> 
> Makes it that much better. I just picked up the Lyr and I feel that both are good amps but the EF-5 just does some things better.


 
  I just ordered the mod so I should get it relatively soon


----------



## MorbidToaster

Chris_Himself, IIRC.
   
  Quote: 





jtinto said:


> Maxvla, I like the "stealth" look of your gear too
> Your HD-800 cable looks great, I don't recognize it ... details please


----------



## jtinto

Thanks Morbid
  I'll have to look into that one
  Cheers


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Im thinking of using this as my headphone stand
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I tripped out a bit when I saw the first picture.


----------



## Maxvla

jtinto said:


> Maxvla, I like the "stealth" look of your gear too
> Your HD-800 cable looks great, I don't recognize it ... details please



Custom build by Chris_himself and Headphone Lounge. It's just a cheapy as I don't really believe in cables yet. I just needed something balanced that had a good feel and appropriate length to it. It's a solid core silver with switchcraft black plugs with gold plated contacts and the fancier sleeving option forgot what it's called.

They don't sell the solid core cable anymore because it's really not a good idea to use for headphone cables. I've had mine break twice but they've fixed it at no charge. They only use stranded silver now (and it's a lot more expensive than solid core) which is much better for headphone use.


----------



## jtinto

Thanks Maxvla,
  I didn't want to get too spendy either
  I'll definitely ask Chris, and see what he currently recommends


----------



## Pudu

beaver316 said:


> Im thinking of using this as my headphone stand
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I don't know. I think your headphone stand will be putting constant, subliminal pressure on you to move up to electro-stats.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





pudu said:


> I don't know. I think your headphone stand will be putting constant, subliminal pressure on you to move up to electro-stats.


 
   
  That's something I wouldn't mind


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I tripped out a bit when I saw the first picture.


 
   
  You should see it in motion, especially in the dark.


----------



## penmarker

I'm just wondering how do you guys plug in all your computers, amps, speakers, etc. Do you have enough wall sockets or do you use extensions?
   
  I have quite a lot of electronics running through two extensions (5 socket extensions each) so you can imagine my worry regarding this. Good thing they have fuse protectors.


----------



## Silent One

No extension cords for me. I just make sure whatever Power Conditioner I'm using has 10-12 receptacles. I make the decision to go Digital or Analog and unplug something if I must.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> I'm just wondering how do you guys plug in all your computers, amps, speakers, etc. Do you have enough wall sockets or do you use extensions?
> 
> I have quite a lot of electronics running through two extensions (5 socket extensions each) so you can imagine my worry regarding this. Good thing they have fuse protectors.


 
  This is something I avoid speaking of and even posting a picture of. For me at least my desktop/laptop + all my audio gear if I plugged it into my powerboards all at once, I would be using 3 x 8 port powerboards (24 ports in total). Yes indeed a lot. 14 amplifiers (desktop and portables with dc adapters) and the rest is my desktop/laptop + few peripherals and a single halogen lamp and 2 spare ports just in case few friends come over and need to charge stuff up in my room. I charge my phones and portable mobile gear in my bedroom.


----------



## JohnnyBlaze554

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> As a current owner of a EF-5.
> 
> I would highly recommend the OP627 x 2 mod.
> 
> Makes it that much better. I just picked up the Lyr and I feel that both are good amps but the EF-5 just does some things better.


 
  This is what I ordered 
   
  http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=80
   
  any trick to switching it out?
   
  Bryan


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





johnnyblaze554 said:


> This is what I ordered
> 
> http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=80
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's what i currently have as well. Smart thinking....had you got the other one you wouldn't have been able to properly close the top glass part.
   
  Putting that one in is very easy...the hard part is taking out the OP275 that's currently in yours right now. I wasn't able to take it out without destroying it. Just be very careful not to break the pins..if you have some small clippers i would recommend trying that first.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> No extension cords for me. I just make sure whatever Power Conditioner I'm using has 10-12 receptacles. I make the decision to go Digital or Analog and unplug something if I must.


 
  +1... Everything is conditioned and battery backed up.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Chris_Himself, IIRC.


 
  Is Chris the one who lives just blocks from Koss in Milwaukee? I remember talking about Koss HQ with somebody; I think it was him.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nah, Chris lives in San Jose in the Bay.


----------



## nmxdaven

Made some progress in cleaning up my desk.


----------



## wes008

Awesome setup, nmxdaven! What little statue is top of gear stack next to the Stax? Also, how's the EF-5?


----------



## nmxdaven

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Awesome setup, nmxdaven! What little statue is top of gear stack next to the Stax? Also, how's the EF-5?


 
   
  Thanks!
   
  Its a little bear statue made out of Iron. Cant remember where it came from, but it keeps the gamma 2 from lifting up from all the heavy cords at the back.
   

   
   
  I would describe the EF-5 as extremely competent, but not very noteworthy. It does a great job, but doesnt do it in any sort of special way. It will stay with me for a while, but it probly wont be a long term keeper.
   
  Cory


----------



## StudioSound

maxvla said:


> all black, as audio gear should be, IMO.


I disagree—the best looking audio gear is the high-end stuff made from machined aluminum.

But it's easier to hide away ugly gear if it's all black, and harder to design something that looks good in all aluminum.


----------



## Grevlin

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Its a little bear statue made out of Iron. Cant remember where it came from, but it keeps the gamma 2 from lifting up from all the heavy cords at the back.
> 
> ...


 

 Is that blocking almost the whole vent section on top?


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





grevlin said:


> Is that blocking almost the whole vent section on top?


 
   
  He could be using the statue as a giant thermal mass/inefficient heatsink.


----------



## nmxdaven

It actually doesnt have any venting on the unit. What looks like venting is just the design of the aluminum enclosure. I've actually never really felt it get hotter than the ambient air temp. Very cool running. It's PSU, on the other hand, gets pretty damn hot.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> macedonianhero said:
> ...


 
  Brotha' to Brotha'


----------



## tdogzthmn

My Bottlehead SEX 2.1 with caramelized bamboo base.


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice, Tdog! What is the album in your avatar? Any good? Because I keep seeing it as peoples avatars.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tdogzthmn said:


> My Bottlehead SEX 2.1 with caramelized bamboo base.


 
   
  Ooh, very nice. Makes me feel like picking up some bamboo bread boards from the dollar store to make my next case.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nice, Tdog! What is the album in your avatar? Any good? Because I keep seeing it as peoples avatars.


 
  It's Steven Wilson's "The Raven That Refused To Sing".
   
  I have no idea how good it is cause my pre-ordered copy hasn't made it's way out to me here yet...


----------



## Pudu

tdogzthmn said:


> ...
> My Bottlehead SEX 2.1 with caramelized bamboo base.




That looks terrific!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks, I'll listen to it sometime tomorrow, with my newly arrived Mad Dogs that will be here tomorrow. Lets hope your album is there tomorrow!


----------



## fizzix

that is straight up badass tdogz


----------



## calipilot227

@tdogz, that is a magnificent build. Well done!


----------



## Silent One

+5! 
   
  Wood makes for a comforting and aesthetically pleasing material.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Thanks, I'll listen to it sometime tomorrow, with my newly arrived Mad Dogs that will be here tomorrow. Lets hope your album is there tomorrow!


 
  apparently shipped on the 21st... but the UPS tracking still not showing anything (remembered to check it thanks to this).   I guess I'll be waiting til at least next week some time :/


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Darn.


----------



## tdogzthmn

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nice, Tdog! What is the album in your avatar? Any good? Because I keep seeing it as peoples avatars.


 
   
  The lastest album by Steven Wilson and it sounds incredible, especially in Hi rez!


----------



## calipilot227

What speakers are those?


----------



## tdogzthmn

They are Orca Fullrange speakers from Blumenstein Audio, and make very sweet music despite their small size.


----------



## calipilot227

I've always been intrigued by the full-range Fostex designs, combined with low-wattage SET tube amps. I'm at the complete other end of the spectrum with power-hungry Maggies. Did someone say big, solid state amps?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tdogzthmn said:


> They are Orca Fullrange speakers from Blumenstein Audio, and make very sweet music despite their small size.


 

 Have you ever compared them to another speaker? If not, how would you describe their sound? I've always been interested in them..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Nice avatar. 
   
  Quote: 





fizzix said:


> that is straight up badass tdogz


 
   
  Get a sexy tube preamp for those Maggies. 
   
  I did the same thing. Had Maggies and big ol' mono blocks. Planned to go to full range SET, ended up in the middle. 3 way Harbeths with a push pull tube amp. 
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I've always been intrigued by the full-range Fostex designs, combined with low-wattage SET tube amps. I'm at the complete other end of the spectrum with power-hungry Maggies. Did someone say big, solid state amps?


 
   
  EDIT: Oh man, I want some of those Orcas for my mini system. Those things look great.


----------



## Flisker

So I'll also add my "current" state 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


 :


----------



## khaine1711

My temporary setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   

   
  Old shot of a He-500 which I get rid of rather quickly


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> My temporary setup


 
  What are you driving the HE-6 with? Can't really see in the back.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> What are you driving the HE-6 with? Can't really see in the back.


 
  Sorry for my crappy photography skills 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  It's just a small t-amp (Topping Tp60), I'll probably change to a bigger speaker amp once I move to a new house.


----------



## jono454

Just got my Lyr...ran some quick comparisons between my modded EF-5 (OP627x2 + RCA Clear Top) and the Lyr (GE tubes) with my HE-500.
   
  Some key findings:
  - Lyr has slightly larger soundstage
  - Lyr has more "attack"
  - Mids are slightly smoother in the EF-5 however still amazing on the Lyr
  - EF-5 sounds more intimate where as the Lyr sounds more further away
  - Both fantastic amps with their own strengths...however SLIGHT advantage towards the Lyr. Love them both but will be letting go of my EF-5.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> What are you driving the HE-6 with? Can't really see in the back.


 
  Looks like the EF-6


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Just got my Lyr...ran some quick comparisons between my modded EF-5 (OP627x2 + RCA Clear Top) and the Lyr (GE tubes) with my HE-500.
> 
> Some key findings:
> - Lyr has slightly larger soundstage
> ...


 
  Thanks for those impressions  I've been looking at both amps.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Just got my Lyr...ran some quick comparisons between my modded EF-5 (OP627x2 + RCA Clear Top) and the Lyr (GE tubes) with my HE-500.
> 
> Some key findings:
> - Lyr has slightly larger soundstage
> ...


 
   
   
  The Lyr will likely sound better if you roll in some better tubes.  Those stock GEs are OK, but there are much better tubes out there.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> The Lyr will likely sound better if you roll in some better tubes.  Those stock GEs are OK, but there are much better tubes out there.


 
  Any recommendations so i don't have to scroll through the 300+ page tube rolling thread for the Lyr?


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Any recommendations so i don't have to scroll through the 300+ page tube rolling thread for the Lyr?


 
  What's your budget?  What is important to you?  Large soundstage?  Bass?  Romantic mids?  Sparkling highs?
   
  I haven't even received my Lyr yet, but I have read the thread.  You don't really have to read all 300 pages, but it would really be worth your while to read the last 50, or even the last 30.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Eat your heart out, Head-fi.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> What's your budget?  What is important to you?  Large soundstage?  Bass?  Romantic mids?  Sparkling highs?
> 
> I haven't even received my Lyr yet, but I have read the thread.  You don't really have to read all 300 pages, but it would really be worth your while to read the last 50, or even the last 30.


 
   
  I would say i value soundstage and mids above all else. Don't care too much for bass  but the Lyr + He-500 gives me a good amount of bass i'm happy with. 
   
  I'll skim through it to see what I can find. I remember reading somewhere that the Amperex tubes were really nice.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> I would say i value soundstage and mids above all else. Don't care too much for bass  but the Lyr + He-500 gives me a good amount of bass i'm happy with.
> 
> I'll skim through it to see what I can find. I remember reading somewhere that the Amperex tubes were really nice.


 
   
   
  Yeah, there are a lot of great ones, but some of them can be pricey.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Eat your heart out, Head-fi.


 

 They finally came in!! That's so awesome. Wow, it looks fantastic. I can only imagine how it sounds.. Great setup, Morbid!!!


----------



## TheWuss

sensational, MT!!
  from one Super HL-5 owner to another, congrats and happy listening!!


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


----------



## calipilot227

As per usual, AWESOME RIG, Morbid!


----------



## anoxy

I approve of your record choices Morbid


----------



## MorbidToaster

I mean, I've got great taste in music, if I do say so myself. 
   




   
  Quote: 





anoxy said:


> I approve of your record choices Morbid


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Eat your heart out, Head-fi.


 
   Very impressive and deserves another post.
   
  Congrats, hope it was worth the wait (and I'm so pleased I'm not your neighbour


----------



## Maxvla

Cause having a neighbor with that kind of system would be unbearable. Go next door and chill or party with great music and a cool couple. The HORROR!


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I mean, I've got great taste in music, if I do say so myself.


 
  So, when are we invited over to enjoy this nice cozy set up?  
   
  That looks awesome though.  I've always wanted to put together a speaker set up, but I do not have an ideal room for it in my current living situation.  When I get my own place and can spend some time putting together a nice room for music, I would enjoy a setup similar to this.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Cause having a neighbor with that kind of system would be unbearable. Go next door and chill or party with great music and a cool couple. The HORROR!


 
   
  Absolutely. Always need more audio nerds in my life. 
   
  As for the room...mine is nowhere near ideal, but it still sounds great. After listening for awhile now though I realize how much I need this damn record cleaning machine. 
   
  Quote: 





daigo said:


> So, when are we invited over to enjoy this nice cozy set up?
> 
> That looks awesome though.  I've always wanted to put together a speaker set up, but I do not have an ideal room for it in my current living situation.  When I get my own place and can spend some time putting together a nice room for music, I would enjoy a setup similar to this.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Cause having a neighbor with that kind of system would be unbearable. Go next door and chill or party with great music and a cool couple. The HORROR!


 
  I doubt they'd welcome the likes of me. A forty something, alcoholic pervert with a comb-over hair cut and hitler moustache, who listens to nothing but Black Sabbath played backwards.  
   
  Yeah right, their gonna be open arms.. tuh


----------



## MorbidToaster

I could get down with some backward Sabbath...and we just bought a couple of cases of Woodchuck. 
   




  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I doubt they'd welcome the likes of me. A forty something, alcoholic pervert with a comb-over hair cut and hitler moustache, who listens to nothing but Black Sabbath played backwards.
> 
> Yeah right, their gonna be open arms.. tuh


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I could get down with some backward Sabbath...and we just bought a couple of cases of Woodchuck.


 
  I'll be right over


----------



## Maxvla

morbidtoaster said:


> and we just bought a couple of cases of Woodchuck.



Now I know at least one of those is gone after last night


----------



## MorbidToaster

drunkskyeping.mov
   
  There's 5 left...out of...24. Granted, there were total of 5 people in the house last night. 
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Now I know at least one of those is gone after last night


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I need one too.. Really badly..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Once the wife's tax return comes in we're getting a Nitty Gritty 1.5Fi. Around the same price as the usual manual vacuum cleaners from VPI or Okki, but it's fully automatic. 
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I need one too.. Really badly..


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Once the wife's tax return comes in we're getting a Nitty Gritty 1.5Fi. Around the same price as the usual manual vacuum cleaners from VPI or Okki, but it's fully automatic.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  For $860? Really? Anyways, I just got my Mad Dogs in the mail. Won't update my system till I get my Beyer DT880's with wood cups in


----------



## MorbidToaster

2 pumps to get the fluid ready and 2 switch flips. Per side. Done.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> For $860? Really? Anyways, I just got my Mad Dogs in the mail. Won't update my system till I get my Beyer DT880's with wood cups in


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> It's just a small t-amp (Topping Tp60), I'll probably change to a bigger speaker amp once I move to a new house.


 
   
  What is your source and where is the volume knob positioned at normal listening levels? I've considered getting a TP60 for my HE-500.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> 2 pumps to get the fluid ready and 2 switch flips. Per side. Done.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  But for $860
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was thinking about this one: http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Clean-Record-Washer-Complete/dp/B002UKSZUU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1362181779&sr=8-3&keywords=Record+cleaner Bad choice?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well yeah, good vacuum cleaners are usually a minimum of like...$600. Get whatcha pay for!
   
  Also, I thought about a Spin Clean for awhile. Just never ended up with one due to other upgrades. At this point I think my 3k TT deserves a proper vacuum cleaner. 
   
  I got some stuff cleaned recently and have been having major static problems. With the cleaned LPs there's no static noise at all. Even with my anti-static brush my non-cleaned LPs build up static. 
   
  It's pretty amazing what a good cleaning will do. I've been told that a vacuum cleaner is the biggest upgrade any analog nerd will make, and I totally believe it now.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> But for $860
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well yeah, good vacuum cleaners are usually a minimum of like...$600. Get whatcha pay for!
> 
> Also, I thought about a Spin Clean for awhile. Just never ended up with one due to other upgrades. At this point I think my 3k TT deserves a proper vacuum cleaner.
> 
> ...


 
  Just sounds odd to me to pay that much. I guess I'll get the Spin Clean sometime..


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well yeah, good vacuum cleaners are usually a minimum of like...$600. Get whatcha pay for!
> 
> Also, I thought about a Spin Clean for awhile. Just never ended up with one due to other upgrades. At this point I think my 3k TT deserves a proper vacuum cleaner.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah, a good cleaning is essential for older records, even new ones sometimes. I'm thinking about getting the VPI 16.5 or 17. My audiophile neighbor Fred has a fully automatic one, probably one of the best money can buy, from England, and I've cleaned several of my records on his and now I have to get one eventually.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





anda said:


> What is your source and where is the volume knob positioned at normal listening levels? I've considered getting a TP60 for my HE-500.


 
   
  Just an Audio gd nfb12. Cant bring any of my heavier gear with me to UK.
   
  On low gain, baroque and most well-recorded classical the volume knob is around 9-10 o'clock, metal (aka compressed stuff) is around 8 o'clock. High gain doesn't give much control with the knob. I'm a pretty low volume listener btw. 
   
  IMHO you should go with a lower watt amp. I've had the He-500 and even the Nfb12 can drive it to ear splitting level @ 10 o'clock. Most of the well-regarded T-amp using TA2020 or 2024 (trends 10.2se, HLLY) should give you plenty of power and control with the knob. Most people seem to favor the TA2020 even though it's the older chip in the t-amp line-up.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just go 17 if you get one. I'll let you know how I like the Nitty Gritty because as I said before, it seems almost too good to be true price wise. 
   
  My dealer has a Loricraft and that thing is pretty amazing, but at the price of my turntable I'm not planning on getting one anytime soon.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Yeah, a good cleaning is essential for older records, even new ones sometimes. I'm thinking about getting the VPI 16.5 or 17. My audiophile neighbor Fred has a fully automatic one, probably one of the best money can buy, from England, and I've cleaned several of my records on his and now I have to get one eventually.


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just go 17 if you get one. I'll let you know how I like the Nitty Gritty because as I said before, it seems almost too good to be true price wise.
> 
> My dealer has a Loricraft and that thing is pretty amazing, but at the price of my turntable I'm not planning on getting one anytime soon.


 
   
  Loricraft, that's it! I just looked that up, yeah, that's the one what Fred has, one of their models, probably the most expensive one. If I had to get one, that's the one I would get, but it's pretty expensive...I don't know, maybe a good investment?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Here's the thing with the Loricraft. It does just as good a job as any other vacuum cleaner but it's a bit of a double edged sword. 
   
  It's horrendously slow, and still manual fluid application at a very high price. It takes a long time per side because the vacuum is in the wand, thus it has to go over the whole record (almost like playing it) to clean each side. It's not quite that slow, but it's not a 1 minute process from start to finish like a VPI or NitGrit. 
   
  But...it's very quiet. Quiet enough to clean records while listening to other records. Most of the other on the market you should probably wear protective hearing for. They're kind of stupidly loud. 
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Loricraft, that's it! I just looked that up, yeah, that's the one what Fred has, one of their models, probably the most expensive one. If I had to get one, that's the one I would get, but it's pretty expensive...I don't know, maybe a good investment?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Here's the thing with the Loricraft. It does just as good a job as any other vacuum cleaner but it's a bit of a double edged sword.
> 
> It's horrendously slow, and still manual fluid application at a very high price. It takes a long time per side because the vacuum is in the wand, thus it has to go over the whole record (almost like playing it) to clean each side. It's not quite that slow, but it's not a 1 minute process from start to finish like a VPI or NitGrit.
> 
> But...it's very quiet. Quiet enough to clean records while listening to other records. Most of the other on the market you should probably wear protective hearing for. They're kind of stupidly loud.


 
   
  I think I should go with the VPI 16.5 or 17; 17 probably, not right now because I'm not really listening to records that much currently, but I always do and I will be much more as I get older (it's more expensive than CD's). As you mentioned in another thread a while ago, getting into Vinyl is a like a disease, it's just better than what any DAC/digital file combo can ever achieve, and addictive.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yup. Once you accept that it's the most rewarding part of this hobby (at least I think so).
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> I think I should go with the VPI 16.5 or 17; 17 probably, not right now because I'm not really listening to records that much currently, but I always do and I will be much more as I get older (it's more expensive than CD's). As you mentioned in another thread a while ago, *getting into Vinyl is a like a disease, it's just better than what any DAC/digital file combo can ever achieve, and addictive.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## calipilot227

I'd recommend the KAB EV1 (again) over the spin clean. $200, and cleans as well as any other vacuum RCM. Fully manual though, so it'll take a while to clean a large collection.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Congrats MT! Impressions are naturally required!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I mean, I've got great taste in music, if I do say so myself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   




   
  Congrats MT! YES, you do gots great taste in music. Will likely recognize the remaining 90% of your titles one day. Eventually, you'll get around to featuring Norah's sister AND that's when I'll come 'round bangin' on yo' (_____edit____) door!


----------



## Pudu

I think I'd go bangin' on her door instead .... :tongue_smile:


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





pudu said:


> I think I'd go bangin' on her door instead ....


 
   
  Count me in. Let's hope she doesn't bangin her sitar's on our head


----------



## NilsTentacles

'
  Meier-Audio electronics and Beyerdynamic T1


----------



## Silent One

Y'all are soooo bad.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





nilstentacles said:


> Meier-Audio electronics and Beyerdynamic T1


 
   
  Looking armed for a fantastic evening!


----------



## NilsTentacles

Yas indeed my silent one... in fact it has been running hawt all night


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Just an Audio gd nfb12. Cant bring any of my heavier gear with me to UK.
> 
> On low gain, baroque and most well-recorded classical the volume knob is around 9-10 o'clock, metal (aka compressed stuff) is around 8 o'clock. High gain doesn't give much control with the knob. I'm a pretty low volume listener btw.
> 
> IMHO you should go with a lower watt amp. I've had the He-500 and even the Nfb12 can drive it to ear splitting level @ 10 o'clock. Most of the well-regarded T-amp using TA2020 or 2024 (trends 10.2se, HLLY) should give you plenty of power and control with the knob. Most people seem to favor the TA2020 even though it's the older chip in the t-amp line-up.


 
   
  Thanks, very much appreciated. I've tried my Rega Mira 3 which is rated at 61w/8ohm. The volume control works very well and is around 10-11 o'clock but mids are a bit too forward. I will have to look at some of the smaller Tripath models


----------



## HolyCheese

Here's my current situation, I'm going to put on some shelves for headphones and books so it'll all change soon. I wil have to figure something out for the cable mess too. Maybe a powered usb hub or something 
   
   

   

  
  Lol, the lens was very dirty.


----------



## madriz

Just moved in.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Here's my current situation, I'm going to put on some shelves for headphones and books so it'll all change soon. I wil have to figure something out for the cable mess too. Maybe a powered usb hub or something
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  What speakers are those?


----------



## HolyCheese

Allright, everything is finished and my room is restyled. What do you guys think? 
   
   

   
   

   
   
  Edit: Those are JVC speakers from a home-cinema set. Nothing special or something, they are OK.
 SP-THS66S


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Allright, everything is finished and my room is restyled. What do you guys think?


 
  Very nice and tidy. Your mum will be proud


----------



## TheWuss

beautifully done, HolyCheese.


----------



## wes008

Awesome setup HolyCheese!


----------



## MickeyVee

Just added the HE500 to my collection.  Still breaking in but am really enjoying them.  I think I pretty much have my trifecta of headphones.


----------



## HolyCheese

Thanx alot guys! I'm actually proud of myself. And yea my mom probably will be too. It was a real mess.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


>


 
  You've got a bright pair, a bass-heavy pair, and a pair with some good musicality in the mids. I'd say you're set 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Out of curiosity, have you used the M-100 with the Lyr?


----------



## Benjamin6264

I'm thinking of getting a Woo Audio double stand to clear up the space in front of my stack. Without realizing, I've managed to capture every element of my setup, from my DIY power cables' plugs in the corner to my Media Player (Jriver Media Center - highly recommended). The HE-6 has Lawton Audio Denon earpads on. The HD800's cable is DIY from DHC Nucleotide, and the HE-6 has a DIY Toxic Cables 7N silver/gold wire cable. I should be making the opposites (silver/gold for HD800, copper for HE-6) in the next few days. Spring break has just started, and I'm glad to be back home with my soldering equipment. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Apologies for the awkward wall angle - my room's roof is the house's roof, and makes a 45 degree angle.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





benjamin6264 said:


> I'm thinking of getting a Woo Audio double stand to clear up the space in front of my stack. Without realizing, I've managed to capture every element of my setup, from my DIY power cables' plugs in the corner to my Media Player (Jriver Media Center - highly recommended). The HE-6 has Lawton Audio Denon earpads on. The HD800's cable is DIY from DHC Nucleotide, and the HE-6 has a DIY Toxic Cables 7N silver/gold wire cable. I should be making the opposites (silver/gold for HD800, copper for HE-6) in the next few days. Spring break has just started, and I'm glad to be back home with my soldering equipment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Where's that tube amp?


----------



## MickeyVee

Actually, the HD700 and HE500 compliment each other; they're not opposites. Probably closer than you'd guess just reading about them.. HE500 is not a bassy headphone and I wouldn't call the HD700 bright.. a little more on top but still quite smooth with great soundstage.   Yes, tried the M100 on the Lyr.. pretty awesome but it's mostly regulated to my MacBook Air and iPad Mini. Fun headphone but doesn't compare to the other two.
  I think I'm set for headphones.. now the Woo WA7 is calling my name..
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> You've got a bright pair, a bass-heavy pair, and a pair with some good musicality in the mids. I'd say you're set
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## khaine1711

I'll be very interested in copper vs silver/gold cable comparison with the He-6 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Did you also use the silver solder that frank included in his silver wire sale?
  Quote: 





benjamin6264 said:


> I'm thinking of getting a Woo Audio double stand to clear up the space in front of my stack. Without realizing, I've managed to capture every element of my setup, from my DIY power cables' plugs in the corner to my Media Player (Jriver Media Center - highly recommended). The HE-6 has Lawton Audio Denon earpads on. The HD800's cable is DIY from DHC Nucleotide, and the HE-6 has a DIY Toxic Cables 7N silver/gold wire cable. I should be making the opposites (silver/gold for HD800, copper for HE-6) in the next few days. Spring break has just started, and I'm glad to be back home with my soldering equipment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Benjamin6264

I used the provided solder for the HE-6 silver cable, and my own Cardas eutetic solder for the rest.
   
  The amplifier is actually a Bryston BHA-1, with a Gungir on top and a V-Link 192 on top of all that.


----------



## Benjamin6264

I've just finished making a balanced Y-Split to use both headphones at same time. It makes me avoid having to fiddle behind the headphone stands when I want to swap, and should be useful when I invite friends over. 
   
  I've used different color XLR connectors for the two inputs, that match with the headphones' cables' connectors. That way, even if I find myself using 2 cables that look alike, I can still tell them apart in an instant. I've used all black for the HE-6 and silver/black for the HD800.
   
  The wire is Toxic Cables silver/gold, but I think I will make another with copper for one half and silver/gold for the other once I decide which one I prefer with which.


----------



## jtinto

Very impressive setup Benjamin


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice work.  Great that you can do your own cables.
  May have missed this but what pads do you have on the HE6?  Looks interesting.
  Quote: 





benjamin6264 said:


> I've just finished making a balanced Y-Split to use both headphones at same time. It makes me avoid having to fiddle behind the headphone stands when I want to swap, and should be useful when I invite friends over.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Nice work.  Great that you can do your own cables.
> May have missed this but what pads do you have on the HE6?  Looks interesting.


 

 It's the Lawton Angle Pad for denon 2/5/7k


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Girlfriend said she could make more hearts out of cable than me. Little did she know, I am and audiophile. pics soon.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Actually, the HD700 and HE500 compliment each other; they're not opposites. Probably closer than you'd guess just reading about them.. HE500 is not a bassy headphone and I wouldn't call the HD700 bright.. a little more on top but still quite smooth with great soundstage.


 
  I meant that the M-100 was the bassy headphone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I used mid-centric for the HE-500, although I'm sure it has great lows too. Nice to know the HD 700 isn't as bright as some people say.


----------



## MickeyVee

Gotcha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In that case, yes, I've got all the bases covered. I actually haven't used the M100 since I got the HE500. 
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> I meant that the M-100 was the bassy headphone
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## FYL941

Just went to IKEA today and picked up a new MALM bedside table...fortunately the gear fits just barely on it.


----------



## HPManiac

My latest addition - swopped my Marantz SA8003 for the KI Pearl > Leben CS300X > Stax Lambda Signature. Listening to Murray Perahia playing Bach (Sony SS 87326) with a smile on my face. Sorry for the blurred shot and messy cables. From top left: LCD2, K702, 650, Stax 404, Sony Z1000, HE-5 (my favourite dynamic - apart from my T5p at work). Speakers out of the Leben are AVI Neutron IVs and a Velodyne Impact Mini under my workstation desk.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





hpmaniac said:


> My latest addition - swopped my* Marantz SA8003 for the KI Pearl* > Leben CS300X > Stax Lambda Signature.


 
  How do the two compare?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> How do the two compare?


 
  +1 Was wondering about this as well.


----------



## penmarker

Sorry for the picture quality. My Blackberry has a camera worse than a potato.


----------



## HPManiac

Re: KI Pearl vs SA8003, the SA8003 was very good in the smooth Marantz style but the treble wasn't well-integrated and there was a sense of artificiality with massed strings, shimmering highs etc. (Since there's very little in the SACD catologue that is non-classical). The Pearl addresses this and more - it's a Marantz for sure, ie. there is a lovely smooth coherent top-to-bottom sound that is, well, just enjoyable and complete. I compared it with my Fostex HP-A8C streaming DSDs (couldn't control for different amps and cables, but LCD2 was used for both) and it turned out to be the case where I was looking into the DSD stream and marvelling at the clarity and detail but with the Pearl it was just kicking back and letting the music flow. Hope that makes sense.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> Sorry for the picture quality. My Blackberry has a camera worse than a* potato*.


 
  Why didn't you use a potato then? There pretty cheap.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I absolutley LOVE the look of the woodied HiFiMans!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> Just went to IKEA today and picked up a new MALM bedside table...fortunately the gear fits just barely on it.


 
   
   
  woo audio 2


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





hpmaniac said:


> Re: KI Pearl vs SA8003, the SA8003 was very good in the smooth Marantz style but the treble wasn't well-integrated and there was a sense of artificiality with massed strings, shimmering highs etc. (Since there's very little in the SACD catologue that is non-classical). The Pearl addresses this and more - it's a Marantz for sure, ie. there is a lovely smooth coherent top-to-bottom sound that is, well, just enjoyable and complete. I compared it with my Fostex HP-A8C streaming DSDs (couldn't control for different amps and cables, but LCD2 was used for both) and it turned out to be the case where I was looking into the DSD stream and marvelling at the clarity and detail but with the Pearl it was just kicking back and letting the music flow. Hope that makes sense.


 
  Indeed it does. Sounds like you found yourself some musical paradise. I've only been able to hear the SA8003, and I loved it immensely. I want to hold off on any buying decisions however until I hear either the KI Pearl or an OPPO player.


----------



## jazzerdave

This isn't my "current" setup as it's from Saturday's meet in Austin, TX, but it was certainly my Head-Fi setup for a little bit.  
   
   

   
  My thanks to Acrog for taking the pic.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'll join in on that, Dave. 
   

   
  As you guys can see, we were table mates. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Oh, and the hilarious cables aren't mine.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> This isn't my "current" setup as it's from Saturday's meet in Austin, TX, but it was certainly my Head-Fi setup for a little bit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Decware and Denon...Looks like my place!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll join in on that, Dave.
> 
> As you guys can see, we were table mates.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks for bringing us in, MorbidToaster...great layout and sign to boot! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Keep dem grubby lil' pecan peelin' pokin' fingers off my turntable!


----------



## DefQon

I see a lot of you guys have Monster Power conditioners.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll join in on that, Dave.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Looks uber sexy!!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

It sure was when I listened to Marvin Gaye on it earlier. 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Looks uber sexy!!!


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I see a lot of you guys have Monster Power conditioners.


 
   
  I won't speak for everyone, but I got mine for $90.  I've never been one to suggest that it would make any difference in sound, but it does do a decent job of power management (timing turns on the power amp after the preamp) and prevention of hum from grounding issues.  It also offers more outlets than my Tripp Lite Isobars.  At the $500 list or $250 street price, I'd have made due by routing another Isobar from a different socket with an extension cord.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I use Furman conditioners that run under $100. They're great. I want a nicer one but am in no hurry at all.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +1 for that use. I have the HTS5000 Monster Power. I don't remember what I paid for it. I have had it a long time. The sequential power up is nice and it is metered to show current voltage. Handy when you live in an area with brown outs.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It sure was when I listened to Marvin Gaye on it earlier.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Marvin......
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 excellent choice!


----------



## MorbidToaster

There ya go. Want to get What's Goin' On soon (MoFi) as well as it's probably my favorite Marvin. I heard Let's Get It On was a bit better sounding though so I got this one first.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Marvin......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It sure was when I listened to Marvin Gaye on it earlier.


 

 OH yea!!


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There ya go. Want to get What's Goin' On soon (MoFi) as well as it's probably my favorite Marvin. I heard Let's Get It On was a bit better sounding though so I got this one first.


 
   
  liking the mini-easel displaying the album artwork (it's like a real life itunes window  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Oh man, you're good!


----------



## Maxvla

benjamin6264 said:


> I used the provided solder for the HE-6 silver cable, and my own Cardas eutetic solder for the rest.
> 
> The amplifier is actually a Bryston BHA-1, with a Gungir on top and a V-Link 192 on top of all that.



Does that not get too hot? I own that pair as well and when I stack them, the BHA-1 is scorching hot. I can get away with stacking the X-Sabre on the BHA-1 because it is about half the size so the BHA-1 can still breathe well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Oh man, you're good!


 
   
  Got the idea from the guys over at Steve Hoffman. Was glad I had one around. Makes for fun photos. 
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> liking the mini-easel displaying the album artwork (it's like a real life itunes window
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

I will start using my black mesh book holder/notepad holder to prop my LP covers.


----------



## Jlav

My humble rig
   
   

   
  DT-880's 250 ohm.
   

   
  Musical Paradise MP-301 Mk-3, Audio-GD NFB 11.32... Plus a bunch of dust.
   
  I could listen to the 880's through the MP-301 all day.  I use the Audio-GD mostly for DAC purposes.
   

   
  PSB Image 2B's.  Not the most ideal placement, but I have no room for stands.


----------



## DefQon

Looks like MT's got some sexual healing going on with his new rig.


----------



## d34dh0r53

Just finished the Jergpad mod on my new HE-500's and I'm loving it.  I still need a hundred hours of break in or so.


----------



## Benjamin6264

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Does that not get too hot? I own that pair as well and when I stack them, the BHA-1 is scorching hot. I can get away with stacking the X-Sabre on the BHA-1 because it is about half the size so the BHA-1 can still breathe well.


 
   
  I haven't ever experienced that. My Bryston is a few degrees warmer than the room, but nothing more than that.


----------



## turokrocks




----------



## Maxvla

benjamin6264 said:


> I haven't ever experienced that. My Bryston is a few degrees warmer than the room, but nothing more than that.



Really... I wonder if my BHA-1 is different. It's serial #2 so not exactly a standard production model. It was originally Drew's (Moon Audio) sample.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Just finished the Jergpad mod on my new HE-500's and I'm loving it.  I still need a hundred hours of break in or so.


 
  What type of amp am I looking at? Thanks.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





silent one said:


> What type of amp am I looking at? Thanks.


 

 From the (unique) heatsink and the tube location, I'm pretty sure that is the Millet SS (Starving Student) amp.


----------



## nelamvr6




----------



## d34dh0r53

silent one said:


> What type of amp am I looking at? Thanks.







khaine1711 said:


> From the (unique) heatsink and the tube location, I'm pretty sure that is the Millet SS (Starving Student) amp.




Yeah, it's a Starving Student I built a couple of years ago. I went top end everything on it, Kiwame resistors, Vishay, Wima and Sprague caps and RCA 19J6 tubes, silver hookup wire, etc. To me it sounds fantastic but I've never had the opportunity to really listen to any really good headphone amps so it may be a case of blissfull ignorance


----------



## Silent One

Appreciate both replies...the amp looks intriguing. Haven't seen it before. I have Sprague caps and they sound great! Admittedly, the Tube Depot sign threw me a bit.


----------



## d34dh0r53

Ha, that sticker floated around my desk for a year and a half before I decided to put it there. I get almost all of my tubes from them including those ones and I've never liked that enclosure so I thought I'd jazz it up a little. If you're ever in San Antonio stop by Rackspace and I'll let you listen to it  I'd love to get some outside impressions as I'm fairly new to the hobby and probably don't have the most discerning ears.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I guess you didn't make it to the Austin meet this weekend 
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Ha, that sticker floated around my desk for a year and a half before I decided to put it there. I get almost all of my tubes from them including those ones and I've never liked that enclosure so I thought I'd jazz it up a little. If you're ever in San Antonio stop by Rackspace and I'll let you listen to it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## d34dh0r53

morbidtoaster said:


> I guess you didn't make it to the Austin meet this weekend


Didn't even know about it till I saw the pics in this thread  plus my current work schedule precludes me from weekend activities. It sure looked like fun though, maybe next time. Where are they announced?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Ha, that sticker floated around my desk for a year and a half before I decided to put it there. I get almost all of my tubes from them including those ones and I've never liked that enclosure so I thought I'd jazz it up a little. If you're ever in San Antonio stop by Rackspace and I'll let you listen to it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Late in the year, it is my hope to check-in on NOLA; Houston. Judging by the wonderful contributions here, gonna have to find a way to squeeze in Austin; SA, as well...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  http://www.head-fi.org/f/24/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers


----------



## MorbidToaster

You're welcome anytime. If you come from Houston you could basically just make a line up the middle. 




  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Late in the year, it is my hope to check-in on NOLA; Houston. Judging by the wonderful contributions here, gonna have to find a way to squeeze in Austin; SA, as well...


 
   
  wolfetan's gotcha covered. Nick Dangerous will probably start planning his first summer one soon.
   
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Didn't even know about it till I saw the pics in this thread
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Had to move these out for just a pic that said, 1/10th of my gear.
> 
> The Stax mafia (the Don SR-Omega's are at a friends) so *a humble Stax shot* (with more incoming my way):


----------



## EraserXIV

Sorry for crappy cell phone pics, loaned my camera out.
   

   
   

   
  Going to refinish the base for the Crack sometime next week, hope it turns out how I'm envisioning it


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


>


 
   
  Say what?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Sorry for crappy cell phone pics, loaned my camera out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I love the exposed brick. Really nice, nice setup too


----------



## MorbidToaster

Agreed. The brick looks great.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I love the exposed brick. Really nice, nice setup too


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I love the exposed brick. Really nice, nice setup too


 
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Agreed. The brick looks great.


 
   
  Haha thanks, we get a lot of that up here in Boston. Never even knew it was a "feature" until I moved up here


----------



## Mr Blonde




----------



## MorbidToaster

It goes into my head...That counts, right?
   
Black Forest Ham, Bacon, Roast Beef, Lettuce, Cheddar, Sourdough, Mayo, Mustard. Lightly toasted.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

But is it morbid enough?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> *It goes into my head...That counts, right?*
> 
> Black Forest Ham, Bacon, Roast Beef, Lettuce, Cheddar, Sourdough, Mayo, Mustard. Lightly toasted.


 
  Some food for thought there...
   
  Must say, it does look rather delicious


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





mr blonde said:


>


 
  How is this setup? Looks wonderful!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I agree. Its very sleek, I'd love to know what headphone and DAC it is, I know its Vioelectric, but what models?


----------



## alv4426

^^^V200/V800


----------



## ssrock64

I didn't realize that Violectric gear was that small...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I didn't realize that Violectric gear was that small...


 
   
  +1


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It goes into my head...That counts, right?
> 
> Black Forest Ham, Bacon, Roast Beef, Lettuce, Cheddar, Sourdough, Mayo, Mustard. Lightly toasted.


 
   
   
  Looks like I'm going to be waiting over a month for my speakers as well. Evolution Acoustics has the speakers in stock, but they are all out of the stands that come with them...


----------



## MickeyVee

Yummy! Violectic V200 amp & V800 DAC.. my solid state dream.  Very nice!!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I agree. Its very sleek, I'd love to know what headphone and DAC it is, I know its Vioelectric, but what models?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I didn't realize that Violectric gear was that small...


 
  You should have seen my V800 sitting next to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my W4S box.


----------



## MorbidToaster

These actually to back to the dealer tomorrow as he needs them for a demo Thursday. Mine will hopefully be here Friday or Saturday. Though I will be getting my new (fixed) 300XS tomorrow.
   
  Might try to borrow his PS500 until my speakers come in. Just to give Grados one last shot.
   
  Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Looks like I'm going to be waiting over a month for my speakers as well. Evolution Acoustics has the speakers in stock, but they are all out of the stands that come with them...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> These actually to back to the dealer tomorrow as he needs them for a demo Thursday. Mine will hopefully be here Friday or Saturday. Though I will be getting my new (fixed) 300XS tomorrow.
> 
> Might try to borrow his PS500 until my speakers come in. Just to give Grados one last shot.


 
   
  Although, your dealer is just doing his/her job in taking great care of you, might wanna give them a Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie from The Goode Co. (Houston) to say "Thanks!"


----------



## ssrock64

Two food photos in two pages means we can officially declare a state of Head-Fi Hunger.


----------



## TrollDragon

Pecan pie in a wooden box, that not be cheap... Delicious though for sure! 

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





trolldragon said:


> Pecan pie in a wooden box, that not be cheap... Delicious though for sure!


 
  We ALWAYS pay for the casework...


----------



## traehekat

Just a few months into this new hobby, but I've definitely been enjoying myself. Audioengine A5+ speakers, Grado 325is and Beyerdynamic DT 880s headphones, Schiit Valhalla amp, and Audioengine D1 DAC/pre-amp.  The last thing I really want is the Bifrost, but I'm also eyeing the HD 650s to possibly replace the DT 880s as a nice contrast to the 325is.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Or I could just keep throwing money at him...
   
  RCM, New Cart, New Mat, Cables, Phono Stage...lol
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Although, your dealer is just doing his/her job in taking great care of you, might wanna give them a Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie from The Goode Co. (Houston) to say "Thanks!"


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Although, your dealer is just doing his/her job in taking great care of you, might wanna give them a Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie from The Goode Co. (Houston) to say "Thanks!"


 
   
  One of Houston's best, my grandmother makes a better one though.


----------



## Silent One

Same here but, my family will have to have my back with vendors. Though, I do buy a handful of Goode's each year and send 'em out as commercial gifts - keeping one for myself.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





traehekat said:


> Just a few months into this new hobby, but I've definitely been enjoying myself. Audioengine A5+ speakers, Grado 325is and Beyerdynamic DT 880s headphones, Schiit Valhalla amp, and Audioengine D1 DAC/pre-amp.  The last thing I really want is the Bifrost, but I'm also eyeing the HD 650s to possibly replace the DT 880s as a nice contrast to the 325is.


 
  not a bad start!


----------



## fizzix

Just received my speakers as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 though not as bad ass as SHL-5.
  These are my first "serious" speakers.
  Next step is to throw up a painting of either 2pac or bruce lee in the back lol.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





fizzix said:


> Next step is to throw up a painting of either 2pac or bruce lee in the back lol.


 
  Seriously one bad-a-s-s quote you got in your sig from BL. BL and 2pac fan here.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  The DAC-1 has been usurped!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Yeah, the influence of fellow members had me yank this bad boy outta the closet! Guess I'll leave it out till 31 March.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 





...Influence?  Oh, btw, nice record stand....


----------



## wes008

Silent One I'm sure you've said this before, but what insane multi-rectifier amp is that? (darkvoice?)


----------



## Silent One

Thanks. That LP jams! Leaves me upbeat and spirited. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My listening session just went final! Time to go to bed out in Cali...back up @ lunch._ Have yourself a most brilliant morning._


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Silent One I'm sure you've said this before, but what insane multi-rectifier amp is that? (darkvoice?)


 
   
  Custom built 6AS7 amp by MOT 2359glenn. Though, I'm using Tung-Sol 5998 power tubes instead. Tung-Sol Black Glass Round plate drive tube. And United Electronics USAF-596 rectifier.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I knew it was some custom built by some fancy guy
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How do I get in contact with 2359glenn?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





traehekat said:


> Just a few months into this new hobby, but I've definitely been enjoying myself. Audioengine A5+ speakers, Grado 325is and Beyerdynamic DT 880s headphones, Schiit Valhalla amp, and Audioengine D1 DAC/pre-amp.  The last thing I really want is the Bifrost, but I'm also eyeing the HD 650s to possibly replace the DT 880s as a nice contrast to the 325is.


 
  You've given yourself a really good amount of near-field listening space for a beginner. Good job!


----------



## Pudu

wolfetan44 said:


> I knew it was some custom built by some fancy guy
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You have to climb to the roof of the tallest building in town and hit the switch on the Fancy-Guy Signal.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





traehekat said:


> Just a few months into this new hobby, but I've definitely been enjoying myself. Audioengine A5+ speakers, Grado 325is and Beyerdynamic DT 880s headphones, Schiit Valhalla amp, and Audioengine D1 DAC/pre-amp.  The last thing I really want is the Bifrost, but I'm also eyeing the HD 650s to possibly replace the DT 880s as a nice contrast to the 325is.


 
   
   
  Sweet!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





pudu said:


> You have to climb to the roof of the tallest building in town and hit the switch on the Fancy-Guy Signal.


 
   
   
  Is that what that is?  
   
  Here I've been calling the Air Force all week reporting UFOs!  They keep giving me some cockamamie story about swamp gas...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Diggin' the NO DIGITAL picture there. I'm hoping to order my giant Mapleshade block soon for my Amadeus. 21x19x4
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Yeah, the influence of fellow members had me yank this bad boy outta the closet! Guess I'll leave it out till 31 March.


 
   
  Bruce Lee, please. Not a 2pac fan myself...but Wu Tang? Fa sho.
   
  Quote: 





fizzix said:


> Just received my speakers as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Send him a PM, he'd be glad to hear from you.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Diggin' the NO DIGITAL picture there. I'm hoping to order my giant Mapleshade block soon for my Amadeus. 21x19x4


 
   
  The TT isn't properly mounted 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




on my Maple goodness but then, when you're poor you use what you got. Will address the TT according to the new living space...


----------



## WickedChicken

Here's my humble setup.
   
  MacbookPro->Apogee GIO->Project Sunrise->AKG Q701
   




   
  The Apogee GIO makes for both a great guitar interface and a pretty decent DAC. The Project Sunrise amp is very affordable and seems to pair quite nicely with my AKG Q701s.
  And while the Q701s seem to get fairly mixed reviews I find that they are very non-fatiguing and sound great for guitar.
   
  -Kit


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wickedchicken said:


> Here's my humble setup.
> 
> The Apogee GIO makes for both a great guitar interface and a pretty decent DAC.    The Project Sunrise amp is very affordable and seems to pair quite nicely with my AKG Q701s.


 
   
  Lookin' better than Guitar Center!


----------



## giraffe

Newest addition to my rig, and also playing with a new camera.


----------



## tike71

My desk at its cleanest


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> My desk at its cleanest


 
   
  Nice picture and lighting.


----------



## Draygonn

My humble living room setup



@tike71, cool picture.


----------



## MickeyVee

x2.. very nice!
  Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Nice picture and lighting.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> My humble living room setup
> 
> 
> 
> @tike71, cool picture.


 
   
  @Draygonn - are you flipping us off as you snap that photo?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ah, I see it on the T50RP


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> My desk at its cleanest


 
   
   
  Awesome contrast.   Make sure you keep that picture.


----------



## jham1496

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> My desk at its cleanest


 
  Looks like a lot of thought went into the photo.  Great setup and photography


----------



## nelamvr6

tike71 said:


> My desk at its cleanest




Nice! You've got some interesting boxen there, can you go over what we're looking at? I couldn't find any info in your profile...


----------



## Pudu

giraffe said:


> Spoiler: photo
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I really love the look of those particular Denons.


----------



## Andolink




----------



## wolfetan44

What speakers!


----------



## MorbidToaster

PSB Imagine T
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What speakers!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> PSB Imagine T
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





andolink said:


>


 

 The Image T looks fabulous! I've considered getting either the Image B4 or the Alpha B1 from PSB as a starter for my adventure of loudspeakers. How is this setup?


----------



## tike71

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Nice! You've got some interesting boxen there, can you go over what we're looking at? I couldn't find any info in your profile...


 
  The box on my desk is a small form factor pc. The two boxes under the desk is the Anedio D1 DAC (silver) and the other is a Rotel stereo amp. The big box that the headphone stand is on is an SVS subwoofer


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What speakers!


 
  lol his sig has it.
   
   
  @tike: awesome photography.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> The box on my desk is a small form factor pc. The two boxes under the desk is the Anedio D1 DAC (silver) and the other is a Rotel stereo amp. The big box that the headphone stand is on is an SVS subwoofer


 
   
   
  Thanks!


----------



## Andolink

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> The Image T looks fabulous! I've considered getting either the Image B4 or the Alpha B1 from PSB as a starter for my adventure of loudspeakers. How is this setup?


 
  The Imagine T's are really perfect in the medium size room they're in running from the NAD C356BEE amp and Audiolab 8200CD.  Even better when I added the SVS SB12-NSD subwoofer to cover below 40 HZ.  The Imagine T's have a reputation for outstanding upper mid's and playing solo piano music through them proves that reputation is very well deserved.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tike71 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +2 on the SVS, I have a couple and sold a third...Awesome value!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

A bit late to join the Tea-Fi huh? Nothings more soothing than a cup of Bigelow's Cinnamon and Spice, with my HD518's being fed by my E7.


----------



## HeyWaj10

Oh yes there is...*insert your favorite headphones* with a nice glass of bourbon


----------



## HeyWaj10

Oh yes there is...*insert your favorite headphones* with a nice glass of bourbon


----------



## HeyWaj10

Crap, sorry for double post...damn "smart phones"


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> Oh yes there is...*insert your favorite headphones* with a nice glass of bourbon


 
  I'll drink to that


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Well, considering I'm in high-school, bourbon is out of the picture  (not literally lol)


----------



## HeyWaj10

If you drink responsibly, there's nothing wrong with it in the comfort of your own home  Only in the US is it taboo to drink under the age of 21. Besides, bourbon may be an acquired taste yet to be truly appreciated at your age, which is okay...took me til my mid-20s to fully appreciate and enjoy it!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I'm fine with tea, thanks though


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> If you drink responsibly, there's nothing wrong with it in the comfort of your own home  Only in the US is it taboo to drink under the age of 21. Besides, bourbon may be an acquired taste yet to be truly appreciated at your age, which is okay...took me til my mid-20s to fully appreciate and enjoy it!


 
   
  OT, but It took me till I was 25 to learn to like bourbon. And even now I only like some, typically only from small batch local distillers. One of my favorites is Burnside Bourbon from Eastside Distilling in portland oregon, where I'm from originally. I can't stand most of the stuff you find at the liquor stores.


----------



## Teddy Tc

I live in India, the tea here is amazing! 
Oh, and here is my cat 'guarding' my setup.


----------



## sharkz

Not to be too much like the bourbon police, but if it's made in Oregeon, can't it not be bourbon? I'm pretty sure to be bourbon, it has to be distilled in Kentucky using lime filled Kentucky spring water. Anything else would be a whiskey (in this case, a fine bourbon-like Oregon Whiskey). Bourbon definitely is an acquired taste though. Sorry for the totally off topic post.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





teddy tc said:


> I live in India, the tea here is amazing!
> Oh, and here is my cat 'guarding' my setup.


 
  Purrrrfect...!


----------



## TrollDragon

Quote: 





sharkz said:


> Not to be too much like the bourbon police, but if it's made in Oregeon, can't it not be bourbon? I'm pretty sure to be bourbon, it has to be distilled in Kentucky using lime filled Kentucky spring water. Anything else would be a whiskey (in this case, a fine bourbon-like Oregon Whiskey). Bourbon definitely is an acquired taste though. Sorry for the totally off topic post.


 

  Yumm...


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





sharkz said:


> Not to be too much like the bourbon police, but if it's made in Oregeon, can't it not be bourbon? I'm pretty sure to be bourbon, it has to be distilled in Kentucky using lime filled Kentucky spring water. Anything else would be a whiskey (in this case, a fine bourbon-like Oregon Whiskey). Bourbon definitely is an acquired taste though. Sorry for the totally off topic post.


 
   
  The only thing that it has to be in order to be bourbon is that it has to be made from at least 50% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years. At least by the legal definition of bourbon, people from kentucky might say otherwise though


----------



## LugBug1




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I'M SO SORRY FOR STARTING A LIQUOR FLAME-WAR.... LET'S ALL BE HAPPY, SIT BACK AND TAKE A SIP OF OUR UN-NAMED COMFORT DRINK. PLEASE?
   
  -edit- Sorry for caps lock, Skyrim is weird and messes with that.


----------



## LugBug1

Haha its cool, we're just having an interlude between hp pics. Afterall, head-fi is more than just headphones etc. A fine wine for example is always going to complement them. I'm currently enjoying a nice Shiraz with my K701's


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

6 more years.... Then I can experience HiFi with alcohol.... LEGALLY.


----------



## calipilot227

Nothing like cracking open a beer to take your rig to new levels


----------



## giraffe

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> The only thing that it has to be in order to be bourbon is that it has to be made from at least 50% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years. At least by the legal definition of bourbon, people from kentucky might say otherwise though


 
   
  Here's a link to the federal requirements for labeling whiskey: http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/27/5.22#b
   
  And so this post isn't entirely off topic, here's another picture of my head-fi station:


----------



## MorbidToaster

I find hookah is even better. Get something strong and put on a drone record. Oh man.
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Nothing like cracking open a beer to take your rig to new levels


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I find hookah is even better. Get something strong and put on a drone record. Oh man.


 
   
  Ohhhhhh yes


----------



## OPR8R

I like tea. I like whiskey. But I like the hookah best.


----------



## Silent One

Quick...everyone rearrange their listening rooms 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 for a photo blitz!


----------



## jasonb




----------



## drheadphone

I call the bottom one "salty".


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I find hookah is even better. Get something strong and put on a drone record. Oh man.


 
  I've always wondered how "hookah" got it's name. I've known it as "shisha"/"sheesha" all my life.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Nothing like cracking open a beer to take your rig to new levels


 
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I find hookah is even better. Get something strong and put on a drone record. Oh man.


 
  I'll have a joint to that thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> I call the bottom one "salty".


 
  What's that silver music server looking thing?
   
  Quote: 





penmarker said:


> I've always wondered how "hookah" got it's name. I've known it as "shisha"/"sheesha" all my life.


 
  True. But I think shisha/sheesha came from the Arabians/Middle Easterns.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I'll have a joint to that thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Shisha is the flavored tobacco used, the actual device is called a hookah.
   
  edit:  looks like a Perfectwave Transport


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> Shisha is the flavored tobacco used, the actual device is called a hookah.
> 
> edit:  looks like a Perfectwave Transport


 
  True true, but to me I'd still call it a bong. Doesn't look any different to the double chambers I have next to me.


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Nothing like cracking open a beer to take your rig to new levels


 
  I agree. Knocking back a Bikini Blonde on this beautiful afternoon with my rp6 bumpin. Just about to light up a cig too, go figure.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





trolldragon said:


> Yumm...


 
   
   
  +1


----------



## nelamvr6

Maker's Mark is OK, but if you want some REALLY good bourbon, try this:
   

   
  Blanton's Single Barrel


----------



## MorbidToaster

Bongs are very different, though they both operate on the same concept I guess.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> True true, but to me I'd still call it a bong. Doesn't look any different to the double chambers I have next to me.


 
   
  On topic.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Bongs are very different, though they both operate on the same concept I guess.
> 
> 
> On topic.


 
   
  Where is the Harbeth's? The Leben looks really amazing there..What tubes do you use MT?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Stock tubes, and the Harbeths should be here at the end of next week. The ones I had were the dealer pair and he needed them for an audition he had today...unfortunately. 
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> Where is the Harbeth's? The Leben looks really amazing there..What tubes do you use MT?


----------



## keph

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Stock tubes, and the Harbeths should be here at the end of next week. The ones I had were the dealer pair and he needed them for an audition he had today...unfortunately.


 
   
  Ohhh...i envy you SIR..!
   
  so no more headphones for you anymore?


----------



## Maxvla

He'll have a pair of HD800s again soon.


----------



## keph

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> He'll have a pair of HD800s again soon.


 
   
  Or a WEE and a 009? + Leben? That should be more than enough...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not going down that road for at least awhile (never say never), but HD800s will be in the house again soon (I hope). They were easily the best match for the Leben that I heard at the Austin meet. I'm going to try and hear them once more before ordering though.
   
  Quote: 





keph said:


> Or a WEE and a 009? + Leben? That should be more than enough...


----------



## DefQon

Ohh right... MT is getting more head gear. Don't forget to take pictures yeah?


----------



## Teddy Tc

Headphone tree..


----------



## Dubstep Girl

dat beats


----------



## Pudu

I hope your cat doesn't ravage your cans when she reclaims her territory. 

Though, I would if I were she.


----------



## Teddy Tc

Damn cat hasn't used that thing since the first day I bought it. She prefers using the sofa to sharpen her claws, or sometimes, humans..
Oh and Q701 cable apparently is a better toy. Maybe it's the lime green colour?


----------



## Pudu

Mine used to sleep on my macbook too. Her added body heat caused the battery to overheat and warp to the point that the mouse button would not longer click because of the battery bulging up from underneath. That turned out to be an expensive butt warmer.

Also the chai here in India, while delicious, is less tea and more like a hearty breakfast in a cup - equal parts tea, milk, and sugar, boil to oblivion.


----------



## Teddy Tc

pudu said:


> Also the chai here in India, while delicious, is less tea and more like a hearty breakfast in a cup - equal parts tea, milk, and sugar, boil to oblivion.




But it's soooo good, boil it, boil it more I say. Also you can actually get a great variety of tea leaves for a more tea/less chai experience. I'm off to Crawford market now to get some Darjeeling/Assam blend. Oh and to see if chor bazaar randomly has any old tube amps knocking around, worth a shot I reckon.


----------



## Pudu

You'll almost certainly trip over dozens of them.


----------



## Teddy Tc

pudu said:


> Also the chai here in India, while delicious, is less tea and more like a hearty breakfast in a cup - equal parts tea, milk, and sugar, boil to oblivion.




But it's soooo good, boil it, boil it more I say. Also you can actually get a great variety of tea leaves for a more tea/less chai experience. I'm off to Crawford market now to get some Darjeeling/Assam blend. Oh and to see if chor bazaar randomly has any old tube amps knocking around, worth a shot I reckon.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





pudu said:


> Also the chai here in India, while delicious, is less tea and more like a hearty breakfast in a cup - equal parts tea, milk, and sugar, boil to oblivion.


 
  Lol, I know what you mean! My mother makes chai all the time when I visit her. I love it every time. It's hard to eat anything afterwards other than a biscuit because its just so filling. Not complaining though.


----------



## randerson07

My setup at work.
   
  Work issued Best Buy special of a laptop from 2009, Fiio E10 with Allesando MS1 for when nobody is here and I can use open cans, and ATH-M35s once everyone starts showing up.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Pardon me asking Tddy Tc, but why do you have beats?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

So the amp showed up, and since i wanted to be able to break it in while i waited for the Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOnes, i decided to bring my Paradigm Monitor 7 v5s in and set the whole thing up


----------



## Teddy Tc

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Pardon me asking Tddy Tc, but why do you have beats?



2 reasons, 
1. they were a Christmas gift from my girlfriend
2. I DJ quite often and for that they are good

I like them for listening to club music, they basically kick me in the ears!

Q701 are for home quality listening time and producing

DT150 are for live engineering 

CAL are my little bit of portable lushness


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Okay, just wondering


----------



## Ultrainferno

New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


>


 





 Wow. Quite the setup you have there. A close-up of the amps, maybe? (all together, no need to take individual shots)


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





teddy tc said:


> Damn cat hasn't used that thing since the first day I bought it. She prefers using the sofa to sharpen her claws, or sometimes, humans..
> Oh and Q701 cable apparently is a better toy. Maybe it's the lime green colour?


 
  Have you tried rubbing cat nip all over the cat tree?  Might get results.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oh man...is all that high gloss white? That's awesome.


----------



## bbophead

White looks so good when it's new.  When it's older ............... not so much.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Thanks guys, yes its all white piano gloss. If it starts looking bad I'll replace it


----------



## HolyCheese

Oh man! That's an epic collection Ultra!


----------



## nelamvr6

Here's my rig for the office.  it's a little bulky, but I love that tubey sound!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested


 
  Wow...i'm super jealous of your setup. Practically looks like a booth at some convention. 
   
  Do you have a favorite headphone, amp, or combination there?


----------



## Silent One

Boutique, by appointment only...


----------



## philo50

that's not a new photo....gotta be at least a week old....
  Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Here's my rig for the office.  it's a little bulky, but I love that tubey sound!


----------



## LarryKingsShoes

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Here's my rig for the office.  it's a little bulky, but I love that tubey sound!


 
   
   
  That guy looks like the dad from Milk Money.


----------



## Armaegis

Heh, reminds me of the "cone of silence".


----------



## parbaked

Broke out the vintage Pioneer SA-7100 amp for a vinyl session.
  The phone stage actually matches up with my high output MC cartridge (Benz Micro Silver) better than my tube pre-amp. 
  Sounds good...


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  What tubes are you running on your Crack? Been looking at rolling a few through mine.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





teddy tc said:


> Headphone tree..


 
   
  I see....You work your way up to Beats?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Wow...i'm super jealous of your setup. Practically looks like a booth at some convention.
> 
> Do you have a favorite headphone, amp, or combination there?


 
   
  +1


----------



## hansb




----------



## Pudu

ultrainferno said:


> New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested :rolleyes:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Enter the Showroom




Holy moly! :eek:

I'm floored. That layout is truly impressive (and slightly disturbing  ). 

Looks awesome man.


----------



## FYL941

I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


 
   
  it looks quite messy, never seen interconnects that look like that.
   
  nice WA2 though!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


 
   
  I'm a customer of Mapleshade Record Store, too. So, how does it sound? I considered some but never made it to the online cash register. Make sure to post over the next 21 days.


----------



## FYL941

dubstep girl said:


> it looks quite messy, never seen interconnects that look like that.
> 
> nice WA2 though!




Thanks, I really enjoy the wa2 and 650 combo. I may step up to he500 if i get a chance to hear them first or just find a good price for me to dive in.

Yeah, they're a total trip when you first look at them and it kinda makes you wonder if they're even worth it if you have to avoid ac power cables, not allow them to touch carpet, plastic, and whatever else they recommended when hooking them up. I actually nailed nails into my wall so they could hang on them to avoid all that.


----------



## FYL941

silent one said:


> I'm a customer of Mapleshade Record Store, too. So, how does it sound? I considered some but never made it to the online cash register. Make sure to post over the next 21 days.




For sure I'll post my impressions when I get a chance to really listen to them. I'll be comparing them to my Kimber heroes which I've been running for quite some time now. First impressions though are they're not too shabby, there seems to be a bit more openness to the overall soundstage and I feel more pronounced bass...but that's after only 10 minutes spending with them until I started watching Red Dawn (doesn't do the original one any justice!)


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> Thanks, I really enjoy the wa2 and 650 combo. I may step up to he500 if i get a chance to hear them first or just find a good price for me to dive in.
> 
> Yeah, they're a total trip when you first look at them and it kinda makes you wonder if they're even worth it if you have to avoid ac power cables, not allow them to touch carpet, plastic, and whatever else they recommended when hooking them up. I actually nailed nails into my wall so they could hang on them to avoid all that.


 
   
  check to see if your WA2 can drive low impedance headphones well (u can test with any headphones that are under 100 ohms).
   
  my WA2 cannot drive anything low impedance properly, including the HE-500.  i use the WA6-SE for those. the WA2 does a great job with T1 and HD 800 though, i've been listening to the HD 800 more with the WA2, they sound very good, the bass is really good too.


----------



## DefQon

Man those 339's are big boys, I've never had both at the same time as the Woo to compare size wise but man, I've got a thing for big tube amp's. No audio homo here.


----------



## filuS

It's been a while since I posted a picture of my small audio world in here, so this is how my listening corner looks like nowadays:
   

   
  It's still far from being what I want it to be, the only thing I am missing is couple thousands of euros  . Hopefully in few months I will be able to upgrade at least my amp. I guess I will sell my W1000X in order to speed up upgrading process, they aren't of much use anyway (W3000ANV are superior to them basically in every aspect).
   
  There was recently one nice addition to my portable gear as well, ATH-CKW1000ANV.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





filus said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my small audio world in here, so this is how my listening corner looks like nowadays:


 
  I like the way your chair matches your headphones. Nice touch


----------



## IcedTea

I like the diablo USB stick


----------



## KlausInDK

The current state of the main rig - all components are in my signature:


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Wow. Quite the setup you have there. A close-up of the amps, maybe? (all together, no need to take individual shots)


 
   
  Thanks! Will do if I have time. All the amps besides the first pile have been covered in this thread already though
   
  Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Oh man! That's an epic collection Ultra!


 
   
  Thanks man, couldn't bring all that to the meet 
   
  Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Wow...i'm super jealous of your setup. Practically looks like a booth at some convention.
> 
> Do you have a favorite headphone, amp, or combination there?


 
   
  Of the desktop size amps my favorite combinations are:
   
  Bottlehead Crack + HD700
  LF 339 + HD650 and HE500
  Woo Audio 2 + DT770 AE
  Violectric V200 + LCD-2
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Boutique, by appointment only...


 
   
  And if you're in my "circle of trust" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I actually don't let too many (read "any") people in my office besides the misses. Clayton SF will probably be the first
   
  Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> What tubes are you running on your Crack? Been looking at rolling a few through mine.


 
   
  I tried several tubes like the RCA/Chatham 6AS7G, 5998 Tung sol and even the GEC 6AS7G, yet I always go back to the stock power tube (a Beckman branded Tung Sol 6080) and a 12AU7 Clear top.
   
  Quote: 





pudu said:


> Holy moly!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks mate. Disturbing huh, hmmm
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Man those 339's are big boys, I've never had both at the same time as the Woo to compare size wise but man, I've got a thing for big tube amp's. No audio homo here.


 
   
  The 339 is bit bigger than the WA indeed, I love how the 339 looks but the WA2 is such a beauty as well. Both great amps.
  Sorry for the multiple quotes. Let's see some new pics now!


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> *[edit]*
> 
> I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


 
   
  Looks like the only real problem is the excess cable length makes it hard for you to position them in ways that avoid interference and overlap. Are shorter cables available, or can you move your amp farther from your CD player?


----------



## longbowbbs

We all enjoy our gear. Sometimes it is fun to see where it comes from. Here is the post of my Decware visit..
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/654644/a-visit-to-decware


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


 
   
  Those interconnects would give me an OCD fit for how you've put them up. They also look pretty fragile, like they'll rip/crack if you fold them up too much. More importantly though, how do they sound?


----------



## jtinto

Quote: 





fyl941 said:


> I just received these mapleshade interconnects today and ready to play around with them but I've heard they are a bit finicky to setup. I just hope I'm able to figure out how to correctly install them before the 30 day return policy is up! .


 
   
  Those have to be the most unique interconnects I've ever seen


----------



## NZheadcase

Just sharing. Be gentle. 
   
  It's rather cramped, but we gotta make do with the space given. The first two are pre-T1 and Soloist. Then with Soloist and the office rig (not shown in office rig is the E17, recently re-purposed as DAC for the Asgard). Sorry for the uneven photography. Some were taken by a new camera, some by mobile phone, some by an old 5 yo digicam. The addition of the T1 and Soloist is an effective balm against upgradititis at the moment. I don't see any major changes for a while yet.


----------



## sling5s

Wow, that's not a set up but a shrine. 
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested


 


>


----------



## JWahl

Here is a rough cell phone picture of my current setup:
   
   

   
  Note the conveniently compact size of the Concero underneath my monitor


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





filus said:


> It's still far from being what I want it to be, the only thing I am missing is couple thousands of euros  . Hopefully in few months I will be able to upgrade at least my amp. I guess I will sell my W1000X in order to speed up upgrading process, they aren't of much use anyway (W3000ANV are superior to them basically in every aspect).
> 
> There was recently one nice addition to my portable gear as well, ATH-CKW1000ANV.


 
  You're quite a one-brand man, and one of the few out there still with an Audio-Technica obsession.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Just sharing. Be gentle.
> 
> It's rather cramped, but we gotta make do with the space given. The first two are pre-T1 and Soloist. Then with Soloist and the office rig (not shown in office rig is the E17, recently re-purposed as DAC for the Asgard). Sorry for the uneven photography. Some were taken by a new camera, some by mobile phone, some by an old 5 yo digicam. The addition of the T1 and Soloist is an effective balm against upgradititis at the moment. I don't see any major changes for a while yet.
> 
> ...


 
  Very nice collection!


----------



## calibro

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Very nice collection!


 
  Very very nice!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## RestoredSparda

Awesome pictures everyone. Thanks for sharing. Here's my current Sunday morning rig.


----------



## FYL941

ardgedee said:


> Looks like the only real problem is the excess cable length makes it hard for you to position them in ways that avoid interference and overlap. Are shorter cables available, or can you move your amp farther from your CD player?




Unfortunately they only sell 1m and 2m lengths (I purchased the 1m). The mfg. only really recommends you place the IC's away from any AC cords which I was able to accomplish by hanging them. It would be ideal for me to separate my CD player farther from the amp where they don't have to sit on top one another but the rig is basically on my night stand. So this will have to make due for the time being.


----------



## FYL941

twizzleraddict said:


> Those interconnects would give me an OCD fit for how you've put them up. They also look pretty fragile, like they'll rip/crack if you fold them up too much. More importantly though, how do they sound?




Haha, I guess that's what make this a "fun" hobby otherwise why else would I get into tube rolling as well! They are fragile but not as much as they seem, you definitely don't want to tug on the IC's by pulling the copper ribbons but they're super light and hanging them doesn't put any weight between the terminated ends.

So far they sound as advertised and, the better deal compared to my Kimber Heroes. Wide sound stage like the Heroes but definitely more transparent. I would definitely recommend people to try these if your looking for new cables and, they have a great 30 day money back guarantee if you don't like it.


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> You're quite a one-brand man, and one of the few out there still with an Audio-Technica obsession.


 
  Nothing wrong with that.


----------



## ssrock64

fizzix said:


> Nothing wrong with that.



Absolutely. I was very close to becoming a Grado-only guy at one point.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Absolutely. I was very close to becoming a Grado-only guy at one point.


 
  I resemble that remark...


----------



## ssrock64

parbaked said:


> I resemble that remark...



There was a time when I had only my SR60i, SR80i, SR325is, and PS1000, but was kept from going entirely off the deep end by my ESP950, which brought me back to the world of other brands. Now my PS1000 is still one of my top headphones, but it shares the title with the T1 and I've gotten rid of the SR80i and SR325is.


----------



## SurfWax

Midterm paper due tomorrow, TTVJ Apex Glacier for my DAC and amp, 2012 MBA, RS1s (not pictured), Snoopy and Tigger


----------



## NZheadcase

surfwax said:


> Midterm paper due tomorrow, TTVJ Apex Glacier for my DAC and amp, 2012 MBA, RS1s (not pictured), Snoopy and Tigger




How's the synergy between the TTJV and snoopy and tigger? 

Good luck on you exams.


----------



## Armaegis

Has anyone tried just drilling a ton of holes in the cups and making the T50rp open backed? I know DBV tried opening up another set of vents (and hence the moniker of "double bass vents" which has lost it's original meaning but the naming remained), but has anyone gone further than that? 
   
  There's also the silly voice in my head that says after I've transplanted these drivers into the COP, I should try an open backed Sennheiser next...


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> Has anyone tried just drilling a ton of holes in the cups and making the T50rp open backed? I know DBV tried opening up another set of vents (and hence the moniker of "double bass vents" which has lost it's original meaning but the naming remained), but has anyone gone further than that?
> 
> There's also the silly voice in my head that says after I've transplanted these drivers into the COP, I should try an open backed Sennheiser next...



I was thinking the same thing about the T50 yesterday. With all of the talk about how the Mad Dog and other mods supposedly whip the HE-400 in everything but soundstage, I'm surprised nobody's tried it yet. On the other hand, it's already a pretty bass-neutral can as it is; you'd have to do some pretty thorough modding to have the signature come out right.


----------



## DragonOwen

Actually It's not completely my setup... but it was for yesterday, when my friend came by with his 3-channel Beta22 and HE-6 (with moon-audio Silver Dragon cable), so I decided to post a few photos here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
  BTW My 009 win over HE-6 hands down, on any music we listened, from rock and pop to classic and jazz... I think my new driver tubes for WES (Brimar 6SL7WTY) was one of the reasons of such a massive dominance of 009... this tubes are fantastic, especially SQ (especially electric guitars)


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Lovin that setup ^  SR009's always look so nice next to some large tubes.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The Paradox is masterful, but man I did not like the Mad Dogs at all...
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I was thinking the same thing about the T50 yesterday. With all of the talk about how the Mad Dog and other mods supposedly whip the HE-400 in everything but soundstage, I'm surprised nobody's tried it yet. On the other hand, it's already a pretty bass-neutral can as it is; you'd have to do some pretty thorough modding to have the signature come out right.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Has anyone tried just drilling a ton of holes in the cups and making the T50rp open backed? I know DBV tried opening up another set of vents (and hence the moniker of "double bass vents" which has lost it's original meaning but the naming remained), but has anyone gone further than that?
> 
> There's also the silly voice in my head that says after I've transplanted these drivers into the COP, I should try an open backed Sennheiser next...


 
   
   



ssrock64 said:


> I was thinking the same thing about the T50 yesterday. With all of the talk about how the Mad Dog and other mods supposedly whip the HE-400 in everything but soundstage, I'm surprised nobody's tried it yet. On the other hand, it's already a pretty bass-neutral can as it is; you'd have to do some pretty thorough modding to have the signature come out right.


 
   
  Wow.... how did I accidentally post this in the "show us your station thread" rather than the T50rp modding one... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Ok, gonna do a cut'n'paste now...


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Actually It's not completely my setup... but it was for yesterday, when my friend came by with his 3-channel Beta22 and HE-6 (with moon-audio Silver Dragon cable), so I decided to post a few photos here
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'm wondering if that had something to do with the HE-6 pairing with the B22 not being totally an apples to oranges comparison (SS vs tubes). The pairing of HE-6 with something more synergistic MIGHT get it closer?  Otherwise, I think if you had both the SR-009s and HE-6s in your home, with comparable electronics driving them both, you've pretty much hit the end of the road for SOT headphile for the current time being... until something better comes along.


----------



## autoteleology

Does anyone have a recommendation for an inexpensive desk? My desk is a piece of rubbish and doesn't really fill my needs.

 A nice end table with drawers would also be ace.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Does anyone have a recommendation for an inexpensive desk? My desk is a piece of rubbish and doesn't really fill my needs.
> 
> A nice end table with drawers would also be ace.


 

 Check out Staples or Office Max. Of Course, Ikea is another one to consider..


----------



## DragonOwen

twizzleraddict said:


> I'm wondering if that had something to do with the HE-6 pairing with the B22 not being totally an apples to oranges comparison (SS vs tubes). The pairing of HE-6 with something more synergistic MIGHT get it closer?  Otherwise, I think if you had both the SR-009s and HE-6s in your home, with comparable electronics driving them both, you've pretty much hit the end of the road for SOT headphile for the current time being... until something better comes along.



Do I believe that HE-6 with some super amp might get closer to the sound of SR-009 on my current setup? 
Maybe. 

Do I believe that overall sound quality of HE-6 might become compatible to the sound quality of SR-009 on my current setup? 
No.

I owned HE-6 for about a year, listened it on different amps, and the sound of HE-6 with 3-channel Beta22 of my friend is the best sound I heard of HE-6... I consider the possibility that HE-6 might sound even better, but I don't think that thats will be some massive improvements and without this massive improvements HE-6 don't even have a chance to compete with SR-009 on my current setup....

Of course, it's only IMHO... A week ago a guy from russian headphone forum came by with his Denon 7100... He didn't like SR-009, he said it has little bass for him and they are too bright on his music on the volume that he listening music (he listening music on veeeeery high volume... I can listen music on this volume about 2-3 seconds, after that I became a little bit deaf...).... I listened his Denon 7100... I think 7100 is sound awful, for me it's really a big downgrade from 7000..... So views on "ideal" sound is very varies from person to person... But the owner of HE-6 and Beta22 is sadly agreed with me that SR-009 on my current setup is much better then his HE-6 in every way on any music...


----------



## MorbidToaster

+1 on Ikea. 
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Check out Staples or Office Max. Of Course, Ikea is another one to consider..


----------



## EraserXIV

You can actually get some really nice furniture online from Amazon and Overstock. You just need to really pay attention to measurements and read reviews and look at pictures to get a good idea of what you're getting. Definitely not as ideal as seeing it in person, but it's cheaper, more convenient and you get a much wider selection.


----------



## Maxvla

I wouldn't say it's more convenient.. it's more convenient to go to the store, look at it, try it out, then take it home, than to trust online measurement specs and hope things fit right, then deal with delivery schedule and the inevitable shipping damage on large items.


----------



## Silent One

My current audio rack (coffee table) was a close-out model. Once the Amazon online retailer brought in the replacement model, the few older models left in inventory got marked down heavily. I enjoyed both the design and huge markdown - was already familiar with the table the previous year.


----------



## FYL941

tus-chan said:


> Does anyone have a recommendation for an inexpensive desk? My desk is a piece of rubbish and doesn't really fill my needs.
> 
> 
> A nice end table with drawers would also be ace.




Target or Ikea usually works for me


----------



## driver 8

cause they all sound the same, amirite?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> cause they all sound the same, amirite?


 
   
   




   
  really tiny almost portable amp  and  an M51


----------



## Maxvla

They all sound the same.


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> Wow.... how did I accidentally post this in the "show us your station thread" rather than the T50rp modding one...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Happens.

In fact, it happens so much that absolutely nobody but you actually noticed we were off-topic.


----------



## Armaegis

Haha, fair point. So how 'bout that local sports team eh?


----------



## Draygonn

Picture threads get derailed all the time. I usually wait a week, then scroll thru for the eye candy.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





draygonn said:


> Picture threads get derailed all the time. I usually wait a week, then scroll thru for the eye candy.


 
  Gallery view is of much help to you there, then.


----------



## Mad Dude

Speaker system... check. Headphone system... check. Phono preamp... check. Vinyl brush... check. More than a hundred vinyl LPs... check. Still, somehow I get the impression that something's missing in my vinyl setup.
   

  Oh, right - a turntable! I knew I've forgotten something. Well, at least there's already enough space for one... And with some luck my Pro-Ject should arrive during next week.
   
   

  A closeup of the ESP-950 in its full plasticky glory.
   
   

  And last but not least, the view, as seen from the listening chair. Well, at least during the approximately three days per year when there's no thick grey fog all around.


----------



## Maxvla

mad dude said:


> Still, somehow I get the impression that something's missing in my vinyl setup.



Even more vinyl. That's what's missing.


----------



## Mad Dude

I'm not too worried about that. Somehow I'm under the impression that my stack of LPs will grow bigger over time, while money vanishes mysteriously from my wallet.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Speaker system... check. Headphone system... check. Phono preamp... check. Vinyl brush... check. More than a hundred vinyl LPs... check. Still, somehow I get the impression that something's missing in my vinyl setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  You live in one of the most cleanest and beautiful countries in the world. With a view like that, ANY music is going to be icing on the cake. 
   
  Do you hear cow bells from where you live???


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





twizzleraddict said:


> Do you hear cow bells from where you live???


 
   
  No cow bells, ha ha - but during summer there's sheep on the small hill that can be seen from my window, and those wear bells as well. The result is rather similar. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  In any case, it's all a matter of being used to one's sorroundings... Personally I think the USA's west coast is home to some of the most beautiful and interesting places on earth - I hope to travel there again soon.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Personally I think the USA's west coast is home to some of the most beautiful and interesting places on earth - I hope to travel there again soon.


 
   
  Especially the coastal redwoods 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 We are also home to some of the most crowded freeways in the United States


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Even more vinyl. That's what's missing.


 
  So much money...6k down the drain for me and I plan to double that ASAP. Lol


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Speaker system... check. Headphone system... check. Phono preamp... check. Vinyl brush... check. More than a hundred vinyl LPs... check. Still, somehow I get the impression that something's missing in my vinyl setup.
> 
> 
> Oh, right - a turntable! I knew I've forgotten something. Well, at least there's already enough space for one... And with some luck my Pro-Ject should arrive during next week.


 
  You also seem to be missing your beer...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Let's be serious...do you ever actually really_ have _beer? It always seems to be missing.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> You also seem to be missing your beer...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Speaker system... check. Headphone system... check. Phono preamp... check. Vinyl brush... check. More than a hundred vinyl LPs... check. Still, somehow I get the impression that something's missing in my vinyl setup.
> 
> 
> Oh, right - a turntable! I knew I've forgotten something. Well, at least there's already enough space for one... And with some luck my Pro-Ject should arrive during next week.
> ...


 
  How is Switzerland? I really want to move there...


----------



## ssrock64

mad dude said:


> A closeup of the ESP-950 in its full plasticky glory.



You officially have wallpaper cred with that one.


----------



## Bytor70

tdogzthmn said:


> The lastest album by Steven Wilson and it sounds incredible, especially in Hi rez!


I was just listening to this last night. The sound is wonderful!


----------



## JIGF

bytor70 said:


> I was just listening to this last night. The sound is wonderful!


I second that!


----------



## 28980




----------



## daigo

Quote: 





28980 said:


>


 
   
  Dust shroud/display case!  My stuff gets dusty so quickly that I would love to do something similar, if I only had more desk space.


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





28980 said:


>


 
   
  Very nice. What clear case is that?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Very nice. What clear case is that?


 
  Well, its a clear case of dust obsessiveness


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Well, its a clear case of dust obsessiveness


----------



## hodgjy

I just picked up a new accessory to round out my system.  I just took delivery of the V-PSU II to power my V-DAC II.  I can already tell there are some minor improvements over the wall wart.  Specifically, the bass is a hint more detailed, deeper, textured, and refined.  Also, cymbal crashes are a little more refined as well.  All in all, a good upgrade.  Glad I did it.  The price was right after the discount Musical Fidelity applied to this component.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I just picked up a new accessory to round out my system.  I just took delivery of the V-PSU II to power my V-DAC II.  I can already tell there are some minor improvements over the wall wart.  Specifically, the bass is a hint more detailed, deeper, textured, and refined.  Also, cymbal crashes are a little more refined as well.  All in all, a good upgrade.  Glad I did it.  The price was right after the discount Musical Fidelity applied to this component.


 
  Thats good to hear, I have the Vdac II and love it. Think I'll snap one of those up soon 
   
  Its such a great dac for the money.


----------



## hodgjy

The current price is $129.  I cashed in some reward points at Crutchfield and got it for $119.  Can't complain about that.
   
  And, yes, it is a great DAC for the money.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Thats good to hear, I have the Vdac II and love it. Think I'll snap one of those up soon
> 
> Its such a great dac for the money.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Well, you guys did it. I'm enjoying a glass of Reisling at my grandparents with In The Court Of The Crimson King on my Grados.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Well, you guys did it. I'm enjoying a glass of Reisling at my grandparents with In The Court Of The Crimson King on my Grados.


 






 Don't blame us for your grandparents plying you with booze!
   
  Enjoy!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Oddly...I'm most looking forward to snapping shots of my rig after I move and our household invests in a nice hookah...
   
  The new roomie also has a fantastic camera so you guys will get proper photos.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

And now I'm trying a glass of "Gewürztraminer" with The Antlers' "Hospice"


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> And now I'm trying a glass of "Gewürztraminer" with The Antlers' "Hospice"


 
  OMG someone help this guy! His grandparents are crazy!
   
  Tell them to put the kettle on! Have a nice cup of tea!!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

XD it's cool guys. It's a small glass, almost just a tasting glass.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ok guys, so at my grandparents house they've got a stereo system consisting of a simple Sony receiver, and two really interesting looking Burhoe speakers. I can't test them, but they look reallllllllly nice and are about 1 1/2 feet tall by the looks of it. Any opinions guys? Are these a good rare vintage find?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ok guys, so at my grandparents house they've got a stereo system consisting of a simple Sony receiver, and two really interesting looking Burhoe speakers. I can't test them, but they look reallllllllly nice and are about 1 1/2 feet tall by the looks of it. Any opinions guys? Are these a good rare vintage find?


 
  People seem to like them..


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Thanks  I might have to 'steal' them. And by steal I mean kindly take them off their hands as they no longer use them. Also, finding a spot in my room for them will be hard....


----------



## ssrock64

I remember happening across a full vintage Sherwood system complete with some gigantic S-2125 speakers in a friend's basement once. The way they made _Stop Making Sense_ sing, I wanted them so bad...


----------



## ardilla

_...Made by my son (8)_


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ardilla said:


>


 
   
  cute


----------



## hodgjy

What tube complement are you using?  Is that output transformer coupled?
   
  Quote: 





ardilla said:


>


----------



## longbowbbs

Love the complete chain, Chris...Very nice.....


----------



## Jepu

Computer is my usual source. Also using Beyer DT 990 with the same stuff.
   
  And damn that ardilla's setup is adorable.


----------



## ardilla

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> What tube complement are you using?  Is that output transformer coupled?


 
   
  My kid probably didn't think about that - but he made a dac and two amps and a stand, I think  He made it all himself, it was his own idea. "Dad, I built you a tube amp"


----------



## hodgjy

That's great you are getting your kid involved in this hobby.
   
  Quote: 





ardilla said:


> My kid probably didn't think about that - but he made a dac and two amps and a stand, I think  He made it all himself, it was his own idea. "Dad, I built you a tube amp"


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> _edit: made by my son (8)_


 
  This wins the award for the cutest thing ever to happen on Head-Fi.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

ssrock64 said:


> This wins the award for the cutest thing ever to happen on Head-Fi.



+1


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





jepu said:


>


 
  Looks awesome. I like the mini rack.


----------



## ardilla

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> This wins the award for the cutest thing ever to happen on Head-Fi.


 
   
  My son got a big smile on his face when I told him you praised his work by giving him this unique award


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> My son got a big smile on his face when I told him you praised his work by giving him this unique award


 
  I was never, ever that creatively detailed with legos.


----------



## ardilla

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> That's great you are getting your kid involved in this hobby.


 
   
  He's into some very alternative jazz....


----------



## LugBug1

Great stuff Ardilla, and very creative for an 8 year old!
   
  I've had to give my 16 month old son a pair of headphones to play with because he's on a mission to get at my LCD2's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  I gave him some old Goldrings. Hes treating them very badly haha


----------



## calipilot227

He will learn 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In the meantime, keep your LCD2's in a safe place!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +1!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





jepu said:


> Computer is my usual source. Also using Beyer DT 990 with the same stuff.
> 
> And damn that ardilla's setup is adorable.


 
  I wish Schiit made cool racks like that just for their AMp/dacs


----------



## LFF

Oh yeah....


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Great stuff Ardilla, and very creative for an 8 year old!
> 
> I've had to give my 16 month old son a pair of headphones to play with because he's on a mission to get at my LCD2's
> 
> ...


 
   
  Fisher Price makes headphones... I wonder how they sound.


----------



## GrindingThud

They go with the iTod......:rolleyes:



armaegis said:


> Fisher Price makes headphones... I wonder how they sound.


----------



## Idsynchrono_24

ardilla said:


> _edit: made by my son (8)_




Haha! Love it! Took me awhile to realize what it was I was looking at, very clever


----------



## Heywardo

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New gear added. Sorry for the bad picture quality. will take a decent one if anyone's interested


 
  I know this was a while ago in the thread but does anyone know where I can get those headphone stands and how much they are? 
  Thanks.


----------



## meowza

Quote: 





heywardo said:


> I know this was a while ago in the thread but does anyone know where I can get those headphone stands and how much they are?
> Thanks.


 
  They're the Sieveking Omega afaik.


----------



## autoteleology

> _...Made by my son (8)_


 
   
  I originally thought that it was supposed to imply that you were literally chained to your hi-fi station. Didn't realize that the chain was actually a headphone and its cable.


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> _...Made by my son (8)_


 
   
  You just won Head-Fi. Jude, shut the website down.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > _...Made by my son (8)_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  My impression was similar - chained to the Desktop workstation but surviving on audio.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I originally thought that it was supposed to imply that you were literally chained to your hi-fi station. Didn't realize that the chain was actually a headphone and its cable.


 

 His son is actually making a complex and deep statement that his father is chained to his listening station.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I agree.


----------



## zilch0md

This was "current" four days ago - while on vacation in Navarre Beach, Florida...
   
  WAV on SD Cards > Windows 7 > Foobar w/WASAPI > DACport LX (sitting on a heat sink) >  16VDC external battery-powered iBasso PB2 Pelican with LME49990s and HA5002 buffers > balanced Toxic Cables Silver Poision > LCD-2 rev.1  (with HPRC 2400F travel case on the floor).
   
   

   

   

   
  Mike


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> You just won Head-Fi. Jude, shut the website down.


 
  hahaha...
   
  It is indeed cute on the other hand.


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,



 Picked up a Micro Seiki MX-1 Electrostatic Headphone set, for 20 Quid at the charity shop. Had the battery box modded so I can use my iFi iCAN Headamp. Completely chuffed by the results, best headphones I ever owned. The cheapest too (not counting free throw ins with Phones)!

 Cheerio Rich


----------



## realityhas




----------



## autoteleology

What bit rate is that sandwich in? I only eat lossless sandwiches.


----------



## GrindingThud

Lol, sandwich fi:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/370733/sandwich-fi


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

It appears to be a .MP3 VB0 breed of sammich.
-edit-
S*** WHAT A WASTE OF A 400TH POST.


----------



## meowza




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





meowza said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sweet family of HP's at the Bryston ranch...Very nice!


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





meowza said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  Lovely! Where'd you get that Astro Boy, btw?


----------



## Grevlin

Upgraded to a Hi Def 27" monitor so I had to revamp everything. Another addition is a Sony Blu Ray player so I can play Blu rays on the new monitor.


----------



## drheadphone

DNA Stratus #17!


----------



## jazzerdave

I've had the Decware Taboo back in the system while my Cavalli amp was getting it's mod completed.  I'm also borrowing a Brimar rectifier from Nick Dangerous (swapped temporarily for my EML).  I might take another shot of the system when I get the LG set up with the Taboo in at the same time.
   
  I'm watching a friends' dog at the moment, so the LCD-3 stays in it's case when it's not on my head...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> DNA Stratus #17!


 

 You're keeping quite a low profile in terms of assumptions, compared to what gear you actually have. If somebody sees a member with Head-Fier rank and a photo of the M50 as their avatar, they assume that the M50 is all that user owns (perhaps in addition to a V-Moda and a CMoyBB).
   
  But no, you don't even own an M50 anymore. You have an HD800, W3000ANV, D7000, HE-500, and HD650, among other lesser headphones. I commend you for your subtlety, intentional or not.


----------



## khaine1711

What's the tube thingy in the middle? I'm guessing it's a preamp?
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I've had the Decware Taboo back in the system while my Cavalli amp was getting it's mod completed.  I'm also borrowing a Brimar rectifier from Nick Dangerous (swapped temporarily for my EML).  I might take another shot of the system when I get the LG set up with the Taboo in at the same time.
> 
> I'm watching a friends' dog at the moment, so the LCD-3 stays in it's case when it's not on my head...


----------



## drheadphone

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> You're keeping quite a low profile in terms of assumptions, compared to what gear you actually have. If somebody sees a member with Head-Fier rank and a photo of the M50 as their avatar, they assume that the M50 is all that user owns (perhaps in addition to a V-Moda and a CMoyBB).
> 
> But no, you don't even own an M50 anymore. You have an HD800, W3000ANV, D7000, HE-500, and HD650, among other lesser headphones. I commend you for your subtlety, intentional or not.


 
   
  Hey, you always remember the first one like your first love. Ah, those mid-fi days! Almost seems like yesterday!
   
  Also, I did just purchase a Superlux just to stay humble and in touch with you commoner mid-fi folk!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





heywardo said:


> I know this was a while ago in the thread but does anyone know where I can get those headphone stands and how much they are?
> Thanks.


 
   
  Quote: 





meowza said:


> They're the Sieveking Omega afaik.


 
   
  They are from a special batch made in Sweden and were based on the Sieveking Omega but with black and white piano gloss finish. There are no more.
  Fake Sievekings kan be easily found on the chinese ebay though


----------



## drheadphone

Another photo of my new Stratus because I couldn't help myself. It's gorgeous.


----------



## bedlam inside

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> Another photo of my new Stratus because I couldn't help myself. It's gorgeous.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 As me mate chalky would say (in Jahmaican Patois) - Luk kul...

 Cheers Rich


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> What bit rate is that sandwich in? I only eat lossless sandwiches.


 
  I don't think I have ever eaten a lossless sandwich...  There are always some bits left on the front of my shirt.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

pelli said:


> I don't think I have ever eaten a lossless sandwich...  There are always some bits left on the front of my shirt.



You Sir win this thread


----------



## BloodyPenguin

My *Burn-In Station*.  A combination of *JLabs Burn In* and House music on FooBar2000.
   
  Netbook - Cooling Fan - FiiO E07K - Beach Ball.  Currently Burning in my new V-Moda M-80.
   
   

   
  ..


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

pelli said:


> tus-chan said:
> 
> 
> > What bit rate is that sandwich in? I only eat lossless sandwiches.
> ...



Okay Jude now you can shut down Head-Fi. This man wins.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> What's the tube thingy in the middle? I'm guessing it's a preamp?


 
   
  That "tube thingy" in the middle would be my speaker amp.  It's a highly modified Dynaco Stereo 70.  My preamp is actually the box on the left with the aluminum front (it also has tubes, but they're not exposed).


----------



## lextek

Brought the Crack down from the "music room" for the afternoon.  Hooked up the Dragonfly, Mackbook, Auirvna Plus and HD600/Cardas.  Sitting in the big leather chair watching the snow flurries....


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lextek said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That is a nice afternoon!


----------



## calipilot227

drheadphone said:


> DNA Stratus #17!




Wow! The stratus is definitely one of the most beautiful amps I have ever seen. I had the opportunity to listen to one (from Mr. North himself!) at the Bay Area meet last month, and it definitely sounds as good as it looks.

Also, how is the IdeaPad treating you? I've got a Y570, and a cluster of dead pixels decided to appear right after the warranty ran out  It's a nice powerful machine though, for the price.


----------



## drheadphone

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Wow! The stratus is definitely one of the most beautiful amps I have ever seen. I had the opportunity to listen to one (from Mr. North himself!) at the Bay Area meet last month, and it definitely sounds as good as it looks.
> 
> Also, how is the IdeaPad treating you? I've got a Y570, and a cluster of dead pixels decided to appear right after the warranty ran out  It's a nice powerful machine though, for the price.


 
   
  I got the P580 at a pretty darn good price last Jan. No dead pixels yet. But I mainly use it to store and play lossless files. It runs cool so as long as the Bryston amp it's sitting on is not on.
   
  The Stratus is sounding pretty sweet right now with the HD800 and LCD3. The best amp I've heard for those headphones.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> ...just to stay humble and in touch with you commoner mid-fi folk!


 
  But but but, I own a PS1000, T5p, and ESP950. You'd have to be pretty far removed to call that "commoner mid-fi" stuff.
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Okay Jude now you can shut down Head-Fi. This man wins.


 
  If we had shut it down after the lego pieces yesterday, we would've never been graced with that. What will we miss now if Jude heeds your advice?


----------



## drheadphone

You're alright, *srock*! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Right now listening to my "hip hop" rig...


----------



## meowza

ardgedee said:


> Lovely! Where'd you get that Astro Boy, btw?




Thanks, found him in some random store in Tokyo a few years back.


----------



## autoteleology

My Objective2 / ODAC in the wild. Compared the ODAC to a $4,000 DAC today and couldn't hear the difference.


----------



## hodgjy

That is a very sexy build.  Did you build them yourself?
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> My Objective2 / ODAC in the wild. Compared the ODAC to a $4,000 DAC today and couldn't hear the difference.


----------



## DigitalFreak

I was planning on kicking back tonight and listening to my new customs at my laptop desk but the spooky kids who live down the street have decided to investigate my rig.


----------



## fabio-fi

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> My Objective2 / ODAC in the wild. Compared the ODAC to a $4,000 DAC today and couldn't hear the difference.


 
   
  Cool. Which Dac model was it? 
   
  Btw, here's a pic with the Soloist + Hifiman cans.


----------



## Makiah S

My station is speard across a few desks and a Head Phone Stand 
   
  Here ya go [this is only my at home stuff I got a pic of my portable some where way way back, I also have my oDac some where to the side] 
   

   

   

  The Odac is right next to my pc tower, and sadly I don't have any usb 2.0s in teh back of my pc so it's out the front which looks pretty  bad, but I got 6foot coaxials on the way that will be drivin out of the odac. In addition the space in front of my two monitors is where I like to keep my smaller amps since they are low profile enough to not interfere with the screens


----------



## MorbidToaster

...and what DAC was that?
   
  And what cans...?
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> My Objective2 / ODAC in the wild. Compared the ODAC to a $4,000 DAC today and couldn't hear the difference.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> ...and what DAC was that?
> 
> And what cans...?


 
  Oh DUH stupid me
   
  Odac,
   
  INdeed G3 with rca clear top [sorry it's not lit up <3
  Dt 880 pro 250ohm
  dt 990 pro 250 ohm
  Millet Whiplash Hybrid [with heavy mods]
  Sony XB 700 
   
  AND missing from the pic are my newly purcahsed
  Matrix M Stage V2 
  and
  Ath W1000x


----------



## Maxvla

He was referring to Tus-Chan I believe. Travis enjoys posting in the wrong order. Quote on bottom ftl.


----------



## Duckman

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> I got the P580 at a pretty darn good price last Jan. No dead pixels yet. But I mainly use it to store and play lossless files. It runs cool so as long as the Bryston amp it's sitting on is not on.
> 
> The Stratus is sounding pretty sweet right now with the HD800 and LCD3. The best amp I've heard for those headphones.


 
   
  Wait till you get some 2A3 upgrade tubes. Makes a huge difference to the LCD3.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> He was referring to Tus-Chan I believe. Travis enjoys posting in the wrong order. Quote on bottom ftl.


 
   
  Shut up, Chris. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Head-fi leaves too much space at the top when quoting. It's more effort to type down here.


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Shut up, Chris.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I always delete the superfluous space at the top when quoting. It's tedious but necessary. The day they get rid of that space, I can die a happy man.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> I always delete the superfluous space at the top when quoting. It's tedious but necessary. The day they get rid of that space, I can die a happy man.


 
  WOOT, this man just sold me a Solid State, guys what do you think of the Matrix M Stage v2? I read a review raving about it's sound stage, and the insides looked pretty nice. Looking forward to getting mine and thamkfully, this guy is nice enough to include some OP amps for me! I'll have pics when it comes in, and hopefully by then all 3 of my amps will b on one desk.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> My Objective2 / ODAC in the wild. Compared the ODAC to a $4,000 DAC today and couldn't hear the difference.


 
   
  Quite a bold claim..interested on the DAC being compared to..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> WOOT, this man just sold me a Solid State, guys *what do you think of the Matrix M Stage v2?* I read a review raving about it's sound stage, and the insides looked pretty nice. Looking forward to getting mine and thamkfully, this guy is nice enough to include some OP amps for me! I'll have pics when it comes in, and hopefully by then all 3 of my amps will b on one desk.


 
  Its a great amp  I got one recently and I'm well impressed.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Its a great amp  I got one recently and I'm well impressed.


 
  that's good to hear, now here's another damn problem with my rig
   
  My Belkin n750 wirless card is causing SERIOUS latency, it's causing mirco skipping in my audio streams I have a latency check and well the graphs r matching what my ears r a hearing


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> that's good to hear, now here's another damn problem with my rig
> 
> My Belkin n750 wirless card is causing SERIOUS latency, it's causing mirco skipping in my audio streams I have a latency check and well the graphs r matching what my ears r a hearing


 
  Have you tried Wasapi or Asio drivers in your computer? If you use Foobar, wasapi is free and very easy to install.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Have you tried Wasapi or Asio drivers in your computer? If you use Foobar, wasapi is free and very easy to install.


 
  ofc I have but if I do well then I can't hear anything elese except the pc
   
  Yea Wasapi is slighty more stable than DS is, I see some seriously UGLY latency spikes but I can't hear them as well... and my maximum lag is ofc around 56700 mu seconds, which equates to half second skips,
   
  again with wasapi I'm not hearing them as agressivley as DS was, although once again I can't use Waspi and game as the audio is one directional.
   
  Although for the pourpose of reviews and head fi browsing I suppose wasapi is sufficently annoying


----------



## Makiah S

yea DS has levled out now, oh nvm. cleary DS is more prone to latency spikes than Wasapi.
   
  I guess I can get used to them. Until I can upgrade to an entirely new source. Like a CD player with a SUPER clean Dac
   
  nvm wasapi is cleaner. I see the HELL out of those latency spikes but I don;t hear them. Yea I can hear a lot of clicks for the latency spikes but no actuall cut off in the sound
   
  So wasapi it is
   
  Oh ahaahahaha stupid me, I forgot to mention I Bit Torrent... I disabled u torrent and WOW latency SOLVED... there are a few spikes here n there, not to mention the bench marking softwre I use likes to piss things off as well.
   
  Point being PC will seed when I'm at school and it will be OFF when I sleep
   
  Latency issues SOLVED


----------



## Synthax

Quote: 





heywardo said:


> I know this was a while ago in the thread but does anyone know where I can get those headphone stands and how much they are?
> Thanks.


 
  Which one do you use mostly to amplify T70?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mshenay said:


> yea DS has levled out now, oh nvm. cleary DS is more prone to latency spikes than Wasapi.
> 
> I guess I can get used to them. Until I can upgrade to an entirely new source. Like a CD player with a SUPER clean Dac
> 
> ...


 
  Good stuff  Yeah having things running like utorrent can effect performance especially if you are downloading or seeding lots of stuff.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> I was planning on kicking back tonight and listening to my new customs at my laptop desk but the spooky kids who live down the street have decided to investigate my rig.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  DF, I love the rig. Your picture is awesome...Nice groups of creepy friends!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The proprieties must be observed...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

quick pic of headphones.


----------



## longbowbbs

An Irish "Top o' the morning" to the Family DSG!


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> quick pic of headphones.


 
   
  Nice collection, which do you like best?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Nice collection, which do you like best?


 
   
  the T1,  it just works the best for me, sounds good on almost everything and its the most comfortable along with the hd 800. its preference though since i can see the HD 800 is probably slightly more resolving with better soundstage though not as sweet.  and the LCD-2 has the best bass but can be uncomfortable, HE-500 is fun but also not as detailed and is uncomfortable.
   
  i regularly listen to all of them though, i like them all. 
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> An Irish "Top o' the morning" to the Family DSG!


----------



## snapple10

Agree with you on the T1 . Never tried any Hifiman phone though
   
  DG- in the process of downsizing here , again. I do not know how I end up with all these phones


----------



## hodgjy

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> quick pic of headphones.


 
   
  I spy a WA6.  And, are those little boxes from Sovtek tubes?


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> the T1,  it just works the best for me, sounds good on almost everything and its the most comfortable along with the hd 800. its preference though since i can see the HD 800 is probably slightly more resolving with better soundstage though not as sweet.  and the LCD-2 has the best bass but can be uncomfortable, HE-500 is fun but also not as detailed and is uncomfortable.
> 
> i regularly listen to all of them though, i like them all.


 
   
  Had I owned them all I would be pulling my hair out deciding which to use lol. One thing, you say the HE-500 is not as detailed, in comparison to the LCD2? I was always under the impression that the Audeze isn't the best at details. Or perhaps you meant the HD800/T1 which is no surprise.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Agree with you on the T1 . Never tried any Hifiman phone though
> 
> DG- in the process of downsizing here , again. I do not know how I end up with all these phones


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I spy a WA6.  And, are those little boxes from Sovtek tubes?


 
  WA6-SE. raytheon tubes


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Had I owned them all I would be pulling my hair out deciding which to use lol. One thing, you say the HE-500 is not as detailed, in comparison to the LCD2? I was always under the impression that the Audeze isn't the best at details. Or perhaps you meant the HD800/T1 which is no surprise.


 
   
  its about the same as the LCD-2, maybe the LCD-2 being just a bit more detailed, but harder to tell cause its darker.  still the he-500 lacks the ultra detail and transparency of the T1 and HD 800. its smoother and more forgiving but musical and a great headphone still.


----------



## Makiah S

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> its about the same as the LCD-2, maybe the LCD-2 being just a bit more detailed, but harder to tell cause its darker.  still the he-500 lacks the ultra detail and transparency of the T1 and HD 800. its smoother and more forgiving but musical and a great headphone still.


 
  that's good to hear, as I plan to go He 500 then possibly T90 then T1 in my list of cans upgrade, still in mid fi now so I look forward to getting up to the t1


----------



## MorbidToaster

I absolutely loathed the T1 when I finally heard it recently. I didn't find it anywhere near as good as the HD800.


----------



## zilch0md

Hey MB,
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I absolutely loathed the T1 when I finally heard it recently. I didn't find it anywhere near as good as the HD800.


 
   
  Not defending the T1 - I'm thinking of selling mine - but on which amp did you hear them?   In my opinion, the T1 needs a warm and dark source (in addition to a lot of power).
   
  Focker, for example, a big fan of the T1, uses a tube buffer in between his DAC and the Burson Soloist (for use with his T1).  
   
  The Soloist is warmer and smoother (more analog) than my more neutral and transparent DACmini CX, but I can only just tolerate the T1 with the Soloist, where I can't enjoy it at all on the DACmini CX.
   
  Mike


----------



## MorbidToaster

WA7 some Woo OTL, IIRC, fronted by a Music Hall TT and PS Audio Phono stage. 
   
  And also a Musical Fidelity...HP1A or whatever it's called. 
   
  They were_* way*_ sibilant on both rigs. 
   
  Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> Hey MB,
> 
> Not defending the T1 - I'm thinking of selling mine - but on which amp did you hear them?   In my opinion, the T1 needs a warm and dark source (in addition to a lot of power).
> 
> ...


----------



## autoteleology

> That is a very sexy build.  Did you build them yourself?


 
    
  Unfortunately, no. I got the O2 from another Head-Fi member, and I had the ODAC custom-built by Audio Poutine.
  
   


> Cool. Which DAC model was it?


 
   


> ...and what DAC was that?
> 
> And what cans...?


 
   


> Quite a bold claim..interested on the DAC being compared to..


 

 It was the PerfectWave DAC II, compared to ODAC using a custom Headamp GS-X and the LCD-3 and Fostex TH-900, using the PotPlayer media player, which among other things, can switch between audio renderers (DACs) with about a half-second of delay. I was actually shocked that I could hear no difference between the two, as hearing this hyper-expensive DAC was one of the biggest draws for me to go to this meet.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just as I thought...a friggin' Perfect Wave. That kinda puts things in perspective for me. 
   
  Not sure about hearing no difference at all, but being underwhelmed by that unit is completely understandable. 
   
  As you may have guessed, I'm not a fan.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just as I thought...a friggin' Perfect Wave. That kinda puts things in perspective for me.
> 
> Not sure about hearing no difference at all, but being underwhelmed by that unit is completely understandable.
> 
> As you may have guessed, I'm not a fan.


 
  The real question would be what other DACs did he hear comparatively.
   
  Perhaps his ears just say the O2 is on par with all of it.
   
   
   
  I know you preferred your 840 to the PWD and heard the diffences, right MT. Haha.


----------



## autoteleology

Among other shockers; the O2 can drive the LCD-3 about 95-100% as well as the Headamp, and the HE-6 about 85-90% as well. I swear I'm not deaf. Perhaps I needed a little more time to settle down and really critically listen, as I was a bit rushed, but I've come to the opinion that the majority of the differences between amplifiers and DACs are *grossly *exaggerated.

 Going to that meet totally changed my perspective of my Objective stack. I was kind of in a slump about the combo and I had a listing to sell them before the meet. Now, there is no way that I'm going to let them go for a while.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Among other shockers; the O2 can drive the LCD-3 about 95-100% as well as the Headamp, and the HE-6 about 85-90% as well.
> 
> Going to that meet totally changed my perspective of my Objective stack. I had a listing to sell them before the meet, but afterwards, there is no way that I'm going to let them go for a while.


 
  Boohockey. But I respect your subjective finding's.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah I thought the 851C was a great unit for the money. They PWD II was a little better on detail retrieval, but was underwhelming to say the least, especially at the MSRP. It also sounded harsh to me sometimes. Some have tried to say this is DAC is 'neutral', but after trying it on quite a few systems I still find it a tad bright. 
   
  At a used price of say...2.5k I'd say it's a good unit if you're going to USE all the features. Multiple ins, preamp, etc. 
   
  The Cantata slaughtered it, and considering my old Scout beat them both I'd say I know what I like. 
   
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> The real question would be what other DACs did he hear comparatively.
> 
> Perhaps his ears just say the O2 is on par with all of it.
> 
> ...


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah I thought the 851C was a great unit for the money. They PWD II was a little better on detail retrieval, but was underwhelming to say the least, especially at the MSRP. It also sounded harsh to me sometimes. Some have tried to say this is DAC is 'neutral', but after trying it on quite a few systems I still find it a tad bright.
> 
> At a used price of say...2.5k I'd say it's a good unit if you're going to USE all the features. Multiple ins, preamp, etc.
> 
> The Cantata slaughtered it, and considering my old Scout beat them both I'd say I know what I like.


 
  No one pays MSRP. Haha.
   
  And leave the Cantata out of this. Wallet hurts too much thinking 'bout it.


----------



## khaine1711

Hard to compare dac in meets; especially with cans you're not really familiar with. Unless they have drastically different sound sig of course. Home auditioning, a/b listening at 2 a.m. with volume matched is where it's at 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. 
   
  About the Cantata, it looks so pretty, but no dealer here put it on home loan so I can only admire its casework. Meanwhile, we used to have PWD2 MRSP @ 4k GBP (~6k USD) over here


----------



## MorbidToaster

I can't leave it out. It's my benchmark for digital sources. Simply put it's the best digital front end I've heard. 
   
  I still recommend analog to anyone with that much money to blow though. It takes time and effort but the returns (especially on modern recordings) are just massive. 
   
  Then again...You could always get a good digital and analog rig and just needle drop all your LPs and then enjoy them from a great DAC like the Cantata. 
   
  Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> No one pays MSRP. Haha.
> 
> And leave the Cantata out of this. Wallet hurts too much thinking 'bout it.


----------



## BASGTA

AD900 on some KNS8400s.


1280x720 image.


Spoiler


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





basgta said:


> AD900 on some KNS8400s.
> 
> 
> Spoiler


 
  Hah nice to have a bit headphone porn this time of night


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Among other shockers; the O2 can drive the LCD-3 about 95-100% as well as the Headamp, and the HE-6 about 85-90% as well. I swear I'm not deaf. Perhaps I needed a little more time to settle down and really critically listen, as I was a bit rushed, but I've come to the opinion that the majority of the differences between amplifiers and DACs are *grossly *exaggerated.
> 
> Going to that meet totally changed my perspective of my Objective stack. I was kind of in a slump about the combo and I had a listing to sell them before the meet. Now, there is no way that I'm going to let them go for a while.


 
  I tried both those cans on my O2 and I thought it was awful
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thats why this hobby is so interesting and at the same time frustrating..


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Among other shockers; the O2 can drive the LCD-3 about 95-100% as well as the Headamp, and the HE-6 about 85-90% as well. I swear I'm not deaf. Perhaps I needed a little more time to settle down and really critically listen, as I was a bit rushed, but I've come to the opinion that the majority of the differences between amplifiers and DACs are *grossly *exaggerated.
> 
> Going to that meet totally changed my perspective of my Objective stack. I was kind of in a slump about the combo and I had a listing to sell them before the meet. Now, there is no way that I'm going to let them go for a while.


 
   
   
  Of course every thing in this hobby is grossly exaggerated.  It wouldn't be right if it wasn't.  Saying that.  You have to sit down at home with better recording than the mp3s you had 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  The PWD2 certainly does play down to the recording.  However, we had a few heavy hitter at the meet.  Sorry no Cambridge audio DAC was any where worthy of being there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Hilo
  D2
  Master 7
  PWD2
  m51
  ODAC
   
  For me the Master 7 took the show.  
   
  At our next meet in a few weeks.  I'll sit you down with some very well recorded material and point out a few things for you "grass hopper".  You had no guidance you was just off on your own.  
   
  The Hilo had a few issues.  You need to go to school to learn what that thing can do.  It' didn't sound it's best.  I had it at home and it did sound better.  However, if you mess with it enough you can screw it up.


----------



## autoteleology

> mp3s


 
   


 I might not have decades of experience in this hobby, but I'm not stupid or uneducated by any means. I wish the majority of the people at that meet would have stopped assuming that I was simply because I am somewhat younger than the average Head-Fier.

 I know that this is your gear that I'm reviewing, but just assuming that I didn't hear a difference because I did a bunch of stuff wrong makes me really angry. If anything, it was probably due to the fact that I just didn't really have enough time to sit down and compare. My observation was made in a less than ideal setting with a limited time frame to make my observations.

 Picture is all the music that I brought with me to the meet, which is only about 25% of my collection. I have very few "mp3s", and what I do have mostly doesn't exist in anything better (such as Excision).


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I might not have decades of experience in this hobby, but I'm not stupid or uneducated by any means. I wish the majority of the people at that meet would have stopped assuming that I was simply because I am somewhat younger than the average Head-Fier. I know that this is your gear that I'm reviewing, but just assuming that I didn't hear a difference because I did a bunch of stuff wrong makes me really angry.
> 
> Picture is all the music that I brought with me to the meet, which is only about 25% of my collection.


 
   
   
  Ha ha ha    Not trying to make you angry - I don't want you to beat me up.  I'm just saying.  I would like to point a few things out to you so you'll know some things to look for in a comparison.  Just like I was shown.  Further more - I didn't say you did anything wrong.  But you truly didn't do a lot of things right either.  
   
  Like I said.  If you like we can sit down together and we can show each other the things we look for when comparing amps/dacs..  
   
  Don't hurt me hammer..


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Spoiler: Cut
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  In all honesty, these tracks would sound the same trough just about any source at just about any bitrate. 
   
  I'm not degrading your music choice, as I listen to these too. It's just not something I'd use as a reference. They would bottleneck the detail retrieval and accuracy demonstration of the gear being tested.


----------



## TheWuss

Casa de Wusster.  Circa...  St. Patrick's Day, 2013.


----------



## MorbidToaster

OH MAN. LFD, eh?
   
  Which model? How much? What else did you try first? 
   
  Someone over at SH suggested LFD to me for the HL5 as well.


----------



## TheWuss

This is the NCSE mk II model.
I caught one on Audiogon for a great deal.... About the same price as a LE IV would be brand new.
I couldn't resist.
It is better in many ways than the Audio Research.
Now i just need to upgrade speaker cables and a few other odds and ends...
The system is sounding fantastic. Hardly ever use cans at home now...


----------



## Megalomaniak

Some gear:
   
  K701 - DT880 - RP-DH1200 - Superlux HD668b - SR325is - D2000 - HD669
   

   
   
   
  Matrix M-Stage - V-DAC II - DT880 - K701 - Vintage Technics SU-Z45
   

   
  PS: The K701 have a band mod, it has k601's one.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Great pick. I'll be auditioning LFD for sure once the time comes to get either the CS600 or something else. 
   
  Didn't really consider it with the current rig because the Leben sounded instantly good to me and I just wanted it. 
   
  EDIT: And they have kick ass phono stages, too.
   
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> This is the NCSE mk II model.
> I caught one on Audiogon for a great deal.... About the same price as a LE IV would be brand new.
> I couldn't resist.
> It is better in many ways than the Audio Research.
> ...


----------



## Thaddy

Clean and simple.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





thaddy said:


>


 
  Gorgeous. I'm surprised by how many people are content with the HD 650. I totally need to audition them at some point. They may just very well be perfect for me.


----------



## Eee Pee

Looks great, Thaddy.


----------



## EraserXIV

wes008 said:


> Gorgeous. I'm surprised by how many people are content with the HD 650. I totally need to audition them at some point. They may just very well be perfect for me.




While I haven't heard all of the giants, the HD650 paired with a good OTL is scarily close to an end-game rig. Anything extra is squeezing out the last 5% or so, but that's what this hobby is about I guess.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


>


 
   
  I don't think the majority of your tracks would shine on any DAC. Lotsa dubstep/EDM stuff there. Will likely need some reference tracks to tell the difference. Then again, if dubstep is the majority of your listening, a decent headphone out of a Macbook Pro would do just fine too (which is how I listen to the stuff at work).
   
  At home, it's a different set of albums/tracks that I wind down with and definitely can tell the differences between playing on a low/mid-end DAC vs a higher end. Obviously the law of diminishing returns come into play in the high-end audio industry, but there are obvious differences.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Clean and simple.


 
   
  Lovely! Is that a power conditioner next to the DLIII?


----------



## Thaddy

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> While I haven't heard all of the giants, the HD650 paired with a good OTL is scarily close to an end-game rig. Anything extra is squeezing out the last 5% or so, but that's what this hobby is about I guess.


 
  I have no desire to keep searching after getting the WA2 and a stash of nice tubes.  I've been listening to the HD650's for about 7 years and the WA2 squeezed everything I could ask for out of the HD650's.  I'd like to get set of HD600's in the future, but otherwise, the WA2 and HD650's are it for me.
   
  Quote: 





anda said:


> Lovely! Is that a power conditioner next to the DLIII?


 
  Yup, that's the PS Audio UPC 200 power conditioner.
   
  Also, the cable is a Moon Audio Blue Dragon.  Pretty decent cable, but not worth the price unless you can find one used.  Stick with the stock HD650 cable, it isn't microphonic, is very durable, and doesn't have any major sonic issues.


----------



## EraserXIV

thaddy said:


> I have no desire to keep searching after getting the WA2 and a stash of nice tubes.  I've been listening to the HD650's for about 7 years and the WA2 squeezed everything I could ask for out of the HD650's.  I'd like to get set of HD600's in the future, but otherwise, the WA2 and HD650's are it for me.




Yeah the Crack should hold me over for a while. May possibly flirt with the idea of getting the HD600 again, possibly an HD800 down the road. 

Pretty much the only tweaks I expect to make in my setup in the near future are source based as DACs are progressing pretty fast nowadays.


----------



## Owenpri

... Ignore the Red Socks blanket
My other headphones are on the table above that
The ones pictured are the DT770


----------



## zzffnn

tus-chan said:


> I might not have decades of experience in this hobby, but I'm not stupid or uneducated by any means. I wish the majority of the people at that meet would have stopped assuming that I was simply because I am somewhat younger than the average Head-Fier.
> 
> 
> I know that this is your gear that I'm reviewing, but just assuming that I didn't hear a difference because I did a bunch of stuff wrong makes me really angry. If anything, it was probably due to the fact that I just didn't really have enough time to sit down and compare. My observation was made in a less than ideal setting with a limited time frame to make my observations.
> ...




^ I would suggest using some better recordings as reference, when you compare gears. Spanish Harlem from Rebecca Pidgeon / Chesky is a good start.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


>


 
  I know that I could get them as wavs or aiffs on Beatport, but out of curiosity, where did you get the Dillon Francis flacs?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Heh...
   
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> I know that I could get them as wavs or aiffs on Beatport, but out of curiosity, where did you get the Dillon Francis flacs?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Wes008, the 650's are a great HP. I still listen to them even with my 800's..
   
  Thaddy, NICE dude!  sweet and simple for sure.


----------



## autoteleology

wes008 said:


> I know that I could get them as wavs or aiffs on Beatport, but out of curiosity, where did you get the Dillon Francis flacs?


 
   
  Private torrent tracker. I won't tell you what it is but let's say people there ask what CDs you have.
   
  Also, for the sake of people criticizing that my music bottlenecks my gear, this is my full music collection (though I have some other stuff I haven't gotten around to organizing, such as Mumford & Sons and Mike Oldfield). While I understand your point, not _all _of my music is poorly produced.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah...I can count the number of names I'd use to evaluate components from that list on one hand.
   
  While said before, there's nothing actually wrong with that, and if those stay your preferences your wallet will be much better off. I like quite a few of those names myself, but they're not exactly resolving.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Clean and simple.


 

 why do you have slender buddys playing the guitar and trombone?


----------



## Maxvla

Why not?


----------



## DefQon

You want to hear some differences between DAC's? Get yourself a basic level Lampizator and call it a day.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Agree with you on the T1 . Never tried any Hifiman phone though
> 
> DG- in the process of downsizing here , again. I do not know how I end up with all these phones


 
   
  Your avatar is flat out gorgeous!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





defqon said:


> You want to hear some differences between DAC's? Get yourself a basic level Lampizator and call it a day.


 
   
  I've been waiting to hear this DAC - all 6 levels.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I've been waiting to hear this DAC - all 6 levels.


 
  I've heard the level 4 only and there is nothing remotely even close to it even a few other DAC's in the 5 digit range. Since I've pretty much hit my nirvana my next focus is getting the BHSE here and the Lampizators.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Clean and simple.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  You need to buy more gear!


----------



## hodgjy

I want a DAC that goes to 11.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I've been waiting to hear this DAC - all 6 levels.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I want a DAC that goes to 11.


 
  In before idiot posts like this comes in..
   
  For ref's: http://www.lampizator.eu/newdac/lampizator/welcome.html


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I want a DAC that goes to 11.


 
   
  Spinal Tap rocks!


----------



## hodgjy

You obviously have no sense of humor.  And I'm not an idiot; I'm highly educated, thank you very much.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> In before idiot posts like this comes in..
> 
> For ref's: http://www.lampizator.eu/newdac/lampizator/welcome.html


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Clean and simple.


 
   
  i had that exact pairing with my HD 650s when i owned them!
   
  WA2 DL III and Blue dragon on HD 650s!!!


----------



## tme110

What stand is that?
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Casa de Wusster.  Circa...  St. Patrick's Day, 2013.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Gorgeous. I'm surprised by how many people are content with the HD 650. I totally need to audition them at some point. They may just very well be perfect for me.


 
  HD650's were Sennheiser's in production flagship headphones for a good while so they do have their merits.  If one's budget doesn't allow for $1k-2k headphones, it is possible to find audio bliss in the price range they occupy.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I've heard the level 4 only and there is nothing remotely even close to it even a few other DAC's in the 5 digit range. Since I've pretty much hit my nirvana my next focus is getting the BHSE here and the Lampizators.


 
  Stomps the PWD, Invicta? How 'bout the Total DAC?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I don't know where else to ask this, but, is it possible to use a FiiO E7 as a DAC for my iPhone? Like a line-out to miniUSB? Or am I stuck using the iPhones DAC until I get something better?


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I don't know where else to ask this, but, is it possible to use a FiiO E7 as a DAC for my iPhone? Like a line-out to miniUSB? Or am I stuck using the iPhones DAC until I get something better?


 
   
  Which iPhone?
   
  And as far as actually using the E7 DAC, I think that's a no go. no matter which model, but I could always be wrong.  You can however bypass the internal amp (not on the iPhone 5 without their lightning adapter as far as I know).


----------



## EraserXIV

Posted this in the Crack thread but figured I'd post it here too since it is related. Got around to refinishing the base and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Cell phone picture doesn't do it justice but it really looks great in person.
   
  Before:

   
   
  After:


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I don't know where else to ask this, but, is it possible to use a FiiO E7 as a DAC for my iPhone? Like a line-out to miniUSB? Or am I stuck using the iPhones DAC until I get something better?


 
   
  no


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Eat your heart out, Head-fi.


 
   
  Very nice, MT. Do you think you'll be content with the Harbeth's for years to come? What other speakers would you consider getting after these?


----------



## HolyCheese

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Posted this in the Crack thread but figured I'd post it here too since it is related. Got around to refinishing the base and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Cell phone picture doesn't do it justice but it really looks great in person.
> 
> Before:
> 
> ...


 
  That looks nice! Personally I really don't like the colour of the bottlehead but that is nice. What did you do?


----------



## OldSkool

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Very nice, MT. Do you think you'll be content with the Harbeth's for years to come? What other speakers would you consider getting after these?


 

 Let's let MT enjoy his glorious new rig a while longer before suggesting the thought of upgraditus, shall we?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well considering the only step up from these is the Harbeth 40.1s at around $13k (which are way too massive or any home I'll ever be able to afford)...I'd say these will stay for awhile. I might get a second pair of speakers for another system or just different flavor (looking at you, Obelisks), but I don't see the Harbeths leaving.
   
  With headphones I always have that...Need to try something else...For some reason it's not there with speakers. I also think the relative resale value of speaker components will quell upgraditis as well.
   
  Plus with my new Needle Drop project I want to work on I'll have way too much on my plate to worry about auditioning new speakers.
   
  Amps though...That's another story. Already planning on upgrades there. 
   
  Quote: 





oldskool said:


> Let's let MT enjoy his glorious new rig a while longer before suggesting the thought of upgraditus, shall we?


 
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Very nice, MT. Do you think you'll be content with the Harbeth's for years to come? What other speakers would you consider getting after these?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Well considering the only step up from these is the Harbeth 40.1s at around $13k (which are way too massive or any home I'll ever be able to afford)...I'd say these will stay for awhile. I might get a second pair of speakers for another system or just different flavor (looking at you, Obelisks), but I don't see the Harbeths leaving.
> 
> With headphones I always have that...Need to try something else...For some reason it's not there with speakers. I also think the relative resale value of speaker components will quell upgraditis as well.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks for your response MT. I was just curious. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'd like to get speakers like yours sometime in the future, but that probably won't be for several years. I'm still awaiting my SR-009 + BHSE. Hopefully I'll be able to keep that rig and get a decent speaker system as well.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'm still up & coming. And still lusting after those Harbeth Super HL5's! However, I need to first determine where I'll be living, so I can better map out (stake 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




out) the listening room.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I woulda liked to keep my 009 rig, too...but to be honest this speaker rig slaughters it in my mind.
   
  Detail isn't there, but I'll be damned if it's not a ton more toe tappin'. The freedom to move is nice, the ability to share it is great, and the soundstaging is just a stupid amount better.
   
  Dropping that needle and hearing that initial wall of sound is wonderful.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Quote:
> Thanks for your response MT. I was just curious.
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been doing that recently since we're looking at new apartments. Grace is pissed that I keep shooting down potential apartments due to acoustics, but I'm not having this rig sound bad, damn it. 
   
  Plan on getting some panels for the new place, too. Doing it proper.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I'm still up & coming. And still lusting after those Harbeth Super HL5's! However, I need to first determine where I'll be living, so I can better map out (stake
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I woulda liked to keep my 009 rig, too...but to be honest this speaker rig slaughters it in my mind.
> 
> Detail isn't there, but I'll be damned if it's not a ton more toe tappin'. The freedom to move is nice, the ability to share it is great, and the soundstaging is just a stupid amount better.
> 
> Dropping that needle and hearing that initial wall of sound is wonderful.


 
   
  Unfortunately for me, I may not be able to use speakers. Or it could take a year or two. My first move back into town will be temporary and may involve others, until I find a job and my own place. I'm considering moving up to the Stax Class. But for the same amount of dough, I wanna return to speakers.
   
_Toe tapping and freedom to move_ are HUGE. In fact, I'd be satisfied with cans if my toes tapped. This is what I love about my D7000 - not perfect, but does allow me musical enjoyment well into the night...


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been doing that recently since we're looking at new apartments. Grace is pissed that I keep shooting down potential apartments due to acoustics, but I'm not having this rig sound bad, damn it.
> 
> Plan on getting some panels for the new place, too. Doing it proper.


 
   
  Panels aren't too hard to make yourself.  I'll try to find the "recipe" I've used in the past and send it your way.  *MUCH* cheaper that way.


----------



## longbowbbs

MT, I found a nice fixer upper. The brochure says good acoustics....
   
   

   
  Hope the Leben can fill it out....


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've found a few ways online but they generally make pretty thick panels.
   
  Any recommendations would be great.
   
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Panels aren't too hard to make yourself.  I'll try to find the "recipe" I've used in the past and send it your way.  *MUCH* cheaper that way.


----------



## HolyCheese

Speakers are more enjoyable for sure, but what would be the best soundstage/speaker like headphone? Would that be the akg k702 anniversary?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Speakers are more enjoyable for sure, but what would be the best soundstage/speaker like headphone? Would that be the akg k702 anniversary?


 
  Best I have ever heard that I would call "Speaker Like" are the Sennheiser HD800's.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Casa de Wusster.  Circa...  St. Patrick's Day, 2013.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## autoteleology

> I've heard the level 4 only and there is nothing remotely even close to it even a few other DAC's in the 5 digit range. Since I've pretty much hit my nirvana my next focus is getting the BHSE here and the Lampizators.


 


> I don't know where else to ask this, but, is it possible to use a FiiO E7 as a DAC for my iPhone? Like a line-out to miniUSB? Or am I stuck using the iPhones DAC until I get something better?


 
   
  These two posts juxtaposed on top of each other makes me giggle a little bit.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > I've heard the level 4 only and there is nothing remotely even close to it even a few other DAC's in the 5 digit range. Since I've pretty much hit my nirvana my next focus is getting the BHSE here and the Lampizators.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The word "Spectrum" comes to mind...


----------



## velvetx

Desk-Fi
   
   

   
   
  Bed-Fi


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> That looks nice! Personally I really don't like the colour of the bottlehead but that is nice. What did you do?


 
   
  I sanded it down to get to the bare wood as it had been stained before. Then I used 1 layer of ebony wood stain (1 so it wouldn't turn out too dark that you can't see the grain). Then finished it off with 3 layers of satin polyurethane, sanding it down with 400 grit sandpaper between each layer. It was a bit difficult to put the poly on so that it layered completely flat without texturing in certain areas.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





velvetx said:


> Desk-Fi
> Bed-Fi


 
  Deck-Fi


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





tme110 said:


> What stand is that?


 
  Solidsteel 3.5 with custom maple shelves.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> Solidsteel 3.5 with custom maple shelves.


 
  It's classy!


----------



## awsanderson

My current rig
  Pro-ject 9.2

   

   
   
   
  Sumiko Blackbird
   
   

   
  Schiit Lyr and Gungnir
   

   
  Played through HD650's
  A lot of vinyl on the way. Is shipping ever fast enough?
   
  Next up LCD2's and most likely a Woo amp


----------



## wes008

aswanderson That sounds... incredible 0_0


----------



## awsanderson

It's a work in progress, but aren't they all


----------



## Maxvla

Looking good A 

Did you like the LCD-2 that much? Which Woo did you hear them on?


----------



## wolfetan44

My MCA DT880's are shipping out tomorrow from him.
   

   

  Also, just ordered Heir Audio 4.Ai"+", can't wait to get them. Buck Eye Burl wood.
   

  This hobby is going to cost costing me.. 
   
  Cheers


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





awsanderson said:


> My current rig
> Pro-ject 9.2
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Will you be my dad?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





awsanderson said:


>


 
   
  What phonostage are you using in that rig?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Vincent PHO-8, IIRC.
   
  Same as me.
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> What phonostage are you using in that rig?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> My MCA DT880's are shipping out tomorrow from him.


 
   
  But are they fully closed now?


----------



## wolfetan44

armaegis said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > My MCA DT880's are shipping out tomorrow from him.
> ...


Yes, Martin is listening to them tonight to see what he thinks.. This is a quote from him when I asked him the same question," I'm going to try them as closed first.  The hole in the stock cups is much smaller than you think, so I should be able to just add bass holes if needed."

Cheers


----------



## Armaegis

I'll be curious how he tunes them compared to the old Darth Beyers...


----------



## teknikk7

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> The current price is $129.  I cashed in some reward points at Crutchfield and got it for $119.  Can't complain about that.
> 
> And, yes, it is a great DAC for the money.


 

 This is also a great clean power alternative.  At $32 it made a huge difference in sound quality, mainly the bass.
   
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002JTD2K/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## d34dh0r53

I forgot to take a pic but I must have looked quite the sight with my HE-500s on while driving the 40 hours to and from San Antonio and the OC last week. I have a 350 watt inverter that powered my MiniMax amp briantly which was stashed under the drivers seat, I was afraid that the tubes might be a little noisy with the road movement but as far as I could tell they were quiet. I did get a couple of double takes as I passed people with these huge cans on my head, but boy was I happy


----------



## HolyCheese

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> I sanded it down to get to the bare wood as it had been stained before. Then I used 1 layer of ebony wood stain (1 so it wouldn't turn out too dark that you can't see the grain). Then finished it off with 3 layers of satin polyurethane, sanding it down with 400 grit sandpaper between each layer. It was a bit difficult to put the poly on so that it layered completely flat without texturing in certain areas.


 
  Thanks, I will try that with a project I have in mind, how do you think that will turn out with a somewhat more darker wood? That might get it even more beautifull won't it?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

You know that driving with headphones on in Texas is illegal right?


----------



## hodgjy

Trust me, I have that power supply a long good look.  But, it came down to not trusting my ability to cut the power cord and get the right wires into the right places.  Plus, I love matching gear, so the V-PSU ii it was!  Thanks for the link, though.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





teknikk7 said:


> This is also a great clean power alternative.  At $32 it made a huge difference in sound quality, mainly the bass.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002JTD2K/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not unless there was a new law passed in the last 10 months.
   

   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> You know that driving with headphones on in Texas is illegal right?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ah, well I've been told by my parents for the entirety of my life, and in Driver's Ed the other day that it was,


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ah, well I've been told by my parents for the entirety of my life, and in Driver's Ed the other day that it was,


 
  I mean, it's a bad idea, but not illegal.


----------



## awsanderson

@maxvla I liked them a lot listened on the wa5se


----------



## Maxvla

Where did you hear a WA5?


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> My MCA DT880's are shipping out tomorrow from him.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Niiiiiiice.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Wood headphones (any kind of wood) always look soooooooooooo nice


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Wood headphones (any kind of wood) always look soooooooooooo nice


 
  I love wood cups, hence all my headphones are wood(just 2..)


----------



## SoupRKnowva

d34dh0r53 said:


> I forgot to take a pic but I must have looked quite the sight with my HE-500s on while driving the 40 hours to and from San Antonio and the OC last week. I have a 350 watt inverter that powered my MiniMax amp briantly which was stashed under the drivers seat, I was afraid that the tubes might be a little noisy with the road movement but as far as I could tell they were quiet. I did get a couple of double takes as I passed people with these huge cans on my head, but boy was I happy




That is amazing. I wish you'd taken a pic though...probably the ultimate in car stereo regardless of what kinds of looks people were giving you. It'd be better to find an amp with dc input though and run your headphones with it. Rather than convert dc to ac and then back to dc in the power supply again


----------



## d34dh0r53

@MorbidToaster @AHorseNamedJeff @TheCopWhoMightHavePulledMeOver my excuse was that they're open and I can hear ambient noise through them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, it's not like I was wearing IEMs with -30db isolation   I was also taught that it's a bad idea to wear headphones and I don't do it while driving in the city, but if you've ever been on I-10 E 100 miles east of El Paso at 2:30 AM there is not a whole lot going on. 
   
  One thing I have noticed more and more lately is that a lot of people are starting to wear headphones in their cars while driving.  California has hands free laws and if my dad is any kind of a representative sample the only decent SQ he can get from a hands free device is with a wired headset with an inline mic.  I was surprised how many I noticed while my wife was driving the day shift through Texas (which does not have any hands free laws that I'm aware of).  And I do agree that it's a pretty bad idea to wear them while city driving when more concentration is needed.
   
  Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> That is amazing. I wish you'd taken a pic though...probably the ultimate in car stereo regardless of what kinds of looks people were giving you. It'd be better to find an amp with dc input though and run your headphones with it. Rather than convert dc to ac and then back to dc in the power supply again


 
   
  Yeah, horribly inefficient but it worked  I was actually wondering how feasible it would be to build a tube amp for a car, perhaps floating the whole thing in some sort of viscous oil to provide damping or mounting it on oil filled dampers like they use for photography.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I'll have to call the fleet off then... (signals to crowd of horses behind)


----------



## Maxvla

I drive with my UERM, it's actually my main use for them, but only on long highway trips, not around town. It's nice to be isolated from the road noise almost entirely and really on a divded 2 lane highway, there's nothing you can't do with just your eyes.

Also my car doesn't have bluetooth or auxiliary input so I'd have to burn CDs of anything I wanted to listen to instead of having access to a large portion of my library via my phone. One thing I'm really looking forward to if I get a new car soon.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Pssh who needs a new car when theres STAX to be bought?


----------



## Maxvla

Been there done that, not interested.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Why not wait for an Orpheus to pop up?  also, my fricken L1 cable won't send sound to the left Chanel anymore after a little over a month. It looks completely fine, yet the apple cord that to use to connect the phone to a computer looks like a cat got to it, and it works fine. I am very dissapoint FiiO.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote:



d34dh0r53 said:


> @MorbidToaster @AHorseNamedJeff @TheCopWhoMightHavePulledMeOver my excuse was that they're open and I can hear ambient noise through them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  Yep, Texas as a state does not have any comprehensive hands free laws.  The only problems you're likely to run into would be driving through suburbs just outside of big cities - be especially careful if you find yourself in a school zone.


----------



## awsanderson

@ maxvla, sorry wa6, and in austin


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Just got the new speakers in today! got them set up in the living room right now


----------



## marts30

MS2i, Magnum v5, Magnum v4, AD900x


----------



## TooPoor

Along the same line as above... Just working out the amp/dac thing at the moment.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Just got the new speakers in today! got them set up in the living room right now
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  They are gorgeous! What brand and model are they?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Just got the new speakers in today! got them set up in the living room right now


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> They are gorgeous! What brand and model are they?


 
   
  I'm guessing Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOnes just like his signature says


----------



## Marleybob217

Well today I got my QPAD mk-50 mechanical keyboard and my setup is pretty much complete.
  I promised myself I would take a picture if I received it but it's snowing, so I'm waiting for some better light.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

longbowbbs said:


> They are gorgeous! What brand and model are they?




Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne's. and those pictures don't do them any justice at all, they are gorgeous in person. Very very very solidly built speakers, each one weighs close to 40 pounds and the stands weigh another 50 pounds each.




preproman said:


>




Haha yeah they sound pretty good.




ultrainferno said:


> I'm guessing Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOnes just like his signature says


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





marleybob217 said:


> Well today I got my QPAD mk-50 mechanical keyboard and my setup is pretty much complete.
> I promised myself I would take a picture if I received it but it's snowing, so I'm waiting for some better light.


 
  Nice KB!! I have a Filco Ninja with the Cherry MX switches but I've really fallen in love with my Realforce with the Topre switches.  If you're into mechanical keyboards the Topre switches are a must try.  Do we need a keyboard appreciation thread?


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Do we need a keyboard appreciation thread?


 
   
*Keyboard-Fi*
*Best keyboards for gaming!*


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Nice KB!! I have a Filco Ninja with the Cherry MX switches but I've really fallen in love with my Realforce with the Topre switches.  If you're into mechanical keyboards the Topre switches are a must try.  Do we need a keyboard appreciation thread?


 
   
  Which switches does your Filco have? I'm considering getting the Ninja with Cherry MX blue. I do game but I type more than I game... hoping it will still be decent for gaming.


----------



## khaine1711

Keyboards eh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
   
  To above poster, blue is fine for gaming/nice for typing. They're a bit noisy though.


----------



## sprite40

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Just got the new speakers in today! got them set up in the living room right now


 
  WOW!...what a beautiful speaker that is
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Congratulations on your new purchase!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sure...Make me read when I am in a hurry!


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





sprite40 said:


> WOW!...what a beautiful speaker that is
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 they really are beautiful, i wish everyone could see them in person!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> they really are beautiful, i wish everyone could see them in person!


 
  Then you would to invite us over and provide cocktails and canapes!


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're not that expensive either, really. Not a big fan of the way the stands look but I'm not picking. I'd love to hear them.


----------



## parbaked

They're $2500 with stands. The stands are a $500 option.
  Considering the stands are low mass, flat pack (bolt together), and made in China, I'd opt for different stands.
  They look like a very competitive $2000 speakers!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> They're $2500 with stands. The stands are a $500 option.
> Considering the stands are low mass, flat pack (bolt together), and made in China, I'd opt for different stands.
> They look like a very competitive $2000 speakers!


 
  Oh I thought they were 2.5k plus stands. Definitely nice for 2k. I wonder if Skylan would have a stand that'd work. I'm very fond of their stands for my HL5s.


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Nice KB!! I have a Filco Ninja with the Cherry MX switches but I've really fallen in love with my Realforce with the Topre switches.  If you're into mechanical keyboards the Topre switches are a must try.  Do we need a keyboard appreciation thread?


 
  What is this magical 'topre' switch :0 
   
  I have the MX Red switches, First owned the brown switches, but I thought they felt a bit cheaper than the mx blues. And the MX Reds feel like I'm typing on a boob :3


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Just got the new speakers in today! got them set up in the living room right now


 
     
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   




   
A Magico Q7 ($185,000.00) owner compared his speakers side by side with the Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne loudspeakers ($2500.00) and was so impressed he immediately traded them in for a pair of MMSevens.  He, and the others who heard the comparison, reported that the Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOnes had better imaging and soundstaging, transparency, clarity and top end extension (more open sounding with greater air). 
Those of you interested on saving $60,000 on a pair of Magico Q7′s, we can get them for you, but we suggest saving $182,500 and buying a pair of the Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOnes. Not only will you save all that money, but you will have better sound!


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Which switches does your Filco have? I'm considering getting the Ninja with Cherry MX blue. I do game but I type more than I game... hoping it will still be decent for gaming.


 
  I believe it has the MX Brown but it's at work so I'll have to get back to you.


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





marleybob217 said:


> What is this magical 'topre' switch :0
> 
> I have the MX Red switches, First owned the brown switches, but I thought they felt a bit cheaper than the mx blues. And the MX Reds feel like I'm typing on a boob :3


 
  LOL typing on a boob.  http://deskthority.net/wiki/Topre_switch has a pretty good description. The switches take a little getting used to but now it is by far my favorite keyboard.


----------



## parbaked

More pics, less gaming....


----------



## SoupRKnowva

morbidtoaster said:


> They're not that expensive either, really. Not a big fan of the way the stands look but I'm not picking. I'd love to hear them.




Considering what they cost and what everyone was saying about them it was hard to pass them up. And yeah the stands aren't really lookers but they are extremely functional.



parbaked said:


> They're $2500 with stands. The stands are a $500 option.
> Considering the stands are low mass, flat pack (bolt together), and made in China, I'd opt for different stands.
> They look like a very competitive $2000 speakers!




No offense but you would be wrong. The stands are bolt together, but so are magico speaker cabinets, there isn't anything wrong with being bolted together. And they definitely aren't low mass, the stands weigh more than the speakers do. I think a lot of thought went into the stands design and it pays off.




morbidtoaster said:


> Oh I thought they were 2.5k plus stands. Definitely nice for 2k. I wonder if Skylan would have a stand that'd work. I'm very fond of their stands for my HL5s.







redcarmoose said:


> :eek:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Haha yeah, I read pretty much everything on the Internet about them and came to the conclusion that I had to hear them as well. Drove 3 hours to Cleveland to give them a listen several weeks ago and have just been waiting ever since for mine to arrive.


----------



## wolfetan44

Is that their cheapest model? Their website doesn't list prices..
   
  Cheers


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Is that their cheapest model? Their website doesn't list prices..
> 
> Cheers


 
   
  It is, until now the cheapest EA speaker was like 13 grand or something for the MiniOne's. One of the main reasons that the MicroOne's are so cheap is that they are the first EA speaker being built in china, so they could bring the cost down an awful lot that way.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  $2K for their cheapest model?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Worth it?
   
  Cheers


----------



## wolfetan44

Not sure where to post this, but look at this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-A-Grado-RS1-headphones-with-pink-Drivers-with-wood-box-Perfect-condition-/121083878729?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item1c31295d49 That leads me to a question, are vintage speakers mostly good?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> $2K for their cheapest model?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I would say definitely worth the 2500 dollars...but i might be a bit biased


----------



## MorbidToaster

You'll find that most hifi companies don't list prices. At least not dealer driven ones (usually anyway, Zu does, Nitty Gritty does, etc).
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Is that their cheapest model? Their website doesn't list prices..
> 
> Cheers


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You'll find that most hifi companies don't list prices. At least not dealer driven ones (usually anyway, Zu does, Nitty Gritty does, etc).
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Hm, all the companies I've bought from does..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was surprised when I saw Heir Audio list their prices, as I was catching onto the idea that they don't list their prices.. Not sure why not, because then they just get more emails.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

wolfetan44 said:


> Hm, all the companies I've bought from does..
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Some googling will reveal prices of most the speakers in the Evolution Acoustics line though, but you might have to wade through some forums


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 





 Not interested in them for $2k. Would be if they were around $1k but that probably isn't happening..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Hm, all the companies I've bought from does..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I guess I shoulda said 'as you venture into 2ch land' you'll notice most companies no listing prices.
   
  I feel like a lot of speaker companies feel like 'if you have to ask you probably can't afford it'.
   
  I tend to find prices via reviews but sometimes reviews are old enough that prices have gone up. Shehinian Obelisks being a big example.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You'll find that most hifi companies don't list prices. At least not dealer driven ones (usually anyway, Zu does, Nitty Gritty does, etc).


 
  Zu does because they sell direct.
  Most US manufactures list prices as they can set an MSRP. 
  Foreign manufacturers usually don't list US prices as they generally set them.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It's kind of unfortunate Zu sells direct. While I love direct sales for some things the idea that they want dealers and sell direct is a bit underhanded, IMO. Especially with so many revisions. 
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Zu does because they sell direct.
> Most US manufactures list prices as they can set an MSRP.
> Foreign manufacturers usually don't list US prices as they generally set them.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> No offense but you would be wrong. The stands are bolt together, but so are magico speaker cabinets, there isn't anything wrong with being bolted together. And they definitely aren't low mass, the stands weigh more than the speakers do. I think a lot of thought went into the stands design and it pays off.


 
  I didn't mean to offend either. For $500 it's hard to pass on the matching stands! I have no doubt your combination is excellent!
  However stands are whole other area of audio designs and most better ones, whether high or low mass designs, try to remove bolts from the equation. Makes sense for rigidity and consistency. The benefits of a heavy base may be diminished by it being bolted to the supports, IMO.
  I can't help but think the stand design was compromised so it could be affordably shipped from China. Otherwise you'd pay $$$ for shipping the stands! 
   
  My point is that if you already have "better" stands you might be able to squeeze even better performance out of those beauties, and save $500.
   
  I also notice that their more expensive stand mount speaker (MiniOne) uses a completely different, rigid high mass stand design.
   

   
  It might be interesting to try yours on rigid, high mass stands some day for fun.
   
  Again, I wasn't dissing your speakers or stands. I just always look at the business side (my bad).
  1) From everything I've heard they are great and great value.
  2) Can't ever go wrong with the matching set!!
  ENJOY!!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> The stands are bolt together, but so are magico speaker cabinets, there isn't anything wrong with being bolted together.


 
  And look how your little beauties kicked their butt!!


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Hm, all the companies I've bought from does..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  You'll be hard pressed to find a custom IEM company that doesn't list prices, since they all have to sell direct. The bigger American customs makers (UE, Westone, JH) also sell through professional networks -- audiologists, mostly -- but that's in addition to online sales. Some companies have extensive a la carte options for cosmetics and features that affects the price, but that's on top of the advertised baseline price.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

parbaked said:


> I didn't mean to offend either. For $500 it's hard to pass on the matching stands! I have no doubt your combination is excellent!
> However stands are whole other area of audio designs and most better ones, whether high or low mass designs, try to remove bolts from the equation. Makes sense for rigidity and consistency. The benefits of a heavy base are diminished by it being bolted to the supports, IMO.
> I can't help but think the stand design was compromised so it could be affordably shipped from China. Otherwise you'd pay $$$ for shipping the stands!
> 
> ...




Haha it's all good, I was just making sure you knew they weren't low mass. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't though, who knows. The other thing is that considering the small base size of the speakers I'm not sure of how secure they would be on a regular stand without the bolts holding them down to the stands.



parbaked said:


> And look how your little beauties kicked their butt!!




Yeah...I'm not sure about that as I haven't compared them myself. But alot of good things have definitely been said about the MicroOnes, that's why I bought them  and after I heard them I knew I had to have them


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's kind of unfortunate Zu sells direct. While I love direct sales for some things the idea that they want dealers and sell direct is a bit underhanded, IMO. Especially with so many revisions.


 
  The dilema is that with speakers it's impossible to have enough dealers to cover the country.
  Internet complicates things. 
  In some ways it is more fair for a company control the internet direct sales. Then they can a) sell where there is no dealer and b) direct the sale to their local dealer, if applicable. 
  Also Zu's prices would be higher if they did not capture some % of full retail for their product.
  If they only capture wholesale sales (like Grado) they would have to raise prices to maintain margins.
  It's not easy!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Then they need to have a way to not screw the few dealers they have by revising on a regular basis.
   
  New product is one thing, but making your dealers out of date and essentially making the product they have on the floor useless is wrong.
   
  My local dealer told me he won't be stocking them on the floor anymore (which unfortunately means no more demos) because it's happen to him multiple times.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> The dilema is that with speakers it's impossible to have enough dealers to cover the country.
> Internet complicates things.
> In some ways it is more fair for a company control the internet direct sales. Then they can a) sell where there is no dealer and b) direct the sale to their local dealer, if applicable.
> Also Zu's prices would be higher if they did not capture some % of full retail for their product.
> ...


----------



## SoupRKnowva

morbidtoaster said:


> Then they need to have a way to not screw the few dealers they have by revising on a regular basis.
> 
> New product is one thing, but making your dealers out of date and essentially making the product they have on the floor useless is wrong.
> 
> My local dealer told me he won't be stocking them on the floor anymore (which unfortunately means no more demos) because it's happen to him multiple times.



Yeah they seem to have a similar problem as kingwa at audio gd, in that he always wants to have the best possible product out by releasing constant revisions. I guess there's arguments for both sides, and I can understand wanting to get some new development out as soon as possible


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Woops


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Yeah they seem to have a similar problem as kingwa at audio gd, in that he always wants to have the best possible product out by releasing constant revisions. I guess there's arguments for both sides, and I can understand wanting to get some new development out as soon as possible


 

 That is actually quite scary. Whenever I see this sort of thing I always think of MS maintenance releases Eventually that kind of behaviour eats a manufacturer as everyone starts waiting for the next great thing which will be out next month and does not buy the current product which eventually leads to discounts on unsold items, which leads to a decrease in the RD money, which leads to absorption by a larger manufacturer with a marketing not RD focus which leads to the product being little more than a NAME.
   
  A planned product cycle is pretty paramount in the CE industy.


----------



## darrellpratt

Just finished my Bottlehead Crack. HD 650s and a Schiit Modi hiding behind the Air.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Considering what they cost and what everyone was saying about them it was hard to pass them up. And yeah the stands aren't really lookers but they are extremely functional.
> No offense but you would be wrong. The stands are bolt together, but so are magico speaker cabinets, there isn't anything wrong with being bolted together. And they definitely aren't low mass, the stands weigh more than the speakers do. I think a lot of thought went into the stands design and it pays off.
> 
> Haha yeah, I read pretty much everything on the Internet about them and came to the conclusion that I had to hear them as well. Drove 3 hours to Cleveland to give them a listen several weeks ago and have just been waiting ever since for mine to arrive.


 
    I used to spend the better part of my days off just experimenting with speaker placement and toe-in settings. The farther from the back wall, to a point, sometimes gives you more bass. Also I actually would use my speakers both at a flat placement and also toe-in depending on what mood I was in. The guy I purchased my speakers from had no toe-in in his set up. I had never seen that and he said "better sound-stage"....he was right!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I've been criticized for too much toe in but I had Maggies before.
   
  These new Harbeths I literally toe in maybe half a centimeter and that's all I need. I like it that way.
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I used to spend the better part of my days off just experimenting with speaker placement and toe-in settings. The farther from the back wall, to a point, sometimes gives you more bass. Also I actually would use my speakers both at a flat placement and also toe-in depending on what mood I was in. The guy I purchased my speakers from had no toe-in in his set up. I had never seen that and he said "better sound-stage"....he was right!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been criticized for too much toe in but I had Maggies before.
> 
> These new Harbeths I literally toe in maybe half a centimeter and that's all I need. I like it that way.


 

 Speaker placement is an ongoing thing with any rig I guess. If you stop tweeking then I figure you not trying to get the most out of it. I'm sure there are rules and guides depending on room size and speaker size. I ended up after a solid two years with no toe-in and the speakers 4 feet farther apart???? Go figure? I also added a sub, so maybe that was why?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Toe in gets a bit of play but I do believe in proper distances when it comes to apart vs seating position.
   
  My rooms usually use the equilateral triangle method because of size. I usually do 6, 6, 6.
   
  6ft apart (speakers) and I sit 6 feet away. The other way to do it for me is 6, 6, 12. So 6 feet apart and 12 feet away from the seat. You can of course change this for your room. 8, 8, 8, etc. But I generally find one of those 2 sounds the best.
   
  Equilateral tends to need no toe in (or very very little) and the other needs more toe in to sound proper.
   
  I'm hopefully going to treat my room after we move in a few months and do it right this time.
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Speaker placement is an ongoing thing with any rig I guess. If you stop tweeking then I figure you not trying to get the most out of it. I'm sure there are rules and guides depending on room size and speaker size. I ended up after a solid two years with no toe-in and the speakers 4 feet farther apart???? Go figure? I also added a sub, so maybe that was why?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I used to spend the better part of my days off just experimenting with speaker placement and toe-in settings. The farther from the back wall, to a point, sometimes gives you more bass. Also I actually would use my speakers both at a flat placement and also toe-in depending on what mood I was in. The guy I purchased my speakers from had no toe-in in his set up. I had never seen that and he said "better sound-stage"....he was right!


 

 Yeah ive been playing with placement every 15 minutes or so, so far ive got roughly an equilateral triangle of about 6.5 ft with them point just barely behind my head as the best ive found. The thing is that even with them only 2 ft from the back wall thats as far away as i can get, its basically a nearfield setup in my bedroom, the stage is pretty focused this way though.


----------



## teknikk7

Mah


----------



## Maxvla

Quite a lengthy exposure


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





darrellpratt said:


> Just finished my Bottlehead Crack. HD 650s and a Schiit Modi hiding behind the Air.


 
  Nice job! That really looks lovely.
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Quite a lengthy exposure


 
  Young man!!


----------



## darrellpratt

lugbug1 said:


> Nice job! That really looks lovely.
> 
> Young man!!




Thanks! I still have a bit of polishing to do on the base today but I'm extremely happy with the sound.


----------



## LugBug1

Last look at my Bamboozle's.. They're going on fleabay uk tonight. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Time for a change...


----------



## beaver316

Why are you selling them?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Last look at my Bamboozle's.. They're going on fleabay uk tonight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  What's next?


----------



## autoteleology

Why are they called Bamboozles?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Why are you selling them?


 
  Need a change, had them nearly a year now. I sold my HE500's couple of months back too. I'm gonna look at either T1 or HD800.
   
  In the mean time I'm reeaally enjoying the K701's!


----------



## LugBug1

Bamboozles coz I bamboozled em!
   
  I gave them a make over. Stripped them down and re-varnished


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Need a change, had them nearly a year now. I sold my HE500's couple of months back too. I'm gonna look at either T1 or HD800.
> 
> In the mean time I'm reeaally enjoying the K701's!


 

 The k701s are truly an old girlfriend. They let you come back to em even when they were dumped for a fresh new fling!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> The k701s are truly an old girlfriend. They let you come back to em even when they were dumped for a fresh new fling!


 
  Haha absolutely! Very faithful.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





teknikk7 said:


>


 
  Gorgeous looking setup mate


----------



## MorbidToaster

Get an HD800 dear god don't get a T1.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Need a change, had them nearly a year now. I sold my HE500's couple of months back too. I'm gonna look at either T1 or HD800.
> 
> In the mean time I'm reeaally enjoying the K701's!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Get an HD800 dear god don't get a T1.


 
  I disagree, but I seem to be in the minority. The T1 really isn't that bad, and it's a viable alternative to the HD800 with a bit more bass impact.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Get an HD800 dear god don't get a T1.


 
  haha I read that you were'nt too impressed. I'm in no hurry to choose at the mo, but probs will be the Senns


----------



## BokononVolta

My simple work setup as it stands right now. I also have a Beyerdynamic DT 990 on the side when I want a more comfortable set of phones for the day...


----------



## autoteleology

Yeah, the HD800 beats the pants off of the T1, both subjectively and objectively.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I wanted to love them so much but the sibilance was just too much for me.
   
  USSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...AND THEM...etc.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I disagree, but I seem to be in the minority. The T1 really isn't that bad, and it's a viable alternative to the HD800 with a bit more bass impact.


----------



## jpierson

My iPad setup.
   
   

   
  iPad --> Fostex HPP1 --> Creek Evolution Integrated --> LCD 2.2 Bamboo.


----------



## zenki14

If sibilance is heard with the T1, it's not because of the T1 but it's just a particular bad synergy with the amp, or not enough burn in on the gear, or not enough listening until the hearing adapts..  Once it goes in a setup with nice synergy, the T1 is definately a keeper..
   
  My setup doesn't change after getting the V181 so sorry for not posting pics and going off topic..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Heard it on 2 completely different rigs one of which I didn't think was sibilant with other headphones.
   
  Quote: 





zenki14 said:


> If sibilance is heard with the T1, it's not because of the T1 but it's just a particular bad synergy with the amp, or not enough burn in on the gear, or not enough listening until the hearing adapts..  Once it goes in a setup with nice synergy, the T1 is definately a keeper..
> 
> My setup doesn't change after getting the V181 so sorry for not posting pics and going off topic..


----------



## zenki14

To be honest I heard sibilance with the original NFB-12 and also the LD MK VII+, but not at all with the Quattro, NFB-10.2, V181, and even the Arrow.  I don't know, maybe I have a lucky one or the T1 is just very picky.
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Heard it on 2 completely different rigs one of which I didn't think was sibilant with other headphones.


----------



## colinharding

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Heard it on 2 completely different rigs one of which I didn't think was sibilant with other headphones.


 
   
  Quote: 





zenki14 said:


> To be honest I heard sibilance with the original NFB-12 and also the LD MK VII+, but not at all with the Quattro, NFB-10.2, V181, and even the Arrow.  I don't know, maybe I have a lucky one or the T1 is just very picky.


 
   
  I always attributed the sibilance in this headphone to its intrinsically bright and treble tuned nature.  Yeah it does have a hard hitting bass, but the highs are just as pronounced - each overshadowing the midrange.  Either way I was never happy with mine either (for the brief time I had them), just too bright.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

lugbug1 said:


> Need a change, had them nearly a year now. I sold my HE500's couple of months back too. I'm gonna look at either T1 or HD800.
> 
> In the mean time I'm reeaally enjoying the K701's!


 

   
   
   
  i like the T1 as much as the HD 800 and never find it to be sibilant, at least not more than the hd 800. just needs an amp that pairs good with them.
   
  for me, its my favorite headphone. very musical yet transparent and detailed, doesn't do anything wrong.
   
  i can see an HE-500/K701 lover enjoying the T1, they're all very similar sounding.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i like the T1 as much as the HD 800 and never find it to be sibilant, at least not more than the hd 800. just needs an amp that pairs good with them.
> 
> for me, its my favorite headphone. very musical yet transparent and detailed, doesn't do anything wrong.
> 
> *i can see an HE-500/K701 lover enjoying the T1*, they're all very similar sounding.


 
  Good stuff thanks. Although I've imagined the HD800's to be more like the K701's? 
   
  Brightness has never really bothered me in the past and I've owned K702, DT880, RS1 and other Grado's.. So I can't imagine either of those flagships being any more fatiguing or indeed sibilant.
  I'm going to be looking for the best option for classical music mostly as this is my prefered genre. I also like jazz and electronic music. So.... ??
  Anyways I've got at least another month to think about it


----------



## MorbidToaster

For me it's not too bright. Sibilance and brightness are different, IMO. There's too much sizzle but it's not an ice pick to the ear kind of thing like the ED10.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> For me it's not too bright. Sibilance and brightness are different, IMO. There's too much sizzle but it's not an ice pick to the ear kind of thing like the ED10.


 
  I've got you. Yeah suppose it depends where the peaks are.. My K701's don't sound _that _bright but they do emphasize sssss-cymbals for example. Same with the HE500's for that matter; They have such a sweet treble but every now and then treble details in certain music would be emphasized too much.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nope....I have listened to them side by side many times. No contest. HD800 every time.


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I've got you. Yeah suppose it depends where the peaks are.. My K701's don't sound _that _bright but they do emphasize sssss-cymbals for example. Same with the HE500's for that matter; They have such a sweet treble but every now and then treble details in certain music would be emphasized too much.


 
  Hmm, then you probably wouldn't like the HE400 too much.


----------



## HolyCheese

What High end cans are there anyway? The HE-500 is too bright, same goes for hd800 unless you spend alot on the amp, T1 is too bright, Denons are closed. 
  The only thing left is the audeze but i've heard mixed things about them. I didn't spend enough time with them to really know. (plus they don't fit on my head/feel awkward)


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> What High end cans are there anyway? The HE-500 is too bright, same goes for hd800 unless you spend alot on the amp, T1 is too bright, Denons are closed.
> The only thing left is the audeze but i've heard mixed things about them. I didn't spend enough time with them to really know. (plus they don't fit on my head/feel awkward)


 
  That's the thing around here. The longer your here, the less headphones you like. Even though you buy a bunch.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I wasn't too impressed with the HE-500. Neither the T1. Just inputting my thoughts


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> What High end cans are there anyway? The HE-500 is too bright, same goes for hd800 unless you spend alot on the amp, T1 is too bright, Denons are closed.
> The only thing left is the audeze but i've heard mixed things about them. I didn't spend enough time with them to really know. (plus they don't fit on my head/feel awkward)


 
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> That's the thing around here. The longer your here, the less headphones you like. Even though you buy a bunch.


 
  So true. Its the old 'perfection' that doesn't exist. Remove the last 4 years... And the above post from holycheese could have been said about the Beyer/AKG/Senns the then high enders. But its all good fun! In my case I really need to get out the habit of buying something every payday.... Thats why I can never afford the current 'biggies" Ha
  I like change, rather than an end goal..


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah the only cans I really 'like' anymore are the TH900 and HD800. 
   
  Sure the D7000 is okay, as is the HE500, but they're not up to par like the other 2. Audeze doesn't do it for me anymore and the HE6 never has. 
   
  You really do like less and less as time goes on here.


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> What High end cans are there anyway? The HE-500 is too bright, same goes for hd800 unless you spend alot on the amp, T1 is too bright, Denons are closed.
> The only thing left is the audeze but i've heard mixed things about them. I didn't spend enough time with them to really know. (plus they don't fit on my head/feel awkward)


 
  The HE-500s really aren't too bright. They are quite neutral, and with some pad modifications it gets even better.


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> That's the thing around here. The longer your here, the less headphones you like. Even though you buy a bunch.


 
  So true. And this is also the reason why we keep spending the money.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> For me it's not too bright. Sibilance and brightness are different, IMO. There's too much sizzle but it's not an ice pick to the ear kind of thing like the ED10.


 
  Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's quite a bit of variation on the T1's sound signature. The one's I used to own were very smooth...no sizzle or sibilance whatsoever.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Beyer doesn't exactly have the highest QC when it comes to driver matching.
   
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's quite a bit of variation on the T1's sound signature. The one's I used to own were very smooth...no sizzle or sibilance whatsoever.


----------



## autoteleology

> Beyer doesn't exactly have the highest QC when it comes to driver matching.


 
   
  Question: How is there so much variance in driver frequency response that driver matching is a necessity?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Beyer doesn't exactly have the highest QC when it comes to driver matching.


 
  Agreed from what I've seen. But that said, I've owned the DT770/600, DT880/600, DT1350 and T1s and all were pretty darn good!


----------



## hodgjy

Back to a picture.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Back to a picture.


 
   
  WOWZA.
   
  So...what's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 for dinner? That's flat out gorgeous! I'd certainly want dinner under that lighting.


----------



## hodgjy

Mumford & Sons are on tap.
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> WOWZA.
> 
> So...what's
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't get me wrong, I like Beyers to an extent (770s are rockin', as are some OTLed 880s) but on a headphone as expensive as the T1 it's unacceptable.
   
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Agreed from what I've seen. But that said, I've owned the DT770/600, DT880/600, DT1350 and T1s and all were pretty darn good!


 
   
  Let me try to dig up a graph...It's been pretty serious on a few T1s I've seen over the years.
   
  (Maxvla might come to the rescue before I can find one)
   
  EDIT: Not exactly what I wanted, but purrin talks about it a bit here.
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/566929/headphone-csd-waterfall-plots/180#post_7785685
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Question: How is there so much variance in driver frequency response that driver matching is a necessity?


----------



## bareyb

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yeah the only cans I really 'like' anymore are the TH900 and HD800.
> 
> Sure the D7000 is okay, as is the HE500, but they're not up to par like the other 2. Audeze doesn't do it for me anymore and the HE6 never has.
> 
> You really do like less and less as time goes on here.


 
  I'm kind of falling out of love with my HE500s too. They have great sound, but I miss the impact and sound pressure you get from a Dynamic driver. I've been auditioning some Signature DJ's since yesterday and so far, they are my new "holy grail". Having said that, I'm very aware we are still in the Honeymoom Phase and it may take a couple more days before I start to pick them apart. We'll see... So far I love 'em. I hope it lasts...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Finally heard the Signature DJs at the Austin meet and while I liked them the treble seemed a bit off. I'd like more time with them though.
   
  Quote: 





bareyb said:


> I'm kind of falling out of love with my HE500s too. They have great sound, but I miss the impact and sound pressure you get from a Dynamic driver. I've been auditioning some Signature DJ's since yesterday and so far, they are my new "holy grail". Having said that, I'm very aware we are still in the Honeymoom Phase and it may take a couple more days before I start to pick them apart. We'll see... So far I love 'em. I hope it lasts...


----------



## bareyb

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Finally heard the Signature DJs at the Austin meet and while I liked them the treble seemed a bit off. I'd like more time with them though.


 
  That was actually the one part i was pleasantly surprised about. Then again, I'm coming from the Pro 900s which I didn't care for the Treble at all. The Sig DJ's don't sound too bright on my rig so far, but they are still new to me. I also don't notice the "S-logic" like I did on the 900s. If it's there, it's very subtle.  My Amp is a Grace M903 and those have a fairly dark signature so it could just be they are a better match than what you heard at the meet.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Only heard 'em on the LF, but I pretty much know what to expect with the LF. Love the Signature Pros.
   
  Then again, the rig was streaming Spotify so who knows. That's why I didn't really judge. 
   
  Quote: 





bareyb said:


> That was actually the one part i was pleasantly surprised about. Then again, I'm coming from the Pro 900s which I didn't care for the Treble at all. The Sig DJ's don't sound too bright on my rig so far, but they are still new to me. I also don't notice the "S-logic" like I did on the 900s. If it's there, it's very subtle.  My Amp is a Grace M903 and those have a fairly dark signature so it could just be they are a better match than what you heard at the meet.


----------



## BokononVolta

Wow that looks awesome.  
  And yes this thread has too much talky and not enough eye candy.
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Back to a picture.


----------



## autoteleology

Battlestation?


----------



## jazzerdave




----------



## autoteleology

You're disqualified because your amp doesn't have enough tubes.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> You're disqualified because your amp doesn't have enough tubes.


 
  ROFL....2 is just not enough!


----------



## jazzerdave

tus-chan said:


> You're disqualified because your amp doesn't have enough tubes.







longbowbbs said:


> ROFL....2 is just not enough!




Let's see. If you add up all of my amps, there are slots for 33 tubes. It's still not quite enough to heart my house in the winter. Must have more......


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You need to come up my way....I would need about 10 ARC amps just to keep the living room warm!


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Good stuff thanks. Although I've imagined the HD800's to be more like the K701's?
> 
> Brightness has never really bothered me in the past and I've owned K702, DT880, RS1 and other Grado's.. So I can't imagine either of those flagships being any more fatiguing or indeed sibilant.
> I'm going to be looking for the best option for classical music mostly as this is my prefered genre. I also like jazz and electronic music. So.... ??
> Anyways I've got at least another month to think about it


 
  For those genres ditch both the HD800 and T1 and get a Stax system, you'll be quite satisfied


----------



## Maxvla

Stats don't really do so well with electronic music. It lacks the impact in the bass, and the soundstage size of dynamics. Soundstage would also be a problem with classical. The only genre where stats may have an advantage is jazz, but only because that genre lacks bass impact and soundstage size by default.


----------



## MorbidToaster

* (With the exception of the 404LE and 009, for some reason)
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> *Stats don't really do so well with electronic music. It lacks the impact in the bass*, and the soundstage size of dynamics. Soundstage would also be a problem with classical. The only genre where stats may have an advantage is jazz, but only because that genre lacks bass impact and soundstage size by default.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> For those genres ditch both the HD800 and T1 and get a Stax system, you'll be quite satisfied


 

 or the he-400/500


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Stats don't really do so well with electronic music. It lacks the impact in the bass, and the soundstage size of dynamics. Soundstage would also be a problem with classical. The only genre where stats may have an advantage is jazz, but only because that genre lacks bass impact and soundstage size by default.


 
  I swear I knew you were going to chime in on this  I literally laughed out loud. The only dynamic that impressed me with its soundstage was the HD800 but my 404LE's soundstage is quite good and I enjoy them immensely with classical and jazz. I don't listen to electronica, in fact, I only listen to two right now: Phutureprimitive and Easily Embarassed and when it comes to delivering that bass I think my Stax do a better job than the HD800. In terms of impact like LCD-2 they may not have it, but the extension is there, I think.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> or the he-400/500


 
  He already sold his HE-500 if I'm not mistaken. I liked them quite a bit when I had them.


----------



## Maxvla

yuceka said:


> I swear I knew you were going to chime in on this  I literally laughed out loud.



:wink_face:


> when it comes to delivering that bass I think my Stax do a better job than the HD800. In terms of impact like LCD-2 they may not have it, but the extension is there, I think.



Impact is superior on HD800 than LCD-2, IMO. I had both in my home 3 weeks ago, and the LCD-2 is already gone. I was actually surprised the LCD-2 was outdone on bass impact, shocked really.


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  
  Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Have not heard the T1, but I did cop more than a feel of the HD800. 

 I am now listening to some 40 or so years old electrostatic 'cans (Micro Seiki MX1) and they are great for most of what I listen to. I am driving them via their battery box with a fairly inexpensive headphone Amp  that includes something called XBass. This can give the 'stats a serious kick in the pants.

 They are not quite the bass & scale monsters the AKG K701's turn into with XBass, but these cans with XBass at the max trump the HD800 without XBass. I found I needed the first level setting for XBass with the HD800, the MX1 need it at the max.

 And this set with XBass certainly goes loud enough to play Goldfrapp's  "Rocket" at grin inducing levels and handles Saint Säen's #3 finale rather decently as well (never mind Jazz, which I do listen to a lot).

 The only real drawback of 'stats (other than price) is the relative fragility of the drivers and the need for yet another box to drive them which really means they are "stationary only". On the other hand, the HD800 did not spoil me that much as to make me no longer want to listen to my other headphones, especially on the move. Yet I really no longer want to listen to them now even on the train after I got the 'stats...

 Cheerio Rich


----------



## autoteleology

> Stats don't really do so well with electronic music. It lacks the impact in the bass, and the soundstage size of dynamics. Soundstage would also be a problem with classical. The only genre where stats may have an advantage is jazz, but only because that genre lacks bass impact and soundstage size by default.


 
   
  I have to disagree; my 303's are one of the best headphones I've ever heard for electronic, and I've heard quite a few.

 The smooth, clear highs are quite a rush, and the bass, while a little less powerful, goes down _low_.


----------



## autoteleology

> The only real drawback of 'stats (other than price) is [...] the need for yet another box to drive them which really means they are "stationary only"


 
   
  Not true. If you have a transportable amp like the 252 or the Xh, and get a battery similar to this one, you could use these portably if you had a bag. I plan to do exactly that.


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > The only real drawback of 'stats (other than price) is [...] the need for yet another box to drive them which really means they are "stationary only"
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Ahead of you.

 Ordered an energiser XP-8000 to power my iCAN with, the battery box has it's own 9V battery inside... 

 Now I need to find rubber bands that will hold it all together and get Gazza to make some cables that will actually give me short jumpers. 

 I want to keep my iDAC in the stack too... 

 So a portable version of this stack -iUSB Power +XP8000:

  


 You can blame Nirmala for giving me silly ideas...

Cheerio Rich


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Portable STAX rig... Okay now we're on the brim of insanity guys. I'm happy with my little dynamic IEM's and E7.


----------



## jazzerdave

They're not Stax, but the Koss ESP-950 comes with the amp, headphones, carrying case, cables, and even a battery pack in case you're not near an outlet.


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Impact is superior on HD800 than LCD-2, IMO. I had both in my home 3 weeks ago, and the LCD-2 is already gone. I was actually surprised the LCD-2 was outdone on bass impact, shocked really.


 
  How is this possible when so many people say the HD800 has no bass? I never tried the HD 800 yet, I hope to next month at a meet, but I always was told they werent too good with EDM. I really want to get a pair but was scared I would regret it given my music tastes. How are the opinions of bass impact on the HD800 so varied?


----------



## Stitch

I'll chime in
   
   
  As seen from the couch(including a charming glimpse of me)

   
  Left to right; DT880/250, SR325s, Dacmagic+GS-1,  Stello CDT100. Dacmagic will be upgrade for a Metrum Octave MK1 soon.

   
  Vault-boy and Mountain Troll gaurding my station

   
  Overview of my living room. A bit cramped but i like it, i kinda underestimated the size of the hocker when i bought the couch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> They're not Stax, but the Koss ESP-950 comes with the amp, headphones, carrying case, cables, and even a battery pack in case you're not near an outlet.


 
  I am very close to being physically attached to my ESP-950, but even I don't attempt to use them out and about. I agree that they can be transportable, but not portable.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> How is this possible when so many people say the HD800 has no bass? I never tried the HD 800 yet, I hope to next month at a meet, but I always was told they werent too good with EDM. I really want to get a pair but was scared I would regret it given my music tastes. How are the opinions of bass impact on the HD800 so varied?


 
  People, even at the top level of dynamic headphone audio, still endure confusion between bass volume, accuracy, and impact. The HD800 doesn't have warm, big bass, but it's got incredible impact and spacial accuracy in bass. It will certainly suffice for electronica unless you truly want a bass-favoring can.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> People, even at the top level of dynamic headphone audio, still endure confusion between bass volume, accuracy, and impact. The HD800 doesn't have warm, big bass, but it's got incredible impact and spacial accuracy in bass. It will certainly suffice for electronica unless you truly want a bass-favoring can.


 
  I think people driving with crap also might have something to do with it. People plug them into like...a Lyr and immediately write them off.
   
  While the bass isn't jacked up I NEVER found them lacking with a good amp. I listen a ton of Electronic music and picked the HD800 over the LCD 2.2 when I owned them both.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > Beyer doesn't exactly have the highest QC when it comes to driver matching.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The answer to *why* there is variance would probably need to be answered by an engineer who understands the manufacturing processes and materials used in dynamic drivers. All I know is that variance does exist, and *always* exists, to some degree or another. No manufacturer or driver model is immune to it.
   
  I wouldn't say Beyer has poor driver matching. I've never experienced mismatched drivers in a Beyer headphone and haven't heard any reports of that. Its driver *variance* that is quite common in some Beyers, meaning the variance exists between two heaphones of the same model, as opposed to two drivers within the same headphone.
   
  In the example of the 770/880/990 lines, which share the same basic driver, there seems to be more reports of variances in the 770s and 990s than there is with the 880s, and the 770s seem to have the most variance of the three, leading me to believe that Beyer saves the more consistent drivers for the 880 while the 770 (the cheapest of the three) gets the most inconsistent drivers. The 880 is the most neutral of the three and is marketed heavily to studios and professional applications so it would make sense that Beyer would consider consistency to be most important in that model.
   
  However, despite the variance among some Beyers, a single Beyer headphone will still be fitted with two matched drivers that have matching sound signatures.


----------



## brokenthumb

I also listen to EDM and I would take the HD800 over the LCD-2.2.  The bass of the HD800 is very dynamic and can hit insanely hard when called upon.  I think something must be wrong with my HD800 b/c it's the most fun headphone I've owned.


----------



## HolyCheese

Broken, what amp do you use?


----------



## ardgedee

The HD 800 I auditioned a couple years ago had obvious roll-off in the base, although it was still incredibly tight and of a piece with the rest of the sound.

I half wonder if it may be because of how people listen to theirs -- I tend to listen at lower than average levels, which would also explain diminished bass -- but I've heard rumors that the HD 800 was revised mid-run too.

Despite my decision not to buy at the time (in favor of the HE-6, a better all-rounder for my circumstances), I still would like to have the HD 800 too some day. It does many things better than any other headphone I've tried.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> The HD 800 I auditioned a couple years ago had obvious roll-off in the base, although it was still incredibly tight and of a piece with the rest of the sound.
> 
> I half wonder if it may be because of how people listen to theirs -- I tend to listen at lower than average levels, which would also explain diminished bass -- but I've heard rumors that the HD 800 was revised mid-run too.
> 
> Despite my decision not to buy at the time (in favor of the* HE-6, a better all-rounder* for my circumstances), I still would like to have the HD 800 too some day. It does many things better than any other headphone I've tried.


 
   
   
  ^^Bingo^^..  and what's that big monster of an amp you have diving the HE-6 again?


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Broken, what amp do you use?


 
   
  I use my Pioneer VSX-455 I bought in '96.  It was amazing with the HD650 and sounds even better with the HD800.  The E9 is decent but no where near the Pioneer.  I also have a Panny XR-25 but the HD800 sounds very thin with hardly any bass on it.  If it wasn't for the Pioneer I probably would have sold the HD800 by now.  I'm thinking of buying a Decware this summer though just to see how it compares to the Pioneer.
   
  Quote: 





ardgedee said:


> The HD 800 I auditioned a couple years ago had obvious roll-off in the base, although it was still incredibly tight and of a piece with the rest of the sound.
> 
> *I half wonder if it may be because of how people listen to theirs -- I tend to listen at lower than average levels, which would also explain diminished bass* -- but I've heard rumors that the HD 800 was revised mid-run too.
> 
> Despite my decision not to buy at the time (in favor of the HE-6, a better all-rounder for my circumstances), I still would like to have the HD 800 too some day. It does many things better than any other headphone I've tried.


 
   
  I listen on a average of 75 dB measured with a spl meter from Radio Shack.
   
  I'm still waiting on my frequency chart from Sennheiser, it's been over a month since I registered for it.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





preproman said:


> ^^Bingo^^..  and what's that big monster of an amp you have diving the HE-6 again?


 
   
  We be curious.


----------



## LCfiner

Latest setup. I think I'll be good for a long while. I got these fantastic QUAD 12L actives used on another site and they've taken over for a lot of previous headphone use. Incredible clarity and soundstaging from these guys (plus I think the rosewood finish is beautiful). And those isoacoustic stands are the real deal. No bass muddiness or booming at all - very clean.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
  The Bel Canto DAC 2.5 was picked up yesterday and has - somewhat surprisingly - made a bigger difference than I would have thought. Historically, I've had a hard time telling the difference between DACs but putting in this one has made the 12Ls really open up (I had switched from a W4S DAC1 to Icon HDP in the past 2 weeks). Wide, and very 3D soundstage. Clean, extended highs but no harshness. Oh, and the headphone amp is pretty good for the low impedance headphones I have.
   
  I have two headphones.
   
  Markl modified D7000s. These are a real improvement over the regular D7000 and I actually prefer their tonal balance over the TH900, which I owned for a week. Better balance with the bass and mids. Mids are less thin. No, it's not as _clean_ as the TH900 (or the Stax 007 I just sold) but it has harder hitting bass than the Stax and more robust mids than the TH900. it's a better compromise for my needs.
   
  I also have the Grado SR225i with flat pads when I want some aggressive sound right in my head.
   
  But these days it's the Quads that are blowing my mind most often. And, at around $600 used, they're a remarkable value.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> (I had switched from a W4S DAC1 to Icon HDP in the past 2 weeks). Wide, and very 3D soundstage. Clean, extended highs but no harshness. Oh, and the headphone amp is pretty good for the low impedance headphones I have.


 
  Would you please comment more on that change? For quite some time I have been interested in W4S DAC1. Do you like the Icon better?


----------



## LCfiner

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> Would you please comment more on that change? For quite some time I have been interested in W4S DAC1. Do you like the Icon better?


 
   
  No, The W4S DAC1 is better than the HDP. But it was not, to my ears, a_ night and day _difference with the HDP (or the meridian explorer DAC out). that's why I was surprised to find the bel canto to be such an upgrade with the speakers. I thought  that I would hear very, very minor differences with DACs from this point on.
   
  the HDP is good but I could sometimes notice a _little_ harsh treble or sibilance with the speakers and the MD7000. Did not notice that with the W4S DAC1 or the Explorer (when hooked up to the Amphora headamp/preamp). The Bel Canto made the speakers open up more compared to the other DACs and eliminated that slight harshness found on the HDP. 
   
  I have not done extensive testing of the headphone outs between the two units. The MD7000 and Grado sound good from the bel canto but that wasn't the main reason why I got it so I didn't set up back to back tests with the HDP.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> No, The W4S DAC1 is better than the HDP. But it was not, to my ears, a_ night and day _difference with the HDP (or the meridian explorer DAC out). that's why I was surprised to find the bel canto to be such an upgrade with the speakers. I thought  that I would hear very, very minor differences with DACs from this point on.
> 
> the HDP is good but I could sometimes notice a _little_ harsh treble or sibilance with the speakers and the MD7000. Did not notice that with the W4S DAC1 or the Explorer (when hooked up to the Amphora headamp/preamp). The Bel Canto made the speakers open up more compared to the other DACs and eliminated that slight harshness found on the HDP.
> 
> I have not done extensive testing of the headphone outs between the two units. The MD7000 and Grado sound good from the bel canto but that wasn't the main reason why I got it so I didn't set up back to back tests with the HDP.


 
   
  Bel Canto has been building great DACs for a LONG time now so it's not really a surprise that they would do well. I haven't heard their latest but had a DAC-1 a while ago and it was very smooth and 3-D in nature. Great pick up!


----------



## drheadphone

Cantata + Stratus


----------



## Eee Pee

Fantastic drheadphone!
   
   
  Quote:


brokenthumb said:


> I'm still waiting on my frequency chart from Sennheiser, it's been over a month since I registered for it.


 
   
  I've been waiting for around a year or so.  Even sent a second request in.  Doesn't matter anymore as I've done some foam mods to them, but the principle is there.


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> I've been waiting for around a year or so.  Even sent a second request in.  Doesn't matter anymore as I've done some foam mods to them, but the principle is there.


 
   
  That is strange. Mine took about 3 weeks.


----------



## parbaked

Cantata + Stratus

that's impressive!
The Cantata is pretty enough to justify another little system!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Cantata + Stratus
> 
> that's impressive!
> The Cantata is pretty enough to justify another little system!


 
  Best digital front end I've heard is the Cantata. Good choice. Get the sick matching power amp and some speakers.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> Cantata + Stratus


 
   
  That looks like a fantastic set up.


----------



## olor1n

jronan2 said:


> maxvla said:
> 
> 
> > :wink_face:
> ...




Because people like to parrot the same crap and the myth is perpetuated. Owners and people very familiar with it are often drowned out by experts who've looked at a graph, or listened at a store from a freakin iPhone, or at a meet for a minute and they are suddenly more qualified than those who've lived with and built an entire system around the HD800.

Some of us have been stating this for a while, though I suspect prior owners rolled their eyes when we started proclaiming what they'd known for some time. There seems to be a resurgence of interest in the HD800 though and perhaps people are better equipped now to accommodate such a headphone. I doubt there's been a significant change to the HD800, just better gear upstream.

I also prefer the HD800's clean, articulate bass to the LCD-2. There isn't one genre that I find the LCD-2 superior. The notion that the HD800 is only good for classical is another myth.


----------



## paradoxper

I last heard the HD800 out of a LF and W4S DAC2. No emotion and no impact.
   
  I am not sure what's to credit the change, but I don't think it's fair to immediately dismiss those who 
  were never fond of the HD800 in the first place.


----------



## olor1n

paradoxper said:


> I last heard the HD800 out of a LF and W4S DAC2. No emotion and no impact.
> 
> I am not sure what's to credit the change, but I don't think it's fair to immediately dismiss those who
> were never fond of the HD800 in the first place.




Are you still running the HD800 from the LF with the same tubes and the same DAC?

It's cool to not jive with a headphone's signature. That's not what I'm addressing. You know what the HD800 is capable of. Doesn't it make you question if these people have actually heard the headphone when they post things so contrary to what you're hearing?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Are you still running the HD800 from the LL with the same tubes and the same DAC?
> 
> It's cool to not jive with a headphone's signature. That's not what I'm addressing. You know what the HD800 is capable of. Doesn't it make you question if these people have actually heard the headphone when they post things so contrary to what you're hearing?


 
  No.
   
  Your point was better upstream gear. I'm not sure, but would you call the LF or W4S DAC completely limiting?
   
  I just don't think the HD800 would be instantly transformed the way it was for me.
   
   
  For example, you find the HD800 impactful (on par or bettering the LCD's), I use to find the HD800 flat and boring.
  So I can't exactly question those who would find the HD800 lacking.
   
  I now find the HD800 better than LCD-2 and on par with LCD-3, etc.
   
  I don't exactly know what to credit with the change.
   
   
   
  Purrin will be measuring my 20x HD800 for more data points on newer units, etc.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





preproman said:


> ^^Bingo^^..  and what's that big monster of an amp you have diving the HE-6 again?


 
   
  I believe I told you about it a couple months ago.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> No.
> 
> Your point was better upstream gear. I'm not sure, but would you call the LF or W4S DAC completely limiting?
> 
> I just don't think the HD800 would be instantly transformed the way it was for me.


 
   
  It was a general statement about the common trend here, obviously there are exceptions. Posts from members who've actually given it a fair shake and who divulge the upstream components are a rarity. Solude is the only other person who comes to mind. Didn't he also have the W4S before he tasted crow?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> It was a general statement about the common trend here, obviously there are exceptions. Posts from members who've actually given it a fair shake and who divulge the upstream components are a rarity. Solude is the only other person who comes to mind. Didn't he also have the W4S before he tasted crow?


 
  I gotcha. I also agree that there is a lot of regurgitated BS. 
   
   
  Yea. He did have the W4S before, but I'm not sure if that is when he had the HD800 or not.
  Could be before, perhaps.
   
  Either way, yea, we've both eaten crow.


----------



## Maxvla

paradoxper said:


> I last heard the HD800 out of a LF and W4S DAC2. No emotion and no impact.
> 
> I am not sure what's to credit the change, but I don't think it's fair to immediately dismiss those who
> were never fond of the HD800 in the first place.



I heard HD800 with LF and I think a Marantz CD player and was also not that impressed. It sounded good, but not remarkable. It was Morbid's inbetween rig from LCD-2 to SR009.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I heard HD800 with LF and I think a Marantz CD player and was also not that impressed. It sounded good, but not remarkable. It was Morbid's inbetween rig from LCD-2 to SR009.


 
   
  You never heard it with the Marantz.  It was with the Cambridge 851C. The Marantz was at Austin 2011 with the LCD 2.2. Before I drank the HD800 Kool Aid. 
   
  I preferred the LF to the BHA-1. Different strokes, etc.


----------



## Maxvla

Was trying to remember if you had gotten the Cambridge by then or not. And yes, different tastes.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 






 Very nice!


----------



## joseph69

This is a photo of my current listening station; Adcom ACE-515/Adcom-GFP-710 (which just replaced my GTP-400)
  Sony cdp-c 601 (which also just replaced my cdp-c701 because I'm repairing it!) Meridian-203DAC/
  Grado 325is drivers with MS2i cups. I recently purchased a Macbook Pro which I also jack into the DAC (optically) to listen to ripped Cd's or some downloaded music.
   
  I was torn between a headphone amp and a home audio preamplifier, so I purchased the Adcom GFP-710 because I can remotely control the volume, and for future use hook up my vandersteens. Plus I really like the way the Adcom drives the Grado's from using my GTP-400, which was also a tuner, which I had no need for, and also didn't have a remote volume control which I really wanted.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





drheadphone said:


> Cantata + Stratus


 
   
  I love the casework of the Cantata. What other DACs did you have before this?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> *How is this possible when so many people say the HD800 has no bass?* I never tried the HD 800 yet, I hope to next month at a meet, but I always was told they werent too good with EDM. I really want to get a pair but was scared I would regret it given my music tastes. How are the opinions of bass impact on the HD800 so varied?


 
   
  FALSE. Go hear one at a meet if you can. I loved it on the Schiit stack (Mjolnir/Gungnir) Now the K701 on the other hand... that has no bass, to my ears.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

hd 800, definitely has bass


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> hd 800, definitely has bass


 
  Oh yeah...plenty of it....


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're finally here.

  On right now.

  Got 'em tonight.


----------



## Silent One

_"Purple Rain!" _


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're finally here.


 
   
  I wanted the 4LP set of Stadium Arcadium basically since it came out, but i could never justify it since i didnt even have a turntable, but now that im getting one, that and the reissues of Californication and Blook Sugar Sex Magik are gonna be the first LPs i buy!


----------



## MorbidToaster

The LP box was on sale at Pop Market a few days ago. $60. Worth every cent. Especially considering the fact it was mastered by Steve Hoffman, all analog.
   
  BSSM is high on the list for buying. Woulda got it tonight if they'd had it at the local shop. Gonna just order one of the Red RSD copies floating around soon.
   
  Quote:


souprknowva said:


> I wanted the 4LP set of Stadium Arcadium basically since it came out, but i could never justify it since i didnt even have a turntable, but now that im getting one, that and the reissues of Californication and Blook Sugar Sex Magik are gonna be the first LPs i buy!


----------



## hodgjy

Now that is what I call an awesome Friday night.
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're finally here.
> 
> On right now.
> 
> Got 'em tonight.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Don't get too ahead of yourself I still had to work today, and we got a ticket on the way to get the speakers. :|
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Now that is what I call an awesome Friday night.


----------



## awsanderson

You should have explained to the officer that you were going to get your speakers, he might have understood


----------



## MorbidToaster

I can't explain a 6 month expired inspection sticker that way, but it sure would be nice if I could. 
   
  Quote: 





awsanderson said:


> You should have explained to the officer that you were going to get your speakers, he might have understood


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I can't explain a 6 month expired inspection sticker that way, but it sure would be nice if I could.


 
  HAHA...mine expired 8/11, nothin like breakin the law! LOL


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Monoliths and Dimensions on vinyl D: oh my god I'm so jealous!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think it's kind of a dick move to pull someone over for that. You literally have to just be looking to write a ticket.
   
  My dealer (guy I was going to see to get the speakers) summed it up in a few choice words I can't say here on Head-fi. 
   
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> HAHA...mine expired 8/11, nothin like breakin the law! LOL


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think it's kind of a dick move to pull someone over for that. You literally have to just be looking to write a ticket.
> 
> My dealer (guy I was going to see to get the speakers) summed it up in a few choice words I can't say here on Head-fi.


 
  Yeah, total dick move (putting it very nicely).  Was that what he got you for?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yeah. As we were leaving the record store headed to get the speakers.
   
  Worst part is the fact we're getting it fixed next week because my girlfriend's tax return just came in :|
   
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Yeah, total dick move (putting it very nicely).  Was that what he got you for?


----------



## Szadzik

No new equipment in the rig, yet a new setup. Still a lot to be done in the new place; especially changing the colour of my walls 
   
  Audiophilleo 2>Metrum Acoustics Octave>Corda Classic>Beyerdynamic T1.


----------



## hodgjy

I can't decide which is cooler--the headphone rig or that sweet chair!
   
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> No new equipment in the rig, yet a new setup. Still a lot to be done in the new place; especially changing the colour of my walls
> 
> Audiophilleo 2>Metrum Acoustics Octave>Corda Classic>Beyerdynamic T1.


----------



## snapple10

I know even more  I like the simplicity of it.   I need to get rid of more stuff and clean up my desk. Got phones, cds, cables every where


----------



## beaver316

I seriously need a chair like that. The one I use gives me some back and leg pains because of the amount of time I can spend at the computer. How much does a chair like that cost nowadays?


----------



## MattTCG

Sometimes looks can be deceiving.


----------



## Szadzik

The chair is an Ergomax Ergohuman one. Check them out, very comfortable and adjustable in many ways. 
   
  As for simplicity - took me some time to get there and still selling my other stuff as I see that I only use the best phones I have, anyway.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> I know even more  I like the simplicity of it.   I need to get rid of more stuff and clean up my desk. Got phones, cds, cables every where


 
   
  A "Spring cleaning sale" in the works, perhaps?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> HAHA...mine expired 8/11, nothin like breakin the law! LOL


 
  You skipped the year of a apocalypse entirely.


----------



## KimLaroux

This thread should be renamed to "Let's talk about random stuff. No pictures please..."


----------



## MorbidToaster

Welcome to Head-fi...
   
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> This thread should be renamed to "Let's talk about random stuff. No pictures please..."


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

vinyl in action.


----------



## snapple10

Quote: 





silent one said:


> A "Spring cleaning sale" in the works, perhaps?


 
  Yeah, I know but also like having varieties  I just put a few back in boxes
  out of sight, out of mind, out the door 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  My attempt to clean my desk / listening area


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> vinyl in action.


 
  Nice looking linear tracker!


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> My attempt to clean my desk / listening area


 
   
  You need to do one of those, use the arm and wipe the desk clean moves.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

bbophead said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > vinyl in action.
> ...




Thanks! The LP is Dream Theater's 'Images and Words', limited edition, only 500 were made.


----------



## Yuceka

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Thanks! The LP is Dream Theater's 'Images and Words', limited edition, only 500 were made.


 
  I salute you with respect!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Thanks  I ordered it within an hour of being announced and got number 131.


----------



## BokononVolta

I already shared my headhpones setup at work, here is my home setup.  Its actually 2.5 systems   The Luminous Audio Axiom II passive preamp has two outputs, one to the NAD 2200 amp (old school) then out to Klipsch RF 7 II's (its kind of my rockin sound system).  The other outputs go to the Parasound A21 to Magnepan 1.7's, kind of my more resolving system.  It sounds better for live shows, jazz, etc.  I just turn on whatever amp I want to listen to and adjust the volume   The DAC in front of the Luminous Audio is an Audio-gd Reference.  It has some pretty cool looking innards...


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Fisher Price makes headphones... I wonder how they sound.


 
  Turntables too 
  I saw one just like this at a friend's garage sale, totally real and it works. He said it might just need a new needle.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're finally here.
> 
> On right now.
> 
> Got 'em tonight.


 
  Awesome! Thanks for reminding me to listen to the new Puscifer album Morbid.   =)


----------



## autoteleology

Spoiler: Click%20for%20image






   
  I can't decide if this is the best or worst children's toy ever invented.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I can't decide if this is the best or worst children's toy ever invented.


 
   
  My grandma had one when we were kids, it was fun. Definitely one of the coolest toys ever made.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I really enjoyed it. Psyched for a new full album.
   
  Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Awesome! Thanks for reminding me to listen to the new Puscifer album Morbid.   =)


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Turntables too
> I saw one just like this at a friend's garage sale, totally real and it works. He said it might just need a new needle.


 
   
  Is it wrong that this post came immediately after a very impressive speaker/dac setup and I'm a little more giggly over the Fisher Price? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I swear, I totally want someone to run a DBT with a high end turntable vs the FP turntable just for laughs. (does that thing even have outputs?)


----------



## AyeVeeN

. I'm not sure why it's so blurry / grainy. Think I left it on the macro setting but oh well, too lazy to re-do.


----------



## autoteleology

I like how your escape key is just some random orange.


----------



## Redcarmoose

.....................not really, close though.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Spoiler: Click%20for%20image
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Depends on whether the kids' or dad's records got played on it.
   
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I swear, I totally want someone to run a DBT with a high end turntable vs the FP turntable just for laughs. (does that thing even have outputs?)


 
   
  Nope! That'd be an interesting hack. I wonder if the amp circuit even does RIAA eq.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

While we're on the subject of vinyl, can someone give me a brief overview as to WHY a heavier disc sounds better? I know it does, I just want to know WHY.


----------



## d34dh0r53

Less entropy?


----------



## hodgjy

If I was to venture a guess, and it's just a guess, it may be because it is less prone to vibration and resonance. 
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> While we're on the subject of vinyl, can someone give me a brief overview as to WHY a heavier disc sounds better? I know it does, I just want to know WHY.


----------



## MorbidToaster

It doesn't. The weight of the vinyl itself has nothing to do with it.
   
  In the earlier days of thicker records the 180g stuff was often warped and generally crap. This is no longer true and for the most part the shoe is on the other foot. 180g records can generally trusted to be less warped than lighter stuff. Warps can effect SQ, but that's more the pressing process than the actual weight.
   
  There's a discussion going on Steve Hoffman forums right now about the myth of 180g 'Audiophile vinyl'. They're saying that they'd gladly shave $10 or so off LPs and take a standard weight disc. I agree. I'd rather have more music than thicker music.
   
  EDIT: If you find a thicker disc sounds better it's probably because the master is better.
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> While we're on the subject of vinyl, can someone give me a brief overview as to WHY a heavier disc sounds better? I know it does, I just want to know WHY.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ah, thanks MT. Yeah, all the heavy discs i have (Kind of Blue, Etc..) are labeled with "180g audiophile vinyl", so I was wondering why.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I think the buzzword you SHOULD look for though is 'Virgin vinyl'. That _will _make a difference.
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ah, thanks MT. Yeah, all the heavy discs i have (Kind of Blue, Etc..) are labeled with "180g audiophile vinyl", so I was wondering why.


----------



## Eee Pee

You can Google search your face off about that subject.  One point that kind of stuck out for me was that a thicker record will be less prone to warping over time, and you'll get a less distorted sound as the years go by.  But that's assuming a thin record will warp more easily over time.
   
  In the audiophile world heavier is always better.  Heavier amps, heavier racks, heavier speakers, heavier platters, heavier... records.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> You can Google search your face off about that subject.  One point that kind of stuck out for me was that a thicker record will be less prone to warping over time, and you'll get a less distorted sound as the years go by.  But that's assuming a thin record will warp more easily over time.
> 
> *In the audiophile world heavier is always better.  Heavier amps, heavier racks, heavier speakers, heavier platters, heavier... records.*


 
  Heavier headphones..?


----------



## Maxvla

LCD-2/3 HE-6


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> LCD-2/3 HE-6


 
  It was a blanket statement though, all opinion.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I think the buzzword you SHOULD look for though is 'Virgin vinyl'. That _will _make a difference.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Seems like Mobile Fidelity got things going 25+ years ago on the 180 gram vinyl. Had a few Japanese pressings of that weight as well. No idea why they picked that specific weight, but given the "Audiophile" perception of them, it stuck.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It doesn't. The weight of the vinyl itself has nothing to do with it.
> 
> In the earlier days of thicker records the 180g stuff was often warped and generally crap. This is no longer true and for the most part the shoe is on the other foot. 180g records can generally trusted to be less warped than lighter stuff. Warps can effect SQ, but that's more the pressing process than the actual weight.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I like handling heavier vinyl. Not only is it a tad easier to slide in and out of sleeves, but I like the feel of it in my hands. I'd gladly pay the extra $10 to get the 180g LP than the lighter weight one (all else the same, aside from weight) for my favourite albums.
   
  I also own multiple copies of my fav albums (for example; Tom Waits "Nighthawks at the Dinner" I have an original pressing, and a reissue that I play; and the picture disc LP below that usually hangs framed on my wall, and a second copy to play). To me, one of the differences between owning digital and vinyl is that digital is mainly about the music listening, whereas vinyl is also about a collection.


----------



## DragonOwen

lugbug1 said:


> Heavier headphones..?





maxvla said:


> LCD-2/3 HE-6



Thats nothing compared to JPS Labs Abyss (AB-1266)... 660 grams without cable... price will be (if I understand rumors correctly) more than 5000$...


----------



## MorbidToaster

I agree it's more about a collection and I like 180g stuff, but when damn near every new album is 180g or 200g I know I'm paying for the 'audiophile stigma' on some of them (I have 180g LPs that still sound like butts due to a poor master).
   
  It makes it harder to discover new music when the costs of new vinyl are inflated by thicker vinyl.
   
  This obviously doesn't actually force the price change, but people think they should just press at 180g and charge 30-40 bucks for it.


----------



## RochRx7

Current setup in my tiny little office space (13x8)

 UE6000s and modded HD428s.
 M-Audio BX8s for Speaker-Fi listening. (just got this weekend, looking for stands.. so the set-up will change visually)
 Foobar2000


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Pretty light
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Only about 1.5 pounds on your head..


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I agree it's more about a collection and I like 180g stuff, but when damn near every new album is 180g or 200g I know I'm paying for the 'audiophile stigma' on some of them (I have 180g LPs that still sound like butts due to a poor master).
> 
> *It makes it harder to discover new music when the costs of new vinyl are inflated by thicker vinyl*.
> 
> This obviously doesn't actually force the price change, but people think they should just press at 180g and charge 30-40 bucks for it.


 
   
  very true. with the resurgence of vinyl, prices for new albums are sometimes too high for me to wander into a shop and take a chance on a few albums by hoping that I'll like them when I get home. what I usually do is download a digital copy online, and if I like what I hear, I go out and buy the vinyl copy (this does take the spontaneity out of it though). even better is what i started doing a few months ago: if an album is intriguing in the shop, I'll preview it on my phone (on a website like allmusic.com) to decide if its worthy of a purchase.
   
  I also order vinyl online if I can find a much better price, or for hard-to-find discs, and I've had 3 light-weight LP's arrive warped. this was never the case for 180g ones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Like I said. Now 180g gives less chance of warp where as when it was pioneered it was the opposite.
   
  There's hardly any good places to press records anymore and most of them (the good ones) are going to do 180 or 200g audiophile stuff.
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> very true. with the resurgence of vinyl, prices for new albums are sometimes too high for me to wander into a shop and take a chance on a few albums by hoping that I'll like them when I get home. what I usually do is download a digital copy online, and if I like what I hear, I go out and buy the vinyl copy (this does take the spontaneity out of it though). even better is what i started doing a few months ago: if an album is intriguing in the shop, I'll preview it on my phone (on a website like allmusic.com) to decide if its worthy of a purchase.
> 
> I also order vinyl online if I can find a much better price, or for hard-to-find discs, and I've had 3 light-weight LP's arrive warped. this was never the case for 180g ones.


----------



## wphantom

Quote: 





ayeveen said:


> . I'm not sure why it's so blurry / grainy. Think I left it on the macro setting but oh well, too lazy to re-do.


 
  MX518-QCK combination is so pro, you must have nice skills


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I drive with my UERM, it's actually my main use for them, but only on long highway trips, not around town. It's nice to be isolated from the road noise almost entirely and really on a divded 2 lane highway,* there's nothing you can't do with just your eyes*.
> 
> Also my car doesn't have bluetooth or auxiliary input so I'd have to burn CDs of anything I wanted to listen to instead of having access to a large portion of my library via my phone. One thing I'm really looking forward to if I get a new car soon.


 
   
  Even with my on-ear cans (they do cover my whole ear but do not go over them) I can't hear sirens. Many times I've asked my dad why we were randomly pulling over to see an ambulance go by "silently"...
  Because of this I doubt I'd ever wear headphones while driving.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I've been criticized for too much toe in but I had Maggies before.
> 
> These new Harbeths I literally toe in maybe half a centimeter and that's all I need. I like it that way.


 
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Speaker placement is an ongoing thing with any rig I guess. If you stop tweeking then I figure you not trying to get the most out of it. I'm sure there are rules and guides depending on room size and speaker size. I ended up after a solid two years with no toe-in and the speakers 4 feet farther apart???? Go figure? I also added a sub, so maybe that was why?


 
   
  I have Polk Audio Monitor 10s and a JVC receiver. I used to think you were supposed to toe in where the tweeters were pointing right at your eyes, so I toed in a LOT. I tried the straight out and I don't remember if soundstage sounded wonky or unrealistically wide (I think the latter, like imaging made no sense, didn't sound coherent, something like that). I tried toeing in just a little bit and now it sounds great! I'd rather not play with it anymore if nothing in my rig changes (such as room treatments or a different room) as it takes up too much time, and I stop enjoying the music as a result. That's what it's all about, right??


----------



## MorbidToaster

I actually found a site (via HAS) with super cheap room treatment (I could treat my entire room with over 20 panels if necessary for under $600) that I want to try when I move. After listening to a bass heavy album in the bedroom (moved from the living room) I heard what a real difference it can make.
   
  Then again, if you like it, keep it...but cheap experimentation never hurt.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I actually found a site (via HAS) with super cheap room treatment (I could treat my entire room with over 20 panels if necessary for under $600) that I want to try when I move. After listening to a bass heavy album in the bedroom (moved from the living room) I heard what a real difference it can make.
> 
> Then again, if you like it, keep it...but cheap experimentation never hurt.


 
  The main thing keeping me from room treatments is knowing *how* to do it. I don't know how to figure where to place things, etc. I think you're supposed to eliminate places where the sound reflects or something, but how to do this: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Any help? Anything would rock. An article on the web would be great.


----------



## jtaylor991

And to everyone: sorry for the many posts and random topic changes in my posts. I'm just catching up with the thread, I got like 500 posts behind!
   
  On the vinyl: I bet the 180g masters are usually better.
  On warping: I've bought a few records by mail and I've only had one warping issue. It was this 7" and it was pretty bad, but at least the thing still plays. This was the video I sent to the label asking for another one (never got a response after even 9 months; I didn't care enough to send a second email)
   





   
  Edit: I don't know why that video embed came out so large, and I don't know how to change it. Sorry...
   
   
  Other records I've ordered may have slightly warped, but not noticeably (meaning I never really noticed, if I did not enough to remember to post it now). How much effect would it really have on the quality? I've seen machines that are supposed to like de-warp records but I don't know how the heat wouldn't also damage the grooves in the process..?
   
  Anyway, now I'm caught up!
   
  P.S. Would anyone want a decent pair of Sennheiser 650s (just some cosmetic damage to be explained later)? They've been tripped on and played loud their fair share but they oughta be fine, and if not let me know, see my feedback. Anyway, they're IC. $325 OBO. I bought them refurb so I'd have to check up on the warranty info if you wanted. Sonic Sense Pro Audio on eBay, and last I checked they don't sell refurb 650s on ebay anymore.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Here's a pretty good picture. It's honestly all about experimentation with your individual room. The recommendations I usually get time and time again is put 2 panels directly behind the speakers and do the stuff it show for the back of the room (unless your seating position is directly against the wall).
   
  EDIT: On warps. I've gotten enough modern vinyl that's 'slightly warped' to probably warrant getting a vinyl flat and pouch soon.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> The main thing keeping me from room treatments is knowing *how* to do it. I don't know how to figure where to place things, etc. I think you're supposed to eliminate places where the sound reflects or something, but how to do this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Maxvla

jtaylor991 said:


> Even with my on-ear cans (they do cover my whole ear but do not go over them) I can't hear sirens. Many times I've asked my dad why we were randomly pulling over to see an ambulance go by "silently"...
> Because of this I doubt I'd ever wear headphones while driving.



There's a difference between obliviously riding along and actively driving.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thank you!!
  So if your speakers are toed in, is that like a yard stick from the outer edge straight back to the wall? Or like straight from the back of the speaker until it hits something? But then it would be facing straight out and not really "behind" the speaker, so I assume the former.
   
  Do you know how I would know if I need bass traps? Would that be meant to decrease bass, or make it less boomy, or what? I only have passive radiators, so if anything I'd like more bass 
   
  What are "diffusors"? Aren't "absorbers" just the foam stuff?


----------



## jtaylor991

And I guess size would be just up to me? Doing something similar to the size of the speaker, like a square as tall as the speaker, for the sides seems logical. The bass drivers don't have a clear line of sight to the back wall, so maybe something the size of what does directly in front of the speaker for the back? (maybe straight on with the back wall ones). And same thing as the sides for the back?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Like I said. Now 180g gives less chance of warp where as when it was pioneered it was the opposite.
> 
> There's hardly any good places to press records anymore and most of them (the good ones) are going to do 180 or 200g audiophile stuff.


 
   
  Despite this, I've had to return a handful of 180 gram pressings that were warped right out of the package. You can't win! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And then an amazingly good pressing comes along and makes it all worth it again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (e.g. Grateful Dead - Rhino Remasters)


----------



## MorbidToaster

Here's the way I understand everything.
   
  Traps: They trap certain frequencies so that they don't reflect. My room right now for instance could really use bass traps as it's extremely boomy and uncontrolled compared to my living room I was in before.
   
  Absorbers will generally reduce reflections similar to traps but to a lesser extent and generally higher frequencies.
   
  Diffusors basically bounce the sound off in a bunch of different directions rather than essentially having a 'hard line' reflect off a wall.
   
  As for the toe in I can't answer that one. All my speakers have needed little to no toe in so I've always just assumed I needed panels directly on the back wall.
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Thank you!!
> So if your speakers are toed in, is that like a yard stick from the outer edge straight back to the wall? Or like straight from the back of the speaker until it hits something? But then it would be facing straight out and not really "behind" the speaker, so I assume the former.
> 
> Do you know how I would know if I need bass traps? Would that be meant to decrease bass, or make it less boomy, or what? I only have passive radiators, so if anything I'd like more bass
> ...


 
   
  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I've had it explained to me before.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My holy grail for pressing quality (and packaging quality) right now are the new Analogue Productions 200g Doors Remasters.
   
  Super heavy, wave free vinyl. Really nice, thick cardboard jackets, and good anti-static inner sleeves.
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Despite this, I've had to return a handful of 180 gram pressings that were warped right out of the package. You can't win!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Errymoose

All this talk of vinyl  and so many nice looking turntable pictures keeps making me want to try it out...  
   
  If i didn't already have a good sized collection of cds i would be all over trying out vinyl.   I fully appreciate the whole ritualistic thing with a physical medium over just digital and I just love how turntables look...


----------



## calipilot227

I'll have to check it out. I've got an original Electra pressing of their 1967 debut album. "Light My Fire" was actually cut with the tape running at the wrong speed on the early pressings


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> All this talk of vinyl  and so many nice looking turntable pictures keeps making me want to try it out...
> 
> If i didn't already have a good sized collection of cds i would be all over trying out vinyl.   I fully appreciate the whole ritualistic thing with a physical medium over just digital and I just love how turntables look...


 
  I'm also starting to feel an itch coming on, that said anyone have some recommendations for decent turntables to look at?  Did some googling and like all things audio prices range greatly so any advice is greatly appreciated.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The new Analogue Productions were done from the original tapes (minus the first as the original tape doesn't exist anymore) completely analog front to back. They're the definitive masters, IMO. I've heard quite a few Doors versions as they're one of my favorite bands.
   
  Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> I'll have to check it out. I've got an original Electra pressing of their 1967 debut album. "Light My Fire" was actually cut with the tape running at the wrong speed on the early pressings


 
   
  Need a budget before making any suggestion.
   
  Also, vinyl isn't for the feint of heart...and you've got to prepare your wallet. It's the deepest hole I'm gotten into in this audio hobby so far...
   
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> I'm also starting to feel an itch coming on, that said anyone have some recommendations for decent turntables to look at?  Did some googling and like all things audio prices range greatly so any advice is greatly appreciated.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Here's the way I understand everything.
> 
> Traps: They trap certain frequencies so that they don't reflect. My room right now for instance could really use bass traps as it's extremely boomy and uncontrolled compared to my living room I was in before.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sounds like I could use an absorber for my high freqs (they get kinda sharp on some folk recordings/with acoustic guitar I think; they'd be my first instinct to treat). And then diffusors for bass. Hmm, so to pick which frequency I'm treating, do I align the padding with that part of the speaker i.e. treat the highs with an  absorber directly across from and appropriate size for the tweeter, and same for the bass driver, etc.?


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





> Need a budget before making any suggestion.
> 
> Also, vinyl isn't for the feint of heart...and you've got to prepare your wallet. It's the deepest hole I'm gotten into in this audio hobby so far...


 
  Kind of figured that   Lets say $500 to start.


----------



## MorbidToaster

You're officially above my pay grade there. 
   
  Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Sounds like I could use an absorber for my high freqs (they get kinda sharp on some folk recordings/with acoustic guitar I think; they'd be my first instinct to treat). And then diffusors for bass. Hmm, so to pick which frequency I'm treating, do I align the padding with that part of the speaker i.e. treat the highs with an  absorber directly across from and appropriate size for the tweeter, and same for the bass driver, etc.?


 
   
  At $500 to start I'd get a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and a Cambridge 551P Phono stage. You get a decent table, good cart, and the best budget phono stage I've heard.


----------



## AyeVeeN

Quote: 





wphantom said:


> MX518-QCK combination is so pro, you must have nice skills


 
   
  I honestly only got the QCK because I wanted something to rest my hand on that's not hard wood and the imperfections in the wood .  Didn't know this combo was a popular choice. MX518 because my first one lasted me from like 5~12 years old (my bird chewed through the cord), my G5 from like 13~15 (when I played FPS / raged), and then the MX518 again. Wish they still had the 5 feet version though. Doesn't glide so effortlessly on the QCK with 3 feet. Small bit of friction too because of the cloth surface.
   
  I might upgrade soon though because it gets sort of disgusting with the grime accumulating on the 518. Especially on the right click button and where my palm rests. That and I could probably use 2000ish DPI. 1800 feeling a bit too slow now.


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You're officially above my pay grade there.
> 
> 
> At $500 to start I'd get a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and a Cambridge 551P Phono stage. You get a decent table, good cart, and the best budget phono stage I've heard.


 
  Drool, time to start domestically embezzling the funds


----------



## Errymoose

Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> At $500 to start I'd get a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and a Cambridge 551P Phono stage. You get a decent table, good cart, and the best budget phono stage I've heard.


 
  Quote: 





d34dh0r53 said:


> Drool, time to start domestically embezzling the funds


 
  *sigh* read this myself and thought "maybe when i get my tax refund or something..." then go looking and find i can get this kind of setup for < $500 here in aus with some current sales.   Now I kinda want to do that, just to give vinyl a try....


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You're officially above my pay grade there.
> 
> 
> At $500 to start I'd get a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and a Cambridge 551P Phono stage. You get a decent table, good cart, and the best budget phono stage I've heard.


 

 How does the Pro-Ject compare with the Rega Planar 3? I mention this as the Planar is readily available used in and around 175 bucks.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I like Rega over Pro-Ject most of the time. If you can get one in good shape at that price I'd absolutely go for it.
   
  Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> How does the Pro-Ject compare with the Rega Planar 3? I mention this as the Planar is readily available used in and around 175 bucks.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I like Rega over Pro-Ject most of the time. If you can get one in good shape at that price I'd absolutely go for it.


 

 I actually paid 140 for mine, but sold it a few years ago (oops) and now am shopping around. I'd like to try something new, but truth be told I could not fault the Rega in any area.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I like Regas for their tweakability. Lots of minor upgrades that will eventually make a big difference.
   
  Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> I actually paid 140 for mine, but sold it a few years ago (oops) and now am shopping around. I'd like to try something new, but truth be told I could not fault the Rega in any area.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I like Regas for their tweakability. Lots of minor upgrades that will eventually make a big difference.


 

 Agreed bang for the buck wise it has been pretty much unbeatable for decades now. The glass platter always seemed to be mesmerising to women as well. I wonder if they designed it that way.


----------



## Silent One

Quick! Someone rearrange their Head-Fi Station 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and throw up some pix!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I already post too much. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quick! Someone rearrange their Head-Fi Station
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quick! Someone rearrange their Head-Fi Station
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Had a new DAC come in last week so I guess that's an excuse to put up more pics


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> How does the Pro-Ject compare with the Rega Planar 3? I mention this as the Planar is readily available used in and around 175 bucks.


 
  I was just looking at this one and apparently $300 new in UK = ~$500 new in US =~1k new in Aus.   Was wondering why the used options I looked up were > $500... fml
  paying more than triple for a new P3 just cause of shipping down here seems non-sensical.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Great choice on the DAC. The D100 is a suggestion I make to anyone asking within the price range. Very, very transparent and the built in amp sounds wonderful with low impedance cans like the D7000.
   
  Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Had a new DAC come in last week so I guess that's an excuse to put up more pics


----------



## CJG888

Re. 180g pressings: as they are thicker than standard 120-130g LPs, they will alter the stylus' VTA significantly enough to change the SQ (make it "warmer" and less "edgy"). Combine this with (generally) higher cutting levels (and, hence, increased dynamics), and you have a more typically "audiophile" sound....


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> How does the Pro-Ject compare with the Rega Planar 3? I mention this as the Planar is readily available used in and around 175 bucks.


 
   
  That Rega at that price is a steal. Go for it!


----------



## HolyCheese

My current situation.


----------



## BlueRain

My little low-budget rig
   
  http://imageshack.us/a/img402/7058/dsc07600l.jpg
   
  http://imageshack.us/a/img545/2417/dsc07584f.jpg
   
   http://imageshack.us/a/img23/8894/dsc07597p.jpg


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> I was just looking at this one and apparently $300 new in UK = ~$500 new in US =~1k new in Aus.   Was wondering why the used options I looked up were > $500... fml
> paying more than triple for a new P3 just cause of shipping down here seems non-sensical.


 

 No kidding that does seem way out of line.


----------



## haquocdung

Let me help you. And it's no way a low budget-fi with all of these fancy cable! How's do you like the AKG and Sen? I really like your set up
  Quote: 





bluerain said:


> My little low-budget rig


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> That Rega at that price is a steal. Go for it!


 
  You get a great (RB300) tonearm with the Rega P3 - one that you can tweak or move onto a better deck later, if desired.
   

   
  and yes, chicks dig Rega!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I want a Music Hall USB-1 for my 16th birthday... Any other suggestions at that price point?


----------



## Redcarmoose

I love seeing all this 180 gram talk. The truth is that years ago there was very few thick records to purchase new. I have been looking at records starting in 1973. There are these thin records, I forgot the label but they were so thin that you could hear the music from the other side!
   
  I would guess that besides the weight you also have so many other factors changing the sound of the pressing. I read this thread the last couple of pages and there is so much thickness talk. The truth is that there is high quality pressing on virgin vinyl and people who know what they are doing when making the original pressing dye.
   
  The art of making good records was lost for awhile. In the heyday of vinyl you had so many records being made that many knew how. There are cheap records you could buy at the supermarket in the late 1960. There were expensive Living Stereo records and even early audiophile records. This all started after the war when there was a economy run and many folks with extra money to spend on early HI-Fi. The early good stuff was Capitol Jazz and Lounge records from the early 1960s. There were also so many little labels which were known for their sound. They built a reputation and repeat buyers by all the records having the same sound. You kind of knew what you were going to get when you purchased a label. RCA, Capitol were very consistent. They also had sub labels so any quality or lower artist could get a cheaper record out that the quality would not tarnish what was built. A and M records had a sound and was built off of Whip Cream and other Delights! The Tijuana Brass was the stuff that sold in the mid 60s.
   
  Command records had early audiophile stuff where all the drums ping ponged around and showed what stereo could do. EMI was the European label and even they had sub-labels. If you purchased a Warner Brothers record in the early 70s you knew what it would sound like.
   
  What has happened is now there is no way to know your SQ. They make records from digital masters. They do bad pressings and even don't make plates to press records. It's really worth it to get into an expensive audiophile label that promises you a level of quality. Also finding high quality old records that are clean from a friends personal collection gets you good records from anywhere from 1970-1989. 1970-1989 is the golden years for sound quality in rock records. There are Jazz and Blues classics from an early time before 1970 and the sound was great too but they were hit and miss on sound then.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> I was just looking at this one and apparently $300 new in UK = ~$500 new in US =~1k new in Aus.   Was wondering why the used options I looked up were > $500... fml
> paying more than triple for a new P3 just cause of shipping down here seems non-sensical.


 
   
  It seems you're looking at the Rega P3 which was just recently discontinued in favor of the RP-3.  The Rega Planar 3 was introduced in the early '80's and has been discontinued for a while now.  I've fairly certain that there's been no remaining stock of the Planar 3 for a long time now.  There are probably a few unopened P3's remaining.  The current RP-3 is a very good deck and (IMO) a healthy step above their previous "3" offerings.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> You get a great (RB300) tonearm with the Rega P3 - one that you can tweak or move onto a better deck later, if desired.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## BokononVolta

I occasionally grab some $2 vinyl from the local shops bins, super thin vinyl of 80s music such as Breakfast Club soundtrack, Power Station, Bananarama, etc) and the vinyl is slightly warped, super thin looking (not confidence inspiring), but I clean them up using my Record cleaning machine, and boy do they sound more dynamic and powerful than 90% of the indie-rock 180 gram releases I get these days.  As was mentioned, the trick for new stuff is to find the virgin vinyl (not that many are labeled as such).  Also, avoid the colored vinyl.  If I have a choice between colored/swirly/etc vinyl and basic black, I will always choose the black.  In my experience they are less prone to surface noise.
   
  A record cleaning machine makes all the difference in the world.  And not the tub ones, but the vacuum cleaning ones.  They are super expensive though. I went with the KAB though and that is actually fairly cheap but you have to bring your own vacuum cleaner.  I first used the family vacuum cleaner, but eventually got a specific portable mini-vac for it and they both work equally well.  http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


----------



## MorbidToaster

True on most accounts but I don't really find colored vinyl any more prone to noise. They're all quite good once run through a good cleaning machine like you said.
   
  I plan on getting a Nitty Gritty 2.5Fi asap.
   
  Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> I occasionally grab some $2 vinyl from the local shops bins, super thin vinyl of 80s music such as Breakfast Club soundtrack, Power Station, Bananarama, etc) and the vinyl is slightly warped, super thin looking (not confidence inspiring), but I clean them up using my Record cleaning machine, and boy do they sound more dynamic and powerful than 90% of the indie-rock 180 gram releases I get these days.  As was mentioned, the trick for new stuff is to find the virgin vinyl (not that many are labeled as such).  Also, avoid the colored vinyl.  If I have a choice between colored/swirly/etc vinyl and basic black, I will always choose the black.  In my experience they are less prone to surface noise.
> 
> A record cleaning machine makes all the difference in the world.  And not the tub ones, but the vacuum cleaning ones.  They are super expensive though. I went with the KAB though and that is actually fairly cheap but you have to bring your own vacuum cleaner.  I first used the family vacuum cleaner, but eventually got a specific portable mini-vac for it and they both work equally well.  http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


----------



## brokenthumb

Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> I occasionally grab some $2 vinyl from the local shops bins, super thin vinyl of 80s music such as *Breakfast *Club soundtrack, Power Station, Bananarama, etc) and the vinyl is slightly warped, super thin looking (not confidence inspiring), but I clean them up using my Record cleaning machine, and boy do they sound more dynamic and powerful than 90% of the indie-rock 180 gram releases I get these days.  As was mentioned, the trick for new stuff is to find the virgin vinyl (not that many are labeled as such).  Also, avoid the colored vinyl.  If I have a choice between colored/swirly/etc vinyl and basic black, I will always choose the black.  In my experience they are less prone to surface noise.
> 
> A record cleaning machine makes all the difference in the world.  And not the tub ones, but the vacuum cleaning ones.  They are super expensive though. I went with the KAB though and that is actually fairly cheap but you have to bring your own vacuum cleaner.  I first used the family vacuum cleaner, but eventually got a specific portable mini-vac for it and they both work equally well.  http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


 
   
  Speaking of breakfast.  Cereal Box Records  Now that's audiophile quality right there!!!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> Let me help you. And it's no way a low budget-fi with all of these fancy cable! How's do you like the AKG and Sen? I really like your set up


 
   
  +1


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





bluerain said:


> My little low-budget rig
> 
> http://imageshack.us/a/img402/7058/dsc07600l.jpg
> 
> ...


 
   
  1300$ DAC/Amp is Low Budget? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  What's wrong with you people?


----------



## BlueRain

Quote: 





haquocdung said:


> Let me help you. And it's no way a low budget-fi with all of these fancy cable! How's do you like the AKG and Sen? I really like your set up


 
  I like them both quite a bit.  They both have really changed a lot after burn in, something I didn't quite expect.  The HD650 are quite full sounding with really really nice bass.  The HA-160D makes a big difference and I love it.  The Q701 has great detail and I love the way they do bass ...it's this textured thing I can't quite describe but I like it.  I'm wanting the Audio Technica W1000x and the Fostex TH900.  ...if I eneded up with Senn HD700's along the way I'll not be surprised.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





brokenthumb said:


> Speaking of breakfast.  Cereal Box Records  Now that's audiophile quality right there!!!


 

 Full Fidelity no less Whatever could that mean?
   
  I remember the old acetate demos that used to get sent round. 5 or 10 plays were about the max on those.


----------



## BlueRain

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> 1300$ DAC/Amp is Low Budget?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ha.  I wanted a Conductor...compared to some of the setups I've seen in this thread my setup seems a low budget but I'm not complaining, the HA-160D sounds good to me.


----------



## RochRx7

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> 1300$ DAC/Amp is Low Budget?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Lmao.. I am not sure why. But I laughed out loud at work a minute after reading this..

 There is definitely something wrong with head-fi members and their ability to throw the word "budget" around so carelessly 
   
  It's almost at the point of having zero meaning around here.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> I occasionally grab some $2 vinyl from the local shops bins, super thin vinyl of 80s music such as Breakfast Club soundtrack, Power Station, Bananarama, etc) and the vinyl is slightly warped, super thin looking (not confidence inspiring), but I clean them up using my Record cleaning machine, and boy do they sound more dynamic and powerful than 90% of the indie-rock 180 gram releases I get these days.  As was mentioned, the trick for new stuff is to find the virgin vinyl (not that many are labeled as such).  Also, avoid the colored vinyl.  If I have a choice between colored/swirly/etc vinyl and basic black, I will always choose the black.  In my experience they are less prone to surface noise.
> 
> *A record cleaning machine makes all the difference in the world*.  And not the tub ones, but the vacuum cleaning ones.  They are super expensive though. I went with the KAB though and that is actually fairly cheap but you have to bring your own vacuum cleaner.  I first used the family vacuum cleaner, but eventually got a specific portable mini-vac for it and they both work equally well.  http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


 
   
  I imagine this is key to good sounding vinyl.
  Sadly, the vacuum cleaning ones are not in my budget right now. I'm currently using an anti-static brush and it removes most of the dust, but I am still hearing static and slight pops on BRAND NEW vinyl.
   
  Can anyone offer any advice on how to play records (and clean them quickly) without hearing surface noise??
   
  I just cleaned my stylus (Magic Eraser method), put on a brand new store-bought LP, used the static-brush several times over..... and still noise. When I finish the LP and stop the rotations, I see several specs of dust. And the felt mat sticks to the vinyl, so static is likely an issue here. This is frustrating. There must be a solution that doesn't involve a $400 vacuum, or $200 anti-static gun.


----------



## tisumner

I know its not much...but its a start?


----------



## MorbidToaster

There really isn't a solution, honestly. Brand new records can be much dirtier than used one. Many suggest cleaning a new record right out of the package because they will sometimes have 'residue' on them.
   
  Getting a new record does not mean you're getting a CLEAN record at all.
   
  You could try a spin clean and an anti static cleaning solution, but a good vacuum cleaner will beat it every time.
   
  EDIT: Give this a shot. http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> I imagine this is key to good sounding vinyl.
> Sadly, the vacuum cleaning ones are not in my budget right now. I'm currently using an anti-static brush and it removes most of the dust, but I am still hearing static and slight pops on BRAND NEW vinyl.
> 
> Can anyone offer any advice on how to play records (and clean them quickly) without hearing surface noise??
> ...


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> There really isn't a solution, honestly. Brand new records can be much dirtier than used one. Many suggest cleaning a new record right out of the package because they will sometimes have 'residue' on them.
> 
> Getting a new record does not mean you're getting a CLEAN record at all.
> 
> You could try a spin clean and an anti static cleaning solution, but a good vacuum cleaner will beat it every time.


 
   
  With the static I have, I'll likely have to clean the record before each play.
  I'd like to avoid the whole spin clean process; you know of any cleaning solutions (brand made or home made) that i can simply spray on and dry with a microfibre towel? Would this even work?


----------



## MorbidToaster

It wouldn't clean it but you could try it for static removal. You'd be surprised at how long a properly cleaned record will stay static free. It was a major issue in my system until I got a new mat and Mapleshade brush but honestly the only thing I've found that truly makes it a non issue is a proper cleaning.
   
   
  Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> With the static I have, I'll likely have to clean the record before each play.
> I'd like to avoid the whole spin clean process; you know of any cleaning solutions (brand made or home made) that i can simply spray on and dry with a microfibre towel? Would this even work?


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It wouldn't clean it but you could try it for static removal. You'd be surprised at how long a properly cleaned record will stay static free. It was a major issue in my system until I got a new mat and Mapleshade brush but honestly the only thing I've found that truly makes it a non issue is a proper cleaning.


 

 Ok, thanks for the advice. Guess I'll buy one of those Spin Cleans, and take 2 weeks off of life to devote to cleaning my entire record collection. Arrrrg. 
   
  (On the brighter side, today I bought Yo La Tengo's _I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass_. Even with the static / surface noise, this album is amazing)


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It wouldn't clean it but you could try it for static removal. You'd be surprised at how long a properly cleaned record will stay static free. It was a major issue in my system until I got a new mat and Mapleshade brush but honestly the only thing I've found that truly makes it a non issue is a proper cleaning.
> 
> 
> Quote:
> ...


 
  But I don't wanna get a cleaner, it sounds so enticing though! I hate the static on my LP's. Maybe just get a SpinClean as I have a RP1 and don't want to spend the same amount on the cleaner as I did on the RP1.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The KAB I linked too is nowhere near as much as your RP1.
   
  I really don't understand anyone into vinyl that doesn't want a cleaner. It's the most significant upgrade you'll make to your system. Better than a new cart, arm, table, phono stage, etc.
   
  I was skeptical too but I was a believer after hearing my first properly cleaned LP.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> But I don't wanna get a cleaner, it sounds so enticing though! I hate the static on my LP's. Maybe just get a SpinClean as I have a RP1 and don't want to spend the same amount on the cleaner as I did on the RP1.


----------



## awsanderson

My static problems (and they were bad) pretty much dissapeared with my new table, I think it's the acrylic platter.  however a record cleaning machine will still be in my future


----------



## MorbidToaster

While it deals with static well it's much more about surface noise reduction via a good cleaning.
   
  Big thick acrylic platters do work well for reducing static issues (or so I've found).
   
  Quote: 





awsanderson said:


> My static problems (and they were bad) pretty much dissapeared with my new table, I think it's the acrylic platter.  however a record cleaning machine will still be in my future


----------



## erikfreedom

my rig.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

nice rig! loving the Gs1000 in the pic, don't see em too often.
   
  nice pc too, looks similar to mine, what u got in it?


----------



## autoteleology

Damn son, get some twist-ties for those cables


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The KAB I linked too is nowhere near as much as your RP1.
> 
> I really don't understand anyone into vinyl that doesn't want a cleaner. It's the most significant upgrade you'll make to your system. Better than a new cart, arm, table, phono stage, etc.
> 
> ...


 
  I'll look into it, I wish there was a video on how to use it.. Is there a learning curve? Like do I have to hold it and do it? Or is it automated?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

My thing is that i just dont get how a vacuum cleaner could work better than a liquid cleaner like the spin clean. Its not that i dont think its possible, just that i dont know how its possible. How could a vacuum do better than brushes with a cleaning solution at getting the dirt off?


----------



## jtaylor991

I had a Spin Clean and I don't remember it doing a whole lot. I got rid of it because I got fed up with the manual towel cleaning. I got a Vinyl Magician from AudioKarma user js1138 (he makes them). It's similar to the KAB, but it's auto rotation (it's basically a bring your own vac RCM built around a cake styling turntable). My vacuum doesn't get a great suction (it's a no-contact suction system), but that's not the machine's fault. I'd recommend it. $150 plus shipping. I haven't heard from him, and AK says he last logged on in like November, so he may have disappeared. I have hundreds of records to clean, and I spend 10min or so per side with my vacuum, so I need to just move to the sink method for such a bulk to clean, but I might try to pick back up with using it. Or if I stay with the sink method, I'll sell it.


----------



## erikfreedom

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> nice rig! loving the Gs1000 in the pic, don't see em too often.
> 
> nice pc too, looks similar to mine, what u got in it?


 
  intel core i7 995x cpu
  dual 120g intel 520 ssd. in raid 0
  12 gigs of corsair dominator memory
  corsair ax 1200 single rail psu
  gigabyte ud7 board
  asus xonar essence stx soundcard
  twin gtx 680 msi lightning gpu's
  corsair hydro series h80i cpu cooler.
  windows 7 family edition premium 64bits
  cooler master hafx special edition full tower case
  Samsung and liteon cd and blue ray players.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> I occasionally grab some $2 vinyl from the local shops bins, super thin vinyl of 80s music such as Breakfast Club soundtrack, Power Station, Bananarama, etc) and the vinyl is slightly warped, super thin looking (not confidence inspiring), but I clean them up using my Record cleaning machine, and boy do they sound more dynamic and powerful than 90% of the indie-rock 180 gram releases I get these days.  As was mentioned, the trick for new stuff is to find the virgin vinyl (not that many are labeled as such).  Also, avoid the colored vinyl.  If I have a choice between colored/swirly/etc vinyl and basic black, I will always choose the black.  In my experience they are less prone to surface noise.
> 
> A record cleaning machine makes all the difference in the world.  And not the tub ones, but the vacuum cleaning ones.  They are super expensive though. I went with the KAB though and that is actually fairly cheap but you have to bring your own vacuum cleaner.  I first used the family vacuum cleaner, but eventually got a specific portable mini-vac for it and they both work equally well.  http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


 
   
   
   
  The crazy part is that any of that type of music was also mixed to be unbearably thin. After years of heavy bass on vinyl the music was thinned out on purpose. The bass was taken out so that the digital drums could have space. Get any of these to totally hear what I'm talking about......
   

 1981: _In the Garden_
 1983: _Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)_
 1983: _Touch_
 1984: _1984 (For the Love of Big Brother)_
 1985: _Be Yourself Tonight_
 1986: _Revenge_
   
_*Digital methods of making synth sounds were new and cool!*_
  We call it in record collecting circles, the 80s mix. Don't want to sound like a snob or be negative but this is truly what were dealing with here with 80s records. A true lack of bass. An eighties way of getting things to sound clear and different.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





erikfreedom said:


> intel core i7 995x cpu
> dual 120g intel 520 ssd. in raid 0
> 12 gigs of corsair dominator memory
> corsair ax 1200 single rail psu
> ...


 
   
   
  yeah similar to mine!  mines like going on 3 years now.
   
  i7 920 @ 4ghz (prob not as good as ur 6 core, still holds strong even vs todays i7's)
  crucial m4 SSD 240gb + 2tb + 1 tb + 1 tb regular 7200rpm drives
  12 gigs of corsair xms3 (very similar to dominator, i think xms has lower latency but dominator has cool heatsinks)
  corsair ax 1200 (originally had the corsair 750, but upgraded)
  asus p6t board
  creative xfi titanium 
  ati hd 5870 x2 crossfire (was a monster card back when i got it, still a good card but older gen now)
  corsair h50
  windows 7 pro OEM
  coolermaster haf 922
  LG super multi blue and a samsung cd/dvd


----------



## erikfreedom

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> yeah similar to mine!  mines like going on 3 years now.
> 
> i7 920 @ 4ghz (prob not as good as ur 6 core, still holds strong even vs todays i7's)
> crucial m4 SSD 240gb + 2tb + 1 tb + 1 tb regular 7200rpm drives
> ...


 
  the only thing missing in my setup is a pair of fostex th 900. I had ordered a pair like 2 months ago in a shop in montreal. Canada computers laval. after 6 weeks of waiting my order they refunded me my deposit. I was tired of seeing people in the th 900 thread having their pair after only 3 to 5 days. now I think I will try pricejapan. I think they have the best price for the th 900. with my beta 22 my favorite headphones to listen to are my denons d7000. wich confirm my suspicion that the th 900 are going to be pretty much endgame setup with the beta 22 for me as I much prefer the sound of fun engaging headphones. pricejapan seem to ship the stuff quickly too.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





erikfreedom said:


> my rig.


 
   
  How dare you post your rig in this thread! Don't you know this thread has turned into a vinyl/cable/computer discussion forum, remove that picture at once!
   
   


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!



Joking of course


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> My thing is that i just dont get* how a vacuum cleaner could work better than a liquid cleaner* like the spin clean. Its not that i dont think its possible, just that i dont know how its possible. How could a vacuum do better than brushes with a cleaning solution at getting the dirt off?


 
   
  The vacuum cleaners do use a liquid that you brush in, and then you vacuum out the excess liquid so that you won't leave as much residue and gunk up your stylus.


----------



## RochRx7

Quote: 





erikfreedom said:


> my rig.


 

 Damn.. that's a beast setup. Got all the sexy stuff. Ever consider headphone stands to display those beauties?


----------



## BokononVolta

This.

I went through this same thinking a few years back. I finally "broke down" and got the EV1. I clean every record right out of shrink-wrap (yup, new ones are just as dirty as older vinyl), and if the sleeve is just plain white paper, I ditch it. All cleaned vinyl goes right into an anti-static sleeve (I use these http://www.sleevecityusa.com/Mobile-Fidelity-Master-Sleeves-50-Pack-p/312nmofi.htm). If the insert has some designs/lyrics etc, I keep them. But still store my vinyl in these sleeves. The paper shred-lets in those things are killer for dust.





morbidtoaster said:


> The KAB I linked too is nowhere near as much as your RP1.
> 
> I really don't understand anyone into vinyl that doesn't want a cleaner. It's the most significant upgrade you'll make to your system. Better than a new cart, arm, table, phono stage, etc.
> 
> I was skeptical too but I was a believer after hearing my first properly cleaned LP.


----------



## BokononVolta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SkeUW7kxuM

But I don't use the turntable that this guy uses in the video, I just put it on the device and turn it by hand a few times. It only takes me about 2-3 mins to do both sides of a vinyl.




wolfetan44 said:


> I'll look into it, I wish there was a video on how to use it.. Is there a learning curve? Like do I have to hold it and do it? Or is it automated?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

[rant] WHY IS IT SO MESSY. [/rant]
   
  [compliment] That is a beautiful setup! Nice cans. [/compliment]


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> [rant] WHY IS IT SO MESSY. [/rant]
> 
> [compliment] That is a beautiful setup! Nice cans. [/compliment]


 
   
  Some people's head-fi stations are *workstations* not art installations (mine included). ;P


----------



## MorbidToaster

I use the round bottom Sleeve City brand sleeves after seeing my dealer use 'em. I really like the design. It makes it really easy to get back in the sleeve if you like loading your record to come out of the side. I see nothing wrong with it as long as you have it in an outer sleeve, too.
   
  Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> This.
> 
> I went through this same thinking a few years back. I finally "broke down" and got the EV1. I clean every record right out of shrink-wrap (yup, new ones are just as dirty as older vinyl), and if the sleeve is just plain white paper, I ditch it. All cleaned vinyl goes right into an anti-static sleeve (I use these http://www.sleevecityusa.com/Mobile-Fidelity-Master-Sleeves-50-Pack-p/312nmofi.htm). If the insert has some designs/lyrics etc, I keep them. But still store my vinyl in these sleeves. The paper shred-lets in those things are killer for dust.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I use the round bottom Sleeve City brand sleeves after seeing my dealer use 'em. I really like the design. It makes it really easy to get back in the sleeve if you like loading your record to come out of the side. I see nothing wrong with it as long as you have it in an outer sleeve, too.


 
  I like how you refer to your "dealer" for your vinyl habit


----------



## hodgjy

Snare drums make the best amp stands.
   
  Quote: 





erikfreedom said:


> my rig.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Welcome to the Vinyl thread! Obligatory TT shot of an LP-12 while visiting SG on my way to Jaben SG.
   
   

   
  Now back to the regularly scheduled programming of head-fi rig. 
   
   

   
  Auditioned this there as well and ended up buying it when I got home. There goes my tax return.


----------



## Norway

These were taken earlier today when I made the AURALiC owners unite thread, which it looks like I'm left to deal with in complete solitude... 
   

   

   

   

   
  Audeze LCD-3, AURALiC TAURUS (balanced amp) and ARK MX+ (dac) Yeah!!!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





norway said:


> These were taken earlier today when I made the AURALiC owners unite thread, which it looks like I'm left to deal with in complete solitude...


 
  Fortunately you have that lovely rig to keep you company!


----------



## pallentx

Work Desk - using a FiiiO E7 for its DAC (normally tucked out of sight), then to the Little Dot I+ for amp


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





pallentx said:


> Work Desk - using a FiiiO E7 for its DAC (normally tucked out of sight), then to the Little Dot I+ for amp


 
  Is that your whole desk, or is the Surface just for the rig? Seems like an awfully meager work setup. Simple and clean though I guess


----------



## HolyCheese

How do you like that surface tablet? It looks amazing! I'd really like to have one but do you have full laptop functionality? Is it possible to install every program?


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> How do you like that surface tablet? It looks amazing! I'd really like to have one but do you have full laptop functionality? Is it possible to install every program?


 
  It is if you have a Surface Pro, but not the regular Surface


----------



## pallentx

The Surface is my personal device. There's a company issued desktop next to it.
   
  I have the Surface RT and love it. You cant install any software to it, but I couldn't do that with the iPad it replaced either. I can hook up a DAC and Windows immediately recognizes it. I can browse the network shared folders (emailed links even work), print to network printers, and use real office programs that don't screw up your docs. I use it mostly for email, web, music and note-taking in meeting - that's one area where I wish I had the Pro's stylus.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





norway said:


> These were taken earlier today when I made the AURALiC owners unite thread, which it looks like I'm left to deal with in complete solitude...
> 
> 
> Audeze LCD-3, AURALiC TAURUS (balanced amp) and ARK MX+ (dac) Yeah!!!


 
  I've never heard of AURALiC, but it does look neat. How does it perform with the Audeze?


----------



## jazzerdave

Well neither picture is any good, but here's my setup with the newly arrived HD800's.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

nice amp!


----------



## MorbidToaster

inb4goodbyeHE6


----------



## TheWuss

Sure. Hd800 should destroy he-6....
From a _headphone amp. _


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> inb4goodbyeHE6


 
   
  Yeah.  I might actually keep the HE-6 and scrap the LCD-3.  Who knows?


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I want a Music Hall USB-1 for my 16th birthday... Any other suggestions at that price point?


 
  Jeff, a lot of accounts out there on the internets of the Music Hall USB-1 having some very audible speed fluctuations. In that price bracket you might be better off with the Audio Technica AT-LP120.


----------



## RamblinE

New kids on the block. Got these for free from the girlfriend (she's got like three pairs of these now?!) Wanted to see what all of the fuss was about.


----------



## MorbidToaster

They're actually super legit for the price. I use mine all the time...


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> They're actually super legit for the price. I use mine all the time...


 
  Didn't sound that great with my Blackberry which is my only pmp at the moment however they sound pretty good driven off of my dac. I think I'll take these to school with me until the weather warms up enough to wear open 'phones again.


----------



## HolyCheese

I was very impressed by the new ones! They aren't in ears and yet they have a nice bass. 
The previous earbuds really sucked.


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Fortunately you have that lovely rig to keep you company!


 
   
  LOL! More people has entered the thread now, but only one other AURALiC TAURUS owner 
   
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I've never heard of AURALiC, but it does look neat. How does it perform with the Audeze?


 

 Oh, the synergy is phenomenal. I wrote a little bit about LCD-3 and the combo in the auralic owners unite thread, but I'll write more in depth about the combo once I have had the ARK MX+ (DAC) a little longer, as I only got it very recently. Also enjoy it a ton with LCD-2 r1 and HD 650. Words that come to mind when describing it with Audeze are deliciously warm, detailed (but not harsh), punchy, phenomenal lows, dark, pitch black, fast and engaging!
   
  If you're interested, sub to the owners unite thread, as I will post broader reviews on the headphones mentioned as well as others in that thread. ))


----------



## Currawong

It's surprising how much better (trans)portable gear is these days. Doesn't quite have the grand and magnificent sound of my main rig but this was vastly cheaper. Not shown the USB power supply for the Dragonfly. Headphones are Symphones Magnums.


----------



## zeinharis

That look sexy, very sexy indeed Currawong


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





currawong said:


> It's surprising how much better (trans)portable gear is these days. Doesn't quite have the grand and magnificent sound of my main rig but this was vastly cheaper. Not shown the USB power supply for the Dragonfly. Headphones are Symphones Magnums.


 
  I really like those cables..


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





currawong said:


> It's surprising how much better (trans)portable gear is these days.


 
  Hey, some of the older trans-portables still sound good...


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





bokononvolta said:


> http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm (not related to the shop or anything, in fact I would redo their website if I was lol, but I definitely love this product).


 
  Holy moly you weren't kidding...Geocities called  I think they need to tube roll their website from the PDP-10 it's currently running on.


----------



## wolfetan44

To whoever posted the Raven Who Refused to Sing album, posts and posts ago, thank you. I got my hands on the album today, and its fantastic.


----------



## Flognuts




----------



## daigo

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> To whoever posted the Raven Who Refused to Sing album, posts and posts ago, thank you. I got my hands on the album today, and its fantastic.


 
  Steven Wilson is a genius.  That album reveals something new to me every time I listen through it.


----------



## penmarker

Got rid of the blue computer table to make way for the bigger speakers.
   
  Edifier R199TIII with Aune T1 as the tube buffer DAC, also amping the Goldring DR150. Turntable is Marlux MX86 with AT51 cart.


----------



## darrellpratt

Thursday afternoon work setup.  Ancient Grado SR125s and an ALO Audio Continental V2.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> To whoever posted the Raven Who Refused to Sing album, posts and posts ago, thank you. I got my hands on the album today, and its fantastic.


 
  x2! Someone posted about it on Facebook later on and that got me to go listen on YouTube but without the post here I probably would have ignored it. There's only 1 or 2 full tracks on YouTube but I already want it! Will buy when I have the money, which is hopefully soon. (P.S. Buy my stuff!! lol, in my sig)


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





darrellpratt said:


> Thursday afternoon work setup.  Ancient Grado SR125s and an ALO Audio Continental V2.


 
  I like the look.  I bet I'd like the sound, too.


----------



## darrellpratt

bbophead said:


> I like the look.  I bet I'd like the sound, too.




I tell you it's bringing back my love affair with Grado.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Finally broke down an upgraded my 15 buck Walmart shelf unit to a decent audio rack. I likes it. 



Also, new interconnects...they look pretty, not sure if they sound better though.


----------



## wolfetan44

Nice!!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Finally broke down an upgraded my 15 buck Walmart shelf unit to a decent audio rack. I likes it.


 
  Where did you pick that up? Looks fabulous.


----------



## wolfetan44

Forgot to ask, what interconnects are those?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll trade you my album for your HD650's. You can have the album, no money added


----------



## RestoredSparda

wes008 said:


> Where did you pick that up? Looks fabulous.



Thanks! Believe it or not I found it at Best Buy. 150$ or so, they also had 3 in stock so they are most likely available at other Best Buys. I believe its called the Whalen audio component tower.


----------



## RestoredSparda

wolfetan44 said:


> Forgot to ask, what interconnects are those?




The rca cable is an Audioquest Goldengate...the Toslink is an Audioquest cinnamon.


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I'll trade you my album for your HD650's. You can have the album, no money added


 
  Tempting


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I know
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Actually if you have an Xbox 360, I could actually have an offer for you..


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> To whoever posted the Raven Who Refused to Sing album, posts and posts ago, thank you. I got my hands on the album today, and its fantastic.


 
  I did eventually sort out where my copy went too... and yes, the album is just amazing.  But I always expect that from Steven Wilson.


----------



## mmayer167

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> The rca cable is an Audioquest Goldengate...the Toslink is an Audioquest cinnamon.


 
  Audioquest makes very satisfying interconnects IMO nice choice  
   
  I'm partial to my Signal Cable Analog two RCA, but my USB will always be the Forest from Audioquest!


----------



## jtaylor991

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I know
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Trade the Xbox for the album? Or sell you an Xbox? I don't have one anyway, but I was like, the album costs like $30 
   
  For gaming, I do have a Steam account to sell..57 games totaling to $683 new.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Let's take this to PM from now on, this is too off topic.


----------



## LugBug1

My new toy


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My new toy


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My new toy


 
  Let us know what you think LugBug!


----------



## Norway

An old friend found his way to the desk this friday 
   

   
  I'm having trouble shooting tubes properly. Should I darken the room, set a low ISO value and have the shutter open for long, or what?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just gotta experiment a bit. Ambient light is a huge factor in shooting tubes, so even if the room is dark it might not come out the way you want it to.


----------



## hodgjy

You are right.
   
  Tripod.  Lowest iso.  Lights off.  Let the camera determine the exposure, which will be pretty long.  It could be around 30 seconds, such as this one:
   
   

   
  Quote: 





norway said:


> I'm having trouble shooting tubes properly. Should I darken the room, set a low ISO value and have the shutter open for long, or what?


----------



## nelamvr6

This one was a five second exposure, I don't remember any of the other settings.  The blue light in the background was coming from the blue LED on my speaker cables, the green light is me flashing my laser pointer on the back wall.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> You are right.
> 
> Tripod.  Lowest iso.  Lights off.  Let the camera determine the exposure, which will be pretty long.  It could be around 30 seconds, such as this one:


 
   
   
  That looks awesome!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Yes!! More tube pictures!!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





norway said:


> An old friend found his way to the desk this friday
> 
> 
> 
> I'm having trouble shooting tubes properly. Should I darken the room, set a low ISO value and have the shutter open for long, or what?


 
   
   
  Gorgeous!  I'll bet it sounds as good as it looks too!


----------



## drews




----------



## hodgjy

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> This one was a five second exposure, I don't remember any of the other settings.  The blue light in the background was coming from the blue LED on my speaker cables, the green light is me flashing my laser pointer on the back wall.


 
   
  Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> That looks awesome!


 
   
  Thanks.  Yours is awesome, too!


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





drews said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Lovely!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Thanks.  Yours is awesome, too!


 
  Thanks!  Those are GE 6BZ7s, they came with my Lyr.  The tubes I'm using currently, Amperex USN-CEP 6922s, don't glow nearly as much.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





anda said:


> Lovely!


 
  Amen!


----------



## GrindingThud

Amperex nightlight:


----------



## hodgjy

Love that power tube you have in there.  Looks awesome.
   
  Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Amperex nightlight:


----------



## GrindingThud

Thanks! I wish I could find a couple more of them. It's an Amperex orange globe 7802.


hodgjy said:


> Love that power tube you have in there.  Looks awesome.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Amperex nightlight:


 
   
  Beautiful!


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 
  Looks awful bright in that room.


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Just gotta experiment a bit. Ambient light is a huge factor in shooting tubes, so even if the room is dark it might not come out the way you want it to.


 
   
  Thank you for the insight, unfortunately the Sun is rising here now, so have to try again tonight.
   
   
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> You are right.
> 
> Tripod.  Lowest iso.  Lights off.  Let the camera determine the exposure, which will be pretty long.  It could be around 30 seconds, such as this one:


 
   
  Oooooh, _exquisitely tantalizing_!
   
  Thank you for the tip 
   
  Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> This one was a five second exposure, I don't remember any of the other settings.  The blue light in the background was coming from the blue LED on my speaker cables, the green light is me flashing my laser pointer on the back wall.


 
   
  Nice schiiit! Yeah, I know – it's old... :/ Beautiful, wish I could get the same results...
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Yes!! More tube pictures!!


 
  +1
  Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Gorgeous!  I'll bet it sounds as good as it looks too!


 
   
  Yes, Woo can be proud of their amps, they are truly pieces of art, and absolutely! USAF-596 is the way to go with WA6-SE imo.
   
  Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Amperex nightlight:


 
   
  Wonderfully sexy! Wanted WA3 badly, but went with WA6-SE first, and then added a WA2. Love the more compact, yet masculine build of WA3. Bet it sounds phenomenal! I love WA2 with HD 650, smooth like butter and warm like a woman's body, mmmm, lol.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

WA6-SE + WA2


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> WA6-SE + WA2


 
  And LCD-2 and T 1, you have a copy cat on here, lol


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





norway said:


> An old friend found his way to the desk this friday
> 
> 
> 
> I'm having trouble shooting tubes properly. Should I darken the room, set a low ISO value and have the shutter open for long, or what?


 
   
  Love that rec you got in there!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My new toy


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


>


 
   
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Let us know what you think LugBug!


 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


>


 




   
  I've posted some impressions on the HD800 thread in the summit forum over the last few days. They're the best hp's I've heard yet


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





norway said:


> I'm having trouble shooting tubes properly. Should I darken the room, set a low ISO value and have the shutter open for long, or what?


 
  First off a tripod is a must, generally anything slower than 1/60 will get blurry.
  Low ISO is also a must, it decreases the noise.
  Other than that you can play around with the settings, personally I like a large aperture for low light shots because it pulls the subject closer and you get some nice bokeh 
   
  Hope that helps
   
  I need to get my camera fixed


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ive got a Sony DSLR, I know how to do all those things but for the life of me I cant figure out how to set the aperture... any have any suggestions? 

-edit- DANGIT. I'm terrible at having epic posts.... worst 500th post ever ... :mad:


----------



## hodgjy

Most DSLRs have two knobs.  One knob has the letters, P, A, S, M, and the word Auto on it.  Set that that to A, which puts it in aperture priority mode.  Then, there should be a smaller knob with no letters on it.  This is a multifunctional knob depending on which mode you are in.  Turn that to set the desire aperture.  You'll see the values change on the screen.  Usually, there is an F in front of the number.
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ive got a Sony DSLR, I know how to do all those things but for the life of me I cant figure out how to set the aperture... any have any suggestions?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## d34dh0r53

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ive got a Sony DSLR, I know how to do all those things but for the life of me I cant figure out how to set the aperture... any have any suggestions?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  LOL...sorry about the unepic 500th.  I'm not sure about the Sony but on my Canon and on the Nikons I've used the aperture is controlled by the control wheel + an function button on the Canon it's one of the two zoom in/zoom out buttons, I can't remember which.  Hope that helps with the Sony.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Okay thanks!! as my dad would say, I need to RTFM. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll try it out later!!


----------



## khaine1711

Listening to the DSD version of Dire Straits - Lions  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. 
  Sorry for the quality of pic, I don't know how to deal with bright led


----------



## brunk

Apologies for the low res pic, its from my phone. Here's what the curent status of my rig looks like. Its DSD capable, fully balanced, and oh so musical with my modded T1 (Black Dragon cable). Happy listening here!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Pardon the nooby-ness, but what does it mean when something is balanced?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Pardon the nooby-ness, but what does it mean when something is balanced?


 
  A balanced cable into a balanced amp.
   

  into a cable that looks like this
   

  Credits to Schiit and BTG Audio.


----------



## MorbidToaster

My friend with a fancy camera came over the other day and I shot some good shots of the rig. I'll post them once be sends them my way. I post here too much already, but I can't help it when they're not iPhone pics.


----------



## Mad Dude

Added a new toy, the Audiotrak Dr. DAC2 TE:


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Apologies for the low res pic, its from my phone. Here's what the curent status of my rig looks like. Its DSD capable, fully balanced, and oh so musical with my modded T1 (Black Dragon cable). Happy listening here!


 
   
   
  You don't see much TEAC stuff around these parts. How do you like it? Any chance you've heard their dedicated headphone amp?


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 
   
  I remember buying my set of W1000X from you.  Did you end up buying another pair?


----------



## drews

I did (I missed them) and added the L3000 leather pads...  I'm also on my 3rd pair of SA5Ks and 2nd pair of HD800s...


----------



## hodgjy

I have the Pure i20 as well and really think highly of it.  Nice looking rig you got there.
   
  Quote: 





brunk said:


> Apologies for the low res pic, its from my phone. Here's what the curent status of my rig looks like. Its DSD capable, fully balanced, and oh so musical with my modded T1 (Black Dragon cable). Happy listening here!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> You don't see much TEAC stuff around these parts. How do you like it? Any chance you've heard their dedicated headphone amp?


 
   
  So far i think its a total steal for $849. It has tons of options to tweak the sound to your liking, or be pure as possible. It doesnt get very hot, is built like a tank too. I'm still burning it in, but my initial impression is that its a new standard that's in the < $1k category. Even the built in headphone amp (100mw/32ohms) is quite impressive. Teac did a fine job on cost/performance here with additional options unknown in this price range.
   
  Unfortunately I have not heard their matching amp, I am too satisfied with my 5yr warrantied Mjolnir


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I have the Pure i20 as well and really think highly of it.  Nice looking rig you got there.


 

 Thanks Hodgjy, its been quite a journey full of fine equipment to get it where its at of what I believe to be the best price/performance all-rounder to my ears (throw in the HE-5LE too lol).


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> My friend with a fancy camera came over the other day and I shot some good shots of the rig. I'll post them once be sends them my way. I post here too much already, but I can't help it when they're not iPhone pics.


 
  Make sure you post them all over at Chang...


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Make sure you post them all over at Chang...


 
  Those guys will complain about anything.


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





brunk said:


> So far i think its a total steal for $849. It has tons of options to tweak the sound to your liking, or be pure as possible. It doesnt get very hot, is built like a tank too. I'm still burning it in, but my initial impression is that its a new standard that's in the < $1k category. Even the built in headphone amp (100mw/32ohms) is quite impressive. Teac did a fine job on cost/performance here with additional options unknown in this price range.
> 
> Unfortunately I have not heard their matching amp, I am too satisfied with my 5yr warrantied Mjolnir


 
   
  How is it compared to the D18? I've had my eye on the Teac for quite some time, but haven't heard many experiences about it.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> How is it compared to the D18? I've had my eye on the Teac for quite some time, but haven't heard many experiences about it.


 

 I'm still letting the Teac burn in, but the D18 is going to have some competition for sure. I can say it sounds grain free and dynamic, it startled me a few times with classical already. The D18 is smoother and sweeter, losing a bit of that top end sparkle, making long sessions non-problematic.


----------



## fizzix

Gift from my wonderful girlfriend for my bday d


----------



## bareyb

Here's my Mobile Rig. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

_*Fostex Th-900, Ultrasone Signature DJ, Grace Designs m903*_


----------



## jtinto

Quote: 





bareyb said:


> Here's my Mobile Rig.


 
   
  Now that's different ...


----------



## brunk

Thats a pretty good listening (hide out) spot 
  Quote: 





bareyb said:


> Here's my Mobile Rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## bareyb

Quote: 





jtinto said:


> Now that's different ...


 
  My kids are on Spring Break with friends over, so I escaped to the Garage for some quiet time with the Th-900s and the Signature DJ's.


----------



## bareyb

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Thats a pretty good listening (hide out) spot


 
  Exactly... That's one reason I got the DAC/Amp Combo. It's easy to move it around when necessary.


----------



## EraserXIV

Can't get over how silly looks taking pictures with an iPad 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Or is that a surface?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





bareyb said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice survival kit!


----------



## bareyb

Quote:


eraserxiv said:


> Can't get over how silly looks taking pictures with an iPad
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  LOL. So true. It's my kid's iPad with the cover hanging down. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Kind of cool how the rear view mirror makes it look like you can see the whole headband on the Fostex and DJs... Those are the little details you get from a real Pro like myself.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Tube shot. Only one that I think came out really well from the ones we shot.


----------



## nelamvr6

Sweet!


----------



## hodgjy

Great shot!
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Tube shot. Only one that I think came out really well from the ones we shot.


----------



## Duckman

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Listening to the DSD version of Dire Straits - Lions
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  How's the QuteHD in comparison to the Metrum?


----------



## Norway

Quote: 





bareyb said:


> Here's my Mobile Rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice, own Grace Design m903 and Denon AH-D7000 which works out to be a good combo together. Real short if you don't mind me asking; how is TH-900 and m903, and how is it comparatively if you ever tried D7000 with it, please?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Okay, so in a closet in my grandmas house, I found a pair of "Realistic" Minimus-7 micro bookshelf speakers. Ive been listening to them for a bit, and they have some really good treble, nice and clean and present, the mids are very centered and detailed, but the bass is practically non-existant. I might make a cheap desktop rig with them and a cheap Lepai speaker amp just for fun. Will get pictures up soon! They're not as good as my Sony SS-B1000 7"ers, but they're more detailed than my current desktop setup. Sony's are staying with the turntable and the Realistics might be replacing my Cyber-acoustics desktop speakers. Is anyone familiar with this brand?


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Okay, so in a closet in my grandmas house, I found a pair of "Realistic" Minimus-7 micro bookshelf speakers. Ive been listening to them for a bit, and they have some really good treble, nice and clean and present, the mids are very centered and detailed, but the bass is practically non-existant. I might make a cheap desktop rig with them and a cheap Lepai speaker amp just for fun. Will get pictures up soon! They're not as good as my Sony SS-B1000 7"ers, but they're more detailed than my current desktop setup. Sony's are staying with the turntable and the Realistics might be replacing my Cyber-acoustics desktop speakers. Is anyone familiar with this brand?


 
  Radio Shack.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Radio Shack.


 
  classics for cheap near field


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

They sound pretty spiffy for free XD the bass in them is just crap TBH. Maybe the subs are near the end of their life, but to hear decent bass I have to turn the knob alllll the way over.


----------



## ardgedee

They're popular speakers to upgrade through mods and hacks. Check Audiogon -- there are a few old threads discussing what you can do.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Thanks, I woulda never thought of that!


----------



## Maxvla

My station for the next couple to few months until my GS-X mk2 comes:


----------



## CEE TEE

^Two different ways to make HD800 sing...


----------



## Asr

My system w/ primary headphones as of 3/31/13.
   
  (click for larger pic)


----------



## wolfetan44

Real quick question, HD800 + EC Super 7 = good combo?


----------



## Maxvla

Yes


----------



## CEE TEE

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Real quick question, HD800 + EC Super 7 = good combo?


 
*@wolfie*:  the HD800 + EC Super 7 = a great combo to learn/enjoy tubes/caps/FoamMod combos until you <insert really happy HD800 smiley here>.


----------



## LugBug1

I'm a one headphone man now


----------



## sprite40

WOW!! that Eddie Current amp setup really looks fantastic with that retro look, simple and clean i like that.
   
  Does it sound as good as it looks?


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





cee tee said:


> ^Two different ways to make HD800 sing...


 
   
  I recall when you and I were Audio-GD fanboys. That's a long way from the Sparrow!


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





asr said:


> My system w/ primary headphones as of 3/31/13.
> 
> (click for larger pic)


 
  Thats a really clean setup Asr. What do you think of the Burson compared to the new GS-X mk2?


----------



## telecaster




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Mmm.... Looks delicious 


telecaster said:


>


----------



## akash neagi

Quote: 





telecaster said:


>


 
  Now thats what I call beauty.....


----------



## kramer5150

Quote: 





akash neagi said:


> Now thats what I call beauty.....


 
  ... and he's being modest, it looks even better inside / under the hood.


----------



## akash neagi

Quote: 





kramer5150 said:


> ... and he's being modest, it looks even better inside / under the hood.


 
   
  well then I'm gonna do a search right now......
  I'll soon post my multiple setup pics.....
  although my setups are not nearly as good looking as his is but they sound awesome if I say so myself.........


----------



## xzobinx

prepare to be amazed. I don't think we can even call it lafigaro 339 any more since he pretty much changed everything except the case 
  Quote: 





akash neagi said:


> well then I'm gonna do a search right now......
> I'll soon post my multiple setup pics.....
> although my setups are not nearly as good looking as his is but they sound awesome if I say so myself.........


----------



## akash neagi

wow....
  stock blew my mind....
  cant wait to see his....
  getting a wa6se soon, my first tube amp!


----------



## CEE TEE

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> I recall when you and I were Audio-GD fanboys. That's a long way from the Sparrow!


 
  LOL.  I have saved a lot of money but I have spent a lot of money.  _So I'm "even", right???  _




   
  (Psst...the Sparrow B lives on at my parent's house now.  I should revisit it and see what my impressions are these days!)


----------



## Greed

Still moving in, rearranging, and haven't even touched my speaker rig yet... but here is my headphone rig, as of now. Unfortunately, I moved from a huge room, into a smaller one but it works and at least most of my stuff fits. It's ironic because I used to live in a condo, but since have moved into a full-fledged house. But the rooms are smaller... go figure (classic California matchobox houses). So far I'm very happy with my setup, the LCD-2.2 are on their way out soon though. Makes me sad, because I spent so much time on their wood finish. Oh well, their new owners, whoever they might be, are in for a real treat.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





greed said:


> Still moving in, rearranging, and haven't even touched my speaker rig yet... but here is my headphone rig, as of now. Unfortunately, I moved from a huge room, into a smaller one but it works and at least most of my stuff fits. It's ironic because I used to live in a condo, but since have moved into a full-fledged house. But the rooms are smaller... go figure (classic California matchobox houses). So far I'm very happy with my setup, the LCD-2.2 are on their way out soon though. Makes me sad, because I spent so much time on their wood finish. Oh well, their new owners, whoever they might be, are in for a real treat.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: pictures
> ...


 
  I'm glad to see pictures of yet another Liquid Glass out in the wild.


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





greed said:


> Still moving in, rearranging, and haven't even touched my speaker rig yet... but here is my headphone rig, as of now. Unfortunately, I moved from a huge room, into a smaller one but it works and at least most of my stuff fits. It's ironic because I used to live in a condo, but since have moved into a full-fledged house. But the rooms are smaller... go figure (classic California matchobox houses). So far I'm very happy with my setup, the LCD-2.2 are on their way out soon though. Makes me sad, because I spent so much time on their wood finish. Oh well, their new owners, whoever they might be, are in for a real treat.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Quick comparison of the Mad Dogs and Sennheisers there would be much appreciated 
 Also, do you think the power conditioner makes a difference as you scale up? I've been considering one since they're selling rather cheap now


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





greed said:


> Still moving in, rearranging, and haven't even touched my speaker rig yet... but here is my headphone rig, as of now. Unfortunately, I moved from a huge room, into a smaller one but it works and at least most of my stuff fits. It's ironic because I used to live in a condo, but since have moved into a full-fledged house. But the rooms are smaller... go figure (classic California matchobox houses). So far I'm very happy with my setup, the LCD-2.2 are on their way out soon though. Makes me sad, because I spent so much time on their wood finish. Oh well, their new owners, whoever they might be, are in for a real treat.


 
  Forgive me, but I love the wood look. I currently own a wood desk myself, but it is in need of replacing. Where did you get yours, if you mind me asking?


----------



## traehekat

Sick setup, Greed. I recently purchased the HD 650's and it always makes me feel good to see them among such a nice headphone collection.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Quick comparison of the Mad Dogs and Sennheisers there would be much appreciated
> Also, do you think the power conditioner makes a difference as you scale up? I've been considering one since they're selling rather cheap now


 

 I really just got one for piece of mind tbh. I can't really see the logic in someone telling me cleaner power will result in better SQ. So if you just want to protect your investments, especially if you have sporadic power, you might want to get one. For me, I'm just happy none of my toys will fail because of a surge. And yea, I picked up this power conditioner for chump change compared to my equipment. I was pleasantly surprised how much they have gone down from the last time I was considering buying one. I opted for the Belkin, just because I'm still not a believer in power conditioning and increase SQ. I will get on that comparison, need some more time with the Mad Dogs, before I can genuinely give it a review.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Forgive me, but I love the wood look. I currently own a wood desk myself, but it is in need of replacing. Where did you get yours, if you mind me asking?


 

 I actually picked this up from Ikea, the last time I went. Maybe a year ago? It was a full laddered bed with a desk underneath, but I loved the look so much that I basically chopped it, and gave the bed to a nephew. He loves his bed because it has a ladder, and I love the desk, very functional.
   
  Quote: 





traehekat said:


> Sick setup, Greed. I recently purchased the HD 650's and it always makes me feel good to see them among such a nice headphone collection.


 
  Indeed. I love the HD650 for the mark it made in the headphone market. I still use them daily when I don't want to power up my LG. They work great for movies, gaming, and background music when I'm working or doing homework.


----------



## EraserXIV

I don't know what power conditioning can do to benefit or detract from sound, but I do know that having good power is _very _important especially for an amplifier.
   
  Once, I plugged my Crack into a cheapo surge protector (not power strip, surge protector) and the sound was very noticeably more constrained, muddy, and muffled. At first, I actually thought that my Crack had broken and I resoldered some of the joints as it didn't occur to me that the surge protector could be causing it. It was a pretty frustrating couple of days. Then I remembered that I recently started using a surge protector so I unplugged my Crack from it and plugged it into the wall.
   
_Instant _change, it was back to being the amplifier I remembered and fell in love with. I've often given the disclaimer "it's not night and day" when comparing differences between DACs, amps, and tubes. However, this case _was _NIGHT and DAY. It makes sense in that an amplifier is literally taking the electrical signal from the wall and the source and feeding that into your headphone.


----------



## wolfetan44

Newest purchase, Heir Audio 4.Ai+! So small.


----------



## autoteleology

That's a really nice, clean setup you've got going there, Greed.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> I don't know what power conditioning can do to benefit or detract from sound, but I do know that having good power is _very _important especially for an amplifier.
> 
> Once, I plugged my Crack into a cheapo surge protector (not power strip, surge protector) and the sound was very noticeably more constrained, muddy, and muffled. At first, I actually thought that my Crack had broken and I resoldered some of the joints as it didn't occur to me that the surge protector could be causing it. It was a pretty frustrating couple of days. Then I remembered that I recently started using a surge protector so I unplugged my Crack from it and plugged it into the wall.
> 
> _Instant _change, it was back to being the amplifier I remembered and fell in love with. I've often given the disclaimer "it's not night and day" when comparing differences between DACs, amps, and tubes. However, this case _was _NIGHT and DAY. It makes sense in that an amplifier is literally taking the electrical signal from the wall and the source and feeding that into your headphone.


 

 I can relate with that. My Burson amp had some hum issues with just about every source I tried with it (about 7) and I couldn't find out what the problem was for the life of me. Then I realized, that it could be a grounding issue. Of course, just my luck, it was and a simple adapter fixed all my problems. Electricity is very finky. Just to be clear, a power conditioner is not a surge protect, a power condition can have a surge protector feature, but not vis versa.
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> That's a really nice, clean setup you've got going there, Greed.


 
   
  Thank you very much, I enjoy it a lot.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





greed said:


>


 
  I squealed when I saw this  I've been wanting to see it in a setup since I saw it in RMAF vids. it guud?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

It looks absolutely stunning.


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





greed said:


> Still moving in, rearranging, and haven't even touched my speaker rig yet... but here is my headphone rig, as of now. Unfortunately, I moved from a huge room, into a smaller one but it works and at least most of my stuff fits. It's ironic because I used to live in a condo, but since have moved into a full-fledged house. But the rooms are smaller... go figure (classic California matchobox houses). So far I'm very happy with my setup, the LCD-2.2 are on their way out soon though. Makes me sad, because I spent so much time on their wood finish. Oh well, their new owners, whoever they might be, are in for a real treat.


 
   
  Very nice! A+, no...maybe A-, only if there was some STAX


----------



## Maxvla

... spies LG and HD800... wonders why he needs Stax??


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> That's a really nice, clean setup you've got going there, Greed.


 
   
  Yes, it is! Also brilliant the way our member chopped the original piece of furniture with purpose. I like wood inside my room, inside the home!


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Very nice! A+, no...maybe A-, only if there was some STAX


 

 Haha, I would have to work harder if I wanted a STAX rig as well. I don't see them in my future tbh. I've heard a BHSE+SR009 setup, and I'm just not a huge fan of ultra clarity. I guess after awhile, I just got tired of analyzing music, I just want to enjoy it now, and the LG+HD800/LCD3 is absolutely amazing. The best thing about the LG is its versatility with many headphones. Just have to find the right tubes. I'm still rolling, so the quest to find the perfect tubes are far from over. My next purchase will definitely be well synergized amp for my TH-900 or better speakers. They are my newest headphone, and they sound great, but an SS will probably do it better justice. I got my eye on a GS-X MK II or maybe wait for the Schiit Statement amp, if that ever happens!


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> ... spies LG and HD800... wonders why he needs Stax??


 
   
  Hmm.  This setup and sentiment sounds familiar.  I wonder why?


----------



## wolfetan44

No heed given to my 4.Ai? Damn you, Greed, and your amazing setup.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> No heed given to my 4.Ai? Damn you, Greed, and your amazing setup.


 
   
  Hey, don't get upset.  My Liquid Glass, HD800, HE-6, and LCD-3 passed with significantly less fanfare.  It is a significantly tidier looking setup that's photographed infinitely better.  
   
  But I will say that your 4Ai's are excellent looking universals.  Are you enjoying them?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Very much so. Very life-like


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> No heed given to my 4.Ai? Damn you, Greed, and your amazing setup.


 

 Indeed. I agree with Dave here, I'm a huge fan of Heirs. Only problem is, both my 4.A and 8.A are both still being made. Believe me, if I had them on had, they would definitely be some photos of those too! Those look amazing though, I'm digging the swag. Is that buckeye burl? And how are you liking the sound!?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Why 4.A and 8.A
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I saw your little Magma rock mistake, no editing! It sounds amamamazing. Life-like.




   

  For all the world to see!!


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Why 4.A and 8.A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How did you put magma rock anyways? On a science forum?


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How did you put magma rock anyways? On a science forum?


 
  At first glance, your new IEMs look similar to John's newest creation. He uses "lava" rock for a faceplate option. A more accurate term is magma. But... yours looks nice too!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I would've loved to hear about this lava wood..


----------



## Asr

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Thats a really clean setup Asr. What do you think of the Burson compared to the new GS-X mk2?


 
   
  The Soloist holds its own pretty well, but I haven't really listened much to the MK2 yet to be able to say much. Will probably write more about them later on.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Newest purchase, Heir Audio 4.Ai+! So small.


 
   
  Looks nice. I really miss the portable IEM game after selling my IE80s. You wouldn't happen to have listened to a pair of HE-400s or similar planar? Im curious to know how they compare.


----------



## Stitch

My new dac arived just before the weekend


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I've owned the Mad Dogs. I can't really remember there sound though, sorry.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





stitch said:


> My new dac arived just before the weekend


 
  Nice setup, Stitch! I love how the DAC looks!


----------



## autoteleology

That bobblehead doesn't even give you any stat bonuses!


----------



## Stitch

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Nice setup, Stitch! I love how the DAC looks!


 
   
  Thanks!
   
   Quote:


tus-chan said:


> That bobblehead doesn't even give you any stat bonuses!


 
   
  Its a secret bobblehead, it gives +10 to burn in speed for all gear. 
  And they are the guardians of my head-fi gear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Its also pretty funky if i put him on my CDP, he bobs with crazy fast short bobs then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Now i think about it, i had two of those bobbleheads some point.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





stitch said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Just looked your DAC up. Its not wide, but its very long!!


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Just looked your DAC up. Its not wide, but its very long!!


 

 Tiny form factor, quite big sounding


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





stitch said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> Its a secret bobblehead, it gives +10 to burn in speed for all gear.
> ...


 

  Did one kill the other? Do you have a psychotic bobblehead in your home? Sleep well


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Here's some pics of the Minimus-7's. Do you think a Lepai LP-2020A+ would be good enough for these?


----------



## Stitch

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Here's some pics of the Minimus-7's. Do you think a Lepai LP-2020A+ would be good enough for these?



nice looking speakers!




jamesy1969 said:


> Did one kill the other? Do you have a psychotic bobblehead in your home? Sleep well :blink:




Haha not sure,the other is just missing, "missing". I did however ritually cleanse the remaining bobblehead in audiophile snakeoil made from ground up powercords, high grade ofcourse or it doesn't work. So I should be safe. I also believe the mountain troll is keeping his companion in check, as a failsafe so to speak. 



khaine1711 said:


> Tiny form factor, quite big sounding :rolleyes:



Quite big indeed, still a bit bright though but that might be my ears needing to get used to the new sound. Pink Floyds Dark side of the moon sounds great but the sound is pretty stingy at points.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





stitch said:


> Quite big indeed, still a bit bright though but that might be my ears needing to get used to the new sound. Pink Floyds Dark side of the moon sounds great but the sound is pretty stingy at points.


 
  You gotta listen NEAR FIELD to get the max SQ!


----------



## Stitch

Now THATS a pair of earspeakers!


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





stitch said:


> My new dac arived just before the weekend


 
  Nice. I always wanted one of those dacs but never really got the chance


----------



## Stitch

There are still units available, well there were about 40 of the mk1 when I ordered mine little over two weeks ago. The price is lowered for the remainder of the stock.
If you like a flat out neutral, detailed and revealing sound the octave is worth looking into


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> You gotta listen NEAR FIELD to get the max SQ!


 
   
  I'll raise you.
   
   

   
  I remembered seeing this at my old Audiogon stomping grounds.  Who needs Stax when you can have a giant pair of Martin Logan Prodigy a couple feet from your head?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I remembered seeing this at my old Audiogon stomping grounds.  Who needs Stax when you can have a giant pair of Martin Logan Prodigy a couple feet from your head?


 
  That actually pains me to see. There's no way those possibly sound nearly as good as they could when forced like that.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> That actually pains me to see. There's no way those possibly sound nearly as good as they could when forced like that.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


>


 
   
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> That actually pains me to see. There's no way those possibly sound nearly as good as they could when forced like that.


 
   
  Way to ruin the joke guys.


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I'll raise you.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  My, those look lovely. They also seem more convenient since they weigh less than conventional speakers. Do want!


----------



## GrindingThud

A mere 130lbs each....don't get a hernia. 



panamahat said:


> They also seem more convenient since they weigh less than conventional speakers. Do want!


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> A mere 130lbs each....don't get a hernia.


 
  Time to hit the gym 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No I didn't realize the Prodigy was a whole different series; I mistook for it for one of their other, lighter speaker series.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I'll raise you.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Those look like K1000 on steroids!


----------



## jronan2

Bedside Rig Update. X-Sabre just landed.


----------



## wolfetan44

How is the TH900? And how is the V200? I'm deciding between the V200 and the Gungir.. anyone compared these two?


----------



## jronan2

V200 vs Gungnir?? Night and Day difference.


----------



## Maxvla

Especially since one is an amp and one is a DAC.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> V200 vs Gungnir?? Night and Day difference.


 
  Not one is better than the other?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Saw your post on the V200 thread. Thanks, looks like I'll be getting the V200. I really want a versitle amp that will work with a lot of headphones. I don't want it to be aggressive either. Thanks for your description


----------



## LiuTim

jronan2 said:


> Bedside Rig Update. X-Sabre just landed.





Very nice rig!
Can I ask where did U get the Fostex stand? TY!


----------



## Greed

liutim said:


> Very nice rig!
> Can I ask where did U get the Fostex stand? TY!




Stock stand that comes with the heaphones.


----------



## Greed

jronan2 said:


> Bedside Rig Update. X-Sabre just landed.




Very nice rig! How are you liking the TH-900/V200 combo?


----------



## LiuTim

My stand is this one....LOL


----------



## MorbidToaster

They changed it because so many people complained...or just realized a bent coat hanger for a 2k headphone was stupid.
   
  Quote: 





liutim said:


> My stand is this one....LOL


----------



## jackskelly

Is the TH-900 the best closed headphone money can buy at the moment?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Yes.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Is the TH-900 the best closed headphone money can buy at the moment?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Yes.


 
   
  Thanks MT for the quick response. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I just had a fleeting dream recently about having closed headphones, and now that a severe storm just rolled over Houston, I felt like having closed headphones. I couldn't listen to my speakers or the HD 800 (or any open headphone for that matter) when that thunderstorm was going on.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Just listen to something with a storm in it. 
   
  We got that one, too.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> Thanks MT for the quick response.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## LiuTim

jackskelly said:


> Is the TH-900 the best closed headphone money can buy at the moment?




Best dynamic headphones money can buy, IMO
Much better than the HD800's on my rigs


----------



## jazzerdave

jackskelly said:


> Is the TH-900 the best closed headphone money can buy at the moment?




While I'll take my HD800's over the TH900, I do think they're the best current production closed headphone and the best that I've heard. Until I've heard the R10, I wouldn't dare to comment there, but I don't think it's really close when you're talking currently in production.


----------



## jronan2

Quote: 





greed said:


> Very nice rig! How are you liking the TH-900/V200 combo?


 
  I like it so far but really haven't had enough time with it. I got a bunch of new things lately I can't really post impressions but the best thing I can say is the V200 is dead silent. I couldn't stand plugging the Fostex/denons in and hear background noise or hum. I want to get the HD 800 so I can really test out the V200 vs Mjolnir, and see where I go after that. The GS-X is just too expensive for me, I'd rather have a few headphones that excel at different things than go nuts on one system. The TH900 sounds good out of anything, but I'm very happy with the synergy of the V200. Still great soundstage out of a closed can even though some say the V200 has a narrow soundstage, bass is tight not bloaty at all, treble is just where I want it. It can't handle midrange like the LCD 3. Happy with what i have now though.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Agreed on bolded part.
   
  I also assumed CURRENT PRODUCTION headphones. I've never heard an R10 or Stax 4070.
   
  Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> *While I'll take my HD800's over the TH900*, I do think they're the best current production closed headphone and the best that I've heard. Until I've heard the R10, I wouldn't dare to comment there, but I don't think it's really close when you're talking currently in production.


----------



## SirBenn21




----------



## Stitch

jronan2 said:


> Bedside Rig Update. X-Sabre just landed.



nice rig! Where did you get the small rack that supports the xsabre and what are the dimension? I've been looking for something like that.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





stitch said:


> nice rig! Where did you get the small rack that supports the xsabre and what are the dimension? I've been looking for something like that.


 

 That looks like a monitor stand from ikea.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





sirbenn21 said:


>


 
  REAL nice looking.  Congrats!


----------



## jronan2

Yea i just bought the legs from ikea and cut and sanded a nice piece of wood. I have these little shelves all over the place they look great imo. They make those legs in 4",6", and 8" length.


----------



## telecaster




----------



## MorbidToaster

Gotta say that's a damn good lookin' amp.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Bedside Rig Update. X-Sabre just landed.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  can't help myself


----------



## jude

(Click on image above to see it full-size.)
   
  This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
   

 beyerdynamic Custom One Pro (in white)
 Meridian Explorer 24/192 USB DAC/amp


----------



## SoupRKnowva

jude said:


> This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
> 
> 
> beyerdynamic Custom One Pro (in white)
> Meridian Explorer 24/192 USB DAC/amp




Jude, I haven't heard either the meridian or the custom ones, but that picture is gorgeous!


----------



## SirBenn21

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> REAL nice looking.  Congrats!


 
  Thanks. It's taken about 3 years to get there since I started. 
   
  I'm actually a speaker man, but the misus does not like anything above talking level. Glad I got into headphones. Quite a hobby and an excllent way to listen to music.


----------



## teofilrocks

jude said:


> This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
> 
> 
> beyerdynamic Custom One Pro (in white)
> Meridian Explorer 24/192 USB DAC/amp




16-ohm headphones with a 47-ohm DAC/amp, take that complainers! Lol. If Jude can do it, so can you.


----------



## SirBenn21

Quote: 





jude said:


> "PIC WAS HERE"
> 
> (Click on image above to see it full-size.)
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love my COP's. I see a lot of audiophiles lifting there noses at this one. I think it is excellent value for money. It has become my every day use headphones. It's got a lot of good points - Detail, soundstage, comfort and the Beyer sound signiture which I love.
   
  Nice Pic by the way. I'm going to custom my one this month. Wish they had a larger collection of bits to choose from.


----------



## wolfetan44

DT880 B&W Ebony and Heir Audio 4.Ai+ both this week. O2/ODAC amp/DAC.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> DT880 B&W Ebony and Heir Audio 4.Ai+ both this week. O2/ODAC amp/DAC.


 
  Woods everywhere


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  Wow, a good week for you... eh?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





jude said:


>


 
  The wild Jude emerges! It's good to see what you're listening to these days Jude 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Hey, what amp are you using with the TH900 now?


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Those Beyers look lovely. Congrats! Where did you buy these? or who modded them?


----------



## RestoredSparda

Quote: 





jude said:


> (Click on image above to see it full-size.)
> 
> This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
> 
> ...


 
  WOW, hard to believe that's at ISO 6400!


----------



## Dogmatrix

Computer driven audio is my future


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





jude said:


> This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
> 
> 
> beyerdynamic Custom One Pro (in white)
> Meridian Explorer 24/192 USB DAC/amp


 
  Very pretty.  Glad I don't own white headphones.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





dogmatrix said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That picture is art :') gorgeous setup


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





kimvictor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 





   
  Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yep!! Spring break too
   
  Quote: 





panamahat said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  MCA


----------



## RamblinE

I'm cringing at the thought of what will happen when those things get just a little dirty. Like a brand new white pair of sneakers. 
   
  Looks sweet though! 
  Quote: 





jude said:


> (Click on image above to see it full-size.)
> 
> This was yesterday's rig for me, while working at a local coffee shop. In this rig:
> 
> ...


----------



## DigitalFreak

Finally got the CLAS-db paired up with the ALO RX MKIII with a balanced connector. I also grabbed a Q701 from the FS forums. The picture was just snapped tonight after a 2 hour long chillaxing session.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





jude said:


>


 
  Those headphones and that amp look like they were made for each other.


----------



## maarek99

New HD800 with the HD650:


----------



## anoxy

Nice photos! I love the colors. Links to high res versions?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Ok let's stop quoting jude's huge picture now


----------



## SoupRKnowva

ultrainferno said:


> Ok let's stop quoting jude's huge picture now


Right? It's slowing down my page loading on my iPad  this is why I got rid of the picture in my quote


----------



## peter123

My home rig with my most used cans


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

What's that cute lil' tube amp?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

^
   
  Looks like Little Dot I+


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> What's that cute lil' tube amp?


 
   
  Looks like a Little Dot I+.
   
  EDIT: Jynx! Buy me a coke.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Okay, thanks. It looks quite nice


----------



## peter123

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> ^
> 
> Looks like Little Dot I+


 
  That's correct!


----------



## pallentx

Updated the work desk with a stand I made...


----------



## peter123

Quote: 





pallentx said:


> Updated the work desk with a stand I made...


 
  Nice and clean.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





pallentx said:


> Updated the work desk with a stand I made...


 
  Awesome! I really want a LDI+ 0_0


----------



## peter123

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Awesome! I really want a LDI+ 0_0


 
  Don't let us stop you


----------



## pallentx

Thanks. I cant think of anything else that's a better bang for the buck. Rolling different tubes and opamps has been a lot of fun too.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

The little dot looks quite good and I'm imagining it sounds fantastic. Gratz everyone!

-edit- after doing some research, I was shocked that they are only $150 shipped!! I think that's what I will be saving up for next. Are the stock tubes good? Err, shall I say, good enough?


----------



## pallentx

I don't have a lot to compare it to, but it sounds great to me. The stock tubes aren't bad, but there are a lot of options that are better.
  This is one of a few threads on the subject...
http://www.head-fi.org/t/364043/little-dot-i-tube-rolling


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Thanks  I think when the time rolls around to buy it, I'll look around for a good set of tubes.


----------



## peter123

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  First page in this thread is also very helpfull:
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide
   
  The LD I+ is really fun to play around with,


----------



## beaver316

Can't get enough of my setup.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Can't get enough of my setup.


 
  good stuff, Think I might treat myself to a new knob myself 
   
  A bigger shinier one!


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> good stuff, Think I might treat myself to a new knob myself
> 
> A bigger shinier one!


 
   
  You most definitely should. The new one allows for a much more smooth and effortless travel, it makes the stock one feel wrong.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> You most definitely should. The new one allows for a much more smooth and effortless travel, it makes the stock one feel wrong.


 
  Yeah I'm not a fan of the stock one. As has been mentioned in the M-stage thread- Its not very user friendly.


----------



## d1v1d

Voila - usually paired with Senns - PX200ii


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Very nice portable rig! Hope to see you one the forums in the future!


----------



## fizzix

For all you samurai champloo fans


----------



## IcedTea

where did you buy that at? 
   
  also, do you know where to get Dj Okawari cds? I would like to own his discography eventually


----------



## mrAdrian

OMG I just saw both Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop (IcedTea's avatar)!


----------



## OPR8R

The Nujabes track(s) from that Samurai Champloo are amazing.  As is the anime.  Really takes me (wayyy) back to see that.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





fizzix said:


> For all you samurai champloo fans


 

 This is cool!! I really need to check out Samurai Champloo, I hear about it all the time. 
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> where did you buy that at?
> 
> also, do you know where to get Dj Okawari cds? I would like to own his discography eventually


 

 Other than iTunes, all I know of is YesAsia.


----------



## maarek99

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> Nice photos! I love the colors. Links to high res versions?


 
   
  Here you:
   
http://hmcindie.deviantart.com/
   
  All the HD800 shots have fullres versions there to download.


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> This is cool!! I really need to check out Samurai Champloo, I hear about it all the time.


 
   
  Bro get on it! By far my favorite anime ever. It's delivered perfectly with a great story line, great action, great character depth, lifestyle, flare, and the audio pairs perfectly so you really feel the highs and lows of the show.
   
  Quote: 





opr8r said:


> The Nujabes track(s) from that Samurai Champloo are amazing.  As is the anime.  Really takes me (wayyy) back to see that.


 
   
  Same for me, that's why I can't stop listening to them and I don't think I ever will. I actually rewatched all eps on Netflix late last year.
   
  Quote: 





icedtea said:


> where did you buy that at?
> 
> also, do you know where to get Dj Okawari cds? I would like to own his discography eventually


 
   
  I'm not too sure where my gf bought this, she bought it for me as a birthday gift as well as Nujabes - Spiritual State CD and DJ Okawari - Kaleidoscope CD. I know she spent a grip though for all 3, I remember her saying the 2 CDs were overly expensive and the vinyl was over a hundred bucks easy.
   
  I'm looking at amazon right now and they have some Okawari albums but are very pricey. They also have this vinyl collection on there too. I'm pretty sure all 3 came from the mother land.


----------



## bedlam inside

Hi,
  
  Quote: 





bedlam inside said:


> Ordered an energiser XP-8000 to power my iCAN with, the battery box has it's own 9V battery inside...


 

 After a very frustrating two weeks I send the energiser battery back to amazon, it just does not work for the iCAA.
   
  The supplied cables missed the connectors the iCAN needs, so I had to get another adaptor. Once I had that the amp plays for a short time and then turns off. First time that happened I nearly shat me pants, thinking I killed the amp... I don't think there is permanent damage, at least I hope.

 I don't know if the fault is with the iCAN or with the battery. Contacted iFi who were helpful but in the end shrugged "it works with our power supply, so not really our problem". Energiser said their battery worked and it was not their problem... I guess it's fair enough from both. So it became Amazons problem.

 But I'm a fair bit dischuffed about the wasted time and money on that whole affair.

 So be warned, don't put the XP8000 and the iCAN together...

 Cheerio Rich


----------



## mitch_o

Finally finished the headphone stand that I was working on, so figured this would be a good time to post my first pictures in here. 
   
  Next steps are building another couple of stands for the rest of my home and work cans, sleeving all of the vinyl, and then looking into amp upgrades (eyeing the Soloist, V200 or WA2 at the moment).
   
  Now playing - Archers of Loaf - Vee Vee.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





mitch_o said:


> Finally finished the headphone stand that I was working on, so figured this would be a good time to post my first pictures in here.
> 
> Next steps are building another couple of stands for the rest of my home and work cans, sleeving all of the vinyl, and then looking into amp upgrades (eyeing the Soloist, V200 or WA2 at the moment).
> 
> ...


 
   
  Very nice setup. I'm loving the DIY headphone stand!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





greed said:


> Very nice setup. I'm loving the DIY headphone stand!


 
  I like the DIY gear rack more, very sturdy and professional looking.


----------



## LugBug1

I really like that headphone stand! Original and quirky. Good work.


----------



## mitch_o

Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate it!


----------



## tootallmoose

My setup has changed quite a bit since last posting!
   
  Home:
   

   
  Work:


----------



## RestoredSparda

tootallmoose said:


> My setup has changed quite a bit since last posting!
> 
> Home:
> 
> ...




Very nice. A few questions if you don't mind. What did you have before the schiit DAC, do you like it, and are you thinking of upgrading your amp?


----------



## tootallmoose

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Very nice. A few questions if you don't mind. What did you have before the schiit DAC, do you like it, and are you thinking of upgrading your amp?


 
  I had/have the Headroom Micro DAC and the Schiit Modi.  The differences aren't huge but are very obvious.  Everything sounds a little deeper, everything seems to decay better, there's just a little more of everything.  I'm pondering all kinds of ideas on what to do about an amp.  I never really intended to buy the Lyr, just saw too good a deal on the FS forums and couldn't pass it up.  I do love it, sounds better than anything else I have and the Amperex Orange Globes make my DT880s sound great.  However, I still get this feeling that my HE-500's can sound better.  I've been thinking about a Mjolnir, but I'd also like to move away from Schiit (nothing against them, they've been good to me but variety and the spice of life and all that).


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





tootallmoose said:


> I had/have the Headroom Micro DAC and the Schiit Modi.  The differences aren't huge but are very obvious.  Everything sounds a little deeper, everything seems to decay better, there's just a little more of everything.  I'm pondering all kinds of ideas on what to do about an amp.  I never really intended to buy the Lyr, just saw too good a deal on the FS forums and couldn't pass it up.  I do love it, sounds better than anything else I have and the Amperex Orange Globes make my DT880s sound great.  However, I still get this feeling that my HE-500's can sound better.  I've been thinking about a Mjolnir, but I'd also like to move away from Schiit (nothing against them, they've been good to me but variety and the spice of life and all that).


 

 Ever consider getting the Hifiman EF5 amp? GObs of power and its made for them


----------



## MorbidToaster

mitch_o said:


> Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate it!




Where did you get the ride and bolts? I'd really like to do something like that with a bit thicker shelves.


----------



## mitch_o

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Where did you get the ride and bolts? I'd really like to do something like that with a bit thicker shelves.


 
   
  I believe I just got it all from Home Depot. And yeah, if I were to do it again, I'd likely use thicker/nicer wood and give it a nice dark finish.


----------



## MorbidToaster

mitch_o said:


> I believe I just got it all from Home Depot. And yeah, if I were to do it again, I'd likely use thicker/nicer wood and give it a nice dark finish.




Did you buy the rods longer and get them cut or did they just sell different lengths?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tootallmoose said:


> My setup has changed quite a bit since last posting!
> 
> Home:
> 
> ...


 
  Nice rigs on both ends!


----------



## mitch_o

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Did you buy the rods longer and get them cut or did they just sell different lengths?


 
   
  The latter. They have several different options for both diameter and length, so it should be pretty easy to find what you're looking for. 
   
  If you're looking for a non-standard length, I know they offer straight-cuts of lumber and piping in-store, so there's a _chance_ they'd offer it for the rods as well.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Thanks for the info. Might have to make a trip to Home Depot soon. 
   
  EDIT: 3/4" x 24" (or 36") rods. Perfect.
   
  Quote: 





mitch_o said:


> The latter. They have several different options for both diameter and length, so it should be pretty easy to find what you're looking for.
> 
> If you're looking for a non-standard length, I know they offer straight-cuts of lumber and piping in-store, so there's a _chance_ they'd offer it for the rods as well.


----------



## Jamesy1969

M-Stage just arrived this weekend and I must say, this may be getting close to endgame for me.
   
  I _might_ upgrade my HD595s to HD650s (but I now only use the '595s for, well, less than optimally recorded material as they're more forgiving than the K702s, so is there much point?) and I'd like a better pair of closed cans (I enjoy the DT770s but I can see them being replaced by Mad Dogs in the next couple of months) as they're used quite a lot.
   
  Other than that, I think I'm close to the sweet point on price/performance ratio so I may be out of this mad game soon. If only I can kick head-fi like I've kicked cigarettes (day 5 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) then my wallet might just survive.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ FWIW the hd650 is my end game open can. And if you are considering the MD, it's just a wonderful closed hp. Can't be beat for the money IMO...


----------



## jbarr1989

My current desktop setup and below my portable setup


----------



## hamburgerladdy

Nice portable.


----------



## tootallmoose

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Ever consider getting the Hifiman EF5 amp? GObs of power and its made for them


 
  I had actually forgotten about that one, but I think I want to stay solid state for my next amp.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> ^^ FWIW the hd650 is my end game open can. And if you are considering the MD, it's just a wonderful closed hp. Can't be beat for the money IMO...


 
   
  I always assumed the HD650s would be my endgame (or perhaps even HD800s further down the line) as I've always owned and enjoyed Sennheisers (ever since a pair of HD414s in the late 1980s).
   
  However, I'm so enjoying the more analytical and transparent nature of the K702s (especially now through the M-Stage) that Senns may be relegated to "backup" duties ever onward 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I came very close to pulling the trigger on the Mad Dogs last year but decided against due to import duties etc (I'm in the UK). I'm almost certain to buy some soon though!


----------



## dsound

My current desktop setup: 
  Stock Crack (just stained this past weekend) + HD600 + iPod 5.5g
   
  Used Kona Verethane Stain on the base, I think it turned out pretty nice.
   

   
   
  Tubes..
   

   
   
  The 'headphone stand' is my Joby Gorillatorch wrapped around a lamp


----------



## mitch_o

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Thanks for the info. Might have to make a trip to Home Depot soon.
> 
> EDIT: 3/4" x 24" (or 36") rods. Perfect.


 
   
  If you end up going for it, keep us updated on what type of wood you use and how it turns out!


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Probably my final college set-up, since I'll be graduating in 3 months. Can't say that I'm unhappy with this.
   
  Looking to upgrade the little Bluetooth adapter to an Airport Express (which can't be used on campus, thus this workaround), finding someone that's selling the GLite's dedicated power supply, and new speakers in the future. But other than that, I'm very happy with this. One of my many college adventures/discoveries. Came into college knowing nothing about audio and having cheapo V-Moda earbuds. Came out with this...
   
  I also wish that the V-PSU -> V-DAC DC power cable was shorter (and I'm sure that they exist), I just have no idea where I would buy those.


----------



## akhyar

MBP > Audioengine D1 > Momentum


----------



## alv4426

What stand is that?
  Quote: 





akhyar said:


> MBP > Audioengine D1 > Momentum


----------



## akhyar

Quote: 





alv4426 said:


> What stand is that?


 

 Just Mobile stand
http://www.just-mobile.com/mac/headstand.html


----------



## alv4426

^^^Thank you good sir


----------



## Fabama

Ordered my first Amp and DAC today. I am immensely excited and will report back with pictures when they arrive.


----------



## tribestros

Quite proud of my new bedroom listening setup...think I'm finally satisfied.
   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
  I have been in a never-ending state of upgrading, and I'm quite satisfied now. It's a cheap table with a rare cartridge, so I don't want to replace it. I have the Kenwood KD-48F with an Audio Technica 8008 cart into the Marantz 2252B then to some B&W M1. From my computer, I have Songbird to my uDAC-2 then to my Marantz. My entire headphone collection is Sennheiser HD558, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Sol Republic Tracks Ultra, B&W C5 and an old pair of Bose OE TriPorts. Got tons of new and old records and CDs! Tell me whatcha think! I'm a student, so can't afford a ton and I have a surround in my main room anyway.


----------



## paradoxper

slapped together the stack for a quick pick. Very much enjoying the M51 (stock FW.)


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> slapped together the stack for a quick pick. Very much enjoying the M51 (stock FW.)


 
  Theres your NAD, Para


----------



## Greed

paradoxper said:


> slapped together the stack for a quick pick. Very much enjoying the M51 (stock FW.)




Very nice! The NAD M51 is an amazing DAC, Im still using stock FW as well. I also see you have a Belkin PF60, I haven't seen a silver one before though.


----------



## hjteq

So many drool worthy rigs. Running my Grados out of my Macbook Pro.
  Good times.


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





hjteq said:


> So many drool worthy rigs. Running my Grados out of my Macbook Pro.
> Good times.


 
   
  My Grados broke.  Need to re-solder the wires.


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> slapped together the stack for a quick pick. Very much enjoying the M51 (stock FW.)


 
   
  Sex! I've been trying to source that PureAV but it's discontinued in Australia. It looks great with the M51/Mj stack. You gave me the urge to snap mine again. It's a shame not many here know how awesome this pairing is.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Quite proud of my new bedroom listening setup...think I'm finally satisfied.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  That Marantz is gorgeous!


----------



## tribestros

Why thank you. Absolutely love it. My favorite piece of gear.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> I have been in a never-ending state of upgrading, and I'm quite satisfied now. It's a cheap table with a rare cartridge, so I don't want to replace it. I have the Kenwood KD-48F with an Audio Technica 8008 cart into the Marantz 2252B then to some B&W M1. From my computer, I have Songbird to my uDAC-2 then to my Marantz. My entire headphone collection is Sennheiser HD558, Sennheiser HD280Pro, Sol Republic Tracks Ultra, B&W C5 and an old pair of Bose OE TriPorts. Got tons of new and old records and CDs! Tell me whatcha think! I'm a student, so can't afford a ton and I have a surround in my main room anyway.


 

 I think you have a very nice setup for the money. The M1 is a very capable speaker contrary to its appearance. I think with time you'll find a reason to upgrade. If you ever do, check out the Alpha B1 from PSB Speakers. Its a great pair that won't break the bank (I've seen them go as low as $249 on eBay, but normally they are $279-$299).


----------



## nelamvr6

The only thing I would change is I would find a different spot for the turntable, if possible.  
   
  That receiver probably generates a bit of heat, and turntables will always benefit from more solid resting spots.


----------



## ProcessJunkie

Or maybe put a piece of damping wood, or marble between the TT and the receiver, that would dissipate heat and absorb a little bit of the vibrations of both pieces.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Quite proud of my new bedroom listening setup...think I'm finally satisfied.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  All I had in my college days was a pair of AKG 240's, gifted Bose TriPorts, Frankenstein'd speakers, and a Marantz 2270.  Oh, and Denton is a hell of a town for music -- don't forget to take advantage while you're there.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I'd lift it a bit with some isolation feet to help with both of those things as well.
   
  Quote: 





processjunkie said:


> Or maybe put a piece of damping wood, or marble between the TT and the receiver, that would dissipate heat and absorb a little bit of the vibrations of both pieces.


----------



## tribestros

Well, as far as upgrading, space is really a concern. I got the M1 because they look like computer speakers, so I can just set them on the desk and they do wonders. I may upgrade down the road when I have more space, but I don't know. However, I am going to keep an eye on those B1 speakers. They look nice and sized appropriately for the space. I may have to find some to audition.
   
  And, yeah, I really want a different spot for the table. I originally had it inside the cabinet, but I was not a huge fan of having it there. But due to space constraints, that's really the only spot I have. Where can I get dampening wood for in-between the two? Anyone have any suggestions or links to what I should do? As far as dampening, I really am clueless. I know all the technical stuff but not the things like that and the TT was in my cabinet anyway when I had my old receiver.
   
  Denton definitely is a hell of a music town. 35 Denton was amazing, and I'm always hanging out at Dan's and RG.


----------



## vid

Current state you say?
   

   
  The other end of the station is the back of the computer.


----------



## MorbidToaster

eBay is the best source for something cheap that does the trick.
   
  I personally think the Walnut would look great...
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walnut-Hardwood-Butcher-Block-Cutting-Boards-/150588446627?pt=Kitchen_Tools_Gadgets&var=&hash=item230fc557a3
   
  Along with some of these...
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X2X7-8-CORK-ANTI-VIBRATION-ISOLATOR-PADS-HVAC-QUANITY-16-PCS-/140949806236?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d1435c9c
   
  Lift 'em up with 2 of those under each corner, get the chopping block which is the right size for you table. Done.
   
  It'll reduce vibration to an extent, and help with heat dissipation.
   
  Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Well, as far as upgrading, space is really a concern. I got the M1 because they look like computer speakers, so I can just set them on the desk and they do wonders. I may upgrade down the road when I have more space, but I don't know. However, I am going to keep an eye on those B1 speakers. They look nice and sized appropriately for the space. I may have to find some to audition.
> 
> And, yeah, I really want a different spot for the table. I originally had it inside the cabinet, but I was not a huge fan of having it there. But due to space constraints, that's really the only spot I have. Where can I get dampening wood for in-between the two? Anyone have any suggestions or links to what I should do? As far as dampening, I really am clueless. I know all the technical stuff but not the things like that and the TT was in my cabinet anyway when I had my old receiver.
> 
> Denton definitely is a hell of a music town. 35 Denton was a hell of a lot of fun.


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> eBay is the best source for something cheap that does the trick.
> 
> I personally think the Walnut would look great...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walnut-Hardwood-Butcher-Block-Cutting-Boards-/150588446627?pt=Kitchen_Tools_Gadgets&var=&hash=item230fc557a3
> ...


 
   
  Thanks! As far as the chopping block, are you guys suggesting I place it directly on the top of the amplifier? That doesn't seem like it'd help with heat dissipation. Maybe I'm wrong. Gonna order those vibration pads, for sure.


----------



## MorbidToaster

No no, put a stack (2 pads) between the block and the top of your amp. That'll give about an inch and a half for heat to get out.
   

   
  I bought some of those pads myself. Those are the 2x2, but there are 4x4s as well that will work for bigger stuff (keeps it stable). They are constructed well, and I use them for piece of mind, but I haven't like...A/Bed to see if it made a difference.
   
  Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Thanks! As far as the chopping block, are you guys suggesting I place it directly on the top of the amplifier? That doesn't seem like it'd help with heat dissipation. Maybe I'm wrong. Gonna order those vibration pads, for sure.


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> eBay is the best source for something cheap that does the trick.
> 
> I personally think the Walnut would look great...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walnut-Hardwood-Butcher-Block-Cutting-Boards-/150588446627?pt=Kitchen_Tools_Gadgets&var=&hash=item230fc557a3
> ...


 
   
  These links were actually really helpful! I was looking at some Maple Shade stuff for isolation blocks for my record player, but these look quite good and are quite a bit cheaper. Does anyone know if they work just as well, or is the Maple Shade stuff better? I can't see why it would be.


----------



## MorbidToaster

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/recommendations-for-turntable-isolation-platforms.180388/
   
  This thread is where I got the original link and idea. It seems some say Mapleshade is better due to it being a completely solid block rather than pieces squished together. Not sure why it'd make that much difference, and these are a 1/4 of the price.
   
  Towards the end of the thread there's a guy that got one of the 3" thick blocks, painted it black, and now uses it as a platform for his VPI Classic.
   
  I'm considering using 2" or 3" boards as shelves for a rack I want to build.
   
  EDIT: Here's a link to some thicker ones.
  http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawn5879/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3686
   
  Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> These links were actually really helpful! I was looking at some Maple Shade stuff for isolation blocks for my record player, but these look quite good and are quite a bit cheaper. Does anyone know if they work just as well, or is the Maple Shade stuff better? I can't see why it would be.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> Sex! I've been trying to source that PureAV but it's discontinued in Australia. It looks great with the M51/Mj stack. You gave me the urge to snap mine again. It's a shame not many here know how awesome this pairing is.


 
  I got the idea from Marv, using its programmable outlets to turn on stuff in the right order. Plus, I thought it looked nice.
   
   
  The paring is quite awesome and should be a nice tide me over until the statement gear.


----------



## HeyWaj10

I use a Boos Block (maple butcher's block).  It's only about 1.5" thick, but I have noticed that it definitely helps isolate my gear.  The best part: you can find them for a fraction of the price on Amazon compared to what you'd pay for a Mapleshade product.  Maybe it's just me, but I have a VERY hard time justifying paying $200-$300+ for a peice of rounded maple wood.  Thus, the Boos Block serves as a perfect solution for me, and they make them in all sorts of shapes/sizes.
   
  Just my .02


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/recommendations-for-turntable-isolation-platforms.180388/
> 
> This thread is where I got the original link and idea. It seems some say Mapleshade is better due to it being a completely solid block rather than pieces squished together. Not sure why it'd make that much difference, and these are a 1/4 of the price.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Is the Maple Shade a completely solid block and the butcher block not though? Neither really states if they're a solid block, they both just say "solid wood". Anyway, I don't have the best turntable anyway, so I'm sure that the butcher block will be enough for me. Thanks!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Butcher blocks are solid wood, but they are made of smaller pieces and then mashed together. Mapleshade blocks are one big piece of wood, IIRC.
   
  Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> Is the Maple Shade a completely solid block and the butcher block not though? Neither really states if they're a solid block, they both just say "solid wood". Anyway, I don't have the best turntable anyway, so I'm sure that the butcher block will be enough for me. Thanks!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> Is the Maple Shade a completely solid block and the butcher block not though? Neither really states if they're a solid block, they both just say "solid wood". Anyway, I don't have the best turntable anyway, so I'm sure that the butcher block will be enough for me. Thanks!


 
  Mapleshade is air dried solid wood. Some suggest buying local kiln dried as the Mapleshade may warp if it goes to a completely different climate (more dry or humid). 
   
  Mapleshade claims solid wood is better than butcher block, but who knows.
   
  TTVJ sells soemthing similar to the Isoblocks for much less but iI have not tried either.
  One can use these under the feet or the plinth without the wood platform. http://www.ttvjaudio.com/TTVJ_Isolation_Pads_p/aat0000323.htm
   
  Another alternative to wood is a piece of thick acrylic. If you have a Tap Plastics near you they have scraps for cheap. I have one under my CD on 3 x HRT couplers.
   

   
   
   
  The cheapest solution is one hockey puck under each of your turntable feet.


----------



## MattTCG




----------



## MorbidToaster

God those Rega CDPs are gorgeous.
   
  Those pads are basically the same ones I linked from eBay. May as well buy from Todd though.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> TTVJ sells soemthing similar to the Isoblocks for much less but iI have not tried either.
> One can use these under the feet or the plinth without the wood platform. http://www.ttvjaudio.com/TTVJ_Isolation_Pads_p/aat0000323.htm


----------



## Flisker

Will also add few photos of my current little "station"


----------



## nelamvr6

Nice!


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Nice!


 
   
  Thx


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> God those Rega CDPs are gorgeous.


 
  Trade for the Amadeus 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  ...I'll even pay shipping....


----------



## Thaddy

Figured I'd do the WA2 some more justice and added some HD600's to the mix, along with a headphone stand from Woo Audio.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Figured I'd do the WA2 some more justice and added some HD600's to the mix, along with a headphone stand from Woo Audio.


 
   
  nice!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Figured I'd do the WA2 some more justice and added some HD600's to the mix, along with a headphone stand from Woo Audio.


 
   
   
  Sweet!


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Figured I'd do the WA2 some more justice and added some HD600's to the mix, along with a headphone stand from Woo Audio.


 
   
  I'm rather fond of the Senns on the WA2. It's a great combination. I keep toying with picking up another pair after having drifted off in other directions.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Maybe not that nice 
   
  It's a shame they ruined their design with the current line.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Trade for the Amadeus
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## parbaked

I was going to through in a whole sleeve of golf balls!
  I'm sold on transports without drawers!
  Re: new Rega, I think smaller footprints are going to be the more and more prevalent but I also like my Planet more.
  Then again when I compare to other new stuff the Rega amp/CD are not all bad at all...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

btw
   
  how does the HD 650 vs HD 600 perform on the WA2? i never heard the HD 600 before, but i can imagine them to pair very well with the WA2.
   
  i never did like the hd 650s on the WA2, was very sweet and warm, but a little slow


----------



## Thaddy

Double post.


----------



## Thaddy

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> I'm rather fond of the Senns on the WA2. It's a great combination. I keep toying with picking up another pair after having drifted off in other directions.


 
   
  It's taken me a really long time (see my join date) to come across a source and amp combination that gets the Sennheiser's to sound how I like.  I'm tempted to try some of the new, more expensive DAC's on the market now, but the DL III still holds it's own quite well.
   
   



dubstep girl said:


> btw
> 
> how does the HD 650 vs HD 600 perform on the WA2? i never heard the HD 600 before, but i can imagine them to pair very well with the WA2.
> 
> i never did like the hd 650s on the WA2, was very sweet and warm, but a little slow


 

  It's well documented, but the HD600's are a bit more neutral.  Call it the Sennheiser veil if you like, but the HD600's certainly don't suffer as much as the HD650's.  
   
  If you still have a pair of HD650's, you might try removing the foam underneath the ear pads and replacing it with nylon.


----------



## rds

I moved from Canada to Switzerland in October and just brought my headphone 'rig' here last week


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Well, as far as upgrading, space is really a concern. I got the M1 because they look like computer speakers, so I can just set them on the desk and they do wonders. I may upgrade down the road when I have more space, but I don't know. However, I am going to keep an eye on those B1 speakers. They look nice and sized appropriately for the space. I may have to find some to audition.
> 
> And, yeah, I really want a different spot for the table. I originally had it inside the cabinet, but I was not a huge fan of having it there. But due to space constraints, that's really the only spot I have. Where can I get dampening wood for in-between the two? Anyone have any suggestions or links to what I should do? As far as dampening, I really am clueless. I know all the technical stuff but not the things like that and the TT was in my cabinet anyway when I had my old receiver.
> 
> Denton definitely is a hell of a music town. 35 Denton was amazing, and I'm always hanging out at Dan's and RG.


 

 I have a suggestion in terms of furniture. Check out a local IKEA. I know IKEA may be off-putting to some, but I haven't had bad luck with any of the stuff I buy from there. Plus who knows, you might even find something else that could help you achieve more space?
   
  I'd go with the Lerberg CD wall shelf, which would be great for your CDs. They aren't expensive either. - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70115521/
   
  That takes away the CDs from being stored in the same location as everything else. Then the small EXPEDIT Shelving unit would be great for your turntable, receiver, and records. Maybe your headphones can take advantage of some of the room left available, too. - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20135300/#/60135299
   
  Hope that sort of helps!


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





rds said:


> I moved from Canada to Switzerland in October and just brought my headphone 'rig' here last week


 
   
  That's cute, love the blue tube. What amp is that ?


----------



## Maxvla

Looks like a CTH.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





flisker said:


> Will also add few photos of my current little "station"
> 
> *snip*


 
   
  Nice setup dude, Im curious why did you sell your HE-400?


----------



## MorbidToaster

If you plan on putting stuff on top of an Expedit unit please expect to need vibration dampening of some sort. They make pretty poor turntable stands without an isolation platform. I could tap the side of the shelf with my knuckle way down at the bottom of my 2x2 and hear it through the speakers. Putting it on one full of LPs might help, but they are hollow, after all.
   
  Quote: 





destroysall said:


> I have a suggestion in terms of furniture. Check out a local IKEA. I know IKEA may be off-putting to some, but I haven't had bad luck with any of the stuff I buy from there. Plus who knows, you might even find something else that could help you achieve more space?
> 
> I'd go with the Lerberg CD wall shelf, which would be great for your CDs. They aren't expensive either. - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70115521/
> 
> ...


 
   
  +1 It does look like a CTH.
   
  Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Looks like a CTH.


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





beaver316 said:


> Nice setup dude, Im curious why did you sell your HE-400?


 
   
  It was wild ride with HE-400, really liked them when I first heard them. But after some time I got Schiit Magni and Modi and when I heard HD650 of this combo I absolutely loved it, spent lot of time with them and than when I put back HE-400 it felt so wrong to me that I never got used to them again and it was kind of over of my story.
   
  Bass is definitely amazing on HE-400 no question about that, but mids just don't do it for me compared to HD650, I think it's because HE-400 are more laid back, I found out my preference is leaning towards forward headphones and I can't turn them too loud because treble on them would destroy my ears.
   
  There is just something magical about well amped HD650. Can't get enough of them with Schiit Lyr.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> If you plan on putting stuff on top of an Expedit unit please expect to need vibration dampening of some sort. They make pretty poor turntable stands without an isolation platform. I could tap the side of the shelf with my knuckle way down at the bottom of my 2x2 and hear it through the speakers. Putting it on one full of LPs might help, but they are hollow, after all.


 
  Have you tried the Ikea Lack side table? It's super-light, "paper" filled with a rigid, lacquered shell. The effect is similar to a Rega plinth - light and rigid - to not store any vibrations. It's a famous cheap tweak for Rega owners, with legs as a table or no legs as a stand. I haven't tried it because at 23.5" square it's too big for any rack I have, but looks cool as a TT table:


----------



## MorbidToaster

The Lack had the same problem, IMO. I actually made a rack out of Lack tables a few months ago and while they look great, they're still not great stands. I'd still recommend isolation of some sort.
   

   
   
  Quote:


parbaked said:


> Have you tried the Ikea Lack side table? It's super-light, "paper" filled with a rigid, lacquered shell. The effect is similar to a Rega plinth - light and rigid - to not store any vibrations. It's a famous cheap tweak for Rega owners, with legs as a table or no legs as a stand. I haven't tried it because at 23.5" square it's too big for any rack I have, but looks cool as a TT table:


----------



## tribestros

I like that Lack table, but if it doesn't have any dampening, it's not worth it, IMO.


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





flisker said:


> It was wild ride with HE-400, really liked them when I first heard them. But after some time I got Schiit Magni and Modi and when I heard HD650 of this combo I absolutely loved it, spent lot of time with them and than when I put back HE-400 it felt so wrong to me that I never got used to them again and it was kind of over of my story.
> 
> Bass is definitely amazing on HE-400 no question about that, but mids just don't do it for me compared to HD650, I think it's because HE-400 are more laid back, I found out my preference is leaning towards forward headphones and I can't turn them too loud because treble on them would destroy my ears.
> 
> There is just something magical about well amped HD650. Can't get enough of them with Schiit Lyr.


 
   
  Yeah the HD650 is like a sleeping giant when underamped, glad you're enjoying them.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> I like that Lack table, but if it doesn't have any dampening, it's not worth it, IMO.


 
  Google Rega Ikea Lack and you will hear some different opinions. You can use something between the TT and table to damp, but just don't mass load.
  It is based on a different theory that heavy isolation bases and plinths store vibrations and then retransmit to the TT.
  This why Rega bases are light and rigid and not heavy or suspended. It's just a different take.
  Supposedly the Lack are the only Ikea product made this way as they are "paper" filled and not fibre or particle board.
  Might only work with Rega style TTs and not at all with more sophisticated plinth designs.


----------



## roBernd

Just posting my bed-rig here, because it's quite uncommon.
  (heavily modded old school K140, CMOY, and a modded PS1 as a source)


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





robernd said:


> Just posting my bed-rig here, because it's quite uncommon.
> (heavily modded old school K140, CMOY, and a modded PS1 as a source)


 
  That looks cool. Like it


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





robernd said:


> Just posting my bed-rig here, because it's quite uncommon.
> (heavily modded old school K140, CMOY, and a modded PS1 as a source)


 
  Dude I think I'm digging the creativity here more than some of the higher-end systems we see passing through here. This is truly unique!


----------



## khaine1711

The CMOY box is epic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  What's the anime character painted on the box btw? Reminds me of Hayate in his cat outfit


----------



## TMRaven

His!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

rambline said:


> Dude I think I'm digging the creativity here more than some of the higher-end systems we see passing through here. This is truly unique!




+1


----------



## jude

The headphone is the Spider Moonlight Monitor. The DAC/amps are (from top to bottom) the Benchmark DAC2 HGC, Mytek Digital STEREO192-DSD DAC, and the Fostex HP-A8C. All three DACs are 32-bit/192kHz-capable _and_ DSD-capable too.


----------



## driver 8

what headphones are those?


----------



## jude

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> what headphones are those?


 
   
  Sorry, I'll edit my post to make that clearer.
   
  It's the Spider Moonlight Monitor.


----------



## twizzleraddict

Quote: 





jude said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Are you doing a DSD-capable DAC shootout?


----------



## khaine1711

New addition to my desk


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> New addition to my desk


 
  Lucky..


----------



## Silent One

_Next post..._


----------



## Silent One

> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





jude said:


> The headphone is the Spider Moonlight Monitor. The DAC/amps are (from top to bottom) the Benchmark DAC2 HGC, Mytek Digital STEREO192-DSD DAC, and the Fostex HP-A8C. All three DACs are 32-bit/192kHz-capable _and_ DSD-capable too.


 
   
  Jude, we definitely need a DSD capable DAC shootout this spring... can you assist?


----------



## khaine1711

I didn't know the Benchmark2 were DSD capable. Maybe I should try it together with the Auralic Vega 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  Meanwhile, Dire Straits/Camel DSD sounds pretty much the same as Red book cd to me


----------



## Owenpri




----------



## PanamaHat

I think the biggest upgrade to my desktop set up in a while has been deciding to use foobar2k with wasapi to play .flac. I feel like that alone takes my set up to the next level.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> I think the biggest upgrade to my desktop set up in a while has been deciding to use foobar2k with wasapi to play .flac. I feel like that alone takes my set up to the next level.


 
   
  I agree. I was very surprised at the improvement in sound quality going from the default Windows sound mixer to ASIO. That isn't to say that its a huge difference but I basically expected no noticeable difference and that wasn't the case.


----------



## roBernd

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> The CMOY box is epic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Well, it's Chen from Touhou (東方 )


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





robernd said:


> Just posting my bed-rig here, because it's quite uncommon.
> (heavily modded old school K140, CMOY, and a modded PS1 as a source)


 
  coolest rig of week!


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





devhen said:


> I agree. I was very surprised at the improvement in sound quality going from the default Windows sound mixer to ASIO. That isn't to say that its a huge difference but I basically expected no noticeable difference and that wasn't the case.


 
  For me it changed the dynamics of my Beyers pretty dramatically. The better decoder plus the bit perfect signal resulted in a much cleaner sound and more 3d imaging with much better separation. The sound signature is the same, but everything else blossomed.


----------



## tribestros

So, instead of buying any Ikea stands or whatever, I moved the table on top of the cabinet (it has sound deadners on the feet and around it. I took the door off of it. It's quite a nice cabinet, it's a $700 Salamander, just a bit worse for wear (it's old). I can jump up and down and the sound doesn't change at all. And I moved my Panamax in there to save the Marantz, and used the remaining shelves for CDs/vinyls. I stashed my uDAC above my Marantz and you can kind of see I put my headphones on top beside my record player. I still have some stuff coming, so we'll see how it goes, but I think this is a better setup than previous.


----------



## Ajani

My humble setup. Details in my signature.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





robernd said:


> Just posting my bed-rig here, because it's quite uncommon.
> (heavily modded old school K140, CMOY, and a modded PS1 as a source)


 

 I freaking love this setup. Must sound amazing. I use a PSX in my system too and it is beautiful source. The CMoy looks killer, I love the Touhou touch-up on it.
  Quote: 





tribestros said:


> So, instead of buying any Ikea stands or whatever, I moved the table on top of the cabinet (it has sound deadners on the feet and around it. I took the door off of it. It's quite a nice cabinet, it's a $700 Salamander, just a bit worse for wear (it's old). I can jump up and down and the sound doesn't change at all. And I moved my Panamax in there to save the Marantz, and used the remaining shelves for CDs/vinyls. I stashed my uDAC above my Marantz and you can kind of see I put my headphones on top beside my record player. I still have some stuff coming, so we'll see how it goes, but I think this is a better setup than previous.


 
  Looking good!! I like this a lot. I would only recommend a smaller desk or moving it away from the Salamander shelf so you can put those speakers on some stands. The benefit of that is you'd be able to align them with your ears directly.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> New addition to my desk


 
  Congrats. Though I'm a little jealous 
   
  How they fairing against the mighty HE6??


----------



## axeltow

Hey gals and guys,
   
  I've been reading this nice "little" forum for a month or two and finally decided to register. Since, for a week I was browsing this amazing thread and admiring some great set, I figured out this is the best place to say hi and introduce myself.
   
  Now, I just started in the general hi-fi world and I've been guided by my uncle in my most decisions. First I was thinking of spending the big buck for a really nice system, but then again this way you take the fun out of growing you hearing capabilities. So, I decided to go with a small budget, get entry level stuff and upgrade piece by piece. This way I know what my system sounds and I can appreciate and evaluate a better sound. So, everything below is budget oriented. Even the headphones are, but I am planning to change that, so the second post will be about that in the respective thread.
   
  Here is the setup currently:
   








   
  These are the details:
   
  Headphones: Sennheiser HD202
  DAC with Headphone Amp: DYI USB DAC (PCM2704 with Nichicon Capacitors KA)
  Amp: Philips FA 890
  Speakers: Cabasse Goelette
  Speaker Cables: Furutech
 RCA Cables: Audio Quest
 Stands: Dynaudio


----------



## axeltow

Hey gals and guys,
   
  I've been reading this nice "little" forum for a month or two and finally decided to register. Since, for a week I was browsing this amazing thread and admiring some great set, I figured out this is the best place to say hi and introduce myself.
   
  Now, I just started in the general hi-fi world and I've been guided by my uncle in my most decisions. First I was thinking of spending the big buck for a really nice system, but then again this way you take the fun out of growing you hearing capabilities. So, I decided to go with a small budget, get entry level stuff and upgrade piece by piece. This way I know what my system sounds and I can appreciate and evaluate a better sound. So, everything below is budget oriented. Even the headphones are, but I am planning to change that, so the second post will be about that in the respective thread.
   
  Here is the setup currently:
   
  https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aT21I-tjXao/UWaAoovSuAI/AAAAAAAADtQ/mtZ0TUYD7h8/s512/DSCN4167.JPG
  https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JM7Ugm0fU3A/UWaAqar7xqI/AAAAAAAADtY/3qPLqUTNS38/s512/DSCN4163.JPG
   
  As far as I read I am not able to upload images just yet, and IMG does not work.
   
  These are the details:
   
  Headphones: Sennheiser HD202
  DAC with Headphone Amp: DYI USB DAC (PCM2704 with Nichicon Capacitors KA)
  Amp: Philips FA 890
  Speakers: Cabasse Goelette
  Speaker Cables: Furutech
 RCA Cables: Audio Quest
 Stands: Dynaudio


----------



## LugBug1

> *As far as I read I am not able to upload images just yet, and IMG does not work.*
> 
> These are the details:
> 
> ...


 
  Welcome to headfi and sorry for your wallet!
   
  Heres your pics


----------



## HolyCheese

Hey! Those 202's were my first cans! That's funny. I tought my first can always was the hd518 but now I remember them. As far as I can remember I always enjoyed them but they died after I tried to walk away from my pc the n'th time while they were plugged in.
   
  A good solid step up would be the hd518 or the hd558. 
   
   
   
  Oh btw here are some additions to my setup.
  A headphone stand:

   
  Some of the best headphones I have ever heard:


----------



## MattTCG

^^ the 202's were also my first cans many many years ago. Funny, I ended up coming back to the hd650 and have them now. What a great hp!!


----------



## tribestros

Loving the 202s! I had a pair, myself. They're a gateway drug, be warned.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





owenpri said:


>


 
  Omg, bet that sound sick  How well do the tubes preserve the bass? (Or what tubes are you using?) I'm getting a LDI+ for my Grados and I'm wondering if it'll be usable with my bass-heavy headphones.


----------



## conheo

Clean up my desk...=]


----------



## hsubox

Re-did the dining room table-cum-headfi station just now. Last thing I'd like to get (for now) is a dedicated DAC for my laptop. Not pictured are my Grado SR-225i headphones and CMOY amp which are in the other room.


----------



## ssrock64

Jude, any initial impressions on the Moonlight? I've heard good things, but I'm still skeptical.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Jude, any initial impressions on the Moonlight? I've heard good things, but I'm still skeptical.


 
   
  +1. This is the first I've heard of it but it looks very interesting. Its got a similar design to the Brainwavz HM5, is there any connection there?


----------



## axeltow

I guess I brought some old memories with that 202's. Thx for the tips on the new models. The 202's are really nice but in the hands of my gf they started falling apart 
   
  I found the wallet comment hilarious


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





devhen said:


> +1. This is the first I've heard of it but it looks very interesting. Its got a similar design to the Brainwavz HM5, is there any connection there?


 
  It's supposedly all Spider's design, though the cups are likely OEM of some sort. They're a whole lot more shallow than the HM5, but are similar in materials (heavy plastic with metal reinforcement) to the best of my knowledge.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Hey! Those 202's were my first cans! That's funny. I tought my first can always was the hd518 but now I remember them. As far as I can remember I always enjoyed them but they died after I tried to walk away from my pc the n'th time while they were plugged in.
> 
> A good solid step up would be the hd518 or the hd558.
> 
> ...


 

 What exactly are the phones at the bottom here?


----------



## Loevhagen




----------



## alv4426

^^^dayum


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





alv4426 said:


> ^^^dayum


 
  My reaction exactly.


----------



## Greed

He must loveeeeeeeee Audeze sound.


----------



## Loevhagen

You are spot on. There is something with the Audezesound that keeps me fascinated and hooked onto the MUSIC.
   




   
  I´ll keep´em all and have my own museum for the "old days" to come....


----------



## Helstar

Which amp do you use for the TH900?


----------



## Loevhagen

Use Violectric V200 and Burson Soloist. If I should select among this two; the Soloist because it normalizes the TH-900´s exaggerated tonal balance. IMO.
   
  It that was not an issue; the V200 brings some soul to the Fostex...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


>


 
   
  very nice, all the audeze's and He-500 plus t1/th900
   
  any hd 800 or he-6?


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> any hd 800 or he-6?


 
  ...'cause there's still some room on your table!


----------



## khaine1711

So I clean up my desk a little. Still looking for quirky headphone stands. I've tried banana hangers and they can't support the weight of the He-6


----------



## brunk

Do i spy a Lampizator?
  Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> So I clean up my desk a little. Still looking for quirky headphone stands. I've tried banana hangers and they can't support the weight of the He-6


----------



## sobrietywarrior

Got my HE-500 and ALO International with balanced Green Line cable. I love it!


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Do i spy a Lampizator?


 
  Yep. My DAC quest is going to an end  (only  the Auralic Vega and Lynx Hilo left). Also I thought I'd want a black faceplate, but it turns out I like the silver one


----------



## MorbidToaster

Would love to hear it but man do I hate the way they did that power button. lol
   
  Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Yep. My DAC quest is going to an end  (only  the Auralic Vega and Lynx Hilo left). Also I thought I'd want a black faceplate, but it turns out I like the silver one


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Would love to hear it but man do I hate the way they did that power button. lol


 
  Still better than the old button with the red led ring


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> So I clean up my desk a little. Still looking for quirky headphone stands. I've tried banana hangers and they can't support the weight of the He-6
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Audio chain aside (which looks fairly impressive), finally someone who knows what good mousepad is! I approve your PureTrak Talent


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





filus said:


> Audio chain aside (which looks fairly impressive), finally someone who knows what good mousepad is! I approve your PureTrak Talent


 
  Haha. Thank you good sir.
   
  Kind of an old pic but more peripherals for your viewing pleasure


----------



## Jesterphile

My modest setup until my new DAC/Amp arrive to drive the HE500's...


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> My modest setup until my new DAC/Amp arrive to drive the HE500's...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  The MS-1i is a great entry headphone. Used to be one of the first recommended around these parts a few years back.


----------



## longbowbbs

The new Decware Taboo MK III came in...I am waiting for the new rack to arrive. I'll post another pic when I get the new tower arranged.


----------



## jude

At the bookstore with the Apple iPod 160GB, Sony PHA-1 iDevice DAC/amp, and Sony MDR-1R (in silver).


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jude said:


> At the bookstore with the Apple iPod 160GB, Sony PHA-1 iDevice DAC/amp, and Sony MDR-1R (in silver).


 
  Nice, Jude!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> The new Decware Taboo MK III came in...I am waiting for the new rack to arrive. I'll post another pic when I get the new tower arranged.


 
   
  Nice setup mate! How many WPC does the Taboo have?


----------



## longbowbbs

Thanks Ultra!
   
  The new Taboo MK III is 4.6 W into 8 ohms for speakers. I need to find the HP output chart.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> The new Decware Taboo MK III came in...I am waiting for the new rack to arrive. I'll post another pic when I get the new tower arranged.


 
  Didn't see your setup, Longbowbbs!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 How is the Bottlehead Crack + HD800 combo?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  heh heh...Mr. Guttenburg called the Decware CSP2+ a Bottlehead Crack in an article.... The twin Decware's are gorgeous looking together. CSP2+ on the left (It is primarily a Pre-Amp that is also a really nice OTL HP amp. On the right is the new Pentode Decware Taboo MK III. I have several weeks of tweeking the combo to see what they can do together for HP's.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I knew it wasn't the Bottlehead Crack!! The jack on the Crack is up ontop of the amp.. Stupid me. Well, glad your enjoying the combo.


----------



## anoxy

My head-fi station is my battlestation. Very modest compared to most people here, but I like it.


----------



## LCfiner

Very Nice. I always like seeing Mad Dogs out there. And that second screen as a huge album browser is sweet.
   
  Last step: make or buy some stands for those speakers and get them off the desk for even better sound.


----------



## anoxy

Audioengine DS2 stands on the way!


----------



## alv4426

My thoughts exactly, very nice anoxy and it gives me an idea for when I have more desk space.
  Quote: 





lcfiner said:


> Very Nice. I always like seeing Mad Dogs out there.* And that second screen as a huge album browser is sweet*.
> 
> Last step: make or buy some stands for those speakers and get them off the desk for even better sound.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





anoxy said:


> My head-fi station is my battlestation. Very modest compared to most people here, but I like it.


 
  How did you set up the screen like that?


----------



## anoxy

Thanks guys. Both monitors pivot 90 degrees so you can put them in portrait mode. And the album art is full screen "Cover View" in JRiver Media Center.


----------



## buttons252

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Loving the 202s! I had a pair, myself. They're a gateway drug, be warned.


 
  I bought HD202s a few months ago and i wasnt impressed at all with the build quality / comfort.  They sounded ok, but didnt hold up at all.  I have to recable them if i want to ever use them again and its tough to justify $20 in cables and connectors for headphones i didnt much care for to begin with.
   
  I think monoprice MEP-839 are the best headphones in that price point.


----------



## tribestros

buttons252 said:


> I bought HD202s a few months ago and i wasnt impressed at all with the build quality / comfort.  They sounded ok, but didnt hold up at all.  I have to recable them if i want to ever use them again and its tough to justify $20 in cables and connectors for headphones i didnt much care for to begin with.
> 
> I think monoprice MEP-839 are the best headphones in that price point.




Cool, because I'll never purchase a Monoprice product as long as I live.


----------



## Trident900fi

Lampizator DAC 4, Parrasound P/LD1100 pre-amp, Tektron TK2A3/50M mono 2A3 amplifier and T1 headphone. Computer is using as source.
   
  Provisional configuration, I'm waiting an SR-009 and Eddy Current Electra 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I initially post in the "Pictures of your computer rigs" and a kind member suggest me to post here, there will more people interested


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Thanks Ultra!
> 
> The new Taboo MK III is 4.6 W into 8 ohms for speakers. I need to find the HP output chart.


 
   
  I was planning on getting a Taboo as well for my orthos and speakers but then I finally ended up ordering a custom build from Glenn with 8W/channel. Can't wait to receive it (ordered it 4 months ago, will probably take 2 more months)


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





trident900fi said:


> Lampizator DAC 4, Parrasound P/LD1100 pre-amp, Tektron TK2A3/50M mono 2A3 amplifier and T1 headphone. Computer is using as source.
> 
> Provisional configuration, I'm waiting an SR-009 and Eddy Current Electra
> 
> ...


 
   
  Man that's some beautiful gear!! I'd be scared to death that card table would hinge and deposit my gear onto the floor in a hot minute!!


----------



## Trident900fi

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Man that's some beautiful gear!! I'd be scared to death that card table would hinge and deposit my gear onto the floor in a hot minute!!


 
  Thanks ! The table is very strong, no problem with this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The amps are design to use with speakers, but work very well with headphone !! Much better than my previous GD-Audio Phénix, which was good, but do not sing like the 2A3 !!
  I just order other tubes to try


----------



## IceClass

jude said:


> At the bookstore with the Apple iPod 160GB, Sony PHA-1 iDevice DAC/amp, and Sony MDR-1R (in silver).




My vote for this Month's Most Metrosexual rig.
Very intrigued to know how the PHA-1 performs.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





trident900fi said:


> Lampizator DAC 4, Parrasound P/LD1100 pre-amp, Tektron TK2A3/50M mono 2A3 amplifier and T1 headphone. Computer is using as source.
> 
> Provisional configuration, I'm waiting an SR-009 and Eddy Current Electra
> 
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Flip a coin on which is better. Glenn and Steve are both fantastic engineers.




   
  I may have to pick up a pair of LCD-2's just because Steve made the amp specifically with them in mind. I am spending time playing with the Lucid mode's and it is quite a difference in sound characteristics. Steve said depending on the track Lucid on or off would be more enjoyable. So true. On the right tune it is incredible. On the wrong one you are in a tunnel. It is fun having the options close at hand.
   
  Then there is the whole balanced cable issue....Right now I only have SE so that is another part on the list to acquire.
   
  Always something around here!


----------



## LugBug1

Few things added.. 
   
   

   
   

   
  And bedside


----------



## brunk

That's alot of isolation you have on your bedside there


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





brunk said:


> That's alot of isolation you have on your bedside there


 
  Yeah its a marble chopping board! 
   
  You need a lot of isolation when your bed moves as much as mine  I like to wear headphones when I'm on the job.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

haha wut ^


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

pardon the double post, but here is a relevant room rig:


----------



## calipilot227

lugbug1 said:


> Few things added..
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Very nice! Audio GD NFB-12 with the HD800's? And what CD player is that?

(Sorry, I'm on my phone, it's very difficult to remove the quoted pics)


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Very nice! Audio GD NFB-12 with the HD800's? And what CD player is that?
> 
> (Sorry, I'm on my phone, it's very difficult to remove the quoted pics)


 
  Thanks 
   
  Its the Audio gd C2.2, pairs well with the Senns. The CD player is Marantz 5001.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Ok I'll bite... why not?


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Cool, because I'll never purchase a Monoprice product as long as I live.


 
   




   
  Suit yourself... but Monoprice is Awesome!


----------



## Trident900fi

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> pardon the double post, but here is a relevant room rig:


 
  Nice turntable ! Don't see one of this since a long time !


----------



## jude

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> My vote for this Month's Most Metrosexual rig.
> Very intrigued to know how the PHA-1 performs.


 
   
  If I told you I packed that whole setup on the table because it fit well in my *smallish Incase bag*, that probably wouldn't make it seem any less metrosexual, would it?
   
  No...prolly not.


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





devhen said:


> Ok I'll bite... why not?


 
   
  Because Monoprice has furthered the myth that all cabling is the same, while still offering different levels of cable quality. You can't have it both ways. Not to mention Monoprice's headphone manufacturing makes me sick, they just steal headphones and rebadge them. Awful customer service, I once ordered a faulty HDMI switch from them, and they just blew me off. If I want cheap cables or cheap headphones, I'll buy it off Amazon.


----------



## Maxvla

I would wager many audiophile cable company owners/staff also think there is no difference in cables. They sell them anyways because there is a market.


----------



## nelamvr6

tribestros said:


> Because Monoprice has furthered the myth that all cabling is the same, while still offering different levels of cable quality. You can't have it both ways. Not to mention Monoprice's headphone manufacturing makes me sick, they just steal headphones and rebadge them. Awful customer service, I once ordered a faulty HDMI switch from them, and they just blew me off. If I want cheap cables or cheap headphones, I'll buy it off Amazon.




Monoprice isn't where I shop for audio cables, though I was surprised... No, AMAZED at some of the IEMs I got there.

But Monoprice is the first place I look for things like Cat5 or Cat6 cables, TV brackets, actually a lot of things.

If you feel that strongly about it, I suppose you have every right to boycott them. But you certainly won't be hurting them very much, and you may be paying a lot more than you need to for some things.


----------



## devhen

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  They have different "levels" of cables based on the quality of the connector housings and the gauge of the wire, not because they're implying one will perform better than another. And I've been extremely impressed with their customer service as have many others.
   
  Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in the case of the 8323 its other companies like Kicker that are rebranding a Monoprice headphone not the other way around.


----------



## anoxy

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I would wager many audiophile cable company owners/staff also think there is no difference in cables. They sell them anyways because there is a market.


 
  Bingo. As long as fools continue to throw their money at them...


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> I would wager many audiophile cable company owners/staff also think there is no difference in cables. They sell them anyways because there is a market.


 

 Everybody knows that expensive cables have better electrons


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Monoprice isn't where I shop for audio cables, though I was surprised... No, AMAZED at some of the IEMs I got there.
> 
> But Monoprice is the first place I look for things like Cat5 or Cat6 cables, TV brackets, actually a lot of things.
> 
> If you feel that strongly about it, I suppose you have every right to boycott them. But you certainly won't be hurting them very much, and you may be paying a lot more than you need to for some things.


 
   
  Amazon and Best Buy for cables. I can get any HDMI cable cheaper on Amazon and BBY has $10 HDMI that after tax & no shipping are cheaper than the Monoprice ones anyway. If I want good quality speaker wire, there's tons of other places that give better prices & better products. Monoprice is like Micro Center...bunch of cheap crap that internet elitists think are quality...not to mention, like I said, shamelessly rip products and bend over companies by changing products others developed ever so slightly and selling it below cost...
   
  Yet, this is an off-topic conversation, so, this belongs in Sound Science really since (as always) it has devolved into a cable argument.


----------



## paradoxper

Bunch of whiners. Buy what you want. But shut up with the bitching and post your pictures.


----------



## ardgedee

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Not to mention Monoprice's headphone manufacturing makes me sick, they just steal headphones and rebadge them.


 
   
  Monoprice buys their headphones, USB hubs, and other electronic accessories from contract manufacturers, exactly the same way that Skullcandy, Amazon, Best Buy, and any other small independent house or diversified reseller does. This is literally a process of picking products out of an OEM's catalog and specifying colors and printing. You can see a couple dozen different headphone OEM's samples on Alibaba. If Monoprice's products resemble other resellers' products, it's because they both chose the same product out of the same OEM's catalog.
   
  I can't speak of Monoprice's customer service because I've never had to follow up with them about an order. I won't comment about cables here.


----------



## Greed

offffffffffff topiccccccc..... move on


----------



## GrindingThud

Alligators have taken over:


----------



## Greed

Just received a new toy a few days ago, and it sounds absolutely wonderful. Still, testing out my cans with it, but it seems to pair very nicely with the HD650. I will be adding to the amp soon with more top shelf parts, but for now, I can say with 100% certainty that it sounds better than my old Burson HA-160. 
   
   

   

   
  Sorry for the poor lighting, gloomy day, and too lazy to bring out the big camera. 
   
   

   
  Got to love _vintage_.


----------



## Bookbear

Quote: 





jtaylor991 said:


> I'd rather not play with it anymore if nothing in my rig changes (such as room treatments or a different room) as it takes up too much time, and I stop enjoying the music as a result. That's what it's all about, right??


 
  Why, yes... yes, it is!  (lest we forget)


----------



## Kiont

greed said:


> Just received a new toy a few days ago, and it sounds absolutely wonderful. Still, testing out my cans with it, but it seems to pair very nicely with the HD650. I will be adding to the amp soon with more top shelf parts, but for now, I can say with 100% certainty that it sounds better than my old Burson HA-160.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Ahhh my dad had one of those marantz before I was born, I'm 30 now, it ended up at a garage sale 10 years ago. 

If I knew better.....

By the way isn't that stack getting hot? it looks like it may not have enough air flow.


----------



## Kiont

Double....


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





greed said:


> Just received a new toy a few days ago, and it sounds absolutely wonderful. Still, testing out my cans with it, but it seems to pair very nicely with the HD650. I will be adding to the amp soon with more top shelf parts, but for now, I can say with 100% certainty that it sounds better than my old Burson HA-160.


 
   
  wow endgame 650 setup with norse cable


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





kiont said:


> Ahhh my dad had one of those marantz before I was born, I'm 30 now, it ended up at a garage sale 10 years ago.
> 
> If I knew better.....
> 
> By the way isn't that stack getting hot? it looks like it may not have enough air flow.


 
   
  Seems to be fine. I was a bit worried about heat as well, but the unit breathes very well, and both enclosures seem to vent very well. Also, even if they weren't stacked the venting would be the same, there are no vents on the bottom or top of the cases.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> wow endgame 650 setup with norse cable


 
  Im really enjoying the combo, and would be very content with the setup, if I didn't have that urge to try better gear...


----------



## Jesterphile

My growing collection


----------



## Trident900fi

Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> My growing collection


 
  Very nice, I love the Audio-GD


----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





trident900fi said:


> Very nice, I love the Audio-GD


 
  Cheers, I only received it today - I'm quite happy with it


----------



## gibbro

Strangely the Vlink has not arrived yet, the power supply did...


----------



## Trident900fi

Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> Cheers, I only received it today - I'm quite happy with it


 
  I had a Audio-GD Phoenix headphone amplifier for a year. Great amplifier and very good value for the money... I'm sure that you will be happy with it


----------



## BlueRain

My little collection of head gear...growing it is.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





gibbro said:


>


 
  Nice combo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I really wish you could still get the old Denons.


----------



## BlueRain

I'm saving for a pair o TH900's .  I hoping to be able to get them in July.


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





bluerain said:


> My little collection of head gear...growing it is.


 

 Nice collection and warns me if i ever get into the expensive gear it might not be instant satisfaction with the first purchase. Scary thought


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

WOW. Vinatage Marantz gear is really quite nice looking. Gratz!


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





bluerain said:


> My little collection of head gear...growing it is.


 
   
  Great looking collection 
   
   



hellbishop said:


> Nice collection and warns me if i ever get into the expensive gear it might not be instant satisfaction with the first purchase. Scary thought


 

   
  It's neverending story


----------



## mmayer167

Love the stick figure on the vol knob! 
  Quote: 





greed said:


>


----------



## BlueRain

Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> Nice collection and warns me if i ever get into the expensive gear it might not be instant satisfaction with the first purchase. Scary thought


 
  I always enjoy hearing my tunes a slightly different way.  The combination of gear allows this.  Even when I get the Fostex TH900 I'll not be done.  I would like to replace the Firestone gear with something else...maybe a nice tube dac+amp.


----------



## disastermouse

Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> My growing collection


 
  Which HiFiMan cans are those?  They look like my HE-500.  Meanwhile, the Mad Dogs with Alpha Pads are my lusted-for closed can desire right now.


----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





disastermouse said:


> Which HiFiMan cans are those?  They look like my HE-500.  Meanwhile, the Mad Dogs with Alpha Pads are my lusted-for closed can desire right now.


 
  They are HE500's. Those are just stock T50RPs at the moment (I'm going to try my hand at modding them)... I had Mad Dogs and I miss them dearly. They were great... So I'll probably be purchasing them again - maybe I should get the balanced version this time


----------



## disastermouse

Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> They are HE500's. Those are just stock T50RPs at the moment... I had Mad Dogs and I miss them dearly. They were great...


 
  Aren't the HE-500 just amazing?  I'm in love.  Can you compare Mad Dogs to the HE-500?


----------



## claud W




----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





disastermouse said:


> Aren't the HE-500 just amazing?  I'm in love.  Can you compare Mad Dogs to the HE-500?


 
  The HE500's are great - I can't believe how good they sound.
   
  The HE500 reproduces instruments more naturally, is more airy and has a much wider soundstage. The HE500's are also a touch brighter, and I don't think they have the bass impact the Mad Dogs have.
   
  The Mad Dogs are incredible for their price, they blow the HE500's away comfort wise too.


----------



## darkfibre

My current setup


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





darkfibre said:


> My current setup


 
  Theres no picture.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sometimes you have to start from zero....


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Sometimes you have to start from zero....


 

 I did. And still have most of it left


----------



## zeinharis

longbowbbs said:


> Sometimes you have to start from zero....




LMAO


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

OK....I got the new audio rack from Audio Advisors and have started to reconfigure the gear....
   
   

   
  MBPro with Amarra, Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2, Sennheiser HD800's, Decware CSP2+ as pre-amp, Decware Taboo MK III amp....


----------



## Argybargy

longbowbbs said:


> OK....I got the new audio rack from Audio Advisors and have started to reconfigure the gear....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Any night shots with glowing tubes for the Decware pair?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll get the camera out tonight and see if I can get a couple of long exposure shots....


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> OK....I got the new audio rack from Audio Advisors and have started to reconfigure the gear....
> 
> 
> MBPro with Amarra, Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2, Sennheiser HD800's, Decware CSP2+ as pre-amp, Decware Taboo MK III amp....


 
   
  Looking good, longbowbbs.  Especially the Decware(s).  How do you like the DAC-2 with the new Taboo?  Been eyeing that to pair with my Decware.


----------



## Jamesy1969

My current favourites (including the Glenfiddich - lovely organic burn) and a few random CDs. Waiting on a new big, shiny knob for the M-Stage.
   
  I don't think I'll ever have to label photographs - sticking to classic combinations


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I am very happy with the DAC-2. The first time I heard it I was hooked and I am pleased it is part of the chain. One thing that attracted me was how it could be upgraded when new technologies came around. It will soon be going in for some of these new upgrades....Always something!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> OK....I got the new audio rack from Audio Advisors and have started to reconfigure the gear....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  I'm really curious about those large tubes with the external connections.  What can you tell me about them?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> I'm really curious about those large tubes with the external connections.  What can you tell me about them?


 
   
  that would be.....the_ *MIGHTY*_* 596!!!*


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How much does a mighty 596 fetch, if you don't mind.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

they're pretty hard to find. there where a few group buys where people where getting them for like 60-70 a tube. i've seen a couple on ebay for 99$, that was a few weeks ago. they rarely come up for sale. jack has some for sale right now, hes charging like 90$ or so for them. also some1 sold one here on head-fi for 100$ not too long ago.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> they're pretty hard to find. there where a few group buys where people where getting them for like 60-70 a tube. i've seen a couple on ebay for 99$, that was a few weeks ago. they rarely come up for sale. jack has some for sale right now, hes charging like 90$ or so for them.


 
   
   
  I'd love to see some pics of them glowing!


----------



## longbowbbs

The USAF-596 is a cool tube made by United Electronics.As far as it's sound quality I find it has a very solid bottom end and very nice mids. It has become my current favorite Rectifier. 
   
  To quote Silent One regarding the external wires:
   
  Silent One - "Those are anode wires connecting to the grid cap. Lower powered tubes usually have this construction internally, as opposed to external wiring. The USAF-596 is a powerful compact rectifier, and the external anode construction allows for more power in a smaller package; higher gain; better operation at higher frequency.
  
 Additionally, designers had the foresight to include the "Cool factor" for later generations...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 "


----------



## nelamvr6

They certainly nailed the cool factor!


----------



## Powello

Yeah awesome looking amps! totally need some glowing shots


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I am very happy with the DAC-2. The first time I heard it I was hooked and I am pleased it is part of the chain. One thing that attracted me was how it could be upgraded when new technologies came around. It will soon be going in for some of these new upgrades....Always something!


 
   
  Seems to be a pretty popular pairing.  Of what upgrades do you speak?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Finally got the whole rig put together and finished the rack today!
   

   

   
  Since im a cheapa$$ i built the rack myself, its made out of cinder blocks and MDF, but i cut a bunch of 1/4" neoprene rubber to size to put between all of the shelves and cinder blocks for vibration isolation.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Finally got the whole rig put together and finished the rack today!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Great setup! But not so great album


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Great setup! But not so great album


 

 haha ouch...
   
  Oh, i also finally got the spikes on my speakers, what a difference that made. I also used them to perfectly level the speakers which i think also made a huge difference. Very happy with the rig now


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm still in envy of your speakers from when you showed them off a couple of weeks ago. I will have something to show off come early May though
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




(Early May((no numbers
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)) is my birthday, you all know what that means!)


----------



## nailbunny7

Just finished mine :3
  Made my own cable. I was very pleased with how it turned out.


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Finally got the whole rig put together and finished the rack today!
> *snip*
> 
> Since im a cheapa$$ i built the rack myself, its made out of cinder blocks and MDF, but i cut a bunch of 1/4" neoprene rubber to size to put between all of the shelves and cinder blocks for vibration isolation.


 
  I have this personal vendetta against MDF furniture. They never seem to stay flat for more than a few months. They bend *very *easily.


----------



## fatmaggot

Budget-fi how are ya


----------



## Dubstep Girl

lego stand l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0l0ll0l0l0l!!!!!
   
  cool idea though


----------



## Techno Kid

Here's what I mainly use now though I'm getting the Colorfly CK4 and saving for the Schiit Lyr.  I also use my Dell notebook sometimes but I like the C3's sound more.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Upgraded USB, DSD support and a few other goodies depending on how much you want to spend....


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Finally got the whole rig put together and finished the rack today!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  SK, I love the Aries I with the Dynavestor!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Great setup! But not so great album


 
  Hey, there's nothing wrong with an occasional guilty pleasure.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> they're pretty hard to find. there where a few group buys where people where getting them for like 60-70 a tube. i've seen a couple on ebay for 99$, that was a few weeks ago. they rarely come up for sale. jack has some for sale right now, hes charging like 90$ or so for them. also some1 sold one here on head-fi for 100$ not too long ago.


 
  Thanks, girl.  That's not TOO bad 'cept you've got to buy the adaptor, also.  Certainly cheaper than the Princess, which I have.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Upgraded USB, DSD support and a few other goodies depending on how much you want to spend....


 
  Are those upgrades available at Wyred4Sound?  Seems like DSD would be a nice upgrade.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





fatmaggot said:


> Budget-fi how are ya


 
  Gotta say I'm very taken by that lego stand!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Thanks, girl.  That's not TOO bad 'cept you've got to buy the adaptor, also.  Certainly cheaper than the Princess, which I have.


 
   
  with adapter its roughly the same price, though i much prefer the 596 over the princess. took a while, at first the 596 sounded a little harsh and aggressive, but then it smoothened out a bit, either way, its a very good sounding tube, one of the best imo. i find the princess to be a very good tube, certainly to me, a reference, but it can be a little too smooth sometimes.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

longbowbbs said:


> SK, I love the Aries I with the Dynavestor!




I am also loving the combination, pretty happy I went with the 17d3 instead of the 10x5




ssrock64 said:


> Hey, there's nothing wrong with an occasional guilty pleasure.




Here here!


----------



## MorbidToaster

17d3 is looking more and more like my cart pick for the incoming Kuzma, too. Think it'll work well with the rest of the rig.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

morbidtoaster said:


> 17d3 is looking more and more like my cart pick for the incoming Kuzma, too. Think it'll work well with the rest of the rig.




Not thinking the XX2 is your future cart anymore?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Cheaper than the EML Glass as well...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I'm still in envy of your speakers from when you showed them off a couple of weeks ago. I will have something to show off come early May though
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  It means we're taking your bike 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




back! It's not like anyone will be able to pull you away from your upcoming speakers. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Might as well donate the bike while it's still new.


----------



## MorbidToaster

souprknowva said:


> Not thinking the XX2 is your future cart anymore?




I'm thinking I can 'get away with' the 17d3. And I've heard from some that the high end on the 17d3 is better than the XX-2 (though the XX-2 is more balanced) and my system has bassaplenty already. Think the 2 sigs together will sound good.

$800 buys a lot of records. SYL box just set me back and RSD this weekend is going to rob me.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


>


 
   
  I was just fixin' to comment on your audio rack, I really like the look! A great DIY example by the way. After the "Head-Fi" update, the pix are missing.


----------



## MorbidToaster

I thought it was a good idea. I'd do thicker shelves though. Better yet, get another piece of MDF and put that rubber stuff in between and glue them together. Thicker shelves that definitely serve their purpose...and it'd look cool. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I was just fixin' to comment on your audio rack, I really like the look! A great DIY example by the way. After the "Head-Fi" update, the pix are missing.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I thought it was a good idea. I'd do thicker shelves though. Better yet, get another piece of MDF and put that rubber stuff in between and glue them together. Thicker shelves that definitely serve their purpose...and it'd look cool.


 

  
  Haha i was thinking of that as well...the only problem is that that rubber stuff aint cheap. cost me 90 bucks after shipping for a 36 inch wide 5ft long roll of the 1/4in. so youre talking some serious cash to do what youre thinking. Im not super worried about the shelves though, theres not that much weight on them, and its 3/4" MDF, i think itll be ok


----------



## MorbidToaster

You could do strips. Not necessarily one huge piece, but I get you. It works 
   
  I subscribe to the short, small rack club. As little space in my room as it needs to take up...But big and bold works sometimes too.
   
  Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Haha i was thinking of that as well...the only problem is that that rubber stuff aint cheap. cost me 90 bucks after shipping for a 36 inch wide 5ft long roll of the 1/4in. so youre talking some serious cash to do what youre thinking. Im not super worried about the shelves though, theres not that much weight on them, and its 3/4" MDF, i think itll be ok


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  No!! Not speakers
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm trying to find a good bike route for my birthday, that shall be fun


----------



## jaywillin

so current, its got steam coming of of it !


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





jaywillin said:


> so current, its got steam coming of of it !


 
   
   
  Noice!


----------



## wolfetan44

What could it be?


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> What could it be?


 
  AKG K702 Anv?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  No.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> No.


 
  HD650 then?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  No


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> No


 
  Hifiman HE-400?


----------



## flipper2gv

Here is my station!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  It is the HD650
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hence the emoticons.


----------



## Noobmachine

My current late night partner  I've kinda been neglecting my poor LCD2s


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> No!! Not speakers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  As a fellow cyclist, this is good to hear!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I can't wait


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  They wil be. Send them an e-mail that you are interested in being notified of any upgrades and they will provide the information.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> My current late night partner
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gorgeous shot. I so want the Pan-Am.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> My current late night partner
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Beautiful! I'd love to see a shot with the tube covers removed, so we can see the beautiful glow!


----------



## RamblinE

Got some new stuff. A Headroom Micro Amp. TC-754 phono pre. AKG K550s. And a derpy little cheap looking Denon direct-drive w/ a p-mount Ortofon that sounds better then it has a right to. It's my hold over until I can afford to buy a Pro-Ject.


----------



## Yuceka

^^ Those 701s... One of the most handsome headphones out there..


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





yuceka said:


> ^^ Those 701s... One of the most handsome headphones out there..


 
  It may be one of the most handsome headphones out there, but the K550 won the Red Dot Award.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> It may be one of the most handsome headphones out there, but the K550 won the Red Dot Award.


 
  Then I'm glad I've got them both in one stable. I tend to like the looks of the K701s more but they NEVER leave the house.


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





rambline said:


> Then I'm glad I've got them both in one stable. I tend to like the looks of the K701s more but they NEVER leave the house.


 
  I don't see why you would bring it out of your house since they're open headphones.
   
   
  ALTHOUGH one time i was taking a leak in the washroom and someone pulled up next to me with the Q701s on...wanted to say something but 'man rule' states you don't speak to anyone when you're taking a leak.


----------



## mosshorn

Quote: 





flipper2gv said:


> Here is my station!


 
  Digging the kyusu! Whatcha drinking?


----------



## flipper2gv

Quote: 





mosshorn said:


> Digging the kyusu! Whatcha drinking?


 
  Right now, just received some 2013 Gyokuro and Sencha from ebay store Idllu (fantastic quality btw). But I'm quite the heretic and also use the kyusu for my Chinese green, white and green oolong teas.


----------



## mosshorn

Quote: 





flipper2gv said:


> Right now, just received some 2013 Gyokuro and Sencha from ebay store Idllu (fantastic quality btw). But I'm quite the heretic and also use the kyusu for my Chinese green, white and green oolong teas.


 
  No problem at all, before mine broke it was the all purpose pot as well ^_^ I mean especially with greens and whites, they absorb so little that I never really found it an issue. I'll have to check out that shop though, I used to shop O-Cha but have kind of slacked on tea ordering lately, all my money has been going to this!
   
  How was the Shincha this year if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> I don't see why you would bring it out of your house since they're open headphones.
> 
> 
> ALTHOUGH one time i was taking a leak in the washroom and someone pulled up next to me with the Q701s on...wanted to say something but 'man rule' states you don't speak to anyone when you're taking a leak.


 
  I wear my Grado's to school sometimes. They're a lot easier to crack open and dust out though...


----------



## tribestros

rambline said:


> I wear my Grado's to school sometimes. They're a lot easier to crack open and dust out though...




I used to wear mine around campus. But the cord doesn't work anymore.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





flipper2gv said:


> Right now, just received some 2013 Gyokuro and Sencha from ebay store Idllu (fantastic quality btw). But I'm quite the heretic and also use the kyusu for my Chinese green, white and green oolong teas.


 
  Tea and headphone gear is right up my alley!


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





bluerain said:


> I always enjoy hearing my tunes a slightly different way.  The combination of gear allows this.  Even when I get the Fostex TH900 I'll not be done.  I would like to replace the Firestone gear with something else...maybe a nice tube dac+amp.


 
   
  Am the same way  I have 14 different headphones in the fifty to two hundred dollar range with my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (250 ohm) the most expensive. Then theres the five pair of bookshelf speakers in the closet along with the passive Insignia bass reflex on my desk and some fantastic Samson Media One 3a studio monitors for nearfield listening i picked up two days ago. Variety is definitely a most wonderful spice  I think am done with speakers though. These Samsons are amazing at nearfield listening volume without any worries of missing anything or bothering the neighbors. Still looking for one more headphone in the pricey range and hopefully that will end my journey..hopefully


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





mosshorn said:


> Digging the kyusu! Whatcha drinking?


 
   
  Awesome futuristic monolithic color scheme like something out of A SPACE ODYSSEY 2001. Thanks for the view mosshorn. Oops just noticed the original post was by flipper2gv. Ye gads my excitement is blinding.


----------



## Fririce0003

Well I did want to post some pics of my head fi station, but it would appear that I can't upload images. Do I need more forum posts before I can post pictures?


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Well I did want to post some pics of my head fi station, but it would appear that I can't upload images. Do I need more forum posts before I can post pictures?


 
   
  Yes you need a minimum post count to post pictures. It's a security feature to fight spam. You have to go spam the forum with a bunch of meaningless posts before you can post images.


----------



## Fririce0003

Tha





kimlaroux said:


> Yes you need a minimum post count to post pictures. It's a security feature to fight spam. You have to go spam the forum with a bunch of meaningless posts before you can post images.
> 
> :rolleyes:




Thanks mate, well off I go spamming then I guess...


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Tha
> Thanks mate, well off I go spamming then I guess...


 
   
  Yes, hurry.  We want pics.


----------



## mrAdrian

The European All-time Classics
   
   

  The Japanese Beautiful Woodies
   

  The USA Scream Machine


----------



## Silent One

It's over!
   

   
   
_Coming soon._.. new gears; rack, Summer 2013. Shown above: WireWorld cable inventory with Furutech ends.


----------



## WhiteCrow

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> The USA Scream Machine


 
  But Alessandro is the European branch is it not?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Did you pull a me? lol
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> It's over!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

If I'm going to change the residence, I might as well make other changes while new opportunities present themselves. First, as challenges, then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 as options.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> Finally got the whole rig put together and finished the rack today!


 
   
  Cinder blocks for the win!


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Cinder blocks for the win!


 
   
  I agree completely! See exhibits A and B in the speaker stands in my living room, and under my bed as a bed frame, Im a big fan of cinder blocks, the people at home depot i think know me pretty well with how often im over there buying more


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> But Alessandro is the European branch is it not?


 
   
  Are they? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Their website didn't suggest that :S


----------



## Fririce0003

Can finally post some pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well here's my collection in my room till I save up to build the theater room, just buying a house and then a pair of Zu Audio Soul Supreme's didn't leave my finances too happy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But not too bad for a 20 year old apprentice electrician, soo much overtime... well worth it though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Still have the stockies in while I see how stable the power in the area is, dying to get back to the Sohpia Princesses and NOS Sylvania's, soo much sweeter! Oh and don't worry the subs arent used for music, they're just for some added impact for movies.
  Now to start putting savings away again, though I could do with a turntable... My record collection feels left out


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


>


 
   
  I can definitely say that i approve of your selection there! Are those imports you have up in the top left?


----------



## Fririce0003

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> I can definitely say that i approve of your selection there! Are those imports you have up in the top left?


 

 Yup those are indeed imports, straight from japan, with the aussie dollar the way it is now I may have some more on the way. Still got to get around to buying; Oreimo, Fate/Zero and Durarara! on blu ray from Japan... once you get one japanese box set you just cant stop, they're just too good


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Yup those are indeed imports, straight from japan, with the aussie dollar the way it is now I may have some more on the way. Still got to get around to buying; Oreimo, Fate/Zero and Durarara! on blu ray from Japan... once you get one japanese box set you just cant stop, they're just too good


 
   
  I know the feeling dude, I started with all of Hanasaku Iroha, with all 4 art boxes, then it was the Toradora BD Box, then all of Ben-To, both Fate/Zero sets, the Ergo Proxy BD Box, and then all of Tari Tari. Im most likely going to be importing all of Shinsekai Yori as well...Its like a desease or something i swear...


----------



## Fririce0003

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> I know the feeling dude, I started with all of Hanasaku Iroha, with all 4 art boxes, then it was the Toradora BD Box, then all of Ben-To, both Fate/Zero sets, the Ergo Proxy BD Box, and then all of Tari Tari. Im most likely going to be importing all of Shinsekai Yori as well...Its like a desease or something i swear...


 

 Haruhi was my first, hmm that came out wrong, but its an affliction my wallet will never recover from well between anime and head fi of course. Gotta stop impulse buying, if I see a JP blu ray release with subs of a series I liked next thing I know I'm at the checkout... though the same thing happened when I bought the Soul Supreme's, "oh those are new" => email tone rings, new email 'Invoice - Magenta Audio, Soul Supreme' => "it happened again"


----------



## DefQon

fririce0003 said:


> Haruhi was my first




Nice to know


----------



## Kiont

wow I think you have a dream setup right there!
   
  so...... can we be friends?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> It's over!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  This will be fun!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> This will be fun!


 
   
  +1


----------



## MorbidToaster

Moving is definitely the right time to make changes. I'm making some and I move next week. 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> If I'm going to change the residence, I might as well make other changes while new opportunities present themselves. First, as challenges, then
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Moving is definitely the right time to make changes. I'm making some and I move next week.


 
   
  If push comes to shove - and I end up shoving my empty wallet onto the floor - I'll simply place my big fat 92 pound Sansui G-22000 in the middle of the room with headphones... _and go about my biz. _


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Can finally post some pics
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Now, that's some good livin' right there! 




   
  When you've the chance, I'd like to learn more about the feet sitting under your WA5.


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Can finally post some pics
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I am drooling over that chair, it looks like chair I always wanted (not saying mine is bad, but this one looks much more comfortable and luxurious). It's hard to believe you could afford all of that as apprentice electrician, in my country regular electricians can't afford normal headphones let alone room full of such goodies


----------



## Massacare

One not-so-new thing added to my collection .



Spoiler


----------



## Silent One

Looks great from here!


----------



## Fririce0003

silent one said:


> Now, that's some good livin' right there!
> 
> 
> When you've the chance, I'd like to learn more about the feet sitting under your WA5.




The feet under the woo are just some solidtech isoclears, not too bad for the price. I was a bit scheptical but they bring down the noise floor a little and the dynamics seem slightly better.
As for the chair very comfy, another two came in the other day for my soon to be theater room  Electricians have it good down here in commercial industrial, people are too lazy for labor down here. Also helps being in a specialzied field, installing lifts and escalators, it helps fund my addiction so u can't complain


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Did you pull a me? lol


 
  That's precisely what I thought, too.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





massacare said:


> One not-so-new thing added to my collection
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Right connector on left cup?


----------



## Argybargy




----------



## brunk

nice looking integrated you have there!
  Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


----------



## Argybargy

Thanks.  Completely rebuilt: replaced every single resistor and electrolytic and film cap, among other things.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> How rich are you people


 
  Not nearly as rich as we were before we discovered Head-Fi!


----------



## Argybargy

asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> How rich are you people




Just middle class.
My priorities go like this:
1) music
2) audio stuff
3) food
10) car, housing, clothes, blah,blah,blah


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  So true!!!


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Just middle class.
> My priorities go like this:
> 1) music
> 2) audio stuff
> ...


 
   Wouldn't have it any other way


----------



## MorbidToaster

Not really at all. Just gotta get your priorities straight. 
   
  Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> How rich are you people


----------



## KetchupNinja

My humble set up at the moment.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





ketchupninja said:


> My humble set up at the moment.


 
    Nice!


----------



## danL93

My humble rig, very happy so far.  Think I'll be done for a while after I get a desktop amp and dac.


----------



## DefQon

Are those HFI-2400's?


----------



## danL93

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Are those HFI-2400's?


 
  No, they are Pro900's with the HD650 headband padding mod


----------



## DefQon

Ah looks similar from the front.


----------



## vid

Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  I've got the working class version of that.


----------



## Andolink

The Norse Audio Skuld 2 with rayon jacket is the new addition to my rig.


----------



## Flisker

Best combination, my ears had pleasure of listening to so far


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





flisker said:


> Best combination, my ears had pleasure of listening to so far


 
  Very nice. One of these days I need to spend some time with T1's.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





flisker said:


> Best combination, my ears had pleasure of listening to so far


 
   
   
  Nice!


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Very nice. One of these days I need to spend some time with T1's.


 
   
   



nelamvr6 said:


> Nice!


 

   
  Thanks guys


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Very nice. One of these days I need to spend some time with T1's.


 
  A lot of people criticize the T1, but it's one of my favorite TOTL offerings.


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> A lot of people criticize the T1, but it's one of my favorite TOTL offerings.


 
   
  I understand why, treble is too "clear/harsh" with many tubes. I'am currently using Voskhod 6N1P in Lyr and this tube makes treble fine for me.
   
  Took me about week to get really used to these headphones and now I love them. Excellent detail, bass impact, overall bass .. mids .. treble. I can't complain about anything. Also I like bright headphones ... wanna try RS-1 someday too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I have to say I really like HD650, had them for quite some time, but yesterday when I put T1 on stand to try HD650 again after about week with T1 I was shocked. My ears was like "this is not right, put it back on the stand".


----------



## teknikk7

Quote: 





flisker said:


> I understand why, treble is too "clear/harsh" with many tubes. I'am currently using Voskhod 6N1P in Lyr and this tube makes treble fine for me.
> 
> Took me about week to get really used to these headphones and now I love them. Excellent detail, bass impact, overall bass .. mids .. treble. I can't complain about anything. Also I like bright headphones ... wanna try RS-1 someday too
> 
> ...


 
  Good to hear. I currently own the HD650 and the T1's have been on my most wanted list for a long time...


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





teknikk7 said:


> Good to hear. I currently own the HD650 and the T1's have been on my most wanted list for a long time...


 
   
  If you decide to "blind buy" them as I did, be prepared that those 2 are very different headphones.
   
  HD650 is much more laid back, quite a lot rolled off treble and has more mid-bass compared to T1.
   
  But they are really great all rounder, from Enya to Slipknot , everything sounds great to me. I think I'll stick with them for a long time


----------



## Dillan




----------



## MattTCG

Nice gear!! And I see you in the reflection of the window...busted.


----------



## Dillan

NOOO!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





dillan said:


>


 
   
  never realized the schiit stack is actually pretty big, looks bigger than i thought in that pic next to the WA2.


----------



## zenki14

I used to have the RS-1.. after your ears got used to the T1, I don't recommend the RS-1.
  They are indeed very fun and have great mids but treble doesn't go high enough.
  Quite similar to the SE535 IEMs in my opinion.  For people who prefer them they will be excellent but they weren't for me..
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Flisker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I understand why, treble is too "clear/harsh" with many tubes. I'am currently using Voskhod 6N1P in Lyr and this tube makes treble fine for me.
> 
> ...


----------



## fizzix

Quote: 





dillan said:


>


 
  I spy nintendo controller and a badass painting


----------



## Flisker

Quote: 





zenki14 said:


> I used to have the RS-1.. after your ears got used to the T1, I don't recommend the RS-1.
> They are indeed very fun and have great mids but treble doesn't go high enough.
> Quite similar to the SE535 IEMs in my opinion.  For people who prefer them they will be excellent but they weren't for me..


 
   
  Oh, thanks for info


----------



## Massacare

danl93 said:


> No, they are Pro900's with the HD650 headband padding mod




Where did you get the HD650's headband padding?


----------



## KetchupNinja

Quote: 





massacare said:


> Where did you get the HD650's headband padding?


 

 You can order them directly from Sennheiser.  Give em a call, email, or check their site.
   
  Edit:  Just checked their parts list on the site.  It's not listed so you'd have to call.  If you're in the US, this is the number: 
   
  1 (877) 736-6434 ext. 1


----------



## Massacare

anda said:


> Right connector on left cup?




Fixed that .


----------



## JIGF

Late at night beside bed with JRiver>Stello DA100>Burson HA160>Beyerdynamic DT880, and most importantly, Miles' Kind of Blue.


----------



## danL93

I am in Australia and I got mine here http://service.syntec.com.au/index.php?cPath=1919&osCsid=d886855891e3f02cd8d6c5a0f02e334b
  in case that helps at all


----------



## avrosse

Finally, I've got my whole headphone system up and running. I couldn't have done it without all of your help my dear Head-Fiers. Thank you!
   

   
  Top to bottom:
 Densen B-410 CD player
 Woo Audio WA6SE (Amperex 6EM7, Sophia Princess 274B)
 Sennheiser HD 800 (w/ Cardas Clear) & HD 650 (w/ SAA E-Series)

 I'm still using a temporary Hi-Fi cart solution. That being said, I do very much like the flexibility of being able to move my system around (I can easily hook my headphone system up to my Naim DAC or just move the whole system to another room).
   
   

   

   
  Inside sideboard, top to bottom:
 Oppo BDP-95 Blu-ray player
 Densen B-110 amplifier
 Naim DAC
 Mac mini
 Set-top box

 Also pictured:
 Verity Rienzi loudspeakers
 MJ Acoustics Reference 100 MkII subwoofer


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow i love how clean your setup looks!!!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> Finally, I've got my whole headphone system up and running. I couldn't have done it without all of your help my dear Head-Fiers. Thank you!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Do you feel its still worth it to have the HD650 along side the HD800?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> Finally, I've got my whole headphone system up and running. I couldn't have done it without all of your help my dear Head-Fiers. Thank you!


 
  Very nice. Wouldn't worry about the wheels when using headphones, no need for the damping when not using speakers 
   
  Also, like the way your plant is lowering its flowers to get in the pic


----------



## Kiont

That's really nice and clean setup.


----------



## daigo

Very nice set up avrosse.


----------



## avrosse

Thanks for all the nice comments, folks!
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Do you feel its still worth it to have the HD650 along side the HD800?


 
   
  The HD 800 is an almost perfect headphone for well-recorded classical music. Its exacting qualities, however, don't jibe very well with a lot of recordings made in the 50s and early 60s. When I'm listening to these older recordings, I tend to prefer the more forgiving HD 650. Also, when listening to jazz, blues or more popular genres, I sometimes prefer the more laid-back presentation offered by the HD 650. So yes, for me at least, it's worth owning both the HD 800 and the HD 650.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> Thanks for all the nice comments, folks!
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Sweet, cool to know. I forgot about the HD800 obliterating bad recordings. I am recieving HD650's next week


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> Thanks for all the nice comments, folks!
> 
> 
> The HD 800 is an almost perfect headphone for well-recorded classical music. Its exacting qualities, however, don't jibe very well with a lot of recordings made in the 50s and early 60s. When I'm listening to these older recordings, I tend to prefer the more forgiving HD 650. Also, when listening to jazz, blues or more popular genres, I sometimes prefer the more laid-back presentation offered by the HD 650. So yes, for me at least, it's worth owning both the HD 800 and the HD 650.


 
   
  +1
   
  having owned both, i feel the 650s compliment the hd 800 very well. they're still great sounding headphones that are very forgiving of poor recordings, even more forgiving than audeze lcd-2, even youtube songs sound pretty good out of the hd 650s.


----------



## IceClass

My IKEA hack Head-Fi alcove desk.


----------



## grokit

^ Nice cubbyhole!


----------



## mosshorn

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> My IKEA hack Head-Fi alcove desk.


 

   
  I love this so much.


----------



## MattTCG

@Iceclass...all the wonderful gear and you have to sit on a barstool? Get yourself a proper chair!!


----------



## TT600R




----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tt600r said:


>


 
  Nice. I really want to hear the flagship yulong stuff. How does it fair with the HD800's? I've read that the dac has a nice warm tone.


----------



## IceClass

matttcg said:


> @Iceclass...all the wonderful gear and you have to sit on a barstool? Get yourself a proper chair!!




Well accommodations here on Ice Station Zebra lean to the small and spartan and that desk is predominantly for stand up use but I have managed to sneak a small leather club chair from which I took those pics.


----------



## SirBenn21

This month I have totally spoiled myself with a Audeze 2 & a Meier Corda Prehead mk.1


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





sirbenn21 said:


> This month I have totally spoiled myself with a Audeze 2 & a Meier Corda Prehead mk.1


 
  Lovely.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Mind listing what's in the shot Redcarmoose? That's a lovely shot and I wish my station could be out the like that


----------



## MattTCG

@Redcarmoose...you are a brave soul. I wouldn't take anything beyond htf-600's outside.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 
  Reminds me of an outdoor K701 setup I saw in a movie once, but I honestly can't remember what movie it was. I just recall it surprising me that there was a full audiophile setup in a movie.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Mind listing what's in the shot Redcarmoose? That's a lovely shot and I wish my station could be out the like that


 
  It's really nothing much. It's an old Rega Planet (Maybe 1997 issue) being run on 110V which is stepped down from 220V, that's what that transformer is for. It's a simple Nuforce amp and a pair of K701s. I'm listening to Dark Side of the Moon. The system just cuts it. The bass is there, but if it was even a tiny bit less I actually would hate it. I have a placebo effect going on telling me that the cables are getting me better bass. lol
   
   
  The box is full of CDs.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> @Redcarmoose...you are a brave soul. I wouldn't take anything beyond htf-600's outside.


 

 I have 2 pairs of k701s.


----------



## awsanderson

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 
  The most important question.
  How do you get out of that chair?


----------



## DougHiggs




----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





doughiggs said:


>


 
  Nice setup! Love the look of the Burson.


----------



## ForShure

My humble setup. More for video editing but I do most of my listening here as well.


----------



## ralphjw

Cool rig.


----------



## Kiont

Quote: 





forshure said:


> My humble setup. More for video editing but I do most of my listening here as well.


 
  I would like to see the same desk a year from now


----------



## ForShure

Quote: 





kiont said:


> I would like to see the same desk a year from now


 
  Just locked up a new job that pays much better than my old one. You better believe upgrades were on my mind when I walked out of the interview


----------



## mitch_o

Just finished making headphone stand #2! I'll likely make one more for home and one for work, which should take care of my collection for the time being at least. 
   
  Poor photos again but, as with the first, the stands are walnut-stained redwood with black steel piping.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mitch_o said:


> Just finished making headphone stand #2! I'll likely make one more for home and one for work, which should take care of my collection for the time being at least.
> 
> Poor photos again but, as with the first, the stands are walnut-stained redwood with black steel piping.


 
  The new 'Mitcho headphone stand'! 
   
  Maybe start a bit of a head-fi business


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mitch_o said:


>


 
  Very nice


----------



## Bhuttan

My little listening corner with an IKEA children's coat hanger as headphone stand. Currently trying to choose from the seemingly hundreds of tips delivered with Vsonic GR07 (on the dustbin)...


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


>


 
   
  A mind trip into paradise through a frozen moment blissful. Thanks for the visual rush of peacefulness Redcarmoose.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> A mind trip into paradise through a frozen moment blissful. Thanks for the visual rush of peacefulness Redcarmoose.


 

 I was there today and the Denon AH-D 7000 headphones cleaned up over the  AKG k701s in almost every genre. I can hear the k701s really pulling on the Nuforce Icon for all it has. Still there is something about the k701s?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I was there today and the Denon AH-D 7000 headphones cleaned up over the  AKG k701s in almost every genre. I can hear the k701s really pulling on the Nuforce Icon for all it has. *Still there is something about the k701s?*


 
  Defo! 
   
  The little time I spent owning both the HD800's and K701's (would have loved to keep em both) the K's do somethings that the Senn's don't. I think its the drier midrange that is great for small ensemble music and piano for e.g. Makes the instruments cut through more with faster decay. The HD800's by contrast can be a little too silky and refined. But I suppose, 'silky and refined' is what you pay for...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Defo!
> 
> The little time I spent owning both the HD800's and K701's (would have loved to keep em both) the K's do somethings that the Senn's don't. I think its the drier midrange that is great for small ensemble music and piano for e.g. Makes the instruments cut through more with faster decay. The HD800's by contrast can be a little too silky and refined. But I suppose, 'silky and refined' is what you pay for...


 
   
  +1
   
  there definitely is something special about the midrange on the K701's (i owned the newer 8 bump version for reference). they are a nice headphone to have around if you have the denons. i had the K701, T1, and HD 800 at the same time, but while the K701 are still very special, i couldn't justify keeping them myself. (in a way the T1 made me get rid of my SR325, K701, RS1i, and DT 990s. The  HD 800 was a nice complement for me)


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I was there today and the Denon AH-D 7000 headphones cleaned up over the  AKG k701s in almost every genre. I can hear the k701s really pulling on the Nuforce Icon for all it has. Still there is something about the k701s?


 
   
  The 701s need more power, they like gain as well and match up exceptionally well with the Lyr. The Lyr really transformed the 701s, actually made them musical. That was the best I have heard from either of those components.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

as another reference to the power the k701's need, i had the 701's with my WA6-SE, and out of all my headphones except the HE-500 and the 600 ohm  beyers, they needed the most power to drive them. they sounded great though.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> as another reference to the power the k701's need, i had the 701's with my WA6-SE, and out of all my headphones except the HE-500 and the 600 ohm  beyers, they needed the most power to drive them. they sounded great though.


 

 Aha. That is a great comparison and sheds light on a few things for me re the 701.
   
  Thanks for that.


----------



## RamblinE

My K701s are working out really well with my new Headroom Micro Amp. I know it's not the newest unit out there but it's turning out to have been quite the safe bet. On the 'medium' gain setting the juice is so plentyful that I don't have to go beyond 9 o'clock on the dial. I'd imagine going up to 12 would blow my ears out.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Im looking to invest in a T50RP, of which I will be modding extensively. How does it pair with an e7??


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Im looking to invest in a T50RP, of which I will be modding extensively. How does it pair with an e7??


 
   
  Meh...not the best. The e17 is a bit better though. For my money, I'd grab the new build by Mr. Speakers...unfreakin' believable.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

matttcg said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Im looking to invest in a T50RP, of which I will be modding extensively. How does it pair with an e7??
> ...



I going to buy the cans for MSRP, and mod them myself. I was going to use them in a portable rig: iPhone>E7>T50RP, at home, I'm going to get a LittleDot I+ to go Pc>E7>littledot>t50RP. Sound good?


----------



## TrollDragon

The T50RP's need a bit of power don't they? I'd go with an E12 or something along those line with some push behind it.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## khaine1711

I shoulda stack the lampizator too. But I forgot and was too tired after moving the two 25kg amps around the house so here's the amp stack. I need to go to the gym :<
   
  The other side of the table, old pic but you get the overall picture


----------



## ralphjw

First time posting pics.  Just my little system.
   

   

   

   

   
  Paradigm Monitors, Garard GT 350, Grado SR 325is (modded), YamahaRX 397, Monster PowerPro 2500, JVC XLR5010, Techwood TDX5


----------



## wolfetan44

Beautiful Grado's!


----------



## ralphjw

Thanks, modding was slow but easy.


----------



## mitch_o

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> The new 'Mitcho headphone stand'!
> 
> Maybe start a bit of a head-fi business


 
   
  Haha, if only coming across backyard space in which to work wasn't so tough in San Francisco.
   
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Very nice


 
   
  Thanks a lot!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





mitch_o said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Well, I could take one off your hands to get some work space for yourself


----------



## Jesterphile

Sorry for the grainy photo.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ralphjw said:


>


 
  Dem Grados mon


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wes008 said:


> ralphjw said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...



Aye laddy, they're a beaut. I don't like how big the wood on top of the rods are however.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Aye laddy, they're a beaut. I don't like how big the wood on top of the rods are however.


 
  Haha, just noticed that! That is kinda weird.


----------



## ralphjw

Does look like I'm ready for the "Enterprise", Beam me up.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond




----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


>


 
   
  Hot dang! Ultra romantico 1960's James Bond suave! Hot! Hot! Hot! Like a swooning blonde. Thanks for the delicioius view Leonardo Drummond.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  +1


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I was there today and the Denon AH-D 7000 headphones cleaned up over the  AKG k701s in almost every genre. I can hear the k701s really pulling on the Nuforce Icon for all it has. Still there is something about the k701s?


 
   
  I've never heard the k701's but if it starts with a K its gotta be Karl Kolchak Kool 
   
  Most expensive headphones i've heard are the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros yet i find myself more spiritually fulfilled with less costlier choices such as the Audio Technica Ath AD700 and a few Koss phones like the Pro 4AAT. Trying to get the courage up or should i say insanity to buy the HiFi 400 or Sennheiser HD 600 but am not too sure if its worth the journey when am already finding audio nirvanic bliss.


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> +1


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Hahaha thanks a lot, guys! It's not very comfortable, though...


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha thanks a lot, guys! It's not very comfortable, though...


 
  +3...shaken not stirred.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha thanks a lot, guys! It's not very comfortable, though...


 
  Why?


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Well, it's actually a bit hard and the shape doesn't really allow a particularly comfortable position. So it acts more like a decoration item than an actually comfortable chair!


----------



## DefQon

I want your Grados.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Well, it's actually a bit hard and the shape doesn't really allow a particularly comfortable position. So it acts more like a decoration item than an actually comfortable chair!


 
  Damn
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What speakers are those?


----------



## stacker45

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


>


 
   
  So you're one of the few HP1000 owners, nice setup, by the way.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Damn
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Looks like they're Jamo R907s


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Looks like it. There absolutely beautiful.


----------



## ForShure

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha thanks a lot, guys! It's not very comfortable, though...


 

 If you find that setup to be uncomfortable then I would definitely not mind taking it off your hands


----------



## Redcarmoose

```

```



leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha thanks a lot, guys! It's not very comfortable, though...






It looks almost painful .......Ya?


----------



## ssrock64

After lots of talk, it's great to settle back into this thread with a truly great headphone _and _speaker setup.


----------



## Argybargy

Bedroom setup: 160gb Ipod Classic > Pure i20 > NOS DAC > Marantz 2270 > W3000ANV or Pioneer HPM 700


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Bedroom setup: 160gb Ipod Classic > Pure i20 > NOS DAC > Marantz 2270 > W3000ANV or Pioneer HPM 700


 
  Every time I see a Marantz....
   
  I need to get me one of those just for the visual wow factor.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

stacker45 said:


> So you're one of the few HP1000 owners, nice setup, by the way.


 
   
   Fortunately, yes! So are you apparently, in overkill mode with 2 pairs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote:


kingoftown1 said:


> Looks like they're Jamo R907s


 
   
  Yup, that's right!
   
  Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Code:
> 
> ```
> 
> ...


 
   
  Hahahaha well, the sofa's great! It's just that suave.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Every time I see a Marantz....
> 
> I need to get me one of those just for the visual wow factor.


 
   
  +1, almost got a 228B once, actually.


----------



## Argybargy

This one has all the lamps changed to LEDs, so the blue is very BLUE. Some don't like the look, but I prefer it to the vintage blue-green of the original.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> +1, almost got a 228B once, actually.


 
  I've lost count of the times I've almost pulled the trigger on a bit or old Marantz kit, but I can never justify it from a practical standpoint.


----------



## RamblinE




----------



## Loevhagen




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I took apart my Minimus 7's earlier, the modding process has begun.
My dad and I are going to Frys tomorrow to get better capacitors, some Dynamat (dampen inside of speaker box, and for later use on Grados, and hopefully, T50RP's) hopefully, and Damar varnish to dope the sub. Any other suggestions for modding?


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I took apart my Minimus 7's earlier, the modding process has begun.
> My dad and I are going to Frys tomorrow to get better capacitors, some Dynamat (dampen inside of speaker box, and for later use on Grados, and hopefully, T50RP's) hopefully, and Damar varnish to dope the sub. Any other suggestions for modding?


 
  I've heard upgrading/redesigning the crossover can have a tremendous effect on their SQ
   
  I may try it with mine someday if I don't give them away first....


----------



## asdfghjkzxcvbnm

Quote: 





argybargy said:


> Bedroom setup: 160gb Ipod Classic > Pure i20 > NOS DAC > Marantz 2270 > W3000ANV or Pioneer HPM 700


 
  Is Pure i20 a good DAC?


----------



## TheGame21x

Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> Is Pure i20 a good DAC?


 
   
  I have one and it sounds excellent in my setup.


----------



## RIQUE

Well...here is my rig that sits beside my bed. Sony XA7ES, Benchmark Dac I, Sennheisers HD800.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

rambline said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > I took apart my Minimus 7's earlier, the modding process has begun.
> ...



It's super easy to get them apart. I'm guessing it won't be too hard to solder on a new capacitor. (my dad has a masters as an electrical engineer, go figure)


----------



## wolfetan44

Just got Sennheiser HD650's. Will update this post with pictures in a bit.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





thegame21x said:


> I have one and it sounds excellent in my setup.


 
  Do you happen to know if it's just native-OS compatible (reading ALAC files), or if it works with, say, a Rockboxed Classic running FLAC as well? Don't know if there's any Apple-specific software inside the thing that would prevent FLAC or WAV compatibility.
   
  I'd look it up, but I'm too lazy at the moment.


----------



## Argybargy

asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> Is Pure i20 a good DAC?




I've never used the dac on the i20, just the digital output.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> Is Pure i20 a good DAC?


 
  The DAC in the i20 is better than the DAC in an iPod but it will fall short of many other "stand alone" DACs.  The i20's real strength is being able to bypass the DAC in an iPod and send the signal to a better DAC.  This will make the iPod function in the same ballpark as any other digital music server.


----------



## Noobmachine

LCD2s > Fiio E12 > Macbook Pro > Songbird > Sungha Jung FLAC 
   
  Good day today


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> LCD2s > Fiio E12 > Macbook Pro > Songbird > Sungha Jung FLAC


 
  How are the LCD-2s out of the E12?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rique said:


> Well...here is my rig that sits beside my bed. Sony XA7ES, Benchmark Dac I, Sennheisers HD800.


 
   
  Is that a Colorware pair of HD800's?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


>


 
   
   
  Very nice...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wes008 said:


> noobmachine said:
> 
> 
> > LCD2s > Fiio E12 > Macbook Pro > Songbird > Sungha Jung FLAC
> ...



I was just thinking that... It seems like you've got a really thirsty set of cans, and a shot-glass for them to drink out of.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I was just thinking that... It seems like you've got a really thirsty set of cans, and a shot-glass for them to drink out of.


 
   
  LCD-2's are not that hard to drive. Actually, they tremendously easy to drive and aren't too picky on the amp end. Of course, they sound better out of a quality amp, but the E12 has more than enough power to power the LCD-2.


----------



## Noobmachine

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> How are the LCD-2s out of the E12?


 
  Sounds very good honestly, on par with an O2 at least, less warm and lush than my Pan Am, but overall if you wanted to run the LCD-2s purely out of the E12 you won't be missing much, you can get about 70-75% out of the LCD-2s from the E12. I'm not sure why people assume that just because I'm not running these out of some ridiculous $1000 big dog amp these don't sound very good, but in actuality the LCD-2's sound pretty darn good out of anything that outputs like 0.7-1.5W. Just my 2 cents on this 
   
  Quote: 





greed said:


> LCD-2's are not that hard to drive. Actually, they tremendously easy to drive and aren't too picky on the amp end. Of course, they sound better out of a quality amp, but the E12 has more than enough power to power the LCD-2.


 
  Yep, amen to that, these aren't that hard to drive, honestly i can run my LCD-2s out of my cMoy, though usually my LCD's are running out of a Pan Am, so power isn't too much of an issue for me...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I started a mod thread for the Minimus 7's. I went to Fry's earlier and purchased a new pair of capacitors, but it'll take a bit to get my dad to get out the soldering iron.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/662518/realistic-minimus-7-mod


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Is that a Colorware pair of HD800's?


 
  Sorry but I don´t understand?


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





rique said:


> Sorry but I don´t understand?


 
  That would be a no, haha. Colorware is a company that sells custom painted HD800. Nice set up anyway!


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





greed said:


> That would be a no, haha. Colorware is a company that sells custom painted HD800. Nice set up anyway!


 
  HaHa...ok, guess I´m not too in to my HD800 yet. I acutally hated them but realized they need some serious power to work right.
  Glad you like rig..its getting better by the minute.


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## EraserXIV

Nice setup, how do you like the TEAC? I've had my eye on it for some time


----------



## kman1211




----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





rambline said:


>


 
  Way to make the most out of your space! That looks like a nice cozy place to just relax and listen to tunes


----------



## TapTapPull

At the moment I am pretty portable-centric. I can set up through my Vaio > foobar > E11 > headphone, but I have yet to acquire a desktop rig.
   
  As such, here is my "Head-Fi Station:"
   
  Let's start with my "headphone stand." In my teen years I worked at a Footlocker, and it underwent renovations. They gave away some fixtures, and I took this Adidas NBA sign:
   

   
   
  For years, it just sat, until my passion for footwear shifted to a passion for headphones. As the number of 'phones I owned grew, It became apparent that I would need a place to keep them. Seeing some DIY headphone stands on Head-Fi spurred me to brainstorm options for myself. Lo and behold, an option was right in front me the whole time!
   

   
   

_Shure SRH750DJ, Audio Technica ATH Pro700MKII, Somic MH463, Creative Aurvana Live!_
   
  I've also since installed some shelving on my walls to better display my other headphones and IEMs.
   
*More pictures through the spoiler:*
   
   


Spoiler: Click%20to%20view%20the%20rest%20of%20my%20setup%2Fdisplay



Here is a shelf with my players and some more headphones:
   

   

   
   

_Microsoft Zune 120GB, Ipod Nano 16GB, Sandisk Sansa Clip 4GB_
   

_Kenwood KH-53_, _Koss PortaPro_
   

_Audio Technica A900x, Somic EFI 82 MT with Shure SRH750DJ replacement pads_
   
   
  Next are some shelves/cubbies that I recently installed:
   

   
   

_Fiio E11, Fiio E5_
   

_Klipsch Image s4i, VSonic GR02 BE, Denon AH C560_
   

_Shure SE215, JVC HA-FXT90_
   
*And that's it - for now.*


----------



## Silent One

Love the novelty signs and stuff.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





taptappull said:


> At the moment I am pretty portable-centric. I can set up through my Vaio > foobar > E11 > headphone, but I have yet to acquire a desktop rig.
> 
> As such, here is my "Head-Fi Station:"
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looks very neat and very good use of space. Nice


----------



## MorbidToaster

Well, it's a station...but no headphones in sight at the moment.


----------



## madbull




----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





madbull said:


>


 
   
  WOW!!! 
   
  how does the GES do with the 2 more expensive stax?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well, it's a station...but no headphones in sight at the moment.


 
   
  It's emerging! I see you completed your _move..._


----------



## LCfiner

Glorious. So many great headphones.


----------



## Maxvla

New apartment > old apartment, Travis.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





madbull said:


>


 
   
  That Stratus looks massive.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well, it's a station...but *no headphones* in sight at the moment.


 
  Get yo'self some RS1's.


----------



## MorbidToaster

maxvla said:


> New apartment > old apartment, Travis.




It's a bit more run down but the actual space is nicer without a doubt. Accent walls kick ass, too.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





defqon said:


> That Stratus looks massive.


 
   
  omg now that u mention it ur right! its like twice as big as the GES!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Just ordered an L9 LOD cable. Will post pictures when I can.


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Nice table what is it?
> 
> 
> Well, it's a station...but no headphones in sight at the moment.


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> WOW!!!
> 
> how does the GES do with the 2 more expensive stax?


 
   
  I will tell you when I get my BHSE


----------



## MorbidToaster

If you meant the turntable it's a Well Tempered Labs Amadeus. If you meant the TV table it's from Ikea.


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> If you meant the turntable it's a Well Tempered Labs Amadeus. If you meant the TV table it's from Ikea.


 
   
  Never heard of TV´s as tables 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but I meant your turntable. Very cool looking. I´m a vinyl head too. Whats the silver amp? Looks like a Macintosh, vintage sansui....


----------



## calipilot227

His amp is a Leben


----------



## MorbidToaster

rique said:


> Never heard of TV´s as tables   but I meant your turntable. Very cool looking. I´m a vinyl head too. Whats the silver amp? Looks like a Macintosh, vintage sansui....




I'll be changing tables soon. The Amadeus is nice but it has some quirks I can't get past.

The amp is indeed a Leben. 300XS to be precise. 15wpc of tubey, euphonic goodness. My favorite piece if gear I own. It's actually gold, btw. Pictures do Leben gear no justice. I think they look tacky in photos.


----------



## RIQUE

Just read about them. Interesting tube integrated amp from Japan. Like the retro look.


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Well, it's a station...but no headphones in sight at the moment.


 
  Without a turntable cover, aren't you worried about dust?


----------



## Netforce




----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





madbull said:


> I will tell you when I get my BHSE


 
   
  As a former owner of upgraded GES I think you will get quite a WOW effect with new amp... It's not that GES is bad amp, it's just SR-009 and SR-Omega (from what I read in the net they are may be the best headphone in the world ever existed or at least in top 3: SR-009, HE-90, SR-Omega) deserve better (best) amp (not to mention GES don't have a power to drive SR-007 properly), from my experience with electrostatic headphones, amp is far more important than all other things in the rig (mostly meaning DAC of course)... As for the reason I think that: I have a chance to compare my Linn Akurate DS/0/D with Berkeley Alpha DAC Series 2 on a rig of my friend, he have SR-009 and HeadAmp KGSS amp, so Berkeley was obvious superior to my Linn, just different class... but when I got home and listened my rig with upgraded WooAudio WES (with Linn Akurate as source of course, and on my SR-009) I was blown away with sound, really much better sound than on rig of my friend... also I changed tubes on my WES some time after that listening session, and I again have a listening session at my friend place (now whithout my Akurate), that time I didn't like the sound of SR-009 at all, I really have much better sound at home, it's almost like I have different headphones at home that are diferent class compared to SR-009 of my friend.....
  So IMHO with SR-009 it's better to have BHSE/WES/... kind of amp and source on a level of 300$ DAC, than to have GES/KGSS/... kind of amp and source on level of 5000$... but of course the best way is to have DAC and amp the highest level possible, the top electrostatic headphones deserve that


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Get yo'self some RS1's.


 
  +1


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

rique said:


> Just read about them. Interesting tube integrated amp from Japan. Like the retro look.



I thought Leben was russian?? Please tell me I wasn't the only one?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I thought Leben was russian?? Please tell me I wasn't the only one?


 
   
  Sorry to break it to you


----------



## MorbidToaster

penmarker said:


> Without a turntable cover, aren't you worried about dust?





The Amadeus actually comes with a cardboard dustcover which is more than 'hifi' tables include. 



ultrainferno said:


> Sorry to break it to you




Girlfriend thought it was German, considering the word 'Leben'.


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Nice setup, how do you like the TEAC? I've had my eye on it for some time


 
  Initial impression is that it is an improvement on my Bifrost. It seems to convey a little more space and weight. My main reason for the upgrade was some incoming TH-900, as I will use the Lyr for my LCD-3, and the built in TEAC headphone amp for the TH-900. Also. some files that my Bifrost had issues with play flawlessly on the TEAC, so that's an added bonus!


----------



## OPR8R

I don't know if everyone would consider Rega's offerings "high end", but my RP6 came with a dustcover. I've seen fancier, but it's not too bad considering most don't come with one.


----------



## cel4145

Home office workstation setup. I do more work at home than in my real office, so nice to have some audio distractions: 






Little Dot I+, Objective 2, ODAC, Niles AXP-1 switcher, Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE speakers powered by HK 3390 (not pictured)


----------



## MorbidToaster

opr8r said:


> I don't know if everyone would consider Rega's offerings "high end", but my RP6 came with a dustcover. I've seen fancier, but it's not too bad considering most don't come with one.




Rega is pretty much the exception to the rule. Most of the manufactuers out there don't include them. That's why there's so many companies that make them for $250 a pop. Hell the Kuzma Stabi has a custom dust cover available that's $375. No way I'm paying that!


----------



## OPR8R

morbidtoaster said:


> Rega is pretty much the exception to the rule. Most of the manufactuers out there don't include them. That's why there's so many companies that make them for $250 a pop. Hell the Kuzma Stabi has a custom dust cover available that's $375. No way I'm paying that!



 
 I hate to admit it, but that's one of the reasons I went w/Rega. I'd rather put that $375 towards a cartridge and throw a dust cloth over everything when I'm not using it.


----------



## LugBug1

Just a little advice for you turntable guys worrying about dust. If you exfoliate your whole body twice a day you can remove all of the dead skin cells and free your home from dust. Dust is basically 98% dead skin. You will also have to be naked all of the time as the other 2% comes from clothing. 
   
  small price to pay for a pristine turntable If you ask me!


----------



## MorbidToaster

opr8r said:


> I hate to admit it, but that's one of the reasons I went w/Rega. I'd rather put that $375 towards a cartridge and throw a dust cloth over everything when I'm not using it.




That's exactly right. Just toss a cloth on it and be done.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Just a little advice for you turntable guys worrying about dust. If you exfoliate your whole body twice a day you can remove all of the dead skin cells and free your home from dust. Dust is basically 98% dead skin. You will also have to be naked all of the time as the other 2% comes from clothing.
> 
> small price to pay for a pristine turntable If you ask me!


 
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/
   
  Great movie...Speaking of exfoliation....


----------



## beaver316

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Just a little advice for you turntable guys worrying about dust. If you exfoliate your whole body twice a day you can remove all of the dead skin cells and free your home from dust. Dust is basically 98% dead skin. You will also have to be naked all of the time as the other 2% comes from clothing.
> 
> small price to pay for a pristine turntable If you ask me!


 
   
  Remove dead skin cells and be naked all day whilst keeping your turntable dust free? Sounds like a win win situation to me!


----------



## OPR8R

lugbug1 said:


> Just a little advice for you turntable guys worrying about dust. If you exfoliate your whole body twice a day you can remove all of the dead skin cells and free your home from dust. Dust is basically 98% dead skin. You will also have to be naked all of the time as the other 2% comes from clothing.
> 
> small price to pay for a pristine turntable If you ask me!



 
 I thought you guys were audiophiles?? I just wear a dust suit at all times when I'm home. I've also ripped out all my carpet, which is fine because the bare cement floors help with cooling.


----------



## OPR8R

lugbug1 said:


> Just a little advice for you turntable guys worrying about dust. If you exfoliate your whole body twice a day you can remove all of the dead skin cells and free your home from dust. Dust is basically 98% dead skin. You will also have to be naked all of the time as the other 2% comes from clothing.
> 
> small price to pay for a pristine turntable If you ask me!



 
 I thought you guys were audiophiles?? I just wear a dust suit at all times when I'm home. I've also ripped out all my carpet, which is fine because the bare cement floors help with cooling. edit: how did this show up twice?


----------



## RamblinE

I prefer to keep my turntable and records in a hermetically sealed chamber.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





rambline said:


> I prefer to keep my turntable and records in a hermetically sealed chamber.


 
   
  Also know as an hard disk drive.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Because they're so reliable... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Also know as an hard disk drive.


----------



## brokenthumb

oops wrong thread


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Also know as an hard disk drive.


 
  You can keep you tunes in a hard drive but not analog vinyl. Records Rule!


----------



## Noobmachine

New addition to my home rig  A good day


----------



## bbophead

Very pretty!


----------



## Davils Advocate

ignore


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Very pretty!


 
  +1


----------



## akash neagi

Finally got the chance to take some pics.............
   
   
  My bedside setup......
  Samsung Galaxy S3/Sony Xperia Z/Sony Tablet S/iPhone 4s/iPod nano=>Custom made silver RCA cable=>Creative Sound Blaster Digital Music SX=> Sennheiser HD518
   
   

   
   
  My bedroom setup
  Akai AP-B110, Sony DAV-DZ870KW, Playstation 3
   
   

   

   

   
   
  My Computer and Transportable setup.......
  Custom Made PC, Vaio VGN-FW12G, Creative Sound Blaster 5.1 USB, Altec Lansing 5.1 Desktop PC speakers.....
   
   

   

   

   

   
   
  My in home gym setup.....
  My Dad's old Panasonic ST-HD501V,
  the cassette player doesn't so I use a Alpine car receiver which was in the house.......
   
   
   

   
   

   
   
  The Headphones......
  Sony MDR-XB30EX, Sony MDR-XB41EX, Ultimate Ears UE100, Sony MDR-ZX100, Sony MDR-XBA3, Sennheiser HD518, Philips SCB3375


----------



## vackraord

SPL Auditor + Sennheiser HD700 (Sony MDR-MA900 in the blurry background).


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





vackraord said:


> SPL Auditor + Sennheiser HD700 (Sony MDR-MA900 in the blurry background).


 
   
  Damn... fresh. The combination goes well together.


----------



## vackraord

Quote: 





greed said:


> Damn... fresh. The combination goes well together.


 
  Thx, Im pretty pleased with how they sound and look together


----------



## tintin220

The current temporary rig until I move into my new apartment (living in a hostel right now).


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> New addition to my home rig  A good day


 
  Taking these pictures to the bathroom, I'll be back in a few minutes...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

rambline said:


> noobmachine said:
> 
> 
> > New addition to my home rig  A good day
> ...



Wrong kind of audiophilism...


----------



## dscythe

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> New addition to my home rig  A good day


 
  as beautiful as the cups on the headphones are, the 1/4 inch jack is what has me captivated, most companies just give the normal crappy plastic/rubber, but those look amazing!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


>


 
  Adorable stack there  what power supply?


----------



## tintin220

AMB Sigma 25. Kind of like a baby Sigma 11 for the y2, since I normally use optical (though I'm USB right now given the housing situation for convenience).


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

FiiO L9 arrived, and BIG surprise, doesn't fit my otterbox. the corners on one side stick out. is it safe to file down the edges?


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> AMB Sigma 25. Kind of like a baby Sigma 11 for the y2, since I normally use optical (though I'm USB right now given the housing situation for convenience).


 
   
  The y2 is a nice little unit, kind of miss mine. Sold it a couple months ago due to a case of "upgraditis" and I haven't yet found anything that I can comfortably say is a clear 'night-and-day' upgrade. From a value standpoint it's got a pretty high return (which is to be expected given its DIY nature). Yeah there are certain things that some DACs may do better, but they come at quite a premium, and the y2 can still stand toe to toe with them in some other areas. IME, you don't start seeing clear upgrades until you get in the price range of twice the price of the y2.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> FiiO L9 arrived, and BIG surprise, doesn't fit my otterbox. the corners on one side stick out. is it safe to file down the edges?


 
  Maybe take the plastic shell off so you don't damage the internals?


----------



## floydfan33

OK.................I think I'm done! : )


----------



## MattTCG

Dude...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...you've got $4k worth of cans on a stand meant for one hp. Plus it's about to catch fire from the lyr. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Just giving you a little crap. Very nice gear.


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Dude...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Moved after the photo and thanks for the warning! ; )


----------



## Noobmachine

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Wrong kind of audiophilism...



 
 O_O My phones appreciate the thought  These do sound as good as they look though, super happy with the W1000x


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Update on the L9. After many ages of scrapping against a diamond reinforced titanium chisel, i have finally been able to smooth the edges enough to push it into my otterbox with the strength of 10,000 adult alpha-male elephants. It sounds great though. MMMMM MILES DAVIS.


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> OK.................I think I'm done! : )


 
   
  How would you describe the sound signature of the TEAC? Been reading around, but  can't seem to pin down where on the spectrum its sound signature lands.


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> How would you describe the sound signature of the TEAC? Been reading around, but  can't seem to pin down where on the spectrum its sound signature lands.


 
  Bright, but not analytical. It seems to resolve better than my Bifrost, and instrument separation is very good. MIdrange seems excellent as vocals through my LCD-3's really shine, and so far the TH-900's do not seem to be demonstrating the recessed mids some complain of, and were evident to me with my LA7000/BiFrost pairing.
   
  So far I'm really liking the UD-501, and the headamp drives the TH-900 beautifully.


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Bright, but not analytical. It seems to resolve better than my Bifrost, and instrument separation is very good. MIdrange seems excellent as vocals through my LCD-3's really shine, and so far the TH-900's do not seem to be demonstrating the recessed mids some complain of, and were evident to me with my LA7000/BiFrost pairing.
> 
> So far I'm really liking the UD-501, and the headamp drives the TH-900 beautifully.


 
   
  Interesting, thanks for the impressions. I was getting the impression from people that it was leaning towards the darker side of neutral. How would you say it compares with the Bifrost as far as imaging and soundstage?


----------



## autoteleology

Portable rig time!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Portable rig time!
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pics


 
  Wow 0_0 and it works?


----------



## Kiont

wes008 said:


> Wow 0_0 and it works?




I hope! Nice

That little bag makes it seem very easy to carry around.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Only tus-chan would take stax out and about.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Portable rig time!


 
  Appears to make carrying a purse worth it.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Portable rig time!
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice, where did you find these 15 V power cells?


----------



## autoteleology

> Nice, where did you find these 15 V power cells?


 
   
http://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-Size-capacity-Rechargeable-batteries/dp/B001AX1UQO
   


> Appears to make carrying a purse worth it.


 
   





   


> That little bag makes it seem very easy to carry around.


 
   
  It's still quite a pain in the butt just because of all the wires. I cut a hole in the bottom for the RCA in, but it's still anything but ergonomic.
   


> Wow 0_0 and it works?


 
   
  Oh, yes. It works fantastic. Best portable rig ever.


----------



## Noobmachine

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Portable rig time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  True audiophile. I salute you.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

noobmachine said:


> True audiophile. I salute you.





+1


----------



## olor1n

Quote: 





akash neagi said:


>


 
   
  I love the Yamaha FG series. Great guitars!


----------



## FredSD

Quote: 





mitch_o said:


> Just finished making headphone stand #2! I'll likely make one more for home and one for work, which should take care of my collection for the time being at least.
> 
> Poor photos again but, as with the first, the stands are walnut-stained redwood with black steel piping.


 
  Mitch_O, The headphone stands are a great idea, especially given the $400-800 cost of some of the others I've seen.  Thanks...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

What is it, take your open backs out and about day? Okay, im bringing my HD518 to school then.


----------



## ssrock64

I'm in with the ESP950 if I can ever get a working portable rig for it; today I'll take the PS1000 out.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> True audiophile. I salute you.


 
  +1


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I'm in with the ESP950 if I can ever get a working portable rig for it; today I'll take the PS1000 out.


 
   
  What do you mean?  The ESP-950 comes with the amp, battery pack, short cord, and a convenient little carrying case.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> What do you mean?  The ESP-950 comes with the amp, battery pack, short cord, and a convenient little carrying case.


 
  I should've clarified: discreet is a must (aside from the obvious headphones).


----------



## DragonOwen

My UM Merlin came today (cable is Whiplash TWag2 Gold) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




:


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> My UM Merlin came today (cable is Whiplash TWag2 Gold)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  BECK!!! THAT IS SOO AWESOME!!!


----------



## floydfan33

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Interesting, thanks for the impressions. I was getting the impression from people that it was leaning towards the darker side of neutral. How would you say it compares with the Bifrost as far as imaging and soundstage?


 
  It seems a little higher sound stage, and possibly a little wider. I haven't A/B'd them though


----------



## DragonOwen

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> BECK!!! THAT IS SOO AWESOME!!!


 
   
  Thanks, BECK is my favorite anime of all time, so decided to make design of my first customs with pictures from it (of course I'm not the one who draw this pic, just find it in net and worked with Photoshop with it)... BTW, I already thinking of ordering UM Miracles in a few days, and already maked design that I want (also pics from net + Photoshop), of course it also will be from anime that I like, now it will be Soul Eater


----------



## Idsynchrono_24

dragonowen said:


>




Rah-you-skay Meh-nah-may... Love it


----------



## akash neagi

Quote: 





olor1n said:


> I love the Yamaha FG series. Great guitars!


 
  Thanks but its a F370......
  not a FG....
  But still awesome and I love the color......


----------



## PanamaHat

These sure do scale up well haha
   
  ...I need an hd600 sooo bad (>.<)


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> These sure do scale up well haha
> 
> ...I need an hd600 sooo bad (>.<)


 
   
  I loved my PX100's.  In the end, I upgraded to HD580's (now I'm tempted by the 800's) but I still have a soft spot for the 100's.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Thanks, BECK is my favorite anime of all time, so decided to make design of my first customs with pictures from it (of course I'm not the one who draw this pic, just find it in net and worked with Photoshop with it)... BTW, I already thinking of ordering UM Miracles in a few days, and already maked design that I want (also pics from net + Photoshop), of course it also will be from anime that I like, now it will be Soul Eater


 
   
  Prob the last time off topic but I had to say Soul Eater is a great anime too  And I reckon it would look mighty awesome on a pair of customs given how you did the BECK design!!!
   
  But I am not hugely into anime haha. Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo are prob the ones I would love having them on my future customs ^^


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Prob the last time off topic but I had to say Soul Eater is a great anime too  And I reckon it would look mighty awesome on a pair of customs given how you did the BECK design!!!
> 
> But I am not hugely into anime haha. Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo are prob the ones I would love having them on my future customs ^^


 
  I liked Soul Eater too!


----------



## Defiant00

Soul Eater's pretty great, although they changed so much near the end that it killed the anime for me.


----------



## LifeAspect




----------



## khaine1711




----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


>


 
  Thats a great set up you've got there.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Damn, nice DAC! How does it sound? The DP1 is on my short list to hear. I haven't had the pleasure, but from what I have read it sounds marvelous with the HD800/LCD-3.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





greed said:


> Damn, nice DAC! How does it sound? The DP1 is on my short list to hear. I haven't had the pleasure, but from what I have read it sounds marvelous with the HD800/LCD-3.


 
  Pretty good, slightly more detailed than my Lampizator, but tonal/timbre and soundstage falls behind. The built-in linestage is quite good also - as you can see I use that to drive my power amp.
   
  It's the first delta-sigma Dac that I like. The only complaint is that the USB input has no galvanic isolation - quite a bummer for the price, took me a while to sort that out.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


>


 
  LS50 as computer monitors! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Do you plug the rear port when you use them like that?


----------



## LifeAspect

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> LS50 as computer monitors!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I don't use the plugs. I do need more room for them, but as I am lacking the room, I am rather pleased with their sound. Once I have my own flat I'll prolly end up putting them on stands spaced away from each other.
   
  That being said, I am very pleased with the sound they produce as near field monitors, way better sound than the b&w 685 which I had previously.


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


>


 
  The LS50s are currently my only speaker "want" and I would probably use them in a similar fashion. How are they in a desktop/nearfield setup? What do they do right and what do they do wrong?


----------



## wes008

Slightly off-topic, but it cracks me up to see users with the rank Junior Head-Fi'er or Head-Fi'er owning multi-thousand dollar rigs. I guess they just lurked a lot or didn't post much. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm almost a 500+ Head-Fi'er and my rig is only ~$550


----------



## Thaddy

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Slightly off-topic, but it cracks me up to see users with the rank Junior Head-Fi'er or Head-Fi'er owning multi-thousand dollar rigs. I guess they just lurked a lot or didn't post much.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Post count doesn't necessarily equate to wallet size.  Although, I sure wish it did...


----------



## HesterDW

Some of these setups are truly humbling. Lots of respect for a lot of these.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Me too, Thaddy...
   
  Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Post count doesn't necessarily equate to wallet size.  Although, I sure wish it did...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Post count doesn't necessarily equate to wallet size.  Although, I sure wish it did...


 
  Same here. I could use some good amp money.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> *Pretty good, slightly more detailed than my Lampizator,* but tonal/timbre and soundstage falls behind. The built-in linestage is quite good also - as you can see I use that to drive my power amp.
> 
> It's the first delta-sigma Dac that I like. The only complaint is that the USB input has no galvanic isolation - quite a bummer for the price, took me a while to sort that out.


 
   
   
  I've been looking at the Lampi, I just can't wrap my head around a tube dac.  I guess for the lack of detail or reason.  Why would you want to add distortion at the DAC level.  That's the question I have.  I was thinking might as well go for a NOS DAC instead..


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I've been looking at the Lampi, I just can't wrap my head around a tube dac.  I guess for the lack of detail or reason.  Why would you want to add distortion at the DAC level.  That's the question I have.  I was thinking might as well go for a NOS DAC instead..


 
  Tube when done right, isn't "adding distortion". That's what crazed objectivist and sellers want you to believe. Case in point is the BHSE, 4x tubes and extremely low distortion. Overgeneralizing like that is like saying all NOS roll off treble, and all delta-sigma dacs sound like crap. On the same topic, the lampi is more linear than most thing that I've heard (including NOS stuff, various delta sigma Dacs - including many Sabre stuff which people usually claim "most detailed", and R2R). The thing that the Lampi really stands out for is the tone and soundstage. 
   
  I've been through most dacs in the market, if the Lampi is distortion and "roll a tube get a random sound" I wouldn't have kept it. I think you heard HC's Hilo, the thing use an opamp output stage, yet you can't really say that it's worse than a discrete stage - implementation is key.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


> That being said, I am very pleased with the sound they produce as near field monitors, way better sound than the b&w 685 which I had previously.


 
  I was -incredibly- unimpressed with the 685s when I auditioned monitors ~12 months ago. Out of the probably 10 or so I auditioned I thought they were clearly the worst...
   
  <3 my Paradigm Mini Monitors.


----------



## LifeAspect

Quote: 





rambline said:


> The LS50s are currently my only speaker "want" and I would probably use them in a similar fashion. How are they in a desktop/nearfield setup? What do they do right and what do they do wrong?


 
  can't really find any flaws with them, not even for nearfield setup. The bass might be a bit too heavy at times but you can simply reduce that with putting the pads inside them. They are an amazing speaker pair and worth every penny (and award).
   
  Do buy a good amp for them like the roksan kandy k2 or something in a higher price bracket...they aren't the most effective speakers.


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





hesterdw said:


> Some of these setups are truly humbling. Lots of respect for a lot of these.


 
  In the end, its as long as we enjoy our music right?


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Tube when done right, isn't "adding distortion". That's what crazed objectivist and sellers want you to believe. Case in point is the BHSE, 4x tubes and extremely low distortion. Overgeneralizing like that is like saying all NOS roll off treble, and all delta-sigma dacs sound like crap. On the same topic, the lampi is more linear than most thing that I've heard (including NOS stuff, various delta sigma Dacs - including many Sabre stuff which people usually claim "most detailed", and R2R). The thing that the Lampi really stands out for is the tone and soundstage.
> 
> I've been through most dacs in the market, if the Lampi is distortion and "roll a tube get a random sound" I wouldn't have kept it. I think you heard HC's Hilo, the thing use an opamp output stage, yet you can't really say that it's worse than a discrete stage - implementation is key.


 
   
  Actually, that's exactly what tubes do. That's not to say a tube device necessarily has high distortion, but it will in general have more of it by nature of the tubes themselves, regardless of implementation. Certainly, tube amps for instance with extremely low distortion do exist, even at levels that are inaudible, but you're not likely to ever see a design that can match the distortion floor attainable solid state in this technical aspect. Plus, the BHSE is an exception, not a rule; the vast majority of audiophile tube amps, etc. today have audible and measurable levels of distortion by their own published specs far exceeding that of the BHSE and 99% of solid states. That's the tube sound we all know and love.
   
  So, they are factually not as accurate as solid state, there is zero disputing that. I think you're conflating the term distortion with lack of detail; something can have high distortion but still produce sound of exceptional separation and clarity. Instead, what the distortion does is it colors the sound.
   
  However, that doesn't mean it's bad. Remember, when you're dealing with gear of a certain high enough standard and quality, the minute differences in technical capability cease to be substantiative compared to sound signature, such as the coloration from the tubes. It just becomes an issue of whether or not you like the sound of the gear, or whether it matches well with other gear *per your personal tastes*, what people call synergy. 
   
  Tubes add distortion, but many, myself included, just happen to like this distortion a lot. 
   
  However, I too am of the opinion that a tube DAC doesn't make much sense unless you know exactly what you want to pair it with or have a chance to experiment/audition. Every component you add that has its own coloration is another thing you have to match. It's much easier to find a set of headphones that play nice per your tastes with an amp and a neutral DAC then to match the headphones with the amp AND the DAC.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I've been looking at the Lampi, I just can't wrap my head around a tube dac.  I guess for the lack of detail or reason.  Why would you want to add distortion at the DAC level.  That's the question I have.  I was thinking might as well go for a NOS DAC instead..


 
  Because you're a solid state guy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Tube when done right, isn't "adding distortion". That's what crazed objectivist and sellers want you to believe. Case in point is the BHSE, 4x tubes and extremely low distortion. Overgeneralizing like that is like saying all NOS roll off treble, and all delta-sigma dacs sound like crap. On the same topic, the lampi is more linear than most thing that I've heard (including NOS stuff, various delta sigma Dacs - including many Sabre stuff which people usually claim "most detailed", and R2R). *The thing that the Lampi really stands out for is the tone and soundstage. *
> 
> *I've been through most dacs in the market, if the Lampi is distortion and "roll a tube get a random sound" I wouldn't have kept it. I think you heard HC's Hilo, the thing use an opamp output stage, yet you can't really say that it's worse than a discrete stage - implementation is key.*


 
  Bingo and spot on. To me when I had the L4 to my system, the best thing that stood that was a euphonic sounding intimacy it brought me and my music together. I guess this can be tone which I for one will agree strongly if that is what you meant. See I have the money for a L5 but I can't justify spending on something so expensive (despite how well it is) when I have no space for it. The l4 was massive and heavy when I lugged it around.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> Tubes add distortion, but many, myself included, just happen to like this distortion a lot.


 
  Tube distortion is awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. It just adds that extra meat to the layering of your music. Solid state to me in most cases can be either too empty, too cold, too bright, too brittle or too gentle with a few that does it just right. I like meat to the bone and this is where the wonders of tube rolling comes in.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Tube distortion is awesome
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I completely agree, but recognize that this is just my taste and others might consider exactly what we love to be too dull or not analytical enough. One man's trash, another's treasure.


----------



## DefQon

Indeed.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> \*That's not to say a tube device necessarily has high distortion*
> 
> However, I too am of the opinion that a tube DAC doesn't make much sense unless you know exactly what you want to pair it with or have a chance to experiment/audition. Every component you add that has its own coloration is another thing you have to match. It's much easier to find a set of headphones that play nice per your tastes with an amp and a neutral DAC then to match the headphones with the amp AND the DAC.


 
  My point exactly.
   
  Lemme be clear that I don't like the so called "tube coloration" or euphonic one may call. The only thing I really like about tube is the realism in tone (think Piano/Pipe Organ) and the soundstage. I did certainly find that in some solid state gears, but they're hella expensive compared to tube alternatives.
   
  Yes, in theories solid state is more accurate - as in distortion. However the coloration you talk about is present in a solid state too. I.e. roll opamp; hell even in a discreet state if I just change several parts around, it would change the sound too. Solid state got their own problem too, implement them "good on paper" only and you may get something really nasty (Mytek/Benchmark Dac1 comes to mind, both has excellent measurement but the sound ...)
   
  The Lampi in this instance is vastly different from the so called audiophile tube stuff. You can't roll tube (void warranty if unauthorized; also they sound the same); and like I said, the thing is more linear/neutral than many solid state Dac that I had. I do dislike tube dac that you roll tube and the sound changes - from the budget Havana to the holy crap expensive Zanden signature.
   
  After a certain level, "more detailed" to me means different presentation mostly. It's not like when I switched to the Eximus, some details "pops out" - or "wasn't there before". I haven't heard some of the so called "detail monster" dac though (dCS, MSB or even the Weiss)
   
  They're both there in two dacs, but the Eximus focus on the small cues, while the lampi got really nice 3d soundstage. When it comes to tone/realism, the Lampi really pulls ahead - both can reveal the resonance of the wooden hammer in piano - but the Lampi sounds like real piano; and the Eximus sounds like piano play back through a speaker/headphone for a lack of expression.


> > Because you're a solid state guy
> >
> >
> >
> > ...


   
  Tone for me is that an instrument, going through the Dac/Amp, sound as close as in a concert/real life as possible. Of course that depends largely on the tranducer, but Dac and Amp also play a big role. On the same topic I think Reel to reel, and vinyl sounds more life-like than anything digital.


----------



## DefQon

Which level you packing khaine?


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Which level you packing khaine?


 
  Gen4 lv3 atm. I got the choices of Gen 4 level3, and duh Gen 3 level 4. Problem is the gen 3 lv4 does not have USB input - while the level 3 got the new USB module fitted. Even though the gap between level 3 and 4 is quite large, the upgrade cost and transport is really closed to a new Lv4 Gen 4.
   
  In a few months, I will get the chance to hear both level 4 and level 5 of gen 4, and decide which one to trade for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I plan to get the level 5, but the upgrade cap and other options price kinda wrinkles my scrotum 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Plus there's still the AMR 777 that I haven't heard (8 hours train to nearest dealer). Also I need to travel to Germany to try the BMC Dac1 Pre and the Acoustic Art tube dac. The Eximus kind of rekindles my interest in delta-sigma dac - a bit coloured, but very special indeed.
   
  Still hella curious about the level 6 - it seems like nobody ever placed an order.


----------



## DefQon

Nice. As of recent I've seen a gen 3 or 4 forgot which level 3 on sale from the UK or Europe on ebay for around $1500 auction no one has bidded and it is the smaller slimmer chassis one, was thinking of bidding on it but I've heard the l4 and it was just too good for my own good which I have to get or a l5 with balanced but a bit pricier. 
   
  I haven't heard of anyone buying a level 6 yet either, but yet again Lukaz has stated that the l6 is a completely decked out with overkill components categorised in state-of-the-art only. No balanced though .


----------



## FatmanSize48

Pictures?


----------



## wolfetan44

My new HD650's!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> My new HD650's!


 
   
  Good complementing can to your 600ohm DT880 Prem's too.


----------



## EraserXIV

So I'm kind of in a transition period, so to speak...


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> So I'm kind of in a transition period, so to speak...


 
  Going to give away that Crack ?


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Going to give away that Crack ?


 
   
  Oh the Clip+ is hooked up to the Crack, waiting on a DAC to arrive. I think the Crack staying in my system for the foreseeable future.. don't really see what I would upgrade to even if I was hit with a case of "upgrade-itis"


----------



## OPR8R

I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.


----------



## LifeAspect

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.


 
  Is that a project vinyl player?
   
  edit: nevermind, just seen your signature it's a rega. Only thing I still miss in my setup, a good vinyl player. Probably getting a project xpression 3 in the future.


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.


 
  that is a beautiful setup kinda what I am going for right now.  How do you like the decware taboo?  That is the piece that I am currently in love with and drooling over as I write this


----------



## LifeAspect

oh that's the lcd-2, thought it was the lcd-3 looking at that picture. Guess it's the bamboo that got me confused.


----------



## MattTCG

@OPR8R...
   
  I love your setup!! Everything looks wonderfully and I'm lusting over the Rega. I keep telling myself to get back into vinyl, but when it comes down to it I can't decide on vinyl or sacd.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Fantastic OPR8R!! What a super rig.


----------



## RIQUE

Question, Is this thread to show your headphone dac amp setup or your whole stereo rig?


----------



## Redrider469

Quote: 





rique said:


> Question, Is this thread to show your headphone dac amp setup or your whole stereo rig?


 

 Both! Wherever you listen to music and wherever you have your setup at


----------



## gcanman

HE-500, Bellari amp, source is a Audio ReQuest server running FLAC files.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote:


lifeaspect said:


> Is that a project vinyl player?
> 
> edit: nevermind, just seen your signature it's a rega. Only thing I still miss in my setup, a good vinyl player. Probably getting a project xpression 3 in the future.


 
  I looked at the Project X3 as well.  Looks like a nice turntable.
   


zashoomin said:


> that is a beautiful setup kinda what I am going for right now.  How do you like the decware taboo?  That is the piece that I am currently in love with and drooling over as I write this


 
  Thanks.  The Taboo is quite good.  I've only had it a few weeks so it's nowhere near broken in, but it sounds great.  I should tell you, because while I was lusting I didn't know, but all Decware orders are like a 3 month wait.  So, once you decide hurry up and get on that waiting list.
   


matttcg said:


> @OPR8R...
> 
> I love your setup!! Everything looks wonderfully and I'm lusting over the Rega. I keep telling myself to get back into vinyl, but when it comes down to it I can't decide on vinyl or sacd.


 
  Thank you.  I'm glad I went (back) into vinyl.  It helps that I live above a record store.  I download a lot of Hi Res tracks from HDTracks and they have nothing on my best sounding vinyl.
   


longbowbbs said:


> Fantastic OPR8R!! What a super rig.


 
  Thank you, fellow Decware/W4S combo owner/lover 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


rique said:


> Question, Is this thread to show your headphone dac amp setup or your whole stereo rig?


 
  I think whatever, but mine is just a headphone rig.  Instead of just a digital (converted) source, I also employ analog (vinyl), that's all.


----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  Great collection Rawdwag3234! What are you using for your Woo Rectifier?


----------



## Schokolade bar




----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.


 
  Very nice.  I'm thinking about that exact vinyl set up.  Did you or your dealer fuss with the VTA much?  Fremer seems to think it necessary.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> Very nice.  I'm thinking about that exact vinyl set up.  Did you or your dealer fuss with the VTA much?  Fremer seems to think it necessary.


 
  Thank you.  I bought mine from The Needledoctor.  They set everything up for me.  All I had to do was install the platter, set the tracking force, and then match the anti-skate adjustment.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Great collection Rawdwag3234! What are you using for your Woo Rectifier?


 
  It's made by emission labs.. An EML


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





rawdawg3234 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll bet that looks great in the dark!


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





gcanman said:


> HE-500, Bellari amp, source is a Audio ReQuest server running FLAC files.


 
  How is the HE-500 with the Bellari? On paper it should provide enough juice but how's synergy between the two?
   
  Doesn't seem like that amp gets as much love around here on Head-fi....compared to the Schiit stuff.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I'll bet that looks great in the dark!


 
  Doesn't glow as much as the sophia princess or the stock rectifier. But, yes it looks great at night.


----------



## lm-mike

Schiit Magni and Superlux HD681... Just about to mod my headphones!


----------



## OPR8R

Some people have expressed interest in the analog piece of my rig, so I snapped a few more pics.
   
  It's very black.

   
  You have to look closely to read the model.

   
  The RB303 tonearm.

   
  The delicious Ortofon 2M Black cartridge.

   
   
  Comes with a wool mat.

   
   
   
  Glass platter, without mat.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> @OPR8R...
> 
> I love your setup!! Everything looks wonderfully and I'm lusting over the Rega. I keep telling myself to get back into vinyl, *but when it comes down to it I can't decide on vinyl or sacd. *


 
  Bit like the tube vs solid state discussion a few posts back..... Warm and organic or clinical and dynamic.... (yes yes vinyl can be that too blah  )


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Some people have expressed interest in the analog piece of my rig, so I snapped a few more pics.
> 
> The delicious Ortofon 2M Black cartridge.


 
   
  Oh man, that's like my end-game rig right there!


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Oh man, that's like my end-game rig right there!


 
  I really hope it's end-game for me too.


----------



## Silent One

OPR8R is doing some good operating to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




me! What record is spinnin'?


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





silent one said:


> OPR8R is doing some good operating to
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  OPR8R is spending too much time on Head-Fi today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  That's 'Miles Davis - Kind of Blue'.  It epitomizes why vinyl.


----------



## autoteleology

I've never heard a nice vinyl rig in person before, but if the surface noise is as bad as it sounds on a lot of the pro vinyl rips I've got, I would be hard pressed to be able to enjoy a vinyl rig of any quality.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I've never heard a nice vinyl rig in person before, but if the surface noise is as bad as it sounds on a lot of the pro vinyl rips I've got, I would be hard pressed to be able to enjoy a vinyl rig of any quality.


 
  That's what you get for using cheapo TT + cartridge and drop-in 50 bucks soundcard 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I guess it has something to do with the LP used too. Thankfully the "vinyl rip" trend tends to calm down a bit now and we don't have to swim through a load of noisy rip to find a decent one.
   
  There's some rare rip by people with multi thousands rig, and sound noticably better than the red book cd (mostly coz the cd version was brickwalled/crapstatically mastered) - and noise-free too. Vinyl rips got potential, I myself would pay more to get them rather than brickwalled but high res recording - but DSD is buzzword on today market.


----------



## OPR8R

My table picks up more surface noise on some LP's than on others.  On my best LP's (Kind of Blue is a good example), there's little-to-no surface noise.  A dirty record can sound pretty bad though.  The upside is that good, clean LP's can sound better than CD's.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I've never heard a nice vinyl rig in person before, but if the surface noise is as bad as it sounds on a lot of the pro vinyl rips I've got, I would be hard pressed to be able to enjoy a vinyl rig of any quality.


 
  Yeah I know what you mean. A lot of the ones going round aren't that great...  I recently compared the Radiohead discography 24 bit vinyl rip to my other 320 mp3 one and the mp3 was like a cleaner window onto the music. But! you are still playing the music through a digital medium. I'm sure a great deck>phono stage>amp will be a much more rewarding experience. ?


----------



## MohawkUS

khaine1711 said:


> That's what you get for using cheapo TT + cartridge and drop-in 50 bucks soundcard
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Even with an inexpensive turntable you can get your records quiet. I had a Dual 701 with AT70 cartridge, the key was cleaning the records prior to listening to them. I've got an old discwasher brush and some DIY cleaning fluid. Works great. With that setup my records were near as quiet as this guy's: http://www.youtube.com/user/BSD2000 Of course I wasn't getting the sound quality of his various turntables. And none of my records are 'audiophile grade', in all honesty I haven't a clue who pressed them. Most are the Back on Black label, the rest just random indie labels.  Although you do need a good phono stage. My old Sherwoods introduced a bit of noise to the signal, but I've had none with my Graham Slee.

I can listen to ambient electronica on vinyl no problem. Just stay away from the picture discs if you hate surface noise.


----------



## khaine1711

I don't have a clue on how to do vinyl rips. But most of the distributed vinyl rips are noisy as hell. I've heard many budget vinyl setups that are noise free. But we're talking about transferring vinyl to flac here =p.
   
  I'm still chewing through them everyday, hoping to find decent rips of stuff that won't see the light of a decent cd mastering anytime soon.


----------



## autoteleology

> That's what you get for using cheapo TT + cartridge and drop-in 50 bucks soundcard
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I wouldn't just assume that it sounds bad because the equipment is bad. I have a 24-bit rip of LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver" ripped with:



> *RCM: Nitty Gritty Record Master I*
> *Table: VPI HW-19 MKIII with corian plinth on sorbathane pucks*
> *Tonearm: Rega RB-250 w/ cardas rewire*
> *Cartridge: Ortofon Kontrapunkt A w/Soundsmith Ruby Cantilever Re-tip*
> ...


 
   
  The surface noise is pretty meh.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> OPR8R is spending too much time on Head-Fi today
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  "Miles?" You my friend, are justified 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 for taking time out of your busy schedule..._ TGIF!_


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I wouldn't just assume that it sounds bad because the equipment is bad. I have a 24-bit rip of LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver" ripped with:
> 
> The surface noise is pretty meh.


 
  Like I said, I don't have a clue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Could be the method, could be that you need a really high quality ADC (Hilo/Aurora/Forsell), could be anything really.
   
  Most vinyl rips sound noisy. Some are marvelous though. I have a rip of Anyone's daughter - Adonis that sound better than both the original CD and the remastered; relatively no noise either, but it did clip once or twice - what a pity 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## MorbidToaster

opr8r said:


> My table picks up more surface noise on some LP's than on others.  On my best LP's (Kind of Blue is a good example), there's little-to-no surface noise.  A dirty record can sound pretty bad though.  The upside is that good, clean LP's can sound better than CD's.




It's probably your cart more than your table. The Black is notourious for revealng pops, clicks, and general noise.




tus-chan said:


> I wouldn't just assume that it sounds bad because the equipment is bad. I have a 24-bit rip of LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver" ripped with:
> 
> The surface noise is pretty meh.




Their soundcard blows though. If your A/D is bad the whole thing will be bad.


----------



## Hifi Man

You can't really tell, but I tossed my AKG K240 and FiiO E11 and iPod classic in the air. This represents the statement that everywhere is my headphone station. Just the way I like it.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Im really tempted to open up my 200g Kind of Blue.... I've never opened it, but if the CD rips sound that good, I can only wonder how great it sounds on vinyl. I also have "A Love Supreme" on 180g. Both have yet to be opened, but I want to..... GAHHH


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yeah I know what you mean. A lot of the ones going round aren't that great...  I recently compared the Radiohead discography 24 bit vinyl rip to my other 320 mp3 one and the mp3 was like a cleaner window onto the music. But! you are still playing the music through a digital medium. I'm sure a great deck>phono stage>amp will be a much more rewarding experience. ?


 
   
  What you observed is because the majority of music today is digitally recorded and digitally mastered -- digital all the way through. There's not much reason to listen to vinyl from this kind of mastered music, except for fun, because the sound quality won't be there. It will in fact be worse because you took a digital source and put it to vinyl, and then ripped it back to digital. That's kind of like taking a digital photo, printing out on your printer, and then snapping another photo of it. The new photo you took isn't magically going to be better quality than the original.
   
  That said, I do know Radiohead at least analog records/masters *some* parts of their music, but unfortunately, 99% of the kids with turntables today do so because they are wannabe hipsters or heard that vinyl sounds better, not understanding the aforementioned caveat. Expectation bias at its finest. 
   
  If you can find a truly analog recorded/mastered record though, the depth of music can be a breath of fresh air.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> I don't have a clue on how to do vinyl rips. But most of the distributed vinyl rips are noisy as hell. I've heard many budget vinyl setups that are noise free. But we're talking about transferring vinyl to flac here =p.
> 
> I'm still chewing through them everyday, hoping to find decent rips of stuff that won't see the light of a decent cd mastering anytime soon.


 
   
  A lot of it depends on how they compensate for the noise and what kind of mastering is done afterwards. As much as I love LCD Soundsystem, bands like this are not worth listening to on vinyl, for the reasons I mentioned above.


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> A lot of it depends on how they compensate for the noise and what kind of mastering is done afterwards. As much as I love LCD Soundsystem, bands like this are not worth listening to on vinyl, for the reasons I mentioned above.


 
  I don't even know the band though I did remember Tus-chan liking electronic music.
   
  Several times I listen to Paranoid by Black Sabbath on vinyl - and I haven't heard better. One wonders with the money Ozzy makes, he should have at least release a decent remaster of the studio version.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm thinking I should be done upgrading for a bit.  Here's a recent shot.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Excellent selection for the evening  How do Mim and Liv sound outta those LCD-2s?


----------



## MohawkUS

tintin220 said:


> What you observed is because the majority of music today is digitally recorded and digitally mastered -- digital all the way through. There's not much reason to listen to vinyl from this kind of mastered music, except for fun, because the sound quality won't be there.




I've actually found that isn't true. It may be the fact that the digital releases have been brickwalled(while the vinyl have not) or it may be the fact that the music was mastered at a much higher resolution compared to the CD or 'hi-res' release; but I've found that it isn't a big a deal as you'd think whether the music was mastered/recorded digital or analog.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> I've actually found that isn't true. It may be the fact that the digital releases have been brickwalled(while the vinyl have not) or it may be the fact that the music was mastered at a much higher resolution compared to the CD or 'hi-res' release; but I've found that it isn't a big a deal as you'd think whether the music was mastered/recorded digital or analog.


 
   
  I do agree with you that it isn't that big of a deal, but seeing as this is a hobby where the minute differences are exaggerated as day and night, I wanted to just set the record straight so to speak, which is that analog cannot magically make quality appear in a digitally mastered record. This is just fact, period. Most of the time, modern digitally mastered music is worse as a vinyl than it is on CD, and is sold primarily at a premium because it is a niche, novelty item. I'm just trying to explain why some people have noted that analog rips of modern music don't seem to sound better to them, and that's because it usually, but not always, isn't! I never said it was a big deal or that it's that substantially worse in vinyl, but just that it is worse usually, not better. So, if you're buying a digitally mastered vinyl today expecting superior sound quality, you're probably going to be disappointed depending on how it was mastered. (Plus, let's not forget, the majority of people here don't have the $x000 vinyl rigs; it's cheaper to get more out of digital than it is to get a proportional amount of performance out of an analog rig.)
   
  There are two reasons, however, where modern vinyl releases *may* appear to sound better than CDs. The first is exactly what you said -- sometimes, but not often and certainly not always, the CDs get mastered further to increase overall loudness, so in this case, the analog version that goes to vinyl is actually just objectively better was far as dynamic range is concerned. A second reason is that vinyl playback, depending on equipment, imparts its own coloration based on the needle, (pre)amps, and any equalization/normalization that goes into this. Hell, some of us, myself included, even like the little pops and clicks that make the music seem more intimate. That, however, is more to do with a listener's tastes, and results from the equipment (and dare I say, "flaws" in the vinyl, beautiful sounding though they may be), not because of any virtues in analog resolution vs digital.
   
  For me, listening to vinyl, unless I am actually listening to a beautifully mastered record in analog, is not SQ, but the experience. Because that's what music listening is, right? An experience -- and that implies multiple areas and senses of engagement, not just aural. Basically, listening to vinyl is fun, even if I know my Purity Ring, M83, Beach House, or brand-spankin-new-in-the-mail 20th Anniversary Postal Service records sounds worse than it did right off the CD.


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Thanks.  The Taboo is quite good.  I've only had it a few weeks so it's nowhere near broken in, but it sounds great.  I should tell you, because while I was lusting I didn't know, but all Decware orders are like a 3 month wait.  So, once you decide hurry up and get on that waiting list.


 
  It would be amazing if you could tell me what you think of it when it is finally broken in.  and a 3 month wait?  I want one soooo bad but oh I don't know if that's a turn off or not.  But non the less the lust continues.  I have you tube rolled it yet?


----------



## grokit




----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





grokit said:


>


 
  Not sure why, but I've been craving a Denon DX000 lately. I've been wanting a fun can.. Seems like a good choice.


----------



## Silent One

tintin220, your last paragraph hit home hard over here. My listening experience is not limited/restricted to the aural world. Only when I'm analyzing components & accessories (or trying 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 to). 
   
  As much as I love gears, I also love music and the wonderful sensation it brings. I use to go out and hear a lot of live music - all different kinds in different venues, in and around Los Angeles and SoCal/LoCal (the latter is for you, San Diego/Coronado 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). Sometimes, in acoustically challenged (ok, BAD) environments. Also, some groups/bands/singers are less than perfect yet, something about the presentation is still wonderfully magic and can sound satisfying.  
   
  What's more, I find listening to live music can enhance one's experience with recorded music. Actually, each has its place in my life and it really isn't about which I like better. When I spend a fair amount of time listening to one, I start yearning for the opportunity to engage the other. 
   
  Anyway, all is not lost when dealing with a pedestrian recorded/mastered CD or vinyl record. A good/great live show from the artist can save you! You'll be able to listen and be a bit more forgiving of the recording. This points to the Mind, Music and Memory and their interactions. To be clear, I'd rather buy worthy recordings to begin with. Played back on capable gears, as well. I'm just expressing that sometimes, all is not lost with poorly presented music.
   
  If this post lacks clarity, it was typed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 pre-dinner!


----------



## Silent One

I miss listening to my Zeus recabled 4x22awg from _cup-to-adapter_ xlr D7000. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But, your pix still picked me up, grokit!


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> My new HD650's!


 
   
  Congratulations! A most wonderful shade of black indeed.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I miss listening to my Zeus recabled 4x22awg from _cup-to-adapter_ xlr D7000.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Recommend me obtaining a DXXXX?
   
  Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  If you're flush, you gotta round out your headphone inventory. I've enjoyed both the D5000 & D7000. While not everyone's tea, I don't let what others drink stop me from luxuriating inside my own tea bowl.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thats what I'm thinking


----------



## Okamoto

Main rig:
   

   
  HE-400 + HA-160


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Not sure why, but I've been craving a Denon DX000 lately. I've been wanting a fun can.. Seems like a good choice.


 
   
  Quote: 





silent one said:


> I miss listening to my Zeus recabled 4x22awg from _cup-to-adapter_ xlr D7000.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  I was introduced to the line with the D5000... and I still almost missed the train! Luckily, before I sent it away I tried it with a different amp... and _I was sold_.
   
  I ended up with a D2000 and a D7000


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Recommend a D7000?


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





schokolade bar said:


>


 
   
  That's a great idea. How do you do for back support though?


----------



## MorbidToaster

tintin220 said:


> For me, listening to vinyl, unless I am actually listening to a beautifully mastered record in analog, is not SQ, but the experience. Because that's what music listening is, right? An experience -- and that implies multiple areas and senses of engagement, not just aural. Basically, listening to vinyl is fun, even if I know my Purity Ring, M83, Beach House, or brand-spankin-new-in-the-mail 20th Anniversary Postal Service records sounds worse than it did right off the CD.




Funny you mention Purity Ring...Considering how much better the LP cut (shrines obviously) is it doesn't help your case much. Lol.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Is the LP much better? I used to be a fan of them.


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Is the LP much better? I used to be a fan of them.




Twice as dynamic and I thought the bass was improved as well. Though the latter might be just my rig.

The CD is pretty brickwalled. Either way it was pretty noticeable.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Got it.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Definitely, it's the cream of the crop!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## EraserXIV

There's something about those closed woodies, every time I see one I want to buy one.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Twice as dynamic and I thought the bass was improved as well. Though the latter might be just my rig.
> 
> The CD is pretty brickwalled. Either way it was pretty noticeable.


 
   
  Please read my entire posts and not selective portions. I have both a CD rip as well as my own personal 24-bit vinyl rip on my computer. This _could_ be the rare example of where the CD version might been further remastered, and the vinyl _might_ be objectively better, which is one of two reasons I listed that a vinyl of digitally mastered music might sound better. The CD could be brickwalled as you put it. I can't say for sure whether this has been the case, but in my opinion, the clarity of the analog version is definitely worse. It's not even close. Whereas the gap between digital and analog in some other records might be closer, this is one where the difference is actually extremely noticeable, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
   
  The reason I like this particular album on vinyl, again, is because I like the tonality imparted by my rig, which it seems you do too as the improved bass is almost definitely from your rig, not the recording itself (reason #2 I listed in my previous post). So maybe we don't actually disagree at all. 
   
  Ironically, sometimes I find Shrines to be way to shrill and fatiguing because that's how they intended the songs to be, so the smoother, mellowed sound of the vinyl rip is more acceptable to my ears, especially when listening with Grados. So in this case, the lack of the clarity helps listenability. But again, this isn't a virtue of the resolution of analog vs digital, and by pure coincidence, the loss of clarity increases my enjoyability.
   
  EDIT: In case it wasn't entirely clear, I'm not talking about dynamics here, but rather the clarity of the music.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> There's something about those closed woodies, every time I see one I want to buy one.


 
   

   

   
  I'll just leave this right here


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I'll just leave this right here


 
   
  Oh my, these are wonderful beyond words.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Guess whats on my head right now?


----------



## MohawkUS

tintin220 said:


> Please read my entire posts and not selective portions. I have both a CD rip as well as my own personal 24-bit vinyl rip on my computer. This _could_ be the rare example of where the CD version might been further remastered, and the vinyl _might_ be objectively better, which is one of two reasons I listed that a vinyl of digitally mastered music might sound better. The CD could be brickwalled as you put it. I can't say for sure whether this has been the case, but in my opinion, the clarity of the analog version is definitely worse. It's not even close. Whereas the gap between digital and analog in some other records might be closer, this is one where the difference is actually extremely noticeable, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
> 
> The reason I like this particular album on vinyl, again, is because I like the tonality imparted by my rig, which it seems you do too as the improved bass is almost definitely from your rig, not the recording itself (reason #2 I listed in my previous post). So maybe we don't actually disagree at all.
> 
> ...




Clarity and dynamics tend to go hand in hand. Overly compressed music turns into a wall of sound while more dynamic music has more layering and as a result sounds clearer. For the genres I like best all of the music is brickwalled on CD so analog is the obvious choice for quality listening. Cassettes and records. I think you're right though. I like the colorations the tape medium imparts on my lo-res music; and while my vinyl rig has much the same sound signature as my digital I have a unipivot tonearm(this type of arm is known for artificially widening the soundstage) that I much enjoy. Still; digital has it's colorations as well: DACs, computers, disc spinners, and your music software for example.(You can shoot me for the last few but it's easy enough to test for yourself). Nothing in audio comes without any flavoring.

Sorry for bringing this thread so off topic. I'd post some pictures of my gear but I'm in the middle of some re-decorating. I'm going to be getting a recliner in the next few months, I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for chairs. I'm looking to spend under $700 and a swivel chair is a big plus.


----------



## MorbidToaster

tintin220 said:


> Please read my entire posts and not selective portions. I have both a CD rip as well as my own personal 24-bit vinyl rip on my computer. This _could_ be the rare example of where the CD version might been further remastered, and the vinyl _might_ be objectively better, which is one of two reasons I listed that a vinyl of digitally mastered music might sound better. The CD could be brickwalled as you put it. I can't say for sure whether this has been the case, but in my opinion, the clarity of the analog version is definitely worse. It's not even close. Whereas the gap between digital and analog in some other records might be closer, this is one where the difference is actually extremely noticeable, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
> 
> The reason I like this particular album on vinyl, again, is because I like the tonality imparted by my rig, which it seems you do too as the improved bass is almost definitely from your rig, not the recording itself (reason #2 I listed in my previous post). So maybe we don't actually disagree at all.
> 
> ...




I did read your whole post and only quoted the part I cared to. There's no reason to quote your entire wall of text. You'd be surprised how often in this day and age music still get seperate masters for each format. You seem to consider them unicorns, but they're not that rare at all.

While there are a fair share of CD masters on vinyl (see: laziness), there are plenty of vinyl releases that are far superior even though they're not analog front to back. 

I don't think the mastering medium has anything to do with it. It's more about the quality and care put into the master.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> You'd be surprised how often in this day and age music still get seperate masters for each format. You seem to consider them unicorns, but they're not that rare at all.


 
   
  I'm not surprised. I have many colleagues in the music industry in engineering roles, and this is blatantly false. The vast majority of vinyl releases today are poorly done and meant solely to be sold as premium novelties. I didn't say the good releases or separate masters (again, this was one of the two reasons I listed) don't exist, but they *are* rare. Look, I am merely pointing out *facts*. If you prefer not to believe these, that's your prerogative, just move along, but I am just trying to be informative and helpful to those who are interested in my knowledge. 
   


> I don't think the mastering medium has anything to do with it. It's more about the quality and care put into the master.


 
   
  I'm going to use my photo analogy again, but it is as parallel as can be. Unless separate masters are involved, changing mediums from a digital master to analog (and then ripping back) will only introduce artifacts, just as if you printed a photo (and snapped a picture of it). The medium cannot create more range or quality if it didn't exist in the first place. Whether or not you like those artifacts is another issue altogether, but anything additional introduced by using the analog medium is still a result of artifacts.
   
  To be clear, I never meant to imply the analog transfer is *necessarily* worse sounding or if it is, that the differences were necessarily significant or noticeable, but rather, my point is just that it certainly *cannot* be better than the original master, which will always be the limiting factor. If the digital master is suitable, then the vinyl will probably sound good too. If it's compressed to hell, the vinyl will have all the same limitations, but analog/vinyl can't make something out of nothing, so if one is buying a vinyl expecting it to sound better than the CD, chances are, they'll be disappointed.
   
*As MohawkUS said, this is getting off topic. This is the last I have to say on this topic. Let's see more fancy rigs! *


----------



## OPR8R

Quote:


silent one said:


> "Miles?" You my friend, are justified
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Have a great weekend 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   


morbidtoaster said:


> It's probably your cart more than your table. The Black is notourious for revealng pops, clicks, and general noise.


 
   
  No, you're right.  The Nude Shibata stylus on the Black picks everything up.  That can be good and bad, but if I keep my LP's clean, it's mostly brilliant.
   
   


wes008 said:


> Excellent selection for the evening  How do Mim and Liv sound outta those LCD-2s?


 
   
  You're either Australian are an Electro House/Dance fan, but to answer your question, sweet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

  Quote: 





zashoomin said:


> It would be amazing if you could tell me what you think of it when it is finally broken in.  and a 3 month wait?  I want one soooo bad but oh I don't know if that's a turn off or not.  But non the less the lust continues.  I have you tube rolled it yet?


 
   
  I was floored when I put in my order to find out I had to wait (what turned out to be 2 months).  I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did, and it was worth  it.  There's a Decware Taboo MkIII thread where people who have had it longer than I (not by much) are writing their impressions.  I just started ordering tubes, so in the next few weeks I'll update my impressions there with that stuff.  The tubes that came with the Taboo work very well though.


----------



## LugBug1

Apologies for staying off topic.. I'll post a pick of my cans asap 
   
  Just to add... I also have a 24 bit vinyl rip of one of my favorite all time albums Bob Marley's Natty Dread and I know this album very well. The vinyl rip is superior to me compared to any other cd version I've heard. Now this maybe the case that some older recordings welcome a little warmth and smoothness that vinyl gives, but I think it is more than just that. The richness and realness in Marley's vocals are better from the record, also the overall depth on everything. It just seems to be more organic sounding. The cd in comparison is clearly 'brighter' and sharper, but there is also an unwanted edge to both Marleys high notes and Andersons guitar. 
   
  Granted that your equipment plays a big part in vinyl v's cd. I have to agree that there really is nothing like getting as near to the original analogue recording as possible. Even if paradoxically you are playing it through a digital medium. Especially recordings from the 70's and the peak of analogue recording methods, Floyd, Stones, Lennon, Marley, Zeppelin, Doors etc none of these should be messed with using digital remastering. IMO


----------



## LugBug1

Basking in the sunshine!


----------



## DefQon

I get wood every single time I see wood. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  MCA's work is really truly a work of art.


----------



## wes008

Not to keep the vinyl/quality discussion going (and noting that I own no vinyl yet), but Warner has a 24/96 backlog of everything they've released for the past few years. So if that's what's going on the vinyl, wouldn't the vinyl still be better than CD quality, even with digital recording? 
    
  Quote:


opr8r said:


> You're either Australian are an Electro House/Dance fan, but to answer your question, sweet


 
  Although I wish both, unfortunately, only the latter 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Was this close to getting my picture with them:


----------



## SoupRKnowva

tintin220 said:


> I'm not surprised. I have many colleagues in the music industry in engineering roles, and this is blatantly false. The vast majority of vinyl releases today are poorly done and meant solely to be sold as premium novelties. I didn't say the good releases or separate masters (again, this was one of the two reasons I listed) don't exist, but they *are* rare. Look, I am merely pointing out *facts*. If you prefer not to believe these, that's your prerogative, just move along, but I am just trying to be informative and helpful to those who are interested in my knowledge.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The problem is that you aren't using "facts" you're spouting anecdotal evidence like its the truth, which admittedly morbid is as well, but I have to agree with him. When it comes to pop and metal, the vast majority of the vinyl uses a completely different master, with much more dynamics left intact as compared to the cd release. Everything from Katy perry to eminem to mastodon to svart crown all sound significantly better on vinyl because of the use of an objectively better master. 

I wiuld never say that vinyl as a format is better than digital, cause I don't believe that to be the case, but when they are using better masters to press the vinyl version, they do sound better despite the flaws of vinyl.


----------



## Currawong

Topic or steel-capped boot to the rear.


----------



## fihidelity

In the interest of keeping this on topic:
   

   
  Enjoying a brew whilst re-ripping a few CDs. Anyone here drink/tried Lapsang Souchong?


----------



## MorbidToaster

tintin220 said:


> I'm not surprised. I have many colleagues in the music industry in engineering roles, and this is blatantly false. The vast majority of vinyl releases today are poorly done and meant solely to be sold as premium novelties. I didn't say the good releases or separate masters (again, this was one of the two reasons I listed) don't exist, but they *are* rare. Look, I am merely pointing out *facts*. If you prefer not to believe these, that's your prerogative, just move along, but I am just trying to be informative and helpful to those who are interested in my knowledge.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'll conceed the first. I never thoght about how much new vinyl there ia without good masters. Most of my vinyl is bought new but I make sure it has a proper new master first so I don't see all the 'novelty' stuff.

You're missing my point on the second chunk though. I'm not saying vinyl is inherrently better (it's actually worse), but it's mastering quality that counts. Not whether it's a CD or vinyl...and more often than not vinyl will get the better master (if there's more than one out there).

Ala Metal vinyl. That was my point, just to clarify. We're done though.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I'll conceed the first. I never thoght about how much new vinyl there ia without good masters. Most of my vinyl is bought new but I make sure it has a proper new master first so I don't see all the 'novelty' stuff.
> 
> You're missing my point on the second chunk though. I'm not saying vinyl is inherrently better (it's actually worse), but it's mastering quality that counts. Not whether it's a CD or vinyl...and more often than not vinyl will get the better master (if there's more than one out there).
> 
> Ala Metal vinyl. That was my point, just to clarify. We're done though.


 
   
  Well in this case, it seems we actually agree! Hooray!


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Not to keep the vinyl/quality discussion going (and noting that I own no vinyl yet), but Warner has a 24/96 backlog of everything they've released for the past few years. So if that's what's going on the vinyl, wouldn't the vinyl still be better than CD quality, even with digital recording?
> Although I wish both, unfortunately, only the latter
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's pretty close.  Nice.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  They're not for everyone, but Nervo is sure a talented pair.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Topic or steel-capped boot to the rear.


 
   
  That was funny


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





grokit said:


> That was funny


 
   
  and to the point, pun intended.


----------



## Bookbear

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Topic or steel-capped boot to the rear.


 

 YES!!


----------



## jackskelly

A long awaited family photo of all 5 pairs of headphones I currently own. It was difficult getting them to stand still as I snapped the photo.


----------



## Maxvla

The best and worst headphones in one picture.


----------



## DefQon

Guess he likes variety.


----------



## Silent One

Could be a published non-fiction account filled with emotion about his/her journey in head-fi-dom.


----------



## jazzerdave

Mad Dogs (v3.2) with the recently acquired iDAC.  My Taboo mk2 is under the desk.  Good times, eh?


----------



## Thaddy

Breaking in a pair of NOS Amperex A-Frame 6DJ8's..

   
  The ever growing tube stock.  A pair of NOS Valvo E88CC's will be joining soon.


----------



## DefQon

I really need to sort my tubes out with boxes. Any idea where to get plain white tube boxes for cheap from? Need about 40.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I really need to sort my tubes out with boxes. Any idea where to get plain white tube boxes for cheap from? Need about 40.


 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-small-white-packaging-boxes-shipping-chipboard-jewelry-wedding-favors-/190767380455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c6a9f37e7


----------



## Thaddy

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I really need to sort my tubes out with boxes. Any idea where to get plain white tube boxes for cheap from? Need about 40.


 
  I bought a whole bunch from http://tubedepot.com/ a while ago.
   
  Here's the direct link:  http://tubedepot.com/tubeboxes.html


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Breaking in a pair of NOS Amperex A-Frame 6DJ8's..
> 
> 
> The ever growing tube stock.  A pair of NOS Valvo E88CC's will be joining soon.


 
   
  very clean and organized. good tube selection as well!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





thaddy said:


> Breaking in a pair of NOS Amperex A-Frame 6DJ8's..
> 
> 
> The ever growing tube stock.  A pair of NOS Valvo E88CC's will be joining soon.


 
   
   
  Nice!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  So far, my favorite old Amperex 6DJ8s are the Orange Globes O Getters.


----------



## DefQon

Awesome! How can tubedepot not spring to my mind?


----------



## lm-mike

Quote: 





fihidelity said:


> In the interest of keeping this on topic:
> 
> 
> 
> Enjoying a brew whilst re-ripping a few CDs. Anyone here drink/tried Lapsang Souchong?


 
  I had almost the same stack! How are the DT 770 with Schiit Magni?


----------



## fihidelity

Quote: 





lm-mike said:


> I had almost the same stack! How are the DT 770 with Schiit Magni?


 
  It sounds great, I'm really enjoying it. Thankfully the Magni doesn't put any real emphasis on the low end as they're already bassy cans in their own right. Originally I was using a Clip+ as the source but I didn't think they were a great pair, now there's a really lush, full sound and I think the DAC has improved the depth and height. Great combo but I'm already getting upgraditis!


----------



## wolfetan44

Not sure where to put this, but this is a highely populated place, so here it goes:
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”- Confucius. 
I was looking through Confucius quotes, and found this one. Its pretty neat and interesting


----------



## Clayton SF

Bedside rig.
  Woo Audio 22
  SWA Beta 22 and Sigma 22 built by Corey Warner


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Bedside rig.
> Woo Audio 22
> SWA Beta 22 and Sigma 22 built by Corey Warner


 
  How do you like the D5K? Or is that the D7K?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How do you like the D5K? Or is that the D7K?


 

 It is the D7K. It is fantastic! It is like the best seat in the concert hall. The Beyer DT770 PRO AE are great too especially with a solid state amp like the B22.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I've been looking at the D7K lately. Maybe when you leave for Ultrainferno, I just stay in your apartment for a bit


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I've been looking at the D7K lately. Maybe when you leave for Ultrainferno, I just stay in your apartment for a bit


 

 Hah! Just make sure you turn off the amps when you go leave the apartment. All of them.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You sure have a lot of those
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe I just borrow your D7Ks and your Glenn amp


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> You sure have a lot of those
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  How are you liking your HD650s?


----------



## Thaddy

Quote:


dubstep girl said:


> very clean and organized. good tube selection as well!


 

  Thanks!  One of my Tung Sol 5998's died not too long ago and I've been holding off on purchasing a replacement because they were matched, but I have plenty of other great tubes to listen to in the mean time.
   
  Quote:


nelamvr6 said:


> Nice!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You really can't go wrong with _any_ Amperex tube from the early 70's.  They're consistently my favorite preamp tube for my WA2 and, in my opinion, match well with the Tung Sol 7236 power tube.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Not sure where to put this, but this is a highely populated place, so here it goes:
> “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”- Confucius.
> I was looking through Confucius quotes, and found this one. Its pretty neat and interesting


 
   
  Good one!
   
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Bedside rig.
> Woo Audio 22
> SWA Beta 22 and Sigma 22 built by Corey Warner


 
   
  Very nice bedside setup! I haven't tried the D7K out of the WA22 yet. How do you like it? I do need to try the D7K out with my current WA22 tubes.
   
  A couple of years ago, I had a D5K and traded it away because I didn't care for it out of the '22 at the time. But before I sent it off, I plugged it into a $150 x-head and loved it, I even tried to get out of the trade at that point (I ended up holding up my end). I went through another D5K and eventually ended up with a D2K and a D7K. I built my bedside setup around an old XCANS/DAC2 that I posted earlier, but the headphone was supposed to be an HD650.
   
  Well the D7K arrived the same day, and the 650 is gone. Although to be fair I did like them better than I ever have before, this was my third and final try with the 650. They would make good complementary cans to the D7K but so would a lot of headphones. The ones at the top of my list were the HD650, the LCD2, and the ESP-950. The LCD2 did not sound good at all out of that amp. But it has an RCA pass-through that would be perfect for the Koss setup, which I would still like to try.
   
  So after all that, the complimentary can to my D7K out of the XCANS is the PS1000, a headphone I have always wanted to try...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

 Pro: the PS1000 sounds very good out of the XCANS, almost as good as it does with the WA22 so it can go back and forth
 Con: the PS1000 is at least as colored as the D7K; a neutral mid-centric can like the ESP-950 may have been a better choice...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What is the per hour rate for Tube Sitting?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Good one!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks. I still own my X-CAN V-8P. I wish I could easily change the tubes. It still has the stock tubes. I've never opened it.
   
  The D7K is the most colored of my headphones. The least is the K701, then the DT770 Pro AE and the HD650, then the DT990 600Ω and finally the D7K. Since I have more headphone amps than headphones, I love rolling headphones (or amps for that matter).


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> Spoiler: Pic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice! I love how, eh, "upgradeable" cans like the Mad Dogs and the HD 600/650 are with different DACs and amps. (That said, I own neither 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but I love seeing people's rigs with these)


----------



## Clayton SF

Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
   
  A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
  Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
  Bias: UX-281, UX-216B
  Driver: C3g
  Power: 300B
   

  UX-216B:


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> 
> A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
> Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
> ...


 
   
  Great! But with all these pairings, where's the 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Wine list?
   
  That UX-216B looks sexy...


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> 
> A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
> Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
> ...


----------



## DefQon

Your"


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> 
> A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
> Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
> ...


 
  Which Decware is that?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Still thinking on new speakers Clayton? The Omens are great (and definitely a looker), but you've got way too much amp for them! lol


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Which Decware is that?


 

 It is the Zen Triode Phono Stage ZP3.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I like!


----------



## AK7579

Nothing fancy but here is mine at the office


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> <snippage>


 
   
  That's not an original Vettriano on the wall?


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





mrq said:


> That's not an original Vettriano on the wall?


 
  I wish. Although someone took pains to apply acrylic brush strokes to the copy to make it look like a real Vettriano.
   
  The framed print to the left of it, however, is an signed Picasso lithograph from 1972.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mrq said:


> That's not an original Vettriano on the wall?


 
  I'd think an original would be a bit more protected or better-presented than a simple wall hanging.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I'd think an original would be a bit more protected or better-presented than a simple wall hanging.


 
  Not for a man who lives without speaker grills!


----------



## MorbidToaster

I honestly like art without frames. The style of the frame often detracts (IMO) from the art itself. I love unframed canvas on walls.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Not for a man who lives without speaker grills!


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Not for a man who lives without speaker grills!


 
  ... or tube cages!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> 
> A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
> Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
> ...


 
   
  Gorgeous!


----------



## RamblinE

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Today's speaker setup, 12 August 2013.
> 
> A pair of custom mono blocks by Glenn (2359glenn).
> Rectifier: 5U4G / GZ37
> ...


 
  Man, I think I've seen this (awesome) setup elsewhere, or maybe it's just the speakers. Either way, do you write a blog/run a review website?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Not for a man who lives without speaker grills!


 
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> I honestly like art without frames. The style of the frame often detracts (IMO) from the art itself. I love unframed canvas on walls.


 
  I just realized that I embody both of these. Crap.
   
  I keep my Missions uncovered a lot of the time because they simply look imposing (though they're just aging monitors that were good values at the time), and I have only two or three framed pieces of art out of the half-dozen in my listening room. Most of them are originals.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I just realized that I embody both of these. Crap.
> 
> I keep my Missions uncovered a lot of the time because they simply look imposing (though they're just aging monitors that were good values at the time), and I have only two or three framed pieces of art out of the half-dozen in my listening room. Most of them are originals.


 
   
  Used to be fun with the Royd or Rega speakers to run em with grills off. People freaked when they saw there were no dust caps on the drivers
   
  Depending on the decor, I found I preferred art put on just a plain black backboard rather than frame. Delineates the art from the room without causing the eye to wander off to a frame.


----------



## MorbidToaster

ssrock64 said:


> I just realized that I embody both of these. Crap.
> 
> I keep my Missions uncovered a lot of the time because they simply look imposing (though they're just aging monitors that were good values at the time), and I have only two or three framed pieces of art out of the half-dozen in my listening room. Most of them are originals.




Honestly the fact I like my Harbeths grill on instead of off bugs me. Lol. I usually like my speakers naked.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> Used to be fun with the Royd or Rega speakers to run em with grills off. People freaked when they saw there were no dust caps on the drivers
> 
> 
> Naked Royd Edens
> ...


 
  Mys LS3/5a and most art remain framed and grilled. This is a little Magritte print over the Rogers. Like the speakers you risk damage if not properly cared for and used.


----------



## Silent One

I remember the very first time I laid eyes on a pair of gorgeous Klipschorn & La Scala speakers... no need for them to be dressed or naked really.


----------



## etherlite

Memorable photo of my home setup in Aussie before going for good...


----------



## Currawong

Guys, please stay on topic, which means more pictures and less talk. A whole page of off-topic posts is too much.


----------



## ssrock64

Sorry, it was my bad.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Sorry, it was my bad.


 

 Sorry, mine too...


----------



## Trident900fi

Quote: 





etherlite said:


> Memorable photo of my home setup in Aussie before going for good...


 
  I love the DAC !!


----------



## dukeskd




----------



## yonitaun

My humble little listening space...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 

 This is absolutely epic. I WISH I had a space like that.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 

 Where did you buy those headphone stands that are to the right of the photo? I've never seen those. They remind me of the Omega headphone stands but even classier IMO.


----------



## yonitaun

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> This is absolutely epic. I WISH I had a space like that.


 
  Thank you very much.
   
  Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Where did you buy those headphone stands that are to the right of the photo? I've never seen those. They remind me of the Omega headphone stands but even classier IMO.


 
  I didn't buy them, they're homemade.  I'm glad you like them.


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 
  Love the headphone head to the left. Can you tell me more about it?


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 
   
  What an awesome setup. Gotta love the AT-AT walker meeting the AT-ST walker wallpaper


----------



## yonitaun

Quote: 





rique said:


> Love the headphone head to the left. Can you tell me more about it?


 
  Sure. It's actually a skull made out of solid teak.
  One of my brothers had the idea to make a helmet stand for his motorcycle helmet.  We did some designing and mock-ups, and made one out of MDF w/ a high gloss paint. The final product turned out really cool, so I decided to do one out of some teak for some headphones, and that's what you see in the picture.
   
  Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> What an awesome setup. Gotta love the AT-AT walker meeting the AT-ST walker wallpaper


 
  Thank you much!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 
  More pics of your space please! So awesome. I'd like to see the headphones/stands, the vinyl/cd shelves, and the desk up close! Of course, you are not obligated to cater to my whims 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but it would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## traehekat

so nice yonitaun!


----------



## dtmhtk

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Why don't you take more pictures with that DSLR?


----------



## Silent One

If yonitaun had uploaded a 4000x3000 resolution to begin with, then...


----------



## grokit

I bet you made those shelves yourself too, you're a pretty handy guy *yonitaun*


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





silent one said:


> If yonitaun had uploaded a 4000x3000 resolution to begin with, then...


 
  They will be resized here regardless.


----------



## Silent One

BUT _"Clickable"_ to enlarge. I should be able to read the jacket cover on those discs.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





silent one said:


> BUT _"Clickable"_ to enlarge. I should be able to read the jacket cover on those discs.


 

 Dunno about record jackets, but the way Yorick there is eyballing (eyesocketing??) Robbie the Robot across the room has me concerned


----------



## EraserXIV

In between DACs, had to get a little creative.. not ideal but hey, sound comes out of it, and it's music 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   

   
  Test driving the new Google Play Music subscription service, love the interface.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


>


 
  Muse out of that rig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can only imagine


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Muse out of that rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Muse? Where?


----------



## yonitaun

Quote: 





traehekat said:


> so nice yonitaun!


 
   
  Thank you very much!
   
  Quote: 





dtmhtk said:


> Why don't you take more pictures with that DSLR?


 
   
  To be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to photography.  I got that camera as a hand-me down gift from my dad when he decided to get a new one, and I would just end up embarrassing myself if I tried to use it at this point. I do plan on learning, though.
   
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> I bet you made those shelves yourself too, you're a pretty handy guy *yonitaun*


 
   
  I did. I made all the furniture in that room (except for the chair). Thanks!


----------



## yonitaun

So I took a couple closer shots of the stands and skull for those who were interested.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Those stands are genuinely brilliant. You could make some pocket money with those!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Those stands are genuinely brilliant. You could make some pocket money with those!


 
  +1


----------



## EraserXIV

Hah it's even got a little compartment for the cable! Very nice


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I've got a Sony, quite simple to the one you've got, and really, the best way to learn, is to RTFM. Once you've read the manual, just go and practice. That's all there is to it.


----------



## DefQon

You should consider starting a small business with those stands. I'd definitely pay one of those over the Omega's any day of the week.


----------



## yonitaun

Quote: 





jamesy1969 said:


> Those stands are genuinely brilliant. You could make some pocket money with those!


 
   
  Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> +1


 
   
  Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Hah it's even got a little compartment for the cable! Very nice


 
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> You should consider starting a small business with those stands. I'd definitely pay one of those over the Omega's any day of the week.


 
   
  Wow! I honestly didn't expect such a positive response. Thanks so much for the compliments.
  To be honest, my brothers and I have chatted about starting something up to maybe sell these in the future, but I really had no idea what the response to them would be.


----------



## yonitaun

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I've got a Sony, quite simple to the one you've got, and really, the best way to learn, is to RTFM. Once you've read the manual, just go and practice. That's all there is to it.


 
  LOL, yeah, that's probably the best place to start, right?


----------



## jaywillin

system evolution !


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> Wow! I honestly didn't expect such a positive response. Thanks so much for the compliments.
> To be honest, my brothers and I have chatted about starting something up to maybe sell these in the future, but I really had no idea what the response to them would be.


 

 I'd start by filing copyright on those designs asap. They really are brilliant.


----------



## milk

Nice setup jay! Love the grados


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





defqon said:


> You should consider starting a small business with those stands. I'd definitely pay one of those over the Omega's any day of the week.


 

 x2


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  x3... that skull is wicked! By-the-way, what have you in mind for a replacement TT? Out of respect for a pix thread, perhaps you could PM me your reply.


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





milk said:


> Nice setup jay! Love the grados


 

 thanks ! grados are very musical, they just sound right to me


----------



## RIQUE

How much would you part with the skull for? US$  pm me.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





rique said:


> How much would you part with the skull for? US$  pm me.


 

 Good heavens perhaps a new thread is in order here


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Muse? Where?


 
  On his tablet!
   
  P.S. Yonitaun, if you need any more encouragement, those skull stands are totally worth money


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> So I took a couple closer shots of the stands and skull for those who were interested.


 
  Did you make those stands? I'd buy one of the stands with the cable holder thing.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'd buy a stand with the cable thing under it. If interested to sell/make one for me, PM me.


----------



## FatmanSize48

wolfetan44 said:


> Did you make those stands? I'd buy one of the stands with the cable holder thing.



+1


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> Wow! I honestly didn't expect such a positive response. Thanks so much for the compliments.
> To be honest, my brothers and I have chatted about starting something up to maybe sell these in the future, but I really had no idea what the response to them would be.


 
   
  Count me in.  I'll need 4 in a black finish please.


----------



## autoteleology

I'm gonna go ahead and hop on the bandwagon and say I would really like one as well. I wouldn't mind one of those skull thingies either


----------



## DefQon

I'm really intrigued to see how plyboard is vexed into that shape either by black magic or some sort of shaping machinery.


----------



## MattTCG

Okay...opportunity is knocking. Do you answer? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Oh...I'd be interested also. Special introductory pricing of course.


----------



## BugleBoy

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 
   
  That's a nice set-up yonitaun...


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> So I took a couple closer shots of the stands and skull for those who were interested.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  If such headphone stand was available in dark red cherry color (either in style of W3000ANV or VTI cherry shelf - http://www.vtimanufacturing.com/images/BL304SC.jpg ) I would surely order one, it's fancy (yet not overly flashy), it's practical, what else could we want


----------



## Greed

Indeed the Skull and the Omega Supreme stands are fresh. Count me in for 3. Get to work!


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> My humble little listening space...


 
   
   
  Excellent Feng Shui flow alive with peaceful calm and harmonious life. Thanks yonitaun for the view which touches us with tranquility.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> So I took a couple closer shots of the stands and skull for those who were interested.


 
  Beautiful. But have a think about it guys... It will work with light Grado's but try balancing an LCD2 for e.g on there...? The headband would also need support and would have to rest on the actual head.. 
  Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> Excellent Feng Shui flow alive with peaceful calm and harmonious life. Thanks yonitaun for the view which touches us with tranquility.


 
  +1  One gorgeous space.


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> So I took a couple closer shots of the stands and skull for those who were interested.


 
   
  Inspiring grimness. Perfect for getting in the mood for some headphone horror movie viewing or a creepy gaming session of DIABLO 3. Thanks yonitaun for the Creature Feature moment


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> +1  One gorgeous space.


 
   
   
  Thanks


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Let's get some new pics in this thread before facing the wrath of Currawong...


----------



## MattTCG

^^ lol...true.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





matttcg said:


>


 
  mmm mad dogs & HD650. wheres the amp?


----------



## MattTCG

Pan right...triple shizzle.


----------



## LugBug1

Its all in the matching. And although though my current set up is very humble, I can't imagine it getting _much_ better.. I'm a happy camper at the mo!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Pan right...triple shizzle.


 

 Looks NIIIICE!


----------



## MattTCG

TY. It was a small wine rack. I cut a few pieces of tempered glass to make shelves. The top is flat and is just right for my vintage receiver.


----------



## MattTCG

Umm...welcome to headfi!!


----------



## yonitaun

So, I wanted to say I'm quite overwhelmed with the response that I've received to the pictures I've posted. Because there is so much interest, I'm going to spend some time figuring out the feasibility of making a number of these. Please keep in mind that these (both the stand and the skull) are quite labor intensive, so these are not something that can be knocked out in a weekend. When I have a better idea of what will be involved (time, money, etc.), I'll probably start a new thread w/ more details.
   
  I also wanted to address this particular post.
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Beautiful. But have a think about it guys... It will work with light Grado's but try balancing an LCD2 for e.g on there...? The headband would also need support and would have to rest on the actual head..
> +1  One gorgeous space.


 
   
  I actually dealt w/ this particular issue, when doing the original mock-ups. In the end, I decided to go w/ a "clean" look on the end plates for the skull, but you can see from the picture that this is something that can certainly be dealt w/ down the road.
   
   

   

   
  Ignore the orange. It was, after all, a mock-up.
   
  Anyway, thank you for all the great compliments!
   
  And in the interest of keeping this thread on track, here is a quick shot of a little station I set up in the corner of the bedroom a while back.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


> So, I wanted to say I'm quite overwhelmed with the response that I've received to the pictures I've posted. Because there is so much interest, I'm going to spend some time figuring out the feasibility of making a number of these. Please keep in mind that these (both the stand and the skull) are quite labor intensive, so these are not something that can be knocked out in a weekend. When I have a better idea of what will be involved (time, money, etc.), I'll probably start a new thread w/ more details.
> 
> I also wanted to address this particular post.
> Quote:
> ...


 





 Put me first on the list!!


----------



## Greed

wolfetan44 said:


> :eek:  Put me first on the list!!




No me!


----------



## twizzleraddict

*yonitaun, some great woodworking skills and examples of your work & capabilities. *What are you by trade?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





greed said:


> No me!


 
   
  I mentioned it first, so I'm first buddeh.


----------



## Krutsch

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> I'd start by filing copyright on those designs asap. They really are brilliant.


 
   
  OT: Not a "copyright" but a patent.  The unique design element is the shape of the bottom of the stand and it's utility towards holding/storing the coiled-up cable.  I've never seen anything like that and I would anticipate a competent patent attorney or agent would be file something that would likely be awarded.  Gather up any notes, drawings, e-mails, whatever that describe the stand, find an agent and file.  Now that you are showing these publically, you have 1 year to file before your opportunity to do so expires.
   
  Just trying to help...


----------



## twizzleraddict

US Patent law now recognizes FIRST TO FILE, rather than FIRST TO INVENT. Better file NOW if you're going to do it.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





krutsch said:


> OT: Not a "copyright" but a patent.  The unique design element is the shape of the bottom of the stand and it's utility towards holding/storing the coiled-up cable.  I've never seen anything like that and I would anticipate a competent patent attorney or agent would be file something that would likely be awarded.  Gather up any notes, drawings, e-mails, whatever that describe the stand, find an agent and file.  Now that you are showing these publically, you have 1 year to file before your opportunity to do so expires.
> 
> Just trying to help...


 

 You can assert copyright quickly and cheaply and file for patent later. Should the design appear elsewhere the copyright is usually enough to protect an intellectual property.


----------



## Krutsch

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> You can assert copyright quickly and cheaply and file for patent later. Should the design appear elsewhere the copyright is usually enough to protect an intellectual property.


 
   
  Well, I respectfully disagree; a technical design for an invention is something that must be patented, not copyrighted.  The cable storage area is an example of a technical design, even though there is an artistic element to the stand.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DefQon

Yeah and better do it now rather than later or else you're going to be seeing other diy'ers or even some small audio company releasing an identical stand to the one's you and your friend made.


----------



## fihidelity

I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing other DIY-ers having a go so long as they weren't profiting from it. 

Stunning stands though!

Edit: Agree with Silent One, how about a new thread for the stands?


----------



## Silent One

Suggestion: from here, we might want to continue slinging info back-and-forth on those gorgeous stands on the "PM" side before someone bringeth the hammer!


----------



## DefQon

^ or a quote from what Currawong would say.
   
  "Stay on topic or steel capped boot to the rear end".


----------



## fihidelity

New addition in the form of an iUSB.


----------



## wes008

fihidelity said:


> New addition in the form of an iUSB.



 
 Nice rig! Where did you get the iUSB?


----------



## fiascogarcia

Quote: 





krutsch said:


> Well, I respectfully disagree; a technical design for an invention is something that must be patented, not copyrighted.  The cable storage area is an example of a technical design, even though there is an artistic element to the stand.


 

 I believe you are correct, Krutsch. A _copyright_ protects an original artistic or literary work; a _patent_ protects an invention.


----------



## buttons252

This is my setup, until my ultrasones show up on wednesday...


----------



## fihidelity

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Nice rig! Where did you get the iUSB?


 
  Thanks, it's gradually improving each time I post. The iUSB is on loan from iFi for review, I'm struggling to decide whether it's worth buying from them when I finish the review. I'm not sure I can hear many changes besides getting rid of the noise from the computer but I guess that's what it's for more than anything.


----------



## Krutsch

Quote: 





fihidelity said:


> Thanks, it's gradually improving each time I post. The iUSB is on loan from iFi for review, I'm struggling to decide whether it's worth buying from them when I finish the review. I'm not sure I can hear many changes besides getting rid of the noise from the computer but I guess that's what it's for more than anything.


 
   
  I wonder about that, as well.  I have one of these (iUSBPower) and I've been flipping back and forth between using it with my bel canto bridge/NuForce Icon and my AQ DragonFly.
   
  I am pretty sure I can hear the difference with the DragonFly, but w/ the bel canto/Icon, I can't tell the difference.  With the DF, there does seem to be greater separation of instruments, but it's very subtle and may just be perception bias.  The iUSBPower engineering seems sound, in concept, but the bel canto bridge has a lot of power regulation already and I recall reading that USB power cleanup regulation was a design focus for the DragonFly.
   
  Whatever ... it looks cool on my desk   I need to post pics after I cleanup the mess of cables from test listening.


----------



## eke2k6




----------



## fabriciom




----------



## Silent One

SamHedges; buttons252; eke2k6; fabriciom - making it work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 on Super Stereo Saturday. Great shots y'all!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Just got back from IKEA with a new desk setup! Will post pictures when it's built  Can't wait to add a second monitor, a small speaker amp, and some bookshelf speakers.


----------



## tattare

Its a bit messy


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tattare said:


> Its a bit messy


 
  Wish I had a space like that..


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





tattare said:


> Its a bit messy


 
   
  One of the best films ever, the greatest "epic" film I think, my personal favorite film.


----------



## tattare

Quote: 





jackskelly said:


> One of the best films ever, the greatest "epic" film I think, my personal favorite film.


 
  I dont really understand it.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Wish I had a space like that..


 
  Its not much.   650sqft studio but it has a urinal!


----------



## ssrock64

buttons252 said:


> This is my setup, until my ultrasones show up on wednesday...



The FA-011 is one of the most striking headphones in the world.


----------



## NZheadcase

Updated photos of the corner audio station.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Updated photos of the corner audio station.


 
   
  That's a nice stack of Schiit you've got there!


----------



## jackskelly

Quote: 





tattare said:


> I dont really understand it.
> 
> Its not much.   650sqft studio but it has a urinal!


 
   
   That's not a bad thing, it's extraordinary to me.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Updated photos of the corner audio station.


 
  Gotta get the HD800 in there.


----------



## TekeRugburn




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

IKEA move complete!!!
  Before:
   

   

   

   
  After:
   

   

   

   

   
   
  Can't wait to get the headphone stuff back, and place them nicely 
   
  Also, the Lepai speaker amp and finish my Minimus 7's.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





tekerugburn said:


>


 
   
   
  Another nice stack of Schiit!


----------



## NZheadcase

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Gotta get the HD800 in there.


 
   
  Someday mate. Someday.


----------



## Noobmachine

Quote: 





tekerugburn said:


>


 
  Haha I see my old Modi  Hope the T50s sound amazing out of the M&M stack! Just wondering, are those the older Maddogs or was is it a self-modded T50?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Updated photos of the corner audio station.


 
   
  just realized u got basically the same headphones i do, just get HD 800!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## TekeRugburn

Quote: 





noobmachine said:


> Haha I see my old Modi  Hope the T50s sound amazing out of the M&M stack! Just wondering, are those the older Maddogs or was is it a self-modded T50?


 
  self modded.
   
  I just can't justify paying someone to mod my headphones and not even know what they did to them.


----------



## NZheadcase

dubstep girl said:


> just realized u got basically the same headphones i do, just get HD 800!




Wallet still recovering.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Wallet still recovering.


 
   
  nice DAC too!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





nzheadcase said:


> Wallet still recovering.


 
  Nekminit goes and buys another headphone.


----------



## NZheadcase

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Nekminit goes and buys another headphone.


 
   
  You psychic? lol!


----------



## zapcovirtuoso

Schiit Modi DAC to Zapco SP7-SL to the Project Sunrise II to Grado Alessandro MS2i.
   
  SP7 is powered by an Iota DLS-45 and Meanwell SD 50a-24 power supplies.
   
  EQing Grado cans is pretty much mandatory in my book. Excellent sound quality, I'm happy with this rig for now.
   
  I'll post pics soon.


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





asdfghjkzxcvbnm said:


> How rich are you people


 
  I'd say not driving a car, but using a bike and public transportations would save you enough money to buy a very decent setup each freaking year.


----------



## Hifi Man

Quote: 





doughiggs said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Awesome!
   
   

   
  I found one of those head things in my basement. Looks great next to my lava lamp. Really holds the headphones well. Pretty kewl. Sorry the quality of the iPhone 3g's camera is horribly grainy. The head thing will be more useful when I get my second pair of headphones, because I never have the headphones off my own head, so it's actually kind of ironic to have a second head to hold my headphones at the moment.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Took some better pictures this morning.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Took some better pictures this morning.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I love how we are all able to completely fill any horizontal space.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I love how we are all able to completely fill any horizontal space.


 
  Yeah, Right? It's gonna be even better when I get my headphone stuff back


----------



## gcanman

I have not heard the 500's with other amps but to me, it sounds very good. Open soundstage, well defined bass.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





tattare said:


> I dont really understand it.
> 
> Its not much.   650sqft studio but it has a urinal!


 
  URINAL = NICE FEATURE


----------



## VolkswagenFox

Pretty happy with this setup at the moment.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





volkswagenfox said:


> Pretty happy with this setup at the moment.


 
  LOVE that tube picture.


----------



## Asound

I have cleaned my desk and also rearranged everything with the arrival of my sound omega headphone stand.

 AKG Q701 in black, powered by a Yulong A100, which is sourced by a Toshiba XR-Z70 disc-player. But I also have Kenwood DP-1000 as a backup. I mainly use the Toshiba, even though they both sound good if not even the same. There may follows a dac later, but my cd collection is growing, so no need for that yet.


----------



## basman

Latest:


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





basman said:


> Latest:


 
  Holy.. By the way, the first link gives an error.


----------



## basman

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Holy.. By the way, the first link gives an error.


 
   
  It's just a collection of old music machines but sounds great for my worn ears. thanks!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





basman said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Looks like you might like Grado's..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Don't have too many.. What turntable is that?


----------



## tattare

Quote: 





basman said:


> Latest:


 
  2m black?


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Looks like you might like Grado's..
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Looks like a Scout with a 2M Black.


----------



## fizzix




----------



## Krutsch

Quote: 





basman said:


> Latest:


 
   
  Wow... MiniDisc!  I was a huge fan of MD back in the day.  Nice spinners.


----------



## Kojaku

Hmmm...things have come a long way since my grado-modding days...Just got these bad boys in:

   

   
  Oh wait but what's this?
   

   

   
  Yeah, I'm still a modder at heart 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Lookin' good in SoCal, Kojaku!


----------



## Maxvla

marleybob217 said:


> I'd say not driving a car, but using a bike and public transportations would save you enough money to buy a very decent setup each freaking year.



Must be nice to live where that is possible. Even on my 4 mile one way commute I would be dead already if I tried to bike to work. Nobody here respects bikers, not really even motor cycles.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Must be nice to live where that is possible. Even on my 4 mile one way commute I would be dead already if I tried to bike to work. Nobody here respects bikers, not really even motor cycles.


 
  Get a jetback.


----------



## WLTN

Edit: post deleted


----------



## kingpage

Upgraded from some cheap Hyundai HY-Z-5400 speakers to these Kenwood HM-332 speakers. Hifi system/CD players are much cheaper to buy second hand than standalone speakers and sound much better than most computer speakers. I doubt I could do better without shelling out $150-200 for some brandname bookshelf or studio monitors. I got this CD player for $15 (well over USD$100 originally according to Google). Great bargain since I got my precious computer bookshelf speakers for $32 brand new. Those old Hyundai speakers have been relegated to be used as speakers for my digital piano (CDP-100) with the CV piano or Maestro VST sounds.
   
  I love the looks of these without the grille a lot. Compared to before, bigger cabinet, slightly bigger tweeter (1.5 inch vs 1 inch) and slightly bigger woofer (4 inch vs 3.5 inch). Notably, its soundstage is excellent along with deeper bass (from 60-70hz down to 50-60hz more or less).
   
  By the way, I didn't feature my DIY speaker stands in the photos last time I posted here either, which were made out of cardboard paper, pillow stuffing, and sticky tapes


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





yonitaun said:


>


 
   

  Y u no post in the DIY stand thread?
   
  I love the orange colour BTW, what are you talking about?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Hmmm...things have come a long way since my grado-modding days...Just got these bad boys in:
> 
> Yeah, I'm still a modder at heart
> 
> Kojaku


 
  It's not too often that you see an HD800 with a Schiit stack, though they're becoming more popular. How does the combo sound?
   
  Also, what've your mods done to the HD800's sound signature?


----------



## FOX1201

Old:
   
 
   
  Now: 
   
   
 
   
  Pretty much the only thing that is different is the new turntable and desk


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





fox1201 said:


> Pretty much the only thing that is different is the new turntable and desk


 
  Which model Audio-Technica is the TT?


----------



## FOX1201

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Which model Audio-Technica is the TT?


 
  It's a AT-LP60


----------



## Ilya--s

Well, it's not actually an all-gear-in-one-photo, but...

(Weiss Minerva, Luxman P1, Audeze LCD2 Bamboo/Leather Free w/Metal Headband & DIY Cable)


----------



## fihidelity

Here's the latest iteration which I'll take you through. I think I can safely say I've come a long way from my Sansa Clip+/laptop which was pretty much all I had in January.
   

   
  I've got the iFi iUSB providing noise free power to my new headless Raspberry Pi which is streaming music from a server back through the iUSB to my Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC and into the Magni. To control it all there is MPDroid on my phone and Sonata on my computer.
   
  In short: iUSB -> Raspberry Pi -> iUSB -> E-DAC -> Magni -> DT770/80


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





ilya--s said:


> Well, it's not actually an all-gear-in-one-photo, but...
> 
> (Weiss Minerva, Luxman P1, Audeze LCD2 Bamboo/Leather Free w/Metal Headband & DIY Cable)


 
  Nice use of equipment that isn't the go-to.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> It's not too often that you see an HD800 with a Schiit stack, though they're becoming more popular. How does the combo sound?
> 
> Also, what've your mods done to the HD800's sound signature?


 
  I love it. With the right tubes, the HD800s sing. The mods haven't messed with the overall tonal balance. They're only to reduce the 6.5k peak, which they do quite admirably.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet! How do the HD800 sound with the Schiit stack? What tubes are you using?
  I have a pair of HD800 coming in.. hopefully Friday and will be using my Schiit stack with Amperex Orange Globes or some Bugle Boys that are also incoming.
  Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Hmmm...things have come a long way since my grado-modding days...Just got these bad boys in:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





fox1201 said:


> Old:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Nice!  But that turntable will be a lot happier with a more solid platform.


----------



## FOX1201

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> Nice!  But that turntable will be a lot happier with a more solid platform.


 
  Hey, fellow Connecticut resident (Connectican
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). I am sort of a turntable noob, what would you suggest?


----------



## mosshorn

Quote: 





fihidelity said:


> Here's the latest iteration which I'll take you through. I think I can safely say I've come a long way from my Sansa Clip+/laptop which was pretty much all I had in January.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  How do you like the Raspberry Pi? I was actually thinking of buying one to set up a similar server.
   
  Also, what did you use for the music server?


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





fox1201 said:


> Hey, fellow Connecticut resident (Connectican
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  If I may, I think he's referring to something like this at least : http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html
   
  Some will actually take the TT apart and install its mechanical parts on a heavier plinth :
   
  https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSMHWqqpDniKXzFDh7Gi7HZX5EB80z_fIfrrnoKNQTYHuRHNNZuig

 http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/sp10huxkaneta1b.jpg
   
  https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDwTsmZKtmcVXwzae7dyCGYRo7rJC7Wy6-7cAt9dD5QGNropKP8g
   
  ---
   
  The reason for either is that a TT is a lot more affected by vibrations than CDPs. With the latter at least it's easy enough to have a stable platform as long as the disc transport is good enough quality, as well as the chassis, since the laser reading it makes no physical contact. On analog discs, the needle makes physical contact not just through the spinning mechanism, but also the needle, which vibrates along with the cartridge from reading the disc as well as more of it from any vibration on the chassis. A heavier platform deals with some of those vibrations.


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Sweet! How do the HD800 sound with the Schiit stack? What tubes are you using?
> I have a pair of HD800 coming in.. hopefully Friday and will be using my Schiit stack with Amperex Orange Globes or some Bugle Boys that are also incoming.


 
  I'm using Tesla ECC88 Gold Pin "Sabres" and the stock JJ tubes. The Teslas are a really clean tube, though honestly better for LCD-2s than HD800s. The JJs sound really good for new production. Not the greatest tube I've ever heard, but still REALLY great sounding. I'm getting a set of Bugle Boys in the mail soon though 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





fox1201 said:


> Hey, fellow Connecticut resident (Connectican
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Hey fellow Nutmegger!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The ideal would be a good solid rack.  But a lot of people, myself included, have come up with alternative solutions.
   
  The important thing is that you have to have a solid platform so the TT is secure, but you also want to isolate it from external vibrations as much as possible.
   
  Sitting on top of that other component, it's possible for vibrations from that component's transformer to be coupled into the TT, and that's not ideal.
   
  A lot of people have good luck with wall mounted shelves.  Just make sure that whatever you set upon is sturdy enough to support the weight of the TT, and as level as you can make it.  Then you can level it up the rest of the way using the TT's feet..


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> If I may, I think he's referring to something like this at least : http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html
> 
> Some will actually take the TT apart and install its mechanical parts on a heavier plinth :
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  That would be great!  
   
  But there are a lot of other options,  like a good solid hunk of butcher's block sitting on super balls.  There are a lot of ways to end up where you want to be, more than one way to skin a cat...
   
  If you can afford the time to make a solution like *ProtegeManiac* posted, so much the better.


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> I'm using Tesla ECC88 Gold Pin "Sabres" and the stock JJ tubes. The Teslas are a really clean tube, though honestly better for LCD-2s than HD800s. The JJs sound really good for new production. Not the greatest tube I've ever heard, but still REALLY great sounding. I'm getting a set of Bugle Boys in the mail soon though
> 
> Kojaku


 
   
   
  I love the Bugle Boys!  Orange Globes are awesome too!  But it seems like every week we hear about more tubes that sound great in the Lyr.  There may never be an end to the tube rolling fun!


----------



## Kojaku

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> I love the Bugle Boys!  Orange Globes are awesome too!  But it seems like every week we hear about more tubes that sound great in the Lyr.  There may never be an end to the tube rolling fun!


 

 I've had to be way more particular with HD800 tube pairings though. The sort of reckless high frequency mess going on with the teslas was just WAY too hot for the HD800s. I had to roll back to something more balanced. The LCD2s I used to have ran those tubes like a champ, though.
   
  Kojaku


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> I've had to be way more particular with HD800 tube pairings though. The sort of reckless high frequency mess going on with the teslas was just WAY too hot for the HD800s. I had to roll back to something more balanced. The LCD2s I used to have ran those tubes like a champ, though.
> 
> Kojaku


 
  I guess I'm discovering that when it comes to headphones, I'm a serial monogamist.  I don't know how to spread my love around to all my headphones.
   
  I love my DT-880s, but even since I got my LCD-2s, I have not had them on my head for more than 10 minutes.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> I guess I'm discovering that when it comes to headphones, I'm a serial monogamist.  I don't know how to spread my love around to all my headphones.
> 
> I love my DT-880s, but even since I got my LCD-2s, I have not had them on my head for more than 10 minutes.


 
  Build a separate setup rig for them, it will get more attention that way (as well as your wallet). I do it with each of my headphones.


----------



## fihidelity

Quote: 





mosshorn said:


> How do you like the Raspberry Pi? I was actually thinking of buying one to set up a similar server.
> 
> Also, what did you use for the music server?


 
  I think it's a great solution, before I always had to have the USB from my laptop plugged into the iUSB so I couldn't be very far from it. Now I can control from my computer and phone, very efficient! One thing I would say is that the power supply it came with caused super noisy audio even through the iUSB, actually powering it from the iUSB is really good.
   
  Basically the media server is just a backup server and you mount it in MPD. If I'm honest, my dad set it up so I don't know all that much about that side of things.


----------



## Kojaku

Picked up my new stand today...smexy:
   

   

   

   

   
   
  Kojaku


----------



## 8chvinyl

Details please! Exactly what I am looking for.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





8chvinyl said:


> Details please! Exactly what I am looking for.


 
  They are clear Acrylic Omega style headstands for that go for $35-50 shipped from ebay, I had 4 for my headphones but I had to throw them out because (unless you wipe your headphones down or use a dust cover) there were abrasive particles on the headstand that scrub against the plastic causing long scuffs and I'm OCD with the condition I want something to be displaying on.
   
  There's also a Hifiman one that looks similar but with there logo text and have a more extruded curvature on the bottom base lips.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





defqon said:


> They are clear Acrylic Omega style headstands for that go for $35-50 shipped from ebay, I had 4 for my headphones but I had to throw them out because (unless you wipe your headphones down or use a dust cover) there were abrasive particles on the headstand that scrub against the plastic causing long scuffs and I'm OCD with the condition I want something to be displaying on.
> 
> There's also a Hifiman one that looks similar but with there logo text and have a more extruded curvature on the bottom base lips.


 
   
  If you decide to dump them at Sydney, be sure to let me know


----------



## bowei006

Nutmegs!! My people!

Ill post pics of my newly redesigned work station/battlestarion/hifi area later

Ive severely streamlined everything. All the old gear in an organized locker and all my main stuff on my desk.


----------



## Koolpep

Hi!
   
  Here is mine:
   
   

   
  In the office:
   
  Macbook Pro with Bitperfect -> USB into Griffin Powerwave/muse audio usb mini DAC -> Schiit Valhalla -> currently mostly: DT880 Premium/HD25-1/Yamaha HPH-200
  Solid aluminium Cayenne Turbo is parked on my Amp. This makes the amp much faster!
   
  Cheers,
  K


----------



## Marleybob217

Quote: 





maxvla said:


> Must be nice to live where that is possible. Even on my 4 mile one way commute I would be dead already if I tried to bike to work. Nobody here respects bikers, not really even motor cycles.


 
  Yeah, dutch people love their bikes!
  You can get pretty much anywhere with public transportations in the Netherlands. And work usually pays for the traveling fees, so it is way way way cheaper than owning/using a car.


----------



## bowei006




----------



## Greed

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Very nice Panda Man, Now to only keep it that neat.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





greed said:


> Very nice Panda Man, Now to only keep it that neat.


 
  It's quite easy too. A few swipes and bam, no more stuff on it.
   
  It's an Ikea Gallant set by the way,


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> It's quite easy too. A few swipes and bam, no more stuff on it.
> 
> It's an Ikea Gallant set by the way,


 
   
  Gotta love Ikea.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


>


 
   
  Yes, much more pleasing aesthetically... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 what Panda wouldn't want to reside there?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ayy! My new desk is a Gallant set too!


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Yes, much more pleasing aesthetically...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  A bad one 
   
   
  It's my PC(Master Race) Gaming station as well as Hifi audio station. Everything is meant to be streamlined.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ayy! My new desk is a Gallant set too!


 
  I have both the largest desk availble as well as the upper cabinet/drawer thingy majig in the pic


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> A bad one


 
   





 I forgot.


----------



## Armaegis

Pfft, you guys and your clean desktops...
   
  Here are my three competing desktop speaker amp solutions for the HE-6
   

   
  On the left, the big Nuforce stack (top to bottom): DAC-100, HAP-100, STA-100 (with an iBasso D10 and a dozen opamps sitting on top)
  on the right, the little NuForce stack (top to bottom): Icon2, HDP, RJ45CX (modded with XLR4), LPS
  further right, the new contender: CEntrance DacMini PX
   
  At the back, my awesome speaker stands composed of telephone books, a Christmas tin, a broken wooden shelf, and an old binder


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Pfft, you guys and your clean desktops...
> 
> Here are my three competing desktop speaker amp solutions for the HE-6
> 
> ...


 

 For some reason this comes to mind.
   

   
  Make killer speaker stands out of him.


----------



## DefQon

Damnn Panda that is clean you've got so much space for some good amp/dac stacks.


----------



## DefQon

Following picture is just for lols to show how clean Panda's WS is to mine, grabbed almost every headphone I had quick access to from hp stands and boxes and laid them all over. Not all the stuff I have, few more hp's on loan to a friend, few on the mod bench still. No hp amp/dac in pic except the DV336SE as it's only there so I can fire her up after few more mods today to ensure QC . 
   
  Profile stuff either on bench or the other audio rack downstairs.
   
  Enjoy. Nothing special just bunch of low-mid fi stuff. 
   
   

   

   

   

   

   
  Black sheepskin leather for the headband.


----------



## freeeekyyy

Don't have a camera around to take pictures, but my main stationary rig is an O2+ODAC paired with Koss Pro4AATs.I don't honestly know what it is that people dislike about the Pro4s so much. They sound very clean, flat, and have excellent extension all the way from deep subbass to piercingly high treble. Soundstage isn't amazing, but it's definitely not bad, either. There is a bit of resonance in the midbass, due to the sealed design, but that only appears with some music and is easy enough to correct by just turning the volume down. And considering that I only paid $75 for them new, I don't know what there is to complain about.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Following picture is just for lols to show how clean Panda's WS is to mine, grabbed almost every headphone I had quick access to from hp stands and boxes and laid them all over. Not all the stuff I have, few more hp's on loan to a friend, few on the mod bench still. No hp amp/dac in pic except the DV336SE as it's only there so I can fire her up after few more mods today to ensure QC .
> 
> Profile stuff either on bench or the other audio rack downstairs.
> 
> ...


 
  It's cluttered but looks clean  Your a hardcore Head-fier DefQon. Respect.


----------



## bowei006

lugbug1 said:


> It's cluttered but looks clean  Your a hardcore Head-fier DefQon. Respect.


 *you're


-------
Yep. I spent time putting all my equipment I dont use in lockers around the house. But I can still easily whip out the equipment when in need.

Holy schiit that is a lot of headphones man.
I knew you had a "problem" and a lot but i didnt think it was such a huge collection. Damm that was huge


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> It's cluttered but looks clean  Your a hardcore Head-fier DefQon. Respect.


 
  Ja man. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> *you're
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  lol
   
  Yeah it is an addiction. I might get a pair of the 009's but iuno I'm still looking for an HE90 by itself when I land myself a job again, might as well go out with a bang. Think I might start get into the habit of collecting amps as well get as getting into speakers.
   
  Once I collect all the vintage Stax, I swear it will be the end of this addiction, I promise.


----------



## LugBug1

Just joined the vintage crew! 
   

   

   
  Recapped and cleaned up a treat. And it sounds verrrry nice


----------



## khaine1711

Epic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  New wood cabinet too?


----------



## RIQUE

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Following picture is just for lols to show how clean Panda's WS is to mine, grabbed almost every headphone I had quick access to from hp stands and boxes and laid them all over. Not all the stuff I have, few more hp's on loan to a friend, few on the mod bench still. No hp amp/dac in pic except the DV336SE as it's only there so I can fire her up after few more mods today to ensure QC .
> 
> Profile stuff either on bench or the other audio rack downstairs.
> 
> ...


 
  Which is your favorite Headphone?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Epic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Cheers, new wood veneer


----------



## MattTCG

^^ LugBug...that is the very receiver that I owned in high school. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I saved for two summers cutting grass to buy "my system." It lasted about 15 years and then developed an electric short. Wished that I would have kept it. 
   
  Now I own a 20 year old Denon that sound really sweet on the hp output stage. Just  added a sacd player, free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, this week and man does that combo sound really good. 
   
  Congrats on the vintage gear, enjoy!!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> ^^ LugBug...that is the very receiver that I owned in high school.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice one! I'm so surprised by the sound from the hp out. Don't know how many watts its kicking out but I can hardly get the volume pot off the ground. I've had to lower my computer volume for now until I get some attenuator plugs. I thought it would sound very warm and dull and that I would need to add a bit treble sparkle. But I've got one notch of bass on and the treble is neutral. Big clear and refined. Not bad for something that was made in 1977.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Following picture is just for lols to show how clean Panda's WS is to mine, grabbed almost every headphone I had quick access to from hp stands and boxes and laid them all over. Not all the stuff I have, few more hp's on loan to a friend, few on the mod bench still. No hp amp/dac in pic except the DV336SE as it's only there so I can fire her up after few more mods today to ensure QC .
> 
> 
> *Enjoy. Nothing special just bunch of low-mid fi stuff. *


 
   
  Says the guy with an HD800, LCD2, and a couple Stax on the table


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thats what I was thinking..


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Nice one! I'm so surprised by the sound from the hp out. Don't know how many watts its kicking out but I can hardly get the volume pot off the ground. I've had to lower my computer volume for now until I get some attenuator plugs. I thought it would sound very warm and dull and that I would need to add a bit treble sparkle. But I've got one notch of bass on and the treble is neutral. Big clear and refined. Not bad for something that was made in 1977.


 
  Maybe the person who did the recapping removed the resistor from the Headphone out (to suit modern headphones). Most of the vintage stuff tap headphone from speaker out, with resistors ranging from 200 to several hundreds ohm. Mine were 95WPC, with 470 ohm resistors; I still have some volume with sensitive stuff like Dt1350
   
  If I remember right, you have a C2.2 which you can try using as a pre-amp to the Pioneer - it's worth a try. Audio gd incidentally made really good pre-amp. I bought mine and used it mostly as pre instead of headphone amp


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Maybe the person who did the recapping removed the resistor from the Headphone out (to suit modern headphones). Most of the vintage stuff tap headphone from speaker out, with resistors ranging from 200 to several hundreds ohm. Mine were 95WPC, with 470 ohm resistors; I still have some volume with sensitive stuff like Dt1350
> 
> If I remember right, *you have a C2.2 which* *you can try using as a pre-amp to the Pioneer - it's worth a try*. Audio gd incidentally made really good pre-amp. I bought mine and used it mostly as pre instead of headphone amp


 
  Good thinking batman! I'll give that a go tonight with my C2


----------



## LugBug1

Just tried it with my M-stage as pre. Works a treat! Thanks Khaine1711


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Epic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> *pictures*


 
  I see nothing to dislike in this setup (perhaps the red Xbox is a bit much).


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I see nothing to dislike in this setup (perhaps the red Xbox is a bit much).


 
   
  Bit of wonky setup room if you wanna be nit picky 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm digging your style on headphones though...


----------



## grokit

Your (Lyr) headphone amp is on top of your subwoofer *floydfan33*, this is not ideal...


----------



## floydfan33

grokit said:


> Your (Lyr) headphone amp is on top of your subwoofer *floydfan33*, this is not ideal...




Limited space and too much gear! I'm looking at a 2 piece cabinet (1 video/1 audio) that should rectify that.


----------



## floydfan33

Duplicate post


----------



## floydfan33

Duplicate post


----------



## floydfan33

ssrock64 said:


> I see nothing to dislike in this setup (perhaps the red Xbox is a bit much).




It used to fit on the shelf under the lip until I changed my receiver.

I'm thinking the new XBOX One will look a little nicer.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Don't get a Xbox One!


----------



## jude

(Click to see full size.)
   
  McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).


----------



## MattTCG

Show off...


----------



## bowei006

Yeah! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Who does he think he can just come in here and show of his fancy rig and make us peasants drool!
   
  Oh wait, its Jude! The main Admin! *oh snap*
   
  Ummm. What a good day today sir Jude. Weather is nice....right? *whistle*


----------



## TrollDragon

McIntosh... Very nice!

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## MorbidToaster

Gotta ask...how is it so far Jude? I'd love to own Mc gear but it's not often a major competitor to my ears.


----------



## Silent One

Giving us something to think about over the weekend...


----------



## MickeyVee

As Neo would say..'Whoa!' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  How's the HP output? You've got to do a review on this Jude.. especially with the top tier cans.. HD800 please.
  Quote: 





jude said:


> McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jude said:


> (Click to see full size.)
> 
> McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).


 
  Yup interesting amp. But the picture quality,that is something else


----------



## Saraguie

I am working on a better way to place the Mjolnir. Some kind of stand with felt on the bottom to not scratch the finish.
   
  Let me tell ya, kicking back in that Lazy boy listening to MBP/Audirvana > PS PWD II > Mjolnir > LCD3s is nothing short of WOW all the time. Right now listening to "Chuck E's in Love" I am standing right next to Rickie Lee Jones on the stage.......


----------



## RamblinE

I'm going to need to barrow those K340s stat! PM for shipping details.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





jude said:


> (Click to see full size.)
> 
> McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).


 

 OMG, *you* haven't re amped the 950's? The world suddenly makes no sense whatsoever


----------



## Tangster

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> OMG, *you* haven't re amped the 950's? The world suddenly makes no sense whatsoever


 
  What's wrong with running the ESP 950 off it's stock energiser? Granted it won't sound as open and clear as an SRM 717 or a high end DIY stat amp, but it's still a perfectly decent amp, especially if you don't want to go to the trouble of getting a converter plug.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i love how the D100 looks, is it a good headphone amp?


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





tangster said:


> What's wrong with running the ESP 950 off it's stock energiser? Granted it won't sound as open and clear as an SRM 717 or a high end DIY stat amp, but it's still a perfectly decent amp, especially if you don't want to go to the trouble of getting a converter plug.


 

 Night and day man. Besides this is the state of the art Head Fi Honcho here. If you're going to get al McIntoshed up might as well go all the way.
   
  the E 90 is OK and thats it.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> the E 90 is OK and thats it.


 
  I found it crap. Weakest link of any ESP950 setup, get rid of it if you want hi-fidelity and terminate the 950's with a Stax pro-bias jack.


----------



## MohawkUS

McIntosh? Koss? 340s? I only see the Taket.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I found it crap. Weakest link of any ESP950 setup, get rid of it if you want hi-fidelity and terminate the 950's with a Stax pro-bias jack.


 

 I was *trying* to be polite
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I'm in it deep enough on these forums as it is.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> I was *trying* to be polite
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  lol sometimes being polite don't cut it on these forums. Just come out bare handed and be honest with your opinions. This keeps the noise and bs down a bit. No huddling and cuddling, just rambo in the place.
   
  lol - so am I.


----------



## milarepa

saraguie said:


> I am working on a better way to place the Mjolnir. Some kind of stand with felt on the bottom to not scratch the finish.
> 
> Let me tell ya, kicking back in that Lazy boy listening to MBP/Audirvana > PS PWD II > Mjolnir > LCD3s is nothing short of WOW all the time. Right now listening to "Chuck E's in Love" I am standing right next to Rickie Lee Jones on the stage.......




Great setup, chair and all! Enjoy it!


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





milarepa said:


> Great setup, chair and all! Enjoy it!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





saraguie said:


> I am working on a better way to place the Mjolnir. Some kind of stand with felt on the bottom to not scratch the finish.
> 
> Let me tell ya, kicking back in that Lazy boy listening to MBP/Audirvana > PS PWD II > Mjolnir > LCD3s is nothing short of WOW all the time. Right now listening to "Chuck E's in Love" I am standing right next to Rickie Lee Jones on the stage.......


 
   
  Sweet Steve!! It's a wonder you ever leave the chair!


----------



## JonasRas

Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.


 
  Nice!


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.


 
   
  Looks really nice and clean!! What's underneath the modi? Can't quite see it...


----------



## JonasRas

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Looks really nice and clean!! What's underneath the modi? Can't quite see it...


 
   
  It's the Apple USB SuperDrive.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pic


 
  Haha, saw that on Instagram! Nice rig! Are you happy with the Modi or do you have any desire to upgrade your dac?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow love that setup, so clean and simple!


----------



## JonasRas

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Haha, saw that on Instagram! Nice rig! Are you happy with the Modi or do you have any desire to upgrade your dac?


 
   
  Yeah, I saw your comment. I'm pretty happy with the Modi, but at some point I would like to try the Bifrost.


----------



## autoteleology

> lol sometimes being polite don't cut it on these forums. Just come out bare handed and be honest with your opinions. This keeps the noise and bs down a bit. No huddling and cuddling, just rambo in the place.


 
   
  When you do that, you have to walk the blurry line of being strong-willed versus just being a jerk, which is a risky proposition - I can think of a few high-profile members off the top of my head who were banned because they weren't able to tell the difference.
   
  Just my two cents


----------



## HeyWaj10

jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.




What desk is that?!?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> When you do that, you have to walk the blurry line of being strong-willed versus just being a jerk, which is a risky proposition - I can think of a few high-profile members off the top of my head who were banned because they weren't able to tell the difference.
> 
> Just my two cents


 
  ja man


----------



## JonasRas

heywaj10 said:


> What desk is that?!?




It's an Ikea table, where you get to pick the parts yourself. Don't know if they have it internationally or if it's only available in Denmark.


----------



## floydfan33

grokit said:


> Your (Lyr) headphone amp is on top of your subwoofer *floydfan33*, this is not ideal...




My temporary solution. Thanks for the advice!


----------



## chungsoi




----------



## ssrock64

I guess I didn't look enough at floydfan33's setup, since everyone had little niggles with it after I pronounced it great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  This is what I get for complimenting people.


----------



## floydfan33

ssrock64 said:


> I guess I didn't look enough at floydfan33's setup, since everyone had little niggles with it after I pronounced it great
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I appreciate the support! Good advice and a new amp, and now it looks like this......


----------



## grokit




----------



## milarepa

Quote: 





floydfan33 said:


> I appreciate the support! Good advice and a new amp, and now it looks like this......
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Wallets%20may%20suffer!


 
  Great setup, my wallet trembles while I am beholding the beauty!


----------



## bundynice

Sweeeeeet


----------



## cdawall

Not exactly the fanciest of setups while I am deployed. I have a set of FA-002HE's hiding in the case as well.
   
  http://img.techpowerup.org/130528/20130528_151348.jpg
   
  http://img.techpowerup.org/130528/20130528_151332.jpg


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





cdawall said:


> Not exactly the fanciest of setups while I am deployed. I have a set of FA-002HE's hiding in the case as well.
> 
> http://img.techpowerup.org/130528/20130528_151348.jpg
> 
> http://img.techpowerup.org/130528/20130528_151332.jpg


 
  LEL NICE WATERBOTTLES.


----------



## cdawall

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> LEL NICE WATERBOTTLES.


 
  Had to build a desk out of something. Tables and desks are not exactly the easiest thing to come buy. The tabletop is actually a door off of a wall locker


----------



## Jesterphile

Here's my set up - soon to replace the HE-500's with LCD-2's
   

   
  And the top:


----------



## MattTCG

That is a sweet looking TT and vintage receiver. I have no issue with you going for the lcd2...enjoy!!


----------



## DefQon

There's a place in my heart for the Meier line products.


----------



## FatmanSize48

What TT is that on top?


----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





fatmansize48 said:


> What TT is that on top?


 
   
  On mine? JVC QL-Y3F


----------



## FatmanSize48

Thanks! I just thought it looked like a very cool turntable.


----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





fatmansize48 said:


> Thanks! I just thought it looked like a very cool turntable.


 
   
  It is a very cool TT


----------



## axeltow

hey, what about that stand for the monitor? i really wanna get sthing similar.
   
   
  Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.


----------



## JonasRas

Quote: 





axeltow said:


> hey, what about that stand for the monitor? i really wanna get sthing similar.


 
   
  It's called an Mtable, primarily for MacBook. Here's an amazon link: amzn.to/18yrOBo


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> It's called an Mtable, primarily for MacBook. Here's an amazon link: amzn.to/18yrOBo


 
   
  Worth checking macessity.


----------



## JIGF

Late night learning station.



Edit: oops, forgot to include the headphones.


----------



## HeroicPenguin

New set-up! The last of my college set-ups.
   
  MacBook Pro > Musical Fidelity V-DAC II + V-PSU II > ALO Amphora > Audio-Technica AD2000
   
  Looking to potentially pick up a iMod to make the Amphora completely portable.


----------



## FatmanSize48

heroicpenguin said:


> New set-up! The last of my college set-ups.
> 
> MacBook Pro > Musical Fidelity V-DAC II + V-PSU II > ALO Amphora > Audio-Technica AD2000
> 
> Looking to potentially pick up a iMod to make the Amphora completely portable.



Are you ever afraid to leave this unattended in your dorm?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> New set-up! The last of my college set-ups.
> 
> MacBook Pro > Musical Fidelity V-DAC II + V-PSU II > ALO Amphora > Audio-Technica AD2000
> 
> Looking to potentially pick up a iMod to make the Amphora completely portable.


 
  Pretty cool set up, lovin the ALO!


----------



## HeroicPenguin

Quote: 





fatmansize48 said:


> Are you ever afraid to leave this unattended in your dorm?


 
   
  Not particularly. The door locks and most people have no idea what the value of audio gear is. If I still lived in my frat house though, I might be a bit more worried. I've gone through a lot of different set-ups in my fours years in college and never really was too worried about anything. I've left my F111s unattended in the library before, but I've never been too worried about them. The theft rate at my school is also really low (we're in the backwoods of New Hampshire), so it's not like I go to school in the city.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





heroicpenguin said:


> Not particularly. The door locks and most people have no idea what the value of audio gear is. If I still lived in my frat house though, I might be a bit more worried. I've gone through a lot of different set-ups in my fours years in college and never really was too worried about anything. I've left my F111s unattended in the library before, but I've never been too worried about them. The theft rate at my school is also really low (we're in the _*backwoods*_ of New Hampshire), so it's not like I go to school in the city.


 
   
   

   
_*Dem Backwoods folks don't know what that audio equipment costs.*_


----------



## FatmanSize48

If it ain't got a fancy schmancy B, it ain't worth diddly squat.


----------



## ForShure

redcarmoose said:


> _*Dem Backwoods folks don't know what that audio equipment costs.*_


 
Squeal like a pig.


----------



## FatmanSize48

forshure said:


> Squeal like a pig.


Don't...don't bring that up. (Ominous banjo playing in the background gets louder and louder)


----------



## abaebae

My current setup - planning to replace the WA6 with a HPA V200

  and the chair


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





abaebae said:


> My current setup - planning to replace the WA6 with a HPA V200
> 
> and the chair


 
  Sweet!


----------



## Audiophile03

This is the updated setup. Im using optical out to a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 to a PSE Studio SL balanced preamp which splits the signal to an Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp to a pair of modded Denon D-2k's. The unbalanced signal goes to my hifi setup. (Looking at this photo reminds me its time for a new office chair )







Sent from my Note II using Tapatalk 2


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> This is the updated setup. Im using optical out to a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 to a PSE Studio SL balanced preamp which splits the signal to an Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp to a pair of modded Denon D-2k's. The unbalanced signal goes to my hifi setup. (Looking at this photo reminds me its time for a new office chair
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  0_0 Fantastic setup


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> This is the updated setup. Im using optical out to a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 to a PSE Studio SL balanced preamp which splits the signal to an Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp to a pair of modded Denon D-2k's. The unbalanced signal goes to my hifi setup. (Looking at this photo reminds me its time for a new office chair
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Are those monitors Mordaunt Short Carnivals?


----------



## Rem0o

Quote: 





audiophile03 said:


> This is the updated setup. Im using optical out to a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 to a PSE Studio SL balanced preamp which splits the signal to an Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp to a pair of modded Denon D-2k's. The unbalanced signal goes to my hifi setup. (Looking at this photo reminds me its time for a new office chair
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Silverstone make such fine computer cases. Nice setup!


----------



## Audiophile03

iceclass said:


> Are those monitors Mordaunt Short Carnivals?




Good eye! Yup, they are  
Sent from my Note II using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Twinster

audiophile03 said:


> This is the updated setup. Im using optical out to a Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 to a PSE Studio SL balanced preamp which splits the signal to an Einar VC-01i balanced headphones amp to a pair of modded Denon D-2k's. The unbalanced signal goes to my hifi setup. (Looking at this photo reminds me its time for a new office chair )
> 
> 
> 
> ...




That look like a great chair. Maybe a bit damage but look to be very comfy. I'm assuming it's made of leather.


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





abaebae said:


> My current setup - planning to replace the WA6 with a HPA V200
> 
> and the chair


 

 Sweeeeeeet!


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





forshure said:


> Squeal like a pig.


 
   
  That needs a link.


----------



## Jlav

2 Rigs to show...
   
  The main rig consists of the Project Debut Carbon into a TC750LC phono amp. Alternatively, if I’m feeling digital, I will use my TV to send digital audio from an Android TV stick into a Fiio D-03K dac.  Both of those options feed into the Musical Paradise MP-301 MK3 amp.  Depending on the time of night, the amp either pushes the DT 880’s or the PSB Alpha B2’s. 
   

   
   

   

   

   

   
   

   

   
  The bedtime rig starts with my Samsung Galaxy SII.  I use a MHL cable into a 4x1 HDMI switcher with coaxial out.  This gets sent to my Audio GD 11.32 dac/amp. The ubiquitous Audio Technica ATH M50’s cap it all off.  I really like this solution because I get digital audio and video I can control with my phone.  I often stream video over a media server from the Android TV stick in my main rig to the phone.


----------



## zilch0md

*Taming the Beyerdynamic T1*
  
 WAV on SD Card > Windows 7
 > Foobar 2000 with WASAPI event and RPGWiZaRD's "Forward" Dolby Surround DSP presets
 > USB > Moon Audio Blue Dragon cable
 > DACmini CX line out > Emotiva XRCA interconnects > 6 dB Harrison Attenuators





 > Decware ZSTAGE Zen Triode Tube Gain Stage with NOS 1965 Blackburn UK Mullard 12AT7 > Emotiva XRCA interconnects
 > Burson Soloist > Beyerdynamic T1 
  

   
  

   

   

   

   
  The Decware ZSTAGE is a triode gain stage (essentially, a single-tube pre-amp with only one pair of RCA inputs) that allows you to increase dynamics and weight by supplying the amp with more gain than that coming from the DAC.  Gain can also be decreased (down to 0 Vrms) to decrease dynamics and weight.  As gain is decreased or increased at the ZSTAGE, a constant SPL at the headphones can be maintained by adjusting the amp's gain in the opposite direction to compensate.  And, of course, rolling tubes allows even more control over tailoring the sound to suit your tastes (and more opportunity to go insane if you are the least bit obcessive!)
   
  This rig, as shown, with the NOS Mullard 12AT7, gives the Beyerdynamic T1 greater dynamics, warmth, and body - moving the signature somewhat in the direction of my LCD-2, while retaining the T1's sound stage and 99% of its transparency, resolution, and speed.  Steve Deckert (of Decware) wrote that he almost made the ZSTAGE "too transparent."  I disagree!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   In terms of transparency when using the T1, it's very hard to tell the ZSTAGE has been inserted between the DAC and amp.
   
  The 6dB Harrison Attenuators reduce the 2.0Vrms output voltage of the DACmini CX down to 0.50 1.0 Vrms.  This shifts the point at which unity gain occurs with the 12AT7 tube down to about 8 o'clock on the ZSTAGE gain control knob, rather than it being at about 3 o'clock.  This makes about  3/4 of the ZSTAGE knob's adjustment range useful for increasing dynamics and weight, above that had at unity gain, vs. running without the 6dB attenuators, where only the uppermost 1/4 of the adjustment range was useful for increasing dynamics and weight.  Another benefit of the 6dB attenuators is that I no longer hear any distortion when the ZSTAGE gain control is at its maximum setting.  Previously, without the attenuators, the 2.0Vrms coming from my DACmini CX was enough to overload the ZSTAGE when its gain was turned all the way up.  
   
  Mike
   
  EDIT:  Applied correction in first sentence of last paragraph - courtesy of Armaegis.   A 6dB attenuator reduces voltage by 50% (from 2.0 Vrms to 1.0 Vrms, in this case.)


----------



## Armaegis

I assume your CX has the fixed line outputs?
   
  Also, a 6db attenuation corresponds to half voltage, not a quarter.


----------



## wes008

Zilch0md, you could have made a whole thread based around your rig! Excellent read, I bet that sounds amazing.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> *Taming the Beyerdynamic T1*
> 
> WAV on SD Card > Windows 7
> > Foobar 2000 with WASAPI event and RPGWiZaRD's "Forward" Dolby Surround DSP presets
> ...


 
  Wow, that's a very thorough computer setup. I'm having trouble tallying up the cost and getting an idea of the sound sig.


----------



## zilch0md

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I assume your CX has the fixed line outputs?
> 
> Also, a 6db attenuation corresponds to half voltage, not a quarter.


 
   
  Thanks Armaegis!
   

   
   
  Source:  http://www.redwirez.com/pcalc.jsp
   
  Mike


----------



## zilch0md

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I assume your CX has the fixed line outputs?
> 
> [snip]


 
   
  Yes.


----------



## LifeAspect

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


>


 
  here is a small update:


----------



## zilch0md

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Zilch0md, you could have made a whole thread based around your rig! Excellent read, I bet that sounds amazing.


 
   
  Thanks!  I should probably do that, as there isn't much info about the Decware ZSTAGE here at Head-Fi.


----------



## AlanHell

Due to the limitation of space, my amp is all crying at the corner.
  I know they deserved better but I just simply running out of rooms~~~~~~
   
  There many stuff I just can not find a place to put, hence, just showing the system I have used daily.
   

   
  This is a very good phone for the price. Now sure how much magic has been done through the system, but sounds much better than Beat Studio Pro~~Which is very impressive for a $35 phone comes out 5 years ago compare to a flagship $399 phone.


----------



## RIQUE

This is my big rig and listening seat.  I confess to being a vinyl junkie too!


----------



## LordOctron




----------



## RIQUE

Gotta love the Terminator head. Do his eyes go red?


----------



## AlanHell

Quote: 





lordoctron said:


>


 

 love your  headphone stand man, where do you get it?


----------



## LordOctron

Got it from eBay...
  Search for: Polyresin Replica 1:1 Terminator


----------



## Ultrainferno

My new addition to the family


----------



## LordOctron

Quote: 





rique said:


> Gotta love the Terminator head. Do his eyes go red?


 

 Yep, needs AA batteries tho...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> My new addition to the family


 
  Very nice. Are those tubes with covers Siemens c3m tubes?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very nice. Are those tubes with covers Siemens c3m tubes?


 
   
  C3G Siemens to be exact. And thanks! Credit goes to Glenn though


----------



## Silent One

Yamamoto uses the Siemens C3m.


----------



## LugBug1

I used to have a headphone amp based on the c3m's, was a homemade amp that I bought from this German chap off ebay. Very powerful! surprised they're not used more often. If I remember, the c3g's are basically the same only less voltage. Used to be used for German telecommunications and so have great audio quality's with very low noise.


----------



## Silent One

Correct. C3m is 20v and the C3g 6.3v. And have heard great things about these tubes in audio applications.


----------



## White Lotus




----------



## joe55ag

HiFiman EF-6 with HE-6 & HD-800


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





white lotus said:


>


 
   
  Is it normal that the tube looks to be at an angle? Doesn't seem to be seated properly... And please don't say the socket is actually at this angle.


----------



## White Lotus

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Doesn't seem to be seated properly


 
   
  Well picked. At the time of the photo, the tube wasn't seated properly. It's now fixed. Thanks!


----------



## pez

My desktop setup at the moment...currently at this listening station...


----------



## senson

Just moved into smaller place in the city (sorry about messy cables still organizing). Thank god I did not have a speaker set-up lol. still can't decide which amp to keep, B22 or Soloist.
  one amp and one dac(I know which one is going..) need to go for another amp or headphone


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





senson said:


> one amp and one dac(I know which one is going..) need to go for another amp or headphone


 
  Soloist since you're listening to the b22?


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> Spoiler: Pic


 
  Gorgeous shot, gorgeous gear


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





joe55ag said:


> HiFiman EF-6 with HE-6 & HD-800


 
   
   
  How does that EF-6 pair with the HD800?


----------



## teknikk7

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Here is my setup, I love my new WooAudio WA6, it sounds so good with the HD-650's.


 
   
  Just wait till you start rolling some tubes.  It really comes alive and becomes a completely different amp.  
   
  Nice and clean setup!


----------



## JonasRas

Quote: 





teknikk7 said:


> Just wait till you start rolling some tubes.  It really comes alive and becomes a completely different amp.
> 
> Nice and clean setup!


 
   
  Yeah, I can imagine that.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Headphone station is back up and running woo.


----------



## EraserXIV

A few new toys, a few old toys.


----------



## pez

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice setup...nice and clean looking...what are your two pairs of Senns hanging on?  I love those.


----------



## autoteleology

pez said:


> clean looking


 
   
  I have to disagree. There are a lot of wires floating around there.


----------



## pez

Well, the first photo was fine, and that's what I was looking at .


----------



## EraserXIV

tus-chan said:


> I have to disagree. There are a lot of wires floating around there.




The wire from the mouse and charging wire for my phone?


----------



## pez

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> The wire from the mouse and charging wire for my phone?


 
  Look up .
   
  What stand are your two pairs of Sennheiser's on?


----------



## EraserXIV

Quote: 





pez said:


> Look up .
> 
> What stand are your two pairs of Sennheiser's on?


 
   
  Those are HDMI cables that go to my monitor, can't really do much about that, oh well
   
  The stands are: http://www.lowes.com/pd_116345-76182-93531_4294778645+5003695+4294965732_4294937087_?catalogId=10051&productId=3009381&Ne=4294937087&identifier=ClosetMaid&N=4294778645+5003695+4294965732&langId=-1&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1&storeId=10151&searchQueryType=1
   
  And I put some foam pipe insulation on the top portion for some more cushioning for the headphone bands.


----------



## KetchupNinja

Updated a bit.


----------



## penmarker

I'd advise you to move your table somewhere else. The left speaker will sound different since the wall is too close


----------



## KetchupNinja

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> I'd advise you to move your table somewhere else. The left speaker will sound different since the wall is too close


 

 I know lol, it's bugging me badly right now.  Going to get a new desk with a centered orientation and move it a bit.


----------



## pez

Quote: 





eraserxiv said:


> Those are HDMI cables that go to my monitor, can't really do much about that, oh well
> 
> The stands are: http://www.lowes.com/pd_116345-76182-93531_4294778645+5003695+4294965732_4294937087_?catalogId=10051&productId=3009381&Ne=4294937087&identifier=ClosetMaid&N=4294778645+5003695+4294965732&langId=-1&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1&storeId=10151&searchQueryType=1
> 
> And I put some foam pipe insulation on the top portion for some more cushioning for the headphone bands.


 
   
  Awesome, thanks!  And they're cheap, too.  Can't get any better than that.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ketchupninja said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Good thinking.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ketchupninja said:


> I know lol, it's bugging me badly right now.  Going to get a new desk with a centered orientation and move it a bit.


 
   
  However, I do like the way your ensemble is simply stated.


----------



## Dillont3

I have finally built my way up to a respectable rig that I think will keep the upgraditis at bay for a little while longer. Now I just need to convince myself that I don't need to buy new bookshelf speakers....


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





dillont3 said:


> I have finally built my way up to a respectable rig that I think will keep the upgraditis at bay for a little while longer. Now I just need to convince myself that I don't need to buy new bookshelf speakers....


 
  Psh, what do you mean you _don't need to buy new bookshelf speakers_? Everyone needs one pair at least. Surely you'd want to have a good ambient when you're doing something else while not tethered to the music corner.
   
  heheh... ehehehe


----------



## Dillont3

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> Psh, what do you mean you _don't need to buy new bookshelf speakers_? Everyone needs one pair at least. Surely you'd want to have a good ambient when you're doing something else while not tethered to the music corner.
> 
> heheh... ehehehe


 
   
  That is what my audioholic brain keeps telling me, don't encourage it. I do have a pair of Alesis m1 active 520 studio monitors, but my Mission 771 speakers kicked the bucket recently. The studio monitors are fine, but I kinda miss that sweet sounds of my Missions. My wallet would not be so happy at me though..


----------



## jono454

Quote: 





ketchupninja said:


> Updated a bit.


 
  Are those stands for the A2s worth it?
   
  I've been using folded up tissue boxes as a temporary stand and i've seen a slight improvement.


----------



## Fleet Fox

Quote: 





dillont3 said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Are you using the A1 to power your current bookshelves? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
   
  Actually even if you aren't, I'd be interested to hear your impressions overall.


----------



## White Lotus

^^ Looks great.


----------



## Dillont3

No I am only using the A1 as a headphone amp at the time. Like I said earlier my beloved Mission 770 bookshelves are no more so at the moment I just use my Alesis M1 active 520 studio monitors. Just got a couple of  pair of Mission M70 bookshelf speakers off craigslist yesterday dirt cheap to tide me over with my active monitors until I can save up for a pair of nice bookshelves. The M70's are older small entry level mission speakers, better for surrond system, but pretty good as 2.0 speakers for their size. I haven't bothered trying to hook them up to the A1 yet since they are nothing really special and I don't know if it will make that much of a difference than my receiver. Probably will try it out this week just for fun though. 
   
  So far I have really enjoyed the A1. This is my first desktop amp, so I have nothing really to compare it to though so I don't know how objective my opinions are. Before getting the A1 I had only fiio E10 and E11. I think the A1 definitely gives you a little extra "tubey" sound, but without compromising too much detail. I have the upgraded Raytheon tubes. I also think the dynamics on my DT880's (which I use most of the time, unless g/f is in the same room) are definitely improved from using my e10. I haven't done enough A/Bing to be able to describe the improvements (my e10 has been very neglected since getting A1).
   
  I just recently got the D1 from another fellow headfier and right away I was surprised what a difference a decent DAC makes over a small portable DAC. Right away I noticed improved instrument separation and improved detail. I have mainly only used the tube pre-amp out so far and haven't listened to the SS pre-amp out much at all yet. I like the fact that there are 2 analog outs as well analog in, coax, usb, optical and line in so I have lots of options and could hook the SS analog out to my active monitors and still have the tub pre-amp out hooked up to the A1.  Again I have no experience with other SS or Tube desktop amps or DAC's, so I can't say how they compared to similar amps and DAC's, but I have enjoyed them and they have improved my rig.


----------



## LNCPapa




----------



## KetchupNinja

Quote: 





jono454 said:


> Are those stands for the A2s worth it?
> 
> I've been using folded up tissue boxes as a temporary stand and i've seen a slight improvement.


 

 Before I got the stands, I was using few books I had lying around.  It was a small improvement with the new angle, but I really can't tell if it was really worth it.  It might be because I'm so close to the wall like what the others have said.  It does look a lot better than it did with books though!


----------



## Aaron94

First post in this thread.
   
  Thus far this is all I have, my HD558s hooked to my laptop running Foobar2k FLAC files. Ive got them resting on this nifty little CD rack I got at a good will store, press the buttons on the right side and the tray slides out where you can put the entire CD case, they lock into the slider and you can open the cases while keeping them in the rack. 
   
  I hope to add a Schiit stack to the equation pretty soon, so Ill report back in then. Also sorry about the bad picture, the camera in the Galaxy S4 doesnt do too well in low light.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





aaron94 said:


> First post in this thread.
> 
> Thus far this is all I have, my HD558s hooked to my laptop running Foobar2k FLAC files. Ive got them resting on this nifty little CD rack I got at a good will store, press the buttons on the right side and the tray slides out where you can put the entire CD case, they lock into the slider and you can open the cases while keeping them in the rack.
> 
> I hope to add a Schiit stack to the equation pretty soon, so Ill report back in then. Also sorry about the bad picture, the camera in the Galaxy S4 doesnt do too well in low light.


 
  Did you mod your 558's?


----------



## Aaron94

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Did you mod your 558's?


 
  Indeed I did. 
   
  Straight out of the box I opened them up and took the foam off, I have it stuck to the top of my desk should I decide to resell them at any point, Ill just put it back in. When I got them I also got a shorter cable to bypass the bulky adapter, but it didnt fit in the hole on the headphones, so I just got over it and braided the cable, which I actually like the look of.


----------



## LugBug1

Had a few changes recently. 
   

   

   

   
   
  and bedside.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Had a few changes recently.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  Some excellent classic receivers!


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Some excellent classic receivers!


 
  Ok, can someone please explain to me the trend of using old receivers?


----------



## Jesterphile

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Ok, can someone please explain to me the trend of using old receivers?


 
   
  Basically they sound good, have good headphone stages, and plenty of power.
   
  And they're cheap if you hunt around.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Classic Marantz recievers are works of art... what's the one that most people like?
-edit- oops, I just looked closer, and that's not a Marantz Receiver. It DOES look awfully similar to the one I'm thinking of.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Some excellent classic receivers!


 
  Thanks!
   
  Quote: 





jesterphile said:


> Basically they sound good, have good headphone stages, and plenty of power.
> 
> And they're cheap if you hunt around.


 
  This. A bit of nostalgia mixed in as well


----------



## feigeibomber

Quote: 





aaron94 said:


> First post in this thread.
> 
> Thus far this is all I have, my HD558s hooked to my laptop running Foobar2k FLAC files. Ive got them resting on this nifty little CD rack I got at a good will store, press the buttons on the right side and the tray slides out where you can put the entire CD case, they lock into the slider and you can open the cases while keeping them in the rack.
> 
> I hope to add a Schiit stack to the equation pretty soon, so Ill report back in then. Also sorry about the bad picture, the camera in the Galaxy S4 doesnt do too well in low light.


 
  Haha ! Nice ASUS 'subwoofer' you got there! I got the same laptop


----------



## LugBug1

Just a note for anyone looking to get a vintage amp/receiver.
   
  Do some research on models, its worth putting the time in. And don't blind buy on something that looks pretty.
   
  Look for amps that have been serviced recently (recapped etc) unless they are in 'timewarp' condition. Otherwise they may not last the first track off your fave tester album. Also, amps that are 30+ year old don't have the black backround that we are used to with modern hp amps and even restored ones will show some hiss the higher up the volume you go.
   
  These are BIG and very heavy machines.
   
  The hp out's are high impedance. 
   
  Like anything that becomes popular, it becomes expensive. Makes such as Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer are becoming very sort after and so its worth researching other makes of the 70's and early 80's to get more bang for buck. JVC, Technics, Kenwood/Trio, Rotel to name a few.    
   
  Be prepared to be blown away by a high-end sound for a few hundred bucks


----------



## Silent One

Some of the knobs and switches on vintage amps can be mesmerizing. Take the classic '70's Silver-faced Pioneer receivers, for example... be 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



careful.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

What does the public think of the Kenwood KR-v5570 reciever I've got? I haven't seen anyone anywhere mention it, so I dont know how it compares to say a shiny pretty Marantz.


----------



## MohawkUS

A bit of a tip for anyone buying vintage receivers... Sherwood! They aren't yet well known so it's pretty easy to get a good deal on them. And they have a very interesting feature that I haven't seen anywhere else. A front panel 1/4'' jack that runs directly off of your source. I find it very good for testing out DACs and for doing 'general purpose' stuff like watching youtube videos. I'm always going to have one of these around so that I can test and see what colorations are the result of my choice of source and which are from the amp. I suppose you could also test out other tweaks upstream that way too(cables for example?) The only concern is volume, with my PC's volume maxed out it plays just under the level I'd normally listen at with my Beyer T90s. The detail is all there running them this way but it tends to sound a bit sterile. The output in question is marked 'tape' on the front.

Also I've found the Sherwoods to sound noticeably better than the now popular Pioneer SX-780 receivers.




And forgive me if I've already posted this, but my new(ish) turntable. A SOTA Satellite with a Magnepan Unitrac I tonearm and Nagaoka MP150 cartridge. It's a much better table than the Dual 701 pictured above. The SOTA has a more traditional 'analog' sound while the early 70s Dual actually sounds very 'digital'. A bit harsh, sterile, and overly dynamic. I attribute most of that to the tonearm as the Dual drive system is actually quite good(and more accurate than the SOTA).


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





mohawkus said:


> A bit of a tip for anyone buying vintage receivers... Sherwood!


 
  Thats an absolute beauty!


----------



## nelamvr6

That's a beauty alright!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  But it will be a lot happier with a better place to sit...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> That's a beauty alright!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yup. Me thinks it would be a lot happier at my house. I'd feed it well and polish it every night. Just before I plug my quarter inch in..


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Had a few changes recently.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Is that the Pioneer sx-550? Just got the sx-650 and love it!!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Is that the Pioneer sx-550? Just got the sx-650 and love it!!


 
  Certainly is bud!


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Yup. Me thinks it would be a lot happier at my house. I'd feed it well and polish it every night. Just before I plug my quarter inch in..


 
   
  Reminds me of an old Aerosmith song... _watch out for my big (quarter)-inch_


----------



## Armaegis

I'll see your ten inch record, and raise you a big long slidin' thing.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> I'll see your ten inch record, and raise you a big long slidin' thing.


 
  Did someone mention ten inch record?


----------



## snapple10

And the new addition
next: to fine tune the portable rig


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> And the new addition
> next: to fine tune the portable rig


 
  Probably the best HP rig in Bemidji....


----------



## Dubstep Girl

so hows the ZD?


----------



## Kojaku

New friend came in just in time for graduation (courtesy of Headphone Lounge)
 :
   

   

   
   
   

   

   
  Now for some head time before commencement 
   
  Kojaku


----------



## snapple10

ZD- worth all the fuss. 
Eric Clapton Unplugged never sounded so good


Eric (FLAC)> v800> ZDSE- TH900 -not getting up in the next hour

Really feel like part of the live show

Love it! , honeymoon phase or not


----------



## snapple10

Congrats on your graduation,Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> And the new addition
> next: to fine tune the portable rig


 
   
  NO WONDER you've been so quiet! You've been listening to new
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





gears. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 




   
  Will be following your impressions with the ZD...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Congrats on your graduation,Kojaku


 
   
  +1


----------



## snapple10

SO: you know how the impression will go, lol
Another pic


Need to get a better camera beside my phone
My WA6SE needs a new home


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> SO: you know how the impression will go, lol
> Another pic
> 
> 
> ...


 




   
  I'm still surprised you found room for the '6' but ready to show the _6 Special Edition_ the door. We're very excited for you!


----------



## snapple10

W6 owns its staying , for now, to the might 596. Just serving as a display rack, lol

Like looking at that tube, have not put it away since I got it. And yeah, sounds great with d7k, my main phone, until now

D7k- also fighting to stay

Battle of amp and phone continues


----------



## teknikk7

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> New friend came in just in time for graduation (courtesy of Headphone Lounge)
> :
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Congrats! and Beautiful cable.


----------



## longbowbbs

Current rig....Life is good!


----------



## snapple10

Nice!
Wondering what hd800 will sound like now, let it go due to lack of use


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Nice!
> Wondering what hd800 will sound like now, let it go due to lack of use


 
  So far the HD800 is the best Dynamic HP I have heard. For me, it outperforms the LCD-2's, T1's and T5P's....As always YMMV...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Current rig....Life is good!


 
  Those Decwares look sooo cool


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Current rig....Life is good!


 
  Those Decwares look sweet in Maple.
   
  You and those crazy rectifiers


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I do love the USAF-596 with the Decware....


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Nice!
> Wondering what hd800 will sound like now, let it go due to lack of use


 
  Your experience mirrors mine when I got the TH900, I haven't used the HD800 since for my dynamic rig.


----------



## snapple10

Ok, I guess will not be going the hd800 route, thanks 
Really enjoying th900, coming from d7k


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Current rig....Life is good!


 

 Nice, nice, nice!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks Clayton! Best seat in the house!


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> Ok, I guess will not be going the hd800 route, thanks
> Really enjoying th900, coming from d7k


 
   
  One day I will have to try the th900. One day...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Thanks Clayton! Best seat in the house!


 
  Best _comfortable and music-enhancing_ seat in the world! (From the looks of your rig and that plush seat.)


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm not sure about the world.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..But I am sure in the neighborhood...


----------



## Clayton SF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I'm not sure about the world.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Okay. I got a little too enthusiastic. At any rate, you rate.


----------



## pelli

On Friday I made my leap to the world of Analog.  I'm going to have to bring the mojo and lcd-2 to the living room for a while.  I'm a little embarrassed about how sloppy things look but I have been too busy listening to organize cords and cables


----------



## zerochief




----------



## tribestros

Finally done with my Head-Fi/music station. Really satisfied with just about everything.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Finally done with my Head-Fi/music station. Really satisfied with just about everything.


 
  Salamander Synergy 40?


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Salamander Synergy 40?


 
   
  Yeah. It's pretty old, though...been hanging around the family for a while now.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Yeah. It's pretty old, though...been hanging around the family for a while now.


 
  Still lookin' good.


----------



## DefQon

Done with music/head-fi they said.....end up buying more stuff they said.


----------



## mosshorn

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Finally done with my Head-Fi/music station. Really satisfied with just about everything.


 
  Great looking setup tribestos! I gotta find me one of those Marantz receivers....


----------



## DefQon

The 60's-early 70's was the golden years of Marantz, Sansui and Pioneer receivers. 
   
  I can't believe my old man gave his away for free.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

You're implying one is EVER done purchasing audio equipment :3 you've picked a dangerous path my friend, though you do not walk it alone.


----------



## wes008

Hey Jeff, I have a question! It is slightly off-topic, but, looking at your sig, I see that you run your turntable through your receiver and into some Sony bookshelf speakers. Is there any reason you don't use your Grados or Sennheisers?


----------



## Jepu

A minor addition to the current setup. Noticed that the Novo I use for my main headphone amp has a kind of a reduced bass/treble extension. Using my portable DAC/Amp as a temp solution for that ( Which, funnily enough, is better as a DAC also. No toslink though). I still adore the Graham Slee Novo with the Grado RS1i but starting to find it a lil' bit lacking with other headphones while using it for more bass-heavy stuff.

  Also finally got a cable without iDevice controls that fits into that tiny 3,5mm socket of Focal Spirit One.


----------



## SludgeSwan

Some pictures of my current setup. Looks a little bit messy, but hey, it's in use.
  Very happy with this setup at the moment!


----------



## grokit

Very nice, that's the first time I've seen a vegan/bamboo Audeze.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Hey Jeff, I have a question! It is slightly off-topic, but, looking at your sig, I see that you run your turntable through your receiver and into some Sony bookshelf speakers. Is there any reason you don't use your Grados or Sennheisers?


 

 I do, and I typed those into the sig section, but it couldn't fit  good question though.


----------



## wes008

sludgeswan said:


> Spoiler: Pics
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   Welcome, lurker 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote:


ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I do, and I typed those into the sig section, but it couldn't fit  good question though.


 
  Thanks! I'm about to invest in a turntable, and I was wondering if Grados don't work well in a turntable>receiver setup


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> ...


 
  It really depends on what you're listening to, no different in a digital setup.


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> You're implying one is EVER done purchasing audio equipment :3 you've picked a dangerous path my friend, though you do not walk it alone.


 
   
  I'm trying to hold off and save money for other things...
   
  ...not going well.


----------



## IceClass

Quote: 





jepu said:


>


 
   
  Love the little Firestone kit in a rack.
  Their components are so cute.


----------



## Jepu

Quote: 





iceclass said:


> Love the little Firestone kit in a rack.
> Their components are so cute.


 

 That's probably why they call it the Cute Series. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Curse them for releasing newer versions of the DACs and suppliers though. The supplier is dual-output too but incompatible with the old ones and they all come only in black. Think I'm gonna need some medication for upgradeitis to survive either way.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Not my rig, but my friends rig that I visited today. Don't know models or anything, except its all Sony. It has a NIIICE Ortofon needle on it though. We modded our SR80i's and were absolutely stunned at the results. Great vinyl time with a pal! Clean sounding rig also.
   
  Sorry for the abysmal iphone picture, I didn't have my DSLR on hand


----------



## wolfetan44

Just recieved the Paradox!! My setup is not complete yet.. My DT880's are at Martin Custom Audio's for new cups


----------



## Silent One

Can't wait to see those cups!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Can't wait to see those cups!


 
  Me too.


----------



## Ultrainferno




----------



## wolfetan44

LOL, Ultra.


----------



## GrindingThud

Looks like this belongs over in 'tea-fi'...... 



ultrainferno said:


> :rolleyes:


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


>


 
   





 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You know actually, this could very well be a pix of one's head-fi station that simply got _cropped. _Would love to see
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the expanded view.


----------



## Zashoomin

Sorry about the horrible quality pictures but this is my current set up.  So you can't see anything to it is this
   
  Foobar2000 > Gamma 2 > Yamaha A-S500 > Fostex T50RP (Modded), Audez'e LCD-2, Paradigm Atom


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


>


 
  This is such a wonderful photo. It has a tad bit of warmth being conveyed with the natural lighting. Very nice!


----------



## ProtegeManiac




----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Mad Dude

Been a while since I've posted anything... but I've just completed my turntable setup, I simply had to post this.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Or it could be the beginning of a new 3d printing thread...
   
   
  Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Been a while since I've posted anything... but I've just completed my turntable setup, I simply had to post this.


 
  Well done, very nice Head-fi station


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Or it could be the beginning of a new 3d printing thread...


 
   
  Oh my, what have I done...


----------



## aspenx

Quick snap with my cell phone while sitting in front of the computer.
  Laptop -> oyaide usb cable -> Audio-Gd v2 (?) DI  powered by cheap DC5V 1.5A producing Li-poly cell -> Audio-Gd DAC-19 Audio-Gd via coax -> Audio-Gd C-2.2 via ACSS -> Sony MDR-CD900ST (not in pic)


----------



## dallan

This morning my station is worst shape scenario so thought it would be a good time to take a shot for this thread.


----------



## jazzerdave

I'll never claim to be a good photographer, but here's a new configuration.


----------



## MattTCG

Ah ha!! Corkscrew...you're busted.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





aspenx said:


> Quick snap with my cell phone while sitting in front of the computer.
> Laptop -> oyaide usb cable -> Audio-Gd v2 (?) DI  powered by cheap DC5V 1.5A producing Li-poly cell -> Audio-Gd DAC-19 Audio-Gd via coax -> Audio-Gd C-2.2 via ACSS -> Sony MDR-CD900ST (not in pic)
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  How much do you want for your DAC and AMP together? *holding my cheque book*


----------



## RubyTiger

I presently do not have any pictures to share of my setup, but what I do have is a question for the think tank. I purchased a 10 foot cable for my headphones very recently. It's a bit to long and such an expensive cable that I don't want it to start twisting or curling or kinking.  It's large (an 8-conductor chainmail and also rather stiff. Each conducfor  being 18gauge.)  I would like a setup with a Headphone rest and something to properly wind  the cable on to. Any thoughts or suggestions?


----------



## Silent One

Your source - ALO - has some examples to follow. Can't think of any off the top of my head, at this writing...


----------



## MrQ

Quote: 





rubytiger said:


> I presently do not have any pictures to share of my setup, but what I do have is a question for the think tank. I purchased a 10 foot cable for my headphones very recently. It's a bit to long and such an expensive cable that I don't want it to start twisting or curling or kinking.  It's large (an 8-conductor chainmail and also rather stiff. Each conducfor  being 18gauge.)  I would like a setup with a Headphone rest and something to properly wind  the cable on to. Any thoughts or suggestions?


 
   
  When the LCD2 rev1 first came out, so eager was I to get my mits on it that I ordered it from ALO instead of Audeze which had a waiting list. The downside (price wise) was that it came with their Reference 8 silver/copper cable. After several years of ownership, half of which it has spent in my wardrobe after I got the HE6, I can say it doesn't twist, curl or kink. Every time I take it out, normally for meets, it's fine.
   
  It's just a piece of wire.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  In my wardrobe it sits on this...

 Sieveking Sound Omega Headphone Stand in Zebrano


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I'll never claim to be a good photographer, but here's a new configuration.


 
  that cavalli is gorgues is it  new?


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> that cavalli is gorgues is it  new?


 
   
  No, I've had that one since very early November (SN#5).  The tubes are new though (NOS Brimar CV4034's).  I was listening through both the HD800 and the HE-6 today.  Got a nice 3 hour session in.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> No, I've had that one since very early November (SN#5).  The tubes are new though (NOS Brimar CV4034's).  I was listening through both the HD800 and the HE-6 today.  Got a nice 3 hour session in.


 
  wow HD800 to HE-6 what a diverse listening spell. have you heard WA5 for comparisons?


----------



## RubyTiger

Quote: 





mrq said:


> When the LCD2 rev1 first came out, so eager was I to get my mits on it that I ordered it from ALO instead of Audeze which had a waiting list. The downside (price wise) was that it came with their Reference 8 silver/copper cable. After several years of ownership, half of which it has spent in my wardrobe after I got the HE6, I can say it doesn't twist, curl or kink. Every time I take it out, normally for meets, it's fine.
> 
> It's just a piece of wire.
> 
> ...


 
  That's good to know. I still don't like it laying on the floor and imagine I can hear a difference. I saw a video on Youtube by Cardas that discuses this. Whether it's truly audible or even in the range of hearing I don't know. But they show there's a difference. And just so everybody knows; I don't subscribe to the cables don't make a difference crowd.


----------



## MorbidToaster

magiccabbage said:


> wow HD800 to HE-6 what a diverse listening spell. have you heard WA5 for comparisons?




The Woo stuff isn't even remotely in the same league sound wise.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 what about the WA234 MONO o.o


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The Woo stuff isn't even remotely in the same league sound wise.


 
  +1. Woo stuff is all about quality and aesthetics, sound to cost wise.... look elsewhere.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





rubytiger said:


> That's good to know. I still don't like it laying on the floor and imagine I can hear a difference. I saw a video on Youtube by Cardas that discuses this. Whether it's truly audible or even in the range of hearing I don't know. But they show there's a difference. And just so everybody knows; I don't subscribe to the cables don't make a difference crowd.


 
  Maybe that's 'cause Cardas sells these: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CRMCB%20%20%20%20%206


----------



## MattTCG

^^ I can make those for ten cents each.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> ^^ I can make those for ten cents each.


 
  ...and those are the "affordable" Douglas Fir and not the more expensive (famous) "Mrytle Wood"!


----------



## DefQon

Talk about snake oil and rip off prices. If one has wood working skills you can make one better than a good 90% of the cable/vibration isolation platforms out there that sell for hundreds and thousands of dollars.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The Woo stuff isn't even remotely in the same league sound wise.


 
  WA5 with royal princess is still not in the same league you think?


----------



## MorbidToaster

magiccabbage said:


> WA5 with royal princess is still not in the same league you think?




Haven't heard that so can't say for sure, but I'd probably guess it's still not there.

I consider the LG to be my favorite dynamic amp.


----------



## aspenx

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> How much do you want for your DAC and AMP together? *holding my cheque book*


 
   
  Shouldn't you be writing the cheque to Kingwa instead?
   
   
  The cost of the setup per se isn't that big, but the shipping... It sure isn't very light.


----------



## Massacare




----------



## RubyTiger

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Maybe that's 'cause Cardas sells these: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CRMCB%20%20%20%20%206


 
  Man, I think you nailed that one...


----------



## LNCPapa

Quote: 





massacare said:


>


 
  I'm pretty sure porn is not allowed on these forums.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> what about the WA234 MONO o.o


 
  It's what's needed to drive the HE-6 to it's max. That and Cardas Clear speaker wire.


----------



## andaca

this me travelin


----------



## tribestros

Redid my space. Unfortunately, my old record player died, the left channel stopped working. The sound quality on it, honestly, is inferior to my junky old Sony, my first player. Temporarily I have the Sony hooked up. Ireally need a new record player. For now, that's not a priority, though. Anyway, here's what I did to my stereo music setup.

Some classic records I've been given/bought that are mostly unplayable or stuff I never listen to that is considered a classic, I put up on the wall with thumbtacks, in addition to some pretty awesome posters/lithos I've picked up at shows over the year, like the Tool one, the Pumpkins one and the NIN one in the the corner.







Here's my whole desk:





View from higher:





The corner again:


----------



## zael99

Quote: 





andaca said:


> this me travelin


 
  What headphones are those? They're damn sexy.


----------



## autoteleology

Philips Fidelio L1.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tribestros said:


> Here's my whole desk:


 
   
  What model Sony is that TT? And... is that a '66 Goat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




on the shelf?


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





silent one said:


> What model Sony is that TT? And... is that a '66 Goat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  A junky LX300. My old Kenwood is no longer with us, died yesterday. Going to buy a Pro-Ject soon. Saving up some cash. 
   
  And, that'd be a '65.
   
  Right under the card my fiancee made me a long time ago, haha. Very manly.


----------



## Silent One

A very nice ride!


----------



## tribestros

Quote: 





silent one said:


> A very nice ride!


 
   
  A dream car of mine.


----------



## Rem0o




----------



## Silent One

Beautifully presented, Rem0o.


----------



## Rem0o

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Beautifully presented, Rem0o.


 

 Sounds even better than it looks.


----------



## Armaegis

It looks like an Amperior, but not all is as it seems...


----------



## DefQon

Fostex drivers in Amperior shell?


----------



## Armaegis

Nope! (take a closer look)
   
  Although not a bad guess considering it's me after all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The cups are too small for a modern Fostex driver, but a vintage Fostex or Yamaha might work, hmm...


----------



## DefQon

It says 600ohm's on the HD25 decal. Otherwise out of guess.


----------



## Armaegis

Well, more than just the decal. I swapped out the regular drivers for some 600 ohm heavies (from the kinda rare HD25-13-ii).


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Fostex drivers in Amperior shell?


 
  That's what I thought


----------



## jmsaxon69

One of my systems, this combo sounds amazing, smooths the DT990 600 ohm out.  Not seen is a pair of Kimber Kable Hero interconnects and a WattBox line conditioner


----------



## pichu

Not to take away from this thread, but I think Headphones need some more respect on reddit, so I made a subreddit for posting pics of your headphones, I want to grow it as a great community here just like here on headfi, so please go check it out, subscribe, and post your pics, if you dotn want to hurt headfi ( neither do i) you can submit links to your headfi picture on the forumns. So yeah, thanks and lets create something nice + looking for moderators.... www.reddit.com/r/shareyourheadphones


----------



## IceClass

morbidtoaster said:


> Haven't heard that so can't say for sure, but I'd probably guess it's still not there.




Ah, yes. The magical review and opinion with no direct experience.
NOT particularly useful.


----------



## Destroysall

Very nice. Considered the Valhalla myself. What does it do for the Beyerdynamic headphone?
  Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> One of my systems, this combo sounds amazing, smooths the DT990 600 ohm out.  Not seen is a pair of Kimber Kable Hero interconnects and a WattBox line conditioner


----------



## jmsaxon69

It's really the NAD SACD that seems to have tamed the DT990 as far as I can tell, that or I broke them in enough or a just got used to the sonic signature....probably a combination of all 3! It sounds REALLY nice now!  NAD components lean more to the darker side in general.
   
  The Valhalla wants to see a 300 - 600 ohm impedance to sound it's best, these Beyers are 600 ohm and should have been a great match for the amp, but I was unhappy with the sound at first, new amp, newish headphones, etc...
   
  Very happy now, played some stuff last night that I knew had a bright treble on it and it was great!


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Very nice. Considered the Valhalla myself. What does it do for the Beyerdynamic headphone?


 
   
  It makes them look very good in a picture together.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> It makes them look very good in a picture together.


 

 I was about to get rid of them and now they sound fantastic in this particular setup,  I am keeping them! I think these headphones are tough to get a good system match with, but when you do it is something special.....


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> I was about to get rid of them and now they sound fantastic in this particular setup,  I am keeping them! I think these headphones are tough to get a good system match with, but when you do it is something special.....


 
   
  Sounds similar to the infamous AKG Love/Hate relationships.


----------



## MorbidToaster

iceclass said:


> Ah, yes. The magical review and opinion with no direct experience.
> NOT particularly useful.




Review...? Hardly. Also, you're asking for a review on a product that basically doesn't exist yet. You can't even pre-order the damn thing. 

The best you can hope for are meet impressions which are 'grain of salt' tier in the first place.

There's not a single bit of info that's 'partiularly useful' about this amp. But you're welcome to take the 15k plunge when you can to let us all know.

I used the word GUESS for a reason. :rolleyes:


----------



## Errymoose

Quote:Originally Posted by *jude* /img/forum/go_quote.gif   
  McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).

  What's the deal with this... haven't heard much about it yet.  Is Jude doing a review or something? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (please say yes)


----------



## tme110

ZDSE, GS-X mk2 with a bunch of headphones.  Sold all of my DAC's because I like the OPPO so much.  I am planning on building a Buffalo DAC now that I have the GS-X, just for the experience.  Also emotiva power amps and my other favorite accidental finds - the Sierra Acoustics Tower speakers with RAAL.  I've had about 5 sets of speakers in the 4 years but I'm pretty sure I'll have these for the next decade.


----------



## OPR8R

tme110 said:


> ZDSE, GS-X mk2 with a bunch of headphones.  Sold all of my DAC's because I like the OPPO so much.  I am planning on building a Buffalo DAC now that I have the GS-X, just for the experience.  Also emotiva power amps and my other favorite accidental finds - the Sierra Acoustics Tower speakers with RAAL.  I've had about 5 sets of speakers in the 4 years but I'm pretty sure I'll have these for the next decade.




I am envious of your collection of amps.


----------



## dbdynsty25

Small but trustworthy.  iPod Touch 5th Gen, Fiio e12 & the Audio-Technica ATH-WS99


----------



## tme110

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I am envious of your collection of amps.


 

 Thanks!  I def have all that I need and more.  I made a decision last year to get rid of everything but the absolute minimum.  I still have a AGD amp in a 2nd system and a MAD Ear+ HD in storage because I simply can't bare to sell it.  My plan was to keep the ZDSE from here on out but the GS-X mk2 came up and I had to try it.  I re-arranged my room back in Nov and never got around to hooking the ZDSE back up until 4 days ago.  I don't think keeping 2 TOTL amps is in my future so who knows what's going to happen.
   
  I bought the XPA-2 power amp a couple of months ago but just found out that the new XPA-1L's (class-a, fully balanced) are out so now I want those instead...  So as much as I think I'm at the end of my audio buying line, things keep popping up...
   
  But another plug for the Oppo 105.  A 7.1 channel DAC with 24/192 USB capability and HDMI/TOSLINK inputs and outputs and network streaming capability controllable from your iphone. SACD, HDCD, DVD audio, Bluray audio and seperate, dedicated 2-channel DAC - best deal on the planet.


----------



## zilch0md

DACmini CX > Emotiva a-100 Mini-X > LCD-2 Rev.1
   
  With 8Wpc into 50-Ohms, the dynamics, bass extension and speed are amazing.  I'm hearing things in the bass that I can't hear with with the DACmini's amp section.  But even after 100+ hours of break-in, the Emotiva seems to have slightly recessed mids and is a little more analytical than I prefer.  Keep in mind that my LCD-2 aren't as resolving as T1, for example, but I'm still wishing this chain were a bit smoother.
   

   
  Only $189 currently - pretty amazing!
   

   
  My $45 contraption - I already had two of the four pieces, so it was expedient.  The cable is Oxygen-free copper with platinum-plated RCA connectors.
   
  Mike
   
*UPDATE:*  In response to a PM, here are the four pieces that total about $45.   Please note that this can only be used with speaker amps that have a common, shared ground between the left and right channels!   You can test this by using a multimeter to confirm that there is continuity between the black terminals when the amp is turned off.
   
  Note that this amp's speaker terminals have a shared ground!
   





   
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WXAX6G
   
   






     
   
  
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009B8EJYU
  
 See the specs here (Oxygen-free copper, platinum-plated ends, etc.)
  
  
  





  
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HHHGV2
  
  





  
 http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Female-Stereo-Coupler/dp/B0002E52S4





   
  Feel free to make substitutions - it would be better to have fewer connection points, of course.   Someone like www.btg-audio.com could put together an affordable cable that would be a far better solution.


----------



## tme110

You can just buy a 1/4 headphone plug, cut off the RCA connectors and connect the two - that was you can skip a whole adapter and about a 1/2 solder  and adapter connections.


----------



## wes008

Quite the setup, Zlichm0d! Bet it sounds puuuurtty :3


----------



## inthere




----------



## paradoxper




----------



## Silent One

Nice, paradoxper. Is that a "Colorware" presentation?


----------



## paradoxper

Thanks Silent. It's not. It's a custom job from ReferenceSounds.


----------



## Silent One

Thanks for including the link - will keep you firm in mind.


----------



## TekeRugburn




----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





tekerugburn said:


>


 
  Like a mini museum


----------



## John In Cali

Just got integrated my DIY 2x15 PA/bass cab into my rooms system with a 400w/channel power amp. Plus the 200w/channel sony receiver into my 15" tower speaker pair. Almost loud enough 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Have to finish painting the bass cab though.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Just got integrated my DIY 2x15 PA/bass cab into my rooms system with a 400w/channel power amp. Plus the 200w/channel sony receiver into my 15" tower speaker pair. Almost loud enough
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Are those the new Sony XB headphones?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yes...However, the headband is a bit thick and somewhat heavy....


----------



## koiloco

My current humble staple, a month into this new interesting hobby.

http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx30/eternalhell/IMG_0967.jpg


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





koiloco said:


> My current humble staple, a month into this new interesting hobby.
> 
> http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx30/eternalhell/IMG_0967.jpg


 
  Nice nice. 2 brilliant headphones you've got there!


----------



## daerron

Photo of my current rig.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Love those B&W minis.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Love those B&W minis.


 
  Do they sound any good?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  They are fantastic for a small nearfield speaker. Built in amp/dac....I prefer the Dragonfly to the internal dac.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ooooo. Time to research!


----------



## daerron

Yeah, those B&W MM-1s are really great for near field listening! Listened to a couple of studio monitors, but I can't seem to part with these little speakers. They sound great on the line-in if you use an external DAC. They've taken quite a step up since I bought the PS Audio NuWave, but they sound great on the Audioquest Dragonfly too.


----------



## jmsaxon69

A variation on the NAD SACD player system, found the Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 used at a local audio shop and bought it on reputation alone, didn't even listen to it!  I'm glad I did, it's a great match for the AKG!  They are FINALLY starting to get broken in.


----------



## autoteleology

My camera right now is butts but I hope this does some justice to my current setup (which I am soon adding a Little Dot 1+ to):


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> My camera right now is butts but I hope this does some justice to my current setup (which I am soon adding a Little Dot 1+ to):


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Are those the new Sony XB headphones?


 
  I died laughing at that.


----------



## jasonb




----------



## pez

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Are those the new Sony XB headphones?


 
  I LOL'd quite a bit at that.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> A variation on the NAD SACD player system, found the Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 used at a local audio shop and bought it on reputation alone, didn't even listen to it!  I'm glad I did, it's a great match for the AKG!  They are FINALLY starting to get broken in.


 
   
  I've always wanted one of the cylinder-shaped X-Can amps.  I don't really even care how they sound; I just think they're cool.


----------



## jmsaxon69

jazzerdave said:


> I've always wanted one of the cylinder-shaped X-Can amps.  I don't really even care how they sound; I just think they're cool.




They do look pretty cool! Sounds great too, it's a Class A amp tube/hybrid design. A steal used at $150! Listening to Jazz at the Pawnshop 24/88 through an Audio Quest Dragon Fly into the amp and into the AKG K702 in the picture and it sounds really nice....


----------



## DragonOwen

Just yesterday got my LynxAudio HA-61 HP amp, so for today my audio rig at work looks like this (I gave my Fostex TH-600 to a friend for a couple of days, so for now can only listen amp with UM Merlin... though I'm not sad, because Merlins sound very good with this amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

   
   
  P.S. Sorry for poor photo quality, make it with HTC HD2...


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


>


 
  Got the same keyboard 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I love mine.


----------



## jjshin23




----------



## kimvictor

Sort of a portable rig, but still a head-fi station! (I ditched most of my desktop rig because I move around constantly)

   

   

   

   

   
  Lol. So many pics!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jjshin23 said:


>


----------



## autoteleology

>


 
   
  What headphones are those?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Shure SRH940 it looks like..


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Shure SRH940 it looks like..


 
  Yup. SRH940. My favorite headphone.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





kimvictor said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





jjshin23 said:


>


 
   
  TOTL headphone tree, native to warmer head-fi climates.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> A variation on the NAD SACD player system, found the Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 used at a local audio shop and bought it on reputation alone, didn't even listen to it!  I'm glad I did, it's a great match for the AKG!  They are FINALLY starting to get broken in.


 
  Yup, Xcanv2 is a great match with the AKG's. Had one with the K701's. Really fills the sound out and they have loads of power.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





eke2k6 said:


> TOTL headphone tree, native to warmer head-fi climates.


 
   
  If only some of those cans just grew on trees, waiting for a head-fier to harvest them...


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





daigo said:


> If only some of those cans just grew on trees, waiting for a head-fier to harvest them...


 
   
  You'd still have to plant the seeds in soil made of mashed $100USD bills.


----------



## jjshin23

LOL, then you can just plug them off when ripe.


----------



## koiloco

Quote: 





jjshin23 said:


>


 

 Genius!  I will go to Ikea and grab me a towel rack like that.  Nice Nice.  The only down side is that, it gives too much places to hang HPs.  This will be very bad for my wallet.


----------



## jjshin23

koiloco said:


> Genius!  I will go to Ikea and grab me a towel rack like that.  Nice Nice.  The only down side is that, it gives too much places to hang HPs.  This will be very bad for my wallet.



Gotta love IKEA


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





jjshin23 said:


>


 
   
  Nice array. After much listening with your collection, what type of patterns have emerged with them regarding the music you play?


----------



## jjshin23

silent one said:


> Nice array. After much listening with your collection, what type of patterns have emerged with them regarding the music you play?



You can tell I am much more into the warm sound but strangely my favorite is the HD800. It just seems to get a sound like no other with soundstage, air, detail and imaging. TH900 is pure fun. Not as much of all the qualities before mentioned HD800 but it adds tight bass and clear highs which makes it fun. LCD3 is romantic with cellos sounding amazing. HE500 does it all with some sparkle on top but you give up a little sound stage (nothing great but great all around). Mad Dogs TH600 and DT770 are my on the go cans. The one I got rid of but miss is the AKG K702 Annies - light weight, sounds great, but open so they couldn't stay as my on the go cans... 

I enjoy all genres of music and these guys do a great job of providing enjoyment.


----------



## Silent One

You're covered, jjshin23!


----------



## MomijiTMO

Can't imagine owning both the TH900 and the TH600.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





koiloco said:


> Genius!  I will go to Ikea and grab me a towel rack like that.  Nice Nice.  The only down side is that, it gives too much places to hang HPs.  This will be very bad for my wallet.


 
  Lol. There never is too much for headphones!


----------



## jjshin23

momijitmo said:


> Can't imagine owning both the TH900 and the TH600.



Yeah I know. That's why the TH600 are on sale on eBay right now and will probably post on FS Forum as well.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





jjshin23 said:


> ...The one I got rid of but miss is the AKG K702 Annies - light weight, sounds great, but open so they couldn't stay as my on the go cans...


 
  Loving my AKG K702 65th and nice to see someone with a great collection like yours say he misses them! I am discovering how truly great these headphones are as I break them in and experiment with some different amps.


----------



## hodgjy

My latest bedside rig configuration.  Fostex T50RP (self-modified), ancient Sony Discman (sounda great), equalizer, and the venerable Asgard 1.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> My latest bedside rig configuration.  Fostex T50RP (self-modified), ancient Sony Discman (sounda great), equalizer, and the venerable Asgard 1.


 
  Does using a equalizer help? Like software EQ vs hardware EQ.


----------



## hodgjy

Yes, same principle.  The T50RP are a little bass-light and a little honky in the midrange, so eq'ing them levels things off to a pretty remarkably flat curve.
   
  The eq also lets me adjust the 1.0 v signal from the Discman to 2.0 v before feeding it into the Asgard.
   
  Quote: 





kimvictor said:


> Does using a equalizer help? Like software EQ vs hardware EQ.


----------



## autoteleology

>


 
   
  Wow, that's a really nice CD player. I'm super jelly right now


----------



## hodgjy

It's about 20 years old and sounds better than most of the consumer junk these days.
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Wow, that's a really nice CD player. I'm super jelly right now


----------



## DragonOwen

Got my TH-600 back (I gave them for a couple of days to a friend for a listening... as a result yesterday he ordered himself TH-600 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), so here is how my audio rig at work is looking right now (and I think it will be that way for some time... probably 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




):


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





dragonowen said:


> Got my TH-600 back (I gave them for a couple of days to a friend for a listening... as a result yesterday he ordered himself TH-600
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gorgeous setup


----------



## Stereo Squares




----------



## Stereo Squares

Hey I'm just getting started, Just wait I will show all of you!!


----------



## autoteleology

That's a lot of stuff in a really small space.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





stereo squares said:


> Hey I'm just getting started, Just wait I will show all of you!!


 
  haha good stuff! 
   
  Love the Pioneer


----------



## Juspanderi

My modest station. Sounds great though.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





stereo squares said:


>


 
  Nice... that Zero sounds surprisingly good considering its price.


----------



## Spastic

A humble setup. I usually just pair my HP-A3 with my desktop computer and listen to music.


----------



## AlanHell

Just move to a new place. My Station finally can breath a bit with a bit more room~~


----------



## autoteleology

That's a really nice flat you've got going there. Wish I had that kind of space.


----------



## hodgjy

+1
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> That's a really nice flat you've got going there. Wish I had that kind of space.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





alanhell said:


> Just move to a new place. My Station finally can breath a bit with a bit more room~~


 
  is that a lowden?


----------



## senson

Wish my apartment is that big 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Relocating gears at late night in tiny apt in NYC..


----------



## knights




----------



## DefQon

lol the Magni/Modi combo there looks so small.


----------



## knights

Small and Cute yet measured up well with the 2… i like the M&M than ef5 with most of my dynamics.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





knights said:


> Small and Cute yet measured up well with the 2… i like the M&M than* ef5* with most of my dynamics.


 
  I wouldn't be surprised. I found the EF2 and EF5 to be rather poor performers for the asking price.


----------



## knights

defqon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Well, EF5 is Goliath in David's form... I have to disagree with you. EF5 is a bargain. You have the option to roll the both tube and op-amps + paired well with most planars. Its more powerful than Lyr.


----------



## DefQon

Again didn't like the EF5, rolled off and very warm sounding regardless of tube based on its design. For the $380 I spent on it, my DV336 sounds better.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





senson said:


> Spoiler: Pics
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  LCD-3 and M-100: what a combo. I feel like that's how I'll wind up in the end


----------



## AlanHell

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> is that a lowden?


 

 Nah, just a normal YAMAHA, still learning~~~~
   
  Maybe when I am better, I will use my GSX money to get the lowden~~~~ The need a year to make the amp, I still have a lot of time


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





spastic said:


> A humble setup. I usually just pair my HP-A3 with my desktop computer and listen to music.


 
  I always wanted a pair of the A900 titanium headphones because of how shiny they are.


----------



## AlanHell

Quote: 





daigo said:


> I always wanted a pair of the A900 titanium headphones because of how shiny they are.


 

 then you should try ultrasone Edition 8, I own a pair, in summer, if you wear it outside, the refection will hurt ppl's eyes


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





alanhell said:


> then you should try ultrasone Edition 8, I own a pair, in summer, if you wear it outside, the refection will hurt ppl's eyes


 
   
  Edition 8's are pretty shiny, but they feel pretty uncomfortable on my head for some reason.  Too much clamp and the on ear pads aren't my preference.  The pair I auditioned was well used so the headband should have been stretched a bit as well.


----------



## DefQon

Finished my diy headphone stand. Turned out pretty good. 
   


   
  Brief shots, not all the gear as usual because I'm not a photowhore.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Finished my diy headphone stand. Turned out pretty good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Likes it. Very smart


----------



## Massacare

daigo said:


> Edition 8's are pretty shiny, but they feel pretty uncomfortable on my head for some reason.  Too much clamp and the on ear pads aren't my preference.  The pair I auditioned was well used so the headband should have been stretched a bit as well.






ES700 ? :rolleyes:


----------



## JonasRas

Loving my new listen station! Very relaxing way of listening to music.


----------



## En_R




----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





en_r said:


>


 
  Very tidy!


----------



## MDR30

jonasras said:


> Loving my new listen station! Very relaxing way of listening to music.




Nice. What amp is it?


----------



## JonasRas

mdr30 said:


> Nice. What amp is it?




It is the WA6 from Woo Audio.


----------



## En_R

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Very tidy!


 
   
  Why thank you.


----------



## ssrock64

I saw a photo a few pages back of an ancient Walkman CD player, with comment on its sound.
   
  I'm also enjoying a similar setup, but my CDP is a Panasonic car/portable one made in June of 1994. I am absolutely, completely enthralled with the thing, and its onboard DAC beats that of every desktop CDP I've owned. Seriously, if you ever see a two-decade-old portable CD player sitting at a garage sale for five bucks, it's worth a try. They put some serious thought into their DACs at the time (though not as much into battery life).


----------



## pez

Yeah, I recognized the CD Player back a page or so because my brother used one in his car through he tape deck back when that was still a thing .


----------



## Ultrainferno

Talking about oldschool portable rigs:
   

   
  My 1991 Sony Walkman. still works!
  http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_walkman_wm_fx40.html


----------



## hodgjy

Those 1-bit DACs in the portable players sure have a smooth sound to them.
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I saw a photo a few pages back of an ancient Walkman CD player, with comment on its sound.
> 
> I'm also enjoying a similar setup, but my CDP is a Panasonic car/portable one made in June of 1994. I am absolutely, completely enthralled with the thing, and its onboard DAC beats that of every desktop CDP I've owned. Seriously, if you ever see a two-decade-old portable CD player sitting at a garage sale for five bucks, it's worth a try. They put some serious thought into their DACs at the time (though not as much into battery life).


----------



## EpicPie

Just updated my boyfriends and my own computer area/studio setup.
   
  Before:
   

  After:


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





epicpie said:


> Just updated my boyfriends and my own computer area/studio setup.


 
  Sharp!  The under-glow is a nice touch.


----------



## bigjohn1

WOW!
   
  EpicPie - that is impressive!
   
  Nice touch with the lighting effects.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





epicpie said:


> Just updated my boyfriends and my own computer area/studio setup.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  Looks excellent after the tidy-up! I see the Beyers for listening, but what headphones are you using with the CDJs? Just curious


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





bigjohn1 said:


> WOW!
> 
> EpicPie - that is impressive!
> 
> Nice touch with the lighting effects.


 
  Yea. Looks amazing!


----------



## autoteleology

I am green with envy.


----------



## ForShure

My setup as it sits now. Need more audio gear to make it acceptable lol. I plan on getting a Little Dot MKII once I get paid next week


----------



## Greed

Quote:


forshure said:


> My setup as it sits now. Need more audio gear to make it acceptable lol. I plan on getting a Little Dot MKII once I get paid next week
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Excellent photos! The HD595 really take me back. The HD555 was my first audiophile grade headphones, but the HD595 was my first true love. They sound great, especially considering their price. Really comfortable as well. Your setup looks great.


----------



## autoteleology

That's a really nice setup. I'm really digging the wallpaper and the lighting as well.


----------



## drews




----------



## beaver316

I'm in love with that picture!


----------



## EpicPie

pelli said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks.  




bigjohn1 said:


> WOW!
> 
> EpicPie - that is impressive!
> 
> Nice touch with the lighting effects.


 
 thank you. 



wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Sennheiser Amperior. 



wolfetan44 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Fanks

Sent from my HTC One


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 
  Classy...


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 
   
   
  I dig those speaker stands..


----------



## Solitary1

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 
  Very nice!


----------



## RamblinE

Did somebody say old school portable rigs? I'm on the verge of starting a collection of those. 
   
  (Not actual photos)

   

   
  Wanted to buy a PCDP anyway. Couldn't resist this one. Bose PM-1
   

   
  My soon-to-be-replaced Blackberry Trilobite 8530.


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





drews said:


>


 

 are the emotiva's as good as they say ?? i've considering selling my audioengine a2's and trying these


----------



## drews

Quote: 





jaywillin said:


> are the emotiva's as good as they say ?? i've considering selling my audioengine a2's and trying these


 
   
  I'm delighted with them, best $299 I've spent in a long time...


----------



## Redcarmoose

rambline said:


> Did somebody say old school portable rigs? I'm on the verge of starting a collection of those.
> 
> (Not actual photos)
> 
> ...






Try to find a Sony wm 505 from 1988. Amazing!


----------



## zilch0md

WAV > Foobar 2000 (WASAPI event mode) > USB > Centrance DACMini CX > Decware ZSTAGE (with NOS 1956 Radiotechnique 12AU7) > Emotiva a-100 Mini-X (with 8 Wpc @ 50-Ohms) > Audeze LCD-2 rev.1 
   
  The LCD-2 is directly connected to the Mini-X speaker terminals by cutting off the TRS plug of a stock Audeze cable and attaching deadbolt banana plugs.
   
  The stock Mini-X 18AWG unshielded power cord has been replaced with Emotiva's 12AWG shielded power cord and a Pangea C14 o C7 adapter.
   
RCA interconnects are also by Emotiva.
   
  My Burson Soloist is so for sale!  The bass extension and control are better with this rig, as is the dynamics - lots of slam, less laid back (with on stage vs. fourth-row seating).  I didn't care for how the T1 sounded with the Mini-X, but it's great with the LCD-2, which has really come to life with 8 Wpc into 50-Ohms.
   
  The ZSTAGE adds some tube goodness and allows me to roll different tubes (with which to drive myself crazy), but the Mini-X without the ZSTAGE is still very satisfying, and a wee bit more resolving.
   





   
  Mike


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Always good to see Decware gear! Looking good Mike!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Z Stage is bigger than I imagined...


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Excellent photos. Decware doesn't get much love around here. Nice to see something fresh


----------



## zilch0md

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Always good to see Decware gear! Looking good Mike!


 
   
  Yeah, the ZSTAGE is a great way to tube-i-fy a SS rig.  Steve Deckert also offers the less expensive ZBOX - which is pretty much the same but without the 0- to 5-dB adjustable gain.
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Z Stage is bigger than I imagined...


 
   
  That first of two photos is deceptive due to the close proximity of a wide-angle lens.  The ZSTAGE isn't as tall as the Emotiva Mini-X, but yes, I was surprised when I first unpacked it.
   
  Quote: 





greed said:


> Excellent photos. Decware doesn't get much love around here. Nice to see something fresh


 
   
  I bought mine used from a guy in Canada - in part to avoid the three and a half month wait to get a new one!   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Here's a shot of the ZSTAGE innards (from the Decware site):
   

   
  Check out the uninsulated solid copper ground bus that runs the length of the interior.  This thing is old-school clean!  It's spectacularly transparent - you can't hear anything but what your choice of tube brings to the sound.
   
  Mike


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> Yeah, the ZSTAGE is a great way to tube-i-fy a SS rig.  Steve Deckert also offers the less expensive ZBOX - which is pretty much the same but without the 0- to 5-dB adjustable gain.
> 
> 
> That first of two photos is deceptive due to the close proximity of a wide-angle lens.  The ZSTAGE isn't as tall as the Emotiva Mini-X, but yes, I was surprised when I first unpacked it.
> ...


 
  sweet


----------



## colinharding

Looks like he's got some hovland musicaps in there, my favorite modern cap.  Nice warm full sound.  You could really go for a vintage tube sound and get some Aerovox V-161 caps in place of those.  Or a vintage paper and wax type, that would make for a juicy warm sound.


----------



## longbowbbs

Here is some more Decware....


----------



## Silent One

W-O-W. I might need Lemonade if I continue to just stand here and look.


----------



## Zashoomin

Decware makes me want to spend every  penny I have.  Unfortunately then I would not be able to pay rent or keep going to school.  Must resist urge to buy.  Steve's stuff is just beautiful to look at.


----------



## longbowbbs

and...It sounds as good as it looks!


----------



## parbaked




----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow,  the best grados ever made...


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> wow,  the best grados ever made...


 
  mine are from the "nature" series...


----------



## Dubstep Girl




----------



## zilch0md

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is some more Decware....
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  State of the art steampunk!


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is some more Decware....


 
  this is your setup obviously?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yep...


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Yep...


 
  is that a wired for sound dac 2??


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yes...I love it...Great Dac.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Yes...I love it...Great Dac.


 
  Hmm..... i am torn between the vioelectric v800 the wired and the new mytek . i love the look of the vio but people say the mytek out performs it. do you experience any brightness or edgyness in the wired?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

mytek is kinda hard/bright but a very revealing dac.


----------



## longbowbbs

No Brightness or edginess with the W4S DAC-2. I am using the HD800's so it would be noticeable.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> No Brightness or edginess with the W4S DAC-2. I am using the HD800's so it would be noticeable.


 
  good point but i still have no clue what i will decide on. hopefully someone at the london meet will have one of the 3. 
  either way im sure any of them will be a big improvement over the arcam rdac that i have now.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  No question about that...LOL!  Wish I could make the trip for that meet. Already have work scheduled....


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> No question about that...LOL!  Wish I could make the trip for that meet. Already have work scheduled....


 
  get someone to fill in for ya! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and we will drink it up in London town!!


----------



## Silent One

No brightness or edginess from my shoe box either.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





silent one said:


> No brightness or edginess from my shoe box either.


 
  but your shoe box is in storage!!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> but your shoe box is in storage!!


 
   
  It definitely now has a low noise floor and black background.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





silent one said:


> It definitely now has a low noise floor and black background.


 
  all alone in the dark well at least it has glenn to talk to.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ok, I've seen it enough to question this, what does the polarizing switch on the Joseph Grado's do? Like, I know it switches polarity, but what does that get you?


----------



## pez

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ok, I've seen it enough to question this, what does the polarizing switch on the Joseph Grado's do? Like, I know it switches polarity, but what does that get you?


 
   
  I've been quietly wondering this myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## preproman

Some Mad Dog Love


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Ok, I've seen it enough to question this, what does the polarizing switch on the Joseph Grado's do? Like, I know it switches polarity, but what does that get you?


 
  The HP-1 is designed for use in studio where some recordings have reversed polarity and there is some benefit to be able to invert phase at playback.
  Not much use for home audio hence a preference for the HP-2 by some.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Oh, thanks! (thanks for the explanation, not like I really understand that thouhg...) I never knew the HP1 was made for studio use.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Oh, thanks! (thanks for the explanation, not like I really understand that thouhg...) I never knew the HP1 was made for studio use.


 

 Sometimes the absolute positive and negative are reversed on a recording and the switch allows you to correct that at the headphone.
   
  There was a typo in the original explanation that may have confused you it says "reserved" instead of reversed.  Hope that helps..
   
  It's like if you hooked up your speakers wrong in your home stereo, + to - instead of + to + and you did it on both speakers .That's "absolute phase" instead of just one speaker being out of phase that is just refereed to as "out of phase"  It's usually done at a place further up the chain than the speakers, it's just the easiest way to explain it.


----------



## parbaked

That's a MUCH better explanation, thanks.
  I reversed my typo...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> good point but i still have no clue what i will decide on. hopefully someone at the london meet will have one of the 3.
> either way im sure any of them *will be a big improvement over the arcam rdac *that i have now.


 
   
  Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> *No question about that...LOL! * Wish I could make the trip for that meet. Already have work scheduled....


 
  Have you owned the rdac? If so can you elaborate thanks


----------



## daerron

Running my headphone rig of the Emotiva mini-x a-100 amp now. The PS Audio NuWave DAC and Emotiva amp are exactly the same footprint so makes for a nice stack.


----------



## BacHolz

No words needed with your post. A splendid picture of some great looking gear. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## parbaked




----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





parbaked said:


>


 





   
  Also, I'm being serious here, you should send that to Grado, they might put it up on FB.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Also, I'm being serious here, you should send that to Grado, they might put it up on FB.


 
  Thanks, but I don't think John needs to promote his Uncle Joe's out of production stuff...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

You'd be surprised.


----------



## DefQon

He may even promote a group buy for the HP-1k's.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

yeah, because theres still hp1k's laying around...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Can I try sending it to Grado?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Never owned it, but I spent a lot of time with it at my dealers with my MBPro and Amarra and my HD650's...So it was the only new thing in the chain. at its price point it is a nice DAC. However, I found the W4S to have a much better all around sound. Better bass and I definitely preferred the mids. It should outperform given the price difference. This is certainly not a slam on the rdac. I simply went upscale....


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Can I try sending it to Grado?


 
  Sure...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Haha. I'll see what I can do.


----------



## Mad Dude

My current listening station, along with two of my favourite headphones:
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
  I keep changing my mind about the ESP-950 - several times now I've decided that it's not getting enough use to justify keeping it, but then every time I put this thing on my head I realize how great they are, and that selling them would be an incredibly stupid idea.


----------



## mrAdrian

Happiness is not that far away from my reach.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Never owned it, but I spent a lot of time with it at my dealers with my MBPro and Amarra and my HD650's...So it was the only new thing in the chain. at its price point it is a nice DAC. However, I found the W4S to have a much better all around sound. Better bass and I definitely preferred the mids. It should outperform given the price difference. This is certainly not a slam on the rdac. I simply went upscale....


 
  I don't believe you.


----------



## koiloco

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Happiness is not that far away from my reach.


 

 Judging from your pic, I would have to agree, especially with that bottle smack in the middle.


----------



## Jepu

Upgraded the amp a bit. My only regret is now that the DAC/power supplier isn't black.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





jepu said:


> Upgraded the amp a bit. My only regret is now that the DAC/power supplier isn't black.


 

 It still looks grrrrrreat!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





jepu said:


> Upgraded the amp a bit. My only regret is now that the DAC/power supplier isn't black.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  (Darth Vader Emoticon) "I find your lack of faith disturbing..."


----------



## ssrock64

I intended to quote Mad Dude's post about his ESP, but for some reason the editor isn't loading correctly. The ESP950 is my most-used headphone, no matter how technically inferior it may be to other modern electrostats or even current orthos. I love the pictures! send me a PM if you ever decide you want to sell them again; I could always use a backup pair as mine ages.


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> My current listening station, along with two of my favourite headphones:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I sold mine and regret it every damn day.


----------



## OPR8R

I'm having to house sit for 3 weeks so I packed the digital side of my rig and found a corner in my friends' (much quieter) house.  More Decware!


----------



## Accoun

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> My latest bedside rig configuration.  Fostex T50RP (self-modified), ancient Sony Discman (sounda great), equalizer, and the venerable Asgard 1.


 

 Thread title says "no old pictures", but I guess I still can quote my old post... 
   
   
  Quote: 





accoun said:


> Not exactly the newest photo, not full rig, but still part of my "collection".[..] That's what you call "classic" (at least in "portable", heh)!


 
   
  The Portas aren't as old as the player, though.


----------



## hodgjy

I'm sure that combo has brought years of enjoyment!
   
  Quote: 





accoun said:


> Thread title says "no old pictures", but I guess I still can quote my old post...
> 
> 
> 
> The Portas aren't as old as the player, though.


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Happiness is not that far away from my reach.


 
  Looks great!
  If you're selling the audio-gd and the darkvoice... what are you planning on replacing them with?


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





parbaked said:


>


 
   
  I see a PC source and want it painted black...


----------



## parbaked




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm having to house sit for 3 weeks so I packed the digital side of my rig and found a corner in my friends' (much quieter) house.  More Decware!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  Nice! More Decware and W4S!!


----------



## robm321

parbaked said:


>




I like


----------



## mrAdrian

ame="Errymoose" url="/t/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-its-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/14085#post_9599026"]Looks great!
If you're selling the audio-gd and the darkvoice... what are you planning on replacing them with?
[/quote]
that's what I replaced it by:

Nfb5 to the 10
Darkvoice 336 to the la Figaro 339

Recabled everything balanced too, just waiting for the sennheiser plugs to arrive


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Darkvoice 336 to the la Figaro 339


 
   
  339 for the win!


----------



## DefQon

The 337/339's are big boys.


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> I'm having to house sit for 3 weeks so I packed the digital side of my rig and found a corner in my friends' (much quieter) house.  More Decware!


 

 Very nice!  I like the Decware!!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Super quick picture of current setup. FLAC>E7>SR-80i with black cherry cups courtesy of 7Keys.
   
  LOVING IT.


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Super quick picture of current setup. FLAC>E7>SR-80i with black cherry cups courtesy of 7Keys.
> 
> LOVING IT.


 
   
  Love the cups on those, very cool!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks dude! Send the praise to 7Keys!


----------



## OPR8R

bigjohn1 said:


> Very nice!  I like the Decware!!




Thanks. It's lots of fun.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Very nice, Jeff!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks a bunch!


----------



## bassboysam

Pro-ject Debut III or iPod Dock/transport > LD MKIII > RS1 or PS500.


----------



## HeyWaj10

My rig as it is currently:


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





bassboysam said:


> Pro-ject Debut III or iPod Dock/transport > LD MKIII > RS1 or PS500.


 

 Gosh I want to get a Pro-ject debut III...


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Super quick picture of current setup. FLAC>E7>SR-80i with black cherry cups courtesy of 7Keys.
> 
> LOVING IT.


 
  Hey, that's a good looking USB Hub you have there!


----------



## bassboysam

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Gosh I want to get a Pro-ject debut III...



 
 I don't think they make them anymore. they now offer the Debut Carbon. http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=debutcarbon&cat=turntables&lang=en I tried one of Carbons and thought it sounded great. beefier tone arm and cartridge.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





bigjohn1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yeah I know. Whoever got it has good taste 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  If only it was usb 2.0 or 3.0, its kinda slow


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





bassboysam said:


> Pro-ject Debut III or iPod Dock/transport > LD MKIII > RS1 or PS500.


 
  So...which of the two do you prefer?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> My rig as it is currently:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nobody saw this one? Anyways, beautiful setup!! I love the cable, where is the cable from? Or is it your own creation?


----------



## bassboysam

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> So...which of the two do you prefer?


 

 i did not spend a lot of time with the carbon, but it sounded better to me.  more full and clear than the debut III.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





bassboysam said:


> i did not spend a lot of time with the carbon, but it sounded better to me.  more full and clear than the debut III.


 
  The carbon has a much better cartridge (2M Red) than Debut III (OM5e).


----------



## bassboysam

parbaked said:


> The carbon has a much better cartridge (2M Red) than Debut III (OM5e).




exactly. i wouldn't mind upgrading the cartridge in mine at some point.


----------



## HeyWaj10

wolfetan44 said:


> Nobody saw this one? Anyways, beautiful setup!! I love the cable, where is the cable from? Or is it your own creation?




Wolfetan, thanks! The cable is from Artemis Audio, not as widely known as the likes of ALO, Moon Audio, etc. Looks awesome in person, sounds significantly better than stock, and didn't cost me an arm and a leg!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Thing is gents, the Debut III is $300 on amazon whereas the Carbon is $400. I'm already stretching my budget to fit the Debut III


----------



## bassboysam

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Thing is gents, the Debut III is $300 on amazon whereas the Carbon is $400. I'm already stretching my budget to fit the Debut III




be patient and save the extra $100. in this case it's worth it.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Thing is gents, the Debut III is $300 on amazon whereas the Carbon is $400. I'm already stretching my budget to fit the Debut III


 
  I think the Debut III is discontinued and the entry Pro-ject is now the Essential ($299), which is a very different design from the Debut.
  I would choose a Debut III over the new Essential at the same price.
   
  Buy what you can afford and enjoy it. 
  If you enjoy it you will eventually want to upgrade the cartridge, like Sam...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

The Debut III might be discontinued but it's still selling on amazon 

If I cat get one of those by the time I've got the money, I'll get a MusicHall USB-1 probably. Or ask around 

-edit-
Just to let y'all know, it's my goal to, by Christmas, have a Pro Ject Debut III table (or similar) and a Grado Black cartridge. How does the Grado cartridge compare to the stock cart on the Pro Ject?


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> The Debut III might be discontinued but it's still selling on amazon
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> The Debut III might be discontinued but it's still selling on amazon
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I would save up for (or buy used) any Rega instead. MUCH better tone arms and models with non 24V motor don't need a wall wort! Regas are also a lot of fun to modify. The RP1 even has a trick resin platter that may replace the glass platters in some higher models.
  Since this is a show your station thread, mine has a modified Rega P2 > Pioneer SA-7100
   

   
  It's worth it to invest in a good cartridge and compatible phono pre-amp.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I'll think about that. I've also got to consider the fact that I don't make TOO much money (I work at McDonalds for Petes sake), and I have to pay for a car, and I'd also like to get much nicer speakers, I'm really looking for something under $350, that I can plug right into my receiver and get good sound out of.


----------



## driver 8

New stuff going on in my main setup:
   
   

   

   

   
  I have other tubes to roll into the Electra, but I'm going to wait a week or two so I can get a better idea as to how it sounds stock.
   
  -Edit-
   
  Oh yeah, the headphones plugged in are SR009's.  Forgot to take a pic of that.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> New stuff going on in my main setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Nice stuff man! I feel inadequate now, thanks....


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> New stuff going on in my main setup:


 
   
  Holy cow, even Superman is giving a thumbs up!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

driver 8 said:


> New stuff going on in my main setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Jeez o Pete how many tubes does one amp need!! :O


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> New stuff going on in my main setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   




   
  Well, I know it's a bit early but, can you 'neak us an early indication? Very nice display, driver 8.


----------



## jmsaxon69

parbaked said:


> Holy cow, even Superman is giving a thumbs up!




I think he thinks all that glass is the Fortress of Solitude!


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





driver 8 said:


> New stuff going on in my main setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That Eddie Current is a ******* masterpiece!!


----------



## Errymoose

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> ame="Errymoose" url="/t/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-its-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/14085#post_9599026"]Looks great!
> If you're selling the audio-gd and the darkvoice... what are you planning on replacing them with?


 that's what I replaced it by:

 Nfb5 to the 10
 Darkvoice 336 to the la Figaro 339

 Recabled everything balanced too, just waiting for the sennheiser plugs to arrive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/quote]


 Ah, looks nice man.  How do you think going balanced affects your cans?


----------



## autoteleology

> How do you think going balanced affects your cans?


 
   
  Better noise rejection due to the amplifier cancelling out noise that is present on both copies of the signal.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





heywaj10 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Damn, their website is under construction. So no looky at cables for me


----------



## DefQon

That Electra is huge, bigger than I thought.
   
  It's no driver 8 rig but just some small updates today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  Next purchase 007mk1's and BHSE. KGSSHV is WIP atm so will post pics again.

 Enjoy.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Damn, their website is under construction. So no looky at cables for me


 
  I think they are selling on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/sch/artemiscables/m.html?item=230978848018&lgeo=1&ViewItem=&vectorid=229466&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562


----------



## HeyWaj10

saraguie said:


> I think they are selling on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/sch/artemiscables/m.html?item=230978848018&lgeo=1&ViewItem=&vectorid=229466&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562




Yep! That's how I ordered mine


----------



## Dillont3

New source for my rig. Came home on vacation and brought my rig with me because I was going to be gone for a week and a half and ended up getting a free hand me down Conrad-Johnson Cd player from my dad that is worth more than the rest of my rig put together. He said he was having trouble with the mechanism skipping, sometimes not playing all the tracks, etc and it was bugging him so he just bough a new cd player. Haven't had any problems with it yet and it sounds really good to me. Is it possible to have too many tubes in your chain (tube cd player analog out -> tube pre-amp -> tube amp)? Conrad-Johnson sounds considerably better than using the D1's DAC so I don't think it would have any adverse affect and I am really happy with it, but just curious.


----------



## bassboysam

One can never have too many tubes.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





errymoose said:


> Ah, looks nice man.  How do you think going balanced affects your cans?


 
   
  How did you know I was busy for every night re-cabling my headphones, including the MSPro which was quite a freaking-out experience!
   
  Shoot me a pm and you can come and try them out


----------



## Redcarmoose

dillont3 said:


> New source for my rig. Came home on vacation and brought my rig with me because I was going to be gone for a week and a half and ended up getting a free hand me down Conrad-Johnson Cd player from my dad that is worth more than the rest of my rig put together. He said he was having trouble with the mechanism skipping, sometimes not playing all the tracks, etc and it was bugging him so he just bough a new cd player. Haven't had any problems with it yet and it sounds really good to me. Is it possible to have too many tubes in your chain (tube cd player analog out -> tube pre-amp -> tube amp)? Conrad-Johnson sounds considerably better than using the D1's DAC so I don't think it would have any adverse affect and I am really happy with it, but just curious.




Congratulations, so nice of a source.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





bassboysam said:


> One can never have too many tubes.


----------



## autoteleology

> Spoiler: WHAT%20THE%20BLAZES%20IS%20THIS


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





parbaked said:


>


 

 Nice!  Tube Envy!!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





saraguie said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks, I really like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Artemis-Cables-String-Sennheiser-HD580-600-650-Headphone-Cable-6FT-/230983110916?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item35c7aa9104


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Thanks, I really like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Artemis-Cables-String-Sennheiser-HD580-600-650-Headphone-Cable-6FT-/230983110916?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item35c7aa9104


 

 They make one for the AKG K7XX series, i was thinking about giving it a try, anyone have any real experience with this series? It'd be really cool in a black and blue combo!


----------



## hodgjy

I'd hate to find the microphonic, staticy, or weak tube in that hot mess.
   
  Quote: 





parbaked said:


>


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

hodgjy said:


> I'd hate to find the microphonic, staticy, or weak tube in that hot mess.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This. 
So much this.


----------



## Silent One

The tube testers must be out of view.


----------



## autoteleology

What are those things, anyway? Are they some kind of joke mockup? Please tell me those aren't actually amps.


----------



## hodgjy

Probably mono blocks.  Need lots of tubes to get the power needed to amplify.  Tube amps with two or fewer power tubes can usually only muster 2 watts into 4 ohms.  Need lots of power tubes to crank out 50 watts into 8 ohms.
   
  Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> What are those things, anyway? Are they some kind of joke mockup? Please tell me those aren't actually amps.


----------



## colinharding

Too many tubes lol, got four in the DAC, 6 in the preamp, 4 in each monoblock booster amp that end up feeding the monoblock amps that go to my speakers, each with three tubes.  I'm tubed all the way! So what's that, 24 total?  Nah, never too many


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





colinharding said:


> Too many tubes lol, got four in the DAC, 6 in the preamp, 4 in each monoblock booster amp that end up feeding the monoblock amps that go to my speakers, each with three tubes.  I'm tubed all the way! So what's that, 24 total?  Nah, never too many


 
   
  Never can have enough distortion.


----------



## DefQon

Would hate to know the cost of tube rolling in that thing. Quantity wise it puts the Atmos-sphere to shame.


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Would hate to know the cost of tube rolling in that thing. Quantity wise it puts the Atmos-sphere to shame.


 
  tube rolling is so fun but its so expensive too.  Plus tubes burn out pretty quickly so I think I'll just stick to ss since its cheaper in the long run


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





zashoomin said:


> tube rolling is so fun but its so expensive too.  Plus tubes burn out pretty quickly so I think I'll just stick to ss since its cheaper in the long run


 
  Tubes don't really burn out quickly, most will last thousands of hours, but SS ids certainly easier...


----------



## daerron

Some types of valves are rated for 10,000 hours. Thats a lot of listening time. Those that burn out quicker are usually rated for around 3000 hours. Still a lot of listening hours.


----------



## DefQon

Average rated hours for tubes is 5000, but seriously doubt anyone would stick to just that one set of tube(s) for use up to 5000 hours as you'd most likely tube roll every now and then.


----------



## MickeyVee

The only problem with tubes in my setup is that I find that they need to be running for about an hour to sound their best. So, If I want to seriously listen for an hour, I turn on my rig and let it run for an hour first before I come back for a serious session. Cut's my tube life in about half. Not a real problem but no immediate staisfaction. As far as tube rolling, I've settled on the Amperex Orange Globes and any of my other tubes are pretty much inferior. Almost no rolling for me. As much as I love the Lyr, looking into a decent SS setup for more immediate satisfaction. YMMV.


----------



## Quinto

Just got myself a Beresford Bushmaster, driving my K501..Very good combo, lots of detail, nice well defined bass


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> Probably mono blocks.  Need lots of tubes to get the power needed to amplify.  Tube amps with two or fewer power tubes can usually only muster 2 watts into 4 ohms.  Need lots of power tubes to crank out 50 watts into 8 ohms.


 
  IME, two EL34 power tubes, one per channel, can put out about 13 WPC, two KT88, 25 WPC.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> IME, two EL34 power tubes, one per channel, can put out about 13 WPC, two KT88, 25 WPC.


 
  Yes, it depends on the type of tube and the amplifier's design...


----------



## bassboysam

parbaked said:


> Yes, it depends on the type of tube and the amplifier's design...



 
 4 KT88s in my bass amp put out a max of 340 watts


----------



## hodgjy

True.  I guess it depends on the design and the tube.  The Atma-sphere S-30 uses 10 6H13C tubes to get 30 watts into 8 ohms.
   
  Quote: 





bbophead said:


> IME, two EL34 power tubes, one per channel, can put out about 13 WPC, two KT88, 25 WPC.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

hodgjy said:


> True.  I guess it depends on the design and the tube.  The Atma-sphere S-30 uses 10 6H13C tubes to get 30 watts into 8 ohms.



Definitely, the atma-sphere is an otl tube amp. Whereas the ones listed previously would have to be transformer coupled just based on the tube choices


----------



## pelli

I just got my T1 in the mail today.  Hello office rig!


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





pelli said:


> I just got my T1 in the mail today.  Hello office rig!


 
  Was expecting Beyers, but this is very nice as well.


----------



## palmfish




----------



## Freerider




----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Was expecting Beyers, but this is very nice as well.


 
  That was my reaction, too, but the Aune is even more impressive for its rarity and uniqueness.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> That was my reaction, too, but the Aune is even more impressive for its rarity and uniqueness.


 
  Is this is sarcasm?  Often hard to tell in text.  If not, thanks for the compliment!  If so, sorry to let you down about the Bayer's, but I had a great time today with the Aune, Amperex 7308 gold pin and Hd 650's.  Enjoying the music is what it's all about anyways, right?


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Is this is sarcasm?  Often hard to tell in text.  If not, thanks for the compliment!  If so, sorry to let you down about the Bayer's, but I had a great time today with the Aune, Amperex 7308 gold pin and Hd 650's.  Enjoying the music is what it's all about anyways, right?


 
   
  No let down at all...  I'll bet that setup sounds great.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





freerider said:


>


 

 Looks really nice! What amp is that? and the speakers? The HD700 looks great


----------



## RIQUE

Looks like a Peachtree amp.


----------



## palmfish

Yup, a Decco from the looks of it (I used to have a Nova).


----------



## Freerider

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Looks really nice! What amp is that? and the speakers? The HD700 looks great


 
  peachtree Decco65 and Martin Logan Motion 4s.  Had this setup for 8+months now and I still don't want to change anything...so it must be doing something right!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Ill bet!

Hey,so I just fixed my Minimums 7 speakers (replaced the capacitors), and I'm thinking about replacing my cheap 2.1 system on my computer. What cheap $25 speaker amp on amazon is best? The Lepai one?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Is this is sarcasm?  Often hard to tell in text.  If not, thanks for the compliment!  If so, sorry to let you down about the Bayer's, but I had a great time today with the Aune, Amperex 7308 gold pin and Hd 650's.  Enjoying the music is what it's all about anyways, right?


 
  No sarcasm here; I see the Beyer T1 a whole lot more than the Aune T1.


----------



## hsubox

My current headfi setup. HP Envy15 -> Schiit Modi -> Fiio E09K. Choice of Grado RS1i, SR225i, or AKG Q701. It makes for happy ears )


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hsubox said:


> My current headfi setup. HP Envy15 -> Schiit Modi -> Fiio E09K. Choice of Grado RS1i, SR225i, or AKG Q701. It makes for happy ears )


 
  Does the little CMoy get any love anymore?


----------



## hsubox

ssrock64 said:


> Does the little CMoy get any love anymore?




It does when I go to the coffee shop!

Though just with the 225s... I found today that I'm not a fan of how the RS1 sounds through the cmoy. It comes out a bit nasally. Odd that.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hsubox said:


> It does when I go to the coffee shop!
> 
> Though just with the 225s... I found today that I'm not a fan of how the RS1 sounds through the cmoy. It comes out a bit nasally. Odd that.


 
  I've actually had the same experience when it comes to Grado. Despite the whole lineup being basically equal in efficiency, the low-end stuff really sounds better through a CMoy than the higher-ups.


----------



## hsubox

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> I've actually had the same experience when it comes to Grado. Despite the whole lineup being basically equal in efficiency, the low-end stuff really sounds better through a CMoy than the higher-ups.


 
   
  Ok, I'm having a GIGO moment.... the fault, as it happens, isn't with the CMOY at all.... the DAC/headphone driver on the iPhone just sucks. Plugged my RS1i's directly into the phone, and it's nasally. Plugged the phone through the E09K, where it will have plenty of oomph, and it sounds the same, just louder (and slightly deeper). But, as they say, Garbage In, Garbage Out.
   
  Poo.


----------



## nelamvr6

New Artwork for the Big Rig:


----------



## pelli

I have finally reached a place of contentment with my living room rig.  That isn't to say it is done (that's half the fun!) but no immediate plans for change.  I would love to move my Mjo / Gun out there, but I get most of my head-time in bed.  I hope y'all enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy y'alls. 





   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
  Bedroom Rig Pics Coming Soon!


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





pelli said:


> I have finally reached a place of contentment with my living room rig.  That isn't to say it is done (that's half the fun!) but no immediate plans for change.  I would love to move my Mjo / Gun out there, but I get most of my head-time in bed.  I hope y'all enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy y'alls.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Very nice setup. I particularly like what you did with those bright LEDs from the Schiit gear, great idea.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





greed said:


> Very nice setup. I particularly like what you did with those bright LEDs from the Schiit gear, great idea.


 
  I got that from someone else Head-fi.  I wish I could remember where so I could give credit where credit is due.  I hole-punched circles of blue electrical tape. Now they match the rest of my gear too!


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> New Artwork for the Big Rig:


 
  Love the posters!  May I ask where you tracked those down?


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  VERY nice.  
   
  I prefer to SEE tubes, but, whatever.
   
   Mini-monitors are pretty special, aren't they?  
   
  GREAT job!


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Love the posters!  May I ask where you tracked those down?


 
  I found all those posters at Amazon, they're all reproductions, not originals...


----------



## HeatFan12

Just finished setting up my NPAS (Non-Portable Apple Station)...


----------



## GrindingThud

What's that tube amp on the right?


heatfan12 said:


> Just finished setting up my NPAS (Non-Portable Apple Station)...


----------



## DefQon

For some reason that amp on the right side looks like one of Mikhails prototypes posted here back in the day.


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> What's that tube amp on the right?


 
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> For some reason that amp on the right side looks like one of Mikhails prototypes posted here back in the day.


 
   
   
  You got it DefQon.  SP MPX3 SLAM (toaster).


----------



## oggdude

This is my new station setup after moving. Nothing too fancy and you can't see the HP4 amplifier.
   
  I like the sound of the apogee and the motu uses the same AD/DA chips as some RME products. The Presonus does the job, does't seem to colour anything which makes me happy, the only down side is 20 Hz to 20kHz frequency range which i leaves me feeling i'm not hearing the full potential of the HD 650.
   
  (Sorry about the picture quality, i only use an iPhone 4)


----------



## GrindingThud

Cool amp!


heatfan12 said:


> You got it DefQon.  SP MPX3 SLAM (toaster).


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





oggdude said:


> This is my new station setup after moving. Nothing too fancy and you can't see the HP4 amplifier.
> 
> I like the sound of the apogee and the motu uses the same AD/DA chips as some RME products. The Presonus does the job, does't seem to colour anything which makes me happy, the only down side is 20 Hz to 20kHz frequency range which i leaves me feeling i'm not hearing the full potential of the HD 650.
> 
> (Sorry about the picture quality, i only use an iPhone 4)


 
   
   
  Nice oggdude!!!
   
  How do you like the RP6s?
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





grindingthud said:


> Cool amp!


 
   
   
  Thanks GrindingThud...


----------



## oggdude

I really enjoy them, recently moved so the room they are in are untreated so i preferred them when they were in a treated room. Given the money i would get a set of Adam A7's and use the KRK's as secondary speakers but they are really detailed and the mixes done on them so far seem to translate well.

 Musically they make everything sound good, professionally i think they accurately tell the truth. I really like the front facing bass ports too, rear facing in a small room to me just isn't a great idea.

 Once they are back in a treated room, before getting the Adams i think my first priority is a sub-woofer.


----------



## teknikk7

Quote: 





nelamvr6 said:


> New Artwork for the Big Rig:


 
   
  Where did you get these?  Did you print yourself??  FIles please...


----------



## Gidu

Hi !
   
  Here is my Head-Fi listening station (with my heavy modded SR125i Grado) :
   

_CD player is home made : see here_
   

   

   

   
  That's all !
   
  Gidu


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





gidu said:


> Hi !
> 
> Here is my Head-Fi listening station (with my heavy modded SR125i Grado) :
> 
> ...


 

  dat candy paint


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





teknikk7 said:


> Where did you get these?  Did you print yourself??  FIles please...


 
   
  I'm interested in knowing too


----------



## autoteleology

That is very, very nice...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow if grado sold a limited edition red ps1000 like that, i'd have no problem paying full price for it.


----------



## DefQon

Those are Jaben Alessandro/Grado aluminium cups. They are pretty cheap to buy and easy to fit.


----------



## fleasbaby

They have a write up on it here:
   
  http://jaben.net/forums/index.php?topic=15062.0
   
  You can buy it here:
   
  http://jaben.net/shopping2/Aluminium-Mod.html
   
  They only seem to do that red...


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





fleasbaby said:


> They have a write up on it here:
> 
> http://jaben.net/forums/index.php?topic=15062.0
> 
> ...


 
  I would like to see metallic blue, maybe cobalt that would be really nice.


----------



## fleasbaby

Personally I would be happy to get a plain, chrome pair (I am still kicking myself for selling the chrome 325is I bought off Dubstep Girl all those years ago). Not sure why they insist on the red.
   
  I have seen folks strip it off, If I recall correctly they used something odd like oven cleaner.


----------



## pez

Quote: 





pelli said:


> I got that from someone else Head-fi.  I wish I could remember where so I could give credit where credit is due.  I hole-punched circles of blue electrical tape. Now they match the rest of my gear too!


 
   
  That's brilliant.  I didn't even know they made colored electrical tape.  Blue would be perfect to use for me as my PC glows blue.  I could do this for the white LEDs on my case, too.  Hmmmm.
   
  Quote: 





fleasbaby said:


> Personally I would be happy to get a plain, chrome pair (I am still kicking myself for selling the chrome 325is I bought off Dubstep Girl all those years ago). Not sure why they insist on the red.
> 
> I have seen folks strip it off, If I recall correctly they used something odd like oven cleaner.


 
   
  Maybe acetone?  Could be wrong, but it's what I use to get fingernail polish off of our tile floors at the store.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





gidu said:


> Hi !
> 
> Here is my Head-Fi listening station (with my heavy modded SR125i Grado) :
> 
> ...


 
   
  Awesome setup! I really like this one. Congrats! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  What's the Behringer thingy above the EQ?


----------



## Gidu

mad dude said:


> Awesome setup! I really like this one. Congrats!
> What's the Behringer thingy above the EQ?



It's a Behringer SRC2496. I use it as a digital source selector for the PC, CD player and sat receiver, and it's also an oversampler and jitter reducer : it converts all 44,1, 48 and 88,2 PCM sources from the CD (AES-EBU), sat (TOS-LINK) or from the PC(SPDIF) to AES-EBU 96 kHz, 24 bits. It's also a good DAC, and the symetrical outputs are connected to a JENSEN transformer to convert symetrical XLR to asymetrical RCA and then these outputs are connected to the input of the LITTLEDOT I+. 
The Behringer DEQ2496 is used for a room equalisation in digital domain before the DAC (MUSILAND MD10) and the integrated amplifier (ATOLL IN80SE).

Gidu


----------



## dagothur

Quote: 





gidu said:


> Hi !
> 
> Here is my Head-Fi listening station (with my heavy modded SR125i Grado) :
> 
> ...


 
  You should play 'Battle Stations' by Winger every time you show somebody this part of your rig.


----------



## deltawave

Quote: 





oggdude said:


> This is my new station setup after moving. Nothing too fancy and you can't see the HP4 amplifier.
> 
> I like the sound of the apogee and the motu uses the same AD/DA chips as some RME products. The Presonus does the job, does't seem to colour anything which makes me happy, the only down side is 20 Hz to 20kHz frequency range which i leaves me feeling i'm not hearing the full potential of the HD 650.
> 
> (Sorry about the picture quality, i only use an iPhone 4)


 
  Maybe I don't know because I'm new, but why would 20hz-20khz not let your HD650's reach their full potential? As far as I know that is the human hearing range.


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





oggdude said:


> I really enjoy them, recently moved so the room they are in are untreated so i preferred them when they were in a treated room. Given the money i would get a set of Adam A7's and use the KRK's as secondary speakers but they are really detailed and the mixes done on them so far seem to translate well.
> 
> Musically they make everything sound good, professionally i think they accurately tell the truth. I really like the front facing bass ports too, rear facing in a small room to me just isn't a great idea.
> 
> Once they are back in a treated room, before getting the Adams i think my first priority is a sub-woofer.


 
   
   
  Nice ogg,
   
  I've had mine for a while and think they're great.  Lots of options now with powered speakers, but I'm happy with 'em.  Have the E-MU 0404 USB connected to them (balanced) and the WA2 (SE).
   
  Good times!


----------



## Defiant00

Quote: 





deltawave said:


> Maybe I don't know because I'm new, but why would 20hz-20khz not let your HD650's reach their full potential? As far as I know that is the human hearing range.


 
   
  No, you're right, that is the human hearing range.
   
  Some people believe you can feel higher and lower frequencies even if you can't hear them (certainly true for low bass), but 20-20 certainly shouldn't be holding anything back for your actual hearing unless you're a dog


----------



## oggdude

The Hd 650's response is 10 Hz to 30 something kHz it's just out of my own personal curiosity to feel more than hear frequencies between 10 and 20 Hz mostly to understand if i could feel those frequencies with headphones. Not really for music as standard CD quality is 20 Hz to 20 kHz if i remember correctly, it's more for recording purposes and eliminating sub harmonic frequencies at higher sample rates which can just mess things up. 

 Musically i am getting their full potential as i don't really believe yet that the 650's are that hard to drive from things such as an apogee one or even the headphone out on a macbook / iPhone and their sensitivity is quite high. That to me suggests easy to drive headphones even from a USB voltage.
   
  I just want to play with lower frequencies for experimental purposes and i can't afford room treatment or a sub to get those kinda frequencies on speakers yet.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





defiant00 said:


> No, you're right, that is the human hearing range.
> 
> Some people believe you can feel higher and lower frequencies even if you can't hear them (certainly true for low bass), but 20-20 certainly shouldn't be holding anything back for your actual hearing unless you're a dog


 
   

   Give me more bandwidth!


----------



## oggdude

Quote: 





heatfan12 said:


> Nice ogg,
> 
> I've had mine for a while and think they're great.  Lots of options now with powered speakers, but I'm happy with 'em.  Have the E-MU 0404 USB connected to them (balanced) and the WA2 (SE).
> 
> Good times!


 
  I like your set-up, very neat and elegant looking. I like the stands too. I think when it comes to near-field speakers it's more personal taste than anything else for which ones to choose and i really like the KRK sound tho would love a set of VXT's.

 This may not be an option for you as it isn't for me either but keeping them 2 feet away from the wall behind them improves the SQ due to reflections and what not, well so i have read.


----------



## deltawave

Good to know I remember my audio theory classes, right? Haha!


----------



## deltawave

Quote: 





deltawave said:


> Good to know I remember my audio theory classes, right? Haha!


 
  Oops, Forgot to reply to Defiant00 in that last comment.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





oggdude said:


> I like your set-up, very neat and elegant looking. I like the stands too. I think when it comes to near-field speakers it's more personal taste than anything else for which ones to choose and i really like the KRK sound tho would love a set of VXT's.
> 
> This may not be an option for you as it isn't for me either but keeping them 2 feet away from the wall behind them improves the SQ due to reflections and what not, well so i have read.


 
  I would have thought a good near-field monitor would be designed to work near a wall out of necessity/practicality...


----------



## RokBoks

Current setup! Just got the m80s, wearing them with glasses is tricky but I love everything else about them

   
  Quote:


panamahat said:


> These sure do scale up well haha
> 
> ...I need an hd600 sooo bad (>.<)


 
   

 and I still want to try these out!


----------



## oggdude

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> I would have thought a good near-field monitor would be designed to work near a wall out of necessity/practicality...


 
   
  With a front facing bass port yeah, they should be. it's just something i have read and seen done by a dozen or so audio engineers, tho i didn't take note if the bass ports on the monitors used were rear or front facing, tho i remember the odd pair of VXT's.
   
  I haven't read the science behind it in full yet so not sure if its just nonsense but i have noticed a difference for myself with a gap a few inches shorter than a foot. I wish i had proper acoustic treatment in my room but i'm not allowed to put any up.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





fleasbaby said:


> Personally I would be happy to get a plain, chrome pair (I am still kicking myself for selling the chrome 325is I bought off Dubstep Girl all those years ago). Not sure why they insist on the red.
> 
> I have seen folks strip it off, If I recall correctly they used something odd like oven cleaner.


 
  If you ask nicely, Jaben can sell you a plain uncoloured one. Should shoot Uncle Wilson a PM as he is the head of Jaben's and might set you up on a possible deal with a silver cup.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





fleasbaby said:


> I have seen folks strip it off, If I recall correctly they used something odd like *oven cleaner*.


 
   
   
  It works real good at removing anodizing.  I've done it many times.


----------



## fleasbaby

Nice...the burning question now is, how easy is it to re anodize?


----------



## Eee Pee

That's up to the shop that has the ability to do so.


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





fleasbaby said:


> Nice...the burning question now is, how easy is it to re anodize?


 
  Easier than cleaning an oven because you just shop it out!


----------



## fleasbaby

LOL...nice...actually a good idea. I could strip them and then have them chromed...voila...MS1000i crossed with a PS1000....kind of...in a round about sort of way.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Give me more bandwidth!


 
  Congratulations! You've found the only Beats photo in existence that doesn't make me irrationally angry. The cute factor overrides it.


----------



## Emospence

Quote: 





parbaked said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  This woofer looks amazing, how does it sound?


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





emospence said:


> This woofer looks amazing, how does it sound?


 
  No no... You're barking up the wrong tree


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Congratulations! You've found the only Beats photo in existence that doesn't make me irrationally angry. The cute factor overrides it.


 
  I wasn't going to let her wear my Grados!


----------



## pelli

> Spoiler: He%20beats%20his%20dog%3F!%3F!%3F!


----------



## HeatFan12

Quote: 





oggdude said:


> I like your set-up, very neat and elegant looking. I like the stands too. I think when it comes to near-field speakers it's more personal taste than anything else for which ones to choose and i really like the KRK sound tho would love a set of VXT's.
> 
> This may not be an option for you as it isn't for me either but keeping them 2 feet away from the wall behind them improves the SQ due to reflections and what not, well so i have read.


 
   
   
  Thanks!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  I have them about one foot from the wall atm....Might do a little testing in pulling them out a bit more.


----------



## tintin220

Now that I've finally settled into my new apartment, I've decided to hold off on getting any new equipment as my y2+O2 rig is doing fine for now, especially as I don't have as much time do any serious listening.
  ==
   
  > The big picture

   
   
  > Daily driver: Senn HD650 (in HD600 colors)

   
  > y2 DAC + O2 amp

   
  > Left speaker + DIY Grado (work-in-progress)

   

   

   
  > Custom mechanical keyboard + mouse


----------



## autoteleology

That's a really nice keyboard you've got there.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





tintin220 said:


> > Daily driver: Senn HD650 (in HD600 colors)
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
   
  Interesting concept - Did you do this because you prefer the HD600's look, or for some other reason?
  (I might do the opposite, and put HD600 drivers/capsules into an HD650 - I prefer the sound of the first, but the latter looks better)
   
   
   
  I've just reorganized my "digital only" setup after adding an M-DAC. The result looks something like this...
   
   

   
  It would seem that I have a real talent for visually mis-matching gear... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  But I do like it function- and of course soundwise. The tablet serves as a frontend/removable remote for both my HTPC (running Jriver Media Center, not pictured) and the Squeezebox touch which is hidden behind it.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





mad dude said:


>


 
  Ohh man, that looks so relaxingly good and comfortable.


----------



## Mad Dude

Thanks! It sure is comfortable, especially since everything can be controlled by remote. Just perfect for a lazy guy like me!


----------



## pez

Awesome setup tintin, what headband is that for the Grados?


----------



## KetchupNinja

New desk and a few new toys.
   
  Before:
   

   
  After:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

very nice!!! 
   
  in first pic i thought D7k, LCD-3 and HE-6


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





ketchupninja said:


> New desk and a few new toys.
> 
> Before:
> 
> ...


 

 nice...


----------



## KetchupNinja

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> very nice!!!
> 
> in first pic i thought D7k, LCD-3 and HE-6


 

 Lol I wish, sometime in the future maybe.  I'm very happy with my current set up right now though.


----------



## che15

tintin220 said:


> Now that I've finally settled into my new apartment, I've decided to hold off on getting any new equipment as my y2+O2 rig is doing fine for now, especially as I don't have as much time do any serious listening.
> ==
> 
> > The big picture
> ...


Is that a power supply for the amp or the DAC . The grey box I mean


----------



## Ultrainferno

New amp added. Bad Blackberry pic (again)


----------



## DefQon

What's the new amp?


----------



## Ultrainferno

A custom built 300B amp from 2359Glenn. Second one from the left


----------



## DefQon

Expensive tube rolling.


----------



## hodgjy

You just won Head-Fi. 



ultrainferno said:


> New amp added. Bad Blackberry pic (again)


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> You just won Head-Fi.


 
  For presentation, it's hard to beat his museum-style setup.
   
  I still think n3rdling has my favorite collection, though.


----------



## RespectheSQ

Quote: 





gidu said:


> Hi !
> 
> Here is my Head-Fi listening station (with my heavy modded SR125i Grado) :
> 
> ...


 
  How did the mod to the grados change the sound?


----------



## AlanHell

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> New amp added. Bad Blackberry pic (again)


 

 Wow, I think there is a car parking on the able there~~~~~
  Love the setup~~~~~
   
   
  BTW, you spend way too many money on the amp, get some classic headphones like R10, HE90 or K1000 for the collection~~~
  You only need a very very good amp and dac to power all your phones I think.


----------



## zeinharis

Simple travelers setup
   


Spoiler: Simple


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> You just won Head-Fi.


 
   
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> For presentation, it's hard to beat his museum-style setup.
> 
> I still think n3rdling has my favorite collection, though.


 
   
  Thanks guys. It's not a competition however. Just liking whatever you have yourself is most important.
  To me Clayton SF still hast the best and prettiest collection.
   
  Quote: 





alanhell said:


> Wow, I think there is a car parking on the able there~~~~~
> Love the setup~~~~~
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks. I like amps, what can I say. Each has its own character. My setup however is nothing compared to what some others have.


----------



## Gidu

respecthesq said:


> How did the mod to the grados change the sound?



Hi !
Sound is warmer, with less treble and more low end frequencies. I vented the transducer with all holes open, but, it's really too much, so i only left two holes on each tranducer and covered others ...
Gidu


----------



## hodgjy

Does a stamp collector have one stamp? A car collector one car? An antique collector one antique? There are many aspects of this hobby, and many of them are about hearing the music in different ways. Collecting is important to many hobbies.



alanhell said:


> Wow, I think there is a car parking on the able there~~~~~
> Love the setup~~~~~
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## meme

My setup as of July
   

   
  Been using a Grace m903 for a couple of months and loving it especially with the HD650s. The HD800s have only just arrived, so far not terribly impressed.


----------



## Avi

New Daccod+Classic feeding AH-D7000s.


----------



## autoteleology

That's a super sexy wall clock. Nice!
   
  Also, do you know what model those window blinds are?


----------



## zilch0md

Be nice.


----------



## pez

Lol.  Thinking about a new desk, but everything I've been looking at is terribly expensive to the point where I'm not ready to invest it yet without moving to a more permanent place.  So...
   
  Do you guys have any simple, and cheaper recommendations for getting my desk(top) cleaned up.  Simple stands, shelves.  I'm open to recommendations 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Here is a pic (re-using it, but I want to improve the organization here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).
   

   
   
  I have cleaned up the left side a 'bit' with a pencil case, but still want something a little more classy looking.  Maybe a sturdy shelf that extends across the width of the desk?  That's something I may be able to manage myself, though.


----------



## autoteleology

Try craigslist. I got my desk for $15 there.


----------



## JoeDoe

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Interesting concept - Did you do this because you prefer the HD600's look, or for some other reason?
> (I might do the opposite, and put HD600 drivers/capsules into an HD650 - I prefer the sound of the first, but the latter looks better)
> 
> 
> ...


 
  What headphone stand is that?


----------



## asoiaf7

Here is my station.


----------



## basman

Update new TT;


----------



## parbaked

Lookin' good!


----------



## filuS

Quote: 





joedoe said:


> What headphone stand is that?


 
  Room Audio Line stands, I am thinking of one as well, they look very classy 
http://www.thomann.de/gb/search_BF_rooms_audio_line.html


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





meme said:


> My setup as of July


 
   
  Nice to see you still using your b22.


----------



## Avi

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> That's a super sexy wall clock. Nice!
> 
> Also, do you know what model those window blinds are?


 
   
  I like analog (vintage writswatches, etc.)--they are classy in my opinion. I _do_ have three atomic-radio receiving clocks upstairs.
   
  The blinds are from Home Depot


----------



## meme

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Nice to see you still using your b22.


 

 Yeah it's still my favourite amp by some margin.


----------



## autoteleology

> I like analog (vintage writswatches, etc.)--they are classy in my opinion. I _do_ have three atomic-radio receiving clocks upstairs.


 
   
  Budget Casio will prevail! I love my A168.


----------



## RespectheSQ

Quote: 





gidu said:


> Hi !
> Sound is warmer, with less treble and more low end frequencies. I vented the transducer with all holes open, but, it's really too much, so i only left two holes on each tranducer and covered others ...
> Gidu


 
  Awesome! thats what I was hoping to hear, thanks!


----------



## Avi

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > I like analog (vintage writswatches, etc.)--they are classy in my opinion. I _do_ have three atomic-radio receiving clocks upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm partial to vintage (wind up or automatic) Hamiltons myself


----------



## autoteleology

Quote: 





avi said:


> I'm partial to vintage (wind up or automatic) Hamiltons myself


 
   
  I'm not really an analog watch fan, but looking at their website, I have to admit that they are quite nice.


----------



## pelli

Sorry about posting so much recently but there have been a lot of shifts in the system.  I decided to move the DV into the living room and shifted things around.  I think this is it for the living room for quite a while 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  All HP listening through the Senn. HD 650.  On rare occasions I bring out the Mjo and LCD-2.2 for a change.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





pelli said:


> Sorry about posting so much recently but there have been a lot of shifts in the system.  I decided to move the DV into the living room and shifted things around.  I think this is it for the living room for quite a while
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ssrock64

There's no need to feel sorry for posting a great setup every so often!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





avi said:


> New Daccod+Classic feeding AH-D7000s.


 
   
  CHRIST!!! That PC case is HUGE!


----------



## DefQon

Yeh them CM Haf's are pretty big (what do you expect for a full tower anyway). When I had mine I put wheels on the bottom so when I'm lazy to walk around I'll just ride my computer across the room.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Yeh them CM Haf's are pretty big (what do you expect for a full tower anyway). When I had mine I put wheels on the bottom so when I'm lazy to walk around I'll just ride my computer across the room.


 
  LOL.


----------



## TheOtus

My own desk looks even more tidy after seeing some of these. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thank you. And no, not showing a pic, my setup is in progress...


----------



## Avi

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Coolermaster HAF-X. My last PC experienced a heat spike. This one has great airflow, enough fans to choke an elephant, and a V6GT cooler on the CPU (I'm still leery of water-cooling) 
   
  And yes, I have wheels on the bottom of that--less for locomotion and more for better airflow for the power supply which sits there.
   
  Although I _have_ considered using it as a counterweight for an elevator I'd like to install


----------



## joehalo

My Sansui 6060 and Philips L1


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





joehalo said:


> My Sansui 6060 and Philips L1
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gorgeous, man! I really need to get a vintage receiver


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





wes008 said:


>





> Gorgeous, man! I really need to get a vintage receiver


 
   
  Yesssss you do... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




do it now! My Sansui G-22000 & Pioneer SX-D7000 is due out the shop this weekend after a bit of cleaning up inside.


----------



## knights

My humble desk...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





knights said:


> My humble desk...


 
  Neat, neat, neat!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Yesssss you do...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Looking forward to your impressions bud, its been a long wait for you


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## Lappong99




----------



## Lappong99




----------



## Lappong99

voodoohao said:


> I love looking at these kind of threads hahaha, able to find a lot of really cool setups   Here's my rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...




i see some traditional Chinese characters on the poster behind your monitor. you where are?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Looking forward to your impressions bud, its been a long wait for you


 
   
  Whoa! Your avi saw me take a step back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 for a hot second (understatement). Sadly, my rig will be in storage potentially for another 4-6 weeks while I look for a place. Will be limited to iPod (Din-connector) > RCA > AUX. Something is better than nuthin'.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Whoa! Your avi saw me take a step back
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  haha I luuuv Ms Perry 
   
  That sucks, hope you get settled soon.  As long as you have music then something is defo better than nothing!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> haha I luuuv Ms Perry
> 
> That sucks, hope you get settled soon.  As long as you have music then something is defo better than nothing!


 
   
  Uh-oh! Sorry, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I didn't recognize her. I'm a _Glass is half-full_ kinda cat. And very appreciative of what I have even if I formerly had more or can never get more in the first place. So, when I leash up my iPod to the Sansui G-22000 next week, it may look strange but will do nothing to hold back my pleasure in the moment. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Shoot! I just realized I packed away my Sik-ram connector for the iPod Out. It's bad enough we often keep buying the same music in different formats. And now I have to buy a duplicate product that will only get used for a month.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Uh-oh! Sorry,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Aww man! haha, hold on in there. I'm loving your positivity! Also, there's worse sources then ipods believe me.


----------



## mstrbootrcrd

Quote: 





knights said:


> My humble desk...


 
  lovely setup


----------



## Argybargy

Temporary bedroom rig. 160gb iPod Classic > Pure i20 > Stax SRM 007T > Stax 507


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





voodoohao said:


> I love looking at these kind of threads hahaha, able to find a lot of really cool setups   Here's my rig


 
   
  lol i used to have those same speakers!


----------



## wolfetan44

I'll have some sweet pictures tomorrow! I'm getting the Soloist SL and LCD-3 from the Burson Loaner program.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> I'll have some sweet pictures tomorrow! I'm getting the Soloist SL and LCD-3 from the Burson Loaner program.


 
  Aww yeah. They sound absolutely fantastic.


----------



## jpierson

My setup for today. My first portable player from when I was 10!!! And it can power the LCD2!!


----------



## joehalo

wes008 said:


> Gorgeous, man! I really need to get a vintage receiver


Thanks! The price to performance ratio is unbelievable! Plus they are just too cool.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup for today. My first portable player from when I was 10!!! And it can power the LCD2!!


 
  What's the production date on that CDP? My Panny has its date listed in bold on the back, though it's a slightly different design.


----------



## jpierson

ssrock64 said:


> What's the production date on that CDP? My Panny has its date listed in bold on the back, though it's a slightly different design.




July 1991.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i have a very similar one. from like 1989 or 1990 or around there too.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Yesssss you do...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   Aww, stop tempting me, Silent! I was about to purchase a Kenwood in almost perfect condition off of Craigslist for only $50, but someone beat me to it  I really just need to jump the gun on a $100-$200 one, but every time I'm about to buy one, I remember that deal and question myself  
  Quote:


joehalo said:


> Thanks! The price to performance ratio is unbelievable! Plus they are just too cool.


 
  Oh, not you too! > I want to get one for a turntable rig, getting a phonostage and a new amp (my desktop rig is a DAC/amp unit) is getting to be a bit pricey for my income :/ And yes, they are VERY cool


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup for today. My first portable player from when I was 10!!! And it can power the LCD2!!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pic


 
  This made me so happy :')


----------



## Silent One

Thursday, I was driving about looking for lunch and tripped over a SX-1250 for $800 on CL in the local area. The pix look decent, though I'm not really sure what their average market value is. 
   
  Oops upside my BIG head! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I forgot to make sure I've pix to show in this thread. Took new ones this morning but my USB/Card reader went south.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Thursday, I was driving about looking for lunch and tripped over a SX-1250 for $800 on CL in the local area. The pix look decent, though I'm not really sure what their average market value is.
> 
> Oops upside my BIG head!
> 
> ...


 
  What you waiting for then?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

silent one said:


> Thursday, I was driving about looking for lunch and tripped over a SX-1250 for $800 on CL in the local area. The pix look decent, though I'm not really sure what their average market value is.
> 
> Oops upside my BIG head!
> 
> ...



Your camera doesn't have any USB ports?? I use my camera as a card reader.


----------



## Mick

The headphone butler


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Your camera doesn't have any USB ports?? I use my camera as a card reader.


 
   





 It sure does. And guess where my mini usb cord is... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks like another inconvenient duplicate purchase to make while my stuff is in storage. Nice pix Mick. Though, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I kept feeling as if I was being watched. Is kitty real?!


----------



## Mullet

This is my current setup, which should be changing soon -- moving and adding new/different gear. Stepping up the DIY game with a new workshop. The only thing that is not DIY in these pictures is the LCD-2s. The rest is "The Wire" amp (wooden panels), on top of that is my Cavalli Compact Tube Hybrid amp, and to the right is the Gamma 2 DAC. The headphones are: LCD2.2 and Magnum v4s with Ohrenholz cups. I'll be eventually adding a Buffalo ES9023 based DAC and Cavalli EHHA Rev A in the near future.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> July 1991.


 
   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i have a very similar one. from like 1989 or 1990 or around there too.


 
  Mine's a later, more circular one, with a production date of September 1994 or somewhere around there.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





mick said:


> The headphone butler


 
   
  i need to buy an RS1i again soon


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

dubstep girl said:


> mick said:
> 
> 
> > The headphone butler :wink_face:
> ...


While you're at it could you buy me one too??


----------



## noobandroid

simple home audio


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> i need to buy an RS1i again soon


 
  Nah, I'd got with the PS500s. As much as I enjoyed the RS1/RS1i, I prefer the PS500s!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Nah, I'd got with the PS500s. As much as I enjoyed the RS1/RS1i, I prefer the PS500s!


 
   
  whats the difference? 
   
  i've heard the PS500s are more neutral and have more bass, which i don't know if thats a good thing or not, i liked the RS1i's forwardness. i was gonna go for PS1000, but i think my T1 would be better, and the PS1000 are very heavy


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> whats the difference?
> 
> i've heard the PS500s are more neutral and have more bass, which i don't know if thats a good thing or not, i liked the RS1i's forwardness. i was gonna go for PS1000, but i think my T1 would be better, and the PS1000 are very heavy


 
  A bit more bass and treble that won't leave your ears ringing. BTW, I am not a fan of the PS1000s at any price.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> A bit more bass and treble that won't leave your ears ringing. BTW, I am not a fan of the PS1000s at any price.


 
   
  so the Grado RS1i or PS500 are really the true flagship of grado as some people say? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  i haven't heard the PS1000 in a long time, last time i heard it, i really liked it but i only heard reference recordings, not regular music off them. also before that i had only heard mid-fi headphones.
   
  what did u find wrong with PS1000? too bright or something?


----------



## jmsaxon69

dubstep girl said:


> i need to buy an RS1i again soon




RS1i is a sexy headphone! I like the way it sounds too, I think I need a pair, but I'd have to get the GCush, I have a love hate thing with Grado, love the sound and hate the lack of comfort!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> so the Grado RS1i or PS500 are really the true flagship of grado as some people say?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm one of those people for sure.
   
  The PS1000s (and GS1000s) are too "U" shaped for my liking and the treble...oh the treble!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> I'm one of those people for sure.
> 
> The PS1000s (and GS1000s) are too "U" shaped for my liking and the treble...oh the treble!


 
   
  lol. 
   
  i know the GS1000 is very U-shaped, and has bass problems (resonance, muddy, and no sub-bass) and recessed mids. 
   
   


jmsaxon69 said:


> RS1i is a sexy headphone! I like the way it sounds too, I think I need a pair, but I'd have to get the GCush, I have a love hate thing with Grado, love the sound and hate the lack of comfort!


   


  i never found the comfort to be an issue with RS1i. with 325is, its another story...they where really uncomfortable and got fatiguing pretty quickly, though i did like them cause they where really detailed headphones that still had a slightly warm midrange (basically a grado version of the beyer T1).


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> lol.
> 
> i know the GS1000 is very U-shaped, and has bass problems (resonance, muddy, and no sub-bass) and recessed mids.


 
  The PS1000 is just about the same and only slightly better sonically (but quite a bit less comfortable).


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> The PS1000 is just about the same and only slightly better sonically (but quite a bit less comfortable).


 
   
  yes!!! the comfort as well as the ripoff price is the only reason i decided not to go for PS1000. 
   
  the GS1000 where extremely comfortable, they are basically weightless and the huge foams are comfy. too bad their sound sucks. the RS1i where pretty comfortable as well when i got them sitting on my ears just right.


----------



## jmsaxon69

dubstep girl said:


> i never found the comfort to be an issue with RS1i. with 325is, its another story...they where really uncomfortable and got fatiguing pretty quickly, though i did like them cause they where really detailed headphones that still had a slightly warm midrange (basically a grado version of the beyer T1).




They push against my ear wrong with th L Cush and makes the back, harder cartlidge cup shaped part of my ear sore.


----------



## Mad Dude

Quote: 





mick said:


> The headphone butler
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Excellent choice of headphones! Looks to me like a well thought-out system. And even better, a Mapletree amp!


----------



## Silent One

Mobile head-fi Station, hotel side...
   

   
  iPod Photo on the front, Sansui G-22000 in the rear pushing the HD650 around like a 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...
   
  My Line-Out to RCA connector is packed away; Headphone Out to AUX IN not as clean.


----------



## OPR8R

silent one said:


> Mobile head-fi Station, hotel side...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I bet that sounds amazing


----------



## Silent One

It's not at it's best, but I got plans for that once I move into a new place. Once there, I'm bringin' out all the 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




gears. The one thing I'm missing tonight a lot is my D7000!


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Nah, I'd got with the PS500s. As much as I enjoyed the RS1/RS1i, I prefer the PS500s!


 
   
  I really liked the PS500 too and found it less fatiguing and with less pronounced mids than the RS1i. But I'd still go for the old bird! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> whats the difference?
> 
> i've heard the PS500s are more neutral and have more bass, which i don't know if thats a good thing or not, i liked the RS1i's forwardness. i was gonna go for PS1000, but i think my T1 would be better, and the PS1000 are very heavy


 
   
  I recently had the chance to compare my HP1000 to an RS1i and a PS500. The difference between the latter and the RS1i can be summarized as less mids, and a bit more treble and bass. I actually think it's less natural than the RS1i, but then it's a lot less fatiguing. I actually reviewed them in my website. It's in Portuguese, but I think Google Translate does a pretty good job! Bear in mind that I write for the Brazilian public, which contains mostly noobs, so I have to be pretty detailed. So it's quite long, but just jump to Sound and you'll be fine 
   
  http://mindtheheadphone.com.br/2013/03/02/comparativo-dos-grados-hp1000-rs1i-e-ps500/


----------



## Fririce0003

Some updates to my rig, new speakers, got a new rug and also my Royal Princess back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also some new portable gear with my tax return 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Spendings been less than I would of hoped for... no more overtime+apprentice wages+mortgage at the age of 20= Not enough head-fi funds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  Oh and some nice tidy speaker, HDMI and Opticle cables


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mullet said:


> This is my current setup, which should be changing soon -- moving and adding new/different gear. Stepping up the DIY game with a new workshop. The only thing that is not DIY in these pictures is the LCD-2s. The rest is "The Wire" amp (wooden panels), on top of that is my Cavalli Compact Tube Hybrid amp, and to the right is the Gamma 2 DAC. The headphones are: LCD2.2 and Magnum v4s with Ohrenholz cups. I'll be eventually adding a Buffalo ES9023 based DAC and Cavalli EHHA Rev A in the near future.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Gorgeous stuff! How much did it cost you to build the Cavalli hybrid? I've stayed away from DIY so far, but that one's just too darn tempting 0_0


----------



## wes008

Oh my Lord, Frirince, can I move in with you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That's an incredible setup, mate.


----------



## Fririce0003

wes008 said:


> Oh my Lord, Frirince, can I move in with you?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Well I guess I do have 3 spare rooms, payment in the form of audio gear will be accepted


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





fririce0003 said:


> Some updates to my rig, new speakers, got a new rug and also my Royal Princess back
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  What are you using to run the Zus?


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  IMHO, PS500 had just a little too much mid-bass.  Listen to the lower range of classical piano pieces.  Too colored down there for me.


----------



## zeinharis

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> I really liked the PS500 too and found it less fatiguing and with less pronounced mids than the RS1i. But I'd still go for the old bird!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Grandes aprofundados comentários

 Saúde


----------



## _nomad

Cabin trip-fi!

Enjoying the discussion on the PS500s.
The Grado SR60 was my entrance to head-fi as a student, and I still love the grado sound.
I went from the SR60s to the GS1000s and loved them at first, but later realised they were a bit too fatigueing for me. I really like the way they present voices, and after I started to listen to speakers more, I really appreciate the huge soundstage, but the highs are a bit too much for me. I find they sound good with a very limited range of genres.

Got the RS1i next. Absolutely loved them, and I still do. The mids sound close to perfect for me, and the amount of detail they are able to reveal still amazes me. They sounded fantastic with the WA2, I'm happy I was able to own that combo for a while.

After I got the LCD-2s, I have to say they've become my favorite pair of headphones, and the best that I've had the pleasure of hearing so far.
I still use and love the RS1is though, sometimes I just crave that raw in-your-face detail of the Grados. But as my ears are getting more and more accustomed to the darker sound of the LCDs, I'm finding the RS1i somewhat more fatigueing.
Sounds like the PS500 might be worth looking into


----------



## magiccabbage

Fririce0003         Sweet     Gear!


----------



## magiccabbage

I have no idea what happened there, i meant to say sweet gear!


----------



## starmouse

I'm currently enjoying the kingrex headquarters amplifier with perfect sounds dido 901, lurve it.


----------



## Silent One

@ Fririce0003
   
  OH MY!!!


----------



## Fririce0003

pelli said:


> What are you using to run the Zus?




Using the WA5 to run the zu's, at 100dB sensitivity the WA5 has plenty if power. Sounds wonderful with the royals and ken rads, lush full sound with plenty of low end... But I always find myself going back to the HD800's, just that little bit more clarity and speed.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Quote: 





zeinharis said:


> Grandes aprofundados comentários
> 
> Saúde


 
   
  Hahahaha thank you! Didn't expect a Portuguese comment coming from Indonesia!
   
  Quote: 





_nomad said:


> Cabin trip-fi!
> 
> Enjoying the discussion on the PS500s.
> The Grado SR60 was my entrance to head-fi as a student, and I still love the grado sound.
> ...


 
   
  Sounds a lot like me with the HP1000, but to a smaller degree since it's not nearly as aggressive as the RS1i. Still aggressive by my standards though, especially compared to my other cans. But that's exactly how I feel, sometimes I just want that raw, crude (in a good way) sound!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





leonardo drummond said:


> Sounds a lot like me with the HP1000, but to a smaller degree since it's not nearly as aggressive as the RS1i. Still aggressive by my standards though, especially compared to my other cans. *But that's exactly how I feel, sometimes I just want that raw, crude (in a good way) sound!*


 
   
  exactly why i want to get Rs1i again! 
   
  I feel PS500s might be better, but i have other headphones for that, i want the aggressive yet warm and rich sound of the RS1i. definitely would keep them as an all-rounder, but they're nice to have around.


----------



## devouringone3

It's the second time I read your review (translated pretty well by Google), I like it; I would say that you're right on point with all the three (Grado headphones).


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





starmouse said:


> I'm currently enjoying the kingrex headquarters amplifier with perfect sounds dido 901, lurve it.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  Beautiful shot. I'm interested in these headphones. How do they sound? I've actually never heard of them.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Quote: 





devouringone3 said:


> It's the second time I read your review (translated pretty well by Google), I like it; I would say that you're right on point with all the three (Grado headphones).


 
   
  Thank you


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





jpierson said:


> My setup for today. My first portable player from when I was 10!!! And it can power the LCD2!!


 

 I had that same portable player, back in the day!  It was a great player, and it could be used in cars (back in the olden days when they only had cassette decks in the head units and you had to get an adapter to play your portable CD player in them) - ad great buffering and shock absorbers.  I rarely had a skip when walking or driving with it.


----------



## ssrock64

Yeah, Panasonic always made top-notch portable/car CD players. They were so indestructible that they tend to make up about 60% of the used market today.


----------



## Oregonian

My ultimate head fi station.  Have three of them but this, driving my D7000's, tops the others by a fair margin.
   

   
  Those are my D2000's in this picture..............had my D7000's on the way to Mark Lawton for the damping and angle pad install.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> My ultimate head fi station.  Have three of them but this, driving my D7000's, tops the others by a fair margin.
> 
> 
> 
> Those are my D2000's in this picture..............had my D7000's on the way to Mark Lawton for the damping and angle pad install.


 
   
  Beautiful.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> My ultimate head fi station.  Have three of them but this, driving my D7000's, tops the others by a fair margin.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


>


 

 Eagles - One of These Nights.  One of my favorite rock songs of all time.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> Eagles - One of These Nights.  One of my favorite rock songs of all time.


 
  Ah of course, how could i forget. My fav track on there is "take it to the limit" i have it on SACD, its great. To me that track sounds unlike other eagles songs. I think its the keyboard/synth thing that gives it a sense of atmosphere or something, but it just works really well.


----------



## PanamaHat

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> My ultimate head fi station.  Have three of them but this, driving my D7000's, tops the others by a fair margin.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy brother


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





panamahat said:


> That is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy brother


 

 Thank you.  I do enjoy it very much.  Took many years to get to this point.


----------



## s1rrah




----------



## JoeDoe

Definitely not comparable to some of the monstrosities posted previously but it's not bad for four months of head-fi.


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





joedoe said:


> Definitely not comparable to some of the monstrosities posted previously but it's not bad for four months of head-fi.


 

 pretty sweet joe


----------



## JoeDoe

Quote: 





jaywillin said:


> pretty sweet joe


 
  Thank you sir!


----------



## jstachowski

My current work setup.


----------



## filuS

A lot have changed since I posted my setup here and this is how it looks now. It is almost complete, but I am still missing two important parts, so meanwhile everything sits comfy on shelf and waiting for the rest. I am currently waiting for a rack to arrive (it is already in my friends house in Prague, I just need him to come by with car big enough to carry it). And the most crucial part I still don't have is DAC, gonna order X-Sabre as soon as I get my next paycheck (hopefully this or next week).
  So, what I have on this picture:
   - on left: ADL Svetlana 2 amplifier; on top of it - ZoppaPro Acrylic (basically same as AT-HPS500)
   - on right from top: Siltech SPX-300 (power cable, 1.5m); ATH-W3000ANV; vincent box with various cables
  cables in box: Verastarr Silver Signature 1.0m (RCA), Forza AudioWorks Copper Series Twin USB, Atlas Cables EOS MKII 1.5m (power cable), Van den Hull Mainserver 1.5m (power cable)
  Out of picture, I have couple other things waiting for DAC to appear - IsoTek GII Orion (6 outlets) power conditioner and Empire EC-04 rack (http://www.audio-moebel.de/out/media/EM_NeueFarben2013(14).jpg in Kirschen dunkel + black combination).
   
  It's killing me to have so much of audio goodness at home without being able to use it, and even more when I realize it will take at least another month for X-Sabre to arrive. When everything is connected I will surely post some pictures, I have feeling it's going to be epic


----------



## jaywillin

some system changes since my last pics
  amps:  fiio e09k, indeed g3, little dot mk I+
  dac: hrt musicstreamer II+
  speakers: psb ps1
  headphones: alessandro ms2


----------



## vinnievidi

That's one intense rig. I had an old Pioneer from about that same time which paired beautifully with the Denon D7000 I also had. Enjoy!!!
   
   
  Quote: 





oregonian said:


> My ultimate head fi station.  Have three of them but this, driving my D7000's, tops the others by a fair margin.
> 
> 
> 
> Those are my D2000's in this picture..............had my D7000's on the way to Mark Lawton for the damping and angle pad install.


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





vinnievidi said:


> That's one intense rig. I had an old Pioneer from about that same time which paired beautifully with the Denon D7000 I also had. Enjoy!!!


 

 Thanks bud.  It does sound wonderful through the Denon's.  Vinyl, CD, iPod, even tuner sounds good.  Swore off FM years ago..............till this.  There's a classic rock station here in Portland that's pretty good.


----------



## DarKen23




----------



## IcedTea

How do the LCD pair with the Mjolnir?? 
   
  love the black out lines too btw


----------



## DarKen23

icedtea said:


> How do the LCD pair with the Mjolnir??
> 
> love the black out lines too btw



Im surprised you havent heard of the pairing.. Its wonderful


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





darken23 said:


>


 
  very nice.....


----------



## DarKen23

philo50 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...



Thanks Cam, everything settled with Audeze?


----------



## philo50

tidied it up for you guys.....


----------



## DarKen23

philo50 said:


> tidied it up for you guys.....



tttssssssss . Very nice, especially that EF-5


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> tttssssssss
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  EF-6


----------



## Dubstep Girl

how is EF-6 with HE-6 vs HD 800? 
   
  i've heard all sorts of things about EF-6. i'm starting to look into an HE-6 purchase (for next year  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> how is EF-6 with HE-6 vs HD 800?
> 
> i've heard all sorts of things about EF-6. i'm starting to look into an HE-6 purchase (for next year
> 
> ...


 
  For whatever reason the EF-6 does not get a whole lot of head-fi love. I like it a lot and find it drives the HE-6 terrifically well. also does a very good job with my other ortho, the LCD-3 as well as my high impedance HD-800 and T1. I just wish it could be used balanced.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





philo50 said:


> For whatever reason the EF-6 does not get a whole lot of head-fi love. I like it a lot and find it drives the HE-6 terrifically well. also does a very good job with my other ortho, the LCD-3 as well as my high impedance HD-800 and T1. I just wish it could be used balanced.


 
   
  Probably because it is pretty expensive and their is a lot of competition in that price range. Plus, I think their is a bias against headphone manufacturers making headphone amps. Maybe I'm wrong, who knows.


----------



## DarKen23

philo50 said:


> dubstep girl said:
> 
> 
> > how is EF-6 with HE-6 vs HD 800?
> ...



Only reason I didnt go for the EF-6 (corrected) is exactly because of it not being a balanced amp. Ive never heard it but words from a few members here that its one of the best SE amp. Its got all the power, thats for sure.


----------



## DarKen23

Correct me if Im wrong but there is a balanced headphone input but no balance input on the rear of the amp, right?


----------



## philo50

there is a 4 pin headphone output but it was done as some sort of compromise for some other headphones....it operates as single entry....single entry front to back....


----------



## wolfetan44

Burson loaner program so I have the SL and LCD-3. Other than that, Paradox and HD650, and I forgot to picture the O2


----------



## DarKen23

wolfetan44 said:


> Burson loaner program so I have the SL and LCD-3. Other than that, Paradox and HD650, and I forgot to picture the O2



Nice Soloist, Ive been curious about the soloist, especially the SL model. If youve auditioned the original soloist, would you say the sound character and power differ much?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sorry, I haven't heard the Soloist


----------



## DarKen23

dubstep girl said:


> how is EF-6 with HE-6 vs HD 800?
> 
> i've heard all sorts of things about EF-6. i'm starting to look into an HE-6 purchase (for next year
> 
> ...



Which headphone were you most interested in pairing it with? As philo50 stated its terrific with the HE6, I think 6moons also said great things in regards to the uber powerful ef6.


----------



## preproman

I like the EF-6 with orthos and the T1.  Not so much with all my other headphones.  Well that only leaves the TH-900 and the HD800.
   
  The EF-6 also pairs well with the PWD mkII.


----------



## superjohny




----------



## DarKen23

superjohny said:


>



Heir 8s? I like your cIEM cabling, which maker is of it?


----------



## marts30

Shure 940 - Magnum V5/X - AD900x - Fiio e17 - Brainwavz B2- Alessandro MS2 - Little Dot I+
   
  and Klipsch RB 81 II


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Which headphone were you most interested in pairing it with? As philo50 stated its terrific with the HE6, I think 6moons also said great things in regards to the uber powerful ef6.


 
   
  HE-6 + HE-500. i won't buy the HE-6 till next year though. but looking at what the popular amp options are.


----------



## Oregonian

marts30 said:


> Shure 940 - Magnum V5/X - AD900x - Fiio e17 - Brainwavz B2- Alessandro MS2 - Little Dot I+
> 
> and Klipsch RB 81 II




Now THAT is a view.....


----------



## DarKen23

oregonian said:


> marts30 said:
> 
> 
> > Shure 940 - Magnum V5/X - AD900x - Fiio e17 - Brainwavz B2- Alessandro MS2 - Little Dot I+
> ...



Lol, I honestly thought that left view was a actual window view outside, until I saw the right side.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Lol, I honestly thought that left view was a actual window view outside, until I saw the right side.


 
   
  This is kinda trippy. Pro photography!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That would be amazing.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> HE-6 + HE-500. i won't buy the HE-6 till next year though. but looking at what the popular amp options are.


 
   
  http://renohifi.com/FirstInStock.htm


----------



## wolfetan44

Look whats coming my way!! Coco DT880s from MCA. He says that the sound is greatly improved, I may have to send these to Purrin. Or somebody that can do frequency graphs


----------



## DarKen23

wolfetan44 said:


> Look whats coming my way!! Coco DT880s from MCA. He says that the sound is greatly improved, I may have to send these to Purrin. Or somebody that can do frequency graphs



God, those are sexy.. I dont know what it is about wooden cups but I cannot help myself whenever someone flaunts it, especially when its done like your t1.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> God, those are sexy.. I dont know what it is about wooden cups but I cannot help myself whenever someone flaunts it, especially when its done like your t1.


 
   
  Believe those are the DT880. 
   
  Very nice wolf, let us know how they sound. They look incredible.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  They are indeed the DT880s. He's shipping them out today, so hopefully mid next week.


----------



## ssrock64

Seeing those wooden cups made me take a quick visit to Headphile, and I didn't realize that Larry was back to doing his thing. I thought he was still on indefinite hiatus.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Seeing those wooden cups made me take a quick visit to Headphile, and I didn't realize that Larry was back to doing his thing. I thought he was still on indefinite hiatus.


 
  MartinCustomAudio did these. For more pictures, go here: http://www.martincustomaudio.com/2013/08/coco-dt880s.html


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Look whats coming my way!! Coco DT880s from MCA. He says that the sound is greatly improved, I may have to send these to Purrin. Or somebody that can do frequency graphs


 
  Those are absolutely gorgeous! Nice to see a Beyer all woodied up instead of Grado for a change. I would really like to hear them see if the wood plays well with the Beyer sound.  
  Good call.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Qouted from Martin: " Percussions are so tight and accurate to my ears.  Very, defined and separated.   Very, very good with rock.  I'm totally blown away.  I've got a set of LCD-2's and Denon D7000's right here.  They are on par in many areas of the frequency.  They are dryer in general than both, but damn, they are so very good compared to the higher dollar cans.  You'll be very pleased and this is one I will likely build for myself.  That center hole is absolutely critical to the drivers." He's got me super excited.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Qouted from Martin: " Percussions are so tight and accurate to my ears.  Very, defined and separated.   Very, very good with rock.  I'm totally blown away.  I've got a set of LCD-2's and Denon D7000's right here.  They are on par in many areas of the frequency.  They are dryer in general than both, but damn, they are so very good compared to the higher dollar cans.  You'll be very pleased and this is one I will likely build for myself.  That center hole is absolutely critical to the drivers." He's got me super excited.


 
   
  Do you think Martin would welcome the idea to mod my TH-900? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I've been playing with the idea...


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Why would you want to change those cups!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> MartinCustomAudio did these. For more pictures, go here: http://www.martincustomaudio.com/2013/08/coco-dt880s.html


 
  I got that, though upon looking back on my comment I can see how easily you'd think I thought Larry did yours. I was merely saying that they reminded me of Headphile work.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ah. Got it.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Why would you want to change those cups!


 
   
  Keep the original cups to swap back to later. Just playing with the idea of an open TH-900. Could be something game changing, maybe not.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





greed said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ooo. Open..


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Look whats coming my way!! Coco DT880s from MCA. He says that the sound is greatly improved, I may have to send these to Purrin. Or somebody that can do frequency graphs


 

 Sweet...............and look what is due here in about 4 more days from Canada?   The rebirth of the Darth Beyer interest...............at much more reasonable pricing.


----------



## daigo

Beer and music are my two major vices.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





daigo said:


> Beer and music are my two major vices.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Man... AT has gorgeous on lock. Their headphones are definitely one of a kind. Nice photo.


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





daigo said:


> Beer and music are my two major vices.


 

 Tasty on both counts.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> Sweet...............and look what is due here in about 4 more days from Canada?   The rebirth of the Darth Beyer interest...............at much more reasonable pricing.


 
   
   
  There's a Canadian maker for wood cups now? Who?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





preproman said:


> http://renohifi.com/FirstInStock.htm


 
   
  which 1 lol, they're so expensive too.


----------



## imackler

O2>HD600>3 Year Old Daughter = One seriously intent little girl!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





imackler said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Hehe she has that "Mind = Blown" look on her face. Adorable.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

brunk said:


> imackler said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...



Yeah, but I'd hate to think about all that curly hair getting in the drivers


----------



## Oregonian

armaegis said:


> There's a Canadian maker for wood cups now? Who?




Nope, a used pair that found their way to the great white north. Deep cup thunder a coming.....


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> which 1 lol, they're so expensive too.


 
  I would go with the J2..


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I would go with the J2..


 
   
  SIT 1 monos


----------



## HeyWaj10

Quote: 





imackler said:


> O2>HD600>3 Year Old Daughter = One seriously intent little girl!


 
   
  This is precisely how I plan to raise my kids...on great MUSIC! Nothing captivates the brilliance of the mind quite like music does...great photo!


----------



## jibzilla

greed said:


> Keep the original cups to swap back to later. Just playing with the idea of an open TH-900. Could be something game changing, maybe not.


----------



## Greed

jibzilla said:


> The th-900 is already fairly open. I could be wrong but I think some people have already tried that. I know I read someone tried to make a d2k completely closed and that was a no go. If I remember correctly the person who made them completely open reported a big loss in bass.




Not open enough. 

If you can find out where they posted their impressions, that would be very interesting to read. I haven't yet seen anyone crazy enough to mod the TH-900, and I've been active on all the threads and an owner since a month or so after they released.


----------



## Stalker81598

My setup as it is right now. Sorry it's a bit cluttered. I'm still waiting for the movers to get here with the rest of my furniture (they still have my desk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).
   
   

  Yes, it's on my dining room table.
   
   


Spoiler: More%20pictures!



 

  Lyr w/ Amperex Orange Globes and Bifrost Uber
   

  Audio Technica AT2020
   

  HD800 and HE-500
   

  My favorite listening rig
   

  And my other favorite


----------



## Oregonian

stalker81598 said:


> My setup as it is right now. Sorry it's a bit cluttered. I'm still waiting for the movers to get here with the rest of my furniture (they still have my desk
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Nice equipment.......you a DJ? 

Where in Oregon are ya?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

nice!!!


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> Nice equipment.......you a DJ?
> 
> Where in Oregon are ya?


 
   
  I'm in Hillsboro. Just moved here a few weeks ago to start a new job. I'm not a DJ, the mic is just for occasionally making recordings while I'm playing my guitar.


----------



## Mad Dude

Phew. I've really waste- erm, I mean invested enough money into this hobby. For this year, anyway. My wallet has grown so thin and lightweight, I think it'll grow wings next...


----------



## DefQon

How is the Smyth Realiser working out for you?


----------



## Mad Dude

I'm really just starting to grasp the basics about this device - there are so many possibilites it's hard to decide where to start. For the moment I'm happy that I can listen to my speakers without disturbing the neighbours. And I sure won't forget that moment when I first put my headphones on after the measurements/calibration!
  And even with "stolen" PRIRs from other persons it's a joy to listen, especially when watching movies with surround sound at "live" levels. Anyway, there are countless opportunities to "upgrade" further (i.e. adding new speaker systems) I think this will keep me busy for a good while.


----------



## Oregonian

mad dude said:


> Phew. I've really waste- erm, I mean invested enough money into this hobby. For this year, anyway. My wallet has grown so thin and lightweight, I think it'll grow wings next...




What is that on the headband of your Denon?


----------



## RestoredSparda

marts30 said:


> Shure 940 - Magnum V5/X - AD900x - Fiio e17 - Brainwavz B2- Alessandro MS2 - Little Dot I+
> 
> and Klipsch RB 81 II




What monitors are those? The stand looks a lot like my U2412m.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> What is that on the headband of your Denon?


 
   
  http://smyth-research.com/products.html


----------



## RestoredSparda

stalker81598 said:


> My setup as it is right now. Sorry it's a bit cluttered. I'm still waiting for the movers to get here with the rest of my furniture (they still have my desk
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When did you pick up the HD 800? Impressions compared to HE 500? =)


----------



## Dubstep Girl

LCD-2 are sold!


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> When did you pick up the HD 800? Impressions compared to HE 500? =)


 
   
  I've had it for about a month now. I think the HE-500 and the HD800 compliment each other as perfectly as two headphones possibly could. Everything the HE-500 lacks, the HD800 has in excess, and vice versa. The HD800 is the most resolving and clear sounding headphone I have ever heard. The level of detail is truly remarkable and the soundstage imaging, layering, and sheer size makes it fun to listen to. Listening to the HD800 feels like you have a direct connection to the source itself, as if there is no electronic device between your brain and the music. It's being beamed directly into your head. As cliche as it sounds, it's like you are actually there.
   
  On the other hand, the HE-500 imparts its own character into the music. The warm, lush mids, super smooth treble and satisfying bass. You never forget it's there, but you don't want to because it sounds so good. The intimate soundstage is great for vocals. Everything sounds like it's closer to you and somehow more tangible. It's not as resolving of detail as the HD800 but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just sounds so effortless and musical as opposed to the more "accurate" HD800 which has a more energetic sound.
   
  I wouldn't want to give either of them up as I enjoy them both immensely, but if I had to keep only one it would be the HE-500.
   
  Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


>


 
   
  That's a fine looking collection. I still want to try a T1 but I don't know of any places around here that would have Beyers in stock. Maybe ALO audio. 
   
  Also, that Norse cable is sexy.


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





mad dude said:


> Phew. I've really waste- erm, I mean invested enough money into this hobby. For this year, anyway. My wallet has grown so thin and lightweight, I think it'll grow wings next...


 
  I haven't seen a Realizer in so long that I forgot they existed! How do you enjoy the ESP950?


----------



## Mad Dude

The ESP-950 is awesome - but for use with the Realiser I prefer the LA7000, as its sub-bass capabilities really give an impression of a powerful subwoofer... or at least as close as headphones get. In any case I don't see myself listening to music with the Realiser all the time, it's really more of a HT replacement (no chance of a 5.1 system in a rented apartment with thin walls).


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> LCD-2 are sold!


 
  Thats one super collection. The 5 dynamic heavyweights! (granted that you've got HE500 not HE6 but hey!)  If you could only keep one today... What would it be?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Thats one super collection. The 5 dynamic heavyweights! (granted that you've got HE500 not HE6 but hey!)  If you could only keep one today... What would it be?


 
   
  thats easy, the T1.


----------



## marts30

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> What monitors are those? The stand looks a lot like my U2412m.


 
   
  Dell u2711 and u2410 models


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> thats easy, the T1.


 
  I knew you'd say that


----------



## LCfiner

Latest setup. Nothing I would call cheap but the items perform about as good as anything I’ve heard and they cost quite a bit less than the most expensive items I’ve owned.

*Audio GD NFB 10ES2* as DAC/PRE and headphone amp. Just received it this week. Excellent volume control and versatility. Sound from the DAC USB input is incredibly revealing and spacious.

*Hifiman HE-500* hardwired with Norse cable with 4 pin XLR (This was bought used and was already recabled when I bought them. I like the ergonomics of the cable)

*QUAD 12L Active Monitors *on Isoacoustic stands (really eliminates unwanted bass boominess). Incredible sound and value. Bought used for about the same price as the HE-500. 








Very happy with where I am now with this setup. It doesn’t break the bank but sounds like it should.


----------



## LugBug1

Very handsome set up. ^^^ That Norse cable looks so good with the hifimans


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> thats easy, the T1.


 




   
  HE-6 for me...


----------



## DarKen23

dubstep girl said:


> LCD-2 are sold!



Hell of a collection you got there! Seems like the TH900s are the flavor of july-august, how are you liking those?


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Hell of a collection you got there! Seems like the TH900s are the flavor of july-august, how are you liking those?


 
   
  yes they are!! i love them, they're denon d7000 finally done right! the basshead's flagship 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> HE-6 for me...


 
   
   i have to hear the HE-6 someday....


----------



## hsubox

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> thats easy, the T1.


 
   
  That's the only Beyer 'phone that I can stand. Good choice!


----------



## Tony1110

All these amps and computer screens. Some of you people must have hellish electricity bills


----------



## MorbidToaster

hsubox said:


> That's the only Beyer 'phone that I can stand. Good choice!




Funny. It's the one I hate the most. Lol


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Shows how much of audio is personal preference..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





tony1110 said:


> All these amps and computer screens. Some of you people must have hellish electricity bills


 
   

   
  Seriously


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wolfetan44 said:


> Shows how much of audio is personal preference..


 

  Quote:


morbidtoaster said:


> Funny. It's the one I hate the most. Lol


 
  yeah i guess it really comes down to preferences and how different people perceive a certain sound signature, like grados, the T1 seems to be basically 50/50. alot of ppl like them, but also a ton of people seem to hate them and prefer HD 800 or Audeze over the T1.


----------



## Tony1110

T1 benefits from a warm amp. I liked them with my Graham Slee but I'm finally beginning to love them with my V200. I have a Burson Conductor arriving next week which I bought primarily for the LCD-2 but it'll be interesting to see how it plays with the T1.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





imackler said:


> O2>HD600>3 Year Old Daughter = One seriously intent little girl!


 
   
  I just love the hair. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Oh how I wish my girls were three again.


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I just love the hair.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  it goes by all too fast......


----------



## LugBug1

My daughter is 21.. and she's not even bothered about headphones...


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





daigo said:


> Beer and music are my two major vices.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> My daughter is 21.. and she's not even bothered about headphones...


 
   
  12, 13, 15, 20, and 23....all girls. How's that for a house full of estrogen? Makes me appreciate a good pair of closed hp's.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> 12, 13, 15, 20, and 23....all girls. How's that for a house full of estrogen? Makes me appreciate a good pair of closed hp's.


 
  Blo*dy hell hahaha!
   
  Feel for you man.. and your wallet!!


----------



## imackler

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I just love the hair.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





philo50 said:


> it goes by all too fast......


 
   
  Thanks for all the kind comments about the pic! The O2>HD600 is my current set up (again!), only most of the time my daughter isn't the one listening. I was blown away by how much she enjoyed it. She's always loved music a ton, but we all know what it's like to hear all the details the first time. And she, undoubtedly, has better hearing than I do!


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> 12, 13, 15, 20, and 23....all girls


 
   
   
  Oye!
   
  I'll have a beer for ya.


----------



## imackler

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> 12, 13, 15, 20, and 23....all girls. How's that for a house full of estrogen? Makes me appreciate a good pair of closed hp's.


 
  Wowzer!!


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> 12, 13, 15, 20, and 23....all girls. How's that for a house full of estrogen? Makes me appreciate a good pair of closed hp's.


 
  have you ever seen the bathroom.......


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Oye!
> 
> I'll have a beer for ya.


 
   
  Make it four and you've got a deal.
  Quote: 





philo50 said:


> have you ever seen the bathroom.......


 
  haha!! I solved this long ago with a simple house rule. Nobody in the master bath but me and my wife.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Make it four and you've got a deal.
> haha!! I solved this long ago with a simple house rule. Nobody in the master bath but me and my wife.


 
   
  And you probably have an excellent shotgun collection for keeping the suitors in check


----------



## RestoredSparda

stalker81598 said:


> I've had it for about a month now. I think the HE-500 and the HD800 compliment each other as perfectly as two headphones possibly could. Everything the HE-500 lacks, the HD800 has in excess, and vice versa. The HD800 is the most resolving and clear sounding headphone I have ever heard. The level of detail is truly remarkable and the soundstage imaging, layering, and sheer size makes it fun to listen to. Listening to the HD800 feels like you have a direct connection to the source itself, as if there is no electronic device between your brain and the music. It's being beamed directly into your head. As cliche as it sounds, it's like you are actually there.
> 
> On the other hand, the HE-500 imparts its own character into the music. The warm, lush mids, super smooth treble and satisfying bass. You never forget it's there, but you don't want to because it sounds so good. The intimate soundstage is great for vocals. Everything sounds like it's closer to you and somehow more tangible. It's not as resolving of detail as the HD800 but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just sounds so effortless and musical as opposed to the more "accurate" HD800 which has a more energetic sound.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the detailed response. That' incredible to me that the HD 800 is like a direct connection to the microphone to you. That is the exact reaction I had to the HE 500 upon first listen. Really amazing they pulled that off with a dynamic driver. Again, thanks for the mini review.


----------



## DefQon

I see MattTCG being the most active "father" here with 5 daughters.


----------



## kimvictor

My head-fi station is getting sanitized. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  AK100 and Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII is being charged.

  UERM under UV light. Happening right now.


----------



## jibzilla

greed said:


> Not open enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## CrystalT

Forgive the awful photography and messy st up.

Headphones are:

Akg k340
Shure 840
Audio technica t400
Pioneer se-a 1000
Grado sr60i

Dac is focusrite vrmbox

Amp is pioneer vsx9900k.

how can i better my signal chain? It is currently foobar with asio - usb dac - hpo to reciever rca aux - recievers hpo.


----------



## RestoredSparda

Here's the current set up.


----------



## pelli

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Here's the current set up.


 
  I like the stand!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





restoredsparda said:


> Here's the current set up.


 
  Is that a piece of Schiit i see down there?


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  LOL.


----------



## knights

These are the latest add-on to my desk


----------



## Ultrainferno

Nice. Woo's make great pics!


----------



## knights

ultrainferno said:


> Nice. Woo's make great pics!




+ nice build and nice sound


----------



## MattTCG

I've always wanted to try a Woo but the sticker price has always curbed my curiosity. Looks great!!


----------



## hsubox

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I've always wanted to try a Woo but the sticker price has always curbed my curiosity. Looks great!!


 
   
  Same here, but I did get to try some at a local headfi meet, and the WA6-SE is superb. Truly, truly superb. I gave them a try on HD800s and Grado SR225i's.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I've always wanted to try a Woo but the sticker price has always curbed my curiosity. Looks great!!


 
  Take the plunge, you wont regret it!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I've always wanted to try a Woo but the sticker price has always curbed my curiosity. Looks great!!


 
   
  Pre-owned


----------



## MattTCG

Still too much. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have a vintage Sansui 9090 that I'd rate a little better than the lyr. Cost me $200 and a tank of gas. Makes it tough to justify the Woo as much as I want it.


----------



## Silent One

I'm with you... and have enjoyed such a story here, too.


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## MattTCG

Really good looking cups!!


----------



## Magicman74

Darth's are amazing!!!   Looking good!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Really good looking cups!!


 
  Thanks, Matt
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





magicman74 said:


> Darth's are amazing!!!   Looking good!!


 
  MCA.


----------



## DarKen23

matttcg said:


> I've always wanted to try a Woo but the sticker price has always curbed my curiosity. Looks great!!



Woo amps are the first choice that comes to mind whenever I consider another amp as well. Not easy finding one in the trade section, owners don't seem to let go of em, even a "I didn't like" review seems hard to find. 
It's definitely THE amp I want to try if I had the funds.


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## DarKen23

jibzilla said:


> If I had the money I would go cavalli over woo. Just my 2 cents.



Elaborate. Ive never had a chance to listen to a cavalli but I've read mixed reviews.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


>


 
  So you've got em! Goergous and even nicer with the black pads, how they sounding??


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Elaborate. Ive never had a chance to listen to a cavalli but I've read mixed reviews.


 
  I'd say they both belong to the same category, just throwing a bunch of things into a circuit making it seem nice.


----------



## DarKen23

defqon said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Elaborate. Ive never had a chance to listen to a cavalli but I've read mixed reviews.
> ...



Sounds about right


----------



## MorbidToaster

darken23 said:


> Elaborate. Ive never had a chance to listen to a cavalli but I've read mixed reviews.




I've never heard a Woo that stands anywhere near a Cavalli amp (dynamics, haven't heard a Woo stat amp) sound wise. Build is another story, but Alex has fixed the shortcomings of his previous models builds.

Edit: Don't get me wrong I like Woo amps, but CA stuff is just in another league sound wise (price wise, too, ouch).


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  They sound amazing, but its a very uninvolving sound. I hope it changes.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> They sound amazing, but its a very uninvolving sound. I hope it changes.


 

 "amazing" sounds pretty involving to me!


----------



## wolfetan44

jmsaxon69 said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > They sound amazing, but its a very uninvolving sound. I hope it changes.
> ...


 Its very dry.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Its very dry.


 

 Can't be as dry as an AKG K702, can it?


----------



## JonasRas

Finally got my new desk from Amazon, my listening station is now complete.


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





jonasras said:


> Finally got my new desk from Amazon, my listening station is now complete.


 
   
  Very nice. That Woo is gorgeous too.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> They sound amazing, but its a very uninvolving sound. I hope it changes.


 
  That may be just you getting accustomed to the beyer sound. Especially the DT880 as it is probably the most balanced. It's a brilliant headphone for detail and neutrality but if you are used to the 650's that I see in your sig, then they will defo sound drier and less involving. They do pair well with tube amps it has to be said. The Little Dot III is supposedly a good match.


----------



## thenorwegian

Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
   
  *Jaw Drop*
   
  You should also post this is in the Summit-Fi Pic thread, I'm sure many will enjoy it there too.


----------



## thenorwegian

Thank you Greed. For every person who'd enjoy it there would probably be another person annoyed the picture is posted in two places so the summit-fi gang will just have to go slumming and visit the rest of us if they want a peek


----------



## autoteleology

I don't even know what to say about that speaker setup. How much did all that cost?


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now


 
  That's a very impressive dedicated room, and a really cool shelf for your equipment.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Never heard it so I cannot comment.
   
  Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  My Paradox is far more neutral(the wood brought out the bass of the DT880, and even regularly, the Paradox is more neutral than the DT880.) and the Paradox is 10x more involving.


----------



## thenorwegian

*@TUS-CAN:* It looks more expencive than it really is, lets just leave it at that 
   
*@SS-ROCK64:* Thank you. The table all the components are standing on is just that: a table, a livingroom table. I stumbled across it looking for a real hifi-rack. Couldn't belive my own luck when I found it. Only cost the same as a hifiman he-400 aswell.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> *@TUS-CAN:* It looks more expencive than it really is, lets just leave it at that
> 
> *@SS-ROCK64:* Thank you. The table all the components are standing on is just that: a table, a livingroom table. I stumbled across it looking for a real hifi-rack. Couldn't belive my own luck when I found it. Only cost the same as a hifiman he-400 aswell.


 
  Can you say where you got it? It look like the kind of i have been searching for.


----------



## jibzilla

thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now


----------



## brunk

^ LMAO


----------



## Alexein Aner

Quote: 





jibzilla said:


> .


 
  That must've been an awkward search inquiry.


----------



## jibzilla

alexein aner said:


> That must've been an awkward search inquiry.


----------



## jmsaxon69

jibzilla said:


> Believe it or not it wasn't that hard.




Looks pretty hard to me.....


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





jmsaxon69 said:


> Looks pretty hard to me.....


 
  Be careful, you might go blind looking that hard...


----------



## Hutnicks

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Be careful, you might go blind looking that hard...


 

 Or poke an eye out


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





hutnicks said:


> Or poke an eye out


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow thats one of the best looking setups, and love that table!!!


----------



## wolfetan44

Anybody been on Massdrop? I'm sad I ever went on because of the deals..


----------



## jibzilla

jmsaxon69 said:


> Looks pretty hard to me.....


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Anybody been on Massdrop? I'm sad I ever went on because of the deals..




We're not really supposed to discuss it anymore.

Admins aren't fans for whatever reason.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Gotcha.. Anyways, happy 13k posts!!


----------



## Redcarmoose

thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANAL
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, you win, they can close this thread now.


----------



## ssrock64

Jibzilla, I followed you just because of that reaction picture to thenorwegian's setup.


----------



## thenorwegian

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> Can you say where you got it? It look like the kind of i have been searching for.


 
   
  The table? www.bohus.no


----------



## cggkevin1976

The Baia Sofabord. You should offer to replace their catalog picture with yours, much more exciting.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now


 
   
  I'm green with envy right now.  Very nice.


----------



## thenorwegian

Thank you. Here's a better picture to show the real color of the components. Pure white & sexy (the DA dac):


----------



## LugBug1

@thenorwegian
   
  Actually Heed are a quality brand so it can't have been _that_ cheap... Unless you work for em? ha 
   
  Either way it is Beautiful with a capital B. Also has a kind of Star Wars aesthetic... Really nice.


----------



## palmfish

​


lugbug1 said:


> Also has a kind of Star Wars aesthetic..




I was thinking "Clockwork Orange" Milk Bar when I saw it, but yes, I see the white plastic Star Wars aesthetic too now that you mention it.


----------



## thenorwegian

*@LUGBUG1* It's all relative  They don't in any way give their products away, but when we're talking "hifi" products it's pretty well priced. And Star wars? I don't see it


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> *@LUGBUG1* It's all relative
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> *@LUGBUG1* It's all relative
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Wish I could dismantle a stormtooper and make it play music for me...pfft!


----------



## EuphonicArin

hey guys this is unfortunately my current rig as my laptop's BIOS or something had killed it and my home amp and dac is waiting for me in my american home


----------



## Zarrick19

Quote: 





crystalt said:


>


 

 So messy but still incredibly beautifull. I love my Pioneer too although it's a low-end model and is a few years younger than yours, but still a beautiful piece of electronics.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> The table? www.bohus.no


 
  Thank you


----------



## jasonb

Laptop and a Fiio E17 feeding a vintage Pioneer SX-750 which feeds either a modded T50rp or Q701.


----------



## Zarrick19

I'm just wondering, do these AVR's and amps have discrete amp "circuits and stuff" for headphones or are they just using the same amp as for the speakers?


----------



## jasonb

Vintage amps use same amp circuit that would powers the speakers. There is a resistor wired in line to reduce power output, because obviously headphones don't need 50+ watts per side. Some people say high output impedance is bad, but I let my ears be the judge, and what I am hearing is pretty stellar. Especially considering the ridiculously low price I paid for this thing.   
  Quote: 





zarrick19 said:


> I'm just wondering, do these AVR's and amps have discrete amp "circuits and stuff" for headphones or are they just using the same amp as for the speakers?


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Laptop and a Fiio E17 feeding a vintage Pioneer SX-750 which feeds either a modded T50rp or Q701.


 
  really nice setup - i love vintage gear!


----------



## palmfish

Silver faced Pioneers are awesome.


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Vintage amps use same amp circuit that would powers the speakers. There is a resistor wired in line to reduce power output, because obviously headphones don't need 50+ watts per side. Some people say high output impedance is bad, but I let my ears be the judge, and what I am hearing is pretty stellar. Especially considering the ridiculously low price I paid for this thing.


 

 What resistor is typical?  150 ohm? 
   
  Has anyone lowered the resistor to get even MORE output?  Not that it needs it..............none of my 5 vintage really do but ya know, makes me wonder.


----------



## jasonb

No idea what impedance the resistor is. Lowering the resistor would gain more output power, but I already can't listen to either of my two headphones at higher than the 9 o'clock spot on the volume knob, and that is with the E17 feeding it as a DAC only.
   
  All I know is that this very budget setup sounds ridiculous.
-$40 for the Pioneer SX-750
  -$140 for the Fiio E17
  -$240 for the Q701
  -and I've got about $180 or so into the T50rp, including the headphones themselves plus the pads, cable, and modding materials
   
  Quote: 





oregonian said:


> What resistor is typical?  150 ohm?
> 
> Has anyone lowered the resistor to get even MORE output?  Not that it needs it..............none of my 5 vintage really do but ya know, makes me wonder.


----------



## ChavaC

iBasso DX100 -> Uber Schiit Bifrost -> Bottlehead Crack -> HD600/HD800


----------



## calipilot227

Very nice! I almost finished my Crack build today, gotta go in tomorrow and figure out why it blew a fuse on powerup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Funny, because I definitely took my time and worked carefully (8-hours) so that I hopefully _wouldn't_ have to do any troubleshooting... Measurements all checked out too.


----------



## DefQon

Sounds like a short somewhere, cold solder joint, or a faulty fuse.


----------



## calipilot227

That's the thing that's puzzling me. All of the resistance measurements checked out fine, wouldn't that be affected in the event of a short or bad connection?
   
  I did some Google-fu and discovered that many builders use slow-blow fuses. Mine shipped with a fast-blow 1A, 250v fuse. Might try a slow-blow and see if that was the problem. Radioshack closed a few hours ago, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





chavac said:


> iBasso DX100 -> Uber Schiit Bifrost -> Bottlehead Crack -> HD600/HD800


 
  Lovely. Perfect set up!


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> All of the resistance measurements checked out fine, wouldn't that be affected in the event of a short or bad connection?
> 
> I did some Google-fu and discovered that many builders use slow-blow fuses. Mine shipped with a fast-blow 1A, 250v fuse. Might try a slow-blow and see if that was the problem. Radioshack closed a few hours ago, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow.


 
  No. If the resistors itself is damaged then it will show bad or out of spec drifted measurement ratings, double check through your work according to the manual supplied, sometimes your eyes become strained if you work on something to long and you zone out so you might've made a small mistake somewhere. Mine shipped with a fast blow 1A and has never blown. But hey could be a fuse problem and I'm smoking unicorns.


----------



## shake

The laptop is in a difficult to reach position...


----------



## Sayari

iMac->Lavry DA11->Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball->HD 800


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





sayari said:


> iMac->Lavry DA11->Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball->HD 800


 
  Thats a sweet little setup if Ive ever seen one


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





sayari said:


> iMac->Lavry DA11->Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball->HD 800


 
   
  I like this a lot. I keep wanting to hear the hd800, but all the reviews suggest it is not for me. I'm very treble sensitive.


----------



## Sayari

matttcg said:


> I like this a lot. I keep wanting to hear the hd800, but all the reviews suggest it is not for me. I'm very treble sensitive.



You have to drive HD800 w/ OTL tube amp driven RCA clear top or RT tubes. You'll love them. HD800 is one of the phenomenal cans no doubt.


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I like this a lot. I keep wanting to hear the hd800, but all the reviews suggest it is not for me. I'm very treble sensitive.


 
   
  Quote: 





sayari said:


> You have to drive HD800 w/ OTL tube amp driven RCA clear top or RT tubes. You'll love them. HD800 is one of the phenomenal cans no doubt.


 
   
  I don't like bright headphones either, but I'm really enjoying the HD800 with the Lyr and a Moon Audio Black Dragon cable. Hopefully be adding a WA2 soon.


----------



## ChavaC

That's exactly why I put off the hd800 for so long and went the ortho route without much success( hate bright cans). Finally I caved and went for the HD800, if for nothing else than to do my due diligence before starting to think about Stax land. Admittedly straight from my dx100 they were a little bright for my taste, but they're really a different beast with the crack. To me it sounds sorta like an HD600 on steroids now, but not as warm and bigger soundstage.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





chavac said:


> That's exactly why I put off the hd800 for so long and went the ortho route without much success( hate bright cans). Finally I caved and went for the HD800, if for nothing else than to do my due diligence before starting to think about Stax land. Admittedly straight from my dx100 they were a little bright for my taste, but they're really a different beast with the crack. To me it sounds sorta like an HD600 on steroids now, but not as warm and bigger soundstage.


 
  that sounds nice - the HD800 is next for me. I think I will like it. I don't find the T1 bright at all so I think the HD800 wont be problematic in that regard. 
   
  Using WA2


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> What amp is the glass sitting in?



Darkvoice 337... I had same tubes in mine


----------



## DarKen23

thenorwegian said:


> Thank you. Here's a better picture to show the real color of the components. Pure white & sexy (the DA dac):



Everything about its aesthetics is gorgeous, especially the milky white color. Only thing that bothers me is the font or number font, it reminds me of a microwave timer.....


----------



## droozel

Nice stuff you all!


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Only thing that bothers me is the font or number font, it reminds me of a microwave timer.....


 
  We've done it, everybody! We've found a flaw in the perfect setup!


----------



## parbaked

Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> We've done it, everybody! We've found a flaw in the perfect setup!


 
  The TV screen looks 1-2" too big as well!


----------



## DarKen23

ssrock64 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Only thing that bothers me is the font or number font, it reminds me of a microwave timer.....
> ...


----------



## goaliedad39

Listening station next to my recliner.


----------



## Redcarmoose

darken23 said:


> Everything about its aesthetics is gorgeous, especially the milky white color. Only thing that bothers me is the font or number font, it reminds me of a microwave timer.....







The font does not bother me at all. I would walk a mile bare foot across broken glass to listen to that system.


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





darken23 said:


> Everything about its aesthetics is gorgeous, especially the milky white color. Only thing that bothers me is the font or number font, it reminds me of a microwave timer.....


 
   
  Seven-segment displays are pretty standard in a lot of electronics because of their simplicity.


----------



## calipilot227

Crack is up and running, after 8 hours of work, and two hours of troubleshooting. Gotta install the Speedball upgrade next. My soldering iron is taking a much-needed rest.


----------



## Silent One

How could you leave us hangin' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Great job nonetheless!


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





silent one said:


> How could you leave us hangin'
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   




   
  Problem turned out to be a backwards capacitor. It even said in the manual to double check it before soldering, which I thought I'd done. Must've had a dyslexic moment or something.


----------



## palmfish

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Problem turned out to be a backwards capacitor. It even said in the manual to double check it before soldering, which I thought I'd done. Must've had a dyslexic moment or something.


 
   
  Very cool calipilot! Congrats! I'm halfway there myself (I haven't soldered any of the wiring/caps/resistors yet)...


----------



## calipilot227

Love that top plate, powder coated?
   
  I'll probably end up leaving mine stock, thinking piano black for the base. Easier said than done, I've heard...


----------



## Silent One

Okay, now we're dancin' in the streets for you, calipilot227!


----------



## calipilot227

What? I can't hear you over the sound of Zeppelin II....


----------



## palmfish

Nope, just spray painted. Rustoleum hammertone in dark bronze.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Problem turned out to be a backwards capacitor. It even said in the manual to double check it before soldering, which I thought I'd done. Must've had a dyslexic moment or something.


 
  A backwards cap would've given a warning sign of off-smell and smoke.


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





defqon said:


> A backwards cap would've given a warning sign of off-smell and smoke.


 
   
  He said it was popping fuses. That probably prevented any real damage.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





stalker81598 said:


> He said it was popping fuses. That probably prevented any real damage.


 
  Yeah I know gave him a bit of advice in the Crack thread so glad he troubleshooted it. But in case if the problem didn't trigger the fuse, the caps would've smoked up. Just enough time to turn it off before it goes pop or burn up completely from the high voltage (worse case scenario at B+ voltage).


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Crack is up and running, after 8 hours of work, and two hours of troubleshooting. Gotta install the Speedball upgrade next. My soldering iron is taking a much-needed rest.


 
   
  This is why I haven't tried my own build. Congrats on getting it up and going!!


----------



## kimvictor

Can you guess what's in the pic?
  1. Headphone
  2. Source(DAC)
  3. Amp


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





kimvictor said:


> Can you guess what's in the pic?
> 1. Headphone
> 2. Source(DAC)
> 3. Amp


 
  Without googling, im going to guess;
  1) Some type of newer Denon or Audio-Technica
  2) Modi
  3) AK100/120


----------



## hifimanrookie

the last pics of my evil amp that i just sold..awaiting my new amp (see schematic of front and back of the new one)..funny is that the new owner preferred the tubes in the pic above the tungsols (5998/sj7gt mesh plates) i normally used..
   

   

   
   
  the schematics i just received of my new custommade amp (will be delivered around 15ish december)
   

   
  and my modded he500 (grill modded and jerg pad modded)


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Without googling, im going to guess;
> 1) Some type of newer Denon or Audio-Technica
> 2) Modi
> 3) AK100/120


 
  1. Shure's SRH940
  2. AK100 is used as a USB DAC, not Modi! I tricked you!
  3. Amp is leckerton UHA-6S.MKII


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





goaliedad39 said:


> Listening station next to my recliner.


 
  I love my DacIt.  Nice pic.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Without googling, im going to guess;
> 1) Some type of newer Denon or Audio-Technica
> 2) Modi
> 3) AK100/120


 
  looks like shure 940


----------



## ethan7000

Quote: 





thenorwegian said:


> Finally, everything's in place... Complete HEED AUDIO stereo with obelisk SI + X2 + PX + DA + CANALOT head amp (and xtz 99.26mkii + xtz w10.17p speakers). I'm a very happy bunny right now


 
  I don't even...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





calipilot227 said:


> Crack is up and running, after 8 hours of work, and two hours of troubleshooting. Gotta install the Speedball upgrade next. My soldering iron is taking a much-needed rest.


 
  Nicey, I want one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Very cool calipilot! Congrats! I'm halfway there myself (I haven't soldered any of the wiring/caps/resistors yet)...


 
  Good luck bro, its lookin the business already. Keep the pics comin


----------



## goaliedad39

Quote: 





bbophead said:


> I love my DacIt.  Nice pic.


 

 Thanks.  The Dacit and Soloist are only a few days old.  So far I'm very pleased.  Everyday I look forward to getting home from work and relaxing to some music.


----------



## ericfarrell85

The rack, table, lamp and 90% of my apartment is self-made (has becoming nearly as consuming a hobby as this audio one). This was my second attempt at an audio rack. T1, HD650 and AHD7000 are on a different desk. Vintage amps also not shown here. Up on top there is a lowly Singlepower Extreme. I should have built higher!


----------



## LugBug1

^^^ I really like it.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> The rack, table, lamp and 90% of my apartment is self-made (has becoming nearly as consuming a hobby as this audio one). This was my second attempt at an audio rack. T1, HD650 and AHD7000 are on a different desk. Vintage amps also not shown here. Up on top there is a lowly Singlepower Extreme. I should have built higher!


 






 oh mah gosh!!! all those amps!!! whats the beauty hiding at the very top?


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> The rack, table, lamp and 90% of my apartment is self-made (has becoming nearly as consuming a hobby as this audio one). This was my second attempt at an audio rack. T1, HD650 and AHD7000 are on a different desk. Vintage amps also not shown here. Up on top there is a lowly Singlepower Extreme. I should have built higher!


 
   
  Wow!! More pics...


----------



## DefQon

Looks like a Singlepower amp.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow awesome!!!


----------



## ethan7000

Absolutely amazing. I am frightened for my future.


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> The rack, table, lamp and 90% of my apartment is self-made (has becoming nearly as consuming a hobby as this audio one). This was my second attempt at an audio rack. T1, HD650 and AHD7000 are on a different desk. Vintage amps also not shown here. Up on top there is a lowly Singlepower Extreme. I should have built higher!


 

 Sweet.  Where's the recliner?


----------



## Silent One

Vertical... just like NYC!


----------



## zael99

It's nothing too special but I love it. Next thing on my purchase list is a Magni/Modi combo but that'll have to wait a little while.
   
  Gear list:
  AKG K550
  Beyer Dynamic DT770 Pro 250Ohm
  Sennheiser HD558 with foam mod
  Fiio e7


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


>


 
  But those 'things' that your headphones are hanging on...  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  did you borrow them from your girlfriend?  (sorry)
   
  (Seriously, its a fab stand)


----------



## Silent One




----------



## ethan7000

Lol didn't notice that...


----------



## daigo

@*ericfarrell85*
   
*Now that is a nice rack *


----------



## ericfarrell85

Thanks to all for the awesome comments! When I come home I'll post the rest of the place, includng the "recliner" I made, my first amp rack, etc...


----------



## ericfarrell85

lugbug1 said:


> But those 'things' that your headphones are hanging on...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I know! I didn't notice that until about 15 minutes ago! And it was my girlfriend (photographer) who took the shot, haha  I'll need to do something about it. It's a tad bit phallic for my tastes.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> Thanks to all for the awesome comments! When I come home I'll post the rest of the place, includng the "recliner" I made, my first amp rack, etc...


 
  i look forward to it


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> But those 'things' that your headphones are hanging on...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You, my friend, are a hoot!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





ericfarrell85 said:


> I know! I didn't notice that until about 15 minutes ago! And it was my girlfriend (photographer) who took the shot, haha
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Phallic? 'Obscene' is the word you're looking for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  But I'm pleased you have a sense of humour my friend.


----------



## DefQon

LOL!
   
  I'm sure it would hurt with the splinters though...


----------



## Armaegis

Well not if you coat them with something first...
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (sorry, sorry)


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

My E7 isnt working correctly out of USB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks like I'll have to stick with my portable rig at my desktop... No lossless for me


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





ethan7000 said:


> Lol didn't notice that...


 
  l0l!!!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

6 flagships


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> 6 flagships


 
  OMG. What about Stax? JK.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm jealous.


----------



## autoguy

After drooling on the pict of the amps stacked, (not because the funky looking headphone holders ) and the pict from dubstep girl with all the headphones, I have sent my wallet away and told it not to return for its own safety, it has already taken a beating from me buying my grado 225 headphones and two headphone amps  

Run wallet run and hide  no I can't fathom buying that much gear right now and luckily I dont have any credit cards 

Thanks for posting Picts of your headphone and stereo gear everyone  it's fun to drool on great audio equipment pictures


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





autoguy said:


> After drooling on the pict of the amps stacked, (not because the funky looking headphone holders ) and the pict from dubstep girl with all the headphones, I have sent my wallet away and told it not to return for its own safety, it has already taken a beating from me buying my grado 225 headphones and two headphone amps
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Don't compete in how much gear you can buy, just buy things you enjoy the most. You save heaps of money. For myself all headphones to me are a waste of time and money besides a very few dynamic headphones now that I've heard and owned some of the TOTL of stat's and hearing everything else.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> 6 flagships


 
   
  So... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 where's the _other _half-dozen?!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> 6 flagships
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Pretty sweet DG! How do you decide what to use?


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> 6 flagships


 
  I'm sweating looking at those! That fostex looks like its gonna fall off the edge  - ahhhhhhhhh.


----------



## MrEleventy

My setup at work. The HD600s are getting replaced with a pair of T90s come Monday.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Quote: 





mreleventy said:


> My setup at work. The HD600s are getting replaced with a pair of T90s come Monday.


 
   

  this is what your post looked like on my end haha hwut.


----------



## MrEleventy

Yeah, the hf site on my phone didn't let me import images from my albums so I had to remote into my pc. Typing isn't the best via that method. lol


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> Pretty sweet DG! How do you decide what to use?



I agree with this question: 

Having so many headphones with the reason to actually use them ( i know a guy who buys stuff with only reason to collect them) would drive me nuts honestly... 

 I prefer to get the best amp, best headphone, best source, best dac and best cabling my budget allows me instead of buying multiple headphones/amps with one reason only: to swap them to listen to...

 Imho it would be a waste of money and lots of work getting every single headphone sounding on its best (upgrading cabling/finding right amp)

Dont get me wrong..i respect everyone having multiple amps/dacs/cables/headphones....but i just miss the point having multiple headphones except for collecting them ( or having different rigs on different locations ofcourse) and thats okay if u have the money for that ... Hope i didnt offend anyone now.

But damn..u have one heck of a nice collection!!! Respect! Did i just see my next baby? The he6? Lolz

And where is the sr007/009? Ur collection is not complete without one of those


----------



## ethan7000

dubstep girl said:


> 6 flagships



Ow my wallet!


----------



## Tony1110

hifimanrookie said:


> I agree with this question:
> 
> Having so many headphones with the reason to actually use them ( i know a guy who buys stuff with only reason to collect them) would drive me nuts honestly...
> 
> ...




That's pretty much my approach too. I think I'd single out a favourite and neglect the others if I had a collection like Dubstep girl.

But what a collection though


----------



## En_R

Quote: 





kimvictor said:


> OMG. What about Stax? JK.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
   


 My HE60s are still in the states.


----------



## Noobmachine

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> My HE60s are still in the states.


 
  Jaw now on the floor. MAI GAWD. Now that's 6 flagships


----------



## Rem0o

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> My HE60s are still in the states.


 

 Holy ****.

 You won electrostatics.


----------



## longbowbbs

I am more impressed with the King of the hill Senn's...Very nice!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I am more impressed with the King of the hill Senn's...Very nice!


 
  Same!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> My HE60s are still in the states.


 
  No one likes a show off


----------



## nelamvr6

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> I am more impressed with the King of the hill Senn's...Very nice!


 
  I'm digging the Blue Hawaii!


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> My HE60s are still in the states.


 
   
  Sweet jesus


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> My HE60s are still in the states.


 
   
  lol, very nice!!! 
   
  6 flagships, 2 amps, just like me! but urs cost way more


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> I agree with this question:
> 
> Having so many headphones with the reason to actually use them ( i know a guy who buys stuff with only reason to collect them) would drive me nuts honestly...
> 
> ...


 
   
  oh the headphone changes depending on my mood and my music, i do plan on getting best amp for them, in the future. i'll keep same dac though. sometimes i'm not sure which headphone to listen to, so i just switch them around. i try and give them all attention. each one sounds different, so its a different presentation of the music.
   
  HE-6 is in my to-buy list, probably the last headphone i'll buy, as for the stax...hmmm, i'm not sure yet, that'll have to wait. by then something new will probably be out.


----------



## hifimanrookie

en_r said:


> Don't worry Dub I gotchu covered gurlll. Unless you're a dude.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



OMG thats at least 40.000usd worth of audio bliss (am not even talking about any cable upgrades).if i am not mistaken..

. It makes me wonder why u have that... The two best electrostats with their best amps money can buy...isnt this a bit overkill? Its Like my friend having 3sportscars and a cayenne (the latter for the wifey, kids, the dog and shopping..as he told me..lolz)... I dont understand that also except for investment purposes or collection impulses..

How do u use those pieces of art? Do u schedule listening sessions? As i cant imagine u everytime u wanna listen to ur music u then decide what rig to use...

But my friend..ur maybe the luckiest man in the world to be able to own the orpheus amp..as those are very rare to get..even if u have the money!!! Wish i could listen to one on a he60/90 one before i die...

one thing for sure..if i ever make big money or win the lottery..first thing i do is to get myself a nissan GTR black edition NISMO TUNED and a sennheiser orpheus/he90/60 rig!!! And for my wifey a Mini John Cooper Works GP edition..i did a testdrive once in a red model with her..and she is in love!


----------



## MorbidToaster

Those still my rusty ol' 009s or did you end up selling mine and getting a newer pair?

Also, gettin' an LL2 to compare? Lol


----------



## longbowbbs

Orpheus up at Audiogon....
   
  http://app.audiogon.com/listings/over-ear-sennheiser-orpheus-he90-hev-90-set-matching-pair-rare-and-original-2013-08-09-headphones-germany


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Orpheus up at Audiogon....
> 
> http://app.audiogon.com/listings/over-ear-sennheiser-orpheus-he90-hev-90-set-matching-pair-rare-and-original-2013-08-09-headphones-germany


 
  That Orpheus amp is so beautiful.  Almost too shiny in well lit conditions.


----------



## autoguy

Drools over, Orpheus amp  the price though, damn, it looks worth every penny though 

Defqon, that makes sense, I like to drool over Picts of expensive gear, I learned a long time ago to not try to compete, just enjoy what you can afford to buy and as long as it sounds good to you that is what matters


----------



## MorbidToaster

Current shot. Kind of an odd duck going on here. Harbeths are out due to a few (unfortunate and fortunate) things. Leben remains.
   
  Waiting on word that the new Kuzma is on it's way and until then the Amadeus is off screen to the right.
   
  The new (old) additions were actually picked up for nothing as my mother in law was getting rid of her system from the 80s that has been inside but hasn't been touched in at least 10 years. She has no idea what she had here. The speakers are Klipsch KG4s. 91db @ 4ohms (according to the backs). Horns for the highs and then 2 8" woofers for the rest along with an additional 12" (!) passive woofer on the backs.
   
  I really love these speakers so far. Horns make them harsh on poor recordings (ala Punk or harsher standard tuned rock), but even that stuff sounds good at lower levels. They're bass monsters due to that 12" in the back so they're pretty boomy, but the highs are excellent with the right music. They'll certainly do for now. Gonna stain them darker to match the Leben and probably get some new grills (old ones were in rough shape). Still playing with position and I think I'll tilt them up a bit soon.
   
  The CDP is also new and is a welcome addition. It's a Sony from 1986 that uses a tape deck like system to load up to 10 CDs at once. Sounds great, honestly, and it's built REALLY well. Heavy and dense.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I really like that record cabinet. Any chance you remember when you got it? I'm redecorating my grand room, and would like something like that for my favorite albums!


----------



## Silent One

Morbid Toaster... I like that ensemble. Very intimate!


----------



## MorbidToaster

greed said:


> I really like that record cabinet. Any chance you remember when you got it? I'm redecorating my grand room, and would like something like that for my favorite albums!




It's a 4x2 Expedit with 2 sets if Capita legs. Works great.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> It's a 4x2 Expedit with 2 sets if Capita legs. Works great.


 
   
  Thanks, I'll look into it.


----------



## jazzerdave

Quote: 





greed said:


> Thanks, I'll look into it.


 
   
  I've found that the Expedit doesn't always hold up to being fully packed with records over time, but a few metal brackets on the back to reinforce it make it very durable.
   
T-brackets
   
L-brackets
   
  It's not completely necessary, but I'm paranoid.


----------



## MorbidToaster

jazzerdave said:


> I've found that the Expedit doesn't always hold up to being fully packed with records over time, but a few metal brackets on the back to reinforce it make it very durable.
> 
> T-brackets
> 
> ...




Highly recommended for the huge ones, but the 4x2s are fine as long as you use 2 sets of legs.


----------



## JIGF

Here is the latest.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





jazzerdave said:


> I've found that the Expedit doesn't always hold up to being fully packed with records over time, but a few metal brackets on the back to reinforce it make it very durable.
> 
> T-brackets
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks Dave. I think I have some of those around somewhere.


----------



## knights




----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





jigf said:


> Here is the latest.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  Nice setup! What speakers are you using?


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Current shot. Kind of an odd duck going on here. Harbeths are out due to a few (unfortunate and fortunate) things. Leben remains.
> 
> Waiting on word that the new Kuzma is on it's way and until then the Amadeus is off screen to the right.
> 
> ...


 
  Klipsch to Harbeth, that's a jump.  If you don't mind, what's the TT in the pic?


----------



## RestoredSparda

From most listened to on the left to least on the right.


----------



## MorbidToaster

bbophead said:


> Klipsch to Harbeth, that's a jump.  If you don't mind, what's the TT in the pic?




There isn't a TT in the picture, actually. The black box is a CDP and the Amadeus TT is off to the side out of view. Waiting on the Kuzma which should be here within a few weeks.


----------



## JIGF

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Nice setup! What speakers are you using?


 
   
  Thanks! The speakers are a set RAW Acoustics HT2. They sound big for the size.


----------



## abablitz

New to the scene, started about a year ago. 
   
  My Set Up:
  Fiio e17 Alpine
  Fiio e09k Amp
  Maddog t50RP
  Senn HD 650
  Creative Titanium HD Sound Card
  Fiio E 11 Amp
  Miles Davis Tributes IEM
  Monster Copper Pro Turbine IEM


----------



## IorekByrnison

Since most of my music listening hours are clocked in my cubicle, my listening station lives there too.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





iorekbyrnison said:


> Since most of my music listening hours are clocked in my cubicle, my listening station lives there too.


 
  Nice setup and keyboard. I love the Cherry MX reds myself.


----------



## morserotonin

My station at the moment... And man my phones camera sucks!


----------



## IorekByrnison

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Nice setup and keyboard. I love the Cherry MX reds myself.


 
  Yick. MX Blues all day every day. If I can't hear it through noise cancelling isolation cans, I've been ripped off.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





iorekbyrnison said:


> Yick. MX Blues all day every day. If I can't hear it through noise cancelling isolation cans, I've been ripped off.


 
  lol i hate hearing those clicks all day, but im also a guy that covers all his LEDs with electrical tape and builds PCs least flashy as possible...


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





brunk said:


> lol i hate hearing those clicks all day, but im also a guy that covers all his LEDs with electrical tape and builds PCs least flashy as possible...


 
   
  I have a daskeyboard with Cherry MX Blues and can't hear them through my headphones.  People nearby may hear it though.


----------



## Dillont3

New apartment and new setup that I am happy with. Primarily listen to the the Dt880's and the Missions. Occasionally hook up the M1 actives for fun. Fixed up damaged cone with some glue on one of the 771's as temporary fix. Love the sound of the Missions through the tubes. Finally found a pair of replacement woofers for the missions in eBay that are on there way from Canada. Very happy about that! I know the cords are a mess, but haven't been concerned with that yet. 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dillont3 said:


> New apartment and new setup that I am happy with. Primarily listen to the the Dt880's and the Missions. Occasionally hook up the M1 actives for fun. Fixed up damaged cone with some glue on one of the 771's as temporary fix. Love the sound of the Missions through the tubes. Finally found a pair of replacement woofers for the missions in eBay that are on there way from Canada. Very happy about that! I know the cords are a mess, but haven't been concerned with that yet.


 
  Missions! Are those 771s? I'm a huge fan of Mission pre-acquisition, and I have a pair in my bedroom setup driven from some vastly overpowered vintage Dynaco gear.


----------



## Dillont3

ssrock64 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




They are indeed 771's. I also have am a huge fan of older mission speakers. I bought a pair of 761i's on closeout around the time they stopped selling Mission in the US. Had those forever and fell in love with mission speakers.Since then I am always looking for good deals on older mission speakers on Craigslist and eBay. Recently bought 4 Mission m70's and a m7ci center that I use for my home theater. No where as nice as the 771s but pretty decent for a cheap home theater setup.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## MorbidToaster

brunk said:


> lol i hate hearing those clicks all day, but im also a guy that covers all his LEDs with electrical tape and builds PCs least flashy as possible...




MX Blues ALL DAY.

Also, I don't even attach power or HDD LEDs anymore. Totally black, Lian Li case. No disc drive either. Screw that.


----------



## Eee Pee

Quote: 





morserotonin said:


> . And man my phones camera sucks!


 
  It certainly does! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Traveler Club checking in.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

morbidtoaster said:


> MX Blues ALL DAY.
> 
> Also, I don't even attach power or HDD LEDs anymore. Totally black, Lian Li case. No disc drive either. Screw that.




I agree with the completely dark case, I don't attach LEDs anymore either. But...I love my browns, blues make too much noise and I still get that tactile feedback of the actuation point.


----------



## Destroysall

Byrnison,
  Quote: 





iorekbyrnison said:


> Since most of my music listening hours are clocked in my cubicle, my listening station lives there too.


 
  Great setup! Interesting to see a Schiit Modi instead of the Bifrost.  How is this combo?


----------



## IorekByrnison

It's good. I've never heard the Bifrost so I can't really speak to a difference, but the Valhalla compared to the Magni is a $10,000 difference. The Modi most definitely is enough DAC to justify the Valhalla as a purchase, the detail and soundstage through the T70 is phenomenal. I know there are $400 DACs out there that the Modi will stomp any day, so it makes sense. 
   
  That said, if I can convince IT to install the drivers for me (machine's locked down) I will be swapping in an Uberfrost USB soon enough, even if just for aesthetic reasons, though I'm sure it'll make things even more amazing. 
   
   
  Thirding the "jet black single LED HTPC style computer + MX blues" club. My home PC is in a Fractal Design Node 605, a true work of (black, rectangular prism) art.


----------



## DefQon

Clean setups. Envy.


----------



## latimerfripp

what do you think about my setup?


----------



## knights

Warm Tubes for Cold Night!


----------



## ethan7000

Quote: 





knights said:


> Warm Tubes for Cold Night!


 
  Sweet pic! Aren't those HiFiMan phones?  I don't see them listed in your inventory?


----------



## knights

yes, HE500… ddnt update the inverntory lists for quite sometime… the one plug into WA6 is HD800 which is also not in my lists


----------



## latimerfripp

Quote: 





latimerfripp said:


> what do you think about my setup?


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX Blues ALL DAY.
> 
> Also, I don't even attach power or HDD LEDs anymore. Totally black, Lian Li case. No disc drive either. Screw that.


 
  Yep i do that too lol, and i go out of my way to find quiet fans, and even apply dynamat inside the case...


----------



## MorbidToaster

latimerfripp said:


> what do you think about my setup?




Obviously low tier.


----------



## Alexein Aner

If he's low tier, then I can't even be ranked. I like the table.


----------



## IorekByrnison

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Yep i do that too lol, and i go out of my way to find quiet fans, and even apply dynamat inside the case...


 
  I have weighted matting in my (black, featureless) case, but loud, high power fans to allow me to run SLi in such a cramped space, and because I can't sleep without the white noise of a computer anyways. I run MX Blues for the feel more than the sound, though I find the sound to be both satisfying, and a useful feedback beyond tactile for accuracy. Mostly though, I'm a lifelong diehard music gaming arcade nerd with a bunch of arcade-replica control decks for Bemani games, all of which are loaded with proper AC-spec 100g Omron microswitches, the real big kind. Buttons on anything that don't feel and sound like a proper microswitch just don't feel right to me. Stealthy-sleek is for looks, not sounds 
   
  Without loud fans, this thing would be an incendiary device - a mandatory tradeoff to fit all that roar in such a small box, good thing I love the sound. 
   

   
  Eventually, this PC will be host to my (currently nonexistent) home listening station... which will probably just be a second Valhalla, a second Uberfrost and a T1 or something. I like my office setup so much I'll probably just clone it, and step up on the cans to the open-backed flagship. That, or the HD650, which I've wanted to own for a long while now.


----------



## calipilot227

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX Blues ALL DAY.
> 
> Also, I don't even attach power or HDD LEDs anymore. Totally black, Lian Li case.* No disc drive either.* Screw that.


 
   
  I installed one in my recent build for the sole purpose of ripping CDs


----------



## driver 8

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> MX Blues ALL DAY.
> 
> Also, I don't even attach power or HDD LEDs anymore. Totally black, Lian Li case. No disc drive either. Screw that.


 
   
  Kind of the same for me (Das with MX Blues).  I have my power and HDD lights plugged in, but they're so small and dim I hardly notice them.  My Lian-Li case is totally black otherwise and I put foam inside to make it quieter.


----------



## ethan7000

My MX Blues are pretty darn loud, hoping to switch to something with Browns soon


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





latimerfripp said:


>


 
   
  i like!
   
  must be very smooth and warm with that rega dac. i was interested in buying that before i got the mytek


----------



## MorbidToaster

ethan7000 said:


> My MX Blues are pretty darn loud, hoping to switch to something with Browns soon




No. Everyone on the block has to know you're typing. It's important.


----------



## jmsaxon69

Anyone know any "loud typers"? I do, some people just pound the keyboard! In a big meeting full of sales guys you can hear one or two above the others!


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





ethan7000 said:


> My MX Blues are pretty darn loud, hoping to switch to something with Browns soon


 
   
  Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> No. Everyone on the block has to know you're typing. It's important.


 
  Puny MX blues step aside 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   

   
   
  To keep things on topic, here's my temporary downsized station:


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





dillont3 said:


> They are indeed 771's. I also have am a huge fan of older mission speakers. I bought a pair of 761i's on closeout around the time they stopped selling Mission in the US. Had those forever and fell in love with mission speakers.Since then I am always looking for good deals on older mission speakers on Craigslist and eBay. Recently bought 4 Mission m70's and a m7ci center that I use for my home theater. No where as nice as the 771s but pretty decent for a cheap home theater setup.


 
  You've got more Missions than I've ever had! I only have a pair of 771s in my bedroom at the moment because I've diversified my portfolio of speakers, but at one point I had a pair of 767s on the living room floor and some 770s at the office. Now I have some Klipsch Tangent 300s for the living room, and I no longer have an office.
   
  It's too bad that Mission is no longer what they used to be.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Puny MX blues step aside


 
   
   
  Sweet!!  Nothing beats an M


----------



## ethan7000

khaine1711 said:
			
		

> To keep things on topic, here's my temporary downsized station:



Beautiful, can you list the components?


----------



## khaine1711

Quote: 





ethan7000 said:


> Beautiful, can you list the components?


 
  He-6 /w Norse Reign cable
  Icon Hp8 MkII
  Audio-gd Nfb 7.32
  Green tea cup from thrift store 
   
  Also you can see part of my "reference" grade, ultra limited platinum edition USB cable with 5V removed


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

So, I've heard rumors that for christmas this year I'll be receiving a custom made tube amp somewhere in class between the LittleDot i+ and the Woo WA3


----------



## penmarker

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> He-6 /w Norse Reign cable
> Icon Hp8 MkII
> Audio-gd Nfb 7.32
> Green tea cup from thrift store
> ...


 
  Did you cryo treat it and run it through the unicorn de-magnetizer?


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> So, I've heard rumors that for christmas this year I'll be receiving a custom made tube amp somewhere in class between the LittleDot i+ and the Woo WA3


 
   
  This is great to hear! Though, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you'd be wise to revisit these rumblings as we run out of moons this year.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *penmarker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Did you cryo treat it and run it through the unicorn de-magnetizer?


 
   
  The secret is in the cup! With RF reducing qualities, why bother?


----------



## selmaaxku

It's the same exterior as the original C22


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> The secret is in the cup! With RF reducing qualities, why bother?



And i hope he burned in the cable in the ultrasonic microwave oven for at least 12 hours on 1200w


----------



## MrEleventy

penmarker said:


> Did you cryo treat it and run it through the unicorn de-magnetizer?


Ppsh. That's so last second. I install custom ionic ferrite beads every 2 inches.


----------



## hifimanrookie

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> So, I've heard rumors that for christmas this year I'll be receiving a custom made tube amp somewhere in class between the LittleDot i+ and the Woo WA3



Join the club...santa is going to be nice to me also...but i heard an additional rumor i will get my amp a week or 2 sooner then christmas as i was a very good boy this year..so santa will use his express courier for a extra special delivery to a very very very sweet boy.. ME!!!!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





penmarker said:


> Did you cryo treat it and run it through the unicorn de-magnetizer?


 
   
  If something has "run through" a unicorn, I'm not sure I want to touch it afterwards...


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> So, I've heard rumors that for christmas this year I'll be receiving a custom made tube amp somewhere in class between the LittleDot i+ and the Woo WA3


 
   
   
  Nah, don't believe everything that you hear....


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





bigjohn1 said:


> Nah, don't believe everything that you hear....


 
   
  I think family members ought to have fun and place the gift inside a case box for "beats."


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

bigjohn1 said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > So, I've heard rumors that for christmas this year I'll be receiving a custom made tube amp somewhere in class between the LittleDot i+ and the Woo WA3
> ...



My uncle asked me what specs and other ingredients to go into the mix


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I think family members ought to have fun and place the gift inside a case box for "beats."


 
  Had this done to me before by a former exchange student. This is a guy who always talked about how much cheaper things were in the US, so I knew he wouldn't have bought Beats and sent them to me just as a joke. Turned out to be some nice CDs from German artists I couldn't buy here in the States.


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





silent one said:


> I think family members ought to have fun and place the gift inside a case box for "beats."


 

 Shhhh... you're stealing all of our best ideas...


----------



## faverodefavero

-



-



-



-


----------



## kimvictor

I want a HD800.


----------



## DefQon

I want that Cosmos case.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I want that Cosmos case.


 
  That cosmos case looks super cool.


----------



## DefQon

Very big full tower though. The Cosmos 2 is a looker but too big, heavy and expensive here.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Very big full tower though. The Cosmos 2 is a looker but too big, heavy and expensive here.


 
  How much do they go for?


----------



## hifimanrookie

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]





kimvictor said:


> How much do they go for?



If u want big and beautiful and with space for the most extreme watercooling (QUIETNESS extreme for being the source for ur audio rig!!)...get a matt black corsair obsidian d800 thats what i have...i think i have a pic on my profile of my case..check it out if ur interested


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> If u want big and beautiful and with space for the most extreme watercooling (QUIETNESS extreme for being the source for ur audio rig!!)...get a matt black corsair obsidian d800 thats what i have...i think i have a pic on my profile of my case..check it out if ur interested


 
  Hmm. Not interesting in getting a desktop set up yet. I've been thinking maybe next year, I'll build a desktop. For now, since I travel often, I have a laptop.


----------



## Stalker81598

I use a desktop PC as the source for my audio rig. I have a self-contained water cooler for the CPU so it's inaudible while I'm listening to my music. The graphics card is noisy when in use but it's silent when idle. Case is a Thermaltake Level 10 GT.


----------



## kimvictor

Quote: 





stalker81598 said:


> I use a desktop PC as the source for my audio rig. I have a self-contained water cooler for the CPU so it's inaudible while I'm listening to my music. The graphics card is noisy when in use but it's silent when idle. Case is a Thermaltake Level 10 GT.


 
  OMG so many fancy desktops.


----------



## hifimanrookie

this is my still in progress totally (everything is watercooled! incl the hdd's) watercooled humble Corsair 800D (it will have two separated loops, one is already finished as u can see on this pic) that will be used as ultimate silent source for my new amp/dac (when it arrives in december)..as u can see i also tried to make it clean looking..so almost all cables are hidden...hope to have it ready by then...but time is hard to find


----------



## brunk

Very nice job! Custom loops like that are a PITA so i feel your pain lol.
  Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> this is my still in progress totally (everything is watercooled! incl the hdd's) watercooled humble Corsair 800D (it will have two separated loops, one is already finished as u can see on this pic) that will be used as ultimate silent source for my new amp/dac (when it arrives in december)..as u can see i also tried to make it clean looking..so almost all cables are hidden...hope to have it ready by then...but time is hard to find


----------



## Stalker81598

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> this is my still in progress totally (everything is watercooled! incl the hdd's) watercooled humble Corsair 800D (it will have two separated loops, one is already finished as u can see on this pic) that will be used as ultimate silent source for my new amp/dac (when it arrives in december)..as u can see i also tried to make it clean looking..so almost all cables are hidden...hope to have it ready by then...but time is hard to find
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I chuckled a little bit when I saw you are water cooling your RAM. I can understand everything else, even the hard drives, but I used to run overclocked RAM (2133 MHz) without even passive heat spreaders and my RAM never got anywhere close to dangerous temps. Actually it never even got more than warm to the touch. Just seems like an unnecessary PITA and more opportunity for leakage. IMO
   
  Quote: 





brunk said:


> Very nice job! Custom loops like that are a PITA so i feel your pain lol.


 
   
  This is why I haven't ever considered a custom loop. The reduction in noise would be nice but it just seems like it's more trouble than it's worth. Way too much work to set up and maintain. Those self contained units are a breeze though; took me about 15 minutes to install. Only cools the CPU though.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





stalker81598 said:


> I chuckled a little bit when I saw you are water cooling your RAM. I can understand everything else, even the hard drives, but I used to run overclocked RAM (2133 MHz) without even passive heat spreaders and my RAM never got anywhere close to dangerous temps. Actually it never even got more than warm to the touch. Just seems like an unnecessary PITA and more opportunity for leakage. IMO
> 
> 
> This is why I haven't ever considered a custom loop. The reduction in noise would be nice but it just seems like it's more trouble than it's worth. Way too much work to set up and maintain. Those self contained units are a breeze though; took me about 15 minutes to install. Only cools the CPU though.


 
  i leaktested my first loop for 48 hours..and power it on every week for 24 hours (as its only going to be used as source for my new amp in december)...no leakage..i never ever had leakage to be honest and i have already built 3 watercooled systems until now....its just a matter of working secure and with dedication and use the right components/materials (using same metals in the loop) in the loop..and yes..that takes time.. and maintenance? as i built a completely new pc rig every 2 years i dont have maintenance..and the new owner just have to flush it and put new cooling fluid in it every 2 years...i have to say i dont use colors in my fluids..as i know how bad that is for ur cooling components! something i learned on the way in my 5 years of watercooling a pc...better is to use colorless fluild with UV active tubing with led/UV lighting for same effect.
   
  ...but its quiet!! my wife is a very happy woman as my pc rig is in a corner in the living room...and in the past my fans irritated everyone while watching tv..not anymore! and cooling the RAM is just because i could do it... to see how far i can push it technically ...
   
  but i agree...a all in one solution is a good way to go if u want it simple and efficient...i understand they perform good also...


----------



## faverodefavero

kimvictor said:


> That cosmos case looks super cool.




Thanks! Appreciate your appreciation, built the PC myself (always do, for friends and family too, really enjoy building those things). 
And, the best part: it's almost inaudible, really. I use air cooling but all my coolers are Noctuas (super-silent). The only noise you can actually hear is when gaming, then the CPU gets noisefull, specially the videocard (MSI GTX680 Power Edition), which is responsible for around 70% of the noise. 

You can only hear my PC fan sound, when the system is not processing 3D, at extremely silent hours. Then you hear something close to an airconditioner on low.


----------



## LugBug1

Too much Marantz last week...
   

   
   
   So I'm settling for this, this week. 

   
  Vintage Black Box dac at the bottom feeding a Sansui Au-505. Marantz 2216b with Dacmagic.


----------



## Greed

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> Too much Marantz last week...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Where are those WC-22s!?
   
  Seriously though, love Marantz - My fav vintage gear. Nice pics!


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





greed said:


> Where are those WC-22s!?
> 
> Seriously though, love Marantz - My fav vintage gear. Nice pics!


 
  I wish they had them too my friend!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> I wish they had them too my friend!


 
  I like that rack you have there. Where did you find it?


----------



## MorbidToaster

OT: If anyone is playing Payday 2, please let me know. Always need people to rob banks or cook meth with.


----------



## imagic

Here it is...


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





brunk said:


> I like that rack you have there. Where did you find it?


 
  B&M's its a cheapo hardware store... Looks quite nice for £30


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> B&M's its a cheapo hardware store... Looks quite nice for £30


 
  Indeed it does


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





imagic said:


> Here it is...


 
   
   
  AH..  The Can Opener.  So I guess it does what it suppose to do huh?


----------



## palmfish

imagic said:


> Here it is...




Looks a lot like my Pioneer VSX-1122, which I think has a perfectly fine (low impedance) headphone jack built in. How do you think it compares to the Can Opener - do those low impedance Pioneer headphones really play nice with all those extra resistors inside that little box?


----------



## imagic

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Looks a lot like my Pioneer VSX-1122, which I think has a perfectly fine (low impedance) headphone jack built in. How do you think it compares to the Can Opener?


 
  I get better performance from the Can Opener when I pair it with my Crown XTi-1000. With the AVR, the difference is not pronounced. Although that last picture with the Pioneer is also current, right now I'm using the Can Opener in conjunction with the Roland Quad-Capture and the Crown. It benefits from balanced interconnects, and the Roland provides an internal clock as well as regenerated USB power—effectively isolating it from my PC. The sound is profound and this is the Can Opener truly "doing what it's supposed to do." The AVR does fine on it's own, as you point out. I had been comparing the two configurations.

 I just took this photo:


----------



## palmfish

Nice! I think the headphones are pretty cool looking too!


----------



## Quinto

Cool vintage stuff! Very nice


----------



## JIGF

And just like that, the place became this.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Newest edition to the family....my KGSSHV:


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Newest edition to the family....my KGSSHV:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  nice!!!!!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> nice!!!!!


 
  Thanks!


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Newest edition to the family....my KGSSHV:


 
  terrific.....


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





philo50 said:


> terrific.....


 
  Thanks...forgot to mention that my W4S DAC-2 is just off to the right of the photo.


----------



## cwell2112

Here are some shots of my living room and humble audio setup.
   
  The desk with computer/gaming/headphone equipment:

   
  speaker setup:

   
  closeup of some gear:

   
  and some shelves, which my media collection has begun to outgrow:


----------



## MorbidToaster

Really need to get some nice cans again. This Razer headset isn't cutting it.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Newest edition to the family....my KGSSHV:


 
   





   
  Perhaps, some additional comments from you still to come... 




   
  ... I have absolutely NO idea what my '009' is going to sound like.


----------



## IcedTea

Quote: 





cwell2112 said:


>


 
  Is that a Takamine I spy?


----------



## calipilot227

Spoiler: Quote%3A%20JIGF



 


jigf said:


> And just like that, the place became this.


 
   
   


   
  Awww, it looked so nice before


----------



## cwell2112

Quote: 





icedtea said:


> Is that a Takamine I spy?


 

 Yep, it's the GS330S.  Pretty good solid-top guitar for not too much money.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





cwell2112 said:


> Here are some shots of my living room and humble audio setup.
> 
> The desk with computer/gaming/headphone equipment:
> 
> ...


 
   
  Hey,  Is that a Keces PSU down there?  How do you like it?


----------



## cwell2112

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Hey,  Is that a Keces PSU down there?  How do you like it?


 
   
  No, it's the DA-151 USB DAC.  I wasn't even aware Keces is making a PSU!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





cwell2112 said:


> No, it's the DA-151 USB DAC.  I wasn't even aware Keces is making a PSU!


 
   
  A DAC??  O, OK..  Here is the PSU:  http://www.keces.com.tw/5_english/index_5_english.htm
   
  You got a link for the DAC?


----------



## drez

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> He-6 /w Norse Reign cable
> Icon Hp8 MkII
> Audio-gd Nfb 7.32
> Green tea cup from thrift store
> ...


 
   
  It's beautiful


----------



## bigjohn1

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Really need to get some nice cans again. This Razer headset isn't cutting it.


 
  I Love your desktop wallpaper there!  Where did you get it???


----------



## MorbidToaster

Got it from 4walled's 2x 1920x1080 section.
   
  Quote: 





bigjohn1 said:


> I Love your desktop wallpaper there!  Where did you get it???


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Perhaps, some additional comments from you still to come...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Will do, not much time today. Cleaning up after our 10 week kitchen renovation mostly. But so far I am very impressed!
   
  I think you'll love the SR-009s! About 9 months in and they still never cease to amaze me.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *MacedonianHero* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Will do, not much time today. Cleaning up after our 10 week kitchen renovation mostly. But so far I am very impressed!
> ...


 
   
  When the Stax & WEE arrive mid-September, I may not have my audio rig put together yet. In this case, I'll likely just take 'em to the studio for a listen. Or drop by an LA area head-fier's and plug-in. 
   
  I have all of my pieces but I'm still in between residences. And boxes...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





silent one said:


> When the Stax & WEE arrive mid-September, I may not have my audio rig put together yet. In this case, I'll likely just take 'em to the studio for a listen. Or drop by an LA area head-fier's and plug-in.
> 
> I have all of my pieces but I'm still in between residences. And boxes...


 
  Cool...keep us posted on what you think.


----------



## beerguy0

Swapping gear around a bit. I took my Goldpoint amp home, and brought my Millett Hybrid MiniMAX to work. (The glow from the LEDs make it kind of annoying at night in the bedroom, which is typically when I do a lot of listening.) I'm currently running a Grub cable DAC to the Millett, to my Denon AH-D5000 headphones. This is my desk rig, on my lab bench I have a Mini^3, with my iPod and Denon AH-D1001 headphones.
   
   
   
  .


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> Swapping gear around a bit. I took my Goldpoint amp home, and brought my Millett Hybrid MiniMAX to work. (The glow from the LEDs make it kind of annoying at night in the bedroom, which is typically when I do a lot of listening.) I'm currently running a Grub cable DAC to the Millett, to my Denon AH-D5000 headphones. This is my desk rig, on my lab bench I have a Mini^3, with my iPod and Denon AH-D1001 headphones.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Beautiful! How much did it cost to build your Millet?


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Beautiful! How much did it cost to build your Millet?


 
   
  Thanks. I got the kit from Beezar.com, current price is $230. Nice little amp, pretty easy build, although the component spacing is tight in some areas. It seems to really like the Denons.


----------



## MattTCG

Some recent changes.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Some recent changes.


 
   
  The only thing left for you to do is get the invitations out... _"Party of six!" _


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Some recent changes.


 

 lyr or asgard 2 ?
  aren't we looking at an asgard 2, but your signature says lyr ?
  i ask because i'll have a lyr one day this week, may be overkill for my grado's, but i love tubes


----------



## MattTCG

The lyr is sold. Just havent changed my Sig.


----------



## ethan7000

Here's mine - I listen from my PC


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> The lyr is sold. Just havent changed my Sig.


 

 a couple of months back, i almost got the asgard 2, but a little dot i+ presented itself to me,
  found the lyr on the sale thread , decent price, so i took a chance
  hope you don't mind me asking, but what made you want to make the change ?


----------



## MattTCG

I'm into vintage receivers to drive hp's now. They offer the ability to drive orthos and hard to drive hp's with power and finese often at pennies on the dollar for what you'll pay for today's desktop amps. Of course there are drawbacks. They are often the size and weight of a mini fridge...well, not quite but close. There is no warranty so there can often be some DIY involved. But even at the purchase price plus plus a full restoration you can come out less than a lyr with nice tubes. 
   
  Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I think that the 70 vintage look is just sweet.


----------



## autoteleology

Yeah, vintage receivers seem quite nice. The only problem I notice is that the output impedance is usually quite high, around 50 ohms or so, so they won't work very well with headphones like Grados and the Amperior almost as a rule.


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Yeah, vintage receivers seem quite nice. The only problem I notice is that the output impedance is usually quite high, around 50 ohms or so, so they won't work very well with headphones like Grados and the Amperior almost as a rule.


 
   
  Very true. That's why I mentioned orthos and hard to drive hp's. Some of the receivers like the sx-1280 have a -20db button that effectively filters the "hiss" from hp's like the hd650. 
   
  Part of the fun for me is the hunt. It can be addictive though. The sx-1280 sells on ebay for $800-$1300 depending on condition. I paid $450 plus got a nice set of large Advent speakers as part of the deal. Now that's some good fun!!


----------



## jaywillin

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I'm into vintage receivers to drive hp's now. They offer the ability to drive orthos and hard to drive hp's with power and finese often at pennies on the dollar for what you'll pay for today's desktop amps. Of course there are drawbacks. They are often the size and weight of a mini fridge...well, not quite but close. There is no warranty so there can often be some DIY involved. But even at the purchase price plus plus a full restoration you can come out less than a lyr with nice tubes.
> 
> Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I think that the 70 vintage look is just sweet.


 
  when i lived in helen, a friend was cabin sitting , and when the owners sold the place, they left a bunch of stuff there, and told my friend she could have any of the stuff left, one thing they left was a pioneer , forget the model # vx, vsx 390, maybe 3390 , whatever it was, i looked it up, it was a mid, to late 70's , i snagged it, it was pretty dusty inside, but i got it pretty clean, it work, i ended up giving it to someone


----------



## palmfish

tus-chan said:


> The only problem I notice is that the output impedance is usually quite high, around 50 ohms or so




Actually, it's more like 250 Ohms. Some more than double that...


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> Very true. That's why I mentioned orthos and hard to drive hp's. Some of the receivers like the sx-1280 have a -20db button that effectively filters the "hiss" from hp's like the hd650.
> 
> Part of the fun for me is the hunt. It can be addictive though. The sx-1280 sells on ebay for $800-$1300 depending on condition. I paid $450 plus got a nice set of large Advent speakers as part of the deal. Now that's some good fun!!


 
  FYI~
   
  Vintage receivers? We're feelin' the love... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 _way out west.__ _My HD650 exhibits no hiss when paired with the Sansui G-22000 or Pioneer SX-D7000 without the -20db Audio Muting engaged.
   
  That, and I've a mini-fridge smaller/lighter 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 than the G22k.


----------



## palmfish




----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Yeah, vintage receivers seem quite nice. The only problem I notice is that the output impedance is usually quite high, around 50 ohms or so, so they won't work very well with headphones like Grados and the Amperior almost as a rule.


 

 I must be the luckiest guy there is because I hear no hiss, never have heard a hiss, nada, zilch from any headphone out of 5 different vintage receivers/amps.  Never had to use the audio attenuator switch to reduce the db.  Multiple easy to drive headphones in the mix as well and they all sound good.  I have no concerns over output impedance........what exactly is the difference with Grados that cause a "problem"?


----------



## theOmni

Quote: 





ethan7000 said:


> Here's mine - I listen from my PC


 
  I have the same exact sound card. Do you feel they are inadequate to drive high impedance headphones without an amp?


----------



## Oregonian

And here's station 2..................HP Laptop feeding a FiiO D-3 amp/dac, using only the dac with a line out to the Kenwood KA-5700 vintage integrated amp.  Feeds headphones (here the D600's) and/or Cerwin Vega bookshelf speakers (4 total, with 2 under the desk).


----------



## IorekByrnison

My Modi evolved, and my listening station has reached The Endgame. Went all out and got it with Uber and USB. It is _mindblowing. _My desk at work is now even moreso one of my favorite places to be.


----------



## ethan7000

theomni said:


> I have the same exact sound card. Do you feel they are inadequate to drive high impedance headphones without an amp?



It absolutely depends on the headphones. It didn't drive my 300ohm 580's poorly, but not great either. It has plenty of power for my X1's, but they sure sound a lot better out of the Starlight


----------



## ethan7000

iorekbyrnison said:


> My Modi evolved, and my listening station has reached The Endgame. Went all out and got it with Uber and USB. It is _mindblowing. _My desk at work is now even moreso one of my favorite places to be.



This is absolutely beautiful, especially with the beyer's. one of the best looking phones IMHO


----------



## autoteleology

> I have no concerns over output impedance........what exactly is the difference with Grados that cause a "problem"?


 
   
  Grados universally have very low impedances, which is why I used them as an example. Using a low impedance headphone sensitive to output impedance (I've read that headphones like the ones made by Denon, despite low impedance, are not susceptible to this problem, so YMMV) on a high-impedance output means improper driver damping, which can mean loose, uncontrolled bass, frequency response colorations, and distortion in general.

 If anyone else can elaborate on this better than I can, feel free to step in... I am by no means an authority on this subject.


----------



## theOmni

Quote: 





ethan7000 said:


> It absolutely depends on the headphones. It didn't drive my 300ohm 580's poorly, but not great either. It has plenty of power for my X1's, but they sure sound a lot better out of the Starlight


 
  Sweet! That's a sick looking Amp, though! I have the Sound Blaster Z and I'm looking into getting the AKG Q701 soon. It looks like you game with your system. BF3 by any chance?


----------



## ethan7000

theomni said:


> Sweet! That's a sick looking Amp, though! I have the Sound Blaster Z and I'm looking into getting the AKG Q701 soon. It looks like you game with your system. BF3 by any chance?



Yep, it's the only game I play regularly


----------



## SoupRKnowva

My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in


----------



## palmfish

Wow, you dont travel light, do you?!?!

6 weeks is a long time to live in a hotel. I feel your pain...


----------



## autoteleology

Good grief, you didn't bring all of that stuff on the bus or an airplane, did you?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Wow, you dont travel light, do you?!?!
> 
> 6 weeks is a long time to live in a hotel. I feel your pain...


 

 heh, I wouldn't under normal circumstances bring this much stuff with me, but yeah the fact that I was going to be here for 6 weeks led me to basically bring everything so that I don't get bored. I also had to drive instead of fly the 1300 miles since I couldn't bring all my stuff on an airplane


----------



## MrEleventy

I've done a drive that long... cali or ny?


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in


 

 OMG..did u left anything at home? what u used for transportation? a freight train? u took the microwave also from home?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> OMG..did u left anything at home? what u used for transportation? a freight train? u took the microwave also from home?


 
   
  lol the microwave, tv and fridge were all in the room before i arrived, though as i said, i had to do some re arranging 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  It all fit in the trunk of my car thank goodness, along with all the clothes i was bringing as well


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> heh, I wouldn't under normal circumstances bring this much stuff with me, but yeah the fact that I was going to be here for 6 weeks led me to basically bring everything so that I don't get bored.* I also had to drive instead of fly the 1300 miles since I couldn't bring all my stuff on an airplane*


 
  Now that's dedication!


----------



## autoteleology

Honestly, I wish I had been as smart as you and brought more stuff with me to New Orleans. I took nothing but my laptop, my iPod, some clothes, and a CAL! with me and I'm extremely bored.


----------



## Mani ATH 87

Nothing to fancy for me, definitely very envious of what some people here have! One day...


----------



## wolfetan44

Why not go out and experience New Orleans?





tus-chan said:


> Honestly, I wish I had been as smart as you and brought more stuff with me to New Orleans. I took nothing but my laptop, my iPod, some clothes, and a CAL! with me and I'm extremely bored.


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Now that's dedication!


 

 I guess most of us would do the same..sort of... I mean if we wanted to...but most of us are just to afraid in breaking something along the way or something... or being stolen in the Hotel.
   
  last year i had to travel also for a week for work,,,and i also prefered my car above the ICE INTERNATIONAL (a super speed train) to germany..as i wanted to take my (now sold) 337 (18kg) and my he500 with me to relax me.....but during trip i was scarred ****less when i drove over bumps at a speed of on and about 250km/h (germany still has unlimited speedlimits on certain roads.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)... as u know tube amps are sensitive...and i even put it on my soft leather backseat in the seatbelt in its own cushioned case! But i had to get there in time..so needed to be speedy gonzalez in my baby..(my two other female collegues were going by train)...but luckily everything went fine...and i arrived earlier then them..lolz
  in the end i didnt even listen to it for a second....as every night we went out after the study sessions, first dinner and then fun!, with my two collegues...Berlin is beautiful at night by the way!


----------



## autoteleology

> Why not go out and experience New Orleans?


 
   
  My ability to do so is limited. I'm staying at someone's house, but I have no convenient way to get around since not only is there no car, but I also have no driver's license. The only way I can go anywhere is to take the bus.


----------



## marts30

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in


 
   
  Gods of War ARISE


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





marts30 said:


> Gods of War ARISE


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> > Why not go out and experience New Orleans?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Walk around, act like you live there


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Walk around, act like you live there


 

 I did the same in Berlin..didnt use the car all week! just go out and experience New Orleans


----------



## autoteleology

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Walk around, act like you live there


 
   
  I wish I could. I'm stationed literally right across the street from the Louis Armstrong International Airport and the local area is horrendous. It's literally like living on the side of a highway; there's nowhere to walk and there aren't even sidewalks in the majority of the places.

 I think there's an IHOP somewhere around here. >_>


----------



## hifimanrookie

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> I wish I could. I'm stationed literally right across the street from the Louis Armstrong International Airport and the local area is horrendous. It's literally like living on the side of a highway; there's nowhere to walk and there aren't even sidewalks in the majority of the places.


----------



## MrEleventy

tus-chan said:


> I wish I could. I'm stationed literally right across the street from the Louis Armstrong International Airport and the local area is horrendous. It's literally like living on the side of a highway; there's nowhere to walk and *there aren't even sidewalks in the majority of the places.*


Welcome to Louisiana! There's pretty much no sidewalks here either. Even in the nicer upscale neighborhoods. You can't walk anywhere here because everything is so dang far away. This is a major departure from my norm. (Boston).


----------



## ssrock64

One reason I never truly enjoy going to NOLA (three times in the past three months) is because you can only really walk one part of town, and it's a stretch getting there even from some downtown hotels if you don't have a car.
   
  I absolutely loved Hamburg when I lived there briefly because the transportation network was fantastic. I could literally take the bus and U-Bahn from the outskirts in Niendorf to the city center in less time than taking a car, and Hamburg is in no way a congested city to begin with. And it was cheap, too.
   
  In New Orleans transportation was basically a couple tourist trolley lines, and where I am now it's practically nonexistent.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


>


 
  Yeah not to mention its not the best part of town either. Hifimanrookie, i agree that Berlin is beautiful at night, but Köln is better


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in


 
   
  Inside my Hotel room for 8 weeks.


----------



## autoteleology

What's that on the bottom?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Inside my Hotel room for 8 weeks.


 
  a man after my own heart!


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





mreleventy said:


> *Welcome to Louisiana! There's pretty much no sidewalks here either. *Even in the nicer upscale neighborhoods. You can't walk anywhere here because everything is so dang far away. This is a major departure from my norm. (Boston).


 
   
  And I frickin HATE it. I can't walk anywhere without fearing for my life. In Jamaica, we have sidewalks everywhere. It's a big adjustment everytime I go home, then come back to Louisiana.
   
  I'm moving to Dallas as soon as I graduate.


----------



## palmfish

Here's my hotel rig when I travel. Spent last week in Salt Lake City, which is a nice town...


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





souprknowva said:


> My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in


 
   
  Dayum Soup....  No more mini meets for a good while huh?


----------



## DefQon

Love the position of that microwave.


----------



## Stalker81598

souprknowva said:


> My setup for the next 6 weeks. I'm stuck in a hotel in Texas for 6 weeks for training. I basically moved in



 
 Don't drop your Hot Pockets on the Stax on the way out of the microwave.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Is that a vintage DAC!


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





tus-chan said:


> What's that on the bottom?


 
   
  The bottom black section is the amp with the preamp sitting on top. Due to its size/weight (92 pounds), it's designed to be decoupled to better negotiate space in the listening room - either vertical or horizontal or even on two different shelves.
   
  Below is a pix of Humpty Dump put back together again front-to-rear.


----------



## autoteleology

My first reaction to that was "that looks really expensive".

 My second reaction to that was "wow, I'd really hate to have that dropped on my foot".


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





silent one said:


> The bottom black section is the amp with the preamp sitting on top. Due to its size/weight (92 pounds), it's designed to be decoupled to better negotiate space in the listening room - either vertical or horizontal or even on two different shelves.
> 
> Below is a pix of Humpty Dump put back together again front-to-rear.


 
   
   
  It actually stifles theft as it takes two folks to carry it away from your home. Any single robber leaves it and goes for the DVD player.


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





mani ath 87 said:


> Nothing to fancy for me, definitely very envious of what some people here have! One day...


 
  Aint you a modest one with the HE-400


----------



## tlh1138

Here's my rig at work:  
  Apple iPod Classic 160gb w/ Apple Lossless Compression
  Pure i-20
  Toslink connection to
  Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp and Desktop Power Supply
  Denon AH-D7000 headphones


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





tlh1138 said:


> Here's my rig at work:
> Apple iPod Classic 160gb w/ Apple Lossless Compression
> Pure i-20
> Toslink connection to
> ...


 

 Very nice.  Good to see some Headroom.


----------



## LNCPapa

That's an awfully nice work rig.  Based on the image I assume you do NOT work from home.


----------



## tlh1138

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Very nice.  Good to see some Headroom.


 
   
  Thanks.  I've had it a couple of years.  I just checked the Headroom web site for the first time in a long time and see that their desktop amps are discontinued.  I'm glad I bought mine when I did, though I guess there's always the used market.  I've been very satisfied with this setup.


----------



## tlh1138

Quote: 





lncpapa said:


> That's an awfully nice work rig.  Based on the image I assume you do NOT work from home.


 
   
  Thanks.  That's correct, I do not.  I spend all day at a desk at work and can listen to music the entire time if I want.  So it made sense for me to invest in a nice work rig.  I rarely listen to music at home.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





tlh1138 said:


> Thanks.  I've had it a couple of years.  I just checked the Headroom web site for the first time in a long time and see that their desktop amps are discontinued.  I'm glad I bought mine when I did, though I guess there's always the used market.  I've been very satisfied with this setup.


 

 I have the mini stack and like it a lot but haven't used it in quite a while.  I'd sell it but it makes such and awesome desktop rig I'm afraid to part with it.


----------



## Rawdawg3234

Quote: 





marts30 said:


> Gods of War ARISE


 
  Their new album is without a doubt the best production they've put together so far.


----------



## goaliedad39

Quote: 





tlh1138 said:


> Thanks.  I've had it a couple of years.  I just checked the Headroom web site for the first time in a long time and see that their desktop amps are discontinued.  I'm glad I bought mine when I did, though I guess there's always the used market.  I've been very satisfied with this setup.


 

 That is almost  identical to the set up I have next to my bed.  Headroom desktop amp, Denon D-7000.  Apple lossless files from Sonos zone player into the Headroom via toslink.  I think the Headroom is an excellent amp/dac and pairs well with the Denons.  I too was very disappointed to see that Headroom discontinued their desktop amps.  They are kind of like a "Swiss Army Knife" of headphone amps.  Very versatile.


----------



## wolfetan44

Newest thing added


----------



## Errymoose

Obviously custom cups, so what drivers is it using?


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Newest thing added


 
  Looking good.


----------



## wolfetan44

SR60i's.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wolfetan44 said:


> Newest thing added



Get L Cush or at least quarter mod them.


----------



## wolfetan44

I'll do that when I get home


----------



## hifimanrookie

maybe a bit offtopic...but...
   
  is it my feeling or is the vintage speaker amp really getting more and more buyers/interest lately for driving headphones? does it something to do with the crisis that people prefer to pay for a good vintage secondhand amp under 1000usd then to spend 1500usd and up for a new quality (headphone) amp? this thought just struck me..


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





hifimanrookie said:


> maybe a bit offtopic...but...
> 
> is it my feeling or is the vintage speaker amp really getting more and more buyers/interest lately for driving headphones? is it something to do with the crisis that people prefer to pay for a good vintage secondhand amp under 1000usd then to spend 1500usd and up for a new quality (headphone) amp? this thought just struck me..


 
  You can spend as little as $50 mate... 
   
  But to be fair, you would have to spend probably $1500 to have a restored serious competitor. What you get with vintage isn't for everyone. You get loadsa power which is in demand these days for Orthos phones. You also get a hell of a lot for your money. And I'm not just talking about mass. Older amps can be a worthwhile purchase, but its quite a gamble. For instance, if someone recommends a great vintage amp to get. You may buy one and find that it sounds schitt because the caps are nearly dead etc.. Theres a lot of luck and knowledge involved to find the good stuff.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





lugbug1 said:


> You can spend as little as $50 mate...
> 
> But to be fair, you would have to spend probably $1500 to have a restored serious competitor. What you get with vintage isn't for everyone. You get loadsa power which is in demand these days for Orthos phones. You also get a hell of a lot for your money. And I'm not just talking about mass. Older amps can be a worthwhile purchase, but its quite a gamble. For instance, if someone recommends a great vintage amp to get. You may buy one and find that it sounds schitt because the caps are nearly dead etc.. Theres a lot of luck and knowledge involved to find the good stuff.


 
  They say caps are only good for 20 years.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> They say caps are only good for 20 years.


 
  Yup, depends on how much use they've had. I have a couple of vintage amps that are untouched (as in serviced) from 35 year ago and they sound crisp clean and, well as good as new. The longevity of vintage amps depends on how they have been used or not as the case may be! I would use a car analogy here...


----------



## Mani ATH 87

Quote: 





hellbishop said:


> Aint you a modest one with the HE-400


 

 It's extremely modest vs some of the equipment people have on here!


----------



## zilch0md

WAV > Foobar 2000 WASAPI event mode > USB > Moon Audio Blue Dragon USB cable > CEntrance DACmini CX Line Out > Emotiva RCA interconnects > TBI Millenia MG3 > KnuKonceptz Kord 10-AWG 462-strand OFC > Definitive Technology SM45 monitors (with the MG3 powered by a four-cell 1000 mAh LiPo pack that produces 16.8V at full charge, requiring recharge at 12.0V)

The MG3 puts out 32 Watts into an 8-Ohm load with 24 DC supply voltage. 

The amp's designer, Jan Plummer, is shipping me a separately purchased impedance matching box for use with my 50-Ohm LCD-2.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue67/tbi_millenia.htm

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/definitive-technology-studiomonitorsm-45-loudspeakers-hi-fi/

Mike


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





zilch0md said:


> WAV > Foobar 2000 WASAPI event mode > USB > Moon Audio Blue Dragon USB cable > CEntrance DACmini CX Line Out > Emotiva RCA interconnects > TBI Millenia MG3 > KnuKonceptz Kord 10-AWG 462-strand OFC > Definitive Technology SM45 monitors (with the MG3 powered by a four-cell 1000 mAh LiPo pack that produces 16.8V at full charge, requiring recharge at 12.0V)


 
  That's quite a thorough list of equipment you have there!


----------



## zilch0md

I forgot to list my cheap laptop!


----------



## Annafrancesca

Hifiman HE500
  Senn HD650
  ALO Audio Continental V3
  Cypher Labs Algo Solo
  Custom Silver IC
   
   
  Not exactly a station though.


----------



## Asr

In the span of less than a year I went from OII & BHSE, to the TH900 & GS-X MK2, to this. Hrmm, shouldn't that normally be the other way around?


----------



## Silent One

That's great!


----------



## drez

Quote: 





asr said:


> In the span of less than a year I went from OII & BHSE, to the TH900 & GS-X MK2, to this. Hrmm, shouldn't that normally be the other way around?


 
   
  You can order a BHSE and a GSX mkii in less than a year?


----------



## DairyProduce

Quote: 





asr said:


> In the span of less than a year I went from OII & BHSE, to the TH900 & GS-X MK2, to this. Hrmm, shouldn't that normally be the other way around?


 
  Do you still have your stax? Or have you completely settled on the TH900 + GSX-Mk. 2?


----------



## longbowbbs

Here is the rig in it's current form.


----------



## MattTCG

I see that we both have an Archetype stand....same one I think except mine is cherry wood. I ordered an additional shelf for it last week and now I love the extra space.


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





matttcg said:


> I see that we both have an Archetype stand....same one I think except mine is cherry wood. I ordered an additional shelf for it last week and now I love the extra space.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> ...


 
  Great equipment stands. I also like that adding a shelf is simple. I have the subwoofer for my Focal computer speakers on the bottom shelf.


----------



## MattTCG

Also stackable.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





asr said:


> In the span of less than a year I went from OII & BHSE, to the TH900 & GS-X MK2, to this. Hrmm, shouldn't that normally be the other way around?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Just goes to show it's all about enjoying your music, not having the most high-end rig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nevertheless, I still wanna upgrade again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but cables have provided me a method a improving the sound with smaller investments.


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is the rig in it's current form.


 
   
  It nearly looks like you're "Bi-amping" with the Decs.


----------



## Asr

Quote: 





drez said:


> You can order a BHSE and a GSX mkii in less than a year?


 
   
  Yes, you can if you plan ahead. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





dairyproduce said:


> Do you still have your stax? Or have you completely settled on the TH900 + GSX-Mk. 2?


 
   
  I sold off both previous setups - that pictured setup is all I have now (well except for a few more headphones). So I essentially went from a $10K+ electrostatic system at the beginning of the year to an "average" ~$500 dynamic headphone and portable CD player right now. (Not mentioned before was my high-end CD player, the Plinius CD-101, also now sold off.) So I gained about $9K back yet didn't lose much sonic satisfaction with my setup either.


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





longbowbbs said:


> Here is the rig in it's current form.


 
   
  It seems I keep following you.  Because I've got some upcoming changes to my rig, I've been looking into racks lately, and the Archetype is winning so far.  I've been thinking 1x 5 tier and 1x 3 tier.  They even make bookends that'll make it perfect for holding LP's.
   
  Next I'll be trading my LCD's for HD800's (not likely) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  edit: I just noticed you got a Mac Mini


----------



## ssrock64

Quote: 





asr said:


> $9K back yet didn't lose much sonic satisfaction with my setup either.


 
  I sold off about $5k in headphones (mostly dynamic flagships) and about $3k in related equipment for a setup with vintage equipment and a pair of Mad Dogs, so I can echo that sentiment.


----------



## DairyProduce

Quote: 





asr said:


> Yes, you can if you plan ahead.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  And it looks like you're going to sell of your AD2000's as well? So what headphones are you actually gonna stick with?


----------



## Dr4Bob

Great spot to listen.


----------



## Asr

Quote: 





dairyproduce said:


> And it looks like you're going to sell of your AD2000's as well? So what headphones are you actually gonna stick with?


 
   
  I'm trying to sell the AD2KX, not the regular 2K which I'm keeping.


----------



## Armaegis

Interesting. What differences do you hear between the two models?


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Hmmm... Maybe a pair of Super Zen's?.....No, No....Must not tempt myself!


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Upgrade...The 2007 has bit the dust. Nice to have Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. I like the native 1TB drive too.


----------



## olor1n

My old LCD-2 Q-Audio cable converted for use with the HD650. "Earring" adapters courtesy of Steve Eddy. Miss the HD800 and even the LCD-2 at times. Hitting play usually remedies that though.


----------



## DairyProduce

Any reason why you moved to the HD650 from the HD800 and LCD-2?


----------



## olor1n

Probably nostalgia. Owned and loved the HD650 before moving up the chain. Bought it again and purged everything to see if I could get by. I enjoy it for the most part, though it is a significant drop from the HD800. I'm definitely conscious of the HD650's limitations.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





dr4bob said:


> Great spot to listen.


 
  Looks lovely. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Got a bigger pic?


----------



## Asr

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Interesting. What differences do you hear between the two models?


 
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/631998/audio-technica-updates-their-open-headphones-ad-series-ad2000x-ad1000x-ad900x-ad700x-and-ad500x/1290#post_9663275


----------



## oblanc-usa

how, where do you guys choose/download your music? Good hardware also need great music to go with it. Just want to learn from everyone.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





oblanc-usa said:


> how, where do you guys choose/download your music? Good hardware also need great music to go with it. Just want to learn from everyone.


 
  I find that CDs are the most convenient.  You can get a high-end CD transport, or rip them to your computer in lossless.  Uncompressed 16/44.1 sounds pretty darn good to me, although, my $600 rig isn't anywhere near summit-fi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I also get songs from Beatport for lossless dance tracks, and from HD Tracks when I can, 24-bit sounds fantastic. If I need to, I go through iTunes, but it's usually only if I absolutely have to have a certain song and a CD can't be easily obtained. I've recently started collecting some vinyl too, but I don't have a turntable yet, so I'll hold off on that being my primary listening method until I actually own a vinyl rig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But even still, I don't think I'll completely switch to vinyl, given that not everything these days is released on vinyl. I'm pretty satisfied with my CDs and HD downloads.


----------



## traehekat

Quote: 





oblanc-usa said:


> how, where do you guys choose/download your music? Good hardware also need great music to go with it. Just want to learn from everyone.


 
  Yeah I just started buying CDs again. Check out some used record stores, they usually have a decent selection and often used CDs are cheaper than iTunes (and better quality). I have a couple albums from HDTracks, one of them sounds noticeably better than 16/44.1 (Fleetwood Mac - Rumours), the other doesn't sound much better (Norah Jones - Come Away With Me), so it may be hit or miss.


----------



## oblanc-usa

Thanks for the reply.
   
  How about rip from music DVD? Will that gives me better files? In 5.1?
  Or, rip sound track from Blu-Ray music disc?


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





oblanc-usa said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> How about rip from music DVD? Will that gives me better files? In 5.1?
> Or, rip sound track from Blu-Ray music disc?


 
  Yes you can do that. Most BD/DVDs have a 2.0 track embedded in them.


----------



## MrEleventy

traehekat said:


> Yeah I just started buying CDs again. Check out some used record stores, they usually have a decent selection and often used CDs are cheaper than iTunes (and better quality). I have a couple albums from HDTracks, one of them sounds noticeably better than 16/44.1 (Fleetwood Mac - Rumours), the other doesn't sound much better (Norah Jones - Come Away With Me), so it may be hit or miss.


 +1, I buy some on Amazon since they give me the mp3 rips as well which satisfies me enough until the CD get to me.


----------



## MorbidToaster

traehekat said:


> Yeah I just started buying CDs again. Check out some used record stores, they usually have a decent selection and often used CDs are cheaper than iTunes (and better quality). I have a couple albums from HDTracks, one of them sounds noticeably better than 16/44.1 (Fleetwood Mac - Rumours), the other doesn't sound much better (Norah Jones - Come Away With Me), so it may be hit or miss.




Careful with HD Tracks. Their sources are suspect for some of their stuff. Come Away With Me's CD release wasn't near as good as the SACD or any of the LP cuts. 

I'd bet the HD Tracks downloads were sourced from the CD if it doesn't specify and doesn't sound better.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> Careful with HD Tracks. Their sources are suspect for some of their stuff. Come Away With Me's CD release wasn't near as good as the SACD or any of the LP cuts.
> 
> I'd bet the HD Tracks downloads were sourced from the CD if it doesn't specify and doesn't sound better.


 
  Yeah. Actually, that Norah Jones album is just upsampled (shame on HDTracks and the SACD publisher) from the redbook causing all kinds of bad mojo. The CD is the best version. Actually, the vinyl is since i've compared both, but that's not digital.


----------



## MrEleventy

brunk said:


> Yeah. Actually, that Norah Jones album is just upsampled (shame on HDTracks and the SACD publisher) from the redbook causing all kinds of bad mojo. The CD is the best version. Actually, the vinyl is since i've compared both, but that's not digital.


 And even that has distortion unfortunately.


----------



## Sound Quest

It's important to note that some SACDs are also upsampled redbook, so be weary of the scams.


----------



## LugBug1

Unless you are using high end gear, I really wouldn't worry about 24 bit sacd copies or rips of any music. Seriously, they'll just consume your memory. Your computer will be working twice as hard to decode them and the SQ will not sound any different than 16 bit cd. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Also, if you like vinyl rips, make sure the original recording was analogue otherwise you'll be listening to a digital recording pressed to analogue then back to digital... It will sound warmer. But much duller. 
   
  This is just my experience


----------



## palmfish

Just keep in mind that the quality of the sound you hear is governed by the quality of the master. Whether its 24 bit,16 bit, or even 320 kbps MP3, its debatable whether any difference is audible (another topic for another thread). 

I personally enjoy buying used CD's from Amazon for $2 or $3 each and ripping them to FLAC. I rip DVD's too and have some downloaded music as well. I guess its my age - I just feel reassured knowing I have a physical copy buried away in case I want/need it in the future.


----------



## LugBug1

Quote: 





palmfish said:


> Just keep in mind that the quality of the sound you hear iis governed by the quality of the master. Whether its 24 bit,16 bit, or even 320 kbps MP3, its debatable whether any difference is audible (another topic for another thread).


 
  Couldn't agree more.


----------



## palmfish

Haha, it looks like about 6 of us all posted at the same tme. I also agree with the other comments above...


----------



## MorbidToaster

brunk said:


> Yeah. Actually, that Norah Jones album is just upsampled (shame on HDTracks and the SACD publisher) from the redbook causing all kinds of bad mojo. The CD is the best version. Actually, the vinyl is since i've compared both, but that's not digital.







lugbug1 said:


> Unless you are using high end gear, I really wouldn't worry about 24 bit sacd copies or rips of any music. Seriously, they'll just consume your memory. Your computer will be working twice as hard to decode them and the SQ will not sound any different than 16 bit cd.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Quality of the master is the ONLY thing that matters between formats. The digital vs analogue master debate included.

You can have a bad sounding album in either domain, and amazing sounding albums in either.

You can only really speak in broad strokes here, unfortunately. The 'broad strokes' I've generally found is this...

Generally, I find most albums touted as 'all analog' sound good. When someone takes the time and effort to specifically seek out good analog gear to work on, they usually dedicate more time to making that master better.

Beyond that you tend to get into liking one engineer over another (digital or analog). Modern mastering is a name game for me lately. If it has Steve Hoffman or Kevin Gray's name on it...chances are it kicks ass. 

The bottom line is the master. With vinyl even though a lot if modern vinyl is pressed from digital masters, a lot of that still sounds better due to someone putting more thought into fidelity with the vinyl (digital) master. 

Good recent example is the new NIN album. They recently announced it will have 2 (and actually more like 3) masters. One for CD (descibed as the 'loud' one), one 24/48 WAV (described as the 'audiophile' one), and possibly another for the vinyl cut (they originally said it'd just be the 'loud' master but then said they're doing a specific vinyl master to make it the best for that format).

I'd bet the 'audiophile' version is going to be the best to our ears. Preserved dynamics.

As for Come Away With Me? If you want the best version, get the Analog Productions LP. Why? BECAUSE THE MASTER IS BETTER. Better than the Blue Note LP, SACD, HD Tracks or redbook. I own every one. Lol.


----------



## OPR8R

This burns me up. There appears to be no easy way to find "the best" recording. To follow the perscribed methodology, one would have to buy a piece of music multiple times to decide which is best. And then you might end up with an LP, a CD, an SACD, and a hard drive full of various rips. No wonder people "download" music.


----------



## MorbidToaster

opr8r said:


> This burns me up. There appears to be no easy way to find "the best" recording. To follow the perscribed methodology, one would have to buy a piece of music multiple times to decide which is best. And then you might end up with an LP, a CD, an SACD, and a hard drive full of various rips. No wonder people "download" music.




The Steve Hoffman forums and Dynamic Range Database are excellent tools for this.

Both have saved me some money on 'trying' new releases.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





morbidtoaster said:


> The Steve Hoffman forums and Dynamic Range Database are excellent tools for this.
> 
> Both have saved me some money on 'trying' new releases.


 
  +1 they are great resources for this kind of thing.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





brunk said:


> +1 they are great resources for this kind of thing.


 
   
  plus two


----------



## ssrock64

I'm still not quite done obtaining my new gear (the Onkyo CD player is a slightly glitchy holdover until I can upgrade), but I couldn't help but post a photo of my new SX-780, which somebody actually paid me to get rid of for them. In a little while, the big desk will be gone and replaced by a small rack so I don't have to stack components, and the Missions will be on stands. In addition, I'm planning on adding some floorstanding Klipschorns pretty soon if I can gather the funds necessary for a restored or new-production Heritage set.
   
  Not pictured are the ESP950 and E90, the MDs (with the exception of its cable), a Benchmark DAC1 running bitperfect from Gmusicbrowser, a Dynaco PAT-4 that I use occasionally as a headphone amp, and an Auditor that gets so little use that I may sell it soon.
   
  Writing about my gear makes me realize just how out-of-date my profile is. Maybe I should update it sometime this week...


----------



## OPR8R

Thanks for the pluses.  I'll check Steve Hoffman and the Dynamic Range DB out.


----------



## wolfetan44

New schiit has arrived!


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> New schiit has arrived!


 

 Sweet!  Enjoy


----------



## Silent One

_Quite elegant. _Though, the language was a bit salty.


----------



## wolfetan44

Sadly, I can't listen until my headphones get balanced, next week will be HD650 and I dont know when Paradox..


----------



## OPR8R

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> Sadly, I can't listen until my headphones get balanced, next week will be HD650 and I dont know when Paradox..


 

 HD650's are gonna sound amazing out of that.


----------



## Silent One

You're getting the Senns "Balanced drive?" Great!


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





silent one said:


> You're getting the Senns "Balanced drive?" Great!


 




   
  Quote: 





opr8r said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'm hoping!


----------



## jibzilla

oblanc-usa said:


> how, where do you guys choose/download your music? Good hardware also need great music to go with it. Just want to learn from everyone.


----------



## Emospence

Quote: 





iorekbyrnison said:


> Since most of my music listening hours are clocked in my cubicle, my listening station lives there too.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!


 
  Nice keyboard


----------



## Emospence

Quote: 





khaine1711 said:


> Puny MX blues step aside
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Model M right? Sweet.
   
  Actuation force a little high for my tastes though


----------



## preproman

Depending on the type of music you all listen to.  
   
  www.itrax.com
   
  This site has some of the best downloads around.  Beats HDtracks.  Just don't have the numbers (YET).


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Depending on the type of music you all listen to.
> 
> www.itrax.com
> 
> This site has some of the best downloads around.  Beats HDtracks.  Just don't have the numbers (YET).


 
  thanks


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Depending on the type of music you all listen to.
> 
> www.itrax.com
> 
> This site has some of the best downloads around.  Beats HDtracks.  Just don't have the numbers (YET).


 
   
  This is a very promising site. The Doctor is serious about quality of music and its delivery. I've been waiting for them to grow, so we'll all have a greater selection. Despite clunky navigation around the site, a few years back I downloaded The Patrice Rushen Trio - "Piano, Bass & Drums" @ 24/96 kHz.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Yum-o!


----------



## fonzer

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> New schiit has arrived!


 
  Looks like fun!


----------



## wolfetan44

It sure is


fonzer said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > New schiit has arrived!
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> It sure is  Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Congrats Wolfie!


----------



## IorekByrnison

It's not a huge change from my last version, but I got a 1TB desktop external for the office, Previously, I was carrying a mini external 1TB to and from work every day, keeping it synced to my home machine with GoodSync. Now I have a copy of my entire collection at work, and I'm using GoodSync2Go on the drives themselves. This way, I don't have to carry anything to work at all, unless I want to bring the mini drive to act as a sync-ferry between home and work drives. It also means I now have an offsite backup, finally, for my most precious material possession of all, the data on those drives. One copy at home, one copy at the office, one portable copy. I've also got it set up so that the ferry drive mounts as Z: on both computers, and the main drive for each mounts as E: - this way, the iTunes library in its entirety can always point at E: and work the same on both computers, since they're identical to the drive letter. Anything I change on one end is reflected on the other, once synced, with zero hiccups. 
   
  Triple backups + offsite backup + effortless sync... for the first time in my life I actually feel completely safe about the music collection. 
   
  Also, this is just a plain better shot of my setup over-all.
   

   
  iTunes -> Bifrost Uber USB -> Pyst -> Valhalla -> T70


----------



## wolfetan44

Thank, bowbbs!





longbowbbs said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > It sure is
> ...


----------



## tlh1138

Quote: 





oblanc-usa said:


> how, where do you guys choose/download your music? Good hardware also need great music to go with it. Just want to learn from everyone.


 
   
  All of my music is from CD's, which I rip with iTunes using Apple Lossless Compression and the error correction option.  From there it's copied to my iPod.
   
  Terry


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

There we go! Not the best pictures ever taken, but this is my current set.


----------



## philo50

^very nice indeed.....


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Mind sending one of those Grados my way?


----------



## fonzer

Leonardo,
   
  Nice set up. It seems like that desk was perfectly made for your needs


----------



## wes008

Oh wow Leonardo, fantastic!


----------



## EuphonicArin

That is an quite epic setup you got there Mr.Leonard


leonardo drummond said:


> There we go! Not the best pictures ever taken, but this is my current set.


----------



## ssrock64

Leonardo is the guy who did the HE90/HEV90 Orpheus review a little while back, so I'm not at all surprised that his setup is so nice and clean.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Thank you very much everyone 
   
  Quote: 





ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Mind sending one of those Grados my way?


 
   
  Actually the second set (the HP1) came as a big surprise for me, because it belonged to a guy here in Brazil. And I guess most headphone oriented audiophiles participate in the local forum, so I though there were only three HP1000s in Brazil and was really surprised to find out about a fourth one. But it turns out that this really nice man had one and contacted me through my website because wanted to sell it, so I got a fantastic price for it. As much as I would love to keep both there's no reason for it atm, as I could invest the money elsewhere (W3000ANV, cough cough), but I'll probably end up selling the HP2, but locally!
   
  Quote: 





ssrock64 said:


> Leonardo is the guy who did the HE90/HEV90 Orpheus review a little while back, so I'm not at all surprised that his setup is so nice and clean.


 
   
  Thank you 
   
  I actually called this a definitive set up not a long time ago, but one does not simply stop trying new headphones... so I ended up replacing a few things


----------



## Currawong

Guys, please stay on topic. Thanks.


----------



## Velourears

WOW nice


----------



## telecaster

Emotiva, headamp, lots of cans and head fi webpage as your start browser... You've been head fied!


----------



## Annafrancesca

taken 15 minutes ago:
   
   
   

  13" MBP Running Amarra
  Alo Audio Panam - Running through the supplied Wallwart as I will be traveling - I find the Gateway will make everything too bulky
  LCD2 Rev 2 - Bamboo
  HE-500
   
  I used to like the HE500 quite a bit more with my other amp, now the LCD2 is taking the spotlight with a wider soundstage and more clarity and impact due to the Whiplash TWAG V3 and works amazingly well with the Panam.


----------



## jasonb

cheap old hp laptop --> ODAC --> Vintage (1976 or 1977) Pioneer SX-750 --> AKG Q701..... I just recently upgraded from the E17 to the ODAC. Huge improvement. 
   
  For $400, excluding the laptop it is an absolute kill setup. It's honestly the best sounding thing I've heard. 
   
  Q701: $240 - brand new
  ODAC: $120 - new, but open box
  SX-750: $40 - obviously used, but in great condition. A little bit of DeoxIT and it was good to go. Not exactly sure of it's history, but it's very clean and sounds perfect.


----------



## snapple10

In respond to a friend's
   
  My touche pic of Bob Marley in concert 
   
  She went to a Steel Pulse, Wailers and Tribal Seeds concert


----------



## h.rav

These are what I have been using for a while.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





snapple10 said:


> In respond to a friend's
> 
> My touche pic of Bob Marley in concert
> 
> She went to a Steel Pulse, Wailers and Tribal Seeds concert


 
   
  oooh ZDT!  looks nice, are those the T1's plugged into it?
   
  also like how the HD 600 looks in the corner


----------



## snapple10

Yes, was testing the T1with it
Just do not ask me to describe the sound


----------



## ApplesRevenge

Quote: 





jasonb said:


> Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looks good.
  I've got my eye on an old amp belonging to my folks. Older amps are great value for performance.
  Did you have to do any maintenance?


----------



## Eee Pee

Mac > Airport Express > Theta Cobalt > Mjolnir > HD 600
   
   

   
  Es goot sounds.


----------



## BrownBear

Wow these setups are really nice. I love that Pioneer receiver posted earlier. Very nice. I really need to get my setup organized better.


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





eee pee said:


> Mac > Airport Express > Theta Cobalt > Mjolnir > HD 600
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I'll bet!  Too clean looking, though.  I'm a messy kind of guy.


----------



## Oregonian

My most used station.  A recliner sits right next to this and the equipment is basically out of sight of the wife.   It's a Kenwood KA-5700 integrated amp from 1978 feeding into a Kenwood EQ, fed by either the iPhone 4 you see in the second picture or the Yamaha CD player that's sitting on top of the Kenwood.  Wife approval rating is high as all she cared about is NOT ON TOP OF THE TABLE.  Mission accomplished.  All controls easily reached while sitting in the "Archie Bunker recliner" as she calls it.  I call it comfort.


----------



## OPR8R

oregonian said:


> My most used station.  A recliner sits right next to this and the equipment is basically out of sight of the wife.   It's a Kenwood KA-5700 integrated amp from 1978 feeding into a Kenwood EQ, fed by either the iPhone 4 you see in the second picture or the Yamaha CD player that's sitting on top of the Kenwood.  Wife approval rating is high as all she cared about is NOT ON TOP OF THE TABLE.  Mission accomplished.  All controls easily reached while sitting in the "Archie Bunker recliner" as she calls it.  I call it comfort.


 
  
 I hope that if I ever get married (doubtful at this point), she appreciates music as much as I do.  If that doesn't work, I'll have a mancubby like this.  Nice.


----------



## autoteleology

I'm surprised that so many of you have antagonistic relationships with your significant other in terms of this hobby.
  
 If I had a significant other who gave me half as much grief as I've read in posts here, I'd tell them to go bang rocks together or get out of my house.


----------



## ssrock64

oregonian said:


> My most used station.  A recliner sits right next to this and the equipment is basically out of sight of the wife.   It's a Kenwood KA-5700 integrated amp from 1978 feeding into a Kenwood EQ, fed by either the iPhone 4 you see in the second picture or the Yamaha CD player that's sitting on top of the Kenwood.  Wife approval rating is high as all she cared about is NOT ON TOP OF THE TABLE.  Mission accomplished.  All controls easily reached while sitting in the "Archie Bunker recliner" as she calls it.  I call it comfort.


 
 Are those Alpha Pads on your Ultrasone, or what?


----------



## Oregonian

ssrock64 said:


> Are those Alpha Pads on your Ultrasone, or what?




Yes they are! Got the idea from someone who had done it with J$ pads. Was fun, a challenge and sound great with great comfort.

And if I gave the impression my wife and I are at odds over audio in general, we are not. All she asked is keep it off the top of the table, a reasonable request. I have three other systems in the house and no complaints. 

She does think I listen to my headphones to not listen to her..........and she's right at times. After 25 years of marriage, I don't want to hear her at times, and she doesn't want to hear me at times. That's how life is folks. We have a great marriage and part of the secret to our success is time to yourself.


----------



## wolfetan44

Talking about 25 years together, September 10th is my parents 25th anniversary!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

tus-chan said:


> I'm surprised that so many of you have antagonistic relationships with your significant other in terms of this hobby.
> 
> If I had a significant other who gave me half as much grief as I've read in posts here, I'd tell them to go bang rocks together or get out of my house.



my ex-girlfriend broke my old LOD cable for my FiiO amp. She did enjoy listening to my Sennheisers though.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

tus-chan said:


> I'm surprised that so many of you have antagonistic relationships with your significant other in terms of this hobby.
> 
> If I had a significant other who gave me half as much grief as I've read in posts here, I'd tell them to go bang rocks together or get out of my house.


 
  
 While I would tend to agree with you on this(which I think may be a first on that front), I think most on this site would wish us luck finding a significant other


----------



## parbaked

ssrock64 said:


> Are those Alpha Pads on your Ultrasone, or what?


 
 I think it's Tus-Chan who's wearing the Alpha-Pads!


----------



## Emospence

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> my ex-girlfriend broke my old LOD cable for my FiiO amp. She did enjoy listening to my Sennheisers though.


 
 That's why she's ex, isn't she?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

emospence said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > my ex-girlfriend broke my old LOD cable for my FiiO amp. She did enjoy listening to my Sennheisers though.
> ...



No....


----------



## ssrock64

My SO is fairly receptive to the hobby; she's bought an M50 and an RE-400 for herself based on my advice. She'll never be as dedicated to it as I am, but at least she understands.


----------



## DefQon

Just get her an Orpheus or SR 009 and she should be set.


----------



## MattTCG

oregonian said:


> Yes they are! Got the idea from someone who had done it with J$ pads. Was fun, a challenge and sound great with great comfort.
> 
> And if I gave the impression my wife and I are at odds over audio in general, we are not. All she asked is keep it off the top of the table, a reasonable request. I have three other systems in the house and no complaints.
> 
> She does think I listen to my headphones to not listen to her..........and she's right at times. After 25 years of marriage, I don't want to hear her at times, and she doesn't want to hear me at times. That's how life is folks. We have a great marriage and part of the secret to our success is time to yourself.


 
  
 Sounds very similar to how it works in my house as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






wolfetan44 said:


> Talking about 25 years together, September 10th is my parents 25th anniversary!


 
  
 Congrats to them!! I would love to see more couples committed to working out problems and staying together and cut down on the divorce rate, especially when there are children involved.


----------



## hifimanrookie

tus-chan said:


> I'm surprised that so many of you have antagonistic relationships with your significant other in terms of this hobby.
> 
> If I had a significant other who gave me half as much grief as I've read in posts here, I'd tell them to go bang rocks together or get out of my house.



Its not that bad..we just have to be carefull not to tell her/him everything..thats all...and u know what they say..keep ur enemy's close..hehehehe 
Until now i have to find a woman that agrees in spending more then 1000usd (if she is not rich ofcourse!) for a component..but on the contrary most of them find it normal to buy a 400usd worth of bag or 250usd worth os shoes (on sale ofcourse..lolz).... I once had a extreme car fetish before i became a dad..and i spent at least 2000usd monthly on my cars back then... And until now..only girls who were actively driving on tracks would consider that acceptable...as they understood why u do it..most dont..one even asked why i spent so much money on a japanese car instead of buying a fast audi or beemer for same price..one even said she preferred the prius!!....the thought alone...the horror..having something all those salesreps use for their day to day business...Hehehehe

One even broke up with me when she found out i actually had bought a plus 1000euro titanium exhaust on my car...couldnt hide that..as the noise got a bit..well..agressive all of a sudden..lolz.

We just have to accept women think differently (dubstepgirl?i know ur different!) then us simple minded men...

so we lie..but i think its better to lie about cars,pc's or audio then about having an affair/secret offspring etc. and spending money on that..lolz


----------



## LugBug1

hifimanrookie said:


> Its not that bad..we just have to be carefull not to tell her/him everything..thats all...and u know what they say..keep ur enemy's close..hehehehe
> Until now i have to find a woman that agrees in spending more then 1000usd (if she is not rich ofcourse!) for a component..but on the contrary most of them find it normal to buy a 400usd worth of bag or 250usd worth os shoes (on sale ofcourse..lolz).... I once had a extreme car fetish before i became a dad..and i spent at least 2000usd monthly on my cars back then... And until now..only girls who were actively driving on tracks would consider that acceptable...as they understood why u do it..most dont..one even asked why i spent so much money on a japanese car instead of buying a fast audi or beemer for same price..one even said she preferred the prius!!....the thought alone...the horror..having something all those salesreps use for their day to day business...Hehehehe
> 
> One even broke up with me when she found out i actually had bought a plus 1000euro titanium exhaust on my car...couldnt hide that..as the noise got a bit..well..agressive all of a sudden..lolz.
> ...


 
 Thats a good point, and at least they know where we are when we are playing with our amplifier knobs...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

This is still totally on topic, right?
  
 On a note of spouses, I thought I would add this to it all.  I ordered a Bottlehead Crack on the weekend.  I was unsure if it was the right amp for me, but it has lots of great reviews so I thought, what the heck.  Go for it.  After a little buyers remorse I decided to bounce my situation off my wife.  She looked at me square in the eye and said, "Why are you fussing with the less expensive amp when you know you'll end up getting the more expensive one down the road.  Just get the good one."
  
 I'm placing my order for my Sonett 2 later this week.
  
 We support each other's crazy hobbies (she has weird ones too) because it makes the other person happy.  That's been our attitude and it has worked well for us.  We celebrated our tenth anniversary last month (I know, it ain't no 25, but give us time
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).


----------



## hifimanrookie

bigfatpaulie said:


> This is still totally on topic, right?
> 
> On a note of spouses, I thought I would add this to it all.  I ordered a Bottlehead Crack on the weekend.  I was unsure if it was the right amp for me, but it has lots of great reviews so I thought, what the heck.  Go for it.  After a little buyers remorse I decided to bounce my situation off my wife.  She looked at me square in the eye and said, "Why are you fussing with the less expensive amp when you know you'll end up getting the more expensive one down the road.  Just get the good one."
> 
> ...



As long her hobby doesnt concern weapons or any other dangerous stuff..cherish her.. 

and celebrations for u..up to the next 10!

And yep..i get a feeling we are a bit offtopic now.so back on it guys and girls..we Had our fun about the wifes/girlfriends etc...lolz


----------



## DefQon

Currawong is gonna crack the schiits at all the off-topic posts.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

^ Oh my gosh I am so jealous.... 

The girl in going after right now has a HTC One, and says it was a phone 'made for audio'


----------



## parbaked

Please we need to transition back on topic so my girl (woman really) listening to my office head-fi rig...


----------



## mazzelectra

parbaked said:


> Please we need to transition back on topic so my girl (woman really) listening to my office head-fi rig...


 
 Love this! Thanks for sharing this moment - well captured 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Everything about your setup seems like a wonderful haven. Could you please share some info about your shelving/LP boxes?


----------



## hifimanrookie

parbaked said:


> Please we need to transition back on topic so my girl (woman really) listening to my office head-fi rig...


 
 yep...pic is very well thought out and well made...and funny is..while looking at this pic with ur girlfriend listening to analog LP it just hit me..... i never ever listened to my lp player through headphones ever...was that a miss?..i never thought it was but now i am wondering


----------



## Oregonian

hifimanrookie said:


> yep...pic is very well thought out and well made...and funny is..while looking at this pic with ur girlfriend listening to analog LP it just hit me..... i never ever listened to my lp player through headphones ever...was that a miss?..i never thought it was but now i am wondering


 
 Yep, sounds wonderful with a clean LP.


----------



## Redcarmoose

parbaked said:


> Please we need to transition back on topic so my girl (woman really) listening to my office head-fi rig...


 
 I could never get my Wife to listen for more than three seconds.


----------



## Advil

It's not much but I'm happy for a college student 
 Macbook pro -> Fiio E17 -> L7 dock for line-out -> little dot II++ -> Q701 
 sometimes i listen to my m50 with the tubes and it actualy sounds awesome. I almost never amp my portapro KTC's.


----------



## jibzilla

hifimanrookie said:


> yep...pic is very well thought out and well made...and funny is..while looking at this pic with ur girlfriend listening to analog LP it just hit me..... i never ever listened to my lp player through headphones ever...was that a miss?..i never thought it was but now i am wondering


----------



## hifimanrookie

jibzilla said:


> Yes sorry but that was a big miss. What kind of turntable do you have?



A sl 1200mkII.. I sold it though long time ago when i bought my luxman d105u cdplayer..
Stupid me


----------



## jibzilla

hifimanrookie said:


> A sl 1200mkII.. I sold it though long time ago when i bought my luxman d105u cdplayer..
> Stupid me


----------



## LugBug1

Been quite a lack of pics recently so heres my latest vintage amp for viewing. Pioneer SA-508


----------



## magiccabbage

lugbug1 said:


> Been quite a lack of pics recently so heres my latest vintage amp for viewing. Pioneer SA-508


 
 so nice!


----------



## LugBug1

^^ Cheers bud!


----------



## hifimanrookie

lugbug1 said:


> Been quite a lack of pics recently so heres my latest vintage amp for viewing. Pioneer SA-508



I love the granite plate under the laptop..did it improve anything in ur soundquality?


----------



## hifimanrookie

jibzilla said:


> Dang those technics are a pretty penny now. The project debut 3 are decently priced and good build quality. I would recommend that table over the rega rp1 and probably any other table under $500. However if you got some big dollars to spend it's hard to beat the higher end rega's. Do you still have your record collection?



Yes i have part of my collection..most of it is 80ties music..but its stashed in my old folks house...dont even know where..


----------



## LugBug1

hifimanrookie said:


> I love the granite plate under the laptop..did it improve anything in ur soundquality?


 
 It's to stop the computer overheating because thats a glass shelf, and most vintage amps give off a good amount of heat especially if they have lights.


----------



## khaine1711

Slow day with M&M, my newly acquired Vintage Dt990 and my triple Tung-sol tubes


----------



## thenorwegian

My "nr.2" head-fi station: at my desk. Bought a heed canamp on the strenght of the heed canalot in my "nr.1" head-fi station.


----------



## palmfish

hifimanrookie said:


> I love the granite plate under the laptop..did it improve anything in ur soundquality?




Oh yes! Granite is well known to inbue a backer background, more air between instruments, a deeper 3D soundstage and much more micro-detail retrieval....lol.


----------



## longbowbbs

khaine1711 said:


> Slow day with M&M, my newly acquired Vintage Dt990 and my triple Tung-sol tubes


 
 That is a happy picture....A nice way to spend the day!


----------



## Greed

thenorwegian said:


> My "nr.2" head-fi station: at my desk. Bought a heed canamp on the strenght of the heed canalot in my "nr.1" head-fi station.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Damn... you take some incredible photos. Very nice shot.


----------



## ssrock64

greed said:


> Damn... you take some incredible photos. Very nice shot.


 
  
 I second that. It's very nearly as good as a Loevhagen shot.


----------



## wes008

palmfish said:


> Oh yes! Granite is well known to inbue a blacker background, more air between instruments, a deeper 3D soundstage and much more micro-detail retrieval....lol.


 
 Ah dude, don't give me the idea  I know you were joking, but... I might just run down to the home improvement store and check out some granite slabs.


----------



## parbaked

wes008 said:


> Ah dude, don't give me the idea  I know you were joking, but... I might just run down to the home improvement store and check out some granite slabs.


 
  
 Checking them out is fine to do....it's dragging them home where the problems start


----------



## palmfish

parbaked said:


> Checking them out is fine to do....it's dragging them home where the problems start




So true...for so many things in life


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


> Checking them out is fine to do....it's dragging them home where the problems start


 
  
 ^^^ thats how I met my wife :/


----------



## palmfish

lugbug1 said:


> ^^^ thats how I met my wife :/




Ah, a "glass is half full" kind of guy! Good for you.


----------



## LugBug1

palmfish said:


> Ah, a "glass is half full" kind of guy! Good for you.


 
  
 As long as its Whiskey..


----------



## OPR8R

New gear day.  The two on the left are what's new, a Decware CSP3+ preamp and ZP3 phonostage.


----------



## LugBug1

^^^^ Wowza!


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Sha...BAM!! Holy smokes, can you loan one out?


----------



## OPR8R

lugbug1 said:


> ^^^^ Wowza!


 
  
  


matttcg said:


> ^^ Sha...BAM!! Holy smokes, can you loan one out?


 
  
 Thanks, guys.  Twas a long wait so I'm not eager to loan


----------



## LugBug1

matttcg said:


> ^^ Sha...BAM!! Holy smokes, can you loan one out?


 
  
 nevermind that. Get back to your Model 8!


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





opr8r said:


> New gear day.  The two on the left are what's new, a Decware CSP3+ preamp and ZP3 phonostage.


 
  
 drool


----------



## OPR8R

jibzilla said:


> Oper8tor that is bad ass.


 
  
  


zashoomin said:


> drool


 
  
 Thank you, thank you.  It really pushed the limits of my patience waiting for this stuff.


----------



## wolfetan44

lugbug1 said:


> ^^^^ Wowza!


 
  
 ^^


----------



## gbremer

jasonb said:


> cheap old hp laptop --> ODAC --> Vintage (1976 or 1977) Pioneer SX-750 --> AKG Q701..... I just recently upgraded from the E17 to the ODAC. Huge improvement.
> 
> For $400, excluding the laptop it is an absolute kill setup. It's honestly the best sounding thing I've heard.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I had that amp once upon a time! That thing is awesome. Now I feel like jumping on the bay to find one


----------



## gbremer

opr8r said:


> New gear day.  The two on the left are what's new, a Decware CSP3+ preamp and ZP3 phonostage.


 
  
 Wow! That's an awesome setup!


----------



## Silent One

lugbug1 said:


> ^^^^ Wowza!


 
  




 +1 Wowza!!!


----------



## jasonb

Yes it is. I really can't imagine anything making headphones sound any better, at least nothing anywhere near the price. 
  
 Quote:


gbremer said:


> I had that amp once upon a time! That thing is awesome. Now I feel like jumping on the bay to find one


----------



## johnp9723

Heres mine. I'm a total noob. I just got the HE-500's yesterday and the Schiit audio stuff today.


----------



## LugBug1

johnp9723 said:


> Heres mine. I'm a total noob. I just got the HE-500's yesterday and the Schiit audio stuff today.


 
 That's a great little set up you've got there. The Magni is a good match for the HE500 also.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Magni...


----------



## johnp9723

dubstep girl said:


> Magni...


 
  


lugbug1 said:


> That's a great little set up you've got there. The Magni is a good match for the HE500 also.


 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice little setup.  The HE500 is an awesome HP.  Enjoy!!
 Quote:


johnp9723 said:


> Heres mine. I'm a total noob. I just got the HE-500's yesterday and the Schiit audio stuff today.


----------



## ethan7000

johnp9723 said:


> Heres mine. I'm a total noob. I just got the HE-500's yesterday and the Schiit audio stuff today.



How are you liking it?


----------



## pelli

Here is the current state of the bedside rig.  My GF may not be too stoked about the second vintage amp I snuck in this morning while she was at the gym.  She has been VERY tolerant of my obsession, but there are limits...


----------



## LugBug1

pelli said:


> Here is the current state of the bedside rig.  My GF may not be too stoked about the second vintage amp I snuck in this morning while she was at the gym.  She has been VERY tolerant of my obsession, but there are limits...


 
 Thats a very elegant rig, shes got nothing to complain about there! 
  
 How does your vintage stuff fair against your Mjolnir?


----------



## magiccabbage

I thought the schiit was a gsx.


----------



## pelli

lugbug1 said:


> Thats a very elegant rig, shes got nothing to complain about there!
> 
> How does your vintage stuff fair against your Mjolnir?


 
  
 Your right!  This was the conversation when she got home:
  
  
 Me:  "I'm surprised you haven't commented on the new addition to the bedroom."
  
 GF:  "I didn't even notice"
  
 Me:  "I added another amp to my rack."
  
 GF:  "I don't care what you do with your rack."
  
 Me:  "That's good because I posted pictures of it online."
  
 GF:  "Just as long as you don't post pictures of mine..."
  
  
 As far as the vintage gear is concerned, the Kenwood is my favorite amp I have ever heard with my HD-650.  It compliments the smooth signature that I love.  The Schit blows the others out of the water with the LCD-2.  The Akai sounds good, but doesn't get much use and the Optonica pairs really well with my Klipsch kg 3.5s.


----------



## LugBug1

pelli said:


> Your right!  This was the conversation when she got home:
> 
> 
> Me:  "I'm surprised you haven't commented on the new addition to the bedroom."
> ...


 
 Hahaha she's got a good sense of humour! 
  
 I still haven't tried a kenwood/trio yet. Its on my to do list...


----------



## MickeyVee

I got a similar reaction last night.  My wife came home after shopping and I dragged her upstairs to my office to see the new Woo WA7 I just picked up from the Post Office.  All I got was "You dragged me up here just to see that?" Turned and walked away. Whew.. i'm good for now.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


pelli said:


> Your right!  This was the conversation when she got home:
> 
> 
> Me:  "I'm surprised you haven't commented on the new addition to the bedroom."
> ...


----------



## GrindingThud

Good thing you did not tell her what it cost....


----------



## LugBug1

Oh, he will have. $79.99 but he got it for $50 in the sale


----------



## MickeyVee

She saw that the Bifrost/Lyr was gone.. "Upgrading again?" Rhetorical question.  She's a doll and lets me indulge within reason. Guess I shouldn't tell her about the new Canon D70 I picked up today
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Traded in some stuff to get it so she won't notice. Pics coming soon with the D70 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Quote:


grindingthud said:


> Good thing you did not tell her what it cost....


----------



## Oregonian

lugbug1 said:


> Oh, he will have. $79.99 but he got it for $50 in the sale


 
 This...............is....................too.................funny.  Mostly because I use this type of misinformation.


----------



## Zashoomin

Alright so about 90% of my rig is now done.  I am still in the process of building a USB and interconnect cable but other than that I don't this will change at least in the next two months


----------



## MrEleventy

lugbug1 said:


> Oh, he will have. $79.99 but he got it for $50 in the sale


+1, I use that one or "I got it in a trade" (my cash for his stuff)


----------



## hifimanrookie

mreleventy said:


> +1, I use that one or "I got it in a trade" (my cash for his stuff)



+1 i use the same lines since i am married..and thats 15 years since 5 june this year ... I think its our defense mechanism kicking in...

And hooray..this is the 15000th post on this thread..well done guys!! And girls ofcourse..


----------



## Dubstep Girl

hifimanrookie said:


> +1 i use the same lines since i am married..and thats 15 years since 5 june this year
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## widdyjudas

Update for my simple and cheap headphones. Just sold my He400 and bought the Philips Fidelio X1 for 296 usd. Fiio E17 somewhere below the laptop cooler...


 Sound wise, bit too much bass and not enough treble. Hope it improves with change cables and burn in, or maybe I'm just used to HE400 sound signature... Bit regret I didn't take the Audio Technica AD1000X for 350usd, but that must wait for another year or two...


----------



## sp3llv3xit

Thanks to advice from Dubstep Girl, I am now getting serious about building my desktop rig.  Hope to add a mosfet amp soon...


----------



## johnp9723

ethan7000 said:


> How are you liking it?


 
  


mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Thanks Mickey.
  
 Ethan, I'm liking it a lot. This is the sound i wanted when i bought my SR 80i's and thought they sounded good which they still do but they aren't even close to the HE-500's especially since i have an amp and dac now to drive them.


----------



## MickeyVee

Well, here she be.. latest and greatest pic with the new WA7 and Q Silk Cable for the HD800. My office system taking up very little space on the corner of my desk..
 And it sounds pretty amazing too!


----------



## philo50

^very nice indeed


----------



## wolfetan44

philo50 said:


> ^very nice indeed


+1000!


----------



## brunk

sp3llv3xit said:


> Thanks to advice from Dubstep Girl, I am now getting serious about building my desktop rig.  Hope to add a mosfet amp soon...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 What mosfet amps are you looking at? I'm currently in the process of building a First Watt F5 clone for my HE-6 and im going to tinker with an impedance box for the HD-800s....


----------



## sp3llv3xit

brunk said:


> What mosfet amps are you looking at? I'm currently in the process of building a First Watt F5 clone for my HE-6 and im going to tinker with an impedance box for the HD-800s....


 
  
 Hahaha... Sorry. I know very nothing beyond the fact that they are called mosfet and that they employ Class A amps. My uncle will be building it for me.


----------



## White Lotus

Current bedside table experiment setup.. Pretty messy. Big cleanup tomorrow. 

 (EQ has been reset. Was playing around with it)


----------



## palmfish

mickeyvee said:


> Well, here she be.. latest and greatest pic with the new WA7 and Q Silk Cable for the HD800. My office system taking up very little space on the corner of my desk..
> And it sounds pretty amazing too!




Sure is a good looking setup! Very elegant and sleek.

What are your general impressions? Ive demoed it a couple times and thought it was very "neutral solid state" sounding. Rather unremarkable actually (which is a good thing for an amp IMO).


----------



## Oregonian

white lotus said:


> Current bedside table experiment setup.. Pretty messy. Big cleanup tomorrow.
> 
> 
> (EQ has been reset. Was playing around with it)




What are those gorgeous headphones????


----------



## White Lotus

oregonian said:


> What are those gorgeous headphones????


 
  

 The Fischer FA003 (Also known as BRAINWAVZ HM5, Jaycar pro monitor, few others)

 But I've also added the handmade russian zebrano woodcups.


----------



## ssrock64

white lotus said:


> Current bedside table experiment setup.. Pretty messy. Big cleanup tomorrow.


 
 Any comparisons between the FA-002W and others?


----------



## White Lotus

ssrock64 said:


> Any comparisons between the FA-002W and others?


 
  
 The wood gave a slight lift to the mid-bass, but I definitely still consider this can to be flat-as-anything sort of material. From the way it looks, you'd almost wish it were a more "fun" sounding can, but I guess at time I can be a little bit of a basshead. 

 I personally love the mids, mid-highs and highs. It wipes the absolute floor with the M50 (without wood, these are in the same price range, haha!)

 I consider them to be great value for money. Some of the best cans I own, by far. Lush and engaging. And I can't stop looking!


----------



## deadie

UE10 & LCD-2 splitting time with M8


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks! Yup, general impressions are about the same.  That was exactly my thoughts after about 4 hours when it smoothed out.  My Lyr sounded somewhat tubey and the WA7 is more refined and detailed without the lushness.  I recently had a chance to listen to the CSP 2+ and really liked the sound.  Wish I had more time with it. Was hoping that the WA7 was somewhere between the CSP and SS. Even more SS sounding with the EH tubes so I'm thinking the Sovtek tubes may do it for me. Really liking it so far. 
  
 Quote:


palmfish said:


> Sure is a good looking setup! Very elegant and sleek.
> 
> What are your general impressions? Ive demoed it a couple times and thought it was very "neutral solid state" sounding. Rather unremarkable actually (which is a good thing for an amp IMO).


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice! I don't think I'd get any sleep if I had a really good bedside rig.  
 Quote:


white lotus said:


> Current bedside table experiment setup.. Pretty messy. Big cleanup tomorrow.
> 
> (EQ has been reset. Was playing around with it)


----------



## longbowbbs

opr8r said:


> New gear day.  The two on the left are what's new, a Decware CSP3+ preamp and ZP3 phonostage.


 
  
 I come back from a couple days of camping and look what I find!!! Fantastic! I know you are enjoying the family OPR8R....


----------



## longbowbbs

mickeyvee said:


> Well, here she be.. latest and greatest pic with the new WA7 and Q Silk Cable for the HD800. My office system taking up very little space on the corner of my desk..
> And it sounds pretty amazing too!


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 Sweet MV! It has been fun watching your journey.


----------



## HiFive

I've been lurking on this site for quite a while. Here is a pic of my bedside rig:



The HD650 is driven by an old X-Can v2 with some nice Siemens tubes. The Squeezebox touch gets FLACs in normal and hi res from my NAS (I have two more SB's elsewhere in the house). The Marantz SA KI Pearl lite is used as a DAC by the SB, and of course for playing SACDs. (In the hp out of the SACD player an ATH-M50 is connected, useful for listening when my wife is on the room, or for connecting to the iPad to watch some Netflix.)


----------



## OPR8R

longbowbbs said:


> I come back from a couple days of camping and look what I find!!! Fantastic! I know you are enjoying the family OPR8R....


 
 Thanks.  Still have a few more nights of break-in, but I'm pretty happy so far.


----------



## Armaegis

Sennheiser PX100-ii with a CEntrance Dacmini PX... because pairing a $50 headphone with a $1k amp is what we do around here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Sitting in between is my Focusrite VRMbox, which is actually a pretty nice little amp and speaker/room simulator rolled together.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> Sennheiser PX100-ii with a CEntrance Dacmini PX... because pairing a $50 headphone with a $1k amp is what we do around here
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Better than a 1000 dollar can on a 50 buck amp
  
 Where did you get the focusrite?


----------



## parbaked

hutnicks said:


> Better than a 1000 dollar can on a 50 buck amp


 
_"I don't need no stinkin' amp for my $$$$ cans!"_
 - Joe Grado -


----------



## Magicman74

parbaked said:


> _"I don't need no stinkin' amp for my $$$$ cans!"_
> - Joe Grado -


 
 C'mon you forgot the Unboxing!!


----------



## Armaegis

hutnicks said:


> Better than a 1000 dollar can on a 50 buck amp
> 
> Where did you get the focusrite?


 
  
 The Focusrite VRMbox is part of the "pro audio" world, so it should be readily available at any music shop/guitar centre/etc. I don't even remember where I got mine from (think it might have been part of a trade a long time ago), but I know Long & McQuade carries them for something like $99.
  
 I actually really like the PX100-ii paired with the VRMbox. It's obviously not super resolving and it's a bit thick in the bottom end, but it's groovy


----------



## LugBug1

hifive said:


> I've been lurking on this site for quite a while. Here is a pic of my bedside rig:
> 
> 
> 
> The HD650 is driven by an old X-Can v2 with some nice Siemens tubes. The Squeezebox touch gets FLACs in normal and hi res from my NAS (I have two more SB's elsewhere in the house). The Marantz SA KI Pearl lite is used as a DAC by the SB, and of course for playing SACDs. (In the hp out of the SACD player an ATH-M50 is connected, useful for listening when my wife is on the room, or for connecting to the iPad to watch some Netflix.)


 
  
 Weclome to head-fi! 
  
 Thats a classic set up you've got there with the Xcan and 650's.


----------



## Sorrodje

The last iteration of My Head-fi station and first pic here ! 
  
 HD800 / Ultrasone Signature pro
 Antique sound labs MG Head ( NOS Siemens 12AX7 and soon a pair of NOS TElefunken EL84) / Meier Corda Jazz 
 Unvisible but there lost behind amps : HRT Microstreamer as DAC.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> The Focusrite VRMbox is part of the "pro audio" world, so it should be readily available at any music shop/guitar centre/etc. I don't even remember where I got mine from (think it might have been part of a trade a long time ago), but I know Long & McQuade carries them for something like $99.
> 
> I actually really like the PX100-ii paired with the VRMbox. It's obviously not super resolving and it's a bit thick in the bottom end, but it's groovy


 
 Did a quick search and it was surprisingly absent from hits in Canadian Vendors. I'll have to do a direct LM site search. I have the 200 and its NC brother so It may be worth a whirl.


----------



## Hutnicks

parbaked said:


> _"I don't need no stinkin' amp for my $$$$ cans!"_
> - Joe Grado -


 
  
  
 I always suspected Joe had a little too much aluminum in his diet


----------



## Quinto

Fell in love with the combi Grado GS1000 - Grace M902 again..
  
 Classical piano/chamber and Jazz trio's sound magic


----------



## pelli

quinto said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 What are you running off that Marantz?


----------



## Quinto

Harbeth SHL5


----------



## Vidmaven

quinto said:


> Harbeth SHL5


 
 Nice


----------



## LugBug1

quinto said:


> Fell in love with the combi Grado GS1000 - Grace M902 again..
> 
> Classical piano/chamber and Jazz trio's sound magic


 
 Really nice space and gear.


----------



## Armaegis

hutnicks said:


> Did a quick search and it was surprisingly absent from hits in Canadian Vendors. I'll have to do a direct LM site search. I have the 200 and its NC brother so It may be worth a whirl.


 
  
 http://www.long-mcquade.com/?page=search&SearchTxt=focusrite&x=0&y=0
 http://www.axemusic.com/store/product/28798/Focusrite-VRM-BOX-USB-Headphone-Mixing-Interface-and-Software-System-featuring-Virtual-Reference-Monitoring-Technology/


----------



## MattTCG

quinto said:


> Harbeth SHL5


 
  
 Looks really nice!! I've always wanted to hear the Harbeth's.


----------



## Quinto

Thanks, Harbeth speakers sure are worth a listen, they have a real life like sound which I adore.. but be warned, you'll be restless untill you own them..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I know I was.
  
  
  
  
  
 Not the best for electronic bass oriented stuff though..


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> http://www.long-mcquade.com/?page=search&SearchTxt=focusrite&x=0&y=0
> http://www.axemusic.com/store/product/28798/Focusrite-VRM-BOX-USB-Headphone-Mixing-Interface-and-Software-System-featuring-Virtual-Reference-Monitoring-Technology/


 
  
 Yes Thanks. I got to the L&M site last night. Need to pop round to the local and have a boo. Have you opened this up yet?  Curious as to the op amp implementation


----------



## Armaegis

Y'know, I've never even thought about opening it up. I'll try to remember to crack it open next time I have a chance.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> Y'know, I've never even thought about opening it up. I'll try to remember to crack it open next time I have a chance.


 
 EEEK,  You're going to have to surrender your title if you don't


----------



## Eee Pee

bbophead said:


> Too clean looking, though.


 
  
  
 Better?


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice setup! Really love the mew Marantz stuff.  Have a soft sport for Marantz as it was my real first receiver in the late 70's.  Thinking about setting up a 2CH system in the basement.  Will probably go Marantz integrated with some Martin Logan Electro Motion ESL's .  Heard wonderful things about the Grace.  Very nice system and room indeed!
  
 Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Quinto* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MorbidToaster

quinto said:


> Thanks, Harbeth speakers sure are worth a listen, they have a real life like sound which I adore.. but be warned, you'll be restless untill you own them..
> 
> I know I was.
> 
> ...




...they're fantastic for bass oriented stuff. The mid bass hump is perfect for most electronic music.


----------



## Armaegis

hutnicks said:


> EEEK,  You're going to have to surrender your title if you don't


 
  
 Hey, cracking open headphones and mucking around with them is easy. Commercial amps are a bit tougher... I wouldn't be surprised if it used some kind of integrated chip in there or was all soic stuff (ugh I hate soldering smt stuff).
  
 And just to stay on topic, here's a pic of current messy desktop...
  
 edit: or the image uploader is being buggy. I'll try again later.


----------



## calipilot227

hutnicks said:


> Better than a 1000 dollar can on a 50 buck amp


 
  
 I always shared my grandfather's philosophy; "If your speakers [headphones] suck, it doesn't matter how good your amp is."


----------



## Quinto

morbidtoaster said:


> ...they're fantastic for bass oriented stuff. The mid bass hump is perfect for most electronic music.


 
 O Ok, _I never listen to that stuff so you might_ be right haha


----------



## Currawong

quinto said:


> Thanks, Harbeth speakers sure are worth a listen, they have a real life like sound which I adore.. but be warned, you'll be restless untill you own them..


 
  
 My last audition of the ES7s out of a Luxman amp didn't sound so great. Very detailed (the K01 feeding the Luxman helped a lot with that) but a bit too much in the mids. I liked the KEF LS50s better.
  
 Anyhow, I'm running out of rack space today. Unfortunately it will be half cleared out of the best bits next month.


----------



## DefQon

Very nice and clean there Amos, you need some HPS-2 stands for those Stax to apply the finishing touches.


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## Quinto

currawong said:


> My last audition of the ES7s out of a Luxman amp didn't sound so great. Very detailed (the K01 feeding the Luxman helped a lot with that) but a bit too much in the mids. I liked the KEF LS50s better.
> 
> Anyhow, I'm running out of rack space today. Unfortunately it will be half cleared out of the best bits next month.


 
 N I C E


----------



## LNCPapa

I keep saying I'm done spending money on my headphones for a while (it's sucking funds away from my PC upgrading sickness) but then people like Currawong post things like this and I feel the urge coming back.  Now I'm feeling a need to get a pair of TH900 and a more powerful amp.


----------



## ssrock64

lncpapa said:


> I keep saying I'm done spending money on my headphones for a while (it's sucking funds away from my PC upgrading sickness) but then people like Currawong post things like this and I feel the urge coming back.  Now I'm feeling a need to get a pair of TH900 and a more powerful amp.


 
  
 I just got a big kick-up in income, and I'm facing the same situation now. I keep moving up and down the ladder now.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

This is my current setup before I pack it away at the end of the month:
  

  

  

  
 Was primarily setup for gaming but headphones and associated equipment have slowly taken over.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

wow nice!


----------



## Currawong

defqon said:


> Very nice and clean there Amos, you need some HPS-2 stands for those Stax to apply the finishing touches.


 
  
 I have one. I had one of the old plastic stands but it was dropped and broke 
  


jibzilla said:


> That is a very impressive setup currawong. What headphone is hiding behind the hd800? It looks gradoish.


 
  
 Symphones Magnums (325is with aluminium chambers and the custom driver). They are incredible out of the Studio Six and give the 'stats a solid run for their money. I think I'd need different tubes to get the best results out of the HD-800s.


----------



## DefQon

currawong said:


> I have one. I had one of the old plastic stands but it was dropped and broke


 
 Ah the discontinued HPS-1's that originally came with the LNS and Omega flagships back in the days. I had 4 of them (only 2 now). Why not get the plastic replaced and then slap a Stax sticker on the bottom?


----------



## mazzelectra

My workplace M/M setup:
  

  
(_not pictured:_ (over ear?!) Senn Momentums, streaming awesomeness into my ear canals during picture time!)
  
 The Princess approves...


----------



## wes008

mazzelectra said:


> My workplace M/M setup:
> <pic cut>
> (_not pictured:_ (over ear?!) Senn Momentums, streaming awesomeness into my ear canals during picture time!)
> 
> The Princess approves...


 
 Awesome! Do you feel like you have enough volume play with the Momentums out of the baby Schiits? Never tried them out of it, but all of my 32-ish Ohm small, full sized headphones didn't have too much volume play due to the gain. And that was with 12db attenuators.


----------



## eke2k6

A couple of months after my apartment was robbed, and the thieves made off with my computer, HD600, Asgard, and my Sabre dac (among other things), I've made progress back to a decent setup. Most of this wouldn't be possible without a good friend.
  
  

  
  
  
 Lenovo Y580 > Hifimediy Sabre Asynchronous DAC > Matrix M-stage > ASG-2 or a cheapo headphone I'm borrowing from my office at school. I still need to find a replacement for my HD600 though. Possibly the MA900 will be enough once I recoup some funds.


----------



## mazzelectra

wes008 said:


> Awesome! Do you feel like you have enough volume play with the Momentums out of the baby Schiits? Never tried them out of it, but all of my 32-ish Ohm small, full sized headphones didn't have too much volume play due to the gain. And that was with 12db attenuators.


 
  
*OMG, THE POWER.*
  
 Definitely not alot of VOL play with the Momentums; I would really love to have more room to explore on the dial. Sometimes this combo seems like overkill. I've even considering grabbing a pair of 598s to mix in here at work, but I really prefer closed cans in this environment - trying to prevent bleed...I mean, who's on task _ALL_ day?! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Then again, if I don't manage the output on this setup, there may be bleeding after all (and not the audio kind...) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Are there any really good closed, higher impedance phones you could recommend? I'm about to pull the trigger on an UberFrost+Lyr setup for my main home listening rig (*giddy!*) so the upgrade path for this M/M work stack wasn't really on the agenda near-term. Do you think I might be better off with a tube system + the Momentums?
  
 Anyhoo, it's awesome - just may be TOO awesome (?!)


----------



## wes008

mazzelectra said:


> Are there any really good closed, higher impedance phones you could recommend? I'm about to pull the trigger on an UberFrost+Lyr setup for my main home listening rig (*giddy!*) so the upgrade path for this M/M work stack wasn't really on the agenda near-term. Do you think I might be better off with a tube system + the Momentums?
> 
> Anyhoo, it's awesome - just may be TOO awesome (?!)


 
 I haven't used the Lyr, but it has a similar gain the the M/M, and a higher power output... so I would think you'd have a similar situation  The DT-770 are very bassy, but they're quite good, nice soundstage, detailed, and SUPER comfy with those velour pads. I had the 250 Ohm version, and it's very good on the M/M. Might be too bass-heavy for you, though. I'd imagine the Denon D5k would be perfect for you though. Quite similar sound sig to the Momentum. It's discontinued though, so you'd have to pick it up second-hand.


----------



## ethan7000

wes008 said:


> Awesome! Do you feel like you have enough volume play with the Momentums out of the baby Schiits? Never tried them out of it, but all of my 32-ish Ohm small, full sized headphones didn't have too much volume play due to the gain. And that was with 12db attenuators.



?? Doesn't the Magni output over a watt at 32 ohm?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

eke2k6 said:


> A couple of months after my apartment was robbed, and the thieves made off with my computer, HD600, Asgard, and my Sabre dac (among other things), I've made progress back to a decent setup. Most of this wouldn't be possible without a good friend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Oh no!! I'm terribly sorry that happened!! Your setup is starting to look great though


----------



## hifimanrookie

eke2k6 said:


> A couple of months after my apartment was robbed, and the thieves made off with my computer, HD600, Asgard, and my Sabre dac (among other things), I've made progress back to a decent setup. Most of this wouldn't be possible without a good friend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Am sorry to hear that..but a mstage is always a good way to start!


----------



## mazzelectra

wes008 said:


> I haven't used the Lyr, but it has a similar gain the the M/M, and a higher power output... so I would think you'd have a similar situation  The DT-770 are very bassy, but they're quite good, nice soundstage, detailed, and SUPER comfy with those velour pads. I had the 250 Ohm version, and it's very good on the M/M. Might be too bass-heavy for you, though. I'd imagine the Denon D5k would be perfect for you though. Quite similar sound sig to the Momentum. It's discontinued though, so you'd have to pick it up second-hand.




Hmm...thanks for those recommendations 

I think I may need to some research on highImpedance closed sets. The Denons sound like a great fit - I wonder if there a 'spiritual successor' to the D5k...

*To the internetz!!*


----------



## mazzelectra

eke2k6 said:


> A couple of months after my apartment was robbed, and the thieves made off with my computer, HD600, Asgard, and my Sabre dac (among other things), I've made progress back to a decent setup. Most of this wouldn't be possible without a good friend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Wow...So sorry to hear about that :/ rough stuff, indeed.

Looks like your on a great path back though!


----------



## wolfetan44

ethan7000 said:


> wes008 said:
> 
> 
> > Awesome! Do you feel like you have enough volume play with the Momentums out of the baby Schiits? Never tried them out of it, but all of my 32-ish Ohm small, full sized headphones didn't have too much volume play due to the gain. And that was with 12db attenuators.
> ...


 
  
 I think what he is referring to, is that if it is too powerful for the Momentums. Thus, giving very _little_ volume play.


----------



## Emospence

eke2k6 said:


> A couple of months after my apartment was robbed, and the thieves made off with my computer, HD600, Asgard, and my Sabre dac (among other things), I've made progress back to a decent setup. Most of this wouldn't be possible without a good friend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That is ********. I'm sorry to hear that.


----------



## wes008

wolfetan44 said:


> I think what he is referring to, is that if it is too powerful for the Momentums. Thus, giving very _little_ volume play.


 
 ^ This


----------



## ethan7000

I see, thx


----------



## MrTechAgent

Happy family - 
  
 1)650
 2)HE-300 (Latest revision is full metal construction)
 3)ZX700
 4)HFI - 450 (M50 and ZX700 killer)
  
I am using a STX to power these boys , and yes I'm Indian (16 to be specific )
  
 HE-300 - 
  
Check my video out for further proof of its metal construction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnLP2vvDiEQ
  
 Facebook page in which I talked about the difference in the latest revision vs the others ....... -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/4623534735/10151854304544736/?notif_t=like


----------



## filuS

I finally finalized my listening corner - it took me year and a half and a lot of patience (most of the stuff was just sitting on the shelf for months, headphones were waiting to shine for over a year), but it's done! Yesterday I received last parts to assemble media server and started building everything up.
 
This is how everything looked few hours ago:
 

 
Some cables, few devices and chills down my spine that something nice is about to happen  Putting everything together was pretty easy - only if those power cables weren't so stiff! But after few failed attempts I found a position where everything nicely sits:
 

 
Next step was the hardest one - make all software running as I want it to! Fortunately my slight experience with server administration kicked in and I managed to get everything working together:
 

 
 
I spent yesterdays night setting up NAS for sharing media content over NFS (besides regular UPnP), so at least I was spared from this pain today. Now I can happily sit on my chair, listen to music and control everything from tablet. No monitor, keyboard or mouse plugged in, just dedicated media PC in its purest form.
 

 
For anyone wondering what's on the pictures, here is a complete list of all parts:
HP: Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV
AMP: ADL Svetlana 2
DAC: Matrix X-Sabre
Interconnects: Verastarr Silver Signature (RCA->RCA), Forza AudioWorks Copper Series Twin USB
Power cables: Siltech SPX-300, Atlas Cables EOS MKII, Vincent Premium, Van den Hull Mainserver
Power conditioner: IsoTek GII Orion with 6 EU outlets
Stands: Empire EC-04 dark cherry (rack), Zoppapro Acrylic (HP stand)
Media PC: Intel NUC platform (i3-3217u , 4GB RAM, 60GB SSD) running OpenELEC 3.0.6, set for bitperfect streaming over USB
Tablet: Nexus 10
 
I think I am done with audio-related purchases for some time now, maybe it's not high-end per se (maybe some entry-level high end  ), but I think I reached level where going up costs much more than what I get in return.


----------



## philo50

^nicely done.....love the cables....


----------



## ethan7000

filus said:


> For anyone wondering what's on the pictures, here is a complete list of all parts:
> HP: Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV
> AMP: ADL Svetlana 2
> DAC: Matrix X-Sabre
> ...


 
 Nice. I hear that W3000 is pretty great.


----------



## pelli

filus said:


> I finally finalized my listening corner - it took me year and a half and a lot of patience (most of the stuff was just sitting on the shelf for months, headphones were waiting to shine for over a year), but it's done! Yesterday I received last parts to assemble media server and started building everything up.
> 
> This is how everything looked few hours ago:
> 
> ...


 
 Looks fantastic!  I don't know about the rest of you, but I love putting together all that gear and wiring everything up.  Outside of the actual listening it is one of my favorite favorite parts of the hobby.  I have a move coming up in the next couple months and that is one of the few things I am looking forward to!


----------



## filuS

pelli said:


> Looks fantastic!  I don't know about the rest of you, but I love putting together all that gear and wiring everything up.  Outside of the actual listening it is one of my favorite favorite parts of the hobby.  I have a move coming up in the next couple months and that is one of the few things I am looking forward to!


 
  
 I was extremely excited to plug everything in. As I said, some things were sitting on the shelf for ages - I got W3000ANV in April last year, Svetlana 2 was here in June, most of the cables were obtained during June-July period. For last two months I was practically waiting only for DAC, which arrived few days ago. Every time I looked on the shelf It was killing me - few thousands euros in equipment but not able to use it. But I love that feeling when something new comes - opening the package, getting new toy out of the box - like a little boy on christmas 
  


ethan7000 said:


> Nice. I hear that W3000 is pretty great.


 
  
 They are almost perfect for me - huge step up from my previous W1000X. Actually whole set-up is big leap from my previous rig. But W3000ANVs are not for everyone (and not just because they are from limited edition :,), sound-wise as well), may be too colored for some people.


----------



## Dubstep Girl

just picked them up!!!!
  
 initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


----------



## DefQon

I take it that you like it?


----------



## ethan7000

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 Have you ever written up comparisons of all your headphones? I'd like to read it if so.


----------



## LugBug1

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
 hahaha congrats DG!


----------



## philo50

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 very cool....love to hear your thoughts....


----------



## parbaked

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 It looks like you are so excited that you can't hold your camera still! 
 ENJOY!


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yes, plus i also drank like alot of coffee and a monster today, so ive been having shakes all day from that as well lol.


----------



## Oregonian

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
 Like them? 
  
 More in depth input plz..................


----------



## Armaegis

dubstep girl said:


> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 Ah, so that's what dubstep notes look like when written down...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 Is that your formal review?  Because I think they put that on their site 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Congrats on a stellar amp, DSG!


----------



## OPR8R

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 I only got to hear the GS-X Mk2 for a few minutes, but was I very impressed.  Congrats!


----------



## sp3llv3xit

dubstep girl said:


> just picked them up!!!!
> 
> initial impressions are : OMG@!#@!#@!#!@)$R!(@R)$E)IEF$)


 
  
 Congratulations!  Looking forward to your review of your new and expensive amp.


----------



## snapple10

New gears can be exciting 
Others can also get their fix


----------



## magiccabbage

yea and a better picture next time DG


----------



## Don Lehrer

Nice gear DG, I wish I could get somethig so nice in short time (well more like dreaming of!!!!)


----------



## Dubstep Girl

yeah sorry for blurry pic was so excited. anyways formal review in a few weeks, as of now i'm rediscovering everything, ive never heard my headphones sound this good, i didn't think they could scale this high.
  
 initial impressions so far, please check out here
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/639360/best-amp-to-go-with-the-sennheiser-hd800-time-to-revisit-this-question/45#post_9801680
  
 anyways, i'll be posting on GSX thread, HE-6 thead, and probably HD 800/LCD-3/HE-500 threads.


----------



## White Lotus

Just a few of the "Full-size" units in my collection.

 A lot of the sources/IEMs/DACs/cables are missing, but oh well.

 Enjoy!

 Current display:



 Close up shots: D5000 w/FA003 pads


 Fischer FA003 w/ Zebrano mod, and AUNE T1 DAC w/ EH 6922 tube:


 Fischers again:


 Lawton tuned D5000:


 Maruni HV-230V:


 Fischer FA011 rev 1 NOT THE CURRENT PRODUCTION MODEL:


----------



## DefQon

*** people stop quoting the same picture over and over again, remove the tags from the quote.
  
 @above poster: Those FA-011's are not rev.1's. Rev.1's was dark burgundy with coiled cables.


----------



## PanamaHat




----------



## johnp9723

defqon said:


> *** people stop quoting the same picture over and over again, remove the tags from the quote.
> 
> @above poster: Those FA-011's are not rev.1's. Rev.1's was dark burgundy with coiled cables.


 
  
 How do you remove the tags from the quote? So you can hit the quote button and quote them but remove the picture?


----------



## pelli

johnp9723 said:


> How do you remove the tags from the quote? So you can hit the quote button and quote them but remove the picture?


 
  
 You can just delete the pictures or highlight them and click on the "spoiler" button (the one that looks like a square word bubble).


----------



## johnp9723

pelli said:


> You can just delete the pictures or highlight them and click on the "spoiler" button (the one that looks like a square word bubble).


 
  
 ok thanks


----------



## Namkung

Also posted on computer rig thread but here they are again!


----------



## White Lotus

^^ AWESOME


----------



## LugBug1

+1 Awesome indeed!


----------



## Tony1110




----------



## bigfatpaulie

What do you think of the BHA-1?  Very cool amp.


----------



## Namkung

bigfatpaulie said:


> What do you think of the BHA-1?  Very cool amp.


 
  
 It's a lovely amp.
 I was slightly worried it might not pair very well with the HD800s but I have 0 regrets and love the sound.
 It could be the pairing with the M-DAC as well but still, it is not the warmest sound but that's something I precisely did not want. Otherwise, I would have gone with something like the WA2.


----------



## dryvadeum

tony1110 said:


>




How are the TH600s with the Conductor?


----------



## Tony1110

dryvadeum said:


> How are the TH600s with the Conductor?




Excellent. Think I even prefer it to LCD-2 and Conductor. Took a while to get used to the headphones' signature as they sounded recessed in the mids at first but that is definitely not the case now. 

I'm not sure they need a Burson Conductor fed by an Audiophilleo 2 to sound good though. They'd probably sound fantastic out of a Schiit Asgard and a budget USB DAC.


----------



## sebajun

.


----------



## OPR8R

> Originally Posted by *sebajun* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Sorry for the B&W photo, but my camera is all sorts of crap and blurred some things, so I muted the colours to hopefully clear some things up.


 
  
 The B&W makes it look professional, or something.  I think I might take a couple B&W shots.


----------



## sebajun

.


----------



## LugBug1

sebajun said:


> Some really nice setups on here, which are all rendering me jealous .
> 
> Currently rebuilding my audiogear from almost-scratch, but I'm enjoying the journey again. Not shown in the picture is a DT770 pro80 and a uDAC2 which is being loaned to a friend, and a HD668b and a 242HD are packed away for now. Out of shot are also some Tannoy 609 speakers, but they're only connected sometimes because I can't really enjoy them at the levels that put a smile on my face.
> 
> Sorry for the B&W photo, but my camera is all sorts of crap and blurred some things, so I muted the colours to hopefully clear some things up.


 
 Like the Technics. I have that SU-V3 and it makes a stellar headphone amp. It's one of may favorites to use with the HD800's. Beating a lot of mid price headphone amps that I've owned.


----------



## sebajun

.


----------



## sp3llv3xit

Has anyone ever used an Onkyo R1 speakers amplifier to drive the Hd800?

 I found this gathering dust.


----------



## Jesterphile




----------



## Quinto

jesterphile said:


>


 
 Cool, are those Ushers?


----------



## Jesterphile

Yep - they're S520's - Excellent sound for what they cost here in Aus (~AUD$300 new)


----------



## DragonOwen

Got mine DX50 a few days ago, now listening it's as a source to my audio rig at work (sorry for very poor photo quality, did it with HTC HD2):


----------



## wes008

dragonowen said:


> Got mine DX50 a few days ago, now listening it's as a source to my audio rig at work (sorry for very poor photo quality, did it with HTC HD2):
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Ah, those HD2-quality shots give me great nostalgia :') Why are we continually trying to make phone cameras better when all you need is that beautiful, grainy, washed-out, color-inaccurate quality?  Awesome rig by the way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Dat TH600


----------



## White Lotus

Alpha pads?


----------



## DragonOwen

white lotus said:


> Alpha pads?


 
 Lawton Audio ANGLE Pads for TH-600/900


----------



## dryvadeum

dragonowen said:


> Lawton Audio ANGLE Pads for TH-600/900




Do they improve the sound? If so, in what respect?


----------



## Tony1110

I'm thinking about ordering some myself.


----------



## DragonOwen

dryvadeum said:


> Do they improve the sound? If so, in what respect?


 
  
 Yes, they are. Major improvement is the soundstage, the depth is improving significantly... the other improvements is slight: bass becoming little more controlled, vocal little bit less sibilant.


----------



## Oregonian

I have the Lawton angles on my D7000.  Well made, stiffer foam and I like them a lot.


----------



## pelli

Here is the current work station:
  

  
 Aune T1 w/ amperex 7308 gold pin
 Beyer Dt-250 250 ohm
  
 Loving this combo and a bit surprised the DT 250 gets so little love. I've only had it for 2 days but I am finding it detailed and balanced.  It isolates well and there is NO bleed. A great work solution!


----------



## chn68b

My bedside table. Just dug out some old skool gear. Altogether a Sony Mini Disc MZ-R70, a Sony Network Walkman NW-HD1, Ipod Video Classic with Fiio E11, Colorfly C4 Pro, and AKG K550's.


----------



## LugBug1

Just got a cheapo stand for my bedside rig. £20... !


----------



## philo50

lugbug1 said:


> Just got a cheapo stand for my bedside rig. £20... !


 
 very nice


----------



## LugBug1

philo50 said:


> very nice


 
  
 Thank you


----------



## longbowbbs

lugbug1 said:


> Just got a cheapo stand for my bedside rig. £20... !


 
  
 I like it. I wish I had that much room on my side.


----------



## Oregonian

lugbug1 said:


> Just got a cheapo stand for my bedside rig. £20... !




Perfect fit. Like it.


----------



## snapple10

My messy but fun listening area


----------



## sp3llv3xit

snapple10 said:


> My messy but fun listening area


 

 Nice!  The whole area provides a healthy selection of options.


----------



## snapple10

absolutely!!! 
  
 I need a better camera  though and stop using my phone.


----------



## vincent215

snapple10 said:


> My messy but fun listening area


 
 Sir,
 You need more space, and I have all the space that you need. Send some cans over and I will keep it safe for you


----------



## brunk

snapple10 said:


> My messy but fun listening area


 
 Do i see 2x TH-900's and 2x T1's??! 
 Are you an alien that 4 ears?


----------



## snapple10

Could not resist preproman's recabled T1, Th900 and Hd800, must be the cables  they joined the family of others with stock cable t1 and Th900
  
  
 collecting phones like shoes and purses


----------



## LugBug1

longbowbbs said:


> I like it. I wish I had that much room on my side.


 
  
  


oregonian said:


> Perfect fit. Like it.


 
 Cheers guys


----------



## magiccabbage

snapple10 said:


> My messy but fun listening area


 
  
 2 fostex and 2 T1's


----------



## Dubstep Girl

The cool looking black hd 800 but with a really ugly cable lol (is it better in person btw?)


----------



## snapple10

Yes it does


----------



## LugBug1

snapple10 said:


> Yes it does


 
  
 Agreed!


----------



## Silent One

I'd say fun and inviting!


----------



## Greed

Lots of gear moving in and out of my desktop system recently. Some new additions...
  

  
 I was crazy enough to sell my silver and re-buy a black GS-X mk2. It matches my gear much better. 
  

  
 Temporarily moved the MSB The Analog DAC into my desktop rig until I get my new speakers in. This thing is by far the most beautiful DAC I've ever seen in person. 
  

  
 Mad Dog is still going strong. Has remained my go-to headphone for work. Very comfortable, great sound, and high value.
  

  
 My favorite headphone the LCD-3. So musical. 
  

  
 Side profile. I'm pretty happy with my desktop rig. Only purchase I see in the future is another DAC when the Analog goes into my speaker system. 
  

  
 The entirety.


----------



## LugBug1

Now that is hardcore! Respect. And a drool worthy set up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





greed said:


> I was crazy enough to sell my silver and re-buy a black GS-X mk2. It matches my gear much better.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> Lots of gear moving in and out of my desktop system recently. Some new additions...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pics of Greed's beautiful rig.
> ...


 
 That thing that looks like a double turntable plinth is the DAC? That is quite elegant indeed. What speakers are arriving to this shrine of audiophile goodness? I love your desk, did you build it yourself?
  
 Cheers,
 Brunk


----------



## philo50

brunk said:


> That thing that looks like a double turntable plinth is the DAC? That is quite elegant indeed. What speakers are arriving to this shrine of audiophile goodness? I love your desk, did you build it yourself?
> 
> Cheers,
> Brunk


 
  
 +1


----------



## Greed

philo50 said:


> +1


 
  


brunk said:


> That thing that looks like a double turntable plinth is the DAC? That is quite elegant indeed. What speakers are arriving to this shrine of audiophile goodness? I love your desk, did you build it yourself?
> 
> Cheers,
> Brunk


 
  


lugbug1 said:


>


 
  
 Thanks guys, I'm really enjoying the sound. I'm rediscovering albums which is always a good sign.
  
 @Brunk - Yep, that double stack is my DAC. It is the MSB The Analog DAC. It looks even better person, one of those components that pictures don't do it justice. I ordered a set of Tekton Pendragon Speakers, they should be in very soon. Bought the DAC for that system, but wanted to give it a shot with headphones. Suffice to say, I thought the PWD MKII was good... Amp will be a custom built FirstWatt F5 Turbo. I'm very excited.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> Thanks guys, I'm really enjoying the sound. I'm rediscovering albums which is always a good sign.
> 
> @Brunk - Yep, that double stack is my DAC. It is the MSB The Analog DAC. It looks even better person, one of those components that pictures don't do it justice. I ordered a set of Tekton Pendragon Speakers, they should be in very soon. Bought the DAC for that system, but wanted to give it a shot with headphones. Suffice to say, I thought the PWD MKII was good... Amp will be a custom built FirstWatt F5 Turbo. I'm very excited.


 
  
 Ooh, an F5t! I wanted to build one myself, but thought i'll go the normal F5 for my HE-6 first and if i love the sound, I'll build the F5t for my Fostex back-loaded horns and sell off my my beloved Yamaha A-S2000. Those ScanSpeak tweeters on the PenDragon look promising!


----------



## magiccabbage

really nice set-up greed, love the mad dogs. They they come in black?


----------



## Greed

magiccabbage said:


> really nice set-up greed, love the mad dogs. They they come in black?


 
  
 They just have Dan's "stealth" stickers applied. As you can see, I really like black aesthetics.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> As you can see, I really like black aesthetics.


 
 I do too! It used to be silver, but i like my gear to just "disappear" and be unobtrusive now. Especially at night...just me and the music, no bright LEDs to be found, except a warm tube glow


----------



## ethan7000

Greed: Very sweet station.
  
 I added the 400 to my setup today


----------



## Greed

brunk said:


> That thing that looks like a double turntable plinth is the DAC? That is quite elegant indeed. What speakers are arriving to this shrine of audiophile goodness? *I love your desk, did you build it yourself?*
> 
> Cheers,
> Brunk


 
  
 Oh sorry Brunk, I didn't answer your last question. I must have missed it. The desk came with a set I got from Ikea. Over the years it has been highly modified to what now is before you. You could say that I basically built it myself.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> Oh sorry Brunk, I didn't answer your last question. I must have missed it. The desk came with a set I got from Ikea. Over the years it has been highly modified to what now is before you. You could say that I basically built it myself.


 
  
  
 Gotta love hacking Ikea stuff


----------



## Dubstep Girl

dat analog dac....


----------



## dsound

Got my Blumenstein Orcas yesterday  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## LugBug1

Very smart ^^^ I like!


----------



## wes008

dsound said:


> Got my Blumenstein Orcas yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Uh oh, those intrigue me  beautiful setup, by the way.


----------



## dsound

lugbug1 said:


> Very smart ^^^ I like!


 
  
 Thanks!  I had to choose between the Orcas and the Beyer T70's.  I hope I made the right decision.


----------



## dsound

wes008 said:


> Uh oh, those intrigue me  beautiful setup, by the way.


 
  
 Thanks.  I'm loving the sound out of them, the newer Orcas are supposed to be even better (I hope I never hear them





).


----------



## HenryS

good pics~


----------



## Errymoose

dsound said:


> Thanks!  I had to choose between the Orcas and the Beyer T70's.  I hope I made the right decision.


 
 Reading up from the post about having orca's I saw this (so no picture yet) and my mind went to the razer headset of the same name first, and I did a massive double take over comparing them to the T70


----------



## dsound

errymoose said:


> Reading up from the post about having orca's I saw this (so no picture yet) and my mind went to the razer headset of the same name first, and I did a massive double take over comparing them to the T70


 
 I just googled "Razer Orca", no wonder you did a double-take!


----------



## eke2k6

Mobile HF station in the library.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## DefQon

dsound said:


> Got my Blumenstein Orcas yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I've been contemplating on getting the Budgie SE kit for almost a year now so I can put my stash of EL84 tubes to good use.


----------



## brunk

defqon said:


> I've been contemplating on getting the Budgie SE kit for almost a year now so I can put my stash of EL84 tubes to good use.


 
  
  
 Hehe i almost went with a budgie phono pre, but went with the Cornet2 instead.


----------



## Androb

The rig in the tv room  Got about 4 lp players more somewhere hehe

  
  
 And here is the rig I got at my pc  Using the dac that is in the asus essence stx


----------



## dsound

defqon said:


> I've been contemplating on getting the Budgie SE kit for almost a year now so I can put my stash of EL84 tubes to good use.


 
 Why so many EL84's?  Are you a guitar player?


----------



## DefQon

dsound said:


> Why so many EL84's?  Are you a guitar player?




Nah not a guitar player I have a few amps that take the 6BQ5/EL84/6P14's.


----------



## navigavi

Violectric HPA V200, DAC V800, Sennheiser HD 580, Sennheiser HD 800, Kimber Kable Hero XLR interlinks.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Those 800s look dangerously close to falling....


----------



## Androb

My little dot is running a litlle hot... 

Feels good sittin infront of the fire listening to them q701


----------



## brunk

androb said:


> My little dot is running a litlle hot...
> 
> Feels good sittin infront of the fire listening to them q701


 
 Need MOAR bias!


----------



## DarKen23




----------



## philo50

darken23 said:


>


 
  
 ^^^looking good Ken


----------



## DarKen23

philo50 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


Thanks buddy


----------



## TheOtus

A little update:
  

  

  
  

  

  

  
 New 27 inch, 2560 x 1440, Dell IPS-screen too.
  

  

  
 High-res:
  

  
  
 I think I'm pretty much set.


----------



## longbowbbs

theotus said:


> A little update:
> 
> High-res:
> 
> ...


 
 Spectacular! Upgrade in the future? Don't think so...Something new because this hobby makes you crazy,maybe.


----------



## DarKen23

^ Nice Oyaide cables.


----------



## mazzelectra

theotus said:


> A little update:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Gorgeous minimalist setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just want to walk into a room with this vibe everyday...
  
 << taking notes... <jot />


----------



## OPR8R

theotus said:


> A little update:
> 
> 
> New 27 inch Dell IPS-screen too.
> ...


 
  






 
  
 I know... I'm drooling.


----------



## LugBug1

darken23 said:


>


 
  
 Great choice of set up. Yulong make brilliant gear for the price. I'm hoping that thats gonna be my next Dac.. Funds permitting.


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


Thanks LugBug! The DA8 ended my search for a dac. Hopefully.. 

Id like to try the Auralic Vega next though..


----------



## LugBug1

Heres a few pics of my current set up, I'm posting these tonight because I'm feeling very content at the mo.. 





 
  
 Mostly 70's vintage.
  
 Main rig; Pioneer SA-508- Arcam Rdac behind it. Below, Dacmagic, ADC equalizer, Marantz 2216b. HD800 

  

  
  
  
  
 Bedside; Sansui 551 and AU 505 with Arcam Black Box. (the very first separate affordable Dac 1989!) HD600

  
  
 (I've made an appointment at the Doc's. I don't like this 'content' feeling at all. I'm clearly not myself)


----------



## longbowbbs

lugbug1 said:


> Heres a few pics of my current set up, I'm posting these tonight because I'm feeling very content at the mo..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Don't worry, it won't last long...


----------



## philo50

longbowbbs said:


> Don't worry, it won't last long...


 
  
 +1


----------



## LugBug1

philo50 said:


> +1


 
  
  


longbowbbs said:


> Don't worry, it won't last long...


 
  
 I'm sure it won't. Its more my amps and headphones that I'm really content with. Spent are long time getting to this stage in that regards... 
  
 My dacs need upgrading defo, but... They aren't as pretty as old amps! Need to stop looking at pretty amps and get serious with converters.


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> Heres a few pics of my current set up, I'm posting these tonight because I'm feeling very content at the mo.. :confused_face_2:
> 
> Mostly 70's vintage.
> 
> Main rig; Pioneer SA-508- Arcam Rdac behind it. Below, Dacmagic, ADC equalizer, Marantz 2216b. HD800


Thats gangsta..


----------



## LugBug1

darken23 said:


> Thats gangsta..


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Thats gangsta..


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Luxman da 06!!!


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet.. what a beautiful setup! If it sounds as good as it looks.. you're set!
  
 Quote:


theotus said:


> I think I'm pretty much set.


----------



## DarKen23

I was curious about that Luxman, was it a production model that came AFTER the p1u?


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow.. love the vintage stuff!  I actually bought a new Marantz QUAD receiver back in the 70's. Wish I'd never sold it.
  
 Quote:


lugbug1 said:


> Heres a few pics of my current set up, I'm posting these tonight because I'm feeling very content at the mo..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## preproman

theotus said:


> A little update:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Man this Schiit looks "GOOD"


----------



## sp3llv3xit

preproman said:


> Man this Schiit looks "GOOD"


 
  

 Which one is the Schiit, sir?


----------



## DarKen23

sp3llv3xit said:


> preproman said:
> 
> 
> > Man this Schiit looks "GOOD"
> ...


+2


----------



## jaywillin

updated gear since my last pic, the pile of schiit is bigger ! lol
 and added the rs1i  to my little stable(ms2, and ps500)


----------



## DarKen23

jaywillin said:


> updated gear since my last pic, the pile of schiit is bigger ! lol
> and added the rs1i  to my little stable(ms2, and ps500)


Cool schiit


----------



## preproman

sp3llv3xit said:


> Which one is the Schiit, sir?


 
  


darken23 said:


> +2


 
  
  
  






  WTH..  I don't mean the gear Schiit obviously  - I just mean the Schiit.. as in his Luxman gear


----------



## DarKen23

preproman said:


> sp3llv3xit said:
> 
> 
> > :blink:   WTH..  I don't mean the gear Schiit obviously  - I just mean the Schiit.. as in his Luxman gear  :blink:
> ...


----------



## masamy

jaywillin said:


> updated gear since my last pic, the pile of schiit is bigger ! lol
> and added the rs1i  to my little stable(ms2, and ps500)


 
 nice station


----------



## jaywillin

masamy said:


> nice station


 
 i bet those headphones look familiar !!
  
 thanks masa !


----------



## sp3llv3xit

preproman said:


> WTH..  I don't mean the gear Schiit obviously  - I just mean the Schiit.. as in his Luxman gear


 
  

 No offense meant, sir.  I was really looking for a Schiit product in those photos.  I thought I must've missed something there.  That was why I asked.
  
 So, the "Schiit" has taken on a generic meaning?  Schiit and the other homophone referring to excrement are now audio-lingo synonymous?


----------



## silversurfer616

WA6 gone and replaced by Bottlehead Crack.
All tube now with the Havana DAC and I do like the sound with the HD800.


----------



## Greed

silversurfer616 said:


> WA6 gone and replaced by Bottlehead Crack.
> All tube now with the Havana DAC and I do like the sound with the HD800.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Oh snap, That Crack looks familiar! Hope you are loving it. Looks great, loving the warm faded vibe.


----------



## silversurfer616

It looks as good as it sounds!
Really loving it!
Have also just bought the Holy Grail GEC brown base.....!!!
Thanks for the trade!


----------



## Silent One

sp3llv3xit said:


> No offense meant, sir.  I was really looking for a Schiit product in those photos.  I thought I must've missed something there.  That was why I asked.
> 
> So, the "Schiit" has taken on a generic meaning?  Schiit and the other homophone referring to excrement are now audio-lingo synonymous?


 
  





 Wait till popularity has it becoming a _Verb._


----------



## preproman

sp3llv3xit said:


> No offense meant, sir.  I was really looking for a Schiit product in those photos.  I thought I must've missed something there.  That was why I asked.
> 
> So, the "Schiit" has taken on a generic meaning?  Schiit and the other homophone referring to excrement are now audio-lingo synonymous?


 
  


darken23 said:


> Oh..lol, apologies--There usually is a schiit product when its typed in that fashion.


 
  
 No worries.  If you say it like **** this happens


----------



## longbowbbs

sp3llv3xit said:


> preproman said:
> 
> 
> > WTH..  I don't mean the gear Schiit obviously  - I just mean the Schiit.. as in his Luxman gear
> ...


 
 The joy of evolving colloquial syntax....


----------



## Revogamer

My current rig


----------



## TheOtus

Quote:


darken23 said:


> I was curious about that Luxman, was it a production model that came AFTER the p1u?


 
  
 Yes, that's right.
  
  
 By the way, I don't appreciate the term Schiit connected to my Luxman here... xD Heh, well anyway, words can't describe how happy I am with this setup. This was the first time when I've been able to go out and just buy the exact gear I wanted. This is it.


----------



## DarKen23

theotus said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> darken23 said:
> ...


I dont blame ya . How do you like your Luxman compared to the p1u, are there any sonic differences?

Btw, nice Oyaide interconnects-- I personally love Oyaide stuff, had the DR-510 coaxial cable.


----------



## DarKen23

revogamer said:


> My current rig


Very nice, loving the color too


----------



## LugBug1

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Thanks bud, I'd love a Marantz quad too!
  


silversurfer616 said:


> WA6 gone and replaced by Bottlehead Crack.
> All tube now with the Havana DAC and I do like the sound with the HD800.


 
 Looking good, that crack is the schitt!! 
  


longbowbbs said:


> The joy of evolving colloquial syntax....


 
 Well said!
  


revogamer said:


> My current rig


 
 So many great HD800 set-ups popping up these days. This deserves to be seen again, lovely photo!


----------



## TheOtus

darken23 said:


> I dont blame ya
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I never heard the P-1u, maybe sadly. My previous Luxman was SQ-N100, a terrific amp for both speakers and headphones.
  
 Another one of items I've wanted for a while. Somehow I believe that they're mostly about the important aspects instead of magic and fancy look. Not saying that they don't look the part though, minimalistic and classy. I also have good experiences of rhodium plating so it was an easy choise.


----------



## drez

theotus said:


> A little update:
> 
> 
> 
> I think I'm pretty much set.


 
  
 Beautiful gear, but why U no like balanced cables?


----------



## TheOtus

I actually considered them, but I couldn't figure out any valid reason to get them.


----------



## longbowbbs

We have now entered into a religious discussion....


----------



## drez

longbowbbs said:


> We have now entered into a religious discussion....


 
  
 Nah it's cool my question is answered, not the place for this discussion.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Just found it surprising.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Technically speaking the ATs are pretty sensitive. Balanced if nothing else would add gain and give less play on the Luxman's volume. No? 

I'd say that's reason enough to go unbalanced.


----------



## TheOtus

morbidtoaster said:


> Technically speaking the ATs are pretty sensitive. Balanced if nothing else would add gain and give less play on the Luxman's volume. No?
> 
> I'd say that's reason enough to go unbalanced.


 
 That crossed my mind once or twice too and I could probably use that as my excuse. =D But I really don't know if it affects the actual volume heard on the phones.


----------



## parbaked

theotus said:


> That crossed my mind once or twice too and I could probably use that as my excuse. =D But I really don't know if it affects the actual volume heard on the phones.


 
  
 You don't need an excuse - you have a sweet rig!


----------



## indydieselnut

My current head-fi station.  I just did a little write-up in the full-size amp forum about the build process.  I had Shawn Phelps, former Bottlehead employee, build it for me.  I have all the respect in the world for the DIY crowd...I'm just not one of them!
  
 Also, I have to give John Rutter credit for the base.  I sent him some curly maple and he did a beautiful job with it.


----------



## LugBug1

^^^ Beautiful! ^^^^ I love that granite (?) plinth as well.


----------



## philo50

indydieselnut said:


> My current head-fi station.  I just did a little write-up in the full-size amp forum about the build process.  I had Shawn Phelps, former Bottlehead employee, build it for me.  I have all the respect in the world for the DIY crowd...I'm just not one of them!
> 
> Also, I have to give John Rutter credit for the base.  I sent him some curly maple and he did a beautiful job with it.


 
  
 very nice


----------



## indydieselnut

lugbug1 said:


>


 
  
 Thanks!  I've been lugging that piece of granite around to every place I've lived.  I picked it up (along with the cast iron radiator on which it rests) at an architectural salvage place about fifteen years ago.  The two pieces together make a table that is the perfect height next to my recliner!  The radiator weighs at least 150 pounds...not sure it's ever leaving the basement...


----------



## Quinto

indydieselnut said:


> My current head-fi station.  I just did a little write-up in the full-size amp forum about the build process.  I had Shawn Phelps, former Bottlehead employee, build it for me.  I have all the respect in the world for the DIY crowd...I'm just not one of them!
> 
> Also, I have to give John Rutter credit for the base.  I sent him some curly maple and he did a beautiful job with it.


 





 Cooooool!


----------



## bigfatpaulie

Sweet Crack!
  
 Errr...  You know what I mean.


----------



## BucketInABucket

Alienware M17xR4 > DACMagic+ > HD25 Aluminiums


----------



## Sorrodje

I would be very interested to compare this Crack to my old ASL MG head OTL indeed.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Homecoming night tonight is just me, Grado, Schiit, and Rush.


 No, I didn't buy the Schiit, I'm just borrowing it from a good friend fora few days and the upcoming meet. Decided it give it a test run tonight 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Initial impressions: "WOW" "WHAAAAA" "OH MYYYY".
 I know what my next upgrade is


----------



## LugBug1

Magni is a great amp. Period.


----------



## IcedTea

^
  
 I hope so! I just ordered mine lol


----------



## Fatiim

My simple (but great sounding 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) station: Marantz CD6004, M^3 headphone amp, Senneheiser HD800 and 580


----------



## ninjapirate9901

One last shot before I have to pack it all away:


----------



## Zashoomin

ninjapirate9901 said:


> One last shot before I have to pack it all away:


 
  
 Do I see an HE-500 with LCD2 pads?


----------



## wolfetan44

zashoomin said:


> ninjapirate9901 said:
> 
> 
> > One last shot before I have to pack it all away:
> ...


 
 I'm guessing its the Alpha pads.


----------



## PanamaHat

ninjapirate9901 said:


> One last shot before I have to pack it all away:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice collection of gear!. Thats quite a bit of tubes there too. Any that particularly stand out? I'm looking for something more 'lush' sounding for my project sunrise mkii.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

zashoomin said:


> Do I see an HE-500 with LCD2 pads?


 
  
 Yep, Vegan pads.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

panamahat said:


> Nice collection of gear!. Thats quite a bit of tubes there too. Any that particularly stand out? I'm looking for something more 'lush' sounding for my project sunrise mkii.


 
  
 I probably sound like a broken record but the Telefunken 12AU7's and Mullard 12AU7's both sound nice and lush to me.


----------



## Zashoomin

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Yep, Vegan pads.


 
  
 How does it sound compared to the regular pads?


----------



## MorbidToaster

Shot from the listening position atm. Second shot is a fun one from earlier.

3 months of waiting...finally over.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

zashoomin said:


> How does it sound compared to the regular pads?


 
  
 Honestly it's been a long time since I listened to either of the stock pads that I don't know how different they are. I mostly got the Vegan pads for comfort and for this purpose they work very well.


----------



## Silent One

@ Morbid Toaster
  





 MT putting AT on the map! Not like Austin needed any help, but...


----------



## Eee Pee

Good stuff, MT!


----------



## wolfetan44

Aww, what breed dog, Morbid?


----------



## MorbidToaster

wolfetan44 said:


> Aww, what breed dog, Morbid?




Pembroke Corgi. His name's Morgan.


----------



## wolfetan44

morbidtoaster said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > Aww, what breed dog, Morbid?
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

Morgan Toaster 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 Great shots btw!


----------



## Androb

Cables everywhere  Got them q701, momentum and waiting for my hd650 wich got sent today 
 Also got new cables for my ld mk3 as you can see.


----------



## che15

My bedside rig , HE 500 with AplusSound hybrid cable not in the picture


----------



## DefQon

Ohh right VI+ thumbs up.


----------



## spurxiii




----------



## calipilot227

morbidtoaster said:


>


 
  
 Whoa Morbid, what happened to the Harbeths?


----------



## MorbidToaster

calipilot227 said:


> Whoa Morbid, what happened to the Harbeths?




Didn't fit the room. Kinda had a cash emergency...and you really had to crank 'em for detail.

Didn't fit super well with the Leben.


----------



## stainless824




----------



## Silent One

_Clean._


----------



## Destroysall

morbidtoaster said:


> Didn't fit super well with the Leben.


 
 Interesting.. do elaborate. I recall my dealer saying that he thinks Leben pair well with ProAc speakers moreso than Harbeth speakers.. so to hear a statement like yours sounds interesting..


----------



## calipilot227

morbidtoaster said:


> *Kinda had a cash emergency...and you really had to crank 'em for detail.*


 
  
 Gotcha. Funny, those were the same two reasons I moved from the Maggies to the Mach Ones.


----------



## MorbidToaster

destroysall said:


> Interesting.. do elaborate. I recall my dealer saying that he thinks Leben pair well with ProAc speakers moreso than Harbeth speakers.. so to hear a statement like yours sounds interesting..




Harbeths are between like...83 and 86db sensitivity. May be at 6 ohms, but still not super easy to drive with 15 watts. The CS600 is another story, but it's twice the price of the 300XS.


----------



## LNCPapa

stainless824 said:


>


 
  
 Similar to my setup - is that a Catleap 2B I see on the right?


----------



## stainless824

lncpapa said:


> Similar to my setup - is that a Catleap 2B I see on the right?


 
  
 Its a PS audio Perfectwave DAC MKii
  
 edit: Oh the monitor? Nah its a Dell 27' ultrasharp IPS


----------



## DarKen23

spurxiii said:


>


*drool* nice yamaha's


----------



## Sorrodje




----------



## Androb

sorrodje said:


>



B e a utiful phones.


----------



## Sorrodje

androb said:


> B e a utiful phones.


 
  





 ...  My Ultrasone is missing though !


----------



## LugBug1

sorrodje said:


>


 
 Lookin good 
  
 Nice to see the good ole dacmagic there as well. It's never been very popular on here, especially compared to brands like Schiit. But its a great dac that can still compete with the newbies imo. And It's apparently better than the newer upgrade ;


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> Lookin good
> 
> Nice to see the good ole dacmagic there as well. It's never been very popular on here, especially compared to brands like Schiit. But its a great dac that can still compete with the newbies imo. And It's apparently better than the newer upgrade ;


 
  
 My ears say to me that this dacmagic does a darn good job with HD800. Smooth sound , not the last word in term of detail maybe. I'm not so eager to spend money in better gear now


----------



## DarKen23

sorrodje said:


> lugbug1 said:
> 
> 
> > Lookin good
> ...


Actually youre right, its quite nice.


----------



## LugBug1

Yeah its smooth and balanced. Very neutral, like a dac should be 
  
 The smoothness works well with the HD800's


----------



## Sorrodje

I'm not eager but I plan to buy complete TOTL Jan Meier's gear DACCORD+CLASSIC anyway


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> Yeah its smooth and balanced. Very neutral, like a dac should be
> 
> The smoothness works well with the HD800's


Sounds like you want an DA8


----------



## LugBug1

Yeah that's the thing with current dacs. They're all pretty equal these days up until the $1000 mark. They all share the same or equal chips and implementation. Basically you're paying for better power implementation with TOTL. This is where you'll gain better control and dynamics. 
  
 To gain any kind of worthwhile upgrade from a decent mid pricer you will need to go all-out top end. imo..


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> Yeah that's the thing with current dacs. They're all pretty equal these days up until the $1000 mark. They all share the same or equal chips and implementation. Basically you're paying for better power implementation with TOTL. This is where you'll gain better control and dynamics.
> 
> To gain any kind of worthwhile upgrade from a decent mid pricer you will need to go all-out top end. imo..


Well put, I couldnt agree more.


----------



## mnarwold

After enjoying all your rigs I thought I'd post my modest setup. J.River 18 > ODAC > O2 > Modded SR225i (vented, sock mod, woody, padded cloth headband to match the wood)


----------



## Greed

Posted this is the Alpha Dog thread, but I thought I'd share what's on my head right now!


----------



## wolfetan44

greed said:


> Posted this is the Alpha Dog thread, but I thought I'd share what's on my head right now!


 
  
 Greed, NICE!


----------



## Sorrodje

greed said:


> Posted this is the Alpha Dog thread, but I thought I'd share what's on my head right now!


 
  
 Nice! What's this stand ( Alpha dog's one) ?


----------



## snapple10

+1 nice pic , Greed
To self -I do not need another phone


----------



## MorbidToaster

IIRC that's the included one.
  
 Quote:


sorrodje said:


> Nice! What's this stand ( Alpha dog's one) ?


----------



## wolfetan44

sorrodje said:


> greed said:
> 
> 
> > Posted this is the Alpha Dog thread, but I thought I'd share what's on my head right now!
> ...


 
  
 It comes with the Alpha Dogs!


----------



## Sorrodje

S... ! This stand looks perfect.


----------



## Greed

sorrodje said:


> Nice! What's this stand ( Alpha dog's one) ?


 
  
 Stand is included in the package. Very sturdy and well built, just like the headphones. 
  
 @All - Thanks for the kind words. Dan truly designed a marvelous product here, can't wait to compare them to my other headphones.


----------



## longbowbbs

Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.


----------



## shane55

greed said:


> Stand is included in the package. Very sturdy and well built, just like the headphones.
> 
> @All - Thanks for the kind words. Dan truly designed a marvelous product here, can't wait to compare them to my other headphones.


 
  
  
 Wanted more than ever now...


----------



## philo50

longbowbbs said:


> Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.


 
  
 just so great looking......


----------



## MickeyVee

x2. Woah! Would love to hear that setup!
  
 Quote:


philo50 said:


> just so great looking......


----------



## longbowbbs

mickeyvee said:


> x2. Woah! Would love to hear that setup!
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Best I have ever had MV....The SLI-80 has really lit up my Vandersteen's too. Life is good.


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


> +1 nice pic , Greed
> To self -I do not need another phone


 
  
 And you just replied to the username 'Greed'..._ it's over._ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 New cans for snapple10!


----------



## sp3llv3xit

Quote:Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
   
  
Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.


  
Edit Div
  



 +1

 Drool...


----------



## Wil

TEAC UD501  - > Lehmann BCL -> HD800
  
 Desktop (Not shown) ALO Pan Am -> LCD2.2
  
 Somewhere amongst that mess is my speaker setup


----------



## magiccabbage

wil said:


> TEAC UD501  - > Lehmann BCL -> HD800
> 
> Desktop (Not shown) ALO Pan Am -> LCD2.2
> 
> Somewhere amongst that mess is my speaker setup


 
  
 Now, I just love this set-up. Its probably the nicest listening room I have seen on here. Love the 70's finish. Is it retro or from the 70's?


----------



## longbowbbs

wil said:


> TEAC UD501  - > Lehmann BCL -> HD800
> 
> Desktop (Not shown) ALO Pan Am -> LCD2.2
> 
> Somewhere amongst that mess is my speaker setup


 
  
 Very nice! What are the speakers and Tube gear you have there?


----------



## Wil

magiccabbage said:


> Now, I just love this set-up. Its probably the nicest listening room I have seen on here. Love the 70's finish. Is it retro or from the 70's?


 
  
 Thank you! The speakers are def. retro (from the 70s like you mentioned)
  
 Everything else isn't.
  
 Room is about 6 years old...so not really retro per se. I guess wood does make everything seem a little more aged!


----------



## Wil

longbowbbs said:


> Very nice! What are the speakers and Tube gear you have there?


 
  
 Thank you!

 Speakers are Tannoy Gold 15"
  
 Tube equipment that i run include an Almarro 318Bn amp (18W) and a Jolida JD9 for my vinyl setup.
  
 I have an Eastern Electric DAC that's not hooked up ever since i got the TEAC UD501.
  
 My CEC CDP is connected via toslink to the TEAC U501 for when i feel like spinning those antique silver thingies called compact discs!


----------



## longbowbbs

I have always been a fan of Tannoy's great work with their concentric drivers. How old are those? They seem to last forever!


----------



## Wil

I reckon they are around 35 - 40 years old. And yes they seem to last forever!


----------



## Quinto

wil said:


> TEAC UD501  - > Lehmann BCL -> HD800
> 
> Desktop (Not shown) ALO Pan Am -> LCD2.2
> 
> Somewhere amongst that mess is my speaker setup


 
 Wow, very cool looking set up, love the look of those speakers.. bet it sounds the world
  
 and my favorite Francis Wolff photo, fits in very nice!


----------



## LugBug1

longbowbbs said:


> Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.


 
 Now that is one beautiful beast! Congrats!


----------



## OPR8R

longbowbbs said:


> Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Whoa.  That came quickly, and looks gorgeous.  Congrats


----------



## n0str3ss

quinto said:


> Wow, very cool looking set up, love the look of those speakers.. bet it sounds the world
> 
> and my favorite Francis Wolff photo, fits in very nice!


 
  
 And the entire space is so tidy, quite interesting.


----------



## longbowbbs

> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Now that is one beautiful beast! Congrats!


 
  
  


opr8r said:


> Whoa.  That came quickly, and looks gorgeous.  Congrats


 
  
 Thanks! It sounds better than it looks..


----------



## sprite40




----------



## ssrock64

sprite40 said:


>


 
 That's quite an impressive array of gear for somebody with only 38 posts!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

longbowbbs said:


> Current set up. MacMini with Amarra/Audirvana>Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSDse>Cary SLI-80>HD800's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows.



Sweet mother of tubes....


----------



## jaywillin

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Sweet mother of tubes....


 
 thats a good one !!
  
 back in the day, i wanted one of those cary's, just a bit out of reach at the time


----------



## longbowbbs

I stalked them for over a year before the right deal came up. Patience is key!


----------



## preproman

snapple10 said:


> +1 nice pic , Greed
> To self -I do not need another phone


 
  
 Yes you do... May Mad Dogs..


----------



## snapple10

with those cables? sure!!!


----------



## Wil

quinto said:


> Wow, very cool looking set up, love the look of those speakers.. bet it sounds the world
> 
> and my favorite Francis Wolff photo, fits in very nice!


 
  
 Thank you! That photo is just timeless, isn't it?


  
 I have a weird habbit of filming (with sound) my set up...so here's (a somewhat muffled) brief of how they sound. 5dMKII doing the filming.


----------



## Wil

n0str3ss said:


> And the entire space is so tidy, quite interesting.


 
  
 Oh no! You should have seen the place before i got down to packing. It was an absolute mess.


----------



## montanari

Jriver 19, hrt2+ with aqvox usb poer supply, Graham slee ulde, hd650, gs 1000
 and it  s music!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wil said:


> quinto said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, very cool looking set up, love the look of those speakers.. bet it sounds the world
> ...



You do realize that there's no way a recording passed onto us can give the same, or even close, acoustic properties as in person? Like info listened that video on Grados, it would sound Grado-y.


----------



## Wil

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> You do realize that there's no way a recording passed onto us can give the same, or even close, acoustic properties as in person? Like info listened that video on Grados, it would sound Grado-y.


 
  
 I in no way claimed it was an accurate recording, did i?

 All in the name of good fun my friend.


----------



## Quinto

Bill Evans's  '61 Village Vanguard  recording, you're a cool dude!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 (sounds very AKG K501 like haha)


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wil said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > You do realize that there's no way a recording passed onto us can give the same, or even close, acoustic properties as in person? Like info listened that video on Grados, it would sound Grado-y.
> ...



Yes yes, all in jest 
Your system does look fantastic, I must say.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

High school-fi.
iPhone 3GS>FiiO E7>Klipsch X10. 

Looking to get some Ety triple flange tips, can anyone comment on their fit with the X10s??


----------



## Androb

montanari said:


> Jriver 19, hrt2+ with aqvox usb poer supply, Graham slee ulde, hd650, gs 1000
> and it  s music!


 
  
 How does the grado sound if you can somewhat compare them to hd650 ?  I have hd 650 and akg q701, but allways been interested in the wooden grados


----------



## Wil

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Yes yes, all in jest
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Surely you jest! Thanks


----------



## Wil

quinto said:


> Bill Evans's  '61 Village Vanguard  recording, you're a cool dude!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's seriously one of my favorite albums of all time.
  
 My vinyl copy is played to death!


----------



## sprite40

ssrock64!
  
 I was infected by the well known virus called head-fi, it quickly became an expensive acquaintance,
 fortunately I was not hit nearly as hard as other members here
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I've always liked reading more than writing


----------



## bbophead

wil said:


> I have a weird habbit of filming (with sound) my set up...so here's (a somewhat muffled) brief of how they sound. 5dMKII doing the filming.




 Great album.  It sounds real "live" on the video.  Congrats!


----------



## Silent One

wil said:


> Thank you! That photo is just timeless, isn't it?
> 
> 
> I have a weird habbit of filming (with sound) my set up...so here's (a somewhat muffled) brief of how they sound. 5dMKII doing the filming.


 
  
 That was quite an audible treat for the silent one...


----------



## eke2k6

Custom Mad Dog came in, completing my desktop setup.
  
 Hifimediy U2 Async > Matrix M-Stage > Mad Dogs


----------



## ssrock64

eke2k6 said:


> Custom Mad Dog came in, completing my desktop setup.
> 
> Hifimediy U2 Async > Matrix M-Stage > Mad Dogs


 
 Just in time to save up for an Alpha Dog!


----------



## vikkiblew

Benchmark DAC 1 USB > Paradox / Focal CMS40


----------



## DarKen23

eke2k6 said:


> Custom Mad Dog came in, completing my desktop setup.
> 
> Hifimediy U2 Async > Matrix M-Stage > Mad Dogs


Very nice


----------



## ssrock64

vikkiblew said:


> Benchmark DAC 1 USB > Paradox / Focal CMS40


 
 Hello, fello DAC1 owner. There's not all that many of us around these parts.


----------



## wolfetan44

How do you like the Paradox?





vikkiblew said:


> Benchmark DAC 1 USB > Paradox / Focal CMS40


----------



## mrAdrian

Not mine, but Max Levchin (former chief technology officer of PayPal)'s desk.


----------



## ssrock64

mradrian said:


> Not mine, but Max Levchin (former chief technology officer of PayPal)'s desk.


 
 Do you (or did you) work with him, or did you just find this photo online?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

ssrock64 said:


> mradrian said:
> 
> 
> > Not mine, but Max Levchin (former chief technology officer of PayPal)'s desk.
> ...



Exactly what I was wondering. Also, I don't see an amp or a dac. Maybe he's got a little bit of FiiO hiding behind the monitors?


----------



## autoteleology

I do see a K701/2, though.


----------



## mrAdrian

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Exactly what I was wondering. Also, I don't see an amp or a dac. Maybe he's got a little bit of FiiO hiding behind the monitors?


 
  
 Haha I saw it online. They were comparing different CEO's desktop, which was quite interesting... until I saw the K701 and I was like wow!
  
 And yes I was also looking for the amp after posting the picture. What if he has a portable setup that he took home with @@


----------



## DarKen23

mradrian said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Exactly what I was wondering. Also, I don't see an amp or a dac. Maybe he's got a little bit of FiiO hiding behind the monitors?
> ...


Not much to "wow" about.





I know, I know...Sorry.


----------



## wolfetan44

How I'm starting off my Saturday


----------



## brunk

wolfetan44 said:


> How I'm starting off my Saturday


 
 Looks like a delightful morning! I have started mine with soldering some wires up on an amplifier  I have to ask though, because I'm a baseball fan, in particular a diehard Cardinals fan since i was born, what is that baseball in the background?


----------



## wolfetan44

brunk said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > How I'm starting off my Saturday
> ...


 
 Yes, it is. Its a homerun ball
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I'll actually be soldering later in the day, have to change me HD650 cable to single-ended.


----------



## eke2k6

wolfetan44 said:


> How I'm starting off my Saturday


 
  
  
 Ditto:


----------



## wolfetan44

eke2k6 said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 Mad Dog vs. Paradox


----------



## brunk

wolfetan44 said:


> Yes, it is. Its a homerun ball
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Very nice!


----------



## gbremer

This is my modest listening station at work. I do most of my listening there but I wouldn't want to spend more for something I leave at the office. I'm such a gadget head though that my envy of some of your equipment is really going to drain my bank account in the future...


----------



## ssrock64

gbremer said:


> This is my modest listening station at work. I do most of my listening there but I wouldn't want to spend more for something I leave at the office. I'm such a gadget head though that my envy of some of your equipment is really going to drain my bank account in the future...


 
 I love the clear-glass open-air amp design!


----------



## DarKen23

ssrock64 said:


> gbremer said:
> 
> 
> > This is my modest listening station at work. I do most of my listening there but I wouldn't want to spend more for something I leave at the office. I'm such a gadget head though that my envy of some of your equipment is really going to drain my bank account in the future...
> ...


+1, it looks really cool. If im not mistaken, it lights up as well?


----------



## gbremer

darken23 said:


> +1, it looks really cool. If im not mistaken, it lights up as well?


 
 Yes, it does. It's a great amp, and combined with the dt880s makes the best setup I've had at the office so far. They're the first headphones I've owned that I can wear all day without getting tired.


----------



## whirlwind




----------



## Androb

whirlwind said:


>


 
 Wow that looks awesome!


----------



## knopi

whirlwind it looks great together and I always wanted to hear MS Pro with MapleTree amps.


----------



## brunk

knopi said:


> whirlwind it looks great together and I always wanted to hear MS Pro with MapleTree amps.


 
 Yeah I'm a sucker for wood myself. Add a couple VU meters and then I'm really spoiled


----------



## LugBug1

Classic set-up whirlwind


----------



## Redrider469

Moved in over a month ago but I finally have a chance to post a pic xD Its all HDMI from the laptop to the receiver which goes to the Polk Monitor 30's and the Velodyne VX-11


----------



## 62ohm

Here you go, I'm new to this so nothing really fancy http://cdn.head-fi.org/6/6f/900x900px-LL-6ffd40d0_DSC_0077.jpeg


----------



## Androb

Redrider that looks nice and clean  Hope you enjoy the new place!


----------



## Sorrodje

A nice pic of my HD800 rig during last saturday meeting in Paris.  Dacmagic + ASL MG head OTL + HD800


----------



## Redrider469

androb said:


> Redrider that looks nice and clean  Hope you enjoy the new place!


 

 Thanks! I have a much more optimal set up than before xD


----------



## ssrock64

redrider469 said:


> Moved in over a month ago but I finally have a chance to post a pic xD Its all HDMI from the laptop to the receiver which goes to the Polk Monitor 30's and the Velodyne VX-11


 
 Very stylish, and I'm sure it sounds good as well.


----------



## longbowbbs

sorrodje said:


> A nice pic of my HD800 rig during last saturday meeting in Paris.  Dacmagic + ASL MG head OTL + HD800


 
 I sold my Dac Magic Plus before I got the HD800's How do you like the combination?


----------



## brunk

62ohm said:


> Here you go, I'm new to this so nothing really fancy http://cdn.head-fi.org/6/6f/900x900px-LL-6ffd40d0_DSC_0077.jpeg


 
 Is that a really long Mini-ITX enclosure? If it is, can you post a link? I've been looking for something like that to fit some additional hard drives, mine is only 12in. deep with 4 drives crammed in. Thanks.


----------



## Rem0o

brunk said:


> Is that a really long Mini-ITX enclosure? If it is, can you post a link? I've been looking for something like that to fit some additional hard drives. Thanks.


 

 You should be interested by this release then: http://coolermaster-usa.com/microsite/hafstacker/

  The enclosure in his picture is a Corsair 400R/500R, not an ITX, sadly.


----------



## Sorrodje

@Longbowbbs . Yes . Definitely yes. Very good combination. Mine is an old one without any headphone output and its sounds very well. I listened to way more hi end dac this saturday ( TEAC UD 501 and Audio GD ref5) and my old an low-fi dacmagic really does a good job. Neutral, slightly warm and smooth sound .. good combo with HD800. Nevertheless, the Audio GD reference 5 is very impressive with HD800 IMO .   I compared my amps too . And both MG head and  Corda Jazz competed very well against such amps as trafomatic Head one and a HDVD800 ( this last amp gives in my opinion the best result with an impressive authority but it's not "night and day" compared to my cheaper amps ). I didn't heard any improvement from the trafomatic against my old MG head. 
 I'm definitely happy with my current rig.


----------



## brunk

rem0o said:


> You should be interested by this release then: http://coolermaster-usa.com/microsite/hafstacker/


 
 Ooh, that is very nice indeed. I have an Enermax Fulmo GT case with 25 drives in it as my main media/gaming/raid PC, but I use a Mini-ITX with 12tb in my rack.


----------



## longbowbbs

sorrodje said:


> @Longbowbbs . Yes . Definitely yes. Very good combination. Mine is an old one without any headphone output and its sounds very well. I listened to way more hi end dac this saturday ( TEAC UD 501 and Audio GD ref5) and my old an low-fi dacmagic really does a good job. Neutral, slightly warm and smooth sound .. good combo with HD800. Nevertheless, the Audio GD reference 5 is very impressive with HD800 IMO .   I compared my amps too . And both MG head and  Corda Jazz competed very well against such amps as trafomatic Head one and a HDVD800 ( this last amp gives in my opinion the best result with an impressive authority but it's not "night and day" compared to my cheaper amps ). I didn't heard any improvement from the trafomatic against my old MG head.
> I'm definitely happy with my current rig.


 
  
 Good to hear! I really enjoyed my DMPlus. They are a great value in the DAC arena!


----------



## Rem0o

brunk said:


> Ooh, that is very nice indeed. I have an Enermax Fulmo GT case with 25 drives in it as my main media/gaming/raid PC, but I use a Mini-ITX with 12tb in my rack.


 
 Get a server mate with this many drive lol.


----------



## brunk

rem0o said:


> Get a server mate with this many drive lol.


 
 It is my own server. Trust me, with the hardware thats inside it, it can do everything without breaking a sweat.


----------



## whirlwind

androb said:


> Wow that looks awesome!


 
 Thank You.
  


knopi said:


> whirlwind it looks great together and I always wanted to hear MS Pro with MapleTree amps.


 
 Thanks, I am thinking the MS Pro would sound fantastic with the MAD EAR
  


brunk said:


> Yeah I'm a sucker for wood myself. Add a couple VU meters and then I'm really spoiled


 
 LOL!
  


lugbug1 said:


> Classic set-up whirlwind


 
 Yes, thank you....I talked to a lot of people about what amp to pair my RS1i with, and I kept getting the same answer about 75% of the time....so I figured, why not.
  
 It truly is a magical combo....I am enjoying my RS1i more than ever.....I am very happy and really glad that I have this combo.


----------



## PanamaHat




----------



## DarKen23

panamahat said:


>


 
 Those small tube amps have been showing up on head-fi like crazy the last few days. Sunrise, Bravo v2, and a few others. I cant help but wonder how it fairs with the HD800. If Im not mistaken, modification on those amps are done often?
  
 Definitely looks nice


----------



## PanamaHat

I can't really speak for the bravo amps since I haven't tried one, but the garage 1217 amps are pretty high value. You could check out the project ember for the hd800


----------



## logwed

My room! The dacmagic+ was on loan from work (to do a comparison between the two), now I'm checking out the Music Hall 25.3. I'm in the process of buying a Rein Audio X-DAC, I'm very excited for that.


----------



## DarKen23

logwed said:


> My room! The dacmagic+ was on loan from work (to do a comparison between the two), now I'm checking out the Music Hall 25.3. I'm in the process of buying a Rein Audio X-DAC, I'm very excited for that.


 
 Damn, nice set-up you got there brotha. Are those emotiva monitors?


----------



## wotts

logwed said:


> My room! The dacmagic+ was on loan from work (to do a comparison between the two), now I'm checking out the Music Hall 25.3. I'm in the process of buying a Rein Audio X-DAC, I'm very excited for that.


 
  
  
 Nice setup! Love the poster too.


----------



## spurxiii




----------



## DarKen23

spurxiii said:


>


 
 Nice mouse pad. Scarab?


----------



## Revogamer

That looks like an ironclad


----------



## spurxiii

Yeah its the scarab. I like its size and stiffness. Wait that didn't come out right


----------



## Silent One




----------



## DarKen23

spurxiii said:


> Yeah its the scarab. I like its size and stiffness. Wait that didn't come out right


 
 lol


----------



## DarKen23

silent one said:


>


 
 Damn, sexy vintage gear man.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## NZheadcase

Very nice composition.


----------



## magiccabbage

silent one said:


>


 
 wow


----------



## Silent One

And I was blasting my way through Earth, Wind & Fire... imagine!


----------



## magiccabbage

silent one said:


> And I was blasting my way through Earth, Wind & Fire... imagine!


 
 I only have the "light as a feather album" but I love it.


----------



## logwed

> Originally Posted by *wotts* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Nice setup! Love the poster too.


 
  


darken23 said:


> Damn, nice set-up you got there brotha. Are those emotiva monitors?


 
  
 Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yep, they are the Emotiva Airmotiv 6, I bought them off a local head-fier a couple months ago, they do good work. I really miss the DM+ to use as a preamp with the speakers, I'm trying to figure out if there are any phono preamps that also have line level input so I can avoid buying 2 preamps in the future...


----------



## magiccabbage

magiccabbage said:


> I only have the "light as a feather album" but I love it.


 
 my bad that album is by return to forever


----------



## dgcrane

Hello,


 


I thought I would add my kit to this thread 


 





 


Mac Mini with Fidelia > iFi power > Eximus DP1 > Woo WA2 sitting on a DIY Flexi > Sansui AU-717 > B&W 683 and 685's


 


Current Headphones : HD800 + LCD2.2 Bamboo + Grado 325 + Momentum


 


 


Darren


----------



## PanamaHat

dgcrane said:


> Hello,
> 
> I thought I would add my kit to this thread
> 
> ...


 
  
 That is one sexy setup. Is the stand diy? If so it came out great.
 I would like to see the speakers in front of that sound insulation too


----------



## dgcrane

Thanks, and yeah I made the stand myself which I am especially proud of cause I am not exactly handy with the woodworking lol

I have a pretty amazing wife, cause this is "our" bedroom LOL


----------



## Dubstep Girl

thats it, i'm rejoining the WA2 club ASAP


----------



## brunk

dubstep girl said:


> thats it, i'm rejoining the WA2 club ASAP


 
 I never understood why you sold it in the first place 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I can't wait to post some pics here in a couple weeks when the rest of my DIY gear is complete. It will be epic


----------



## brunk

dgcrane said:


> Thanks, and yeah I made the stand myself which I am especially proud of cause I am not exactly handy with the woodworking lol
> 
> I have a pretty amazing wife, cause this is "our" bedroom LOL


 
 She must enjoy audio too, not many females will let you put eggcrate-type acoustic paneling on the wall. Does she have a sister?


----------



## magiccabbage

dubstep girl said:


> thats it, i'm rejoining the WA2 club ASAP


 
 ha ha, i might just post one up of my one to tease you a bit more


----------



## brunk

magiccabbage said:


> ha ha, i might just post one up of my one to tease you a bit more


----------



## Silent One

dgcrane said:


> Hello,
> 
> I thought I would add my kit to this thread
> 
> ...


 




  
 Team Sansui


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *brunk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## megawhacko

the first picture has my AKG's hooked up to the o2/odac. 2nd picture is emotiva stealth dc-1


----------



## widdyjudas

Just replaced my e17 with Aune x1 mk2.
  

  
 My Humble set


----------



## Twinster

dgcrane said:


> Hello,
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hey Darren. Wow what a long way from the O2 my friend. Very nice setup. congrat!


----------



## DarKen23

> dgcrane said:
> 
> 
> > Hello,
> ...


 
 Nice DP-1


----------



## eke2k6




----------



## stainless824

not really a head fi setup anymore


----------



## jibzilla

eke2k6 said:


>


----------



## Armaegis

stainless824 said:


> not really a head fi setup anymore


 
  
 I spy a power condition on the upper right, and, uh... a microwave on the left?


----------



## MorbidToaster

armaegis said:


> I spy a power condition on the upper right, and, uh... a microwave on the left?




Looks like a SAC and microwave to me.


----------



## scott_d_m




----------



## PanamaHat

scott_d_m said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 Gish! literally one of my favorite albums ever.
 Good looking setup


----------



## Tallulah (Sep 27, 2019)

My first "audiophile" (budget) build I've got about a year ago.


----------



## longbowbbs

tallulah said:


> My first "audiophile" (budget) build I've got about a year ago.


 
 That is a nice choice to get your "Audiophile" mode started.


----------



## BucketInABucket

Oooo that amp looks quite nice which one is it?
  
 Quote:


tallulah said:


> My first "audiophile" (budget) build I've got about a year ago.


----------



## MickeyVee

It looks like a FiiO E10.  Nice looking setup BTW.  Sometimes I wish I just stopped at the E10 and HD600.
  
 Quote:


bucketinabucket said:


>


----------



## LugBug1

tallulah said:


> My first "audiophile" (budget) build I've got about a year ago.


 
 Perfect set up. If it has kept you going for a year, then there is clearly no need to upgrade. Enjoy the music!


----------



## Errymoose

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Definitely the FiiO E10... I have an E10 + Beyer T70 on my desk at work!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

lugbug1 said:


> tallulah said:
> 
> 
> > My first "audiophile" (budget) build I've got about a year ago.
> ...



No but just think of how much fun you could be having with tubes?


----------



## stainless824

armaegis said:


> I spy a power condition on the upper right, and, uh... a microwave on the left?


 
 actually, its my dac on the right and my pc on the left


----------



## sp3llv3xit

stainless824 said:


> actually, its my dac on the right and my pc on the left


 

 I think Armaegis is referring to the microwave he spotted off the reflection of your desktop pc.


----------



## DarKen23

mickeyvee said:


> bucketinabucket said:
> 
> 
> >


Lol yea right


----------



## stainless824

sp3llv3xit said:


> I think Armaegis is referring to the microwave he spotted off the reflection of your desktop pc.


 

  
 wrong pic


----------



## jude

OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
  
 More photos of the OPPO PM-1 can be found at the following link: *OPPO PM-1 headphones*


----------



## wolfetan44

jude said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I hate you


----------



## ssrock64

jude said:


> OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> 
> More photos of the OPPO PM-1 can be found at the following link: *OPPO PM-1 headphones*


 
 I assume you're currently working on some more thorough impressions than those on the first page, but do you care to give us a quick summary of what you've heard so far?


----------



## LugBug1

jude said:


> OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> 
> More photos of the OPPO PM-1 can be found at the following link: *OPPO PM-1 headphones*


 
 Nevermind the headphones, I want a camera as good as Jude's!


----------



## captslow

dgcrane said:


> Hello,
> 
> I thought I would add my kit to this thread
> 
> ...


 
 Great looking rack, I like the flexy design!


----------



## jibzilla

jude said:


> OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> 
> More photos of the OPPO PM-1 can be found at the following link: *OPPO PM-1 headphones*


----------



## DarKen23

jibzilla said:


> jude said:
> 
> 
> > OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> ...


 
 Has every right to do so. Those pm-1 are a marvel to look at.


----------



## DarKen23

lugbug1 said:


> jude said:
> 
> 
> > OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> ...


----------



## widdyjudas

IMO that is the best looking planar cans yet...


----------



## HammyTown

iMac / Oppo BDP-103 -> Bifrost -> Asgard2   (A2 Desktop speakers + Cans)
 19" Samsung HDTV for Oppo video


----------



## Tuco1965

That's a nice looking setup!


----------



## pervysage

Woo Audio WA7 incoming soon


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice setup as is.  You're gonna love the WA7!!  Would love to try the TH-900 with my WA7.  Look forward to impressions.
  
 Quote:


pervysage said:


> Woo Audio WA7 incoming soon


----------



## Rem0o

pervysage said:


> Woo Audio WA7 incoming soon


 
  
 Better be black, your actual setup look neet with this color scheme, and we need a picture with your updated setup!


----------



## MickeyVee

Gotta love Oppo! I probably would never buy any other disc spinner than Oppo.  Hope their headphones are as good.  They're also putting out a HP amp that I would like to see/try.
  
 Quote:


jude said:


> OPPO PM-1 pre-production prototype headphones with one of my portable rigs (Apple iPod Touch 64GB, CEntrance HiFi-M8). Also shown: McIntosh Labs D-100 digital preamp / DAC.
> 
> More photos of the OPPO PM-1 can be found at the following link: *OPPO PM-1 headphones*


----------



## knopi

CustomWorks Hypa1, Casea Orion Lite USB DAC
  


 Audeze LCD2rev1
  
 No final setup. I want change my laptop for iMac 21,5 in future and upgrade headphone, maybe speakers..


----------



## Androb

knopi said:


> CustomWorks Hypa1, Casea Orion Lite USB DAC
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I am so jealous of you audeze owners. Such a beautiful hp.


----------



## DarKen23

androb said:


> knopi said:
> 
> 
> > CustomWorks Hypa1, Casea Orion Lite USB DAC
> ...


 
 Meh, theyre just alright imo. You should be jealous of HD800 owners, they are beautiful headphones without doubt


----------



## widdyjudas

darken23 said:


> Meh, theyre just alright imo. You should be jealous of HD800 owners, they are beautiful headphones without doubt


 

 Oppo's plannar looks better than audeze imo. Just hope its sound as good as it's looks.
 Yes, I'm very jealous of HD800 owner. My dream cans...


----------



## filuS

knopi said:


> CustomWorks Hypa1, Casea Orion Lite USB DAC
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice to see something from our little "world" (CZ/SK), it's not very often to find any word on Casea equipment around here. Very clean looking setup as well (unlike my mess  )


----------



## DefQon

widdyjudas said:


> Oppo's plannar looks better than audeze imo. Just hope its sound as good as it's looks.
> Yes, I'm very jealous of HD800 owner. My dream cans...


 
 Nothing looks better than wood, that's fact my friend.


----------



## atra4

My humble setup. Excuse the mess and sorry about the crappy phone camera photo.


----------



## Androb

darken23 said:


> Meh, theyre just alright imo. You should be jealous of HD800 owners, they are beautiful headphones without doubt


 
 I guess we all got different tastes  Audeze is my favourite looking headphones  Altho I love the look of the HD800 also (and then we got hd700, denon d7000, ath w3000anv I think it's called, Grado Gs1000, He-6 wich is all beautiful headphones  )


----------



## LugBug1

Headphones don't come much better looking than the Rosewood LCD2... If only they had the HD800 sound! (and comfort..)


----------



## DefQon

Having seen an R10 in person, probably the best looking headphone with wood to give wood to any wood lover.


----------



## Oregonian

defqon said:


> Having seen an R10 in person, probably the best looking headphone with wood to give wood to any wood lover.


 

 Got wood?


----------



## LugBug1

I wood like to see one myself ^^^


----------



## magiccabbage

knopi said:


> CustomWorks Hypa1, Casea Orion Lite USB DAC
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Clean as a whistle - nice pics


----------



## brunk

atra4 said:


> My humble setup. Excuse the mess and sorry about the crappy phone camera photo.


 
 Since I see an LP and stylus gauge, surely your pic isn't complete without the turntable! Is that a RS1 hanging from the monitor as well?


----------



## widdyjudas

defqon said:


> Nothing looks better than wood, that's fact my friend.


 

 Agreed, loved the D7k or audio technica w series woods. However, audeze wood design is ugly imo...


----------



## che15

I hope u guys don't buy headphones based on their looks, very silly


----------



## Androb

che15 said:


> I hope u guys don't buy headphones based on their looks, very silly


 
 Not really but it's never a bad thing if it look really beautiful )


----------



## pelli

che15 said:


> I hope u guys don't buy headphones based on their looks, very silly


 
 I'm sure this is not the case for most head-fiers, but you of all people can appreciate cosmetics.  Look at the stunning headphone stand in your profile pic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Form is almost as important as function and of you are sending what many of us are on our rigs you should get both!


----------



## LugBug1

I wager that Audeze wouldn't have sold half as many headphones as they have, if the didn't look like they do..
  
 Asthetics may not be as important as sound quality but you just need to look at speaker design to see what attracts buyers.


----------



## oscarsaudio

Latest addition  some sennheiser HD540 reference gold's , liking the sound so far


----------



## brunk

oscarsaudio said:


> Latest addition  some sennheiser HD540 reference gold's , liking the sound so far


 
 Digging the stand, fits the retro theme you got going on  What finish is that, golden oak?


----------



## oscarsaudio

The stand was just made to keep the desk a little tidier , European Oak with a satin finish.


----------



## captslow

oscarsaudio said:


> The stand was just made to keep the desk a little tidier , European Oak with a satin finish.




Looks great


----------



## OPR8R

lugbug1 said:


> I wager that Audeze wouldn't have sold half as many headphones as they have, if the didn't look like they do..
> 
> Asthetics may not be as important as sound quality but you just need to look at speaker design to see what attracts buyers.


 
  
 It seems opinions are split on the aesthetics of the LCD-3.  It's well known HD800's (and others) are more comfortable, and I've read plenty of opinions that indicate preference for their looks too.  I'd wager people are buying Audezes for their sound.


----------



## robrob

TEAC UD-H01 USB balanced DAC with built-in single ended headphone amp + Tripath TA2024 balanced amp mod
 Schiit Mjolnir balanced headphone amp
 HE-500 cans


----------



## knopi

filus said:


> Nice to see something from our little "world" (CZ/SK), it's not very often to find any word on Casea equipment around here.
> Very clean looking setup as well (unlike my mess  )


 
 Mm yes unknown company here..
 Thanks, "(unlike my mess  )" do you mean as most commercial things?  just kidding
  


magiccabbage said:


> Clean as a whistle - nice pics


 
 Thanks)


----------



## filuS

knopi said:


> Mm yes unknown company here..
> Thanks, "(unlike my mess  )" do you mean as most commercial things?  just kidding
> 
> Thanks)


 
 I am not really aware of having that many commercial things (well, if you are considering anniversary models as commerce then I am guilty of having thing or two - but especially W3000ANV hits my sweet spot, both sonically and aesthetically, it's certainly more to them than just simple commercial hype), maybe cables but I am not the first owner of most of them, thus I got them pretty "cheap", mostly ~50% off from what they had been originally bought for. I could not justify spending $1000 on one pair of RCA cables, but buying them used for 250€ is surely worth the money, no matter how commercialized they would be. And even if - who cares, as long as it rocks my socks off it is only thing that matters at the end


----------



## DarKen23

opr8r said:


> lugbug1 said:
> 
> 
> > I wager that Audeze wouldn't have sold half as many headphones as they have, if the didn't look like they do..
> ...


 
 +1. They sure as hell aint buyin them for superior comfort


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## scott_d_m

Thanks! It's a pretty basic set-up that sounds pretty good. I've had some higher end gear in the past but i think i've settled on these. I think the HF-2 really plays well with the Magni as well.

Gish is a great album ans probably my favorite pumkins album.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

When I tried the LCD2's I thought they were pretty comfy.


----------



## Zashoomin

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> When I tried the LCD2's I thought they were pretty comfy.


 
 They are comfy for a bit but then the weight starts to set in and the pressure at the top of your head builds up a little.  But non the less I loved mine anyway.  The LCD3's are a little better because they don't clamp as much either thanks to the softer pads.


----------



## DarKen23

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> When I tried the LCD2's I thought they were pretty comfy.


 
 They are, but only for about 25mins. After that, youll begin squirming and readjusting to a new spot on the head.


----------



## fizzix

My current station


----------



## DarKen23

fizzix said:


> My current station


 
 Looks pretty "end-game" to me.


----------



## Noobmachine

darken23 said:


> They are, but only for about 25mins. After that, youll begin squirming and readjusting to a new spot on the head.


 
 Not really, some people find them comfortable, and luckily I'm one of them, the only thing that put me off was the poor soundstaging and treble. The large pads really do make for quite a comfy fit imho, but for some the weight and fit can be a bit of a hassle.


----------



## fizzix

darken23 said:


> Looks pretty "current" to me.


----------



## DarKen23

noobmachine said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > They are, but only for about 25mins. After that, youll begin squirming and readjusting to a new spot on the head.
> ...


 
 Yea some do find them to be comfy, absolutely.
  
 The soundstaging can be fixed by using tb_isone, a ridiculously good dsp that mimics listening to speakers. Prepare yourself once youve got it calibrated to your phones because youll find yourself taking the headphones off to make sure your speakers arent playing disturbing the neighbors.


----------



## DarKen23

fizzix said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Looks pretty "current" to me.


 
 *poke*


----------



## roskodan

guess the components


----------



## MrEleventy

Vio stack + HD600s? Hard to tell with it being so grainy. 

E: Just saw your avatar, lol. Not bad going by just the photo. Rather pleased with myself.


----------



## roskodan

violectric stack v200 v800 and i guess hd600 would be a better match, but it's a hd650 from the days i was listening through  the stereo receiver, harman kardon hk970, now a hk980, i had the matching cd player hd970, switched to the rca out of the v800 as source, heaven!


----------



## JIGF

There is a harman kardon.


----------



## roskodan

jigf said:


> There is a harman kardon.


 

 yeah, you can't miss the inner lightning of the volume ring wheel!


----------



## Angry




----------



## ssrock64

angry said:


>


 
 I think I might need to talk to a marketer at Denon about that new "Brutal Bass" slogan of theirs...


----------



## IcedTea

Not brutal enough for ya?


----------



## DarKen23

icedtea said:


> Not brutal enough for ya?


 
 Yes, Im quite surprised people prefer beats as well..
  
 Very intriguing..


----------



## DT770owner




----------



## DT770owner

what is OMG the amp or the headphone


----------



## DarKen23

dt770owner said:


>


 
 Quite busy..Nice nonetheless


----------



## DT770owner

Don't know why every time i listen to the he500, it make me fall asleep lol maybe the songs and the headphone is too darn good


----------



## DarKen23

dt770owner said:


> Don't know why every time i listen to the he500, it make me fall asleep lol maybe the songs and the headphone is too darn good


 
 That happens to me with the HD800
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 Obviously this is around 3-4AM


----------



## Silent One

I was just fixin' to ask...


----------



## DT770owner

I listen to it during work maybe I haven't had enough sleep at night always sleep at 3am lol


----------



## silversurfer616

roskodan said:


> guess the components



Did you get the burglars!


----------



## brunk

silversurfer616 said:


> Did you get the burglars!


 
 Nah, they only took the Beats...


----------



## roskodan

brunk said:


> Nah, they only took the Beats...


 

 sadly... ahem... hopefully yes, maybe in france they are more refined, but here they wouldn't take headfi gear even if payed for... really... hopefully i won't have to eat my words


----------



## mvrk10256

It just keeps spreading.


----------



## brunk

mvrk10256 said:


> It just keeps spreading.


 
 It appears you're using the same isolation feet for your gear, what are those? Whats the device on the bottom shelf? That shelving looks very sturdy by the way, excellent job!


----------



## DT770owner

What dac better than wooaudio??


----------



## brunk

dt770owner said:


> What dac better than wooaudio??


 
 Wrong thread to ask that question.
  
 Post a thread in this sub-forum.
http://www.head-fi.org/f/7/dedicated-source-components


----------



## mvrk10256

brunk said:


> It appears you're using the same isolation feet for your gear, what are those? Whats the device on the bottom shelf? That shelving looks very sturdy by the way, excellent job!


 
 They are just aluminum stock I machined. Nothing special, but I made them myself so they match. The bottom shelf is my custom Switch/DAC
  
 It has a pupdac and a RCA as inputs controlled by right switch, and 6 outputs controlled by the knob. 
  
 The shelving was a quick and dirty job, at this point I am just trying to get through grad school and get a job, the next desk I will build from the ground up correctly, rather than just bolting junk onto my old stuff.


----------



## Makuta11

This is what I usually listen to when at my computer. The SP might have a bit of a troubled history, but I just love the way it sounds.


----------



## ssrock64

mvrk10256 said:


> The shelving was a quick and dirty job, at this point I am just trying to get through grad school and get a job, the next desk I will build from the ground up correctly, rather than just bolting junk onto my old stuff.


 
 Step One: Longer racks for your headphones.
  
 Looking at your pictures made me worried for your DT and T50RP!


----------



## DT770owner

makuta11 said:


> This is what I usually listen to when at my computer. The SP might have a bit of a troubled history, but I just love the way it sounds.
> Such a beautiful setup!


----------



## Ronald Lee

makuta11 said:


> This is what I usually listen to when at my computer. The SP might have a bit of a troubled history, but I just love the way it sounds.


 
 a very clean and nice set up!


----------



## DT770owner

Im tight on money just got the new he500 need a dac or amp like this oNe


----------



## mvrk10256

ssrock64 said:


> Step One: Longer racks for your headphones.
> 
> Looking at your pictures made me worried for your DT and T50RP!


 
  
 The family has grown quite quickly and rather unexpectedly. I need to get back to ikea to buy more hangers..


----------



## bundy




----------



## bundy

the tube sound


----------



## LugBug1

^^ nice set up bundy, I used to have a LD1+, great amps!


----------



## bluzeboy

ZMF Modifed Fostex T50RP(Alpha Pads)
 CEntrance DACmini CX
 Stello U3
 Seagate 2 G Harddrive


----------



## m8o

In search of Mid-range nirvana  
  
It would probably have cost me less to have one high-end rig ... but who's kidding who?  I wouldn't have been content with that either!
  

  
http://m8ofoto.smugmug.com/Life/Audio-Gear/Headphones/i-xKMXP22
  
 Pictured are...
  
 Headphones from front to back:
  
 Mr.Speaker Mad Dog rev 3.2
 Focal Spirit One
 Yamaha Pro500 w/custom Beyer 990 pad mod
 Beyer DT880
 AKG K501
 Beyer T50p on the desk connected to a
 Cowon D3 player feeding a FiiO E17/Alpen over Coax S/PDIF
  
 Equipment from the bottom up:
 Arcam DV139 DVD/DVD-A/SACD/HDCD/CD player
 Perreaux TS2 switch matrix
 Little Dot CDP_II transport
 Little Dot III+ amp
 Perreaux SXH1 Silhouette amp
 FiiO E09K E17 Doc/Amp
 (and another E17 serving DAC duties to the CDP_II and Foobar2K)


----------



## ethan7000

m8o said:


> In search of Mid-range nirvana
> 
> It would probably have cost me less to have one high-end rig ... but who's kidding who?  I wouldn't have been content with that either!
> 
> ...



Nice I like that you *really* want to test things for yourself


----------



## bundy

Thank you very much. This is my first try with tubes & i am hooked. I have a funny feeling this could get expensive.


----------



## Rem0o

bundy said:


> Thank you very much. This is my first try with tubes & i am hooked. I have a funny feeling this *WILL* get expensive.


 

 Fixed that for you.


----------



## bundy

Thanks (Shudder) i think!


----------



## ssrock64

m8o said:


> In search of Mid-range nirvana
> 
> It would probably have cost me less to have one high-end rig ... but who's kidding who?  I wouldn't have been content with that either!


 
 That looks like a cable-management nightmare, but you're definitely doing the hobby right. You've got headphones and source equipment with sound signatures all over the place.


----------



## painted klown

EDIT: Nevermind


----------



## roskodan

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






m8o said:


> In search of Mid-range nirvana
> 
> It would probably have cost me less to have one high-end rig ... but who's kidding who?  I wouldn't have been content with that either!
> 
> ...


 
  


  
 now you can start selling, and buying, and selling again, and buying again... again and again...


----------



## TrollDragon

Well this will be my listening station for the next two and a half weeks then the LCD 3's and the Conductor SL move along to the next recipients.
  

 Going to be sad to send the LCD 3's along their way, they are such an amazing headphone.


----------



## Saraguie

trolldragon said:


> Going to be sad to send the LCD 3's along their way, they are such an amazing headphone.


 
 Then why are they going?


----------



## wolfetan44

saraguie said:


> trolldragon said:
> 
> 
> > Going to be sad to send the LCD 3's along their way, they are such an amazing headphone.
> ...


 
 Burson loaner tour.


----------



## TrollDragon

wolfetan44 is just too fast.


----------



## wolfetan44

trolldragon said:


> wolfetan44 is just too fast.


----------



## Saraguie

trolldragon said:


> Going to be sad to send the LCD 3's along their way, they are such an amazing headphone.




  


saraguie said:


> Then why are they going?


 
  
  


wolfetan44 said:


> Burson loaner tour.


 
 Too bad Toll.......maybe the LCD3 in your future?


----------



## philo50

terrific headphone stand......


----------



## TrollDragon

saraguie said:


> Too bad Toll.......maybe the LCD3 in your future?


 
 It is an amazing headphone, in the future possibly but right now it is not in my budget. I would like to hear the closed version as well.
  


philo50 said:


> terrific headphone stand......


 
 Thank you!


----------



## daigo

bundy said:


> Thank you very much. This is my first try with tubes & i am hooked. I have a funny feeling this could get expensive.


 
 Trust me, the tube addiction gets expensive very fast...


----------



## philo50

daigo said:


> Trust me, the tube addiction gets expensive very fast...


 
 the biggest single reason I am avoiding tubes......


----------



## Anavel0

philo50 said:


> the biggest single reason I am avoiding tubes......




Just think of it as a bonus. You don't have to roll but . . . if you do roll you get a whole new type of sound. (Not always better mind you.)


----------



## PanamaHat

The nfb11.32 makes the re-400 sound sooo much better than a $100 iem should be allowed to sound.
 I don't think I need a fullsize headphone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 (Not even kidding)


----------



## dcginc

iPhone 4s w iOS7
CCK
USB Hub-rocketfish (yes the hub and battery glow blue!)
Ext Battery-Newtrent
USB cable from battery to hub
USB cable from cck to hub
Meridian Explorer- from hub
Yamaha HP-2 and Etty headphones work just fine.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

dcginc said:


> iPhone 4s w iOS7
> CCK
> Ampliflac playing 192k high res files
> USB Hub-rocketfish (yes the hub and battery glow blue!)
> ...



That doesn't look even remotely practical... Ah well, I hope it sounds good!


----------



## captslow

m8o said:


> In search of Mid-range nirvana
> 
> It would probably have cost me less to have one high-end rig ... but who's kidding who?  I wouldn't have been content with that either!
> 
> ...


 
 I like your style... It is always nice to be able to try different headphones and associated equipment to figure out what works best for you. It is the only real way to do it.


----------



## brunk

captslow said:


> I like your style... It is always nice to be able to try different headphones and associated equipment to figure out what works best for you. It is the only real way to do it.


 
 +1 First-hand experience in finding your sound is not only fun but invaluable


----------



## wolfetan44

brunk said:


> captslow said:
> 
> 
> > I like your style... It is always nice to be able to try different headphones and associated equipment to figure out what works best for you. It is the only real way to do it.
> ...


 
 Its also expensive


----------



## captslow

wolfetan44 said:


> Its also expensive


 
 Who needs to keep money anyway...


----------



## Androb

Just went to the hifi shop nearby and bought these badboys  Now approx 100hrs burn-in time waiting... 
 Hegel HD20 dac and IXOS silver cable.


----------



## autoteleology

What exactly needs burning in?


----------



## Androb

Sorry maybe should have added the products name  But yea both the new cable wich the people at the hifi shop said it had to play a couple of hours before the sound opens up. The dac aswell, wich is a Hegel HD20 wich needs approx 100 hours according to the manual + the hifi shop dudes said I should leave it running a couple of days for it to open up


----------



## autoteleology

Very interesting. How does the burn-in process work on cables?


----------



## Androb

No idea just the store guy said you could notice difference in a while


----------



## dukeskd

tus-chan said:


> Very interesting. How does the burn-in process work on cables?


 

 It doesnt.


----------



## philo50

dukeskd said:


> It doesnt.


 
 that's certainly one point of view.....


----------



## Austin Morrow

I think there is a burn in process on every piece of equipment, and that doesn't exclude cables. Anyway, let's not de-rail, more pictures!


----------



## Macmuffin

It's not much compared to some of the setups on here but i figured i would post it.
  
 Just finished setting it up today.


----------



## painted klown

Looks like a great setup to me Macmuffin. I would LOVE having that as my rig.


----------



## Macmuffin

Yeah i did not mean to come off like it's not good but just looking at some of the stuff on here...well you know what i mean.
  
 Just got the Modi today and like it a lot so far.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

androb said:


> No idea just the store guy said you could notice difference in a while



*in a thick Indian accent*
Oh yes! You start hearing magic difference in sound after our return policy ends! Sound be good! Go on! Buy cable!


----------



## Zashoomin

Some people think there is a difference with cables, some don't.  Either way lets stay on topic.  Androb if you hear a difference between that one and another cable than there is a difference.  If you don't there there isn't.  Now more pictures please.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I believe that cables do make a difference, just not burn in of cables.


----------



## parbaked

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I believe that cables do make a difference, just not burn in of cables.


 
 Big difference...without cables I hear nothing!


----------



## calipilot227

I never tire of seeing your rig.


----------



## captslow

parbaked said:


> Big difference...without cables I hear nothing!


 
  


parbaked said:


> Big difference...without cables I hear nothing!


 
 Is that an sa-9100 I spy? I had one of those a few years back!


----------



## ThePartyPooper

Sorry for the dark photo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 HRT Musicstreamer II --> Little Dot MK II --> Audio Technica ATH W1000X


----------



## Brendo09

Here's my work rig. FLAC files -> Foobar -> USB out -> Aune T1 -> Headphones (Fischer Audio FA-011 and Fischer Audio Tandem iems)
  
 The signal also goes our from the T1 to a Muse M20EX2 20 watt T-amp and then into 2 jmax Bookshelves. Sometimes it's just nice to have the music all around you, even if it isn't that loud. 
  
  

  
 I'll admit, I'm a bit of a Fischer Audio fanboy. As well as these FA-011 and Tandems, I also own a set of FA-006 cans and some Eterna Rev2 iem's. I'm busily selling things to get a set of their DBA-02 iem's.


----------



## Don Lehrer

macmuffin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I have been workin on my portable rig and my next goal is to work in my head-fi station and believe me yours is one that I like. I woud just get a tube amp and some tubes to roll


----------



## Androb

thepartypooper said:


> Sorry for the dark photo
> 
> HRT Musicstreamer II --> Little Dot MK II --> Audio Technica ATH W1000X



Looks nice! How does the w1000x sound?


----------



## Androb

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> *in a thick Indian accent*
> Oh yes! You start hearing magic difference in sound after our return policy ends! Sound be good! Go on! Buy cable!



You don't have to be a prick about it do you. 
And the guy in the stored didnt even mention cables. I was already going to buy it when he said it, so I just thought of bringing it up.


----------



## bundy

androb said:


> You don't have to be a prick about it do you.
> And the guy in the stored didnt even mention cables. I was already going to buy it when he said it, so I just thought of bringing it up.


 
 But how do you know when your cables are burnt in (may be that's my problem)


----------



## bundy

don lehrer said:


> I have been workin on my portable rig and my next goal is to work in my head-fi station and believe me yours is one that I like. I woud just get a tube amp and some tubes to roll


 
 Nice set up Don


----------



## Androb

bundy said:


> But how do you know when your cables are burnt in (may be that's my problem)



No idea as I have no experience with it. I guess probably not a noticeable sound change, I bought it for the build quality anyway so doesnt matter


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

androb said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > *in a thick Indian accent*
> ...



I was joking man  sorry if I came off as snarky.


----------



## Androb

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I was joking man  sorry if I came off as snarky.



Hehe im sorry to, maybe shouldnt respond when im already in a bad mood. Didnt get to listen long enough yesterday to the hegel I guess


----------



## mnarwold

I think the burn-in issue is just a remnant from an older era, when things really did have burn-in. Now I think the guys at the hifi stores just say everything has burn-in. One reason they say this is it gives you a reason to not return items if you experience buyers remorse or aren't 100% satisfied and it doesn't cost them . . . you just need to wait and the sound will get better. According to all the tests I've seen with measurement equipment, there isn't any burn-in on solid state amps or cables. If there is a change after 100 hours, then we don't have a piece of equipment that can detect it, and the equipment we do have is far more precise than our hearing.
  
 The other interesting thing about the burn-in is that it seems like the amount of time it takes keeps getting higher and higher.


----------



## autoteleology

I was under the impression that burn-in was a simple loosening of moving mechanical parts through use, similar to mechanical dithering. Under that assumption, it would not make sense for anything without moving parts to need to burn-in.


----------



## Androb

That too but I think metals getting heated up also changes shape therefore different sound when it been running for an hour for example. And things worn out over a long time and will change in that matter aswell.


----------



## TrollDragon

All this lovely banter about the sonic properties of wire... (sigh) belongs in the Sound Science foolishness forum with the posts about the sonic properties of power cords, fuses and AA Batteries...

Moar pictures please.


----------



## omastic

Just set this up yesterday. Really liking it so far


----------



## Rem0o

omastic said:


> Just set this up yesterday. Really liking it so far


 
  
 Sweet little setup.


----------



## painted klown

I love the looks of the M&M stacks. I have considered one myself, but have yet to pull the trigger. Currently saving for an Emotiva DC-1 DAC/HP amp, so I am holding off for now. 

I have considered buying the Magni after that either way, to have a low cost amp that should do well with harder to drive 'phones.


----------



## ThePartyPooper

androb said:


> Looks nice! How does the w1000x sound?




Sounds wonderful with female vocals! Which is about 80% of my music collection lol. I'm actually returning my HE-400s because I like the sound of the W1000X so much.


----------



## Macmuffin

don lehrer said:


> I have been workin on my portable rig and my next goal is to work in my head-fi station and believe me yours is one that I like. I woud just get a tube amp and some tubes to roll


 
 I have always wanted to hear what a tube amp sounds like.


----------



## Androb

Nice  Allways loved the looks of it and the w3000anv  You should look up Laleh  Such an awesome singer! She is my favourite female artist hehe


----------



## Androb

Firstly sorry for the horrible camera photos  But might aswell take picture of the bottom floors stuff 
 The new Hegel (proud somehow lol) and the little dot mk3 

 Asus control panel + foobar  

 Playing music thru the hd650 atm.

 Dad got my akg q701 + there is our diy copy of black cube

 (blurry) The fireplace, so nice to sitt in the poäng ikea chair and listen too the music. Also got the foobar app in my cellphone so do not need to get up and walk to the pc ^^

 The white speakers is of concrete and is my dads project.


----------



## roskodan

i already saw these speakers somwhere.. dejavu
  
 the hegel looks the part $$$$
  
 i like cozy improvised practical space solutions too


----------



## brunk

looks like you have a very cool dad androb


----------



## LugBug1

My cosy bedroom rig


----------



## Androb

Probably wouldnt be this interested in hifi without him  Also got most of my music taste cause of him  Probably would never given Pink Floyd a chance before for example


----------



## Androb

Cosy indeed  Jealous!


----------



## awsanderson

things added since my last pic...  the cover on the turntable, a project switch box to switch the Lyr from the computer to the TT without moving wires all the time, more records, more record storage, and dust lots of dust.  Still a work in progress.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Got more LED strips for free so I put 'em behind the stuff. 

Also, new Pelican album on orange vinyl. Seems appropriate for today.


----------



## awsanderson

looking good MT


----------



## m8o

ethan7000 said:


> Nice I like that you *really* want to test things for yourself


 
  
 Thanx.  Ya, I do.  I like this hobby as costs are generally much lower to get fantastic quality.  So, I try a lot of things out.  My problem is I never sell anything.  check out my sig; I still own everything there.
  


ssrock64 said:


> That looks like a cable-management nightmare, but you're definitely doing the hobby right. You've got headphones and source equipment with sound signatures all over the place.


 
  
 Believe it of not, using that lamp snaking the cable thru where the lamphead is connected to the arm, it's really not that bad at all.  And you're very right about the greatly varying signatures.  
  


roskodan said:


> now you can start selling, and buying, and selling again, and buying again... again and again...


 
  
 that's my problem.  I've got a bit of "hoarder" in me.  I only buy; never sell.
  


captslow said:


> I like your style... It is always nice to be able to try different headphones and associated equipment to figure out what works best for you. It is the only real way to do it.


 
  
 thanx,  And the search goes on...   Mostly kidding.  I'm very happy.  But I'll tell you, there's probably 10 headphones from $200 to $1500 I have on my "I really want" list.  And it's likely I'll end-up getting 1/2 of them over the upcoming years.


----------



## DefQon

brendo09 said:


>


 
  
 You definitely need a crossover and foam dampening in those Jmax's, night and day difference especially for the 165's I have. Good bookshelf's that rivals some of the $450-500 speakers I've heard.


----------



## Brendo09

defqon said:


> You definitely need a crossover and foam dampening in those Jmax's, night and day difference especially for the 165's I have. Good bookshelf's that rivals some of the $450-500 speakers I've heard.


 
 The foam damping I have but haven't installed yet, I've got to pull the whole thing apart because we're shifting states soon, so I'll get that done then.
  
 The crossover... what needs changing on it? I haven't looked at it much yet, and it is only for very quiet listening at the moment, but that will change.


----------



## DT770owner

Just receive this today!!!


----------



## DT770owner

Very nice lil dac


----------



## Ishcabible

Finally cleaned my desk, so I figured I might as well take some pictures:

  
 Obligatory tube glow:


----------



## Don Lehrer

dt770owner said:


> Just receive this today!!!


 
  
 Is that the new "The Island" from Alo Audio? How is it? Do you mind sharing?


----------



## DefQon

brendo09 said:


> The foam damping I have but haven't installed yet, I've got to pull the whole thing apart because we're shifting states soon, so I'll get that done then.
> 
> The crossover... what needs changing on it? I haven't looked at it much yet, and it is only for very quiet listening at the moment, but that will change.


 
 Let's just say there is no real "crossover" inside besides a few bypassed caps and shenanigans to cut off a few frequencies before roll-off. One reason why they are cheap. I had help from a friend make the crossover for mine, bit beyond my basic knowledge on zobels network.


----------



## DT770owner

First of all IT look sick and its tiny dont waste too much space. Open it plug in the usb and install the driver from the CD that is included in the box simple as that. 1 of the pro is there is 2 holes 1 for balanced headphone and the other one 3.5. And the volume knob is amazing smooth.
 After 1 hour of use its getting warm. I guess that a good sign than talk about it have 3 gain stages low medium high.
  
 With my HE500 low gain about 70 to 75% volume will be enough, at midium gain about 55 to 60% and high gain can be about 35 to 40%.
  
 The down side is my HE500 too heavy sometimes  make me fall asleep while listening just a like a ear pillow 
  
 I give this 9/10.
  
 16bit to 24bit 192kHz thru USB


----------



## DT770owner

don lehrer said:


> Is that the new "The Island" from Alo Audio? How is it? Do you mind sharing?


 
 First of all IT look sick and its tiny dont waste too much space. Open it plug in the usb and install the driver from the CD that is included in the box simple as that. 1 of the pro is there is 2 holes 1 for balanced headphone and the other one 3.5. And the volume knob is amazing smooth.
 After 1 hour of use its getting warm. I guess that a good sign than talk about it have 3 gain stages low medium high.
  
 With my HE500 low gain about 70 to 75% volume will be enough, at midium gain about 55 to 60% and high gain can be about 35 to 40%.
  
 The down side is my HE500 too heavy sometimes  make me fall asleep while listening just a like a ear pillow 
  
 I give this 9/10.
  
 16bit to 24bit 192kHz thru USB


----------



## bbophead

morbidtoaster said:


>


 
 Real nice "altar".


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

bbophead said:


> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...



agreed. Absolutely beautiful.


----------



## LNCPapa

Trying to figure out how to delete this post...


----------



## parbaked

calipilot227 said:


> I never tire of seeing your rig.


 
 Your too kind and most welcome to stop by for a beer and a listen when you are up in SF.


----------



## parbaked

captslow said:


> Is that an sa-9100 I spy? I had one of those a few years back!


 
 It's a 7100  smaller but very similar except for the power and tone controls.
 I am amazed at how good this amp is with speakers or headphones.
 Dead quiet, excellent phono section, detailed and runs cool for hours...

 I also appreciate the etched faceplate and build quality.


----------



## DefQon

@MT: What happened to your Harbeths?
  
 Also what speakers are those?


----------



## parbaked

defqon said:


> @MT: What happened to your Harbeths?
> 
> Also what speakers are those?


 
 Not to answer for MT but the Harbeth's and the little Leben are not an ideal match, though both are great.
 More juice is required to get dynamic, especially at low volumes...
 I can't think of any of the BBC based British monitors that excel with subtle amps.
 Think Aston Martins and big engines.


----------



## DefQon

Yeah I figured something similar, MT wanted an amp capable of driving speakers and headphones, those Harbeths look like they benefit more from a push pull mono block setup.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## brunk

^ looks like a sexy beast SO!


----------



## Anavel0

That's a vintage Sansui isn't it, SilentOne?


----------



## philo50

it's a beautiful thing......


----------



## Silent One

anavel0 said:


> That's a vintage Sansui isn't it, SilentOne?


 
  
 Yes, 1978/79 G-22000. It's rumored that Sansui only produced 4,000 units total - 2,000 each for the G-33000/22000.


----------



## Silent One

brunk said:


> ^ looks like a sexy beast SO!


 
  
 Thanks. After an 8 month hiatus, renovation of the audio rig started this week!


----------



## snapple10

SO- got my eyes on you


----------



## Silent One




----------



## brunk

snapple10 said:


> SO- got my eyes on you


 
  
  


silent one said:


>


----------



## MorbidToaster

defqon said:


> Yeah I figured something similar, MT wanted an amp capable of driving speakers and headphones, those Harbeths look like they benefit more from a push pull mono block setup.




The Leben is actually push pull. Just not high power.

I sold the Harbeths for a few reasons. Mostly because they didn't work well in the room and you had to JAM to get detail.

These are Klipsch 5.2s. Horns and big woofer. They are WAY more sensitive (96db) than the Harbeths and sound better at lower levels. Got 'em free.

I love the Leben and it's the last thing I'd want to sell.


----------



## Silent One

Free as in "F-r-e-e?!" Lookin' good!


----------



## MorbidToaster

silent one said:


> :tongue_smile:  Free as in "F-r-e-e?!" Lookin' good!




Ayup. Father gave em to me. He pushes 1200 watts and that's WAY too much for these.


----------



## parbaked

morbidtoaster said:


> Ayup. Father gave em to me. He pushes 1200 watts and that's WAY too much for these.


 
 good genes!!


----------



## MorbidToaster

We subscribe to different ideals when it comes to good sound.

He's a MORE POWER BIGGER CRISSOVER kind of guy. He's running 5 way Sansuis with a 1200 watt Carver amp. 

Where as 15 watts is more than I need and I'm 2 way or less most of the time.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## parbaked

morbidtoaster said:


> Where as 15 watts is more than I need and I'm 2 way or less most of the time.


 
 We don't need to know when 2 way (or less) is not enough!


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

parbaked said:


> morbidtoaster said:
> 
> 
> > Where as 15 watts is more than I need and I'm 2 way or less most of the time.
> ...



TOO MUCH. Although.... I wonder how 5.1 works... :wink_face:


----------



## cswann1

^ My little slice-o-heaven.


----------



## philo50




----------



## whirlwind

cswann1 said:


> ^ My little slice-o-heaven.


 
 Beautiful, what better way to enjoy alittle time each night.


----------



## cswann1

Thank you!
  
  I'm pretty happy with this system, but the Black & Tan is probably equal to at least $1000 in upgrades.  Everything just sounds "better" for some reason.


----------



## brunk

cswann1 said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I'm pretty happy with this system, but the Black & Tan is probably equal to at least $1000 in upgrades.  Everything just sounds "better" for some reason.


 
 Lol i was just going to say "Great Black & Tan, but how is the gear?"


----------



## LugBug1

I thought it was a huge fancy tube..! 
  
 Super set up though.


----------



## whirlwind

lugbug1 said:


> I thought it was a huge fancy tube..!
> 
> Super set up though.


----------



## Yuceka

Is that a blender version of Woo WEE?


----------



## Xovaan

I recently tried my hand at staining my sister's old Ikea butcher table desk since I inherited her room after my graduation. I don't think it turned out too badly. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  

  

  
  
  
 (apologies on the blurry photo!)


----------



## DefQon

Great work!


----------



## Austin Morrow

Fidelia > KingRex Unanimous Y-Art USB Cable > Burson HA-160DS > DHC Complement2 Balanced + SE Ultrashort Adapter > HiFiMAN HE-500's.


----------



## Xovaan

defqon said:


> Great work!


 
 Thanks! Still at a loss as to what to do for cable management but luckily nobody enters my dungeon to chastise me for such things, haha.


----------



## DefQon

xovaan said:


> Thanks! Still at a loss as to what to do for cable management but luckily nobody enters my dungeon to chastise me for such things, haha.


 
 Spiral wire wraps and clip in cable ties are your best friends. I run all my cables underneath my table with a stick on hook.


----------



## Silent One

xovaan said:


> I recently tried my hand at staining my sister's old Ikea butcher table desk since I inherited her room after my graduation. I don't think it turned out too badly.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Very nice, Xovaan!


----------



## Don Lehrer

silent one said:


> Very nice, Xovaan!


 
 Indeed, me likes.


----------



## sprite40

Very nice and clean setup there Austin Morrow
  
 May i ask if you got that ultrashort adapter with the complement2 cable? and how do you like the cable with the Burson HA-160?


----------



## DT770owner

austin morrow said:


>


If i see this earlier ill get that amp


----------



## Austin Morrow

dt770owner said:


> If i see this earlier ill get that amp


 
  
 I'm trading it off/selling it in the FS section...


----------



## SoupRKnowva

It's finally complete! The headphones arrived today.
  

 Stax Sr-009s
 KGSSHV
 Audio-GD Master 7
 Theta Digital Data Basic
  
 Neko Audio D100mk2 DAC on loan for comparison


----------



## bigfatpaulie

souprknowva said:


> It's finally complete! The headphones arrived today.
> 
> 
> Stax Sr-009s
> ...


 
  
 Awesome!  Did you build the KGSSHV?


----------



## SoupRKnowva

bigfatpaulie said:


> Awesome!  Did you build the KGSSHV?


 
  
 I did not, bought it from another head-fier


----------



## parbaked

souprknowva said:


> I did not, bought it from another head-fier


 
 I bet you built the racks!
 Nice rig...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

parbaked said:


> I bet you built the racks!
> Nice rig...


 
 LOL!


----------



## cswann1




----------



## Silent One

bigfatpaulie said:


> parbaked said:
> 
> 
> > I bet you built the racks!
> ...


 




  
 I had to cancel my SR-009s at Week 5 when STAX announced... _"This could take awhile, so you might want to find something else to do." _


----------



## Silent One

A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## philo50

silent one said:


> A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...


 
 oh my.......


----------



## ssrock64

silent one said:


> A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...


 
 That's simply stunning, both aesthetically and, I'm sure, sonically.


----------



## Silent One

Thanks. I got both the tube and solid-state amps to push my HiFiMAN's down the street! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 In additional to tube glow @ nite, candles in the rear can provide a bit more ambiance when lit.


----------



## calipilot227

Silent One: Did you finally find a place, or is this in the hotel room still?


----------



## Silent One

Still looking... won't erect complete rig until I move.


----------



## parbaked

Good to see you getting settled Silent One!
 Can't be draggin' that load around forever...


----------



## Don Lehrer

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wow and I assuming that is just a part of the room?? What else do you have?? Forget about that I don´t want to know


----------



## Destroysall

silent one said:


> A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...


 
 Oh Shindo amps, how gorgeous thou be.  Great setup, Silent One.


----------



## stainless824




----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *Don Lehrer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Wow and I assuming that is just a part of the room?? What else do you have?? Forget about that I don´t want to know


 
  
 Um, we're having issues
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 inside the listening room. After an 8 month hiatus, I simply cannot remember the password to my music server. And apparently during the move, my Music Hall MMF-7 has been lost or stolen (... overlooked, perhaps?). 
  
 These were my quality front-ends. I was looking forward to evaluations but with what?


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> These were my quality front-ends. I was looking forward to evaluations but with what?


 
 At least you have stuff that looks great just sitting there...


----------



## Silent One

Update:   I'm in I'm in!!! I finally remembered the password...


----------



## cswann1

silent one said:


> Update:   I'm in I'm in!!! I finally remembered the password...


----------



## brunk

@Silent One - Beautiful rig! I need to take some cues from you and fancy mine up a bit, mine isn't pretty but it sure sounds the part atleast


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Update:   I'm in I'm in!!! I finally remembered the password...


 
 Excellent! Before you settle in get on your bike and go find your turntable!


----------



## LNCPapa

12345 man... always make it 12345.  That way we'll never forget it.


----------



## lord_tris

My mini schiit stack plus stuff


----------



## Silent One

lncpapa said:


> 12345 man... always make it 12345.  That way we'll never forget it.


----------



## Armaegis

lncpapa said:


> 12345 man... always make it 12345.  That way we'll never forget it.


----------



## Silent One

lord_tris said:


> My mini schiit stack plus stuff


 
  
 Nicely done. Looks like a good holiday project to take on.


----------



## calipilot227

lord_tris said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 There's a nice open shelf at the top for something like, oh I don't know....a turntable???


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

silent one said:


> A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...



What are those white panels behind the amps?? Also HOLY ISOLATION BATMAN.


----------



## magiccabbage

Eh Silent one, do you have the HE6 coming out of the Shindo?


----------



## lord_tris

silent one said:


> Nicely done. Looks like a good holiday project to take on.


 
 Thank you very much
  


calipilot227 said:


> There's a nice open shelf at the top for something like, oh I don't know....a turntable???


 
 Nah that is going to get its own rack m and m will be replaced with a M and G and then i am going to work on a small speaker setup and then come lots of music


----------



## parbaked

magiccabbage said:


> Eh Silent one, do you have the HE6 coming out of the Shindo?


 
 I was going to ask the Silent One what speakers he's using...


----------



## bbophead

SO seems to be a Mapleshade fan.


----------



## parbaked

I waiting to see the brass & wood that will go under the G-33000!


----------



## ethan7000

My little work setup


----------



## Silent One

magiccabbage said:


> Eh Silent one, do you have the HE6 coming out of the Shindo?


 
  
 Yes, via HE-Adapter...
  
  
 @ parbaked
  
 No speakers yet...


----------



## Silent One

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> What are those white panels behind the amps?? Also HOLY ISOLATION BATMAN.


 
  
 Those are floor standing Japanese candle holders. When I have overnight listening sessions, I tend to listen either in the dark or in low light.


----------



## LugBug1

silent one said:


> A preliminary look at the emerging listening room...


 
 Absolutely stunning my friend.


----------



## parbaked

Them Shindos for just cans is MAD (in a good way)!


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Absolutely stunning my friend.


 
  
 Thanks. Will still need to move things around. Final version may look entirely or partially different. And that's okay, just means new pix! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
  


parbaked said:


> Them Shindos for just cans is MAD (in a good way)!


 
  





 the cans were the only thing I could find in the kitchen cupboard.


----------



## Quinto

@Silent One
  
 AWESOME STUFF!!


----------



## philo50

silent one said:


> Thanks. Will still need to move things around. Final version may look entirely or partially different. And that's okay, just means new pix!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 it is fun watching the whole thing come together.....


----------



## sprite40

ethan7000 said:


> My little work setup
> 
> 
> 
> Beautiful setup, how do you like the TH600? I am looking for a good pair of closed-back headphones, and i was thinking about the Fostex TH600


----------



## Androb

stainless824 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 What are those?


----------



## ethan7000

sprite40 said:


> Beautiful setup, how do you like the TH600? I am looking for a good pair of closed-back headphones, and i was thinking about the Fostex TH600



I love them! They are semi-open though, so not the best isolation. They have a bit of a U shape with sub bass emphasis, mids slightly recessed, and then a wonderful treble presentation. Excellent clarity/resolution and instrument separation, and they're quite open sounding. I consider them to be a great all-rounder for traversing multiple genres during the day.


----------



## brunk

silent one said:


> Those are floor standing Japanese candle holders. When I have overnight listening sessions, I tend to listen either in the dark or in low light.


 
 I do too. I have gone so far as using electrical tape to block all LEDs and stuff. Low light if only necessary for me as I like to "decouple" my vision from my ears. It really improves my hearing for me.


----------



## akhyar

ethan7000 said:


> I love them! They are semi-open though, so not the best isolation. They have a bit of a U shape with sub bass emphasis, mids slightly recessed, and then a wonderful treble presentation. Excellent clarity/resolution and instrument separation, and they're quite open sounding. I consider them to be a great all-rounder for traversing multiple genres during the day.




How do you find the Aune amp with the Fostex? Do you find the amp "warm" enough to bring out the Fostex mids?
I'm using iFi iCAN to drive my TH600 and HD800 but I do find them a tad cold and thinking of a tube amp to add some warmth.
Thanks


----------



## lord_tris

akhyar said:


> How do you find the Aune amp with the Fostex? Do you find the amp "warm" enough to bring out the Fostex mids?
> 
> I'm using iFi iCAN to drive my TH600 and HD800 but I do find them a tad cold and thinking of a tube amp to add some warmth.
> 
> Thanks



 


I read somewhere i think here, that the Amp section of this is a SS and the Tube is used by the DAC side, so not sure if that would be what you are looking for as far as more warmth.

Someone might chime in that actually has it though, i only heard it for about 15 mins or so at a meet that i put on with a set of RS2's and Ps500's that did sound pretty good though.


----------



## Silent One

brunk said:


> I do too. I have gone so far as using electrical tape to block all LEDs and stuff. Low light if only necessary for me as I like to "decouple" my vision from my ears. It really improves my hearing for me.


 
  
 Some designers/manufacturers have gone plain mad! With LED placement, size and brightness screaming _"Look at me, look at me!!!" _As if the single piece of gear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




will be the only one in the room.


----------



## brunk

silent one said:


> Some designers/manufacturers have gone plain mad! With LED placement, size and brightness screaming _"Look at me, look at me!!!" _As if the single piece of gear
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah lol, it seems everything has them, and once you take notice of it, you will get bothered quickly of the neon christmas going on lol. Pretend they aren't there before you take measures like i do lol...


----------



## ethan7000

akhyar said:


> How do you find the Aune amp with the Fostex? Do you find the amp "warm" enough to bring out the Fostex mids?
> I'm using iFi iCAN to drive my TH600 and HD800 but I do find them a tad cold and thinking of a tube amp to add some warmth.
> Thanks



The Aune is new for me, so take this FWIW, but I find my Project Starlight to be a much better pairing for the TH600. The Aune's tube buffered DAC doesn't seem to bring out the sound of the tube nearly as much as the Starlight, which is a hybrid tube amp. I would strongly recommend the Starlight.


----------



## akhyar

Thank so much for your reply.
I'll google Project Starlight for more info


----------



## sprite40

ethan7000 said:


> I love them! They are semi-open though, so not the best isolation. They have a bit of a U shape with sub bass emphasis, mids slightly recessed, and then a wonderful treble presentation. Excellent clarity/resolution and instrument separation, and they're quite open sounding. I consider them to be a great all-rounder for traversing multiple genres during the day.


 
 Thank you very much for your response ethan7000! i`m sure this is a great allround headphone and what i am looking for except  the low isolation.


----------



## captslow

My desk setup... Still waiting on the nice stuff to arrive. However, I wanted to put together a budget system in an effort to establish a baseline to which I could compare high-end products. In my reviews I will then be able to compare the sound of summit products to the modest equipment I have here. At least the is the plan for now... I have only been listening to the Schiit stack for a few minutes and it is already impressive.


----------



## DarKen23

captslow said:


> My desk setup... Still waiting on the nice stuff to arrive. However, I wanted to put together a budget system in an effort to establish a baseline to which I could compare high-end products. In my reviews I will then be able to compare the sound of summit products to the modest equipment I have here. At least the is the plan for now... I have only been listening to the Schiit stack for a few minutes and it is already impressive.


 
 Nice table, I really need something like that


----------



## brunk

captslow said:


>


 
 Where can one buy the plastic/glass head? I have that same Ikea lamp myself lol. I love a deep desk, so much more useful space.


----------



## captslow

They are glass and from Pier One. I have included the link for you.

http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html


----------



## squallkiercosa

No offense Capslow but Brunk: Do you really want to have a glass head in your living room? Why don't you check out first the crystal vodka from Canada. There are two sizes, 700cc and 1700cc if I recall. A lot nicer and stylish.
http://crystalheadvodka.com/welcome


----------



## brunk

captslow said:


> They are glass and from Pier One. I have included the link for you.
> 
> http://www.pier1.com/Recycled-Glass-Head/2188209,default,pd.html


 
  
 Thanks!


squallkiercosa said:


> No offense Capslow but Brunk: Do you really want to have a glass head in your living room? Why don't you check out first the crystal vodka from Canada. There are two sizes, 700cc and 1700cc if I recall. A lot nicer and stylish.
> http://crystalheadvodka.com/welcome


 
 Someone may not consider a skull as "nicer and more stylish" either. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Thanks for the link though!


----------



## squallkiercosa

Forgot to mention: Not willing to pay the full price? Go to ebay and look for an empty one
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.Xcrystal+head&_nkw=crystal+head&_sacat=0&_from=R40


----------



## ssrock64

Speaking of glass heads, my setup has one as well.
  
 A lot of new and exciting things have happened to my bedroom rig since I last posted, and there's more on the shelves next to my desk (not seen in these photos).
  
 I'll give a hundred dollars to anybody who can correctly identify my new speakers.
  

  

  

  

  
  
 And as usual, my apologies for the world-class photography.


----------



## squallkiercosa

My guess: DIY Fostex Speakers, custom paint.


----------



## brunk

squallkiercosa said:


> My guess: DIY Fostex Speakers, custom paint.


 
 Im not sure about Fostex drivers, but it's defInitely DIY.
  
 edit actually they may be Fostex, there's quite a few similarities to other models.


----------



## ssrock64

You're right about the enclosure being DIY, but you're headed down the wrong path with the drivers. They're in-ceiling Klipsch units, a couple years old. They're a bit too diffused for any critical listening, but I have the speakers pointed straight outward for casual radio and CD play. My old Mission 771s have suffered some pretty catastrophic rubber tears, so these are a stand-in until the Missions are back in running order. After that, I'll probably put them in my living room.


----------



## squallkiercosa

Did I earn 20$ at least? I was kind of close 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 any headphone you wanna get rid of will be well appreciated.


----------



## ssrock64

squallkiercosa said:


> Did I earn 20$ at least? I was kind of close
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Well, I do have some Sony NC in-ears lying around that I never use, but I doubt that's what you were thinking of.


----------



## squallkiercosa

I'm ok with that, I never tried an IEM with noise cancelling  In any case, thanks!


----------



## IcedTea

Man SSrock
  
 You have a really impressive Cd collection there! How long did it take you to obtain that?


----------



## IcedTea

captslow said:


>


 
 LOL! 
  
 I have the same set up as you friend 
  
 (except instead of the Q702 I have the 65th Anniversary Editions)
  
 I even have the Seiko Black monster as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (except I switched the bracelet with the strap) 
  
 Do you have any plans on upgrading your rig anytime soon? I actually downgraded my rig to what I have now and I'm still loving every bit of music I hear.


----------



## BucketInABucket

icedtea said:


> *downgraded* my rig


 

  
Seriously though, good on you for managing to save your wallet, whether that was your primary intention or not


----------



## captslow

icedtea said:


> LOL!
> 
> I have the same set up as you friend
> 
> ...




I have already bought the he-6s which are on the way. I have a fairly decent two channel set-up and will be using my speaker amp and vinyl rig with those. Also on the horizon is the hd800 and t1. I am waiting to make any more big purchases until I go to the Austin headfi meet in a few months.


----------



## captslow

squallkiercosa said:


> No offense Capslow but Brunk: Do you really want to have a glass head in your living room? Why don't you check out first the crystal vodka from Canada. There are two sizes, 700cc and 1700cc if I recall. A lot nicer and stylish.
> http://crystalheadvodka.com/welcome




I am not a fan of skulls. I don't need the universal symbol of death in my home. Additionally, the glass heads are in my office and they are now my friends. We talk and hang out. It is nice to have friends. Haha


----------



## Anavel0

The glass heads are certainly nice looking but my headphone rig is in my bedroom. They'd scare the crap out of me at night, haha. 

Anyone have any other cool headphone stands to share? Maybe some that aren't mainstream.


----------



## parbaked

This thread has some creative solutions for headphone stands in addition to the usual suspects - banana holders, jewelry trees and Lowe's hose hooks.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/249671/the-diy-headphone-stand-thread


----------



## ssrock64

icedtea said:


> Man SSrock
> 
> You have a really impressive Cd collection there! How long did it take you to obtain that?


 
 That's not even the whole collection; I also have a couple hundred more CDs, about two hundred vinyl records, and thousands upon thousands of albums on my computer (I have over 60,000 songs in FLAC). My active collecting has taken only about half a decade, but I already had a few hundred CDs before I started collecting.


----------



## squallkiercosa

captslow said:


> I am not a fan of skulls. I don't need the universal symbol of death in my home. Additionally, the glass heads are in my office and they are now my friends. We talk and hang out. It is nice to have friends. Haha


 
 My sincerest apologies then. I'll probably feel the same having a skull in my office or home but the bottles look pretty nice in person I must admit. Say hi to the glass head for me!


----------



## FuglyPhones

My home setup. No plans to upgrade for a while.


----------



## brunk

fuglyphones said:


> My home setup. No plans to upgrade for a while.


 
 Very nice. What's the silver device to the very right?


----------



## parbaked

brunk said:


> Very nice. What's the silver device to the very right?


 
 Looks like a sweet little Technics SL-10 turntable!


----------



## FuglyPhones

parbaked said:


> Looks like a sweet little Technics SL-10 turntable!


 

 That's exactly what it is. That thing is a work of art and plays nice too


----------



## brunk

fuglyphones said:


> That's exactly what it is. That thing is a work of art and plays nice too


 
 I honestly never would've thought it to be a TT lol. In today's age, it resembles something that Apple would put out.


----------



## parbaked

brunk said:


> I honestly never would've thought it to be a TT lol. In today's age, it resembles something that Apple would put out.


 
 I believe the SL-10 is included in the permanent collection at MOMA


----------



## calipilot227

Grrrr..... I want an SL-10, no matter how many times I keep reminding myself that I have a perfectly good SL-J1 already. It just doesn't look quite as cool.


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## philo50

wolfetan44 said:


>


 
 very nice indeed......


----------



## wolfetan44

philo50 said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 Yes. The Paradox really needed the amp


----------



## ssrock64

Your opinion of the WA7? What other amp/DAC combos would you compare it to?


----------



## akhyar

Nice looking WA7 you have there.
 Am thinking either getting the WA7 or Yulong DA8 to drive my HD800 and TH600.
  
 From what I read so far, the WA7 excels in the amp section with so-so DAC, while the DA8 is a full-blown DAC and amp that supports dsd.


----------



## Bolardito




----------



## Silent One

calipilot227 said:


> Grrrr..... I want an SL-10, no matter how many times I keep reminding myself that I have a perfectly good SL-J1 already. It just doesn't look quite as cool.


 






 Are you sure "SL" doesn't stand for secret lust?


----------



## Namkung

Picked up new speakers and had to move around everything to accommodate them. Still not ideal but this will have to do for now .


----------



## NZheadcase

Nice!
  
 At first I thought the MDAC was one of those Sony HiDef players.


----------



## Namkung

nzheadcase said:


> Nice!
> 
> At first I thought the MDAC was one of those Sony HiDef players.


 
  
 Haha.
 The Sony "thing" is my vintage receiver. It is more than 15 years old but still working strong!
 It came with the bookshelf speakers which I am using as my primary computer speakers .


----------



## vincent215




----------



## vincent215

namkung said:


> Picked up new speakers and had to move around everything to accommodate them. Still not ideal but this will have to do for now .


 
 That's a real nice looking combo. 
 What are those dac and amp?
 How does it sound?


----------



## Namkung

vincent215 said:


> That's a real nice looking combo.
> What are those dac and amp?
> How does it sound?


 
 That is an Audiolab M-DAC with the Bryston BHA-1 and they sound fantastic.


----------



## wolfetan44

ssrock64 said:


> Your opinion of the WA7? What other amp/DAC combos would you compare it to?


 
 I absolutely LOVE it.1000000x better than the O2/ODAC combo, the WA7 is so much better in all aspects.


----------



## MattTCG

I got to hear the wa7 recently from another headfier who is local. I was pretty impressed. The sticker price is somewhat high IMO.


----------



## roskodan

Spoiler: Warning: For Legal Age Eyes Only!


----------



## brunk

^ How did that soldering session go?


----------



## roskodan

in the process, "we" are brainstorming for solutions right now, ultimate xlr interconnections und hd800 cables


----------



## brunk

roskodan said:


> in the process, "we" are brainstorming for solutions right now, ultimate xlr interconnections und hd800 cables


 
 A good baseline is to start with the stock cable. Here's what I did - snip the TRS end off with about a foot of cable left, attach 4-pin XLR female to the TRS side, and male to the headphone side. I also added a small piece of red heatshrink to the right side ear connector for ease of identification.


----------



## roskodan

very good, nicely done
  
 but.. ahem.. you see... well...
  
 "we" are kind of in the ultimate cable from scratch, means, you choose a custom conductor material, shape, custom insulation, and hand build it from scratch... you know ultimate stuff, in the k$ range... you know what i mean 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 can't disclose the tech and materials details, you know, classified information... but.. you get the picture...
  

  





 sorry to all for the off topic we raised
  
 p.s. i'm officially renaming the thread in "Show us your Top Secret Cable Projects. No old pictures please..."


----------



## brunk

^ LOL. Good luck and have fun man, I hope those magic leprechauns are worth the price of employment


----------



## Pustik

Where did you get M-Dac? Is it sold in USA?


----------



## DarKen23

brunk said:


> roskodan said:
> 
> 
> > in the process, "we" are brainstorming for solutions right now, ultimate xlr interconnections und hd800 cables
> ...


 
 Now that, is a job well done :]


----------



## parbaked

darken23 said:


> Now that, is a job well done :]


 
 Agreed! I'm not interested in Senns or balanced cables but can so appreciate how clever that is!


----------



## brunk

darken23 said:


> Now that, is a job well done :]


 
  
  


parbaked said:


> Agreed! I'm not interested in Senns or balanced cables but can so appreciate how clever that is!


 
 Thanks Fellas!


----------



## colinharding

Thought you guys might like a friend of mine's setup for his own desktop system.  No headphones yet, just nearfield.


----------



## Androb

Thumbs up Colin  Love tubes!


----------



## Androb

Added a few new stuff to my "sound corner" 
 A pair of diy speakers my dad did, going to exchange the bass and treble on it so it will be a bit better since its budget stuff. Also got a luxman lv-110  Actually the headphone speaker in it is really good! I would almost say it's as good as my little dot mk3, maybe even better! ^^


----------



## colinharding

Great stuff!!


----------



## Cougar2465

Here is mine as per today...


----------



## Silent One

I'm getting an error...


----------



## roskodan

cougar2465 said:


> Here is mine as per today...


 

 definitely one of the most beautiful and practical solutions i've seen here so far, just throw a hp stand somewhere, and perfect


----------



## Silent One

It's working now.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That's some start Cougar2465 got goin'...


----------



## Androb

cougar2465 said:


> Here is mine as per today...
> 
> [url=http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy359/cougar2465/Desktop%20hi%20fi%20setup/2M9A9278.jpg%5B/IMG]http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy359/cougar2465/Desktop%20hi%20fi%20setup/2M9A9278.jpg[/IMG[/url]]
> [/quote]
> ...


----------



## Cougar2465

roskodan said:


> definitely one of the most beautiful and practical solutions i've seen here so far, just throw a hp stand somewhere, and perfect




There is HP stand already there  see here on the blurry background ... 





And here for more pics of the setup...

http://s807.photobucket.com/user/cougar2465/library/Desktop%20hi%20fi%20setup?sort=2&page=1













Cheers


----------



## roskodan

cougar2465 said:


> There is HP stand already there  see here on the blurry background ...


 
  
 bokeh !!!


----------



## Androb

What is that little player btw? It looks cool


----------



## Cougar2465

androb said:


> What is that little player btw? It looks cool




It's an AK120 by iRiver


----------



## bigfatpaulie

cougar2465 said:


> There is HP stand already there  see here on the blurry background ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Nice 16610.
  
 The rest of the stuff is pretty nice too  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

School wifi bloc ks photobucket


----------



## Austin Morrow

cougar2465 said:


> Here is mine as per today...




What amp is that?


----------



## colinharding

I would guess it's one of the Darkvoice products.  Very nice, I had a 337 (or is it 377?) way back when it first came out.


----------



## magiccabbage

cougar2465 said:


> There is HP stand already there  see here on the blurry background ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 thats my favorite song off that album


----------



## ethan7000

cougar2465 said:


> It's an AK120 by iRiver



What stand do you have the AK120 on? 
Beautiful setup BTW!


----------



## ssrock64

Wow, that's quite an impressive array of gear. What do you think of the K3003?


----------



## Cougar2465

colinharding said:


> I would guess it's one of the Darkvoice products.  Very nice, I had a 337 (or is it 377?) way back when it first came out.



Yes it's a Darkvoice 3322. Quite a nice amp for the price.


----------



## Cougar2465

ethan7000 said:


> What stand do you have the AK120 on?
> Beautiful setup BTW!




It's Infiniapps. They are great. I use them for phone and tablets as well.


----------



## Cougar2465

ssrock64 said:


> Wow, that's quite an impressive array of gear. What do you think of the K3003?




I love them! They have similar sound characteristic as the HD800.


----------



## DarKen23

ethan7000 said:


> cougar2465 said:
> 
> 
> > It's an AK120 by iRiver
> ...


It looks like a garmin GPS holder that sticks on the windshield


----------



## deltasun

cougar2465 said:


> There is HP stand already there  see here on the blurry background ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Incredible setup!


----------



## SoulSyde

darken23 said:


> It looks like a garmin GPS holder that sticks on the windshield


 
  
 It's genius.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

Finally moved into my new place last Friday, it's nice to be out of a hotel after 4 weeks...


----------



## ssrock64

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Finally moved into my new place last Friday, it's nice to be out of a hotel after 4 weeks...


 
 Is this everything, or is there still more to unpack and move into its place?


----------



## Rem0o

Sweet.


----------



## MattTCG

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Finally moved into my new place last Friday, it's nice to be out of a hotel after 4 weeks...


 
  
 Women always worry about unpacking the kitchen first. We know what's really important.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

ssrock64 said:


> Is this everything, or is there still more to unpack and move into its place?


 
 That's pretty much everything audio wise, I have some portable gear but I don't really use it at home. As for other things, I've still got a few boxes of clothes to unpack...eventually. Also the lounge (where this setup is) is a bloody mess at the moment hence why I only showed a small portion of the desk. The actual room is about 6.5m x 5.5m with a 4m high ceiling and it's mostly filled with boxes, plastic wrapping, bubble wrap, and assorted other things.


----------



## Silent One

When I move, I'm finding the right spot for the audio rig and then move everything else into the place and around it. Think _Lifestyle.... _


----------



## Eee Pee

I rent places based on what they offer for me regarding my stereo stuff.


----------



## MorbidToaster

eee pee said:


> I rent places based on what they offer for me regarding my stereo stuff.




Yup. Girlfriend is always pissed because I shoot down floorplans with crap living room layouts.


----------



## longbowbbs

matttcg said:


> ninjapirate9901 said:
> 
> 
> > Finally moved into my new place last Friday, it's nice to be out of a hotel after 4 weeks...
> ...


 
 +1 to that!


----------



## parbaked

longbowbbs said:


> +1 to that!


 
 I tried to help unpack the kitchen but I couldn't find my headphone extension cable...so I couldn't reach


----------



## longbowbbs

parbaked said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > +1 to that!
> ...


 
 That is a legitimate excuse!


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> I tried to help unpack the kitchen but I couldn't find my headphone extension cable...so I couldn't reach


----------



## brunk

^ LOL, that was a nice one


----------



## Silent One

I think AUDIO is further up the obstacle course...


----------



## Armaegis

Nah, it was part of the preliminary screening questionnaire...


----------



## IcedTea

This is my current rig at the moment. I don't have a pair of headphones for my night stand yet (I just bring my AKG 702 65th back and forth)
  
 When I have more cash later on I'll add a pair of Alpha dogs


----------



## Austin Morrow

See signature.


----------



## gibbro

Sorry for the bad quality pic.
  

  
 An update to the last setup I posted. Pitty the DA8 I got used could not be colour matched.


----------



## Androb

Nicke looking collection gibbro


----------



## LugBug1

austin morrow said:


> See signature.


 
 Why the sad face bro? They look verrry classy! And I know exactly how good they sound. So lets turn that mouth into a big smile


----------



## MattTCG

Austin Morrow...liking the setup and the cable on the HFM. Gotta get a new chair though!!


----------



## Silent One

austin morrow said:


> See signature.


 
  
_At-a-glance:_
  
 - First word... "Poised."
  
 - First impression... Fantastic listening session.


----------



## Austin Morrow

silent one said:


> _At-a-glance:_
> 
> - First word... "Poised."
> 
> - First impression... Fantastic listening session.


 
  
 Oh, going from the HD650's to the HE-500's on the DHC Complement 2 and the DA8 is amazing.


----------



## spurxiii

austin morrow said:


> Oh, going from the HD650's to the HE-500's on the DHC Complement 2 and the DA8 is amazing.


 
 I had a similar experience going from the HD600s to the HE500. Was a very wow factor after not listening to my HE500s after about a month. I don't know about the HD650s but the HD600 slowly grow on you and presents a much more natural sound to the HE500s.


----------



## Bolardito

icedtea said:


> This is my current rig at the moment. I don't have a pair of headphones for my night stand yet (I've just bring bring my AKG 702 65th back and forth)
> 
> When I have more cash later on I'll add a pair of Alpha dogs


 
 That Schiit stack looks very sexy...nice rig


----------



## wolfetan44

Now imagine it with black Schiit!


----------



## IcedTea

hahaha black schiit would look nice. 
  
 How you like the firefly wolf? I'm thinking about maybe picking them up in the future when I purchase the Alpha dogs. 
  
 As of now all of my funds are into guitar and photography


----------



## wolfetan44

And you know black Schiit is a limited release right now: http://schiit.com/products/lyr
 Last photo on the Lyr. I think its for Lyr, Valhalla, and the Bifrost.
  
 And: Ortho with WA7? Yes!


----------



## brunk

wolfetan44 said:


> And you know black Schiit is a limited release right now: http://schiit.com/products/lyr
> Last photo on the Lyr. I think its for Lyr, Valhalla, and the Bifrost.


 
  
 Woo hoo, options


----------



## wolfetan44

brunk said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > And you know black Schiit is a limited release right now: http://schiit.com/products/lyr
> ...


 
 Haha


----------



## Rem0o

Damn the new black Schiit look good. I thought Jason would never let that happen?

 Quote from Schiit.com
 ""
3. We are very good at saying “no.” No super-zowie gold-plated chassis milled out of a solid block of metal. *No color options.* No custom configurations. No flavor of the month, special editions, touched-by-the-Designer’s-hand models.
 ""


----------



## ProtegeManiac

> I thought Jason would never let that happen?


 
  
 Didn't you read the announcement on it here? Supplier sent them black cases for  some bizarre reason, likely some kind of error in their lines,* then instead of calling them back and the cases end up getting trashed/melted down, Jason just decided to allow an accident to provide an opportunity for those who have been asking for black chassis. Didn't cost them a thing, as it would otherwise have done, if they ordered cases in more than one color. Supplier didn't charge extra I suppose and neither will have to ship them back.
  
  
  
 *That or somebody actually ordered a run of the same type of chassis in black, but without the Schiit prints on them, so no one bothered to raise their hand and ask if what they're doing is correct. Either way, it happens - I've seen food packages come with mismatched front and rear prints. People at assembly lines aren't actually that very knowledgeable, or are more concerned with speed and safety, so whatever anybody put in, it just goes forward.


----------



## brunk

protegemaniac said:


> *That or somebody actually ordered a run of the same type of chassis in black, but without the Schiit prints on them, so no one bothered to raise their hand and ask if what they're doing is correct. Either way, it happens - I've seen food packages come with mismatched front and rear prints. People at assembly lines aren't actually that very knowledgeable, or are more concerned with speed and safety, so whatever anybody put in, it just goes forward.


 
 I had bought a bag of bagels one time that had a huge black ink pad in them! I'd say speed is a priority, because I don't know how something like that can be put into the bag unnoticed.


----------



## mitch_o

Since my last set of photos I've added the Bifrost and the Soloist, and moved my MSB Link, LD 1+ and CKKIII to my bedroom setup. 
  
 I also recently rebuilt my flexy rack after dealing with some mildew issues with my previous one. I still need to stain it, but I got impatient and had to set all my stuff back up. 
  
 Next up is a couple more headphone stands and then building some shelving for the stacks of cd's currently living on my dresser. 
  
 I've also spent several months convincing myself I don't need to buy an HD800 or LCD2, but I'm not certain how much longer I'll be able to hold out.


----------



## brunk

@mitch_o - Man, I'm gonna have to level with ya. With you obviously being a fan of Indie, I really think you need to experience a LCD-3 over HD-800. I'm not going to write a paragraph over it, but please put them on your 'must listen' list ok


----------



## johnman1116

mitch_o said:


> Since my last set of photos I've added the Bifrost and the Soloist, and moved my MSB Link, LD 1+ and CKKIII to my bedroom setup.
> 
> I also recently rebuilt my flexy rack after dealing with some mildew issues with my previous one. I still need to stain it, but I got impatient and had to set all my stuff back up.
> 
> ...


 
 wow.. nice setup.. looks like your ready to hold a meet 


protegemaniac said:


> Didn't you read the announcement on it here? Supplier sent them black cases for  some bizarre reason, likely some kind of error in their lines,* then instead of calling them back and the cases end up getting trashed/melted down, Jason just decided to allow an accident to provide an opportunity for those who have been asking for black chassis. Didn't cost them a thing, as it would otherwise have done, if they ordered cases in more than one color. Supplier didn't charge extra I suppose and neither will have to ship them back.
> 
> 
> 
> *That or somebody actually ordered a run of the same type of chassis in black, but without the Schiit prints on them, so no one bothered to raise their hand and ask if what they're doing is correct. Either way, it happens - I've seen food packages come with mismatched front and rear prints. People at assembly lines aren't actually that very knowledgeable, or are more concerned with speed and safety, so whatever anybody put in, it just goes forward.


 
 Sounds like an inside job 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 nice work.


----------



## mitch_o

brunk said:


> @mitch_o - Man, I'm gonna have to level with ya. With you obviously being a fan of Indie, I really think you need to experience a LCD-3 over HD-800. I'm not going to write a paragraph over it, but please put them on your 'must listen' list ok


 
  
 Definitely not what my wallet wants to hear, but thanks for the heads-up, that's good to know. I'm also looking into the LCD-X. I'll have to try and find somewhere to audition them around here. I figure my T1 is close enough in character to the HD800, so I'm probably leaning toward one of the Audeze's. 
  
  


johnman1116 said:


> wow.. nice setup.. looks like your ready to hold a meet


 
  
 Haha, much appreciated!


----------



## brunk

mitch_o said:


> Definitely not what my wallet wants to hear, but thanks for the heads-up, that's good to know. I'm also looking into the LCD-X. I'll have to try and find somewhere to audition them around here. I figure my *T1 is close enough* in character to the HD800, so I'm probably *leaning toward one of the Audeze's. *


 
 Yep, totally agree, you're on the right track. Maybe, just maybe the HE-6 for you too, but the Burson won't do it justice.


----------



## MattTCG

What the crap? How did I not know that Schiit had gone black? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 The black lyr would be nice!! But dang, I'd have to sell my current lyr and buy brand new.


----------



## sprite40

mitch_o said:


> Since my last set of photos I've added the Bifrost and the Soloist, and moved my MSB Link, LD 1+ and CKKIII to my bedroom setup.
> 
> I also recently rebuilt my flexy rack after dealing with some mildew issues with my previous one. I still need to stain it, but I got impatient and had to set all my stuff back up.
> 
> ...


 

 What a good looking rack.. everything looks great!  I can see there is just enough free space for one last headphone stand! maybe for that HD800 or LCD-2? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  The LCD-2 realy is a great headphone, great bass end very detailed without ever being too harsh even at high volume.


----------



## longbowbbs

matttcg said:


> What the crap? How did I not know that Schiit had gone black?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 No No No.....You need both....Side by side!


----------



## LugBug1

mitch_o said:


> Since my last set of photos I've added the Bifrost and the Soloist, and moved my MSB Link, LD 1+ and CKKIII to my bedroom setup.
> 
> I also recently rebuilt my flexy rack after dealing with some mildew issues with my previous one. I still need to stain it, but I got impatient and had to set all my stuff back up.
> 
> ...


 
 Great looking set up. My advice would be... Sell your Beyers and AKG's then get an HD800. The HD800's are very versatile and make everything sound amazing. The LCD2's won't be that much better than your Denon's and 650's.


----------



## MattTCG

longbowbbs said:


> No No No.....You need both....Side by side!


 
  
 Oh wait, just wait. Black lyr top, black bifrost bottom, and silver Asgard 2 middle. Triple schiit that looks like an oreo cookie!! FTW


----------



## longbowbbs

matttcg said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > No No No.....You need both....Side by side!
> ...


 
 He scores!


----------



## whirlwind

sprite40 said:


> What a good looking rack.. everything looks great!  I can see there is just enough free space for one last headphone stand! maybe for that HD800 or LCD-2?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I would love to rip all of those cd's


----------



## wolfetan44

brunk said:


> @mitch_o - Man, I'm gonna have to level with ya. With you obviously being a fan of Indie, I really think you need to experience a LCD-3 over HD-800. I'm not going to write a paragraph over it, but please put them on your 'must listen' list ok


 
 Don't agree. I listen to indie rock, and I prefer the HD800 far over the LCD-3. I may prefer the LCD-XC over the 800, though, didn't listen long enough to the LCD-XC to come to that conclusion. 
  
 Anyways, I love the NMH poster!


----------



## teb1013

My very modest HD 558 Aune T1 iPhone 4s with CCK set up for listening in living room.


----------



## Argybargy

mitch_o said:


> Since my last set of photos I've added the Bifrost and the Soloist, and moved my MSB Link, LD 1+ and CKKIII to my bedroom setup.
> 
> I also recently rebuilt my flexy rack after dealing with some mildew issues with my previous one. I still need to stain it, but I got impatient and had to set all my stuff back up.
> 
> ...


----------



## kman1211

Current setup. AKG K612 Pro and Hifiman EF2A w/ nos RTC tubes.


----------



## IcedTea

teb1013 said:


> My very modest HD 558 Aune T1 iPhone 4s with CCK set up for listening in living room.


 
  
 How do you like the Aune? I was eyeing it for some reason lol


----------



## spittis

It's HE-400 vs K712, aided by Murphy's Irish Stout.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Stout wins every time.


----------



## teb1013

icedtea said:


> How do you like the Aune? I was eyeing it for some reason lol




I love it. It brings my Sennheiser HD558s to life. Good room for a little tube rolling with the 6DJ8 family of tubes. I use an Amperex 7308 which gives a great liquid sound to the Aune, but even the standard 6922 sounds pretty good as a starter. This thread goes into a lot of detail on the Aune, the thread starter is pretty comprehensive: http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq


----------



## miwo76

Here's mine:
  
 Mostly used gear (headphones and DAC) with some overseas gear thrown in (ebay headphone stand, Little Dot MKIII tube amp)


----------



## LugBug1

miwo76 said:


> Here's mine:
> 
> Mostly used gear (headphones and DAC) with some overseas gear thrown in (ebay headphone stand, Little Dot MKIII tube amp)


 
 Nice set up. Especially the K702's and LD amp - great value for money these days and you'd have to fork out a lot more to get better!


----------



## calipilot227

I saw this rig on Reddit, you did very well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How are the K702's with the Little Dot?


----------



## sebajun

.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## calipilot227

Third time I've seen that pic...and I still love it!


----------



## mitch_o

argybargy said:


> > Very classy look.
> > What shelf/console are you using for LP storage?


 
  
 Thanks a lot!
  
 The shelf is actually just an Ikea Expedit (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90116275/) that I added some legs to (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20049538/). The shelves are the perfect size for LPs.


----------



## Silent One

calipilot227 said:


> Third time I've seen that pic...and I still love it!


 
  





 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well, I had to address a few different audiences, so...


----------



## calipilot227

I follow all three threads, haha. Glad to see the MMF-7 back in the game


----------



## Silent One

calipilot227 said:


> I follow all three threads, haha. Glad to see the MMF-7 back in the game


 
  
 You have no idea. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The amount of patience I had to exercise since January and not being able to hear my rig, could fuel the Space Shuttle. It's been a very long non-audio year.


----------



## Hutnicks

silent one said:


> You have no idea.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Bad example Shuttle operation are over. Might have been able to put a man on Mars though:0)
  
 You must have a decent portable rig to cover over the rough spots. Sort of Methodone regimen for audiophiles.


----------



## Silent One

hutnicks said:


> Bad example Shuttle operation are over. Might have been able to put a man on Mars though:0)
> 
> You must have a decent portable rig to cover over the rough spots. Sort of Methodone regimen for audiophiles.


 
  
 Absolutely! The portable rig that got me through most of this year shown below - iPod>Sansui G-22000>HD650:


----------



## Hutnicks

silent one said:


> Absolutely! The portable rig that got me through most of this year shown below - iPod>Sansui G-22000>HD650:


 

 Kind of hard to jam that Sansui(nice piece though) in a pocket Methinks your idea of portable and mine differ slightly.


----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> calipilot227 said:
> 
> 
> > Third time I've seen that pic...and I still love it!
> ...


 
 Bragging is OK when it is warranted like this is!


----------



## Silent One

longbowbbs said:


> Bragging is OK when it is warranted like this is!


 
  
 I was inspired by all the wood in your back yard.


----------



## philo50

silent one said:


>


 
 terrific on so many levels...........literally and figuratively.......


----------



## MattTCG

Silent...are those dampening wood blocks? Where did they come from?


----------



## magiccabbage

silent one said:


>


 
 looks great. What is the APC?


----------



## longbowbbs

APC makes line conditioners and battery backups...I have one here.


----------



## magiccabbage

longbowbbs said:


> APC makes line conditioners and battery backups...I have one here.


 
 oh... news to me


----------



## Shaffer

matttcg said:


> Silent...are those dampening wood blocks? Where did they come from?




...they look like Mapleshade.


----------



## Silent One

matttcg said:


> Silent...are those dampening wood blocks? Where did they come from?


 
  
 Yes, got 'em from Mapleshade Records. They're air-dried 4" 18 pound Maple platforms I have from my previous system.


----------



## Silent One

longbowbbs said:


> APC makes line conditioners and battery backups...I have one here.


 
  
 My APC is my power conditioner for music server and DAC. To the lower left is the Shindo Mr.T power conditioner for Shindo pre-amp, amp and TT because these components don't have ground connectors and the other two gears do.


----------



## LNCPapa

Oh Silent One I am so jealous.  A while back I thought we were on somewhat level playing ground but I see now that I'm way outclassed here.  At least I can say we have similar tastes in music from what I remember.


----------



## Silent One

You got some _good _music inside the room...


----------



## bbophead

Once you Shindo .....................


----------



## Silent One

bbophead said:


> Once you Shindo .....................


 
  
 I just discovered it won't make me tea.


----------



## parbaked

If you read the manual - yes I know it is in Japanese - you will discover that YOU are required to make tea for your Shindos!


----------



## Oregonian

silent one said:


> You have no idea.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm still waiting to see how you address the monster Sansui resting place....................


----------



## Oregonian

silent one said:


> Yes, got 'em from Mapleshade Records. They're air-dried 4" 18 pound Maple platforms I have from my previous system.


 

 Edumacate me guys - what is the benefit of these?


----------



## palmfish

oregonian said:


> Edumacate me guys - what is the benefit of these?


 
  
 http://mapleshadestore.com/feedback_mapleshadeplatforms.php
  
 "The gains in startling transparency, natural growling bass, and most importantly; musical information, is simply outstanding."
  
 "The improvement in sound is shocking. Deeper, tighter bass, more detail, warmer and smoother on the top end."
  
 "Transients were sharper and cleaner with no change in the tonal balance. The dynamic range also seemed greater with the quieter passages being more quiet. Low level resolution and vocal nuances were also more noticeable."


----------



## parbaked

^ They're just being modest...


----------



## palmfish

parbaked said:


> ^ They're just being modest...




I wont comment on what I think they're being...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

palmfish said:


> I wont comment on what I think they're being...


 
  
 Haha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 They look nice though.


----------



## palmfish

Yes they do.


----------



## Oregonian

bigfatpaulie said:


> Haha
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 They look like some killer cutting boards.  My wife would love them........................


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> If you read the manual - yes I know it is in Japanese - you will discover that YOU are required to make tea for your Shindos!


 
  
 Ahhh, I love it when things get cleared up.


----------



## Silent One

oregonian said:


> I'm still waiting to see how you address the monster Sansui resting place....................


 
  
 I refuse to list it on CL. I don't need extra space_ that_ bad.




  
 Meanwhile, it's up against the wall. Will find a proper place for it when I move.


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Meanwhile, it's up against the wall. Will find a proper place for it when I move.


 
 I want to see it on the folding tray table! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 (please don't)


----------



## Silent One

It's collapse would go viral on YT!


----------



## pervysage




----------



## ssrock64

pervysage said:


>


 
 Your opinion of the WA7 in that pairing?


----------



## longbowbbs

pervysage said:


>


 
 This is a simple and classy rig!


----------



## olor1n




----------



## Austin Morrow

olor1n said:


>


 
  
 How are you liking the Mjolnir with the HD800?


----------



## olor1n

> Originally Posted by *Austin Morrow* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> [...]
> 
> How are you liking the Mjolnir with the HD800?


 
  
 The MJ's fine with the HD800. It's the source you need to worry about when you put these two together.


----------



## silentmoon

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=746525185366719&set=a.167232786629298.35783.100000277327047&type=1&theater 

 Dont know why i cant post my image on head-fi (


----------



## Silent One

You'll be able to after another post or two...


----------



## Silent One

Amp.:  2359glenn OTL _Silver Hawk_
  
 Cans.:  HE-6; Custom Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 headphone cable (4x19awg)


----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> Amp.:  2359glenn OTL _Silver Hawk_
> 
> Cans.:  HE-6; Custom Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 headphone cable (4x19awg)


 
 Silver Hawk with the Mighty 596!


----------



## MattTCG

@ silent moon...
  
 I implore you to please take the plastic off the face of your dac. I won't sleep until you do.


----------



## drez

silent one said:


> Amp.:  2359glenn OTL _Silver Hawk_
> 
> Cans.:  HE-6; Custom Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 headphone cable (4x19awg)


 
  
 That cable is epic - it's made from the interconnect cable right?


----------



## MattTCG

The cable is nice but I really am lusting after the dampening block. I think I will con my dad into helping me make a few over the Thanksgiving break.


----------



## longbowbbs

You'll need a band saw to cut those properly....


----------



## MattTCG

My dad is retired and now does a lot of wood working. He's spend more money on tools than I have on hp's and gear. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...it's true.


----------



## longbowbbs

matttcg said:


> My dad is retired and now does a lot of wood working. He's spend more money on tools than I have on hp's and gear.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Handy!


----------



## SoulSyde

silent one said:


>


 
  
 Does anyone else have the same need to rip off that protective plastic as I do?


----------



## magiccabbage

olor1n said:


>


 
 I was very unimpressed by the nad when i got to hear it. Ill have to give it a go again i suppose.


----------



## olor1n

Cool. I wish I couldn't hear improvements too. It'd save some pocket change.


----------



## Rob80b




----------



## snapple10




----------



## zilch0md

Holy crapple, snapple! 

You have a nice collection of enviable gear!

What goes in the HPRC 2400F case (on the floor)? 



Mike


----------



## snapple10

Thanks , use it to store my portable gears 
S


----------



## Silent One

drez said:


> That cable is epic - it's made from the interconnect cable right?


 
  
 That is correct!


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


>


 
  
 This photograph has all the markings of a Reviewer... even the Mac 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





made the cut.  Will we see any activity emerge from the listening room in 2014?


----------



## snapple10

Will love to share but describing what I hear is another thing entirely 
2014 might be the year


----------



## longbowbbs

snapple10 said:


>


 
 It looks so empty without the Zana!


----------



## snapple10

Zana was getting underused , deserved more


----------



## MickeyVee

Yup.. I do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Quote:


soulsyde said:


> Does anyone else have the same need to rip off that protective plastic as I do?


----------



## Eee Pee

I recognized the Sony remote and was amazed to see the DVP-S9000ES.
  
 I like mine.


----------



## snapple10

Sony DVP-S9000ES was built like a tank, despite the age, still serves its duty beautifully, I like it


----------



## longbowbbs

mickeyvee said:


> Yup.. I do
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I would like to call the local OCD club to order.....


----------



## one-eyed-xander

Here's my current setup. 2008 Mac Pro (not pictured obv) optical out into the NuForce Icon HDP. Then via some crappy interconnects into the Emotiva Mini-X. Home-made speaker taps into a female 1/4" jack, then stock cables to HE-500.
  
 The HE-500 is resting on my home-made (actually kit-built) speakers. These are normally driven by a Lepai 2020+ but I haven't got them hooked up yet since getting the Emotiva.
  
 I like home-made stuff - plan on doing more. Those interconnects, for a start!


----------



## mrAdrian




----------



## stainless824

As a heathen i post pictures of speakers
  
 Still near a desk. it counts


----------



## SoulSyde

stainless824 said:


> As a heathen i post pictures of speakers


----------



## bbophead

stainless824 said:


> As a heathen i post pictures of speakers
> 
> Still near a desk. it counts


 
 Been wondering about those KEFs.  
  
 What do you like about them, if you don't mind?  Use a sub(s) with them?


----------



## spittis

stainless824 said:


> As a heathen i post pictures of speakers
> 
> Still near a desk. it counts


 
  
 Great speakers, I'm very happy with mine at least.


----------



## NilsTentacles

Meier Audio Corda StageDAC and Corda Classic, Beyerdynamic T1


----------



## philo50

^^^^very nice......


----------



## snapple10

^^ like the simplicity of the rig


----------



## NilsTentacles

Thanks guys!
  
 Im very happy with it. The T1's are great. Good presence, bass response, dynamics.... just overall great.


----------



## Errymoose

mradrian said:


>


 
 Those Fostex are new?  You modded them yet?


----------



## mrAdrian

errymoose said:


> Those Fostex are new?  You modded them yet?


 
  
 Not exactly new and yes I've modded all of them hahahah
  
 It is like signing your own book. I just can't stop tinkering them for a bit!


----------



## Errymoose

mradrian said:


> Not exactly new and yes I've modded all of them hahahah
> 
> It is like signing your own book. I just can't stop tinkering them for a bit!


 

 Didn't think I'd seen them before... and you do seem to be constantly tinkering.
  
 What's your next project?


----------



## stainless824

bbophead said:


> Been wondering about those KEFs.
> 
> What do you like about them, if you don't mind?  Use a sub(s) with them?


 
 I find them ridiculously good for the price.
  
 They scale tremendously with higher end components. I'm using a PSaudio PWDMKii and a Ayre AX-7e with mine which are significantly more expensive than the speaker itself, but I have no qualms about it. I even purchased the dynaudio C1 top-plate because right after getting the LS50 and the dynaudio stand for it, I thought I would eventually upgrade because a 1500 dollar speaker could only get so good. 
  
 Even though I had this upgrade path, I haven't found the need to upgrade to the C1 yet, these are just that great. 
 Imaging and a beautiful midrange would be how I would describe this. As these are in a small room, I cannot comment much on the soundstage but I can say that it does extend beyond the speakers.
  
 They just sound authentic i guess. They have a distinct centre image which works brilliantly with anything with a main vocal, and can really pressurise a room well despite their small size.


----------



## parbaked

^Happy Camper post!


----------



## stainless824

parbaked said:


> ^Happy Camper post!




Of course i'm a happy camper. Not feeling upgraditis or audiophile nervosa for the first time in my life.


----------



## bbophead

stainless824 said:


> parbaked said:
> 
> 
> > ^Happy Camper post!
> ...


 
 This, too, will pass.


----------



## preproman

snapple10 said:


>


 
 Hey - Some of that stuff looks familiar


----------



## snapple10

Waiting on my HE 6 set you are holding on to


----------



## mnarwold

Finished my new amp enclosure for the O2 which looks way better than the original if I say so myself  The ODAC is installed in the rear. Of course I started working on it before I was able to get the HE-500, so it matches the old Grado SR-225is. If I ever decide to sell the O2 or the 225s, I think I'll have to bundle them and sell them together. Anyway, I'm loving the 500s.


----------



## Don Lehrer

mnarwold said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Great work, me likes, if you decide to sell the 02 please let me know I like it (but no grado please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## LugBug1

preproman said:


> Hey - Some of that stuff looks familiar


 
 I knew I'd seen em HD800's before... You didn't, did you?


----------



## jono454

Current state.
  
 Very happy with setup..will likely sell HE-500s


----------



## Austin Morrow

jono454 said:


> Current state.
> 
> Very happy with setup..will likely sell HE-500s


 
  
 WHAT? Thou shalt not sell HE-500's.


----------



## jono454

austin morrow said:


> WHAT? Thou shalt not sell HE-500's.


 
 They do compliment each other very well.
  
 As I am starting my new job with a significant increase in pay..if I have enough moolah remaining I will keep the HE-500s.


----------



## Androb

jono454 said:


> Current state.
> 
> Very happy with setup..will likely sell HE-500s
> 
> ...


 
 How is the Hd700 compared to he-500?  I listened to the he-500 and a bit interested in how hd700 sounds


----------



## preproman

lugbug1 said:


> I knew I'd seen em HD800's before... You didn't, did you?


 
  
 Sure did..


----------



## jono454

androb said:


> How is the Hd700 compared to he-500?  I listened to the he-500 and a bit interested in how hd700 sounds


 
 They're both awesome.
  
 But a short rundown..
  
 HE-500 = very balanced, everything sounds right...definitely can't go wrong with the HE-500s, not as comfy and a bit on the heavy side
 HD700 = fun sounding, larger sound stage, very detailed, EXTREMELY comfy...words cannot describe the comfort level of these headphones. The comfort factor alone should put these in the summit-fi area. I think the only issue is that it may need a warm sounding tube amp to mellow down the treble spikes.
  
 Personally I don't think you could go wrong with either one...they both compliment each other very well, they're both high end headphones, I think it'll all come down to personal preference.


----------



## wes008

mnarwold said:


>


 

  
 Might have to do the same now..........


----------



## jasonb

The gear is in my sig... plus the beer.
  
 It's all next to my couch (that reclines) on an end table. It's comfy.


----------



## TheGrumpyOldMan

Nice setup, but that's no beer! It's hard cider, and I immediately recognized it because I'm enjoying a Woodchuck right now... Cheers!


----------



## jasonb

thegrumpyoldman said:


> Nice setup, but that's no beer! It's hard cider, and I immediately recognized it because I'm enjoying a Woodchuck right now... Cheers!


 
 Never been a huge fan of real beer, but I like the taste of most of the hard apple drinks. Cheers!


----------



## roskodan

wes008 said:


> mnarwold said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 i find it more kind of cute than actually beautiful... it's soooo cute...


----------



## Armaegis

All that nice woodworking... yet a plastic knob?


----------



## Androb

jasonb said:


> The gear is in my sig... plus the beer.
> 
> It's all next to my couch (that reclines) on an end table. It's comfy.



You just got to love the loks of the vintage Pioneer! I really want to hear one. But it's hard to find so I guess my old Luxman have to do.


----------



## Eee Pee




----------



## StanT

From the left:
  
 PSB Imagine B 
 Beyerdynamic T1
 Emotiva UPA-2
 Emotiva ERC-2
 NAD M51
 Jolida JD100
 CyberPower 1500 LCD
 PC doo doo
 Outlaw M8
 WooAudio WA2
  
 Synology NAS is in another room


----------



## SoupRKnowva

eee pee said:


>


 

 I love the simplicity of that rig EeePee


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

The Monoliths stand tall amongst the system. 

JBL ES80 towers I got on sale for Black Friday. 

Those were NOT fun getting up the stairs. 

AT ALL.


----------



## Eee Pee

souprknowva said:


> I love the simplicity of that rig EeePee


 
 And it loves you too, bro!
  
 I love it too.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

eee pee said:


> And it loves you too, bro!
> 
> I love it too.




You just need to get yourself one of those apple dacs to use with the iPod to get yourself a better dac than the built in one in the classic. Smothering like the algorithm solo, you can even get the balanced one. It'll stay just as portable and simple and probably sound quite a bit better


----------



## painted klown

souprknowva said:


> You just need to get yourself one of those apple dacs to use with the iPod to get yourself a better dac than the built in one in the classic. Smothering like the algorithm solo, you can even get the balanced one. It'll stay just as portable and simple and probably sound quite a bit better


 
 Stupid question time: Apple makes official DACs for use with ipods?


----------



## Austin Morrow

painted klown said:


> Stupid question time: Apple makes official DACs for use with ipods?




No, not Apple. He's talking about Cypher Labs.


----------



## magiccabbage

Anyone know the name of the platform that the studio six is sitting here in this pic? I thought this thread was a good place to ask.
  
  if you click on the image the brand is written on it, i just can't read it.


----------



## wes008

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> The Monoliths stand tall amongst the system.
> 
> JBL ES80 towers I got on sale for Black Friday.
> 
> ...


 
 Aw, Jeff, I remember when you were just a lil' Head-Hi'er.  Now look at you, Mr. Headphoneus Supremus. :') I don't think your cans have changed all that much though  Nice to see how the rest of the rig has come along though.


----------



## autoteleology

My camera sucks, but you get the idea.

 Also, the walls are currently being repainted.


----------



## palmfish

magiccabbage said:


> Anyone know the name of the platform that the studio six is sitting here in this pic? I thought this thread was a good place to ask.
> 
> 
> if you click on the image the brand is written on it, i just can't read it.




It appears to read "Synergistic Research."


----------



## longbowbbs

magiccabbage said:


> Anyone know the name of the platform that the studio six is sitting here in this pic? I thought this thread was a good place to ask.
> 
> if you click on the image the brand is written on it, i just can't read it.


 
 Synergistic Tranquility Base...It runs about $2,000....There is a larger version the XL for $3,000.....


----------



## LugBug1

longbowbbs said:


> Synergistic Tranquility Base...It runs about $2,000....There is a larger version the XL for $3,000.....


 
 Yea.. al probably just stick to using a chopping board...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wes008 said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > The Monoliths stand tall amongst the system.
> ...



Yeah, only ever had the HD518 (sold), and my precious SR80i.
After I get a new turntable (Santa pls?), and my custom walnut cups for my 80i's, my vinyl journey will be complete for the next six years 

Now my computer rig on the other hand....


----------



## magiccabbage

longbowbbs said:


> Synergistic Tranquility Base...It runs about $2,000....There is a larger version the XL for $3,000.....


 





..... they can keep it
  
 edit
  
  
 wait a minute, how does it actually work is it just a platform to stop microphonics? what is going on here ¬


----------



## longbowbbs

magiccabbage said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Synergistic Tranquility Base...It runs about $2,000....There is a larger version the XL for $3,000.....
> ...


 
  
 The small cap cover's the hole where you pour in the ground unicorn horn...


----------



## Loevhagen




----------



## pdrm360

eee pee said:


>


 
 Nice!


----------



## Androb

loevhagen said:


>



Nice! SS or tube goes best with audeze?


----------



## palmfish

longbowbbs said:


> The small cap cover's the hole where you pour in the ground unicorn horn...


 
  
 Grinding is a very crude method that doesn't give the granules the proper consistency that immolation does. The problem with immolation is that you lose more material in the process, thus 3X as many horns are needed. It's quite wasteful, but the laws protecting unicorns are quite archaic so it's not a problem. No price is too high for audio nirvana.


----------



## longbowbbs

palmfish said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The small cap cover's the hole where you pour in the ground unicorn horn...
> ...


----------



## mnarwold

armaegis said:


> All that nice woodworking... yet a plastic knob?


 

 Yea, I bought an aluminum knob and it ended up being about 1 or 2 mm to large and rubbed up against the gain button on the right and partially covered up the light on the other side. I also realized that I need to get a black metal knob since the rest of the cables and things are black, having the silver knob just didn't look right. I'd love a wooden knob, but I don't have a lathe to make one. If you know a good place to pick one up let me know.


----------



## Armaegis

Could you ad-hoc a lathe with a drill? Or just go against the grain (no pun intended) and make a non-round knob.


----------



## mnarwold

That is a possibility . . . Actually, you gave me an idea . . . I'll get back to you guys


----------



## mnarwold

OK, so I remembered I had a piece of Mora (the darker wood) that was the inside of the cutout I made for my wooden cups and while it's a gorgeous piece of wood, it's pretty huge. It fits, but basically takes up the entire space between the input and output (completely covering the light and gain switch, which I don't really use). I thought I would like the look of something "oversized" I'm thinking it just doesn't look right . . . Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to make this piece significantly smaller without spending about a week with a sander


----------



## Clayton SF

Today's setup: beta 22 and sigma22 DIY by Corey Warner, _*SWA*_.


----------



## magiccabbage

clayton sf said:


> Today's setup: beta 22 and sigma22 DIY by Corey Warner, _*SWA*_.


 
 very nice!


----------



## mnarwold

OK, added the headphone stand and the wooden knob to the amp. Sorry for all the posts, what do you guys think, is the knob too big? Better than the plastic one?


----------



## wolfetan44

LOVE IT!


----------



## Anavel0

Personally, I'd say it's a bit big. I would make it just small enough that white shows completely around it.


----------



## spittis

mnarwold said:


> OK, added the headphone stand and the wooden knob to the amp. Sorry for all the posts, what do you guys think, is the knob too big? Better than the plastic one?


 
  
 It's better (very pretty even), but I think it'd be even better if the diameter of the knob would be the same as height of the the bright area.


----------



## GrindingThud

Very nice. Could even take it a bit more and inlay a white bar across it to match the case.


----------



## wgb113

miwo76 said:


> Here's mine:
> 
> Mostly used gear (headphones and DAC) with some overseas gear thrown in (ebay headphone stand, Little Dot MKIII tube amp)


 
  
 Is your stand impacting the clamping force of the AKGs at all?  I love that style stand but I've always been leery of putting the dual band AKGs on one.
  
 Bill


----------



## wgb113

spittis said:


> It's HE-400 vs K712, aided by Murphy's Irish Stout.


 
  
 Who won?


----------



## lord_tris

wgb113 said:


> Who won?


 
 Of course the Stout did.. duh


----------



## olor1n

loevhagen said:


>


 
  
 Looks cosy. How's the LCD-X on this set-up? Not many here have the M51/MJ combo. I love mine, though I do miss a 1/4" se hp out. You have that taken care of by the Burson. My incoming Vali should sort that out.


----------



## miwo76

wgb113 said:


> Is your stand impacting the clamping force of the AKGs at all?  I love that style stand but I've always been leery of putting the dual band AKGs on one.
> 
> Bill




Hi Bill - I haven't noticed any changes to the clamping force of my AKG.

The stand is much smaller than my head, so I figure i'd stretch them more wearing them than leaving them in the stand.


----------



## magiccabbage

i sold my 650's - miss them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. the pic looks lovely


----------



## Armaegis

mnarwold said:


> OK, added the headphone stand and the wooden knob to the amp. Sorry for all the posts, what do you guys think, is the knob too big? Better than the plastic one?


 
  
 So how did you make it?


----------



## spittis

wgb113 said:


> Who won?


 
  
 Well I still have them both but I do prefer the K712 at the moment, they're so well-rounded. I did compare them a bit in this review.


----------



## Loevhagen

Love the clean layout you have . and the light arrangement.  
  
 The V200 and the Burson are SE backups. However, having done some thinking - I have decided to get rid of the TH-900 and the T1. I should have no need for SE outputs anymore - but will keep at least the V200 anyway. 
  
 The LCD-X and the XC plays well with the M51/MJ combo. In fact - if I should have been rational about this hobby - I should have sold everything else - but won't. There is no such thing as being rational in this hobby. 
  
  
 Quote:


olor1n said:


> Looks cosy. How's the LCD-X on this set-up? Not many here have the M51/MJ combo. I love mine, though I do miss a 1/4" se hp out. You have that taken care of by the Burson. My incoming Vali should sort that out.


----------



## mnarwold

armaegis said:


> So how did you make it?


 

 Well, I took the circle that was too big and started sanding. I'm using a random orbital, so it rotates in tiny circles, but the whole thing also spins, which then gave me an idea. The circle of wood had the whole in the middle, so I put it on a stick and used the spinning motion of the sander to spin the wood, in essence making a little lathe. Sanding still took awhile, but by rounding the front off a lot it made the knob look smaller without having to sand it all down. This is a fairly hard wood, so sanding it down another 1/4" all around would probably take several hours, at least with my current setup. I think I'll live with it at this size for awhile and if I want to tinker again or improve the look I'll sand it some more.


----------



## wgb113

miwo76 said:


> Hi Bill - I haven't noticed any changes to the clamping force of my AKG.
> 
> The stand is much smaller than my head, so I figure i'd stretch them more wearing them than leaving them in the stand.


 
  
 Good point.  Any worry about the ear pads or auto-adjusting tension bands wearing out prematurely?


----------



## wgb113

spittis said:


> Well I still have them both but I do prefer the K712 at the moment, they're so well-rounded. I did compare them a bit in this review.


 
  
 Glad to hear that.  I've got a pair on the way.  Nice review BTW.
  
 Bill


----------



## miwo76

wgb113 said:


> Good point.  Any worry about the ear pads or auto-adjusting tension bands wearing out prematurely?




Not really. I'm pretty loosey-goosey with my head-fi gear.

I figure the pads are better off with even pressure on a flat surface vs uneven pressure around my ears and lumpy head. Unlike my ATH-M50's, the AKG 702s don't fold so are prone to the bottom of the pads touching at a specific point near the bottom. Could theoretically cause a premature pressure point there. If you look at how most headphones are packaged before purchase in their manufacturer's boxes, the pads are stored against a flat, even surface and a gap between the pass to keep them from touching. Check out those headphone inbox in videos to see if my memory serves me correct.


----------



## LugBug1

palmfish said:


> Grinding is a very crude method that doesn't give the granules the proper consistency that immolation does. The problem with immolation is that you lose more material in the process, thus 3X as many horns are needed. It's quite wasteful, but the laws protecting unicorns are quite archaic so it's not a problem. No price is too high for audio nirvana.


 
 Some words of wisdom right there.


----------



## LugBug1

olor1n said:


>


 
 That looks good enough to be in a glossy hifi mag! Very smart.


----------



## MorbidToaster

Beer? That's a cider there, friend. I'm not a beer drinker, but Woodchuck on the other hand...
  
 Have you tried their new PUMPKIN for the holidays? It's 7% (so it hits hard) and tastes pretty awesome. 
  
 Had 4 last night, myself.
  
 Quote:


jasonb said:


> The gear is in my sig... plus the beer.
> 
> It's all next to my couch (that reclines) on an end table. It's comfy.


----------



## Gnomeplay

morbidtoaster said:


> Beer? That's a cider there, friend. I'm not a beer drinker, but Woodchuck on the other hand...
> 
> Have you tried their new PUMPKIN for the holidays? It's 7% (so it hits hard) and tastes pretty awesome.
> 
> Had 4 last night, myself.


 
 Anddddd I'm off to the store.


----------



## MorbidToaster

gnomeplay said:


> Anddddd I'm off to the store.




Good call.

EDIT: They did a flavor that was called Autumn or something that comes in the boxes as the seasonal brew, but I didn't like it. It was too sweet (like a Mike's Hard) and I couldn't stomach it. However, the Pumpkin gets the sweetness right while still tasting similar.


----------



## Armaegis

Nuforce uDac-3, Sansa Clip and Fuze, Pioneer HDJ-2000, Munitio Pro40, and somewhere just above the image a modded T50rp which was probably the best pairing with the udac3.


----------



## DragonOwen

Yesterday my audio rack become two shelves higher... though two shelves are empty at the moment, I bought this two shelves because the model of my rack is out of production, so if I will need more shelves in future then I probably won't be able to buy them... actually you can see that eventually I had to buy shelves with different color compared to what I had, it's because I were not able to find shelves with "my" color anywhere... hope the rack with shelves of different color doesn't look too ugly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...
  


  
 Also have to mention that since my last post into this thread I had a few upgrades, but they are mostly not visible on photos of my rig, that because this upgrades is cables - Shunyata Research Anaconda ZTron power cord (can be seen inserted in WES on 2nd photo above) and XLR interconnect cables... it may seem a small upgrade for someone, but for me in terms of sound it's not small at all... but the price on this cables is really scary, it was not easy for me to decide to buy them, both financially and morally...


----------



## 62ohm

DragonOwen,
  
 I would say switch your rack positions to match the color of your gear, black ones on the bottom and silver/grey ones on top of them. That power cord looks like cords scientists use on cold-fusion experiments lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Nice system mate, hope I'd get there eventually.


----------



## Maxvla

Black and silver matches the gear and the wallpaper.


----------



## DragonOwen

62ohm said:


> DragonOwen,
> 
> I would say switch your rack positions to match the color of your gear, black ones on the bottom and silver/grey ones on top of them. That power cord looks like cords scientists use on cold-fusion experiments lol
> 
> ...


 
 It's not possible to place black on the bottom, because this model of rack has base 2 shelves module that has to be on the bottom (this module has solid frame), my base module is silver...
  
 Thanks!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

DragonOwen, my wallet is trembling in fear... Gratz on reaching The End.


----------



## DragonOwen

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> DragonOwen, my wallet is trembling in fear... Gratz on reaching The End.


 
 Thanks!
  
 Just did something a bit hilarious with my rack... put my modded Lenco 75 on the bottom shelf of my rack... I know it's maybe a "bad tone" to do this, but in my case it have some pros and cons:
  
 pros:
 + I freed up space on the dresser where previously stationed Lenco
 + Now I can use Interconnects that has normal length and quality, rather than the 3-meter cheap DIY that I used earlier (because of the distance from the Lenco and phono stage from amplifier)
 + Lenco and phono now powered by power regenerator
  
 cons:
 - There is a lot of dust on bottom shelf
 - It's not easy and comfortable to do something with Lenco when it's located on bottom shelf
 - Maybe that is not very good for sound when Lenco when it's located on bottom shelf
 - It's looks a bit "not right" ...
  
 So a few photos of what I have now (the small box on the second (from above) shelf is phono stage):


----------



## Androb

Dragonowen ^impressive!


----------



## parbaked

+1, but I would move the Lenco up!
 Does the Woo only fit on top or can you move the Lenco up top and everything else down one?
 If you leave it on bottom A cover would be good but even more inconvenience...


----------



## DragonOwen

parbaked said:


> +1, but I would move the Lenco up!
> Does the Woo only fit on top or can you move the Lenco up top and everything else down one?
> If you leave it on bottom A cover would be good but even more inconvenience...


 
 Yes, WES fit only on top and I can't separate him on two shelves because power cable between WES modules is short...
 The bottom shelf is the highest, if I move Lenco up I won't be able to comfortable operate it...
 I have a cover for Lenco and I can put it on Lenco if Lenco located on bottom shelf, but I had to do a cut on the cover because tonearm prevented to put a cover on Lenco, so now cover is not tight... also cover is from original Lenco so I put it on plywood plinth and it only covers the original Lenco mechanism from above... so I expect that dust will be a major problem......


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

OH SWEET JESUS THAT'S GOOD


----------



## Arvan

Rocking the Final audio adagio 3 as for now.. Probably THE WORST iem i have ever laid my filthy paws on.. ****loads of bass and it´s not the good kind.. No clarity at all.. Waste of money is my impression so far.


----------



## lord_tris

arvan said:


> Rocking the Final audio adagio 3 as for now.. Probably THE WORST iem i have ever laid my filthy paws on.. ****loads of bass and it´s not the good kind.. No clarity at all.. Waste of money is my impression so far.


 
 Such a nice picture though...


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

arvan said:


> Rocking the Final audio adagio 3 as for now.. Probably THE WORST iem i have ever laid my filthy paws on.. ****loads of bass and it´s not the good kind.. No clarity at all.. Waste of money is my impression so far.



Lol try Puregears IEMs. Probably worse.


----------



## dallan

Not as glorious as in past but still very functional.


----------



## wes008

dallan said:


> Not as glorious as in past but still very functional.


 
 Looks pretty glorious to me! I really do need to move everything into an armoire.


----------



## pelli

dragonowen said:


> It's not possible to place black on the bottom, because this model of rack has base 2 shelves module that has to be on the bottom (this module has solid frame), my base module is silver...
> 
> Thanks!


 
 What if you alternated the black and silver shelves?  The two shelf silver on bottom, than black, silver, black? It may give it a more cohesive feel...  Beautiful system!


----------



## johnman1116

Wow its been way too long since i've posted on here. Its funny how much can change in a year and a half.


Spoiler: Back then I had



I think this picture was taken with the Moto Droid one! wow. 

  
  


 Today arrived my most expensive audio purchase. The Beyerdynamic T90. I wish it said it somewhere you could see. 

  
 Current setup:


----------



## jasonb

The girlfriend just got me a new media rack for my CD's and Blu-ray's, DVD's and such. Now I need to work on filling it up.


----------



## DragonOwen

pelli said:


> What if you alternated the black and silver shelves?  The two shelf silver on bottom, than black, silver, black? It may give it a more cohesive feel...  Beautiful system!


 
 It's possible, I considered this option when was adding new shelves to my rack, but after some thinking I decided to put silver to silver and black to black whithout alternation of colours, in my mind it looked better and I think that what I have now looking exactly like I had in mind back then... also I'm a little lazy to rearrange shelves (place WES on shelf is a bit tricky... not very hard though, but for a lazy person like me...)
  
 Thanks!


----------



## conheo

Current desk rig


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

conheo said:


> Current desk rig



Bit of a Sony fetish, eh? It's okay I'm a Grado fanboy.


----------



## conheo

A Sony fanboy I think ...still looking for good-old-day sony can like cd3000...but it is hard to find.
  
 ...and also HD800 fanboy


----------



## parbaked

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I'm a Grado fanboy.


 
 Hey, I resemble that remark...


----------



## conheo

A grado fanboy recall ? 
  
 I love these cans. Especially Joseph Grado can, it is a masterpiece


----------



## wes008

parbaked said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > I'm a Grado fanboy.
> ...


 
 Ugh, I want to Joseph Grado HPA sooooo badly


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

wes008 said:


> parbaked said:
> 
> 
> > ahorsenamedjeff said:
> ...



I want the HP1000. I'd sell my left leg for one.


----------



## wes008

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> > I want the HP1000. I'd sell my left leg for one.


 
 Don't speak of such unicorns


----------



## LugBug1

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I want the HP1000. I'd sell my left leg for one.


 
 Would you trade for a right one? I've always had two left feet that's all...


----------



## parbaked

wes008 said:


> Don't speak of such unicorns


----------



## MickeyVee

^^ Nice photography!


----------



## stacker45

Nice everything^^


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

parbaked said:


> wes008 said:
> 
> 
> > Don't speak of such unicorns



Hnnnnggg. Oh myyy I might need a moment to myself.


----------



## robrob

Yea, very nice photography and very sexy equipment.


----------



## whirlwind

^^ +1 ^^


----------



## alterndog

Yes, the glass of scotch is part of my Head-Fi station


----------



## brhfl

alterndog said:


> Yes, the glass of scotch is part of my Head-Fi station


 
 *sigh* while the Reidel glass is obvious, this photo is akin to showing us a four-digit DAC and then not telling us what resolution, PCM/DSD, _music_, what-have-you, is going through it! Tell us what's (barely) in the glass, man!


----------



## alterndog

haha, In that picture it is Yamazaki 12 year that is barely left over in the glass. So technically not true scotch, but Japanese made scotch I guess is the best way to put it. Normally it's a 18 year Kirkland branded Speyside that resides in the glass.


----------



## ThickGlasses

Am I the only one that thinks the polarity switches on the Grado HP1000 look like some very small nipples?


----------



## Silent One




----------



## LugBug1

alterndog said:


> Yes, the glass of scotch is part of my Head-Fi station


 
 Scotch is the perfect audio accompaniment. Especially good with Jazz 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
  


silent one said:


>


 
 Ooh is that a new turntable? Nicey.


----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Gorgeous as always SO! What are you using for a cartridge and Phono Pre?


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Ooh is that a new turntable? Nicey.


 
  
 Same Music Hall TT except for it's now displayed playing something...


----------



## Silent One

longbowbbs said:


> silent one said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks. The Pre-amp has a built-in Moving Magnet Phono Stage. Cartridge is factory installed Goldring Eroica-H (High output)


----------



## Silent One

KEF Coda 9 floor standing speakers; Auditorium 23 A23 Silver speaker cable; Japanese floor standing candle holders.


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Auditorium 23 A23 Silver speaker cable


 
 Now I know Matt's your dealer...


----------



## parbaked

> Japanese floor standing candle holders.


 
 'dem F2a's don't need no stinkin' candles (unless they're bacon scented)


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> Now I know Matt's your dealer...


 




 I asked if i could sip the 'pitch perfect' kool-aid unsweetened and he said _"Too late... it's already mixed!"_


----------



## dallan

Here is the other part, showed the headphone area a while back, this is the speaker area, though not as high end it still sounds pretty good to me.


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> I asked if i could sip the 'pitch perfect' kool-aid unsweetened and he said _"Too late... it's already mixed!"_


 
 That's too funny!!!!!!
 He told me there was no vegan offerings...pork fat or nothin'!
 Bottom line: Matt picks your poison...


----------



## MorbidToaster

silent one said:


> KEF Corda 9 floor standing speakers; Auditorium 23 A23 Silver speaker cable; Japanese floor standing candle holders.




I'm hoping to get some of those cables next year.  Also want some killer candle holders like those after I move.


----------



## magiccabbage

dallan said:


> Here is the other part, showed the headphone area a while back, this is the speaker area, though not as high end it still sounds pretty good to me.


 
 very nice, the layout is lovely. What speakers are those? Is that a Antelope Zodiac DAC?


----------



## Silent One

morbidtoaster said:


> I'm hoping to get some of those cables next year.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I picked the candle holders up in '97. And no matter where I've lived, I always have them in the listening area... _very relaxing._


----------



## Silent One

dallan said:


> Here is the other part, showed the headphone area a while back, this is the speaker area, though not as high end it still sounds pretty good to me.


 
  
 Nice speakers, dallan. By the way,
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I just did the math! The speakers' combined height = the length of your surfboard, have I got that right?


----------



## dallan

magiccabbage said:


> very nice, the layout is lovely. What speakers are those? Is that a Antelope Zodiac DAC?


 
 Thank you.  No not a Zodiac, actually that is on my list for whenever i can afford it.  My main dac is in an earlier picture, which is a PSaudio digital link that was totally reworked with a high end clock.  However that is assigned to my headphone rig fed by The Diverter usb converter and Amarra.  
  
 What you are seeing there is my initial setup which is a Musical Fidelity xdac v3 with the external power supply and a tube buffer.  There is also an xdac v3 headphone amplifier that gets only occasional use.  There is also a dacmagic dac that is fed by the tv optical out to the amp as well.  The amp is a Primare I21  and the speakers are The Revel Concerto F12- http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/706revel    There is also an REL R-205 subwoofer in the corner.  
  
 It's all a couple of years old now, maybe 2007-2009 stuff but just cause new things come out doesn't make what you have sound any worse.  It suits me perfectly except for the eventual Zodiac, which will go to the HP rig feeding my Zana Duex amp and the PSaudio will go to the speaker side.  I dumped a bunch of cash over three or four years and now it has to be something special for an upgrade.  The last two things were W3000anv and the AK120 within the last year so that is a couple of grand that pushed back that Zodiac.  Choices…..


----------



## magiccabbage

dallan said:


> Thank you.  No not a Zodiac, actually that is on my list for whenever i can afford it.  My main dac is in an earlier picture, which is a PSaudio digital link that was totally reworked with a high end clock.  However that is assigned to my headphone rig fed by The Diverter usb converter and Amarra.
> 
> What you are seeing there is my initial setup which is a Musical Fidelity xdac v3 with the external power supply and a tube buffer.  There is also an xdac v3 headphone amplifier that gets only occasional use.  There is also a dacmagic dac that is fed by the tv optical out to the amp as well.  The amp is a Primare I21  and the speakers are The Revel Concerto F12.  There is also an REL R-205 subwoofer in the corner.
> 
> It's all a couple of years old now, maybe 2007-2009 stuff but just cause new things come out doesn't make what you have sound any worse.  It suits me perfectly except for the eventual Zodiac, which will go to the HP rig feeding my Zana Duex amp and the PSaudio will go to the speaker side.  I dumped a bunch of cash over three or four years and now it has to be something special for an upgrade.  The last two things were W3000anv and the AK120 within the last year so that is a couple of grand that pushed back that Zodiac.  Choices…..


 
 choices and sacrifices, if i wasn't into acoustic and electric guitars i would have all the headphone related gear i want. If sold all my guitar gear i could afford any headphone rig even 009/BHSE but there are other things that are also important.


----------



## dallan

magiccabbage said:


> choices and sacrifices, if i wasn't into acoustic and electric guitars i would have all the headphone related gear i want. If sold all my guitar gear i could afford any headphone rig even 009/BHSE but there are other things that are also important.


 
 Yep, that's how it is, i have way too many surfboards too
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  
  
 Here is the factory link to the F12 speaker.  http://www.revelspeakers.com/Products/Details/51#specs
  
 I tell you, i would buy them all over again, they are still in production but they are hard to find.  I went to a store looking for them because they were no where in stock anywhere.  The store was appointment only, no one answered and it looked closed.  I finally caught someone there and they had a floor model with limited use, they were closing the store and gave them to me for half price as is, with a little mark that i couldn't barely see.  I would have paid full price just to get my hands on a pair at that point so i was ecstatic.  Think they have to be special ordered because all the dealers want to sell you the higher end Revel stuff.


----------



## daigo

dallan said:


> Yep, that's how it is, i have way too many surfboards too
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Half price off retail on those Revel F12's with a slight cosmetic blemish seems like a steal.  As long as the sound is beautiful, a few nicks here and there aren't a huge deal.


----------



## dallan

I bought them on the spot and loaded them in the Element and off i went, couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
  
 Edit-of course all my wife could say was "They're freakin' furniture, what are you thinking!"  She thinks speakers should be flat and small……..and i won't even tell you what i hear about headphones….


----------



## thenorwegian

Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)


----------



## dwayniac




----------



## longbowbbs

dallan said:


> I bought them on the spot and loaded them in the Element and off i went, couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
> 
> Edit-of course all my wife could say was "They're freakin' furniture, what are you thinking!"  She thinks speakers should be flat and small……..and i won't even tell you what i hear about headphones….


 
 Ideally, you won't have to hear anything with the headphones


----------



## longbowbbs

magiccabbage said:


> choices and sacrifices, if i wasn't into acoustic and electric guitars i would have all the headphone related gear i want. If sold all my guitar gear i could afford any headphone rig even 009/BHSE but there are other things that are also important.


 
 I sold one of my PRS Tremonti's to fund the Cary purchase...What do you do? (sigh)


----------



## dallan

longbowbbs said:


> Ideally, you won't have to hear anything with the headphones


 
 Yes that's why i have several closed phones to choose from.


----------



## LugBug1

dallan said:


> Yes that's why i have several closed phones to choose from.


 
 And she'll have 500 pairs of shoes to choose from so I wouldn't worry about it  
  
 My vintage amplifier collection is currently invading my wife's shoe cupboard... It's a space war! It could get nasty.


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow.. nice.. hope is sounds as awesome as it looks.
  
 Quote:


thenorwegian said:


> Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)


----------



## ssrock64

dallan said:


> I bought them on the spot and loaded them in the Element and off i went, couldn't wipe the smile off my face.


 
 Ah, the Element. Gotta love a car whose interior can be practically hosed down.


----------



## ssrock64

thenorwegian said:


> Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)


 
 Wow, those JBLs look like something else.


----------



## wes008

dwayniac said:


>


 
 My kind of setup


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

thenorwegian said:


> Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)


 
 oh sweet jesus that looks delicious.


----------



## Armaegis

ssrock64 said:


> Ah, the Element. Gotta love a car whose interior can be practically hosed down.


 

 If they were still making them I probably would have bought one...


----------



## parbaked

armaegis said:


> If they were still making them I probably would have bought one...


 
 I had one of the first ones imported. It was a good thing...


----------



## dallan

It can be wiped down for sure. Hosed down if u don't care about your electrical. I am on my second one now. The first got near totaled by a teenager in a leased BMW then when I got it back a tree fell on it after a storm and it was declared totaled.

It was one of the first ones too.




Current one is….


----------



## Don Lehrer

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 That looks great, I just can imagine myself, a good bottle of whisky and some chilling music. Dreams just dreams


----------



## stainless824

thenorwegian said:


> Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)


 
 the speaker people are invading this thread


----------



## Don Lehrer

stainless824 said:


> the speaker people are invading this thread


 
 It´s worth seeing. I don´t have any speaker at the moment but love to have some in the future


----------



## Silent One

don lehrer said:


> That looks great, I just can imagine myself, a good bottle of whisky and some chilling music. Dreams just dreams


 
  
 Thanks kindly. I've always enjoyed listening to music over the years in low light at night. Well, at Uni I had to wait for the homework to get done and them turn 'em down! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 It's strange a thing yet, it seems natural that when you can't see distractions or too much of anything while listening to music, the brain seems more open; receptive. Leaving music to really blossom inside my head.
  
 I guess closing my eyes would work...


----------



## ssrock64

dallan said:


> It can be wiped down for sure. Hosed down if u don't care about your electrical. I am on my second one now. The first got near totaled by a teenager in a leased BMW then when I got it back a tree fell on it after a storm and it was declared totaled.


 
 We had one from 2004 to 2008, and it was absolutely perfect for beach days and bringing our dog everywhere.


----------



## magiccabbage

silent one said:


> Thanks kindly. I've always enjoyed listening to music over the years in low light at night. Well, at Uni I had to wait for the homework to get done and them turn 'em down!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Ha ha, thats funny. I always listen to music in the dark as well. I have gotten mixed reaction for doing it down through the years.


----------



## thenorwegian

stainless824 said:


> the speaker people are invading this thread


 
  
 Oh no, not "the speaker people" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Part of the system is the heed audio canalot head amp
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I've got a heed canamp on the other side of the room aswell, but nothing has changed there since last picture.
  
 And for those wondering: the 590s sounds great, but should (to my ears) be matched to dark sounding electronics (like the heed audio stuff I have). Anything neutral or bright would make the treble a bit to aggressive for my taste.


----------



## louis9

How is the Mcintosh D100 sounds?


----------



## Armaegis

dallan said:


> a tree fell on it after a storm and it was declared totaled.


 
  
 Cripes, look more like the tree threw up on it.
  
 I know a lot of people decry it as an ugly box on wheels, but I haul a lot of crap around... a box with wheels is what I need! At this rate I'm only a step away from getting a creepy white windowless van.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

stainless824 said:


> thenorwegian said:
> 
> 
> > Some new stuff have been added since last time (yes, I'm going to tidy up all cables some day when I'm bored out of my mind )... sony kdl 55w905a (love it), sony bdv-n7100w (hdmi arc is a buggy POS, other than that it's ok), jbl studio 590's (just got them yesturday...the tape on the floor is where the XTZ speakers stood, marked just in case the JBL's gets sold and XTZ's gets put back in their place)
> ...



I don't know what you're talking about!!
Here are my baby JBL's.


----------



## morserotonin

silent one said:


>


 
 Wait is that Shindo gear I see?


----------



## MorbidToaster

morserotonin said:


> Wait is that Shindo gear I see?


 
 Yes. Yes it is.


----------



## Silent One

Just walked in @ 1700 hrs and flipped the switch for a 2 hour warm-up. Not that they need 2 hours, but I do to fix dinner.


----------



## dallan

ssrock64 said:


> We had one from 2004 to 2008, and it was absolutely perfect for beach days and bringing our dog everywhere.


 
 Yep.


----------



## wolfetan44

AWW, is that a whippet?!


----------



## StudioSound

stainless824 said:


> the speaker people are invading this thread


 

 The mess of cables is bothering me more than the speakers...


----------



## wgb113

My new K712 Schiit setup:









Bill


----------



## bbophead

wgb113 said:


> My new K712 Schiit setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 NICE pic!


----------



## morserotonin

silent one said:


> Just walked in @ 1700 hrs and flipped the switch for a 2 hour warm-up. Not that they need 2 hours, but I do to fix dinner.


 
 So what exactly takes 2 hours to cook for dinner?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   Nice set up, one that I would love to hear!


----------



## morserotonin

Home sweet mess...


----------



## Androb

morserotonin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Is it a big difference on the Senn vs Akg?  Wich one do you prefer?


----------



## morserotonin

androb said:


> Is it a big difference on the Senn vs Akg?  Wich one do you prefer?


 
 They are completely different headphones to me. I prefer the the HD700 as it sounds more alive and warm to me but the K701 is very nice for solo piano or small combo jazz. I spend more time with the HD700 on my head though as it is a very nice all arounder!


----------



## bbophead

morserotonin said:


> Home sweet mess...


 
 Nice mess.


----------



## morserotonin

bbophead said:


> Nice mess.


 
 Thanks! I sometimes look at other photos and wonder how they keep everything looking so pristine all the time, lol.  I love a well shot rig and some here are so nice it seems slightly insane, or possibly something to strive for!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

morserotonin said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Nice mess.
> ...



I keep all the mess BEHIND the system, that's the key my friend


----------



## morserotonin

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I keep all the mess BEHIND the system, that's the key my friend


 
 AH!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   I work from home so that area is in use about 12 hours a day... it gets a bit cluttered as a result.


----------



## bbophead

I don't post pics of my total mess, only shots where the mess doesn't really show.  It would take two shots to get it all and no one would understand anyway.


----------



## Errymoose

wgb113 said:


> My new K712 Schiit setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 McIntosh is so purty!


----------



## dallan

wolfetan44 said:


> AWW, is that a whippet?!





It's a Jack.


----------



## wgb113

errymoose said:


> McIntosh is so purty!


 
  
 Thanks!  Picked it up this past summer.  It's been a real treat finally getting one, albeit an entry level model, into my system.
  
 Bill


----------



## Errymoose

Even "entry level' McIntosh is a bit expensive for me atm.
  
 To be fair there is the occasional thing on audiogon, but they will never ship over to Aus and that would probably be damn near as expensive as the amp anyway...


----------



## spiderking31




----------



## calipilot227

wgb113 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Is that a Denon DVD-2910 on the bottom of the stack?


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## che15

wgb113 said:


> My new K712 Schiit setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 How do you like the 712 , have u had the chance to listen to hd800s if so how do they compare ! Thank u so much for any help


----------



## Androb

Jibzilla, do you mix songs or something? Nice stuff tho!


----------



## Androb

Wgb113 have you listened to q701 and have any comparisons?


----------



## jibzilla

androb said:


> Jibzilla, do you mix songs or something?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Androb

jibzilla said:


> Pm sent. Let me know what you think. I try to do a modern take on old skool Chicago and Jersey House.



Its all good and seeing all your equipment makes me think it must be alot of fun doing it!


----------



## Androb

spiderking31 said:


>



Got the same amp and the hd 650 and thats a fun and priceworthy combo! Wich phones do you prefer?


----------



## wgb113

calipilot227 said:


> Is that a Denon DVD-2910 on the bottom of the stack?


 
 No, it's a DVD-757 that I use for DVD-A and SACD playback for the time being.  Looking to move my DVD-2900 in there once I replace it in the family room with an Oppo.
  
 Bill


----------



## wgb113

che15 said:


> How do you like the 712 , have u had the chance to listen to hd800s if so how do they compare ! Thank u so much for any help


 
 It's too soon to give a solid opinion on them.  I only have about three albums worth of listening so far.  Compared to my K701 they sound more refined and well rounded with a more comfortable headband.  The memory foam earpads are more comfortable but I wish they were as deep or angled like the K701.
  
 Bill


----------



## Greed

Farewell pictures of this rig... really enjoyed the time with the GS-X mk2. Best all around headphone amp, IMO. 
  

  

  

  

  
 Excuse the dust... this room is a magnet. (and crappy photography)


----------



## brunk

^ Are you shifting to e-stats, or speakers or something else entirely?


----------



## Greed

brunk said:


> ^ Are you shifting to e-stats, or speakers or something else entirely?


 
  
 Just a different amp. I'm not totally sold on stats yet. I've heard them and they just don't suit my preferences. I might give them another shot down the road, but dynamic is good company right now. Speakers of course is in the works.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> Just a different amp. I'm not totally sold on stats yet. I've heard them and they just don't suit my preferences. I might give them another shot down the road, but dynamic is good company right now. Speakers of course is in the works.


 
 Ahh ok very nice. I just saw you're looking at an amp for the HE-6. Was it you or someone else that is getting a F5 Turbo for some Pendragons or something? That (amp) would be overkill of course, but it's something you already have


----------



## calipilot227

wgb113 said:


> No, it's a DVD-757 that I use for DVD-A and SACD playback for the time being.  Looking to move my DVD-2900 in there once I replace it in the family room with an Oppo.
> 
> Bill




Got it. Yeah, those Denons are great for the money. Quite robust, and great SACD playback. I'm holding into mine until I can afford an Oppo. Then again, how often do I really listen to CDs....


----------



## Greed

brunk said:


> Ahh ok very nice. I just saw you're looking at an amp for the HE-6. Was it you or someone else that is getting a F5 Turbo for some Pendragons or something? That (amp) would be overkill of course, but it's something you already have


 
  
 Yea, still building the F5T. Slow going right now due to finals. All the boards are stuffed though so casework and assembly is all that is required. Should be up in a few weeks. The F5T would be killer with the HE-6, but my speaker system is downstairs whereas my headphone rig is mainly upstairs. I guess I could fine turn my work out schedule to carry that thing up and down the stairs every time I want to listen to speakers vs headphones.


----------



## brunk

greed said:


> Yea, still building the F5T. Slow going right now due to finals. All the boards are stuffed though so casework and assembly is all that is required. Should be up in a few weeks. The F5T would be killer with the HE-6, but my speaker system is downstairs whereas my headphone rig is mainly upstairs. I guess I could fine turn my work out schedule to carry that thing up and down the stairs every time I want to listen to speakers vs headphones.


 
 Lol that would be pretty funny lugging that thing around! Maybe check out "The Wire LPUHP" or the lateral FET version? I'm waiting for my BAL-BAL boards to arrive for my HD-800, but I think it will drive the HE-6 nicely too if you increase the gain to 2 or more. Though, you will want to increase the PSU to something more than 10VA 250ma secondaries. I went with a 15VA 500ma hoping I can skate by with unity gain for the HE-6 at a normal volume, but it's just for backup. We'll see


----------



## Gofre

I've moved back into a room where I actually have space for a proper setup again, so I've bought a new desk and brought my Wharfedales out of storage


----------



## parbaked

30gb iPod > Jef Larson Spud amp > MS2 = happy...


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


> 30gb iPod > Jef Larson Spud amp > MS2 = happy...


 





 I likes a lot! One gorgeous looking amp. Nice to see Grado's getting some love again too.


----------



## Silent One

lugbug1 said:


> parbaked said:
> 
> 
> > 30gb iPod > Jef Larson Spud amp > MS2 = happy...
> ...


 
  
 Yes, a nice looking ensemble. I'm not sure I've ever heard a Grado in my life! It's quite possible I may have via a record store/book store listening station. Your avi is w-a-y out... luv it!


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> I likes a lot! One gorgeous looking amp.


 
 Thanks...I took some pics for the builder who doesn't photograph:


----------



## spiderking31

androb said:


> Got the same amp and the hd 650 and thats a fun and priceworthy combo! Wich phones do you prefer?


I prefer he-400 headphones, because of detail, soundstage, transparency, etc


----------



## Don Lehrer

parbaked said:


> Thanks...I took some pics for the builder who doesn't photograph:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 What a sexy amp!!! Thanks for the great pictures


----------



## NZheadcase

Changed things up. Plus some updated gear.


----------



## Austin Morrow

nzheadcase said:


> Changed things up. Plus some updated gear.


 
  
 Would you like to trade bodies? No, but in all seriosuness, I've wanted the Soloist and the Schiit Stack for a long time, and if you ever need to get rid of it, I'm very, very generous when it comes to trading.


----------



## NZheadcase

Hahaha! Thanks man, I will keep that in mind.


----------



## magiccabbage

great pics


----------



## Androb

NZheadcase That is an amazing collection!


----------



## Androb

Horrible pictures I know but I got an horrible camera so wcyd  Gotta borrow my brothers camera someday.
 I did some comparisons between the amplifiers I own. 
 Lehmann black cube diy copy trashes the amplifiers I have. The sound is amazing, altho q701 does only work with Luxman imo since it's way to sharp but HD650 is amazing with the lehmann.


----------



## wes008

nzheadcase said:


> Changed things up. Plus some updated gear.


 
 I want this to be my setup desperately 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  


androb said:


>


 
 Nice nice


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

parbaked said:


> lugbug1 said:
> 
> 
> > :tongue_smile:  I likes a lot! One gorgeous looking amp.
> ...



I looked up the Spud amp and from what I found its a speaker amp, correct? And clearly yours has a headphone out. Any info?


----------



## parbaked

rollin'...rollin'...rollin'...


----------



## parbaked

nzheadcase said:


> Changed things up. Plus some updated gear.


 
 I don' think Mr. Fostex is happy being overshadowed by the Hifiman!
 Nice rig(s)!


----------



## parbaked

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I looked up the Spud amp and from what I found its a speaker amp, correct? And clearly yours has a headphone out. Any info?


 
 I am not sure the true history of the term 'Spud Amp", and a few designer/builders claim to have coined the phrase or built the first, but this is my understanding:
 Spud amps use one tube per channel = two sections of a multi section tube are used differently as driver and output instead of using separate driver and output tubes.
 These amps were nicknamed 'one-tubers' which became 'tuber' and finally 'Spud'. 
 Most I had seen were only 2 tubes; speaker only; and OTL = no output transformers.
 When I saw a Jef Larson built 'Spud' with a rectifier tube, output transformers AND headphone output on sale, I jumped on it.
 I thought with the headphone output and all the extra iron, why is this a Spud?
 So I asked Jef, "Is this amp a Spud?"
 He sent me the schematics (labeled Spud 4ns) and explained:
  


> _"This is the original "Spud" amp ... as far as I know I am the originator of this design._





> _Started making these about 8 years ago. This is my 5th or 6th one._





> _This is my version 4 which employs screen regulation for more linear performance_





> _and to reach full power correctly._





> _For a while, a friend out of Chicago was marketing kits for this (ver2)._





> _I don't think he is around any more. He sold about 20 of them I think."_





>





> I like to consider her a Super Spud and will call her "Red Bliss" even though she is a sweet potato...





>





>





> She is the only one I have seen with tube rectification, output transformers and headphone out...





>


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> I'm not sure I've ever heard a Grado in my life!


 
 I've pretty much only owned Grados...

  
 You should try a pair of entry SR60/80 with your iPod.
 They will make your Canto Pop pop and rock your Mok!


----------



## wes008

parbaked said:


> You should try a pair of entry SR60/80 with your iPod.
> They will make your Canto Pop pop and rock your Mok!


 
 ^ Yup. While the higher-end models definitely aren't for everyone, the entry-level models are pretty much the best starter cans out there. (not that SO needs starter cans 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but something nice for his iPod)


----------



## parbaked

wes008 said:


> (not that SO needs starter cans
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 ...while in the kitchen, fixin' dinner and watin' for the tubes to warm up...


----------



## MickeyVee

OMG! x 2!!! What am amazing setup and collection!!!
  
 Quote:


androb said:


> NZheadcase That is an amazing collection!


----------



## wes008

parbaked said:


> wes008 said:
> 
> 
> > (not that SO needs starter cans
> ...


 
 That 2-hour-prep meal


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


> ...while in the kitchen, fixin' dinner and watin' for the tubes to warm up...


 
  
 ha I used to have a Grado set up just to potter about the house with. RS1, Neco amp and sony player. Jazz in the kitchen, garden, toilet!


----------



## NZheadcase

wes008 said:


> I want this to be my setup desperately


 
   
 There's a discount on the PanAm at ALO's website, and I think there's a couple of TH900s in the for sale section. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
  
 Quote:


parbaked said:


> I don' think Mr. Fostex is happy being overshadowed by the Hifiman!
> Nice rig(s)!


 
 I was trying to take a photo of the TH900 and the PanAm so I moved the HE500 away. Leaned it back to the side, but then it fell on the PanAm. You could say it photo-bombed the TH900. Looked ok so I kept it. lol!
  


magiccabbage said:


> great pics


 
  
 Thanks mate.


----------



## NZheadcase

androb said:


> NZheadcase That is an amazing collection!


 
  


mickeyvee said:


> OMG! x 2!!! What am amazing setup and collection!!!


 
  
 Thanks guys. It's more a family collection now, really. My brother uses the M50 and HD598; my son uses the HD202; the missus just adores the HE500; and everyone uses the grado for walking. The rest alternates between people in the house.


----------



## bbophead

lugbug1 said:


> parbaked said:
> 
> 
> > ...while in the kitchen, fixin' dinner and watin' for the tubes to warm up...
> ...


 
 Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.


----------



## lord_tris

There are a couple of upgrades...


----------



## NZheadcase

Oh, Bushmill Grados! how are they?


----------



## parbaked

bbophead said:


> Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.


 
 This reminds me, I need to change my pads...


----------



## LugBug1

bbophead said:


> Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.


 
 Ahh yes, one of the great post plop bop albums of the 60's.


----------



## bbophead

lugbug1 said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.
> ...


 
 HEH!!!!!


----------



## Saraguie

bbophead said:


> Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.



I actually tried to search for the album. DUH


----------



## bbophead

saraguie said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Jazz in the Toilet?  I think I have that album.
> ...


 
 If you find it, please let me know.  I'd prefer it on porcelain.


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> You should try a pair of entry SR60/80 with your iPod.
> *They will make your Canto Pop pop and rock your Mok!*


 
  
 Where's my 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 VISA card?!
  
  


wes008 said:


> ^ Yup. While the higher-end models definitely aren't for everyone, the entry-level models are pretty much the best starter cans out there. (not that SO needs starter cans
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Except... I listen to the iPod via Sansui G-22000 (LOD>AUX In). But the HD650 sounds rather nice out of the iPod. Hmmm, seems a SR60/80 purchase could fund a really nice Faye Wong Box set.


----------



## lord_tris

nzheadcase said:


> Oh, Bushmill Grados! how are they?


 
 Dont really know yet. I just got to hear, The Fragile from NIN and then i had to go to work I will write something up once they have sometime to break in and i can spend a bit more time with them. But the fist thing i noticed was the amount of bass they have compared to the sr80 that i owned.


----------



## Eee Pee

650 & 600
  
 It's been a nice Saturday.


----------



## lord_tris

eee pee said:


> 650 & 600
> 
> It's been a nice Saturday.


 
 See you got the DNA hooked up again. Is it turned on?  Doing an A/B or just relaxing with those two.


----------



## Argybargy

parbaked said:


> I am not sure the true history of the term 'Spud Amp", and a few designer/builders claim to have coined the phrase or built the first, but this is my understanding:
> Spud amps use one tube per channel = two sections of a multi section tube are used differently as driver and output instead of using separate driver and output tubes.
> These amps were nicknamed 'one-tubers' which became 'tuber' and finally 'Spud'.
> Most I had seen were only 2 tubes; speaker only; and OTL = no output transformers.
> ...


 
  
 Wow, that is one stunningly elegant amp.  Thanks for the info... I may have to investigate further


----------



## Eee Pee

lord_tris said:


> See you got the DNA hooked up again. Is it turned on?  Doing an A/B or just relaxing with those two.


 
  
  
 It's on.  Just listening.  But comparing of course.
  
 Listening to Other Lives, and very content.  With either.


----------



## parbaked

eee pee said:


> It's on.  Just listening.  But comparing of course.


 
 It looks like you can have a friend over and shout comparisons at each other!


----------



## parbaked

argybargy said:


> Wow, that is one stunningly elegant amp.  Thanks for the info... I may have to investigate further


 
 Thanks, there are some nice pics back at post #16110 in case you missed them...


----------



## Eee Pee

These are a little bit brighter!
  
 What?  They weight the same!
  
 Brighter!
  
 What!?


----------



## Silent One




----------



## parbaked

eee pee said:


> They weight the same!


 
 Your face is in pain?
 What?


----------



## lord_tris

eee pee said:


> These are a little bit brighter!
> 
> What?  They weight the same!
> 
> ...


 
 Sounds exactly correct.


----------



## parbaked

argybargy said:


> Wow, that is one stunningly elegant amp.  Thanks for the info... I may have to investigate further


 
 She's actually in situ driving my rather hungry Spendors surprising well as we speak...I mean type...


----------



## lord_tris

parbaked said:


> She's actually in situ driving my rather hungry Spendors surprising well as we speak...I mean type...


 
 Which Grado is plugged in?


----------



## Maxvla

Zu Audio Oxyfuel cables I spy.


----------



## parbaked

lord_tris said:


> Which Grado is plugged in?


 

 MS2 and Zu Mission cable....


----------



## Maxvla

Oh the jacket looks black in that picture. The other looked possibly gray. I have some Oxyfuel and they have a silver/gray jacket.


----------



## parbaked

maxvla said:


> Zu Audio Oxyfuel cables I spy.


 
 That pic is actually some 1990's Denon interconnects to my CD. 

 The Zu cable is a 3.5 > RCA Mission for my iPod LOD was in the other shots...


----------



## Androb

Sexy amplifier parbaked


----------



## parbaked

androb said:


> Sexy amplifier parbaked


 
 Thanks, but all credit to the builder and the original owner - whose speaker cabinet maker fabricated the side panels!


----------



## Maxvla

parbaked said:


> That pic is actually some 1990's Denon interconnects to my CD.
> 
> 
> The Zu cable is a 3.5 > RCA Mission for my iPod LOD was in the other shots...



Interesting! Very similar design.


----------



## Kdavis71

spiralstatic said:


> Holy Hi-Fi, Batman! I can't even comprehend some of these setups! Maybe I can get a similar setup once I get out of high school and become a millionaire.


 
  
 This is how I feel. How do you all afford such complex equipment?


----------



## Tuco1965

kdavis71 said:


> This is how I feel. How do you all afford such complex equipment?


 
 One piece at a time.


----------



## joseph69




----------



## bbophead

joseph69 said:


>


 
 Ahh, Grados and Woo.  I LIKE it.


----------



## joseph69

bbophead said:


> Ahh, Grados and Woo.  I LIKE it.


 
 Thank you very much, I'm enjoying the combo, thanks again!


----------



## Clayton SF

Happy Sunday!
  
 I'm getting ready to listen to my WA4 while basking in the morning sunlight.


----------



## wes008

joseph69 said:


>


 
 Oh ho ho! Very nice!


----------



## joseph69

wes008 said:


> Oh ho ho! Very nice!


 
 Thank you!


----------



## Drsparis

Looking to make myself a little station but I'm wondering what most people who use digital music use as a source? I see great looking setups but rarely any source. USB coming from nearby computer?


----------



## brunk

drsparis said:


> USB coming from nearby computer?


 
 Yep. I also use JRiver with JRemote on my iPad Mini for the ultimate media interface  I'm sure there are youtube videos lurking of the process. check them out!


----------



## Drsparis

If I had a HTPC at my disposal, could I stream my media to that PC (Jriver?) or buy a HDD for it and just store everything there and control everything from my android phone? (or buy a ipod as the remote is apparantly a LOT better). I don't have a screen, does anyone use Jriver or anything else for that matter without a screen? (just phone)?
  
 Thanks for any info.


----------



## Drsparis

brunk said:


> Yep. I also use JRiver with JRemote on my iPad Mini for the ultimate media interface  I'm sure there are youtube videos lurking of the process. check them out!


 
 hmmm thanks a lot, pretty much answers my other question hehe. I'll have to look into this a bit more


----------



## brunk

drsparis said:


> hmmm thanks a lot, pretty much answers my other question hehe. I'll have to look into this a bit more


 
 Yes, you can even stream full FLAC to your car. You can run the remote interface on Apple or Android. You can even connect other libraries from across the globe. You can literally do anything with JRiver, most people however only realize about 10% of its potential.


----------



## Drsparis

brunk said:


> Yes, you can even stream full FLAC to your car. You can run the remote interface on Apple or Android. You can even connect other libraries from across the globe. You can literally do anything with JRiver, most people however only realize about 10% of its potential.


 
 Very interesting. So Interesting. Can I ask two last questions? lol I'll do the rest of the research once I have Jriver up and running on my HTPC.  
  
1) Is it feasable to have windows boot directly into Jriver to avoid having to use a screen? once the computer is up and running, just play with my android/ipod.

 2) Don't remember what #2 was lol, can't be too important.


----------



## brunk

drsparis said:


> Very interesting. So Interesting. Can I ask two last questions? lol I'll do the rest of the research once I have Jriver up and running on my HTPC.
> 
> 1) Is it feasable to have windows boot directly into Jriver to avoid having to use a screen? once the computer is up and running, just play with my android/ipod.
> 
> 2) Don't remember what #2 was lol, can't be too important.


 
 1) Yes, you can set it up to go into any display you want, or just boot up both Jriver and its server. Headless operation is absolutely possible.
  
 2) Sorry, don't have an answer for that one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Feel free to PM me if you have further questions


----------



## 62ohm

Weird setup, I know... Have just got the HD800, gonna have to save up some more for a better amplification.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

62ohm said:


> Weird setup, I know... Have just got the HD800, gonna have to save up some more for a better amplification.



Sell the Magni, get the Vali. Setup complete  
I would say that a 200$ stack driving HD800's is one of the sillier things I've seen, second only to the guy with the big Woo setup driving Beats Solos who sold everything to buy an LCD2 fed by a Clip Zip.


----------



## Shaffer

62ohm said:


> Weird setup, I know... Have just got the HD800, gonna have to save up some more for a better amplification.




...and a better DAC. I own a Modi. I use it on my desk along with AE A5+ speakers streaming Spotify @ 320mbps. Nothing much to complain about, given the application. In my main system, however, the Modi has all the characteristics of a decently recorded cassette tape: an opaque, blurred, homogeneous presentation. At the risk of offending anyone, I found it unacceptable for high quality sound. As you own cans capable of superior resolution, I'd humbly suggest upgrading both pieces.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

People over at the Vali thread have said an über Bifrost feeding a Vali into HD800s is an acceptable end-game setup.


----------



## olor1n

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> People over at the Vali thread have said an über Bifrost feeding a Vali into HD800s is an acceptable end-game setup.




Good place to start on a budget. Far from end-game though. I can't recall anyone stating that in the Vali thread. Particularly for the HD800.


----------



## Zashoomin

olor1n said:


> Good place to start on a budget. Far from end-game though. I can't recall anyone stating that in the Vali thread. Particularly for the HD800.


 
 I would have to agree with this.  I think to get the most out of the HD800s you are looking at an easy couple thousand.  I'm sorry but I have heard the Vali and Bifrost combo and some other stuff and it doesn't even touch some of the other setups.  
  
 Magni and Modi is a great place to start though.  No one can argue that for $200 it isn't a good setup.


----------



## parbaked

The Spud is in situ:

  

 Source: Rega Planet/Rega P2/iPod
 Power: VTL Maximal Pre-amp > Jef Larson SEP Spud
 Cans: Grado MS2, Nakamichi Sp-7


----------



## MickeyVee

Classic! Very, very nice!
 Quote:


parbaked said:


> The Spud is in situ:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## parbaked

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Thanks, I'm using Spendor S3/5 speakers too...


----------



## joseph69

Yeah, really nice, cool!!!


----------



## brunk

parbaked said:


> Thanks, I'm using Spendor S3/5 speakers too...


 
 How do those fare from a 5, 10, and 15 ft. listening position? I have been interested in making some of these babies. Not the originals, I know


----------



## parbaked

Thanks!
 The Spud is flea power - just a couple of watts - and couldn't drive the Spendors well direct from source.
 When I put the VTL pre-amp in the loop the extra gain let the little potato really start to shine.


----------



## Errymoose

Gorgeous photos parbaked 
  
 Whole system looks wonderful.


----------



## parbaked

brunk said:


> How do those fare from a 5, 10, and 15 ft. listening position? I have been interested in making some of these babies. Not the originals, I know


 
 I love all the incarnations of these speakers = small BBC monitors.
 They work well near-field, on bookshelves or on stands out from walls, where they really shine.
 There have been a few DIY/kit efforts that you can benefit from - namely Jeff Bagby's Continuum and Doug Stirling's Monacor based drop-in replacements.
 The key is getting the crossover/drivers to create the 'acoustic scaling' without losing all efficiency.
 Highly recommended, but better suited for 25+ high quality watts. I'm blown away that I can drive them with my Spud, though in a small room.


----------



## brunk

parbaked said:


> I love all the incarnations of these speakers = small BBC monitors.
> They work well near-field, on bookshelves or on stands out from walls, where they really shine.
> There have been a few DIY/kit efforts that you can benefit from - namely Jeff Bagby's Continuum and Doug Stirling's Monacor based drop-in replacements.
> The key is getting the crossover/drivers to create the 'acoustic scaling' without losing all efficiency.
> Highly recommended, but better suited for 25+ high quality watts. I'm blown away that I can drive them with my Spud, though in a small room.


 
 Thanks for the advice parbaked. I currently have a 50w First Watt amp and am looking to build more


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> The Spud is in situ:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Lovely... I'm diggin' the _Sweet Potato_ reference. Will have some next week!


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Lovely... I'm diggin' the _Sweet Potato_ reference. Will have some next week!


 
 Sweet or savory or both...you'll have to let us know when you decide...


----------



## Silent One

parbaked said:


> Sweet or savory or both...you'll have to let us know when you decide...


 
  
 No need to wait 'til next Monday... sweet! Baked Sweet Potatoes as a side dish with din-din AND Sweet Potato Pie after.


----------



## Silent One

. :


----------



## LugBug1

silent one said:


>


 
 Some sweet potato right there! Oh mama!
  
  
 (parbaked, your Spud looks dreamy in that alcove. Perfect.)


----------



## che15

brunk said:


> Yes, you can even stream full FLAC to your car. You can run the remote interface on Apple or Android. You can even connect other libraries from across the globe. You can literally do anything with JRiver, most people however only realize about 10% of its potential.



Would u mind explaining to me how this car streaming and connecting to other libraries work? 
You should try jplay plugged into your jriver an you will see a big increase in sound quality. They have a free trial too


----------



## TMRaven




----------



## Androb

tmraven said:


>



Im a pc guy but that looks so clean and nice! The schiit also blends in nicely


----------



## Drsparis

che15 said:


> Would u mind explaining to me how this car streaming and connecting to other libraries work?
> *You should try jplay plugged into your jriver* an you will see a big increase in sound quality. They have a free trial too




What?


----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 The Silent One's next audio purchase:
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *parbaked* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> The Silent One's next audio purchase:
> 
> ...


 





 I'm waiting for post holiday markdowns!


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> Some sweet potato right there! Oh mama!
> 
> 
> (parbaked, your Spud looks dreamy in that alcove. Perfect.)


 
 Thanks...baby got new shoes...


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Drsparis




----------



## bbophead




----------



## Silent One

Simply lovely, bbophead.


----------



## Drsparis

Beautiful woodies!


----------



## Maxvla

Wow, Travis, those Grados look fantastic.


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


> Thanks...baby got new shoes...


 
 Anti vibration high heels! You know how to treat em right  But must admit that platform looks really smart.


----------



## bbophead

Gracias, my fellow peeps.


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> Anti vibration high heels! You know how to treat em right  But must admit that platform looks really smart.


 
 It should, that's $6 worth of scrap acrylic from my local Tap Plastics on old Tara Labs Vanishing Points! 
 Walked in to Tap yesterday and sitting there is a piece the size of the Spud...
  
 Silly girl is more stable on one leg:

 ...and the CD got elevated too:


----------



## MorbidToaster

I love last gen Rega CDPs so much. I want one.


----------



## LugBug1

A bit of imagination goes a long way Parbaked. Nice one. When my wife was about to through away a granite chopping board, I was like 'wooaah I'll have that thank you verr much  It's been a base for quite a few components over the last few years.


----------



## gibosi

My very ugly and wacky setup..... An Audio-gd Fun with Digital Interface (used solely as a DAC), HE-300 headphones, and a Little Dot 1+, with an external DC heater filament circuit, tricked out to run 9-pin double triodes (12AX7, 6DJ8, 2C51, 6SN7, etc).


----------



## Argybargy

Wow that's cool.  How does the modded little dot sound, in general and compared to stock?


----------



## lord_tris

gibosi said:


> My very ugly and wacky setup..... An Audio-gd Fun with Digital Interface (used solely as a DAC), HE-300 headphones, and a Little Dot 1+, with an external DC heater filament circuit, tricked out to run 9-pin double triodes (12AX7, 6DJ8, 2C51, 6SN7, etc).


 
 I see you got a new cable is it a lot better then old one? no more tangles right?


----------



## gibosi

Compared to the stock tubes typically used in Little Dots, the dual triodes are a huge improvement, IMHO.


----------



## gibosi

24 Gauge Canare OFC Star Quad Cable and no tangles! Much better!


----------



## Argybargy

Do you have a link to your modding process/instructions?


----------



## gibosi

argybargy said:


> Do you have a link to your modding process/instructions?


 
  
 Starting on page 220 in the Little Dot Tube Rolling thread you can follow along as a number of us began to experiment with various ways to run double triodes in Little Dot amps:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide/2985#post_9817399
  
 Eventually, I would like to put everything into some kind of enclosure, as my current configuration is rather fragile and doesn't travel well. For example, taking it to a meetup would be pretty difficult. But as long as I don't move it too much, it is very acceptable.
  
 Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
  
 Cheers


----------



## parbaked

^ nice job!


----------



## DefQon

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> I would say that a 200$ stack driving HD800's is one of the sillier things I've seen, second only to the guy with the big Woo setup driving Beats Solos who sold everything to buy an LCD2 fed by a Clip Zip.


 
  
 What? Really?


----------



## palmfish

Compared to speakers, headphones are so ridiculously easy for an amplifier to drive. I mean, we're talking miliwatts here. As long as the amp has sufficient power, the Senns dont care how much it costs.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

defqon said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > I would say that a 200$ stack driving HD800's is one of the sillier things I've seen, second only to the guy with the big Woo setup driving Beats Solos who sold everything to buy an LCD2 fed by a Clip Zip.
> ...



Yep that really happened. It might've been a bit of a joke but...


----------



## frix

Ha, I'm driving my HD800 with a fiio E09k/E17 stack (250$).
 So you can call me silly. I also use a parametric EQ which probably makes
 me even more silly.


----------



## 62ohm

frix said:


> Ha, I'm driving my HD800 with a fiio E09k/E17 stack (250$).
> So you can call me silly. I also use a parametric EQ which probably makes
> me even more silly.


 
  
 We're on the same boat here mate, I'm using a $200 Schiit stack to drive mine


----------



## spiderking31

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Yep that really happened. It might've been a bit of a joke but...


 I've been told you can spend another 10 grand just to get the best out of the hd800's....seriously? $200? Lmao


----------



## LugBug1

^^^I use a $70 integrated amp to drive mine 
  
 Less i$ more!


----------



## campj

gibosi said:


>


 
  
 This setup is great! It almost looks dangerous haha


----------



## LugBug1

Heres mine for over the xmas and probably for quite a few months. (apologies for the bad quality photo's)
  
 Two amazing headphone stages right there from the 80's. Rotel and QED. 
  

  

  
  
 and upstairs when I want a warmer sound to curl up in bed with. 
 NAD 3020 with Rdac (hidden)


----------



## parbaked

> Less i$ more!


 
 Joseph Grado don't need no stinkin' amp for his HP-1000!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

parbaked said:


> > Less i$ more!
> 
> 
> 
> Joseph Grado don't need no stinkin' amp for his HP-1000!



That man is a legend. 

I'm currently running my SR80i's out of my iPhone 3GS and I'm beyond content. 
And why yes, those are my new custom walnut cups from 7Keys that just for here yesterday!! 
I think I might be done with the headphone game gentlemen. Maybe a modded T50RP in January but after that, i might be set for a few years.


----------



## palmfish

I paid $200 for my Pioneer AVR.
  
 It has an internal DAC, tone controls, remote control, and about a dozen customizable inputs...


----------



## spiderking31

palmfish said:


> I paid $200 for my Pioneer AVR.
> 
> It has an internal DAC, tone controls, remote control, and about a dozen customizable inputs...


I agree with you. I'm using a marantz cd5004 CD player, with a little dot mk3 tube amp, and the marantz has a built-in DAC, and also a pre amp. And I love the little dot is an awesome add on....enjoy your setup


----------



## magiccabbage

lugbug1 said:


> Heres mine for over the xmas and probably for quite a few months. (apologies for the bad quality photo's)
> 
> Two amazing headphone stages right there from the 80's. Rotel and QED.
> 
> ...


 
 is that a sansui amp in the 1st pic on the bottom?


----------



## LugBug1

magiccabbage said:


> is that a sansui amp in the 1st pic on the bottom?


 
 Yeah its the AU 505. Classic


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

New setup, I think I'm done. Found a Sony 24/96 CD player at a thrift store for 14$, damn it sounds good. 

New walnut cups from 7Keys=heaven. Perfect tonal representations. So many layers to the music and its all clear. 

All that needs to be upgraded is the turntable, and then I'll be set for a VERY long time.


----------



## palmfish

What is a 24/96 CD player? Do you mean it plays DVD-A discs?


----------



## Quinto

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> New setup, I think I'm done. Found a Sony 24/96 CD player at a thrift store for 14$, damn it sounds good.
> 
> New walnut cups from 7Keys=heaven. Perfect tonal representations. So many layers to the music and its all clear.
> 
> All that needs to be upgraded is the turntable, and then I'll be set for a VERY long time.


 
 That looks cool dude! What kind of turntable you're considering?


----------



## DefQon

palmfish said:


> What is a 24/96 CD player? Do you mean it plays DVD-A discs?




No cd player plays DVD-A unless it's a SACD/DVD player to play that format.

24/96 means that is the digital processing resolution the internal dac is able to handle. So its either upsampling to 24bit or is utilizing a native 24bit/96khz DAC chip


----------



## palmfish

defqon said:


> No cd player plays DVD-A unless it's a SACD/DVD player to play that format.




You mean in order to play DVD-A's you need a DVD-A player? Wow, I never imagined it was so complicated 



> 24/96 means that is the digital processing resolution the internal dac is able to handle. So its either upsampling to 24bit or is utilizing a native 24bit/96khz DAC chip




One can only assume that if it isnt a DVD-A/SACD player that it is upsampling. Still, Ive never heard anyone describe a CD player as "24/96" since theres no real reason for it (except for marketing purposes maybe).

No matter - can't argue with $14... Enjoy it!


----------



## spiderking31




----------



## spiderking31

spiderking31 said:


>


 little dot mk3, hifiman he-400, marantz cd5004


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

palmfish said:


> What is a 24/96 CD player? Do you mean it plays DVD-A discs?


It's described as a "DVD/CD/Video CD- 10 bit video D/A converter/ 96Khz 24bit D/A converter" player. Assuming the 24/96 is from DVD sources, but CDs sound beautiful. I don't think it up samples, just does CDs at 16/44.1. 


quinto said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > New setup, I think I'm done. Found a Sony 24/96 CD player at a thrift store for 14$, damn it sounds good.
> ...



I'm HOPING Santa brings a Pro-Ject Debut III piano black for Christmas, if not ill just buy one myself :evil:


----------



## palmfish

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> It's described as a "DVD/CD/Video CD- 10 bit video D/A converter/ 96Khz 24bit D/A converter" player. Assuming the 24/96 is from DVD sources, but CDs sound beautiful. I don't think it up samples, just does CDs at 16/44.1.
> I'm HOPING Santa brings a Pro-Ject Debut III piano black for Christmas, if not ill just buy one myself :evil:




Ah, its a DVD player; that explains it.

Good luck on the turntable! I think we are all pretty much think that way when it comes to our toys. Ho Ho Ho!


----------



## johnman1116

spiderking31 said:


>


 
 So many people have a LD. I really want one


----------



## Androb

johnman1116 said:


> So many people have a LD. I really want one



It doesn't cost very much, you can easily save up for one


----------



## spiderking31

androb said:


> It doesn't cost very much, you can easily save up for one


 the little dot mk3 cost me $200, plus shipping


----------



## longbowbbs

A nice snowy morning of tunes. I am feeding the Cary from my Oppo BDP-83 today.


----------



## parbaked

longbowbbs said:


> A nice snowy morning of tunes. I am feeding the Cary from my Oppo BDP-83 today.


 
 Handwarmer...of course you could also put your feet up!


----------



## longbowbbs

parbaked said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > A nice snowy morning of tunes. I am feeding the Cary from my Oppo BDP-83 today.
> ...


 
 There have been days where I have used it that way!


----------



## gibosi

longbowbbs said:


> A nice snowy morning of tunes. I am feeding the Cary from my Oppo BDP-83 today.


 
  
 I see what I think are grey glass RCA 6NS7s? And I assume they are working well for you? As I am now able to roll 6NS7s in my tricked out LD, I have been trying to decide which ones to try first. I have a National Union on the way, and have been looking at Hytrons and the grey glass RCAs, and drooling over the way too expensive black glass Tung Sols....


----------



## longbowbbs

gibosi said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > A nice snowy morning of tunes. I am feeding the Cary from my Oppo BDP-83 today.
> ...


 
 They are RCA VT231/6SN7's They were a gift/recommendation from another Head-Fier. Great suggestion. I like them very much. I would like to try the TS's but they are pricey!


----------



## gibosi

This is good to know. A grey glass RCA is now at the top of my "wish list." Thanks!


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> They are RCA VT231/6SN7's They were a gift/recommendation from another Head-Fier. Great suggestion. I like them very much. I would like to try the TS's but they are pricey!


 
  





 I still haven't been able to locate my missing VT231-6SN7 TS-BGRPs inside my storage unit. Maybe I should offer a slight discount to a would be buyer for their discovery.


----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> > Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> >
> >
> > They are RCA VT231/6SN7's They were a gift/recommendation from another Head-Fier. Great suggestion. I like them very much. I would like to try the TS's but they are pricey!
> ...


 
 My hat is off to dminches for providing the pair to me. It has been a nice upgrade to the default Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH's that came stock with the SLI-80.


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> My hat is off to dminches for providing the pair to me. It has been a nice upgrade to the default Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH's that came stock with the SLI-80.


 
  
 That's great! Last year I "Gifted" two USAF-596's to members who were emerging and helped them on their way. Regarding the missing glass, I've about 200+ tubes and to not find the Tung-Sols and one of my USAF-596 recs suggest the three tubes are together. And I likely separated them due to lack of space with the others.
  
 This also suggests the tubes are NOT lost. With laser like focus, I'm probably looking right at them or right past them during the search! Watch them magically come into view while I'm looking for something else...


----------



## Clayton SF

Testing 1-2-3
 It is serious listening time this weekend.


----------



## GrindingThud

Mmm, tasty! 


clayton sf said:


> Testing 1-2-3
> It is serious listening time this weekend.


----------



## Greed

clayton sf said:


> Testing 1-2-3
> It is serious listening time this weekend.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Oh my.


----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> > Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> >
> >
> > My hat is off to dminches for providing the pair to me. It has been a nice upgrade to the default Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH's that came stock with the SLI-80.
> ...


 
 I completely relate to that!! Where's Waldo's tubes??!!


----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> Testing 1-2-3
> It is serious listening time this weekend.
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I always loved that Red LF Clayton! How do you like it vs the Leben?


----------



## brunk

longbowbbs said:


> I always loved that Red LF Clayton! How do you like it vs the Leben?


 
 It looks very nice! Is that a shigaclone to the right?


----------



## dcginc

My mobile system:

iPhone 4S 
iOS 7
CCK
Meridian Explorer (w ext battery power)
KEF M500s


----------



## longbowbbs

brunk said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I always loved that Red LF Clayton! How do you like it vs the Leben?
> ...


 
 Good question...Every time I see a portion of Clayton's collection I need a menu...


----------



## Clayton SF

brunk said:


> It looks very nice! Is that a shigaclone to the right?


 
  
 No. It's the real deal.


----------



## brunk

clayton sf said:


> No. It's the real deal.


 
 Awesome! What else do you have sneaking around the edges of photo? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Some kind of DC supply and a line stage there? Excellent taste by the way!


----------



## parbaked

clayton sf said:


> No. It's the real deal.


 
 Nice, I'm using the integrated amp in my "low key" living room system (iPod > HRT iStreamer > Shigaraki > vintage Royd Audio Eden Speakers:


----------



## Phileas Fogg

Simple, but good. Beyerdynamic T90 + Ephipany Acoustics EHP-O2D


----------



## johnman1116

phileas fogg said:


> Simple, but good. Beyerdynamic T90 + Ephipany Acoustics EHP-O2D


 
 Hey essentially on the same setup


----------



## Austin Morrow

Way overkill.

Fidelia > FLAC > KingRex Unanimous Y-Art USB Cable & LessLoss DFPC Power Cable > Yulong DA8 > Forza Audio Works Noir Flagship Cable > HE-500


----------



## Silent One

Nice corner kit there, Austin Marrow. Rainy/snowy days & nights don't stand a chance!


----------



## daigo

gamma2 sitting on the transformer of the Equilibrato SE, W3000ANV plugged in and off screen on the stand atop my computer (really cramped for space, unfortunately).


----------



## Androb

Enjoying dads newly finished concrete speakers in the dark in company with mom, dad, mr Morgan the cat and a few cold ones  My Hegel HD20 d/a and an Harmann kardon hk570 amp powers the speakers.


----------



## DragonOwen

Just got my new DAC that I hoped could be "next step" (or even a few "steps above") in terms of sound quality compared to my Linn Akurate DS/0/D... it's dCS Debussy and by the first impressions it easily justify the hopes I placed on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 So a few photos (once again, sorry for a quality, don't have a good camera and I'm bad at photography...) of my current home rig:


----------



## DragonOwen

Sorry, double post...


----------



## philo50

@DragonOwen.....terrific gear......


----------



## Austin Morrow

dragonowen said:


> Just got my new DAC that I hoped could be "next step" (or even a few "steps above") in terms of sound quality compared to my Linn Akurate DS/0/D... it's dCS Debussy and by the first impressions it easily justify the hopes I placed on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Stop posting your station, it's giving me shivers...


----------



## parbaked

daigo said:


> W3000ANV plugged in and off screen on the stand atop my computer (really cramped for space, unfortunately).


 
 They are supposed to be on your head when your amp is on...
 Sweet rig, enjoy!


----------



## Tangster

Spare parts lying under the bed or the home for Xmas setup.


----------



## che15

[/IMG]
Almost done with my bed side system
I Mac to SBT > Synchro Mesh both with CIA power supply's > balanced Havana> little dot MKVI+>HE500
Just wish I could use my SIG Pro and W3000 with this rig, LD single ended
Out sounds good but too noisy


----------



## bbophead

androb said:


> Enjoying dads newly finished concrete speakers in the dark in company with mom, dad, mr Morgan the cat and a few cold ones
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Love everything, especially the kitten, but the screen seems obnoxious.


----------



## Mad Dude

Current desktop equipment, with the newly added PS500 in front. I missed having a pair of Grados in my collection ever since selling my RS1, and the PS500 appears to be a worthwhile addition.


----------



## roskodan

was very pleased in finding the lcd3 to be a major change from the lcd2


----------



## parbaked

mad dude said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 With that headphone amp, you'd be MAD to not have your favorite Grados!
 Beautiful rig...enjoy!


----------



## Mad Dude

> Originally Posted by *parbaked* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Beautiful rig...enjoy!


 
  
 Thanks!


----------



## MickeyVee

HeadFi'us Upgraditus hit again.  Stage 1 - Naim DAC-V1 ultimate desktop DAC (for me) with a decent built in headphone amplifier.  Schiit Vali on the side for fun and to change things up every once in a while.  Stage 2 - 2014 will hopefully bring a Woo WA2 to finish things off.
 Excuse the photo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 over processing, an ice storm hit last night and just killing time in Lightroom.


----------



## jaywillin

my chronic case of upgraditus resulted in the wadia 121 , which developed further complications , which another dose of  schiit
 helped remedy


----------



## MickeyVee

Cool! The Wadia 121 was on my list but there was no where local to audition.
 And two Vali's in a row
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


jaywillin said:


> my chronic case of upgraditus resulted in the wadia 121 , which developed further complications , which another dose of  schiit
> helped remedy


----------



## jaywillin

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 everything i've bought, has been online, whether here, or dealers websites, i'm not near any hi-fi dealers
 the wadia was todd the vinyl junkie's deal of the day
  
 i haven't heard the naim piece you have, but i've heard some of the gear before, always outstanding !!


----------



## Drsparis

roskodan said:


> was very pleased in finding the lcd3 to be a major change from the lcd2


 
 How does the Violectric do with orthos and dynamic headphones, eventually looking for a good amp that will play nice with a HD800 and highend Hifimans. The V181 seems very interesting. whats your take on the 200 for this?


----------



## roskodan

didn't listen to the v181, from reviews seems that the v200 is a step up from it, but from the specs it seems it could have better channel separation cos of balanced operation, however for orthos (especially he-6) and hd800 the v200 should be the way to go
  
 i'm waiting for the he-6 to arrive, i had beyer t1, lcd2 and now lcd3 hd800 and hd650, with the v800 v200 all the cans just bring their true nature and potential, every one of them is so different and yet all are so enjoyable, even the lcd2 and 3 are totally different, it really dissect every headphone, really transparent combo
  
 after buying the he-6 i read this about the v800 v200 pairing, now i'm even more excited
  


Spoiler: Quote: http://www.headfonia.com/burson-vs-violectric-conductor-vs-v200v800/



Hi MIke!
 Interesting to see you write that "....the V800/V200 pairing proves to be the best HE-6 set up I’ve heard to date.."
 What other (good) amps have you heard the HE-6 with?
 Chris








      Chris,
 Burson Conductor and all the other Bursons
 RSA Darkstar
 ALO Studio Six
 Bakoon Amps










 
     So, you then find the V200 powerful enough, I guess. What is it with V200 that makes it so good?









  
  If you don't use it with balanced interconnects from the V800, the sound is not quite there. The magic really happens when you're pairing with the V800 over balanced.
 Smooth, full bodied mids and bass. Superb vocals. No other pairing like it for the Hifimans.


 with the hd800 i suspect it could be the same story as with the he-6, at least in terms of body and a balanced presentation, the lcd3 (got it recently) in this aspect is on a whole new level, i'm overdosing with emotional goosebumps
  
 will report when i get the he-6, i'm just concerned how to make it fit in my avatar shot


----------



## Drsparis

roskodan said:


> will report when i get the he-6, i'm just concerned how to make it fit in my avatar shot


 
 Haha thats a GOOD problem you are facing . too bad the v200 isn't balanced... Ill wait for the v282 which i am assuming will be closer/better to the v200. My hifimans will be coming balanced and wanted to stick to that.


----------



## IcedTea

@MickeyVee 
  
 lol, I've seen you go from the HD650 to HD700 to HE500 and now the HD800 
  
 Are the HD800 worth the money? Those might be my end game headphones one day in the far far future lol


----------



## MickeyVee

Yup, you forgot the HE400, HD600 & HD25 that I've had and the Momentums I currently also own. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 And yes, the HD800 are really worth it. I'm pretty sure that they're my end game so it's a matter of getting the supporting orchestration right. Maybe a complementary set of phones but at this point, I really don't fee the need. It's been a fun journey!
 Quote:


icedtea said:


> @MickeyVee
> 
> lol, I've seen you go from the HD650 to HD700 to HE500 and now the HD800
> Are the HD800 worth the money?


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## DarKen23

tangster said:


> Spare parts lying under the bed or the home for Xmas setup.


 
 Nice ducky keyboard. Ducky Shine II?


----------



## IcedTea

Upgraded from the HD650 to the HE-500 Austin? 
  
 How you liking them?


----------



## jude

For this particular desk, I decided to go more compact, to free up space for other things. Being able to stack the *KEF X300A Wireless speakers*, *Meridian Prime DAC/amp* (and Meridian Prime Power Supply), and the *AKG K812* (on its stand)...well, you can't get much more compact than that (in terms of the functionality squeezed into the footprint).


----------



## DefQon

palmfish said:


> You mean in order to play DVD-A's you need a DVD-A player? Wow, I never imagined it was so complicated


 
 lol, I've seen posts here (not necessarily this thread) from a user who thought a TT can play both vinyl and cd's. You never know.
  


clayton sf said:


> Testing 1-2-3
> It is serious listening time this weekend.


 
  
 What's the spinner on the right?


----------



## 62ohm

jude said:


> For this particular desk, I decided to go more compact, to free up space for other things. Being able to stack the *KEF X300A Wireless speakers*, *Meridian Prime DAC/amp* (and Meridian Prime Power Supply), and the *AKG K812* (on its stand)...well, you can't get much more compact than that (in terms of the functionality squeezed into the footprint).


 
  
 Jude, can you give us your thoughts on the K812 vs HD800 difference? Would be nice to get a credible thoughts on that matter.


----------



## Currawong

New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.


----------



## Quinto

Quote: 





currawong said:


> New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.


 





 Cool stuff!


----------



## parbaked

defqon said:


> What's the spinner on the right?


 
 47 Labs Shigaraki.
 See post #16266 for pics and description...


----------



## Clayton SF

defqon said:


> lol, I've seen posts here (not necessarily this thread) from a user who thought a TT can play both vinyl and cd's. You never know.
> 
> What's the spinner on the right?


 
  
 Hi, it is _*47 Laboratory's CD Transport Model 4716*_.


----------



## Tangster

darken23 said:


> Nice ducky keyboard. Ducky Shine II?


 
 Indeed. Shine II with MX Browns. Usually my spare, I use a KBT Pure in my desktop rig.
  


jude said:


> For this particular desk, I decided to go more compact, to free up space for other things. Being able to stack the *KEF X300A Wireless speakers*, *Meridian Prime DAC/amp* (and Meridian Prime Power Supply), and the *AKG K812* (on its stand)...well, you can't get much more compact than that (in terms of the functionality squeezed into the footprint).


 
 Heck. That's a lot of audio gear in one spot. I find that stacking headphones on stands on top of things to be somewhat precarious though, had a few heart thumpers when I've accidentally knocked the stand and headphone onto the desk/floor.
  


currawong said:


> New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.


 
 I think you need a bigger room. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


clayton sf said:


> Hi, it is _*47 Laboratory's CD Transport Model 4716*_.


 
 Very pretty!


----------



## DarKen23

tangster said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Nice ducky keyboard. Ducky Shine II?
> ...


 
 Right on, I just ordered the Ducky Shine 3 in browns. Never actually tried the browns. I have 2 DS 3, one in reds and one in blues. I dont know what to expect with the browns in terms of feel, theres a huge difference with 10grams between the reds (40g) and blues (50g).


----------



## jackskelly

dragonowen said:


> Just got my new DAC that I hoped could be "next step" (or even a few "steps above") in terms of sound quality compared to my Linn Akurate DS/0/D... it's dCS Debussy and by the first impressions it easily justify the hopes I placed on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Amazing set up; Sometime in my life I'd like to see how the WES compares with the Blue Hawaii on different headphones. My SR-009's are still lonely without an amp


----------



## Currawong

tangster said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.
> ...


 
  
 I need a bigger apartment, or a house, or to get rid of a lot of stuff. Maybe a combination of all that!


----------



## Duckman

Here's the latest incarnation. A bit messy.


----------



## Maxvla

Someone needs a rack.


----------



## Duckman

Should be getting one tomorrow, from a man in a red suit


----------



## MickeyVee

Picture please once you get it setup.  Nice setup BTW.. will look awesome in a new rack.
 Quote:


duckman said:


> Should be getting one tomorrow, from a man in a red suit


----------



## vo_obgyn

Rega Apollo-R CD player (used as transport)
Sennheiser HDVD 800 

Sennheiser HD 800 plugged in ( not shown)
Note Sennheiser CH 800 S cable

bedside rig


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet.. I've spent the last coupe of days looking for transports.. had the original Rega Apollo at one point and just purchased the Rega DAC form my main AV system so looking at the new Rega Apollo just as a transport  (for my HeadFi sys) or if I can get one used, the Bel Canto CD3t.
 Nice setup & running balanced.. Sweet!.. would love to try the HDVA 600 version someday as I already have an amazing DAC.
 Quote:


vo_obgyn said:


> Rega Apollo CD player (used as transport)


----------



## Don Lehrer

62ohm said:


> Jude, can you give us your thoughts on the K812 vs HD800 difference? Would be nice to get a credible thoughts on that matter.


 
 +1, please?


----------



## Don Lehrer

currawong said:


> New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 me likes!! What are those headphone stands? Never seen those


----------



## Currawong

don lehrer said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > New headphone stands arrived, so I cleared my desk and took a couple of shots. I ended up installing a bunch of larger hanger-knobs under my desk to make better use of the space too. Even still I had to use spare hooks to hold everything.
> ...


 
  
 Codia. Someone on the forums discovered the maker, who is in Korea. After some email back-and-forth they are now listed on eBay. Since my local hardware store has the handy multiple-length shelving system which I'm using, the $6 Koss hangers work perfectly, with enough depth for the cables. These are the first headphones stands I've had other than Stax ones and the Sennheiser and AT plastic clamp ones.


----------



## Don Lehrer

currawong said:


> Codia. Someone on the forums discovered the maker, who is in Korea. After some email back-and-forth they are now listed on eBay. Since my local hardware store has the handy multiple-length shelving system which I'm using, the $6 Koss hangers work perfectly, with enough depth for the cables. These are the first headphones stands I've had other than Stax ones and the Sennheiser and AT plastic clamp ones.


 
 Thanks for the head ups, I just found them on eBay, a little pricey but I like them. I think the Koss hangers offer a proper solution specially for cables.


----------



## filuS

It's not that long ago, (around 80 pages? ), since I posted pics of my system which I at that time considered final. But I could not resist and was still upgrading some parts (unfortunately my X-Sabre had to be replaced with DA8).
  


  


 As I mentioned I swapped Matrix X-Sabre with Yulong DA8 (black version). I don't consider that to be a real upgrade, it was just a necessary change (they are on the same performance level - but I liked X-Sabre a tiny bit more). In addition to that change, I upgraded my power cables - I only kept my Siltech SPX-300, the rest were upgraded (now I use XLO Signature 3-10 for amp and Shunyata Venom 3 to connect my mains filter).
  
 I also went higher in power filtration - got brand new Shunyata Hydra Model-6. At first I wanted to get IsoTek Sigmas, my dealer had a 30% sale on it, but by the time I decided to finally get it, all of them were gone  However, he recommended Model-6 over Sigmas even when Sigmas was on sale (normally Sigmas goes for 500€ more than Model-6) and he even offered me small (but not insignificant) discount for Model-6 + Venom 3 cable combo which I could not refuse. Only if it was available in black... 
  
 And at last but not least, I made a cosmetic change - Rooms Audio Line FS Mahogany headphone stand - it is so freakishly beautiful. It is not cheapest, but it is worth every cent.
  
 I really hope I am done with upgrades for quite some time, my bank account certainly does not need to get any slimmer  But as I know myself, I will be scouting for new upgrades/additions in some (not so distant) time.
  
  
 P.S.: Merry Christmas to all fellow head-fiers


----------



## vo_obgyn

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 I had the Resonessence Labs Concero HD DSD DAC hooked up to my bedside rig for a while. It sounded so good that I moved it to my main rig in the media room to use alongside my Bryston BDA-1. I use it mainly to play DSD files but all file types (eg., FLAC) sound really good. Recommend it highly.


----------



## MattTCG

Can Currawong or someone please provide an eBay link to the hp stands? Thanks.


----------



## Maxvla

Filu, why the change from X-Sabre to DA8?


----------



## Drsparis

maxvla said:


> Filu, why the change from X-Sabre to DA8?


 
 +1


----------



## filuS

maxvla said:


> Filu, why the change from X-Sabre to DA8?


 
 I was experiencing a problem I could not get rid of (constant high pitch noise in left channel). I don't think it was X-Sabres fault per se, from what I had been told after I sent it to seller, diagnosis did not show any defects on my unit. But, since that noise was present no matter what I tried, I was somehow forced to change it for something else (unfortunately I did not have a chance to try out any isolation transformer, those are quite pricey around here). So I went for runner-up in my DAC list - Yulong DA8. However, X-Sabre had better synergy with the rest of my rig (at least to my ears), unfortunately I am very sensitive to background noises, even the slightest deviation from completely black background can distract me enough from enjoying the music. I think X-Sabres transformer is a bit more sensitive for power impurity (my guess right now is that something in our house infests our power with DC part which makes transformers to oscillate), or DA8 has better isolation between input power part and output circuits. Either-or, with DA8 background is completely quiet, which for me is a fair trade for very slightly less appealing sound signature.


----------



## Austin Morrow

icedtea said:


> Upgraded from the HD650 to the HE-500 Austin?
> 
> How you liking them?


 
  
 They're excellent, another class up from the 650 entirely.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Can Currawong or someone please provide an eBay link to the hp stands? Thanks.


 
 are you referring to the ones you have the wanted ad for? i'd be interested too
 i got a new rack im going to get my gear on, and i'm wanting a stand rather that the hooks i'm using at the present


----------



## KetchupNinja

Earlier this year, I had to sell a lot of my gear due to personal reasons.  Starting back up again...not too bad lol.


----------



## drewTT




----------



## Don Lehrer

jaywillin said:


> are you referring to the ones you have the wanted ad for? i'd be interested too
> i got a new rack im going to get my gear on, and i'm wanting a stand rather that the hooks i'm using at the present


 
  
  


matttcg said:


> Can Currawong or someone please provide an eBay link to the hp stands? Thanks.


 
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Here you go  
http://www.ebay.com/sch/codia7/m.html?item=


----------



## ethan7000

My wife gave me this living room listening station for Christmas


----------



## wolfetan44

Oooooo! Congrats!!


----------



## bbophead

Lucky, Lucky!!!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

No, Santa did not bring a new turntable, or a DAC, or an amp, he brought an external hard drive.... Gee just what I needed/wanted.


----------



## jaywillin

don lehrer said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 thank you!


----------



## bbophead

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> No, Santa did not bring a new turntable, or a DAC, or an amp, he brought an external hard drive.... Gee just what I needed/wanted.


 
 Please try to control your excitement.


----------



## Don Lehrer

bbophead said:


> Please try to control your excitement.


 
 Something quite imposible to do, specially when you get what you needed/wanted


----------



## spurxiii




----------



## mrenvy




----------



## NZheadcase

Nice collection you have there.


----------



## Anda

spurxiii said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 I have been considering the TP-60. How do you like it with HE-500? Isn't it way too powerful for your dynamic headphones?


----------



## spurxiii

anda said:


> I have been considering the TP-60. How do you like it with HE-500? Isn't it way too powerful for your dynamic headphones?


 
 Not at all since I use my Audio Gd 15.32 as a DAC. The DAC's volume is controllable so I set it so I can still control the volume quite well with the TP-60. Sounds much better than the 15.32 on its own. Everything sounds more tighter and in control. Sounds awesome with the HE500s, it brings out more details in the music and sound.


----------



## Anda

spurxiii said:


> The DAC's volume is controllable so I set it so I can still control the volume quite well with the TP-60.


 
  
 That's nice. My NFB-17.2 has fixed output, but I am going to add a passive preamp to get better volume play with my integrated amplifiers.
 TP-60 might be the next amplifier I buy


----------



## lightningsmerf




----------



## wes008

spurxiii said:


>


 
 Very nice! 


lightningsmerf said:


>


----------



## FlyingPigman

Super Modest, but still works. Samson SR850 + Nokia Lumia 928 or iPod Nano 6th Gen.


----------



## spurxiii

anda said:


> That's nice. My NFB-17.2 has fixed output, but I am going to add a passive preamp to get better volume play with my integrated amplifiers.
> TP-60 might be the next amplifier I buy


 
 Its such great value


wes008 said:


> Very nice!


 
 Thanks


----------



## RestoredSparda




----------



## TekeRugburn




----------



## parbaked

tekerugburn said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Nice, you made copies...


----------



## TekeRugburn

parbaked said:


> Nice, you made copies...


 
  
 haha...one is a MS1 the other is an SR60i


----------



## DonutDeflector

I'm just starting out in the audiophile community.
  
 Samsung RV711, Audio-Technica Ath-M35, 2 CD Collection (I have ALAC and FLAC on my laptop), and an iPod Nano 7th gen syncing.
 I also have a couple other things and a  portable rig too but I'm not posting that now.


----------



## ForShure

My parents got me a Little Dot mkII amp for Christmas!! Loving the warm tube sound even though the tubes aren't even fully burned in yet. The bass has suddenly come alive in my HD595's and classic rock sounds better than ever. I think I may be hooked on tube amps from now on, the cold sound of solid state seems so sterile for me or maybe I'm just burned out on it.  Also bought a pair of 6ZH1P-EV tubes to begin a bit of tube rolling with.


----------



## whirlwind

^^ Congrats ^^
  
 What a wonderful Christmas gift.
  
 Enjoy.


----------



## Maxvla

ForShure said:
			
		

> I think I may be hooked on tube amps from now on, the cold sound of solid state seems so sterile for me or maybe I'm just burned out on it.




Just realize that silicon or glass has little bearing on the actual sound signature. There are cold and warm solid states and cold and warm tube amps. 

High end solid state does tend to be on the colder side, but there are exceptions. High end tube is all over the place, from very cold and clinical to wet and tubey. Amps in the price range of the Little Dot you received can sound like anything.


----------



## MickeyVee

^^ I was pretty much the same on tube vs SS.. swore off SS until I heard the Naim 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  and then bought it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Still planning on a Woo WA2 someday but right now, really not feeling the need.


----------



## Silent One

I'm somewhat neutral and delight in both camps of playback and ownership.


----------



## LNCPapa

Wow - that's awesome of your folks to get you that for Christmas ForShure!  Hope you let them know how thankful you are.


----------



## LugBug1

forshure said:


> My parents got me a Little Dot mkII amp for Christmas!! Loving the warm tube sound even though the tubes aren't even fully burned in yet. The bass has suddenly come alive in my HD595's and classic rock sounds better than ever. I think I may be hooked on tube amps from now on, the cold sound of solid state seems so sterile for me or maybe I'm just burned out on it.  Also bought a pair of 6ZH1P-EV tubes to begin a bit of tube rolling with.


 
 Thats a great match for the 595's. The Little Dot amps are ideal to get you started with tubes - a lot of fun to be had!


----------



## gibosi

forshure said:


> My parents got me a Little Dot mkII amp for Christmas!! Loving the warm tube sound even though the tubes aren't even fully burned in yet. The bass has suddenly come alive in my HD595's and classic rock sounds better than ever. I think I may be hooked on tube amps from now on, the cold sound of solid state seems so sterile for me or maybe I'm just burned out on it.  Also bought a pair of 6ZH1P-EV tubes to begin a bit of tube rolling with.


 
  
 And be sure to head over to the Little Dot tube rolling forum, 300 pages and still going strong. 
  
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/563884/little-dot-tube-amps-vacuum-tube-rolling-guide


----------



## teb1013

forshure said:


> My parents got me a Little Dot mkII amp for Christmas!! Loving the warm tube sound even though the tubes aren't even fully burned in yet. The bass has suddenly come alive in my HD595's and classic rock sounds better than ever. I think I may be hooked on tube amps from now on, the cold sound of solid state seems so sterile for me or maybe I'm just burned out on it.  Also bought a pair of 6ZH1P-EV tubes to begin a bit of tube rolling with.




Wow! Great parents! I wish my beloved wife of more than 30 years were as receptive to a couple of little "hints" I left her (for HD600) after she said that I was impossible to shop for. Her response was a sweet smile, a slight chuckle, and the dreaded words "Oh, you don't need more equipment!" 
Good luck with tube rolling, but be careful, it can be addictive!


----------



## parbaked

teb1013 said:


> "Oh, you don't need more equipment!"


 
 Good luck with wifey...


----------



## Sxooter

teb1013 said:


> Wow! Great parents! I wish my beloved wife of more than 30 years were as receptive to a couple of little "hints" I left her (for HD600) after she said that I was impossible to shop for. Her response was a sweet smile, a slight chuckle, and the dreaded words "Oh, you don't need more equipment!"
> Good luck with tube rolling, but be careful, it can be addictive!


 
 And she doesn't need any more shoes, or whatever she likes to collect, right?


----------



## Don Lehrer

sxooter said:


> And she doesn't need any more shoes, or whatever she likes to collect, right?


 
 +1 but anyhow they always manage to get even more


----------



## longbowbbs

So one of my KT88's in my Cary went Nova today. So while I am waiting (semi-patiently) for a new set to arrive I have drafted my venerable Denon AVR-5800 into 2 channel use. 200 watts (at 2 channel) or pure direct power. The HD800's sound alright with it. The Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II's love the huge 200 Watts push.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

longbowbbs said:


> So one of my KT88's in my Cary went Nova today. So while I am waiting (semi-patiently) for a new set to arrive I have drafted my venerable Denon AVR-5800 into 2 channel use. 200 watts (at 2 channel) or pure direct power. The HD800's sound alright with it. The Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II's love the huge 200 Watts push.


that is one Fricken MASSIVE amp!!! Sorry about the tube loss!!


----------



## longbowbbs

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > So one of my KT88's in my Cary went Nova today. So while I am waiting (semi-patiently) for a new set to arrive I have drafted my venerable Denon AVR-5800 into 2 channel use. 200 watts (at 2 channel) or pure direct power. The HD800's sound alright with it. The Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II's love the huge 200 Watts push.
> ...


 
 It is a beast...Great sound though. I love tubes better, but they do wear out over time.


----------



## jdandy

*Mike.......*Here's my headphone station with my new Senheiser HD800.  It is sounding absolutely amazing.


----------



## drewTT

Nice. Which W4S DAC is that and how do you like it?


----------



## AdamITR




----------



## bangle

My modified Beyerdynamics T70's. Not ideal but it will be ok till I get them fixed.
 I'm using a ProJect USB DAC, I like it. Not sure if I need a headphone amp or not..


----------



## Austin Morrow

Been switching between the Burson and the DA8, and the Burson still puts up a good fight!


----------



## Zashoomin

austin morrow said:


> Been switching between the Burson and the DA8, and the Burson still puts up a good fight!


 
 Try using the dac section in the DA8 and amp section in the conductor.  I think that is your best bet.


----------



## Austin Morrow

zashoomin said:


> Try using the dac section in the DA8 and amp section in the conductor.  I think that is your best bet.


 
  
 Oh, it's the HA-160DS, but yes, the DAC section of the DA8 plus the amplifier section of the Burson does sound pristine.


----------



## longbowbbs

austin morrow said:


> zashoomin said:
> 
> 
> > Try using the dac section in the DA8 and amp section in the conductor.  I think that is your best bet.
> ...


 
 I liked the 160ds for the money. Nice Dac/Amp combo with my HD650's....


----------



## Leckel1996

The sr80i's sound pretty good with the Vali. I think that is mainly due to the mods I made to my grados.


----------



## Amictus

The deskside source of sanity.
  

  
 The bedside source of sanity.


----------



## jdandy

drewtt said:


> Nice. Which W4S DAC is that and how do you like it?


 
*drewTT.......*That is the W4S DAC2.  Hi-res from the laptop sounds super clean, open, dynamic and solid.  I am pleased with the HD800/DAC2/Musical Fidelity X-Can V8P rig, although I have some interest in the new Sennheiser HDVA 600 amplifier.  I wish there were some solid reviews available on the HDVA 600.  It's tough to let go of that kind of money without some positive motivation from satisfied owners and/or an experienced reviewer.


----------



## jonbmet

Looked thru quite a few of the rigs in this thread tonight. Makes me wonder what the total value of the equipment in the thread would be. $1 mil? $10 mil? I'm sure its a big number.


----------



## mrk

Wow some of you guys have epic headphone setups.
  
 My humble little bundle:

  
  
 NAD D 3020
 Fidelio X1
  
 For portable use I have the Sennheiser IE80 with custom cable and driven by the Note 3:


----------



## LugBug1

My new (80's) NAD 7130 receiver sounds fantastic with the HD800's. In a word 'luxuriant'


----------



## preproman

mrk said:


> Wow some of you guys have epic headphone setups.
> 
> My humble little bundle:
> 
> ...


 
  
 What body and glass do you shoot with?


----------



## mrk

preproman said:


> What body and glass do you shoot with?


 
 Hi,
  
 I used a Canon 5D Mark 3 and Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG. I have lighting manually controlled (bounced speedlite).


----------



## preproman

O, you can get that close with the 35mm..  Cool.  almost looks like a macro.  I'm looking at the Sigma 18-250 f/3.5-6.3


----------



## deltasun

mrk said:


> Hi,
> 
> I used a Canon 5D Mark 3 and Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG. I have lighting manually controlled (bounced speedlite).




Very nice, mrk...jealous of the 5D. I have the mk 1 on loan from my uncle. 

Btw, how did you get that grayish tone in the Fidelio X1 thread. Great compositions too!


----------



## Solarium

iphone shot


----------



## deltasun

solarium said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




lmao...nice bokeh!


----------



## silversurfer616

Re-configuring my system.Sold HD800 and have SR 507 instead.Keep,the Bottlehead Crack for my HD600 but sold my Woo WA6.Will get my vintage Pioneer SX1010 receiver back from the tech and hopefully will be a good match with Stax.


----------



## mrk

preproman said:


> O, you can get that close with the 35mm..  Cool.  almost looks like a macro.  I'm looking at the Sigma 18-250 f/3.5-6.3


 
 You can get closer  Close focus distance is quite good on the 35mm.
  


deltasun said:


> Very nice, mrk...jealous of the 5D. I have the mk 1 on loan from my uncle.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The colour tone is my custom preset in Lightroom., I use it for wedding portraits but it seems to be more universally usable in everything else I shoot too so just use it on everything now


----------



## 62ohm

silversurfer616 said:


> Re-configuring my system.Sold HD800 and have SR 507 instead.Keep,the Bottlehead Crack for my HD600 but sold my Woo WA6.Will get my vintage Pioneer SX1010 receiver back from the tech and hopefully will be a good match with Stax.


 
  
 How was it coming to SR-507 from HD800?


----------



## silversurfer616

_Still have to wait for my Pioneer SX1010 to come back from the tech to drive them properly.As much as I loved the HD800 there was something artificial about them.As I said in the HD800 thread,I thought they had a wafer thin layer of meatiness that gave me an illusion of the "real thing" but it still was only an illusion,
Like a tromp l'oeil wall painting!
The SR 507 seem to be more organic in the way the sound is presented.They are ultra clear but still have a good bass.Mind,this is on a cheap speaker amp via energiser.
Don't miss the HD800 at all!_


----------



## Amictus

silversurfer616 said:


> _Still have to wait for my Pioneer SX1010 to come back from the tech to drive them properly.As much as I loved the HD800 there was something artificial about them.As I said in the HD800 thread,I thought they had a wafer thin layer of meatiness that gave me an illusion of the "real thing" but it still was only an illusion,
> Like a tromp l'oeil wall painting!
> The SR 507 seem to be more organic in the way the sound is presented.They are ultra clear but still have a good bass.Mind,this is on a cheap speaker amp via energiser.
> Don't miss the HD800 at all!_


 
 This is so difficult, this HD800 thing. Every time I decide that, yes, I definitely need to get them, another comment like this one comes along. 'The illusion of the real thing' - that's what I get with my Q701s and want to get away from while regretting their airiness and sense of space.  'Meatiness' and musicality is what I get from the HD650s. I was hoping that the HD800s would give me the Sennheiser house sound with more soundstage and detail, but 'the illusion of the real thing' is not what I want! Aaargh !


----------



## 62ohm

amictus said:


> This is so difficult, this HD800 thing. Every time I decide that, yes, I definitely need to get them, another comment like this one comes along. 'The illusion of the real thing' - that's what I get with my Q701s and want to get away from while regretting their airiness and sense of space.  'Meatiness' and musicality is what I get from the HD650s. I was hoping that the HD800s would give me the Sennheiser house sound with more soundstage and detail, but 'the illusion of the real thing' is not what I want! Aaargh !


 
  
 In my opinion, HD800 may at times sound artificial solely because of its transparency. It does not have any house sound signature, it's so transparent some may perceive it as artificial IMO. If you are looking for more soundstage and better imaging, HD800 won't fail you. But if you are looking for 'meatiness' and musicality, LCD-2 or 3 would be a better choice. I've never listened to the LCD-3, but the LCD-2 is so musical I found myself thinking about it at times, even when listening to the HD800.
  
  
 Simply put, no, HD800 will not give you the Sennheiser house sound.


----------



## AlanHell

62ohm said:


> In my opinion, HD800 may at times sound artificial solely because of its transparency. It does not have any house sound signature, it's so transparent some may perceive it as artificial IMO. If you are looking for more soundstage and better imaging, HD800 won't fail you. But if you are looking for 'meatiness' and musicality, LCD-2 or 3 would be a better choice. I've never listened to the LCD-3, but the LCD-2 is so musical I found myself thinking about it at times, even when listening to the HD800.
> 
> 
> Simply put, no, HD800 will not give you the Sennheiser house sound.


 

 I will not say HD800 is artificial, but I do agree it it very transparent.
 The fact that it is transparent, makes it good to transfer all the information contains in the recording  to your ear. If the recording itself is a masterpiece, it will sound lively with full emotions. If your amp is powerful enough, the phone can be "bassy" or "fast" depends on the mood of the recording. Because the phone itself is "tasteless", it makes the original flavor of the recording stands out more easily. It makes you enjoying the music more compare to the the phone itself.
  
 There is nothing wrong with added coloring and flavor to the headphone which do make many recordings sounds better to your ears. However, I guess I am the type of guy that willing to spend more time to find a better recording instead of "better" phone for the same recording. 
  
 This is just some different approach I want to share.
  
 P.S.
 I was also looking for a close phone for my office. LCD-XC looks promising, but do they make it more comfortable?


----------



## LugBug1

If the HD800's sound artificial its down to what they are being fed. They are 98% transparent (to put a silly crude figure on it), the 2% colouring at about 6khz giving a bit of treble emphasis. But this is no more than a lot of other quality hp's. Only unlike other hp's, it stands out more with the HD800's as they aren't coloured anywhere else in the frequency response. I think they have more in common with the HD600 than Q701 in regards to tonality and depth. But you could mould both those hp's, improve on every area and then you have an idea of how good they are.


----------



## DarKen23

alanhell said:


> 62ohm said:
> 
> 
> > In my opinion, HD800 may at times sound artificial solely because of its transparency. It does not have any house sound signature, it's so transparent some may perceive it as artificial IMO. If you are looking for more soundstage and better imaging, HD800 won't fail you. But if you are looking for 'meatiness' and musicality, LCD-2 or 3 would be a better choice. I've never listened to the LCD-3, but the LCD-2 is so musical I found myself thinking about it at times, even when listening to the HD800.
> ...


 
 Dont count on it.


----------



## DarKen23

The only 'wow' effect I got from my HD800 was from its soundstage, its scary good. 
  
 Other than the soundstage and its comfort scale, I found the HD800 to be a tad boring.


----------



## AlanHell

darken23 said:


> Dont count on it.


 

 lol,I I guess I have to wait for STAX or Koss or Sennheiser to make a closer phone~~~~


----------



## AlanHell

darken23 said:


> The only 'wow' effect I got from my HD800 was from its soundstage, its scary good.
> 
> Other than the soundstage and its comfort scale, I found the HD800 to be a tad boring.


 

 yep, most of the time, nothing stands out of this phone.
 But, it is like cigarets, once you get use to it, it is very hard to get yourself off the hook.
 Lots of times, you have to train your ear to look for those small easy to miss difference, once you notice they are there, it is impossible to live without them~~~
  
 Or, you will still end up hating the phone regardless.
  
 Headfi is personal. There is no right or wrong answers.
 It's like, personally I really do not like the sound and design of  Grado. I think they only worth 1/10 of its listing price. There is no real development cost or technology behind it.
 However, I *cannot* say that the phone is junk and people like it are stupid. *No*, there is a reason for people to say those things and I think they are perfectly valid points. 
  
 So, I think HD800 is boring, and I am just a person like boring sound. (Well, I guess I might need some LCD excitement soon~~~)


----------



## lord_tris

darken23 said:


> The only 'wow' effect I got from my HD800 was from its soundstage, its scary good.
> 
> Other than the soundstage and its comfort scale, I found the HD800 to be a tad boring.


 
 I agree sooo much


----------



## Destroysall

I find the HD800 a picky headphone however. I've heard it through a variety of amplifiers and found it came alive with Decware amplification.


----------



## lord_tris

I have put the HD800 through these amps Magni,Vali,Valhalla ,Bottlehead Crack and speedball,DNA Sonett,Phonitor,Gs-x2 and beta 22 and if i was forced to use the HD800 it would be with the Bottlehead Crack and speedball  or the GGS-X2 These amps brought some life to the Headphone and yet kept all of its other qualities. Added a bit more lower end presences to the sound which i think i needed a bit more.


----------



## DarKen23

Tis why I've become addicted to the HE-6


----------



## DarKen23

Despite my dislikes of the HD800, I have to admit, they are capable of exhibiting relentless speed.


----------



## longbowbbs

destroysall said:


> I find the HD800 a picky headphone however. I've heard it through a variety of amplifiers and found it came alive with Decware amplification.


 
 +1
  
 The HD800's love the CSP2+ and CSP3+ amps. Very nice with the Taboo MK III as well!


----------



## Zashoomin

There are a couple mods out there for the HD800s which make then sound so much better.  Well to my ears anyway.  I forget exactly which mod it was but it was bassier and the treble was less peaky while still retaining its wonderful imaging and soundstage. If you find the HD800s boring that might be an option.  
  
 Also a side note but I don't think sennhieser has a "house" sound.  All of their headphones sound different.


----------



## AlanHell

zashoomin said:


> There are a couple mods out there for the HD800s which make then sound so much better.  Well to my ears anyway.  I forget exactly which mod it was but it was bassier and the treble was less peaky while still retaining its wonderful imaging and soundstage. If you find the HD800s boring that might be an option.
> 
> Also a side note but I don't think sennhieser has a "house" sound.  All of their headphones sound different.


 

 What they said will be the HD650 sound that all their mid tire and low tire followed~~~
 Warn and bassy~~


----------



## DarKen23

zashoomin said:


> There are a couple mods out there for the HD800s which make then sound so much better.  Well to my ears anyway.  I forget exactly which mod it was but it was bassier and the treble was less peaky while still retaining its wonderful imaging and soundstage. If you find the HD800s boring that might be an option.
> 
> Also a side note but I don't think sennhieser has a "house" sound.  All of their headphones sound different.


I believe you are referring to the anax mod (forgive me if I misspelled it). 

While you may get just a flick of more bass, I felt that it came with the cost of slightly collapsed soundstage. For me, that was a big 'no-no' on the HD800.


----------



## Zashoomin

darken23 said:


> I believe you are referring to the anax mod (forgive me if I misspelled it).
> 
> While you may get just a flick of more bass, I felt that it came with the cost of slightly collapsed soundstage. For me, that was a big 'no-no' on the HD800.


 
 This was a modded Anax mod if I remember correctly.  I think it was Purrin, a member on the forums, who let me listen to it and it was something he developed.  I don't know but I remember it sounded good.


----------



## LugBug1

I think I'm lucky that I discovered synergy with vintage amps and the HD800. Warmth, detail, smoothness. Couldn't ask for anything more  Well, until I hear anything better that is.


----------



## MorbidToaster

The HD800 are easily my pick for best dynamic can. That being said I HATED them first listen. Didn't try them again until I invested a lot of money into source and amp. Made all the difference.


----------



## longbowbbs

How about a gratuitous Tube shot from my Cary SLI-80?


----------



## philo50

^^^^that is so pretty.......


----------



## longbowbbs

philo50 said:


> ^^^^that is so pretty.......


 
 Thanks! It sounds even better than it looks!


----------



## lord_tris

Better  much better!!


----------



## Rem0o

Tube matching nightmare ahead!


----------



## DarKen23

longbowbbs said:


> How about a gratuitous Tube shot from my Cary SLI-80?


----------



## longbowbbs

rem0o said:


> Tube matching nightmare ahead!


 
 No problemo...3 pairs and 1 quad...Easy peasy!


----------



## magiccabbage

longbowbbs said:


> How about a gratuitous Tube shot from my Cary SLI-80?


 
 my god - tubes in the fire place. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 it does look like a nice fire though


----------



## AlanHell

I am not sure how good it will perform in Canada, as for now we have -20 degree Celsius and the dramatic temperature may  creak the glass~~~~
  
 P.S.
 It does look like a good heater for my room though~~~


----------



## DarKen23

alanhell said:


> I am not sure how good it will perform in Canada, as for now we have -20 degree Celsius and the dramatic temperature may  creak the glass~~~~
> 
> P.S.
> It does look like a good heater for my room though~~~


A big class A will work great too for that application. It's also where I usually cook my morning skillet.


----------



## AlanHell

darken23 said:


> A big class A will work great too for that application. It's also where I usually cook my morning skillet.


 

 Well，I plan to get a tube soon, but as far as my calss A goes, the do run very hot indeed~~~~~


----------



## deltasun

mrk said:


> The colour tone is my custom preset in Lightroom., I use it for wedding portraits but it seems to be more universally usable in everything else I shoot too so just use it on everything now




Care to share the settings?


----------



## dsound

Couple days ago received my new-used pair of Magnepan MMG's.  Even out of my humble Sony ES Receiver they sound fantastic.  95% of my listening of them so far has been without subwoofer, they seem to generate plenty of bass for my taste.


----------



## LugBug1

That looks really nice Dsound. I'd love to hear some Maggies some day.


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> That looks really nice Dsound. I'd love to hear _have_ some Maggies some day.


 
 FTFY!




  
 Dsound: Lookin' good!


----------



## LugBug1

^That would be the ideal!


----------



## dsound

Thanks!  The MMG's sound particularly great with any acoustic + jazz + classical tracks I throw at them.  One of these days I'll stop buying speakers + headphones and get a proper source 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## longbowbbs

alanhell said:


> I am not sure how good it will perform in Canada, as for now we have -20 degree Celsius and the dramatic temperature may  creak the glass~~~~
> 
> P.S.
> It does look like a good heater for my room though~~~


 
 -20C would be 15 degrees warmer than here!


----------



## Rem0o

On New Year's Eve I was downtown to celebrate outside for 3 hours straight... at -30 deg C! When I got back, nothing better than a listening session with your hands over a Class A Tube amp!


----------



## longbowbbs

rem0o said:


> On New Year's Eve I was downtown to celebrate outside for 3 hours straight... at -30 deg C! When I got back, nothing better than a listening session with your hands over a Class A Tube amp!


 
 Warms your hands and your ears!


----------



## AlanHell

longbowbbs said:


> -20C would be 15 degrees warmer than here!


 

 nice~~~ I though our amp and headphone is only rated for 0-100 degree?
 And at my place, we use degree Celsius, I guess it is summer at my place~~~


----------



## longbowbbs

alanhell said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > -20C would be 15 degrees warmer than here!
> ...


 
 Hey, at -40 it the same temperature!  Been there a few times...Looks like Monday will be there again!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

darken23 said:


> The only 'wow' effect I got from my HD800 was from its soundstage, its scary good.
> 
> Other than the soundstage and its comfort scale, I found the HD800 to be a tad boring.



FINALLY!! someone who agrees! I personally loved the LCD2.2 more for that reason.


----------



## DarKen23

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > The only 'wow' effect I got from my HD800 was from its soundstage, its scary good.
> ...


, I also couldn't and refuse to deal with the LCDs 'wall of sound'. 

It's been said too many times, "it's all just preference really".


----------



## morserotonin

dsound said:


> Couple days ago received my new-used pair of Magnepan MMG's.  Even out of my humble Sony ES Receiver they sound fantastic.  95% of my listening of them so far has been without subwoofer, they seem to generate plenty of bass for my taste.


 
 Looking good!  Sadly my MMGs are in storage at the moment but they are are amazing speakers especially with small combo jazz.  How are those Blumenstein speakers?


----------



## morserotonin

Finally got my setup properly organized!  I think it actually is sounding better now too! LOL!


----------



## parbaked

morserotonin said:


> How are those Blumenstein speakers?


 
 Interested minds want to know...


----------



## dsound

morserotonin said:


> Looking good!  Sadly my MMGs are in storage at the moment but they are are amazing speakers especially with small combo jazz.  How are those Blumenstein speakers?


 
  
 Thanks morserotonin.  I love the Blumensteins!  They produce a very rich/coherent sound and image very well.  I also love that I can power them with my little 3W SET amp.  IMO they don't handle transients as well as the MMG's but they deliver a very musical/involving experience.
  
 Sidenote, we met at the LA Headfi meet and you campaigned hard for me to get Magnepans.  So in a way, you are partially to blame thank for my MMG purchase.


----------



## morserotonin

dsound said:


> Thanks morserotonin.  I love the Blumensteins!  They produce a very rich/coherent sound and image very well.  I also love that I can power them with my little 3W SET amp.  IMO they don't handle transients as well as the MMG's but they deliver a very musical/involving experience.
> 
> Sidenote, we met at the LA Headfi meet and you campaigned hard for me to get Magnepans.  So in a way, you are partially to blame thank for my MMG purchase.


 
 Ah! I remember now! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Glad you where able to get them!  Also hope you are coming out to the meet in a few months!


----------



## pdrm360

longbowbbs said:


> -20C would be 15 degrees warmer than here!


 
  
 You really need some Schiit amps there. They work as heater too!


----------



## DarKen23

pdrm360 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > -20C would be 15 degrees warmer than here!
> ...


 
 Lol, Schiit amps are cold compared to some class A amps.
  
 There are amps that will burn your house down.


----------



## longbowbbs

I always considered my Cary SLI-80 as hot Schiit.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ten tubes will crank out some heat!


----------



## Leckel1996

I know I just posted, but I added some new goodies in the last few days.


----------



## jackskelly

Part of my system right now.


----------



## subsonic1050

Here is my setup!


----------



## ssrock64

leckel1996 said:


> I know I just posted, but I added some new goodies in the last few days.


 
 What are your thoughts about the DJ100?


----------



## Leckel1996

ssrock64 said:


> What are your thoughts about the DJ100?


 
 Considering you can get them for $40 on amazon, they're amazing. They are surprisingly neutral sounding and also reveal quite a bit of detail. The slight treble roll-off also makes them much easier to listen to than my sr80i's.


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## subsonic1050

Nice pair of headphones there Austin! How do you feel the HE-500's stack up against the Audeze cans?


----------



## Austin Morrow

subsonic1050 said:


> Nice pair of headphones there Austin! How do you feel the HE-500's stack up against the Audeze cans?




The HE-500's consume the majority of the head time, they're better when it comes to clarity, detail extraction, instrumental seperation, and speed. The LCD-2's have a lusher midrange, with a more intoxicating signature. More 3D soundstage, better vocality, with deeper bass extension and slam.

Both headphones are equal sonically, but different flavors.


----------



## subsonic1050

Wow, that is pretty high praise for the HE-500's. I have the HE-400's, and are absolutely loving them. I have been considering moving to the next tier, and getting either the HE-500's,. the LCD-3's, or the HD800's - unfortunately, here in Milwaukee, I can only find a place where I can listen to the HD800's.


----------



## pdrm360

austin morrow said:


> The HE-500's consume the majority of the head time, they're better when it comes to clarity, detail extraction, instrumental seperation, and speed. The LCD-2's have a lusher midrange, with a more intoxicating signature. More 3D soundstage, better vocality, with deeper bass extension and slam.
> 
> Both headphones are equal sonically, but different flavors.


 
  
 +1


----------



## angelo898

subsonic1050 said:


> Wow, that is pretty high praise for the HE-500's. I have the HE-400's, and are absolutely loving them. I have been considering moving to the next tier, and getting either the HE-500's,. the LCD-3's, or the HD800's - unfortunately, here in Milwaukee, I can only find a place where I can listen to the HD800's.


 

 Dont think the hd800 is a good choice for you...


----------



## whirlwind

leckel1996 said:


> I know I just posted, but I added some new goodies in the last few days.


 
 Nice little set-up you have there.
  
 What Grado's are you rocking ?


----------



## longbowbbs

subsonic1050 said:


> Wow, that is pretty high praise for the HE-500's. I have the HE-400's, and are absolutely loving them. I have been considering moving to the next tier, and getting either the HE-500's,. the LCD-3's, or the HD800's - unfortunately, here in Milwaukee, I can only find a place where I can listen to the HD800's.


 
 Where are you finding HD800's in Milwaukee?


----------



## mnarwold

subsonic1050 said:


> Wow, that is pretty high praise for the HE-500's. I have the HE-400's, and are absolutely loving them. I have been considering moving to the next tier, and getting either the HE-500's,. the LCD-3's, or the HD800's - unfortunately, here in Milwaukee, I can only find a place where I can listen to the HD800's.


 
  


angelo898 said:


> Dont think the hd800 is a good choice for you...


 

 I'd have to agree with Angelo, at least from my listening to the HE line and the HD800. HD800 was too bright for me, which would be kind of the opposite of the HE-400s. Now, if you're wanting something to complement your current phones and be very different, then OK, but I think you'd prefer the HE-500s or LCD-3. I haven't heard the LCD-3, but the 2 was similar to the 500s. I agree with Austin's comments and would add that the LCD is smoother while the 500 is more detailed.


----------



## Austin Morrow

If you have the HE-400's, either the LCD-2 or HE-500 would suffice. The HD800 needs a potent amp and source to milk all of their potential fidelity, and if you get an LCD-3, you're paying (IMHO) the $1000 extra for that last 5% of audio improvement over the LCD-2.


----------



## deltasun

whirlwind said:


> Nice little set-up you have there.
> 
> What Grado's are you rocking ?




I believe they're the SR80i's.


----------



## subsonic1050

I appreciate the input - as I have never heard the HD800's, I was merely lumping them in with other headphones that appear to be in the same category in terms of quality and price (not in sound) - I would like to hear them all and make a determination. Right now I don't have a very high powered headphone amp that would do the HD800's justice, nor an HE-6, but I wouldn't be opposed to spending the additional money.


----------



## MattTCG

austin morrow said:


> The HE-500's consume the majority of the head time, they're better when it comes to clarity, detail extraction, instrumental seperation, and speed. The LCD-2's have a lusher midrange, with a more intoxicating signature. More 3D soundstage, better vocality, with deeper bass extension and slam.
> 
> Both headphones are equal sonically, but different flavors.


 
  
 +1 THIS. Although I found the lcd2 the better hp for me, I found it too uncomfortable for the price tag. Although they are essentially the same weight, the he500 seems to do a better job at distributing the weight and therefore more comfortable IMO. More comfortable=more headtime.


----------



## subsonic1050

The place where I could listen to the HD800's isn't actually IN Milwaukee, but it is close enough. There is a place called "Audio Consultants" in Libertyville, IL - it is about an  hour away from me.


----------



## parbaked

subsonic1050 said:


> Why do you say that the HD800's would not be a good choice?


 
 Sound is too different from the HE-400 that you said you enjoy so unless you are looking for the opposite flavor then the advise is to consider HE-500 or LCD-2.
  
 Since you can try the HD800 in WI, go try them....and bring along your 400s...
  
 Then you can let us know what you think...


----------



## subsonic1050

I plan on doing just that! I think I will make a trip down there Tuesday or Wednesday if my schedule permits - I'll let you know what my conclusions were.


----------



## LugBug1

austin morrow said:


> If you have the HE-400's, either the LCD-2 or HE-500 would suffice. *The HD800 needs a potent amp and source to milk all of their potential fidelity*, and if you get an LCD-3, you're paying (IMHO) the $1000 extra for that last 5% of audio improvement over the LCD-2.


 
 That is true. But an M-stage will still give you better sound with the HD800 than both the HE500 or LCD2 are capable of ime and thats with a budget amp. So its not all about amp cost with the HD800. That is now an old myth that is constantly being proved wrong  
  
 But it all comes down to preference. Some folks prefer a smoother thicker sound over transparency.


----------



## Austin Morrow

subsonic1050 said:


> I appreciate the input - as I have never heard the HD800's, I was merely lumping them in with other headphones that appear to be in the same category in terms of quality and price (not in sound) - I would like to hear them all and make a determination. Right now I don't have a very high powered headphone amp that would do the HD800's justice, nor an HE-6, but I wouldn't be opposed to spending the additional money.







lugbug1 said:


> That is true. But an M-stage will still give you better sound with the HD800 than both the HE500 or LCD2 are capable of ime and thats with a budget amp. So its not all about amp cost with the HD800. That is now an old myth that is constantly being proved wrong
> 
> But it all comes down to preference. Some folks prefer a smoother thicker sound over transparency.




Oh, don't worry! I completely agree with you on amp cost. Trust me, I know of amplifiers that cost thousands that can't match a $200 amplifier. Take for example, the Mini-X for orthos or Schiit's entry level gear.


----------



## Owenpri

Just picked up the Amperior.


----------



## ssrock64

subsonic1050 said:


> The place where I could listen to the HD800's isn't actually IN Milwaukee, but it is close enough. There is a place called "Audio Consultants" in Libertyville, IL - it is about an  hour away from me.


 
 If you're ever up in Green Bay, Hi-Fi Heaven usually has a decent sampling of TOTL cans for you to try out. Last time I was there I auditioned a PS1000, HD800, T1, and T5p.


----------



## subsonic1050

Thanks for the info ssrock - I am actually from Appleton, and still visit family in the area very frequently. Maybe I will make a trip up there instead!


----------



## ssrock64

subsonic1050 said:


> Thanks for the info ssrock - I am actually from Appleton, and still visit family in the area very frequently. Maybe I will make a trip up there instead!


 
 I can't guarantee any Audeze, Hifiman, or other smaller brands like that, but they have a very good selection of Grados, a decent offering of mid-tier and top-tier Beyers, a smattering of top-tier Sennheisers, and the occasional inclusion of other brands. They've also got tons of DACs and amps across almost any price range. They're mainly a high-end home theater design and installation business, but their physical shop has plenty of gear to try. The building looks like an upside-down pyramid behind Sears; it's hard to miss.


----------



## Leckel1996

whirlwind said:


> Nice little set-up you have there.
> 
> What Grado's are you rocking ?


 
 modded sr80i's.


----------



## DarKen23

Inside my man-cave


----------



## philo50

darken23 said:


> Inside my man-cave


 
 looking good.......


----------



## longbowbbs

subsonic1050 said:


> The place where I could listen to the HD800's isn't actually IN Milwaukee, but it is close enough. There is a place called "Audio Consultants" in Libertyville, IL - it is about an  hour away from me.




That makes sense. The only WI store with the HD800's that I know of is HiFi Heaven in Green Bay.


----------



## ssrock64

longbowbbs said:


> That makes sense. The only WI store with the HD800's that I know of is HiFi Heaven in Green Bay.


 
 We were just talking about Hi-Fi Heaven, actually. I stopped by on my last trip into town.
  
 Is there anything out your way in the west of the state with a half-decent selection?


----------



## gibbro

New goodies.
  

  
  

  
  
  
 Pile of stuff to sell.


----------



## DarKen23

gibbro said:


> New goodies.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice keyboard. Is that the K95?


----------



## DarKen23

philo50 said:


> darken23 said:
> 
> 
> > Inside my man-cave
> ...


 
 Thanks bud! I need my amp for the HE-6 though


----------



## gibbro

> Nice keyboard. Is that the K95?


 
  
 K90


----------



## subsonic1050

Gibbro - what stuff are you selling?


----------



## gibbro

few power cables, VLINK 192, VPSU III, D100 MKII, HA160 + other stuff I cant remember....


----------



## randerson07

Currently I do 99% of my listening at work and here is what that looks like
 Thrift store Sony STR-252 I found for a few bucks

  
 My dads old Sony PS-X7 and my ATH-A900X

  
 Ebay Chinese USB DAC/AMP


----------



## ssrock64

randerson07 said:


> Ebay Chinese USB DAC/AMP


 
 Is the DAC/amp any good?


----------



## randerson07

ssrock64 said:


> Is the DAC/amp any good?


 
  
 I like it better than the Fiio E10 I had. I dont have much else to compare to. I like it better than the Yamaha AV receiver I was using as a DAC at home. I believe it uses the same USB chip as some of the Schiit gear, since I needed to download a driver from their website to get it to work.
  
 As an Amp I found it didnt really provide a ton of power, I found myself listening regularly with the volume up near 80% on the windows slider. Im now using a line out of it into the receiver.


----------



## wolfetan44

randerson07 said:


> ssrock64 said:
> 
> 
> > Is the DAC/amp any good?
> ...


 
 You should turn up the Windows slider to 100%, then adjust with your amp.


----------



## randerson07

wolfetan44 said:


> You should turn up the Windows slider to 100%, then adjust with your amp.


 
 The ebay amp doesnt have a volume adjustment.
  
 Its this item
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251261466078


----------



## magiccabbage

one
  

  
 Two
  

  
 Three
  

  
 Go


----------



## wolfetan44

randerson07 said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > You should turn up the Windows slider to 100%, then adjust with your amp.
> ...


 
 Oh, gotcha.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

magiccabbage said:


> one
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Awesome!! are the HD800's the new thing? It looks beautiful and the Woo is simply drop dead gorgeous.


----------



## magiccabbage

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Awesome!! are the HD800's the new thing? It looks beautiful and the Woo is simply drop dead gorgeous.


 
 yea the are new, just burned in now. got a pile of tubes as well


----------



## SpencerWood




----------



## IcedTea

That's a really clean set up. I like it a lot!


----------



## ssrock64

spencerwood said:


>


 
 Is that desk homebuilt?


----------



## Drsparis

A few additions!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Well gentleman, it pains me to say it, yet at the same time, I am relieved. I've finished. I have no more need nor want to upgrade anything in my main setup. With this addition of what is in my opinion a great turntable, everything just sounds right. The speakers are beautifully dynamic with a wonderful presence in the room. The headphones are detailed,quick, intimate, and crystal clear. The upgradeitis has been cured. 



Now onto making a legitimate desktop setup


----------



## Maxvla

You have only just begun.


----------



## bbophead

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Well gentleman, it pains me to say it, yet at the same time, I am relieved. I've finished. I have no more need nor want to upgrade anything in my main setup. With this addition of what is in my opinion a great turntable, everything just sounds right. The speakers are beautifully dynamic with a wonderful presence in the room. The headphones are detailed,quick, intimate, and crystal clear. The upgradeitis has been cured.
> 
> 
> 
> Now onto making a legitimate desktop setup


 
 Congratulations!  That must be one small room.


----------



## Wasatchsummits

This is as of tonight, just getting started out. This in the pic and a bunch of IEM's in the closet...


----------



## lord_tris

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Well gentleman, it pains me to say it, yet at the same time, I am relieved. I've finished. I have no more need nor want to upgrade anything in my main setup. With this addition of what is in my opinion a great turntable, everything just sounds right. The speakers are beautifully dynamic with a wonderful presence in the room. The headphones are detailed,quick, intimate, and crystal clear. The upgradeitis has been cured.
> 
> 
> 
> Now onto making a legitimate desktop setup


 
 Better delete the account and forget to log on in here... or it might happen more!!!


----------



## Destroysall

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Well gentleman, it pains me to say it, yet at the same time, I am relieved. I've finished. I have no more need nor want to upgrade anything in my main setup. With this addition of what is in my opinion a great turntable, everything just sounds right. The speakers are beautifully dynamic with a wonderful presence in the room. The headphones are detailed,quick, intimate, and crystal clear. The upgradeitis has been cured.
> 
> 
> 
> Now onto making a legitimate desktop setup


 
 As long as the music being reproduced is soothing to your ears, congratulations!!! : - )


----------



## ssrock64

drsparis said:


>


 
 How does the Emotiva look in person? I know it's gotten high praise, but every time I see a photo of one it looks a little...cheap. Maybe it's just the bright LEDs that make it seem so.


----------



## MorbidToaster

ssrock64 said:


> How does the Emotiva look in person? I know it's gotten high praise, but every time I see a photo of one it looks a little...cheap. Maybe it's just the bright LEDs that make it seem so.




First time you touch one you'll change your mind. They're built like tanks.

Also, relative to price...they are cheap.


----------



## FOX1201




----------



## ssrock64

morbidtoaster said:


> First time you touch one you'll change your mind. They're built like tanks.
> 
> Also, relative to price...they are cheap.


 
 I've been casually thinking of getting one for awhile, but I've been worried about build quality. Your praise may have put me over the edge.


----------



## subsonic1050

ssrock - Over the last two weeks I have owned the XDA-2, and now just arriving today the DC-1. My XDA-2 died within 2 days (hence the reason for the DC-1). However, if build quality is your concern, that should immediately be thrown out as a reason to purchase something from Emotiva. From the two DAC's I have seen, the build quality is absolutely second to none in this price range. Heck, just FEEL one of their remotes and you will know what I mean.


----------



## jaywillin

ssrock64 said:


> I've been casually thinking of getting one for awhile, but I've been worried about build quality. Your praise may have put me over the edge.



I actually went to emotiva up in Franklin , and was very impressed with the build quality, before settling on the wadia, I had tried the stealth DAC, the DC-1 , very nice stuff, great price, and I was impressed with the folks there!


----------



## Drsparis

ssrock64 said:


> How does the Emotiva look in person? I know it's gotten high praise, but every time I see a photo of one it looks a little...cheap. Maybe it's just the bright LEDs that make it seem so.


 
 Build quality is fantastic! Don't let that or sound quality deter you. For this price, it will be very hard to find something comparable. Can't seem to find much differences between the Lyr and the Mini-x... apart from a brighter and slightly more detailed sound signature.


----------



## wes008

fox1201 said:


>


 
 Nice setup. The Beyer DT models can go for miles with DAC, amp, and cable upgrades.


----------



## FOX1201

wes008 said:


> Nice setup. The Beyer DT models can go for miles with DAC, amp, and cable upgrades.


 
  
 Thanks! They sure do, I've had them for a few years now and they still hold up. They sound great through my 70's Harman/Kardon receiver


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

bbophead said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > -snip-
> ...


 
 Thanks all!! Yeah it is a small room, my bed is to the right, meeting the wall, and to the left there's a small bookcase and then wall. That really was the best place for the speakers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 in the meantime im modding an old pair of Realistic Minimus 7 mini-bookshelves and it's coming along great!! I've got a thread about it and I'm working on making progressive updates to it.


----------



## IcedTea

@FOX1201 I spy a bass in the background  
  
 And what kind of monitors are those if you don't mind me asking. They look really nice and clean.


----------



## FOX1201

icedtea said:


> @FOX1201 I spy a bass in the background
> 
> And what kind of monitors are those if you don't mind me asking. They look really nice and clean.


 
  
 haha that sure is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 The monitors are Gemini SR-6's. They sound as good as they look!


----------



## SpencerWood

ssrock64 said:


> Is that desk homebuilt?




It's just Ikea's build a desk thing. You go buy the top and your choice of legs. I made the monitor stand with a piece of their shelving and some kind of kitchen hardware, don't remember what. It was on a life hacker article I'm pretty sure.


----------



## ostewart

Very modest station:


----------



## ssrock64

ostewart said:


> Very modest station:


 
 I'd say that the stack on the side makes it more than modest. Nice, clean station!


----------



## ostewart

haha, iFi iDAC, iCan + iTube and also the Gemini USB cable.
  
 The headphones are German Maestro GMP 400, great headphones, really love them, with the stack you can really tailor the sound, as they are quite neutral.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Fririce0003

Had the chance to audition the Calyx Femto, Luxman DA-06 and Auralic Vega toady at Addicted to Audio supplied by my laptop via an Audiophillio and hooked up to a Liquid Gold powering my AB-1266's... Ended up walking away with the Vega and some other goodies 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  

  

  

  

  

   Purchases for today are; the Auralic Vega, Thor PS10 Power Conditioner, Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB, some Isotek EVO GII Optimum Power Cords and have an Oppo BDP 103D on order. Cannot recommend Addicted to Audio highly enough, great bunch of people....
   Though my wallet disagrees, luckily pay rise is just around the corner


----------



## Silent One

Congrats on the new goodies! Yes, I'm familiar with 'Addicted to Audio' and have seen their effort. Also, it looks like your WooAudio WA5 has attracted a couple of fans.


----------



## LugBug1

silent one said:


>


 
 Nice photo SO, worth seeing again  Standing proud with his arsenal of tubes behind him ha


----------



## leng jai




----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Nice photo SO, worth seeing again  Standing proud with his arsenal of tubes behind him ha


 
  
 Thanks. I've since raised the headphone stand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




so the cables won't bend at the bottom.


----------



## mnarwold

silent one said:


> Thanks. I've since raised the headphone stand
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Good call. Is that the HE-6? What pads do you have on there? They look amazing.


----------



## Austin Morrow

Fidelia > FLAC Files > MHDT Labs Stockholm 2 > Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass with Genalex Gold Lion E88CC/6922 Tubes > Forza Re-Cabled Vegan LCD-2.2 & HE-500.

Power cables are the DFPC by LessLoss and all other cables are brands I do not know...


----------



## HeavenNotes

Hello there
  
 This is my Aune T1 and my old renewed HD 580.  My source  is a Dell PC with Helium Music Manager program using FLAC audio files.


----------



## bbophead

Nice.
  
 Helium makes my voice sound funny.


----------



## Silent One

mnarwold said:


> Good call. Is that the HE-6? What pads do you have on there? They look amazing.


 
  
 Thanks, mnarwold. That's the HE-6 with Lawton Audio Pads.


----------



## silentmoon




----------



## parbaked

silentmoon said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Bubble wrap mod!


----------



## silentmoon

parbaked said:


> Bubble wrap mod!


 
 =)) ha ha ! 

 Yes, the Violectric V90, it's so new that i dont wana have any scratch !


----------



## Kojaku

My sad excuse for a home setup while my bifrost is lost due to the winter storm. Oh yeah, and my new full-size cans are also lost due to the winter storm. WHOO.


----------



## Drsparis

kojaku said:


> My sad excuse for a home setup while my bifrost is lost due to the winter storm. Oh yeah, and my new full-size cans are also lost due to the winter storm. WHOO.



 


Lost?


----------



## Kojaku

drsparis said:


> kojaku said:
> 
> 
> > My sad excuse for a home setup while my bifrost is lost due to the winter storm. Oh yeah, and my new full-size cans are also lost due to the winter storm. WHOO.
> ...




Yup. JFK apparently was the Bermuda triangle where my LCD-3s disappeared. My bifrost got shipped to the wrong person and is apparently just wantldering around the country until it finally finds me.

Kojaku


----------



## Drsparis

kojaku said:


> Yup. JFK apparently was the Bermuda triangle where my LCD-3s disappeared. My bifrost got shipped to the wrong person and is apparently just wantldering around the country until it finally finds me.
> 
> Kojaku




Ouch, insurance? Does the airline cover that kind of thing?


----------



## Kojaku

Well would ya look at that. I just got a tracking email saying my cans are leaving JFK tomorrow. Yay! I'll post a full picture of my setup when it's all complete.


----------



## silentmoon

kojaku said:


> Yup. JFK apparently was the Bermuda triangle where my LCD-3s disappeared. My bifrost got shipped to the wrong person and is apparently just wantldering around the country until it finally finds me.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 do they offer anything for compensation ?


----------



## Kojaku

drsparis said:


> Ouch, insurance? Does the airline cover that kind of thing?







silentmoon said:


> do they offer anything for compensation ?




The seller insured it. It looks like it's on it's way though !


----------



## kman1211

I got a new headphone today, for my ipod, phone, and my new laptop.


----------



## LugBug1

kojaku said:


> The seller insured it. It looks like it's on it's way though
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Phew! I'm excited for you bro. Look forward to some impressions compared to your HD800.


----------



## Owenpri




----------



## Kojaku

By day it's a portable DAC/Amp Solution with a smexy flagship phone....

  
 By work time it's a desktop rig on a flagship laptop!
  

  
 Kojaku


----------



## mrk

It is complete!


----------



## Androb

Great pic!


----------



## deltasun

mrk said:


> It is complete!
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!




Nice pic as usual. How come you're not using the upper headband to hang your X1? Wouldn't that keep constant strain on the springs? Btw, is that stand only available in the UK? I think I saw it once while searching online, but can't remember where I saw it.


----------



## mrk

androb said:


> Great pic!


 
 Thanks!
  


deltasun said:


> Nice pic as usual. How come you're not using the upper headband to hang your X1? Wouldn't that keep constant strain on the springs? Btw, is that stand only available in the UK? I think I saw it once while searching online, but can't remember where I saw it.


 
 I looked for UK stock but there isn't any, Germany is the source and it's sold by www.thomann.de - Shipping took a few days and there was no import tax for me to the UK either.
  
 If I use the upper headband the cable jack tension section bends and touches the base, plus the elasticated headband doesn't go full back when stored this way too as it hits the bracket bits. As it is it doesn't put much stress on the band elastic at all. At best the band extends around 1cm which is way less than what I have extended when the headphone is on my head  At least this way over time the band will slack and be less tight!


----------



## daigo

I really like the look of that Rooms audio headphone stand.  Wish they shipped to the US.


----------



## marko93101

That is one sweet looking rig, just had a look at Thomann for the stand. I mean no offence by this, but is it honestly worth that much? 
  
 Quote:


mrk said:


> It is complete!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice, clean setup!
 How's the NAD D3020 as a headphone amp?  I was looking at it last night just to run some desktop speakers.  I haven't found any powered speakers that I like so was thinking about going the D3020 route + Paradigm MilleniaOne or Martin Logan Motion 4..
  
 Quote:


mrk said:


> It is complete!


----------



## Duckman

This is a slightly more organised version of my rig


----------



## mrk

daigo said:


> I really like the look of that Rooms audio headphone stand.  Wish they shipped to the US.


 
 It might be worth emailing them to if they would make a special order!
    
 Quote:


marko93101 said:


> That is one sweet looking rig, just had a look at Thomann for the stand. I mean no offence by this, but is it honestly worth that much?


 
 Going by the sum of the components on this stand I don't think it is based on that alone and I have enough skill with my hands to be able to make something that is very similar from wood or metal but the thing is that not many people out there including myself have access to the materials and machinery to be able to do it so we're left with buying manufactured ones like this. It's high quality of course and well balanced/designed and that comes at a premium cost.
  
 The other thing is that it's quite a niche market for this sort of thing. Look on eBay for headphone stands and anything that looks remotely similar in this style costs £50+ whereas acrylic omega variants are half the cost.
  
 I thought of it like this.
 The X1 is an expensive headphone and a stylish and supremely built one too so because of that I was happy to buy a stand that was equally impressive to look at and use and won't look dated in years to come. I think it matches the styling of the X1 perfectly 
  



mickeyvee said:


> Nice, clean setup!
> How's the NAD D3020 as a headphone amp?  I was looking at it last night just to run some desktop speakers.  I haven't found any powered speakers that I like so was thinking about going the D3020 route + Paradigm MilleniaOne or Martin Logan Motion 4..


 
 It's really really nice as a headphone amp but also as a desktop amp for powering speakers of many varieties. Review sites tested them with speakers costing thousands of £ but I've got a pair of Tannoy V4 floorstanders and they produce cinema like noises in movies and auditorium like music. For a medium to large sized room you're going to get really good performance, loud enough to annoy the neighbours too.
  


duckman said:


> This is a slightly more organised version of my rig


 
 That lot looks mighty impressive and expensive!


----------



## deltasun

Don't know if it's worth the cheddar, that would be a personal thing. However, I'm pretty much decided in wanting one with that type of curved surface to minimize any pressure points on the headband. I only know of that one, the Woo Audio ones (which I have en route), and the plastic, table-edge ones from Sennheiser (which I'll probably get too for quick/ease of use).


----------



## jibzilla

daigo said:


> I really like the look of that Rooms audio headphone stand.  Wish they shipped to the US.


----------



## jibzilla

deltasun said:


> Don't know if it's worth the cheddar, that would be a personal thing. However, I'm pretty much decided in wanting one with that type of curved surface to minimize any pressure points on the headband. I only know of that one, the Woo Audio ones (which I have en route), and the plastic, table-edge ones from Sennheiser (which I'll probably get too for quick/ease of use).


----------



## jude

Chord Hugo, Bluetooth-paired with an Apple iPod Touch 64GB, playing music with MOG. At the time of this photo, I was walking around with the *AKG K812*, and didn't want any extra wires dangling from the rig, so I opted to use the Hugo's Bluetooth connectivity. 
  
 While this setup certainly doesn't extract the best from the Hugo, it is fantastic to have Bluetooth connectivity (and MOG) for a quick fix of music.


----------



## marko93101

deltasun said:


> Don't know if it's worth the cheddar, that would be a personal thing. However, I'm pretty much decided in wanting one with that type of curved surface to minimize any pressure points on the headband. I only know of that one, the Woo Audio ones (which I have en route), and the plastic, table-edge ones from Sennheiser (which I'll probably get too for quick/ease of use).


 
  
  
 I keep going back to look at them! Very attractive, just a shame I've nothing attractive to put with them


----------



## deltasun

jibzilla said:


> The woos are good, the room fs is the best.




Definitely agree, and wish they were available here in the US without having to pay so much to ship them from overseas.




marko93101 said:


> I keep going back to look at them! Very attractive, just a shame I've nothing attractive to put with them




Well, get working on that.  Though, I think almost anything would look good on those.


----------



## Androb

jude said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You should have included a pic of the Akg


----------



## deltasun

Got my stand today. They are solidly built!


----------



## roamling

Nothing fancy, but very detailed and fluid sound: JRiver 19 > Meridian Explorer > ifi iAmp >Beyerdynamic DT 990 (250ohm)


----------



## mrk

That is very nice!
  
 Although the cables just mess about which is a shame but perfect especially with 2 cans, I guess if you had one pair only the cable could go on the other end though


----------



## kramer5150

Rig 2014


----------



## deltasun

mrk said:


> That is very nice!
> 
> Although the cables just mess about which is a shame but perfect especially with 2 cans, I guess if you had one pair only the cable could go on the other end though




Yeah, just gotta live with the cables that way. I really wanted multiples of the Single version, but just too pricey that way. So, I opted for the dual. I might still buy another one, a Single, down the road. Or, just spring for a bit more and get the Rooms one.


----------



## whirlwind

kramer5150 said:


> Rig 2014


 

 Very nice, kramer!


----------



## kramer5150

Thanks.  I could have sworn I posted these pics before.  I can;t remember.
  
 Rig with cans, and restoring / repainting the Darkvoice 337 chassis.  Testing before buttoning everything back up.  The faceplate is a royal pain to get on and off.

  
  
 All done, with tube cage and new power switches.


----------



## Androb

That amp looked sweet without the Tube cage ))


----------



## Androb

Recieved my MKVI+  Testing it only with rca and SE plug atm since i'm waiting for my Cardas XLR ic cable, and just ordered some connectors to make my own cable for my HD650  LCD-3 gonna get ordered after 8th Februari aswell so this will be a good year!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Love seeing all the great gear you guys have.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jude said:


> Chord Hugo, Bluetooth-paired with an Apple iPod Touch 64GB, playing music with MOG. At the time of this photo, I was walking around with the *AKG K812*, and didn't want any extra wires dangling from the rig, so I opted to use the Hugo's Bluetooth connectivity.
> 
> While this setup certainly doesn't extract the best from the Hugo, it is fantastic to have Bluetooth connectivity (and MOG) for a quick fix of music.




Thanks for sharing this Jude. It looks amazing.


----------



## Oregonian

androb said:


> That amp looked sweet without the Tube cage ))


 

 Ditto.  I'd be tempted to go topless......................


----------



## Maxvla

I always love seeing those Little Dot MKVIs and MKVIIISEs. Huge bang for the buck and they look fantastic too.


----------



## Silent One

I leave my cages off too. I wanna be able to enjoy the tube aesthetic on display.


----------



## mrAdrian

Is it worth upgrading from a La Figaro 339 to a little dot mkvi or mkviii to take advantage of my balanced DAC? My heapdhones are recabled balanced as well.


----------



## jdandy

*My new Sennheiser HDVA 600* headphone amplifier and Sennheiser CH 800 S balanced headphone cable arrived today.  It didn't take me long to get the Musical Fidelity X-Can V8P headphone amp out and the new HDVA 600 installed.  The headphone rig now consists of a Sony Vaio/JRiver Media Center 19 via USB to the W4S DAC2, Oppo BDP-83 as a transport feeding a digital signal to the Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 which is feeding the Sennheiser HDVA 600 with balanced Wireworld Silver Eclipse interconnects, Sennheiser HD800 headphone with CH 800 S balanced headphone cable.  I have 13 hours on the HDVA 600 amp and about 28 hours on the HD800.  Considering that break-in is on going this setup is sounding outstanding.  Listening to Lee Ritenour - Rhythm Sessions hi-res download (24/96) right now.  Just fabulous.


----------



## Androb

maxvla said:


> I always love seeing those Little Dot MKVIs and MKVIIISEs. Huge bang for the buck and they look fantastic too.



Seems to be good so far idd. Yet to see how it performs balanced tho


----------



## Androb

mradrian said:


> Is it worth upgrading from a La Figaro 339 to a little dot mkvi or mkviii to take advantage of my balanced DAC? My heapdhones are recabled balanced as well.



I can't answer that question since I haven't tried balanced yet. Also don't know how that amp is you got  But I guess if you got balanced stuff why not try it.


----------



## LugBug1

jdandy said:


> *My new Sennheiser HDVA 600* headphone amplifier and Sennheiser CH 800 S balanced headphone cable arrived today.  It didn't take me long to get the Musical Fidelity X-Can V8P headphone amp out and the new HDVA 600 installed.  The headphone rig now consists of a Sony Vaio/JRiver Media Center 19 via USB to the W4S DAC2, Oppo BDP-83 as a transport feeding a digital signal to the Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 which is feeding the Sennheiser HDVA 600 with balanced Wireworld Silver Eclipse interconnects, Sennheiser HD800 headphone with CH 800 S balanced headphone cable.  I have 13 hours on the HDVA 600 amp and about 28 hours on the HD800.  Considering that break-in is on going this setup is sounding outstanding.  Listening to Lee Ritenour - Rhythm Sessions hi-res download (24/96) right now.  Just fabulous.


 
 Congrats. Thats an envious set up you've got there!


----------



## Maxvla

androb said:


> Seems to be good so far idd. Yet to see how it performs balanced tho



You haven't heard the MKVI+ yet then


----------



## Androb

maxvla said:


> You haven't heard the MKVI+ yet then



Haha seems promising. Have some cardas ic incoming


----------



## jdandy

lugbug1 said:


> Congrats. Thats an envious set up you've got there!


 

*LugBug1.......*Thank you.  I am impressed with the HDVA 600's performance right out of the box.  I don't know how much time Sennheiser puts on the amps at the factory in Germany but it sounds amazing with 14 hours on it.  I finally shut it off about 2:30 AM.  I imagine that with a 150 hours or so of break-in the HDVA 600 will settle into it's permanent voice.  If it gets much better I may never take the HD800's off my head.


----------



## Kojaku

Stopping point till I can afford a balanced stack. 
  

  
  
 First impressions in one line:
 HD800+Lyr (Rolled SO many kinds of tubes...) < LCD-3 + Asgard (A little dry for some folks, but I kinda like the LCD-3 a little tighter).
  
 Kojaku


----------



## pdameno66

Bedroom setup

 Living room setup

 .....still burning in


----------



## ostewart

And another pic of my setup, with some modded SR60's


----------



## bbophead

pdameno66 said:


> Bedroom setup
> 
> Living room setup
> 
> .....still burning in


 
 Nice shots of a nice rig!


----------



## AsianBatman

Quote:Where's the bathroom setup?  





bbophead said:


> Nice shots of a nice rig!


 
  
@pdameno66* *Where's the bathroom setup?


----------



## bbophead

asianbatman said:


> Quote:Where's the bathroom setup?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 If I may be so bold, it's probably in the bathroom.


----------



## lcooksl




----------



## Drsparis

pdameno66 said:


> Bedroom setup
> 
> Living room setup
> 
> .....still burning in


 
 Curious, what do you use as source? (apart from the obvious record player lol)


----------



## SixthFall

Just got the Schiit, sounds good so far


----------



## pdameno66

Sorry, I forgot to mention to my sources in the signature.
Pro-ject 10.2 Turntable with project tube box
Denon sacd dvd 3910
Ipad 3 (just behind Musical fidelity M1 HPA amp)
NeXT post: Pictures of bathroom setup (I am using it right now)


----------



## MickeyVee

*Sweet!* please post your impressions on the HD800 thread 
  
 Quote:


jdandy said:


> *My new Sennheiser HDVA 600* headphone amplifier and Sennheiser CH 800 S balanced headphone cable arrived today.
> I have 13 hours on the HDVA 600 amp and about 28 hours on the HD800.  Considering that break-in is on going this setup is sounding outstanding.  Listening to Lee Ritenour - Rhythm Sessions hi-res download (24/96) right now.  Just fabulous.


----------



## AsianBatman

pdameno66 said:


> Sorry, I forgot to mention to my sources in the signature.
> Pro-ject 10.2 Turntable with project tube box
> Denon sacd dvd 3910
> Ipad 3 (just behind Musical fidelity M1 HPA amp)
> NeXT post: Pictures of bathroom setup (I am using it right now)


 
  
 I was really joking about the bathroom setup but noiceeeee.


----------



## SixthFall

asianbatman said:


> I was really joking about the bathroom setup but noiceeeee.


 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HWX1J8/ref=amb_link_4876972_4/102-0717064-2030502?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-6&pf_rd_r=0PAR2BEE41WB2R9HB4QV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=300431401&pf_rd_i=507846
  
 Bet you its this....


----------



## pdameno66

You got it 
Of corse I Washington jogging too.....
No setup in the bathroom


----------



## pdameno66

Sorry, bad typing error....
Of course I was joking too.......


----------



## SixthFall

pdameno66 said:


> Sorry, bad typing error....
> Of course I was joking too.......


 
 lol, i was wondering what was going on for a second there


----------



## ssrock64

lcooksl said:


>


 
 Impressive.


----------



## silversurfer616

Have replaced the Havana DAC with a Metrum Octave.
Also have sold HD800,LCD2,T5p and HE500 and all thats left are the HD600 and Magnum V5.....and a pair of SR507.
Had or at least listened to most top tier headphones and amps and coming full circle somehow.....back to the beginnings.....think what you will!


----------



## parbaked

silversurfer616 said:


> Have replaced the Havana DAC with a Metrum Octave.
> Also have sold HD800,LCD2,T5p and HE500 and all thats left are the HD600 and Magnum V5.....and a pair of SR507.
> Had or at least listened to most top tier headphones and amps and coming full circle somehow.....back to the beginnings.....think what you will!


 
 How is the Crack with the Magnums?
 I like both but never heard them together...


----------



## ssrock64

silversurfer616 said:


> Had or at least listened to most top tier headphones and amps and coming full circle somehow.....back to the beginnings.....think what you will!


 
 I kind of did that whole thing to a lesser scale. I had the Benchmark DAC-1 > Auditor > PS1K and T5p at one point, and now I'm enjoying an ODAC, a fairly generic (but high-quality) AMC 1100 preamp, and the MD V3.2 as well as the E90/ESP950 combo.


----------



## silversurfer616

The Magnums are still new and slowly begin to open up and extend.With the Havana tube DAC everything was too thick and heavy when in combination with the Crack.....too many tube components,me thinks.....,so I replaced the Havana with the Octave.
With the same headphones the combination Crack/Octave is on a different level compared to the Crack/Havana.
Everything is clearer,better imaging and soundstage.
But for me the Magnums have the best synergy with the Fiio X3!


----------



## ssrock64

silversurfer616 said:


> The Magnums are still new and slowly begin to open up and extend.With the Havana tube DAC everything was too thick and heavy when in combination with the Crack.....too many tube components,me thinks.....,so I replaced the Havana with the Octave.
> With the same headphones the combination Crack/Octave is on a different level compared to the Crack/Havana.
> Everything is clearer,better imaging and soundstage.
> But for me the Magnums have the best synergy with the Fiio X3!


 
 Is the V6 headband a typical Magnum addition, or did you do that yourself? I've never really looked into the mod at all.


----------



## senson

It's gonna be a fun weekends! bunch of new stuff arrived along with new rack.
  
 Have great weekends all!!


----------



## parbaked

you look set...


----------



## DefQon

What's the Belkin thing on the bottom? PS Conditioner?


----------



## senson

defqon said:


> What's the Belkin thing on the bottom? PS Conditioner?


 
 Yes it is forgot the name of it though;;


----------



## ethan7000

Which amp is that above the belkin
  
 Quote:


senson said:


> It's gonna be a fun weekends! bunch of new stuff arrived along with new rack.
> 
> Have great weekends all!!


----------



## ethan7000

Edit: double post


----------



## Silent One

senson said:


> It's gonna be a fun weekends! bunch of new stuff arrived along with new rack.
> 
> Have great weekends all!!


 




 What a weekend.... "Happy Martin Luther King, Jr" to you; everyone! And be sure to:
  
 1. Keep your 'mobile' charged but away from your source
 2. Order Delivery to prevent absentmindedness while cooking.... _and burning down the building. _


----------



## senson

ethan7000 said:


>


 
 It's Woo Audio WA2


----------



## DefQon

I like the rack/hifi stand. Piano black tempered glass with a strike of silver sides and feets. Would look good with my Accuphase set.


----------



## Austin Morrow




----------



## jaywillin

my year long evolution
  
  
  



  

  
 and there may be some tweeking, some exploring, but i may be about done !!


----------



## Tuco1965

jaywillin said:


> my year long evolution
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 for now...


----------



## jaywillin

tuco1965 said:


> for now...


 

 i have said this before , lol


----------



## mnarwold

jaywillin said:


> i have said this before , lol


 
 You apparently make more money than I do 
 I like seeing the evolution.


----------



## jaywillin

mnarwold said:


> You apparently make more money than I do
> I like seeing the evolution.


 

 well, i've bought mostly used, or traded, and learned more, and had more fun than just plopping down some cash


----------



## wolfetan44

I'm done for a while.. Also, got some high-end cables, I'm a crazy cable person..


----------



## Greed

wolfetan44 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Why such a long cable if your setup is so close to your seat? 
  
 Btw Nice simple setup!


----------



## wolfetan44

I use my HD650's when relaxing, so I lay down in my bed, hence the 10 foot cable.


----------



## Greed

wolfetan44 said:


> I use my HD650's when relaxing, so I lay down in my bed, hence the 10 foot cable.


 
  
 Dig that, the HD650 are still one of the most comfortable headphones I've worn.


----------



## wolfetan44

greed said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > I use my HD650's when relaxing, so I lay down in my bed, hence the 10 foot cable.
> ...


 
 Really? My pads are a little hard, and clamp is pretty tight. I've worn those for hundreds of hours too..


----------



## calipilot227

Take the pads off the headphone, and work them gently in your hands to soften up the foam. I also find them to be the most comfortable headphones I've owned.


----------



## wolfetan44

calipilot227 said:


> Take the pads off the headphone, and work them gently in your hands to soften up the foam. I also find them to be the most comfortable headphones I've owned.


 
 Should I wash them with soap?


----------



## Greed

wolfetan44 said:


> Really? My pads are a little hard, and clamp is pretty tight. I've worn those for hundreds of hours too..


 
  
 Honestly, a hundred hours is still in the early stages for break in. The pads will soften with your body/hair oil, and will begin to contour and shape your head. The clamp will also loosen after more use.


----------



## wolfetan44

greed said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > Really? My pads are a little hard, and clamp is pretty tight. I've worn those for hundreds of hours too..
> ...


 
 HundredS


----------



## Greed

wolfetan44 said:


> HundredS


 
  
 Don't know what to tell you, maybe some just don't find them comfortable.


----------



## wolfetan44

greed said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > HundredS
> ...


 
 Hehe, about to wash 'em with soap! Will report back..


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice setup!  _Trust me, you're never done!_




  
 Quote:


wolfetan44 said:


> I'm done for a while.. Also, got some high-end cables, I'm a crazy cable person..


----------



## wolfetan44

Can anyone guess the album on my wallpaper? And, for a while, only because of lack of funds


----------



## Androb

My listening place at the pc is getting a different look  Still got some cables to hide and some small stuff to do but starting to look nice anyway.


----------



## calipilot227

wolfetan44 said:


> Should I wash them with soap?


 
  
 You can, just make sure you rinse them completely and allow them to dry fully afterwards.


----------



## MemoryLeak

Here is mine at the moment, "Mid-Fi" I would guess haha. You all have some VERY nice listening area's. I need some stands for the cans...


----------



## DefQon

Never though I'd see a Zune 30 user, still using mine going long and strong.


----------



## MemoryLeak

defqon said:


> Never though I'd see a Zune 30 user, still using mine going long and strong.


 
 I love the Zune, the only reason I would think about getting something else would be to ease library management. I regularly use OS X as well as Windows. There really is no lossless codec that is supported cross platform while using the Zune. Unfortunate, but I just like the player too much to drop it.


----------



## Mingus Ah Um

wolfetan44 said:


> Can anyone guess the album on my wallpaper? And, for a while, only because of lack of funds


 
 The Antlers - Hospice
  
 One of my favorite yet somewhat depressing albums...


----------



## wolfetan44

mingus ah um said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > Can anyone guess the album on my wallpaper? And, for a while, only because of lack of funds
> ...


 
 Bingo! Yes, also one of my favorite albums, very depressing


----------



## ostewart

memoryleak said:


> Here is mine at the moment, "Mid-Fi" I would guess haha. You all have some VERY nice listening area's. I need some stands for the cans...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 How is the Ocean amp, I have one and love it.


----------



## MemoryLeak

ostewart said:


> How is the Ocean amp, I have one and love it.


 
 I am loving it too, although my amp experiences are limited to the E12 and the Ocean. But the Ocean really brings out the bass of the DT-990, even with the stock tube. I think it sounds great.


----------



## DragonOwen

Since my last posting into this thread I bought MacMini as my digital source for music (also upgrade it already: changed stock 1TB HDD on 128GB SSD and stock 2x2GB RAM modules on 2x8GB RAM modules), now listening music mostly through JRiver controlling it via JRemote app on my Ipad, it's very comfortable way to control IMO, I like it very much... also MacMini is really a great digital source via USB for Debussy in terms of sound quality 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  
 Cable "hell" in the back of the rack


----------



## ssrock64

androb said:


> My listening place at the pc is getting a different look  Still got some cables to hide and some small stuff to do but starting to look nice anyway.


 
 That lighting...


----------



## MickeyVee

Oh my! What a stung setup! End game system if I ever saw one.
 I'm thinking of going full SSD in my MacMini.  I'm finding that the same music sounds a little better out of my MacBook Air. HD noise?
 Anyway, very, very nice.  I'm sure that it sounds as good as it looks.
  
  
 Quote:


dragonowen said:


> Since my last posting into this thread I bought MacMini as my digital source for music (also upgrade it already: changed stock 1TB HDD on 128GB SSD and stock 2x2GB RAM modules on 2x8GB RAM modules), now listening music mostly through JRiver controlling it via JRemote app on my Ipad, it's very comfortable way to control IMO, I like it very much... also MacMini is really a great digital source via USB for Debussy in terms of sound quality


----------



## JayDogon

Dis be my modi/magni, koss prodj100 and a DIY headstand


----------



## wolfetan44

jaydogon said:


> Dis be my modi/magni, koss prodj100 and a DIY headstand


 
 Nice!! I find the DJ100 to be a fantastic buy for $50, I would try to change the pads though, as they're pretty uncomfortable, not sure what would fit though..


----------



## JayDogon

I heard of some people swapping the ear pads for the m50 ones


----------



## detoxguy

I have been drifting away from tubes for my speaker rig and have replaced my Antique Sound Labs monoblocks and MAD preamp (for sale btw) with the Musical Fidelity M3i and couldn't be more impressed. I use the wall mounted monitor for the ability to display album art and menus from Apple TV (occasional Netflix use) through the Bifrost Uber streaming the library on my Mac mini. 

Of course there are my beloved HE-500 powered by my Lyr.

I plan on replacing the little dot cd transport and the Bifrost soon with the Oppo BDP-105. 

I'm in love with my mighty Kef Q900 speakers. I'm on a pretty tight budget but have done a ton of research and listening and all my components punch well above their prices and the sound I'm getting is incredible.


----------



## Amictus

Well, this is off-thread and off-piste, but I came across this while looking for HD800 prices in Germany. I was very tempted to steal one of the photos and post it as 'My Head-fi station in its current state'. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 http://audio-creativ.de/museum_e.html


----------



## Zojokkeli

Very basic setup. Thinking about investing to one more quality cans (HD 650 or HE-400i, if I can justify the price difference) and a pair of speakers, and then I shall be done with this madness.


----------



## 62ohm

zojokkeli said:


> Very basic setup. Thinking about investing to one more quality cans (HD 650 or HE-400i, if I can justify the price difference) and a pair of speakers, and then _*I shall be done with this madness.*_


 
 that's what we all said


----------



## Eternal Schism

Cables trouble underneath. Laptop > nfb 28 > phones. Tv hooked to hdmi while sound fed through the nfb. Very messy makeshift for now.
  
 Sorry for picture quality.
  
 Headphones pictured : HE500, LCD2, HD800, T1, Alpha Dog, TH600, HD650, FA-011


----------



## flan208

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## jibzilla

detoxguy said:


> I have been drifting away from tubes for my speaker rig and have replaced my Antique Sound Labs monoblocks and MAD preamp (for sale btw) with the Musical Fidelity M3i and couldn't be more impressed. I use the wall mounted monitor for the ability to display album art and menus from Apple TV (occasional Netflix use) through the Bifrost Uber streaming the library on my Mac mini.
> 
> Of course there are my beloved HE-500 powered by my Lyr.
> 
> ...


----------



## jibzilla

eternal schism said:


> Cables trouble underneath. Laptop > nfb 28 > phones. Tv hooked to hdmi while sound fed through the nfb. Very messy makeshift for now.
> 
> Sorry for picture quality.
> 
> Headphones pictured : HE500, LCD2, HD800, T1, Alpha Dog, TH600, HD650, FA-011


----------



## ostewart

Got a stand from iFi for my iFi Stack, also the C5D with my iPod sat on top of it


----------



## jaywillin

> Headphones pictured : HE500, LCD2, HD800, T1, Alpha Dog, TH600, HD650, FA-011


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







  
 Cables trouble underneath. Laptop > nfb 28 > phones. Tv hooked to hdmi while sound fed through the nfb. Very messy makeshift for now.
  
 Sorry for picture quality.


 i'm considering the alpha dogs, how do they compare with your headphone line up ??


----------



## Varoudis

jaywillin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I'd like to know that too! As they are closed and in my situation might be better than open


----------



## JayDogon

zojokkeli said:


> Very basic setup. Thinking about investing to one more quality cans (HD 650 or HE-400i, if I can justify the price difference) and a pair of speakers, and then I shall be done with this madness.


 
 What computer monitor is that? looks really cool, +1 for schiit stack.


----------



## Zojokkeli

jaydogon said:


> What computer monitor is that? looks really cool, +1 for schiit stack.


 
 Thanks! The monitor is Dell UltraSharp U2414H with the additional sound bar.


----------



## lord_tris

so much schiit


----------



## wolfetan44

Woaah! Awesome!!


----------



## jaywillin

lord_tris said:


> so much schiit


 
  
  
 i too have been known for a lot of schiit !!


----------



## MemoryLeak

I bet both of those racks smell like.....


----------



## Tuco1965

My kind of Schiit!


----------



## ssrock64

ostewart said:


> Got a stand from iFi for my iFi Stack, also the C5D with my iPod sat on top of it


 
 Wow, that's kind of neat. I don't think I've ever considered a mini rack like that before for my computer setup; I should build one.


----------



## ostewart

ssrock64 said:


> Wow, that's kind of neat. I don't think I've ever considered a mini rack like that before for my computer setup; I should build one.


 
  
 Yeah iFi previewed it at the head-fi meet in London in October, but it wasn't in production yet. They sent me the stack for review, and today the rack arrived, so it sits neatly on my desk. Also if you look closely it has rubber o rings between each level (less vibrations) and also it uses spikes as the feet which have little pads they slot in to. Very well thought out design, I love the look if it.
 Still got to make 1 pair of RCA interconnects for it to be complete, and it is a great desktop setup.


----------



## ostewart

Seems i have got the o-ring part wrong, from the facebook page it is different.... Didn't come with instructions haha


----------



## abaebae




----------



## LugBug1

abaebae said:


>


 
 Very nice indeed. 
  
 That bottom shelf is just crying out for a vintage receiver


----------



## Oregonian

lugbug1 said:


> Very nice indeed.
> 
> That bottom shelf is just crying out for a vintage receiver


 

 Or 2...................


----------



## 62ohm




----------



## abaebae

lugbug1 said:


> Very nice indeed.
> 
> That bottom shelf is just crying out for a vintage receiver


 
  
  


oregonian said:


> Or 2...................


 
 i might have made the bottom shelf a bit too large, but who knows what ends up there in the future


----------



## Tuco1965

Damn I could use a rack like that.


----------



## mnarwold

So, my 3 year old daughter, after listening to headphones with daddy, said she wants a headphone amp for her birthday 
 This is the only place in the world that would appreciate such a statement


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> That bottom shelf is just crying out for a vintage receiver


 
  


abaebae said:


> i might have made the bottom shelf a bit too large


 
 Impossible to be too large. LB1 is suggesting a MONSTER vintage receiver!


----------



## Armaegis

mnarwold said:


> So, my 3 year old daughter, after listening to headphones with daddy, said she wants a headphone amp for her birthday
> This is the only place in the world that would appreciate such a statement


 
  
 And by the time she turns 5 she's going to want her own vinyl rig


----------



## AlanHell

mnarwold said:


> So, my 3 year old daughter, after listening to headphones with daddy, said she wants a headphone amp for her birthday
> This is the only place in the world that would appreciate such a statement


 

 A typical case to produce a spoil child.Not sure what will be her 16 year old presents~
 Hopefully you won't end up buying her a Ferrari  because it will be a more affordable alternative.
  
 I think my kid will just be happy to inherited my current gear.


----------



## bbophead

Taken at the recent Austin meet.  6 years old and digging Bill Evans on vinyl.


----------



## parbaked

bbophead said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That looks like the Morbid Toaster's rig...Did he let the young enthusiast touch anything?


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

parbaked said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...



Yep that's MorbidToasters alright  he let me play with it at the last Dallas meet.


----------



## bbophead

parbaked said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 I didn't see anybody touching it.  The boy belongs to Patrick of Nice Cans Austin.  Patrick complained that now his son wants a vinyl rig.


----------



## mnarwold

alanhell said:


> A typical case to produce a spoil child.Not sure what will be her 16 year old presents~
> Hopefully you won't end up buying her a Ferrari  because it will be a more affordable alternative.
> 
> I think my kid will just be happy to inherited my current gear.


 

 You assume I would actually buy her an amp, which I would not. She doesn't have any understanding of what it does, she just sees that daddy has one and therefore it must be a good thing. She prefers to listen to her $10 headphones over my HE-500s becuase her HPs are pink. I don't make nearly enough to spoil a child. I only posted becuase I found the comment cute, and, as I said, this is the only place anyone would understand.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote:


parbaked said:


> That looks like the Morbid Toaster's rig...Did he let the young enthusiast touch anything?


 
  


bbophead said:


> Taken at the recent Austin meet.  6 years old and digging Bill Evans on vinyl.


 
 I was about to say the same thing, ha. Regardless, this is nice to see.


----------



## AlanHell

mnarwold said:


> You assume I would actually buy her an amp, which I would not. She doesn't have any understanding of what it does, she just sees that daddy has one and therefore it must be a good thing. She prefers to listen to her $10 headphones over my HE-500s becuase her HPs are pink. I don't make nearly enough to spoil a child. I only posted becuase I found the comment cute, and, as I said, this is the only place anyone would understand.


 

 Just chill man~
 I am just kidding.
 I think everyone wants to become a parent that can actually spoil their children. Weather or not they decide to do so,  is another story.
  
 P.S.
 The frequency response of a child is much wider than an adult. You should make your music life worth a while. But, HE-500 is too much for kids, way too heavy and uncomfortable. Try toss her some nice look ATH phones~


----------



## mrAdrian

Spray paint your HE-500 paint @@


----------



## wolfetan44

alanhell said:


> mnarwold said:
> 
> 
> > So, my 3 year old daughter, after listening to headphones with daddy, said she wants a headphone amp for her birthday
> ...


 
 Thanks, dad!


----------



## calipilot227

bbophead said:


> Taken at the recent Austin meet.  6 years old and digging Bill Evans on vinyl.


 
  
 I got into vinyl when I was 5 years old, with an old BSR record changer and an old Radioshack amp. Those were the days...


----------



## bbophead

Daze?
  
 I grew up on shellac.


----------



## teb1013

bbophead said:


> Daze?
> 
> I grew up on shellac.




I still remember my grandparents' shellac 78s. Boy were those things fragile!


----------



## jay628

zojokkeli said:


> Very basic setup. Thinking about investing to one more quality cans (HD 650 or HE-400i, if I can justify the price difference) and a pair of speakers, and then I shall be done with this madness.


 
 Nice setup! Are those the PYST RCA cables from schiit connecting the DAC and amp? I have been trying to find some short RCA cables but they are all at least 1m long


----------



## jay628

lord_tris said:


> so much schiit


 
 Nice schiit!!!


----------



## jay628

Heres my basic laptop setup and schiit


----------



## 62ohm

jay628 said:


> Heres my basic laptop setup and schiit


 
  
 May I ask why did you chose the Magni over the Vali for the DT880?


----------



## mrAdrian

@jay628: Mate Schit just got real with your consecutive posts!


----------



## lord_tris

62ohm said:


> May I ask why did you chose the Magni over the Vali for the DT880?


 

 Cause that schiit sounds good that is why!!!


----------



## lord_tris

jay628 said:


> Heres my basic laptop setup and schiit


 
 NIce choice as well with all that schiit


----------



## lord_tris

jay628 said:


> Nice setup! Are those the PYST RCA cables from schiit connecting the DAC and amp? I have been trying to find some short RCA cables but they are all at least 1m long


 
 Yes the Schiit amp and dac are connected wtih PYST.


----------



## jay628

mradrian said:


> @jay628: Mate Schit just got real with your consecutive posts!


 
 Gonna have some schiit in every post!!


----------



## jay628

62ohm said:


> May I ask why did you chose the Magni over the Vali for the DT880?


 
 I actually want to try the Vali or Vahalla with the DT880 as I have been hearing that tubes are good with the 880. I haven't really tried much as the Modi and Magni are my first DAC/Amp. They do sound a bit bright to me tho.


----------



## olor1n

Firing up for a Big Boi Session.


----------



## 62ohm

olor1n said:


> Firing up for a Big Boi Session.


 
  
 Looks exquisite mate, is that the HD600 or 650?


----------



## olor1n

It's the HD650. I may have got carried away with the image filters.


----------



## Zojokkeli

jay628 said:


> Nice setup! Are those the PYST RCA cables from schiit connecting the DAC and amp? I have been trying to find some short RCA cables but they are all at least 1m long


 
 Thanks! Yes, those are the PYST cables. Nice setup with you too! Always glad to see some Schiit.


----------



## LugBug1

olor1n said:


> Firing up for a Big Boi Session.


 
 Likes it. Great photo as always. 
  
 Is the Vali a keeper? I keep promising to get myself one every payday, but then I always get something bigger!


----------



## olor1n

Thanks Lug.
  
 Yep, the Vali is a damn good buy. I'm sure you've at least glanced over the Vali thread. All the plaudits are warranted imo - particularly in its synergy with the HD800. Great resolve with good depth of soundstage, liquid smooth transitions and extended yet glare and grain free top end. My only gripe is that bass can be a tad loose (compared to the Mjolnir). Some may find that especially pleasing though.


----------



## Amictus

Olor1n - that all looks great. How is the Mjolnir with the HD800s...? and the 650s, for that matter? Thinking of changing my formum name to Envious Chris.


----------



## olor1n

It's unanimous how good the Mjolnir is for the Audez'e line but there are very few here who use it to drive the HD800. The assumption is that it is too lively for the Senn. That is what I found too when I had it paired with the Gungnir. Upgrading to M51 revealed the Schiit dac as the culprit, with the Mjolnir simply presenting the source as is - no gloss, warts and all. With the M51/MJ pairing I get soundstage width, deep but tight low end, explosive dynamics, and zesty upper mids and treble - without the obnoxiously loud and compressed dynamics, and fatigue inducing grain I suffered from the Gungnir/MJ combo.
  
 The Mjolnir is a wicked amp for the HD650. It turns a quaint indie film into a balls to the wall action blockbuster. I'm not sure how the HD650 could sound better.


----------



## LugBug1

olor1n said:


> Thanks Lug.
> 
> Yep, the Vali is a damn good buy. I'm sure you've at least glanced over the Vali thread. All the plaudits are warranted imo - particularly in its synergy with the HD800. Great resolve with good depth of soundstage, liquid smooth transitions and extended yet glare and grain free top end. My only gripe is that bass can be a tad loose (compared to the Mjolnir). Some may find that especially pleasing though.


 
 Right. I'm gonna get one. (next payday...) I've just bought some more cans. I'll post pics when received. 
  


amictus said:


> Olor1n - that all looks great. How is the Mjolnir with the HD800s...? and the 650s, for that matter? Thinking of changing my formum name to Envious Chris.


 
 Just checked your profile mate, we both share the same country and taste in music  Classical, Tom waits.. good stuff! 
  
 Fancy a date? 
  
(only jesting, I'm married wif kids and live all the way up north 





)


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> Just checked your profile mate, we both share the same country and taste in music  Classical, Tom waits.. good stuff!
> 
> Fancy a date?
> 
> ...


 
  
 And he speaks french and likes Burgundy wines !! .... I'm organizing an audio meeting  in Burgundy in April. Interested ?


----------



## DefQon

olor1in - I approve of your rig. Thumbs up m8.


----------



## LugBug1

sorrodje said:


> And he speaks french and likes Burgundy wines !! .... I'm organizing an audio meeting  in Burgundy in April. Interested ?


 
 Count me in


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> Count me in


 
  
 Old french Castle , French Red wine ,  Belgian Beers, Jpslabs Abyss + Eddie Current Balancing Act + pretty young gi... euh no ... no pretty girls. Only bearded audio geeks.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## LugBug1

sorrodje said:


> Old french Castle , French Red wine ,  Belgian Beers, Jpslabs Abyss + Eddie Current Balancing Act + pretty young gi... euh no ... no pretty girls. *Only bearded audio geeks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Speak for yourself, I'm a stubbled audio geek 





 Suppose I could grow one for the occasion if theres time ha. 
  
 Actually forget the hifi stuff, lets just get smashed and harass the pretty girls! Let them play with our beards!


----------



## Amictus

sorrodje said:


> Old french Castle , French Red wine ,  Belgian Beers, Jpslabs Abyss + Eddie Current Balancing Act + pretty young gi... euh no ... no pretty girls. Only bearded audio geeks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I go to Burgundy at least once a year, maybe twice, wine buying. April is not a great month for me. What are the details?


----------



## Clayton SF

mnarwold said:


> So, my 3 year old daughter, after listening to headphones with daddy, said she wants a headphone amp for her birthday
> This is the only place in the world that would appreciate such a statement


 
  
 So which ones did you have her audition and which amp did you settle on getting her?


----------



## mnarwold

clayton sf said:


> So which ones did you have her audition and which amp did you settle on getting her?


 
 Oh I thought I'd start her off with something simple, like the Woo Monoblocks. That should satisfy her for a year


----------



## Clayton SF

mnarwold said:


> Oh I thought I'd start her off with something simple, like the Woo Monoblocks. That should satisfy her for a year


 

 Actually I think it would satisfy your whole neighborhood for a year.


----------



## ostewart

Properly assembled iRack this time, with my recabled German Maestro GMP 400


----------



## parbaked

mnarwold said:


> Oh I thought I'd start her off with something simple, like the Woo Monoblocks. That should satisfy her for a year


 
 That sounds like a weak excuse for the wifey, "Darling look what I brought home for little _insert daughters name_. She's being asking for one (pair)!"


----------



## mnarwold

parbaked said:


> That sounds like a weak excuse for the wifey, "Darling look what I brought home for little _insert daughters name_. She's being asking for one (pair)!"


 
 I had never thought of that . . . of course then all "my" stuff would be pink . . .


----------



## Tuco1965

mnarwold said:


> I had never thought of that . . . of course then all "my" stuff would be pink . . .


 
 Nah just hand out rose coloured glasses when showing your stuff.


----------



## parbaked

mnarwold said:


> I had never thought of that . . . of course then all "my" stuff would be pink . . .


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


>


 
 Ooh hello sailor!


----------



## Greed

parbaked said:


>


 
  
 Bad lighting, that thing is supposed to be RED!


----------



## kid vic

olor1n said:


> Firing up for a Big Boi Session.


 
 Big Boi through Senn's? I guess you like your bass different than I.


----------



## Eee Pee

Outkast got back together for Cochella this year.


----------



## kid vic

eee pee said:


> Outkast got back together for Cochella this year.


 
 I know!!!!  
 Wish I could go


----------



## olor1n

Quote:


kid vic said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...



  
 Why not?

 The HD800's bass is one of its best qualities IMO. It's subterranean and hits hard when called upon - and it's fast, nuanced and distinct instead of smeared, lumbering flab.

 The HD650 doesn't dig as deep and its low end is characterised by that mid bass bloom but there is still good presence in that region. Through my system it's bass is taut and textured.

 Have you heard the Senns through this system?


----------



## jasonb

Just switched my setup from being a couchside setup that has been on an end table, to a more traditional desk setup. I just grabbed a desk and a chair from Staples. Cost me about $290 out the door. It's nothing too fancy, but it looks good and it works well.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

jasonb said:


> Just switched my setup from being a couchside setup that has been on an end table, to a more traditional desk setup. I just grabbed a desk and a chair from Staples. Cost me about $290 out the door. It's nothing too fancy, but it looks good and it works well.


 
  
  
 Nice setup!  This looks so cozy.  Perfect for an evening listen.


----------



## jasonb

bigfatpaulie said:


> Nice setup!  This looks so cozy.  Perfect for an evening listen.


 
 It's quite different for me. I'm so used to listening to headphones while reclining on my couch. The problem there was that I'd fall asleep so easily while reclining on the couch. I'd listen to a song or two on an album and next thing I know it's an hour or two later, the music has stopped and I'm just waking back up. So instead of a couchside setup I wanted to try a desk setup with an office chair. Right now it seems very strange, but I think I'll get used to it. I definitely like the idea, and it seems to be the way most head fiers have their headphone rig setup. I've never seen anybody else on here with their setup on an end table next to a couch.


----------



## mnarwold

jasonb said:


> It's quite different for me. I'm so used to listening to headphones while reclining on my couch. The problem there was that I'd fall asleep so easily while reclining on the couch. I'd listen to a song or two on an album and next thing I know it's an hour or two later, the music has stopped and I'm just waking back up. So instead of a couchside setup I wanted to try a desk setup with an office chair. Right now it seems very strange, but I think I'll get used to it. I definitely like the idea, and it seems to be the way most head fiers have their headphone rig setup. I've never seen anybody else on here with their setup on an end table next to a couch.


 

 I would much prefer the end-table set up as my desk chair isn't all that comfy and with my computer there I'm always distracted by things, like this site. All my music is on my computer and my DAC is USB, so I need to be near the computer. I'd love to get a recliner near the computer. My non-computer set-ups are my Ipod + Fiio E11 and my A/V System.


----------



## jasonb

mnarwold said:


> I would much prefer the end-table set up as my desk chair isn't all that comfy and *with my computer there I'm always distracted by things*, like this site. All my music is on my computer and my DAC is USB, so I need to be near the computer. I'd love to get a recliner near the computer. My non-computer set-ups are my Ipod + Fiio E11 and my A/V System.


 
 Well, my body was distracted by being to comfortable on the couch. It was so comfortable I'd fall asleep when I really wanted to stay awake and listen to music. The chair I got seems pretty comfortable though, but doesn't recline like the couch does. It was a $170 chair on sale for $99. So it isn't crazy expensive, but it wasn't super cheap either.


----------



## joseph69

jasonb said:


> It's quite different for me. I'm so used to listening to headphones while reclining on my couch. The problem there was that I'd fall asleep so easily while reclining on the couch. I'd listen to a song or two on an album and next thing I know it's an hour or two later, the music has stopped and I'm just waking back up. So instead of a couchside setup I wanted to try a desk setup with an office chair. Right now it seems very strange, but I think I'll get used to it. I definitely like the idea, and it seems to be the way most head fiers have their headphone rig setup. I've never seen anybody else on here with their setup on an end table next to a couch.


 
 I have my WA6- 325is/RS1i's next to my recliner for when I want relax and really enjoy the music (without falling asleep). At my desktop I have the Magni/Modi combo- 80i's for while I'm on the computer, but I find myself not listening as much because I'm involved with what I'm doing on the computer.


----------



## Tuco1965

My rig is beside the couch in my cave.  I feed my main stereo with the Uberfrost along with my Lyr.  It allows for head-fi and full-fi.  I've been known to fall asleep in head-fi mode.


----------



## ostewart

I often fall asleep in head-fi mode... Or nearly fall asleep, then I turn my gear off and go to bed  its easy to fall asleep with the soothing sound of the Final Audio Design Piano Forte X-G


----------



## deltasun

Yep, last night, had the La-Z-Boy chair propped up, legs extended...snoozefest, while watching the Aussie Open and listening to some tunes.


----------



## Tuco1965

I usually put something mindless to view on the tv while playing tunes.  I can feel a late nighter coming on now.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

tuco1965 said:


> I usually put something mindless to view on the tv while playing tunes.  I can feel a late nighter coming on now.


 
  
 Well, it is FRIDAY!!!!


----------



## TsukiNick




----------



## kman1211

A few updates to my system, computer is in the progress of incremental upgrades such as a new monitor and keyboard, still need to get a new mouse. Also a new headphone to add to the mix(HD 380 Pro), only showing the three headphones I use the most, not sure what to do with my other headphones. Wish I had a roomier and nicer desk, but it's a dorm supplied desk.


----------



## jaywillin

tsukinick said:


>


 

 what speakers are those ??


----------



## CJs06

Mine!


----------



## 62ohm

cjs06 said:


> Mine!


 
  
 Hello there fellow Surface (Pro?) user


----------



## CJs06

62ohm said:


> Hello there fellow Surface (Pro?) user


 

 Haha it makes a great portable source! Just a good all-rounder tablet, wish I had the Pro2 with that better battery life though.


----------



## 62ohm

cjs06 said:


> Haha it makes a great portable source! Just a good all-rounder tablet, wish I had the Pro2 with that better battery life though.


 
  
 I don't see many benefit to upgrade to Pro 2, the original one is good enough for me already. Especially if you have a usb-powered amp/dac combo, you'd have one impeccable semi-portable setup!


----------



## kid vic

olor1n said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> kid vic said:
> ...


 
 I havent heard them in that setup, but I also didnt like the HD800's when I heard them in another setup. I just havent heard any Sennheisers that i liked to be frank 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 I'm just weird like that


----------



## kid vic

jaywillin said:


> what speakers are those ??


 
 Adam F5's


----------



## FOX1201

jaywillin said:


> what speakers are those ??


 
  
 They look like a pair of ADAM F5's. Very nice monitors TsukiNick, I am super jealous


----------



## jaywillin

fox1201 said:


> They look like a pair of ADAM F5's. Very nice monitors TsukiNick, I am super jealous


 

 very nice indeed


----------



## jasonb

Added a cheapo lamp. Now I can have enough light to type if I want to.

 I love lamp.


----------



## jaywillin

jasonb said:


> Added a cheapo lamp. Now I can have enough light to type if I want to.
> 
> I love lamp.


 

 did you just say "i love lamp" ha !


----------



## bigfatpaulie

jasonb said:


> Added a cheapo lamp. Now I can have enough light to type if I want to.
> 
> I love lamp.


 
  
  
 And lamp loves you
  





 
  
 It's still cozy.


----------



## jasonb

jaywillin said:


> did you just say "i love lamp" ha !


 
  
  


bigfatpaulie said:


> And lamp loves you
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Little Anchorman reference... 
  
  
 On an unrelated note, anybody know how a set of passive studio monitors like say the KRK R6's would do on a 65 wpc at 4 ohms vintage receiver? Not looking for crazy high volume, looking for a nice clean detailed sound at a low to moderate level. The specs look good on the R6's other than the stated 81db sensitivity, which seems awful low.


----------



## jaywillin

jasonb said:


> Little Anchorman reference...


 

 hmmmm, a little jazz flute's in order !  a little ham and eggs commin' atcha !


----------



## TsukiNick

Actually those are ADAM Audio F7 Studio Monitors.
  
 The F7s look similar but have the 7 inch drivers.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

jaywillin said:


> hmmmm, a little jazz flute's in order !  a little ham and eggs commin' atcha !




  
 That's baby makin' music, that's what that is.


----------



## cswann1

Ok stop it right now....or I'm going to punch you in the ovaries.


----------



## jaytee189




----------



## deltasun

olor1n said:


> It's unanimous how good the Mjolnir is for the Audez'e line but there are very few here who use it to drive the HD800. The assumption is that it is too lively for the Senn. That is what I found too when I had it paired with the Gungnir. Upgrading to M51 revealed the Schiit dac as the culprit, with the Mjolnir simply presenting the source as is - no gloss, warts and all. With the M51/MJ pairing I get soundstage width, deep but tight low end, explosive dynamics, and zesty upper mids and treble - without the obnoxiously loud and compressed dynamics, and fatigue inducing grain I suffered from the Gungnir/MJ combo.
> 
> The Mjolnir is a wicked amp for the HD650. It turns a quaint indie film into a balls to the wall action blockbuster. I'm not sure how the HD650 could sound better.




Well, this is troubling. I'm just considering the Uber Bifrost (which borrows from the Gungnir). Now, I'm pairing with the T90s, so the synergy might be different. Thoughts?


----------



## mrAdrian

cswann1 said:


> Ok stop it right now....or I'm going to punch you in the ovaries.


----------



## JayDogon

jaytee189 said:


> Woo Audio WA7 + Alpha Dogs


 
 I love BBVDs (Big Beautiful Volume Dials), its so much nicer to make fine adjustments and they make it look 100% cooler


----------



## magiccabbage

jaytee189 said:


> Woo Audio WA7 + Alpha Dogs


 
 looks like you took those 1st 2 pics with a vintage lens. nice


----------



## deltasun

My makeshift listening station


----------



## cswann1

Never underestimate the importance of a good chair in your headphone audio rig.  That looks like a damn comfortable chair....thumbs up.


----------



## jaywillin

olor1n said:


> It's unanimous how good the Mjolnir is for the Audez'e line but there are very few here who use it to drive the HD800. The assumption is that it is too lively for the Senn. That is what I found too when I had it paired with the Gungnir. Upgrading to M51 revealed the Schiit dac as the culprit, with the Mjolnir simply presenting the source as is - no gloss, warts and all. With the M51/MJ pairing I get soundstage width, deep but tight low end, explosive dynamics, and zesty upper mids and treble - without the obnoxiously loud and compressed dynamics, and fatigue inducing grain I suffered from the Gungnir/MJ combo.
> 
> The Mjolnir is a wicked amp for the HD650. It turns a quaint indie film into a balls to the wall action blockbuster. I'm not sure how the HD650 could sound better.


 

 i've started looking at the M51, i have a wadia 121 presently, i just missed out on two units on the sale threads, but audio advisor has a demo on sale, hmmmmmm


----------



## LugBug1

My new wooden toy.


----------



## whirlwind

^ nice! ^


----------



## cswann1

Nice.  A nice custom/homemade cable with a soft paracord shell would be the icing on that cake.


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> My new wooden toy.


 
  
  
 Nice. I had a pair of RS2  few month ago. I'm really fan of grado design.


----------



## LugBug1

^^^thanks guys!
  
 Loving havin a Grado back in the stable.


----------



## jaywillin

lugbug1 said:


> My new wooden toy.


 

 love the buttons ! never had a wooden button myself


----------



## MattTCG

^^ I always enjoy your pics lugbug.


----------



## LugBug1

jaywillin said:


> love the buttons ! never had a wooden button myself


 
 My first wooden button! 
  


matttcg said:


> ^^ I always enjoy your pics lugbug.


 





 I'm surprised at how good they sound on the Steel. Tried em with a few of my vintage amps and I expected them to be noisy and lacklustre. No such thing, they are actually quieter than my Senn's! They sound full and exciting. I'll never suss this impedance thing out...


----------



## deltasun

cswann1 said:


> Never underestimate the importance of a good chair in your headphone audio rig.  That looks like a damn comfortable chair....thumbs up.




Thanks, those darned LaZBoys are awesome!


----------



## brunk

cswann1 said:


> Never underestimate the importance of a good chair in your headphone audio rig.  That looks like a damn comfortable chair....thumbs up.


 
 That is the #1 secret to audio nirvana


----------



## LugBug1

brunk said:


> That is the #1 secret to audio nirvana


 
 After Whisky...


----------



## parbaked

lugbug1 said:


> After Whisky...


 
 Before and After Whiskey...


----------



## LugBug1

parbaked said:


> Before and After Whiskey...


 
 Before whiskey? Oh you mean when you've just woke up


----------



## brunk

lugbug1 said:


> Before whiskey? Oh you mean when you've just woke up


 
 LOL


----------



## jasonb

Sorry that I keep posting pics days after day, but I have two more, then I'm done.

  

  
 Built a shelf and got a pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer SP-BS22-LR'S. The SX-750 is doing a hell of a job with these. They sound ridiculous for the size. They definitely do not sound small.


----------



## Tuco1965

Very nice and clean looking.


----------



## bbophead

jasonb said:


> Sorry that I keep posting pics days after day, but I have two more, then I'm done.
> 
> Built a shelf and got a pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer SP-BS22-LR'S. The SX-750 is doing a hell of a job with these. They sound ridiculous for the size. They definitely do not sound small.


 
 Those ARE terrific bargain speakers.  Tried 'em out myself.
  
 I wonder if tilting them down just a bit to more ear level might improve the treble, but if they're good, they're good.


----------



## jasonb

bbophead said:


> Those ARE terrific bargain speakers.  Tried 'em out myself.
> 
> I wonder if tilting them down just a bit to more ear level might improve the treble, but if they're good, they're good.




Yea i will be tilting them down soon because I actually do find them to be just slightly treble light. The other idea I had was to flip them over so the tweeters are on the bottom. But for now I have been using the tone control on the SX750 to add a bit of extra sparkle.


----------



## LugBug1

tuco1965 said:


> Very nice and clean looking.


 
 haha every time I see your avatar I LOL!  It's a classic.


----------



## Tuco1965

lugbug1 said:


> haha every time I see your avatar I LOL!  It's a classic.


 
 Thanks.  Campy old flick.


----------



## bbophead

jasonb said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Those ARE terrific bargain speakers.  Tried 'em out myself.
> ...


 
 Flipping them is an idea however it might lessen bass response without the woofer coupling to the shelf underneath.  Might try laying them on their sides, too, tweeters in or out depending on the soundstage desired.  Good luck.  I envy your journey.


----------



## Maxvla

You can still couple while tilting if you design it right and use the right materials.


----------



## jasonb

I was planning on getting a pair of the Auralex MoPad XL's for under them.


----------



## bbophead

I like Auralex.  Don't know that application.


----------



## whirlwind

jasonb said:


> I was planning on getting a pair of the Auralex MoPad XL's for under them.


 

 what receiver is that in your avatar?


----------



## jasonb

whirlwind said:


> what receiver is that in your avatar?


 
 Pioneer SX-750. The one in my other pics and listed in my forum signature.


----------



## whirlwind

Thanks.....good headphone amp ?


----------



## jasonb

bbophead said:


> I like Auralex.  Don't know that application.


 
 They are a sort of foam pad. The MoPads allow for the speakers to be angled up or down up to 8 degrees. I guess the question is whether or not I want to couple them to the shelf or isolate them from the shelf. I need to decide if I want to go the MoPad route or just use some kind of rubber feet to I guess couple them to the shelf. I'm going to sign up at audiokarma or audioholics or something and find out which is the prefered method.


----------



## jasonb

whirlwind said:


> Thanks.....good headphone amp ?


 
 Hell yea it is. It makes the Q701 sound very nice. If you can find a vintage receiver for a good price then i'd say jump on it.


----------



## cswann1

maxvla said:


> You can still couple while tilting if you design it right and use the right materials.


 
  
 There's a dirty joke here somewhere...I just know it.


----------



## RockCrayfish




----------



## jasonb

maxvla said:


> You can still couple while tilting if you design it right and use the right materials.


 
  
 I angled them down 7 degrees by just stuffing a folded up microfiber cloth under the back of each speaker. I can definitely hear an increase in the top end. They definitely sound a bit better when they are more on-axis. Tomorrow I may just grab some small rubber feet to stick under the front to make sure they don't slide being that they are at an angle on the shelf now. Maybe I'll come up with something better than the microfiber clothes but they are doing the trick. 
  
 What materials would you consider the right materials? I'm just looking for more ideas.


----------



## hydesg

heres mine for now... incoming, Yulong DA8 and Questyle CMA800R, Centrance HifiM8 and Alpha Dogs


----------



## noisyscott

Here's my bedside stack
  
 Macbook Pro USB > Yulong DA8 > Little Dot II++ (used as a pre-amp only - running Mullard M8161 drivers and Svetlana 6C19П-B power tubes) > Yulong A18 > HE-500 (stock cable converted to balanced).  Oh, and that's a Yulong P18 in the middle of it all sending smooth and clean power to everyone in the stack.  I went freaking nutz on black friday 2013 :-/
  
 The great thing about this setup is that the DA8 is simultaneously feeding unbalanced and balanced to the A18, with the Little Dot inserted as a tube pre/buffer on the SE side of the A18.  The A18 has an input toggle in the back that allows me to change from tube/SS hybrid to full SS with just a flick of the switch.  Nice.
  
 Still waiting in the wings is a Mini X A-100; it's a bit bulky to integrate on the nightstand but might end up displacing the A18 in the end.  We'll see....have to do more listening.


----------



## TsukiNick

Don't you wish the Magni's headphone output was on the left side?  I feel it was a bad design decision to have it far right when headphone cables are always on the left earcup.


----------



## cswann1

rockcrayfish said:


>


 
   Very nice and nice camera work.  I'm curious, have you ever spent time with those HD600's driven from the headphone jack on the wired remote of your Logitech speakers?


----------



## ostewart

I'm currently inbetween houses untill i start my job in march, so sometimes I'm at my grandmothers, other times at my uncle's. This is my main setup which is at my uncle's (stay there the most), for my grandmothers I just take my JDS Labs C4D and some modded Grado SR60's


----------



## RockCrayfish

cswann1 said:


> Very nice and nice camera work.  I'm curious, have you ever spent time with those HD600's driven from the headphone jack on the wired remote of your Logitech speakers?


 
  
 Thanks!
  
 Just tested it today. It does surprisingly well, actually. The sound is _slightly_ "veiled" compared to the Schiit stack. I'm not sure the upgrade to the Schiit stack was worth the money, given that the Z-2300 do so well with headphones.


----------



## jaywillin

rockcrayfish said:


>


 
 what's that stand , or improvised stand ??


----------



## RockCrayfish

jaywillin said:


> what's that stand , or improvised stand ??


 
  
 Rubbermaid Hose Hook, electric tape, PVC, nut/bolt, and some felt. Plus, about an hour of time.


----------



## cswann1

rockcrayfish said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Just tested it today. It does surprisingly well, actually. The sound is _slightly_ "veiled" compared to the Schiit stack. I'm not sure the upgrade to the Schiit stack was worth the money, given that the Z-2300 do so well with headphones.


 
  
 I agree. I have the Z2000 and the headphone circuit impressed me as well.


----------



## Ableza

Quick snap.  Not visible is the ODAC connecting the Vortexbox server to the Lyr.


----------



## jaywillin

rockcrayfish said:


> Rubbermaid Hose Hook, electric tape, PVC, nut/bolt, and some felt. Plus, about an hour of time.


 

 very nice , and thats given me an idea of how i'm going to improve some cheapo wooden stands i got off the 'bay !  thanks


----------



## Ali-Pacha

PC-Rig, with an Hifimediy DAC :
  

  
  
 Living-room :
  

  
 Off the picture : Marantz CD-6003, old Yamaha AX-470, SRD-7/SBMk2 for all Stax cans, and O2 amp for the HD600.

 Ali


----------



## skimminst

tsukinick said:


>


 

 Mentioning the peaked cap: read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS-Totenkopfverb%C3%A4nde


----------



## Ishcabible

My camera died (thankfully after I took pretty pictures of the X5) and I couldn't find my battery charger, but this is probably the only time my desk is going to be clean for a while so this is a crappy phone picture:

  
 (I honestly have no idea why this picture is so bright; Boston is positively gloomy today.)


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Recently acquired a Schiit Modi as a late christmas present (woo a real DAC now!) and an old laptop which I intend to integrate into my bedroom speaker setup. I'm gonna run foobar on it with Wasapi, I know that much already. I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for an app/program so that I can actually control Foobar/the laptop with my rooted Galaxy S4??? It would be really nice to be able to control the music from my bed.


----------



## Drsparis

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Recently acquired a Schiit Modi as a late christmas present (woo a real DAC now!) and an old laptop which I intend to integrate into my bedroom speaker setup. I'm gonna run foobar on it with Wasapi, I know that much already. I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for an app/program so that I can actually control Foobar/the laptop with my rooted Galaxy S4??? It would be really nice to be able to control the music from my bed.




I just discovered Daphile . It's a headless audiophile stripped down to the basics Linux distribution/modified squeezebox server.

I use it on my phone using any squeezebox remote or from any network computer at "http://daphile"

So far I love it


----------



## DefQon

drsparis said:


> I just discovered Daphile . It's a headless audiophile stripped down to the basics Linux distribution/modified squeezebox server.
> 
> I use it on my phone using any squeezebox remote or from any network computer at "http://daphile"
> 
> So far I love it


 
  
 Still far from perfect though trouble booting on few machines here, been following it on diyaudio since alpha and beta.


----------



## Drsparis

defqon said:


> Still far from perfect though trouble booting on few machines here, been following it on diyaudio since alpha and beta.


 
 I leave it open all the time.  hehe. I installed it on a Xtreamer Ultra HTPC and the wifi would not connect. neither did the backup of highjacking the wificard and using it backwards to send out a wireless signal to set it up. 
  
 Quick fix that I tried was to boot the usb key using my laptop. worked fine that way. Configured my wifi and saved the settings. Upon plugging the usb back into my Xtreamer, the settings were there and wifi/the whole thing worked perfectly from then on.


----------



## cswann1

ishcabible said:


> (I honestly have no idea why this picture is so bright; Boston is positively gloomy today.)


 
  
 The cameras light meter and exposure settings are probably set such that when the frame is analyzed the exposure compensates so that the darker parts (in this case the left speaker) can still be seen well, and overall the rest of the frame becomes brighter than what it seemed to your eye at the time.  Remember your eyes aperture (the pupil) is constantly changing to adjust to ambient light. Cameras have a light meter and an algorithm to tell it how to expose the shot and they are far dumber than your eyes.


----------



## sp3llv3xit

With the T1 on loan to a friend, DT770 and HD650 sold, the desk looks a bit lonely but tidier.


----------



## Androb

That is sweet! Nice and clean


----------



## Silent One

It looks as if our fellow member went on holiday!


----------



## bbophead

sp3llv3xit said:


> With the T1 on loan to a friend, DT770 and HD650 sold, the desk looks a bit lonely but tidier.


 
 Great shots!  Good looking station.  I love Woo and Grado together.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Discovering the portable magic that is the Sony V6. Purchased off of a friend. Coming straight out of my GS4 they're really quite impressive sounding.


----------



## MickeyVee

Latest and greatest addition.. added the Grado PS500.  It's a pretty dark headphone but with a touch of Audirvana+ EQ in the treble region, it's quite nice with great body.


----------



## olor1n

Odd to see someone adding treble to a Grado. Is it really that dark?

Also, have you tried USB Integer Mode 2 via Audirvana? I find it warmer than Mode 1 but haven't used it as it seemed to sacrifice some depth and resolution. I gave it a lengthy go last session and it's actually quite a pleasing match for the HD800. This is with the latest A+ version.


----------



## hodgjy

The entire state of Georgia is in lockdown mode because of the winter storm.  Well, what a perfect time to get the band back together.  I got my old Woo 3+ out of storage for a good workout.  I've missed her sweet sound.  She's flanked by my Trafomatic Head One, which is an exquisite amp.  The Trafo is my normal rig.


----------



## MickeyVee

Yes, the PS500 is dark.. darker than the HD650 to 10KHz.  Check out the HeadRoom graphs. Hilarious when you put the PS500 (blue), RS1 (red) and HD650 (green) together.  It almost looks like I'm EQ'ing for the HD650. Kind of funny but I'm liking them.
  
 re A+ and Interger Mode 2, I'll give it a try. Thanks.  The Naim is already warm but detailed for SS.

  
  
 Quote:


olor1n said:


> Odd to see someone adding treble to a Grado. Is it really that dark?


----------



## sp3llv3xit

bbophead said:


> Great shots!  Good looking station.  I love Woo and Grado together.


 

 Thanks, man.  But I don't have a Grado.


----------



## Silent One

hodgjy said:


> The entire state of Georgia is in lockdown mode because of the winter storm.  Well, what a perfect time to get the band back together.  I got my old Woo 3+ out of storage for a good workout.  I've missed her sweet sound.  She's flanked by my Trafomatic Head One, which is an exquisite amp.  The Trafo is my normal rig.


----------



## MickeyVee

I wish they would shut down Toronto but no luck. I was in Raleigh NC years ago when they had 2-3" of snow and shut it down. Absolutely hilarious.
 Enjoy your HP time!
  
 Quote:


hodgjy said:


> The entire state of Georgia is in lockdown mode because of the winter storm.


----------



## bbophead

sp3llv3xit said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Great shots!  Good looking station.  I love Woo and Grado together.
> ...


 
 I do!  Got fooled by the woody cans in the pics.


----------



## whirlwind

I thought they were modded Grado's too!


----------



## jude

Astell&Kern AK240 with the AKG K812. It's a world-class rig that fits in *a headphone case*.


----------



## sp3llv3xit

bbophead said:


> I do!  Got fooled by the woody cans in the pics.


 

 I've auditioned several Grados (HF2, 325i, RS1, PS1000) and so far, I only liked the PS1000.


----------



## hodgjy

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 It is kind of ridiculous about the shutdown. But, I've been enjoying beautiful music all day.


----------



## ssrock64

jude said:


> Astell&Kern AK240 driving the AKG K812. It's a world-class rig that fits in *a headphone case*.


 
 Jude, how much onboard storage does the AK240 have? I'm always annoyed when players like the C4 and HM801 have little to no space on the device itself and rely on external cards for any meaningful storage.
  
 As for the winter shutdowns here in the south, I can say with confidence that I'm enjoying my two days off. I reinstalled my old Mission 771s in the bedroom to make a near-field setup complimenting the custom-cabinet Klipsch pair that I've been using for casual blasting.


----------



## basman

Old stuff new pic:


----------



## MickeyVee

Very, very nice!
 Quote:


basman said:


> Old stuff new pic:


----------



## bbophead

Just old beautiful in a new light.


----------



## basman

bbophead said:


> Just old beautiful in a new light.


 
  
  
 ISO 400 under incandescent lamp.
  


mickeyvee said:


>


 
  
 I tried to keep away on new stuffs out there for years to avoid massive upgrade.


----------



## stacker45

Does anybody know when Grado stoped putting buttons on the RS1 and RS2?


----------



## lord_tris

stacker45 said:


> Does anybody know when Grado stoped putting buttons on the RS1 and RS2?


 
 When the i versions came out.


----------



## Amictus

Thinking of taking the tube to work this morning! I should have bought a bigger case.


----------



## DefQon

stacker45 said:


> Does anybody know when Grado stoped putting buttons on the RS1 and RS2?


 
  
 To save money.


----------



## bbophead

amictus said:


> Thinking of taking the tube to work this morning! I should have bought a bigger case.


 
 And the rectifier and power tubes are in the bigger suitcase.


----------



## parbaked

stacker45 said:


> Does anybody know when Grado stoped putting buttons on the RS1 and RS2?


 
 It was before the "i" improvements. 
 Should be before 2006 when the GS1000 was launched.
 There are transitional RS1 which have no buttons but are not "i". 
 The key difference is the older cable and the box says RS1 not RS1i...
 So if you have no buttons and the thin cable your RS1 are transitional...


----------



## lord_tris

defqon said:


> To save money.


 
 Because *when* has to do with money.??


----------



## awsanderson

Yeah!!!  the newest addition to my "family"  need to clean up the wires just hooked it up about 2 songs ago and still listening


----------



## daigo

amictus said:


> Thinking of taking the tube to work this morning! I should have bought a bigger case.


 
  
 Those are some well protected tubes.


----------



## awsanderson

you might be a headfier if   you measure time in songs or albums


----------



## Maxvla

awsanderson said:


> Yeah!!!  the newest addition to my "family"  need to clean up the wires just hooked it up about 2 songs ago and still listening



Ah, so you went Apache after the death of the Lyr? We might have to get together when my GS-X comes.


----------



## awsanderson

OKC mini meet?  I'd like to hear your hd800's on it, also want to hear some audeze lcd's, next up is some new cans


----------



## Maxvla

Sure. I'll let you know when it comes and we can figure out a time.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## IcedTea

So I'm guessing head-fi is a hobby of yours Snapple?  
  
 Great collection you have there!


----------



## snapple10

I enjoy trying out different gears 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Thanks


----------



## jasonb

I got rid of the bookshelf that was to the right of the right speaker, angled the speakers down a few degrees, and put up a ghetto temporary acoustic towel which believe it or not definitely did a little something. I will be doing some official sound absorption paneling there very soon.


----------



## LugBug1

stacker45 said:


> Does anybody know when Grado stoped putting buttons on the RS1 and RS2?


 
 2008 with a transitional period of the RS1 before becoming 'i' in 2009-10


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


>


 
  
 With all the snow on the ground around the country 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 _you'd think there'd be more impressions forthcoming.... _


----------



## roskodan

snapple10 said:


> I enjoy trying out different gears
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 





 soooo... amp/can (src/amp/can) matching preferences?


----------



## snapple10

Might be new toys syndrome but liking HDVD800 with hd800/hd600/Th900
Plan on testing it using v800/ buffalo as DAC
It will be nice to put all in words to share though but not sure of the terms


----------



## LugBug1

Current bedroom situation.


----------



## bbophead

Congrats!  Everytime I see a Grado, I know somebody is having fun.


----------



## LugBug1

bbophead said:


> Congrats!  Everytime I see a Grado, I know somebody is having fun.


----------



## jasonb

One more pic. I added the matching subwoofer to my little Pioneer rig.
  

  
 This little sub kicks! It's small, but again, it's near field so it doesn't take much.


----------



## IcedTea

very clean set up!
  
 But where's the chair man??


----------



## jasonb

icedtea said:


> very clean set up!
> 
> But where's the chair man??


 
 It's clean other than the ghetto towel I have pinned to the wall. It's my ghetto acoustic panel until I buy a real one. 
  
 The chair is just not in the picture. It's this one:
  

 http://www.staples.com/Staples-Osgood-Bonded-Leather-Managers-High-Back-Chair-Black/product_923523 - I got it when it was recently on sale for $99.
  
 Chair-fi?


----------



## MattTCG

lugbug1 said:


> Current bedroom situation.


 
 LB...I used to own that same Hp netbook. It was pretty cool.


----------



## LugBug1

matttcg said:


> LB...I used to own that same Hp netbook. It was pretty cool.


 
 Ha it was one of the first. Terrible for the internet but its been used as a music player for the last 4 years or so... Served me well!


----------



## zilch0md

My latest "end-game" desktop rig.   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  

  
44.1/16 and 96/24 WAV on SD cards > Windows 7 > Foobar 2000 w/ WASAPI event > USB > Moon Audio Blue Dragon USB Cable > Resonessence Concero > SPDIF > Emotiva XDRCA Cable > Beresford Bushmaster MkII TC-7533 DAC + Amp > Toxic Cables Silver Poison > HD800 (HD650/HD600)
  
Mike


----------



## Sorrodje

zilch0md said:


> My latest "end-game" desktop rig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 If I understand well, you use the concero as a USB to SPDIF converter ... IMO it's a bit odd to use Beresford DAC instead of Concero's one unless you really prefer the Bushmaster as dac. but in this case, there's less expensive USB to SPDIF converters. 
  
 Did I miss something ?


----------



## zilch0md

sorrodje said:


> If I understand well, you use the concero as a USB to SPDIF converter ... IMO it's a bit odd to use Beresford DAC instead of Concero's one unless you really prefer the Bushmaster as dac. but in this case, there's less expensive USB to SPDIF converters.
> 
> Did I miss something ?


 
  
 1) I've had the Concero for a while now and consider it to be my best DAC for use with various amps/headphone pairings I've tried.
  
 2) Lots of reading and PMs led to my buying the Bushmaster MkII, to use both its DAC and amp sections with the HD600 and HD650, primarily - as I'd heard this is amazingly similar to the Bottlehead Crack + HD650 pairing - with solid state, instead of tubes.  Yay!  I'm surprised to learn it also does a pretty good job with the HD800.
  
 3) The Bushmaster MkII only accepts Coaxial and Optical inputs. Given that I already owned a Concero (that can do USB to SPDIF), I have no desire to buy a less expensive USB to SPDIF converter.
  
 Thanks,  
  
 Mike


----------



## Sorrodje

Thanks for explanation  . I understand your reasoning.


----------



## Armaegis

Aw c'mon Mike, you're just one step away from getting the Invicta and playing off SD cards directly so you can skip the whole computer.


----------



## davejansen

Thought I'd get all social and share my "music room" setup. I half-broke the rule as these photos are not taken very recently (the first two here are film photos, actually), but the setup is 100% the same now.


----------



## ssrock64

davejansen said:


>


 
 Those are some really neat speaker stands. Are they factory, or DIY?


----------



## keepitsimple

Minimaistic set up-Blasting keeper of the 7 keys
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 I call it the deaf dog system


----------



## davejansen

ssrock64 said:


> Those are some really neat speaker stands. Are they factory, or DIY?




They're a pair of off-brand (and off-color, unfortunately) stands I got when I bought the speakers, I believe they're Korean made but I don't have any information on them other than that, sorry .


----------



## zilch0md

armaegis said:


> Aw c'mon Mike, you're just one step away from getting the Invicta and playing off SD cards directly so you can skip the whole computer.


 
  
 LOL  
  
 You know me_ too_ well!  
  
 But thanks for clarifying my thoughts! 
  





 
  
 Mike


----------



## Armaegis

Or since you're bit of a portable fiend, there's the Altmann Tera. I've never heard it, but considering that it's built buy a guy who's fanatical enough to write his own machine code to read and decode the SD cards... (watch out for that pricetag though, ouch!)


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> Or since you're bit of a portable fiend, there's the Altmann Tera. I've never heard it, but considering that it's built buy a guy who's fanatical enough to write his own machine code to read and decode the SD cards... (watch out for that pricetag though, ouch!)


 
 I've always had a weird fascination with the Tera. I've never heard or seen one at meets, but it's still a really intriguing little device.


----------



## Armaegis

Yeah, it's got some interesting hocus pocus behind it. The price is higher than I remember though. Currently 1680Euro... which at today's exchange rate is 2266 usd


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> Yeah, it's got some interesting hocus pocus behind it. The price is higher than I remember though. Currently 1680Euro... which at today's exchange rate is 2266 usd


 

 It's been on the market long enough that some of the newer full-featured players from AK, Hifiman, etc. might beat it out, so I'm not sure I'd put down that kind of money without doing a head-to-head first.


----------



## parbaked

ssrock64 said:


> It's been on the market long enough that some of the newer full-featured players from AK, Hifiman, etc. might beat it out, so I'm not sure I'd put down that kind of money without doing a head-to-head first.


 
  It is a great player, but IMO limited by the amplifier side of the package in that it can only drive certain headphones well.
  
 Quote:


armaegis said:


> Yeah, it's got some interesting hocus pocus behind it. The price is higher than I remember though. Currently 1680Euro... which at today's exchange rate is 2266 usd


 
 He had a big price increase a while back (almost double IIRC). Offered to sell at original price up until the increase...


----------



## TsukiNick

drsparis said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Recently acquired a Schiit Modi as a late christmas present (woo a real DAC now!) and an old laptop which I intend to integrate into my bedroom speaker setup. I'm gonna run foobar on it with Wasapi, I know that much already. I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for an app/program so that I can actually control Foobar/the laptop with my rooted Galaxy S4??? It would be really nice to be able to control the music from my bed.
> ...


----------



## Armaegis

> Originally Posted by *parbaked* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> It is a great player, but IMO limited by the amplifier side of the package in that it can only drive certain headphones well.
> 
> He had a big price increase a while back (almost double IIRC). Offered to sell at original price up until the increase...


 
  
 I'm surprised he hasn't just made a non-amp version. Was there a reason given for the big price bump?


----------



## parbaked

armaegis said:


> I'm surprised he hasn't just made a non-amp version. Was there a reason given for the big price bump?


 
 1) He thinks it is perfect as is.
 2) People complained that it was so expensive for a little player... so he increased the price.


----------



## Armaegis

Slight change to the desktop...
  

  
 Swapped out the big Wadia121 for this little doodad. The Echo Audio Echo2 USB (who names their product the same name as the company? So confusing). It's a pro audio 2in/4out device, and I actually like it better in this particular pairing with my dual Nuforce HA-200 pumping the HE-6.
  
 I had to build a pair of short TRS-->XLR cables. Just simple neutrik jacks and shielded mic cable that I already had (accidentally) cut for a different project. A far cry from the thick Furutech cables I made to connect the Wadia.


----------



## Armaegis

parbaked said:


> 1) He thinks it is perfect as is.
> 2) People complained that it was so expensive for a little player... so he increased the price.


 

 1) Or maybe someone needs to crack it open and tap the lineout before the amp. Or just feed it directly into another amp. Considering how finicky the other details were, I'd imagine that the amp portion is matched specifically for the dac output (this is utter conjecture on my part, I really have no idea what went into it).
  
 2) From a normal business standpoint, that's silly. From an audiophile view... Brilliant!


----------



## gibbro

Sadly need to find better speaker placement


----------



## ssrock64

Do any of the regular suspects on Head-Fi even own a Tera Player, or are they just vaporware like the H2+?


----------



## Silent One

armaegis said:


> Slight change to the desktop...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice looking ensemble. The Echo Audio Echo2 USB - _even_ _typing their name is fun_ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 - returned memories of my first head-fi rig. I used an E-MU 0404 USB with a regulated power supply. A whole lotta bang for the buck! Your rig is very interesting and I look forward to your continued updates.


----------



## DefQon

The Tera player is a scam for the price a long lengthy technical discussions on diyaudio on it by folks smarter than Altman himself. Funny thing is he states it can do something the Philips DAC isn't even capable of. 
  
 Back on topic.


----------



## Armaegis

silent one said:


> Nice looking ensemble. The Echo Audio Echo2 USB - _even_ _typing their name is fun_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I nearly picked up an 0404 early on in my headfi days, but shortly after I got a Focusrite Saffire 6 USB which I still use in my desktop rig.
  
 I was really surprised when I plugged in the Echo2. I was fully expecting the Wadia121 to be the better sounding dac, but wow the Echo2 caught me off guard. Ok I shouldn't say "better", but I like it more. The Wadia+HA200 felt too much like the Schiit M&G stack to me ("heavy pressure" midrange). With the Echo2 it almost felt like a veil lifting. I thought it was a volume difference at first, but I nope it was just a better clarity that made it feel louder without pushing into my head. If you look closely at the pic I do actually have the Echo2 plugged into a tiny wallwart. It's not necessary since it can run entirely off usb (unless you need phantom power for mics), but plugging it in takes the usb power out of the equation. I haven't tested it extensively so I can't pick out the differences there yet, if any.
  
 Do I think the monoblocks is better than the diminuitive Icon2? That's hard to say yet. The ministack of LPS/HDP/Icon2/adapterbox isn't too far off from the Echo2/HA-200x2 in terms of size, and pricewise they're in the same rough ballpark.
  
 Just listened to some Daft Punk (Tron Legacy and Random Access Memories). Really digging the groove and thump tonight with my HE-6.
  
  
  


defqon said:


> The Tera player is a scam for the price a long lengthy technical discussions on diyaudio on it by folks smarter than Altman himself. Funny thing is he states it can do something the Philips DAC isn't even capable of.
> 
> Back on topic.


 
  
 I think it's the same guy who has the mother of tone website... take that for what it's worth...


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> I nearly picked up an 0404 early on in my headfi days, but shortly after I got a Focusrite Saffire 6 USB which I still use in my desktop rig.
> 
> I was really surprised when I plugged in the Echo2. I was fully expecting the Wadia121 to be the better sounding dac, but wow the Echo2 caught me off guard. Ok I shouldn't say "better", but I like it more. The Wadia+HA200 felt too much like the Schiit M&G stack to me ("heavy pressure" midrange). With the Echo2 it almost felt like a veil lifting. I thought it was a volume difference at first, but I nope it was just a better clarity that made it feel louder without pushing into my head. If you look closely at the pic I do actually have the Echo2 plugged into a tiny wallwart. It's not necessary since it can run entirely off usb (unless you need phantom power for mics), but plugging it in takes the usb power out of the equation. I haven't tested it extensively so I can't pick out the differences there yet, if any.
> 
> ...


 

 Echo 2 was fairly cheap wasn't it? I heard they sold out.
  
 Re Altman. Hostile dependent goes into business who'd have thought. I always found it somewhat telling that the ultimate audio player in the entire uberverse is recommended by it's kreator as best served by the Koss Porta Pro. While I love the Koss PP SP 75 series, given unlimited budget they would not be my first choice for ultimate phones.


----------



## Armaegis

There was a recent price drop. They used to be $400ish and now just a shade under $300. I'm not sure if that was a "clearing inventory" price drop or just lowering prices to boost sales. It's a relatively new product though, so I'd assume the latter, but who knows. I've read the company is focusing more on AVB streaming gear these days.
  
 Years ago I used to have the Echo Indigo DJ, which was a pcmcia audio card for laptops (who remembers that format?). By far that was one of my favourite interfaces, but sadly my newer laptops no longer supported the card. I was very tempted to pick up the DJx later on, but I had too many other toys at the time. Just before picking up the Echo2, the Traktor Audio 2 has been my DJ card.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> There was a recent price drop. They used to be $400ish and now just a shade under $300. I'm not sure if that was a "clearing inventory" price drop or just lowering prices to boost sales. It's a relatively new product though, so I'd assume the latter, but who knows. I've read the company is focusing more on AVB streaming gear these days.
> 
> Years ago I used to have the Echo Indigo DJ, which was a pcmcia audio card for laptops (who remembers that format?). By far that was one of my favourite interfaces, but sadly my newer laptops no longer supported the card. I was very tempted to pick up the DJx later on, but I had too many other toys at the time. Just before picking up the Echo2, the Traktor Audio 2 has been my DJ card.


 

 I remember it well. I was using the Ego sys Wami Box in pcmcia at that time


----------



## Armaegis

I miss the pcmcia stuff (granted, my only experience with them were with the IndigoDJ and a wireless adapter), but I never had any issues with them. The usb sound cards and wireless adapters I was using at the time always had the occasional hiccups, and with audio there was always the interference with other devices and latency blips. Hmm, I don't even remember if we were up to usb2 back then... seems so long ago.


----------



## darrellpratt




----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> I miss the pcmcia stuff (granted, my only experience with them were with the IndigoDJ and a wireless adapter), but I never had any issues with them. The usb sound cards and wireless adapters I was using at the time always had the occasional hiccups, and with audio there was always the interference with other devices and latency blips. Hmm, I don't even remember if we were up to usb2 back then... seems so long ago.


 

 PCMCIA was just breathing it's last gasp as USB 2.0 was gaining ground. It was my first mobile media platform with CF cards in a PCMCIA adapter. Back when megabytes were king


----------



## Armaegis

Just having an audio device that could operate without sharing a usb bus with other devices (like mice) was a big plus.
  
 But alas, sometimes marching forward with technology feels a bit backwards sometimes.
  
 And hey, I used to pay $4/megabyte back in the day (well, it was more like $2 per 720kb... the high density 3.5" disks weren't out yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





). I can't remember what I used to pay for the 5.25" disks. Then again, my first computer was an ADAM that hooked up to my Coleco to play games, and that thing used cassette tapes for storage!


----------



## Silent One

:  : edit


----------



## jaywillin




----------



## parbaked

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Nice clock....timing those listening sessions?


----------



## zilch0md

darrellpratt said:


>


 
  
 I keep seeing this combo:   Crack + HD650
  




  
 I'm really looking forward to receiving the HD650 next week (for use with my solid-state Crack - the Bushmaster MkII).
  
 Mike


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *parbaked* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Nice clock....timing those listening sessions?


 
  
  Just wrapped up an 11 hour session over night... _I'd best get to bed now. _


----------



## tupi3

,.


----------



## nukular

Here is mine.  Headphones (not shown as they were on my head) are Grado HF-2.  The Mcintosh integrated really does have a good headphone section at least for Grados.


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


>


 
  
 Lookin' Good Jay!!
  
 Here is me today. In a transition state..


----------



## LugBug1

nukular said:


> Here is mine.  Headphones (not shown as they were on my head) are Grado HF-2.  The Mcintosh integrated really does have a good headphone section at least for Grados.


 
 I am very much jealous of that amp. Very much.


----------



## LugBug1

matttcg said:


> Lookin' Good Jay!!
> 
> Here is me today. In a transition state..


 
 Ooooh Bottleneck! (head I mean!!)
  
 Nice one Matt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Any notes of comparison with your Pioneer yet?


----------



## erikfreedom

hifiman he-6, hifiman ef-6 amp and hegel hd25 dac. my current rig.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Lookin' Good Jay!!
> 
> Here is me today. In a transition state..


 
 cool, got the crack !
 will there be a lyr in the set up soon ??


----------



## MattTCG

lugbug1 said:


> Ooooh Bottleneck!
> 
> Nice one Matt
> 
> ...


 
  
 My official crack build with mods in still in progress this one is on loan for the week. I only have about an hour with it...completely stock with no SB. 
  


jaywillin said:


> cool, got the crack !
> will there be a lyr in the set up soon ??


 
  
 There sure better be or I may have to thrown an Alabama hissy fit.


----------



## Eee Pee

lugbug1 said:


> Ooooh Bottleneck!




Hah!


----------



## LugBug1

eee pee said:


> Hah!


 
 I know I know bad typo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 could've been a good joke if it was intentional...!


----------



## wgb113

Bill


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Androb

erikfreedom said:


> hifiman he-6, hifiman ef-6 amp and hegel hd25 dac. my current rig.


 
 Hegel is awesome! A really good dac


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Dang Bill. Nice!! Jealous here.


----------



## wgb113

Thanks Matt! I'm really digging the AKG K712s. Big improvement in sound and comfort over the K701s I had and I thought they were great. I'm in search of a new set of closed cans now to potentially replace my K271mkII. Considering the K545 since they're more portable. I need something for the office and at night that I can use with my iPad.

Bill


----------



## parbaked

wgb113 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That's a classy lookin' room Bill...I like!


----------



## MattTCG

Portable closed? Just pulled the trigger on the mdr-7520. I was able to audition them briefly last weekend. Comfy, great signature and very little amp needed.


----------



## Armaegis

Is that an LS50 I spy in the foreground? How do you like them?


----------



## wgb113

armaegis said:


> Is that an LS50 I spy in the foreground? How do you like them?




It is. I've had them (and the Mcintosh) for a little over seven months and I don't see them getting "outgrown" by anything else in my system any time soon. They're working really well in my small, treated room in a near field configuration. Just a delight to listen to. You get lost in the music, not the sound if that makes any sense.

Bill


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## jaywillin

wgb113 said:


> Bill
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 

 the first high end hi fi i was ever exposed to was all mcintosh gear, early 90's, it always has stuck with me, very nice !


----------



## Androb

New balanced cables and a few new cold ones  Gonna be a good night!


----------



## parbaked




----------



## drez




----------



## pez

parbaked said:


>


 
  
 Drools....


----------



## hydesg

here is my humble headfi setup plus HD800, LCD2.2.
 nothing extraordinary, but it makes me happy listening to music.


----------



## angelo898

Well you have some expensive stuff, no need to be humble about it


----------



## MattTCG

drez said:


>


 
  
 Looking great!! Now here is a guy who likes to tinker a lot with his computer build. That was me back in the day.


----------



## drez

matttcg said:


> Looking great!! Now here is a guy who likes to tinker a lot with his computer build. That was me back in the day.


 
  
 Funny you should say that, since taking the photo the system has already changed
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Graphics card is gone and excess USB controllers are disabled in bios.  Can't be helped.


----------



## MattTCG

I was an endless tinkerer when I was building pc's. At least once a week, I'd find a way to improve my build. Sometimes cable management, sometimes a little better o/c and sometimes just a good cleaning. It was good times.


----------



## Androb

parbaked said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 What amplifier is that? Looks cool


----------



## awsanderson

wgb113 said:


> Bill
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 
 Great looking set up there Bill.  Those are the KEF LS50's right?  They are on my short list for desktop speakers, how do you like them?
 Never mind read previous posts


----------



## robert123wr

Old stuff......


----------



## parbaked

androb said:


> What amplifier is that? Looks cool


 
 Thanks, it is little single ended pentode (SEP) built by Jef Larson (Abraxas Audio).
 This one uses two 6CL6 tubes and one 6CA4 rectifier = 2.8 WPC into 8 ohms...speakers or cans...very sweet.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## LugBug1

Realy happy with my set up at the mo.


----------



## bbophead

lugbug1 said:


> Realy happy with my set up at the mo.


 
 I lurves me some ol' school, 'cept, where's the vinyl?


----------



## LugBug1

bbophead said:


> I lurves me some ol' school, 'cept, where's the vinyl?


 
  
 haah I wish.... When my youngest one gets a little older I'm gonna dabble into both speakers and vinyl again. I have my rig cordoned off but couldn't risk a turntable. 
  
 I did have a vintage dac (Arcam black box) there as well but it has become a little intermittent.


----------



## ssrock64

robert123wr said:


> Old stuff......


 
 Thoughts on the ESP950? After all these years, they're still the one headphone that I'll sit down and listen to anything with and just be happy.


----------



## Kojaku

Some big changes in the past few months:
  
 Girlfriend and I moved to a new apartment with enough room in the kitchen for storage and whatnot, so I thought I'd repurpose the Ikea kitchen cart for...something else 
  

  
 The heart and soul of the system. My favorite can, EVER. As a guy who started in DIY-fi, I've been lucky enough to personally own pretty much every flagship (other than the Stax cans, which I've heard many a time, but could never afford). The LCD-3, coming specifically from a musicophile (that's what I call a musician audiophile) perspective, is the best can I've ever heard. Effortless, natural, especially when driven by something neutral, powerful, and resolving.
  

  
 My favorite no-frills cable I've ever owned. I've never been huge on audible cable changes except in terms of microphonics, but I always believe in a) craftsmanship & b) ergonomics. Not to mention Steve at Q-Audio has amazing customer service too. 

  
 The new reference (for me at least). Built around the legendarily finicky ES9018, yet somehow completely transparent without any stridency at all. This amp swings 6 watts of super clean power in balanced mode. The LCD-3 loves this bad boy. It also has a pre-amp section, which is very useful. Hits WAY above its price point.
  

  
 I always loved the Audez'e wooden presentation boxes They give me a place to put my frequency response graph 
  

  
 So I use the pre-outs to feed my speaker system, which could be a pain if I ever feel like listening to my cans anywhere else in the apartment...
  

  
 Except I rigged the bottom tray so I could run a quickly-disconnectable 1/8th-inch jack. Bwahaha.
  

  
 Pretty simple. Thirty-two inch Samsung LED. Audioengine A2s. D-Link Wireless-AC Router (50mbps over air! Thanks, Comcast!). 
  

  
 The understated powerhouse. Love this thing. Power up the wazoo in a package thinner than every portable DAC/Amp I've ever owned ('cept the Glacier, that bad boy is THIN).
  

  
 Ah the sub. Bet a lot of people didn't know that the RCA input on the A2s runs as an output when the 1/8th-inch jack is being used. It's an old Yamaha YST-SW216. Gets me down to 20Hz nice and smooth. Forty bucks local pickup in Chicago. What a deal  Oh and the bamboo is for...dampening.
  

  
 Add a cheapie Ikea chair stuffed with old pillows and BAM! You've got my station 
  

  
 Kojaku
  
 (P.S. Porta-rig update coming on Monday...hehehe)


----------



## bbophead

Nice and thoughtful set-up.  Just roll it around here and there.


----------



## roskodan

lol we left averyhsu1230 without a single lcd3 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




... i'm almost feeling guilty... not
  
 you nailed it with the setup... totally agree on the lcd3
  
 awaiting the burson conductor... in the mean time take that...


----------



## robert123wr

roskodan said:


> lol we left averyhsu1230 without a single lcd3 :tongue_smile: ... i'm almost feeling guilty... not
> 
> you nailed it with the setup... totally agree on the lcd3
> 
> awaiting the burson conductor... in the mean time take that...




Is it oblique?


----------



## roskodan

oblique... let me google this... ah...
  
 no, it's shot at an angle to make it more interesting, eye catching


----------



## robert123wr

lol, sorry for my poor English I just translate to English. IDK the word didn't use a lot.


----------



## Kojaku

bbophead said:


> Nice and thoughtful set-up.  Just roll it around here and there.


 
 Seriously xD. I rolled it to a friend who lives in the same building and he was like, "Are you street-peddling like $3000 of headphone equipment or something?". Hahaha xD
  
 Kojaku


----------



## RespectheSQ

wgb113 said:


> Bill
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 
 I love Mcintosh gear so much, I really need to suck it up and buy one of their amps.  Also is that a project debut carbon to the right? I've been really debating getting one or just getting a nice cartridge on my technics table


----------



## wgb113

It is. I went with the Acryl-It platter, Puck-It clamp, a 2M Blue stylus, and their SpeedBox 2 and Phono V USB preamp. It's my first turntable and I'm a happy camper. That said, a VPI Traveler might be in my future sometime in the next year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## deltasun

wgb113 said:


> It is. I went with the Acryl-It platter, Puck-It clamp, a 2M Blue stylus, and their SpeedBox 2 and Phono V USB preamp. It's my first turntable and I'm a happy camper. That said, a VPI Traveler might be in my future sometime in the next year.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk




What qualities do you guys typically look for in a turntable? I'm thinking of adding one to my system.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

welp, with the addition of the Schiit Modi and an old host laptop, the bedroom rig is done! I have access to all of my music in ANY format and have it sound good


----------



## Maxvla

Seem to be missing all the tape formats, Jeff. Try again


----------



## palmfish

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> welp, with the addition of the Schiit Modi and an old host laptop, the bedroom rig is done! I have access to all of my music in ANY format and have it sound good



Tell me more about the TR6 pictures and the Army Aviation shadowbox please...


----------



## imeem

kojaku said:


> Ah the sub. Bet a lot of people didn't know that the RCA input on the A2s runs as an output when the 1/8th-inch jack is being used. It's an old Yamaha YST-SW216. Gets me down to 20Hz nice and smooth. Forty bucks local pickup in Chicago. What a deal  Oh and the bamboo is for...dampening.


 
 For me, when using the A2 RCA input as output to my sub, it is noticeable more quiet than my sub RCA out to A2 input.


----------



## Kojaku

imeem said:


> For me, when using the A2 RCA input as output to my sub, it is noticeable more quiet than my sub RCA out to A2 input.




I don't have that issue...hmm. my sub does have its own volume control though. I think it works great!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

palmfish said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > welp, with the addition of the Schiit Modi and an old host laptop, the bedroom rig is done! I have access to all of my music in ANY format and have it sound good
> ...


The TR6 pictures are of my grandparents old cars, they were in some county club or whatever with those cars. 
The air force shadow box is my great grandfather's, he was a navigator on a bomber over Normandy. Plane was shot down and he survived, was captured as a POW, ended up escaping and ended up with three purple hearts on the way for various things. That's the short story. I need to get my grandfather's US army pins in a box, he was a marksman in the Vietnam war.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

maxvla said:


> Seem to be missing all the tape formats, Jeff. Try again


Sorry about that, only do disc based systems  my girlfriends name is Cosette, is that close enough?


----------



## palmfish

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> The TR6 pictures are of my grandparents old cars, they were in some county club or whatever with those cars.
> The air force shadow box is my great grandfather's, he was a navigator on a bomber over Normandy. Plane was shot down and he survived, was captured as a POW, ended up escaping and ended up with three purple hearts on the way for various things. That's the short story. I need to get my grandfather's US army pins in a box, he was a marksman in the Vietnam war.


 
  
 Thanks for sharing that story. It was hard to tell what kind of wings were in the shadowbox.
  
 You have a lot of great history there, its nice to see it being maintained!


----------



## bigjohn1

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> welp, with the addition of the Schiit Modi and an old host laptop, the bedroom rig is done! I have access to all of my music in ANY format and have it sound good


 

 Now that's a nice looking Modi!!!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

palmfish said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > The TR6 pictures are of my grandparents old cars, they were in some county club or whatever with those cars.
> ...



Hey, no problem! Thanks, I'll post pictures of the unframed medals later if you'd like.



bigjohn1 said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > welp, with the addition of the Schiit Modi and an old host laptop, the bedroom rig is done! I have access to all of my music in ANY format and have it sound good
> ...


 haha yeah it is, thanks again! Sounds really nice in my system.


----------



## palmfish

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Hey, no problem! Thanks, I'll post pictures of the unframed medals later if you'd like.


 
  
 I am a former Army pilot. Yes, I would like to see them!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

palmfish said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Hey, no problem! Thanks, I'll post pictures of the unframed medals later if you'd like.
> ...


okay awesome! And now to keep the thread and topic and because it seems my phone is uploading correctly, here's my ultra high end super ridiculous portable rig sure to make even the most grizzled head-fier jealous. AGGGH WON'T UPLOAD


----------



## RespectheSQ

wgb113 said:


> It is. I went with the Acryl-It platter, Puck-It clamp, a 2M Blue stylus, and their SpeedBox 2 and Phono V USB preamp. It's my first turntable and I'm a happy camper. That said, a VPI Traveler might be in my future sometime in the next year.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 
 Nice! That's very close to what I was looking to do as well. I bet it sounds awesome coming out of your setup! I've heard great things about those KEF ls50's


----------



## roskodan

gained over 12 pounds in a week, "new shoes", the conductor !


----------



## 62ohm

roskodan said:


> gained over 12 pounds in a week, "new shoes", the conductor !


 
  
 Which one do you prefer for the HD800? The Conductor or V200?


----------



## roskodan

got it this evening, i'll post some impressions in a few days
  
 different beasts, both very pleasant
  
 first thing i noted is how much warming the conductor up affects its performance, the violectric too but it needs like 10 min and it's ready to go, while the conductor really need a good half hour to warm up evenly
  
 i guess it's because of the difference in size and in the violectric only the power stage is discrete while the conductor has no opamp or ic at all


----------



## pez

That cable at such a sharp angle is hurting my heart 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## roskodan

he, he,
  
 don't worry all the weight is on the shelf, it's important not to excessively bent the cable where it enters the plug
  
 i'll add another observation to my previous impressions, and that is, both the conductor and the violectric combo, are 1st class music instruments, can't go wrong with either, but it's awesome to have both
  
 however there's is still space on the shelf that needs to be filled, with some glowing incandescent tubes perhaps


----------



## bbophead

roskodan said:


> he, he,
> 
> don't worry all the weight is on the shelf, it's important not to excessively bent the cable where it enters the plug
> 
> ...


 
 If I may, WOO-HOO!!!


----------



## Tony1110

roskodan said:


> he, he,
> 
> don't worry all the weight is on the shelf, it's important not to excessively bent the cable where it enters the plug
> 
> ...




Just out of curiosity, which headphones do you listen to with the volume set at that level? I couldn't keep it below 12 o'clock.


----------



## roskodan

12 o'clock at medium gain is quite loud, even chesky recordings sound plenty loud at that setting for me, both on hd800 and lcd3, i go louder too, but since i use headphone for like 8h a day, lol, i care to preserve my hearing, between 9-12 most of the time, but when enjoying a pure listening immersion session i like to go LOUD
  
 since i started using headphones more frequently, while having listening sessions on speakers with others, i find myself setting the volume at levels others feel discomfort at, probably cos the detail and dynamics on speakers at lower volumes can't match the headphone experience, aside from that i like the excitement of feeling the beats, hits and riffs in my guts and thorax 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 enjoy music at safe levels, don't overly abuse your hearing, train your hearing at low volumes and you'll find moderate levels are plenty loud enough
  
 edit: or maybe it might just be that your conductor is faulty


----------



## 62ohm

roskodan,
  
 Are you ready to give us your impressions on how does the Conductor stack up against V200/V800? (I am particularly curious on how do they compare driving the HD800)


----------



## Oregonian

palmfish said:


> I am a former Army pilot. Yes, I would like to see them!




Thank you for your service to our country.


----------



## Tony1110

roskodan said:


> 12 o'clock at medium gain is quite loud, even chesky recordings sound plenty loud at that setting for me, both on hd800 and lcd3, i go louder too, but since i use headphone for like 8h a day, lol, i care to preserve my hearing, between 9-12 most of the time, but when enjoying a pure listening immersion session i like to go LOUD
> 
> since i started using headphones more frequently, while having listening sessions on speakers with others, i find myself setting the volume at levels others feel discomfort at, probably cos the detail and dynamics on speakers at lower volumes can't match the headphone experience, aside from that i like the excitement of feeling the beats, hits and riffs in my guts and thorax
> 
> ...




Okay, I'll enjoy music at safe levels 

I used the low gain setting when I could get away with it. For the Fostex TH-600, LCD-XC etc. For the more demanding planars I used the medium gain and kept it within one or two notches of 12 o'clock, depending on my mood. I'm talking about the HE-500 and LCD-2. LCD-3 are slightly more efficient so you'll probably not need to turn it up so high. Not sure about HD-800 but I remember cranking it up quite high on the high gain with the T1's. 

BTW, it looks much better on your shelf than it did on my desk/chest of drawers. I'm glad it's found a good home.


----------



## Silent One

oregonian said:


> palmfish said:
> 
> 
> > I am a former Army pilot. Yes, I would like to see them!
> ...


 
 +1


----------



## HenryS

love those pics!


----------



## zilch0md

62ohm said:


> roskodan,
> 
> Are you ready to give us your impressions on how does the Conductor stack up against V200/V800? (I am particularly curious on how do they compare driving the HD800)




I'm going to guess he'll prefer the v200 with the HD800 (based on my experience with the Soloist and T1 - which wasn't warm enough for my tastes, but some people like that paring.) 

Mike


----------



## mrk

It is complete!


----------



## Owenpri

mrk said:


> It is complete!


 

 Wow! That's a really clean, minimalistic setup! How are you liking the X1?


----------



## zilch0md

And now for something not so clean and minimalistic....
  
 Here's an overhead shot of my all battery-powered Concero > Bushmaster MkII > MG3 > HD800 rig and a quick video tour, just for fun!  
  
 I'm absolutely thrilled with the way this sounds...
  




  

  
 /img/vimeo_logo.png
  
  
 The song is _Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood,_ performed by Meshell Ndegeocello, from the album _A Dedication to Nina Simone._
  
 Mike


----------



## mrk

owenpri said:


> Wow! That's a really clean, minimalistic setup! How are you liking the X1?


 
  
 The X1 is brilliant  I can't see myself wanting to upgrade them for many may years! I bought the HD598 as well and returned them due to the X1 being so good.
  


zilch0md said:


> And now for something not so clean and minimalistic....
> 
> Here's an overhead shot of my all battery-powered Concero > Bushmaster MkII > MG3 > HD800 rig and a two-part MOV file, just for fun!
> 
> ...


 
 Whoah now, that is complex!


----------



## zilch0md

And now to get it all into a pluck-foam carry-on travel case!


----------



## LugBug1

mrk said:


> It is complete!


 
 Nice! Proper Jelly of your amp... Dying to hear one those new NAD's.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

zilch0md said:


> And now for something not so clean and minimalistic....
> 
> Here's an overhead shot of my all battery-powered Concero > Bushmaster MkII > MG3 > HD800 rig and a two-part MOV file, just for fun!
> 
> ...


hey Mike, have I ever gotten around to telling you that you're absolutely bonkers?? In the right kind of way of course


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

I just realized I have yet to post my current drivers-close-to-ear setups! Well here are my only two headphones, just received the Beyer DT250 pads for the V6's, seriously get these pads if you have the V6's, they're incredible. These V6's actually make really good portable cans, love the sound from them, absolutely incredible. I'm in the process of selling the X10 IEMs, so these are my new out of the house can. The Grados have earned themselves a permanent spot in my collection, these walnut cups really are something else. I can see myself still reaching for the Grados 10+ years from now no matter whether or not I've earned my Audezes or what have you. Now THAT gents is true love


----------



## daerron

Matching system with blue leds


----------



## White Lotus




----------



## mrk

Damn, that looks impressive and expensive. Bet it sounds it too.
  
 Quote:


lugbug1 said:


> Nice! Proper Jelly of your amp... Dying to hear one those new NAD's.


 
 I'm betting an audio store near you will have one on demo! For such a little amp it kicks out serious sound. My Tannoy floorstanders certainly sound like a cinema in movies and for music they're really well composed and detailed. I'm using the USB connection on this


----------



## longbowbbs

daerron said:


> Matching system with blue leds


 
 Mmmmmmm.....MM-1's!


----------



## angelo898

i use the same speakers, and they are pretty good for their size. i think the eq on these are absolutely amazing


----------



## MickeyVee

Sweet.  How's the new Matrix Mini-i?  is the amp powerful enought to do justice to the LCD's? Would you characterize the amp section as warm, neutral, bright? I had the original at one point and still have a sweet spot for it.
  
 Quote:


white lotus said:


>


----------



## Silent One

What trax were playing @ 352.8kHz?


----------



## Kojaku

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Wait a minute...is that really a mini-i? I had no idea it could handle 384 now....
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

Okay, we see it handles DXD but I'm wondering what our fellow member was listening to at the time...


----------



## MickeyVee

Three are two Matrix Mini-i's - there new and the 'New Mini-i Pro' which does DSD/DXD and the 'New Mini-i' without DSD/DXD. If the headphone amp section is really good, I'd seriously consider the non-pro for a simple bedroom system.


----------



## Maxvla

I will be posting a review of both of them soon. Got some details to iron out first. Both units are good with favoring synergies that differ, though.

Subscribe here for notice when I post it. http://www.head-fi.org/t/695880/matrix-mini-i-pro-impressions


----------



## roskodan

zilch0md said:


> 62ohm said:
> 
> 
> > roskodan,
> ...


 
  
 the most satisfying moments are those when you find components that matched let each other express in a unique way where each of the components feel enhanced, and any thought about existing limitations is wiped away by the enlightening sensation of awareness that changing anything will irreversibly erase that unique experience of listening pleasure
  
 having both, the burson conductor and the violectric v800/v200 combo, makes the hd800 and lcd3 much more valuable, experience enhancing and pleasing, that apply the other way around and for each component as well
  
 feeling like removing any of the components will make all the other lose in that regard
  
 each combination completes itself in a unique way
  
 realizing the virtual infinity of excellent and unique matches that there are, the search for the one "best", "more capable", "perfect for me" setup feels just like a limitation to the immense pleasure such pieces of art can provide us
  
 ideally would be to just keep adding to it, however we all realize such pieces of art do not grow on trees, luckily one can trade in for something that will ultimately add to the pleasuring experience more that it will subtract
  
 that said my relationship with the current ensemble is still in a phase of very fast advancing development, a very enlightening one that is... and increasingly pleasing...


----------



## bbophead

Ah so, grasshopper.


----------



## White Lotus

I'm loving the Mini-i Pro, It pairs better with the LCD 2.2, against anything else I've tested with them.
  
 I tested it against a few other DAC units, and I liked this one the best.
  
 I think it's a fairly new product. 
  
 I would describe the signature as accurate.


----------



## roskodan

i apologies for any case of stack overflow caused by the length and depth of my pearls of wisdom, since i can note the presence of a typical symptom of such cases, rudeness


----------



## sjay

Here is a pic of mine from today, decided to blow the dust of them and give them a bit of a run.
  
 I have a dedicated 2 channel room so cans are a secondary consideration for me 
  
 Good combo though, very earthy and realistic reproduction


----------



## White Lotus

sjay said:


> Here is a pic of mine from today, decided to blow the dust of them and give them a bit of a run.
> 
> I have a dedicated 2 channel room so cans are a secondary consideration for me
> 
> Good combo though, very earthy and realistic reproduction


 
 Nice!
  
 What amp is that?


----------



## 62ohm

white lotus said:


> Nice!
> 
> What amp is that?


 
  
 I believe it's a WA6.


----------



## sjay

Yeah its a Woo Audio 6, with upgrades, thanks
  
 its a very simple solution, I did have it hooked up to various nfb's and an M51 but its just so nice to have a no hassle setup that's not bitchy like a high end setup can be, to stream spotify 
  
 Before this i had DT880's>> Schiit Lyr >> NFB2 >> SBT which I still miss...


----------



## rmxcat

DT770Pro80/Fiio E7


----------



## White Lotus

sjay said:


> Yeah its a Woo Audio 6, with upgrades, thanks
> 
> its a very simple solution, I did have it hooked up to various nfb's and an M51 but its just so nice to have a no hassle setup that's not bitchy like a high end setup can be, to stream spotify
> 
> Before this i had DT880's>> Schiit Lyr >> NFB2 >> SBT which I still miss...


 
  
 I love spotify. Check this out:
  
 http://www.equalify.me/


----------



## bbophead

sjay said:


> Here is a pic of mine from today, decided to blow the dust of them and give them a bit of a run.
> 
> I have a dedicated 2 channel room so cans are a secondary consideration for me
> 
> Good combo though, very earthy and realistic reproduction


 
 I know what you mean.  (see my avatar and inventory)
  
 Sophia makes a nice difference.


----------



## Oregonian

white lotus said:


> I love spotify. Check this out:
> 
> http://www.equalify.me/


 

 That's a great add on.


----------



## jaywillin

white lotus said:


> I love spotify. Check this out:
> 
> http://www.equalify.me/


 
  
  


oregonian said:


> That's a great add on.


 

 a big THANK YOU !!
 very cool


----------



## hsubox

Just set this up a couple minutes ago and giving the new DAC a listen. 

Cheapo old (24/192) Philips DVD player -> Schiit Bifrost (non-uber for now) -> Fiio E09K -> Grado RS1i


----------



## Argybargy




----------



## Tuco1965

hsubox said:


> Just set this up a couple minutes ago and giving the new DAC a listen.
> 
> Cheapo old (24/192) Philips DVD player -> Schiit Bifrost (non-uber for now) -> Fiio E09K -> Grado RS1i


 
 I have a couple Philips DVD players that I was using previously and found that coax vs optical spdif output sounded slightly different from each other.  Not sure why, but different none the less.


----------



## hsubox

tuco1965 said:


> I have a couple Philips DVD players that I was using previously and found that coax vs optical spdif output sounded slightly different from each other.  Not sure why, but different none the less.




Very odd. You wouldn't think it should sound different. This particular player only has coax.


----------



## zilch0md

Quote:


zilch0md said:


> And now for something not so clean and minimalistic....
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Ancient history...
> ...


 
  

  
 I absolutely had to hear the HD650 before selling off the "headphone museum" I've accumulated.  They arrived Wednesday. The HD650 is very impressive at first listen, but I left it alone while putting better than 48 hours on it. Night before last, I started switching between the HD800 and HD650 on my crazy rig, above - Concero as SPDIF converter > Bushmaster MkII's DAC section > TBI Audio MG3 speaker amp > resistor network.  
  
 It's amazing what you can learn about one headphone by listening to another - understatement of the year, right?
  
 The HD800's improved bass and lack of treble harshness sounded great to my ears on that daisy chain, *until* I heard the HD650 on the same chain. The HD650 might actually be the best compromise out there, for the money, in my opinion.  I know the HD650 has been around for a long time, commanding a great deal of respect, but I'm only just getting around to owning a pair that I can spend some time with.
  
 I used the word "compromise" because the HD800 has strengths the HD650 lacks, of course (detail and sound stage, for example), but hearing the HD650's bass, I am reminded of the LCD-2, except with added air, treble energy, sound stage, and even a wee bit of improved resolution over the LCD-2 (not that the LCD-2 has ever been heralded for its resolution). For my ears and tastes, the HD650 is a marriage of the HD800 and LCD-2 - with my earlier most-recent purchase, the HD600, being the more accurate, tonally balanced, version of that same marriage - less like the LCD-2, more like the HD800 - none of which is news to most readers here, I'm sure.
  
 But the HD650 has opened my ears to something else that I hadn't detected previously:  Where the Bushmaster MkII's amp section doesn't have enough horsepower to control the bass of the HD800, or even give it sufficient bass energy (good, but not great), the TBI Audio MG3 > resistor network breathed life into the HD800 bass - not as well as the hybrid Schiit Vali, in that regard, but with a less "ethereal" sound - and I'm after a "transportable" rig that can perform dual-duty as a battery-only desktop rig, where the Vali requires a 16V "AC" supply. So, prior to getting the HD650 and having already dismissed driving the HD800 from the Bushmaster MkII's amp section, the Concero > Bushmaster MkII > MG3 > resistor network had become my favorite HD800 amp - and solid state, at that - a good thing, in my book...
  
 But then, having heard the bass of the HD650 off of that same chain, night before last, lamenting the loss of some traits offered by the HD800 - resolution and sound stage - I realized that the HD800 still didn't have enough bass for my tastes.  And then, after a couple of hours of back and forth between the two of them, I decided to try moving the HD650 to the Bushmaster MkII's headphone out (bypassing the TBI Audio MG3 amp and resistor network).  Whoa!  This single change immediately revealed that the MG3 > resistor network was _degrading_ the analog output of the Bushmaster MkII:  It was not only reducing resolution slightly, it was dramatically reducing dynamics.  I was shocked at how readily detectable a difference there is in dynamics, between the speaker amp with resistor network and the Bushmaster MkII's headphone out, using the HD650.
  
 Some of you may be aware from my posts to the "speaker amps for headphones thread" that I had previously become disappointed with how the TBI resistor network, necessary to silence the hiss caused by excessive gain in the TBI MG3, had killed the LCD-2's dynamics that could be heard on more powerful amps. Here, in comparing the HD650 on the MG3 > resistor network to the HD650 plugged directly into the Bushmaster MkII's headphone out, I realized that the MG3 was hurting dynamics for the HD650 as well. I hadn't noticed it when moving the HD800 back and forth between the MG3 and Bushmaster MkII headphone out, because the Bushmaster MkII just doesn't have enough oomph for the HD800, but, in my opinion it's got plenty of everything it needs for the HD650, despite even Stanley Beresford saying that it doesn't.  I'm telling you that, to my ears, the HD650 sounds better overall, on the Bushmaster MkII's headphone out than on any other amp I have right now.
  
 Seriously - my MG3 just became a full-time loudspeaker amp for my Definitive Technology SM 45 near-field monitors.  I have no further use for that resistor network - it's sucking both dynamics and, to a much lesser degree, resolution out of the signal, even though it imparts a smooth treble and that sweet, natural, organic signature that I love so much about the MG3 - and which did wonders to tame the treble of the HD800.  The fact is, the Bushmaster MkII > HD650 sounds _way better_ than the MG3 > HD800 (despite the MG3 > HD800 pairing sounding better than Bushmaster MkII > HD800).
  
 But it gets better still.   Night before last, I was absolutely thrilled with the Bushmaster MkII > HD650.  (My mantra: "I'm absolutely thrilled!")  And then, I started comparing the LCD-2 and HD650 off of the Bushmaster MkII headphone out. I had tried the Bushmaster MkII > LCD-2 a couple of weeks ago, when I first got the Bushmaster MkII, and was very impressed at the time, but I was hell bent on finding a solid state (and battery-powered) solution for the HD800, so put that experience on my brain's back burner.
  
 Now that I've (temporarily?) suspended my search for an HD800 "cure," I find myself increasingly enamored with the Bushmaster MkII - with both the HD650 and the LCD-2.  There are things to like about the HD650's treble and sound stage, and yet, it's not that far off from having the LCD-2's bass.  It has a wee bit more treble detail than the LCD-2, too.  It's down to a matter of what you like (and how much you want to spend) but I find both headphones to be very enjoyable off of the Bushmaster MkII. 
  
 People can tell me all day long that the Bushmaster MkII doesn't have enough power for either the HD650 or the LCD-2, but...  There are some folks other than myself out there who swear by the Bushmaster MkII > HD650 pairing, just as there are lots of people who talk about how the LCD-2 does amazingly well with lower power amps, even though Audeze recommends a minimum of 1000mW for their planar magnetics.  
  
 Take note that Stanley Beresford has posted that his amp section sports a relatively higher current output for its power rating (current instead of voltage) than other solid state amp designs, and I've read on several occasions elsewhere, that planar magnetics thrive on high-current signals over getting power from the voltage side of the equation.
  
 One last contrast:  I've long been a fan of the CEntrance DACmini CX > LCD-2.   In fact, this has remained a benchmark for me, for quite some time.  I sold my Burson Soloist because it can't compete with the CEntrance DACmini (all but ignored these days, as one of yesterday's heroes.)  Switching back and forth between the Bushmaster MkII and CEntrance DACmini CX, this morning, as an integrated DAC/amp solution, I prefer the Bushmaster MkII with both the HD650 and the LCD-2.  And that's without consideration of the greater than 3:1 difference in price.  The magic is definitely in Stanley Beresford's DAC section, more than the amp, with none of the slight etch I've always tolerated in the DACmini CX DAC's treble, but keep in mind, the Bushmaster MkII does not have a USB receiver, as does the DACmini CX. Still, the friend who led me to trying both the Bushmaster MkII and HD650 is using the very affordable, HiFimeDIY Sabre USB DAC with an optical cable to feed SPDIF to his Bushmaster MkII - and considers the Bushmaster MkII > HD650 to be nearly the equal of his Speedballed Bottlehead Crack > HD650.  (So you don't really need a Concero to convert USB to SPDIF...)
  
 Laughing at myself, I will again proclaim, "I'm absolutely thrilled with the way this sounds!"
  
 Mike


----------



## roskodan

zilch0md said:


> ...It's amazing what you can learn about one headphone by listening to another - understatement of the year, right?...
> 
> 
> Mike


 
 yup, so true, but it works best when A/B-ing, else selective memory kicks in... he he
  
 hd650 is really a gem, still enjoying 'em, after comparing to lcd2 and 3 feels more like the 3 in presentation, lcd2 is less liquid maybe, dryer
  
 interesting preference between the dacmini and soloist, maybe a quick elaboration?
  
 seems like the simpler the chain the better, or at least easier to do A/B-ing


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## zilch0md

roskodan said:


> interesting preference between the dacmini and soloist, maybe a quick elaboration?




For the LCD-2, using the DACmini CX' DAC section, I found the Soloist to be too laid back (tenth-row seating) and lacking in dynamics, despite having plenty of power (about 1.28W into 50-Ohms.) I found it better suited to the Beyerdynamic T1 that I had at the time, for its very smooth treble (a trait not needed with the LCD-2.)

The CEntrance DACmini CX (DAC + amp) is more forward and amazingly punchy with the LCD-2 (for its 680mW into 50-Ohms), with the DAC's very slight etch coming through the amp (unsmoothed by the Soloist), which I find works very much like a sharpening agent with the shelved highs and less than perfect resolution of the LCD-2. I found that sharpness to be almost unbearable with the more analytical T1.

Enter the Bushmaster MkII... No etch whatsoever, yet plenty of dynamics and bass control with the LCD-2 or HD650, an ink-black noise floor, zero sibilance, and using its integrated amp, no loss of micro-details that the HD650 can express better than the LCD-2. For my tastes, the Bushmaster MkII has beaten both the DACmini CX > Soloist and the standalone DACmini CX, for the LCD-2. I couldn't say that with any phones that are any less efficient, and I'm sure there are several headphones that could sound better on the Soloist.

Interestingly, when using my SPL meter to volume match the LCD-2 vs. HD650 with a white noise WAV file, I discovered that I didn't have to touch the Bushmaster MkII's volume control to get identical SPL's. Very convenient for A/B-ing. 



Mike


----------



## roskodan

i've a burson conductor and the violectric v800/v200 combo with hd650, hd800 and lcd3
  
 the 10th row seating, a more distant presentation is what i can feel too with the conductor, is it just the bigger soundstage or a more natural body presence, maybe a mix of both, the violectric on the other hand is huge in body and very intimate in soundstage, across the whole audible range, intimidatingly present
  
 about power, both (conductor and v200) have plenty, and should be near equal (the amp in the conductor is the soloist)
  
 measured with 1kHz line level input into the conductor with high gain it has ~2.68 watt at 50 ohm, ~same as the v200
  
 post quote from the conductor thread


Spoiler: Quote






roskodan said:


> darku said:
> 
> 
> > duckman said:
> ...


 
  





>


----------



## White Lotus

zilch0md said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 A great read, and informative. Thanks mate!


----------



## LugBug1

zilch0md said:


> Laughing at myself, I will again proclaim, "I'm absolutely thrilled with the way this sounds!"
> 
> Mike


 
 I for one believe you! I've owned 3 Beresford amps including the Bushmaster mk1 and the hp out has always been very good. Very refined. I'd also agree about the HD800 and the BM, as even though it does sound very balanced and sweet - it could use a bit more oomph in the lower end. Suppose this because of the lack of voltage. I havent heard the 650's with BM but I can imagine that the extra bass hump will even things out nicely. 
  
 Nice to see some praise for this great little dac/amp.


----------



## Androb

Got some new cables!


----------



## Silent One

Yeah you did... WOWZA!!!


----------



## Amictus

androb said:


> Got some new cables!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Androb

amictus said:


> Tell us more, tell us more, tell us more! How are they?


 
 Well I was using diy cables first, using crap cheap cables and bad connectors.
 I think the bass was a bit unclear first with the other cables, and now when I got the cardas it got cleaner sounding and the HD650 doesn't sound as congested (don't know if you use that word lol) anymore. Sound didn't get warmer nor clinical sounding, so I guess it's a pretty balanced cable. Also I think micro details is easier to spot now 

 They seem to be very well built aswell, can probably take a beating or two  Feels like a top notch cable anyway  I would recommend these cables but keep in mind they are also the first bought xlr cables I owned so I can only compare with my diy cables 
  
 (Listening to James Blake - Unluck is awesome around 2 min, eartips are shaking haha)


----------



## Androb

Got my new cables here. Listened to three songs with my old cable and the new one to compare. (http://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=39)
 James Blake - Unluck
 Dire straits - Walk of life
 Beatles - Come together
 And what I heard was that the treble is a bit more detailed 
 Doesn't feel as "dark" as my diy cable is.

 The cable is really pretty  I love the transparent plastic so I can see the copper underneath it!
  






 My cat allways wanna be in the way when I take photos.


----------



## roskodan

androb said:


> My cat allways wanna be in the way when I take photos.


 
  
 he says (looks like a he anyway): (with heavy nordic accent) "take photo of cute me or i sharpen my claws and teeth on your new cable, which i'll do later anyway"
  
 did "put cat's name here" try the cable yet?


----------



## Androb

roskodan said:


> he says (looks like a he anyway): (with heavy nordic accent) "take photo of cute me or i sharpen my claws and teeth on your new cable, which i'll do later anyway"
> 
> did "put cat's name here" try the cable yet?


 
 Haha indeed!
 Put the cables up high from Tony, but I guess it's no problem for him to jump up to anyway!


----------



## Purpeltendire

Bedroom desktop setup.
  

  

  

  

  

  
 And the whole picture, for good measure.


----------



## IcedTea

I like your box! where did you get/make it from?


----------



## pez

What desk is that?  I love the high monitor/shelf clearance it has.


----------



## Purpeltendire

icedtea said:


> I like your box! where did you get/make it from?


 
 Edit: Realized you meant the box with the tubes. I found it at a little antique store in a tourist town not far from where I live. Cool little piece, no screws or anything. All mortise and tenon joints aside from the hinges. I cut pieces of black foam I had lying around and lined it for the tubes to sit in. Here's a quick imgur album with a few more pictures of it: http://imgur.com/a/wwjri
  
  
 Quote:


pez said:


> What desk is that?  I love the high monitor/shelf clearance it has.


 
  
 It's all IKEA. Linnmon for the desk, the monitor shelf is an Ekby Amund shelf and CAPITA 21cm legs. It's great having the monitors at eye level. 
  
 Desk: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10251352/ 
 Desk Legs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70217973/
 Shelf: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40250841/
 Shelf Legs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20049538/


----------



## pez

purpeltendire said:


> It's all IKEA. Linnmon for the desk, the monitor shelf is an Ekby Amund shelf and CAPITA 21cm legs. It's great having the monitors at eye level.
> 
> Desk: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10251352/
> Legs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20049538/
> Shelf: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40250841/


 
  
 Interesting; thanks.  What are you using as legs for the tabletop?


----------



## parbaked

purpeltendire said:


> It's all IKEA. Linnmon for the desk, the monitor shelf is an Ekby Amund shelf and CAPITA 21cm legs. It's great having the monitors at eye level.
> 
> Desk: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10251352/
> Legs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20049538/
> Shelf: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40250841/


 
 I'm amazed there is no IKEA appreciation or modification thread on head-Fi!
 So many members use it...


----------



## Purpeltendire

pez said:


> Interesting; thanks.  What are you using as legs for the tabletop?


 
  
 One side is on the filing cabinet. The other side has legs that aren't made anymore, but these are pretty much it: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70217973/
  


parbaked said:


> I'm amazed there is no IKEA appreciation or modification thread on head-Fi!
> So many members use it...


 
  
 There isn't?! IKEA is great... we should make one.


----------



## IcedTea

@Purpeltendire 
  
 That looks really nice man 
  
  I'm going to try to find a box in the future for my tubes (when I get a tube amp lol)


----------



## Silent One

Dat box....... _very nice. _


----------



## pez

purpeltendire said:


> One side is on the filing cabinet. The other side has legs that aren't made anymore, but these are pretty much it: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70217973/
> 
> 
> There isn't?! IKEA is great... we should make one.


 
  
 Awesome! Thanks .


----------



## Purpeltendire

silent one said:


> Dat box....... _very nice. _


 
  


icedtea said:


> @Purpeltendire
> 
> That looks really nice man
> 
> I'm going to try to find a box in the future for my tubes (when I get a tube amp lol)


 
  
 Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
@IcedTea If you have the time, every once in a while stop by those little shops like that. Pawn shops, consignment stores, antiques, thrift stores, etc. There can be some amazing (and not necessarily expensive) finds in them if you frequent.


----------



## Zojokkeli

Here are a couple of new pics since I received the HD 650's:
  

  
  
 Temporary headphone stand/real-time nagging measurement device 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
  
 And finally the battlestation as is:


----------



## akash neagi

zojokkeli said:


> Here are a couple of new pics since I received the HD 650's:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Don't mind if I steal the idea of using bottles as stands.....


----------



## White Lotus

Fantastic photos! How does the gear sound?


----------



## jasonb

The other bookshelf speaker off to the right is one of the rear/side surrounds for my HT system, so don't mind that.


----------



## Zojokkeli

white lotus said:


> Fantastic photos! How does the gear sound?


 
 Thanks! They sound amazing! I don't see myself needing anything more gear-wise ...well maybe the Bottlehead Crack at some point in the future.


----------



## OldSkool

jasonb said:


> The other bookshelf speaker off to the right is one of the rear/side surrounds for my HT system, so don't mind that.


 

 Great set up, Jason! Love the vintage Pioneer!


----------



## hsubox

zojokkeli said:


> Thanks! They sound amazing! I don't see myself needing anything more gear-wise ...well maybe the Bottlehead Crack at some point in the future.


 

 Yes. You definitely will need the Bottlehead. It sounds wonderful with the HD650!


----------



## jasonb

I used a real camera this time instead of my Galaxy S4. These should look a bit better. These are a little less grainy and a bit clearer.


----------



## Androb

Got ma new phones  Seems like it pairs well with the mkvi+.


----------



## parbaked

androb said:


> Got ma new phones
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 Nice cans, man!


----------



## AK7579

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






purpeltendire said:


> Bedroom desktop setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...






 






> The wood box looks like an old index or file card box. evil bay has a bunch http://www.ebay.com/bhp/wooden-index-card-box


----------



## Androb

parbaked said:


> Nice cans, man!


 
 Cheers! They are pretty!
 Let's go get some cold ones even tho it's workdays *hihi*


----------



## parbaked

jasonb said:


> I used a real camera this time instead of my Galaxy S4. These should look a bit better. These are a little less grainy and a bit clearer.


 
 You'd enjoy your little BS-22s a lot more if your practice classic near-field positioning...enjoy!
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## jasonb

Nice! I've never seen that picture before. I could see myself with a setup like that. 
  
 Quote:


parbaked said:


> You'd enjoy your little BS-22s a lot more if your practice classic near-field positioning...enjoy!
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## parbaked

jasonb said:


> I could see myself with a setup like that.


 
 The pic was a joke but 100% serious about near-filed set-up with those monitors, if you listen at your desk.


----------



## jasonb

parbaked said:


> The pic was a joke but 100% serious about near-filed set-up with those monitors, if you listen at your desk.




I dont understand. I am using them near field. They are about 3.5 feet apart and I am sitting about 3.5 to 4 feet from them. From my understanding, this is near field.


----------



## parbaked

jasonb said:


> I dont understand. I am using them near field. They are about 3.5 feet apart and I am sitting about 3.5 to 4 feet from them. From my understanding, this is near field.


 
 When you are that close, positioning is critical. You should achieve the best sounding position without tilting down. If you need to tilt down like that, you will find better results lowering speakers. Also your shelf will cause reflections. I am sure it sounds good, but those little buggers are very capable and can benefit from careful placement.


----------



## jasonb

parbaked said:


> When you are that close, positioning is critical. You should achieve the best sounding position without tilting down. If you need to tilt down like that, you will find better results lowering speakers. Also your shelf will cause reflections. I am sure it sounds good, but those little buggers are very capable and can benefit from careful placement.




They do sound very good as is. There are always going to be compromises and the height is going to be a compromise. From what I've read, tilting them down is not a bad thing. What I've read said that as long as they are on axis then its all good. The way I see it is that putting them up a few inches will give good height to the sound stage. They are as close to the edge of the shelf as can be, so reflections off of the shelf should also be minimal. 

I was going to put some acoustic foam up against the back wall but read that the back wall shouldnt be an issue, which makes me believe that the shelf also shouldnt be a big concern.

They speakers arent as high as they look anyway. The tweeters are only about 6 inches above my ears.


----------



## parbaked

jasonb said:


> They do sound very good as is. There are always going to be compromises and the height is going to be a compromise.


 
 Enjoy! Those are the one hidden gem one can find at Best Buy just hiding on the shelves next to the junk!


----------



## jasonb

parbaked said:


> Enjoy! Those are the one hidden gem one can find at Best Buy just hiding on the shelves next to the junk!




Oh I am enjoying them immensely. They sound great. They definitely are a hidden gem. I am very impressed with them. I could be happy with this as my only speaker setup, and I do also have others. I even use these for live tv on my laptop sometimes using the Optimum online live tv app.


----------



## MrEleventy

+1 on the Pioneer BS22s. I used them as fronts until Amazon put the FS52 on sale for $60/each back in Dec. BS22s are my rears now.


----------



## White Lotus

androb said:


> Got ma new phones  Seems like it pairs well with the mkvi+.


 
  
 Awesome! 
  
 What display case is that? I can see some LED lighting inside it..
  
 Is it the one from Ikea? I can't remember if that had optional LED lights or not.


----------



## Androb

white lotus said:


> Awesome!
> 
> What display case is that? I can see some LED lighting inside it..
> 
> Is it the one from Ikea? I can't remember if that had optional LED lights or not.



Cheers  It's called "vittsjö" in the swedish ikea and yea, it's just normal leds I bought from ikea


----------



## MIKELAP




----------



## White Lotus

D5K? D7K? Either way, a great companion to your HD800.
  
 Also, excuse my ignorance, what are these crazy tubes sticking out of your amp (Which looks to be a little dot)?


----------



## MrEleventy

Looks like an adapter. For a 6SN7 I guess?


----------



## MIKELAP

Quote: 





white lotus said:


> D5K? D7K? Either way, a great companion to your HD800.
> 
> Also, excuse my ignorance, what are these crazy tubes sticking out of your amp (Which looks to be a little dot)?


 
 The HP is a LAWTON AUDIO modded Denon D-5000 and on the Littledot mk3 is an adapter i made to accept 6SL7 tubes these are other  variation  for 6DJ8 AND 12AX7 tubes


----------



## moz

androb said:


> Got ma new phones  Seems like it pairs well with the mkvi+.


 
  
  
 Looks great!


----------



## Varoudis

mikelap said:


> The HP is a LAWTON AUDIO modded Denon D-5000 and on the Littledot mk3 is an adapter i made to accept 6SL7 tubes these are other  variation  for 6DJ8 AND 12AX7 tubes


 
  
 Initially I though the thing at the back of the photos is a copy of the antikythera mechanism. hehe


----------



## MIKELAP

Quote: 





varoudis said:


> Initially I though the thing at the back of the photos is a copy of the antikythera mechanism. hehe


 
     This thing .


----------



## Androb

moz said:


> Looks great!


 
 Thx


----------



## MattTCG

That setup is looking good Mike...real good.


----------



## Androb

Indeed that Mk3 is pretty awesome


----------



## MIKELAP

Thanks guys.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Well I'm snowed in,which here in NC means a whomping 6 inches. So to kill some time i pulled out the ole Iphone for some pics

 O2/O2 Combo not working so hot
  


 Diy Blue Hawaii much better combo(made by member vvs_75)
  

 Even the cat approves


----------



## parbaked

Nice rig and smart cat!
 That Blue Hawaii is a beauty!


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Thanks


----------



## Armaegis

And that's just the bedroom rig?


----------



## Rem0o

That's one huge Stax amp!


----------



## White Lotus

"Honey, I'm feeling a little frisky"

 "LOL. Good luck with that woman, any idea how wide of a soundstage I'm getting over here? You should hear this imaging. Go to sleep."


----------



## Uri Cohen

The six foot folding table at Wal-Mart might be overkill but it leaves plenty of room for expansion in the future.
  
Harman Kardon HD7600 CD player for Transport via TOSLINK (WiredWorld SuperNova 6 Toslink cable)
Audio GD Compass 2 Dual WM8741 DAC + Amp
Grado RS2-i headphones. 
Panamax Surge protector
  
The Harman Kardon is going to be replaced with the new Emotiva ERC-3, which will be my new CD transport if all works well.  I'm shocked on how much heavy stuff the table can hold.  It's great for a headphone setup.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

armaegis said:


> And that's just the bedroom rig?


 
 you should see the bathroom rig
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 no thats the one and only i have it set up so i can chill on the bed and listen to some tunes,here is an across pic

 i really do need to purchase a real camera
  


rem0o said:


> That's one huge Stax amp!


 
 yeah most have the psu seperate but this one has it all in one. however it does run totally silent


----------



## Rem0o

Never seen that kind of layout before, really smart way to put it all in a single big box. Build quality seems pretty top notch for a DIY job. Would give it a listen for sure.


----------



## kramer5150

dailydoseofdaly said:


> you should see the bathroom rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Hey is that an old Japanese Ibanez Roadstar?  That was my first guitar in highschool.  Wish I still had it.
  
 Some Amazing rigs HF-ers!!


----------



## Pustik

dailydoseofdaly said:


> you should see the bathroom rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 What midi keyboard are you using?


----------



## MrPanda

lost reference sorry


----------



## Varoudis

pustik said:


> What midi keyboard are you using?


 
 seems Novation


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Varoudis is correct it's a novation remote 61sl


----------



## Tuco1965

That is some nice gear and setup!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

dailydoseofdaly said:


> Well I'm snowed in,which here in NC means a whomping 6 inches. So to kill some time i pulled out the ole Iphone for some pics
> 
> 
> O2/O2 Combo not working so hot
> ...



And the award for largest headphone amp of they year goeeeeesss toooooo


----------



## Kojaku

dailydoseofdaly said:


> Well I'm snowed in,which here in NC means a whomping 6 inches. So to kill some time i pulled out the ole Iphone for some pics
> 
> O2/O2 Combo not working so hot
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wow what kind of tube is that next to the equipment rack? The big black one on the floor? It's glowing an awful lot. Looks like it tests well . 
  
 Kojaku


----------



## hodgjy

kojaku said:


> Wow what kind of tube is that next to the equipment rack? The big black one on the floor? It's glowing an awful lot. Looks like it tests well .
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Probably some sort of Cavelli fire amp.


----------



## Kojaku

hodgjy said:


> Probably some sort of Cavelli fire amp.


 
 The new Cavalli Solid Fire ?!? What wasn't supposed to released for another few years! Apparently discrete Class 4.0GPA operation. WOW.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## bbophead

kojaku said:


> hodgjy said:
> 
> 
> > Probably some sort of Cavelli fire amp.
> ...


 
 I understand Alex doesn't use power tubes in his designs so that must be a butt load of 12AX7's, say, about 200?


----------



## Kojaku

bbophead said:


> I understand Alex doesn't use power tubes in his designs so that must be a butt load of 12AX7's, say, about 200?


 
 Well thank goodness he has the power conditioner. That's a lot of distortion potential already hehe xD
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Snips

My humble setup. Finally got back my HD600 the other day for me to try out the Vali and Bifrost.


----------



## Androb

Friday night  Gonna be a long one!


----------



## ostewart

Picked up these for £40 at a charity shop, the CD-52 SE needs a new CDM4 Gear but thats cheap and easy to replace. Both have visible scratches but for the price I can't complain. To pair with some Mission 702E's which i'll be getting for £50 at the end of the month.
  
 Marantz SR-47 and CD-52 Special Edition:


----------



## pez

Snow is finally melting, but off today and am without power. Thankfully the gas logs are still going and I've got a little humble setup to keep me warm.


----------



## zilch0md

Hey Pez!
  
 Quote:


pez said:


> Snow is finally melting, but off today and am without power. Thankfully the gas logs are still going and I've got a little humble setup to keep me warm.


 
  
 That's a great little rig - I keep telling myself to try using my iPad mini as a source, but I've never gotten around to it.
  
 But I've turned on the lights at your house!
  

  
 Mike


----------



## pez

zilch0md said:


> That's a great little rig - I keep telling myself to try using my iPad mini as a source, but I've never gotten around to it.
> 
> But I've turned on the lights at your house!
> 
> ...




Yeah, it's actually quite good, though I prefer the Note 3 as a source. The Magnum is actually quite good as an amp for the HD650, too. 

And yeah, I played with the brightness on my Note 3, but wasn't happy with the washed out look it got. I ended up liking it better than the iPhone 5S pic I got in the end. That was with a ISO of 400 and a white balance of 'cloudy'. I'm just happy I found an acceptable low light setting for the Note 3. It's day time HDR pics on the other hand are fantastic.

EDIT:

'Noise' is probably the word I should have used.


----------



## DefQon

ostewart said:


> Picked up these for £40 at a charity shop, the CD-52 SE needs a new CDM4 Gear but thats cheap and easy to replace. Both have visible scratches but for the price I can't complain. To pair with some Mission 702E's which i'll be getting for £50 at the end of the month.
> 
> Marantz SR-47 and CD-52 Special Edition:




That CD52 is itching for mods, not so great stock but v.good once rebuilt and modded, pick your poison with the analogue output stage be it rebuilt opamp filter circuit, omitted muting transistors or omit the whole opamps and straight feed into a SRPP stage with white cathode follower sch.


----------



## MickeyVee

Latest iteration.. the Grado PS500 didn't work out for me so I exchanged for the RS1i.. really liking them..
 - Naim DAC-V1 driving the HD800
 - AQ Dragonfly / Schiit Vali driving the RS1i


----------



## jaywillin

mickeyvee said:


> Latest iteration.. the Grado PS500 didn't work out for me so I exchanged for the RS1i.. really liking them..
> - Naim DAC-V1 driving the HD800
> - AQ Dragonfly / Schiit Vali driving the RS1i


 

 grado+vali= ahhhhhhhhh !


----------



## MickeyVee

Grado + Vali + *New Order* = ahhhhhhhhh !    Crank it!! (jay - I've seen some of your posted blues videos - great stuff - here's my stuff)
  
  

 Quote:


jaywillin said:


> grado+vali= ahhhhhhhhh !


----------



## jaywillin

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 nice !


----------



## bundy

this is my bedroom set up not as good as most i'v seen but it does the job very well for me.


----------



## ostewart

Yeah, i've seen a few mods on the Marantz CD-52 on the internet, may have a look at some point. May even venture to re-cap the amp as they are quite old bits of kit, and new caps (nichicon probably) is always good.
 40w per channel will be fine for the Mission 702e I shall be getting (rated 25-100w)


----------



## LugBug1

ostewart said:


> Yeah, i've seen a few mods on the Marantz CD-52 on the internet, may have a look at some point. May even venture to re-cap the amp as they are quite old bits of kit, and new caps (nichicon probably) is always good.
> 40w per channel will be fine for the Mission 702e I shall be getting (rated 25-100w)


 
 You got a bargain there bud. Those 52 SE normally go for about £60-80. 
  
 Nevermind the mods... Use it as a transport and you will have instant high end  (providing you have a capable dac)


----------



## ostewart

Yeah, I bought it on a whim as it was cheap (£40 for CD-52 SE and SR-47) just need to replace CDM4 gear. The inside is still very clean and good condition. I only have a iFi iDAC which is USB only unfortunately.
 But stock it sounds good as it is, CDs load very quickly and play fine. Will give it a good clean, any tips on cleaning the outer part?


----------



## Brendanz

Hey guys I just auditioned the burson soloist SL today and feel that it might be the right amp for me. I would need a DAC to pair with it. I have a budget of about 1000 USD , can anyone recommend me a DAC that will pair well with it ? I will be using it out of my laptop with a pair of Audeze LCD-2s.


----------



## LugBug1

ostewart said:


> Yeah, I bought it on a whim as it was cheap (£40 for CD-52 SE and SR-47) just need to replace CDM4 gear. The inside is still very clean and good condition. I only have a iFi iDAC which is USB only unfortunately.
> But stock it sounds good as it is, CDs load very quickly and play fine. Will give it a good clean, any tips on cleaning the outer part?


 
 Depending on how dirty a component is, sometimes I'll only use a baby wipe. They are ideal and of course ph neutral. 
  
 However if its a big job, I use good old soap and water. Just washing up liquid in a small bowl of hot water (If it was some vintage aluminium I'd add some vinegar). Use a soft cloth dampened with the soapy water and gently rub and wipe dry at the same to stop the water building up and possibly getting inside. Cotton buds for corners etc. 
  
  
Always make sure its completely dry before switching it on again for risk of shorts. A hair dryer can come in handy here. 
  
Don't forget to post pics when your done. I love the look of those 52's. Classics! 
Or you could add em here 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/703928/do-you-own-a-vintage-cd-player-pics-please


----------



## pez

jaywillin said:


> grado+vali= ahhhhhhhhh !


 
  
 You gave me an idea/excuse to potentially pick up some Grado's again...


----------



## ostewart

Will post pics when they are all cleaned up


----------



## parbaked

ostewart said:


> Will post pics when they are all cleaned up


 
 analogsurviver gives a nice demo of cleaning vintage gear with WD40 and a toothbrush in the vintage thread.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/537704/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners/11715


----------



## jaywillin

pez said:


> You gave me an idea/excuse to potentially pick up some Grado's again...


 

 you do have to have a light touch due to the micrphonic tubes, but its not bad, and only last a short time,
 but once the volume is set, sweet, sweet, dynamic music !


----------



## Sorrodje

Already posted in HD800 thread .  
  
                                                                                     /= coax ==> REGA DAC ==> MG HEAD ===\
                                                                                    /                                                               \
 .        PC (UBUNTU) PCM 24/96 === Poppulse USB>SPIDF <                                                                  > FIIO HS2 switcher ===>> HD800
                                                                                    \                                                               /
                                                                                     \= toslink ====> NFB12.1 ===> VALI ===/ 
  
  
  
 Little experience in order to compare my two rigs


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Silent One

Very nice snapple10!


----------



## silversurfer616

Metrum Octave/Crack with Speed Ball/HD600 and Magnum V5


----------



## parbaked




----------



## Silent One

I might have to pick up some Sweet Potatoes to go with dinner tonight!


----------



## ssrock64

bundy said:


> this is my bedroom set up not as good as most i'v seen but it does the job very well for me.
 
 Unless you have it EQ'd out, that's got to be quite a bassy setup. The Reference One is an extremely hard-hitting can.


----------



## bundy

I don't think it is overly bassey at all. But then again i am new to all this. i don't think the referance  1s are any more bassey than my sennheiser HD435


----------



## LugBug1

Really enjoying this retro 80's stack. The great thing about buying vintage gear is that you can pretty much change your system every month for not much money. None of those individual components cost more than $100.


----------



## kramer5150

lugbug1 said:


> Really enjoying this retro 80's stack. The great thing about buying vintage gear is that you can pretty much change your system every month for not much money. None of those individual components cost more than $100.


 
 x2  Rotel, NAD, Carver, technics, Marantz... Great gear for the $$$.


----------



## kramer5150

parbaked said:


>


 
 Curious... is the headphone section on this amp powered off the main speaker transformers through a resistor network?.. or do the cans have their own dedicated OTs?


----------



## parbaked

kramer5150 said:


> Curious... is the headphone section on this amp powered off the main speaker transformers through a resistor network?.. or do the cans have their own dedicated OTs?


 
 Cans are powered off the transformers:


----------



## ssrock64

bundy said:


> I don't think it is overly bassey at all. But then again i am new to all this. i don't think the referance  1s are any more bassey than my sennheiser HD435


 

 It's possible that Klipsch has retuned the design since I last owned a pair (~2 years ago), since they got a lot of criticism from audiophiles who said they were far too bassy. I found them good a portables, but I agree with the general consensus that they need to be EQ'd down somewhat.


----------



## Varoudis

parbaked said:


>




What is this?


----------



## parbaked

> What is this?


 
 My amplifier...
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



 
 Single ended pentode by Jef Larson...tube rectified 6CL6 Spud


----------



## kramer5150

varoudis said:


> What is this?


 
 Abraxas audio Spud.
  
 I think they were available in either kit or assembled for more $$.  I wonder how they get around not having filter caps in the output stage?  I was told a filter capacitance reservoir is required even though output transformers only pass AC.


----------



## Varoudis

parbaked said:


> My amplifier...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Sexy! 
Is it based on some design that can be build as diy or only from jeff?


----------



## parbaked

varoudis said:


> Sexy!
> Is it based on some design that can be build as diy or only from jeff?


 
 I am not sure how active Jef is. We must wait to see if/when he relaunches his site: http://abraxas.jefdeb.com/
 The old site had lots of schematics and ideas so hopefully the new site will be equally useful.
  
 An early version is sold in kit by a friend of Jef's. http://spudkit.com/
 If you read through all the Hawthorne forums you'll also see modifications by Terry G to upgrade the kit.
  
 Jef's builds do exceed the kit in every way. He went all out on mine, including screen regulation and the headphone adapter/output.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## parbaked

kramer5150 said:


> Abraxas audio Spud.
> 
> I think they were available in either kit or assembled for more $$.  I wonder how they get around not having filter caps in the output stage?  I was told a filter capacitance reservoir is required even though output transformers only pass AC.


 
 Jef (Abraxas) doesn't sell kits but he does give away a lot of his ideas. His old site was renowned for it's content.
 The kit version was based on the second Spud Jef designed (V2) around 2007 but is different from mine.
 I don't think Jerry, who made up and sold the kits, even credits Jef for the original design anymore.
  
 Jef has only built 4-5 Spuds over the years, each one a little better.
 Mine is his latest (V4), built because he had some new ideas re: screen regulation and also preloaded the output transformer secondary for the phones.
 He doesn't like to build the same amp twice unless someone really asks for one. 
 Sorry, can't answer your technical questions, but the amp is genius on speakers or cans.
 I couldn't be happier....


----------



## White Lotus

Is it anything similar to Bottlehead products?


----------



## parbaked

I've only heard the Crack and the Spud is different...less lush, more spacious and detailed.
 It might be similar to the BH WOT amps = Smack or SEX as they have output transformers and one tube per channel, single gain stage but the Spud uses Pentodes (SEP) and I believe the BH are triode (SET)...so different. Also not sure if any of the BH designs are tube rectified...


----------



## kramer5150

Thanks for the details... I bet it sounds great with those HD600s.  Maybe some day I'll get a chance to demo one of those.


----------



## parbaked

kramer5150 said:


> Thanks for the details... I bet it sounds great with those HD600s.  Maybe some day I'll get a chance to demo one of those.


 
 I found out about Jef through Head-Fi member nurxhunter:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/622453/abraxasaudio-6cl6-6197-tube-headphone-amplifier
http://www.head-fi.org/t/641991/abraxasaudio-6v6gt-pp-stereo-amplifer

  
 You should keep an eye on his site...Jef has great ideas and is one of the good guys!


----------



## jaywillin

some new additions, the lcd x, the bha-1, and a joedoe woodied sr 80


----------



## CJs06

jaywillin said:


> some new additions, the lcd x, the bha-1, and a joedoe woodied sr 80


 

 wow, dat gear


----------



## philo50

jaywillin said:


> some new additions, the lcd x, the bha-1, and a joedoe woodied sr 80


 
 very nice.....


----------



## jaywillin

cjs06 said:


> wow, dat gear


 
  
  


philo50 said:


> very nice.....


 

 thanks !
 the bryston is very nice indeed


----------



## darren700

Having a great Sunday night!


----------



## magiccabbage

silversurfer616 said:


> Metrum Octave/Crack with Speed Ball/HD600 and Magnum V5


 
 I have that Zadie smith book but have not read it yet- the purple pink one is it any good?


----------



## silversurfer616

Haven't read it but my partner says,it is good,set in an american university(east coast),centred around a black and white american family.
It is rather a homage to E.M.Forster.
I hope you will enjoy it.


----------



## terance

Pictured is my humble little analog set up.  Unfortunately the lighting isn't very good, sorry about that.
  
 I've also got a computer set up, but it's nothing to write home about!


----------



## hsubox

Got the final piece of my puzzle for a while! My E09K will go back to join the Modi at my PC.


----------



## Oregonian

darren700 said:


> Having a great Sunday night!


 

 Long Island Iced Tea by chance?  Yum.....................


----------



## Kojaku

Mischief with Fraggler hehe. Full setup to come 
  

  
 Kojaku


----------



## preproman

snapple10 said:


>


 
  
 Nice setup


----------



## parbaked

Yes, that rig is all business..cheers!


----------



## jackskelly

I will be very happy to compare this to my incoming Blue Hawaii.


----------



## angelo898

jackskelly said:


> I will be very happy to compare this to my incoming Blue Hawaii.


 

 when is this going to arrive?


----------



## abablitz

Bedside rig.


----------



## DefQon

preproman said:


> Nice setup


 
 What was once yours is a gem for another.


----------



## parbaked

defqon said:


> What was once yours is a gem for another.


 
 That is the head-fi spirit!!


----------



## preproman

defqon said:


> What was once yours is a gem for another.


 
  
 Yup - so true.  and a really nice setup it is..


----------



## Androb

Changed some tubes on the little dot ) The left tube i'm holding is the original ones, now I got the Sylvania 6H5C!
  
 ¨


----------



## darren700

oregonian said:


> Long Island Iced Tea by chance?  Yum.....................


 

 Actually, Its glass of Havana Club 7 Year Aged Rum.


----------



## parbaked

androb said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Work those meters. I like!
 ...very pretty new tubes too...visual upgrade for sure...cheers!


----------



## Androb

Indeed they are!


----------



## CJs06

androb said:


> Changed some tubes on the little dot ) The left tube i'm holding is the original ones, now I got the Sylvania 6H5C!
> 
> ¨


 
 O_O thats nice, I might have to indulge myself with one of these amps one day.


----------



## Androb

They are worth it  So much performance for such a small pricetag


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

androb said:


> Changed some tubes on the little dot ) The left tube i'm holding is the original ones, now I got the Sylvania 6H5C!
> 
> ¨



Quick question, what amplifier is that? It is beautiful.


----------



## Kojaku

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Quick question, what amplifier is that? It is beautiful.


 
 Little Dot MK VI+
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Androb

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> Quick question, what amplifier is that? It is beautiful.


 
 Yea what Kojaku said, and it sure is!


----------



## Androb

Sorry for another post hehe but dad just finished building this little badboy 
  

  


 A phono stage


----------



## bbophead

kojaku said:


> ahorsenamedjeff said:
> 
> 
> > Quick question, what amplifier is that? It is beautiful.
> ...


 
 What are the power tubes?  Sure don't look like 6080's.  Please and thank you.


----------



## Kojaku

bbophead said:


> What are the power tubes?  Sure don't look like 6080's.  Please and thank you.


 
 I'm not the owner, but they look like 5998's to me.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## hodgjy

kojaku said:


> I'm not the owner, but they look like 5998's to me.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Sylvania 6H5C


----------



## Kojaku

hodgjy said:


> Sylvania 6H5C


 
 I stand corrected. I'm not that big on tubes anymore xS
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Androb

hodgjy said:


> Sylvania 6H5C


 
 These tubes yes  Also called 6N5S!


----------



## Kojaku

Time to make history:
  

  

  

  

  

  
 I've kinda gotten into the idea of taking some vanity shots of setups. No expert or anything, just like tinkering with ISO settings and whatnot. First pair of balanced m80s ever 
  
 Kojaku


----------



## parbaked

hisQuote: 





kojaku said:


> Time to make history:
> 
> I've kinda gotten into the idea of taking some vanity shots of setups.  First pair of balanced m80s ever
> 
> Kojaku


 
_"You're so vain, you probably think t thread is about you..." _





  
 Congrats on making history...looks really good...cheers!


----------



## Kojaku

parbaked said:


> _"You're so vain, you probably think t thread is about you..." _
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 erm...I don't...I just wanted to share something :S
  
 Kojaku


----------



## parbaked

kojaku said:


> erm...I don't...I just wanted to share something :S
> 
> Kojaku


 
 It's a famous Carly Simon song and a joke - vanity shots - get it...cheers!
  
_You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht
 Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
 Your scarf it was apricot_
_Your so vain, you probably think this song is about you..._
  
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You're_So_Vain


----------



## Kojaku

parbaked said:


> It's a famous Carly Simon song and a joke - vanity shots - get it...cheers!
> 
> _You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht
> Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
> ...


 
 Ah, a little beyond my time lol xD
  
 Kojaku


----------



## parbaked

kojaku said:


> Ah, a little beyond my time lol xD
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Yeah..I'm old...can't help that!


----------



## MacedonianHero

jackskelly said:


> I will be very happy to compare this to my incoming Blue Hawaii.


 
 It won't be close! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Congrats on the BHSE!


----------



## parbaked

macedonianhero said:


> It won't be close!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah, I want to hear this!


----------



## Anavel0

parbaked said:


> Yeah..I'm old...can't help that!


I'm 29 and I own that album on original release vinyl. (Original owner was my uncle that bought it way back.)  Good music is never constrained by age.


----------



## parbaked

anavel0 said:


> I'm 29 and I own that album on original release vinyl. (Original owner was my uncle that bought it way back.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice...my amp was built in Fortville 06040...good music in IN...cheers!
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## jackskelly

angelo898 said:


> when is this going to arrive?




It should be here this year, hopefully before summer ? I don't know.


----------



## Kojaku

jackskelly said:


> It should be here this year, hopefully before summer ? I don't know.




Whoo...those BHSE build times...

Kojaku


----------



## Bookbear

anavel0 said:


> I'm 29 and I own that album on original release vinyl. (Original owner was my uncle that bought it way back.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Amen!!


----------



## lord_tris

Just finished this much improved audio rack.


----------



## hsubox

Nice! Salamander Designs?


----------



## Tuco1965

What is on the Asgard volume knob?


----------



## LugBug1

lord_tris said:


> Just finished this much improved audio rack.


 
 Thats really nice. Love the colour of the wood. Very tasteful.


----------



## jaywillin

tuco1965 said:


> What is on the Asgard volume knob?


 
 it looks like the ring off of something like a plastic cap on a jug of orange juice to me


----------



## lord_tris

tuco1965 said:


> What is on the Asgard volume knob?


 
  
 Its a silicone something the guy that sold it to me threw it in the box its nice when it gets warm
  


lugbug1 said:


> Thats really nice. Love the colour of the wood. Very tasteful.


 
  
 Thank you very much.


jaywillin said:


> it looks like the ring off of something like a plastic cap on a jug of orange juice to me


 
  
 Its silicone


----------



## Varoudis

lord_tris said:


> Just finished this much improved audio rack.




Wow nice e30 artwork!!


----------



## Tuco1965

I definitely like the rack.  Nice and open.


----------



## Silent One

varoudis said:


> Wow nice e30 artwork!!


 
 +1, it actually drew my eye first! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I quickly discovered a nice rack, though...


----------



## palmfish

silent one said:


> +1, it actually drew my eye first!   I quickly discovered a nice rack, though...




Haha, me too. Im currently on my third E30 (a 318i convertible). I love them.


----------



## Kojaku

palmfish said:


> Haha, me too. Im currently on my third E30 (a 318i convertible). I love them.


 
 Oh man. That was a golden era for the 3 series 
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

palmfish said:


> Haha, me too. Im currently on my third E30 (a 318i convertible). I love them.


 
 BMWCCA-Los Angeles Chapter. Picked up an E23 a few years ago.


----------



## lord_tris

hsubox said:


> Nice! Salamander Designs?


 
  No this is my own design and built it my self.


----------



## palmfish

silent one said:


> BMWCCA-Los Angeles Chapter. Picked up an E23 a few years ago.




You have one of the seven remaining E23's that havent rusted away completely! nice!

Im in the Puget Sound Chapter and E30 M3 SIG.


----------



## lord_tris

tuco1965 said:


> I definitely like the rack.  Nice and open.


 
  
  thank you very much


silent one said:


> +1, it actually drew my eye first!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes I made this as well 
  


palmfish said:


> Haha, me too. Im currently on my third E30 (a 318i convertible). I love them.


 
 I am kicking my self for selling my coupe 
  


kojaku said:


> Oh man. That was a golden era for the 3 series
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Agreed such a classic style 
  


silent one said:


> BMWCCA-Los Angeles Chapter. Picked up an E23 a few years ago.


 
 Very cool i like those cars as well.


----------



## CJs06

varoudis said:


> Wow nice e30 artwork!!


Agreed!! Love the E30!


----------



## Varoudis

palmfish said:


> You have one of the seven remaining E23's that havent rusted away completely! nice!
> 
> Im in the Puget Sound Chapter and E30 M3 SIG.




E30 M3 is my dream car. Ive got a e46 but at some point ill restore one e30m3....


----------



## palmfish

varoudis said:


> E30 M3 is my dream car. Ive got a e46 but at some point ill restore one e30m3....


 
  
 I have always liked the E46, but I do miss my M3 dearly...


----------



## Varoudis

palmfish said:


> I have always liked the E46, but I do miss my M3 dearly...




Its a dream!! Sexy as hell!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

Decided to do a little panorama to show the layout of the rig. Listened to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence for the first time in a long time, and man oh man was I impressed by this little Schiit Modi. Sucker brought out loads more details and nuances than I'd previously heard.


----------



## longbowbbs




----------



## 62ohm

longbowbbs said:


>


 
  
  
 Beautiful amp mate, what do you make of the pairing with HD800?


----------



## longbowbbs

62ohm, I love the SLI-80 and the HD800's You get the full benefit of this awesome amp through the headphone jack. I am very pleased.


----------



## ostewart

Got the SR-47 all cleaned up:
  
 (havent got space to move the speakers yet, will be moving soon anyway)


----------



## ssrock64

ostewart said:


> Got the SR-47 all cleaned up:
> 
> (havent got space to move the speakers yet, will be moving soon anyway)


 
 If I had more space, I would buy myself a pair of MIssion floorstanders from the mid 90s in a second.


----------



## zilch0md

Off-topic, yes, but I can't resist...
  
 Quote:


palmfish said:


> I have always liked the E46, but I do miss my M3 dearly...


 
  


varoudis said:


> Its a dream!! Sexy as hell!


 
  
 No disrespect intended for those who find these attractive, as there's no accounting for my very poor taste, but I always thought they looked like someone applied a bolt-on fender flare kit - without the bolts. I'm literally irritated when I look at how the flares terminate at the "stock" door skins.  Again, it's just my opinion, but to my eye, it cheapens the marque and is unworthy of the engineering that lies within.


----------



## Varoudis

zilch0md said:


> No disrespect intended for those who find these attractive, as there's no accounting for my very poor taste, but I always thought they looked like someone applied a bolt-on fender flare kit - without the bolts. I'm literally irritated when I look at how the flares terminate at the "stock" door skins.  Again, it's just my opinion, but to my eye, it cheapens the marque and is unworthy of the engineering that lies within.


 
  
 Design wise, there are any opinions and most will be true (As an architect I know).
 As a machine though... its definitely a dream!  
  
  
 (post full of bimmer bias   )


----------



## Tuco1965

So where do you plug in the headphones?


----------



## roskodan

i'm officially re-renaming this thread into:
  
 "(don't) Show us your BMW at it's pre-21st centaury state. No new pictures please... btw where do you plug your headphones !?!"


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> i'm officially re-renaming this thread into:
> 
> "(don't) Show us your BMW at it's pre-21st centaury state. No new pictures please... btw where do you plug your headphones !?!"


 
 I think there's a set of connections in the engine bay somewhere. Just put speaker taps on the battery poles and BAM! You're in business. Maybe it's enough to drive a pair of HE-6s correctly.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Armaegis

Hmm... the battery puts out 12V DC... my Nuforce Icon amp needs 12-15V input and pumps out 24W for my HE-6...


----------



## Kojaku

armaegis said:


> Hmm... the battery puts out 12V DC... my Nuforce Icon amp needs 12-15V input and pumps out 24W for my HE-6...


 
 Solution: Get another E 30, run the batteries in parallel. Balanced Auto-Amp. I think I've just predicted the future of headfi.
  
 + 
  
 = Dynamics, Pacing, Low-End Oomph.
  
 The perfect answer for the HE-6 sounding somewhat anemic underpowered.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Maxvla

Downside is you need sealed headphones to block the motor noise.


----------



## Kojaku

maxvla said:


> Downside is you need sealed headphones to block the motor noise.


 
 Eh. I'll just plug-in one of those newfangled noise attenuators everyone packages with their universal IEMs nowadays.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## ForShure

Speaking of combining Head-Fi and the E-30 M3 pay attention to the poster above my dorm room setup.


----------



## Kojaku

forshure said:


> Speaking of combining Head-Fi and the E-30 M3 pay attention to the poster above my dorm room setup.


 
  
 It's like 3 degrees of Kevin Bacon, but with headphones and the M3.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## roskodan

i'm officially, in consultation with* Kojaku* /img/forum/go_quote.gif , re-re-renaming this thread into:
   
 "(please don't, or be prepared to put your and your acquaintance's life on the line to) Show us... your 3 degrees headphones to M3 connection !!! No deceased please... will you make it !?! bonus point for each 'Fukawa Aiko no orighinaru purinto' found on the wall !!!"


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> i'm officially re-re-renaming this thread into:
> 
> "(please don't, or be prepared to put your and your acquaintance's life on the line to) Show us... your 3 degrees headphones to M3 connection !!! No deceased please... will you make it !?! bonus point for each 'Fukawa Aiko no orighinaru printo' found on the wall !!!"


 
 I'd like some consultant's credit thanks. 
  
 Kojaku


----------



## roskodan

fixed that, sorry for any inconvenience caused by the involuntary omission
  
 in appreciation of your contribution, please accept this "postcard" from Croatia 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
 edit: p.s. there is some amp-dac cross breading perversion going on behind the scenes


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> fixed that, sorry for any inconvenience caused by the involuntary omission
> 
> in appreciation of your contribution, please accept this "postcard" from Croatia
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wait, is that avery's other LCD-3? Also, I realize that I missed the opportunity to call the E30 setup a "dual monoblock" system. Dangit xD
  
 Kojaku


----------



## roskodan

Spoiler: Previously on The 'Show Us...' show...






roskodan said:


> lol we left averyhsu1230 without a single lcd3
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  


 Good Morning, America !


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> Spoiler: Previously on The 'Show Us...' show...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 ooh congrats! How do you like the Burson? I always heard Bursons were a little dark for LCD-3s...
  
 Kojaku


----------



## roskodan

well i don't like to add sugar on top of marmalade... but the lcd3 pairs really good with both the burson and the violectric combo, the violectric being the darker and heavier in body, so the burson feels definitely bright and airy, not dark or heavy in comparison
  
 tried the Audio-gd Reference 5.32 -> NFB-6 combo and it felt definitely darker and havier than the burson, compared to both the violectric and conductor, it feels more fun, U shaped perhaps, maybe more powerful ?
  
 than crossing dac-amp between the two gives really nice results too, the sabre based dac module is excellent, can't see why some seem to think it's weak, same for the soloist, really good amp and pre-amp, and the default tenor based usb module worked without a problem too, both on win7 and mavericks
  
 the violectric v800 and v200.. well these are really special 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, ms. & mr. prat, the successors to the v200 and v181 should be out before the summer, really looking forward to try them


----------



## hsubox

Little Dot tubes a'glowin'!


----------



## Kojaku

I've always been a bit sad that I skipped over the little dot offerings 
  
 Got a new CD in and decided to indulge my secret love for speaker isolation cones:
  

  
 Almost the whole family is here...just my iem waiting to come home from Brian...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
 I'm amazed it took me so long to get the last cd. I can't believe it's really their very last one 
  

  
 Kojaku


----------



## jaywillin

the MAD Ear+ has a challenger inhouse ! lets get ready to ruuuuuuummmmmmmble !


----------



## dasmodul

Here's my current one minus a headphone or two that's in the musik room.


----------



## omigawsh_lollercoaster

forshure said:


> Speaking of combining Head-Fi and the E-30 M3 pay attention to the poster above my dorm room setup.


 
  
 What speakers are those?


----------



## GeneraI

@ AHorseNamedJeff
  
 I would be scared to put such a heavy/big headphone on another DAC/Amp. What if it broke one day ,and just destroyed that equipment.


----------



## GeneraI

Am I the only one is ocassionly reading the comments, and mostly skimming to look at the high end rigs?


----------



## parbaked

generai said:


> Am I the only one is ocassionly reading the comments, and mostly skimming to look at the high end rigs?


 
 Do you buy Playboy and just look at pics and not read the articles...?


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

Well its a pic thread, probably most skim for the pics.   ^haha exacty


----------



## mikroski

on my sofa in living room


----------



## ForShure

omigawsh_lollercoaster said:


> What speakers are those?


 

 They are Cakewalk MA-15D. An awesome and great looking set of desktop monitors imho.


----------



## StudioSound

kojaku said:


> Got a new CD in and decided to indulge my secret love for speaker isolation cones:



 
Spikes are for coupling, not isolation.


----------



## Kojaku

studiosound said:


> kojaku said:
> 
> 
> > Got a new CD in and decided to indulge my secret love for speaker isolation cones:
> ...




Shows how much I know about speaker-fi. I saw them in search keyword groupings as isolation feet/cones. I just got them for looks honestly.

Kojaku


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

generai said:


> @ AHorseNamedJeff
> 
> I would be scared to put such a heavy/big headphone on another DAC/Amp. What if it broke one day ,and just destroyed that equipment.


sorry, what are you referring to?


----------



## omigawsh_lollercoaster

forshure said:


> omigawsh_lollercoaster said:
> 
> 
> > What speakers are those?
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

mikroski said:


> on my sofa in living room


 
 Really nice!


----------



## inouekun

Bad photo here


----------



## parbaked

I threw an HRT iStreamer into the chain.
 Really nice piece of kit...clever design...good DAC

  

  
 The extra output voltage over the iPad LOD really helps as the single gain amps rely on that voltage.
  
 iPad > iStreamer > 6CL6 Spud Amp > HD600 ... this is good!


----------



## Kojaku

parbaked said:


> I threw an HRT iStreamer into the chain.
> Really nice piece of kit...clever design...good DAC
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wait, are you using a LOD or a digital line-out? Also, that's really pretty amp. 
  
 Kojaku


----------



## parbaked

kojaku said:


> Wait, are you using a LOD or a digital line-out? Also, that's really pretty amp.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 I was using a LOD before ie. taking the analog line out from the iPad.
 This had low output voltage and I had a little RFI noise.
  
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






 Now I am mining just the digital signal from the iPod using the HRT iStreamer which is a iDevice specific transport and DAC. 
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






  
  
 This amp really likes at least 2.0 v RMS which the iStreamer delivers, but the iPad LOD does not.
 Also all RFI interference is gone...highly recommended.


----------



## Kojaku

parbaked said:


> I was using a LOD before ie. taking the analog line out from the iPad.
> This had low output voltage and I had a little RFI noise.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Oh ok, I misunderstood. I was confused as to why you'd need an iStreamer if you would just be using a LOD anyway. I wasn't even sure the iStreamer has analog in/out.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## kramer5150

Curious... whats the advantage in using: iPad > LOD > HRT > Amp ?  Versus: iPad TOSLINK Optical > Some other DAC with optilcal input > Amp ?
  
 You mention EMI/FRI noise from the LOD, doesn't optical over fiber completely alleviate this?
  
 Thanks, thats a great setup, love the less-is more simplicity.


----------



## CJs06

parbaked said:


> I threw an HRT iStreamer into the chain.
> Really nice piece of kit...clever design...good DAC
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Wow this is a nice simple setup with your iPad, I like it a lot!


----------



## parbaked

kramer5150 said:


> Curious... whats the advantage in using: iPad > LOD > HRT > Amp ?  Versus: iPad TOSLINK Optical > Some other DAC with optilcal input > Amp ?
> 
> You mention EMI/FRI noise from the LOD, doesn't optical over fiber completely alleviate this?
> 
> Thanks, thats a great setup, love the less-is more simplicity.


 
 This is iPad > HRT > Amp...there's no LOD anymore, just the 30 pin HRT cable. You can't use an LOD to connect the iStreamer.
 The EMI/FRI noise came from LOD I was using before I think because of the wi-fi in the iPad - an iPod had no EMI/FRI noise through same LOD.
 I thought the HRT was the most simple setup compared to iPad > transport > DAC > amp.


----------



## johnman1116

kojaku said:


> Kojaku


 
  
 I love Clazziquai!! Didn't expect to find a fan, even on head-fi


----------



## Androb

parbaked said:


> I threw an HRT iStreamer into the chain.
> Really nice piece of kit...clever design...good DAC
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Awesome setup


----------



## bbophead

Furrall:
  
 Do you think the look of the future (for us geeky/nerdy/headphony type folks) is a bakelite knob and wires that go into the top?
  
 I want to love it but I'm having problems with the look and feel.


----------



## parbaked

I wouldn't say it's the future at all but this is a good design and architecture if you are building custom, one of a kind amplifiers. 
 This architecture separates the the L/R channels and power supply from the amplifier section and allows easy to access to the components. 
 Think how much more complicated this wiring would be if all the inputs, outputs and power supply were all in the back, and the signal having to travel through the power supply to get to the input tubes and then back past the P/S again to reach the speaker taps: 
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






  
 It's form over function!
 And I like the bakelite knob...which is an easy swap anyway...cheers!


----------



## Kojaku

johnman1116 said:


> I love Clazziquai!! Didn't expect to find a fan, even on head-fi


 
  
 I just love how they've taken ownership of being experimental with their stuff. It's latin-flavored, acid-jazz inspired, and and fueled by love and ambition for music. I was surprised that I didn't find another fan on here either until you!
  
 Kojaku


----------



## bigfatpaulie

kojaku said:


> I just love how they've taken ownership of being experimental with their stuff. It's latin-flavored, acid-jazz inspired, and and fueled by love and ambition for music. I was surprised that I didn't find another fan on here either until you!
> 
> Kojaku


 
  
 I just gave them a listen for the first time thanks to you.  I really like 'em!  Thanks for introducing me to them.


----------



## Kojaku

bigfatpaulie said:


> I just gave them a listen for the first time thanks to you.  I really like 'em!  Thanks for introducing me to them.




No problem. If you're a fan of experimental stuff, check out Hiatus Kaiyote too. They're more funky and soulful, so they are my very favorite modern group. My all-time being Earth, Wind & Fire.

Kojaku


----------



## bigfatpaulie

Thanks.  I will


----------



## mikroski

lugbug1 said:


> Really nice!


 
 Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The advantage of tube amp is,
 it always come with heater and lamp features without additional charge


----------



## ssrock64

I'm trying out a new transportable setup to replace my old work desktop rig (which was a DAC1 > Auditor > PS1000).
  
 The amp is a bit of a throwback to 2004, a little silver Headsave Classic that I recently bought from LTSFBH. The HD650 is an almost-new unit that I just got in last week from mstorie, and I bought the ODAC new last year. Currently it's all running off of a USB-based Daphile server with a 1.5TB removable hard drive to draw about 10,000 songs from.
  
 The whole combination isn't nearly as technically proficient as my old stationary setup (nor does it drive the HD650 to its full potential), but the sound signature agrees with me more and the HD650 isolates better than most open cans. Besides, it's a million times more transportable now if I want to bring everything between work and home.


----------



## LugBug1

mikroski said:


> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Ha perfect for those cold nights! Another beautiful photo bud. I seen the one on the Headphone pic thread as well.


----------



## widdyjudas

Just build a new PC, so here is my updated station:
  

  

  
  
 Asus Xonar DGX optic--->Aune X1 Dac--->Philips fidelio X1/Swans D1010-IV


----------



## Greed

widdyjudas said:


> Just build a new PC, so here is my updated station:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Are you deaf in your left ear?


----------



## widdyjudas

greed said:


> Are you deaf in your left ear?


 
 Nop lol, just not enough space on my desk. I must buy a bigger desk later to properly put my speaker.


----------



## Bookbear

generai said:


> Am I the only one is ocassionly reading the comments, and mostly skimming to look at the high end rigs?


 

 You are not alone!


----------



## FYL941




----------



## 62ohm

^ my dream amp!


----------



## 3X0




----------



## terance

3x0 said:


>


 
  
 One day I'll own a pair of those.
  
 Also, where do you live and when do you leave for work every day?


----------



## MattTCG

terance said:


> One day I'll own a pair of those.
> 
> Also, where do you live and when do you leave for work every day?


 
  
 +2 what is your work schedule? And do you ever come home for lunch (just in case)?


----------



## OldSkool

fyl941 said:


>


 
 Beautiful rig!
  
 How does the HE500 pair with your Woo amp?


----------



## shane55

matttcg said:


> +2 what is your work schedule? And do you ever come home for lunch (just in case)?


 
  
 Come on guys... back off!
  
 I'm closer.


----------



## hodgjy

Not the greatest picture, but it shows a few changes since my last photo.
  
 Amp (Trafomatic Head One) and cans (HD600) are the same.  But, my V-DAC ii has been replaced with the Schiit Bifrost Uber.  Also, my Onkyo SACD player started acting up, so I re-purposed my Yamaha DVD-S1800 SACD player.  It's a better Redbook and SACD player than the Onkyo anyway.


----------



## MrEleventy

hodgjy said:


> Not the greatest picture, but it shows a few changes since my last photo.
> 
> Amp (Trafomatic Head One) and cans (HD600) are the same.  But, my V-DAC ii has been replaced with the Schiit Bifrost Uber.  Also, my Onkyo SACD player started acting up, so I re-purposed my Yamaha DVD-S1800 SACD player.  It's a better Redbook and SACD player than the Onkyo anyway.


Holy ******, I had to do a double take. I thought that was a picture from my old apartment. lol I have, and still do, a very similar looking couch and at my old apt, it was parked right next to the patio window blinds just like that before I moved out. lol I'll take a picture when I get home. No gear next to it tho.


----------



## hodgjy

mreleventy said:


> Holy ******, I had to do a double take. I thought that was a picture from my old apartment. lol I have, and still do, a very similar looking couch and at my old apt, it was parked right next to the patio window blinds just like that before I moved out. lol I'll take a picture when I get home. No gear next to it tho.


 
  
 We must have similar decorating skills.  Great minds think alike!


----------



## bbophead

hodgjy said:


> Not the greatest picture, but it shows a few changes since my last photo.
> 
> Amp (Trafomatic Head One) and cans (HD600) are the same.  But, my V-DAC ii has been replaced with the Schiit Bifrost Uber.  Also, my Onkyo SACD player started acting up, so I re-purposed my Yamaha DVD-S1800 SACD player.  It's a better Redbook and SACD player than the Onkyo anyway.


 
 Nice, simple rig.
  
 I'm not familiar with the Trafomatic.  What tubes does it use?  If you still have the WA3+, how does it compare to the Trafomatic and what does the "+" stand for?
  
 Hope that's not too many prying questions.


----------



## hodgjy

bbophead said:


> Nice, simple rig.
> 
> I'm not familiar with the Trafomatic.  What tubes does it use?  If you still have the WA3+, how does it compare to the Trafomatic and what does the "+" stand for?
> 
> Hope that's not too many prying questions.


 
  
 The Trafomatic is exquisite.  It's got an output transformer so matching it to any headphone impedance is possible.  It's extremely neutral and detailed.  It doesn't sound overly "tubey" to be honest, but it has a nice midrange that lets you know that there are in fact tubes in there.  Wide and deep soundstage.  The preamp tubes are 6S45P, which are Russian of origin.  Those tubes are picking up a lot of interest because they perform very well in audio devices.  The Woo WA7 uses the same tubes.  The rectifier is the venerable EZ80.
  
 The WA3+ is a regular WA3 with an improved choke and pre-amp out function.
  
 The WA3+ is a nice amp, but it's no Trafomatic.  It's a little more woolly, congested, and creamy.  It's an OTL amp and was designed to sound tubey.  It has fewer micro details.  The soundstage isn't quite as wide as the Trafomatic.  It's a great amp, no doubt.  But the Trafomatic is simply better, as it should be because it costs 3x more when new.


----------



## FYL941

oldskool said:


> Beautiful rig!
> 
> How does the HE500 pair with your Woo amp?


 
 Thanks!  I really like them but it wasn't really until I rolled them with TS5998 that I really started to appreciate them even more.  Nice wide soundstage, silent background, very fast/detailed and more importantly non fatiguing after hours of listening.


----------



## MattTCG

fyl941 said:


> Thanks!  I really like them but it wasn't really until I rolled them with TS5998 that I really started to appreciate them even more.  Nice wide soundstage, silent background, very fast/detailed and more importantly non fatiguing after hours of listening.


 
  
 +1 on the TS5998. Just wonderful.


----------



## LugBug1

80's Rotel integrated and great hp amp. Natural and balanced with a nice soft edge.


----------



## Afro1989

_MARANTZ 2230_
_SCPH-1001_
_X1_


----------



## hodgjy

afro1989 said:


> _MARANTZ 2230_
> _SCPH-1001_
> _X1_


 
  
 The X1s look great next to the vintage Marantz.


----------



## CJs06

afro1989 said:


> _MARANTZ 2230_
> _SCPH-1001_
> _X1_


Now thats a cool setup, I know you're enjoying your X1s with the Marantz. I haven't seen a PSX used as a transport before... whats up with that?


----------



## ssrock64

cjs06 said:


> I haven't seen a PSX used as a transport before... whats up with that?


 

 Most PS generations have stellar reputations as CD transports, actually. They've got a small cult following among speaker guys, especially.
  
 Afro1989, that's one beautifully preserved or restored 2230. Though I prefer the sound of Pioneer units, Marantz wins in the looks department by miles every time.


----------



## Synkro

afro1989 said:


> _MARANTZ 2230_
> _SCPH-1001_
> _X1_


 
 Nice looking paint job on that psx


----------



## Ultramus

Not pictured:ef2a, d2k


----------



## White Lotus

afro1989 said:


> _MARANTZ 2230_
> _SCPH-1001_
> _X1_


 
  
 Your playstation looks modified - I've heard of people modifying the output caps on them before, are your mods of a similar nature?


----------



## Afro1989

Whoa, thanks for all the comments.
  
People go crazy messing with the Playstation, but I just did a few of the basic mods like lifting the muting transistors, replacing and adjusting the laser, and some fun stuff like that louver vent you see on the top.  People have said the heat from the power supply messes with the laser.
  
 And yeah, the Marantz was purchased from the original owner and is _pristine_.  He bought it and left it in the closet for years.


----------



## OldSkool

Yep...SWEET Marantz.


----------



## hodgjy

One small change.  The Shure SRH1540 joined the family.


----------



## lord_tris

hodgjy said:


> One small change.  The Shure SRH1540 joined the family.


 
  
 Approve +1


----------



## hodgjy

lord_tris said:


> Approve +1


----------



## Oregonian

My main one has evolved a bit.......added a Pioneer CD player/burner to the rack.


----------



## MattTCG

I always enjoy seeing your shots Oregonian!!


----------



## Oregonian

matttcg said:


> I always enjoy seeing your shots Oregonian!!


 

 Thanks Matt!


----------



## Byrnie

hodgjy said:


> One small change.  The Shure SRH1540 joined the family.


 





 I'll post a pic of my setup when I get home with my 1540s!


----------



## senson

Another big exciting weekend is coming up for me
 My audio rack got some colorful updates! no more black or silver.
 TH900, Stratus and Master 7!
 My small man cave got little too crowded but I won't probably move much especially this weekend 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers! Have great weekends all!


----------



## philo50

very nice indeed


----------



## Byrnie




----------



## senson

Nice I like R34 there


----------



## Byrnie

senson said:


> Nice I like R34 there


 
 Nice G600 and crap... You have like every headphone that I eventually want to get haha... Nice beastly headphone collection!
  
 Fixed my bad grammar


----------



## Arsis

fyl941 said:


>



Nice rig! And those chocolate wafer cookies look delicious.


----------



## bbophead

senson said:


> Another big exciting weekend is coming up for me
> My audio rack got some colorful updates! no more black or silver.
> TH900, Stratus and Master 7!
> My small man cave got little too crowded but I won't probably move much especially this weekend
> ...


 
 I'm fond of the shoes for every occasion.


----------



## barid

Tonight's desktop line up. (pardon the cell phone quality pic)


----------



## LugBug1

senson said:


> Another big exciting weekend is coming up for me
> My audio rack got some colorful updates! no more black or silver.
> TH900, Stratus and Master 7!
> My small man cave got little too crowded but I won't probably move much especially this weekend
> ...


 
 Now you sir are a serious head-fier! An enviable rig - Love it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
(though it is questionable why a man would own that many shoes...


----------



## DragonOwen

Not exactly my current rig, but that is how my "audio corner" looked at saturday a week ago when we have a listening session at my place:
  

 (photo not mine, was made by *Pipha *(nickmame on russian forum, don't know if he registred on head-fi) the owner of Cavalli Liquid Lightning mkII)
  
 The objective of this listening session was comparing upgraded WooAudio WES (mine) [on the top shelf of the rack] with FluxLab KGBH [on the table in front of the rack] and Cavalli Liquid Lightning mkII [on the third from above shelf of the rack] on STAX SR-007 mk1 (SZ1) and STAX SR-009 (mine).
  
 Also can't not share the beautiful (IMO) photos of components of my rig made by *Pipha*:


----------



## terance

dragonowen said:


> Not exactly my current rig, but that is how my "audio corner" looked at saturday a week ago when we have a listening session at my place:
> 
> 
> (photo not mine, was made by *Pipha *(nickmame on russian forum, don't know if he registred on head-fi) the owner of Cavalli Liquid Lightning mkII)
> ...


 
  
 Очен Хорошо!


----------



## Rem0o

Hummmm, so hard to choose between the two....


----------



## terance

rem0o said:


> Hummmm, so hard to choose between the two....


 

 I like that photo because adding color would hardly change the way it looked!
  
 Also, Valhalla.


----------



## GeneraI

I wouldn't want to embarass everyone here by posting a pic of my schiit magni/modi stack with my skullcandy earbuds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (saving up for some nice cans right now, so all I got are skullcandy earbuds.)


----------



## MattTCG

Hang in there General!! One day you will arrive at summit fi.


----------



## ssrock64

generai said:


> I wouldn't want to embarass everyone here by posting a pic of my schiit magni/modi stack with my skullcandy earbuds
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Do it for the laughs!


----------



## FraGGleR

oregonian said:


> My main one has evolved a bit.......added a Pioneer CD player/burner to the rack.


 
  
 That is a beautiful rack of vintage gear.  Have you estimated how much it weighs?


----------



## PanamaHat

All black everything.
 Going through a bit of a flux. Stepping away from desktop audio for a while to see what iem's can offer


----------



## joseph69

Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
 The WA6 with wood side panels???


----------



## jaywillin

joseph69 said:


> Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
> The WA6 with wood side panels???


 

 sweet !
 real wood ? veneer ?


----------



## joseph69

jaywillin said:


> sweet !
> real wood ? veneer ?


 
 Thank you.
 Just a veneer.
 I was in Lowes today and figured it would look cool, especially for $0.98


----------



## whirlwind

joseph69 said:


> Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
> The WA6 with wood side panels???


 
  
 That looks great, Joseph.


----------



## MickeyVee

Matt.. Still trying to figure out what Summit-Fi is! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









  
 Hey General, never be embarrassed to post! We all started somewhere.  Wish there was the mini Schiit stack when I started. Good place to be.
 Quote:


matttcg said:


> Hang in there General!! One day you will arrive at summit fi.


----------



## wotts

mickeyvee said:


>





> Hey General, never be embarrassed to post! We all started somewhere. *Wish there was the mini Schiit stack when I started.* Good place to be.


 
  
  
 +1


----------



## Oregonian

Actually when I moved it into the house I did. Amp is 56 lbs by itself and the total was 290 give or take without speakers.


----------



## GrindingThud

That's cool!


joseph69 said:


> Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
> The WA6 with wood side panels???


----------



## joseph69

whirlwind said:


> That looks great, Joseph.


 
 Thank you! This is actually just a protype for myself too see if I wanted wood on the sides of the WA6, and being that I wound up liking the look I'm going to put some 3/4" mahogany side panels with a deep red tone and give them a really nice glossy finish to go against the brushed aluminum.
 This looks better in the photos then in real life…it looks a bit cheesy, but now I know I want wood panel on the side to beef up the amps appearance. Thank you though.


grindingthud said:


> That's cool!


 
 Thanks, when I do the real deal I'll post some pic's.


----------



## Byrnie

generai said:


> I wouldn't want to embarass everyone here by posting a pic of my schiit magni/modi stack with my skullcandy earbuds
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Hey we all gotta start somewhere.  I posted mine back in the day when I only had a cheap amp with no dedicated DAC.


----------



## joseph69

byrnie said:


> Hey we all gotta start somewhere.  I posted mine back in the day when I only had a cheap amp with no dedicated DAC.


----------



## joseph69

joseph69 said:


>


 
 Originally Posted by *GeneraI* 


  
 I wouldn't want to embarass everyone here by posting a pic of my schiit magni/modi stack with my skullcandy earbuds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (saving up for some nice cans right now, so all I got are skullcandy earbuds.)
  
 I use the Schiit M/M with my MBP, I like this little combo.


----------



## LugBug1

dragonowen said:


> Not exactly my current rig, but that is how my "audio corner" looked at saturday a week ago when we have a listening session at my place:


 
 Hey some hosts only serve hors d'oeuvres or drinks on a tray.... Like your style!
  
  


generai said:


> I wouldn't want to embarass everyone here by posting a pic of my schiit magni/modi stack with my skullcandy earbuds
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Hey the schiit stack is pretty standard fare here. Just upgrade your cans and you'll be sorted. You may want to get a chain for your wallet though... Before it trys to make a run for it! 
  


joseph69 said:


> Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
> The WA6 with wood side panels???


 
 Way to go Joe, that looks seriously good. And what a fine idea!


----------



## Oregonian

joseph69 said:


> Here's what happens when I'm bored on a Saturday afternoon!
> The WA6 with wood side panels???
> 
> [COLOR=FF4400]
> [/COLOR]




Beautiful work my friend! 

PS-the Fisher amp is doing great!


----------



## MattTCG

Joseph69....is that the veneer that has glue on the unfinished side and is made to be ironed on? If so, I'd think that the heat of the amp might be a problem in the long run. Just curious.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Joseph69....is that the veneer that has glue on the unfinished side and is made to be ironed on? If so, I'd think that the heat of the amp might be a problem in the long run. Just curious.


 

 joseph said this was just a trail run, he's going to go "woodied" for real


----------



## joseph69

lugbug1 said:


> Hey some hosts only serve hors d'oeuvres or drinks on a tray.... Like your style!
> 
> 
> Hey the schiit stack is pretty standard fare here. Just upgrade your cans and you'll be sorted. You may want to get a chain for your wallet though... Before it trys to make a run for it!
> ...


 
 Thank you, just wanted to get an idea how it would look, thanks again. 
  


oregonian said:


> Beautiful work my friend!
> 
> PS-the Fisher amp is doing great!


 
 Thank you, I'm glad your enjoying the Fisher!
  


matttcg said:


> Joseph69....is that the veneer that has glue on the unfinished side and is made to be ironed on? If so, I'd think that the heat of the amp might be a problem in the long run. Just curious.


 
 Yes it is, but its not made to be ironed on, it is flooring with glue on the back. Also as *Jaywillin* has said its not staying on I just wanted to get an idea how it would look. I plan to put either 1/2" or 3/4" mahogany or something similar, with a Crimson Fire red stain and polyurethane it until it looked dipped. I'm also going to go from the bottom all the way up to the top of the side just before side wall starts to roll into the top plate so it is fully sided. I just have to get the materials, so maybe today.
  


jaywillin said:


> joseph said this was just a trail run, he's going to go "woodied" for real


 
 Thanks Jay!


----------



## LugBug1

^^ FWIW you can get heat resistant glue


----------



## joseph69

lugbug1 said:


> ^^ FWIW you can get heat resistant glue


 
 Thanks for the advice, but I plan to use 3M two sided tape, which works very well, or high temp silicone, which I use to hold cosmetic chrome pieces on the motorcycle, (which run well over 225 degrees), which also works very well. I want to use something that can be removed easily if necessary. I'm not even near this point yet, but I'll decide on either or, I'd rather not use a glue that hardens, thanks.


----------



## gak27

My K701s and Asgard 2 getting to know each other (white cable hooks up to my 5.5 gen iPod)


----------



## DefQon

@dragonowen: I want your Debussy.


----------



## MickeyVee

^^ I want the entire setup!  Absolutely top notch and most peoples dream system! I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks!


----------



## Quinto

Chamber music sounds great on this setup, using the Beresford Bushmaster + 12V battery as DAC


----------



## Sorrodje

Current State of my Head-fi Station : REGA DAC, Antique Sound Labs MG Head , Sennheiser HD800, Hifiman HE-4 .


----------



## bbophead

sorrodje said:


> Current State of my Head-fi Station : REGA DAC, Antique Sound Labs MG Head , Hifiman HE-4 .


 
 Bet that sounds excellent.


----------



## Sorrodje

bbophead said:


> Bet that sounds excellent.


 
  
 Good bet ...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 . I'll need big bucks to improve it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
 Oh wait ! ... I've tried A Totaldac D1 + Eddie Current Balancing Act last Saturday envening


----------



## Quinto

sorrodje said:


> Good bet ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You need help


----------



## Sorrodje

@Quinto : I've Asked to be placed under trusteeship in order to avoid any insane behavior


----------



## LugBug1

Quinto and Sorrodje - great set ups guys. 
  
 I really want to try some GS1000... some day!


----------



## LugBug1

Its too quiet here! 
  
 So heres my latest amp 
  

  

  
 Technics SU-7300K (1977)


----------



## sp3llv3xit

Audiolab M-Dac to be added to this DIY bedside rack in 48 hours.  This is my starter rig.  Hope to add a solid state amp to swap out the WA6-SE soon.


----------



## jaywillin

sp3llv3xit said:


> Audiolab M-Dac to be added to this DIY bedside rack in 48 hours.  This is my starter rig.  Hope to add a solid state amp to swap out the WA6-SE soon.


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



 


 whatcha gonna do with the wa6se ??


----------



## sp3llv3xit

jaywillin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Keep it as a second rig.  Either that or upgrade it to WA2.


----------



## jaywillin

sp3llv3xit said:


> Keep it as a second rig.  Either that or upgrade it to WA2.


 

 i've been considering the wa6se, instead of having the mad ear and the bryston, high power and tubes, all in one


----------



## MattTCG

sp3llv3xit said:


> Keep it as a second rig.  Either that or upgrade it to WA2.


 
  
 I'm kinda crushing on the wood and glass stand. Where did it come from?


----------



## barid

lugbug1 said:


> Its too quiet here!
> 
> So heres my latest amp
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hmm that Technics is pretttttttty cool.  want.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> I'm kinda crushing on the wood and glass stand. Where did it come from?



I thought the same thing, its swanky!!!


----------



## MattTCG

It looks like it may actually attach to the wall which wouldn't be a deal breaker but not desirable either.


----------



## mikroski

4 x 64 GB SD card are not enough
  
 So, 2TB WD Passport stack on notebook cover is my desperately choice


----------



## MattTCG

Very sparkly. Why not just a huge internal HD?


----------



## daigo

So sparkly, my eyes would burn out from looking at that gear!


----------



## Ali-Pacha

ali-pacha said:


> PC-Rig, with an Hifimediy DAC :


 
  
 Upgrade :
  

  
 Ali


----------



## sp3llv3xit

matttcg said:


> I'm kinda crushing on the wood and glass stand. Where did it come from?


 

 It's a DIY project that took me 2 weeks to complete.


----------



## sp3llv3xit

jaywillin said:


> i've been considering the wa6se, instead of having the mad ear and the bryston, high power and tubes, all in one


 

 Definitely worthy of your consideration if you like a cleaner or more SS-sounding tube amp.  I should've listened to Dubstep Girl.   She recommended the WA2 for the T1.  

 At that time, only the WA6-SE was readily available and the WA2 was going to take 8 weeks.  I went with what was on-hand.   Now, I will have to try tube rolling to see if I can get a good pair of tubes to make the T1 sound a bit warmer than it does now.


----------



## jaywillin

sp3llv3xit said:


> Definitely worthy of your consideration if you like a cleaner or more SS-sounding tube amp.  I should've listened to Dubstep Girl.   She recommended the WA2 for the T1.
> 
> At that time, only the WA6-SE was readily available and the WA2 was going to take 8 weeks.  I went with what was on-hand.   Now, I will have to try tube rolling to see if I can get a good pair of tubes to make the T1 sound a bit warmer than it does now.


 

 that might be really good for the lcd x


----------



## sp3llv3xit

jaywillin said:


> that might be really good for the lcd x


 


 Oh you have the LCDX now?  Can you share your impression of it in comparison with the other LCDs?


----------



## jaywillin

sp3llv3xit said:


> Oh you have the LCDX now?  Can you share your impression of it in comparison with the other LCDs?


 

 i had the lcd2r2, just was a laittle warm for me, mids a little lacking
 the lcd x is a whole other beast, bass deep, tight, fast, mids more fleshed out, nice top end, just a lot better balanced headphone to me, than the 2.
 its still on the warmer side to me, i'm a grado head, i have a gs1000i, and rs1i too.
 the x is also much easier to drive
 i've not heard the lcd3, or the xc


----------



## Pustik

lugbug1 said:


> Its too quiet here!
> 
> So heres my latest amp
> 
> ...


 

 How does it sounds?


----------



## sp3llv3xit

jaywillin said:


> i had the lcd2r2, just was a laittle warm for me, mids a little lacking
> the lcd x is a whole other beast, bass deep, tight, fast, mids more fleshed out, nice top end, just a lot better balanced headphone to me, than the 2.
> its still on the warmer side to me, i'm a grado head, i have a gs1000i, and rs1i too.
> the x is also much easier to drive
> i've not heard the lcd3, or the xc


 


 Thanks for the brief impression!

 It is the first LCD that does not have that cheesy wood look.  The muted color scheme appeals to me more.  I may just consider getting it this year.


----------



## jaywillin

sp3llv3xit said:


> Thanks for the brief impression!
> 
> It is the first LCD that does not have that cheesy wood look.  The muted color scheme appeals to me more.  I may just consider getting it this year.


 

 mine is black, looks good
 its big, its heavy,i don't find it uncomfortable, and sounds killer !


----------



## Byrnie

matttcg said:


> I'm kinda crushing on the wood and glass stand. Where did it come from?



That and how does it standalone with just two legs? Is it attached to the wall or something.


----------



## ssrock64

ali-pacha said:


> Upgrade :


 
 How do you like the combination with the SRM-1/MK-2?


----------



## sp3llv3xit

jaywillin said:


> mine is black, looks good
> its big, its heavy,i don't find it uncomfortable, and sounds killer !


 


 Thanks for the additional convincing!


----------



## sp3llv3xit

byrnie said:


> That and how does it standalone with just two legs? Is it attached to the wall or something.


 

 There are two nails on the wall that act as pegs upon which the top table rests.  So it is very stable.


----------



## Byrnie

sp3llv3xit said:


> There are two nails on the wall that act as pegs upon which the top table rests.  So it is very stable.



Oh neat dude!


----------



## HeavenNotes




----------



## Rem0o

Old meets modern, love it.


----------



## LugBug1

barid said:


> Hmm that Technics is pretttttttty cool.  want.


 




  


pustik said:


> How does it sounds?


 
 Sounds really nice. Gives plenty of power to the HD800, nothing seems emphasized - really quite refined.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

ssrock64 said:


> How do you like the combination with the SRM-1/MK-2?


 
 Pretty cool combination with SR-009.
 In terms of extension and soundstage, it's somewhere beetween my SRM-727II and my SRD-7/SBmk2. A kind of lovely balance : better sound than energizer box but without the sometimes "too much" presentation of the SRM-727II.
 This thing is also impressive with my brave old SR-5 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Ali


----------



## Silent One




----------



## hodgjy

silent one said:


>


 
  
 Gorgeous. Simply stunning.


----------



## Silent One

hodgjy said:


> Gorgeous. Simply stunning.


 






 Thanks, sir. Always nice to see my buddy around.


----------



## hodgjy

silent one said:


> Thanks, sir. Always nice to see my buddy around.


----------



## awsanderson

current state, need to get some new speaker cables and add a sub to the mini maggies but first some LCD X's.  Now to listen.


----------



## MattTCG

My gosh that TT is sick!! Jealous here.


----------



## Silent One

The mini maggies look intriguing...


----------



## MattTCG

^^ They are interesting but cost a pretty penny I believe.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## awsanderson

In my opinion most of the reviews I have read about the minni maggies are correct they throw a huge soundstage and image well.  I like em


----------



## Maxvla

Yeah I'm def gonna have a listen to those!

You running those with that Emotiva something or other I see in the pic?


----------



## Silent One

Yeah, put me down for a listen...


----------



## awsanderson

maxvla said:


> Yeah I'm def gonna have a listen to those!
> 
> You running those with that Emotiva something or other I see in the pic?


 
 yep using the apache as a preamp and an Emotiva XPA 200, I keep looking at audio research amps on audiogon though


----------



## Quinto

silent one said:


>


 





 cool stuff! How do you like your TT?


----------



## DefQon

What's that rackmount studio piece? Dac?


----------



## hsubox

Emmett was replacing some tubes for me. P


----------



## hodgjy

silent one said:


>


 
  
 WOW


----------



## bbophead

Sure could use a run down/update on SO's system.  Looks great, whatever it is.


----------



## LugBug1

I'm just a little concerned where his magnificent Sansui receiver is..


----------



## philo50

hodgjy said:


> WOW


 
 +1


----------



## Tony1110

hodgjy said:


> WOW :basshead:




+2


----------



## kramer5150

silent one said:


>


 
 WOW thats an incredible spread.
  
 Curious, why all the vibration isolation under the solid state components and not the turntable or tubes?


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *Quinto* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks. I like my TT - Music Hall MMF-7.1
 I'll be needing to upgrade the cart late spring.
  
  


defqon said:


> What's that rackmount studio piece? Dac?


 
 Not a DAC but the Apogee Big Ben Master Clock. A digital Swiss knife, if you would. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  


bbophead said:


> Sure could use a run down/update on SO's system.  Looks great, whatever it is.


 
 Top shelf left to right: 
  
 - HiFiMAN HE-Adapter
 - Shindo Laboratory F2a Sinhonia monaural amps
 - Music Hall MMF-7.1 Turntable
  
 Middle shelf left to right:
  
 - Shindo Laboratory Aurieges Moving Magnet Phono stage Preamp
 - 2359glenn OTL amp
 - Apogee Big Ben Master Clock
  
 Bottom shelf left to right:
  
 - Mac mini music server (tweaked); Audirvana Plus with Direct & Integer Mode Play; Amarra
 - Mhdt USBridge Coax Out (192kHz)
 - APC Power Conditioner
 - Wyred4Sound DAC-1 upgraded with Digital board; ESR Low _Super Caps_
 - Shindo Laboratory "Mr.T" Power Conditioner
  
 Additional note: I send all the digital gears to the APC Power Conditioner and all the analog gears to the Shindo Laboratory "Mr.T" Power Conditioner. Sorta separating the Peas & Carrots... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Foreground:
  
 - HiFiMAN HE-6 with custom Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 Headphone cable (4x19awg)
  
  


lugbug1 said:


> I'm just a little concerned where his magnificent Sansui receiver is..


 
 All the vintage lovelies are just out of view. Maybe a Panorama shot next time? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 - 1978 Sansui G-22000
 - 1980 Pioneer SX-D7000
 - 1977 Pioneer SX-650
 - 1977 Sony P5 Turntable
  


hodgjy said:


> WOW


 
 For Sale - Sunday Only!!! Open Till Midnight!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


philo50 said:


> hodgjy said:
> 
> 
> > WOW
> ...


 
 Thanks, y'all!
  


tony1110 said:


> +2


 
 BIG thanks!
  


kramer5150 said:


> silent one said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 Only the Master Clock is solid state... but it's a clock. The preamp middle left is a tube preamp. My Mapleshade Iso tweaks are leftover from a previous system - all of those components are not on display in the above pix which include 6 pound brass footers. 
  
 Shindo Laboratory voiced their gears to be placed directly onto shelves with no iso tweaks. The current shelf is interim only until I can afford a tuned Box Furniture rack. I just moved and experimenting with the new environment - the new room has a different vibe, so trust and verify I say! Lastly, the current rack lacks vertical height clearance in the middle shelf needed for the proper tweaks.
  

  
  
 On the TT, if you look at it more closely in the pix below, you'll notice the TT is isolated by design - a base sandwich with sorbothane filling the middle:
  

  
  





 I hope the listing of gears, illustrations and brief explanations helps!


----------



## bbophead

silent one said:


> I hope the listing of gears, illustrations and brief explanations helps!


 
 Thanks for the explanations but all they did was help me drool summores.


----------



## Silent One

bbophead said:


> Thanks for the explanations but all they did was help me drool summores.


 
 Git you a nice thick healthy slice of Pecan pie and an ice cold glass of milk...and you'll be set. For a few minutes anyways.


----------



## bbophead

silent one said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the explanations but all they did was help me drool summores.
> ...


 
 More of a mincemeat kind of pie guy but that do sound good.  Nope, homemade pineapple upside down cake out of Cook's Illustrated, thank you very much.


----------



## whirlwind

That is just flat out breath taking.....WOW + 10


----------



## MacedonianHero

hsubox said:


> Emmett was replacing some tubes for me. P


 
 Awesome!


----------



## Oregonian

silent one said:


> Git you a nice thick healthy slice of Pecan pie and an ice cold glass of milk...and you'll be set. For a few minutes anyways.




Amazing set up. Mind boggling.


----------



## elmoe

Here's mine:
  

  
 Testing out an Inter-M speaker amp, but I usually have the Quad monoblocks down there instead.


----------



## hsubox

macedonianhero said:


> Awesome!


 

 Haha, thanks!


----------



## Silent One

oregonian said:


> Amazing set up. Mind boggling.


 
 Thanks kindly, Oregonian.


----------



## hodgjy

This thread isn't helping my inferiority complex.


----------



## ssrock64

hodgjy said:


> This thread isn't helping my inferiority complex.


 
 Tell me about it. My main setup consists of a single DAC and and two amp, and none of them are exceptional compared to what many of the posters on this thread have. Maybe it's time to re-buy a DAC1 and an Auditor like I used to have at work, just to have something competitive to post...


----------



## dizzee

posted this in the computer forum, might as well post it here too:


----------



## nff

just got my LSR's and cleaned my desk a bit.


----------



## bbophead

ssrock64 said:


> hodgjy said:
> 
> 
> > This thread isn't helping my inferiority complex.
> ...


 
 We _must_ be competitive, mustn't we?


----------



## Armaegis

He with the biggest epeen wins?


----------



## DefQon

Yay! 2 P280 owners posted so far.
  
 What is that near bezel-less monitor?


----------



## jsgraha

My messy current setup.


----------



## Silent One

I see nothing but good times integrated into the shelves!


----------



## elmoe

jsgraha said:


> My messy current setup.


 
  
 And so we are both part of the 'who's got money for a desk when all of it when into audiophile gear' club


----------



## magiccabbage

jsgraha said:


> My messy current setup.


 
 great to see more pictures of the DNA. Did you get yours recently? Those sophias look great, i think they will be the first tubes i roll when i get mine. Have you tried any other 2a3's?


----------



## jsgraha

elmoe said:


> And so we are both part of the 'who's got money for a desk when all of it when into audiophile gear' club




That's correct 

Also, that table was the first computer table that we had since 14 years ago. It's quite beat up from being used by my first daughter, than my second one and now by me again.

Regarding DNA amp, I bought it from my friend, Gavtron. The dac is also from him. 

I haven't had a chance to roll the tubes. Maybe this weekend. I'm happy with the sound already though.


----------



## dizzee

defqon said:


> Yay! 2 P280 owners posted so far.
> 
> What is that near bezel-less monitor?


 
 P280 is an awesome case.
 Not bezel-less, there's one there just really small. They are dell u2414h


----------



## Duckman

Nice one Jo.


----------



## DefQon

WIP.....but so far this stands as one of my favourite main setups (usually through modded Crack or 336SE).
  

  

  

  

 LME49720HA per channel coupled with 1 0.47uf Wima MKS per channel with Sanyo Oscon SEPC filter caps in the signal path of the analogue RCA outs.
  

  
 No NOS mods applied yet, one of the best vintage DAC chips from BB. PCM56/58P better then the later 61 series.


----------



## jsgraha

duckman said:


> Nice one Jo.


 
  
 Thanks Dave.
 Finally, I have your old amp 
 It's amazing amp indeed.


----------



## DefQon

It's funny how impressions change over time didn't you dislike the Stratus you heard initially at A2A back then with your 800's?


----------



## elmoe

jsgraha said:


> That's correct
> 
> Also, that table was the first computer table that we had since 14 years ago. It's quite beat up from being used by my first daughter, than my second one and now by me again.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Mine has gone through 5 family members in over 15 years. It's completely beat up but it's size and layout are perfect for what I need


----------



## jsgraha

defqon said:


> It's funny how impressions change over time didn't you dislike the Stratus you heard initially at A2A back then with your 800's?


 
  
 Hmm, as far as I know, A2A never did sell any DNA amp.
 I've tried in the past at my friend's house (the one that I bought from).
 We didn't impressed with the combo at the time (using different source).
 As he upgraded his source (and I did upgrade my transport), I like hd800-stratus combo.
 It seem to show that this phone not only picky with amp, but also with the synergy with its source.


----------



## DefQon

I can't really remember from the top of my head but do have that pm you sent while ago asking about the Anax mod when I had the 800's.


----------



## jsgraha

defqon said:


> I can't really remember from the top of my head but do have that pm you sent while ago asking about the Anax mod when I had the 800's.




Well, if you need it our conversation again, I'll pm it to you.


----------



## DefQon

Lol nevermind.


----------



## jsgraha

elmoe said:


> Mine has gone through 5 family members in over 15 years. It's completely beat up but it's size and layout are perfect for what I need




That's great.
Actually, I think I used to have similar table as yours as well, but newer than the one that I used for my current setup.
My daughter use it for some stage and broke it around the place for keyboard


----------



## jsgraha

Double post ... Sorry


----------



## elmoe

Haha that's exactly where mine is broken as well, on the right side. I had to put in a couple of screws to hold it in place. I'm pretty sure it's an Ikea desk.


----------



## jsgraha

elmoe said:


> Haha that's exactly where mine is broken as well, on the right side. I had to put in a couple of screws to hold it in place. I'm pretty sure it's an Ikea desk.




Wow, we do are part of IKEA club


----------



## hifimanrookie

My new humble headphone rig is complete now...just got the amp in from the builder and am burning it in right now..

 the lower shelf of my very worn out Atacama audio rack (am in proces getting a new rack) houses the external powersupply..for brands/models of the things on pic see my signature under this post 

Ps..sorry for bad quality of pics..was taken by an ipad 3 

Ps..the grey/green stuff under the shelves are from out of the transport box the amp came in..they work very well as anti vibration thingie though and are free!!!


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## hifimanrookie

jibzilla said:


> That's an awesome setup hifimanrookie. I know you waited for the amp for like a year. Was it worth the wait? Any comparisons to other amps you have tried?



Thank u jibzilla..
Yes i ordered it in june 2013! Its handmade by one single man.


well..as u know i had a very good modified 337 of which i believed (and the new owner says same thing funny enough ) that it kicked asses of amps many times more expensive on the he500 i had..


But trully this is in a whole new league... I have 24bits rips of vinyl with more then 4000bps..and on those tracks i hear things i never ever thought they existed..like the little humming u hear when the needle of a TT starts tracking the platter..a bit hollow..cant explain it better...but i now even hear the frequency change !! Just like u do when u actually listen to a good TT) 

i have the soundtrack of Beowolf..in high quality lossless quality..and on certain tracks the high power drums kick in without any warning..first time when i heard a certain track on this rig i almost ****ted myself..it hit so hard..i knew those drums go low..bit didnt expected this..i only experienced this kind of fullness and attack in sound when i was listening to a extremey expensive krell set with huge mark logans speakers of a friend of mine...okay u dont get the reverations u get from the walls or the feeling in ur stomach of the vibrations..but for the rest..unbelievable...

And then the details it pumps it..its a curse sometimes!!some of the more modern music i have from the wellknow artists from now which i loved very much NOW sound rubbish!!! Its downright irritating... U can hear its all sampled and fake! Not like queen or meatloaf or any other real playing artists from the past...instead now the recordings are manipulated by samples etc in the music u have now.. I even deleted most of the lower quality (256bps and lower) i still had...it was to painfull..it took the pleasure away from listening.

But strange things is..it doesnt force u to listen to details..it creeps up on u until u actually find out what it does to u..i now dont try to find new details in my tracks..i just relax and let the music move me...i had to learn to listen in a whole new way!!! As because of those mentioned details i was getting nuts!! Now i let the music flow to me...and how it flows..

.i mailed this to gilbert (the builder) and he replied..'if u have good sound u will have bad sound also'.. Funny man.. I hate him  
It now has around 100hours on it..its a totally opamp based amp (like NSL on which he is totally based on) so i believe it needs at least 1 full month to burn in..oh well..i dont have an on-off switch anyway..so i just let him play through my music all day long.. 

But i have to be honest..its not all credit to the amp!!!! The unique code-x and the very special 8wire dual mono balanced black widow headphone cable also helps big time!! Maybe the best of the sound is indeed this very special headphone!

Oh yeah..this weekend i will open a thread about this rig..i will do some comparisions and impressions in more detail..so stay tuned if ur interested.


----------



## jibzilla

.


----------



## hifimanrookie

jibzilla said:


> That's awesome. I reluctantly sold my rpx-35 to see what the peak/volcano will do with my new X's. Fingers are crossed that is a big improvement as well.



U have the new audeze's? Ur in luck..they say they are much easier to drive then the lcd 2 or 3..and how is ur first impression?and when ru getting the peak/volcano?


----------



## Massacare

It's time to move on from T1 to this beast. One of the best closed back headphone ever :rolleyes:.


----------



## Kon Peki

deleted


----------



## magiccabbage

massacare said:


> It's time to move on from T1 to this beast. One of the best closed back headphone ever
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 i plan on doing the same thing - can you outline some differences


----------



## Massacare

magiccabbage said:


> i plan on doing the same thing - can you outline some differences




Some difference:


 More bass.
 Far more easier to drive, don't need heck of a crazy set to make it sounds good. 
 IMHO better imaging , especially when you play some binaural recording or some sort of that.
 Better layering and micro details.
 At last........................ I can hear trance music again .

There could be more than the list, just look around for the review .


----------



## Silent One

massacare said:


> It's time to move on from T1 to this beast. One of the best closed back headphone ever
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Simply gorgeous!


----------



## TooPoor

Been spaming this on the HE-500 & Bushmaster MKII thread... But oh well (iphone pic).


----------



## jibzilla

hifimanrookie said:


> U have the new audeze's? Ur in luck..they say they are much easier to drive then the lcd 2 or 3..and how is ur first impression?and when ru getting the peak/volcano?


----------



## linglingjr

I've been wanting to post in here for quite a while and I for some reason just had the random impulse to take a picture with my terrible phone... without cleaning, as you can see:


HD600s (Grills removed, inner foam infront of driver replaced with speaker fabric)
Pop Pulse PCM1796 MKII
Lake People G109S
Cool little stand I made from random stuff at Ikea for ~$12


----------



## DefQon

How is the Pop Pulse? Looks like a good contender to mod.


----------



## linglingjr

It's miles better than the fiio e7. That's all I can really compare it to. Really nice build quality and I know people have modded it, apart from some French stereophile review of it people were doing some diy stuff on another forum.

I just like the way it's designed.


----------



## LugBug1

hifimanrookie said:


> My new humble headphone rig is complete now...just got the amp in from the builder and am burning it in right now..
> 
> the lower shelf of my very worn out Atacama audio rack (am in proces getting a new rack) houses the external powersupply..for brands/models of the things on pic see my signature under this post
> 
> ...


 
 Really nice buddy, good things come to those who wait! Thought I hadn't seen you around for a while...
  
 Also, what are those pictured above? You have the control amp and the transformer... Just not sure what they are? Mains filter?


----------



## hifimanrookie

lugbug1 said:


> Really nice buddy, good things come to those who wait! Thought I hadn't seen you around for a while...
> 
> Also, what are those pictured above? You have the control amp and the transformer... Just not sure what they are? Mains filter?



Yeah i hadnt been on our beloved tube thread for a while 
And Yep it was loooong wait...to answer ur question:

Blue Circle Audio Peed Al Sea (PLC) Thingee FX2 (4 outlets)
http://www.bluecircle.com/page86.html

Blue Circle Audio plug-in module X0E low frequency filter with 6x Syllicone filter (with BC61 power cable upgrade)
http://www.bluecircle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1685&highlight=tspd
http://www.bluecircle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1684
http://www.bluecircle.com/page26.html

Blue Circle Audio TSPD surge protection module
I think this speaks for itself..but this one works in paralell instead of IN the actual powersignal..and so not poluting powersupply.

Have fun reading...


----------



## LugBug1

hifimanrookie said:


> Yep it was loooong wait...to answer ur question:
> 
> Blue Circle Audio Peed Al Sea (PLC) Thingee FX2 (4 outlets)
> http://www.bluecircle.com/page86.html
> ...


 
 Cool!


----------



## spurxiii

hifimanrookie said:


> My new humble headphone rig is complete now...just got the amp in from the builder and am burning it in right now..
> 
> the lower shelf of my very worn out Atacama audio rack (am in proces getting a new rack) houses the external powersupply..for brands/models of the things on pic see my signature under this post
> 
> ...


 
  
 Congrats on your new member of the the family. You must be very proud!


----------



## hifimanrookie

spurxiii said:


> Congrats on your new member of the the family. You must be very proud! :tongue_smile:



Thanks! Yes I am, and to be honest i never thought it would be so much better compared to my beloved modded 337 i had...but.my wife insnt happy though..although she loves the stainless/glossy black/ matt black look, she is complaining now that recently i always have those beeeeeeeeep headphones on my head and am somewhere else with my mind when i get home from work..i wonder why i do that


----------



## longbowbbs

hifimanrookie said:


> My new humble headphone rig is complete now...just got the amp in from the builder and am burning it in right now..
> 
> the lower shelf of my very worn out Atacama audio rack (am in proces getting a new rack) houses the external powersupply..for brands/models of the things on pic see my signature under this post
> 
> ...


 
 Congrats my friend! I hope it is as awesome as you expected. It sure looks great from here!


----------



## Kojaku

My BMF Portable Setup:
  



  
 Kojaku


----------



## hifimanrookie

longbowbbs said:


> Congrats my friend! I hope it is as awesome as you expected. It sure looks great from here!



Thanks buddy, And u wont believe how good it sounds  but his amp also forced me to listen to my music differently..or else it would have drive me nuts.. Yep Even worse then i already am :veryevil:


----------



## longbowbbs

hifimanrookie said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Congrats my friend! I hope it is as awesome as you expected. It sure looks great from here!
> ...


----------



## Silent One

kojaku said:


> My BMF Portable Setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Kojaku

silent one said:


>


 
 Is that for the bands or for the Luck of Lucien ?
  
 Kojaku


----------



## sp3llv3xit

kojaku said:


> My BMF Portable Setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Where did you buy your rubber bands?


----------



## Kojaku

sp3llv3xit said:


> Where did you buy your rubber bands?




Off of a grunge site called Novemberfire. Seven bucks for the pair. I swear I must have looked so strange to the owner though, asking the precise circumference and all xD

Kojaku


----------



## sp3llv3xit

kojaku said:


> Off of a grunge site called Novemberfire. Seven bucks for the pair. I swear I must have looked so strange to the owner though, asking the precise circumference and all xD
> 
> Kojaku


 


 Was that green?  Did the owner misunderstand you to mean that you wanted to use the bands on a different part of your body?


----------



## hifimanrookie

sp3llv3xit said:


> Was that green?  Did the owner misunderstood you to mean that you wanted to use the bands on a different part of your body?  :rolleyes:



U probably asked if the rubber band had some kind of anti-vibration effect and if the rubber was enviromental friendly


----------



## sp3llv3xit

hifimanrookie said:


> U probably asked if the rubber band had some kind of anti-vibration effect and if the rubber was enviromental friendly


 


 And hypo-allergenic...


----------



## Kojaku

sp3llv3xit said:


> And hypo-allergenic...


 
 Oh god. So much regret. Whatever, I got badass amp bands, so I could care less what he thinks. Besides, they add extension at both ends xD (ba-dum-psh).
  
 Kojaku


----------



## sp3llv3xit

kojaku said:


> Oh god. So much regret. Whatever, I got badass amp bands, so I could care less what he thinks. Besides, they add extension at both ends xD (ba-dum-psh).
> 
> Kojaku


 


 Haha...  Sorry, man.  Hey, what do you mean by extension at both ends?  Did you ask them to custom-make bands according to your portable rig's girth?
  
 Thanks for your reply man.


----------



## Kojaku

sp3llv3xit said:


> Haha...  Sorry, man.  Hey, what do you mean by extension at both ends?  Did you ask them to custom-make bands according to your portable rig's girth?
> 
> Thanks for your reply man.


 
  
 I asked for the youth size...erm...*cough cough*. Anyway, I do love this rig quite a lot.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## sp3llv3xit

kojaku said:


> I asked for the youth size...erm...*cough cough*. Anyway, I do love this rig quite a lot.
> 
> Kojaku


 
  
  
 LOL.


----------



## DefQon

Those rubber bands heavily remind me of Samual L Jackson from Pulp Fiction. If anybody else here has seen that movie. A+.


----------



## Silent One

kojaku said:


> Is that for the bands or for the Luck of Lucien ?
> 
> Kojaku


 






 _I'm silent... will never tell._


----------



## hifimanrookie

defqon said:


> Those rubber bands heavily remind me of Samual L Jackson from Pulp Fiction. If anybody else here has seen that movie. A+.


that movie was bad ass!!!!


----------



## Kojaku

defqon said:


> Those rubber bands heavily remind me of Samual L Jackson from Pulp Fiction. If anybody else here has seen that movie. A+.


 
 That's literally the entire reason I bought the bands xD
  
 Kojaku


----------



## BlakeT

hifimanrookie said:


> Thanks! Yes I am, and to be honest i never thought it would be so much better compared to my beloved modded 337 i had...but.my wife insnt happy though..although she loves the stainless/glossy black/ matt black look, she is complaining now that recently i always have those beeeeeeeeep headphones on my head and am somewhere else with my mind when i get home from work..i wonder why i do that


 
  
 Wow, simply, *WOW*!!!   I LOVE your Blue Circle Audio custom headphone amp!  NSL-based?  I can't even imagine how good it must sound.  I am off the charts jealous.
  
 I am a long time fan/owner of various Blue Circle products.  Gilbert ("Gil-Butt") is the man.  I currently have a Blue Circle power amp for my speaker setup and the same power conditioner as you have.  I can't ever see myself switching to an amplifier from another manufacturer.  BC for life baby.  Seeing your amp has me thinking, why on earth I had not ever considered a BC headphone amp?
  
 Congrats on the acquisition.  If you are ever looking to sell it..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Shoot me a pm.
  
 I look forward to reading your formal review once it is fully run-in.


----------



## DefQon

kojaku said:


> That's literally the entire reason I bought the bands xD
> 
> Kojaku


 
 I literally want one now.


----------



## hifimanrookie

blaket said:


> Wow, simply, *WOW*!!!   I LOVE your Blue Circle Audio custom headphone amp!  NSL-based?  I can't even imagine how good it must sound.  I am off the charts jealous.
> 
> I am a long time fan/owner of various Blue Circle products.  Gilbert ("Gil-Butt") is the man.  I currently have a Blue Circle power amp for my speaker setup and the same power conditioner as you have.  I can't ever see myself switching to an amplifier from another manufacturer.  BC for life baby.  Seeing your amp has me thinking, why on earth I had not ever considered a BC headphone amp?
> 
> ...



wow a fellow bc owner..u dont come across many here on headfi..so i am guessin they are just to busy listening to wonderful music then to post here..as they are a rare breed here..hehehe
Thanks my friend..but..i am really surprised how good it sounds..i knew it would better then what i had..but this? And it still needs almost a full 3 weeks 24/7 burn in time left before its perfomance is on its optimum.(the sound is smoothing out more and more every day it plays music...but u must know what i mean owning a BC amp urself)

Gil Butt really did magic on this amp..and i cant help to love that guy..he is crazy..but so honest and direct..those people are hard to find nowadays..already asked him to quote me for two BC62's powercables, one having a angled shuko connector and for a linear upgraded powersupply for my laptop instead of the standard dc switching powersupply that my asus laptop has, to even more minimize inteferences in the signal caused by a non audiophile power supply..

This amp needs at least one full month to burn in..just like the NSL needs..and no switching off..i dont even have any switches on it (as u can see on the pics) Gil butt told me the best way to keep it sounding on its best is to never switch it off..just like his bigger brother..oh well..i just keep it playing 24-7 all day until its burned in and then the formal review..and then i just keep it on with colume on zero..when not playing stuff..

.but this weekend i will open a dedicated thread about this amp with first impressions..some fugures: It pumps out a measured 5,28w into 50ohm and has a total capacity of 650.000uF According to Gil Butt..so lots of headroom available...and i can hear that!! Especially on life recordings of big orchestra's....it has enough reserves for the more dynamic tracks.
And if i ever wanna sell it..i kmow where to find u..but dont count on it..as this balance i have with this amp and the rest of my rig is perfect..i cant imagine needing anything more..no matter the price tag...my rig is built by the most passionate people i ever came across in audio world..and u can see it back in how they built their stuff...patience is key here as for all u have to wait for it..but OMG its so worth it..every single piece i have in my rig now..
in short i call them the GLF-team..thanks guys.. Never stop what u do..as it would be a shame to the world of audio if u did!!!


----------



## johanchandy




----------



## hsubox

Re-did my shot from a few weeks ago. This time with lighting more the way I like, and the Voshkod tubes are more glowy than the old tubes P
  
 Hope you all like.


----------



## philo50

^^^^very nice


----------



## hsubox

philo50 said:


> ^^^^very nice


 
 Thanks!


----------



## White Lotus

Just moved into the new place.. So excuse the mess!


----------



## Armaegis

You call that a mess?


----------



## linglingjr

^What's it look like when it's "clean"? lol


----------



## DefQon

white lotus said:


> Just moved into the new place.. So excuse the mess!
> 
> 
> ~~snipped~~~


 
  
 Setup and photography angle looks awfully alike to ClaytonSF's setup.
  
 I'm looking hard at the background (backyard) and trying to find out which suburb you live in.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> You call that a mess?


 

 Oh Oh. New thread time.
  
 Show us your Audio Octopuss  Thread.


----------



## DefQon

hutnicks said:


> Show us your *Audio Octopuss  *Thread.


 
  
 You sir mind elaborating on that? First thing came to my mind is women in black clad boots with round headphones next to there bossoms.


----------



## DefQon

white lotus said:


> Just moved into the new place.. So excuse the mess!


 
  
 Just realised you have the same glass desk as me. Got it from Fantastic.


----------



## kramer5150

Rockin setup... I have a HD650 amped with a DV337.  Loving the senn-tube groove


----------



## White Lotus

defqon said:


> trying to find out which suburb you live in.


 
  
 Ballarat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I just moved here.
  
 Bought the desk from Fantastic today. Absolute winner for $149.


----------



## Armaegis

hutnicks said:


> Oh Oh. New thread time.
> 
> Show us your Audio Octopuss  Thread.


 
  
 I was thinking of doing that actually... goodness knows I can't be bothered to ever have a "clean" desk...
  
  


defqon said:


> You sir mind elaborating on that? First thing came to my mind is women in black clad boots with round headphones next to there bossoms.


 
  
 Somehow the first thing that came to mind was this...
  
 http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fUzorZk31Ss/TG33REBMP-I/AAAAAAAAHcM/lOB7E_PoTiU/s1600/octo*****.jpg


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice Mess!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  
 Quote:


white lotus said:


> Just moved into the new place.. So excuse the mess!


----------



## DefQon

white lotus said:


> Ballarat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not too far away from me.
  
 Anyway had to throw what I can into the next pic....
  
 $149 table represent! (Apologies for craptastic night shot).


----------



## White Lotus

defqon said:


> Not too far away from me.
> 
> Anyway had to throw what I can into the next pic....
> 
> $149 table represent! (Apologies for craptastic night shot).


 
  
 Intense setup! 
  
 Nice desk!
  
 I'm wanting to ask about all the gear in this photo..


----------



## copajohn

Can someone get me the winning numbers to the lottery - quickly!!
  
 Wow!  I dunno where to start...


----------



## adpo

Best I can manage on my college student budget 
  
 https://31.media.tumblr.com/f2b86d12f538bf9df7f44c13abc9760f/tumblr_n2g7ii3NVc1qb10a6o1_500.jpg
  
 Unfortunately can't directly post the image yet since I'm still new the forums


----------



## Hutnicks

adpo said:


> Best I can manage on my college student budget
> 
> https://31.media.tumblr.com/f2b86d12f538bf9df7f44c13abc9760f/tumblr_n2g7ii3NVc1qb10a6o1_500.jpg
> 
> Unfortunately can't directly post the image yet since I'm still new the forums


 

  
 I'll post it up for you. Just because I love the headphone stand. I wish I'd thought of that


----------



## White Lotus

Oohr. Interesting! What's the device next to it? I can see the word "DSD" written on it..


----------



## Maxvla

Resonessence Concero HD


----------



## brhfl

maxvla said:


> Resonessence Concero HD


 
 Nope, that's an HP.


----------



## Silent One

adpo said:


> Best I can manage on my college student budget


 






 You seem to be off to a great start!


----------



## Maxvla

brhfl said:


> Nope, that's an HP.



Doh.. didn't bother looking to the left and noticing the headphone plugged into it. :rolleyes:


----------



## Kon Peki

I need some headphone stands


----------



## philo50

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands


 
 terrific avatar.....


----------



## hodgjy

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands


 
 And a 12-step program!


----------



## Kon Peki

hodgjy said:


> And a 12-step program!




Lol, that too.


----------



## elmoe

hodgjy said:


> And a 12-step program!


 
  
 lol


----------



## Armaegis

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands


 
  
  
 This was my solution...
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Byrnie

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands :rolleyes:



Nice collection, very dynamic (pun intended )


----------



## hifimanrookie

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands :rolleyes:


OMG if i had so many phones on a corner of my desk i would be nervous as hell ..being afraid that any of them would fall on the floor... OMG!! 

I put my phone (while waiting for the headphone stand i ordered) laydown on a fluffy big silky pillow way back on the couch next to the audio rack..as far back as possible..so it wont fall off..


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow, I'm indecisive with 3 pairs and one pair sits in a drawer most of the time.. anyway, here you go 

  
 Quote:


kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands


----------



## dizzee

kon peki said:


> I need some headphone stands


 
  
 Wow, you do need some stands.
 Does angling the A5+ make much of a difference?


----------



## Byrnie

dizzee said:


> Wow, you do need some stands.
> Does angling the A5+ make much of a difference?



Yes it does.


----------



## jaywillin

byrnie said:


> Yes it does.


 

 and listening nearfield, at the desktop, it makes a big difference


----------



## Kon Peki

dizzee said:


> Wow, you do need some stands.
> Does angling the A5+ make much of a difference?


 
  
 I agree with Byrnie and jaywillin.  Big improvement if you're using them on a desktop.


----------



## mosshorn

dizzee said:


> Wow, you do need some stands.
> Does angling the A5+ make much of a difference?


 
  
 Although I don't have the A5+, I can say angling for nearfields makes a huge difference in perceived sound. This is due to the driver being pointed more directly at your ear, so your outer ear will pick up a greater amount of detail from the drivers. To compare, think of wearing your headphones about 1" down your ear opposed to where they are supposed to be.


----------



## Byrnie

jaywillin said:


> and listening nearfield, at the desktop, it makes a big difference



Agreed and pointing them toward you helps also.


----------



## hifimanrookie

better pics of my new rig, as some advised to use a better camera.as my last pics were a bit bad..lolz:
  
 and my first impressions on this new rig of mine..tomorrow i will include some listening impressions...
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/710504/blue-circle-pag-custom-headphone-amp#post_10368489


----------



## longbowbbs

The rig...Mac Mini, Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSDse, VPI Scout 1.1 with Dynavector
 10X5, Cary SLI-80, Toxic Cables Silver Widow's, Sennheiser HD800's or JH Audio
 JH16 Freq Phase with Toxic Cable Silver Poison's.


----------



## IceClass

The aural nirvana department of Ice Station Zebra.
  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
 Missing is the SL-10 turntable and the phono stage which are both out for a servicing.
 Still need to find some decent isolation pads for the speakers.
 Keep meaning to upgrade the Toshiba System 15 stack but I love its looks and frankly, haven't found anything that beats the sound for such a small form factor and price.
 I've owned other newer DACs but always prefer the ECD1 ... so far.
 The next step in the journey will, I think, be a pair of Fostex TH900s to compare against the DX1000s.


----------



## Silent One

_Very neat._


----------



## bigfatpaulie

iceclass said:


> The aural nirvana department of Ice Station Zebra.


 
  
  
 Looooooooooove it!


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow.. three incredible systems in a row.  Makes me blush.


----------



## ssrock64

iceclass said:


> The aural nirvana department of Ice Station Zebra.
> 
> Missing is the SL-10 turntable and the phono stage which are both out for a servicing.
> Still need to find some decent isolation pads for the speakers.
> ...


 
 Very nice! All your under-desk equipment looks like it probably gets quite hot in such a small space, though.


----------



## IceClass

ssrock64 said:


> Very nice! All your under-desk equipment looks like it probably gets quite hot in such a small space, though.


 
  
 No. No heat issues.
 I was initially wary but there is a surprising amount of air circulation around this area. The component that produces the most heat is the WA2 but that has ample room all round. The tightest squeeze is the System 15 Mini-stack but one of the design elements is the power amp bodies are cast aluminum and are about 50% cooling fins that vent sideways. That said, the amps produce very little heat and after over a year of use, I'm confident I have no heat issues.
  
 Then again, on Ice Station Zebra, heat is almost never the issue.


----------



## spurxiii




----------



## 62ohm

spurxiii said:


>


 
  
 What do you make of the HE-500 compared to the HD600 if I may ask?


----------



## spurxiii

62ohm said:


> What do you make of the HE-500 compared to the HD600 if I may ask?


 
 I enjoy both cans, the HE500s are probably a better all rounder including for EDM. The HD600 has better mids and sound more natural but the bass isn't as good so doesn't IMO do so well with EDM. If I were to keep one, I'd probably keep the HD600, only because I've got the TH600 for my EDM. But if I were only to have 1 can it'd be the HE500. Sorry if that sounded confusing.


----------



## FastAndClean




----------



## Bookbear

Nice compact work area!  Kudos!


----------



## spurxiii

If someone has left you reputation, where would you find comments from it. I can't seem to find this


----------



## Silent One

Email notification...


----------



## DefQon

Funny I never ever receive any email notification on my mobile whatsoever unless a thread has been updated with new posts.


----------



## hifimanrookie

silent one said:


> Email notification...



Yep, u got mail. got some also, didn't understand at first where they went until I found them in my junk mail..silly me


----------



## Byrnie

defqon said:


> Funny I never ever receive any email notification on my mobile whatsoever unless a thread has been updated with new posts.


 
 You might have set it that way.  Check your settings on head-fi.


----------



## DefQon

There's settings on headfi to choose what notification you want?


----------



## Silent One

Yes, U got preferences...


----------



## DefQon

silent one said:


> Yes, U got preferences...


 
  
  






 
  
 Discovery of the day.


----------



## Silent One

And we thought you were dangerous before the notifications...


----------



## adpo

A bit of an update, it's been about two weeks since I joined head-fi and I'm already very, very sorry for my wallet.
  
 In other news, NAD HP50s are gone and Alpha Dogs are here.  Once again, can't post the picture directly due to low post count and being new 
  
 https://24.media.tumblr.com/412ae16d6f803c7e4316f3ea8d731103/tumblr_n2oih6zri11qb10a6o1_500.jpg
  
 In response to earlier posts: why yes, that is a Concero HP. The little guy sounds magnificent and the pairing between the Alpha Dogs and Concero HP is pretty impressive, although it does feel as if it's running out of juice on some of my more quietly recorded files.  Looks like i should start looking at amps...and feeling more sorry for my wallet


----------



## philo50

Quote: 





adpo said:


> A bit of an update, it's been about two weeks since I joined head-fi and I'm already very, very sorry for my wallet.
> 
> new


----------



## DefQon

silent one said:


> And we thought you were dangerous before the notifications...


----------



## Silent One

adpo said:


>


----------



## spurxiii

silent one said:


> Email notification...


 
 I remember seeing a list of all the reputation and who's given it. Has that been taken away?


----------



## MattTCG

silent one said:


>


 
  
 Thought that was the matte black AD, till I realized that it was just a black and white pic.


----------



## adpo

Sorry for getting your hopes up  I think I actually prefer the look of the original red cups anyhow, based on the photos of the two


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

HeadAmp GS-X and Abrahamsen V6.0 powering some HP1000s, HD800s, W3000ANVs and HE500s. Portables are JH Audio Roxannes and Sennheiser HD 25s. I'm finally done!


----------



## hifimanrookie

leonardo drummond said:


> HeadAmp GS-X and Abrahamsen V6.0 powering some HP1000s, HD800s, W3000ANVs and HE500s. Portables are JH Audio Roxannes and Sennheiser HD 25s.* I'm finally done*!




Are u sure? Tens certeza? 
Nice rig by the way!


----------



## FastAndClean

leonardo drummond said:


> I'm finally done!


 
 I don't think so


----------



## Androb

leonardo drummond said:


> HeadAmp GS-X and Abrahamsen V6.0 powering some HP1000s, HD800s, W3000ANVs and HE500s. Portables are JH Audio Roxannes and Sennheiser HD 25s. I'm finally done!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Oh wow, amazing gear. Jealous!!!


----------



## Silent One

fastandclean said:


> leonardo drummond said:
> 
> 
> > I'm finally done!
> ...


 
 +1


----------



## Revogamer

No such thing as done...


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Hahaha well, the thing is that I've tried pretty much everything I wanted that's within my reach. I'd love to own a pair of 009s as well as original Omegas, R10s and Qualias, but they're too expensive for me. If I sold everything I could probably afford one of them, but I'd much rather have a group of headphones that encompass a large variety of music genres than only a single exorbitant headphone that may be perfect for some genres but that won't fit everything.
  
 After a long time buying/selling/trading headphones, amps and DACs (I'm also a reviewer in my country, so I've listened to a whole bunch of things that aren't listed in my profile) I've come to a point where I know what I'm looking for in terms of sonic personalities – what makes me happy with the music I listen to. This is the group of headphones that I assembled. Obviously there's the audiophile itch that may convince me to try some new simplish things (think $200 portables) and sell them, but as for a definitive system for the long haul, this is it!


----------



## lord_tris

leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha well, the thing is that I've tried pretty much everything I wanted that's within my reach. I'd love to own a pair of 009s as well as original Omegas, R10s and Qualias, but they're too expensive for me. If I sold everything I could probably afford one of them, but I'd much rather have a group of headphones that encompass a large variety of music genres than only a single exorbitant headphone that may be perfect for some genres but that won't fit everything.
> 
> After a long time buying/selling/trading headphones, amps and DACs (I'm also a reviewer in my country, so I've listened to a whole bunch of things that aren't listed in my profile) I've come to a point where I know what I'm looking for in terms of sonic personalities – what makes me happy with the music I listen to. This is the group of headphones that I assembled. Obviously there's the audiophile itch that may convince me to try some new simplish things (think $200 portables) and sell them, but as for a definitive system for the long haul, this is it!


 
 This is what everyone should strive for. Well said sir.


----------



## bbophead

Indeed!
  
 Beautiful system.  You should be proud.


----------



## longbowbbs

leonardo drummond said:


> HeadAmp GS-X and Abrahamsen V6.0 powering some HP1000s, HD800s, W3000ANVs and HE500s. Portables are JH Audio Roxannes and Sennheiser HD 25s. I'm finally done!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 I always love your gear, Leonardo!


----------



## Silent One

lord_tris said:


> leonardo drummond said:
> 
> 
> > Hahaha well, the thing is that I've tried pretty much everything I wanted that's within my reach. I'd love to own a pair of 009s as well as original Omegas, R10s and Qualias, but they're too expensive for me. If I sold everything I could probably afford one of them, but I'd much rather have a group of headphones that encompass a large variety of music genres than only a single exorbitant headphone that may be perfect for some genres but that won't fit everything.
> ...


 


bbophead said:


> Indeed!
> 
> Beautiful system.  You should be proud.


 


> Originally Posted by *longbowbbs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I always love your gear, Leonardo!


 
 +4


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Thanks a lot, guys


----------



## Byrnie

leonardo drummond said:


> Hahaha well, the thing is that I've tried pretty much everything I wanted that's within my reach. I'd love to own a pair of 009s as well as original Omegas, R10s and Qualias, but they're too expensive for me. If I sold everything I could probably afford one of them, but I'd much rather have a group of headphones that encompass a large variety of music genres than only a single exorbitant headphone that may be perfect for some genres but that won't fit everything.
> 
> After a long time buying/selling/trading headphones, amps and DACs (I'm also a reviewer in my country, so I've listened to a whole bunch of things that aren't listed in my profile) I've come to a point where I know what I'm looking for in terms of sonic personalities – what makes me happy with the music I listen to. This is the group of headphones that I assembled. Obviously there's the audiophile itch that may convince me to try some new simplish things (think $200 portables) and sell them, but as for a definitive system for the long haul, this is it!



Nice setup. What kind of speakers are those?


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

byrnie said:


> Nice setup. What kind of speakers are those?


 
  
 Thanks, Byrnie!
  
 They're nothing special, just a pair of ex-demo Dali Lektor 2s that I got for not much money! The speakers in the living room are the interesting ones 
  
 I do like Dali very much though, before the Lektors I used to have some Concept 2s. They have a very mellow – although slightly veiled – and rounded sound signature. Makes for a very enjoyable and comfortable experience.


----------



## Byrnie

leonardo drummond said:


> Thanks, Byrnie!
> 
> They're nothing special, just a pair of ex-demo Dali Lektor 2s that I got for not much money! The speakers in the living room are the interesting ones
> 
> I do like Dali very much though, before the Lektors I used to have some Concept 2s. They have a very mellow – although slightly veiled – and rounded sound signature. Makes for a very enjoyable and comfortable experience.



They're very nice looking speakers!


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

byrnie said:


> They're very nice looking speakers!


 
  
 Thank you


----------



## Rawdawg3234




----------



## CJs06

rawdawg3234 said:


>



O_O


----------



## joseph69

rawdawg3234 said:


>


 
 Nice set up!
 Are the driver tubes 6SN7's?
 If so what brand are they?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

joseph69 said:


> Nice set up!
> Are the driver tubes 6SN7's?
> If so what brand are they?


 
 Thanks. They're RCA 6GL7's ones from 65' the other 66'. Definitely the "coldest" tubes I own.


----------



## MattTCG

rawdawg3234 said:


> Thanks. They're RCA 6GL7's ones from 65' the other 66'. Definitely *the "coldest" tubes* I own.


 
  
 I think that they call that an oxymoron. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Nice setup rawdawg...


----------



## joseph69

What do you mea by the "coldest" tubes you own?


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Not colored or warm. More of an analytic or neutral sound. ??


----------



## Rawdawg3234

matttcg said:


> I think that they call that an oxymoron.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 






joseph69 said:


> What do you mea by the "coldest" tubes you own?


 
 They seem to add very little of they're own sound.  You could describe them as sterile, noiseless or whatever else floats your boat. There's very little rolloff on the mids and highs. In short i'd rate them only barely above the stock 6EW7's.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

rawdawg3234 said:


>


 
 Brave Old SR-3 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Ali


----------



## joseph69

matttcg said:


> ^^ Not colored or warm. More of an analytic or neutral sound. ??


 
 Funny, I tried them twice with the WA6/RS1i and both times I found them to have too much overall bass for me with the S/P-274B. So the first time I bought/returned them to Woo. The second time I bought the adapters from Woo and the the RCA 6EM7/6EA7 Test NOS Dual Triode Black Plates Coin Base Wright Apollo Tubes from eBay and tried them with the Mullard 5V4G/GZ32 and thought they would match nicely being the GZ32 was a thinner sounding than the S/P-274B, but found the same thing…so I returned the adapters to Woo and got a pair of 6FD7 (big bottle's). I paid close to $45.00 (with shipping) for the 6EM7's from a Canadian dealer… right now I have them on eBay for the 3rd time trying to sell them for $20.00, being I can't use them at all without the adapters. I just re-listed them, if nobody buys them again, if you want them I will give them to you at your shipping cost. I hate having things laying around that will never be used when someone else can use them. They have about 2-3hrs on them. If you really want them, being you are a fellow Head-Fier, I will end the BIN and give them too you!


----------



## Rawdawg3234

joseph69 said:


> Funny, I tried them twice with the WA6/RS1i and both times I found them to have too much overall bass for me with the S/P-274B. So the first time I bought/returned them to Woo. The second time I bought the adapters from Woo and the the RCA 6EM7/6EA7 Test NOS Dual Triode Black Plates Coin Base Wright Apollo Tubes from eBay and tried them with the Mullard 5V4G/GZ32 and thought they would match nicely being the GZ32 was a thinner sounding than the S/P-274B, but found the same thing…so I returned the adapters to Woo and got a pair of 6FD7 (big bottle's). I paid close to $45.00 (with shipping) for the 6EM7's from a Canadian dealer… right now I have them on eBay for the 3rd time trying to sell them for $20.00, being I can't use them at all without the adapters. I just re-listed them, if nobody buys them again, if you want them I will give them to you at your shipping cost. I hate having things laying around that will never be used when someone else can use them. They have about 2-3hrs on them. If you really want them, being you are a fellow Head-Fier, I will end the BIN and give them too you!


 
 Not sure we're still talking about the same tubes here. 
  
 That's very generous of you by the way.


----------



## joseph69

rawdawg3234 said:


> Not sure we're still talking about the same tubes here.
> 
> That's very generous of you by the way.


 
 Yes, it use's Woo's 6GL7>6DE7 adapter. The 6GL7/6EM7/6EA7 tubes are the same. As a matter of fact the first time I purchased the tubes/adapters from Woo, they sent me RCA 6EM7's, which are the equivalent to the 6GL7. I've already used the tubes I'm offering you in my WA6.


----------



## vincent215

leonardo drummond said:


> HeadAmp GS-X and Abrahamsen V6.0 powering some HP1000s, HD800s, W3000ANVs and HE500s. Portables are JH Audio Roxannes and Sennheiser HD 25s. I'm finally done!


 
  
 Nice collection, and I like pics on your site. Hope there will be an English version of it someday.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

vincent215 said:


> Nice collection, and I like pics on your site. Hope there will be an English version of it someday.


 
  
 Thank you, Vincent!
  
 There will be one indeed, and I've already started translating some reviews. I've already published the following: Sennheiser HE90 Orpheus, Grado HP1000, Audio-Technica W3000ANV and B.M.C. PureDAC!


----------



## Rawdawg3234

joseph69 said:


> Yes, it use's Woo's 6GL7>6DE7 adapter. The 6GL7/6EM7/6EA7 tubes are the same. As a matter of fact the first time I purchased the tubes/adapters from Woo, they sent me RCA 6EM7's, which are the equivalent to the 6GL7. I've already used the tubes I'm offering you in my WA6.


 
 Oh you were offering me those tubes? I'd love to have em. 
 I am gonna have to respectfully disagree with you about the tubes being the same. Interchangeable yes but definitely not the same sound or quality. My sylvania 6EM7's are my favorite set and the RCA's do not even compare to them. They sound cheap to me in comparison and the sylvanias are so "warm" that they sing, especially paired with my EML rectifier.


----------



## joseph69

rawdawg3234 said:


> Oh you were offering me those tubes? I'd love to have em.
> I am gonna have to respectfully disagree with you about the tubes being the same. Interchangeable yes but definitely not the same sound or quality. My sylvania 6EM7's are my favorite set and the RCA's do not even compare to them. They sound cheap to me in comparison and the sylvanias are so "warm" that they sing, especially paired with my EML rectifier.


 
 No I didn't mean the same sound signature, I meant interchangeable.
 And yes I'm offering you these tubes; RCA 6EM7/6EA7 Test NOS Dual Triode Black Plates Coin Base Wright Apollo Tubes, like I said they have 2-3hrs on them, and you'll have them as backups or whatever. Do you want them? If yes I will take them off eBay and ship them to you at your cost. PM me.


----------



## ssrock64

rawdawg3234 said:


>


 
 That's the first time I've seen an ED10 in awhile. Thoughts compared to the others in your collection?


----------



## Rawdawg3234

ssrock64 said:


> That's the first time I've seen an ED10 in awhile. Thoughts compared to the others in your collection?


 
 ha ha. I'll try to keep this brief. 
   The Ed 10's are in my opinion the best looking cans I have seen firsthand. They are absolutely beautiful. They are also the most comfortable flagship I have experienced. You could wear these all day without any discomfort.  Unless you wear glasses of course then you're good for only 2-3 hours. 
  
 As far as sound goes you can read a ton of variations on how they are perceived, mostly bad. Personally upon first putting them on they had/have a metallic sound which is extremely off-putting at first. The second thing I noticed was the recessed mids. Like they almost didn't matter.  Now from everything I have experienced and read this is due to the s-logic, or bad production, which seriously takes some getting used to. Not sure how they accomplish their s-logic "live" sound but from all the ultrasone cans i've seen they seem to cover a third of the driver with some type of metal plate. If this is their s-logic, radiation shielding or both I couldn't say. Anyway once you get used to the s-logic, yes i'm sorry but it DOES take some getting used to, you begin to notice an excellent soundstage. Not a wide soundstage like the HD800 but more spherical and compact.  The best part for me is the perception that the sound, mostly guitar, is coming from in front of my face and I get the feeling that I could almost point to it.
  
 That being said the Ed 10's are extremely bright, the rewire helped a lot but it definitely makes it difficult to turn them up for long periods so as long as you're at a moderate volume you won't experience any of the ear piercing discomfort.  Also for longer sessions I like to EQ them , bringing down the highs a bit and increasing the mids  just a little so as not to disrupt the s-logic. I know that some consider it sacrilege to EQ flagships but if you can tweak something to suite you better than I say why not. With the small tweaks i'm able to truly enjoy them at higher volumes.


----------



## indieman

I've never posted my setup before, so I'm a little embarrassed lol

 Not the best pic sorry. Just got the speakers and receiver 2nd hand, haven't had a chance to tidy up the cables. They sound pretty good even though they are old! Also a sony turntable and some hd598s. Not pictured is my surface pro tablet with dragonfly 1.2 dac. Next upgrade to this system is a new cartridge! I'm hoping to get a grado one.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

indieman said:


> I've never posted my setup before, so I'm a little embarrassed lol
> 
> 
> Not the best pic sorry. Just got the speakers and receiver 2nd hand, haven't had a chance to tidy up the cables. They sound pretty good even though they are old! Also a sony turntable and some hd598s. Not pictured is my surface pro tablet with dragonfly 1.2 dac. Next upgrade to this system is a new cartridge! I'm hoping to get a grado one.



Lookin good so far!! Please keep me up to date on that potential Grado cartridge, ive been meaning to get a Grado black at some point.


----------



## indieman

Thanks! Will do


----------



## Dr4Bob

The computer station I just set up for my son-
  
 ALAC files->spdif optical out of mother board-> Spitfire DAC-> Nordost Black Knight IC-> Keces HA-171-> Grado SR 225i
  
 Sounds great using components I replaced over time and a big step up from his iPod rig.


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

^Lucky kid


----------



## indieman

+1. You're a great dad! Lol


----------



## squishware

white lotus said:


> Just moved into the new place.. So excuse the mess!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## White Lotus

> What headphone stand is that? Thanks.


 
  
 The headphone stand is called "Fischer Audio: The Curve".
  
 It's known under a few different names I believe. 
  
 A fantastic stand!


----------



## squishware

Thanks White Lotus.


----------



## devouringone3

leonardo drummond said:


> Thanks a lot, guys


 
  
 You should _really_ try my Grado pads mod:
  

  
  
 My station is really simplistic, not sure if temporary, but it's doing the job. It consists of a fairly narrow 1-meter long stand up desk  it's a chest of drawers, with no chair to be found anywhere close to it, I hate those); the keyboard and mouse on top of it fall at navel height on one end, and on the other (facing the wall) lies a jacked up laptop with its screen at just over a meter (or ~1.5x arm) from me, and the only thing lying between me and the computer is ^that^ headphone's resting place (on toilet paper squares). Accessories and adapters are in the drawers inside my “desk”, and I'm not using any amplifier or external DAC, even though I own a few in storage (those in my signature).
  
 I've moved in this room 2 months ago and I'm finding myself satisfied with just that and a bed right next to it. I have a few boxes of stuff that I've not opened but really, it's not that much stuff.


----------



## magiccabbage

excellent pics  lotus


----------



## Ali-Pacha

squishware said:


> Thanks White Lotus.


 
 Same shape, very cheap : http://www.thomann.de/fr/rooms_audio_typ_fs_k_headphone_stand.htm

 Ali


----------



## hifimanrookie

ali-pacha said:


> Same shape, very cheap : http://www.thomann.de/fr/rooms_audio_typ_fs_k_headphone_stand.htm
> 
> 
> Ali



Even cheaper and i ordered one for my code-x..i especially love the cable organiser in the back! Unique and handy! never saw that before on a stand.

http://www.artencraft.be/nl/hama-headphone-stand-black-96657?utm_source=beslistslimmershoppen&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=beslist&utm_content=discardeddefault


----------



## Shaffer




----------



## CJs06

shaffer said:


>



Your record collection is astounding sir, I aplaud your efforts! Any genre in particular? Nice collection of cans as well.

What turntable is that if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## hifimanrookie

I dont think i ever saw a bigger LP collection then urs! Impressive! Nice rig also! But if i am mistaken its not a headphone rig..right?


----------



## magiccabbage

skylabs is fairly big - 
  
 that looks like 4000+ 
  
 wow


----------



## Silent One

I really like this shot!


----------



## Shaffer

cjs06 said:


> Your record collection is astounding sir, I aplaud your efforts! Any genre in particular? Nice collection of cans as well.
> 
> What turntable is that if you don't mind me asking?




Thank you very much. The 'table is a lightly modified VPI HW19mkIII with a REga RB600 arm and an AT33PTG/II at the pointy end. I don't know if there's a genre, as a whole, that I don't care for other than what's commonly called Classical Music (the Romantic and Baroque periods, especially). This being said, I do like many 20th Century compositions, as well as some Early Music.


----------



## Shaffer

hifimanrookie said:


> I dont think i ever saw a bigger LP collection then urs! Impressive! Nice rig also! But if i am mistaken its not a headphone rig..right?




Even though there are 3 dedicated headamps (4 if you count the receiver) and 8 cans in the pics, you're right - it's not a headphone system. Thank you for the kind words.


----------



## magiccabbage

shaffer said:


> Thank you very much. The 'table is a lightly modified VPI HW19mkIII with a REga RB600 arm and an AT33PTG/II at the pointy end. I don't know if there's a genre, as a whole, that I don't care for other than what's commonly called Classical Music (the Romantic and Baroque periods, especially). This being said, I do like many 20th Century compositions, as well as some Early Music.


 
 so is it more than 4000 ?


----------



## Armaegis

When there are enough records that you can almost say they are a load bearing wall...


----------



## Shaffer

magiccabbage said:


> so is it more than 4000 ?




I estimate ~5K; never counted. If you include the 7 boxes of lesser pressings in my closet, add a few hundred more. I don't shop at garage sales - well, not since the good stuff was mostly spoken for in the 90s, some by me - don't shop at thrift stores. Quality is paramount. 

Going back ~15-20 years, it was harder and harder to buy new LPs, especially the kind of stuff I look for. New titles? Forgetaboutit. So, I got myself an account with a couple of distributors, started receiving bulletins with new releases, and supplemented my collection in such a manner. As such, I have quite a few titles that are highly sought after, almost solely, because they were rarely seen in stores. I also worked in radio for a time, and have many promos. My stint in the audio business brought in just as many audiophile pressings, and so it goes. I still go record shopping weekly, but these days my purchases are ~60% CD. So inexpensive, they're hard to pass up.


----------



## Shaffer

armaegis said:


> When there are enough records that you can almost say they are a load bearing wall... :blink:






We knew that shelves would have to be built before moving into the house. It took about a year to get all the ducks in a row. During that time, the boxes of LPs sat in a spare bedroom. After 6-8 months, we noticed crack starting to develop between the floor and the wall closest to the boxes. Needless to say, the shelves are indeed built on a load-bearing wall.


----------



## hifimanrookie

shaffer said:


> Even though there are 3 dedicated headamps (4 if you count the receiver) and 8 cans in the pics, you're right - it's not a headphone system. Thank you for the kind words.



Am sorry..didnt see that correctly..i was confused by the huge speakers..what brand are they?


----------



## Armaegis

shaffer said:


> We knew that shelves would have to be built before moving into the house. It took about a year to get all the ducks in a row. During that time, the boxes of LPs sat in a spare bedroom. After 6-8 months, we noticed crack starting to develop between the floor and the wall closest to the boxes. Needless to say, the shelves are indeed built on a load-bearing wall.


 
  
 Well it seems that you've already exceeded the one wall. Clearly, the only solution is to buy a new house


----------



## Shaffer

hifimanrookie said:


> Am sorry..didnt see that correctly..i was confused by the huge speakers.*.what brand are they?*




They're Dunlavy SCIV. 

It's my third pair of Dunlavys. Started out with SCIV. They were black and I truly hated that, so when an opportunity came up to upgrade to SCV - about 70% bigger (for reference) - in a finish of my choice, I jumped on it and ordered a pair in cherry. Had those for 7 years or so, and decided that I liked the SCIV better. So I'm back to SCIV and very happy about it. Plus, they're not nearly as demanding of a partnering amplifier, making my life easier with 2 kids approaching college-age.


----------



## Shaffer

armaegis said:


> Well it seems that you've already exceeded the one wall. Clearly, the only solution is to buy a new house




I like the way you think!


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

devouringone3 said:


> You should _really_ try my Grado pads mod:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I most certainly will!


----------



## Dzhozef




----------



## MattTCG

^^ Iike it! Simple, effective. I can see myself with a nice dap and good iem's one day.


----------



## snapple10

still having a lot of fun with the combo thanks to a couple of members who helped in the journey 
  
 on orders the JKenny usb to SPDIF converter to , hopefully, improve the combo


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Androb

floydfan33 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Fostex is so nice :'((( I want one!


----------



## Silent One

+1
 I'd love to get one custom Black without the Gold lettering.


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice setup! New Matrix mini-i (I had the original once upon a time) and a WA6 without a rectifier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 or a really small hidden one.
  
 Quote:


floydfan33 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## floydfan33

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 It's the Mini I Pro, and part of the reason I was comfortable buying it is that I had owned the original Mini I previously. It's an excellent DAC for the money, and a decent headphone amp too.
  
 The rectifier on the WA6 is a Mullard GZ34, and its hidden behind the Woo adapters and tubes!


----------



## DefQon

Good to be back with speakers. Some brief testing.


----------



## joseph69

defqon said:


> Good to be back with speakers. Some brief testing.


 
 nice, what speakers are they?


----------



## DefQon

English made Castle Harlechs S1 with a modded crossover with damaged top woofers (only the cone has cracked but I'm going to get the dual pair woofers from both speakers replaced with Monacor SPH-135 KEP kevlar cone with phase plug for the mid woofer and the down firing i.e top one is going to be replaced with a SPH-135C carbon fibre cone woofer driver. Not going to be cheap (about $600 for all 4 drivers shipped from the UK or Germany) but considering these speakers use to cost $2.1k back in the late 90's, real wood veneered cabinets each weighing close to 25kg and exceptional sounding when positioned right I want to give life back to these speakers with a bit modernized upgrades. I'll recone and redome the speakers when I get more funds to keep the original drivers as backups as NOS units from Castle Acoustics are no longer available.
  
 The black speakers are Australian made Orpheus Nexus MK1. 1988-1991 speakers, one of the TOTL back then use to cost over $1.5k, just the other week when they arrived and I played some bassy music, being a bass reflex port designed multi-way speaker the reflex port at the back blew a chunk of foam out. Carefully removing a woofer to have a peep inside showed deteriorating foam (previous seller had them in storage in original boxes over a decade) but I'm very surprised as to how the cabinets and dampening methods have been used for each of the drivers in the thick MDF cabinet, they just don't build them these days like they use to. I've opened up and seen $15-25k speakers internally and don't have chambers or dampening executed as well as these are. 
  
 The rest of the gear is a modded Yaqin VK-2100 hybrid class A amp, 85wpc beast, using a pair of matched pair of Mullard CV4024 w/flashing O getter for the interstage output and Baldwin 12AU7's for the preamp stage. Followed by a then $3k Australian made AD1853 Elektra DAC toslinked out to either my modded Sony SCD 940 QS sacd transport or the Grundig Finearts CD1000 transport sporting dual TDA1547 dac's. Standard so no fancy Crystal Cable cables used as I only moved some of my stuff around from upstairs and my garage as I'm trying to test the speakers after 2 days of minor room treatment, speaker positioning and placement to get a decent sound out of them. Enjoying these more then any headphone rig I've owned, heard or come by. Should have a Optonica (Sharp) RP-105H turntable coming in soon if I win the auction. 
  
 I use to own expensive gear but sold em off because if you go vintage or vintage/modern (late 90's to early 2000's) and used you get more bang for buck out of your wallet. Most of the expensive stuff out there are cheap or less then stellar components in a fancy and exquisite enclosure or housing that gives the impression that it is expensive and must sound good (which is not always true). MOAR expensive doesn't equate to being better.


----------



## joseph69

defqon said:


> English made Castle Harlechs S1 with a modded crossover with damaged top woofers (only the cone has cracked but I'm going to get the dual pair woofers from both speakers replaced with Monacor SPH-135 KEP kevlar cone with phase plug for the mid woofer and the down firing i.e top one is going to be replaced with a SPH-135C carbon fibre cone woofer driver. Not going to be cheap (about $600 for all 4 drivers shipped from the UK or Germany) but considering these speakers use to cost $2.1k back in the late 90's, real wood veneered cabinets each weighing close to 25kg and exceptional sounding when positioned right I want to give life back to these speakers with a bit modernized upgrades. I'll recone and redome the speakers when I get more funds to keep the original drivers as backups as NOS units from Castle Acoustics are no longer available.
> 
> The black speakers are Australian made Orpheus Nexus MK1. 1988-1991 speakers, one of the TOTL back then use to cost over $1.5k, just the other week when they arrived and I played some bassy music, being a bass reflex port designed multi-way speaker the reflex port at the back blew a chunk of foam out. Carefully removing a woofer to have a peep inside showed deteriorating foam (previous seller had them in storage in original boxes over a decade) but I'm very surprised as to how the cabinets and dampening methods have been used for each of the drivers in the thick MDF cabinet, they just don't build them these days like they use to. I've opened up and seen $15-25k speakers internally and don't have chambers or dampening executed as well as these are.
> 
> ...


 
 Cool, its been a while since I've listened to my s or any speakers for that matter. I'm familiar with the Orpheus from those years when I was purchasing my Vandersteen 2Ci's. Nice system, good luck with the repairs, and enjoy them.


----------



## Snips

floydfan33 said:


> It's the Mini I Pro, and part of the reason I was comfortable buying it is that I had owned the original Mini I previously. It's an excellent DAC for the money, and a decent headphone amp too.
> 
> The rectifier on the WA6 is a Mullard GZ34, and its hidden behind the Woo adapters and tubes!


 
  
 Wow, the GZ34 is much, much smaller than I imagined. 
  
 How does the Fostex sound with the Woo?


----------



## floydfan33

snips said:


> Wow, the GZ34 is much, much smaller than I imagined.
> 
> How does the Fostex sound with the Woo?




The WA6 is a great match for the TH900. It is very dynamic, and seems to bring the midrange a little more forward .


----------



## sprite40

defqon said:


> Good to be back with speakers. Some brief testing.


 
 Really great looking speakers those Castle Harlechs..good luck with them!


----------



## DefQon

I'll take some daylight shots on the wood grains, the woodworking looks superb with a few nicks and nacks here and there, but nothing danish wood oil can't dress up nicely.


----------



## fenderf4i

Here is mine at the moment!


----------



## elmoe

Is that... a hoverboard? I want!


----------



## fenderf4i

elmoe said:


> Is that... a hoverboard? I want!


 
  
  
 Yes it is lol


----------



## CJs06

fenderf4i said:


> Here is mine at the moment!


How do you like the LCD with the Lyr/Bifrost combo? I'm interested in trying this out at a meet possibly. Nice setup btw


----------



## fenderf4i

cjs06 said:


> How do you like the LCD with the Lyr/Bifrost combo? I'm interested in trying this out at a meet possibly. Nice setup btw


 
  
 Thanks! I'm in love with the LCD's. I have never tried any other amps with them, but I can say I'm completely happy with the setup and have basically found my endgame rig (for many many years, at least). The sound is VERY different from the PS500.


----------



## vincent215

Your desk is full of schiit! 
 How do you switch between them anyway?


----------



## CJs06

fenderf4i said:


> Thanks! I'm in love with the LCD's. I have never tried any other amps with them, but I can say I'm completely happy with the setup and have basically found my endgame rig (for many many years, at least). The sound is VERY different from the PS500.


Thats good to hear. I can imagine the PS500 is very different from the LCDs just by comparing their FR curves. I also heard the LCDs have otherworldly bass response and in conjunction with the Lyr... Yes please


----------



## fenderf4i

vincent215 said:


> Your desk is full of schiit!
> How do you switch between them anyway?


 
  
  
 Right now I'm just y-splitting from the Bifrost to the Asgard and Lyr, and running the active speakers out of the Asgard preamp. A Schiit SYS is replacing the Asgard preouts to control the active speakers.
  
 What I really want is a nice switchbox to switch between all of them, because if I want to connect all of the amps to the DAC right now, I would have to connect a y-splitter to another y-splitter, which splits the signal each time, whereas a switching box switches the signal, and passes the full signal through to each amp as it's selected. Ideally I would like a Schiit switching box!


----------



## fenderf4i

cjs06 said:


> Thats good to hear. I can imagine the PS500 is very different from the LCDs just by comparing their FR curves. I also heard the LCDs have otherworldly bass response and in conjunction with the Lyr... Yes please


 
  
  
 I find the LCD's to be a LOT more comfortable than the Grado's, as well.


----------



## sprite40

defqon said:


> I'll take some daylight shots on the wood grains, the woodworking looks superb with a few nicks and nacks here and there, but nothing danish wood oil can't dress up nicely.


 
 That would be great..and yes the speakers only deserve the best


----------



## kramer5150

Newly refurb'd sennheiser... posing with the DV337.
  

  
 And my little desktop rig.


----------



## aroldan

kramer5150 said:


> Newly refurb'd sennheiser... posing with the DV337.
> 
> 
> And my little desktop rig.


 
 Where did you get that headpad?


----------



## kramer5150

I made it... there was a DIY thread on it a week or two ago.  i'm going to re-do it though, this time with thinner leather, hoping to smooth out some of the lumps and bunched up areas.
  
 I'll post pics in the DIY thread when I finish the second one.


----------



## whirlwind

Very nice, kramer


----------



## ruffNNreadyDMT

Not pictured is a Panamax MFP-400 line conditioner.


----------



## kramer5150

whirlwind said:


> Very nice, kramer


 
 Thanks... just made another, this time using thinner, softer leather and softer foam.  This ones more frumpy looking but its a lot softer and more comfy.


----------



## indieman

My "coffee shop" rig  Not the best pic, snapped it in a hurry


----------



## Amictus

indieman said:


> My "coffee shop" rig  Not the best pic, snapped it in a hurry




Nice! I bought my son the HD598s. How are you getting on with them?


----------



## DefQon

amictus said:


> Nice! I bought my son the HD598s. How are you getting on with them?


 
  
 Why didn't you buy him some HD800's?


----------



## Amictus

defqon said:


> Why didn't you buy him some HD800's?




). 1. Money. 2. He needed something to plug straight into a source (computer/iSomething). 3. I hope to be alive for a few more Christmasses.


----------



## sprite40

I think the Sennheiser HD-598 is a great headphone, it is one of the most comfortable headphones to wear, it has a very smooth midrange and tight bass, and it also looks great!


----------



## FastAndClean

indieman said:


> My "coffee shop" rig  Not the best pic, snapped it in a hurry


----------



## StudioSound

indieman said:


> My "coffee shop" rig



 
I think you may have just sold me on a Surface Pro with that image.

I've been thinking about one for a while now, and it's things such as having proper USB functionality like that, or being able to run JRiver on it rather than a tablet app for music & videos which interests me in the device.


----------



## CJs06

studiosound said:


> indieman said:
> 
> 
> > My "coffee shop" rig
> ...


 
 It's for sure my tablet of choice and the Surface Pro 2 is much, much better in terms of battery life than the 1st generation. I have one setup with Foobar2K and Spotify if I need portable music.


----------



## hsubox

cjs06 said:


> It's for sure my tablet of choice and the Surface Pro 2 is much, much better in terms of battery life than the 1st generation. I have one setup with Foobar2K and Spotify if I need portable music.




Glad to see a fellow Surface Pro 2 user here! I was a little disheartened when the USB port wouldn't power my Modi, but I fixed that by getting a Bifrost. Good to see the Dragonfly works!


----------



## 62ohm

hsubox said:


> Glad to see a fellow Surface Pro 2 user here! I was a little disheartened when the USB port wouldn't power my Modi, but I fixed that by getting a Bifrost. Good to see the Dragonfly works!


 
  
 Why wouldn't it? My Surface Pro 1 powers the Modi just fine.


----------



## NZheadcase

Finally finished unpacking everything from our recent move. Had a bit of time tidying the study a bit. Here's the Head-fi/gaming/get-away-from-everything station.  
  


  
 I used an old bookshelf to store headphone boxes .
  

  
 Right behind the desk is the Audio Table. Currently listening to the HE500 and T1. 
  


  
 The Mac Mini feeds the NAD M51 via USB, the Bifrost via Optical. It outputs HDMI to the Sony TV on the right. The PS3 and XBOX feeds the NAD via optical so any gaming session can be done with headphones on. In the foreground is the listening/gaming chair with ottoman.


----------



## Tuco1965

That's a very nice clean looking setup.


----------



## Revogamer

Great looking setup


----------



## 62ohm

Very neat looking 'listening room' there mate, looks absolutely like a dedicated listening room.


----------



## CJs06

nzheadcase said:


> Finally finished unpacking everything from our recent move. Had a bit of time tidying the study a bit. Here's the Head-fi/gaming/get-away-from-everything station.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I really like your setup; clean, organized and simple. Plus, you have a great collection of headphones and gear there. Kudos!


----------



## StudioSound

cjs06 said:


> It's for sure my tablet of choice and the Surface Pro 2 is much, much better in terms of battery life than the 1st generation. I have one setup with Foobar2K and Spotify if I need portable music.



 
I've been trying to hold out for a third revision and be happy with my iPad, but I think I might just pick one up this weekend now.


----------



## dallan

I was sitting here looking at the biggest mess that my station has ever been and realized it was the perfect time to post to this thread……What a mess!
  
 I have been working way too much
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Gotta make time to clean the clutter.


----------



## MickeyVee

Very nice setup.  Looks classy and comfortable!
  
 Quote:


nzheadcase said:


> Finally finished unpacking everything from our recent move. Had a bit of time tidying the study a bit. Here's the Head-fi/gaming/get-away-from-everything station.


----------



## CJs06

dallan said:


> I was sitting here looking at the biggest mess that my station has ever been and realized it was the perfect time to post to this thread……What a mess!


 
 That's an impressive mess


----------



## NZheadcase

revogamer said:


> Great looking setup


 
  
 Not a great as the one in your display area, mate. I am 1000% sure your home setup is even better than the one in the shop. 
  


tuco1965 said:


> That's a very nice clean looking setup.


 
Thanks bro. 
  
  



cjs06 said:


> I really like your setup; clean, organized and simple. Plus, you have a great collection of headphones and gear there. Kudos!


 
   
 I try and keep it organized as much as I can, but then after a few hours, clutter seems to always creep in somehow. hahahaha! Thanks for the kind words. 
  
 Quote:


62ohm said:


> Very neat looking 'listening room' there mate, looks absolutely like a dedicated listening room.


 
  
 Thanks bro!


----------



## longbowbbs

Still hanging on to your HP-P1 I see....


----------



## dallan

longbowbbs said:


> Still hanging on to your HP-P1 I see....


 
  
 Yes, it comes in handy with both iPhone and classic.  Small and compact for when i am running and short on room.  Still though, that AK120 is getting more time.


cjs06 said:


> That's an impressive mess


 
 Thanks CJs06, just needs some attention.  I have been working like crazy and have barely even had time to fire up the tubes lately.


----------



## CJs06

Here's my humble setup after doing some moving around


----------



## dallan

cjs06 said:


> Here's my humble setup after doing some moving around


 
 Yeah, i have to get it to that.  I'll take new pictures then,  may take a while though, like ah ah, well a while.  
  
 Nice area!


----------



## jaywillin

well guys, i just may be done (for a while anyway)


----------



## CJs06

dallan said:


> Yeah, i have to get it to that.  I'll take new pictures then,  may take a while though, like ah ah, well a while.
> 
> Nice area!


 
 Haha thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I understand busy for sure, makes those DAPs you have worth it I imagine! I've been looking at the A&K 100, Sony NW-ZX1 and Fiio X5. They are pricy but I believe I would get a lot out of a portable rig and I would enjoy having my MQS collection with me at work, since I spend most of my time there anyways.


----------



## NZheadcase

> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Very ZEN! me likey much.


----------



## OldSkool

cjs06 said:


> That's an impressive mess


 

 I agree. Any mess that includes a Zana Deux tucked away in the corner is impressive.


----------



## dallan

cjs06 said:


> Haha thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I tried the AK240 last weekend and just wanted to throw in the towel.  These little things just get better and better-wallet screams!


----------



## CJs06

nzheadcase said:


> Very ZEN! me likey much.


 
 Thanks


----------



## CJs06

dallan said:


> I tried the AK240 last weekend and just wanted to throw in the towel.  These little things just get better and better-wallet screams!


 
 When a DAP costs as much as a fully loaded Macbook Pro... thats when I know it's not for me


----------



## joseph69

nzheadcase said:


> Finally finished unpacking everything from our recent move. Had a bit of time tidying the study a bit. Here's the Head-fi/gaming/get-away-from-everything station.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 Really nice listening station, nicely organized, and looks great!
  


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Definitely a nice comfortable set up, clean and simple, nice!


----------



## longbowbbs

dallan said:


> cjs06 said:
> 
> 
> > Haha thanks
> ...


 
 Yep...Saraguie was waxing poetic to me about his.....Dang this progress.....


----------



## CJs06

longbowbbs said:


> Yep...Saraguie was waxing poetic to me about his.....Dang this progress.....


 
 When I first saw the AK240 my reaction was wow... we've come a long, long... long way from the iPod. Perfection has its price though lol


----------



## NZheadcase

cjs06 said:


> When I first saw the AK240 my reaction was wow... we've come a long, long... long way from the iPod. Perfection has its price though lol


 
  
 Will an iPod>HiFi M8 or iPod>Other Amp come close though?


----------



## longbowbbs

cjs06 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Yep...Saraguie was waxing poetic to me about his.....Dang this progress.....
> ...


 
 So true...I am puzzled, with the increase in interest in quality audio, that Apple has not made a higher rez player.


----------



## CJs06

nzheadcase said:


> Will an iPod>HiFi M8 or iPod>Other Amp come close though?


 
 I honestly don't think so. For example, the iPod Classic 5G while it has 160GB is very limited what lossless formats it can play, not to mention the fact that it has no MQS capability whatsoever. The cirrus DAC in the iPod is limited to 16/44, which isn't a bad thing per-se but if you have a MQS collection of music the AK240 will surely provide the better listening experience I believe. One has to improve the Transport layer of the audio chain before the benefits of an additional Amplifier for the DAP is relevant. Now the ratio of differentiation of how close an iPod will reach an AK240 in terms of the listening experience is subjective IMO.


----------



## NZheadcase

cjs06 said:


> I honestly don't think so. For example, the iPod Classic 5G while it has 160GB is very limited what lossless formats it can play, not to mention the fact that it has no MQS capability whatsoever. The cirrus DAC in the iPod is limited to 16/44, which isn't a bad thing per-se but if you have a MQS collection of music the AK240 will surely provide the better listening experience I believe. One has to improve the Transport layer of the audio chain before the benefits of an additional Amplifier for the DAP is relevant. Now the ratio of differentiation of how close an iPod will reach an AK240 in terms of the listening experience is subjective IMO.


 
 New thread? lol! I can see it now. That's going to be one contentious thread.


----------



## CJs06

longbowbbs said:


> So true...I am puzzled, with the increase in interest in quality audio, that Apple has not made a higher rez player.


 
 I was thinking about this earlier too. I believe Apple could introduce a very competitive product into the HiFi DAP market. Then again they aren't trying to sell "Hi-Res" in the manner Sony is.


----------



## CJs06

nzheadcase said:


> New thread? lol! I can see it now. That's going to be one contentious thread.


 
 No doubt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The price of the AK240 alone causes me to lean towards the iPod out of sheer value alone. However, the iPod doesn't do quite what I would like it to. So I'm DAPless for now lol


----------



## longbowbbs

cjs06 said:


> nzheadcase said:
> 
> 
> > New thread? lol! I can see it now. That's going to be one contentious thread.
> ...


 
 IPC and an HP-P1....Works for me....


----------



## indieman

amictus said:


> Nice! I bought my son the HD598s. How are you getting on with them?


 
 Very well! Especially after obtaining a more "portable" cable  Sorry for the late reply!


sprite40 said:


> I think the Sennheiser HD-598 is a great headphone, it is one of the most comfortable headphones to wear, it has a very smooth midrange and tight bass, and it also looks great!


 
 All of this yes. I've been enjoying mine for about a year now and am still impressed.
  


fastandclean said:


>


 
 Awesome!


----------



## indieman

studiosound said:


> indieman said:
> 
> 
> > My "coffee shop" rig
> ...


 
 Haha! You won't regret it! Full support for usb dacs and music programs is definitely nice. My pro 1 has been my most satisfying pc purchase ever. I use it for media, forum browsing, photoshop, sketching and web comics, everything! I love it lol.
  


hsubox said:


> Glad to see a fellow Surface Pro 2 user here! I was a little disheartened when the USB port wouldn't power my Modi, but I fixed that by getting a Bifrost. Good to see the Dragonfly works!


 
 Strange, they should be full powered usb 3.0 ports? Do you have the rt?


----------



## hsubox

62ohm said:


> Why wouldn't it? My Surface Pro 1 powers the Modi just fine.


 
  
 Not sure. When I put it on a powered hub, it was fine. I just assumed it was trying to draw more power than the SP2 could provide. It just cut in and out.


----------



## LugBug1

cjs06 said:


> Here's my humble setup after doing some moving around


 
 I love this photo. It's almost as if its been staged for a Renaissance still life painting!


----------



## CJs06

lugbug1 said:


> I love this photo. It's almost as if its been staged for a Renaissance still life painting!


 
 Thank you for the kind words


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> well guys, i just may be done (for a while anyway)


 
  
 Just wanted to say that's the best looking lyr that I've ever seen. NEVER sell it.


----------



## whirlwind

Yeah, Jay......BOLT that Lyr down....so you and Matt quit passing it back and forth......it will soon have enough miles on it to fly for free


----------



## LugBug1

It may be the best looking Lyr around these parts, but I've heard that its a bit of a floozie!


----------



## gibosi

Added a small shelf, a Blu-ray player and a new pair of headphones recently. The Audio-gd Fun is being used as a DAC / preamp. The Blu-ray is being used as a CD transport, with optical out to the Fun. Upper left is an Audio-gd digital interface, with separate power supply. And of course, my tricked-out Little Dot 1+, currently with a Bendix 2C51. On the shelf are various 6DJ8, 6SN7, E80CC and ECC40. Having fun.


----------



## kramer5150

gibosi said:


> Added a small shelf, a Blu-ray player and a new pair of headphones recently. The Audio-gd Fun is being used as a DAC / preamp. The Blu-ray is being used as a CD transport, with optical out to the Fun. Upper left is an Audio-gd digital interface, with separate power supply. And of course, my tricked-out Little Dot 1+, currently with a Bendix 2C51. On the shelf are various 6DJ8, 6SN7, E80CC and ECC40. Having fun.


 
  
  
 Wow thats the craziest tube roll I've seen with the LD1+ !!!  cool, definitely.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Just wanted to say that's the best looking lyr that I've ever seen. NEVER sell it.


 

 now that you have one all of your own, i won't have anyone to sell too, and now that i've got those siemens cca's, i don't want to sell it !!


----------



## jaywillin

lugbug1 said:


> It may be the best looking Lyr around these parts, but I've heard that its a bit of a floozie!


 
 yeah, it gets around !


----------



## longbowbbs

lugbug1 said:


> cjs06 said:
> 
> 
> > Here's my humble setup after doing some moving around
> ...


 
 Who knew Vermeer liked Headphones...


----------



## gibosi

kramer5150 said:


> Wow thats the craziest tube roll I've seen with the LD1+ !!!  cool, definitely.


 
  
 It's pretty neat to have an amp that allows me to roll almost any tube I want. With over 500 tubes, and counting, it's a real hoot!


----------



## ApplesRevenge

Currently mid-move, so my main head-fi station is packed away in random boxes.
  
 So here is my moving station; Nexus 7, FiiO E10, ATH-M50's and a freshly brewed coffee.
  

 I gave it some minor tweaks to make it look better than it is.


----------



## CJs06

applesrevenge said:


> Currently mid-move, so my main head-fi station is packed away in random boxes.
> 
> So here is my moving station; Nexus 7, FiiO E10, ATH-M50's and a freshly brewed coffee.
> 
> ...


 
 Nice and simple, I like it. I bet we can both agree that the freshly brewed coffee is the most important aspect to this setup


----------



## ApplesRevenge

cjs06 said:


> Nice and simple, I like it. I bet we can both agree that the *freshly brewed coffee* is the most important aspect to this setup


 
 Isn't that a requirement for _all_ head-fi stations?


----------



## Maxvla

Tea, if you are from the UK.


----------



## indieman

I prefer a nice dark ale or lager myself.


----------



## CJs06

indieman said:


> I prefer a nice dark ale or lager myself.



Hehe nice  When I listen to Jazz through my system I break out a glass of scotch (neat). It's something about that combination that soothes the soul.


----------



## Sasasd

Best I can afford as poor student


----------



## Silent One

A nice warm bowl of delicate Jasmine Pearls...


----------



## Clayton SF

Current state of mind and state of station. March 30, 2014. 14:31 PST.
  
 Decware meets Glenn's 300B Mono Blocks.
  
 I am in a GlennAmp State of mind. Nice sound.


----------



## Lamb-Audio




----------



## wolfetan44

silent one said:


> A nice warm bowl of delicate Jasmine Pearls...


 
 Wow, what a pretty gaiwan.. I want one like that


----------



## terance

Tea, Tubes, Vinyl and other assorted hi-fi gear all in one pic!


----------



## indieman

sasasd said:


> Best I can afford as poor student


 
 Nothing wrong with that! As long as you like it!


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *wolfetan44* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Wow, what a pretty gaiwan.. I want one like that


 
 Thanks, wolfetan44. The Black Pearl Gaiwan is my fav out of the collection - no longer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in production. The others are more pedestrian...


----------



## CJs06

sasasd said:


> Best I can afford as poor student


 
 Hey, those Ultrasone's are pretty nice


----------



## joseph69

cjs06 said:


> Hey, those Ultrasone's are pretty nice


 
 I was wondering what headphones they were myself, they are nice looking, how do they sound?


----------



## Sasasd

HFI-2400s. They sound fun. Far from neutral. A lot of bass but with quality. Highs are good too, non-fatiguing but still has nice detail. Works well with vocals too.
  
 I think this review explains little bit better than me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




: http://www.compudio.ca/2011/01/ultrasone-hfi-2400-reviewed-shockingly.html


----------



## Sorrodje

sasasd said:


> HFI-2400s. They sound fun. Far from neutral. A lot of bass but with quality. Highs are good too, non-fatiguing but still has nice detail. Works well with vocals too.
> 
> I think this review explains little bit better than me
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Very very very accurate review indeed.


----------



## DefQon

I once had them, liked them quite a bit too but the clamp force and earpads killed the comfort for me. I found the sound out of them best unamped.


----------



## joseph69

sasasd said:


> HFI-2400s. They sound fun. Far from neutral. A lot of bass but with quality. Highs are good too, non-fatiguing but still has nice detail. Works well with vocals too.
> 
> I think this review explains little bit better than me
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the link, good review and very cool headphones…I'd like to hear them some day.


----------



## zilch0md

cjs06 said:


> Here's my humble setup after doing some moving around


 
  
 Nice!   I couldn't resist tweaking this image.   I hope you don't mind.   I'll pull it if you prefer. 
  

  
 (I sampled a spot on the white paint behind the chair to set the white balance.)
  
 Mike


----------



## daigo

terance said:


> Tea, Tubes, Vinyl and other assorted hi-fi gear all in one pic!


 
  
 Nice!


----------



## CJs06

zilch0md said:


> Nice!   I couldn't resist tweaking this image.   I hope you don't mind.   I'll pull it if you prefer.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 lol thanks, I don't mind at all. The yellow hue in the orginal image was due to the overhead light fixture has colored glass. I just left the white balance as is how my camera captured it.


----------



## Byrnie

zilch0md said:


> Nice!   I couldn't resist tweaking this image.   I hope you don't mind.   I'll pull it if you prefer.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That's a huge improvement!


----------



## elvergun

nzheadcase said:


> Finally finished unpacking everything from our recent move. Had a bit of time tidying the study a bit. Here's the Head-fi/gaming/get-away-from-everything station.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 This room is...perfect!!!


----------



## NZheadcase

elvergun said:


> This room is...perfect!!!


 
  
 Thanks mate! I appreciate the comment.


----------



## jstachowski

Nice picture.  
  
 Jerry


----------



## twizzleraddict

elvergun said:


> This room is...perfect!!!


 
 Agreed!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

That shelf of headphone boxes gave me the weirdest boner.


----------



## Armaegis

Is that a dap in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?


----------



## Tuco1965

armaegis said:


> Is that a dap in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?


 
 LMAO!!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I dunno if I'd call it a "station", but hey. It's mine.


----------



## terance

someguydude said:


> I dunno if I'd call it a "station", but hey. It's mine.


 
  
 I like it.
  
 Dual headphone stand always look nice!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

For $20 it was hard to pass up. The Pandoras don't fold up or anything and I don't like just sitting the things on a table.
  
 I do envy you guys with your big desktop setups, but when you're a mobile worker living out of hotels options are limited, LOL.


----------



## Amictus

indieman said:


> My "coffee shop" rig  Not the best pic, snapped it in a hurry
> 
> 
> I have just ordered a Surface Pro 2. I blame you. Now, what's that sticking out dac thing?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Dragonfly, it's a USB DAC.


----------



## ssrock64

someguydude said:


> I dunno if I'd call it a "station", but hey. It's mine.


 
 What do you think of the FADs?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

ssrock64 said:


> What do you think of the FADs?


 
  
 I don't think I'll ever buy another headphone unless these explode. Truly godlike sound to my ears. I tried the LCD2, HE-6, HD800, RS1i, SRH1540, D7100, these beat them all (IMO). Within five minutes I was going "yyyyyep, this is exactly what I've always wanted."


----------



## indieman

amictus said:


> I have just ordered a Surface Pro 2. I blame you. Now, what's that sticking out dac thing?


 
  
 Haha nice! Hope you like it!


someguydude said:


> Dragonfly, it's a USB DAC.


 
 Dragonfly 1.2 to be exact


----------



## Androb

Sat in the living room, listening to my little portable rig!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Oh dang. I like all of that. What's all strapped to the player there? Fiio and...?


----------



## Androb

someguydude said:


> Oh dang. I like all of that. What's all strapped to the player there? Fiio and...?



It's a powerbank and my LG optimus G  They are prepairing for an across Eu car trip, just waiting for their buddy w1000x!


----------



## brokenthumb

This was my head-fi station a few weeks ago...
  

  
  
 and last week...
  
  

  
  
 and this is what it looks like currently...


----------



## GeneraI

That is a very nice setup you got there, hope it sounds just as good.


----------



## 62ohm

brokenthumb,
  
 Did you sell your SR-407? If so, may I ask what makes you chose the Audeze over the Stax?


----------



## ricksome

Senn Amoerior / Grado SR225i / NuForce uDac2 in red circle / itunes on computer.
 Do not want to get to crazy with this stuff >>>> all files are  128 / 192 / 256 bit rate
 Not like I have reference source material ....LOL


----------



## indieman

ricksome said:


> 128 / 192 / 256 bit rate
> Not like I have reference source material ....LOL


 






!! Lol jk


----------



## brokenthumb

generai said:


> That is a very nice setup you got there, hope it sounds just as good.


 
  
 Thanks!  Oh yeah it does.
  


62ohm said:


> brokenthumb,
> 
> Did you sell your SR-407? If so, may I ask what makes you chose the Audeze over the Stax?


 
  
 Yeah I sold it... it was an impulse buy and I ended up never buying a Stax amp for them.  I was going to go for the 323s but decided I didn't want an expensive amp for just one headphone that I may or may not like.


----------



## Button




----------



## Amictus

indieman said:


> Haha nice! Hope you like it!
> Dragonfly 1.2 to be exact


 

 Thinking about getting one of those, or a Meridian Explorer... What do you think? The Dragonfly is criticized for a certain hardness of sound, but then so is the Gungnir DAC, and I love that...


----------



## MickeyVee

Here's the latest iteration of the system.. added the WA6 with Sophia Princess and a glass head for the RS1i.. also upgraded the headband, roadblocks/gimbals on the RS1i..


----------



## NZheadcase

brokenthumb said:


> This was my head-fi station a few weeks ago...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice setup evolution! Darwin would be proud.


----------



## MIKELAP

Latest addition to the family Woo Audio 2 and a mint vintage tube case with tubes for my Littledot mk3 and Woo .


----------



## Quinto

C O O L !


----------



## magiccabbage

mikelap said:


> Latest addition to the family Woo Audio 2 and a mint vintage tube case with tubes for my Littledot mk3 and Woo .


 
 i like the box of tubes  -   nice!!


----------



## terance

Oh man, that box!
  
 Did you find it on ebay, or an estate sale or something?


----------



## elvergun

terance said:


> Oh man, that box!
> 
> Did you find it on ebay, or an estate sale or something?


 
  
 Imagine if you found a box like that on ebay, full of old tubes from the 50s and 60s....for $100.


----------



## LugBug1

mikelap said:


> Latest addition to the family Woo Audio 2 and a mint vintage tube case with tubes for my Littledot mk3 and Woo .


 
 Woo hoo! congrats Mike buddy. Rock n' 'Rolling' all night long ha..


----------



## MIKELAP

terance said:


> Oh man, that box!
> 
> Did you find it on ebay, or an estate sale or something?


 
  
 Found it on ebay guy was selling filled with tubes i didnt need ,so i asked him if he would sell the case only and he said ya i paid $60.00 for it but in my case +shipping +currency difference = almost double that but i never saw one this clean before so i  love it .  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Ya LugBug1 as the song goes  ROLLIN ROLLIN ROLLIN !!!     
  


lugbug1 said:


> Woo hoo! congrats Mike buddy. Rock n' 'Rolling' all night long ha..


 
  


elvergun said:


> Imagine if you found a box like that on ebay, full of old tubes from the 50s and 60s....for $100.


----------



## MickeyVee

Nice Woo and tube heavan! Congrats!
  
 Quote:


mikelap said:


> Latest addition to the family Woo Audio 2 and a mint vintage tube case with tubes for my Littledot mk3 and Woo .


----------



## daerron

Heck, that is a lot of valves! I'd suffer from tubefuscation


----------



## Silent One

I may be a bit late... but just in time for the victory lap..._ _very nice!


----------



## MIKELAP

silent one said:


> I may be a bit late... but just in time for the victory lap..._ _very nice!


 
  


daerron said:


> Heck, that is a lot of valves! I'd suffer from tubefuscation


 
  


mickeyvee said:


>


 
 Thanks alot you guys,


----------



## OldSkool

Outstanding!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 Quote:


mikelap said:


> Latest addition to the family Woo Audio 2 and a mint vintage tube case with tubes for my Littledot mk3 and Woo .


----------



## ridethespiral

Mine is pretty crappy compared to all the one's posted here haha.






Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


----------



## elvergun

ridethespiral said:


> Mine is pretty crappy compared to all the one's posted here haha.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 No it isn't!!!


----------



## ssrock64

ridethespiral said:


> Mine is pretty crappy compared to all the one's posted here haha.


 
 What's that four-channel amp? I think I saw you posting about it on the HD650 thread. What do you think of it?


----------



## ridethespiral

It's the Presonus HP4. 150mW per output, so better than nothing haha. Was cheap and after upgrade, I could see it coming in hand a few years from now if I start recording. Certainly does a pretty good job, but I've never heard anything else. The monitor mute is nice though. It's a whole different world of music so far


----------



## Byrnie

ridethespiral said:


> It's the Presonus HP4. 150mW per output, so better than nothing haha. Was cheap and after upgrade, I could see it coming in hand a few years from now if I start recording. Certainly does a pretty good job, but I've never heard anything else. The monitor mute is nice though. It's a whole different world of music so far


 
 I used to have one of those but it was way too bright for me.


----------



## ridethespiral

I do notice that it seems a bit bright and also read that a few times. It won't take me long to upgrade now that I had my first taste into what an amp can do. I'm thinking about getting the magni/modi combo next week and return this when it comes... Or keep it lol

edit: super super bright. very sibilant vs running Shure SE535's through the headphone out of the CI2. No wonder I thought my SE535's sounded boring after listening through the HD650's on the weekend

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


----------



## ssrock64

Hmm, maybe it would be a good pairing with, say, a Mad Dog or something else relatively dark. I might have to pick up a unit, since it's relatively inexpensive.


----------



## remilio

My listening place looks like this now.


----------



## FastAndClean

remilio said:


> My listening place looks like this now.


 
 Nice !


----------



## CoiL

Yeah, look comfy but that animal on the wall is absolutely no-go for me ;(


----------



## OldSkool

Very nice! I like the wild animal theme. 





  
 Quote:


remilio said:


> My listening place looks like this now.


----------



## Androb

The new cans arrived today! Bought them from another head-fi member, who installed W5000 pads I think it were.

 Cat wanted to be in the picture aswell


----------



## elvergun

coil said:


> Yeah, look comfy but that animal on the wall is absolutely no-go for me ;(


 

 +1


----------



## Byrnie

androb said:


> The new cans arrived today! Bought them from another head-fi member, who installed W5000 pads I think it were.
> 
> 
> Cat wanted to be in the picture aswell



W1000's?


----------



## roskodan

Tony?


----------



## inouekun

byrnie said:


> W1000's?


 
  W1000*X *


----------



## remilio

coil said:


> Yeah, look comfy but that animal on the wall is absolutely no-go for me ;(


 
 Well, tastes differ. Anyway, it's fake, it looks like a toy actually  pretty cute IMO.


----------



## Endcode

I didnt want to take a full picture, my desk looks like a mess LOL


----------



## Androb

byrnie said:


> W1000's?


Yes like inouekun said


----------



## Defiant00

endcode said:


> I didnt want to take a full picture, my desk looks like a mess LOL


 
  
 Nice F1! Such an under appreciated set of cans. Nice picture too!


----------



## elvergun

endcode said:


> I didnt want to take a full picture, my desk looks like a mess LOL


 
  




  
 Have you tried the MA900?   I like my F1 so much that I'm intrigued by the newer model.


----------



## bigfatpaulie




----------



## musicinmymind

bigfatpaulie said:


>


 
  
 Which HP you using there, looks like your setup is expensive, but you are using it with relatively cheaper HP


----------



## bigfatpaulie

musicinmymind said:


> Which HP you using there, looks like your setup is expensive, but you are using it with relatively cheaper HP


 
  
 I'm just being trolly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Those are HD433's and they aren't the best headphones you will ever hear.
  
  

  
 This is my actual setup.


----------



## elvergun

bigfatpaulie said:


> I'm just being trolly
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 You were just being modest, huh?


----------



## bigfatpaulie

elvergun said:


> You were just being modest, huh?


 
  
 Yes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 I also have some new glass for it.


----------



## Endcode

elvergun said:


> Have you tried the MA900?   I like my F1 so much that I'm intrigued by the newer model.


 





 Unfortunately I haven't, but I am a little curious. I think it will be pretty hard to beat the F1


----------



## elvergun

endcode said:


> Unfortunately I haven't, but I am a little curious. *I think it will be pretty hard to beat the F1*I


 
  
 Yeah...it's hard to believe most members dismissed this model.  I don't know what they were smoking a few years back.
  
 I suspect that the F1 has more sub-bass, while the MA900 has a stronger mid bass.   I'm interested in getting a pair of MA900s just in case my F1 bytes the dust, so I hope the sound signatures are very similar.


----------



## musicinmymind

bigfatpaulie said:


> musicinmymind said:
> 
> 
> > Which HP you using there, looks like your setup is expensive, but you are using it with relatively cheaper HP
> ...


 
  
 Awesome, looks great


----------



## cradon

bigfatpaulie said:


> I'm just being trolly
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Looking good Paul, how are you enjoying the combo?


----------



## keph

It has been a while after my last post..


----------



## remilio

keph
 ​
 Wow! Really beautiful!


----------



## bigfatpaulie

cradon said:


> Looking good Paul, how are you enjoying the combo?


 
  
 Thanks.
  
 Truth be told, I only had maybe an hour to listen last night, and the tubes are all new.  That said, I finally like the HD800's.  For the first time ever they sound smooth and rich without grain.  How is the level 5 Lampi?  Have you finally found your end game?


----------



## Silent One

remilio said:


> keph
> ​
> Wow! Really beautiful!


 
 +1


----------



## GeneraI

Are we still talking about the headphones, right?


----------



## Hellbishop

keph said:


> It has been a while after my last post..


 

 Fantastic pictures keph  Love the peaceful calm yet defiant in control of your space ambience of the last picture. Its as if you can come and go from this world to your own whenever you want. Thanks for the inspiring view


----------



## BobG55

My setup is the following :
  
*Source **:  TEAC PD-H600 CD Player (all metal) w*/*Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component*
  
*HP amp : Trafomatic Experience Head One w/NOS Russian Reflector 6S45P-E tubes & NOS **RFT EZ80 Vintage Vacuum **Rectifier Tube*
*                *
*Vintage amp** : Kenwood KA-8006 Integrated Amplifier, 1974/70wpc    *
  
*Headphones : Shure SRH 1540, Sennheiser HD650, Sennheiser HD600*
  
 ​ Pictures taken with MacBook Pro "Mirror Camera" = they are reversed​ I apologize for this but I am not tech savvy & do not own a digital camera​  ​ *PHOTOS & SET UP ALL PART OF MY "MAN CAVE"*​  ​  ​  
 ​ 1st picture is w/Shure SRH1540
  
​2nd picture is w/Sennheiser HD650 & HD600
  
3rd picture is my main CD collection (about as many in basement/shelving)
  
4th picture is my HPs hanging on their respective hook (paid $1 per hook at bargain store)
  
  

  
  

  

  

  
  
  
 I have now reached Sonic Nirvana & the end game.  Best sounding setup I've ever owned for what I can afford. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 ​  ​


----------



## magiccabbage

keph said:


> It has been a while after my last post..


 
 great setup, great pics. Is the Leben new? 
 I like the pic of you with the cans on - cool.
 Its rare enough that headfiers post pics of 
 themselves.


----------



## LugBug1

bobg55 said:


> I have now reached Sonic Nirvana & the end game.  Best sounding setup I've ever owned for what I can afford.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I like it. Especially the Kenwood!


----------



## BobG55

Thanks LugBug1.  My brother gave me the Kenwood about 4 yrs ago.  I remember I was with him when he bought it in 1974.  It sounds better than most modern amplifiers that cost as much as $2000.00; I know because at one time I owned a Cambridge 850A & the Kenwood is much better. Aesthetically it's also impressive isn't it ? It's all metal in a wood casing; not a single piece of plastic anywhere to be found = refreshing.  It's like the old saying : they don't make 'em like that anymore.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 P.S. Thanks again Mike (he's my brother).


----------



## jjshin23

Love vintage gear +1


----------



## bbophead

bobg55 said:


> My setup is the following :
> 
> *Source **:  TEAC PD-H600 CD Player (all metal) w*/*Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component*
> 
> ...


 
 Very nice set up.  I had a KA-5000 back in the day (50 wpc) and of course wish I still had it.  What do you use the Kenwood for, an additional headphone amp?


----------



## BobG55

Thanks jjshin23.
  
 Hi bbophead : yes as a matter of fact I do use the Kenwood as a headphone amp also.  It depends on the age, quality, production, etc. of the music I listen to.  The Kenwood has many options/switches to adjust the sound with, aside from the regular bass, treble & volume adjustment knobs, i.e. : *FILTERS* : LOW 40HZ (up) & 20HZ (down) switch; HIGH 7KHz (up) & 12KHz (down) switch.  *TURNOVER* : BASS 400KHz (low) & 200KHz switch; TREBLE 3KHz (High) or 6KHz switch.  *MUTING* : 10db & 20db or OFF.  *LOUDNESS* : ON/OFF. There is also a *knob to choose* *the following* *sound options : right side only, left side only, stereo, reverse (right becomes left & vice versa) & mix*. The ring behind the volume knob is for balance left, middle, right. Last but not least 70wpc will drive any HP very well. You can adjust/play with all of these options along with the regular sound adjustment knobs in a multitude of combinations to adjust the sound to your liking & add to that 3 different sounding high quality HPs & you can spend an evening adjusting and enjoying your music.  Meh, it beats watching bad sitcoms on TV.


----------



## bbophead

Meh, it beats watching bad sitcoms on TV. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Almost anything would beat that.


----------



## BobG55

bbophead said:


> Meh, it beats watching bad sitcoms on TV.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Exactly.  I can't remember the last one I watched.


----------



## BobG55

keph said:


> It has been a while after my last post..


 
 Hey keph,
  
 Congratulations.  Very nice/impressive setup/equipment, especially the Leben CS300XS = makes me envious from what I've read about that amp.  That would be the only amp I would upgrade to if I got the chance to do so (oh yes, I forgot a small detail : *& THE $$$$$$$*).  How long have you had the Leben for (if you don't mind my asking) & how do you like it's sound/performance ?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 -Old Groucho


----------



## hemipowered007

The most current setup. Audio-gd nfb-10se serving 2 functions, dac to the pioneer sx-727 which is feeding klh model sixes. Second is to an he-4 fully balanced, input is usb from that cheapo dell pc there. Barely pictured are my re-262s and shure srh840s, both of which barely are used.


----------



## BobG55

hemipowered007 said:


> Love the Pioneer.


----------



## indieman

jjshin23 said:


> Love vintage gear +1


 
 Me too. My 90's harman/kardon receiver I posted awhile back still sounds great, and I found a probably 80's ish fischer audio receiver at goodwill of all places that surprisingly works and still sounds good. I use that one with some home made floor standing speakers. I need to take pics lol


----------



## hemipowered007

the pioneer, while still pushing out sound, will be under going full rehab this next year( or years). I just need to find the time to do it, and a new soldering station as well.


----------



## indieman

Nice. Wish I had that kind of skill. I have a vintage 70's kenwood receiver (very similar to your pioneer) that wasn't stored properly and needs repaired. I tried cleaning it myself but it's beyond my help


----------



## BobG55

indieman said:


> Nice. Wish I had that kind of skill. I have a vintage 70's kenwood receiver (very similar to your pioneer) that wasn't stored properly and needs repaired. I tried cleaning it myself but it's beyond my help


 
 Indieman, it's worth it & may not cost you as much as you think.  My Kenwood  KA-8006 (1974) given to me by my brother needed cleaning, recapping & a couple of small adjustments & I think it only cost me around $65.00.  It was worth every penny.  Those vintage amps from the 70s & up were truly well made & aesthetically they're great looking.  Another thing I was told by the technician who fixed it is that the WPC on the vintage amps & the ones on today's amps aren't the same.  I'm not tech savvy so I can't explain what he said but what I seem to have understood is that the WPC back then were more powerful if that makes any sense.  Maybe somebody reading what I'm writing who understands this kind of stuff can collaborate what I'm saying.  Bottom line is IMHO someone who has a vintage quality amp thinking about getting it fixed should do it.  They're a totally different animal.


----------



## indieman

I will definitely consider it! Any recommendations for where to get repairs done? Or does it have to be a local thing?


----------



## hemipowered007

head on over to audiokarma.com  theres a ton of info and knowledge there on vintage amps.


----------



## ISeeDesignHer

_Very_ nice piece. I like it a lot!
  
 I'm not familiar with the brand name of the tuner-amp.
  
 What is it? Sapini?
  
 I think I _may_ have met the mother and father, though.
  
 Actually, I loved my AJ15 a lot; knew every coil's tuning 'stiction' and could align the slope discriminator while half asleep.
  
  


  
  
  
 Quote:


djamtrax said:


> Here you go.  Are those K272HD?


----------



## indieman

hemipowered007 said:


> head on over to audiokarma.com  theres a ton of info and knowledge there on vintage amps.


 

 Thanks!


----------



## darkasblack




----------



## x RELIC x

Not really a listening station post but I do have pics. 


My older 840s headband snapped and I'm still trying to figure out how I can build a new one. Next to my monitor in my office. 



I often listen while relaxing on my sofa next to a south facing window. There's a Pan Am hidden somewhere behind all that sunshine glow. 



Sometimes this all you need. Trying to EQ the bottom end on the M-100. I've changed the EQ a bit since this was taken. This is a very fun combination by the way. X5->E12->M-100. And yes, I am using line out to the e12 so please ignore the high gain and volume level (was previously testing X5 alone with LCD-2).


----------



## Oregonian

indieman said:


> Me too. My 90's harman/kardon receiver I posted awhile back still sounds great, and I found a probably 80's ish fischer audio receiver at goodwill of all places that surprisingly works and still sounds good. I use that one with some home made floor standing speakers. I need to take pics lol




Vintage all have amazing headphone out's.


----------



## LugBug1

oregonian said:


> Vintage all have amazing headphone out's.


 
 Great photo buddy! Have you had the fostex long? I can't remember seeing them on your previous pics... Though I'm normally lookin at the spec to be fair


----------



## Oregonian

lugbug1 said:


> Great photo buddy! Have you had the fostex long? I can't remember seeing them on your previous pics... Though I'm normally lookin at the spec to be fair




Thanks bud.

Got them in November. Sold a D5000 and Edition 8 to make it happen. Was in the end worth it as it answered the many questions I had about how good they are. I've since had Mark Lawton do his magic to them. The Spec drives them nicely.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Tuco1965

Nice. I'm not the only one that uses that grippy cloth I see. :bigsmile_face:


----------



## twizzleraddict

oregonian said:


> Vintage all have amazing headphone out's.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 Looks like a great listening space, with the desk next to your listening chair? I see the paper clip headphone hanger too.


----------



## Oregonian

twizzleraddict said:


> Looks like a great listening space, with the desk next to your listening chair? I see the paper clip headphone hanger too.




Yeah, it's been a couple years of getting the room set up just how I wanted it. The wife thinks it's the most comfortable room in the house as well.


----------



## Defiant00

Inspired by the F1 post, my latest acquisition:


----------



## elvergun

defiant00 said:


> Inspired by the F1 post, my latest acquisition:


 
  
 Very nice.  How do you like it?
  
 Mine should arrive next week.


----------



## Defiant00

elvergun said:


> Very nice.  How do you like it?
> 
> Mine should arrive next week.


 
  
 I really like the sound, and that they sound really good from anything and everything I've tried them with.
  
 For me personally the fit is a bit weird, but I'm apparently in the minority.
  
 Really glad I've got them, especially now that the price has started climbing since they've been discontinued.


----------



## Tuco1965

That's a very nice looking set of cans.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

On the topic of vintage amps, I'm considering upgrading my center piece, it doesn't seem to be doing my loudspeakers justice anymore. It sometimes doesn't push out sound to one or both channels when I turn it on and I have to twist the volume knob all around. I'm looking for something decently budget, sub 200$, vintage preferred, with enough inputs and able to fit in the space I have my current receiver in. Tubes would be awesome.

Edit, MUUUUST have built in phono amp

I'm probably gonna repost that in the vintage amps thread.


----------



## bbophead

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> On the topic of vintage amps, I'm considering upgrading my center piece, it doesn't seem to be doing my loudspeakers justice anymore. It sometimes doesn't push out sound to one or both channels when I turn it on and I have to twist the volume knob all around. I'm looking for something decently budget, sub 200$, vintage preferred, with enough inputs and able to fit in the space I have my current receiver in. Tubes would be awesome.
> 
> Edit, MUUUUST have built in phono amp
> 
> I'm probably gonna repost that in the vintage amps thread.


 
 Something like this:  http://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeoxIT-D100S-2-Spray-oz/dp/B004GE8E6S/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1397493690&sr=1-12&keywords=deoxit+cleaners+for+electronics#productDetails
  
 sprayed into the volume knob opening and twisting the knob back and forth might be just the ticket.  Prolly just dirty.


----------



## Oregonian

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> On the topic of vintage amps, I'm considering upgrading my center piece, it doesn't seem to be doing my loudspeakers justice anymore. It sometimes doesn't push out sound to one or both channels when I turn it on and I have to twist the volume knob all around. I'm looking for something decently budget, sub 200$, vintage preferred, with enough inputs and able to fit in the space I have my current receiver in. Tubes would be awesome.
> 
> Edit, MUUUUST have built in phono amp
> 
> I'm probably gonna repost that in the vintage amps thread.


 
 The following Deoxit thread linked will likely solve your issues. 
  
 http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207005


----------



## hemipowered007

deoxit plus possibly a few hundred twists(ya sometimes it takes that many) does magic for pots and all controls, so do pipe cleaners in combination.


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

hemipowered007 said:


> deoxit plus possibly a few hundred twists(ya sometimes it takes that many) does magic for pots and all controls, so do pipe cleaners in combination.


alright I'll try this first before dropping 200$ on a new amp, would anyone be kind enough to link exactly which one on amazon I should get? Smaller and cheaper the bottle the better.


----------



## jasonb

ahorsenamedjeff said:


> alright I'll try this first before dropping 200$ on a new amp, would anyone be kind enough to link exactly which one on amazon I should get? Smaller and cheaper the bottle the better.


 
 Do you have a Radio Shack nearby? Radio Shack should carry a small bottle.


----------



## mikemercer

Psyched to find this thread!
 Great idea @HiFiGuy528!!
  
  
 Here's the current state of my _*Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab:*_


----------



## Silent One

mikemercer said:


> Psyched to find this thread!
> Great idea @HiFiGuy528!!
> 
> 
> Here's the current state of my _*Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab:*_


 






 Suddenly, I think my dinner tastes better!


----------



## Errymoose

That looks amazing mike...  The McIntosh and that turntable look absolutely stunning


----------



## Zojokkeli

Update on the portable setup. Replaced my old Bose IE's with Fidelio S2's and the difference is huge.


----------



## ssrock64

zojokkeli said:


> Update on the portable setup. Replaced my old Bose IE's with Fidelio S2's and the difference is huge.


 

 This is one of those setups that's really nice to have in an urban environment, where you can listen to music the way you want without fear of theft. The few brief times I ever brought my old T5p outdoors, I was paranoid that they'd be stolen, even though I know that the average thief would target Beats and such instead.


----------



## floydfan33

While I wait for my Auralic Taurus MkII. Sounds way better than it should!



LCD-3, X5, E12


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Brendanz

snapple10 said:


>




Is that a modded bottle head crack I see in there ?


----------



## snapple10

Yes, got it off a trade
My curiosity got the best of me
Smaller than in pics


----------



## CJs06

snapple10 said:


>


 
 Do you get any RF interference with your amplifier next to your wireless router? I've noticed anything that gives off RF that is remotely next to the tubes in my Lyr will cause a noticeable amount of interference through my headphones.


----------



## che15

What do u think of its sound?


----------



## snapple10

cjs06 said:


> Do you get any RF interference with your amplifier next to your wireless router? I've noticed anything that gives off RF that is remotely next to the tubes in my Lyr will cause a noticeable amount of interference through my headphones.


 
 funny you mentioned, only time I had interference was with the Crack, never with others


che15 said:


> What do u think of its sound?


 
 forget about the gear and enjoy the music kind of moment 
  
 testing the HD650 now  , still on stock tubes


----------



## Kojaku

floydfan33 said:


> While I wait for my Auralic Taurus MkII. Sounds way better than it should!
> 
> 
> 
> LCD-3, X5, E12


 
 You know, I don't really get all the hate the X5 gets from reviewers. It doesn't spec that far off from the AK120, which is a player that I liked, but perhaps didn't see the full value of (unless you go for the B-Mod from Vinny). Plus, the PCM1792 is voiced so much more nicely than the WM8740.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## cradon

bigfatpaulie said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Truth be told, I only had maybe an hour to listen last night, and the tubes are all new.  That said, I finally like the HD800's.  For the first time ever they sound smooth and rich without grain.  How is the level 5 Lampi?  Have you finally found your end game?


 
 I'm loving the L5 Lampizator, and yes I have finally found my end game setup.


----------



## LugBug1

cradon said:


> I'm loving the L5 Lampizator, and yes I have finally found my end game setup.


 
 Nice!
  
 Aren't head-fiers getting younger and younger these days!


----------



## bigfatpaulie

cradon said:


> I'm loving the L5 Lampizator, and yes I have finally found my end game setup.


 
  
 Outstanding rig!  Enjoy it.  All the best, man.


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *LugBug1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Nice!
> ...


 
 4 cradon


----------



## musicinmymind

lugbug1 said:


> cradon said:
> 
> 
> > I'm loving the L5 Lampizator, and yes I have finally found my end game setup.
> ...


 
  
 He is too young for an end game setup.


----------



## GeneraI

musicinmymind said:


> He is too young for an end game setup


 
 +1 
  
 They completely ruined the headphone journey to an end-game setup smh.


----------



## musicinmymind

generai said:


> musicinmymind said:
> 
> 
> > He is too young for an end game setup
> ...


 
  
 Lol...I know him from NY meet, you see his son on pic, not him.


----------



## LugBug1

musicinmymind said:


> Lol...I know him from NY meet, you see his son on pic, not him.


 
 Aww man you just spoilt it for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 Anyway, heres me trying out the HE500's. Bit heavy, but then I'm not even two yet.. 
  

  
  
(yup my son


----------



## whirlwind

^ nice ^


----------



## philo50

whirlwind said:


> ^ nice ^


 
 +1


----------



## eke2k6

lugbug1 said:


> Aww man you just spoilt it for me
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Careful. The weight of that thing could stunt his growth!


----------



## zilch0md

WAV on SD cards > Windows 7 latptop > Foobar 2000 WASAPI event mode > USB (data only) to Resonessence Concero SPDIF out > Beresford Bushmaster MkII > OPPO PM-1  (with both the Concero and the Bushmaster MkII on separate battery packs)


----------



## indieman

Those look comfy


----------



## Tuco1965

They definitely look interesting.


----------



## ssrock64

zilch0md said:


> WAV on SD cards > Windows 7 latptop > Foobar 2000 WASAPI event mode > USB (data only) to Resonessence Concero SPDIF out > Beresford Bushmaster MkII > OPPO PM-1  (with both the Concero and the Bushmaster MkII on separate battery packs)


 
 I forgot to ask you earlier: is there any specific reason you keep your files on SD cards as opposed to, say, a removable hard drive? It seems like you'd need a large number of cards if you have more than a couple thousand songs.


----------



## GeneraI

ssrock64 said:


> I forgot to ask you earlier: is there any specific reason you keep your files on SD cards as opposed to, say, a removable hard drive? It seems like you'd need a large number of cards if you have more than a couple thousand songs.


 
 That is an excellent question, that I can answer even by not being the person asked the question.
  
 Removable hard drive's are nice and all, but they take up a lot of space in a backpack, and aren't really portable. They cost a lot, and don't work with DAP's.
  
 On the other hand an SD is very portable, and doesn't take up backpack space. SD cards can be used with DAP's like the Askell & Kernel DAP's. 
  
 The SD cards also come in 64gb which can hold up to 15,000+ songs, so nobody is ever going to need more than two SD cards.


----------



## zilch0md

ssrock64 said:


> I forgot to ask you earlier: is there any specific reason you keep your files on SD cards as opposed to, say, a removable hard drive? It seems like you'd need a large number of cards if you have more than a couple thousand songs.




They're actually 64 GB microSD cards, reformatted to FAT32. I like having the ability to move my "library" between sources. I keep them in a credit-card sized holder:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ANN99HO

I use them in my DAP (a Sony PCM-M10 96/24-capable recorder/player) and in my laptop's card reader, at home, and with a different laptop at work, using a microSD to SD adapter (where the laptop's HDD can get be used by other apps without Foobar having to compete for throughput). 

The microSD cards are essentially giant playlists, groomed to only keep what I enjoy. I freely delete the files I'm sure I'll never want to hear, but some albums are complete.

The original dbPoweramp rips (entire albums) from CDs and my Hi-Res downloads, exist as both FLAC and WAV on two external, 1 TB Seagate Constellation (server class HDDs) in fan-cooled Thermaltake enclosures with USB 3.0 and eSata interfaces, that are manually "mirrored" for redundancy. But I never play from those drives. 

Lastly, all of the microSD cards are backed up to both of the external drives. Since I'm frequently adding and deleting files from the microSD cards, I use SyncExpert freeware to keep the HDD copies synchronized.


----------



## Raptor34

Here's mine.


----------



## ssrock64

zilch0md said:


> They're actually 64 GB microSD cards, reformatted to FAT32. I like having the ability to move my "library" between sources. I keep them in a credit-card sized holder:
> 
> I use them in my DAP (a Sony PCM-M10 96/24-capable recorder/player) and in my laptop's card reader, at home, and with a different laptop at work, using a microSD to SD adapter (where the laptop's HDD can get be used by other apps without Foobar having to compete for throughput).
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the thorough and complete answer; I see why it has its advantages. I prefer my 1.5TB USB hard drive as portable music storage, but I then have to maintain separate libraries on DAPs and on the computer in my main rig and keep it all up-to-date. I just enjoy having the organized folder structure and ability to have my whole collection in one place that comes with the hard drive.


----------



## ssrock64

The addition of a cheap garage sale Eames chair is the single best audio decision I've made in a long while.
  

  
  

  
 The AMC makes a great pairing with any warm headphones or speakers, and is one of the few pieces of equipment that I've never had thoughts of selling. The bright, snappy sound signature of the preamp and the fabulously silent tone controls are among the best I've heard at any price bracket. It's getting a little old and electronically finicky now, but I think if I take the case off I can get at it with DeoxIT and make it good as new.


----------



## Quinto

ssrock64 said:


> The addition of a cheap garage sale Eames chair is the single best audio decision I've made in a long while.


 
 Wow a real Eames at a garage sale, lucky you!


----------



## indieman

raptor34 said:


> Here's mine.


 
  
 Very nice! Clean and tidy 


ssrock64 said:


> The addition of a cheap garage sale Eames chair is the single best audio decision I've made in a long while.


 
  
 Nice "headphone stand"! Haha jk


----------



## ssrock64

quinto said:


> Wow a real Eames at a garage sale, lucky you!


 

 I wish. I should clarify that it's a replica, and not an incredibly accurate one at that (it has four legs, flat armrests, and fairly cheap wood). But hey, I'm not really one to spend thousands of dollars for curvy armrests, higher-quality leather, and pedigree. It's a perfectly comfortable chair, and I believe it's a bit smaller than the real thing, which fits me well.


----------



## ssrock64

indieman said:


> Very nice! Clean and tidy
> 
> Nice "headphone stand"! Haha jk


 

 I usually keep the HD650s in their box, but I had just finished a listening session when it struck me to post the change in my setup.


----------



## indieman

Very nice. I hope to pick up some hd600's very soon. Wish I could afford the 650's but I'm already pushing it haha!


----------



## ssrock64

indieman said:


> Very nice. I hope to pick up some hd600's very soon. Wish I could afford the 650's but I'm already pushing it haha!


 

 There's quite a lot of debate on whether the HD650 is actually "better" than the HD600, since the HD600 is more neutral and might be even just a bit better at imaging than the HD650. I personally use the HD650 as my casual listening headphone and keep other models for more critical sessions, and I find its sound significantly more involving and euphonic than the HD600, which makes it stellar for relaxing and letting the music take over instead of the equipment.


----------



## Burock74

raptor34 said:


> Here's mine.


 
 Looks simple and good ! Nice listening .


----------



## Raptor34

burock74 said:


> Looks simple and good ! Nice listening .


 

 Thanks guys.


----------



## bibas




----------



## roamling

IPad with Meridian Explorer and Sennheiser HD650 (which did not fit onto picture)


----------



## Quinto

ssrock64 said:


> I wish. I should clarify that it's a replica, and not an incredibly accurate one at that (it has four legs, flat armrests, and fairly cheap wood). But hey, I'm not really one to spend thousands of dollars for curvy armrests, higher-quality leather, and pedigree. It's a perfectly comfortable chair, and I believe it's a bit smaller than the real thing, which fits me well.


 

 ahh  cool nevertheless m8


----------



## FastAndClean




----------



## indieman

How do you like the df 1.2?


----------



## FastAndClean

Is great, especially with iems, transparent analytical sound, with big soundstage and great instrument separation and speed, this combination (Ortofon e-Q5, Audioquest DragonFly V1.2) is what i was looking for, before i enjoyed smooth and warm sound signature , but now i enjoy more analitical sound.
 sorry for my bad english


----------



## indieman

Thanks for your impression! I too find my df 1.2 less warm than my stock headphone out on my surface pro. Better clarity though!


----------



## FastAndClean

indieman said:


> Thanks for your impression! I too find my df 1.2 less warm than my stock headphone out on my surface pro. Better clarity though!


----------



## Byrnie

oregonian said:


> Vintage all have amazing headphone out's.


 
 Given we have similar headphone preferences, I'm now more excited to get the TH900 and supremely jealous that you have them... and not me haha


----------



## Silent One

With no TH900 coming here soon, I put jealousy down and picked up a bowl of green tea to endure the wait.


----------



## B9Scrambler

Don't hate on my old/basic equipment!

  
 Music Source: Nexus S
 Receiver: Kenwood KR-A56R
 Preferred Headphones: AKG 512mkii
  
 The headphone jack had a partial plug snapped off and stuck inside. What a pain to get out. Had to drill through the back of the receiving end and push the plug out from the inside.
  
  

  
  
 Isn't she beautiful?
  

  
  
 Now she's good to go!


----------



## kman1211

A new addition to my headphone stable, quite a few more changes to my headphone stable coming soon. The Sennheiser HD 545 with a HD 600 headband pad. Sounds similar to the HD 600 if my memory serves right of my experience with the HD 600. More comfortable than the HD 600 though due to a wider headband and less clamp. It's a navy blue color in person.


----------



## B9Scrambler

looks awesome kman!


----------



## kman1211

b9scrambler said:


> looks awesome kman!


 

 Thank you. They fit my need of a more forgiving and laid-back headphone.


----------



## indieman

kman1211 said:


> A new addition to my headphone stable, quite a few more changes to my headphone stable coming soon. The Sennheiser HD 545 with a HD 600 headband pad. Sounds similar to the HD 600 if my memory serves right of my experience with the HD 600. More comfortable than the HD 600 though due to a wider headband and less clamp. It's a navy blue color in person.


 
  
 Retro cans ftw!


----------



## Hodor

Schiit Lyr (Voskhod '76 Tubes with Tubemonger Socket Savers)
 AudioEngine D2 DAC
 Schiit SYS (Passive Pre-amp and 2 input switch for my crappy monitor speakers)
 Beyerdynamic DT 880 (600 Ohm)
  
 Reclining "Theater" Seat for movies on the big screen / projector not shown  This setup definitely helps me relax.
  
 This is more or less my personal end game setup - maybe - 1 Schiit BiFrost Uber in the future, but I'm really happy as is.
  
 - John


----------



## Eee Pee

hodor said:


> This setup definitely helps me relax.


 
  
 I bet the Kraken does too.  Good stuff.


----------



## Hodor

eee pee said:


> I bet the Kraken does too.  Good stuff.


 
 I was hoping someone would notice that


----------



## pez

hodor said:


> Schiit Lyr (Voskhod '76 Tubes with Tubemonger Socket Savers)
> AudioEngine D2 DAC
> Schiit SYS (Passive Pre-amp and 2 input switch for my crappy monitor speakers)
> Beyerdynamic DT 880 (600 Ohm)
> ...


 
  
 That was quick; wasn't the SYS JUST released?


----------



## Hodor

pez said:


> That was quick; wasn't the SYS JUST released?


 
 Funny thing: I went to Schiit's site on Monday and ordered the SYS not knowing it was just released until about 4 hours ago when I read that fact on this site.
  
 I don't like using my Lyr's RCA OUT just to power some crappy monitor speakers.  I saw that the SYS was passive and thought it would be a perfect fit, ordered it, and installed it today.  Newly installed  although I'm using it in reverse - two outputs and one input. Works perfectly. I do wish it was the same metal/finish as what is on the LYR, but no bother.


----------



## pez

hodor said:


> Funny thing: I went to Schiit's site on Monday and ordered the SYS not knowing it was just released until about 4 hours ago when I read that fact on this site.
> 
> I don't like using my Lyr's RCA OUT just to power some crappy monitor speakers.  I saw that the SYS was passive and thought it would be a perfect fit, ordered it, and installed it today.  Newly installed  although I'm using it in reverse - two outputs and one input. Works perfectly. I do wish it was the same metal/finish as what is on the LYR, but no bother.


 
  
 Awesome!  Good to hear it is working in reverse.  I almost want one just to have .


----------



## johnman1116

hodor said:


> I do wish it was the same metal/finish as what is on the LYR, but no bother.


 
  
 what is the build? PLASTIC?!?! 
 They've gone apple!


----------



## Hodor

johnman1116 said:


> what is the build? PLASTIC?!?!
> They've gone apple!


 
 It is metal, but not the same brushed finish we're used to from most of their products. Here is a link to someone's decent quality image of it a tad closer than on Schiit's site - http://www.electromod.co.uk/img/page/SDC12294.jpg - still looks fantastic for $50 retail.  Don't fear, no gimmicks taken from Apple on this one   Still, I do WISH this change in the metal finish was mentioned on Schiit's site.


----------



## Maxvla

It isn't a change. All of the little Schiits are steel instead of aluminum to reduce cost. (Magni/Modi/Loki/Sys)


----------



## Tuco1965

They are nicely built solid little amps, dacs, and switch.


----------



## Hodor

maxvla said:


> It isn't a change. All of the little Schiits are steel instead of aluminum to reduce cost. (Magni/Modi/Loki/Sys)


 
 I missed this fact, oops!  Silly me   I still love it, regardless.


----------



## kman1211

More updates to my headphone station. Still waiting for the interconnects in the mail so I can use my new DAC with my EF2A. New additions are the AKG K712 Pro, HRT Music Streamer II+, and the FiiO E12.


----------



## Tuco1965

Nice gear.


----------



## hodgjy

I decided I wanted a _better_ solid state amp to accompany my beloved Trafomatic.  So, I settled on the TEAC HA-501.  I only have a little time on it, but so far I have mostly positive things to say about.  I'm a big Schiit fan, and I have both Asgards.  The TEAC is leagues better than both of them.
  
 The source is the Bifrost Uber.


----------



## ricksome

Soory for the mess
 Home Office with integrated listening station


----------



## ejwiles

hodgjy said:


> I decided I wanted a _better_ solid state amp to accompany my beloved Trafomatic.  So, I settled on the TEAC HA-501.  I only have a little time on it, but so far I have mostly positive things to say about.  I'm a big Schiit fan, and I have both Asgards.  The TEAC is leagues better than both of them.
> 
> The source is the Bifrost Uber.


Do you prefer one Asgard over the other?


----------



## hodgjy

ejwiles said:


> Do you prefer one Asgard over the other?


 
 Honestly, yes.  While the A2 is a fine amp and a more sophisticated design than the A1, I think I find the A1 to be more of my liking.  It's smoother and warmer.  I'll probably never sell it/


----------



## ejwiles

Thanks, I've been toying with the idea of picking an original one up...


----------



## Kojaku

Just gotta pick up the tubes I want (RCA 6AS7G Black Plates, Tung-Sol 6SL7GT) and that'll be it. Done. Finally. This combo is...breathtaking. It takes me back to the day I first heard the LCD-3 on the Studio Six with the snakeskin 24-conductor cable. I'll post more impressions on a different thread at some point. For right now I'm just too immersed to take them off.



P.S. Not every LCD-3 is as it seems...and sorry for the potato pic. I'll take real photos with my real camera when Quadron stops being so euphoric.


----------



## GeneraI

The Studio Six and the LCD-3 must be a really good set up. Probably sounds just as good.


----------



## Androb

kojaku said:


> Just gotta pick up the tubes I want (RCA 6AS7G Black Plates, Tung-Sol 6SL7GT) and that'll be it. Done. Finally. This combo is...breathtaking. It takes me back to the day I first heard the LCD-3 on the Studio Six with the snakeskin 24-conductor cable. I'll post more impressions on a different thread at some point. For right now I'm just too immersed to take them off.
> 
> 
> 
> P.S. Not every LCD-3 is as it seems...and sorry for the potato pic. I'll take real photos with my real camera when Quadron stops being so euphoric.


Awesome!! We have almost the same gear  Different tubes and dac, but it sounds damn right awesome!


----------



## LugBug1

kojaku said:


> Just gotta pick up the tubes I want (RCA 6AS7G Black Plates, Tung-Sol 6SL7GT) and that'll be it. Done. Finally. This combo is...breathtaking. It takes me back to the day I first heard the LCD-3 on the Studio Six with the snakeskin 24-conductor cable. I'll post more impressions on a different thread at some point. For right now I'm just too immersed to take them off.
> 
> 
> 
> P.S. Not every LCD-3 is as it seems...and sorry for the potato pic. I'll take real photos with my real camera when Quadron stops being so euphoric.


 
 I'm seriously jealous of that set up! Those LD amps look amazing.


----------



## Quinto

lugbug1 said:


> I'm seriously jealous of that set up! Those LD amps look amazing.


 

 +1!


----------



## Kojaku

lugbug1 said:


> I'm seriously jealous of that set up! Those LD amps look amazing.




They sound amazing too. I haven't had my LCD-3s "sing" until I had the LD MKVI+. Such an amazing amp. At this price it slays a ton of way more expensive amps.

Kojaku


----------



## Androb

kojaku said:


> They sound amazing too. I haven't had my LCD-3s "sing" until I had the LD MKVI+. Such an amazing amp. At this price it slays a ton of way more expensive amps.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Agreed.

 The silver finish looks really nice btw. I bought black since all my other gear would fit better with black, but damn, maybe have to get a second...?


----------



## adpo

So I got myself a lyr....
Do you guys have any tube suggestions for my concero>lyr>ADs?


----------



## CJs06

adpo said:


> So I got myself a lyr....
> Do you guys have any tube suggestions for my concero>lyr>ADs?


 
 Very nice, enjoy! I recommend the Amperex Bugle Boys or PQ ECC88s for the Lyr. They have been my preferred cost/benefit tubes. You can find some good deals from mercedesman6572 on Ebay.


----------



## Tuco1965

The Bugle Boys do sound nice once you get some hours on them and they won't break the bank. I've also had good luck with mercedesman6572.


----------



## ridethespiral

almost at my end game


----------



## appsmarsterx

Here is mine   htf600, MA900, 612pro with E17 and Xonar Phoebus.


----------



## kman1211

My new system is finally complete as cables just arrived.


----------



## Szadzik

ridethespiral said:


> almost at my end game


 
  
 Dream on....


----------



## ridethespiral

szadzik said:


> Dream on....


 
  
 Haha! At least until I get more cash flow. Other than a better headphone amp, I see no reason to get anything else at the moment. I'm completely satisfied with my SE535 and HD650. It'll be a long long time before I buy a stand-alone DAC as the Babyface (how's that for a compulsive purchase?)  sounds amazing and I use it for recording.


----------



## spurxiii

szadzik said:


> Dream on....


Lol that's what I said 2 setups ago, now I'm eyeing TOTL gear


----------



## Szadzik

ridethespiral said:


> Haha! At least until I get more cash flow. Other than a better headphone amp, I see no reason to get anything else at the moment. I'm completely satisfied with my SE535 and HD650. It'll be a long long time before I buy a stand-alone DAC as the Babyface sounds amazing and I use it for recording.


 
  
 I hope you are as tough as you think, but from my experience upgraditis strikes when you never expect it  I had setups from basic, to runnin an Audiophilleo into a Metrum Octave and Corda Classic and Beyer T1s. Never enough. I got hooked on my speaker system fortunately and got rid of all headphone gear.
  


spurxiii said:


> Lol that's what I said 2 setups ago, now I'm eyeing TOTL gear


 
  
 Exactly!
  
  
 EDIT: "s" deleted


----------



## Eee Pee

szadzik said:


> I hope you are ass tough


 
  
 That's funny.


----------



## Szadzik

eee pee said:


> That's funny.


 
  
 Corrected


----------



## Nirmalanow

Here is my latest rig (Tera>Zu Audio mini to RCA>iFi Nano iCAN>iFi 12db attenuator>FBI silver cable>JVC HA-FX850):


----------



## ridethespiral

szadzik said:


> I hope you are as tough as you think, but from my experience upgraditis strikes when you never expect it  I had setups from basic, to runnin an Audiophilleo into a Metrum Octave and Corda Classic and Beyer T1s. Never enough. I got hooked on my speaker system fortunately and got rid of all headphone gear.


 
  
 This isn't the first hobby I've taken up where the upgraditis disease runs rampant haha. Fortunately everything I've bought so far (music related) has been at cost so I've saved a good amount vs retail price. I thought buying the HD650's was a great deal... LOL. I did not look into the future with that one.
  
 Actually, who am I kidding. Of course I will never reach my end game


----------



## Szadzik

ridethespiral said:


> This isn't the first hobby I've taken up where the upgraditis disease runs rampant haha. Fortunately everything I've bought so far (music related) has been at cost so I've saved a good amount vs retail price. I thought buying the HD650's was a great deal... LOL. I did not look into the future with that one.
> 
> Actually, who am I kidding. Of course I will never reach my end game




Exactly. No one has ever reached it.


----------



## musicinmymind

nirmalanow said:


> Here is my latest rig (Tera>Zu Audio mini to RCA>iFi Nano iCAN>iFi 12db attenuator>FBI silver cable>JVC HA-FX850):


 
  
 Looks awesome,
  
 what is iFi 12db attenuator, I do not finding anything on iFi site


----------



## CoiL

Answer: http://www.head-fi.org/t/695086/ifi-nano-ican-name-that-attenuator-competition-nano-ican-or-1-head-fi-rated-micro-ican-up-for-grabs#post_10500763


----------



## musicinmymind

coil said:


> Answer: http://www.head-fi.org/t/695086/ifi-nano-ican-name-that-attenuator-competition-nano-ican-or-1-head-fi-rated-micro-ican-up-for-grabs#post_10500763


 
  
  
 something like this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=892860&gclid=COuylrjciL4CFUuXOgodCiQA4w&Q=&is=REG&A=details
  
 or iFi sells their own attenuator?


----------



## Nirmalanow

musicinmymind said:


> something like this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=892860&gclid=COuylrjciL4CFUuXOgodCiQA4w&Q=&is=REG&A=details
> 
> or iFi sells their own attenuator?


 

 IFi just created their own attenuator. For now, it is only available to buyers of iFi amps. The one you linked to is for microphones, and I have no idea if it would work or how it would sound.

 You can read more about the iFi attenuators in my review of the Nano amp: http://www.head-fi.org/products/ifi-ican-nano-portable-headphone-amp/reviews/10801


----------



## Nirmalanow

nirmalanow said:


> Here is my latest rig (Tera>Zu Audio mini to RCA>iFi Nano iCAN>iFi 12db attenuator>FBI silver cable>JVC HA-FX850):


 
 I should add that this is the best sound I have ever owned, including any of the full sized headphones I have used. The JVC's are really something special.


----------



## Armaegis

Not my station per se, but my "workshop"...
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> Not my station per se, but my "workshop"...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 

 "So come on down to the LAB
 And see whats on the slab
 I'll see you shiver with
 Ann tissss i pation."


----------



## bigfatpaulie

armaegis said:


> Not my station per se, but my "workshop"...


 
  
It's astounding... Time is... fleeting. Madness... takes its toll. But listen closely...  I think that's a very cool "workshop"!  I wish I had a space like that!


----------



## Armaegis

It is in fact a marble* slab working surface 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



*the artificial kind
  
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



But sadly, no corsets or codpieces in sight.


----------



## Hutnicks

armaegis said:


> It is in fact a marble* slab working surface
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Say it isn't so
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## LugBug1

armaegis said:


> Not my station per se, but my "workshop"...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 To quote Tom Waits; " what's he building in there..?"


----------



## indieman

nirmalanow said:


>


 
 Isn't that the god of destruction above your rig? :O


----------



## musicinmymind

indieman said:


> nirmalanow said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
  
 God of Dance, it just means that god is passionate about dance. 
  
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nataraja


----------



## Nirmalanow

indieman said:


> Isn't that the god of destruction above your rig? :O


 

 Yes, Shiva is associated with the destruction of the entire world, and the freeing of humanity from the illusion. But when that happens, we will have a lot more to be concerned with than soundstage and impedance matching 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 At least he is dancing at the end of the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nataraja


----------



## indieman

LOL!


----------



## Kojaku

It's over. All done. Portable and home. All done, for real now . Not even Jude could convince me to upgrade. And in case you were wondering, the changes are the tubes. Went from the stock RCA 6080s and generic Chinese 6H9Cs to a matched quad of RCA 6AS7Gs (Black Plate) and a matched pair of Tung-Sol 6SL7GTs. Seriously though. I don't usually make claims this grandiose, but this is it for me.
  

  
 I'll post more pics of absolutely everything soon, including my endgame portable setup.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## RainHeaven

Not a very good image but here goes~
  
 Schiit Bifrost Uber -> Project Ember -> Mrspeaker Alpha Dogs


----------



## Armaegis

lugbug1 said:


> To quote Tom Waits; " what's he building in there..?"


 
  
 Far too many "I started and will probably never finish" projects...
  
 Somewhere in the back of the pile I had this ridiculous idea to build a 3-channel b22 but in a config similar to Jan Meier's active balanced config, using (of all things) a hacked M3 to create the necessary signals. I've got all the pieces... but they're just sitting there.


----------



## LugBug1

armaegis said:


> Far too many "I started and will probably never finish" projects...
> 
> Somewhere in the back of the pile I had this ridiculous idea to build a 3-channel b22 but in a config similar to Jan Meier's active balanced config, using (of all things) a hacked M3 to create the necessary signals. I've got all the pieces... but they're just sitting there.


 
 Good stuff. I wish I had a work room for my vintage gear... Kitchen bench for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  


kojaku said:


> It's over. All done. Portable and home. All done, for real now .
> 
> I'll post more pics of absolutely everything soon, including my endgame potable.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 I believe you. Thousands won't 
  
 Look forward to some more pics - they're always quality, and dang that LD amp looks sweet!


----------



## ssrock64

> Originally Posted by *Kojaku* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I'll post more pics of absolutely everything soon, including my endgame portable setup.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 I'm on the edge of my seat!


----------



## hodgjy

I've made a few tweaks, mainly moving things around my living.  Both pics are from the same room.


----------



## 62ohm

hodgjy,
  
 Is that a WA6? How do you find the TEAC in comparison to the Woo?


----------



## snapple10

Newer rack to hold most


----------



## hodgjy

62ohm said:


> hodgjy,
> 
> Is that a WA6? How do you find the TEAC in comparison to the Woo?


 
 That's a WA3.  They are in completely different leagues.  The WA3 is warm, tubey, romantic, and a little fuzzy.  The TEAC is clean, transparent, yet very musical.


----------



## calipilot227

snapple10 said:


>


 
  
 Is that a tube-modded Oppo???


----------



## mikroski

Got DSD DAC for around two months. So I order all-in-one PC for playing song only.
 After listen all files as DSD format (PCM to DSD on-the-fly) for two months, I can't switch back to listen 16/44.1 again. Reason is that, imho,  DSD format make PCM files more smooth and less digital. Very relax


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


> Newer rack to hold most


 
 Not only nice and tidy but I see you got the box with the well regarded Modwright Tube Output design... congrats!


----------



## cbf123

After only recently getting into the headphone side of my listening habit (!) at Christmas, I have no settled on my 4th amplifier, and my second (and probably last!) set of headphones. Very happy with how this sounds at the moment.

 Staying away from eBay for a LONG time! Except maybe to replace this incredibly old and manky desk!!!


----------



## hodgjy

cbf123 said:


> After only recently getting into the headphone side of my listening habit (!) at Christmas, I have no settled on my 4th amplifier, and my second (and probably last!) set of headphones. Very happy with how this sounds at the moment.
> 
> Staying away from eBay for a LONG time! Except maybe to replace this incredibly old and manky desk!!!


 
  
 Elegant and simple. I really like it.


----------



## roskodan

> its like the best headphone!


 
 indeed


----------



## LugBug1

^^^ like it!


----------



## adpo

Traded off my Concero HP for this beauty in order to better drive the Lyr, loving the results so far!  I've got an Audio-gd usb-to-coax box coming in the next week to finish off my setup for now


----------



## Tuco1965

Looking good.


----------



## squishware

DIY stands about a foot above desk level.
  

 View from listening station.


----------



## bbophead

squishware said:


> DIY stands about a foot above desk level.
> 
> 
> View from listening station.


 
 Nice pics!  
  
 Looks like those cans would fall right off the wall and where in Georgia did it snow today?  I'm so confused.


----------



## squishware

It is unfinished teak, not slippery.


----------



## bbophead

squishware said:


> It is unfinished teak, not slippery.


 
 Thanks, and pardon me for confusing CA with GA.  Now the eyesight goes.


----------



## whirlwind

bbophead said:


> Thanks, and pardon me for confusing CA with GA.  Now the eyesight goes.


 

 Don't feel bad......I did the same thing


----------



## jaywillin

bbophead said:


> Thanks, and pardon me for confusing CA with GA.  Now the eyesight goes.


 

 after the double take, i thought, "that's not geogia, even without snow" not enough trees , lol  i'm a ga native


----------



## Androb

Added my Dual and homemade phonostage to my head-fi station


----------



## bbophead

Is that the LD MKVI on top?


----------



## sprite40

squishware said:


> DIY stands about a foot above desk level.
> 
> 
> View from listening station


 
 Absolutely stunning view! those teak DIY stands looks great also


----------



## Androb

bbophead said:


> Is that the LD MKVI on top?


 
 Yes sir!


----------



## Kojaku

_*Alrighty folks, here it goes. Brace yourselves for a long post.*_
  
*A Headphone Audiophile's Endgame Setup*
  
*I. The Portable (BMF Setup)*
  
 This has been a particularly challenging setup area for me. The portable arena had a lot of growing to do when I jumped in. I started with an iphone 4/cMoy combo, like many do. I ended up...here.
  
A. The Stack (The iBasso DX90, RSA Intruder)
  

  
 This BMF is the DX90. An alarmingly clean (except for the language on my bands) portable player with dual ES9018K2M and an OS that DESTROYS the X5. I've owned many a portable in my lifetime (TTVJ Slim, Apex Glacier, all the portable FiiOs [including the recent X5], the AK120) and this one slays everything else I've owned in terms of sheer spaciousness, dynamics, and resolution. This player punches WAY WAY WAY above its price point.
  
 Attached to it is my absolute favorite portable amp. Fully-balanced, but with SE outputs, the Ray Samuels Audio Intruder is the best at imbuing any setup with gravitas and driving authority. It infuses my portable setup with the juice to feed my favorite portables with aplomb. Anyway, here are some vanity pics.



  
B. The Grandpa (The V-Moda M-80)
  
 Now what do I drive with this slab of audio excess? Ah, well, I'll introduce the grandpa of my headphone collection, my beloved VMODA M-80s. A headphone that's just plain natural, the M-80 of my collection started its life as a gift from my girlfriend of 2.5 years. Since then, it's taken on a life of its own. I balanced it (with Fraggler's help), to give the top and bottom end a bit more refinement. I damped the drivers and messed with the venting a bit, to tighten up the sound a bit. Eventually, I ended up with a can that embodies transformation (at least in the audio sense) and brings me back to where I started, modding (remember me, Grado-heads?). More vanity pics below.
  



  
C. The Mini-Audez'e (The InEar LivePro 2)
  
 This isn't the end of the portable setup though. There's a secret I have hidden away. You see, I've struggled with IEM selection in my time as a headphone audiophile. I went through many old favorites (the HiFiMan RE Series, Westone 4, TF10s [Reshelled, too]) and I couldn't find the same sense of spacious, airy, authoritative sound that I have always loved in my larger headphone solutions. Until I heard about a little known German company known as InEar. After some skillful modding, selling, and trading, I could finally afford to carry out my evil plan. You see, there's only one in-ear that I've found that has the linearity of my favorite full-size cans, and that's the InEar Stagerdiver SD-2. I call it the mini-Audeze (look at the FR, Square Wave, and Impulse responses on InnerFidelity, you'll see what I mean!).
  
 I wanted a perfect fit though. I'd heard of comfort issues with the SD-2. So...I used the last of the money I had left from my sales & trades and sent my SD-2s to Rob Reyna at INEARCUSTOM in Florida. At $105 with self-made impressions (or if you already have some, even cheaper), it was a steal. So I finally had it. In-Ear endgame. Oh yeah, and the Custom SD-2 is the same as the In-Ear LivePro 2, except way cheaper!
  
 But I couldn't do it without running balanced! As many of you may know, I had my love affair with boutique cables come and go, so I decided to go utilitarian. On the cheap, I picked up a Black Dragon V1 with RSA Kobiconn termination. Practically indestructible, not microphonic, and not heavy, so it satisfies all my criteria for a great cable. Again, vanity pictures of everything below.
  




 (Oh yeah, the IEMs came with this dandy auto-evacuating case that's near-indestructible and handsome as heck)
  
 So that ends my shenanigans in the portable realm. Now onto the dangerous stuff.
  
*II. The Home Setup (BadderMF)*
  
 I've had quite the journey with my home setup. I began trying to accommodate all my headphone audio needs with just a portable setup. I quickly made friends in the audio community and through the generosity and collaboration of a few, I was on my way. I've owned many a Schiit product (as that's where I made friends with Jason and Mike, doing headphone mods and pad work) and have been through many full-size cans, eventually covering every major flagship other than the HiFiMans (which I've heard many a time) and the Electrostats (because who can afford that at my age?). 
  
A. The Hub (The Audio-gd NFB-10ES2)
  
 Enough background though. Let's get to the current setup. First up is the hub of my setup. The Audio-gd NFB-10ES2 (man, if there was one thing I never got, it was Kingwa's naming schemes). I may get a lot of hate for this, but I think that hands-down, the ES9018 is the greatest audiophile DAC chip around. Man, oh man, though, it is alarmingly difficult to implement. I've heard ES9018 implementations that could make my ears bleed. The NFB-10ES2 is, more than anything, resolving and neutral. I use its coax outputs to feed my A2s and its balanced outputs to feed my home amp. With a ridiculously low THD and enough inputs and outputs to satisfy the most eccentric of us, the NFB-10ES2 is a true diamond in the rough. Vanity pics, ahoy!
  



 (Have I ever mentioned how much I love the look of speaker spikes? WELL THEY'RE AWESOME)
  
B. The Contradictory Powerhouse (The Little Dot MKVI+ w/RCA Jan 6AS7Gs and Tung-Sol 6SL7GTs)
  
 Now, onto my amp. I've owned many an amplifier in my life as well. I left behind the Schiit offerings (sadly), because I couldn't get that same sense of authority AND spaciousness out of non-tube balanced amplifiers. So I picked up the Little Dot MKVI+. OH MY GOODNESS, this amplifier is amazing. I made the comparison a week or so ago to the first time I ever heard the LCD-3, which was with a 24-conductor "Snakeskin" leash from ALO and the original prototype of the now infamous Studio Six. It SANG. With the MKVI+, the LCD-3 is most definitely sonorous. Drive, dynamics, authority, spaciousness, imaging and NEUTRALITY out of an OTL tube amp? I didn't think it was possible, but here it is on my audio rack.
  
 I swapped out the old tubes for my favorite drive/pre tube combination to date, a matched quad of RCA Jan 6AS7Gs (Black Plate) and a pair of new Tung-Sol 6SL7GTs. My goodness. I really do hope people come to Chi-Uni-Fi this year, because this amp is a real treat. As always, vanity pics!
  

  

  

  

  

 (oh yeah, the stock fans were swapped for silent-operation Coolink fans)
  

  
C. The Homecoming (The Audez'e LCD-3, Fazor Edition)
  
 Alright, last section. If you're still with us, then good for you . The Audeze LCD-3. Oh my. How to begin. I'm not just a headphone audio guy, you know. I'm a musician. I love music because it communicates with us in a way that no other medium can. My main headphone was always a struggle, because I wanted the precision and resolution to bring my music to life, but I also wanted the depth and draw of the music I loved to make. I went through so many headphones. I broke the Grado modding threads, I even owned AKG cans for awhile, along with the HD800. I finally came back home, though.
  
 I remember the first time I met Alex Rosson. I told him just how much I admired his company and products and said that one day, if I could afford it, an Audez'e can would be at the center of my end-game setup. He thanked me for my kind words and handed me his business card, saying to keep in touch. After a couple months of saving and some help from Alex, I finally had an LCD-2. I loved that headphone. I let myself get distracted, though, with a search for transparency. I eventually came back to Audez'e, but the LCD-3 didn't have that same...magic. I sent my LCD-3 in to Audez'e and they sent me back...perfection. I'll let the pictures tell the last of my story. Ladies and gentlemen, the Audez'e LCD-3, Fazor edition. (Oh yeah, and the Brown Q-Audio French Silk Balanced 4-Pin XLR cable. Wow, what a work of art )
  



  


  
*III. Conclusion*
  
 So...that's it. I'll be cross-posting this content to Reddit, if you'd like to see and comment on it there. Also, I'll be starting up my own headphone audio, tech, and general nerd culture site in the next few days. Perhaps some of you remember when I used to write more avidly on here. I'll link to my articles and cross-post the content on Head-Fi for all of you to see. Reviews, educational videos, and even explorations of music. I hope it'll be lots of fun . Anyway, let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see from me. Otherwise, I'll go back to terrorizing your other threads, hehe.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Oregonian

Well done Kojaku - enjoyed the writeup!


----------



## CJs06

I recently took this picture of my Fidelio X1 and DT990 Pro. I had a bit of fun editing it too. Enjoy


----------



## johanchandy

kojaku said:


> *A Headphone Audiophile's Endgame Setup*


 





 ............Amazing post!


----------



## Maxvla

So amazing you had to quote it, in it's entirety, just to post a smiley and two words!


----------



## bbophead

It's even more amazing that you quoted the whole thing all over again.


----------



## johanchandy

Quoted out of habit XD, I've edited it.


----------



## Silent One

I'll give him "Passion."


----------



## Kojaku

silent one said:


> I'll give him "Passion."




Hehe. It is a passionate setup 




johanchandy said:


> Quoted out of habit XD, I've edited it.




No worries. I once quoted a whole scam post to tell the person off. Currawong gave me the ruler xS.

Kojaku


----------



## Silent One

I'm diggin' the avatar, Kojaku!


----------



## LugBug1

Superb post Kojaku


----------



## Byrnie

hodgjy said:


> I decided I wanted a _better_ solid state amp to accompany my beloved Trafomatic.  So, I settled on the TEAC HA-501.  I only have a little time on it, but so far I have mostly positive things to say about.  I'm a big Schiit fan, and I have both Asgards.  The TEAC is leagues better than both of them.
> 
> The source is the Bifrost Uber.


 
 Damn you for even making me consider this amp lol *waves*


----------



## hodgjy

byrnie said:


> Damn you for even making me consider this amp lol *waves*


 
  
 Put your wallet down.  Step away from the wallet.  Resist.


----------



## Byrnie

hodgjy said:


> Put your wallet down.  Step away from the wallet.  Resist.



Lol! I actually just got a pair of TH900s. The deal was too good to pass up so I won't be buying any headphone stuff for another year hah.


----------



## hodgjy

byrnie said:


> Lol! I actually just got a pair of TH900s. The deal was too good to pass up so I won't be buying any headphone stuff for another year hah.


 
  
 I bet the TEAC drives them very well. **ducks**


----------



## roskodan

kojaku said:


> Kojaku


 
  
 did you get the new 110 Ohm lcd3 drivers too or just the fazor?
  
 i can totally see the new 110 Ohm lcd3 matching much better with a lot of tube amps now


----------



## Byrnie

hodgjy said:


> I bet the TEAC drives them very well. **ducks**


 
 Lmao!


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> did you get the new 110 Ohm lcd3 drivers too or just the fazor?
> 
> i can totally see the new 110 Ohm lcd3 matching much better with a lot of tube amps now


 
 I got the newest drivers, yes.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## Androb

kojaku said:


> I got the newest drivers, yes.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 How did you get them?
 Did your audeze break and you sended them in or just sent them in? I am intersted on how big difference there is


----------



## Kojaku

androb said:


> How did you get them?
> Did your audeze break and you sended them in or just sent them in? I am intersted on how big difference there is


 
 Yes, that's what I did. I'll post my impressions when I complete my review for posting to my website. Should be relatively soon.
  
 Kojaku


----------



## roskodan

well feel free to do some shameless self advertisement and share your website address with us


----------



## Kojaku

roskodan said:


> well feel free to do some shameless self advertisement and share your website address with us


 
 That wasn't my plan at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Kojaku


----------



## Zojokkeli

Recently upgraded my DAC. Here are some pictures of my man-corner in its current state.


----------



## Tuco1965

Very nice clean looking setup.


----------



## roamling

Garage 1217 Project Sunrise III with GE Smoked Glas 6DJ8 Vintage Tube and Sennheiser HD650


----------



## Tuco1965

How does it sound with the 650s?


----------



## roamling

I only have it for a day and still burning in, but there is plenty of power for the HD650 (the ECC82 stock tube was less powerfull). I will write a review at a later stage.


----------



## indieman

That's a very nice amp. How much $ do they run?


----------



## roamling

The ready built amp was $249.99 plus the extra $ for the Tube (or just use the stock tube for no extra). I had to pay 40$ shipping as well to Europe plus customs, but overall well worth the money in my opinion. The amp is also available as a DYI kit but I have no soldering skills at all and the finished built quality from Garage 1217 is exellent.


----------



## Faithless

Hello from BRAZIL !!!
  
 Setup #1 - ZOTAC ZBOX - VLINK 192 - PS AUDIO DLIII - WOO WA6-SE - BIJOU
 Setup #2 - TOSHIBA U845W - HIFACE 2 - DAC MAGIC - EF1 - LOVELY CUBE - BRAVO 12AU7 MOD
 Main Headphones - HD800 - LCD2.2 - HD600 - HE400 - SRH840 - MS1 - D2000 - D5000


----------



## bbophead

Really nice!  Looks like you have all the bases covered.


----------



## elvergun

bbophead said:


> Really nice!  Looks like you have all the bases covered.


 
  
 Not really...he is two tube amps away from having all the bases completely covered.


----------



## jaywillin

sunday morning listening session


----------



## whirlwind

I like how you have your tubes set-up for easy access.....nice


----------



## jaywillin

it was a little box that the wife's dad kept some medals in and stuff, it was just sitting in a closet, and i said "thats a killer tube box ! " lol


----------



## XiuberHD419

I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


----------



## marko93101

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 
  
 Save your money and spend it wisely.


----------



## ssrock64

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 

 That's a fairly good start; I had an HD518 when I was first getting into the hobby. Lots of reading will help you understand what you like in a pair of headphones and what you need to build a particular setup, but nothing replaces your own ears as a judge. Most people find that they appreciate differences in audio quality more if they move up the ladder slowly over time instead of just plunging right in for a TOTL rig, and most of us slowly upgrade over time. There's no one answer to the question of how to "get started" in the hobby; just keep reading and navigate your way through as you save money for the gear you want. And remember, more expensive isn't necessarily better.


----------



## hodgjy

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 
 Best advice I can give is it's all about the music. I've always been a headphones guy--all the way back to the late 1980s and early 1990s with my tape Walkman and it's cheap included headphones.  I didn't know what good gear was and all I knew was what the music was.  Then, I moved to iPods, complete with their cheap ear buds.  Again, it was all about the music.
  
 However, 5 years ago, I bought my first tube amp and studio headphones.  At that point, the music certainly was better, but it was a huge Pandora's box for me.  It started to become more about the gear than the music.
  
 While the gear certainly is an important part of the hobby, never lose sight of the music.  I have to remind myself of this from time to time.


----------



## XiuberHD419

Thanks for the great advice guys
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Personally, I've always loved music and have been playing the piano since 3, thus my preferences towards classical music, my mum also introduced me to old school rock and pop, which got me really interested. At first, I started off with Apple earbuds, and cam across this forum while looking for reviews about beats, in the end, I got my first pair of over ear headphones, the HD419's which eventually broke, resulting me in getting my current pair of HD518's which rock.


----------



## Zojokkeli

xiuberhd419 said:


> How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 
 I started out last year when I noticed I had some extra cash lying around and I was curious how good a 200€ headphone would sound. I bought Sennheiser Momentum On-Ears and Nuforce Icon uDAC-2. I wasn't really happy with the Momentums and bought HD 598's. That was a real eye-opener. Few months later I sold the Momentum On-Ears to my sister and bought the big Momentums. It was a big leap in sound quality and I was very happy with them. Then I bought into hype machine and got Schiit Modi/Vali stack. They sounded very nice compared to the uDAC, but I started feeling that they are "too good" for the 598's, so a couple of months later I got the HD 650's. Man do they sound good! Recently I upgraded Modi to HRT MS II+, and the Vali started to really sing.
 All this within a year. I have no regrets. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I don't really consider myself an audiophile though, I just enjoy the music.


----------



## bbophead

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 
 Go to a headphone meet and hear stuff for yourself.  Only way.


----------



## Kojaku

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?




Don't do it. You'll end up like me, with a page-long post about your setup. It's a slippery slope. Jkjk. I started in an odd place, though. I was super broke, so I started by ruining the Grado threads, haha. I don't know that I'd recommend that for everyone. I'd echo the sentiments of others and say never lose sight of the music. 

I started and ended with music, and an odd misstep into the HD800 was what reminded me that the music matters most. I'm a musician and a musicophile at heart, so whatever sounds best to me, with my music, is what I'll pursue. I gave up the last bit of resolution that headphone audio had to offer for a bit more fun.

Now, there are many who love the HD800 and other headphones I don't love. I will handily agree with them, though, if it's all for the love of music. Don't get caught up in THD, dynamic range, 30/300 Hz square waves, unless it informs you as to how you'll get closer to the music. 

Look at everything through the filter of musical love and you'll find the hobby opening up to you very quickly.

Kojaku


----------



## Dionysus

Had a vision of doing a nice little headphone station setup awhile now, this weekend I finally finished it after I picked up the Perfectwave DAC.
I now have a little corner of the house I can call my own, the mrs. loved it too which was a plus, she actually sat there listening to music for the first time ever, and she was pretty impressed.


----------



## elvergun

dionysus said:


> Had a vision of doing a nice little headphone station setup awhile now, this weekend I finally finished it after I picked up the Perfectwave DAC.
> I now have a little corner of the house I can call my own, the mrs. loved it too which was a plus, she actually sat there listening to music for the first time ever, and she was pretty impressed.


 
  
  
 Your little corner is awesome.


----------



## Faithless

Very good point Kojaku.

I love my HD800. It's a great headphone. Revealing, spacious, cristal, energic sound. But it hates "bad recordings" (not always bad music) and can make you "dislike" some musics.
In the other way i love my LCD2. It makes the music sounds better than never. So called "euphonic" sound.


----------



## wolfetan44

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 
 Had far too much time on my hands last year. Wait, WHAT, I joined in 2012, well.. Um. I've been at this for a lot longer than I thought.. 
  
 Anyways, just buy a budget headphone, which you already have, so leave. Or else, you won't have any money, ever!


----------



## Zashoomin

wolfetan44 said:


> Had far too much time on my hands last year. Wait, WHAT, I joined in 2012, well.. Um. I've been at this for a lot longer than I thought..
> 
> Anyways, just buy a budget headphone, which you already have, so leave. Or else, you won't have any money, ever!


 
 I also started about around the same time.  For me it was because my old bose has just gone kaput and I had no idea what to get, so a good friend of mine told me to look up suggestions here.  Unfortunately for me I got way more into than him and am now a proud owner of way too much audio equipment.  Also I have always loved to build things, so DIY was a great way to get back into that...again unfortunately for my wallet.   All of this started for me when I decided to mod a pair of Fostex T50RPs.


----------



## Hutnicks

xiuberhd419 said:


> I'm a 14 year old budding audiophile. All I've got now is a great pair of HD518s and an iPod Classic. How do you guys get started with this art of audiophilism?


 

 You get started by looking for the next best thing for your system Either an update of phone or source. Looking for a positive change in the "I never heard that in the recording before zone." In your case you could compare the classic;s output to  your computers using flac files and see what difference it might make.


----------



## Sorrodje

Testing mess on my desk.
  
 My Rega DAC has Gone. A Metrum Octave came in  and lastly a Fiio E09k+E07k combo joined my desk.
  
 I'm currently testing the Focal Spirit Pro vs Spirit Classic Vs NAD HP50 and Im comparing to my Ultrasone Signature pro and my HD800.


----------



## marko93101

Ain't much but it's home. 
 At some point I'd like to desk/wall mount the monitors ( or trade/sell them for some 1440p goodness ) and pick up a nice DAC/AMP combo dedicated for headphones, nothing wrong with the M38 for my speakers, but for Headphones it's very noisy and not in the right way. A lot of hissing as you'd expect from a cheaper computers front panel jack. 
  
  
 iTunes> Denon M38 > Mordaunt-Short / Philips Fidelio X1


----------



## che15

sorrodje said:


> Testing mess on my desk.
> 
> My Rega DAC has Gone. A Metrum Octave came in  and lastly a Fiio E09k+E07k combo joined my desk.
> 
> I'm currently testing the Focal Spirit Pro vs Spirit Classic Vs NAD HP50 and Im comparing to my Ultrasone Signature pro and my HD800. :rolleyes:


Please let me know what u think, I have the sig pro, had the 800 and may buy the focal.


----------



## Sorrodje

che15 said:


> Please let me know what u think, I have the sig pro, had the 800 and may buy the focal.


 

 When I'll have a definitive opininon I'll give it in the SIg pro appreciation thread  .
  
 This headphone remains my favorite closed headphone and my favorite complement for my HD800. That been said, the focal headphones and the Nad represents IMO a tremendous value and they're maybe "better/cleaner" headphones. If you already own a sig pro , I don't think that purchasing a Focal Spirit pro is really useful. the FSP has a more balanced sound with definetely more mids but overally the SIg pro stays a more impressive headphone that brings something really special to the table. The choice can depend of what you usually listen to . Focal Spirit pro & Classic and the NAD Viso HP50 are really impressive and my preferred is the FSP by a slight but real margin because of its perfect balance and its overally crisp and clear sound while the NAD & the Spirit Classic offer a more relaxed (Focal Classic) or slightgly colored ( NAD) warmer sound.  THe Sig pro is less neutral than the FSP but sound so real to my ears with more detail, more depth, more textured sound , thicker bass, crispier treble. it's sooo engaging to my ears. Focals sound a bit too polite and the NAD is slightly too mellow compared to the Ultrasone.
  
  
 My 2 cents.


----------



## LugBug1

dionysus said:


> Had a vision of doing a nice little headphone station setup awhile now, this weekend I finally finished it after I picked up the Perfectwave DAC.
> I now have a little corner of the house I can call my own, the mrs. loved it too which was a plus, she actually sat there listening to music for the first time ever, and she was pretty impressed.


 
 An Idyllic set up. Congrats


----------



## Dionysus

lugbug1 said:


> An Idyllic set up. Congrats


 
 I am seriously enjoying this tiny little corner of the world thank you appreciate the kind words.


----------



## latimerfripp

Headphones:Sennheiser HD800\Audeze LCD2 REV2 amp:Violectric HPA V200 Dac:Schiit Bifrost(with Uber and USB upgrades) USB Cable to computer with Flac files and J river player


----------



## Replicant187

damn, all these great pics makes me wanna cry. i need more money to upgrade my gears....


----------



## devouringone3

devouringone3 said:


> You should _really_ try my Grado pads mod:


 
  
 Here's my improvised stand up computer station next to my bed:

  

  
 I've been on that clothing drawer for three months but I just got a proper desk that I'm going to jack up (*May 20th edit, actually I'm changing place again, and I'll still be desk-less). No chairs to be found in my room.


----------



## Androb

Hello! Bought some new tubes here from another head-fi user


----------



## tribestros

Just got my station back together with my new turntable! Little cluttered, but cozy, just like I like it. Really proud of my vintage/modern mix, such a great sounding system and headphone system. The 2252b is a beast of a headphone amp.
  

 Overall room in my apartment. Been working on it for a while, just got my turntable back!
  

 Really rare old fully automatic Pioneer table that has been in service for five months...mostly in perfect condition, but it pretty much just runs semi-automatic, as I have to put the needle down on the record. Other than that, it sounds wonderful and works great. My old one busted, but I saved the excellent AT cartridge it had on it.
  

 Model PL-455, was impossible to get our hands on one for parts because it doesn't look like they made a lot of them. Great table.
  

 My Sennheisers.
  

 The Sennheiser Momentum (my portable phones.)
  
  

 Audio rack, an old Salamander.
  

 My prized treasure, my restored Marantz 2252b.
  

 My MartinLogan 8" sub (perfect for music in an apartment.)
  

 B&W M1, great little speakers with an awful speaker terminal.


----------



## bbophead

This might be of interest:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/708714/dallas-tx-sunday-june-1st-2014-the-fickle-force-of-june-meetup


----------



## CJs06

tribestros said:


> Just got my station back together with my new turntable! Little cluttered, but cozy, just like I like it. Really proud of my vintage/modern mix, such a great sounding system and headphone system. The 2252b is a beast of a headphone amp.
> 
> 
> My prized treasure, my restored Marantz 2252b.


 
 Dat Marantz... mmmmmmmm


----------



## bigfatpaulie

tribestros said:


> Just got my station back together with my new turntable! Little cluttered, but cozy, just like I like it. Really proud of my vintage/modern mix, such a great sounding system and headphone system. The 2252b is a beast of a headphone amp.


 
  
 That, my good man, is all kinds of awesome!  Killer Marantz!


----------



## x RELIC x

Newest toys right next to my spot on the sofa. 



Nirvana.


----------



## MattTCG

That HA-1 looks delicious!!!!!!!!!! Jealous.


----------



## magiccabbage

x relic x said:


> Newest toys right next to my spot on the sofa.
> 
> 
> 
> Nirvana.


 
 what amp is that on the X5?


----------



## Androb

magiccabbage said:


> what amp is that on the X5?


Looks like Fiio e12. Great little amp!


----------



## tobbet

http://i.imgur.com/cY55Axc.jpg
  
 First post here  This is my setup: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HDVD800, Sennheiser CH800S XLR Balanced cable. I also have my Grado PS500 hanging there, love them too! What I like about it is that I can lay in the bed next to the amp and use my iPad to control my iTunes library from there but  also sit by the desk and to some work


----------



## mrAdrian

tobbet said:


> http://i.imgur.com/cY55Axc.jpg
> 
> First post here  This is my setup: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HDVD800, Sennheiser CH800S XLR Balanced cable. I also have my Grado PS500 hanging there, love them too! What I like about it is that I can lay in the bed next to the amp and use my iPad to control my iTunes library from there but  also sit by the desk and to some work


 

  
 Hey first-timer I just found your setup! Nice listening station  Visit us more often so you get to post your pictures!


----------



## tobbet

mradrian said:


> Hey first-timer I just found your setup! Nice listening station  Visit us more often so you get to post your pictures!


 
 Thank you very much! I'll definitely do that. Love the atmosphere in here


----------



## ssrock64

tobbet said:


> Thank you very much! I'll definitely do that. Love the atmosphere in here


 

 As long as you stay away from some of the FOTM launch threads, Head-Fi is one of the most friendly and reasonable forums out there. There's a reason it's the only place on the internet I've been an active member of for nearly three years.


----------



## x RELIC x

matttcg said:


> That HA-1 looks delicious!!!!!!!!!! Jealous.




Tasty indeed! Especially with those XC mids. Yum!


----------



## x RELIC x

magiccabbage said:


> what amp is that on the X5?




It's an e12. Great pairing with the X5 for moving around, I'm just too lazy to unstrap the beastie.


----------



## tribestros

bigfatpaulie said:


> That, my good man, is all kinds of awesome!  Killer Marantz!


 
  
 Thanks! I really stumbled onto it, I was going to buy a new stereo amplifier (I also love speakers) but didn't want to short change my headphones, so I was expecting to spend around $1000. Then this thing fell into my lap, I hadn't even thought about vintage before. It is pretty fantastic. Had it for about a year and a half now, no problems whatsoever.


----------



## dsound

Newest addition to my setup: Sony DVP3100ES.  Bought for the princely price of $20.  Out of the box all my CD's skipped but a couple blasts of compressed air solved that issue.


----------



## CJs06

dsound said:


> Newest addition to my setup: Sony DVP3100ES.  Bought for the princely price of $20.  Out of the box all my CD's skipped but a couple blasts of compressed air solved that issue.


 
 Wow nice buy! A Sony ES SACD player for 20 bucks... where did you manage?


----------



## marko93101

I know I only upped a picture the other day, I made a minor change and was just wondering it would be okay to leave my monitor on the M38 till after my exams when I have time to make two stands?
  
 Speaker placement is awful as well, and the little cable nest in the back. I plan on cleaning it after my exams


----------



## dsound

cjs06 said:


> Wow nice buy! A Sony ES SACD player for 20 bucks... where did you manage?


 
 Thanks!  I purchased it from eBay. I am very impressed with it's sound, can't wait to try out some SACD's


----------



## StefanAvey

Audeze LCD-3, AKG K701, Chord DAC64, Sony SCD777ES, Lehmann audio black cube linear, Chord signature interconnects.


----------



## Tuco1965

Nice gear collection.


----------



## attilahun

stefanavey said:


> Audeze LCD-3, AKG K701, Chord DAC64, Sony SCD777ES, Lehmann audio black cube linear, Chord signature interconnects.




Very nice!


----------



## StefanAvey

Thanks very much. 
I'm just not sure what my next upgrade will be, mains regeneration? Maybe a nice amp. I have plenty of time to think whilst I'm saving.


----------



## Oregonian

Added a Pioneer PL-S50 turntable to my main headphone listening station.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Nice!!


----------



## Don Lehrer

matttcg said:


> ^^ Nice!!


 
 x2


----------



## bigfatpaulie

oregonian said:


> Added a Pioneer PL-S50 turntable to my main headphone listening station.


 
  
 I'm gonna say it - that's pretty bad-ass.  Nice!


----------



## x RELIC x

oregonian said:


> Added a Pioneer PL-S50 turntable to my main headphone listening station.




Just. Wow.


----------



## Wildcatsare1

My modest, but wonderful computer set-up, HD650, Schiit Valhalla and Modi. The Valhalla/HD650 synergy is wonderful!


----------



## ninjapirate9901

Testing to see how the Maestral III stacks up with planars. So far so good.


----------



## escobar090

Quite happy with this setup at the moment:
  
 iBasso D7 Sidewinder
 Fischer Audio FA011


----------



## tribestros

wildcatsare1 said:


> My modest, but wonderful computer set-up, HD650, Schiit Valhalla and Modi. The Valhalla/HD650 synergy is wonderful!


 
  
 That's a fantastic little setup. Jealous of the small footprint.


----------



## Wildcatsare1

tribestros said:


> That's a fantastic little setup. Jealous of the small footprint.




Thanks Tribestros, hopefully the footprint will expand a bit with the addition of a Bitfrost Uber and a Schiit Lyr, for now I am enjoying the music. Tell me about your rig/musical taste?


----------



## logwed

escobar090 said:


> Quite happy with this setup at the moment:
> 
> iBasso D7 Sidewinder
> Fischer Audio FA011


 
 Those headphones are so beautiful, I've always wanted a pair


----------



## Fuzziekiwi




----------



## tribestros

wildcatsare1 said:


> Thanks Tribestros, hopefully the footprint will expand a bit with the addition of a Bitfrost Uber and a Schiit Lyr, for now I am enjoying the music. Tell me about your rig/musical taste?


 
  
 Well, I'm also a speaker junkie, so mine has a large footprint. I posted it two pages back I think, I have a NuForce uDAC running into my vintage Marantz 2252B. Fantastic speaker amp but honestly it's a beast of a headphone amp. I was gonna buy a Schiit to complement my old Pioneer stereo amp before I got the Marantz and put the money into restoring it, but the vintage Marantz are highly regarded headphone amps because of their dedicated amp they have inside. Running into it, I have a Pioneer 455 turntable, a vintage direct drive with a vintage Audio Technica 8008 cart. I like the cost/quality you get from vintage. You can get top of the line sound for a decent price if you're willing to spend money restoring them. Then as far as headphones go, I'm a huge Sennheiser fan, I have a pair of 558 and a pair of Momentum Over-Ears. I also have an old pair of HD280Pros and for IEMs I have the Bowers and Wilkins C5.
  
 Music wise, pretty eclectic but really only eclectic throughout rock. I like a lot of alternative, shoegaze, electronic, industrial, post-rock, experimental metal, avant-garde rock, indie, metal...NIN, Smashing Pumpkins, Godspeed, Deftones, Justice, Daft Punk, Deafheaven, Whirr, Kayo Dot, Dillinger Escape Plan, Muse, Radiohead, Opeth, Sigur Ros, Florence, Midlake... not a fan really of rap or hip hop, but I do have a soft spot for Kanye West, much to my chagrin. But My Beautiful Dark Fantasy was classic and I enjoy Yeezus for the industrial slant. It is what it is. Pretty much, as long as it's not Nickelback or modern "alt" flash-in-the-pan radio rock and has guitars/bass/drums I dig it. Haha.


----------



## 385740

Sorry for the poorly exposed photo from my iPad!
  
 Computer: Mid 2011 iMac/ Custom built gaming PC.
 Speaker/Occasional Headphone Amp: Marantz PM151. It's old but works!
 Tape Deck: Technics RS-TR265.
 DAC/Sound Interface: DigiDesign 003 Rack.
 Headphones: AKG K240 Studio.
  
 Excuse my modest setup; I'm only 15!


----------



## tribestros

blanejmc said:


> Sorry for the poorly exposed photo from my iPad!
> 
> Computer: Mid 2011 iMac/ Custom built gaming PC.
> Speaker/Occasional Headphone Amp: Marantz PM151. It's old but works!
> ...




Good looking setup for a newbie to the audiophile world!


----------



## Tuco1965

Nice gear. :bigsmile_face:


----------



## dsound

Another small update.  Finally got a new belt in for my Tandberg 3000X.  Listened to some Bill Evans, sounds sublime.


----------



## GeneraI

blanejmc said:


> Sorry for the poorly exposed photo from my iPad!
> 
> Computer: Mid 2011 iMac/ Custom built gaming PC.
> Speaker/Occasional Headphone Amp: Marantz PM151. It's old but works!
> ...


 
 Very nice setup, coming from another 15yr old.


----------



## Errymoose

Those Blumenstein's are so pretty...


----------



## Armaegis

I had them for less than an hour before I recabled for balanced... (single entry, hacked the stock cable)
  

  
 Senn HD598 into Nuforce HA-200 monoblocks, fed from Echo2.
  
 Really didn't like the Senn from the Echo2 headphone out, but put it on the monos and whoa!


----------



## dsound

errymoose said:


> Those Blumenstein's are so pretty...


 
 Thanks, and they sound pretty awesome too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  I am constantly amazed at the sound those small 3" Fostex-drivers deliver.


----------



## MattTCG

A few changes.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> A few changes.


 
  
 certainly neater than my little space !


----------



## OddE

My (very!) modest work setup - Numark uDAC-2, AKG K450. Mostly flacs of my CD collection played via VLC.
  
 The K450s may retire shortly, being replaced by either the K240s I've been using at home or a pair of HD650s - but anyway, this is what it looked like three minutes ago.


----------



## Sekundaattori

I love my new HD650's! Probably need to buy a better amp in the future, but sounds sick even with Audioengine D1.


----------



## bbophead

dsound said:


> Another small update.  Finally got a new belt in for my Tandberg 3000X.  Listened to some Bill Evans, sounds sublime.


 
 Well lookee there!  
  
 I've borrowed a friend's to transfer a few.


----------



## Don Lehrer

odde said:


> My (very!) modest work setup - Numark uDAC-2, AKG K450. Mostly flacs of my CD collection played via VLC.
> 
> The K450s may retire shortly, being replaced by either the K240s I've been using at home or a pair of HD650s - but anyway, this is what it looked like three minutes ago.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Awww those AKG K450 bring some memories!!! Those where my first great cans. I still have them although I don´t use them so oft.


----------



## 385740

tribestros said:


> Good looking setup for a newbie to the audiophile world!


 
  
 Thanks, I'm planning on getting some K702s soon. I'm turning into an AKG fanboy; but unashamedly so.


----------



## autoteleology

Pre-deconstruction... currently working on an entirely new setup on a new desk and new room layout.
  
 My Stax are also missing in action - I get my amp back tomorrow. So excited!


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> I had them for less than an hour before I recabled for balanced... (single entry, hacked the stock cable)
> 
> Senn HD598 into Nuforce HA-200 monoblocks, fed from Echo2.
> 
> Really didn't like the Senn from the Echo2 headphone out, but put it on the monos and whoa!


 
 That's a lot of effort to go through for the HD598; do they really sound that much better through the dual HA-200s?


----------



## Armaegis

ssrock64 said:


> That's a lot of effort to go through for the HD598; do they really sound that much better through the dual HA-200s?


 
  
 Huge difference. It could have been just a bad matchup with the Echo2, but I didn't have any other single ended amps set up. Yeah I know setting up an amp would have been way less work than recabling... but hey now I have a 598 that can do both.


----------



## Sorrodje

My DNA Sonett 2 has arrived today. It's time to have a good evening of listening. Hope I'll have enough pleasure to keep this rig a long time.


----------



## TheDreamthinker

sorrodje said:


> My DNA Sonett 2 has arrived today. It's time to have a good evening of listening. Hope I'll have enough pleasure to keep this rig a long time.


 
  
 Cool - haven't seen a DNA for quite a some time...
  
 Short question...which stand are you using?


----------



## Sorrodje

thedreamthinker said:


> Cool - haven't seen a DNA for quite a some time...
> 
> Short question...which stand are you using?


 
  
  
 Fostex th900 Stock


----------



## Quinto

sorrodje said:


> My DNA Sonett 2 has arrived today. It's time to have a good evening of listening. Hope I'll have enough pleasure to keep this rig a long time.


 

 Wow, lucky you, enjoy!


----------



## bigfatpaulie

sorrodje said:


> My DNA Sonett 2 has arrived today. It's time to have a good evening of listening. Hope I'll have enough pleasure to keep this rig a long time.


 
  
 Sooooooooooooo nice!!  Enjoy it!


----------



## TheDreamthinker

Sorrodje said:
			
		

> Fostex th900 Stock


 
  
 Thanks for the info....
  
 Seems the original MSRP used to be $200...
  
http://www.amazon.com/Fostex-ST300-Headphone-Stand/dp/B00GC5MRIK
  
 ...considerably cheaper now....


----------



## Sorrodje

quinto said:


> Wow, lucky you, enjoy!


 
  
  
 Thks . It seems that the combo sounds good for what we're used to listen to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


bigfatpaulie said:


> Sooooooooooooo nice!!  Enjoy it!


 
  
  
 DNA fan spotted here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . Cheers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


thedreamthinker said:


> Thanks for the info....
> 
> Seems the original MSRP used to be $200...
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I bought it to a friend for 25€ Shipping included


----------



## TheDreamthinker

sorrodje said:


> I bought it to a friend for 25€ Shipping included


 
  
 maintenant je sais plus quoi dire...
  
 - kinda jealous....


----------



## mikemercer

here ya go!!
  
 The main* Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*!
  

  


 This is my set-up at the front of the house - using my wifey's desk
 because she can't use it at the moment - so I keep this set up minimal


----------



## .Sup

How is the HAP-100 Mike?


----------



## mikemercer

.sup said:


> How is the HAP-100 Mike?


 
 oh man, that thing is an un-sung hero of a solid-state headphone amp!
 I gotta credit my partner-in-crime at Audio360.org @warrenpchi  for telling me about it when he got his review sample!
  
 He wanted to review it with me for 360, but when he heard it, he suggested I see if I could get my own review sample,
 as it ROCKS! I love the modern aesthetic, and the simple digital display for input and volume, plus the remote
 (w/ mute, vol up/down, and on/off - stays in stand-by - power switch on rear panel) - but most importantly - the sound!
  
 W/ my Audeze LCD-2 (w/ Fazor) and XC, plus Grado 325is so far - the tonality is rich, full-bodied, and unlike many SS headphone amps I hear, the EQ doesn't lean too forward into the treble or the bass! It's well-balanced, and smooth without veiling the lower or upper midrange.
 The highs are also extended and rich, not bright, and also with a sweet presence of air op-top.
  
 I love the signature with acoustic and electronic music, and I listen to alot of underground electronic - found-sounds kind of stuff
 (The Haxan Cloak) and true dubstep, like Burial, Four Tet, or Eskmo - and the HAP-100 handles it ALL with grace and BALLS! I'm so psyched for this review! But I'm not psyched to give it up, so I may sell some other amps to keep it!
  
 Warren's DEAD ON - or he was, when he told me he didn't think he'd "heard solid-state perform like this NEAR this price"! - under 600 bucks...
  
 This amp deserves far more attention than its received - and we hope to change that!
 It's also got 4 inputs, and a variable output for use as a line-stage - VERY handy feature!
  
 NuForce hit it BIG in high end a few years ago, but there was a pause for them - but I've met the team there, and not only are they
 a great bunch of guys, but they LOVE music and the products showcase that love!
  
 Be on the look-out for our review in Audio360.org ASAP!
 After Newport...


----------



## bbophead

An Audeze computer.  How cool is that?


----------



## indieman

odde said:


> My (very!) modest work setup - Numark uDAC-2, AKG K450. Mostly flacs of my CD collection played via VLC.
> 
> The K450s may retire shortly, being replaced by either the K240s I've been using at home or a pair of HD650s - but anyway, this is what it looked like three minutes ago.


 
  
 Nuforce I think


----------



## OddE

indieman said:


> Nuforce I think




-Oops. So do I. I guess that is what happens when I post without having had sufficient amounts of coffee first...


----------



## indieman

Lol! Yes that's probably it


----------



## mikemercer

bbophead said:


> An Audeze computer.  How cool is that?


 





  
  


odde said:


> -Oops. So do I. I guess that is what happens when I post without having had sufficient amounts of coffee first...


 
 Happens to the BEST of us!!!!


----------



## OddE

mikemercer said:


> Happens to the BEST of us!!!!


 
  
 -I find that coffee works best when I have it from this mug:

 I could definitely use a double shot of espresso now; only last week or so did I tell one of the apprentices that most of the math you learn in university you're quite unlikely to need later on - it's just impossible to know while you're studying what parts of the curriculum you _really _need to pay attention to.
  
 And today? I find myself starting off my day trying to solve a couple of partial differential equations. First time in years.
  
 Oh well, the equations can wait. I'm off to the coffee machine...


----------



## cddc

bbophead said:


> Nice pics!
> 
> Looks like those cans would fall right off the wall and where in Georgia did it snow today?  I'm so confused.


 
  
 Agreed, nice pics.


----------



## cddc

squishware said:


> DIY stands about a foot above desk level.
> 
> 
> View from listening station.


 
  
  
 Fantastic view!
  
 Cottage or home?


----------



## HeavenNotes

Hello there.  Music ... music ... Heaven Notes ....


----------



## Krutsch

Just finished assembling my Rube Goldberg SACD playback chain, leveraging an old Sony Blu-ray player and a couple of cheap boxes to de-embed the HDMI, trick-out the EDID handshake and send it to my DAC/amp.  I am pleasantly surprised at the sound from my new source.
  
 Apologies for the poor photo quality, but here's a quick side view of my desk (I'll post more stuff once I finish organizing things).


----------



## agk73

Newbie setup 01


----------



## agk73

That's a Sony DVP-S7700 by the way, the most undervalued piece of kit I have come across.
I can't believe how cheap they are to buy!


----------



## snapple10




----------



## preproman

How you like the GS-X mk2 so far?


----------



## snapple10

with HD800 and LA7000-really liked it more with the LA but plan on spending more time with it this weekend 

I absolutely enjoy Denons so it's never a fair comparison


----------



## Wildcatsare1

krutsch said:


> Just finished assembling my Rube Goldberg SACD playback chain, leveraging an old Sony Blu-ray player and a couple of cheap boxes to de-embed the HDMI, trick-out the EDID handshake and send it to my DAC/amp.  I am pleasantly surprised at the sound from my new source.
> 
> Apologies for the poor photo quality, but here's a quick side view of my desk (I'll post more stuff once I finish organizing things).




Could you elaborate on how you converted your Sony's HDMI out to USB?


----------



## Krutsch

wildcatsare1 said:


> Could you elaborate on how you converted your Sony's HDMI out to USB?


 
  
 Sure.  Here's a nice write-up to get you started (with links to products):
http://everythingaudionetwork.blogspot.com/2013/04/audiophile-review-hdmi-de-embedder.html
  
 HDMI out to the little black box (Kanex Pro Audio De-Embedder), which is connected via TOSLINK or coax SPDIF to the Arcam DAC.
  
 Now, the article referenced assumes you have (possibly) an older AVR and a modern TV, but with a head-fi rig, you have to do something about the EDID handshaking process between the HDMI source (Blu-ray player) and the sink (in my case, a Samsung LED monitor).  The monitor will report that it can only support 16-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz audio, so the Blu-ray player will dutifully down-sample to match everything before sending out via HDMI.  Works as designed, but not what we want.
  
 This is where the second box comes in: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/ext-hdmi-edidp.jsp?prod_id=8005
 You connect the HDMI-EDIDP (silver box) to your home theater AVR (or go to BestBuy and do it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) to record an EDID handshake exchange that supports everything (all sample/bit rates, DD, DTS, et al.).  Then, after you've programmed the HDMI-EDIDP, you plug it in as shown and voila, the Blu-ray player will now send 176.4 kHz audio from SACDs and 96 / 192 kHz from BDs, assuming a 2-channel high-res LPCM track is present on the disc.
  
 Two more things, and the first one kept me puzzled and up late last night: 
  
 (1) power everything down, plug it all in EXCEPT for the monitor, then power everything up.  Then, you can plug in the monitor.  If the monitor is plugged on power-up, the lower capability EDID handshake goes through, as opposed to the one you recorded from your higher-capability HDMI sink (e.g. your AVR).
  
 (2) Configure your Blu-ray player to NOT send bitstream or DSD and, instead, send everything as LPCM.  When you play a disc, look for the audio selection that is 2-channel PCM (it's mandatory for DVDs and BDs).  Note that for Blu-rays, cheap BD players (like my Sony) will often not be able to convert DTS-MA or DTS-HD to full-resolution LPCM (i.e., they will down-sample using the core DTS embedded audio, which is limited to 48 kHz and 1.5 Mbps).  However, for music/concert discs, there is almost always a high-resolution 2-channel LPCM track anyway, so it's usually not a problem.
  
 To see an updated list of Blu-ray players that will send high-res DSD-to-LPCM over HDMI, look here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1155206/dsd-over-hdmi-players


----------



## DragonOwen

Since my last post into this thread (if not include post with photos from listening session at my place) there been a couple of changes in my home audio rig:
 - vinyl (mod of Lenco L75 & transistor DIY phono stage from russian master) is gone,
 - LynxAudio HA-61 HP amp is gone (didn't need it because don't have any non electrostatic HP, except CIEM's), 
 + Shunyata Research Python ZTron power cord for my DAC (now all major cables in my rig is top Shunyata's ZTron: Anaconda power cord on HP amp, Python power cord on DAC and Anaconda balanced interconnects)
 + Telefunken GZ32 recitifier tubes for WES
 + AudioQuest Diamond USB cable
 + Synergistic Research Active SE USB cable (currently at my friens place, so it's not on photos below)
 + line external PSU (for Apple MacMini) made by russian master with nick *victorvvo* on some russian audio forums (just now connected it to MacMini, not yet had time to listen my rig with new MacMini PSU... you can see it on shelf below the shelf that MacMini is standing (yes, the PSU is much bigger and heavier (PSU weight is about 6 kg) than MacMini)... also added photo with inside view of my new line MacMini ext. PSU (3rd photo))
  
 So here is a few photos:


  
 A couple of photos of back side of my audio rack:


----------



## bbophead

You gave up on vinyl.  Too bad.  That's the most fun.


----------



## DragonOwen

bbophead said:


> You gave up on vinyl.  Too bad.  That's the most fun.


 
 Maybe, but my current digital rig sounds muuuuuuuuch better than my vinyl rig sounded, so anyway my vinyl rig had to go... maybe in future I will form vinyl rig of new quality level that can compete to my digital rig, but at the current moment I'm not ready to invest so much money (and to compete with my current digital rig it really will need a lot of money) in vinyl...


----------



## Krutsch

dragonowen said:


> So here is a few photos:
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of photos of back side of my audio rack:


 
  
 I really, really like that rack.  Is it custom or something commercially available?


----------



## twizzleraddict

krutsch said:


> I really, really like that rack.  Is it custom or something commercially available?


 
  
 Looks like an Atacama rack.


----------



## drez

dragonowen said:


> + line external PSU (for Apple MacMini) made by russian master with nick *victorvvo* on some russian audio forums (just now connected it to MacMini, not yet had time to listen my rig with new MacMini PSU... you can see it on shelf below the shelf that MacMini is standing (yes, the PSU is much bigger and heavier (PSU weight is about 6 kg) than MacMini)... also added photo with inside view of my new line MacMini ext. PSU (3rd photo))


 
  
 Awesome looking PSU.


----------



## mikemercer

dragonowen said:


> Since my last post into this thread (if not include post with photos from listening session at my place) there been a couple of changes in my home audio rig:
> - vinyl (mod of Lenco L75 & transistor DIY phono stage from russian master) is gone,
> - LynxAudio HA-61 HP amp is gone (didn't need it because don't have any non electrostatic HP, except CIEM's),
> + Shunyata Research Python ZTron power cord for my DAC (now all major cables in my rig is top Shunyata's ZTron: Anaconda power cord on HP amp, Python power cord on DAC and Anaconda balanced interconnects)
> ...


 
 NIIICE!
  
 I love seeing the pix of all your rigs!
  
 This looks like you stuck two Lovan racks on top of another stand right?
 Looks grand.
  
 and GREAT, crossing the wires at 90 degrees when you have to cross power and signal cables,
 it really cuts the noise-level DOWN.


----------



## DragonOwen

krutsch said:


> I really, really like that rack.  Is it custom or something commercially available?


 
  
 It's Atacama Equinox Hi-Fi. It have a module constructuon, at first I bought base module (2 lower shelves) + one additional 180 cm (height) module (there is also 120 cm version)... about a half a year ago learned that this rack is out of production, so I began to urgently seek modules in the market for my rack to bring it to completed state (maximum is 5 shelves), but only found a black modules, which is why as you can see on the photo, the shelves of the rack is in different color...
  


drez said:


> Awesome looking PSU.


 
  
 Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


mikemercer said:


> NIIICE!
> 
> I love seeing the pix of all your rigs!
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 No, as I wrote above, it' Atacama Equinox Hi-Fi rack with modules of different colour.


----------



## Silent One

> Originally Posted by *mikemercer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> NIIICE!
> ...


 
 Properly dressing cables is a problem I've run into at the current residence. Hope to get back on track with a move next month.


----------



## mikemercer

silent one said:


> Properly dressing cables is a problem I've run into at the current residence. Hope to get back on track with a move next month.


 
 seriously though
 just making that cross, like you did in the picture (crossing power with signal cables at 90 degrees)
 does alot when you're in a tight spot... it cuts down cable cross-talk BIGtime
  
 so others know here


----------



## Silent One

mikemercer said:


> seriously though
> just making that cross, like you did in the picture (crossing power with signal cables at 90 degrees)
> does alot when you're in a tight spot... it cuts down cable cross-talk BIGtime
> 
> so others know here


 
 Some moons back, I had cables _dressed _so neat, they could have gone off to Sunday school!


----------



## mikemercer

silent one said:


> Some moons back, I had cables _dressed _so neat, they could have gone off to Sunday school!


 
  
 I can relate to that! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I used to solder and wire patch-bays in recording studios,
 but my bizness partner was worse!
  
 He'd made the back of a studio rack look like ART,
 but it would take him HOURS.
  
 Here's my portable rig that's goin to the beach with us right now!
  
 Sennheiser Momentum Ivory
 Double Helix Molecule w/ Fusion cable
 Astell & Kern AK120
  

  
 and here's my portable Head-Fi rig for my walks around the vineyards locally lately:
  
 Audeze LCD-X
 Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite
 ADL X1


----------



## Silent One

That's some good livin' right there, MM! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Does your writing _"...goin' to the beach with us right now!"  _suggests your most wonderful wife is going? Hope she is much better!


----------



## tobbet

> and here's my portable Head-Fi rig for my walks around the vineyards locally lately:
> 
> Audeze LCD-X
> Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite
> ADL X1


 
  
 Wow, awesome gear! How do you deal with your music on your iPod? Do you convert to ALAC or some other file format that iTunes can handle?


----------



## lord_tris




----------



## kizzard

Quite happy with this silver trio. Next stop is an LCD-3 I think - gotta get me some of that planar love.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Don Lehrer

kizzard said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That looks so sexy, damn. I wonder how are the DT880 with that schiit stuff


----------



## Zashoomin

don lehrer said:


> That looks so sexy, damn. I wonder how are the DT880 with that schiit stuff


 
 That is a T1, but the DT880 sounds amazing with the Valhalla


----------



## Rem0o

zashoomin said:


> That is a T1, but the DT880 sounds amazing with the Valhalla


 
 +1

 I love that combo.


----------



## ssrock64

kizzard said:


> Quite happy with this silver trio. Next stop is an LCD-3 I think - gotta get me some of that planar love.


 
 Ah, but that matching color scheme forms a slight mental barrier to an upgrade.


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


>


 
 Very nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 How's the ModWright treating you?


----------



## snapple10

I like it , very transparent and musical , if that makes sense. its has been fun rediscovering my cd collections 
  
 Might even attempt to  tube roll, for fun, down the line


----------



## Silent One

Great to hear, snapple10!


----------



## kizzard

ssrock64 said:


> Ah, but that matching color scheme forms a slight mental barrier to an upgrade.


 

 Ha, indeed you are right. However my desk setup is all black + silver at the moment, so perhaps it could use an injection of zebrawood to liven things up a bit.


----------



## iPaintCode

odde said:


> -I find that coffee works best when I have it from this mug:
> 
> I could definitely use a double shot of espresso now; only last week or so did I tell one of the apprentices that most of the math you learn in university you're quite unlikely to need later on - it's just impossible to know while you're studying what parts of the curriculum you _really _need to pay attention to.
> 
> ...


 
 LAPHROAIG 10 year and LAPHROAIG Quarter Cast are some excellent Islay scotches, nice blend of peat and smoke. Never had the 18 year but I'm sure it's great too.


----------



## mikemercer

tobbet said:


> Wow, awesome gear! How do you deal with your music on your iPod? Do you convert to ALAC or some other file format that iTu!
> nes can handle?


 
 Thanks!!
  
 I actually keep it all in AIFF
 but the ADL X1 is a DAC for the iDevice and computer
 KILLER, I slept on it too long!!!!

  
  
 I always use AIFF on my iPods,
 Flac and others on my Astell & Kern AK100 & 120!


----------



## sp3llv3xit




----------



## snapple10

^ very nice!!!!
 I really like the clean set-up and you got some skills in taking pics


----------



## ssrock64

mikemercer said:


> Thanks!!
> 
> I actually keep it all in AIFF
> but the ADL X1 is a DAC for the iDevice and computer


 
 AIFF files take up a whole lot of space, don't they? I keep a copy of iTunes on my computer specifically to convert WAV files to ALAC, since it's my understanding that my collection is too large to fit in AIFF form.


----------



## dsound

Received the T5p a couple days ago.


----------



## ssrock64

dsound said:


> Received the T5p a couple days ago.


 
 How are you liking yours? It's not a very common choice these days at that price level, but I always enjoyed mine. I probably would've kept it longer, too, if I had run it out of a tube amp instead of SS gear.


----------



## LugBug1

matttcg said:


> A few changes.


 
 Looking good Matt
  


sorrodje said:


> My DNA Sonett 2 has arrived today. It's time to have a good evening of listening. Hope I'll have enough pleasure to keep this rig a long time.


 
 Now that looks the absolute t*ts! Congrats 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 I've been away for a while moving house. Heres my new living room set up (down-graded to a small cupboard.. Temporarily!)
  

  

  
   Heres my new view from my listening chair  It's so relaxing here... I'm at one wif nature and the birds and stuff


----------



## dsound

ssrock64 said:


> How are you liking yours? It's not a very common choice these days at that price level, but I always enjoyed mine. I probably would've kept it longer, too, if I had run it out of a tube amp instead of SS gear.


 
 I am enjoying them a great deal.  Especially with Jazz + Rock tracks.  The treble can be a bit harsh on some of my amps, I find it pairs best with my SET EL84 amp, which seems to roll the treble off slightly while still maintaining great detail.  I'm going to give myself some more time with them before I make a final verdict, but so far I think they are great.


----------



## Byrnie

lugbug1 said:


> Looking good Matt
> 
> Now that looks the absolute t*ts! Congrats
> 
> ...


 
 Awesome pics man.  Thanks for sharing!  It gives me ideas for a future listening station .


----------



## ssrock64

dsound said:


> I am enjoying them a great deal.  Especially with Jazz + Rock tracks.  The treble can be a bit harsh on some of my amps, I find it pairs best with my SET EL84 amp, which seems to roll the treble off slightly while still maintaining great detail.  I'm going to give myself some more time with them before I make a final verdict, but so far I think they are great.


 

 That's always great to hear. In my opinion, the T5p gets a little too much undeserved criticism around here sometimes. Not only does it sound nice, but it's one of the first truly portable TOTL offerings that ever came on market. Then again, everyone's tastes are different.


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> Heres my new view from my listening chair  It's so relaxing here... I'm at one wif nature and the birds and stuff


 
  
  
 Niiiiice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . Birds aren't too noisy ?


----------



## LugBug1

byrnie said:


> Awesome pics man.  Thanks for sharing!  It gives me ideas for a future listening station .


 
 Thank you :}
  


sorrodje said:


> Niiiiice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Not anymore.. 
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
 ONLY JOKING!!


----------



## Sorrodje

lugbug1 said:


> Thank you :}
> 
> Not anymore..
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 LOL. i looked for such a joke but didn't find the good pic


----------



## sp3llv3xit

snapple10 said:


> ^ very nice!!!!
> I really like the clean set-up and you got some skills in taking pics


 
  




 Thanks.  It's the white paint and the black and silver tones that give the impression of order and cleanliness.


----------



## randy98mtu




----------



## squishware

I am really digging the synergy between the UberFrost and the La Figaro and the Beyers. Incredibly resolving yet a bit warm and slippery from the tubes. One other thing I am enjoying is the way I have the CD player wired to the optical input on the DAC and the RCA outs to the amp through the switch. I can A+B between the Burr Brown in the Yamaha and the UberFrost. Fun.


----------



## Tuco1965

Good looking rig.


----------



## Severe

Lots of productivity lost to this thread haha. Hopefully I'll remember to post pics of my first set up when I get back to the states. A lyr 2 + uber bit frost. Subscribed.


----------



## OddE

Currently redecorating a little around the house (not my idea, mind you) - but I managed to sneak away for an hour to listen to one of the first albums which really blew me away when I listened to it first time - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 1994 'Let Love In'.
  
 Can't wait to hook up the stereo in its new location tomorrow.


----------



## terance

This is my simple analog rig.  Was going to buy a new lamp for the corner, but the christmas lights were $6 on Amazon.  More money for records right?

  
 It's really interesting seeing everyone's rigs.  Let's keep this thread going!


----------



## r7g0

Topping D2 > DT770 pro 80


----------



## bbophead

terance said:


> This is my simple analog rig.  Was going to buy a new lamp for the corner, but the christmas lights were $6 on Amazon.  More money for records right?
> 
> 
> It's really interesting seeing everyone's rigs.  Let's keep this thread going!


 
 I think the xmas lights add a certain ........  BLING!
  
 I lurves me some bling.


----------



## Fririce0003

Some new big purchases, wont be any more for a fair while now I think... Really got to get to building that Hi-Fi room, bedrooms getting a tad cramped now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 New toys are the Vienna Acoustic Klimt The Kiss, Auralic Meraks, Antipodes DS, a whole host of tubes, Light Harmonic USB, Cardass Clear Beyond power cables and the nice little dust covers I made up.
 Though buying it was a stretch with the mortgage, new car loan and still being on apprentice wages for another year... but the price was just too good to pass up on!


----------



## jackskelly

Wow, that's quite impressive. Lots of tubes as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## whirlwind

jackskelly said:


> Wow, that's quite impressive. Lots of tubes as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 +1


----------



## Dionysus

For a more simple and clean look I sold my Mac MIni and purchased an iMac, the display is really beautiful and I am very happy with the results.


----------



## indieman

21.5" iMac correct? I'm using the same one


----------



## ssrock64

fririce0003 said:


> Some new big purchases, wont be any more for a fair while now I think... Really got to get to building that Hi-Fi room, bedrooms getting a tad cramped now


 
 Wow, that's all extremely impressive. I especially enjoy your big glass display stand for the Abyss; it gives them a sense of drama.
  
 What percentage of your time would you say is spent on headphone listening vs. speakers?


----------



## Dionysus

Yes sir. The display is really a thing of beauty.


----------



## dustincole

Hi


r7g0 said:


> Topping D2 > DT770 pro 80


 
  
  
  
  
 Hi there. How do you like this setup? I am looking for an upgraded computer rig and this seems to be in my price range. Thanks much.


----------



## Krutsch

fririce0003 said:


> Some new big purchases, wont be any more for a fair while now I think... Really got to get to building that Hi-Fi room, bedrooms getting a tad cramped now


 
  
 Wow... super cool setup and I am very jealous, looking at some of that gear.  I am motivated after seeing this to post pics of my "personal theater" setup.
  
 I like the look of that glass case, but right next to your head?  You must be getting some odd sound reflections directed straight into your right ear.


----------



## Silent One

The Premier snax, cafe drink and remote controls suggest - _strongly -_ Fririce0003 is fully decamped!


----------



## Fririce0003

krutsch said:


> Wow... super cool setup and I am very jealous, looking at some of that gear.  I am motivated after seeing this to post pics of my "personal theater" setup.
> 
> I like the look of that glass case, but right next to your head?  You must be getting some odd sound reflections directed straight into your right ear.




Yeah noticed some high frequency reflections, it's not too bad since I've got the mid and high coaxial toed in but now when I'm doing proper listening I move the display.
Looking forward to seeing your personal theatre, might help give me some ideas for building the theatre room 



ssrock64 said:


> Wow, that's all extremely impressive. I especially enjoy your big glass display stand for the Abyss; it gives them a sense of drama.
> 
> What percentage of your time would you say is spent on headphone listening vs. speakers?




Thanks, the displays were just a quick thing I threw together to keep the dust off, speaker stand + helmet display. Also got an air purifier in the opposite corner, dust and tubes don't go so well.
As for listening ratios, not to sure as if yet since the speakers are still new they've been getting more use as I familiarise with them. But I'd say once that's done, for personal listening, music would be all on the abyss, movies on the speakers and the only times I'll use the speakers for music is when people are over or headphones are impractical, or due to excessive movement.
Don't get me wrong, the speakers are great, but they only get to about 90-95% of the abyss + WA5 combo with the new tubes. Very happy with the purchase though, the old zu's were only about 50-60%. This is talking over all enjoyment, each had their own respective flavour and take on the music.


----------



## Fririce0003

silent one said:


> The Premier snax, cafe drink and remote controls suggest - _strongly -_ Fririce0003 is fully decamped!




Hahaha, also got a nice warm blanket and thermos to refill the tea at the ready. Settling in for a nice long sesh


----------



## Tuco1965

That's a damn nice place to settle.


----------



## mamamia88

Drapes fell down and can't be bothered to put them back up since they serve no real purpose other than decoration.  So decided to put their holder to good use.  Turns out it's the perfect place to hang my headphones.


----------



## ssrock64

mamamia88 said:


> Drapes fell down and can't be bothered to put them back up since they serve no real purpose other than decoration.  So decided to put their holder to good use.  Turns out it's the perfect place to hang my headphones.


 
 You must be quite tall if that height is the "perfect place" for a headphone stand!


----------



## mamamia88

ssrock64 said:


> You must be quite tall if that height is the "perfect place" for a headphone stand!


 
 Average height.   Just gotta stand up to grab it and put it back up.  Not particularly bothersome.   What would be more bothersome is having one more thing cluttering my desk.


----------



## Krutsch

mamamia88 said:


> Average height.   Just gotta stand up to grab it and put it back up.  Not particularly bothersome.   What would be more bothersome is having one more thing cluttering my desk.


 
  
 I'm guessing you're single


----------



## Byrnie

krutsch said:


> I'm guessing you're single


 
 Lol yea I'm sure my wife would raise a stink if I tried that.


----------



## Armaegis

Though if it keeps it out of reach of the kids/pets, maybe that's a good thing.


----------



## randy98mtu

armaegis said:


> Though if it keeps it out of reach of the kids/pets, maybe that's a good thing.


 
 Cats would love that dangling cord.


----------



## Armaegis

I've never even owned a cat, but I've learned that it's impossible to keep cats (and cat hair) away from anything.


----------



## LugBug1

My two year old would be swinging from that cord..


----------



## Tuco1965

armaegis said:


> I've never even owned a cat, but I've learned that it's impossible to keep cats (and cat hair) away from anything.


 
  
 Yeah that's pretty much true except that you don't own cats, they sort of own you.


----------



## wotts

tuco1965 said:


> Yeah that's pretty much true except that you don't own cats, they sort of own you.


 
  
  
 +1


----------



## eke2k6

tuco1965 said:


> Yeah that's pretty much true except that you don't own cats, they sort of own you.


----------



## ProtegeManiac

armaegis said:


> I've never even owned a cat, but I've learned that it's impossible to keep cats (and cat hair) away from anything.


 
  
 As long as you keep them out of the room where expensive electronics are, it's alright.


----------



## Armaegis

protegemaniac said:


> As long as you keep them out of the room where expensive electronics are, it's alright.


 
  
 But those warm class A chassis make such good napping spots...


----------



## ProtegeManiac

armaegis said:


> But those warm class A chassis make such good napping spots...


 
  
 Not over here - we hit 39 deg _in the shade_ several times last month and I put more ice cubes in their water bowls than my own glass. During typhoons where indoor temps can drop to 20deg or so with some windows open a little bit to let in fresh air I just microwave those pillows with some kind of mineral/gravel in them and then leave them under a pile of dirty towels and beddings in the "hampers" (low sided baskets, because they totally ignored the actual bed with a basket and cushion I bought for them).


----------



## Krutsch

armaegis said:


> I've never even owned a cat, but I've learned that it's impossible to keep cats (and cat hair) away from anything.


 
  
 I have two of them and I keep squirt bottles near the 2-channel system and my head-fi desk; trust me, you really can't keep them away from anything.  When I am there, they fear the electronics (and I am good at spritzing them without hitting any gear), but as soon I leave the house, it's a free for all.
  
 My kitten has learned to shut down the UPS, which powers down my media server (Rip Station Zebra).  But as the attached photo shows, she has other benefits


----------



## Silent One

Well then, she's a keeper...having earned her keep!


----------



## LugBug1

Speaker grills/cloth make great scratch posts for cats.


----------



## Tuco1965

lugbug1 said:


> Speaker grills/cloth make great scratch posts for cats.


 
  
 Yup, busted one of mine right in the act.  Told him he was grounded and got the typical cat stare back from him.


----------



## MickeyVee

I had a cat that loved to chew on cables.. expensive cables.. stereo cables.. headphone cables.. tried everything and then went to cheap monsters.  When she passed away, I finally replaced everything with decent cables.  Missed her but did not miss the cable fiasco.
 My two new cats pretty much stay away for the A/V heat in the living room and basement and my HP system in the office.  When I'm listening to my HD800 in my recliner, they just join me and cuddle up and totally ignore the cables (but rub lovingly against the HD800 or RS1i).  Gotta love it!


----------



## mamamia88

mickeyvee said:


> I had a cat that loved to chew on cables.. expensive cables.. stereo cables.. headphone cables.. tried everything and then went to cheap monsters.  When she passed away, I finally replaced everything with decent cables.  Missed her but did not miss the cable fiasco.
> My two new cats pretty much stay away for the A/V heat in the living room and basement and my HP system in the office.  When I'm listening to my HD800 in my recliner, they just join me and cuddle up and totally ignore the cables (but rub lovingly against the HD800 or RS1i).  Gotta love it!


 
 Did you just say cheap and monster right next to each other?  When someone looks up overpriced in the dictionary there's a picture of a monster cable


----------



## x RELIC x

My cat can lick it's way through my cables, and she licks _everything_! Look at the cleaning spikes in her tongue! :eek:


----------



## Hutnicks

x relic x said:


> My cat can lick it's way through my cables, and she licks _everything_! Look at the cleaning spikes in her tongue!


 

 That is one magnificently surreal feline photo.


----------



## x RELIC x

hutnicks said:


> That is one magnificently surreal feline photo.




Thanks! I could fill a thread with them, but alas, this is a Head Fi station thread. 

Edit: A bit off topic still, but I have two cats and a beagle. Seems like I'm constantly vacuuming or blowing hair off my gear.


----------



## Hutnicks

x relic x said:


> Thanks! I could fill a thread with them, but alas, this is a Head Fi station thread.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Save it up, you can make fur felt


----------



## Zojokkeli

If you keep on posting stories and pictures of your cats, soon my fiancee will be monitoring this thread too, for better or for worse.


----------



## FastAndClean

tuco1965 said:


> Yeah that's pretty much true except that you don't own cats, they sort of own you.


----------



## FastAndClean




----------



## indieman

x relic x said:


> My cat can lick it's way through my cables, and she licks _everything_! Look at the cleaning spikes in her tongue!


 
  
 That's terrifying!
 No more cat talk plz, I'm allergic!
  
 My current(temp) station :3


----------



## Krutsch

x relic x said:


> Edit: A bit off topic still, but I have two cats and a beagle. *Seems like I'm constantly vacuuming or blowing hair* off my gear.


 
  
 Get yourself a Swiffer; best audiophile value there is!


----------



## mamamia88

krutsch said:


> Get yourself a Swiffer; best audiophile value there is!


 
 Get yourself one of these http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402694304&sr=8-1&keywords=metro+datavac one of the best purchases I've made.


----------



## Krutsch

mamamia88 said:


> Get yourself one of these http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402694304&sr=8-1&keywords=metro+datavac one of the best purchases I've made.


 
 Nice... just added it to my Amazon Audiophile Wishlist


----------



## Tuco1965

Damn.  More gadgets.  Must have more gadgets...


----------



## FastAndClean

tuco1965 said:


> Damn.  More gadgets.  Must have more gadgets...


----------



## canoman

This is mine, not all of them, but those I listen most often.


----------



## LugBug1

canoman said:


> This is mine, not all of them, but those I listen most often.


 
 Very nice. I've always wanted to try one of those Yulong amp/dacs.


----------



## canoman

Thank you,
 It is actually very good, the only problem with it for me was that it's amp section is not very powerful (it was just enough to drive Sennheiser HD580 reasonably loud), so it will not be able to handle something really lazy like LCD2. That was the reason I had to look for some other options, and decided to go with O2/ODAC combo, which I have a feeling is one of the best values on the market.


----------



## randy98mtu

I wish I could have a dedicated space like so many here have.  All my stuff is in the top drawer of my nightstand.  I feel like it gets used less than it would if I had a dedicated space with it all sitting out ready to go.  I have to pull out what I went, untangle cords, get everything connected, then get comfortable.


----------



## Eee Pee

Dedicated space?  What, like two completely empty rooms?  I call one the stereo room.  The other is the Playstation room.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I woke up to this.


----------



## bbophead

Now you're braggin'.


----------



## DVass13

eee pee said:


> Dedicated space?  What, like two completely empty rooms?  I call one the stereo room.  The other is the Playstation room.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hmmm... Seems like I need a bigger apartment


----------



## Eee Pee

Here's another corner.
  

  
  
 #Braggin™


----------



## bigfatpaulie

So many nice clean setups here...  I think I have a shot at the award for the messiest!
  
 Haven't picked a rack design yet for everything so on the desk it is:


----------



## craftyhack

mamamia88 said:


> Get yourself one of these http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402694304&sr=8-1&keywords=metro+datavac one of the best purchases I've made.


 
 Awesome, got one, never even thought to look for something like this.  No more buying cans of air at Costco for all of my gear (too lazy to pull out the Dyson and set it up to blow out one of my PCs or amps, that thing is a PITA ).  This is a great thread, I am new to this and will be setting up a review station and a separate listening station, will post pics once I am done (between 1 week and 1 year from now ), right now I open the boxes and setup whatever I want to listen to, not very convenient.  In the meantime, thanks to everyone for posting all of the gear porn, love it .


----------



## Byrnie

krutsch said:


> Nice... just added it to my Amazon Audiophile Wishlist



As did I!


----------



## craftyhack

byrnie said:


> As did I!


 
 Hmmm, that is at least three sold probably, mamamia deserves some commission from Metro...


----------



## Byrnie

eee pee said:


> Here's another corner.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I think you need to spend less on audio and more on a larger bed 

#Slackin!


----------



## elvergun

bigfatpaulie said:


> So many nice clean setups here...  I think I have a shot at the award for the messiest!
> 
> Haven't picked a rack design yet for everything so on the desk it is:


 
  
 Nice equipment. I like simple...and that's what you've got there. You think your setup is one of the messiest? LOL...not even close. I've seen some pictures that made me go


----------



## IndieGradoFan

My home office, where I spend most of my work week.


----------



## Eee Pee

byrnie said:


> I think you need to spend less on audio and more on a larger bed
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I got two pillows.
  
 #Braggin™


----------



## Byrnie

eee pee said:


> I got two pillows.
> 
> #Braggin™



You're good then!


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Family reunion 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## bbophead

indiegradofan said:


> My home office, where I spend most of my work week.


 
 Beauty!  Dang nice work space.


----------



## .Sup




----------



## Krutsch

.sup said:


>


 
  
 Love the plant life!  I've been adding plants around my 2-channel system and I swear it makes everything sound better 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 BTW, nice Yamaha spinner ... very jealous.


----------



## daerron

bigfatpaulie said:


> So many nice clean setups here...  I think I have a shot at the award for the messiest!
> 
> Haven't picked a rack design yet for everything so on the desk it is:


 
  
 That is one awesome messy desk!


----------



## whirlwind

Those are some darn impressive set-ups and gear guys.


----------



## Armaegis

Today's station... in my garage... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## SSandDigital

bigfatpaulie said:


> So many nice clean setups here...  I think I have a shot at the award for the messiest!
> 
> Haven't picked a rack design yet for everything so on the desk it is:


 
  
 I like the whiskey/scotch glass!


----------



## longbowbbs

armaegis said:


> Today's station... in my garage...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I want to go to that garage sale!


----------



## craftyhack

longbowbbs said:


> I want to go to that garage sale!


 
 No kidding, could you imagine walking into a garage sale and see that pile of gear?  I would crap myself, great stuff .   These are what we normally find at garage sales, the penultimate of head-fi (my first set of headphones ever I think)... cept never find them with the cool orange earpads.:


----------



## mamamia88

Talking about garage sales I found this beast for $10 at one.   So old it doesn't even have a cd player but, it has 2 rca jacks on the top to add an attachment for one.  But, instead I use that for connecting my old sansa fuze that's on it's last legs and looks like it's been through a war. Not bad at all for $10.


----------



## OddE

craftyhack said:


> No kidding, could you imagine walking into a garage sale and see that pile of gear?  I would crap myself, great stuff .   These are what we normally find at garage sales, the penultimate of head-fi (my first set of headphones ever I think)... cept never find them with the cool orange earpads.:


 
  
 -Ooooh, those 'phones really brings back memories. (Mostly memories of sitting in the back seat of our car with umpteen miles to go to our destination when I was a kid, and the walkman batteries were run down so that the pitch of whatever I was listening to was way off, I was probably feeling somewhat nauseous from motion sickness, and my kid sister would be yelling to my parents up front that I was listening at way too loud a volume, and that she could hear what I was listening to and did not want to, etc.)
  
 Ah. Sitting in a sofa in my listening room with a pair of LCD-X cans sure beats the memories... 
  
 I had the lucky strike of my life at a garage sale a few years ago - I dabble in photography, and while strolling around Mobile, AL on a day off from work, I happened to walk past a garage sale and spotted what looked like a Nikon F2 body on a table; turned out to be the titanium version - and it looked brand, spanking new. (Think rocking horse droppings and hen's teeth if you're not into Nikons).
  
 Turned out the seller was a recently minted widow selling off her late husband's kit; upon hearing she was considering taking $50 for it, I told her she could easily get a couple of grand -probably more- for it on that big auction site.
  
 She shrugged and said that she knew - her husband had left her a list with estimated values of all the pieces of kit. Turned out I had been the first who had told her what the real value was rather than trying to rip her off. "If you want it, it is yours for $50 - oh, and I'll throw in those lenses in the bag over there, too".
  
 A couple of worn, but great lenses - a 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 105mm f/2.5. I (almost) crap myself. I could've kissed her feet right there.
  
 Six years later, I still send her Christmas cards.


----------



## craftyhack

odde said:


> -Ooooh, those 'phones really brings back memories. (Mostly memories of sitting in the back seat of our car with umpteen miles to go to our destination when I was a kid, and the walkman batteries were run down so that the pitch of whatever I was listening to was way off, I was probably feeling somewhat nauseous from motion sickness, and my kid sister would be yelling to my parents up front that I was listening at way too loud a volume, and that she could hear what I was listening to and did not want to, etc.)
> 
> Ah. Sitting in a sofa in my listening room with a pair of LCD-X cans sure beats the memories...
> 
> ...


 
 That's AWESOME, makes me want to start garage sale hunting!!!, I stopped because most of the ones I got to charge more than retail, and if I mention that on something I am consider, the answer is normally something about the could get on eBay for it :/.


----------



## Armaegis

longbowbbs said:


> I want to go to that garage sale!


 
  
 Drive on over to Winnipeg, bring some gear, we'll start up the bbq for ya.


----------



## mamamia88

craftyhack said:


> That's AWESOME, makes me want to start garage sale hunting!!!, I stopped because most of the ones I got to charge more than retail, and if I mention that on something I am consider, the answer is normally something about the could get on eBay for it :/.


 
 99% of it is people wanting to clear out crap from their garage.   Occasionally you'll find something good but, more often than not it's just a bunch of garbage.  I got a decent coffee grinder for $2 the other day which is $50 or so on amazon.  It's best if you can get someone who enjoys going to garage sales to just text you if they see something you might want.


----------



## AK7579

mamamia88 said:


> 99% of it is people wanting to clear out crap from their garage.   Occasionally you'll find something good but, more often than not it's just a bunch of garbage.  I got a decent coffee grinder for $2 the other day which is $50 or so on amazon.  It's best if you can get someone who enjoys going to garage sales to just text you if they see something you might want.




That's what I have my father in law do. He has a list of my interests and contacts me if he finds something. He found me some original Beatles pressings for a buck a piece and they were in pretty good condition


----------



## bigfatpaulie

ssanddigital said:


> I like the whiskey/scotch glass!


 
  
  
 Thanks!  It's my ultimate audio accessory


----------



## longbowbbs

armaegis said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I want to go to that garage sale!
> ...


----------



## LugBug1

bigfatpaulie said:


> Thanks!  It's my ultimate audio accessory


 
 Beautiful.


----------



## Sorrodje

odde said:


> I had the lucky strike of my life at a garage sale a few years ago - I dabble in photography, and while strolling around Mobile, AL on a day off from work, I happened to walk past a garage sale and spotted what looked like a Nikon F2 body on a table; turned out to be the titanium version - and it looked brand, spanking new. (Think rocking horse droppings and hen's teeth if you're not into Nikons).
> 
> Turned out the seller was a recently minted widow selling off her late husband's kit; upon hearing she was considering taking $50 for it, I told her she could easily get a couple of grand -probably more- for it on that big auction site.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Nice Story 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  


bigfatpaulie said:


> Thanks!  It's my ultimate audio accessory


 
  
  
 Talisker matches well with the Audeze.  Maybe for the HD800 an Ardbeg would me my choice


----------



## OddE

> Talisker matches well with the Audeze.  Maybe for the HD800 an Ardbeg would me my choice


 
  
 -You really can't go wrong with anything from around that neck of the woods - most of my single malts are Islays, I really like the in-your-face presence of lots and lots of peat and smoke. The Talisker is also one of my favourites, though - much for the same reasons I like Islays. 
  
 Picked up a 57 North last time I was in Scotland. With a drop of water in it, it really opens up and is terrific company for any listening session.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

I think the HD800's need something more delicate, more intricate.  Something that has a lot of layers; a very complex whiskey that takes a lot of time to discover.  A lot of people pass over the HD800's because they are too bright, so a Scotch that many might feel is initially dull or bland.  So a Glen of some sort 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 But not your average Glen...
  

  
  
  
 I've had several bottles of this stuff over the years and, a bit like the 800's, each one was a bit (actually sometime drastically) different.  It's just one of the those things.


----------



## MickeyVee

While we're on HD800 and wiskeys.. here's my favorite..


----------



## Ali-Pacha

SR-009 + Ardbeg Corryvreckan 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## DragonOwen

Today got myself TEAC VRDS-10SE cd-player as an alternative digital source (main is MacMini (with line PSU) via USB) for my dCS Debussy DAC... IMO it looks quite nice in my rig and it's sound better than I expected, it will be interesting how it will sounds when I (not exactly I, I'm going to give this player to master on weekends) change stock not reblaceble power cord on AC inlet (and connect good power cord to it), and also change my lame cheap CANARE coaxial cable on something like Shunyata Cobra ZTron coaxial cable...
 So here are a few photos of my current rig:


----------



## bbophead

ali-pacha said:


> SR-009 + Ardbeg Corryvreckan
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice.  Not familiar with Ardbeg.
  
 The title of this thread begins with "Show us" and it would good if you would.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

No more Ardbeg 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Still SR-009

  
 Ali


----------



## CJs06

I've enjoyed the Balvenie 15 year with my music listening. So far it's been my favorite.


----------



## bbophead

ali-pacha said:


> No more Ardbeg
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the pic.  That's a superior can as you know.
  
 Whatever the Ardbeg was, good riddance, ehh?


----------



## dailydoseofdaly

A little late to the party but here is my cat/stax pic


----------



## bbophead

dailydoseofdaly said:


> A little late to the party but here is my cat/stax pic


 
 Beautiful but trouble is a-brewin'.


----------



## SSandDigital

bigfatpaulie said:


> Thanks!  It's my ultimate audio accessory :wink_face:




Not a big scotch drinker but a fan of the Signatory Vintage series and Laphroaig Quarter cask. Bowmore neither is available.


----------



## Krutsch

dailydoseofdaly said:


> A little late to the party but here is my cat/stax pic


 
  
 That's awesome... that cat's just sayin': you can't get to me before I start chewing, can you, stupid human?


----------



## Krutsch

bigfatpaulie said:


> Thanks!  It's my ultimate audio accessory


 
  
 That looks tasty - both the Scotch and the 'phones.  Tonight, I'm enjoying the new Lana Del Rey (Ultraviolence 44.1/24 HDTracks) and a large glass of Johnnie Walker Double Black.


----------



## Eee Pee

Now, if you can get the kitty to stand on the four tubes, you will hit true Summit Kitty Fi.


----------



## screwdriver

here is mine


----------



## x RELIC x

Jealous!


----------



## StefanAvey

Liquid Glass has arrived.


----------



## MickeyVee

Ouch! Very Nice!!
 Quote:


screwdriver said:


> here is mine


----------



## Androb

stefanavey said:


> Liquid Glass has arrived.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Post some impressions when you have spent some time with it


----------



## Silent One

screwdriver said:


> here is mine


 
 Your ensemble...very nice! Now, where have I seen that rack before...





  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!




  
  


  
 Great rack you got, screwdriver!


----------



## Duckman

Stealthy!


----------



## JDrive

Really bad picture of mine.


----------



## Krutsch

jdrive said:


> Really bad picture of mine.


 
  
 Clean, minimalist... lots of room for expansion.


----------



## mamamia88

krutsch said:


> That looks tasty - both the Scotch and the 'phones.  Tonight, I'm enjoying the new Lana Del Rey (Ultraviolence 44.1/24 HDTracks) and a large glass of Johnnie Walker Double Black.


 
 I'm jealous.  Scotch is freaking awesome but, I can't justify spending that kind of money on something with nothing but, a few trips to the bathroom to show for it.


----------



## SSandDigital

mamamia88 said:


> I'm jealous.  Scotch is freaking awesome but, I can't justify spending that kind of money on something with nothing but, a few trips to the bathroom to show for it.


 
  
 Bowmore 12 year I think is a great scotch, I've seen them as low as $23 a bottle.  Signatory Vintage are excellent, I see them around $40 usually.  Folks spend way more than that on beer on a single night out.


----------



## Krutsch

ssanddigital said:


> Bowmore 12 year I think is a great scotch, I've seen them as low as $23 a bottle.  Signatory Vintage are excellent, I see them around $40 usually.  Folks spend way more than that on beer on a single night out.


 
  
 Oh, he was talking about the Scotch; I thought:
  


> ...with nothing but, a few trips to the bathroom to show for it.


 
  
 ...was referring to the Lana Del Rey 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Kidding, of course.


----------



## mamamia88

ssanddigital said:


> Bowmore 12 year I think is a great scotch, I've seen them as low as $23 a bottle.  Signatory Vintage are excellent, I see them around $40 usually.  Folks spend way more than that on beer on a single night out.


 
 Cool I'll look for that next time I go to the liquor store.


----------



## rev92

Just my desk


----------



## SSandDigital

@rev92
  
 Damn that cable!  8 wire I'm guessing.  And it works for both your LCD and Beyer?  If so, very convenient!
  
 Also like the headphone stands, where did you get those?


----------



## rev92

Yup. 8 wire Forza Audioworks CLAIRE HPC MK2. Matthew from forza installed 2 mini-xlr audeze ports to my Beyers, so i can easily switch the cable with every Audeze's )
  
 -AS for the stand, a friend of mine made me one


----------



## Sasasd

From E10 and HFI2400 to this


----------



## Kaizer-J

Just jumped aboard the Audeze ship. A bit late I admit, but hey better late than never right?


----------



## LugBug1

^^Those LCD2's look gorgeous^^ Congrats and welcome!


----------



## HeatFan12

kaizer-j said:


> Just jumped aboard the Audeze ship. A bit late I admit, but hey better late than never right?


 
  
  
 Looking great!!!
  
 How do you like the Audeze and NFB-28 pairing?


----------



## abablitz




----------



## Kaizer-J

lugbug1 said:


> ^^Those LCD2's look gorgeous^^ Congrats and welcome!


 
 
Thanks for the warm welcome, I'm loving these awesome cans!
  


heatfan12 said:


> Looking great!!!
> 
> How do you like the Audeze and NFB-28 pairing?


 
  
They pair very, very well indeed. The first thing that struck me with the combo is 'transparency'. The clarity is just on another level - you can distinctively hear the air both in front and behind the sound, thus creating this convincing impression that the you're not just listening to a wall of sound, but from 'imaginary' instruments placed around a room (or stage, song dependent).
 
In balanced mode, the dynamics are very high that they sound 'crisp/sharp/fast' even at low volumes - but at the same time can be unforgiving of poor recordings (My Chemical Romance comes to mind). Bass texture, upper treble details and soundstage width & depth are improved too. Lively and 'big' sound.
 
In single-ended mode the leading notes sound 'soft/rounded' - I'm guessing this is what you'd call a laid back sound. Sounds a bit boring compared to balanced mode.


----------



## HeatFan12

kaizer-j said:


> They pair very, very well indeed. The first thing that struck me with the combo is 'transparency'. The clarity is just on another level - you can distinctively hear the air both in front and behind the sound, thus creating this convincing impression that the you're not just listening to a wall of sound, but from 'imaginary' instruments placed around a room (or stage, song dependent).
> 
> In balanced mode, the dynamics are very high that they sound 'crisp/sharp/fast' even at low volumes - but at the same time can be unforgiving of poor recordings (My Chemical Romance comes to mind). Bass texture, upper treble details and soundstage width & depth are improved too. Lively and 'big' sound.
> 
> In single-ended mode the leading notes sound 'soft/rounded' - I'm guessing this is what you'd call a laid back sound. Sounds a bit boring compared to balanced mode.


 
  
 Thanks Kaizer-J!
  
 Outstanding!!!
  
 Cheers!


----------



## Mick

Overhauled my setup since last summer (and still just as bad at photography).


----------



## Baird GoW

My station is finally complete! It's come a long way... When I move to my new place, I will be ordering Magnepan MMG speakers! Tell me what you think!

 My system is:

 PS Audio Power Plant P5 Power Regenerator (connected to the wall via Audio GD powercable) powers my computer (Monoprice Power Cable), Reference 10.32 (Pangea AC-9 powercable), Emotiva XPA-2 (Monoprice Power Cable), and my Subwoofer (Monoprice Power Cable).

 Foobar FLAC ASIO > Belkin F5U219 rev.9 pci USB controller > Lacie USB cable > Audio-GD Reference 10.32 > HE-6 OR Yacco Solid Core Silver RCA cables > Emotiva XPA-2 > Energy RC-10 Speakers and BIC Subwoofer


----------



## Paul Graham

Wow lots of awesome rigs in this lengthy thread!!

Here's my current living room arrangement. 
Eventually will be All Rega.






Thought lid kick back with a nice cool glass of bulmers, dig out Phil Colin's In The Air Tonight LP And give the Rega Ear a proper listen, I bought it still new in its box and haven't had the chance to listen to it until now. Very impressed at the moment considering the SA5Ks are quite the demanding pair of headphones!


----------



## autoteleology




----------



## aroldan

My little mess:


----------



## bbophead

Nice!
  
 Looks like you've added a Sony turntable to the mix.  Excellent.


----------



## spbach

Quite minimal, I haven't been in this hobby long. Oversized Headphone stand was also made by me.


----------



## aroldan

bbophead said:


> Nice!
> 
> Looks like you've added a Sony turntable to the mix.  Excellent.


 

 It's a cheap one but was a gift from my mother-in-law. It's also almost new as it was used only once in 20 years!


----------



## Zojokkeli

What better way to celebrate my first head-fi-versary (give or take a couple of months) than putting out an order for Asgard 2 and some Forza Audioworks RCA-cables. I should also be receiving my Woo Audio headphone stand any day now. This should scratch the itch for time being, and serve me until I can shell out some big bucks. Exciting times!


----------



## indieman

I'm seeing a lot of awesome setups with turntables. I want to step up to a real table from my budget sony ps-lx300usb since I can't really upgrade it (no adjustment options). I'm trying to decide between the denon dp-300f and the audio technica at-lp120-usb  Both of these have all the adjustment options and are upgradeable and are very well regarded. Any suggestions?


----------



## MohawkUS

indieman said:


> I'm seeing a lot of awesome setups with turntables. I want to step up to a real table from my budget sony ps-lx300usb since I can't really upgrade it (no adjustment options). I'm trying to decide between the denon dp-300f and the audio technica at-lp120-usb  Both of these have all the adjustment options and are upgradeable and are very well regarded. Any suggestions?




I'm going to say vintage, but stick to trustworthy audio websites. If I were in your shoes I would jump on this right here. 
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-revolver-rebel-turntable-w-arm-inexpensive-quality-entry-into-vinyl-2014-06-16-analog-86305

After shipping you will have $100-150(assuming you were willing to spend retail on the dp-300f) to put into an entry-level phono stage and cartridge. All you need to know about picking a cartridge can be found on vinylengine.


----------



## johanchandy

indieman said:


> I'm seeing a lot of awesome setups with turntables. I want to step up to a real table from my budget sony ps-lx300usb since I can't really upgrade it (no adjustment options). I'm trying to decide between the denon dp-300f and the audio technica at-lp120-usb  Both of these have all the adjustment options and are upgradeable and are very well regarded. Any suggestions?


 
 Out of those two, definitely the Denon dp-300f with a LPGear DSN-85E replacement or even a different cartridge altogether(It is a fantastic turntable but the stock cartridge isn't too great but decent). The lp120 has a lot of know issues(Anti skating problems come to mind), also there is a piece of metal in the lp120 to make it seem heavier than it actually is. To bypass the in-built preamp the whole thing has to be cut out(a youtube video shows this) as even if the built in preamp is off the signal has to still go through its signal path affecting the sound(It is not a true bypass and apparently the inbuilt preamp isn't too great sounding). 
  
You can't go wrong with the Denon.


----------



## indieman

mohawkus said:


> I'm going to say vintage, but stick to trustworthy audio websites. If I were in your shoes I would jump on this right here.
> http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-revolver-rebel-turntable-w-arm-inexpensive-quality-entry-into-vinyl-2014-06-16-analog-86305
> 
> After shipping you will have $100-150(assuming you were willing to spend retail on the dp-300f) to put into an entry-level phono stage and cartridge. All you need to know about picking a cartridge can be found on vinylengine.


 
  
 Thanks, but I'll be buying from the place I'm employed at so can't go vintage/other store >_<


johanchandy said:


> Out of those two, definitely the Denon dp-300f with a LPGear DSN-85E replacement or even a different cartridge altogether(It is a fantastic turntable but the stock cartridge isn't too great but decent). The lp120 has a lot of know issues(Anti skating problems come to mind), also there is a piece of metal in the lp120 to make it seem heavier than it actually is. To bypass the in-built preamp the whole thing has to be cut out(a youtube video shows this) as even if the built in preamp is off the signal has to still go through its signal path affecting the sound(It is not a true bypass and apparently the inbuilt preamp isn't too great sounding).
> 
> You can't go wrong with the Denon.


 
  
 Ok! The denon it is! I'd rather spend the money towards a better cartridge . Any suggestions < $100? Would any of the grado ones work?


----------



## johanchandy

indieman said:


> Ok! The denon it is! I'd rather spend the money towards a better cartridge . Any suggestions < $100? Would any of the grado ones work?


 
 Ortofon 2m red(forward sounding) and Shure m97xe(Laid-back sounding) are the most common recommendations for the Denon at this price range. For a bit more Nagaota MP-110 is a consideration as well. I don't know about the Grado cartridges though.


----------



## indieman

Cool thanks  Next upgrade is speakers :O!


----------



## AHorseNamedJeff

So while repainting my room I had to move my system out of it, and my speakers found a temporary home in the game room where they pounded the house with some funky Daft Punk and jammed some rock.
Then we moved everything back into a much more space friendly format, making me need to purchase more speaker wire: 
And the rack got rearranged:


----------



## songmic

Smyth Realiser A8
 MUTEC MC-3+ Smart Clock
 NAD M51 Direct Digital DAC
 Allnic HPA-3000
 Sennheiser HD 800
  
 HiFiMAN HE-560 incoming! Will post more pictures once it arrives and settles down.


----------



## Silent One

Long time no see, songmic..._very nice ensemble._


----------



## philo50

silent one said:


> Long time no see, songmic..._very nice ensemble._


 
 +1.....how do you find the Mutec?


----------



## Silent One

Also wondering if songmic brought the HD800 in to replace the HE-6 or if the Senn is an addition.


----------



## songmic

silent one said:


> Also wondering if songmic brought the HD800 in to replace the HE-6 or if the Senn is an addition.


 
  
 The Pathos/HE-6 combo was sold a while ago. That is the 3rd HD800 I've owned, which replaced a previous LCD-X (also sold recently).
  
 My Allnic HPA-3000 headphone amp has 2 outputs: one for low-impedance headphones (optimally 30-40 ohms) and one for high impedance (optimally 300 ohms). The guy who designed this amp apparently used HE-500 and HD800 to tune these two outputs, respectively. Since the HE-560 is essentially an upgraded version of HE-500--although some people say they sound quite different--I'm looking forward to trying it out as well and have it pre-ordered.
  
 The LCD-X on low impedance output sounded superb, but the HD800 on the high impedance output was just better in most ways.


----------



## LugBug1

songmic said:


> Smyth Realiser A8
> MUTEC MC-3+ Smart Clock
> NAD M51 Direct Digital DAC
> Allnic HPA-3000
> ...


 
 Thats a great set up and really quite original compared to most HD800 rigs. I'm particularly jealous of the M51. No, in fact I'm extremely jealous!


----------



## indieman

What hp stand is that songmic?


----------



## songmic

indieman said:


> What hp stand is that songmic?


 
  
 Klutz Design CanCans Leather Black.
 http://www.klutzdesign.com/products/klutz-design-cancans-leather-black


----------



## songmic

philo50 said:


> silent one said:
> 
> 
> > Long time no see, songmic..._very nice ensemble._
> ...


 
  
 Before the Mutec I connected the Realiser's optical output directly into NAD M51, but as you know optical is not really an ideal mode of digital data transmission due to jitter. I was looking for a solution and found two: Empirical Audio Synchro-Mesh with Dynamo power supply and Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock. I opted to go for Smart Clock in the end because it was less expensive and seems more versatile, plus an AES/EBU output.
  
 Comparing the entire system with and without Mutec revealed that re-clocking optical input data and reducing jitter results in a less fuzzy, more focused sound. The 3D holographic effect of Realiser does sound haunting, but it could also make the sound somewhat hazy and lose focus if not implemented properly, aggravated by its sole digital output that is TosLink.


----------



## hemipowered007

am i correct in finding that hp stand to be 700 and some odd US dollars? Or is google not my friend?


----------



## alv4426

^^^Yea I saw same price and said DA FUUU


----------



## philo50

songmic said:


> Before the Mutec I connected the Realiser's optical output directly into NAD M51, but as you know optical is not really an ideal mode of digital data transmission due to jitter. I was looking for a solution and found two: Empirical Audio Synchro-Mesh with Dynamo power supply and Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock. I opted to go for Smart Clock in the end because it was less expensive and seems more versatile, plus an AES/EBU output.
> 
> Comparing the entire system with and without Mutec revealed that re-clocking optical input data and reducing jitter results in a less fuzzy, more focused sound. The 3D holographic effect of Realiser does sound haunting, but it could also make the sound somewhat hazy and lose focus if not implemented properly, aggravated by its sole digital output that is TosLink.


 
 interesting....thanks


----------



## Armaegis

Thinking that I want more air circulation for my amps (they do get toasty after all), I updated my rig with some fancy schmancy feet...
  
  

  
 What are they made of?


Spoiler: yeah you probably guessed it...



 



  


Spoiler: the feet before that... 



toilet paper roll cut into 4


----------



## LugBug1

Yolk'idding me? Eggsellent idea! After all, theres no need to shell out for expensive ones!


----------



## Eee Pee

Eggspensive.  You were close.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 You should try one per amp.  Balanced.


----------



## LugBug1

eee pee said:


> Eggspensive.  You were close.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Dam!! Missed that one... Just I scrambled to post quickly.


----------



## penmarker

Sell them as audiophile isolation feet. Can get like, $100 a pair.


----------



## Paul Graham

Ild get on this quick before someone poaches the idea!
I'm not an eggspert, but I'm shure you'll crack it!


----------



## bigfatpaulie

This thread has become egghausting...


----------



## craftyhack

Oh boy is this getting corny (yet funny)... that last one was so bad Paulie I am not sure if I was grimacing while laughing...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

craftyhack said:


> Oh boy is this getting corny (yet funny)... that last one was so bad Paulie I am not sure if I was grimacing while laughing...


 
  
 My thoughts eggsactly...


----------



## craftyhack

bigfatpaulie said:


> My thoughts eggsactly...


 
 LOL... Oh dear... please stop.  Someone please post a listening station pic quick!!  I haven't contributed yet, so I guess that is me .  I have been waiting to post until my review station is built, but am posting my current dirty, dusty wreck of a station that I use as embarrassing as it is.  Yep, when I want to switch I have to move boxes around, etc.  I need about a week off to really get everything cleaned up and setup in my dungeon, only problem is that I haven't had a week off in 20 years .  It will probably be another month at least before I have my man cave cleared out, cleaned up, and my different stations setup where I am thinking:  #1) HP listening/reviewing, #2) working/home admin (PCs station), #3) photography for things smaller than a (big) baby's arm, #4) blade sharpening (around the Wicked Edge platform), #5) firearm cleaning/repair/mods & reloading (around the Hornady L-n-L Ammo Plant and Mec 9000 reloaders), #6) PC/Electronics builds/mods/benchmarking/troubleshooting #7) home theater/2 ch/gaming.  Right now #1-#7 are huge piles of boxes, half setup this and that, I can barely see either my couch or chair or even the floor .
  
 Yep, the photo is as crappy as possible(which is actually harder to do that take a decent pic with my HTC One!!)... harder to see the dust and it distracts from the mess . My profile shows what are in some of the boxes (LCD3/XC, HE-500, HD650, HA-1, Valhalla, etc.).
  

  
 Another quickie phone pic, this is my currently little used bar corner in the dining room that I convinced the wife to let me make a little pool hall instead (pool table, bar, TV on wall for games, etc.).  Don't ask what I had to give up in return .  Still thinking about whether this bar should move(or be duplicated ) down stairs as a station #8, or get rid of the rarely used pool table and move a few of the stations to this room instead of everything being in the basement.  The problem is that being the formal dining room, the acoustics are TERRIBLE(all hard surfaces, open floor plan), hence trying to cram so much into the man cave, and when we do have certain groups of friends over (couple times a year?), having the pool table is pretty awesome even if the room is too small for it.
  
 If I leave as is, and assuming that it will be years before I can afford to put one of these downstairs (the contents are the main problem ), this is at least the site for a nice chair and side table for a small listening setup, I am tired of running up and down stairs to make another drink... since I never know what I want my next glass to be filled with...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

That bar is no yoke!
  
  
 ...
  
  
 ...
  
  
 Ooookay.  Now I'm done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 (Puns just _crack_ me up!)
  
 Ahem...
  
  
  
 Some nice gear you've got there!


----------



## indieman

penmarker said:


> Sell them as audiophile isolation feet. Can get like, $100 a pair.


 
  
 Don't _egg_ him on!


----------



## Hutnicks

indieman said:


> Don't _egg_ him on!


 

 Now now, no need to cry fowl


----------



## longbowbbs

hutnicks said:


> indieman said:
> 
> 
> > Don't _egg_ him on!
> ...


 
 This thread has turned into a shell of its former self.....


----------



## Armaegis

Geez, imagine if I had some Schiit amps on my toilet paper roll feet...


----------



## Paul Graham

We're on a roll today aren't we?
There's always one bad egg in the basket.
Had to go lower the tone' didn't you?! Lol


----------



## SunTanScanMan

armaegis said:


> Geez, imagine if I had some Schiit amps on my toilet paper roll feet...


 
 thanks, now I have to wipe that image from my ... mind
  
  
 Edit: getting back on topic


----------



## adpo

So this happened to my last place.....
  

  
 So now I've got a new place.  Things have finally settled down and I've got everything more-or-less set up now.  Now all I gotta do is organize all those cables.....


----------



## craftyhack

adpo said:


> So this happened to my last place.....
> 
> 
> 
> So now I've got a new place.  Things have finally settled down and I've got everything more-or-less set up now.  Now all I gotta do is organize all those cables.....


 
 Nice, I like the picture of a picture on your monitor, and nice mic!
  
 I gotta ask, What happened in that first pic, holy cow!  That sucker is ALL THE WAY IN THERE, and I am not seeing a driveway for someone to over-estimate the length for, WTH??  Hopefully no one was hurt!  Plz, moar info...


----------



## Byrnie

armaegis said:


> Thinking that I want more air circulation for my amps (they do get toasty after all), I updated my rig with some fancy schmancy feet...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Those feet aren't up to my eggspectations


----------



## ssrock64

adpo said:


> So this happened to my last place.....
> 
> So now I've got a new place.  Things have finally settled down and I've got everything more-or-less set up now.  Now all I gotta do is organize all those cables.....


 
 Car accident aside, I sincerely believe you should take a few more photos and create an infinite loop desktop background.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Power Cord
Electra Glide Audio Epiphany X2 Power Cord
 
Case
Merax Travel Case
 
Source
Apple iPod Touch Generation 5 playing ALAC
 
Amp
Schiit Asgard
 
Headphones
AKG k701


----------



## MrEleventy

redcarmoose said:


> Power Cord
> Electra Glide Audio Epiphany X2 Power Cord
> 
> Case
> ...


The perspective is great, it looks like the K702's headband has a tail.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mreleventy said:


> The perspective is great, it looks like the K702's headband has a tail.


 
 How I ended up with this 2ndary set up I don't know? But I like it for some music. Clean, fast, clear, never heard k701s sound so smooth.


----------



## Byrnie

redcarmoose said:


> How I ended up with this 2ndary set up I don't know? But I like it for some music. Clean, fast, clear, never heard k701s sound so smooth.


 
 The Asgard is a wonderful amp!


----------



## craftyhack

redcarmoose said:


> How I ended up with this 2ndary set up I don't know? But I like it for some music. Clean, fast, clear, never heard k701s sound so smooth.


 
 Very cool, I like the Asgard on its side doubling as a HP stand, great idea!  On a side note, give a shot to plugging that beautiful power cable into a decent UPS that has AVR (Active Voltage Regulation) and Pure Sine Wave (PSW), which will insulate you from the rest of the rather utilitarian wiring from the wall that you are plugged into all the way to the power station, and give you nice clean power 100% of the time.  It also completely isolates you from anomalies in power from doing damage to your gear... for both under or overvoltage scenarios.  The power supplies in most gear do a great job of delivering clean power after rectification already, but if you are gonna go with a power cable like that, might as well take care of the rest of the power chain.  Plus, when the power goes out you can still listen to your tunes .
  
 They make AVR UPS's for AV gear, but they are typically pretty expensive relative to the same basic functionality you would get from something like this for $169 shipped (if you were in the US, not sure how much where you are):  http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1350PFCLCD-Sinewave-Compatible-Mini-Tower/dp/B00429N19M.  They have a couple of lower power ones (1000VA for $148, 850VA for $118), but the 1350VA is the first one with USB charging ports, which in combination with the extra capacity, is totally worth it to me at least, I love the USB charging ports!  I have been a diehard APCC guy for 20+ years, but after trying these at 2/3 or so of the price of the similar APCC model, they are just as good according to the o-scope.
  
 NOTE:  There are model cheaper than this that look similar, but there is typically one key difference.  These output PSW(not really pure, that part is marketing, but close enough) when you are on battery power, where the cheaper ones output an ugly square wave given their inverters to convert DC to AC suck .  A couple of my PCs will will shutdown the second they get hit with this square wave, so I don't have any of those anymore .  If you are buying one of these for clean power(not filter like a Monster power filter, but actually regulate), then might as well get one that has clean sine wave output itself!  If you already have a power filter then you can run them in series where filter is plugged into UPS, UPS to wall.  Some at Monster will say not to do that (as do the instructions), but I spoke with an engineer for Monster (I had HTS-5ks for each of my stacks for a while) and he assured me it was perfectly fine (which is exactly what made sense, and why I escalated the question to engineering in the first place given the manual didn't make any sense, the trick is to make sure everything is grounded correctly).
  
 FYI, I was an ASE certified (electronic circuit and diagnosis was one of the certs) line technician(aka mechanic) for Toyota, then Nuclear Electrician in the Navy (NEC 3353, I worked on subs on the reactors, not on the nuclear payloads), then EE from UT @ Austin, and have been working in data center ever since(15 years now), I looove this stuff, so interesting .


----------



## thinker

Macbook Air -Sennheiser HD-800-Audiobyte Silver Dragon DAC DSD -tubeamp OTL 300B,this is headphone nirvana


----------



## Redcarmoose

craftyhack said:


> Very cool, I like the Asgard on its side doubling as a HP stand, great idea!  On a side note, give a shot to plugging that beautiful power cable into a decent UPS that has AVR (Active Voltage Regulation) and Pure Sine Wave (PSW), which will insulate you from the rest of the rather utilitarian wiring from the wall that you are plugged into all the way to the power station, and give you nice clean power 100% of the time.  It also completely isolates you from anomalies in power from doing damage to your gear... for both under or overvoltage scenarios.  The power supplies in most gear do a great job of delivering clean power after rectification already, but if you are gonna go with a power cable like that, might as well take care of the rest of the power chain.  Plus, when the power goes out you can still listen to your tunes .
> 
> They make AVR UPS's for AV gear, but they are typically pretty expensive relative to the same basic functionality you would get from something like this for $169 shipped (if you were in the US, not sure how much where you are):  http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1350PFCLCD-Sinewave-Compatible-Mini-Tower/dp/B00429N19M.  They have a couple of lower power ones (1000VA for $148, 850VA for $118), but the 1350VA is the first one with USB charging ports, which in combination with the extra capacity, is totally worth it to me at least, I love the USB charging ports!  I have been a diehard APCC guy for 20+ years, but after trying these at 2/3 or so of the price of the similar APCC model, they are just as good according to the o-scope.
> 
> ...







Yes, when we built this place we actually put our own power pole at the street and added two power lines. I was in the process of buying a Richard Gray substation, but my wife had a cow and bawked at the price. I also had plans for new copper terminations for both this Epiphany cord and my main "Fat Boy" PC. 


I didn't think I would hear a change with the Asgard but I think I do. I do hear major SQ changes with the Woo amps. But I do agree with you that in some systems and some places in the world, pure sine wave filtering and power regeneration is key for optimal sound. 

Talking with on location movie sound track producers was a treat. They have to clean up all the AC coming from the on location generators before getting to the recorders and mics. For them reducing the basic hum is imparitive.

I'm not sure though I would hear a big improvement in this rudimentary system, but do agree that our sound quality is a small stack of improvements slowly stacked on top of one another until a greater end result is multiplied. Lol

This finding small improvement is a matter of tinkering and not afraid of trying stuff that at first would seem silly. My CD player is in the shop and I'm not 100% happy with the other DAC choices I have now. In fact the timing of the little iPods 16bit 44.1kHz DAC adds something I still don't believe I'm getting with USB cords to DAC. I still will explore the Apple CCK option and am excited to read about how many are using new programs in IPods and iPhones to stream out higher bit/kHz files. I do believe if anything they seem to hold a little more "air" between the instruments. Also though I think 16 bit if done right is really all you need.


Yes, if your ever see the Greek Audio You Tube video the guy is talking about how power to your gear is a huge part of getting optimal sound. I know using ribbon power cords and being enthusiastic about power plug to amp joining being a difference is true. The upstream power purification is maybe something I will attempt at a future date with more funding. I actually have a power surge regulator not being used. In this part of the world the power surges to electronics are not only responsible for turntables changing RPM speed but also hold the threat of actually destroying your electronic equipment in the process.


The link to the UPS sine wave tower is interesting. I used to sell equipment with generators on board and in the generator world a pure sine wave output was always wanted. I have also seen super elaborate filters that take the power you get at the line and guarantee your different ICs are getting the pure power they require. The amazing thing is just how many ICs you have around the house, opposed to thirty years ago when there was none.


The Asgard on the side is how Schiit Audio explain it is to be done to improve heat displacement as both sides of the case act as a heat radiator and having both sides exposed to air increases heat transfer out of the amp.
You are so correct in ultilizing the simple servo power regulators and I will start using mine. I actually have small IC chips replaced inside the power transformers to my computers here. At one point I was just buying new ones every couple of years as they were damaged by the power flux. Now I have my tech replace the little IC which burns out inside them. I get it done for $5, a nice difference from the $25 for a computer transformer.


On another note they always suggest that your home PC should have its own plug at home. It is having the PC plugged into a power strip having mutiple devices changing the load, thus causing the PC power supply to fail at a sooner time than normal.
http://www.audiostream.com/content/onkyo-hf-player-app-offers-24192-and-dsd-ios-devices
Here is the new software for iProducts.

I think my other Fat Boy PC is a floating ground. Scary if the truth is there is no ground for your equipment. Ha, the one in my photo has ground. But still I never have hum issues. I am not sure if you can add ground to a floating ground power cord as there is no ground, right? I know nothing about this stuff, other than power cords change SQ.

Amps take line level and create gain and are thus creating something from nothing. When a thing is generated from nothing all the other support structures add to the equation IMO.



Your job sounds interesting and I can only imagine the process to secure pure power safety in data servers.


----------



## MIKELAP

bigfatpaulie said:


> I think the HD800's need something more delicate, more intricate.  Something that has a lot of layers; a very complex whiskey that takes a lot of time to discover.  A lot of people pass over the HD800's because they are too bright, so a Scotch that many might feel is initially dull or bland.  So a Glen of some sort
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice picture looks great so appetizing, to bad i dont drink lol.


----------



## indieman

redcarmoose said:


> Power Cord
> Electra Glide Audio Epiphany X2 Power Cord
> 
> Case
> ...


 
  You prefer hp out to an lod?


----------



## Redcarmoose

indieman said:


> You prefer hp out to an lod




Lighting LODs are a different animal from what I read around here. The 30 pin LOD is the way to go on my older non-Lighting Apple products. I think I've seen it done with the CCK in the portable forum? Maybe someone can post a link? 

For what it's worth I found the 5th gen Touch 16bit/48kHz DAC amp combo to be a surprise out. Not even using audiophile grade RCAs or adapters in place. It could be the bottleneck? It's either temporary or permanent? Don't know?


But ya, I'm doing the deadly no no with effectively two in line volume controls. And I krank em both, lol.


My CD player is at the shop so this is what I'm doing and love it. Another world in comparison to other set-ups I tried like a USB DAC or DVD CD 16bit/44.1 kHz player.


So ya, I'm a fan of trying stuff and just listening before settling on what I think I already know. Cheers!
http://www.head-fi.org/t/687560/lightning-lod

Bypassing the OS7 EQs and ALAC player I'm now mainly using the VLC FLAC player. No longer do you see the VLC advertised as the free FLAC player for IOS 7 and above. It shows as only a player for photos and video. Except for some file recognition info, it plays 24 bit / 96 kHz files and regular lossless FLAC files same as it always did. Your Apple device will be shunted at the max 48 kHz until they start upgrading the DACs.

Still 16/44.1 done ruler flat is staggering if done right.


----------



## LugBug1

mikelap said:


> Nice picture looks great so appetizing, *to bad i dont drink lol*.


 
 Hey, its never too late ! As long as you do it responsibly.. *Hic*


----------



## craftyhack

lugbug1 said:


> Hey, its never too late ! As long as you do it responsibly.. *Hic*


 
 Gotta give credit where it's due, this man knows how to party... I wonder what kinda headphones he has...


----------



## DonutDeflector

craftyhack said:


> Gotta give credit where it's due, this man knows how to party... I wonder what kinda headphones he has...




The hair says HD 650 to me.


----------



## Anavel0

donutdeflector said:


> The hair says HD 650 to me.


No way, that's Abyss all the way!


----------



## indieman

Lol I could see this guy with some old school porta pros


----------



## Redcarmoose

craftyhack said:


> Gotta give credit where it's due, this man knows how to party... I wonder what kinda headphones he has...






People with a lot of money are different. After you have had all the girl friends, had the 18000 square foot house and drove all your cars, there is nothing wrong with getting in trouble with the law. Just a normal chain of events in my opinion. But ya, you know he has some audio equipment. I have heard stories about celebrity stereos and they are one of a kind at times. Put into antique cases so no one can walk out with them at parties.


----------



## x RELIC x

Hahaha! That's a good hair day for Nick Nolte  (lately)


----------



## joehalo




----------



## bigfatpaulie

joehalo said:


>


 
  
 Fantastic!!  Great amps, great space!


----------



## Kaizer-J

joehalo said:


>




Awesome pic!


----------



## .Sup

anavel0 said:


> No way, that's Abyss all the way!



I thought the same thing.


----------



## craftyhack

joehalo said:


>


 
  
 Beautiful!  I have (had) forgotten just how sexy the (now) vintage silver gear is.  I am gonna have to find, unbox, and play with mine(ya,ya... that is she said).  I don't even remember what models I have other than being Pio... I have been a Pio fanboi for going on 30 years, and have bought pieces older than me more than once .  That Marantz piece is awesome, LOVE IT.  Thanks for the great pics!
  
 P.S. is that a Zune HD on top of the Marantz?


----------



## hifimanrookie

my headphone rig is almost complete now with the new Solid Tech 'feet of silence' and the new Radius Solo 3 rack of the same brand that i got since recently 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 am only waiting for two Blue Circle bc62 powercables and Toxic Cables Venom headphone cable and then i am done with this rig,
  
 enjoy the pics..
  
 ps...my apologies for the bad quality and the fingerprints, it took me almost two hours to get the feet perfectly under the amp components..damn thise rubber rings on those feet...crazy work!!! so u can imagine i touched all parts of the amp many times.
  
 but the springloaded top of the rack was a easy peasy thingie (only finding the right spring per side was a bit hard)..so only challenge was to allign all sides perfectly on the holes of the silver tops.... hope u guys still en joy the pics


----------



## VanCitySound

The office rig


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## .Sup

vancitysound said:


> The office rig




I would kill for a view like that. Enjoy it.


----------



## Eee Pee

Yep honey, I've got to work all weekend, again.  I know, I know, I'll tell them I can't next weekend.  And I'll be here a little late tonight too.


----------



## hifimanrookie

eee pee said:


> Yep honey, I've got to work all weekend, again.  I know, I know, I'll tell them I can't next weekend.  And I'll be here a little late tonight too.


 

 lolz..am breaking up now


----------



## joehalo

craftyhack said:


> Beautiful!  I have (had) forgotten just how sexy the (now) vintage silver gear is.  I am gonna have to find, unbox, and play with mine(ya,ya... that is she said).  I don't even remember what models I have other than being Pio... I have been a Pio fanboi for going on 30 years, and have bought pieces older than me more than once .  That Marantz piece is awesome, LOVE IT.  Thanks for the great pics!
> 
> P.S. is that a Zune HD on top of the Marantz?


 Thanks guys. Yes it is a Zune HD. Love my Zune!


----------



## craftyhack

joehalo said:


> Thanks guys. Yes it is a Zune HD. Love my Zune!


 
 Me too, RIP .  Even my 30GB cow dung brown Zune 1.0 is still going strong... although ever since picking up an AK240 and a ZX1 my Zunes haven't gotten the play time that they used to...


----------



## craftyhack

In case anyone would like a pretty amp stand to add to their stations, please check out this thread and vote :
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/725993/poll-would-you-buy-the-pictured-amp-stand-from-oppo-for-an-estimated-150-made-for-the-ha-1-but-would-perhaps-fit-other-amps-as-well, please vote .


----------



## x RELIC x

vancitysound said:


> The office rig




I know that view! Gotta love the west coast.


----------



## VanCitySound

The view makes the sound better, lol.


----------



## 62ohm

My current setup, just added an HDVA600


----------



## indieman

How far away is that monitor?


----------



## 62ohm

Not sure, a metre I guess (and it's a TV, not a monitor)


----------



## HeatFan12

vancitysound said:


> The office rig


 
  
  
 Wow! Simply just wow!!!
  
  
 What are those things in the backround protruding towards the sky called?


----------



## Armaegis

heatfan12 said:


> Wow! Simply just wow!!!
> 
> 
> What are those things in the backround protruding towards the sky called?


 
  
 Trees


----------



## HeatFan12

armaegis said:


> Trees


 
  
  
 LOL......
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




      I think they are called mountains.  Down here we have speed bumps.


----------



## Fuzziekiwi

heatfan12 said:


> armaegis said:
> 
> 
> > Trees :rolleyes:
> ...


 I confirm this.


----------



## craftyhack

heatfan12 said:


> Wow! Simply just wow!!!
> 
> 
> What are those things in the backround protruding towards the sky called?


 
  
  


armaegis said:


> Trees


 
  
  


heatfan12 said:


> LOL......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  


fuzziekiwi said:


> I confirm this.


 
 Yep, definitely mountains, seen things that looked just like them in movies!  I think there were a bunch in The Lord of the Rings that everyone had to keep walking across... to me looks like "mountains" are a PITA, and downright evil when they have firey pits of lava in the middle of them; glad there aren't any of those things in Kansas!
  
 What is all of that blue where the ground is supposed to be?  It looks kinda like that water stuff that we fill our bathtubs with in the Midwest when we are in a tornado warning (IOW, once or twice a week for a few months around this time of year), but that can't be... there is so much!!


----------



## anetode

Phone pic of new arrival, the LL2, now serving as stat amp/headphone-stand stand.


----------



## blitzxgene

Just got the direct stream kit in today plus a new pair of airmotiv 6s speakers. Before and after just because it's kinda cool.
  

 (sorry for potato quality)


----------



## bigfatpaulie

blitzxgene said:


> Just got the direct stream kit in today plus a new pair of airmotiv 6s speakers. Before and after just because it's kinda cool.
> 
> 
> (sorry for potato quality)


 
  
  
 Oh my gosh!! Original Cambridge Soundworks!!  Nice!  I still have mine.


----------



## Eee Pee

potato quality


----------



## blitzxgene

bigfatpaulie said:


> Oh my gosh!! Original Cambridge Soundworks!!  Nice!  I still have mine.


 
 It was actually a pretty nice 2.1 system until the squares were placed near ear level, which shredded any sense of continuity between the woofer and the squares. They served me well (and the woofer is a decent weight).


----------



## blitzxgene

.


----------



## palmfish

bigfatpaulie said:


> Oh my gosh!! Original Cambridge Soundworks!!  Nice!  I still have mine.




Me too!


----------



## Armaegis

blitzxgene said:


> It was actually a pretty nice 2.1 system until the squares were placed near ear level, which shredded any sense of continuity between the woofer and the squares. They served me well (and the woofer is a decent weight).


 
  
 I had the Cambridge Soundworks PCworks 2.1 system for years and years as well. Probably used it for 15 years or so even though I tried other systems and always returned them. I eventually "upgraded" to the Cambridge Soundworks Model Twelve which is their nifty suitcase system with the sub built into the case. I have two sets. One for the bedroom, and one as a spare which I use for DJ'ing small dance parties. Easily one of the best portable systems I've ever heard before moving into actual PA gear.
  
 I've never heard any of their big offerings though. Kinda curious, but hard to gauge since there aren't many reviews on them. Kinda moot anyways since it seems they're almost out of the big speaker game now.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

This is amazing!!  We all had it.  It's almost like they are the gateway drug for audiophiles 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 That said, I feel that they were second to none.  Even today.  They were something like $79.95 at the time.  A very enjoyable listen.
  
 They also made a "Microworks" system that sounded fairly similar but did everything better.  I wanted those so badly back then...
  
 We should almost start a PCWorks Heritage group!


----------



## cavedave

I can combine this as the best the last and the present


----------



## bbophead

cavedave said:


> I can combine this as the best the last and the present


 
 Real nice set up.  Congrats!


----------



## palmfish

bigfatpaulie said:


> This is amazing!!  We all had it.  It's almost like they are the gateway drug for audiophiles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 They are great little speakers! I bought mine around 1991 or 1992 as I recall.
  
 When I put together my first home theater (5.1) in 1999, I simply added a pair of their Dipolar surround speakers and beefed up the bass with an inexpensive 12" Polk Audio subwoofer. That system served me well for 10 years. When I updated my home theater in 2009, I kept the dipolar surrounds and still use them.


----------



## Byrnie

bigfatpaulie said:


> This is amazing!!  We all had it.  It's almost like they are the gateway drug for audiophiles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I've gone through a few 5.1 and 2.1 computer speaker sets of Cambridge Soundworks also!


----------



## dagothur

vancitysound said:


> The office rig


 
 I'll defend my LCD-2s to the death, but nothing classes up a Head-Fi station like a pair of HD800s on a well-made headphone stand.


----------



## AyeVeeN

dagothur said:


> I'll defend my LCD-2s to the death, but nothing classes up a Head-Fi station like a pair of HD800s on a well-made headphone stand.


 
  
 Gotta say the HD800s are also my favorite headphones with regards to looks. Paint / quality issues and the likes though.. not so much for a ~$1k~$1.5k headphone. HD700s too and they're oh so comfortable.


----------



## cavedave

Guess I spoke to soon in the last couple days a guy I know gave me about 200 old records and so I needed to up date a bit.
I added a Carver C1 pre amp that doubles as a headphone amp and a Denon turntable have not listened to records in 30 + years kind of cool.


----------



## LugBug1

ayeveen said:


> Gotta say the HD800s are also my favorite headphones with regards to looks. Paint / quality issues and the likes though.. not so much for a ~$1k~$1.5k headphone. HD700s too and they're oh so comfortable.


 
 There's only really the paint issue, but no other quality issues that I'm aware of. Especially compared to other high enders.


----------



## Baird GoW

Moved some things around, new speakerwire, added a videogame "center", and I went a bit crazy with acoustic panels.


----------



## whirlwind

^ i spy some ps audio equipment there^
  
 What unit is that.....just wondering as I have just purchased a dac .


----------



## 62ohm

Aren't you afraid that you or someone else might knock off that PC of yours from the table? It's perilously close to the edge..


----------



## jaywillin

whirlwind said:


> ^ i spy some ps audio equipment there^
> 
> What unit is that.....just wondering as I have just purchased a dac .


 

 could it be "PS Audio Power Plant P5 Power Regenerator"


----------



## whirlwind

jaywillin said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > ^ i spy some ps audio equipment there^
> ...


 
  Ah......ok....thanks Jay.
  
 I see that posted in his sig now......duh!......lol


----------



## jaywillin

whirlwind said:


> Ah......ok....thanks Jay.
> 
> I see that posted in his sig now......duh!......lol


 

 i was going to make a wise a** remark, but i resisted lol


----------



## whirlwind

jaywillin said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > Ah......ok....thanks Jay.
> ...


 
 Ha....thanks....you are sooooo kind!


----------



## Baird GoW

whirlwind said:


> ^ i spy some ps audio equipment there^
> 
> What unit is that.....just wondering as I have just purchased a dac .




Its a Powerplant P5 and it made as much as an improvement in sq as upgrading from my audiogd nfb10ES to my reference 10.32. I recommend it to anyone.


----------



## Baird GoW

62ohm said:


> Aren't you afraid that you or someone else might knock off that PC of yours from the table? It's perilously close to the edge..


if they do they will be buying me a new one. And to be honest im more worried about an earthquake because i live in California and there have been a lot recently.


----------



## bbophead

Time for a pic.  I moved stuff around and now it looks like this.  Pardon my homemade bright light removers.


----------



## Maxvla

WA6 lookin' sweet on that shelf, Travis


----------



## NatureValley

62ohm said:


> My current setup, just added an HDVA600


 
 If that is foobar you are using, mind sharing the skin? I've been on the search for one for months... :/


----------



## 62ohm

naturevalley said:


> If that is foobar you are using, mind sharing the skin? I've been on the search for one for months... :/


 
  
 Here you go mate http://rikitiki11.deviantart.com/art/One-of-those-foobar-Metro-1-9-1-364177682
  
 Though it seems that the author has updated the skin quite a few times (the one I'm using is version 1.8.2).


----------



## bbophead

maxvla said:


> WA6 lookin' sweet on that shelf, Travis


 
 I'm still enjoying it, Chris, thanks to your introduction four(?) years ago.


----------



## indieman

cavedave said:


> Guess I spoke to soon in the last couple days a guy I know gave me about 200 old records and so I needed to up date a bit.
> I added a Carver C1 pre amp that doubles as a headphone amp and a Denon turntable have not listened to records in 30 + years kind of cool.


 
  
 Which Denon turntable? I'm planning on upgrading to a denon tt eventually.


----------



## mamamia88

Fall weather in July I love it


----------



## DonutDeflector

mamamia88 said:


> Fall weather in July I love it




Are those Ath-M35?


----------



## mamamia88

donutdeflector said:


> Are those Ath-M35?


 
 mdr-v6


----------



## mrk




----------



## Rem0o

Really curious about those NADs.


----------



## mrk

What would you like to know?


----------



## 62ohm

Is that the NAD D1050? Nice mate, also very nice photography!


----------



## mrk

Thanks! It's actually the D 3020 though


----------



## RestoredSparda




----------



## Rem0o

mrk said:


> What would you like to know?


 
 How good would it look on my desktop


----------



## uncola

rem0o said:


> Really curious about those NADs.


 
 TWSS


----------



## mrk

rem0o said:


> How good would it look on my desktop


 
 About tree fiddy


----------



## Dillont3

Here is the my updated setup.
My SHR- 940 ' s finally fell completely apart last weekend. I picked up a pair of used Monitor Audio speakers that are in really good shape though yesterday so I'm happy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/IMG]


----------



## Paul Graham

mrk said:


>




Very nice!
Love the QJ's 
Nicely taken photo too.


----------



## uncola

Nice setup Dillont3!  I have an A1 powering bookshelf speakers too.. psb image b5.. but yours look nicer!  Sound quality is pretty good from this amp eh!  build quality.. so-so.. had a hard time getting the cover back on when I upgraded tubes


----------



## wahsmoh

Alpha Dogs connected to A2 via Norse Vanquish cable. The other cable in the picture is connected to my DT880. It's a confusing picture


----------



## mrk

paul graham said:


> Very nice!
> Love the QJ's
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks!


----------



## Dillont3

uncola said:


> Nice setup Dillont3!  I have an A1 powering bookshelf speakers too.. psb image b5.. but yours look nicer!  Sound quality is pretty good from this amp eh!  build quality.. so-so.. had a hard time getting the cover back on when I upgraded tubes




Thanks! Yea they do sound really nice driving speakers coming from a small little amp. I was surprised how well it drives my Monitor Audio speakers as they are larger than my old mission bookshelves. They are still fairly efficient though which helps. Yea the case is a pain get on and off though.


----------



## whirlwind




----------



## CJs06

whirlwind said:


>



It's been a good minute since I've seen a mad ear. How does it pair with your HD800?


----------



## whirlwind

The mad ear pairs very well with the hd800, as it does with many different headphones


----------



## bonesnv

The wood bracing I put on actually came in handy for cable management, caused another trip to Lowes.


----------



## LCfiner

Another MAD Ear+ (an older one - only one output jack)
  
  

  
  

  
 Sounds wonderful. Excellent match.


----------



## jaywillin

my mad ear, two headphone outs, preamp, and line out


----------



## whirlwind

Gotta love all this *Mad Love  *


----------



## 62ohm

Added a Benchmark DAC1-USB, and reorganized my table a bit.


----------



## HeatFan12

Just re-organized the office corner listening station.
  
 From left to right:
  
 LD MKIVSE
 Audio-GD FUN (A) (Sun OPA)
 HE-300
 SP MPX3 (6SN7x2 & 2C51)
 Sony Vaio
 DV 336SE
 NuForce u-Dac (rear)
 Fiio E07k (rear)
  
  

  
  

  
  
 Cable management (underneath the scene)


----------



## CJs06

heatfan12 said:


> Just re-organized the office corner listening station.
> 
> From left to right:
> 
> ...




Woah, that's a lot of gear for those HE-300s


----------



## indrameyz

How is the impression for he300 pairing with e07k(as a dac/amp)?


----------



## HeatFan12

cjs06 said:


> Woah, that's a lot of gear for those HE-300s


 
  
 Lol....The HE-300s are the ones I have been listening to the last few hours...
  
 I have a couple of others that I have to share the love with:
  
  

  




  


indrameyz said:


> How is the impression for he300 pairing with e07k(as a dac/amp)?


 
  
  
 The HE-300 has to be one of the most underrated phone around.  The Hifiman planars get all the love but these things rock.  Been listening to them for a few hours exclusively.  They do various genres deliciously.  I have the velour pads on which the sound is better than the pleather.  The pleather pads give a more congested and dark sound.  They also scale really well with amps.  The mids on these things are yummy!!!


----------



## indrameyz

heatfan12 said:


> The HE-300 has to be one of the most underrated phone around.  The Hifiman planars get all the love but these things rock.  Been listening to them for a few hours exclusively.  They do various genres deliciously.  I have the velour pads on which the sound is better than the pleather.  The pleather pads give a more congested and dark sound.  They also scale really well with amps.  The mids on these things are yummy!!!


 
 Did you buy the velour pads aftermarket?what velour headphone did you use on HE-300?coz on that photo the pads i see is like the stock one due to its color 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




,does HE-300 have a strong and punchy bass?and does the mids are well textured to handle weighty guitar distortion for metal music,or its more suitable for listening female vocal(love the voice of Hayley Westenra for now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)?coz currently i doesn't have a full size cans for my desktop setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




,how it compare to the DT880?
 Thank's for the explanation


----------



## bfreedma

Not the best picture ever, but current setup below with the new GS-X


----------



## DVass13

bfreedma said:


> Not the best picture ever, but current setup below with the new GS-X


 
  
 Could you provide some initial thoughts on the GS-X?


----------



## bfreedma

dvass13 said:


> Could you provide some initial thoughts on the GS-X?


 
  
 Sure, though I'll just be repeating the same thoughts as previous owners.
  
 The statement made in the GS-X thread about it being "a wire with gain" is a very accurate description.  Everything seems very balanced and the perception is that the amp is reproducing exactly what's there.  Really, really good tight bass without overemphasis and in perfect balance with the mids and treble.  For example, my Bryston BHA-1 has a black background which I thought was perfect until I heard the GS-X, which has no background at all.  I know that seems like an odd comment, and probably doesn't make much sense until you hear both units.  Not saying the Bryston is bad, just that the GS-X seems to be better (purer?).  The Headamp/LCD3 combo is the best I've heard to date and at this point, it's hard to imagine buying another SS amp.
  
 The build quality is outrageously good and it looks better in person than in most of the pictures.
  
 If you have the patience, I would recommend making a deposit.


----------



## BRCMRGN




----------



## indieman

bfreedma said:


> Not the best picture ever, but current setup below with the new GS-X


 
  
 Nice background there


----------



## screwdriver

second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .


----------



## HeyWaj10

Do tell all that fine equipment ya got there


----------



## bonesnv

screwdriver said:


> second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .


 
  
  
 Love those speakers, the contrast to everything else is perfect.


----------



## ssrock64

heatfan12 said:


> Just re-organized the office corner listening station.
> 
> From left to right:
> 
> ...


 
 What is your favorite amp pairing with the HD650? I'm in the market for a new unit (mostly going back and forth between the Crack and Rega EAR at the moment), and would love to hear what you think of various amps that I haven't yet looked into thoroughly.


----------



## HeatFan12

indrameyz said:


> Did you buy the velour pads aftermarket?what velour headphone did you use on HE-300?coz on that photo the pads i see is like the stock one due to its color
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Hey indrameyz,
  
 I purchased the HE-300 used from a head-fier and they came with velour and pleather pads.  Don't know if they are stock or not.
  
 Yes, punchy bass but not overpowering, mids are delicious and they have handled various genres quite nicely (metal, rock, hip-hop, house, trance, dub etc.).  Vocals are sweeeeet indeed!
  
 The DT880s are more refined overall with less bass and has the edge on the top end.  I'll take the mids of the HE-300 anyday..lol...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers!
  
  
  


ssrock64 said:


> What is your favorite amp pairing with the HD650? I'm in the market for a new unit (mostly going back and forth between the Crack and Rega EAR at the moment), and would love to hear what you think of various amps that I haven't yet looked into thoroughly.


 
  
  
 Hey ssrocks64,
  
 Well, through the years I have plugged them into various amps.  My favorite amp for them that I own if I had to choose one to take to a desert island that has power for a year would be the WA2. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.............Next would be the Mapletree Ear+HD (it's not only for Grados)...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The MKIVSE and DV336SE (fitz mod) are no slouches with 'em either and they sound good indeed but there's something about the WA2 and the synergy.
  
 Solid state I would go with LDMKVII (balanced) and for SE the A-GD NFB-11.32.  The sabre chip in the 11.32 matches very well with the HD650s and really opens them up quite nicely.
  
 I hear the Crack is a monster with the HD650s, but unfortunately never listened to it.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## Aaranu

I stumbled across this thread a couple of months back now and i have finally caught up, ive pretty well read or at least skimmed over every single post. its been very enlightening seeing certain peoples "head-fi station' evolve over the time. My rig is still a bit of a work in progress, i thought i was done but nope, my wa7 TP has been shipped back for repairs, a big shoutout to hifiguy528 or mike, over at Woo audio for taking great care of me!. Ill also probably be picking up a GS-X mk2 the week after next as well. Anyway here is my rig as it currently is. Ill take some nicer shots once i get my final parts in. 
 Sorry about the bad quality pictures, i was expecting them to turn out better.. oh well, i promise the next batch will be better!


----------



## Krutsch

aaranu said:


> I stumbled across this thread a couple of months back now and i have finally caught up, ive pretty well read or at least skimmed over every single post. its been very enlightening seeing certain peoples "head-fi station' evolve over the time. My rig is still a bit of a work in progress, i thought i was done but nope, my wa7 TP has been shipped back for repairs, a big shoutout to hifiguy528 or mike, over at Woo audio for taking great care of me!. Ill also probably be picking up a GS-X mk2 the week after next as well. Anyway here is my rig as it currently is. Ill take some nicer shots once i get my final parts in.
> Sorry about the bad quality pictures, i was expecting them to turn out better.. oh well, i promise the next batch will be better!


 
  
 Very impressive collection of gear.  What do you think of the Lehmann Linear, compared with the other amps?  I've been seriously considering one of these and I see you have phones plugged into the Woo and the Schiit, but not the Lehmann.  Are you still using it?


----------



## indrameyz

@HeatFan12 : seems to be yummy for under $300 
from your impression it can outmanuvering the dt770 80ohm which i found have a laidback mids on it (and the dt770 are spend a lot $ than the HE-300 in my place,even the dt770 are cheaper from the dt880 i still can't enjoy the laidback mids on the dt770  ) thank's mate


----------



## daerron

krutsch said:


> Very impressive collection of gear.  What do you think of the Lehmann Linear, compared with the other amps?  I've been seriously considering one of these and I see you have phones plugged into the Woo and the Schiit, but not the Lehmann.  Are you still using it?


 
  
 See it is listed for sale so I think that answers your question! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I would also be interested to hear some thoughts on how they compare, especially the WA7 as that has been on my radar for a while. Had the BCL as well for around 2 years, before I decided it was a bit lightweight for the HE-500.


----------



## LugBug1

screwdriver said:


> second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .


 
 Beautiful.


----------



## Aaranu

krutsch said:


> Very impressive collection of gear.  What do you think of the Lehmann Linear, compared with the other amps?  I've been seriously considering one of these and I see you have phones plugged into the Woo and the Schiit, but not the Lehmann.  Are you still using it?


 
 As its been said its for sale currently. I think i liked the way it sounded better with my LCD 3s then my mjolnir However not as detailed. Its definetly a good little amp but its past its prime. The wa7 only drives my HD800 and the M/G stack is for the rest of the headphones, i keep them all balanced another reason why i dont use the black cube. However im looking at buying a GS-X mk2 atm


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## bbophead

Pretty.
  
 Nice colorizing.


----------



## martinrajdl

aaranu said:


> I stumbled across this thread a couple of months back now and i have finally caught up, ive pretty well read or at least skimmed over every single post. its been very enlightening seeing certain peoples "head-fi station' evolve over the time. My rig is still a bit of a work in progress, i thought i was done but nope, my wa7 TP has been shipped back for repairs, a big shoutout to hifiguy528 or mike, over at Woo audio for taking great care of me!. Ill also probably be picking up a GS-X mk2 the week after next as well. Anyway here is my rig as it currently is. Ill take some nicer shots once i get my final parts in.
> Sorry about the bad quality pictures, i was expecting them to turn out better.. oh well, i promise the next batch will be better!


 
 Me after seeing this : 

  
 By the way : nice keyboard  and obviously absolutely epic setup. 
 (still wondering why you have rig worth thousands of dollars and 30 dollar ikea chair )


----------



## Aaranu

martinrajdl said:


> Me after seeing this :
> 
> 
> 
> ...



129 down here in Australia, and actually it's a plenty popular chair in this thread actually.  and thank you


----------



## screwdriver

screwdriver said:


> second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .


 
 oppo 105  playing flac and hi re files -- decware csp2+ -- sophia el34 amp -- silverline sr11 + aci subwooder


----------



## martinrajdl

aaranu said:


> 129 down here in Australia, and actually it's a plenty popular chair in this thread actually.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I was just joking  I have pretty much the same thing, only with probably nos as good padding and one it was alot cheaper, but it looks the same.


----------



## longbowbbs

>


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






screwdriver said:


> screwdriver said:
> 
> 
> > second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .
> ...


 
  


 I loved my CSP2+ both as a headphone amp and as a Pre-amp.....Wonderfully musical piece.


----------



## Redcarmoose

screwdriver said:


> second listening area - the lcd-x is missing in action and aci subwoofer by the right side .


----------



## Destroysall

aaranu said:


>


 
 Aaranu, I must compliment you on a nice setup. Question: What is the hi-fi rack in this picture? It looks like the IKEA Lack side tables stacked on top of each other..


----------



## Aaranu

destroysall said:


> Aaranu, I must compliment you on a nice setup. Question: What is the hi-fi rack in this picture? It looks like the IKEA Lack side tables stacked on top of each other..


 
 It sure is! i got the idea from MorbidToaster when he did it way back in this thread... I needed a rack but was very low on funds at the time having just bought my LCD X and something else... oh right HE-560.. I haven't really bought into this anti-vibration stuff.... yet..


----------



## Destroysall

aaranu said:


> It sure is! i got the idea from MorbidToaster when he did it way back in this thread... I needed a rack but was very low on funds at the time having just bought my LCD X and something else... oh right HE-560.. I haven't really bought into this anti-vibration stuff.... yet..


 

 It looks fantastic! I love it in white especially. I thought about building a similar rack and might end up opting for the white color overall. Thanks for sharing! : - )


----------



## Aaranu

destroysall said:


> It looks fantastic! I love it in white especially. I thought about building a similar rack and might end up opting for the white color overall. Thanks for sharing! : - )


Thanks! Glad you liked it! Pretty easy to make as well, plus cheap!


----------



## Arsis

The wifey's Head-Fi station. She has excellent taste as she commandeers the Momentums most often. Also pictured Topping VX1, Realistic Minimus 7 and a glass of D'Autrefois Pinot Noir.


----------



## Clayton SF

Vinyl, Decware amps and Prosecco.
 The best between two amps...


----------



## bigfatpaulie

clayton sf said:


> Vinyl, Decware amps and Prosecco.
> The best between two amps...


 
  
 Vinyl 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Decware amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Prosecco 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 So very, very nice.  Enjoy and all the best!


----------



## Clayton SF

bigfatpaulie said:


> Vinyl
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The best is always recognized by the best.


----------



## AyeVeeN

Bad pic but eh


----------



## HeyWaj10

How do you like those Swans?


----------



## tupi3

My end-game setup (I think). Z-2300's are alright but can't beat the Alessandro's


----------



## AyeVeeN

heywaj10 said:


> How do you like those Swans?


 
  
 Love em. Had em for like 3 years now. Looking to get a sub though since I do miss the lowest frequencies. I use them much more than my headphones actually since I generally don't like the feeling of something on my head.


----------



## LugBug1

ayeveen said:


> Love em. Had em for like 3 years now. Looking to get a sub though since I do miss the lowest frequencies. I use them much more than my headphones actually* since I generally don't like the feeling of something on my head.*


 
 Same here... Thats why I chose to go bald.


----------



## Megalomaniak

Mine today:


----------



## ruthieandjohn




----------



## Megalomaniak

ruthieandjohn said:


>


 
  
  
 I have that lamp lol!


----------



## ssrock64

ruthieandjohn said:


>


 
 I can't say I've ever seen any HD800 combo so boldly colored before, complete with matching HDVD(800?)


----------



## drez

aaranu said:


> It sure is! i got the idea from MorbidToaster when he did it way back in this thread... I needed a rack but was very low on funds at the time having just bought my LCD X and something else... oh right HE-560.. I haven't really bought into this anti-vibration stuff.... yet..


 
  
 Beware, potential way to spend all the money there.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

ssrock64 said:


> I can't say I've ever seen any HD800 combo so boldly colored before, complete with matching HDVD(800?)


 

 Yep... matching HDVD 800 and HD 800!  Matches my low-budget FIAT Abarth Formula 17-1/2 racing car!  Lamp, also recognized by head-fier Megalomaniak, is a properly-tuned lamp for headphone listening... light is properly shielded so as not to interfere with the sound!  This is the Next Big Thing to follow tubes instead of transistors, premium rather than stock cables, and custom instead of stock power cords to connect your headphone amp to the wall power source!!!


----------



## Byrnie

ruthieandjohn said:


> Yep... matching HDVD 800 and HD 800!  Matches my low-budget FIAT Abarth Formula 17-1/2 racing car!  Lamp, also recognized by head-fier Megalomaniak, is a properly-tuned lamp for headphone listening... light is properly shielded so as not to interfere with the sound!  This is the Next Big Thing to follow tubes instead of transistors, premium rather than stock cables, and custom instead of stock power cords to connect your headphone amp to the wall power source!!!



Very cool pic man!


----------



## Aaranu

ruthieandjohn said:


>


 
  
 Love those colours! sooo cool!


drez said:


> Beware, potential way to spend all the money there.


 
  
 Hahaha oh yes im very aware


----------



## x RELIC x

ruthieandjohn said:


> Yep... matching HDVD 800 and HD 800!  Matches my low-budget FIAT Abarth Formula 17-1/2 racing car!  Lamp, also recognized by head-fier Megalomaniak, is a properly-tuned lamp for headphone listening... light is properly shielded so as not to interfere with the sound!  This is the Next Big Thing to follow tubes instead of transistors, premium rather than stock cables, and custom instead of stock power cords to connect your headphone amp to the wall power source!!!




These AND the custom Fiat M-100's, I can only imagine what you've done with all you're other headphones!!

I don't think I've seen so much Fiat love, well maybe except for Giovanni Agnelli.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

x relic x said:


> These AND the custom Fiat M-100's, I can only imagine what you've done with all you're other headphones!!
> 
> I don't think I've seen so much Fiat love, well maybe except for Giovanni Agnelli.


 

 Yep... LOVE that car.  In fact, I gave it a custom license plate displaying the name of the FIAT designer that returned the FIAT 500 to the United States several years ago, and the FIAT website contains a picture of me on bended knee thrusting money into the hands of the FIAT salesperson to buy the privilege of purchasing the first FIAT Abarth Cabrio (i.e., convertible) sold in the state of Michigan.  FIAT freak indeed!


----------



## LugBug1

ruthieandjohn said:


>


 
 Must admit they do look cool.
  
 But you will have to re-decorate your entire apartment to match the rig and your car now


----------



## SpaceRabbit

My home setup, Udac2 going into Little Dot MKIII going to DT880's.


----------



## roscoofyore

i'll contribute.  behold my current set up: 

 : i actually do like the 325is cans.   roger.


----------



## adpo

Downgraded my head-fi game for 4k, among other reasons


----------



## Silent One




----------



## whirlwind

^ Great stand ^


----------



## Silent One

Thanks. To make sure the cans don't get away I made her sign a contract!


----------



## LugBug1

haha love it! 
  
  
 Now that IS Head-fi!


----------



## marts30

adpo said:


> Downgraded my head-fi game for 4k, among other reasons


 
  
 Wow, you really sit that close to that big screen? :O


----------



## adpo

Yes, I do.  4k on a 39" panel at that distance works out to roughly the ideal working pixel density that I'm looking for in a screen.  For enjoying photos or videos, I can just lean back a bit and just feel perfectly immersed in the size and detail of the image


----------



## indieman

What monitor is that? I've been looking into a 4k but so far the refresh ratings aren't up to par...


----------



## William007

deleted due mistakes


----------



## martinrajdl

spacerabbit said:


> My home setup, Udac2 going into Little Dot MKIII going to DT880's.


 
 Maaan, I just love your setup. Its functional,clean,organized and really good looking overall.


----------



## William007

Hello, i've been gone for over a year now due to personal reasons, but i'm back and my setup changed quite a bit.
 my current audio setup: Macbook Pro Retina 13,3" (2,8 GHz i7, 16 GB ram, 512 GB SSD) optical out / Xbox 360--> Optical input selector--> Fiio D03K (temporary solution) / iPad 2 (line out) / Sony CDP-101 / Thorens TD145 MKII--> Jec TC-716 input selector--> Harman/Kardon Soundsticks III / Schiit Asgard--> Grado SR80i/ Wharfedale Isodynamic
  
  

  
  
  
 This was my old setup, so i've gone a long way


----------



## SpaceRabbit

Thanks  I like things organized.


----------



## William007

spacerabbit said:


> My home setup, Udac2 going into Little Dot MKIII going to DT880's.


 
 What vertical monitor is that? is that a monitor stand or a genuine vertical monitor? and nice setup btw


----------



## SpaceRabbit

william007 said:


> What vertical monitor is that? is that a monitor stand or a genuine vertical monitor? and nice setup btw


 
 It's a Dell U2211 Ultrasharp. I just rotated it to be vertical as it's stand supports that. I like having both the widescreen and vertical formats for the work I do, works out nice


----------



## William007

spacerabbit said:


> It's a Dell U2211 Ultrasharp. I just rotated it to be vertical as it's stand supports that. I like having both the widescreen and vertical formats for the work I do, works out nice


 
 Thanks, i've been looking for a good vertical monitor for a while now for my mac


----------



## SpaceRabbit

william007 said:


> Thanks, i've been looking for a good vertical monitor for a while now for my mac


 
 No worries, it's actually a really great monitor. I like that it's a 22 inch that still supports for 1080p res, has great color as well.


----------



## adpo

indieman said:


> What monitor is that? I've been looking into a 4k but so far the refresh ratings aren't up to par...


 
 It's the cheap 39" seiki 4k tv.  If refresh ratings are your Achilles's heel, then it probably isn't your cup of tea as it can only handle 30hz@4k with stupid amounts of input lag at native resolution. On the other hand, 120hz at 1080 is pretty sweet for gaming.


----------



## blades

Does it get any simpler than this?


----------



## ForShure

Does anyone know anything about this Concept 2.5 Receiver? Saved it from the garbage today.


----------



## indieman

It's dusty...


----------



## Errymoose

spacerabbit said:


> My home setup, Udac2 going into Little Dot MKIII going to DT880's.


 
 Had a bit of a chuckle cause I think the chair might be the most expensive thing in that picture...
  
 Nice chair though... I have one at work.  Can't afford one at home though.


----------



## ssrock64

forshure said:


> Does anyone know anything about this Concept 2.5 Receiver? Saved it from the garbage today.


 
 The guys over in the vintage integrated thread will know exactly what to think of it.


----------



## SpaceRabbit

errymoose said:


> Had a bit of a chuckle cause I think the chair might be the most expensive thing in that picture...
> 
> Nice chair though... I have one at work.  Can't afford one at home though.


 
 Hehe, this is true but I got a killer deal on it, otherwise there would be no way I would have it. I have one at work as well, which planted the seed of want for one at home.


----------



## SpaceRabbit

banmetryagain said:


> Unfortunately having just signed up (literally only for this thread) I cant embed pictures (yet?). So this'll have to do:
> 
> http://1drv.ms/1kvT9vV
> 
> ...


 
 Wow, that is a work of art, I love your space!


----------



## RestoredSparda

Added a Schiit Wyrd and an SSD for the mini now that prices are more reasonable for them. HE-560s are out for repair so the 500s are back on my head.  Thanks for the inside peak at everyone's set ups. It's amazing how much variation is possible to find one's audio nirvana.


----------



## cowsandcorn

I just kind of cram my gear where it fits. More room for records 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## wahsmoh

We recently renovated our garage and converted it into a room. My new office :]


----------



## bbophead

cowsandcorn said:


> I just kind of cram my gear where it fits. More room for records
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice table, turntable that is.


----------



## ssrock64

wahsmoh said:


> We recently renovated our garage and converted it into a room. My new office :]


 
 Are those the black ADs? I can't really tell from the photos. How do you like them?


----------



## wahsmoh

ssrock64 said:


> Are those the black ADs? I can't really tell from the photos. How do you like them?


 
 Yeah they are the black ADs. They sound fantastic :] I have a lot of posts in the Alpha Dog forum raving about them.


----------



## mikroski




----------



## Byrnie

mikroski said:


>



Great picture!


----------



## cowsandcorn

mikroski said:


> Those firefly amps sure are purdy.


----------



## mikroski

Quote:


byrnie said:


> Great picture!


 
  
  


cowsandcorn said:


> > Those firefly amps sure are purdy.


 
 Thanks and glad that you like it, Byrnie, cowsandcorn


----------



## CJs06

So corf





mikroski said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Thanks and glad that you like it, Byrnie, cowsandcorn



So colorful! That W7 is a hit.


----------



## Silent One

At-a-glance the tubes look like Coca-Cola bottles inside a vending machine (w/iconic red labels).


----------



## aroldan




----------



## CrocCap

it will never be this clean again.


----------



## Byrnie

croccap said:


> it will never be this clean again.


 
 That's a sweet desk!


----------



## ssrock64

croccap said:


> it will never be this clean again.


 
 It seems that you're a fan of vintage gear, even down to your furniture.


----------



## sprite40

croccap said:


> it will never be this clean again.


 

 OMG...that is so..*Beautiful!*


----------



## philo50

sprite40 said:


> OMG...that is so..*Beautiful!*


 
 ha ha....that's great.....


----------



## CrocCap

I was just looking for a big corner desk, and i found one on craigslst. it just happened to have an antique look, i dont think it actually is though.
 and yes, i love the vintage amps, turntables, tuners, ect.


----------



## Megalomaniak

Night-o-listening.


----------



## Zojokkeli

Some updates have taken place since last time. Gone are the crammed up little table and little Schiits, among other stuff.
  

  
 Replacing Modi, Vali and HRT MSII+ with Bifrost Uber and Asgard 2.
  

  

  
 Current hp collection: Sennheiser Momentums and Fostex TH900. TH900's are basically brand spanking new, got them last friday and loving them more and more each passing day!


----------



## Byrnie

zojokkeli said:


> Some updates have taken place since last time. Gone are the crammed up little table and little Schiits, among other stuff.
> 
> Replacing Modi, Vali and HRT MSII+ with Bifrost Uber and Asgard 2.
> 
> Current hp collection: Sennheiser Momentums and Fostex TH900. TH900's are basically brand spanking new, got them last friday and loving them more and more each passing day!


 
 We're twins.  I have the same setup with my TH900s along with the same headphone stand haha.  Great minds think alike


----------



## Zojokkeli

byrnie said:


> We're twins.  I have the same setup with my TH900s along with the same headphone stand haha.  Great minds think alike


 
  
 You share an excellent taste!


----------



## Fugue




----------



## DVass13

fugue said:


>


 
  
 Which Oppo is that?


----------



## 62ohm

I think it's the OPPO BDP-103/105


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Buy of the week :
  

  
 Ali


----------



## Anavel0

Nice score, Ali!


----------



## Fugue

dvass13 said:


> Which Oppo is that?


 
 105. The other player is a Sony XA 5400ES SACD player, which currently feeds the WA6.


----------



## ssrock64

ali-pacha said:


> Buy of the week :
> 
> Ali


 
 Wow, now that's a blast from the past.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

ssrock64 said:


> Wow, now that's a blast from the past.


 
 May I provide you something from the present ?





  
 Ali


----------



## DVass13

My newly reorganized wall of sound.


----------



## CJs06

^ Impressed!


----------



## Byrnie

My idea of relaxing:


----------



## bmichels

Great Pictures guys...
  
 mine is ...transportable


----------



## CJs06

^ Now that's an interesting rig, never seen a portable tube amp like that before.


----------



## bmichels

cjs06 said:


> ^ Now that's an interesting rig, never seen a portable tube amp like that before.


 
 inside (I did some mods to it) :


----------



## CJs06

Very cool indeed.


----------



## lin0003

Listening to the HD700 right now, very impressed with them so far.


----------



## 62ohm

Nice setup mate! The HD700 looks like it belongs to be the complement of the HD800.


----------



## lin0003

62ohm said:


> Nice setup mate! The HD700 looks like it belongs to be the complement of the HD800.


 
 Definitely. Very different, the HD700 is fun and exciting whereas the HD800 is neutral and very revealing.


----------



## ssrock64

bmichels said:


> Great Pictures guys...
> 
> mine is ...transportable


 
 That's a super cool transportable setup, if a bit impractical for typical portable duties. I'd love to have that as a traveling rig for hotels and libraries, though.


----------



## Ishcabible

Finally have a presentable-looking picture instead of the usual clutter


----------



## lin0003

Wow, that looks spectacular!


----------



## eugenius




----------



## Tasoeur

My headfi station is rarely this clean


----------



## bmichels

tasoeur said:


> My headfi station is rarely this clean


----------



## Tasoeur

bmichels said:


>


 
 I'll put the same notice at my workplace


----------



## Brian_the_King

A bit of clutter, but I do love my set up for what it is. New speakers will be probably be on my list when I have a better listening space... the acoustics are fairly poor where they stand now.
  
 The Emotiva takes in from either the CD changer or my laptop, and out to the either the DRA-395 or my newly-acquired MHM Boutique


----------



## jtaylor991

tribestros said:


> My MartinLogan 8" sub (perfect for music in an apartment.


 
 How do you get away with using a sub in an apartment? Seems like that'd be terrible for anyone surrounding you...


----------



## wahsmoh

jtaylor991 said:


> How do you get away with using a sub in an apartment? Seems like that'd be terrible for anyone surrounding you...




Haha when I lived in an apartment I was using a 12"" 250 rms 1000 watt and I had about 3 noise complaints where the property manager actually came up and told me to turn it down. I was on the 3rd floor and she said I managed to shake her glass framed office on the 1st floor. She told me if I had one more she would have written me up. So I would blast music in the middle of the day when I was living in a college apartment.


----------



## josh just josh

wahsmoh said:


> Haha when I lived in an apartment I was using a 12"" 250 rms 1000 watt and I had about 3 noise complaints where the property manager actually came up and told me to turn it down. I was on the 3rd floor and she said I managed to shake her glass framed office on the 1st floor. She told me if I had one more she would have written me up. So I would blast music in the middle of the day when I was living in a college apartment.


 
  
 That's a lot less cool than you think it is...


----------



## jtaylor991

josh just josh said:


> That's a lot less cool than you think it is...


 

 Agreed...


----------



## penmarker

josh just josh said:


> That's a lot less cool than you think it is...


 
 Touche.


----------



## Redcarmoose

josh just josh said:


> That's a lot less cool than you think it is...







jtaylor991 said:


> Agreed...









Sounds correct coming from a headphone enthusiast site. Talk to a bunch of 20 year old college kids and get a different view of life and manors.  Just sayen.


----------



## bonesnv

redcarmoose said:


> Sounds correct coming from a headphone enthusiast site. Talk to a bunch of 20 year old college kids and get a different view of life and manors.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Doesn't negate the wrongness of being a dick to your neighbors for the fun of it, whether they have a differing point of view or not, their point of view is wrong and illegal.  Just sayin.


----------



## zilch0md

On a lighter note...
  
 Here's my new rig in the den:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/15857/post-a-picture-of-your-headphone-rig/1500#post_10788898
  
 Mike


----------



## ssrock64

zilch0md said:


> On a lighter note...
> 
> Here's my new rig in the den:
> 
> ...


 

 I see no PM-1. Did you get rid of it?


----------



## zilch0md

ssrock64 said:


> I see no PM-1. Did you get rid of it?


 
  
 Sacrilege!  LOL  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I still have the PM-1 - I was posting about it just yesterday...
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/685704/oppo-pm-1-a-new-planar-magnetic-headphone/2310#post_10785878
  
 Mike


----------



## WALL-E

Not the best picture and not the best Hi Fi Rack ever, but current setup below with the new SHA 1.0 head amp, lend for one week but after 2 hours with hd800 I'm not going to sent it back.


----------



## HesterDW

Super Bass Bros.


----------



## .Sup

Noce setup walle! I especially like that rack. What camera did you use? I am buying a decent camera and your photos look clean.


----------



## WALL-E

.sup said:


> Noce setup walle! I especially like that rack. What camera did you use? I am buying a decent camera and your photos look clean.


 
  
 thanks! It was my 5 old or so, canon d450 with EF 24-105mm lens, set on a tripod at low iso settings.


----------



## martinrajdl

Totally love both of the stups above. Both Wall-e and HesterDW. 
  
 Wall-e´s setup looks like little box of joy


----------



## LugBug1

wall-e said:


> Not the best picture and not the best Hi Fi Rack ever, but current setup below with the new SHA 1.0 head amp, lend for one week but after 2 hours with hd800 I'm not going to sent it back.


 
 Like it like it like it!


----------



## ssrock64

zilch0md said:


> Sacrilege!  LOL
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I just had to make sure. I'm no longer actively following either PM-1 thread, but after all the raving you did about it I would have been genuinely surprised to see it go.


----------



## Angry




----------



## autoteleology

ruthieandjohn said:


> the FIAT website contains a picture of me on bended knee thrusting money into the hands of the FIAT salesperson


 
  
 Where is the picture?


----------



## Kiwikat

Pretty bland compared to others here but it rocks my world!


----------



## ruthieandjohn

tus-chan said:


> Where is the picture?


 

 Rah Cheer....  third story down:  http://blog.fiatusa.com/you/story-booth-collection-21/


----------



## 62ohm

kiwikat said:


> Pretty bland compared to others here but it rocks my world!


 
  
 I always liked the way the Mjolnir/Gungnir stack looks...


----------



## Silent One

Kiwikat, it looks like a nice pile of sch...er...stack of audio and nuthin' looking bland about it.


----------



## MickeyVee

I think the Schiit stacks are becoming classics from the Modi/Vali to the Bifrost/Lyr to the Mjo/Gun.  Can't wait to see/hear the new stuff on the market.


----------



## autoteleology

> Originally Posted by *kayandjohn* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Rah Cheer....  third story down:  http://blog.fiatusa.com/you/story-booth-collection-21/


 

 Amazing!


----------



## Defiant00

kiwikat said:


> Pretty bland compared to others here but it rocks my world!


 
  
 Bland or not (and personally I think it looks pretty great), I'm sure it sounds amazing.


----------



## Phonelaf




----------



## Redcarmoose

kiwikat said:


> Pretty bland compared to others here but it rocks my world!






You have to admire the clean simplicity of it. Bet it sounds perfect! Simple is were it's at. IMO


----------



## kphfrail

wall-e said:


> Not the best picture and not the best Hi Fi Rack ever, but current setup below with the new SHA 1.0 head amp, lend for one week but after 2 hours with hd800 I'm not going to sent it back.


 
  
 This setup looks so nice. I am jealous :]


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## JoeDoe

angry said:


>




Loving the headphone tree!


----------



## HesterDW

joedoe said:


>


 
 What in the world are those? I don't see them anywhere in your sig. More pics!


----------



## JML

Desk at home, the Oppo HA-1 and PM-1 on a Woo Audio stand.  Two other headphones (the PSB and V-MODA) are on AT stands, on a bookshelf behind me.


----------



## indieman

kiwikat said:


> Pretty bland compared to others here but it rocks my world!


 
  
 My fav pic from here in awhile


----------



## Kiwikat

indieman said:


> My fav pic from here in awhile


 
  
 Don't exactly know why, but thanks.


----------



## JoeDoe

hesterdw said:


> What in the world are those? I don't see them anywhere in your sig. More pics!




The phones or the stack?


----------



## thomascrown

indieman said:


> My fav pic from here in awhile


 

 Same! So simple.. so sexy


----------



## bmichels

Why no old pictures ???  
  
 In those time, they did not had to worry about Streamer v/s Server, jitter, USB compatibility, NAS, Wifi, bit rates, PCM v/s DSD, Up-sampling v/s Natif, DACs, pré amps, amps....  lucky guys


----------



## GearHead70

I'm new on here and I figured I'd check this whole thread before I post my gear so I've been wrestling my way through it for several nights on end now. just hit page 1000 out of 1240. Good reading and watching pictures - learned a lot so far
 now, I got some more reading to do...


----------



## Silent One

@ GearHead70
  





 You're so close...and welcome aboard!


----------



## whirlwind

yea....welcome....and watch your wallet!
  
 Good to have you here.


----------



## GearHead70

Thanks whirlwind
 I don't intend to start a collection of cans and amp. But I suppose some of you also had that idea at first


----------



## topgun23

angry said:


>


 
 You need a brighter light...


----------



## bonesnv

topgun23 said:


> You need a brighter light...


 
  
 Maybe he tans while listening to music?


----------



## MLGrado

Hi all!  Here is my bedroom Head-fi/Hi-fi!  Work in progress, as always.  (Sorry for grainy Nexus 7 tablet pics!)
  
  
 Source:_* Custom built gaming/movie/audio server PC*_.   Currently at 13 Terrabytes of storage, with about 11 of those full!!! 
  
  

  
  
 Speakers:  *Bowers and Wilkins 686 S2*
 Headphones:_* Grado RS1i*_, and _*Sennheiser HD558*_
  

  
  
 Front end: _* iFi iDSD Micro DAC*_
 Power:  _*iFi iUSB*_
Cables: _*iFi Gemini USB / Audioquest Cinammon USB *(5v power line cut) _
  
 Other equipment :
  
_*Integra Research RDC-7 preamp/ Behringer A500 two channel amp/ Furman Power conditioning*_
_*Technics SL-3200 Vintage turntable*_
_*iFi iRack Stand*_


----------



## HesterDW

joedoe said:


> The phones or the stack?


 
 The stack.


----------



## ssrock64

It's time to pack everything up and move to Chicago, and I'm leaving all my speaker gear behind. Here's one of my two main headphone setups (ODAC > AMC 1100 > HD650) in its box getting ready for the journey. The ESP950/E90 got a box of its own, as did my CD player. I'm relying on my portable chain for the next couple hotel nights.


----------



## escobar090

It's been a couple of weeks since I got my new NFB-15 (2014), really happy so far. Pairs awesome with the HE-4 (which really benefits from lots of power)


----------



## kelvintam

My very basic desktop rig. I use it mostly to stream music from Spotify.


----------



## Byrnie

ssrock64 said:


> It's time to pack everything up and move to Chicago, and I'm leaving all my speaker gear behind. Here's one of my two main headphone setups (ODAC > AMC 1100 > HD650) in its box getting ready for the journey. The ESP950/E90 got a box of its own, as did my CD player. I'm relying on my portable chain for the next couple hotel nights.


 
 Safe travels man!


----------



## WALL-E

kphfrail said:


> This setup looks so nice. I am jealous :


 
  Thanks
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Quote:


phonelaf said:


>


 
 I like that, nice and simple, beautiful headphones.


----------



## JoeDoe

hesterdw said:


> The stack.




That's a cherry-faced O2/ODAC combo. 1/4 Jack and rear power input.


----------



## Defiant00

kelvintam said:


> My very basic desktop rig. I use it mostly to stream music from Spotify.


 
  

  
 Embedded for you.


----------



## GearHead70

^ now that's the most original headphone stand I've seen on here


----------



## TooPoor

A pic before I offload everything...


----------



## 62ohm

I know a lot of people don't like the look of the new HiFiMans, but I think they look sick! Looks absolutely sophisticated and IMO, much better than the old HiFiMans..


----------



## TooPoor

Not to mention they sound amazing. The ultimate 'out of the box' open headphone. Sadly, they'll be going along with the Enigmas and the LaFigaro. Time to sell and rebuild!


----------



## JoeDoe

joedoe said:


> That's a cherry-faced O2/ODAC combo. 1/4 Jack and rear power input.


----------



## spurxiii

Trying the TH600s on the speaker amps


----------



## johnman1116

Here is my current setup.
 At this point of sonic satisfaction and financial (st)ability, I do not feel the need to upgrade. I think I have hit that perfect level of diminishing returns before things start to cost "too much". 
 I am for now a happy camper


----------



## GearHead70

Hi all,
 Here's my humble home listening station:
 laptop -> Denon DRA-735R -> Shure SRH940


----------



## coolcucumber91

Ehhh I'm not an audiophile but this is my humble setup. Ultrasone HFI 580's and Antec Soundscience Speakers (got 'em for 80 bucks!)


----------



## Ra97oR

Brunch of headphones currently out of the cupboard.


----------



## HesterDW

For anyone interested in an affordable double headphone stand. It's a Copper Colour S9, $40 alternative to the Woo HPS-T.


----------



## Destroysall

Received a gift from a fellow Head-Fi'er just recently. Listening to it now, I am loving it and probably will replace my EF2A with it until I upgrade to the Valhalla.


----------



## kman1211

Got a new amp, the Schiit Lyr 2. Also just moved into a new dorm so organization is a bit of a mess right now, bit of a cable nightmare right now.


----------



## ejwiles

I've always loved the way the Lyr looks, especially with socket savers so the tubes stick up farther (I have the original).  If you haven't yet, check out the Schiit Lyr Tube Rollers thread (new and old).  Tons of info there.  Congrats on the new amp, I think you'll be happy!


----------



## LifeAspect

grabbing a new camera next month or so :x


----------



## Androb

lifeaspect said:


> grabbing a new camera next month or so :x



Great stuff. How does it pair with the lcd-3?


----------



## navigavi

lifeaspect said:


> grabbing a new camera next month or so :x


 
  
 Very nice setup! Still using the V800 I see. How does the ALO Audio Studio Six compares with the v200 and hdva 600 you had previously? I have the v800/v200 combo, but I'm looking for an amp upgrade. I heard good things about the hdva 600. I'm wondering why you sold it.


----------



## Drsparis




----------



## betweentheears

Nice....clean and simple!


----------



## Byrnie

drsparis said:


>


 
 That's a really slick desk.  Where did you get that desk from or what brand & model is it?  It looks really nice!


----------



## kman1211

ejwiles said:


> I've always loved the way the Lyr looks, especially with socket savers so the tubes stick up farther (I have the original).  If you haven't yet, check out the Schiit Lyr Tube Rollers thread (new and old).  Tons of info there.  Congrats on the new amp, I think you'll be happy!


 

 I like how it looks too, pictures don't really do it justice though. I have some socket savers in the mail, I'm mainly getting them for cooling purposes though. I'll look into tube rolling eventually, I want to see how it is once the tubes burn-in, then maybe they will burn in. The Lyr 2 is supposed to sound a litle different, I have heard the first Lyr but it's been a long time with different headphones and I doubt it had the same tubes so I can't really compare them. Thank you, I think I will, it's sounding better by the hour.


----------



## Drsparis

Thanks, I bought it on kijiji for 80$ a steal if you ask me! Sadly it doesn't have any branding on it  

I saw it 3 months before I moved and was sad because it looks like (and is) The perfect desk. Computer slot on the left, file drawer on the right and another random drawer over file drawer.


----------



## LifeAspect

navigavi said:


> Very nice setup! Still using the V800 I see. How does the ALO Audio Studio Six compares with the v200 and hdva 600 you had previously? I have the v800/v200 combo, but I'm looking for an amp upgrade. I heard good things about the hdva 600. I'm wondering why you sold it.


 
 I sold my hdvd800 because it didn't seem to pair so well with my previous audeze headphone (lcd-x). I'd reckon the v200 would be a better match than the hdvd800 for the audeze. I sold it because I wanted a capable amp for both the sennheiser and the audeze and the pairing is nearly perfect.
  
 I might sell the V800 for the new chord hugo dac in the near future so I can use my in ears (can't use the in ears on the studio six)


----------



## x RELIC x

lifeaspect said:


>




THAT should sound stunning!! :eek:

Very nice.


----------



## dynavit

Hi,
Just changed my system to a Malvalve Headamp 3. it will replace a Cavalli Liquid Fire and a HighAmp Hybrid by Rille (both for sale now. Send email if interested).
I will keep my Stax SRM 007 modified for 6S4A tubes. Drives my SR 007 even better than the Malvalve. The Highamp plays on same level, more dynamic, but to big for my rack. 
Source : Ayre QB 9 DSD, Laptop win8 , JRiver 19, JPlay 
Headphones: AKG812, Sennheiser HD800, 
A lot of good fun!


----------



## mamamia88




----------



## sarahkho

gamtha said:


> I'm such a tease.


 
 I was browsing the forum and I saw this post. Can someone please explain what this whole setup is?


----------



## bonesnv

sarahkho said:


> I was browsing the forum and I saw this post. Can someone please explain what this whole setup is?


 
  
 It powers the TARDIS.


----------



## one-eyed-xander

New house, new listening station. Audio is from Mac Pro out of shot, controlled using Apple's Remote app on iPad. Optical out to NuForce Icon HDP, then to Emotiva Mini-x, and home-made speaker taps to HE-500 (in shot hanging from convenient hook). Chair is (of course) an Ikea Poäng - cheap but really comfortable. All this plus tasty beverage at hand = bliss.


----------



## Chops

Just took this pic about an hour ago. Moved the receiver up top (main headphone amp), removed the CD player that I no longer use, put the music iPad and highly modded 708B head amp down below, and just have the "forum browsing" iPad chilling down there as well.


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## ForShure

My Sunday night


----------



## Krutsch

bonesnv said:


> It powers the TARDIS.


 
  
 Ha ha... but I think you are wrong.  It's a double-blind, A/B comparitor rig.


----------



## indieman

Yum. Is that any good? (beer)


----------



## Dogmatrix




----------



## ForShure

indieman said:


> Yum. Is that any good? (beer)


 

 Not bad, I'm not a beer expert but it's got a nice blend of malt and citrus. The part I like the most has to be the can lol.


----------



## Eee Pee

sarahkho said:


> I was browsing the forum and I saw this post. Can someone please explain what this whole setup is?


 
  
  
 http://www.mbl.de/?lang=en


----------



## craftyhack

sarahkho said:


> I was browsing the forum and I saw this post. Can someone please explain what this whole setup is?


 
  
  


bonesnv said:


> It powers the TARDIS.


 
  
  


krutsch said:


> Ha ha... but I think you are wrong.  It's a double-blind, A/B comparitor rig.


 
  
 The TARDIS would probably be cheaper .
  
 Believe it or not I think this is a "normal" rig, those are being used as monoblocks... I guess... or as stereo but biamped, or maybe triwired/biamped or similar, I need to see the back of the amps and speakers... given the crapload of cables from each amp to each speaker hard to say!  Can at least say one amp per speaker, so it is "only" a 2 ch setup .  The main gear that you see that really stands out (speakers and amps) are from MBL (http://www.mbl-northamerica.com/main/), where the speakers are Radialstrahler 101 mkII's I think, and the monoblocks look like 9008s or 9011's.  This I am guessing based on pics from their website, this stuff is too trite and beneath me to have ever bothered to have my servants purchase and audition on my behalf.  Dropping the sarcasm, these look to sell for a bit less than I paid for my house I think(and are probably worth more, and I am just talking about the speakers :/).  I am not sure I ever want to hear them, ignorance is bliss and all of that.  From Stereophile on mbl stuff, and I quote: "Yes, the price is other-worldy but if I won the PowerBall, this would be my exit-level, "I see God" system!":  http://www.stereophile.com/content/mbls-extreme-x-treme (review on similar speakers with better drivers, the ones in their pic above aren't even TOTL!!).
  
 I have no idea on the other gear or the interconnects...
  
 EDIT:  I started my post before the other one pointing to the German site, whoops.  Also, the speakers in the pic could be 101E's or mkIIs it looks like, I found a review on this model speakers from Stereophile:  http://www.stereophile.com/content/mbl-radialstrahler-101e-mkii-loudspeaker , and relief, of reliefs, these speakers are much cheaper than the $263K of the extreme model in my original link(part of the cost includes the 6 ft sub arrays), the ones in the pic posted here are "only" $70k a pair.  That is actually quite a bit cheaper than I expected after seeing the setup .


----------



## Klots

My little station 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Sennheiser HD700
 Bottlehead Crack (no speedball yet) with CBS 5814A & GE 6AS7GA tubes
 Schiit Modi


----------



## navigavi

Quote:


klots said:


> My little station
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Very nice!  You don't see the hd700 so often. Is that a small dent in the mid plate of the outside of the driver?


----------



## Rem0o

klots said:


> My little station
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Sweet wood finish on that crack. Good job


----------



## ssrock64

I haven't heard of many people pairing the HD700 with the Crack, though obviously the HD650 is its most popular pairing. Do they actually blend well, or are you looking for something else? I'm guessing that it helps warm the HD700 up a bit more than stock.


----------



## Nada190




----------



## MichaelsGG

Small but good enough for now


----------



## MaKa13

My humble listening stop:
  
  

  

  
 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 2014 > A WooAudio WA 7 > Audeze LCD-2.2.
  
 The recliner is Ekornes stressless and the small shelf that the gears are on top is some IKEA made shelf. The headphone stand comes from an Etsy store (PM me if you wanted the store name, link). I am gearing up to get a Decware and a STAX set sometime next year if nothing else cause me broke till then


----------



## .Sup

Nice cosy setup Maka!


----------



## SunTanScanMan

@MaKa13 - I always appreciate a room with some greenery 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Also that chair looks so comfortable - somewhere you could just disappear into.


----------



## ssrock64

It always stuns me that in these days a Woo > LCD-2 chain can be considered humble. The hobby sure has moved up in price since the pre-Orpheus days.


----------



## indieman

Not for all of us. My best cans atm are porta pros...


----------



## anetode

indieman said:


> Not for all of us. My best cans atm are porta pros...


 

 Which are awesome!


----------



## Klots

navigavi said:


> Quote:
> 
> Very nice!  You don't see the hd700 so often. Is that a small dent in the mid plate of the outside of the driver?


 
 Yep that is small dent. 
  


rem0o said:


> Sweet wood finish on that crack. Good job


 
 Thanks! Dark walnut is nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


ssrock64 said:


> I haven't heard of many people pairing the HD700 with the Crack, though obviously the HD650 is its most popular pairing. Do they actually blend well, or are you looking for something else? I'm guessing that it helps warm the HD700 up a bit more than stock.


 
 I will not change out the amp, because I love Crack 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But I am looking for another dac. Want to turn up the SQ a bit. I think they do blend well. At least to my ears. Stock tubes were RCA 12AU7 and RCA6080 as usual, but I changed them to CBS5814A and GE 6AS7GA and now I am waiting for my Tung-Sol/Chatham 5998 tube. I read that 5998 and CBS5814A tubes pair really well. My stock 6080 tube was really microphonic and with stock 12au7 the HD700 had treble spike. Now it is dead silent and everything is well.


----------



## MaKa13

en_r said:


> Oh yeah pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 This looks pretty sleek to me. I was wondering what is the device which shows *Pont 96k*?
  


synthax said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 I am trying to see what is that amp/block next to the headphone? And what speakers are these? I read multiple pages after these but couldn't find any further reply from Synthax to see what those are.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Synthax

Well, this is my old setup. It was vintage but great Philips CD104 Player, Crimson 610C preamplifier, Crimson 620C power amplifier and Rehdeko Rk115 french, very effective speakers. Very nice setup indeed, but actually my setup is far more better: Pioneer PD9700 transport, Lampizator Level 4 dac and Espressivo preamp, Crimson 620C power amp and open baffle speakers:


----------



## ssrock64

synthax said:


> Well, this is my old setup. It was vintage but great Philips CD104 Player, Crimson 610C preamplifier, Crimson 620C power amplifier and Rehdeko Rk115 french, very effective speakers. Very nice setup indeed, but actually my setup is far more better: Pioneer PD9700 transport, Lampizator Level 4 dac and Espressivo preamp, Crimson 620C power amp and open baffle speakers:


 
 Wow, that's beautiful. All the white in the room and on the equipment makes it seem almost minimal despite the enormous size of the speakers themselves.


----------



## whirlwind

^  Very Nice! ^


----------



## MaKa13

synthax said:


> Well, this is my old setup. It was vintage but great Philips CD104 Player, Crimson 610C preamplifier, Crimson 620C power amplifier and Rehdeko Rk115 french, very effective speakers. Very nice setup indeed, but actually my setup is far more better: Pioneer PD9700 transport, Lampizator Level 4 dac and Espressivo preamp, Crimson 620C power amp and open baffle speakers:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Thanks for the information. Your new setup looks very sleek.


----------



## LifeAspect

so I finally got a decent camera so I thought I might as well try it out with my audio gear with the following result:


----------



## Synthax

How do you compare Violectric to Tube Amp sound?


----------



## RAPGOD

Hey, I don't mean to bother you. But how can I make a new thread? I'm new to this site and its layout.


----------



## LifeAspect

from what I can remember, the violectric v200 had a pretty "tuby" sound, in the end I was rather disappointed in the hdvd800 with the lcd-x. I reckon soundwise the violectric came rather close to the studio six actually, although it has been so long since I heard it. Can't AB test anymore. I do remember the V200's bass extension wasn't as good as the tube amp, but not bad either. V200 probably is one of the best amps I have heard for the HD800 and after getting the hdvd800 I kinda missed its sound signature, so ended up with tubes.


----------



## .Sup

rapgod said:


> Hey, I don't mean to bother you. But how can I make a new thread? I'm new to this site and its layout.



Select a forum in the header, for example "Headphones" and then just below the forum name is "Start a new thread".


----------



## thomascrown

lifeaspect said:


> I was rather disappointed in the hdvd800 with the lcd-x.


 
 At this point I'd love to hear the v200 and compare it with my setup


----------



## RAPGOD

Okay, thanks


----------



## 62ohm

thomascrown said:


> lifeaspect said:
> 
> 
> > I was rather disappointed in the hdvd800 with the lcd-x.
> ...


 
  
 I went with the Senn amp for my HD800 when I compared it with the V200. The Violectric rolled off the treble of the HD800 too much for me, but it does sound sweet and lush, so it is easy to see why many would like the sound of it.


----------



## spbach

Funny thing, I just got the deal of my life on a V200 and V800 for $1000. They get here this week and I'll post pictures when I get the chance!


----------



## 62ohm

spbach said:


> Funny thing, I just got the deal of my life on a V200 and V800 for $1000. They get here this week and I'll post pictures when I get the chance!


 
  
 Well that is one hell of a deal mate, grats!


----------



## Armaegis

I told myself I wouldn't get any more headphones after my HE-6...
  
  

  
 And then in the basement I just have boxes of old stuff...  (why yes that's a rare ortho sitting there, thanks for asking)
  

  
  
 ... I think I may have a problem guys.


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## bbophead

joedoe said:


>


 
 Beauty shot.  Thanks (from a GradoHead).


----------



## indieman

armaegis said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yum; hd598. If I could eat a headphone, it would be that one. Looks like a coffee flavored dessert :3


----------



## FastAndClean

armaegis said:


> ... I think I may have a problem guys.


 
 We all have the same problem


----------



## bigfatpaulie

indieman said:


> Yum; hd598. If I could eat a headphone, it would be that one. Looks like a coffee flavored dessert :3


 
  
 That's a great idea for a thread - Headphones as food.  
  
  
 ..
  
  
 ..
  
 Well, maybe not


----------



## craftyhack

fastandclean said:


> We all have the same problem


 
 Yes.... yes... I think we do.  Except instead of having a HP "Anonymous" program (is there one?!?!), we have a glorious forum to share and even feed the addiction, complete with buy/sell/trade forums to score and even pic threads and thorough pictorials/reviews to help feed that flame of "THIS is the last "x" I will ever need to be perfectly happy with my rig...".  What I tell myself now about gear sounds almost exactly like what I told myself about partying for so long. "I will NEVER drink like that again" the morning (or afternoon) after was a chant in my earlier years, and it only took about 15 years before that was true (cept every now and then, but those don't count, "a few months" pretty much equals "never" in my book).


----------



## bbophead

craftyhack said:


> fastandclean said:
> 
> 
> > We all have the same problem
> ...


 
 I see nothing here to disagree with.


----------



## DonutDeflector

I would probably eat the HD 598 too, looks like a pancake with maple syrup.


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> I told myself I wouldn't get any more headphones after my HE-6...
> 
> And then in the basement I just have boxes of old stuff...  (why yes that's a rare ortho sitting there, thanks for asking)
> 
> ... I think I may have a problem guys.


 
 What is the rightmost headphone in that first photo?


----------



## Armaegis

ssrock64 said:


> What is the rightmost headphone in that first photo?


 
  
 The Enigma... http://www.head-fi.org/t/706262/lffs-enigma-new-from-the-maker-of-the-paradox


----------



## ssrock64

armaegis said:


> The Enigma... http://www.head-fi.org/t/706262/lffs-enigma-new-from-the-maker-of-the-paradox


 

 Ah, I guess I'm behind the news on this one. I'm a fan of the Paradox, so I'm sure I'd enjoy this new creation.


----------



## LifeAspect

lifeaspect said:


> so I finally got a decent camera so I thought I might as well try it out with my audio gear with the following result:


 

 pic of full setup


----------



## jackskelly

lifeaspect said:


> pic of full setup


 
  
 Very nice. How do the LS50's sound? I've heard nothing but great things about them. I'm considering them as my next pair of monitors.


----------



## IceClass

lifeaspect said:


> pic of full setup


 
  
  
 I'd be interested in your opinions of the LS50s too.
 I've repeatedly considered and then discounted getting a pair.
 I've heard many good reviews used in nearfield mode and they seem to provide enough bottom end to escape the need for a subwoofer.
 My main concerns were the larg(ish) footprint and the rear port.
 Like you I would be using them up close to a wall.
  
 Any thoughts appreciated.
 Thanks.


----------



## TimSchirmer

Crazy. I have the exact same two cans on my desk. 80's cans rule!
  
 Quote:


jude said:


> (Click to see full size.)
> 
> McIntosh D100 with AKG K340 and Koss ESP950 (and the TakeT H2+ in the background).


----------



## LifeAspect

iceclass said:


> I'd be interested in your opinions of the LS50s too.
> I've repeatedly considered and then discounted getting a pair.
> I've heard many good reviews used in nearfield mode and they seem to provide enough bottom end to escape the need for a subwoofer.
> My main concerns were the larg(ish) footprint and the rear port.
> ...


 

 I used to own the B&W 685 before I bought the KEF LS50. Frankly, the bowers can't match the kefs at all.
  
 In my opinion they are perfect for near field listening. They are also the best bookshelf pair I have heard that doesn't cost more than 3000€. About the back bass port: KEF provides some material to put inside the bass port to lower the bass when they are close to a wall and it works really well. You can easily tell when the material is inside  the ports or when they aren't. It really calms the bass down a bit, which is a good thing when you are listening to bass heavy music. I never had the feeling there was too much bass though, the speaker itself is well balanced.
  
 The big soundstage hasn't annoyed me yet when I am listening to them in nearfield but I do admit they would sound better with the proper spacing between them. Frankly though, they are an amazing pair and would recommend them to everybody. They are my favourite pair of speakers by far (so far).
  
 I tried using them with a subwoofer at some point, but for near field listening, they provide enough bass as it is so you don't need one.


----------



## MWChapel

Here is my current listening station at work. I swap cans based on my listening preference(Bassy vs. Musicality). Not much, but I like it.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Hotel room setup.


----------



## Klots

Little changes:

 Modi was replaced by Audiolab M-dac and GE 6as7ga power tube was replaced by Tung-Sol/Chatham 5998. And some cheapo chinese headphone cable from ebay


----------



## Errymoose

lifeaspect said:


> I used to own the B&W 685 before I bought the KEF LS50. Frankly, the bowers can't match the kefs at all.
> 
> In my opinion they are perfect for near field listening. They are also the best bookshelf pair I have heard that doesn't cost more than 3000€. About the back bass port: KEF provides some material to put inside the bass port to lower the bass when they are close to a wall and it works really well. You can easily tell when the material is inside  the ports or when they aren't. It really calms the bass down a bit, which is a good thing when you are listening to bass heavy music. I never had the feeling there was too much bass though, the speaker itself is well balanced.
> 
> ...


 
  
 IMO the 685 was by far the worst standmount/bookshelp/w.e. in that price range that I listened to, so I'm not surprised the Kef beat them out.   Sadly never heard those Kefs though, as they have some really nice reviews.  Ended up with a pair of Paradigm mini monitors and still love them to no end.


----------



## ssrock64

someguydude said:


> Hotel room setup.


 
 Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that desktop background form Five Nights At Freddy's? I've been seeing that game everywhere the last few days, and haven't got the guts to play it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

armaegis said:


> I told myself I wouldn't get any more headphones after my HE-6...
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Maybe start gambling or drinking or courting a high maintenance female, may cost less?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

ssrock64 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that desktop background form Five Nights At Freddy's? I've been seeing that game everywhere the last few days, and haven't got the guts to play it.


 
  
 Correct! It's wonderfully terrifying.


----------



## Armaegis

redcarmoose said:


> Maybe start gambling or drinking or courting a high maintenance female, may cost less?


 
  
 Well after the last one that messed me up, to recover I wound up with an HE-6... so maybe not good for me in the long run?


----------



## Redcarmoose

armaegis said:


> Well after the last one that messed me up, to recover I wound up with an HE-6... so maybe not good for me in the long run?






1,300.00 buys a lot of beer.


----------



## barid

redcarmoose said:


> Maybe start gambling or drinking or courting a high maintenance female, may cost less?


 

 What if you do all those....and also buy headphones....lol.  If only it were an either or


----------



## Armaegis

redcarmoose said:


> 1,300.00 buys a lot of beer.


 
  
 Given the state I was in, $1.3k worth of beer probably would have been a worse idea


----------



## spbach

Just got the V200 and V800. Coming from a Tubemagic D1, this is quite the transformation!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I might be weird here, but I've noticed a LOT of people taking way expensive amp/DAC combos and then pairing them up with rather middling headphones. I feel like I'm missing something here.


----------



## spbach

someguydude said:


> I might be weird here, but I've noticed a LOT of people taking way expensive amp/DAC combos and then pairing them up with rather middling headphones. I feel like I'm missing something here.


 
  
  
 Well if you're talking about me, it was because I got both the DAC and amp for $1000 including some blue dragon interconnects. I couldn't pass up on a deal like that!


----------



## craftyhack

spbach said:


> Well if you're talking about me, it was because I got both the DAC and amp for $1000 including some blue dragon interconnects. I couldn't pass up on a deal like that!


 
 You are the guy that got that $1200 set on eBay, gotta be, he accepted $1K??? Man, I was considering that setup for his asking price the first time around, but didn't have the $$.  Had I known he would have gone that much lower, I may have tried to sell bodily fluids or something, you got a great deal!


----------



## spbach

craftyhack said:


> You are the guy that got that $1200 set on eBay, gotta be, he accepted $1K??? Man, I was considering that setup for his asking price the first time around, but didn't have the $$.  Had I known he would have gone that much lower, I may have tried to sell bodily fluids or something, you got a great deal!


 
 Oh yes I know, and I'm soooo glad I did. It's in perfect condition and sounds better than I thought it would!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

spbach said:


> Well if you're talking about me, it was because I got both the DAC and amp for $1000 including some blue dragon interconnects. I couldn't pass up on a deal like that!


 
  
 Not just you, and I didn't mean it as an attack! I'm just trying to expand my understanding here and you're not the first I've seen with some DAMN nice source/DAC/amp hardware with headphones that can be acquired fairly cheaply. Wondering if I've been doing something wildly wrong here, haha.


----------



## Armaegis

someguydude said:


> I might be weird here, but I've noticed a LOT of people taking way expensive amp/DAC combos and then pairing them up with rather middling headphones. I feel like I'm missing something here.


 
  
 Sometimes (often) our decisions to buy gear are based on how good of a deal we can get, not what's appropriate for the rest of our toys.


----------



## spbach

armaegis said:


> Sometimes (often) our decisions to buy gear are based on how good of a deal we can get, not what's appropriate for the rest of our toys.


 
 This.
  
 I thought "why not?" I'll take any deal on something I want if it's over 50% off normal price. This one especially because I knew I would be upgrading to better headphones relatively soon.
  


someguydude said:


> Not just you, and I didn't mean it as an attack! I'm just trying to expand my understanding here and you're not the first I've seen with some DAMN nice source/DAC/amp hardware with headphones that can be acquired fairly cheaply. Wondering if I've been doing something wildly wrong here, haha.


 
 I didn't take it as an attack


----------



## SomeGuyDude

armaegis said:


> Sometimes (often) our decisions to buy gear are based on how good of a deal we can get, not what's appropriate for the rest of our toys.


 
  
 Hm, I can see that. I don't feel like my income is quite fluid enough that I can amass hardware just on good deals and then get the setup around it later. Maybe someday though!


----------



## Armaegis

I don't think having "insufficient fluid income" has ever stopped people before... you do know what our motto is right?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

armaegis said:


> I don't think having "insufficient fluid income" has ever stopped people before... you do know what our motto is right?


 
  
 Ahahaha you got a point!!
  
 I'm in a pickle right now because I'm sitting here at my new desk setup, listening to these Bose speakers, enjoying them, unable to shake the feeling of "well... I could return these... start building a proper desk headphone rig..."


----------



## Krutsch

armaegis said:


> Sometimes (often) our decisions to buy gear are based on how good of a deal we can get, not what's appropriate for the rest of our toys.


 
  
 For me, it feels like a real commitment to try a new headphone (both cost, time for my ears/brain to adjust, messing with EQ), so I've been slow to adopt new cans.  Electronics, on the other hand (and for me personally) are just more fun to experiment with (e.g. the whole HDMI de-embed rathole I went down).
  
 As a result, I've gone crazy on incremental side-grades, without adding to my collection of phones.


----------



## Krutsch

My current Work-Fi setup (just got the E11K and the Forza bling):


----------



## jdlivestrong

My first headphone rig at work - might need to consider a pair of closed headphones...


----------



## indieman

Closed at work... not so good if phone rings or boss wants your attention!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Open at work, not so good if you want to listen to music above a whisper!


----------



## indieman

Iems. Have only one in ear. That's what I'm doing


----------



## Defiant00

someguydude said:


> I might be weird here, but I've noticed a LOT of people taking way expensive amp/DAC combos and then pairing them up with rather middling headphones. I feel like I'm missing something here.




Part of it is also because, up until a few years ago, headphones like those were the best, and it's not like they've gotten any worse with age. Many of the now "mid-fi" classics still scale up very nicely with better equipment.


----------



## Mcberto

jdlivestrong said:


> My first headphone rig at work - might need to consider a pair of closed headphones...


 
  
  
 Are those the monoprice glass monitor stands?


----------



## jdlivestrong

mcberto said:


> Are those the monoprice glass monitor stands?


 
 Indeed they are   The 27.5" version with 27" monitors - the shelves are very nice and nearly impossible to beat for the price.  They also come in 22"  I highly recommend.


----------



## pdrm360




----------



## johnman1116

My desk setup is almost complete... 
just need a 27" monitor and a subwoofer 

Speaker are 1.5' and 2.5' from wall


----------



## ssrock64

pdrm360 said:


>




How would you rank all four of those against each other?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Woo Audio WA6-SE with Sophia 274b tube, Denon D7100 and Benchmark DAC2 HGC.  No one can say Denon D7100 doesn't sound great or HiFi with this combo.


----------



## Redcarmoose

ssrock64 said:


> How would you rank all four of those against each other?









What do you mean, they are all the same.


----------



## Synthax

ssrock64 said:


> How would you rank all four of those against each other?




Please please write some comparisons, thank you!


----------



## jackskelly

ssrock64 said:


> How would you rank all four of those against each other?


 
  
 I know I'm not the person you asked this question to (I'd just like to give my two cents) but I owned 3 out of those 4 at the same time (up until around a year or so ago), and I would order them:
  
 1. HD 800
 2. T1
 3. LCD-2
  
 Now granted, I had the LCD 2.2 without the Fazor and I had it amped through a slightly lesser amp than what I had paired with my HD 800 and T1. I've since listened to the LCD-2 on some other set ups and I might put the HD 800 at #1 and then a tie between the T1 and LCD-2 at #2. I greatly think it depends on the set up. Not many amps I'd say are ideal or close to ideal for driving all four of those headphones (which would be the ideal test to compare all 4).


----------



## pdrm360

ssrock64 said:


> How would you rank all four of those against each other?


 
  
 1)  HD800
  
 2.1) LCD-2F
 2.2) T1
 2.3) AD


----------



## pdrm360

redcarmoose said:


> What do you mean, they are all the same.


----------



## RingingEars

jdlivestrong said:


> My first headphone rig at work - might need to consider a pair of closed headphones...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Off topic, but is that map DQ per-chance?


----------



## MacedonianHero

hifiguy528 said:


> Woo Audio WA6-SE with Sophia 274b tube, Denon D7100 and Benchmark DAC2 HGC.  No one can say Denon D7100 doesn't sound great or HiFi with this combo.


 
  
 Really? You like the D7100s?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I've been hearing rumblings that there are two D7100s out there, one is "Beats by Denon" and the other is a LOT like the old D7000. Can't really say for sure, the pair I heard were very boomy and odd, but I know someone on Reddit was SWEARING that they aren't all like that.


----------



## Tasoeur




----------



## IndieGradoFan

I'm done for a while...


----------



## Krutsch

Trying out a new DAC/amp - the NAD D 1050 w/ my HD 650s.  My desk is a mess as I move things around...


----------



## ssrock64

indiegradofan said:


> I'm done for a while...


 
 I wish I had enough desk space for all that!


----------



## arny73

that's mine!
  
  

  
 HD 800/(cable: 8 cores 4N OCC Silver plated hand made) - Trafomatic Audio Experience Head One - Naim CD5X/FlatCap2X


----------



## Androb

indiegradofan said:


> I'm done for a while...


Hey nice setup. I'm looking for an amp to my Lcd-3, and interested in mjolnir. Have you gotten a chance to compare that with some other SS amps? I was thinking of senn's amp Hdva 600, but seeing this is much cheaper it would be the better choice. What do you think about. Reckon it might be an upgrade from my Little dot mkvi+?


----------



## IndieGradoFan

I haven't compared the Mjolnir to other TOTL SS amps. I prefer my WA22 to the Mjolnir though. Overall, I'm very happy with both. Be aware that some folks have problems with the Mjolnir and light dimmer induced hum (myself included) -- see the Mjolnir owner's thread for more info. It seems that most folks don't have an issue though, and even if you do, the Schiit return policy handles it.


----------



## Androb

indiegradofan said:


> I haven't compared the Mjolnir to other TOTL SS amps. I prefer my WA22 to the Mjolnir though. Overall, I'm very happy with both. Be aware that some folks have problems with the Mjolnir and light dimmer induced hum (myself included) -- see the Mjolnir owner's thread for more info. It seems that most folks don't have an issue though, and even if you do, the Schiit return policy handles it.



Alright cheers. I guess i'll wait a bit then!


----------



## ssrock64

arny73 said:


> that's mine!
> 
> HD 800/(cable: 8 cores 4N OCC Silver plated hand made) - Trafomatic Audio Experience Head One - Naim CD5X/FlatCap2X


 
 Wow, talk about a clean setup. That looks like it belongs in a museum.


----------



## LugBug1

ssrock64 said:


> Wow, talk about a clean setup. That looks like it belongs in a museum.


 
 +1 Amazing set up


----------



## TheChillburger

Here's my current home setup: HD600 with an O2 and ODAC feeding them. Not the most exciting thing in the world, but I think it sounds good


----------



## bigfatpaulie

thechillburger said:


> Here's my current home setup: HD600 with an O2 and ODAC feeding them. Not the most exciting thing in the world, but I think it sounds good


 
  
 Not to mention a model M!  Nice!!


----------



## TheChillburger

bigfatpaulie said:


> Not to mention a model M!  Nice!!


 
 Haha, yep. Buckling springs are still my favorite switches


----------



## bigfatpaulie

thechillburger said:


> Haha, yep. Buckling springs are still my favorite switches


 
  
 Tell me about it!!  I always get a kick when people ask, "Why don't you buy a new keyboard?"
  
 They will never know, they will never know...


----------



## TheChillburger

bigfatpaulie said:


> Tell me about it!!  I always get a kick when people ask, "Why don't you buy a new keyboard?"
> 
> They will never know, they will never know...


 
 I feel you man haha. I do however have a Code Keyboard Tenkeyless with Cherry Greens. Not quite as good as the springs, but they are my favorite Cherry variant out there.
  
 I think my next keyboard will be a Model M tenkeyless if I can find it.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

All I know is I can top 120wpm on a membrane keyboard so I'm satisfied, haha.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

thechillburger said:


> I feel you man haha. I do however have a Code Keyboard Tenkeyless with Cherry Greens. Not quite as good as the springs, but they are my favorite Cherry variant out there.
> 
> I think my next keyboard will be a Model M tenkeyless if I can find it.


 
  
 I think WASD makes one (with out a calc pad no less!)
  
 I have actually grown like cherry brown switches (don't judge me because they don't click!!).  But buckling springs are my favorites as well though.  Have you used a Unicomp one?  I've always been curious how they stack up.


----------



## TheChillburger

bigfatpaulie said:


> I think WASD makes one (with out a calc pad no less!)
> 
> I have actually grown like cherry brown switches (don't judge me because they don't click!!).  But buckling springs are my favorites as well though.  Have you used a Unicomp one?  I've always been curious how they stack up.


 
 I tried my buddy's Unicomp, and it was pretty nice. Pretty much the same feel as a Model M to me. (But I got my Model M for free, so that beats the $70-100 price of the Unicomps)


----------



## Byrnie

bigfatpaulie said:


> I have actually grown like cherry brown switches (don't judge me because they don't click!!).


 
 Those are my favorite also.  I was driving my wife nuts with my previous Cherry MX Red keyboard lol.


----------



## arny73

ssrock64 said:


> Wow, talk about a clean setup. That looks like it belongs in a museum.


 
 I assure that i use it!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Leaving out Naim, white gloss is elegant, one time WAF is respected!
 About the sound, IMHO be careful matching Naim CD5X with Trafomatic because all two are slightly warm.


----------



## iKhaos

No desk unfortunately, but I make do w/ this little ugly chair and my Macbook.


----------



## zilch0md

Makes for great isolation from vibration! Your DAC loves that chair.


----------



## Byrnie

ikhaos said:


> No desk unfortunately, but I make do w/ this little ugly chair and my Macbook.


 
 Nice man!  I have that same setup (gear-wise).


----------



## Tuco1965

Definitely nice gear.


----------



## TheChillburger

ikhaos said:


> No desk unfortunately, but I make do w/ this little ugly chair and my Macbook.


 
 Nice setup! I really liked the HE-560's when I auditioned them about a week ago. A bit out of my price range though.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

The headphone amp is a Furman HA-6 (single rack space, white). It's 20 watts and drives 4 headphone stations around the room as well as 6 off the front panel.
  
 I have 2x ATH-M50's, 2x MDR-7506's, 2x HD280's, 1x M80, and the newest addition DT990 Pro.


----------



## TheChillburger

ash telecaster said:


> The headphone amp is a Furman HA-6 (single rack space, white). It's 20 watts and drives 4 headphone stations around the room as well as 6 off the front panel.
> 
> I have 2x ATH-M50's, 2x MDR-7506's, 2x HD280's, 1x M80, and the newest addition DT990 Pro.


 
 Got any shots of your guitar / bass collection?


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Um, looking...


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Heres the only thing I have on hand with my gibby (House of Blues a few weeks ago, kind of a distance shot)...
  

  
  
 My fusion drums and Jazz Bass (not the best pic)...
  

  
 Keys and Preciscion....
  

  
 I've got more stuff, no more pics, at least not here at work.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Actually heres one with my Gibby and Nighthawk...


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Of course you realize this stuff is guarded 24/7 by Cylon warriors and viscious, under fed junk yard dogs, and my wife with a shotgun and the attitude to match!


----------



## TheChillburger

Sick gear, man. What's involved with that 4x12 stack beside the drums?


----------



## Ash Telecaster

It's actually a 2x12 vertical. It's hand built from scratch. It's loosely based off a 50's era Fender 5e3 circuit, much greater power. The cab is large. It is very efficient and houses a Celestion green back on top and a high power JBL, I forget the model, on the bottom. The thing will rattle your teeth but can get a nice Jazz tone too if you roll back the guitars volume. 
  
 It was something I always wanted to do. The cabinet ended up looking, well, not as good as I intended. I am building another one right now based off a 70's era Marshal JCM800.


----------



## bleufalcon

ash telecaster said:


> It's actually a 2x12 vertical. It's hand built from scratch. It's loosely based off a 50's era Fender 5e3 circuit, much greater power. The cab is large. It is very efficient and houses a Celestion green back on top and a high power JBL, I forget the model, on the bottom. The thing will rattle your teeth but can get a nice Jazz tone too if you roll back the guitars volume.
> 
> It was something I always wanted to do. The cabinet ended up looking, well, not as good as I intended. I am building another one right now based off a 70's era Marshal JCM800.


 

 So the head on top of the 2x12 is a tweed Bassman variant?


----------



## TheChillburger

ash telecaster said:


> It's actually a 2x12 vertical. It's hand built from scratch. It's loosely based off a 50's era Fender 5e3 circuit, much greater power. The cab is large. It is very efficient and houses a Celestion green back on top and a high power JBL, I forget the model, on the bottom. The thing will rattle your teeth but can get a nice Jazz tone too if you roll back the guitars volume.
> 
> It was something I always wanted to do. The cabinet ended up looking, well, not as good as I intended. I am building another one right now based off a 70's era Marshal JCM800.


 
 That's awesome. I was looking at getting a 2x12 once I buy a house after college graduation, don't think the apartment neighbors would appreciate the noise haha. Thinking a decent 2x12 with a little tube head like that 20watt Valveking would be plenty fun.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

The Bassman is a different circuit, like a 5F6 or something. The 5E3 is a Tweed era circuit design so it is related. It was originally called the Tweed Deluxe.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

I am all about the small combo these days. Tube amps need to be turned up to sound their best. It sounds much better to have a small tube amp cranked than a large tube amp on 2. Peavey makes some nice stuff. I've owned a couple of their 4x10 classics.


----------



## ImmaLizard

Don't mind the cables, just rearranged my desk and haven't tucked them away yet.


----------



## Tuco1965

Very nice clean looking setup.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

I love the spectrum analyzer on that amp, super cool looking. I'm sure I've seen that somewhere. What is it?


----------



## Maxvla

Looks like an Oppo HA-1.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Oh yeah, thats got to be it. Beautiful!!!!
  
https://www.oppodigital.com/headphone-amplifier-ha-1/


----------



## bleufalcon

ash telecaster said:


> The Bassman is a different circuit, like a 5F6 or something. The 5E3 is a Tweed era circuit design so it is related. It was originally called the Tweed Deluxe.


 

 Right, I meant tweed Deluxe; not Bassman.


----------



## bbophead

immalizard said:


> Don't mind the cables, just rearranged my desk and haven't tucked them away yet.


 

 I see Woo.


----------



## DerpMaster

Don't think my nexus 5 and fiio e5 > HD 558 count as a legitimate setup...


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Do you use it to listen to music? Then it's a setup!


----------



## TheChillburger

immalizard said:


> Don't mind the cables, just rearranged my desk and haven't tucked them away yet.


 
 Nice Galant, I need to find some extensions for my corner desk


----------



## joehalo




----------



## bleufalcon

I'm a mere dilettante, but here's mine FWIW.


----------



## Silent One

Autumn reconstruction...


----------



## uncola

Everything is wrapped in cling film like Roy Orbison!  what the
  
 http://michaelkelly.artofeurope.com/karl.htm


----------



## Silent One




----------



## 62ohm




----------



## Silent One

Karen Mok - Hong Kong Actress, singer and songwriter.


----------



## Byrnie

silent one said:


> Autumn reconstruction...



I'm pretty sure Dexter does the same to his audio gear.


----------



## LugBug1

silent one said:


> Karen Mok - Hong Kong *Actress*, singer and songwriter.


 
 But she only stars in cling films.. 
  
  
 Autumn set up looking very promising Silent One!


----------



## ssrock64

joehalo said:


>


 
 Holy vintage, Batman! And a great dedicated listening space as well.


----------



## Silent One

byrnie said:


> silent one said:
> 
> 
> > Autumn reconstruction...
> ...


 




 In my case, I just moved-in 3 weeks ago...and only found my audio cables 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




yesterday. No need to unwrap the goodies till I'm done slinging the iron around the room like it's lunch! Gotta make sure when I place here or there that it looks good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Perspective: the audio rack is 56" wide 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and the Sansui dominates the shelf from end-to-end.
  
  
 @ LugBug1
 Thanks kindly.


----------



## Byrnie

silent one said:


> In my case, I just moved-in 3 weeks ago...and only found my audio cables
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yea I figured but I couldn't resist the Dexter joke


----------



## Ali-Pacha

New kid in town.

 Ali


----------



## Tasoeur

Joli !


----------



## johnman1116

joehalo said:


>




why cant my room look like this?


----------



## joehalo

All you need is an awesome, understanding wife and Craigslist. Pretty much everything you see was scored on Craigslist.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

Big time! The understanding wife is critical mass.


----------



## noisyscott

My cup currently runneth over!
  
 Amps on hand are a buddies WA-2 on loan for the weekend, my CSP2+, plus the Austin Audioworks CCT1 and CCT-3 on hand for review. For sources I have my buddies Cambridge DacMagic Plus, and my Yulong DA8. So much awesome and so little time to listen...


----------



## longbowbbs

noisyscott said:


> My cup currently runneth over!
> 
> Amps on hand are a buddies WA-2 on loan for the weekend, my CSP2+, plus the Austin Audioworks CCT1 and CCT-3 on hand for review. For sources I have my buddies Cambridge DacMagic Plus, and my Yulong DA8. So much awesome and so little time to listen...


 

 I loved my CSP2+....Fun toys!


----------



## Ali-Pacha

tasoeur said:


> Joli !


 
 N'est-il pas ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## pdrm360

Cardas Cable vs. Q-Cable


----------



## bbophead

Beautiful little system.  Excellent!
  
 Bet you're happy!


----------



## pdrm360

I am. Thanks!


----------



## TimSchirmer

arny73 said:


> that's mine!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Nice front end. Your system is screaming for Stax though


----------



## bbophead

Looking at your profile, you've given up on analog.  Sad.


----------



## Ash Telecaster

pdrm360 said:


> Cardas Cable vs. Q-Cable




Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Let me guess, with a rig like that you must listen to trance, hypnotic, seizure, stroke, coma, test tone, fire alarm, white noise, chain saw, and assorted sax solos by Lisa Simpson.


----------



## penmarker

Nah, I bet he listens to Youtube rips from 240p videos.
  
 /jk lol


----------



## ssrock64

ash telecaster said:


> Let me guess, with a rig like that you must listen to trance, hypnotic, seizure, stroke, coma, test tone, fire alarm, white noise, chain saw, and assorted sax solos by Lisa Simpson.


 
 All recorded binaurally, of course.


----------



## pdrm360

Actually most of the times I listen to Spotify 320 kbps: Acoustic, New-age, and Rock


----------



## kuantings




----------



## longbowbbs

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 That is an impressive collection!  Do you have a favorite?


----------



## jackskelly

> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wow


----------



## bbophead

Remember, the one with most toys ..................


----------



## longbowbbs

bbophead said:


> Remember, the one with most toys ..................


 

 Probably has a storage unit.....


----------



## bbophead

longbowbbs said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Remember, the one with most toys ..................
> ...


 
 Or a large sarcophagus.


----------



## MickeyVee

OMG! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Impressive! 
 Quote:


kuantings said:


>


----------



## Krutsch

How do you have 100s of headphones and 12 posts on Head-Fi?

I think there should be something above the rank of HS when you have more cans than posts


----------



## SunTanScanMan

transparentholo said:


> Rearranged Setup.


 
  
 Props to you on your choice of keyboard 
 May I ask what palmrest that is you're using?


----------



## ssrock64

kuantings said:


>


 
 Holy Schiit! How is that even possible?


----------



## hemipowered007

Isnt that all basically low to mid-fi cans though? I dont understand why youd want that many "cheap" cans. But, Head-fi is a strange place where we all wander along aimlessly, never finding what we want, or never being happy with what we end up with.


----------



## whirlwind

longbowbbs said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Remember, the one with most toys ..................
> ...


----------



## Steve_72




----------



## DragonOwen

After a few issues with my WooAudio WES (at first flame stabilazer broke, then one of filter chokes broke) master that were fixing my WES proposed to make some modifications to the amp, I agreed... With modification master had to make new power cable between PSU and amp blocks of WES, so he made two cables, one short (like stock), second is 1.2 meters, so now I can put blocks of WES on different shelves to reduce heat of the amp... so here is how my rig looks now:
 
  
  
 If anyone interested here are before/after photos of inside of WES:
  
 - PSU block before fix & modding:

  
 - PSU block after fix & modding:

  
 - Amp block before fix & modding (without one of the filter chokes (broken)):

  
 - Amp block after fix & modding (with one temporary filter choke, later was replaced with identical to other filter chokes (got it from WooAudio)):

  
 - Stock power cable:

  
 - One of two new power cables (not fully assembled):

  
 - Final view inside after all fixing & modifications:


----------



## eonsend

Just got the Schiit Bifrost Uber and Lyr 2 ^.^ loving my HD650 with them!


----------



## DragonOwen

Moved MacMini line PSU on power conditioner (Power Plant P5 on bottom shelf)... Not so pretty, but I don't like placing PSU on DAC... will see how P5 react to line PSU standing on him... I'm a little bit afraid of overheat of P5...


----------



## cisko




----------



## ForShure

Picked up my first turntable ever! A like new Pro-Ject Debut III from Craigslist for $225, I think that's a good deal haha. Looking forward to exploring the wide world of vinyl.


----------



## MacedonianHero

forshure said:


> Picked up my first turntable ever! A like new Pro-Ject Debut III from Craigslist for $225, I think that's a good deal haha. Looking forward to exploring the wide world of vinyl.


 
  
 Love your taste in music!


----------



## bbophead

Congrats!  Let the fun begin!


----------



## indieman

Excellent starting point. Wish I had sprung for a pro-ject


----------



## kuantings

longbowbbs said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, please see my profile and there is basic general review of every headphone in terms of cost/performance and sound quality to me, enjoy!


----------



## kuantings

hemipowered007 said:


> Isnt that all basically low to mid-fi cans though? I dont understand why youd want that many "cheap" cans. But, Head-fi is a strange place where we all wander along aimlessly, never finding what we want, or never being happy with what we end up with.


 
  
 Yes, some of the headphone one might consider Low or Mi-Fi, but I will never judge a headphone by its price tag.
  
 I do have HD800 & lcd2 before when I just got into modern HP world, and they do sound good but I find that they hardly gain any my ear time because with this price tag they "should" sound good. I sold all the high end model and left the mid range model like HD650 Akg K701 as sounding reference for comparing purpose.  I tend to discover different brand cost/performance and learning different tech behind brand or modding to make it suit your taste is much much more fun down the road. It is like cars, some will invest hundred of thousand mod into a normal/vintage car and some will just buy a new bimmer, But they run equally fast. cheers.


----------



## hemipowered007

I didn't mean any disrespect, but reading my statement did come off like that so sorry if it sounded judgemental. Now that youve explained your collection purpose and made am awesome reference, I have some envy for your journey. Very cool to have all those and be able to mix it up. That's a ton of money still!!!


----------



## Krutsch

forshure said:


> Picked up my first turntable ever! A like new Pro-Ject Debut III from Craigslist for $225, I think that's a good deal haha. Looking forward to exploring the wide world of vinyl.


 
  
 Nice... and enjoy the ticks and pops.  It's really the way Rush was meant to be heard.


----------



## ForShure

Can't tell if being sarcastic or just a *********.


----------



## bbophead

I think ********** was correct.


----------



## indieman

forshure said:


> Can't tell if being sarcastic or just a *********.







bbophead said:


> I think ********** was correct.




?
I think he was serious. There's something magical about vinyl sound


----------



## Makiah S

Only thing missing is the PC my NFB10ES2 is hooked up to


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





> ?
> I think he was serious. There's something magical about vinyl sound


 

 Of course it's magical.  Just not the tics and pops.  You train yourself to unhear them at a certain level.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bbophead said:


> Of course it's magical.  Just not the tics and pops.  You train yourself to unhear them at a certain level.





After 20 years plus collecting and playing vinyl, I found better turntables go deeper into the vinyl groove and playback less pops and scratches. Who knew?


----------



## bbophead

redcarmoose said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Of course it's magical.  Just not the tics and pops.  You train yourself to unhear them at a certain level.
> ...


 

 Absolutely.  Same here.


----------



## Krutsch

bbophead said:


> Absolutely.  Same here.




Lighten up, y'all ... I grew up on vinyl and that's where I listented to Rush, along with everything else.


----------



## bbophead

krutsch said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > Absolutely.  Same here.
> ...


 

 And yet, I don't see a TT in your profile.  What am I missing?  
  
 You know, it can still be good.


----------



## Krutsch

bbophead said:


> And yet, I don't see a TT in your profile.  What am I missing?
> 
> You know, it can still be good.


 

 Yeah... my local dealer keeps trying to pull me back in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I have boxes of carefully stored vinyl from my youth, including many Japanese "virgin vinyl" pressings from the '80s that were rarely played (most of them played only to record to tape).  It would be fun to go back.


----------



## Makiah S

krutsch said:


> Yeah... my local dealer keeps trying to pull me back in
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I have a some what empty table... that I've been wondering what to do with. At the Moment I use it to take my pictures, but I'm very tempted to set up a Vinyl Rig and run analog to a balanced Tube Amp... and just get super OMG harmonic mid heaven, oh and I could use a nice ADC as well for high quality digital rips


----------



## indieman

Thinking bout picking up some cheap grados just for vinyl playback when I can't blare my speakers


----------



## Makiah S

indieman said:


> Thinking bout picking up some cheap grados just for vinyl playback when I can't blare my speakers


 
 I would recommend you look into getting a Senn Grado, hit up JoeDoe or 7Keys. I've got a demo unit with me, and one being built for me, I think a bare bones build of one would be like $160 ish and for the money it sounds like super duper awesome sauce, even better it sounds even MORE awesome on my HM 801 [which has a SERIOUSLY "vintage analog" sound sig]
  
 Though I'd love to actually demo a SR 80i


----------



## indieman

I was thinking the new sr80e, but I'll definitely check out those too


----------



## Paul Graham

mshenay said:


> I would recommend you look into getting a Senn Grado, hit up JoeDoe or 7Keys. I've got a demo unit with me, and one being built for me, I think a bare bones build of one would be like $160 ish and for the money it sounds like super duper awesome sauce, even better it sounds even MORE awesome on my HM 801 [which has a SERIOUSLY "vintage analog" sound sig]
> 
> Though I'd love to actually demo a SR 80i


 
  
 Any threads specific to Senn/Grado?
 Im very intrigued as I love both so combining the two can only be a good thang!!!


----------



## Makiah S

paul graham said:


> Any threads specific to Senn/Grado?
> Im very intrigued as I love both so combining the two can only be a good thang!!!


 
yea there is


----------



## MohawkUS

I've been putting off posting for the longest time, wanting to wait until I have a system that I feel is complete, but let's be honest in that will never happen. :veryevil: There is always something out there to pique your interest. Though I can confidently say that I don't see the Ultrasones going any time soon. The receiver is being used as a phono-stage since the sale of my Graham Slee, and also as a head-amp for the times I am between amplifiers.


----------



## TheChillburger

mohawkus said:


> I've been putting off posting for the longest time, wanting to wait until I have a system that I feel is complete, but let's be honest in that will never happen.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Wow, do those Edition 12's sound as good as they look?


----------



## MohawkUS

thechillburger said:


> Wow, do those Edition 12's sound as good as they look?




I think so, yes.  Ultrasone describes them perfectly on their website, the treble is slightly silky. And they carry the Ultrasone sound I came to love with the PRO2900s, minus the horribly metallic/painful treble.

Picky with amps though, being that most of the high end amplifiers these days are specilized in planars it's difficult to find an amp with LOW enough power for these. I'm constantly finding myself running the volume near the bottom of the pot where channel imbalance sets in. If only more manufacturers used digital volume control.. then again that would probably make it impossible to use analog sources.


----------



## TheChillburger

mohawkus said:


> I think so, yes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Good stuff, the treble always deterred me away from the lower end Ultrasone's, but hopefully I get a chance to try out their higher end stuff one day.


----------



## spbach

mohawkus said:


> I think so, yes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  
 Do they sound better than the Edition 10's? I sure hope so...


----------



## MohawkUS

I have never heard the 10s and I'm not really inclined to either. I imagine they may be brighter than the 2900s.. *Shudder* In similar fashion to the PROs the 12 is picky. The best sounding 'amp' in the house is the simple op-amp circuit in an old CD player we have hanging around. Then again most amplifiers I've had the ability to try likely have had either too much gain or an impedance mismatch. One year with them and I'm still trying to figure out what gear to match them with(not that I have the cash to buy a bunch of stuff at once,) I can't imagine the 'right' high end amplifier/source would fall short or even be on the level of the old disc spinner.


----------



## Fugue

I replaced my Sony 5400ES SACD with an Esoteric K-03--whoa! The level of details and shear realism are both just amazing.


----------



## MickeyVee

Very Nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Next step is to upgrade the tubes in the WA6 - they look stock. My combo pictured here and its very nice with the HD800.
  
 Quote:


fugue said:


> I replaced my Sony 5400ES SACD with an Esoteric K-03--whoa! The level of details and shear realism are both just amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ejwiles

Those are some pretty tubes.  Nice pic.


----------



## MIKELAP

kuantings said:


>


 
 HMOG


----------



## jackskelly

fugue said:


> I replaced my Sony 5400ES SACD with an Esoteric K-03--whoa! The level of details and shear realism are both just amazing.


 
  
 I'm drooling over that source. One day I'll have one...


----------



## zilch0md

kuantings said:


>


 
  
 Cool!  A headphone for every day of the week  month of the year  hour of the day or day of the month!


----------



## indieman

mohawkus said:


> [IMG ]



What ttable is that? Looks nice.

Redid the speakers on my turn table setup. Much more tidy now


----------



## No_One411

Here's my current setup. Sorry for the low quality picture, I'm not a great photographer. 
  
 Really happy with it. It keeps me very happy for the most part. I do have a handful of other headphones that I use from time to time, but this takes up the main bulk of my listening nowadays.


----------



## hemipowered007

Bad shots, but we just had a baby tuesday, and my 2 year old refuses to let me do anything... 
  
 He-4- no star felt no grill, T50rp, painted by CasperTFG and re wired to dual Hifiman SMA connectors
 Audio GD NFB 10se, Pioneer SX-727-still needs work
 Portable- Ipod touch 2nd Gen, Havi b3 pro 1
 Simple Dell PC quad core, nothing special...
 Using a balanced cable terminated to 4pin xlr for all 3 full size HP's
 Not shown, KLH model sixes and shure 840, also modded to sma connectors.


----------



## nappiguan




----------



## hemipowered007

nappiguan said:


>




Ya just had to post that after mine didn't you?!!! Nice setup, crazy...I have a lot of years ahead of me before I get to that level!


----------



## hemipowered007

nappiguan said:


>




Hey I just noticed the speakers. Those look like klh model sixes, which I own also, are they?


----------



## Zojokkeli

nappiguan said:


>


 
  
 Nice collection! The spiderman is slightly disturbing.


----------



## nappiguan

Thanks everyone, I love my hoard.  The speakers are vintage warfdale glendale 3's and JBL lx44s. My vintage Oynko amp and Emotiva xda2 dac/amp provide many combinations to whittle the time away.


----------



## hemipowered007

In the picture on mobile the cloth looked khaki like the klh's. Do you have a list for your gears here? Its hard to tell some of the hps.


----------



## nappiguan

Koss porta pro
 Grado SR 60
 Sony MDR SA-3000
 Sony MDR SA-100
 Sony xb-500
 Bose QC-15 blue
 JVC has660 red
 JVC xx55
 JVC xx77
 JVC sz2000
 HiFiman HE-400
 Philips X1
 Vmoda m100
 UE-6000
 Skullcandy crusher
 Kicker Cush
 Pioneer hdj-1000 Gold
 Westone 3
 ATH ws99
 Monster npulse
 pav2
 0ynko integra
 Emotiva xda2


----------



## PETEREK

Sorry for the picture quality on the bottom 2, I couldn't get the right light. What a mess! But I like it.


----------



## Armaegis

I've got a Yulong DA8 on loan to pair with my HA-200 monoblocks...
  

  
 Look Basil, twins!


----------



## RestoredSparda

armaegis said:


> I've got a Yulong DA8 on loan to pair with my HA-200 monoblocks...
> 
> 
> 
> Look Basil, twins!


 
  
 Very cool setup. I'm curious, what pads do you have on your HE-6's?


----------



## Armaegis

One of them has J$ Beyer leather pads. The other Audeze vegan pads. Both have my own take on the "Fuzzor" mod, as well as being regrilled.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## longbowbbs

silent one said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 I never thought of saran wrap as a sound tweek....clever...


----------



## Silent One

longbowbbs said:


> I never thought of saran wrap as a sound tweek....clever...


 





 It's taken a few weeks to find a spot in the new listening room since the move early September. Finally get to finish testing my gear this weekend._ And remove the wrap...first. _


----------



## bbophead

Still wrapped up after the move or wrapped up after every session or ...............?


----------



## Silent One

bbophead said:


> Still wrapped up after the move or wrapped up after every session or ...............?


 





 Wait...NO fetishes here. Still wrapped up after the move - was extremely busy. Last night afforded me time to find a good placement in the room. The wrap comes off this Fri/Sat so I can test my gear for damages if any.


----------



## bbophead

What small planar speakers are those in front?


----------



## penmarker

Hi, I am Ammar a Nigerian Prince from Nigeria. I am interested in your planar speakers that look like they have saran wraps. Please forward me your banking details and I will buy them from you.
  
 Please, I am not a scammer.


----------



## Silent One

Banking details?


----------



## bbophead

silent one said:


> Banking details?


 

 He's gotta deposit the 10 million somewhere.


----------



## Silent One

bbophead said:


> What small planar speakers are those in front?


 





 Those happen to be my pair of 32" Japanese Floor-standing candle holders. Occasionally I'll turn off the lights during late night sessions and they assume an ambient role in the listening room.


----------



## Maxvla

Those are some awfully bright tubes. How do they sound in your rig?


----------



## bbophead

silent one said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > What small planar speakers are those in front?
> ...


 

 That works!
  
 Sometimes I just watch my shelves.


----------



## Silent One

6oz candles so I don't tackle my gear when movin' about.


----------



## Silent One

bbophead said:


> That works!
> 
> *Sometimes I just watch my shelves.*


 
 Trance: Dictionaries need a new 2015 submission from the audio community. Your rig is beautifully displayed, by the way.


----------



## indieman

Wait, so there really ARE Nigerian princes?


----------



## bbophead

Tanks.  I look forward to seeing yours all operational and everything.


----------



## DragonOwen

Got myself another Shunyata Research Anaconda ZTron power cord, now I have two of them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also have two Python ZTron power cord, Anaconda ZTron interconnects and Python ZTron coaxial cable... as cables always behind the rack (so they almost can't be seen on photos of my rig), but IMO is important part of my rig, I decided to post a few photos of my cable "serpentarium" in disconnected form:
 
 A couple of photos that shows total thickness of my "power snakes" (two Pythons + two Anacondas):
 
 And a couple of photos of the "tower" of boxes from all my "power snakes":
 
  
 P.S. And yes, I now that I'm a little bit crazy


----------



## rev92

Current rig


----------



## spurxiii




----------



## rev92

He-500 + HD800 combo....He-500 + HD800 combo everywhere =D


----------



## spurxiii

rev92 said:


> He-500 + HD800 combo....He-500 + HD800 combo everywhere =D


 
 Because they're that great


----------



## Drsparis

I bring to you a break from the norm. LFF's Code-X and HD800
 .


----------



## LugBug1

rev92 said:


> Current rig


 
 Lookin good!


----------



## JoeDoe

Today's coffee and Jesus rig.


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

Decent selection of gear imo.






I'm quite happy with this setup. Great synergy with the K240's.


----------



## indieman

How do you like those AKGs?


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

indieman said:


> How do you like those AKGs?


Ah... Smooth mids, warm and musical, comfortable, and a very large soundstage. Fantastic with the old CD's of 70's-80's era music I'm playing through them.


----------



## indieman

Sick. I really love the looks of them. Are they decently comfy? I'm looking for a comfy pair of over ear for my analog (vinyl) setup.


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

indieman said:


> Sick. I really love the looks of them. Are they decently comfy? I'm looking for a comfy pair of over ear for my analog (vinyl) setup.


The pads are kinda hard (at least on the studio model. The MKII pads are softer and have more foam) but they weigh 240 grams so pretty light and have great weight distribution. If you are gonna go with the K240, there's a ton of variants. The ones made in the 70's (called the sextett's) are the best of the lot due to the use of six passive radiators instead of filters. http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK240Sextett.pdf pretty far ahead of its time.


----------



## indieman

Wow! Those still in production? Can the pads be replaced with thicker ones?


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

indieman said:


> Wow! Those still in production? Can the pads be replaced with thicker ones?


yeah they can be replaced, although you might want to ask what pads work in a earpad thread or K240 thread beforehand


----------



## k12azy13astard

*Audio Gear:*
 Audio Technica ATH-A900X
 Grado SR60 w/ a headband mod and larger Cush pads
 Logitech G35 Gaming Headset for the gaming rig
 Yuin PK2 headphones in their fancy silver box (Travel headphones)
*Amps: *
 Little Dot MK II tube amp w/Voshkod 6AK5/6J1/EF95 Driver tubes.
 Bravo V2 w/ a Westinghouse Long Black 12AU7 tube (retired amp now?)
  
*Everything else:*
_Normal Rig:_ Apple 2.3 QC i7 Mac Mini (1TB HDD w/ 16GB Ram), Two ASUS VE278H 27" Monitors
_Gaming Rig:_ 3.4 Intel i5 3570K w/ 8GB Ram, 1TB HDD and 3gb EVGA NVIDIA GeFroce GTC 660Ti Shares the Same Monitor Set up
_Used for Both:_ CoolerMaster QuickFire Rapid - Cherry MX Brown switches,  Razer Taipan Mouse Razer, Goliatius XL Gaming pad


----------



## indieman

That cooler master keyboard looks tiny!


----------



## Zojokkeli

Some small additions, such as the Swans M10's and Wyrd.


----------



## bbophead

k12azy13astard said:


> *Audio Gear:*
> Audio Technica ATH-A900X
> Grado SR60 w/ a headband mod and larger Cush pads
> Logitech G35 Gaming Headset for the gaming rig
> ...


 

 FIREBOTTLES!
  
 No heat on those screens.  Clever.


----------



## JoeDoe

The temporary station until the wi-fi is back.
  
 Not bad. Not bad at all, especially with the Focus Pads on the HE500.


----------



## axeltow

indieman said:


> That cooler master keyboard looks tiny!


 
  
 It's a really good keyboard though!!
  
 I like the contrast of the two rigs. One is all black (even the curtains), the other almost all white....both are pretty neat!


----------



## k12azy13astard

Gotta love the black out curtains. Keeps people from seeing what I got on the inside, and keeps the sun out for when I'm gaming/using the computers.
  
 As for the keyboard, I like the size, as I don't use a number keypad when I'm at home. Plus for $60 for a cherry mx brown switch keyboard, I couldn't be happier. Just need to find a better set of keys as MX keycaps wear out (surface wise) quickly. Less than a year, and it looks like I type with with messy hands.


----------



## PETEREK

Take them off the keyboard and spray clear plasti dip over them, or clear coat them.


----------



## k12azy13astard

too much work for something so small. I'm already thinking of replacing the keys with something more colorful from WASD and saving me the time. Though I would love to figure out how to take off the silver housing, and either keep it off for that naked look, or to get it painted a sublime green.


----------



## RingingEars

Crappy phone pics.


----------



## 62ohm

^
  
 Nice set-up there mate, the zdac looks slick and seeing a decware amp to me is like seeing a Pagani. It's not as common as Ferrari or Lamborghini, but you would still know it is a special car.


----------



## RingingEars

62ohm said:


> ^
> 
> Nice set-up there mate, the zdac looks slick and seeing a decware amp to me is like seeing a Pagani. It's not as common as Ferrari or Lamborghini, but you would still know it is a special car.


 
 Thanks mate. Decware does build works of art. I'm loving it and I'm looking forward to some tube rolling. I have my eye on a Mullard gz37 and I have a few Voskhod Rockets laying around.


----------



## whirlwind

62ohm said:


> ^
> 
> Nice set-up there mate, the zdac looks slick and seeing a decware amp to me is like seeing a Pagani. It's not as common as Ferrari or Lamborghini, but you would still know it is a special car.


 
 +1


----------



## eugenius

Decware ... Pagani ... completely different in execution, style, price and intent.


----------



## Alan Ho

I try to keep it clean =D


----------



## bmichels

alan ho said:


> I try to keep it clean =D


 
 Congratulation for this neat set-up.   but what is the source that feed the DAC ?  a music server ? a PC...


----------



## Alan Ho

I use a Macbook Pro and runs it through Amarra Symphony ^.^


----------



## bmichels

alan ho said:


> I use a Macbook Pro and runs it through Amarra Symphony ^.^


 
 To keept thing even more neat, why don't you try something like the ARIES from Auralic ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  There are many talk about it ! 
  
 it is slim and neat, and supposed to offer even better SQ than a Mac server. Plus it also offer Qobuz CD-Quality streaming (like your Mac)


----------



## RingingEars

alan ho said:


> <snip>
> 
> I try to keep it clean =D


 
 Beautiful setup. I've never heard a proper Stax rig(or any Stax rig for that matter). The 009 is a little out of my league, but I would love to try the 507.... Maybe someday.


----------



## Coolzo

Speaking of which, are there any Stax users in Arizona? We have yet to encounter even the lowest Stax at any of our local meets. Planning on perhaps another one for the winter, so AZ Stax users, hit me up!


----------



## Paul Graham

ringingears said:


> Beautiful setup. I've never heard a proper Stax rig(or any Stax rig for that matter). The 009 is a little out of my league, but I would love to try the 507.... Maybe someday.


 
  
 Im in the same boat.
 The best set of phones I own currently are the Sony MDR SA5000.
 I've thought about getting some LCD's etc, But the work Im in and the budget Im on,
 Means I only get to spend out on my hobby once in a blue moon.
 So Ive decided, WHEN I go for a major upgrade, Im going to jump straight up to a STAX System.
 My only issue like yours is I have no means to listen before I buy, So its going to be a blind leap of faith when the time comes!


----------



## 62ohm

My current Head-Fi station (minus the HD650, on loan)


----------



## Eee Pee

The reverse soldering iron is an interesting choice.


----------



## TheChillburger

62ohm said:


> My current Head-Fi station (minus the HD650, on loan)


 
 How do you like the K812 versus your Senn's?


----------



## 62ohm

eee pee said:


> The reverse soldering iron is an interesting choice.


 
  
 The cable would out-weight the whole soldering iron and its stand if I face it to the correct direction as my table is quite small.
  


thechillburger said:


> How do you like the K812 versus your Senn's?


 
  
 A bit too early to say, but so far the K812 fares up nicely. It's SE-only, so it may (or may not) be disadvantaged, but the distinctive vocals presentation of both warrants having both IMO (the Senn presents vocals in a clinical, analytical way and sounds cleaner, while the AKG presents vocals in a holographic, smoother way and sounds more natural).


----------



## RingingEars

62ohm said:


> My current Head-Fi station (minus the HD650, on loan)


 
 Very nice hideaway ohm.


----------



## TheChillburger

Cool stuff. I've been looking at getting some AKG's down the road (thinking about a K712 if I get a good deal on a used pair).


----------



## Makiah S

hemipowered007 said:


> Bad shots, but we just had a baby tuesday, and my 2 year old refuses to let me do anything...
> 
> He-4- no star felt no grill, T50rp, painted by CasperTFG and re wired to dual Hifiman SMA connectors
> Audio GD NFB 10se, Pioneer SX-727-still needs work
> ...


 
 Lol I like your thinking man!All my headphones are modded to Mini Switch Craft XLR 4Pins [Audeze Style] but modular cables are great huh


----------



## DonutDeflector

62ohm said:


> My current Head-Fi station (minus the HD650, on loan)




What are the keyboard and mouse? And maybe the PC specs too!


----------



## 62ohm

donutdeflector said:


> What are the keyboard and mouse? And maybe the PC specs too!


 
  
 It's a Roccat Isku FX and Roccat Kone XTD keyboard & mouse. The specs of the PC is not much.


Spoiler: PC specs



Gigabyte Z87x-UD3H i5-4670k @ 4.8GHz w/ Corsair H110
 Corsair 2x4GB DDR3-1600 C9
 Asus GTX670 DCU-II SLI
 Seasonic X-850


----------



## Alan Ho

Dear bmichels,
  
 Thank you so much for the suggestions. I will definitely look into it!
  
 Cheers,
  
 Alan
  
 Quote:


bmichels said:


> To keept thing even more neat, why don't you try something like the ARIES from Auralic ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DragonOwen

alan ho said:


> I try to keep it clean =D


 
 Oh, another MAC + Debussy + WES + 009 owner 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 BTW, are you not afraid of overheat of WES in this positioning? It's just WES gets really hot after 3-4 hours of working even when it's on the upper shelf... I think that overheat may be the reason why one of filter chokes in my WES had broken (the resistence on it became almost 1/2 of it's should be (like it is on other 3 filter chokes), so it's probably was coil-winding short circuit), so when master was fixing (and modding) my WES I asked that he make long power cable for amp and PSU connection, so now I placed WES PSU and amp blocks on different shelves and that considerably dropped down the temperature of my WES:
  


Spoiler: Already posted this photo in this thread, so that's why I'll hide it here in Spoiler


----------



## 62ohm

You two are listening to what many of us here consider as our "dream system" mates


----------



## Alan Ho

Dear DragonOwen,
  
 I have my air conditioning right on top of the shelf and I always set it blowing down. So its kinda like blowing down cool air from the back. I will still need to keep my eyes (or hand in this case) on the temp. Thank you for this sweet reminder. 
  
 Btw have you tried any good music server? I am interested in one.
  
 Cheers,
  
 Alan
  
 Quote:


dragonowen said:


> Oh, another MAC + Debussy + WES + 009 owner
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## DragonOwen

alan ho said:


> Btw have you tried any good music server? I am interested in one.


 
 If it's about digital source, then I don't plan on change MacMini on anything, I bought Debussy partly because of some reviews from respected russian audiophiles that wrote that Debussy has amazing sinergy with MAC OS through USB, one of this reviewers have notebook with deep software and hardware customization which in his opinion better than anything he heard (Linn Akurate DS/1 as example), also he is a fan of Berkeley Alpha USB converter... but only with Debussy he couldn't make his ultimate notebook + Berkley USB outperform simple direct connection of his MacBook and Debussy via USB... I had a bit of my own experiments of course (Adnaco USB, Berkley USB, full SoTM stack + audio PC on Windows with SoTM USB card outside of computer box, ...) and they all confirmed that MacMini direct through USB is the best choice for Debussy... So I just upgraded MacMini to max: 16Gb of memory, 128Gb SSD (I don't need more capacity, because all music is on NAS) and line PSU. BTW I'm controlling my MacMini via network only, sometimes via my main PC on Windows through Splashtop, sometimes (mostly) via Ipad through JRemote (mostly) or Splashtop, so there are no monitor, mouse or keyboard connected to MacMini, only LAN, power cable and USB cable to Debussy. My music is on NAS that is standing in other room, so no noise from HDD at all


----------



## Alan Ho

dragonowen said:


> If it's about digital source, then I don't plan on change MacMini on anything, I bought Debussy partly because of some reviews from respected russian audiophiles that wrote that Debussy has amazing sinergy with MAC OS through USB, one of this reviewers have notebook with deep software and hardware customization which in his opinion better than anything he heard (Linn Akurate DS/1 as example), also he is a fan of Berkeley Alpha USB converter... but only with Debussy he couldn't make his ultimate notebook + Berkley USB outperform simple direct connection of his MacBook and Debussy via USB... I had a bit of my own experiments of course (Adnaco USB, Berkley USB, full SoTM stack + audio PC on Windows with SoTM USB card outside of computer box, ...) and they all confirmed that MacMini direct through USB is the best choice for Debussy... So I just upgraded MacMini to max: 16Gb of memory, 128Gb SSD (I don't need more capacity, because all music is on NAS) and line PSU. BTW I'm controlling my MacMini via network only, sometimes via my main PC on Windows through Splashtop, sometimes (mostly) via Ipad through JRemote (mostly) or Splashtop, so there are no monitor, mouse or keyboard connected to MacMini, only LAN, power cable and USB cable to Debussy. My music is on NAS that is standing in other room, so no noise from HDD at all


 
  
 That is amazing info! Thanks a lot. Why didn't I think of the Mac Mini idea haha. I just hate turning to my macbook pro all the time (Which is on top of the shelf) when I change songs. Thank you so much for sharing~


----------



## floydfan33

Just received my Oppo HA-1.


----------



## Tuco1965

Very nice looking set up!


----------



## Paul Graham

floydfan33 said:


> Just received my Oppo HA-1.


 
  
 Love this system! 
 Nice to know Im not the only one who's into Head Fi, Hi Fi, Home Cinema AND Gaming!!!
 I like the way you've incorporated everything into a smallish space. I haven't been so lucky, Then again I have my HT and HiFi separate from each other.


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

62ohm said:


> You two are listening to what many of us here consider as our "dream system" mates :blink:


you have both of my dream cans yourself. The K812 and HD800... I am a soundstage lover.


----------



## Maxvla

floydfan33 said:


>




Nice Paradigm Studio 40s. I have a pair myself and they are great. Contemplating new speakers and the only thing that interests me is some DIY stuff. (Linkwitz LXmini or some open baffles)


----------



## floydfan33

maxvla said:


> Nice Paradigm Studio 40s. I have a pair myself and they are great. Contemplating new speakers and the only thing that interests me is some DIY stuff. (Linkwitz LXmini or some open baffles)


 

 I have looked at replacements many times, and have yet to find a sub $3K speaker that I would replace them with. I also have the CC470 and ADP470, so matched drivers all around (v3), which makes changing tough to do.


----------



## penmarker

At first I don't like the HiVi Swans A30 speakers, but it grew into me. The Lovely Cube Premium also allows volume control as preamp for the speakers, that beats their button volume control so much. Annoying how you press buttons to lower/increase volume, not to mention there's lag when you press the volume buttons. But the imaging and mids, dios mío, so beautiful for its price point.
  
 HD650 arrived 2 weeks ago, Lovely Cube Premium amp arrived yesterday, waiting for my Aune T1 to come back from repairs.
  
 Not in picture: Rock Jaw Kommand IEM (_its actually too small to see in the bottom right corner right there_), JVC HA-S500 headphones, and Goldring DR150 headphones.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

shane55 said:


> I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here.
> 
> Now I'm so depressed....
> 
> ...


 

 LOL!  
  
 Yes, I'm going through the old posts, since I'm new here. Only 18,000 more posts in this thread....


----------



## MLGrado

bbophead said:


> Of course it's magical.  Just not the tics and pops.  You train yourself to unhear them at a certain level.


 
  
 or simply get a stellar table with a cart setup to 'perfection'.  What ticks and pops?  So few and far in-between to be of any real concern.  Especially if you are listening to the actual music


----------



## bbophead

We agree!


----------



## inouekun

Sorry for bad picture quality. Here goes my Audio Technica AD2000, Radiator NX-03, and not in picture the Stoner Acoustics UD120.


----------



## penmarker

inouekun said:


> Sorry for bad picture quality. Here goes my Audio Technica AD2000, Radiator NX-03, and not in picture the Stoner Acoustics UD120.


 
 Finally got the Rudistor now eh haha


----------



## inouekun

You knew me? Hahaha!. Man I really love this combo.


----------



## penmarker

inouekun said:


> You knew me? Hahaha!. Man I really love this combo.


 
 Yea we met at E1 - AKG's place for the head fi meet.


----------



## inouekun

penmarker said:


> Yea we met at E1 - AKG's place for the head fi meet.


 
 I see you're the one with Lovelycube amp. Have you try pair it with Hugo DAC?


----------



## penmarker

inouekun said:


> I see you're the one with Lovelycube amp. Have you try pair it with Hugo DAC?


 
 No the cable is being used by other people, so didn't have the chance to try. I'd love to try it though.


----------



## Tony1110

Temporarily moved to the kitchen while renovation is done


----------



## navigavi

tony1110 said:


> Temporarily moved to the kitchen while renovation is done


 
 Love that v281. Ordered mine as well with black front.


----------



## Tony1110

navigavi said:


> Love that v281. Ordered mine as well with black front.




You'll not be disappointed - especially if you have balanced headphones.


----------



## navigavi

tony1110 said:


> You'll not be disappointed - especially if you have balanced headphones.


 
  
 Not yet, but when I've got my solder equipment and Neutrik connectors I'm going to reterminate my hd800 cable.


----------



## LugBug1

tony1110 said:


> Temporarily moved to the kitchen while renovation is done


 
 Not many kitchen rigs out there, cooking looking good!


----------



## Fuzziekiwi




----------



## lost&confused

http://postimg.org/image/3rj8x0rr7/


----------



## RingingEars

fuzziekiwi said:


>


 
  
 Nice cozy space kiwi. Good gear too.


lost&confused said:


> http://postimg.org/image/3rj8x0rr7/


 
 You loving the crack. I loved mine when I had it.


----------



## lost&confused

ringingears said:


> You loving the crack. I loved mine when I had it.


 
  
 Yeah     Its love with the HD600 an awesome sound ... I listen to a lot  radio stations and listen to music on youtube now and the sound you get is hard to beat. Fun  
 I  fitted new pads and headband pad the other day..... now its  like a new pair headphones ,  so comfy  
 sounds so good mullard cv491 and 5998 tubes  MK film caps


----------



## BirdManOfCT

skylab said:


> OK, I have been assembling a "Vintage" rig, which is now complete
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I miss reel-to-reel. Especially good recordings at 15ips.


----------



## RingingEars

lost&confused said:


> Yeah     Its love with the HD600 an awesome sound ... I listen to a lot  radio stations and listen to music on youtube now and the sound you get is hard to beat. Fun
> I  fitted new pads and headband pad the other day..... now its  like a new pair headphones ,  so comfy
> sounds so good mullard cv491 and 5998 tubes  MK film caps


 
 Nice.
 I loved that the crack was so easy to mod and you hear each mod you made.
 I ran mine with the DT880 600 Ohm. I loved that combo.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Waiting for a SR-Gamma Pro (and a BHSE...far later) to join.

 Ali


----------



## LugBug1

^^Stacks of Stax! A very nice collection indeed.


----------



## RingingEars

ali-pacha said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Wow. That is a nice collection.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Cœur d'Alène, sounds nice. And I didn't know the word "Alène" (or Alêne...or Alesne) neither, now I'll be going to bed less dumb...9 PM in Paris right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## Skylab

birdmanofct said:


> I miss reel-to-reel. Especially good recordings at 15ips.




Wow that system has changed a LOT since that pic! Here it is now:




Also on the system are a Revox B77 Mk II reel to reel (which is 15 ips 2-track) and a Denon DP-59L turntable with a Dynavector 20xH.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Simple setup:
  


 Audirvana Plus | Woo Audio WA7 | Sennheiser HD800


----------



## RingingEars

ali-pacha said:


> Cœur d'Alène, sounds nice. And I didn't know the word "Alène" (or Alêne...or Alesne) neither, now I'll be going to bed less dumb...9 PM in Paris right now
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Ali.
 I don't speak French, but was told years ago that it means heart of an/the awl? Not sue though. I've never looked it up.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

That's it. Pictured way to despict how tough natives used to be at business. Kind of "heart of stone" thing, but awl instead of stone.
 Nothing to do with cans, BTW 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## Byrnie

Show off! Just kidding, it looks really neat.


----------



## Currawong

My listening rig last night was a collection of mostly Japanese tech with a couple of other things thrown in. The headphones (not shown) were the Z7s.


----------



## Errymoose

skylab said:


> Wow that system has changed a LOT since that pic! Here it is now:


 
 That is one gorgeous setup


----------



## Skylab

errymoose said:


> That is one gorgeous setup




Thanks!!! It makes me very, very happy.


----------



## MacedonianHero

skylab said:


> Thanks!!! It makes me very, very happy.


 
  
 It should Rob! Wowza!


----------



## Skylab

macedonianhero said:


> It should Rob! Wowza!




Thanks my friend!


----------



## Krutsch

skylab said:


> Wow that system has changed a LOT since that pic! Here it is now:


 
  
 Wow... you actually have a commercial reel for Aja?  I'm impressed... does it sound great?


----------



## zilch0md

krutsch said:


> Wow... you actually have a commercial reel for Aja?  I'm impressed... does it sound great?


 
  
 It probably sounds like tape with Dolby C noise reduction.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  


Spoiler: I miss my Philips N4504 









http://audiofilek.pl/home?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=1016


  
 Mike


----------



## Skylab

krutsch said:


> Wow... you actually have a commercial reel for Aja?  I'm impressed... does it sound great?




The original tape didn't sound that great, because it was 3.75 ips. The commercial reels I've gotten that are 7.5 ips almost all sound fantastic - equal to or better than vinyl. But 3.75 is not as good. The tape in the picture is actually a 7.5 ips tape I made of my original MoFi vinyl of Aja - put in the commercial reel box


----------



## Ali-Pacha

New kid in town :
  

  
 Ali


----------



## ssrock64

ali-pacha said:


> New kid in town :
> 
> Ali


 
 Whoa, I can't say I've ever heard an SR-Gamma. What are your thoughts?


----------



## Mink

My humble station


----------



## TheChillburger

mink said:


> My humble station


 
 Cool stuff. How are you liking the A900x vs the 5000?


----------



## bbophead

mink said:


> My humble station


 
 Nice, clean, simple.  What DG CD is that?


----------



## Mink

@TheChillburger
 Thanks!
 I like them both, Neither one is superior to the other. There are no winners here 
 Maybe the D5000s have a slight better authentic instrumental timbre and tonality, but the A900Xs are more even, cohesive if you like.
  
@bbophead 
 Béla Bartóks The Wooden Prince, by The Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez.
 Love that recording! (Not the best sound though)


----------



## Ali-Pacha

ssrock64 said:


> Whoa, I can't say I've ever heard an SR-Gamma. What are your thoughts?


 
 They rock 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Best sound you can get from the round shaped old school drivers IMO.
 More slam, more details, more extension, and never cold / boring like SR-X/mk3 or SR-5 Gold may sound sometimes.

 Ali


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

ali-pacha said:


> They rock   Best sound you can get from the round shaped old school drivers IMO.
> More slam, more details, more extension, and never cold / boring like SR-X/mk3 or SR-5 Gold may sound sometimes.
> 
> 
> Ali


I'm jelly.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

zilch0md said:


> It probably sounds like tape with Dolby C noise reduction.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Bringing back the memories! LOL


----------



## Levaix

New DAC came today... I've already lost 3 hours today.


----------



## FastAndClean

levaix said:


> New DAC came today... I've already lost 3 hours today.


 
  
 Some information of your setup?


----------



## FastAndClean

levaix said:


> New DAC came today... I've already lost 3 hours today.


 
 What headphones is that?


----------



## Levaix

fastandclean said:


> Some information of your setup?


 


fastandclean said:


> What headphones is that?


 
 The DAC is a Mousai MSD192 (which is brand new and kicking my butt), and the amp is a Purity Audio KICAS (Caliente version). Before that I had an Aune T1 with Amperex 7308 tube as the DAC, and using the built in amp initially. The headphones are Ultrasone Signature Pros, and they are loving this setup. Solid, deep bass, lots of detail, and the congestion has cleared up. Now I don't cry when I think of the Fostex TH900.


----------



## RingingEars

levaix said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 How do you like the Mousai. I was going to get one from massdrop when they were listed but never did.


----------



## FastAndClean

levaix said:


> The DAC is a Mousai MSD192 (which is brand new and kicking my butt), and the amp is a Purity Audio KICAS (Caliente version). Before that I had an Aune T1 with Amperex 7308 tube as the DAC, and using the built in amp initially. The headphones are Ultrasone Signature Pros, and they are loving this setup. Solid, deep bass, lots of detail, and the congestion has cleared up. Now I don't cry when I think of the Fostex TH900.


 
 Nice!


----------



## Levaix

ringingears said:


> How do you like the Mousai. I was going to get one from massdrop when they were listed but never did.


 
 Liking it a lot so far. Very natural sounding, and definitely a solid upgrade from the Aune T1 I was using. Seems to be a good pair to my KICAS.


----------



## roscoofyore

on the road again appending novel chapters and goofing off.  this time at a ramada in tucson, az.  sorry for the fuzzy pic.  macbookpro>v-moda verza>v-moda xs    roger.


----------



## freedom01

My humble setup.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

freedom01 said:


> My humble setup.


 
 Nice and clean. Can you elaborate on the gear?


----------



## freedom01

birdmanofct said:


> Nice and clean. Can you elaborate on the gear?


 
 Thanks mate.
  
 Macbook pro(late 2013) -> iFi Mercury usb -> iFi usbpower -> iFi Gemini usb -> iFi iDSD Micro -> HD800 (stock cable)


----------



## indieman

I think I went overboard with the photo editor lol. Temporary hotel rig! Pretty decent sounding imo. Should be easy enough to recognize the gear


----------



## Ultrainferno

Alright, if you insist. Office 1 setup


----------



## penmarker

ultrainferno said:


> Alright, if you insist. Office 1 setup


 
 What's your source? And do you bring the amp to your desk every time you want to listen to one? Or do you bring the source to that amp rack and plug into an amp?


----------



## Ultrainferno

The sources are on my desk and then I choose an amp to go with it. They don't leave their table and the cable length on the headphones is enough to cover my office


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I barely have enough time for one setup! Enjoy!!
 Quote:


ultrainferno said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Wow! Spoiler!


----------



## MickeyVee

I'm Done!! Just picked up the McIntosh MHA100 and MXA70 speakers last week.  Decided that I'm a one HP setup kind of guy and this works for me.


----------



## Tuco1965

Very very nice!  Damn I love those McIntosh meters.


----------



## MickeyVee

Yeah, I turn out all the lights at night, have dram of scotch and get memorized by the meters and music. Loving it!
 Quote:


tuco1965 said:


>


----------



## betweentheears

The room and system are still under construction


----------



## bbophead

mickeyvee said:


> Yeah, I turn out all the lights at night, have dram of scotch and get memorized by the meters and music. Loving it!
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I wonder how many bites of memory those meters have?


----------



## indieman

So many good pics on here lately! Great job everyone! Keep sharing


----------



## longbowbbs

mickeyvee said:


> I'm Done!! Just picked up the McIntosh D100 and MXA70 speakers last week.  Decided that I'm a one HP setup kind of guy and this works for me.


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 Nice! I have enjoyed your journey MV! I hope this serves you well for a good while.


----------



## Jeff Kershaw

Here is my humble setup. Mac Pro into ifi Dac thru a homebrew switch to select sources, to an IFI tube buffer. Then my Audio-Technica ATh -AD1000Xs.  For speakers, there are the Tannoy's pictured powered by an AudioLabs M-power. Pics could be better I know, but I was lazy, sorry.  All in all, I think, not bad for only being into this for less than a year.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

baird gow said:


> GOD DAMMIT! Not another 100+ page setup thread to go through... ive already read ALL of http://www.overclock.net/computer-room-office/201467-official-computer-room-pics.html and ALL of http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/397869/pictures-of-your-computer-rigs-post-them-here. I'll post mine later, I feel like boosting my e-peen.


 

 LOL. I'm on page 109 of 1269 pages.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

I haven't gone through all the pages, yet, but one thing jumps out at me ... how many of us, myself included, have the Woo Audio headphone stand.


----------



## 62ohm

birdmanofct said:


> I haven't gone through all the pages, yet, but one thing jumps out at me ... how many of us, myself included, have the Woo Audio headphone stand.


 
  
 Me too, it is uncanny, eh?


----------



## Byrnie

62ohm said:


> Me too, it is uncanny, eh?



yea it's a sweet headphone stand.


----------



## zilch0md

mickeyvee said:


> I'm Done!! Just picked up the McIntosh D100 and MXA70 speakers last week.  Decided that I'm a one HP setup kind of guy and this works for me.


 
  
  
 Did you mean the McIntosh MHA100?  
  
 Nice!
  
 Mike


----------



## ssrock64

It's nice, but way too expensive for what it is. I just use a banana stand.


----------



## Byrnie

zilch0md said:


> Did you mean the McIntosh MHA100?
> 
> Nice!
> 
> Mike



doubtful they have a D100 ($2500) also that has gotten favorable reviews and it's mich cheaper than the MHA100 (>$4000).


----------



## Revogamer

byrnie said:


> doubtful they have a D100 ($2500) also that has gotten favorable reviews and it's mich cheaper than the MHA100 (>$4000).


 
 D100 is mainly a dac/preamp - the headphone side leaves much to be desired compared to some top end options - the MHA100 has a much better amp stage and is also a 50w speaker amp


----------



## Byrnie

revogamer said:


> D100 is mainly a dac/preamp - the headphone side leaves much to be desired compared to some top end options - the MHA100 has a much better amp stage and is also a 50w speaker amp



Oh cool! That's good to know about the amp sections, thanks.


----------



## MickeyVee

Doh! MHA100, yes & Thanks!
 Quote:


zilch0md said:


>


----------



## kid vic

My listening station while i get ready to move. Yes my headphone amp is the tiny thing on the right; no i don't leave my headphones like that, they were posing.


----------



## bbophead

Looks like they were doing much more than posing.  Heh.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

ziilot said:


> My setup, nothing fancy.


 

 That's another trend I've noticed -- iMac users going for simplicity. Not a real strong correlation, and probably biased, but seems to be there.


----------



## Phonelaf

Hi,
  
 after trying Beyerdynamic T90, MrSpeakers Alpha Dog, Sennheiser HD 800, Audeze LCD-XC -) and Fostex TH-900,
 I got back to a brand new Audeze LCD-XC.
 Finally my end game headphone.
  
 Regards
 Olaf


----------



## RingingEars

phonelaf said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Wow. Beautiful rig Olaf.


----------



## Pirakaphile

Hey look! A POOR kid! 

Schiit Magni/Modi, Vox Audio player, Grado SR80i, Beyerdynamic DT990Pro.

Yeah yeah, I'm workin' on it. Hoping to get HiFiMANs or Sennheiser this krismas, and maybe some soundproofing for the window..


----------



## Paul Graham

pirakaphile said:


> Hey look! A POOR kid!
> 
> Schiit Magni/Modi, Vox Audio player, Grado SR80i, Beyerdynamic DT990Pro.
> 
> Yeah yeah, I'm workin' on it. Hoping to get HiFiMANs or Sennheiser this krismas, and maybe some soundproofing for the window..


 
  
 That's Not a "Poor Kid" Rig, Don't be daft!  
  
 Its more a Budget Rig, Which is perfectly fine. 
 We all have to start somewhere, And Believe me, I started at the bottom, 
 And Im still not done 29 years later lmao!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thats a good rig to start with my friend


----------



## Pirakaphile

paul graham said:


> That's Not a "Poor Kid" Rig, Don't be daft!
> 
> Its more a Budget Rig, Which is perfectly fine.
> We all have to start somewhere, And Believe me, I started at the bottom,
> ...


 
 Yeah, I'll post again in another thirty years when I have something interesting in my collection  Thanks!


----------



## Phonelaf

THX


----------



## CJs06

pirakaphile said:


> Hey look! A POOR kid!
> 
> Schiit Magni/Modi, Vox Audio player, Grado SR80i, Beyerdynamic DT990Pro.
> 
> Yeah yeah, I'm workin' on it. Hoping to get HiFiMANs or Sennheiser this krismas, and maybe some soundproofing for the window..


 
 Yes! I started with a small Schiit stack and DT990pros myself. The DT990Pros is such an underrated pair of cans. Sounds fantastic with Schiit's tube amp offerings btw


----------



## MickeyVee

*There is nothing uninteresting about the Schiit stack.*  Looking back 4-5 years when I seriously started in the HP game, there was nothing even close to this value and performance and it looks awesome.  I got caught up in the upgraditis thing and sometimes (ok, not very often) missing the real story, it's about the music an enjoying it.   *Just enjoy it!*
  
 Quote:


pirakaphile said:


> Yeah, I'll post again in another thirty years when I have something interesting in my collection  Thanks!


----------



## CJG888

Those Beyers really are underrated, and will scale well (and work well with OTL tube amps, if they are the 250 ohm version).

Frankly, some of the older designs offer the best value (but generally need a little more in the way of amplification - the Magni is a very good start here!).


----------



## ejwiles

pirakaphile said:


> Yeah, I'll post again in another thirty years when I have something interesting in my collection  Thanks!


 
 More likely, you'll plug phones into your Schitt stack in thirty years, it will still sound great, and you'll remember that you paid less than the price of a coffee in 2044...


----------



## Paul Graham

There, All of the above


----------



## heishiro




----------



## Tuco1965

That's a very nice and clean setup.  I like the headphone stand.


----------



## heishiro

^ thanks! the stand is *Free* from HD600 , $20 value


----------



## BugleBoy

My current Head-Fi / Hi-Fi station!


----------



## logwed

omg that Delphi! and the Nakamichi! and the Leben! and the Paint!
  
 Super cool rig


----------



## NotaLefty




----------



## BugleBoy

logwed said:


> omg that Delphi! and the Nakamichi! and the Leben! and the Paint!
> 
> Super cool rig


 
  
 Thanks Logwed!!


----------



## remilio

My home and portable rig now (and I'm pretty sure it will be like this for a couple of years lol).


----------



## 62ohm

Well, hello there fellow 21:9 monitor user


----------



## remilio

62ohm said:


> Well, hello there fellow 21:9 monitor user


 
 Hello-hello! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 These are pretty rare species.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

remilio said:


> My home and portable rig now (and I'm pretty sure it will be like this for a couple of years lol).


 
  
 Nice, clean setup.
  
 How do you like that home combo? Feel free to send a PM.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Wow, only 15% through this thread ... and I'm mostly just looking at the photos.


----------



## LNCPapa

This is a tough thread to make it through without pulling out your bank card multiple times.  Good luck on the rest of this voyage


----------



## Errymoose

Was the current state at the sydney meet on sunday...


----------



## kid vic

notalefty said:


>


 
  
  
 How does the bass response of the T1 compare to the LCD2's? I've been thinking of upgrading from my DT770's that I use mostly for electronic music. I can't actually afford a T1 but apparently the T90 is not to far in sound from them and I can probably spring for those in the near future. Also have you listened to the HE-500?


----------



## Pirakaphile

kid vic said:


> How does the bass response of the T1 compare to the LCD2's? I've been thinking of upgrading from my DT770's that I use mostly for electronic music. I can't actually afford a T1 but apparently the T90 is not to far in sound from them and I can probably spring for those in the near future. Also have you listened to the HE-500?



I have the DT990 PRO, and they've got the strength in bass for electronic music. Excellent cans


----------



## WickedChicken

At the moment most of my headphone listening is either done on the go or in my home office or on the go via my Fiio X3 and Aurisonics Rockets.  
  

  
 I will hopefully be receiving a Geek Pulse XFi before years end along with a set of AKG K7XX via mass drop.  Hopefully the spring will see a set of Alpha Primes entering the mix.
  
 For now my options are either a Geek Out 720 into a pair of AKG Q701s or my trusty Native Instruments Complete Audio 6 into the studio monitors.


----------



## remilio

WickedChicken
  
 Nice looking setup, I like your desk!


----------



## WickedChicken

remilio said:


> WickedChicken
> 
> Nice looking setup, I like your desk!


 

 Thanks, it's my own invention.  2 Ikea Numerar countertops, 2 pairs of Ikea Capita Brackets, and S2S Height Adjustable legs.  The shelf above the desk is just the left over bit from cutting down the counter top that's used for the monitor bridge.


----------



## BugleBoy

errymoose said:


> Was the current state at the sydney meet on sunday...


 
  
 Where was this meet at in Sydney?


----------



## Errymoose

It was in Epping.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

lncpapa said:


> This is a tough thread to make it through without pulling out your bank card multiple times.  Good luck on the rest of this voyage


 

 LOL. Thanks!


----------



## ForShure

Definitely a solid night.


----------



## Androb

forshure said:


> Definitely a solid night.


 
 I guess that is a Pro-ject TT? How is it?


----------



## kid vic

pirakaphile said:


> I have the DT990 PRO, and they've got the strength in bass for electronic music. Excellent cans


 
 Yeah? Thanks, I hope I'll be able to test a set unless they go for cheap somewhere.


----------



## Redcarmoose

androb said:


> I guess that is a Pro-ject TT? How is it?




That's one old record, I know i baught it new.


----------



## logwed

forshure said:


> Definitely a solid night.
> *snip*


 
  
 tight record dawg


----------



## SunTanScanMan

forshure said:


> Definitely a solid night.


 

 I think we've got same speakers. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I find the headphone out of those not too shabby either.


----------



## ForShure

androb said:


> I guess that is a Pro-ject TT? How is it?


 

 You are correct. It is a Pro-ject Debut III. I bought it off a guy on craigslist for $225 and it was almost new. So far it has been musical, easy to use, and gotten me into vinyl more. The sound can sometimes sound a bit cluttered but with a better cartridge I think it would clear up. Overall the sound is very good, definitely the best turntable for the price range.


----------



## Redcarmoose

forshure said:


> You are correct. It is a Pro-ject Debut III. I bought it off a guy on craigslist for $225 and it was almost new. So far it has been musical, easy to use, and gotten me into vinyl more. The sound can sometimes sound a bit cluttered but with a better cartridge I think it would clear up. Overall the sound is very good, definitely the best turntable for the price range.





The record cover was proof that in stride the feet are all four of the ground, somthing they never knew before the photo.


----------



## awsanderson

forshure said:


> Definitely a solid night.


 
 I love Larceny, have to get it shipped into Oklahoma though


----------



## Androb

forshure said:


> You are correct. It is a Pro-ject Debut III. I bought it off a guy on craigslist for $225 and it was almost new. So far it has been musical, easy to use, and gotten me into vinyl more. The sound can sometimes sound a bit cluttered but with a better cartridge I think it would clear up. Overall the sound is very good, definitely the best turntable for the price range.


 
 Sweet, so I take that as you would recommend it?  I would love getting my hands on something like this, on a look for a new TT!


----------



## Androb

Added an old Luxman TT to my shelf, but it's lacking in depth. Need another phono stage or cartridge I guess.


----------



## axeltow

redcarmoose said:


> The record cover was proof that in stride the feet are all four of the ground, somthing they never knew before the photo.


 

 Wow....that is impressing piece of knowledge! Thanks!! I will share it with my uncle who is an audiophile and owns a small ranch 
  
  
  
 Ahh...those TTs. Speaking of my uncle again...he is been bothering me to get a TT for ages, but it will be that or a nice tube amp to drive the HD600 that are on their way (can't wait!). Still can't make up my mind though.
  
 Nice setups guys!


----------



## sgbwill2

Just got my La Figaro 339 yesterday and here is the setup. My poor desk cant fit anything else on it now though haha.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Looks great, good tubes. Are you powering speakers with it?


----------



## sgbwill2

I'm currently using it as a pre amp for my Topping TP22 power amp which can be seen on the left as a stack with the Topping D20 DAC. I havent tried it but I doubt it would have enough power to drive the Mordaunt-short 902i's alone.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I'm not a tech guy, but is it safe to use the SE out like that?


----------



## sgbwill2

I believe so, its meant to be a pre amp and headphone amp and there are no other outputs. Its no different to having a 6.35mm headphone jack plugged into it


----------



## Ultrainferno

sgbwill2 said:


> I believe so, its meant to be a pre amp and headphone amp and there are no other outputs. Its no different to having a 6.35mm headphone jack plugged into it


 
  
 Never knew the 339 was considered a pre amp...
 Have you visited the 339 thread?


----------



## sgbwill2

ultrainferno said:


> Never knew the 339 was considered a pre amp...
> Have you visited the 339 thread?


 
 Ye I have, I've posted a few times there but have been lurking around for much longer. As soon as I saw and read reviews on the 339 back in 2011 I've wanted one and sound impressions from that thread made me furthermore want to buy it. As for pre amp use I believe most headphone amps can be used in that regard. I would prefer the LF to have RCA outs but the phone out does the job nicely


----------



## bigfatpaulie

After years of everything sitting on my desk and a seemingly endless search for a "prefect" rack...  I gave up and bought something from Ikea.  Good enough.
  
  

  
 And "under the hood"
  

  
 And the mess drawer of extra cables and tubes.
  

  
  
 Now if my new cables would arrive!


----------



## bbophead

Nice!  Looks like a good system.
  
 Congrats!


----------



## longbowbbs

bigfatpaulie said:


> After years of everything sitting on my desk and a seemingly endless search for a "prefect" rack...  I gave up and bought something from Ikea.  Good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Sweet BFP! I love the M1!


----------



## Krutsch

Upgrade! Added Woo Audio WA3 w/ stock tubes.
  

  
 SACD player (right of image) --> Kanex HDMI audio de-embedder --> Arcam rDac via coax S/PDIF --> Woo WA3 --> Senn HD 650
  
 ...or... MacBook Retina --> iFI Audio iUSBPower --> Arcam rDac...
  


 LED and Tube Glow View ... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I need to invest in a real camera (and maybe some photography skills).


----------



## magiccabbage

bigfatpaulie said:


> After years of everything sitting on my desk and a seemingly endless search for a "prefect" rack...  I gave up and bought something from Ikea.  Good enough.


 
 sweet


----------



## dsound

bigfatpaulie said:


> After years of everything sitting on my desk and a seemingly endless search for a "prefect" rack...  I gave up and bought something from Ikea.  Good enough.


 
  
 That looks fantastic.  I love that Stratus.. Point to point wiring.. 2A3 tubes... drool.  It helps that Donald North is an awesome guy too.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

dsound said:


> That looks fantastic.  I love that Stratus.. Point to point wiring.. 2A3 tubes... drool.  It helps that Donald North is an awesome guy too.


 
  
 Thanks!
  
 Dynahi isn't a slouch either


----------



## BirdManOfCT

linuxid10t said:


> Don't have a setup currently due to moving, but here is an old pic with all my headphones on.  From the inside out: generic earbuds, Grado SR-60i, Denon AH-D1100, Sennheiser HD595.


 

 In college, we had a dorm-floor photo where our suite of 4 all wore Koss headphones and we looked kinda like that.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

20% through thread. Hopefully, people are updating their photos. Everything is interesting (mine's so simple, it's almost boring).


----------



## BirdManOfCT

soze said:


> My station at it's current state.


 

 Cool stand!


----------



## amalgamist

^Agreed, really liking that headphone stand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Maybe I can find Hulk to stand in Spideys place!


----------



## magiccabbage

birdmanofct said:


> Cool stand!


 
 +1


----------



## indydieselnut

I love keeping up with everyone's systems in this thread!  There are always great examples of creativity and ingenuity as people find the best way to use their chosen gear.  I'm still listening to headphones most of the time as I work at my desk (HD650 and HD600 through the DAC2 HGC), but I've been putting quite a bit of work into my 2-channel rig as well.  Sharing my love for music with friends and family works well with headphones, but I've found it is also nice to be able to sit them on the couch and exchange comments as we listen to the speakers as well.  
  
 This system has evolved quite a bit, but it currently comprises of:
  
 Salk Sound HT2-TL
 AVA Fet Valve 600R
 Benchmark DAC2 HGC
 Linn Sondek LP12 (30+ years old, refurbished by Tom O'Keefe) 
 Bottlehead Eros phono stage (customized)
  
 Headphones are currently:
  
 HD650
 HD600
  
 Although I'm shoe-horned into a corner of our unfinished basement, it's amazing how good the space sounds.  I credit the rugs, soft furnishings, media on the walls, and the orientation of the ceiling joists.  I don't currently use any purpose-built sound treatments.


----------



## magiccabbage

Wow - what a set up! How sensitive are those speakers?


----------



## indydieselnut

magiccabbage said:


> Wow - what a set up! How sensitive are those speakers?


 
 Thank you!  88db.  I don't listen particularly loudly; so the amp doesn't work very hard.


----------



## magiccabbage

indydieselnut said:


> Thank you!  88db.  I don't listen particularly loudly; so the amp doesn't work very hard.


 
 I was hoping for 91 and up. Ill be looking for speakers for my WA5 next year - 8 watts per channel into 8 ohms. So maybe 93dB or 95.


----------



## longbowbbs

indydieselnut said:


> I love keeping up with everyone's systems in this thread!  There are always great examples of creativity and ingenuity as people find the best way to use their chosen gear.  I'm still listening to headphones most of the time as I work at my desk (HD650 and HD600 through the DAC2 HGC), but I've been putting quite a bit of work into my 2-channel rig as well.  Sharing my love for music with friends and family works well with headphones, but I've found it is also nice to be able to set them on the couch and exchange comments as we listen to the speakers as well.
> 
> This system has evolved quite a bit, but it currently comprises of:
> 
> ...


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 The AVA/Salk combo is terrific! I got a long listen at RMAF to a variety of AVA/Salk combo's. Great sound and a great value.


----------



## indydieselnut

longbowbbs said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thank you!  Part of the fun of this hobby is that, even after twenty years (wow, that makes me feel older than I am!), I discover companies that are totally new to me.  Jim Salk and Frank van Alstine have been wonderful people to get to know.  They seem to be in tune with what music lovers want and are less concerned with fads and some of the pageantry that plagues certain portions of the industry.  The list of companies and individuals that I could add to the list of "good guys" is long, so I'm certainly not singling out Jim and Frank as the only ones.  At the end of the day, it's all about enjoying the beauty of recorded music!


----------



## Xoen

My current Head-Fi setup.  

  

  

  

  

  

  
 My Head-Fi setup consists of:
  
 Sennheiser HD700
 Sennheiser HD650 (Moon Silver Dragon V2 cable)
 Audio Technica ATH-W1000X
 Schiit Valhalla 
 Aune T1 USB Tube DAC (with Amperex 7308 tube)


----------



## magiccabbage

xoen said:


> My current Head-Fi setup.


 
 looks nice on the glass


----------



## Xoen

magiccabbage said:


> looks nice on the glass


 
 Thanks.   Though I kinda figured the cords on the floor would need cleaning up after second looking at the pic.


----------



## LugBug1

indydieselnut said:


>


 
 Those speakers are truly amazing. And worth seeing again! 
  
 I'd love a space like that, can't even risk having any speakers up at the mo (small children)


----------



## indydieselnut

lugbug1 said:


> Those speakers are truly amazing. And worth seeing again!
> 
> I'd love a space like that, can't even risk having any speakers up at the mo (small children)


 
 Thanks!  Mine are six and two...thankfully the six-year-old is highly trained and the two-year-old never goes near the speakers unsupervised   This would never fly upstairs where the family spends most of our time!


----------



## magiccabbage

indydieselnut said:


> Thanks!  Mine are six and two...thankfully the six-year-old is highly trained and the two-year-old never goes near the speakers unsupervised   This would never fly upstairs where the family spends most of our time!


 
 My birthday is on Monday - Can I have your basement? We don't really do the whole basement thing in Ireland.


----------



## LugBug1

magiccabbage said:


> My birthday is on Monday - Can I have your basement? We don't really do the whole basement thing in Ireland.


 
 ha
  
 Yup no basements over here as well. Though I have got a half loft conversion thing going on. But not good when you can see your breath at this time of year.. !
  
 Happy birthday for monday bud. Have a Guinness on me


----------



## magiccabbage

lugbug1 said:


> ha
> 
> Yup no basements over here as well. Though I have got a half loft conversion thing going on. But not good when you can see your breath at this time of year.. !
> 
> Happy birthday for monday bud. Have a Guinness on me


 
 send the money and I will   .......


----------



## LugBug1

magiccabbage said:


> send the money and I will   .......


 
 cheque is in the post... It will bounce your way soon


----------



## indydieselnut

magiccabbage said:


> My birthday is on Monday - Can I have your basement? We don't really do the whole basement thing in Ireland.


 
 Yes, but do you do the whole tornado thing?  The basement is great...hiding out in it as an F4 twister passes overhead, not so much!  My other hobby is billiards, so the stereo and pool table having homes has always been high on my list.  
  
 Happy birthday!


----------



## magiccabbage

indydieselnut said:


> Yes, but do you do the whole tornado thing?  The basement is great...hiding out in it as an F4 twister passes overhead, not so much!  My other hobby is billiards, so the stereo and pool table having homes has always been high on my list.
> 
> Happy birthday!


 
 Tornado's - cool! Scary though. You ever go chasing?


----------



## BirdManOfCT

indydieselnut said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 
 Wow!
  
 It's good, too, that the sound environment is good. In my old system, the carpet, surroundings, and angled ceiling helped a lot with good acoustics (and a very low noise background). I did add a couple side absorption panels, but they really weren't necessary (noticeable difference, but probably only to a few people like us).


----------



## indydieselnut

birdmanofct said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You mentioned a "low-noise" environment…my basement is hilarious on that count.  If no one is running water, the furnace isn't running, no one is doing laundry, the dehumidifier is off, and no one flushes a toilet…it's quiet as a tomb.  If all of those things are happening…well, that's when I play pool instead of listen to music!


----------



## bbophead

indydieselnut said:


> birdmanofct said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 

 Maybe 2-5 in the morning is best.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

sphinxvc said:


> After a month of waiting, I _*finally*_ got my Teddy Zodiac PS today.  It somehow managed to get from Israel to my local PO without a "to" address!  Of course, once it arrived in the PO, they were unable to deliver it to me.  Here's a pic, oh, and it's great by the way.  Best purchase I have made on head-fi so far (both the Zodiac together with the PS).


 

 How is the headphone output? Considering as DAC/amp combo for my HD 800 headphones


----------



## VeXun

IPad air 2 / 2014 moto x + fiio e07k & sennheiser hd598, TDK BA200, YAMAHA EPH-100.

I keep it portable.


----------



## atraf

Modi ---> Bottlehead Crack + SB ---> HD650


----------



## HeyWaj10

Never quite dug the Bottlehead gear's aesthetic before, but that Crack looks fantastic...maybe the feet you paired with it adds something to it for me...
  
 Very nice!


----------



## Androb

atraf said:


> Modi ---> Bottlehead Crack + SB ---> HD650
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  


heywaj10 said:


> Never quite dug the Bottlehead gear's aesthetic before, but that Crack looks fantastic...maybe the feet you paired with it adds something to it for me...
> 
> Very nice!


 
 I agree! That was beautiful.


----------



## ejwiles

I like the rounded corners too. Very cool!


----------



## dsound

atraf said:


> Modi ---> Bottlehead Crack + SB ---> HD650


 
  
 Well done. I love the routed edges.  Time to tube roll!


----------



## atraf

Thank you !
 Tube rolling is definitely in mind and sadly so as my empty wallet, have to put it on hold for now


----------



## Maverickmonk

You did beautiful work. Did you just doctor up the original case, or is that scratch built? It looks excellent!


----------



## atraf

maverickmonk said:


> You did beautiful work. Did you just doctor up the original case, or is that scratch built? It looks excellent!


 
 Original case, the wood that comes with the kit is quite decent and the possibilities of modifying are endless.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

rexaeterna said:


> added a new toy. found a good condition 1980's Yamaha M-45 class A power amp. paid only 40 bucks cash for it. have my speakers and my 240DF hooked up to the speaker outputs. i'm horrible at taking pics with my phone.


 

 Are those mono blocks?


----------



## kid vic

birdmanofct said:


> Are those mono blocks?


 
 hahahaha good one!


----------



## axeltow

indydieselnut said:


> Yes, but do you do the whole tornado thing?  The basement is great...hiding out in it as an F4 twister passes overhead, not so much!  My other hobby is billiards, so the stereo and pool table having homes has always been high on my list.
> 
> Happy birthday!


 
  
 Nevertheless, I'd love to have me a basement where I can fit all the gear.
  
 I just love what you have done with the place! Enjoy it as much as you can!!


----------



## indydieselnut

Great work!  It is so good to see what you did with the feet - I am planning to use an old set of Track spikes on my next Crack build.  It's neat to see how good it looks!  You did a killer job with the case; I really love the look.  
  
  
 Quote:


atraf said:


> Modi ---> Bottlehead Crack + SB ---> HD650


----------



## indydieselnut

axeltow said:


> Nevertheless, I'd love to have me a basement where I can fit all the gear.
> 
> I just love what you have done with the place! Enjoy it as much as you can!!


 
 I appreciate the kind words!  It's been quite a journey and I'm trying to simply relax and enjoy the music.


----------



## atraf

indydieselnut said:


>


 
 Thank you its nice to hear that, I agree that the spikes really adds a lot, when I replace the volume knob I will be completely satisfied.
On the inside though I still got a lot of work to do..


----------



## cswann1

indydieselnut said:


> It's been quite a journey and I'm trying to simply relax and enjoy the music.


 
  
 And that's what it's all about.  Geeking out on gear is fun but it's a never ending and wallet draining treadmill.


----------



## Coolzo

Color-coordinated crappy phone pic of the day.


----------



## pelli

I moved about a year ago and not sure if I've posted anything from the new place.  Here's the bedside 
 rig:


----------



## jjacq

Pardon the mess :'(. 

 Audio-gd 15.32(2014) & Schiit Vali> HE-400i


----------



## Krutsch

pelli said:


> I moved about a year ago and not sure if I've posted anything from the new place.  Here's the bedside
> rig:


 

 Really nice rig, but serious question: are you single? Because if I set something like that up in the bedroom...


----------



## remilio

pelli said:


> I moved about a year ago and not sure if I've posted anything from the new place.  Here's the bedside
> rig:


 
 Beautiful setup!


----------



## remilio

pelli said:


> I moved about a year ago and not sure if I've posted anything from the new place.  Here's the bedside
> rig:


 
 Beautiful rig!
  
 P.S. OMG, double post, sorry!


----------



## kid vic

krutsch said:


> Really nice rig, but serious question: are you single? Because if I set something like that up in the bedroom...


 
 Doesn't matter, music keeps us warm at night! The president will answer no further questions.


----------



## axeltow

krutsch said:


> Really nice rig, but serious question: are you single? Because if I set something like that up in the bedroom...


 
 I am more than happy to announce that I've been let to set up a bedroom rig once the hobby room becomes the baby room 

 I think it was the constant playing of music that made it happen.....or the complaining...or the spending...well, one of those reasons


----------



## Krutsch

axeltow said:


> I am more than happy to announce that I've been let to set up a bedroom rig once the hobby room becomes the baby room
> 
> I think it was the constant playing of music that made it happen.....or the complaining...or the spending...well, one of those reasons


 

 Really great answer. Congrats on the new / upcoming addition to your family.


----------



## pelli

krutsch said:


> Really nice rig, but serious question: are you single? Because if I set something like that up in the bedroom...


 

 I'm engaged actually, but the bedside rig existed before we lived together.  She has her nightstand and I have mine haha.  The living room has a little more WAF,  I find you can get away with a lot more if you keep it neat (especially hiding cables and wiring!)  Mostly, my lady is incredibly tolerant and a keeper for sure!!!!!!


----------



## Krutsch

pelli said:


> I'm engaged actually, but the bedside rig existed before we lived together.  She has her nightstand and I have mine haha.  The living room has a little more WAF,  I find you can get away with a lot more if you keep it neat (especially hiding cables and wiring!)  Mostly, my lady is incredibly tolerant and a keeper for sure!!!!!!


 

 Nice. I have a similar issue in my living room, as seen below in an older pic (I will post an updated view, when I get a chance).
  
 As long as I keep my Nerd Gear under the main windows, and the wires hidden from view, it's all good


----------



## Joe-Siow

Here's my humble setup.


----------



## CJG888

Are the Ho's LS3/5A any good?


----------



## Joe-Siow

cjg888 said:


> Are the Ho's LS3/5A any good?


 
  
 Very good stuff for the price. I intend to add his subs in the near future.
  
 His LS3/5A is more transparent and slightly faster than the standard LS3/5A, which suits me better.


----------



## Hooster

Here we are, some fresh pics:


----------



## roscoofyore

on the road again.  this time in Reno, NV.  at the swanky Atlantis casino resort.  the wifi is speedy, nice.  have to get working on the novel as soon as i hit the bar down stairs.
  
 behold the office (for the next 2 days):
  

  


 : sorry for the poor picture quality.  mabook pro>v-moda verza>shure 840.   cheers gents.


----------



## axeltow

Awesome living room setups guys (and that view Krutsch!)
  
 Below is my setup although it was only temporary in the living room as there is not much space and I can't figure out where to place the gear. I was just testing my new amplifier. Its a custom built single end tube amp. I wanted to wait for my HD600 to arrive till I showed you, but couldn't resist 
  

  

  

  

  
 Sorry for the effects, was posting to Instagram


----------



## kid vic

axeltow said:


>


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






> Awesome living room setups guys (and that view Krutsch!)
> 
> Below is my setup although it was only temporary in the living room as there is not much space and I can't figure out where to place the gear. I was just testing my new amplifier. Its a custom built single end tube amp. I wanted to wait for my HD600 to arrive till I showed you, but couldn't resist
> 
> ...


 
  


 Thats a gorgeous amp man! Very nice! Take a pic for the fine art gallery.


----------



## zilch0md

Yes, nice shot axeltow!  
  
 I hope you don't mind my having "tweaked" and cropped it to 1920x1080 ...
  
  




  
 (Right Click to open in a new tab, then magnify, or to save.)
  
 Mike


----------



## axeltow

thx guys. the pic was slightly bigger but didn't want to clutter the post.
  
 when the wallet fills again after that amp, the dude will make me one for the HD600. no wood but still the same color....sadly it will have to wait.


----------



## Krutsch

Very difficult to follow that last post, but here's my latest Head-Fi rig update:
  


 More changes are coming...


----------



## MickeyVee

Rega DAC & WA6 - Very Nice!
_I still have both though the WA6 is up for sale.  May just mate them again for one last listen._
  
 Quote:


krutsch said:


> Very difficult to follow that last post, but here's my latest Head-Fi rig update:


 
  
  
 Um.. WOW!


axeltow said:


>


----------



## Krutsch

^^^ Thanks. It's a WA3, which I got to better match with my HD-650s (and it was cheaper on Black Friday 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ).
  
 One last upgrade... Mapleshade platform came today, with isopads and brass footers for the Woo.  Yes, I am neurotic and need help... I couldn't stop myself, I really like the look of the platform and footers.
  
 My girlfriend looked at this and wanted to know if I was finally *done* and with a straight face I said: "...of course, this is the last purchase."
 A relationship built on lies...


----------



## bbophead

I'm a sucker for bling.


----------



## Redcarmoose

krutsch said:


> Very difficult to follow that last post, but here's my latest Head-Fi rig update:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My favorite combo was the HD 650s with Woo3. Just one of those magic mixtures, like rum and Coke!  Enjoy.


----------



## vc1187

Here's some retro love!


----------



## Androb

vc1187 said:


> Here's some retro love!



Damn sexy stuff you got there?


----------



## HeyWaj10

I'm Ron Burgundy?


----------



## SunTanScanMan

vc1187 said:


> Here's some retro love!


 
 That's a lovely looking set up.
  
 Also am I the only one who sees an emoticon face? The input dial and volume dial being the eyes ... (  ｡◕‿◕｡)


----------



## Coolzo

suntanscanman said:


> That's a lovely looking set up.
> 
> Also am I the only one who sees an emoticon face? The input dial and volume dial being the eyes ... (  ｡◕‿◕｡)




Lmao it looks like it's drinking a slurpee through the headphone cable xD


----------



## Hooster

vc1187 said:


> Here's some retro love!


 
  
 Lovely. Can the Zana D be used a pre amp in a speaker system?


----------



## vc1187

hooster said:


> Lovely. Can the Zana D be used a pre amp in a speaker system?




Sure can, and that's what I primarily use it for. In my opinion, it sounds even better as a pre amp than it does as a headphone amp, and it's already quite phenomenal as a headphone amp.


----------



## Hooster

vc1187 said:


> Sure can, and that's what I primarily use it for. In my opinion, it sounds even better as a pre amp than it does as a headphone amp, and it's already quite phenomenal as a headphone amp.


 

 Awesome, thank you.


----------



## Hooster

vc1187 said:


> Sure can, and that's what I primarily use it for. In my opinion, it sounds even better as a pre amp than it does as a headphone amp, and it's already quite phenomenal as a headphone amp.


 
  
 Sorry to ask, the answer is probably obvious. The question is, does it use the headphone amp to drive the line level outputs to your power amp, so that you can not listen to headphones and drive the output to the power amp at the same time?
  
 This is of interest to me because I have a headphone amp that uses dedicated amplification for headphones and other amplification, op amps for the line, to power amp, output. I am thinking that I prefer to have the headphone amp drive my power amp, rather than the op amps.
  
 Many thanks.


----------



## vc1187

hooster said:


> Sorry to ask, the answer is probably obvious. The question is, does it use the headphone amp to drive the line level outputs to your power amp, so that you can not listen to headphones and drive the output to the power amp at the same time?
> 
> This is of interest to me because I have a headphone amp that uses dedicated amplification for headphones and other amplification, op amps for the line, to power amp, output. I am thinking that I prefer to have the headphone amp drive my power amp, rather than the op amps.
> 
> Many thanks.


 

 It uses the same circuitry of the headphone amp to drive the line level outputs.  You can actually drive both headphones and speaker at the same time, and I did not notice a degradation of sound quality.  Anyway, since this is off topic, feel free to PM me with any other questions you have.


----------



## WickedChicken

Here's a relatively affordable solution for my Dining Room.
  

  
 First up we have the recently acquired Teac LP-P1000 compact stereo system which I picked up to replace a problematic Klipsh airplay speaker.
 I didn't like the limited range of the on board Bluetooth (and it's only Bluetooth 3) so I hooked up a cheap $35 airplay unit to the aux  input to handle streaming duties.
 It has a 1/8" headphone jack on the front but as expected it's pretty low powered and can't handle more power hungry cans such as the newly acquired AKG K7XXX..  Fortunately it also comes equipped with a pair of line out jacks so I hooked up my Project Sunrise to easily drive the AKGs.


----------



## Angry




----------



## longbowbbs

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 Nice! How are you liking the Marantz?


----------



## plonter

Here is my modest station...Uncensored.  between the laptop and the headroom amp it's a Dragonfly dac But it is facing the other way.
 between the dac and the amp it's a Cardas 6 inch mini to mini.  The USB "Tail" is a cheap one I got free with something I don't remember..(no "snaik oil" here)  Minimalist rig, but sounds awsome


----------



## Paul Graham

Here's my temporary recliner side station...
  
 iPod classic 6th gen
 Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo
 iBasso DB2 Boomslang
 iBasso PB2 Pelican
 Balanced Senn-Grado in Lignum Vitae cups and plusSound headband
 All Toxic Cables Silver Poison interconnects
  
 In the background you can see my vaping gear and my Buddha statue.


----------



## Androb

Love your grados!


----------



## ssrock64

paul graham said:


> Here's my temporary recliner side station...
> 
> iPod classic 6th gen
> Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo
> ...


 
 That's quite the stack of transportable gear! Do you ever take this same setup out, or is it just a convenient station you can move around the house?


----------



## Paul Graham

The latter lol, athough I have taken it on a long train ride or to a hotel etc.


----------



## Angry

longbowbbs said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 LOVE IT! Pairing it with my Denon D7000


----------



## floydfan33

New stereo rack, OPPO HA-1 and Technics SL-1200mk2 black.


----------



## Hooster

Nice to see that you are taking advantage of that balanced output, floydfan.


----------



## Clayton SF




----------



## mrk




----------



## MaKa13

*Clayton SF, *Can you please describe your setup?
  
 Thanks.
  
  



Spoiler: Clayton SF setup photos



Quote:


clayton sf said:


>


----------



## Ultrainferno

maka13 said:


> Spoiler: Clayton SF setup photos


 
  
 That maybe is 5% of his full setup


----------



## x RELIC x

ultrainferno said:


> That maybe is 5% of his full setup




:eek:


----------



## longbowbbs

ultrainferno said:


> maka13 said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Clayton SF setup photos
> ...


 
 Maybe....


----------



## bbophead

Quote: 





clayton sf said:


>


 

 Ahh, Hammond B3 love.


----------



## Clayton SF

The far left (barely showing) is a phono stage Decware ZP3 (Apr. 2011), see photo below. Next to that is a Decware Mini Torii (Oct. 2011). And next to that is a ECP Black Diamond Headphone Amp. Next to it is a the Denon AH-D7000 headphones. And finally to the right of the headphones is the CD transport by Lab 47 (Model 4716).
  
 Here's a photo of my Decware ZP3.


----------



## Ultrainferno

You're forgetting the other 95% C


----------



## Clayton SF

ultrainferno said:


> You're forgetting the other 95% C


 

 Ok. Here's another 25%, I think. The rest is in storage. Like the Leben CS600.
 And this doesn't count because I've moved most of them back into their boxes for fear the floor will collapse under the weight of the amps.


----------



## Eee Pee

I love when you post Clayton, always the coolest stuff and great photos.  I love just seeing that CD transport!
  
 Cheers, mate!


----------



## Hooster

clayton sf said:


> Ok. Here's another 25%, I think. The rest is in storage. Like the Leben CS600.
> And this doesn't count because I've moved most of them back into their boxes for fear the floor will collapse under the weight of the amps.


 
  
 You have the Leben, Clayton. What more do you really need?


----------



## Clayton SF

hooster said:


> You have the Leben, Clayton. What more do you really need?


 
  
 ^ To probably have my head examined.
  
 You're right. If I had to sell off everything (and I will at some point), I would keep the Leben, Zana Deux, and the Mini Torii. I think.


----------



## whirlwind

Clayton....that is just flat out amazing......and I am just so stoked to be looking forward to my Glenn OTL........that is just a small drop in a bucket of all of your gear.
  
 Thanks for posting those pics.


----------



## Clayton SF

whirlwind said:


> Clayton....that is just flat out amazing......and I am just so stoked to be looking forward to my Glenn OTL........that is just a small drop in a bucket of all of your gear.
> 
> Thanks for posting those pics.


 

  Thanks and you're welcome. Here's my Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/


----------



## magiccabbage

Clayton - I need to visit you before you sell that stuff but you know you should keep it.


----------



## whirlwind

clayton sf said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > Clayton....that is just flat out amazing......and I am just so stoked to be looking forward to my Glenn OTL........that is just a small drop in a bucket of all of your gear.
> ...


 
  
 Clayton....thanks so much for that link....and .....GULP!......I am truely speechless.
  
 That is some of the finest gear I have ever laid eyes on......I can only imagine how it sounds.


----------



## Clayton SF

whirlwind said:


> Clayton....thanks so much for that link....and .....GULP!......I am truely speechless.
> 
> That is some of the finest gear I have ever laid eyes on......I can only imagine how it sounds.


 

 You're welcome. When in my part of town please pay a visit! I'll give you a listen and a tour of the city of San Francisco.


----------



## whirlwind

clayton sf said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > Clayton....thanks so much for that link....and .....GULP!......I am truely speechless.
> ...


 
 I doubt I ever make it to San Francisco in my lifetime....but sir, if i ever did....it would be the highlight of my trip


----------



## Destroysall




----------



## Clayton SF

I spent all day cleaning my apartment and decided to put the WA22 back in service after being in the closet for a year. This is my new bedroom setup.


----------



## Hooster

Nice to see that it came out of the closet.


----------



## Pirakaphile

clayton sf said:


> I spent all day cleaning my apartment and decided to put the WA22 back in service after being in the closet for a year. This is my new bedroom setup.


 
 You've got a lot of really neat gear, and you're not a bad photographer either  I was glad to look through your photos, drooling most of the time. If you ever just so happen to get stuck in Kansas City with a bunch of audio gear for no reason at all, I'd be more than happy to let you stay at my place at the small price of I get to hold your gear hostage for a few days so I can have a music coma.


----------



## bbophead

Like.


----------



## Clayton SF

pirakaphile said:


> You've got a lot of really neat gear, and you're not a bad photographer either  I was glad to look through your photos, drooling most of the time. If you ever just so happen to get stuck in Kansas City with a bunch of audio gear for no reason at all, I'd be more than happy to let you stay at my place at the small price of I get to hold your gear hostage for a few days so I can have a music coma.


 

 Oooooo. Kansas City. So I've heard that you have great food there! I willl need to rent a flatbed truck to get my gear over to your place.
  
 Thanks for the kind words on my photography but I could have done better with the bedroom rig. Low light and shaky hands.


----------



## Pirakaphile

clayton sf said:


> Oooooo. Kansas City. So I've heard that you have great food there! I willl need to rent a flatbed truck to get my gear over to your place.
> 
> Thanks for the kind words on my photography but I could have done better with the bedroom rig. Low light and shaky hands.


 
Best BBQ in the world, and one of the most important spots for jazz in it's youth. Not a lot happens here except right downtown, where a lot of amazing musicians show up to our copy of the the Sydney Opera House.
 I've always wanted to do more photography, but I don't have anything better than the camera on my phone, and I'm not really trained in the art anyway.


----------



## Coolzo

destroysall said:


>




Lmao, it's "current state" dude, not "this is what it will look like tomorrow"


----------



## pseudotype

PC->Schiit Modi DAC->Little Dot MKii with Mullard M8100s->Beyerdynamic DT990 600 Ohms.  It is a very transparent system that is also very simple and sounds great!


----------



## axeltow

Finally, they have arrived. I can relax now for some time.

 Still haven't had the time to properly test them but surprisingly rock sounds quite good.
  
 Wishes for a great new year to everyone


----------



## randerson07

Received a surprise gift of some Bose Bluetooth headphones from my dad this year. Spending some time today comparing to my current cans at work.
  
 You can see my lunch, my 3rd cup of office swill coffee, and the overall messiness that is my desk every day....


----------



## Hooster

My headquarters:


----------



## Krutsch

hooster said:


> My headquarters:


 

 Love your headphone stand


----------



## Hooster

krutsch said:


> Love your headphone stand


 
  
 LoL, thanks


----------



## Clayton SF

Bedroom setup revision! WA22 (2009) and WA4 (2011).


----------



## 62ohm

I wonder why they discontinued the WA4? Owners seem to love it, so why discontinue a product which more people may still buy..


----------



## Clayton SF

62ohm said:


> I wonder why they discontinued the WA4? Owners seem to love it, so why discontinue a product which more people may still buy..


 
  
 I wish I could get my hands on this Woo Audio Phono Preamp.


----------



## x RELIC x

62ohm said:


> I wonder why they discontinued the WA4? Owners seem to love it, so why discontinue a product which more people may still buy..




Not in the same class, but I wonder why ALO did the same thing with the Pan Am. Too bad.


----------



## Clayton SF

x relic x said:


> Not in the same class, but I wonder why ALO did the same thing with the Pan Am. Too bad.


 
  
 That was a great looking amp. I'm wondering though, if your power amp is a tube amp, then does your phono preamp have to be tube as well or is ss fine. There are a lot of good ss phono preamps out there for a good price.


----------



## bbophead

clayton sf said:


> 62ohm said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder why they discontinued the WA4? Owners seem to love it, so why discontinue a product which more people may still buy..
> ...


 

 OMG!!!


----------



## x RELIC x

clayton sf said:


> That was a great looking amp. I'm wondering though, if your power amp is a tube amp, then does your phono preamp have to be tube as well or is ss fine. There are a lot of good ss phono preamps out there for a good price.




I don't use a phono anymore (for decades now) but I don't think the pre-amp would need to be tube based. I'm sure a SS would be good enough to provide the signal.


----------



## Clayton SF

x relic x said:


> I don't use a phono anymore (for decades now) but I don't think the pre-amp would need to be tube based. I'm sure a SS would be good enough to provide the signal.


 
 I thought so. But that Woo Phono Amp is sure cool-a-mundo!


----------



## Paiceyfan

clayton sf said:


> I spent all day cleaning my apartment and decided to put the WA22 back in service after being in the closet for a year. This is my new bedroom setup.




Looks like my Marantz CD-63 SE there...are you using it as a transport into a DAC...?


----------



## Shaffer




----------



## axeltow

clayton sf said:


> Bedroom setup revision! WA22 (2009) and WA4 (2011).


 
  
 I am going back through the pages and I actually saw your post from a year ago (page 1000 and something)...again with the lovely flower


----------



## Destroysall

clayton sf said:


> I wish I could get my hands on this Woo Audio Phono Preamp.


 
 Can't seem to find any info on this. It was discontinued?


----------



## Clayton SF

paiceyfan said:


> Looks like my Marantz CD-63 SE there...are you using it as a transport into a DAC...?


 
  
 Good catch. It is the CD-67 SE and I am using it as a transport into a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic.


axeltow said:


> I am going back through the pages and I actually saw your post from a year ago (page 1000 and something)...again with the lovely flower


 
  
 Yes. I've moved the WA4 off the cart and the WA22 in its place. I have another version of the WA4 made in 2011 which uses the rectifier EZ80 / EZ 81, 6V4 / 6CA4. The WA4 made in 2004 (or 2005) uses a SS rectifier.


----------



## Eee Pee

Nice VPI, Shaffer! I have a HW-19 too. Has a Memorial arm. Love it.


----------



## Shaffer

eee pee said:


> Nice VPI, Shaffer! I have a HW-19 too. Has a Memorial arm. Love it.




Thanks very much! This is my third HW19, even though I've owned much more elaborate 'tables, this one just feels right. The '19 is fairly modified, but it's basic character hasn't fully changed.


----------



## Paiceyfan

clayton sf said:


> Good catch. It is the CD-67 SE and I am using it as a transport into a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic.
> 
> Yes. I've moved the WA4 off the cart and the WA22 in its place. I have another version of the WA4 made in 2011 which uses the rectifier EZ80 / EZ 81, 6V4 / 6CA4. The WA4 made in 2004 (or 2005) uses a SS rectifier.




Nice! I am using a 20 year old dac-in-a-box into a Cambridge Aura amp...I will have to post pics eventually


----------



## Viper2005

Here's my setup:
  
 From left to right
 Schiit Ragnarok SS Amp
 Schiit Lyr Hybrid Tube Amp (attached to Audio Technica Turntable and Schiit Mani Phono Preamp)
 Yulong Sabre DA-8 DAC
 Yulong Sabre P-18 Power Conditioner
 Violectric V281 SS Amp
  
 Sennheiser HD800
 HifiMan HE-400i
 Audeze LCD-X
 Audeze LCD-2 (Rev 2 pre-fazor)


----------



## x RELIC x

viper2005 said:


> Here's my setup:
> 
> From left to right
> Schiit Ragnarok SS Amp
> ...




That looks like some satisfying Schiit . Nice setup you've got there, good range of gear.


----------



## Xoen

My current Head-Fi rig updated.  Lots of Schiit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 ASUS R510LAV-RS51 Notebook
 Schiit Lyr 2 (Stock 6BZ7 tubes)
 Schiit Bifrost Uber
 Schiit Wyrd "Decrapifier"
 Schiit USB cables
  
 Sennheiser HD700 
 Audio Technica ATH-W1000X
  
  

  

 Edit:  Please excuse the cable mess beneath my glass desk.  I realize it being glass it tends to expose them.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

My little collection has felt a bit lonely those days, so new kid in town :

  
 Ali


----------



## ssrock64

ali-pacha said:


> My little collection has felt a bit lonely those days, so new kid in town :
> 
> Ali


 
 Jealous...


----------



## Krutsch

ali-pacha said:


> My little collection has felt a bit lonely those days, so new kid in town :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Very jealous... I thought *I* was spending a lot on head-fi


----------



## rovopio

viper2005 said:


> Here's my setup:
> 
> From left to right


 
  
 can i ask where you buy the headphone stand, or what's the name?
  
 cheers


----------



## Viper2005

rovopio said:


> can i ask where you buy the headphone stand, or what's the name?
> 
> cheers


 
 They are from Woo Audio
  
 http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wahps2.html


----------



## bundy

This is my (very) low budget bed side set. I am an invalid & long story short i live with chronic pain so i don't sleep much. It's been the music from this & great sites like yours have helped keep me sane on the longest, most painful nights. Thanks & Happy new year to all i hope we all find peace, love & good health in 2015.


----------



## FastAndClean

bundy said:


> I am an invalid & long story short i live with chronic pain so i don't sleep much.


 
  
  
 When i read this it make me sad . . . . You have a beautiful set up, Happy new year my friend, i hope everything will be better for you from now on.


----------



## x RELIC x

bundy said:


> This is my (very) low budget bed side set. I am an invalid & long story short i live with chronic pain so i don't sleep much. It's been the music from this & great sites like yours have helped keep me sane on the longest, most painful nights. Thanks & Happy new year to all i hope we all find peace, love & good health in 2015.




I feel humbled and grateful, thanks to this post. Thanks for the new year wishes and hope yours finds you well.


----------



## intlsubband

shaffer said:


>


 
  
 Nice one! I love the Corda Concerto. How does it compare with the Violectric?


----------



## Shaffer

intlsubband said:


> Nice one! I love the Corda Concerto. How does it compare with the Violectric?




I love the Concerto, too. Compared to the Vio, it sounds more forward with a "sunny," vivid presentation. The Vio, OTOH, is much warmer sounding. Their detail retrieval is about equal; the Corda wears it on its proverbial sleeve, while the Vio is more reserved sounding at first listen. The Concerto has the best bass _quality_ of all of my amps; the Vio has more quantity. The Vio also excels in its projection of depth and space. I really like having both.


----------



## bundy

fastandclean said:


> When i read this it make me sad . . . . You have a beautiful set up, Happy new year my friend, i hope everything will be better for you from now on.


 
 Please don't be sad that was not my intention. This is my way of dealing with the pain, it's 6.52 am & my pain is very bad so no chance of sleep. With my headphones, Pink Floyd & Head Fi the time has flown by. I think it helps me more than most of the medication i am on.Thank you for your comment on my little set up it's not much but i really enjoy it & between the tube rolling, changing op amps there is so many ways of changing the sound it's cool. Thanks bundy


----------



## Tasoeur

ZmfxVibro with Burson HA160DS and Audio-gd Digital Interface, lovin' it !


----------



## Hooster

tasoeur said:


> ZmfxVibro with Burson HA160DS and Audio-gd Digital Interface, lovin' it !


 
  
 Hi, Tasoeur. Can you comment on the benefits of the Digital interface please? I am interested in knowing what it does to improve the sound. Thank you.


----------



## Tasoeur

I had a lot of interference (EMI I guess) when I was connecting my Burson directly to my PC so I bought this digital interface to get a perfectly clean signal !
  
 I can't say much about it, it does his job ! You'll find more information reading this thread : http://www.head-fi.org/t/500369/audio-gd-digital-interface


----------



## Vansen

Here's my simple setup. Not the best photo, coming off a phone and all, but it gets the job done. 
  
 Now all I have to due is find out how to stage an imminent Zana Deux on that desk.


----------



## intlsubband

shaffer said:


> I love the Concerto, too. Compared to the Vio, it sounds more forward with a "sunny," vivid presentation. The Vio, OTOH, is much warmer sounding. Their detail retrieval is about equal; the Corda wears it on its proverbial sleeve, while the Vio is more reserved sounding at first listen. The Concerto has the best bass _quality_ of all of my amps; the Vio has more quantity. The Vio also excels in its projection of depth and space. I really like having both.


 
  
 Thanks for the comment. I have the Concerto and the Classic, and I was reading about the Vio for a while and was wondering how much better can they get compared to the trusty Meiers...


----------



## Shaffer

intlsubband said:


> Thanks for the comment. I have the Concerto and the Classic, and I was reading about the Vio for a while and was wondering how much better can they get compared to the trusty Meiers...




I'm very curious about the Classic. A close friend liked the Concerto so much that he bought a Classic, but he's yet to let me borrow it. Do you find that the Classic offers a significant upgrade next to the Concerto?


----------



## tbish

Schiit Modi
 Schiit Asgard 2
 HiFiMan He-400i


----------



## intlsubband

shaffer said:


> I'm very curious about the Classic. A close friend liked the Concerto so much that he bought a Classic, but he's yet to let me borrow it. Do you find that the Classic offers a significant upgrade next to the Concerto?


 
  
 I'd say, more of a side-grade. I also loved the Concerto so much that I bought the Classic when I came across it at a good price on the for sale section. In terms of sound, I find that the Concerto has got that crisp edge to the sound, whereas with the Classic, the mids a touch smoother. But in general the sound is very close.
  
 In terms of the extra features, I find that I don't really use them that much. I never use the middle crossfeed option for example, I only alternate between off and high crossfeed, which resembles the Concerto crossfeed. I found that the "bass compensator"  is not really needed, as the sound is just much better and more neutral without it, and the bass sounds beautiful out of my main headphone (HE-500) without it, and I don't feel like it adds anything.

 This might be an indication that the crossfeed is slightly better implemented on the Classic, because, before I had the Classic, I used to feel like the Concerto could use a slight push in the low freqs while the crossfeed is on. But with the Classic it just sounds best without it.


----------



## Shaffer

bundy said:


> Please don't be sad that was not my intention. This is my way of dealing with the pain, it's 6.52 am & my pain is very bad so no chance of sleep. With my headphones, Pink Floyd & Head Fi the time has flown by. I think it helps me more than most of the medication i am on.Thank you for your comment on my little set up it's not much but i really enjoy it & between the tube rolling, changing op amps there is so many ways of changing the sound it's cool. Thanks bundy




I understand. My health isn't what it used to be, putting it mildly, and I have to deal with constant discomfort. Being able to zone into the music really helps the time go by.


----------



## intlsubband

bundy said:


> Please don't be sad that was not my intention. This is my way of dealing with the pain, it's 6.52 am & my pain is very bad so no chance of sleep. With my headphones, Pink Floyd & Head Fi the time has flown by. I think it helps me more than most of the medication i am on.Thank you for your comment on my little set up it's not much but i really enjoy it & between the tube rolling, changing op amps there is so many ways of changing the sound it's cool. Thanks bundy


 
  
 I hear you bundy, all the best to you in your fight!
  
 I also suffer from 2 chronic conditions. When the first (Chrohn's Disease) started, I was 11, and during my teenage years I was often socially isolated because of it - and that's when my love for music really started. My 2nd condition is a chronic joint condition (ankylosing spondilitis), which meant chronic joint pains for the last 10 years. Again, music is a life force.


----------



## angel72

hi all, here's my station:
 - wooaudio WA5L, maxxed ,w/ Sophia Royal Princess 300b - Shuguang Treasure CV181Z or KENRAD VT231 - Sophia 274b
 - cd player Audio Analogue Maestro SE
  
 - rack Technium by Modular Technology with DIY shelves
 - analogue cables by Airtech
 - digital cables Audioquest Carbon
 - digital interface Audio GD 
 - htpc
 - headphones: vegan LCD-3f w/ Cardas Clear Light cable and HD800 w/ Airtech - Furutech Carbon cable
 [size=13.1428575515747px][/size]


----------



## whirlwind

^^  Very...Very Nice!  ^^


----------



## x RELIC x

+1


----------



## angel72




----------



## magiccabbage

angel72 said:


> hi all, here's my station:
> - wooaudio WA5L, maxxed ,w/ Sophia Royal Princess 300b - Shuguang Treasure CV181Z or KENRAD VT231 - Sophia 274b
> - cd player Audio Analogue Maestro SE
> 
> ...


 
 What is the LCD3F like with the WA5? Do you prefer the HD800 or LCd with the woo?


----------



## angel72

nice point.. actually I'm using two different configurations:
 with HD800 I prefer Kenrad VT231 drivers and Airtech Omega Strong RCA cables: it's like listening to a lighter and more comfortable audeze!! low frequencies are rich and deep, the soundstage remains enormous and high frequencies are ... perfect.
With LCD3, in these last days, I've found a very good solution: Shuguang drivers, Audioquest King Cobra RCA cables and a DIY discouplig solution under WA5: stone (ardesia)-neoprene-stone. Next week I'll try some Ceraballs under CDP: the sound is magic, not so coloured as it was with the other configuration, that works heavenly with HD800
sorry for my bad english


----------



## angel72

for now, anyway...no winners!


----------



## magiccabbage

angel72 said:


> nice point.. actually I'm using two different configurations:
> with HD800 I prefer Kenrad VT231 drivers and Airtech Omega Strong RCA cables: it's like listening to a lighter and more comfortable audeze!! low frequencies are rich and deep, the soundstage remains enormous and high frequencies are ... perfect.
> With LCD3, in these last days, I've found a very good solution: Shuguang drivers, Audioquest King Cobra RCA cables and a DIY discouplig solution under WA5: stone (ardesia)-neoprene-stone. Next week I'll try some Ceraballs under CDP: the sound is magic, not so coloured as it was with the other configuration, that works heavenly with HD800
> sorry for my bad english


 
 Im thinking of getting some Elrog 300b's there are a few on the woo thread who are saying that the elrogs are as good or better than the WE 300b! Also gonna use TS 6f8g driver  and CV593 or a brimar for rect


----------



## angel72

are these ideas of tube rolling referred to wa5/lcd3 combo?


----------



## bundy

intlsubband said:


> I hear you bundy, all the best to you in your fight!
> 
> I also suffer from 2 chronic conditions. When the first (Chrohn's Disease) started, I was 11, and during my teenage years I was often socially isolated because of it - and that's when my love for music really started. My 2nd condition is a chronic joint condition (ankylosing spondilitis), which meant chronic joint pains for the last 10 years. Again, music is a life force.


 
 Never a truer word said, my condition has very much socially isolated me. Before the accident i had numerous friends & a busy social life. Wow wot a change 10yrs makes eh. Thank heaven for music & sites like Head fi you have kept me sane on many painful sleepless nights. I found this site by accident i just wanted a okish headphones to listen too music without waking my wife now 2 years later i have a dac,tube headphone amp & 4 pairs of headphones ( plus many different tubes & op amps) . So now it's not only the music i have been bitten by the tube rolling bug & i love it.... Thanks Head fi & everyone in this group.


----------



## bundy

shaffer said:


> I understand. My health isn't what it used to be, putting it mildly, and I have to deal with constant discomfort. Being able to zone into the music really helps the time go by.


 
 Thank you for understanding that means so much. I am sorry your health is not great, i hope you find some comfort & i agree music helps take your mind off the pain. But wot started as googling some reasonable headphones has led me into the world of head fi. From wanting headphones i could use in bed at night without waking my wife too now i have a dac, tube headphone amp & 4 pairs of headphones. Plus some tubes for tube rolling & always on the hunt for more. So i don't know if music will really sooth the savage beast? But it does help dull my pain. Thank heaven for that.


----------



## randy98mtu

Don't want to keep derailing this thread, but as someone going through a rough patch health wise as well as dealing with chronic conditions and anxiety, music is often what keeps me going.  I have had chronic problems for 15+ years and have only recently started learning the roots of the problems; bulged discs in my neck causing headaches, crohn's disease, and recently some arthritis and now I'm having my thyroid checked.  Hoping to get a handle on things, but strong family support and music keep me positive and getting up to fight every day.
  
 No pictures as I'm completely mobile, but my listening is 80% through my B&W P7's, either direct from my MacBook, through my Dragonfly, or through my NuForce ICON IDO.  I also have some Beats Studio Wireless and Senn HD650's.  I'm not an overly analytical listener, I lean towards fun, musical headphones.
  
 I'm interested in trying out Sony MDR-Z7's, Denon AH-D600's and Shure SRH1540's.


----------



## bbophead

When I read "have some Beats Studio Wireless and Senn HD650's.  I'm not an overly analytical listener, I lean towards fun, musical headphones."  I thought for sure you were going to mention Grados.  Hmm.


----------



## randy98mtu

bbophead said:


> When I read "have some Beats Studio Wireless and Senn HD650's.  I'm not an overly analytical listener, I lean towards fun, musical headphones."  I thought for sure you were going to mention Grados.  Hmm.


 

 Never looked much into Grado's.  Not even sure why.  They just never caught my eye.  How would they fit in with the others I've brought up?  Particularly the P7 as that seems to be made for me.  I've tried Momentum over and on ear, NAD HP50's... I think a few others that are escaping me right now.


----------



## bbophead

randy98mtu said:


> bbophead said:
> 
> 
> > When I read "have some Beats Studio Wireless and Senn HD650's.  I'm not an overly analytical listener, I lean towards fun, musical headphones."  I thought for sure you were going to mention Grados.  Hmm.
> ...


 

 I have no axe to grind.  Some find the on the ear Grados uncomfortable.  I solved that with the over the ear G-Cushions.  I don't listen that much to rock guitar but folks say that the Grados shine on those kinds of things.  As in, fun.


----------



## iPaintCode

My Current home set up, "the headphones I generally prefer lately". WA7 + WA7tp, PS500s and LCD2(Fazors).


----------



## intlsubband

bbophead said:


> I have no axe to grind.  Some find the on the ear Grados uncomfortable.  I solved that with the over the ear G-Cushions.  I don't listen that much to rock guitar but folks say that the Grados shine on those kinds of things.  As in, fun.


 
  
  
 I only heard one Grado-related headphones in my life - my special "Alessandro MS-1000" with the Jaben red metal cups. It has the Grado drivers from a modest Alessandro MS-1 (with a bass port mod), in custom large red metal cups of similar shape/size as the PS-1000, with a new comfy headband and G-cush jumbo pads.
  
 The result is a very special and awesome headphone, the sound is incredibly sweet, especially for rock. I wanted to have them as my office headphones but those I share an office were none too happy given the terrible isolation...  
  
 I am so impressed with the sound of this modded beauty, I'd love to compare it to Grado's TOTL headphones - but as of yet I never had a chance to listen to any of them.


----------



## Krutsch

bbophead said:


> When I read "have some Beats Studio Wireless and Senn HD650's.  I'm not an overly analytical listener, I lean towards fun, musical headphones."  I thought for sure you were going to mention Grados.  Hmm.


 

 I almost spit up my drink when I read that, I laughed out loud


----------



## bbophead

ipaintcode said:


> My Current home set up, "the headphones I generally prefer lately". WA7 + WA7tp, PS500s and LCD2(Fazors).


 

 Oooo, nice layout.  Congrats.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Where does the "U" go in your Head-Fi Set*U*p?

More clearly, where and on what do *you* sit/sprawl/lie? Several of the stations are at a desk, which to me implies that you listen while sitting on a desk chair at the desk. Often there is a computer at the desk. Does that mean that you work (or play) at the computer while listening? Do you sit with the attentive posture associated with keyboard typing?

Or do you sit on a big armchair, perhaps that reclines and has a footrest? 

I have recently changed from listening at my computer desk to listening in an easy chair. I still have a listening station at each place. It is amazing how much better the system at the lounge chair is to listen to than the desk system. 

How about you?


----------



## Krutsch

ruthieandjohn said:


> Where does the "U" go in your Head-Fi Set*U*p?
> 
> More clearly, where and on what do *you* sit/sprawl/lie? Several of the stations are at a desk, which to me implies that you listen while sitting on a desk chair at the desk. Often there is a computer at the desk. Does that mean that you work (or play) at the computer while listening? Do you sit with the attentive posture associated with keyboard typing?
> 
> ...


 

 Great Post. Here's mine: Herman Miller (the empty chair, not the IKEA chair that my annoying cat is sleeping in)


----------



## ProtegeManiac

ruthieandjohn said:


> Where does the "U" go in your Head-Fi Set*U*p?
> 
> More clearly, where and on what do *you* sit/sprawl/lie? Several of the stations are at a desk, which to me implies that you listen while sitting on a desk chair at the desk. Often there is a computer at the desk. Does that mean that you work (or play) at the computer while listening? Do you sit with the attentive posture associated with keyboard typing?
> 
> Or do you sit on a big armchair, perhaps that reclines and has a footrest?


 
  
 I sit on this folding chair, which I can put away in the corner of the room when not in use: 

  
 While listening to this - no browsing, no nothing, just listening (I think everyone who had a speaker system that didn't use the PC as a source does that):


----------



## marts30

protegemaniac said:


> I sit on this folding chair, which I can put away in the corner of the room when not in use:
> 
> 
> While listening to this - no browsing, no nothing, just listening (I think everyone who had a speaker system that didn't use the PC as a source does that):


 
  
 Fantasmic, one of my favourite NW songs! Good choice


----------



## x RELIC x

krutsch said:


> Great Post. Here's mine: Herman Miller (the empty chair, not the IKEA chair that my annoying cat is sleeping in)




Best chair on the planet! It's the Stax of work chairs 

Love my Aeron chair!!


----------



## axeltow

Ahh...Herman Miller!! Had one of these at my first job. Never gonna forget them. Freaking expensive though. Good choice!
  
 I have troubles of just relaxing and listening to music. Mostly I sit on my desk where my speakers and HP setups are. I have a couch directly behind my chair which I can use but I never do 
 Usually I listen to music when doing something else on the PC: work, browsing or gaming. I think I need to change that habit


----------



## ProtegeManiac

marts30 said:


> Fantasmic, one of my favourite NW songs! Good choice


 
  
 It just sounds grand and epic, especially on the right system. Like when I tried the album on B&W 800-series speakers


----------



## Krutsch

axeltow said:


> Ahh...*Herman Miller*!! Had one of these at my first job. Never gonna forget them. *Freaking expensive though*. Good choice!
> 
> I have troubles of just relaxing and listening to music. Mostly I sit on my desk where my speakers and HP setups are. I have a couch directly behind my chair which I can use but I never do
> Usually I listen to music when doing something else on the PC: work, browsing or gaming. I think I need to change that habit


 
  
 Yes, expensive. But I bought mine in 1996 and it works/feels like a brand-new chair. Worth every penny.


----------



## axeltow

Well, if that is the case then it's not expensive at all...that's almost 20 years 
 Having received my first back problems 2 weeks ago (had two nice injections) I have to agree with you!


----------



## whitemouse

For 5 months out of a year, during winter my Head Fi gear must fit in a pocket. 

6 days ago:


----------



## Bluess




----------



## TheChillburger

The Aeron is a great chair. It was a hard decision between that or the Steelcase Leap V2, but I managed to snag a used Leap 2 off of CL for about $250, so that was that.
  
@whitemouse : Good stuff. That's an Ibasso player, right? How does that drive the LCD?


----------



## whitemouse

thechillburger said:


> The Aeron is a great chair. It was a hard decision between that or the Steelcase Leap V2, but I managed to snag a used Leap 2 off of CL for about $250, so that was that.
> 
> @whitemouse
> : Good stuff. That's an Ibasso player, right? How does that drive the LCD?




Yes, DX50. 

It drives LCD-2 suprisingly well, volume is about 3/4 of the way, visually, most of the time. Gain set to High of course.
DX50 at max volume with LCD-2 is too loud, but there is NO distortion coming from Audezes whatsoever, sound just becomes louder and louder, and at some point too loud for comfort.. 

that is sharp contrast compared to Grado PS-500, the Grados don't like being overdriven at all, sound becomes very distorted and very quickly. 
The PS-500 sound really nice hooked to Sony ZX1, my friend here has the Sony. But ZX1 is hopeless with LCD-2, not nearly enough gain.

I always thought it's the DAPs, that cause the distortion after certain level of amplification, amp clipping or something... But no, DX50 certainly does not start distorting when driven past comfortable listening level, neither does Fiio E18.

I prefer Fiio E18 over ibasso DX50 by far! It is just the mess of USB connection and phone connected, you can have all that fit in jeans or shorts pocket, if jeans baggy enough, but I always adjust volume, and change tracks, the phone and dac in same pocket quickly becomes tiresome. Maybe a small bag on a belt would help. 

But DX50 solves all this, you give up some of the Fiio transparency and very clean overall sound, but I love ibasso industrial design, the look, and the 3 buttons, play/pause, back and forward, all thats needed. 
For comparison, ipod 5 classic needs to be on max volume, then you can use it with LCD-2, and not bad at all. But some recordings are lower in level, then there's nothing you can do.


----------



## Sherwood

clayton sf said:


>


 
  
 Yep.  That's the stuff, right there.


----------



## TheChillburger

whitemouse said:


> Yes, DX50.
> 
> It drives LCD-2 suprisingly well, volume is about 3/4 of the way, visually, most of the time. Gain set to High of course.
> DX50 at max volume with LCD-2 is too loud, but there is NO distortion coming from Audezes whatsoever, sound just becomes louder and louder, and at some point too loud for comfort..
> ...


 
 Cool stuff. I think sometimes a lot of people forget how important usability actually is for portable gear. I quite enjoy only having to use a DAP/Phone with a decent pair of IEMs as opposed to a DAP+amp+over head cans.


----------



## Shaffer

ruthieandjohn said:


> Where does the "U" go in your Head-Fi Set*U*p?
> 
> More clearly, where and on what do *you* sit/sprawl/lie? Several of the stations are at a desk, which to me implies that you listen while sitting on a desk chair at the desk. Often there is a computer at the desk. Does that mean that you work (or play) at the computer while listening? Do you sit with the attentive posture associated with keyboard typing?
> 
> ...




Personally, I never understood the attraction to a desk and an office chair. Sure, it's the only option that one may have at work, but doing it at home? Why? I sit on a very comfy couch, sometimes lie down to listen.


----------



## whitemouse

thechillburger said:


> Cool stuff. I think sometimes a lot of people forget how important usability actually is for portable gear. I quite enjoy only having to use a DAP/Phone with a decent pair of IEMs as opposed to a DAP+amp+over head cans.




Exactly!
When I bought the Fiio E18 dac/amp one year ago, the idea of Android phone connected to E18 seemed such a great idea, I even had the HTC Ond phone at the time, the Fiio website pages used E18 together with HTC.. looks very nice..
Until you start using them together lol.
Within a week, the HTC looked like it survived a war, scratched badly. Next thing, the short OTG usb cables constantly in pocket, rubbed enough of the HTC phone usb output socket, at slightest movement, the Fiio disconnected, no sound.. You then drag all of it out of the pocket.. It always takes several tries to get Fiio and phone to sync, uhhh... And then after 30 seconds you repeat all that lol, cos phone's usb out has been warn out, and the cable plug is loose, dac disconneects. Repeat!
Then you give up.. The Fiio and HTC One looked really nice on pics, but if you use hours and hours every day, it just isn't made for that. Or, if you had it all in a little belt baggy, probably would have been very different. Sound is great, no question.
Usability becomes very important, when using music rig for hours, walking around, sitting in coffee shops.
All in one player was a relief!


----------



## Oregonian

ruthieandjohn said:


> Where does the "U" go in your Head-Fi Set*U*p?
> 
> More clearly, where and on what do *you* sit/sprawl/lie? Several of the stations are at a desk, which to me implies that you listen while sitting on a desk chair at the desk. Often there is a computer at the desk. Does that mean that you work (or play) at the computer while listening? Do you sit with the attentive posture associated with keyboard typing?
> 
> ...


 

 Great topic to kick this thread up a notch or 10.
  
 I have multiple listening stations - my favorite is below...............its a Pioneer Spec system from 1978 fed by either a Pioneer turntable, Pioneer CD player/recorder (see a theme with my love for Pioneer?) or my iPhone 5 feeding into a NuForce iDo DAC.  Sounds great whether the HE-6's are on my head or my D7000's are there.  Or through the vintage Cerwin Vega speakers. 
  
 More posts to come with my other systems - my most comfy has a really nice recliner with, yes, another Pioneer amp feeding my headphones.


----------



## Oregonian

This is my work setup.  Pioneer SA-8800 fed from my Yoga via a NuForce uDac2.  Chair isn't Henry Miller but is special fit to me by our ergonomist.


----------



## Oregonian

Last one for now so I don't bore you guys.  This is the recliner view of my SX-1050 fed by either an iPhone 4 through a NuForce iDo DAC or Sony CD player or the TV via the FiiO D3 optical to analog piece I added last night.  Goes into Polk Audio RT35's or headphones via extension cable.  Wife prefers its sound to the Samsung DVD/surround sound system so that will be going away soon.


----------



## Anda

@Oregonian
 Thank you for the walkthrough. Love the looks of that Pioneer rack


----------



## bbophead

oregonian said:


> Last one for now so I don't bore you guys.


 
 No worries.  If we weren't bored, we wouldn't be accessing this site.


----------



## brianbeers

Ouch my wallet - been spending too much time trolling around here! Today I bid
 farewell to the NAD that has treated me so well for over a decade!! I sent it out
 with B2M "Its so hard to say goodbye" hahah!  LOVE that amp!  And welcomed in
 a new mPRE, MF M1PWR combo.  YAY!  Onward and upward!  Some nice Violectric
 gear in the last few pages 
  

  

  
 Thanks for the inspiration headfiers


----------



## Krutsch

brianbeers said:


> Ouch my wallet - been spending too much time trolling around here! Today I bid
> farewell to the NAD that has treated me so well for over a decade!! I sent it out
> with B2M "Its so hard to say goodbye" hahah!  LOVE that amp!  And welcomed in
> a new mPRE, MF M1PWR combo. * YAY!  Onward and upward!*  Some nice Violectric
> ...


 
  
 Nice looking gear! And, Onwards and Upwards! is right, looking at the wood blocks/shims used to provide space for the new gear. 





 
  
 EDIT: scratch that last part; I see the stand is unchanged (I thought the little blocks were only in the second photo)


----------



## Fireboy

Mapletreeaudio and Audeze


----------



## brianbeers

krutsh - that monior stand is next on my woodworking list - its functional but prrrretty gnarly lookin haha

fireboy - sick love the yellow chrome n tubes - viablue plug - what kind of cable?


----------



## gbremer

krutsch said:


> Great Post. Here's mine: Herman Miller (the empty chair, not the IKEA chair that my annoying cat is sleeping in)




I have one of those at work. Great chair but those armrests love to snag headphone cables.


----------



## Armaegis

brianbeers said:


> Ouch my wallet - been spending too much time trolling around here! Today I bid
> farewell to the NAD that has treated me so well for over a decade!! I sent it out
> with B2M "Its so hard to say goodbye" hahah!  LOVE that amp!  And welcomed in
> a new mPRE, MF M1PWR combo.  YAY!  Onward and upward!  Some nice Violectric
> gear in the last few pages


 
  
 Can you share any impressions/comparsons of the mPre as DAC?


----------



## whirlwind

fireboy said:


> Mapletreeaudio and Audeze


 
 I love yellow mad ears


----------



## brianbeers

armaegis - I'm really not qualified to give impressions of the mPRE as
 a DAC... I haven't heard enough of em to give a real comparison.  It
 replaced a Schiit Modi, which I enjoyed very much.  I swapped an integrated
 for separates as well as the DAC so I'm not really able to pick out how the
 DAC alone has changed the sound.  I guess I could fire up the Modi into
 the mPRE and compare them that way.  Hopefully I can find time to do
 that soon and report back.
  
 I will say that from my research, the general consensus was that the DAC
 in the mPRE is good... but not great.  Surprisingly its implementation uses
 USB BUS power and can benefit from something like the iFi usbpower. 
  
 I figured it would be a more than adequate replacement for the Schiit I was
 using, and leaves an upgrade path open for something better in the future.
 I like the balanced, dual mono preamp design and really the DAC 
 and headphone amps are just convenient bonuses.  Hope that helps!


----------



## IceClass

fireboy said:


> Mapletreeaudio and Audeze


 
 Wow.
 That's yellow!
 Very nice.


----------



## hodgjy

Just received the LCD-2.2F bamboo. Amp is the TEAC HA-501 and the DAC is the Bifrost Uber.


----------



## brokenthumb

Quick phone camera shots of current Head-Fi station.


----------



## x RELIC x

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






brokenthumb said:


> Quick phone camera shots of current Head-Fi station.






Looks like you sampled everything at the Head-Fi buffet. Lol! Nice!


----------



## dagothur

brokenthumb said:


> Quick phone camera shots of current Head-Fi station.


 
 If this station were a liquor, it would be 12 year old cognac.


----------



## Armaegis

brianbeers said:


> armaegis - I'm really not qualified to give impressions of the mPRE as
> a DAC... I haven't heard enough of em to give a real comparison.  It
> replaced a Schiit Modi, which I enjoyed very much.  I swapped an integrated
> for separates as well as the DAC so I'm not really able to pick out how the
> ...


 
  
 That's actually rather disappointing to hear that the dac is usb powered. I'd hoped with everything else going on in there, they would have been able to isolate some proper power for the dac rather than it being like an add-on component.
  
 I'd look forward to any comparison with the Modi when you get a chance (and am actually quite curious which would sound better). Would have been nice if you had a Wyrd in there.


----------



## Androb

brokenthumb said:


> Quick phone camera shots of current Head-Fi station.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice! Do you play assetto corsa?


----------



## brokenthumb

androb said:


> Nice! Do you play assetto corsa?


 
  
 Oh yeah!  Assetto Corsa and Gran Turismo 6 at the moment.


----------



## Androb

brokenthumb said:


> Oh yeah!  Assetto Corsa and Gran Turismo 6 at the moment.


 
 Awesome  Throw away a pm sometime if ur playing!


----------



## brianbeers

armaegis said:


> That's actually rather disappointing to hear that the dac is usb powered. I'd hoped with everything else going on in there, they would have been able to isolate some proper power for the dac rather than it being like an add-on component.
> 
> I'd look forward to any comparison with the Modi when you get a chance (and am actually quite curious which would sound better). Would have been nice if you had a Wyrd in there.


 
  
  I was looking for a centerpiece for the next 5-10 years .. I almost LIKE that its not the perfect DAC - I can throw all kinds of new gear AT the mPRE and feel good that its going to pass the dutchie to the left. Its black... AND it has a remote!!
  
 I really can't believe the sound coming out of the same speakers


----------



## longbowbbs

brianbeers said:


> armaegis said:
> 
> 
> > That's actually rather disappointing to hear that the dac is usb powered. I'd hoped with everything else going on in there, they would have been able to isolate some proper power for the dac rather than it being like an add-on component.
> ...


 
 Nice! I love Wyred 4 Sound gear.


----------



## svt time

Nightwish  Favourite album?
  


protegemaniac said:


> I sit on this folding chair, which I can put away in the corner of the room when not in use:
> 
> 
> While listening to this - no browsing, no nothing, just listening (I think everyone who had a speaker system that didn't use the PC as a source does that):


----------



## zilch0md

protegemaniac said:


> [snip]
> 
> *While listening to this - no browsing, no nothing, just listening* (I think everyone who had a speaker system that didn't use the PC as a source does that):


 
  
 Roger that! * I've come to really dislike using a laptop or PC as my source - they are too distracting - I just don't have the self-control to leave them alone when I'm trying to enjoy music. *




*  * 
  
 And a laptop is a clumsy thing to deal with when you're trying to relax in recliner, for example.  I much prefer using either my FiiO X5 for ripped or downloaded recordings -or- my iPad 3 for Tidal streaming, rubber-banded to the heavy marble slab of a re-purposed cheese slicer, for ballast.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 On the side-table next to my recliner:
  

  
 Underneath the side table, components are stacked on wooden spools, with Blu-tack gripping the rubber feet above each spool and self-adhesive felt discs attached to the underside of each spool to prevent scratching - they act as stilts to improve cooling. The Metrum Acoustics Octave MkII is in the middle, with the NuForce HA-200 on top.
  

  
 Here's a diagram that shows the whole system, schematically:
  




 The affordable, single-ended, Class A NuForce HA-200 has been a great improvement over the OPPO HA-1's amp section, for use with the HD800, removing some remaining fatigue-causing brittleness caused (I think) by the HA-1 amp's use of negative feedback in its mutli-stage push-pull design, but the HA-1 does a great job balanced out to the LCD-2 and PM-1, neither of which are as finicky about what's happening in the high frequencies.
  
 The NuForce HA-200 will soon be challenged, however, by the zero-feedback, Class A Metrum Acoustics Aurix, which uses no tubes or transistors to provide 10 dB of amplification, instead using a proprietary step-up transformer (in a design similar to the Nelson Pass First Watt M2 speaker amp) that can be switched out to turn the Aurix into a passive pre-amp with volume controlled connection to the DAC.
  
 Mike


----------



## Krutsch

zilch0md said:


> *Underneath the side table, components are stacked on wooden spools, with Blu-tack gripping the rubber feet above each spool and self-adhesive felt discs attached to the underside of each spool to prevent scratching *- they act as stilts to improve cooling. The Metrum Acoustics Octave MkII is in the middle, with the NuForce HA-200 on top.


 
  
 Sweet idea on the wooden spools w/ blu-tack!


----------



## zilch0md

krutsch said:


> Sweet idea on the wooden spools w/ blu-tack!


 
  
  
 Thanks!   
  
 $8, including shipping, for 25 brand new spools:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J69XGM0


----------



## HeyWaj10

zilch0md said:


> Roger that! * I've come to really dislike using a laptop or PC as my source - they are too distracting - I just don't have the self-control to leave them alone when I'm trying to enjoy music. *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Mike, curious...how do you have the iPad 3 connected to the Pure? Do you have a lightning-to-30pin converter, or what?


----------



## zilch0md

heywaj10 said:


> Mike, curious...how do you have the iPad 3 connected to the Pure? Do you have a lightning-to-30pin converter, or what?




The iPad 3 has a 30-pin connector and so does the Pure i-20. 

Pure has never made an i-20 with a Lightning connector.


----------



## HeyWaj10

Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?


----------



## ProtegeManiac

heywaj10 said:


> Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?


 
  
The bigger point is they slowed down on making audio docks, all thanks to the CCK and USB audio in iPads and now iPhones (and the dwindling sales of the wheel iPods and eventually the iPod Touch). In order for a dock to run an iDevice as a transport, they're going to pay Apple for the license to use the chip that enables that. When they pay Apple, that ups the manufacturing cost, which ups the retails cost. If they're competing for a niche market against a $30 adapter and a spare USB cable they have lying around, they won't have much confidence that they can sell a $100 dock if that's all it does. Even NuForce had to drop the iDo to $120, and to think that at least these devices can charge the iDevice on it and output SPDIF.
 
The ones that continue to sell tend to be the ones from established HiFi brands, like Arcam, and I won't be surprised if the reality behind is that the people who have a speaker system with Arcam gear aren't aware of the CCK-USB audio thing, likely older on average, and consider it neat that even their dock has the same badge as their amp. Or even if they _are _aware, they are probably using an HT system at home, which means video output off the dock plus a functioning remote are necessary for navigation (especially with speakers). Or heck, they might be using their HT receivers instead of paying for the separate docks, since many Network HT receivers have a dedicated iDevice input nowadays (just sucks that they're all in front - I mean, it can be in the rear panel, it's not like you have to disconnect _both_ ends of the cable all the time).


----------



## ejwiles

heywaj10 said:


> Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?


 
  
 Because they'll just get left behind the next time Apple decides to change connectors.  Much safer from a manufacturer's perspective to just go with an open standard like Bluetooth, even if audio quality sucks.


----------



## koalapear

Really enjoying my new setup. Nice and warm!


----------



## zilch0md

heywaj10 said:


> Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?


 
  
 I was lucky to have had an iPad 3 in mothballs - it's back in service now, dedicated to streaming music via the Pure i-20.
  
 Given that the Pure i-20 does such a great job of providing your choice of a Line Out or S/PDIF out to Coaxial or Toslink for only $99, you might want to think about picking up a refurbished (or still new) 30-pin iDevice.
  
 Be diligent with researching the iOS versions supported by any older iDevice you consider, as Tidal, for example, requires iOS 7.0 or later.


----------



## zilch0md

ejwiles said:


> Because they'll just get left behind the next time Apple decides to change connectors.  Much safer from a manufacturer's perspective to just go with an open standard like Bluetooth, even if audio quality sucks.


 
  
 Good points.  Perhaps the surge toward streaming services, away from file transports, will provide a large enough market of people seeking SPDIF out from iDevice docks for companies like Pure to stay in the game of chasing Apple's connectors.


----------



## aairria

Don't yet have permissions to upload images to posts so here's my link. If someone would be so kind to attach it properly I'd be very grateful.
  
http://i.imgur.com/6xdRrFn.jpg?1
  
 From right to left: my precious Elega DR-119C headphones, Fiio X1 and iRiver s100 portable players, Matrix M-Stage headphone amp, Kenwood DP-990D CD player, JVC TD-R452 cassette deck, Elega DR-247C and JVC HA-S500 standing on a Tannoy Reveal 501A monitor, further back is another same monitor with Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 which I use for PC listening and JVC HA-SZ2000 on a stand, also Beyerdynamic DT770 below next to the mic. Have many more headphones around and in boxes but this was supposed to be a spontaneous photo so didn't put them in.


----------



## axeltow

koalapear said:


> Really enjoying my new setup. Nice and warm!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tasoeur




----------



## koalapear

It is indeed my Model M SSK! The Crack+Speedball is great. Lots of tubey goodness!


----------



## longbowbbs

On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
  

 Cans are HD800's with the new 22ga Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audeze LCD-X & LCD-3f with Nordost Heimdall 2's, Mr. Speakers Alpha Primes with WyWires Red Series and the JH Audio JH16's also using Toxic Silver Widows. Sources are the Audioquest Dragonfly and the Geek Out IEM and 1000. The Amp is the soon to be released Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson. (www.cavalliaudio.com )
 The LaCie HD has the lossless and hi res audio running through Amarra 3.03 and iTunes via Firewire 800.
  
 I am doing my best to cope with things....


----------



## whirlwind

longbowbbs said:


> On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
> 
> 
> Cans are HD800's with the new 22ga Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audeze LCD-X & LCD-3f with Nordost Heimdall 2's, Mr. Speakers Alpha Primes with WyWires Red Series and the JH Audio JH16's also using Toxic Silver Widows. Sources are the Audioquest Dragonfly and the Geek Out IEM and 1000. The Amp is the soon to be released Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson. (www.cavalliaudio.com )
> ...


 
 You are really roughing it


----------



## Destroysall

koalapear said:


> Really enjoying my new setup. Nice and warm!


 
 Now that is a setup I would love to hear and a keyboard I'd love to type on. 

 What did you essentially do to make the wood casing on the Bottlehead? Silly question I know..


----------



## koalapear

destroysall said:


> Now that is a setup I would love to hear and a keyboard I'd love to type on.
> 
> What did you essentially do to make the wood casing on the Bottlehead? Silly question I know..


 
 Well, you're going to the AZ meet right? You'll be able hear it there!
  
 As far as the case goes it's just Minwax espresso stain and a couple of coats of satin Minwax polyurethane.


----------



## Muinarc

Stop it you're making me thirsty. I'll be sure to stalk.. I mean visit you at the meet and try to have a listen


----------



## bigfatpaulie

muinarc said:


> Stop it you're making me thirsty. I'll be sure to stalk.. I mean visit you at the meet and try to have a listen


 
  
 Are you sure it's not the pretzels that are making you thirsty?


----------



## Eee Pee

Always a place and time for a Seinfeld quote...


----------



## Krutsch

longbowbbs said:


> On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
> 
> <snip, snip>
> 
> I am doing my best to cope with things....


 
  
 I take it you are not flying... seriously, though, as long as you are bringing all of that sweet gear, why not also throw in a surge protector?


----------



## longbowbbs

krutsch said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
> ...


 
 There is a limit to what I can cram in the Prius....


----------



## dagothur

longbowbbs said:


> There is a limit to what I can cram in the Prius....


 
 Right.  Who needs a passenger seat anyways?


----------



## longbowbbs

dagothur said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > There is a limit to what I can cram in the Prius....
> ...


 
 Exactly! Pimpin' my ride through Head-Fi!


----------



## Coolzo

bigfatpaulie said:


> Are you sure it's not the pretzels that are making you thirsty? :tongue_smile:







eee pee said:


> Always a place and time for a Seinfeld quote...




All this thirst is making me pretzels!


----------



## kramer5150

New Macbook Pro Retina display and solid state drive.  New PX100II just in today, holy moly these pack some bass-kick


----------



## Destroysall

koalapear said:


> Well, you're going to the AZ meet right? You'll be able hear it there!
> 
> As far as the case goes it's just Minwax espresso stain and a couple of coats of satin Minwax polyurethane.


 

 Ha, I just realized you made a post in the AZ meet thread. My fault. I totally can't wait to hear this then! I've always wanted to hear a Crack, and to see you have the HD 650s with it, definitely peaks my interest!! Can't wait!


----------



## koalapear

destroysall said:


> Ha, I just realized you made a post in the AZ meet thread. My fault. I totally can't wait to hear this then! I've always wanted to hear a Crack, and to see you have the HD 650s with it, definitely peaks my interest!! Can't wait!




See you there!


----------



## betweentheears

Love the PX100ii....they kick ass with everything you plug them into.


----------



## tfwnogf

Took it 5 hours ago, no fancy $40K amps like most people in this thread have :/


----------



## TheChillburger

tfwnogf said:


> Took it 5 hours ago, no fancy $40K amps like most people in this thread have :/


 
 Nothing wrong with that. Love the woodies!


----------



## Pirakaphile

Got the HE-500 not too long ago, and I redid my desk layout to adjust for audiophile needs. 

Stole an old CD rack and I'm using it to hold my Beyer DT990 PROs and Grado SR80is. The HiFiMAN gets to chill in its box when not in use. 
Schiit Magni/Modi still, and Vox audio player. 

Next year I'll probably have a new desk, a new home, and the Lyr2 amp.


----------



## BugleBoy

clayton sf said:


> Nice amp Clayton...all those bottles!


----------



## MisterLoshko

bugleboy said:


> Nice amp Clayton...all those bottles!


 

 I second that!


----------



## elvergun

pirakaphile said:


> Got the HE-500 not too long ago, and I redid my desk layout to adjust for audiophile needs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Ha...I like how you have little cubicles for all your headphones...
  
 ...but what are you gonna do when your collection gets out of han...err...continues to grow.


----------



## Pirakaphile

elvergun said:


> Ha...I like how you have little cubicles for all your headphones...
> 
> ...but what are you gonna do when your collection gets out of han...err...continues to grow.



Well I still have two more spaces, and I know just wjat's going in them. ;3 I don't have any plans to get too many headphones, because once I have what I want, it's gonna be all about the music


----------



## elvergun

pirakaphile said:


> I don't have any plans to get too many headphones, because once I have what I want, it's gonna be all about the music


 
  
 Haha...that's what they all (including me) say.


----------



## Pirakaphile

elvergun said:


> Haha...that's what they all (including me) say.


 
 I can quit anytime I want! I'm just enjoying the ride too much right now!


----------



## mikey1964

pirakaphile said:


> I can quit anytime I want! I'm just enjoying the ride too much right now!


 
 Sure, keep deluding yourself.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I told myself to stop, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I wanted more....that's how I'd ended up with a HD800, HD700, LCD2, Alpha Dog, DT990/600, ATH-AD700X, HD555 (foam mod).....and a V-Moda Crossfade M100. Anyway, here's my temp audio station....temp because I'll be getting an SMSL M8 DSD DAC for the Lyr. Currently using my HD700 as my daily driver.


----------



## Pirakaphile

mikey1964 said:


> Sure, keep deluding yourself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Once I run out of $500 cans to get, I'll be too peeved to save up for more expensive options. 
 Also, nice Lyr! How do you like it?


----------



## mikey1964

I like what I'm hearing thus far, but can't really say anymore till I get a dedicated DSD capable DAC. It isn't playing nice with the Micro iDSD, so I'm in the process of looking for a DAC for the Lyr. I've been spoiling myself listening to DSD64 tracks, my friend gave me his HDD with about 1.4TB of DSD64.....haven't been listenng to MP3's and WAV songs lately.


----------



## Pirakaphile

mikey1964 said:


> I like what I'm hearing thus far, but can't really say anymore till I get a dedicated DSD capable DAC. It isn't playing nice with the Micro iDSD, so I'm in the process of looking for a DAC for the Lyr. I've been spoiling myself listening to DSD64 tracks, my friend gave me his HDD with about 1.4TB of DSD64.....haven't been listenng to MP3's and WAV songs lately.


 
 Schiit has their own DSD DAC if you were interested, and it's pretty cheap.


----------



## SpirosG




----------



## Krutsch

spirosg said:


>


 
  
 Nice rig. I like your speaker stands and your choice in art work (I have my daughter's art work on display, as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I am not a neat person.


----------



## darren700

Now that I am all settled in my first house, and got some decent desks i thought I would post an update of my setup. Let me know what you think!


----------



## ssrock64

someguydude said:


> I am not a neat person.


 
 Do you run a YouTube channel in your spare time or something? That's a pretty neat desktop recording setup.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

ssrock64 said:


> Do you run a YouTube channel in your spare time or something? That's a pretty neat desktop recording setup.


 
  
 I do indeed! Search YT for my username if you're interested, it's just a little thing in my spare time, certainly nothing major league, but I take pride in what I do and have a lot of fun with it.


----------



## SpirosG

darren700 said:


> Now that I am all settled in my first house, and got some decent desks i thought I would post an update of my setup. Let me know what you think!


 
 hahahhh ... The only thing I can think is : WOW !!!!


----------



## SpirosG

darren700 said:


> Now that I am all settled in my first house, and got some decent desks i thought I would post an update of my setup. Let me know what you think!


 
 the only thing i can think is : WOWWWW !!!


----------



## SpirosG

_ (I have my daughter's art work on display, as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )...._
  
  
 I cannot help it anymore ... she's six years old & keeps drawing ... I 'm thinking to give her thick cardboard and use her work as absorbing material ...


----------



## adpo

Here's the current state of affairs for me. Not seen is the Wyrd, which is hiding behind the right monitor due to insufficient usb cable length. I'm hoping to add a turntable and a Mani in the coming weeks


----------



## Eee Pee

Pretty sure a turntable won't fit on the desk with all that other Schiit.


----------



## adpo

there's another table below and to the right that I could put it on


----------



## Eee Pee

TTs are top shelf material, mate.  Means all that other stuff goes to the bottom shelf.


----------



## ruthieandjohn

eee pee said:


> Pretty sure a turntable won't fit on the desk with all that other Schiit.


 

 Oh turntables fit EVERYWHERE!  As a True AudioFile, I insist upon vinyl as my source material, even with my color-coordinated Sennheisers....

  
 so also I insist upon vinyl even on the move...
  

  
 Remember that time it took you an hour to complete that 10 min drive to work and your boss caught you walking in late?
  
 That's because *I* was ahead of you, driving at the speed dictated by my dashboard turntable so that it would not skip through my music.  Yeah, I was slow, but I was ahead of you!!
  
Hey, this is my 900th post!   In only 100 more posts, I will have reached the next Circle Of Headphone Enlightenment!!


----------



## Eee Pee

ruthieandjohn said:


> Hey, this is my 900th post!   In only 100 more posts, I will have reached the next Circle Of Headphone Enlightenment!!


 
  
 Yeah, that matters about as much as your color matched red stuff.


----------



## SeEnCreaTive

Yes I know not HiFi,nor involving cans nor at home..... But this is my at work set-up, I spend just as much time run ing this as I do my orthros on the Luxman set up at home....

Heh I'll get a picture of that when I can...

Side note, that's a Sony SRS x-3 speaker. As long as you leave the "sound" button off its actually pretty darn balanced even according to measurements graphs. A bit mindblowing.


For those that dont know the "sound" button turns on "Clear-Audio+" they market it as a special audio processer to make your music sound better. But really it just the same idea as the Beats thing. Fiddles with the EQ to make it seem like it sounds better. Where Beats increases the bass and treble frequencies, Clear-Audio+ puts the treble to ear bleeding levels. To make the audio sound more "clear"... At least you can turn it off


----------



## LxJLthr

ruthieandjohn said:


> Oh turntables fit EVERYWHERE!  As a True AudioFile, I insist upon vinyl as my source material, even with my color-coordinated Sennheisers....
> 
> so also I insist upon vinyl even on the move...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Cannot tell if serious or sarcastic...


----------



## ssrock64

eee pee said:


> Yeah, that matters about as much as your color matched red stuff.


 
 He just likes color matching, Head-Fi, vinyl and his FIAT. There's nothing wrong with being excited.


----------



## Eee Pee

I'm probably just jealous of the car. The 2014 Formula 1 Ferrari F14T makes me laugh.
  
 My 800s kinda match my Mjolnir amp... or maybe it's the Vali... or my Mani...  None the same.  My car's interior isn't silverish though.


----------



## zilch0md

96/24 WAV  >  FiiO X5 Coaxial Out  >  Metrum Octave MkII  >  Metrum Aurix  >  HD800  
  
 (on the stock cable, but with my Currawong mod applied: http://tinyurl.com/qhoscrw )
  
 Wonderful!  The best I've ever heard the HD800 with my own gear...
  
 Mike


----------



## ruthieandjohn

zilch0md said:


> 96/24 WAV  >  FiiO X5 Coaxial Out  >  Metrum Octave MkII  >  Metrum Aurix  >  HD800
> 
> (on the stock cable, but with my Currawong mod applied: http://tinyurl.com/qhoscrw )
> 
> ...



Gawd! I LOVE the Blue Lights! My Sennheiser HDVD 800 has them too. Enhances the listening experience!


----------



## axeltow

someguydude said:


> I am not a neat person.


 
 Nice! Is this also a streaming or a recording rig?
  
 What brand is the mic stand?


----------



## Phonelaf




----------



## zilch0md

ruthieandjohn said:


> Gawd! I LOVE the Blue Lights! My Sennheiser HDVD 800 has them too. Enhances the listening experience!


 
  
 LOL
  
 The standby LED is red - begging you to replace it with the Input I or II LEDs, which are both blue.


----------



## preproman

Still under construction:


----------



## Krutsch

preproman said:


> Still under construction:


 

 Very sweet... I like a head-fi rig with a lot of electronics.


----------



## bigfatpaulie

preproman said:


> *Still *under construction:


 
  
 Forever eternally?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Great setup!


----------



## Shaffer

preproman said:


> Still under construction:




Some great equipment there. If you don't mind my asking, why is the gear sitting on a desk? I mean, wouldn't it be more comfortable to setup a system in a room?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

axeltow said:


> Nice! Is this also a streaming or a recording rig?
> 
> What brand is the mic stand?


 
  
 Streaming and recording indeed! I don't stream much, but I do LP's.
  
 The mic stand is... some random something or other I got at Guitar Center for like $30. It's not the best, I'd MUCH prefer a radio-style boom arm, but it was cheap and available.


----------



## longbowbbs

We all need a random Pass Labs amp in the mix!


----------



## Anavel0

longbowbbs said:


> We all need a random Pass Labs amp in the mix!


Pass Labs is actually working on a dedicated headphone amp. Tyll commented on it a bit over at Inner Fidelity.


----------



## longbowbbs

Hence my post....


----------



## preproman

shaffer said:


> Some great equipment there. If you don't mind my asking, why is the gear sitting on a desk? I mean, wouldn't it be more comfortable to setup a system in a room?


 

 That is a room.  It's my listening room.


----------



## axeltow

someguydude said:


> Streaming and recording indeed! I don't stream much, but I do LP's.
> 
> The mic stand is... some random something or other I got at Guitar Center for like $30. It's not the best, I'd MUCH prefer a radio-style boom arm, but it was cheap and available.


 

 The stand actually looks quite nice!
  
 Ohh..LP's...muzaaak!! I'd love to hear sthing!


----------



## Shaffer

preproman said:


> That is a room.  It's my listening room.







Perhaps I didn't form the question well. At the risk of sounding argumentative, which I don't mean to project, the pic above depicts a listening room. Forgive me if I'm wrong, yours is a listening desk that is located in a room. I'm simply curious as to why, when your equipment easily warrants a more expansive setup?


----------



## preproman

WOW really?  I mean I'm listening to headphones not speakers and while listening to my headphones I surf the web.  I made do with what I have.  
  
 The pic above depicts "YOUR" listening room.  The pic I have depicts "MY" listening room.  Did I miss the memo that says your listening room has to be a certain way or something?


----------



## Shaffer

preproman said:


> WOW really?  I mean I'm listening to headphones not speakers and while listening to my headphones I surf the web.  I made do with what I have.
> 
> The pic above depicts "YOUR" listening room.  The pic I have depicts "MY" listening room.  Did I miss the memo that says your listening room has to be a certain way or something?




There's no need to get defensive. I thought I was asking a question that had a logical basis. Best of luck to you.


----------



## preproman

Where's the logic.  You have to keep in mind.  Some people only have so much, and have to make do with what they have.


----------



## Shaffer

preproman said:


> Where's the logic.  You have to keep in mind.  Some people only have so much, and have to make do with what they have.




Heh, you seem to make due with very exclusive gear. Clearly, you seem offended and that's the last thing I wanted. As for the logic, it was explained in a previous post. All the best to you.


----------



## preproman

It's all good..


----------



## magiccabbage

preproman said:


> It's all good..


 
 You OK prep? I don't think shaffer anything by it. 
  
 Please add pics when your new toys arrive. Looking forward to seeing those. 
  
 You interested in the new HE1000?


----------



## freedom01




----------



## SomeGuyDude

^ man aside from how awesome that all must sound it just LOOKS sick haha.


----------



## TheChillburger

freedom01 said:


>


 
 Now THAT'S a rig.


----------



## attilahun

preproman said:


> Still under construction:




Great setup!
Could you share a few words comparing the audio GD and pass labs integrated?
Both are appealing but obviously at different price points.


----------



## preproman

attilahun said:


> Great setup!
> Could you share a few words comparing the audio GD and pass labs integrated?
> Both are appealing but obviously at different price points.


 

 Yeah the price difference is not small.  However, the Audio-GD amp can hang with the Pass.  But - I do like the Pass better over all.  I also like Audio-GD speaker amps way better than their headphone amps.  There is a very noticable difference in sound and I prefer the Power amps.  After I heard the Master 3 with the HE-6, I went out and got the Master 10.  
  
 If you only had Master 10 money I say go for it - it will not disappoint you. You will be very happy. 
  
 As for a comparo.. I'll start with what I like the most about Master 10.....  The sexy ass mids.  Female vocals sound so good with this amp.  Now What I like about the Pass amp. Better bass - the Pass kicks like a mule.  The Master 10 has full bass just a little more bloom compared to the Pass.  The Pass amp has more air and the soundstage is more open. The Master 10 is more of an intimate amp, more on the warm side, less air, smaller stage.  The Master 10 has buttery smooth treble.  The Pass amp has really good extended treble and still smooth - so the Pass amp spits out more detail - but the Master 10 is detailed as well just as much so as the Pass.  Both are just effortless.


----------



## attilahun

That's great info thank you. 
I'm pleasantly surprised by your comments of the audio gd, it sounds wonderful. 
Glad to hear the pass delivers as well, certainly an aspirational purchase. 
I'm intrigued by both amps really.


----------



## elvergun

preproman said:


> Yeah the price difference is not small.  However, the Audio-GD amp can hang with the Pass.  But - I do like the Pass better over all.  I also like Audio-GD speaker amps way better than their headphone amps.  There is a very noticable difference in sound and I prefer the Power amps.  After I heard the Master 3 with the HE-6, I went out and got the Master 10.
> 
> If you only had Master 10 money I say go for it - it will not disappoint you. You will be very happy.
> 
> As for a comparo.. I'll start with what I like the most about Master 10.....  The sexy ass mids.  Female vocals sound so good with this amp.  Now What I like about the Pass amp. Better bass - the Pass kicks like a mule.  The Master 10 has full bass just a little more bloom compared to the Pass.  The Pass amp has more air and the soundstage is more open. The Master 10 is more of an intimate amp, more on the warm side, less air, smaller stage.  The Master 10 has buttery smooth treble.  The Pass amp has really good extended treble and still smooth - so the Pass amp spits out more detail - but the Master 10 is detailed as well just as much so as the Pass.  Both are just effortless.


 
  
 Why don't you stack all that equipment and put in you bedroom?


----------



## longbowbbs

Tonights listening session.


----------



## IceClass

longbowbbs said:


> Tonights listening session.




Cool.
What are those feet under the Mac Mini?


----------



## sgbwill2

preproman said:


> Still under construction:


 
  
  


longbowbbs said:


> Tonights listening session.


 
 All this stuff makes me jealous, maybe someday when I get my own place and start earning more money I can upgrade to this sort of stuff!


----------



## longbowbbs

iceclass said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Tonights listening session.
> ...


 
 Stillpoints Ultra SS.


----------



## stratcom

I'm very new to hifi and can't wait to really build it up after I graduate college 
http://imgur.com/a/Wz5pl My desktop is my main source with optical output.
  
 Those are Kef 107 reference series floor standing speakers and I might be new to hifi although I couldn't be more impressed with these speakers!


----------



## Krutsch

Not sure if I have a Listening *Desk* or a Listening *Room*... I do sit at a desk:
  

  
  
 ...but the in-wall bookshelf behind me holds some of my optical plastic (but there are actual books in the adjacent shelves):
  

  
  
 ...and then downstairs, I have another Listening Room, which pulls double duty as my Living Room, so who knows what to call it:


----------



## Townyj

Im digging that NAD 375BEE  I have the 356BEE running my B&W 685's. Definitely has enough power to shake everything through my house. Looking at the PM1's down the road or something similar


----------



## Krutsch

townyj said:


> Im digging that NAD 375BEE  I have the 356BEE running my B&W 685's. Definitely has enough power to shake everything through my house. Looking at the PM1's down the road or something similar


 
  
 Thanks! I love NAD and the 375 is way more amp than I need (wait, did I just say that out loud?) for my current speakers, which are next up for replacement (still rockin' a set from school that are 20+ years old). The PM1s looks really sweet.


----------



## Townyj

Definitely a NAD fan aswell, amazing for the price. Plus love the industrial look goes down well with me. Oh and the fact the power output is ridiculous! I cant even turn mine past halfway. What brand of speaker are you considering next..??


----------



## Krutsch

townyj said:


> Definitely a NAD fan aswell, amazing for the price. Plus love the industrial look goes down well with me. Oh and the fact the power output is ridiculous! I cant even turn mine past halfway. *What brand of speaker are you considering next..??*


 
  
 I am down to two, very different sounds: KEF LS50 or Spendor S3/5R2. If I could really have my way, I would go with Magnepan, but others in the household would revolt.


----------



## Townyj

Hey i was considering KEF aswell... Only other option over B&W for me. Listened to some Focals and they literally had no Bottom end. Definitely keen to see what you connect up to the 375, let me know how they sound together once you drop the cash.


----------



## Coolzo

Lol, I'm using Manley Lab 100 watt tube monoblocks for my 685 S2. I think it may be overkill by just a tad.


----------



## Mojo777

Cleaned up the room a bit and added XC to the family this week. They are all getting along very nicely.


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

Subbed for awesome-ness!


----------



## randy98mtu

Quote: 





mojo777 said:


> Cleaned up the room a bit and added XC to the family this week. They are all getting along very nicely.


 

 Very jealous!  I have been wanting a set of CM9's or 10's for a long time!  I have a dedicated theater and I want 3 for my front speakers!
  

  

  
 All the source equipment is around the corner in another room, controlled by Harmony RF remote.  Those pictures were 2 years ago and it's still in the same state of incompletion, though it is useable.
  
 Sorry it's not a head-fi station, more of a listening room in the works...


----------



## elvergun

randy98mtu said:


> Very jealous!  I have been wanting a set of CM9's or 10's for a long time!  I have a dedicated theater and I want 3 for my front speakers!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 This is all you need to finally complete that room:
  
 http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN105S9-Curved-105-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00L403O8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1422200173&sr=1-1&keywords=lcd+tv


----------



## randy98mtu

elvergun said:


> This is all you need to finally complete that room:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN105S9-Curved-105-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00L403O8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1422200173&sr=1-1&keywords=lcd+tv


 

 Believe it or not that's too small.  The screen in there is 114" of 16:9, 140" of 2.35:1...  It's 5 ft tall and 11 ft wide.


----------



## longbowbbs

randy98mtu said:


> elvergun said:
> 
> 
> > This is all you need to finally complete that room:
> ...


----------



## whirlwind

that is definitley a big boy screen....in a big boy room


----------



## bigfatpaulie

elvergun said:


> This is all you need to finally complete that room:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN105S9-Curved-105-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00L403O8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1422200173&sr=1-1&keywords=lcd+tv


 
  
 Some of the reviews are pretty funny!


----------



## elvergun

bigfatpaulie said:


> Some of the reviews are pretty funny!


 
  
  
 Haha.   I just noticed the reviews...and they are pretty funny indeed.


----------



## Rdrcr

Mike


----------



## Krutsch

rdrcr said:


> Mike


 

 Nice choice of components and that is really all you need, isn't it?


----------



## Shaffer

rdrcr said:


> Mike




Very nice! Fairly similar to my setup.


----------



## rawrster

It's a bit disorganized but it works. My V800 is on the bottom with the Lyr 2 on my desk and a Q701 on the side.


----------



## Clayton SF

Amp rolling again. Back in rotation is my GlennAmp Mono Blocks with the CSP2+ Stereo preamp by Decware.
  
 Oh, yes, and with Diana on an easy Sunday evening.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## whirlwind

DAYMN, Clayton.........send me any of Glenns amps that you are not using   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Since you are amp rolling....just roll one my way.


----------



## longbowbbs

I loved the CSP2+... Great little pre=amp and Headphone amp. Particularly with higher impedance cans. My HD650's loved it.


----------



## hodgjy

clayton sf said:


> Amp rolling again. Back in rotation is my GlennAmp Mono Blocks with the CSP2+ Stereo preamp by Decware.
> 
> Oh, yes, and with Diana on an easy Sunday evening.
> 
> Cheers!


 
 You have the most amazing stuff. You won Head-Fi years ago.


----------



## zilch0md

rdrcr said:


> Mike


 
  
 The NuForce HA-200 is a great amp for the money - I even hate saying, "for the money" in this case.
  
 It's a single-ended, Class A design that not only sounds great with easy-to-please headphones, but sounds much better with the HD800 than the amp section of my OPPO HA-1, for example.
  
 What does "single-ended Class A" really mean?  Read this Nelson Pass article...
  
  Quoting:  https://passlabs.com/articles/single-ended-class-a
  


> Regardless of the type of gain device, in systems where the utmost in natural reproduction is the goal, simple single-ended Class A circuits are the topologies of choice.


 
  
 Mike


----------



## Coolzo

Manley LAB series 100 watt monoblocks powering my own T50RP mod via a Grommes HA-600 headphone adapter. Sounds quite superior to my Asgard 2 (which is serving as a preamp in this case). Source is a Teac UD-H01 DAC (unbalanced RCA) fed  SPDIF from my Saffire Pro 40 audio interface.
  
 I might have a fetish for having lots of components...


----------



## zilch0md

Hi Rdrcr,
  
 Quote:


rdrcr said:


> Mike


 
  
  


zilch0md said:


> The NuForce HA-200 is a great amp for the money - I even hate saying, "for the money" in this case.
> 
> It's a single-ended, Class A design that not only sounds great with easy-to-please headphones, but sounds much better with the HD800 than the amp section of my OPPO HA-1, for example.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I feel compelled to revisit your post, because I'm intrigued at how you came up with this rig.  You've got an undeniably great source, a real sleeper of a truly single-ended Class A amp that can crank out 2 Watts rms into 32-Ohms (and that I absolutely love), and perhaps one of the most respected headphones of all time.
  
 I suspect your rig could do circles around most of the rigs we see here, independent of price.
  
 Is this the result of many years of buying, selling and trading?  
  
 Were you advised by an experienced friend?  
  
 Or are you just a very lucky guy who stumbled into buying this rig _accidentally?  _




  
 ---
  
 UPDATE:  I've just finished reading _all_ of your Head-Fi posts - finding this along the way:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/197776/sennheiser-hd650-impressions-thread/22320#post_11255371
  
 To answer my own questions, I'd have to say this rig is the result of your having had "discerning" ears (from your HiFi experience), a good source (from your HiFi experience) and the ability to do a good job reading between the lines as you researched headphones and amps.
  
 Well done, sir!
  




  
 Mike


----------



## longbowbbs

That is a sweet and simple rig. Nice SS version of a Decware CSP3 or a Bottlehead Crack HD650 setup.


----------



## bwmarrin

So, here's mine.  It all sits on a filing cabinet that's right next to my office desk.


----------



## Krutsch

bwmarrin said:


> So, here's mine.  It all sits on a filing cabinet that's right next to my office desk.


 
  
 Is that an audio-grade "philing" cabinet?


----------



## bwmarrin

krutsch said:


> Is that an audio-grade "philing" cabinet?


 
  
 Oh, of course. I used a special anti static paint spray and vibration reduction feet, of course. 
  
 I'm actually planning to get a different cabinet.. eventually, to house my junk better.


----------



## Rdrcr

zilch0md said:


> I feel compelled to revisit your post, because I'm intrigued at how you came up with this rig.  You've got an undeniably great source, a real sleeper of a truly single-ended Class A amp that can crank out 2 Watts rms into 32-Ohms (and that I absolutely love), and perhaps one of the most respected headphones of all time.
> 
> I suspect your rig could do circles around most of the rigs we see here, independent of price.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thank you! 
  
 I'm glad you found my post!  Pretty much explains it.  I got lucky.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I have another HA-200 on the way.  I'm going to do my best to 'maximize' the potential of my current setup before I buy another set of cans.
  
 Mike


----------



## zilch0md

rdrcr said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I'm glad you found my post!  Pretty much explains it.  I got lucky.
> 
> ...




Well, it's going to be hard to go up from where you are, especially when you get your HA-200 monoblock configuration going, but headphones would be the next place to go and with 8 Watts into 32-Ohms, I recommend you just go for the HiFiMan HE-6. Then again, despite not needing as much power, the amp-finicky Sennheiser HD800 plays very well with even one HA-200. 

Mike


----------



## Rdrcr

Quote:


krutsch said:


> Nice choice of components and that is really all you need, isn't it?


 
  
 Thank you!  I believe so, but, I'm sure additional headphones will bless my ears in the future. 
  


shaffer said:


> Very nice! Fairly similar to my setup.


 
  
 Thanks.  Good to hear that I'm not the only one.
  


zilch0md said:


> The NuForce HA-200 is a great amp for the money - I even hate saying, "for the money" in this case.
> 
> It's a single-ended, Class A design that not only sounds great with easy-to-please headphones, but sounds much better with the HD800 than the amp section of my OPPO HA-1, for example.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have to agree that the HA-200 is a great amp for the money. 
  
 I'm surprised to learn that the HA-200 sounds better than the HA-1 with the HD800's.
  
 Mike


----------



## Rdrcr

zilch0md said:


> Well, it's going to be hard to go up from where you are, especially when you get your HA-200 monoblock configuration going, but headphones would be the next place to go and with 8 Watts into 32-Ohms, I recommend you just go for the HiFiMan HE-6. Then again, despite not needing as much power, the amp-finicky Sennheiser HD800 plays very well with even one HA-200.
> 
> Mike


 
  
 I really appreciate the response.  I'm glad I made some good decisions in the very beginning. 
  
 I am definitely considering both the HE-6 and HD800's.  I have to do some more research and hopefully audition both before making a purchase.
  
 Mike


----------



## axeltow

Hey Mike,

 I read your post in the HD650s thread as well and it was a great read. Just a small question....why did you went from tube to transistor amplifier? Is it because of the option to go balanced or some other reason?
  
 How are the two HA-200? Any impressions?


----------



## zilch0md

axeltow said:


> Hey Mike,
> 
> I read your post in the HD650s thread as well and it was a great read. Just a small question....why did you went from tube to transistor amplifier? Is it because of the option to go balanced or some other reason?
> 
> How are the two HA-200? Any impressions?


 
  
@Rdrcr
  
 Yeah, I can't wait to get impressions from another person with experienced ears - to provide a _detailed account_ of the differences that can be heard operating with two HA-200's vs. only one.
  
 (The other) Mike


----------



## Mr Rick

Gear from left to right, top to bottom:
  
 Sennheiser HD 598s
 Bravo Audio Ocean 
 Philips TV / Monitor
 Sony DVD / CD player
 Vintage SAE 8000 Tuner
 Vintage SAE A7 Integrated Amplifier
 Sennheiser HD 650s
 Small Schiit...Magni,1, Modi 2, Vali, SYS
 Big Schiit.....Valhalla 2, Asgard 2


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Minor upgrades to the ol' recording studio...


----------



## Rdrcr

axeltow said:


> Hey Mike,
> 
> I read your post in the HD650s thread as well and it was a great read. Just a small question....why did you went from tube to transistor amplifier? Is it because of the option to go balanced or some other reason?
> 
> How are the two HA-200? Any impressions?


 
  
 Thanks.
  
 I decided against a tube amp this time because I'll be purchasing and experimenting with tubes forever.  It will never end.  I love tubes and the tube sound though.
  
 I'm still waiting for my second HA-200.  I'll post my impressions when I get everything connected.
  


zilch0md said:


> @Rdrcr
> 
> Yeah, I can't wait to get impressions from another person with experienced ears - to provide a _detailed account_ of the differences that can be heard operating with two HA-200's vs. only one.
> 
> (The other) Mike


 
  
 I'll definitely post my impressions of the 2 HA-200's.  I'm looking forward to it but, I have no predetermined expectations. 
  
 Mike


----------



## Krutsch

rdrcr said:


> I decided against a tube amp this time because *I'll be purchasing and experimenting with tubes forever.*  It will never end.  I love tubes and the tube sound though.


 
  
 Smart man. I can't believe what I've spent on tubes, although the sound is sweet and it's a lot of fun.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

That's part of why I sold my Lyr. I'd be hunting down vintages until the day I died.


----------



## Mr Rick

krutsch said:


> Smart man. I can't believe what I've spent on tubes, although the sound is sweet and it's a lot of fun.


 
  Buy a Schiit Vali. Tube rolling problem solved. LOL


----------



## jirams

Musical Fidelity M1HPA, M1DAC, M1CDT, MacBook, HD800
  
 All stuck in corner next to my favourite lounger.


----------



## Krutsch

someguydude said:


> That's part of why I sold my Lyr. I'd be hunting down vintages until the day I died.


 
  
 You mean like this: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ... and my collection is nothing compared to others'


----------



## Androb

krutsch said:


> You mean like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I remember seeing people with big wooden boxes filled with tubes, like 100s way back.


----------



## Rdrcr

krutsch said:


> Smart man. I can't believe what I've spent on tubes, although the sound is sweet and it's a lot of fun.


 
  
 Trust me, I was strongly considering the Lyr2 before I really started thinking about how that adventure may never end...
  
 You're right though, tube rolling is fun and an enjoyable experience.
  
 Mike


----------



## Skylab

androb said:


> I remember seeing people with big wooden boxes filled with tubes, like 100s way back.




Hmmmm, I don't know what you're talking about...


----------



## Rdrcr

^^^^




  
 Mike


----------



## whirlwind

skylab said:


> androb said:
> 
> 
> > I remember seeing people with big wooden boxes filled with tubes, like 100s way back.
> ...


 
 Looks like my dads tv shop, back in the 70's


----------



## Skylab

Yeah, I went a little tube crazy there for a while...


----------



## Androb

skylab said:


> Hmmmm, I don't know what you're talking about...


 
 LMAO haha, exactly what i'm talking about  Got any spare ones you wanna get rid of? I'm willing to take a few DD

 Nice collection really!


----------



## Eee Pee

A little...
  
 Hah.


----------



## Townyj

Lol...Skylab.. your never a let down! 
  
 Amazing as always!


----------



## zilch0md

That's a retirement fund!


----------



## Shaffer

zilch0md said:


> That's a retirement fund!




That's how I refer to my record collection.


----------



## MacedonianHero

skylab said:


> Yeah, I went a little tube crazy there for a while...


 
 Hey Rob: Do you still have all those tubes? I still haven't seen a more impressive tube collection yet.


----------



## Skylab

macedonianhero said:


> Hey Rob: Do you still have all those tubes? I still haven't seen a more impressive tube collection yet.




Heya Peter. No, not all of them...but most!


----------



## MacedonianHero

skylab said:


> Heya Peter. No, not all of them...but most!


 
 Impressive! Hope you're doing well buddy.


----------



## ssrock64

skylab said:


> Hmmmm, I don't know what you're talking about...


 
 Oh my... I've seen some large tube collections, but that blows every stash I've ever seen out of the water.


----------



## Spiral Out




----------



## Clayton SF

skylab said:


> Hmmmm, I don't know what you're talking about...


 
  
 Nice inventory!


----------



## bwmarrin

spiral out said:


>


 
  
 Hey! Those are BJC cables, right? They look just like the ones I have on my bedroom setup.  I got the PYST with my new Schiit stuff and after getting them thought how much better the BJC ones look/feel.  I'm sure they both do the job just fine though.


----------



## Spiral Out

bwmarrin said:


> Hey! Those are BJC cables, right? They look just like the ones I have on my bedroom setup.  I got the PYST with my new Schiit stuff and after getting them thought how much better the BJC ones look/feel.  I'm sure they both do the job just fine though.


 

 Yup, they sure are! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am very impressed by their build quality. I actually just bought them a month or so ago when I got my Modi 2 Uber. I run the BJC LC-1 to my Vali and a pair of Straight Wire Encore II IC's  to the Magni 2 U through a Audioquest y adapter. Works great!!


----------



## Byrnie

clayton sf said:


> Thanks and you're welcome. Here's my Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/



For the good of mankind, you should adopt me


----------



## longbowbbs

byrnie said:


> clayton sf said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks and you're welcome. Here's my Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/
> ...


 
 LOL!!  The food is even better there. I keep threatening to show up for dinner!


----------



## longbowbbs

Today's hotel rig.....
  
  

 Aurender Flow sourcing the HD800's with Audirvana+


----------



## Clayton SF

longbowbbs said:


> Today's hotel rig.....
> 
> 
> 
> Aurender Flow sourcing the HD800's with Audirvana+


 

 Now that's Room Service! Like!


----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Today's hotel rig.....
> ...


 
 It is less fattening than the Hagen Daz...


----------



## kramer5150

longbowbbs said:


> Today's hotel rig.....
> 
> Aurender Flow sourcing the HD800's with Audirvana+


 
 Wow traveling in style.. very nice


----------



## Byrnie

longbowbbs said:


> LOL!!  The food is even better there. I keep threatening to show up for dinner!


 
 Show up and be like <insert line from the beginning of "Old School"> LMAO!


----------



## Jamesy1969

longbowbbs said:


> Today's hotel rig.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 That's slightly more impressive than my hotel kit...
  

  
  
 Win8 lappy running foobar2k->X3->E12->Sony MDR-1Rs
  
 I like the FiiO->Sony setup for portable use but it doesn't stand up against a decent desktop kit and I'm pining for my HD650s. I've been this close </holds thumb and forefinger millimetres apart/> to ordering some HD800s or 700s whilst on this (business) trip. My wife really shouldn't let me out of the house alone.


----------



## x RELIC x

I keep picturing closets with labeled shelves saying things like 'MONDAY RIG, 'HOTEL KIT', 'PORTABLE SUNNY WEATHER RIG', 'TUESDAY RIG', 'VACATION RIG', etc......... Like a woman's pair of shoes for every occasion. How many of you guys have more than one setup for desktop and a setup for portable? Some of the labels have me scratching my head. lol.


----------



## Jamesy1969

x relic x said:


> I keep picturing closets with labeled shelves saying things like 'MONDAY RIG, 'HOTEL KIT', 'PORTABLE SUNNY WEATHER RIG', 'TUESDAY RIG', 'VACATION RIG', etc......... Like a woman's pair of shoes for every occasion. How many of you guys have more than one setup for desktop and a setup for portable? Some of the labels have me scratching my head. lol.


 
  
 The desktop rig is the easy one...it's the pinnacle of what I can afford justify to my wife at the time.
  
 Other set-ups are what's appropriate at the time: believe it or not, the one that changes most is the "walking the dog" set-up. If it's sunny, I struggle to fit IEMs whilst wearing shades, so I'll use my MDRs or Senn Momentums instead, and if I'm using those I'm more likely to use an amp, so I'm likely to use the X3 as it works well with the E12. If it's cold, I might wear a hat (I live at the sea and it's cold and windy on the prom or on the beach where I walk the dog) so I'm more likely to use IEMs which don't really need more oomph than the S:Flo can provide so I'll use that....etc, etc.
  
 I think most people on here own several different set-ups that change according to circumstances?


----------



## ruthieandjohn

x relic x said:


> I keep picturing closets with labeled shelves saying things like 'MONDAY RIG, 'HOTEL KIT', 'PORTABLE SUNNY WEATHER RIG', 'TUESDAY RIG', 'VACATION RIG', etc......... Like a woman's pair of shoes for every occasion. How many of you guys have more than one setup for desktop and a setup for portable? Some of the labels have me scratching my head. lol.



The most unusual of my various listening stations is on the back patio. In the snow. On a lawn chair. Wooden Grado RS-1 with wooden Grado RA-1 amp. Under an electric blanket, plugged in and turned up to max!


----------



## x RELIC x

Haha. I get it and I use various headphones with various gear as well. It just sounds funny to me when I read the descriptions.


----------



## Oregonian

x relic x said:


> I keep picturing closets with labeled shelves saying things like 'MONDAY RIG, 'HOTEL KIT', 'PORTABLE SUNNY WEATHER RIG', 'TUESDAY RIG', 'VACATION RIG', etc......... Like a woman's pair of shoes for every occasion. *How many of you guys have more than one setup for desktop and a setup for portable? *Some of the labels have me scratching my head. lol.


 
  
 I have two portable setups, one for running and one just for being out in the yard, and 5 different desktop based rigs.  A bit much but it's better than going to the bars as I tell my wife.............and she agrees.


----------



## x RELIC x

oregonian said:


> I have two portable setups, one for running and one just for being out in the yard, and 5 different desktop based rigs.  A bit much but it's better than going to the bars as I tell my wife.............and she agrees.




Nice...... 5 desktop rigs!! 

Money well spent!


----------



## jdlivestrong

A little head-fi goodness in my 2 channel rig...
  



  
 Headphone rig is iFi Micro iDSD, Micro iUSB Power, Gemini cable, and MacBook Air.  The rack is by Audiophile Vibration Control 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 And just in case I need to expand...


----------



## Mojo777

Sick but you need a headphone in the pic


----------



## Zojokkeli

One stationary and one mobile rig for me, simple setups for a simple guy. Momentums are mostly collecting dust nowadays, I should probably sell them on.


----------



## roskodan

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






jamesy1969 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Today's hotel rig.....
> ...





 perhaps it is, but unlike him, you have money left ! (actually it's on the right XD)... and a merc too!


----------



## Krutsch

jdlivestrong said:


> A little head-fi goodness in my 2 channel rig...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
*Yeah! I love Isolator Porn...* very, very sweet looking presentation and I will include tonight's shot of mine (brass footers, rubber/cork and maple, all day long 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## thatBeatsguy

iPod Touch 5th gen (32 GB) -> Master & Dynamic ME03
  
 Both stuff I acquired pretty recently (<1 month ago), and are now my main rig. I don't have the cash to splurge on amps or DACs yet, so this is what I do with for now.


----------



## SpirosG

jamesy1969 said:


>


 
 that's kinda remind me of the classic : 'my biggest fear is that i die & my wife sells all the gear for a price around what i told her it costs  .... ''


----------



## whirlwind

spirosg said:


> jamesy1969 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

roskodan said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I did have my new Alpha Prime's and LCD-X's arrive today......Choices choices....


----------



## Jamesy1969

roskodan said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 LOLz! Well, I did have some money left until 10 minutes ago when I pulled the trigger on HD700s. It could have been worse...


----------



## magiccabbage




----------



## WilliamLeonhart

spirosg said:


> that's kinda remind me of the classic : 'my biggest fear is that i die & my wife sells all the gear for a price around what i told her it costs  .... ''


 
 Thankfully for me it's been "I sold my gear for a faction of what it really costed and she was glad because I actually sold used stuffs for a sum larger than MSRP".


----------



## Xoen




----------



## TheChillburger

xoen said:


>




I see you got that LCD X bro! Can't wait to try it at a meet!


----------



## Xoen

thechillburger said:


> I see you got that LCD X bro! Can't wait to try it at a meet!


 
 Haha!  Yep.  I'm definitely going to this upcoming one in NC and bringing my gear along.  Have you read the recent thread NightAndDay put up?


----------



## TheChillburger

xoen said:


> Haha!  Yep.  I'm definitely going to this upcoming one in NC and bringing my gear along.  Have you read the recent thread NightAndDay put up?


 
 I hadn't seen it until just now, thanks for the heads up. I should definitely be able to make it down.


----------



## Androb

Shared this in turntable thread but might aswell post it here aswell! Got a new cartridge and phono amp for my TT setup!
  
Hello! Just had to share my story from todays experience.
 I allways had my lcd3 and some turntables (dads) but not a very good phono amp so the sound have been flat and unlistenable.

Went to a hifi store in Gothenburg today and got my hands on a new phono amp! Damn this thing turned everything around so now I can enjoy all my records. This thing runs both mm and mc so it turns out dad had an old Audio-Technica at f5/occ MC cartridge. Put this on and now i'm in vinyl heaven 

 So now i'm running a Luxman DD turntable, Audio-Technica at f5/occ MC cartridge, with Vincent pho-8 phono amp into a diy clone of Lehmann bcl (also dads creation lol) into my LCD-3.
 Great stuff!


----------



## whirlwind

Very nice


----------



## Androb

whirlwind said:


> Very nice


 
 Thanks!


----------



## Spiral Out




----------



## Spiral Out




----------



## ninjapirate9901




----------



## mikey1964

This is my audio station as of now, using the Geek Pulse despite the hoopla over it. My unit's working fine with the latest firmware, and have used my HD800, K812, Alpha Dog, HE400i without losing any of them.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I might swap it out for a Lyr + iDSD Nano stack if I prefer that over the Geek Pulse.....


----------



## x RELIC x

ninjapirate9901 said:


>




Nice gear and great pic!


----------



## elvergun

mikey1964 said:


> This is my audio station as of now, using the Geek Pulse despite the hoopla over it. My unit's working fine with the latest firmware, and have used my HD800, K812, Alpha Dog, HE400i without losing any of them.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 In a pissing contest involving headphone collections, my collection would lose to your collection.  I resent that!!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 Very Nice!!!


----------



## mikemercer

ninjapirate9901 said:


>


 
  
 YEAH - this is SICK!
 VERY clean...
  
 Here we go (got 2 stations - my desk in front of the house, and the Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab)
 gotta take shots of it from TODAY! But here are some recent pix:


----------



## Silent One

mikemercer said:


> Here we go (got 2 stations - my desk in front of the house, and the Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab)
> gotta take shots of it from TODAY! But here are some recent pix:


 





 Some good livin' right there!


----------



## Krutsch

mikemercer said:


> YEAH - this is SICK!
> VERY clean...
> 
> Here we go (got 2 stations - my desk in front of the house, and the Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab)
> gotta take shots of it from TODAY! But here are some recent pix:


 
  
 Good... Isolator Porn, on display, under the top amps.  Love it!


----------



## FYL941

Jumped into the portable game with ifi DSD Nano....very nice!


----------



## mikemercer

silent one said:


> Some good livin' right there!


 
 Indeed!
 and I wanna add that I express my gratitude out-loud Every morning for getting to do what I do for a living!
 Make no mistake, I busted my A__ in the music biz and hi-fi industry for over twenty years
 in order to be able to write & evangelize about music and high-performance audio gear - and I'm especially grateful that I met Jude, Alex (Rosson) and others in 2009:
 Because it was then that I came to truly understand the brotherhood of the Head-Fi community (that high-end/2-channel in-room audio CLAIMS to have, but its BS).
  
 I'll never forget asking Jude to join a panel I ran at RMAF the following year that we called *Embracing the Industries Future*: Which included one of my closest friends and former DJ/production partner Peter Wohelski, Label Manager at Beatport (P signed The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim at Astralwerks) alongside our fallen brother Lee Weiland (of CryoParts - also a former sponsor of Head-Fi) John Schaffer, then the President of Wadia, my editor and friend Dave Clark from PFO, and Steve Silberman - who had just left Ayre to go work for Audioquest... We ALL had a blast and I never looked back!
  
*SORRY FOR THE CYBER BABBLE BTW*  - I finally helped my poor wifey get to sleep (she's been in a DEEP battle with her health for over two years now)
 and I'm amped all of the sudden!!
  
  


krutsch said:


> Good... Isolator Porn, on display, under the top amps.  Love it!


 




  
  


fyl941 said:


> Jumped into the portable game with ifi DSD Nano....very nice!


 
 NICE portable rig! The nano is the only iFi product I don't have   - but I bet it's fantastic.
  
 So psyched you posted this - as I was going to post my current FAVE portable rigs too!
 Here we go:
  
  
  LOVE the Glove (Audio A1 by CEntrance - DAC/Amp for AK100 or 120 - I use my AK120) + my trusty JH Audio Roxannes
 The second shot is my current FAVE IEM portable set-up: Which includes my AK240 + Double Helix Cables Balanced cable option (prototype) + Roxy's
  

 My FAVE over-ear portable rig (man, this rig sounds like some of my best desktop reference amps + DAC):
 LCD-XC wired w/ Double Helix Cable Molecule SE (4-pin XLR) + CEntrance HiFi-M8 (iPod classic for storage)
  

 For whatever reason - this configuration is just a BLAST when I'm on the road - particularly in a hotel room, or crashing on somebodies couch:
 Master & Dynamic MH40s (gun-metal finish - sorry, just LOVE this option as opposed to the very popular brown leather version) wired w/ Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite + iFi Micro iDSD (runnin' on battery of course) via my iPad 2 + CCK
  
 AND - though its VERY early, and I mean *TOO EARLY* to claim this - but I'm gonna do it, as the performance of this combo is mind-blowingly dynamic, and just downright musical and FUN to listen to - its' also gotten me in more trouble w/ my wifey than ANY other portable rig I've ever owned! I mean I've been GLUED to it - perhaps that's also due to the fact that my music comes via my iPhone 5 (running TIDAL mostly, but also music in its storage) so it also allows me to work while listening:
  

 AND the system includes a prototype - so that maybe un-cool  - but, hey, like I said: I'm lovin' it! The production model will also have a better amp section...
 This system includes the NEW Audeze open-back EL-8s (production-level - NOT pre-production like the 8s we all heard at CES (in for review) PLUS the (again: Prototype)
 HiFi-Skyn by CEntrance!
  
 A Brilliant concept - and, it seems their execution is SPOT-ON!
 It's an iPhone case (currently for iPhone 5 & 5S) iPhone 6 model next, and then Android model... - that houses a great lil' headphone amp/DAC section  - which I honestly didn't think would be able to drive the EL-8s - but, low and behold I'm using the mid-level gain setting to do so! The damn thing also charges your iPhone AND Extends the Battery-Life of the Phone!!!!  Damn, @mgoodman is GOOD at this!
  
 They're currently running the campaign for it at Indiegogo (don't think it's kosher to share the link  - but it's easily found by searching for it on their website).
 MSRP - Post-Campaign will be $399. Though it's already Fully-Funded - you can still get em for $199!! I did!
  
 Again: Sorry if listing a system w/ a prototype breaks any rules applied to this Thread.
  
 G'night fellas!


----------



## penmarker

If posting prototype products is wrong then I don't want you to be right.
  
 p/s: are you looking for an Asian stepson? I can be one free of charge.


----------



## mikemercer

penmarker said:


> If posting prototype products is wrong then I don't want you to be right.
> 
> p/s: are you looking for an Asian stepson? I can be one free of charge.


 
 OMG
  
 Bro - you gave me a MUCH-needed belly-laugh!!!!
 I literally fell of my chair laughing hysterically, and I NEEDED that.
  
 THANKS!
  
 Here's another bit of *Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab* porn for ya!


----------



## turo91

Station 1
  

  
 Station 2


----------



## mikemercer

turo91 said:


> Station 1
> 
> 
> 
> Station 2


 
 NICE! are those Adam monitors??


----------



## mikemercer

OH.. LOL
 just noticed the stickers
  
 man its LATE


----------



## turo91

mikemercer said:


> NICE! are those Adam monitors??


 
  
 Yes, they are the ARTist 5, but i don't use their internal dac, they are connected to the D200 with Xlr cable


----------



## hodgjy

penmarker said:


> If posting prototype products is wrong then I don't want you to be right.
> 
> p/s: are you looking for an Asian stepson? I can be one free of charge.


 
 This may be the best post I've seen in a long time.


----------



## mikemercer

penmarker said:


> If posting prototype products is wrong then I don't want you to be right.
> 
> p/s: are you looking for an Asian stepson? I can be one free of charge.


 
  
 Quote:


hodgjy said:


> This may be the best post I've seen in a long time.


 
 WORD.
  
 Like I said before in my post - it gave me some MUCH-NEEDED LAUGHS
 and so inspired me to do some more writing before I CRASH!! - A
 Which is gonna be 10-15 min!!!!
  
  
 it also inspired the energy outta me to make another system change, at my 2nd headphone listening station!!!
 BIG THX for that too:


----------



## Makiah S

Just realized my i pod nano Makes an awesome portable pocket rig!


----------



## Coolzo

mshenay said:


> Just realized my i pod nano Makes an awesome portable pocket rig!


----------



## Silent One

mikemercer said:


> Indeed!
> and I wanna add that I express my gratitude out-loud Every morning for getting to do what I do for a living!
> Make no mistake, I busted my A__ in the music biz and hi-fi industry for over twenty years
> in order to be able to write & evangelize about music and high-performance audio gear - and I'm especially grateful that I met Jude, Alex (Rosson) and others in 2009:
> ...


 
  
 :  :  My Observation  :  :
  
 1. You enriched your wife's life with partnership. You two continue to be in my prayers.
 2. By crossing over, you enriched the head-fi community as well. Can't wait to meet you!


----------



## hodgjy

silent one said:


> :  :  My Observation  :  :
> 
> 1. You enriched your wife's life with partnership. You two continue to be in my prayers.
> 2. By crossing over, you enriched the head-fi community as well. Can't wait to meet you!


 
 In an internet world so often plagued by loud mouths, poor manners, and rudeness, S.O. is truly one of the good ones out there who makes boards like these a real community with meaningful discussions.


----------



## Anda

jdlivestrong said:


> A little head-fi goodness in my *2 channel rig*...


 
  
 Would love to see some pics and a description of the rig


----------



## Silent One

hodgjy said:


> In an internet world so often plagued by loud mouths, poor manners, and rudeness, S.O. is truly one of the good ones out there who makes boards like these a real community with meaningful discussions.


 
 Greetings Jay..._you are kind. _


----------



## gonzfi

Simple yet effective.


----------



## longbowbbs

New portable travel rig. 
  

  
 Going back and forth between the ifi iDSD Micro and the Aurender Flow.


----------



## thatBeatsguy

gonzfi said:


> Simple yet *EXPENSIVE*.


 
 FTFY. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 TH900 = $1500
 Hugo = $1500?
 AK240? = $2000?


----------



## DoppenShloppen

Here's my modest headfi/gaming setup. It doesn't even compare to most of the rigs in this thread. The gear is a Soundmagic hp150 hooked up to a hand me down sony mhc ec55 receiver and the speakers that came with it. I plan to add a pair of akg k612 and a dac/amp this summer.


----------



## longbowbbs

doppenshloppen said:


> Here's my modest headfi/gaming setup. It doesn't even compare to most of the rigs in this thread. The gear is a Soundmagic hp150 hooked up to a hand me down sony mhc ec55 receiver and the speakers that came with it. I plan to add a pair of akg k612 and a dac/amp this summer.


 
 If you get lost in the music then it is a good rig!


----------



## DoppenShloppen

longbowbbs said:


> If you get lost in the music then it is a good rig!


 
 yeah, I guess that's all that really matters in the end. Surprisingly, the sony receiver seems to have a pretty good amp in it.


----------



## brokenthumb

Thought I would have a another go with the HD800.  Just arrived yesterday.


----------



## ejwiles

brokenthumb said:


> Thought I would have a another go with the HD800.  Just arrived yesterday.


 
  
 Just don't ignore those 650s!


----------



## Krutsch

brokenthumb said:


> Thought I would have a another go with the HD800.  Just arrived yesterday.


 

 Nice display of cans... I wish I could leave my 'phones out like that, so I could quickly switch between 'em. My cats start chewing on the cables...


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

brokenthumb said:


> Thought I would have a another go with the HD800.  Just arrived yesterday.


 
 HD600, HD650 and HD800??? 
  
 Sell me those HD6x0s!!!


----------



## Zojokkeli

gonzfi said:


> Simple yet effective.




How's Hugo with TH900's? I'm thinking my system is a bit of an overkill and I might go for a simpler solution, such as Hugo.


----------



## gonzfi

Phenomenal. Powerful bass combined with total clarity. Can't recommend it enough.


----------



## jdlivestrong

anda said:


> Would love to see some pics and a description of the rig



That is probably for a different thread - I would hate to get this too off topic. Here is one from when I had my iFi Micro iDSD on the ground as I was testing it out. Before I sent my iFi stuff in to have the AVC IRACK made. Message me and I can answer any questions you might have about the rig.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Here is after I got my Head-Fi more integrated and the new AVC IRACK added 





Int Amps: Cayin H80A, Esoteric AI-10, Pathos ClassicOne MKIII
CD/SACD: Esoteric SA-10
Digital: MacBook Air running JRiver to iFi iDSD Stack (networked 4TB drive with music files), Logitech SBT
Speakers: Tannoy Definition DC10T, Wharfedale Opus 2-3
Power: RGPC 1200S

It is a bit under construction at the moment because UPS damaged the Wharfedales and I sold the Tannoys. Trying to get enough funds for a dedicated room (without a TV).


----------



## 86omfg

xonar stx optical to meier audio daccord, then cambridge audio 300 rca to meier audio classic. lcd2 headphones with home made headphone cable.
 daily use love this set up .


----------



## brokenthumb

ejwiles said:


> Just don't ignore those 650s!


 
  
 I don't!  They probably have the most head time of everything on the table.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


krutsch said:


> Nice display of cans... I wish I could leave my 'phones out like that, so I could quickly switch between 'em. My cats start chewing on the cables...


 
  
 No pets allowed!  That's my very first rule, the other... no toddlers allowed unattended.  When comparing cans I found that I notice the biggest difference if I use one for a couple days then switch to another, when switching during the same song many times they seem to start blending together.
  


williamleonhart said:


> HD600, HD650 and HD800???
> 
> Sell me those HD6x0s!!!


 
  
 Been thinking seriously about it (already made that mistake once with the HD650)... but then I realize how much I would miss them.


----------



## Krutsch

jdlivestrong said:


>


 
  
 Nice looking room... I am curious why you have what looks like two 2009-era Mac Minis on the floor (one server version and one with a super drive slot).


----------



## thatBeatsguy

krutsch said:


> jdlivestrong said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Snip
> ...


 
 Dayum...it doesn't look like a living room, but it's definitely bigger than my living room.


----------



## adpo

krutsch said:


> Nice looking room... I am curious why you have what looks like two 2009-era Mac Minis on the floor (one server version and one with a super drive slot).


 I'm guessing they're tiny little class d monoblocks?


----------



## mikemercer

silent one said:


> :  :  My Observation  :  :
> 
> 1. You enriched your wife's life with partnership. You two continue to be in my prayers.
> 2. By crossing over, you enriched the head-fi community as well. Can't wait to meet you!


 
 Honestly
 and this is RARE...
  
 I'm speechless.
 THANKS FOR THIS...
  
 It made Alexandra smile as wide as I've seen in MONTHS.
 Sorry to be off-topic with that
  
 AND:
 NOT sure if I shared my #1 travel/portable rig here yet - if so, my apologies..
  
  
 CEntrance HiFi-M8
 Audeze LCD-X
 Double Helix Cables Comp5
 iPod classic as musical storage - remember the HiFi-M8 uses its own DAC
  
 LOVE the dynamic gestalt of this portable rig!


----------



## Byrnie

mikemercer said:


> LOVE the dynamic gestalt of this portable rig!


 
 Damn dude!  Breakin' out the SAT words.  Are you trying to throw knowledge at us
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?
  
 **Fixed smiley**


----------



## Mr Rick

I've added a bit more Schiit to the stack.


----------



## Oregonian

mikemercer said:


> Honestly
> and this is RARE...
> 
> NOT sure if I shared my #1 travel/*portable rig* here yet - if so, my apologies..
> ...


 
  
 "You know you're an Audeze fanboy when"......................you consider the LCD-X a portable headphone.


----------



## Coolzo

580s from the X1 HO. Am I weird?


----------



## DonutDeflector

mr rick said:


> I've added a bit more Schiit to the stack.




HOLY SCHIIT!

That is an impressive stack!


----------



## bwmarrin

donutdeflector said:


> HOLY SCHIIT!
> 
> That is an impressive stack!


 
  
 Sure is a lot of schiit, that's clear.


----------



## Townyj

Just a little bit of bedside listening  I use the Jriver gizmo app, dont have to use or look at the laptop to change songs etc.


----------



## mikey1964

Removed a couple of cans and I think it'm gonna leave it like this for a while, will get an iDSD Nano to go with my Lyr and see if that stack's good enough to replace the Geek Pulse....


----------



## pedalhead

Line out from Geek Out 450 + LPS (not in pic) to early 1970s vintage Luxman SQ507X amp & HE-560s.  Detailed, smooth, powerful and pretty to look at 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## shane55

pedalhead said:


> Line out from Geek Out 450 + LPS (not in pic) to early 1970s vintage Luxman SQ507X amp & HE-560s.  Detailed, smooth, powerful and pretty to look at
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Gawd I love that Luxman!!!


----------



## pedalhead

shane55 said:


> Gawd I love that Luxman!!!


 
  
 haha cheers!  They're available for a bit of a steal if you shop around as they're still a bit under the radar compared to a lot of the more popular Pioneer / Fisher stuff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Oregonian

pedalhead said:


> haha cheers!  They're available for a bit of a steal if you shop around as they're still a bit under the radar compared to a lot of the more popular Pioneer / Fisher stuff
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 That's a beaut...................and I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks!


----------



## pedalhead

oregonian said:


> That's a beaut...................and I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks!


 
  
 Cheers!  Sure does...once I gave a thorough Deoxit to all the pots & sockets.


----------



## shane55

pedalhead said:


> haha cheers!  They're available for a bit of a steal if you shop around as they're still a bit under the radar compared to a lot of the more popular Pioneer / Fisher stuff
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Good to know, though not in the market. Recently bought a more modern Luxman, and I love it. Great workmanship and sound.


----------



## pedalhead

shane55 said:


> Good to know, though not in the market. Recently bought a more modern Luxman, and I love it. Great workmanship and sound.


 
  
 Ooh super, which one did you get?  I also have an old R1120 monster receiver on the way soon


----------



## tribestros

Some new stuff...
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
 Pictured is my amp, Marantz 2252B, my Sennheiser collection of 280Pro, Momentum & 558, and my direct drive Pioneer turntable. The hooks for my headphones are from Ikea.


----------



## hennezzy

Sony uda1 x custom built tube amp based on MAD ear degin


----------



## Silent One

tribestros said:


> Some new stuff...


 
 Great!
  
 But does this mean the GTO didn't make the cut?!


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

tribestros said:


> Some new stuff...
> 
> Pictured is my amp, Marantz 2252B, my Sennheiser collection of 280Pro, Momentum & 558, and my direct drive Pioneer turntable. The hooks for my headphones are from Ikea.


 
 Your stations looks great, but bro I really think you need better headphones for Tools...


----------



## Fririce0003

Some major changes to the rig, sorry for the crappy phone pics. Proper pics to follow of the whole system once all the gear arrives in a couple weeks. Waiting on some isolation gear and footers to split the hifi rack into two 5 tier stands.


----------



## Townyj

fririce0003 said:


> Some major changes to the rig, sorry for the crappy phone pics. Proper pics to follow of the whole system once all the gear arrives in a couple weeks. Waiting on some isolation gear and footers to split the hifi rack into two 5 tier stands.


 
  
 The amount of money here is phenomenal... Spent it all on Audio gear and need a new phone eh  hahah
  
 Nice though!! wow!


----------



## Fririce0003

townyj said:


> The amount of money here is phenomenal... Spent it all on Audio gear and need a new phone eh  hahah
> 
> Nice though!! wow!




 Could do with a new phone, this ones almost had it. Turns off when the ambient temperature drops below 5 Celsius... Spent too much of my budget on audio though :S 
 Enjoy the hobby and sound too much to stop though


----------



## Townyj

fririce0003 said:


> Could do with a new phone, this ones almost had it. Turns off when the ambient temperature drops below 5 Celsius... Spent too much of my budget on audio though :S
> Enjoy the hobby and sound too much to stop though


 
  
 I just realised your a fellow Aussie... Oh man Aussie dollars!! Geeze!


----------



## Fririce0003

townyj said:


> I just realised your a fellow Aussie... Oh man Aussie dollars!! Geeze!




 Plenty of Aussies on head fi recently! Was lucky to get in just before to dollar went to ****, would've been struggling for funds if I ordered now.


----------



## longbowbbs

Saturday Morning rig....


----------



## Oregonian

My buddy taking a nap while I listen to the HE-6's with the Cerwin Vega speakers turned off........one a mood pic, one using flash. The HE-6 are fed with a 26' long cable fed along the baseboard under the molding out of sight most of the way, which helps the WAF.


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

I don't have much in comparison with you guys here


----------



## Coolzo

williamleonhart said:


> I don't have much in comparison with you guys here


 
  
 Don't say that! You have some nice Grados, a nice stand, and a nice watch


----------



## thatBeatsguy

williamleonhart said:


> I don't have much in comparison with you guys here


 
 I have much less:


----------



## ssrock64

fririce0003 said:


> Some major changes to the rig, sorry for the crappy phone pics. Proper pics to follow of the whole system once all the gear arrives in a couple weeks. Waiting on some isolation gear and footers to split the hifi rack into two 5 tier stands.


 
 I think this marks the first time that I've seen the Woo monblock/Abyss combination out in the wild. Any first impressions?


----------



## ssrock64

thatbeatsguy said:


> I have much less:


 
 What you lack in gear, you more than make up for in guitar clock.


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

thatbeatsguy said:


> I have much less:


 
 I almost thought that was a real guitar. What's the name of the beauty standing next to it?
  


coolzo said:


> Don't say that! You have some nice Grados, a nice stand, and a nice watch


 
 Thanks. The watch was my parents' birthday gift


----------



## thatBeatsguy

williamleonhart said:


> thatbeatsguy said:
> 
> 
> > I have much less:
> ...


 
 What, those cans? Those are just Razers I bought a year ago and never use.


----------



## Fririce0003

ssrock64 said:


> I think this marks the first time that I've seen the Woo monblock/Abyss combination out in the wild. Any first impressions?




 It's a great pairing, thought the 234's have paired well with every headphone I've tried. The different output keys certainly help.
 I came from a WA5, it's much the same sound but background noise is a lot lower, the amps are more transparent and detail is increased. 
 If I had to list it's main strengths it would be musicality, wide soundstage, euphonic decay, detail retrieval and speed. Tonality can be easily changed with tube rolling, the same with voicing. 
 Other amps have come close in one or two areas, but none of them have been able to come to the table with the whole package like the 234's.
 I think I'll be in for a lot if sleepless nights with the Abyss/234 combo especially once I start rolling in some glass


----------



## Silent One

williamleonhart said:


> I don't have much in comparison with you guys here


 
 Everyone starts from somewhere. The right spirit and willingness to enjoy what you've got will put you miles ahead...


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

silent one said:


> Everyone starts from somewhere. The right spirit and willingness to enjoy what you've got will put you miles ahead...


 
 Thanks. Actually I'm already miles ahead of what I could imagine a few years back. This where I started to become a "audiophile", in a tiny dorm room in South Germany:
  

 Back then I just hoped to have a good job (as an intern) and save a few to buy myself a pair of Alessandro MS2i. It never came true, since I've grown to become more fond of the SR325is. I just hope I'll be able to go further and settle with HD800 _and_ HP1000.


----------



## DonutDeflector

I've got just a little more than thatBeatsguy.
Mostly used for gaming.
I'm currently cleaning it up and doing some decorating. Cable management is pretty much 100% endgame.


----------



## Wil

Audio Gd Ref 10.32 -> Almarro 318Bn -> Hifiman HE6
  
 Should be set for awhile now ( Tempted to get an Audio Gd Precision 1/2 though!)


----------



## SpirosG

Impressive !
  
 Isn't the 10.32 enough for driving the HE-6 ? do you use the almarro for amping them ?


----------



## Fuzziekiwi

Most up to date picture of my rig.


----------



## Wil

Hi SpirosG,
  
 The 10.32 is sufficient, but the Almarro with its extra wattage brings it to another level. I get harder hitting bass with a more fleshed out midrange. The 10.32 is slightly thin compared to the Almarro.


----------



## aroldan




----------



## mikroski

Just get WA7tp, big improvement in sound


----------



## intlsubband

mikroski said:


> Just get WA7tp, big improvement in sound


 
  
 Is that a North Star Design DAC? I thought I must be the only person here who use one of their products. You really don't come across these much!
  
 I have the Essensio DAC, and I think it's incredible. Never had a chance to try any of their other products though.


----------



## ssrock64

mikroski said:


> Just get WA7tp, big improvement in sound


 
 All those glossy surfaces look like a dusting nightmare in my eyes, but it makes for quite a clean, modern setup.


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

mikroski said:


> Just get WA7tp, big improvement in sound


 
  
 Very modern-looking. But the ATH seems to be  a little bit out of place


----------



## mikroski

intlsubband said:


> Is that a North Star Design DAC? I thought I must be the only person here who use one of their products. You really don't come across these much!
> 
> I have the Essensio DAC, and I think it's incredible. Never had a chance to try any of their other products though.


 
 Yes, it isn't popular here, but I love its sound/performance when I have a chance to compare with Chord and Ayre
  
  


ssrock64 said:


> All those glossy surfaces look like a dusting nightmare in my eyes, but it makes for quite a clean, modern setup.


 
 The glossy glass match with other built-in furniture in my living room. This make my wife happy, WAF is the most important factor 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  


williamleonhart said:


> Very modern-looking. But the ATH seems to be  a little bit out of place


 
 Wait until next month when I get Audeze EL-8 closed, it will be match for modern look


----------



## intlsubband

mikroski said:


> Yes, it isn't popular here, but I love its sound/performance when I have a chance to compare with Chord and Ayre


 
  
 That's great to hear! I never tried the Chord but can't stop seeing posts about it, and I was wondering how good can it be, compared with the North Star. I've been using the Essensio for about a year and I just can't get enough of it. The soundstage and details are just phenomenal.


----------



## mikroski

intlsubband said:


> That's great to hear! I never tried the Chord but can't stop seeing posts about it, and I was wondering how good can it be, compared with the North Star. I've been using the Essensio for about a year and I just can't get enough of it. The soundstage and details are just phenomenal.


 
 I'm lucky that have lots of friends in two channels hobby. So I can audit many equipment with my own system.

  
  
  
 I don't listen music file with my two channels set. But for phones, I don't hesitate to buy North Star DAC, Its details and smoothness are very well tune. You make a good choice


----------



## intlsubband

mikroski said:


> I'm lucky that have lots of friends in two channels hobby. So I can audit many equipment with my own system.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wow, that's awesome! what's the equipment in the photo?


----------



## intlsubband

Well here's my desk setup!


 

 

There are 3 systems here:

 

1. My main music system: the small laptop on the left (music-only laptop) > USB > North Star Design Essensio > Meier Audio Corda Classic > headphone

2. My movies & tv system: the laptop on the right > USB > Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 > (either headphones or >old Sony stereo receiver > PSB Alpha B1 speakers.

3. My portable music: the DX90 > PSB M4U2.

 






 

Close-up on the main DAC/ amp combo

 



 

Some of my headphones (HE-500: my main music headphones; Sony F1: my main movies headphone; and the rest of the family)


----------



## x RELIC x

Never mind the audio gear, good choice in Vodka!


----------



## phandrew

Specs are in my sig


----------



## dmort

Here's my current rig.
 I finally have got the furniture the way I want it.
 The only thing you can't see is an ADC power conditioner under the desk. Totally solved a buzzing/static problem I was having.


----------



## intlsubband

x relic x said:


> Never mind the audio gear, good choice in Vodka!


 
  
 Yep, it's a smooth one! and functions very well as a headphones holder...


----------



## Townyj

Dmort... that a gilmore lite! Im jealous right now.


----------



## longbowbbs

mikroski said:


> intlsubband said:
> 
> 
> > That's great to hear! I never tried the Chord but can't stop seeing posts about it, and I was wondering how good can it be, compared with the North Star. I've been using the Essensio for about a year and I just can't get enough of it. The soundstage and details are just phenomenal.
> ...


 
 Another Cary fan! I love my SLI-80!


----------



## jmsaxon69

New listening station, still in progress:
  

  
 Adcom ACE-515 (AC Line Conditioner) - Pioneer Elite DV-79 AVi (SACD and CD) - Schiit AUdio Asgard 2 - Sony MDR-Z7


----------



## SunTanScanMan

Some very interesting rigs posted recently. Eclectic mix of headphones and equipment.
  
 Also I need to start saving up for a comfortable recliner...


----------



## axeltow

tribestros said:


> Some new stuff...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 NIN, Tool, Radiohead. It seems what my room could possibly look. Awesome!!


----------



## thatBeatsguy

jmsaxon69 said:


> New listening station, still in progress:
> 
> 
> 
> Adcom ACE-515 (AC Line Conditioner) - Pioneer Elite DV-79 AVi (SACD and CD) - Schiit AUdio Asgard 2 - Sony MDR-Z7


 
 Wow, awesome setup! I wish I had the space for something like that (although a plush office chair in front of my desk would probably be as effective).


----------



## IceClass

phandrew said:


> Specs are in my sig


 
  
  
 That Sir, is a damn fine and sexy rig. I covet your toys and sincerely hope your wife is as ugly as sin or I may just despise you offhand out of sheer envy.


----------



## tribestros

axeltow said:


> NIN, Tool, Radiohead. It seems what my room could possibly look. Awesome!!


 
     Haha, yes. Nine Inch Nails specifically is my favorite band by a long shot. 
  


silent one said:


> Great!
> 
> But does this mean the GTO didn't make the cut?!


 
     It's on my bookshelf now! I rearranged my room. I'll be moving soon, so was trying to cut the clutter.
  


williamleonhart said:


> Your stations looks great, but bro I really think you need better headphones for Tools...


 
 I know, I'm down to 325e or Senn 650. I really need to get my Marantz professionally restored first though.


----------



## mikemercer

iceclass said:


> That Sir, is a damn fine and sexy rig. I covet your toys and sincerely hope your wife is as ugly as sin or I may just despise you offhand out of sheer envy.


 
 This could be the greatest post I've seen in MONTHS!
  
 A few lil' systems set-up around the Production-Level open-back Audeze EL-8 I just wrote an Impressions piece about for EnjoyTheMusic.com - under my _*Sonic Satori *_column - over the last 40 or so hours - marathon'd it!!!


----------



## phandrew

iceclass said:


> That Sir, is a damn fine and sexy rig. I covet your toys and sincerely hope your wife is as ugly as sin or I may just despise you offhand out of sheer envy.


 
  
 Single life bro!


----------



## x RELIC x

intlsubband said:


> Yep, it's a smooth one! and functions very well as a headphones holder...




Got a family of em................


----------



## IceClass

phandrew said:


> Single life bro!


 
  
  
 And your climate is humane to boot!
  
 I hate you.


----------



## intlsubband

iceclass said:


> And your climate is humane to boot!
> 
> I hate you.


 
  
 I'm not sure about humane climate... it IS Melbourne after all!


----------



## IceClass

intlsubband said:


> I'm not sure about humane climate... it IS Melbourne after all!


 
  
 Well, it's been minus both bollocks Celsius all week here so I'll take whatever Melbourne dishes up gladly.


----------



## longbowbbs

Minus Fahrenheit here...Come on over!


----------



## Errymoose

intlsubband said:


> Some of my headphones (HE-500: my main music headphones; Sony F1: my main movies headphone; and the rest of the family)


 
 Did you buy those red metal grado's off Adrian?  Nice gear btw


----------



## dmort

townyj said:


> Dmort... that a gilmore lite! Im jealous right now.


 

 Yeah - I got very lucky. I bought a fiio e10 and then about two weeks later a Glite showed up. A bit of fast research and I went for it before I really knew what it was. Needless to say, I know now and I have no plans to part with it. That said, there's a glite on sale right now in the amps section. No power supply. I'm seriously considering adding a violetric amp to the mix. And maybe a different DAC - although I'm totally happy with the xda-1.


----------



## intlsubband

iceclass said:


> Well, it's been minus both bollocks Celsius all week here so I'll take whatever Melbourne dishes up gladly.






 


Yikes!


 


In all honesty Melbourne is really nice, I lived there for a year. It is notorious though for having very fickle weather (4 seasons in 1 day sort of thing), but it never really gets below freezing... and right now, both of us are in the middle of summer!


----------



## intlsubband

errymoose said:


> Did you buy those red metal grado's off Adrian?  Nice gear btw


 
  
 Thanks! Those ones are really nice - I got them from another head-fier from Melbourne. It has the Grado 32 drivers out of an Alessandro MS1, in a Jaben custom aluminium housing & Jumbo pads ("MS1000" or Alumod), as well as an upgraded headband.
  
 There is just something addictive about their sound! clean, airy, and punchy bass. I often use it when I'm doing stuff around the house away from the desk.


----------



## Errymoose

intlsubband said:


> Thanks! Those ones are really nice - I got them from another head-fier from Melbourne. It has the Grado 32 drivers out of an Alessandro MS1, in a Jaben custom aluminium housing & Jumbo pads ("MS1000" or Alumod), as well as an upgraded headband.
> 
> There is just something addictive about their sound! clean, airy, and punchy bass. I often use it when I'm doing stuff around the house away from the desk.


 

 Nice... just seemed like a fairly unusual customised headphone for their to be two of floating around Sydney!


----------



## bwmarrin

bwmarrin said:


> So, here's mine.  It all sits on a filing cabinet that's right next to my office desk.


 
  
 Updated!  Still have more improvements to make.  Going to get shorter power cables and a headphone stand at least.


----------



## DoppenShloppen

bwmarrin said:


> Updated!  Still have more improvements to make.  Going to get shorter power cables and a headphone stand at least.


 
 Love how professional and clean it looks. That's one sweet looking schiit stack.


----------



## bwmarrin

doppenshloppen said:


> Love how professional and clean it looks. That's one sweet looking schiit stack.


 
  
 Thanks!  I'm really enjoying all that schiit for sure.  I can't wait for the shorter power cords and headphone stand.


----------



## DoppenShloppen

bwmarrin said:


> Thanks!  I'm really enjoying all that schiit for sure.  I can't wait for the shorter power cords and headphone stand


 
 A stand will really complete the look.


----------



## Butler

See Signature.


----------



## Androb

butler said:


> See Signature.


 
 Hey mate! Sweet stuff, how do you think Audeze pairs with the balanced SS?


----------



## Butler

Dendi, good to see you. 
No complaints- I've definitely reached my end of the line, although I'll be honest - I use a ever so slight classic v in foobar. :atsmile:


----------



## Androb

butler said:


> Dendi, good to see you.
> No complaints- I've definitely reached my end of the line, although I'll be honest - I use a ever so slight classic v in foobar.


 
 No one needs to know! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Alright that is nice! You kept the phones for quite some while now so I bet you are pleased! I'm looking into some nice balanced SS option aswell


----------



## Coolzo

Aplogies for craptastic photo. Right now, Debut Carbon TT into the NanoPhono, SX-780 receiver for amplification and Schiit Sys for gain. This will suffice until the monoblocks get back from the doctor! Works quite well with my Fostex T50RP, nice and intimate yet deep presentation.


----------



## Krutsch

butler said:


> Dendi, good to see you.
> No complaints- *I've definitely reached my end of the line*, although I'll be honest - I use a ever so slight classic v in foobar.


 

 I don't see any vacuum tubes, so I don't see how that can be true...


----------



## ssrock64

coolzo said:


> Aplogies for craptastic photo. Right now, Debut Carbon TT into the NanoPhono, SX-780 receiver for amplification and Schiit Sys for gain. This will suffice until the monoblocks get back from the doctor! Works quite well with my Fostex T50RP, nice and intimate yet deep presentation.


 
 I don't see many people with an SX-780 around these parts. How do you like it? I had one for a bit, but it wasn't restored when I bought it and I wasn't cut out to maintain it myself.


----------



## Oregonian

coolzo said:


> Aplogies for craptastic photo. Right now, Debut Carbon TT into the NanoPhono, SX-780 receiver for amplification and Schiit Sys for gain. This will suffice until the monoblocks get back from the doctor! Works quite well with my Fostex T50RP, nice and intimate yet deep presentation.


 
  
 Nice Pioneer..................vintage rules!  There's a thread dedicated to vintage receivers and amps - stop by if you get a chance.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/537704/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners/14130#post_11335954


----------



## Coolzo

ssrock64 said:


> I don't see many people with an SX-780 around these parts. How do you like it? I had one for a bit, but it wasn't restored when I bought it and I wasn't cut out to maintain it myself.




I love it! It is a bit on the mid-bassy-warm side, but very fun nontheless with gobs of power to boot. I was lucky to find this particular unit chilling (or toasting?) in my grandmother's garage. Was in perfect condition... haven't felt the need to recap, but did give it a good cleaning and deoxit. As you can see though, one of the lamps burnt out finally... and I must confess that there was a little crack-ccident with the wooden case 



oregonian said:


> Nice Pioneer..................vintage rules!  There's a thread dedicated to vintage receivers and amps - stop by if you get a chance.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/537704/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners/14130#post_11335954




Thanks! Indeed it does  I've been lurking that thread for a couple years now; my Pioneer pales in comparison to some of the pieces you guys have o.O I'm using EPI model 150 vintage speakers with my Pioneer as well; it's not the most detailed thing in the world, but the soundstaging is pretty epic in my lightly-treated room.


----------



## LancerFIN

Holy hell. Started reading this topic for the first time. In 10 pages couple Abysses.. Almost every picture contains multiple totl cans. I'm off to /r/headphones to feel like a big boy with LCD2's among M50x/DT770/HD598 people.
  
 Really liking isolated setups. I have mine at computer desk. This chair is not comfy and it's almost impossible to listen to a whole track without looking at monitors. Need to move my rig to the couch.


----------



## 62ohm

lancerfin said:


> Holy hell. Started reading this topic for the first time. In 10 pages couple Abysses.. Almost every picture contains multiple totl cans. I'm off to /r/headphones to feel like a big boy with LCD2's among M50x/DT770/HD598 people.
> 
> Really liking isolated setups. I have mine at computer desk. This chair is not comfy and it's almost impossible to listen to a whole track without looking at monitors. Need to move my rig to the couch.


 
  
 Just because there are people who owns an Abyss and/or multiple TOTL doesn't mean your LCD-2 looses quality though, to this date I still covet an Audeze can massively. Might get myself the EL-8 if I like its comfort..


----------



## kid vic

lancerfin said:


> Holy hell. Started reading this topic for the first time. In 10 pages couple Abysses.. Almost every picture contains multiple totl cans. I'm off to /r/headphones to feel like a big boy with LCD2's among M50x/DT770/HD598 people.
> 
> Really liking isolated setups. I have mine at computer desk. This chair is not comfy and it's almost impossible to listen to a whole track without looking at monitors. Need to move my rig to the couch.


 
 Lool not really sure what your trying to say seeing as both the LCD2 and HD700's are TOTL.....


----------



## LancerFIN

kid vic said:


> Lool not really sure what your trying to say seeing as both the LCD2 and HD700's are TOTL.....


 
 You are right. I have no reason to be envious. But still seeing those LCD-3's and HD800's in same picture with totl amps and dacs..


----------



## Fririce0003

lancerfin said:


> You are right. I have no reason to be envious. But still seeing those LCD-3's and HD800's in same picture with totl amps and dacs..




Inspiration for future purchases!


----------



## mikey1964

Decided to ditch the Geek Pulse as the main headfi station, it's been relegated to my 2nd rig. I replaced it with an iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....

 Took my remaining cans and placed them on the top shelf of my hifi rack...

 Will be adding a Philips Fidelio X1 and, with some luck, a Fostex TH900......


----------



## hodgjy

62ohm said:


> Just because there are people who owns an Abyss and/or multiple TOTL doesn't mean your LCD-2 looses quality though, to this date I still covet an Audeze can massively. Might get myself the EL-8 if I like its comfort..


 
 I personally think the Abyss is massively overpriced and doesn't have very good measurements.  I've never heard it, though, so it could be the best headphone ever as far as I know.  But, I'll never buy it because it's priced in the stratosphere.


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

Current pictures! Replaced the old iMac with a Mac Pro, the Abrahamsen V6.0 for a Yulong D100 and the JVC A-S5 plus the Dali Lektor 2s for a B&W MM-1 – the latter two for convenience. 
  

  
  

  
  
 As for the headphones on the drawers of happiness not many interesting changes apart from the addition of a Parrot Zik 2.0 as a portable.
  

  

  
  
 And as a bonus, a gathering of my set plus some interesting things that are in for reviewing


----------



## Krutsch

leonardo drummond said:


> As for the headphones on the shelves of happiness not many interesting changes apart from the addition of a Parrot Zik 2.0 as a portable.


 
  
 I'm inspired by the headphone drawers / shelves... my cats love to chew on cables (I've already lost my original Senn and Grado cables to the cats). Seeing this, I am going to re-think my use of headphone stands and clear out / line a drawer in my desk (don't know why I never thought of that before...)
  
 Nice rig!


----------



## WilliamLeonhart

Using drawers to store headphones? Both convenient and classy! 
  
 I'm surprised you keep your HD449 despite owning a few drool-worthy thousands dollar beasts!


----------



## akash neagi

leonardo drummond said:


> Current pictures! Replaced the old iMac with a Mac Pro, the Abrahamsen V6.0 for a Yulong D100 and the JVC A-S5 plus the Dali Lektor 2s for a B&W MM-1 – the latter two for convenience.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That looks really nice...
 Are those Meze Classic 88s I see???
 What are they like???


----------



## DonutDeflector

mikey1964 said:


> Decided to ditch the Geek Pulse as the main headfi station, it's been relegated to my 2nd rig. I replaced it with an iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....
> 
> 
> Took my remaining cans and placed them on the top shelf of my hifi rack...
> ...




What are those wood Omega shaped headphone stands?


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

krutsch said:


> I'm inspired by the headphone drawers / shelves... my cats love to chew on cables (I've already lost my original Senn and Grado cables to the cats). Seeing this, I am going to re-think my use of headphone stands and clear out / line a drawer in my desk (don't know why I never thought of that before...)
> 
> Nice rig!


 
  
 Thanks!  
  
 It's what I've been doing for a while, because even though I've got two nice stands, the headphones I would like to keep on display are expensive to just leave exposed, I think... so I got them in drawers and the problem's solved!
  


williamleonhart said:


> Using drawers to store headphones? Both convenient and classy!
> 
> I'm surprised you keep your HD449 despite owning a few drool-worthy thousands dollar beasts!


 
  
 Well, in actual fact the HD449s were "permanent loans", given by Sennheiser's local distributor, for reviewing! And since it would be unethical for me to sell them, they are kept as headphones for future reference 
  


akash neagi said:


> That looks really nice...
> Are those Meze Classic 88s I see???
> What are they like???


 
  
 Thanks, Akash!
  
 No, actually they're a pair of Audio-Technica W3000ANVs!


----------



## mikey1964

donutdeflector said:


> What are those wood Omega shaped headphone stands?


The light colored one is a made in China wooden Omega stand. I have two, I noticed that on one piece, the chamfer on one side is uneven, but the base is even making it stable, that's what matters most.


----------



## DonutDeflector

mikey1964 said:


> The light colored one is a made in China wooden Omega stand. I have two, I noticed that on one piece, the chamfer on one side is uneven, but the base is even making it stable, that's what matters most.




Thank you!


----------



## Byrnie

hodgjy said:


> I personally think the Abyss is massively overpriced and doesn't have very good measurements.  I've never heard it, though, so it could be the best headphone ever as far as I know.  But, I'll never buy it because it's priced in the stratosphere.


 
 They're rather uncomfortable to wear also!  I didn't find they sounded that great and I couldn't get over the discomfort.


----------



## mikemercer

byrnie said:


> They're rather uncomfortable to wear also!  I didn't find they sounded that great and I couldn't get over the discomfort.


 
 My thoughts precisely! I also thought, sonically, for 6k!?!?!?! - To me they exhibited: GREAT BASS, very little excitement, coherency, or midrange presence, and then the highs were extended. But, still, are they even CLOSE to 3X the LCD-3s performance???
  
 Anyway: JUST got the new Burson Audio Conductor Virtuoso in for review - and so this is what my front-room headphone station looks like right now (and the Virtuoso makes for a terrific amp compliment for my LCD-XCs, and the new EL-8 open-back):


----------



## Byrnie

mikemercer said:


> My thoughts precisely! I also thought, sonically, for 6k!?!?!?! - To me they exhibited: GREAT BASS, very little excitement, coherency, or midrange presence, and then the highs were extended. But, still, are they even CLOSE to 3X the LCD-3s performance???
> 
> Anyway: JUST got the new Burson Audio Conductor Virtuoso in for review - and so this is what my front-room headphone station looks like right now (and the Virtuoso makes for a terrific amp compliment for my LCD-XCs, and the new EL-8 open-back):




Well I also think the LCD line is overpriced too.


Here's my 5th Wedding Anniversary gift from my wife: AURALiC Taurus mk2 + Gungnir


I'm loving the combo along with the Wyrd.


----------



## mikemercer

byrnie said:


> Well I also think the LCD line is overpriced too.
> 
> 
> Here's my 5th Wedding Anniversary gift from my wife: AURALiC Taurus mk2 + Gungnir
> ...


 
 Aall of us are entitled to our opinions for sure. But 6K - that's a whole other level - I've watched LCDs being built, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for them, and, the price. 
 That's a nice lookin rig!!
  
 I really dug the the Fostex TH900s at Canjam.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

What do I choose tonight ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			








  
 Ali


----------



## brokenthumb

ali-pacha said:


> What do I choose tonight ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 You can choose to give me some Stax.


----------



## loremipsum

brokenthumb said:


> ali-pacha said:
> 
> 
> > What do I choose tonight ?
> ...


 
 Me too! I'll take the SR-009.


----------



## Byrnie

mikemercer said:


> Aall of us are entitled to our opinions for sure. But 6K - that's a whole other level - I've watched LCDs being built, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for them, and, the price.
> That's a nice lookin rig!!
> 
> I really dug the the Fostex TH900s at Canjam.


 
 Agreed about our opinions .  To be clear:  I haven't had any extended time with the LCD3.


----------



## snapple10

Originally got the GlennOTL amp for HD800 ( since sold) but really enjoying it with one of my fav phones T1 ( been thru a few). Getting away from seating at the desk but this morning really digging the combo 
Happy Listening headfi!!


----------



## telecaster

Got my meridian 861 with Stax 006TS SR507 setup. Playing from jriver and meridian explorer from a SSD tiny fanless PC, remote with iPad.


----------



## nappiguan

Mid fi turning hi fi revolution and evolution.  Thanks Head-fi.


----------



## Butler

donutdeflector said:


> What are those wood Omega shaped headphone stands?




Based on his explanation It sounds like the one he has is a knock off of the original Sieveking Sound Omega. They are incredibly high quality from various kinds of woods and are not cheap. 

The knock offs tend to wobble or split at the wooden seams.


----------



## intlsubband

nappiguan said:


> Mid fi turning hi fi revolution and evolution.  Thanks Head-fi.


 
  
 That's a whole lotta bass in those two alone!


----------



## nappiguan

intlsubband said:


> That's a whole lotta bass in those two alone!


 

 Bass is Ace


----------



## intlsubband

nappiguan said:


> Bass is Ace


 
  
  
 I recently sold my SZ2000. They were a whole lotta fun, but I just stopped listening to them after I settled into the HE-500. They satisfy my bassy (and other frequency) needs!


----------



## nappiguan

intlsubband said:


> I recently sold my SZ2000. They were a whole lotta fun, but I just stopped listening to them after I settled into the HE-500. They satisfy my bassy (and other frequency) needs!


 

 The dt990, x1, and sz1000s have alowed me to settle down a bit.  I cant commit to the he598s just yet though.


----------



## penmarker

butler said:


> Based on his explanation It sounds like the one he has is a knock off of the original Sieveking Sound Omega. They are incredibly high quality from various kinds of woods and are not cheap.
> 
> The knock offs tend to wobble or split at the wooden seams.


 
 Careful with the Omega stands, my friend cracked the plastic part of his T90 headband since the width put constant stress on them. What's best is to get something like the Alpha Dog stands, they don't stretch the headband too much for too long. Or one that hangs your headphone and doesn't stretch em out.


----------



## thatBeatsguy

penmarker said:


> butler said:
> 
> 
> > Based on his explanation It sounds like the one he has is a knock off of the original Sieveking Sound Omega. They are incredibly high quality from various kinds of woods and are not cheap.
> ...


 
 Master & Dynamic's headphone stand is a good example, albeit really overpriced -- it's little more than an angled metal bar welded onto a circular metal plate with a rubberized base. For about $70 I think.


----------



## intlsubband

nappiguan said:


> The dt990, x1, and sz1000s have alowed me to settle down a bit.  I cant commit to the he598s just yet though.


 
  
 Did you find any differences in sound between SZ1K and SZ2K?


----------



## intlsubband

Regarding stands - I can also strongly recommend the Sennheiser HH10. They are very small and clip onto bookshelfs etc, very versatile, pleasing aesthetics (curved and padded), and it doesn't stretch the headphones at all. 
  
 Also pretty cheap - usually around 20-25 US$
  
 http://headphones.com.au/psingle?productID=705


----------



## mikey1964

butler said:


> Based on his explanation It sounds like the one he has is a knock off of the original Sieveking Sound Omega. They are incredibly high quality from various kinds of woods and are not cheap.
> 
> The knock offs tend to wobble or split at the wooden seams.


I've had those two Omega stands for a few months now, no issue thus far. Though the chamfer on them tend to not be even, the base itself is even and is quite stable, no wobble whatsoever. I'm actually quite happy wth them.




penmarker said:


> Careful with the Omega stands, my friend cracked the plastic part of his T90 headband since the width put constant stress on them. What's best is to get something like the Alpha Dog stands, they don't stretch the headband too much for too long. Or one that hangs your headphone and doesn't stretch em out.


I have my HD800 and HD700 mounted on them and from what I can see, there's no unnecessary stretching of the headbands on both of them. There is very little force exerted by my HD800 on the sides f the Omega stand, there is a little more force exerted by the headband on the HD700 but from my observation, it's still quite mild, bear in mind that compared to the HD800, the HD700 does have a little more clamping force.


----------



## deadie

My set up for the past 3 days:
  
 PC - Hugo - McIntosh C31V preamp - Emotiva Mini-X speaker taps - Balanced HD800.  
  

  
 To the right of the monitor is a McIntosh 2505 amp with headphone output and a Logitech Transporter.  That was my main desktop headphone rig until I decided to see how the Emo & Hugo paired with the Mc preamp.  
  
 For the money, it is fantastic.  Musical and powerful.  Now I'm jonesing to hear how a First Watt M2 would sound.


----------



## arny73

new upgrade

 Lector Digicode 2.24 (+ parallel DACKit) --> Tektron TK300B-S-Ref --> DIY Speaker-Headphone Adapter --> HD800 or HE500


----------



## intlsubband

Truth by Jeff Beck, great album!


----------



## Butler

penmarker said:


> Careful with the Omega stands, my friend cracked the plastic part of his T90 headband since the width put constant stress on them. What's best is to get something like the Alpha Dog stands, they don't stretch the headband too much for too long. Or one that hangs your headphone and doesn't stretch em out.




Understandable if you have a set of cans known for their headbands snapping, the AIAIAI line comes to mind- but something like the LCD series with leather headbands this isn't going to be an issue. 

I'm not into hanging stands, something about the potential for swinging headphones doesn't sit well for me. I've been interested in getting a stand for my office stack which I'm upgraded- I'll likely look into something more affordable than the authentic Omega stand.


----------



## DisCHORDDubstep

butler said:


> Understandable if you have a set of cans known for their headbands snapping, the AIAIAI line comes to mind- but something like the LCD series with leather headbands this isn't going to be an issue.
> 
> *I'm not into hanging stands, something about the potential for swinging headphones doesn't sit well for me. *I've been interested in getting a stand for my office stack which I'm upgraded- I'll likely look into something more affordable than the authentic Omega stand.



Luckily I don't live in an earthquake zone.


----------



## dmort

I just bought some black yoga blocks - 12 bucks - to serve as monitor stands. Seems like the cheapest way to bring up your monitors a bit and provide some isolation. I'll take a pic when they come in!


----------



## Mr Rick

dmort said:


> I just bought some black yoga blocks - 12 bucks - to serve as monitor stands. Seems like the cheapest way to bring up your monitors a bit and provide some isolation. I'll take a pic when they come in!


 
 Let us know if it makes your monitors more flexible, LOL


----------



## dmort

Ha. Actually it seems I'm not the first to think of this - lots of examples online. Hopefully it will make them more flexible in that they will be less boomy!


----------



## Oregonian

Here's an option that doesn't stretch out the headband or put stress on it, good looking and cost effective ($22.50 @ Amazon).  Have two of them.


----------



## mikemercer

arny73 said:


> new upgrade
> 
> Lector Digicode 2.24 (+ parallel DACKit) --> Tektron TK300B-S-Ref --> DIY Speaker-Headphone Adapter --> HD800 or HE500


 
 NICE - some sweet gear there!
  
 OK - so, PLEASE pardon the messiness (OCD - but work has been MAD) but I wanted to share a picture of the *Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab* in its current state  - I forgot to take pix of my VPI turntable/analog rig on the rack to the right - but I'll get those done and share them too. Here ya go fellas! This is where I work (live pretty-much) 6 days a week:

  
 Last time I just shared my second headphone listening station in the front of the house, which has changed too - so here's a shot of that simple set-up:

 I switch between this and these two -
 and BTW - the new ALO International+ - that lil' amp is a MONSTER! I have the original, and this thing is a whole new ballgame - in terms of power, dynamics, clarity, it's really somethin'..

  

 and the Burson Conductor Virtuoso is a big step-up from the original Conductor too...


----------



## penmarker

mikemercer said:


> Spoiler: Click to reveal:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice setup dad! I'm so intrigued with how the EL-8 sound like.
  
 Sincerely,
 Your asian stepson.


----------



## thatBeatsguy

penmarker said:


> mikemercer said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Click to reveal:
> ...


 
 Love how you kept the joke alive.


----------



## mikemercer

penmarker said:


> Nice setup dad! I'm so intrigued with how the EL-8 sound like.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Your asian stepson.


 
 this MADE MY NIGHT
  
  


thatbeatsguy said:


> Love how you kept the joke alive.


 
 indeed


----------



## penmarker

Err... haha! Yeah! I was just joking of course. *shifts around, nervous laugh*


----------



## mikemercer

penmarker said:


> Err... haha! Yeah! I was just joking of course. *shifts around, nervous laugh*


 
 how could I ever forget that?
 It was well-played sir.
  
 I told my wifey about it...
  
 what I'm listening to _*RIGHT NOW*_ - playing Yo La Tengo's "The Fireside":


----------



## brianbeers

telecaster said:


> Got my meridian 861 with Stax 006TS SR507 setup. Playing from jriver and meridian explorer from a SSD tiny fanless PC, remote with iPad.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Jamesy1969




----------



## SpirosG




----------



## DanMUC

Beat that.


----------



## Jamesy1969

danmuc said:


> Beat that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 What are those woodies, Dan? The headband looks kind of familiar?


----------



## Townyj

jamesy1969 said:


> What are those woodies, Dan? The headband looks kind of familiar?


 
  
 Pretty sure they are Denons.. forgot the model though.


----------



## BearMonster

jamesy1969 said:


> What are those woodies, Dan? The headband looks kind of familiar?



 


Those are the Denon ah mm400


----------



## DanMUC

Correct!
  
 Lovin' them more and more as each day passes........


----------



## Draygonn

danmuc said:


> Correct!
> 
> Lovin' them more and more as each day passes........


They look terrific. Enjoy!


----------



## longbowbbs

Saturday afternoon listening session.


----------



## gevorg




----------



## jaywillin

gevorg said:


>


 
 nice looking amp !


----------



## gevorg

It sure it, thanks!!


----------



## mikebarber

My little work setup. Mad Dog Pro headphones with my own little class-A DIY amp.


----------



## Clayton SF

Enjoying a pleasant Sunday afternoon.


----------



## jaywillin

clayton sf said:


> Enjoying a pleasant Sunday afternoon.


 
 very nice ! i've always wanted to hear a pair zu speakers


----------



## MattTCG

At times I've scaled back considerably. This is one of those times.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> At times I've scaled back considerably. This is one of those times.


 
 that ain't shabby matt
  
 same here, when the pulse goes, i'll have inexpensive, but nice sounding electronics, and that's cool
 is that THE crack ?


----------



## brokenthumb

matttcg said:


> At times I've scaled back considerably. This is one of those times.


 
  
 That's all you really need.  I'm sitting here listening to Patricia Barber with the HD600 on the Valhalla 2 and could happily live with this setup.  Thanks for the Val 2 recommendation btw!


----------



## MattTCG

Yes, that is the Crack. I've always enjoyed the 650, especially with the Crack. One of my favorites combos of all time. Of all the gear that I've bought and sold, it's been on my desk the longest.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Yes, that is the Crack. I've always enjoyed the 650, especially with the Crack. One of my favorites combos of all time. Of all the gear that I've bought and sold, it's been on my desk the longest.


 
 what was wrong with it ?


----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> Enjoying a pleasant Sunday afternoon.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Looking good as always Clayton!


----------



## a96p

My room at uni


----------



## hodgjy

longbowbbs said:


> Looking good as always Clayton!




He's still undefeated and ranked #1 in the Head Fi Championship poll. I'm hearing he reloaded for another season with a strong recruiting class.


----------



## Stalker81598

Haven't been around Head-fi for a couple of years. There are some beautiful setups here as always.
  
 This is the current state of my somewhat modest rig.


----------



## magiccabbage

stalker81598 said:


> Haven't been around Head-fi for a couple of years. There are some beautiful setups here as always.
> 
> This is the current state of my somewhat modest rig.


 
 looks gorgeous .... sold my T1 recently. Used to have it with HD800.


----------



## Stalker81598

magiccabbage said:


> looks gorgeous .... sold my T1 recently. Used to have it with HD800.


 
  
 I've only had the T1 for about a month. The HD800 is definitely the more transparent of the two but there is something about the T1's liquid smooth mids and mind blowing levels of clarity and finesse that is really addicting.


----------



## magiccabbage

stalker81598 said:


> I've only had the T1 for about a month. The HD800 is definitely the more transparent of the two but there is something about the T1's liquid smooth mids and mind blowing levels of clarity and finesse that is really addicting.


 
 Yea - I had WA2 T1. Now I have WA5/HD800 ...... sounds incredible.


----------



## Coolzo

Next in Coolzo's Terribly Lazy Phone Pictures (R): three great headphones, late night breakfast cereal, and the messy desk.


----------



## Grizmo

coolzo said:


> Next in Coolzo's Terribly Lazy Phone Pictures (R): three great headphones, late night breakfast cereal, and the messy desk.



The coffee is warm and smooth but the cereal is a bit grainy.


----------



## adpo

grizmo said:


> The coffee is warm and smooth but the cereal is a bit grainy.


 
 I always found coffee to be a tad dark unless you match it with some sort of milk that synergizes well with it.


----------



## deniall83

Apple iMac --> LH Labs GO 450 --> DNA Sonett --> Senn HD600


----------



## Phonelaf

The Questyle CMA 800 R arrived yesterday, the Sennheiser HD 600 today.
 Nice Combo so far.


----------



## Eee Pee

Three 600s in a row!


----------



## jmsaxon69

eee pee said:


> Three 600s in a row!


 

 That's a sweet setup right there!


----------



## maibuN

current state:


----------



## LancerFIN

This is where my headphone listening happens.


----------



## Androb

All setups on this page is screwing sweet!
 Grats to nice rigs.
 Would like some more pics tho


----------



## wahsmoh

DT880 recabled and Alpha Dog with Norne Vanquish

 hehe this is my temporary CD player until I get something better. I got it for $24.99 at a Goodwill and the DAC isn't really that bad just lacks upper details but has good staging


----------



## jaywillin

as she stand as of this morning


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> as she stand as of this morning


 
 Looking good Jay!!


----------



## brokenthumb

New addition today.  Fostex TH900


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Looking good Jay!!


 
 thanks !


----------



## sealykojac




----------



## gibosi

A new Glenn OTL which can use either a pair of C3gs or any SN7 (6SN7, 12SN7, 25SN7) or similar medium mu double tride as a driver arrived yesterday. 
  
 Windows 7 PC --> Audio-gd digital interface --> Audio-gd Fun (DAC/preamp) --> Glenn OTL --> HD700
  
 When I am working at the PC, I use a typical office chair. And when I want to relax and just listen, I push the chair out of the way, drag a zero-gravity recliner over to where I can reach the mouse and the volume, and float away.... 
  

  
 On top of the Fun is my Little "Monster" Dot 1+.
  

  
 Here running a US-made Philips E182CC.


----------



## hodgjy

sealykojac said:


>


 
 How does the LCD 2 pair with the Sprout?


----------



## sealykojac

hodgjy said:


> How does the LCD 2 pair with the Sprout?


 
  
 I would say they make an excellent combo. It's dead silent with plenty of head room to play louder than I would ever dare try and listen. I believe that PS Audio demo'd the sprouts at all the audio shows using the LCD's exclusively. I'm also impressed with the speaker amplifier section on it.


----------



## bretemm

ill try and post my marantz and klipsch setup soon, but, 
 so i have the marantz sr5009, how do i connect a amplifier latter for 4 more speakers? 
  
 I'm first going to go with 2 more speakers for a 7.1 out of my 7.2 possibility then a a second bass latter, 
 it looks like ill be going with klipsch again for towers or it could just be bigger floor speakers, 
  
 but then i really like polk and it seems to get more with polk and the wood finish, 
  
 any ideas? 
  
 thanks!


----------



## deniall83

adpo said:


> I always found coffee to be a tad dark unless you match it with some sort of milk that synergizes well with it.




All milk tastes the same. No one has ever passed a double blind milk test. Just use regular old milk.

/s


----------



## dmort

deniall83 said:


> All milk tastes the same. No one has ever passed a double blind milk test. Just use regular old milk.


 
  
 Well clearly you have no idea what you are evening tasting for. Those of us who have developed our taste buds know that small batch, locally raised milk, sourced from cows who receive massages 6 times a day, tastes infinitely better than just regular old milk.


----------



## deniall83

dmort said:


> Well clearly you have no idea what you are evening tasting for. Those of us who have developed our taste buds know that small batch, locally raised milk, sourced from cows who receive massages 6 times a day, tastes infinitely better than just regular old milk.


----------



## dmort

That's *great *- _*100% not serious!!!*_ I buy crazy expensive milk for my kids and while it be better for them since it lacks all sorts of dangerous chemicals, I don't think it tastes any difference than regular old milk. OJ on the other hand - don't get me started!


----------



## adpo

I buy the organic non homogenized stuff for all the coffee making I do at home, it doesn't taste too different but it feels smoother in my mouth. It's like a good tube amp for my coffee


----------



## bigfatpaulie

I'm sorry...  What is this thread about, exactly?


----------



## elvergun

bigfatpaulie said:


> I'm sorry...  What is this thread about, exactly?


 
Show us your Dairy Products. No old pictures please...


----------



## brokenthumb

elvergun said:


> Show us your Dairy Products. No old pictures please...


 
  
 Very nice!  Where did you find that glass stand for your dairy product?  I need to order one asap.


----------



## longbowbbs

This bowl of milk is not too old is it?


----------



## ssrock64

longbowbbs said:


> This bowl of milk is not too old is it?


 
 It depends on how you define the word _milk_. Vintage gear has the most taste character, they say.


----------



## x RELIC x

Since this thread has gone WAY off topic....................

Milk to me is just baby food for another species, not meant for us homo-sapiens. That, plus the _allowed_ amount of puss and blood in the mix and the huge amount of antibiotics added to GMO fed cows and I stay clear away from the stuff now. This after over 40 years of not knowing any of this information kind of really pisses me off and I quit all dairy cold turkey.




Plus, the scientific community is finding out solid evidence that it _doesn't_ do a body good. One such study done recently

Not preaching, just sharing information......... And I mostly expect mods to delete this because it's off topic and off mainstream.


----------



## Shaffer

We have a small, artisan dairy around the corner. Their whole milk does not taste like the stuff from the supermarket; it actually has the flavor of milk and tastes more rich. So rich that it leaves a coating in one's mouth. In fact, the dairy's 2% tastes better than the whole milk from the supermarket. Sorry, I don't have any pics.

Edit: I am serious


----------



## deniall83

x relic x said:


> Since this thread has gone WAY off topic....................
> 
> Milk to me is just baby food for another species, not meant for us homo-sapiens. That, plus the _allowed_ amount of puss and blood in the mix and the huge amount of antibiotics added to GMO fed cows and I stay clear away from the stuff now. This after over 40 years of not knowing any of this information kind of really pisses me off and I quit all dairy cold turkey.
> 
> ...




I read the study you linked. They said this in the conclusion...

Given the observational study designs with the inherent possibility of residual confounding and reverse causation phenomena, a cautious interpretation of the results is recommended.


----------



## deniall83

Anyway, back to pics!


----------



## x RELIC x

deniall83 said:


> I read the study you linked. They said this in the conclusion...
> 
> Given the observational study designs with the inherent possibility of residual confounding and reverse causation phenomena, a cautious interpretation of the results is recommended.




Of course. Many others out there as well. I didn't change my mind without careful, informed consideration............ but as mentioned, back to pics!


----------



## elvergun

x relic x said:


>


 
  
 Here are the babies in the image you posted...all grown up.


----------



## Grizmo

Make one cheesy joke on this site and everything goes to Schiit... I love this place!


----------



## longbowbbs

grizmo said:


> Make one cheesy joke on this site and everything goes to Schiit... I love this place!


 
 It is a gouda as it gets!


----------



## gonzfi




----------



## CJG888

longbowbbs said:


> grizmo said:
> 
> 
> > Make one cheesy joke on this site and everything goes to Schiit... I love this place!
> ...




That looks like Edam...


----------



## longbowbbs

cjg888 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > grizmo said:
> ...


 
 Nope, Gouda....


----------



## CJG888

The red one too?


----------



## Errymoose

gonzfi said:


>


 
 damn... sexy black hugo and new violectric.  That looks stunning!


----------



## ssrock64

gonzfi said:


>


 

 Are you an Elbow fan, or is _The Take Off And Landing Of Everything_ the first album of theirs that you own? What do you think of it (if applicable, in comparison to their older releases)?


----------



## gonzfi

Only heard the previous album.... I think this one is far superior and one of my absolute favourites. Not a bad track on there. Highly recommended.


----------



## Silent One

magiccabbage said:


> Yea - I had WA2 T1. Now I have WA5/HD800 ...... sounds incredible.


 




 I'm always excited for members like you that live in a distant place and can enjoy some of this stuff!


----------



## Eee Pee

Almost as good as sleeping in.


----------



## mrk

A couple of changes.


----------



## Shaffer

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.




I really like how the speakers are set on stands flanking the desk. Much better approach, sound-wise.


----------



## x RELIC x

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.




I really like the solid choice in classic Sci-Fi posters!


----------



## brokenthumb

Love the ALIEN poster, in my top 5 movies of all time.  Blade Runner isn't far off either.


----------



## RestoredSparda

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.




I can't agree more with everything in this picture.


----------



## Stalker81598

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.


 

 Your rig looks spookily similar to my own, right down to the Ergotron monitor arm.
  
 Sorry for potato pic; I'm on my way out the door at the moment.


----------



## mrk

restoredsparda said:


> I can't agree more with everything in this picture.


 
  
 I agree thanks! (No bias )
  
  


brokenthumb said:


> Love the ALIEN poster, in my top 5 movies of all time.  Blade Runner isn't far off either.


 
  
 Alien certainly is for me too, did you play Alien: Isolation game too? Such a great title and genuine homage to the film.
  
  


x relic x said:


> I really like the solid choice in classic Sci-Fi posters!


 
  
 Those films are pretty fly for a Sci-Fi 
  
  
  


> I really like how the speakers are set on stands flanking the desk. Much better approach, sound-wise.


 
  
 The sound is really sweet from them, I've only had them a few days so still adjusting to the difference to the floorstanders I've had for the past 6~ years! I think this looks more pro as well 
  
  
  


stalker81598 said:


> Your rig looks spookily similar to my own, right down to the Ergotron monitor arm.
> 
> Sorry for potato pic; I'm on my way out the door at the moment.


 
  
 Hah what are the odds! Maybe we also look alike


----------



## teampolizei144

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.


 
 Nice setup! What speaker stands are you using there?


----------



## mrk

teampolizei144 said:


> Nice setup! What speaker stands are you using there?


 
  
 They are the Pixel T80

 Closer pics:


----------



## virusvoodoo

mrk said:


> They are the Pixel T80
> 
> Closer pics:


 
  
 Is that a badminton or squash racket?


----------



## mrk

Badminton.


----------



## teampolizei144

Thanks. And above the speaker, is that something to keep it stable on the stand? Was thinking about buying some stands but wanna make sure they dont fall off (kids you know). ^^


----------



## NotaLefty




----------



## bwmarrin

bwmarrin said:


> So, here's mine.  It all sits on a filing cabinet that's right next to my office desk.


 
   
 Quote:


bwmarrin said:


> Updated!  Still have more improvements to make.  Going to get shorter power cables and a headphone stand at least.


 

  
 So, after some research and a bit of hunting to find cable.  I've got another update.


----------



## troymadison




----------



## Krutsch

notalefty said:


>


 
  
 Nice... I see you found a buyer for the HD-800


----------



## NotaLefty

krutsch said:


> Nice... I see you found a buyer for the HD-800


 
 It was a tough choice, but I definitely prefer the SR-007 and don't regret the decision at all!


----------



## mrk

teampolizei144 said:


> Thanks. And above the speaker, is that something to keep it stable on the stand? Was thinking about buying some stands but wanna make sure they dont fall off (kids you know). ^^




Yup it seems stable and the speakers are heavy enough to not easy slip off either.


----------



## chantryrose

So my hi-fi n00b self's been stalking this thread in hopes of learning what headphones x amp to get to boost my humble music listening—and I say _humble_ because I only own 2 iPod classics—and so far, I've been learning how to curl up in a ball and cry and die of envy


----------



## Krutsch

chantryrose said:


> So my hi-fi n00b self's been stalking this thread in hopes of learning what headphones x amp to get to boost my humble music listening—and I say _humble_ because I only own 2 iPod classics—and so far, I've been learning how to curl up in a ball and cry and die of envy


 

 Welcome to Head-Fi ... sorry about your wallet.
  
 I have an iPod Classic Gen 5.5 and it's still one of my favorite sources; I pair mine with a FiiO E11K - about $50 US - paired with reasonable, inexpensive headphones, it's all you need. Start with a Senn HD 558 or 598 and you can be set for a long while.


----------



## chantryrose

krutsch said:


> Welcome to Head-Fi ... sorry about your wallet.
> 
> I have an iPod Classic Gen 5.5 and it's still one of my favorite sources; I pair mine with a FiiO E11K - about $50 US - paired with reasonable, inexpensive headphones, it's all you need. Start with a Senn HD 558 or 598 and you can be set for a long while.


 

 Budget's not a major concern -- I just really don't know yet what to get! I've been advised to start with FiiO E17K + FiiO LOD + Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear, so I might do just that.

I've also been looking to purchase my first hi-fi DAP; I've got my eyes on AK100/120 or Ibasso DX-90 (and maybe AK240 or Sony NW-ZX2 someday!). Which one should I get?


----------



## Krutsch

chantryrose said:


> *Budget's not a major concern* -- I just really don't know yet what to get! I've been advised to start with FiiO E17K + FiiO LOD + Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear, so I might do just that.
> 
> I've also been looking to purchase my first hi-fi DAP; I've got my eyes on AK100/120 or Ibasso DX-90 (and maybe AK240 or Sony NW-ZX2 someday!). *Which one should I get?*


 
  
 Get all of them... that's the only way you can be sure you chose wisely.


----------



## kid vic

troymadison said:


>


 
 Does headphoneus supremous give you an automatic "IDGAF" card regarding headphone stands????


----------



## wahsmoh

Haha oh god those AKG K1000s always find their way onto something or someone.. mostly because people point and say "those are not headphones" they are actually earspeakers


----------



## adtrance

mrk said:


> Hah what are the odds! Maybe we also look alike


 
  
 Funniest thing I've read all week!


----------



## bonesnv

Reorganized a bit.


----------



## kid vic

bonesnv said:


> Reorganized a bit.


 
 That Woo audio got me like jealous.


----------



## Bookbear

notalefty said:


>


 

 Ooooh, minimalist... I LIKE! 
  
 Bookbear (who IS a leftie)


----------



## Tasoeur

mrk said:


> A couple of changes.


 
 Where could I get those poster ? 
  
 I truly love your headfi station


----------



## mrk

tasoeur said:


> Where could I get those poster ?
> 
> I truly love your headfi station


 
 Thanks!
  
 They are from Candy Killer Blog


----------



## CaveManta

Instead of my Head-Fi Station, I'll show you guys my makeshift airport setup!

 If I need isolation, I've got the MC5. If I need moar bass, the M50 is close at hand. Poor thing is really wearing away though.
 Yes, I have a Scooby Doo mouse pad. Yes, the game is Half Life. I'm about to crowbar some vortigaunts!
 Note:It's awkward playing violent video games in public.


----------



## bretemm

Is that the Schiit BiFrost? How much of a diffeence does it make? 


bonesnv said:


> Reorganized a bit.


----------



## DivergeUnify

notalefty said:


>


 Are you the guy who posted these on reddit a few days ago? Sick looking set up. How are you liking them?


----------



## NotaLefty

divergeunify said:


> Are you the guy who posted these on reddit a few days ago? Sick looking set up. How are you liking them?


 Yes, that was me! I think they are fantastic, albeit less enjoyable than a pair of planars. These, on a technical level, are the best I've ever heard, and not to mention extremely comfortable!


----------



## DivergeUnify

notalefty said:


> Yes, that was me! I think they are fantastic, albeit less enjoyable than a pair of planars. These, on a technical level, are the best I've ever heard, and not to mention extremely comfortable!


 what pair of planars are you comparing it to? Are the drivers/mesh tan/gold looking like they are in the pictures?


----------



## Byrnie

divergeunify said:


> Are you the guy who posted these on reddit a few days ago? Sick looking set up. How are you liking them?



what's the reddit link for headphone talk?


----------



## bonesnv

bretemm said:


> Is that the Schiit BiFrost? How much of a diffeence does it make?


 
  
 Compared to what?
  
 I don't use it for my headphones, it goes to my 2-channel setup.


----------



## NotaLefty

divergeunify said:


> what pair of planars are you comparing it to? Are the drivers/mesh tan/gold looking like they are in the pictures?




Mostly Audeze headphones. They have a slam that no other headphone matches. 

Also the site is reddit.com/r/headphones.


----------



## karlgerman

This is the actual condition.
 And i think (hope) it will stay this way (healthier for my wallet) for some time.


----------



## Moosi

My "alarm clock" got an update today


----------



## bretemm

Ok, well In general with sound and quality, how much of a diffrence does it make using it or without? Thanks, I'm thinking about getting one for my receiver at some point 





bonesnv said:


> Compared to what?
> 
> I don't use it for my headphones, it goes to my 2-channel setup.


Ok


----------



## sealykojac

moosi said:


> My "alarm clock" got an update today


 
  
 I miss my M2Tech Young dac. Best dac I've owned / heard. Sadly sold it to finance other gear last year.


----------



## barid

sealykojac said:


> I miss my M2Tech Young dac. Best dac I've owned / heard. Sadly sold it to finance other gear last year.


 
  
What did the M2Tech best, or compare to?
  
Just bought the hated Benchmark Dac 2, wanted to see what all the love/hate was about.  Haven't heard a sabre yet.  Should be interesting.
  
 oops, off topic.  wrong thread


----------



## RestoredSparda

mrk said:


> Thanks!
> 
> They are from Candy Killer Blog




Thanks for the link. That's very impressive artwork. Mind sharing where you purchased the poster frames too?


----------



## peanuthead




----------



## Clayton SF

I am having a great time listening to music this Saturday afternoon. This is my current setup. Happy St. Patrick's week!


----------



## intlsubband

moosi said:


> My "alarm clock" got an update today


 
  
 That's awesome! I have both Concerto and Classic with the HE-500. How does the Concerto pair with the 560?


----------



## mikey1964

My head gear setup as of now, I'm spending more time with the Grado GS1000i and Senn HD700 as of now.....amp/dac combo's a run-of-the-mill Geek Pulse (nothing fancy)...

 My hifi rack with my other cans which I rotate occasionally....


----------



## jaywillin

mikey1964 said:


> My head gear setup as of now, I'm spending more time with the Grado GS1000i and Senn HD700 as of now.....amp/dac combo's a run-of-the-mill Geek Pulse (nothing fancy)...
> 
> My hifi rack with my other cans which I rotate occasionally....


 
 very nice mikey ! impressive collection of cans


----------



## mikey1964

jaywillin said:


> very nice mikey ! impressive collection of cans


 
 Thanks, jay, started with my very first serious can in November last year, built it up to its present number. I should be getting my very first vintage can in a Rotel RH-930 in a day or two.....very unusual can, first time I'd heard of electret condenser headphones.


----------



## sharkz

clayton sf said:


> I am having a great time listening to music this Saturday afternoon. This is my current setup. Happy St. Patrick's week!


 
  
 Clayton, just a quick question. What is that open looking CD player in your system? I can't recall seeing one of those before and it is very intriguing. Thanks!


----------



## Eee Pee

sharkz said:


> What is that open looking CD player in your system?


 
  
 http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/shigacd.html


----------



## sharkz

Appreciate that, thanks.


----------



## Clayton SF

eee pee said:


> http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/shigacd.html


 
  
 Thanks, Eee Pee. How yah doin'? 
  
 Quote:


sharkz said:


> Clayton, just a quick question. What is that open looking CD player in your system? I can't recall seeing one of those before and it is very intriguing. Thanks!


 
  
 There are more pictures of this system on my Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63411075@N00/16431440322/


----------



## Eee Pee

Now that it's warmer, good Clayton, thanks.


----------



## Moosi

intlsubband said:


> That's awesome! I have both Concerto and Classic with the HE-500. How does the Concerto pair with the 560?


 
 Updated from Corda Arietta to Corda Concerto and gained more clarity in the treble and more attack and precision to the bass. My whole rig has neutral sound signature: M2Tech Young, Concerto and Hifiman HE-560 and this serves me well when changing genres .


----------



## Shaffer

moosi said:


> Updated from *Corda Arietta to Corda Concerto* and gained more clarity in the treble and more attack and precision to the bass. My whole rig has neutral sound signature: M2Tech Young, Concerto and Hifiman HE-560 and this serves me well when changing genres .




Congratulations. I own both. The Concerto is my reference for bass quality in a HP amp.


----------



## Sorrodje

intlsubband said:


> That's awesome! I have both Concerto and Classic with the HE-500. How does the Concerto pair with the 560?


 
  
 Interesting. Did you post some Classic vs Concerto impressions somewhere ?


----------



## Eee Pee




----------



## wgb113

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Errymoose

Damn... that McIntosh and the Kefs are so handsome.


----------



## intlsubband

sorrodje said:


> Interesting. Did you post some Classic vs Concerto impressions somewhere ?






 


I plugged both to my DAC and did some comparisons using my HE-500 and HD-650.


 


Sound: Very similar. The Concerto a touch brighter / Classic a hair warmer. But otherwise very similar.


Power: Classic has slightly more power. On the Concerto I usually require high gain to drive the HE-500, but on the Classic, low gain is usually enough.


Pairing: I do prefer the Classic for the HE-500, however I have a feeling that the Concerto is a touch better for the HD-650. But the difference is small enough that it can possibly be Placebo.


Features: Perhaps the biggest difference between the two, at least on paper. The Concerto is very basic, with 1 input, 2 gain settings, and 2 crossfeed settings (on/off). The Classic has got 2 inputs, 2 gain, 3 crossfeed settings (high/low/off), and 3 "bass compensator" settings (high/low/off). The 2nd input is excellent to have on the Classic. The crossfeed on the Concerto to my ears is closer to the crossfeed high on the Classic. With the Classic I rarely use the crossfeed low section, and mostly go between high and off, depends on the track. The bass boost is redundant to my ears, as it seems to muddy the sound for a mild bass boost. As soon as I switch it I immediately "run back" to the off position to restore the wonderful natural clarity it has.


Build quality: Mostly the same, however the volume dial on the Classic is plain plastic, and the dial on the Concerto is much nicer to the touch. However, the volume change is much smoother on the Classic - feels more like a continuum compared with the clear steps on the Concerto.

 


So, in short, the extra features on the Classic are not really a big improvement on the Concerto, as I never use the bass boost because it degrades the sq, and I also never use the low crossfeed section. However, it is nice to have the 2nd input and  the higher power might come in handy for some particularly hungry cans. But the Concerto drives the HE-500 just as competently, really.


----------



## Sorrodje

@intlsubband : Ah great impressions thks ! . i had the Jazz and the Concerto and always felt the concerto was a touch' brighter . I preferred my Corda Jazz for my HD800


----------



## intlsubband

sorrodje said:


> @intlsubband : Ah great impressions thks ! . i had the Jazz and the Concerto and always felt the concerto was a touch' brighter . I preferred my Corda Jazz for my HD800


 
  
 No worries! If it is brighter than other Meier amps, it might also explain why I preferred it for the HD650 rather than the Classic, and the opposite with the HE-500...


----------



## Sorrodje

intlsubband said:


> No worries! If it is brighter than other Meier amps, it might also explain why I preferred it for the HD650 rather than the Classic, and the opposite with the HE-500...


 
  
 Spot on


----------



## wgb113

errymoose said:


> Damn... that McIntosh and the Kefs are so handsome.


 
 Thanks, I think so as well!  I originally had them paired with a Benchmark DAC2 HGC and a Parasound A23 but I was asking the Benchmark to do too much when it came time to add the subs.  I had been thinking about grabbing a turntable as well so those two things led me back to a more traditional setup, hence the McIntosh.  It's a very nice pairing with the KEFs and allowed me to seamless blend in the subs.  
  
 Couldn't be happier with the HA-1 either, both as a DAC and a headphone amp.  It replaced a Schiit Gungnir/Asgard2 combo that I had after selling off the Benchmark and it hasn't skipped a beat.  The HD650s are new to me but I've got my eye on upgrading to either the Oppo PM-2, Audeze EL-8, or Sennheiser HD800 or AKG K812.
  
 Bill


----------



## Monoespacio




----------



## wgb113

^^^ Nice and clean!  How do you like the PM6004 with the B&Ws?  Ever feel that  it's underpowered at all?


----------



## Monoespacio

wgb113 said:


> ^^^ Nice and clean!  How do you like the PM6004 with the B&Ws?  Ever feel that  it's underpowered at all?


 

 Thanks!
  
 And on the contrary, I love the pairing. I've heard the B&Ws combined with more powerful amps and the results were not impressive. I'm pretty happy with the definition, dynamics and loudness it can achieve.
  
 : )


----------



## snellemin

I recently put up this setup for me and the kids.  Everybody can plug their headphones in and not bother "mom".


----------



## sealykojac

Here is a pic of my updated setup.


----------



## DoppenShloppen

sealykojac said:


> Here is a pic of my updated setup.


 
 Is that mouse a logitech mx500? That's what I'm rockin. It may be old but it still performs great! Also, your setup looks really nice.


----------



## sealykojac

doppenshloppen said:


> Is that mouse a logitech mx500? That's what I'm rockin. It may be old but it still performs great! Also, your setup looks really nice.


 
  
 It's officially an MX518 easily 10 years old. It's seen three computers come and go but is still working solid.


----------



## wgb113

monoespacio said:


> Thanks!
> 
> And on the contrary, I love the pairing. I've heard the B&Ws combined with more powerful amps and the results were not impressive. I'm pretty happy with the definition, dynamics and loudness it can achieve.
> 
> : )



Good to know, I'm considering the PM6005 for a third system but don't have experience with Marantz gear.


----------



## Monoespacio

wgb113 said:


> Good to know, I'm considering the PM6005 for a third system but don't have experience with Marantz gear.


 

 I can only speak nice things about Marantz. Great price/performance ratio. Good luck with your new setup!


----------



## k12azy13astard

Just updated the speaker system of my man cave. Still letting them do the burning in process and looking into how to upgrade them lol


----------



## binaryhermit




----------



## HiFiChris

sealykojac said:


> Here is a pic of my updated setup.


 
  
 Nice loking desktop.
 Have you already tried angling your speakers (stereo triangle, http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/images/bam-02-stereo.jpg)? You may experience better holographic imaging and more precise instrument placement.


----------



## sealykojac

hifichris said:


> Nice loking desktop.
> Have you already tried angling your speakers (stereo triangle, http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/images/bam-02-stereo.jpg)? You may experience better holographic imaging and more precise instrument placement.


 
  
 I just got the speakers this week so I haven't used them for more than a few minutes. Initial impression is that they image really well and will be good for near field listening.


----------



## traehekat

k12azy13astard said:


> Just updated the speaker system of my man cave. Still letting them do the burning in process and looking into how to upgrade them lol


 

 Nice, the A5+ and HD650 served me well for a long time.


----------



## TheOtus

longbowbbs said:


> This bowl of milk is not too old is it?


 
 I'm not sure if that was just part of the joke, but that's in fact a sort of cheese. Nice tasting and healthy one. Sorry for off topic though. = )


----------



## bigfatpaulie

theotus said:


> I'm not sure if that was just part of the joke, but that's in fact a sort of cheese. Nice tasting and healthy one. Sorry for off topic though. = )


 
  
 Part of a joke...  He definitely knows it is cottage cheese.


----------



## TheOtus

bigfatpaulie said:


> Part of a joke...  He definitely knows it is cottage cheese.


 

 It's not cottage cheese. = )


----------



## longbowbbs

theotus said:


> bigfatpaulie said:
> 
> 
> > Part of a joke...  He definitely knows it is cottage cheese.
> ...


 
 Actually, it is a bowl of Cottage cheese. I did not find a picture of lumpy spoiled milk in the 1 second I spent piling onto our milk discussion.


----------



## mikemercer

sealykojac said:


>


 
 GREAT shot!!
 I also enjoy my LCD-2s w/ the Sprout very much (apparently peeps were really HATIN' on me for that - I heard from a reader - never go there so...
 but damn they got a lot of time on their hands apparently)
  
 I also love my LCD-X + Sprout via @scootermafia's Double Helix Cables Comp4!!

  
 and PLS forgive me fellas if I already shared these nu pix of the _*Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*_ lately - 
 I couldn't remember if I did or not - been an INSANE couple a weeks around here, but
 here's where I'm at right now - VERY exciting stuff:
  
 
  
 and here's my 2nd headphone listening station - at the front of the house - whole system changes here often:


----------



## bigfatpaulie

theotus said:


> It's not cottage cheese. = )


 
  
 I'm not sure what you are trying to say...  But the image originally came from here:
  
http://www.pbfingers.com/2009/09/20/cottage-cheese-if-you-please/
  
 And it's cottage cheese...


----------



## ghostchili

The back of my Theater/Listening room is where the headphones reside.


----------



## Monoespacio

^^^ Wow. That's an amazing listening room.


----------



## ghostchili

monoespacio said:


> ^^^ Wow. That's an amazing listening room.




Thanks, I take pride in it as I designed and built everything with my own 2 hands. It got a lot more use before I had my 2 kids lol.


----------



## s1rrah




----------



## Clayton SF

Two Dueling Woo Audio Four Amps.


----------



## GrindingThud

Two? I wish I had one.... Nice amp, they should have kept making that one. 


clayton sf said:


> Two Dueling Woo Audio Four Amps.


----------



## Clayton SF

grindingthud said:


> Two? I wish I had one.... Nice amp, they should have kept making that one.


 
  
 They are both WA4 but each of a different design.
  
 The Left WA4 (2005) tube nomenclature is:

 619C 12AU7 12AU7 619C
 6922                      6922
  
 The Right WA4 (2011) tube nomenclature is:
  
 619C EZ80 EZ80 619C
 12AU7                12AU7


----------



## Rem0o

Why was the WA4 discontinued?


----------



## Clayton SF

rem0o said:


> Why was the WA4 discontinued?


 

 The innards are very impressive. Black Gate Caps, etc.
  
.


----------



## whirlwind

Clayton....like always....very impressive stuff.
  
 Thanks for the pictures.
  
 I wish that I did not live all the way across the country from you....because I would always be finding an excuse to come over to your house


----------



## Clayton SF

rem0o said:


> Why was the WA4 discontinued?


 
  
 It was cost-prohibitive for that kind of amp.


----------



## sprite40

I think the WA4 is one of the best looking amps made by Woo
  
 If it sounds half as good as it looks, it must be heavenly...


----------



## Krutsch

New cans and complete desk re-org with dedicated head-fi side table. So I can use my desk for actual work.
  
 Now, I have room for a turntable


----------



## sprite40

krutsch said:


> New cans and complete desk re-org with dedicated head-fi side table. So I can use my desk for actual work.
> 
> Now, I have room for a turntable


 
 In the middle of all your other gear, the WA6 looks like a glittering star.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 looks great!


----------



## Krutsch

sprite40 said:


> In the middle of all your other gear, the WA6 looks like a glittering star..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's a WA3, but thanks. I agree, the Woo amps are beautiful.


----------



## pelli

Upgraded the speakers in my main system last week!!!!


----------



## snellemin

Those are some nice looking speakers Pelli.


----------



## barid

Lovely rack.  what are the isloation blocks you have the DAC and turntable on?  They match nicely.


----------



## sharkz

pelli said:


> Upgraded the speakers in my main system last week!!!!


 
  
 How are you liking the Gallos so far? They are definitely nice looking compact speakers. Their stuff has always intrigued me.


----------



## pelli

Thanks snellemin!!
  
 barid - They are both cutting boards.  The turntable one I'm not sure on the wood and the one under the DAC is cherry.  I had to cut and stain the cherry one.  The turntable platform has sorbothane feet I added and the DAC has spikes
  
 Sharkz - I am loving the Gallos.  The soundstage from their cylindrical diaphragm tweeter is amazing.  A huge upgrade on the highs and imaging from my Quad 11L2's.  They could use a little more in the low end and I go back and forth if I should have gotten the CL-5s.  I wouldn't go so far as to say I am regretting going with the 3's though because they sound sooooooo sweet.  There is a guy who bought out the remaining stock of all the Gallo Classico line and is selling it with factory warrantee at more than a 50% discount making it a great value.  Also the CL-3 popped back up as an Absolute Sound Editor's Choice for the second time in 2015.  They also are made to position close to the wall which ups the WAF and they seem pretty forgiving with placement.  I have barely began to play with placement so I'm excited to see if I get some major sonic improvements.  Time will tell!


----------



## bmichels

*My new ARM DP-777 SE + Eddie Current EC445 Amp + TH-900 / LCD-X*


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Some "brown-and-hard-to-drive-old-Stax-love" :
  

  
 Look at the knob's position 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ali


----------



## Eee Pee

Love it when the sun hits on a new page.
  

  

  
 Hate it when the camera stinks.


----------



## bretemm

I have a marantz 5009, 
Is it ok to use a tower spear as a center channel? 
I'm eather going to get polk or klipsch floor tower speakers, 
I'm looking for a more I guess warm sound


----------



## dahan




----------



## spurxiii

dahan said:


>



 


I have stuff sitting on top of my Master 9 too. It does get very very hot but no issues so far. I have to find a way to give it more air though


----------



## LifeAspect

Although I might be upgrading DAC to the Hugo later this year


----------



## bmichels

lifeaspect said:


> Although I might be upgrading DAC to the Hugo later this year


 
  
 You will not be disapointed with the HUGO !
  
 Do I see on the left a power filter/conditioner ?  which one is it ? is it working OK for you ?


----------



## LifeAspect

waste of money


----------



## brokenthumb

HD 800 got a new friend to play with, a Stax SR-507 and SRM-323S amp.


----------



## jaywillin

brokenthumb said:


> HD 800 got a new friend to play with, a Stax SR-507 and SRM-323S amp.


----------



## LancerFIN

Enjoying the music


----------



## Krutsch

lancerfin said:


> Enjoying the music


 

 I definitely need more screen real-estate at my Head-Fi station


----------



## elvergun

lancerfin said:


> Enjoying the music


 
  
  
 Me too!!
  




  
  
  
 But I'm not in anything resembling that Zenlike state of yours...I'm just cruising the net.


----------



## coachenzo

My modest setup. Always puts a smile on my face.


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Only a mobile Head-Fi station, but still impresse.


----------



## Bookbear

Coachenzo said: "My modest setup. Always puts a smile on my face."
  
  
 and that's the whole point, innit?


----------



## cbennett0811

Uber Schiit stack, HD650s, not pictured is my source: Samsung galaxy Note 4 with Flac Audio files, usb from Note 4 to DAC


----------



## ProtegeManiac

My Meier Cantate.2 is out of commission until my BUF634Ts arrive (jeez nobody stocks them locally, unbelievable) but I snagged this Rega Ear (v2) for a really low price (literally what was left of my spendable cash after I ordered the parts and arranged for shipping). The verdict so far: as long as I have *ReplayGain running on Neutron Music Player at -12dB*, it's good: tonally only a touch warmer than but also slightly lacking bite to some of the midrange percussion vs the Cantate. Otherwise, the volume knob is usable only until 9:00 (and even then that's like for a few songs, and then I'll get a headache).
 
The pot is actually quite good despite the gain, so a lot of people would miss how bad the imbalance really is. I couldn't detect it with music but felt something was off but can't quite put a finger on it; checked the specs, found it had +28dB gain (what the hell was Rega thinking?!); ran a test track and "LEFT CHANNEL!!!" was shouting vs "right channel."


----------



## Carlitos

the stand is really an old crt tv stand but the amp fits perfectly......
  
 DVD -> Digital Link 3 -> Reference 339 -> HD 650


----------



## lawrywild

I de-anodized the black cover of my D100 so that it would match the Burson


----------



## jjshin23

lawrywild said:


> [COLOR=FF4400]
> [/COLOR]
> 
> 
> ...



Very nice - good job!


----------



## m8o

The rack arrived.  Still a work-in-progress.  Not wired up yet.  Still need to get two new shelves.  And something like the McIntosh MHA100 Headphone Amplifier.    
  

  
 I appreciate how the rear rack that I don't actually need (tho if I get the Mc amp or other comparable top of the heap amp it'll be very heavy and I'll want to hook-up to the back rack ... but anyway ...), it _can_ serve excellent duty as a headphone stand.  Like that a lot.


----------



## mikemercer

The front desk
  

  
 updated pic of _*The Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*_ comin...


----------



## ssrock64

mikemercer said:


> The front desk
> 
> updated pic of _*The Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*_ comin...


 
 Whoa, I wasn't even aware that Audeze had started making amps. I guess I've been falling behind on product announcements lately.


----------



## MrTechAgent




----------



## Liu Junyuan

carlitos said:


> the stand is really an old crt tv stand but the amp fits perfectly......
> 
> DVD -> Digital Link 3 -> Reference 339 -> HD 650




Reference 339? It looks like a La Figaro 339.


----------



## 62ohm

@MrTechAgent
  
 That is an impressive setup mate, well done!


----------



## ssrock64

mrtechagent said:


>


 
 Holy...that is one extensive collection of mid-fi (and some TOTL) gear. I love the room in general, too.


----------



## Shaffer

ssrock64 said:


> Holy...that is one extensive collection of mid-fi (and some TOTL) gear. I love the room in general, too.




FWIW, as a point of interest, in the full-range, dedicated room world we refer to mass produced, Best Buy type of gear as mid-fi. High-End is always defined as high-performance, price irrelevant. For example, we see HD600/650 as High-End, meaning high-performance, while this site defines the cans as mid-fi (I'm guessing) due to their cost. Quite superficial, and very telling about this market and its participants.


----------



## LancerFIN

Now I am confident there wont be any more upgrades until I have finished schools at least. Upgrading from this point onwards is going to be expensive.


----------



## Carlitos

modded la figaro 339


----------



## ssrock64

shaffer said:


> FWIW, as a point of interest, in the full-range, dedicated room world we refer to mass produced, Best Buy type of gear as mid-fi. High-End is always defined as high-performance, price irrelevant. For example, we see HD600/650 as High-End, meaning high-performance, while this site defines the cans as mid-fi (I'm guessing) due to their cost. Quite superficial, and very telling about this market and its participants.


 

 I wasn't meaning to convey anything negative with the label, and I'm aware how it's applied differently in the world of speakers. However, here on Head-Fi we typically say mid-fi in reference to the price range of about $100-$500. Neither application of the label is any more valid than the other, and just because they're defined differently for different subsets of the community doesn't mean that any particular subset should change their use of it. It may be a little confusing for those transitioning between headphones and speakers (or vice versa), but neither use of the term is invalid.


----------



## Armaegis

A few toys on loan...

  
 Oppo HA-1, outputting balanced into Nuforce HA-200 monoblocks.
  
 Not shown (behind laptop): Schiit Wyrd feeding NuPrime uDSD feeding coax into the Oppo


----------



## kid vic

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 Whenever someone says I have to many headphones, I'm gonna pull up this post. Great setup though man!!


----------



## HiFiChris

One can never have enough headphones, no matter what family members, friends and females say. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 The only thing that bothers me is that they might get dusty pretty quick if you don't clean them at least twice a week.


----------



## MrTechAgent

hifichris said:


> One can never have enough headphones, no matter what family members, friends and females say.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 They do get dusty rather quick. 
 Next level would be to convert my room to Class 10 Cleanroom


----------



## sealykojac

armaegis said:


> A few toys on loan...
> 
> 
> Oppo HA-1, outputting balanced into Nuforce HA-200 monoblocks.
> ...


 
  
 Do you feel the Nuforce mono's outclass the balanced output of the Oppo?


----------



## Armaegis

sealykojac said:


> Do you feel the Nuforce mono's outclass the balanced output of the Oppo?


 
  
 I do, though they are different in sound overall. The Nuforce lean to the warm side, while I find the Oppo a bit bright.
  
 The Oppo does have a lot of power behind it, though amusingly it'll shut itself down when you crank the volume all the way (probably a safety).
  
 Personally I'm not digging the match with my HE-6. The Oppo dac is quite bright as well, so stack those two together plus the HE-6 and it's headache inducing. I think it'd be a great match for the LCD2/3 though.
  
 The functionality on the Oppo is fantastic though. Great interface and nice android app.


----------



## sealykojac

armaegis said:


> I do, though they are different in sound overall. The Nuforce lean to the warm side, while I find the Oppo a bit bright.
> 
> The Oppo does have a lot of power behind it, though amusingly it'll shut itself down when you crank the volume all the way (probably a safety).
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the info. I've actually got the Ha-1 and a pair of LCD's and its a fantastic pairing.


----------



## hodgjy

sealykojac said:


> Thanks for the info. I've actually got the Ha-1 and a pair of LCD's and its a fantastic pairing.


 
 Fazor or non-Fazor?


----------



## spurxiii

New amp (M9). New DAC (NFB-1). New Subwoofer (SVS SB1000). New cans (HD800). New portable DAC (DB2)


----------



## sealykojac

hodgjy said:


> Fazor or non-Fazor?


 
  
 3F's


----------



## hodgjy

sealykojac said:


> 3F's


 
 Sweet. The pairing isn't too bright? How's the midrange?


----------



## jjshin23

spurxiii said:


> New amp (M9). New DAC (NFB-1). New Subwoofer (SVS SB1000). New cans (HD800). New portable DAC (DB2)
> 
> I had my HD800's on yesterday and left the sub on as well by accident and thought wow the HD800 has more bass than I remebered it on this track. I was liking it when I realized the sub was on. Just reminded me of that when I saw your new setup. Enjoy your ne setup.


----------



## spurxiii

jjshin23 said:


> spurxiii said:
> 
> 
> > New amp (M9). New DAC (NFB-1). New Subwoofer (SVS SB1000). New cans (HD800). New portable DAC (DB2)
> ...


----------



## sealykojac

hodgjy said:


> Sweet. The pairing isn't too bright? How's the midrange?


 
  
 I do not find the sound to be bright by any means from the balanced headphone output. I do find the pre-amp output to be a little bright paired with my powered Emotiva monitors but I think thats more the speaker than the pre-amp. The mid's are clean and detailed, with a very neutral presentation. If your looking for tube amp warmth or bloated mids you can look elsewhere.


----------



## hodgjy

sealykojac said:


> I do not find the sound to be bright by any means from the balanced headphone output. I do find the pre-amp output to be a little bright paired with my powered Emotiva monitors but I think thats more the speaker than the pre-amp. The mid's are clean and detailed, with a very neutral presentation. If your looking for tube amp warmth or bloated mids you can look elsewhere.


 
 I'm looking to update my DAC, but not necessarily the amp. I prefer a hint of warmth, but not too lush. If an amp comes with the DAC, so be it, although I really do like my current amp. I'm not against all in one setups.


----------



## CrystalT

I just built a new desktop 
  
 Got my near-fields set up, and my AKG K340 vintage going through my receiver until I get a dedicated amp.
  
 Can someone recommend a better place to stick my speakers? I feel like they're in a kinda inefficient spot.


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## ssrock64

crystalt said:


> I just built a new desktop
> 
> Got my near-fields set up, and my AKG K340 vintage going through my receiver until I get a dedicated amp.
> 
> Can someone recommend a better place to stick my speakers? I feel like they're in a kinda inefficient spot.


 
 You have a couple options with the speakers. You could mount them on downward-tilted stands of some sort so they direct more centered and downward toward you, or you can set them up on wood blocks or something at the edges of your desk. I prefer the latter approach since it's a pain to mount desktop monitors on tilted stands and not ruin their finish underneath.
  
 All my speaker setups are near-field, so I've tried almost everything when it comes to positioning with a desk.


----------



## Eee Pee

Time alignment with the woofer and tweeter!


----------



## CrystalT

eee pee said:


> Time alignment with the woofer and tweeter!




I am not sure what this means


ssrock64 said:


> You have a couple options with the speakers. You could mount them on downward-tilted stands of some sort so they direct more centered and downward toward you, or you can set them up on wood blocks or something at the edges of your desk. I prefer the latter approach since it's a pain to mount desktop monitors on tilted stands and not ruin their finish underneath.
> 
> All my speaker setups are near-field, so I've tried almost everything when it comes to positioning with a desk.




I am considering mounting them to the side of my desk.


----------



## olor1n

The Ragnarok and Draug v2 are the latest additions to my rig. Think I'm done with Head-Fi for a while. Time to move on to turntables and speakers.


----------



## x RELIC x

olor1n said:


> The Ragnarok and Draug v2 are the latest additions to my rig. Think I'm done with Head-Fi for a while. Time to move on to turntables and speakers.




Great gear and great pic!


----------



## kid vic

crystalt said:


> I just built a new desktop
> 
> Got my near-fields set up, and my AKG K340 vintage going through my receiver until I get a dedicated amp.
> 
> Can someone recommend a better place to stick my speakers? I feel like they're in a kinda inefficient spot.


 
 Try speaker stands


----------



## Shaffer

crystalt said:


> I am not sure what this means




In essence, it means that the sounds from all the drivers arrive at your ears at the same time. This can only happen at a given distance. For example, my speakers, where time alignment served as one of the main design criteria, are only time-aligned at 10'. Not 9', not 11', but only 10' from the baffle.



As you can see in the pic, the tweeter is mounted deeper into the baffle than the mids, which, in turn sit deeper than the woofers. The felt is there to eliminate refraction. Your speakers are not time aligned.

To lend a suggestion for your setup, I'd flip the speakers over so the tweeter is closer to the ear and see how that sounds. Good luck.


----------



## Oregonian

crystalt said:


> I just built a new desktop
> 
> Got my near-fields set up, and my AKG K340 vintage going through my receiver until I get a dedicated amp.
> 
> Can someone recommend a better place to stick my speakers? I feel like they're in a kinda inefficient spot.


 
  
 Like Shaffer mentioned, get the tweeters on the same plane as your ears regardless of where you put the speakers.


----------



## TokenGesture

The original two box Metrum Octave, Metrum Aurix and LCDX


----------



## 21qz

Quote: Hello, nice lil set up there! what cable are you using? 





olor1n said:


> The Ragnarok and Draug v2 are the latest additions to my rig. Think I'm done with Head-Fi for a while. Time to move on to turntables and speakers.


----------



## Eee Pee

Forth word in his post.


----------



## olor1n

Yup, it's a Draug v2 from Norne Audio. That photo doesn't show it well but I went with dark grey and black. Didn't want gaudy bling so I opted for no wood splitter and just the stock black nuetrik housing with the better quality Eidolic balanced pins inside. There's no logo on the left headphone connector, but there's a small Norne triangle logo and an R in metallic red to mark the right channel.
  
 I always thought the Norne cables looked heavy and stiff in photos but I was surprised at how light and supple the Draug v2 actually felt.
  
 Here's a better angle of it but my iPhone is a crap camera. Sorry.


----------



## ProtegeManiac

crystalt said:


> I am not sure what this means


 
  
 He meant that if there is enough variance in the distance between your ears and the tweeters vs the midwoofers, you'll hear the sound of one set before you hear the other. Combined with reflections that can cause imaging issues as well as sibilance - the latter isn't always the result of a peak in the 4hz to 8khz region but in some cases because your hear the same note, with sounds coming from both tweeters and midwoofers, one before the other. In cars since this is the default reality considering tweeters aren't mounted near the midwoofers and most people don't drive a Maclaren F1, processors and receivers usually come with some kind of DSP that can introduce a delay to nearer speakers.
  
_Here are a couple of quick illustrations I did for an older thread regarding active monitors sitting on the desk vs one on an elevated stand (top), note how there is a distance variance easily seen on the lines; in some speakers, although almost exclusively passive speakers, the front baffle is angled upwards (bottom) which helps raise the soundstage to eye level (even in non-nearfield set-ups, in case your stands are too short), but ultimately it helps reduce the variance in the distance between the tweeter and woofer from your ears._


----------



## LifeAspect

got my hugo :3


----------



## LancerFIN

lifeaspect said:


> got my hugo :3


 
 I demand more photos of your room. I can see Rin.


----------



## h1f1add1cted

You are the best Anime figures to the left and great HiFi gear to the right.
  
 Here is my place


----------



## LifeAspect

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/giamzxa07gnfeot/AAA-pmMa3In6pVYYXsY_yNP-a?dl=0
  
 more pics of figs later when I have time.


----------



## Joe-Siow

lifeaspect said:


> got my hugo :3


 
  
 Excellent choice of speakers. Great value considering how they perform.


----------



## Krutsch

lifeaspect said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/giamzxa07gnfeot/AAA-pmMa3In6pVYYXsY_yNP-a?dl=0
> 
> more pics of figs later when I have time.


 

 Wow... those are really well done. Did you paint those yourself, or did you purchase them pre-assembled and painted? Just curious.


----------



## LifeAspect

those are preassambled, although for some you have to put the parts in the right spot


----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## jaywillin

joedoe said:


>


 
 how are you liking the h10 ??


----------



## JoeDoe

jaywillin said:


> how are you liking the h10 ??




Dude, loving it. Everything I've plugged into it at the meet LCD (2, 3, XC), HD700, HD800, PS1000, GS1000, all of em, killer. And it powers the HE-6 without problem.


----------



## jaywillin

joedoe said:


> Dude, loving it. Everything I've plugged into it at the meet LCD (2, 3, XC), HD700, HD800, PS1000, GS1000, all of em, killer. And it powers the HE-6 without problem.



sweet, sorry i missed the meet, there was so much i wanted to hear


----------



## jstachowski

My current home office setup, down in the basement is the ReadyNAS
  
 Take Care---
 Jerry


----------



## maverickronin

lifeaspect said:


> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/giamzxa07gnfeot/AAA-pmMa3In6pVYYXsY_yNP-a?dl=0
> 
> more pics of figs later when I have time.


 
  
 I'm out of the loop these days.  Out of all those figs I only recognize Saber, Rin, Miku, and Haruhi...


----------



## wgb113

New cans arrived.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## kid vic

wgb113 said:


> New cans arrived.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Pretty jelly about that K812!!


----------



## RENATOSENA

Hi there, looks amazing with green vu lights. Do you have any official specs ou manual of it? I´m in Brazil and I have one exactly like yours but so hard to get official info, even on world net. Tks


----------



## gonzfi




----------



## tink97

Hey there,  I never had any specs on that marantz when I owned it, but it had been recapped and sounded really nice.  I actually no longer have any of the items in that old photo anymore.


----------



## mikroski

Got my el8 yesterday. I'm happy with its sound characteristic


----------



## dead99

Thats what happens when you install a new potentiometer but don't cut it to the right length

Exposure: 8sec



So I decided to finaly post my setup over here.
Sennheiser HD 650
Bottlehead Crack with Speedball
Philips 777
The record is Out of the Blue by ELO


----------



## thatBeatsguy

dead99 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yo, Dead! So *this* is your setup...awesome!
  
 Nice use of LEGO for that headphone stand. Ingenious!


----------



## dead99

thatbeatsguy said:


> Yo, Dead! So *this* is your setup...awesome!
> 
> Nice use of LEGO for that headphone stand. Ingenious!



It works very well and if you got the parts it is basically free


----------



## HiFiChris

Making stuff out of LEGO bricks is kind of cool. I made the stand for my Edwin Jagger DE98 closed comb safety razor out of LEGO. The othe one for my open comb safety razor is a factory-made Muhle chrome stand with included brush stand.


----------



## mnt522




----------



## DoppenShloppen

mikroski said:


> Got my el8 yesterday. I'm happy with its sound characteristic


 
 That's definitely one of the most epic headphone stands I've ever seen.


----------



## jjshin23

mikroski said:


> Got my el8 yesterday. I'm happy with its sound characteristic



Love it!


----------



## K_19

mikroski said:


> Got my el8 yesterday. I'm happy with its sound characteristic


 
  
 Even the T-800 Approves, in all smiles... lol.


----------



## m8o

Rearranged my rack.  Lost the Little Dot III+, and made space for the Arcam DV-139 you see in the background, and a McIntosh MHA-100 I expect to be buying next week. 
  
 What is presently my first and second string of headphones positioned on the front and rear rack respectively.


----------



## mikroski

doppenshloppen said:


> That's definitely one of the most epic headphone stands I've ever seen.


 
  
  


jjshin23 said:


> Love it!


 
  
  


k_19 said:


> Even the T-800 Approves, in all smiles... lol.


 
 Thanks, and T800 love Audeze!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I also have Planet of the Apes and Nightmare Before Christmas head bust. Will reserve for my next phones, LCD-x may be


----------



## ZGant

m8o said:


> Rearranged my rack.  Lost the Little Dot III+, and made space for the Arcam DV-139 you see in the background, and a McIntosh MHA-100 I expect to be buying next week.
> 
> What is presently my first and second string of headphones positioned on the front and rear rack respectively.


 
 Nice rack! Never seen such before. Is it an industry standard or just a happy coincidence?


----------



## Armaegis

It's a standard width mounting rack to fit pro audio equipment.
  
 I wonder how does that Rane sound powering all those headphones...


----------



## m8o

Thank for the comments. Correct as stated. Standard 19" open frame rack.

 Most similar racks go for $100~ish more. This particular unit is this one and quite affordable:
http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=N82E16816133039

With my current equipment the rear frame is completely superfluous. Well it does serve as a nice headphone stand. But once I buy a couple of 19" power strip brackets, and the monster 25lb McIntosh amp, I'll be bolting all to the rear hoop too.

Regarding the Rane. I waited months for the 6S to sell on eBay for a reasonable price (the 'S' being the important part). It uses an output push pull bipolar device pair as a buffer/current gain stage. It essentially has double the power out as the non 'S'. Power to all headphones is power supply limited; the specs state a reduction in power output for one channel driven vs all. However I only have signal going to one pair of channels, so it doesn't effect me. 

I've tried listening tests with everything connected but volume only going to one of the 6 channel pairs, then every thing disconnected except what i was listening to. I could not be sure if I heard a difference in bass slam or it was just a placebo effect. Sometimes I thought I heard the slightest of differences. On retries I often did not. Logic would tell you with a headphone connected but no signal to it, it should not load the power supply and affect the 2 stereo channels driven.


----------



## Armaegis

But how does the Rane "sound"? Have you compared against other "big name" amps?


----------



## pioferro

Rane is a solid brand, used widely in the broadcast industry.


----------



## m8o

armaegis said:


> But how does the Rane "sound"? Have you compared against other "big name" amps?


better than I expected, I would say, given the general purpose opamps it uses for the balanced input buffer and main gain stage. It's quiet (as far as these affected ears can tell). It's a very crisp, lively sounding amp with lot's of power. I have only driven it using the main balanced input, from my Adcom DAC's balanced outputs. And with the input at max to take advantage of a hot input (being pro gear it can handle a large input signal swing before clipping) I can rarely turn the output volume over 3. 

My amps I have experience with are a Little Dot II+ & III+ and a Perreaux Class-A (forget the model #) solid state amp, the latter of which I wouldn't hesitate to say is a better amp than any one pair of channels of the 12 channel Rane. .


----------



## bretemm

Does anyone know if a marantz CD5005 optical audio will also play the radio through it? (I'm wanting to use the optical audio with my Schiit Audio) and play CDs as well as the radio


----------



## songmic

I know it might be overkill, but I bought these desktop racks on a whim. Codia Stage 1000 and TAKT Den-LD, all made in South Korea.
  

  
 http://imgur.com/1NWPssQ
  
 Quite possibly the best dynamic headphone setup I've owned or listened to. Vintage R-2R DAC's like the SFD-2 MKII SE+ playing good ol' Red Book 16-bit 44.1kHz or OOYH 48 kHz beats most so-called "wonder" DAC's capable of DSD.
  
 When my BHSE arrives in a year or two, another Codia shelf will go on top of the rack.


----------



## Oregonian

An updated view with some of the collection displayed.................from left -
  
 Denon AH-A100
 Fostex TH600
 Pioneer SE-205 vintage
 Pioneer Monitor II vintage
 Denon LA2000
 Denon D600


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

songmic said:


> I know it might be overkill, but I bought these desktop racks on a whim. Codia Stage 1000 and TAKT Den-LD, all made in South Korea.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/1NWPssQ
> ...


 
  
 Well, it seems they are worth it in style. Beautiful setup! Very very tasteful.


----------



## adpo

scaled back on headphone stuff recently to acquire more camera gear, here's the current state of affairs:


----------



## jaywillin

oregonian said:


> An updated view with some of the collection displayed.................from left -
> 
> Denon AH-A100
> Fostex TH600
> ...


 
 always a pleasure to see your pics , oregonian 
 when i see one of your setups, i get the urge to go find a vintage receiver !


----------



## shane55

oregonian said:


> An updated view with some of the collection displayed.................from left -
> 
> Denon AH-A100
> Fostex TH600
> ...


 
  
 Nice setup!
 Always loved that Kenwood amp. Classic!


----------



## Maverickmonk

I've had the same headphone setup for over 2 years now. Wow! Time really does fly. Still enjoying the music though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  

  


adpo said:


> scaled back on headphone stuff recently to acquire more camera gear, here's the current state of affairs:


 

 Can I get a source on that awesome Patent print? Very nice setup


----------



## theblueprint

maverickmonk said:


> I've had the same headphone setup for over 2 years now. Wow! Time really does fly. Still enjoying the music though
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Saw your post on reddit. Such discipline. Much admire. Wow.


----------



## Maverickmonk

theblueprint said:


> Saw your post on reddit. Such discipline. Much admire. Wow.


 
 I'm not sure if it's discipline so much as me spending my money on other silly hobbies.

 I want an Uber 2 stack, but I know if I get off my rear and finish my AMB M3+S11 amp it will blow the Uber 2 out of the water, so it seems like a waste.


----------



## BobG55

Updated pictures w/better quality photos & added 2nd system (see pg.1337, May 31, 2015)


----------



## adpo

> Originally Posted by *Maverickmonk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Can I get a source on that awesome Patent print? Very nice setup


 
 Got it off massdrop, so it might turn up there again sooner or later. If you have to have it now, you can find it at http://inked-and-screened.myshopify.com/products/patent-print-koss-headphones


----------



## m8o

'nuf said. Will add tho, the D3 makes for an excellent digital transport of non-HD encoded material. And, the HD650 isn't pictured as it's on my head.


----------



## jjshin23

very nice.


----------



## BoyNamedSue

Finally reached my endgame system. Just added a KGST and 007 to round out my dynamics.


----------



## Pirakaphile

boynamedsue said:


> Finally reached my endgame system. Just added a KGST and 007 to round out my dynamics.


 
 If you don't have a room with walls covered in headphones and racks to the ceiling filled with equipment, I don't think you're at endgame.


----------



## BoyNamedSue

Lol...life changes dictate this is my final piece of gear for the forseeable future. The stax 007s were my dream headphones so happy to step away from this hobby with this setup.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## kid vic

boynamedsue said:


> Finally reached my endgame system. Just added a KGST and 007 to round out my dynamics.


 
  
 But the 007 is elctrostatic not dynamic... Unless dynamic means something else?


----------



## BoyNamedSue

Sorry, should have phrased that better. Meant to convey my system is more well-rounded now with the electrostatic complementing the dynamics.


----------



## Krutsch

pirakaphile said:


> If you don't have a room with walls covered in headphones and racks to the ceiling filled with equipment, *I don't think you're at endgame. *


 
  
 That made me laugh out-loud... so true.


----------



## sp3llv3xit




----------



## sp3llv3xit

Adding portable rig to the Mjolnir...


----------



## uncola

whoa what are those clear corner protectors?  that's a good idea, when I had a mjolnir there was a chip in one of those top corners


----------



## cradon

@sp3IIv3xit beautiful little setup. Great shots as well, what camera and lens are you using?


----------



## cradon

boynamedsue said:


> Lol...life changes dictate this is my final piece of gear for the forseeable future. The stax 007s were my dream headphones so *happy to step away from this hobby with this setup*.


 

 I'm looking forward to getting to this stage really soon.


----------



## Androb

Added a new little piece to my collection  Using it with my LCD-3 and when listening too good quality files it sounds superb!


----------



## bwahacker

Here's my little listening corner in my home office.  As you can tell, I like Sennheiser.


----------



## mikemercer

s___ life is CRAZY fellas!
  
 Here's my temporary set-up - the _*Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*_ is in the process of transitioning to another home - but pix of that ASAP - 
  
 I've been lovin' this:


----------



## axeltow

haha under the chair? love that!


----------



## Rdrcr

My newest setup;
  

  
 Sennheiser HD650 - Charleston Cable Company Cables - Oppo BDP-95 - Bryston BHA-1
  
 Mike


----------



## theblueprint

My humble schiit stack + wyrd and my headphones

 

http://www.head-fi.org/content/type/61/id/1363173/


----------



## RestoredSparda

No better way to enjoy Sunday morning.


----------



## Androb

restoredsparda said:


> No better way to enjoy Sunday morning.


 
 Nice! What headphones are you listening too?


----------



## RestoredSparda

androb said:


> Nice! What headphones are you listening too?




Thanks. The HE-560.


----------



## floydfan33

Latest configuration HD800/TH900/IDSD Micro/H10


----------



## ninjapirate9901

Decided I wanted a better listening/relaxation chair for my setup.
  
 Ended up getting a 'cheap-ish' replica (I know, I know...) of the famous Eames Lounge chair.
  

  
  
 It's not actually too bad for the price, though yes, it pales in comparison to the real deal.


----------



## Krutsch

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Decided I wanted a better listening/relaxation chair for my setup.
> 
> Ended up getting a 'cheap-ish' replica (I know, I know...) of the famous Eames Lounge chair.
> 
> ...


 

 I like the foam padding on your shelf to set your 'phones down on to. That's a great idea that I'm going to steal.


----------



## remilio

My current rig.


----------



## JamesBr

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Decided I wanted a better listening/relaxation chair for my setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Makes me dream a little bit haha, I must say that having a little relaxation corner is awesome!


----------



## LNCPapa

I don't know about you but that image makes me dream a lot.
 Interchange drool for dream where applicable.


----------



## Krutsch

^^ Yes, but why isn't the chair facing out, towards the window?


----------



## elvergun

That chair is not as comfortable as it looks.


----------



## Oregonian

Here's a similar type setup.............chair is very comfy, and faces the TV just out of range of the picture while looking at the Pioneer Spec rack system.  HE-6's on the Sennheiser clamp on holder to the right of the chair and HE-400's in front of the desk.  My little buddy laying by my side awaiting a neck scratch while I watch the Rangers/Lightning game on mute as I listen to some music.


----------



## Kojaku

Hohoho, those amazon rewards points finally came in handy 



Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

As a follow-up to my post above:



Kojaku


----------



## Coolzo

kojaku said:


> As a follow-up to my post above:
> 
> 
> 
> Kojaku




Interesting, Silverstone makes headphone stands haha


----------



## pdi192

Just moved from an RS1i to an LCD-2 and couldn't be happier!


----------



## remilio

kojaku said:


> As a follow-up to my post above:
> 
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
  
 crap, now I'm jelous 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Both HE-1000 and the stand look great!


----------



## whirlwind

kojaku said:


> As a follow-up to my post above:
> 
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
 Very, very nice.


----------



## kid vic

kojaku said:


> As a follow-up to my post above:
> 
> 
> 
> Kojaku


 
 jealous is not enough! very cool setup!


----------



## mamamia88

Messy but sounds good.  A psu from an ebay computer died so guy gave me $20 off his ebay store so I got a inspiron 530 and spent the $20 saved on a xonar dg.  Total cost $80 and has 4gb ram and 250gb harddrive. Installed xubuntu on the machine and boom nice snappy little pc


----------



## Ultrainferno

Today's portable setup


----------



## Kojaku

Had a cool idea the other day to buy an acrylic football helmet display case. I didn't wanna spend $20 on a Stax CPC-1 (the plastic bag thing), so instead I bought this Ballqube acrylic display and turnt it on its side. It opens up by being pulled apart, so it's really easy to get the headphones out, but I can keep them on the stand without worrying about the dust accumulation. Plus the acrylic is UV reflective. $20 well spent, I say.
  

  
 Kojaku


----------



## abvolt

Those headphones sure do look nice..


----------



## bretemm

Does anyone use a Mac (Mac mini) for audio out to a stereo? 

I ordered a upgraded Mac mini today, 

I'm planning on then latter getting a Astell and kern (not too sure when tho)


----------



## RestoredSparda

bretemm said:


> Does anyone use a Mac (Mac mini) for audio out to a stereo?
> 
> I ordered a upgraded Mac mini today,
> 
> I'm planning on then latter getting a Astell and kern (not too sure when tho)




Yep, I've been using a mac mini for the past 3 years as my music server. I run it headless with an android tablet running an iTunes remote app, and Google screen share when I need to truly access the computer and edit settings or add files or what not. Works great.


----------



## bretemm

Great, I got 16gigs of ram and 240ssd, other then music I'm going to mainly use Adobe allot, latter on I'm going to plan on getting a lacie hard drive that has 4tb, but first possibly a Astell and kern 





restoredsparda said:


> Yep, I've been using a mac mini for the past 3 years as my music server. I run it headless with an android tablet running an iTunes remote app, and Google screen share when I need to truly access the computer and edit settings or add files or what not. Works great.


----------



## headhog

bwahacker said:


> Here's my little listening corner in my home office.  As you can tell, I like Sennheiser.


 
  
 Very nice display.


----------



## whirlwind

This sir, is a brilliant idea 
  
 I may have to steal this idea  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





......not sure my headphone stand will fit in one of these though......how deep is in from front to back


----------



## Kojaku

whirlwind said:


> This sir, is a brilliant idea
> 
> I may have to steal this idea   ......not sure my headphone stand will fit in one of these though......how deep is in from front to back




Its a rectangular prism that's 11x11x15. So it's an 11x11 base that's 15 inches tall.

Kojaku


----------



## jaywillin

whirlwind said:


> This sir, is a brilliant idea
> 
> I may have to steal this idea
> 
> ...


 
  
  


kojaku said:


> Its a rectangular prism that's 11x11x15. So it's an 11x11 base that's 15 inches tall.
> 
> Kojaku


 
  
*IN CASE OF EMERGENCY-- BREAK GLASS !*


----------



## Androb

kojaku said:


> Its a rectangular prism that's 11x11x15. So it's an 11x11 base that's 15 inches tall.
> 
> Kojaku


 
 How does the He-1000 pair with the MKVI+?


----------



## whirlwind

kojaku said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > This sir, is a brilliant idea
> ...


 
 May I ask, where you purchased this ?


----------



## Kojaku

whirlwind said:


> May I ask, where you purchased this ?




Uh...I guess I bought the last one from here:http://www.blinq.com/detail/everything-else/display-cases/ballqube-football-helmet-display-case-clear/226697?condition=brand-new

You can still buy them from the actual merchant at full price (which is around $60), though. I guess amazon sells the non-uv and UV models as well:

http://www.amazon.com/BCW-BallQube-Football-Helmet-Display/dp/B000J55BTQ

Kojaku


----------



## Kojaku

androb said:


> How does the He-1000 pair with the MKVI+?




Fantastically, as it does with anything I've thrown at it. A neutral, powerful, balanced OTL amp that truly slays giants, especially with stuff as resolving at the HE1000. 

It's too bad it's going up onto the sales forums now...

Kojaku


----------



## whirlwind

kojaku said:


> whirlwind said:
> 
> 
> > May I ask, where you purchased this ?
> ...


 
 Thank you.


----------



## 520RanchBro




----------



## bigbeard

Soundblaster X7
 Beyer Dynamic Dt990 Premium
 Seinheiser Hd 800 
 Schiit Asgard V2
 Schiit BiFrost Uber


----------



## akhyar

I definitely need bigger table


----------



## Krutsch

akhyar said:


> I definitely need bigger table


 

 Nice near-field listening setup. Try angling or toeing in your speakers towards you chair; you will like the results.


----------



## akhyar

krutsch said:


> Nice near-field listening setup. Try angling or toeing in your speakers towards you chair; you will like the results.




Thanks for the tips.
Will definitely play with the positioning and angling once I have the real estate


----------



## Zombie_X

Here's the current layout after I moved:
  

  

  

  
  
 And as a bonus, my gaming/speaker set-up:


----------



## lugnut

Zombie, what are the tower speakers ? thanks


----------



## DoppenShloppen

zombie_x said:


> Here's the current layout after I moved:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That's a pretty sweet setup. Really nice gaming setup. Is that a pretty amiibo collection I spot?


----------



## MIKELAP




----------



## Zombie_X

Hey,
  
 The speakers are Wharfedale MFM7's. They are really nice, especially since they only were $200. They were originally $1,500 when they came out over 15 years ago.
  
 And yes that is am Amiibo collection. I own a Wii U as well but it doesn't get much use anymore. I only buy the Amiibo as a collectors piece.
  
 I should point out I use Fluance bi-polar speakers for surrounds and a Wharfedale Diamond 9CM for the center channel. The subwoofer is a Martin Logan Dynamo 300.
  
 Here's pictures of those:
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
 Here's a picture of the living room. Quite nice, no?


----------



## DaemonSire

mikelap said:


>


 
 Gorgeous!


----------



## abvolt

very cool indeed gotta love the woo gear..


----------



## floydfan33

Currently occupying the couch.


----------



## GioF71

Current stack, very happy!
 Headphone not showing, even not connected in the moment of this shot. Anyway it's a Sennheiser HD650.


----------



## BobG55

*Main Head-Fi System & End Game*
  
_*Top to bottom :*_ Auralic Taurus MKII (RCA/SE - Balanced/XLR);   Teac SACD/CD 2000 (RCA & Balanced);  PS Audio PerfectWave MKII DAC (RCA & Balanced); Coax w/Teac SACD/CD 2000.
  
  

  
*2nd Head-Fi System - eventually relocated to bedroom*
  
_*Top to bottom *_: Beyerdynanic A20 (RCA/SE);  PS Audio Digital Link III Dac (RCA/Balanced) Coax w/Teac PD-H600;  Teac PD-H600 CD player (RCA.)
  
  


_*Overear Headphones*_ : fr. Left to Right : Sennheiser HD800 w/Cardas XLR cable; *Sennheiser HD600; *Sennheiser HD650;  Beyerdynamic Tesla T1, XLR (modified.)
  
 * _One Cardas XLR cable & one Cardas SE cable, both interchangeable w/each HD6XX._
  


*Female connectors/adapters* : fr. Left to Right : Female connector/adapter for SE/T1; Female connector/adapter for SE/HD800.


----------



## filuS

bobg55 said:


> *Main Head-Fi System & End Game*


 
  
 I am sorry to break it to you, but there is no end game on head-fi - no matter how hard you try, you will not resist getting something new and your wallet will cry again


----------



## Silent One

That's if one's wallet hasn't abandoned them altogether!


----------



## songmic

filus said:


> I am sorry to break it to you, but there is no end game on head-fi - no matter how hard you try, you will not resist getting something new and your wallet will cry again


 
  
 Amen to that. I thought I had reached my end-game when I had a BHSE and an SR-009. Turned out I actually preferred the SR-007 MK1 to the SR-009. Said goodbye to the SR-009 and never looked back.
  
 So was the BHSE/SR-007 the final frontier for me? Nope. Call me crazy but I later realized a well-driven--I mean absolutely well-driven by the top 1% synergistic amps out there--HD800 stomps the aforementioned TOTL stat combo in terms of imaging, resolution (in both macro- and micro-dynamics) and soundstage. Throw in a refurbished vintage R2R DAC from the golden 90's and add a touch of 3D magic from something like the Smyth Realiser A8 or OOYH software, and I felt closer than ever to the end-game I had dreamed of.
  
 But deep down I know that this still won't be the end-game for me.


----------



## HemiSam

HS


----------



## songmic

hemisam said:


> HS


 
  
 Can't quite tell from this angle but if that headphone is an SR-007BL, and that the KGST was well built by an expert who knows his stuff, then your headphone system should be a phenomenal sounding end-game schiit better than 99% of the so-called TOTL rigs we see around here. As far as stats go, only a BHSE fed by the same Yggy DAC should sound marginally, if any, better.
  
 Lucky you!


----------



## HemiSam

Thank you.  007A's.  The amp is special.  Made for me by headinclouds....oustanding craftsmanship and nothing but quality parts.  Swings 400v as opposed to the usual 350.  Makes the 007's smile.  The ygg just seems to get better with time.  I haven't been able to get myself to switch to the Woo WA7 / TH900 to see how it pairs with the ygg.  I'm addicted at the moment.
  
 HS


----------



## preproman

I agree the amp is a pretty damn good one.  The Yggdrasil is a good DAC as well.
  

  
 Listening to the HE1000 right now.  While they're on loan.


----------



## HemiSam

That amp looks familiar...
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## ssrock64

preproman said:


> I agree the amp is a pretty damn good one.  The Yggdrasil is a good DAC as well.
> 
> Listening to the HE1000 right now.  While they're on loan.


 
 Whoa, that's quite an array of gear. Each of those tables is worth significantly more than my car when it was new. Aside from n3rdling's collection, I don't think I've ever seen a non-meet photo with so many modern Staxen in one place.


----------



## MattTCG




----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


>


 
 well let's see, 
 lyr, gungnir, h10, ether, and you have the he1000 ?? whoah !


----------



## Noodlz

*LCD XC and LCD 3F's on loan =P 2.2's are mine tho~


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> well let's see,
> lyr, gungnir, h10, ether, and you have the he1000 ?? whoah !


 
 But you missed the gungnir. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Man, I love the sound of that dac. Plus the ability to connect and play three amps without switching cables is a blessing for those of us with three amps.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> But you missed the gungnir.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 oh i saw it, i forget to include it ! it's a lot a nicer than using a splitter
 i could do that with the wadia 121
  
  
 UPDATE ! i did include the gungnir !


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> oh i saw it, i forget to include it ! it's a lot a nicer than using a splitter
> i could do that with the wadia 121
> 
> 
> UPDATE ! i did include the gungnir !


 
  
 haha...so you did. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I was up till almost 2am listening to new gear and then back up at 7am. Just a little grogy here.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> haha...so you did.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 i was up late myself, the stepdaughter worked until 1am, and i'm always up early


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> i was up late myself, the stepdaughter worked until 1am, and i'm always up early


 
  
 It's just a product of advanced age brother. Believe me...


----------



## JamesBr

preproman said:


> I agree the amp is a pretty damn good one.  The Yggdrasil is a good DAC as well.
> 
> 
> 
> Listening to the HE1000 right now.  While they're on loan.


 
  
 Make me dream!


----------



## TheOneInYellow

Enjoy
  
 d^_^b
  

  
 The Polk Audio 4Shot Xbox One headset near the bottom left-hand side was only put on my desk temporarily; it does not live on my desk at all. The iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50 vacuum tube DAC/amp remote control sits where the 4Shot is, directly between my 2x black aluminium Just Mobile Headstands (HS-100BK) and my CEntrance HiFi-M8 XL4 (USB Type-B and Type-A; also includes optical, 3.5mm, and XL4 outputs).

 Also please note that I am driving two pieces of audio gear from my iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50.
 First, I decide which of the two headphone outputs for the headphone I want to use:
 - for AKG K 712 I use the 6.5mm (high gain) with 7W of headphone power! Or,
 - for Audeze EL8 closed back, I use the 3.5mm (low gain), used for more sensitive headphones (the 6.3mm gives too much noise and hiss; two powerful for the EL8).
 Whichever one I use, the other output is then used to power the phenomenal SubPac S2 seatback tactical bass system! 
 The only downside to this is if I use the EL8's; the 6.3mm with 7W is overkill for the SubPac S2. With this setup the bass intensity knob on the control box is between 15 - 20%!
 On the other hand, if I use my AKG K 712 via the 6.5mm output, then 3.5mm is used for the S2, and the intensity is between 20 - 25%.
  

  

 I'll let you guys figure out what the rest of my desk entails (from what you can see, of course) ^^


----------



## musicinmymind

preproman said:


> I agree the amp is a pretty damn good one.  The Yggdrasil is a good DAC as well.
> 
> 
> 
> Listening to the HE1000 right now.  While they're on loan.


 
  
 These are my desktop wallpaper now.


----------



## bretemm

with a 2014 mac mini, do i really need a optical audio cord in order to get my audio to work with my stereo? i have the cdmi going directly to my tv but theres no audio,


----------



## elvergun

preproman said:


> I agree the amp is a pretty damn good one.  The Yggdrasil is a good DAC as well.
> 
> 
> 
> Listening to the HE1000 right now.  While they're on loan.


 
  
 Nice mid-fi system.
  
  
  
  
  
 Keep reading, learning, and upgrading and perhaps one day you will have a TOTL rig.


----------



## SunTanScanMan

theoneinyellow said:


> Enjoy
> 
> d^_^b
> 
> ...


 
 Very interesting gear you have there. I also like the colour coding of your equipment, whether intentional or not.


----------



## Zombie_X

The headphone wall has been completed! The empty hook next to the AKG K701 is for my soon to arrive K7XX. The one next to the T1 is for my DT990 Pro's that are on the desk. It looks so nice!


----------



## zilch0md

zombie_x said:


> The headphone wall has been completed! The empty hook next to the AKG K701 is for my soon to arrive K7XX. The one next to the T1 is for my DT990 Pro's that are on the desk. It looks so nice!


 
  
 Nice!
  
 I see some track lighting in your future (above the rack).


----------



## Krutsch

zilch0md said:


> Nice!
> 
> I see some track lighting in your future (above the rack).


 
  
 I was thinking the same thing... small LED track lights would look really cool, spotlighting the headphones.


----------



## LNCPapa

You could even color code your headphones by labeling some of them bright down to warm for things like the 650 or LCDs.


----------



## GioF71

Office Head-Fi station.


----------



## TheOneInYellow

Ha ha thanks SunTanScanMan!
  
 Wasn't intentional per se, but I wanted my desk to have some sort of meaning and organised sense, and the bamboo amp and speakers work well with my desk and Ukiyo-E prints!
  
 I love my gear, all carefully chosen, or acquired by friends within the audio industry, and has taken me years to build.
  
 Yes it's easy to have super high-end gear but for me getting the best of what one can afford, and investing in gear for the long-term,reaps significant rewards.
 More than anything, I have a simpler system overall, and can say that I still have a nice high-end system.
  
 I love this forum, and though I don't post often Head-Fi has been a beating heart of my audio journey for over fifteen years. <3
  
 And also a drain.
  
 ALL YOUR FAULT...my wallet is in a dark corner, weeping atm...


----------



## larsjuhljensen

My current primary listening station: PC (not in photo) -> Schiit Modi 2 -> Schiit Vali -> Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro. More to come soon.


----------



## DoppenShloppen

larsjuhljensen said:


> My current primary listening station: PC (not in photo) -> Schiit Modi 2 -> Schiit Vali -> Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro. More to come soon.


 
 Dang. The modi and vali side by side looks really sick. thought it was one of the bigger schiits at first.


----------



## litleGrasshoper

songmic said:


> Amen to that. I thought I had reached my end-game when I had a BHSE and an SR-009. Turned out I actually preferred the SR-007 MK1 to the SR-009. Said goodbye to the SR-009 and never looked back.
> 
> So was the BHSE/SR-007 the final frontier for me? Nope. Call me crazy but I later realized a well-driven--I mean absolutely well-driven by the top 1% synergistic amps out there--HD800 stomps the aforementioned TOTL stat combo in terms of imaging, resolution (in both macro- and micro-dynamics) and soundstage. Throw in a refurbished vintage R2R DAC from the golden 90's and add a touch of 3D magic from something like the Smyth Realiser A8 or OOYH software, and I felt closer than ever to the end-game I had dreamed of.
> 
> But deep down I know that this still won't be the end-game for me.


 

 Which are the top 1% synergistic amps for the hd800?


----------



## flipper2gv

litlegrasshoper said:


> Which are the top 1% synergistic amps for the hd800?


 
  
 I've heard many times how Eddie Current stuff works magic with HD800's.


----------



## Cran

I am a person who like simplicity


----------



## longbowbbs

[/QUOTE]


Which are the top 1% synergistic amps for the hd800?
[/quote]

ALO Studio Six is an awesome Tbe amp for the 800's. Moon Neo 430HA is incredible as Solid State.


----------



## hodgjy

litlegrasshoper said:


> Which are the top 1% synergistic amps for the hd800?


 
 It's been said that the head designer of the HD800 voiced them using the Violectric V-100.  Also, many people have praised the Trafomatic Head One, and I have personally corresponded with the designer of that amp as I own one and he said he is thrilled with the HD800 on his amp.


----------



## Shaffer

hodgjy said:


> It's been said that the head designer of the HD800 voiced them using the Violectric V-100.  Also, many people have praised the Trafomatic Head One, and *I have personally corresponded with the designer of that amp as I own one and he said he is thrilled with the HD800 on his amp.*




Sorry, what is he supposed to say while hoping to sell an amp, that the sound sucks? C'mon.


----------



## hodgjy

shaffer said:


> Sorry, what is he supposed to say while hoping to sell an amp, that the sound sucks? C'mon.


 
 I already owned the amp and was asking about driving other headphones. I asked him what he used in his personal collection, and he said HD800 and some Audio Technica woodies that I don't remember the model number.  Seeing as I already owned the amp, and he could use any headphone he wanted, I took it as a genuine response.


----------



## musicinmymind

cran said:


> I am a person who like simplicity


 
  
 Awesome!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

I added a set of Stillpoints Ultra 6's under the Moon Neo 430HA. The Pulse Infinity with the new ESS 9018A2QM  is sweet. The LCD-X's and HD800's are really singing!


----------



## danL93

cran said:


> I am a person who like simplicity


 
 Amazing


----------



## roskodan

Quote:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






cran said:


> I am a person who like simplicity





 ... and functionality


----------



## larsjuhljensen

SilverStone EBA01 arrived. No, it won't improve the sound quality, but the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro look so much happier now.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ I'm really digging that stand. It's a little spendy but I do like it. Question for me is...silver or black. Hmmm.


----------



## Shaffer

larsjuhljensen said:


> SilverStone EBA01 arrived. No, it won't improve the sound quality, but the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro look so much happier now.




Hmm...I might get a stand like that, myself. Looks really good. I don't think the price is unreasonable, given the precedent set by similar stands from Woo.


----------



## elvergun

matttcg said:


> ^^ I'm really digging that stand. It's a little spendy but I do like it. Question for me is...silver or black. Hmmm.


 
  
 With the Eather...definitely black.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 For the HD800...definitely silver.


----------



## esteboune

My office. A place where i spend 50h / week!
  

  

  
 My Little Dot will soon be replaced by a Schiit Lyr2. (on his way from California).
  
 Obviously, some of you guys might be able to know where i'm living!


----------



## MattTCG

Very nice pics and setup esteboune!! I'm always jealous of people who are able to come into an office everyday and listen to a nice hp setup. I travel for work daily so my listening is done before and after work.


----------



## esteboune

matttcg said:


> Very nice pics and setup esteboune!! I'm always jealous of people who are able to come into an office everyday and listen to a nice hp setup. I travel for work daily so my listening is done before and after work.




Thanks Matt 
 What about a portable rig. 
My Fiio e12 x5 give me a lot of satisfaction. Really.


----------



## MattTCG

I travel by car, so it's probably best to keep my ears on the road. I do bring my momentum 2 with me and plug right into my phone when I get a free half hour, usually at lunch.


----------



## HiFiChris

esteboune said:


>


 
 Sick photo, awesome!
 (Though I'd propably crop the top.)


----------



## songmic

esteboune said:


> My Little Dot will soon be replaced by a Schiit Lyr2. (on his way from California).
> 
> Obviously, some of you guys might be able to know where i'm living!


 
  
 A wise choice to replace the LD MKIII with the Lyr 2. I used to own an LD MKIII too and while it was a good pairing with say, an HD650, it won't do your LCD-2 much favor.
  
 And yes, I can tell your office is in Kuala Lumpur.


----------



## evertyler

Bought my first record player! Going to start collecting vinyl and buying some speakers


----------



## roskodan

sounds great with both hd800 and k701, amazing lil thing


----------



## larsjuhljensen

Latest additions to the setup:
 1) Schiit Magni 2, which nicely complements the Vali for sensitive headphones.
 2) Schiit SYS, which allows me to switch between Modi and TV as sound source for active speakers.
  
 (The ATH-M50 are not new. They are my office headphones and just are home for a short visit.)


----------



## joshk4

As you can see, I'm into Sennheiser


----------



## Krutsch

^^ Reallty sweet rig... I am dying to hear the Senn amp.


----------



## Androb

joshk4 said:


> As you can see, I'm into Sennheiser
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Great rig! Altough you must get a balanced cable, the sound improves alot imo!


----------



## joshk4

androb said:


> Great rig! Altough you must get a balanced cable, the sound improves alot imo!




Yeah I've been thinking about it. Heard people say it's only an increase in dB and other people saying it opens up more... will have to try it myself when I get the time I guess. Thanks!


----------



## joshk4

krutsch said:


> ^^ Reallty sweet rig... I am dying to hear the Senn amp.


 
  
 Thanks.
  
 I think if you do get a chance, you will (like me) think it is a good pairing with the HD 800.


----------



## JamesBr

hifichris said:


> Sick photo, awesome!
> (Though I'd propably crop the top.)


 
  
 Don't!! Hehe. It gives a good perspective with the Petronas Towers!


----------



## HiFiChris

@JamesBr: That view of the Pretonas towers is exactly what I love about your picture, that's why I said you should propably crop the top (a little) to get rid of the sun-blinds or whatever that is on the top of the picture. That's what I meant (with some additional tweaks as well):


----------



## Vicca Tito

Here is one temporary setup: Hegel DAC20 (with nano iDSD as a USB/SPDIF) and double outputs from both DACs into Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 and AKG Q701. Wonderful sound in between relocation apartments. Sound of AKG701 rediscovered. 

















Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Androb

vicca tito said:


> Here is one temporary setup: Hegel DAC20 (with nano iDSD as a USB/SPDIF) and double outputs from both DACs into Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 and AKG Q701. Wonderful sound in between relocation apartments. Sound of AKG701 rediscovered.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I love my Hegel! Great stuff man


----------



## Krutsch

^^ Sweet looking rig. Love the cables.


----------



## Zombie_X

Balanced drive gives the amp more control over the driver, though the sound improvements are minimal. I used to rave about balancing stuff for better sound quality, but there isn't much difference between single ended and balanced. Don't waste your money on an expensive cable if you want to try balanced drive, the stock cable can be modded into that type of cable for only $6 in parts.


----------



## Arsis

My mobile rig. I have ALS and can't use my hands. My tablet, a Tobii I-15, is controlled with my eyes. My DAC is a Fiio e10k. Also pictured: TTPOD T1E and Brainwavz S0.


----------



## ssrock64

arsis said:


> My mobile rig. I have ALS and can't use my hands. My tablet, a Tobii I-15, is controlled with my eyes. My DAC is a Fiio e10k. Also pictured: TTPOD T1E and Brainwavz S0.


 
 Though it stems from unfortunate circumstances, of course, it's pretty cool that you're able to use your eyes to control the tablet.


----------



## Arsis

ssrock64 said:


> Though it stems from unfortunate circumstances, of course, it's pretty cool that you're able to use your eyes to control the tablet.


Yea, its very cool. It also has built-in IR sensor and emitters.so its a learning remote. I have full remotes for DirecTV, 2 sony TVs, Pioneer VSX AV reciever, Apple TV and 2 blu-ray players.


----------



## penmarker

How do you put the IEMs on if you can't use your hands though.


----------



## esteboune

hifichris said:


> @JamesBr: That view of the Pretonas towers is exactly what I love about your picture, that's why I said you should propably crop the top (a little) to get rid of the sun-blinds or whatever that is on the top of the picture. That's what I meant (with some additional tweaks as well):


 

 Much better!!!
  
 thanks


----------



## Arsis

penmarker said:


> How do you put the IEMs on if you can't use your hands though.


My wife puts them in for me.


----------



## esteboune

Slight update on my Head-Fi Station!
  
 New cable for the LCD2, Whiplash TWag Twcu V3 Hybrid.


----------



## Vicca Tito

androb said:


> I love my Hegel! Great stuff man


 

 Thanks Androb!
  
 Hegel was very nice from the start. I think it's advantage lies more in a speaker setup, which I haven't tried yet.
 Oh, but I will. 
 Thanks for comments.


----------



## Townyj




----------



## DaemonSire

vicca tito said:


> Here is one temporary setup: Hegel DAC20 (with nano iDSD as a USB/SPDIF) and double outputs from both DACs into Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 and AKG Q701. Wonderful sound in between relocation apartments. Sound of AKG701 rediscovered.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Love the M-Stage in there!  M-Stage + AKG headphones are a great combination.  I just sold my beloved M-Stage and already miss it


----------



## Krutsch

New Gear! Picked up this Marantz Ref SACD player on clearance.
  
 I am (again) out of desk / side-table space and will need to re-org the Head-Fi station


----------



## abvolt

Oh yeah sweet stuff, really like the marantz gear..


----------



## Krutsch

^^ Thanks.
  
 The Marantz weighs 30 lbs. and while I know that weight doesn't equal quality, I smiled when I picked the player up out of the box.


----------



## Shaffer

krutsch said:


> ^^ Thanks.
> 
> The Marantz weighs 30 lbs. and while I know that weight doesn't equal quality, I smiled when I picked the player up out of the box.




You have some very nice equipment. May I kindly ask why you decided not to use a dedicated audio stand and then sit in a lounge chair or a comfy couch to listen, in lieu of sitting upright in an office chair behind a desk? Believe me, I mean no offence at all by the question. Coming from a different generation, I'm genuinely curious. More accurately put, I _really _want to know and understand, especially as it's so common here.


----------



## Krutsch

shaffer said:


> You have some very nice equipment. May I kindly ask why you decided not to use a dedicated audio stand and then *sit in a lounge chair or a comfy couch to listen, in lieu of sitting upright in an office chair behind a desk?* Believe me, I mean no offence at all by the question. Coming from a different generation, I'm genuinely curious. More accurately put, I _really _want to know and understand, especially as it's so common here.


 
  
 No worries... it's my home office and I work there - a lot. I have been thinking seriously about getting a real audio rack, as opposed to a table, but I started small and it's grown over time.


----------



## whirlwind

krutsch said:


> ^^ Thanks.
> 
> The Marantz weighs 30 lbs. and while I know that weight doesn't equal quality, I smiled when I picked the player up out of the box.


 
 My father would have disagreed with you about the weight .


----------



## Krutsch

whirlwind said:


> My father would have disagreed with you about the weight .


 
  
 Ha. Mine still does.


----------



## Solrighal

*Apple Mac mini > JRiver 19 > ODAC > Project Ember MkII (GE 6SN7GT VT-231) > Sennheiser HD 650*


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Isolation foam?


----------



## Solrighal

matttcg said:


> ^^ Isolation foam?


 
  
 Yeah Matt, sort of.
  
 When my external drive spins up there's a slight vibration that can be felt on the shelf. I can't actually hear anything but I'm a bit OCD about stuff like that so I cut up an old piece of packaging foam (from a PC PSU) and used that. It works a treat although the piece under the Mac is now the same thickness as used under the amp.
  
 I'm hoping to get a piece of slate cut for sitting the amp on. I think the black slate will match well with the matt finish of the amp's aluminium casing. None of it is actually necessary you understand. It's just me


----------



## MattTCG

solrighal said:


> Yeah Matt, sort of.
> 
> When my external drive spins up there's a slight vibration that can be felt on the shelf. I can't actually hear anything but I'm a bit OCD about stuff like that so I cut up an old piece of packaging foam (from a PC PSU) and used that. It works a treat although the piece under the Mac is now the same thickness as used under the amp.
> 
> I'm hoping to get a piece of slate cut for sitting the amp on. I think the black slate will match well with the matt finish of the amp's aluminium casing. None of it is actually necessary you understand. It's just me


 
  
 I had the same problem when running a 5tb drive in a hot dock on my desk. When you would first access the drive, it was in a hybernate mode and getting back to 7200 rpm was always noisy. I used sorbothane footers to solve the problem.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> I had the same problem when running a 5tb drive in a hot dock on my desk. When you would first access the drive, it was in a hybernate mode and getting back to 7200 rpm was always noisy. I used* sorbothane* footers to solve the problem.


 
 good stuff !


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> good stuff !


 





...got them from a friend.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> ...got them from a friend.


 




  
 i need to get some more feet, and some pads for my new desktop speakers,


----------



## bmichels

My 445 has a new source : The Auralic ARIES.  It's a Very good server/streamer ! 
  
 Next step: upgrade of my HUGO to a desktop DAC (TotalDac D1 ? AYON stelth ?...)


----------



## Solrighal

bmichels said:


> My 445 has a new source : The Auralic ARIES.  It's a Very good server/streamer !
> 
> Next step: upgrade of my HUGO to a desktop DAC (TotalDac D1 ? AYON stelth ?...)




That chair looks awesome!


----------



## aroldan

My son enyoing some dad's music


----------



## abvolt

looks like he's having fun cool..


----------



## darren700

Got another new Audio-GD Amp... NFB-1AMP


----------



## sealykojac

Cleaning out my fathers house and unearthed some of my old gear. Still works like it's 1992.


----------



## LNCPapa

OMG!  I was just explaining what a walkman was to my kids last night as I forced them to watch Terminator for the first time.


----------



## VeXun

Now I want kids


----------



## Solrighal

vexun said:


> Now I want kids




Have mine


----------



## Krutsch

lncpapa said:


> OMG!  I was just explaining what a walkman was to my kids last night as I *forced them to watch Terminator *for the first time.


 
  
 That's awesome... I "forced" my daughter to watch The Matrix and had to explain character-mode green screens and rotary dial phones.


----------



## LNCPapa

Yeah - I forgot there was a sex scene in Terminator.  I made the kids watch The Matrix a couple months ago and they loved it.  I also made them watch The Dark Crystal 2 nights ago.  I really enjoy forcing my kids to watch movies I loved from my childhood.  They both love The Princess Bride now - one of my favorite movies from when I was young and still one of my favs to this day.


----------



## bretemm

Does anyone know the diffrence,
Between the Martin Logan motion 15 vs 35xt? Is there a big diffrence? The 15 are $799 for a pair vs over $1200 for the 35xt

I mainly listen to classic rock and indie Rock, currently I have all klipsch, 5 small speakers for surround and then 2 bigger bookshelf speakers


----------



## ssrock64

bretemm said:


> Does anyone know the diffrence,
> Between the Martin Logan motion 15 vs 35xt? Is there a big diffrence? The 15 are $799 for a pair vs over $1200 for the 35xt
> 
> I mainly listen to classic rock and indie Rock, currently I have all klipsch, 5 small speakers for surround and then 2 bigger bookshelf speakers


 

 This isn't the right thread for your question. You can search the forums or start your own thread, but that's not the topic of discussion here.


----------



## rev92

My rig right now


----------



## LancerFIN

rev92 said:


> My rig right now


 
 Amazing. Love the forza Noir hpc mk2 cable.
  
 But over $1000 worth of Klutz headphone stands? Money well spent?


----------



## rev92

Haha, these stands are fantastic, i highly recommend 


 Also noir, right, ive got all the Forza's cables, since Matthew is a friend of mine, very nice person, and very talented cable maker


----------



## VeXun

Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus using Tapatalk


----------



## dsound

My temporary listening station during my remodel.


----------



## kdejonge

My current rig


----------



## TheChillburger

kdejonge said:


> My current rig


 
 Nice setup. How you liking the Gustard?


----------



## kdejonge

thechillburger said:


> Nice setup. How you liking the Gustard?


 
 I received it on Monday so I am still getting used to / burning in. Right now I do hear some improvement over using the Rotel directly but nothing really major. I read the burn in time is about 100 hours, I am about 24 hours in, hopefully it will improve more.


----------



## jani73

mrtechagent said:


> Good use for steel rulers.


----------



## privilege15

My weather-proof portable station:
  

  
 All rarely used cables are in compartments underneath the top foam layer:
  

  
 Selica gel crystals underneath the foam are used to control humidity inside the case:


----------



## esteboune

stillevil said:


> My weather-proof portable station:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 trully impressive


----------



## esteboune

my current Head-Fi station:


----------



## ssrock64

stillevil said:


> My weather-proof portable station:
> 
> All rarely used cables are in compartments underneath the top foam layer:
> 
> Selica gel crystals underneath the foam are used to control humidity inside the case:


 
 Very cool! I've been thinking about doing something similar with my ESP950/E90 combo for awhile now, since the tote bag that came with them is rather worn out after many years of use. I'm just not sure I want to drop all that money on a Pelican case just for portable use, since most of my listening is at home.


----------



## longbowbbs

MacMini>Light Harmonic 10G Split cable>Geek Pulse Infinity with LPS4>Moon Neo 430HA>LCD-X


----------



## privilege15

ssrock64 said:


> Very cool! I've been thinking about doing something similar with my ESP950/E90 combo for awhile now, since the tote bag that came with them is rather worn out after many years of use. I'm just not sure I want to drop all that money on a Pelican case just for portable use, since most of my listening is at home.


 
  
 Case is good for a long travel like a business trip or vacation. I can't live without music and aesthetics 
  
 On shorter distances I normally use the following combination arranged within a military bag and hidden from other people's eyes and police to avoid unnecessary questions except for the DAP and headphones:
  

  
  
 My current setup: Fiio X5 (line out) audio player - Black Dragon V2 interconnect cable (0.5m) - iBasso PB2 modded portable balanced amplifier (2xMUSES01 opamps, 4xLT1028ACN8 buffers with 8-pin DIP heatsinks and drilled case opening for heat dissipation, mains 16V powered or powered from XP8000 with 16V of portable power via XPAL step down power converter for up to 2500 mWatts per channel) - hand-made balanced headphone cable - Beyerdynamic DT-150, 250Ohm balanced headphones.
  
 How it looks like closed (an old photo of mine but can get the idea):


----------



## Phonelaf

Bought the Bowers & Wilkins P7 for a holiday trip but now it´s my new favourite headphone at home, along with my Questyle CMA 800 i. Crazy


----------



## joesmokey

Here's my current setup:

 Denon D5000, HD800, Audeze EL-8C, Oppo HA-1.  Woo Audio stands.


----------



## pervysage




----------



## ssrock64

joesmokey said:


> Here's my current setup:
> 
> Denon D5000, HD800, Audeze EL-8C, Oppo HA-1.  Woo Audio stands.


 
 How do you like the EL-8? It seems like it would be a nice middle ground between the D5K and the HD800.


----------



## joesmokey

ssrock64 said:


> How do you like the EL-8? It seems like it would be a nice middle ground between the D5K and the HD800.


 
 I use them mainly for work and like them a lot.  They seal incredibly well and don't leak sound at high volume, unlike many of the other closed cans.  Weight is a bit borderline for me but generally not an issue unless I'm extremely tired (unlike the XC which were abysmal).

 It seems they do require some decent pairing to get the best out of them.  The Oppo HA-2 is excellent with them, however I don't enjoy them with the HA-1 or directly out of a phone (iPhone 6+).  Still waiting for proper balanced XLR cables to be released.


----------



## colinallcarz

More or less, this is it. I did move my headphone stand, as it's a ghetto coffee mug hanger that I took most of the pegs out of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.

  
 Here's the headphones with a stand my boys and I built today:


----------



## LetsGoStreaking

My at work setup.


----------



## Japheel

colinallcarz said:


> More or less, this is it. I did move my headphone stand, as it's a ghetto coffee mug hanger that I took most of the pegs out of
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Do those dogs get any use with the lcd 2 around? I know mine wouldn't


----------



## Japheel

phonelaf said:


> Bought the Bowers & Wilkins P7 for a holiday trip but now it´s my new favourite headphone at home, along with my Questyle CMA 800 i. Crazy


 
 That looks so overkill


----------



## mikey1964

My Schiit Lyr + iFi iDSD Nano has been relegated to my other rig (the one I don't use as often), I've replaced them with a Gustard H10 + X12 DAC stack....


----------



## Mink

Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE with Sony MDR-Z7


----------



## Zombie_X

While mostly the same, there is something new in the stable on loan. I might keep her though


----------



## fiascogarcia

From room to room!


----------



## Oregonian

zombie_x said:


> While mostly the same, there is something new in the stable on loan. I might keep her though


 

 What headphone is that hanging on the rack?


----------



## Krutsch

oregonian said:


> What headphone is that hanging on the rack?


 
  

 What rack is that hanging on your avatar?


----------



## Townyj

oregonian said:


> What headphone is that hanging on the rack?


 
 DT-1350


----------



## FYL941

a fine combo indeed


----------



## IceClass

fyl941 said:


> a fine combo indeed


 
  
 Yep.
 I remember the Sens singing rather nicely with my WA2.
 Never should have sold them.


----------



## jfoxvol

fyl941 said:


> a fine combo indeed


 
 That is pure sex.  I looove my 650s.  Still running the with Schiit Valhalla 2.  Someday I'll feed them something like this.


----------



## whirlwind

iceclass said:


> fyl941 said:
> 
> 
> > a fine combo indeed
> ...


 
 Yeah, this should be a great sounding combo....they look very nice together, also.


----------



## esteboune

My office became a man cave!!!
  
 On top of the music listening, can you notice 2 of my other hobbies?!


----------



## balaji

A basic one.
  
 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxXMOIuM1jB1Yk1NSVlsS1dHRkJjdDN2RzhaR2ZtdmUwMDBn/view?usp=sharing
  
 Still I cannot post inline pics on Head-fi..Alas!!


----------



## flipper2gv

esteboune said:


> My office became a man cave!!!
> 
> On top of the music listening, can you notice 2 of my other hobbies?!


 
  
 Can we get a better picture of the Montblanc's?


----------



## jfoxvol




----------



## TheChillburger

jfoxvol said:


>


 
 Looks like you're full of Schiit.


----------



## jfoxvol

thechillburger said:


> Looks like you're full of Schiit.


 
 I get that a lot


----------



## jfoxvol

jfoxvol said:


> I get that a lot


 
 To quote from Jurassic Park: "Now that is one big pile of Schiit."


----------



## Arsis

I bought my brother a work rig.


----------



## eclein

Jfoxvol that's a nice rig! Rethinking mine now..... LOL


----------



## jfoxvol

eclein said:


> Jfoxvol that's a nice rig! Rethinking mine now..... LOL


 
 Thanks.  That Rag/Yggy stack is here to stay.  Valhalla 2 pairs so well with my HD650s that it will never leave (until I get a woo someday).  They Lyr2 is great for all around and I just got a set of the solid state tubes so it might get moved to my office.


----------



## jfoxvol

Mobile and office system. Simplicity and effectiveness of the Fulla with the PM-3 means I can reclaim needed desk space and retire the Vali and bifrost uber at the office.


----------



## kman1211

My current station. Not the best pictures. New addition to the stable.


----------



## OddE

Here goes. LCD-X and Benchmark DAC2 HGC; most of my (digital) music collection is stored on a NAS and played through the iMac, when I feel the urge to listen to some LPs, I just bring the DAC2 (It's got analog inputs, serving as a pre-amp in addition to DAC and headphone amp) and cans downstairs where the stereo is at.
  
 For those into ham radio (please, please tell me I am not the only one!) - I mostly do CW out of necessity - I never quite warmed to digimodes and unless conditions are very good, my very mediocre antennas (A couple of dipoles which really aren't as far into the sky as they ought to be!) simply doesn't provide me with good enough reception to do much phone. The single-lever paddle is the best thing since sliced bread - I never quite warmed to iambic paddles, me being a total klutz when trying to coordinate my finger movements. Much easier to send good code using a single-lever key.
  
 Will probably erect a DIY yagi this fall, though - I've got a small mast in the garage and access to cheap aluminium at work, so once I can spare the time to order the quantities and dimensions I need...


----------



## dudlew

Mac Mini, Schiit Modi 2 Uber, Burson Soloist SL, Sony MDR-7520,1R and Beyer DT235


----------



## HeavenNotes

In my bed room.


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Currently testing, later all will move into a nice wodden rack.
  


  
 DIY Daphile Server (Intel hardware, SSD with FLAC music collection on) > USB > Gustard U12 > optical Toslink > Schiit Bifrost Uber > analog RCA > iFi audio micro iCAN = head phones.
  
 I use the Android Suqeeze Ctrl app to control my Daphile box, works perfect, great sounding setup.


----------



## 329161

h1f1add1cted said:


> Currently testing, later all will move into a nice wodden rack.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What headphones are in the top picture?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

HD 800 with stock cable.


----------



## 329161

h1f1add1cted said:


> HD 800 with stock cable.



They look so thin from that angle.


----------



## GioF71

h1f1add1cted said:


> Currently testing, later all will move into a nice wodden rack.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice setup.
 Just asking, why are you using optical instead of coaxial?
  
 cheers


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Thanks, I prefer it simply for it independence of EMI,RFI, ground loop and so on, and I already have had that nice Oehlbach optical toslink cable.


----------



## GioF71

OK thanks.
 I never directly compared the same dac with coax vs optical cable.
 I read the same your considerations around. But optical detractors claim there is more jitter with optical connections.
 Did you make a direct comparison of optical vs coaxial?


----------



## OddE

giof71 said:


> But optical detractors claim there is more jitter with optical connections.


 
  
 -Next time someone brings that up, I suggest you ask them whether it is _audible_.
  
 (There may well be more jitter associated with the optical drivers than with the electrical counterparts - but whether it is audible is another question altogether.)
  
 To put it another way - there's also people claiming green marker around the edge of your CDs is an absolute necessity if you want to get the most from them - and even people claiming that certain fancy stones improves the sound quality simply by being in the same room as the equipment you are listening to.
  
 Just sayin'...


----------



## esteboune

odde said:


> -Next time someone brings that up, I suggest you ask them whether it is _audible_.
> 
> (There may well be more jitter associated with the optical drivers than with the electrical counterparts - but whether it is audible is another question altogether.)
> 
> ...


 

 or directly on the interconnects!!!


----------



## GioF71

odde said:


> -Next time someone brings that up, I suggest you ask them whether it is _audible_.
> 
> (There may well be more jitter associated with the optical drivers than with the electrical counterparts - but whether it is audible is another question altogether.)
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sure.
 I was by no means implying h1f1add1cted's choice is wrong.
 For example in my hi-fi (sort of...) set, I am connecting the old, oops, vingate Onkyo R1 Integra CD Player to the Yulong D200 via optical, and it sounds so much better compared to the integrated dac.
  
 I just wanted to know why he chose optical against coaxial and he gave an appropriate answer.
 Also, not connecting both cables just to start switching and trying to chase subtle differences, instead on really enjoying music is a wise choice IMO


----------



## GioF71

Office setup revised, actually with stuff I already owned.
 O2 heaphone amp by Epiphany Acoustics, FiiO X5 player as USB DAC.
 I found it sounds better than the SMSL Sanskrit + SAPIII (http://www.head-fi.org/t/529140/show-us-your-head-fi-station-at-its-current-state-no-old-pictures-please/20070#post_11674301).
 Not very convenient, especially the O2 with front panel connectors.


----------



## OddE

@GioF71 - Absolutely!
 (My somewhat snide remark wasn't aimed at you, it was more of a sigh of exasperation after having been engaged in an exceedingly absurd discussion with a colleague at work - while one of the most skeptical engineers I know of in all professional matters (From me, that is a major compliment!), he throws everything to the wind once he ventures onto the subject of hi-fi. Most fascinating.)


----------



## GioF71

> Originally Posted by *OddE* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> @GioF71 - Absolutely!
> (My somewhat snide remark wasn't aimed at you, it was more of a sigh of exasperation after having been engaged in an exceedingly absurd discussion with a colleague at work - while one of the most skeptical engineers I know of in all professional matters (From me, that is a major compliment!), he throws everything to the wind once he ventures onto the subject of hi-fi. Most fascinating.)


 
  
 No worries! Always nice to share opinions


----------



## Quinto

esteboune said:


> or directly on the interconnects!!!


----------



## h1f1add1cted

giof71 said:


> Sure.
> I was by no means implying h1f1add1cted's choice is wrong.
> For example in my hi-fi (sort of...) set, I am connecting the old, oops, vingate Onkyo R1 Integra CD Player to the Yulong D200 via optical, and it sounds so much better compared to the integrated dac.
> 
> ...


 
 Yes I never compared both in this setup, for example I use as transport my iBasso DX50 -> coaxial out -> coaxial cable -> coaxial in ->iFi micro iDSD and it sounds pretty awesome too in such a small package.
  
 Cheers


----------



## Androb

My transportable setup  New laptop, goes to ifi idsd and then into takstar pro 80!


----------



## HiFiChris

androb said:


>


 

 Are those DIY speakers in the background? More information, please.


----------



## Androb

hifichris said:


> Are those DIY speakers in the background? More information, please.


 
 They are called Rauna leira  They are old concrete speakers from 70-80s (correct me if i'm wrong). My dad bought them and turned them in into a local hifishop, and in their turn they swapped filters and the speakers. All in cost of around 500-600bucks and they play in the 2k$ range!


----------



## MattTCG

h1f1add1cted said:


> Currently testing, later all will move into a nice wodden rack.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Are you using bass boost on the ican with the hd800?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Depends on genre or music but yes I use the bass boost, but only Level 1, that is more than enough. I use mostly the 3D crossfeed on level 2 for classical music.


----------



## jjacq




----------



## ssrock64

jjacq said:


>


 
 Nice setup! Is that a big power conditioner down there on the floor?
  
 This thread had been too quiet lately...


----------



## jjacq

ssrock64 said:


> Nice setup! Is that a big power conditioner down there on the floor?
> 
> This thread had been too quiet lately...




Yes it is, I got it cheap from Craigslist so I figured why not.


----------



## ssrock64

I haven't contributed a photo to this thread in quite some time, so I figure that my latest foray into the portable world deserves a quick post. I haven't owned a decent pair of IEMs in quite a few months, but lately I've found myself listening on the go a lot more and determined I was past due to get back into in-ears. To that end, I recently bought a pair of UE 900 universals, and I've been enjoying them straight out of the ol' iPod while debating what I want to amp them with. The C5D and Pico Slim are currently in the top spots for consideration, but I'm thinking about a Quickstep as an option as well since I had a great audition of one awhile back. However, I think the Quickstep might be overkill for IEMs, since my audition was with my old pair of HD650s. If anybody has experience driving IEMs with the Quickstep (or the older 2Stepdance model), I'd love some input.
  
 For now, here's the basic "getting back into the portable game" chain.


----------



## Otheronek

jjacq said:


> Yes it is, I got it cheap from Craigslist so I figured why not.


 

Looks like a Tripp Lite power conditioner/regulator
  
 I am wondering how you like it... I was thinking about getting one.  Peace OOK


----------



## jjacq

otheronek said:


> Looks like a Tripp Lite power conditioner/regulator
> 
> I am wondering how you like it... I was thinking about getting one.  Peace OOK


 
  
 Yes that's the one. I have no complaints about it. I think you should buy one if you can .


----------



## wotts

I've had my eye on those as well. I've used their stuff before when I used to install phone systems. They are robust and last a long time. I have a Monster unit acting up and I'm thinking a Tripp Lite will replace it.


----------



## JamesBr

androb said:


> They are called Rauna leira  They are old concrete speakers from 70-80s (correct me if i'm wrong). My dad bought them and turned them in into a local hifishop, and in their turn they swapped filters and the speakers. All in cost of around 500-600bucks and they play in the 2k$ range!


 
 Thats good business


----------



## B-Dawk20

Maybe I'll take a better picture tomorrow. I just got the Lyr, Q701, and HE-500 today!


----------



## bretemm

I have a setup with 3 Schiits: 
modi + Valhalla2 + magni
(I just got the Valhalla2)

Does anyone know of a IEMS that has low resistance and a ohm greater then 50? 
I like the klipsch X11 and x7i and there both 50ohms, would those be good?


----------



## FYL941

Mixing and matching...

Oppo pm-2
Creek obh-11
ifi nano
iPhone 6 streaming Tidal


----------



## jjacq

fyl941 said:


> Mixing and matching...
> 
> Oppo pm-2
> Creek obh-11
> ...


 
 Wow what is that trippy cable?


----------



## FYL941

jjacq said:


> Wow what is that trippy cable?




Those are analog interconnects from mapleshade audio which I find to be an incredible value.


----------



## HeavenNotes

Quote:Hello.  Would you please provide a link to the Iphone white conector? I would like to see more information about it. Thanks 





fyl941 said:


> Mixing and matching...
> 
> Oppo pm-2
> Creek obh-11
> ...


----------



## Krutsch

heavennotes said:


>


 

 ^^ It's the USB to camera adapter. Used to bridge your iOS device to many compatible DACs (not all).
  
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter


----------



## esteboune

My Head-Fi station at it's current state :
  
 last addition, a turntable and a phono stage. (i added also the Schist SYS to switch from the DAC to the Phono)


----------



## teb1013

krutsch said:


> ^^ It's the USB to camera adapter. Used to bridge your iOS device to many compatible DACs (not all).
> 
> http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter




I have old pre lightening iPhone and iPad, with these you can just use the camera adapter straight to a USB cord to your DAC (I need to use a powered hub or my Apple gear says the DAC needs too much power).


----------



## Krutsch

teb1013 said:


> I have old pre lightening iPhone and iPad, with these you can just use the camera adapter straight to a USB cord to your DAC (I need to use a powered hub or my Apple gear says the DAC needs too much power).


 
  
 Uh, yeah... what I gave you the link for is the same device, but for lightening plug-equipped devices, as opposed to the 30-pin connector.


----------



## CJs06

Simple rig but I love it and use it all the time.


----------



## Arsis

cjs06 said:


> Simple rig but I love it and use it all the time.


One you use is the best kind. I see from your gear list that you're a real Schithead.  Sorry. I couldn't resist.


----------



## CJs06

arsis said:


> One you use is the best kind. I see from your gear list that you're a real Schithead.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 LOL completely appropriate Schiit.


----------



## JootecFromMars

Bedside listening.


----------



## colinallcarz

japheel said:


> Do those dogs get any use with the lcd 2 around? I know mine wouldn't



Sorry, just saw this. They do, but not as much as I'd hope. I normally go with open cans so I can keep an ear our for my kids.


----------



## Armaegis

My desktop couldn't take the 200 or so pounds anymore (the weight of 10 transformers really adds up)... time for some steel.


----------



## esteboune

armaegis said:


> My desktop couldn't take the 200 or so pounds anymore (the weight of 10 transformers really adds up)... time for some steel.


----------



## mikey1964

Quite recently scored an OPPO HA-1 to be used as one of my main audio station, with the Gustard H10 + X12 stack being the other.....

  
 Not exactly an audio station, but my portable gear.....Fiio X3 II + JDS Labs C5 + IE800 or Fitear Parterre w/ALO SXC 24 cable....


----------



## auee

Congrats on the Oppo HA-1; I have heard that it is a wonderful sounding product. And it also looks very cool.


----------



## Arsis

armaegis said:


> My desktop couldn't take the 200 or so pounds anymore (the weight of 10 transformers really adds up)... time for some steel.


I used a Bryston 4B with a pair of Tannoy DMT 12s in the studio for several years. Loved that amp! And what a great synergy with the Tannoys.


----------



## headphones1999

well i will put 2 pics so you can see the all place:


 sorry for the quality, best i could do with my camera.
  
 yes, i use stereo speakers amp to drive my Q701, and its one of the best matches for the 701 i ever heard (and i heard lots of amps with the 701)
  
 using laptop> Violectric V800> onkyo A925


----------



## LifeAspect

Might sell my lcd-3 as it's really underused atm...


----------



## penmarker

Hard to compete against a KEY LS50 really. That's one dream setup


----------



## JamesBr

headphones1999 said:


> well i will put 2 pics so you can see the all place:
> 
> 
> sorry for the quality, best i could do with my camera.
> ...


 
 argggg what a person could want more !!!


----------



## Shaffer

lifeaspect said:


> Might sell my lcd-3 as it's really underused atm...




This is a very nice system, indeed. Forgive me, looking at your fine gear one can't help and say how much better your system would sound if you were to setup the speakers in a room, sat a distance away and truly experienced what they have to offer. Good luck.


----------



## LifeAspect

shaffer said:


> This is a very nice system, indeed. Forgive me, looking at your fine gear one can't help and say how much better your system would sound if you were to setup the speakers in a room, sat a distance away and truly experienced what they have to offer. Good luck.


 
 Sadly not an option at the moment...planning to once I live on my own in the next coming years tho.


----------



## bizkid




----------



## HeyWaj10

^^Nice and clean!


----------



## jjacq

Just a couple of things for this to be complete. Cable adapters for Audeze to Ether, orange globe tubes for the Mjolnir.

 I think I'm gonna put the Gungnir on hold for a few months or so.


----------



## esko467

Hi Jjacq, is the rack done by piling up three IKEA Lack tables? Looks good! I have similar rack done just like that. It was fun thing to do


----------



## OnkelJ

My current Station, Running Jriver on my Hackintosh going coaxial into Fiio D03k to my Pioneer A223.
 Headphone is an Superlux HD 330 modded.
 Next step will be AKF 701 + LD 1+
  
 greetz !


----------



## HiFiChris

@OnkelJ

 Why do you have two keyboards and two mice?

 Does your Logitech G500 still work properly? Mine doesn't, the left mouse button is broken (one click causes multiple clicks etc.), although I don't use it for gaming but only for surfing on the internet, office stuff and video editing.


----------



## OnkelJ

Its an Hackintosh PC running OS X Yosemite and Windows 10. Gamer Keyboard and Razor for Win and other for Mac.
 Its an Razor Deathadder mouse.


----------



## Krutsch

jjacq said:


>


 
  
 Sweet tube-equipped headphone stand ... must keep your cans sounding "warm"


----------



## HiFiChris

@OnkelJ

 Ah, okay, so you're basically using the Magic Mouse and wireless Apple keyboard for hacked Yosemite (?) OS and the Gamer keyboard for Win10? Strange, but I like it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Oops, I mistook it with my Logitech G500 due to the grain on the downscaled picture - at first glance, it looked like the silver pattern on the Logitech mouse.

 Is the bamboo artwork on your wall painted? I quite like it, though it could have more than one colour. My cousin made a huge Caribbean/island/palm tree painting that covers a whole wall in her kids' playing/studying room where where she also installed a hammock just in front of it.
 More than a decade ago, when she was still in her early twenties and yet without kids (but already in a relationship with her present husband), she did plenty of arts, especially coloured paintings, drawings (charcoal and pencil) and I think a little anime, too. She has been/still is a very talented and creative hobbyist.


----------



## jjacq

esko467 said:


>


 
 Got mine from walmart but same idea. Only ran me $30 though I've been thinking of cutting the legs to make it shorter.


----------



## Armaegis

Every once in a while I see nice wood/bamboo cutting boads on sale and I think about buying 3 or 4 of them and some threaded rods to make a shelf


----------



## Phantom602

My main, bedroom and portable systems.


----------



## bretemm

How is the AK? 
Is the 64gb good enough for itunes quality music? I'm inbetween the ak100ii or the ak120 





phantom602 said:


> My main, bedroom and portable systems.


----------



## headphones1999

phantom602 said:


>


 
 me on this after 2 songs:




  
 but really, this is just perfect, need to get me one of those for my room :3


----------



## drez

+1 I totally need a chez...  Slumming it with a sofa for now...


----------



## Phantom602

The AK100II is superb. It has a micro SD card slot so I'm never in need of space. I have a few SD cards with different types of music on them and load what I'm in the mood for. I use the internal memory for all my standard music that I can not live without. 

The UI is awesome and very easy-to-use.


----------



## bretemm

Ok great, I was looking at the akjr, but I think I'll go with the ak100ii, I wish the UI was faster tho 





phantom602 said:


> The AK100II is superb. It has a micro SD card slot so I'm never in need of space. I have a few SD cards with different types of music on them and load what I'm in the mood for. I use the internal memory for all my standard music that I can not live without.
> 
> The UI is awesome and very easy-to-use.


----------



## Phantom602

Take a look at the Sony NW ZX1 I liked this player a lot. It's also a lot cheaper now.


----------



## Phantom602

Update to my system...Thanks to a fellow member I have new favorite amp. I have only had the Cavalli Liquid Fire in my system a few hours and I can already tell it is an improvement over the Ray Samuels Raptor. The Raptor will move into my bedroom system if the wife gives me approval.


----------



## esteboune

phantom602 said:


> Update to my system...Thanks to a fellow member I have new favorite amp. I have only had the Cavalli Liquid Fire in my system a few hours and I can already tell it is an improvement over the Ray Samuels Raptor. The Raptor will move into my bedroom system if the wife gives me approval.


 
  
  
 Superb...
  
 congrats!
  
 a very nice set up!


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## remilio

Viva Numerico is a beast - both in performance and size.


----------



## aroldan




----------



## jjacq

Posted this everywhere lol sorry if this is the 5th time you guys have seen it.


----------



## GioF71

Hello @aroldan, what DAC/AMP model is that audio-gd? Thanks!


----------



## wahsmoh

New headphone setup for my dad


----------



## aroldan

.Quote: 





giof71 said:


> Hello @aroldan, what DAC/AMP model is that audio-gd? Thanks!


 
 It's a FUN with upgraded USB32 module:
  
 http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/FUN/FUNEN.htm


----------



## flipper2gv

remilio said:


> Viva Numerico is a beast - both in performance and size.


 
  
 and price, it's 10k.


----------



## jjshin23

flipper2gv said:


>


 
  
 beast performance, size, and price - overall beast!


----------



## spurxiii

Pumping some Simon Patterson through this is bloody awesome


----------



## x RELIC x

Hooked up my ALO Rx (IEM only) portable amp with the JH Angie to the Audio-GD DAC-19 (10th anv). Bucking the desktop only trend......... Spectacular sound.


----------



## warp2600

Hi,
  
 new member here. I have been reading threads on the site for some time and found them quite informative and entertaining.
 I have not been able to figure out how to list my gear on my profile page or upload pictures. Actually, after reading the automated welcoming message with all the restrictions, I was even surprised that I was able to upload my avatar pic. Well, apparently, after some posts that will change.
 So my current headphone rig corner looks like this:
 source: SONY SCD-XE800 sacd player or Mac Mini through KORG DS-DAC-100
 amp: Little Dot MkIII (M8100 mil-spec driver tubes and stock 6p6n power tubes)
 phones: Beyerdynamic DT-990 pro
  
 As I am not allowed to insert a pic, you can view my rig on Flickr by clicking on the links above.
  
 Have a nice weekend with lots of great music.
  
 Pal
 from Hungary


----------



## GioF71

aroldan said:


> It's a FUN with upgraded USB32 module:
> 
> http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/FUN/FUNEN.htm


 
  
 Thanks! Nice setup!


----------



## hodgjy

I'll eat Ramen noodles for a while. My Gumby arrvied.

Amp is the TEAC HA-501 and it's driving LCD-2F.


----------



## MattTCG

hodgjy said:


> I'll eat Ramen noodles for a while. My Gumby arrvied.
> 
> Amp is the TEAC HA-501 and it's driving LCD-2F.


 
  
 I'm happy for you Jay. Enjoy!! I'm enjoying mine.


----------



## hodgjy

matttcg said:


> I'm happy for you Jay. Enjoy!! I'm enjoying mine.


 
 Thanks. Mine is still warming up, but I have no complaints while it's cold--right from first start up.


----------



## basman

Same old stuff but new station:


----------



## pervysage




----------



## MattTCG

basman said:


> Same old stuff but new station:


 
 Love this! Truly an end game hd650 setup.


----------



## awsanderson

@basman how do you like your Apache and what's your favorite phone to listen to on it.  I have one and am thinking about getting new cans. currently using HD650's


----------



## Androb

New purchase - Cables for my LCD-3! The original cables broke (both) so I had to replace them with a sturdier cable  Got it from ebay, also a 4pin female to 1/4 plug extension cable so I can connect it to single ended amps aswell!


----------



## whirlwind

basman said:


> Same old stuff but new station:


 
 Very nice.
  
  
  
 Here is my new set-up


----------



## Bazzman

Big changes since I last posted my rig a long time ago.
 The Pro-ject turntable is still present but has been fitted with an acrylic platter and uses the old platter as an additional plinth and is now fitted with an Audio Technica AT-F7 cartridge.
 The turntable goes through the Musical Fidelity X-LPS, X-PSU and X-CAN. The Cambridge Audio NP30, Sony ST-S3000ES, Sony MDS-J3000ES, Teac PD-H500i and Teac R-H500 go through the Denon DA-300USB and still have my Sennheiser HD650 headphones. A hidden Mac mini is connected to the Denon and is remotely controlled by a Galaxy Tab Pro S.


----------



## Vicca Tito

androb said:


> New purchase - Cables for my LCD-3! The original cables broke (both) so I had to replace them with a sturdier cable  Got it from ebay, also a 4pin female to 1/4 plug extension cable so I can connect it to single ended amps aswell!




Bravo!!
What's your impression in comparison to stock cables? 

Is it little dot that you're running your LCDs from?


----------



## headphones1999

bazzman said:


> Big changes since I last posted my rig a long time ago.
> The Pro-ject turntable is still present but has been fitted with an acrylic platter and uses the old platter as an additional plinth and is now fitted with an Audio Technica AT-F7 cartridge.
> The turntable goes through the Musical Fidelity X-LPS, X-PSU and X-CAN. The Cambridge Audio NP30, Sony ST-S3000ES, Sony MDS-J3000ES, Teac PD-H500i and Teac R-H500 go through the Denon DA-300USB and still have my Sennheiser HD650 headphones. A hidden Mac mini is connected to the Denon and is remotely controlled by a Galaxy Tab Pro S.


 
 lol the TEAC\sony setup make the pic look upside down 
  
 awesome system


----------



## Vicca Tito

Fine looking system. Respectful stack of Teac half width components. I recommend adding one of AH 500 amps ( especially "i" variants) which you canfind driving your headphones better than anything else in this awesome setup. Try this. I'm planning to do this with my Beyerdynamic T1. 

However, good as it can be.


----------



## Androb

vicca tito said:


> Bravo!!
> What's your impression in comparison to stock cables?
> 
> Is it little dot that you're running your LCDs from?


 
 It was actually that long ago since I listened to them thx to the original cables broke. So I can't really tell if there is any i'm afraid! And yes it is


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Finally need a better place for my setup (DIY Daphile box, Bifrost Uber, Gustard U12, iFi micro iCAN)


----------



## f0oster

My current head-fi station:
 HD600s, MrSpeakers ETHER
 Audio-GD Reference 7, Headroom Max (04/05 model) and my old DACMini which isn't getting much listening time at the moment. Waiting for the Liquid Carbon and trying to restrain myself from putting a deposit on the GSX MK2... 
  

  
  
 Interim setup, while I was hunting for the Reference 7 
 Borrowing a friends M2tech Young, really gorgeous DAC -- was a bit sad parting ways with it.
  

  
  
 Close up


----------



## basman

Love it but still in the market for a tube amp that will complete the setup. Not familiar with other cans coz i only use my hd650 and grados.




awsanderson said:


> @basman
> how do you like your Apache and what's your favorite phone to listen to on it.  I have one and am thinking about getting new cans. currently using HD650's


----------



## Krutsch

basman said:


> Love it but still in the market for a tube amp that will complete the setup. Not familiar with other cans coz i only use my hd650 and grados.




Look at the Woo WA3. On the low end, nothing does better with the HD-650.


----------



## mikey1964

Revamped my desktop audio setup recently....


----------



## headphones1999

mikey1964 said:


> Revamped my desktop audio setup recently....


 
 just nice pair of SR-009 and your done 
  
 wish i had headphones system that was close to this


----------



## sp3llv3xit

TT casts colorful lights on the wall.


----------



## jasonb

laptop -> ODAC -> Emotiva Mini-x A-100 -> bass modded AKG Q701


----------



## MattTCG




----------



## headphones1999

jasonb said:


> laptop -> ODAC -> Emotiva Mini-x A-100 -> bass modded AKG Q701


 
 how are you contacting the 701 to the Emotiva?


----------



## jasonb

headphones1999 said:


> how are you contacting the 701 to the Emotiva?




It's hooked right to the speaker outs with banana plugs. It's got waaay too much power so the volume dial never goes past the 9 o'clock position.


----------



## headphones1999

jasonb said:


> It's hooked right to the speaker outs with banana plugs. It's got waaay too much power so the volume dial never goes past the 9 o'clock position.


 
 nice
  
 you can show picture so i can see exactly how you did it?
 want to try it on my 701


----------



## jasonb

headphones1999 said:


> nice
> 
> you can show picture so i can see exactly how you did it?
> want to try it on my 701






The four that you see not hooked up are the ones for my speakers.


----------



## headphones1999

thanks!
  
 i see 3 cables, not 4,
 you just plug 2 out of 3 to the right channel then only 1 to the left and it works?


----------



## jasonb

The headphones aren't balanced so there is only 1 ground wire, but that is OK cause inside the Emotiva it is also single common ground.


----------



## headphones1999

jasonb said:


> The headphones aren't balanced so there is only 1 ground wire, but that is OK cause inside the Emotiva it is also single common ground.


 
 so you cant do it on every speaker amp?


----------



## jasonb

headphones1999 said:


> so you cant do it on every speaker amp?




That I'm not sure about, but with this amp and many others this is perfectly ok to do.


----------



## headphones1999

oh okay, i think i will try it tommorow hope it will work 
  
 thanks for the help!


----------



## jasonb

headphones1999 said:


> oh okay, i think i will try it tommorow hope it will work
> 
> thanks for the help!




Here is a close up of which color wire is which on the stock Q701 cables. As long as you hook it up like this to an amp that doesn't care if only one ground is hooked up it will work. Be extremely careful with the volume knob. Start with the volume all the way down and remember that you won't have much range on the knob, so turn very slowly. It will work and it should sound great, at the very worst there will be some slight hiss.


----------



## CJG888

I wouldn't necessarily want to try that with a tube amp...


----------



## smk01

Headphones1999
  
 Contact the manufacturer of your amp to see if OK.


----------



## headphones1999

my amp can work with one channel only...
  
 smk01
 its kinda old amp (from 1999) and its onkyo so its not really an option 
 welcome to head-fi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 anyway the cable is ready and all i need to do is plug the cable to the speakers amp, so the next comment is or that my Q701 got *** or that i got "new" amp for my 701


----------



## headphones1999

okayyyyyy my Q701 didnt got ***  
  
 i was needed to use the balance knob for the headphones but besides this everything works perfectly (there is no hiss)
  
 im not really sure about the difference between the headphones output to the speakers output, the main thing i noticed is that i need turn on the volume so Q701 will sound good :/
 maybe the speakers output makes the highs smoother...
 anyway right now i dont really care whats the difference (as long as i like what i hear
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
  
  
 thanks for the help jasonb!


----------



## MickeyVee

Added a Bel Canto CD3t CD Transport.  Yes, still loving CDs.


----------



## headphones1999

mickeyvee said:


> Added a Bel Canto CD3t CD Transport.  Yes, still loving CDs.


 




 one of the best HD800 setup i ever saw, you really need vinyl though, and then it will be perfect
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 what is this micntosh thing on the left side (looks like computer speakers)


----------



## MickeyVee

Yup, I have the MXA70 System which is basically an MHA100 with the matching McIntosh speakers, just marketed differently. I also have a Paradigm Sub under my desk hooked up to it so best of both worlds, headphone and speaker system in my office.  Since it's on my desk, probably won't be doing vinyl. 
  
 Quote:


headphones1999 said:


>


----------



## MattTCG

mickeyvee said:


> Added a Bel Canto CD3t CD Transport.  Yes, still loving CDs.


 
  
 Very nice setup for the hd800! Plus that's quite a cordless phone/answering machine combo you've got yourself.


----------



## NZheadcase




----------



## lasttodie

Well I can't compete with anyone of you guys but this is my little corner of the house and I LOVE it
iPad Air with Apple music and Sony MDR-1A (for me this is heaven)


----------



## Wil

PC (fidelizer pro) -> iusb -> idsd -> sun audio 2a3 with black gate mods -> appj adapter -> hd800 (Dat bass though)


----------



## Youth

wil said:


> PC (fidelizer pro) -> iusb -> idsd -> sun audio 2a3 with black gate mods -> appj adapter -> hd800 (Dat bass though)


 
  
 What is appj adapter exactly?


----------



## Wil

youth said:


>


 
http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/appj-hpa-headphone-amplifier-adapter.html
  
 It basically allows me to use my headphones with my speaker amp sorta like the ER4S / ER4P adapter.


----------



## Jozurr

wil said:


> http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/appj-hpa-headphone-amplifier-adapter.html
> 
> It basically allows me to use my headphones with my speaker amp sorta like the ER4S / ER4P adapter.


 
  
 So similar to what the Hifiman adapter is like.
  
 http://www.analogueseduction.net/hifiman-headphone-amplifiers/hifiman-he-adaptor.html
  
 Any reason why you chose the appj instead of this?


----------



## colorsquid

Three views of a secret


----------



## jfoxvol

colorsquid said:


> Three views of a secret


 
 Nice setup.  Nice Gold Top LP!


----------



## headphones1999

ohhhh nice, mirage speakers 
 what model?


----------



## headphones1999

double post


----------



## MickeyVee

Classic Carver.. Love it!!
 Quote:


colorsquid said:


>


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Gotta love the big analogue meters!!


----------



## colorsquid

Those are Vandersteen 3A signatures, way too much for this small room.
 I know, first world problem.


----------



## drews




----------



## NZheadcase

drews said:


>


 
  
 Beautiful setup @drews ! Everything is within reach. Very nice indeed.


----------



## MattTCG

drews said:


>


 
 Now this is nice. Great collection of cans.


----------



## headphones1999

looks like mirage speakers...
  
 really interesting vintage speakers 


colorsquid said:


> Those are Vandersteen 3A signatures, way too much for this small room.
> I know, first world problem.


 
 feel you bro, got the same problem, although as long as there is no problem with the lows\highs in the room you should be very happy with what you have


----------



## drews

matttcg said:


> Now this is nice. Great collection of cans.


 
  
 Thanks!  Now I'd better go hide some of them before my wife takes notice and starts doing the math...


----------



## jfoxvol

Oh no she hates these cans.  Stay away from these cans!!!!


----------



## Arsis

mickeyvee said:


> Added a Bel Canto CD3t CD Transport.  Yes, still loving CDs. :veryevil:


Awesome rig! I still like cd too. I've always been an album listener. I've spent 20 years in the music business and I'm old school in thinking that a song is only a piece of the greater whole. To me, concept album or not, the album as a whole represents a specific chapter for the band. My wife's ipod is perpetually on shuffle. Drives me nuts.


----------



## longbowbbs

jfoxvol said:


> Oh no she hates these cans.  Stay away from these cans!!!!


 
 Thank you Mrs. Nussbaum.....


----------



## basman

New amp


----------



## Krutsch

basman said:


> New amp


 

 Nice rig... and SWEET cabinet/shelving. I really need something like that. My desktop setup moved to a side table and I don't even have room for my turn table and my cans/CDs had to move to an in-wall shelf:


----------



## indydieselnut

It's been a wild ride since moving into a new space, but I finally have something that works in my room.  I realize I've left out the most important components for pictures on head-fi...the HEADPHONES.  Rest assured, my trusty HD600 and HD650 are pulling duty out of the Mjolnir 2 using a Cardas balanced cable.  
  
 The Focal Solo6 Be in this setup is as close as I've ever gotten to headphone listening using speakers.  The room was very acoustically problematic and using the monitors in the nearfield not only solved the room issues, but surprised me with some of the most relaxed, musical, and engaging sound I've ever experienced.  Not pictured is the huge row of IKEA Kallax shelving for the rest of the LP collection.
  
 I just finished some custom speaker stands for the Focal monitors.  As much as I loved the sound of the speakers, the look was just too sterile.  The wood stands help warm things up a bit.   
  
 Source:
 Linn Sondek LP12 w/Adikt 
 Custom Bottlehead Eros with NOS Telefunken EF806s
 Cambridge CXC transport
 Schiit Gungnir Multibit
  
 Preamp/Headphone amp:
 Schiit Mjolnir 2 with NOS Telefunken E88CC
  
 Headphones:
 HD600
 HD650 w/Cardas balanced cable


----------



## notfitforpublic

indydieselnut said:


> It's been a wild ride since moving into a new space...


 
 Im speechless... That looks absolutely amazing. Well done.


----------



## indydieselnut

notfitforpublic said:


> Im speechless... That looks absolutely amazing. Well done.


 
 Thank you very much!  It's been fun to participate in head-fi over the years and this has always been one of my favorite threads - it's great to see how people express their love for music!


----------



## MattTCG

Very, very nice indydieselnut!! I fee bad that you had to move all that. Must have been a separate move all by itself.


----------



## LancerFIN

New apartment setup. Still trying to figure out what is the best place. Here it's better for the genelecs but don't have room for proper listening chair.


----------



## headphones1999

lancerfin said:


> New apartment setup. Still trying to figure out what is the best place. Here it's better for the genelecs but don't have room for proper listening chair.


 
 ahhh T49  (or sheridan  got it as well 
 youre on the USA or EU server?


----------



## LancerFIN

headphones1999 said:


> ahhh T49  (or sheridan  got it as well
> youre on the USA or EU server?


 

 EU. Same nick.


----------



## korotnam

indydieselnut said:


> It's been a wild ride....


 
  Absolutely gorgeous!


----------



## Arsis

lancerfin said:


> New apartment setup. Still trying to figure out what is the best place. Here it's better for the genelecs but don't have room for proper listening chair.


 Nice setup! Love the Genelecs. Do you have the sub too?


----------



## auee

arsis said:


> Awesome rig! I still like cd too. I've always been an album listener. I've spent 20 years in the music business and I'm old school in thinking that a song is only a piece of the greater whole. To me, concept album or not, the album as a whole represents a specific chapter for the band. My wife's ipod is perpetually on shuffle. Drives me nuts.


 

 Completely agree, sir. I like to think that the album as a whole is an artistic expression and intended to be listened to from start to finish or as in a book from front to back.


----------



## Arsis

auee said:


> Completely agree, sir. I like to think that the album as a whole is an artistic expression and intended to be listened to from start to finish or as in a book from front to back.


I've worked on many albums and know first hand that most bands are either decidedly emphatic or labor intensely over the song order. Either way there is much thought put into it. Then at the at the mastering session, often much thought is put into how much space is between songs. Sometimes its a tempo thing. Sometimes its a feel thing.


----------



## LancerFIN

arsis said:


> Nice setup! Love the Genelecs. Do you have the sub too?


 
 Nah. I don't really need a sub for them. When I want more bass I'll just turn around.
  

 Very early work in progress pic.


----------



## Krutsch

lancerfin said:


> Nah. I don't really need a sub for them. When I want more bass I'll just turn around.
> 
> 
> Very early work in progress pic.


 
 That's really nice. When my daughter goes to college, I am doing something similar with her room.


----------



## Arsis

lancerfin said:


> Nah. I don't really need a sub for them. When I want more bass I'll just turn around.
> 
> 
> 
> Very early work in progress pic.


nice!


----------



## nepherte

Finally home after spending 5 months abroad for work. Really missed my setup:


----------



## jfoxvol

nepherte said:


> Finally home after spending 5 months abroad for work. Really missed my setup:


 
 Oh very nice!


----------



## MattTCG

I know that technically you're not supposed to stack them but...they sure do look nice that way.


----------



## nepherte

I couldn't be more happier with the setup I have now. I found that the GS-X is the only headphone amp (that I tried) that reveals the potential of my TotalDAC. I even cancelled my BHSE order. Not because the BHSE couldn't improve on what I have now, but because I am happy with the sound I currently hear.
  
  
 Quote:


matttcg said:


> I know that technically you're not supposed to stack them but...they sure do look nice that way.


 
  
 Technically, Justin "advises" you not to stack them. The only reason not to stack them is noise and humming. I tried it out and I don't hear that at all so I couldn't care less.
  
  


jfoxvol said:


> Oh very nice!


 
  
 Thanks. I'll be giving them a much better place once I move into my new house. That should be finished late next year.


----------



## f0oster

nepherte said:


> Finally home after spending 5 months abroad for work. Really missed my setup:


 
 I've been on the fence about putting a deposit on the GS-X for a while now. I mean I spent a good hour auditioning it at my local Hi-Fi store, but  despite how amazing it sounded and how well paired with my Ether I just I don't think I can justify the spend at $4,400 AUD anytime in the near future...
  
 Very lucky you, I'm a little envious right now to say the least.


----------



## indydieselnut

matttcg said:


> Very, very nice indydieselnut!! I fee bad that you had to move all that. Must have been a separate move all by itself.


 
 Thank you!  It was exactly as you say - a separate move all by itself.  I had access to boxes that held the perfect number of CDs...enough to make it worth it, not so much it became too heavy.  I packed dozens and dozens of those boxes...along with the 1,000+ LPs.  I didn't want the movers to handle any of it, so I relied on "pizza labor" with friends


----------



## danL93

My setup after a bit of a clean
 Mac mini/Pure i20 > Mini-i Pro > K702 65th/A30 > P4s


----------



## oneguy

My setup


----------



## HeyWaj10

danl93 said:


> My setup after a bit of a clean
> Mac mini/Pure i20 > Mini-i Pro > K702 65th/A30 > P4s


 
  
 Beautiful setup! Great job matching the speakers w/ the desk. BTW, what desk is that?


----------



## danL93

Thanks! It is the old equivalent of the Ikea Gerton, which I just put a couple coats of varnish on..pretty happy with how it turned out, nice and solid too.


----------



## ssrock64

oneguy said:


> My setup


 
 Nice! Purely audio-focused desks are always quite a sight to behold.


----------



## Shaffer

danl93 said:


> My setup after a bit of a clean
> Mac mini/Pure i20 > Mini-i Pro > K702 65th/A30 > P4s




Coincidentally, I have the same desk and the same speakers. I bought the desk, in part, due to its size. It's huge. Thinking about it now, I must have had it for ~15 years at this point. Never a thought of changing. It's a solidly destined piece.


----------



## oneguy

ssrock64 said:


> Nice! Purely audio-focused desks are always quite a sight to behold.




Thanks! The only downside is I am running out of room for more equipment...


----------



## Phonelaf

My first Grado and I really like it. It plays very well with the Hugo. Did the Sunflower mod to to add some comfort and bass.
 Thinking of buying a Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon.


----------



## Youth

phonelaf said:


> My first Grado and I really like it. It plays very well with the Hugo. Did the Sunflower mod to to add some comfort and bass.
> *Thinking of buying a Cavalli Audi Liquid Carbon.*


 
  
 Better hurry before they are sold out


----------



## Phonelaf

youth said:


> Better hurry before they are sold out


 

 Going to order in the next 2-3 days


----------



## headphones1999

phonelaf said:


> Going to order in the next 2-3 days


 
 just for the grado?


----------



## Phonelaf

headphones1999 said:


> just for the grado?


 

 Yes, why are you asking?


----------



## headphones1999

going to anwer in a question 
  
 does it really worth to but the liquid carvon just for the grado? or youre planing to buy some other headphones and you want an amp that will drive them perfecly?


----------



## Phonelaf

headphones1999 said:


> going to anwer in a question
> 
> does it really worth to but the liquid carvon just for the grado? or youre planing to buy some other headphones and you want an amp that will drive them perfecly?


 

 Hi,
  
 I don´t know if it really makes a sense because the Hugo is a very good amp.
 Just curious 
  
 Regards


----------



## headphones1999

phonelaf said:


> Hi,
> 
> I don´t know if it really makes a sense because the Hugo is a very good amp.
> Just curious
> ...


 
 Curiosity is expensive hobby 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









  
 why not buy the GS1000 second hand instead? i think its almsot the same price


----------



## Youth

headphones1999 said:


> Curiosity is expensive hobby
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Usually it's not a good idea to buy amplifiers from the same brand as your headphones. They make headphones for a reason. And the companies that specialize in amplifiers makes amplifiers for a reason.


----------



## hodgjy

youth said:


> Usually it's not a good idea to buy amplifiers from the same brand as your headphones. They make headphones for a reason. And the companies that specialize in amplifiers makes amplifiers for a reason.




Beyerdynamic, Oppo, and Sennheiser make outstanding amplifiers and headphones. They are typically voiced to work together to achieve the overall sound the designer wanted.


----------



## Youth

With a few exceptions I'll agree to disagree


----------



## headphones1999

youth said:


> Usually it's not a good idea to buy amplifiers from the same brand as your headphones. They make headphones for a reason. And the companies that specialize in amplifiers makes amplifiers for a reason.


 
 im a bit confused
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 i didnt talk about any grado amp as far as i know


----------



## Youth

headphones1999 said:


> im a bit confused
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I thought you were talking about a Grado amplifier since you mentioned he should get that instead of the Liquid Carbon lol.


----------



## headphones1999

youth said:


> I thought you were talking about a Grado amplifier since you mentioned he should get that instead of the Liquid Carbon lol.


 
 lol


----------



## KAMT

Hi everyone.
 Musical fidelity M1 HPA, some old audioquest cable, Sennheiser HD-650, HD-600, Beyer dynamic DT 880, and an old X-can v2 that is not on this picture. Currently on service/upgrade. I have to say I'm just in love with the M1. Lifted up the HD-650 alot. They sound alot faster and crisper now.
 Now to my question, I'm about to switch tubes in my X-can v2. Would you go with JAN 6922/E88CC or 6H23N valves? Those are available at the moment, but I would love some other suggestions now before purchase.  I use the M1's DAC. And I listen to everything from classical to jazz.. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

My humble ULTRA EXPENSIVE set-up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 :


----------



## Clayton SF

Chilling with Steven @parbaked. Thanks for letting me borrow the 47 labs 4715 Shigaraki nos DAC. Sublime! Paired with the Decware Mini Torii and the CD Transport 4716 it makes my skin crawl (in a good way).


----------



## whirlwind

^ Looks like someone is having a great time ^


----------



## esko467

My current (trans)portable setup. 
- Sony D-50 CD-player
- Oppo HA-2
- Hifiman HE400i


----------



## Clayton SF

clayton sf said:


> Chilling with Steven @parbaked. Thanks for letting me borrow the 47 labs 4715 Shigaraki nos DAC. Sublime! Paired with the Decware Mini Torii and the CD Transport 4716 it makes my skin crawl (in a good way).
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 47 Labs 4715 and Mini ?Torii


 
  
 Last night I was so anxious to listen to the DAC that I put it together haphazardly.
 So now I've straightened up my setup.


----------



## Ultrainferno

clayton sf said:


> Last night I was so anxious to listen to the DAC that I put it together haphazardly.
> So now I've straightened up my setup.


 
  
 Very lovely, C!
  
 This is one of my newer setups at night


----------



## Clayton SF

ultrainferno said:


> Very lovely, C!
> 
> This is one of my newer setups at night


 
 Thanks, L.
  
 That's a tiny display—but a very colorful one. Nice.


----------



## jaywillin

ultrainferno said:


> Very lovely, C!
> 
> This is one of my newer setups at night


 
 what gear ? i'm not familiar with it


----------



## jaywillin

i've had much more expensive gear, but i'm enjoying this almost as much as anything i've had before, at a much lower price
 i can't believe how good the h10 is !
  

  
 it keeps my head bobbing and toes tapping !


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> i've had much more expensive gear, but i'm enjoying this almost as much as anything i've had before, at a much lower price
> *i can't believe how good the h10 is !*
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Told ya'!!


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Told ya'!!


 
 yes sir, you did, and mr doe too !


----------



## MattTCG

Glad you're enjoying it so much Jay.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


> Glad you're enjoying it so much Jay.


----------



## Ultrainferno

jaywillin said:


> what gear ? i'm not familiar with it


 
  
 Stoner Acoustics EGA & EGD
  
 http://www.stoneracoustics.com/


----------



## jaywillin

ultrainferno said:


> Stoner Acoustics EGA & EGD
> 
> http://www.stoneracoustics.com/


 
 now that rings a bell, thanks !
  
 very interesting, how do you like it ?


----------



## Ultrainferno

jaywillin said:


> now that rings a bell, thanks !
> 
> very interesting, how do you like it ?


 
  
 Still need to test it a whole lot more. The amp is nice but the DAC hasn't convinced me yet.
 EG stands for EndGame but I wouldn't call it that though


----------



## jaywillin

ultrainferno said:


> Still need to test it a whole lot more. The amp is nice but the DAC hasn't convinced me yet.
> EG stands for EndGame but I wouldn't call it that though


 
 i saw that on their website and wondered about that


----------



## drewTT




----------



## 13713

Just moved. Once I get my audio rack I am never moving the record player again.


----------



## RickB

drewtt said:


>


 
  
 That's screw*n' beautiful.


----------



## MattTCG




----------



## HeyWaj10

matttcg said:


>


 
  
 Ugh...jealous. Looks outstanding!  What headphones do you pair with the Schiit stack?


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Hd650, Ether and soon (hopefully) he-edition x or hd800s.


----------



## headphones1999

matttcg said:


>


 
 wow, your table color really makes everything looks awesome


----------



## MattTCG

Thanks guys. This might sound weird, but I think that the Woo stand I just got (on top of the mjo2) is acting as a heat sink. The mjo2 is running noticeably cooler. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Bonus, I guess.


----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


>


 
  
 nice matt


----------



## drewTT




----------



## spanner43




----------



## jfoxvol

spanner43 said:


>


 

 Nice setup.  I still have my original Asgard.  I was considering grabbing an Asgard 2.  What kind of player is that?


----------



## spanner43

jfoxvol said:


> Nice setup.  I still have my original Asgard.  I was considering grabbing an Asgard 2.  What kind of player is that?


 

 Thanks. Its the fiio x3 1st gen using the line out


----------



## jjshin23

It just keeps getting better... Nice KEF LS50


----------



## LifeAspect

gz on the kefs ^^


----------



## jasonb

This is been my Head-Fi station since getting this phone on Friday. LG V10 -> Q701


----------



## lamboy1

drewtt said:


> ​
> very nice I also have a pair of the Kef ls-50


----------



## hodgjy

I put my Trafomatic back into circulation. The TEAC is serving as a fixed level pass through pre amp. Gumby feeding the chain.


----------



## MattTCG

hodgjy said:


> I put my Trafomatic back into circulation. The TEAC is serving as a fixed level pass through pre amp. Gumby feeding the chain.


 
  
 Very nice sir! Gumby is shaping up to be best bang for the buck I've seen in a few years.


----------



## hodgjy

matttcg said:


> Very nice sir! Gumby is shaping up to be best bang for the buck I've seen in a few years.




Thanks! The Gumby is magnificent. It truly is.


----------



## soundfanz

Thought I'd add another couple of pics. Thanks for the likes.


----------



## MattTCG

soundfanz said:


>


 
  
 Wow!! That Crack case is crazy. Did you do the finish?


----------



## soundfanz

matttcg said:


> Wow!! That Crack case is crazy. Did you do the finish?


 
  
 Yes. I recently purchased the Crack+ Speedball off a member of another hi fi forum and didn't like the case in brown. Stained it Black and rubbed it back with sandpaper.
 Applied a couple of coats of varnish to finish it.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Wonderful work!! Gorgeous case.


----------



## whirlwind

matttcg said:


> ^^ Wonderful work!! Gorgeous case.


 
 +1.....love it!


----------



## jaywillin

soundfanz said:


>


 
  
  


matttcg said:


> ^^ Wonderful work!! Gorgeous case.


 
  
  


whirlwind said:


> +1.....love it!


 
  
 that makes me want crack !!  yes, gorgeous !!


----------



## headphones1999

soundfanz said:


>


 
 i swear my face was like this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 for 10 seconds, beautiful beautiful beautiful case!


----------



## Youth

Yeah that is one beautiful Crack


----------



## wildlife2011

This is all I can buy for now. MSI CR4 > iFi ‑ Micro iDSD DAC > HE-400S
  
 Suggest some good desktop amps/dac?


----------



## Music Path

headphones1999 said:


> i swear my face was like this :eek:  for 10 seconds, beautiful beautiful beautiful case!




Very cool indeed !


----------



## f0oster

Slight update since last time..
  
  

 Moved my gear onto it's own little table, got the RP3 as well as Rega MM fono
  

 My portable gear (the X5 v2 w/ the E12 and the DT1350.)
  

 HD600 and ETHER
  

 Rega RP3 w/ Ortofon 2M Red
  

 My balanced interconnects and ETHER cables eagerly await the Liquid Carbon...
  

 My desk (featuring a few old records I found in storage -- no sleeves sadly..)


----------



## sp3llv3xit




----------



## Clayton SF

Amp rolling again.


----------



## barid

clayton sf said:


> Amp rolling again.




Dat leben  so nice.


----------



## KAMT

barid said:


> Dat leben
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Indeed!


----------



## Clayton SF

Enjoying some great music with my beta and sigma 22 built by _*Corey Warner of SWA*_.
 AH-D7000 headphones.
 Time for some serious listening before Monday-morning blues.


----------



## hodgjy

clayton sf said:


> Enjoying some great music with my beta and sigma 22 built by Corey Warner of SWA.
> AH-D7000 headphones.
> Time for some serious listening before Monday-morning blues.




I didn't know you had a 22 system. When did you sneak that into your collection? Looking good, as always.


----------



## Clayton SF

hodgjy said:


> I didn't know you had a 22 system. When did you sneak that into your collection? Looking good, as always.


 

 The build started in April of 2011 and it was delivered in June 2011.
 From start to finish, Corey helped me every step of the way.
 It was such a rewarding experience.
 Baby beta / sigma pix:


----------



## hodgjy

That's fantastic!


----------



## whirlwind

clayton sf said:


> Enjoying some great music with my beta and sigma 22 built by _*Corey Warner of SWA*_.
> AH-D7000 headphones.
> Time for some serious listening before Monday-morning blues.


 
 Great stuff, as always Clayton.


----------



## GioF71

clayton sf said:


> Enjoying some great music with my beta and sigma 22 built by _*Corey Warner of SWA*_.
> AH-D7000 headphones.
> Time for some serious listening before Monday-morning blues.


 
  
 Nice builds!!
 Congratulations


----------



## Errymoose

Forgive the terrible speaker placement for now. Only just unpacking in the new place and I just wanted to listen to *something*
The tannoys are new. Moved the rotel and paradigms to the new living room and 'downsized' to an active bedroom system.


----------



## KAMT

Musical Fidelity M1HPAp and X-can v2. The X-Can I just got back from service, with new powersupply and new tubes (Sylvania JAN 6922 x2). I'm testing it with various headphones and music... (Using the M1 DAC) Have a nice weekend all! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers!


----------



## dsound

kamt said:


> Musical Fidelity M1HPAp and X-can v2. The X-Can I just got back from service, with new powersupply and new tubes (Sylvania JAN 6922 x2). I'm testing it with various headphones and music... (Using the M1 DAC) Have a nice weekend all!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Awesome. I still love my X-Can v1, can drive most anything that I throw at it pretty well.  A couple years ago at a meet a fellow-headfier even liked the pairing between the X-Can and his AKG K1000 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## KAMT

dsound said:


> Awesome. I still love my X-Can v1, can drive most anything that I throw at it pretty well.  A couple years ago at a meet a fellow-headfier even liked the pairing between the X-Can and his AKG K1000
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Take five - by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It's Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic for me, the HD-600, 650 (x2, first pairs needs service - killed them vith a too good of a jazz-taste..) and a I used a very well "played in" to put it mildly DT-880. K1000 is just another bank robbery or 2 away lol. Take care mate.


----------



## alvinmate

Violectric V281
 Violectric V800
 Rega Apollo R
 Senn HD800
 Pono Player
 Dita IEM
 Macbook Pro (not in pic)


----------



## Krutsch

alvinmate said:


> Violectric V281
> Violectric V800
> Rega Apollo R
> Senn HD800
> ...


 
  
 Beautiful setup!
  
 One question: does that piece of paper on the wall about the headphones say: "This is where art work will hang after I recover from my Head-Fi spend"?


----------



## setavn

Hi,
  
 I'm still using my modded Xcan V2 for most cans, they can easily outperform my schiit lyr amp. Just get a decent tubes like Amperex or Mullard and you are set for a very long time.


----------



## oshipao

To be continued.


----------



## Blackrain

Here is my current setup..
 Using MacBook for Source.


----------



## headphones1999

blackrain said:


> Here is my current setup..
> Using MacBook for Source.


 
 wow great picture!
  
 i think that Violectric is one of the most popular companys here


----------



## Krutsch

oshipao said:


> To be continued.


 
  
 Very nice! I have a Thorens TD-166 MK II I bought 30 years ago... dying to re-arrange my listening area along the lines of what you've done, using a low credenza. Work keeps getting the way...


----------



## oshipao

krutsch said:


> Very nice! I have a Thorens TD-166 MK II I bought 30 years ago... dying to re-arrange my listening area along the lines of what you've done, using a low credenza. Work keeps getting the way...




Thank you. I think you should do just that. The Thorens are good tables. I have a Ortofon OM40 to play with at the moment and would really like a good mc cart, but then I also need a new phono stage


----------



## gibby




----------



## FastAndClean

Like Diego Sanchez
 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES


----------



## eonsend

Playin with the new toy 



Zune HD -> Cosmic Ears HY3

And terrible lighting


----------



## HiFiChris

eonsend said:


> Zune HD ->


 

 Thought it was a FiiO X7 at first glance.


----------



## Clayton SF

Woo Audio 4 (WA4) and Apple Music.


----------



## slex




----------



## setavn

My current system, My Thorens TD150 still under some modifications.


----------



## headphones1999

setavn said:


> My current system, My Thorens TD150 still under some modifications.


 
 damnnn that Tannoy super tweeters there  
  
 can you explain what do you have in your system?


----------



## setavn

At the moment: Jriver->AudioGD NFB 1 -> MF X-10D (modded) -> Leben CS300 (Full telefunken tubes)-> Tannoy SRM12X(with Tannoy super tweeter ST50)
 I have two more amplifiers: a vintage Knight KA-25 and a DIY dual monoblock Telefunken EL95 amp (which is amazing with my Tannoy), the other speakers in the room are a pair of vintage fullrange Siemens Klangfilm
 CD player: Teac CD750P (not the best but it does the job as i still have lot of cds left)
 TT: Thorens TD150mkII -> MF XLPS phono box 
 Also for my headfi station: Schiit Lyr and MF Xcan 2(modded), HD600, Beyer 880 600 Ohm
  
 I may sell my AudioGD in favor of LKS DA003 dac as it has more modding possibilities
  
 I will post a more detailed picture later today.


----------



## Dionysus

Just recently updated the little corner of my world.


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

Hello Head-Fi'ers.I haven't posted here in a LONG time but I wanted to stop in & say Merry Christmas & Happy New Years to you & yours,as well as a BIG thanks for keeping Head-Fi the #1 place to go for info!Until recently I was happily listening to my Fidelio X1's through the 1958, Mullard 12AX7,long plate, halo getter tube driven output of my Peachtree Audio MusicBox.Since I didn't use them much I was pretty happy.Then my apartment neighbors went & put the brakes on  my EL34 driven Sonus Faber stereo use by bringing home a new baby!My headphone use went through the roof & suddenly I was really hearing the limitations of my setup.Thanks to Head-Fi & Cyber Monday I now have a pretty kick ass head-fi rig so thanks to everyone who keeps the lights on here!System is comprised of:HP laptop>Silnote Silver Statement Reference USB cable(Solid core 7nines Silver)>HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC 2>Hybrid Stranded OCC with 7n Silver plated RCA cables>Schiit Audio Vali>HiFiMan HE-400i's...Equipment is isolated from vibration using:Solid Hardwood(Ash)bedside table with carpet spikes installed>#2 VibraPods>1" thick Maple/Walnut food grade cutting board>Herbies Big Squares & heavy Polyresin statues(1lb.3oz.x2 & 2lb.11oz.) sitting on top of Cutting Board,Amp & DAC.Absolutely no ringing from the amp & simply superb sound!


----------



## bretemm

Is that a Sony hi-res player? 

I'm getting more and more into different files and quality, how good is it? 



dionysus said:


> Just recently updated the little corner of my world.


----------



## Dionysus

It is! and is the ultimate imho player for all file types. It's most amazing on redbook cd because of the DSD remastering engine. Very similar to what PS Audio does with their Direct DSD player. And with the latter firmware it allows you to rip cd directly to the player without a need for a computer in the chain.


----------



## bretemm

Great, I just got a fiio X1 to start with getting into different file types, and I would like to actually have a better way of getting/store/play hi res music like the Sony. 
So does it hook directly up to any receiver? l





dionysus said:


> It is! and is the ultimate imho player for all file types. It's most amazing on redbook cd because of the DSD remastering engine. Very similar to what PS Audio does with their Direct DSD player. And with the latter firmware it allows you to rip cd directly to the player without a need for a computer in the chain.


----------



## sp3llv3xit




----------



## nbakid2000

My "portable" rig: HP Pavilion 2-in-1 notebook/tablet > Windows 8.1 > MusicBee/Spotify > mp3/FLAC/AAC > Geek Out 450 > Sennheiser 558 / 600 (the 600s are brand new)
  
 Will probably upgrade to a Geek Out V2 or Meridian Explorer2 soon (for PC) / Samsung S7 (phone listening)


----------



## brokenthumb

My current setup.  Turntable is to the left.


----------



## CJs06

It's been a while and I've changed things up. I also really need to dust my turntable XD


----------



## thinkpanda

A fantastic thread , I just like it LOL


----------



## roscoofyore

I've landed in freezing Reno tonite. Cheers everyone. Behold my Vmoda gear accompanies me.


----------



## drez




----------



## kid vic

brokenthumb said:


> My current setup.  Turntable is to the left.


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  
  


 Nice set-up for sure!


cjs06 said:


> It's been a while and I've changed things up. I also really need to dust my turntable XD


 
 Hahaha wheres that swiffer? XD


----------



## headphones1999

drez said:


>


 
 Expain whats going on there pls O_o


----------



## jjacq

Upgrades again lol.


----------



## Deftone

Mjolnir 2 and Gumy... i hate you... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			







  
 hope youre enjoying them!


----------



## Clayton SF

Utilizing an old Apple Cinema Display and an old Mac mini ...
  
 Apple Music, on!


----------



## notfitforpublic

My little corner of the world. Portable setups not included


----------



## raybone0566




----------



## nordkapp

My best sound to date. Concero HD->VHP-2->T90 =


----------



## frank99

Here is my home made mobile Head-Fi station. it is basically a bookshelf on the wheels and has two build-in headphone hangers. It is a self-contained station. All I need is plug in the power. I can move it around easily and 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 music in bed, couch or at my computer desk!


----------



## Clayton SF

Audio Electronics Supply, Inc.'s preamp connected to Glenn's mono blocks.


----------



## Vero Golf Champ

When I started this hobby I was focused solely on portable sound. Sony XBA950bt handles those duties wirelessly these days and I recently put together this little Pro-Ject rig. A Texas Instruments chip does the honours in the DAC. Tidal HiFi is my main source via OTG USB or digital coaxial from a Blu Ray player. Digital tv is hooked up optically. The digital coaxial cable was the costliest cable by far at fifty bucks and total cost was less than five hundred kiwi pesos.


----------



## drez

headphones1999 said:


> Expain whats going on there pls O_o




Apologies for the slow reply I have been away. The computer on the right is a workstation/gaming machine using Dimastech mini testbench 9820 cpu and msi gtx980ti. The open build allows for better air cooling and under most situations apart from intensive gaming it is inaudible. All storage is SSD and the PSU is corsair ax1200i which does not run the fan at this load. This is connected to the DAC on the right via TOSLINK. The mouse is SS Rival and keyboard is Pok3r 60%. Monitor is Asus VG248QE.

On top of the TAOC ASRii 4 shelf rack is a fanless ivy bridge i7 system running Daphile headless linux pulling music from connected SSD's. On the left side of the desk is a Teradak linear ATX power supply for the Daphile machine. Below the Daphile machine, fed from JPlay's USB card, is a Bel canto Reflink USB transport connected via AES to the AudioGD NFB7 DAC. At the bottom of the rack is an AudioGD Master6 headphone amplifier and preamp. The component feet are Stillpoint Ultra SS and the rack is on Ultra 5's. The rack however exhibited some resonance with these feet and has been modofied with dynamat constrained layer dampening to address this.

Power cabling is from Cabledyne. The power board is an Isotek unit. Digital cables and analog IC's are from Wireworld. The headphone cable is Norne Audio's Solv X for the Sennheiser HD 800 headphones on the Moon Audio headphone stand.


----------



## axeltow

frank99 said:


> Here is my home made mobile Head-Fi station. it is basically a bookshelf on the wheels and has two build-in headphone hangers. It is a self-contained station. All I need is plug in the power. I can move it around easily and
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice one Frank. I have a question for you. How are the heating levels on the shelf above the amp ? I made the standard ikea hack for a rack but didn't calculate enough room above the amp, so the shelf above is quite close. I think the shelf will melt..its ikea after all.


----------



## headphones1999

drez said:


> Apologies for the slow reply I have been away. The computer on the right is a workstation/gaming machine using Dimastech mini testbench 9820 cpu and msi gtx980ti. The open build allows for better air cooling and under most situations apart from intensive gaming it is inaudible. All storage is SSD and the PSU is corsair ax1200i which does not run the fan at this load. This is connected to the DAC on the right via TOSLINK. The mouse is SS Rival and keyboard is Pok3r 60%. Monitor is Asus VG248QE.
> 
> On top of the TAOC ASRii 4 shelf rack is a fanless ivy bridge i7 system running Daphile headless linux pulling music from connected SSD's. On the left side of the desk is a Teradak linear ATX power supply for the Daphile machine. Below the Daphile machine, fed from JPlay's USB card, is a Bel canto Reflink USB transport connected via AES to the AudioGD NFB7 DAC. At the bottom of the rack is an AudioGD Master6 headphone amplifier and preamp. The component feet are Stillpoint Ultra SS and the rack is on Ultra 5's. The rack however exhibited some resonance with these feet and has been modofied with dynamat constrained layer dampening to address this.
> 
> Power cabling is from Cabledyne. The power board is an Isotek unit. Digital cables and analog IC's are from Wireworld. The headphone cable is Norne Audio's Solv X for the Sennheiser HD 800 headphones on the Moon Audio headphone stand.


 
 Just Awesome!


----------



## frank99

axeltow said:


> Nice one Frank. I have a question for you. How are the heating levels on the shelf above the amp ? I made the standard ikea hack for a rack but didn't calculate enough room above the amp, so the shelf above is quite close. I think the shelf will melt..its ikea after all.


 
  
 There are about 3 inches gap between the top of the tube to the board on the top. My darkvoice dv337 does generate lots of heat. After about 1 hour of running, the board surface that faces the tube can become quite warm. However the wood board seems isolate the heat quite well, the surface that faces up is only a little warm. I think it is within the acceptable range. I don't think the board will burn. Since I built this only a few weeks ago, I will keep an eye on it to make sure it won't overheat.


----------



## axeltow

Coo. Hopefully its fine. I will keep an eye on mine as well. At the moment its on the top shelf but once the TT comes I will have to put on the lower one to make room.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

A bit messy, I spare you the source PC and all the other Stax's...but does sound good, indeed.
  
 Ali


----------



## Clayton SF

Is there no end to this amp rolling of mine (at 6AM on a work day, no less (and--nope, and no cure in sight))?
  
 Rolling in the PrimaLuna DiaLogue 3, preamp. I need a pair of matching old-time GZ34s.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Want me to bring you a nice matching pair of GZ34?


----------



## Clayton SF

ultrainferno said:


> Want me to bring you a nice matching pair of GZ34?


 
  
 OMG! Yes, please!* Door-to-door service. Country-to-country express.  I would ever be so grateful!
  
 * Don't break your bank on these, though.


----------



## headphones1999

ali-pacha said:


> A bit messy, I spare you the source PC and all the other Stax's...but does sound good, indeed.
> 
> Ali


 
 I guess you're done with headphones, hf


----------



## slex

Revised with my listening plantation chair☺️


----------



## Turrican2

iFi stack - ican, itube, idac plus beyerdynamic T1 gen 2. 

This is a wonderful combination.


----------



## Brahma

Dieser Tag kann Spuren von Müssen enthalten.


----------



## HiFiChris

turrican2 said:


> iFi stack - ican, itube, idac plus beyerdynamic T1 gen 2.
> 
> This is a wonderful combination.


 

 I know that white remote control in the background, it's quite nice and handy.


----------



## Turrican2

hifichris said:


> I know that white remote control in the background, it's quite nice and handy.




Indeed, especially as the ican has no off switch. One press and everyone goes off, great stuff,

There's a squeezebox touch hiding behind the headphone stand also.


----------



## nc8000




----------



## jjacq

This was more of a testing rig I did for a mini review. Thought I'd share the pics!


----------



## nbakid2000

2 in 1 Laptop/Tablet > MusicBee/Foobar2K/Spotify > FLAC/MP3/AAC/Hi-Res > Geek Out V2 (Balanced) > Chinese made TRRS plug > ZY Hi-Fi balanced cable > Sennheiser HD600
  
 About the only thing I can do with this setup now is modify the headphones.
  
 An alternate set up as well, kind of --- with Sennheiser HD558 and Geek Out 450 DAC:


----------



## EarDrumExplode




----------



## Clayton SF

Tonight's amp rolling session:


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

Vali 2 amp out,APPJ Audio PA1502 amp in.


----------



## pelli

New house this summer and new arrangement of gear.  Finally got to split the stereo off from the TV!


----------



## Baird GoW

Don't judge too harshly I'm only a starving student.
  
   PC: ASRock Z77 Extreme 3, Intel Core i5-3570, Asus R9 290, Samsung 512GB 850 Pro.
  
 Storage Server: Basic ITX board w/ integrated processor > Dell Perc 6i Raid card > Raid 6 x 8 1.5TB Seagate 7200rpm HDDs.
  
 Monitor: LG 34UM95 34" Ultra Wide Screen 3440 x 1440
  
 TV: 60" LG Plasma 60PB6650 only paid *$300* new at Micro Center... Best investment I have ever made.
  
 Audio: W8.1 > Samsung 850 Pro SSD > Recapped Belkin USB card > Schiit Wyrd > Audio-GD Reference 10.32 > Hifiman He-6 or Adam A7x.
  
 Music Production: Arturia Keylab 88, Ableton Live9 w (vsts): Sylenth, Omnisphere,Massive, Zebra, Nexusm, Spire,Lush 101, Dune 2, Ace, Entire FabFilter Library, Nicky Romero Kick, Arturia Analog Lab.
  
 DJ: Traktor 2 DDJ-T1, EMU0404 to record my Audio Technica AT4033SE Microphone.


----------



## setavn

My partly restored Thorens Td150, Ready to be fitted with sme 3009 s2 tonearm.


The X-lps goes so well with the rest of its cousins:


----------



## mrk

My little humble bundle.


----------



## kman1211

New Amp/DAC, pairs wonderfully with my DT 990 LE's.


----------



## pelli

baird gow said:


> Don't judge too harshly I'm only a starving student.


 
  
  
 I guess this has changed meaning since I was in school


----------



## jaywillin

baird gow said:


> Don't judge too harshly I'm only a starving student.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  


pelli said:


> I guess this has changed meaning since I was in school


 
  
 in my day tv had tubes and 3 channels, and this was personal audio :


----------



## sysfail




----------



## pelli

Took some fresh pics with a (slightly) better camera than my phone.  Thanks for the rep y'all!


----------



## drewTT

Headphone less for the time being but a new sub is in.


----------



## kid vic

baird gow said:


> Don't judge too harshly I'm only a starving student.
> 
> PC: ASRock Z77 Extreme 3, Intel Core i5-3570, Asus R9 290, Samsung 512GB 850 Pro.
> 
> ...


 
 Lool that doesnt look or sound like some starving student setup! HE-6 were almost grail status last time I checked


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

kid vic said:


> Lool that doesnt look or sound like some starving student setup! HE-6 were almost grail status last time I checked


 
 Why do you think he's starving!


----------



## GamingNut

Bimby with Asgard 2 and Grado GH1's as my primary cans.. I also have some HD650's off screen that I don't really use anymore 
  
 My PC is the primary music source.. FLAC's,MP3's and Google Play Music..


----------



## Clayton SF

Old Decware begins the New year. Happy 2016!


----------



## longbowbbs

clayton sf said:


> Old Decware begins the New year. Happy 2016!


 
 A Decware trifecta!  Sweet!


----------



## whirlwind

clayton sf said:


> Old Decware begins the New year. Happy 2016!


 
  Just wonderful, Clayton.
  
 I need put in your will, sir


----------



## nordkapp

Quote:What are your impressions of the Sony thus far? 





kman1211 said:


> New Amp/DAC, pairs wonderfully with my DT 990 LE's.


----------



## frankraindog

Here's my setup, at current state.
  
 Opera Audio Tube Amp w/ Indiana Line CD Player
 Macbook running Roon with Paul Pang USB to Apogee Groove.
 Audeze LCD-XC off head / Hifiman HE-400i on head taking the picture.


----------



## Krutsch

Some new gear... inexpensive bamboo mini-shelves from IKEA and some new digital gear for the head-fi rig:


----------



## kman1211

It's a darker and more musical sounding unit but detailed with good imaging and dynamics. The bass is a bit on the bombastic side yet controlled and the mids are present and a touch forward. Treble is on the relaxed side but well extended, on there seems to be a touch of harshness though in the treble on lower ohm headphones but not really on higher ohm headphones. But this is likely because it built-in amp puts more power into higher ohm headphones. This thing pairs unusually well with Beyers though, at least 250 ohms and up, not sure about lower impedances. If you like Beyers, I would definitely look into this unit. Definitely a good DAC, and worth getting as a DAC alone especially if you get it around $300. I don't know how it sounds as a speaker amp though as I don't have any bookshelf speakers to try on it.


----------



## nordkapp

kman1211 said:


> It's a darker and more musical sounding unit but detailed with good imaging and dynamics. The bass is a bit on the bombastic side yet controlled and the mids are present and a touch forward. Treble is on the relaxed side but well extended, on there seems to be a touch of harshness though in the treble on lower ohm headphones but not really on higher ohm headphones. But this is likely because it built-in amp puts more power into higher ohm headphones. This thing pairs unusually well with Beyers though, at least 250 ohms and up, not sure about lower impedances. If you like Beyers, I would definitely look into this unit. Definitely a good DAC, and worth getting as a DAC alone especially if you get it around $300. I don't know how it sounds as a speaker amp though as I don't have any bookshelf speakers to try on it.


Thanks for the detailed reply. Given it's price and feature set it is very appealing. I just sold my Teac UD-501. It is A super hi quality piece loaded w/features but I just found it too veiled for my taste. Likely related to the amp section.


----------



## kman1211

nordkapp said:


> Thanks for the detailed reply. Given it's price and feature set it is very appealing. I just sold my Teac UD-501. It is A super hi quality piece loaded w/features but I just found it too veiled for my taste. Likely related to the amp section.


 
 No problem, this is still a new unit and may change a bit with a bit more use as the components settle a bit. It seems to of tightened and brightened up some since I've first gotten it.


----------



## gonzfi




----------



## Clayton SF

It's a phono preamp with rectifier overkill amongst a tangle of chords cords and interconnects.
 Lovely, lovely, lovely.
 Listening carefully...
 Listening...


----------



## ssrock64

drewtt said:


> Headphone less for the time being but a new sub is in.


 
 Very clean! Everybody seems to love those LS50s.


----------



## drewTT

ssrock64 said:


> drewtt said:
> 
> 
> > Headphone less for the time being but a new sub is in.
> ...




Thanks. They are excellent near field speakers.


----------



## beemerphile

My Head-fi station is so valuable that it is under constant guard...
  

  
 I have some fairly bulky equipment but I wanted as small a footprint as possible, so I built a simple wooden table to hold it.  The top and center shelf are cut to size from 1 inch granite countertop cut scrap.  On the top surface is a Cavalli Liquid Glass amplifier.  The center shelf holds a Yggdrasil with Uptone Regen and an Auralic Mini.  
  
 There is a half-depth wooden shelf on bottom to hold the two LPS units for the Auralic Mini and the Uptone Regen.
  

  
 I was concerned about the Regen and its cable applying torque to the Yggdrasil's USB port, so I built a support for it.  While I was at it, I fabbed a heat sink for it using an old CPU cooler cut to fit.  It doesn't run that hot, and it is probably not necessary, but I had the parts, so...
  

  

  
 I have an iPad Air 2 on a flex-head mount attached to the table.  It runs Lightning DS to control the Mini and provide access to Tidal streams and FLAC files on my NAS.  It and the Mini are served by a dedicated 802.11ac access point.  The mini also controls the Sonos system.  Roll the wrist over and the volume control of the LG is at hand...
  
  

  
 The system is fed from a dedicated 20 amp receptacle with a spec-grade outlet through an Array Solutions AC-7 power filter to a CyberPower Pure Sine 1000VA UPS.  All of the components are powered with minimum length 14 gauge IEC-C13 cables.  USB cable is Supra 0.7 and the interconnects are Blue Jeans.  Main headphones are currently Ether C's  and Nighthawks.
  

  
 Since I leave most of this gear powered and it is in our bedroom, I wanted to tame the various indicator lights.  The Cavalli LG, in particular, has pilot lights that look like little flashlights.  I found a product called LightDims on Amazon which is a sheet of various size tinted decals to place over the lights to dim them.  There are various sizes on the sheet.  I even used one of the rectangular decals to dim the voltage read-out display on the Regen's LPS...


----------



## elvergun

beemerphile said:


> My Head-fi station is so valuable that it is under constant guard...


 
  
 Ha...looks like anyone who would be foolish enough to get too close would be torn to pieces.


----------



## beemerphile

elvergun said:


> Ha...looks like anyone who would be foolish enough to get too close would be torn to pieces.


 

 Quite.  In her dreams she is quite the warrior.


----------



## elvergun

Here are a couple of pictures of my office rig I took this morning...


----------



## ETanner

Great setup Beemerphile. Makes me think you might have a German engineering marvel of a motorcycle someplace in your life. LD riding according to your profile and well thought out audio might suggest we share blood.


----------



## beemerphile

etanner said:


> Great setup Beemerphile. Makes me think you might have a German engineering marvel of a motorcycle someplace in your life. LD riding according to your profile and well thought out audio might suggest we share blood.


 

 Quite likely.  I have a 1977 and a 1992 R100RS in the stable as well as a 2004 R1150R.  We might share a taste for KC BBQ as well.  I used to travel to Lee's Summit on business frequently and became addicted to it.


----------



## pelli

Office set-up for the time being... Beyerdynamic  DT-250 250ohm driven by FiiO E12 (pre production model with "audiophile" base boost)


----------



## adpo

I somehow always end up with a cute little schiit stack. Oh well, it goes well with my pc, which I've shrank to ITX sized proportions


----------



## Ultrainferno

Double post. Sorry


----------



## Skylab




----------



## Townyj

Skylab/Rob your still around  loving the Beyers, carbon fiber look..?


----------



## kid vic

skylab said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 The Ruler is back! What amp is that and is that some next level Darthbeyer I see??


----------



## Skylab

townyj said:


> Skylab/Rob your still around  loving the Beyers, carbon fiber look..?







kid vic said:


> The Ruler is back! What amp is that and is that some next level Darthbeyer I see??




Yup, I've come full circle, and my main headphone is back to being the 600 ohm Beyer DT880s. Those are custom ones I had made back when Beyer was doing that. Fun how that happens 

The amp is a prototype from Phil Larocco. Sounds terrific!


----------



## Townyj

skylab said:


> Yup, I've come full circle, and my main headphone is back to being the 600 ohm Beyer DT880s. Those are custom ones I had made back when Beyer was doing that. Fun how that happens
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hahah I figured you were back to the 600ohms! You always raved on about them  Loving the basic look of the amp, its gorgeous! and a Larocco... oh man.


----------



## MattTCG

skylab said:


> Yup, I've come full circle, and my main headphone is back to being the 600 ohm Beyer DT880s. Those are custom ones I had made back when Beyer was doing that. Fun how that happens
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I auditioned an amp by "Uncle Phil" many months ago. At the time it was called "headcode." It was a very fine sounding amp and made beautiful music with the hd800. Good to see you around here Skylab...


----------



## Skylab

Cheers fellas. Analog, tubes, and 600 ohm headphones...it's a way of life


----------



## MacedonianHero

skylab said:


> Cheers fellas. Analog, tubes, and 600 ohm headphones...it's a way of life


 
  
 Great setup Rob...love the "Back to the Future Beyers for you". Happy New Year!


----------



## raybone0566

skylab said:


> Yup, I've come full circle, and my main headphone is back to being the 600 ohm Beyer DT880s. Those are custom ones I had made back when Beyer was doing that. Fun how that happens
> 
> The amp is a prototype from Phil Larocco. Sounds terrific!


Their doing the customs again. Design your own on the website. Still have the carbon fiber to. Nice rig


----------



## spanner43

listening station: Hifiman 400i my favorite cans, Dt 770 closed cans for when my wife is trying to read nearby.  Schiit Asguard 2 amp fed by a Fiio X3 and a chromecast audio for streaming.


----------



## jaywillin

spanner43 said:


> listening station: Hifiman 400i my favorite cans, Dt 770 closed cans for when my wife is trying to read nearby.  Schiit Asguard 2 amp fed by a Fiio X3 and a chromecast audio for streaming.


 
 those grado's in your avatar are beautiful !
 i'm just getting into modding, i just built a woodie magnum v6, and i have an sr80e coming in over the weekend that i plan on putting in wooden cups
 how'd you do the paint on the cups ?


----------



## spanner43

jaywillin said:


> those grado's in your avatar are beautiful !
> i'm just getting into modding, i just built a woodie magnum v6, and i have an sr80e coming in over the weekend that i plan on putting in wooden cups
> how'd you do the paint on the cups ?


 
 Thanks, they aren't painted they are acrylic cups from   YewWoodworks over on ETSY. Great guy to deal with by the way.


----------



## jaywillin

spanner43 said:


> Thanks, they aren't painted they are acrylic cups from   YewWoodworks over on ETSY. Great guy to deal with by the way.


 
 oh, i'd been looking at his cups, i only see wooden ones


----------



## spanner43

jaywillin said:


> oh, i'd been looking at his cups, i only see wooden ones


 
 They go on and off his etsy page, but you can contact him from there. I had them special made,  he made extra and still might have some. They are slip on not full cups by the way.


----------



## jaywillin

spanner43 said:


> They go on and off his etsy page, but you can contact him from there. I had them special made,  he made extra and still might have some. They are slip on not full cups by the way.


 
 thanks , they look great


----------



## ProtegeManiac




----------



## ETanner

http://www.head-fi.org/g/i/1539859/2016-rig/

HRT Microstreamer
MacMini with Tidal HiFi and Roon lifetime subscription
Schiit: Valhalla 2, Bifrost Multibit, SYS
Sennheiser: HD600, MM 100
Shure: SRH840, SE530
Tripplite HTR10-2U 800W Pure Sine Wave UPS
Technics AT-LP 60
Yamaha A/V receiver RX-V567


----------



## Headzfi

AKG 272 

Marantz CD6004 as amp/source


----------



## longbowbbs

ultrainferno said:


> Added the Leben to the living room setup today. Happy


 
 L, which version of the Leben is that?


----------



## Ultrainferno

longbowbbs said:


> L, which version of the Leben is that?


 
  
 It's the CS300F, E.
  
 http://lebenhifi.com/products/cs300f.html


----------



## longbowbbs

ultrainferno said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > L, which version of the Leben is that?
> ...


 
 Nice!


----------



## Clayton SF

Lieven's Leben!


Spoiler: Beautiful Beast!






 WANT!
  
 Lucky you!


----------



## MattTCG

ultrainferno said:


> Added the Leben to the living room setup today. Happy


 
  
 I have to say...I love this setup. Wicked gears and art as well!!


----------



## sysfail

My final setup.
 .
 .
 .
 (I hope)


----------



## jaywillin

ultrainferno said:


> Added the Leben to the living room setup today. Happy


 
  
  


matttcg said:


> I have to say...I love this setup. Wicked gears and art as well!!


 
 i concur !


----------



## Clayton SF

Listening and warming up my home.


----------



## Deftone

you wont be needing the heating on this winter with that monster lol


----------



## Quinto

clayton sf said:


> Listening and warming up my home.


 






 C O O L ! 
  
 (guess not hehe)


----------



## Clayton SF

quinto said:


> C O O L !
> 
> (guess not hehe)


 
  
 The tops of the big bottles look like alien force fields over a spacecraft.


----------



## kman1211

New amp(Sunrise III), Nighthawks are just liquid smoothness now. The sound is so euphoric and addicting. Sorry about the mediocre picture quality.


----------



## Krutsch

kman1211 said:


> New amp(Sunrise III), Nighthawks are just liquid smoothness now. The sound is so euphoric and addicting. Sorry about the mediocre picture quality.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Do you not like the UDA-1 headphone output? Just curious ...


----------



## kman1211

krutsch said:


> Do you not like the UDA-1 headphone output? Just curious ...


 
 I like it but kinda weak power wise, I also prefer the Nighthawks on tubes, I bought the UDA-1 as a DAC mainly. Plus I don't really like the SS sound that much even though the UDA-1 is the one of the few SS amps I actually kinda liked the sound of. To my ears the Nighthawks sound their best on a low-distortion and low-output impedance tube amp that can give them plenty of power. That's what the Sunrise III is, an OTL amp meant for low-impedance headphones, it especially cleared up after I bypassed the input capacitors.


----------



## jaywillin

kman1211 said:


> New amp(Sunrise III), Nighthawks are just liquid smoothness now. The sound is so euphoric and addicting. Sorry about the mediocre picture quality.



I almost bought the Sony, got the teac ud-301 instead, and I DID get a PS iii, which I'm still getting acquainted with, and I'm digging it so far


----------



## jaywillin

kman1211 said:


> New amp(Sunrise III), Nighthawks are just liquid smoothness now. The sound is so euphoric and addicting. Sorry about the mediocre picture quality.


 
  
  


jaywillin said:


> I almost bought the Sony, got the teac ud-301 instead, and I DID get a PS iii, which I'm still getting acquainted with, and I'm digging it so far


----------



## kman1211

jaywillin said:


> I almost bought the Sony, got the teac ud-301 instead, and I DID get a PS iii, which I'm still getting acquainted with, and I'm digging it so far


 
 I went with the Sony largely because I got it so cheap(turned out to be a great DAC), it turned out to sound very clean, clear, and euphoric with good dynamics, responded very well to a power cable upgrade. The PS III is great for me so far, I found doing the input capacitor bypass really made things as clear as a bell with no hint of grain, but you need to re-bias the amp if you do that. How do you feel it compares to your previous amps? I personally like it more than the Lyr 2 I had.


----------



## jaywillin

kman1211 said:


> I went with the Sony largely because I got it so cheap(turned out to be a great DAC), it turned out to sound very clean, clear, and euphoric with good dynamics, responded very well to a power cable upgrade. The PS III is great for me so far, I found doing the input capacitor bypass really made things as clear as a bell with no hint of grain, but you need to re-bias the amp if you do that. How do you feel it compares to your previous amps? I personally like it more than the Lyr 2 I had.


 
 i primarily got the teac due to it being balanced, i run into the gustard balanced.
  
 i haven't had the sunrise for very long,2-3 days and only have 33 12bh7 tubes, and 1 russian 6n1p, but so far, i'm very impressed.


----------



## Clayton SF

Happy Friday. My setup this evening consists of:
 PrimaLuna 3
 PrimaLuna 5
 Marantz CD-67SE (I am the original owner. The deck is old. The deck is solid!)
 and others...
 MHDT Havana DAC
 and a silly wabbit! (@Ultrainferno!)
  
 Tomorrow, however; the Marantz SA-8005 will join the mighty setup.


----------



## Krutsch

clayton sf said:


> Tomorrow, however; the Marantz SA-8005 will join the mighty setup.


 
  
 I have a Marantz SA-15S2 Limited and I am in love with the sound signature. Great spinners - enjoy your SA-8005!


----------



## adpo

Decided to take the turntable off speaker duty and put it back on my desk, made for quite a relaxing friday night


----------



## mikey1964

Bought a new ultra wide monitor, so I'd to re-arrange my setup a little...


----------



## Clayton SF

krutsch said:


> I have a Marantz SA-15S2 Limited and I am in love with the sound signature. Great spinners - enjoy your SA-8005!


 
 It is in the house!
 OMG. Incredible!
 You're right--I'm in love with the sound signature.
 The best sound in the house, yet!

  
 Happy Saturday morning: New setup today. Enjoying Andrew Bird and Diana Krall and ...


----------



## Krutsch

Loving mine... glad you like it. Listening to the new King Crimson THRAK (40th Anniversary Edition).
  
 Good times...


----------



## Mr Rick

I thought I would post an update as I've recently added a DarkVoice 336SE, a Cavalli Liquid Carbon, and an Emotiva Stealth DC-1 to my previous pile of Schiit.


----------



## Monoespacio

I added a Cayin HA-1A Headphone Amp to my current setup.
  
 : )


----------



## traffic

I'm a beginner so here's my modest set up....


----------



## Mr Rick

traffic said:


> I'm a beginner so here's my modest set up....


 
 You have everything you need, if not everything you want.


----------



## ntrinsik

Excuse the mess. Grabbed the headphone stand from Punkbox on Etsy recently.


----------



## traffic

mr rick said:


> You have everything you need, if not everything you want.


I will be adding a set of closed back's eventually but I am gonna enjoy these for along time


----------



## wahsmoh

ntrinsik said:


> Excuse the mess. Grabbed the headphone stand from Punkbox on Etsy recently.


 

 OMG haha my dad made one just like that for me out of pipe fittings. It looks nearly identical. I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow


----------



## Quinto

traffic said:


> I'm a beginner so here's my modest set up....


 

 Looks the bomb 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.. I owned the GS1000 and Grace M902 many moons ago, loved it, especially for solo piano and strings, enjoy!


----------



## bublik

http://i.imgur.com/1lze6OC.jpg
This is my setup with smsl 793II dac/amp


----------



## koonhua90

I have been away, am back. But I don't spend as much time browsing and looking for headphones now. I am settled for now with this. I have a pair of HD600, and the 009, I think they will suffice. One I could use to watch movies, and transport it with me, another I could sit down with and listen.
  
 For speakers one day I will sell my Dynaudio Focus 110A and get the Soltanus Acoustic ESL Virtuoso (electrostatic speakers), and the Sanders Magtech power amp. Before that I will get a decent DAC. That's about it. Oh perhaps I will need to get a proper table to put all these. I also need to get the Torus Power Tot Max 8A power conditioner, and since if I get the ESL speakers I might get a pair of better cables, perhaps the Oyaide Tunami II.
  
 In the meantime, I also have a simple design for some skyline diffuser as the sound from the speakers is getting reflected from the wall behind my back.


----------



## Clayton SF

Three-day weekends do this kind of thing to me:
 Grilling a DAC over Liquid Fire whilst listening to 96k FLAC.
 FLAC a DAC Attack!
 Happy Sunday


----------



## ninjapirate9901

Solid state Sunday.


----------



## headphones1999

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Solid state Sunday.


 
  Art!


----------



## Jozurr

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Solid state Sunday.


 
  
 Seems like SS Saturday is over at /r/headphones! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Great picture btw!


----------



## Stelian99

Bowers&Wilkins P7 & Fiio E12 Montblanc:







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## elvergun

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Solid state Sunday.


 
  
_*The Tower of Power!!*_


----------



## ssrock64

monoespacio said:


> I added a Cayin HA-1A Headphone Amp to my current setup.
> 
> : )


 
 Monoespacio, that's a very nice photo and a neat amp.


----------



## obzilla

My simple but effective office rig. 4 years or so after rage quitting the whole world of headfi, I am back. I can hear my wallet imploding already.


----------



## nordkapp

My "semi-portable", current Head-Fi station.


----------



## nordkapp

obzilla said:


> My simple but effective office rig. 4 years or so after rage quitting the whole world of headfi, I am back. I can hear my wallet imploding already.


 
 HAHA. Love your description. This hobby does have a way of impeding retirement.


----------



## kman1211

Finally got my new system complete, 2 new headphones(K7XX and HD 650), and got a new monitor and gpu in my computer.


----------



## nbakid2000

The components so far on the laptops: Schiit Vali Subminiature headphone amp, LH Labs Geek Out V2 DAC/amp, Senn 558 + 600, laptops. The 600 is both balanced and SE, depending on if I'm listening to the Vali (single ended) or the Geek Out V2 (balanced). I can run the V2 into the Vali if I want to that session.


----------



## HiFiChris

​ ​  ​  ​ ​  ​ ​   ​ Still in use from time to time.
  ​ Should've forgone the colouration in the two close-ups, but I can't find the RAW files at the moment.​  ​


----------



## LNCPapa

That looks amazing HiFiChris!


----------



## nbakid2000

NuForce u-DAC 2 into the Vali. Then out through Senn 558 or 600. Just rearranged the room and desk and transformed the desk into a listening station. Also have the Geek Out 450 DAC on hand (pictured) for swapping. The Geek Out V2 will be added in the mix too.


----------



## kid vic

current state as of today
  
  
  
 Darkvoice DV3322
 Yamaha CA-600

  
  
 HE-500 run from the CA-600 speaker tabs

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
 Sony MDR-7520
 Fostex TH600

  
  
  
  
  
 AKG K240 sextett
 AKG K340

  
  
  
  
 AKG K612
 AKG K7XX

  
  
  
 DIY cable for HE-500 to amp


----------



## Oregonian

kid vic said:


> current state as of today
> 
> 
> 
> HE500 run from the CA-600 speaker tabs


 
 Very nice..............vintage is the bomb!


----------



## MattTCG

+1 vintage is cool.


----------



## kid vic

oregonian said:


> Very nice..............vintage is the bomb!


 
 Thanks! you were one of the people who inspired me to do it! Gotta get some new grills though...


----------



## Oregonian

kid vic said:


> Thanks! you were one of the people who inspired me to do it! Gotta get some new grills though...


 

 Here's one option............use them on my HE-400 and HE-6 before I sold it.
  
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LDET12K?keywords=inspired%20laser%20design%2080mm&qid=1453589993&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4 - they have quite a few designs.  Here's my HE-6 using the BioHazard design............you trim the tabs off and file/grind them to press fit in the well where the stock grill goes.  If you go this route, let me know and I'll give detailed help.


----------



## wooo headphones

That looks badass.


----------



## MattTCG

wooo headphones said:


> That looks badass.


 
  
 That's only because Oregonian made it.


----------



## kid vic

oregonian said:


> Here's one option............use them on my HE-400 and HE-6 before I sold it.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LDET12K?keywords=inspired%20laser%20design%2080mm&qid=1453589993&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4 - they have quite a few designs.  Here's my HE-6 using the BioHazard design............you trim the tabs off and file/grind them to press fit in the well where the stock grill goes.  If you go this route, let me know and I'll give detailed help.


 
 haha I snooped your page awhile ago and saw you were suggesting those  problem is i dont like all of their designs and I'm leaving the country soon.


----------



## Oregonian

kid vic said:


> haha I snooped your page awhile ago and saw you were suggesting those  problem is i dont like all of their designs and I'm leaving the country soon.


 

 Have you read the thread dedicated to removing the HFM grills?  Do a search if you have not as it has the most options/ideas.


----------



## kid vic

oregonian said:


> Have you read the thread dedicated to removing the HFM grills?  Do a search if you have not as it has the most options/ideas.


 
 I have looked there, So far I've just taken the cloth screens out and have looked at a few products on ebay


----------



## mikey1964

I'd gotten an Ikea side table and placed it under my desk on the right, I placed my OPPO HA-1 on it, you can see it just below where my cans are on my desk. I have a MrSpeakers Alpha Dog hanging on a headphone mount on the extreme left of my desk. Also note that on the right, where you can see my mouse, below the desk where it is, you can barely see my Denon AH-D2000 hanging underneath. I'll tidy up the cables under my desk a little later.....


----------



## Stalker81598

Just recently picked up a Violectric V200. Off frame to the left is my SAE 2200 which powers a pair of KEF Q300 loudspeakers.


----------



## 62ohm

Audio corner
  

  
  
  
 K812 & Octave Mk.1 not in picture as I'm in the process of selling them.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Last day with the Leben :/


----------



## 13713

ultrainferno said:


> Last day with the Leben :/




Nooooo! It is so glorious.


----------



## Krutsch

62ohm said:


> Audio corner
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice... everyone knows that 'tables need plenty of fresh air to sound their best!


----------



## nordkapp

stalker81598 said:


> Just recently picked up a Violectric V200. Off frame to the left is my SAE 2200 which powers a pair of KEF Q300 loudspeakers.


Any thoughts on the new V200? It's been on my radar.


----------



## 13713

nordkapp said:


> Any thoughts on the new V200? It's been on my radar.




A friend of mine picked up a V200 and absolutely loves it. I will get a listening impression tonight and send it your way.


----------



## 62ohm

I listened to my HD800 and my T1 when I have it with the V200 and remembered getting blown away by them..


----------



## nordkapp

13713 said:


> A friend of mine picked up a V200 and absolutely loves it. I will get a listening impression tonight and send it your way.


Awesome! Thanks.


----------



## Stalker81598

nordkapp said:


> Any thoughts on the new V200? It's been on my radar.


 
 I'm in love with it. It has a wonderfully lush, liquid tone, exactly what I wanted for my HD800 and T1. It has an almost otherworldly ability to smooth out glaring peaks without sacrificing any detail, remaining quick and articulate. The noise floor is imperceptible with any of my headphones and lends to an extremely black background (great for classical or anything with lots of dynamic range). My only gripe is that the soundstage seems a little constrained. Layering and positioning seem to remain intact, but sound sources seem to be moved noticeably closer to the listener. This is a minor gripe though and not a deal breaker by any means. I highly recommend the V200.


----------



## nordkapp

stalker81598 said:


> I'm in love with it. It has a wonderfully lush, liquid tone, exactly what I wanted for my HD800 and T1. It has an almost otherworldly ability to smooth out glaring peaks without sacrificing any detail, remaining quick and articulate. The noise floor is imperceptible with any of my headphones and lends to an extremely black background (great for classical or anything with lots of dynamic range). My only gripe is that the soundstage seems a little constrained. Layering and positioning seem to remain intact, but sound sources seem to be moved noticeably closer to the listener. This is a minor gripe though and not a deal breaker by any means. I highly recommend the V200.


wow, that's high praise. I am looking in that price range. 3 pieces in my gun sights the V200, Burson soloist and Lehmann Linear. From what I am gathering the V200 is likely the most "liquid, tube like" if you will. I tend to favor detail and image focus-my hearing is crapping out and at this point in my life products voiced that way sound better to me. Not saying however that's a deal breaker. Do you have any experience with those other 2 amps?


----------



## Stalker81598

nordkapp said:


> wow, that's high praise. I am looking in that price range. 3 pieces in my gun sights the V200, Burson soloist and Lehmann Linear. From what I am gathering the V200 is likely the most "liquid, tube like" if you will. I tend to favor detail and image focus-my hearing is crapping out and at this point in my life products voiced that way sound better to me. Not saying however that's a deal breaker. Do you have any experience with those other 2 amps?


 
 Unfortunately I don't have any experience with either of those amps. However, I would agree with the V200 being described as "liquid" and "tube-like."


----------



## 62ohm

nordkapp said:


> wow, that's high praise. I am looking in that price range. 3 pieces in my gun sights the V200, Burson soloist and Lehmann Linear. From what I am gathering the V200 is likely the most "liquid, tube like" if you will. I tend to favor detail and image focus-my hearing is crapping out and at this point in my life products voiced that way sound better to me. Not saying however that's a deal breaker. Do you have any experience with those other 2 amps?


 
  
 Never tried the Lehmann, but I didn't like the Burson Soloist when I tried it with HD800. IMO the treble sounds a bit gritty.
  
 Can't quite remember what else I don't like about it but without a shadow of a doubt I would take the Graham Slee Solo over it. iirc they both cost about the same.


----------



## nordkapp

Thanks guys. Just realized we are hijacking this thread. Thank you all though.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Just now.........


----------



## 62ohm

^Nice!
  
 Beautiful turntable.


----------



## Redcarmoose

62ohm said:


> ^Nice!
> 
> Beautiful turntable.




THX, I didn't include the domestic dispute annex, used with portable equipment.


----------



## 62ohm

Damn I can only imagine how good life must feel like listening to music there..


----------



## MattTCG




----------



## jaywillin

matttcg said:


>


 
  
 you must really like the questyle gear, you've had it awhile now right ?


----------



## awsanderson

redcarmoose said:


> THX, I didn't include the domestic dispute annex, used with portable equipment.


 
 beautiful, lol at domestic dispute annex


----------



## MattTCG

jaywillin said:


> you must really like the questyle gear, you've had it awhile now right ?


 
 Yes, Questyle amps deliver the goods. The cma800r with current mode amplification is impressive but add a second one for dual mono fully balanced and...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. 
  
 I thought that going dual mono might be just a modest improvement...nope.
  
 I thought it might be a little gimmicky...nope.
  
 I thought it might be overpowering with the headphones that I own...nope. 
  
 Now please understand that I just added the second one yesterday and it will take some time and critical listening to make a fair assessment. But, I'll say that this setup has put a Cheshire grin on my face both big and wide. I listened last night for the fist time and then again this morning. Those two sessions were among the most enjoyable I've had in a very long time.


----------



## Youth

matttcg said:


>


 
  
 Is that two of the same amps?


----------



## MattTCG

youth said:


> Is that two of the same amps?


 
  
 Lord no. You must have double vision. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Kidding, it's a pair of cma800r amps by Questyle setup in dual mono block configuration.


----------



## Youth

matttcg said:


> Lord no. You must have double vision.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Interesting, I've never heard of this before. So what exactly is the point of this?


----------



## kid vic

youth said:


> Interesting, I've never heard of this before. So what exactly is the point of this?





I guess its like running mono blocks in a speaker rig


----------



## slim311

Do you have to adjust the volume on each amp independently? Or is there some sort of pre-amp controlling volume ahead of the amps?


----------



## MattTCG

youth said:


> Interesting, I've never heard of this before. So what exactly is the point of this?


 
  
 I just wanted to look cool. You know that middle aged guy who buys a sports car and gets a girlfriend that's half his age? Well, since I can't have the car or gf...this is what I get. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Seriously, I have always loved the cma800r and I knew that they offered the option to do dual mono block setups for a good reason. I always wanted to see what the dual amp setup brought to the table. And now I know.


----------



## MattTCG

slim311 said:


> Do you have to adjust the volume on each amp independently? Or is there some sort of pre-amp controlling volume ahead of the amps?


 
  
 Right now I have a NAD m51 as dac that is controlling the volume via remote control. The NAD has maybe the best volume control tech ever introduced. 
  
 The amps have been dialed in with an spl meter. Right now the NAD is on loan (thanks Purk). I either have to buy it or go back to the Gumby. The Gumby sounds somewhat better IMO but the features of the NAD are compelling.


----------



## Youth

matttcg said:


> Right now I have a NAD m51 as dac that is controlling the volume via remote control. The NAD has maybe the best volume control tech ever introduced.
> 
> The amps have been dialed in with an spl meter. Right now the NAD is on loan (thanks Purk). I either have to buy it or go back to the Gumby. The Gumby sounds somewhat better IMO but the features of the NAD are compelling.


 
  
 But...but what about DAC-19?


----------



## slim311

matttcg said:


> Right now I have a NAD m51 as dac that is controlling the volume via remote control. The NAD has maybe the best volume control tech ever introduced.
> 
> The amps have been dialed in with an spl meter. Right now the NAD is on loan (thanks Purk). I either have to buy it or go back to the Gumby. The Gumby sounds somewhat better IMO but the features of the NAD are compelling.




Nice. Never heard of/thought of running dual-monoblocks for headphones. Very interesting.

Oh, and since this is the "show us your station" thread, here's my beginner setup: (sorry for potato quality, my phone (MotoE) doesn't have a flash)


----------



## MattTCG

slim311 said:


> Nice. Never heard of/thought of running dual-monoblocks for headphones. Very interesting.
> 
> Oh, and since this is the "show us your station" thread, here's my beginner setup: (sorry for potato quality, my phone (MotoE) doesn't have a flash)


 
  
 It seems like overkill...certainly, but I had to try it. Honestly, it was more of a curiosity more than a need to truly improve my setup. But now that I've tried it, I'm not sure that I can go back. 


youth said:


> But...but what about DAC-19?


 
 DAC-19 is singled ended out only, so it just won't work with this setup. Up for sale.


----------



## SirMarc

Hey guys, cool thread. Lots of nice pieces. Here's my mostly vintage rig.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Is that a Sansui 9090db? If yes, I had one. Great piece of vintage gear!!


----------



## SirMarc

matttcg said:


> ^^ Is that a Sansui 9090db? If yes, I had one. Great piece of vintage gear!!



Thanks. Its a 9090, and I love it. Sounds awesome with my 650's and Dahlquist dq20's. The phono stage is meh, but I've used a Dynaco sca-50 as my phono stage for years anyway.


----------



## MattTCG

sirmarc said:


> Thanks. Its a 9090, and I love it. Sounds awesome with my 650's and Dahlquist dq20's. The phono stage is meh, but I've used a Dynaco sca-50 as my phono stage for years anyway.


 
 Most guys here outside of the vintage receiver thread, don't know just how good some of these are receivers are with headphones.


----------



## SirMarc

matttcg said:


> Most guys here outside of the vintage receiver thread, don't know just how good some of these are receivers are with headphones.



No doubt man. I've never had some of the high end gear shown in these pictures, but the Sansui kills my Asgard 2 in every way. Pretty happy with my set up, at least on the analog end. I do need to upgrade my dac though...


----------



## slim311

matttcg said:


> Most guys here outside of the vintage receiver thread, don't know just how good some of these are receivers are with headphones.




When I was a kid in the 80's, my dad's system was a Pioneer SX-750, matching Pioneer cassette deck and turntable with some Advent speakers and Akai ASE-22 headphones. Still have the Advents but the rest is long gone. I should try to track some of that stuff down.


----------



## SirMarc

slim311 said:


> When I was a kid in the 80's, my dad's system was a Pioneer SX-750, matching Pioneer cassette deck and turntable with some Advent speakers and Akai ASE-22 headphones. Still have the Advents but the rest is long gone. I should try to track some of that stuff down.



You might be surprised how good some of these vintage pieces sound with your headphones...


----------



## SirMarc

Stick with high impedance cans though, with the exception of planars, they don't play well with low impedance headphones.


----------



## Grizmo

Photography isn't exactly my forte, but I tried the best I could with my amazing phone cameras help  

The amp is a clone of the Vioelectric v200 with an independant power supply for both channels. I am using the stock op amps, but I intend to replace them with v5s after replace my modi 2 uber.


----------



## Oregonian

sirmarc said:


> You might be surprised how good some of these vintage pieces sound with your headphones...


 

 It's like us vintage guys have this incredible secret that the non-vintage guys don't know or even want to know in some cases...............
  
 Oh, and even low impedance cans like the Denon early models sound awesome out of vintage.  Not just planars.


----------



## frankraindog

switched from Tube Amp to solid state w/ completly balanced connections


----------



## kid vic

oregonian said:


> It's like us vintage guys have this incredible secret that the non-vintage guys don't know or even want to know in some cases...............
> 
> Oh, and even low impedance cans like the Denon early models sound awesome out of vintage.  Not just planars.


 
 Agreed, my TH600 are having a great time right now


----------



## sp3llv3xit




----------



## koonhua90

New toy came today. Wooh.


----------



## Shuren21

You guys have so beautiful settings, I'm jealous and happy for you all! 
  
 This is my little newbie thing at the moment but it's work in progress, always, never ending...


----------



## LifeAspect

too bad the yggy is kind of hidden, but I think my setup is done for now 
  
 off topic: K70 owners unite!


----------



## Youth

lifeaspect said:


> too bad the yggy is kind of hidden, but I think my setup is done for now
> 
> off topic: K70 owners unite!


 
  
 Is that two Draug 2 cables I see?


----------



## kid vic

shuren21 said:


> You guys have so beautiful settings, I'm jealous and happy for you all!
> 
> This is my little newbie thing at the moment but it's work in progress, always, never ending...


 
 Peachtree and a HD800s are pretty good for a newbie!


----------



## LifeAspect

youth said:


>


 
 draug and skoll if I remember correctly


----------



## IndieGradoFan

Audio equipment got a dedicated piece of furniture finally.


----------



## eschell27

Don't know why, but even being so simple and plain looking, i really dig the way Audio-gd products are designed. Just got a LD MK IVse recently as well and i'm my opinion they are one of the snazziest looking sub $1000 OTL amps out there. Just recently started indulging in my passion for listening to music and getting into audiophile equipment....haven't yet made enough posts in order to be able to put up pics yet....wanted to put a few up of my modest but growing desktop setup. (Aune X1s alone with M50x's <> K7xx <> DT990 600 ohm <> Audio-gd c2-c <> LD MK IV se)  currently using X1s as DAC to feed both amps, but saving up for either Audio-gd dac-19 or NFB-1dac [2016] unless i am persuaded another way by the time i have the funds, almost researching with an open mind while i'm listening to music at night
  
 Anyway thanks for all the pics to check out, i really enjoy looking through peoples setups... a lot of you have pretty amazing looking, jealousy inducing systems!


----------



## Shuren21

kid vic said:


> Peachtree and a HD800s are pretty good for a newbie!


 
 Thank you but I guess it's human to always want more and to believe the grass is greener...


----------



## Shuren21

indiegradofan said:


> Audio equipment got a dedicated piece of furniture finally.


 
 I'm jealous, it's beautiful!


----------



## Youth

G





eschell27 said:


> Don't know why, but even being so simple and plain looking, i really dig the way Audio-gd products are designed. Just got a LD MK IVse recently as well and i'm my opinion they are one of the snazziest looking sub $1000 OTL amps out there. Just recently started indulging in my passion for listening to music and getting into audiophile equipment....haven't yet made enough posts in order to be able to put up pics yet....wanted to put a few up of my modest but growing desktop setup. (Aune X1s alone with M50x's <> K7xx <> DT990 600 ohm <> Audio-gd c2-c <> LD MK IV se)  currently using X1s as DAC to feed both amps, but saving up for either Audio-gd dac-19 or NFB-1dac [2016] unless i am persuaded another way by the time i have the funds, almost researching with an open mind while i'm listening to music at night
> 
> Anyway thanks for all the pics to check out, i really enjoy looking through peoples setups... a lot of you have pretty amazing looking, jealousy inducing systems!


 Get the DAC-19


----------



## awsanderson

New additions, the Ragnarok and the HE1000's.  Now to listen... and contemplate upgrades


----------



## silvrr

My current semi-portable setup


----------



## Quinto

youth said:


> G
> Get the DAC-19


 

 +1!


----------



## 62ohm

awsanderson said:


> New additions, the Ragnarok and the HE1000's.  Now to listen... and contemplate upgrades


 
  
 I want those vinyl crates...


----------



## ssrock64

silvrr said:


> My current semi-portable setup


 
 That looks like a stellar office/library rig. I've moved to IEMs for portable listening lately, but that picture brings back fond memories of my old ODAC/O2/Mad Dog setup.


----------



## awsanderson

62ohm said:


> I want those vinyl crates..


 
 lpbin.com bin e I think


----------



## Headzfi

New setup  

Phones Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro

Amp Musical Fidelity V-Can II

Source Yamaha CD-S300

Cabels Viablue NF-S1 phono rca


----------



## ThecRA1SEr

My current rig Beyerdynamic DT880, Fiio K5 with the X3II functionin as the dac and a raspberry pi with OSMC/KODI as the source


----------



## coastal1




----------



## jaywillin

coastal1 said:


>


 
 jerry standing guard, LOVE IT !


----------



## Arsis

coastal1 said:


>







jaywillin said:


> jerry standing guard, LOVE IT !


Hey, I saw your avatar and wanted to invite you to my jam band thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/792958/jam-band-fan-role-call


----------



## dagothur

awsanderson said:


> New additions, the Ragnarok and the HE1000's.  Now to listen... and contemplate upgrades


 
 Where do you live and when are you usually out of the house?
 Hypothetically asking for a friend


----------



## longbowbbs

Enjoying some tubes on a winter morning.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Love it, just one tip: Cable management


----------



## Mojo777

longbowbbs said:


> Enjoying some tubes on a winter morning.




How do you like the Scout? Music direct has the Traveller on sale but have been thinking I should spend a tad more for the JR


----------



## longbowbbs

mojo777 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 This is the Scout 1.1. I love it. Great performance. I have not spent any time with the Jr. I would not hesitate to get the Scout though.


----------



## longbowbbs

ultrainferno said:


> Love it, just one tip: Cable management


 
 Yes dear!


----------



## jaywillin

ultrainferno said:


> Love it, just one tip: Cable management


 
  
  


longbowbbs said:


> Yes dear!


 
  
 a neat system is a happy system, and it sounds better


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> ultrainferno said:
> 
> 
> > Love it, just one tip: Cable management
> ...


 
 So... Now it is not just WHAT brand of cables but how neat they are?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 This hobby has no end....


----------



## Oregonian

Remodeled our music room..............here's my main listening station.  Have a headphone extension cable under the area rug feeding my chair.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Looking great sir!! Hd800, he6...and? Cant tell.


----------



## Oregonian

matttcg said:


> ^^ Looking great sir!! Hd800, he6...and? Cant tell.


 

 Thanks bud!  It's actually my HD800 and HE-400...................been in the rotation lately (running it out of speaker taps and the sound is amazing.  That bass.............).  Sold the HE-6 a while back after I realized the 400 is pretty darn close fed like it is (along with open grill mods, Vegan pads and Lohb's suspension pad).   Oh, and the LA7000 is barely visible up on top of the CD/LP rack.  It still gets a fair amount of head time.   And on the Cerwin Vega speakers is the MD5000 on one and the D1100 on the other...........with two vintage Pioneers on the shelf above the system.


----------



## traffic

ultrainferno said:


> class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="1555587" data-type="61" src="http://www.head-fi.org/content/type/61/id/1555587/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL" style="; width: 500px; height: 500px">
> 
> 
> Last day with the Leben :/





I did a demo of that exact combo this weekend and am now trying to figure out how to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.


----------



## HiFiChris

oregonian said:


> Remodeled our music room..............here's my main listening station.  Have a headphone extension cable under the area rug feeding my chair.


 
  
 Really nice and harmonic listening room - a comfy arm chair, some good vinyl records, that awesome and beautiful Pioneer vintage gear and some nice headphones.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Indoor-outdoor.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Nice photography, especially with the top pic! I love the simplicity of a headphone that sounds great right from the phone.


----------



## Redcarmoose

matttcg said:


> ^^ Nice photography, especially with the top pic! I love the simplicity of a headphone that sounds great right from the phone.




Thank-you.

That silly $39 headphone does get loud? Louder than you would ever need it to be. At first the bass seemed a little wooly but I'm used to it.


----------



## SirMarc

oregonian said:


> Remodeled our music room..............here's my main listening station.  Have a headphone extension cable under the area rug feeding my chair.



Nice man!


----------



## MattTCG

@Oregonian ...did you consider turning that comfy chair to face the speakers? Just a thought.


----------



## Oregonian

matttcg said:


> @Oregonian ...did you consider turning that comfy chair to face the speakers? Just a thought.


 

 Yes I did.............fortunately the chair swivels 360* as needed so when I listen to the speakers that's what I do.   A compromise due to where the TV is and the fact that the better half had some say in the room layout.


----------



## Tai1or Made

My listening station/mini cinema.
  

  
 The Schitt Stack also gets dragged out to the lounge room for some hardcore gaming.


----------



## HedgeHog

tai1or made said:


> My listening station/mini cinema.
> 
> 
> 
> The Schitt Stack also gets dragged out to the lounge room for some hardcore gaming.


 
 Nice monitor! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 My mess...I mentioned in another forum that the rectifier will probably melt the back of said monitor.  I've added reflective aluminum tape to the back area.
  

  
 I confess that I tend to listen via the speaker way more than the headphones.
  
 -H


----------



## Tai1or Made

I love it.
  
 Complete overkill for me but I've always wanted an ultrawide.


----------



## headphones1999

hedgehog said:


> Nice monitor!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 very nice system! 
 just asking myslef why you dont use the woo audio\chord as a pre amp for the focal (although Im not sure if they can work as pre)


----------



## Mr Rick

Recently added new shelves and a pair of ELAC B6s to the man cave.


----------



## HedgeHog

headphones1999 said:


> very nice system!
> just asking myslef why you dont use the woo audio\chord as a pre amp for the focal (although Im not sure if they can work as pre)


 
 Thx.
  
 I believe the headphone outs are not compatible with the Focal's line in.  Woo Audio allows customers to order the WA22 with pre-outs added but skipped it.  So the Hugo TT sends line outs to the Focal via RCA and WA22 via XLR.  I have a Schiit SYS hooked up in reverse to kill the RCA out so the Focal gets no signal (kinda wished Chord had implemented a mute select option for outputs).
  
 -H


----------



## headphones1999

hedgehog said:


> Thx.
> 
> I believe the headphone outs are not compatible with the Focal's line in.  Woo Audio allows customers to order the WA22 with pre-outs added but skipped it.  So the Hugo TT sends line outs to the Focal via RCA and WA22 via XLR.  I have a Schiit SYS hooked up in reverse to kill the RCA out so the Focal gets no signal (kinda wished Chord had implemented a mute select option for outputs).
> 
> -H


 
 pfff you need to pay more for pre? :/
  
 forgot to say that I love the look of your focal monitors  really like speakers with double front port from some reason.
  


mr rick said:


> Recently added new shelves and a pair of ELAC B6s to the man cave.


 
 awesome system
 at first look I thought im looking at some *** speakers, never show your speakers with their grills on
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 which amp you like the most with the DT880 btw?


----------



## stuck limo

(NEW) Mackie MR5 mk3 studio monitors
 Schiit Vali headphone amp
 (NEW) NuForce u-DAC 3
 Geek Out 450 DAC + Geek Out V2 DAC (not pictured)
 Senn 600 / 558
 (NEW) V-Moda XS
  
 Acoustically the Mackies sound geat. The bass is shallow and uncontrolled. Not awful but I've heard better. Looking into maybe getting something else for bookshelf speakers.


----------



## SoulSyde

My DJ/Production/Listening room as it stands today.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Holy shizzle...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   I have no words. 
  
 Wait, yes I do. "All that run by a clip zip?"


----------



## ninjapirate9901

In it's current state:
  



  
  
  
 New chair coming this week with room treatment to follow shortly.


----------



## SoulSyde

matttcg said:


> ^^ Holy shizzle...:eek:    I have no words.
> 
> Wait, yes I do. "All that run by a clip zip?"




LOL


----------



## stuck limo

Removed the Mackies. Going back. These new Pioneer Andrew Jones SP-BS22-LR speakers _slaughter _the Mackies. I got the Andrew Jones for 100 dollars, brand new. The Mackies retail for 300. These sound better the more they burn in. They also beat out a pair on Energy speakers for almost double the price. A new Yamaha r-s500 will arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to see how they sound on the new receiver. The headphone equipment remains the same for now.


----------



## Ultrainferno

@SoulSyde
@ninjapirate9901 
  
 Gorgeous stuff!


----------



## whirlwind

matttcg said:


> ^^ Holy shizzle...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ha ha  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Good one, Matt!


----------



## KeithG

My amps and headphones setup. Grado Bushmills my current favourite cans despite the LCD2s doing everything better, the Grados are more fun.


----------



## 62ohm

Is that a Clearaudio Statement turntable I spot there?


----------



## KeithG

62ohm said:


> Is that a Clearaudio Statement turntable I spot there?





No, she's a Mitchell Gyro SE. I'm not sure why my list doesn't feature on my posts. I'll check my settings.


----------



## headphones1999

Every time i come here Im like "I think its time to clean up my room and start thinking of a better way to organize my ****y looking room" but i just keep listening to my system and looking at other people systems.
 laziness... first world problem.


----------



## HiFiChris

keithg said:


>


 
  
 Is that a custom-made rack?


----------



## DivergeUnify




----------



## KeithG

hifichris said:


> Is that a custom-made rack?




No, it's a second hand eBay purchase from about 14 years ago. Made by a UK company, Stands Unique, that have since vanished.


----------



## CJG888

+1 on the Tri-Vista 21!


----------



## KeithG

cjg888 said:


> +1 on the Tri-Vista 21!





I got that new from Walrus HiFi in London. They leant me one overnight and it made CDs I hadn't been able to listen too sound great. I bought it the next day.


----------



## jaywillin

keithg said:


> My amps and headphones setup. Grado Bushmills my current favourite cans despite the LCD2s doing everything better, the Grados are more fun.


 
 +1 !


----------



## James Myers

My humble set up.


----------



## MrTie84




----------



## Deftone

Sennheiser + Schiit is one of my favorite combinations.


----------



## HemiSam

keithg said:


> I got that new from Walrus HiFi in London. They leant me one overnight and it made CDs I hadn't been able to listen too sound great. I bought it the next day.


 
  
 Intresting DAC.  Is it so that they do not convert MP3?
  
  
 HS


----------



## KeithG

hemisam said:


> Intresting DAC.  Is it so that they do not convert MP3?
> 
> 
> HS





I believe she only works with red book CDs. Gives them a lovely warm sound, making my Tom Waits discs sound almost like vinyl.


----------



## indydieselnut

I received this little desktop rack from AVC for my pile of Schiit.  I like the way it turned out!


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Nice rack!! I like it.


----------



## 62ohm

That is a beautiful rack! Impeccably suited to hold those pile of schiit.


----------



## raybone0566




----------



## eschell27

My humble but ever expanding setup. Finally gave into my passion for listening to music in October and started purchasing headphone equipment starting with my X5II and H-300, now this is where i am. Very pleased with it thus far...currently designing a custom desk that will have shelves/racks for equipment, places to hang headphones, shelves for some powered studio monitors, shelves for a primary and secondary screens...if only i could settle on a design and just start building!! Any ideas are welcome!


----------



## Dr4Bob

My office set up at home.


----------



## eschell27

What are those speakers Dr4Bob?


----------



## betweentheears

Quote:Very Nice...can you provide a link? 





indydieselnut said:


> I received this little desktop rack from AVC for my pile of Schiit.  I like the way it turned out!


----------



## indydieselnut

betweentheears - here is the website: http://audiophilevibrationcontrol.com/
  
 He was incredibly easy to work with.  The rack I ordered isn't a "stock" rack, but pretty much everything he does can be customized.  I actually found him while I was trying to find a retail site for Appleply birch plywood, which is the primary material used in his shelves.  The attention to detail on this little rack is impressive - the edge-grain of the birch shelves is silky smooth and I think it's a nice, durable touch to have the support columns thread into inserts instead of just wood screws.  This tiny little rack weighs close to 20 pounds.  
  
 I'm very happy with the product, but there are great solutions available that cost less money.  One of which, of course, is simply stacking the two pieces on top of one another!


----------



## Clayton SF

Morphing once again. Saturday's setup.


----------



## SirMarc

clayton sf said:


> Morphing once again. Saturday's setup.



Are those Tektons? If so how do you like them?


----------



## Clayton SF

sirmarc said:


> Are those Tektons? If so how do you like them?


 
  
 Those are _*Zu Audio Omen*_s and I love them.


----------



## SirMarc

clayton sf said:


> Those are _*Zu Audio Omen*_s and I love them.



Cool


----------



## B-Dawk20

Sorry, I don't have a nice camera like some people!


----------



## RickB

b-dawk20 said:


> Sorry, I don't have a nice camera like some people!


 
  
 That's very nice. I use a Bifrost with a Vali 2 myself, so I'm used to the unbalanced look of a stack, LOL.


----------



## ryanellison009

My current setup: HD650 and Momentum 2.0 along with Schiit modi2u and BH Crack. RCA cleartop driver with Chatham 6as7g.


----------



## Ultrainferno

ryanellison009 said:


> My current setup: HD650 and Momentum 2.0 along with Schiit modi2u and BH Crack. RCA cleartop driver with Chatham 6as7g.


 
  
 that's a great setup. I should use my Crack a lot more. This tube combo is also one of my favs (after the 6080WB and the GEC 6AS7G). Great amp for the Senns.


----------



## pavement714

Pretty new to this awesome hobby, here's where I'm at right now and absolutely loving it:
  

  
 Here's the full chain: 
  
 Hifiman HE-400i (original version with removed cloth grill mod), > Audeze Deckard (used as amp only) > Monoprice RCA > Bifrost Multibit > PYST USB cable > Macbook Pro > Audirvana+
  
  
 Any have recommendations for the next headphone step after the 400i? Definitely think I'd go planar unless someone really recommends the HD800. I'm all about detail and hearing things I've never heard before. I like feeling accurate bass, but definitely not a basshead. Thanks!


----------



## MattTCG

pavement714 said:


> Pretty new to this awesome hobby, here's where I'm at right now and absolutely loving it:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hd800 S might be a consideration if it truly fixes the treble spike and adds a good dash of bass. Mine should be here this week and I'll be able to confirm. Plus the hd800 S would pair nicely with your Crack and be a good compliment to your 650.


----------



## pavement714

matttcg said:


> Hd800 S might be a consideration if it truly fixes the treble spike and adds a good dash of bass. Mine should be here this week and I'll be able to confirm. Plus the hd800 S would pair nicely with your Crack and be a good compliment to your 650.


 

 Haha I think you quoted the wrong person. I have a 400i and Deckard, no the Bottlehead.


----------



## MattTCG

pavement714 said:


> Haha I think you quoted the wrong person. I have a 400i and Deckard, no the Bottlehead.


 
  
 Haha...senior moment I guess. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Then I'll revise to say that you might consider the HeX as an upgrade with your equipment.


----------



## Mr.Tom

skylab said:


> Cheers fellas. Analog, tubes, and 600 ohm headphones...it's a way of life


 
  

 Or Digital, tubes and 300 ohm Cans. is my way of life.


----------



## awsanderson

got the MC152 installed today (replaced an Emotiva XPA-200), now to jam out


----------



## peter123




----------



## dagothur

awsanderson said:


>


 
 1. Mad jelly
 2. What's that on top of your Gungnir?


----------



## Deftone

peter123 said:


>


 
  
 i think you need a few more tips mate


----------



## awsanderson

It is half of my Vincent Audio PHO 8 phono preamp


----------



## dagothur

awsanderson said:


> It is half of my Vincent Audio PHO 8 phono preamp


 
 I was looking at Stax amps and thought it might be one or a PSU.


----------



## wildlife2011

slex said:


>




Is that a 400S on the right what are those colorful things on the cable?


----------



## Quinto




----------



## whirlwind




----------



## picklgreen




----------



## 62ohm

^
 Nice!
  
  
 I may be on the verge of getting a WA2 myself to pair with my turntable.


----------



## slex

wildlife2011 said:


> Is that a 400S on the right what are those colorful things on the cable?




Sort of a tighterner between plug and cable, prevent pulling. Color coded easier to know left or right cup.


----------



## 13713

clayton sf said:


> Morphing once again. Saturday's setup.




Nice. I love my Druids.


----------



## kid vic

13713 said:


> Nice. I love my Druids.


 
 Whats with the pricing? It seems to be all over the map depending on the source


----------



## kman1211

Triple Beyer Threat. Two new Beyers. The T1 Gen 2's are a loaner and the vintage DT 480 is a new addition to my stable.


----------



## jjacq




----------



## babybruno

Hi guys, my current setup:  HD800 + WA2.  WA2 does double duty as preamp into a pair of emo class A mono's that drive a pair of Paradigm Studios. The pair of SB13 Ultra's added more slam. I am so far happy with the setup - but unfortunately not the wife!!


----------



## kid vic

babybruno said:


> Hi guys, my current setup:  HD800 + WA2.  WA2 does double duty as preamp into a pair of emo class A mono's that drive a pair of Paradigm Studios. The pair of SB13 Ultra's added more slam. I am so far happy with the setup - but unfortunately not the wife!!


 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






>


 
  


 That must absolutely thump!! How close to the walls are those studios? Looks you've treated the room and toe'd them in. Would be a shame if reflection was killing it


----------



## slex

Temporily setup- AV room under construction


----------



## FastAndClean

babybruno said:


> Hi guys, my current setup:  HD800 + WA2.  WA2 does double duty as preamp into a pair of emo class A mono's that drive a pair of Paradigm Studios. The pair of SB13 Ultra's added more slam. I am so far happy with the setup - but unfortunately not the wife!!


 


>


 
 you are ready for drum and bass music


----------



## MattTCG

babybruno said:


> Hi guys, my current setup:  HD800 + WA2.  WA2 does double duty as preamp into a pair of emo class A mono's that drive a pair of Paradigm Studios. The pair of SB13 Ultra's added more slam. I am so far happy with the setup - but unfortunately not the wife!!


 
  
 Great looking setup!! May I ask where you sourced the damping material for the walls?


----------



## DaemonSire

babybruno said:


> Hi guys, my current setup:  HD800 + WA2.  WA2 does double duty as preamp into a pair of emo class A mono's that drive a pair of Paradigm Studios. The pair of SB13 Ultra's added more slam. I am so far happy with the setup - but unfortunately not the wife!!


 
  
 Just gorgeous.  Nice headphones, nice speakers, nice gaming rig.  Fantastic!


----------



## babybruno

matttcg said:


> Great looking setup!! May I ask where you sourced the damping material for the walls?




Thanks! Found it online. Better than what you can find in guitar center. They have different sizes depending on room size.


----------



## babybruno

babybruno said:


> Thanks! Found it online. Better than what you can find in guitar center. They have different sizes depending on room size.




Ooops! Nextacoustics.com


----------



## babybruno

kid vic said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The wife calls it "earthquake".  That's why I ended up getting a pair of cans to placate the wife - so she can have some moments of peace and quiet, of course without sacrificing my quality listening time. 
  
 Speakers are about a foot and a half from the walls.  Not ideal but its a compromise I had to make given the size of the room and the need for it to double as a study - wife's directive (I was not getting a second room for my study).  The treatment and carpet helped a lot flattening the frequency and minimizing flutter echo.  Treated the first and second reflection points from the listening position.  Just added more pads for aesthetics but just enough so I still get enough reflection to get a good sound stage.  We initially treated the ceiling too but took it out coz the sound stage started to narrow - didn't like the effect of the cloud and the bass traps on the sound stage given the size of the room. By the way... the wife didn't like the pads at all...she said they look like doormats on the wall!!
  
 I have a sound engineer friend who did the room calibration.  We were getting a bump in the 50+hz range but thankfully the SB13's PEq flattened it out.  The toe in helped a lot - angled equilaterally from the listening position.  That's when I discovered what I did not realize I was missing all this time - the "sweet spot".  The imaging was in a different level.  The instruments in some songs appear to be floating in front of you.
  

  

  
  

 listening position!


----------



## leng jai

Small vinyl selection for my non-existent vinyl player.


----------



## babybruno

leng jai said:


> Small vinyl selection for my non-existent vinyl player.


 

 Nice!  Silver WA2 matches well with the bifrost and the Senn's. I miss that warm and smooth sound of "old school" vinyl record.  Wouldn't the WA2 get too hot placing it on a shelf?


----------



## canthearyou

About one year ago it was an 02/odac, Sennheiser 558 and a 6 year old laptop sitting on a TV tray.


----------



## krumley7882




----------



## jamezoon

Current setup:
  
 HE1000 paired with Chord Hugo Desktop TT into Questyle CMA800R balanced mode.


----------



## Turrican2

^ Lovely, what's your source?


----------



## themad

canthearyou said:


> About one year ago it was an 02/odac, Sennheiser 558 and a 6 year old laptop sitting on a TV tray.


 
   
  
Nice! Looks like my room, with a room, with a big window in front.


  
 Would you please shoot a picture from further away? Just so that I can see what's on the sides and under the table?
 Thanks!


----------



## MattTCG

Quote: 





jamezoon said:


> Current setup:
> 
> HE1000 paired with Chord Hugo Desktop TT into Questyle CMA800R balanced mode.


 
  
 I challenge you!!


----------



## Deftone

jamezoon said:


> Current setup:
> 
> HE1000 paired with Chord Hugo Desktop TT into Questyle CMA800R balanced mode.


----------



## headphones1999

deftone said:


>


 
 Exactly!


----------



## bazelio




----------



## kid vic

babybruno said:


> The wife calls it "earthquake".  That's why I ended up getting a pair of cans to placate the wife - so she can have some moments of peace and quiet, of course without sacrificing my quality listening time.
> 
> Speakers are about a foot and a half from the walls.  Not ideal but its a compromise I had to make given the size of the room and the need for it to double as a study - wife's directive (I was not getting a second room for my study).  The treatment and carpet helped a lot flattening the frequency and minimizing flutter echo.  Treated the first and second reflection points from the listening position.  Just added more pads for aesthetics but just enough so I still get enough reflection to get a good sound stage.  We initially treated the ceiling too but took it out coz the sound stage started to narrow - didn't like the effect of the cloud and the bass traps on the sound stage given the size of the room. By the way... the wife didn't like the pads at all...she said they look like doormats on the wall!!
> 
> I have a sound engineer friend who did the room calibration.  We were getting a bump in the 50+hz range but thankfully the SB13's PEq flattened it out.  The toe in helped a lot - angled equilaterally from the listening position.  That's when I discovered what I did not realize I was missing all this time - the "sweet spot".  The imaging was in a different level.  The instruments in some songs appear to be floating in front of you.


 
 Hahaha an apt nickname; sounds like you took the time to make it right!


----------



## madmax7




----------



## Redcarmoose

bazelio said:


>




I have not heard a ton of TOTL amps but the Zana Deux was one of the best I heard. Just everything I wanted as far as euphonious detail.


----------



## leng jai

babybruno said:


> Nice!  Silver WA2 matches well with the bifrost and the Senn's. I miss that warm and smooth sound of "old school" vinyl record.  Wouldn't the WA2 get too hot placing it on a shelf?


 

 Never had a problem. It's not really closed off anyway.


----------



## bazelio

redcarmoose said:


> I have not heard a ton of TOTL amps but the Zana Deux was one of the best I heard. Just everything I wanted as far as euphonious detail.


 
  
  
 Looks like you have a WA5 LE in your .sig, which I'd love to hear.  I've not spent much time with the Woo products, but I do love my ZDS with R-2R DAC.  I suspect the Woo is going to be on the warmer side, whereas the ZDS is a modern neutral sounding tube amp... a touch of warmth, but not an overly warm vintage tube sound by any stretch.
  
 I've got a Micro ZOTL2 coming soon now.  This should be another neutral amp.  I'm planning to take it to work.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bazelio said:


> Looks like you have a WA5 LE in your .sig, which I'd love to hear.  I've not spent much time with the Woo products, but I do love my ZDS with R-2R DAC.  I suspect the Woo is going to be on the warmer side, whereas the ZDS is a modern neutral sounding tube amp... a touch of warmth, but not an overly warm vintage tube sound by any stretch.
> 
> I've got a Micro ZOTL2 coming soon now.  This should be another neutral amp.  I'm planning to take it to work.




In all honesty I have switched amps and kept everything the same at a meet and the W5 does have a slight warmth to it. Still the EC had even maybe a little more detail. Maybe just a fraction less lush, but I could switch and be perfectly happy with the EC. Both amps with the auxiliary gear in place sounded very close to the same to me? The value is replacing tubes has less cost with the EC. Knowing what I know now, I maybe would have gone with the EC as the difference in sound (if any) is minimal. To me they both have the same signature of warmth and detail with headstage air. Same authority too, with the EC maybe a little nimble, maybe? It was nice for me to find another amp which I liked as much as the W5.

Didn't spend that much time with the two that day but the EC was maybe the faster amp. Woo had slightly more harmonic something? I remember thinking the EC sounded more solid-state, in a good way. It was maybe more midcentric which gave it all the above character. If I could have spent two weeks with both amps together, I would have better understanding. Still my main reaction was, I like it, I like it, I could have this be my amp and be finished. Lol


----------



## Afro1989

have had this setup for a while. all i need.


----------



## DaemonSire

^ That is a nice looking Marantz.


----------



## Mojo777

getting into vinyl now. Nice change from creating endless playlists.


----------



## Afro1989

daemonsire said:


> ^ That is a nice looking Marantz.


 
 thanks, pretty much mint.  will cherish it forever.


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## themad

nordkapp said:


>




Nice! What speakers are those in red?


----------



## nordkapp

themad said:


> Nice! What speakers are those in red?


um........they are Project speaker box 5 I believe. Scored them brand new for $150. Sound great. Thanks.


----------



## Krutsch

mojo777 said:


> getting into vinyl now. *Nice change from creating endless playlists.*
> 
> ...


 
  
 FWIW, I've been spinning more optical plastic for the exact same reason. Gets me to the music faster.


----------



## Errymoose

krutsch said:


> FWIW, I've been spinning more optical plastic for the exact same reason. Gets me to the music faster.


 
 why do people bother making playlists then?
  
 I find the easiest way to do most computer formats is to just play albums too.


----------



## dagothur

errymoose said:


> why do people bother making playlists then?
> 
> I find the easiest way to do most computer formats is to just play albums too.


 
 If you have a large enough library but only a dozen or two songs for headphone sampling/testing or like to organize by genres then playlists can be very convenient.  Or if you have a copy of a demo CD (e.g., McIntosh, Marantz, Chesky) but don't want to have to hunt down every artist from that album to get the complete CD.


----------



## Krutsch

errymoose said:


> why do people bother making playlists then?
> 
> I find the easiest way to do most computer formats is to just play albums too.


 

 Well, back in the days of tape (I am old...), it was far easier than changing vinyl records to hear your favorite songs in an order you like.
  
 But, with computer audio, it's a little sad, I agree... although, I have about 200 playlists in iTunes, many of which are carry-overs from pre-digital audio days, for no other reason so that I can remember my favorites tracks for a particular artist.


----------



## pedalhead

Lots of changes to my setup in the past six months or so. Asus G751 laptop running Roon and HQPlayer (music on Synology NAS box), out to a Metrum Hex DAC and the mighty Wells Audio Enigma, which is more than capable of ragging the nuts off the HE1000 (something it requires in order to sound it's best imho).  A wonderful combo that (for now at least) is my happy summit-fi rig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## krumley7882

pedalhead said:


> Lots of changes to my setup in the past six months or so. Asus G751 laptop running Roon and HQPlayer (music on Synology NAS box), out to a Metrum Hex DAC and the mighty Wells Audio Enigma, which is more than capable of ragging the nuts off the HE1000 (something it requires in order to sound it's best imho).  A wonderful combo that (for now at least) is my happy summit-fi rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Beautiful Summit!


----------



## bazelio

Gorgeous Enigma.  I'd love to hear that rig.
  
 I just added a 30 pound monster to my rig (see the bottom shelf)...  A Topaz Ultra-Isolator isolation transformer.  This beast is hideous and vile, but boy oh boy does it ever do a good job.  The -149 dB common mode noise rejection must have something to do with it - a spec you won't find matched by any "Audiophile" power conditioner (that I've ever seen) no matter how expensive.    We're talking about an immediate improvement in micro detail clarity without having changed the overall presentation in terms of being more forward or recessed.  This has produced a more significant audible difference than any tube swap I've made to date - and even costed less than my Mullard ECC35 for the Zana Deux.  Picked it up for a song at a local electronics surplus outlet.
  
 YMMV with power conditioning I suppose.  My rig sits next to my desk with Wifi routers, Gigabit routers, a 40" LCD, multiple computers, etc.  So I suspect my power is rather noisy compared to most.  I think my next (and final) step is going to be to add a good transverse mode noise filter on the secondary of the isolator.  Furman seems to have a very decent one for $120.


----------



## dagothur

pedalhead said:


> Lots of changes to my setup in the past six months or so. Asus G751 laptop running Roon and HQPlayer (music on Synology NAS box), out to a Metrum Hex DAC and the mighty Wells Audio Enigma, which is more than capable of ragging the nuts off the HE1000 (something it requires in order to sound it's best imho).  A wonderful combo that (for now at least) is my happy summit-fi rig
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I would have to spend ten minutes just looking at my set-up before I listen if I had this stack.  Gorgeous equipment.


----------



## zilch0md

dagothur said:


> I would have to spend ten minutes just looking at my set-up before I listen if I had this stack.  Gorgeous equipment.


 
  
 I think everything in that photo, except for the cable, is ugly as hell.  No industrial design awards will be handed out for any of that gear - but whoa!  The sound is most assuredly a stunning experience!  And for that, I like looking at the photo and pondering what it must be like.


----------



## pedalhead

lol well I agree the HE1000 is pretty ugly, but I do sometimes stare at the Enigma and dribble a little 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  I love the design...to me it looks powerful and precise...just how it sounds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## pedalhead

bazelio said:


> Gorgeous Enigma.  I'd love to hear that rig.
> 
> I just added a 30 pound monster to my rig (see the bottom shelf)...  A Topaz Ultra-Isolator isolation transformer.  This beast is hideous and vile, but boy oh boy does it ever do a good job.  The -149 dB common mode noise rejection must have something to do with it - a spec you won't find matched by any "Audiophile" power conditioner (that I've ever seen) no matter how expensive.    We're talking about an immediate improvement in micro detail clarity without having changed the overall presentation in terms of being more forward or recessed.  This has produced a more significant audible difference than any tube swap I've made to date - and even costed less than my Mullard ECC35 for the Zana Deux.  Picked it up for a song at a local electronics surplus outlet.
> 
> YMMV with power conditioning I suppose.  My rig sits next to my desk with Wifi routers, Gigabit routers, a 40" LCD, multiple computers, etc.  So I suspect my power is rather noisy compared to most.  I think my next (and final) step is going to be to add a good transverse mode noise filter on the secondary of the isolator.  Furman seems to have a very decent one for $120.




Power conditioning is something I haven't dabbled in yet. Honestly I'm kinda skeptical but still have enough of an open mind to try something out. The price of a lot of power conditioning gear is prohibitively expensive though from what I can see. Any idea if there's a cheapskate way of getting some power conditioning benefits?


----------



## mikey1964

pedalhead said:


> Power conditioning is something I haven't dabbled in yet. Honestly I'm kinda skeptical but still have enough of an open mind to try something out. The price of a lot of power conditioning gear is prohibitively expensive though from what I can see. Any idea if there's a cheapskate way of getting some power conditioning benefits?


 

 Try it and report back if you hear a difference. But I warn ya, if you say the difference is 'night and day', I'm so gonna ignore you because I don't buy into such hyperboles. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My friend has a pretty high end home audiophile system (YG Acoustics Anat Reference II, Accuphase Pre and Power amps, Esoteric CD player, Lumin D1 music streamer) and he does have a power distributor. He's thinking of getting some Nordost power cable (as he'd been told it makes a big difference) and I go 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I told him that unless he can get a loaner and try it out for himself to see if it makes THAT big a difference, he'd better saving his money. I believe power conditioners/distributors do help, but power cables? Color me skeptical.....


----------



## Coolzo

mikey1964 said:


> Try it and report back if you hear a difference. But I warn ya, if you say the difference is 'night and day', I'm so gonna ignore you because I don't buy into such hyperboles. :wink_face:  My friend has a pretty high end home audiophile system (YG Acoustics Anat Reference II, Accuphase Pre and Power amps, Esoteric CD player, Lumin D1 music streamer) and he does have a power distributor. He's thinking of getting some Nordost power cable (as he'd been told it makes a big difference) and I go :rolleyes: . I told him that unless he can get a loaner and try it out for himself to see if it makes THAT big a difference, he'd better saving his money. I believe power conditioners/distributors do help, but power cables? Color me skeptical.....




I find that with high power tube amps (expecially those in close proximity to one another; >=100 wpc), a power cable with better shielding can drop the noise floor fairly significantly. However, I wouldn't go beyond the cost of an Emotiva power cord for this. TL;DR it depends.


----------



## dagothur

zilch0md said:


> I think everything in that photo, except for the cable, is ugly as hell.  No industrial design awards will be handed out for any of that gear - but whoa!  The sound is most assuredly a stunning experience!  And for that, I like looking at the photo and pondering what it must be like.


 
 It speaks of elegance to me.  Smooth, clean lines and no frills.  The HE1000 looks like a restored vintage can.


----------



## bazelio

pedalhead said:


> Power conditioning is something I haven't dabbled in yet. Honestly I'm kinda skeptical but still have enough of an open mind to try something out. The price of a lot of power conditioning gear is prohibitively expensive though from what I can see. Any idea if there's a cheapskate way of getting some power conditioning benefits?


 
  
  
 Maybe reread what I wrote.  
  
 For those skeptical of audiophile megabuck power delivery _products_, I'm right there with you.  However, if you're skeptical that power delivery itself can affect sound, then I'm not with you at all.  And in fact, once you've got clean power, then I believe other audiophile tweaks like fuses and power cords are going to be much less effective.  Maybe even ineffective.
  
 I purchased this Topaz Ultra Isolator at an electronics surplus store.  It's heavy, ugly, and industrial.  It's not an audio product.  It's a 120V/60Hz isolation transformer.  And it does exactly what it's supposed to do.  How would it affect the sound in my audio rig?  Well, that's what I had set out to determine.  A worthwhile experiment, because it was inexpensive and I bought it with a guarantee that I could return it.  So if it had made no audible difference then I'd absolutely have returned it.  But I will definitely not be returning it.  The difference was apparent on the very first song, and for me there's no looking back.  Nevertheless, as I said YMMV.  If power out of your wall is already clean, then there's nothing to be improved.
  
 Another piece of anecdotal evidence.  I use simple 12 AWG low inductance power cords.  Nothing fancy, nothing "audiophile".  They do just fine.  Now, recently (before adding the isolation transformer), I needed a couple extra cords and ended up purchasing these "hospital grade" 14 AWG cords just out of curiosity.  Why not, they were only a couple extra bucks from Amazon.  For grins, I decided to try them out on my main audio rig, and guess what ... they absolutely muddied up the sound.  I'm certain that it wasn't just in my mind because the highs on familiar tracks suddenly started clipping whereas previously they had not.  In order to prevent the clipping I had to adjust the gain setting to -1 in Amarra - with no other changes in the system other than power cords.  So absolutely, yes, in my case power cords and power devices have made an undeniable difference - sometimes good, sometimes bad.  As far the hospital grade cords, well they've been relegated to non-audio usage only.


----------



## zilch0md

pedalhead said:


> lol well I agree the HE1000 is pretty ugly, but I do sometimes stare at the Enigma and dribble a little  .  I love the design...to me it looks powerful and precise...just how it sounds  .




There's no accounting for my poor taste.


----------



## zilch0md (Aug 8, 2017)

pedalhead said:


> Power conditioning is something I haven't dabbled in yet. Honestly I'm kinda skeptical but still have enough of an open mind to try something out. The price of a lot of power conditioning gear is prohibitively expensive though from what I can see. Any idea if there's a cheapskate way of getting some power conditioning benefits?




Here's my solution for affordable power conditioning (the result of a lot of reading and testing):



Feel free to PM if you have questions (anyone).

Mike

Update August 2017:


----------



## Bill G

Here's my current (loudspeaker-less) system. My complete system list is as follows.
  
 Rega Apollo CD Player
 Clearaudio Concept Turntable
 Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III Cartridge
 Musical Surroundings Phenomena Phono Preamp
 Schiit Audio Asgard 2 Headphone Amp
 Niles Audio Source Switch Box
 Grado RS-2 Headphones
  
*Interconnect Cables*
 Cardas Quadlink (CD)
 Transparent Audio MusicLink + (Phono Preamp)
 Discovery Cable Plus 4 (Switch Box)
  
*AC Cables & Conditioner*
 PS Audio Power Center AV5000
 Cardas Twinlink Powercord (CD)
 Shunyata Venom AC (Headphone Amp)
 Cardas Cross AC (Power Center)
  
*Isolation*
 Boston Audio Design TuneBlocks


----------



## Asr

My system right now, which sounds pretty dang good to me. The Bifrost is the 4490 model.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ How come so guys with nice rigs have paneling? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  That's it, I'm going to home depot for a truck load of sweet 70's paneling! Wait, I wonder if my wife will mind.


----------



## penmarker

Looking at this picture, I never realised how dirty my wall look.


----------



## Townyj

asr said:


> My system right now, which sounds pretty dang good to me. The Bifrost is the 4490 model.




I have always wanted to hear a Gilmore Lite... should of bought one ages ago.


----------



## theleboss

Sadly this is all I have for now!


----------



## MattTCG

^^ Nothing wrong with that! I use the mo 2 when I'm out and about away from home.


----------



## SunTanScanMan

penmarker said:


> Looking at this picture, I never realised how dirty my wall look.


 
 I like the blue accents you have going on there  Especially your blue Playstation - you put me on the nostalgia train.


----------



## 62ohm

townyj said:


> I have always wanted to hear a Gilmore Lite... should of bought one ages ago.


 
  
 They should have named it 'Gilmour' and add some more market value. I'm sure there will be people who will buy it only because it says Gilmour


----------



## theleboss

matttcg said:


> ^^ Nothing wrong with that! I use the mo 2 when I'm out and about away from home.


 
 Yep, I use them all the time when I need to take the train!


----------



## Otheronek

penmarker said:


> Looking at this picture, I never realised how dirty my wall look.


 
 Can you tell me what speakers are on your desk?  _Peace OOK_


----------



## Errymoose

matttcg said:


> ^^ How come so guys with nice rigs have paneling?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 You can't stop and ask questions like this when important audio decisions are being made!


----------



## penmarker

otheronek said:


> Can you tell me what speakers are on your desk?  _Peace OOK_


 
 They're Edifier Studio 7 (or Edifier R2700). They're marketed as studio monitors but I don't think they're revealing or uncolored enough to be monitors. Pretty cheap too! 
  


suntanscanman said:


> I like the blue accents you have going on there  Especially your blue Playstation - you put me on the nostalgia train.


 
 Thanks a lot man, wasn't planning on the the blue accents but I see where you're getting at. The Playstation is just sitting there for now - broken controller, so I can't play any CDs on it yet. Back then you can get their games and controllers at every corner shop but now I can't find them anywhere except eBay.


----------



## Kon Peki

My current station:


----------



## Asr

townyj said:


> I have always wanted to hear a Gilmore Lite... should of bought one ages ago.


 
  
 It still comes up every now and then on the FS forums, just have to keep your eye out for one. Absolutely love mine and never getting rid of it, for me it's one of those "you can pry it from my cold dead hands!" kind of things.


----------



## Townyj

asr said:


> It still comes up every now and then on the FS forums, just have to keep your eye out for one. Absolutely love mine and never getting rid of it, for me it's one of those "you can pry it from my cold dead hands!" kind of things.




When Justin did the run out i thought about it a bit to long. :/ a black one wouldve been awesome to nab. Glad to hear its still up there sound wise!


----------



## Ishcabible

It's not complete but I haven't posted here in a while:


----------



## wdh777

Guys/Gals, amazing pics.  I've been posting for awhile but no photos of my station yet.  Give me a few weeks and it may be my end game and I will post.  Then again is anything ever an end game....


----------



## Oregonian

wdh777 said:


> Guys/Gals, amazing pics.  I've been posting for awhile but no photos of my station yet.  Give me a few weeks and it may be my end game and I will post.  Then again is anything ever an end game....


 
  
 Usually not but..............


----------



## bartlett

Sick setup, nice amp and desktop case!
  
 Quote:


madmax7 said:


>


----------



## Badas

My weak link is my DAC. I will be adding a Auralic Vega in the next few weeks. So it should lift the quality.


----------



## bazelio

badas said:


> My weak link is my DAC. I will be adding a Auralic Vega in the next few weeks. So it should lift the quality.


 
  
  
 Nice.  How do you like the Woo?


----------



## Badas

bazelio said:


> Nice.  How do you like the Woo?




Once I found the right tubes I can't fault it. I find all music very pleasing on it. Drives both my Audeze HP's as good as possible.


----------



## crashtest33

leng jai said:


> vinyl selection for my non-existent vinyl player.



Mate, know that feeling. Sold my magazine-featured home cinema to my sister some years back as I moved into a 300yr old beamed semi. This included a mint Pro-Ject Expression Carbon! Must get another turntable. Are you looking??


----------



## zilch0md

Here in the States, it's hard to find a semi more than about 80 years old.


----------



## leng jai

crashtest33 said:


> Mate, know that feeling. Sold my magazine-featured home cinema to my sister some years back as I moved into a 300yr old beamed semi. This included a mint Pro-Ject Expression Carbon! Must get another turntable. Are you looking??


 

 Not really, I don't have room in my current setup. As you can see everything is very snug already.


----------



## Audioholic123

This is my headphone-exclusive bedroom setup. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 As you can see, I don't do tube amps. Too much hassle IMO

  
 Headphones pictured are; Pioneer SE-A1000*/*Sennheiser HD600 (closed back mod)*/* Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Limited Edition.

  
 I'll post a picture of my lounge setup next time...


----------



## Audioholic123

audioholic123 said:


> This is my headphone-exclusive bedroom setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I was changing things around at the weekend.
 In the lounge i've settled with a Marantz PM5004 amp and Denon DCD520AE cd player with a Burr Brown 192KHZ/32bit dac.
 Mistral Bow 3 standmount speakers (Crazy good!!) powered by a 23 years old Linn LK140.
_Very_ satisfied with the synergy of this system...


----------



## koalapear




----------



## Audioholic123

One more picture from me, taken from my tablet (hence low quality).
 This is my desktop system. Love my Wharfedale Diamond 10's..guess i'm more of a speaker guy.


----------



## Badas

I just discovered this thread and adore it.
  
 Thanks for all the posts. Lot of you guys have some amazing rigs.


----------



## 62ohm

badas said:


> I just discovered this thread and adore it.
> 
> Thanks for all the posts. Lot of you guys have some amazing rigs.


 
  
 You, sir also have an amazing rig. I lost myself when I listened to Adele with your LCD-X plugged to that WA22 of yours and irDac


----------



## Badas

62ohm said:


> You, sir also have an amazing rig. I lost myself when I listened to Adele with your LCD-X plugged to that WA22 of yours and irDac


 

 Oh man. Did we meet up at the NZ meet?
  
 So hard to keep track of all you nice guys.
  
 WA22 has improved. I have thrown in the expensive Takasuki 274B rectifier. Worth every penny. Amazing tube.
  
 In the next few weeks the Arcam DAC will be replaced with the Auralic Vega. I'm really looking forward to that. I have compared the Arcam to the Auralic before and the Auralic destroyed the Arcam.


----------



## 62ohm

badas said:


> Oh man. Did we meet up at the NZ meet?
> 
> So hard to keep track of all you nice guys.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yeah we did, what turntable is that by the way?
  
 Interestingly though, I've never liked any sabre-based DACs. Tried the Vega with a BHA-1 before and didn't like it, so it would be interesting to hear your gear again and to listen to the combination of Vega and WA22.


----------



## Badas

62ohm said:


> Yeah we did, what turntable is that by the way?
> 
> Interestingly though, I've never liked any sabre-based DACs. Tried the Vega with a BHA-1 before and didn't like it, so it would be interesting to hear your gear again and to listen to the combination of Vega and WA22.


 

 My TT is a Pro-ject RPM Genie 1.3. Nothing serious. I'm really just playing with vinyl. I do enjoy it however I think it is better for speakers rather than HP's. One day I will upgrade to something better.
  
 I know what you mean about the sabre chips. I can't stand the HA-1 DAC because of the spitty treble sound it produces. Very common on sabre based DAC's. The Auralic Vega has filters tho and filter four fixes the treble. It sounds fantastic.
  
 I'm not sure if we are allowed to do this, however here is a link to all my equipment:
  
 http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gallery.php?member=Badas


----------



## kvik




----------



## dagothur

kvik said:


>


 
 I was kind of worried the TakeT had faded into obscurity after 2013 or so.  How would you describe the pair's sonic character?


----------



## 62ohm

badas said:


> My TT is a Pro-ject RPM Genie 1.3. Nothing serious. I'm really just playing with vinyl. I do enjoy it however I think it is better for speakers rather than HP's. One day I will upgrade to something better.
> 
> I know what you mean about the sabre chips. I can't stand the HA-1 DAC because of the spitty treble sound it produces. Very common on sabre based DAC's. The Auralic Vega has filters tho and filter four fixes the treble. It sounds fantastic.
> 
> ...




Man, that is one unbelievable room. Definitely worthy of being tagged as 'Mad Kiwi'


----------



## KAMT

Musical Fidelity M1HPAp, X-can v2 vith JAN Sylvania 6922's. Sennheiser HD 650, 600, Beyerdynamic DT-880.


----------



## Mr.Tom

With the 500's


----------



## Deftone

kamt said:


> Musical Fidelity M1HPAp, X-can v2 vith JAN Sylvania 6922's. Sennheiser HD 650, 600, Beyerdynamic DT-880.


 
  
 Hot cans?


----------



## oatp1b1

New setup. Going from Burson HA-160D and HD650 to HDVA600 and HD800S (HD650 still remaining though). The CD player is a Cambridge 851C.


----------



## HeyWaj10

oatp1b1 said:


> New setup. Going from Burson HA-160D and HD650 to HDVA600 and HD800S (HD650 still remaining though). The CD player is a Cambridge 851C.


 
  
 Nice and clean, simple system!  What were the differences/improvements you experienced?


----------



## kvik

dagothur said:


> I was kind of worried the TakeT had faded into obscurity after 2013 or so.  How would you describe the pair's sonic character?


 
 Appologies for the delayed response. It is early days, have spend less than 10 hours with the combo, thus need a bit more time to form a fair opinion. Want to try another source and different interconnect also. Apart from the current source, everything is new/unfamiliar to me in this setup.


----------



## Kon Peki

Just added the Lyr 2


----------



## noobandroid

my home desktop mojo and is also my portable mojo haha

portable: dx90 - coax - mojo -m750i
home: ifi iusb - mojo - hd650


----------



## Deftone

noobandroid said:


> my home desktop mojo and is also my portable mojo haha
> 
> portable: dx90 - coax - mojo -m750i


 
 nice im using this combo too, it does sound impressive with the much cheaper 750s


----------



## dagothur

kvik said:


> Appologies for the delayed response. It is early days, have spend less than 10 hours with the combo, thus need a bit more time to form a fair opinion. Want to try another source and different interconnect also. Apart from the current source, everything is new/unfamiliar to me in this setup.


 
 I'd be interested to hear your impressions.  I've been having upgradeitis the last few months and the TakeT caught my eye once or twice.  
 So far I've read it's 1) A very unique experience and 2) Great at vocal articulation and imaging


----------



## Ultrainferno

Today's setup while I was cleaning my ciems


----------



## Badas

Geez very nice. The RCA 6AS7G is dark. Does this help the HD800 a bit?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Thanks. It does a little yes, the 339 is on the warmer and smoother kind. But I like the HD800 even with its trebke


----------



## Badas

ultrainferno said:


> Thanks. It does a little yes, the 339 is on the warmer and smoother kind. But I like the HD800 even with its trebke




Yeah. I have listened to the HD800 many times on my WA22. It is a marvellous HP. 
I've had a number of sessions with my mates HD800S (the new version) as well. Blew me away.

My rig this morning. I'm using the LCD-X and the LCD-3C is in the background.
I'm using DVD-Audio. I just discovered it works from my Oppo player to Optical input on the DAC. I don't know why I haven't tried this before. It sounds great. Also found out Blu-Ray audio works as well.


----------



## Ultrainferno

The WA22 is on my list of amps to buy. But the list is long and I have too many amps already. I did have a WA2 from my friend Clayton for a while, gorgeous amp


----------



## Silent One




----------



## mikesale

My desktop with Jriver driving multi-channel sources (movies and music to 5.1 speakers) and Audirvana on the right screen controlled by the iPad on just below it and finally my X5II on the K5 dock. Gustard U12 pushing 24/96 to Bifrost to Lyr.. SMSL M8 pushing DSD 128 to Asgard 2.


----------



## KAMT

deftone said:


> Hot cans?


 
  
 I'm swedish... We have plenty of hot cans everywhere lol. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Seriously the X-can become pretty toasty after a while, the chassi or tube is made like a heatsink. Using it as a headphone rest makes it pretty comfy to pre-warm up your earmuffs when living in cold climate. To prevent it getting all too hot, I have a 120mm PC-fan running at 5V DC resting on top of X-can's PSU. Perhaps not the most elegant "solution", but it works. :=)


----------



## Audioholic123

Discovering this thread made me realise how unorganized my bedroom setup was lol. I moved things around to give me peace of mind.
  
 This setup consists of;
 Pioneer VSX 528 receiver.
 Pioneer S-SLW500  down firing subwoofer (which doubles as a center speaker for my needs)
 Canton GLE 420 loudspeakers with aluminium cones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Never experienced distortion _once_ in the 6 years i've owned 'em. And i've never had 'em lower than 60Db...German engineering at it's finest...


----------



## spanner43




----------



## remilio

So far so good...


----------



## Zoom25

*Pictured:*
 - Dangerous Music Source
 - Sennheiser HD 800
 - Amphion One15
 - iMac 27"
  
*Not pictured (underneath the desk):*
 - Bryston BDP-1 (music player)
 - Teradak 12V13A LPS for Dangerous Source
 - Amphion Amp 100 for One15
 - Tripplite power distribution unit
  
*Impressions:*
 - The Amphions are the king in this setup. HD 800 are now only for late night.
 - Was contemplating between PSI A17, Focal (Solo, Twins), and ATC SCM20. Went with Amphions and these are just incredible. Hands down better than the Focals by a mile. In the same league as ATC, perhaps even slightly more musical than ATC.
 - At similar size, there is also KEF LS50, which I thought were okay in my numerous auditions. The Amphions are entirely something else.
 - I think the Amphions might be more resolving than the HD 800. Holographic and excellent bass control like the HD 800. Mid clarity and the air up top is just phenomenal, even surpassing the HD 800. Cannot hear the crossover and their problems like with other speakers.
  
*Next step:*
 - Customizing the elevation of Isoacoustics stands
 - Room treatment


----------



## Krutsch

Latest edition: Thorens TD-166 Mk II, a purchase from 1986 that I've had in storage for 25 years.


----------



## whill

Hi Guys!
  
 This is my humble set up.
  
 Macbook Pro > Musical Fidelity VPSU > Musical Fildelity VLinkII > Musical Fidelity VDAC II > Burson Soloist SL MKI > Shure 1840 / Shure 940 using Audioquest Forest USB Cable and Chord Cadenza Interconnects


----------



## SirBenn21




----------



## 62ohm

^
  
 Are those Asus MX299Q monitors? I have exactly the same! Though only one..


----------



## SirBenn21

62ohm said:


> ^
> 
> Are those Asus MX299Q monitors? I have exactly the same! Though only one..


 
  
 ASUS MX279H 27in


----------



## BobG55

_Headphones : _SR325e (w/ G-cush) / PS500e (w/ G-cush) / PS1000e / HD600 (w/ Cardas cable) / HD650 (w/ Japanese silver cable)
  
_Source : _ Teac CD2000 / PS Audio NuWave DAC
  
_Headphone Amp :_ Mapletree-SugarMaple Sidewinder
  
  
 I just sold a Headphone Amp/Dac & have used some of the money to buy the following tubes which I am waiting for : 
  
 Raytheon JAN 5751 Windmill Getter
 JHS Sylvania 5751 3 Mica Black Plates D-Getter
 RCA JRC 5751 WA VACUUM TUBE BLACK PLATE SQUARE GETTER TRIPLE MICA
 GE JG-5751WA/12AX7 NEW Tube 2-Hole Short BLACK PLATES Triple Mica "O" Gtr 1953
 12AX7 Telefunken ECC83 / ECC 83 / 12AX7 Audio Tube, Smooth Plate
 1 Pair - 6922=E88CC Telefunken Germany NOS 1960's
  
  

  




  
 My headphones are hanging on Christmas Wreaths holders bought at the Dollar Store & they hang in an adjacent closet from the hanger's bar.  I don't hang my PS1000e, they rest in their box on a shelf also in the closet when not being used.


----------



## whill

Nice set up and collection Mr BobG55!


----------



## BobG55

whill said:


> Nice set up and collection Mr BobG55!


 

 Thank you *Mr whill *


----------



## zilch0md

remilio said:


> So far so good...


 
  
 I really like your space for listening - I want to be there!
  
  




  
 Mike


----------



## remilio

zilch0md
  
 Thanks for kind words, Mike!


----------



## jasoncote

New to head-if and my work in progress...


----------



## jasoncote

Well it seems I will have to post a better picture once my permissions improve.


----------



## DarthTater

Bad smartphone photo from work...
  
 The DT-880s are connected to an APPJ-1502A
 The SR-225e's are connected to an xDuoo TA-01 (for my work computer's audio)
 The Stax SR-40s are connected to an APPJ-1501A
  
 The DAC for the APPJ amps is an SMSL M8 and the music comes from a little Acer Aspire One running JRiver Media Center on Linux.  It's a great little music source - high bitrate PCM and DSD output!


----------



## eugenius

here's my desktop today: meier stagedac, meier corda opera analog, centrance micport pro, beyerdynamic dt-291-pv/250 mk2 headset (on my head)


----------



## d4rkch1ld




----------



## nordkapp

d4rkch1ld said:


>


That's some serious looking glass you've got there.


----------



## d4rkch1ld

nordkapp said:


> That's some serious looking glass you've got there.


 

 Nothing special actually. RCA 6AS7G but with adapter and extension to connect external power supply for heaters.


----------



## Ishcabible




----------



## jjacq




----------



## whill

jjacq said:


>


 
  
 Nice set up miss Jacqueline!


----------



## penmarker

eugenius said:


> here's my desktop today: meier stagedac, meier corda opera analog, centrance micport pro, beyerdynamic dt-291-pv/250 mk2 headset (on my head)


 
 Amazing.


----------



## kottav

I just picked up this kit. Nuforce uDac-3 -> Lake People G109-A -> Hifiman HE-560


----------



## Townyj

Damn!! I want a G109A, missed out on the lowest price with Massdrop.. :/ How does it sound..??


----------



## kottav

townyj said:


> Damn!! I want a G109A, missed out on the lowest price with Massdrop.. :/ How does it sound..??




It sounds totally neutral. It has tons of power for any headphone. It really let's the headphone show you its character. The soundstage is expansive with plenty of air between instruments.


----------



## DoctaCosmos




----------



## Townyj

kottav said:


> It sounds totally neutral. It has tons of power for any headphone. It really let's the headphone show you its character. The soundstage is expansive with plenty of air between instruments.


 
 Thanks!! I am going to contact Lake People directly, they have it on special on the USA site but not the German site.


----------



## Clayton SF

"Clean your room!" She'd say.
 Then again, maybe not. After all, it is Friday!
 Celebrate it and listening carefully!


----------



## 62ohm

Hey Clayton, what turntable is that?


----------



## Clayton SF

62ohm said:


> Hey Clayton, what turntable is that?


 
  
 It is the Music Hall mmf 9.1


----------



## B-Dawk20

My DAC and amp haven't changed but my headphone lineup has a bit.


----------



## stuck limo

kottav said:


> I just picked up this kit. Nuforce uDac-3 -> Lake People G109-A -> Hifiman HE-560




How is the nuforce udac 3? I loved mine but had to send it back as it was literally stopping all functionality on my pc for sound and videos. What OS are you using?


----------



## kottav

stuck limo said:


> How is the nuforce udac 3? I loved mine but had to send it back as it was literally stopping all functionality on my pc for sound and videos. What OS are you using?


 
 For the money, it's great. I'm using Windows 10 and it plays nicely. I don't ASIO or anything fancy like that. I just plugged it in and started using it with the windows generic sound driver. I used it with a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-800 600 ohm cans for years and it produced a very nice SQ. I was using it as the DAC and amp for that setup. 
  
 I do feel that I could get more out of the HE-560s with a better DAC so I joined the Gustard DAC-X12 drop on massdrop. Hopefully that brings better dynamics and detail to the setup.


----------



## stuck limo

kottav said:


> For the money, it's great. I'm using Windows 10 and it plays nicely. I don't ASIO or anything fancy like that. I just plugged it in and started using it with the windows generic sound driver. I used it with a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-800 600 ohm cans for years and it produced a very nice SQ. I was using it as the DAC and amp for that setup.
> 
> I do feel that I could get more out of the HE-560s with a better DAC so I joined the Gustard DAC-X12 drop on massdrop. Hopefully that brings better dynamics and detail to the setup.




Well im glad yours is working out fine for you. I had the 2 version and used it for my stereo until one of the channels on the output crapped out. The headphone output still works. I don't feel the headphone output is as good as the rca output for a stereo though. 

I tried everything with the 3 version and kept running into issues. Now I'm back to using a Geek Out 450 on the main rig.


----------



## BigSoup

My theater & listening area.  Please excuse the Can't Buy Me Love poster, my wife's choice!


----------



## headphones1999

bigsoup said:


> My theater & listening area.  Please excuse the Can't Buy Me Love poster, my wife's choice!


 
 its not like we don't like speakers here


----------



## dudlew

bigsoup said:


> My theater & listening area.  Please excuse the Can't Buy Me Love poster, my wife's choice!


 
 Is that a PM3 in the picture? If it is, what are your thoughts on it compared to the Audeze?


----------



## BigSoup

dudlew said:


> Is that a PM3 in the picture? If it is, what are your thoughts on it compared to the Audeze?


 
 I like the sound of the PM3 but I love the sound of the Audeze.  To my ears the Audeze has just the right amount of treble and tighter bass.  The PM3 could do with a little more treble to make it a bit more exciting.  I use the PM3s when I need a closed back option or as a portable set.


----------



## dudlew

bigsoup said:


> I like the sound of the PM3 but I love the sound of the Audeze.  To my ears the Audeze has just the right amount of treble and tighter bass.  The PM3 could do with a little more treble to make it a bit more exciting.  I use the PM3s when I need a closed back option or as a portable set.


 
 Cool,
  
 Good to know. I am a PM3 fan, have never heard any of the big guys though, so just curious.
  
 Thanks


----------



## jjacq




----------



## dagothur

jjacq said:


>


 
 How are you liking the Master-9 with the LCD-X?


----------



## 394216

My endgame (for now)


----------



## whill

torpedorag said:


> My endgame (for now)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## remilio

jjacq said:


>


 
  
 Nice rig, but is it 100% safe to stack something upon Master 9? I heard it runs pretty hot.


----------



## 394216

whill said:


> torpedorag said:
> 
> 
> > My endgame (for now)
> ...


----------



## krumley7882

torpedorag said:


> yes its the sl mk2. It pairs nicely with the idsd micro. The internal amp of the idsd is more powerful, but the class A design of the burson is better. I think iDSD should be used only as a dac if possible. But i like the convenience of an internal amp when travelling
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk


 

 This is a great setup! 
  
  
 and I agree.  the iDSD direct as a DAC going into an amp compares with the best of them, even those 3x the price.


----------



## sabocat

My current set-up.


----------



## mikey1964

I've posted my setup before, so I'm posting my friend's setup instead.....just for the hell of it!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 How is this HeadFi related? Well, do note the Sennheiser Momentum BT just aound the middle of the left speaker.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My friend is NOT a fan of cans though, he says the sound 'floats around in your head' and lack the space and soundstage of what a good pair of speakers can do, And after listening to his setup for a couple of hours, I'd have to agree.....was never a fan of Cat Stevens, but man, when he played 'Father and Son', I was blown away, I became an instant fan of that song. BTW, we'd listened to a number of songs in a number of formats (DSD64, FLAC, WAV) and it was quite an experience.


----------



## jjacq

remilio said:


> Nice rig, but is it 100% safe to stack something upon Master 9? I heard it runs pretty hot.




Correct. I don't have it stacked up like this when I'm actually listening to it because I do have a component rack for it. The gmb is on the second floor.


----------



## remilio

jjacq said:


> Correct. I don't have it stacked up like this when I'm actually listening to it because I do have a component rack for it. The gmb is on the second floor.


 
 OK, thanks!


----------



## headphones1999

mikey1964 said:


> I've posted my setup before, so I'm posting my friend's setup instead.....just for the hell of it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 mate how you cant agree? those speakers (from what i heard) are AMAZING, and against Sennheiser momentum? lol


----------



## Redcarmoose

mikey1964 said:


> I've posted my setup before, so I'm posting my friend's setup instead.....just for the hell of it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I was going to post a pic my friends system, but even better, pics of my friends themselves.


----------



## kman1211

Couple new additions to the headphone family.


----------



## jasoncote

a couple upgrades for me


----------



## phaeton70

my current end-game setup (an oxymoron, I know 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Ultrainferno

My living room setup today


----------



## claud W

My temporary "break in Yggy" system. Ordering Ragg today, Sounds really good even though I switched out the nTelfunken 6922 CCAs  for Amprex 7308s.


----------



## RickB

My humble system. Just got the Valhalla 2. I don't like to use the term "end game" because one never knows what's going to happen in the future, but I plan on not buying anything else for a very long time.


----------



## peter123

My Magni and M-stage just moved out to leave room for the Burson Audio Conductor V2+.


----------



## jamezoon

matttcg said:


> I challenge you!!


 


 MattTCG, my response


----------



## remilio

jamezoon said:


> MattTCG, my response


 
  
 Wow, that's a serious stuff!


----------



## longbowbbs

jamezoon said:


> matttcg said:
> 
> 
> > I challenge you!!
> ...


 
 Well played...


----------



## Androb

jamezoon said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hot damn that is cool!


----------



## jaywillin

jamezoon said:


> MattTCG, my response


 
  
  


remilio said:


> Wow, that's a serious stuff!


 
  
  


longbowbbs said:


> Well played...


 
  
  


androb said:


> Hot damn that is cool!


 
  
 well played indeed !


----------



## audio Aficionad

For those who are interested here is the rig-rundown.
  
 DAC/Headphoneamp = Pioneer U05
 Source = Macbook Pro running Audirvana / Bitperfect in iTunes-Mode
 Headphones = Sennheiser HD 600 (balanced)
 Monitors = Yamaha HS7 (they run through the Pioneer U05 via variable Line-Out)
 the device to the left of the Pioneer is my Firewire Interface (T.C Electronic Desktop Konnekt 6) for recording my Guitar Amp.


----------



## remilio

Nice photos and very "clean" rig, cool beans!


----------



## roscoofyore (May 17, 2017)

Sipping rum and shaking my head to vintage jazz. Grommes phi-26 and Grado RS1i, perfect combo. Cheers everybody.


----------



## Coolzo

Hmm... Interesting


----------



## Badas

I've added a Auralic Vega into my system. Very happy.

.


----------



## 62ohm

^
 Nice! Looking forward to listen to your rig at this year's meet, if we have any.
  
  
 PS: Are you, by any chance, selling your BDP-103D?


----------



## Badas

62ohm said:


> ^
> Nice! Looking forward to listen to your rig at this year's meet, if we have any.
> 
> 
> PS: Are you, by any chance, selling your BDP-103D?


 

 The Vega is incredible. Well worth a listen.
  
 No. I need two BDP-103D's. One for region code Zone A and the other for region code Zone B.
  
 If I got rid of one I would have trouble playing half of this:
  



  
 I am very near 1900 blu-rays.


----------



## Townyj

Your Evil Dead and Mad Max blu rays!! Hell yeah!


----------



## sabocat

My deluxe Headphone Stands (TM) have arrived, straight from the kitchen section of the local big-box.


----------



## Krutsch

badas said:


> ...
> 
> No. I need two BDP-103D's. *One for region code Zone A and the other for region code Zone B.*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Epic setup. Of course, if you started ripping your optical plastic, you could forget about the entire region issue, as well as needing shelf space for discs and cases. Not that I am advocating anything like that myself, but your movie collection could like this:


----------



## Badas

krutsch said:


> Epic setup. Of course, if you started ripping your optical plastic, you could forget about the entire region issue, as well as needing shelf space for discs and cases. Not that I am advocating anything like that myself, but your movie collection could like this:


 

 Agreed. I'm still holding on to the old school thought of having physical media. I do it for music as well.
  
 I have entertained that using a server thought for years. One day I might put in the effort.


----------



## Krutsch

badas said:


> Agreed. I'm still holding on to *the old school thought of having physical media.* I do it for music as well.
> 
> I have entertained that using a server thought for years. One day I might put in the effort.


 
 Funny... for movies, I am all in on hard drives. For music, I've regressed back to vinyl and tubes and having a really great time.


----------



## Badas

krutsch said:


> Funny... for movies, I am all in on hard drives. For music, I've regressed back to vinyl and tubes and having a really great time.


 

 I have a fairly hardcore home theater seen here:
  
 http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gallery.php?member=Badas
  
 I have a few reservations about servers. The main one is fan noise. All my equipment is dead silent. Picked partly for their lack of noise. You can hear a pin drop in the room it is that quiet. So a server will have to go outside of the room. Not impossible. But just makes it a bit more difficult and will require concentrated effort (things like control from inside the HT). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 At the moment I'm truly impressed with what I have so there is little motivation to change.


----------



## headphones1999

sabocat said:


> My deluxe Headphone Stands (TM) have arrived, straight from the kitchen section of the local big-box.


 
 nice, love those open back headphones of audio technica, what is the amp you got there?


----------



## sabocat

headphones1999 said:


> nice, love those open back headphones of audio technica, what is the amp you got there?


 
 It is a 6V6 magnavox amp. Jim Nicholls tweaked the circuit and added a headphone out and a volume knob. 

 http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1010/master_builder.htm


----------



## Badas

sabocat said:


> It is a 6V6 magnavox amp. Jim Nicholls tweaked the circuit and added a headphone out and a volume knob.
> 
> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1010/master_builder.htm




It's a sweet looking amp with nice looking tubes. Can we have a front pic?


----------



## sabocat




----------



## Badas

^

Thx. Very nice. I bet it sounds great. 
I would enjoy that on lazy rainy days.


----------



## sabocat

badas said:


> ^
> 
> Thx. Very nice. I bet it sounds great.
> I would enjoy that on lazy rainy days.


 
 It does sound quite good, thanks.


----------



## claud W

Renovation finished...at least for now.


----------



## roscoofyore

Getting my car serviced and getting my groove on. Happy April 1st everybody. Miles Davis on Fii0 X5 out to Massdrop ei.XX ciems. Good times.


----------



## FYL941

Noble 6, Linum balanced cable, and Onkyo DPX1


----------



## HiFiChris




----------



## HiFiChris

> [img]http://cdn.head-fi.org/e/e3/30x30px-ZC-e3da62eb_logotele-1.png[/img]Krutsch
> "Nice CD changer!"


 
  

  

  

@Krutsch

 Dude, it's no CD *changer*. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 

  

 (Ensuing video from YouTube, not mine


----------



## drez

Finally finished HDPlex H5 and full linear ATX PSU rebuild (top two shelves). Havent fixed front button on the H5 case yet. Considering leaving off for a cyberpunk look lol.


----------



## dannybgoode

Full ifi station, all micro - iUSB 3 / iDAC 2 feeding an iTube then into an iCan SE. Headphones are Beyerdynamic T90's. 

All mounted on an iRack with Van Damme Flatcap interconnects, a QED USB cable between computer and iUSB and an ifi Gemini between iUSB and iDAC. 

Source is an HP laptop with external hard drive playing via Mediamonkey. 

This station is now finished and installed by my side of the bed. I may go to the T1 gen 2's or T5p gen 2's but other than that I'm delighted with it...


----------



## MikeyFresh

hifichris said:


> @Krutsch
> 
> Dude, it's no CD *changer*.
> 
> ...




  
 I didn't know Pioneer had used the stable platter mechanism in anything except their Elite line player such as the PD-65.


----------



## headphones1999

mikeyfresh said:


> I didn't know Pioneer had used the stable platter mechanism in anything except their Elite line player such as the PD-65.


 
 We have PD-65 for sale here, too bad im not into CD


----------



## MikeyFresh

headphones1999 said:


> We have PD-65 for sale here, too bad im not into CD


 

 Anyone who is into CD and looking for a used player would do well with a PD-65 in good condition.
  
 Those were very underrated players back in the 90s, it weighed 21 lbs and was far better built than anything else under a grand, not even close actually. Very popular as a transport connected to an outboard DAC, before that was even fashionable.


----------



## headphones1999

mikeyfresh said:


> Anyone who is into CD and looking for a used player would do well with a PD-65 in good condition.
> 
> Those were very underrated players back in the 90s, it weighed 21 lbs and was far better built than anything else under a grand, not even close actually. Very popular as a transport connected to an outboard DAC, before that was even fashionable.


 
 Actually I heard that there was a lot of hype around those CD players at the time, and it makes sense becuase they sound amazing (from what I heard)


----------



## dannybgoode

I had forgotten all about the pioneer stable platter range. Super cd players. Got me scouring ebay for a good 'un now!


----------



## wdh777

Here you go....Hugo TT and Headamp GSX MK2.  HP include EtherC, 800S, audeze lcdxc and 3F, Hifiman edition x, and ultrasound edition5.  Just got a pair of LCD-4s today so thinking about selling some of them.  Early thoughts on the 4s are very positive and appears to pair well with the GSX amp despite some recent chatter about that not being the case.


----------



## LouisLoh

Pictured:

Dell U2515H
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple iPad Pro 9.7
Apple Magic Trackpad 2
Logitech K811 bluetooth keyboard
Adam F5 monitors
Chord Mojo DAC/AMP
Jerry Harvey Audio JH13 custom in-ear monitors
  
Not pictured: 

MBPr 15 mid-2012
  
 I apologise about the wires...


----------



## marts30

wdh777 said:


> Here you go....Hugo TT and Headamp GSX MK2.  HP include EtherC, 800S, audeze lcdxc and 3F, Hifiman edition x, and ultrasound edition5.  Just got a pair of LCD-4s today so thinking about selling some of them.  Early thoughts on the 4s are very positive and appears to pair well with the GSX amp despite some recent chatter about that not being the case.


 
  
 :O


----------



## MrTie84

Source: Essence ST coax SPDIF
 DAC: Schiit Gungnir Multibit
 Amp: Anthem i225
 Headphone: Hifiman HE-6. Mods: Degrilled, Blutack driver sealed, Felt ringed Vegan pads)
  
 Schiit Sys for level control of JBL LSR305s.


----------



## kornel221

Usb purifier : Audioquest jitterbug , Schiit Wyrd
DAC: Musical Fidelity M1
Amp: Musical Fidelity M1 Hpap
Amp: Little Dot MK3
Headphones: Sennheiser HD555,HD580,HD700 , Akg K612
Cables : 2 x RCA Atlas element integra , Atlas element Usb , Tacima 6 way mains conditioner


----------



## desmortum

Schiit Modi 2 Uber and Magni 2 Uber, Yamaha A-S500, Beyerdynamic Custom Studio, Monitor Audio Bronze 2.


----------



## Currawong

I have plenty of Schiit gear now.


----------



## Badas

^
  
 Very nice. Is it okay to grab the pic and show a mate?


----------



## x RELIC x

currawong said:


> I have plenty of Schiit gear now.




Lol! And Apple laptops!! Looking good. Still lusting over that Studio Six..... Mmmmmmm.... Studio Six.


----------



## Badas

x relic x said:


> Lol! And Apple laptops!! Looking good. Still lusting over that Studio Six..... *Mmmmmmm.... Studio Six.*


 
 Oh! heck yeah. The Studio Six is sooooooooooo beautiful.


----------



## Currawong

x relic x said:


> Lol! And Apple laptops!! Looking good. Still lusting over that Studio Six..... Mmmmmmm.... Studio Six.


 

 I don't usually have them all in one place, and one is now 10 years old, so it usually sits in storage and is pulled out only occasionally.
  
 Seeing things were a bit disorganised, I've cleaned up a bit:


----------



## RickB

currawong said:


> I have plenty of Schiit gear now.


 
  
 Nice. Does all that tube gear throw off a lot of heat?


----------



## Currawong

rickb said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > I have plenty of Schiit gear now.
> ...


 

 The Valhalla 2 does the most, funnily enough.  I'm using it only as a pre-amp at the moment.


----------



## SAP7

currawong said:


> I have plenty of Schiit gear now.




I'd be curious to hear how you rate their DACs against the Hugo TT? Although a bit off topic for this thread!


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Some of my stuff at a meet 
  

  
 Ali


----------



## Badas

^

Awesome.


----------



## Krutsch

Added the Vincent PHO-8 phono stage + PHO-8ps power supply for the 'table. What a difference in sound that made... I was surprised.
  
 The recent unboxing of the 30 year-old Thorens required a re-org of equipment and media storage... OK, now I am out of outlets!


----------



## SirMarc

krutsch said:


> Added the Vincent PHO-8 phono stage + PHO-8ps power supply for the 'table. What a difference in sound that made... I was surprised.
> 
> The recent unboxing of the 30 year-old Thorens required a re-org of equipment and media storage... OK, now I am out of outlets!



Nice bro!


----------



## Badas

sirmarc said:


> Nice bro!


 
  
 Heck yeah. Great rig. Awesome member as well. Nice to see the rig.


----------



## Krutsch

badas said:


> Heck yeah. Great rig. Awesome member as well. Nice to see the rig.


 
  
 Thanks, I appreciate that.


----------



## MrTie84




----------



## indydieselnut

Just my relocated pile...


----------



## Beammeup

The Head Box started it all!

The NAD 7020 was my first "quality" purchase many years ago. There is a lot of sentimental value there!


----------



## soundfanz

Bakoon HDA 5210 MK III and Final Audio Sonorous III.


----------



## neilmanalo




----------



## bizkid

My current rig. Sony NWZ-Z1060, fiio e12, DT1770


----------



## Amictus

bizkid said:


> My current rig. Sony NWZ-Z1060, fiio e12, DT1770


 
 I have that DAP. No longer on the radar, apparently, but it delivers nice sounds via my Sennheiser IE800s. The firmware will not update, however, despite all my wiles.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU




----------



## HipHopScribe




----------



## Clayton SF

Tonight's setup.
 Listening to Yo-Yo Ma, Sing Home.
 Big monitor.
 Little amp.
 Big sound.


----------



## fiascogarcia

Transportable station.  I can pick it up and put it away when I'm done listening.


----------



## shadowox8




----------



## Krutsch

clayton sf said:


> ...
> Little amp.
> Big sound.


 
  
 Is that a WA6 or a WA3? I love my '3'.


----------



## Clayton SF

It is my trusty WA6.


krutsch said:


> Is that a WA6 or a WA3? I love my '3'.


 
  
 It is my trusty WA6 purchased in 2009.


----------



## Pirakaphile

I'm done with the headphone game now, settled on the two I use the most and I'm gonna sell the HD-650 later. Now all I've gotta do is wait for a good phono preamp to appear in the market  and then it'll be music that I'll budget for. Maybe I'll get a Mutec and a Regen but probably next year and only if I think I need em. 
Schiit Gungnir Multibit, Pro-Ject Xpression with carbon fiber arm, Schiit Mani, and Cavalli Liquid Carbon. Fostex TH-X00 and HiFiMAN HE-500. Also, I've a Tripp-Lite LC-1200 and a Headstage portable amp. 

Hurry up Schiit, I need that speaker amp to use with the Magnepan MMG!


----------



## Clayton SF

Sunday means that I need to do a little amp rolling. Tonight's shift. Decware Trio and Eddie Current headphone amp, Zana Deux SE.


----------



## Badas

clayton sf said:


> Sunday means that I need to do a little amp rolling. Tonight's shift. Decware Trio and Eddie Current headphone amp, Zana Deux SE.




Damn dude that is cool. Actually it must be bloody hot.


----------



## Clayton SF

^ Thanks! Here is a closeup of the Trio.
 They look good together.
 They sound good together.
 Now I'm all together!


----------



## Badas

^
  
 Geez those connection cables on the left look close to that tube.
  
 Probably the best looking tube rig I've seen tho.


----------



## Clayton SF

badas said:


> ^ Geez those connection cables on the left look close to that tube.
> Probably the best looking tube rig I've seen tho.


 
  
 It's an optical illusion, my friend.
 That cable sweeps past that tube like comets sweep past the sun. (For the time being.)
 Besides, that tube never gets hot. I can touch it and not get burned.


----------



## Badas

^
  
 Sweet. I wondered if that was the case. I was studying the other pic.


----------



## 77Bandit

My Trans-portable work station; MacBook Pro, Audivrana+, Dragonfly, Audeze Sine.


----------



## 62ohm

My current head-fi / workstation / home theater setup, blu-ray player located underneath the desk to reduce clutter.
  

  
  
  
  
 And on an unrelated note, my simple & humble music corner.


----------



## mikesale

62ohm said:


> And on an unrelated note, my simple & humble music corner.


 
 Ha! I have that same amp (but use with a Taylor 410)


----------



## 62ohm

mikesale said:


> Ha! I have that same amp (but use with a Taylor 410)


 
  
 Good little amp, eh? I never tried the 410, but tried the 114ce, 214ce and 314ce and liked them all very much. But would probably get myself a K. Yairi WY-1 soon instead of any of those three.


----------



## mikesale

62ohm said:


> Good little amp, eh? I never tried the 410, but tried the 114ce, 214ce and 314ce and liked them all very much. But would probably get myself a K. Yairi WY-1 soon instead of any of those three.


 

 It was a great purchase for me, a nice monitor when on stage and great practice amp too. I don't play as much as I used to (cough cough... barely at all any more) but keep thinking I'll get back out there now that kids are older.


----------



## mikey1964

My setup as of now, I'm using balanced XLR cables to my KRK Rokit5 G3 monitors......temporarily using my Gustard X12/H10 stack now as my Oppo HA-1 is undergoing servicing. The Gustard stack is just under the left side of my desk, they barely visible in the pic though.


----------



## TuRbii

pirakaphile said:


> I'm done with the headphone game now, settled on the two I use the most and I'm gonna sell the HD-650 later. Now all I've gotta do is wait for a good phono preamp to appear in the market  and then it'll be music that I'll budget for. Maybe I'll get a Mutec and a Regen but probably next year and only if I think I need em.
> Schiit Gungnir Multibit, Pro-Ject Xpression with carbon fiber arm, Schiit Mani, and Cavalli Liquid Carbon. Fostex TH-X00 and HiFiMAN HE-500. Also, I've a Tripp-Lite LC-1200 and a Headstage portable amp.
> 
> Hurry up Schiit, I need that speaker amp to use with the Magnepan MMG!



Where are those pink cables from? Those look slick.


----------



## Turrican2

Trying mojo as a desktop DAC through itube and ican. Very happy with the sound through the T1.2's


----------



## Pirakaphile

turbii said:


> Where are those pink cables from? Those look slick.


 
 Bestintheversecables.com
  
 He makes the cables to order so it takes a couple weeks to get em, but they're really fairly priced and use canare star quad wire, same stuff they use for almost any professional microphone cable.


----------



## silvrr

My setup for the week.  HD800S is in for review thanks to @Todd (Todd the Vinyl Junkie)


----------



## 13713

silvrr said:


> My setup for the week.  HD800S is in for review thanks to @Todd
> (Todd the Vinyl Junkie)




Very nice. I am looking forward to the review.


----------



## Ultrainferno

clayton sf said:


> It's an optical illusion, my friend.
> That cable sweeps past that tube like comets sweep past the sun. (For the time being.)
> Besides, that tube never gets hot. I can touch it and not get burned.


 
  
 I didn't believe it either so I just touched it. All cold, no blisters!


----------



## gonzfi




----------



## Bob A (SD)

FLAC-->foobar2k-->Schiit Modi2-->Schiit Vali-->HD600 w/CustomCans ultra low capacitance braided litz cables
                                                                 -->HD580 w/HD600 grills & NewFantasia OFC cables


----------



## Krutsch

New gear, today... Eric at Audio Perfection: "...why not take it home and try it out... see if you like it..."  Oh, o-h-h-k-a-a-a-y.
  
 So, I added the Bel Canto REFLink into Mac Book playback chain:
  
 MacBook Retina w/ Audirvana+ --> Curious USB Cable --> UpTone REGEN + 6v Linear PS --> REFLink --> Rega DAC --> amps...


----------



## Fifinder

Audeze LCD-4
 Hifiman HE1000
 Schiit Ragnarok
 Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies
 [not seen: Schiit Yggdrasil DAC]


----------



## indydieselnut

Still running HD600 and HD650 out of my highly modified Bottlhead Crack (still a head-fier!), but I had to post the latest arrival.  Crites Cornscala B loudspeakers (unfinished birch for now) being driven by either LP12/Eros or MacBook/Rega DAC-R into a Rega Brio-R...a very fun sounding system!  I've been reducing my overall investment in hi-fi but wanted to take the opportunity to try something very different...and the Cornscala B certainly fits the bill!  
  
 They're set up where I normally put things right now and sound great, but I'm going to set them up longways on the rug as well to get more distance between them.  Let the experimenting begin!


----------



## SirMarc

indydieselnut said:


> Still running HD600 and HD650 out of my highly modified Bottlhead Crack (still a head-fier!), but I had to post the latest arrival.  Crites Cornscala B loudspeakers (unfinished birch for now) being driven by either LP12/Eros or MacBook/Rega DAC-R into a Rega Brio-R...a very fun sounding system!  I've been reducing my overall investment in hi-fi but wanted to take the opportunity to try something very different...and the Cornscala B certainly fits the bill!
> 
> They're set up where I normally put things right now and sound great, but I'm going to set them up longways on the rug as well to get more distance between them.  Let the experimenting begin!



Very cool set up man!


----------



## Krutsch

indydieselnut said:


> Still running HD600 and HD650 out of my highly modified Bottlhead Crack (still a head-fier!), but I had to post the latest arrival.  Crites Cornscala B loudspeakers (unfinished birch for now) being driven by either LP12/Eros or MacBook/Rega DAC-R into a Rega Brio-R...a very fun sounding system!  I've been reducing my overall investment in hi-fi but wanted to take the opportunity to try something very different...and the Cornscala B certainly fits the bill!
> 
> They're set up where I normally put things right now and sound great, but I'm going to set them up longways on the rug as well to get more distance between them.  Let the experimenting begin!


 
  
 Nice looking listening room... please take a photo or two of the equipment rack and post. Looks cool over there, but hard to see.


----------



## Vicca Tito

turrican2 said:


> Trying mojo as a desktop DAC through itube and ican. Very happy with the sound through the T1.2's




Me too, doing the same. Althought with added Audeze's LCD2 and AKG Q701 which both, btw sound excellent. What are you using for connection from Mojo to iTube? Me, personally, optical input (VdH Optocoupler), audioquest 3,5mm - RCA adapter and XLO - iTube - DiMarzio to iCan. I hear the difference, clearly... However, some recordings sound the same or even better directly from Mojo.


----------



## Turrican2

vicca tito said:


> Me too, doing the same. Althought with added Audeze's LCD2 and AKG Q701 which both, btw sound excellent. What are you using for connection from Mojo to iTube? Me, personally, optical input (VdH Optocoupler), audioquest 3,5mm - RCA adapter and XLO - iTube - DiMarzio to iCan. I hear the difference, clearly... However, some recordings sound the same or even better directly from Mojo.




I'm using a forza audioworks 3.5mm to rca, decent cable and great length. Enjoying this setup a lot. Probably give it another few weeks and then put the idac back in the loop and figure out what I like better.


----------



## indydieselnut

krutsch said:


> Nice looking listening room... please take a photo or two of the equipment rack and post. Looks cool over there, but hard to see.


----------



## Krutsch

indydieselnut said:


>


 
  
 Thanks for posting. I am a fellow Rega DAC fan; I just love the sound. Congrats on an seriously great listening room and gear.


----------



## Badas

indydieselnut said:


>




Geez. Very nice. Thanks for posting.


----------



## SirMarc

indydieselnut said:


>



Love the LP12 man


----------



## indydieselnut

Thanks for the kind words; it's a fun journey!


----------



## Vicca Tito

turrican2 said:


> I'm using a forza audioworks 3.5mm to rca, decent cable and great length. Enjoying this setup a lot. Probably give it another few weeks and then put the idac back in the loop and figure out what I like better.




To these ears Mojo gives slightly better sound tonality and stage. Bass is a liiitle bit stronger too. It's just a slight difference in comparison to iFi iDSD micro.


----------



## Fririce0003

A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
 Think that'll be it for the next while, at least until I'm in the new house in a year or two. Then it's going to be a separate Hifi, separate cinema and a bedroom rig to put together. Hope there's a lot of overtime at work!


----------



## headphones1999

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
> 
> Think that'll be it for the next while, at least until I'm in the new house in a year or two. Then it's going to be a separate Hifi, separate cinema and a bedroom rig to put together. Hope there's a lot of overtime at work!


----------



## jaywillin

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  your priorities seem spot on !


----------



## Badas

^
  
 Absolutely killer rig. Thanks for posting pics.


----------



## FlyingFungus

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
> 
> Think that'll be it for the next while, at least until I'm in the new house in a year or two. Then it's going to be a separate Hifi, separate cinema and a bedroom rig to put together. Hope there's a lot of overtime at work!


 
  
 Holy crap! You got quite the setup wow!


----------



## Baird GoW

Moved some things around. And like usual... starving student don't be too harsh.
  
 PC: Lian Li PC-Z70, ASRock Z77 Extreme 3, Intel Core i5-3570, Asus R9 290, Samsung 512GB 850 Pro, Corsair H60 CPU Water Cooler, 4 Corsair AF120 Quiet Edition Fans, Tenkeyless Tactile Touch "Otaku" Keyboard, Corsair Vengeance M65 Performance
 FPS Gaming Mouse, Seagate 8TB External Hard Drive.
  
 Storage Server: Fractal Design Node 804 Case, Basic ITX board w/ integrated processor > Dell Perc 6i Raid card > Raid6 8x 1.5TB Seagate 7200rpm HDDs.
  
 Monitor: LG 34UM95 34" Ultra Wide Screen 3440 x 1440
  
 TV: 60" LG Plasma 60PB6650
  
 Audio: Samsung 850 Pro SSD > W8.1 > Foobar2000>Recapped Belkin USB card > Schiit Wyrd > Audio-GD Reference 10.32 > Hifiman He-6 on WooAudio Stand or Adam Audio A7X on PrimeAcoustic Iso Pads.
  
 Music Production: Access Virus TI, Roland TB-3, Roland VT-3, Arturia Keylab 88, Audio Technica AT4033SE Microphone.
  
 DJ: Pioneer DDJ-T1, Beyer Dynamic DT 770 Pro 80ohm

 Game area: Nintendo 64, Wii, Wii U with Gamecube Adapter, Play Station 2, and Xbox 360 all connected to 60” + Audiophile set up.
  
 I believe my cable management is pretty good for having 3x 9AWG Pangea Audio Power Cables as well as 12 USB devices 8 of which have Power Adapters as well, not including the TV, monitor, computer, game consoles, and both studio monitors.


----------



## silvrr

The definition of starving student has certainly changed since I was in school.


----------



## SirMarc

silvrr said:


> The definition of starving student has certainly changed since I was in school.



No doubt lol


----------



## Badas

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 What tubes are you using? It looks like the TAK's and C3G.


----------



## dagothur

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.


 
 I think if you parked a Tesla there it might actually drop the value of the room.


----------



## Fririce0003

badas said:


> What tubes are you using? It looks like the TAK's and C3G.




 Got the Tak 274b's and 300b's with Siemens C3G's in the pic. The C3G's are fast transparent tubes, nice for analytical listening, but a little thin for my usual listening. Though I've still got to get around to playing around with different tube and output mode combinations to get the most from them. 
 Right now I've got the Tak's and TSRP drivers, after working nightshift and hitting the gym just want to get home and get enveloped by the music. The TSRP are nice warm, rich, yet detailed and articulate. Perfect for just getting lost in the music with. The C3G's are more a stimulating listen.


----------



## Badas

fririce0003 said:


> Got the Tak 274b's and 300b's with Siemens C3G's in the pic. The C3G's are fast transparent tubes, nice for analytical listening, but a little thin for my usual listening. Though I've still got to get around to playing around with different tube and output mode combinations to get the most from them.
> Right now I've got the Tak's and TSRP drivers, after working nightshift and hitting the gym just want to get home and get enveloped by the music. The TSRP are nice warm, rich, yet detailed and articulate. Perfect for just getting lost in the music with. The C3G's are more a stimulating listen.


 

 Nice. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Yeah. I'm using the TAK274B and TSRP's at the moment as well. Very relaxing. Seems to hit all the right buttons.
  

  
 My rig at the moment.
  

  
 I have the LCD-3 and the LCD-X. For ease of use I just put the LCD-X's on another shelf.


----------



## meraias

fririce0003 said:


>


 
 where is your Select DAC II !?


----------



## Fririce0003

meraias said:


> where is your Select DAC II !?




Might be thinking of iSquirrels system, pretty similar setups.


----------



## isquirrel

fririce0003 said:


> Might be thinking of iSquirrels system, pretty similar setups.


 

 Very nice setup there, have you tried removing the HRS base from under the Nagra and testing it vs the Nagra isolation. The 2 will be working at different frequencies and that may not be harmonious. 
  
 Have you upgraded Roon on the CAT yet, you should be able to run the newly released Roon Bridge on it. You have to hunt about it but its on the Roon site. Sorry can't remember where I saw it exactly.


----------



## meraias

fririce0003 said:


> Might be thinking of iSquirrels system, pretty similar setups.


 
  
  
 ... .. O_o  . Crazy setup BTW.


----------



## Clayton SF

Does anyone have any internal pictures of the WA234 Mono. Or do you need a blowtorch to open it up?


----------



## Badas

clayton sf said:


> Does anyone have any internal pictures of the WA234 Mono. Or do you need a blowtorch to open it up?


 

 I understand that the first batch you could take a look inside. From then on it was blowtorch as ya put it.


----------



## Fririce0003

isquirrel said:


> Very nice setup there, have you tried removing the HRS base from under the Nagra and testing it vs the Nagra isolation. The 2 will be working at different frequencies and that may not be harmonious.
> 
> Have you upgraded Roon on the CAT yet, you should be able to run the newly released Roon Bridge on it. You have to hunt about it but its on the Roon site. Sorry can't remember where I saw it exactly.


 
  
 Haven't had the chance to try out different isolation combinations, hadn't thought about them interfering with each other. I'll have to get around to tweaking the system when I get a little more spare time between work. Might have to give Roon Bridge a go when I find it.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fririce0003 said:


> A lot of changes and additions to the system since I last posted as well as re arranging the room entirely, got rid of the bed to another room and replaced it with a sofa bed... think my priorities are slightly skewed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




First I was like, then?


----------



## B-Dawk20

Current look


----------



## knopi

Still no done, have to build stands and waiting for computer with Win 7 because Brooklyn do not work with Vista which I have..


----------



## headphones1999

knopi said:


> Still no done, have to build stands and waiting for computer with Win 7 because Brooklyn do not work with Vista which I have..


 
 speaker on books? lel
 at least get some blocks from the street


----------



## h1f1add1cted

jjacq said:


>


 
  
 Hi,
  
 very nice setup. Could you please share a little bit more detail about your STAX SRD7 mod?
  
 You connected trough XLR output from Audio-GD Master 9 to the modded STAX SRD7 which has have XLR input? Do you have more pics from behind STAX SRD7 of cables/connection etc. would be very great, I'm interested in a similar setup.


----------



## knopi

headphones1999 said:


> speaker on books? lol
> at least get some blocks from the street



It is on books because it sounds better than only on holow table. I have original stands but I did not build it because of not much space, it is provisory for now.


----------



## phaeton70

setup #1 MSB Analog - Halgorythme 300B SE - HiFiman HE1000
 setup #2 Auralic Vega - Auralic Taurus MKII - HiFiman HE6
 setup #3 Auralic Vega . Stax 323S - Stax 507


----------



## jjacq

h1f1add1cted said:


> Hi,
> 
> very nice setup. Could you please share a little bit more detail about your STAX SRD7 mod?
> 
> You connected trough XLR output from Audio-GD Master 9 to the modded STAX SRD7 which has have XLR input? Do you have more pics from behind STAX SRD7 of cables/connection etc. would be very great, I'm interested in a similar setup.


 
  
 The SRD7 is modded to pro bias + speaker taps were terminated to dual 3-pin XLR. I probably could've had it done as a 4-pin XLR too. As for the mod itself, you'd have to as OJNeg if you know him because he's the one that did the mod. There are SRD7's that area already pro bias but those are difficult to find. His original setup had the Mjolnir 1 + SRD7 though he said as long as the amp is high power enough, it'll work with the SRD7.


----------



## MrTechAgent




----------



## 13713

MrTechAgent. I can hardly wrap my head around juggling possibly more than one headphone. You are hardcore. I like the office space.


----------



## MrTechAgent

13713 said:


> MrTechAgent. I can hardly wrap my head around juggling possibly more than one headphone. You are hardcore. I like the office space.


 
 Yeah, it's pretty crazy but if there's one thing that Head-Fi has taught us, it is "One can never have too many Headphones"


----------



## MLGrado

Updated Head fi station.  
  
  
 Moved my audio rack to the other side of room and went for a 'clean' look at the computer station.  Using a Corning Optical USB cable to connect the two stations, but, for perfect galvanic isolation I think I am going to get an Aries Mini and use WiFi.  Either that, or seriously upgrade my PC, which is in a word... noisy.  Lots of polluted power.  
  
  
 Current system:
  
 Sources: Custom PC and REGA RP3 turntable
 DAC: iFi iDSD Micro
 Head Amp: Icon Audio Stereo20 PP, using the speaker taps via custom built adapter with Mills resistors
 Cans: HiFiMan HE-560
 Other: Uptone REGEN, iFi iUSB, iFi iPower, WireWorld USB cables, 'El Cheapo' LPS 
  
 Currently using a Music Hall Phono pre, but am in the process of building my own custom design Tube Phono pre.  
  
 The storage bins you may be able to see part of, contain over 200 Vintage 12AX7 type or 12AU7 type tubes.  My favorites so far for daily listening are RCA Black Plate 12AX7 from the late 1940's, Tungsram ECC83 from late 50's early 60's, Ken-Rad 12AX7 from late 40's, Mullard CV4004 M8137 from late 50's, RFT ECC82 foil getter, Lansdale Black Plate 12AU7 from early 50's.


----------



## Ishcabible

Did some amp comparisons the other day


----------



## headphones1999

ishcabible said:


> Did some amp comparisons the other day


 
 Damn nice tube amp collection you got there, any clear winner at the moment?


----------



## Ishcabible

I got rid of the Mjolnir 2 to fund my HE-6, so it's just the SEX and EHHA right now. I actually have a place for both: the HD800 sounds better with the SEX and the HE-6 sounds better with the EHHA, but I'm hoping to refurbish that GAS Son of Ampzilla in the picture to use with the HE-6.
  
 The Mjolnir 2 had better bass control and a more forward midrange than the EHHA, but treble was a bit strident with the LISST and too restrained with the tubes. It also resolved less detail than the EHHA.


----------



## songmic

Just posted my current station on the Facebook page, but I may as well post it here too.
  
 Yggy > ZDS > modded HD800S


----------



## Badas

songmic said:


> Just posted my current station on the Facebook page, but I may as well post it here too.
> 
> Yggy > ZDS > modded HD800S


 

 What is the device on top of the Yggy?


----------



## HiFiChris

badas said:


> songmic said:
> 
> 
> > Just posted my current station on the Facebook page, but I may as well post it here too.
> ...


 
  
 Waversa Systems W SmartHub.


----------



## fiascogarcia

songmic said:


> Just posted my current station on the Facebook page, but I may as well post it here too.
> 
> Yggy > ZDS > modded HD800S


 
 Is that the Arcane headphone cable?


----------



## songmic

fiascogarcia said:


> songmic said:
> 
> 
> > Just posted my current station on the Facebook page, but I may as well post it here too.
> ...




No, it's Draug v2.


----------



## Bob A (SD)

Jast added a Garage 1217 Polaris amp.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
 And now I've moved things around a bit


----------



## 13713

bob a (sd) said:


> Jast added a Garage 1217 Polaris amp.


 
 Very nice. Garage was at our Headfi meet in Phoenix earlier this year. Amazing company and awesome products. How do you like it so far?


----------



## Bob A (SD)

> Very nice. Garage was at our Headfi meet in Phoenix earlier this year. Amazing company and awesome products. How do you like it so far?


 
  I posted this in the Headphone Amps (Full Size) sub-forum's Garage 1217 Polaris thread:
  
  _ "In addition to the more impactful solidity of the bass I'm sensing a wider soundstage.  Almost holographic with some great recordings.  Vocals are just great.  Overall a nice step up from the Vali 1, which really is no slouch,  without sacrificing the tubish warmth it provides."_
  
 I've also both stacked the Polaris on the Modi 2 on the computer tower case using sticky-tac to keep it from sliding around and packed away the Vali 1.


----------



## mikey1964

My desktop audio setup as of now, I have two PC's, one on the left and the other on the right....hence, two sets of mice and keyboards. Also explains why I have an Oppo HA-1 and Fostex HPA4.


----------



## audiojun

Metrum Musette added.


----------



## songmic

audiojun said:


> Metrum Musette added.


 
  
 Very nice setup. This should be able to trounce many setups costing much more.


----------



## audiojun

songmic said:


> Very nice setup. This should be able to trounce many setups costing much more.


 
  
 Thanks, yes I tried to get the best value. Your set up is nice as well, but costing much more.


----------



## Krutsch

Latest addition: Bel Canto REFLink + DAC 2.5 stack.
  
 Bryston BDP-1 --> Curious USB --> UpTone Audio Regen + Welborne 6v Linear PSU --> Curious Regen Link --> Bel Canto REFLink USB-to-S/PDIF --> Kimber D-60 coax (Ag) --> Kimber Hero RCA w/ WBT-0114 --> Woo WA3 --> Moon Audio Silver Dragon v3 --> Cans...


----------



## 13713

krutsch said:


> Latest addition: Bel Canto REFLink + DAC 2.5 stack.
> 
> Bryston BDP-1 --> Curious USB --> UpTone Audio Regen + Welborne 6v Linear PSU --> Curious Regen Link --> Bel Canto REFLink USB-to-S/PDIF --> Kimber D-60 coax (Ag) --> Kimber Hero RCA w/ WBT-0114 --> Woo WA3 --> Moon Audio Silver Dragon v3 --> Cans...


 
 nice Bel Canto stack.


----------



## 62ohm

Same old setup in a new environment and configuration


----------



## headphones1999

62ohm said:


> Same old setup in a new environment and configuration


 
 gj!!
 put something nice on the wall and it will be perfect


----------



## 62ohm

headphones1999 said:


> gj!!
> put something nice on the wall and it will be perfect


 
  
 Thanks!
  
 I'm working on it, I'll probably going to get 5x record frames and at the moment the plan is to hang:
  
 Eric Clapton - Slowhand
 Dire Straits - Debut album or Brothers in Arms
 Led Zeppelin - I or II or IV or Houses of Holy or Physical Graffiti
 Fleetwood Mac - Rumours or Tusk
 Eagles - Hotel California
  
  
 Need to make up my mind on which Zeppelin album to hang... would not be easy


----------



## 13713

62ohm said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I'm working on it, I'll probably going to get 5x record frames and at the moment the plan is to hang:
> 
> ...




Physical Graffiti. It's a hard choice but that is the epic Zeppelin album that made a huge impact to a lot of music lovers around the world.


----------



## 62ohm

13713 said:


> Physical Graffiti. It's a hard choice but that is the epic Zeppelin album that made a huge impact to a lot of music lovers around the world.


 
  
 Can't believe how difficult it is to select one album to hang, especially when it comes to Zeppelin (is this the ultimate 1st world problem?).
  
 I personally liked the II the most, and the I (debut)  seems like the most iconic album cover of them all. But I agree with you - Physical Graffiti seem to have the most impact of them all - arguably the most diverse Zeppelin album.


----------



## Anavel0

If I have to pick, it's Physical Graffiti. Kashmir alone makes that album worth so much audio enjoyment.


----------



## claud W

This is my Schiit stack computer system. My big Schiit system is on here somewhere.


----------



## 62ohm

^
 What do you think of the B&W MM-1?


----------



## claud W

62ohm said:


> ^
> What do you think of the B&W MM-1?


 

 I like them. Nice clean chewy sound


----------



## x RELIC x

claud w said:


> I like them. Nice clean *chewy* sound




Like this?! :veryevil:


[VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr3sBks5o_8[/VIDEO]


Sorry, couldn't resist!


----------



## claud W

You got it. Like full bodied


----------



## 62ohm

Haha, Touche lads


----------



## Ishcabible

Giving the HE-6 the power it wants, and more.


----------



## ssrock64

I have the house to myself tonight, so I've ordered some Senegalese take-out and fished my most recent transportable setup (Foobar -> DX80 -> T5p) out of a drawer in the bedroom. Now all that's left to do is sit back on the couch and enjoy my evening.


----------



## Badas

Dude. That is a good night. Enjoy.


----------



## swspiers

krutsch said:


> Latest addition: Bel Canto REFLink + DAC 2.5 stack.
> 
> Bryston BDP-1 --> Curious USB --> UpTone Audio Regen + Welborne 6v Linear PSU --> Curious Regen Link --> Bel Canto REFLink USB-to-S/PDIF --> Kimber D-60 coax (Ag) --> Kimber Hero RCA w/ WBT-0114 --> Woo WA3 --> Moon Audio Silver Dragon v3 --> Cans...




I really don't look at this thread often, and your rig is why I try to stay away. I have serious Bel Canto envy, dude. Wow...


----------



## titusgroan

Looks awesome. BTW where did you get those tube shields from - I've been looking for some for my Bottlehead Crack.


----------



## Krutsch

titusgroan said:


> Looks awesome. *BTW where did you get those tube shields from* - I've been looking for some for my Bottlehead Crack.


 
  
 Maple shade dot com.


----------



## Badas

krutsch said:


> Maple shade dot com.


 

 Lol. Poor you. Ya had to answer in two threads.
  
 Awsome rig and pics mate.


----------



## mikemercer

Wow, moved around ALOT last year (too much to tell)
 but the _*Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*_ is comin' Back-to-Life!!
  
 FINALLY...


----------



## Krutsch

mikemercer said:


> FINALLY...


 
  
 Nice! What are the two boxes on the top, left (sitting on the isolators)?


----------



## mikemercer

krutsch said:


> Nice! What are the two boxes on the top, left (sitting on the isolators)?


 
 oh
  
 thats the Gold Edition QA CAS192D - balanced & RCA DSD/PCM DAC
 with the QA line-stage atop (to control the gain for both amps in mono-block configuration)


----------



## Jozurr

ishcabible said:


> Giving the HE-6 the power it wants, and more.


 
  
 What amp and pads are those? and that HE-box degrades some clarity. Try going direct to speaker taps (very carefully)


----------



## mikemercer

jozurr said:


> What amp and pads are those? and that HE-box degrades some clarity. Try going direct to speaker taps (very carefully)


 
 wow
 thats looks AWESOME
  
 looks like a Magnum Dynalab stereo amp!
  
 would love to know too


----------



## Badas

mikemercer said:


> oh
> 
> thats the Gold Edition QA CAS192D - balanced & RCA DSD/PCM DAC
> with the QA line-stage atop (to control the gain for both amps in mono-block configuration)


 

 Does that top thingy use tubes?


----------



## songmic

badas said:


> > Does that top thingy use tubes?


 
  
 No.


----------



## mikemercer

songmic said:


> No.


 
 Correct - it's Jason Wangs patented Current-Mode solid-state in the amps stage
  
 and the line-stage/pre-amp is also SS
  
 WIMA caps, DALE resistors, ROGERS ceramic PCBS!!






 
  
 and I HAD to hear Radiohead's "Let Down" thru my new E-Mus straight outta my McIntosh D100 today - and I dug the synergy!!


----------



## Ishcabible

jozurr said:


> What amp and pads are those? and that HE-box degrades some clarity. Try going direct to speaker taps (very carefully)






mikemercer said:


> wow
> thats looks AWESOME
> 
> looks like a Magnum Dynalab stereo amp!
> ...




It's a Great American Sound Son of Ampzilla and LCD-2 leather pads. The pads increase 1k too much so I'm going to eventually switch to the vegan pads, and funnily enough the amp died the day after I took that picture. The main reason I used the box is because I don't really trust the amp because it needs some restoration. Luckily, it saved my HE-6 because the last time I turned it on, it started smoking before I plugged the HE-6 in.


----------



## Bern2

ishcabible said:


> It's a Great American Sound Son of Ampzilla and LCD-2 leather pads. The pads increase 1k too much so I'm going to eventually switch to the vegan pads, and funnily enough the amp died the day after I took that picture. The main reason I used the box is because I don't really trust the amp because it needs some restoration. Luckily, it saved my HE-6 because the last time I turned it on, it started smoking before I plugged the HE-6 in.


 
 I had that GAS Ampzilla driving some Dahlquist DQ 10's and sub eons ago.  Back when you could actually walk in and listen to music.  The Ampzilla was also available to build as a kit.


----------



## mikemercer

ishcabible said:


> It's a Great American Sound Son of Ampzilla and LCD-2 leather pads. The pads increase 1k too much so I'm going to eventually switch to the vegan pads, and funnily enough the amp died the day after I took that picture. The main reason I used the box is because I don't really trust the amp because it needs some restoration. Luckily, it saved my HE-6 because the last time I turned it on, it started smoking before I plugged the HE-6 in.


 
 oh man,
 I've been there (the amp situation)
  
 I rock the vegan pads! Good Choice, IMHO


----------



## oneguy

Here is my current setup. I used to have a monitor where the lamp but i gave that to my wife when I set up her new computer.


----------



## Clayton SF

Tonight's setup. June 4, 2016, 8:09 PM PDT.
 I may have done this particular combo before; I can't remember.
 But here it be....


----------



## Pudding2007

For a beginner like me


----------



## Badas

^

Damn great start.


----------



## 13713

pudding2007 said:


> For a beginner like me




Very nice.


----------



## Krutsch

clayton sf said:


> Tonight's setup. June 4, 2016, 8:09 PM PDT.
> I may have done this particular combo before; I can't remember.
> But here it be....


 
  
@Clayton SF  ... every time I see your setup I am reminded that I need a proper credenza for my rig, instead of an IKEA table.


----------



## Redcarmoose

At the moment it's 





With DACMagic to Schiit Asgard One to M-50s. OMG They never sounded so good!


----------



## LajostheHun

Current setup.


----------



## jaywillin

lajosthehun said:


> Current setup.


 
  
 i have the teac as well, and love it


----------



## 520RanchBro

Here's the computer and vinyl setup. The black box is a Speed Box. 
  
 Yep, my mouse pad is really stained. It's washed and works perfectly fine so I've accepted the ugliness.


----------



## gsr108

Excuse the wires.  First pic here.  The covered headphones are a MHP-1000, HE-1000, and SR-009.  The Studio also powers a set of Omega desktop speakers.


----------



## songmic

gsr108 said:


> Excuse the wires.  First pic here.  The covered headphones are a MHP-1000, HE-1000, and SR-009.  The Studio also powers a set of Omega desktop speakers.


 
  
 I feel that the word "end-game" has been overused to the point it has lost its meaning, but damn, if this ain't end-game I don't know what is. I'm not talking about price alone, this isn't the most expensive setup I've seen to date but this should trounce pretty much any setup that costs much more.
  
 Is there a reason you're keeping the Teton despite owning the Studio? Does the Teton edge out the Studio in certain aspects that makes it a keeper?
  
 Also, which do you spend more head time with: dynamic Studio or electrostatic BHSE? As a previous BHSE owner who now enjoys my ZDS, just curious.


----------



## gsr108

songmic said:


> I feel that the word "end-game" has been overused to the point it has lost its meaning, but damn, if this ain't end-game I don't know what is. I'm not talking about price alone, this isn't the most expensive setup I've seen to date but this should trounce pretty much any setup that costs much more.
> 
> Is there a reason you're keeping the Teton despite owning the Studio? Does the Teton edge out the Studio in certain aspects that makes it a keeper?
> 
> Also, which do you spend more head time with: dynamic Studio or electrostatic BHSE? As a previous BHSE owner who now enjoys my ZDS, just curious.


 
 The Teton is probably a little smoother.  The Studio may throw a larger soundstage and has stronger bass, especially sub bass.  I tend to keep both for convenience.  Though if I had to sell one, it'll probably be the Teton.  I use the Studio with the HE1000's and for my speakers, so it ends up being used more often.  I prefer the Teton with my MHP-1000's as I think it does better with high impedance cans than the Studio.  Also, I like the fact that I can throw the stock tubes in the Teton and it'll still sound pretty good..  I like my BHSE setup, but 1. tend to listen while I eat at my desk and 2. tend to only listen for 1 to 1.5 hours at a time.  The Stax fart bothers me when I eat and the BHSE usually takes around an hour before it sounds its best.  I also don't like the fact that I have to bias the tubes whenever I tube roll, so it's more of a hassle to listen to my stax setup than my dynamic setup.
  
 Lots of third world problems, but I use music as a stress reliever - so I try to maximize the time I have to listen.


----------



## telecaster




----------



## mikemercer

telecaster said:


>


 
 thats SO CLEAN
 seriously - SWEET set-up!!
  
  
 and, its too bad my Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab finally got set back up - and, probably in a month or so - gotta move it again!!!
 but hey, we do what we gotta do. I'm gonna have as much fun as possible while I can!!  can't WAIT to find a new permanent spot in LA
 but FINALLY havin' a BLAST again - like when I first built-it!!


----------



## Liu Junyuan

telecaster said:


>




La Figaro 339!


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Current setup, very happy.


----------



## Badas

h1f1add1cted said:


> Current setup, very happy.




Sweet setup and being happy ie what it's all about.


----------



## Kachui




----------



## Krutsch

kachui said:


>


 
  
 Nice... I like your dedication to physical media, a love I share. And, I spy with my little eye - a Nakamichi cassette deck. That takes me back.
  
 Congrats on a sweet rig!


----------



## Kachui

Thanks, always prefer the physical media, especially vinyls.


----------



## mikemercer

L8night listening sesh:


----------



## Deftone

kachui said:


> Thanks, always prefer the physical media, especially vinyls.


 
  
 yeah i love vinyl too but it became too much hastle for me so i havent purchased/ listened to any for quite a while


----------



## Jozurr

h1f1add1cted said:


> Current setup, very happy.




What headphones are those?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

That is special made 3D printed customised open headphone with a heavily modified Fostex T-50RP driver with extreme natural balanced and detailed sound signature, to me for sure one of the best Fostex T-50 RP based head phones ever, it took almost one year from planning to execution to the final product, not available for the public yet, but I'm it will come later from the creator, because I'm so impressed compared to my Sennheiser HD 800 or Stax SR L-700 it really plays on top of the line, which is very insane to me for such a "low cost" head phones.


----------



## bmichels

ARIES + HUGO + Tu-05 + HE-X


----------



## Jozurr

h1f1add1cted said:


> That is special made 3D printed customised open headphone with a heavily modified Fostex T-50RP driver with extreme natural balanced and detailed sound signature, to me for sure one of the best Fostex T-50 RP based head phones ever, it took almost one year from planning to execution to the final product, not available for the public yet, but I'm it will come later from the creator, because I'm so impressed compared to my Sennheiser HD 800 or Stax SR L-700 it really plays on top of the line, which is very insane to me for such a "low cost" head phones.


 
  
 Very interested in it! Hope we hear about it soon.


----------



## mikemercer

Well - I just set this up on the right-side of the *Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab*"
  
 lovin this combo!!
  

 ETHER
 (using Nordost Heimdall2 headphone lead-  but A/Bing it right now w/ DHC and Wywires - leaning DHC AND Wywires for this system actually)
 Cavalli Liquid Carbon
 DHC balanced interconnects
 MYTEK Stereo-192 DSD DAC
 Nordost and Kimber power
 Amarra
 Amarra for TIDAL as sources
 on my MacBook Pro SSD rig...
  
 man this sounds so f___in musical and ALIVE!


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Adu

MacBook Pro "13 Mid 2012 >>>BitPerfect >>> Moon Audio SILVER DRAGON USB cable >>> Dap/Dac Fiio X5 (First gen) >>> Chord&Major 8"13 Rock tonal earphone.


----------



## mikemercer

I'm on my iPad now & haven't used this damn thing for months - so PLS excuse me if this post is wacky or broken-up:

Can't remember if I shared this picture of the Sonic Satori Personal Audio Lab desk lately:


----------



## pedalhead

Good stuff, MM.
  
 A few recent additions to my home office.  I think I'm gonna need a bigger rack...
  

  
 Very "xcited" to have a new old stock Cary Xciter amp with uber-tubes EAT KT88 and ECC803 (EATs being saved until amp is run in). This Xciter was modded when new by Moon Audio with Cardas & Jensen caps. I've also got a second DiDiT DAC212 here for testing, this one their new XLR version (it's a peach). They both join my Wells Audio Enigma (ss amp) and Metrum Hex, the latter which may be re-purposed in the living room soon.
  
 Another new arrival is the Raspberry Pi 3 I set up this morning to act as a Roon Bridge device.  Works a treat & means I'm no longer stuck with using the USB out from my laptop...


----------



## mikemercer

pedalhead said:


> Good stuff, MM.
> 
> A few recent additions to my home office.  I think I'm gonna need a bigger rack...
> 
> ...


 
 GULP!!!!
 um... So when we kickin' it??


----------



## kggibbs

Current office setup. Sounds good and very convenient


----------



## petehb

Classical KDFC WQXR apps to PX100IIi


----------



## ardacer

My collection 
  


>





>





>





>





>





> http://imgur.com/gallery/R1mVX


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Redcarmoose

_*Hanging out in the Spotify bedroom wing.*_


----------



## Jozurr

floydfan33 said:


>


 
 What headphones are those on the right?


----------



## floydfan33

jozurr said:


> What headphones are those on the right?


 
 Astro A50 connected to the PS4


----------



## Ishcabible




----------



## Daze513




----------



## petehb

D-141


----------



## Philimon

redcarmoose said:


> _*Hanging out in the Spotify bedroom wing.*_


 

 My house only has a wing on Thanksgivings.  two wings


----------



## Redcarmoose

philimon said:


> My house only has a wing on Thanksgivings.  two wings




Only chicken here.


----------



## Wil

Erm. I think i might need full sized headphones.


----------



## floydfan33

Actually starting to think portable alone can maybe work.


----------



## Windsor

I recently went back to listening CDs instead of lossless files and coinciding with that shift I invested in my speaker rig which now works hand-in-hand with my head-fi rig.



I purchased a Cambridge Audio CXC CD transport and feed that via a JPS Labs optical cable to my HDVD 800 to some KRK Rokit 6 speakers atop some IsoAcoustics stands atop some wood squares atop some sand-filled speaker stands. It's a fun rig and I'm glad I invested in it. I'm also grateful for my balanced-cable HD 800; that's always a treat to listen with!


----------



## Krutsch

Working out of a service apartment in Bangalore, India, this week; traveling light.


----------



## mikemercer




----------



## Deftone

wil said:


> Erm. I think i might need full sized headphones.


 
 haha this great


----------



## Mink




----------



## musiclife

petehb said:


> D-141


 
  
 Do you even have anti-shock protection?


----------



## petehb

musiclife said:


> Do you even have anti-shock protection?


 No, but it still works well sitting.


----------



## Redcarmoose

KZ-ATE Copper Driver IEM (Black) RQ:016NBM
iPad Retina Mini #3 3G Space Grey


----------



## Wil

Finally done.
  
 Onkyo DPX1 - > Ifi I-USB -> Gustard X20U -> Schiiiiiiit Mjolnirrrrrr -> Audeze LCD-3 (NF) 
  
 Time to put in some listening time.


----------



## Deftone

mink said:


>


----------



## jh4db536




----------



## lugnut

wil said:


> Erm. I think i might need full sized headphones.


 
 I did not know Line Magnetic made black components ! Is that a 845 ? LM 845 is my dream amp.


----------



## Wil

lugnut said:


> I did not know Line Magnetic made black components ! Is that a 845 ? LM 845 is my dream amp.


 
  
 Yep they do! That's the LM518ia. 
  
 When i'm not goofing about it powers my vintage 15" Tannoys.


----------



## Redcarmoose

http://www.head-fi.org/products/deggod-remax-610d-high-performance-earphones-in-ear-headphones-patent-designed-with-high-tensile-resistance-headsets-3-5mm-jack-earbuds-for-smartphones-tablets-mp3-mp4-players-black/reviews/16366


----------



## telecaster




----------



## Coolzo

Cell phone pic of the day. Revitalized my old Fostex mod by making use of my class D monoblocks and my new Robinette box (courtesy of funch). Resistor network is bypassed, so a straight 100wpc@8ohms into my cans. This resolved my channel imbalance issues! There was obvious differences between the drivers, likely brought to light by the dual-entry cable mod, which would not dissappear no matter what I did. Well, found the solution!

EDIT: Or maybe it's not that simple... electronics are strange.


----------



## frankraindog

Simple Setup for sunday to test new X7 firmware
  
 Fiio X7 -> Chord Hugo -> Sennheiser HD800S


----------



## Ultrainferno

frankraindog said:


> Simple Setup for sunday to test new X7 firmware
> 
> Fiio X7 -> Chord Hugo -> Sennheiser HD800S


 
  
 Hugo + Senn HD800(S) is heavenly. I like the latest X7 fw


----------



## frankraindog

I like Fiio's new Firmware, too . To me it seems like sound quality was improved with FW 2.0


----------



## james6333

My hifi room and where I use my headphones.


----------



## EarDrumExplode

What are or who makes  those wooden isolation platforms?


----------



## jstachowski

My latest portable setup


----------



## pervysage

james6333 said:


> My hifi room and where I use my headphones.




Very nice room, looks like a very comfortable chill spot!


----------



## mikemercer

Gettin' DOWN to work tonight!!
 Workin' away on this story for _Positive Feedback _- a sort of personal audio journey I've been wanting to tell for a while now,
 bout a product that's been embraced by this community - this one's very special to me...
  
 here's the lab as I got ready to listen and type away:


----------



## Vigrith

mikemercer said:


> Gettin' DOWN to work tonight!!
> Workin' away on this story for _Positive Feedback _- a sort of personal audio journey I've been wanting to tell for a while now,
> bout a product that's been embraced by this community - this one's very special to me...
> 
> here's the lab as I got ready to listen and type away:


 
  
 Really looking forward to reading it Mike!
  
 You still have your NuForce monoblock around? I remember that seeing them in your LCD-2F product of the year write up was the reason I bought them back then (and the actual headphones too).


----------



## ssrock64

mikemercer said:


> Gettin' DOWN to work tonight!!
> Workin' away on this story for _Positive Feedback _- a sort of personal audio journey I've been wanting to tell for a while now,
> bout a product that's been embraced by this community - this one's very special to me...
> 
> here's the lab as I got ready to listen and type away:


 
 How good is the production work on the new Radiohead album? I haven't jumped at the opportunity to buy a copy for myself yet.


----------



## Andolink

The Dynaudio Confidence C1 II's and the Simaudio Moon Neo 340i are new.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Living room reinforcement has arrived (HA-1A MK2)


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

iMac (off to the left) -> Metrum Musette -> Cavalli Liquid Carbon -> MDR-Z7


----------



## ninjapirate9901

Just got my new speakers a few days ago: Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors.


----------



## Coolzo

ninjapirate9901 said:


> Just got my new speakers a few days ago: Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors.


 
  
 Ah, so Philharmonic is still in business eh? Is Salk still making cabinets for them? I contacted Sir Dennis Murphy a couple months ago, and he said that Salk may be leaving them, therefore he could not take any new orders at the time. Looks like they must still be, though! I've been really wanting to try a pair.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

I believe they are still in business. I wasn't aware that Salk may be parting ways with them (mine are Salk cabinets), though I did order mine in March (cabinets were finished end of June due to delays on Jim's end).


----------



## frankraindog

Constant change, maybe will stay here for a while.


----------



## .Sup

old: https://flic.kr/p/daX9oa
The room was a bit small, so I moved stuff upstairs next to my bedroom.






audio setup hasn't changed, I'm very happy with it. I still have some work to do with the place though.


----------



## silvrr




----------



## rigo

.sup said:


> old: https://flic.kr/p/daX9oa
> The room was a bit small, so I moved stuff upstairs next to my bedroom.
> 
> 
> ...




Nice clean setup.


----------



## tbish

Gotta love this Schiit! Tube rolling is lots of fun as well


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Jozurr

frankraindog said:


> Constant change, maybe will stay here for a while.


 
  
 How do you like the output directly out of the TT compared to the MZ2?


----------



## frankraindog

Both are great , it really depends on the headphones which one to prefer, I prefer mircozotl with cans like hd650 , Beyer T1


----------



## thewatcher101




----------



## B-Dawk20

My set up has been an absolute mess as of late haha. Too deep in work this summer *sigh*


----------



## Vigrith

thewatcher101 said:


>


 
  
 Beautiful. I feel the Aurium doesn't get the recognition it deserves some times, I guess it might be sorta hard to come across a store that sells Pathos in the US though so maybe it makes sense. Very striking visually and definitely one of the best amps available (possibly the best in the 1-2.5k range in my opinion).


----------



## thewatcher101

Couldn't agree more and if you enjoy small footprint and simplicity it is hard to beat at any price range. 

If I zoom out they are feeding to genelec 8351.


----------



## LajostheHun

redcarmoose said:


>



Oh the irony in that picture..........


----------



## GioF71

Now that's a really nice AMB stack... 
That is what I currently consider engame equipement 



jh4db536 said:


>


----------



## Object113




----------



## Wailing Fungus

ifi iUSB > ifi iDSD > ifi iTube > ifi iCAN > Sennheiser HD700 / Denon D2000
                                         > Audiolab 8200A > Q Acoustics Concept 20


----------



## headphones1999

wailing fungus said:


> ifi iUSB > ifi iDSD > ifi iTube > ifi iCAN > Sennheiser HD700 / Denon D2000
> > Audiolab 8200A > Q Acoustics Concept 20


 
 Just awesome *-*
  
 You can post a picture of all the room please?


----------



## Wailing Fungus

Sure


----------



## nc8000




----------



## bizkid

My mixstation. Jbl lsr 308 and the DT1770


----------



## IndieGradoFan

Rag finally arrived (driving LS50s and sometimes the LCD-X).


----------



## Badas

^

Sweet rig dude.


----------



## Coolzo

Ah yes, the lovely overkill! Gustard U12 > Wyred4Sound DAC2 > Jolida Fusion tube preamplifier > Murano Audio P-500S (250 wpc/8ohm class D IcePower monoblocks with Lundahl input transformers) > Robinette Box (speaker amp to headphone adapter, with resistor network) > Balanced T50RP mod ^.^ Moar powaaa


----------



## Vigrith

Is that a Gamecube? I can already tell you are the best kind of person.


----------



## Coolzo

vigrith said:


> Is that a Gamecube? I can already tell you are the best kind of person.




Haha, thanks  Indeed, that is a cube of amazing games, the same one I had originally purchased with my hard-earned $100 as a young lad. Still going strong of course, 16MB memory card and all!


----------



## mikemercer

AWESOME L8Night Listenin' sesh in the Lab!!


----------



## GouldPhoto

Rearranged the listening area. Added some minor new Schiit to allow switching between headphones and speakers.


----------



## mikemercer

gouldphoto said:


> Rearranged the listening area. Added some minor new Schiit to allow switching between headphones and speakers.


 
 NIICE! Those Nola Boxers??
  
 I pulled an all-nighter!


----------



## GouldPhoto

mikemercer said:


> NIICE! Those Nola Boxers??
> 
> I pulled an all-nighter!


 
  
 Thanks, not Nola's. They are Totem Rainmakers.


----------



## mikemercer

gouldphoto said:


> Thanks, not Nola's. They are Totem Rainmakers.


 
 NIICE
  
 
 I'm LOVIN' the CEntrance DACportable.
 I think it could be Goodmans best-sounding Amp/DAC YET!!


----------



## longbowbbs

mikemercer said:


> gouldphoto said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, not Nola's. They are Totem Rainmakers.
> ...


 
 The Studio Six is Awesome!


----------



## lasttodie

For vinyl


----------



## Orestes1984

My quick and dirty Spotify rig for the day.


----------



## snellemin

Dusted off the Parasound and swapped out the NAD for it.


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## eschell27

Little messy at the moment, but just recently added T1 gen 1 and WA2 to the mix... looking forward to rolling some tubes and getting a decent usb to spidf converter... leaning towards the singxer su-1 as of now.


----------



## aroldan

For tonight:


----------



## 62ohm

eschell27 said:


> Little messy at the moment, but just recently added T1 gen 1 and WA2 to the mix... looking forward to rolling some tubes and getting a decent usb to spidf converter... leaning towards the singxer su-1 as of now.


 
  
 I like that monitor stand! It would look even better if you have a slightly larger stand that can accomodate the WA2 underneath it IMO.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

aroldan said:


> For tonight:


 
  
 May I ask what your CD transport is?


----------



## aroldan

buttuglyjeff said:


> May I ask what your CD transport is?


 
 It's the CD player SPDIF output directly to the DAC.
  
 I'm getting a DENON CD player soon though.


----------



## eschell27

Thanks. It was just something i slapped together real quick out of some spare wood i had laying around. I plan on building a new desk to fit everything better once i finally decide on a design. As for having the wa2 under the stand i was concerned with heat unless i made it much taller than seemed to work for my monitor right now. Think i will have all three up on shelves/platforms of some kind. I have a combo of wood and glass i want to use...perhaps a little metal as well. Hunting around the web for desk ideas to steal and cobble together has only prolonged me finalizing a deaign. Haha if anyone has seen any cool ideas PM them to me!


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

aroldan said:


> It's the CD player SPDIF output directly to the DAC.
> 
> I'm getting a DENON CD player soon though.


 
  
 I kinda figured.  I was wondering the make of the one in the photo?  And don't assume a new Denon will out perform more "vintage" models...


----------



## telecaster

Ever heard of sonic early reflections? You ruin your sound with those lamps in front of your Nice speakers!



ninjapirate9901 said:


> Just got my new speakers a few days ago: Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors.


----------



## LifeAspect

Bought a new amp

  

  
 No clue yet what I'll do with my tube amp


----------



## whill

Just bought new amp for my Beyerdynamic T1 2nd Generation 







Next Project: Wadia Di122. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## FiJAAS

My humble setup.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

telecaster said:


> Ever heard of sonic early reflections? You ruin your sound with those lamps in front of your Nice speakers!


 
 Funny you mentioned it, I actually removed everything off my desk to take some initial measurements and compared to it to the typical clutter. Most of the stuff on the desk has very little effect compared to the desk itself and my monitors. So yeah, plenty of comb filtering indeed but the minidsp seems to be helping reduce it to some extent (need to try the dirac version at some point).


----------



## Ultrainferno

Tonight's setup


----------



## Otheronek

ultrainferno said:


> Tonight's setup


 
  
 How do you like the DT-1990's....?  I am curious if you have compared them to the original DT-990's? If so can you describe the differences...  thanks OOK


----------



## Tayyab Pirzada

I'm new to this.

Source: Astell & Kern AK Jr
Amp: Garage1217 Project Starlight
Headphones: Sony CD900ST


----------



## Ultrainferno

otheronek said:


> How do you like the DT-1990's....?  I am curious if you have compared them to the original DT-990's? If so can you describe the differences...  thanks OOK


 
  
 It was my first evening with the DT1990 so it's a bit soon to tell. I sold my DT990/600 a long time ago but I do have the T70/T90/DT770/DT1770 from Beyer.


----------



## Bookbear

.


----------



## Bookbear

fijaas said:


> My humble setup.


 
 Minimalist...  I like!


----------



## Jerseyboy

Current set-up. The culmination of 15 years of being a HeadFier !!!


----------



## nordkapp

jerseyboy said:


> Current set-up. The culmination of 15 years of being a HeadFier !!!


 Oh man.......drooling. Congrats!


----------



## Turrican2

This looks like it should make the same noise as Doc Brown's Speaker set up in Back to the Future when you power it all on!  Awesome!
  

  


Spoiler: Original Post






jerseyboy said:


> Current set-up. The culmination of 15 years of being a HeadFier !!!


----------



## Turrican2

My current source of joy, Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2 plus A2 amp and Hugo.
  
 Sitting atop my gaming rig currently but will find it's way to my bedside before too long where I'll use my squeezebox touch.
  
 The amp is still burning in (new today) but so far these components are matching very well indeed, if it gets any better that'll be a bonus.


----------



## bmichels

Left: HeadAmp's *BHSE* + *STAX SR009* (electrostatic), Middle: Eddie Current's *EC445* ( that Is for sale) + *HE-X *(ortho) and... Analog square paper's *TU-05* on the right for portable usage. 

Lots of tubes. No need for hearing In the room 

Source: Auralic ARIES + HUGO that needs to be upgraded. (still hesitating between *DAVE, TotalDAC, AYRE QX-5, Mark Levinson No519, ....??* ). Any advice will be welcome, buy please no "bright" DAC with the SR009!


----------



## bmichels

jerseyboy said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/content/type/61/id/1697294/


----------



## Jerseyboy

bmichels said:


> Congratulation Jerseyboy for this increadible set-up !
> 
> ..... thanks to you I do not feel guilty anymore to own 3 headphone Amps, plus my wife do not blame me any more since I showed her this picture
> 
> Question : what DAC do you use with your BHSE ?


 
  
  
  
 I'm using the Emm Labs DAC2X. I feed it balanced to the Apex Pinnacle and use the Pinnacle as a pre-amplifier for the BHSE - with outstanding results !


----------



## bmichels

Thanks but.... *Why do you put the Apex as a pre-amp before the BHSE* ??? I feel the BHSE volume pot being very good and very Smooth ! 

Does the tubes of the Apex warm the sound of the DAC ?


----------



## bmichels

Thanks for the info


----------



## Jerseyboy

bmichels said:


> Thanks but.... *Why do you a pre-amp before the BHSE* ??? I feel the BHSE volume pot being very good and very Smooth !


 
  
  
  
 The Apex Pinnacle, as well as being a TOTL headphone amp is also a superb tube pre-amp. By using it with the BHSE it imparts tonal qualities which improve the sound quality from the BHSE (IMO).


----------



## bmichels

jerseyboy said:


> The Apex Pinnacle, as well as being a TOTL headphone amp is also a superb tube pre-amp. By using it with the BHSE it imparts tonal qualities which improve the sound quality from the BHSE (IMO).




So... If I want to avoid the tube pre-amp, a tube based DAC Is Recommended or at least could be a good option with the SR009 ? ;


----------



## Jerseyboy

bmichels said:


> So... If I want to avoid the tube pre-amp, a tube based DAC Is Recommended or at least could be a good option with the SR009 ? ;


 

 There is absolutely no requirement to pre-amp a BHSE and I am sure that very few owners do as it is a great amp in its own right. I use a particular top-flight pre-amp only because I perceive improvements over using the BHSE without this particular amp in front of it.
  
 With regard to tube-based DACs. that would be purely a matter of personal preference as to whether a particular DAC is employed and I would certainly advise you to have a personal audition of any equipment you may consider. In particular a direct comparison of a solid state DAC and a tube based DAC would be a good first step to see which you enjoy more. I'm fairly confident that once you settle on a decision that the SR-009 will perform superbly in either case.


----------



## knopi

I have one friend which also using his electrostatic system around (KGSSHV and SR009) with separate preamp from MBL also with happy result. It is interesting and good to know.
 bmichels I think it does not matter if tube or ss dac, quality one will definitely not sound bright.
  
 Jerseyboy wow awesome system and colections..


----------



## MrTie84

Forgive the potato quality photos. Some new gear has snuck in(Theta & B&K)


----------



## Currawong

Been a while, so...


----------



## bmichels

jerseyboy said:


> I'm using the Emm Labs DAC2X. I feed it balanced to the Apex Pinnacle and use the Pinnacle as a pre-amplifier for the BHSE - with outstanding results !


 
  
*Jerseyboy, m*ay I also ask what tubes you are using in the BHSE ?   Are they the stock mullard or some exotic NOS ?


----------



## Jerseyboy

bmichels said:


> *Jerseyboy, m*ay I also ask what tubes you are using in the BHSE ?   Are they the stock mullard or some exotic NOS ?


 
  
  
 I'm using a quad of EL34s Phillips 1955 metal base (Holland made).


----------



## bmichels

jerseyboy said:


> I'm using a quad of EL34s Phillips 1955 metal base (Holland made).


 
  
 Thanks *Jerseyboy *for the info
  
 I also see that you use a BIG PS Audio power conditionner.  Are all your amps/dacs connected on it ? big improvement ?  why have you choosed the PS Audio over other brands of power conditionner/regenerator ?
  
  
 2:30 am and still listening to my BHSE / SR009...in the dark


----------



## kernel8888

DIY Soundgroup cinema 88 special speakers
2x Dayton UM-18 
Yamaha AVR & inuke nu-6000dsp to power the subs 

Hifiman HE-6 is my endgame can. Absolutely unbeatable at used prices. No desire for anything else. Only other can I'd consider would be the hd700 for some contrast. 

Have some Westone W60s coming in and I anticipate they are my endgame iem as I have preferred the W40s over Roxanne/se846/Angie/jh13/etc.

These subs have given me the most incredible experience in my audio journey. The speed and texture are top tier, but their ability to slam and provide ultra lfe and reference levels is something to be experienced, and can literally be frightening. Incredible paired with the 88 specials. Only change I might make is into some ported enclosures if I move and have a bigger space to shake down.


----------



## nordkapp

kernel8888 said:


> DIY Soundgroup cinema 88 special speakers
> 2x Dayton UM-18
> Yamaha AVR & inuke nu-6000dsp to power the subs
> 
> ...





kernel8888 said:


> DIY Soundgroup cinema 88 special speakers
> 2x Dayton UM-18
> Yamaha AVR & inuke nu-6000dsp to power the subs
> 
> ...





kernel8888 said:


> DIY Soundgroup cinema 88 special speakers
> 2x Dayton UM-18
> Yamaha AVR & inuke nu-6000dsp to power the subs
> 
> ...


 What are you driving the HE6 with? Ifi amp?


----------



## Arsis

kernel8888 said:


> DIY Soundgroup cinema 88 special speakers
> 2x Dayton UM-18
> Yamaha AVR & inuke nu-6000dsp to power the subs
> 
> ...


Very nice!! 
You should contribute to my home theater thread. 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/737579/home-theater-lets-see-yours


----------



## kernel8888

nordkapp said:


> What are you driving the HE6 with? Ifi amp?


 
 yea its the ifi idsd micro. Might get a vintage amp sometime, but this is doing great for me so far.


----------



## kernel8888

arsis said:


> Very nice!!
> You should contribute to my home theater thread.
> 
> 
> ...


 
 will do!


----------



## nordkapp

kernel8888 said:


> yea its the ifi idsd micro. Might get a vintage amp sometime, but this is doing great for me so far.


Wow. Impressive.


----------



## kernel8888

not to get too far off topic, but yea the HE-6 is a beast to drive to its potential, which I have not done even out of speaker taps, but it still sounds incredible from the likes of a fiio e12. The biggest limitation is that it is on volume, but even with the e12 I have to crank it to the loudest levels I would listen, and with the bass boost on it starts to break up substantially in the bass. But one or two clicks down on my iphone volume and its great and still as loud as I would need, even to rock out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I even plug the he-6 straight into my phone when im putzing around the house and its great.
  
 BUT it does scale higher and the highs are smoother with a better source, to the point of perfection in my opinion.


----------



## Badas

arsis said:


> Very nice!!
> You should contribute to my home theater thread.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Oh! Didn't see that thread. I will contribute as well.


----------



## Oregonian

kernel8888 said:


> not to get too far off topic, but yea the HE-6 is a beast to drive to its potential, which I have not done even out of speaker taps, but it still sounds incredible from the likes of a fiio e12. The biggest limitation is that it is on volume, but even with the e12 I have to crank it to the loudest levels I would listen, and with the bass boost on it starts to break up substantially in the bass. But one or two clicks down on my iphone volume and its great and still as loud as I would need, even to rock out
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 If you like it with an E-12, I highly recommend a vintage amp (80+ wpc) and out of speaker taps.  You'll never use the E-12 with the HE-6 again................


----------



## kernel8888

Yea I have used it out of taps on my Yamaha avr, but haven't gotten the opportunity to jump into the vintage pool yet...


----------



## headphones1999

I was going to upload picture of my system two days ago but suddenly second hand A900X appeared in a price I couldn't resist,
 and a day after that the DAC1 has (finally) arrived along with many other audio goodies, so I'm going to use some "old" pics because the capacitors and speakers everywhere lol.
  



  
 AKG Q701\Sony cd750\ATH-A900X are all connected to the onkyo A925, only the ATH-A900X still not connected to the speakers output (not yet
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), as DAC I got the old but gold Bel canto DAC1\2 and the Muse dac mini to help out as USB to COAC converter, no idea which one is better yet, but i do know its 5 at the morning here and i dont feel like turning off the DAC1 anytime soon.


----------



## Redcarmoose

headphones1999 said:


> I was going to upload picture of my system two days ago but suddenly second hand A900X appeared in a price I couldn't resist,
> and a day after that the DAC1 has (finally) arrived along with many other audio goodies, so I'm going to use some "old" pics because the capacitors and speakers everywhere lol.
> 
> 
> ...




I always feel like this at 5AM.


----------



## lin0003




----------



## nordkapp

Finished for now. A few minor tweeks and a new set of transducers should carry me well through 2017 and beyond.........hopefully........I think......but maybe not....


----------



## lilbingobin

iFi nano idsd dac + smsl sap vi with hd600 headphone


----------



## Tayyab Pirzada

My complete system:
  
 Closed headphones: Sony MDR-CD900ST Studio Monitors
 Open headphones: Sennheiser HD600
 High-fidelity earbuds: VE Zen 2.0
 Amp: Garage 1217 Project Starlight
 Music player: Astell & Kern AK Jr


----------



## eschell27

In the middle of building a new desk. Still messy. Sort of cobbled together at this point. Last night i made the elevated glass platform for my dac and amps. Still deciding on a monitor platform and rearranging the main desktop design for headphone stands, keyboard, & mouse. Will get there one of these days.


----------



## Badas

eschell27 said:


> In the middle of building a new desk. Still messy. Sort of cobbled together at this point. Last night i made the elevated glass platform for my dac and amps. Still deciding on a monitor platform and rearranging the main desktop design for headphone stands, keyboard, & mouse. Will get there one of these days.


 
  
 WA2 looks nice. Are you using the Thomson 6080 power tubes?


----------



## eschell27

Yeah i am. Just got the amp a couple weeks ago. Came with some rca 6as7g also that i like. The thomson 6080 just showed up a couple days ago, liking them so far as well. In the next couple days i have some Ei ez80, TS 5998, and 1975 Reflektor SWGP Silver Shields. Should be a fun week. Next up on my upgrade list is a singxer su-1 and possibly converting my dac-19 to nos-19.
 WoooHooo


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Bad iPhone picture, but you get the idea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Ali


----------



## claud W

Last time I posted my good system here I got kidded about my VanEvers power strip power conditioner. I guess I needed it. Bought a new Richard Gray 400 Pro on Audiogon at a deep discount to hold me over until I can afford one of the PS units or a  Running Springs Haley. Got a nice Furman power strip from Amazon for power recliner and light.


----------



## nordkapp

claud w said:


> Last time I posted my good system here I got kidded about my VanEvers power strip power conditioner. I guess I needed it. Bought a new Richard Gray 400 Pro on Audiogon at a deep discount to hold me over until I can afford one of the PS units or a  Running Springs Haley. Got a nice Furman power strip from Amazon for power recliner and light.


Yeah, the quality of your system deserves top shelf power. ☇☇☇


----------



## Mightygrey

Here's my home head-fi station - who says the Schiit Modi won't stack with an Asgard?


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I like the custom/DIY audio rack ^^^^


----------



## RickB

I have a Valhalla 2 also but I keep going back to the Vali 2...


----------



## nordkapp

^^^ I too have a Vali2. Really is awesome. Very nice ^^^^^


----------



## RickB

nordkapp said:


> ^^^ I too have a Vali2. Really is awesome. Very nice ^^^^^


 
 Thanks.


----------



## painted klown

rickb said:


> I have a Valhalla 2 also but I keep going back to the Vali 2...


 
  
 Love the Schiit stack you have there. I too have a Vali 2 and LOVE it. My next planned purchase is the Modi Multi-bit.


----------



## RickB

painted klown said:


> Love the Schiit stack you have there. I too have a Vali 2 and LOVE it. My next planned purchase is the Modi Multi-bit.


 
 The Multibit is great. It takes the sound of the stack to another level.


----------



## notfitforpublic

rickb said:


> I have a Valhalla 2 also but I keep going back to the Vali 2...


 
  
 Curious... what takes you away from the Valhalla back to the Vali? Same DAC for the Valhalla as well?


----------



## RickB

notfitforpublic said:


> Curious... what takes you away from the Valhalla back to the Vali? Same DAC for the Valhalla as well?


 
 To me, the Vali 2 has a more relaxed sound. Even though the Valhalla is technically superior (resolution, soundstage), it is brighter and more edgy. This might change if I could get some decent NOS tubes for it, but that is twice the cost (and something of a gamble on eBay) compared to the Vali. I have found the perfect tube for the Vali, the EH 6CG7, which is current production. 
  
 Another practical reason is that the Vali gives off less heat, which is noticeable during summer in Florida. 
  
 Same DAC with both, Modi Multibit.


----------



## notfitforpublic

rickb said:


> To me, the Vali 2 has a more relaxed sound. Even though the Valhalla is technically superior (resolution, soundstage), it is brighter and more edgy. This might change if I could get some decent NOS tubes for it, but that is twice the cost (and something of a gamble on eBay) compared to the Vali. I have found the perfect tube for the Vali, the EH 6CG7, which is current production.
> 
> Another practical reason is that the Vali gives off less heat, which is noticeable during summer in Florida.
> 
> Same DAC with both, Modi Multibit.


 

 Ah, all makes sense then. Agree the Valhalla with stock tubes is bright and edgy. I was just dumb enough to go wandering down the NOS tube rabbit hole, and yes, I much more expensive route to yours.


----------



## Coolzo

Did someone say tubes? 


(stop by the Phoenix, AZ Head-Fi meet on the 10th to hear these amps!)


----------



## nordkapp

​


coolzo said:


> Did someone say tubes?
> 
> 
> (stop by the Phoenix, AZ Head-Fi meet on the 10th to hear these amps!)


Vintage VTLs?


----------



## Coolzo

nordkapp said:


> ​Vintage VTLs?




Yup, VTL Compact 100 monoblocks. New tubes, just as transparent as anything modern that I've heard, but with a touch of tube voodoo


----------



## dbaker1981

From yesterday


----------



## dbaker1981

Whoops this is yesterday. The other was last week. Its starting to come together.


----------



## nordkapp

coolzo said:


> Yup, VTL Compact 100 monoblocks. New tubes, just as transparent as anything modern that I've heard, but with a touch of tube voodoo


Haha. Nice. What years? Early 90's?


----------



## Coolzo

nordkapp said:


> Haha. Nice. What years? Early 90's?


 
  
 Roughly, actually 1988, but it is for all intents and purposes early 90s. David Manley designed of course. 6 years later in 1994, the Manley LAB series 100 monoblocks would be released (under the Manley brand, of course), which is more or less the same amplifier. EL34 and 12AT7 based, although I do  believe the Manleys used a different driver tube. I used to own the Manleys, and I can say with confidence that they are nearly identical (oddly enough, the VTLs are actually far, far quieter noise-wise than the Manleys were).


----------



## nordkapp

coolzo said:


> Roughly, actually 1988, but it is for all intents and purposes early 90s. David Manley designed of course. 6 years later in 1994, the Manley LAB series 100 monoblocks would be released (under the Manley brand, of course), which is more or less the same amplifier. EL34 and 12AT7 based, although I do  believe the Manleys used a different driver tube. I used to own the Manleys, and I can say with confidence that they are nearly identical (oddly enough, the VTLs are actually far, far quieter noise-wise than the Manleys were).


Yup, those are keepers. I once owned the Quicksilver mini monos with that same tube set. Kick myself for selling them...Sadly I won't be able to attend the meet-trapped in RI....


----------



## painted klown

dbaker1981 said:


> Whoops this is yesterday. The other was last week. Its starting to come together.


 
 That table looks like an AT ATH-LP60. If so, I have the same table. Not bad for the price, but if you have not yet tried it, I would highly recommend using an external preamp for it. The built in one will work, bit the table sounds significantly (and I can't stress this enough) better with a better phono pre.
  
 I use the one built into my Emotiva XSP-1 preamp.
  
 Cool setup!!!


----------



## dbaker1981

painted klown said:


> That table looks like an AT ATH-LP60. If so, I have the same table. Not bad for the price, but if you have not yet tried it, I would highly recommend using an external preamp for it. The built in one will work, bit the table sounds significantly (and I can't stress this enough) with a better phono pre.
> 
> I use the one built into my Emotiva XSP-1 preamp.
> 
> Cool setup!!!





I've been looking into the schiit one. But no o e could give me a straight answer on weather it would help or not. Thanks for the insight!


----------



## painted klown

dbaker1981 said:


> I've been looking into the schiit one. But no o e could give me a straight answer on weather it would help or not. Thanks for the insight!


 
 You're welcome!
  
 I have never heard the Schiit Mani, so I am unable to comment on that particular preamp. However, if you are not opposed to another brand, Emotiva lifted the phono pre out of the XSP-1 and created a stand alone phono pre called the XPS-1. It is priced at $149 with free shipping, but they are currently having a sale (ending Sept 6th) where you can get 15% off. Comes to a total of $126.65 shipped.
  
 Here is a link to their product page, if you are interested.
  
 http://emotiva.com/products/pres-and-pros/xps-1
  
 Either way you decide to go, good luck, and I assure you that this table has much more to offer with a better pre.
  
 Does it top my current digital setup? Nope, but the SQ really is much better than the stock pre would lead you to believe. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 EDIT: Just realized they are currently out of stock on them, but if you give them a call, I would bet that you can nab one at the sale price and they will send it when they re-up stock again.


----------



## dbaker1981

painted klown said:


> You're welcome!
> 
> I have never heard the Schiit Mani, so I am unable to comment on that particular preamp. However, if you are not opposed to another brand, Emotiva lifted the phono pre out of the XSP-1 and created a stand alone phono pre called the XPS-1. It is priced at $149 with free shipping, but they are currently having a sale (ending Sept 6th) where you can get 15% off. Comes to a total of $126.65 shipped.
> 
> ...





What do you think about this one?
Pro-Ject Audio - Phono Box DC - MM/MC Phono preamp with line output - Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DB5IDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aWRYxbGJAKV76


----------



## painted klown

dbaker1981 said:


> What do you think about this one?
> Pro-Ject Audio - Phono Box DC - MM/MC Phono preamp with line output - Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DB5IDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aWRYxbGJAKV76


 
 I have not heard this preamp, and cannot find very much information online about it. Having said that, it is made by a company that makes very popular turntables, so it has that going for it. In fact, right before I bought my LP60, I almost bought a Project Debut Carbon...
  
 Anyway, I am sure it probably pretty decent, and the chances of it being better than the built in phono pre on the LP60 is 100%. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How it would compare to the Emotiva or Schiit pres...I don't know.
  
 Good luck, and to be quite honest, I think that all 3 of these units would net you better sound quality. I doubt you could go wrong with any of them vs the stock pre.
  
 Maybe buy the one that costs the least to get it shipped to you, and if you feel like you need more, then move up the chain?
  
 Sorry I couldn't be more helpful on this one.


----------



## lin0003

Picked up a NAD M51 today


----------



## bmichels

BHSE + Stax SR009   &   EC445 + HE-X.  
  

  
  
  
 Now that I know better the sound signature of the Stock mullard, I will start to look for alternative tubes for the BHSE.   
  
 Since I have received my BHSE, my EC445 get little listening...  this is why my EC445 is now for sale.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bmichels said:


> BHSE + Stax SR009   &   EC445 + HE-X.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




First station that I have even seen that looks like a church almost? Wow!


----------



## MWSVette

Pictures of the rig with the new Schiit Jotunheim....


----------



## markbrauer

I have five different spots in my house where I like to listen so some amount of portability is important to me. This is a photo of my current setup snapped from my very-comfortable Ikea Poang chair set in an alcove off my dining area. Other listening spots include my deck which overlooks a woods.
  
 The stand carries two headphones hanging from the middle shelf (an open pair for times where there is low ambient noise, and a closed pair for noisier times) and the upper shelf has a small drawer for IEMs (for when it's really noisy, used mostly on the deck) and some adapters, cords etc. Everything I need is right there and all controls are within easy reach. The setup is not truly "portable" because the amp requires a 120 volt outlet - not a problem around the house. The streamer is powered by a USB battery pack, not for portability but because it just sounds better that way.
  
 As the mood sways me, I can just unplug the amp, pick up the whole thing as a unit, and be listening in another spot in a couple minutes.
  

  
 The stand was purchased from Amazon - it was called a telephone stand but at over one foot square it seems like overkill for my Nexus phone.
 The stick-on headphone hanger is from Amazon too.
 I fabricated the drawer from a small baking pan.


----------



## headphones1999

bmichels said:


> BHSE + Stax SR009   &   EC445 + HE-X.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
 Those feet say that the comfort level is over 9000
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 love your system!


----------



## 520RanchBro

dbaker1981 said:


> What do you think about this one?
> Pro-Ject Audio - Phono Box DC - MM/MC Phono preamp with line output - Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DB5IDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aWRYxbGJAKV76


 
 I had the Phono Box S and now have the Mani. The Mani sounds a bit more detailed and has a bit more of an edge than the smoother Phono Box. I prefer the Mani but I'd put them both pretty close in sound quality, the differences are not at all drastic.


----------



## nordkapp

mwsvette said:


> Pictures of the rig with the new Schiit Jotunheim....


 Schiit in the bedroom. Nice...


----------



## silvrr

My setup this week and I do a review of the JDS Labs Element and compare to my Mojo.  Wanted to be able to A/B so two laptops running Volumio works quite well.  My neighbor gave me two old laptops and they work great for stuff like this, wouldn't want them as my daily driver but plenty of power to play music.


----------



## BobG55

_Picture quality isn't great; taken w/ MacBook Pro Laptop mirror camera (don't own a digital camera)._

 L to R : Eddie Current Zana Deux Super > ZDS Power Supply > sitting on top, JDS Labs O2 (ss) headphone amplifier > Teac PD-H600 > sitting on top, Sennheiser HD600 w/ Cardas cable; not in picture : HD650, T1 Gen.1, SR325e w/ G-cush & K702 (made in Austria).


----------



## stijntjeuh

My station consists of these headphones. Sennheiser HD600 sounds the best to me by far. The AKG K501 is not my favorite to say the least, don't find it comfortable on my head and the sound signature is not for me. The HD25 was recently added to my collection for portable use, i'm liking it so far. 
  

  
 The Schiit-Stack is a 1st gen Modi/Magni combo connected to my laptop via usb. 
  

  
 After a couple of years of use i'm still on a regularly basis surprised of what an amazing sound this combination can deliver!


----------



## kman1211

Cleaned up my system a bit. I know I have junk speakers, haven't gotten around to getting better speakers yet.
  
 Desktop computer view.

*Main headphones: *Audioquest Nighthawks.(There are other headphones I use but aren't in the picture to prevent clutter, also my DT 1770 Pro is being repaired).
*Portable headphones:* Sony MDR-1A.
*Vinyl: *Sony PX-LX250H.(Got for really cheap a while back)

*Main Amp/DAC:* Sony UDA-1.(Ended up liking the amp section on this better than my Project Sunrise III)


----------



## Oregonian




----------



## Badas

^
 Very nice dude. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Looks cozy.


----------



## TheOneInYellow

Spoiler: Equipment details



[Originally posted *here*].

It has been a long while, thought to update my Twitter and FB background pics to showcase all the new changes to my desk, so posting a new pic of my desk here.
Absent are new upcoming Corsair K95 Cherry MK Red or Brown gaming keyboard (there is an unused keyboard tray on my desk where my new gaming keyboard will be situated. Will test which Cherry MK key type I prefer), and Corsair gaming mouse pad (deciding between MM600 or MM800 RGB). Both will be acquired at next paycheck.
My Noble Audio Katana CIEM's are still being made so are also absent.
My Razer Goliathus Speed gaming mouse pad was free (one of two) and on it is the bespoke, high end, Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse (same or better performance as wired mice!).

You can't see it clearly but on the left-hand side of my gaming MSI GP62 6QF laptop is an iFi Audio Gemini USB cable (data/audio head only), and the power head is directly connected to the 1st Gen iFi Audio iUSBPower output (that is the true way to use it, told to me by iFi Audio themselves). Thus I'm using the iUSBPower as a USB power regenerator.
The 1st Gen iFi Audio iPurifier is behind the iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50.
For music via laptop I use J.River Media Centre (media playback via Media Centre Home Cinema/CCCP), but for serious listening I use my Onkyo DP-X1 digital audio player in balanced mode and headphones of choice.
The Retro Stereo 50 is predominantly used for multimedia consumption, or whenever I want to listen to music via speakers.

Behind the laptop, lifted into the air via CoolerMaster Ergostand III, is my 10-way USB 3.0 dock, and behind this a 3Tb external HDD on an external USB 3.0 HDD dock.

I use my John Blue JB3 speakers as I prefer them over the iFi Audio LS3.5.

With the Retro Stereo 50, if I use headphones, one output is always connected to my SubPac S2, and the other to my headphones. 
Meze Headphones 99 Classics is connected via low gain, and Audeze EL-8 Titanium or AKG K 712 via high gain.
The latter headphone is used for gaming with an Antlion ModMic 4.0 microphone attachment.

For my Xbox One and PS4, I output via optical Toslink into a 1st Gen TurtleBeach EarForce DSS 7.1 sound processor into analogue in of Retro Stereo 50.


----------



## TheOneInYellow

Ha ha ha longbowbbs, that's the primary desk with a fold out second large desk area (to the right, not pictured)!

Also, everything is considered and placed, with left side my headphones and writing area, right side gaming peripherals and mouse, and soon under the desk is my keyboard tray that'll have a Corsair K95 RGB gaming keyboard at end of the month!


----------



## longbowbbs

theoneinyellow said:


> Ha ha ha @longbowbbs, that's the primary desk with a fold out second large desk area (to the right, not pictured)!
> 
> Also, everything is considered and placed, with left side my headphones and writing area, right side gaming peripherals and mouse, and soon under the desk is my keyboard tray that'll have a Corsair K95 RGB gaming keyboard at end of the month!


 
 As I said...you need a bigger desk!


----------



## nordkapp

Feeling "Kind of Blue" tonight.


----------



## 62ohm

Guys, I know this is supposed to be a thread for head-fi station pics, but bear with me. I feel compelled to share this one with you (no idea why I only discovered it just now).
  
 I recently migrated from Foobar2K to MusicBee as my music playback software, and I cannot get over how breathtakingly beautiful and intuitively functional its UI is.


----------



## nordkapp

62ohm said:


> Guys, I know this is supposed to be a thread for head-fi station pics, but bear with me. I feel compelled to share this one with you (no idea why I only discovered it just now).
> 
> I recently migrated from Foobar2K to MusicBee as my music playback software, and I cannot get over how breathtakingly beautiful and intuitively functional its UI is.


 Is it windows 10 compatible?


----------



## 62ohm

nordkapp said:


> Is it windows 10 compatible?


 
  
 Yes it is - I'm using it with Windows 10 myself! Give it a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.


----------



## nordkapp

62ohm said:


> Yes it is - I'm using it with Windows 10 myself! Give it a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.


Thank you


----------



## Alu

Turning Japanese.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Fully intended selling this gear - Matrix CUBE and HD700's - as it's been sitting around for a while. There's no doubt it's harsher than my normal home setup but it's so much better than anything I've used in an hotel before


----------



## Vigrith

alu said:


> Turning Japanese.


 
  
 Nice monitor! I considered it when I was looking for a new screen but the slightly OTT gamer-ish looks put me off too much for its hefty price tag. Ended up getting a LG 34U instead was quite a fair bit cheaper (around £1k at the time as opposed to £1.2k for yours) - thinking about getting a second LG to go with this one and just either wall mount them both and have one of my 144hz on my desk for FPS sensitive games or the other way around with the 144 Asus on the wall above the 21:9s.


----------



## slex




----------



## Mightygrey

My current 'bedside' set-up: Galaxy S7 Edge (loaner from Samsung while I wait for them to replace my explode-y Note 7) playing FLAC via USB Audio Player Pro > Audioquest Dragonfly Red > Little Dot 1+ (rolled some Voshkod tubes) > Alessandro MS2s.

Wasn't using my tubes that often in my desktop set-up as it was picking up quite a bit of interference. I've also been playing an album or two before hitting the hay, so this is working out great. Little Dot pairs awesomely with the MS2s, which are a lot smoother/less forward than their Grado counterparts. Great vocals - makes for a very chilled experience, sounds amazing with classical.

Can't really comment on how well the DFR works as a standalone DAC as I haven't A/B'd it with anything (nor do I plan to any time quickly) but music sounds, well, perfect in line+out mode. The OCD-side of me gets immensely satisfied when playing 48khz tracks as the blue colour it changes to (versus green for 44.1) matches the amp's light.
It all glows nicely!


----------



## kman1211

New headphone.


----------



## MWSVette

kman1211 said:


> New headphone.


 
 Which ones the Nighthawks or DT1990's?  Either way very nice...


----------



## kman1211

mwsvette said:


> Which ones the Nighthawks or DT1990's?  Either way very nice...


 
 The DT 1990's, had the Nighthawks for around a year now.


----------



## GroovyGI

Recent as it gets, but not yet finished.
  
 Sound Card: Micca OriGen High Resolution USB DAC and Preamplifier
 Microphone: Blue Microphones Yeti - Blackout Edition
 Headphone Stand: Woo Audio HPS-TB Dual Headphone Stand
 Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 250ohm Black Limited Edition (Video)
 Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 250ohm Black Limited Edition (Gaming)
  
 Headphones: Fostex T50RP-MK3 (Music)
 Shure SRH1540 Alcantara Replacement Ear Pads
 V-MODA Extended Audio Cable (Black)
  
 Speakers: Monsoon Planar Media 9 Speakers
  
 My current setup, now I just need a good set of closed cans.


----------



## judomaniak

just tried the dt1990, very impressive. tried them with a bryston amp, now i am torn on what to buy next. anyhows, enjoy the dt 1990s good choice


----------



## judomaniak

groovygi said:


> Recent as it gets, but not yet finished.
> 
> Sound Card: Micca OriGen High Resolution USB DAC and Preamplifier
> Microphone: Blue Microphones Yeti - Blackout Edition
> ...


 
 we need a better shot of that rack, thanks


----------



## Badas

judomaniak said:


> we need a better shot of that rack, thanks


 

 Yeah. I agree. +1


----------



## GroovyGI

badas said:


> Yeah. I agree. +1


 

 OK,


----------



## Jamesy1969

Same crap, different hotel room (actually, I left all my Schiit at home!)


----------



## songmic

Schiits, Eddie Currents and Senns in da house.


----------



## remilio

songmic said:


> Schiits, Eddie Currents and Senns in da house.


 
  
  
 OMG, this EC Studio looks gorgeous!


----------



## jjacq

Finally got my new centerpiece.


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## ButtUglyJeff

nordkapp said:


>


 
  
 Nice variety.  May I ask what's your favorite amp with your Elear?


----------



## nordkapp

buttuglyjeff said:


> Nice variety.  May I ask what's your favorite amp with your Elear?


. Thanks. Favorite amp for Elear......tough one. All 3 do things nicely, but if I had to pick one I'd say the CIA-by a hair.


----------



## shapeshifter44

indydieselnut said:


> It's been a wild ride since moving into a new space, but I finally have something that works in my room.  I realize I've left out the most important components for pictures on head-fi...the HEADPHONES.  Rest assured, my trusty HD600 and HD650 are pulling duty out of the Mjolnir 2 using a Cardas balanced cable.
> 
> The Focal Solo6 Be in this setup is as close as I've ever gotten to headphone listening using speakers.  The room was very acoustically problematic and using the monitors in the nearfield not only solved the room issues, but surprised me with some of the most relaxed, musical, and engaging sound I've ever experienced.  Not pictured is the huge row of IKEA Kallax shelving for the rest of the LP collection.
> 
> ...


 
 Do you have an issue with CXC and Gumby? I heard the comment that Gumby would have clicking sounds when you change songs and even erase the first couple of seconds of a song on CXC. 
 Looking forward to your reply. Thanks a lot.


----------



## indydieselnut

Yes, I absolutely had that issue with the CXC and Gumby...which is why neither are with me any longer   I loved the sound, but hated that I couldn't change tracks or fast-forward without the Gumby going berserk.  I understand the technical issues involved, but wasn't willing to tolerate them.


----------



## shapeshifter44

indydieselnut said:


> Yes, I absolutely had that issue with the CXC and Gumby...which is why neither are with me any longer   I loved the sound, but hated that I couldn't change tracks or fast-forward without the Gumby going berserk.  I understand the technical issues involved, but wasn't willing to tolerate them.


 
 I am looking for a DAC for CXC around $1000. Do you have any suggestions? Currently I am looking at Woo WDS-1 or Cambridge Audio 851D/C.  (I use Woo WA22 and HD800s)
  
 Thank you very much!


----------



## hificrazy

Moving into a new place and spared a room for head-fi. Current set-up: Dell laptop or QLS360 -> Chord Hugo -> Wood Audio WA5 LE V1 -> Beyerdynamic T1 or Audez LCD2 v2 or Alessandro MPRO.

  
 An old set-up includes: NAS -> Squeeze Touch / Sony D50 or QLS360 -> Yulong D18 -> Ting Feng 3 tupe amp.


----------



## jjacq

Took photos of my rig today.


----------



## JomiMendes

jjacq said:


> Took photos of my rig today.


 
  
 Porn...


----------



## h1f1add1cted

@jjacq
  
 Love your setup too, I have a little bit smaller edition from yours.


----------



## N0sferatu

Not headphones but I upgraded my theater sound stage.  
  
 Montior Audio Platinum 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 PL350C Center
 PL200 Towers
 Seaton Submerssive HP+ (Subwoofer (had this already))
  
 Umm...simply epic sounding! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  

  
 I removed some of the blackout material in back temporarily to let some light into the room.  Here they are in daylight.

  

  
 Lights out!  SHOWTIME!!!


----------



## MrTie84

reorganized the office and pulled my B&W in to take advantage of the system I have been using with my HE-6.


----------



## s043uf

Been a long time since i posted here now. Found my endgame with this setup about a year ago. Very happy with it!


----------



## menieres




----------



## Krutsch

The Office Rig: MacBook Pro + Audirvana+ → iFi USB 3.0 Nano → Sony PHA-3 → Sony MDR-Z7 w/ Kimber Balanced Cables.
  
 The iFi works well because I can use the second USB port (power only) to provide continuous, clean 5v charging to the PHA-3.


----------



## jjacq

Got a new rack for my gear .


----------



## rigo

jjacq said:


> Got a new rack for my gear .


 
 What audio rack is that?


----------



## jjacq

rigo said:


> What audio rack is that?


 


 Nothing too fancy, http://www.sanus.com/en_US/products/racks/efa31/

 I wish it was adjustable in height but it's cool. I like it a lot.


----------



## pervysage




----------



## headphones1999

pervysage said:


>


 
 Focal or Sennhieser choose now!


----------



## miceblue

Dorm desk.


----------



## Vigrith

pervysage said:


>


 
  
 Have the same chair, probably the best purchase I've made in a long time! Sick set up by the way, can't go wrong with the utopias and LS50s.


----------



## lugnut

vigrith said:


> Have the same chair, probably the best purchase I've made in a long time! Sick set up by the way, can't go wrong with the utopias and LS50s.


 
 What is it ?


----------



## Vigrith

lugnut said:


> What is it ?


 
  
 The chair? Embody by Herman Miller.


----------



## pervysage

headphones1999 said:


> Focal or Sennhieser choose now!


 
  
  


vigrith said:


> Have the same chair, probably the best purchase I've made in a long time! Sick set up by the way, can't go wrong with the utopias and LS50s.


 
  
 Thanks!
  
 Haha, I have the same exact thoughts on the chair. Probably the best money I have spent next to the LS50's. I love getting good bang for buck and those two purchases were definitely worth the money. I can't really see the need to get a new chair for the next 10 years 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 LS50's also deliver great performance for how much they cost and look great while doing so


----------



## Youth

Did you also try the Aeron chair? I'm thinking about buying one of them.


----------



## SunTanScanMan

Got my aeron a few days ago. I purchased it second hand on ebay for around £360 - very good quality with the option of the company being able to buy it back from me within 2 years. There are cheaper offers too.

 It is the most comfortable office chair I have owned. The soft 'fabric' on the seat and back support mould to your body, and also keeps you cool. I think my previous chair was slightly too large and firm for me, and I was never comfortable with the height.


----------



## Quinto




----------



## Steve Buck

love it.. i do this with a sony portable into..various portable dacs.. i think they sound awesome..


----------



## Wfanning1

Hi all! New to the party but was just finishing up a few cables and wanted some opinions on the setup? Personally, I love it by far my best tube station yet! Btw: the pro-ject media server even has an output tube buffer to my surprise they just started doing that to thier RS lineup! What isnt seen is my PSB imagine B speakers and the sunfire jr sub.


----------



## Wfanning1

wfanning1 said:


> Hi all! New to the party but was just finishing up a few cables and wanted some opinions on the setup? Personally, I love it by far my best tube station yet! Btw: the pro-ject media server even has an output tube buffer to my surprise they just started doing that to thier RS lineup! What isnt seen is my PSB imagine B speakers and the sunfire jr sub.


For some reason i cant get multiple pics to attach to my apologies a couple of others
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/IMG]


----------



## Wfanning1

wfanning1 said:


> For some reason i cant get multiple pics to attach to my apologies a couple of others
> 
> 
> 
> ...








[/IMG]


----------



## spanner43




----------



## MWSVette

spanner43 said:


>


 
 Love the Captain Fantastic pinball machine....


----------



## Krutsch

youth said:


> Did you also try the Aeron chair? I'm thinking about buying one of them.


 

 I bought one 20 years ago and am sitting in it right now. I swear, this chair shows no signs of age or decrease in comfort.
  
 Make sure you get the "step-up" model with additional adjustments. Best purchase I've ever made.


----------



## LancerFIN

pervysage said:


>


 
 I wish A-gd would still make the Precision-1. Have you tried other amps? How does it hold up? Not like actually matters since they can't be bought anymore. Just curious.


----------



## pervysage

lancerfin said:


> I wish A-gd would still make the Precision-1. Have you tried other amps? How does it hold up? Not like actually matters since they can't be bought anymore. Just curious.


 
  
 Yeah it kind of sucks because the Precison 1 is a really nice amp for the price! The LS50's (for my particular setup where I am just running them nearfield at my computer desk) don't really need a whole lot of juice to sing. That's why I figured I would just go with something nice and compact like the Precision 1, rather than having a hulking power amp sitting around where I wouldn't even be using the full power of it. The Precision 1 drives the LS50 with plenty of quality power. 
  
 Unfortunately I haven't really tried the Precision 1 against any other amps from different brands. When I first got the LS50's, I already had a Audio-gd M11 and so I decided to just stick with the Audio-gd line for my speaker amp as well. I have the M11 outputting into the Precision 1 using Audio-gd's ACSS hook-ups and it sounds great. Just like Audio-gd describes it, Precision 1 works best with a quality source and that is all you are going to hear. So it is a nice, neutral amp that will allow you to hear your source without coloring the sound in any way.
  


youth said:


> Did you also try the Aeron chair? I'm thinking about buying one of them.


 
  
 Have not tried the Aeron myself but have heard good things about it.


----------



## Vigrith

pervysage said:


> Have not tried the Aeron myself but have heard good things about it.


 
  
 Yea the Aeron is definitely good too, I prefer the Embody personally as it fits my back better but many respectable businesses I have worked with have Aerons in their meeting rooms and offices - the build quality is identical really, it just depends on your body shape etc. @Youth if you can try them both out you definitely should.


----------



## dockie7

My humble contribution


----------



## KAMT

Good music, and a good book. Hitchens we miss you...


----------



## Ultrainferno

Night stand setup


----------



## kman1211

ultrainferno said:


> Night stand setup


 
 Nice, how's the Amiron?


----------



## Ultrainferno

kman1211 said:


> Nice, how's the Amiron?


 
  
 I'm loving it with the Bakoon HPA-01M, great headphone just like the T90 but more civilized


----------



## kman1211

ultrainferno said:


> I'm loving it with the Bakoon HPA-01M, great headphone just like the T90 but more civilized


 
 Ah, I ended up getting the DT 1990 right before the Amiron was announced, very happy with it, but wish it had dual entry cables. I'm curious how the two compare sound wise. Would you say the Amiron is on the brighter, neutral, or darker side?


----------



## Ultrainferno

kman1211 said:


> Ah, I ended up getting the DT 1990 right before the Amiron was announced, very happy with it, but wish it had dual entry cables. I'm curious how the two compare sound wise. Would you say the Amiron is on the brighter, neutral, or darker side?


 
  
 compared to the 1990 it is more neutral and a little brighter, yes, but the amp has a big impact on its sound


----------



## snellemin

Decided to bring my semi-desktop Bass-station to work.  Built me a rack mount for mostly the Parasound hardware. Used a laptop stand and 6 space rackmount brackets. The Parasound Preamp has been socketed and a Muses02 resides in there.  The Parasound V3 amp powers any headphone, with my variable resistor box that is hooked up to the speaker outputs on the amp.  Using both software and hardware EQ.  EQ is an old school Alpine car EQ that has the BBE enhancement when needed.  This setup even make the Hifiman 400i rumble.


----------



## nordkapp

Added some fancy pictures to create a more _inviting _ appeal.....


----------



## whill

nordkapp said:


> Added some fancy pictures to create a more _inviting _ appeal.....


 
  
 how's the pairing of the BHA1 with the Benchmark DAC?


----------



## atarione

my audio delight.. this stony stack (i got the amp, pre, tuner, 2nd N110 amp and surround processor for $75 total 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 it was a preeetty good day that day I'll tell you... i have rarely been so stoked.)   anyways.. w/ my DT880 Premiums the Preamp TA-E77ESD sound pretty sweet..) the TA-N77ES Amp is hooked up to some JBL L1's


----------



## nordkapp

whill said:


> how's the pairing of the BHA1 with the Benchmark DAC?


 Outstanding. I love it! All you hear is the recording. Nothing more/nothing less. I value detail and neutrality. I prefer to let my hps add the euphonic coloration. ☺


----------



## Badas

I have made a few changes. Removed the Oppo HA-1 (which I could never get to like) and installed my favorite SS amp. The Violectric V281.
  
 I'm very happy now.
  
 Auralic Vega > Woo WA22 and Violectric V281 > Audeze LCD-3 and AudioQuest NightHawks.


----------



## Krutsch

badas said:


> I have made a few changes. Removed the Oppo HA-1 (which I could never get to like) and installed my favorite SS amp. The Violectric V281.
> 
> I'm very happy now.
> 
> Auralic Vega > Woo WA22 and Violectric V281 > Audeze LCD-3 and AudioQuest NightHawks.


 
  
 Nice! I see you are finished with the copper caps and the Frankenstein adapters on the WA22.


----------



## Badas

krutsch said:


> Nice! I see you are finished with the copper caps and the Frankenstein adapters on the WA22.


 





 I think the copper caps lifted the WA22. A lot more detail that I liked. However the V281 has it beat. I just adore everything about the sound of the V281. So rather having a tube amp detailed I decided to fit it with tubes that are really holographic and mellow with less detail. No point having two amps sound similar. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I might go back to Frankenstein adapters. I have some 596 tubes arrived. Waiting for the adapters. I think a all Frankenstein tube adapter arrangement might be neat.


----------



## droopy1592




----------



## nordkapp




----------



## TheAnalogman

Beautiful setup, nordkapp!  Sailing ship pictures go hand in hand with RI. I havent been there since '83 though.
  
  
 Quote:


nordkapp said:


>


----------



## nordkapp

Thank you. We live about 2 miles from Greenwich Bay. Beautiful as ever!


----------



## lugnut

What are the red speakers ?


----------



## Mumbles06




----------



## Vigrith

lugnut said:


> What are the red speakers ?


 
  
 Look like Kanto's, might be wrong though! They do look slick.


----------



## nordkapp

lugnut said:


> What are the red speakers ?


Pro-ject Speaker Box5. They were B stock on Music Direct. Scored them for $100.


----------



## lugnut

nordkapp said:


> Pro-ject Speaker Box5. They were B stock on Music Direct. Scored them for $100.


 
 Wow, what a bargain !


----------



## whill

My current set up:


----------



## Armaegis

My desk has gotten a bit silly lately... (lousy pic though)
  

 The big red tube amp is the new Wolf Ear Makoyi made in Canada. Immediately underneath it is a big honkin' Furman power conditioner.
  
 On the left, top of the stack is the Neurochrome HP-1 amp, which is everything the O2 wishes it could be. I'll have reviews for both coming in the near future.


----------



## Ralf Hutter




----------



## hong

Impulse overhaul from just an Audioengine D1 to Grado Alessandro MS1 after watching my friend buying a new HE-560. Ended up scouring a local second hand app, and settled on a HE-400i and Schiit Bifrost. Shanling PH300 amp from a friend looking to offload extra equipment that he had on hand. All these in a single week, and my MS1's were just about a month old


----------



## Badas

ralf hutter said:


>


 

 Very nice. When I was looking at buying my Woo I was seriously looking at the WA6SE. I also had a Arcam DAC. I bet the combo would sound real great.


----------



## Armaegis

Ok, so I'm going to eventually write up a shootout between these three desktop speaker/dac/amp combos...
  

  

  

  
  
 Celsus Sound SP One being driven by a NuPrime IDA-8
 Johnblue JB3 being drive by a Bryston B60DA
 Centrance 2504 being driven by a Centrance Dacmini PX
  
 I think it's a reasonably close comparison. Each speaker set is (or was originally) in the $500-ish range. Each dac/poweramp is about $1k (for the Bryston that's on the used market)


----------



## gonzalo05




----------



## JoeDoe




----------



## kman1211

New headphone and amp.


----------



## oneguy

Ditched the desk and got new shelves. Will update when speaker stands come in.


----------



## thinker




----------



## atarione




----------



## Hofy

I recognize that stuff.   Stay [H]ard. 
  
 Quote:


atarione said:


>


----------



## Vicca Tito

Some new acquisitions.
  


 RAL RAtoc USB DAC/Headamp
 Geek Pulse Infinity and its LPS
 Wonderful Meze 99 Classic. Really competitive to Beyerdynamic T1, which are winning by a shoulder higher resolution and a bit larger spaciousness. 
 Easy to use even with directly out of iPhone.


----------



## h1f1add1cted

thinker said:


>


 
  
 Beautiful setup, is this a Stax SR Omega? If yes I'm sooooooooo jealous now.


----------



## donlin




----------



## Badas

donlin said:


>


 
  
 Is that Elear or Utopia. Listen to my mates Utopia yesterday. Wow!


----------



## donlin

It's an Elear. To be honest, not sure how much I like it yet.


----------



## notfitforpublic

donlin said:


>


 
 Two world class, TOTL, super expensive cans sit on the side lines while the HD6xx gets the head time. I love it


----------



## donlin

notfitforpublic said:


> Two world class, TOTL, super expensive cans sit on the side lines while the HD6xx gets the head time. I love it


 

 Thanks! I was hoping somebody would notice that.  HD650 is still something special.


----------



## Krutsch

donlin said:


>


 
  
 What do you think of the Shunyata Venom + Defender? Nice looking setup, by the way ... love that Yamaha SACD player.


----------



## donlin

krutsch said:


> What do you think of the Shunyata Venom + Defender? Nice looking setup, by the way ... love that Yamaha SACD player.


 

 Thanks.  I'm a huge fan of the entire Venom line.  I have the PS8 power strip, Defender, Venom 3 and Venom HC power cords and the Venom balanced interconnects.  I had a PS Audio Power Plant Supreme and prefer Venom quite a bit (more dynamic, stronger bass).  All of it really makes more expensive wires seem a little silly.
 Also a plug for the Yamaha, I've had it for about two years of regular use and the transport has been totally glitch free.  That's a rarity in my experience.


----------



## teb1013

[VIDE

Here's my little "system" (Aune T1 (as DAC only tube Amperex 7308), Schiit Vali2 amp (tube Siemens E88CC), Sennheiser HD600.on a box on the floor next to my living room chair! Source is currently Tidal, Classics Online or FLAC Player on iPad Pro.


----------



## dockie7




----------



## Rozenberg

Pretty much set here. The headphones are normally not there though, 'cause the stands are kinda ugly.


----------



## Muinarc

rozenberg said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 You have wire issues. Time for blue tooth setup.


----------



## spanner43




----------



## CJG888

Are those woodied DT770s?


----------



## spanner43

cjg888 said:


> Are those woodied DT770s?


 
 Yes . Redwood lace Burl. my favorite closed can


----------



## headphones1999




----------



## CJG888

spanner43 said:


> cjg888 said:
> 
> 
> > Are those woodied DT770s?
> ...




May I ask who did them?


----------



## spanner43

cjg888 said:


> May I ask who did them?


 
 Sure. Clinton Ash. YewWoodworks on etsy


----------



## CJG888

OK. I use a pair of his cups in my Grados (SR225i with full length Cocobolo cups). I'm very happy with them.


----------



## spanner43

cjg888 said:


> OK. I use a pair of his cups in my Grados (SR225i with full length Cocobolo cups). I'm very happy with them.


 
 I also have some zebra wood cups for my sr225i and some grado sr80s. Clinton ash is a great guy to work with. some of his custom cups are in my avatar


----------



## sysfail




----------



## Brad Maestas

Here's my current head-fi station as of a few minutes ago. Still breaking in a new Bifrost, Valhalla 2, HD 600, _and_ a Blue Dragon V3 cable! Interconnect is Tara Labs RSC Prime and power cable on Valhalla is Tara Labs Prism AC Special (found I like it there the best). All running off a Furman AR-1215 regulator and conditioners. Just ordered a Pangea SE power cable for the Bifrost.


----------



## frogmeat69




----------



## frogmeat69

Edit double post, oops


----------



## Badas

frogmeat69 said:


>


 

 Sweat rig. You have the new iFi.


----------



## HarryWarner1

Mac Pro ---> Schiit Modi 2 Uber ----> Burson Soloist Sl Mk2 ---> Lcd-2.2f 
 or (less used option) 
 Mac Pro ----> Schiit Modi 2 Uber ----> Burson Soloist Sl Mk2---- Some crappy Logitech 2.1 speakers
  
 all the music is ripped from CD in lossless, or downloaded in 24/96 or occasionally from spotify.


----------



## HiFiChris

brad maestas said:


> Here's my current head-fi station as of a few minutes ago. Still breaking in a new Bifrost, Valhalla 2, HD 600, _and_ a Blue Dragon V3 cable! Interconnect is Tara Labs RSC Prime and power cable on Valhalla is Tara Labs Prism AC Special (found I like it there the best). All running off a Furman AR-1215 regulator and conditioners. Just ordered a Pangea SE power cable for the Bifrost.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 What keyboard is this?


----------



## Nick 214

I hastily threw this setup together to test a monitor that I got off CList... And to see if I like Drake more (at all?) with some up/over... 24/96 at the moment. 
  

  
 NK


----------



## Brad Maestas

hifichris said:


> What keyboard is this?


 
 Das Keyboard 4C Ultimate, Greetech Brown switches. I love it! I have their full-size 4 Ultimate with Cherry Browns at the office.


----------



## atarione

and I quote my wife... multiple times... HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN YOUR DESK SUPPORT??  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   blah blah my office  now with DarkVoice 336SE...


----------



## Badas

^

That's awesome. I see pictures like this one and I think I could spend weeks in that corner.


----------



## frogmeat69

I agree, great setup. Guess your desk is pretty sturdy, lol.


----------



## frankraindog

Testing some new digital sources looks like a mess but sounds great.


 We see: LTA MicroZotl 2.0 with Linear PSU, Chord 2Qute with special linear PSU (the wood box), artistic fidelity aft + usb (an usb to coax / inc / aes interface) , sonore micro Rendu with linear psu and hifiman edition x v1


----------



## oneguy

badas said:


> ^
> 
> That's awesome. I see pictures like this one and I think I could spend weeks in that corner.




Nobody puts Baby in a corner!


----------



## snellemin

Found me server rack parts in the recycle bin and assembled a rack for my work system.  G3 HP mini, usb 7" monitor, external 2TB drive for my music and a optical drive.  Parasound Zpre with Muses8920, Zamp with the Opa1611 Opamps.  Zamp also has a switch to bypass the drop down resistors for usage when the Hifiman 400i is connected.


----------



## Arvan

Current headphones.. The Korg DS-Dac 100m pairs well with the Q701


----------



## fakemeta

First post here:


----------



## slex

Same desk , different equipment.


----------



## LifeAspect

Adding some analog to my setup


----------



## Coolzo

lifeaspect said:


> Adding some analog to my setup




I'm not sure if I've said this yet, but the combination of headphone, speaker, and figures (edit: and PC) in your setup is sublime. Power level is over nine-trillion.

Edit edit: excellent music taste as well!


----------



## wwmhf

The shelf is very nice.


----------



## LifeAspect

The other 2 aren't on the picture


----------



## wwmhf

Very analog touches


----------



## Coolzo

lifeaspect said:


> The other 2 aren't on the picture




Well, okay so I may be presumptuous a bit- but also, I must confess to often stalking Head-Fi profiles... I am always curious of the music others listen to (and their other electronics), especially in cases of office-space epicness.

Surely I can't be the only one in this thread D:


----------



## jaywillin

haven't posted an update in a while, the "headfi" gear has dwindled a bit for now, but i really do love my magnum v6 (built by me) and the project sunrise amp
 i've obtained a marantz 2216 that i power a pair of jvc speakers modified with tang band drivers. the is the best speaker set up i've had at the desktop, it beats the audioengine a2
 and the psb ps1 powered speakers i've had before (at least to me)


----------



## abvolt

looks very nice..


----------



## Ultrainferno




----------



## oneguy

¡Que linda!


----------



## hong

Just updated my home setup with a Calyx 24/192 DAC (coming from a Schiit Bifrost), which I got for a steal at a local dealer


----------



## oneguy

Listening to War Live! and decided to take some pics now that the speakers are on stands. The speaker stand top plates that I am making need to be finished but you get the idea.


----------



## IndieGradoFan

My office system (where I spend most of my listening time) -- just added the Isoacoustics stands for the LS50s:


----------



## Joe-Siow

indiegradofan said:


> My office system (where I spend most of my listening time) -- just added the Isoacoustics stands for the LS50s:


 
  
 Beautiful speakers. Here's mine. I plan to add a headphone rig to it once I'm done with cabling for the speaker setup.


----------



## MisterMudd

oneguy said:


> Ditched the desk and got new shelves. Will update when speaker stands come in.



I'm really diggin those shelves. Can you fill me in? Moving into a new house soon and I'm looking for a new setup.


----------



## oneguy

mistermudd said:


> I'm really diggin those shelves. Can you fill me in? Moving into a new house soon and I'm looking for a new setup.




The lower section is Foremost modular storage and came from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_1_7?k=foremost+modular+storage&sprefix=foremos)

The upper section came from a store here in Japan similar to Home Depot. I don't recall the brand but it came from a Chinese company so you can probably order it in the US. You buy the parts separately so you can customize it how you see fit. I'm headed back to the store (coincidentally called Homes) tomorrow so I'll take a look at the brand and PM you the info.


----------



## Transmaniacon

Here's my current setup, I have been really enjoying the HD6XX, lovely warm sound and the Asgard does a great job driving them. I run at about 11 o'clock on low gain. Not pictured is my Sabre U2 DAC plugged into my PC. Just got this new stand as well and it works great with the HD6XX.


----------



## martinrajdl

So I just looked at my profile and saw that I am a member on head-fi for over 4 years now and I have never posted here. So here is my current setup. Nothing crazy, I am trying to keep it as minimalistic as possible. Absolutely in love with this Valhalla 2 and HD600 pairing.


----------



## aviduser2

martinrajdl said:


> So I just looked at my profile and saw that I am a member on head-fi for over 4 years now and I have never posted here. So here is my current setup. Nothing crazy, I am trying to keep it as minimalistic as possible. Absolutely in love with this Valhalla 2 and HD600 pairing.


 
  
 Beautiful. Very nice and clean. I'd get a monitor arm and a twelve south bookarc and you're set


----------



## martinrajdl

Thanks! I never really thought about getting a monitor arm, since I tend to change the position of the macbook and the monitor quite often. I really like the idea of getting the bookarc though, thanks for the idea!


----------



## slex

Although its my 2 channel station but there still a headphone output beside the PC-have not tried it yet


----------



## lamboy1

what model number are those stands for the ls-50?  thanks


----------



## IndieGradoFan

lamboy1 said:


> what model number are those stands for the ls-50?  thanks


 

 IsoAcoustics Aperta


----------



## lumzi23




----------



## jmac1516




----------



## nordkapp

jmac1516 said:


>



Wow. I like this


----------



## atarione

Go Seahawks... ..got a new headphone holder,  you can see it on the shelf some of my seakers are on behind the DT880's ..nice to be able to get to my DT770's easier now.)
  
 I really like that this harmony remote by the keyboard can control the sony pre amp and the kenwood receiver on my desk.. it is sort of handy indeed.
  

  
  
 I hope everyone has had a nice new years day...  I feel really blessed to have some pretty nice toys.. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of the stuff you see in the photo here..


----------



## Rozenberg

I spent my new year night arranging my listening station again.
 Adding a sort of music server using my Asus laptop that didn't get much use before.
  
 I've never thought night listening thru a laptop controlled with Foobar controller on phone really makes life a looot easier.
  
  
 Sorry for the grainy photo, phone camera isn't too good.

  
 And a pic of the tube.


----------



## Deftone

indiegradofan said:


> My office system (where I spend most of my listening time) -- just added the Isoacoustics stands for the LS50s:


 
  
 gorgeous looking set up.


----------



## Krutsch

Significant updates since my last post: added a Rega RP3 + TT PSU (power supply, speed control).
  
 The Sony universal spinner and Bryston BDP-1 are behind the 'table dustcover. The big Marantz SACD player is on the shelf below the table (last photo).


----------



## Csokis




----------



## HeyWaj10

Just made possibly the biggest score of my life yesterday. Managed to purchase a barely-used B&K AVR307 (with the upgrade) from Craigslist for a mere $250. The gentleman was empathetic to my very limited budget (read: wife), and was willing to take his asking price way down. Going from a mid-90's Kenwood receiver to this was, as you can imagine, pretty dramatic of an improvement. Every aspect of the sound has opened, tightened up, and no more hazy audio image! Absolutely thrilled!

Headphone use may be a little side-tracked for the time being


----------



## Krutsch

Office rig: MacBook Pro + Curious USB Cables + iFi iUSB 3.0 Nano + Sony PA-3 + Sony MDR-Z7s w/ Kimber Balanced cables.
  
 Not getting a lot of work done, today...


----------



## indydieselnut

Just another update now that the Grace m9xx has joined the fold. I still love my trusty HD600 and HD650.


----------



## HarryWarner1

Here's are updated pics, I've added some monitor audio bronze 1's and an SMSL Q5 pro to power them. As well as got my new IEM's, the Pinnacle P1's...
  

  


  
 EDIT: Forgive the apple potatoPhone 5c's camera


----------



## ATau

Had a friend over the other day for a listening session. We ended up staying up till morning just enjoying great music and trying out different headphones. Awesome moments!
  

  
 sorry for the crappy image quality. This is my desk with part of my collection, after we were done.


----------



## silvrr

My bedside rig. Pi2 running volumio feeding the Jot which powers some Ether Cs.


----------



## jmac1516

atau said:


> Had a friend over the other day for a listening session. We ended up staying up till morning just enjoying great music and trying out different headphones. Awesome moments!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Great collection of quality cans right there!


----------



## judomaniak

New room, and 2 new phones. Focal Elear and the spirit


----------



## judomaniak

ah man, where my pics go? Sorry found them. isn' there a delete buttton so i erase this post?


----------



## joseph69

Had to join in with all the beautiful rigs!


----------



## judomaniak

nice rigs, whats the red on the woo amps?


----------



## joseph69

Thank you!
 Some wood panels and aluminum tube bezels. (HERE) are some photos


----------



## ATau

jmac1516 said:


> Great collection of quality cans right there!




Thanks! Though that's not all of them  
I'm still missing some important ones, like the HD800 for example. They're next on my list!


----------



## Tinola

My current setup


----------



## LajostheHun

Some great looking rigs there guys. :tu


----------



## stanleycho

Anniversary Edition in 1997 vs early production of 1979 
 old school models with amazing mids
 budgeted cans


----------



## judomaniak

had both of those cans, loved them.


----------



## stanleycho

So you must have met better ones and let them go.
 Someone told me that the USSR planars had better mids, but not easy to drive.


----------



## swspiers

heywaj10 said:


> [COLOR=141414]Just made possibly the biggest score of my life yesterday. Managed to purchase a barely-used B&K AVR307 (with the upgrade) from Craigslist for a mere $250. The gentleman was empathetic to my very limited budget (read: wife), and was willing to take his asking price way down. Going from a mid-90's Kenwood receiver to this was, as you can imagine, pretty dramatic of an improvement. Every aspect of the sound has opened, tightened up, and no more hazy audio image! Absolutely thrilled![/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=141414]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=141414]Headphone use may be a little side-tracked for the time being [/COLOR]




Dude, I totally remember that receiver!

I'd be jealous, but I snagged a Sunfire Theater Grand 5 pre/pro for a similar price a couple years ago.

Ok, I lied. I am jealous afterall...


----------



## HeyWaj10

swspiers said:


> Dude, I totally remember that receiver!
> 
> I'd be jealous, but I snagged a Sunfire Theater Grand 5 pre/pro for a similar price a couple years ago.
> 
> Ok, I lied. I am jealous afterall...


 
  
 Hey, those Sunfire receivers are no joke! Those amps have serious balls, I'm sure it grips your system even tighter than the B&K does!  Best of luck with it


----------



## jjacq

My Master9 is on loan right now so my friend lended me his 445/Chord TT/Utopia. Yowza haha.


----------



## basman

New location old equipment:


----------



## jjshin23

Nice old equipment.
 Got some old Sansui's but not that nice.


----------



## headphones1999

basman said:


> New location old equipment:


 
 Not that im a big cable believer but are the cables  that connect between the power&pre are the ones typical type you can buy for about 1$?


----------



## IndieGradoFan

Schiit Freya arrived! Home theater and 2-channel setup. I use the Parasound amp with the receiver and the Marantz amp with Freya.


----------



## slex

Ok. Im just Monkey around !


----------



## Badas

slex said:


> Ok. Im just Monkey around !




I've always liked that pic. Some nice gear. It looks like a relaxing spot.


----------



## Scott Branham

When she home...
  


  
  
 ....When She Gone.




  

  
 For out and about


----------



## ATau

scott branham said:


> When she home...


 
  
 Very nice! Is there a difference between the two D5000s? Don't think I've ever seen a glossy one


----------



## Scott Branham

atau said:


> Very nice! Is there a difference between the two D5000s? Don't think I've ever seen a glossy one


 
 The glossier 5k you see is an older 5k that had some very fine scratches/ little scuffs etc, and the result of tedious, delicate, and careful buffing, to get all the imperfections out. Or nearly all, anyway.
  
 I used this Micron polishing paper of various grades, as it is SO delicate, you wonder if it's actually doing anything.

  
  
 After going through various grades of the paper I then use Meguiars Ultimate compound to pull out the polishing papers removal of the fine scratches and imperfections; and then Meguiars Ultimate polish, to make it somewhat wet and flawless.
  
  
 And guess what...No fingerprints even though it looks wet! You would have to see it in person to see how pretty it turned out to be. I'm getting ready to do the Level 1 Lawton mod to it, as it just came in the mail. So polished up, tuned up, should be better than new all the way around! I shall see. 

  

 Left cup is buffed set, Right is new set (both pics)


----------



## atarione

they are headphone not pokemons.. no need to catch them all ...  j/k nice collection.
  
  
 last night.. listening to my modded (cable) mdr-v6's


----------



## Vigrith

scott branham said:


> When she home...


 
  
 Nice to see some love for Candlemass! Beautiful collection, too.


----------



## Mista N

Here's my current setup, haven't bought a dedicated DAC or headphone amplifier yet, but all the gear below the headphones cost less than $50 all together so I can't complain too much.
 The Nakamichi sounds great though, best $5 I ever spent. I also use the Yamaha to drive the NHT bookshelves I have on my desk.


----------



## Sinarca




----------



## pofdstudios

Going to order the Woo WA7 2nd Gen and WA7tp at the end of the month.


----------



## HeyWaj10

pofdstudios said:


> Going to order the Woo WA7 2nd Gen and WA7tp at the end of the month.


 
  
 That will be a great look in your setup there - the contrast of the nice wood desk, industrial headphone stand, and the WA7 will be sleek as hell. Definitely post pictures once received!


----------



## Scott Branham

atarione said:


> they are headphone not pokemons.. no need to catch them all ...  j/k nice collection.
> 
> 
> last night.. listening to my modded (cable) mdr-v6's


 
 I could say the same thing about that large rack of black components you have on the left there, but I don't know anything about Pokemons...hahaha. So, what exactly is in that rack? And is that a Darkvoice I see on the desk? If so, whats your thoughts on it? All my cans are low impedance, but there is such a good sale on massdrop for the Darkforce right now!


----------



## Scott Branham

indiegradofan said:


> Schiit Freya arrived! Home theater and 2-channel setup. I use the Parasound amp with the receiver and the Marantz amp with Freya.


 
 Man, that looks pretty! I love clean, tidy, and sleek...


----------



## Naim.F.C

atau said:


> Had a friend over the other day for a listening session. We ended up staying up till morning just enjoying great music and trying out different headphones. Awesome moments!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Which cans ended up being your faves of the bunch?


----------



## Quinto

balanced HD600 out of Master 11


----------



## ATau

naim.f.c said:


> Which cans ended up being your faves of the bunch?


 
  
 Well, that's a difficult question to answer. I tend to swap headphones quite often just because I enjoy different sound signatures at different times.
 What I can say is that when we were comparing the headphones, my friend and I could never agree on which one was the best. It was always a matter of personal preference, and we clearly had different tastes.
 He would prefer the HD700 and I the HD650. Similarly, he loved the LCD-X while I enjoy the LCD-2 a bit more. The TH-X00 Mahogany and Ebony did put a smile on both our faces whatever you threw at them. The Purpleheart sometimes was a bit overwhelming. 
 The Beyerdynamic T1 out of my Bottlehead Crack never disappoints me, and I also really love the Audio-Technica W1000 for piano and vocals. So many great headphones! Can't choose only one


----------



## Adu

Enjoying the good music! 

CD player Leema Acoustics Stream 2 >>> Kimber Kable Hero with WBT 0144 >>> 
tube headphone amplifier Yarland P100 (2008 edition with 2x Electro-harmonix EL84 & 2x NOS General Electric JAN 5670W) >>>Russ Andrews HC-1 headphone cable >>> Sennheiser HD600.
The power plant is Bada LB-5600 with power cable Supra LoRad 1.5


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## aroldan

Currently rocking:


----------



## rigo




----------



## pdameno66

Bedroom setup


Living room setup


----------



## Naim.F.C

pdameno66 said:


> Bedroom setup
> 
> 
> Living room setup


 
  
 How do you find the HD800 vs HD800S?


----------



## Urieburn




----------



## finke




----------



## jaywillin

the rig ATM


----------



## SPdubs

Busted MacBook, the Joker table, and the sweet, sweet sound of the Icon HP8  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 -S


----------



## pdameno66

naim.f.c said:


> How do you find the HD800 vs HD800S?


Quite different......
S are (don't know why) easier to' drive with powerful bass but little less detail and hairness.....
With my Bacillus Tilla I like more the HD800 but with the microZOTL 2 and the Bryston I think the 800S are the right choice.


----------



## judomaniak

finke said:


>


 
 Hey Finke how you liking the Elears thru the Moon amp. is it the one with the built in dac. i have the elears  and now need to upgrade my amp section. sure look good togetther


----------



## finke

judomaniak said:


> Hey Finke how you liking the Elears thru the Moon amp. is it the one with the built in dac. i have the elears  and now need to upgrade my amp section. sure look good togetther




I love the sound of my Elears paired with the 340i. I am streaming Tidal from a MacBook to the es9018k2m saber32 DAC integrated into the amp. In my opinion the sound is warm, full, and dynamic, but also neutral; I am able to listen to them for hours with no listening fatigue. Simaudio makes a couple of headphone amps ranging from the $1500 230HAD to the $4500 430HA, The latter being used by Tyll at inner fidelity as his reference headphone amp.


----------



## koolas

Hi,

Haven't posted long time. I took really nice pics recently. Here there are 












Cheers


----------



## JomiMendes

Aren't your highs capped on the equalizer? It looks like the setting "High Out" is defined to only let go the highs range until 10k, and you seem to be putting 20k on it's maximum capacity. That isn't going to work properly.


----------



## traehekat

Just received the Auralic Aries and set it up this evening (excuse the iPhone photo). I am really loving everything about it, especially the Lightning DS iPad app. Waiting on the Yggdrasil and Zana Deux Super...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## koolas

@JomiMendes: This is analogue EQ. It doesn't remove any frequencies. I got higher frequencies attenuated to get more natural balance. On Alpha Dogs I can still hear 18kHz, so I don't complain.


----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## Windsor

scott branham said:


> When she home...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice drumkit man - I've always been partial to DW !!


----------



## jaywillin

joseph69 said:


> Had to join in with all the beautiful rigs!


 
 can't believe i missed this shot 
 AWESOME joseph


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## martinrajdl

nordkapp said:


>


 
 Damn, that's one well-organized setup. Really like the way you managed the USB hub and hard drive down there. Is that rack custom made or bought from somewhere?


----------



## nordkapp

martinrajdl said:


> Damn, that's one well-organized setup. Really like the way you managed the USB hub and hard drive down there. Is that rack custom made or bought from somewhere?


 Haha. Thanks. I like order. Yes, the rack is custom. I made it about 6 years ago now. It's solid maple and walnut. All the joints are mortise and loose tenon.


----------



## Badas

Some of this gear looks so much fun. I'm very Jelly.


----------



## martinrajdl

Quote:


nordkapp said:


> Haha. Thanks. I like order. Yes, the rack is custom. I made it about 6 years ago now. It's solid maple and walnut. All the joints are mortise and loose tenon.


 
 Wow, very nice work. I hope to end up one day with somewhat similar setup and a nice chair next to it. At least for now, I will have to stick with my traditional table setup . Anyway, very nice work on that rack.


----------



## nordkapp

Badas We have nothing on you.......Your stuff is _exceptional _.


----------



## Badas

nordkapp said:


> Badas We have nothing on you.......Your stuff is _exceptional _.




Oh! gosh! I don't think so.

On Home Theater maybe.

On HP's your gear is levels above. Congrats.


----------



## maheeinfy

​Mega Schiit stack


----------



## stanleycho

maheeinfy said:


> ​Mega Schiit stack


 
 Oops... How can you do that, folk?
 Didn't they tell you that you should never put stuff ON the machine?


----------



## winders

maheeinfy said:


> ​Mega Schiit stack


 

 Who knew you could stack Schiit that high!


----------



## nordkapp

winders said:


> Who knew you could stack Schiit that high!


 Classic. Lol.


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

Denon AVR-1602 (misused, doesn't make any sense on the setup), Sony DVP-NS900V and Superlux HD660.
 The headphone will be upgraded soon!


----------



## movax

Until Mjlonir 2 / Gungnir Multi show up...


----------



## HarryWarner1

movax said:


> Until Mjlonir 2 / Gungnir Multi show up...


 

 can't see all that well in the photo, LCD-XC? or fostex of sorts? what stand?


----------



## ATau

harrywarner1 said:


> can't see all that well in the photo, LCD-XC? or fostex of sorts? what stand?




Seeing the connectors and headband mechanism, it looks like an LCD-XC. I guess the stand is a ROOMs stand.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Sigma Love 
  

  
 Ali


----------



## snellemin

Brought in my old school NAD2140 to power my JVC's.


----------



## Oregonian

snellemin said:


> Brought in my old school NAD2140 to power my JVC's.


 

 I'll be they POUND the bass with the NAD!


----------



## snellemin

oregonian said:


> I'll be they POUND the bass with the NAD!


 
 From the speaker output, it does.


----------



## gonzfi




----------



## nordkapp

gonzfi said:


>


 How's the Hugo TT?


----------



## N0sferatu

Fostex TH-900 (modded)
 Denon AH-D7000 (stock)
 Sennheiser HD600 (HD650 cable otherwise stock)
  
 Audio-GD FUN (oldie but gets the job done)


----------



## gonzfi

nordkapp said:


> How's the Hugo TT?



Immense... with the T1 gen 2 the amp is a bit on the dark side so the Arcam sorts that nicely. As a DAC it really is superb.


----------



## dannybgoode

Nice and simple 

ifi iDAC2 powered by an ifi iUSB3 into an ifi Micro iCan SE driving a pair of Beyerdynamic T1.2's (just swapped out from a pair of T90's).

Source is a Sony Xperia Z3 Compact tablet feeding off a NAS drive. The screen is smashed to bits (courtesy of my 4 yo) so glad to have found a use for it!

Love the combination of ifi/Beyerdynamic-find the sound very much to my liking. 

Moving house soon so will likely set up a second system then.


----------



## atarione

this morning.. 1980 receiver and Sony V6's


----------



## movax

harrywarner1 said:


> can't see all that well in the photo, LCD-XC? or fostex of sorts? what stand?


 
  
 Yep -- LCD-XC, and a ROOMs FS stand in Makassar Wood!


----------



## spanner43




----------



## phaeton70




----------



## Badas

phaeton70 said:


>


 
 Beautiful looking tube amp.


----------



## phaeton70

tnks


----------



## Mightygrey

My set-up when I'm settling-in for a dedicated session of vinyl, rock (mainly) + a few beers:
  
 - Rega Planar 2 with Shure M91ED cartridge
 - Schiit Mani
 - Schiit Asgard 2
 - Grado Alessandro Music Series 2


----------



## HeyWaj10

mightygrey said:


> My set-up when I'm settling-in for a dedicated session of vinyl, rock (mainly) + a few beers:
> 
> - Rega Planar 2 with Shure M91ED cartridge
> - Schiit Mani
> ...


 
  
 Very cool setup!  How does it sound?


----------



## TMRaven

My computer setup is the same as my head-fi setup.


----------



## Mightygrey

Great! And after six beers? Amazing!


----------



## kman1211

Couple new headphones. One is being sold though.


----------



## movax

movax said:


> Until Mjlonir 2 / Gungnir Multi show up...


 
  
 New stuff is in!

  
 Way bigger than I expected (that's what she said, I know)


----------



## winders

movax said:


> Way bigger than I expected (that's what she said, I know)


 
  
 You mean:
  
 That's *NOT* what she said.


----------



## stuck limo

Laptop/Desktop > iFi iPurifier 2 > Geek Out 2A Infinity DAC > Schiit Valhalla 2 > Senn 600


----------



## Rhino73

That warm valve glow.


----------



## Zeroblade

Quite a mess right now since I have a number of new headphones/amps moving in and out lol.


----------



## kottav

Tidal Flac -> Oppo HA-1 -> LCD-3F 2016
  
 I love the way this setup sounds!


----------



## abvolt

joseph69 said:


> Had to join in with all the beautiful rigs!


 
  
 Very nice gear so how do you like the 596 in your wa6 the reason I ask I just ordered one the other day for my wa22..enjoy


----------



## Badas

abvolt said:


> Very nice gear so how do you like the 596 in your wa6 the reason I ask I just ordered one the other day for my wa22..enjoy




Lol. I'm running a 596 in my WA22 right now.

I wanted something completely different. So I ripped out the TAK274B and TSRP drivers.


----------



## dannybgoode

A new addition today. Always liked the Rega sound and chanced across a mint Rega DAC (not the R) for a decent price so brought it home. 

Just lovely-much more weight and authority than the iDAC2 and so musical.


----------



## jjacq




----------



## Krutsch

dannybgoode said:


> A new addition today. *Always liked the Rega sound and chanced across a mint Rega DAC* (not the R) for a decent price so brought it home.
> 
> Just lovely-much more weight and authority than the iDAC2 and so musical.


 
  
 Still have my Rega DAC and love the sound, even though I've replaced it with a Bel Canto stack for my Head-Fi rig.


----------



## Androktasiai

Schiit Jotunheim -> TH-x00, ATH-M50, Shure SE535, Tesla T1


----------



## dannybgoode

krutsch said:


> Still have my Rega DAC and love the sound, even though I've replaced it with a Bel Canto stack for my Head-Fi rig.




Nice aren't they?! I had a Rega Saturn before I had to sell my separates system which I loved dearly and it's great to have that sound back. 

Next up an amp uograde-something Bottlehead but not sure which yet.


----------



## winders

I am just starting out!


----------



## Townyj

winders said:


> I am just starting out!




Dont need much more than your setup  nice rig!


----------



## winders

townyj said:


> Dont need much more than your setup
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 True...and it sounds absolutely fantastic!


----------



## songmic




----------



## jono454

winders said:


> I am just starting out!


 
  
 Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet!


----------



## winders

Thank you!!
  
 Rolling tubes has already cost me about as much as the DAC, amp, and headphones combined! The good news is I now know what tubes I like. The bad news ohs that aren't the inexpensive ones!


----------



## jaywillin

songmic said:


>


 
  
 nice, i'm a fan of single driver speakers myself
  

  
 jvc enclosures , i put tang band driver in


----------



## Deftone

winders said:


> I am just starting out!


 
  
 ...and pretty much reached the end already. don't make the mistake most of us have which is (buy 650 first, want better, go through too many expensive headphones, experience sadness/regret/disappointment from TOTL headphone, realise 650 is amazing value, buy 650 again)


----------



## winders

deftone said:


> ...and pretty much reached the end already. don't make the mistake most of us have which is (buy 650 first, want better, go through too many expensive headphones, experience sadness & regret & disappointment from TOTL headphone, realise 650 is amazing, buy 650 again)


 

 I have read way too many posts about people looking for better cans, selling their HD 650's, and down the road being sorry they did. I am sure I will get the urge to try different cans, but I am planning on keeping the HD 650's.


----------



## Deftone

winders said:


> I have read way too many posts about people looking for better cans, selling their HD 650's, and down the road being sorry they did. I am sure I will get the urge to try different cans, but I am planning on keeping the HD 650's.


 

 ​yeah just always keep the HD650 lol


----------



## zuber

I have been thinking of selling HD650 in favour of IE800, but I think it is better to have both


----------



## 62ohm

winders said:


> I have read way too many posts about people looking for better cans, selling their HD 650's, and down the road being sorry they did. I am sure I will get the urge to try different cans, but I am planning on keeping the HD 650's.


 
  
 I can attest to that (see sig). The 650s are a keeper!


----------



## Krutsch

winders said:


> I am just starting out!


 

 As others have mentioned, you are starting with the right 'phones.
  
 I wanted to say 'Congrats' on also picking out the right tubes for your Lyr - the Siemens CCa drivers are as good as they get.


----------



## winders

krutsch said:


> As others have mentioned, you are starting with the right 'phones.
> 
> I wanted to say 'Congrats' on also picking out the right tubes for your Lyr - the Siemens CCa drivers are as good as they get.


 

 Thanks!
  
 I tried 6 or 7 different tubes and really like the sound I get with both my monitors and headphones when using the Siemens CCa tubes. I also really like the 1975 Reflektor 6N23P SWGP tubes that have been real popular on here.
  
 I have to say the Lyr 2 is a real step up from the Vali 2 that I had initially. The difference is really noticeable with the HD 650's. The sound is fuller and more realistic. I am very happy with my setup! It's almost a drag that I have hit on audio nirvana so quickly. Sometimes the journey is the reward. In this case it will just have to be fantastic sounding music!


----------



## Krutsch

winders said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I tried 6 or 7 different tubes and really like the sound I get with both my monitors and headphones when using the Siemens CCa tubes. *I also really like the 1975 Reflektor 6N23P SWGP* tubes that have been real popular on here.
> 
> I have to say the Lyr 2 is a real step up from the Vali 2 that I had initially. The difference is really noticeable with the HD 650's. The sound is fuller and more realistic. I am very happy with my setup! *It's almost a drag that I have hit on audio nirvana so quickly.* Sometimes the journey is the reward. In this case it will just have to be fantastic sounding music!


 
  
 On the Russian tubes... I bought a quad set and I thought they were just 'OK'. My favorite 6922/6DJ8 class tubes are my '60s Telefunken E188CC, but this set is in great shape and with my CCa tubes, one of them has a slight hum. If your pair sounds clean, you are all set.
 Trust me, everyone reading this thread and looking at the pile of gear they own are jealous, myself included, at reaching your end-game rig, so quickly. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Well... I wouldn't be honoring the title of Headphoneus Supremus if I didn't plant the seed for your next upgrade ... a TURNTABLE ... plus lots of stuff to go with it! Start saving...


----------



## winders

krutsch said:


> On the Russian tubes... I bought a quad set and I thought they were just 'OK'. My favorite 6922/6DJ8 class tubes are my '60s Telefunken E188CC, but this set is in great shape and with my CCa tubes, one of them has a slight hum. If your pair sounds clean, you are all set.
> Trust me, everyone reading this thread and looking at the pile of gear they own are jealous, myself included, at reaching your end-game rig, so quickly.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I shouldn't have implied I have no where to go! I have plans to get a Mjolnir 2 AMP and Yggdrasil DAC someday. My speaker setup is nearfield in my home office but I may want to setup a larger room will larger speakers, amps, etc. So there potential for a ton of money to be spent.
  
 I got rid of my vinyl collection 20 years ago. What a mistake that was. I am not about to start a new one......


----------



## Deftone

zuber said:


> I have been thinking of selling HD650 in favour of IE800, but I think it is better to have both


 
  
 I did that exact thing once, wanting HD650 level of quality on the go and well when I got the ie800 it was underwhelming to say the least.


----------



## MWSVette

To avoid sellers remorse...
  

  
 Keep them all...


----------



## Krutsch

mwsvette said:


> To avoid sellers remorse...
> 
> 
> 
> Keep them all...


 

 Yes! ... and buy more. I am saving for an HD-800s, which I am hoping is the end of the line for cans.


----------



## peter123

Trying to find a balanced setup, testing out a couple of Dac's:



We'll see what gets to move into the rack


----------



## winders

peter123 said:


> Trying to find a balanced setup, testing out a couple of Dac's:
> 
> 
> 
> We'll see what gets to move into the rack


 

 When I go balanced it will be with a Schiit Gungnir Multibit or Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and a Schiit Mjolnir 2 amp.


----------



## Zoom25

krutsch said:


> Yes! ... and buy more.* I am saving for an HD-800s*, which I am hoping is the end of the line for cans.


 
 Nice. About time 
  
 Just to clarify, the HD 800 or HD 800 S? Also, did you try out any Audeze yet?


----------



## Krutsch

zoom25 said:


> Nice. About time
> 
> Just to clarify, the HD 800 or HD 800 S? Also, did you try out any Audeze yet?


 

 Don't know... I am thinking the regular HD-800, since I am not bothered by the treble spike I keep reading about (at least when I've listened at meets) and they are quite bit less $$$.
  
 I've auditioned Audeze, but the comfort factor was a problem for me.


----------



## thegabe (Sep 2, 2017)

About a week ago


----------



## Zoom25

krutsch said:


> Don't know... I am thinking the regular HD-800, since I am not bothered by the treble spike I keep reading about (at least when I've listened at meets) and they are quite bit less $$$.
> 
> I've auditioned Audeze, but the comfort factor was a problem for me.


 
 Yeah I feel you on the weight of the Audeze. It surprisingly was a better experience than Hifimans. Audeze's earpads are big and deep which was nice, but the headband back then was bad. The LCD-2.2 pre-fazor was my favourite from their lineup.
  
 I ask about the HD 800 because you can't EQ the BDP-1 
  
 I've used the HD 800 without EQ fed by BDP-1 and A+ for years and it's fine for a lot of stuff without being harsh. When I listen to EQ'd version on A+ and then go to the BDP-1 right away, I can notice the inherent clarity of the BDP-1, but the sound does feel fatiguing. It's a mixed bag. That's why I have been thinking of adding another headphone that sounds great without any EQ and can utilize the BDP-1. The 2016 LCD-2 perhaps. I don't know if they have turned things around yet in terms of comfort or sound?


----------



## Hooster

Here we are today. Just got a Chord Mojo. Also in the poor quality pic are modded Q701s and a 25 watt power amp.


----------



## eschell27

Just got a black Gumby in, warming up to do comparison with dac-19 in order to decide which to keep. Leaning towards Gumby. WIll know better in a few days after Gumby gets warmed up and settled in. If so then its time to add Freya!


----------



## penmarker

I've always though the "Gumby" is some sort of homebrew slash DIY slash small private company product like the Bottlehead Crack or something, then I googled.
 I feel so dumb right now.


----------



## Deftone

the black schiit gear looks quite nice


----------



## adpo

Thinking getting a bimby or gumby in the future, but I'm pretty much set as far as my bedroom setup goes. Could probably use a few more posters though.


----------



## Redcarmoose

adpo said:


> Thinking getting a bimby or gumby in the future, but I'm pretty much set as far as my bedroom setup goes. Could probably use a few more posters though.







That is either the Koss or Realistic vintage headphone in the poster. I purchased them in 1981 and they were my main headphones for years and years. They were about $100 in 1981.



Inventors
 : 
Jacobsen Wayno A. (Shorewood, US), Thomsen James P. (Mt. Prospect, US)
Published Assignee
 : 
KOSS CORPORATION (Milwaukee, US)
Current Assignee
 : 
KOSS CORPORATION (Milwaukee, US)
Filed
 : 
January 04, 1980


----------



## jieranli

Love how clean and organized this setup looks. Great job!


----------



## EarDrumExplode




----------



## sausages

Computer desk at home. Messy books can't be helped but I figure the focal (pun intended) point are the headphones anyways


----------



## judomaniak

i love my elears, what cable r u using?


----------



## spanner43




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## sausages

judomaniak said:


> i love my elears, what cable r u using?


 
  
 Yea they've been pretty amazing! I'm thinking of switching the amps up a bit though, I don't think the v200 is a great pairing. The cables are some custom cables I got from a shop here in Toronto, Canada - not too sure about them beyond that, I was mainly concerned with getting something more reasonable in length


----------



## dannybgoode

My rapidly evolving set up. One more change to come (Trilogy 931 amp) and hopefully a new house to put it all in in a couple of weeks


----------



## hong

Updated office rig: Schiit Bifrost --> Hifiman EF2A --> Fostex T40RP mk3


----------



## stuck limo

I moved everything out to the living room. Still experimenting with placement. These tubes seem to pick up interference no matter where I put them on the table or what kind of wire job I do. I think the fact that the power cord and the source RCA wires going the same exact direction and overlapping each other is the issue.


----------



## penmarker

Never let signal and power cables run parallel with each other. 90 degree if possible. Keep them apart is best.


----------



## learn2route

My humble setup 







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Krutsch

penmarker said:


> Never let signal and power cables run parallel with each other. 90 degree if possible. Keep them apart is best.


 
  
 I'm sure I have some 90-degree angles in there, somewhere...


----------



## penmarker

krutsch said:


> I'm sure I have some 90-degree angles in there, somewhere...


 






 Lets see if you can get away with phono level cables.


----------



## stuck limo

penmarker said:


> Never let signal and power cables run parallel with each other. 90 degree if possible. Keep them apart is best.


 
  
 Yeah, not really an option with this current set up. I'm gonna have to figure something else out regarding the placement.


----------



## gibby

Fiio X5 not shown.


----------



## Krutsch

penmarker said:


> Lets see if you can get away with phono level cables.


 

 Those are in the upper-left corner of the picture (a Rega Fono MM Mk 2). No issues at all.


----------



## penmarker

Man you're so lucky.


----------



## Deftone




----------



## shinjinian

Here's my setup. Ether C's powered by a dacmini px. My LCD-2s are coming back from repair soon and they'll be taking over for the Ether Cs since they're still my favorite headphones. I also have a WA7 that's on a shelf above that's not currently in use.


----------



## richie60

Proud of my Latest Crack Build.


----------



## Badas

richie60 said:


> Proud of my Latest Crack Build.


 
 It looks great.


----------



## pelli

richie60 said:


> Proud of my Latest Crack Build.


 
  
 Is that powder coat you used on the transformer and top plate?


----------



## richie60

pelli said:


> Is that powder coat you used on the transformer and top plate?




I used Rustoleum spray enamel for both. I'm no painter but am happy with the result.


----------



## oneguy

Newly established bedroom system. Future components: sell Pulse Blue and add Liquid Carbon and Crack along with an HD650


----------



## pelli

richie60 said:


> I used Rustoleum spray enamel for both. I'm no painter but am happy with the result.


 

 It looks great!


----------



## basman

Same old stuff and Dude at the back


----------



## Kachui

New room,new rack


----------



## meomap

kachui said:


> New room,new rack




Is your rack strong and stable?
Which website? I'm looking for something reasonable price.
Tx.


----------



## cskippy

Schiit stack

 New addition...


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## eschell27

Color me jealous... Awesome setup! I'm working towards a similar setup. Got a black Gumby a few weeks ago...just got a Lynx E22 to replace my Singxer SU-1 as transport, Jot should be here next week once the guy who im buying it from gets his new amp but the Freya is on back order from schiit for a few weeks. GRrrrrr! Ah well, it will give me a little time to track down some better tubes and get them here before hand. I would love to sell my Woo WA2 and move to the Zana Deux, but that'll require a little saving up through the year. 
  
  
  
 Quote:


cskippy said:


> Schiit stack
> 
> New addition...


----------



## cskippy

You'll love it!  Freya definitely takes the edge off Jot but I never knew how good the HD650 could sound until I got the Zana Deux.  It's a revelation.


----------



## abvolt

eschell27 said:


>


 
 That looks nice..enjoy


----------



## sharktopus

How not to stack your Schiit:
  

  
 Schiit Jotunheim, Lyr 2, & Mimby
 Mr Speakers Mad Dogs
 Hifiman HE-500
 JDS Labs C5D
 my good ol' ipod
 Macbook off-screen to play the sounds


----------



## noobandroid

A little new setup, with Sage + Aries 2+


----------



## sharktopus

My Schiit better organized now:


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## EarDrumExplode

are those cables PS Audio


----------



## stuck limo

penmarker said:


> Never let signal and power cables run parallel with each other. 90 degree if possible. Keep them apart is best.



 


Figured it out. Had to do some experimenting and some basic "duh" realizations. Pretty much fixed 98% of the way now.


----------



## Amish

This was taken tonight. Sorry for the poor picture. Kinda dark in this room.


----------



## nc8000




----------



## dobigstuff

eardrumexplode said:


> are those cables PS Audio


 
 EarDrumExplode:
  
 Most Power Cords are MIT, The Amps and Filters have Synergistic Research.
  
 Interconnects are MIT and Synergistic Research and Nordost.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

After some major simplification of my system, this is how it's looking:


----------



## adpo

Not the whole setup, but I thought you guys would appreciate this


----------



## snellemin

I've redone the JVC SZ-2000 Bass Station.  And of course after I'm done I get to find out that one of my power buttons needs to be replaced.


----------



## Branded

Really like the sound of this combo


----------



## Sinarca

snellemin said:


> I've redone the JVC SZ-2000 Bass Station.  And of course after I'm done I get to find out that one of my power buttons needs to be replaced.


 

 Hi, what is the device with four file of LED ?


----------



## snellemin

sinarca said:


> Hi, what is the device with four file of LED ?


 
*Logitek BV4-A Bright-VU XLR Dual Stereo LED Analog Audio Peak/Average Meter*


----------



## jasonb

My current chair side setup. It's an Acer Chromebook R11, USB out to a JDS Labs ODAC, to a Schiit Audio Magni 2 Uber feeding an HD650 most of the time, but I also have a modded Q701, and a Brainwavz HM5.


----------



## posedown

Last day with this setup.
  
 Jotunheim and the HE-500


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## stuck limo

leonardo drummond said:


> After some major simplification of my system, this is how it's looking:


 

 What speakers are those?
  
 Mine (don't think I've shared in this thread):
  


 Rockville APM6 6.5" Studio Monitors. Sound glorious for $156 (with pads).


----------



## cskippy

Those look like Dynaudio BM5, not sure which MK version though.


----------



## ScubadudeSA

I cleaned up the study a couple of weekends ago and took some pics of my headphone collection.  If I had the original intention to publish the pics I would taken a bit more care with them, but here goes …
  
 Starting from left to right …
  
 One of the smallest components doing the toughest job of them all … the petite Topping TP4 is about the size of a 250g block of butter.  Which is quite apt, as this little Class T amp makes the power-hungry AKG K1000’s sound rich and creamy.
  

  
 Next to diminutive David, the HoBo (names in honour of it’s creators Wim Bowman and Alan Hobkirk) cuts an imposing but gentle Golliath figure.  Despite it’s 30kg heft this SET OTL beast treats all kind of music with empathy and insight.  Since I took these pics I got a pair of HE560's and the synergy with amp is incredible.
  

  
  
 Next up, the heart of my system as it has been for over a year now … the delectable Wadia 121 (still begging for a PSU upgrade to unleash what greatness hides inside the square box) and original SPL Phonitor 2730 … the one with the 50’s sports car dash.  Haven’t heard every amp out there but this is to my ears the best solid state headphone amp out there and probably my most-loved piece of hardware.  A very neutral tone with incredible resolution, transparency and attack.  And seminal industrial design to die for ...just look at those VU meters ...
  

  
 The Squeezebox Touch is a recent addition to my music listening experience.  I use it as a transport, fed by a dedicated old laptop running LMS off a NAS-stored collection.  The signal is passed by SPDIF RCA to the Wadia 121 for practical reasons (USB is reserved for JRiver running on my other laptop).
  

  
 While the SB Touch is in easy reach where I listen, my 7” Samsung Galaxy Tab does Squeezebox controller duty courtesy of free Squeezer app, as does my Galaxy phone.
  

  
  
 The music database resides on a 6TB Seagate NAS and is shared between LMS and Jriver … the latter which I prefer for library management, tagging, and serious listening.  Here are Audeze LCD-2 (Rev 2, pre-fazor) and Sennheiser HD650 draped over the JRiver screen.  Wasn’t planned like that but these two incidentally share a common, dark and slightly withdrawn personality.  And both can make great organic music when partnered appropriately.  Another addition after these pics were taken is a very recent 2016 model LCD-2.2 pre fazor made up from the Audeze parts bin to special customer order.  It has plush, thick earpads like the latest silent revision models, and I suspect it may share the same latest revision drivers too ... sounds unlike any other LCD-2 I have heard.  
  

  
 Another reason I still use JRiver is the ease with which VST plugins are installed.  This screenshot is of the incredible Sonarworks headphone calibration software.
  

  
 HD600 and HD800, flanking the true King, the AKG K1000.  I have had pleasing results driving the K1k with the Schiit Lyr, but since that amp has now gone to Ron G I alternate between the Topping and HoBo when listening to these.  The HD800 gets substantially more head-time than the others.  I'm not sure why ... but it's the set I most often grab for a listen.  Since I got the HE560's and new LCD-2.2PF's though there is healthy competition.
  

  
 AKG K1000 up close.  S/N 10xxx with APureSound cable.
  

  
 If I had to choose a theme for my collection I suppose it would be “former flagships” … here three generations of Sennheiser flagships frame the K1000.
  

  
 My travel set … Fiio X3 DAP and Sennheiser Momentums.  The Fiio is incredibly versatile and great value for money.  The Momentums are sadly beat by the recently departed NAD HP50’s, but it improved on the NAD’s styling and perceived longevity.
  

  
 Not shown… Nuprime uDSD DAC/amp, Perreaux SXH2 amp, Audio Technica ATH-M40x and a couple of low key headies.  Items that have come and gone include the mentioned Schiit Lyr, Millet Max hybrid headphone amp, Audeze Deckard DAC/amp, Benchmark DAC-1, Samson SR850, Grado SR60i, Beyerdynamic DT990, NAD HP-50, and a pair each of HD600 (first love) and HD650 (seductress) subsequently replaced by more of the same.
  
 And now a couple of general shots …


----------



## eschell27




----------



## LugBug1

basman said:


> Same old stuff and Dude at the back


 
 Great set up of old and new - pure class. The Sansui man...


----------



## Leonardo Drummond

stuck limo said:


> What speakers are those?
> 
> Mine (don't think I've shared in this thread):
> 
> ...


 
  
  


cskippy said:


> Those look like Dynaudio BM5, not sure which MK version though.


 
  
 Indeed, they're a pair of BM5A Compacts – got them from a friend who's moving to Japan at a very good price. I'm actually quite surprised with how much I'm enjoying them... they're getting a whole lot more playtime than the Elears that I got at about the same time!


----------



## Old Music Lover

Lot of interesting set ups. Mine is pretty simple. I have it upstairs to listen to music while I watch billiards videos. I have a Marantz SACD player DAC and my DAP connected with a SPDIF cable. My amp is the WA6.
  
 Joe from Canada Eh.


----------



## kid vic

old music lover said:


> Lot of interesting set ups. Mine is pretty simple. I have it upstairs to listen to music while I watch billiards videos. I have a Marantz SACD player DAC and my DAP connected with a SPDIF cable. My amp is the WA6.
> 
> Joe from Canada Eh.


 
  
 Nice setup. Welcome to head-fi sorry about your wallet. Where in Canada are you?


----------



## hificrazy

LCD2 & Auralic Bugatti SE embedded in the bigger system for vinyl listening. Two turntables - Micro BX-10 belt & Yamaha GT2000.


----------



## Old Music Lover

I am in Brantford Ontario. Just a quick drive from Vancouver. Assuming you have a fast car!


----------



## kid vic

Old Music Lover said:


> I am in Brantford Ontario. Just a quick drive from Vancouver. Assuming you have a fast car!



haha see you in an hour mate!


----------



## maheeinfy

Some tube and solid state goodness


----------



## dhm78

dobigstuff said:


>



Just wondering if your Little Dot runs hot. I have an original 2 and it gets pretty warm!


----------



## dobigstuff

dhm78 said:


> Just wondering if your Little Dot runs hot. I have an original 2 and it gets pretty warm!



dhm78:

The Little Dot MK III does not run real hot.  The Tung-Sol Power Tubes get Hot and the C3G Drivers also get hot as well.
No worries I keep it well ventilated.

Thanks,


----------



## DavidRoss007

My new setup, couldn't

 be happier (except for the harsh top end from the Q701's, but i'm working on it)


----------



## DavidRoss007

not sure why its horizontal, it opens vertical OK?


----------



## Whitigir

Stax corner


----------



## Leviticus

Whitigir said:


> Stax corner



Whitigir, I see you have raped your wallet...again. 

Have you sold your TA amp? What headphones are these? And that cable? What is that montrosity?


----------



## Whitigir

Leviticus said:


> Whitigir, I see you have raped your wallet...again.
> 
> Have you sold your TA amp? What headphones are these? And that cable? What is that montrosity?


 Yes, I sold TA, and the headphone is Stax SR009.  Those cables are DIY, except the stock Stax cables  as it is the best of Stax


----------



## thebratts

Normally behind closed doors (small kids in the area..)..


----------



## DavidRoss007




----------



## snapple10




----------



## Azurik

Temporary setup to tie me over until the new HDV820  
Bifrost Multi and Valhalla 2 will be up for grabs


----------



## Ali-Pacha

E-stat






(picture time only, beware of PSU overheating  )

or more simple e-dyn :





Your choice 

Ali


----------



## sharktopus

snapple10 said:


>


What music player are you using here?


----------



## snapple10

sharktopus said:


> What music player are you using here?


Tidal Hifi


----------



## snapple10 (May 8, 2017)




----------



## kid vic

snapple10 said:


>



Nice stack, broke my neck turning my head sideways to see it though!


----------



## Topspin70

Slightly more than a head-fi set-up, but 90% of the time it's headphones that keep me glued to the station.


----------



## chill2music

Hi this is my headphone setup at the moment, I have been into radio's since I was 4 years old. I still look up to my brother and his setup. My setup consist of a Cambridge CXC CD transporter with a built-in S3 servo, a Cambridge CXN Network player with built-in dual Dan's and an Upsampler for all digital inputs. I have the CXN connected to the Cambridge CXA60 via rca's. I can connect the CXN via Balanced Xlr. Cables to the headphone amp. The headphone amp is an Arcam R head. It's all together quiet a musical sounding setup, I like pop, Indie, folk happy music and all of that rolled up into one. My headphone are Bowers and Wilkins P7 Wireless


----------



## Krutsch

Just added the Nakamichi CR-2a and am recording a just-opened, sealed 1976 RCA release of BowieChangesOne onto a NOS TDK D-90.

It's like going back in time...


----------



## chill2music

Krutsch said:


> Just added the Nakamichi CR-2a and am recording a just-opened, sealed 1976 RCA release of BowieChangesOne onto a NOS TDK D-90.
> 
> It's like going back in time...



Awesome setup you have Krutsch, it's nice to see a tape cassette. I like the quality you get from tapes, sometime a slight surface noise from older ones. I heard a really depressing Eminem song called Stan on a tape cassette whilst in a car once, it was raining so my dad had to use the windscreen wipers. I kind of got lost in the story of the song with the sound effects. Plus the tape was really old. Did you happen to make mixtapes or record when from the radio when you where younger?


----------



## Krutsch

chill2music said:


> Awesome setup you have Krutsch, it's nice to see a tape cassette. I like the quality you get from tapes, sometime a slight surface noise from older ones. I heard a really depressing Eminem song called Stan on a tape cassette whilst in a car once, it was raining so my dad had to use the windscreen wipers. I kind of got lost in the story of the song with the sound effects. Plus the tape was really old. *Did you happen to make mixtapes or record when from the radio when you where younger?*



I'm 52 tears old so, yes 

Actually, I have more than a hundred playlists in iTunes, many of which are carry overs from my mix tape (and later, MiniDisc) days.

I am having a lot of fun making tapes from my old (pre-digital) vinyl collection. The vintage decks are plentiful on eBay and elsewhere, but good NOS blank tapes are out of control expensive (a lot like tubes, now).


----------



## Turrican2

Simple but complex. Sound is fantastic.


----------



## snellemin

Feeling a bit vintage.  Cleaned up the contacts with DeoxIT in my Luxman and had a jam session at work.  Modified a Rolls headphone tab and hooked that up to the NAD.


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

Amp is not pictured with the headphones but it is pictured below. (Project Debut Carbon, iFi Audio iPhono pre-amp, Feliks Audio Espressivo, Woodied Grado SR60e)


----------



## Priscilla Keelty

http://imgur.com/a/lwHLk


----------



## HBen (May 20, 2017)

Been looking at this thread quite a while - lots of nice setups so I thought I'd share as well


----------



## nordkapp (May 22, 2017)

My now combined HP/stereo station....phones off to the far right. Volume for my HP's is now remotely controlled through the JRIVER software via the Veritas DAC. It's simpler to incorporate both systems into one location and share one DAC. ☺


----------



## Krutsch

nordkapp said:


> My now combined HP/stereo station....phones off to the far right. Volume for my HP's is now remotely controlled through the JRIVER software. It's simpler to incorporate both systems into one location and share one DAC. ☺



That Bryston BHA is my fantasy SS amp ... nice looking system.


----------



## oneguy

Incremental changes to main setup and bedroom setup.


----------



## Krutsch

Nakamichi 582 - top of the line in '79-'81. Recording my original US pressings from Steely Dan that I purchased as a kid in the late '70s.

My eBay special Nak CR-2a died 10 days after purchase. I thought I had it running again, after popping the cover and cleaning the motors, but no-joy.

Replaced by a 582 newly refurbished by the TapeHeads.net legend: NakManDan. Many of you would be surprised how good a properly calibrated cassette deck sounds. I personally can't hear the difference between an LP and the tape, when flipping back and forth between tape/source while recording, using a good deck and a good tape (in this case a TDK SA 90).


----------



## chill2music

I have added a pc and a nice granite surface, for looks. 

I have a nice small pc for media, the headphone amp has been made redundant for now. I am planning on putting another shelf in the cupboard to store the Arcam headphone amp. Movies sound nice through the Cambridge cxu blu ray player to the headphones. I haven't used the headphone amp as heat would rise and damage the pc. I am planning on buying a bigger granite surface to put my Cd transporter on. 

What do you think would be best to do? 

Great setups :=)


----------



## Krutsch

chill2music said:


> I have added a pc and a nice granite surface, for looks.
> 
> I have a nice small pc for media, the headphone amp has been made redundant for now. I am planning on putting another shelf in the cupboard to store the Arcam headphone amp. Movies sound nice through the Cambridge cxu blu ray player to the headphones. I haven't used the headphone amp as heat would rise and damage the pc. I am planning on buying a bigger granite surface to put my Cd transporter on.
> 
> ...



Start by posting pics.


----------



## Jazmanaut (Jun 4, 2017)

Oscar-HiFi said:


> Amp is not pictured with the headphones but it is pictured below. (Project Debut Carbon, iFi Audio iPhono pre-amp, Feliks Audio Espressivo, Woodied Grado SR60e)


Beautiful pair of Grados you have. What wood is that?x


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

Jazmanaut said:


> Beautiful pair of Grados you have. What wood is that?x



Spalted Tamarind  it is lovely indeed.


----------



## koover

My humble beginnings


----------



## Deftone

Beginning? youve almost reached the end already...


----------



## koover

Deftone said:


> Beginning? youve almost reached the end already...



Thanx man!
2 months ago I had nothing. I've done so much research, especially on this site. Everyone on this site (with their input) has offered me the opportunity to make solid decisions based on what kind of sound I'm looking for. I figured I might as well invest in some descent can's first (have the Nightowl's coming any day now) instead of initially buying small when the endgame could have come earlier....with less investment.
I really enjoy what I have and really see no reason to up the amp game anymore. The Jot is pretty damn good. Maybe another DAC could be in my future though.


----------



## hemipowered007

There is no such thing as end game here at head fi, at least for most of us. The curiosity of "what else is out there" is overwhelming. I think I'm at year 5 here, still want a complete tube setup w and hd800, a custom iem, an he6, a th900, a stax 007 and so on...i just need like 10 grand and I'll be happy for like 2 months!! Anyhow good job on your "beginner" rig! That sure is a well thought out setup ya got!


----------



## koover

hemipowered007 said:


> There is no such thing as end game here at head fi, at least for most of us. The curiosity of "what else is out there" is overwhelming. I think I'm at year 5 here, still want a complete tube setup w and hd800, a custom iem, an he6, a th900, a stax 007 and so on...i just need like 10 grand and I'll be happy for like 2 months!! Anyhow good job on your "beginner" rig! That sure is a well thought out setup ya got!



Yeah, I stand corrected for sure. I'm lovin what I have now but it won't be enough down the road. It's like that with me and my bluray collection. "I have Plenty" then I go out and buy a haul of 10+ or more. I REALLY would like to get into the tube side of this but that'll come later.


----------



## hemipowered007

koover said:


> Yeah, I stand corrected for sure. I'm lovin what I have now but it won't be enough down the road. It's like that with me and my bluray collection. "I have Plenty" then I go out and buy a haul of 10+ or more. I REALLY would like to get into the tube side of this but that'll come later.


 
I think you're setup should be legit good for an extended period of time, you did good for sure! It's all about what makes listening to music the most involving and enjoyable to listen to.


----------



## brianc0428 (Jun 6, 2017)

Here is my current system. Only thing not in the picture is my Focal Elears.


----------



## Deftone (Jun 6, 2017)

hemipowered007 said:


> There is no such thing as end game here at head fi, at least for most of us. The curiosity of "what else is out there" is overwhelming. I think I'm at year 5 here, still want a complete tube setup w and hd800, a custom iem, an he6, a th900, a stax 007 and so on...i just need like 10 grand and I'll be happy for like 2 months!! Anyhow good job on your "beginner" rig! That sure is a well thought out setup ya got!


----------



## Deftone

koover said:


> Yeah, I stand corrected for sure. I'm lovin what I have now but it won't be enough down the road. It's like that with me and my bluray collection. "I have Plenty" then I go out and buy a haul of 10+ or more. I REALLY would like to get into the tube side of this but that'll come later.



Tubes and Hd650 are a very nice combination, its pretty much a fact here.


----------



## koover

Deftone said:


> Tubes and Hd650 are a very nice combination, its pretty much a fact here.



That really sounds good. Any recommendations? I'd run solid state with my NO's and PH's but tubes for the 650's would be sweet . I just have no clue what would pair well tube wise. Doesn't have to be Schiit either.


----------



## Deftone

koover said:


> That really sounds good. Any recommendations? I'd run solid state with my NO's and PH's but tubes for the 650's would be sweet . I just have no clue what would pair well tube wise. Doesn't have to be Schiit either.



Vali 1, Vali 2 or Vallhalla 2 they all sound sweet with the 650.


----------



## koover

Deftone said:


> Vali 1, Vali 2 or Vallhalla 2 they all sound sweet with the 650.



Thanx, I'll check them out.


----------



## Maxx134 (Jun 8, 2017)

From single life, to recently married in new home so new setup.
Laptop, ( into Regen USB , into Pro3z spdif, not visible) into yggdrasil, into two tube amps (LDMKVIIISE & APPJ PA1502A) modded inside out, into heaphones on my headphone tree (coat rack) ...

Visible headphones are:
Dennon AH-D7200 (modded damping and telsa)
HiFiman Edition S (replaced headband and wood cups)
AudioTechnica esw9 variant (using es700 drivers and tuned to esw10 sig)


----------



## Topspin70

Maxx134 said:


> From single life, to recently married in new home so new setup.
> Laptop, ( into Regen USB , into Pro3z spdif, not visible) into yggdrasil, into two tube amps (LDMKVIIISE & APPJ PA1502A) modded inside out, into heaphones on my headphone tree (coat rack) .
> Visible headphones are:
> Dennon AH-D7200 (modded damping and telsa)
> ...



Great idea using the coat rack. That's some glitzy mods on your amps. Wife must surely approve.


----------



## Maxx134

Yeah the coat rack is great when you gain more and more headphones and no space on table,
Just go vertical with the "headphone tree" lol
Then you know when to "prune the tree" when it gets full..


----------



## hemipowered007 (Jun 8, 2017)

Bad picture and still working on my little corner of the house. Pioneer sx1010, fed by IFi black label via usb from pc. IFi acts as either dac only, or dac/preamp. Klh model 24 bookshelf, Hifiman he4, shure 840, magaosi k3pro, 1more triple. My t50rp are under woodied construction. I definitely need more gear.


----------



## teb1013

From single life, to recently married in new home so new setup.
Laptop, ( into Regen USB , into Pro3z spdif, not visible) into yggdrasil, into two tube amps (LDMKVIIISE & APPJ PA1502A) modded inside out, into heaphones on my headphone tree (coat rack) ...

Visible headphones are:
Dennon AH-D7200 (modded damping and telsa)
HiFiman Edition S (replaced headband and wood cups)
AudioTechnica esw9 variant (using es700 drivers and tuned to esw10 sig)[/QUOTE]

Nice set up, I'd love to know the mods on those amps, and which you use most. Watch collector too, I see- a sickness I share but am trying to scale back.


----------



## Maxx134

K


teb1013 said:


> Nice set up, I'd love to know the mods on those amps, and which you use most. Watch collector too, I see- a sickness I share but am trying to scale back


Actually Both those amps have their mods specific to this site .
I will post a link.

Small amp:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/any-opinions-reviews-on-gemtune-appj-pa1502a.780178/

Bigger amp:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/l...s-all-verified-mods-are-on-first-page.782183/

I am breaking in the mini amp in more these days as it is very convenient to use and works good on my HEKV2.

The big one I use for more holographic imaging Soundstage on my closed cans.

Both have extreme clarity and the small one is an abosolute steal in performance/value  once modified.

Cheers


----------



## chill2music

Krutsch said:


> Start by posting pics.


Hi sorry I am the worst type of person with a mobile Phone, here are the photos


----------



## Badas

Yggy in and Auralic Vega out.


----------



## Krutsch

Badas said:


> *Yggy in and Auralic Vega out.*
> 
> E]
> 
> Dude... love your gear, but please find a place for your 'table


----------



## Badas (Jun 14, 2017)

I need to upgrade it to one of those vertical ones.
I might do that soon.


----------



## Topspin70

Badas said:


> I need to upgrade it to one of those vertical ones.
> I might do that soon.



Looks nice. But I wonder if performs as well as regular TTs? Don't we need gravity for that stylus to work its magic on those grooves?


----------



## penmarker

Badas said:


> I need to upgrade it to one of those vertical ones.
> I might do that soon.


The vertical turntable is not an upgrade unfortunately. Search about the issues and you'll find people asking about torque and tracking problems. it's better to save extra and get a regular/common design.


----------



## Maxx134

Badas said:


> Yggy in and Auralic Vega out.



That is genius idea to use yggy as turntable base as its thick dual layer casing makes a rock solid base...

Haha yggy have more function by being so large.


----------



## snellemin

chill2music said:


> Hi sorry I am the worst type of person with a mobile Phone, here are the photos



Nice seeing a "Slice" between your setup.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

I call it: "Pocket Rockets!"


----------



## Bepli

Hey! I saw that you own both the Sony Z7 and the Nighthawks from AudioQuest, I would like to know which one do u prefer ?


----------



## nordkapp

I've gone ahead and _removed _my HP kit from my stereo. Too much hassle. I like chairside convenience. So the little CIA dac is on HP duty. For the money I think it's a solid purchase.


----------



## Erkan (Jun 20, 2017)

very nice


----------



## penmarker

Modded PSX, Aune T1 amp. 
Bedside rig as I've revamped the living room setup for 2.0 speaker setup.


----------



## hong

Just welcomed my new baby (LCD-2) back home yesterday:


----------



## ATau

Late night studying, with some tea and great music


----------



## jscmd2000

Burning the night oil... good sounding music always helps.  Good luck with what ever you are studying!  Wish you success~


----------



## chef8489

Tight quarters with a roommate, but thats how it is in barracks.  Thats roomate in background and his star wars stuff.


----------



## IlluminatiTri




----------



## phaeton70

DAC : MSB Analog or Auralic Vega
Setup 1 : Auralic Taurus - HE6
Setup 2 : custom Halgo 300B - HE1000 v2
Setup 3 : custom Halgo 2A3 - Utopia and D7200


----------



## nc8000




----------



## Coolzo (Jul 24, 2017)

...to HD800 (super trimmed-down carpetliner mod). Nine Inch Nails at the moment :3


----------



## kman1211

Some major changes to my setup. Grabbed a receiver and some speakers for cheap. Also a new microphone.


----------



## miceblue




----------



## koover




----------



## Krutsch

Bought a second tape deck (the bottom Nak CR-3a) to alternate playback with top 582 for record.


----------



## ipaulpereira

Imac 21.5" > tidal hifi > amarra sq+  > odac > van damme pro grade classic xke > o2 > Sennheiser hd580 with cardas cable (soldered)


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## HungryPanda

@work tonight


----------



## Sniperpr5




----------



## Luvdac

Auralic aries mini(battery powered).>>AMI musik ds5(battery powered).>>Ferguson Hill fh007.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Those curtains 

Ali


----------



## xeriminox




----------



## Tman5293




----------



## dgindlespergerd




----------



## phaeton70




----------



## binaryhermit




----------



## Vicca Tito

Here is the the winner-sounding rig with MrSpeakers Alpha Primes: Oppo HA-2 ---> Cayin C5 - bizzare how good this sounds!






Funny, this "reserve" system also sounds just right, however with lack of the main system's edge. 
Cables are VdH The Second
USB cable is Forza Audioworks USB mini
MacBook Pro in the center.


----------



## maheeinfy




----------



## banco-sg




----------



## Wil

Line Magnetic 518ia -> Woo Audio WEE -> Stax L700 
DAC = Denafrips Pontus 
SoTM SM200 with LPS pushing ROON to the Pontus


----------



## CaveManta

Here's my head-fi station at its current state... (Thanks, Irma!)


----------



## soundofmed

Topspin70 said:


> Slightly more than a head-fi set-up, but 90% of the time it's headphones that keep me glued to the station.


You have some fine taste sir


----------



## soundofmed

ScubadudeSA said:


> I cleaned up the study a couple of weekends ago and took some pics of my headphone collection.  If I had the original intention to publish the pics I would taken a bit more care with them, but here goes …
> 
> Starting from left to right …
> 
> ...


Ahh Agnes Obel... i see your a man of culture as well


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

Excuse the crappy picture, but this is my desktop reference setup (JDS Labs OL DAC, HeadnHifi desktop Objective2 amp). For general music listening I plug the GMP400's into my Feliks audio espressivo tube amp and spin some vinyl with my Project Debut Carbon TT.


----------



## Branded

My friend lend me this setup to try.  Pretty excited


----------



## Clayton SF

Preamp (middle one—Zana Deux #32) rolling.


----------



## Blueshound24




----------



## FastAndClean

*Blueshound24 how do you like your HD700?*


----------



## Blueshound24 (Sep 13, 2017)

@FastAndClean
It is very nice but, frankly, it doesn't get much head time anymore. I think the other cans I have may work a little better for the genres I listen to most. I should probably downsize a little.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

FastAndClean said:


> *Blueshound24 how do you like your HD700?*


With french dressing and sliced onions, I assume.

Ali


----------



## FastAndClean

Ali-Pacha said:


> With french dressing and sliced onions, I assume.
> 
> Ali


your assumption is wrong


----------



## joseph69

Some changes: I've replaced my PS-Audio PWD-ll w/Bridge-ll for the KTE Holo Spring DAC...Singxer SU-1 for the KTE SU-1...Sonore microRendu for the ultraRendu w/Ultra Cap LPS-1. I've also replaced the hollow brown wall shelving which I used for the top base of my stand for the GS-X mk2/BHSE with 1-3/4 solid butcher block w/glass top, and brightened up my listening room with a fresh white paint job replacing the brown color which was getting a little depressing, especially during the winter months when we turn back the clocks and it is dark at 4:30pm which will be here much too soon.


----------



## Shoewreck

At work.
 
Pretty simple, isn't it?


----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## Ali-Pacha (Sep 16, 2017)

The very first one with the very last one.






Ali


----------



## joseph69

Ali-Pacha said:


> The very first one with the very last one.
> Ali


Very cool.


----------



## Ali-Pacha

SR-1 are not "the very first ones" as they're a late model, but still... 

Ali


----------



## hifimanrookie (Sep 16, 2017)

Just got update on my humble non flashy headphone audio gear:
Qnap NAS>Neyton lan cat 7+>managed tp-link switch>Neyton lan cat 7+>win10 laptop, on Herbie's Audio Lab extra firm Tenderfoot(soon replaced by sotm sms200)>Blue Circle Audio BC98 usb cable>custom balanced Blue Circle Audio PaG amp with balanced Blue Circle Audio Bc509 dac>custom 'TRUE' dual mono xlr Toxic cables Silver Widows sw22 8wire (with reference upgrade) cables>hifiman he1000. On a Solid Tech Radius Solo 3 rack with springloaded floating top shelf..both amp parts sit on 3x Solid Tech 'Feet of Silence' feet...behind the 2 racks on the floor i have: BC PLC Thingie FX2 (4xoutlets), BC X0E low frequency filter with 6x sillycone filter with BC61 cable upgrade, BC TSPD surge protection...power is provided by 2x Blue Circle Audio BC62 powercables


----------



## hifimanrookie

Last pic


----------



## rumina

from left to right

top: kevin gilmore dynalo, auralic aries and hugo 2, avalon ad2055
middel: ifi iesl pro, kevin gilmore dynahi, blue hawaii se, bhse power
down: tv box, pass sony vfet, schiit yggdrasil, ad2055 power

the dynahi and the sony vfet amp are connected to the ifi iesl pro (vfet and sr-007 is a dream team) and have both direct headphone outputs for power hungry headphones. at the moment the equalizier is exclusiv for the bhse (to adjust the sr-009).


----------



## Humblepie

My desk is a bit messy at the moment to take a picture of, but just got done with putting up some peg boards to hold some of my collection.


----------



## bluebyte60

Zana Deux S + Metrum Octave and YGGY + Pioneer N50. Headphones are HD800 and K712. Since YGGY's light is too strong so I use papers to cover !


----------



## Badas

bluebyte60 said:


> Zana Deux S + Metrum Octave and YGGY + Pioneer N50. Headphones are HD800 and K712. Since YGGY's light is too strong so I use papers to cover !



I cover the lights on my Yggy as well. I hate lights.


----------



## SearchOfSub

Ali-Pacha said:


> The very first one with the very last one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...






Omg it looks so heavy sorry LOL.


----------



## SearchOfSub

phaeton70 said:


>





Very nice


----------



## SearchOfSub

Sniperpr5 said:


>




wow!


----------



## mangamonster

This setup most times for now: HIFIMAN Edition X mk2 + iPod classic G4.
 Best cans ever. I occasionally swap the source and dac/amp out to my Dragonfly Black and iPhone for Deezer streaming.


----------



## jmac1516

mangamonster said:


> This setup most times for now: HIFIMAN Edition X mk2 + iPod classic G4.
> Best cans ever. I occasionally swap the source and dac/amp out to my Dragonfly Black and iPhone for Deezer streaming.


I have that iPod as well.  Need to break it out again!


----------



## Left Channel

Classic! For further appreciation, please post here too: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pictures-of-your-portable-rig-part-xvi.633511/



mangamonster said:


> This setup most times for now: HIFIMAN Edition X mk2 + iPod classic G4.
> Best cans ever. I occasionally swap the source and dac/amp out to my Dragonfly Black and iPhone for Deezer streaming.


----------



## xeriminox (Sep 26, 2017)




----------



## Audioholic123 (Nov 8, 2017)

My 15 years old Cyrus system..If I where to buy a new system, I would probably have to spend over $1K to beat the sound quality of this old system.


----------



## Audioholic123 (Sep 26, 2017)

Lenovo tablet that has a 24bit/192 Khz Wolfson Dac, Oehlbach XXL Dac Ultra that has a 32bit/384 Khz Burr Brown Dac.


----------



## watchdog507

Latest configuration:   PS Audio Powerplant P5 is new.


----------



## CJG888

Does it make much of a difference?


----------



## watchdog507 (Sep 27, 2017)

CJG888 said:


> Does it make much of a difference?


I have two freezers, two wine storage coolers and two large fridges in our house. We also get power fluctuations that activate a UPS in my office.
I was going to get a linear power supply for the Brooklyn DAC to help regulate power to it.  The P5 came on the market as a trade to one of my local dealers.  The price was right.

My amps are plugged into the higher current sockets.  My feeling are that it does make a difference for a headphone setup as the amps don’t draw massive current. Silent passages are totally quiet and clarity and dynamics are very good.

My experience is that I would only use a power regenerator for source components not where high current needs to be supplied. So no for big speaker amps.


----------



## MudPhud31

WavesNX, LHLabs GOV2+, ENIGMAcoustics Dharma


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 6, 2017)

\


----------



## JoeDoe

Once the HD800S gets here, this is the end of the line for me boys!


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## sup27606 (Oct 7, 2017)

Headphones: Audeze EL8, Sennheiser 6XX
Schiit Mimby, Jotunheim, Nobsound NS08E

Not shown: Raspberry Pi 3 + Hifiberry Digi+ pro connected to 2TB hard drive, running Volumio.


----------



## koover




----------



## TheGame21x (Oct 10, 2017)

Not pictured: Modi Multibit


----------



## FastAndClean

20hz up on the loki with TH900, its fun for sure


----------



## koover

FastAndClean said:


> 20hz up on the loki with TH900, its fun for sure



Is it truly worth it to snag a Loki? Is it clean and not distorted EQ'ing it up instead of down?


----------



## FastAndClean

koover said:


> Is it truly worth it to snag a Loki? Is it clean and not distorted EQ'ing it up instead of down?


i have no idea, i use software EQ, but the impressions are positive so i guess is worth it


----------



## penmarker

Hardware EQs are rudimentary components, small parts count, I don't believe they affect sound quality other than changing the frequency response. In a way, speaker crossover networks are EQs too.


----------



## protoss (Oct 11, 2017)

Legendary Pioneer PD-91 !


----------



## hemipowered007

This is my "on the go" bag, and how I take my things to work/vacations. The he4 gets swapped with my modded t50rp, and soon a modded denon d2k. All fits nice and secure in this case I had from work for a copper/fiber meter, never used the case so gave it a purpose. Shown, ifi micro black label, fiio x3i, denon db100 Bluetooth speaker, hifiman he4, 1more triple, magaosi k3pro, Sony ex1000, various interconnects and charges, various tips.


----------



## koover

hemipowered007 said:


> This is my "on the go" bag, and how I take my things to work/vacations. The he4 gets swapped with my modded t50rp, and soon a modded denon d2k. All fits nice and secure in this case I had from work for a copper/fiber meter, never used the case so gave it a purpose. Shown, ifi micro black label, fiio x3i, denon db100 Bluetooth speaker, hifiman he4, 1more triple, magaosi k3pro, Sony ex1000, various interconnects and charges, various tips.



Nice!


----------



## waveSounds

I'm not Shure what the Focal point here is, but it's definitely obscuring my Mojo.


----------



## Cougar2465

Cougar2465 said:


> Here is mine as per today...




They say less is more ...
After few years with different gear, I think I'll settle with this for a while. Happy with the combo.
Here it is  today.


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## Audioholic123

Rarely use the Q701 but when I do, I make sure to use it with the Linn


----------



## waveSounds

Decided to bring the Audioengine's back from the bedroom.


----------



## hemipowered007

started with an sr80i and a laptop, then its snowballed into these 4, an unfinished grado build, 4 iems, and lots of $$$. But, its been fun, just wish i had more time at this station seen here, rarely do i get to enjoy the sx-1010. But i wont sell it this time, ive already sold 1 before, and this one is too pristine to watch walk out the door.


----------



## Slim1970 (Oct 30, 2017)

A few of my collectibles


----------



## watchdog507

With my latest additions


----------



## waveSounds

@watchdog507 that Utopia cable probably cost more than my entire collection! Looks like you're going to be running out of space on that rack soon.. I'd be more than happy to help you out and take the Brooklyn off your hands


----------



## Jozurr

watchdog507 said:


> With my latest additions



Can you list the components in your chain? Also, what driver tubes are you using for the WA5?


----------



## watchdog507

Jozurr said:


> Can you list the components in your chain? Also, what driver tubes are you using for the WA5?



My favourite driver tubes currently are Tung Sol round plates in 6F8G configuration.  That is what is currently installed. I use WOO adapters for 6F8G >6SN7 and WOO Adapters for United 596>5U4G .  They are the best looking adapters that I have seen and they seem to function as well as they look. They are nylon and use what appears to be Teflon Silver wire. They're expensive but function exceptionally well. The 6F8G's sound as good as Tung Sol 6SN7's but cost 50% less.  On the bottom is a PS Audio Power Base and a P5 Powerplant.  They are invaluable in creating a low noise clean source for AC power.  I can't stress how much of a difference this clean power makes.  I group the digital devices on one socket, the digital source on another and the amps on another dedicated socket.  The source is either Tidal via Roon and through the Mytek Brooklyn or CD's via the PS Audio Memory Player Transport.  I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC coming this week with a Bridge II. I would add a caveat here.  A low watt tube amp has a great synergy with the P5 Powerplant.  If you were connecting a 100 Watt amp I would advise against that.  You would lose dynamics.


----------



## shane55

hemipowered007 said:


> started with an sr80i and a laptop, then its snowballed into these 4, an unfinished grado build, 4 iems, and lots of $$$. But, its been fun, just wish i had more time at this station seen here, rarely do i get to enjoy the sx-1010. But i wont sell it this time, ive already sold 1 before, and this one is too pristine to watch walk out the door.



Hey... I have that receiver... though yours is in MUCH better condition. Mine is close to dead... and pretty beat up.


----------



## shane55

watchdog507 said:


> My favourite driver tubes currently are Tung Sol round plates in 6F8G configuration.  That is what is currently installed. I use WOO adapters for 6F8G >6SN7 and WOO Adapters for United 596>5U4G .  They are the best looking adapters that I have seen and they seem to function as well as they look. They are nylon and use what appears to be Teflon Silver wire. They're expensive but function exceptionally well. The 6F8G's sound as good as Tung Sol 6SN7's but cost 50% less.  On the bottom is a PS Audio Power Base and a P5 Powerplant.  They are invaluable in creating a low noise clean source for AC power.  I can't stress how much of a difference this clean power makes.  I group the digital devices on one socket, the digital source on another and the amps on another dedicated socket.  The source is either Tidal via Roon and through the Mytek Brooklyn or CD's via the PS Audio Memory Player Transport.  I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC coming this week with a Bridge II. I would add a caveat here.  A low watt tube amp has a great synergy with the P5 Powerplant.  If you were connecting a 100 Watt amp I would advise against that.  You would lose dynamics.




Um... nice. Really nice.


----------



## hemipowered007

shane55 said:


> Hey... I have that receiver... though yours is in MUCH better condition. Mine is close to dead... and pretty beat up.



Wanna sell it? I've restored 2 sx1010 now


----------



## LajostheHun

watchdog507 said:


> I would add a caveat here.  A low watt tube amp has a great synergy with the P5 Powerplant.  If you were connecting a 100 Watt amp I would advise against that.  You would lose dynamics.


why would that be?


----------



## Whitigir

Pardon me! Let me join for some fun


----------



## waveSounds

All that exquisite TOTL gear and a... yellow wall. Flying the audiophile flag proudly, eh, @Whitigir


----------



## watchdog507

LajostheHun said:


> why would that be?



PS Audio states that the P5/P10 can handle high current draw.  My experience with high watt amps is that power filters/regenerators  literally suck the dynamics out of the music.  I don't believe that they can provide the high current for transient requirements. When I have everything plugged in and running my headphone set up only uses about 180-190 watts.  A large power amp can demand a peak of 1000 watts or more.You don't need good ears to hear the difference.  It's very obvious. The only devices that I have seen that may work are the large units from "Torus"  They use massive transformers.   I would audition one before a purchase.


----------



## Whitigir

watchdog507 said:


> PS Audio states that the P5/P10 can handle high current draw.  My experience with high watt amps is that power filters/regenerators  literally suck the dynamics out of the music.  I don't believe that they can provide the high current for transient requirements. When I have everything plugged in and running my headphone set up only uses about 180-190 watts.  A large power amp can demand a peak of 1000 watts or more.You don't need good ears to hear the difference.  It's very obvious. The only devices that I have seen that may work are the large units from "Torus"  They use massive transformers.   I would audition one before a purchase.



The reason why I don’t use those typical regenerator whatever, and you have said it the best.  Though, a lot of marketing can do a lot of goods


----------



## watchdog507

Whitigir said:


> The reason why I don’t use those typical regenerator whatever, and you have said it the best.  Though, a lot of marketing can do a lot of goods



You can see my setup.  The P5 power regenerator does work really well with my headphone setup.  There is virtually zero back ground noise.  Clean power really does make a difference.  Although I use Nordost power cables all around too.  My music has never sounded better.  I hear details that I never heard before I put the power plant into my setup.  My PS Audio Powerbase is an overkill.  It came on the market for not a lot of money so I put it the system.  The PS Audio power plants are expensive. I'm building a 2 channel speaker system and I want one in the mix = more money. OH Well......


----------



## Whitigir

watchdog507 said:


> You can see my setup.  The P5 power regenerator does work really well with my headphone setup.  There is virtually zero back ground noise.  Clean power really does make a difference.  Although I use Nordost power cables all around too.  My music has never sounded better.  I hear details that I never heard before I put the power plant into my setup.  My PS Audio Powerbase is an overkill.  It came on the market for not a lot of money so I put it the system.  The PS Audio power plants are expensive. I'm building a 2 channel speaker system and I want one in the mix = more money. OH Well......


Lol, down the rabbit hole  enjoy that journey sir !


----------



## LajostheHun

watchdog507 said:


> PS Audio states that the P5/P10 can handle high current draw.  My experience with high watt amps is that power filters/regenerators  literally suck the dynamics out of the music.  I don't believe that they can provide the high current for transient requirements. When I have everything plugged in and running my headphone set up only uses about 180-190 watts.  A large power amp can demand a peak of 1000 watts or more.You don't need good ears to hear the difference.  It's very obvious. The only devices that I have seen that may work are the large units from "Torus"  They use massive transformers.   I would audition one before a purchase.


Well that's just it if you don't play things high it won't use much power at all. Your headphone set up uses 180W? My Parasound mono blocks won't use that much power granted they are class A/B but they are for speakers. I any case I get what you saying as all of those "power generators" have  less current limit than the source they are plugged in, but a single 100w amp even with a crappy efficiency of a class A design should be a cake walk unless there is something wrong in there.


----------



## LajostheHun

anyway back to topic of the wonderful gears  you all have.


----------



## Whitigir

GG is going soon !! But gotta get new shelves for my T2
anyways


----------



## watchdog507

Added a PS Audio Directstream DAC.  I've got the Directstream Bridge II coming next week.


----------



## stersa (Nov 4, 2017)

My two headphone,s  equipments.....

Gear details and headphones..see my Signature


 


Regards

Sisco


----------



## swmtnbiker (Nov 4, 2017)

My current modest rig: HD 660S with balanced cable, Oppo HA-1, Bottlehead Crack+Speedball, and Mimby, all fed via USB by JRMC/Tidal on a MacBook Pro...


----------



## nordkapp

LajostheHun said:


> Your headphone set up uses 180W?


That's still very little draw. 3-60w light bulbs........


----------



## LajostheHun

nordkapp said:


> That's still very little draw. 3-60w light bulbs........


----------



## Eldair

You guys have so expensive gear. Good stuff. Here is mine.


----------



## wwmhf

Yours is not particularly inexpensive either ...


----------



## protoss (Apr 29, 2018)

_Ultra Rare_
Legendary * ''STAX CDP Quattro Series ll"   

Release Date: 1988   ¥ 310,000   -   (1988 $5000usd) (2017 $3500usd) *























*The Stax CDP Quattro 2 is a HIGH END CD-player. It was manufactured from 1988. This is one of the greatest CDP of all time !!! *

*Sound Review:*
Musical , Smooth, Lush, Creamy, Milky, Honey, Watery , *Lava warm liquid buttery waterfall !!*
This is the best way to describe it. It is very musical and warm and watery and smooth. No harhness or treble boost or spikes ! Just very musical


*

 


This is an high end CD-Player! 


Specifications
*
Frequency Response 00-20 kHz + / - 0.1 dB
De-emphasis deviation 0-16 kHz + / - 0.05 dB
Direct outputs Fixed + 2.2 V, 560 Ohms
Fixed + Buffered 2.2V, 100 Ohm
Variable + 0 to 2.2 V Buffered, 100 Ohm
Distortion (all outputs)
0.0015% at 0-8 kHz, 0 dB
0.002% at 10-20 kHz, 0 dB
0.015% at -20 dB
1.4% at -60 dB
Dynamic range 104 dB
Signal to Noise Ratio 118 dB
Less than 1 mV DC offset
AC 117V 50~60Hz







DACs - 2 x PCM65P / Burr Brown PCM1702 DACS
*Transport - Sanyo SF-88 - Magnetic ( I own 3 !   ) -- 30 years later still the original laser ! running strong! *


8 times oversampling/18-bit resolution
Dual stacked chassis design that effectively prevents digital noise from leaking into the analogue circuitry
Output terminals include both the Direct Out facility which bypasses the analogue filter at the output stage, and a Variable Out with buffer and attenuator
Three power transformers and separate power supply cables for analogue and digital circuitry






The Stax uses Burr Brown PCM1702 DACS
The Stax has a separate enclosure for the power supply, DAC and Analog sections with separate transformers for each. It even has separate power cords.
This CDP is made late 1988 in Japan, 18bit 8 times oversampling, two power cord to run this, this is how special the Quattro II is, AC 117V 50~60Hz, adjustment for the feet, about 25 lbs combination of aluminum,
plastic and some wood MDF on the bottom


Last and final CDP for me. End of the Line,
*Pioneer PD-91 & Stax CDP Quattro 2 = Search is over!*


----------



## joseph69

@protoss,

Nice, how much was this unit new back in '88?


----------



## atarione

tonight


----------



## rigo

stersa said:


> My two headphone,s  equipments.....
> 
> Gear details and headphones..see my Signature
> 
> ...



What rack  is that on your desktop?


----------



## stersa (Nov 7, 2017)

Hi

It's a DIY rack Build by a friend

Mobile stands.

regards

Sisco


----------



## redrich2000 (Nov 8, 2017)




----------



## Maalis

It works mate


----------



## JoeDoe

End of the road! Same setup that’s listed in my signature.


----------



## Cougar2465

Outdoor set up ...


----------



## Slipmyster

My little bit of budget solitude


----------



## giubin

kornel221 said:


> Atlas element integra


Sorry, i cannot undestand nothing: Atlas element integra is a 75 ohm of impedance for analog signal? what's wrong? 75 ohm is for digital coax? for analog it will be near 50 ohm???


----------



## LugBug1

My busy bedside table


----------



## Zadok

redrich2000 said:


>



Expensive audio gear next to communist literature.... Interesting contrast lol


----------



## redrich2000

Zadok said:


> Expensive audio gear next to communist literature.... Interesting contrast lol



Not if you have any idea what you're talking about.


----------



## kid vic

LugBug1 said:


> My busy bedside table



I would probably sleep less than I do now if that was my bedside rig 



redrich2000 said:


> Not if you have any idea what you're talking about.



Nominee for audiophile clapback of the week!
Be nice though, there was certain simple logic to their statment


----------



## Witcher

This is what I'm using now.


----------



## Merkurio




----------



## EarDrumExplode

LugBug1 said:


> My busy bedside table


Are those Plussound cables on your lcd’s


----------



## Klots




----------



## jaywillin

JoeDoe said:


> Once the HD800S gets here, this is the end of the line for me boys!
> that's what we all say


----------



## LugBug1

EarDrumExplode said:


> Are those Plussound cables on your lcd’s



No, got them from a guy whos on Ebay uk - mavismods or something can't remember. Anyhow, great cable and price - if you look on ebay you should be able to find him. Keith he is called and provides good service.


----------



## sfoclt




----------



## CJG888

Is that a 401?


----------



## CJG888

Some day soon, I hope to get my early grease bearing 301 fixed up. I’ll use it with an SME 3009II (also in need of a little TLC) and a Denon 103...


----------



## sfoclt

Yes, exactly.  Here's the chain:  Garrard 401 --> SPU 90th Anniversary --> Schick 12 --> Bob's Device's Sky 40 SUT --> Tavish Audio Vintage 6SL7 --> EC ZDS --> HD650M


----------



## eliben85

redrich2000 said:


>


Love the books choice


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

The Ether Flow are on loan, but I have my HifiMan HE-500 in their place now.

Keces S3 DAC/Amp > Keces S125 power amp / JDS Labs OL DAC > Head "n" HiFi desktop O2 amp > Headphones.


----------



## nordkapp

Oscar-HiFi said:


> The Ether Flow are on loan, but I have my HifiMan HE-500 in their place now.
> 
> Keces S3 DAC/Amp > Keces S125 power amp / JDS Labs OL DAC > Head "n" HiFi desktop O2 amp > Headphones.


How's the Keces S3?


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

nordkapp said:


> How's the Keces S3?



I love it, smooth but detailed, errs on the side of analytical but without sounding harsh or digital.


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## nordkapp

dobigstuff said:


>


Show us the speakers too......


----------



## dobigstuff

nordkapp said:


> Show us the speakers too......










JM Labs Electra 936


----------



## ahmadfaizadnan

My apology that It looks quite messy. Things get pretty busy lately.


----------



## Fuzziekiwi (Dec 13, 2017)

Here's my setup.


----------



## CaveManta

I love the sound of black and silver...


----------



## ostewart

Excuse the colour mismatch between the mouse and keyboard...


----------



## canthearyou




----------



## nordkapp

canthearyou said:


>


This is awesome!


----------



## waveSounds

Not quite finished the painting yet...


----------



## FastAndClean




----------



## swmtnbiker

waveSounds said:


> Not quite finished the painting yet...



Very, very nice!


----------



## waveSounds

@swmtnbiker Thanks, man! At some point I want to replace the Audioengine A2 speakers with a set of Monkey Banana Turbo 8 monitors, but living in a terraced house has its limitations!


----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## wwmhf

Fuzziekiwi said:


> Here's my setup.



Nice, and a lot of space


----------



## nazrin313




----------



## waveSounds

@nazrin313 Is that a Smok tank I spy?


----------



## nazrin313

waveSounds said:


> @nazrin313 Is that a Smok tank I spy?


 hahah naaah man, its the Engine Nano


----------



## waveSounds

@nazrin313 Ah. Shoulda guessed; a man sporting a pair of Stax wouldn't have anything less than a rebuildable atomizer


----------



## nazrin313

hahaha ive got several RDTAs, best one is the Ammit but Its stuck and cant get it to open..*** me


----------



## waveSounds

nazrin313 said:


> hahaha ive got several RDTAs, best one is the Ammit but Its stuck and cant get it to open..*** me



Could be worse, man. Could be subjected to the European TPD as I am and be stuck with a 2ml tank capacity!!! If you listen closely, you'll be able to hear me refilling every couple of hours...


----------



## nazrin313

waveSounds said:


> Could be worse, man. Could be subjected to the European TPD as I am and be stuck with a 2ml tank capacity!!! If you listen closely, you'll be able to hear me refilling every couple of hours...


I feel you buddy hahaha.. Head fi and Vape On..what a life!!


----------



## Sinarca (Jun 6, 2018)

Sony MDR Z7 (Surf cable after this pic taken) + Fiio X5 3 gen + RME ADI-2 Pro


----------



## Kenion

*
WA6-SE w/ stock tubes + Asus Xonar Essence One (custom opamps) via RCA, Sennheiser HD800 (custom cables)*


----------



## gibby

Chromecast Audio/Cayin N5ii> Fiio D3> Darkvoice 336SE> HD600 and HD6xx


----------



## ohmicide

Taken a couple days ago

Would really appreciate recommendations for a decent dual stand that wont break the bank like the Woo Audio one


----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## mcgo

Violectric V280 with HD800 Balanced.
Old PS1 (5501) for spinning CDs. The off-brand IR remote works really well. Pop in a CD then press play!


----------



## m8o

This has been evolving for years. Spent many days over the last few weeks rearranging what equipment I include in the rack and where.  When the Smyth A16 arrives, I know it's going to have to change again.  lol, or should it be 'ugh'.  Anyway, this is the latest.

Some of my best and/or favorite headphones on the right (there are many more not pictured):

[-] HiFiMan HE-1000
[-] MrSpeakers Ether Flow C
[-] Fostex TH-X00 (Massdrop exclusive)
[-] Sennheiser HD-650

Sources below the headphones:
[-] Classé DVD-1
[-] Arcam DV139

Rack equipment top to bottom in current circulation is: (again, there is much more, lol)

[-] Woo Audio WA-22 fully balanced amp
[-] McIntosh MHA-100 50wpc amp & dac w/hp output via legendary autoformers
[-] Perreaux TC2 (class-a bass/mid/treble tone control)
[-] Perreaux TS2 (passive four source matrix switch, 2 source phono switch)
[-] Fostex RM-1 (stereo rack monitor)
[-] Rane  HC-6S (6 hi power stereo [12-channel] headphone amp)
[-] Aphex 124A line/balanced buffer & converter.
[-] NAD M51 DAC (on Stereophile's Recommended list at the ultimate Class A+ level for several years)


----------



## llamaluv

mcgo said:


> Violectric V280 with HD800 Balanced.



Love the inclusion of the Commodore 64 manual in the background!


----------



## mcgo

llamaluv said:


> Love the inclusion of the Commodore 64 manual in the background!



Good catch! A lot of SID music has flowed through those headphones!  I was stuck with emulation during the '90s and '00s before I finally acquired original hardware.  Listening to the output of real chips is levels above -- for the first couple of years it would make me tear up!  Imagine lossless with a perfect DAC.  I have the ultimate setup now with both 6581R4AR and 8580 chips on a SIDFX card which produces pristine audio output.  And with HVSC #68 loaded onto a SD card (50,000+ SIDs) there is plenty to listen to!


----------



## waveSounds

ohmicide said:


> Taken a couple days ago
> 
> Would really appreciate recommendations for a decent dual stand that wont break the bank like the Woo Audio one



Enter the SilverStone (SST-EBA01) stand.

It is as solid as it looks.


----------



## llamaluv

mcgo said:


> Good catch! A lot of SID music has flowed through those headphones! I was stuck with emulation during the '90s and '00s before I finally acquired original hardware. Listening to the output of real chips is levels above -- for the first couple of years it would make me tear up! Imagine lossless with a perfect DAC. I have the ultimate setup now with both 6581R4AR and 8580 chips on a SIDFX card which produces pristine audio output. And with HVSC #68 loaded onto a SD card (50,000+ SIDs) there is plenty to listen to!



Huh! The thought would have never crossed my mind to approach old computer music from an 'audiophile' perspective. I have a great deal of nostalgia for the Amiga era in particular... Additionally, I've recently been thinking about dabbling with programmatic sound synthesis. So your reply gives me a lot to think about. Thanks!


----------



## ohmicide

waveSounds said:


> Enter the SilverStone (SST-EBA01) stand.
> 
> It is as solid as it looks.



That one's my second choice from the Woo Audio. Still a bit more than I'd like to spend on a stand but there doesn't seem to be anything else apart from the cheap ass Amazon ones.


----------



## waveSounds

@ohmicide I was in the same boat, man. This one's still ~$20 cheaper than the Woo stand; a saving's a saving, though, eh.


----------



## ohmicide

@waveSounds Yeah the black SilverStone one is going for $66 on Amazon with free shipping which is around how much the Woo Audio one goes for used so it's definitely tempting! I was hoping to spend $50 max since it's just a friggin' stand but I rather be safe than sorry, specially since I have a dog with a big fluffy tail that knocks stuff over all the time.


----------



## waveSounds

@ohmicide I wanted to spend £20 max, but the quality of stands going for that price were... questionable. Just couldn't bring myself to buy something that wasn't 'quality'. Well, if it's any consolation, this thing's made out of aluminium and weighs a lot more than I was expecting it to! Should be safe from fluffy tails, and in the event it does get knocked over, I'd be more worried about the headphones it's holding than the stand


----------



## waveSounds (Jan 8, 2018)

For £18 this monitor riser has been the bargain of the century for my needs. It's as if it were designed to take the DM Source!


----------



## MickeyVee (Jan 10, 2018)

My system has been stable for the past four years or so. Just moved from the HD800 to the 'S', replaced the Sovtek stand with a Codia T1 so the pads don't compress and added a Teac PD-301 CD player with FM tuner. So, basically, have a mini-system on my home office desk. Not pictured are the McIntosh speakers and a paradigm 8" Sub under my desk.

Not sure why the picture ins not showing.. it is attached


----------



## joseph69

MickeyVee said:


> replaced the Sovtek stand with a Code T1 so the pads don't compress


 Congratulations on the 800S. Never understood why people use stands that compress their pads instead of letting them hang freely.


----------



## DJtheAudiophile

Just scored a mint Apple - iPod Video 5th Generation (60GB) & Apple - iPod Hi-Fi.


----------



## canthearyou

Few changes over the last 2 weeks. Singxer SU-1 and a new monitor.


----------



## FredSD

Okay, here's my new reference headphone amp.  The Trafomatic Head 3, sporting one of my all time favorite tubes
the 811-10.  it weighs a ton, but what it does to my Susvara and my Utopias is taking all my time.


----------



## cardeli22

Sinarca said:


> Sony MDR Z7 (Surf cable after this pic taken) + Fiio X5 3 gen + RME ADI-2 Pro


Nice RME ADI-2 Pro. How do you like the sound? I saw on their website they announced last month the non pro version. Haven't found a price for it yet.


----------



## Jozurr

FredSD said:


> Okay, here's my new reference headphone amp.  The Trafomatic Head 3, sporting one of my all time favorite tubes
> the 811-10.  it weighs a ton, but what it does to my Susvara and my Utopias is taking all my time.



Cant find any details on this - can you share a link?


----------



## kid vic

Jozurr said:


> Cant find any details on this - can you share a link?



It must be a custom or as of yet unreleased amp


----------



## Sinarca

cardeli22 said:


> Nice RME ADI-2 Pro. How do you like the sound? I saw on their website they announced last month the non pro version. Haven't found a price for it yet.



 PM for you


----------



## gibby




----------



## FredSD

Jozurr said:


> Cant find any details on this - can you share a link?



No link yet, but I'll forward one as they update their site.

However, this is a production model, simply a new one.  The headphones puts out 10 watts at 50 ohms.  As mentioned the output tube is the 811.10

It is called the Head 3 in keeping with Trafomatics previous headfi amps.  I think it will be shown next month at the meet in NY...not confirmed yet, but 

80% chance.  Source will be the Vermeer 2.


----------



## ohmicide

waveSounds said:


> @ohmicide I wanted to spend £20 max, but the quality of stands going for that price were... questionable. Just couldn't bring myself to buy something that wasn't 'quality'. Well, if it's any consolation, this thing's made out of aluminium and weighs a lot more than I was expecting it to! Should be safe from fluffy tails, and in the event it does get knocked over, I'd be more worried about the headphones it's holding than the stand



I bit the bullet 






You really weren't kidding about how solid this thing is. You'd have to knock over the entire table for it to fall off. That and the overall quality of the stand make this well worth the price. Really glad I didn't cheap out!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 20, 2018)

FredSD said:


> Okay, here's my new reference headphone amp.  The Trafomatic Head 3, sporting one of my all time favorite tubes
> the 811-10.  it weighs a ton, but what it does to my Susvara and my Utopias is taking all my time.



Big tube amps have such a dynamic physical presence. Makes you want to drive one, like wondering about a car. Congratulations!


----------



## FredSD

ohmicide said:


> I bit the bullet
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## FredSD

Very nicely holds two cans.  Not always easy to find a nice stand that doesn't cost silly 
money.


----------



## koover




----------



## MWSVette

Current setup...


----------



## FastAndClean

HE500=love


----------



## kid vic (Jan 23, 2018)

Too lazy to list every component but their all there 
Unpictured are my chairs and dirty kitchen....


----------



## cardeli22

kid vic said:


> Too lazy to list every component but their all there
> Unpictured are my chairs and dirty kitchen....


Seeing that Canada passport on the desktop all I can do is weep for your wallet and the tax dues that came your way for all that nice gear. LOL


----------



## kid vic

cardeli22 said:


> Seeing that Canada passport on the desktop all I can do is weep for your wallet and the tax dues that came your way for all that nice gear. LOL



Hahaha if you have felt my pain I weep for your wallet as well; if you haven't I'm so envious. I Score craigslist and kijji relentlessly too.


----------



## cardeli22

kid vic said:


> Hahaha if you have felt my pain I weep for your wallet as well; if you haven't I'm so envious. I Score craigslist and kijji relentlessly too.


As an American living n Germany I know the dreaded fear of when something gets flagged by customs and the joy when it somehow got through unnoticed.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Just flew out....and back......and imported some stuff on my person, you would have thought I was smuggling drugs, I was so worried! 

Here they give you eight years for 6 maryjane seeds, and death for coke. 

Now after some quality research I have found out it’s “OK” to bring in stuff for personal use, just not resale. My next trip will be more relaxing! 


Wait, what are we discussing here? Oh, that’s right......audio equipment. Lol


----------



## Ralf Hutter




----------



## nff

my current setup.  hopefully soon containing a  pair of M1060's  and maybe a proper dac/amp for them.


----------



## gLer




----------



## kid vic

nff said:


> Spoiler: image in post quoted
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## nc8000




----------



## dagothur

Are the balanced headphone outs on the Sony amp compatible with XLR at all?


----------



## nff

dagothur said:


> Are the balanced headphone outs on the Sony amp compatible with XLR at all?


the xlr4 is balanced  plus balanced 1/4''


----------



## nc8000

nff said:


> the xlr4 is balanced  plus balanced 1/4''



4-pin xlr, the new 4.4mm connector or 2 x 1/8” are balanced. 1/4” is single ended


----------



## MWSVette

And the Schiit stack grows...


----------



## nordkapp

MWSVette said:


> And the Schiit stack grows...


That is one serious pile of Schiit.


----------



## Redcarmoose

nordkapp said:


> That is one serious pile of Schiit.


More study shows a schiit-storm.


----------



## kid vic

MWSVette said:


> And the Schiit stack grows...



How do you handle all that Schiit?


----------



## jaywillin

MWSVette said:


> And the Schiit stack grows...



"deep schiit"


----------



## FastAndClean

to much schiit


----------



## swmtnbiker




----------



## Redcarmoose

Truck Loads


----------



## Deftone

Let’s not try to stray too far...


----------



## nordkapp

@MWSVette - you stepped in Schiit posting all that Schiit.


----------



## kid vic

OK, this Schiit is getting out of hand


----------



## frankraindog




----------



## cardeli22

frankraindog said:


>


Is that Feliks Elise on the top left of the picture? Man it looks nice!


----------



## frankraindog

cardeli22 said:


> Is that Feliks Elise on the top left of the picture? Man it looks nice!



That's Feliks Euforia on top.


----------



## cardeli22

frankraindog said:


> That's Feliks Euforia on top.


Very nice!


----------



## CaptainCanada84

Shiit Stack + AKG K7XX


----------



## cardeli22

CaptainCanada84 said:


> Shiit Stack + AKG K7XX


LOL I have the same stand and headphone. For a second I thought my house got robbed.


----------



## CaptainCanada84

cardeli22 said:


> LOL I have the same stand and headphone. For a second I thought my house got robbed.



Love the stand. Love the headphones. I'm sure there are others with the same setup!


----------



## m8o (Feb 13, 2018)

Current rig configuration again, cuz it's all so awesome; at another angle than shared before.  To highlight that super kewl rectifier tube.  






Equipment list was in that earlier post too:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-1465#post-13948672


----------



## baiyy1986

Ther corner of my desk


----------



## llamaluv




----------



## cardeli22

llamaluv said:


>


Wow nice speakers. The design looks like straight out of Star Wars.


----------



## kid vic

llamaluv said:


>



Those skins are cool, I've never seen anything like that before


----------



## llamaluv

cardeli22 said:


> The design looks like straight out of Star Wars.





kid vic said:


> Those skins are cool



Hi thanks! It's the "Nocturne" edition of the KEF LS50 Wireless speakers.


----------



## alota




----------



## swmtnbiker

I've downsized a bit. Sold my HA-1 after comparing it to the Vali 2 with the Clears. I've gotta say that this setup with a Tesla E88CC 6922 NOS Gold Pin is a detail monster! Pretty sweet, and since the Clear is so easy to drive there is plenty of authority here. Got a Magni 3 coming tomorrow so am eager to compare again. I must say that the economy of scale in this rig is very appealing.


----------



## Glmoneydawg




----------



## chef8489

Got a pair of Lcd2 classic and I love them.


----------



## CJG888 (Feb 23, 2018)

Fresh from the attic!

Ca. 1988 Townshend Elite Rock with Origin Live motor and PSU upgrade, Roksan Tabriz and AT OC9, hooked up via (new) Pro-Ject Tube Box DS with NOS 1960s Mullard ECC83s...


----------



## kid vic

Cool table, pretty rare too and i don't think anyone else tried a cartridge guide like that.


----------



## gibby




----------



## cardeli22

gibby said:


>


I see clear headphones, i upvote. Great looking headphone.


----------



## ostewart

So, HP laptop > Curious USB Cable > Keces S3.

Then I either use my HE-500 from the Keces S3 Balanced output, or use the line out into my Feliks Audio Espressivo MKII into my German Maestro GMP400

I also have a JDS Labs OL DAC hooked up to a desktop Objective2 amp as a reference point for reviews and for use with IEMs.


----------



## FastAndClean

llamaluv said:


>



beautiful


----------



## shane55

CJG888 said:


> Fresh from the attic!
> 
> Ca. 1988 Townshend Elite Rock with Origin Live motor and PSU upgrade, Roksan Tabriz and AT OC9, hooked up via (new) Pro-Ject Tube Box DS with NOS 1960s Mullard ECC83s...


Zowie... seriously interesting setup.
The AT-OC9 is a brilliant cart. That, and my Hana SL are my two current faves. The OC9 tracks remarkably well (even without the Rock guide!) and has amazing resolution, speed and clarity, with a wonderfully warm (though mostly neutral) overall tone.
Cheers


----------



## CJG888

Thanks. It’s standing in until my Garrard 301 (early “Hammertone” grease bearing) gets back from the restorers. Will be using it in stock form (albeit with all the cadmium removed!) in an Acoustand Classic plinth with an SME 3009 Improved (rewired by Audio Origami) and a Shure V15-IV with Jico SAS stylus. I’ll post pictures once I have put it all together!


----------



## MWSVette

Stack of Schiit with a Valhalla on top...


----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## Redmetal1897 (Mar 3, 2018)

Dell XPS 15 -> Modi 2U/Chord Mojo -> Lyr1 (with stock tubes) -> ZMF Auteur


----------



## koover (Mar 4, 2018)




----------



## stersa (Mar 4, 2018)

My Desktop restructured equipment 04-03-18





Many of my high end gears.... have gone..

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## CJG888

From this:



 

To this:



 


Watch this space....


----------



## DJtheAudiophile




----------



## CJG888

Ready and waiting:


----------



## floppiness (Mar 8, 2018)

Headphones (pictured) - HD800SDR / LCD2C
DAC - Denfrips Ares
Amp - HDVA 600
Speakers - Audioengine A2+ w/ equarthquake p8 minime (not pictured under desk)
Monitor - Acer x34
PC - Specs (1080 ti liquid cooled, i7 7700k liquid cooled, 500 gb m2, 32 gb ram 3200)
MacBook Pro - on top of my gaming pc (2017 Touch Bar, 512 gb)
Razer Mouse/Keyboard/Mouse Pad


----------



## spanner43




----------



## Audioholic123




----------



## judomaniak57

Audioholic123 said:


>


whats a cassette deck? that is frickin awesome. I remember trying to find the song u like on  those or fixing  a cassette with a pencil when it unwinds


----------



## Audioholic123

judomaniak57 said:


> whats a cassette deck? that is frickin awesome. I remember trying to find the song u like on  those or fixing  a cassette with a pencil when it unwinds


Cassette deck is just a fancy term to indicate that it is part of a separates system. The system pictured is actually my fathers (he bought it in 1996 for $1,100) but he recently gave it to me lol. The cassette deck has Dolby Noise Reduction, even by todays standards, it is very good.


----------



## Bookbear

judomaniak57 said:


> whats a cassette deck? that is frickin awesome. I remember trying to find the song u like on  those or fixing  a cassette with a pencil when it unwinds


What's a 'CD Player'?


----------



## joseph69

When my niece was younger, she wanted to hear one of my headphones, so loaded a disc into my Sony CDP-C701ES and she was amazed how the drawer opened and the carousel turned. She knew what a Cd was, but had never seen a CD player with a drawer and carousel for 5 discs.


----------



## Bookbear

joseph69 said:


> When my niece was younger, she wanted to hear one of my headphones, so loaded a disc into my Sony CDP-C701ES and she was amazed how the drawer opened and the carousel turned. She knew what a Cd was, but had never seen a CD player with a drawer and carousel for 5 discs.



Heh.... the young'uns have missed out on some cool stuff.  Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw in town a few weeks ago: "I may be old... but I got to see all the cool bands!"


----------



## joseph69

Bookbear said:


> Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw in town a few weeks ago: "I may be old... but I got to see all the cool bands!"


That's a great one and very true!!!


----------



## ScOgLiO (Mar 16, 2018)

I thought I would leave a sign of life in this thread as I have finished upgrading/enlarging my audio setup (yes Head-Fi, I REALLY mean it, stop tempting me and emptying my wallet for a while! ).
Man, it's been a real while since I posted here, a completely different setup! Went from a DAC/amp combo from Creative to Schiit Mimby/Magni 3 a few months ago, plus the HD600 and now a pretty decent CD player (Marantz CD5005 used as a transport to the Mimby, of course).

Well, here it is in all its glory!




As I mentioned, the Marantz is the newest addition to the setup (man, it's huge compared to the Schiit ministack!), as I plan to move most of my listening to CDs. They say coax is the best of the Mimby's 3 inputs, so I might even enjoy it more than the USB connection I've gone through during the last months.
Cheers!


----------



## AeRoPLoDgE (Mar 17, 2018)

https://imgur.com/x4KU2pQ
https://imgur.com/f8WzooQ

I'm a ham and haven't a clue how to post images...


----------



## bluzeboy

AeRoPLoDgE said:


> https://imgur.com/x4KU2pQ
> https://imgur.com/f8WzooQ
> 
> I'm a ham and haven't a clue how to post images...



upload a file
bottom right!


----------



## Jasonaudio23

ScOgLiO said:


> I thought I would leave a sign of life in this thread as I have finished upgrading/enlarging my audio setup (yes Head-Fi, I REALLY mean it, stop tempting me and emptying my wallet for a while! ).
> Man, it's been a real while since I posted here, a completely different setup! Went from a DAC/amp combo from Creative to Schiit Mimby/Magni 3 a few months ago, plus the HD600 and now a pretty decent CD player (Marantz CD5005 used as a transport to the Mimby, of course).
> 
> Well, here it is in all its glory!
> ...


 Very nice


----------



## rulerofrecords

So this is it. Well almost, the DIY tube amp has a provisional housing that only a mother could tolerate. Sounds pretty hefty, though


----------



## CJG888

Now we’re in business


----------



## ratrace

Current setup at work.. Tidal/Spotify (PC) > Hugo 2 > JH Audio Roxanne/UE Reference Remastered/ UE5 Pro


----------



## nordkapp (Mar 19, 2018)

ratrace said:


> Current setup at work.. Tidal/Spotify (PC) > Hugo 2 > JH Audio Roxanne/UE Reference Remastered/ UE5 Pro


I would *not *be getting any work done with that stuff there.


----------



## ratrace

nordkapp said:


> I'd would *not *be getting any work done with that stuff there.


. Indeed, trying my best to get things done.


----------



## koenoe




----------



## bluzeboy

curious how do most of you access you music files ?computer audio or something else.


----------



## shane55

bluzeboy said:


> curious how do most of you access you music files ?computer audio or something else.



Computer at home.
DAP on the move.
Files all CD or higher res. Various sources including LP rips.


----------



## CJG888

Mostly LPs 

CD rips on the secondary system or when travelling (ALAC).


----------



## Deftone

bluzeboy said:


> curious how do most of you access you music files ?computer audio or something else.


 
Always buy CDs and then rip to WAV. I don’t like streaming services like tidal, they’re unriliable with the connection and they don’t have all the music I like.


----------



## HungryPanda

I ripped my CD's to flac. At home play on my PC with Foobar or stream via Sonos speakers around the house. Commuting and at work use a dap with various iems or earbuds


----------



## one-eyed-xander




----------



## Deftone

Poang is such a nice chair, listening comfort for hours.


----------



## SeaWo|f




----------



## cardeli22

SeaWo|f said:


>


Wow!


----------



## oyobass

SeaWo|f said:


>


That is truly amazing looking.


----------



## SeaWo|f

Thanks, cabinet took a lot of work. Ordered a normal China cabinet from wayfair, before building it I refinished all surfaces because I didn't like the stock color. Changed the number of shelves and spacing, ditched the flimsy shelf mounts for better ones. Once but built I put a bunch of steel L and corner brackets on to stiffen/stregthen everything. Had custom  half inch glass made because the eighth inch stuff wasn't going to cut it. Replaced the solid back with steel mesh, used rubber grommetting around the holes I cut in the mesh for passing cables. Custom mounted 9 apc headphone hangers to the top and 2 on the side. Custom mount for the 2 nixie clocks. Magnetic lock to keep the kids out. Fixed the door so it shuts properly, 

There may be stuff I'm forgetting.

  But if you don't mind the work you can repurpose stuff for not a lot of added cost, and have something that fits your needs perfectly. The main expense I had was the custom glass, but I could have made wood shelves for cheap.


----------



## Errymoose

I was going to say it looks kinda like a server cabinet with all the black, the glass door and the steel mesh back!


----------



## Deftone

Loving the nixie clock at the top


----------



## SeaWo|f

Errymoose said:


> I was going to say it looks kinda like a server cabinet with all the black, the glass door and the steel mesh back!



I actually looked at those, for the spot next to my desk in my office they were just too deep. I'm also not sure my wife would have gone along with the look. But if you have the room and can get one for a good price a rack is easily adaptable


----------



## oyobass

SeaWo|f said:


> I actually looked at those, for the spot next to my desk in my office they were just too deep. I'm also not sure my wife would have gone along with the look. But if you have the room and can get one for a good price a rack is easily adaptable


The nixie gives it that high-tech retro appearance...
Looks kind of like a Dr. Emmett Brown design. All you need now is to install the Flux Capacitor and visit good ol' 1985.
Job well done, sir.


----------



## SeaWo|f (Mar 22, 2018)

Here is one more shot of the cabinet this time with the door closed. The sides are also that blue/grey color. I laid the color down thick initially then using wet towels slowly rubbed the color off until I had both the color and the wood grain coming through.


----------



## Martin79




----------



## ljperez84 (Mar 29, 2018)

Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.

Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO


----------



## joseph69

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys.


It's awesome???


----------



## oyobass

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.
> 
> Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO


Head-Fi goals.


----------



## nordkapp

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.
> 
> Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO


A man's gotta have his sanctuary. Looks great! Congrats!


----------



## snellemin

Got me a nice deal on the Parasound rack and little  R/EQ150.  The EQ is the poor man Schiit Loki.


----------



## dobigstuff

Old School.  A little cleaning around the house dusted this off.  This HK works great as a Headphone Amp.


----------



## BobG55 (Mar 30, 2018)

Like *dobigstuff*'s post above mine, I'm also _Old School :  (The quality of the photos is so-so.  Taken w/ my MacBook Pro camera)



 
_
My headphone collection hanging in my music & tv room, from left to right : HD600, AKG 340, HD650, PS1000 (original) & AKG 240 Sextett.





Old school for sure : left to right : vintage Sansui AU-719 integrated amplifier, JDS Labs Objective 2 & Teac PD-H600 CD player.  All audio items' "feet" rest on sorbothane.





My main CD collection which consists of the ones I listen to most often.  I have more on the shelf above my headphones which consists mainly of the BeaTles 2009 stereo & mono remastered boxes, the remixed Sgt Pepper deluxe box & the BeaTles #1 remixed deluxe box with CDs & Blu Ray discs.  I'm happy & satisfied with CDs, not being good with technology I don't foresee the day that I'll be downloading music anytime soon.  I'm 62 & retired and this is how I relax.  My wife & I moved from a big city, Ottawa where we were both born & raised, to a small village in Nova Scotia (the Canadian maritimes) into an older but very nice bungalow not far from the ocean and it's beaches.  I enjoy very much being part of this great audiophile fraternity & sisterhood called Head-fi.  There are a lot of very nice people on this site and this coming June, I'll be celebrating my fifth year membership.  I can't thank all of the members enough, who have helped me along the way and given me their time & advice/ suggestions and have shared their musical tastes and humour.

Enjoy the music & thank you.


----------



## hemipowered007

BobG55 said:


> Like *dobigstuff *post above mine, I'm also _Old School :  (The quality of the photos is so-so.  Taken w/ my MacBook Pro camera)
> 
> 
> _
> ...



I really wish all of my cds hadn't gotten stolen not once, but twice, our of my car/truck when I was younger. It would be so nice to have more physical media, there's just something special about having the physical copies that digital media doesn't match the feel of. Oh well, last 150 albums were stolen 12 years ago, not rebuilding that physical collection again! I'm 33 so maybe a tad different, but man I grew up collecting tapes, then cds while my father did the same alongside his vinyl collection I inherited. Digital copies are great for having a ton of music on a dap, but it absolutely cannot take the place of a nice collection of tapes/8track/vinyl/cds


----------



## BobG55

hemipowered007 said:


> I really wish all of my cds hadn't gotten stolen not once, but twice, our of my car/truck when I was younger. It would be so nice to have more physical media, there's just something special about having the physical copies that digital media doesn't match the feel of. Oh well, last 150 albums were stolen 12 years ago, not rebuilding that physical collection again! I'm 33 so maybe a tad different, but man I grew up collecting tapes, then cds while my father did the same alongside his vinyl collection I inherited. Digital copies are great for having a ton of music on a dap, but it absolutely cannot take the place of a nice collection of tapes/8track/vinyl/cds



That's the pits, twice at that.  It's maddening. Inheriting your dad's vinyl collection is pretty cool.  I wish I had kept mine.  When CDs came out I sold most of my vinyl & regretted it later.  The main thing is you have your music in which ever format it's in and in the end, that's what really counts isn't it.  Thanks for sharing *hemipowered007 *& hang on to those vinyls.


----------



## BobG55

CJG888 said:


> Now we’re in business


----------



## dobigstuff

Vinyl Station:


----------



## ScOgLiO

dobigstuff said:


> Vinyl Station



Hooooly crap...
Quite a collection


----------



## weebull

dobigstuff said:


> Vinyl Station:



wow that's impressive , makes me wish I kept my old vynils


----------



## GU1DO

Martin79 said:


>


nice gear ,, 
what cable you are using from the DAC to the Amp ?
its so thick


----------



## dobigstuff

weebull said:


> wow that's impressive , makes me wish I kept my old vinyls



Thanks.


----------



## ahmadfaizadnan

My setup for April.


----------



## gken92 (Apr 5, 2018)

Modi 2 Uber (not pictured, got it cheap for like 50 bucks lol) -> Audio-Gd NFB-1 Amp -> Sennheiser HD800 SDR


----------



## stuck limo

Full setup:

PC > Light Harmonic Revive > LH Geek Out 2A SE > Schiit Valhalla 2 > Senn 800. generally speaking


----------



## dgindlespergerd

Wood box is raspberry pi 3 running dac and Rune audio. Simple and clean.


----------



## ljperez84

dgindlespergerd said:


> Wood box is raspberry pi 3 running dac and Rune audio. Simple and clean.



Raspberrys FTW! They can be amazing little devices for our audio setups. And there are plenty of great DAC , Amp and Digital output boards out there.


----------



## ScOgLiO

dgindlespergerd said:


> Wood box is raspberry pi 3 running dac and Rune audio. Simple and clean.



Is that a Superscope receiver? It looks quite similar to the one my father has in the living room


----------



## hemipowered007

ScOgLiO said:


> Is that a Superscope receiver? It looks quite similar to the one my father has in the living room



Pretty sure it's a pioneer sx, lower wattage 727/636 or something. My sx727 has the red pioneer badge there and similar knob placement. My kids have beaten it up pretty good, it's due for another refurb.


----------



## tricolor (Apr 10, 2018)

Hey folks,
decided to move around some furniture and make myself my lil sanctuary and meditation corner, hehe
Also, it doubles as my editing station... 


 

Hackintosh with mostly WAV & AIFF files, toslink to Schiit's Bifrost and Valhalla 2, ADC Sound Shaper ONE and an old Sony receiver hooked up to KEF Q700 speakers along with Grado GS1000i and DT700 Pro 250 Ohm     and enjoying the tunes on my lap, every so often, my cat...


----------



## cardeli22

Cool looking cat.


----------



## penmarker

I agree, the cat is very good looking.


----------



## joseph69

.


----------



## cardeli22

joseph69 said:


> .


Their small heads wouldn't stretch our headphones as much vs a big dog. LOL who knows.


----------



## joseph69

You read my post faster than I could delete it...that I can't believe!


----------



## cardeli22

I get email notifications for some of the threads, including this one. LOL nothing is ever deleted on the internet.


----------



## joseph69

cardeli22 said:


> I get email notifications for some of the threads, including this one. LOL nothing is ever deleted on the internet.


Forgot about the email notifications.


----------



## knopi

Only borrowed Clear, good headphone but missing a little weight in sound with them so there are better hp for longer listening, anyway could be interesting try them with separate amp Clear has sure potencial to be good.


----------



## ScOgLiO

hemipowered007 said:


> Pretty sure it's a pioneer sx, lower wattage 727/636 or something. My sx727 has the red pioneer badge there and similar knob placement. My kids have beaten it up pretty good, it's due for another refurb.



You're right, I now noticed the red Pioneer logo


----------



## tricolor (Apr 8, 2018)

Thanks for the compliments! she appreciates it!  I  love animals in general, but yeah, cats are quite impressive. Maybe their character fits better the profile of audio lovers... sadly some have quite  snobby attitudes!  They search for the perfect spot to make a « nest »... they love details... it kind of reminds me of some of us, humans!


----------



## dgindlespergerd

hemipowered007 said:


> Pretty sure it's a pioneer sx, lower wattage 727/636 or something. My sx727 has the red pioneer badge there and similar knob placement. My kids have beaten it up pretty good, it's due for another refurb.


Yep, good eye


----------



## ourfpshero

New dac and fave cans:


----------



## shane55

hemipowered007 said:


> Pretty sure it's a pioneer sx, lower wattage 727/636 or something. My sx727 has the red pioneer badge there and similar knob placement. My kids have beaten it up pretty good, it's due for another refurb.



Great ol' amp. I gots me one of these...


----------



## koover




----------



## koover




----------



## nordkapp

koover said:


>


Moving up I see. Congrats!


----------



## Bastianpp (Apr 10, 2018)

My  '' end '' game ♥_♥


----------



## DJtheAudiophile

Some new toys.


----------



## Adu




----------



## Roderick

Not pretty but it works. Did not even clean the table so it is very current like thread title says


----------



## tricolor

Roderick said:


> Not pretty but it works. Did not even clean the table so it is very current like thread title says



Sweeeeet, looks like some really serious amp there... 

Cheers!


----------



## Roderick

tricolor said:


> Sweeeeet, looks like some really serious amp there...
> 
> Cheers!



Thanks! It's 1st version spl phonitor. Designed for high impedance headphones.  1.6W @600ohms. Not the ideal amp for me right now because I sold T1,hd600 and k340 but it does a good job driving jvc ha-dx1000 and I'm too accustomed to the crossfeed function


----------



## tricolor

tricolor said:


> Hey folks,
> decided to move around some furniture and make myself my lil sanctuary and meditation corner, hehe
> Also, it doubles as my editing station...
> 
> ...



Hey folks... if I keep the volume "down"  when using HIGH gain instead of LOW gain with the Valhalla 2... would I have longer tube life? I don't mind shortening the lives of my tubes if the quality sounds better, but of course, if I can " extend"  it somehow, why not? 

Thanks!


----------



## MWSVette

tricolor said:


> Hey folks... if I keep the volume "down"  when using HIGH gain instead of LOW gain with the Valhalla 2... would I have longer tube life? I don't mind shortening the lives of my tubes if the quality sounds better, but of course, if I can " extend"  it somehow, why not?
> 
> Thanks!



That question is a little off topic for this thread.  You may get more information here;

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread.619910/


----------



## tricolor

Thanks!  Sorry ' bout that...


----------



## wwmhf

Is that a Yarland 100?


----------



## Adu

wwmhf said:


> Is that a Yarland 100?



 Yes indeed, it’s Yarland P100 (2008 edition).


----------



## wwmhf

Adu said:


> Yes indeed, it’s Yarland P100 (2008 edition).



Great! I have one myself. I do not know what is the edition, but it is not the early edition for sure.


----------



## thinker (Apr 16, 2018)

*OTL  300B *with *HD-800* and *Perun *electrostatic system and *Moth 2A3*


----------



## wwmhf

thinker said:


> OTL  300B with HD-800 and Perun electrostatic system



These are really unique setups!!


----------



## wemedge

Current state of my head-fi station: MHA 100 came in earlier this week, finally opened and set up this weekend. Mostly the tabby monster has taken possession,  but she lets me use it when she is not sitting on it.

In my other setup, the Median Prime also runs the Vali 2.


----------



## joseph69

Congratulations!
Remind me to never by anything from you.


----------



## koven

Debating a new stand, it's a bit cramped!


----------



## wemedge

joseph69 said:


> Congratulations!
> Remind me to never by anything from you.



Ha. If you’re referring to me, no, I never sell anything, so no danger there- and even if i did I would disclose the pet thing...


----------



## wwmhf

wemedge said:


> Current state of my head-fi station: MHA 100 came in earlier this week, finally opened and set up this weekend. Mostly the tabby monster has taken possession,  but she lets me use it when she is not sitting on it.
> 
> In my other setup, the Median Prime also runs the Vali 2.
> 
> ...


----------



## tricolor

wemedge said:


> Current state of my head-fi station: MHA 100 came in earlier this week, finally opened and set up this weekend. Mostly the tabby monster has taken possession,  but she lets me use it when she is not sitting on it.
> 
> In my other setup, the Median Prime also runs the Vali 2.



Nice cat!  

I'm pretty sure she's happy too with the BOX... yeah, the amp feels nice and WARM too... but nothing beats a cardboard box!    

Cheers!


----------



## waveSounds

Sad to see such little love on Head-Fi for the Dangerous Music Source. Such a beast of a DAC/Amp


----------



## genewiseman

Realistic SA -150 amp and Samson SR850 headphones. Probably the cheapest set-up on the thread. It doesn't sound bad though.


----------



## DJtheAudiophile




----------



## bmahe (Apr 21, 2018)

My home office system:

Raspberry Pi with Digi+ card (Soon to be replaced by an Allo Digione)
Volumio
Audiophonics USB linear power supply
Schiit Bifrost (4490) & Valhalla
Beyerdynamics T1


----------



## Hyp0xia

Most of my listening is done here.


----------



## spanner43




----------



## MickeyVee

wemedge said:


> Current state of my head-fi station: MHA 100 came in earlier this week, finally opened and set up this weekend. Mostly the tabby monster has taken possession,  but she lets me use it when she is not sitting on it.
> 
> In my other setup, the Median Prime also runs the Vali 2.


Congrats on the MHA100 - had my version of it {MXA70 with the matching McIntosh speakers} for about 3 years now and love it.  Pretty much my end game.


----------



## JamesCanada

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.
> 
> Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO



That chair.... Need Name... NOw... please!


----------



## big45-70

Everything runs off a dragonfly black mounted under the desk for easy plug and play,  you can see it slightly in the bottom right.


----------



## MDR30

genewiseman said:


> Realistic SA -150 amp and Samson SR850 headphones. Probably the cheapest set-up on the thread. It doesn't sound bad though.



Good for you! We need more like this, low cost options that provide musical pleasure.


----------



## Jerseyboy

Latest incarnation. Main rig. Latest additions, Townshend Seismic platforms and dCS Rossini and Master Clock. Roon streaming through dCS (from Synology NAS) is as good if not better than from the Aurender W20 via the Rossini (quite a surprise!!) Using Apex Pinnacle to act as pre-amp for Blue Hawaii - provides more presence and bass to the Blue Hawaii and removes any trace of treble emphasis in the SR009s - overall the most organic sound I've yet heard !!!


----------



## shane55

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest incarnation. Main rig. Latest additions, Townshend Seismic platforms and dCS Rossini and Master Clock. Roon streaming through dCS (from Synology NAS) is as good if not better than from the Aurender W20 via the Rossini (quite a surprise!!) Using Apex Pinnacle to act as pre-amp for Blue Hawaii - provides more presence and bass to the Blue Hawaii and removes any trace of treble emphasis in the SR009s - overall the most organic sound I've yet heard !!!



Whoa!!!


----------



## nordkapp (Apr 28, 2018)




----------



## bobbyblack

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.
> 
> Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO


Beautiful,perfect setup for headphone listening,no distraction,only a comfortable nice chair(you really don't need tv there).


----------



## nordkapp

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest incarnation. Main rig. Latest additions, Townshend Seismic platforms and dCS Rossini and Master Clock. Roon streaming through dCS (from Synology NAS) is as good if not better than from the Aurender W20 via the Rossini (quite a surprise!!) Using Apex Pinnacle to act as pre-amp for Blue Hawaii - provides more presence and bass to the Blue Hawaii and removes any trace of treble emphasis in the SR009s - overall the most organic sound I've yet heard !!!


Man, this is some serious *hardware!!*


----------



## twitch133

This is what I have setup, just under a year since buying my first pair of headphones, that were not a dedicated gaming headset.

My listening station is also a gaming station, and a work station. I do just about everything from that chair. And... A little green listening companion included.


----------



## tricolor

twitch133 said:


> This is what I have setup, just under a year since buying my first pair of headphones, that were not a dedicated gaming headset.
> 
> My listening station is also a gaming station, and a work station. I do just about everything from that chair. And... A little green listening companion included.


Nice setup! 
Were you able to get a black edition of the Valhalla 2? or did you paint it black? I didn’t know they had it black, thought it was just the previous version....  

cheers!


----------



## twitch133

tricolor said:


> Nice setup!
> Were you able to get a black edition of the Valhalla 2? or did you paint it black? I didn’t know they had it black, thought it was just the previous version....
> 
> cheers!



Thanks!!! Now I just need a bigger desk!

 I was able to get it in black!!! I just wish that I was able to get the rest of my gear in black too... lol. I don't think that the Modi / Magni are offered in black, and I could not find a DACMagic in black, in stock to save my life


----------



## nordkapp

twitch133 said:


> This is what I have setup, just under a year since buying my first pair of headphones, that were not a dedicated gaming headset.
> 
> My listening station is also a gaming station, and a work station. I do just about everything from that chair. And... A little green listening companion included.


Haha. That Bird is awesome! And so is the rig...


----------



## koven

Repurposed my coffee table, still waiting for a Woo stand to arrive for the headphones..!


----------



## SilverEars

Wow, lots of great music temples people built here.  Very classy looking setups.


----------



## Hyp0xia

Added a HeadAmp Gilmore Lite Mk2 to my station because my beyerdynamic A20 isn't particularly well suited to drive my lower impedance headphones.


----------



## QueueCumber

twitch133 said:


> This is what I have setup, just under a year since buying my first pair of headphones, that were not a dedicated gaming headset.
> 
> My listening station is also a gaming station, and a work station. I do just about everything from that chair. And... A little green listening companion included.



More importantly, what games are you playing right now, and what's your rig build?


----------



## QueueCumber

koven said:


> Repurposed my coffee table, still waiting for a Woo stand to arrive for the headphones..!



Likewise, what's your PC rig build and what are you playing on it?


----------



## twitch133

QueueCumber said:


> More importantly, what games are you playing right now, and what's your rig build?



I have my build on this post https://www.head-fi.org/threads/post-your-computer-specs.256621/page-152#post-14205129

Right now I am kind of in between games. Battlefield 1 was a huge disappointment for me. 

I put a crap load of hours into rainbow six siege, but I am burnt out on that. So I have been bouncing back and forth between Sea of Thieves, BF 1 and Siege. Just making the rounds as I get tire of each one.

And, occupying some of my time with new single player games, such as Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War (I know, both PS4) Subnautica...


----------



## oshipao

This and some Dylan tonight.


----------



## koven

QueueCumber said:


> Likewise, what's your PC rig build and what are you playing on it?



Nothing fancy, just a 2600K + 1080. I play PUBG mainly.


----------



## mahesvara

@koven your coffee table is awesome! I'm thinking of getting an Yggdrasil myself. Where can I buy one like yours?


----------



## koven (May 1, 2018)

mahesvara said:


> @koven your coffee table is awesome! I'm thinking of getting an Yggdrasil myself. Where can I buy one like yours?



Thanks! Here is the one I have: https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/wade-logan-delwood-coffee-table-wlgn3081.html?piid=19767764


----------



## Sgt. Ear Ache

My modest little station...


----------



## CJG888

Turned out that the Jico stylus wasn’t a “super analogue” after all, but a rather ordinary (presumably bonded ) elliptical. Hence, both detail and tracking are a little disappointing. Have ordered an Audio Technica AT440MLb (now discontinued, but very light, high compliance and a champion tracker) and, crucially, downloaded the correct Stevenson alignment protractor. Getting the best out of an early SME3009/II “Improved” is an art...


----------



## CJG888

Oh, and it sounds better without the record weight!


----------



## kid vic

CJG888 said:


> Oh, and it sounds better without the record weight!



HERESY!


----------



## CJG888

It looks cool and keeps the record nice and flat. The soundstage is a bit wider, but it also bleeds out every last ounce of PRaT!


----------



## CJG888

I might try one of those Clearaudio lightweight clamps.

I’ve fitted the AT440MLB. Much more detail, incredible dynamics, but quite a brash treble. I’m hoping this will settle down with burn-in. I miss the Shure “bloom” and soundstage, but am enjoying the added speed, slam and impact.

Is the AT440MLB a Decca London for the people?


----------



## CJG888

Current state of play:


----------



## shane55 (May 3, 2018)

The AT440MLA has been a workhorse of mine for many years. Microline is a tracking and detail king!! Brash highs?? Absolutely. Will they calm down? Um... marginally.
A 'somewhat similar' sound, but more round, less bright and tracks at least as well... ATOC9 (MC).
Of course, right now I've got the Hana SL on the arm, which by comparison to either of the above sounds like it's muffled and dull (but it's wonderful...).

Sorry for the slightly OT. Congrats on a great refurbish!!


----------



## kid vic

I want to get a shure cart, their stopping production on all carts soon!




CJG888 said:


> I might try one of those Clearaudio lightweight clamps.
> 
> I’ve fitted the AT440MLB. Much more detail, incredible dynamics, but quite a brash treble. I’m hoping this will settle down with burn-in. I miss the Shure “bloom” and soundstage, but am enjoying the added speed, slam and impact.
> 
> Is the AT440MLB a Decca London for the people?


----------



## CJG888

They haven’t made a V15 for a while...

Their current offerings aren’t in the same league. You will need to get something off Ebay and fit a Jico stylus.


----------



## CJG888 (May 4, 2018)

shane55 said:


> The AT440MLA has been a workhorse of mine for many years. Microline is a tracking and detail king!! Brash highs?? Absolutely. Will they calm down? Um... marginally.
> A 'somewhat similar' sound, but more round, less bright and tracks at least as well... ATOC9 (MC).
> Of course, right now I've got the Hana SL on the arm, which by comparison to either of the above sounds like it's muffled and dull (but it's wonderful...).
> 
> Sorry for the slightly OT. Congrats on a great refurbish!!



I actually have an OC9 (Original Mk 1 version), which I had retipped with a Shibata by Expert Stylus around 2000 or so. I was going to press this into service again, but found that the cantilever wasn’t parallel with the cartridge body (it looks as if something has happened to the suspension). I hoped that the 440MLb might be a better match for the SME3009, due to its light weight and high compliance. So far, so good.

I may do the Shure thing again, only with a Type III and a SAS stylus.

V15 = V8, AT440MLb = flat 6


----------



## shane55

CJG888 said:


> I actually have an OC9 (Original Mk 1 version), which I had retipped with a Shibata by Expert Stylus around 2000 or so. I was going to press this into service again, but found that the cantilever wasn’t parallel with the cartridge body (it looks as if something has happened to the suspension). I hoped that the 440MLb might be a better match for the SME3009, due to its light weight and high compliance. So far, so good.
> 
> I may do the Shure thing again, only with a Type III and a SAS stylus.
> 
> *V15 = V8, AT440MLb = flat 6*



Funny analogy.
I really wish I could combine features from one cart with those of another.
If I could take the impact and speed of the 440, the weight and depth of the Hana and mix those with the silky, amazingly smooth extended highs of the OC9... that would be the perfect cart.


----------



## CJG888

Sounds like you’re looking for a Grace F9E with Soundsmith stylus. Not cheap, though, or easy to find


----------



## shane55

CJG888 said:


> Sounds like you’re looking for a Grace F9E with Soundsmith stylus. Not cheap, though, or easy to find



Not looking at all... hahaha... 

But good to know.


----------



## chef8489

Lyr 3 came in today. Guess I can sell my Mimby and my Vali 2 now.


----------



## CJG888

I’m astounded by the bass extension of the AT440MLB. It’s not overblown or exaggerated, but it’s all there, and has real impact. I’m currently enjoying my old Pablo jazz LPs - had forgotten how well-recorded they are!


----------



## HungryPanda (May 6, 2018)

oops


----------



## genewiseman

I have just about completed my vintage Radio Shack system. I have a Realistic Lab-290 turntable, an SA-150 integrated amp, a TM-102 am/fm tuner, and Minimus 7 speakers. The headphones are Samson SR850's. It was all made for Radio Shack back in my high school days except for the headphones. They were cheap and sound really good for the price I paid.
Thanks for looking,
Gene


----------



## Left Channel

Yup. That's how I remember my Radio Shack setup from back in the day: blurry. It's all blurry. And hazy. Very hazy.


----------



## jaywillin

Left Channel said:


> Yup. That's how I remember my Radio Shack setup from back in the day: blurry. It's all blurry. And hazy. Very hazy.



LOL !


----------



## fiascogarcia

Left Channel said:


> Yup. That's how I remember my Radio Shack setup from back in the day: blurry. It's all blurry. And hazy. Very hazy.


May I have your Avatar's phone number?


----------



## nick n

genewiseman said:


> I have just about completed my vintage Radio Shack system. I have a Realistic Lab-290 turntable, an SA-150 integrated amp, a TM-102 am/fm tuner, and Minimus 7 speakers. The headphones are Samson SR850's. It was all made for Radio Shack back in my high school days except for the headphones. They were cheap and sound really good for the price I paid.
> Thanks for looking,
> Gene



Nice. I still own the SA-102 AMP and that same tuner. It's been rock solid  for years. I have it in the work setup.

How do you like the turntable?


----------



## Left Channel

fiascogarcia said:


> May I have your Avatar's phone number?



Sure. 1-800-V-MODA-LA 

Or you could ask her friend out.


----------



## genewiseman

nick n said:


> Nice. I still own the SA-102 AMP and that same tuner. It's been rock solid  for years. I have it in the work setup.
> 
> How do you like the turntable?


 I have just had the turntable for a week or so but I like it. The automatic functions are not working and I need to tear into it and see if I can get it all working like it should. I put a new stylus and belt on it and have just been using it manually for now. I am completely satisfied with it's performance though.


----------



## nefilim

It's like the unofficial schiit fan club in here


----------



## Jerseyboy

Desktop electrostatic rig for the study using the dCS Network Bridge + Roon + Synology NAS as source. Problem now is concentrating on my work !!


----------



## koover

nefilim said:


> It's like the unofficial schiit fan club in here


Yessire. When they sell at that price and have the quality they do? He!! Yeah!!!


----------



## IndieGradoFan




----------



## snapple10




----------



## interweb-tech

The first full day with new Jotunheim Multibit. Can't decide which to listen to first. Out of frame are the JBL 305s and the outgoing Audio-gd R2R-11 (unless I figure out how to get them both to share 1 USB signal). Did the Lawton DYI mod on the Fostex today too.




 .


----------



## Deaj




----------



## fixated




----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## shane55

interweb-tech said:


>



Great Audio-gd DAC. I love mine.


----------



## Silent One

snapple10 said:


>




Presented quite nicely...


----------



## tracyca

Little amp off!


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## koenoe




----------



## tricolor

Wow! Congrats on your sweeeeeeet looking setup!  What's the monitor size/model?
Cheers!




koenoe said:


>


----------



## koenoe

tricolor said:


> Wow! Congrats on your sweeeeeeet looking setup!  What's the monitor size/model?
> Cheers!



Thanks! LG 34UC99-W


----------



## Preachy1 (May 18, 2018)

One of three stations.


----------



## joseph69

@koenoe 
Tastefully done!
What is that your MBP is sitting in, I've never seen anything like it?


----------



## koenoe

joseph69 said:


> @koenoe
> Tastefully done!
> What is that your MBP is sitting in, I've never seen anything like it?



Thanks! It’s called the arch stand from Twelve South I think


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## waveSounds

koenoe said:


>



#threadover


----------



## gibby

All I need really.


----------



## alphanumerix1

koenoe said:


>



YOU WIN

Edit: where are the headphones though?


----------



## ZappaMan

alphanumerix1 said:


> YOU WIN
> 
> Edit: where are the headphones though?


This guy only has 1 speaker - amateur!


----------



## alphanumerix1

ZappaMan said:


> This guy only has 1 speaker - amateur!



yeah weird


----------



## CJG888

Looks more like an iPhone dock to me...


----------



## ZappaMan

CJG888 said:


> Looks more like an iPhone dock to me...


You are correct - they must keep it pure with head phones.


----------



## Redcarmoose

alphanumerix1 said:


> yeah weird


----------



## nick n

Love that cabinet mount for the Quad tuner and preamp. Thanks for the picture!


----------



## Speednut




----------



## HungryPanda

Speednut said:


>


Very nice setup


----------



## joseph69

Speednut said:


>


NIce!What headphone stand is that?


----------



## Speednut

joseph69 said:


> NIce!What headphone stand is that?



it's a ROOM headphone stand

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rooms-headphone-stands.608607/


----------



## Mightygrey




----------



## joseph69

Mightygrey said:


>


Nice shot!


----------



## Mightygrey

joseph69 said:


> Nice shot!


Thanks mate!


----------



## alphanumerix1

Mightygrey said:


>


----------



## bobbyblack

Mightygrey said:


>


V.nice..i miss my sold HD580's.


----------



## CJG888

Which tubes are you using in the Crack?


----------



## Kermeli (May 24, 2018)

My stack


----------



## vinekly (May 24, 2018)




----------



## kid vic

vinekly said:


>



Your S.O. must be the all time most loving!


----------



## vinekly

Well yeah she is pretty tolerant of my audiofool habits but luckily she likes headphones too.  I have multiple amps so we can listen together and with open headphones you can still talk to each other


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


>


Mid century modern! Love it!


----------



## BoomBox

Got something fascinating in the mail today!


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## Maalis

PC setup:





Living room setup:


----------



## wwmhf

vinekly said:


>



I like that chaotic listening station!


----------



## Ducker

koenoe said:


>


Very nice!!


----------



## bmichels

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest incarnation. Main rig. Latest additions, Townshend Seismic platforms and dCS Rossini and Master Clock. Roon streaming through dCS (from Synology NAS) is as good if not better than from the Aurender W20 via the Rossini (quite a surprise!!) Using Apex Pinnacle to act as pre-amp for Blue Hawaii - provides more presence and bass to the Blue Hawaii and removes any trace of treble emphasis in the SR009s - overall the most organic sound I've yet heard !!!



Whaow !! this is something.   You came a long way since our last exchanges ! congratulation, this must be the best BHSE set-up in the whole word !


----------



## bmichels

oshipao said:


> This and some Dylan tonight.



Is it a SME 3009 tone arm that you are using ?   with which cartrige ? 

thanks


----------



## oshipao

bmichels said:


> Is it a SME 3009 tone arm that you are using ?   with which cartrige ?
> 
> thanks



Yes, it is a SME 3009-R and I am using a Ortofon Quintet Black with it.


----------



## RollsDownWindowsManually




----------



## LoryWiv

Living room setup:


Do I see the ZMF Auteur on the right? I just ordered one, how are you enjoying yours.

BTW I'm hunting for new HF stands, love the nice wood on both of yours. What are they / where did you buy?


----------



## Maalis

LoryWiv said:


> Do I see the ZMF Auteur on the right? I just ordered one, how are you enjoying yours.
> 
> BTW I'm hunting for new HF stands, love the nice wood on both of yours. What are they / where did you buy?



Yep it's Auteur, sounds lovely with WA2. HE-560 stand is from Rooms audio, the Auteur stand I got from Etsy.


----------



## LoryWiv (May 31, 2018)

Nice, congrats on a beautiful looking (and sounding) setup!


----------



## Maalis

LoryWiv said:


> Nce, congrats on a beautiful looking (and sounding) setup!


Thanks, I might get some Stax to complete the lineup so I would have planar, dynamic and estat available to me. I'm just afraid of Stax sounding too good and surpassing the others...


----------



## bmichels

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest incarnation. Main rig. Latest additions, Townshend Seismic platforms and dCS Rossini and Master Clock. Roon streaming through dCS (from Synology NAS) is as good if not better than from the Aurender W20 via the Rossini (quite a surprise!!) Using Apex Pinnacle to act as pre-amp for Blue Hawaii - provides more presence and bass to the Blue Hawaii and removes any trace of treble emphasis in the SR009s - overall the most organic sound I've yet heard !!!




Dear Jerseyboy,
Since I have myself a BHSE + SR009, as you know, and I am considering improving it's source (I am considering the Rossini, the Brinkmann Nyquist, the Aurender ARIESG2+VEGAG2+LEO masterclock, and the NAGRA HD DAC (which unfortunately has no Ethernet input/roon compatibility). 

So, I wonder if you could comment on the Rossini associated to the BHSE/SR009 . Indeed, a while ago I tested the Rossini with my BHSE, and found it a little dry/analytic compared to, for example, the NAGRA HD DAC, but this was few years ago, with an older firmware . So could you tell us why you chosed the Rossini, which, when associated to his master clock, is almost in the same price range than a NAGRA ? Don't you have some time the feeling that it is may be too analytic and not engaging/musical enough ? 

Also, can you comment on the Seismic isolation platform ? are they really a big difference in sound ? what is the cost ? are there some composants like amps for example under which they are more useful than other composants or do you think they need to be under each periferal ? 

thanks a lot in advance for your advices...


----------



## ratrace

New setup @work with Focal Clear and M9xx. Loving it!


----------



## dgindlespergerd

Need a bigger nightstand


----------



## waveSounds

Latest addition.

<3


----------



## FullBright1




----------



## Magic77

FullBright1 said:


>


Wow! What a coincidence! I just bought the Neve amp and same Headphones. Cool!


----------



## Shoewreck

I haven't tried to build myself a headamp for a decade. A decade of poor sound it was.
 
Pure class A drains batteries too fast, so I need a good linear power supply asap.


----------



## koven

Some A/B action this weekend..


----------



## alphanumerix1

oh wow


----------



## Gavin C4 (Jun 22, 2018)

The Clear getting 120% at the moment.


----------



## albertmuc

Mac    →   RME Adi-2 Dac   →   Beyerdynamic T1.2


----------



## alphanumerix1

super clean love that room headphone stand.


----------



## ratrace (Jun 12, 2018)

Focal Clear with iFi iStack > Gemini > iFi iUSB > iFi iDAC > iTube > iCan.

Old is gold. At least with Headphone!!  Terrible hissing with my IEMs though..


----------



## Rhamnetin

Not shown is my ZMF Blackwood, but I only really use the Ori (pictured) at home as far as headphones go. I really need to get rid of some of this stuff that isn't being used...


----------



## ratrace

Rhamnetin said:


> Not shown is my ZMF Blackwood, but I only really use the Ori (pictured) at home as far as headphones go. I really need to get rid of some of this stuff that isn't being used...



What a nice rig you have there!! what cable are you using with Hugo 2??


----------



## Rhamnetin

ratrace said:


> What a nice rig you have there!! what cable are you using with Hugo 2??



Thanks. I use Kimber Kable Hero ultraplate RCA interconnects with Neutrick RCA to XLR adapters to connect to the Pure BiPolar.


----------



## riffrafff

Took this a couple of days ago.  My 6xx 'phones were on my head.  (Sorry 'bout the pic; I hate direct flash, and I was using a phone, so, hand-held in existing light.)

 

Eitr on its way.


----------



## HungryPanda

My work setup tonight


----------



## atarione (Jun 15, 2018)

spring clean... my back may never be the same... but pretty pleased w/ the results





edit:: do note rats nest of cables under left monitor will be sorted out later... I was starting to get tired / grumpy and running out of time so kinda didn't sort that out right now.


----------



## nick n

what turntable have you got there?


----------



## atarione

nick n said:


> what turntable have you got there?



Hitachi PS-48 direct driver turntable.. (circa ~1977)

cheers


----------



## shane55

atarione said:


> Hitachi PS-48 direct driver turntable.. (circa ~1977)
> 
> cheers



Some nice vintage gear there...


----------



## nordkapp (Jun 15, 2018)

The amp in this DAC3 is remarkably decent. It's not a BHA-1 replacement, but it's something I can comfortably live with for the sake of convenience.


----------



## nick n

atarione said:


> Hitachi PS-48 direct driver turntable.. (circa ~1977)
> 
> cheers



Thanks for the reply there,
,now you have me looking at them.


----------



## koiloco




----------



## Pharmaboy

here goes nothing: 3 pix from my asylum cell (aka "home office") where i've made a living for 17 years. The past 10 yrs featured real desktop audio, metastasizing into headphone audio in last 3 years.

when you look at 1st picture below (showing my backup computer; ACT SCM12 Pros; Wyred4Sound ST-500 amp; Marchand XM44 electronic crossover)--you're actually seeing the part of the desk I rarely use. 90 degrees to the left of this section (on the L-section of the desk) is a laptop + monitor + secondary HP station, currently consisting of Audio GD DAC-10 + Liquid Carbon) and 32" flatscreen TV in the corner.

Not shown anywhere are 2 other HP amps/preamps and another 5-6 headphones tucked out of sight.

(it's disturbing how many electronics devices are in this room...)

PS: yes, those are christmas lights...they circle the room. I light them up every night all year long.


----------



## Vipu

Pharmaboy said:


> here goes nothing: 3 pix from my asylum cell (aka "home office") where i've made a living for 17 years. The past 10 yrs featured real desktop audio, metastasizing into headphone audio in last 3 years.
> 
> when you look at 1st picture below (showing my backup computer; ACT SCM12 Pros; Wyred4Sound ST-500 amp; Marchand XM44 electronic crossover)--you're actually seeing the part of the desk I rarely use. 90 degrees to the left of this section (on the L-section of the desk) is a laptop + monitor + secondary HP station, currently consisting of Audio GD DAC-10 + Liquid Carbon) and 32" flatscreen TV in the corner.
> 
> ...



What is that silver box with blue light left side of your pc tower?


----------



## lugnut

Vipu said:


> What is that silver box with blue light left side of your pc tower?


I am not the owner, but I am going to guess it is Wyred4Sound ST-500 amplifier !


----------



## ATau

Pharmaboy said:


> (it's disturbing how many electronics devices are in this room...)



I'm really surprised that you use such great DACs and Amps "just" to drive a Fidelio X2! (or is it an X1?)


----------



## ATau

I finally got some headphone covers to protect my toys


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> here goes nothing: 3 pix from my asylum cell (aka "home office") where i've made a living for 17 years. The past 10 yrs featured real desktop audio, metastasizing into headphone audio in last 3 years.
> 
> when you look at 1st picture below (showing my backup computer; ACT SCM12 Pros; Wyred4Sound ST-500 amp; Marchand XM44 electronic crossover)--you're actually seeing the part of the desk I rarely use. 90 degrees to the left of this section (on the L-section of the desk) is a laptop + monitor + secondary HP station, currently consisting of Audio GD DAC-10 + Liquid Carbon) and 32" flatscreen TV in the corner.
> 
> ...


 I'll give you $20 for that mouse pad!!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

ATau said:


> I'm really surprised that you use such great DACs and Amps "just" to drive a Fidelio X2! (or is it an X1?)



Well, the X2s do scale up w/better amps...to a point.

But there are other headphones not shown in these pictures:

ZMF Ori
Audeze LCD-2.1/pre-fazor
Marantz MPH-2
Akai Professional 50X (heavily modded by @Slater; reviewed vs stock 1-2 wks ago)
A heavily modded HD650s (review of that vs stock HD650 in ~1 wk)
I've spent weeks listening to a borrowed ZMF Eikon & LCD-2/fazor, and in this room briefly heard a modded HD800 and LCD-3/fazor
Had ZMF Atticus, E-Mu Teak, AKG K553, Sony MDR Z7, Status Audio CB-1, JVC HA-SZ1000, Fostex/Massdrop TH-X00, Onkyo A800 (all sold)
Audeze LCD-3/pre-fazor arrives Thursday


----------



## Pharmaboy

ATau said:


> I finally got some headphone covers to protect my toys



Clear headphone covers--GENIUS!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> I'll give you $20 for that mouse pad!!!!!



I'll take $30! 

Funny you'd say that. As you can see, the pad is shot...used it for years w/wired mire (+ wore out numerous other pads). Finally put it away a couple weeks ago. The 2 cordless mice I use now actually work better w/o a pad.

Realized last night after posting pix that I underestimated the time I've spent in this home office. 

Used it somewhat less that F.T. for different jobs/freelance work from 1995 to 2001 (work involving some travel/onsite days/wk) 
Starting in 2001 it was F.T. home office. Workflow fluctuated wildly, going from very little to a LOT starting ~2004 
From 2004 to 2012 I worked 7 days/wk, ~50-75 hrs in this office 
I've gone through 4 STEELCASE orthopedic chairs w/another on the way 

I'll be happy to make recommendations for chairs if anyone has that need...finally found an excellent source for high quality used office chairs. When you sit for a living, what you sit on totally matters.


----------



## ATau

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, the X2s do scale up w/better amps...to a point.
> 
> But there are other headphones not shown in these pictures:
> 
> ...



right, gotcha! interesting that you would keep the X2 having sold all these nice headphones. Maybe I should get a pair myself.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ATau said:


> right, gotcha! interesting that you would keep the X2 having sold all these nice headphones. Maybe I should get a pair myself.



You really should. The X2s were my first "serious" headphone--the first headphones that I loved the sound of. A fun, ear-friendly, musical sound: somewhat bassy w/some warmth (not too much), and wide/diffuse, spacious soundstaging. I started out w/them on my first DAC/amp, the FiiO E10K (another true sonic over-achiever). Then stepped up to my first serious amp, the Lake People G109-A (very fine SE amp)...and the X2s stepped right up with it. Fantastic sound that helped push me further into this hobby.  

There's way more to headphones than sell price. Some designs just "get it right," hitting the mark in nearly every performance area. The X2s are one such design.

I have more expensive HPs that do soundstaging somewhat less & differently than the X2s. Sometimes use the X2s to zero in how a given headphone's soundstaging compares to others.


----------



## Errymoose

Pharmaboy said:


> I'll be happy to make recommendations for chairs if anyone has that need...finally found an excellent source for high quality used office chairs. When you sit for a living, what you sit on totally matters.


Huge fan of my ergohuman chair.

You have a great setup in that office


----------



## lugnut

ATau said:


> I finally got some headphone covers to protect my toys


Can you give a link for these ? Thanks


----------



## ATau

lugnut said:


> Can you give a link for these ? Thanks



Got them second hand so no direct link, but if you search for "Stax CPC-1" on google you'll find quite a few online shops that sell these


----------



## Preachy1

"I'll be happy to make recommendations for chairs if anyone has that need...finally found an excellent source for high quality used office chairs. When you sit for a living, what you sit on totally matters."

I recently invested in a gently used Herman Miller Aeron.  One of the best purchases I've ever made!!!!


----------



## ebjarrell

waveSounds said:


> Not quite finished the painting yet...


How is the foam pad on the Shures working?


----------



## FullBright1




----------



## waveSounds

@ebjarrell Very nicely! However, some of the chaps in the 1540 thread found a far easier solution: a Sennheiser HD280 headband. Fits perfectly apparently.


----------



## ebjarrell

waveSounds said:


> @ebjarrell Very nicely! However, some of the chaps in the 1540 thread found a far easier solution: a Sennheiser HD280 headband. Fits perfectly apparently.


Interesting.


----------



## ebjarrell

vinekly said:


>


I think you have a headphone problem, sir, and need to call HA.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ebjarrell said:


> I think you have a headphone problem, sir, and need to call HA.



I'm sure he can stop anytime he wants to...

I know I can, too.


----------



## nintendoo




----------



## nintendoo

Thanks to those who liked my old-schooled station.


----------



## knopi




----------



## Pharmaboy

knopi said:


>



Those are very interesting powered monitors. Just read a review. It has much to say about tools for professionals (ie, powered studio monitors) being sometimes challenging to use for non-professionals who just listen to music. The review says these speakers exist in both worlds very capably/gracefully.

This topic interests me a lot. I've had powered monitors for years, and the latest pair (Yamaha HS7s modded by Zenpro) has real pluses. But I decided to upgrade and ended up with well regarded passive studio monitor, the ATC SCM 12 Pro. Fascinating monitors that can play real music in addition to giving a foresnic accounting of the "mix."

Nice monitors!


----------



## koover (Jun 21, 2018)

Delete


----------



## silversurfer616

Just a quick i pad photo. HE-6 and PS1000e out of either WA22 or Bryston BHA1. Digital source is either Cyrus or Rega Apollo...I went back to listening to whole CDs instead of just songs from the computer. Deliberately decided to take the time and rediscover my collection.


----------



## silversurfer616

... here we go...


----------



## Sniperpr5

My current setup...


----------



## Pharmaboy

that's a KILLER setup!

is that room for work? or for play?


----------



## Sniperpr5

Pharmaboy said:


> that's a KILLER setup!
> 
> is that room for work? or for play?



That’s for play... it’s part of my man cave


----------



## GU1DO

Sniperpr5 said:


> My current setup...


your wall tiles are very nice , beside everything in the room .. Enjoy


----------



## LoryWiv (Jun 22, 2018)




----------



## bagwell359 (Jun 23, 2018)

Here's mine - equipment listed in sig, excecpt my DAP's (Cayin N3, FiiO X3).

Got the comfy reclining chair, the 4 phone hanger made from 4 lamp pieces, and 4 guitar hangers, few antique coins and zeppelin covers, usually in very minimal lighting.  Soon going to a dedicated PC w/ Linux, and a SS drive.


----------



## Rhamnetin




----------



## smallcaps

Rhamnetin said:


>


is that a ZMF pilot pad?


----------



## Rhamnetin

smallcaps said:


> is that a ZMF pilot pad?



Yeah, trying it on to see if it helps with comfort at all on this headphone.


----------



## smallcaps

Rhamnetin said:


> Yeah, trying it on to see if it helps with comfort at all on this headphone.


Nice and I just ordered one for the HE4XX. Any impressions from your end after testing would be appreciated. Also, that Mjolnir Audio Pure BiPolar amp is pure sexiness... def an endgame amp for me! Hope you are enjoying it with HE-6...


----------



## Rhamnetin

smallcaps said:


> Nice and I just ordered one for the HE4XX. Any impressions from your end after testing would be appreciated. Also, that Mjolnir Audio Pure BiPolar amp is pure sexiness... def an endgame amp for me! Hope you are enjoying it with HE-6...



HE-6 isn't a problem at all for this amp. I had high expectations for this amp (high as in I knew it's within the top 3 best solid state amps one can buy) and it exceeded them. It makes every headphone noticeably better.

As for the Pilot Pad, it is like a pillow. It will spread the pressure across your head vs being concentrated on a smaller area, which helps.


----------



## bagwell359

Rhamnetin said:


> HE-6 isn't a problem at all for this amp. I had high expectations for this amp (high as in I knew it's within the top 3 best solid state amps one can buy) and it exceeded them. It makes every headphone noticeably better.
> 
> As for the Pilot Pad, it is like a pillow. It will spread the pressure across your head vs being concentrated on a smaller area, which helps.





Rhamnetin said:


> HE-6 isn't a problem at all for this amp. I had high expectations for this amp (high as in I knew it's within the top 3 best solid state amps one can buy) and it exceeded them. It makes every headphone noticeably better.
> 
> As for the Pilot Pad, it is like a pillow. It will spread the pressure across your head vs being concentrated on a smaller area, which helps.



What I would do to hear those LFF's for 10 minutes.  Love my HE-500's, but upgraditis is a strong force.  Time to play with pads, my cable, and all the rest, while I sell off the cans I don't listen too and try and find a pair of HE-6's that aren't too old.

Great amp BTW.


----------



## riffrafff

bagwell359 said:


> What I would do to hear those LFF's for 10 minutes.  Love my HE-500's, but upgraditis is a strong force.  Time to play with pads, my cable, and all the rest, while I sell off the cans I don't listen too and try and find a pair of HE-6's that aren't too old.
> 
> Great amp BTW.



There was a new-looking pair on teh ebay yesterday or the day before.


----------



## llamaluv

Current setup (sans headphones)


----------



## Pharmaboy

llamaluv said:


> Current setup (sans headphones)



very tidy/handsome setup! wish I was that organized...

what kind of flatscreen is that? and what is the component w/dual LED panels below the tube amp?


----------



## llamaluv

Pharmaboy said:


> very tidy/handsome setup! wish I was that organized...
> 
> what kind of flatscreen is that? and what is the component w/dual LED panels below the tube amp?



Thanks! 

The TV is a 65" Samsung LCD (I don't remember the model number).

The component in the bottom-left is a PS Audio PerfectWave P3 power regenerator, which I have connected to the DAC, the two headphone amps, and the active speakers. The "120" is the number of volts coming from the wall into the unit, and the "177" is the number of watts that it's outputting (regenerating). Interestingly, 75 of those watts is for the Studio Six alone....


----------



## hemipowered007

This thread makes me realize I need to hit the lottery to catch up to some of you, so much awesome.


----------



## B1ll




----------



## riffrafff

Added an Eitr to the Schiit Pile yesterday...


----------



## Pharmaboy

B1ll said:


>


----------



## Pharmaboy

B1ll said:


>




Sorry for misfire on this reply just now.

love the setup! and is that a big/comfy leather chair or sofa?

(envy!!)


----------



## B1ll

Pharmaboy said:


> Sorry for misfire on this reply just now.
> 
> love the setup! and is that a big/comfy leather chair or sofa?
> 
> (envy!!)



No worries lol. It's a restoration hardware leather chair, needs pillows to truly be comfortable.


----------



## bluzeboy

I, ve been using a GE 5998A power tube & suddenly it started un seating itself after I turn off the amp

If re seat it works fine,what could be causing to lose it seat?


----------



## CJG888

Cooling down?


----------



## cpetrillo

This is my latest setup.


----------



## Redcarmoose

cpetrillo said:


> This is my latest setup.



Love it!


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## Gavin C4

Giving this baby more love during the weekends.


----------



## Pharmaboy

a headband "cozy" -- very cool! that material is a perfect match.

where did you get that? did you make it?


----------



## koiloco

Pharmaboy said:


> a headband "cozy" -- very cool! that material is a perfect match.
> 
> where did you get that? did you make it?


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D6UIBWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Pharmaboy

koiloco said:


> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D6UIBWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



really ingenious--and inexpensive.

my favorite headband covering is ZMF's Pilot Pad. But it's lambskin...twice the price.


----------



## interweb-tech

new addition


----------



## frankraindog

Which so much new gear all the time, this is more of a classic. But it beats other setups which 2-3 Times the Price on certain Music.

LCD-3 ; Alo CDM ; Ak70 ; all with balanced connections


----------



## Pharmaboy

frankraindog said:


> Which so much new gear all the time, this is more of a classic. But it beats other setups which 2-3 Times the Price on certain Music.
> 
> LCD-3 ; Alo CDM ; Ak70 ; all with balanced connections



Just picked up a vintage, pre-fazor LCD-3 myself. Waiting on a new headband (the one from LCD-2C) + the extended slider/yoke kit to make them comfortable enough for extended listening. It certainly is a classic.

BTW, your cable look awesome. That woven orange/black design is killer! Where do they come from?


----------



## frankraindog

Pharmaboy said:


> Just picked up a vintage, pre-fazor LCD-3 myself. Waiting on a new headband (the one from LCD-2C) + the extended slider/yoke kit to make them comfortable enough for extended listening. It certainly is a classic.
> 
> BTW, your cable look awesome. That woven orange/black design is killer! Where do they come from?


Sorry can‘t tell I bought it together with an used LCD-X


----------



## interweb-tech

Looks like a VEClan cable. Can be found on AliExpress.com.


----------



## betula




----------



## franksj

here’s mine.  Two sources through the Fulla 2, iPod below and MacBook Pro (right).  With the Sennheiser 58X the quality is superb.


----------



## dgindlespergerd

Latest change


----------



## koiloco

franksj said:


> here’s mine.  Two sources through the Fulla 2, iPod below and MacBook Pro (right).  With the Sennheiser 58X the quality is superb.


I dig your mug...


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Pharmaboy

Silent One said:


>



nice wood blocks! Herbie Hancock's HEAD HUNTERS! 

all that's missing (per your screen name): Miles Davis' IN A SILENT WAY


----------



## kuutan

Back to work...


----------



## franksj

koiloco said:


> I dig your mug...


Thanks!  I wondered if anyone would notice


----------



## franksj

Changed my setup today to this.  Simple and wonderful.


----------



## Bookbear

What music source are you using?


----------



## nordkapp

franksj said:


> Thanks!  I wondered if anyone would notice


I'm amazed no one reported it as offensive.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## Rhamnetin (Jul 5, 2018)

Work station being unpacked


----------



## rpger9756

Custom Full XLR balanced recable. Amp is running a Genalex Gold Lion tube.


----------



## smallcaps

Currently putting together a transportable headphone a/b listening station. Building a S.E.X. for the bottom shelf and waiting for an i/o switch to complete everything.


----------



## kid vic

nordkapp said:


> I'm amazed no one reported it as offensive.



Lol you must see snowflakes everywhere


----------



## cpetrillo

This is the setup at my workstation.


----------



## OctavianH

Morning coffee with some Bruce Dickinson solo works:


----------



## FastAndClean (Jul 6, 2018)




----------



## BobSmith8901

FastAndClean said:


>


Very nice! Is that the Horsehead Nebula?


----------



## FastAndClean

BobSmith8901 said:


> Very nice! Is that the Horsehead Nebula?


yes sir


----------



## Preachy1 (Jul 6, 2018)

My current workstation (thanks to RPGER for the background!).  The chord leading out of the WA7 is attached to my LCD-XCs which are upon mine head.


----------



## nordkapp

Preachy1 said:


> My current workstation (thanks to RPGER for the background!).  The chord leading out of the WA7 is attached to my LCD-XCs which are upon mine head.


Excellent taste in gin too.


----------



## Preachy1

nordkapp said:


> Excellent taste in gin too.


hiccup - wassat????


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> My current workstation (thanks to RPGER for the background!).  The chord leading out of the WA7 is attached to my LCD-XCs which are upon mine head.



Workstation + alcohol = happy work


----------



## rpger9756

Preachy1 said:


> My current workstation (thanks to RPGER for the background!).  The chord leading out of the WA7 is attached to my LCD-XCs which are upon mine head.


I'm more a Beefeater guy myself, but I'm jelly of your cans, man. I'm lusting for a set of LCD's.


----------



## Preachy1

rpger9756 said:


> I'm more a Beefeater guy myself, but I'm jelly of your cans, man. I'm lusting for a set of LCD's.


I know the feeling. I waited a good long time before taking the plunge, but after paying off my car and my daughter FINALLY getting her own car insurance, I went all in.  I have a pair of LCD-2s in my bedroom, and the 3's and XC's at my work station.

Good thing I have THIS habit; I have absolutely no $$$ left over for drugs or hookers!


----------



## Preachy1

rpger9756 said:


> I'm more a Beefeater guy myself, but I'm jelly of your cans, man. I'm lusting for a set of LCD's.


BTW, I actually prefer Beefeaters (or Tanqy), but Bombay was on sale, so.....


----------



## rpger9756

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, I actually prefer Beefeaters (or Tanqy), but Bombay was on sale, so.....


I've been on for-sale and flea-bay trying to pick up a pair of LCD-2's on the cheap, and have got close, but then get outbid at the last second JUST out of my price range. I know that my patience will eventually pay off as I've seen many sell for the price I'm going for, I just need to be diligent and not succumb to the urge to buy a pair of used Monoprice M1060, mod them to kingdom-come, and call it "close enough." I want the real deal.


----------



## smallcaps

Preachy1 said:


> My current workstation (thanks to RPGER for the background!).  The chord leading out of the WA7 is attached to my LCD-XCs which are upon mine head.


How are you liking the Loki mini? Do you use the tone control much? Any impressions would be appreciated as I'm thinking of adding one. Thanks


----------



## Preachy1

smallcaps said:


> How are you liking the Loki mini? Do you use the tone control much? Any impressions would be appreciated as I'm thinking of adding one. Thanks


I like it a lot.  It makes small tonal tweaks much easier than digging into the app's (whichever one I happen to be using, usually Hiby) graphic EQ.  And with such a small footprint (actually, toeprint!), it's non-obtrusive.


----------



## franksj

Bookbear said:


> What music source are you using?


Two sources:
Chromecast Optical and
iPod or MacBook Pro via USB


----------



## Silent One

sacd/dvd/dvp
Sony S9000es will assume greater playback role along side mac-mini music server 2nd-half of 2018


----------



## waveSounds

Wish I'd got the white Corsair M65!


----------



## ZappaMan (Jul 12, 2018)

waveSounds said:


> Wish I'd got the white Corsair M65!


White mice is fo hoes

What’s on the right?

Nice paint swaths


----------



## Preachy1

I like the paint touches as well!  also love the little stand for the Mojo.  Info on that?


----------



## waveSounds

ZappaMan said:


> White mice is fo hoes
> 
> What’s on the right?
> 
> Nice paint swaths



On the right? That's where things get messy!








Preachy1 said:


> I like the paint touches as well!  also love the little stand for the Mojo.  Info on that?



The stand is one of those magnetic phone holders! Stick the disc on the back of the Mojo and it's kept elevated - find it doesn't get as hot having it raised up like this.


----------



## Preachy1

Ah, UGreen,  thanks.  I've ordered some of their cheap cables.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ratrace said:


> Focal Clear with iFi iStack > Gemini > iFi iUSB > iFi iDAC > iTube > iCan.
> 
> Old is gold. At least with Headphone!!  Terrible hissing with my IEMs though..



Awesome iBasso stack! I have not seen that before


----------



## gimmeheadroom

spanner43 said:


>



Props to you bud for not having space on your desk for monitors 

I just cannot understand the guys with these sano setups and the beautiful photography.

My desk looks like hell and I would be jealous but I'm too damn busy


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ljperez84 said:


> Hope you like it guys, I stole this area in my house against my wife’s will to make it my little sanctuary. Ran out of money for the TV but I guess you get the idea.
> 
> Comfort really plays a role on the listening experience IMO



I love the rug!


----------



## FastAndClean

gimmeheadroom said:


> Awesome iBasso stack! I have not seen that before


that is IFI stack


----------



## gimmeheadroom

FastAndClean said:


> that is IFI stack



You're absolutely right and that will teach me to post after drinking heavily. My apologies to the chef! 

I knew that and that is what I meant. Only my brain didn't convince my fingers to type accordingly...


----------



## Sniperpr5

New pic of my setup... chilling here right now listening to some tunes


----------



## Pharmaboy

Sniperpr5 said:


> New pic of my setup... chilling here right now listening to some tunes



2 comments:

1 - looking at all your gear, I'm awash in envy

2 - that's the largest monitor I've ever seen on a desktop. I have a 32" flat screen TV ~2 ft behind my computer monitor & off to the right (so I can watch TV when I work). That 32" screen may even be smaller than yours!


----------



## Sniperpr5

Pharmaboy said:


> 2 comments:
> 
> 1 - looking at all your gear, I'm awash in envy
> 
> 2 - that's the largest monitor I've ever seen on a desktop. I have a 32" flat screen TV ~2 ft behind my computer monitor & off to the right (so I can watch TV when I work). That 32" screen may even be smaller than yours!


 
It's a 50" 4k hdr for the main and a 29" ultrawide up top


----------



## Pharmaboy

(wow) I may have asked this in past...if so, apologies for the repeat. But what kind of work do you do at this desk that requires such a large dual monitor setup?

I'm a home-based freelance writer--and I love big screens for TV, but for writing. however, when the virtual "page" gets 5-10X larger than an actual page, it's becomes harder to write, not easier.


----------



## Sniperpr5

Pharmaboy said:


> (wow) I may have asked this in past...if so, apologies for the repeat. But what kind of work do you do at this desk that requires such a large dual monitor setup?
> 
> I'm a home-based freelance writer--and I love big screens for TV, but for writing. however, when the virtual "page" gets 5-10X larger than an actual page, it's becomes harder to write, not easier.



I do some freelance design work there, game some and just screw around on the net.


----------



## jaywillin

@gimmeheadroom   Your avatar is one of my all time favorite albums


----------



## riffrafff




----------



## Monoespacio




----------



## gimmeheadroom

jaywillin said:


> @gimmeheadroom   Your avatar is one of my all time favorite albums



It's a great album. Aside from the title track I like the B side more though. I don't think I can pick a favorite album of his.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

hificrazy said:


> LCD2 & Auralic Bugatti SE embedded in the bigger system for vinyl listening. Two turntables - Micro BX-10 belt & Yamaha GT2000.



What's under your speakers?


----------



## Preachy1

jaywillin said:


> @gimmeheadroom   Your avatar is one of my all time favorite albums


Same here.  If you get a chance, check out an EJ tribute band called Early Elton.  They focus on the '70-'72 era, and they do a fantastic job with his first 4 albums.  I just saw them at Daryl's House last week (I'm their house photographer).


----------



## SeaWo|f

New furniture finally came in for the back of the office. Now if only the kids were old enough to take down the gates.


----------



## earChasm

This tread is addictive, i'm not even close to finish it..


----------



## QueueCumber




----------



## koover

Lots of new additions. It works for me.
Cheers!!


----------



## stevenator

Living room setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

stevenator said:


> Eames chair!! + great HPs/electronics...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ATau

earChasm said:


> This tread is addictive, i'm not even close to finish it..



Very nice! What are these headphone stands you're using? I've never seen them before.
I quite like the bowl like base for cable management.

Also, any difference between your two HD800s?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

basman said:


> Same old stuff and Dude at the back



If Doc and Marty can't come up with the 1.21 gigawatts maybe it's because your Sansui is running flat out


----------



## QueueCumber (Jul 14, 2018)

stevenator said:


> Living room setup.



Love the leather Eames. I have cats so I bought the mohair Eames and ottoman, but it’s not as comfortable as the leather version. The mohair is prickly and pokes through thin shirts. The mohair is also a cat hair magnet.


----------



## earChasm

ATau said:


> Very nice! What are these headphone stands you're using? I've never seen them before.
> I quite like the bowl like base for cable management.
> 
> Also, any difference between your two HD800s?


The headphone stand is from Avantree. It's the TR902 Bamboo Headphone Stand With Cable Holder. I imported them from the UK.

Unfortunately, yes, there is a difference between my HD800s. The one with the lowest number (14XXX) is a tiny bit sharper and causes fatique within the hour. Lucky for me I got this one real cheap so I consider it a backup only :.)
The other one is perfect, I can listen to music 8 hours straight without any problem. Well, no, I'm lying. It's not perfect because the clamp is too lose for my liking while the other one has the perfect clamp. Well, first world problems I guess :.b


----------



## ATau (Jul 15, 2018)

earChasm said:


> The headphone stand is from Avantree. It's the TR902 Bamboo Headphone Stand With Cable Holder. I imported them from the UK.
> 
> Unfortunately, yes, there is a difference between my HD800s. The one with the lowest number (14XXX) is a tiny bit sharper and causes fatique within the hour. Lucky for me I got this one real cheap so I consider it a backup only :.)
> The other one is perfect, I can listen to music 8 hours straight without any problem. Well, no, I'm lying. It's not perfect because the clamp is too lose for my liking while the other one has the perfect clamp. Well, first world problems I guess :.b



Oh I would have thought you had a stock one and another with an SDR mod. As you said, it's unfortunate that different serial numbers sound different. But having a backup pair is always nice .

Thanks for the info on the headphone stands. They're quite cheap too! I might pick up a few myself.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

snellemin said:


> Decided to bring my semi-desktop Bass-station to work.  Built me a rack mount for mostly the Parasound hardware. Used a laptop stand and 6 space rackmount brackets. The Parasound Preamp has been socketed and a Muses02 resides in there.  The Parasound V3 amp powers any headphone, with my variable resistor box that is hooked up to the speaker outputs on the amp.  Using both software and hardware EQ.  EQ is an old school Alpine car EQ that has the BBE enhancement when needed.  This setup even make the Hifiman 400i rumble.



What dock is that for the FiiO? I'm using a K5.. yours looks much nicer


----------



## snellemin

gimmeheadroom said:


> What dock is that for the FiiO? I'm using a K5.. yours looks much nicer



Ah, that is the old E09 dock.  I swapped the black knob to an Ebay silver looking one.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## gimmeheadroom

snellemin said:


> Ah, that is the old E09 dock.  I swapped the black knob to an Ebay silver looking one.



It looks totally custom! Nice job


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## shane55

interweb-tech said:


>



Great setup.

BTW... what software is that?


----------



## Sniperpr5

shane55 said:


> Great setup.
> 
> BTW... what software is that?



Looks like he is running Foobar2000


----------



## interweb-tech

shane55 said:


> Great setup.
> 
> BTW... what software is that?





Sniperpr5 said:


> Looks like he is running Foobar2000


As mentioned, that is foobar2000. Normally that screen is on the laptop (dual monitors) running the whole show just off stage to the right.


----------



## frankraindog

Glowing in the dark


----------



## jaywillin

frankraindog said:


> Glowing in the dark



that's purdy ! what amp is it ??


----------



## fixated

jaywillin said:


> that's purdy ! what amp is it ??



I believe that's the AudioValve Solaris, I may be wrong of course.


----------



## frankraindog

fixated said:


> I believe that's the AudioValve Solaris, I may be wrong of course.


It's the AudioValve RKV3 with a few modifications the developer of the internal dac did for me with this amp.


----------



## fixated

frankraindog said:


> It's the AudioValve RKV3 with a few modifications the developer of the internal dac did for me with this amp.



Ahh, thanks for the correction! Wasn't sure if that was the Solaris as the front panel looked similar but not quite the same as the pictures I've seen.


----------



## frankraindog

fixated said:


> Ahh, thanks for the correction! Wasn't sure if that was the Solaris as the front panel looked similar but not quite the same as the pictures I've seen.



both devices share the same body parts. they are quite similar with internals and externals. the rkv3 is missing the Stax parts which, I don't need.


----------



## Preachy1

Easy chair set up


----------



## koven




----------



## Kyrk




----------



## Kyrk




----------



## Pharmaboy

Kyrk said:


>



OH MY GOD!! 

I mean (who am I to judge?) that's a TON of stuff.


----------



## Preachy1

I think we can close this thread now!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> I think we can close this thread now!



Not just this thread--reality itself.


----------



## cardeli22

All you would need is 6 stones and a gold glove.


----------



## Rhamnetin

Preachy1 said:


> I think we can close this thread now!



But I see no Stax


----------



## Ralf Hutter

Kyrk said:


>



There's no possible way you live within 500 miles of an active earthquake fault, right?


----------



## smallcaps

Rhamnetin said:


> But I see no Stax


Look harder.


----------



## Rhamnetin

smallcaps said:


> Look harder.



It's like where's waldo but I see it now that I zoomed out.


----------



## phase0

When you can't decide what you want so you buy one of everything...


----------



## QueueCumber

phase0 said:


> When you can't decide what you want so you buy one of everything...



Variety is the spice of Audio.


----------



## Kyrk (Jul 21, 2018)

Ralf Hutter said:


> There's no possible way you live within 500 miles of an active earthquake fault, right?




Two years ago, I literally live over an active fault line and our house is located almost a stone away from an active volcano (and that’s no kidding)


----------



## interweb-tech

NFB-28.38 via Norne Solvine to LCD-2C


----------



## Silent One




----------



## frankraindog

Great setup in the pic above nice arrangement of the gear


----------



## Preachy1

Silent One said:


>


Does the Okki perform well?  I'm on the fence about getting one.


----------



## judomaniak57

Silent One,is that a folding ladder for your amp stand? that is fricken awesome


----------



## hemipowered007

Anybody want to buy a kidney? I need some high end gear


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> NFB-28.38 via Norne Solvine to LCD-2C



love that cable!


----------



## BobSmith8901

Silent One said:


>


Wow! Curious about that massive old school receiver. What is that? Marantz? Unusual side-located outputs.


----------



## jaywillin

BobSmith8901 said:


> Wow! Curious about that massive old school receiver. What is that? Marantz? Unusual side-located outputs.




that's a Sansui


----------



## Silent One

BobSmith8901 said:


> Wow! Curious about that massive old school receiver. What is that? Marantz? Unusual side-located outputs.





 

Good eye, jaywillin!
1978 Sansui G-22000

I prefer the one-piece config but wooden rack is 56" wide but only 17" deep. Thankfully, Sansui designed the monster with flexibility for storage in mind.


----------



## whirlwind

Silent One said:


> Good eye, jaywillin!
> 1978 Sansui G-22000
> 
> I prefer the one-piece config but wooden rack is 56" wide but only 17" deep. Thankfully, Sansui designed the monster with flexibility for storage in mind.



I spy a pair of 5998 power tubes a 13D1 driver tube and a 5U8C rectifier tube in your Glenn OTL


----------



## Preachy1

Silent One said:


> Good eye, jaywillin!
> 1978 Sansui G-22000
> 
> I prefer the one-piece config but wooden rack is 56" wide but only 17" deep. Thankfully, Sansui designed the monster with flexibility for storage in mind.


I have a '77 Yamaha CR-1020 which I love dearly and recently had serviced, but that Sansui belongs in a museum!!!!


----------



## BobSmith8901

Silent One said:


> Good eye, jaywillin!
> 1978 Sansui G-22000
> 
> I prefer the one-piece config but wooden rack is 56" wide but only 17" deep. Thankfully, Sansui designed the monster with flexibility for storage in mind.



Thanks. How is the Sansui integrated into the overall system? Amazing and beautiful set up!


----------



## mrip541

Silent One said:


>



I thought I was the only one who still uses that Sony player...


----------



## Silent One (Jul 22, 2018)

mrip541 said:


> I thought I was the only one who still uses that Sony player...


when I can free up some funds, I’d like to get my Sony serviced...love it for playback!


----------



## Silent One (Jul 22, 2018)

BobSmith8901 said:


> Thanks. How is the Sansui integrated into the overall system? Amazing and beautiful set up!


My gears are set up for plug & play with everything here - the Sansui is in the rotation with the Shindo Lab monos for music server, cd, vinyl, movies. Occasionally the otl will see action, too. I am curious about FM on the Sansui - there’s a great nationally renowned Jazz station (here in SoCal) I’d like to pull down. Currently stream it on the net but...I wanna go ol’ school!


----------



## Silent One

Preachy1 said:


> Does the Okki perform well?  I'm on the fence about getting one.


Previously cleaned vinyl in portable tub. Then upgraded to Spin Doctor - fun; satisfying, though “clean & repeat” sometimes necessary. The Okki was my first motor driven cleaner. Drove out to one of my dealer’s home to check it out (Upscale Audio). I like this box!


----------



## BobSmith8901

Silent One said:


> My gears are set up for plug & play with everything here - the Sansui is in the rotation with the Shindo Lab monos for music server, cd, vinyl, movies. Occasionally the otl will see action, too. I am curious about FM on the Sansui - there’s a great nationally renowned Jazz station (here in SoCal) I’d like to pull down. Currently stream it on the net but...I wanna go ol’ school!


With the FM section on your Sansui, if you're close enough to the action, you could probably rig up a simple FM dipole to that beauty and get something decent.


----------



## Silent One

Excellent idea! Who doesn’t like audio projects...especially in summer?! 

I’m maybe 25 mi away. And would listen mostly at night.


----------



## EarDrumExplode




----------



## earChasm

@EarDrumExplode 
Now that is sexy with a nice collection of HFs.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Silent One said:


> Good eye, jaywillin!
> 1978 Sansui G-22000
> 
> I prefer the one-piece config but wooden rack is 56" wide but only 17" deep. Thankfully, Sansui designed the monster with flexibility for storage in mind.


----------



## jaywillin

EarDrumExplode said:


>



the old BHA-1, my favorite SS amp , should have never sold it


----------



## frankraindog

to hot for headphones today, waiting for the sun to go down to take out my portable setup


----------



## Pharmaboy

earChasm said:


> @EarDrumExplode
> Now that is sexy with a nice collection of HFs.



It sure is! That ZMF ash wood really stands out.

But I could never understand how Mac people put up w/that skimpy little keyboard. 

I have an illuminated TKL84 keyboard from Massdrop w/cherry MX clear keys...best keyboard I ever used. If I had that Mac keyboard, I'd have carpal tunnel and the heebie jeebies in a matter of days.


----------



## joseph69

Pharmaboy said:


> I have an illuminated TKL84 keyboard from Massdrop w/cherry MX clear keys.


MacBook keyboards are illuminated as well, and very easy to see.


----------



## penmarker

EarDrumExplode said:


>


If you want peace then bring the ruckus
Wu Tang Clan ain't nothin' to **** wit


----------



## EarDrumExplode

Pharmaboy said:


> It sure is! That ZMF ash wood really stands out.
> 
> But I could never understand how Mac people put up w/that skimpy little keyboard.
> 
> I have an illuminated TKL84 keyboard from Massdrop w/cherry MX clear keys...best keyboard I ever used. If I had that Mac keyboard, I'd have carpal tunnel and the heebie jeebies in a matter of days.


Yeah the keyboard took some getting used to but to be honest I have no more money


----------



## Preachy1

"....but to be honest I have no more money"

That should be this website's motto!!!!!


----------



## riffrafff

"But, I can't be out of money...I still have checks left!"


----------



## QueueCumber

riffrafff said:


> "But, I can't be out of money...I still have checks left!"



Exactly, just keep writing them and all is well with the world.


----------



## Pharmaboy

EarDrumExplode said:


> Yeah the keyboard took some getting used to but to be honest I have no more money



I can't imagine why you have no more money...


----------



## smallcaps (Jul 24, 2018)

*AB Testing Station*
2x SMSL sApII
Topping D10
Little Bear One
ThinkPad X131e

This is a shared AB listening station I wanted to put together on the cheap. Both the amps and dac can roll opamps but to keep it under the $200usd budget, I'm holding off on that upgrade at the moment. The Little Bear One is a nice little device that allows for passive switching between multiple i/o. It also has bluetooth integrated as an input, but you can turn off the circuit and retain passive connectivity. I have the two sApII's connected via splitter cable so that I can play from the same source and feed both amps simultaneously for shared listening or AB testing. I can volume match, send TV audio via bluetooth, plug a phone or dap directly into an amp or the Little Bear via 3.5mm, and stream about 2TB of various audio files from a NAS on the network. Next upgrade will be a Bottlehead S.E.X., and it will be placed on the empty shelf on the bottom. I've also imagined putting a few batteries there so I can go full tetherless. Sometimes I imagine walking down the street, dragging the system like an IV drip, with a pair of huge woodies strapped onto my head.


----------



## Preachy1 (Jul 26, 2018)

d


----------



## Preachy1

smallcaps said:


> with a pair of huge woodies strapped onto my head.



Dude, I know what you mean by this, but others may not.  Might wanna clarify?  hehe


----------



## ohsigmachi (Jul 26, 2018)

This is all pretty much in my signature, except the DT1770s are a new addition.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Dude, I know what you mean by this, but others may not.  Might wanna clarify?  hehe



good idea--that is a truly alarming image!


----------



## Preachy1

If the dog jumps up on the chair, your laptop is toast!


----------



## ohsigmachi

Preachy1 said:


> If the dog jumps up on the chair, your laptop is toast!


The dog has his own spot on the couch, he doesn't like my seat.


----------



## smallcaps

Preachy1 said:


> Dude, I know what you mean by this, but others may not.  Might wanna clarify?  hehe


I'll leave it up to everyone's imagination


----------



## Redcarmoose

smallcaps said:


> *AB Testing Station*
> 2x SMSL sApII
> Topping D10
> Little Bear One
> ...


----------



## smallcaps

Redcarmoose said:


>


Don't tell the wifey. Pure kittykat magnet.


----------



## Preachy1

smallcaps said:


> I'll leave it up to everyone's imagination


With this crowd?  Well, that's just askin' for trouble!!!!!


----------



## BuddhaBruce

Lovely set up I have very happy with....for now


----------



## earChasm

BuddhaBruce said:


> Lovely set up I have very happy with....for now


Good, that's the spirit!


----------



## elira

Work set up


----------



## twitch133 (Jul 27, 2018)

New desk, requires new photo!!!!




Station by kyle, on Flickr


----------



## Pharmaboy

twitch133 said:


> New desk, requires new photo!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The gear is nice--but the best is the partially drunk beer.


----------



## riffrafff

Pharmaboy said:


> The gear is nice--but the best is the partially drunk beer.



I'm not sure that qualifies as beer, lol.


----------



## koven

riffrafff said:


> I'm not sure that qualifies as beer, lol.



At least it's not a Bud Light..


----------



## Pharmaboy

riffrafff said:


> I'm not sure that qualifies as beer, lol.



What is it, if not a beer? 

I'm not up to date on beer, to say the least (non-drinker)


----------



## riffrafff

koven said:


> At least it's not a Bud Light..



True, true.


----------



## riffrafff

Here's one I'm currently looking for...

https://www.boulevard.com/2018/06/29/changeling-dark-sour-ale-returns/


----------



## twitch133

Pharmaboy said:


> The gear is nice--but the best is the partially drunk beer.



Friday!!!!



koven said:


> At least it's not a Bud Light..



Better than most other American options. And an easy fall back, when I don't feel like digging around for something craft...


----------



## riffrafff

BTW, International Beer Day is a week from today.   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Beer_Day


----------



## QueueCumber

Alright, recently my GF was complaining about it being too cold for her on her side of the bed because of the AC vent. So I offered to switch sides of the bed with her. Let's just say my motives weren't exactly altruistic...


----------



## koven

@QueueCumber sweet headphone stands.. how you liking that MHA150 with Utopia? What did you have before that?


----------



## QueueCumber (Jul 28, 2018)

koven said:


> @QueueCumber sweet headphone stands.. how you liking that MHA150 with Utopia? What did you have before that?



Hugo2 and WA8. Love the MHA150. It’s overkill for the Utopia, but for the Susvara it’s got gobs of power both through the headphone jack and speaker taps. Not that the Utopia doesn’t sound amazing through it, I just think you can get away with something much less powerful. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have something that can drive anything.


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## Preachy1

How’s this for a sour beer?


----------



## IdleTalk




----------



## earChasm

@idle Talk
What a great idea to store your headphones :.)


----------



## Redcarmoose

earChasm said:


> @idle Talk
> What a great idea to store your headphones :.)



They’re not headphones, but works of art.


----------



## katulu

Hugo2 - Apex Teton - HD800


----------



## waveSounds

At their current retail price (£350) it feels like I've stolen these from AudioQuest.


----------



## Nik74

katulu said:


> Hugo2 - Apex Teton - HD800



I d love to listen to an Apex Teton driving the HD800 one day


----------



## interweb-tech

Latest addition tucked in back there. iFi Micro iUSB3.0 with a pair of Lavricables Ultimate Silver Dual-Headed USB interconnect cables to put it in the signal path.


----------



## bmichels

My 2 Headphone systems found their new home since I just moved from Belgium to south of France.

- Eddie Current EC445 + Modded HifiMan HE500 for relax listening
- BHSE + SR009 for critical Listening


----------



## Pharmaboy

bmichels said:


> My 2 Headphone systems found their new home since I just moved from Belgium to south of France.
> 
> - Eddie Current EC445 + Modded HifiMan HE500 for relax listening
> - BHSE + SR009 for critical Listening



alto sax as wall art. nice!


----------



## earChasm

bmichels said:


> My 2 Headphone systems found their new home since I just moved from Belgium to south of France.
> 
> - Eddie Current EC445 + Modded HifiMan HE500 for relax listening
> - BHSE + SR009 for critical Listening


Amazing, and where is Marsupilami hiding?


----------



## whirlwind

bmichels said:


> My 2 Headphone systems found their new home since I just moved from Belgium to south of France.
> 
> - Eddie Current EC445 + Modded HifiMan HE500 for relax listening
> - BHSE + SR009 for critical Listening



Great set -up.

I just recently bought a nice chair for my  listening room.....cant wait until I can get in that reclining position that you are in


----------



## bmichels

earChasm said:


> Amazing, and where is Marsupilami hiding?



1 hour North-Ouest of Toulouse, in a 300 years old house... with a nice vue from my listening room  .  Ideal for listening to PinkFloyd or Mozart for example...


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> Great set -up.
> 
> I just recently bought a nice chair for my  listening room.....cant wait until I can get in that reclining position that you are in



2 words on this subject: Eames Chair


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> 2 words on this subject: Eames Chair



Too late, I have already bought an Ekornes Stressless Reno.
 



Now I have to get my listening room completed.


----------



## QueueCumber

Eames chair is ok. It’s nice for audio because your ears aren’t subjected to reflections off the backrest when you sit up in it. It’s also fairly comfortable when you slouch down in it so you can actually rest your head and not have to hold it up. It’s not very ergonomic when you get into the most relaxed position with an ottoman. What it does offer is an extremely modern and clean design that looks impressive. If you do get one, don’t get the mohair. I made that mistake and it’s a pet hair magnet...


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> Too late, I have already bought an Ekornes Stressless Reno.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Damn, that chair is beautiful (and looks extremely comfortable). Not cheap, but probably totally worth it...


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> Damn, that chair is beautiful (and looks extremely comfortable). Not cheap, but probably totally worth it...



Yes, it is extremely comfortable.  It was  recommended by my chiropractor for my lower back pain.

I could not afford a brand new one so I bought a used one that was in excellent condition.

I am hoping that it will solve my lower back pain after being in a chair for extended periods of time.


----------



## gibby




----------



## joseph69

whirlwind said:


> Too late, I have already bought an Ekornes Stressless Reno.
> Now I have to get my listening room completed.


Nice!


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

QueueCumber said:


> Alright, recently my GF was complaining about it being too cold for her on her side of the bed because of the AC vent. So I offered to switch sides of the bed with her. Let's just say my motives weren't exactly altruistic...


The. Skulls. Are. Awesome!
Where'd you get them?


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Kyrk said:


>


Win!


----------



## QueueCumber

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> The. Skulls. Are. Awesome!
> Where'd you get them?



Thanks!

They’re resin art sculptures by the artist Sam Tufnell that I picked up at an art gallery near me. They come with a backlit shelf.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry (Aug 6, 2018)

QueueCumber said:


> Thanks!
> 
> They’re resin art sculptures by the artist Sam Tufnell that I picked up at an art gallery near me. They come with a backlit shelf.


Just Googled him. Very cool artwork!!! Love his themes of cultural misappropriation!


----------



## Thaddy (Aug 6, 2018)

Recently got back into this hobby after a long time and reacquired a few headphones I owned a while ago, and I'm also considering adding some Beyerdynamic T1's as well.  I've had the WA2 for 10 years now and just added the Jazz-FF as a solid state option.  Sometimes the old stuff can sound pretty good...


----------



## Deftone

Thaddy said:


> Recently got back into this hobby after a long time and reacquired a few headphones I owned a while ago, and I'm also considering adding some Beyerdynamic T1's as well.  I've had the WA2 for 10 years now and just added the Jazz-FF as a solid state option.  Sometimes the old stuff can sound pretty good...



HD650 are still some peoples endgame!


----------



## OldSkool

Thaddy said:


> Recently got back into this hobby after a long time and reacquired a few headphones I owned a while ago, and I'm also considering adding some Beyerdynamic T1's as well.  I've had the WA2 for 10 years now and just added the Jazz-FF as a solid state option.  Sometimes the old stuff can sound pretty good...



Good to have you back Thaddy!

I also disappeared for awhile, but came back to see what old friends were doing. Glad I did! 

Cheers, JC


----------



## kman1211

Deftone said:


> HD650 are still some peoples endgame!



True they are for many, while they aren’t endgame for me and I can see why some view them as endgame on a good system as the HD 6xx family definitely does offer a unique experience that is appealing. I personally like the DT 880/990 - 600 Ohm more for a reasonably priced end-game headphone. Honestly some of the old stuff is often overlooked, but sometimes they are exactly what you want out of a headphone. The HD 600/650, DT 880/990 600 Ohm, and K701/2 were flagships when I first started this hobby.


----------



## earChasm

Thaddy said:


> Recently got back into this hobby after a long time and reacquired a few headphones I owned a while ago, and I'm also considering adding some Beyerdynamic T1's as well.  I've had the WA2 for 10 years now and just added the Jazz-FF as a solid state option.  Sometimes the old stuff can sound pretty good...


Very nice setup. I never heard a Woo myself and my curiosity is killing me...or was it the cat?!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Thaddy said:


> Recently got back into this hobby after a long time and reacquired a few headphones I owned a while ago, and I'm also considering adding some Beyerdynamic T1's as well.  I've had the WA2 for 10 years now and just added the Jazz-FF as a solid state option.  Sometimes the old stuff can sound pretty good...







Probably the best “mad scientist vibe” I’ve seen here. Cheers!


----------



## Kukuk

I really like my little amp stack. :3


----------



## Pharmaboy

Kukuk said:


> I really like my little amp stack. :3



What kind of tube amp is that? Really handsome component there...


----------



## Deftone

looks like another woo wa2?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Deftone said:


> looks like another woo wa2?



right you are...just looked it up.


----------



## tricolor

Hoooooray! guess I have found my best setup ever !!  awesome with the headphones (Grado GS1000i and Beyerdynamics DT770 250 Ohm) when it’s late night and I wanna listen a bit louder! and when I am not in the mood of headphones, with the Kef Q700 speakers!
I honestly cannot see any radical changes in the long run... Schiit

  Bifrost  and valhalla 2 combo along with an audio electronics by Cary Audio power amp!


----------



## Silent One




----------



## wwmhf

bmichels said:


> My 2 Headphone systems found their new home since I just moved from Belgium to south of France.
> 
> - Eddie Current EC445 + Modded HifiMan HE500 for relax listening
> - BHSE + SR009 for critical Listening



I am sure they do not make much music in usual situations, but I still think those two cases have some potentials to enhance music.


----------



## waveSounds

Here's something I bet none of you were expecting to see: my Focal Elear with Shure SRH1540 ear pads.


----------



## earChasm

waveSounds said:


> Here's something I bet none of you were expecting to see: my Focal Elear with Shure SRH1540 ear pads.


How could I have missed this?!


----------



## waveSounds

@earChasm I had a spare set of the Alcantara pads lying around and sat there debating whether to perform the operation for a while as It would involve taking an xacto knife to the OEM Elear pads to remove the holding ring, and they're not cheap to replace... In the end I just went for it. YOLO.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @earChasm I had a spare set of the Alcantara pads lying around and sat there debating whether to perform the operation for a while as It would involve taking an xacto knife to the OEM Elear pads to remove the holding ring, and they're not cheap to replace... In the end I just went for it. YOLO.



But how do the alacantara pads sound vs stock Elear pads?


----------



## smodtactical




----------



## interweb-tech

View from my left hand 

New (to me) MrSpeakers Ether (thanks Elluzion!). These things sound fantastic. Likely going to trade them in for Ether Flow C before the manufacturer swap offer ends this month.


----------



## hemipowered007

waveSounds said:


> Here's something I bet none of you were expecting to see: my Focal Elear with Shure SRH1540 ear pads.



I love 1540 pads! Best thing I ever put on my hifiman he4, they're so comfortable and didn't do alot to the sound sig on the he4. Great pads.


----------



## Sniperpr5




----------



## koven

@Sniperpr5 Nice! That seems close for that TV size, no eye/neck strain?


----------



## QueueCumber

Sniperpr5 said:


>



What’s the second monitor on top?


----------



## Sniperpr5 (Aug 10, 2018)

koven said:


> @Sniperpr5 Nice! That seems close for that TV size, no eye/neck strain?



It's all about kicking back in the chair... gets you 4-5 foot from the screen. I have been using larger screens for monitors for a while and wouldn't have it any other way. Plus with 4k at this size the ppi is great.


----------



## Sniperpr5

QueueCumber said:


> What’s the second monitor on top?


 
LG 29" Ultrawide


----------



## VRacer-111 (Aug 10, 2018)

My STAX setup is almost complete, just got in a Sanus CFR1615 rack yesterday and finished configuring like I wanted:





Just need to get the caster wheels for it and make a plywood top so the laptop and L300Ltds can be placed on top...


----------



## koover

VRacer-111 said:


> My STAX setup is almost complete, just got in a Sanus CFR1615 rack yesterday and finished configuring like I wanted:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looking really good bro!!


----------



## waveSounds

Pharmaboy said:


> But how do the alacantara pads sound vs stock Elear pads?



Comfort is up. Waaay up. Wish I could give more a more accurate comparison between the sound, but as the old pads had to be hacked I can't A/B. I feel like soundstage has widened and the mids have come up, but can't say for sure. All I can say for certain is that I'm not regretting destroying the old pads to create the Elearenstein 1540.



Sniperpr5 said:


>



All these years later and the M65 is still the king of mice!


----------



## betula

For the lovers of dark but distinctive flavours.


----------



## koven




----------



## betula (Aug 11, 2018)

koven said:


>


Pretty much the ultimate wet dream of most Head-Fi-ers. I would only swap the Yggie for a Chord Dave and I am done forever (or at least for 5-10 years).


----------



## whirlwind (Aug 12, 2018)

It is not complete yet, but here it is in it's current state.  Baby steps.

Table is made from some in store stock kitchen counter top.


----------



## Scutey

My new acquisition, Chord 2qute, it will end up going behind the Schiit Magni2.


----------



## wuwhere




----------



## sup27606 (Aug 12, 2018)

MacBook Pro/Audirvana —> Schiit Eitr —> Modi Multibit—> La Figaro 339 —> Sennheiser HD6XX


----------



## earChasm (Aug 13, 2018)

sup27606 said:


> MacBook Pro/Audirvana —> Schiit Eitr —> Modi Multibit—> La Figaro 339 —> Sennheiser HD6XX


It's a beauty but really, loose the lamp :.b

* I mean, place the lamp somewhere else. It's a nice lamp but not on that table, let your gear shine:.)


----------



## sup27606

earChasm said:


> It's a beauty but really, loose the lamp :.b
> 
> * I mean, place the lamp somewhere else. It's a nice lamp but not on that table, let your gear shine:.)



You are absolutely right. This is a temporary setup anyway, on my bedside night stand. Planning to get a dedicated table/comfy chair soon for the audio gear. Until then, enjoying the amp while ignoring the lamp .


----------



## VandyMan

What is that stand please? I've been on the hunt for a desktop stand like that, but can't find a big enough/tall enough one. That might fit the bill...


----------



## sup27606 (Aug 13, 2018)

VandyMan said:


> What is that stand please? I've been on the hunt for a desktop stand like that, but can't find a big enough/tall enough one. That might fit the bill...



This is the stand that I got. Yes, its just tall enough to fit a jotunheim + Mimby + Eitr at the bottom, with the legs fully extended.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW5X3MQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## earChasm

sup27606 said:


> This is the stand that I got. Yes, its just tall enough to fit a jotunheim + Mimby + Eitr at the bottom, with the legs fully extended.
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW5X3MQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Wow, that's cheap. Didn't expect that at all, now I want one. May be even two :.)


----------



## sup27606

Long live amazon! And China, I guess


----------



## QueueCumber

sup27606 said:


> Long live amazon! And China, I guess



Good going. Now we’re all on the U.S. Government watch list...


----------



## sup27606

QueueCumber said:


> Good going. Now we’re all on the U.S. Government watch list...



And soon, the FBI is going to confiscate our headphones!


----------



## QueueCumber (Aug 14, 2018)

sup27606 said:


> And soon, the FBI is going to confiscate our headphones!



All your base are belong to us!


----------



## riffrafff

QueueCumber said:


> Good going. Now we’re all on the U.S. Government watch list...



If you're not already on a watch list, you're not tryin' hard enough.


----------



## Pharmaboy

QueueCumber said:


> Good going. Now we’re all on the U.S. Government watch list...



It's a badge of honor...


----------



## Preachy1

You'll have to pry my LCD-3s outta my cold, dead hands!!!!


----------



## TheRH (Aug 16, 2018)

My humble entry into desktop headphone audio, and I am quite please so far.


----------



## QueueCumber

Got my Susvara back! New set of pics, including a lights off shot of the BHSE, Auralic and McIntosh gear:


----------



## Silent One

in-session with "Kind of Blue" - released Mid-August, 1959...


----------



## penmarker

QueueCumber said:


> Got my Susvara back! New set of pics, including a lights off shot of the BHSE, Auralic and McIntosh gear:


The skulls are nice but you're stressing out the cables and connectors by resting the headphones on them. Get ones that hang by the headbands instead.


----------



## Scutey

TheRH said:


> My humble entry into desktop headphone audio, and I am quite please so far.


Still a nice set up tho.


----------



## Redcarmoose

penmarker said:


> The skulls are nice but you're stressing out the cables and connectors by resting the headphones on them. Get ones that hang by the headbands instead.



Or giant size skulls........lol


----------



## QueueCumber

penmarker said:


> The skulls are nice but you're stressing out the cables and connectors by resting the headphones on them. Get ones that hang by the headbands instead.



No worries. I’ll get them therapy if they need it.


----------



## bmichels (Aug 24, 2018)

I received yesteday my new DAC to replace my HUGO: a Denafrips Terminator R2R.

It is really bigger than the HUGO ! ( 19 kg as opposed to 250 grammes ! )

I just had time to install it and listen to 2 songs... before I had to run to the Airport.

 

 

First impression : AFTER Warm-up it is very relaxing and bring a lot of presence and « happiness ». I guess that what we call musicality ( as opposed to analytic only).

 ( I said « after warm-up «  because the first minutes out of the box were not pleasant but when I came back few hours after, it was warm and sounded quite different -  does this make sense ?)

Anyway, I will keep you posted with more impressions when I am back in France next week.

Next upgrade is the Music serverStreamer to replace my Auralic Aries V1.   Any idea ?


----------



## earChasm

bmichels said:


> I received yesteday my new DAC: a Denafrips Terminator R2R and i just had time to install it and listen to 2 songs... before I had to run to the Airport.


Heilige maagd Maria!!!
You got some nice stuff. It's time for you to expand your locations with The Netherlands .


----------



## alphanumerix1

bmichels said:


> I received yesteday my new DAC: a Denafrips Terminator R2R and i just had time to install it and listen to 2 songs... before I had to run to the Airport.
> 
> Really bigger ( 19 kg as opposed to 250 grammes !  than the HUGO !
> 
> ...



auralic aries g2


----------



## Sniperpr5

New addition to the setup.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Sniperpr5 said:


> New addition to the setup.



Wow nice what model is that?


----------



## Sniperpr5

alphanumerix1 said:


> Wow nice what model is that?



EC Zana Deux Super


----------



## judomaniak57

my room for music


----------



## bmichels (Aug 27, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> auralic aries g2



Well, the G2 is indeed in my radar, as well as innuos Zenith statement and EVO432 server, but I am also considering a 2nd Hand Aurender W20, to take advantage of it's* Dual-wire AES/EBU mode *since my DAC also has 2 AES/EBU connectors.

does someone has already experienced this *mode Dual-wire AES/EBU* mode ? does it sound better than USB ?

Let me know if you see FS a 2nd Hand Black Aurender W20


----------



## Darksoul

**Proudly walks in to show off mah stuff** 
**Sees setups worth tens of thousand of dollars**
**Stops**
**Walks out**
**Lurks from the shadows**


----------



## Sniperpr5




----------



## interweb-tech

Darksoul said:


> **Proudly walks in to show off mah stuff**
> **Sees setups worth tens of thousand of dollars**
> **Stops**
> **Walks out**
> **Lurks from the shadows**


I thought the same thing at first. Then I said the heck with it and did some fun staging/poses to share what I have.


----------



## Darksoul

Kyrk said:


>



Duuude, what are you doing here? you're done, get out.


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> my room for music



I want that chair!


----------



## nick n (Aug 27, 2018)

Darksoul said:


> **Proudly walks in to show off mah stuff**
> **Sees setups worth tens of thousand of dollars**
> **Stops**
> **Walks out**
> **Lurks from the shadows**



NO WAY! I find the "less expensive" stuff more interesting. EVERYBODY POST AWAY!


----------



## Bookbear

Darksoul said:


> **Proudly walks in to show off mah stuff**
> **Sees setups worth tens of thousand of dollars**
> **Stops**
> **Walks out**
> **Lurks from the shadows**


Hey!  You there... in the shadows..... if it gives you pleasure, that's all that matters.  Comparison is the thief of joy.


----------



## IceAero




----------



## judomaniak57

Pharmaboy said:


> I want that chair!


it is an old junky chair but very comfy


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

Mine's not as impressive as all of yours (I haven't the money...) but I like it.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

AthenaZephyrian said:


> Mine's not as impressive as all of yours (I haven't the money...) but I like it.


Love the poster.


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

Back before I added the vintage bulb and poster....


----------



## nick n

^ really neat setup. Awesome lamp BTW.


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

nick n said:


> ^ really neat setup. Awesome lamp BTW.



Awh thanks! ^=^


----------



## Pharmaboy

AthenaZephyrian said:


> Mine's not as impressive as all of yours (I haven't the money...) but I like it.



2 headphones & what appear to be discreet amplification and DAC. It's a lot better than I had starting out...

Is that a right-handed Lenovo mouse being used left-handed?


----------



## AthenaZephyrian (Aug 28, 2018)

Pharmaboy said:


> 2 headphones & what appear to be discreet amplification and DAC. It's a lot better than I had starting out...
> 
> Is that a right-handed Lenovo mouse being used left-handed?



3 headphones actually!  Soundmagic HP200's, ATH-MSR7's, and Hifiman HE400i's.  I also have LZ-A4's for use on the move.  The amp on the right (SMSL M6) also provides a fantastic line-out from the DAC, and has a very decent inbuilt SS amplifier as well.

I'm considering a pair of DT1990's or Audeze EL-8's come Black Friday.  I'd also be getting a Little Dot Mk3 or Teac UD-301 to drive them.  After that, I'll be clean out of money to blow on audio for another six or eight months, unless I can get enough commission money for building custom amplifier chassis, or by *selling my art*.  Sample of art below (Stephen Hawking):





It's a right-handed tecknet mouse being used left-handed.


----------



## Vipu

Darksoul said:


> **Proudly walks in to show off mah stuff**
> **Sees setups worth tens of thousand of dollars**
> **Stops**
> **Walks out**
> **Lurks from the shadows**



Im more interested of the whole listening area than some expensive headphones, extra points for some unique/modded stuff.


----------



## waveSounds

Shuffled things around but still not entirely happy with this layout. Need to wall mount the monitor, really.


----------



## joseph69

New addition on the right.
WA33 (standard) w/upgraded EML 2A3-S/EHM 6C45Pi/UE-596


----------



## Javad

Woo Audio WA7 2nd Gen + Sennheiser HD800


----------



## Scutey

joseph69 said:


> New addition on the right.
> WA33 (standard) w/upgraded EML 2A3-S/EHM 6C45Pi/UE-596


Impressive set up.


----------



## joseph69

Scutey said:


> Impressive set up.


Thank you very much.


----------



## smallcaps

A/B testing station


----------



## gimmeheadroom

twitch133 said:


> New desk, requires new photo!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is that tabletop bamboo? It looks identical to the Norstone rack I got recently.


----------



## twitch133

gimmeheadroom said:


> Is that tabletop bamboo? It looks identical to the Norstone rack I got recently.



It is, it is an Uplift brand desk. They use bamboo as the main option for their larger desks.


----------



## alphanumerix1

joseph69 said:


> Thank you very much.


 1+ epic setup


----------



## joseph69

alphanumerix1 said:


> 1+ epic setup


Thank you very much as well.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Aug 30, 2018)

twitch133 said:


> It is, it is an Uplift brand desk. They use bamboo as the main option for their larger desks.



That's interesting, I wonder if they're getting the materials from the same place as Norstone. The edge banding is identical to that of my rack.

http://www.norstone-design.com/en/model/387_Stabbl-Bamboo.html

and look at the bottom shelf in this pic

http://www.norstone-design.com/media/NorStone/NORSTA060ABAP/NOR-Stabbl-picture-3.jpg


----------



## koover

Finally got my listening room exactly the way I want it. I just spend too much time in here.


----------



## betula

In my opinion members who post dream set ups and collections of TOTL headphones should also share their profession. Just to help us others, what carrier moves we ought to make to achieve a similar abundance of audio gear. Thanks!


----------



## earChasm

betula said:


> In my opinion members who post dream set ups and collections of TOTL headphones should also share their profession. Just to help us others, what carrier moves we ought to make to achieve a similar abundance of audio gear. Thanks!


Or...you can be satisfied with what you have. There always will be someone with better or worse gear. Then again, there's nothing wrong with setting goals .


----------



## betula

earChasm said:


> Or...you can be satisfied with what you have. There always will be someone with better or worse gear. Then again, there's nothing wrong with setting goals .


I am extremely happy with my present set up. But you always look at the sky, don't you?


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

betula said:


> I am extremely happy with my present set up. But you always look at the sky, don't you?


I'm about to sell my whole setup to finance stax lol. I'm still not sure it's worth it.  I could afford it if I just got the 3100, but I want to get the Woo Wee converter and a good power amp, for clarity and soundstage.


----------



## betula

AthenaZephyrian said:


> I'm about to sell my whole setup to finance stax lol. I'm still not sure it's worth it.  I could afford it if I just got the 3100, but I want to get the Woo Wee converter and a good power amp, for clarity and soundstage.


Death jump to electrostats? Good luck! I won't jump until I can afford a KGSSHV-Carbon + 009.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

The chase never ends. But right now I'm in a pretty good headspafe with a WM-1A and a few headphones that I'm just plain enjoying. For the time being, I'm not lusting for new gear... In fact, despite my looking at head-fi porn online... I can't think of anything I want to pick up.


----------



## AthenaZephyrian (Aug 30, 2018)

betula said:


> Death jump to electrostats? Good luck! I won't jump until I can afford a KGSSHV-Carbon + 009.



Oh lord that's expensive.  I'd sooner ask someone to take a photo of the PCB and just reverse-engineer it with tinfoil, duct-tape, and beer-bottle capacitors.  I wouldn't be able to finance that setup for another 2 years, probably... I'm a student, so it'd be through summer jobs and art sales.


----------



## earChasm

betula said:


> I am extremely happy with my present set up. But you always look at the sky, don't you?


I'm constantly eyeballing new stuff so that's a big yes .


----------



## Preachy1

the only item that I'm currently pining for is a pair of Utopias.  maybe this time next year


----------



## betula

Preachy1 said:


> the only item that I'm currently pining for is a pair of Utopias.  maybe this time next year


Many prefer the Clear over Utopias. I didn't like the Elear, but loved the Clear. Eventually I found the signature to be too detailed, too upfront and aggressive. Not ideal for day-to-day listening. Exciting, technically amazing, but too much for chilling out. I prefer the more laid back but still fun Audeze sound.


----------



## Preachy1

betula said:


> Many prefer the Clear over Utopias. I didn't like the Elear, but loved the Clear. Eventually I found the signature to be too detailed, too upfront and aggressive. Not ideal for day-to-day listening. Exciting, technically amazing, but too much for chilling out. I prefer the more laid back but still fun Audeze sound.



It's just a "like to have" right now.  I have the Elears and I really like them.  I also have several Audeze LCD models (not trying to show off; well maybe a little!).

if it makes anyone feel better, I drive a 2002 PT Cruiser that looks like hell.


----------



## VenturaRoyal

koover said:


> Finally got my listening room exactly the way I want it. I just spend too much time in here.



What stand is that with the Audeze and the Aeon on it?


----------



## koover (Aug 31, 2018)

VenturaRoyal said:


> What stand is that with the Audeze and the Aeon on it?


Hi,
It's a CASEKING. Unfortunately they're not available any longer. I wanted to get 3 more as I like them so much better then the wood Omega style stands. I believe the wood Omega style stands will eventually cause pad failure due to the constant pressure.

Oops....Found it
https://www.amazon.com/headphone-CA...21846&sr=8-14&keywords=double+headphone+stand


----------



## Tonza

Pretty dark image, everything is just black...


----------



## Deftone

Tonza said:


> Pretty dark image, everything is just *black*...



Its all good, thats my favorite colour.


----------



## Thaddy

Recently got some new additions from Germany and Iceland. The T1 2nd Gen's arrived today and the Dynalo Mk2 (built by Spritzer @ Mjolnir Audio) showed up last week.  The Dynalo has crazy amounts of power and a loop out that is feeding the WA2.  It's by far the most transparent amp I've ever heard, and a great compliment to the WA2.  I also got some tube adapters from Jack @ Woo Audio so I can run some 6SN7's in place of 6DJ8/6922's.


----------



## FinBenton (Sep 3, 2018)

Aint pretty but works for me.

e. that hifiman cable can piss off, its like a nasty string that never settles down.


----------



## earChasm

FinBenton said:


> that hifiman cable can piss off, its like a nasty string that never settles down.




 

Just kidding


----------



## tracyca

Happy labor day!


----------



## alphanumerix1

Thaddy said:


> Recently got some new additions from Germany and Iceland. The T1 2nd Gen's arrived today and the Dynalo Mk2 (built by Spritzer @ Mjolnir Audio) showed up last week.  The Dynalo has crazy amounts of power and a loop out that is feeding the WA2.  It's by far the most transparent amp I've ever heard, and a great compliment to the WA2.  I also got some tube adapters from Jack @ Woo Audio so I can run some 6SN7's in place of 6DJ8/6922's.



very clean setup! awesome


----------



## SilverEars

FinBenton said:


> Aint pretty but works for me.
> 
> e. that hifiman cable can piss off, its like a nasty string that never settles down.





earChasm said:


> Just kidding



I think it should really piss-off from the looks of it. LOL.  It stresses me out just looking at the tangle-ness.  I know how the LCD2C cable is like, I like the build of that cable.


----------



## Rhamnetin

Thaddy said:


> Recently got some new additions from Germany and Iceland. The T1 2nd Gen's arrived today and the Dynalo Mk2 (built by Spritzer @ Mjolnir Audio) showed up last week.  The Dynalo has crazy amounts of power and a loop out that is feeding the WA2.  It's by far the most transparent amp I've ever heard, and a great compliment to the WA2.  I also got some tube adapters from Jack @ Woo Audio so I can run some 6SN7's in place of 6DJ8/6922's.



Nice setup! I agree about the Dynalo, it seems to have that impression on everyone which shows how good it is. 



SilverEars said:


> I think it should really piss-off from the looks of it. LOL.  It stresses me out just looking at the tangle-ness.  I know how the LCD2C cable is like, I like the build of that cable.



Yeah Audeze includes nice cables. Completely opposite of HiFiMan. When I borrow a Susvara for an audition, I'm gonna be sure to have an aftermarket cable too, since I suspect their cables also notably limit the sound quality. Gonna try to use it with a Cardas Clear headphone cable.


----------



## Krutsch

The current work rig.


----------



## HesterDW

Never noticed the mark on my Emotiva until I took this picture, and now I can't stop staring at it. :/


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Rhamnetin said:


> Yeah Audeze includes nice cables.



Agreed but what's with the shoestring cable lengths? Do they really think most Audeze customers are driving their cans with DAPs? The first thing you have to do after shelling out for a new set of LCDs is cough up another couple hundred bucks for a cable that's long enough you don't have to stand next to your amp.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

HesterDW said:


> Never noticed the mark on my Emotiva until I took this picture, and now I can't stop staring at it. :/



Just dust on the lens man. Don't sweat it


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Pharmaboy

Silent One said:


>



Doesn't look all that "silent" to me ...


----------



## antdroid

Home Office Head-Fi Station.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## betula

LCD-2C £509 new (special offer)
2Qute £500 secondhand (very lucky deal)
CMA600i secondhand £400+my old Mojo 
RRP would be £2700, cost me £1700. This sound is sublime for the price. Clean, clear, powerful. Just what I need.


----------



## cardeli22

betula said:


> LCD-2C £509 new (special offer)
> 2Qute £500 secondhand (very lucky deal)
> CMA600i secondhand £400+my old Mojo
> RRP would be £2700, cost me £1700. This sound is sublime for the price. Clean, clear, powerful. Just what I need.


AT first I read this as a for sale listing of your gear until I got to the end and saw it was the deals you got on your gear. LOL. Really nice setup by the way.


----------



## betula

cardeli22 said:


> AT first I read this as a for sale listing of your gear until I got to the end and saw it was the deals you got on your gear. LOL. Really nice setup by the way.


Thanks! Not for sale, at least not for a good while. I am really enjoying this combo for now


----------



## maheeinfy

Pile of Schiit


----------



## betula

maheeinfy said:


> Pile of Schiit


That's indeed a good stack of Schiit.


----------



## sup27606

My babies


----------



## nordkapp

maheeinfy said:


> Pile of Schiit


Schiit _*loves *_u.....


----------



## katulu

My new 009 + BHSE + Hugo2 (for now - DAVE on its way!)... thanks @koven !


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

In true Stax form, ugly as hell, looks like a part that fell out of a 90's computer tower, but a great sound.


----------



## Rhamnetin

AthenaZephyrian said:


> In true Stax form, ugly as hell, looks like a part that fell out of a 90's computer tower, but a great sound.


----------



## waveSounds

@AthenaZephyrian Is that a Smok Baby Prince I see thar?


----------



## wwmhf

maheeinfy said:


> Pile of Schiit



This is the biggest pile I have ever seen!


----------



## Pharmaboy

wwmhf said:


> This is the biggest pile I have ever seen!



Yes it is. And as gastroenterologists would say, this pile of Schiit is "distinct, well formed, and easy to pass."


----------



## AthenaZephyrian

waveSounds said:


> @AthenaZephyrian Is that a Smok Baby Prince I see thar?



that it is!  I used to have an Alien and an AL85, but both of them had problems with faulty microUSB ports.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## hemipowered007

Redcarmoose said:


>



Man that's nice clean and matching, love it


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 13, 2018)

hemipowered007 said:


> Man that's nice clean and matching, love it



Thank-you. It’s somehow a way to make the Z7 pretty much perfect with electronic music. The system probably excells with EDM the most?

I still need to get an AudioQuest Carbon or Cinnamon USB to complete the system. Supposedly the upgrade takes the dock to a new level of source. Strangely I’ve been in love with old-fashon redbook with a CD transport, but the Z1 and dock configuration beats it?

The aging Sony Z7 flagship headphone may look classy BUT it has a tacky nightclub tone, which somehow goes with EDM. I just need to spray some cheap cologne on the Z7s to complete the effect.


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

Love my job, but I may have a problem


----------



## earChasm

Oscar-HiFi said:


> Love my job, but I may have a problem


I can fix that.
I'll PM you my address so you can offload your problem to me


----------



## Redcarmoose

Oscar-HiFi said:


> Love my job, but I may have a problem



How do you like the HD820, on my list for a listen?


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

Redcarmoose said:


> How do you like the HD820, on my list for a listen?



I've actually been writing up a review for the Hifiheadphones blog, they are really good when paired with the right amp. I found them to sound excellent out of the Burson Fun with V6 Vivid op-amps.

Excellent tonality and body without sacrificing too much detail, very open sounding for a closed back headphone and I can't hear any of the typical drawbacks of a closed design. I really wanted to try and be critical of them, and find something that I didn't like, or that they did wrong. But I ended up enjoying them a lot, more than I wanted to. 

Take the HD800s, decrease the soundstage a little, make them a little less resolving but add more realistic body and decay, a little extra low end warmth, and you get a more natural tonality overall. That is the HD820 to my ears.

My problem with the HD800 and HD800s is that, yes they are incredibly revealing and open, but they just don't quite sound real to my ears comparing them to live music. That is why I always preferred the Beyerdyanamic T1 2nd gen, they just sound a bit more tonally accurate. I also find the soundstage to sound a little artifical on the HD800/HD800s.


----------



## Theabs (Sep 13, 2018)

Schiit Jot
Nuprime DAC Prime
Lexicon RT-10
Most current headphones: Focal Clear


----------



## earChasm

It's a bit silly but curiosity got the best of me, so now I have a Taurus to play with...


----------



## sup27606

earChasm said:


> It's a bit silly but curiosity got the best of me, so now I have a Taurus to play with...



Very neat setup.


----------



## betula

earChasm said:


> It's a bit silly but curiosity got the best of me, so now I have a Taurus to play with...


I'd be happy to hear your impressions about the Taurus. How neutral is it? The output power is quite amazing but how do you find the treble? Is it not too strong?


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


> just need to spray some cheap cologne on the Z7s to complete the effect.


Haven't laughed this hard in a while. Classic!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Redcarmoose said:


> Thank-you. It’s somehow a way to make the Z7 pretty much perfect with electronic music. The system probably excells with EDM the most?
> 
> I still need to get an AudioQuest Carbon or Cinnamon USB to complete the system. Supposedly the upgrade takes the dock to a new level of source. Strangely I’ve been in love with old-fashon redbook with a CD transport, but the Z1 and dock configuration beats it?
> 
> The aging Sony Z7 flagship headphone may look classy BUT it has a tacky nightclub tone, which somehow goes with EDM. I just need to spray some cheap cologne on the Z7s to complete the effect.



I owned the Z7s at one time. I felt rather cheap 'n' tawdry the entire time I had them. 

Then again, I always felt that way...


----------



## Scutey

Oscar-HiFi said:


> Love my job, but I may have a problem


Love to give those HD 820's a try, if I save up for about 5 years I might be able to afford a pair!.


----------



## earChasm (Sep 15, 2018)

betula said:


> I'd be happy to hear your impressions about the Taurus. How neutral is it? The output power is quite amazing but how do you find the treble? Is it not too strong?


I like my HDVA600 setup a lot but because it got trashed lately (and that's ok), I decided to buy one more amp to hear what the fuzz is all about.

Initially I was not blown away by the Taurus, based on all the praise it got and compared to my HDVA600 setup. But that's mainly because I expected a night and day difference. Still, the Taurus is better. It has a bit more bass, meat on the bones and sparkle. I like it, especially for pop and rock music. I hate to use these words but some may say that a veil has been lifted. Not a shocking one but stil...

For country, jazz, singer-songwriter, folk and so on however, I'm not sure I prefer the Taurus over the HDVA600 at this moment but I expect I will. That being said, I'm glad I bought the Taurus. I'm now more able to put things into "the right" perspective.

I am treble sensitive and altho the treble is a bit more present on the Taurus it does not give me fatique (yesterday I had a 5 hour straight listening session).

For comparison;

Asgard 2 + Bifrost 4490 = unlistenable (treble)
Asgard 2 + 2Qute = unlistenable (treble)
HDVA600 + Bifrost 4490 = boring as hell
HVDA600 + 2Qute = unlistenable (treble)
HVDA600 + Qutest = unlistenable (treble)
HVDA600 + Gumby = amazing

And after a few more days I think it will be:

HVDA600 + Gumby = amazing-
Taurus + Gumby = amazing+


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 15, 2018)

Pharmaboy said:


> I owned the Z7s at one time. I felt rather cheap 'n' tawdry the entire time I had them.
> 
> Then again, I always felt that way...



Quite fancy to look at, but a Tijuana nightclub for a soul.


----------



## Scutey

Redcarmoose said:


> Quite fancy to look at, but a Tijuana nightclub for a soul.


Love to try a Tijuana nightclub, if only once!.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Z7s are beautifully designed & built--a bit smaller in person than I expected, but obviously a 100% evolved closed back design.

Sound was also different than I expected: rather subtle. Sounded quiet/muted at lower volumes, but when you really crank them, a different headphone comes out. Really not a head-banger, though. 

I ended up selling them, but that was 80%-90% because I was moving away from closed back HPs in general at the time; also because I was fixated on some other F.S. goodie.


----------



## wwmhf

earChasm said:


> It's a bit silly but curiosity got the best of me, so now I have a Taurus to play with...



What a clean setup!


----------



## earChasm

wwmhf said:


> What a clean setup!


Thank you but it is already old news because I removed the HDVA600, ahahaha.

I'm a low volume listener. On a low volume (as I used to listen), the gap between the HDVA600 and the Taurus is not that big. With accoustic music I actually prefer the HDVA600. But as soon as I turn up the volume a bit the gap widens, like a lot! Like...holly {beep} I want to hear my complete music collection like this... 

However, I can't sell my HDVA600 yet, and maybe I never will. As I said, I must listen at a higher volume than I actually prefer. If I can't get used to that I will keep both. The Taurus to really rock and the HDVA600 for longer, more relaxed listening sessions. First world problems...


----------



## natalieann




----------



## waveSounds

Why I love my Dangerous Source: want to chill on the sofa instead of sit at the desk? No problem.


----------



## Scutey

waveSounds said:


> Why I love my Dangerous Source: want to chill on the sofa instead of sit at the desk? No problem.


Nice set up!.


----------



## waveSounds

@Scutey Thanks man!


----------



## alan967tiger

My current set up which I’m very happy with is
Stax 007 mk 2 and Mjolnir Audio Mini KGSSHV. The rest of my system is in the 2nd photo.


----------



## koenoe

Really nice! I'd love to own that phono stage one day


----------



## Pharmaboy

alan967tiger said:


> My current set up which I’m very happy with is
> Stax 007 mk 2 and Mjolnir Audio Mini KGSSHV. The rest of my system is in the 2nd photo.



SME TT!! Which arm is that?


----------



## alan967tiger

koenoe said:


> Really nice! I'd love to own that phono stage one day


Thanks - after owning a few different phono stages over the years, I've settled on Whest. Very fine, detailed and spacious sounding and very flexible in terms of loading and gain.


----------



## alan967tiger

Pharmaboy said:


> SME TT!! Which arm is that?


SME V, I really like it - great sq and also easy to set up and install carts.


----------



## koenoe (Sep 21, 2018)




----------



## Pharmaboy

koenoe said:


>



Focal Shape 65s? Do you like them?


----------



## koenoe

Pharmaboy said:


> Focal Shape 65s? Do you like them?


Correct. I think I do, but I feel like they will sound A LOT better in a larger room and a bit further away. I'd like them on stands behind my desk, but no space.
Without acoustic treatment in my little home office they sounded horrible though (bass resonance).


----------



## bmichels (Sep 22, 2018)




----------



## kid vic

koenoe said:


>


Focal usually makes beautifully balanced monitors, are they too bassy for you or does the soundstage seem small?


----------



## koenoe

kid vic said:


> Focal usually makes beautifully balanced monitors, are they too bassy for you or does the soundstage seem small?


The sound stage is amazing! It's wide, deep and spacious imo. I've had KEF LS50 before and I prefer these Focals so much more.
It's just that I still have some bass resonance on several frequencies which annoys me. Especially with music like Jack Johnson or Gregory Porter it's annoying me too much.
I've invested heavily in GIK Acoustics treatment already and it did improve it a lot, but still not perfect. It's because the room is super small, square and a low ceiling. Basically the worst room possible for listening to music, lol.


----------



## kid vic

koenoe said:


> The sound stage is amazing! It's wide, deep and spacious imo. I've had KEF LS50 before and I prefer these Focals so much more.
> It's just that I still have some bass resonance on several frequencies which annoys me. Especially with music like Jack Johnson or Gregory Porter it's annoying me too much.
> I've invested heavily in GIK Acoustics treatment already and it did improve it a lot, but still not perfect. It's because the room is super small, square and a low ceiling. Basically the worst room possible for listening to music, lol.



im sure you can fix that with the low pass filter


----------



## alphanumerix1

koenoe said:


>



You always have the cleanest setups. Very nice.

(Mind you i feel all your gear is never in the picture  e.g headphones)


----------



## Rowethren

Taken with my phone at night so the quality isn't great but I have gotten to the point where I wouldn't change anything in my speaker setup which for someone with upgradeitis is amazing! Still looking at the Meze Empyrean as an upgrade is to the Ether Flows when it is released though.


----------



## koenoe

alphanumerix1 said:


> You always have the cleanest setups. Very nice.
> 
> (Mind you i feel all your gear is never in the picture  e.g headphones)


Thank you! Haha no my headphones are behind me. LCD-4 and XC


----------



## lasttodie

This is probably like swearing in church but this is what I enjoy (and it's not to bad sounding)
Argon TT2 turntable
Sony WH-H900N
and a bluetooth transmitter


----------



## ebjarrell

Rowethren said:


> Taken with my phone at night so the quality isn't great but I have gotten to the point where I wouldn't change anything in my speaker setup which for someone with upgradeitis is amazing! Still looking at the Meze Empyrean as an upgrade is to the Ether Flows when it is released though.


Impressive set up.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rowethren said:


> Taken with my phone at night so the quality isn't great but I have gotten to the point where I wouldn't change anything in my speaker setup which for someone with upgradeitis is amazing! Still looking at the Meze Empyrean as an upgrade is to the Ether Flows when it is released though.



What are your speakers/monitors? And is that a sub under the desk (or the computer?)

NICE setup! By comparison, my equipment-strewn home office looks like a trash-heap...


----------



## Rowethren (Sep 22, 2018)

Pharmaboy said:


> What are your speakers/monitors? And is that a sub under the desk (or the computer?)
> 
> NICE setup! By comparison, my equipment-strewn home office looks like a trash-heap...



Haha well I have some pretty bad OCD and I can't deal with mess on my desk or anywhere in my room to be honest.

My speakers are Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II and under my desk is a BK Electronic XXLS400-DF although I am thinking of getting on of the new SVS subs to replace it.

It isn't that clear but there are 2 separate boxes under/next to my desk, the one on the left is my PC and yes it is huge lol, a Phanteks Enthoo Primo case to be precise, and the one on the right is my sub.


----------



## riffrafff

Rowethren said:


> Haha well I have some pretty bad OCD and I can't deal with mess on my desk...



Apparently _I_ have no such issues, LOL.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rowethren said:


> Haha well I have some pretty bad OCD and I can't deal with mess on my desk or anywhere in my room to be honest.
> 
> My speakers are Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II and under my desk is a BK Electronic XXLS400-DF although I am thinking of getting on of the new SVS subs to replace it.
> 
> It isn't that clear but there are 2 separate boxes under/next to my desk, the one on the left is my PC and yes it is huge lol, a Phanteks Enthoo Primo case to be precise, and the one on the right is my sub.



I have the humble-but-good SB-1000, SVS's entry-level sealed 12" sub. I hear the 13" sealed is a total ass-kicker: very musical, but able to move the house off the foundations. 

The problem w/any of these subs is somehow getting the signal crossed over w/o getting bogged down in a cheap passive xover. I ended up purchasing a high quality electronic crossover (Marchand XM44 2-way, used) which totally solved that problem.


----------



## judomaniak57

new dekoni perferated leather pads on the elears.


----------



## Rowethren

riffrafff said:


> Apparently _I_ have no such issues, LOL.



Haha yeah it seems not, I think my brain would explode 



Pharmaboy said:


> I have the humble-but-good SB-1000, SVS's entry-level sealed 12" sub. I hear the 13" sealed is a total ass-kicker: very musical, but able to move the house off the foundations.
> 
> 
> 
> The problem w/any of these subs is somehow getting the signal crossed over w/o getting bogged down in a cheap passive xover. I ended up purchasing a high quality electronic crossover (Marchand XM44 2-way, used) which totally solved that problem.



I use the inbuilt low pass filter in my XXLS400-DF in conjunction with REW and a calibrated mic then finish it all off with my Minidsp DDRC-22D which seems to work nicely, takes a damn long time to get everything set up perfectly though! I was looking at getting one of the new SVS SB-4000 which is apparently a beast and the inbuilt crossover is supposed to be pretty good as well which is a plus but I think it is just a bit too big to fit under my desk which is a shame...


----------



## whirlwind (Sep 23, 2018)

I framed and hung a few concert posters and put them on my wall so it does not look so bare in my listening room.

I have a few more to go and will post some pics when I get finished.


----------



## Zenvota




----------



## siberianmoon

Just got the Amirons on Saturday and am comparing them to my DT 990s. The latter got taken out of the closet last week as the crappy Hifiman pads started falling apart and I had to switch away from HE560s for a couple days until I had the time to glue the pads together. The AKG cans are there to remind me that I should try to fix them as they're broken...


----------



## betula

A dark(ish) but very clean combo these four. Even though I prefer porter/ale/stout to IPA.


----------



## Pharmaboy

"punk IPA"??


----------



## betula

Pharmaboy said:


> "punk IPA"??


I know. It tastes quite good though. And it is far more popular in Southern-England than you'd expect it.


----------



## snellemin

Finally got my dual mono amp setup for my headphones. The amps have the Burson V4 opamps installed. Parasound preamp has the Burson V5 installed.


----------



## earChasm

snellemin said:


> Finally got my dual mono amp setup for my headphones. The amps have the Burson V4 opamps installed. Parasound preamp has the Burson V5 installed.


Mamma mia, i'm such a rookie!


----------



## Pharmaboy

snellemin said:


> Finally got my dual mono amp setup for my headphones. The amps have the Burson V4 opamps installed. Parasound preamp has the Burson V5 installed.



I'm seeing real, live equipment racks! 

Have read much about Burson opamps. They look huge, too large for some applications. How do they sound to you?


----------



## snellemin

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm seeing real, live equipment racks!
> 
> Have read much about Burson opamps. They look huge, too large for some applications. How do they sound to you?



I like the Burson's opamps a lot on my setups.  The opamps pushes the audio quality from mid-fi to hi-fi.  For my amps I like the older V4 more.  It improves the lower subbass region and everything else more separated.  For the Preamps, I like the V6 classic and V5.  In one of my portable amps I have pair of  V5i's in there.  Slighty better dynamics vs the Muses02.   

Yes, the Burson's are taller, but that is why I make extensions and put the Opamps on its side.


----------



## Pharmaboy

extensions? that's ingenious!


----------



## johnzz4 (Sep 27, 2018)

Auralic Aries G2 and Wells Audio Headtrip 2 incoming...  here it is today.


----------



## Jamesy1969

Almost entirely changed since last post (mind that was a couple of years ago I think!).


----------



## waveSounds

johnzz4 said:


> Auralic Aries G2 and Wells Audio Headtrip 2 incoming...



*Casually talks about incoming $15,000 headphone amp like waiting on next week's Ocado delivery*

Seeing as you won't need the Milo anymore I'll PM you my address. I'll even pay for shipping


----------



## alphanumerix1

johnzz4 said:


> Auralic Aries G2 and Wells Audio Headtrip 2 incoming...  here it is today.



he9? terminator? wowee. What else is going on there?


----------



## johnzz4

waveSounds said:


> *Casually talks about incoming $15,000 headphone amp like waiting on next week's Ocado delivery*
> 
> Seeing as you won't need the Milo anymore I'll PM you my address. I'll even pay for shipping


Not the Headtrip Reference.. It'm getting the $7k refresh of the original HT.  Super excited.


----------



## johnzz4

alphanumerix1 said:


> he9? terminator? wowee. What else is going on there?


Final chain will be: .Auralic Aries G2 > Denafrips Terminator > Wells Headtrip 2 > Audeze LCD4.  Dedicated 20 amp line, PS Audio P3 regenerator, and full Shunyata cabling.  I'm hoping to cure my audio nervosa soon.


----------



## joseph69

johnzz4 said:


> I'm hoping to cure my audio nervosa soon.


Good luck with that!


----------



## Pharmaboy

johnzz4 said:


> Final chain will be: .Auralic Aries G2 > Denafrips Terminator > Wells Headtrip 2 > Audeze LCD4.  Dedicated 20 amp line, PS Audio P3 regenerator, and full Shunyata cabling.  I'm hoping to cure my audio nervosa soon.



"The bigger the headache, the bigger the pill" 

(George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic)


----------



## kman1211 (Sep 29, 2018)

My current set up, only two headphones I currently use. Beyerdynamic T1.2 Black Edition(plugged into Sony UDA-1) and a modified DT 480 - 25 Ohm(plugged into Magni 3).


----------



## Rowethren

Annoyingly a patch of dead pixels appeared on the middle of my main screen after a year and a half. I guess it didn't like being photographed and put up here . Thankfully Amazon returns are 2 years so I returned it for replacement... 

Guess what the replacement had a red stuck pixel out the box lol! Hopefully the one arriving tomorrow fairs a bit better!


----------



## bmichels

A new baby arrived : An Aurender W20 to feed my Denafrips Terminator R2R DAC.  I went to Germany to colect this used W20.

Now I will have to test what is the best connection between them : USB, AES or Coax !  And what best brand for the selected connection .... (Shunyata Sigma is on my short list)

Lot of cable to try...lot of fun !   


Booth DAC & Server are now waiting to be brought back in my house south of France. 

And... please do not make fun about the wodden top of the W20:  in addition to the original top, the vendor also supplied me with this strange « wood top » made by Mr. Rudolf (A Capella) that is supposed to provide Optimization with Woodcolumn in Holes in the top which are standing on some Parts of the Elekttonik and on the Column Wood compensator, all to Reduce Vibration and Mikrophonie. Everything is easily removeabale without any damage and the Original top can Mount. (see picture. It looks funny isn’t it . —> Have you heard of this strange top optimized ?


----------



## riffrafff

How very feng-shui-ish.


----------



## waveSounds

@bmichels Built in headphone stands. Genius.


----------



## SilverEars (Sep 29, 2018)

bmichels said:


>


One of these things is not like the others....


----------



## bmichels

Don’t worry I also got the original top. 

So as soon as I am back home I will listen to compare booth, and... it is very possible that I will put back the original top


----------



## MLGrado (Oct 1, 2018)

I bought a new PC out of necessity.  I normally build my own, but there are times when one just wants to save the time and effort, and I spotted one of the new HP all-in-ones at BB, and was impressed enough considering the price compared to the king of the all in one over in Cupertino.  Long story short, trying to troubleshoot major audio issues after inserting it that should NOT have been happening, I managed to move my audio equipment right up next to my new PC.  I have always had it separated for some kind of need to satisfy irrational audiophilia left over from last decade's mindset that computers and 'good' audio don't mix.  (no worries, though.. all the audio system is on different ground PLUS the PC USB line is galvanically isolated both before the DAC and inside the DAC)

Well, I did NOT manage to fix my problems... turns out the previous generation Wyred4Sound DAC won't play nice with Windows 10 and is no longer supported.  So, I am now limited to a max of 96khz playback and no DSD.  I could downgrade to Windows 8, or get a new DAC.  I am keeping Windows 10 and just using the issue as an excuse to yet again waste money and upgrade haha.

Anyway here you go with the photos.  The tubes in the amp right there and now are Sylvania VT-231 from 1949 and a single Mullard ECC83 MC1 code long plate from 1957.  SUBLIME TUBE SOUND.....


----------



## aroldan

My office gear


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## waveSounds

@interweb-tech Awesome! We have the same pen.


----------



## Deftone

aroldan said:


> My office gear



That mug is huge!


----------



## bmichels (Oct 5, 2018)

Well, now the Aurender W20 is installed at home above the Denafrips Terminator R2R DAC and under the BHSE amp & the EC445 Amp. *I installed them on cones made of lava *to decouple them from the furniture which is definitively not a dedicated HiFi rack. A new home made power filter/distributor is also used. Ah... I also removed the strange wooden top to replace it by the factory top 

I ordered on loan 3 digital cables from the same company (Hificables.fr) so that *next week I will be able to compare USB, EAS and Coax connections and decide which is best...

--> What best TOL USB or AES cable can you recommend ?

Some High quality power cables are also coming soon to test *(some home made and some from Hificables.fr).


----------



## Rowethren

That's one nice looking relaxation area!


----------



## alphanumerix1

wow amazing setup! Did you get the w20 2nd hand?


----------



## bmichels

alphanumerix1 said:


> wow amazing setup! Did you get the w20 2nd hand?



Yes, I drove all the way to germany to get it. It was offered at a price I couldn't resist !


----------



## Nik74

I know it is technically frown upon to have a preamp hooked to a head amp but the sound out of this combo is so lush, classy and musical


----------



## snellemin (Oct 7, 2018)

My overkill mp3 player.


----------



## smallcaps

Just added the Xduoo TA-20 to the rack and pleasantly surprised after burning in the tubes. Waiting on the SU-8 and balanced cables so using it in single end mode atm.


----------



## Zhanming057

Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Zhanming057 said:


> Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi



I love the wood riser under your amps. What keyboard is that, Filco?


----------



## lugnut

snellemin said:


> My overkill mp3 player.


What is the xlr box your headphones are plugged into ? Thanks


----------



## Zhanming057

gimmeheadroom said:


> I love the wood riser under your amps. What keyboard is that, Filco?



The cutting board is literally my cutting board (from Crate and Barrel) repurposed  

Yes, that's a Filco Majestouch 2. Got it 9 years ago, modded it a whole bunch over the years and still going strong.


----------



## snellemin

lugnut said:


> What is the xlr box your headphones are plugged into ? Thanks



I made that box not long ago.  The speaker outputs from the 2 Parasound amps plug into that box.  This way I have dual mono (balanced) output into my headphones.  I stuck a bunch of different connectors into that box, to limit the amount of adapters I need.


----------



## Zenvota (Oct 8, 2018)

Zhanming057 said:


> Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi



Could you throw some clutter on the desk and take another picture, please? The cleanliness is making me uncomfortable.  Thank you.

Pretty Evolv.


----------



## OctavianH

Zhanming057 said:


> Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi



Gorgeos setup. Top class.


----------



## Rowethren

Zhanming057 said:


> Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi



Damn and I thought I had a tidy desk... Let me just cry with my OCD in a corner


----------



## whirlwind

No new gear here, but I did finally complete a wall in the cave.


----------



## judomaniak57 (Oct 10, 2018)

great choice in music, nice posters. have u been to those concerts or just a collector?


----------



## whirlwind (Oct 10, 2018)

judomaniak57 said:


> great choice in music, nice posters. have u been to those concerts or just a collector?



Thanks.  I have been to only 3 of the concerts.   ZZ Top, Top Petty and Led Zeppelin.

I have seen some of the other artist, but not the particular concert on the poster.

I was never really a collector, I just thought they made a nice addition the the listening room.

Only 3 of these posters are original concert posters, I believe all others are reproductions.


----------



## Preachy1

Love those posters.  I saw Skynyrd and the Outlaws on that tour at the Beacon Theatre, NYC!!!!


----------



## whirlwind

Preachy1 said:


> Love those posters.  I saw Skynyrd and the Outlaws on that tour at the Beacon Theatre, NYC!!!!



Great that you got to see them...not long after the band changed forever


----------



## Preachy1

whirlwind said:


> Great that you got to see them...not long after the band changed forever


So true.  My memories are actually quite thin.  I wasn't really very familiar with their music, I went along with a friend.  I recall being blown away by the Outlaws.  I also recall that for the encore, which I assume was Free Bird, the Outlaws' guitarists joined in.  I think there were seven guitarists on the stage.


----------



## betula

I know, I have shared the same combo twice already, but this crisp IPA does brighten things up. Perhaps you don't mind one more scroll movement.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Love those posters.  I saw Skynyrd and the Outlaws on that tour at the Beacon Theatre, NYC!!!!



Love that ormosia henryi Ori of @whirlwind's...

I'm going to the Beacon Theater tonight to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band. IMO they're the finest Southern rock 'n' roll since the Allman Brothers--best living electric slide player + one of the really great R&B vocalists of our time.


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that ormosia henryi Ori of @whirlwind's...
> 
> I'm going to the Beacon Theater tonight to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band. IMO they're the finest Southern rock 'n' roll since the Allman Brothers--best living electric slide player + one of the really great R&B vocalists of our time.



Lucky you! Have fun and yes, Derek's slid playing is just heaven


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that ormosia henryi Ori of @whirlwind's...
> 
> I'm going to the Beacon Theater tonight to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band. IMO they're the finest Southern rock 'n' roll since the Allman Brothers--best living electric slide player + one of the really great R&B vocalists of our time.


Cool, enjoy!  Nice to see a local(ish) person here.  Let me know if you ever make it up to Dutchess County (Pawling).  we have Daryl's House here!!!  Going to see Martin Barre Fri and Sat there..


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Cool, enjoy!  Nice to see a local(ish) person here.  Let me know if you ever make it up to Dutchess County (Pawling).  we have Daryl's House here!!!  Going to see Martin Barre Fri and Sat there..



Oh, yeah! Went there multiple times over past 3 decades when the club was The Town Crier (have also been to the new/relocated Town Crier in Beacon multiple times).

I'll be at Darryl's house in December to see John Schofield, legendary jazz/funk guitarist (I'm a huge jazz fan).

I see you're some distance from here...but presume you've heard of/been to the Falcon? That's another place I've been to countless times. Just talking blues guitar for the moment, saw the great British guitarist, Matt Schofield, there twice (in & amongst more jazz performances than I can honestly recall).


----------



## Pharmaboy

...getting back to @whirlwind's system...the world should know he owns what IMO is the prettiest cocobolo Atticus Zach/ZMF ever made, with unusually graphic grain & figure in those earcups.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Oh, yeah! Went there multiple times over past 3 decades when the club was The Town Crier (have also been to the new/relocated Town Crier in Beacon multiple times).
> 
> I'll be at Darryl's house in December to see John Schofield, legendary jazz/funk guitarist (I'm a huge jazz fan).
> 
> I see you're some distance from here...but presume you've heard of/been to the Falcon? That's another place I've been to countless times. Just talking blues guitar for the moment, saw the great British guitarist, Matt Schofield, there twice (in & amongst more jazz performances than I can honestly recall).



I'm in Dover Plains, about 12 miles north of Daryl's House.  I'm on the photo staff there and at the Towne Crier, so yeah I get to a lot of shows!!!  I'm sure our paths will cross eventually.

Have yet to see a show at the Falcon, but I know of the place.  I know the owner's son, Lee Falco.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> I'm in Dover Plains, about 12 miles north of Daryl's House.  I'm on the photo staff there and at the Towne Crier, so yeah I get to a lot of shows!!!  I'm sure our paths will cross eventually.
> 
> Have yet to see a show at the Falcon, but I know of the place.  I know the owner's son, Lee Falco.



He's a good drummer. Never met him, though talked w/Tony F many times.


----------



## Bookbear

whirlwind said:


> No new gear here, but I did finally complete a wall in the cave.
> 
> 
> "I may be old, but I got to hear all the cool bands!"


----------



## smallcaps

*Budget Multi-IO Desktop Stack*

Littlebear One
Monolith Cavalli Liquid Spark
Fiio Q1 Mk2 (DAC mode)


----------



## jaywillin

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that ormosia henryi Ori of @whirlwind's...
> 
> I'm going to the Beacon Theater tonight to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band. IMO they're the finest Southern rock 'n' roll since the Allman Brothers--best living electric slide player + one of the really great R&B vocalists of our time.



I love derek, saw him play in Macon, at 13-14 !


----------



## jaywillin

whirlwind said:


> No new gear here, but I did finally complete a wall in the cave.



you sir have surpassed me ! 
I was telling the wife how I needed to get off my butt and finish my room !


----------



## Nik74

whirlwind said:


> No new gear here, but I did finally complete a wall in the cave.



@whirlwind Thats a great system and very cozy   room. Is that a poster of the Battersea Power Station on the left ?
So cool


----------



## Rowethren

Pigs on the Wing... 

That place looks awfully familiar!


----------



## Pharmaboy

jaywillin said:


> I love derek, saw him play in Macon, at 13-14 !



That was an UNBELIEVABLE show. I still have a sonic concussion. Two scary things about Derek:

He plays the worst POS guitar ever made, the Gibson SG (everyone I knew in the '60s/'70s started on one, then abandoned it ASAP). Despite that, he gets an amazingly rich, 3D sound...obviously he's improved/modified it, starting w/pickups.
I already knew he's the best slide guitarist alive (probably the best ever). What I didn't know is how good he is at straight guitar. 2-3 numbers in this show saw him put down the slide, and what came out was insanely good--world class. 

It doesn't hurt one bit that his wife is just about the best white girl blues/R&B belter on this earth. She had quite an instrument, but when she turns it down, sang a couple gorgoeous/sweet ballads. What a pair!


----------



## Preachy1

Surprised at your opinion of the SG.  I'm no musician, but the list of those who have used it includes a few names you might recognize.  

https://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/15-iconic-sg-players-304.aspx

Just to name a few:

Hendrix
Garcia
Zappa
Townsend
Tharpe (as in Sister Rosetta)


----------



## whirlwind

Nik74 said:


> @whirlwind Thats a great system and very cozy   room. Is that a poster of the Battersea Power Station on the left ?
> So cool



Thanks much for the kind words.

Yes that is the Battersea Power Station on the one wall. Here is a better pic of it.
 
It is a Fathead and it just sticks to the wall.


----------



## Rowethren

I have worked there for the last 4 years in the "renovation" unfortunately it is going to looks nothing like that once finished and the only place you can see it from is the river because they are building so much stuff right around it!


----------



## whirlwind

Rowethren said:


> I have worked there for the last 4 years in the "renovation" unfortunately it is going to looks nothing like that once finished and the only place you can see it from is the river because they are building so much stuff right around it!





Rowethren said:


> I have worked there for the last 4 years in the "renovation" unfortunately it is going to looks nothing like that once finished and the only place you can see it from is the river because they are building so much stuff right around it!



Thanks for the insight and the great pic.
Looks much different than the place that was used for the Pink Floyd Animals album in 1977.
I saw a show from the Animals tour in Cleveland, Ohio....great stuff!


----------



## claud W

Just remodeled


----------



## alan967tiger

Bought SR009S to replace 007A, very pleased with the swap:


----------



## Thaddy

I recently finished building a new audio stand out of ash and re-purposed the old hardware from my Salamander stand.  I wanted something a bit wider and with three legs instead of four.  It's a lot heavier and more sturdy than the MDF they use!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Thaddy said:


> I recently finished building a new audio stand out of ash and re-purposed the old hardware from my Salamander stand.  I wanted something a bit wider and with three legs instead of four.  It's a lot heavier and more sturdy than the MDF they use!



So you did the ash glue-ups, edge relief, wood finishing--and used three steel stands from previous table/stand? That's nice work!

I never worked with ash. Heard it's pretty hard, but no nothing else. Grain looks rather nice.

Edge-glued wood, especially when the difference pieces are carefully matched in grain cross-sectional direction to avoid cupping, is 1000x sturdier than MDF. Sturdier even than wide wooden boards...


----------



## alphanumerix1

Thaddy said:


> I recently finished building a new audio stand out of ash and re-purposed the old hardware from my Salamander stand.  I wanted something a bit wider and with three legs instead of four.  It's a lot heavier and more sturdy than the MDF they use!



looks great


----------



## Thaddy

Pharmaboy said:


> So you did the ash glue-ups, edge relief, wood finishing--and used three steel stands from previous table/stand? That's nice work!
> 
> I never worked with ash. Heard it's pretty hard, but no nothing else. Grain looks rather nice.
> 
> Edge-glued wood, especially when the difference pieces are carefully matched in grain cross-sectional direction to avoid cupping, is 1000x sturdier than MDF. Sturdier even than wide wooden boards...


Oh I didn't do nearly that much work, I just purchased the wood sized, routed and roughly finished. I just had to perform some finishing, sanding, drilling, and staining.


----------



## BobSmith8901 (Oct 15, 2018)

Thaddy said:


> I recently finished building a new audio stand out of ash and re-purposed the old hardware from my Salamander stand.  I wanted something a bit wider and with three legs instead of four.  It's a lot heavier and more sturdy than the MDF they use!



Fantastic work. And three legs! Wish I had those woodworking skills. I have my living room stereo on my original 6-level Salamander Designs Archetype System stand (Natural Cherry) I bought back in 1995, I think through an ad in Stereophile or Stereo Review.


----------



## Deftone

Thaddy said:


> I recently finished building a new audio stand out of ash and re-purposed the old hardware from my Salamander stand.  I wanted something a bit wider and with three legs instead of four.  It's a lot heavier and more sturdy than the MDF they use!



Really liking that head stand, dont you find those types flatten the pads on 650s? mine molded to my head at a certain angle and i wouldn't want to ruin that.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Deftone said:


> Really liking that head stand, dont you find those types flatten the pads on 650s? mine molded to my head at a certain angle and i wouldn't want to ruin that.



Yes! That's why he has the 600s hanging and the 650s on the stand


----------



## waveSounds

Deftone said:


> Really liking that head stand, dont you find those types flatten the pads on 650s? mine molded to my head at a certain angle and i wouldn't want to ruin that.



There's a simple solution to that should you want a head-shaped stand: have an anatomically perfect mold of your head done. Problem solved.


----------



## Thaddy (Oct 16, 2018)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yes! That's why he has the 600s hanging and the 650s on the stand



Yup!  The HD600's have the headband pad from the HD650's, so the depression in the foam is a perfect spot to hang them.  The HD650's have been on the ceramic phrenology stand for a while and have never had issues with ear pads or headband pad deforming.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> There's a simple solution to that should you want a head-shaped stand: have an anatomically perfect mold of your head done. Problem solved.



Actually, probably not. To whatever extent any stand (whether a curved piece of wood, or a head-shaped stand based on a mold of one's head) allows pads to compress against it 24/7--that constant compression becomes the problem. 

I'm reminded of the Sennheiser HD650, a headphone whose pads are pretty well known for eventually getting played (compressed to the extent they stay somewhat compressed), with the result this excellent sounding headphone starts to sound like ass. Just the pads will do that...


----------



## waveSounds

@Pharmaboy That suggestion was more joke than serious. Am I the only one that lol'd at the thought of someone going and asking for their head to be molded?


----------



## Vipu

waveSounds said:


> @Pharmaboy That suggestion was more joke than serious. Am I the only one that lol'd at the thought of someone going and asking for their head to be molded?



3D printing bro!


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @Pharmaboy That suggestion was more joke than serious. Am I the only one that lol'd at the thought of someone going and asking for their head to be molded?



Hmmm. It's a measure of the down-the-rabbit-hole nature of this hobby that I took your suggestion 100% seriously--and no one else had a thing to say, either. 

BTW having one's head molded is serious business...


----------



## Rowethren

I think the real question is what do you get the head made out of? Gold, Silver? What about Rhodium? I think Tungsten Carbide would be the best personally, certainly wouldn't be damaged any time soon


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rowethren said:


> I think the real question is what do you get the head made out of? Gold, Silver? What about Rhodium? I think Tungsten Carbide would be the best personally, certainly wouldn't be damaged any time soon



I'm speechless (and headless)


----------



## waveSounds

Or he could buy one of these to sleep and use his own head as the stand, too!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Hmmm. It's a measure of the down-the-rabbit-hole nature of this hobby that I took your suggestion 100% seriously--and no one else had a thing to say, either.
> 
> BTW having one's head molded is serious business...



It certainly is. A few beers and a plate glass window are nothing to scoff at 

What's that in the road, a head?


----------



## smallcaps (Oct 20, 2018)

Ikea KROKIG works pretty well as a headphone stand. Pegs are a bit shallow but it still works with my ZMF Pilot Pad-ed cans. Overall easy to assemble, sturdy and cheap!


----------



## whirlwind

I have completed framing and hanging the last of the concert posters on my walls and my listening room is now *complete.*
I did this last wall with some nice artwork that I found on e-bay from a really nice gentleman, his name is Cadillac Johnson and he is a bass guitar player as well as an artist.
He was even kind enough to sign my Johnny Winter poster from when he played bass for Johnny at the Starlight Room in Beaumont, Texas in 1981.
It has been a fun project and now there is nothing left to do but enjoy it, listen to music and roll headphones.


----------



## pure5152

Yoga blocks make great headphone stands


----------



## Nik74

Genius 
Don’t they topple over easily though ? 
They look great


----------



## ufospls2

whirlwind said:


> I have completed framing and hanging the last of the concert posters on my walls and my listening room is now *complete.*
> I did this last wall with some nice artwork that I found on e-bay from a really nice gentleman, his name is Cadillac Johnson and he is a bass guitar player as well as an artist.
> He was even kind enough to sign my Johnny Winter poster from when he played bass for Johnny at the Starlight Room in Beaumont, Texas in 1981.
> It has been a fun project and now there is nothing left to do but enjoy it, listen to music and roll headphones.



Thats awesome!


----------



## pure5152

Nik74 said:


> Genius
> Don’t they topple over easily though ?
> They look great



Hey, thanks Nik74!  I wish I could say I came up with the idea, but I actually stole it from Zeos.  

And they're surprisingly stable!  They're designed to be used when doing crazy yoga poses, and don't wobble too much.  I also use them as a soft, non-slip surface to lay my headphones down on sometimes, and it works great like that too.  

The best thing?  They're cheap (a set of 2 costs $10 on amazon... wow I'm starting to sound like a salesperson haha)


----------



## Nik74

pure5152 said:


> Hey, thanks Nik74!  I wish I could say I came up with the idea, but I actually stole it from Zeos.
> 
> And they're surprisingly stable!  They're designed to be used when doing crazy yoga poses, and don't wobble too much.  I also use them as a soft, non-slip surface to lay my headphones down on sometimes, and it works great like that too.
> 
> The best thing?  They're cheap (a set of 2 costs $10 on amazon... wow I'm starting to sound like a salesperson haha)



Well I play with them almost daily as a lot of my students need them for their postures but I never thought to use them to support my headphones  I love these black ones , we have the  purple ones at the studio which I m not that keen on visually. Will check Amazon for sure !


----------



## Ali-Pacha

Unless you got a DIY T2, you won't get something more realistic than that :






And yes, I do include old and new Orpheus in my list 

Ali


----------



## RobertSM

@Ali-Pacha -Pacha, impressive rig!


----------



## pure5152

Nik74 said:


> Well I play with them almost daily as a lot of my students need them for their postures but I never thought to use them to support my headphones  I love these black ones , we have the  purple ones at the studio which I m not that keen on visually. Will check Amazon for sure !



Hell yeah!  Post some pics and tag me if you decide to use them, I'd love to see it! 




Ali-Pacha said:


> Unless you got a DIY T2, you won't get something more realistic than that :
> 
> And yes, I do include old and new Orpheus in my list



That Blue Heaven amp is just gorgeous... what electrostatic headphone is that, by the way?  I've never heard of the "ha-II"


----------



## Ali-Pacha (Oct 20, 2018)

Head Acoustics used to sell rebranded HE-60 (Sennheiser Baby Orpheus) to industrial companies for measurement purposes some years ago. They're one of them, got them for free, stax re-cabling (with 5 MOhms resistor for bias, 540V on Senn instead of 580V on Staxen's) + brand new earpads and headpad. They are glorious, btw.

HE-1 are meatier and darker, but they can't match realism of this combination on voices / strings / piano. Original Orpheus are a treat, but more mid-centered, and left / right soundstage
SR-009 are also meatier, best bass of all but not as dark as HE-1, with some high-mids coquetry, and maybe the fastest of the bunch. Not as realistic as HE-60 though.

I've a lot of staxen's on the other hand (from SR-1 to SR-009 : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-1456#post-13725822 ), check my posts down there whenever you're interested. I've also some brave old HD800 (SuperDupont modded for 6 khz peak) and HD600 fed by a Magni3, whenever I feel I want some e-dyn sound 

Ali


----------



## whirlwind

ufospls2 said:


> Thats awesome!



Thanks, it was a fun project.


----------



## GuyForkes

So little space when you live in a place like Singapore. My compact setup!


----------



## smallcaps

GuyForkes said:


> So little space when you live in a place like Singapore. My compact setup!


I feel your (HDB) pain


----------



## alphanumerix1

GuyForkes said:


> So little space when you live in a place like Singapore. My compact setup!



what are those under the chord stack?


----------



## Deftone

They look like sotm 500 power supplies


----------



## GuyForkes

Deftone said:


> They look like sotm 500 power supplies



Yup the SoTM SMS-200Ultra micro computer and the SPS-500 power supply


----------



## GREQ

needless to say... the wife does not approve


----------



## Zenvota

GREQ said:


> needless to say... the wife does not approve



: O


----------



## Ali-Pacha

So much stuff  Obviously, e-stat are lacking 

Ali


----------



## kid vic

GREQ said:


> needless to say... the wife does not approve



Does she let you out of the house unsupervised?
Music is the real wife isn't she? Don't lie, we're all the same here in headfi


----------



## Por_Tu_Guy

My humble rig sorry for the bad photography skills


----------



## Pharmaboy

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> My humble rig sorry for the bad photography skills



doesn't look humble to me...! looks good.


----------



## Por_Tu_Guy

Pharmaboy said:


> doesn't look humble to me...! looks good.


Thanks !
Well I ment compared to the systems some people have in this thread and besides most of it was bought second hand.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> Thanks !
> Well I ment compared to the systems some people have in this thread and besides most of it was bought second hand.



My 4 best/most costly headphones were purchased used; so were my 2 most powerful amps. Many here go the second hand route...


----------



## SeEnCreaTive (Oct 21, 2018)

Well, thread said in its current state.... Sooooo.....

Beer cozy and rootbeer and all

He-4xx, Schiit Stack, older school Intel stock heatsink sitting on the amp. Cheap Edifier 12u speakers ($19.99).


----------



## Deftone

SeEnCreaTive said:


> He-4xx, Schiit Stack, *older school Intel stock heatsink sitting on the amp*. Cheap Edifier 12u speakers ($19.99).



Step your game up and stick an AIO on it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

AIO?


----------



## Ralf Hutter

Pharmaboy said:


> AIO?



Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-HYDRO-Liquid-Cooler-Radiator/dp/B00A0HZMGA


----------



## SeEnCreaTive

Deftone said:


> Step your game up and stick an AIO on it.



I used to have an AIO on my old 3570k, it permeated out, lost all thermal performance, blew the chip. (Besides you'd be surprised what a good air tower can do. A D15 (the one up from my U14) can easily match, if not beat a typical 240mm Closed Loop (H100i from Corsair for example). My 1600x at 1.435v 4ghz (yes I know I really lost the silicon lottery on my chip to need voltages that high, especially on a Taichi board), under AIDA-64, reaches maybe 65 degrees in a 24C ambient. That's full synthetic load. 55 on big Lightroom exports. Gaming; the fan doesn't even change RPM. Premier Pro, a bit more then gaming, since Cuda acceleration takes a huge load off the CPU.

I wouldn't recommend AIOs unless you are constrained by space, that being said now a days they are much better than they used to be, I will admit. But unless you get a 280mm or above, towers are cheaper, better, last longer. (when compared to 240mm and below). Even with my airflow focused case (MasterCase 5) I can't hear it with my open cans, and you can see how close it is. Mind you, I did spend the money on a 100% Noctua set up.

@Pharmaboy AIO: "All-In-One". A more appropriate name would be a "Close loop liquid cooler". Basically a plug and play water cooling set up for your components. Supposed to give you the advantages of a custom liquid cooler, but with out any hassle.


----------



## Errymoose

Hah yeah, I can second a decent tower cooler setup is definitely quieter unless you have the space for a 280mm rad.
I switched down from a standard atx tower with a tonne of undervolted noctua and noiseblocker fans to an itx case with only space for a 120mm rad AIO and two case fans, so not enough cooling to run them all at low rpm and it's so much louder. I do love the form factor though.


----------



## Deftone

SeEnCreaTive said:


> I used to have an AIO on my old 3570k, it permeated out, lost all thermal performance, blew the chip. (Besides you'd be surprised what a good air tower can do. A D15 (the one up from my U14) can easily match, if not beat a typical 240mm Closed Loop (H100i from Corsair for example). My 1600x at 1.435v 4ghz (yes I know I really lost the silicon lottery on my chip to need voltages that high, especially on a Taichi board), under AIDA-64, reaches maybe 65 degrees in a 24C ambient. That's full synthetic load. 55 on big Lightroom exports. Gaming; the fan doesn't even change RPM. Premier Pro, a bit more then gaming, since Cuda acceleration takes a huge load off the CPU.
> 
> I wouldn't recommend AIOs unless you are constrained by space, that being said now a days they are much better than they used to be, I will admit. But unless you get a 280mm or above, towers are cheaper, better, last longer. (when compared to 240mm and below). Even with my airflow focused case (MasterCase 5) I can't hear it with my open cans, and you can see how close it is. Mind you, I did spend the money on a 100% Noctua set up.
> 
> @Pharmaboy AIO: "All-In-One". A more appropriate name would be a "Close loop liquid cooler". Basically a plug and play water cooling set up for your components. Supposed to give you the advantages of a custom liquid cooler, but with out any hassle.



I use a 280mm on my delidded 8700k to keep it at 68c 5.1Ghz and its great with quiet fans its just the bloody pump buzz that annoys me.


----------



## Deftone

Pharmaboy said:


> AIO?



Bit of jest but yeah its a closed loop liquid cooler used in PCs


----------



## Zhanming057 (Oct 21, 2018)

At the


SeEnCreaTive said:


> I used to have an AIO on my old 3570k, it permeated out, lost all thermal performance, blew the chip. (Besides you'd be surprised what a good air tower can do. A D15 (the one up from my U14) can easily match, if not beat a typical 240mm Closed Loop (H100i from Corsair for example). My 1600x at 1.435v 4ghz (yes I know I really lost the silicon lottery on my chip to need voltages that high, especially on a Taichi board), under AIDA-64, reaches maybe 65 degrees in a 24C ambient. That's full synthetic load. 55 on big Lightroom exports. Gaming; the fan doesn't even change RPM. Premier Pro, a bit more then gaming, since Cuda acceleration takes a huge load off the CPU.
> 
> I wouldn't recommend AIOs unless you are constrained by space, that being said now a days they are much better than they used to be, I will admit. But unless you get a 280mm or above, towers are cheaper, better, last longer. (when compared to 240mm and below). Even with my airflow focused case (MasterCase 5) I can't hear it with my open cans, and you can see how close it is. Mind you, I did spend the money on a 100% Noctua set up.
> 
> @Pharmaboy AIO: "All-In-One". A more appropriate name would be a "Close loop liquid cooler". Basically a plug and play water cooling set up for your components. Supposed to give you the advantages of a custom liquid cooler, but with out any hassle.



At the high end IMO there's not a lot of different these days. AIO's are sufficiently good (I ran a Corsair one for many year across a couple systems and it's still pulling strong) and regular coolers are also much better than they used to be. Here's what my general recommendation is:

- If your chassis has at least 130-150mm of tolerance above the CPU, the most massive heatsinks can pull even with with 280mm coolers (D15, Dark Rock Pro, etc.) They will require a lot less maintenance. Depending on how fast you run the fans the heatsink cooler might be a tad quieter as well.
- If your chassis can't fit a dual 140mm heatsink (and something like the C14 works great) or has poor airflow over the CPU area, I'd go with a 240mm (and up) AIO. Pump noise might be an issue, but you can usually get away with lower fan speeds
- Finally, most CPU cooling is way too robust for what a CPU actually needs. I run my system (two 145W Xeon's and two 1080/1080ti's) on only 600mm of radiator space. That's only 150mm per component and temps are great. Modern hardware also doesn't run as hot as chips used to, and you can get away with very little cooling if you don't overclock anything. I remember I saw this Inwin 301 build with a mini 1080 and a 7700k all on 240mm of slim radiator space, and even under synthetic loads the system was only in the low 80's, perfectly acceptable for long-term use.






Here's a 140W Xeon on a Noctua C14 in a *12 liter* case. On all synthetic loads I get mid 50's on the CPU and low 70's on the Titan XP. Not spectacular but pretty quiet until I really load up the GPU.


----------



## Pharmaboy

SeEnCreaTive said:


> I used to have an AIO on my old 3570k, it permeated out, lost all thermal performance, blew the chip. (Besides you'd be surprised what a good air tower can do. A D15 (the one up from my U14) can easily match, if not beat a typical 240mm Closed Loop (H100i from Corsair for example). My 1600x at 1.435v 4ghz (yes I know I really lost the silicon lottery on my chip to need voltages that high, especially on a Taichi board), under AIDA-64, reaches maybe 65 degrees in a 24C ambient. That's full synthetic load. 55 on big Lightroom exports. Gaming; the fan doesn't even change RPM. Premier Pro, a bit more then gaming, since Cuda acceleration takes a huge load off the CPU.
> 
> I wouldn't recommend AIOs unless you are constrained by space, that being said now a days they are much better than they used to be, I will admit. But unless you get a 280mm or above, towers are cheaper, better, last longer. (when compared to 240mm and below). Even with my airflow focused case (MasterCase 5) I can't hear it with my open cans, and you can see how close it is. Mind you, I did spend the money on a 100% Noctua set up.
> 
> @Pharmaboy AIO: "All-In-One". A more appropriate name would be a "Close loop liquid cooler". Basically a plug and play water cooling set up for your components. Supposed to give you the advantages of a custom liquid cooler, but with out any hassle.



Thanks for explaining.

I have a liquid cooler in current tower; had one in previous tower, too. I wasn't familiar with this acronym.


----------



## Pharmaboy

You guys know way more than I do about liquid cooling. But I have to bring this topic back to audio systems with an odd but true point about my large tower computer (w/liquid cooling): I have so much audio gear in such close proximity on a crowded desktop that the wide/deep top of the tower is essential for my system. On it I have a Marchand electronic crossover (a great fit for the top of the tower); and on top of that, a Woo WA3 amp. Before the Marchand was in the system, my Audio GD NOS 18 was on top of the tower (another good fit). 

I'd actually be quite inconvenienced by a smaller/narrower case than this tower (Fractal Design "Define R4").


----------



## waveSounds

Noctua NH-L9i on CPU cooling duties 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




The loudest thing in here is the damn coil-whine from the 970. Thankfully it's not audible when I'm wearing the NightOwl, which is most of the time when gaming.


----------



## Pharmaboy

what is "coil whine"?


----------



## waveSounds

@Pharmaboy "Coil whine, also known as electromagnetically excited acoustic noise and vibration or audible magnetic noise, is one of the most frustrating phenomena in modern technology. As its name suggests, this high-pitched noise is caused by electromagnetic coils that act as inductors or transformers."

I.e. When my GPU spins up it emits a high-pitched noise for the duration that it's in use. Pretty annoying.


----------



## Bookbear

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> Thanks !
> Well I ment compared to the systems some people have in this thread and besides most of it was bought second hand.


Does  it bring you joy?  That's really the only thing that matters.


----------



## Kukuk

Updated my listening stack. The Magni 2's been Schiit-canned in favor of my new Beyerdynamic A20.







Also, since other people are posting their computers, I will too. :3


----------



## Zhanming057

Kukuk said:


> Updated my listening stack. The Magni 2's been Schiit-canned in favor of my new Beyerdynamic A20.
> 
> 
> 
> Also, since other people are posting their computers, I will too. :3



That's a cool chip! What case is that?

Here's another one of my machines (crosspost from the desktop rig thread).


----------



## Kukuk

It's a Fractal Design Meshify C. The front panel is actually really neat, and fits nicely with the Designare logo on the motherboard.


----------



## betula

GREQ said:


> needless to say... the wife does not approve


For most of us I think this is the thread where we come to lurk around. To see what financially more fortunate fellows have achieved. Great collection indeed. But could you not sell every second headphone easily if you had to? Asking out of curiosity.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @Pharmaboy "Coil whine, also known as electromagnetically excited acoustic noise and vibration or audible magnetic noise, is one of the most frustrating phenomena in modern technology. As its name suggests, this high-pitched noise is caused by electromagnetic coils that act as inductors or transformers."
> 
> I.e. When my GPU spins up it emits a high-pitched noise for the duration that it's in use. Pretty annoying.



damn, that sounds challenging. unless you're totally in love w/that video card, maybe a new one would help. 

I say that w/some trepidation, knowing that some people (gamers &/or graphics professionals) use GPUs that are dramatically more expensive & powerful than any I've ever used.


----------



## ohsigmachi (Oct 22, 2018)

New addition top right...


----------



## Scutey

ohsigmachi said:


> New addition top right...


The 1990's are a great set of cans, I've had mine 18 months and still love them.


----------



## riffrafff

pure5152 said:


> Hey, thanks Nik74!  I wish I could say I came up with the idea, but I actually stole it from Zeos.
> 
> And they're surprisingly stable!  They're designed to be used when doing crazy yoga poses, and don't wobble too much.  I also use them as a soft, non-slip surface to lay my headphones down on sometimes, and it works great like that too.
> 
> The best thing?  They're cheap (a set of 2 costs $10 on amazon... wow I'm starting to sound like a salesperson haha)



Yep.  Even when stacked with double-sided tape:


----------



## Kukuk

ohsigmachi said:


> New addition top right...



How do the 1990s compare to the 1770s? Please tell me they're garbage, and not worth buying so I'm not tempted.


----------



## pure5152 (Oct 22, 2018)

riffrafff said:


> Yep.  Even when stacked with double-sided tape:



I didn't even think of stacking two horizontal yoga blocks vertically, that's brilliant 

(Also, your schiit stacks look super clean )


(ninja edit for wording about yoga blocks)


----------



## riffrafff

pure5152 said:


> I didn't even think of stacking two horizontally, that's brilliant
> 
> (Also, your schiit stacks look super clean )



I needed to keep the height below the monitor, plus, this way I could spread out the amps on top for heat-dissipation.


----------



## KyungMin (Oct 23, 2018)

Bought a house. I turned my second closet into a hobby closet.. need to pick up some speaker stands for the klipsch speakers. Don’t use the tower speakers often but when I do they sound glorious. Ignore the best of wires underneath lol


----------



## KaiserTK

KyungMin said:


> I turned my second closet into a hobby closet..


Concerned about all those Beats, but K701s and Mio are for life.


----------



## KyungMin

KaiserTK said:


> Concerned about all those Beats, but K701s and Mio are for life.


Honestly I just wear those at work and really only bought them for the colors..


----------



## ohsigmachi

Kukuk said:


> How do the 1990s compare to the 1770s? Please tell me they're garbage, and not worth buying so I'm not tempted.



Unfortunately (for you) they are exceptional. Everything good about the 1770s and none of the... "eccentricity." They are my definition of "transparent" ie. great recordings and mastering sound amazing, recordings with poor mastering or lots of artifacts: it reveals every wart and blemish. There's no hiding from these.

But beyond, that they are ridiculously enjoyable to listen to, and the BD comfort levels are very well represented here, but they are heavy compared to the 990 and 880, so you never "forget you're wearing them."


----------



## Kukuk

Hah, I figured they'd be great. The DT1770s are superb, so it was pretty much guaranteed the 1990s would be as well.

They'll probably be on my radar in the future. For the time being I'll just enjoy these 1770s and A20. This amp really was a steal for basically being free.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Zenvota

KyungMin said:


> Bought a house. I turned my second closet into a hobby closet.. need to pick up some speaker stands for the klipsch speakers. Don’t use the tower speakers often but when I do they sound glorious. Ignore the best of wires underneath lol



Make your bed.  For shame.


----------



## KyungMin

Zenvota said:


> Make your bed.  For shame.



Happy?


----------



## GREQ

betula said:


> For most of us I think this is the thread where we come to lurk around. To see what financially more fortunate fellows have achieved. Great collection indeed. But could you not sell every second headphone easily if you had to? Asking out of curiosity.


uhm.... what you see is every fourth headphone... so yeah, every second sounds good to me XD


----------



## pure5152

KyungMin said:


> Honestly I just wear those at work and really only bought them for the colors..



Just want to say using your closet poles to hang up all those headphones is an awesome idea.  And hey, nothing wrong with a little fashion! 

...Ever thought about ascending to summit-fi, though? 

Sick desk setup (but oh man, r/cablegore going on down there haha)

Also, what desktop background is that?  It looks great!


----------



## HungryPanda

I bet my cable mess beats everyone


----------



## KyungMin (Oct 23, 2018)

GREQ said:


> uhm.... what you see is every fourth headphone... so yeah, every second sounds good to me XD



I’ve probably given away 15 or so pairs of headphones to family members.. honestly I don’t like dealing with people on cl or OfferUp so it isn’t worth the trouble.



pure5152 said:


> Just want to say using your closet poles to hang up all those headphones is an awesome idea.  And hey, nothing wrong with a little fashion!
> 
> ...Ever thought about ascending to summit-fi, though?
> 
> ...



It’s from a movie called kimi no nawa or your name.
And yes been eye balling the akg k812 for a while


----------



## FastAndClean




----------



## Pharmaboy

KyungMin said:


> Honestly I just wear those at work and really only bought them for the colors..



Can't get over those planar-magnetic speakers on either side of the bed (always wanted to hear those).  My hat is off to a true audio fanatic!


----------



## Pharmaboy

HungryPanda said:


> I bet my cable mess beats everyone



No--sadly, that would be MY cable mess...

2 different computers 8 ft. apart, each with many attached devices & separate monitors
2 separate desktop &/or headphone audio systems, each with its own jumbo DAC. The desktop system has 3 amp/preamps, any 2 of which are live at all times
2 ISPs = 2 routers + 3rd distribution router + ethernet cabling all around
If I got hit by the proverbial bus today, _*no one*_ could make sense of this tangle. Hell, even I can't make sense of it.


----------



## riffrafff

Pharmaboy said:


> If I got hit by the proverbial bus today, _*no one*_ could make sense of this tangle. Hell, even I can't make sense of it.



LOL.  Once a year or so, I tear down my tower box and take it outside to blow out the dust.  I have learned to take a photo of all the connections first.


----------



## Zenvota

riffrafff said:


> LOL.  Once a year or so, I tear down my tower box and take it outside to blow out the dust.  I have learned to take a photo of all the connections first.



Theres so much in mine the thought of doing that gives me anxiety, thankfully dust filters exist so even after 4-5 years theres only a fine layer of dust that doesnt impact temperatures, i prolly wont break it down until i add new parts.

16 fans, 3 pumps, 2 ssds, 6 hdds, optical drive, 2 gpus


Spoiler: Spoiler


----------



## HungryPanda (Oct 23, 2018)

I only have 4 hubs, 22 external hard drives, 2 servers, headphone amp (solid state and one tube amp) , speaker amp & stax amp connected to my pc


----------



## Pharmaboy

HungryPanda said:


> I only have 4 hubs, 22 external hard drives, 2 servers, headphone amp (solid state and one tube amp) , speaker amp & stax amp connected to my pc



4 hubs, 22 external hard drives, 2 servers? (I am in awe)

This post allows me to kid myself that I'm not out of my mind because someone else has more external HDs than me.


----------



## Zenvota

HungryPanda said:


> I only have 4 hubs, 22 external hard drives, 2 servers, headphone amp (solid state and one tube amp) , speaker amp & stax amp connected to my pc



xD yaaaasss

I posted in the pc thread but wth, when theres a cliff...


    

Headphone system has a transport, dac, headamp, ultra line noise isolator,  isolation transformers for the shaker system, equalizer, crossover, bass shaker amp, shakers on the desk chair

Surround system has the avr, middle height amp, 9 speakers, 2 subs, shakers for each seat

Projector and motorized screen, 4 way masking

A custom nas(just an old computer)

And the wall mounted tv behind the pj screen.

All hooked up to the main pc (ง'̀-'́)ง


----------



## Deftone

HungryPanda said:


> I only have 4 hubs, 22 external hard drives, 2 servers, headphone amp (solid state and one tube amp) , speaker amp & stax amp connected to my pc



Lets see it then Mr Panda


----------



## HungryPanda

I will when I get home, gone for two days. Will need a few pictures as will not get all in one shot


----------



## waveSounds

@Zenvota All you need now is a fridge within arms distance, and a bucket under the seat and you'd never have to leave your chair! A man can dream...


----------



## KcMsterpce (Oct 24, 2018)

Dang, my place is messy. I hardly notice when I spend all my time in the dark!


----------



## Deftone

KcMsterpce said:


> Dang, my place is messy. I hardly notice when I spend all my time in the dark!



I actually think it looks good, the photo has life to it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

KcMsterpce said:


> Dang, my place is messy. I hardly notice when I spend all my time in the dark!



OK, I have to ask: why do you spend all your time in the dark?


----------



## mbwilson111

Pharmaboy said:


> OK, I have to ask: why do you spend all your time in the dark?



Doesn't everybody?


----------



## Zhanming057

Pharmaboy said:


> OK, I have to ask: why do you spend all your time in the dark?



During semesters when I teach afternoon/evening classes I'm usually fully nocturnal, going to bed at around 5-6am and waking up slightly past noon. Feels great and I like working through the night. Maybe it's the quietness or lack of distractions. Does make coming in to morning meetings pretty difficult.


----------



## Pharmaboy

mbwilson111 said:


> Doesn't everybody?



Existentially, spiritually & morally--most of us are in the dark from birth. My question focused more on the circadian habit/custom level...

I also wondered if we encountered a headphone audio vampire. "Listen to them, the headphones of the night. What sweet music they make!"


----------



## KcMsterpce (Oct 24, 2018)

Pharmaboy said:


> OK, I have to ask: why do you spend all your time in the dark?
> 
> Existentially, spiritually & morally--most of us are in the dark from birth. My question focused more on the circadian habit/custom level...
> 
> I also wondered if we encountered a headphone audio vampire. "Listen to them, the headphones of the night. What sweet music they make!"



Heh. [Ted Theodore Logan voice] "Myoosic?!?!"

Truthfully: That shelf is in a spare bedroom. I don't enter until after the sun goes down, and listen to music while browsing on my laptop, or just listening (with the lights off). I pay no attention to the room and how I've thrown stuff all over the floor and against the walls. Then, I turned the light on for the picture and noticed that I have to start organizing things again.

Existentially: Because like, the dark is like, so _goth_, man!

Spiritually: I have a dirty soul, and light will not tarnish it. The light is merely consumed by my dark spirit. Thus, I cleanse better in total darkness.

Morally: What morals?


----------



## riffrafff

Come to the dark side.

(We have cookies.)


----------



## Errymoose

Finally got things a bit more sorted out in the new room.
Just added the TAG preamp, which is pretty sweet.  I really needed something to manage multiple inputs with phono stage, and have line level outputs for headphone amps and a good volume control for the tannoy monitors next to my monitor not in shot (I'll tidy things and take a better shot of the whole room later).


----------



## bagwell359

New stuff, new pics...

HFM HE-500, MD 4XX, Senn HD-600, MD X00 Mahogany, Fostex FH500RP
Schiit Ragnarok



Schiit Gumby 
Cambridge CXC

Triangle Celius 202 w/ Fountek X3 ribbon
Adcom GFP-750
Pass X-150


----------



## Rhino73




----------



## mrhero




----------



## alphanumerix1

very nice


----------



## LoryWiv (Oct 27, 2018)

mrhero said:


>



I notice the venerable Harrison's "Principles Of Internal Medicine" at left. I recommend classical music while reading.


----------



## richard51

What is very interesting for me with all these photos are the forgotten basic laws of audio installation revealed on many of them:

_mechanical isolation, electromagnetic shielding and filtering, room treatment_; without that any system is way under his audio delivering  quality potential....Then I advise reading about that...I wish someone has said that to me 7 years ago...But now I know, and I dont plan any future upgrade.... 7 years ago I would have been envious of some of the pricier gear in these photos...But a good system _rightfully installed _dissipate all upgrading rage...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 27, 2018)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/richard51.371750/

Have you wallpapered yet?


http://emfclothing.com/en/emf-shielding/21-large-roll-emf-shielding-wallpaper.html


----------



## richard51 (Oct 27, 2018)

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/richard51.371750/
> 
> Have you wallpapered yet?
> 
> ...




I dont know this product...Perhaps a good idea to use it I dont know... But my homemade methods for now are so efficient ,I dont search for anything anymore, and I dont shield my audio room by the way but I treat each piece of my audio system and the electrical grid of my house...Perhaps this wall paper would be useful for shielding some audio pieces I dont know,and shielding a room with it is perhaps interesting...Do you have some experience with it?


----------



## Kukuk

mrhero said:


>



I remember lusting after the original Phonitor. At the time I was way too broke to even consider buying it. I might have to put the Phonitor back on my radar, though...


----------



## elira

richard51 said:


> I treat each piece of my audio system and the electrical grid of my house.


How do you do that?


----------



## mrhero

alphanumerix1 said:


> very nice


Thank you


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 28, 2018)

richard51 said:


> I dont know this product...Perhaps a good idea to use it I dont know... But my homemade methods for now are so efficient ,I dont search for anything anymore, and I dont shield my audio room by the way but I treat each piece of my audio system and the electrical grid of my house...Perhaps this wall paper would be useful for shielding some audio pieces I dont know,and shielding a room with it is perhaps interesting...Do you have some experience with it?



No, only two paper wrapped power cords. But I think it’s a new field, especially now when you have products which are built in cases to block radio waves and electromagnetic waves. Probably 10 years ago it was not taken seriously, but now it is.

My favorite edge science......
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Emoto

In Bali sound waves/mental thought waves are used to change the ionic structure of water. In India they do it with milk. The ion changed water or milk causes the ions to rearange again when made in contact with the water in the human body, affecting the consciousness. Iv’e experienced the water for 10 years, though these ideas are at least 600 years old and probably way older.


----------



## basdek (Oct 28, 2018)

At my mom's! With a tesla t1 and my phone over aptx!


----------



## richard51 (Oct 28, 2018)

elira said:


> How do you do that?



I can explain to you privately... I had been bashed here many times with my experiments in my own thread and at last I closed it myself...People are generally not curious and dogmatics...Then I will explain to you only privately...When I came here 7 years ago I was very gullible and I was thinking that it was absolutely necessary to buy the last costly hyped audio gear to be satisfied musically...I was gullible indeed ...My few words here are only cues for those who are curious and think by themselves and inform themselves about some basic tweaks that are low cost and transform any ordinary listening with any products to an optimal one...For example I one day compare my under 200 bucks dac to three of the most costly one and famous one reviewed in a comparison here with the same cds that the reviewer use...I will not give any name by the way...And my conclusion if after reading the very clear and lenghtly description of the sound of these 3 dacs compared to mine was that my dac compare and reveals the details that the reviewer use to rank the best one of the three dacs...The reason for that is not only the design very good of my dac but I know for a fact the cleaning methods I installed in the last 2 years were by far the basic reason for that...My dac search is ended here.... Understand that I do not pretend that my gear was the best... No...By a long run... But understand that cleaning methods transform any piece of gear and put them on another level...Now I have _music_ with my system , and there is for sure always better audio gear than mine but If you listen to music for the first time without  much audible audio defects ,then you dont want to take the risk to compromise that and upgrade...The only for sure true upgrade for my actual systems will cost me at least 10,000 thousand dollars for all  pieces...If you buy not the hyped new products but top of the line vintage products, and if you install them in a clean state, you have at last musical experience without doubts and no need to pay 10,000 bucks...And you dont are envious anymore at all...At last you listen music and you dont read here the threads in search for better, I  already read these threads for years...End of game is possible for 1,000 dollars and this is my experience...



Redcarmoose said:


> No, only two paper wrapped power cords. But I think it’s a new field, especially now when you have products which are built in cases to block radio waves and electromagnetic waves. Probably 10 years ago it was not taken seriously, but now it is.
> 
> My favorite edge science......
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Emoto
> ...



Thank you very much for this reference.... Thank you for your open mind...I will remember  that shielding  paper, and when I had more money I will try it...I know for myself that what you report about water is indeed true,it is compatible with contemporary physics...

I apologize for this rant and my derailing of the thread, I will silence myself now...


----------



## atbglenn

My bedside system in its current configuration


----------



## mrhero

LoryWiv said:


> I notice the venerable Harrison's "Principles Of Internal Medicine" at left. I recommend classical music while reading.


Thank you for recommendation, I can't study while listening. My brain always choose the music.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Kukuk said:


> I remember lusting after the original Phonitor. At the time I was way too broke to even consider buying it. I might have to put the Phonitor back on my radar, though...



The Phonitor is crazy-handsome. Have no idea how the sound is, the but the looks are awfully persuasive...


----------



## johnzz4

Even Geckos can appreciate some good audio..  I really need to clean my equipment.


----------



## betula

johnzz4 said:


> Even Geckos can appreciate some good audio..  I really need to clean my equipment.


That looks like a really good match.


----------



## michaelwheeldon (Nov 3, 2018)

.


----------



## BobSmith8901

johnzz4 said:


> Even Geckos can appreciate some good audio..  I really need to clean my equipment.


What a great shot! I remember when I lived in HI those guys were a regular feature of daily life.


----------



## Preachy1

Just remembered my car insurance premium is due!


----------



## johnzz4

BobSmith8901 said:


> What a great shot! I remember when I lived in HI those guys were a regular feature of daily life.





Preachy1 said:


> Just remembered my car insurance premium is due!


But did you save 15%?


----------



## Zhanming057

The amazing Mysphere 3.2 and a pair of Mass Kobo 394's (yes, I'm selling one of these  ).


----------



## Maalis




----------



## waveSounds

@Zhanming057 Phanteks case I see thar?


----------



## Zhanming057

waveSounds said:


> @Zhanming057 Phanteks case I see thar?



Yes - it's the Evolve ATX TG. A personal favorite for custom loop rigs


----------



## thinker (Nov 4, 2018)

Abbas audio tube USB converter with tube clock .Tube headphone amp with nos dac with tube clock and Germanium transistors.Sennheiser HD-800


----------



## talmadge




----------



## Pharmaboy

talmadge said:


>



Love that vertical Cayin...it glows.


----------



## Sinarca (Nov 25, 2018)

Added BLuetooth aptX and power bank. So I  got rid of two cables. Now it is transportable.


----------



## waveSounds

@Sinarca Always had one eye on the ADI-2 Pro but has always been just out of reach financially (wedding...). Stop taunting me with it, damn it!


----------



## Sinarca

waveSounds said:


> @Sinarca Always had one eye on the ADI-2 Pro but has always been just out of reach financially (wedding...). Stop taunting me with it, damn it!



     I wish you could buy it soon, it's really worth it


----------



## Pharmaboy

Sinarca said:


> Added BLuetooth aptX and power bank. So I  got rid of two cables. Now it is transportable.



Tidy!


----------



## Preachy1

This is my post-op station. Will get a good workout over the next few weeks


----------



## Adu




----------



## Keno18

My bedroom listening station...


----------



## ivanrocks321

Have not posted in ages but I should be close to my ideal full sized setup. Only thing missing is my trusty beta 22 that’s not with me right now and a realized A16 that’s not shipped yet lol


----------



## gimmeheadroom

How do you guys clean your floors with equipment sitting on the floor?


----------



## HiFiRebel

Poor photo, but here it is. It's my workstation and entertainment centre. My studio and my man cave in one. I make money there and relax after lol

DAC next to the clock, amp on the computer, some headphones here and there as well.


----------



## ivanrocks321

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you guys clean your floors with equipment sitting on the floor?



It’s a little of a hassle but I have a rack but it’s also not here yet so the floor is a temp solution,  it so far it’s not too bad since I have a decent air filtration so dust is minimized. The real issue is I have a apex tube hybrid amp and its fairly microphonic so that’s not ideal location to be at.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ivanrocks321 said:


> It’s a little of a hassle but I have a rack but it’s also not here yet so the floor is a temp solution,  it so far it’s not too bad since I have a decent air filtration so dust is minimized. The real issue is I have a apex tube hybrid amp and its fairly microphonic so that’s not ideal location to be at.



I vacuum and mop constantly and there is always dust on everything. I can't imagine having gear on the floor. ​


----------



## ricksome

Preachy1:

Post# 22909 >>> I did not even notice your equipment. I was looking at the drug of choice, Diet Coke


----------



## Preachy1

ricksome said:


> Preachy1:
> 
> Post# 22909 >>> I did not even notice your equipment. I was looking at the drug of choice, Diet Coke


LOL!!!! The Diet Coke is hiding the really good stuff!


----------



## mitch_o

I did some rearranging recently but my setup has been fairly stable, the Stratus was the most recent addition at the beginning of the year. I still have some work to do on cable management but overall I'm very happy with what I have 

*Living Room*

Pro-ject Debut Carbon, Technics SL-Q2, Schiit Mani, Schiit Sys
Marantz CD5004
Gumby
DNA Stratus, Ragnarok
LCD3, HD800, D7000
Philharmonitor speakers

*Bedroom*

Bifrost Uber
Little Dot MKIV
Beyer T1, Grado SR225, Senn HD25-1 II
*
Office (not pictured)*

Little Dot I+
HD650, Audeze Sine, Beyer DT770 Pro


----------



## Zenvota

mitch_o said:


> Philharmonitor speakers



The BMRs? And it's corner loaded? :O


----------



## kid vic

mitch_o said:


> I did some rearranging recently but my setup has been fairly stable, the Stratus was the most recent addition at the beginning of the year. I still have some work to do on cable management but overall I'm very happy with what I have
> 
> *Living Room*
> 
> ...



Clearly CD's are not dead


----------



## Mikey99

kid vic said:


> Clearly CD's are not dead


Long live CDs!


----------



## Mikey99

mitch_o said:


> I did some rearranging recently but my setup has been fairly stable, the Stratus was the most recent addition at the beginning of the year. I still have some work to do on cable management but overall I'm very happy with what I have
> 
> *Living Room*
> 
> ...


Nice and tidy, you may be a bit OCD like me.
 I like the look of your DNA stratus. Nicely retro, and love the dash of bright colour, great change from the usual black / silver.


----------



## betula

mitch_o said:


> I did some rearranging recently but my setup has been fairly stable, the Stratus was the most recent addition at the beginning of the year. I still have some work to do on cable management but overall I'm very happy with what I have
> 
> *Living Room*
> 
> ...


That DNA Stratus looks so cool. Visual pleasure added to the audio bliss.


----------



## bmichels

Got a new baby home: a *Stax SR007 Mk1 early version*... in mint condition. 

 

Initial listening show that is it not better or less good than my SR009, it is just different and a very good complement :  SR009 for classical music and SR007 for pop/rock or SR009 for critical listening with attention to the details, and SR007 for cool and relax listening.  The 007 indeed offer (a little) less details BUT is (IMO) more round and more engaging.

So, with the purchase of this SR007 mk1 I can move my EC445 / Hifiman HE500 (modded) to another room, and just kept the BHSE/STAXs in my listening room. This clean a little the top of my Audio furniture.


----------



## stujbro

Sotm 'trifecta', Hugo2, Focal Clears....


----------



## TLAV111

mitch_o said:


> I did some rearranging recently but my setup has been fairly stable, the Stratus was the most recent addition at the beginning of the year. I still have some work to do on cable management but overall I'm very happy with what I have
> 
> *Living Room*
> 
> ...



Wow beautiful set up


----------



## RobertSM




----------



## waveSounds

@RobertSM I hope that's freshly ground coffee


----------



## RobertSM

@waveSounds, Indeed.


----------



## Angertobi

Ready for Tonmeistertagung in Cologne and Audiovista Krefeld with portable setup  and also home

Powerbank > RME Adi2Dac > Analog Squared Paper TU-05 Amp > ....test headphones


----------



## Sinarca

Angertobi said:


> Ready for Tonmeistertagung in Cologne and Audiovista Krefeld with portable setup  and also home
> 
> Powerbank > RME Adi2Dac > Analog Squared Paper TU-05 Amp > ....test headphones



How long does the powerbank last ?


----------



## Angertobi

Sinarca said:


> How long does the powerbank last ?



Get it new. Don´t know MAXOAK K2 have 50000mah  and a 12v 2.5A output. the rme adi 2 dac need 12v 2A.   -

the Amp need 8.2 V 1A ,so not possible to run without to charge the internal battery before, cause the MAXOAK have no 8.2V output.


----------



## Angertobi

Sinarca said:


> How long does the powerbank last ?



This is better and does not see it before 

https://www.amazon.de/aceyoon-Power...542137388&sr=8-45&keywords=powerbank+50000mah

flexible VOLT and Ampere


----------



## Angertobi

Angertobi said:


> This is better and does not see it before
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/aceyoon-Power...542137388&sr=8-45&keywords=powerbank+50000mah
> 
> flexible VOLT and Ampere



with this Powerbank you can drive the IFI PRO iDSD/iCAN COMBO cause both devices have a 15V/4A and you need only one powebank cause the loop out function of the ifi´s


----------



## PointyFox

bmichels said:


> Got a new baby home: a *Stax SR007 Mk1 early version*... in mint condition.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Be careful of the cable attachment. The reason for the MK2 was to eliminate potential stress on the cable connectors.


----------



## bmichels

PointyFox said:


> Be careful of the cable attachment. The reason for the MK2 was to eliminate potential stress on the cable connectors.



thanks, I will be careful...


----------



## SonyFan121

My Sony all-in-one system. Clear, neutral sound. The kind of sound i've come to prefer after 10 years of exploration in this hobby.


----------



## SonyFan121




----------



## judomaniak57

i like the simplicity of this setup. same way i started , a cd player with headphone out. enjoy


----------



## kid vic

SonyFan121 said:


>



TH900 cups on TH600/variants?


----------



## Gavin C4

kid vic said:


> TH900 cups on TH600/variants?



Massdrop TH-X00 purple heart


----------



## Sinarca

Angertobi said:


> Get it new. Don´t know MAXOAK K2 have 50000mah  and a 12v 2.5A output. the rme adi 2 dac need 12v 2A.   -
> 
> the Amp need 8.2 V 1A ,so not possible to run without to charge the internal battery before, cause the MAXOAK have no 8.2V output.



Thank. I use XT Power Bank 20000 mA and ADI last for 5 hours (not much...)


----------



## Sinarca

Angertobi said:


> This is better and does not see it before
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/aceyoon-Power...542137388&sr=8-45&keywords=powerbank+50000mah
> 
> flexible VOLT and Ampere



Yes, I was not aware of it, and without a doubt it would be better


----------



## SonyFan121 (Nov 14, 2018)

kid vic said:


> TH900 cups on TH600/variants?


As an other member said, it's a Fostex purpleheart TH-X00 with the normal cups. Although I wish it was the TH900 lol (well..not really, I've modified my TH-X00 so it might sound as good as the TH900).


----------



## kid vic

Gavin C4 said:


> Massdrop TH-X00 purple heart





SonyFan121 said:


> As an other member said, it's a Fostex purpleheart TH-X00 with the normal cups. Although I wish it was the TH900 lol (well..not really, I've modified my TH-X00 so it might sound as good as the TH900).



It looked redder to me for some reason. Out of curiosity, is anyone else bothered by the fact the fostex logo is on vertically?? Driving me insane...


----------



## SonyFan121

kid vic said:


> It looked redder to me for some reason. Out of curiosity, is anyone else bothered by the fact the fostex logo is on vertically?? Driving me insane...


Lol I modified the inside of the cups with some special material ( I don't know what the material is called) to improve the sound and it wasn't until I put the cups back on that I realised this. All that matters to me is the sound.


----------



## Mikey99

kid vic said:


> It looked redder to me for some reason. Out of curiosity, is anyone else bothered by the fact the fostex logo is on vertically?? Driving me insane...


Argh! Now I can’t unsee that.


----------



## kid vic

SonyFan121 said:


> Lol I modified the inside of the cups with some special material ( I don't know what the material is called) to improve the sound and it wasn't until I put the cups back on that I realised this. All that matters to me is the sound.



Bet.
But for the love of God ROTATE THE CUPS!!! :'D


----------



## Preachy1

If you want to have fun at the expense of the OCDers here (damn near all of us), rotate them so they are upside down!


----------



## Deftone

Preachy1 said:


> If you want to have fun at the expense of the OCDers here (damn near all of us), rotate them so they are upside down!



I feel the pain


----------



## kid vic

Preachy1 said:


> If you want to have fun at the expense of the OCDers here (damn near all of us), rotate them so they are upside down!


----------



## SonyFan121 (Nov 15, 2018)

It's just such an attractive headphone isn't it?..can't take your eyes off it..

It sounds even better than it looks! especially when connected to my High-end Marantz player with it's Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules (HDAMs) technology, set on High-Gain!


----------



## waveSounds

Preachy1 said:


> If you want to have fun at the expense of the OCDers here (damn near all of us), rotate them so they are upside down!


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## nazrin313




----------



## Preachy1

waveSounds said:


>


I just bought a pair of those stands from a fellow head-fier. Due to arrive tomorrow.


----------



## waveSounds

Preachy1 said:


> I just bought a pair of those stands from a fellow head-fier. Due to arrive tomorrow.



It's as study a stand as you'll find. Easily large enough for my Elear and Nigel (phone autocorrect version of NightOwl). I like that it's got a broad, convex top so no indents on headbands.


----------



## tabness (Jan 31, 2021)

.


----------



## koenoe

Zhanming057 said:


> Pretty current, although the Uto's have been replaced by the 1266 phi


Amazing clean setup! Where did you get those desk lamps?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

nazrin313 said:


>


only one thing i disapprove of... the vape. the rest is 100% awesome


----------



## nazrin313

Tsukuyomi said:


> only one thing i disapprove of... the vape. the rest is 100% awesome



Hahaha thanks buddy, was a smoker for 16 years, but because of vaping, I have stopped smoking for the past 5 years now....lesser of 2 evils I guess


----------



## Bookbear

Don't hate on the vape.  WAY better than smoking combustibles.


----------



## Deftone (Nov 16, 2018)

I didn’t know it was still a thing, barely see anyone vaping now in public and I quit vape 16 months ago. Still miss real smoking everyday, suppose it’s a good thing I only did it for 7 years though (not vaping actual cigarettes)


----------



## Zhanming057

koenoe said:


> Amazing clean setup! Where did you get those desk lamps?



Thanks! They're from Phive and you can get them on Amazon. If you do get them I recommend the clamp-on version since the lamps don't balance well on a stand. I got one with the detachable stand and it was really wobbly.


----------



## SonyFan121

2 more pic's. I reckon i'm making the most of the limited space I have. The speakers ain't bad but I'll maybe upgrade to Cyrus One Linear speakers next year.


----------



## Preachy1

Knee surgery is a bitch. This is my recuperation station. Just got the stands today from a fellow Head-Fier, the left one is bald ‘cause my LCD-3s are on mine head!!!


----------



## RobertSM

Preachy1 said:


> Knee surgery is a bitch. This is my recuperation station. Just got the stands today from a fellow Head-Fier, the left one is bald ‘cause my LCD-3s are on mine head!!!



Nice nightstand set up.  BTW, how do you like that amp?

Wishing you a speedy recovery!


----------



## Preachy1

Thanks Rob (May I call you Rob?).  I really like the amp. It pairs better with the Elegias, but it’s quite good with the LDC’s as well. Note that it’s turned ilnto around 70 in the pic. With the Focals, I rarely go past 50-55. 

Recovery is going well. I’m two and half weeks past totally knee replacement. Getting stronger every day. Music is soooo therapeutic!!!!


----------



## RobertSM

@Preachy1, sure you may can call me Rob.  Glad to hear you're on the mend.  And I agree, music heals!  Enjoy the Elegias, it's a model that I'm thinking about myself.


----------



## Krutsch

Preachy1 said:


> *Knee surgery is a bitch. *This is my recuperation station. Just got the stands today from a fellow Head-Fier, the left one is bald ‘cause my LCD-3s are on mine head!!!



I had both of my hips replaced, last year, a few months apart. Good times! Speedy recovery and Head-Fi is your friend during recovery from surgery.


----------



## Preachy1

Krutsch said:


> I had both of my hips replaced, last year, a few months apart. Good times! Speedy recovery and Head-Fi is your friend during recovery from surgery.


I had my right hip done in April. Left knee a few weeks ago. Aging is a wonderful thing. Sure beats the alternative!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

you guys are killing me. when I posted pix of my desktop/headphone audio systems, I made sure no slings or IV poles were in view. 

reminded of a funny thing that happened after my rt. shoulder was replaced, I was in a sling & worried about flying. I couldn't I handle luggage as before, alsoI knew I couldn't raise both arms above head as required in security x-ray machines. told all this to my surgeon, who said, "I can give you a card stating that you had joint replacement and require hand-screening." I was relieved, thinking this would solve my problems. Seeing that, he quickly added, "But it means nothing--all the terrorist have these cards, too."


----------



## Turrican2




----------



## whirlwind

Preachy1 said:


> Knee surgery is a bitch. This is my recuperation station. Just got the stands today from a fellow Head-Fier, the left one is bald ‘cause my LCD-3s are on mine head!!!



What headphone stands are these ?


----------



## Preachy1

Silverstone

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=490&area=en


----------



## katulu

GS5/Neutron MP(PEQ)-> Chord DAVE-> BHSE-> STAX SR-009. 

It sounds good.


----------



## katulu




----------



## betula

katulu said:


> GS5/Neutron MP(PEQ)-> Chord DAVE-> BHSE-> STAX SR-009.
> 
> It sounds good.


I bet it does.


----------



## Deftone

katulu said:


>


Get yourself a nice stand/ rack for that gear


----------



## jmk720

katulu said:


>


For the price invested it must sound good...


----------



## Deaj (Nov 19, 2018)

Temporarily set up on the ground floor whole healing from injury:






These two headphones are easily the best that have ever graced my ears.

* Front headphone: ~1993 Grado SR325 cups w/ no tuning - just sealed, SMC cable connectors. 
* Rear headphone: Rholupat Angsana wood cups w/ no tuning - just sealed, Sennheiser HD800 type cable connectors.
* Both headphones use Symphones Magnum V8 drivers, Concord Custom Lab polished aluminum block and gimbal sets, Turbulent Labs padded leather headbands, Grado spring steel headband supports, and 10' custom Canare cables.

Anyone recognize the album art reflected on the desks glass top?


----------



## KcMsterpce

Deaj said:


> Temporarily set up on the ground floor whole healing from injury:



Nice Schiit!  

I hope you heal/recover swiftly!


----------



## Deaj

KcMsterpce said:


> Nice Schiit!
> 
> I hope you heal/recover swiftly!



Thank you! It's been slow but steady improvement. I'm expected to get full mobility and range of motion back in both ankles.

That's the best Schiit I've owned to date, and I've owned my fair share of Schiit. Definitely a 'great bang for your buck' setup.


----------



## Preachy1

Speedy recovery, mon amie!!!


----------



## jaywillin

Deaj said:


> Temporarily set up on the ground floor whole healing from injury:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Black Crowes "Three snakes and One Charm" I'm a Georgia boy !


----------



## Deaj

jaywillin said:


> Black Crowes "Three snakes and One Charm" I'm a Georgia boy !



Nice!  What a great album.


----------



## jaywillin

Deaj said:


> Nice!  What a great album.



yep, killer !


----------



## JanneR

My setup:
Audio-GD R2R R1 + NFB-1AMP
JDS Labs El DAC + The Element
Aeon Flow Closed
HD 58X Jubilee
(Not in picture, HE4XX)


----------



## Preachy1

pavelkosk said:


> I want to buy a Head-Fi station. What advice for the newcomer?
> Banaby SK


Welcome friend. Need more info before any advice can be shared. First, what is your budget?  Do you have any head head yet or are you building from the ground up?  What are your musical tastes? What the heck is that link in your post????


----------



## darmanastartes

JanneR said:


> My setup:
> Audio-GD R2R R1 + NFB-1AMP
> JDS Labs El DAC + The Element
> Aeon Flow Closed
> ...


One of these stacks is not like the other


----------



## Preachy1

Updated pic (photoshopped to hell and back) of my recuperation listening station.  First one to ID the album art wins my undying admiration!  





https://www.flickr.com/photos/dupreesparadise/45059090665/in/dateposted-public/


----------



## VandyMan

Preachy1 said:


> Updated pic (photoshopped to hell and back) of my recuperation listening station.  First one to ID the album art wins my undying admiration!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Garcia
Your flickr name was a good hint.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Who was the person who had the rme adi2 and thx 789 amp stack?


----------



## Pharmaboy

JanneR said:


> My setup:
> Audio-GD R2R R1 + NFB-1AMP
> JDS Labs El DAC + The Element
> Aeon Flow Closed
> ...



Nice setup! 

I'm an Audio GD fanboy (own 2 DACs & 1 amp/preamp) & have been obsessing over the R2R-1 (now R-1) DAC. What do you think of it?


----------



## JanneR

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice setup!
> 
> I'm an Audio GD fanboy (own 2 DACs & 1 amp/preamp) & have been obsessing over the R2R-1 (now R-1) DAC. What do you think of it?


Thanks, I got a great deal for the amp, so I "had to" buy the DAC too 

I've had it only for a week and just got a balanced cable for my Aeons, so I haven't used it enough yet to analyze the sound properly. First impressions have been positive. I like the build quality and form factor. The menu system seems like a nice upgrade to the jumpers. It's very simple and intuitive to use. Overall, I'm happy to have bought it.


----------



## Zhanming057

Did anyone say power? 

Nagra Classic DAC -> Mass Kobo 394 mk2 Monoblocks/Nagra Classic INT -> Mysphere 3.2


----------



## RobertSM

Zhanming057 said:


> Did anyone say power?
> 
> Nagra Classic DAC -> Mass Kobo 394 mk2 Monoblocks/Nagra Classic INT -> Mysphere 3.2




Nice system!  I always liked the idea of sticking with one or two brands when building a system. Keeps it tidy and looks great.

I personally seem to get a piece or two here and there. Some used gear and what I find on sale or what's a good deal. So a hodge podge so to speak. Not complaining at all.  But if money were no object, I do like the look of sticking to one or two brands on a system.

Cheers and happy listening!


----------



## Zhanming057

RobertSM said:


> Nice system!  I always liked the idea of sticking with one or two brands when building a system. Keeps it tidy and looks great.
> 
> I personally seem to get a piece or two here and there. Some used gear and what I find on sale or what's a good deal. So a hodge podge so to speak. Not complaining at all.  But if money were no object, I do like the look of sticking to one or two brands on a system.
> 
> Cheers and happy listening!



Thanks! I came in pretty open-minded and after testing a bunch of summit-fi DAC's, I circled back to the Classic DAC + 394 idea even though this DAC isn't the best technical performer in its class. 

The INT I got as a package deal with the DAC. It has an amazingly low noise floor and is hands-down the best solid-state amp for the Abyss 1266 I've ever heard. The amount of power on tap is just unbelievable. 

All of this I bought used though - demo units for the Nagra's, one 394 is a demo from Masuda and the other one I got from a friend


----------



## waveSounds

Zhanming057 said:


> Did anyone say power?
> 
> Nagra Classic DAC -> Mass Kobo 394 mk2 Monoblocks/Nagra Classic INT -> Mysphere 3.2



But can it run Crysis?


----------



## alphanumerix1

Zhanming057 said:


> Did anyone say power?
> 
> Nagra Classic DAC -> Mass Kobo 394 mk2 Monoblocks/Nagra Classic INT -> Mysphere 3.2



amazing setup, Which other dacs were you looking at?


----------



## Zhanming057 (Nov 22, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> amazing setup, Which other dacs were you looking at?



I also tried the Dave+Mscalar combo, the Merging NADAC, Alpha DAC reference 2, the EMM DA2, and the Linn Klimax DSM. It came down to the Alpha DAC ref 2 and the Classic DAC. If I wanted to focus on driving the 1266 phi I would have went with the Alpha DAC, which has more voltage on the line output and is more resolving than the Classic DAC, but I felt that the Nagra was a tiny bit more coherent with the 394+Mysphere 3.2. I also got a pretty good price on the combo which made the decision a little easier. Naturally, the INT and the Classic DAC pair superbly with each other.


----------



## betula

Zhanming057 said:


> I also tried the Dave+Mscalar combo, the Merging NADAC, Alpha DAC reference 2, the EMM DA2, and the Linn Klimax DSM. It came down to the Alpha DAC ref 2 and the Classic DAC. If I wanted to focus on driving the 1266 phi I would have went with the Alpha DAC, which has more voltage on the line output and is more resolving than the Classic DAC, but I felt that the Nagra was a tiny bit more coherent with the 394+Mysphere 3.2. I also got a pretty good price on the combo which made the decision a little easier. Naturally, the INT and the Classic DAC pair superbly with each other.


What did you think about the Dave/Mscaler combo?


----------



## Zhanming057

betula said:


> What did you think about the Dave/Mscaler combo?



To be honest, it was my least favorite out of the combinations. The Dave is, simply put, not a very good standalone DAC at $10,000. The Mscalar is almost a necessity and the combo price puts the cost beyond both the Classic DAC and street pricing for the Linn Klimax, and both of these I felt had more detail and clarity than the Dave + Mscalar combo. A little bit too cold and lacking in density and smoothness compared to the Nagra. Even if you add in the Mscalar I feel that the Alpha DAC reference 2 is a substantially better DAC and can be found in the same price range.  

Now, the Dave also has a pretty good headphone output which none of the other DACs have. So if you like enjoy Dave's direct output, you can potentially save thousands by forgoing a dedicated amp and put the funds towards the Mscalar. It's also really versatile and pretty user friendly (doesn't need a USB interface, doesn't use weird connection standards). The Dave's headphone out is a little lacking in authority compared to the 394 when driving the 1266 phi's, but IMO it's a good fit for the Mysphere 3.2 as well as the HD800S.

If you're not interested in using the Dave's headphone out, see if you can arrange a demo with Linn for a renew DSM/DS (shouldn't be difficult in the UK). It's amazingly good and a great value proposition (if such a thing exists for $8k DACs) if you can work with having only audio over RJ45.


----------



## Mikey99

Zhanming057 said:


> To be honest, it was my least favorite out of the combinations. The Dave is, simply put, not a very good standalone DAC at $10,000. The Mscalar is almost a necessity and the combo price puts the cost beyond both the Classic DAC and street pricing for the Linn Klimax, and both of these I felt had more detail and clarity than the Dave + Mscalar combo. A little bit too cold and lacking in density and smoothness compared to the Nagra. Even if you add in the Mscalar I feel that the Alpha DAC reference 2 is a substantially better DAC and can be found in the same price range.
> 
> Now, the Dave also has a pretty good headphone output which none of the other DACs have. So if you like enjoy Dave's direct output, you can potentially save thousands by forgoing a dedicated amp and put the funds towards the Mscalar. It's also really versatile and pretty user friendly (doesn't need a USB interface, doesn't use weird connection standards). The Dave's headphone out is a little lacking in authority compared to the 394 when driving the 1266 phi's, but IMO it's a good fit for the Mysphere 3.2 as well as the HD800S.
> 
> If you're not interested in using the Dave's headphone out, see if you can arrange a demo with Linn for a renew DSM/DS (shouldn't be difficult in the UK). It's amazingly good and a great value proposition (if such a thing exists for $8k DACs) if you can work with having only audio over RJ45.


I had the Linn Klimax and stand-alone Dave for extended home demo, feeding into a Formula S amp driving the Abyss Phi. I definitely preferred the Dave to the Klimax, a richer, more 3D, more engaging sound, and I bought the Dave. Those qualities have since been enhanced with the M-Scaler.


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## antdroid

katulu said:


>



Oh my gosh. You have $11-12K of equipment on a $30 banquet table.... Please remedy this for all of us.


----------



## koover

Gavin C4 said:


>


My same set up but with the Clear. Just got the Clear yesterday and I’m liking this setup a lot with it.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Nov 22, 2018)

koover said:


> My same set up but with the Clear. Just got the Clear yesterday and I’m liking this setup a lot with it.



I got the Clear plugged into the Mjolnir 2 XLR in the photo too  . Great pairing. Enjoy your music with your Clears. I like to pair them with some slightly warm tubes to give them a bit of analog taste.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Nov 23, 2018)

I have a Linn power amp that I haven't used in a long time because of it's age. It tends to overheat. I've never tried it with my Marantz HD-CD1 until today. Truly astonishing sound quality.
The Denon AH-D5000  already has a big soundstage but the Linn amp brings them up to the level of my AKG K702. Imaging of the AH-D5000 is improved and the detail is microscopic.
I really don't get why many people invest $1,000 - $1,600 on headphones and spend hundreds on fancy cables, then spend less on the amp's.


----------



## judomaniak57

more like $20-25k Canadian. seeing that equipment on that table makes me nervous


antdroid said:


> Oh my gosh. You have $11-12K of equipment on a $30 banquet table.... Please remedy this for all of us.


----------



## katulu

judomaniak57 said:


> more like $20-25k Canadian. seeing that equipment on that table makes me nervous



Please don't be worried, all commenters, or it's going to be a sad sad day for you: 1) The plastic table stays, probably until next year when I move again, 2) I'm getting an M-Scaler to add to the chain in about a month or so - and will post a pic when I do.

Ok ok, I admit I also want a nice rack, will probably get a nice one but only when I'm done moving - next year.

This table is GREAT BTW - sturdy and never failed me... lol.


----------



## interweb-tech

katulu said:


> Please don't be worried, all commenters, or it's going to be a sad sad day for you: 1) The plastic table stays, probably until next year when I move again, 2) I'm getting an M-Scaler to add to the chain in about a month or so - and will post a pic when I do.
> 
> Ok ok, I admit I also want a nice rack, will probably get a nice one but only when I'm done moving - next year.
> 
> This table is GREAT BTW - sturdy and never failed me... lol.



I recently replaced my Costco folding table of 15 years (actually holds office network stuff with server tucked underneath) with a classic style like those used in schools. You could stand on this thing. Its built like a tank. 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B073Q9TZNB


----------



## Krutsch

SonyFan121 said:


> I really don't get why many people invest $1,000 - $1,600 on headphones and spend hundreds on fancy cables, then spend less on the amp's.



Because they've run out of money ... you know, as in: Welcome to head-Fi! Sorry About Your Wallet...


----------



## stuck limo




----------



## Theabs (Nov 25, 2018)




----------



## ColoradoNative79




----------



## waveSounds

'tis the season to be listening.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

stuck limo said:


>



What music app or service is that?


----------



## stuck limo

gimmeheadroom said:


> What music app or service is that?



UAPP on Android for that particular shot. I use a mix of UAPP, Sonarworks True-Fi, Neutron and Noozxoide on my LG V20 (pictured).


----------



## ivanrocks321

Just posted not to long ago but got my beta22 finally back in the system from storage. And picked up a streamer along the way! Still waiting for the smyth bros on that A16 though hopefully that will be it for my upgrade addition and just solely enjoy the music.


----------



## SonyFan121

ivanrocks321 said:


> Just posted not to long ago but got my beta22 finally back in the system from storage. And picked up a streamer along the way! Still waiting for the smyth bros on that A16 though hopefully that will be it for my upgrade addition and just solely enjoy the music.



Nice setup. Lot's of room for some nice speakers too.


----------



## SonyFan121




----------



## Svatopluk (Dec 1, 2018)

antdroid said:


> Oh my gosh. You have $11-12K of equipment on a $30 banquet table.... Please remedy this for all of us.


Looks like he has his priorities straight. Spend big money on gear, screw the nice furniture. Altough, I'm a bit concerned about seeing his DAVE hanging off the end of the table.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Bedside setup


----------



## Roderick

I took this picture for something else. Then I remembered this thread.


----------



## SonyFan121

Roderick said:


> I took this picture for something else. Then I remembered this thread.



Is that a binaural microphone you have? is it a 3Dio? those types of microphones are known to have really good sound quality.


----------



## Roderick

SonyFan121 said:


> Is that a binaural microphone you have? is it a 3Dio? those types of microphones are known to have really good sound quality.


nah... It's minidsp ears for measuring headphones. Maybe it could be used as a traditional mic. I have not tested.


----------



## Markolav




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## bmichels

May be I should try this power-cord instead of the "audiophiles" one ?


----------



## Krutsch

Long business trip to India means: impulse buy of Shure SE846-CL to go with my new Sony NW-A55 w/ 400 GB SD card.

For me, end game for mobile Head-Fi.


----------



## waveSounds

Finally got around to replacing my old monitor stand with something more contemporary.


----------



## TYATYA

Have more empty locations than loaded.


----------



## Mikey99




----------



## CAMSHAFT

My head-fi station...


----------



## alphanumerix1

Mikey99 said:


>



wow nice setup shame everything isn't black


----------



## alphanumerix1

waveSounds said:


> Finally got around to replacing my old monitor stand with something more contemporary.



what speaker stands are those?


----------



## alphanumerix1

WIP


----------



## Mikey99 (Dec 9, 2018)

alphanumerix1 said:


> wow nice setup shame everything isn't black


Thanks! I generally like the silvery look of raw or polished metal. My first hifi purchase was silver (Kenwood KA 407), which was the standard colour at the time. After that black became trendy, but then everything was black and I was exposed to too much of it over the years, so usually not my preference. I would have bought the Formula S in silver had that been available.

Your setup does look great in all black.

I general I think the hobby could use more colour. E.g.,  I saw a photo of a sky blue DNA Stratus which I thought was really cool.


----------



## Nik74

Your set up has 'End Game' written all over it 


Mikey99 said:


>


----------



## waveSounds

@alphanumerix1 

SoundXtra stands. I've got the small ones under my Audio Engine D2s for a size reference.


----------



## Mikey99

Nik74 said:


> Your set up has 'End Game' written all over it


I hope so, my wallet is about to mount a revolt. 

But we have all heard that one before ...


----------



## Deftone

Nik74 said:


> Your set up has 'End Game' written all over it



Until chord Dave and abyss become mid fi.


----------



## HungryPanda

alphanumerix1 said:


> WIP


now that is what I call a cubby hole


----------



## Nik74

Deftone said:


> Until chord Dave and abyss become mid fi.



Which will take a few years at least, I would think


----------



## judomaniak57

alphanumerix1 said:


> WIP


with only 1 speaker i take it you listen to alot of mono recordings


----------



## Rowethren

judomaniak57 said:


> with only 1 speaker i take it you listen to alot of mono recordings



Haha, I was wondering about that as well.


----------



## cardeli22

Rowethren said:


> Haha, I was wondering about that as well.


LOL me too.


----------



## thinker

Abbas audio headphone amp 16kg and nos dac,Perun electrostatic amp with  Stax Lambda signature


----------



## Whitigir

I love IPod! Best DAP Eva, the thing that killed off Walkman


----------



## alphanumerix1

HungryPanda said:


> now that is what I call a cubby hole





Nik74 said:


> Which will take a few years at least, I would think





judomaniak57 said:


> with only 1 speaker i take it you listen to alot of mono recordings





Rowethren said:


> Haha, I was wondering about that as well.





cardeli22 said:


> LOL me too.



Lol yes good pick up, the speaker is there because i was trying to see if a 5" speaker would fit on my small desk but as you can see its too big. I'm currently looking for a <5" speaker for my setup and yes there will be two


----------



## Zenvota

alphanumerix1 said:


> Lol yes good pick up, the speaker is there because i was trying to see if a 5" speaker would fit on my small desk but as you can see its too big. I'm currently looking for a <5" speaker for my setup and yes there will be two



Gonna be boomy in a cubby.  You could try using a virtual speaker program like Out of Your Head, just remember to EQ your headphones flat.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Zenvota said:


> Gonna be boomy in a cubby.  You could try using a virtual speaker program like Out of Your Head, just remember to EQ your headphones flat.



Yeah im looking at the iloud micro monitors which are 3" i believe. I dont quite understand the headphone comment though?


----------



## Zenvota

alphanumerix1 said:


> Yeah im looking at the iloud micro monitors which are 3" i believe. I dont quite understand the headphone comment though?



I'm saying it's not a good location for speakers, so instead try a virtual speaker program for headphones, that's what I do xD


----------



## alphanumerix1

Zenvota said:


> I'm saying it's not a good location for speakers, so instead try a virtual speaker program for headphones, that's what I do xD



Lol fair. Sometimes i dont want a headphone on my head. Im sure i can position them in a way where its not too bad.


----------



## Zenvota

alphanumerix1 said:


> Lol fair. Sometimes i dont want a headphone on my head. Im sure i can position them in a way where its not too bad.



I hear that, I've gone through much tinkering and adjusting to get headphones to be as comfortable as possible, I have a desk with a big hutch and speakers sound terrible in it ;[


----------



## iceanddice




----------



## _wednesday (Dec 9, 2018)

Cleaning day


----------



## koven

iceanddice said:


>



Nice! Where did you get that audio rack, I'm looking for something similarly compact.


----------



## iceanddice

koven said:


> Nice! Where did you get that audio rack, I'm looking for something similarly compact.



Had it custom made locally here in Manila for around 200USD. I gave them the measurements I wanted  They're called Grains Furniture on Facebook


----------



## waveSounds

iceanddice said:


>


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## spanner43




----------



## SonyFan121 (Dec 13, 2018)

Everything pictured is Sony except for the headphones.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Dec 13, 2018)




----------



## alphanumerix1

Before:



alphanumerix1 said:


> WIP



After:

Added some monitor risers and cleaned up my space abit, still need to add speakers.


----------



## Rowethren

alphanumerix1 said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very nice use of the space, really liking that you managed to cram so much stuff in there but still keep it nice and tidy.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Dec 14, 2018)

Rowethren said:


> Very nice use of the space, really liking that you managed to cram so much stuff in there but still keep it nice and tidy.



Thanks, Yeah it's tough having alot of stuff on a 1.2m desk but i make it work. My OCD really makes me want to keep it tidy also. I do think i can do a better job still though...

I'll probably go a wireless keyboard and mouse.


----------



## Rowethren

alphanumerix1 said:


> Thanks, Yeah it's tough having so alot of stuff on a 1.2m desk but i make it work. My OCD really makes me want to keep it tidy also. I do think i can do a better job still though...
> 
> I'll probably go a wireless keyboard and mouse.



Haha yeah I get that, I have pretty bad OCD as well and you can really get carried away with it if you are not careful


----------



## Pharmaboy

alphanumerix1 said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Where to you put your feet/legs when sitting at this desk? Doesn't look like there's much room for that...


----------



## waveSounds

alphanumerix1 said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Monitor risers are the absolute best value proposition for being and to stuff more gear than should be possible for smaller desk spaces. I'd have to put my DAC/amp on the floor otherwise...


----------



## alphanumerix1

Pharmaboy said:


> Where to you put your feet/legs when sitting at this desk? Doesn't look like there's much room for that...



I sit upright with my feet on my chair usually so i don't run into issues.



waveSounds said:


> Monitor risers are the absolute best value proposition for being and to stuff more gear than should be possible for smaller desk spaces. I'd have to put my DAC/amp on the floor otherwise...



Very true!


----------



## Scutey

thinker said:


> Abbas audio headphone amp 16kg and nos dac,Perun electrostatic amp with  Stax Lambda signature


That looks a beast of an amp.


----------



## Oregonian

One of my 5 head fi stations in use regularly...................this is my home office.  All vintage speaker amp-based - this is a Kenwood KA-5700 integrated amp fed by my Dell laptop through a Soundstreamer 2 DAC into my Denon MD2000 headphones.  It was the first amp I bought after trying "headphone-specific" amps and so glad I found the vintage thread here as I now have 8 vintage amps in use all over the house and at work.


----------



## MattTCG

Old school Kenwood, old school keyboard...dig it. Go ducks!


----------



## OldSkool

Nice! Something tells me Oregonian likes him some jazz


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## Krutsch

I went a little crazy in adding to the head-Fi table: new cans (MrSpeakers), new IEMs (Shure 846-CL), new streamer (Bluesound Node 2i), new amp (MD LCX).


----------



## betula

Krutsch said:


> I went a little crazy in adding to the head-Fi table: new cans (MrSpeakers), new IEMs (Shure 846-CL), new streamer (Bluesound Node 2i), new amp (MD LCX).


We are all a little crazy here. Don't feel bad. The group fully accepts you.


----------



## TLAV111

From top to bottom left to right: SOTA Satellite, Aric Audio SET 300B HP, Woo WA3, some of my records, Conrad Johnson Classic 2, Emotiva A100 and XDA-1.  Finally just behind me are my Magnepan 1.6QR powered by a Conrad Johnson Classic Sixty.


----------



## darmanastartes




----------



## judomaniak57

2 too many cassette players


Krutsch said:


> I went a little crazy in adding to the head-Fi table: new cans (MrSpeakers), new IEMs (Shure 846-CL), new streamer (Bluesound Node 2i), new amp (MD LCX).


----------



## SonyFan121 (Jan 14, 2019)




----------



## bmichels

Guess what is behind this little Blue Led  that I have installed under my BHSE  ?


  

Who heard about* "Schumann Wave" generators *?  

"_Schuman Wave (7.83 Hz) can reduce the interference of radio and electromagnetic waves, which can reduce music details, improve sound field width, and reduce standing wave impact. Additionally, Schumann wave can make people relaxed and listen more sound details. It will have effective positive impact on sleep quality, thinking and creation after long-time using_"

Very promising.... while I agree it may seems strange.  Anyway, at 20$ from China, I decided to give it a try.... we will see...


----------



## Deaj




----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/bmichels.341957/
That looks like the radio transponders they put in cloths. Basically those patches in cloths wait till they get near a receiver and relay specific information about their location which then gets uploaded to the internet and sent back to the factory. Few people know these patches work that way. I’m not sure of the exact use of the information though before the cloths are wholesaled it would guard against theft?


----------



## waveSounds

SonyFan121 said:


> Finally have the setup i've been looking to achieve for a long time now though I had to remove the TV stand to make it possible, lol. Looks a bit clustered and unprofessional but my goal was to get a system that can do everything in terms of compatibility with other devices, with no compromise in sound quality, I figured Sony are the best at doing that.
> With the speakers placed the way they are, I can also start mixing/mastering my music properly. From here on I can just focus on the speakers/headphones and no longer need to worry about amps etc etc.



Now that's the epitome of what I'd call a centre-tainment setup


----------



## Ableza




----------



## Por_Tu_Guy

New updated listening space.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> New updated listening space.



A very clean and organised space, well done.


----------



## nocturaline




----------



## Pharmaboy

Deaj said:


>



Blond strat--nice! (as is your electronics stack)


----------



## Pharmaboy

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> New updated listening space.



Damn! That's a prime headphone audio rig in S.A.


----------



## johnzz4

Updated pics with the Wells Headtrip 2


----------



## Deaj (Dec 22, 2018)

Pharmaboy said:


> Blond strat--nice! (as is your electronics stack)



Thanks! 

I built this guitar to recreate the sound of my very first guitar (a then new 1980 Matsumoku factory built Strat copy). A lot of very nice guitars came and went while that Japanese Strat remained as my #1. It saw far too many gigs to count, until 1988 when it finally needed a complete refret. The tech to whom my local shop farmed the refret out botched the job and that was the end of the neck.

I took measurements of everything (including several cross sections of the neck) and made detailed documentation, which I still have to this day. I then gave the guitar to a very close friend who sourced a new neck for it and he still plays it to this day.

In 2005, after going through many Strats over the years looking for a replacement I decided to build one. I took my notes down to USA Custom Guitars and they made an Alder body from wood I picked out at their shop, and a neck that very closely matched the original in profile, but with a 10" fingerboard radius and a 25" scale length (the guitar that became my primary in 1987 was a pre-production Alder bodied PRS CE24, one of a limited number of hand-built then 'PRS Classic Electric' guitars to gauge market interest for bolt-on neck PRS guitars).

Pickups with similar impedance, wire, and magnets were used (I had replaced the bridge single coil with a PAF that my uncle had sitting unused so a Lindy Fralin Unbucker was installed in this guitar). Body weight is a near dead match for that of the original. Fret wire is the same width and height of that used on the original neck, and a vintage type single action truss rod was used. The hardware is an area where this guitar is a clear upgrade (Hipshot trem bridge and locking tuners, bone nut, cream Tusq string trees, CTS pots, PIO tone cap, 180pF poly film treble bleed cap, position 2 on the 5-way selector switch auto splits the bridge pickup to single coil). USACG upgraded the neck to beautifully uniform flamed maple without up charging for the wood used (nice surprise!).

The fingerboard edges were rolled to give the neck a well played in feel. The body has 50's contours. The headstock is a modified Tele profile with a milled out, clear epoxy filled USACG logo. All wood is finished with Fornby's Tung Oil - much softer feel than raw wood or clear coat, and fast when hands sweat. The parchment pickguqrd gives a 'vintage' vibe to the look. The black hardware is a nod to the 80's. 

The resulting guitar's sound and vibe are very close to the original when the two guitars are compared side-by-side, with this new one being the more nuanced and soulful of the two. I couldn't have imagined a better outcome.





In 2009 I decided to build a 4-string bass with a similar look. This instrument takes a more modern approach in body style (Dinky-J body) with a modern/vintage electronics package. It sports a Dominger late 50's spec P-Bass pickup, a Nordstrand Big Single bridge pickup (Dual Coil shown, pick taken before the Big Single was installed), a Nordstrand active/passive 3-band preamp with master passive tone control. Once again, no charge for the flame maple neck. This thing nails the '58 P-Bass sound, and covers a lot of sonic territory otherwise. Same look (colors, finish, feel). Neck profile is that of the 4-string MusicMan Bongo bass. Definitely the most versatile bass I've ever played!


----------



## hakka (Dec 22, 2018)




----------



## simorag

My relaxing corner


----------



## ciukas

@simorag What a novel way to blend in the black HMS w the rest of your gear!


----------



## SonyFan121

It's more about the music for me these days..
Not that i'm missing out on anything, with the Denon AH-D5000's.


----------



## simorag

ciukas said:


> @simorag What a novel way to blend in the black HMS w the rest of your gear!



Yeah, I figured the HMS was going to be a better match size-wise with my XI Audio gear, so I decided to go with a black one 

Also, the finish quality of the DAVE is really in another league compared to the HMS (as it should), so I was not sure about putting DAVE and HMS close together.

Looking at your photo it turns out the all-silver match is quite nice after all!


----------



## waveSounds

hakka said:


>



You could have snapped a toothbrush and I'd have still given you a like with that photography.


----------



## whirlwind

waveSounds said:


> You could have snapped a toothbrush and I'd have still given you a like with that photography.



+1
Great pics!


----------



## stersa (Dec 22, 2018)

My new MINI GIANT system..











Best Regards


----------



## nazrin313




----------



## Pharmaboy

Deaj said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I built this guitar to recreate the sound of my very first guitar (a then new 1980 Matsumoku factory built Strat copy). A lot of very nice guitars came and went while that Japanese Strat remained as my #1. It saw far too many gigs to count, until 1988 when it finally needed a complete refret. The tech to whom my local shop farmed the refret out botched the job and that was the end of the neck.
> 
> ...



Man, your knowledge about guitars is amazing! Also the fact that you play both guitar & bass. I'll figure out a way to forward this to my twin brother, who is similarly knowledgeable & constantly upgrades this or that guitar. He has ~10 guitars, every one beautiful & unusual in some way. His strat is an original late '60s model, blond, perfect condition. I'm sure he's had the action adjusted, fretboard tweaked, maybe also changed pickups (the last one isn't likely, though, if the originals sounded as good as they are known to). 

He also has had a number of tele's pass through his hand (his best one was stolen at Port Authority in NYC...a loss that still hurts). He tells me he's partial to swamp cedar for the bodies of the parts tele's he messes around with.

I don't play, but love the guitar beyond words. All kinds of guitar. My current favorite guitar music is manouche/gypsy music (in the style of Django).

I know we're off-topic. Then again, music and musical instruments are never off-topic IMO.


----------



## Pharmaboy

stersa said:


> My new MINI GIANT system..
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have that Billie Holiday recording (among others). It's quite amazing.

Curious to see your Quad headphone. How is that?


----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


>



These are 2 of the sexiest/swankiest headphone audio pictures I've seen...bravo!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Deaj said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I built this guitar to recreate the sound of my very first guitar (a then new 1980 Matsumoku factory built Strat copy). A lot of very nice guitars came and went while that Japanese Strat remained as my #1. It saw far too many gigs to count, until 1988 when it finally needed a complete refret. The tech to whom my local shop farmed the refret out botched the job and that was the end of the neck.
> 
> ...



That’s an amazing story. I had my first custom guitar made this year. It was quite the experience. Probably the most interesting was just how many choices there are to make. But the waiting and wondering process is a big thing, as well as the drama of knowing there is zero guarantee in the end. When it’s done; it is what it is. Lol


----------



## Turrican2

stersa said:


> My new MINI GIANT system..



What rack is that please?


----------



## stersa

Topping Rack.

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## Deaj

Pharmaboy said:


> Man, your knowledge about guitars is amazing! Also the fact that you play both guitar & bass. I'll figure out a way to forward this to my twin brother, who is similarly knowledgeable & constantly upgrades this or that guitar. He has ~10 guitars, every one beautiful & unusual in some way. His strat is an original late '60s model, blond, perfect condition. I'm sure he's had the action adjusted, fretboard tweaked, maybe also changed pickups (the last one isn't likely, though, if the originals sounded as good as they are known to).
> 
> He also has had a number of tele's pass through his hand (his best one was stolen at Port Authority in NYC...a loss that still hurts). He tells me he's partial to swamp cedar for the bodies of the parts tele's he messes around with.
> 
> ...



Man, having a core instrument stolen - that's just terrible. I've never had one stolen but my 1987 PRS went missing after a gig and I FREAKED OUT!!!?!? Turns out my uncle thought I had left, say my guitar was still there so he packed it up and took it with him. Whew!

I've always been a bit of a tinkerer and I own very few things I haven't modified in one way or another. I lucked out in finding a great luthier locally who is happy to share information and techniques. This gave the confidence to move forward on these builds. I didn't install the frets but I did a good job dressing them. USA Custom Guitar supplied the raw neck (frets installed) and routed body. I did the rest of the work. this was a deeply satisfying endeavor.  

I love improving on things where there is room to do so, which leads me back to the subject of headphones.  This year I went down the custom Grado headphone build rabbit hole and came away with several custom headphones I consider to be among the best I have ever heard (the credit for this belongs to Symphones for the Magnum V8 drivers that I used for all the Grado mods and custom builds.

I'm thinking about tinkering with headphone amp circuits next year. I doubt I'll land on anything quite as enjoyable as my current headamp rig but it might be fun to try.  The stack of Schiit on my desk is sounding fantastic and I've no plans to change anything for a good while. For my budget I believe I'm at the point of diminishing return (he said, having no idea if this assumption holds any truth). I like the Schiit I have now.


----------



## Deaj

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s an amazing story. I had my first custom guitar made this year. It was quite the experience. Probably the most interesting was just how many choices there are to make. But the waiting and wondering process is a big thing, as well as the drama of knowing there is zero guarantee in the end. When it’s done; it is what it is. Lol



Wow - that is just stunning!!!! 

Congratulations! I can only imagine that it sounds as good as it looks, or better. That's a beautiful guitar....


----------



## Deaj

I apologize everyone for moving this thread of topic. I'll stop now


----------



## simorag

Now playing 'Relaxin' with Miles Davis Quintet' with a nice grappa glass … that's relaxing


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 23, 2018)

Deaj said:


> Wow - that is just stunning!!!!
> 
> Congratulations! I can only imagine that it sounds as good as it looks, or better. That's a beautiful guitar....



Disclaimer:
My last guitar post in this thread.

It was only the third arch-top the builder had ever built, though he has been successful at building electrics and acoustics the last 10 years. It’s only three woods, Rosewood, Mahogany and Ebony. He offered to use Mahogany? But normally a person would choose Cedar, Spruce or Maple for the soundboard. Mahogany is just traditionaly not the best choice, but I already had a Cedar soundboard topped acoustic made by him which was bright and super loud, so I looked at it like this was a message that a Mahogany guitar top would work for him. I told myself if he built a guitar the same tone or maybe slighly darker and only half as loud as the Grand Concert Guitar he built I would be happy........and he did just that in the end. Strangely he went out looking for a piece of Mahogany and found this weird color one-of-a-kind piece. After my guitar was finished he had orders for seven more arch-tops but the only Mahogany he could find was regular brown? So this one will be the only one that looks like it does. He’s pretty adventurous having plans for a Rosewood topped arch-top.

 When it was finished it took about a month for it to settle and the sound slowly changed for the better getting finalized in sound the last three months; now staying in tune perfectly for a week.

There are only two 14 inch x-braces under the top in the middle, no bracing in any other area. My one concern was that the top may start to sag as they find an area between strong and thin in construction, so it’s loud and bright. Though staying in tune as it does I’m probably OK.

I actually didn’t know exactly what I was looking for in neck dimensions and radius but had ideas from my last guitar he built. I asked him to make the neck slighly wider and with more radius and he nailed it. It has action as low as you would find on a Les Paul. It doesn’t have a whole bunch of sub-low end but does fine in over all balance, especially with-in comparison to itself. It’s slightly woody due to the Mahogany but fairly medium bright and loud.

I only hoped before it was finished that it would play well, and not be too bright or too dark. I figured I would find someone to buy it if it came out muddy sounding or too bright, but I lucked out, it’s a keeper. It sounds best in a room with a small practice amp slighly louder than the guitar itself. Songs I never heard before come out when I play it like a stranger is writing them?


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Dec 23, 2018)

How to have 5 headphones on your desk.


----------



## Taz777

Here's my new bedside listening system based on Tidal Hi-Fi streaming.






Components are:

1. Tidal HiFi subscription;

2. Bluesound Node 2i network streamer streaming my Tidal collection - connected via a QED Reference Digital Audio 40 (coax) cable to;

3. Topping D50 DAC - connected via a QED Performance Graphite Audio twin RCA cable to;

4. Arcam rHead headphone amplifier - connected to;

5. beyerdynamic Amiron Home full-sized headphones.

It sounds pretty good and the 3m long cable on the headphones makes it ideal for a bedside system.


----------



## AudioThief (Dec 23, 2018)

Components:

Stax SRM 727II (non modded)
Gustard X20 Pro
Schiit Eitr
Stax SR-007 MK1

Streaming via Tidal Flac and ROON.

Excellent sound. The Gustard is the most recent purchase. I was blown away by the upgrade in sound from the modi multibit. I was already very happy with the sound coming from the mimby + eitr combination. But the Gustard is just much better. More resolving, equally smooth and laid back. Incredible staging. I was on the fence about how much I could expect from upgrading my DAC. I severely underestimated the difference it makes. Objectivists takes another hit in my book. You'd have to be completely deaf to not hear clear differences between certain DACs.


----------



## Krutsch

Taz777 said:


> Here's my new bedside listening system based on Tidal Hi-Fi streaming.
> 
> 1. *Tidal HiFi subscription*;
> 
> ...



If you are listening to MQA encoded tracks from TIDAL, let me suggest something: use the analog outs from the Node 2i directly into your rHead. You might be surprised how nice the Node 2i's DAC sounds and it will support full MQA rendering, which the digital output will not. And, it removes a box from your night stand.

Just try it...


----------



## Taz777

Krutsch said:


> If you are listening to MQA encoded tracks from TIDAL, let me suggest something: use the analog outs from the Node 2i directly into your rHead. You might be surprised how nice the Node 2i's DAC sounds and it will support full MQA rendering, which the digital output will not. And, it removes a box from your night stand.
> 
> Just try it...



Yes, that's what I did try first (analogue RCA outputs from Node 2I direct to my headphone amp). I wasn't happy with the sound. I put the Topping D50 back in the chain and the sound is a lot better, but I lose the full MQA unfolding and rendering. To be honest I only have a couple of MQA tracks in my Tidal playlists at the moment.

I don't know why the analogue RCA outputs, and the 3.5mm headphone out on the front panel of the Node 2i was so inferior as it's rated highly when I was researching the device.


----------



## AudioThief

Taz777 said:


> Yes, that's what I did try first (analogue RCA outputs from Node 2I direct to my headphone amp). I wasn't happy with the sound. I put the Topping D50 back in the chain and the sound is a lot better, but I lose the full MQA unfolding and rendering. To be honest I only have a couple of MQA tracks in my Tidal playlists at the moment.
> 
> I don't know why the analogue RCA outputs, and the 3.5mm headphone out on the front panel of the Node 2i was so inferior as it's rated highly when I was researching the device.




MQA or not, the topping should sound much better. I've listened to the bluesound 2 (I have one in my living room) as a dac only in my headphone rig, not very nice.


----------



## nc8000




----------



## RobertSM




----------



## Krutsch

AudioThief said:


> MQA or not, the topping should sound much better. I've listened to the bluesound 2 (I have one in my living room) as a dac only in my headphone rig, not very nice.



Reviewers are reporting a big improvement for the Node 2i over the Node 2. I haven’t heard the Node 2, personally. But the Node 2i’s DAC sounds nice.


----------



## Deftone

SonyFan121 said:


> It's more about the music for me these days..
> Not that i'm missing out on anything, with the Denon AH-D5000's.



As long as you are actually enjoying the music then you are not really missing out on anything with any headphone.


----------



## Tnewell




----------



## mahesvara

PS Audio P5, Sony Server HAP Z1ES, Woo Audio WA33, Sony DAP WM1Z, Focal Utopia, Nordost Sort Kone


----------



## koven

mahesvara said:


> PS Audio P5, Sony Server HAP Z1ES, Woo Audio WA33, Sony DAP WM1Z, Focal Utopia, Nordost Sort Kone



Nice! Man I'd be nervous w/ that Nordost balancing act you're running there.. I guess it is pretty stable? Is that stand from Amazon?


----------



## mahesvara

koven said:


> Nice! Man I'd be nervous w/ that Nordost balancing act you're running there.. I guess it is pretty stable?



Yep, super stable. It doesn't even move if I press on one of the two corners on the front.


----------



## Redcarmoose

mahesvara said:


> PS Audio P5, Sony Server HAP Z1ES, Woo Audio WA33, Sony DAP WM1Z, Focal Utopia, Nordost Sort Kone


----------



## Deaj

Redcarmoose said:


> Disclaimer:
> My last guitar post in this thread.
> 
> It was only the third arch-top the builder had ever built, though he has been successful at building electrics and acoustics the last 10 years. It’s only three woods, Rosewood, Mahogany and Ebony. He offered to use Mahogany? But normally a person would choose Cedar, Spruce or Maple for the soundboard. Mahogany is just traditionaly not the best choice, but I already had a Cedar soundboard topped acoustic made by him which was bright and super loud, so I looked at it like this was a message that a Mahogany guitar top would work for him. I told myself if he built a guitar the same tone or maybe slighly darker and only half as loud as the Grand Concert Guitar he built I would be happy........and he did just that in the end. Strangely he went out looking for a piece of Mahogany and found this weird color one-of-a-kind piece. After my guitar was finished he had orders for seven more arch-tops but the only Mahogany he could find was regular brown? So this one will be the only one that looks like it does. He’s pretty adventurous having plans for a Rosewood topped arch-top.
> ...



Thanks for the additional details!


----------



## alphanumerix1

mahesvara said:


> PS Audio P5, Sony Server HAP Z1ES, Woo Audio WA33, Sony DAP WM1Z, Focal Utopia, Nordost Sort Kone



nice


----------



## SonyFan121 (Jan 14, 2019)




----------



## koven

Spending Christmas w/ Utopia's little brother..


----------



## ricksome

SonyFan posted >>> I might just go all out and buy a Sennheiser HD800, to compliment the Modded AH-D5000. I might as well, then be done with this hobby for the next 10 years.

Do you really have that kind of will power? ... I don't


----------



## SonyFan121 (Dec 24, 2018)

ricksome said:


> SonyFan posted >>> I might just go all out and buy a Sennheiser HD800, to compliment the Modded AH-D5000. I might as well, then be done with this hobby for the next 10 years.
> 
> Do you really have that kind of will power? ... I don't



Lol well I did go 6 years perfectly content with just 2 headphones (Denon AH-D5000 and AKG K702), from 2008 to 2014. But that was back when I was less knowledgeable about sound quality. I've spent the last 4 (almost 5) years trying out different headphones, trying to find out if there exists any other headphones that I would consider better than those 2 I mentioned, I've owned at least 60 (lost count) different headphones since 2014 and so far I haven't found any other headphones I consider to be better. So i've now kinda reached the end of the road..the mod's I done to my AH-D5000, takes the sound to the next level, I really doubt I will hear anything better regardless of price..but I reckon the Sennheiser HD800 would be a great compliment to the AH-D5000, not the AKG anymore as the modded AH-D5000 surpasses that in sound quality now. So yeah I think I could probably be content with just an AH-D5000 and HD800 for many years and not give in to buying any more headphones.  I will keep my Sony MDR7510 as it is practical and does sound good. Sorry for the long answer, lol.


----------



## Senni




----------



## waveSounds

Not exactly head-fi but everyone loves dogs! Merry Christmas, folks.


----------



## koover

waveSounds said:


> Not exactly head-fi but everyone loves dogs! Merry Christmas, folks.


My God bro, almost brought tears to my eyes. Had 2 dogs in my life that looked "exactly" like both your pups. Incredible resemblance and freaking me out in a good way. Miles and Millie were their names. Thanx for bringing back some fond and heartfelt memories for me. They were probably my most beloved dogs/companions I've had in my life until they passed at 14 and15 years old.
Merry Christmas!


----------



## TheRH

hakka said:


>



How do you like your Schiit stack? I have the Magni 3/ Modi 2.


----------



## hakka

TheRH said:


> How do you like your Schiit stack? I have the Magni 3/ Modi 2.



I don't have anything else to compare it to apart from soundcards, but it sounds really good.


----------



## waveSounds

koover said:


> My God bro, almost brought tears to my eyes. Had 2 dogs in my life that looked "exactly" like both your pups. Incredible resemblance and freaking me out in a good way. Miles and Millie were their names. Thanx for bringing back some fond and heartfelt memories for me. They were probably my most beloved dogs/companions I've had in my life until they passed at 14 and15 years old.
> Merry Christmas!



These two are Badger and Coco (with another, Mollie, not pictured). Glad they could bring some joy to others out there!


----------



## tracyca

Senni said:


>


Nice,


----------



## ufospls2

Not the best photo but this is the first time I've been happy with my set up in about a year since I had to sell all my equipment due to medical bills, and perhaps the most content I have ever been with my set up in general  I've slowly simplified and narrowed down what I like over time. Less headphones, and a DAC/Amp combo instead of separates. Oh wait...I don't have IEMs....._sigh_ it never ends.


----------



## Deftone

I always find it amusing when i see summit fi gear taken withe VGA quality picture(s).


----------



## Preachy1

Updated bedside set up. I rotate cans; currently using Nightowls.


----------



## mcgo

I consider this stack my end-game.


----------



## hakka

These just arrived.


----------



## Redcarmoose

BGVP DM6 (solid-black) IEM (Sony MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX)(Sony Hybrid Tips) (Combined with the Sony 1A, my everyday listen)


----------



## Deaj (Dec 28, 2018)

Duplicate message


----------



## Deaj

hakka said:


> These just arrived.



Nice! 

Listening with mine as I type this. Fantastic headphone!


----------



## whirlwind

A new amp made its way into the house. I have always enjoyed the tube sound and have had tubes amps for years, but the deal on this way just too good to pass on, so I jumped.


----------



## jaywillin

whirlwind said:


> A new amp made its way into the house. I have always enjoyed the tube sound and have had tubes amps for years, but the deal on this way just too good to pass on, so I jumped.




and ??


----------



## Deftone

whirlwind said:


> A new amp made its way into the house. I have always enjoyed the tube sound and have had tubes amps for years, but the deal on this way just too good to pass on, so I jumped.



I bet the speed, detail and impact come as bit of a surprise after all those years on tubes.


----------



## SalR406

whirlwind said:


> A new amp made its way into the house. I have always enjoyed the tube sound and have had tubes amps for years, but the deal on this way just too good to pass on, so I jumped.



If that HeadAmp is the same piece listed for sale here a few days ago, I very nearly pulled the trigger on it myself.  Probably should have.  Enjoy it!


----------



## whirlwind

jaywillin said:


> and ??



It sounds great, I have really not gotten to much past the pairing with the ZMF Ori
Seems everytime I put this headphone on, it stays on for awhile, LOL.
Love the Ori.









Deftone said:


> I bet the speed, detail and impact come as bit of a surprise after all those years on tubes.



Not so much the impact, but the speed is definitely there and detail too....the impact is wonderful, but I would not call it better than the tubes.
Love what I am hearing with the Ori...no doubt just a wonderful pairing.










SalR406 said:


> If that HeadAmp is the same piece listed for sale here a few days ago, I very nearly pulled the trigger on it myself.  Probably should have.  Enjoy it!



I believe it probably is, but not 100% sure.
I bought it from a great gentleman that was located in New York.
Great guy to deal with...class act.


----------



## ayobreezie

Just came in yesterday.  Paired with the THX I got in the last drop.


----------



## JerkChicken (Dec 30, 2018)

Hurts to post after a photo like yours @ayobreezie hahaha.. But here's what i'm working with for now:

Fostex TH900mk2 - Emerald Green (#93/100)
Fostex HP-A4BL
MrSpeakers Ether2

Posting the fostex amp and headphones soon. They both served me great however the HP-A4BL is maxing out on high gain to just to get even a comfortable listening volume.

Interested in the ADI-2 DAC and may give that a try and add amp later on, need be (maybe the massdrop THX?)


----------



## floydfan33

Was a little too much stuff to post in portable.


----------



## ayobreezie

JerkChicken said:


> Hurts to post after a photo like yours @ayobreezie hahaha.. But here's what i'm working with for now:
> 
> Fostex TH900mk2 - Emerald Green (#93/100)
> Fostex HP-A4BL
> ...



Lol I envy your cans..  I wanted the Ether 2's, but it's a bit out of my reach.. I definitely want to try that DAC, too.  Seems like plenty are raving about it.


----------



## westyjeff (Dec 30, 2018)

Some new, some old,,,


----------



## FastAndClean

floydfan33 said:


> Was a little too much stuff to post in portable.


nice and simple, i love it


----------



## JerkChicken (Dec 30, 2018)

westyjeff said:


> Some new, some old,,,


 GOALS!

How are you liking the set up? Does the ADI2 really need a separate amp?

Also, when adding a dedicated amp do you lose volume controls from the DAC? I would hate to lose the remote control device function if that is the case.


----------



## westyjeff

JerkChicken said:


> GOALS!
> 
> How are you liking the set up? Does the ADI2 really need a separate amp?
> 
> Also, when adding a dedicated amp do you lose volume controls from the DAC? I would hate to lose the remote control device function if that is the case.



I had the THX first and wanted a quality balanced DAC to feed it, The RME would be just as good as a stand alone, great headphone/IEM amplification and multiple presets for individual tuning depending on how your using it. The volume control on the RME is the master, remote works everything. Set the THX and use the remote.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Jan 14, 2019)




----------



## Zhanming057

Look at what the cat dragged in 

Happy NY everybody!


----------



## Deftone

JerkChicken said:


> Hurts to post after a photo like yours @ayobreezie hahaha.. But here's what i'm working with for now:
> 
> Fostex TH900mk2 - Emerald Green (#93/100)
> Fostex HP-A4BL
> ...



Audioquest perch is a nice stand, i got one myself. To think just 5-6 years ago people had to use banana hangers or DIY.


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> It sounds great, I have really not gotten to much past the pairing with the ZMF Ori
> Seems everytime I put this headphone on, it stays on for awhile, LOL.
> Love the Ori.
> 
> ...




I'm using my Ori to burn in a new cable (Danacable Lazuli, 100 hrs burn-in recommended)--because it's the biggest power hog of all my HPs, si higher signal levels go through the new cable to achieve moderately loud volume in the Ori.

I'm not doing any concerted listening here, but now & then I put on the Ori to check in, and it sounds fantastic. I can't begin to tell if the cable is part of that, 'cause the Ori always sounds beyond good, as long as the amp has the juice to drive it (and the V281 does).

I'm over my fascination w/closed back headphones that was in full swing when I got the Ori, but this wonderful headphone (and its dynamic sibling, the Eikon) remain fascinating to me.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ayobreezie said:


> Just came in yesterday.  Paired with the THX I got in the last drop.



my god, how do you make a photo this sexy & beguiling? are you a pro?


----------



## ayobreezie

Pharmaboy said:


> my god, how do you make a photo this sexy & beguiling? are you a pro?



Thanks, but just another hobby.


----------



## bmichels (Jan 1, 2019)

In the old days, they enjoyed their music as much as we do but with...no headache with multiple formats to deal with, multiple DAC chips, synergy to consider between components.....


----------



## Tonza

Current setup is not all black anymore. I really should wipe the Arcam though... it has smudges.


----------



## RobertSM

My nearly 20 year old Marantz CD-R gets a second life with my new SPL Phonitor X. Headphones are Sennheiser HD-6XX.


----------



## RobertSM

Sorry picture failed to load on my last post.


----------



## ayobreezie

Tonza said:


> Current setup is not all black anymore. I really should wipe the Arcam though... it has smudges.



How do you like the Loxjie?  Thinking about trying it out.. pretty inexpensive.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

@Deftone Who needs stands!?!  (TBH...I had to relegate my banana stand to its proper duties). Happy New Year 2019 All!


----------



## Deftone

RobertSM said:


> Sorry picture failed to load on my last post.



Love seeing 650/6XX/600 paired with high end gear, scaling is one of the reasons this headphone still lives on.


----------



## Maxx134

Holo Spring dac on bottom and "Oblivion" hybrid amp on top (from "_modern amp build_" thread, a different new  approach to hybrid design ).


----------



## Drewligarchy

Auralic Aries not pictured (under the cabinet). Using the Surface via Roon's new feature to display artwork from any zone:


----------



## antdroid

ayobreezie said:


> How do you like the Loxjie?  Thinking about trying it out.. pretty inexpensive.



The Loxjie is a no brainer purchase for how much it cost. It actually sounds quite good through the balance out. I've had one for a month or so now. Sold the MCTH after I got the p20.


----------



## ayobreezie

antdroid said:


> The Loxjie is a no brainer purchase for how much it cost. It actually sounds quite good through the balance out. I've had one for a month or so now. Sold the MCTH after I got the p20.



So I'm assuming it sounds better than the CTH?


----------



## Tonza

ayobreezie said:


> How do you like the Loxjie?  Thinking about trying it out.. pretty inexpensive.



I really like it with the Focals. (Balanced in and out) Not as detailed as the Arcam but it adds warmth that I like over the rHead.


----------



## antdroid

ayobreezie said:


> So I'm assuming it sounds better than the CTH?





Tonza said:


> I really like it with the Focals. (Balanced in and out) Not as detailed as the Arcam but it adds warmth that I like over the rHead.



It's different sounding than the CTH. I also use it on both my Focals and really adds "warmth" to the sound. Increases the low end and mellows out the rest of the sound. The CTH seemed to be more about opening up soundstage but leaner sounding to me.


----------



## Taz777

I've tidied up my bedside headphones system a little using two wooden monitor racks stacked on each other - it worked out quite cheaply in the end compared to a dedicated equipment rack. I've also added a 5V linear power supply for my Topping D50 DAC. This is how all of it looks now.


----------



## Preachy1

Very nice.  I was just a few minutes ago looking at the D50.  Nice to see it in this context.

What is the device on top, some type of media streamer?


----------



## Taz777

Preachy1 said:


> Very nice.  I was just a few minutes ago looking at the D50.  Nice to see it in this context.
> 
> What is the device on top, some type of media streamer?



That device on top is a Bluesound Node 2i network streamer. I use it for Tidal HiFi streaming. I'll be doing some careful listening over the next few days to see if the linear power supply makes a a difference, compared to an iPad charger.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Zhanming057 said:


> Look at what the cat dragged in
> 
> Happy NY everybody!



Wowee, The RAAL is out now it is?


----------



## Zhanming057

alphanumerix1 said:


> Wowee, The RAAL is out now it is?



Not so much "out" as "I have a prototype on hand" but yes, shipping for the first batch is going to start in January. I have a production version on order and Danny sent me his unit to get me started on a review.

I've got some impressions over on the Raal thread. Happy to answer any questions about these as well, since I've got the only pair currently in the wild.


----------



## koven

New toy..


----------



## Deftone

koven said:


> New toy..



Good way to start 2019


----------



## BobSmith8901

RobertSM said:


> Sorry picture failed to load on my last post.



Love the combination of old and new! Beautifully shot too. Curious as to what cable you have w/your 6XX's?


----------



## TheRH (Jan 4, 2019)

Delete


----------



## TheRH (Jan 5, 2019)

My new headphones. 58x Jubilee with my Schiit Magni 3 and Modi 2


----------



## RobertSM

@BobSmith8901, thank you. Those are cables I had made up by a company called Amplifier Surgery. They were reasonably priced. They seem to do the trick.


----------



## Taz777

koven said:


> New toy..



That looks beautiful!


----------



## whirlwind

koven said:


> New toy..




Beautiful pic.

If i may ask, what cable is that ?


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

whirlwind said:


> Beautiful pic.
> 
> If i may ask, what cable is that ?


Looks to me like a Norne Audio Einvaldi Reference cable


----------



## koven

whirlwind said:


> Beautiful pic.
> 
> If i may ask, what cable is that ?





Nautrachkfriend said:


> Looks to me like a Norne Audio Einvaldi Reference cable



Yep!


----------



## whirlwind

koven said:


> Yep!




Thanks to both of you


----------



## Pharmaboy

antdroid said:


> The Loxjie is a no brainer purchase for how much it cost. It actually sounds quite good through the balance out. I've had one for a month or so now. Sold the MCTH after I got the p20.



I just read your's and others' posts on the P20. Now I have a new problem...I want it!

(like I actually need a 7th amp)


----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


> New toy..



Beautiful picture!! A "headphone glamour shot!"


----------



## hakka (Jan 5, 2019)




----------



## alphanumerix1

super clean, very nice.


----------



## westyjeff

Mine has changed again, will it ever stop?


----------



## kid vic

westyjeff said:


> Mine has changed again, will it ever stop?



Nice amp and dac combo, why are your speakers so far apart? Unless of course its not for nearfield listening


----------



## westyjeff

I am still figuring out where everything is going to go, I am actually going to use the Cayin in the family room for headphone and 2 channel use, only on the desk temporarily.


----------



## kid vic

westyjeff said:


> I am still figuring out where everything is going to go, I am actually going to use the Cayin in the family room for headphone and 2 channel use, only on the desk temporarily.


Fair enough, I don't have the luxury of such space so I had to get a component stand.


----------



## mangamonster

My classic setup.


----------



## alphanumerix1

mangamonster said:


> My classic setup.




I can kinda see what's going on in the back there ha

nice shot


----------



## SonyFan121

Got the Gale Gold Monitors out for a listen.The Gold's where the first speakers I ever bought back in 2008 and I kept them. They still sound beautiful, especially when used with the Linn LK85 power amp.


----------



## SonyFan121




----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


>



A desk with nothing on it...never saw that before.

This is a gorgeous picture.


----------



## SonyFan121

Mistral Bow 3. My best speakers. I don't have the space for them at the moment, i'll get there eventually though.


----------



## speedwheels

snellemin said:


> Found me server rack parts in the recycle bin and assembled a rack for my work system.  G3 HP mini, usb 7" monitor, external 2TB drive for my music and a optical drive.  Parasound Zpre with Muses8920, Zamp with the Opa1611 Opamps.  Zamp also has a switch to bypass the drop down resistors for usage when the Hifiman 400i is connected.


Old thread I guess but do you have a diy or pics on how you put in a switch to bypass the dropdown resistors?


----------



## snellemin

speedwheels said:


> Old thread I guess but do you have a diy or pics on how you put in a switch to bypass the dropdown resistors?


I just soldered some wires to the resistor ends and to a switch.  The switch just shorted the resistors, thus bypassing them.


----------



## blackdragon87

hakka said:


> These just arrived.



That is an awesome photo, great job


----------



## blackdragon87

@ ayobreezie

nice shots of the THX and the LCD2 Classic. I hope to own that same combination of headphone and amp in the future


----------



## hakka

6XX just arrived.


----------



## Deaj

hakka said:


> 6XX just arrived.



Nice! (...and the headphone's not bad either  )

Your photography is awesome! The last couple of pics with the DT 1990 Pro are stunning.


----------



## hakka

Deaj said:


> Your photography is awesome! The last couple of pics with the DT 1990 Pro are stunning.



Thanks. If you’re interested in landscapes there’s more of my work here:

http://www.lincolnharrison.com/


----------



## kid vic

hakka said:


> Thanks. If you’re interested in landscapes there’s more of my work here:
> 
> http://www.lincolnharrison.com/



Didn't you say earlier you werent a pro?


----------



## hakka

kid vic said:


> Didn't you say earlier you werent a pro?



No, that was someone else. 

I don’t class myself as a pro - it’s not my main job, just a hobby/part time job.


----------



## Preachy1

Awesome material, Lincoln!   I'm a serious hobbyist as well, with my specialty leaning towards concert photography.

Where are you located?


----------



## hakka

Preachy1 said:


> Where are you located?



I’m in Bendigo, Australia.


----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


> 6XX just arrived.



Another headphone glamour shot! With an excellent bourbon, no less. 

Cue up some lounge music and it's "Sennheiser party time."


----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


> Thanks. If you’re interested in landscapes there’s more of my work here:
> 
> http://www.lincolnharrison.com/



I'm flabbergasted. This work is amazing...landscape portraiture of the highest order. This is not professional work? What???

I've seen several of the images before. Can't remember where, but there were on the web, probably as part of "photographs of the year" or some such.

Earlier in my life I was rarely w/o my Nikon (105mm or 28mm lenses), spend many days in the darkroom. I know a little about photography, and this work is stunning.


----------



## RobertSM

Added a tube amp into the system. Currently burning in a new set of tubes. These are Sophia Electric blue glass 6SN7's. 

The Phonitor X headphone output allows for more analytical listening. Of course the tube amp allows for more relaxed, soulful listening. All things considered, I'm happy with my system.


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


> Added a tube amp into the system. Currently burning in a new set of tubes. These are Sophia Electric blue glass 6SN7's.
> 
> The Phonitor X headphone output allows for more analytical listening. Of course the tube amp allows for more relaxed, soulful listening. All things considered, I'm happy with my system.



Both amps are very nice (love the look of the Phonitor--striking). 

Also *love* the look of that furniture/sideboard. What is that? Is it as old as it appears to be?


----------



## RobertSM

Pharmaboy said:


> Both amps are very nice (love the look of the Phonitor--striking).
> 
> Also *love* the look of that furniture/sideboard. What is that? Is it as old as it appears to be?



Thank you. Yes that's vintage Tibetan from the early 1900's.


----------



## judomaniak57

loved my hd 600 with tubes, my antique sound labs tube amp and the senn's were heavenly


----------



## Deaj

hakka said:


> Thanks. If you’re interested in landscapes there’s more of my work here:
> 
> http://www.lincolnharrison.com/



Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing the link


----------



## SchwarzeWolke

My current setup:
DAC: Topping D10
Amps: Massdrop THX AAA 789 and PMillet Nutube Hybrid


----------



## mahesh

just got my Focal clear


----------



## Preachy1

Congrats and enjoy!!!!  And let us know how you feel about the cable.


----------



## B1ll




----------



## Leonarfd

Nothing special, waiting  for my new feliks audio amp to arrive. But the Antelope do sound very good while I wait


----------



## llamaluv (Jan 13, 2019)

Previous incarnations of my system (looked more fun though less usable):
- June 2018
- Feb 2018


----------



## koven

llamaluv said:


> Previous incarnations of my system (looked more fun though less usable):
> - June 2018
> - Feb 2018



You got a rack! Lookin good my friend.


----------



## gibby




----------



## SonyFan121

Nothing at all to look at. Just an upper mid-fi Oehlbach Dac/headphone amp ($300 USD) and a pair of Dell usb desktop speakers ($30 USD). This is very much the desktop setup i've been needing for a number of years now. Sometimes simplicity takes priority. After some thought, one thing i'm convinced of now is that all headphones from $100 all the way up to $1,600 are not as different as most of us believe them to be. The whole thing is just so subjective. This is very much end-game for me.


----------



## Deftone

SonyFan121 said:


> Nothing at all to look at. Just an upper mid-fi Oehlbach Dac/headphone amp ($300 USD) and a pair of Dell usb desktop speakers ($30 USD). This is very much the desktop setup i've been needing for a number of years now. Sometimes simplicity takes priority. After some thought, one thing i'm convinced of now is that all headphones from $100 all the way up to $1,600 are not as different as most of us believe them to be. The whole thing is just so subjective. This is very much end-game for me.



I dont agree with this, there is effortless sound and refinement you dont get on cheaper headphones.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Jan 14, 2019)

Deftone said:


> I dont agree with this, there is effortless sound and refinement you dont get on cheaper headphones.



Well what is your perception of cheap? generally, the price of something is supposed to be a reflection of it's quality. I consider $100 - $150 (£75 - £120) to be cheap. Anything under that price I would not even take in to consideration. But I don't know how many headphones i've came across now (too many to list) within that price bracket that reflect the same level of quality (both aesthetically and sonically) as the one's in the top price bracket. They do exist. Of course it's ultimately my opinion (albeit an experienced opinion), you are free to disagree.


----------



## SonyFan121

Deftone said:


> I dont agree with this, there is effortless sound and refinement you dont get on cheaper headphones.



Do you like the instrument separation/imaging of the HD800, it's scale-ability with amps and absurd level of detail especially in the high frequencies? I can get the same thing with my AKG K702 as long as it's paired with certain amps. wanna know how much I paid for the K702? £95 ($120 USD).


----------



## Deftone (Jan 14, 2019)

SonyFan121 said:


> Do you like the instrument separation/imaging of the HD800, it's scale-ability with amps and absurd level of detail especially in the high frequencies? I can get the same thing with my AKG K702 as long as it's paired with certain amps. wanna know how much I paid for the K702? £95 ($120 USD).



No not so much seperation and soundstage like HD800S but the flow and refinement i have only heard in 660S, IE800, HD800S, UEreference, LCD4. The AKGs ive heard/owned (K612,702,712,812) dont have that.

Sound signature signature among a few other things definitely are subjective but in my opinion theres something special about the way they produce sound in a lot, not all, expensive headphones that make them worth it. Effortless, its hard for me to explain other than sounding like there is no driver.


----------



## Roderick (Jan 15, 2019)




----------



## Kukuk (Feb 6, 2019)

New addition to the family:



Just a temporary setup, to compare my different amps, sound card/DAC, etc. Gonna kick the A20 out, but need to get a new stand to fit the Marantz under. My damned monitor is too wide to get my gear more sensibly fitted on my desk. First world problems and all that. Really loving the Marantz, though. Extremely clean sound, definitely a step up over my AE-5. The treble in particular sounds much cleaner, and that ends up having a knock-on effect on soundstage, imaging, and detail. Even fed to the WA2, there's a distinct difference between the AE-5 and the Marantz.

Bonus picture of my desktop.


----------



## SonyFan121

Kukuk said:


> New addition to the family:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great setup. That Marantz amp would be a perfect match for my Marantz HD-CD1, I could've bought it when I bought the HD-CD1, but it would've cost me around $800 for both, so I just bought the CD player on it's own and pair it with my Oehlbach Dac ultra. I suspect that Marantz amp is probably a step up in sound quality to my Oehlbach.
Cool stuff.


----------



## Kukuk

Does the CD player have the relay switch clicking, too? It's oddly endearing. I thought it might bother me, but it doesn't in the slightest.


----------



## SonyFan121

Kukuk said:


> Does the CD player have the relay switch clicking, too? It's oddly endearing. I thought it might bother me, but it doesn't in the slightest.


no it doesn't, but now that you mention it, I do remember a Marantz PM5005 amplifier that I sold a couple of years ago had that. Must be unique to their amplifiers.


----------



## aroldan




----------



## hakka




----------



## Deftone

that picture fits well with headfis banner design


----------



## Kukuk (Feb 6, 2019)

Final placement.


----------



## atarione

right now. Sony WM-F10II and MDR-V6's


----------



## Errymoose

Spinning on the rega for once.  Adding a good pre amp has made a huge difference to everything here.  Can control the tannoy monitors on my desk just out of frame, and has a good phono stage. . 
The Elex is on my head in preference to the T1 most of the time now...


----------



## interweb-tech (Jan 17, 2019)

Newly acquired LSR-308s replacing their smaller brethren the 305s. You can't really get the true scope of the size of these in a photo. They are huge on the desk. lol Overkill is my middle name. The 305s on top of IsoAcoustics Aperta Isolation Stands are still a bit shorter than these beasts. No clearance for stands on the right side.


----------



## HK_sends

Nothing wrong with overkill! 

Cheers!
-HK sends


----------



## interweb-tech

Trying out this config. Fixes the clearance for both lappy & stands. Bassnectar for testing


----------



## SonyFan121 (Jan 18, 2019)

The Technics RP-DH1200 and the Sony MDR7510 actually complement each other very well. Very different sound signatures but work very well together.


----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


>



Headphone glamour!! 

Beautiful lighting & composition...also like that relatively shallow depth of focus (wide f-stop), which makes everything but front plane of subject look slightly dreamy.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> Newly acquired LSR-308s replacing their smaller brethren the 305s. You can't really get the true scope of the size of these in a photo. They are huge on the desk. lol Overkill is my middle name. The 305s on top of IsoAcoustics Aperta Isolation Stands are still a bit shorter than these beasts. No clearance for stands on the right side.



Overkill = normal (IMHO)


----------



## koven

Coffee table station..


----------



## Deftone

wheewww


----------



## fish3191

The bedside station:


----------



## kid vic

atarione said:


> right now. Sony WM-F10II and MDR-V6's



This throwback pic is incredible, I hope you have a suitable haircut


----------



## 329161

kid vic said:


> This throwback pic is incredible, I hope you have a suitable haircut


MULLET!!!


----------



## 329161

fish3191 said:


> The bedside station:


How is the Modi Multi? I'm thinking of pairing it with my Jotunheim. Is it worth the upgrade over the ak Modi?


----------



## Taz777

atarione said:


> right now. Sony WM-F10II and MDR-V6's



That is just so cool!


----------



## Deaj

dcfac73 said:


> How is the Modi Multi? I'm thinking of pairing it with my Jotunheim. Is it worth the upgrade over the ak Modi?



IMHO, yes. I had the opportunity to A/B both the Modi 2 and the Modi Multibit for a couple of weeks and to my ears the Multibit DAC sounds a fair bit better. My amp, BTW, is a Schiit Jotunheim.


----------



## fish3191

dcfac73 said:


> How is the Modi Multi? I'm thinking of pairing it with my Jotunheim. Is it worth the upgrade over the ak Modi?



I think it's a great little DAC that does a fantastic job for the price.  I was able to get mine for under 200 used.  I havent experienced the so called "warmup" time others have spoken about with it.  I looked at the Bifrost, but couldn't justify the price for now.   Unfortunately I never had the 4490 Modi so can't compare the two. I have heard great things about it though, especially for the price.


----------



## Markolav

Heres my current portable station with M9, HD25 and Bro.


----------



## SonyFan121

Denon AH-D5000 and iphone 4S.





Ultrasone Edition M and iphone X.


----------



## hakka (Jan 20, 2019)




----------



## Leonarfd (Jan 20, 2019)

_


----------



## atarione

Sony 700ES quartz Locked Direct Drive Cassette deck.. headphone output to DT880 Premium 250s .. quite nice indeed.. the headphone section on this deck is no joke (imho).


----------



## RickY B (Jan 21, 2019)

Well guys i enjoy a great set of cans being that i live in a condo. I feel the headphones are more intimate and eliminate the acoustic properties of a room. Not that i don't enjoy my B&Ws with my VTL S-400 amp but each has it's place in my living quarters. In a condo late nights don't work with speakers. I have a Violectric V281 and the new Manley Absolute amp. Both are great IMHO. I'm currently using Hifiman HE1000V2 but ordered a pair of Meze Empyrean's from ViolectricUSA. Arthur says they are coming into stock in a week so i pre-ordered since he's only getting 8 pairs intially. I've read good things about these cans and Headfonia calls them the new King of Cans. Any opinions out there from anyone that has heard them.
I'm using an EMM Labs DA2 DAC from Ed Meitner so my source is top gun... I'll report back once i get them in a few weeks. I bought them without first hearing them just because of a few friends that heard them at a show. Hope they are truly the new King of Cans. Tired of giving my money to Dr Wong at HifiMan especially when he picks selling price not on R&D and cost of materials but based on "what he thinks he can charge"
BTW, the new Manley Absolute can amp is incredible.  just sayiń

EMM Labs DA2 DAC
Placette Audio Passive Vishay Volume control
Manley Steelhead Phono Preamp
Kuzma TT
VTL S-400 reference amp
Meitner Audio interconnects
High Fidelity Cables CT2 PC and interconnects
Furutech Power Cables
Kimber PK10 Palladium PC
BW 802Diamonds
MacMini modified by Uptone Audio running off a Linear Supply with a three drive Raid system
G-Drives with HGST Ultrstar Drives
Violectric V281 can amp
Manley Absolute can amp



**** selling a Nordost Heimdall II cable for HiFiMan HE1000.  2HEHP-6 fits;
OPPO Headphones
HIFIMAN: HE1000, HE560, and HE400i
Headphones
SENNHEISER: HD 700 Headphones
AUDIOQUEST®: Nighthawk Headphones
$600 plus shipping (mint)
2HEHP-6


----------



## Deftone

Thats awesome...


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickY B said:


> Well guys i enjoy a great set of cans being that i live in a condo. I feel the headphones are more intimate and eliminate the acoustic properties of a room. Not that i don't enjoy my B&Ws with my VTL S-400 amp but each has it's place in my living quarters. In a condo late nights don't work with speakers. I have a Violectric V281 and the new Manley Absolute amp. Both are great IMHO. I'm currently using Hifiman HE1000V2 but ordered a pair of Meze Empyrean's from ViolectricUSA. Arthur says they are coming into stock in a week so i pre-ordered since he's only getting 8 pairs intially. I've read good things about these cans and Headfonia calls them the new King of Cans. Any opinions out there from anyone that has heard them.
> I'm using an EMM Labs DA2 DAC from Ed Meitner so my source is top gun... I'll report back once i get them in a few weeks. I bought them without first hearing them just because of a few friends that heard them at a show. Hope they are truly the new King of Cans. Tired of giving my money to Dr Wong at HifiMan especially when he picks selling price not on R&D and cost of materials but based on "what he thinks he can charge"
> 
> **** selling a Nordost Heimdall II cable for HiFiMan HE1000.  2HEHP-6 fits;
> ...



2 comments:

1 - Re the pictures..."ooga, ooga!"

2 - Re the Meze Empyrean...heard it at CanJam NYC last year, instantly fell in love w/the sound & visual design of it. Had no trouble at all understanding why these things are getting so much buzz in our community.

Very much looking forward to hearing it again at CanJam 2019 in NYC next month. I'm on the ragged edge of ordering these, depending on how some F.S. items fare.


----------



## nick n

What is the metal ridged /corrugated cabinet there?


----------



## Krutsch

atarione said:


> Sony 700ES quartz Locked Direct Drive Cassette deck.. headphone output to DT880 Premium 250s .. quite nice indeed.. the headphone section on this deck is no joke (imho).



F-Yeah! Tape, because analog is real!


----------



## RickY B

The cabinet was made in Italy and it's part of a modular wall system. I bought it years ago at http://www.ddcnyc.com/


----------



## SonyFan121

RickY B said:


> picks selling price not on R&D and cost of materials but based on "what he thinks he can charge"
> [/SIZE]



I think Sennheiser are guilty of this too.


----------



## dobigstuff

My Son's Station


----------



## CreditingKarma (Jan 22, 2019)

Messy right now but this is it for now. Waiting for Axpona to audition some more things. I have my eye on the pro idsd or yggdrasil and a pro ican, gsx mk2 or SPL Phonitor X. Not sure if the pro idsd is that much of an improvement over the SP1000 in the dac dept. I am really looking into the Empyrean as well. had a short listen at ZMFestivus last month and it sounded great. For my 2 channel I am interested to hear some of Zu audio stuff and the new KEF R series.


----------



## ricksome

RickyB: I have a habit of showing up uninvited. All of your toys are "The Bomb"


----------



## RickY B

ricksome, always invited just let me know when so i have the alarm system off.  If ever in NJ stop by


----------



## floydfan33

Oppo UDP-205 to Focal Elegia


----------



## sonics

Ikea DIY rack and a selection of audio devices.


----------



## waveSounds

CreditingKarma said:


>



Dude, you know you have a portal behind your desk that's causing the back of your bike to appear on the other side of the room?


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

waveSounds said:


> Dude, you know you have a portal behind your desk that's causing the back of your bike to appear on the other side of the room?


Come on man, of course he knows he's got a portal! That's probably why he took that apartment in the first place. I'll take an apartment WITH a portal over one without every time.


----------



## ricksome

RickY B said:


> ricksome, always invited just let me know when so i have the alarm system off.  If ever in NJ stop by



Not far from you ... in Maryland ... Thanx for the invite !!!


----------



## SonyFan121

Technics RP-DH1200 and iphone X. Listening to some trance music. The RP-DH1200 has a great mid-bass and midrange, though it's not lacking in detail either. Perfect to just listen and enjoy the music.


----------



## CreditingKarma

Cruelhand Luke said:


> Come on man, of course he knows he's got a portal! That's probably why he took that apartment in the first place. I'll take an apartment WITH a portal over one without every time.





ricksome said:


> Not far from you ... in Maryland ... Thanx for the invite !!!



It is the only reason that I took this apartment. Now if only it actually lead somewhere interesting.


----------



## nazrin313




----------



## kman1211

New addition, the Lyr 3 w/ Multibit powering my Beyerdynamic Amiron Home and my modded Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 25 Ohm.


----------



## betula (Jan 26, 2019)

Just a few combinations to play with. I definitely won't get bored this weekend. All my comparisons will culminate in a Pro-iCan review in a few weeks. The iCan and the iDSD are for loan, the rest is mine but I will keep only one amp.

Edit: additional picture


----------



## mahesh

All new shiny dac amp


----------



## OctavianH

My current setup, not very new but with a new power conditioner for AC source filtering.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 28, 2019)

RickY B said:


> Well guys i enjoy a great set of cans being that i live in a condo. I feel the headphones are more intimate and eliminate the acoustic properties of a room. Not that i don't enjoy my B&Ws with my VTL S-400 amp but each has it's place in my living quarters. In a condo late nights don't work with speakers. I have a Violectric V281 and the new Manley Absolute amp. Both are great IMHO. I'm currently using Hifiman HE1000V2 but ordered a pair of Meze Empyrean's from ViolectricUSA. Arthur says they are coming into stock in a week so i pre-ordered since he's only getting 8 pairs intially. I've read good things about these cans and Headfonia calls them the new King of Cans. Any opinions out there from anyone that has heard them.
> I'm using an EMM Labs DA2 DAC from Ed Meitner so my source is top gun... I'll report back once i get them in a few weeks. I bought them without first hearing them just because of a few friends that heard them at a show. Hope they are truly the new King of Cans. Tired of giving my money to Dr Wong at HifiMan especially when he picks selling price not on R&D and cost of materials but based on "what he thinks he can charge"
> BTW, the new Manley Absolute can amp is incredible.  just sayiń
> 
> ...



Good Lord!


----------



## Zhanming057

My production pair of the Raal SR1A's are stuck in customs, the Spectral system is ready for them though


----------



## silversurfer616

Trying to downsize...


----------



## betula

silversurfer616 said:


> Trying to downsize...


It seems challenging.


----------



## judomaniak57

how does the woo wa22 compare to the bryston.  I have a bryston but have a chance to get a wa22 for a good deal


silversurfer616 said:


> Trying to downsize...


----------



## silversurfer616

judomaniak57 said:


> how does the woo wa22 compare to the bryston.  I have a bryston but have a chance to get a wa22 for a good deal


The Woo is of course more 'tubey' but less so than other tube amplifiers. It makes all vocals/instruments very holographic/3-D like(something I am looking for...)and esp. vocals are rendered with lots of timbre/emotion.
The Bryston just amplifies the signal and is totally uncoloured...in other words it can be dull at times and sort of flat( not much depth in the soundstage or holographic qualities).
I prefer the Taurus to the Bryston but Woo is my 'darling' and it looks good too.


----------



## frankraindog

Trying to organize my setup in the new appartement ( which is much smaller than before because of moving to a big City).
Frist Taylor


----------



## TLAV111

silversurfer616 said:


> Trying to downsize...



How do you like your Border Patrol DAC? I’ve been looking to upgrade and it’s on my short list.


----------



## LuczOr

My first foray into the world of head-fi. So far I'm pretty pleased, but there's plenty of room to grow.


----------



## silversurfer616

TLAV111 said:


> How do you like your Border Patrol DAC? I’ve been looking to upgrade and it’s on my short list.


Had quite a few dacs so far and still have the HEX but something wasn't quite right with my system and I always suspected it to be the headphones/amps/cables etc. as I thought it can't be the HEX.
Still I couldn't figure out that even with the LCD-4 I wasn't able to extract the sound I know as possible...deep soundstage with vocals/instruments intoxicatingly holographic and real...because I managed to get it sort of randomly for brief periods, I even put it down to local electricity supply or my blood pressure impairing my hearing etc.
Then got the chance to buy the Border Patrol Dac and everything fell into place. The reviews are in this case actually true and it is a stunning Dac for a reasonable price but most of all I finally get the sound I was hoping for.
You can't go wrong with this Dac if you after non digital NOS sound.


----------



## hakka

Added a Loki EQ.


----------



## mahesh

My personal end game setup  at least for comming 3 yearsI hope


----------



## Deftone

mahesh said:


> My personal end game setup  at least for comming 3 yearsI hope



We all hope lol.


----------



## JamesCanada

mahesh said:


> My personal end game setup  at least for comming 3 yearsI hope



Good luck with that!! Lol

Nice setup


----------



## frankraindog

Love the look of the amp


----------



## mahesh (Feb 3, 2019)

frankraindog said:


> Love the look of the amp


Yes looks sexy
and sounds sexy too


----------



## Kukuk

Upgraded my speaker game.





Absolutely stomp the ELAC B6s they're replacing.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

RickY B said:


> ...



Well, I'm liking your post because of the fire extinguisher. I couldn't tell from the pic but I hope it's powder 

And of course, the great pics of musicians on the wall.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

SonyFan121 said:


> I think Sennheiser are guilty of this too.



I don't know how anybody can say that about the HD 600s. For the price they are pure killer.

Sure, the high-end stuff might be priced crazy but that's the market. Sennheiser has a huge range of headphones, the vast majority are priced very fairly, and in many cases stomp much fancier and more expensive products. Notice I didn't say competition


----------



## waveSounds

The SRH1540 makes a rare return from its usual office residing.. but this rum is the main hero here.


----------



## SonyFan121

gimmeheadroom said:


> I don't know how anybody can say that about the HD 600s. For the price they are pure killer.
> 
> Sure, the high-end stuff might be priced crazy but that's the market. Sennheiser has a huge range of headphones, the vast majority are priced very fairly, and in many cases stomp much fancier and more expensive products. Notice I didn't say competition



Well..there are 2 or 3 headphones that come to mind that are over 140 Euro's cheaper than the HD600 that in my opinion out perform it by quite a bit. When I said what you quoted I was thinking of the HD700 and HD800S and HD820. I think the HD800 is fairly priced though, and in fact plan on buying an HD800 soon.


----------



## SonyFan121

Sony Bravia KDL32WE613BU HDRTV (32-Inch)
Sony BDP-S6700 region free Blu-ray player (plays any dvd/blu-ray disc in the world) (rated 5 Stars by What Hi-Fi magazine)
Sony MDR7510 headphones
Oehlbach XXL DAC Ultra headphone amp.
2008 HP Touch Smart with Audioquest dragonfly (don't know why I still use the Dragonfly as the on board sound card of the HP Touch Smart actually has a higher sampling rate, lol).


----------



## atarione

because I can...  Sony 700ES 3headtape deck> Sony TA-E77ESD > N110 speaker outs to Russound TBL-75 > DT770 Pro 80's


----------



## nocturaline

atarione said:


> because I can...  Sony 700ES 3headtape deck> Sony TA-E77ESD > N110 speaker outs to Russound TBL-75 > DT770 Pro 80's


I had that cassette of Dio (I had his first four albums in that format). Good times! And I still have a couple of cassette players in a closet


----------



## nc8000

nocturaline said:


> I had that cassette of Dio (I had his first four albums in that format). Good times! And I still have a couple of cassette players in a closet



Cassettes and players I no longer have but I do have a Rega78 plus several hundred 78rpm records, the oldest recorded on only one side and weiging close to a half pound recorded in 1908


----------



## darmanastartes




----------



## mahesh (Feb 2, 2019)

Guys i have a question
i have a dac with a volume and an amp with volume obvious
should i max the volume on my dac and adjust volume from my Amp?
or dac volume can be bypassed?


----------



## interweb-tech

just off to the side of my head-fi station is the cable rack. I have thinned the collection a few times but it still keeps growing.


----------



## betula

mahesh said:


> Guys i have a question
> i have a dac with a volume and an amp with volume obvious
> should i max the volume on my dac and adjust volume from my Amp?
> or dac volume can be bypassed?


Depends. When you use an amp the DAC volume control is usually bypassed. Try to turn the volume on the DAC while listening and see if it has any effect.


----------



## mahesh (Feb 2, 2019)

betula said:


> Depends. When you use an amp the DAC volume control is usually bypassed. Try to turn the volume on the DAC while listening and see if it has any effect.


Ok thx
i found that the dac has a volume bypass function


----------



## Por_Tu_Guy

interweb-tech said:


> just off to the side of my head-fi station is the cable rack. I have thinned the collection a few times but it still keeps growing.


I so need this in my life


----------



## betula

Por_Tu_Guy said:


> I so need this in my life


Sure, but the insane prices of these aftermarket cables make you think if you sold 80% of them what new headphones/amps/DACs you could buy.


----------



## interweb-tech

betula said:


> Sure, but the insane prices of these aftermarket cables make you think if you sold 80% of them what new headphones/amps/DACs you could buy.



Financial pain was slightly dulled by purchasing most of these secondhand here on head-fi.


----------



## Por_Tu_Guy

betula said:


> Sure, but the insane prices of these aftermarket cables make you think if you sold 80% of them what new headphones/amps/DACs you could buy.


I was actually referring to the cable organisation


----------



## betula

interweb-tech said:


> Financial pain was slightly dulled by purchasing most of these secondhand here on head-fi.


I know. I did the same with my Toxic Silver Widow. But still a lot of money for the relatively small improvement they bring.


Por_Tu_Guy said:


> I was actually referring to the cable organisation


I know.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke (Feb 2, 2019)

As much as I love seeing all the awesome high dollar stuff the rest of y'all have, I figured I'd show off my humble set up. I have some pretty great stuff and I have managed to not spend more than $100 on any particular piece of kit.


----------



## Pharmaboy

mahesh said:


> My personal end game setup  at least for comming 3 yearsI hope



That Advance Smart DX1 has 6 optical inputs...6!

Re this ("Desires lead to obsessions and obsessions lead to destruction") ... as if _that_ could ever happen!

(sound of demented laughter)


----------



## mahesh (Feb 3, 2019)

Yehhhh
im wondering too why there is 6 optical im not even using one
distruction is on its way


----------



## Darksoul

hakka said:


> Added a Loki EQ.



I kind of miss my DT-1990.


----------



## SonyFan121

Darksoul said:


> I kind of miss my DT-1990.


I feel the same about the T70 I had. I gave it away after I bought a Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart, but now I don't need the Fostex because I have Denon AH-D5000. I should never have gave the T70 away. Beyerdynamic make some great high-end headphones for sure. If I see a T70 for sale again i'm definitely going to buy it.


----------



## Alarickc

Not the best pics, but very curent!


----------



## ufospls2

Alarickc said:


> Not the best pics, but very curent!



Damn! I'd love to hear that. How do you feel the Abyss works with the GSX-MK2?


----------



## Alarickc

ufospls2 said:


> Damn! I'd love to hear that. How do you feel the Abyss works with the GSX-MK2?


Really well, but that's with a vinyl rig with a mid-centric cartridge. I couldn't speak to the combo with a DAC. I can't imagine needing more power, with the GS-X putting up to 6.5W into the 42ohm load. The most notable characteristic of this pairing are the incredibly powerful dynamics. If you want details with seemingly limitless grunt, this setup will do it. The Analog Productions pressing of _Texas Flood _by SRV was a force of nature on this one.


----------



## kid vic

Alarickc said:


> Not the best pics, but very curent!



I used to own an SL1200 so this isn't a slap to that table but an Aida MK2 and the GSX/Abyss combo are WAAAAAAY out of place in comparison to that table. I think you need a new table (sorry about your wallet).


----------



## Alarickc

kid vic said:


> I used to own an SL1200 so this isn't a slap to that table but an Aida MK2 and the GSX/Abyss combo are WAAAAAAY out of place in comparison to that table. I think you need a new table (sorry about your wallet).


Yes and no, I was designing the system to a fixed budget, so a step-up in the table would have unacceptably compromised another component in the system. I'm an electrical engineer, and I aproach designing an audio system the same way I'd design anything. First, I look at what we as humans are worst at doing in the audio playback chain and what we are best at. As a rule, whenever mechanical engineering is at play we are worse at it than otherwise. Hence, your best investment is always in your system's transducers. Usually I would then have prioritized the TT in allocating spending, but the Abyss requires amplification with enough power that all the viable options are fairly costly, GS-X included. That left me looking for value in the TT, and the 1200GR offered that. The thing is perfectly damped and utterly silent. I compared it to the 1200G, which was my first choice, but the difference was, to me, the proverbial 1% quality for 100% more cost. I'd agree that the tonearm on the 1200GR could be better, but I can relpace it latter if I so choose. Mostly though, I'm content to save up for a 1000R/SME 30.X. I generally prefer to make large jumps in gear so I can better appreciate the improvement. For reference, my last amp was a Schiit Magni 2U.


----------



## kid vic

Alarickc said:


> Yes and no, I was designing the system to a fixed budget, so a step-up in the table would have unacceptably compromised another component in the system. I'm an electrical engineer, and I aproach designing an audio system the same way I'd design anything. First, I look at what we as humans are worst at doing in the audio playback chain and what we are best at. As a rule, whenever mechanical engineering is at play we are worse at it than otherwise. Hence, your best investment is always in your system's transducers. Usually I would then have prioritized the TT in allocating spending, but the Abyss requires amplification with enough power that all the viable options are fairly costly, GS-X included. That left me looking for value in the TT, and the 1200GR offered that. The thing is perfectly damped and utterly silent. I compared it to the 1200G, which was my first choice, but the difference was, to me, the proverbial 1% quality for 100% more cost. I'd agree that the tonearm on the 1200GR could be better, but I can relpace it latter if I so choose. Mostly though, I'm content to save up for a 1000R/SME 30.X. I generally prefer to make large jumps in gear so I can better appreciate the improvement. For reference, my last amp was a Schiit Magni 2U.



I guessed you were playing within a budget, also looking at the headphones vs the table I assumed you arent a primary vinyl listener (could be wrong though). Still I find it odd to have such an unbalanced vinyl setup, I'm certain you would be better served by a mechanically superior turntable and arm (let's say Rega planar 6) combined with a slightly lower cart and eventually upgrading to the Aida, over the budget king SL1200 with an endgame cart. When I was considering modding my SL1200 I quickly came to the conclusion that any arm on it might sound better elsewhere. 
However, hats off to you for having the Abyss/GSX combo in the first place.  Besides I dont like arguing with engineers so I may as well give up now


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 4, 2019)

Cost in parts for the highly acclaimed Thorens TD160, guessing like $4 dollars and 99 cents? Cost to build a SL1200... $1 million. LOL.






kid vic said:


> I guessed you were playing within a budget, also looking at the headphones vs the table I assumed you arent a primary vinyl listener (could be wrong though). Still I find it odd to have such an unbalanced vinyl setup, I'm certain you would be better served by a mechanically superior turntable and arm (let's say Rega planar 6) combined with a slightly lower cart and eventually upgrading to the Aida, over the budget king SL1200 with an endgame cart. When I was considering modding my SL1200 I quickly came to the conclusion that any arm on it might sound better elsewhere.
> However, hats off to you for having the Abyss/GSX combo in the first place.  Besides I dont like arguing with engineers so I may as well give up now



Before I purchased my VPI Scout I had a couple different turntables, one was a Thorens TD160 and before than a Pioneer with a really good cartridge at the same time as the SL1200. You see folks adding and adding to the SL1200 to make them into something different. But they have a very tight almost non-resonant sound, which many may prefer. It’s safe to say both the Pioneer and Thorens TD160 added a bunch of musicality at the sake of transparency? But even though old Thorens 160s are held in high regard, flip one over and it’s a joke. In comparison to the SL1200, it’s like the Thorens TD160s are held together with tape, wire and bubblegum. Lol.

You can see why folks respect the SL1200s for just the engineering masterpiece they are.


----------



## kid vic

Redcarmoose said:


> Cost in parts for the highly acclaimed Thorens TD160, guessing like $4 dollars and 99 cents? Cost to build a SL1200... $1 million. LOL.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Everyone knows that the SL1200s are bombproof, the DJ's who kept the record industry alive while audiophiles and the Mass market switched to CD's are the main testament to this. 
My argument is not that they are poorly built, nor that they are bad sounding, my point is that there are (IMO) other ways to spend a combined $2.4k (assuming a used 1200GR costs about $500) on a turntable setup that could be sonically superior. 
I agree that the Thorens you showed is not comparable in build quality and I have seen a Sota that looked like it was literally made out of plywood, old nails and cheap springs, however, from that era of japanese turntables the SL1200 was considered entry-level. I haven't heard it but I am willing to bet that a Pioneer PL-90 will offer a superior rock solid stability and transparency than the SL1200; an audiophile near me has several Luxman tables that all sound fantastic as well (i considered them better than my 1200 at that time).
I think on a budget the SL1200 is a great performer but for the price necessary to turn it into a hot rod that can run with the big boys you can generally BUY one of the big boys (this may be more true for me because I'm in Canada and in the province of Canada that has the highest taxation on imported items).
I found my Delphi to be quieter and more transparent with the same cart when I upgraded as well FWIW.


----------



## Alarickc

kid vic said:


> Everyone knows that the SL1200s are bombproof, the DJ's who kept the record industry alive while audiophiles and the Mass market switched to CD's are the main testament to this.
> My argument is not that they are poorly built, nor that they are bad sounding, my point is that there are (IMO) other ways to spend a combined $2.4k (assuming a used 1200GR costs about $500) on a turntable setup that could be sonically superior.
> I agree that the Thorens you showed is not comparable in build quality and I have seen a Sota that looked like it was literally made out of plywood, old nails and cheap springs, however, from that era of japanese turntables the SL1200 was considered entry-level. I haven't heard it but I am willing to bet that a Pioneer PL-90 will offer a superior rock solid stability and transparency than the SL1200; an audiophile near me has several Luxman tables that all sound fantastic as well (i considered them better than my 1200 at that time).
> I think on a budget the SL1200 is a great performer but for the price necessary to turn it into a hot rod that can run with the big boys you can generally BUY one of the big boys (this may be more true for me because I'm in Canada and in the province of Canada that has the highest taxation on imported items).
> I found my Delphi to be quieter and more transparent with the same cart when I upgraded as well FWIW.


I feel compelled to point out that my table isn't one of the old 1200 series tables like you had, it's one of the new 1200GRs from the 1200GAE/G/GR family of coreless DD tables. My GR has a better speed-lock mechanism, motor, motor-bearing, arm-bearing, arm, platter, and plinth than the old 1200-Mk6. It is quite competitive with tables up to around $4k, which is why I'm content with it until I can upgrade to a $20k+ flagship TT in 5-10yrs.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kid vic said:


> Everyone knows that the SL1200s are bombproof, the DJ's who kept the record industry alive while audiophiles and the Mass market switched to CD's are the main testament to this.
> My argument is not that they are poorly built, nor that they are bad sounding, my point is that there are (IMO) other ways to spend a combined $2.4k (assuming a used 1200GR costs about $500) on a turntable setup that could be sonically superior.
> I agree that the Thorens you showed is not comparable in build quality and I have seen a Sota that looked like it was literally made out of plywood, old nails and cheap springs, however, from that era of japanese turntables the SL1200 was considered entry-level. I haven't heard it but I am willing to bet that a Pioneer PL-90 will offer a superior rock solid stability and transparency than the SL1200; an audiophile near me has several Luxman tables that all sound fantastic as well (i considered them better than my 1200 at that time).
> I think on a budget the SL1200 is a great performer but for the price necessary to turn it into a hot rod that can run with the big boys you can generally BUY one of the big boys (this may be more true for me because I'm in Canada and in the province of Canada that has the highest taxation on imported items).
> I found my Delphi to be quieter and more transparent with the same cart when I upgraded as well FWIW.



Not only DJs, but I remember Jazz enthusiasts who refused to switch to CDs in the mid 1990s. I’m agreeing with you that while overbuilt maybe for audiophile use they were and are a testament to engineering. DJ set ups were thrown out of trucks 6 feet high onto the street only to work just as new!

And I agree money could be spent in any of a number of directions to get an improvement. Interestingly too we see beautiful direct drive audiophile turntables showing that in theory direct drive works superb.

I don’t have much in a turntable with the VPI Scout and Denon DL103, but everyone’s turntable is a special belonging!


----------



## kid vic

Alarickc said:


> I feel compelled to point out that my table isn't one of the old 1200 series tables like you had, it's one of the new 1200GRs from the 1200GAE/G/GR family of coreless DD tables. My GR has a better speed-lock mechanism, motor, motor-bearing, arm-bearing, arm, platter, and plinth than the old 1200-Mk6. It is quite competitive with tables up to around $4k, which is why I'm content with it until I can upgrade to a $20k+ flagship TT in 5-10yrs.



Not saying you shouldn't be content! Thats the hardest battle in the audiophile world! 
We both agree with principle of big jump upgrades we choose different ways of getting there though. Interesting statement of it being competitive with $4k tables, my kneejerk response is disagreement


----------



## kid vic

Redcarmoose said:


> Not only DJs, but I remember Jazz enthusiasts who refused to switch to CDs in the mid 1990s. I’m agreeing with you that while overbuilt maybe for audiophile use they were and are a testament to engineering. DJ set ups were thrown out of trucks 6 feet high onto the street only to work just as new!
> 
> And I agree money could be spent in any of a number of directions to get an improvement. Interestingly too we see beautiful direct drive audiophile turntables showing that in theory direct drive works superb.
> 
> I don’t have much in a turntable with the VPI Scout and Denon DL103, but everyone’s turntable is a special belonging!



Our tables could be cousins and probably cost a similar amount in fact.
I can see why a jazz enthuasist wouldn't switch, the majority of my records are jazz and I think vinyl is its better home. 
I recall reading that its easier to build a good belt driven table but an overengineered direct drive will be overall better but much more expensive.


----------



## SonyFan121

Alarickc said:


> Not the best pics, but very curent!


Amazing setup. I would imagine that being an electronic engineer is a big advantage as you’ll understand the importance of the quality of PCB components and the difference higher quality components can make to the overall sound of a system. Technics are one such company that only choose the highest quality components for their systems. Their products also tend to last forever.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Darksoul said:


> I kind of miss my DT-1990.



Not sure I'd want to own this HP or any Beyer--but I really admire the design of the screen.


----------



## hakka




----------



## barontan2418 (Feb 7, 2019)

Tubes forever. Still working on which headphone I like best!


----------



## Pharmaboy

hakka said:


>



Another "headphone glamour" shot. Beautiful!


----------



## Deaj




----------



## Zhanming057

A couple lovely earspeakers...


----------



## judomaniak57

which earspeaker do u like more?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Deaj said:


>



...and a nice blonde strat!


----------



## Zhanming057

judomaniak57 said:


> which earspeaker do u like more?



I like both  Different horses for different tracks.


----------



## barontan2418

Quick update. Just purchased Elise's big brother Euforia. Let the battle commence.


----------



## katulu

Lol.

Is there a way to rotate this image from my phone?  Anyway.... GS5, Neutron MP with PEQ to neutral, Hugo M-Scaler, Chord Dave, BHSE, SR-009... all on my humble wood breakfast table. Yeah, hell with breakfast.


----------



## Darksoul

katulu said:


> Lol.
> 
> Is there a way to rotate this image from my phone?  Anyway.... GS5, Neutron MP with PEQ to neutral, Hugo M-Scaler, Chord Dave, BHSE, SR-009... all on my humble wood breakfast table. Yeah, hell with breakfast.



Damn, so that's the sort of ancillary equipment I need if I ever want to get into the SR-009?


----------



## CJG888

SonyFan121 said:


> Well..there are 2 or 3 headphones that come to mind that are over 140 Euro's cheaper than the HD600 that in my opinion out perform it by quite a bit. When I said what you quoted I was thinking of the HD700 and HD800S and HD820. I think the HD800 is fairly priced though, and in fact plan on buying an HD800 soon.



And which ones would they be? DT-150, perchance? And the others?


----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 11, 2019)

I have heard the DT150 and thought it was a very good headphone for the money, but not on my personal list of top 5 "Sennheiser HD600 beaters"..
When I said that, I was thinking of other open-back headphones that are cheaper/similarly priced to the HD600 that in my opinion outperform it; AKG K702 (wider soundstage, better mid's) Beyerdynamic DT990 250 ohm (better mids, soundstage and imaging) and DT880 600 ohm ( more detailed). I must say that I don't want people thinking I hate the HD600, lol, it's just that based on my experience, I consider the HD600 to have severe limitations compared to it's similarly priced (or cheaper) rivals.


----------



## betula

SonyFan121 said:


> I have heard the DT150 and thought it was a very good headphone for the money, but not on my personal list of top 5 "Sennheiser HD600 beaters"..
> When I said that, I was thinking of other open-back headphones that are cheaper/similarly priced to the HD600 that in my opinion outperform it; AKG K702 (wider soundstage, better mid's) Beyerdynamic DT990 250 ohm (better mids, soundstage and imaging) and DT880 600 ohm ( more detailed). I must say that I don't want people thinking I hate the HD600, lol, it's just that based on my experience, I consider the HD600 to have severe limitations compared to it's similarly priced (or cheaper) rivals.


I think the fact we are still talking about HD600/650 as reference headphones after 20+ (!) years is the biggest compliments headphone manufacturer can ever get. IMO there are many headphones and systems that beat the good old Senns. But you still have to pay much more if you want a significantly better sound.
I have dug out a very old pic with my first HD600, A recap where I was in 2015 in this hobby. And where I am now.  
The biggest fault of the legendary Senns is the bass roll off. Audeze cures that and adds 350% extra.


----------



## muffins

Truth be told, I never really planned to end up with a rig and setup like this. But thanks to a generous windfall, amongst other things, I have my end-game :3 I'm quite happy with it


----------



## TheRH

muffins said:


> Truth be told, I never really planned to end up with a rig and setup like this. But thanks to a generous windfall, amongst other things, I have my end-game :3 I'm quite happy with it



That, is awesome!


----------



## katulu

Darksoul said:


> Damn, so that's the sort of ancillary equipment I need if I ever want to get into the SR-009?



I'm not experienced on ancillary options (this is what I have and the only thing I ever tried), but by what I've read, 009 deserves at least a BHSE.  As far as the Dave+HMS, I'm going to try it on my Teton+HD800 combo and see what it can do there.  I will not lie - since the getting the M-scaler my setup went from spectacular to unbelievable - after re-tuning the PEQ to neutral, mind.  But the way I see it, if you're going to have a headphone like an SR-009, might as well tie the best chain you can.  By my results, I do not regret it one bit.  The way I put it to my friend was:  Q:Hi-end audio setup or new car? A: F!ck it, I'll walk.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 14, 2019)




----------



## ricksome

Sony Fan & Betula: Agree with both of your postings about the Senn 600. I had the 6xx for about 20 minutes and sold it on ebay. Broke even after all the fees were taken out. I do not see why it is a sacred cow?


----------



## atarione

Got a new DAW (Steinberg UR22MKII) because my focusrite Scarlett 2i2 was giving me a ton of problems. 



 

and a nice shot of my beloved Pioneer SX-3600 (pretty decent headphone out on this one)


----------



## SonyFan121

Having to move stuff around all the time because I have such a small hifi desk is such a great annoyance. I might have to give my headphone display cabinet away to make space for a bigger desk. Anyways - time to listen to some music


----------



## Kukuk (Feb 14, 2019)

What ever happened to Ultrasone? They were a big name when I first got into headphones, but now I don't ever see them anymore.

I always thought the S-Logic effect was really neat, and worked well on the lower end models. The HFI-580s and Pro 750 is particular were really fantastic.

EDIT: It seems a good portion of their headphones are discontinued/no longer carried on Amazon. Damn shame. Kinda tempted to grab some 750s for old time's sake...


----------



## Deftone

Kukuk said:


> What ever happened to Ultrasone? They were a big name when I first got into headphones, but now I don't ever see them anymore.
> 
> I always thought the S-Logic effect was really neat, and worked well on the lower end models. The HFI-580s and Pro 750 is particular were really fantastic.
> 
> EDIT: It seems a good portion of their headphones are discontinued/no longer carried on Amazon. Damn shame. Kinda tempted to grab some 750s for old time's sake...



I think the same that there’s certain brands that just don’t really show up anymore. Westone, Vsonic, Atrio, phonak etc

When I first started here the flagships iems were UE TF10, Senn IE8, Westone 3, Shure SE530. All for under £500 lol how things have changed.


----------



## JTori

My current rig:

Digital -- Schiit Bitfrost Multibit
Analog -- Bottlehead Crack/Speedball, ZMF Auteur Teak or Sennheiser HD600  *or *Bottlehead Mainline, Audeze LCD2C, HD600, or AK Beyerdynamic Special Edition T5P Gen. 2


----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 14, 2019)

@Kukuk  Yeah it's a shame.  I don't think Ultrasone sell as many headphones as they used to do which can't be good for business. They seemed to be very popular around 10 years ago, now not so much. They are such a young company too, only founded in 1991. Their headphones should really come with a warning that they might change your perception of music forever - they are that good. Once you hear them, there is no going back.


----------



## SonyFan121

I also just want to say one more thing; just because something is more expensive does not mean it will always be better. I used to think that the only way to experience high-end sound quality was to buy a $1,000 headphone/speaker amp or CD player, well that was a belief I held back when I was less experienced and it is an all to common misconception. Indeed the single most important and biggest lesson i've learned is that high-end headphones are if anything only slightly better than mid-fi or some cheaper headphones.  I no longer think there is a big enough difference to merit paying $1,000 or more for a headphone when a $400 headphone just might provide the same level of performance.


----------



## OctavianH

For high-end headphones it is very important the synergy of the whole audio chain, and also to have the proper headphone for the genre you are listening. The difference exists, but if you do not match them with the proper amp / dac and music genre you will reach the conclusion you mentioned.


----------



## BobSmith8901

JTori said:


> My current rig:
> 
> Digital -- Schiit Bitfrost Multibit
> Analog -- Bottlehead Crack/Speedball, ZMF Auteur Teak or Sennheiser HD600  *or *Bottlehead Mainline, Audeze LCD2C, HD600, or AK Beyerdynamic Special Edition T5P Gen. 2



Hey, an Oregon fan! Don't see too many of those around. Also Blue, Wynton--Black Codes and Eddie Daniels! Oh, great set-up and desk too!


----------



## DelsFan

Here is my stop-gap measure while I attend to business my wife deems important; great streamer, borrowed amp, OK headphones.  IsoTek power conditioner, dedicated mains power supply.  At least I got the electrician's bit out of the way.





I aspire to something like this, but with 2" shelves and 2" platforms.  4" is a bit much (much expensive-er too).


----------



## nocturaline

JTori said:


> My current rig:
> 
> Digital -- Schiit Bitfrost Multibit
> Analog -- Bottlehead Crack/Speedball, ZMF Auteur Teak or Sennheiser HD600  *or *Bottlehead Mainline, Audeze LCD2C, HD600, or AK Beyerdynamic Special Edition T5P Gen. 2


+1 on the ZMF and the Speedgraphic (got one of each )


----------



## Lunartuna

I can do this..


----------



## koven

Mid-shuffle shot.. waiting for rack delivery, going to tuck it in that corner.. who needs closet doors anyway


----------



## whirlwind

koven said:


> Mid-shuffle shot.. waiting for rack delivery, going to tuck it in that corner.. who needs closet doors anyway



Very nice...do I spy an Ori behind that Verite?


----------



## koven

whirlwind said:


> Very nice...do I spy an Ori behind that Verite?



Yep, Bocote Ori!


----------



## RickY B

koven said:


> Mid-shuffle shot.. waiting for rack delivery, going to tuck it in that corner.. who needs closet doors anyway


Koven, may i ask where ya got the white can holder in the lefthand corner.  Thanks, Rick


----------



## Mortsnets




----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 14, 2019)

OctavianH said:


> For high-end headphones it is very important the synergy of the whole audio chain, and also to have the proper headphone for the genre you are listening. The difference exists, but *if you do not match them with the proper amp / dac and music genre you will reach the conclusion you mentioned.*


My everyday listen used to be a Cyrus CD6 connected to a Cyrus Linkport and then fed to my Linn Power amp via the Linkports fixed audio output. it was not mid-fi, it was a high-end system. I'll leave you to do the maths.
I used to listen to all kinds of music with that system using such headphones as Denon AH-D5000, Astell & Kern T5P, Sennheiser HD700, not what I would consider mid-fi headphones.
My initial reaction the first time I heard that system was "WOW..HOLY screw " but over time I began to get used to it and then I realised that spending so much money on that kind of hifi equipment was not really worth it. I can get close to the same level of performance with much cheaper headphones/speakers and equipment now. I do not expect most people here to agree with me as the kind of conclusion i've reached is not one most people are willing to accept.
Cheers!


----------



## koven

RickY B said:


> Koven, may i ask where ya got the white can holder in the lefthand corner.  Thanks, Rick



Hi Rick, I got it here: https://www.thomannmusic.com/rooms_audio_line_headphone_stands.html


----------



## RickY B

koven said:


> Hi Rick, I got it here: https://www.thomannmusic.com/rooms_audio_line_headphone_stands.html


Thank you very much.  Rick


----------



## pichu




----------



## Mortsnets

Pichu, very nice system but where is your headphone stand on the top of the rack?


----------



## pichu

Im working on getting myself a headphone stand! I just cant seem to find the right one. Anyone got some reccs?


----------



## Mortsnets

cheap and cheerful:
https://www.michaels.com/wooden-bracelet-bar-stand-by-bead-landing-brown/10518275.html#start=4

but the most fun is making your own


----------



## interweb-tech

pichu said:


> Im working on getting myself a headphone stand! I just cant seem to find the right one. Anyone got some reccs?



The AudioQuest Perch would look nice with your rack. I have one and its very solid build.

https://smile.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Perch-Headphone-Stand-Black/dp/B01MT014PK/


----------



## nocturaline

interweb-tech said:


> The AudioQuest Perch would look nice with your rack. I have one and its very solid build.
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Perch-Headphone-Stand-Black/dp/B01MT014PK/


That's what I use for my Atticus. It's sturdy, very stable. Does the job perfectly. Expensive? Yes. But definitely worth it. The Woo stand is good too.


----------



## pichu

interweb-tech said:


> The AudioQuest Perch would look nice with your rack. I have one and its very solid build.
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Perch-Headphone-Stand-Black/dp/B01MT014PK/



Just ordered one!


----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


> Yep, Bocote Ori!



Bocote Ori! A unicorn ZMF planar! 

I have an Ori, too (Ormosia Henryi) and just love that headphone. Also would love to hear someone compare it to a Verite (which I hope to hear on Sunday).


----------



## Focux

koven said:


> Mid-shuffle shot.. waiting for rack delivery, going to tuck it in that corner.. who needs closet doors anyway



Wowowowow...


----------



## ezkcdude

Amazon Echo Link
Peachtree DAC iTx
JDS Labs Atom (just arrived yesterday!)
Massdrop Hifiman HE-4XX (just came a few days ago!)
You can also see a pair of HD-650 back there.


----------



## HungryPanda

ezkcdude said:


> Amazon Echo Link
> Peachtree DAC iTx
> JDS Labs Atom (just arrived yesterday!)
> Massdrop Hifiman HE-4XX (just came a few days ago!)
> You can also see a pair of HD-650 back there.


Enjoy your new toys


----------



## dobigstuff

Vinyl Collection still growing!!!


----------



## JTori

dobigstuff said:


> Vinyl Collection still growing!!!



Great selection of gear, and nice collection of vinyl.  I really like the way you have stored yours.  I'm at roughly 3.500 albums and keep adding IKEA KALLAX units.  Well done!


----------



## OctavianH

That's what I call a Friday evening.


----------



## koover




----------



## JTori

OctavianH said:


> That's what I call a Friday evening.



Ahhh, liquid system enhancement, or LSE as we call it.


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 22, 2019)




----------



## Nautrachkfriend

My college student setup. Many dishes were washed in the making of this setup.


----------



## pichu

Nautrachkfriend said:


> My college student setup. Many dishes were washed in the making of this setup.



Thats an expensive amp/pre and dac for $150 headphones and $350 speakers


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

pichu said:


> Thats an expensive amp/pre and dac for $150 headphones and $350 speakers


Don't worry, Aeolus is on the way! (hopefully sooner than later after 2 1/2 months of waiting)

There are some sweet spots out there that can't be represented by their cost though... Adam Audio T5V is one of those for sure.


----------



## pichu

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Don't worry, Aeolus is on the way! (hopefully sooner than later after 2 1/2 months of waiting)
> 
> There are some sweet spots out there that can't be represented by their cost though... Adam Audio T5V is one of those for sure.


Im just giving you a hard time haha. And i agree with you. I was looking to get the T7V very soon. As for the Aeolus, thats great. Ive heard a couple people tlel me today that its funner to listen to than the Verite. Same with my amp. I paid $200 for my Meier Corda Classic, and its better than amps ive heard that cost over $1k USD.

Cheers,

Jonathan


----------



## dobigstuff

JTori said:


> Great selection of gear, and nice collection of vinyl.  I really like the way you have stored yours.  I'm at roughly 3.500 albums and keep adding IKEA KALLAX units.  Well done!


JTori:

Thanks!!


----------



## atarione

removable cable mod MDR-V6's w/ Steinberg UR22mkII


----------



## kid vic

dobigstuff said:


> Vinyl Collection still growing!!!



Beautiful! I can imagine that the LCD-XC is great with vinyl, I really wanted to test it on my system as opposed to the one in my local hifishop.


----------



## jadverkko (Feb 17, 2019)

Bought second hand HD800 on friday and been loving them so far coming from Audeze LCD2C. Soon going to try them SDR modded and need to buy balanced cable also.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

pichu said:


> Im working on getting myself a headphone stand! I just cant seem to find the right one. Anyone got some reccs?


I get all mine at thrift stores...this thread is a good place to pick up ideas:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-diy-headphone-stand-thread.249671/

here's my latest find


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

My headphone tree is really starting to bear fruit!


----------



## Krutsch

Decided to bring some unused gear into my office and go "Full Head-Fi" at work.

I'd forgotten how much I love the sound of the Rega DAC.

Yes, the young woman that sits across from me just rolls her eyes...


----------



## lugnut

Krutsch said:


> Decided to bring some unused gear into my office and go "Full Head-Fi" at work


Nice ! Is that Johnnie Walker Black (in the background) at the office ?


----------



## JTori

lugnut said:


> Nice ! Is that Johnnie Walker Black (in the background) at the office ?



Least expensive system upgrade available.


----------



## JTori

Krutsch said:


> Decided to bring some unused gear into my office and go "Full Head-Fi" at work.
> 
> I'd forgotten how much I love the sound of the Rega DAC.
> 
> Yes, the young woman that sits across from me just rolls her eyes...



Is that the Rega DAC-R?  I'm considering one.  How do you like it?


----------



## VRacer-111 (Feb 17, 2019)

Finally took some pictures of newest iteration with an SR-404 Limited that came in on Friday:


----------



## pichu

Changed my setup around a little in the past week


----------



## kid vic

pichu said:


> Changed my setup around a little in the past week



Are those power supplies ebay specials? I'm thinking of getting one for my Oracle


----------



## pichu

kid vic said:


> Are those power supplies ebay specials? I'm thinking of getting one for my Oracle



No they are SGC Linear Power Supplies. Honestly, find a reputable eBay dealer and dont cheap out. They are probably the same quality.


----------



## kid vic

pichu said:


> No they are SGC Linear Power Supplies. Honestly, find a reputable eBay dealer and dont cheap out. They are probably the same quality.



Seems like all the ebay linear supplies come out of the same factory anyways. Thanks though


----------



## Pharmaboy

ezkcdude said:


> Amazon Echo Link
> Peachtree DAC iTx
> JDS Labs Atom (just arrived yesterday!)
> Massdrop Hifiman HE-4XX (just came a few days ago!)
> You can also see a pair of HD-650 back there.



That little DAC iTx was/is the best delta-sigma DAC I've yet heard (liked it even better than some Chord stuff). That probably just indicates that I don't listen to enough digital gear. Still, I bought 2 of them: gave one to my brother, kept the other for a video application.


----------



## Krutsch

JTori said:


> Is that the Rega DAC-R?  I'm considering one.  How do you like it?



It is the previous generation. I love the sound.


----------



## Krutsch

lugnut said:


> Nice ! Is that Johnnie Walker Black (in the background) at the office ?



Yes. I own a design agency and it's sort of a requirement to have a bar in the office


----------



## Mystel

Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


----------



## betula

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


Another dream setup. What dream setup? Collection of dream setups.


----------



## pichu

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them



Which amp sounds the best. I was thinking of getting the Studio Jr, as my end game tube amp.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 19, 2019)

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


----------



## Miori




----------



## pichu

Miori said:


>



Do you use your mouse on top of the stereo amp?


----------



## Miori

pichu said:


> Do you use your mouse on top of the stereo amp?


Ehmmm...yes...  but very gently...There is soft rubber and light under it .... I know...What a shame.


----------



## SalR406

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them



I like those small wooden racks on top of the counter.  Clean, simple look to them.  Would you mind saying where you got them?


----------



## Mystel

SalR406 said:


> I like those small wooden racks on top of the counter.  Clean, simple look to them.  Would you mind saying where you got them?



Hey, i got them from IKEA about a year ago.
Im sorry as i cannot remember what the exact  product name is, and am unable to find it online
I believe it was meant to be a book rack, priced a 14.90 SGD ( about 11 USD )


----------



## tracyca

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


Nice!


----------



## Kukuk

My head-fi station's had a lot of additions recently.






The Marantz powers these absolutely effortlessly.


----------



## EarDrumExplode

SalR406 said:


> I like those small wooden racks on top of the counter.  Clean, simple look to them.  Would you mind saying where you got them?





Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them [/
> IKEA shelves are the best!!!


----------



## koven

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them



Amazing collection well done!


----------



## whirlwind

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them




GULP!  

Beyond very nice.  Congrats.


----------



## lfsszd

A corner of my apartment


----------



## lfsszd

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


It's a great collection! Which headphone is your favourite?


----------



## Tsukuyomi

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them


whats the tube amp on the table on the far left. it looks like it only has a 6.35mm jack. but your headphones are stax/hifiman/abyss balanced. o.O whats that amp used for?


----------



## ufospls2

Tsukuyomi said:


> whats the tube amp on the table on the far left. it looks like it only has a 6.35mm jack. but your headphones are stax/hifiman/abyss balanced. o.O whats that amp used for?



http://eddiecurrent.com/studio/


----------



## JTori

I've added and rearranged equipment since my last update (note the Koss Massdrop ESP/95X).  In the process, I came up with a different way to conveniently and neatly store my headphones.  In my office I've got an all-American-Walnut antique dresser I bought 35+ years ago in the same town it was built by a fella' named Hartley in 1840.  The dresser appealed to me for its clean, stout lines and is 100% Walnut, including the drawer sides and slides and has a 27-inch deep, one-piece (not planked) Walnut top.  You just don't see this anymore.  Old and new together.  It ain't James Bond, but it works for me.


----------



## atarione

enjoying my 6~ yr old ATH-M50's again.. headband had gotten pretty cracked / flakey.. contacted audiotechnia and bought new headband assembly (about $36~ with shipping) .. took the headphones apart / soldered new headband in today.. good stuff..



 


video I made during the replacement:
(sorry about portrait mode.. doh!)


----------



## Deftone

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them



Canjam NY exhibitors called, they want all their equipment back!


----------



## Deftone

Kukuk said:


> My head-fi station's had a lot of additions recently.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



2C same weight as other LCDs?


----------



## BobSmith8901

lfsszd said:


> A corner of my apartment



Lordi-owski nice corner!


----------



## Kukuk

Deftone said:


> 2C same weight as other LCDs?



Not really sure, but I'm guessing so. They are quite heavy, a bit heavier than my DT1770s.


----------



## Focux

Mystel said:


> Before this,  i had to take out amps one by one whenever i wanted to try as they were mainly in the storage
> But i finally managed to dedicate a section of my room for them



I like how the cheapest gear is the Apple Macbook..(probably)


----------



## Mystel (Feb 21, 2019)

pichu said:


> Which amp sounds the best. I was thinking of getting the Studio Jr, as my end game tube amp.


I like the EC Studio, Spacious, crazy transparent and lively with the right tubes. I havent heard the Studio Jr so i cant comment. Otherwise, my fav solid state is the Liquid Gold



tracyca said:


> Nice!


Thanks 



koven said:


> Amazing collection well done!


Thanks so much 



whirlwind said:


> GULP!
> 
> Beyond very nice.  Congrats.


Thank you 



lfsszd said:


> It's a great collection! Which headphone is your favourite?


In terms of most head time, HD6XX



Tsukuyomi said:


> whats the tube amp on the table on the far left. it looks like it only has a 6.35mm jack. but your headphones are stax/hifiman/abyss balanced. o.O whats that amp used for?


Ufospls2 is right, its the Studio by Eddie Current. It does have a balanced output. I use it mainly with the Abyss and sennheiser HD6x0 series.


----------



## betula

Deftone said:


> 2C same weight as other LCDs?


It is around 540g which makes it the lightest LCD. The heaviest I think is the LCD-XC with 650g. The other LCDs are in-between. To me the 2C is pretty much the upper limit of headphone weight which I can still find comfortable. I have to mention though, the weight distribution is excellent and the gigantic and spacious memory foam pads make it feel very nice on your head.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 21, 2019)

If only my 20 year old BMW 520i wasn't in need of restoration and was in as good condition as the Ultrasone PRO 1480i 
At least the 8 speaker Dolby Noise Reduction Harman Kardon hifi in the BMW still works.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Miori said:


>



Luxman!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

lfsszd said:


> A corner of my apartment



love that Woo...


----------



## Kukuk

I firmly believe Woo Audio makes the most beautiful AV equipment on the planet. I got the WA2 just because it's so beautiful. I didn't even have high impedance headphones at the time...


----------



## Pharmaboy

I have the WA3, which IMO is a terrific OTL..."basic OTL audio done extremely well." I was all set to get it in black, just out of habit, then started admiring the silver amps in their pictures. So glad I got the WA3 in silver. It's handsome. Most who walk into my home office have something positive to say about it.

At the moment, I'm jonesing about a bigger/badder Woo amp that is A. Balanced; and B. Transformer-coupled, letting me hear all my headphones (low impedance 'phones don't sound very good on even a high-grade OTL like the WA3). BUT...my desktop is extremely cramped, which cuts out any truly full-size amp (nearly all of which are huge).

Which leads me to the WA22--which would just barely fit in one place in my system if I swapped out another amp for it (at least temporarily). It has everything I want & is disturbingly handsome in that understated Woo way (their casework is just wonderful...)

The cost is another impediment. Hell, this crazy hobby is nothing _*but*_ impediments!


----------



## Miori

Pharmaboy said:


> Luxman!!



Yes, I'm always been on the vintage side, Luxman l-525 Is a great integrate (110watt) amp that works well with B&W DM640 and this is my full set up.


----------



## jaywillin

Miori said:


> Yes, I'm always been on the vintage side, Luxman l-525 Is a great integrate (110watt) amp that works well with B&W DM640 and this is my full set up.



sweet !


----------



## avillan

Heres mine. Really love these sony xba3


----------



## avillan




----------



## kid vic

Miori said:


> Yes, I'm always been on the vintage side, Luxman l-525 Is a great integrate (110watt) amp that works well with B&W DM640 and this is my full set up.




I sold my K340's (green driver) like 2 weeks ago but I am loving your AKG spread!!


----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 2, 2019)

And it’s endgame for me.
Signing off now


----------



## LuczOr

Added some tube to my sound.


----------



## betula

I am not a big fan of rotten apples, but still, an interesting liquid improvement for gloomy days.


----------



## formyears

looking down view; yes thats the floor.  what can i say - its just out if the box.  measuring the tubes temp, an engineer, i cant help it.


----------



## nc8000

betula said:


> I am not a big fan of rotten apples, but still, an interesting liquid improvement for gloomy days.



Love propper cider


----------



## Kukuk

I'm such a hipster I don't even have a record player.


----------



## kman1211 (Feb 23, 2019)

A couple new additions to my headphone stable. From left to right: HD 600, Amiron Home, DT 480 - 25 Ohm(modded), and DT 1990 Pro.


----------



## Pharmaboy

avillan said:


>



The headphone gear is nice. The poster is spectacular.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Kukuk said:


> I'm such a hipster I don't even have a record player.



Love the Woo!


----------



## SonyFan121 (Feb 28, 2019)

Watching movies on PC with AKG K275 connected to Audio Quest Dragonfly Red. I’ve been impressed by the K275. The best $100 to $250 (USD) closed-back headphone to be released in recent years maybe?! I think so. I certainly recommend it.



Going to buy an AKG HP4E headphone amp (pictured below) next week to use with the K275 and Sony MDR7510, then call it a day.


----------



## Deftone (Feb 28, 2019)

SonyFan121 said:


> Watching movies on PC with AKG K275 connected to Audio Quest Dragonfly Red. I’ve been impressed by the K275. The best $100 to $250 (USD) closed-back headphone to be released in recent years maybe?! I think so. I certainly recommend it.
> 
> Going to buy an AKG HP4E headphone amp next week (pictured below) to use with the K275 and Sony MDR7510, then call it a day.



What happed to end game ? 



SonyFan121 said:


> And it’s endgame for me.
> Signing off now


----------



## SonyFan121

Deftone said:


> What happed to end game ?


Lol I know. The problem is that I have lots of equipment, but very little space. That system/combination is endgame for me, but I am going to have to sell some of it. Besides, it might help fund my purchase of Sony Z1R. 
I am not too bothered about selling some of it because I am confident that my ears are well used to reference systems and that I have heard "the best" not just with that system but with previous systems i've owned, over the last 10 years. Thanks to plenty of exposure to such systems, I will always be able to identify top sound quality when I hear it, even in $200 headphones . It has been some journey for me. So I don't mind making sacrifices. Having said that, recent headphones i've purchased have well exceeded my expectations and so i'm more than happy to just use them with cheaper amps and equipment, as long as such amps/equipment provide plenty of power. The sound quality of the amps/equipment comes secondary from now on. I'm learning to be more practical, I have no choice.


----------



## Blackground

VRacer-111 said:


> Finally took some pictures of newest iteration with an SR-404 Limited that came in on Friday:



I like your set up! I have also been working off of a studio cart for the last year. So much simpler when you can rack everything.. I will have to post some pictures when I get them edited


----------



## L0rdGwyn

My Auteur is away at the moment, tube rolling and getting reacquainted with some classics  the 650 is still so, so good.


----------



## JTori

L0rdGwyn said:


> My Auteur is away at the moment, tube rolling and getting reacquainted with some classics  the 650 is still so, so good.



Beautiful build, and great collection of truly synergistic headphones!  Love the mirror finish on the chassis plate and the nice chrome knobs.  Also looks like you've taken some care in tube selection.  Enjoy.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## L0rdGwyn (Mar 1, 2019)

JTori said:


> Beautiful build, and great collection of truly synergistic headphones!  Love the mirror finish on the chassis plate and the nice chrome knobs.  Also looks like you've taken some care in tube selection.  Enjoy.



Thanks for the compliment!  I take my tubes pretty seriously, I have quite the collection at this point  it's amazing how they can transform an amp and tons of fun to collect (but not so much for my wallet!).


----------



## Krutsch

Redcarmoose said:


>



I *so* badly want a gold WM1Z... but if I spent that much on a DAP, my wife would seriously put a bullet into the back of my skull.


----------



## Scutey

Kukuk said:


> I'm such a hipster I don't even have a record player.


Some fine kit, I'm just about to get a pair of the Audeze.


----------



## Kukuk (Mar 1, 2019)

I decided to buy a bunch of cases to house all my mid and hi-fi headphones. Even got the Audeze one.







Not really sure why, since I decided I'm going to start selling off my mid-fi headphones...



Scutey said:


> Some fine kit, I'm just about to get a pair of the Audeze.



They're really fantastic. I was not initially blown away by them, but their master-of-all-trades nature grew on me.


----------



## Scutey

Kukuk said:


> I decided to buy a bunch of cases to house all my mid and hi-fi headphones. Even got the Audeze one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's good to hear!, I'm hoping mine will arrive tomorrow .


----------



## interweb-tech

I did something similar with mine. Mini cases on the bottom for IEMs, adapters and such.


----------



## Rowethren

interweb-tech said:


> I did something similar with mine. Mini cases on the bottom for IEMs, adapters and such.



My OCD approves of this photo! 

Love that headphone stand made of pipe, did you make that yourself?


----------



## interweb-tech

Rowethren said:


> My OCD approves of this photo!
> 
> Love that headphone stand made of pipe, did you make that yourself?



I found it on Etsy.


----------



## Rowethren

interweb-tech said:


> I found it on Etsy.



It is pretty cool looking. It kind of reminds me of the Valve logo from my CS:S days lol...


----------



## phase0

Krutsch said:


> I *so* badly want a gold WM1Z... but if I spent that much on a DAP, my wife would seriously put a bullet into the back of my skull.


Totally worth the risk!


----------



## nc8000

phase0 said:


> Totally worth the risk!



While I very much enjoy my home rig and do find it better than my 1Z, I could easily live with the 1Z and Z1R as my only gear (plus a set of true wireless in ears for my iPhone on the go).


----------



## Kukuk

interweb-tech said:


> I did something similar with mine. Mini cases on the bottom for IEMs, adapters and such.



Ooh, looks very nice. Much better than mine. Hah. I like that (I'm assuming) you have them labeled there. I couldn't really do that, so I ended up getting an odd assortment of cases for mine. It was half out of necessity, and half to cut down on the guessing game. The Slappa cases wouldn't fit my K612s, so I had to get a bigger case, but they would be overkill for my HD-25, so I got a low profile case for those.


----------



## atarione

For $44~ the curiosity was killing me.. so the somewhat maligned Creek OBH-11 had to be mine... ebay impulse buy... quite nice with my DT880's (250ohms) ... 



 


for the price they go for on ebay these days the little creek obh-11 is not too shabby ... if you have lower~ impedance headphones. .. I'm quite liking it with the DT880's


----------



## wwmhf

The creek obh-11 was a good amp for me in early days ..., I am a kind of missing it.


----------



## SonyFan121

And the wait for the MDR Z1R begins..
Selling/parting with all my audio gear except the Sony MDR7510 (will keep me going until I get the MDR Z1R) and the Marantz HD-CD1. I would never part with the HD-CD1, it’s too good to let go of.


----------



## antdroid

_From bottom to top:_

*Monolith THX-AAA Balanced Amp/DAC*: I wrote a little short impressions thing a while back, and I still really do enjoy this amp today. It has a great sounding amp section and the DAC isn't all that bad either, as it features dual AKM4493 DACs. The user interface was clunky at first, but after getting adjusted to it, I can breeze through it quickly and efficiently now. The sound and power on it is pretty great, especially at the price. The parametric EQ works well, but limited in only 1 profile and while you can fine-tune down 50Hz, it is limited to only +/- 6dB. Works well in combination with shelf-EQ for my Focal Elex. Lots of input choices on this device, and nice knob.


*Teac PD-301 CD Player with FM Radio and USB*: This is a nice compact tabletop CD player by Teac. It has a nice remote that can control everything. The item is very heavy and well-built with good quality metal materials. The item also features an FM tuner which I actually use from time-to-time, as well as USB input on the front panel. While it has RCA out and it's own DAC section, I have only used it with it's digital Coaxial output to one of my external DACs.


*RME ADI-2 DAC*: I just got this today so my impressions will be quite limited. The unit is small and light, and I was suprised at first how small it really was. The display is fantastic and mesmerizing. There are way too many features in it that I have to dive into. Just out of the box though, I find the detail and resolution is excellent. I'm already hearing some stuff in the background that I may not have picked up on previously. Could be bias, but may be not. It could just be an extremely well implemented device. The 6.5mm headphone out, while works fine, does sound a tad compressed (like less dynamic) than my Monolith THX-AAA balanced output section. I have yet to try the 3.5mm IEM output yet.


----------



## Focker




----------



## Kukuk

It felt wrong using headphones not made in the 90s.


----------



## SalR406

Rowethren said:


> My OCD approves of this photo!



Heh.  I had the same reaction.  My OCD also noticed that the first case on the second shelf appears to be missing its hang tag.


----------



## interweb-tech

SalR406 said:


> Heh.  I had the same reaction.  My OCD also noticed that the first case on the second shelf appears to be missing its hang tag.


LOL. The missing tag has been restored. All is well now.


----------



## SalR406

interweb-tech said:


> The missing tag has been restored. All is well now.



*whew*
Much obliged.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> LOL. The missing tag has been restored. All is well now.



My OCD is telling me you should hire a team of surveyors to get those hanging tags *perfectly* aligned & parallel (on a bias).


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Kukuk said:


> It felt wrong using headphones not made in the 90s.



Righteous! I didn't remember that Koss made electros. My buddy's dad used to have some Koss DJ headphones, we listened to them all them time on his Marantz gear.


----------



## gefski

Following our Seattle meet last weekend, I re-assembled the system, and since the desk was pretty cleaned up, decided to snap pics. So here's the setup with a couple frequently worn cans.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 7, 2019)




----------



## wje

My humble listening station in its current state:


----------



## VRacer-111

gefski said:


> Following our Seattle meet last weekend, I re-assembled the system, and since the desk was pretty cleaned up, decided to snap pics. So here's the setup with a couple frequently worn cans.



Enjoy your SR-404 Limiteds for me, I really loved mine for the almost 1 week I got from them before the left driver failed. Really wonder if there is a way to have them repaired... would definitely be willing to spend money to get them repaired if possible just not sure about dealing with STAX Japan.


----------



## gefski

VRacer-111 said:


> Enjoy your SR-404 Limiteds for me, I really loved mine for the almost 1 week I got from them before the left driver failed. Really wonder if there is a way to have them repaired... would definitely be willing to spend money to get them repaired if possible just not sure about dealing with STAX Japan.



Dang! Wish I had some good news for you. Check the newest page of the entry level Stax thread for recent posts on parts and service.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-entry-level-stax-thread.676272/page-206


----------



## shane55

Redcarmoose said:


>



Yeah, and I just read your review of these. Sweet!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> Following our Seattle meet last weekend, I re-assembled the system, and since the desk was pretty cleaned up, decided to snap pics. So here's the setup with a couple frequently worn cans.



what are those little devices circling each tube on the Woo?


----------



## gefski

Pharmaboy said:


> what are those little devices circling each tube on the Woo?


Herbie's tube dampers, to dampen resonances in the glass. I could be tweaky and say they offer a "staggering" sonic improvement in the WA6+...
...but I'm not saying that.


----------



## Object113




----------



## griff609 (Mar 8, 2019)




----------



## Focux

griff609 said:


>



That’s a lot of AQ Perchs..


----------



## griff609 (Mar 8, 2019)

Focux said:


> That’s a lot of AQ Perchs..


Ive got a box full of junked stands somewhere, never liked any until these. I ordered about a dozen.


----------



## Focux

griff609 said:


> Ive got a box full of junked stands somewhere, never liked any until these. I ordered about a dozen.


 
Wow, I only just got mine LOL


----------



## waveSounds

griff609 said:


>



Love the industrial floor lamp and shelving unit.


----------



## OctavianH

For those who worship metal:


----------



## judomaniak57

is that the klipsch headphone? they sure look nice


Object113 said:


>


----------



## waveSounds

Owl Source, or is it a Source(y) Owl?


----------



## Mortsnets

Built a quick cheap headphone stand out of a redwood board and dowel so most of my headphones are easy to find.


----------



## gefski

waveSounds said:


> Owl Source, or is it a Source(y) Owl?



Thumbs up! Just listened to a Dangerous Convert-2 at our meet last weekend----very transparent!


----------



## gefski

Mortsnets said:


> Built a quick cheap headphone stand out of a redwood board and dowel so most of my headphones are easy to find.



That white speaker partially visible on the 2nd shelf reminds me of an Advent Radio, but it's been years since I've seen one.


----------



## Object113

judomaniak57 said:


> is that the klipsch headphone? they sure look nice


Yes , interesting piece for sure .


----------



## Mortsnets

gefski said:


> That white speaker partially visible on the 2nd shelf reminds me of an Advent Radio, but it's been years since I've seen one.


Yes, good spot,  I have two Advent 400 table radios, those speakers are pretty good for background listening.


----------



## Leonarfd




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Leonarfd said:


>



When I saw your monitor I said to myself, wow, Roon makes monitors now?! 

Time for a new pair of reading glasses...


----------



## RobertSM (Mar 11, 2019)

A new addition into the system w/ the Violectric DAC V850. I also added some NOS tubes into the the Icon Audio HP8 MK II. The 6SN7's are NOS Sylvania GTAs 'Chrome Dome' from the late 1940's. The NOS ECC83/12AX7 is a Mazda-France w/silver anode tube from 1963.

Prior, I had been using Sophia Electric tubes exclusively. I was happy with the sound but found it to be too lean. After doing some homework and asking advice from fellow audiophiles I was talked into these NOS tubes. In a nutshell, I didnt know what I was missing. Sound is better in every area! More low end slam. More mid range weight and lovely vocals. Speed is better and there is more gain on the amp. Stage is wider and deeper. Just sort of boggles the mind really. So, you can count me as a NOS tube convert.


----------



## wdh777

Just updated a few components.


----------



## Pharmaboy

griff609 said:


>



Love that classic interrogation spotlight...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Leonarfd said:


>



How do you like those HEDD 05s?


----------



## Leonarfd

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like those HEDD 05s?


Liking them very much, perfect for nearfield listening. They are very clinical sounding while having a slight more fun sound compared to some other studio monitors. I was about to buy some Adam instead, but as they were a new product at the time I got them almost at half the new price from a local store. Would have bought them again for full price now.


----------



## gazzington

OctavianH said:


> For those who worship metal:


love that album


----------



## Jerseyboy (Mar 14, 2019)

Workstation - old with the new. dCS Network Bridge to AKG K1000 running directly off the speaker taps of the McIntosh MHA100 !


----------



## judomaniak57

dug out my old antique sound labs and my senn 600's, still sound great. and a little bit of humour


----------



## JTori

Leonarfd said:


>



Nice!  Very clean.


----------



## Adu




----------



## betula

Adu said:


>


A classic and real enthusiastic set up. Enjoy.


----------



## sup27606 (Mar 14, 2019)

iPhone (portrait mode)


----------



## koover




----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that classic interrogation spotlight...




Ha ha......great post, it sure looks like one!


----------



## koover




----------



## whirlwind

koover said:


>



Beautiful....is that a purple heart Ori?

Such a great headphone!


----------



## koover

whirlwind said:


> Beautiful....is that a purple heart Ori?
> 
> Such a great headphone!


Thanks! Yes it is. I actually sold my Atticus and kept the Ori. There's just something about this headphone that's so engaging and addicting. It's so smooth, organic and just downright excellent!


----------



## whirlwind

koover said:


> Thanks! Yes it is. I actually sold my Atticus and kept the Ori. There's just something about this headphone that's so engaging and addicting. It's so smooth, organic and just downright excellent!




It sure is, I love mine. I have an Atticus  and they live together here!

The Ori is so much fun....hoping that Zach will come out with his own planar at some point.....if he does...I am all in!


----------



## JTori

koover said:


>


Very nice!  I'd like to know your impressions of the Empyreans with this rig.


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> It sure is, I love mine. I have an Atticus  and they live together here!
> 
> The Ori is so much fun....hoping that Zach will come out with his own planar at some point.....if he does...I am all in!



I was just thinking the same thing. I love planar sound, also the ZMF "house sound" -- which just gets more interesting & diverse, w/various new models. 

The Ori was what got me totally hooked on HP audio & interested in other planars. It nailed my sonic preference perfectly. Every time I put it on is like a homecoming. 

Would love to see what Zach comes up with for a new planar, after his amazing run of high quality dynamics.


----------



## atarione (Mar 14, 2019)

edit: I just realized this... this receiver (Pioneer SX-3600) would have been about 5~yrs old when the MDR-V6's first came out in 1985.. this set of V6's is much later than that.. but amazing how long the V6's has been around.. personally I hope the V6 stays in production for another 3+ decades.


----------



## judomaniak57

is that the klipsch hp3 in the back? the more i hear and see about them the more i want them. how you like them?


koover said:


>


----------



## koven




----------



## RobertSM

koven said:


>



Fantastic equipment. But I also like your racking solution.


----------



## koven

RobertSM said:


> Fantastic equipment. But I also like your racking solution.



Thanks!


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


>



Okay.  This is really well done.


----------



## Focux

koven said:


>



my god..


----------



## Deftone

koven said:


>


----------



## koven

SalR406 said:


> Okay.  This is really well done.





Focux said:


> my god..





Deftone said:


>



Thanks! Here is a full angle and some closeups..


----------



## Deftone

It appears dust does not exist in your home.


----------



## koven

Deftone said:


> It appears dust does not exist in your home.



Haha it definitely does, I have a Rabbit Air purifier in the room though which helps a lot I think.


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


> Thanks! Here is a full angle and some closeups..



Oh, come on!  Now you're just strutting.

Seriously, I don't think I would ever leave such a room.


----------



## JTori

koven said:


> Thanks! Here is a full angle and some closeups..



Dude, this is awesome!!!  Extremely well thought out and executed!


----------



## SonyFan121




----------



## Focux

koven said:


> Thanks! Here is a full angle and some closeups..



Reported for pornographic material..!!!


----------



## SonyFan121

Ultrasone Pro1480i


----------



## kuutan

Showing my two nuggets in the office. Don't tell HR.


----------



## waveSounds

koven said:


> Thanks! Here is a full angle and some closeups..


----------



## Ad720

Current shot of mission control.

JDS Atom, Stax SRM-2050a, Little Dot 1+, Dark Voice 336se. Sources are a Pioneer DV-563a, Chromecast Audio through a Topping D30 and there is a Pioneer PL turntable down there too. Routing done by the Rotel RC-850. The Appj 2013 drives a set of tiny bookshelf speakers and little Technics sub.


----------



## global communication

waveSounds said:


>


 I know right this is fliipin incredible . Not sure its real


----------



## Badas




----------



## ricksome

Am I allowed to acess this thread? I know I don't belong here. These pictures must be photoshopped. No on has all this nice equipment.  Let me go in the corner and cry !!!


----------



## RickB

ricksome said:


> Am I allowed to acess this thread? I know I don't belong here. These pictures must be photoshopped. No on has all this nice equipment.  Let me go in the corner and cry !!!



Don't worry. By the time you get old enough to have the cash for all that, your hearing's too rolled off to fully appreciate it.


----------



## Jerseyboy




----------



## Zhanming057

Jerseyboy said:


>



Congrats on the SR1a purchase 

Working on a K1000 review now that I have all three ear-mounted speakers in the house...


----------



## atarione




----------



## betula

Dark and smooth is as good for your ears as it is for your tongue.


----------



## dobigstuff

Vinyl Collection still Growing.....


----------



## SeEnCreaTive

koven said:


> Haha it definitely does, I have a Rabbit Air purifier in the room though which helps a lot I think.




I mean, I have a Rabbit...... I don't think he purifies the air much though


----------



## kid vic

dobigstuff said:


> Vinyl Collection still Growing.....



I see Sade peeking out


----------



## Kukuk

I think the last time I posted my whole head-fi station I was using my ultrawide monitor. Ended up ditching it because my listening stack there was too cramped. Going to miss having that extra screen space, but the 165hz refresh rate does a good job of making up for it.


----------



## blackdragon87

Nice photo that woo amp looks really nice


----------



## nordkapp

Jerseyboy said:


>


Let's see the loudspeakers....


----------



## RickY B (Mar 22, 2019)

Sold my Violectric V281 then missed "The Beast" so bought another.  The Manley Absolute is on top of the Vilectric.  Two great amps.....
The KEF LS50 is a rear channel speaker for my video.  It's not part of the audio system


----------



## Amberlamps

Very nice, Very expensive.

Where do you stay and what days and times is your house empty ? I’m only asking so that I can protect your setup when no one is home. I won’t ever charge you for my services.

How about it ?


----------



## RickY B

haha, pretty funny.  I have a 5 year old vicious Black Labrador that would lick you to death.  It's a terrible way to die.


----------



## Amberlamps

RickY B said:


> haha, pretty funny.  I have a 5 year old vicious Black Labrador that would lick you to death.  It's a terrible way to die.



I’m used to the lick of death, I just got a puppy and he finds me tasty for some reason, as he just wants to lick my face and hands and goes nuts to do so when he is in the mood.

You have a very nice setup, it beats my Chord MScaler and Hugo TT 2, my setup seems trivial when compared to your’s. I bet it sound’s crazy good.


----------



## DragonOwen (Mar 22, 2019)

A week ago (Abyss unfortunately is not mine, taken them for a listening for a few days from a friend...):





Today replaced CUBE on the floor at the back of the small rack, it's more convinient that way:


----------



## ufospls2

DragonOwen said:


> ]



How do you enjoy the dCS Debussy? Have you heard any similarly priced DACs?


----------



## DragonOwen

ufospls2 said:


> How do you enjoy the dCS Debussy? Have you heard any similarly priced DACs?


I love it. Probably only Berkeley DAC Series 2, but it's cheaper... I like Debussy better than Berkeley, it's more "my sound", clear, fast, neutral, very detailed and airy... BTW before Debussy I had Linn Akurate DS/0/D.


----------



## JTori

RickY B said:


> Sold my Violectric V281 then missed "The Beast" so bought another.  The Manley Absolute is on top of the Vilectric.  Two great amps.....
> The KEF LS50 is a rear channel speaker for my video.  It's not part of the audio system



Um .... Wow!!!  Great gear selection and implementation!  I dig it!!

Joe.


----------



## ufospls2

DragonOwen said:


> I love it. Probably only Berkeley DAC Series 2, but it's cheaper... I like Debussy better than Berkeley, it's more "my sound", clear, fast, neutral, very detailed and airy... BTW before Debussy I had Linn Akurate DS/0/D.



Have you heard the Chord DAVE by any chance? Thanks for the help


----------



## astrostar59

RickY B said:


> Sold my Violectric V281 then missed "The Beast" so bought another.  The Manley Absolute is on top of the Vilectric.  Two great amps.....
> The KEF LS50 is a rear channel speaker for my video.  It's not part of the audio system


Nice setup. I agree, the Violectric 281 rocks, `I love mine too. I use my Aries Cerat SET amp when I get serious though.
Is that the Roon Nucleus I see? How does it compare to the Mac Mini you have? The Mini can be 'maxed' with the 12V DC conversion and a nice LPS, plus run it off a power regenerator as well.


----------



## astrostar59 (Mar 22, 2019)

ufospls2 said:


> Have you heard the Chord DAVE by any chance? Thanks for the help



I have had the DAVE at home for a full day demo recently. I pitched it against my then Audio Note UK  DAC 5, and it was very good, transparent and wide soundstage. IMO it worked better on HPs than on my speaker amp setup compared to my DAC 5. I also demo'd the CH Precision C1, Lampizator Golden Gate, a borrowed a TotalDAC 6. But ended up buying the Aries Cerat Kassandra as it sounded the most realistic while retaining the detail but is super smooth. No digital about it.
If I was looking for a 10K or less DAC, I would say the DAVE is a good choice. Pitch it against the Lampizator Atlantic. TotalDAC was good, but the gain stage in it holds it back IMO.


----------



## DragonOwen

ufospls2 said:


> Have you heard the Chord DAVE by any chance? Thanks for the help


Sorry, but never heard any Chord at all... Not heard many top DACs actually, Debussy, Linn Akurate DS/0/D, Berkeley DAC Series 1/2, Accustic Arts DAC1 MkII, that is probably all...


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickB said:


> Don't worry. By the time you get old enough to have the cash for all that, your hearing's too rolled off to fully appreciate it.



not just hearing--also personality/identity/IQ


----------



## RickY B (Mar 22, 2019)

astrostar59 said:


> Nice setup. I agree, the Violectric 281 rocks, `I love mine too. I use my Aries Cerat SET amp when I get serious though.
> Is that the Roon Nucleus I see? How does it compare to the Mac Mini you have? The Mini can be 'maxed' with the 12V DC conversion and a nice LPS, plus run it off a power regenerator as well.



I have an Uptone Audio modified Macmini with their linear fan control and the JPS-2 LPS.  The three HGST (G-Drives) are running soft raid in mirrored Raid 1. Beneath all the drives is an EMM Labs DA2 and beneath that there's  a Manley Steelhead Phono pre.  My plans are to save for the Roon Nucleus and Lumin U1.  I'll also be selling my TT and Steelhead.  Bought it five years ago and played it for a few days and it hasn't been on since.  The Steelhead isn't even plugged in.  I'm lazy and don't like flippin records.  I have 3TB of DSD files and hires PCM files so why bother with vinyl.  My amp is the VTL S-400 and i have B&W 802 Diamonds.  Thanks for asking.
**** the bummer today is the IR doesn't work on the V281 relay controlled volume and no other functions work via the remote.  It's going back to Germany.  I'm bummed


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickY B said:


> I have an Uptone Audio modified Macmini with their linear fan control and the JPS-2 LPS.  The three HGST (G-Drives) are running soft raid in mirrored Raid 1. Beneath all the drives is an EMM Labs DA2 and beneath that there's  a Manley Steelhead Phono pre.  My plans are to save for the Roon Nucleus and Lumin U1.  I'll also be selling my TT and Steelhead.  Bought it five years ago and played it for a few days and it hasn't been on since.  The Steelhead isn't even plugged in.  I'm lazy and don't like flippin records.  I have 3TB of DSD files and hires PCM files so why bother with vinyl.  My amp is the VTL S-400 and i have B&W 802 Diamonds.  Thanks for asking.
> **** the bummer today is the IR doesn't work on the V281 relay controlled volume and no other functions work via the remote.  It's going back to Germany.  I'm bummed



Great photos! Original?


----------



## Laurenesi




----------



## RickY B

Pharmaboy said:


> Great photos! Original?


Thank you Pharmaboy, Not sure if you meant the photos or the photos?  lol  If you meant the wall mounted photos they're by Herman Leonard. 

http://hermanleonard.com/
He had an interesting life.  He was a NYC fashion photographer. He shot Jazz pictures back in the 1950s in all the 52nd street smoky clubs.  His fashion work took him to Paris where his career took off.  He was hired by the old time famous actor Marlon Brando as his personal photographer.  Herman moved to Bali to work with Brando.  Living in Bali with no electricity and running water but a beautiful paradise his wife took their daughter and left him.  As Marlon faded into drugs and obesity Herman was left without a career.  He then started selling his Jazz photos through a gallery in Paris, SOBE, Miami and in New Orleans where Herman came back to live his remaining years.  Sixty of his photos are in the permanent collection in the Smithsonian in DC.  **** He also invented backlighting with a strobe to illuminate the smoke in the clubs

After all this i hope you meant those photos and not the photos


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickY B said:


> Thank you Pharmaboy, Not sure if you meant the photos or the photos?  lol  If you meant the wall mounted photos they're by Herman Leonard.
> 
> http://hermanleonard.com/
> He had an interesting life.  He was a NYC fashion photographer. He shot Jazz pictures back in the 1950s in all the 52nd street smoky clubs.  His fashion work took him to Paris where his career took off.  He was hired by the old time famous actor Marlon Brando as his personal photographer.  Herman moved to Bali to work with Brando.  Living in Bali with no electricity and running water but a beautiful paradise his wife took their daughter and left him.  As Marlon faded into drugs and obesity Herman was left without a career.  He then started selling his Jazz photos through a gallery in Paris, SOBE, Miami and in New Orleans where Herman came back to live his remaining years.  Sixty of his photos are in the permanent collection in the Smithsonian in DC.  **** He also invented backlighting with a strobe to illuminate the smoke in the clubs
> ...



Those are beautiful photos--I've seen many of them before (iconic images of jazz).

You have a great deal of money on that wall. Far more to the point, a great deal of black & white aesthetic beauty.


----------



## RickB

RickY B said:


> Thank you Pharmaboy, Not sure if you meant the photos or the photos?  lol  If you meant the wall mounted photos they're by Herman Leonard.
> 
> http://hermanleonard.com/
> He had an interesting life.  He was a NYC fashion photographer. He shot Jazz pictures back in the 1950s in all the 52nd street smoky clubs.  His fashion work took him to Paris where his career took off.  He was hired by the old time famous actor Marlon Brando as his personal photographer.  Herman moved to Bali to work with Brando.  Living in Bali with no electricity and running water but a beautiful paradise his wife took their daughter and left him.  As Marlon faded into drugs and obesity Herman was left without a career.  He then started selling his Jazz photos through a gallery in Paris, SOBE, Miami and in New Orleans where Herman came back to live his remaining years.  Sixty of his photos are in the permanent collection in the Smithsonian in DC.  **** He also invented backlighting with a strobe to illuminate the smoke in the clubs
> ...



Are you sure you're not Richard Branson and the avatar pic is misdirection?


----------



## RickY B

If i were Richard Branson would I have a MacMini?  I'd have an Aurender or a Lumin. NO?  Just a 68 year old retired dude that acquired a few things along this journey called life. Thanks for the laughs


----------



## Deftone

Looking in this thread lately makes me feel poorer but I can't help it, beautiful pictures. Enjoy guys!


----------



## smodtactical

My audio tower:


----------



## dobigstuff

My Humble System:


----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 23, 2019)

The right driver of my TH500RP seems to have more bass than the left one, so I’ve taken them out to investigate and solve the problem. Whilst doing so I decided to try the Fostex TH-X00  Purple Heart biocellulose drivers in the TH500RP cups, and i'm liking what I hear! The sound is an improvement to the TH-X00 Purple Heart in closed-back stock form; imaging is better (left/right/center stereo imaging is dead accurate), bass is much tighter, high’s are crisper and less sibilant, soundstage is much wider. I would say that if this headphone was on the market ( TH500RP with TH-X00 drivers), I would expect it to sell for over $1,000 USD. The imaging is not as precise as TH500RP with its stock Planar drivers. I wonder how it would compare to the Fostex TH909. That would be interesting!


----------



## SHAMuuu

SonyFan121 said:


> The right driver of my TH500RP seems to have more bass than the left one, so I’ve taken them out to investigate and solve the problem. Whilst doing so I decided to try the Fostex TH-X00  Purple Heart biocellulose drivers in the TH500RP cups, and i'm liking what I hear! The sound is an improvement to the TH-X00 Purple Heart in closed-back stock form; imaging is better (left/right/center stereo imaging is dead accurate), bass is much tighter, high’s are crisper and less sibilant, soundstage is much wider. I would say that if this headphone was on the market ( TH500RP with TH-X00 drivers), I would expect it to sell for over $1,000 USD. The imaging is not as precise as TH500RP with its stock Planar drivers. I wonder how it would compare to the Fostex TH909. That would be interesting!



Did the wood cups fit on the th500rp? Or will you try the rp drivers in the th-x00 purpleheart wood cups?
Also with these Fostex pads, you need to wait till they break in and form before concluding on bass imbalances sometimes. The Th500rp has matched drivers unlike the other cheaper RPs or so the tale goes.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 23, 2019)

SHAMuuu said:


> Did the wood cups fit on the th500rp? Or will you try the rp drivers in the th-x00 purpleheart wood cups?
> Also with these Fostex pads, you need to wait till they break in and form before concluding on bass imbalances sometimes. The Th500rp has matched drivers unlike the other cheaper RPs or so the tale goes.


I haven't tried the wood cups with the TH500RP yet, but I probably will at some point. I am reluctant to disassemble the TH500RP too many times as the screws of Fostex headphones tend to become stripped very easily. I think the problem with the bass imbalance could have something to do with the plate that the TH500RP drivers are attached to, as I did try different pads and there was still more bass coming from the right driver than the left. It's strange because the sound was perfect for a good 2 hours. Ah well. I'm enjoying the TH-X00 Purple Heart drivers in the TH500RP for now though, seriously good.


----------



## Deaj




----------



## Bookbear

Deaj said:


>


That's a lotta schitt!  (Oh, come on... you KNEW it was going to be said!)


----------



## Deaj

Bookbear said:


> That's a lotta schitt!  (Oh, come on... you KNEW it was going to be said!)



I expected no less


----------



## Zhanming057

Tried something new with the lighting this time


----------



## bmichels (Mar 25, 2019)




----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 25, 2019)

The TH500RP requires a little bit more power than what the Oehlbach XXL can provide for it, but it synergizes so well with it. The Oehlbach is one sweet sounding headphone amp. I’ve not needed any other headphone amp in 5 years because it’s sounds so satisfactory. Why buy another amp if the one I have sounds good enough?! It also has a sampling rate of 384Khz/32bit so MQA sounds rather good.


----------



## VRacer-111

Current work setup:






Cheap basic laptop w/ Foobar2K -> Audioquest DFR -> custom modded spare Gustard H10 amp -> modded TH-X00 Purplehearts

Currently in the process of evaluating the Yaxi leather and Alcantara pads.


----------



## VRacer-111 (Mar 25, 2019)

Deaj said:


>



This is one of the Schiitiest setups I've seen on here...


----------



## Deaj

VRacer-111 said:


> This just might be the schiitiest setup I've seen...



Yeah, I pretty much bought a bunch of Schiit and piled it up on the corner of my desk. As you might expect it sounds like Schiit. I mostly listen to Schiit anyway though, so for me this setup works just fine.


----------



## elmoe

Currently: desktop PC under the desk --> RME ADI2 DAC --> Singlepower MPX3. Headphones from left to right: Grado PS1000, SR325i, HD6XX


----------



## sup27606 (Mar 25, 2019)

RickY B said:


> If i were Richard Branson would I have a MacMini?  I'd have an Aurender or a Lumin. NO?  Just a 68 year old retired dude that acquired a few things along this journey called life. Thanks for the laughs



If you were Richard Branson, you would hire the musicians to put on live shows in your house whenever you liked. No need for headphones and speakers to recreate ‘realism’.


----------



## RickY B

sup27606 said:


> If you were Richard Branson, you would hire the musicians to put on live shows in your house whenever you liked. No need for headphones and speakers to recreate ‘realism’.















That’s funny you say that. I love supporting the arts and artists. I’ve done music festivals and house parties. I started a Jazz and blues festival in Ridgewood, NJ for two thousand people five years ago. 
 This is Bobby “Soul Man” Harden. He’s in the blues hall of fame and one of the lead singers of the Original Blues Brothers Band led by Steve Cropper. His ten piece band is called Bobby Harden and The Soul Putpise Band. Bobby came to visit yesterday and grab some lunch. When my wife finished a year of chemo I hired the blues brothers band to celebrate her life. Live music is my life and passion. This Saturday I have a birthday party and have www.KingSolomonHicks.com as entertainment. They call him the new Wes Montgomery and Li’l B.B.  He was lead guitarist in the famous Harlem Club called the Cotton Club at the age of 13. I’ve had Steve Turre and Winard Harper play in house parties for my friends. Jazz musicians struggle and live from gig to gig so I do my share to help them when I can. Being in the New York metro area helps a bit. There’s nothing like live music. Last picture is Keith Richards in my home in 1978


----------



## koven

Zhanming057 said:


> Tried something new with the lighting this time



Your photos are great! What camera/lens do you use?


----------



## HiFiRebel

koven said:


> Your photos are great! What camera/lens do you use?


Photography is not about camera / lens, but light and skills.


----------



## Zhanming057 (Mar 26, 2019)

@koven I do most of my still life work on a Sony A7r2 and Loxia lenses. The one used for the shot in question is the Loxia 50mm F2. I also like to use the Loxia 21mm when I want to play with perspectives a bit and avoid the "catalog" look.

But as @HiFiRebel points out, there's usually more effort in my shots than what you see. I took the easy way out on this shot and lighted everything with a computer monitor (instead of a real strobe kit). Nonetheless, there's a lot of post processing going on and a lot of it is simply experience and having a developed workflow. Anything that uses a lighting kit is a lot more complicated. Usually I start with a specific "look" in mind and play around until I get it about 80-90% right, and then fix whatever still doesn't feel right in post.


----------



## HiFiRebel

As a professional photo retoucher (and ex-photographer) I can definitely compliment your skills @Zhanming057  It doesn't matter what were it lit with, the result matters.


----------



## VRacer-111 (Mar 26, 2019)

My bedroom setup is half Schiit ...


----------



## SoLame

A corner of my dining table:



 

Gotta eat:


----------



## SonyFan121

VRacer-111 said:


> My bedroom setup is half Schiit ...


Cool stuff.
A little while ago I searched everywhere for a retailer that sells the Gustard H10 amp and couldn't find any. It looks very much like a Cyrus amp except more affordable for me, I had a Cyrus CD6 and was hoping to pair a H10 with it. But it seems I missed my chance as I believe the H10 is no longer in production. Damn!


----------



## VRacer-111 (Mar 27, 2019)

SonyFan121 said:


> Cool stuff.
> A little while ago I searched everywhere for a retailer that sells the Gustard H10 amp and couldn't find any. It looks very much like a Cyrus amp except more affordable for me, I had a Cyrus CD6 and was hoping to pair a H10 with it. But it seems I missed my chance as I believe the H10 is no longer in production. Damn!



I picked up two (because zero warranty basically) from Massdrop last time they offered them... which was right before Gustard discontinued them a year or two ago. Used is the only way to get them now. As long as you do some thermal mods they will become much more dpendable... they absolutely need better cooling and heat sinking than stock or you really need to leave the top off - the voltage regulator transistors and transistors around the opamps have been the main failure points for those with issues, they get EXTREMELY hot to the touch.

I added column heat sinks to the voltage regulators, Versarien LPH0001 copper sponge heatsinks to transistors on main heat sink, made custom heatsinks from 1mm copper heat sink shims attached via thermal epoxy to the 4 transistors around each single opamp, and drilled holes strategically in top of case for venting heat). For this unit the stock opams are replaced with Burson V6 Vivid single / V6 Classic dual opamps, my work H10 has the stock opamps.

Really love this amp - incredibly powerful, extremely detailed, exceptionally clean and smooth, with a nice just-warm-of-neutral leaning sound; perfect synergy for the Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart and nice fit for the Argon Mk3 and HD58X/6XX. If you can find a used one in the future I recommend grabbing it... just be sure to mod for better longevity of the amp.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 27, 2019)

VRacer-111 said:


> I picked up two (because zero warranty basically) from Massdrop last time they offered them... which was right before Gustard discontinued them a year or two ago. Used is the only way to get them now. As long as you do some thermal mods they will become much more dpendable... they absolutely need better cooling and heat sinking than stock or you really need to leave the top off - the voltage regulator transistors and transistors around the opamps are the main failure points.
> 
> I added column heat sinks to the voltage regulators, Versarien LPH0001 copper sponge heatsinks to transistors on main heat sink, made custom heatsinks from 1mm copper heat sink shims attached via thermal epoxy to the 4 transistors around each single opamp, and drilled holes strategically in top of case for venting heat). For this unit the stock opams are replaced with Burson V6 Vivid single / V6 Classic dual opamps, my work H10 has the stock opamps.
> 
> Really love this amp - inredibly powerful, extremely detailed, exceptionally clean and smooth, with a nice just-warm-of-neutral leaning sound; perfect synergy for the Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart and nice fit for the Argon Mk3. If you can find a used one I recommend grabbing it... just be sure to mod for better longevity of the amp.


I would love to be able to mod amps, I would have to get my father to do it as he is an electronic engineer. I will definitely keep an eye out for an H10 on Ebay. It seems like the perfect match for the TH-X00 Purpleheart going by what you say about it's sound. Very cool.


----------



## VRacer-111

SonyFan121 said:


> I would love to be able to mod amps, I would have to get my father to do it as he is an electronic engineer. I will definitely keep an eye out for an H10 on Ebay. It seems like the perfect match for the TH-X00 Purpleheart going by what you say about it's sound. Very cool.



All the mods are fairly easy/straightforward with no electrical work... basically just adhering heatsinks and drilling holes/slots. All four of the opamps are socketed on the H10 so it's simple to swap them out for others if you wish. The Burson's are an improvement but stock is great as well. The TH-X00 do match extremely well with it...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 27, 2019)




----------



## EDWARIS




----------



## Laurenesi

You listen a lot to Jigga and Ye? Even the curtains are in style


----------



## katulu

Assembled my listening station.  Crappy pic, gear... is another story:
 

*GS5 with Neutron MP->Silver Dragon usb cable->Hugo MScaler->Silver Dragon BNCs->Chord DAVE*

From DAVE, left to right: 
1)->*Silver Dragon XLR cables -> BHSE -> STAX SR-009*
2)->Norne Audio Therium cable -> Moondrop Blessing iem
3)->*Stefan Audio Art Endorphin Copper Ribbon Interconnects -> Apex Teton (USAF 596 rectifier, 6528 power tube, metal base Sylvania 6SN7W drive tube) -> Norne Audio Custom Silver Draug 2 -> HD800S*

*I just wish I had some Beats instead....*



*...NOT!  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ste...n-copper-ribbon-interconnects-various.870344/*


----------



## betula

Surprisingly and unexpectedly good sounding headphones that scale surprisingly and unexpectedly well with better gear.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

This morning rocking out to hip-hop at the U of U Marriott Library.






Track in question:


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

koven said:


>



I really LOVE your Phanteks case btw. I am a huge computer geek too!


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Krutsch said:


> I *so* badly want a gold WM1Z... but if I spent that much on a DAP, my wife would seriously put a bullet into the back of my skull.


----------



## protoss




----------



## RobertSM

protoss said:


>



The unicorn does exist. I thought it was just a fairytale.  

In all seriousness, very cool!  How is it?


----------



## protoss

RobertSM said:


> The unicorn does exist. I thought it was just a fairytale.
> 
> In all seriousness, very cool!  How is it?



The best there is, The best there was, and still the best. Endgame Coloration Sound!


----------



## Tsukuyomi

SoLame said:


> A corner of my dining table:
> 
> 
> 
> Gotta eat:


i like the second pic more because theres food... <3 lol


----------



## betula

protoss said:


>


Lucky man.
Would be awesome to hear some comparisons to nowadays headphones.


----------



## protoss

betula said:


> Lucky man.
> Would be awesome to hear some comparisons to nowadays headphones.



Lets say I am really really lucky to compare against these!!!! I must be special


----------



## protoss

*
Retired 4 "Gs" chilling and relaxing thinking they all that!!*


----------



## betula

protoss said:


> Lets say I am really really lucky to compare against these!!!! I must be special


Man, you must live in audio heaven!

I would still be enthralled to read some one to one comparisons.


----------



## protoss

betula said:


> Man, you must live in audio heaven!
> 
> I would still be enthralled to read some one to one comparisons.



I do a unjust quick comparison.

R10 - Liquid smooth, euphoric, with extreme detail like a HD800 and with the same sound-stage? How, its a bloody closed back! Thats a R-10
HE90 - Smooth and deep and texture. Its the bloody texture that runs supreme on these! Winner? maybe?  
Omega - A refine HD800! Extreme smooth treble. I couldn't put this down. It was too good. BTW Ceo stax just announce a remake of 1993 Omega! Bloody right! Yes, remake this!!
007MK1 - Well its Sprizter and Jude favorite headphone! I My 2nd favorite after the Omega of course! Yup, like them better than 009! 

Winner? All 4 lol


----------



## betula

protoss said:


> I do a unjust quick comparison.
> 
> R10 - Liquid smooth, euphoric, with extreme detail like a HD800 and with the same sound-stage? How, its a bloody closed back! Thats a R-10
> HE90 - Smooth and deep and texture. Its the bloody texture that runs supreme on these! Winner? maybe?
> ...


Thanks. I wish I could just pop in to your home.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Now my portable station got revised with the proper DAC (using the USB-C instead of the USB-A) I got from Best Buy  All smiles now.


----------



## betula

The Socialist Nerd said:


> Now my portable station got revised with the proper DAC (using the USB-C instead of the USB-A) I got from Best Buy  All smiles now.


I hope you know your LCD2CC is very much limited by the Dragonfly and they turn into a different pair of headphones with proper gear.


----------



## protoss (Mar 29, 2019)

@betula
@The Socialist Nerd 

Thats the only way to show off to those kids around him what a real headphone is! They all most likely have beats headphones!!!!


----------



## betula

protoss said:


> @betula
> @The Socialist Nerd
> 
> That's the only way to show off to those kids around him what a real headphone is! They all most likely have beats headphones!!!!


If that's the case, he is doing a great mission. 
We need to educate those 'beats kids'.  
However after leaving 'Beats oblivion', there are further steps...


----------



## SonyFan121

The Socialist Nerd said:


> Now my portable station got revised with the proper DAC (using the USB-C instead of the USB-A) I got from Best Buy  All smiles now.


If you want to take the performance of your LCD2-CB to the next level, buy a standalone headphone amp and a Y cable to connect the Audio Quest Dragonfly to the headphone amp, and it will take your LCD2-CB to the next level. That's what I do with my TH500RP, it works a treat.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

betula said:


> If that's the case, he is doing a great mission.
> We need to educate those 'beats kids'.
> However after leaving 'Beats oblivion', there are further steps...



No worries. I have scared off all potential female dates here at the U of U by rocking out my huge ass Audeze headphones today


----------



## SonyFan121

Aux/Y-splitter cable connects the Dragonfly to the Oehlbach amp, which boosts the signal coming from the Dragonfly. If i’m honest the sound of this combination is hard to beat for under $500. I definitely recommend buying a standalone headphone amp to connect to a Dragonfly. It will maximise the potential of just about any headphone.


----------



## Pharmaboy

dobigstuff said:


> My Humble System:



You have a Goldpoint passive? I don't see it in the picture. 

I had one a couple years ago, ended up selling it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

SonyFan121 said:


> The right driver of my TH500RP seems to have more bass than the left one, so I’ve taken them out to investigate and solve the problem. Whilst doing so I decided to try the Fostex TH-X00  Purple Heart biocellulose drivers in the TH500RP cups, and i'm liking what I hear! The sound is an improvement to the TH-X00 Purple Heart in closed-back stock form; imaging is better (left/right/center stereo imaging is dead accurate), bass is much tighter, high’s are crisper and less sibilant, soundstage is much wider. I would say that if this headphone was on the market ( TH500RP with TH-X00 drivers), I would expect it to sell for over $1,000 USD. The imaging is not as precise as TH500RP with its stock Planar drivers. I wonder how it would compare to the Fostex TH909. That would be interesting!



You can drop in dynamic drivers in place of planar drivers? Never heard of such a thing...very interesting.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Deaj said:


>



Schiit, Schiit, Schiit--all I see is Schiit!


----------



## Pharmaboy

betula said:


> Surprisingly and unexpectedly good sounding headphones that scale surprisingly and unexpectedly well with better gear.



I love my HEX v2. It does just about everything well & images/soundstages like crazy. Just looking at the venetian blind outside of each cup (it doesn't get more open than this HP), you'd never guess it has such good bass.


----------



## betula

Pharmaboy said:


> I love my HEX v2. It does just about everything well & images/soundstages like crazy. Just looking at the venetian blind outside of each cup (it doesn't get more open than this HP), you'd never guess it has such good bass.


Exactly. The best opened airiness and bass combination I have ever heard. Bass and airiness I need. These headphones are spot on for that. Very much a keeper for now. I am glad you like them too.


----------



## SonyFan121 (Mar 29, 2019)

Pharmaboy said:


> You can drop in dynamic drivers in place of planar drivers? Never heard of such a thing...very interesting.


Well this seems to be the case with Fostex headphones. The design of the frame, shapes of the plates that the drivers are attached to and the position of where the screws are all located to attach the cups are the same with the Fostex TH-X00 and TH500RP. I've only tried the TH-X00 Purpleheart drivers in the TH500RP frame/cups once, it was just to see how the TH-X00 drivers sounded in an open-back design. I liked what I heard, I was seriously impressed, but I bought the TH500RP to hear it's Planar Magnetic drivers, not to permanently replace them with the TH-X00 Purpleheart drivers, even though the TH-X00 Purpleheart drivers in the TH500RP frame/housing sounded a little bit better, lol.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

betula said:


> I hope you know your LCD2CC is very much limited by the Dragonfly and they turn into a different pair of headphones with proper gear.



Limited in which way(s)? I am unsure that I understand.


----------



## betula

The Socialist Nerd said:


> Limited in which way(s)? I am unsure that I understand.


Spaciousness, dynamics, bass and treble extension, clarity, soundstage depth, separation, definition, timbre. Just to mention a few. It is common knowledge that most headphones scale/improve with better gear (amps and DACs). Dragonfly red is a decent little USB device but it is nowhere near to offer the performance of an average full size desktop gear.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

betula said:


> Spaciousness, dynamics, bass and treble extension, clarity, soundstage depth, separation, definition, timbre. Just to mention a few. It is common knowledge that most headphones scale/improve with better gear (amps and DACs). Dragonfly red is a decent little USB device but it is nowhere near to offer the performance of an average full size desktop gear.



Any recommendations? Mostly I am busy on the train/bus and so I need something that is pocketable and battery-operated


----------



## Focux

Pharmaboy said:


> I love my HEX v2. It does just about everything well & images/soundstages like crazy. Just looking at the venetian blind outside of each cup (it doesn't get more open than this HP), you'd never guess it has such good bass.



You like’em more than your Aeolus..??


----------



## Zhanming057

The Socialist Nerd said:


> Any recommendations? Mostly I am busy on the train/bus and so I need something that is pocketable and battery-operated



Check out the Woo WA11.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Zhanming057 said:


> Check out the Woo WA11.



Impressive but that is 1500 USD ... I will have to wait to get that option


----------



## Pharmaboy

Focux said:


> You like’em more than your Aeolus..??



I don't own an Aeolus. I had my friend @jinxy245's for an extended listen/borrow (2+wks).

And yes, I do like the HEX v2 somewhat more than the Aeolus. Then again, when the Aeolus is driven by endgame DAC+tube amp, it scales like crazy and becomes an amazing HP. 

Much as I love the HEX v2, it doesn't change sound as much when upgrading sources.


----------



## natalieann




----------



## Anaz

natalieann said:


>



Respect to anyone who has a turntable in their office!


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Anaz said:


> Respect to anyone who has a turntable in their office!



Love it! Sadly enough there is no way I could pack up a turntable, pre-amp, amp, and headphones out to the Marriott Library every single day.


----------



## Deftone

The Socialist Nerd said:


> Love it! Sadly enough there is no way I could pack up a turntable, pre-amp, amp, and headphones out to the Marriott Library every single day.



Hugo2?


----------



## bmichels




----------



## natalieann

Anaz said:


> Respect to anyone who has a turntable in their office!


Use it everyday


----------



## simorag

New entries are the Abyss Phi TC in place of my previous regular Phi, and the JPS Superconductor HP cable to complement my DHC Prion4 

Car replacement can wait a bit longer, no?


----------



## popof94




----------



## dobigstuff

Pharmaboy said:


> You have a Goldpoint passive? I don't see it in the picture.
> 
> I had one a couple years ago, ended up selling it.


Pharmaboy:
I do have it, sitting on shelf behind the Musical Fidelity.  I don't use it as it is the older 20 step and only one input. (It was a gift)  However when I use it the noise floor (hissing normally heard when you put ear to midrange) is eliminated.  Again you don't have as much gain on some material.


----------



## bmichels (Mar 31, 2019)

It was a briant idea when it was released.  It is too bad that they never updated it to the new technology to become a real mobile server solution.


----------



## DragonOwen

Remixed my power cord configuration... spent about 5-6 hours on testing different combinations... But, it was deffinetely worth it, now system sounds much better 
So my current "power setup" looks like this:
AC Outlet ► (Shunyata Research ZTron Python) ► ISOL-8 CUBE 3 ► (Shunyata Research ZTron Anaconda) || (Shunyata Research ZTron Python) ► ISOL-8 Power Station Twin Channel || PS Audio Power Plant P5
ISOL-8 Power Station Twin Channel ► (Shunyata Research ZTron Anaconda) || (Perfect Audio) ► dCS Debussy || linear power supply of MacMini
PS Audio Power Plant P5 ► (Era Life Magneto) || (Era Life Magneto) || (stock) ► WooAudio WES || Beta22 || power supply of USB cable Synergistic SE


----------



## bmichels




----------



## Mikey99

RexAeterna said:


> naw,there the K240s. i love'em tho.
> Quote:


K240s were my first headphones! Wish I still had them


----------



## Dawnrazor




----------



## Kukuk

Back to the ultrawide. Need to order a couple things, like proper speaker stands, and a longer display port cable to make things a little cleaner.









Ditching the Beyer A20 because it just wasn't getting use.


----------



## BobSmith8901

Dawnrazor said:


>



What is the model of that red trackball mouse?--very sleek!


----------



## Dawnrazor

BobSmith8901 said:


> What is the model of that red trackball mouse?--very sleek!


LOL  All that Quality audio kit and its the mouse that steals the show!  Bought the red Iphone stand and then the mouse because of the Rednet am2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042UINCG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## attmci

https://www.avsforum.com/apple-buys-bose-announces-beats-bose-headphones-speakers/

I plan to write a review of the Apple Beats by Bose iBeats Silent Luxury headphones as soon as I’m able to go to my local airport and perform an in-depth listening session with a pair, so watch out for that.


----------



## thecrow

attmci said:


> https://www.avsforum.com/apple-buys-bose-announces-beats-bose-headphones-speakers/
> 
> I plan to write a review of the Apple Beats by Bose iBeats Silent Luxury headphones as soon as I’m able to go to my local airport and perform an in-depth listening session with a pair, so watch out for that.


This article came out 1st APRIL, right?


----------



## Dawnrazor

thecrow said:


> This article came out 1st APRIL, right?


Yeah the logo is off a bit and well none of those companies would cobrand.


----------



## SonyFan121

Wow yeah that Bose logo is so photoshopped.


----------



## attmci

thecrow said:


> This article came out 1st APRIL, right?


Yes, Sir.

There is another one hiding here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/has-anyone-heard-of-periapt-cables.860677/page-2


----------



## RA66

Been cruising this thread for too long. Finally decided to pull trigger and buy LS50W. Can't wait to post a picture of my setup.


----------



## RA66

Wish I had a desk big enough to fit some monitors and some LS50's. Great set up.


----------



## Pharmaboy

attmci said:


> https://www.avsforum.com/apple-buys-bose-announces-beats-bose-headphones-speakers/
> 
> I plan to write a review of the Apple Beats by Bose iBeats Silent Luxury headphones as soon as I’m able to go to my local airport and perform an in-depth listening session with a pair, so watch out for that.



Yeah. I know people who look _just like this_...


----------



## Sgt. Ear Ache (Apr 5, 2019)

My little rolling head-fi station in it's current semi-chaotic state...


----------



## interweb-tech

64 Audio U4-SE. I would post the U12ts but I'm wearing them 
gawd I love head-fi for sale forums


----------



## Nik74

My humble 800S/ Audio Note AX2 rig. The Qutest and Luxman are making them both sing


----------



## SonyFan121 (Apr 6, 2019)

I always use the Sony MDR7510 for making music on my computer but going to try the Fostex TH500RP this time. I have so little space to work with at the moment, argh!


----------



## koven

Nik74 said:


> My humble 800S/ Audio Note AX2 rig. The Qutest and Luxman are making them both sing



Great amp choice for your HD800S.


----------



## richie60

I just love these headphones and amp.  No inclination to go any further.


----------



## Nik74

koven said:


> Great amp choice for your HD800S.



Thank you, they have indeed been transformed
Next step- quite far down the road - will be an m-scaler


----------



## HiFiRebel

Previous speakers (Jamo S803) - way too large for the space





Replaced with Edifier 2.1 speakers system - they are fantastic for small space - they sit higher on foam yoga pads at ear level now





Evening system - Classic combo (Emotiva BasX A-100 + Argon Mk3 headphones) - beautiful combo


----------



## OctavianH

The reason for a Hi-Fi station:


----------



## EarDrumExplode

Nik74 said:


> My humble 800S/ Audio Note AX2 rig. The Qutest and Luxman are making them both sing


AWESOME PAIRING!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Leonarfd (Apr 9, 2019)

Had to get a better headphone stand solution, had 4 stands on the desk. Found some cheap but solid stands and padded them with pipe isolation 

Only thing left is the mess of cables under the desk, and some bass traps on the wall for the studio monitors.


----------



## gibsonsg87

Just got the Audeze LCD-XC today. I like it! Holo Audio Cyan makes it sound beautiful. Same for the Eikon. (Eikon has the edge over the LCD-XC)


----------



## VRacer-111

'New' hand-me-down phone and I've got an excellent sub $100 portable rig now...


----------



## betula

VRacer-111 said:


> 'New' hand-me-down phone and I've got an excellent sub $100 portable rig now...


In the never ending pursue for the perfect sound we tend to forget that we actually don't need much to enjoy music. Congrats.


----------



## Blackground (Apr 9, 2019)

This Emotiva combo satisfies Head-fi & Hifi


----------



## BobSmith8901

VRacer-111 said:


> 'New' hand-me-down phone and I've got an excellent sub $100 portable rig now...


Curious, what music player is that on your phone?


----------



## VRacer-111 (Apr 9, 2019)

BobSmith8901 said:


> Curious, what music player is that on your phone?



Just the default Samsung player on the phone. Audio is surprisingly decent, have no real complaints with it, especially for portable use. My Motorolla flip-phone finally stopped working after well over a decade + of service and my dad just upgraded his phone last week and gave me his old Galaxy Tracfone that was around $50 when brand new. Bought 128GB Samsung Elite microSD card and just uploaded all my FLAC library on it last night. Was thinking of getting another DAP, but think this will work more than well enough for me... free + cost of memory card and I have on the go portable audio again (killed my Shanling M0 from one drop too many a while back). That way I can put funds towards another STAX Lambda I'm in the process of getting and the Kaldas Research RR 1 Conquest...LOL


----------



## Pharmaboy

Nik74 said:


> My humble 800S/ Audio Note AX2 rig. The Qutest and Luxman are making them both sing



Beautiful tube amp.


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Way 2 dope dudes.


----------



## Nik74

Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful tube amp.



Thank you. The synergy with the 800S is to be heard to be believed. I could keep going on and on about its  virtues but beyond anything it makes these headphones fun, exciting and very emotionally involving. 
With the speakers the room is a major bottleneck but at lower volumes when the wall reflections are not so much at play, magic ...


----------



## ScubadudeSA (Apr 10, 2019)

All Arie's fault I tell you! He showed me a pic of his set-up ... and it featured this nifty monitor stand that makes a great equipment rack.

Before ... leaning tower of Head-Fi ....






After ...










You won't believe the improvements this has made! Greater sense of clarity, detail and space, height specifically. The congestion ... all gone! More air around each piece. Not as warm as before.

And it sounds better ... like a clean car drives better ...


----------



## Nik74

Wow I NEED this stand ! Where is it from ?


ScubadudeSA said:


> All Arie's fault I tell you! He showed me a pic of his set-up ... and it featured this nifty monitor stand that makes a great equipment rack.
> 
> Before ... leaning tower of Head-Fi ....
> 
> ...


----------



## ScubadudeSA

I got it from a local online ergonomics store. The brand is www.uncagedergonomics.com ... Hope that helps


----------



## BobSmith8901 (Apr 10, 2019)

VRacer-111 said:


> Just the default Samsung player on the phone. Audio is surprisingly decent, have no real complaints with it, especially for portable use. My Motorolla flip-phone finally stopped working after well over a decade + of service and my dad just upgraded his phone last week and gave me his old Galaxy Tracfone that was around $50 when brand new. Bought 128GB Samsung Elite microSD card and just uploaded all my FLAC library on it last night. Was thinking of getting another DAP, but think this will work more than well enough for me... free + cost of memory card and I have on the go portable audio again (killed my Shanling M0 from one drop too many a while back). That way I can put funds towards another STAX Lambda I'm in the process of getting and the Kaldas Research RR 1 Conquest...LOL



Thanks--that tube simulator thing got my attention and the overall simplicity/clarity of the look of the player. Kind of amazing that a default player will have cool DSP stuff like that! 

Not to mention your Porta Pros w/Yaxi pads! Had the Porta Pros myself back in the day (80's) and used them until they literally fell apart. I always thought...why do I keep coming back to these things? Today I have a set of Sennheiser PX-100's (first gen) that I modded that I have the same feelings towards. You just put them on and forget them.


----------



## pepodenata (Apr 10, 2019)

My configuration  [ATTACH = full] 2654851 [/ ATTACH] [ATTACH = full] 2654852 [/ ATTACH] [ATTACH = full] 2654853 [/ ATTACH] [ATTACH = full] 2654854 [/ ATTACH]


----------



## Deftone

Something went wrong there bud


----------



## pepodenata

Deftone said:


> Something went wrong there bud



Well, I do not understand what it could be ...


----------



## pepodenata

My modest configuration


----------



## pepodenata

Deftone said:


> Something went wrong there bud





It seems that I have already fixed it ...


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

Today’s portable walking rig setup:


----------



## ufospls2

Here is my (almost) current set up. The Wells Audio Milo is gone, as it was a review loaner. The iFi Pro iCAN is also a review loaner, which is still with me. The speakers are Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors, and the Susvara and Diana Phi are mine. Also pictured is the Hifiman RE2000 Silver


----------



## nordkapp

ufospls2 said:


> Here is my (almost) current set up. The Wells Audio Milo is gone, as it was a review loaner. The iFi Pro iCAN is also a review loaner, which is still with me. The speakers are Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors, and the Susvara and Diana Phi are mine. Also pictured is the Hifiman RE2000 Silver


I just saw your stereo photo on Reddit. Small world.


----------



## SonyFan121

ufospls2 said:


> Here is my (almost) current set up. The Wells Audio Milo is gone, as it was a review loaner. The iFi Pro iCAN is also a review loaner, which is still with me. The speakers are Philharmonic Audio BMR Philharmonitors, and the Susvara and Diana Phi are mine. Also pictured is the Hifiman RE2000 Silver


Wow, those speakers sure look the business. Even better that you have a chair that allows you to sit level with them, for an optimal listening experience.


----------



## nordkapp (Apr 12, 2019)

Well, it serves as HIFI and Head-Fi station.


----------



## SonyFan121

Had a listen to my Wharfedale Diamond 220’s tonight but they can’t stay for practical reasons. Back in storage they went. No choice for me but to use headphones for now


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## popof94




----------



## nordkapp

popof94 said:


>


AWESOME!


----------



## Kukuk

I remember years back when the DT1350 came out I wanted to own a pair, but being $300, and me being unemployed, there was no way I was going to be able to afford a pair. When they came out basically every review on the internet was glowing about them, saying how they were probably the best portable headphones on the market at the time. Then a friend of mine bought a pair, and I lusted over them, stealing them away from him every chance I got. Despite that, I shelved the idea of actually owning them until I could afford them.

Years passed, didn't even think about them. Had the chance to buy and try other headphones, and portables were pretty low on my list of potential interests. I randomly came across the Aventho on Amazon, and through a little research I found out that they're basically a re-release of the DT1350. Now that a decent amount of my listening is done out of the house, I figured I'd bite and grab a pair. And boy, are they lovely.

Like the DT1350 they have a lot of metal in their construction, so they're fairly heavy. The removable cable is a welcome addition, so I could get a balanced cable if I wanted to (not that I need one...) The pads are way softer than I remember the DT1350's being, making them the most comfortable on-ear headphone I've ever used. Much more comfortable than my HD-25s. Sound-wise, they're pretty much exactly as I remember them: more laid back than the HD-25, while being waaay more spacious. It's actually quite impressive that they were able to pack such a large soundstage into such a small headphone.

So for the time being, this is going to be my go-to portable head-fi station, and retire my HFI-580.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## GuyForkes

My current collection with Susvara being my favourite (but not by a lot). 




Current setup. The Cayin HA-300, IMO an underrated amp.


----------



## Nik74

GuyForkes said:


> My current collection with Susvara being my favourite (but not by a lot).
> 
> 
> Current setup. The Cayin HA-300, IMO an underrated amp.



Amazing set up. Have you compared TT2 against the HA-300?


----------



## GuyForkes

Nik74 said:


> Amazing set up. Have you compared TT2 against the HA-300?



Thanks! To be fair I've only tried the TT2 out of the headphone output, didn't see the need to buy an adapter though I might do so some day.

The HA-300 was fuller sounding and had a more holographic presentation. Loss in resolution was negligible to my ears.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

GuyForkes said:


> My current collection with Susvara being my favourite (but not by a lot).
> 
> 
> Current setup. The Cayin HA-300, IMO an underrated amp.



Is that the HHKB?


----------



## koven

gimmeheadroom said:


> Is that the HHKB?



Don't think so, HHKB layout does not have L/R CTRL, or arrow keys.


----------



## Mr.Max. (Apr 15, 2019)

popof94 said:


> It's nice to find out that others have made your own choices ...


----------



## popof94

Mr.Max. said:


>


Great, which tubes are you using on your BHSE?


----------



## connieflyer

Chair side phone system


----------



## Mr.Max.

popof94 said:


> Great, which tubes are you using on your BHSE?



I'm still using the stock tubes, waiting to make a decision.
Possible solutions?
Pswane EL34 Philips Holland Replica
Sophia Electric EL34
Mesa Boogie El34 STR447
And you? Are you using Shuguang 6ca7?
Result?


----------



## KOALAxT (Apr 17, 2019)

Aune s6 pro + hd800s. The aune S7 pro is on its way from China as we speak

Other Chi fi products on my desk


----------



## CreditingKarma

My updated mess of a Head-Fi station. A big thank you to @Watagump, Jim, and Fume from Noble the Khan was a great choice. Great ear gear and even better people. See you at axpona next year. 

I was not a huge believer in digital filters and upsampling until I got them Mscaler and Hugo 2 ( I couldn't wait anymore for the TT2 and am actually quite pleased with the current combo). Surprisingly it does sound slightly better when fed from my sp1000 than from my mac. It is probably just placebo but oh well I think it sounds better.


----------



## popof94 (Apr 17, 2019)

Mr.Max. said:


> I'm still using the stock tubes, waiting to make a decision.
> Possible solutions?
> Pswane EL34 Philips Holland Replica
> Sophia Electric EL34
> ...


Yes, I use the 6CA7. I tried the STR 447 and prefer the Shuguang.

I  actualy compare the 009 and 009S, and for the moment I prefer the S.


----------



## Focux

CreditingKarma said:


> My updated mess of a Head-Fi station. A big thank you to @Watagump, Jim, and Fume from Noble the Khan was a great choice. Great ear gear and even better people. See you at axpona next year.
> 
> I was not a huge believer in digital filters and upsampling until I got them Mscaler and Hugo 2 ( I couldn't wait anymore for the TT2 and am actually quite pleased with the current combo). Surprisingly it does sound slightly better when fed from my sp1000 than from my mac. It is probably just placebo but oh well I think it sounds better.



I noticed you upgraded the headband on the X..!


----------



## CreditingKarma

Focux said:


> I noticed you upgraded the headband on the X..!



Yeah after the LCD 4z I couldn't stand the old headband. The cf is much more comfortable.


----------



## popof94




----------



## koven

popof94 said:


>



How do you like to ML + Susvara compared to Viva?


----------



## popof94

Hi, the Viva is absolutely not able to drive the Susvara or the HE6SE. I thought a long time it was the best for all headphone because of the Pierre Paya movies on YouTube. Pierre Paya from casque Headphone in France, our bigger and wonderful shop for high end headphones listen the Susvara on a viva 845 and said it was the best to drive the Susvara:



https://casques-headphones.com/accueil/272-hifiman-susvara.html

I think it is impossible to drive susvara or HE6 with this amplifier. It has not enough power for me.
The result is a lot of more better with the small ML amplifier and the Hifiman loudspeaker adapter.
More dynamic, more detailled and more clear and pleasant to listen and incredible sub bass. Never listened such a sub bass on an headphone.
However, as I listen 80% of classic I prefer the Stax 009 or 009S or the Utopia. The Viva is great with the Audeze LCD4 but I realy think this amplifier is a lot of overpriced and it is probably possible to find the same for 1/2 the price. I want to try the formula S.


----------



## nordkapp

popof94 said:


> Hi, the Viva is absolutely not able to drive the Susvara or the HE6SE. I thought a long time it was the best for all headphone because of the Pierre Paya movies on YouTube. Pierre Paya from casque Headphone in France, our bigger and wonderful shop for high end headphones listen the Susvara on a viva 845 and said it was the best to drive the Susvara:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You've got yourself an outstanding collection. Thanks for posting the store video. I love seeing other shops. That store is beautiful. Is it in Paris?


----------



## popof94

Hi, unfortunately not, it in in Nîmes, south of France:


----------



## RobertSM

My rig in it's current state. Note the removal of SPL Phonitor X(to be used in a secondary system in the future). And the addition of Violectric V281.


----------



## simorag

Swapping cables in a pleasing Easter evening. Being an audiophile is hard work, but somebody has to do it, right?



 
P.S.: latest addition to my rig: a nice Acrolink 7N-2090 Speciale RCA interconnect. Good cables are 'just' the icing on the cake, yet they can make a difference (unfortunately for our wallets)


----------



## betula

New amp. I love this clarity and spaciousness they put together with the Qutest. Bass has never sounded better.


----------



## OctavianH




----------



## ps500ec

Benchmark HPA4 & DAC3 with Grado PS500e modified for balanced cable (Mogami 2534 to each ear).


----------



## Kukuk

Good ol' HE-500s smashing through my collection, making a good number of headphones redundant. It's disgusting how good they are. They're a full step up from the LCD-2C IMO.


----------



## nordkapp

ps500ec said:


> Benchmark HPA4 & DAC3 with Grado PS500e modified for balanced cable (Mogami 2534 to each ear).


Awesome! I'm thinking of grabbing an HPA4. I've got the DAC3 now. How do you like the HPA4?


----------



## thinker (Apr 27, 2019)

Phenomenon Canorum v5 with Stax SRM-D50 and Cambridge audio ID100


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


> My rig in it's current state. Note the removal of SPL Phonitor X(to be used in a secondary system in the future). And the addition of Violectric V281.



Love that V281 (mine was a complete game-changer)


----------



## RobertSM

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that V281 (mine was a complete game-changer)



It has been everything I had hoped for. It's really everything I desire sonically and I'm thrilled to have it as the center of my system. I'm now confident enough in it that I will use it as a preamp to control a pair of active speakers. Next up on my list...


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


> It has been everything I had hoped for. It's really everything I desire sonically and I'm thrilled to have it as the center of my system. I'm now confident enough in it that I will use it as a preamp to control a pair of active speakers. Next up on my list...



It's a superb preamp, really among the best I ever heard (longtime audiophile). 

I currently have passive monitors/speakers; before this, I had several pairs of actives. The V281 handles it all. The most useful things are the independent line out vs headphone on/off switching from front panel & remote; and the separate gain adjustments for line out vs headphone out. No trad audiophile preamp has that, to the best of my knowledge.

I did a ton of research on powered monitors last year. If you need any suggestions, feel free to PM me off-line.


----------



## ps500ec

nordkapp said:


> Awesome! I'm thinking of grabbing an HPA4. I've got the DAC3 now. How do you like the HPA4?


The HPA4 is a powerful and clean amp especially with the balanced cables which are shielded and separate from the amp to the ears. No noise, no crosstalk, great channel separation, and lots of clean bass power.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

koven said:


> Don't think so, HHKB layout does not have L/R CTRL, or arrow keys.



You're right, I missed that. I think I saw this keyboard in some online shop but I didn't compare it with his pics. Too many keycap options make IDing harder if you don't keep up with this stuff...


----------



## Dawgfish




----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## protoss (Apr 29, 2019)




----------



## llamaluv

popof94 said:


> Hi, the Viva is absolutely not able to drive the Susvara or the HE6SE.
> [...]
> I think it is impossible to drive susvara or HE6 with this amplifier. It has not enough power for me.
> The result is a lot of more better with the small ML amplifier and the Hifiman loudspeaker adapter.
> More dynamic, more detailled and more clear and pleasant to listen and incredible sub bass. Never listened such a sub bass on an headphone.



I appreciate your candor on this. I've drawn the same conclusion about the Susvara relative to the WA33 vs. speaker amps.


----------



## Nik74

As you also have the Icon HP8, any comparisons between the V281 and the HP8?


----------



## elmoe

Here is the latest


----------



## KOALAxT

Update image.

I've demoed a lot of high end equipment that costs several times over what's pictured below but the Aune S6 pro / S7 pro goes toe to toe with the best I've tried. This combination is finally putting an end to the gear acquisition syndrome (for now).  Crystal clear treble, clean mids, big sound, punchier bass, and the right amount of powerful when paired with HD800S. Thank you, Aune + Sennheiser.


----------



## jadverkko

Good ol' HD600's. Always feels like coming home when listening to these classics. These really come alive with my new Eufonika H7 tube amplifier.


----------



## protoss (May 1, 2019)

So, this is by far my favorite Audeze headphone I ever heard. Light weight, Comfy, efficient to play on a cellphone. Looks beautiful. Gold and matte black! Brilliant. Gold rods and signs engrave. Build quality is 10/10. No squeaky noise. Just perfect.

The sound is liquid smooth. Same Audeze house sounds. Same Original LCD4 sound. But better imho


----------



## betula

protoss said:


> So, this is by far my favorite Audeze headphone I ever heard. Light weight, Comfy, efficient to play on a cellphone. Looks beautiful. Gold and matte black! Brilliant. Gold rods and signs engrave. Build quality is 10/10. No squeaky noise. Just perfect.
> 
> The sound is liquid smooth. Same Audeze house sounds. Same Original LCD4 sound. But better imho


One of the best looking hps out there IMO. I love the colour combo and the 'retro' look.


----------



## CreditingKarma

elmoe said:


> Here is the latest



Good call with the dynaudio. I liquidated some of my head-fi to pick up some dynaudio c1 platinum and a hegel h360. Still love my cans that survived though.


----------



## protoss (May 3, 2019)

Another section of the house is a corner station with this combo. Upgraded 313 that sounds like a 717   . That volume level is the highest I can put it. It is too loud  
One of my favorite musical listening sessions are with these units. Supreme bliss. Oozing that fire warmth.


----------



## abirdie4me

Not pictured - ultraRendu (mounted under desk, also powered by Keces P8. I should sell the Elear since I recently picked up the Utopia, but they are the 'phones that got me hooked and this hobby a couple years ago and have sentimental value. Work laptop on left, gaming PC on the right. It was a pain switching between the 2 and I didn't like the way optical sounded out of the gaming rig, hence the ultraRendu purchase to stream from my Roon server (upstairs) via ethernet. Thinking of mounting a bar on the wall above monitor to hang headphones.


----------



## Errymoose

Fantastic looking system... did you build that little rack yourself?


----------



## abirdie4me

Thanks! Yeah, actually just did it tonight. $70 or so in parts from IKEA and a bit of elbow grease. 3 cheap cutting boards and 2 sets of legs. I'll eventually do something nicer, but this gets them stacked and ventilated for the time being.


----------



## abirdie4me

Krutsch said:


> I'd forgotten how much I love the sound of the Rega DAC.




Wow, I thought I was the only person still rocking a Rega DAC!


----------



## abirdie4me (May 4, 2019)

Krutsch said:


> It is the previous generation. I love the sound.



@Krutsch, I just dug my Rega DAC out of storage after seeing you post, and you are right...it does sound good! I'm moving the Rega upstairs to a secondary listening area, but all I have to hook it up to right now is a mid-fi Onkyo home theater receiver. The headphone amp in that thing sounds awful, do you have a good recommendation for a dedicated head amp for the Rega? I'd like to keep it under $500. Any idea if tubes would sound good with the Rega?


----------



## abirdie4me

Here is my secondary listening area, it is primarily my golf simulator room. The PC is my Roon server, Plex server (over 600 Blu-ray and UHD rips), and runs my golf simulator software. 

Just hooked up Rega DAC (bottom left) to Onkyo receiver, sounds surprisingly good. Now I have the itch to turn this into a proper listening area. Damn this hobby!


----------



## abirdie4me

Nik74 said:


> My humble 800S/ Audio Note AX2 rig. The Qutest and Luxman are making them both sing



Sorry, but the only place in the universe where that setup would be considered 'humble' is in this thread!


----------



## Sabbathi




----------



## Nik74

abirdie4me said:


> Sorry, but the only place in the universe where that setup would be considered 'humble' is in this thread!


Well there are systems here with cables that altogether cost more than my whole rig so it is all by comparison  In terms of fidelity and musicality it is magic though. Specially regarding the 800S I feel I am enjoying them  at their best, specially after rolling a smooth long plate telefunken ECC83. 
The clarity and holography is beyond what I thought these headphones were capable of. And whoever finds them lacking in bass or sounding lean, well... not through this miniature little beast


----------



## jcn3

just simplified rig -- got rid of a lot of boxes -- and very pleased with the results.  just have to love senn hd600s -- they're fabulous.


----------



## bagwell359

pepodenata said:


> It seems that I have already fixed it ...



Wow, a pic of General Georgy Zhukov!  The single person most responsible for the demise of Nazi Germany...


----------



## RobertSM (May 5, 2019)

Nik74 said:


> As you also have the Icon HP8, any comparisons between the V281 and the HP8?



Sorry, I think I missed this. Yes, well the Icon Audio HP8 MKII really shows well for classic rock, and jazz recordings. This may sound funny, but music that was recorded with alot of tube gear. An example, I've been listening to a lot of the music that John Coltrane recorded in 1958. In that year he recorded a staggering amount of music, enough for 8 albums! This was all for his contract with Prestige Records. Prestige records was a small label with a very modest budget. Most of these recordings were single takes made in the living room of the owner of Prestige records parents house in New Jersey. The single takes were recorded with good, not great, tube gear. Totally unlike his Atlantic records contract which had larger budgets and where he recorded in proper recording studios with top notch engineers.

Anyways, these Prestige records sessions, seem to play extremely well on the Icon audio HP8 tube amp. To be honest, I dont like how they sound on the V281. I think maybe because they were recorded on tube gear, to me they need to be played on tube gear? But the music, played through tubes, to me is a real joy to listen to. So understanding that the tube amp has it's place and purpose to me is key.

The V281, is more of my everyday, jack of all trades amp. Sounds great with almost everything. It has the speed that the Icon seems to lack with some music. To me the two amps are very complementary. But, for a soild state amp, the V281 is what I desire. Speed but without harshness.


----------



## betula

My survival system away from my beloved main gear. Enough for surviving a week or so. 
A 20Ω resistor really turns the ER3XR into an ER4XR.


----------



## Krutsch

abirdie4me said:


> @Krutsch, I just dug my Rega DAC out of storage after seeing you post, and you are right...it does sound good! I'm moving the Rega upstairs to a secondary listening area, but all I have to hook it up to right now is a mid-fi Onkyo home theater receiver. The headphone amp in that thing sounds awful, *do you have a good recommendation for a dedicated head amp for the Rega? I'd like to keep it under $500.* Any idea if tubes would sound good with the Rega?



Using a Lehmann Rhinelander as my head-amp in my office setup. Love the clean sound of the Lehmann, which really pairs well with my office cans (HD-660S).


----------



## protoss (May 6, 2019)

This is a interesting comparison I am currently doing at the moment.


----------



## protoss (May 7, 2019)

I must confess. *Audeze is a superior company.*


----------



## simorag

Cable madness … When splurging on the B-side of your system becomes your latest drug


----------



## nordkapp (May 8, 2019)




----------



## Deftone

simorag said:


> Cable madness … When splurging on the B-side of your system becomes your latest drug



What you gonna do after you settled on your cables?

C-side, cable risers, crystals?


----------



## RobertSM

nordkapp said:


>



Your Benchmark stack looks good. I dont know alot about the brand, other than they are very well known in the pro audio circles. Your DAC, does DSD and PCM?


----------



## nordkapp

RobertSM said:


> Your Benchmark stack looks good. I dont know alot about the brand, other than they are very well known in the pro audio circles. Your DAC, does DSD and PCM?


Thank you. The HPA4 is unequivocally the best preamp/HP amp I've ever heard. The DAC does DSD at single rate and PCM up to 192.


----------



## protoss (May 8, 2019)

nordkapp said:


> Thank you. The HPA4 is unequivocally the best preamp/HP amp I've ever heard. The DAC does DSD at single rate and PCM up to 192.



Yes. The HPA4 is currently the best amp ever made as of now! Nothing beats it. Its a fully complete package with THX implementation.


----------



## nordkapp

protoss said:


> Yes. The HPA4 is currently the best amp ever made as of now! Nothing beats it. Its a fully complete package with THX implementation.


It's great as an HP amp, but otherworldly as a linestage. I've owned analog preamps from Mcintosh (C42), Audio Research (SP16) and Adcom (GFP750). The Mcintosh was terrible, the ARC very good, the Adcom outstanding. This Benchmark has completely blown me away.


----------



## lokerola

jcn3 said:


> just simplified rig -- got rid of a lot of boxes -- and very pleased with the results.  just have to love senn hd600s -- they're fabulous.



Nice rig. That Parasound is beastly. How do you like it? I’ve got the 2125v2 Parasound amp, but I’m totally tempted by the new A21+. Such is life...


----------



## simorag

Deftone said:


> What you gonna do after you settled on your cables?
> 
> C-side, cable risers, crystals?



 sure, there are plenty of tweaks out there! I am actually looking into some of them, luckily this stuff usually comes with a 30day return policy so you can check whether they work in your system and for your ears or not.

At the moment I am enjoying a _temporary _peace of mind, in one of my "just sit back and enjoy the music" phases, but I am sure the audiophile nervosa will get me sooner than later again.


----------



## protoss

lokerola said:


> I’ve got the 2125v2 Parasound amp,



I am a big fan of parasound. What is your impressions on the 2125v2? is it warm and detail? Enough power?


----------



## marts30

betula said:


> My survival system away from my beloved main gear. Enough for surviving a week or so.
> A 20Ω resistor really turns the ER3XR into an ER4XR.



Glad I checked out that album shown there, from a fellow kiwi no less  Instantly love any spacey music. ISON, Interstellar soundtrack, Mesarthim, Neurotech etc etc


----------



## lokerola

protoss said:


> I am a big fan of parasound. What is your impressions on the 2125v2? is it warm and detail? Enough power?



I do like it. It's been 100% rock solid. I don't know if I'd say it's warm. But it's not cold either. It's transparent, which is good. I'm driving some big, efficient, Cerwin Vega speakers and it does great. But there's always the "what if" factor when looking at new gear; "what if I had the new amp with 400 watts, etc, etc)". It's the GAS syndrome (gear acquisition syndrome). 

I could probably live with my 2125 for the rest of my life and never "need" another amp. But the A21+ sure is pretty. And it has 400 watts. Silly, I know. 

Anyway, Parasound gear has always treated me right.


----------



## jcn3

lokerola said:


> Nice rig. That Parasound is beastly. How do you like it? I’ve got the 2125v2 Parasound amp, but I’m totally tempted by the new A21+. Such is life...



it's a very nice amp and certainly overkill for my current set-up.  i would describe the sound as neutral to slightly warm -- it's definitely not a brutally analytic amp.  i got it because i figured it would have plenty of power for now and well as any situation in the future (hopefully with some larger speakers).


----------



## kuutan




----------



## Pharmaboy

Sabbathi said:


>



You really need more screens...

(nice 1st post!)


----------



## 340519

Here is 

 one of my stations.


----------



## 340519

Here is another.


----------



## nordkapp

dmdm said:


> Here is  one of my stations.


Benchmark and Bryston! Incredible combo!


----------



## 340519 (May 11, 2019)

nordkapp said:


> Benchmark and Bryston! Incredible combo!


Yes sir!

With the Golden Ears it all sounds amazing.
The golden ears are my end game speakers. They synergize so well with the bryston and benchmark.


----------



## ufospls2

Currently don't have a desktop DAC, so I'm using my iFi Micro iDSD BL. Kinki Studio EX-M1 is the amp.


----------



## gefski

Schiit's Vali coasters give Cairn Brewing's Brown a blacker background and smoother delivery!


----------



## dissembled (May 13, 2019)

Though admittedly blurred out in the foreground, the Shanling M5s mated with the Meze 99 Classics.

My tablets the Huawei M5 and Ipad Mini 4 (used to preview songs on Youtube first) underneath.

I love the Classics so much, I recently ordered the Noirs on Drop as well. It's just that much sexier. I'll be sure to photograph the Meze Noirs once i get them in my hands (God willing, on Wednesday), but the package sure is taking its time.


----------



## abirdie4me

dissembled said:


> I love the Classics so much, I recently ordered the Noirs on Drop as well.



Just got mine yesterday, really surprised how good they sound for the price. Bought them as my lightweight travel headphone, but they might start getting some desktop love as well (don't tell my Utopias, they might get jealous).


----------



## Jozurr

ufospls2 said:


> Currently don't have a desktop DAC, so I'm using my iFi Micro iDSD BL. Kinki Studio EX-M1 is the amp.



How do you like the Kinki amp?


----------



## ufospls2

Jozurr said:


> How do you like the Kinki amp?



I really like it so far. Great amp IMO. Has a few very minor negatives but overall very impressive.


----------



## hemipowered007

Kids are out of town so dad grts to drag all his gear into the living room. Bedini mk2 150/150 pre and main are my co workers.
Marantz 2238b pioneer sx727 and sx1010. Klh model 24 and sixes. Hrt micro streamer ii+ from my pc. He4 and fostex build not currently being listened to because speaaaaaakers. They will later though, i missed speakers...poor me.


----------



## Sgt. Ear Ache

My rolling head-fi station as it currently sits...added some amp horsepower recently.


----------



## Redcarmoose

qdc Anole V3, Walkman 1Z


----------



## jadverkko

What a lovely pair. Eufonika H7 and Sennheiser HD 540 Gold Reference 600ohm.


----------



## RobertSM (May 18, 2019)

jadverkko said:


> What a lovely pair. Eufonika H7 and Sennheiser HD 540 Gold Reference 600ohm.



And I spy a Genelec speaker in the background. Big fan of the brand.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jadverkko said:


> What a lovely pair. Eufonika H7 and Sennheiser HD 540 Gold Reference 600ohm.



1.000.000 likes for the Sennheisers!


----------



## protoss

jadverkko said:


> Sennheiser HD 540 Gold Reference 600ohm.



Sennhesier legendary 1980s flagship!  

What a beauty to see


----------



## CreditingKarma (May 19, 2019)

I know that it is not all head-fi but here are some quick and dirty shots of my current setup. I just got the Metrum Onyx and the Liquid Platinum as well as the Abyss Diana Phi. Gone are my Lcd 4z and JH Roxanne (both to good homes where they will be loved and used). Also gone are my LS50 and Arcam A38. they have been replaced by the Dynaudio Confidence C1 Platinums and Hegel H360. This was a substantial upgrade from the ls50 and arcam set up.

The Abyss sounds great with the Cavalli LP and Metrum. I am tempted to try and trade up to Pavane but I think that I am going to stick with the onyx for now. I think that it sounds better than the Chord Qutest. I was able to try the Onyx with the Mscaler today and I don't think that it made anywhere as much of a difference with it compared to what them Mscaler did with the Qutest or Hugo2. I am now a believer in R2R NOS Dacs. The Metrum just sounds more natural to me.

If anyone has experience with the Pavane and Onyx please let me know how much of an improvement there is with the Pavane. Is it worth more than double the asking price of the Onyx??


----------



## Focux

CreditingKarma said:


> I know that it is not all head-fi but here are some quick and dirty shots of my current setup. I just got the Metrum Onyx and the Liquid Platinum as well as the Abyss Diana Phi. Gone are my Lcd 4z and JH Roxanne (both to good homes where they will be loved and used). Also gone are my LS50 and Arcam A38. they have been replaced by the Dynaudio Confidence C1 Platinums and Hegel H360. This was a substantial upgrade from the ls50 and arcam set up.
> 
> The Abyss sounds great with the Cavalli LP and Metrum. I am tempted to try and trade up to Pavane but I think that I am going to stick with the onyx for now. I think that it sounds better than the Chord Qutest. I was able to try the Onyx with the Mscaler today and I don't think that it made anywhere as much of a difference with it compared to what them Mscaler did with the Qutest or Hugo2. I am now a believer in R2R NOS Dacs. The Metrum just sounds more natural to me.
> 
> If anyone has experience with the Pavane and Onyx please let me know how much of an improvement there is with the Pavane. Is it worth more than double the asking price of the Onyx??



haha wow you really kept the diana as u said..


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Very nice looking setup. How do you like the Hegel? Their products are affordable here in Europe, but when I was buying an integrated amplifier I didn't see many favorable comments about the Hegel so I passed on it.


----------



## OctavianH

It depends on the Hegel model. Some of them are quite expensive even in Europe. I wanted, in the past, to try a H90 and it was around 2000 EUR...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I meant cheaper than outside Europe since most of the guys on here live in America and it's much more expensive for us to buy American products here.

I think the H90 if it is 2.000 Euros is way overpriced.


----------



## nc8000

The problem for Hegel in Europe might be that they are from Norway so outside the EU


----------



## gimmeheadroom

nc8000 said:


> The problem for Hegel in Europe might be that they are from Norway so outside the EU



<facepalm> LOL. Thanks. I'm new in Europe so I remain clueless!


----------



## CreditingKarma

I really like the hegel. It is an h360 so one of the higher end models. I picked it up for $4,000 USD. I upgraded from an arcam and it is a big upgrade sound wise. It is actually a dual mono design as well. In the end it is about synergy with the rest of the system. It works great with the dynaudio. Kef was also demoing the muon with hegel mono blocks and a hegel pre at axpona. I think it says some thing when they demo a $200k speaker with less than $20k of amplification and preamp.


----------



## Andrew DiMarcangelo

Here's what's currently on the desk in my office. LCD-4z, Empyrean, Stellia, Ether 2, and Khan. Modi Multibit, Loki, and Magni. Pro iDSD and Pro iCAN. Hugo 2. SP1000M.


----------



## judomaniak57

oh common man, impressions, u cant have 4 of the best on your desk and leave no comments about them


----------



## Andrew DiMarcangelo

judomaniak57 said:


> oh common man, impressions, u cant have 4 of the best on your desk and leave no comments about them


Ha! I can't go into much detail at the moment. Maybe I'll write up a paragraph about each later this week.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

judomaniak57 said:


> oh common man, impressions, u cant have 4 of the best on your desk and leave no comments about them



Maybe he's working 3 jobs to pay for all that?  So give him a break


----------



## Andrew DiMarcangelo

gimmeheadroom said:


> Maybe he's working 3 jobs to pay for all that?  So give him a break


Hahaha, these headphones ARE my job.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

adcustom said:


> Hahaha, these headphones ARE my job.



Duuuude!


----------



## CreditingKarma

Focux said:


> haha wow you really kept the diana as u said..



Yes I did i liked them too much to give them back. Just one problem now I want the Abyss 1266 TC. the liquid platinum can actually drive the 1266 too.


----------



## HiFiRebel (May 21, 2019)

adcustom said:


> Here's what's currently on the desk in my office. LCD-4z, Empyrean, Stellia, Ether 2, and Khan. Modi Multibit, Loki, and Magni. Pro iDSD and Pro iCAN. Hugo 2. SP1000M.


Which Dell monitor is that? Amnd what do you think about it?


----------



## Andrew DiMarcangelo

HiFiRebel said:


> Which Dell monitor is that? Amnd what do you think about it?



U3419w. It's solid. Pairs well with MacBooks over USB-C. Text isn't as crisp as I'd like, otherwise I dig it.


----------



## HiFiRebel

adcustom said:


> U3419w. It's solid. Pairs well with MacBooks over USB-C. Text isn't as crisp as I'd like, otherwise I dig it.


Oh, it's a curved one. I'm looking to upgrade to something bigger than my 30" u3014, but I cannot have curved one. Anyway, thanks.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

HiFiRebel said:


> Oh, it's a curved one. I'm looking to upgrade to something bigger than my 30" u3014, but I cannot have curved one. Anyway, thanks.



You can. You probably just did not heat it up enough when you tried to bend it.


----------



## alucard177 (May 22, 2019)

My humble room headphone station.

I think I should change my room color, LOL.

I know what you are thinking, but no, this is not a Fostex advertisement.





Living room with speaker setup and headphones


----------



## schnesim (May 22, 2019)

nc8000 said:


> The problem for Hegel in Europe might be that they are from Norway so outside the EU


You are kinda mistaken. Norway is in the EU in terms of a trade union. Not when it comes to the political union.


----------



## nc8000

schnesim said:


> You are kinda mistaken. Norway is in the EU in terms of a trade union. Not when it comes to the political union.



When I in Denmark order things over the internet from Norway I get slammed with vat and import tax on top of the Norwegian purchase price just as if it came from US or the Far East


----------



## schnesim

nc8000 said:


> When I in Denmark order things over the internet from Norway I get slammed with vat and import tax on top of the Norwegian purchase price just as if it came from US or the Far East


Now I'm confused. On the two occasions I ordered something from Norway which was above 50€ I never had to pay tax...


----------



## nc8000

schnesim said:


> Now I'm confused. On the two occasions I ordered something from Norway which was above 50€ I never had to pay tax...



Strange. I don’t do it very often as many Norwegian businesses can’t be bothered to ship to Denmark


----------



## Scgorg

EU VAT and Norwegian VAT are indeed not the same. The biggest benefit of living within the EU is that if VAT has been paid in France/Germany/wherever then it still applies to the rest of the union. If I buy something from the EU and have it shipped to Norway I still have to pay Norwegian VAT. Some companies deduct VAT for countries outside the EU (such as Vision Ears), which means that while I still have to pay the Norwegian VAT the EU VAT is out of the picture. If you are unfortunate, however, you basically have to pay the 23% from the EU as well as the 25% from Norway. This is the reason why certain products (though few) are cheaper in Norway than the rest of the world. I can't speak for Hegel prices specifically, but the H590 costs 96000 NOK which is about 11000 USD.

I think the reason you've had differing experiences is just luck, some things simply go through customs without them slapping the VAT on you, I know this has happened for many of my Massdrop purchases, despite the correct price being listed on the package.


----------



## betula (May 22, 2019)

If I said I am am an unhappy man that would be a lie.
Having all these beauties lying on the top of my Taurus MKII...
I don't have much to complain about. Perhaps someone could send me another 2-3 grands to experience a significant sonic upgrade... 



 ...


----------



## Deftone

betula said:


> If I said I am am an unhappy man that would be a lie.
> Having all these beauties lying on the top of my Taurus MKII...
> I don't have much to complain about. Perhaps someone could send me another 2-3 grands to experience a significant sonic upgrade...
> ...



I think at this point you would be better off going for something like LCD4 instead of more source upgrades.


----------



## betula

Deftone said:


> I think at this point you would be better off going for something like LCD4 instead of more source upgrades.


I agree. I am probably aiming for the Empyrean as a next upgrade. At some point.


----------



## Kukuk

I'm using tubes to power my HE-500 and nobody can stop me.


----------



## CJG888

Same here. Opens up the midrange (but it needs to be a tube amp with output transformers and at least 1W into 32 ohms!).


----------



## ruthieandjohn (May 24, 2019)

Here's mine, after my move from Ann Arbor, MI to Poulsbo, WA... all the headphones, amps, DACs, and DAPs made it.

In the photo...Grado GS2000e, Ultrasone Edition 10, HiFiMAN HE1000, Fostex TH-900, GradoPS2000e, and below, Sennheiser HD800 with matching HDVD DAC/amp and Norne Draug2 cable.  Sources/amps include the iPhone 5S and CCK, FiiO X5iii, Lotoo PAW Gold, HiFiMAN EF-6, Schiit Gungir Multibit, and Schitt Mjolner, supporting both single end and balanced.  Most important element is the leather chair with ottoman. Second most important element is the view seen from that chair... looking down on Liberty Bay (part of Puget Sound) with the Poulsbo Marina, and the Olympic Mountains snowcapped against the sky... beautiful for listening.


----------



## alucard177

Current portable gear:


----------



## CJG888

Which DAP is that?


----------



## nc8000

CJG888 said:


> Which DAP is that?



Hidizs AP80


----------



## jaywillin

ruthieandjohn said:


> Here's mine, after my move from Ann Arbor, MI to Poulsbo, WA... all the headphones, amps, DACs, and DAPs made it.
> 
> In the photo...Grado GS2000e, Ultrasone Edition 10, HiFiMAN HE1000, Fostex TH-900, GradoPS2000e, and below, Sennheiser HD800 with matching HDVD DAC/amp and Norne Draug2 cable.  Sources/amps include the iPhone 5S and CCK, FiiO X5iii, Lotoo PAW Gold, HiFiMAN EF-6, Schiit Gungir Multibit, and Schitt Mjolner, supporting both single end and balanced.  Most important element is the leather chair with ottoman. Second most important element is the view seen from that chair... looking down on Liberty Bay (part of Puget Sound) with the Poulsbo Marina, and the Olympic Mountains snowcapped against the sky... beautiful for listening.




very, very nice


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

Swapped out my HPA-4 + Chord Qutest for the Chord TT-2. Got a custom Norne Audio cable for my Empyrean's as well!


----------



## betula

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Swapped out my HPA-4 + Chord Qutest for the Chord TT-2. Got a custom Norne Audio cable for my Empyrean's as well!


This would be my current endgame setup. I did hear the combo, it is awesome.


----------



## Focux

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Swapped out my HPA-4 + Chord Qutest for the Chord TT-2. Got a custom Norne Audio cable for my Empyrean's as well!



wow nice setup..


----------



## Lucky87

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Swapped out my HPA-4 + Chord Qutest for the Chord TT-2. Got a custom Norne Audio cable for my Empyrean's as well!



How was the HPA4 with the Empyrean? I had the HPA4 with my Utopia and Z1R and it added nothing. But with the 800S I was demoing it did wonders, I ended up sending it back along with the 800S.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Lucky87 said:


> How was the HPA4 with the Empyrean? I had the HPA4 with my Utopia and Z1R and it added nothing. But with the 800S I was demoing it did wonders, I ended up sending it back along with the 800S.



Personally I love the HPA4 + Empyrean (with my Chord DAVE upfront). In fact, this was my preferred setup during my Empyrean review (coming out soon on Headphone.Guru).


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

Lucky87 said:


> How was the HPA4 with the Empyrean? I had the HPA4 with my Utopia and Z1R and it added nothing. But with the 800S I was demoing it did wonders, I ended up sending it back along with the 800S.


I quite enjoyed the HPA-4 with the Empyrean, and really anything that I plugged into it for that matter. There was plenty power, detail, finesse, and mostly importantly a nice inky black background for the low distortion that the Empyrean has. Looking back I could've been content with the HPA-4  for the rest of my life. There is nothing but praise from me for the HPA-4.


----------



## Scutey

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Swapped out my HPA-4 + Chord Qutest for the Chord TT-2. Got a custom Norne Audio cable for my Empyrean's as well!


Nice set up!, I've heard good things about those Empyrean's.


----------



## westyjeff

Couch side listening at its best!


----------



## Jozurr

westyjeff said:


> Couch side listening at its best!



What headphones are those? and are you using the phone as the DAC?


----------



## westyjeff

Jozurr said:


> What headphones are those? and are you using the phone as the DAC?



Those are heavily modified M1060's and the DAC is the Hiby R6 Pro.


----------



## llamaluv

Many changes to my system lately (even more than usual (!)). The Pass Labs INT-150 and Dave are new. Some combination of the Pavane, X150.8, Freya, and Singxer SU-6 will be looking for new homes.

Previously:
Early 2019
Mid 2018
Early 2018


----------



## whirlwind

llamaluv said:


> Many changes to my system lately (even more than usual (!)). The Pass Labs INT-150 and Dave are new. Some combination of the Pavane, X150.8, Freya, and Singxer SU-6 will be looking for new homes.
> 
> Previously:
> Early 2019
> ...




Looks fantastic and I am sure it sounds the same.  

I am still rockin' the GS-X mk2 from your Mid 2018 set-up.


----------



## ufospls2

llamaluv said:


> Many changes to my system lately (even more than usual (!)). The Pass Labs INT-150 and Dave are new. Some combination of the Pavane, X150.8, Freya, and Singxer SU-6 will be looking for new homes.
> 
> Previously:
> Early 2019
> ...



Are you running the Susvara from the Pass INT-150? That must be a lovely pairing


----------



## RobertSM

My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.


----------



## nordkapp

RobertSM said:


> My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.


Beautiful. Congrats.


----------



## Scutey (May 29, 2019)

My latest set up, Feliks Audio Euforia tube amp, and arrived today Schiit Jotunheim, also hiden behind Jot, Chord 2Qute dac.


----------



## Scutey

llamaluv said:


> Many changes to my system lately (even more than usual (!)). The Pass Labs INT-150 and Dave are new. Some combination of the Pavane, X150.8, Freya, and Singxer SU-6 will be looking for new homes.
> 
> Previously:
> Early 2019
> ...


Wow impressive set up .


----------



## RickB

RobertSM said:


> My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.



That is absolutely beautiful. Cheers!


----------



## llamaluv

ufospls2 said:


> Are you running the Susvara from the Pass INT-150? That must be a lovely pairing


Yes, thanks. The INT-150 makes the Susvara sound more holographic and with more depth than any other amp I've heard it on. Highly recommended.


----------



## Bookbear

RobertSM said:


> My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.


COOL cabinet... where did you get it?


----------



## JTori

RobertSM said:


> My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.



Very nice!  Well thought out and implemented.


----------



## RobertSM

Bookbear said:


> COOL cabinet... where did you get it?



Thank you. I found it at a furniture shop in L.A. this past weekend. 40% off Memorial Day sale.


----------



## RobertSM (May 29, 2019)

JTori said:


> Very nice!  Well thought out and implemented.



Thank you. I decided to take a different approach to the traditional Hi-Fi system. Instead of having a massive stack of gear, pre-amps>power amps>EQ> speakers, I decided to tap into the world of pro audio with the Genelec speakers. The amplification,active and passive filters are all housed in the speakers. The Genelec GLM, loudspeaker management software allows me to dial in a warmer frequency curve, something closer to what would be considered a traditional Hi-Fi curve. The speakers are designed to have a flat frequency response in the entire frequency spectrum, perfect for sound engineers, terrible for casual listening. BUT, the GLM software does allow me to go in and manually make adjustments in any area of the spectrum as I see fit.  The GLM also allows for time of flight correction and phase correction among other things.  The software is actually very powerful. To be honest, I'm really learning it all as I go along. It's been fun thus far. Just a reminder, as the saying goes...there's more than one way to skin a cat.


----------



## SalR406

RobertSM said:


> I decided to tap into the world of pro audio with the Genelec speakers. The amplification,active and passive filters are all housed in the speakers.



I took a similar route with my system.  Genelec 8030C speakers fed by an Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC/Preamp.  Headphones are Focal Utopias.  Very happy with the combination.


----------



## CreditingKarma (May 30, 2019)

Updated as of tonight. Sorry to disappoint @Focux but the Diana Phi is gone. These have taken their place. Enter the Abyss1266 Phi TC I have reached my endgame for the foreseeable future.





While I really liked the Diana Phi these are on another level altogether. I am really loving the sound that they give.


----------



## Kukuk

Things are getting a little weird right now, but allow me to explain:

They Beyerdynamic A20 is a stunning looking amp that I've really tried hard to absolutely love. It sounds fantastic with some headphones, and not so much with others. It was part of my main listening setup for a while, but I had to kick it out because it was *so* noisy. I could never really chase down what the issue was, because it was extremely noisy with everything from my on-board audio, my Sound Blaster AE-5 sound card, my Schiit Modi 2, and my Marantz HD-DAC1. I tried with with laptops, different computers, power strips, etc, and I still couldn't eliminate the noise, so I concluded it was the amp. On a whim I decided to see if running it from my PHA-2A would reduce the noise and... Silence. Even with the volume turned all the way up there is no hum, hiss, crackle, nothing. My only thought is it's not filtering electrical noise from the source?

Oddly enough, I feel like it powers the HE-500 fairly well.


----------



## Thenewguy007

llamaluv said:


> Yes, thanks. The INT-150 makes the Susvara sound more holographic and with more depth than any other amp I've heard it on. Highly recommended.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the INT-150 just a X150.5 power amp with volume control?
The Pass Labs X150.8 is the newer version, but without the volume control, so shouldn't it be better, unless the preamp function adds that much to the INT-150?

I think every review I saw for the .8 series have said they thought it was a step up from the .5 series.


----------



## Focux

CreditingKarma said:


> Updated as of tonight. Sorry to disappoint @Focux but the Diana Phi is gone. These have taken their place. I have reached my endgame for the foreseeable future.
> 
> 
> 
> While I really liked the Diana Phi these are on another level altogether. I am really loving the sound that they give.



Is that the TC version?


----------



## kid vic

CreditingKarma said:


> Updated as of tonight. Sorry to disappoint @Focux but the Diana Phi is gone. These have taken their place. I have reached my endgame for the foreseeable future.
> 
> 
> 
> While I really liked the Diana Phi these are on another level altogether. I am really loving the sound that they give.




I've always been curious how 1266 sound but I can't get over my need for appreciable physical design.


----------



## llamaluv

Thenewguy007 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the INT-150 just a X150.5 power amp with volume control?
> The Pass Labs X150.8 is the newer version, but without the volume control, so shouldn't it be better, unless the preamp function adds that much to the INT-150?
> 
> I think every review I saw for the .8 series have said they thought it was a step up from the .5 series.



It is, yea. I wouldn't say the newer version is better in some uncomplicated, straightforward way, though, as they each have a different character, which is why I have both for the time being. For example, the INT-150 has more of an uncanny dimensionality, while the X150.8 has a denser, more forward sound. I've also written impressions of each along the way in the SR1a thread.


----------



## CreditingKarma

Focux said:


> Is that the TC version?


 

Yes they are the tc version.


----------



## CreditingKarma

kid vic said:


> I've always been curious how 1266 sound but I can't get over my need for appreciable physical design.




The design is not the best. I think that is the only way that they can get the fit right for the way that they are supposed to sit on the head. They shouldn't actually seal on tour head they just float barely touching your ears. The bass is incredible I thought that the LCD 4z was great but these are even better. The treble and sound stage are leaps beyond as well. They just are not that warm like the audeze house sound.


----------



## global communication

RobertSM said:


> My rig. I'm pretty happy. I have headphone, both solid-state & tube & stereo listening covered.



I don't usually do jealousy but this is perfect.


----------



## whirlwind (May 31, 2019)

My station has pretty much stayed the same. I need to hide some wires.

Only new additions are a new  pc chair, because my fat butt broke the old one ...new tubes and a new headphone cable.

I am off work for another week....so enjoying the music.


----------



## SalR406

whirlwind said:


> My station has pretty much stayed the same. I need to hide some wires.
> 
> Only new additions are a new  pc chair, because my fat butt broke the old one ...new tubes and a new headphone cable.
> 
> I am off work for another week....so enjoying the music.



Nice to see that beautiful HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 in such a great system.  I was very close to buying it from @llamaluv  myself a few months ago before you snapped it up!  Thanks for sharing the pics.  Enjoy!


----------



## EDWARIS

my new improvement - GG2) with ECBA, LCD4, Antipodes CX, Takatsuki 300b, DHC Prion4s


----------



## MeetYourMaker

llamaluv said:


> Yes, thanks. The INT-150 makes the Susvara sound more holographic and with more depth than any other amp I've heard it on. Highly recommended.


Do you prefer the INT-150 over the Woo wa33 with the susvara?


----------



## llamaluv

MeetYourMaker said:


> Do you prefer the INT-150 over the Woo wa33 with the susvara?


Yes, without question. Among other things, the WA33 cannot touch the size of the soundstage of the INT-150.


----------



## kuutan

Nice weather for some outdoor sessions. I call this The Red Scare.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

kuutan said:


> Nice weather for some outdoor sessions. I call this The Red Scare.



Wow! Looks like a perfect match. Were these custom painted?


----------



## Deftone

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Wow! Looks like a perfect match. Were these custom painted?



On my monitor they are all 3 different shades of red.


----------



## kuutan

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> Wow! Looks like a perfect match. Were these custom painted?


 The two fostex th900s are same stock red. The Loxjie P20 is also a factory stock light red. The fostex is a deeper red but under the sun they really brighten up


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

Deftone said:


> On my monitor they are all 3 different shades of red.


Ah. I was looking at them on my phone.


----------



## BobG55

whirlwind said:


> My station has pretty much stayed the same. I need to hide some wires.
> 
> Only new additions are a new  pc chair, because my fat butt broke the old one ...new tubes and a new headphone cable.
> 
> I am off work for another week....so enjoying the music.



Wow !  Very nice looking & impressive audiophile setup whirlwind.  Love the murals also.


----------



## BobG55

Violectric V281, Violectric V850 sitting on Violectric V100 & my all aluminium & excellent CD player, Teac PD-H600.  The Hifiman HE500 XLR [w/ self made headband padding] & the Beyer DT880/ 600ohms.  The Grados GS1000i, RS-1 w/ buttons, Senns HD600 & HD650 are presently with an audio technician getting their respective cable converted to XLR w/ male connectors & female connection also for SE listening also.


----------



## cherylyn

EDWARIS said:


> my new improvement - GG2) with ECBA, LCD4, Antipodes CX, Takatsuki 300b, DHC Prion4s


So damn beautiful.


----------



## cherylyn

BobG55 said:


> Violectric V281, Violectric V850 sitting on Violectric V100 & my all aluminium & excellent CD player, Teac PD-H600.  The Hifiman HE500 XLR [w/ self made headband padding] & the Beyer DT880/ 600ohms.  The Grados GS1000i, RS-1 w/ buttons, Senns HD600 & HD650 are presently with an audio technician getting their respective cable converted to XLR w/ male connectors & female connection also for SE listening also.


You should get yourself some nice stands!


----------



## antdroid




----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## raymogi

Some insane gears in this thread!

Posting my setup again because I love it so much


----------



## Deftone

nice keyboard


----------



## Pharmaboy

CreditingKarma said:


> Updated as of tonight. Sorry to disappoint @Focux but the Diana Phi is gone. These have taken their place. Enter the Abyss1266 Phi TC I have reached my endgame for the foreseeable future.
> 
> 
> 
> While I really liked the Diana Phi these are on another level altogether. I am really loving the sound that they give.



How do you like the Onyx? I'm on the fence about getting one...upgrading from Audio GD NOS 19.


----------



## Sath (Jun 16, 2019)

My setup :3

the bottom headphones that looks so dark are:
senn hd6600s
Sony WH-1000XM3 
Audeze Sine


----------



## Mani ATH 87

Just finished getting my new station set up


----------



## Scutey

Mani ATH 87 said:


> Just finished getting my new station set up


Is that a Ragnarok behind your hp's?.


----------



## DVass13

Scutey said:


> Is that a Ragnarok behind your hp's?.


The signature below the picture shows "_Schiit Asgard 2 ---> Focal Elear"_


----------



## MisterMudd

ruthieandjohn said:


> Here's mine, after my move from Ann Arbor, MI to Poulsbo, WA... all the headphones, amps, DACs, and DAPs made it.
> 
> In the photo...Grado GS2000e, Ultrasone Edition 10, HiFiMAN HE1000, Fostex TH-900, GradoPS2000e, and below, Sennheiser HD800 with matching HDVD DAC/amp and Norne Draug2 cable.  Sources/amps include the iPhone 5S and CCK, FiiO X5iii, Lotoo PAW Gold, HiFiMAN EF-6, Schiit Gungir Multibit, and Schitt Mjolner, supporting both single end and balanced.  Most important element is the leather chair with ottoman. Second most important element is the view seen from that chair... looking down on Liberty Bay (part of Puget Sound) with the Poulsbo Marina, and the Olympic Mountains snowcapped against the sky... beautiful for listening.


Post a picture of the view.


----------



## ruthieandjohn (Jun 17, 2019)

MisterMudd said:


> Post a picture of the view.


----------



## MisterMudd

ruthieandjohn said:


>


Nice. Thanks.


----------



## IndieGradoFan

Audeze LCD-X
Woo Audio WA-22
Schiit Ragnarok 2
Schiit Yggdrasil


----------



## interweb-tech

IndieGradoFan said:


> Audeze LCD-X
> Woo Audio WA-22
> Schiit Ragnarok 2
> Schiit Yggdrasil



Is that the Norne Draug3? I just ordered my third today for my HD800 (have them for LCD-X and HD6XX).


----------



## IndieGradoFan

interweb-tech said:


> Is that the Norne Draug3? I just ordered my third today (have them for LCD-X and HD6XX).



Draug 2, yeah. Love Norne cables.


----------



## KyungMin

Added AKG K812. Looking To upgrade my amp for these


----------



## Mani ATH 87

KyungMin said:


> Added AKG K812. Looking To upgrade my amp for these



That's a lot of mid fi...I like it


----------



## Scutey

KyungMin said:


> Added AKG K812. Looking To upgrade my amp for these


Wow, I have four sets of hp's, which I thought was a lot but your collection is very impressive!.


----------



## MisterMudd

KyungMin said:


> Added AKG K812. Looking To upgrade my amp for these


That's sick man. But in a good way.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

KyungMin said:


> Added AKG K812. Looking To upgrade my amp for these


That's very impressing but... Wait... Beats?

#notjudging


----------



## ruthieandjohn

Quasimodosbelfry said:


> That's very impressing but... Wait... Beats?
> 
> #notjudging


----------



## Drewligarchy

Working through my final setup at my new apartment. It's in the loft area so offers a respite from the wife and kids.

That's a raymour and flanigan fully motorized recliner which goes all the way flat, and has separate controls for your head, so you can get the perfect angle (perfect for the abyss) At around $600 and change, it's a pretty good deal.

I'm borrowing the Utopia and the XI Formula S and Powerman from the Cable Company. I think Utopias going back, but I am going to have to buy the Formula S and Powerman as its perfect for the Abyss. Also considering whether I get another rack rather than use that bar I had lying around, as it's so tall. I do like having some headphone hangers.

First rack has Abyss TC and Focal Utopia on top, with a Dave under it, a Formula S and Powerman under that, and a Mojnir KGSSHV Carbon under that.

Bar has LCD-4 and Stax 009 hanging. Under that is a Microsoft Surface I am just using as a screen to show Roon's "Now Playing" screen - it's not in the audio path. Last shelf has a Violectric V281 next to an Audioengine D2 Wireless DAC. I'm using the Wireless DAC to just transport optical wirelessly from the TV across from the chair (not pictured), directly into Dave - so I can listen with any headphone. Under the bar is an Auralic Aries.

You can see my the beginnings of my desk next to the bar on the left. That's a Focal Clear Professional - that I primarily use with my computer. When listening to a TV/Movie or Game, I'll primarily use the Clear's right out of the Dave. 

Got some hue accent lighting in the back, which is not coming through the picture perfectly. 

Work in process. As mentioned, Utopias probably go but the Formula S and Powerman Stays. I have a Mr Speakers Aeon Open that will probably take its place. 

Any suggestions for improvement are welcomed!


----------



## MisterMudd

Drewligarchy said:


> Working through my final setup at my new apartment. It's in the loft area so offers a respite from the wife and kids.
> 
> That's a raymour and flanigan fully motorized recliner which goes all the way flat, and has separate controls for your head, so you can get the perfect angle (perfect for the abyss) At around $600 and change, it's a pretty good deal.
> 
> ...


Cozy and cool man! Nice respite corner.


----------



## richie60

Simplified spare room setup.  Did have a speaker system set up here but that's now gone.

Burson amp used for both the Grado PS500E and Sennheiser HD600.  Sources are the Rega P3-2000 and my rpi/Audiophonics dac with Linear PSU.


----------



## RobertSM (Jun 26, 2019)

richie60 said:


> Simplified spare room setup.  Did have a speaker system set up here but that's now gone.
> 
> Burson amp used for both the Grado PS500E and Sennheiser HD600.  Sources are the Rega P3-2000 and my rpi/Audiophonics dac with Linear PSU.



Very nice. I also really like the credenza. Beautiful wood movement on the door panels.


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

richie60 said:


> Simplified spare room setup.  Did have a speaker system set up here but that's now gone.
> 
> Burson amp used for both the Grado PS500E and Sennheiser HD600.  Sources are the Rega P3-2000 and my rpi/Audiophonics dac with Linear PSU.


@RobertSM is right. You've got great taste in furniture.


----------



## Shane D (Jul 5, 2019)

The results of the last six months.
 

Shane D


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

My death at an Italian restaurant.


----------



## ekkstra

Shane D said:


> The results of the last six month's.
> 
> 
> Shane D



How's the P20 treating you? Is the hybrid balanced tube amp good as they say? Thinking about getting one, to be my first tube.


----------



## Shane D

ekkstra said:


> How's the P20 treating you? Is the hybrid balanced tube amp good as they say? Thinking about getting one, to be my first tube.



It's my first "tube" amp. I wasn't overly impressed. I bought some Russian tubes and that did open it up a bit.

I have never heard a "real" tube amp, so I am not sure what I expected. I bought a hybrid because all of my headphones are very efficient (32 Ohm).

I LOVE my Burson Fun and now it works with a Schiit Loki in the chain. The Grado's are lovin' a bit of added bass.

I own the P20 and will use it occasionally (that's why I bought a balanced DAC), but in hindsight...I shouldn't have bought it.

But, to each their own. You may buy it and love it. After you change the tubes.

Shane D


----------



## OctavianH

Nice new Forza AudioWorks cable in house.


----------



## betula (Jun 28, 2019)

The Sennheiser buds are here to test if they are ok for flights (I haven't even tried them yet.).
The Empy's are my latest purchase to upgrade from my LCD2C.


----------



## Deftone

betula said:


> The Sennheiser buds are here to test if they are ok for flights (I haven't even tried them yet.).
> The Empy's are my latest purchase to upgrade from my LCD2C.



TT2 next?


----------



## betula

Deftone said:


> TT2 next?


Yes, but I will have to wait with that a little longer.


----------



## Kukuk

New toy.





Of course it gets here early, before my balanced cables get here. Not that I'm complaining...


----------



## Focux




----------



## lugnut

Shane D said:


> I own the P20 and will use it occasionally (that's why I bought a balanced DAC), but in hindsight...I shouldn't have bought it.


What is the output impedance of the P20 ? How does it match up with the impedance of your headphones ?


----------



## Shane D (Jun 28, 2019)

Deleted by me.


----------



## Shane D (Jun 28, 2019)

lugnut said:


> What is the output impedance of the P20 ? How does it match up with the impedance of your headphones ?



I have seen numbers bounced around like 47R, but I do not know. I bought this amp because my preferred headphones are 32 Ohm and I had read that full on tube amps wouldn't play well with very efficient headphones .The P20 sounds fine and better since the tube upgrade. However, it will likely move from current in my signature to PAST.
Now that my system building is done for now, including optional opamps and tubes, I can do some serious comparisions.

Shane D


----------



## Allegro maestoso

I call my listening station "The Lap of Luxury." Why sit on an office chair at a computer desk when you can recline wantonly in a chaise longue?


----------



## sealykojac

The old Mac drives them surprisingly well


----------



## richie60

Did a little diy project to tidy up my rpi streamer today.  Got some small Ikea chopping boards and threaded rod and made this:


----------



## Allegro maestoso

richie60 said:


> Did a little diy project to tidy up my rpi streamer today.  Got some small Ikea chopping boards and threaded rod and made this:



Gorgeous!!


----------



## Monsterzero

Happiness is a warm tube,or 7.


----------



## Audio Aficionado

Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature is my first foray into high-end audio. Just got them yesterday and to say i've been impressed would be an understatement. It's like having a very high-end separates system in your pocket. lol.


----------



## betula

Audio Aficionado said:


> Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature is my first foray into high-end audio. Just got them yesterday and to say i've been impressed would be an understatement. It's like having a very high-end separates system in your pocket. lol.


It is only going to get better, but you will spend a lot more money than you have ever imagined.


----------



## nc8000

betula said:


> It is only going to get better, but you will spend a lot more money than you have ever imagined.



Or just decide to be satisfied and get the hell out of here


----------



## Deftone

nc8000 said:


> Or just decide to be satisfied and get the hell out of here



Youll never reach satisfaction on here. Its like throwing a kid in a sweet shop and locking the door, even if they cant reach the best candy on the top shelf they still want it.


----------



## Light - Man

Deftone said:


> Youll never reach satisfaction on here. Its like throwing a kid in a sweet shop and locking the door, even if they cant reach the best candy on the top shelf they still want it.


A bit like this?!


----------



## RickB

nc8000 said:


> Or just decide to be satisfied and get the hell out of here



It is possible to be satisfied and stick around here. (At least for awhile.)


----------



## 340519 (Jul 4, 2019)

Got the 800 and S together for this shot. It's my messy man cave, just the way I like it.


----------



## nc8000

RickB said:


> It is possible to be satisfied and stick around here. (At least for awhile.)



Yes but it requires a level of self control. My home rig has not changed in 3 years but I have been dappeling in the BT pond for portable


----------



## QueueCumber

Moved a few months ago and finally got everything set up in the new house. Layout is completely different and my listening station now has its own cubby in the new place.


----------



## LoryWiv (Jul 4, 2019)

It's on! Just put the Feliks Elise into my chain driving Auteur, retired the iFi iCan Pro.


----------



## raymogi




----------



## bmichels

*SORRY, I know this is Totally out of subjet, but I wanted to share my new toy with you.   There is not only HiFi  &  headphones in life *



 
`


----------



## Redcarmoose

bmichels said:


> *SORRY, I know this is Totally out of subjet, but I wanted to share my new toy with you.   There is not only HiFi  &  headphones in life *
> 
> 
> `



Really pretty location.......cheers!


----------



## nikhilthemeal

My current lovely setup. Sounds absolutely phenomenal for staging detail and smooth listening. The ifi is being replaced by a Chord Dave soon !!


----------



## Roderick

bmichels said:


> *SORRY, I know this is Totally out of subjet, but I wanted to share my new toy with you.   There is not only HiFi  &  headphones in life *
> 
> 
> `


Is it a cabriolet? I wonder if bass is better when you close the roof?


----------



## betula

bmichels said:


> *SORRY, I know this is Totally out of subjet, but I wanted to share my new toy with you.   There is not only HiFi  &  headphones in life *
> 
> 
> `


Is the property yours too?
You are one lucky man.


----------



## Focux

QueueCumber said:


> Moved a few months ago and finally got everything set up in the new house. Layout is completely different and my listening station now has its own cubby in the new place.



Goodness me, I didn’t know you were also an audio enthusiast

Sorry but I kinda prefer your wrist game hahahahaa


----------



## QueueCumber

Focux said:


> Goodness me, I didn’t know you were also an audio enthusiast
> 
> Sorry but I kinda prefer your wrist game hahahahaa



I’ve been an audio enthusiast decades longer than I’ve been a watch enthusiast. In any case, keep with it, you’ll get there someday...


----------



## Quasimodosbelfry

bmichels said:


> *SORRY, I know this is Totally out of subjet, but I wanted to share my new toy with you.   There is not only HiFi  &  headphones in life *
> 
> 
> `



How's the bass on this?


----------



## Articnoise (Jul 7, 2019)




----------



## ufospls2

I can't remember if I posted this photo. Current over ear collection, including the loaner Verite and Eikon from ZMF headphones.


----------



## EarDrumExplode

ufospls2 said:


> I can't remember if I posted this photo. Current over ear collection, including the loaner Verite and Eikon from ZMF headphones.


what are you using as stands?


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## Whitigir (Jul 7, 2019)

Also, this is a little off topic but.  My stereos is here too! A little part of it .  We don’t always have to Headphones, do we ?


----------



## ufospls2

ufospls2 said:


> I can't remember if I posted this photo. Current over ear collection, including the loaner Verite and Eikon from ZMF headphones.



Those are Yoga blocks (well the three on the right are.) I don't use them normally as they would compress the earpads, but for the photo, they work just fine


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2019)




----------



## QueueCumber (Jul 9, 2019)

Whitigir said:


> Also, this is a little off topic but.  My stereos is here too! A little part of it .  We don’t always have to Headphones, do we ?



Aye, aye!


   

As requested, speakers are the Bowers & Wilkins 803 D3s, HTM2 D3, & 805 D3s.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 8, 2019)

Classic 


QueueCumber said:


> Aye, aye!


----------



## MisterMudd

QueueCumber said:


> Aye, aye!


What speakers please. Thanks


----------



## Errymoose

MisterMudd said:


> What speakers please. Thanks


They look like B&W 802 D3s


----------



## EDWARIS (Jul 9, 2019)

some upgrades in my working room


----------



## ivanrocks321

Got some new stuff for my rig


----------



## Deftone

ivanrocks321 said:


> Got some new stuff for my rig



Whats new?


----------



## ivanrocks321

Deftone said:


> Whats new?



Stax SR009 and Chord Quetest


----------



## Deftone

Nice!


----------



## zelo

No more dynamic headphone these days...


----------



## Deftone

Well... I think it's time to leave happy.


----------



## Audio Aficionado

zelo said:


> No more dynamic headphone these days...


umm...okay, you must have a thick wallet!


----------



## The Socialist Nerd

EDWARIS said:


> some upgrades in my working room



That desk looks pretty dense. I assume it is from oak.


----------



## Deftone

Audio Aficionado said:


> umm...okay, you must have a thick wallet!



Not anymore.


----------



## EDWARIS

The Socialist Nerd said:


> That desk looks pretty dense. I assume it is from oak.


yes, something like this)


----------



## JamesCanada

zelo said:


> No more dynamic headphone these days...



Oh My! congratz on the amazing setup.... It doesn't get much more endgame than that!
Where do you lay back to listen to this beauty?


----------



## zelo

JamesCanada said:


> Oh My! congratz on the amazing setup.... It doesn't get much more endgame than that!
> Where do you lay back to listen to this beauty?


On couch during midnight... have to wait unit kid goes to bed...


----------



## kid vic

zelo said:


> On couch during midnight... have to wait unit kid goes to bed...



You must trust your kids with a setup like that!


----------



## woodcans




----------



## LoryWiv

woodcans said:


>


Magnificent aesthetics on that amp! Which ZMF's are those and how do they pair?


----------



## woodcans

Auteur Cocobolo. Pairs absolutely wonderfully.


----------



## RobertSM (Jul 12, 2019)

@woodcans 

An Allnic tube amp in the wild.  I've read alot about them. Korean made by a master electrical engineer who only does things one way, the right way, regardless of price. Beautifully made!

How do you like it?


----------



## LoryWiv

woodcans said:


> Auteur Cocobolo. Pairs absolutely wonderfully.


I just replaced my old amp with a Feliks-Audio Elise OTL tube amp. Still burning in and evaluating but it's clear there is magic with Auteur and tubes!


----------



## woodcans

RobertSM said:


> @woodcans
> 
> An Allnic tube amp in the wild.  I've read alot about them. Korean made by a master electrical engineer who only does things one way, the right way, regardless of price. Beautifully made!
> 
> How do you like it?



I love it. Has just enough 'tube' but is super transparent/detailed and more importantly super musical.


----------



## kumar402

zelo said:


> No more dynamic headphone these days...


Wow speechless


----------



## MLGrado

I broke the 9 pin 12AX7 socket my my Icon Audio HP8 mkii head amp.  I have it on my workbench (slowly) replacing the socket, and while I am at it, upgrading the coupling Caps to Jensen from the stock Solen.  Well, I am impatient, and just in case I make a catastrophic mistake on the workbench, I bought a second HP8 mkii.  It was an open box buy/discount, but you could have fooled me.  Packaged as brand new, came out of the box and just looks (and sounds) stunning.  Better in both regards vs the one I have in 'surgery'.  

LOVE IT!


----------



## MLGrado

Kukuk said:


> New toy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have admired these cans and amp from afar.  Just beautiful.  I am too heavily invested in tube audio for my primary system, but I am getting a new office built at work.  Maybe there... any reason to buy more gear


----------



## OctavianH

I would say that sometimes we forgot to listen to the music because we listen to our equipment... Today I made a step back, forgot my cables, gear and all the stuff and just remembered the music. A small part of my collection.











PS. Saxon will play at Wacken Open Air this year with the "Eagles and castles" production for their 40 years anniversary! See you in Wacken, rain or shine.


----------



## MLGrado

nikhilthemeal said:


> My current lovely setup. Sounds absolutely phenomenal for staging detail and smooth listening. The ifi is being replaced by a Chord Dave soon !!




when you aren't needing that iFi anymore, PM me.  I am in market.  Assuming you aren't just moving it to another system.  That iFi DAC is a special piece of gear.  What T. Loesch and his crew created is like mad audio scientist insane genius.


----------



## MLGrado

Articnoise said:


>




LOVE SimAudio.  

My introduction to true high fidelity audio was with Sim Audio.  (It was an Andromeda CD player, and one of their killer integrated from last decade)  NICE!


----------



## Audio Aficionado

OctavianH said:


> I would say that sometimes we forgot to listen to the music because we listen to our equipment... Today I made a step back, forgot my cables, gear and all the stuff and just remembered the music. A small part of my collection.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Cambridge Audio is by no means a step back. They are one of the most experienced companies in the industry. Enjoy!


----------



## OctavianH

Audio Aficionado said:


> Cambridge Audio is by no means a step back. They are one of the most experienced companies in the industry. Enjoy!



The CXC is a great CD transport. I just said that today I wanted to forget every brand and just listen to music like 20 years ago. Cambridge Audio is an excellent company.


----------



## Pharmaboy

EDWARIS said:


> some upgrades in my working room



What kind of orthopedic chair is that?


----------



## EDWARIS

it is german brand, ergohuman or something like this. I have it both at office and at home, very very convenient for long hours.


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## shane55

Audio Aficionado said:


> umm...okay, you must have a thick wallet!



Not any more?


----------



## Audio Aficionado

shane55 said:


> Not any more?


lol. Well, maybe.


----------



## vmiguel

Raspberry Pi 4 with Volumio, iFi Nano Black Label, Little Dot Mk II, Audioquest cables
Massdrop x Fostex T-X0 (T50RP), Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 Ohm

Volumio controled by an old and cheap Android tablet

On the top left a PSB subwoofer (to help my Ruark desktop speakers) and on the top right my portable setup: Audioquest Dragonfly Black, Massdrop x Koss KSC75X with YAXI earpads













Nothing too fancy, but an all lot of pleasure!


----------



## pure5152

Pictured:  ZDT Jr, Verite (pheasantwood), Focal Clear, Grado HF3 (love this thing!).  Cut-off on the left:  THX 789, Gumby A2.

Changes from last post:  

Source:  Mimby + Eitr -> Gumby
Headphones:  Pmx2 / Eikon -> Verite / Clear / HF-3
Amps:  Lyr 3 -> THX 789 / ZDT Jr


----------



## Shane D (Jul 17, 2019)

Got my glass shelves today. I tell myself that I have no OCD, but Wow this is SO much more organized!


Shane D


----------



## Trunks159

Shane D said:


> Got my glass shelves today. I tell myself that I have no OCD, but Wow this is SO much more organized!
> 
> 
> Shane D


You sure have that bass cranked up


----------



## Shane D

A


Trunks159 said:


> You sure have that bass cranked up


And it does not distort at all! The Loki is amazing!!
Those are my Beyer settings. Less processing on the Grado's, but still max bass.

Shane D


----------



## Audio Aficionado

My two objectives for the coming months are to buy a second headphone (most likely an open-back headphone) and upgrade my amp. I have my mind set on the Cyrus One. For now though, I am using a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2 to drive the P9 Signature. It's not bad at all.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## NZtechfreak (Jul 21, 2019)

Needs a bit of cable management yet, but nice to finally have it all together.


----------



## Light - Man




----------



## Audio Aficionado




----------



## OctavianH

Light - Man said:


>



Tons of hi-fi equipment in this picture.


----------



## Light - Man

OctavianH said:


> Tons of hi-fi equipment in this picture.


My wife has OCD, so she threw all my gear into the Oval bin and it all got shredded by the CIA.


----------



## Deftone

NZtechfreak said:


> Needs a bit of cable management yet, but nice to finally have it all together.



Shred!


----------



## NZtechfreak

Deftone said:


> Shred!


 Eyy, it's not all about shredding (even if I could actually shred in the first place) - that guitar can be a banjo, sitar, acoustic/12 string acoustic, Tele, Strat, Les Paul, Tritone guitar!


----------



## antdroid




----------



## Audio Aficionado

Trying out Qobuz for the first time. So far i'm impressed - much better than Spotify and Tidal, in my opinion.


----------



## judomaniak57

New headphones  Klipsch Hp3 thru a Astell and Kern 270mk11


----------



## mahesvara (Jul 25, 2019)

Abyss 1266 Phi TC: vast, visceral, powerful


----------



## betula

My phone camera doesn't do justice to this beauty, but I still feel the urge to share, sorry. 

For my taste at least the TT2 is the best DAC/amp I have heard up to and around its price point.

For my taste the Empyrean is the best headphone I have heard so far and I prefer it to the LCD4 (which cost £1000 more). 
Some people even prefer the Empy to the Susvara and the Abyss flagship and both of those cost twice the Empy's price and are hard to drive. (I haven't heard those.)

As a bonus the TT2 with the Empyrean is an exceptional match. Detailed, technical but very musical at the same time. Just how I like it.


----------



## Audio Aficionado

betula said:


> My phone camera doesn't do justice to this beauty, but I still feel the urge to share, sorry.
> 
> For my taste at least the TT2 is the best DAC/amp I have heard up to and around its price point.
> 
> ...



I think the Meze's name "Empyrean" matches it's looks.


----------



## CreditingKarma

betula said:


> My phone camera doesn't do justice to this beauty, but I still feel the urge to share, sorry.
> 
> For my taste at least the TT2 is the best DAC/amp I have heard up to and around its price point.
> 
> ...



The one thing I can say is that once you hear the ab1266 phi tc there is no going back. It is the most speaker like headphone I have ever heard.


----------



## Audio Aficionado

CreditingKarma said:


> The one thing I can say is that once you hear the ab1266 phi tc there is no going back. It is the most speaker like headphone I have ever heard.



I have not heard the Ab1266 Phi, i'm sure it's an absolutely incredible sounding headphone just like the Empyrean, however, you should make a point to hear the B&W P9 Signature. Those guys at B&W applied their decades of knowledge of speaker design in to the design of the P9 Signature, that's for sure.


----------



## Audio Aficionado

I finally have a proper desk to sit my equipment on, lol. Damn desk took 4 hours to build. Well worth it though, I can now mix/master my music more easily.






I also found a place for my old Cyrus system. It's old but it's a fine example of classic British hifi.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Glenn OTL and my regular three-headphone rotation.  The HD650 are soaring to previously unknown heights with this amp, tubes are Mullard CV181 and Western Electric 421A.


----------



## whirlwind

L0rdGwyn said:


> Glenn OTL and my regular three-headphone rotation.  The HD650 are soaring to previously unknown heights with this amp, tubes are Mullard CV181 and Western Electric 421A.




Great pic.

That is a killer tube combo...congrats!


----------



## Adu




----------



## koven (Aug 3, 2019)

Need to swap for a silver amp eventually..


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


> Need to swap for a silver amp eventually..



I liked the blue one!


----------



## GuyForkes

koven said:


> Need to swap for a silver amp eventually..



And a custom silver interface box. Great choice of amp btw, SoA2 was one of the amps was was seriously considering too.


----------



## awsanderson

some nights just call for whiskey and Vinyl.


----------



## woodcans

awsanderson said:


> some nights just call for whiskey and Vinyl.



And some call for crack & a speedball.


----------



## MisterMudd

koven said:


> Need to swap for a silver amp eventually..


Very cool. What speakers stand? I need some for my Emotiva S4's.


----------



## latimerfripp

My humble setup


----------



## koven

MisterMudd said:


> Very cool. What speakers stand? I need some for my Emotiva S4's.



Here it is: https://www.ionforgeonline.com/Pro-Series-Desktop-Speaker-Stands



GuyForkes said:


> And a custom silver interface box. Great choice of amp btw, SoA2 was one of the amps was was seriously considering too.



Pretty happy w/ the SoA2, great amp!


----------



## Audio Aficionado (Aug 5, 2019)

Finally have a monitor with an optical output. I can now use the Oehlbach XXL DAC Ultra to listen to high res music from my PC using it’s 32 bit/384KHz DAC, as well as create clearer recordings in FL Studio. I do most of my mixing with headphones, I only use speakers to determine things such as sub-bass depth and to ensure soundstage width/imaging accuracy.


----------



## Audio Aficionado (Aug 5, 2019)

One more picture (couldn’t resist uploading a picture of my Marantz CD player and P9 Signature together). I prefer to use the in-built headphone amp on the front of the CD Player to listen with instead of connecting an external headphone amp to it, because it has HDAM technology and gain settings - it’s very high fidelity. The Marantz doesn’t sound as warm and/or as magical as my Cyrus CD6, but thanks to the HDAM technology it has superior rhythm and micro detail due to having more efficient/better digital clocking system resulting in Lower jitter.


----------



## Javad

WA7 Gen2 + HD800 + Norne Audio VOLSUND


----------



## waveSounds

koven said:


> Need to swap for a silver amp eventually..



If you're not in the man-cave design business... well... you should be


----------



## znev777

My little corner of heaven


----------



## gefski

Not my Head-Fi station, but I thought my Yggy and unDAES-O (Ethernet interface) being "hot transported" to one of our Seattle meets might be of interest to some.


----------



## AlfredoDG

gefski said:


> Not my Head-Fi station, but I thought my Yggy and unDAES-O (Ethernet interface) being "hot transported" to one of our Seattle meets might be of interest to some.



Inverter to UPS to Schiit?


----------



## gefski

AlfredoDG said:


> Inverter to UPS to Schiit?



Yes. That small inverter is plenty for the small draw of the Yggy and uDO, and the UPS has plenty of battery time (except sometimes for the Bottlehead meet, which involves a ferry trip with long wait lines).


----------



## Admiral Kolchak

Wow, this thread is pure Head-Fi porn!!!! Beautiful!!!!


----------



## Deftone

Spinning some discs today.


----------



## Admiral Kolchak

My humble home set-up. Stellia, XC, Solaris and Hugo2.

Next moves are to get a TOTL open-back HP and a nice desktop amp, like the ones seen in this thread.


----------



## EarDrumExplode

Admiral Kolchak said:


> My humble home set-up. Stellia, XC, Solaris and Hugo2.
> 
> Next moves are to get a TOTL open-back HP and a nice desktop amp, like the ones seen in this thread.
> 
> [/QUOTSolaris and XC’s, my kind of setup


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## Allegro maestoso

Deftone said:


> Spinning some discs today.



I have that same Onkyo CD player. Nice!


----------



## ivanrocks321 (Aug 18, 2019)

Yet again another update, keep saying I’m done but somehow new stuff shows up. Discovered the sudgen headmaster seems pretty good for its age as a headphone amp. I’m debating on using it with my parasound HCA2000mk2 (currently used with speakers) for a more beefy amp for my k1k. Also got a kgss on loan but will be getting another compact sized electrostatic amp in near future. Might pickup a sudgen amp master for k1k but have no idea how it is seems details or scarce for most sudgen in general here in the us. If anyone has any idea let me know.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## bmichels (Aug 18, 2019)

EC445 + HE6..... a good alternate choice to my BHSE+ SR009, when I prefer a relaxed sound


----------



## AnakChan

Some posts have been deleted. Let's not stray off topic folks as it just prompts others to start posting OT pics on the thread.


----------



## CreditingKarma (Aug 19, 2019)

Not exactly headfi but I figured I would post here. The latest addition to my audio addiction. A pair of Magico S1mk2 in candy red. These were an upgrade from my previous Dynaudio C1 Platinums.

      I have wanted a pair of magico speakers ever since I first heard the A3. That was my goal to upgrade to but I was made an offer I couldn't refuse on these. They are more detailed than the A3 and I find them much better than the Dynaudio. The dyns were great but these are just on another level. Maybe some M2s some day but first is to add subs to the setup once we move into a house. My AB1266 tc  is on the way I had to give back the loaner pair ( others had to hear them too. I will post pics once I get them in with the full set up. Cheers


----------



## kid vic

CreditingKarma said:


> Not exactly headfi but I figured I would post here. The latest addition to my audio addiction. A pair of Magico S1mk2 in candy red. These were an upgrade from my previous Dynaudio C1 Platinums.
> 
> I have wanted a pair of magico speakers ever since I first heard the A3. That was my goal to upgrade to but I was made an offer I couldn't refuse on these. They are more detailed than the A3 and I find them much better than the Dynaudio. The dyns were great but these are just on another level. Maybe some M2s some day but first is to add subs to the setup once we move into a house. My AB1266 tc  is on the way I had to give back the loaner pair ( others had to hear them too. I will post pics once I get them in with the full set up. Cheers



I'm appalled that we are no longer Dynaudio cousins!! Mostly jealous that you could take the upgrade leap; still, it means your edging towards the 2-channel dark side....


----------



## alex.r0mashko (Sep 4, 2019)

My current office setup.
SMSL SU-8 DAC was added couple weeks ago.
Nice combo for daily listening at office space.


----------



## RickB

alex.r0mashko said:


> My current office setup.
> SMSM SU-8 DAC was added couple weeks ago.
> Nice combo for daily listening at office space.



Great photos, is that an xlr plug into the Magni, or just a thick 1/4" plug?


----------



## alex.r0mashko

RickB said:


> Great photos, is that an xlr plug into the Magni, or just a thick 1/4" plug?


Thanks  It's stock Audeze 1/4" plug. But i'm planning change magni for a balanced SMSL amp.


----------



## Roy G. Biv

Wow.  Wandered over here from the "Schiit Happened" thread.  
I'm not a headphone guy (yet here I am on Head-fi...) but dang, you guys have some seriously cool looking (and sounding, no doubt) gear!


----------



## CreditingKarma

kid vic said:


> I'm appalled that we are no longer Dynaudio cousins!! Mostly jealous that you could take the upgrade leap; still, it means your edging towards the 2-channel dark side....



Don't be too appalled. I really liked the Dynaudio c1 but the deal on these was just too good to pass up (they do sound better than the dyns). I think I am fully into the dark side of two channel audio. I still can't justify spending tons of money on speaker cables though. My transparents are good enough for me. 

I still love my headphones too though. The.       AB-1266 TC is magical and great for late night sessions.


----------



## kid vic

CreditingKarma said:


> Don't be too appalled. I really liked the Dynaudio c1 but the deal on these was just too good to pass up (they do sound better than the dyns). I think I am fully into the dark side of two channel audio. I still can't justify spending tons of money on speaker cables though. My transparents are good enough for me.
> 
> I still love my headphones too though. The.       AB-1266 TC is magical and great for late night sessions.



Well, the Abyss are supposed to be the most speaker like headphones around. I'm glad we can agree on cables at least!!


----------



## raypin

bmichels said:


>



Mm..the red rocket is a nice touch.


----------



## sup27606

raypin said:


> Mm..the red rocket is a nice touch.



Not just any red rocket. That one reached moon 15 years before the Apollo mission!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explorers_on_the_Moon


----------



## Roderick




----------



## ivanrocks321

New addition to my last post!


----------



## rokusei

Messy-station. I need to figure out some form of multi-stand. A large mousepad works okay for now.
The ZMF is a Padauk Eikon. And I reversed the grills on the LCD-2C for more of a "black-out" look.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 30, 2019)

Sony IER-Z1R IEM #124 (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(Included cable 4.4 Pentaconn to MMCX)

Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(HanSound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech 4.4mm)

Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.01

Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.01


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony MDR-Z1R #5680 Over-Ear Headphones 
Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.01
Sony MUC-B20SB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-3.5mm


----------



## lithiumnk

1.Metrum Acoustics Pavane NOS R2R DAC 

2. Audio Technica ADX5000 - FAW NOIR HPC mk2

3. Benchmark HPA4


----------



## makan




----------



## HungryPanda

A couple of pictures:


----------



## Richsvt

@HungryPanda Always nice to see you in and about. I'm sure that is just the tiniest fraction of what you could show...


----------



## HungryPanda

Just what is on my desk at the moment


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

My setup has more balls! (Added M-Scaler)


----------



## MattTCG

Nautrachkfriend said:


> My setup has more balls! (Added M-Scaler)



Ballsy or not...you need to get off those Beyers and get some real headphones, sir.


----------



## Nautrachkfriend (Sep 12, 2019)

MattTCG said:


> Ballsy or not...you need to get off those Beyers and get some real headphones, sir.


Empty wallet 

I am accepting donations if your Ether 2 is collecting dust! 

I’ve been looking at the Hifiman Arya though as a filler potential before Empyrean/Susvara. Surprisingly enough adding the M-Scaler tamed the Beyerdynamic T1 so that they aren’t as hard to deal with.


----------



## MattTCG

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Empty wallet
> 
> I am accepting donations, if your Ether 2 is collecting dust!
> 
> I’ve been looking at the Hifiman Arya though as a filler potential before Empyrean/Susvara. Surprisingly enough adding the M-Scaler tamed the Beyerdynamic T1 so that they aren’t as hard to deal with.



Bahaha! I like you. Very funny. Yes, I imagine that the ETHER 2 would rock my world on your setup. Very impressive. We should all be slumming it like you


----------



## CreditingKarma

Nautrachkfriend said:


> Empty wallet
> 
> I am accepting donations if your Ether 2 is collecting dust!
> 
> I’ve been looking at the Hifiman Arya though as a filler potential before Empyrean/Susvara. Surprisingly enough adding the M-Scaler tamed the Beyerdynamic T1 so that they aren’t as hard to deal with.



If you get a chance check out the abyss AB-1266 phi tc. I like them more than the susvara and they are leaps ahead of the empyrean in almost every aspect. They are almost speaker like.


----------



## interweb-tech

The latest acquisition: new-to-me Audio-gd R-28. Valiantly resisting the call of the Master 9 offered for sale close to me.


----------



## SalR406

interweb-tech said:


> Valiantly resisting



You know what the Borg say about resistance...


----------



## Krutsch

The new office rig using some old + new gear.

_Walkman NW-A55 _→ iFI nano iUSB 3.0 (_5v + audio_)_ → Sony PHA-3 →  4.4mm-to-3.5mm balanced → _HD-660S


----------



## PinkyPowers




----------



## BobSmith8901 (Sep 14, 2019)

interweb-tech said:


> The latest acquisition: new-to-me Audio-gd R-28. Valiantly resisting the call of the Master 9 offered for sale close to me.


That cable is a monster! What is it? Looks like a 64 core but I don't have any experience with balanced XLR.


----------



## MattTCG

Looks like a Norne Audio Draug 3.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Gavin C4 said:


>



What keyboard is that?



ivanrocks321 said:


> Yet again another update, keep saying I’m done but somehow new stuff shows up. Discovered the sudgen headmaster seems pretty good for its age as a headphone amp. I’m debating on using it with my parasound HCA2000mk2 (currently used with speakers) for a more beefy amp for my k1k. Also got a kgss on loan but will be getting another compact sized electrostatic amp in near future. Might pickup a sudgen amp master for k1k but have no idea how it is seems details or scarce for most sudgen in general here in the us. If anyone has any idea let me know.



AKG makes electrostatics? When did this happen?!



CreditingKarma said:


> Not exactly headfi but I figured I would post here. The latest addition to my audio addiction. A pair of Magico S1mk2 in candy red. These were an upgrade from my previous Dynaudio C1 Platinums.



I like your setup. Is that a TASCAM recorder on the right under your Furman? I'm going to buy the DA-3000 when I get the money. Nice desk btw, I've been wanting some rackage but I don't have the room for a rack-desk. Well I do, but it's not in the right place. I always ask people who have Hegels if they like them, since they're available here. Do you like yours? I went with Musical Fidelity instead but I'm going to be buying another integrated amp in the next six months probably. Surprising how many don't have line out.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

pure5152 said:


> Pictured:  ZDT Jr, Verite (pheasantwood), Focal Clear, Grado HF3 (love this thing!).  Cut-off on the left:  THX 789, Gumby A2.
> 
> Changes from last post:
> 
> ...



Yowza! HF3s! How are you liking them? I have to see if my local Grado guy can get these.


----------



## interweb-tech

BobSmith8901 said:


> That cable is a monster! What is it? Looks like a 64 core but I don't have any experience with balanced XLR.





MattTCG said:


> Looks like a Norne Audio Draug 3.



Indeed, that is the "HD800 tuned" version of the Norne Draug 3.


----------



## CreditingKarma

gimmeheadroom said:


> I like your setup. Is that a TASCAM recorder on the right under your Furman? I'm going to buy the DA-3000 when I get the money. Nice desk btw, I've been wanting some rackage but I don't have the room for a rack-desk. Well I do, but it's not in the right place. I always ask people who have Hegels if they like them, since they're available here. Do you like yours? I went with Musical Fidelity instead but I'm going to be buying another integrated amp in the next six months probably. Surprising how many don't have line out



Under the furman it is a tc electronics guitar effects processor. It see little use now that I have a line 6 helix. I really like the hegel it is pretty neutral and doesn't add color to music. I don't use the internal dac and wish that they offered one with out it. It does have a reclocker though which is nice if youexperience alot of jitter on you digital signal. Hegel also is very transparent and revealing. I like this and it is instep with the sound of the magicos too. The biggest plus for me was the power 250w into 8ohms and 420 into 4ohms. It does very well with difficult to drive speakers.


----------



## 441879 (Sep 15, 2019)

For those who believe a headphone station should be comfortable.


----------



## Gavin C4

gimmeheadroom said:


> What keyboard is that?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



A custom 60 %keyboard with bamboo case. Custome wire. Custom white blank  keycaps


----------



## whirlwind

will f said:


> For those who believe a headphone station should be comfortable.





I believe!
You are doing it right brother .

Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
My back thanks me for it if I listen for long periods of time.
I am at that age where comfort matters


----------



## PinkyPowers

whirlwind said:


> I believe!
> You are doing it right brother .
> 
> Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
> ...



Looks like we have much the same taste in headphones. LCD-3 and Atticus are my treasures, too.


----------



## Shane D

Latest iteration. I figured I better get this in because it is going to change again in a few weeks.


Shane D


----------



## 441879 (Sep 15, 2019)

whirlwind said:


> I believe!
> You are doing it right brother .
> 
> Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
> ...



A man after my own heart. Normally the recliner sits farther forward so my feet are in front of the fireplace. Nothing better on a cold winter day.


----------



## 441879

whirlwind said:


> I believe!
> You are doing it right brother .
> 
> Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
> ...



Forgot to add- Some seriously nice equipment there.


----------



## 441879

How tell if your dog thinks you’re spending too much time listening to headphones


----------



## Bookbear

whirlwind said:


> I believe!
> You are doing it right brother .
> 
> Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
> ...





will f said:


> For those who believe a headphone station should be comfortable.


----------



## Shane D (Sep 15, 2019)

One more time, with company. I have been meaning to do this for quite a while, but I didn't want to get them all out and set them up.
Yes, I am chronically lazy!


Shane D

PS: following the trend, what you can't see in the pic is the lazy boy bedside the cabinent.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CreditingKarma said:


> Under the furman it is a tc electronics guitar effects processor. It see little use now that I have a line 6 helix. I really like the hegel it is pretty neutral and doesn't add color to music. I don't use the internal dac and wish that they offered one with out it. It does have a reclocker though which is nice if youexperience alot of jitter on you digital signal. Hegel also is very transparent and revealing. I like this and it is instep with the sound of the magicos too. The biggest plus for me was the power 250w into 8ohms and 420 into 4ohms. It does very well with difficult to drive speakers.



Very nice setup. Woah what model Hegel is that? Sounds like a monster!



Gavin C4 said:


> A custom 60 %keyboard with bamboo case. Custome wire. Custom white blank  keycaps



Very nice set of keys


----------



## NewShepherd




----------



## Quinto




----------



## Nautrachkfriend (Sep 17, 2019)

MattTCG said:


> Ballsy or not...you need to get off those Beyers and get some real headphones, sir.



The Beyers are angrily looming in the background because of you sir!!!


----------



## MattTCG

Nautrachkfriend said:


> The Beyers are angrily looming in the background because of you sir!!!



You are trending in the right direction.


----------



## Errymoose

Nautrachkfriend said:


> The Beyers are angrily looming in the background because of you sir!!!


Beyers are great... Don't let anyone tell you otherwise


----------



## Sath

Nautrachkfriend said:


> The Beyers are angrily looming in the background because of you sir!!!


nice setup!


----------



## Sath

will f said:


> For those who believe a headphone station should be comfortable.


beautifull


----------



## westyjeff




----------



## udntcme

Envious........


----------



## natalieann




----------



## woodcans




----------



## simorag (Sep 22, 2019)

Newest stuff is hidden in the background (OPTO DX, those two blue gleaming lights) … but that empty 2nd shelf is not going to stay empty for very long


----------



## Shane D

simorag said:


> Newest stuff is hidden in the background (OPTO DX, those two blue glooming lights) … but that empty 2nd shelf is not going to stay empty very long



Really nice stand!

Shane D


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

Shane D said:


> Really nice stand!
> 
> Shane D



I am also looking into buying a really nice stand/rack similar to this and was looking at one called SOLIDSTEEL. What are some nice end stands that can be bought here in the States..?


----------



## Shane D

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> I am also looking into buying a really nice stand/rack similar to this and was looking at one called SOLIDSTEEL. What are some nice end stands that can be bought here in the States..?



No idea. It is not my stand and I don't live in the US.

Shane D


----------



## Bonddam

My main setup includes ifi Pro iCan, SMSL D1, Meze Empyrean, and ZMF Michanikos


----------



## koven

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> I am also looking into buying a really nice stand/rack similar to this and was looking at one called SOLIDSTEEL. What are some nice end stands that can be bought here in the States..?



I had mine custom made from Timbernation.com, they have many types and wood/finishes


----------



## UntilThen

My head-fi rack. ALO Audio Studio Six, Sansui AU-717, Yggdrasil, Glenn Super 9 OTL amp.


----------



## brink

Received my GS-X mini last week. The Eddie Current 2A3 MK IV at the end enjoys a few days off.


----------



## nerone

brink said:


> Received my GS-X mini last week. The Eddie Current 2A3 MK IV at the end enjoys a few days off.



What is the face color of your GS-X mini?


----------



## brink

It's satin grey. It does look light purple from time to time, though, depending on the light.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

interweb-tech said:


>



what's the watch I see setting there..?


----------



## interweb-tech

Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Perpetual AT4010-50E


----------



## nerone

brink said:


> It's satin grey. It does look light purple from time to time, though, depending on the light.


That's why I asked. On the pictures I liked this front pannel, but wasn't sure if this was the satin gray or purple. Thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 23, 2019)

Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony IER-Z1R IEM #124 (Sony Silicone Hybrid Tips)(Included cable 4.4 Pentaconn to MMCX)


----------



## squishware

Refreshed my gear recently. Very pleased with the result.


----------



## EDWARIS (Sep 24, 2019)

decided to make real picture of my home system, not just the tip of the iceberg which everyony sees)











two elements and a couple of cables still not at home, going to buy it in a few months) 

totally it would be 56 elements (50 at main home system) which cost me 70k USD (total retail price more than 100k). very very very expensive hobby I would say...


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

EDWARIS said:


> decided to make real picture of my home system, not just the tip of the iceberg which everyony sees)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well it honestly is quite affordable compared to other hobbies like watches, camera equipment, Optics, bicycles etc etc..  Good watches all in the 5 figures and up from there.. I am new to this Audio hobby like 2 weeks in and already have quite a investment myself. It is awesome to enjoy something you really like..


----------



## EDWARIS

I have one hobby which is even more expensive than audio - photo and travels - but this year I had to reduce my travel only to one trip to Patagonia and sell some photo equipment because this year I had huge audio costs - 70% of the system bought this year.


----------



## MisterMudd

squishware said:


> Refreshed my gear recently. Very pleased with the result.


What speaker stands?


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

EDWARIS said:


> I have one hobby which is even more expensive than audio - photo and travels - but this year I had to reduce my travel only to one trip to Patagonia and sell some photo equipment because this year I had huge audio costs - 70% of the system bought this year.



We sure have quite a lot in common then as my wife and I will be packing up in about 3 weeks and off to our winter home in Sri Lanka until the middle of April then we are back here. I do love Leica, Hasselblad, Nikon and Canon cameras owning all of those brands... I really have found a deep new interest in these Headphones and Amplifiers.


----------



## squishware (Sep 24, 2019)

MisterMudd said:


> What speaker stands?


Clutch CL-DMS250 Mighty Series Desktop Studio Monitor Speaker Stands. They are aimed down like that to hit (nearfield) my ears when seated in the desk chair, seated or reclined in the leather recliner (offscreen). It does well at standing height as well.


----------



## MisterMudd

squishware said:


> Clutch CL-DMS250 Mighty Series Desktop Studio Monitor Speaker Stands. They are aimed down like that to hit (nearfield) my ears when seated in the desk chair, seated or reclined in the leather recliner (offscreen). It does well at standing height as well.


Cool. Much thanks.


----------



## PinkyPowers

Something new came in today. My first tube headphone amp. 

Currently I'm using single-ended out to balanced input... from the DX220. I've ordered some balanced cables and will run those from my NFB-28.


----------



## simorag

Newest entry, the Simaudio Moon 600i integrated amp, which I am using to drive the Abyss via XLR > speaker taps adapter.


----------



## havenglory

@simorag, your setup is pricier than my house


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul




----------



## jasonb

This and my Pixel 3a have been getting the most play time lately. M50x with a FiiO BTA10 Bluetooth adapter.


----------



## Shane D

simorag said:


> Newest entry, the Simaudio Moon 600i integrated amp, which I am using to drive the Abyss via XLR > speaker taps adapter.



That set-up is just a beautiful piece of furniture!

Shane D


----------



## lis10

Current situation is rather mobile.


----------



## Deftone

lis10 said:


> Current situation is rather mobile.



Nice combo!


----------



## dagothur

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> snip


I think it's a testament to the fickle/quality nature of the HD800s that I can look at a McIntosh amp powering a headphone 1/3rd the price and think 'yeah, that's about right'.


----------



## doctorjuggles

HD800S and Eikon Ziricote w/magnesium frame


 
Same again but with the Ray Samuels "The Raptor" and Topping DX7s included (the Eikons are actually hooked up to an E1DA 9038S DAC/balanced amp which can't be seen as it's stored out of the way)


----------



## waveSounds

Been keeping me musically satisfied for the last year.


----------



## DVass13

lis10 said:


> Current situation is rather mobile.



Love that GoGo Penguin


----------



## bagwell359 (Oct 1, 2019)

Pardon.... my box crashed in the middle of this

Changes....

pic 1: Yamaha FG830C, very very nice - next step Takamine

pic 2: 4 headphone "stand" (HEX v2, Senn HD-600, HE5SE, MD 4xx (all modded BTW) + CD storage

pic 3: Kenwood 800D (mod) tuner, Sony CD CE595, Cambridge CXC CD, Gumby, Ragnarok; HE-500 on the arm of the chair.

deep storage: HE5LE, Fostex FH500RP; on the way: Alara

pic 4: Triangle Celius 202 w/ Fountek x3.0 (mods) Pic x: modded crossover

pic 5: Ovation Celebrity GC28 - sounds good plugged in

pic 6: Epiphone Blues Custom Class A tubed amp, Epiphone Custom - body nice, fittings suck

pic 7: Gibson faded cherry - refinished - on loan, pic coming


----------



## kid vic

bagwell359 said:


> Pardon.... my box crashed in the middle of this
> 
> Changes....
> 
> ...



Pics or it didn't happen


----------



## bagwell359 (Oct 1, 2019)

kid vic said:


> Pics or it didn't happen



Try again... here is my Gibson which I cannot add it seems:



and what the heck, my modded speaker Xovers:


----------



## Wes S




----------



## Shane D

Wes S said:


>



I thought about a similar set-up when I bought my cabinet. I would love to be able to see all the headphones, all the time, but my apartment is super dusty. Very little carpet and we are on the 6th floor, but I do have the windows open whenever possible. I would have to clean off the headphones regularly and I am just too damn lazy.

Your set up looks great though!

Shane D


----------



## UntilThen

Wes S said:


>



I see you have Forza cables. I use Forza Audioworks Claire Hybrid HPC for Verite and Noir Nybrid HPC for HD800.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

simorag said:


> Newest entry, the Simaudio Moon 600i integrated amp, which I am using to drive the Abyss via XLR > speaker taps adapter.



huh, I have that same rack...I just don't have such nice goodies to fill it with


----------



## betula

Let's say it is a desktop close up.  
Soon will be an update with my new silver cables arriving in a few days.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> Really nice stand!
> 
> Shane D



It's a Norstone Stabbil Hifi Bamboo made in France. It's fairly expensive for what it is and the quality control could stand some improvement. Mine came with several chips in the veneer. Also, while most of the supports have rubber inserts for isolation, oddly the bottom pieces have no rubber and are flat. Just kinda odd. I like the look of mine but I think from now on I'm going to go with metal equipment racks. I just never have enough space for my gear and it can be really hard to get access to the back of your equipment if you want to rearrange cabling.


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> It's a Norstone Stabbil Hifi Bamboo made in France. It's fairly expensive for what it is and the quality control could stand some improvement. Mine came with several chips in the veneer. Also, while most of the supports have rubber inserts for isolation, oddly the bottom pieces have no rubber and are flat. Just kinda odd. I like the look of mine but I think from now on I'm going to go with metal equipment racks. I just never have enough space for my gear and it can be really hard to get access to the back of your equipment if you want to rearrange cabling.



Yeah, it doesn't look cheap. It is really hard to find the right mix of form and function when you live in an apartment. I bought what I thought was a nice looking, functional cabinet. Within weeks I realized that wasn't going to work and then I started hunting for shelving units to put on top. Got that all set up and working well, but I can't help but think that it could use something else. Like the gear itself, the hunt never seems to end.

Shane D


----------



## Wes S (Oct 3, 2019)

Shane D said:


> I thought about a similar set-up when I bought my cabinet. I would love to be able to see all the headphones, all the time, but my apartment is super dusty. Very little carpet and we are on the 6th floor, but I do have the windows open whenever possible. I would have to clean off the headphones regularly and I am just too damn lazy.
> 
> Your set up looks great though!
> 
> Shane D


Thanks!  Funny you mention dust, as I keep them all covered, with towels, when I am not home.  When I get home, the towels come off, and the fun begins.


----------



## Shane D

Wes S said:


> Funny you mention dust, as I keep them all covered, with towels, when I am not home.  When I get home, the towels come off, and the fun begins.



Great minds think alike! As it is, I have to wipe off the gear, cabinet, glass shelves weekly. Or at least I should.

Shane D


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> I see you have Forza cables. I use Forza Audioworks Claire Hybrid HPC for Verite and Noir Nybrid HPC for HD800.


Yes sir!  I love Forza cables.  They are super supple, lay straight, are lightweight, have zero microphones, and sound killer.  They are reasonably priced as well, so what's not to love.


----------



## aroldan




----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> I believe!
> You are doing it right brother .
> 
> Nothing I like more than kicking back in the evening after a days work, with a cocktail and some nice music.
> ...



Just don't sit on the Ori, whatever you do!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


>



What is the watch?


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Perpetual AT4010-50E



OK, then--pls ignore my question just asked...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Yes sir!  I love Forza cables.  They are super supple, lay straight, are lightweight, have zero microphones, and sound killer.  They are reasonably priced as well, so what's not to love.



True, all true. Love my Forza HPC Noir (2M balanced).


----------



## dagothur

interweb-tech said:


>



It's nice to see somebody else with an Audeze + Audio-GD system.  Something really magical happens when you pair the two.
I'm currently using my LCD-3s with the D27.28 and loving it.


----------



## interweb-tech (Oct 5, 2019)

dagothur said:


> It's nice to see somebody else with an Audeze + Audio-GD system.  Something really magical happens when you pair the two.
> I'm currently using my LCD-3s with the D27.28 and loving it.



This is my third Audio-gd setup. First was the Audio-gd R2R-11 with LCD-2C (classic). Then I upgraded to the Audio-gd NFB-28.38 which was followed soon after by an upgrade to LCD-X. Now with the R-28 and LCD-X, it is truly a beautiful pairing. It also sounds great paired with the Sennheiser HD800.

What has my eye now is the new R-27, which is the big R2R DAC and a Master 9 amp in one case. Waiting for some reviews before I commit.

(edit I had the model numbers transposed)


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> Just don't sit on the Ori, whatever you do!!




I have avoided that...up to this point.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> Yeah, it doesn't look cheap. It is really hard to find the right mix of form and function when you live in an apartment. I bought what I thought was a nice looking, functional cabinet. Within weeks I realized that wasn't going to work and then I started hunting for shelving units to put on top. Got that all set up and working well, but I can't help but think that it could use something else. Like the gear itself, the hunt never seems to end.
> 
> Shane D



Yeah that's it. Black hole for money... I have an apartment also so I know what you mean. It is actually quite roomy but there are windows and shelving everywhere so there is almost no space for anything on the floor. Whatever I put anywhere will block a window or door or shelf...

Somebody needs to invent a rack with built in vacuum. One of my minidisc decks is making bad recordings after a year sitting in the rack.


----------



## dagothur

interweb-tech said:


> This is my third Audio-gd setup
> <snip>
> What has my eye now is the new R-28, which is the big R2R DAC and a Master 9 amp in one case. Waiting for some reviews before I commit.


I had the NFB-10SE for 7 years and the LCD-2 for 8 before upgrading and it was a world of difference.  It's going to be a few years before I upgrade to whatever TOTL amp Audio-GD has available but I'd be interested to hear your experiences when you do pull the trigger on the R-28.


----------



## interweb-tech

dagothur said:


> I had the NFB-10SE for 7 years and the LCD-2 for 8 before upgrading and it was a world of difference.  It's going to be a few years before I upgrade to whatever TOTL amp Audio-GD has available but I'd be interested to hear your experiences when you do pull the trigger on the R-2[7].



Sorry about that I had the model numbers transposed. I have the R-28 now. It is the R-27 that just came out with no reviews yet. Hate it when I do that.


----------



## RobertSM (Oct 5, 2019)

A couple of new additions to the system. Technics SL-1200 MK2(which I had in storage for the last 15 years. I purchased this new in 1993 or 1994) into the new Eddie Current Classic tube phono pre-amp.

I'm happy with this new addition and had forgotten how magical vinyl was. Though I love a 24-bit/192Khz high resolution digital file like the next guy. There is something just very easy on the soul and deeply satisfying about analog.


----------



## judomaniak57

a very engaging sound, lots of fun


----------



## Afsa

Audirvana  RME ADI-2 DAC  Feliks audio Euforia  Meze Empyrean
CD Box DS2T
Adam Audio A3X


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul




----------



## Chris Kaoss




----------



## bmichels

New comer arrived today in my arsenal : a Stax SR009s.

It complement my SR009 and my beloved old HE500.  I am now waiting for delivery of a ZMF Verite Closed.


----------



## jumpa

bmichels said:


> New comer arrived today in my arsenal : a Stax SR009s.
> It complement my SR009 and my beloved old HE500.  I am now waiting for delivery of a ZMF Verite Closed.
> ]


Do you prefer moded He500 to HE6 and what kind of mod is it?


----------



## Preachy1

Eikons are currently on my head.  Not as glamorous as some other setups, but this is my main work station (which occasionally doubles as our kitchen table!).


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


> A couple of new additions to the system. Technics SL-1200 MK2(which I had in storage for the last 15 years. I purchased this new in 1993 or 1994) into the new Eddie Current Classic tube phono pre-amp.
> 
> I'm happy with this new addition and had forgotten how magical vinyl was. Though I love a 24-bit/192Khz high resolution digital file like the next guy. There is something just very easy on the soul and deeply satisfying about analog.



WHAT HE SAID!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Chris Kaoss said:


>





Chris Kaoss said:


>



How do you like that Quad headphone?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like that Quad headphone?


If you are about enjoy listening to music, that's the headphone to go with unter 1k, and maybe 1,5k, imo.
For me, its better then T1, Clear and Ether 2 i've auditioned. 
It fits my needs in sound signature in perfection, couz it has a unique one.
Focused on vocals by good extension in both directions without being harsh or boomy, especially on higher volume.

If you're able to hear them, you should try.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Chris Kaoss said:


> If you are about enjoy listening to music, that's the headphone to go with unter 1k, and maybe 1,5k, imo.
> For me, its better then T1, Clear and Ether 2 i've auditioned.
> It fits my needs in sound signature in perfection, couz it has a unique one.
> Focused on vocals by good extension in both directions without being harsh or boomy, especially on higher volume.
> ...



The last thing I need is another headphone. But I love planar sound; appreciate headphones that are musical, rather than hyped & shouty; and am very interested in anything Quad designs. I hope to hear these at CanJam NYC in Feb.

Interesting to read your comment comparing it to T1, Clear, and Ether 2. Those aren't headphones that suit my sound preferences, but they're very well built & designed; many people praise them. This Quad headphone costs less, and if it is fully competitive w/those 3, it's quite an achievement by Quad.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> The last thing I need is another headphone.



That's about the funniest thing I've heard, seen, smelt, felt, or tasted all day today!


----------



## Bonddam (Oct 7, 2019)

HeadAmp GSX mini, SMSL D1, ifi Pro iCan and Tripp-Lite isobar
Have 3 more items I’m adding ZMF Pendant, Violectric A281, and DENAFRIPS ARES II R-2R DAC.


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Eikons are currently on my head.  Not as glamorous as some other setups, but this is my main work station (which occasionally doubles as our kitchen table!).


Nice. I also run Auteur's through Elise. What tubes do you use / prefer?


----------



## Torq

Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:



 

Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.


----------



## kid vic

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.



HeadFi Porn...!    sweet..


----------



## Wes S

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.


WOW!!!  Nice setup, and one I will dream of for days. . .


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Nice. I also run Auteur's through Elise. What tubes do you use / prefer?



Haven't really gotten in to rolling yet.  I replaced the stock drivers with a pair of PSVANE CV-181's (not the Mark II).  I recently received a pair of 7N7's, but I'm waiting for delivery of the adapters.


----------



## Focux

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.



wat wood is that on the verite?


----------



## Torq (Oct 8, 2019)

Focux said:


> wat wood is that on the verite?



That's my Cocobolo set (with copper rods/grilles), which is the Current LTD series wood offering:


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Haven't really gotten in to rolling yet.  I replaced the stock drivers with a pair of PSVANE CV-181's (not the Mark II).  I recently received a pair of 7N7's, but I'm waiting for delivery of the adapters.


Are the CV-181's much better than stock Psvanes?


----------



## bmichels

jumpa said:


> Do you prefer moded He500 to HE6 and what kind of mod is it?



I owe the HE500, not the HE6 that I tested while back.  I remember not having so much impressed by the HE6.  Now worth the hipe around it (IMO).
Re my HE500's mod: new Forza cable, and driver's protection removed.  So the driver is now visible and exposed, but this make the sound more clear and "free";


----------



## jumpa (Oct 9, 2019)

bmichels said:


> I owe the HE500, not the HE6 that I tested while back.  I remember not having so much impressed by the HE6.  Now worth the hipe around it (IMO).
> Re my HE500's mod: new Forza cable, and driver's protection removed.  So the driver is now visible and exposed, but this make the sound more clear and "free";


Thanks for the answer) It is a very revealing fact for me that you prefer he500 in your multi-thousandth system side by side with stax over other totl planars. I love them too and should upgrade dac and amp to open their full potential. Cheers


----------



## Wes S (Oct 9, 2019)

Torq said:


> That's my Cocobolo set (with copper rods/grilles), which is the Current LTD series wood offering:


Wow!  That might be the best looking ZMF, I have ever seen.  Killer pics, as well!


----------



## thecrow (Oct 9, 2019)

Torq said:


> Lots of changes in the last few months, mostly brought about by the combination of the RAAL SR1a, ZMF's Vérité and the Rosson Audio RAD-0 (the rest is in my profile), but this is where I've landed:
> 
> 
> 
> Just need to pick a tube amp to go with the M-Scaler -> Hugo TT 2 in the office.


----------



## CanCan713 (Oct 9, 2019)

It's a bit of a mess but here is my current state of affairs. I use the HiBy DAP and 1Mores for long walks, and the Schiit stack and BD T1s at-home. I've been using the HiBy DAP at home but I'm now in the middle of building out (nerd alert!) a Raspberry Pi with Moode to handle all the at-home duties . There is a pair of Sendys in the background which I'm currently selling (headphones are like a partner - you commit to one.).


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Are the CV-181's much better than stock Psvanes?



Sorry for the delay in responding.  I believe my Elise is the 2016 model and came with the following tubes:

stock type Russian tubes (6SN7 and 6AS7 equivalents)


----------



## interweb-tech

Missing from the display are the Audeze LCD-X which are on my desk just to the left.


----------



## Preachy1

Love the cable management system.


----------



## Wes S

interweb-tech said:


> Missing from the display are the Audeze LCD-X which are on my desk just to the left.


I have cable and iem envy!  Nice stuff!


----------



## Crimac95 (Oct 11, 2019)

Preachy1 said:


> Eikons are currently on my head.  Not as glamorous as some other setups, but this is my main work station (which occasionally doubles as our kitchen table!).


Hi, how would you describe the auteur and Elise combo? Ive got the auteurs in the making and am thinking of buying a feliks audio amp, although probably the less expensive espressivo.


----------



## Preachy1

Crimac95 said:


> Hi, how would you describe the auteur and Elise combo? Ive got the auteurs in the making and am thinking of buying a feliks audio amp, although probably the less expensive espressivo.



I won't go into minute (my-noot) details, but to say that the pairing is excellent.  This amp was made for dynamic drivers, and vise-versa.  Everything is there, highs, lows, mids, vocals, etc., and in great detail.  In addition, the cans are remarkably easy to drive with the Elise.  I listen at moderately high volume, not earsplitting but not whispers either.  I rarely turn the dial past 9:00 (using Line Out from my FiiO X5-III).


----------



## Crimac95

Preachy1 said:


> I won't go into minute (my-noot) details, but to say that the pairing is excellent.  This amp was made for dynamic drivers, and vise-versa.  Everything is there, highs, lows, mids, vocals, etc., and in great detail.  In addition, the cans are remarkably easy to drive with the Elise.  I listen at moderately high volume, not earsplitting but not whispers either.  I rarely turn the dial past 9:00 (using Line Out from my FiiO X5-III).


How about the espressivo? Have you ever had the chance to listen to it? do you think it's a valid alternative?


----------



## Preachy1

I have not.  I live in a fairly rural part of NY State.  The nearest hi-fi shop to me likely a few hours away in NYC.  Nearly everything I own today has been bought sight unseen/sound unheard, based on reviews and recommendations found here.


----------



## OctavianH

Crimac95 said:


> How about the espressivo? Have you ever had the chance to listen to it? do you think it's a valid alternative?



I have not listened to Espressivo but I say it makes sense to buy it only if you need more inputs, otherwise for an entry level amp you can try Echo. Elise/Euforia use different types of tubes (6SN7/6AS7) and are better than both.


----------



## Crimac95

OctavianH said:


> I have not listened to Espressivo but I say it makes sense to buy it only if you need more inputs, otherwise for an entry level amp you can try Echo. Elise/Euforia use different types of tubes (6SN7/6AS7) and are better than both.


But is it worth buying it having a chord hugo 2?


----------



## OctavianH

I have no idea, it depends on your taste and your headphones. Better you go to the closest showroom and listen to it.


----------



## Scutey

Torq said:


> That's my Cocobolo set (with copper rods/grilles), which is the Current LTD series wood offering:


Oh my god, those Verite are gorgeous, talk about headphone porn! .


----------



## UntilThen

Scutey said:


> Oh my god, those Verite are gorgeous, talk about headphone porn! .



On pictures it looks good but you should see it in person. It's gorgeous.


----------



## LoryWiv (Oct 11, 2019)

Crimac95 said:


> Hi, how would you describe the auteur and Elise combo? Ive got the auteurs in the making and am thinking of buying a feliks audio amp, although probably the less expensive espressivo.


I listened to Auteur with all 4 Feliks-Audio amps (as well as Primaluna and a few others) at last CanJam, concluded the Elise was "sweet spot" amongst them and bought it at the show. I am very, very happy with my choice. Even with stock tubes Auteur-Elise is a terrific combination, and I am now doing a little experimenting with tube rolling which opens up worlds of possible sound tweaking. Elise is a very well-built amp. as well and while at some point I may explore Euforia or a GOTL, Elise's excellent quality and tube rolling versatility have  kept my gear upgaditis syndrome in complete remission.


----------



## OctavianH

A good Amorphis evening.


----------



## grokit (Oct 18, 2019)

I finally got my rack act together. For now, anyways.




I'll update when my headphones start hanging around. Sorry for the dust lol.


----------



## RobertSM

grokit said:


> I finally got my rack act together. For now, anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Great looking rig! What turntable and phono preamp/stage do you use?


----------



## grokit (Oct 18, 2019)

RobertSM said:


> Great looking rig! What turntable and phono preamp/stage do you use?


Thank you 
It's a KAB-modded Technics SL 2000 Mk2 with their power supply, going into a Denon AU-300LC passive step-up transformer, then into my PS Audio GCPH balanced phono stage.
The step-up is necessary for the Denon DL-103 cartridge, which is extremely low output.


----------



## Preachy1

grokit said:


> I finally got my rack act together. For now, anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice!  And the best part of this pic is that your album collection to the left is open to The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway!  If you know me at all, you're aware that I'm a tremendous Steve Hackett fan!!!!!!


----------



## Lakson

OctavianH said:


> A good Amorphis evening.


Great composition!
How do you find the cd transport with the Adams and beyers?


----------



## simorag

Here is the latest incarnation of my setup, the Riviera AIC-10 has replaced the Moon 600i.


----------



## kumar402

grokit said:


> I finally got my rack act together. For now, anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Isn't record player (Turntable) little high for changing record


----------



## richie60

Redecorated recently, got rid of old sideboard and put my racks in place.  Just some further tidying to do.


----------



## grokit (Oct 20, 2019)

kumar402 said:


> Isn't record player (Turntable) little high for changing record


I thought it would be, I even got this cool little stool.
But my cat is now using the stool in the garage for his new cat door.
I was going to get another one, but I really don't need it.
I'm only 5'8". Maybe if I get a taller turntable...


----------



## OctavianH (Oct 20, 2019)

Lakson said:


> Great composition!
> How do you find the cd transport with the Adams and beyers?



What cannot be seen in the picture is that I use A5X with another DAC than the one on which the CD Transport is connected.
I have an audio-gd NFB11.32 bought some years ago and I use the speakers for it as a sound system for my PC. I really like the A5X and consider them good shelf powered speakers, at least for their price.
Now, the CD Transport is connected to a Chord Qutest for my headphone line. This is why I cannot say anything about it in conjunction with A5X. For its price point it is a good transport and gets the job done. I use it connected via optical with the DAC. Beyers T1 are in good synergy with Qutest and my tube amp. The CD transport I guess does not matter here too much.


----------



## jasonb

Either of these, or Galaxy Buds, and my Pixel 3a.


----------



## Lakson

OctavianH said:


> What cannot be seen in the picture is that I use A5X with another DAC than the one on which the CD Transport is connected.
> I have an audio-gd NFB11.32 bought some years ago and I use the speakers for it as a sound system for my PC. I really like the A5X and consider them good shelf powered speakers, at least for their price.
> Now, the CD Transport is connected to a Chord Qutest for my headphone line. This is why I cannot say anything about it in conjunction with A5X. For its price point it is a good transport and gets the job done. I use it connected via optical with the DAC. Beyers T1 are in good synergy with Qutest and my tube amp. The CD transport I guess does not matter here too much.


Thanks for the info!


----------



## javertim

Just added the Yamaha CDS1000 Natural Sound to the family. Already hearing a nice sound improvement over my previous transport, the Oppo BDP-103, which I will still use for my Blu-Ray Audio collection. 

On order is the Inday DA4X-R spdif switch box so that I can toggle between the audio-out of the Yamaha and the Oppo (as the iFi iDSD Pro doesn't have separate inputs for coaxial and optical, but rather a combination spdif input).

 

The large metal bar at the bottom is to keep my irobot from getting stuck under the shelving.


----------



## kumar402

Pi2AES(uptone LPS1.2) -> Metrum Onyx via I2S 
-> ECP DSHA3F -> ZMF Verite ziricote


----------



## PinkyPowers

Playing with a few different amps for the Topping DX7 Pro. This Cayin iHA-6 is a fiendish pairing indeed!


----------



## Errymoose

jasonb said:


> Either of these, or Galaxy Buds, and my Pixel 3a.


Modded with a little bluetooth dongle? 
That's cute.


----------



## jasonb

Errymoose said:


> Modded with a little bluetooth dongle?
> That's cute.



Yup an ES100 using LDAC on the Q701, and a FiiO BTA10 on the M50x. The ES100 on the Q701 sounds surprisingly great.


----------



## sup27606

jasonb said:


> Either of these, or Galaxy Buds, and my Pixel 3a.



Cool. I like how the pink light makes the M50x look like a giant strawberry ice cream.


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 24, 2019)

Schiit Lyr with national (matsushita) 7dj8 (or Siemens gold pin e88cc, or...), HD600 with rear foam discs removed, Dekoni hybrid pads and custom wire.  Sources (not pictured): SME 10/IV with Lyra Kleos, BAT VK-D5 cd Player (DIY 6-pak upgrade), iMac with audioengine D2 24/96 WiFi dac (I’m an experienced audiophile but a streaming newbie).


----------



## jasonb

sup27606 said:


> Cool. I like how the pink light makes the M50x look like a giant strawberry ice cream.



I guess the lighting in this pic is a little pinkish


----------



## Wes S (Oct 21, 2019)

kumar402 said:


> Pi2AES(uptone LPS1.2) -> Metrum Onyx via I2S
> -> ECP DSHA3F -> ZMF Verite ziricote


WOW!  Now that is a setup.  That ECP DSHA3F, is one of the best looking amps out there!


----------



## Wes S




----------



## kumar402

Wes S said:


> WOW!  Now that is a setup.  That ECP DSHA3F, is one of the best looking amps out there!


Thanks Man, but I must say you have been a guy I have taken inspiration from here in head fi. I have seen you carefully build your system around Aeolus with LP/  Crack and Gungnir A1 and tubes and how you stick with your system and try to get best out of it before jumping the wagon. 
DSHA-3F is really a good looking and sounding amp. Mine is Padauk wood. You should see the one @tommytakis has got with all exotic wood work.


----------



## Wes S

kumar402 said:


> Thanks Man, but I must say you have been a guy I have taken inspiration from here in head fi. I have seen you carefully build your system around Aeolus with LP/  Crack and Gungnir A1 and tubes and how you stick with your system and try to get best out of it before jumping the wagon.
> DSHA-3F is really a good looking and sounding amp. Mine is Padauk wood. You should see the one @tommytakis has got with all exotic wood work.


Thanks for the kind words!  I really have been carefully building my system with my limited funds, and I am quite happy with it.  Putting together a system, that sounds good to your ears, is what this hobby is all about.


----------



## tommytakis

@kumar402 thx for the shoutout, friend!  Here's mine: 

Bocote ECP 3F Ravenswood
Cocobolo Auteur (loaner from a friend) 
Ziricote Verite 

oh yeah, and Elex ... lol


----------



## waveinterference

The right-hand side of my desk at my office. 

The Lyr has the internal phono card, making the turntable’s age-matched Sony receiver largely unnecessary and absurd at this point. I do have it spewing into a 4-way splitter for shared listening with my coworkers, and it has a very ‘90s, graphical, digital EQ worth the entertainment value alone.

Yes, I get strange looks.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## bmichels




----------



## bmichels




----------



## Wes S

bmichels said:


>


Killer portable setup!  Those tubes look awesome, and I bet they turn some heads.


----------



## RobertSM

bmichels said:


>



A couple of questions.

1. Are these 2 separate tube amps? Or is this 1 amp with a separate power supply?

2. What make and models are these amp(s).

3. What tubes are you running.

I also noticed the herbies tube dampers. How do you like them.

Final comment. A stunning rig you've assembled. Really classy. I bet this rig sounds sublime. Enjoy and that's for sharing.


----------



## johnzz4 (Oct 24, 2019)

bmichels said:


>


Have you done the new firmware update on the Terminator?  It seems there’s more going on than some bug fixes.  It’s sounding better than ever.


----------



## bmichels

RobertSM said:


> A couple of questions.
> 
> 1. Are these 2 separate tube amps? Or is this 1 amp with a separate power supply?
> 
> ...



thanks for your nice comments.  Indeed those Amps associated to good Headphones (stax SR009s and also HE500) sound fantastic. 
There are 2 separate amps : Eddie Curent ED445 for standard headphones and BHSE for Stax. The BHSE use EL34 and the ED445 uses...445 tubes


----------



## bmichels

johnzz4 said:


> Have you done the new firmware update on the Terminator?  It seems there’s more doing on than some bug fixes.  It’s sounding better than ever.



no, I have not done yet the firmware upgrade because I only have Mac computer and a Windows computer is needed to do  the upgrade.


----------



## whirlwind

bmichels said:


>




Are these reissue EL34 tubes...?

I have just started using EL34 tubes and they sound spectacular.


----------



## bmichels (Oct 22, 2019)

whirlwind said:


> Are these reissue EL34 tubes...?
> 
> I have just started using EL34 tubes and they sound spectacular.



After using the Mullard EL34 shipped with the BHSE, I bought some PSAVANE replica, and sound improved... a little.  Now I have on order a matched quad of NOS Mullard xf2 EL34.  I hope to receive them soon.

The tubes on the picture are indeed the PSAVANE replica.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## kid vic

Wes S said:


> WOW!  Now that is a setup.  That ECP DSHA3F, is one of the best looking amps out there!



That amp looks a lot like an old receiver I used to have:


----------



## Preachy1

I love this one!  I have an old CR-1020 receiver that I'm about to have restored.


----------



## Bonddam

Just added some more equipment. You can find equipment in my signature. The cable attached to the Empyrean was from Ursine audio.


----------



## Wes S

Bonddam said:


> Just added some more equipment. You can find equipment in my signature. The cable attached to the Empyrean was from Ursine audio.


Nice gear!  How do you like the Ares?  Is that the Ares II?


----------



## Preachy1

Love that cable!!!!  Deets please?


----------



## Bonddam

Wes S said:


> Nice gear!  How do you like the Ares?  Is that the Ares II?


Yes it the Ares 2 and I love it. I got the Drop deal it came out to $821 after tax.


----------



## astrostar59

simorag said:


> Here is the latest incarnation of my setup, the Riviera AIC-10 has replaced the Moon 600i.



Congrats on the Riviera. A very nice system you have there my friend.


----------



## betula

Bonddam said:


> Just added some more equipment. You can find equipment in my signature. The cable attached to the Empyrean was from Ursine audio.


How would you compare the Mini to the V281?


----------



## Bonddam

betula said:


> How would you compare the Mini to the V281?


v281 is more warm.


----------



## betula

Bonddam said:


> v281 is more warm.


Detail retrieval, resolution, spaciousness is about the same then? Thanks!


----------



## Bonddam

betula said:


> Detail retrieval, resolution, spaciousness is about the same then? Thanks!


Sorry insomnia. The two amps produce amazing resolution detail retrieval of detail soundstage is amazing on both imaging is excellent. When you pick one up decide if you want a warmer sound with v281 or slight warmth with mini. Either way you can’t go wrong. In my case I don’t have a favorite. The mini is more livily in upper frequency. V281 laid back. Both have amazing power. Am able to play infamous HE6se(needs a stereo power amp). I go back and forth between the two. My 281 is set up with the gain at -12 for using my Empyrean. Again you can’t go wrong with either. Good thing not made in China American and German made.


----------



## waveinterference

I posted my workplace turntable and headphone setup a few days ago. Now here’s my home system. More than anything else, it’s a study in hi-fi faux pas and is aspirational at best; I look forward to the roast.


----------



## RickB

waveinterference said:


> I posted my workplace turntable and headphone setup a few days ago. Now here’s my home system. More than anything else, it’s a study in hi-fi faux pas and is aspirational at best; I look forward to the roast.



Man, that's a really Schiit system! You should send all that to me and get something better!


----------



## VRacer-111

In my dynamic/planar rig have swapped out my Gustard H10 for a Garage 1217 Project Ember with JJ Electronics 12BH7-A tube I just got in from another member (for basically half of brand new.) I think the H10s will be put up for sale because of the Ember... absolutely in love with what it does, especially when connected to the Gustard X20U DAC.






It's been nice with the Dragonfly Red at work, but not the same level as when connected to the X20U... notice improvement in bass body and all the little nuances of detail.


----------



## sjwaudio

jasonb said:


> Yup an ES100 using LDAC on the Q701, and a FiiO BTA10 on the M50x. The ES100 on the Q701 sounds surprisingly great.



If you don't mind my asking, where did you get the short cable to connect the ES100 to the Q701. I have both and that's a set-up I'd be very interested in emulating. Thanks!


----------



## jasonb

sjwaudio said:


> If you don't mind my asking, where did you get the short cable to connect the ES100 to the Q701. I have both and that's a set-up I'd be very interested in emulating. Thanks!



I made it from a stock Q701 cable.


----------



## AnakChan

Nothing fancy, just off my iPhone (too lazy to grab a proper camera). After moving back to Oz, finally got all my audio (and computer, etc.) shipment 3 months later, and converted everything to 230V :-


----------



## Wes S

AnakChan said:


> Nothing fancy, just off my iPhone (too lazy to grab a proper camera). After moving back to Oz, finally got all my audio (and computer, etc.) shipment 3 months later, and converted everything to 230V :-


Nice e-stat setup!


----------



## UntilThen

AnakChan said:


> Nothing fancy, just off my iPhone (too lazy to grab a proper camera). After moving back to Oz, finally got all my audio (and computer, etc.) shipment 3 months later, and converted everything to 230V :-



Welcome back to Oz.  Always wanted to try Eddie Current tube amps. Maybe one day.


----------



## RobertSM

AnakChan said:


> Nothing fancy, just off my iPhone (too lazy to grab a proper camera). After moving back to Oz, finally got all my audio (and computer, etc.) shipment 3 months later, and converted everything to 230V :-



What model is your Eddie Current? I'm a also a big fan on EC.


----------



## ufospls2

Looks like the Electra.


----------



## Wes S

ufospls2 said:


> Looks like the Electra.


I read that too.


----------



## AnakChan

Wes S said:


> RobertSM said:
> 
> 
> > What model is your Eddie Current? I'm a also a big fan on EC.
> ...


Correct, it is! These are with 4x XF2 EL34s, 2x CV1988 (6SN7GTY), 2x ECC32 (although not recommended for long term use with the Electra).


----------



## Roderick

Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids


----------



## betula

Roderick said:


> Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids


Oh, man. That green bean is disturbing...


----------



## RickB

Roderick said:


> Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids



At least it wasn't peas!


----------



## Preachy1

How does it affect the sound stage?


----------



## Roderick

Preachy1 said:


> How does it affect the sound stage?


Well, you know the story about Jack and the Beanstalk. I'd say it has greatly improved vertical imaging. With every headphone I'ts like it goes all the way through the clouds now.


----------



## CJG888

Should be good for headroom and dynamics (full of beans)...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

The only downside is it adds grain to the treble


----------



## GREQ

I'm sure the sound will grow on you.


----------



## Wes S

Roderick said:


> Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids


I am guessing those were 1/4" string beans.   The real question is - Does the port still work?


----------



## Roderick

Luckily I got it out in one piece so no damage was done.  I have a vivid memory of me playing with my dads turntable when I was about four years old. Oh that poor needle... I guess this sort of thing runs in the family.


----------



## KyungMin

Finally added some shelves a few months ago and also joined summit-fi. I got the K812 a few months ago.. The HD800S about two weeks ago and the Beyerdynamic T1.2 today..


----------



## Rowethren

KyungMin said:


> Finally added some shelves a few months ago and also joined summit-fi. I got the K812 a few months ago.. The HD800S about two weeks ago and the Beyerdynamic T1.2 today..



And I thought I was bad with 6 pairs


----------



## kman1211

KyungMin said:


> Finally added some shelves a few months ago and also joined summit-fi. I got the K812 a few months ago.. The HD800S about two weeks ago and the Beyerdynamic T1.2 today..



That’s quite a collection there. My main open headphone is the T1.2 Black. How are you liking the T1.2 so far?


----------



## KyungMin

kman1211 said:


> That’s quite a collection there. My main open headphone is the T1.2 Black. How are you liking the T1.2 so far?



The T1.2 has better bass than both K812 and HD800S.. and it's good bass not muddy but controlled and deep with just the right amount of thump. Soundstage doesn't seem as wide as the other two but they are very close. The treble is a bit much on certain tracks.. Honestly I have the DT990 600ohm and it almost sounds like a better version of that headphone in every way.


----------



## kman1211 (Nov 12, 2019)

KyungMin said:


> The T1.2 has better bass than both K812 and HD800S.. and it's good bass not muddy but controlled and deep with just the right amount of thump. Soundstage doesn't seem as wide as the other two but they are very close. The treble is a bit much on certain tracks.. Honestly I have the DT990 600ohm and it almost sounds like a better version of that headphone in every way.



Treble does have some upper energy and I found it does take a bit to settle in fully(sound mostly relaxes a bit and becomes more effortless, treble does get more pleasant too) and it’s very system sensitive in terms of treble like most Beyers. You may not be wrong on it being sort of being like a better DT 990 600 ohm, both have dark mids and a raised upper treble. Mids are more fleshed out on the T1.2 though and treble softer and not near as harsh imho. The DT 990 600 ohm treble sharpness and lack of midrange presence is what made me let those go in the past.


----------



## KyungMin

kman1211 said:


> Treble does have some upper energy and I found it does take a bit to settle in fully(sound mostly relaxes a bit and becomes more effortless, treble does get more pleasant too) and it’s very system sensitive in terms of treble like most Beyers. You may not be wrong on it being sort of being like a better DT 990 600 ohm, both have dark mids and a raised upper treble. Mids are more fleshed out on the T1.2 though and treble softer and not near as harsh imho. The DT 990 600 ohm treble sharpness and lack of midrange presence is what made me let those go in the past.


 Couldn't have said it better


----------



## basdek

Beyer Tesla T1 (first gen) < Chord hugo > Lenovo thinkpad, running roon


----------



## Wes S

KyungMin said:


> Finally added some shelves a few months ago and also joined summit-fi. I got the K812 a few months ago.. The HD800S about two weeks ago and the Beyerdynamic T1.2 today..


Wow, what a collection!  I am curious, how do you decide which one to listen with, and what is your favorite?


----------



## Shane D

Wes S said:


> Wow, what a collection!  I am curious, how do you decide which one to listen with, and what is your favorite?



Ditto!

Shane D


----------



## Shane D (Nov 12, 2019)

I screwed up on the pic. That was like two months ago. 
Here is a more current photo of the collection. I do have a Koss E95X on the way and I ordered an SMSL SP200 last night.


Shane D


----------



## Preachy1 (Nov 12, 2019)

Updated with the ambrosia maples and Sky Audio cables.


----------



## KyungMin (Nov 13, 2019)

Shane D said:


> Ditto!
> 
> Shane D



honestly i just mix it up.. but there are like 10 pairs I never listen too at all.. but I’m a mail man so I cycle all my wireless ones.. if I want bass I have a few cans that are bass heavy.. but k812, hd650, hd58x, hd800s, k501 and k712 get the most usage. Maybe I'll really like the t1. My old DT990 used to be my main go to cans..


----------



## Holgi32 (Nov 12, 2019)

My little office setup...
Image is gonne


----------



## Holgi32

Ahh, here it is


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Holgi32 said:


> My little office setup...
> Image is gonne



That is a true minimalist setup. I like what you did with the space


----------



## Holgi32

This is my living room setup.


----------



## Preachy1

Does the 'fiddich come in open back?  :


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Holgi32 said:


> This is my living room setup.


 
Like the whisky-fi style.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveinterference said:


> I posted my workplace turntable and headphone setup a few days ago. Now here’s my home system. More than anything else, it’s a study in hi-fi faux pas and is aspirational at best; I look forward to the roast.



Roast? Hell, no. That looks like a pretty good rig. + you have a TT ... I no longer do.

Everybody starts somewhere in this hobby, then migrates somewhere else. It's not a contest--it's a community.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Roderick said:


> Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids



(laughing)

but you don't say how the green bean sounds...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> I screwed up on the pic. That was like two months ago.
> Here is a more current photo of the collection. I do have a Koss E95X on the way and I ordered an SMSL SP200 last night.
> 
> 
> Shane D



How do you like the Liquid Spark?


----------



## AdamP88 (Nov 12, 2019)

I've been out of the headphone game for a while, but since I've got my own office at the new job, decided to give myself a decent audio setup. Tight budget, and an old 1960s institutional building, so drab cinderblock walls, but here it is. Gonna get a decent headphone stand to put in there somewhere.

MacBook Air (either lossless or 320k mp3) & an iPod Classic (320k mp3) > Topping D30 > JDS Labs Atom > Massdrop HD 58X > Edifier S2000 Pro


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like the Liquid Spark?



VERY impressive for the money. Great full sound with good bass and a killer price. If I didn't own the LCX, I would definitely keep it.

Shane D


----------



## Preachy1

AdamP88 said:


> I've been out of the headphone game for a while, but since I've got my own office at the new job, decided to give myself a decent audio setup. Tight budget, and an old 1960s institutional building, so drab cinderblock walls, but here it is. Gonna get a decent headphone stand to put in there somewhere.
> 
> MacBook Air (either lossless or 320k mp3) & an iPod Classic (320k mp3) > Topping D30 > JDS Labs Atom > Massdrop HD 58X > Edifier S2000 Pro


Nice speaks!  info please?


----------



## AdamP88

Preachy1 said:


> Nice speaks!  info please?



Edifier S2000pro. Really solid speakers - and pretty impressive for the price. Detailed, balanced, great bass extension and definition for their size. Surprisingly flat response curve - I’d say they’re just a bit on the warm side of neutral, but that’s how I tend to prefer my speakers. Planar tweeter is very smooth and clean, and the addition of 4 DSP settings that are all pretty subtle, BT connectivity and a decent remote make it really flexible and adaptable. I previously had a pair of R1700BTs, and these are light years ahead of them.


----------



## lugnut (Nov 12, 2019)

In my opinion ,for the money spent, it would be hard to beat your set up, enjoy it !



AdamP88 said:


> I've been out of the headphone game for a while, but since I've got my own office at the new job, decided to give myself a decent audio setup. Tight budget, and an old 1960s institutional building, so drab cinderblock walls, but here it is. Gonna get a decent headphone stand to put in there somewhere.
> 
> MacBook Air (either lossless or 320k mp3) & an iPod Classic (320k mp3) > Topping D30 > JDS Labs Atom > Massdrop HD 58X > Edifier S2000 Pro


----------



## Shane D

AdamP88 said:


> Edifier S2000pro. Really solid speakers - and pretty impressive for the price. Detailed, balanced, great bass extension and definition for their size. Surprisingly flat response curve - I’d say they’re just a bit on the warm side of neutral, but that’s how I tend to prefer my speakers. Planar tweeter is very smooth and clean, and the addition of 4 DSP settings that are all pretty subtle, BT connectivity and a decent remote make it really flexible and adaptable. I previously had a pair of R1700BTs, and these are light years ahead of them.



I considered these long and hard. Very nice looking, but a little large for my smallish desk.
I went with the Vanatoo Transparent Zero's because of their shape and flexibility.

Yours do look more impressive though.


Shane D


----------



## AdamP88

Shane D said:


> I considered these long and hard. Very nice looking, but a little large for my smallish desk.
> I went with the Vanatoo Transparent Zero's because of their shape and flexibility.
> 
> Yours do look more impressive though.
> ...



I was very close to pulling the trigger on the Vanatoos, but decided I had the space for bigger woofers.


----------



## JM1979

This is my set up. It’s in the corner of my home office.

iPhoneXS+ > Apple CCK > AQ Jitterbug > Supra USB > mScaler > Wave Stream BNC >TT2 > ZMF Ziricote Verite w/ 2K copper cable. Hidden behind the chair is a Supra Lorad power cable & mains block with 2 Ifi AC purifiers.


----------



## Wes S

JM1979 said:


> This is my set up. It’s in the corner of my home office.
> 
> iPhoneXS+ > Apple CCK > AQ Jitterbug > Supra USB > mScaler > Wave Stream BNC >TT2 > ZMF Ziricote Verite w/ 2K copper cable. Hidden behind the chair is a Supra Lorad power cable & mains block with 2 Ifi AC purifiers.


Nice TOTL system!  I bet the sounds spectacular!


----------



## Mellowship




----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> I considered these long and hard. Very nice looking, but a little large for my smallish desk.
> I went with the Vanatoo Transparent Zero's because of their shape and flexibility.
> 
> Yours do look more impressive though.
> ...



I heard a demo of the Vanatoo Transparent Zeros at the NY Audio Show this past weekend. The quality of the sound from these small 5" 2-ways was rather amazing. I almost bought the very similar initial version of this speaker ~3 hrs ago, but went in a different direction.

Re the Edifiers, I have the visually similar (and likely made at same factory/designed by same team) Swan M200 MKIII powered speakers. They'e in the TV room now.

I have a space-constrained desk, too. But I ended up w/a really large 2-way passive design (ATC SCM12 Pro) that knocks my socks off.

I do like that system of @AdamP88's.


----------



## Pharmaboy

JM1979 said:


> This is my set up. It’s in the corner of my home office.
> 
> iPhoneXS+ > Apple CCK > AQ Jitterbug > Supra USB > mScaler > Wave Stream BNC >TT2 > ZMF Ziricote Verite w/ 2K copper cable. Hidden behind the chair is a Supra Lorad power cable & mains block with 2 Ifi AC purifiers.



Great headphone (I'm getting a loaner Verite open in 1-2 wks...already listening to a loaner Verite closed); and great club chair!


----------



## Wes S

I recently added a couple Norne Draug 3 cables, and now the setup is complete.


----------



## Preachy1

They do look nice, but you're fooling exactly zero people by saying your set up is complete!


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> They do look nice, but you're fooling exactly zero people by saying your set up is complete!


You got me there!  Let's just say it is complete, for now. . .


----------



## Shane D

Wes S said:


> I recently added a couple Norne Draug 3 cables, and now the setup is complete.



VERY impressive looking!

Shane D


----------



## Wes S

Shane D said:


> VERY impressive looking!
> 
> Shane D


Thanks!  It sounds as good as it looks, to me.


----------



## Shane D

Wes S said:


> Thanks!  It sounds as good as it looks, to me.



And that's all that matters!

Shane D


----------



## leftside

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1101-audio-custom-crafted-headphone-amps.919425/


----------



## Wes S

leftside said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/1101-audio-custom-crafted-headphone-amps.919425/


Wow!  I would love to hear that setup.


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## snapple10

As clean as it will get


----------



## Shane D

Strayngs said:


>



VERY cool, but don't the headphones get really dusty?

Shane D


----------



## Strayngs

Shane D said:


> VERY cool, but don't the headphones get really dusty?
> 
> Shane D



Not really but honestly I watch them like a hawk


----------



## Wes S

Shane D said:


> VERY cool, but don't the headphones get really dusty?
> 
> Shane D


Everything looks spotless, to me.   I do a lot of dusting myself, and always appreciate seeing a dust free setup.


----------



## EarDrumExplode

Strayngs said:


>


How is the Millo with your LCD’s? I know it has the watts to power but how’s the soundstage etc?


----------



## Strayngs

EarDrumExplode said:


> How is the Millo with your LCD’s? I know it has the watts to power but how’s the soundstage etc?



I find it very engaging. The imaging is second to none. The Milo does bring a nice soundstage to it. I think it is as close to a tube sound as you're going to get the solid state if that makes any sense.


----------



## AnakChan

Here is my latest Head-Fi station....


----------



## Wes S

AnakChan said:


> Here is my latest Head-Fi station....


Cool pic!


----------



## Preachy1

Are those knit sneakers?  they look way comfy!!!!


----------



## AnakChan

Preachy1 said:


> Are those knit sneakers?  they look way comfy!!!!


They are super comfy !

https://www.adidas.com.au/ultraboost-x-missoni-shoes/D97743.html


----------



## Spacekop

But what's on my head right now?


----------



## Rowethren

Spacekop said:


> But what's on my head right now?



Cats?


----------



## stersa

Sony.s DSD Remastering..

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## Shane D

Newest pic. Too lazy to dig all the headphones out. I keep them all inside the lower section.
 

Shane D


----------



## malenak

betula said:


> The Sennheiser buds are here to test if they are ok for flights (I haven't even tried them yet.).
> The Empy's are my latest purchase to upgrade from my LCD2C.


How do you compare Empy with LCD-2C?


----------



## Spacekop

Rowethren said:


> Cats?


Ah, no, I don't have cats on my head


----------



## Preachy1

Spacekop said:


> Ah, no, I don't have cats on my head


I’m thinkin’ that may have been a subtle reference to something else. He would’ve been right it were about me!


----------



## betula

malenak said:


> How do you compare Empy with LCD-2C?


There is no comparison basically. The Empy is another league, better in everything. If I gave the Empy 10 points on bass, mids and treble the 2C would get 8 for bass, 5 for mids and 4 for treble.
2C bass is good, and it actually comes quite close. Empy bass is still clearer, more detailed and more dynamic. The rest is not really comparable. Mids and treble on Empy is much more lifelike, much airier and natural. 2C sounds flat in comparison while Empy has a big 3D space. Resolution and detail is a jump as well. 
I think 2C is a bargain for the money, still my pick under 1K, but it doesn't compete with flagships. I like Audeze sound, but I actually prefer the Empy to the LCD4, although that's personal taste.


----------



## malenak

betula said:


> There is no comparison basically. The Empy is another league, better in everything. If I gave the Empy 10 points on bass, mids and treble the 2C would get 8 for bass, 5 for mids and 4 for treble.
> 2C bass is good, and it actually comes quite close. Empy bass is still clearer, more detailed and more dynamic. The rest is not really comparable. Mids and treble on Empy is much more lifelike, much airier and natural. 2C sounds flat in comparison while Empy has a big 3D space. Resolution and detail is a jump as well.
> I think 2C is a bargain for the money, still my pick under 1K, but it doesn't compete with flagships. I like Audeze sound, but I actually prefer the Empy to the LCD4, although that's personal taste.


Hmm, I am not sure if I wanted to read this...  I love my LCD-2C. Mainly because its dynamics and no fatiguing sound after many hours. But, I am thinking a few weeks about upgrading. I am reading a lot of stuff about Arya, Verité and Empyrean. Considering how much I want to spend and thinking what I am expecting from that. Keeping LCD-2C at home with no plans to let them go away. I love them. I just got that hifibundus again, that fuc king disease when you are so curious about something new and you just can`t help yourself, knowing your account will bleed.


----------



## betula

malenak said:


> Hmm, I am not sure if I wanted to read this...  I love my LCD-2C. Mainly because its dynamics and no fatiguing sound after many hours. But, I am thinking a few weeks about upgrading. I am reading a lot of stuff about Arya, Verité and Empyrean. Considering how much I want to spend and thinking what I am expecting from that. Keeping LCD-2C at home with no plans to let them go away. I love them. I just got that hifibundus again, that fuc king disease when you are so curious about something new and you just can`t help yourself, knowing your account will bleed.


Over 1K the law of diminishing returns kicks in. So do try to audition before you purchase and consider wisely the size of your wallet.


----------



## malenak

betula said:


> Over 1K the law of diminishing returns kicks in. So do try to audition before you purchase and consider wisely the size of your wallet.


That`s the problem. I really have a big problems to hear them before the purchase. :/

Thanks for advice.


----------



## betula




----------



## Allegro maestoso

Recent acquisition of a used R-28 from another head-fier caused some space issues, so the Onkyo, CTH, and Schiit stack went to work. I purchased an Olasonic CD transport for home, and here are the home and office results. It was a Focal day when I took the pictures - Elex and Elegia.



 

 

 

 

 

The macro pad is a Max Keboards R20 Falcon, and the keyboard is a Leopold full-size with Cherry brown switches.


----------



## interweb-tech

Allegro maestoso said:


> Recent acquisition of a used R-28 from another head-fier ...



I picked one up recently too. Could not be happier with it (though the R-27 looks interesting lol)


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Are those knit sneakers?  they look way comfy!!!!



Everything about this picture looks way comfy...


----------



## alex.r0mashko (Nov 26, 2019)

Added new cans and se846 in my collection.


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## Ableza

Before:



 
After:


----------



## RobertSM

Ableza said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> After:



What is that beautiful piece of gear? I'm not familiar at all.


----------



## Ableza (Nov 27, 2019)

RobertSM said:


> What is that beautiful piece of gear? I'm not familiar at all.


Before is Schiit Mjolnir 2.  After is AudioValve Solaris.


----------



## malenak

Ableza said:


> Before is Schiit Mjolnir 2.  After is AudioValve Solaris.


Comparison?


----------



## westyjeff

Ableza said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> After:



My want is very high for this Swiss army knife piece of kit!!


----------



## Ableza

malenak said:


> Comparison?


The Mjolnir is a very competent and good sounding amp, musical and neutral and more than up to driving my Mr Speakers Ether Flow C headphones.  The Solaris is in another category.  It is an end-game beast that can do everything.  I posted impressions here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audiovalve-solaris-universal-amp.910257/


----------



## gefski

Ableza said:


> The Mjolnir is a very competent and good sounding amp, musical and neutral and more than up to driving my Mr Speakers Ether Flow C headphones.  The Solaris is in another category.  It is an end-game beast that can do everything.  I posted impressions here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audiovalve-solaris-universal-amp.910257/



Beautiful, great review! And I see you're feeding it well!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Ableza said:


> Before:
> 
> 
> After:


What a beast. ^^
Looks really nice.


----------



## latimerfripp (Nov 29, 2019)

My new setup, Fostex TH-600 with ZMF Ori pads(maybe they are Dekoni pads though, not sure)
Hifiman HE5SE with upgraded Cardas cable and Dekoni pads.
Fiio K5 Pro. very nice, looks and feels solid and built well with aluminum case and a big volume knob, drives both headphones easily and sounds great.
You can see the Schiit Loki EQ connected to the Fiio. I didn't know that you can't connect a combo dac+amp to the Loki, and that you need a separate amp... that's sad, I love the Loki.(can anyone explain why I can't cconnect the loki to the Fiio though?)


----------



## VRacer-111 (Nov 29, 2019)

Loki has to be after the DAC but before the amp... no way to get it between the DAC and amp in a DAC/amp combo unit.

Fiio K5 PRO could be used as DAC and can use a separate amp via RCA output, with Loki put inbetween. Or used as amp, if you get a DAC and put Loki inbetween via RCA input.

Guess it would depend on whether a DAC or amp in the price range you are looking at would be a better unit than the DAC or amp section of the K5 PRO.


----------



## latimerfripp (Nov 29, 2019)

thanks. so i'll buy another dac. I love amp of the FIIO


----------



## biglazymoose (Nov 29, 2019)

My headphones are on my head and they will remain there.


----------



## judomaniak57

hey another bryston owner, dont see many of us on here.


----------



## biglazymoose

judomaniak57 said:


> hey another bryston owner, dont see many of us on here.


L      O      N      G      B      O      I


----------



## koover (Dec 1, 2019)

I couldn’t come close to getting my entire listening station in 1 shot. I need to start purging. Nah....
Might as well get the rest of my room in there.


----------



## judomaniak57

*koover  *nice collection of headphones, what wires you got on your Klipsch hp3


----------



## Preachy1

Gave myself a good chuckle when I reached the image of your cans.  Your Meze's wanna play with mine?


----------



## Shane D

koover said:


> I couldn’t come close to getting my entire listening station in 1 shot. I need to start purging. Nah....
> Might as well get the rest of my room in there.



Wow. Just wow. Anytime my wife starts nagging me about my "collection", I just whip out my phone and show her pics from this thread. She then goes on about how crazy you guys are and I just skate away. Until the next delivery arrives.

Shane D


----------



## gefski

koover said:


> I couldn’t come close to getting my entire listening station in 1 shot. I need to start purging. Nah....
> Might as well get the rest of my room in there.



...and pet friendly showing in the first pic. Thumbs up on that!


----------



## floydfan33

JRIVER 25 > HTPC > Oppo UDP-205 > SMSL SP200 > Audeze LCD-3F (2016)


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> ...and pet friendly showing in the first pic. Thumbs up on that!


I noticed that as well, kudos!!!  I'm not sure what all the fuss is with "pet free environments" anyway.  I'd give up all my gear before I'd say goodbye to my critters!!!!   (2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 parrot)


----------



## JTori

Spacekop said:


> But what's on my head right now?



Nice selection of gear!  And, like the way you have spaced out the components to minimize interactions and allow for adequate cooling.  Smart setup!

Joe.


----------



## JTori

Roderick said:


> Current state of my head-fi station is that I have a green bean stuffed in the gustards 6.3mm output. This is why I don't have a tube amp. Gotta love the kids



Did the green-bean tweak yield any appreciable improvement is SQ? 

Joe.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> I picked one up recently too. Could not be happier with it (though the R-27 looks interesting lol)



Victorinox Chrono 42mm?


----------



## Pharmaboy

VRacer-111 said:


> Loki has to be after the DAC but before the amp... no way to get it between the DAC and amp in a DAC/amp combo unit.
> 
> Fiio K5 PRO could be used as DAC and can use a separate amp via RCA output, with Loki put inbetween. Or used as amp, if you get a DAC and put Loki inbetween via RCA input.
> 
> Guess it would depend on whether a DAC or amp in the price range you are looking at would be a better unit than the DAC or amp section of the K5 PRO.



There actually is a way, depending on the DAC/amp combo. If the combo has an RCA output pair, you plug that into the inputs of the Loki, and then a 2nd RCA interconnect goes from RCA outs of Loki to RCA in of a 2nd amp.

If the only amp you have is the combo, of course this won't work. But if you have a second HP amp (or amp/preamp), you can make it happen.


----------



## Pharmaboy

biglazymoose said:


> My headphones are on my head and they will remain there.



I see a blackwood Aeolus in your signature. Do you like it? Ever compare it to the stock sapele Aeolus?


----------



## Pharmaboy

koover said:


> I couldn’t come close to getting my entire listening station in 1 shot. I need to start purging. Nah....
> Might as well get the rest of my room in there.



What is the sheet music?


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> What is the sheet music?


looks like scales to me.


----------



## biglazymoose (Dec 1, 2019)

Pharmaboy said:


> I see a blackwood Aeolus in your signature. Do you like it? Ever compare it to the stock sapele Aeolus?


I really love my Blackwood Aeolus. They are pretty much spot on with what I wanted when I ordered them, which was something a bit more fun and warm. I already had some Blackwood Auteurs that I bought used (only recently sold them to help fund a Ziricote Verite from ZMF November), and really really enjoyed them, however I knew I wanted a warmer and fun signature. The Auteurs were pretty well used too so I was looking forward to something untouched and new with my name on the card. 

The only time I've listened to a stock Aeolus was at ZMFestivus and most of my impressions from that day are a big blur as I went thru a lot of different cans and equipment in such a short time. I came away knowing I would enjoy the Aeolus when they arrived and I was right when they showed up a couple weeks later. My own ears can't really speak to the differences between sapele and blackwood. I think the only time you would notice is if you sat down to a/b them for some time. From what I've read blackwood is more dense than sapele, but not by much. So maybe its a little faster sounding. On the other hand, blackwood has small pores, vs large pores for sapele. Supposedly, the larger the pores are the larger the soundstage.


----------



## interweb-tech

Pharmaboy said:


> Victorinox Chrono 42mm?



Nothing that exotic. Citizen AT4010-50E


----------



## Preachy1

Are we doing watches now?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Are we doing watches now?



Maybe...


----------



## Preachy1

Nice. I’m not familiar with that brand.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Nice. I’m not familiar with that brand.



It's Swiss. Tourneau carried the brand for awhile. 

Long before I had a headphone audio problem--I had a wristwatch problem.


----------



## Wes S

koover said:


> I couldn’t come close to getting my entire listening station in 1 shot. I need to start purging. Nah....
> Might as well get the rest of my room in there.


Nice collection of cans!


----------



## koover

judomaniak57 said:


> *koover  *nice collection of headphones, what wires you got on your Klipsch hp3


Sorry for my delay.
It’s a ZMF Atmos cable. Unfortunately when I got these off another member, he had an issue with the connectors so he hardwired them. No worries as these will never leave the house and I’m never selling them.


Pharmaboy said:


> What is the sheet music?


 Just a warm up book before you’d start to play. This was back in the day when I could actually play this stuff. If you know how to read music, those scales/passages are extremely difficult to play. I keep my horn and music out basically as room decor and a reminder of the good old days.


----------



## Wes S

koover said:


> Sorry for my delay.
> It’s a ZMF Atmos cable. Unfortunately when I got these off another member, he had an issue with the connectors so he hardwired them. No worries as these will never leave the house and I’m never selling them.
> Just a warm up book before you’d start to play. This was back in the day when I could actually play this stuff. If you know how to read music, those scales/passages are extremely difficult to play. I keep my horn and music out basically as room decor and a reminder of the good old days.


I know we have similar taste, and I really need/want to hear a pair of those Klipsch HP3.  I have read nothing but great things about those.


----------



## Strat1117




----------



## kid vic

Strat1117 said:


>



Totem speakers?


----------



## Strat1117

kid vic said:


> Totem speakers?



Yes. Forest Signature.


----------



## VRacer-111 (Dec 6, 2019)

Couldn't help it... had to pick up a second one:





Will use one for work and one for home... all in I have two excellent used Project Embers for less than the price you can buy 1 new one for! And for the work rig have a Khadas tone board coming in along with an aluminum enclosure to fit it into with a little DIY work. Once the Khadas is in and fitted I'll post the new work setup.

The headphones I'm using that's connected to the Ember above are my new loves...





Porta Pro + Yaxi pads + Parts Express headband + custom strap/pad (modded MrSpeakers TR50P strap). Absolutely disappear on your head and stay in place very well thanks to the strap/pad. That 6H30Pi tube that came with the Ember I just got in is an absolutely beautiful match for them... Porta Pros + tubes (on an Ember at least) = magic!


----------



## Shane D

Okay, my additions are done for the forseeable future! Next up will be subtractions.
 

And now, the headphones:


Last is the office. Major improvements in sound quality. Computer to D30 to Burson Fun-Classic to Vanatoo T Zeroes 

Shane D


----------



## nordkapp (Dec 6, 2019)

Eh, why not. Its been awhile.......


----------



## Strat1117

Shane D said:


> Okay, my additions are done for the forseeable future! Next up will be subtractions.
> 
> 
> And now, the headphones:
> ...



I don’t know how you guys do it. I have trouble juggling 4 cans at three stations. 



nordkapp said:


> Eh, why not. Its been awhile.......



Now this is a setup I can understand.


----------



## Shane D

Strat1117 said:


> I don’t know how you guys do it. I have trouble juggling 4 cans at three stations.



I binged hard this year. It will be streamlined in the coming year. I just wanted to try lots of different things. Some work out and some don't.

Shane D


----------



## Preachy1

Strat1117 said:


> I don’t know how you guys do it. I have trouble juggling 4 cans at three stations.


No kidding.  I overdid it a bit this year as well.  I also have 3 stations, each with a pair of cans (1 open; 1 closed), which leaves me with a 1/2 dozen alternate sets.  I really need to thin my herd.


----------



## TLAV111

it’s been a little while, added the Rogue Audio Ares phono preamp and a new tone arm for the turntable.


----------



## llamaluv

Shane D said:


> I binged hard this year.


Oh, I like that way of putting it. That's how I'm feeling too. Spoiled myself silly.


----------



## Wes S

TLAV111 said:


> it’s been a little while, added the Rogue Audio Ares phono preamp and a new tone arm for the turntable.


Really nice setup!


----------



## 340519




----------



## 340519




----------



## Shane D

llamaluv said:


> Oh, I like that way of putting it. That's how I'm feeling too. Spoiled myself silly.



I will definitely be culling the herd in the next few months.

Shane D


----------



## 340519 (Dec 8, 2019)

Delete


----------



## RobertSM

TLAV111 said:


> it’s been a little while, added the Rogue Audio Ares phono preamp and a new tone arm for the turntable.



Nice rig! I'm also a big fan of Rogue Audio. How do you like your Ares? What tubes are you running?


----------



## TLAV111

RobertSM said:


> Nice rig! I'm also a big fan of Rogue Audio. How do you like your Ares? What tubes are you running?



I am loving the Ares, lots of flexibility for different cartridge loading and plenty of gain if you want to use a MC.  As of right now I am just using the stock 12AX7 and 12AU7.


----------



## llamaluv

Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)



 
The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.

Full, gory details in my profile page.

Previous:
Mid 2019
Early 2019
Mid 2018
Early 2018


----------



## betula

llamaluv said:


> Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)
> 
> 
> The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.
> ...


I think you have pretty much maxed out what this hobby can offer at the end of 2019. Very nice.


----------



## 518141

llamaluv said:


>



Fantastic rig and a good taste for headphones. Greetings from Kiel to New York City.


----------



## Shane D

llamaluv said:


> Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)
> 
> 
> The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.



Wow, just wow!

Shane D


----------



## Wes S

llamaluv said:


> Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)
> 
> 
> The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.
> ...


WOW is right!!


----------



## bryceu

llamaluv said:


> Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)
> 
> 
> The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.
> ...


Talk about best in slot


----------



## Wes S

bryceu said:


> Talk about best in slot


Without a doubt!


----------



## ken6217

llamaluv said:


> Not pictured: M-Scaler (via Opto DX 5-meter optical connection)
> 
> 
> The Empyreans aren't mine actually, they belong to a buddy.
> ...



Very nice. All you need now is a server.  Sorry, I couldn't resist.


----------



## llamaluv

ken6217 said:


> Very nice. All you need now is a server.  Sorry, I couldn't resist.


LOL. Noted!


----------



## bryceu




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Sweet! I also like the green metering. Is that the Monoprice or Massdrop amp?


----------



## OctavianH

gimmeheadroom said:


> Sweet! I also like the green metering. Is that the Monoprice or Massdrop amp?



RME ADI-2 DAC FS?




https://img.kytary.com/eshop_ro/stredni_v4/na/636893609739800000/4f9796b6/64609569/rme-adi-2-dac.jpg


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Dec 8, 2019)

OctavianH said:


> RME ADI-2 DAC FS?
> 
> https://img.kytary.com/eshop_ro/stredni_v4/na/636893609739800000/4f9796b6/64609569/rme-adi-2-dac.jpg



No, "I also like the green metering" is *because* I have the new model RME ADI-2 DAC FS. I was asking about the amp under it. Sorry for any confusion. I expected @bryceu would know what I was talking about since we both posted in the RME thread 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rme-adi-2-dac-thread.868015/page-117#post-15326537


----------



## bryceu

It's the Monoprice. The RME fits nicer on top of the Monoprice vs the Massdrop. The Massdrop 789 is a bit narrower so the RME sticks out over the edges a little. Not bad but it bothered me enough to switch lol. Mine is the old model of the RME, as in the not-super-recent-refresh. Still amazing


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bryceu said:


> It's the Monoprice. The RME fits nicer on top of the Monoprice vs the Massdrop. The Massdrop 789 is a bit narrower so the RME sticks out over the edges a little. Not bad but it bothered me enough to switch lol. Mine is the old model of the RME, as in the not-super-recent-refresh. Still amazing



Monoprice is another company that doesn't ship here so it's between the Massdrop 789, SP200, or ...


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> Monoprice is another company that doesn't ship here so it's between the Massdrop 789, SP200, or ...



The SP200 is cheaper and smaller, but lacks that high end XLR output, if you need it. But you probably already know this.

Shane D


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> The SP200 is cheaper and smaller, but lacks that high end XLR output, if you need it. But you probably already know this.
> 
> Shane D



Thanks, I'm really not sure if I'm gonna need one of the THX amps. They seem so appealing for the price though. Of the three the Massdrop seems to have the least complaints.


----------



## Pharmaboy

VRacer-111 said:


> Couldn't help it... had to pick up a second one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's really ingenious, putting the Porta Pro in a more comfortable frame. I've used mine for years (2nd pair now) strictly for my daily 5 mile walk. I'd gladly get another pair for the laptop/convenience listening if I could do what you have here. The excellent sound of the PP is one of the true bargains in all of audio IMO.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> No kidding.  I overdid it a bit this year as well.  I also have 3 stations, each with a pair of cans (1 open; 1 closed), which leaves me with a 1/2 dozen alternate sets.  I really need to thin my herd.



I overdid it by more than a bit last yr & this year. Retrenching is definitely in progress...

This coming March or so, will sell some stuff (incl. a couple top headphones). Really want to wait out the awful market (for sellers, at least) that I've been hearing about in recent months.


----------



## bryceu

gimmeheadroom said:


> Thanks, I'm really not sure if I'm gonna need one of the THX amps. They seem so appealing for the price though. Of the three the Massdrop seems to have the least complaints.


THX is a unique experience. But not an end-all (for me). Definitely worth a listen


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> I overdid it by more than a bit last yr & this year. Retrenching is definitely in progress...
> 
> This coming March or so, will sell some stuff (incl. a couple top headphones). Really want to wait out the awful market (for sellers, at least) that I've been hearing about in recent months.



I am going to try sell some stuff before Christmas. Hopefully I can catch some people with the Christmas spirit!

Shane D


----------



## Preachy1

Shane D said:


> I am going to try sell some stuff before Christmas. Hopefully I can catch some people with the Christmas spirit!
> 
> Shane D


More likely everyone is broke by now!  Hehehe


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I overdid it by more than a bit last yr & this year. Retrenching is definitely in progress...
> 
> This coming March or so, will sell some stuff (incl. a couple top headphones). Really want to wait out the awful market (for sellers, at least) that I've been hearing about in recent months.


The selling market is definitely poopy right now. I can’t move a pair of Omni’s for lobe nor money.


----------



## Shane D

Preachy1 said:


> More likely everyone is broke by now!  Hehehe



I think folks will be a LOT more broke after Christmas.

Shane D


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I'm planning to never be broke again


----------



## johnjen (Dec 9, 2019)

So I got brow beaten, or is it cajoled, into posting up some pics of my polar opposite setup to what everyone else's setups are, by he who shall not be named, (you know who you are… hahahahahahahahahaha)

I mean everything I have seen thus far in this thread looks so tidy, neat, new, clean and so well organized…
I'm sure it all has had to pass the "she who must be obeyed' good housekeeping seal of approval, er sumpt'n.

My setup on the other hand looks like a bomb went off and scattered all the tools and cables and spare parts that are now strewn hither thither and all about.

And the new stuff are all are one off pieces and works in progress with more to come.
And so I am in the process of getting them 'dialed in' and reaping the rewards as a consequence, much to my delight.

But when I'm deeply into the music, my eyes are closed and I don't have to look at any of it.
And this ongoing process of tweaking requires quick and easy access to the 'underneath' circuitry, hot soldering iron at the ready.

So stay tuned for some truly spectacular glamor shots of an ongoing work in progress that closely resembles an EPA disaster site, in dire need of a cleanup.
hahahahahahahahahaha

JJ


----------



## Strat1117

Bedside -


----------



## Shane D

Strat1117 said:


> Bedside -



I love The Sermon!

Just had to blurt that out.

Shane D


----------



## bryceu (Dec 9, 2019)

December is definitely the most ‘brokest’ time of the year for many.


----------



## johnjen (Dec 10, 2019)

Ok so here are 2 pics.

This is the head on shot of the 2 new kids on the (chopping) block.

The front amp is a 71A/6BQ7A headphone/pre-amp, with stepped volume control and separate PSU underneath.
That is lead shot and wheel weights on the top to find out if mass loading the top plate makes any sonic difference.
This amp just lit up like a christmas tree in terms of it's SQ, as in WAY kewl tunes for this holiday season.
I found a driver tube matchup that made a HUGE SQ difference to feed the matched 1938 Globe 71A DHT output tubes.

The rear amp is a 6L6GC/6CG7A speaker amp with about 5-7watts output.
And can also drive headphones as it has a low enough noise floor and also enough subtlety and nuance to feed HP's

This next pic is a side view of these 2 amps along with the tools to modify and 'tweak' them.


And that device to the left of the fluke meter is a Jolida tube dac that is part of my 'portable' system that I take to meets.
It too is getting a few mods and better tubes.
And the chunk of anodized aluminum to the left is my *JggyB* Dac (see sig line) which will be in the next few pics along with my *AOIP* setup which feeds the rest of the system(s).

JJ


----------



## TYATYA

Not many of us can say the name of this headphone.


----------



## johnjen

Part Deux.
This is the AOIP setup that feeds my dac and my configurable 'workstation' where it all comes together.
 


There are bits and pieces scattered thru out this pic, some from the scattering effect of 'da bomb' and others by necessity.

JJ


----------



## sennfan83261 (Dec 12, 2019)

I recently purchased a modded HE-6 prototype sporting an HE-560 headband (also received the original leather? earcup prototype headband).  I also wanted to hear how the HE-6 sounded out of a speaker power amp compared to the THX AAA 789, so I picked up a Crown D-75A not long after.  To put it simply, better bass and bass texture and much more visceral.  They are one aggressive mf'er when properly amped.   

EDIT: I just wanted to add that the HE-6 sounded cleaner, a bit more tame out of the THX AAA 789 (balanced, 3.5W at 50ohms) than the Crown D-75A.  Even on the THX AAA 789, the HE-6 exhibited deeper bass extension and was more visceral than the HE-500.


----------



## chimney189

Here's my portable setup: iPhone 6 --> FiiO A5 --> Abyss Diana V2 --> a lot of finger prints


----------



## kman1211

TYATYA said:


> Not many of us can say the name of this headphone.



How is the 007tA with the RR 1 Conquest?


----------



## TYATYA (Dec 13, 2019)

kman1211 said:


> How is the 007tA with the RR 1 Conquest?


It sounds extractly similar iBasso SR1 (dynamic) tonality with silver cable.
Dark imagine.
Smoothness.
Detail.(RR1 more detail, yes e.stat)
Sound stage ahhh

I can not describle the sound stage of RR1 - a thing is just so so to my ears.
While SR1 has sphere shape headstage, RR1 is like no dimension, small stage.
In this term, no.1 for me is the hd800s with silver plate copper wires. Excellent at head side and instruments positioning, oval shape (expand to LR than other diections).

Compare to Shure KSE (e.stat), bass of RR1 did not goes to ground breaking level as KSE does. Reason of dark imagine of RR1 may be it lack a bit of upper mid range, not by the bass covering/masking. KSE is natural balance due to it can expose all.

In short words:
Bass quantity RR1 locate between kse and hd800s and equal to SR1.
Bass texture kse>hd800s>rr1>sr1
Tonal balance (dark to bright) rr1 - sr1 - kse - hd800s.
Layering, positioning hd800s>kse=sr1>rr1
Details kse > hd800s = rr1 > sr1
Headstage size hd800s>sr1>kse=rr1
3D/sphere like stage: sr1 > hd800s > kse=rr1


Edit: relate to FR, there was a BIG change on my unit as in below post. Sound is then open up!
Off-topic so just add link

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kal...00-electrostatic.900147/page-25#post-15360971


----------



## Allegro maestoso

johnjen said:


> Part Deux.
> This is the AOIP setup that feeds my dac and my configurable 'workstation' where it all comes together.
> 
> 
> ...



I love the radiation symbols on the Schiits. Very cool.


----------



## Allegro maestoso

chimney189 said:


> Here's my portable setup: iPhone 6 --> FiiO A5 --> Abyss Diana V2 --> a lot of finger prints



I have that same lunch bag that's in the background. Is that a FiiO cable connecting it to the iPhone?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Allegro maestoso said:


> I have that same lunch bag that's in the background. Is that a FiiO cable connecting it to the iPhone?



I thought the exact same thing. I have a very similar or identical FiiO cable running between my FiiO DAPs and an AUNE B1S


----------



## funkle II




----------



## chimney189

Allegro maestoso said:


> I have that same lunch bag that's in the background. Is that a FiiO cable connecting it to the iPhone?





gimmeheadroom said:


> I thought the exact same thing. I have a very similar or identical FiiO cable running between my FiiO DAPs and an AUNE B1S



Yes it is.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

funkle II said:


>



Very nice! Has an understated look of a guy who knows how to pick his gear  

Are those the Emu teaks?


----------



## funkle II

gimmeheadroom said:


> Very nice! Has an understated look of a guy who knows how to pick his gear
> 
> Are those the Emu teaks?



Just a big pile o' gear  Most of it is newly acquired. I'm running the Consonance as a tube-pre driving the Job (mind-blowingly good with these speakers) I may do some kind of mini rack. Yes, e-mu teaks.


----------



## johnjen

Allegro maestoso said:


> I love the radiation symbols on the Schiits. Very cool.


Those are extra's from the set I had made to label the Purp-Amp's umbilical cables.  I use them for the heater cables and connectors.
And it seemed like they belonged on the schiit stack, and they do add a 'splash' of color.  

JJ


----------



## CJG888

funkle II said:


>



Consonance amp, Mark & Daniel speakers!

Been to China recently?

I haven’t seen the M&Ds outside China before...


----------



## Preachy1

I've been craving one of those Consonance Droplets since I first saw one about 15 years ago.


----------



## funkle II (Dec 15, 2019)

CJG888 said:


> Consonance amp, Mark & Daniel speakers!
> 
> Been to China recently?
> 
> I haven’t seen the M&Ds outside China before...




Nope. Just a 6moons whore. I buy whatever Srajen tells me. The M&D are rare, but have been on my radar. When a used pair of Sapphires came up at a bargain price, I snapped them up.  Mid-bass to die for, and stellar imaging. The Consonance is great too. Very underrated at the $200 used price they go for (if you can find one)


----------



## CJG888

No need to convert me...

CD 2.3 Mk III 

Reference 5.5 Mk II (300B PSE integrated, Telefunken ECC81 / TJ Full Music 12BH7 / Genalex Gold Lion 300B)

Cyber 20 Headphone amp (Telefunken ECC 82 / 1970 Tungsram EL84)


----------



## funkle II (Dec 15, 2019)

CJG888 said:


> No need to convert me...
> 
> CD 2.3 Mk III
> 
> ...



Nice. Did you buy them new or used?



Preachy1 said:


> I've been craving one of those Consonance Droplets since I first saw one about 15 years ago.



I'm intrigued by their turntables from an aesthetic standpoint. I'm sure they're great sounding as well. I may have to add it to my growing hifishark notifications


----------



## CJG888

All bought new (in Shanghai).


----------



## kkrazik2008

I have been browsing this thread since joining to get a sense of what gear to consider. What I have noticed is there is quite a few set ups with multiple amps, some nearly identical in terms of solid state or tube. Forgive my ignorance as I am a recent convert to the world of head-fi, what is the differentiator for those of you that own multiple amps in the same set up? I understand different types of headphone require specific amps, such as electrostatics and similar. I am really curious as to the approach one should take in acquiring additional gear in the realm of head-fi. 
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Preachy1

For many of us, there are no local resources with which to sample this kind of gear.  For me, the nearest hifi store is likely a couple of hours away.  So for me, and I assume many others, there is a LOT of trial and error involved.  Buy this one, hmmm, not quite what I'm looking for.  I'll buy this one to compare, then sell the one I don't want.  Apply - Lather - Rinse - Repeat!!!!!


----------



## Preachy1

BTW, welcome to this insane place.  Word of warning, hide your credit card in a place where you'll never find it!!!!


----------



## kkrazik2008

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, welcome to this insane place.  Word of warning, hide your credit card in a place where you'll never find it!!!!


Thank you! I am finding the urge to purchase gear has exponentially increased since dipping my ears into the water, and restraint is quickly disappearing from my vocabulary.


----------



## judomaniak57

I was fine until I found out about this site. same set up for years, still have it . but now 3 amps and 10 different headphones later I am still looking at new gear. curse u headfi


----------



## funkle II

Preachy1 said:


> For many of us, there are no local resources with which to sample this kind of gear.  For me, the nearest hifi store is likely a couple of hours away.  So for me, and I assume many others, there is a LOT of trial and error involved.  Buy this one, hmmm, not quite what I'm looking for.  I'll buy this one to compare, then sell the one I don't want.  Apply - Lather - Rinse - Repeat!!!!!



I'm on the same page as Preachy. For the past 10 years, I've been content with one amp (Burson Conductor) one headphone (Denon AH-D2000), and recently got the bug: an obsessive curiosity to experience the multitude of options that exist. Because it is difficult to audition most of this stuff (both because of availability & that I'm often unable to form a solid impression based on a demo outside of my home. And because no amount of external reviews can capture how the piece will actually sound to me), I take the approach of buy used>try>keep/sell. And I've been surprised at how different a lot of this seemingly similar stuff can sound. Of the 3-4 solid state amps I now have, they all sound quite different, and each bring something totally different out of each headphone. The small size/cost makes this approach much more feasible than with full sized speaker based gear.


----------



## Shane D

Preachy1 said:


> For many of us, there are no local resources with which to sample this kind of gear.  For me, the nearest hifi store is likely a couple of hours away.  So for me, and I assume many others, there is a LOT of trial and error involved.  Buy this one, hmmm, not quite what I'm looking for.  I'll buy this one to compare, then sell the one I don't want.  Apply - Lather - Rinse - Repeat!!!!!



Apparently this is now my life mantra...

Shane D


----------



## Preachy1

I started out pretty small about 10 years ago, using a small portable amp with an older iPod (link to amp below, and well worth the guy's asking price!), and just a pair of Ultimate Ears EB IEMs.  Not really sure when or where I got the itch, but I made the move to over the ear cans with a pair of BeyerDynamic DT770's.  Then around 3 years ago, I fell under the Head-Fi spell, and it was all over.  Bought the FiiO X5 III (don't even get me started), followed by the Audeze EL-8's, then the LCD-2's, then the 3's.  Onwards and upwards to ZMF cans.  The rest is history.

Link to the portable amp noted above:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Headphone-...952276?hash=item34194fb054:g:gPEAAOSwDYZd2M3z


----------



## Pharmaboy

kkrazik2008 said:


> I have been browsing this thread since joining to get a sense of what gear to consider. What I have noticed is there is quite a few set ups with multiple amps, some nearly identical in terms of solid state or tube. Forgive my ignorance as I am a recent convert to the world of head-fi, what is the differentiator for those of you that own multiple amps in the same set up? I understand different types of headphone require specific amps, such as electrostatics and similar. I am really curious as to the approach one should take in acquiring additional gear in the realm of head-fi.
> Any insight would be greatly appreciated.



I have 5 SS amps, 1 tube amp, and 1 DAC/amp combo (a cheapie). I just purchased a 7th amp, my 1st tube/SS hybrid (Hafler HA75), soon to arrive.

Why so many amps? Well, some are balanced vs some being single-ended; some are moderate in power & others have much power; the tube amp is an OTL design that really brings high impedance headphones to life. None are huge & heavy; I switch them in and out of my 2 systems that sit on opposite ends of an L-shaped desk:

*Main system* (headphones + studio monitors & sub): the DAC has 2 X RCA output pairs, so I have 2 headphone amps (or amp/preamps) connected at any given time. The Violectric V281 is typically the preamp (a superb, flexible preamp), and of course, #1 HP amp. The 2nd amp is usually the Woo WA3 OTL.
DAC is NOS/multibit, my favorite digital design

*Side system* (headphones only): Often features my least expensive & powerful (yet very good sounding) SS amp, the M Stage Matrix HPA-1 (w/the 3rd & by far best opamps I rolled in)
DAC is multibit


Each amp brings something different to the party. Depending on the headphone/amp match (I have 8-9 headphones), I may get a synergistic experience on any given day (or sometimes a sonic "fail"). All these flavors interest me because different amps give different views/perspectives of each headphone.


----------



## Preachy1

Listen to him, he's pre-med!

But he's also on double secret probation.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Listen to him, he's pre-med!
> 
> But he's also on double secret probation.



"pre-medicated for public safety"


----------



## kkrazik2008

Pharmaboy said:


> "pre-medicated for public safety"



I appreciate all the useful feedback from all that have responded. I am starting to better understand the phenomena, for many years I was content with a solid pair of Shure SE IEM's playing through my iPod in lossless. I think somewhere along the way, when streaming became convenient I lost my way. So I bought a new pair of Shure IEM's and a portable amp/DAC combo about 18 months ago:



I was able to buy the Shure SE846 for 1/2 off, and picked up the Chord Mojo. The other item is a Raspberry Pi running off a battery pack as a Roon end point, this was a more of an experiment in progress to find a solution to move around the house without having another separate system in each room. Hence the rubber bands and straps. About a year ago, I decided that I had spent enough money on average sounding over the ear headphones after borrowing my friends HifiMan HE560s over Thanksgiving break. This started the "Journey" and I bought a pair of Aeon Flow Closed after auditioning the more expensive Ether Flow Closed (The AV shop had just sold the AFC a few days before I came in). Then about a week or two later I realized I needed a proper sit down at home listening station with a dedicated headphone amp and such. I came across a great deal on Ebay for a Musical Fidelity system that matched my Musical Fidelity gear I purchased back in 2005:



I am perfectly content with this set up despite the age of the components. However in my browsing of this thread and reading some other posts within Head-Fi I have the itch to pick up an open back headphone, and maybe some more gear such an amp and/or DAC.

Anyway, that is my story and some background on my original question/observation.
Again, thanks for all the great responses.


----------



## sennfan83261

Preachy1 said:


> Listen to him, he's pre-med!


You are describing pretty much every bio major out there.


----------



## funkle II

kkrazik2008 said:


> I came across a great deal on Ebay for a Musical Fidelity system that matched my Musical Fidelity gear I purchased back in 2005:
> 
> I am perfectly content with this set up despite the age of the components. However in my browsing of this thread and reading some other posts within Head-Fi I have the itch to pick up an open back headphone, and maybe some more gear such an amp and/or DAC.
> 
> ...



I have been very interested in MF in the past. The x-can stuff was always intriguing. I'm a big advocate of new DAC technology. Amazing how good the new stuff is. $100-400 DACs are trouncing multi-thousand dollar DACs from 5+ years ago.


----------



## Pro-Jules (Dec 17, 2019)

My rig at home

Hiby R6 Pro running Tidal  - usb out to
Mutec MC3+USB re-clocker / AES out to
TC Finalizer 96K + - AES out to
Grace 903 DAC - out to
Adam Audio A5X speaker & sub

I use the Finalizer to lift high a frequency "smile curve " and mutiband compress / smooth over the sub bass. I also add a lick of TC's "harmonic generation"

It all sounds massive.


----------



## funkle II

Pro-Jules said:


> My rig at home
> 
> Hiby R6 Pro running Tidal  - usb out to
> Mutec MC3+USB re-clocker / AES out to
> ...



So that TC Finalizer in a DSP unit? I've had a bunch of their stuff for guitar in the past. It's fascinating to see some of the variety of systems that people are using.


----------



## Pro-Jules (Dec 18, 2019)

funkle II said:


> So that TC Finalizer in a DSP unit? I've had a bunch of their stuff for guitar in the past. It's fascinating to see some of the variety of systems that people are using.



Yeah, it's a leftover from my audio engineering days. It's a multi processor for DIY mastering. It's the little brother of the TC 5000's & TC6000's that were / are used in pro mastering studios.

Before computers were used to record bands we would use one of these to send the artist home with a CD to listen to their tracks ('rough mixes') work in progress - they would think (falsely) we were doing a terrible job if the cd we handed them sounded quieter than released albums - so we would run it through one of these to give it that mastered 'final' sound and be just as loud.

I just remembered I still had it in storage so busted it out last weekend. It didn't  take me too long to remember how to use it. It's quite deep and has a lot of menus for fine tweaking.

I need a bit of high frequency lift due to my age and 30 years in the music biz.

PARDON ?

It's nice as all the processing occurs @96k (32 bit?). So in 96k - out 96k


----------



## Preachy1

sennfan83261 said:


> You are describing pretty much every bio major out there.


I thought the reference to “double secret probation” gave it away as a quote from Animal House.


----------



## Wes S (Dec 18, 2019)

kkrazik2008 said:


> I have been browsing this thread since joining to get a sense of what gear to consider. What I have noticed is there is quite a few set ups with multiple amps, some nearly identical in terms of solid state or tube. Forgive my ignorance as I am a recent convert to the world of head-fi, what is the differentiator for those of you that own multiple amps in the same set up? I understand different types of headphone require specific amps, such as electrostatics and similar. I am really curious as to the approach one should take in acquiring additional gear in the realm of head-fi.
> Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


For me, it is all about synergy.  Some headphones sound better with a certain system, depending on the type of music being listened to.  It is all about fine tuning a specific sound I am after.  It is also, nice to have a rotation of complimentary gear, as to keep things fresh and exciting.  For me, with just 1 setup, it is sometimes possible to just get bored with it, no matter how good it is.  Of course, I still have not heard lots of "Summit Fi" gear, and that might change things, but for now with my limited funds it is nice to have multiple mid level setups, to keep things exciting.  Just my 2 cents.

Also, if it were me, I would figure out what kind of sound signature I like, and then search for gear that fits that description, and start chatting with people that have similar taste. This forum is full of great info, and you can really learn from others.  I found a few members early on, that had the same preferences in sound and just followed their lead.


----------



## gefski

kkrazik2008 said:


> I have been browsing this thread since joining to get a sense of what gear to consider. What I have noticed is there is quite a few set ups with multiple amps, some nearly identical in terms of solid state or tube. Forgive my ignorance as I am a recent convert to the world of head-fi, what is the differentiator for those of you that own multiple amps in the same set up? I understand different types of headphone require specific amps, such as electrostatics and similar. I am really curious as to the approach one should take in acquiring additional gear in the realm of head-fi.
> Any insight would be greatly appreciated.



I’ll +1 on @Wes S comments and add a couple more thoughts. Having a second amp, perhaps a small one, can be handy to slot into my system if I start listening and “something seems wrong”. Quicker problem solving.

If you have any opportunities to go to meets and listen, it’s invaluable. Here in Seattle I get to listen to nearly all the available reference cans, dacs, and amps. Certainly can’t buy all that stuff to try it.


----------



## kkrazik2008

Wes S said:


> For me, it is all about synergy.  Some headphones sound better with a certain system, depending on the type of music being listened to.  It is all about fine tuning a specific sound I am after.  It is also, nice to have a rotation of complimentary gear, as to keep things fresh and exciting.  For me, with just 1 setup, it is sometimes possible to just get bored with it, no matter how good it is.  Of course, I still have not heard lots of "Summit Fi" gear, and that might change things, but for now with my limited funds it is nice to have multiple mid level setups, to keep things exciting.  Just my 2 cents.
> 
> Also, if it were me, I would figure out what kind of sound signature I like, and then search for gear that fits that description, and start chatting with people that have similar taste. This forum is full of great info, and you can really learn from others.  I found a few members early on, that had the same preferences in sound and just followed their lead.



Thank you!


----------



## Wes S

kkrazik2008 said:


> Thank you!


Glad to help!  If you discover you like a "musical" or warm/ organic sound signature, feel free to pm me anytime, and I am happy to share what I have learned.  I don't do the analytical sound signature ever, because I listen loud and long, for pure enjoyment.


----------



## funkle II




----------



## TYATYA

funkle II said:


>


Lovely cat


----------



## CJG888

I guess that rules out open tube amps for you!

Cat + high voltage = not a good idea...


----------



## Dickymint

funkle II said:


>


Is that a portable Cat-sette player by any chance?


----------



## CJG888

Purr-fect!


----------



## funkle II

CJG888 said:


> I guess that rules out open tube amps for you!
> 
> Cat + high voltage = not a good idea...




That would be cat-astrophic


----------



## Preachy1

so this is why the "pet-free" home is important?


----------



## holytiger

Hd800s becomes more intimate with the vocals, sounds warm and smooth with pathos. None fatiguing, just a joy to listen to for hours and hours!


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> Hd800s becomes more intimate with the vocals, sounds warm and smooth with pathos. None fatiguing, just a joy to listen to for hours and hours!



Damn...that Pathos Aurium really interests me.


----------



## funkle II

Pharmaboy said:


> Damn...that Pathos Aurium really interests me.



It has to be the best looking tube amp I've ever seen


----------



## Strayngs

funkle II said:


> It has to be the best looking tube amp I've ever seen



It definitely looks nice but it sounds wonderful. I love mine.


----------



## Pharmaboy

funkle II said:


> It has to be the best looking tube amp I've ever seen



It's actually a hybrid amp: tube input + mosfet output. And it's one of the rare hybrids described as truly combining the best of tubes (mids, treble, 3D/palpability) with SS (dynamics, bass impact/reach). 

The price is high and I already have way too many amps. Still, I feel this one calling my name...


----------



## funkle II

Pharmaboy said:


> It's actually a hybrid amp: tube input + mosfet output. And it's one of the rare hybrids described as truly combining the best of tubes (mids, treble, 3D/palpability) with SS (dynamics, bass impact/reach).
> 
> The price is high and I already have way too many amps. Still, I feel this one calling my name...



Any idea how it compares to the Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ2? Also supposed to have those qualities plus an exceedingly dark background. I think that's where my $$$ is going unless I can be convinced otherwise.


----------



## holytiger (Dec 21, 2019)

funkle II said:


> It has to be the best looking tube amp I've ever seen


 it's beautiful in the inside too !


----------



## Pharmaboy

funkle II said:


> Any idea how it compares to the Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ2? Also supposed to have those qualities plus an exceedingly dark background. I think that's where my $$$ is going unless I can be convinced otherwise.



I'm well aware of that one (the current model is the MZ3, described as a significant upgrade to the MZ2). Read some fascinating comments about it. Unfortunately, it's out of my price range (by a factor of 2), so no go.

The I/O layout of the MZ3 differs quite a bit from the Pathos, if that stuff matters to you.

Speaking of hybrids, I just picked up an inexpensive amp that I've been curious about for awhile, the Hafler HA75. It's a SS amp with a tube buffer on the output, a very different topology from either of the more expensive classic hybrids mentioned above. I got this amp based on some very positive sonic comments, also on the rather unusual sound shaping circuits it comes with. Just wired it into main system as headphone amp & preamp, started burn-in this morning. 

I have too many amps already...I was due for another one.


----------



## Pharmaboy

funkle II said:


>



Omigod, what a beautiful callico!


----------



## funkle II

Pharmaboy said:


> (the current model is the MZ3, described as a significant upgrade to the MZ2). Read some fascinating comments about it. Unfortunately, it's out of my price range (by a factor of 2), so no go



The MZ2 is still a current model as well. LTA occasionally sells trade ins (with warranty) for around $1200



Pharmaboy said:


> Omigod, what a beautiful callico!



Thanks. Actually it’s called a tortious (sorry to correct you twice in one message


----------



## spanner43

since i bought my Schiit Stack I have been searching for a good shelf or mount system for it. I think I may have finally found it. For those interested and able to get to a 3d printer https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3207569


----------



## Shane D

spanner43 said:


> since i bought my Schiit Stack I have been searching for a good shelf or mount system for it. I think I may have finally found it. For those interested and able to get to a 3d printer https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3207569



Nice work!

Shane D


----------



## spanner43 (Dec 22, 2019)

Shane D said:


> Nice work!
> 
> Shane D


Thank you, but the design credit goes to lasakro over at thingiverse . I was in the process of designing something when i found his version. so simple and works great


----------



## Shane D

spanner43 said:


> Thank you, but the design credit goes to lasakro over at thingiverse . I was in the process of designing something when i found his version. so simple and works great



The only downside I see is when you change components you'll need new pieces. But they aren't too expensive right?

Shane D


----------



## spanner43 (Dec 22, 2019)

Shane D said:


> The only downside I see is when you change components you'll need new pieces. But they aren't too expensive right?
> 
> Shane D


Maybe about 15 cents total worth of plastic, its pretty easy to swap out components they just screw in using the original screw holes on the schiit, and the designer has available several options for 2, 3, or 4 high


----------



## Shane D

spanner43 said:


> Maybe about 25 cents worth of plastic, its pretty easy to swap out components, and the designer has available several options for 2, 3, or 4 high



That is awesome!!

Shane D


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pro-Jules said:


> My rig at home
> 
> Hiby R6 Pro running Tidal  - usb out to
> Mutec MC3+USB re-clocker / AES out to
> ...



I will probably buy that Mutec or one of their other ones to kill SCMS 



CJG888 said:


> I guess that rules out open tube amps for you!
> 
> Cat + high voltage = not a good idea...



That is exactly the opposite of my thoughts. I was thinking a .45 would make a lot of noise and leave a big hole in the wall behind the cat. And then I saw the wisdom of buying a tube amp and putting it on top of that stack


----------



## holytiger

*Merry Christmas Everyone!!!! Here is my second desktop system at the moment.*


----------



## UntilThen

Here's mine on Christmas Eve. Yggdrasil, Oblivion amp by @SonicTrance , ZMF Verite headphones and Axis LS28 speakers.

Unbelievably good. You can read about Oblivion here - http://ultrasonicstudios.org/oblivion/

*Merry Christmas in advance !*


----------



## chimney189

A bit of an upgrade...


----------



## Dickymint

Gradually getting there! Dug out my old but still functioning PS Audio amplifier and used the Beresford Caiman to control it for now.


----------



## CJG888

Nice Nak...


----------



## johnzz4

All dusted and photo ready.  Merry Christmas everyone!


----------



## Preachy1

No pic, just a happy holidays to everyone!!!!


----------



## koover

What the heck, I'll say it as much as it's politically incorrect this century.....
*MERRY CHRISTMAS  *
Happy holiday's too!


----------



## BobSmith8901

Dickymint said:


> Gradually getting there! Dug out my old but still functioning PS Audio amplifier and used the Beresford Caiman to control it for now.



Instantly recognized the Nakamichi LX-3. I also have one that I got back in 1982. At the time I was really looking for a deck that would play without audible wow and flutter and it delivered. Although has had a few servicing's over the years it still works great and built like a tank. Was listening to some old cassettes on it just a few days ago. A commercial Dolby HX Pro cassette with the noise reduction turned off on the NAK still sounds pretty good. Nice and warm and some surprising headroom.


----------



## Dickymint

BobSmith8901 said:


> Instantly recognized the Nakamichi LX-3. I also have one that I got back in 1982. At the time I was really looking for a deck that would play without audible wow and flutter and it delivered. Although has had a few servicing's over the years it still works great and built like a tank. Was listening to some old cassettes on it just a few days ago. A commercial Dolby HX Pro cassette with the noise reduction turned off on the NAK still sounds pretty good. Nice and warm and some surprising headroom.



Still works a treat, I recently bought the Sky box set on CD, it sounds awful! Listening to the same music from the Nac sounds much better.


----------



## Adu




----------



## rickles

I have a few, but here's one.


----------



## kumar402




----------



## Wes S

kumar402 said:


>


I spy a Draug 3.   That ECP, is really one I want to hear, one of these days. . .

Nice setup!


----------



## kumar402

Wes S said:


> I spy a Draug 3.   That ECP, is really one I want to hear, one of these days. . .
> 
> Nice setup!


 you have a keen eye and you know your wires


----------



## Wes S (Dec 26, 2019)

A few have been sold and traded, and a few more have been added.


----------



## holytiger

My third system set up in my living room. Thinking of replacing the 6xx to a Grado.


----------



## kumar402

holytiger said:


> My third system set up in my living room. Thinking of replacing the 6xx to a Grado.


Never replace HD650 with anything


----------



## holytiger

kumar402 said:


> Never replace HD650 with anything


I love the sound and tone of my 6xx. The timbre for the instruments are pretty much ideal for me but its that upper mid range frequency that's killing my ears! My ears starts to really hurt a lot after 30min of listening session even on moderate volume. I try to overcome my pain and listen for longer but it leaves me with my ears ringing afterwards. That bump on the 3-4k is probably my achilles and sounds really shouty and almost feels like someone literally shouting at my ears or having a really long conversation over the phone with someone that has a high tone pitch. I think my ears can only handle a bit laid back sound signature but strangely don't mind treble. Hd800s which I have been using for about 2 years I can comfortably listen for 10 hours or more, and with the tubes, which makes them smoother.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

holytiger said:


> My third system set up in my living room. Thinking of replacing the 6xx to a Grado.



You're baking that poor seal off the heaters from your Woo 



kumar402 said:


> Never replace HD650 with anything



Except for a 600 or 800


----------



## Wes S

kumar402 said:


> Never replace HD650 with anything


I concur.  That is one headphone I will always own.  The HD650 was my first good headphone, and with my Bottlehead Crack Speedball it is perfection.


----------



## Wes S

holytiger said:


> I love the sound and tone of my 6xx. The timbre for the instruments are pretty much ideal for me but its that upper mid range frequency that's killing my ears! My ears starts to really hurt a lot after 30min of listening session even on moderate volume. I try to overcome my pain and listen for longer but it leaves me with my ears ringing afterwards. That bump on the 3-4k is probably my achilles and sounds really shouty and almost feels like someone literally shouting at my ears or having a really long conversation over the phone with someone that has a high tone pitch. I think my ears can only handle a bit laid back sound signature but strangely don't mind treble. Hd800s which I have been using for about 2 years I can comfortably listen for 10 hours or more, and with the tubes, which makes them smoother.


I am sure you have, but perhaps a different tube combo could help?


----------



## kumar402 (Dec 29, 2019)

holytiger said:


> I love the sound and tone of my 6xx. The timbre for the instruments are pretty much ideal for me but its that upper mid range frequency that's killing my ears! My ears starts to really hurt a lot after 30min of listening session even on moderate volume. I try to overcome my pain and listen for longer but it leaves me with my ears ringing afterwards. That bump on the 3-4k is probably my achilles and sounds really shouty and almost feels like someone literally shouting at my ears or having a really long conversation over the phone with someone that has a high tone pitch. I think my ears can only handle a bit laid back sound signature but strangely don't mind treble. Hd800s which I have been using for about 2 years I can comfortably listen for 10 hours or more, and with the tubes, which makes them smoother.


Ya, that's the frequency range where concha, next to ear canal, has some effect and hence few of us are more sensitive then others in this frequency range. I had similar experience with Meze empyrean in upper mid but never with 650. May be its the amp and DAC I pair it with. Multibit and NOS DAC go very well with 650. My Amp, DSHA-3F, has very smooth treble and it pushes the vocals deeper in stage. May be in your future amp or tube look for this character


----------



## penmarker

Replace the 650 with SR009/BHSE/Chord Dave or something.


----------



## holytiger

Wes S said:


> I am sure you have, but perhaps a different tube combo could help?


Yes I have tried different tubes and many other amps but it was still quite hard to tame that 3-4k range and that too forwardness shouty factor. It's a hard decision to let go of course since I really like the overall tune and sound of this headphone.


----------



## holytiger (Dec 29, 2019)

kumar402 said:


> Ya, that's the frequency range where concha, next to ear canal, has some effect and hence few of us are more sensitive then others in this frequency range. I had similar experience with Meze empyrean in upper mid but never with 650. May be its the amp and DAC I pair it with. Multibit and NOS DAC go very well with 650. My Amp, DSHA-3F, has very smooth treble and it pushes the vocals deeper in stage. May be in your future amp or tube look for this character


I agree, that is probably the reason why quite a lot of headphone companies decides to roll off a bit in that upper mid range and spikes it back up again in the lower treble region. I have tried the empyrean quite a few times but not experienced the same extent of ear fatigue as 6xx since it does not quite have the same forwardness, it sounds bit more laid back and relaxed with wider stage. I fed the meze with hugo2 and ifi micro idsd black label. I have not heard the DSHA-3F yet. I've seen few pics around here. Your description of that amp def intrigues me. I will look into it


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> I love the sound and tone of my 6xx. The timbre for the instruments are pretty much ideal for me but its that upper mid range frequency that's killing my ears! My ears starts to really hurt a lot after 30min of listening session even on moderate volume. I try to overcome my pain and listen for longer but it leaves me with my ears ringing afterwards. That bump on the 3-4k is probably my achilles and sounds really shouty and almost feels like someone literally shouting at my ears or having a really long conversation over the phone with someone that has a high tone pitch. I think my ears can only handle a bit laid back sound signature but strangely don't mind treble. Hd800s which I have been using for about 2 years I can comfortably listen for 10 hours or more, and with the tubes, which makes them smoother.



Get that headphone modded. It does wonders...


----------



## CreditingKarma

Here is my setup in it's current state. Recently added items are below.

Metrum onyx -> Hugo TT2
Auralic Aries G1
Transparent powerbank -> transparent power wave
Solidsteel audio rack




 



I know that some folks might take offense but, I was auditioning an mscaler with the TT2. I used to own one with a hugo 2 and thought that it made a bigger difference with the hugo 2 than it does with the TT2. I actually found the addition of the Auralic to make a bigger sonic improvement than the Mscaler. I am finding this improvement to be more apparent on my speakers than with my Abyss. The improvement is there but it just shows more on the Magicos.


----------



## nordkapp (Dec 30, 2019)

CreditingKarma said:


> Here is my setup in it's current state. Recently added items are below.
> 
> Metrum onyx -> Hugo TT2
> Auralic Aries G1
> ...


What loudspeakers are those? I'm looking for a compact 2 way tower. Oops, scratch that....Just saw the Magicos listed. Too rich for my blood. Damn nice setup u have there.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

nordkapp said:


> What loudspeakers are those? I'm looking for a compact 2 way tower. Oops, scratch that....Just saw the Magicos listed. Too rich for my blood. Damn nice setup u have there.



Yeah they're beauties. I was thinking the same thing. Although I wouldn't consider those compact!

I love the wood on that guitar! Maybe even nicer than the speakers. And that is saying a lot...


----------



## CreditingKarma (Dec 30, 2019)

nordkapp said:


> What loudspeakers are those? I'm looking for a compact 2 way tower. Oops, scratch that....Just saw the Magicos listed. Too rich for my blood. Damn nice setup u have there.



They are a pair of Magico S1MK2. I really like the simplicity of a 2way speaker design. There is something about how cohesive the sound is with a more simple crossover design.

What is the price range you are looking in for the speakers?


----------



## nordkapp (Dec 30, 2019)

CreditingKarma said:


> They are a pair of Magico S1MK2. I really like the simplicity of a 2way speaker design. There is something about how cohesive the sound is with a more simple crossover design.
> 
> What is the price 4ange you are looking in for the speakers?


<$4K.....maybe stretch to 5....
I'm considering the Spendor A7....??


----------



## tmb821

It’s a start!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

tmb821 said:


> It’s a start!



Are those AKGs? ATs?


----------



## tmb821

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are those AKGs? ATs?


AKG K240S with brainwavez xl pads and a diy cord.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice  and welcome!


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> <$4K.....maybe stretch to 5....
> I'm considering the Spendor A7....??



You'd need to get stands for this: based on my extremely good results w/a pair of ATC studio monitors in my desktop rig (SCM12 Pro), I'd recommend their larger volume 2-way, SCM 19. No sub required here; bass power & impact is very high for a 2-way. This tweeter is just about the best I've ever heard in all these years...

http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/hi-fi/loudspeakers/entry-series/scm19/


----------



## kkrazik2008

CreditingKarma said:


> Here is my setup in it's current state. Recently added items are below.
> 
> Metrum onyx -> Hugo TT2
> Auralic Aries G1
> ...



That is a beautiful PRS axe!


----------



## kid vic

nordkapp said:


> <$4K.....maybe stretch to 5....
> I'm considering the Spendor A7....??



You could get some used Dynaudios in that price range (creditingkarma had a nice set prior to the Magicos), if you wanted active you could check out some of Focal or Adams studio monitors too.


----------



## funkle II

nordkapp said:


> <$4K.....maybe stretch to 5....
> I'm considering the Spendor A7....??



Check out some of the Tekton speakers. They are being touted as giant killers in most every review.


----------



## johnzz4

funkle II said:


> Check out some of the Tekton speakers. They are being touted as giant killers in most every review.


When I’m ready to go 2 channel, the Tekton Double Impacts are the front runner for now.


----------



## funkle II

johnzz4 said:


> When I’m ready to go 2 channel, the Tekton Double Impacts are the front runner for now.



I have my sights set on the DIs myself. They are some big speakers though, not very high on the W.A.F.


----------



## johnzz4 (Jan 1, 2020)

funkle II said:


> I have my sights set on the DIs myself. They are some big speakers though, not very high on the W.A.F.


Don’t worry, the DIs will accept your wife if she’s nice...

Let her pick the finish and call it even.


----------



## Bonddam (Jan 1, 2020)

I have the Brilliance and even they are large. The sound is very good.


----------



## CJG888

Yup, it’s the good old approach of „let’s use loads of tweeters and make a line source“...

Infinity used to be good at this (back in the 80s).

Now I wonder how a pair of RS1b would sound on the back of a modern digital (Class D) amplifier. These days, power is cheap. In those days, they were considered virtually undriveable!


----------



## funkle II

CJG888 said:


> Yup, it’s the good old approach of „let’s use loads of tweeters and make a line source“...



...With some new discoveries incorporated into that approach.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CJG888 said:


> Yup, it’s the good old approach of „let’s use loads of tweeters and make a line source“...
> 
> Infinity used to be good at this (back in the 80s).
> 
> Now I wonder how a pair of RS1b would sound on the back of a modern digital (Class D) amplifier. These days, power is cheap. In those days, they were considered virtually undriveable!



From what I know of the RS1b, they came with an external crossover, allowing use of a big SS amp on the bass towers & tubes on the mids/treble ribbons. In that scenario, any good class D amp would certainly be smaller & throw off less heat (pretty easy to get 500 WPC w/class D amps). But there were some behemoth A/B SS amps back in the day, especially big mono's (1 per bass tower).

I heard the IRS very briefly one time, but never the RS1b/RS2b's. My speculation is that if any part of that system would sound "out of date" (ie, less than high-level audiophile range du jour) it would be those ribbon mids/trebles, and possibly the external crossover. The latter is something often modded/upgraded by latter day owners, to very good effect.


----------



## CreditingKarma

kid vic said:


> You could get some used Dynaudios in that price range (creditingkarma had a nice set prior to the Magicos), if you wanted active you could check out some of Focal or Adams studio monitors too.




I really enjoyed the Dynaudio C1 that I had. If @nordkapp is interested the dealer that I got the magico from has the C1 and is selling them for around $4,400. Which is a great price for an incredible speaker. I am not sure where @nordkapp is located though.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CJG888 said:


> Yup, it’s the good old approach of „let’s use loads of tweeters and make a line source“...
> 
> Infinity used to be good at this (back in the 80s).
> 
> Now I wonder how a pair of RS1b would sound on the back of a modern digital (Class D) amplifier. These days, power is cheap. In those days, they were considered virtually undriveable!



Prompted by your post, I just re-read some old reviews of the RS1b's. The very amusing opening paragraph below is from Anthony Cordesman's 1985 review, in which he apparently felt the need to confront the "entitled/wealthy audiophile" issue head-on:

"It is a 14-mile drive from my mansion to the outer gates of the estate. I normally enjoy the quiet groveling of my peasants as the chauffeur drives my Rolls along this route. More and more, however, these peasants stop my Rolls to ask why I review so many expensive speakers. My answer—as I casually flick their broken and mangled bodies off the fender—is that expensive speakers sound better."​


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Prompted by your post, I just re-read some old reviews of the RS1b's. The very amusing opening paragraph below is from Anthony Cordesman's 1985 review, in which he apparently felt the need to confront the "entitled/wealthy audiophile" issue head-on:
> 
> "It is a 14-mile drive from my mansion to the outer gates of the estate. I normally enjoy the quiet groveling of my peasants as the chauffeur drives my Rolls along this route. More and more, however, these peasants stop my Rolls to ask why I review so many expensive speakers. My answer—as I casually flick their broken and mangled bodies off the fender—is that expensive speakers sound better."​



Pardon me, would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?


----------



## Sustain

Current setup! Pretty happy with it sound wise. Not happy that I only have one RCA out. So it’s between the tube amp or the studio monitors :/


----------



## kumar402

ZDT Jr. has pass out so you can connect your studio monitor out of it, right?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Sustain said:


> Current setup! Pretty happy with it sound wise. Not happy that I only have one RCA out. So it’s between the tube amp or the studio monitors :/



That's exactly why my last 3 DACs each had 2 X RCA output pairs that were live at the same time/no switching required:

one RCA output went to a headphone amp/preamp (that fed its RCA output to desktop speakers) 
the other RCA output fed any of several other headphone amps 
This gives one great flexibility in system configuration and listening...


----------



## funkle II

My new addition to the pile. The LTA MZ2 replaces the a-120 as pre-amp for my JOB 225. It also may render the V200 redundant as a head-amp. The V200 is fantastic, but the LTA may outdo it in all the categories where in excels.


----------



## vmiguel (Jan 3, 2020)

Command Center:
Pro-Ject Switch Box S (4 inputs, 2 outputs)
Remote control for powered speakers Ruark MR1 (not head-fi...)
Massdrop X Koss E/90X electrostatic energizer for ESP/95X​






Engine Room
Raspberry Pi4 with 4GB RAM, runing Volumio, controlled from PC or iPhone
External USB drive for CD playing and riping
iFi nano iDSD Black Label with iDefender 3.0 as desktop DAC​






Magically sounding devices
Massdrop X Koss ESP/95X electrostatic headphones
PSB M4U1 closed back semi-portable
B&W P3 Series 2 double-duty around the office and on-the-go
Koss KSC75 with Yaxi earpads for on-the-go​






On-the-go main setup
Koss KSC75 with Yaxi earpads
AudioQuest DragonFly Black 1.5 (and Camera Connection Kit for the iPhone)​






Not seen in the pics
AudioQuest cables
PSB subwoofer​Out for upgrade/repair
Little Dot Mk II​In the future:
Fiio BTR5
Better desktop DAC
Massdrop X Koss KSC75X with red Yaxi earpads (my daughter took my previous ones)​Have a great 2020!


----------



## vmiguel

Sustain said:


> Current setup! Pretty happy with it sound wise. Not happy that I only have one RCA out. So it’s between the tube amp or the studio monitors :/


Check the Pro-Ject Switch Box S, on my previous post. Has 4 inputs and 2 outputs allways on. No volume knob or any other control. I use it to get the signal to the powered speakers and headphone amp.


----------



## funkle II

vmiguel said:


> Check the Pro-Ject Switch Box S, on my previous post. Has 4 inputs and 2 outputs allways on. No volume knob or any other control. I use it to get the signal to the powered speakers and headphone amp.



Good suggestion. Can you reverse to function as 4 outputs? For high quality, there's also the Decware Zen, and this DIY option. I bought this cheapie pictured in my rig in the previous post. There is a little bit of channel bleed, but doesn't seem to degrade the signal much. I was going to rewire it, but is circuit board wired inside.


----------



## vmiguel

funkle II said:


> Good suggestion. Can you reverse to function as 4 outputs? For high quality, there's also the Decware Zen, and this DIY option. I bought this cheapie pictured in my rig in the previous post. There is a little bit of channel bleed, but doesn't seem to degrade the signal much. I was going to rewire it, but is circuit board wired inside.


I'm on my way out but I'll test reversing the cables tomorrow and let you know.


----------



## Deftone

holytiger said:


> My third system set up in my living room. Thinking of replacing the 6xx to a Grado.



Visions of regret.


----------



## CJG888

Exactly. From one extreme to the other...


----------



## UntilThen

Oblivion driving ZMF Verite Open Pheasant wood LTD and Axis Voicebox S speakers in near field listening.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Preachy1

Nice.  Is that a Herbie LP off to the left?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
Sony NW-WM1Z DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> Nice.  Is that a Herbie LP off to the left?



Looks like Head Hunters, yeah


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Not pictured, LG V30 running Spotify Premium. 
Practical hifi? Frugal audiophile? I live on my sailboat...things have to be easily powered, durable, versatile, comfortable and still sound great.


----------



## Preachy1

Cruelhand Luke said:


> Not pictured, LG V30 running Spotify Premium.
> Practical hifi? Frugal audiophile? I live on my sailboat...things have to be easily powered, durable, versatile, comfortable and still sound great.


Sounds like a wonderful lifestyle!  Congrats.


----------



## koover

Cruelhand Luke said:


> Not pictured, LG V30 running Spotify Premium.
> Practical hifi? Frugal audiophile? I live on my sailboat...things have to be easily powered, durable, versatile, comfortable and still sound great.



I envy you. Morro Bay is one of my favorite places in the states and especially California. Been there a more then a couple times and just love it. Very quaint. Congrats on your setup and lifestyle.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 5, 2020)

judomaniak57 said:


> I was fine until I found out about this site. same set up for years, still have it . but now 3 amps and 10 different headphones later I am still looking at new gear. curse u headfi



Yep.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

koover said:


> I envy you. Morro Bay is one of my favorite places in the states and especially California. Been there a more then a couple times and just love it. Very quaint. Congrats on your setup and lifestyle.


Thanks man...I love my funky little village.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Preachy1 said:


> Sounds like a wonderful lifestyle!  Congrats.


Thanks, I'm happy with it....I always wanted to live on a boat, and I have been intrigued by the X2 since they came out...I turned 50 this year....for my birthday I got myself the boat and for Christmas I got the X2hr and both of them were a steal.


----------



## stuck limo




----------



## stuck limo




----------



## vmiguel

funkle II said:


> Good suggestion. Can you reverse to function as 4 outputs? For high quality, there's also the Decware Zen, and this DIY option. I bought this cheapie pictured in my rig in the previous post. There is a little bit of channel bleed, but doesn't seem to degrade the signal much. I was going to rewire it, but is circuit board wired inside.


The Switch Box S have a combination of 3,5mm and RCA connections, so I can not test all possibilities.

But connecting a pair of powered speakers on input 3 and my PC sending sinal to output 2 works. If I change the "input" the speakers stop playing. I assume the PC signal would be playing on the other "inputs".

If I connect the speaker cable to "input" 5, then it plays the PC signal when I choose that "input".

So, it seams that it will work as you want.

NOTE: the Switch Box S is discontinued, might be a little hard to find one to buy. Good luck. If you can't find it, there is a portuguese store with one demo unit on a good price. Let me know If you need any help.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## holytiger

My new year resolution is to add a DNA stratus and a Grado in my 4th headphone system which will be my end game and that will be it for me! Done! will be moving on to speakers afterwards.


----------



## Kukuk

This was my Head-fi station last night.

Had to bring the new toy to work. I had plenty of time to listen when I let my guys out for lunch.


----------



## Preachy1

My updated main station.  I'm making use of some old gear that I thought I would never use again.  I now have my computer, my DAP, and a vintage Pioneer CD player all running through a simple DAC (upgrade pending) in to the Loki into the Elise.  

I don't recall when or where I picked up the DAC.  It's a very cheap unit that I think I paid around $30.  It does the job for now, but I think I'll pick up an older Bifrost when one comes available.


----------



## Preachy1

BTW, I should say that as the result of my wife's attention and thoughtfulness, I've rekindled my love affair with my Audeze's (LCD-3 and XC).  I have older models with the original headband that as we know are not comfy.  She is totally removed from this hobby, but somewhere in the past she must've overheard my grumblings.  With that in mind, she set out to find a cost efficient solution, and lo! she stumbled upon a site called Geekria, which sells replacement pads for real cheap.  She bought me two of the bands pictured below and was hesitant to give them to me for fear of my sneering at her.  First, I would never do that to her, and second, damn, they are just great!!!!  At around $12 each, yeah, that's cost efficient!!!!

They afix with some basic 3M sticky-stuff that holds them in place very well.

https://www.geekriashop.com/collect...8cs-headphones-cushion-pad-repair-parts-black


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 7, 2020)

My latest acquisition, a totally mint HA160DS (precursor to the Conductor SL) - sings beautifully with the Elears. My home office is now complete!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, I should say that as the result of my wife's attention and thoughtfulness, I've rekindled my love affair with my Audeze's (LCD-3 and XC).  I have older models with the original headband that as we know are not comfy.  She is totally removed from this hobby, but somewhere in the past she must've overheard my grumblings.  With that in mind, she set out to find a cost efficient solution, and lo! she stumbled upon a site called Geekria, which sells replacement pads for real cheap.  She bought me two of the bands pictured below and was hesitant to give them to me for fear of my sneering at her.  First, I would never do that to her, and second, damn, they are just great!!!!  At around $12 each, yeah, that's cost efficient!!!!
> 
> They afix with some basic 3M sticky-stuff that holds them in place very well.
> 
> https://www.geekriashop.com/collect...8cs-headphones-cushion-pad-repair-parts-black


Nice one.
Could fix the problem of to much space on my Era-1.


----------



## betula

holytiger said:


> My new year resolution is to add a DNA stratus and a Grado in my 4th headphone system which will be my end game and that will be it for me! Done! will be moving on to speakers afterwards.


Is there a reason you are using your E2 single ended from the Taurus?
It is not always the case, but with the Taurus I experienced balanced out to be much superior to SE. A tighter, more spacious and cleaner sound. I'd say it is worth to get a balanced cable for the Taurus.


----------



## ntbm3 (Jan 7, 2020)

My set-up... it is getting obnoxious...

Modern DAC and vintage NOS with tube output stage feeding Mjo2 or the amazing DNA Starlett.

Freya S has change my world. I can now easily swap sources and feed both my amps. I also have an extra set of outputs to swap in something else if I am borrowing an amp.

Spent a lot of time enjoying this over the Holidays!!!


----------



## Chris Kaoss




----------



## betula

ntbm3 said:


> My set-up... it is getting obnoxious...
> 
> Modern DAC and vintage NOS with tube output stage feeding Mjo2 or the amazing DNA Starlett.
> 
> ...


That DNA looks appealing.


----------



## ayobreezie

Still need to do some wire management.  But current state.
LCD-X
HD58x
Yamaha HS5's
Loxjie P20 rolled with matched GE 5670's
Massdrop/THX AAA 789
Topping DX7s
FosiAudio Tube Phono Preamp
Thorens TD318 / AT VM540ML cartridge


----------



## kid vic

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, I should say that as the result of my wife's attention and thoughtfulness, I've rekindled my love affair with my Audeze's (LCD-3 and XC).  I have older models with the original headband that as we know are not comfy.  She is totally removed from this hobby, but somewhere in the past she must've overheard my grumblings.  With that in mind, she set out to find a cost efficient solution, and lo! she stumbled upon a site called Geekria, which sells replacement pads for real cheap.  She bought me two of the bands pictured below and was hesitant to give them to me for fear of my sneering at her.  First, I would never do that to her, and second, damn, they are just great!!!!  At around $12 each, yeah, that's cost efficient!!!!
> 
> They afix with some basic 3M sticky-stuff that holds them in place very well.
> 
> https://www.geekriashop.com/collect...8cs-headphones-cushion-pad-repair-parts-black



She enables your addiction?!?!??


----------



## Preachy1

kid vic said:


> She enables your addiction?!?!??


enables and abides it!!!!!  for this an an untold number of other reasons, I struck gold when I found her!!!!!


----------



## Preachy1

ayobreezie said:


> Still need to do some wire management.  But current state.
> LCD-X
> HD58x
> Yamaha HS5's
> ...


You omitted two important items in your list:

The Silverstone stand
the Single Malt!


----------



## holytiger

betula said:


> Is there a reason you are using your E2 single ended from the Taurus?
> It is not always the case, but with the Taurus I experienced balanced out to be much superior to SE. A tighter, more spacious and cleaner sound. I'd say it is worth to get a balanced cable for the Taurus.


I don't have a balanced cable for the ether 2 yet! I just bought one from a member here and its on its way!! I still haven't tried the taurus on a balanced output so really I'm excited for a lot of improvement for sure. It's by far the most money spent for me on a cable as well.


----------



## holytiger

ntbm3 said:


> My set-up... it is getting obnoxious...
> 
> Modern DAC and vintage NOS with tube output stage feeding Mjo2 or the amazing DNA Starlett.
> 
> ...


That Starlett looks fabulous! I am still torn between starlets and stratus. I'm not sure which one to go for.. Do you have any experience with stratus? How does starlets sound with your headphones? Is it good with planars as well?


----------



## funkle II

Preachy1 said:


> enables and abides it!!!!!  for this an an untold number of other reasons, I struck gold when I found her!!!!!



That is just so foreign to me (and probably many of us): the thought of a spouse who actively supports our weird little hobby/obsessions lake that. My wife at best tolerates them. She is mostly annoyed that I can't hear her when she wants to talk, or feels "isolated" because I have headphones on.


----------



## Preachy1

kind of the other way 'round for us.  She works from home and I'm retired, so it behooves me to use headphones as often as possible during work hours.  I mostly put them away once evening arrives.  We have dinner together and then relax and watch teevee for a bit before retiring.  on the weekends, I spend a fair amount of time in my basement, which is home to  my speaker setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

vmiguel said:


> Command Center:
> Pro-Ject Switch Box S (4 inputs, 2 outputs)
> Remote control for powered speakers Ruark MR1 (not head-fi...)
> Massdrop X Koss E/90X electrostatic energizer for ESP/95X​
> ...



Engine room? Command center? 

I think you're leaving out "submarine crew quarters"


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, I should say that as the result of my wife's attention and thoughtfulness, I've rekindled my love affair with my Audeze's (LCD-3 and XC).  I have older models with the original headband that as we know are not comfy.  She is totally removed from this hobby, but somewhere in the past she must've overheard my grumblings.  With that in mind, she set out to find a cost efficient solution, and lo! she stumbled upon a site called Geekria, which sells replacement pads for real cheap.  She bought me two of the bands pictured below and was hesitant to give them to me for fear of my sneering at her.  First, I would never do that to her, and second, damn, they are just great!!!!  At around $12 each, yeah, that's cost efficient!!!!
> 
> They afix with some basic 3M sticky-stuff that holds them in place very well.
> 
> https://www.geekriashop.com/collect...8cs-headphones-cushion-pad-repair-parts-black



I owned a pre-fazor LCD-3 & still own a pre-fazor LCD-2.1. Both have pretty uncomfortable stock headbands. I purchased an Audeze carbon fiber headband, currently on the LCD-2.1. It's huge upgrade in comfort. Hard to overstate how much it means to no longer be consciously aware of the headband while listening...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Chris Kaoss said:


>



I've been interested in that ERA-1 for some time. How do you like that headphone?


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I owned a pre-fazor LCD-3 & still own a pre-fazor LCD-2.1. Both have pretty uncomfortable stock headbands. I purchased an Audeze carbon fiber headband, currently on the LCD-2.1. It's huge upgrade in comfort. Hard to overstate how much it means to no longer be consciously aware of the headband while listening...


Those headbands run around $200, correct?  These little cushions really work wonders, and for the price, it was a no-brainer.


----------



## vmiguel

Pharmaboy said:


> Engine room? Command center?
> 
> I think you're leaving out "submarine crew quarters"


That would be NSFW, so not on this fine forum...
In the mean time, the iFi was promoted to the command center, as it was too far away from my desk chair to be confortable.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Those headbands run around $200, correct?  These little cushions really work wonders, and for the price, it was a no-brainer.



The Audeze "Springsteel headband" that I purchased was $125:
https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd...1ATO_fY7TnUQ-otF-UMCRxRkfKMV414xoCppcQAvD_BwE

I never thought of replacing the under-headband padding. That's kind of ingenious. But the LCD-2.1's headband in particular is shaped all wrong for my (large) skull: the curve of that round headband is a few degrees too sharp, and the actual metal is very stiff, hard to bend to the right shape.

The new headband is a suspension design, very different from the stock original. I'm soon going to sell my pre-fazor 2.1 w/that new headband on it. I'll naturally ship it w/the stock headband, but I'd bet the ranch no buyer would ever switch back to stock...


----------



## Chris Kaoss (Jan 8, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> I've been interested in that ERA-1 for some time. How do you like that headphone?



They've a hugh potential to be the most musical headphone in its price range, maybe twice the price, imo.
Great low end without any emphasis, in the lows and highs.
Not the typical planar sound, except the speed and articulation.
Like you're listening to well playing speakers, with the intimate headstage of a open back headphone.
The mids are a tiny bit forward, but the other frequencies playing very well around, pushing musicality to a new top in price range.

Dropped the T1, AFC, K812, Ether 2, Clear and several AT's for them. 
Forget to mention, LCD 2C and LCD 3 are not on my list anymore. ^^


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> The Audeze "Springsteel headband" that I purchased was $125:
> https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-spring-steel-suspension-headband?variant=14058772234284&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAmNbwBRBOEiwAqcwwpUbqkhl8vp19Gew9yomJM-1ATO_fY7TnUQ-otF-UMCRxRkfKMV414xoCppcQAvD_BwE
> 
> I bought that one about a year ago, but found that the suspension band touched the metal braces and was no less uncomfortable than the stock headband, so I returned it.


----------



## gefski

Chris Kaoss said:


> They've a hugh potential to be the most musical headphone in its price range, maybe twice the price, imo.
> Great low end without any emphasis, in the lows and highs.
> Not the typical planar sound, except the speed and articulation.
> Like you're listening to well playing speakers, with the intimate headstage of a open back headphone.
> ...



Quite an endorsement. I say I get to listen to everything at our meets, but dang it nobody has brought an ERA1, so I’ve not had the pleasure. You say a “tiny bit” forward in Mids — would that be less upfront than a HD650 or Elear?


----------



## whirlwind

Not sure what you mean here, but i have that same $125 headband on my pair...which I bought from @Pharmaboy .

The headband is wonderful in my honest opinion...does not touch any metal braces for me ?
Totally more comfy than stock...I will say I can get a hot spot after about 3 hours...but I move the headband about a half an inch and all is well again.

Not sure what you mean by touching metal braces ? I just checked my again and nothing is touching anything.


----------



## Wes S

whirlwind said:


> Not sure what you mean here, but i have that same $125 headband on my pair...which I bought from @Pharmaboy .
> 
> The headband is wonderful in my honest opinion...does not touch any metal braces for me ?
> Totally more comfy than stock...I will say I can get a hot spot after about 3 hours...but I move the headband about a half an inch and all is well again.
> ...


I have seen several reviews of those straps on the new Audeze headband stretch out over time, and then eventually touch the metal.  Is the strap on yours real leather or fake leather?  I believe the fake leather one's stretch out over time.


----------



## Preachy1

well i'm not sure how to explain it better, but I'm saying that when placed on my head, there was no gap between the leather strap and the two strips of metal that are above it. This caused discomfort that nearly as bad as the original headband.  Maybe we're not talking about the same type of head band. This was over a year ago.

Bottom line is that the el-cheapo item that my wife got for me works perfectly.  I can now wear these fellas for hours on end without any pain or discomfort.


----------



## betula

Wes S said:


> I have seen several reviews of those straps on the new Audeze headband stretch out over time, and then eventually touch the metal.  Is the strap on yours real leather or fake leather?  I believe the fake leather one's stretch out over time.


I think it is real leather, and sometimes even on brand new headbands the leather already touches the metal. (I bought three brand new LCD2Cs.) 
It didn't really bother me, but I can see why some folks find it annoying not to have a bigger gap between the leather strap and the metal on Audeze headbands.


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> I have seen several reviews of those straps on the new Audeze headband stretch out over time, and then eventually touch the metal.  Is the strap on yours real leather or fake leather?  I believe the fake leather one's stretch out over time.



Mine is the fake leather. If it does stretch, the only metal I can see touching would be the metal to the inside of the support rods.
At this point I have an 1/8 inch clearance on both sides.

If it does touch all that I could see happening would be a small mark on the metal part of the headband.

I guess if this would bother some, then grab the fiber carbon for a bit more....I am use to some of the heavier headphones, but these are never heavy to me with this headband, really nice weight distribution.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

gefski said:


> Quite an endorsement. I say I get to listen to everything at our meets, but dang it nobody has brought an ERA1, so I’ve not had the pleasure. You say a “tiny bit” forward in Mids — would that be less upfront than a HD650 or Elear?



It's very special and hard to explain. I mean, not emphased or something. It's just to enjoy the music and the vocals.
I'm not good at sound description, sorry. 

I rather enjoy to listen to music then analysing.

Never heard the HD 650.


----------



## whirlwind

Preachy1 said:


> well i'm not sure how to explain it better, but I'm saying that when placed on my head, there was no gap between the leather strap and the two strips of metal that are above it. This caused discomfort that nearly as bad as the original headband.  Maybe we're not talking about the same type of head band. This was over a year ago.
> 
> Bottom line is that the el-cheapo item that my wife got for me works perfectly.  I can now wear these fellas for hours on end without any pain or discomfort.




Ok , I think I understand, the leather strap is touching the outer metal strap, so it is useless.

Seems like maybe some were not initially put together properly...maybe a revision.   Who knows.


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> Not sure what you mean here, but i have that same $125 headband on my pair...which I bought from @Pharmaboy .
> 
> The headband is wonderful in my honest opinion...does not touch any metal braces for me ?
> Totally more comfy than stock...I will say I can get a hot spot after about 3 hours...but I move the headband about a half an inch and all is well again.
> ...



I never heard that pre-fazor LCD-3 with a big-time accuracy-centric SS amp like the GS-X Mk2. I'll bet that combination sounds amazing.


----------



## Pharmaboy

betula said:


> I think it is real leather, and sometimes even on brand new headbands the leather already touches the metal. (I bought three brand new LCD2Cs.)
> It didn't really bother me, but I can see why some folks find it annoying not to have a bigger gap between the leather strap and the metal on Audeze headbands.



When I first put that new Audeze headband on the LCD-3 (and later, on the LCD-2.1), I saw how little space there was between the strap/leather and the 2 parallel bands. But that didn't seem to matter when they were on my head. With each of these headphones, the improvement in comfort was immediate & welcome--especially the LCD-2.1, where the stock headband was terrible/painful.

But I admit that I never use any headphone often or long enough to experience long-term wear issues like you and other posters talk about w/this headband. I've put no more than 5-10 hours on my LCD-2.1 w/this new band on... 

Then again, I have a large head & would probably experience wear issues sooner than most. But it never happened w/the new Audeze headband.


----------



## Krutsch (Jan 9, 2020)

...




...

Way too much jibber-jabber in this thread... back to pictures.

My daughter's bedroom re-purposed as a near-field listening room. Gear is in my signature (except for the Nak cassette deck, the SACD player, Rega DAC + Bluesound Node 2i).


----------



## Preachy1

What's a "cassette deck"????


----------



## funkle II

Preachy1 said:


> What's a "cassette deck"????




Yeah, that's a surprise. Do you use it, or just keep it in the stack because it is cool looking?


----------



## pichu

Setup Chain is in my signature


----------



## Wes S

pichu said:


> Setup Chain is in my signature


Nice gear and wires!


----------



## Bookbear

Preachy1 said:


> What's a "cassette deck"????


----------



## Krutsch

funkle II said:


> Yeah, that's a surprise. Do you use it, or just keep it in the stack because it is cool looking?





 

Does that answer your question?


----------



## spanner43

Added recently a modi 3 and using the fiio m11 as usb transport when not in my pocket or car


----------



## KyungMin (Jan 10, 2020)

Schiit jotunheim came today. Running the HD800 S and T1.2 balanced now but the K812 can only be run SE but that’s fine less cables I need to buy.


----------



## Redcarmoose

2014 Sony XBA-Z5 with Sony Hybrid Large Tips
Sony NW-WM1A DIgital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW 3.02
Sony/Kimber Headphone cable MUC-M12SB1


----------



## pichu

Wes S said:


> Nice gear and wires!



Thank you! Im almost at my endgame. Endgame for me will be the Matrix X Sabre Pro DAC with Dragon Inspire Fully Upgraded tube amp and Bryston  BHA-1 SS Amp. Then a nice wood audio rack. That will be the end of my headphone upgrade experience. After that, its on to speakers!


----------



## Wes S

pichu said:


> Thank you! Im almost at my endgame. Endgame for me will be the Matrix X Sabre Pro DAC with Dragon Inspire Fully Upgraded tube amp and Bryston  BHA-1 SS Amp. Then a nice wood audio rack. That will be the end of my headphone upgrade experience. After that, its on to speakers!


Nice man!  Power cables and interconnects are my next upgrades. I plan to go the Pangaea route with the power cords and interconnects I am still doing my research.


----------



## Preachy1

pichu said:


> Thank you! Im almost at my endgame. Endgame for me will be the Matrix X Sabre Pro DAC with Dragon Inspire Fully Upgraded tube amp and Bryston  BHA-1 SS Amp. Then a nice wood audio rack. That will be the end of my headphone upgrade experience. After that, its on to speakers!


"on to speakers".  Yes!  I'm in the process of redoing my listening space (aka - basement).  I have my sets set on a pair of vintage Martin Logan ESL's, not sure which model.  I'll have to wait a bit to determine what my budget will allow.


----------



## Preachy1

And regarding the concept of "end game", I'm trying hard to convince myself that I'm nearly there.  I'm definitely there as far as cans go.  The only thing I want to do is at least try out a pair of Utopias to see if they live up to the hype.  Otherwise, with my current collection of ZMFs and Audezes, I'm right where I want to be.  I am thoroughly enamored with the Elise amp.  I just need to upgrade the DAC and I should be all good!!!


----------



## johnzz4

Wes S said:


> Nice man!  Power cables and interconnects are my next upgrades. I plan to go the Pangaea route with the power cords and interconnects I am still doing my research.


Pangea is an excellent value, and simply great regardless of cost.  I have some Shunyata Viper PCs for sale.  I would recommend those if you want to increase dynamics and give the sound more body.


----------



## BobG55 (Jan 11, 2020)

I’ve come full circle.  Started off with a modest HD600 and decent affordable Cambridge stereo system, way back when.  Eventually owned such HPs as HD800, HD800 S, Focal Utopia, Audeze LCD 2.2 rev 2 etc.; Headamp GS-X MKII, Eddie Current Zana Deux S, Violectric V281, Auralic Taurus MK2, etc.; PS Audio PerfectWave MKII DAC,  Violectric V850 DAC, etc.; Pioneer Elite PD-93 CDP, Pioneer PD-91 CDP, etc.

I’ve had this present set-up for quite a while now & like it as much as anything I’ve owned in the past.





I listen to CDs.  The TEAC PD-H600 is one of the best ever made CD player with an exceptional internal DAC along with an all aluminium chassis & “Esoteric” parts (Esoteric is TEAC’s High End series).
http://audio.teac.com/product/pd-h600/
​

Since 2003, I’ve never been without my favourite headphone : the fabulous Sennheiser HD600.



The JDS Labs Objectve2, an incredible sounding headphone amplifier considering the price.  To it’s right, the Schiit Loki & JDS Labs Subjective3, tone adjusters.  A slight bass, midrange or treble tweak is all that is needed most of the time to get the perfect sound I’m looking for.  Of course the recording production is always the most important factor.



... and last but, not least, the underrated Violectric HPA V100.  Underated in my opinion because I’ve owned it’s successor the V200 & the V281 flagship HPA of the V series & prefer the V100.  I love the V100’s basic flat, neutral yet detailed overall sound.  If I need a bit more of a tonal adjustment, I have the Schiit Loki & Subjective3 for that.  I found both the V200 & V281 too dark, lacking detail & not as fast as the V100.


I mostly listen to blues now and am more than satisfied with this set-up.  All these years I spent money, without regret, on my quest for the “end game” set-up only to have come full circle & most likely finding it with a modest set-up.  Over a year now without longing for anything else. It may have to do with being in my mid-sixties now but I like this set-up & it’s good enough to just sit  back and enjoy the music.​


----------



## Pharmaboy

BobG55 said:


> I’ve come full circle.  Started off with a modest HD600 and decent affordable Cambridge stereo system, way back when.  Eventually owned such HDs such as HD800, HD800 S, Focal Utopia, Audeze LCD rev 2.2, etc.; Headamp GS-X MKII, Eddie Current Zana Deux S, Violectric V281, Auralic Taurus MK2, etc.; PS Audio PerfectWave MKII DAC,  Violectric V850 DAC, etc.; Pioneer Elite PD-93 CDP, Pioneer PD-91 CDP, etc.
> 
> I’ve had this present set-up for quite a while now & like it as much as anything I’ve owned in the past.
> 
> ...



that's one helluva "headphone odyssey"

you probably already know this--but if not, a Head-Fi pal experimented with rolling opamps in his V100 and found a significant sonic upgrade as a result. 

i've never heard a V100 (maybe some day), but sure do like that Lake People/Violectric sound...


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> that's one helluva "headphone odyssey"
> 
> you probably already know this--but if not, a Head-Fi pal experimented with rolling opamps in his V100 and found a significant sonic upgrade as a result.
> 
> i've never heard a V100 (maybe some day), but sure do like that Lake People/Violectric sound...



Hi Pharmaboy,

Yes, as a matter of fact I first heard/ learned about op amps rolling, this past November when an Hi-Fi member sent me a message on the subject.  He wrote about Sparkos dual op amps and having rolled them with four of his previous amps getting his best results with the V100.

I appreciate you mentioning this to me also.  Maybe something I’ll look into eventually.  Maybe ...

Thanks again & hope you’re enjoying your V281 & your music.

Best.


----------



## Dickymint

Alternative bit of symmetry. I bought some cables about 15 years ago, even second hand they cost me a small fortune, they haven't worked for me, they seemed to kill the treble but when I had used them between the Schiit Asgard II and my Denon DVD 3910, the sound is astonishing, no idea why. There is not even a name on them!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Beautiful pair of ATs! Love the wood barrel on the cable too.


----------



## Dickymint

gimmeheadroom said:


> Beautiful pair of ATs! Love the wood barrel on the cable too.


Just got them recently, they sound strange compared to my usual headphones, HE400's, HD700's but something about them just makes me keep going back to them, they sound great with everything.


----------



## antdroid

I just picked up the SMSL SP200 THX-AAA 888 Amp. Great value and small size is a plus!


----------



## Shane D

antdroid said:


> I just picked up the SMSL SP200 THX-AAA 888 Amp. Great value and small size is a plus!


It really is, isn't it? Combine that with the price and it was a no-brainer for me. It took me quite a while to appreciate it's sound.

Shane D


----------



## gefski

Cleaning out the closet has its advantages. Added a pair of “packed away for years” 1978-ish a/d/s 200s for a bit of near field listening. Not a “reference” speaker setup for sure, but really enjoyable for a change-up from listening to cans.


Using the Asgard3 pre-outs to the power amp of a NAD integrated under desk that I’ve only used for toubleshooting of broken gear for years.


Cost — $29 for a pair of audioengine stands.


----------



## leviathan2210

This is what I have at the moment, I'm quite proud of it since it's kinda hard to come across this kind of equipment here in Brazil. I simply love this combo ! The Ether 2 was a big upgrade from the Sennheiser HD660S, Fostex TR-X00 Ebony and Hifiman Edition XX I owned previously and the Hugo is simply delightful, it took everything I loved about the Mojo and took it to a new level.


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## JTori

gefski said:


> Cleaning out the closet has its advantages. Added a pair of “packed away for years” 1978-ish a/d/s 200s for a bit of near field listening. Not a “reference” speaker setup for sure, but really enjoyable for a change-up from listening to cans.
> 
> 
> Using the Asgard3 pre-outs to the power amp of a NAD integrated under desk that I’ve only used for toubleshooting of broken gear for years.
> ...



The ADS monitors were pretty high end when they debuted.  And, not cheap.  I recall this attache' in the mid-70s, which came with a pair of these and a Nakamichi cassette player. And, I remember coveting it.

Joe.


----------



## gefski

JTori said:


> The ADS monitors were pretty high end when they debuted.  And, not cheap.  I recall this attache' in the mid-70s, which came with a pair of these and a Nakamichi cassette player. And, I remember coveting it.
> 
> Joe.



Ah yes, the 2002 system. Big $ at the time for sure. The 2002 was a 200 with built in bi-amplification. Great sounding but a real tough sell, primarily because it had a proprietary (6 pin I recall) connectivity, so not universal to hook up with normal line level RCAs.

 In retail at the time, we also had the large powered Advents, which were easy to send a preamp line level RCA to. Played incredibly loud, but had a high failure rate.

FUN!

Thanks for the memory!


----------



## Light - Man

Sorry Guys for slightly breaking the rules here. 

This is not my headfi station, it is her Lightness's taken when she was in one of her lighty, fluffy, foamy moods........... 

Luckily no-one got electricuted during the making of this gif!


----------



## Wes S

Light - Man said:


> Sorry Guys for slightly breaking the rules here.
> 
> This is not my headfi station, it is her Lightness's taken when she was in one of her lighty, fluffy, foamy moods...........
> 
> Luckily no-one got electricuted during the making of this gif!


Where's the amp and dac?


----------



## Light - Man (Jan 14, 2020)

Wes S said:


> Where's the amp and dac?


Her dogs accidentially eat them.

They were on a special New Year's dog diet............................

I suppose it could have been worse and they eat my fridge!


----------



## Preachy1

Tuesday AM


----------



## RCBinTN

funkle II said:


> That is just so foreign to me (and probably many of us): the thought of a spouse who actively supports our weird little hobby/obsessions lake that. My wife at best tolerates them. She is mostly annoyed that I can't hear her when she wants to talk, or feels "isolated" because I have headphones on.


Here's an idea to remedy that problem ... invite her to join in the listening 

Here, we're preparing to watch & listen together to a BluRay DVD. 
The rig: Oppo BDP-103D - optical - Schiit GungnirMB - Bryston BHA-1 - HD800 x2. HP stands by Woo Audio.
Sierra Nevada pale ale for me / Ketel One & Perrier for her.
Works well with music videos and movies ... open HPs are suggested, so you can communicate.

 
Happy Listening and Cheers!
RCB


----------



## Strayngs

My wife and I listen to our headphones together all the time. My primaLuna has a tape out which goes to my Trafomatic. My DAC feeds both the same signal and we experience the same songs together. I also try to get her any headphones she says She likes. That is why I have a Klipsch Hp3.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Where's the amp and dac?



it took no time at all for someone to ask that _(sound of helpless laughter)_


----------



## funkle II (Jan 14, 2020)

RCBinTN said:


> Here's an idea to remedy that problem ... invite her to join in the listening



How familiar are you with jazz-rock fusion? It's pretty much all I listen to. I made the mistake of taking my wife to see Tribal Tech when we first started dating in '93. She still holds that against me to this day. Fusion is one of the most effective woman repellants in existence. And aside from concerts, she doesn't really just sit and listen to music. We do watch TV with headphones when our kids is sleeping, but we are wireless.


----------



## HungryPanda (Jan 14, 2020)

Fusion I'm listening to Djabe & Steve Hackett - Back to Sardinia at the moment and it is a wonderful album


----------



## Preachy1

Ooooh, Hackett!!!!  I have tix for 5 shows coming up in March!!!!!


----------



## joseph69

@HungryPanda 
I'm on the second track, sounding good so far!


----------



## Andy777777

Krutsch said:


> Does that answer your question?


Oh, man! Those packages of blank casettes is bringing me back.  I remember trying to get a corner of the shrink wrapping up with a fingernail. Memories of copying a new tape back when music was rare.


----------



## Preachy1

And buying boxes of them before the next Grateful Dead tour!


----------



## RCBinTN

funkle II said:


> How familiar are you with jazz-rock fusion? It's pretty much all I listen to. I made the mistake of taking my wife to see Tribal Tech when we first started dating in '93. She still holds that against me to this day. Fusion is one of the most effective woman repellants in existence. And aside from concerts, she doesn't really just sit and listen to music. We do watch TV with headphones when our kids is sleeping, but we are wireless.


I personally am a big fan of jazz-rock fusion (and all kinds of blues), in particular Marcus Miller, Simon Phillips and Bela Fleck, but there are dozens of others. Head to the "What are you listening to right now" thread and see what I've posted there. I was not aware of Tribal Tech - thanks for the idea.

My wife, however, is not a fan - she likes Joe Bonamassa, progressive bluegrass (Sam Bush, NewGrass Revival) and old country.

It certainly helps if both listening persons agree on the music up front ... if not, it could lead to damaging the gear, e.g. throwing headphones, that would not be cool


----------



## RCBinTN

BTW, Joe's live performance at The Borderline (part of his Tour de Force in 2013) is killer.
A small venue with only Joe, Michael Rhodes (bass) and Anton Fig (drums) playing.


----------



## ivanrocks321




----------



## funkle II

RCBinTN said:


> I personally am a big fan of jazz-rock fusion (and all kinds of blues), in particular Marcus Miller, Simon Phillips and Bela Fleck, but there are dozens of others. Head to the "What are you listening to right now" thread and see what I've posted there. I was not aware of Tribal Tech - thanks for the idea.
> 
> My wife, however, is not a fan - she likes Joe Bonamassa, progressive bluegrass (Sam Bush, NewGrass Revival) and old country.
> 
> It certainly helps if both listening persons agree on the music up front ... if not, it could lead to damaging the gear, e.g. throwing headphones, that would not be cool



Cool. Simon Philips Protocol is one of my favorite bands. I've seen them 2 times, and have seen Simon with Hiromi as well (My wife liked that show). Tribal Tech was pretty hardcore, dark and hard driving. They were sort of champions of true fusion through the 80s in the face of the lighter happy-jazz that was prevalent. Scott Henderson went on to do a few blues CDs and now does a more organic, still blues influenced fusion. His latest album, People Mover is worth checking out. Lots of fun audio tidbits with a good set of headphones. I'm pretty deeply into the fusion scene and actively tracking all the new releases.

Honestly, if we were to listen to music together, I'd just go through speakers. I have 2 speaker systems which still sound better to me in many ways than any headphones I've heard. Maybe heresy to say this here, but this still seems like the optimal way to listen to music when you're not limited by sound isolation.


----------



## funkle II

RCBinTN said:


> BTW, Joe's live performance at The Borderline (part of his Tour de Force in 2013) is killer.
> A small venue with only Joe, Michael Rhodes (bass) and Anton Fig (drums) playing.



Bonamasa did a great interview in the GuitarWank podcast. I'm not as much a fan of his music, but really respect the guy and enjoy his approach.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

RCBinTN said:


> Here's an idea to remedy that problem ... invite her to join in the listening
> 
> Here, we're preparing to watch & listen together to a BluRay DVD.
> The rig: Oppo BDP-103D - optical - Schiit GungnirMB - Bryston BHA-1 - HD800 x2. HP stands by Woo Audio.
> ...



Not one, but *two* HD 800s! That's living


----------



## RCBinTN

We went to the HD800 because Annette has tinnitus, quite severe, but the bright nature of the HD800 treble overcomes the ringing so the music comes through. A nice discovery to make. I've got the rig tuned now so the bass is also quite decent - the HP scales very well.

Got this queued up now, the amazing Bela Fleck + Victor Wooten on bass


----------



## RCBinTN

funkle II said:


> I'm pretty deeply into the fusion scene and actively tracking all the new releases.


You should post 'em over on the "Listening" thread. There are a lot of good music recos over there, and certain of us are always looking for new fusion!


----------



## funkle II

RCBinTN said:


> You should post 'em over on the "Listening" thread. There are a lot of good music recos over there, and certain of us are always looking for new fusion!



I've posted a few things over there. Some that are hopefully a bit more universally listenable.


----------



## Kukuk




----------



## Preachy1 (Jan 15, 2020)

My newly designed cave


----------



## Pete7874




----------



## newworld666 (Jan 16, 2020)

The main part of my Office and Business travels Headfi Station ..
Mainly based on electrostatic devices (Stax SR-003, King SoundS H-04 M-03 & M10), Dynamic devices (Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas, IpodPro) and Portable File readers, DACs & PEQ (NW-WM1A, FIIOM9, Minidsp HA-DSP)


----------



## Ableza

Mobile-Fi?  I keep mine simple.  V-Moda Vamp Versa and 1-More triple driver IEMs connected to my iPhone X.


----------



## CreditingKarma

pichu said:


> Thank you! Im almost at my endgame. Endgame for me will be the Matrix X Sabre Pro DAC with Dragon Inspire Fully Upgraded tube amp and Bryston  BHA-1 SS Amp. Then a nice wood audio rack. That will be the end of my headphone upgrade experience. After that, its on to speakers!




Speakers are a dangerous game. The upgrade path is much more expensive than with headphones.


----------



## frazrok (Jan 17, 2020)

My current one. been an expensive two days


----------



## Chris Kaoss

newworld666 said:


> The main part of my Office and Business travels Headfi Station ..
> Mainly based on electrostatic devices (Stax SR-003, King SoundS H-04 M-03 & M10), Dynamic devices (Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas, IpodPro) and Portable File readers, DACs & PEQ (NW-WM1A, FIIOM9, Minidsp HA-DSP)


Nice one.
How does the Edt15 V sounds?


----------



## sonics

frazrok said:


> My current one. been an expensive two days



Can't see the pics.


----------



## HungryPanda

as it is frazoks first post they do not have the privilege of posting images


----------



## Ali-Pacha (Jan 17, 2020)

Some of my stuff at a meeting last week (SR-009 / SR-1 / BHSE / Yggy USB5 Analog 2).
I know I know, I'm SOOO 2013... 

Ali


----------



## malocadi

Small footprint, huge output.

RME DAC finally came in to complete my set for now. The Schiit stack is officially due for retirement.


----------



## Reputator

A mix of old and new.


----------



## holytiger

Well.. My Gustard X20 have a problem all of sudden. Something has gone wrong internally. The screen and the switches seems to all work fine but the sound is not coming off so I replaced it with my emergency go to DAC IFI black label. It's an allrounder and a very decent DAC in itself so it will be in my backup system for now till I get a new DAC.


----------



## Keno18 (Jan 26, 2020)

Being severely hearing impaired it's not the hardware that's important so much as the software that lets me hear the music.


Edit: Under "Computer Audio " I created the thread "Software Assisted Listening for the Hearing Impaired" that contains full instructions for anyone interested.


----------



## tmb821

Keno18 said:


> Being severely hearing impaired it's not the hardware that's important so much as the software that lets me the music.



I am in the same boat! The es100 and btr3 have been essential in getting the music to my ears. Now I just need to find a good windows eq app.


----------



## tmb821

I’m I truck driver, so being able to take all my gear with me is cool.


----------



## Keno18

tmb821 said:


> I am in the same boat! The es100 and btr3 have been essential in getting the music to my ears. Now I just need to find a good windows eq app.


Google Equalizer APO and PeaceSetup.exe. It is what I use. If you need more info just pm me.


----------



## Allegro maestoso

tmb821 said:


> I’m I truck driver, so being able to take all my gear with me is cool.



Looks like you're well prepared for emergencies. Reminds me of a medical kit - vecuronium, propofol, etomidate, epinephrine, midazolam, cefazolin, naloxone, syringes, needles, etc. would fit nicely in that kit.


----------



## sup27606




----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jan 18, 2020)

ivanrocks321 said:


>



I'm sorry. Every time I cruise this thread and see that pic it feels like that rack is the leaning tower of stereo. Is the rack really that crooked, were your floor and walls made by a bunch of guys on drugs, or is it really ok and it's just that the picture is wrong? 



sup27606 said:


>



I need some shelving like that. I have not found it on any site I can order from (EU). Any suggestions guys? I just got a Brooklyn DAC+ that has a drilled-out top panel for heat escape. I can't stack anything on top of it. My desk is getting uglier and uglier depending on whether you like order or equipment  I love the La Figaro btw...!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'm sorry. Every time I cruise this thread and see that pic it feels like that rack is the leaning tower of stereo. Is the rack really that crooked, were your floor and walls made by a bunch of guys on drugs, or is it really ok and it's just that the picture is wrong?
> 
> 
> 
> I need some shelving like that. I have not found it on any site I can order from (EU). Any suggestions guys? I just got a Brooklyn DAC+ that has a drilled-out top panel for heat escape. I can't stack anything on top of it. My desk is getting uglier and uglier depending on whether you like order or equipment  I love the La Figaro btw...!


Did a search for you.

https://www.amazon.de/FITUEYES-Monitorständer-Glas-38-5-DT103801GC-Transparent/dp/B06ZZJ2LPY/ref=pd_aw_sbs_23_48?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06ZZJ2LPY&pd_rd_r=2d040e28-b3d3-4b08-8e8b-a56c20b53372&pd_rd_w=NYeUh&pd_rd_wg=IEZDd&pf_rd_p=fa5594f7-1f2f-4d20-a36b-dca4a2835930&pf_rd_r=KPWAZMZRQZ19NVDG728W&psc=1&refRID=JEWZVMRSDBAV7N9VQTV4

Looks very similar to me.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Thanks. I don't buy from Scamazon but I'll try to find something similar elsewhere


----------



## Shane D

Chris Kaoss said:


> Did a search for you.
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/FITUEYES-Monitorständer-Glas-38-5-DT103801GC-Transparent/dp/B06ZZJ2LPY/ref=pd_aw_sbs_23_48?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06ZZJ2LPY&pd_rd_r=2d040e28-b3d3-4b08-8e8b-a56c20b53372&pd_rd_w=NYeUh&pd_rd_wg=IEZDd&pf_rd_p=fa5594f7-1f2f-4d20-a36b-dca4a2835930&pf_rd_r=KPWAZMZRQZ19NVDG728W&psc=1&refRID=JEWZVMRSDBAV7N9VQTV4
> 
> Looks very similar to me.



I have several of those. Works like a charm! 
Of course, they always look dusty though.

Shane D


----------



## Chris Kaoss

gimmeheadroom said:


> Thanks. I don't buy from Scamazon but I'll try to find something similar elsewhere



No worry. My pleasure. 
Good luck.


----------



## JTori (Jan 28, 2020)

As of today:


----------



## judomaniak57

Jtori, nice setup. whats on the tube? looks like a carbon sock


----------



## ivanrocks321

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'm sorry. Every time I cruise this thread and see that pic it feels like that rack is the leaning tower of stereo. Is the rack really that crooked, were your floor and walls made by a bunch of guys on drugs, or is it really ok and it's just that the picture is wrong?
> 
> I can see how it does look odd now that you mention it. But it really just from me being terrible at taking photos. I don’t know how but whatever I did made it seem like it’s unbalanced lol


----------



## antdroid




----------



## CreditingKarma

Some updates to the setup.....

Hugo TT2  and the Aries G2 were replaced with the dCS Bartok (no headphone section it was over a 5 week wait plus an external amp can do better with the Abyss). 

The Bartok betters the combo of the Auralic and TT2 by a good amount and it replaces the function of both. 

I do want to get an upgrade for the liquid platinum but that will have to wait. My wallet is hurting after getting the Bartok. This should be the last dac upgrade for a long time.but who knows that is what I thought about the TT2.

 



Solidsteel rack was returned we found a big chip in the finish. I am looking at a rack from Mapleshade after we move into a house. For now the pangea rack will do the job.

Bonus different guitar in the pic this time too.


----------



## JTori

judomaniak57 said:


> Jtori, nice setup. whats on the tube? looks like a carbon sock



Thank you.  It's an Ensemble Tubesox-TI tube damper.  Helps with microphonics and heat dissipation.  I've got them on my stereo room gear:  ARC LS5 Mk. III and PH3.  Because there was an odd number of tubes there and I had to buy them in pairs, I had one left over.  Decided to deploy it here.


----------



## Pete7874




----------



## kid vic

CreditingKarma said:


> Some updates to the setup.....
> 
> Hugo TT2  and the Aries G2 were replaced with the dCS Bartok (no headphone section it was over a 5 week wait plus an external amp can do better with the Abyss).
> 
> ...



Come a long way from the LCD-X, Dynaudio C1 combo of yore! Looks heavenly


----------



## UntilThen

The rack.


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> The rack.


Wow!  True Endgame.  Awesome setup.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 20, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'm sorry. Every time I cruise this thread and see that pic it feels like that rack is the leaning tower of stereo. Is the rack really that crooked, were your floor and walls made by a bunch of guys on drugs, or is it really ok and it's just that the picture is wrong?
> 
> 
> 
> I need some shelving like that. I have not found it on any site I can order from (EU). Any suggestions guys? I just got a Brooklyn DAC+ that has a drilled-out top panel for heat escape. I can't stack anything on top of it. My desk is getting uglier and uglier depending on whether you like order or equipment  I love the La Figaro btw...!




Amazingly that effect is all created by his camera lens. He is actually very low to the ground too which changes the perspective. But your first clue should be the strange shape the amplifier faces are. Then the fact that all the shelves on the rack have a very funny shape where the far left side is noticeably larger and longer than the right. It’s actually quite interesting to me.........the extent of the photographs optical distortion. The placement of the rack in the photograph continues to enhance the distortion noted too. The fact that the top shelf has the headphones perfectly level in real-life is almost questionable, but of course true.


----------



## Scutey

UntilThen said:


> The rack.


That's a great looking set up.


----------



## gefski

Redcarmoose said:


> Amazingly that effect is all created by his camera lens. He is actually very low to the ground too which changes the perspective. But your first clue should be the strange shape the amplifier faces are. Then the fact that all the shelves on the rack have a very funny shape where the far left side is noticeably larger and longer than the right. It’s actually quite interesting to me.........the extent of the photographs optical distortion. The placement of the rack in the photograph continues to enhance the distortion noted too. The fact that the top shelf has the headphones perfectly level in real-life is almost questionable, but of course true.



Ain’t digital photography wonderful? Not surprising we have to spend $$$$ on DACs and players just to get the music to sound right.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I am the world's worst photographer and I finally found a camera suitable for me 

The gopro hero 7 black takes the crappiest stills possible. I thought my tablet camera was bad but this takes it down another notch 

My desktop hell for now, severely in need of organization.


----------



## Whitigir

Discrete Linear Regulated Power Supply and DMP Z1 on AC mode


----------



## Pharmaboy

Redcarmoose said:


> Amazingly that effect is all created by his camera lens. He is actually very low to the ground too which changes the perspective. But your first clue should be the strange shape the amplifier faces are. Then the fact that all the shelves on the rack have a very funny shape where the far left side is noticeably larger and longer than the right. It’s actually quite interesting to me.........the extent of the photographs optical distortion. The placement of the rack in the photograph continues to enhance the distortion noted too. The fact that the top shelf has the headphones perfectly level in real-life is almost questionable, but of course true.



I'm guessing it was taken with a moderately wide angle lens...say a 35mm lens in the 35mm camera format. 

Either that or a 4 X 5 view camera and moved the back out of parallel with the front/frame.

Or maybe just played around w/a straight-up image in Photoshop, skewing it.


----------



## HungryPanda

Mine at work tonight:


----------



## UntilThen

Scutey said:


> That's a great looking set up.



Thanks Scutey. That takes care of my headphones and speakers in my away from home accommodation.


----------



## Pete7874 (Jan 21, 2020)




----------



## McPerk (Jan 26, 2020)




----------



## gefski

Let’s just call this a TEMP headphone station. @johnjen had pics of the his rig here previously, and I’ve had pics of my rig, but I had to post a glam shot of his PurpAmp from our Seattle meet on Saturday. Fed it 16/44 files via my Dante Ethernet XLR Yggy and sank into HEDD, Empyrean, Stellia, and Jmod 800 cans among others.


----------



## JTori

gefski said:


> Let’s just call this a TEMP headphone station. @johnjen had pics of the his rig here previously, and I’ve had pics of my rig, but I had to post a glam shot of his PurpAmp from our Seattle meet on Saturday. Fed it 16/44 files via my Dante Ethernet XLR Yggy and sank into HEDD, Empyrean, Stellia, and Jmod 800 cans among others.



Looks like an interesting setup.  I like the separate L-R volume controls and power supply(?).


----------



## gefski

JTori said:


> Looks like an interesting setup.  I like the separate L-R volume controls and power supply(?).



It’s a great listen. I’d call it an extremely relaxed presentation, yet very transparent, not rolled off anywhere. You can read all about its “growth” in @johnjen’s thread “...DIY’ers Cookbook...”.


----------



## liamstrain (Jan 28, 2020)

Finally got a turntable back at the office. A cute little Technics SL-5.
SL-5/Ortofon TM14 -> Projekt Phono Box -> Bottlehead Crack -> Grado RS-1/Senn HD600
Also: Fidelia -> Yulong D200 -> Bottlehead Crack


----------



## EtherealCereal (Jan 28, 2020)

Condensed bedroom listening station.  Depending on the application I've either got a pair of JVC HA-RX900s, a pair of Pioneer Monitor 10s and a (very clean) pair of Koss ESP.9s that I'm running.  I have a Schiit Modi 1 hooked to a Denon PMA-750.  If it looks cobbled together it's because it is.  This fella's on a budget.


----------



## shane55

liamstrain said:


> Finally got a turntable back at the office. A cute little Technics SL-5.
> SL-5/Ortofon TM14 -> Projekt Phono Box -> Bottlehead Crack -> Grado RS-1/Senn HD600
> Also: Fidelia -> Yulong D200 -> Bottlehead Crack



Nice cube setup!
I want that clock!!!!! Please send details. 

Thanks


----------



## liamstrain

shane55 said:


> Nice cube setup!
> I want that clock!!!!! Please send details.
> 
> Thanks



Thanks! It's an ACHS-1 Panel clock from a Soviet Mig - my cousin in Belarus sent it to me, but they come up on the auction site all the time for ~$75-100.


----------



## shane55

liamstrain said:


> Thanks! It's an ACHS-1 Panel clock from a Soviet Mig - my cousin in Belarus sent it to me, but they come up on the auction site all the time for ~$75-100.



Thanks...
It's just way too cool.


----------



## 340519 (Feb 12, 2020)

I just bought the dac3 and the bha1. My end game set up definitely. 

Edit: thanks for the likes fellas!


----------



## ivanrocks321

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm guessing it was taken with a moderately wide angle lens...say a 35mm lens in the 35mm camera format.
> 
> Either that or a 4 X 5 view camera and moved the back out of parallel with the front/frame.
> 
> Or maybe just played around w/a straight-up image in Photoshop, skewing it.



Nah, I took it with just an iPhone. See your from goshen NY, I grew up around those parts of NY!


----------



## JTori

liamstrain said:


> Finally got a turntable back at the office. A cute little Technics SL-5.
> SL-5/Ortofon TM14 -> Projekt Phono Box -> Bottlehead Crack -> Grado RS-1/Senn HD600
> Also: Fidelia -> Yulong D200 -> Bottlehead Crack



Very nice!  This appeals to my longtime audio geek heart in terms of equipment choices and the way you've implemented the chain!  Well done!


----------



## JTori

EtherealCereal said:


> Condensed bedroom listening station.  Depending on the application I've either got a pair of JVC HA-RX900s, a pair of Pioneer Monitor 10s and a (very clean) pair of Koss ESP.9s that I'm running.  I have a Schiit Modi 1 hooked to a Denon PMA-750.  If it looks cobbled together it's because it is.  This fella's on a budget.



Man!!!  ESP 9s!!  I aspired to these in my youth!  Best I could do at the time was Pro 5LCs, which I still have.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ivanrocks321 said:


> Nah, I took it with just an iPhone. See your from goshen NY, I grew up around those parts of NY!



Well, I never quite grew up--so you got me there!


----------



## EtherealCereal

JTori said:


> Man!!!  ESP 9s!!  I aspired to these in my youth!  Best I could do at the time was Pro 5LCs, which I still have.



I have a lot of love for the Koss gear.  I have the ESP.6's as well, but those are presently being worked on.  These 9's came from the estate of a sound engineer and they either sat in storage or were just remarkably well-kept, because they sound wonderful in SE and AC.  

I had to look up the Pro 5LCs, but they're nearly a spitting image!


----------



## ivanrocks321

New temp addition to my setup for now, it’s a loaner estat headphone by a new company from Hong Kong. Will post reviews on in the future.


----------



## kid vic

liamstrain said:


> Finally got a turntable back at the office. A cute little Technics SL-5.
> SL-5/Ortofon TM14 -> Projekt Phono Box -> Bottlehead Crack -> Grado RS-1/Senn HD600
> Also: Fidelia -> Yulong D200 -> Bottlehead Crack



"You know you're and audiophile when"

Great setup but my productivity would be abysmal in your place!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

kid vic said:


> "You know you're and audiophile when"
> 
> Great setup but my productivity would be abysmal in your place!



Maybe it would be more correct to say our productivity would be Abyss


----------



## liamstrain

kid vic said:


> "You know you're and audiophile when"
> 
> Great setup but my productivity would be abysmal in your place!



Mine is abysmal if I don't have good music available. And the ritualistic nature of vinyl is calming, when things get stressful. Audio yoga.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I thought it was note-able that you had such a setup in a cube at work. I don't know many places where people could expect to find anything left when they came in the next morning 

but then I saw "member of the trade" and thought to myself..hmm, I need to get a better job


----------



## liamstrain

The Member of the Trade doesn't account for the cube (I wear a few different hats), but yes.


----------



## Oscar-HiFi (Jan 29, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I thought it was note-able that you had such a setup in a cube at work. I don't know many places where people could expect to find anything left when they came in the next morning
> 
> but then I saw "member of the trade" and thought to myself..hmm, I need to get a better job



The current state of my desk... as I work in the industry


----------



## JTori

Oscar-HiFi said:


> The current state of my desk... as I work in the industry



Interesting.  What amp is that with the wood base?


----------



## Wes S

JTori said:


> Interesting.  What amp is that with the wood base?


I was wondering the same thing?


----------



## CJG888

Looks like some variation on a Crack...


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

JTori said:


> Interesting.  What amp is that with the wood base?





Wes S said:


> I was wondering the same thing?





CJG888 said:


> Looks like some variation on a Crack...



It's a Eufonika H5, quite different to the Crack even if they share similarities on the outside. The H5 uses 4 chokes inside and is a completely different layout to the Crack circuit wise.


----------



## CJG888

Is it European?


----------



## Oscar-HiFi

CJG888 said:


> Is it European?



Yep, from Poland.


----------



## Keno18

My current bedroom station.
Side of armoire:

 
Top:


----------



## Bonddam




----------



## bmichels




----------



## UntilThen

Another picture of the rack with the Axis Voicebox S speakers. I'm driving these 5 ohms 85 db speakers with Oblivion amp (top amp) in a near field setup. Redgum amp (bottom amp) is being rested.


----------



## JTori

bmichels said:


>



I'm intrigued as to what is on top of the device to the right of the Denafrips.  Can you please educate me?


----------



## Errymoose

@JTori


bmichels said:


> And... please do not make fun about the wodden top of the W20:  in addition to the original top, the vendor also supplied me with this strange « wood top » made by Mr. Rudolf (A Capella) that is supposed to provide Optimization with Woodcolumn in Holes in the top which are standing on some Parts of the Elekttonik and on the Column Wood compensator, all to Reduce Vibration and Mikrophonie. Everything is easily removeabale without any damage and the Original top can Mount. (see picture. It looks funny isn’t it . —> Have you heard of this strange top optimized ?


----------



## vault108




----------



## kumar402

vault108 said:


>


Wow thats a nice place to keep the stack


----------



## Rowethren

A few bits updated from my last post, I have gone from Sony Z1R and MrSpeakers Ether Flow to Meze Empyreans and ZMF Verite Closed. However, the biggest change by far is getting a bean bag under my desk for ultimate relaxation


----------



## gimmeheadroom

kumar402 said:


> Wow thats a nice place to keep the stack



I was thinking yeah, this poor guy's space is about as tight as mine but he sure does get credit for the ergonomic equipment rack!


----------



## waveSounds

vault108 said:


>



The ingenuity of this deserves more praise!



Rowethren said:


> A few bits updated from my last post, I have gone from Sony Z1R and MrSpeakers Ether Flow to Meze Empyreans and ZMF Verite Closed. However, the biggest change by far is getting a bean bag under my desk for ultimate relaxation



Great desk setup, there. Big fan of that.


----------



## TYATYA

tmb821 said:


> I’m I truck driver, so being able to take all my gear with me is cool.



Wow! The bag remind me I have one.


----------



## ssrock64

I'm getting back into the headphone hobby after a few years of absence, and made my first new purchases recently for a setup that I can easily bring between my home office and a coworking space. Currently enjoying the NightOwl Carbon driven from a discontinued TEAC HA-P50.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

ssrock64 said:


> I'm getting back into the headphone hobby after a few years of absence, and made my first new purchases recently for a setup that I can easily bring between my home office and a coworking space. Currently enjoying the NightOwl Carbon driven from a discontinued TEAC HA-P50.


Nice looking desk.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Still under construction. 

The Audio-GD R28 now feeds the Elac Air-X 407 with amazing results. 





The black glas on the left front was smashed by the dumbbell. ^^


----------



## Pharmaboy

Chris Kaoss said:


> Still under construction.
> 
> The Audio-GD R28 now feeds the Elac Air-X 407 with amazing results.
> 
> ...



(hmmmm...)


----------



## Preachy1 (Feb 5, 2020)

Added an Audio GD NFB 11 to the chain. I am now no longer subjecting myself to the misery that is a FIIO X5-iii  

Remarkable collection of songs here, for any T. Dream fans!


----------



## Preachy1

Chris Kaoss said:


> Still under construction.
> 
> The Audio-GD R28 now feeds the Elac Air-X 407 with amazing results.
> 
> ...


You mean the metal thing on the floor, or the user?  hehehe

BTW, what speakers are those?  I can't quite make out the logo, but they look to have ribbon tweeters.  I have a pair of Aurum Cantus that have that type of config; love them!!!!


----------



## Errymoose

Preachy1 said:


> BTW, what speakers are those?  I can't quite make out the logo, but they look to have ribbon tweeters.  I have a pair of Aurum Cantus that have that type of config; love them!!!!


Looks like an Elac logo to me


----------



## bmichels (Feb 5, 2020)

Beside my Digital chain (Aurender W20/Terminator DAC),  there is now ... VINYL !  ( A nicely rebuilt & improved 1975's TD160 + SME 3009 arm + SHURE V15 III cartridge).


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Preachy1 said:


> You mean the metal thing on the floor, or the user?  hehehe
> 
> BTW, what speakers are those?  I can't quite make out the logo, but they look to have ribbon tweeters.  I have a pair of Aurum Cantus that have that type of config; love them!!!!


Hahaha. ^^
Wasn't "dumbbell" the right spelling? Don't know for sure. 

Is is the *Elac Air-X 407*, the active version of the FS 407.
Sounds fantastic, especially with the R28 as a preamp.


----------



## MisterMoJo

bmichels said:


> Beside my Digital chain (Aurender W20/Terminator DAC),  there is now ... VINYL !  ( A nicely rebuilt & improved 1975's TD160 + SME 3009 arm + SHURE V15 III cartridge).


Very nice!  Where did you get that?  I am jealous!


----------



## Preachy1

Yeah, that is very nice!  I recently added a nicely restored Pioneer PL-518 to my speaker setup.  I love revisiting vinyl (what I don't love is paying around $30 to replace pieces that cost me $3-4 back in the day).


----------



## Ableza (Feb 5, 2020)

I may have just found my end-game.




Vortexbox Server running Roon - Sonore Ultrarendu - Schiit Yggdrasil with Unison - Audio Valve Solaris - Dan Clark Audio Voce
Sonic bliss.


----------



## joseph69

Chris Kaoss said:


> Still under construction.
> 
> The Audio-GD R28 now feeds the Elac Air-X 407 with amazing results.
> 
> ...


Is that 5" Bluegrass Maple flooring?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

joseph69 said:


> Is that 5" Bluegrass Maple flooring?


Don't know it for sure.
It should be hardwood oak, i think.


----------



## joseph69

Chris Kaoss said:


> Don't know it for sure.
> It should be hardwood oak, i think.


My floor can look identical, depending on the lighting.


----------



## Ilomaenkimi

Set is in livingroom. Inside the tv-rack. Focal's own cable really sucks, Forza Noir is coming.


----------



## jahovagm

Ilomaenkimi said:


> Set is in livingroom. Inside the tv-rack. Focal's own cable really sucks, Forza Noir is coming.


Why does the Focal cable suck?


----------



## Ilomaenkimi (Feb 6, 2020)

jahovagm said:


> Why does the Focal cable suck?


It's very microfonic, it's like a crowbar.
You have to wrestle with it to get it in the rack.
And most of all it sounds like a mitten. I had Forza Noir HPC mk2 with se-plug before, and compared to that Focal's cable just has poor soundquality. Imo.
So, now i'm waiting Forza Noir HPC mk2 with xlr-plug to arrived.


----------



## jahovagm

Ilomaenkimi said:


> It's very microfonic, it's like a crowbar.
> You have to wrestle with it to get it in the rack.
> And most of all it sounds like a mitten. I had Forza Noir HPC mk2 with se-plug before, and compared to that Focal's cable just has poor soundquality. Imo.
> So, now i'm waiting Forza Noir HPC mk2 with xlr-plug to arrived.


Thanks for your answer.


----------



## bmichels

MisterMoJo said:


> Very nice!  Where did you get that?  I am jealous!


Well, you just need to find an old TD160 and an old SME, take them apart, re-wire and change what needs to be, and... rebuilt it 
you can find a good working base here for example:


----------



## MisterMoJo

bmichels said:


> Well, you just need to find an old TD160 and an old SME, take them apart, re-wire and change what needs to be, and... rebuilt it
> you can find a good working base here for example:


So you did it yourself?  Nice work!


----------



## CJG888

Preachy1 said:


> You mean the metal thing on the floor, or the user?  hehehe
> 
> BTW, what speakers are those?  I can't quite make out the logo, but they look to have ribbon tweeters.  I have a pair of Aurum Cantus that have that type of config; love them!!!!



Another happy Aurum Cantus owner here (Leshen Mini). Highly detailed 3-way floorstanders with ribbon tweeters, flattish 8 ohm impedance and 90dB sensitivity. Just the thing for single-ended triodes!


----------



## CJG888 (Feb 6, 2020)

bmichels said:


> Beside my Digital chain (Aurender W20/Terminator DAC),  there is now ... VINYL !  ( A nicely rebuilt & improved 1975's TD160 + SME 3009 arm + SHURE V15 III cartridge).


You may like to try the AT-VM740ML. The best match for the 3009 I’ve heard so far (better than my V15 with Jico stylus). Mine has the fixed headshell, though (lighter).


----------



## Preachy1

CJG888 said:


> Another happy Aurum Cantus owner here (Leshen Mini). Highly detailed 3-way floorstanders with ribbon tweeters, flattish 8 ohm impedance and 90dB sensitivity. Just the thing for single-ended triodes!


Cool, I thought I was the only person on the planet who has heard of these fellas.  I got mine, Melody M-103, around 15 years ago, off of eBay, for a ridiculously low price (I think $450 for the pair).  They might have been a "fell off the back of a truck" kinda deal.  The actual price was somewhere in the $1,500-$2,000 range.  I thought I was buying a used pair, but when they arrived, I was shocked to find them double-boxed, in the original packaging, and brand spanking new!!!!

They sound very good and are stunning to look at.  Although the design in rather simplistic, there are some details, like the bevels at the edges and corners, that are lovely!  

http://www.aurumcantus.com/aurumcantu-loudspeaker/loudspeaker_melody m103.htm


----------



## CJG888

I recognise the woofer:




They are in a similar price range. Bought in Shanghai in 2011...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

joseph69 said:


> Is that 5" Bluegrass Maple flooring?



Although, I must say I don't expect the equipment sitting on top of the stove to make it past the first day of winter 

Beautiful space...


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 6, 2020)

Still no space for headphones (Sennheiser 600, 800, LCD-2C, LCD-3F, Fostex TR Mahoganies etc. in drawers) but 25 euros for a monitor stand freed up some precious desk real estate.

From top, left to right: USB/Battery powered desk lamp sitting too close to Lyr 2, Valhalla 2
Lenovo mini PC with Windows 10 Pro, Tidal Hifi, Deezer Hifi, RME ADI-2 DAC (2nd), Brooklyn DAC+, V280

Right now the Lyr is running off the RME and the V280 is running balanced off the Brooklyn. Still deciding what to do with the Valhalla but will probably run it off the Brooklyn's RCA outputs.

Please note the artisan mousepad, carefully handcrafted to not interfere with the V280. As the saying goes, "I don't give two Schiits..."


----------



## joseph69

gimmeheadroom said:


> Although, I must say I don't expect the equipment sitting on top of the stove to make it past the first day of winter
> 
> Beautiful space...


Thanks.
The gear on the stove has been there for 5yrs.
There's a separate chute inside the gas heater so the top doesn't get hot at all.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

joseph69 said:


> Thanks.
> The gear on the stove has been there for 5yrs.
> There's a separate chute inside the gas heater so the top doesn't get hot at all.



Amazing optical illusion.. I was seeing money burning up before my eyes!


----------



## OctavianH

Preachy1 said:


> Added an Audio GD NFB 11 to the chain. I am now no longer subjecting myself to the misery that is a FIIO X5-iii



I own an audio-gd NFB11.32 (Sabre 9018, 2016 version) and mine gets quite hot during long listening sessions. Yours does not have the same problem? Because I've seen that you cover its ventilation holes with that headphone stand.


----------



## Preachy1

OctavianH said:


> I own an audio-gd NFB11.32 (Sabre 9018, 2016 version) and mine gets quite hot during long listening sessions. Yours does not have the same problem? Because I've seen that you cover its ventilation holes with that headphone stand.


It doesn't get that warm, but your point is well taken. I keep the stand as forward as possible so that the vents are mostly clear.  But I am looking for a cheap rack to separate the components.


----------



## Preachy1

Temporary fix


----------



## OctavianH

Preachy1 said:


> Temporary fix



Mine sits under the monitor directly on the desk:






Since it is passive cooled and in my room I have around 23C, it gets quite hot, or at least enough to make me keep it with nothing above. But I use it 8-9h per day...


----------



## gefski

Preachy1 said:


> It doesn't get that warm, but your point is well taken. I keep the stand as forward as possible so that the vents are mostly clear.  But I am looking for a cheap rack to separate the components.



I really don’t like to stack components but was out of room for the Stax cans. These feet allow almost 1/2” of breathing room, and are rubber so it doesn't slide around.


----------



## funkle II

CreditingKarma said:


> Speakers are a dangerous game. The upgrade path is much more expensive than with headphones.



I already have what feels like (or close to) end game in my near field speaker system, and very satisfied with my full size setup (but room for improvement). it’s funny, I started out trying to find a near field speaker system that would come close to the headphone experience, and now I’m trying to find headphones that get me close to my speakers. Actually, the modded he500s are pretty close!


----------



## kman1211

Desk needs some rearranging, but got something new to play with so was very eager to try it out.


----------



## holytiger

Added a new DAC to my 3rd system since my Gustard X20 died. SU-8 V2 is sounding alright so far. 

Going to audition some OTL amps this week, It's built by this local guy(Eric McChanson) from my town. If I'm impressed, it will be another addition to my system to make it a 4th system in my house somewhere. Otherwise I will be searching for DNA starlett or stratus. The quest continues!


----------



## hemipowered007

Fiio x3i as transport (coax out) -> audio gd R2R11 fixed output(dac only) -> pioneer sx1010, into hifiman he4,  t50rp mod, or denon d2k mod.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Diana v2 by ABYSS with Superconductor cable upgrade and Sony DMP-Z1


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ilomaenkimi said:


> It's very microfonic, it's like a crowbar.
> You have to wrestle with it to get it in the rack.
> And most of all it sounds like a mitten. I had Forza Noir HPC mk2 with se-plug before, and compared to that Focal's cable just has poor soundquality. Imo.
> So, now i'm waiting Forza Noir HPC mk2 with xlr-plug to arrived.



I have that very same cable (w/mini-XLRs on one end & 4-pin XLR on the other) + a female 4-pin XLR to 1/4" pigtail -- and love the look & sound of it.


----------



## Preachy1

Pretty sure the problem with the OEM Focal cables is well documented.  The head-fi world (me included) was in a tizzy ab out it when the Elegia came out.


----------



## Holgi32

holytiger said:


> Added a new DAC to my 3rd system since my Gustard X20 died. SU-8 V2 is sounding alright so far.
> 
> Going to audition some OTL amps this week, It's built by this local guy(Eric McChanson) from my town. If I'm impressed, it will be another addition to my system to make it a 4th system in my house somewhere. Otherwise I will be searching for DNA starlett or stratus. The quest continues!


Nice. I'm also looking for a ballanced DAC that shall drive my Taurus MK II.
Would be great if you could share your experiences.
Regards, Holger


----------



## Benny-x

joseph69 said:


> Is that 5" Bluegrass Maple flooring?


Is no one going to bring up the cable management going on here..?! Holy smokes.



gimmeheadroom said:


> Please note the artisan mousepad, carefully handcrafted to not interfere with the V280. As the saying goes, "I don't give two Schiits..."


There is a website called Etsy where really fancy mouse pad designers/modders like yourself can break into the scene.


----------



## jasonb

Here's mine right now, with a OnePlus 7T streaming FLAC and LDAC at 990kbps.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Benny-x said:


> Is no one going to bring up the cable management going on here..?! Holy smokes.
> 
> 
> There is a website called Etsy where really fancy mouse pad designers/modders like yourself can break into the scene.


Can't look through the white backplate of the desk. 

Can we get a look behind? 

But yeah, looks very clean on the front.


----------



## JamesCanada

Very Nice guys.
Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


----------



## MisterMoJo

JamesCanada said:


> Very Nice guys.
> Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


And you have your coloring books!    So you are all set.  

Sorry couldn't resist.


----------



## Wes S

JamesCanada said:


> Very Nice guys.
> Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


That chair looks awesome!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Canadians always seem to have sano setups. Looks great!


----------



## kid vic

JamesCanada said:


> Very Nice guys.
> Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


Either you have children who you don't want playing with your setup or your arms are long as hell to be able to change the volume while sitting down.


----------



## JamesCanada

kid vic said:


> Either you have children who you don't want playing with your setup or your arms are long as hell to be able to change the volume while sitting down.




Option 1!
I lower them on the shelf just underneath whe I listen to my kit.
My kids are young, and a tube amp is not a great toy.


----------



## Preachy1

JamesCanada said:


> Very Nice guys.
> Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


the chair is really nice, may I inquire as to the brand, availability, etc.?  I'm looking for a new one for my cave.


----------



## JamesCanada

This is where I got mine: https://furnishplus.ca/product/eames-lounge-chair-replica-ottoman/
Prices are in canadian $
There are many replicas of this chair, if you have the money for the original (almost 6500$ USD) then good for you.

I Ordered online and got it 2 weeks later at my door completely assembled..
It's not a plush, soft chair, it's a semi-firm lounge chair, In my opinion it's perfect for our hobby.
One thing tho, if you are tall (6 foot and over), the headrest is low. So take that into consideration


----------



## Preachy1

Thanks, gorgeous chair!  And dude, if I had around $6K to kick with, what do you think I'd be buying (hint: it wouldn't be a chair!!!!)?


----------



## Preachy1

Ah, now I see it's designed by Herman Miller.  I have an Aeron chair for my desk.


----------



## joseph69

Benny-x said:


> Is no one going to bring up the cable management going on here..?! Holy smokes.


It's wireless.


----------



## holytiger

Holgi32 said:


> Nice. I'm also looking for a ballanced DAC that shall drive my Taurus MK II.
> Would be great if you could share your experiences.
> Regards, Holger


I think it depends on what sort of headphones you are using. It is sounding rather sharp on the treble which is hurting my ears when I'm using Hd800s and Ether 2. But it's ok when I'm using my Nightowl which is a fairly dark headphone. A really good combo I gotta say. Nightowl just opens up with a great wide sound stage, good amount of detail in the treble and  fairly tight bass. I was bit surprised when it sounded bit too hot with the treble when I was using Ether 2 because Ether 2 is known for being quite recessed in the upper region. But there is an eq option to make the DAC sound smoother and I havent fiddled with any EQ options yet. Only tried with the default setting so far. It might be ok if with my other headphones if I change the EQ on smsl.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

JamesCanada said:


> This is where I got mine: https://furnishplus.ca/product/eames-lounge-chair-replica-ottoman/
> Prices are in canadian $
> There are many replicas of this chair, if you have the money for the original (almost 6500$ USD) then good for you.
> 
> ...



I'd love to have one. Even if I could cough up the price for the original, by the time I got it past customs and fedex, UPS, etc it would be another 4K.


----------



## bmichels

a new toy arrived at home to add an Analog source to my Digital front end:  a vintage 1970's THORENS TD160 with a 1980's SME Arm & SHURE V15 III Cartrige.  This baby sits now in good company


----------



## Preachy1 (Feb 16, 2020)

lovely!  which model Thorens is that?

<edit> n/m, I see it's the 160


----------



## bmichels

Preachy1 said:


> lovely!  which model Thorens is that?
> 
> <edit> n/m, I see it's the 160


Yes, a 1970’ TD160 with a 1980‘ SME série 2 « improved Version » and a SHURE V15 III.


----------



## bmichels (Feb 27, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> lovely!  which model Thorens is that?
> 
> <edit> n/m, I see it's the 160


Now I need to find a decent Phono-Pre to connect to my Thorend TD160 with a MM Shure V15 III cartridge !

I am considering this Coffman G1.  Has someone heard it ?


----------



## CJG888

Very nice. Now try the AT-VM740ML and be amazed....

...I also used to use a V15.


----------



## Dickymint

JamesCanada said:


> Very Nice guys.
> Just got my chair! (it's a good replica!)


That looks comfy.


----------



## xeizo

Just one crowded corner of my desktop


----------



## gimmeheadroom

How do you like the Motu? I decided on the Behringer instead but the UI on the Motu is very nice.


----------



## xeizo

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you like the Motu? I decided on the Behringer instead but the UI on the Motu is very nice.



I like it a lot, best thing as a interface is of course the ultra low noise from the mic preamps, but as a playback device it works very well too. I'm running balanced from the TRS outs and the sound is awesome, no grain, no noise, ultra detail. Brings out the best from the Sony MDR-1AM2 in the form of smooth but detailed without glitches. The buttons are nice, in particular the big volume out knob is a joy as it reminds of a old HiFi. The built in headphone amp is probably the best ever in a interface, except those large rack mounted versions which usually have competent amps, 0.05 Ohms output and 190mW in 55 Ohm is respectable. Subjectively it also sounds good, but my Presonus HP4 actually sounds a bit better, larger. Probably because it has discrete amps which are fed from 16V instead of only 5V from USB. Happy about it, but as said, main selling point is the very low noise and very large headroom on top of that. For recording.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## Preachy1

Is nice!  what brand of cable are you using?  I recognize the triangular splitter, but can't recall who makes it.


----------



## Rowethren

Preachy1 said:


> Is nice!  what brand of cable are you using?  I recognize the triangular splitter, but can't recall who makes it.



My guess would be it is one from here http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/


----------



## GloriousGenMacArthur (Feb 19, 2020)

Cubicle setup. Fii0 K3, Xduoo nano for non streaming, NiceHCK M6 (love these things), M1060 modded and some TRN TWS for on the go.


----------



## interweb-tech

Preachy1 said:


> Is nice!  what brand of cable are you using?  I recognize the triangular splitter, but can't recall who makes it.



Norne Audio Silvergarde S3


----------



## Lolito

My humble setup, comes with decent coffee though.


----------



## GloriousGenMacArthur

Lolito said:


> My humble setup, comes with decent coffee though.


I'm quite intrigued by the plastic bin. The espresso maker is a nice touch!


----------



## Lolito

The plastic bin is the "disaster" container, the "server". Has a usb hub, power blocks, power cables, electricity socket hubs, backup hard drives, chargers, and a Khadas tone board. So far so good. Looking forward to receive upgraded earpads for the sony bluetooth. The JDS RCA cables, not very good at all, the rest working great.


----------



## Lolito

Coincidentally today, I just got an Airport Express, used, for 5€. Now thanks to the JDS Labs Atom Amp auxiliary in, I can stream to the speakers from anywhere in the apartment, at 1411Kbs with no interruptions, NICE!!! more stuff for the box, it is actually much worse than what it looks from the photos, at least I got a flammable/massive attack sticker on top of it


----------



## ksorota

Preachy1 said:


> Is nice!  what brand of cable are you using?  I recognize the triangular splitter, but can't recall who makes it.



Certainly a cable by Norne Audio, I have a Skraug with the same sleeving options, but terminated for a DCA  Ether C Flow.


----------



## Allegro maestoso

Welcome, new office rig toys: Beyer DT 177X GO, Hart Audio cable, and Geshelli Archel 2 Pro. The RCA unit on top of the Cavalli amp lets me switch the Mimby's output between the CTH and the Archel.


----------



## Lolito

Allegro maestoso said:


> Welcome, new office rig toys: Beyer DT 177X GO, Hart Audio cable, and Geshelli Archel 2 Pro. The RCA unit on top of the Cavalli amp lets me switch the Mimby's output between the CTH and the Archel.


That's a really great and cute little rca switcher. Could you please talk a bit more about it or how to get it? Thanks.


----------



## Allegro maestoso

Lolito said:


> That's a really great and cute little rca switcher. Could you please talk a bit more about it or how to get it? Thanks.



It's passive with a volume control and mute button. It's bidirectional: 1 in/2 out OR 2 in/1 out. I got it from Amazon. Revisiting the item page today, it looks like it's no longer available. Maybe I got the last one until they can restock? It should cost a lot less than it did: $23.50 US. One reviewer commented that these types of switches used to be very common, but are now harder and harder to find.

I also use a different switch with Bluetooth from the same manufacturer (4 in/3 out) for my home setup. Also pricey, but it works!


----------



## Lolito

Allegro maestoso said:


> It's passive with a volume control and mute button. It's bidirectional: 1 in/2 out OR 2 in/1 out. I got it from Amazon. Revisiting the item page today, it looks like it's no longer available. Maybe I got the last one until they can restock? It should cost a lot less than it did: $23.50 US. One reviewer commented that these types of switches used to be very common, but are now harder and harder to find.
> 
> I also use a different switch with Bluetooth from the same manufacturer (4 in/3 out) for my home setup. Also pricey, but it works!


Thanks a lot for the tip, looks like awesome switcher with volume, very tiny, much better than the usual big switcher boxes.


----------



## Shane D

I bought a similar switcher recently from Amazon.ca, except that it is a 4-1 or 1-4. No volume switch though.

Nobsound Little Bear 4 Way Audio Switch; 3.5mm Audio Switcher; Stereo AUX Audio Selector; Audio Splitter; 4(1)-in-1(4)-Out (MC104 Pro Version) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07Q1W4484/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_CVFBsVRbxYZuk

Cheap and effective.


----------



## Preachy1

Just bought one from eBay for around $15.  There are others available, but for a little bit more.  Sorry, the early bird and all that!


----------



## Preachy1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nobsound-L...599095?hash=item4b72fafef7:g:Z8oAAOSwWMleKj-r


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Focux (Feb 24, 2020)

Shot on iPhone 11 w nightmode


----------



## Ilomaenkimi

The current station. I think this is it. Chair is very comfy, though it doesn’t look like it.
It spins and i can move it close and center of the screen when i’m watching something alone. Or playing with PS4.
Playing Tomb Raider with Stellias is quite an experience too.


----------



## Shane D

Focux said:


> Shot on iPhone 11 w nightmode



What amp is that?


----------



## Focux

Shane D said:


> What amp is that?



Feliks Audio Echo


----------



## holytiger

Added a new custom amp built by Eric McChanson in Sydney.


----------



## Shane D

Focux said:


> Feliks Audio Echo



Looks awesome!


----------



## Preachy1

Another Feliks fan!!!  Welcome.


----------



## Wyville

Preachy1 said:


> Another Feliks fan!!!  Welcome.


I've been window shopping for a possible move into headphones and the Echo has caught my eye. Seems like a really good way to get into tube amps, which is something I have been wanting to explore for a few years now.


----------



## LoryWiv (Feb 25, 2020)

Wyville said:


> I've been window shopping for a possible move into headphones and the Echo has caught my eye. Seems like a really good way to get into tube amps, which is something I have been wanting to explore for a few years now.


I run a model up, Feliks-Audio Elise, and absolutely love it. Sound, tube rolling versatility and build quality are top notch.


----------



## Preachy1

Here’s the latest incarnation of my basement station.


----------



## gefski

Preachy1 said:


> Here’s the latest incarnation of my basement station.



Well OK, need to listen to some Little Feat — been too long.


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> Well OK, need to listen to some Little Feat — been too long.


I just acquired a VPI 16.5, and my old vinyl is shining like new!!!!


----------



## ricksome

Preachy1: Basement looks great!!! Should the vinyl be standing straight up and down?


----------



## Preachy1

ricksome said:


> Preachy1: Basement looks great!!! Should the vinyl be standing straight up and down?


Most of them are. They are along another wall. The ones in the pic are the ones I saved from the trash bin for sentimental purposes.

a few other pics gratuitously included.


----------



## Preachy1

From top to bottom

Steve Hackett. Taken by my wife
Martin Barre, Roine Stolt, Nad Sylvan, Steve Hackett. Taken by me.


----------



## CopperFox

Some of the audio mess on my computer desk.


----------



## Preachy1

Swapped in my Woo WA7 for a spell. Also whipped up the pine board for support. I think it needs to be stained and poly’d


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> Swapped in my Woo WA7 for a spell. Also whipped up the pine board for support. I think it needs to be stained and poly’d


I love that deep and dark color of those ZMF cans!


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> I love that deep and dark color of those ZMF cans!


The grain, although mismatched, is really terrific!


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> The grain, although mismatched, is really terrific!


Nice! My Aeolus is like that, where the grain goes different ways (horizontal & vertical) on each cup. I actually really like it like that, because no matter what angle you are looking at them, you get to see the chatoyance.


----------



## ls13coco

Current state, except for the fact the headphones are usually on stands off to the right!


----------



## digitalfrog




----------



## bmichels (Feb 27, 2020)

CJG888 said:


> Very nice. Now try the AT-VM740ML and be amazed....
> 
> ...I also used to use a V15.



will the AT-VM740ML works well with a SME Serie 2 Improved arm that needs a high compliance / low mass cartridge.?


----------



## Shane D

ls13coco said:


> Current state, except for the fact the headphones are usually on stands off to the right!


I count 10 headphones in the picture, but only 8 in your signature. Are they reproducing on their own...?


----------



## ls13coco

Shane D said:


> I count 10 headphones in the picture, but only 8 in your signature. Are they reproducing on their own...?



Ha good catch! There should be 9 in the picture, one of which is the reason I took the picture when I did.. I recently sold the Sundara locally, well, within 2 weeks of the sale the left driver stopped working.
I contacted Hifiman and am sending them for RMA, the buyer just dropped them off for me to ship yesterday!

On another note, we have some catching up to do!


----------



## Shane D

ls13coco said:


> Ha good catch! There should be 9 in the picture, one of which is the reason I took the picture when I did.. I recently sold the Sundara locally, well, within 2 weeks of the sale the left driver stopped working.
> I contacted Hifiman and am sending them for RMA, the buyer just dropped them off for me to ship yesterday!
> 
> On another note, we have some catching up to do!



What was your opinion of the Sundara? I HATED the HE4XX's.


----------



## ls13coco

Shane D said:


> What was your opinion of the Sundara? I HATED the HE4XX's.



I've never heard the 4xx, the 400i was my first headphone after the HD598 though and I was very impressed with them back then.
I tried A/B listening with the 400i and Sundara, stopped picking up the 400i after that.
The Sundara sounds very similar but just does everything a bit better. Might sound a little colder, but more detailed and the treble seems to spike less. More present bass and soundstage, but not huge amounts either.
I do believe they are some of the best bang for the buck headphones though.

Also, this pair has scuffs on the right earcup that weren't there when I sold them. I think buddy may have had a little incident and the left driver didn't just stop working, but Hifiman QC still can be unnerving.. they seem to take care of issues well though.


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## joseph69

Received the Ultrasonic Studios Citadel Custom this afternoon.


----------



## bcaulf17

Allegro maestoso said:


> Welcome, new office rig toys: Beyer DT 177X GO, Hart Audio cable, and Geshelli Archel 2 Pro. The RCA unit on top of the Cavalli amp lets me switch the Mimby's output between the CTH and the Archel.


How’s the Hart Cable? I ordered one last month but I’m still waiting for mine


----------



## Allegro maestoso

bcaulf17 said:


> How’s the Hart Cable? I ordered one last month but I’m still waiting for mine



Yeah, mine took quite a while too but it was worth the wait. My opinion and experience so far has been that cables have negligible effect on sound quality. Someday I might discover a combination that makes a noticeable difference, but in the meantime cables are all about ergonomics and looks. I only have problems with microphonics if I'm wearing a shirt with a collar or a hood.

The Hart looks great - they charge a little extra for custom colors, but worth it for me. It could be maybe 6 inches longer - 5 ft is at the lower end of my practical range but still usable. The ergonomics are superb - no tangling or kinks, it flows, drapes, and loops pretty much the way I want it to. I'm not sure about the modular thing. If I buy custom cables again it will be from Hart, but I'll probably ask them to just hardwire a plug on the amp end - XLR for my Audeze LCD 2Cs and 3.5 mm TRS for my Nighthawk Carbons.


----------



## llamaluv

joseph69 said:


> Received the Ultrasonic Studios Citadel Custom this afternoon.



Christmas keeps on coming!    Really impressed with how it looks.


----------



## bcaulf17

Allegro maestoso said:


> Yeah, mine took quite a while too but it was worth the wait. My opinion and experience so far has been that cables have negligible effect on sound quality. Someday I might discover a combination that makes a noticeable difference, but in the meantime cables are all about ergonomics and looks. I only have problems with microphonics if I'm wearing a shirt with a collar or a hood.
> 
> The Hart looks great - they charge a little extra for custom colors, but worth it for me. It could be maybe 6 inches longer - 5 ft is at the lower end of my practical range but still usable. The ergonomics are superb - no tangling or kinks, it flows, drapes, and loops pretty much the way I want it to. I'm not sure about the modular thing. If I buy custom cables again it will be from Hart, but I'll probably ask them to just hardwire a plug on the amp end - XLR for my Audeze LCD 2Cs and 3.5 mm TRS for my Nighthawk Carbons.


Yes, seems great. I got it for both the shorter length and also out of curiosity. While I agree that cables don’t make a difference, some balanced amps might. Some reviews I’ve read about my Fiio Q1 Mk II make mention of them performing their best when the balanced port is used, while also providing more power. We’ll see but I agree, it’s nice to have a cable with better materials and for me a little shorter


----------



## whirlwind

joseph69 said:


> Received the Ultrasonic Studios Citadel Custom this afternoon.




Killer looking amp Joseph!  It will be very interesting to hear your impressions of the amp.
Congrats.


----------



## Preachy1

Here is yet another iteration of my primary station. Had to add the TA-10 as a USB>COAX converter as the Audio GD USB driver was causing my computer to crash


----------



## joseph69

Thank you, Joe!
*Here* are my 6+hr initial impressions.


----------



## MacedonianHero

joseph69 said:


> Thank you, Joe!
> *Here* are my 6+hr initial impressions.



That's one looker of an amplifier!


----------



## joseph69

MacedonianHero said:


> That's one looker of an amplifier!


Thank you, Peter.
The best part is that it sounds as good as it looks!


----------



## nordkapp

joseph69 said:


> Received the Ultrasonic Studios Citadel Custom this afternoon.


Wow! Stunning hardware! Congrats!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

joseph69 said:


> Received the Ultrasonic Studios Citadel Custom this afternoon.


Wow.
I'm not a tube guy, but the look and astethic of this setup is stunning.
Thanks for the pictures and congrats.


----------



## joseph69

nordkapp said:


> Wow! Stunning hardware! Congrats!





Chris Kaoss said:


> Wow.
> I'm not a tube guy, but the look and astethic of this setup is stunning.
> Thanks for the pictures and congrats.



Thank you both, very much!


----------



## dobigstuff

Revised Location


----------



## dobigstuff

Moved some more stuff around.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

warp08 said:


> Electrostaic gear.  RSA A-10 and Headamp Aristaeus energizers.  Esoteric P-03/D-03 separates with G-0x master clock.  K-03 on top of PS Audio Power Plant is for sale.  Headphones shown:  HE60/HE90/SR-007A.  Stand:  Townshend Audio Seismic Sink stand.



Almost ten years later... are those Sennheisers with wood rings?


----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## CJG888

Orpheus?


gimmeheadroom said:


> Almost ten years later... are those Sennheisers with wood rings?


Orpheus?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CJG888 said:


> Orpheus?
> 
> Orpheus?



I don't know, I have never seen Orpheus.


----------



## Oddiofyl

Latest toy....sounds great with NAD M51 DAC


----------



## Pharmaboy

Lolito said:


> My humble setup, comes with decent coffee though.



Yamaha HS5? How do you like it?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Allegro maestoso said:


> It's passive with a volume control and mute button. It's bidirectional: 1 in/2 out OR 2 in/1 out. I got it from Amazon. Revisiting the item page today, it looks like it's no longer available. Maybe I got the last one until they can restock? It should cost a lot less than it did: $23.50 US. One reviewer commented that these types of switches used to be very common, but are now harder and harder to find.
> 
> I also use a different switch with Bluetooth from the same manufacturer (4 in/3 out) for my home setup. Also pricey, but it works!



~4 yrs ago I got my 1st DAC with 2 X RCA output pairs on the back panel (adding 2nd pair cost a little extra). It was the Audio GD NOS 19, since sold. Since then I got two more DACs w/the same setup: Audio GD DAC-19, used in side system/headphone only; and MHDT Labs Orchid, used in main system/speakers, sub, headphones.

I always have 1 headphone amp/preamp + a 2nd HP amp connected in main system. Couldn't live without this convenience...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Here’s the latest incarnation of my basement station.



I.V. pole?


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I.V. pole?


LOL!!!!  Yes, M*A*S*H branded.  In a previous lifetime, my family owned a small liquor store in Rye, NY.  That was the only promo item I kept.


----------



## kid vic

CJG888 said:


> Orpheus?
> 
> Orpheus?


pretty sure you're right


----------



## Oddiofyl (Mar 1, 2020)

.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> LOL!!!!  Yes, M*A*S*H branded.  In a previous lifetime, my family owned a small liquor store in Rye, NY.  That was the only promo item I kept.



A liquor store in Rye...really?


----------



## Cruelhand Luke




----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> A liquor store in Rye...really?


Yes.  From around 1966 to 1992.  Right near the entry to Rye Playland.  You know the area?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Yes.  From around 1966 to 1992.  Right near the entry to Rye Playland.  You know the area?



Somewhat. I live ~60 NW of there (Goshen). Had relatives in Larchmont, corporate accts all around Westchester County and friends in Fairfield, CT. So I often drove near Rye. But never visited Playland Park, not sure why...

What struck me about your post was the idea of selling liquor in Rye (you know, rye = form of liquor). It struck me as ironic.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Somewhat. I live ~60 NW of there (Goshen). Had relatives in Larchmont, corporate accts all around Westchester County and friends in Fairfield, CT. So I often drove near Rye. But never visited Playland Park, not sure why...
> 
> What struck me about your post was the idea of selling liquor in Rye (you know, rye = form of liquor). It struck me as ironic.


LOL, if you want ironic, the name of the store was Rock 'n Rye.  My father's name was Rocco, so naturally.....

Remember Tung Hoy Chinese restaurant in Larchmont?


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Pharmaboy said:


> Somewhat. I live ~60 NW of there (Goshen). Had relatives in Larchmont, corporate accts all around Westchester County and friends in Fairfield, CT. So I often drove near Rye. But never visited Playland Park, not sure why...
> 
> What struck me about your post was the idea of selling liquor in Rye (you know, rye = form of liquor). It struck me as ironic.


I knew what you meant. "You sold liquor...in Rye? Was it...whiskey? Or...burbon? ....or....RYE!?? and then you die giggling.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Cruelhand Luke said:


>


thank god nobody saw this and instead we all started talking about ironic place names.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> LOL, if you want ironic, the name of the store was Rock 'n Rye.  My father's name was Rocco, so naturally.....
> 
> Remember Tung Hoy Chinese restaurant in Larchmont?



Sadly no. When I was in Larchmont my relatives cooked (Italian).

Rock 'n Rye...Rocco. Great names!


----------



## Lolito

Pharmaboy said:


> Yamaha HS5? How do you like it?



HS7

To be honest, I don't like them really. They have this tweeters that you get tired of easily and fast... I eq'ed it a bit, I got 1411kbs files instead of mp3... but still. For the price there are not much better things really, I guess, but they lack bass. Rear bass ports don't help either... They seem very clear sounding, but it's because they are more mid's and treeble focused. Again, not bad for the price but... Might be my room and position. Same speakers, I bought them for my dad, he has a big living room, much better speaker placement than here with me, sounds much better there.


----------



## bagwell359 (Mar 3, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Somewhat. I live ~60 NW of there (Goshen). Had relatives in Larchmont, corporate accts all around Westchester County and friends in Fairfield, CT. So I often drove near Rye. But never visited Playland Park, not sure why...
> 
> What struck me about your post was the idea of selling liquor in Rye (you know, rye = form of liquor). It struck me as ironic.



Looks like a Junior ELA.... I had an early Rancilio that I nursed for years, but it finally croaked.. just using the old moccamaster clement design drip these days.

That grinder looks pretty special but I can't place it.  My grinder is cheap, as is my my metal pop corn popper, but its fun to cook ones own beans.[/QUOTE]


----------



## Pharmaboy

Lolito said:


> HS7
> 
> To be honest, I don't like them really. They have this tweeters that you get tired of easily and fast... I eq'ed it a bit, I got 1411kbs files instead of mp3... but still. For the price there are not much better things really, I guess, but they lack bass. Rear bass ports don't help either... They seem very clear sounding, but it's because they are more mid's and treeble focused. Again, not bad for the price but... Might be my room and position. Same speakers, I bought them for my dad, he has a big living room, much better speaker placement than here with me, sounds much better there.



I had a variant of the HS7s modded by ZenPro Audio. But I ended up selling them. As you say, the sound was not ultimately satisfying for me; and yes, it certainly could be my room. Form factor was perfect, but it just didn't prove a good monitor for music appreciation.


----------



## leon78 (Mar 3, 2020)

My “desktop” and “portable” setup all rolled into one.

Apple Music w/ bluetooth or Tidal w/ usb -> Q5s w/ AM3D -> MDR-Z1R

Lean & Clean


----------



## kid vic

Lolito said:


> HS7
> 
> To be honest, I don't like them really. They have this tweeters that you get tired of easily and fast... I eq'ed it a bit, I got 1411kbs files instead of mp3... but still. For the price there are not much better things really, I guess, but they lack bass. Rear bass ports don't help either... They seem very clear sounding, but it's because they are more mid's and treeble focused. Again, not bad for the price but... Might be my room and position. Same speakers, I bought them for my dad, he has a big living room, much better speaker placement than here with me, sounds much better there.


Try Dynaudio or Mackie, equally clear but much more enjoyable.


----------



## xeizo

kid vic said:


> Try Dynaudio or Mackie, equally clear but much more enjoyable.



JBL 305P mkII have had a good review at audiosciencereview:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...mkii-and-control-1-pro-monitors-review.10811/


----------



## bagwell359

kid vic said:


> Try Dynaudio or Mackie, equally clear but much more enjoyable.



Dynaudio.... mmmm... good. ProAc, Falcon, Verity, Philharmonic, Salk...


----------



## Pharmaboy (Mar 3, 2020)

bagwell359 said:


> Dynaudio.... mmmm... good. ProAc, Falcon, Verity, Philharmonic, Salk...



Most of those are very well regarded passives. But if you seek powered monitors, there are few audiophile designs to choose from--and many studio/professional designs to choose from.

I used a succession of powered monitors in my desktop system. Still have the Swan M200 MkIII powered speakers stored here. They sounded pretty nice on the desktop and were purpose built for music, rather than tracking or other pro applications where a "forensic" sound is helpful.

There are just a few pro powered monitors said to sound pleasing for music appreciation (certain Genalecs; HEDD 05/07; Eve Audio), but they get pretty expensive--and in some cases, large. For example, the powered version of my ATC monitors, ATC SCM19A, have the same drivers but are quite a bit larger/deeper/more expensive.


----------



## bagwell359

Pharmaboy said:


> Most of those are very well regarded passives. But if you seek powered monitors, there are few audiophile designs to choose from--and many studio/professional designs to choose from.
> 
> I used a succession of powered monitors in my desktop system. Still have the Swan M200 MkIII powered speakers stored here. They sounded pretty nice on the desktop and were purpose built for music, rather than tracking or other pro applications where a "forensic" sound is helpful.
> 
> There are just a few pro powered monitors said to sound pleasing for music appreciation (certain Genalecs; HEDD 05/07; Eve Audio), but they get pretty expensive--and in some cases, large. For example, the powered version of my ATC monitors, ATC SCM19A, have the same drivers but are quite a bit larger/deeper/more expensive.



Oops missed the powered part - not my area Dynaudios do indeed look good.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bagwell359 said:


> Oops missed the powered part - not my area Dynaudios do indeed look good.



I was a little interested in the Dynaudio 40th anniversary 2-way, but stayed away because it's pricey, also because it's vented.

I've found sealed 2-ways sound best in my space-constrained desktop. I have 2 excellent pairs: the ATC SCM12 Pro's (currently in the system); and Aerial Acoustics 5Bs, which are physically beautiful & sound somewhat different from the ATCs (I'll sell those in the next month or two).


----------



## Lolito

About powered speakers, all at this price has their own flaws, but if I had to purchase now a set, I would definitely go for a set of ADAM A5T, with or without an extra subwoofer. Or the JBL 305, but better the Adam. And with a larger budget, Adam A7X, or with more money, GENELEC. I would certainly not buy anything that is not properly reviewed at audioscience review, that guy knows how to analyse speakers for sure. And about those other brands, some are over-rated, and many of their products too.


----------



## kid vic

xeizo said:


> JBL 305P mkII have had a good review at audiosciencereview:
> 
> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...mkii-and-control-1-pro-monitors-review.10811/




The 305p was everybodies budget recommendation for awhile actually. Massdrop did a limited edition version of them too


----------



## MSA1133

Currently on the road. Temporary setup in the hotel room


----------



## Chris Kaoss

MSA1133 said:


> Currently on the road. Temporary setup in the hotel room


Hahaha.
What you call "temporary" is someone else's wet dream


----------



## Pharmaboy

Chris Kaoss said:


> Hahaha.
> What you call "temporary" is someone else's wet dream



Yup. Makes you wonder what the "permanent" (home) system looks like. Or maybe it's better I don't find out...


----------



## SupperTime

What's a cost no object dark headphone, no treble peaks, no harshness in upper mids ect. But still detailed


----------



## Pharmaboy

SupperTime said:


> What's a cost no object dark headphone, no treble peaks, no harshness in upper mids ect. But still detailed



*Open back: *ZMF Verite Open. It's extremely fast, detailed, yet very ear-friendly, no harshness anywhere. If you can settle for a little less speed & detail, the Meze Empyrean should do the trick. It's beautiful & quite musical (I owned the Meze; heard the VO at length IMS)

*Closed back:* For my money, it's a toss-up between the ZMF Verite Closed & the ZMF Ori. The latter is a planar headphone w/absolutely crushing bass & the typical ZMF "house sound" (musical, dynamic, not bright/harsh). I own an Ori & heard the VC at length IMS.

(all just my opinion & purely subjective)


----------



## VandyMan

I've been lurking in this thread for years, so time to finally share something. This is my current home office setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

VandyMan said:


> I've been lurking in this thread for years, so time to finally share something. This is my current home office setup.



Not only is that some serious (and beautiful) gear--but I never heard of the Smyth unit before. Just researched it. 

(wow)


----------



## VandyMan

Thanks


----------



## willywill

Back in August I damage my DAP (Sony ZX2) and it took me a while to find a replacement, while I was looking for a new DAP I had the Dragonfly
connected to my keyboard. Ever since this is how I use my headphone 97% of the time. For me it's convenient, and let me just say that AudioQuest
has a crappy warranty, good thing my local Best Buy took the bent usb plug and gave me a new one, now I keep it on the Dragon Tail all the time.


----------



## hemipowered007

I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into headfi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.


----------



## JTori

MSA1133 said:


> Currently on the road. Temporary setup in the hotel room



That works!


----------



## RickB

hemipowered007 said:


> I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into headfi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.



Some in this thread are actually marketers and they get paid/comp'd to post gear here. I don't think that's terrible or anything, I like looking at nice gear.


----------



## Lolito

hemipowered007 said:


> I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into head-fi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.



some people have two kids and a wife, some are single. 500$ per year it's 5000$ in ten years, you can have a great setup. But otherwise, this is as if you enter a cycling forum, with people with 3 bikes of 6000$ each, etc... many own a bike shop or what not. And of course, there is the rich people, or... I spend average 250$ per year in gear, some years zero, some years 500$... This is cheap nowadays really, and audio stuff lasts a lot if you buy smart.


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickB said:


> Some in this thread are actually marketers and they get paid/comp'd to post gear here. I don't think that's terrible or anything, I like looking at nice gear.



Wait--what? I don't think that's true at all.


----------



## VandyMan (Mar 5, 2020)

hemipowered007 said:


> I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into headfi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.



I don't want to take this thread off topic because I like that it is mainly just pictures. To answer your questions, I'll just say quickly that I come from a lower middle class background and for my first 10 years as a headphone enthusiast had a Sennheiser HD-600 + Musical Fidelity X-Can and was very very happy with that setup. I've been working for over 35 years as a computer programmer. I'm really lucky that I ended up in a well paying field since I got into it as a teen, without any thought of money, at a time when it did not pay nearly as well as it does now.  I'm now in my 50s and I am making the best money of my career. I'm enjoying spending a bit of it on some unnecessary luxuries that make me happy. 

Additionally, while expensive, the system pictured was not bought at retail prices. The Realiser is from their Kickstarter. The LCD-4s and the DAC were purchased used. 

Lets go back to looking at pictures, shall we?


----------



## kid vic

RickB said:


> Some in this thread are actually marketers and they get paid/comp'd to post gear here. I don't think that's terrible or anything, I like looking at nice gear.


I legitimately think that there are MAYBE 4 posters on head-fi (including Jude) who you could say this about. If any its not many.


----------



## suby4me

My simple setup:


----------



## RickB

kid vic said:


> I legitimately think that there are MAYBE 4 posters on head-fi (including Jude) who you could say this about. If any its not many.



You're right; I don't think it's many, either.


----------



## ChijiroKuro

Hello!!!


leon78 said:


> My “desktop” and “portable” setup all rolled into one.
> 
> Apple Music w/ bluetooth or Tidal w/ usb -> Q5s w/ AM3D -> MDR-Z1R
> 
> Lean & Clean


What headphone box do you use? Really clean and amazing set-up !!!
Thanks in advance.
C.K.


----------



## nordkapp

ChijiroKuro said:


> Hello!!!
> 
> What headphone box do you use? Really clean and amazing set-up !!!
> Thanks in advance.
> C.K.


It looks like a Pelican brand. I have a few. They are really nice.


----------



## MSA1133

Tubes station!


----------



## Holgi32

Today a Smsl SU-8 arrived. Wanted a balanced DAC to be able to connect a record player to Taurus RCA inputs. So far I'm really enjoying it. Only the remote is not very intuitive... DAC did not react at the beginning. Now it works we will see how long...


----------



## ricksome

Holgi32: Is that VGA cable looking for a monitor???


----------



## Holgi32

No, it is looking for a Notebook


----------



## Kishimotosan

My current setup, 2.5 years on this journey after going through many headphones this is where I'm at for the moment!


----------



## silversurfer616

Deleted...


----------



## BobG55

MSA1133 said:


> Tubes station!



Audiophile heaven.


----------



## BobG55

Preachy1 said:


> Most of them are. They are along another wall. The ones in the pic are the ones I saved from the trash bin for sentimental purposes.
> 
> a few other pics gratuitously included.



Racing cars tracks = awesome !!!!!!


----------



## BobG55

bmichels said:


> a new toy arrived at home to add an Analog source to my Digital front end:  a vintage 1970's THORENS TD160 with a 1980's SME Arm & SHURE V15 III Cartrige.  This baby sits now in good company



Jealous of your Tintin rocket ship.


----------



## sharkz

Also what chair is that. It looks super comfortable.


----------



## BobG55

Headphones, L to R : HD600, LCD 2 rev.2, HD650, DT880/ 600 ohms

Amps, L to R : V100 (bottom)/ Objective2 (on top), Valhalla 2, bottom on Ottoman, Vintage Kenwood KA-8006 integrated amplifier, 70wpc, [1974]

Related audio equipment : (to the right of Valhalla 2) Schiit Loki/ Tone adjuster

Source :  Teac PD-H600 : made of rigid aluminum cabinet and front panel resist vibrations and interference. Its master clock generator is operated with a finite low noise current located independently on the circuit adjacent to DA converter to avoid jitter noise. Other advancements under the hood include a toroidal core power transformer, a shunt regulator circuit for sudden musical surges, and premium ELNA capacitors. The PD-H600 uses the Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit


----------



## joseph69

Chris Kaoss said:


> Can't look through the white backplate of the desk.
> 
> Can we get a look behind?
> 
> But yeah, looks very clean on the front.


Thank you as well.
I my IC's looped behind the painted masonite and all the rest of the wiring looped behind the fireplace going into a Furman PST 8 DIG.
I painted the masonite white to give the illusion you're looking at the wall.


----------



## Preachy1 (Mar 9, 2020)

Relocated and consolidated. I now have my kitchen table back!  Plus I can look at the birds at my feeders whilst I groove to the tunage.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## Wyville

Silent One said:


>


I am such a poor excuse for an audiophile, as the first thought that came into my head when I saw this picture was: _"OMG... Cervelo S5!!"_


----------



## Mikem53

Please allow an exception to the old photo rule.. Here is Joseph Grado‘s equipment stack on one of my last visits to him.
Thought y’all would like to see what Joe used for listening when he tested his microphone and listening to recordings.


----------



## nordkapp

Wyville said:


> I am such a poor excuse for an audiophile, as the first thought that came into my head when I saw this picture was: _"OMG... Cervelo S5!!"_


Maybe we need to start a thread where we feature our rides in the system pics too...??...


----------



## Wyville

nordkapp said:


> Maybe we need to start a thread where we feature our rides in the system pics too...??...


Perhaps a rule that should be implemented in the Bicycle-Fi thread? 

I did it for my training setup, but it is not a proper Head-Fi station (I don't have one... yet), just portable (Shanling M0 - Final E4000):


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 11, 2020)

So many parallels. Bike gear is expensive, headphones expensive. Some items a dream, some a reality. Bike gear gets outdated at times, same as audio gear. Same hype, same romance. Consumerism combined with obsessiveness never ending. Wooden bike shoes and wool cloths just as fashionable around here as Koss.


----------



## musickid (Mar 11, 2020)

CHORD TT2// CHORD MSCALER// OPPO PM1// PURE BLISS


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


> So many parallels. Bike gear is expensive, headphones expensive. Some items a dream, some a reality. Bike gear gets outdated at times, same as audio gear. Same hype, same romance. Consumerism combined with obsessiveness never ending. Wooden bike shoes and wool cloths just as fashionable around here as Koss.





Redcarmoose said:


> So many parallels. Bike gear is expensive, headphones expensive. Some items a dream, some a reality. Bike gear gets outdated at times, same as audio gear. Same hype, same romance. Consumerism combined with obsessiveness never ending. Wooden bike shoes and wool cloths just as fashionable around here as Koss.


True. Both hobbies have kept me broke for the last 31 years. Retirement is overrated...


----------



## Preachy1

You want broke? Get into high end photography!!!!


----------



## willywill

Just walk to a hospital with no insurance, I got charge 3k just to wash my hands and a dr tell me I don't need stitches they put that liquid bandage. 
Next time I get really sick I hop on a plane to Mexico or Canada.


----------



## xeizo

willywill said:


> Just walk to a hospital with no insurance, I got charge 3k just to wash my hands and a dr tell me I don't need stitches they put that liquid bandage.
> Next time I get really sick I hop on a plane to Mexico or Canada.



Can't really make a reply on that, as I will be banned, back to head-fi


----------



## Preachy1

Oh c'mon, we're all curious as to what brand of stethoscope the doc was using.  My money is on Darth-Beyer!


----------



## willywill

xeizo said:


> Can't really make a reply on that, as I will be banned, back to head-fi


Then show or tell us something, don't just leave a empty comment.
Anyway this here is my desktop setup I got a good deal on the Martin Logan Motion 15($170)
then I paired it with the PS Audio Sprout I got from Massdrop($475)


----------



## xeizo

willywill said:


> Then show or tell us something, don't just leave a empty comment.
> Anyway this here is my desktop setup I got a good deal on the Martin Logan Motion 15($170)
> then I paired it with the PS Audio Sprout I got from Massdrop($475)



When NOT listening to headphones at the desktop, I have the old school rig behind my back. Great for ventilating the ears! I use the analog radio tuner quite often for ambient classical music, very relaxing


----------



## Viszla

Got a cheap new old  DAC : Ayre QB-9. Sound very good. Will update to twenty Version!


----------



## nordkapp (Mar 11, 2020)

A newish PC based, side system for myself. Haven't spent much time with it, however it does sound nice thus far.


----------



## Silent One

nordkapp said:


> True. Both hobbies have kept me broke for the last 31 years. Retirement is overrated...



For me, cycling gear needs replacing much faster with a lower level of lust. Audio tho, will have one walking around looking for something to sell or trade..._and quick_.


----------



## kid vic

willywill said:


> Just walk to a hospital with no insurance, I got charge 3k just to wash my hands and a dr tell me I don't need stitches they put that liquid bandage.
> Next time I get really sick I hop on a plane to Mexico or Canada.


Something, something about elections. Something about voting and how its important. Something about Medical travel.

I think I can narrowly avoid the ban hammer with this


----------



## Silent One




----------



## frankraindog

Here is the latest version of my Systeme


----------



## Afsa

frankraindog said:


> Here is the latest version of my Systeme


Holy hell thats a crazy setup


----------



## xeizo

Afsa said:


> Holy hell thats a crazy setup



At least crazy expensive, let's hope the sound is up to snuff


----------



## Chris Kaoss

frankraindog said:


> Here is the latest version of my Systeme


Next invest should be a better cam, i think. 

Nice setup.


----------



## fiiom11pro

Chris Kaoss said:


> Next invest should be a better cam, i think.
> 
> Nice setup.




That was I am about to say last five seconds. LOL.

You have the best and very expensive system. Just the camera isn't the best.


----------



## Preachy1

It's not the camera, it's the dude behind the shutter!!!


----------



## vmiguel

My radio: a gift from my grandparents to my parents on their wedding, circa 1964. Recently serviced, and altought it's not proper hi-fi, it sounds magical.






And before someone points out that it's not head-fi station:




It's literally my head-fi station!


----------



## Light - Man




----------



## ricksome

Silent One: Tell us about the speakers and the bicycle. No insult intended towards the speakers but I am diggin' the bicycle!!!


----------



## CanCan713

HiBy R6 Pro + JDS Labs ELII + Bd T1.2s + Primus/Sailing the Seas of Cheese


----------



## Roasty

almost there, almost done...


----------



## Preachy1

really nice, very sleek looking.  Can you ID some of the gear for us (or at least for me)?


----------



## Roasty

Preachy1 said:


> really nice, very sleek looking.  Can you ID some of the gear for us (or at least for me)?



Sure man! That's a Woo audioA 22, Matrix Audio MQA X-Sabre Pro, Headamp GSX Mini and a Holo Spring 2 Wild Edition. Cheap adjustable stand from Amazon, and a walnut block from Butcher Block Acoustics.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> It's not the camera, it's the dude behind the shutter!!!



Ain't that the truth! I can make shots from a fifty thousand dollar Hasselblad that look like something that came out of one of those single-use instamatics somebody left out in the rain for a couple of years


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Mar 13, 2020)

hemipowered007 said:


> I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into headfi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.



The jealously is misplaced guy.

Lemme tell you a story. One day I rolled up in front of my house in a new sportscar. Some guy was behind me on the street with a wife in the passenger seat and a bunch of kids in the back.

He called out to me enviously and said "wow, that's a great car you have there." It didn't take me long to answer him, "wow, that's a great family you have there."

Nobody knows what somebody with "stuff" went through to get it, whether they live alone and have nothing and nobody to come home to. Nobody knows if the guy just lost his wife or his dog or has 6 months to live. Thank God for your family and friends. Everything else is just a bonus you can live without.


----------



## Afsa

Roasty said:


> almost there, almost done...



almost there, almoste done 
the lie we all tell ourselfs


----------



## Preachy1

Thanks. I’ll bet it sounds as good as it looks!!!


Afsa said:


> almost there, almoste done
> the lie we all tell ourselfs


sounds like a Pink Floyd song!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ain't that the truth! I can make shots from a fifty thousand dollar Hasselblad that look like something that came out of one of those single-use instamatics somebody left out in the rain for a couple of years


But that would be a special effect, not a mistake or ignorance.


----------



## Mikem53

hemipowered007 said:


> I have said this before in this thread, and ill say it again....i need to know what some of you folks do for a living,  if you have kids that take 98% of your money, and if you have a partner that also does not enjoy leaving you with any funds for yourself.... i make good money, own a home( not paid off) but i have a "baby momma" and 2 awesome kids, none of the 3 work! Which leaves me w maybe $500 a year to drop into headfi stuff....i am fully honest, jealous of alot of you, but truly appreciative of what i have and happy with my rig/s. Im just trying to figure out how some of you can drop 20k into stuff, in sometimes what seems like 500k-1million dollar homes. Show me the way people....im a fast learner! If its illegal, maybe we can chat in a dark alley somewhere.



Just keep at it.. You’re on the right course. My audio gear started off very modestly.. then the house was paid off, kids were off and on their own..
I had my high dollar setup and dedicated room.. Was fun!  Glad it’s over.. Now enjoying the music with more modest gear that sounds better and more enjoyable than ever..  Once I put the stereoPile rag down and quit trying to color the sound with money.. The music just keep getting better..


----------



## stuck limo




----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff




----------



## dobigstuff

Some new Schiit


----------



## nordkapp

dobigstuff said:


>


Great loudspeakers!


----------



## dobigstuff

nordkapp said:


> Great loudspeakers!


Thanks!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Silent One said:


>



shadows everywhere! "Headphone Noir"


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> A newish PC based, side system for myself. Haven't spent much time with it, however it does sound nice thus far.



If there's a category for "big, sexy potentiometers" the VHP-2 wins it going away...


----------



## gefski

dobigstuff said:


>


Mmmmm...Audio Research Phono Stage!!!!


----------



## Mikem53

the Swamp ..  cropped..


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## CreditingKarma

My end game headphone setup for a long time I hope. It has been quite a journey this past year. Abyss and formula s with the Bartok are incredible. I got the formula sorted out with the Bartok the xlr inputs on the formula s are wired in a way that there was some hiss with the floating balanced stage of the Bartok. A pair of adapters for xlr to rca fixed everything. Thials amp is great and the powerman makes it even better.

Now I need to figure out how to push magico S1MKII to the same level. An amp upgrade and subs should do the trick. They will need to wait though.


----------



## Roasty

CreditingKarma said:


> My end game headphone setup for a long time I hope. It has been quite a journey this past year. Abyss and formula s with the Bartok are incredible. I got the formula sorted out with the Bartok the xlr inputs on the formula s are wired in a way that there was some hiss with the floating balanced stage of the Bartok. A pair of adapters for xlr to rca fixed everything. Thials amp is great and the powerman makes it even better.
> 
> Now I need to figure out how to push magico S1MKII to the same level. An amp upgrade and subs should do the trick. They will need to wait though.



Amazing setup man. Could u share what interconnects you're using?


----------



## joseph69

UntilThen said:


>


Thought you sold the Studio Six?


----------



## jasonb

These 2 have been my go to's lately. AKG K371 and Lypertek Tevi. Both get used with a OnePlus 7T.


----------



## CreditingKarma

Roasty said:


> Amazing setup man. Could u share what interconnects you're using?



I am using cardas golden reference xlr with my Bartok into my hegel for the speakers. For the Bartok to the formula s I am currently using a pair of High Fidelity Reveal RCA.

 I am still searching and trying different interconnects. The cardas is really good I liked it with the formula. The wiring in the formula xlr connections didn't play well it created hiss at high volume settings something to do with grounding I believe. The cardas is really detailed but still smooth. There is no harshness to the sound. I also provided great imaging and sound stage depth. 

My friend let me borrow the high fidelity cable. I am still trying to get a grasp on it. I want to upgrade to Transparent Ultra interconnects as the rest of my system is transparent cabling. That will need to wait need to save some money after this past year of hifi  spending.


----------



## Roasty

CreditingKarma said:


> I am using cardas golden reference xlr with my Bartok into my hegel for the speakers. For the Bartok to the formula s I am currently using a pair of High Fidelity Reveal RCA.
> 
> I am still searching and trying different interconnects. The cardas is really good I liked it with the formula. The wiring in the formula xlr connections didn't play well it created hiss at high volume settings something to do with grounding I believe. The cardas is really detailed but still smooth. There is no harshness to the sound. I also provided great imaging and sound stage depth.
> 
> My friend let me borrow the high fidelity cable. I am still trying to get a grasp on it. I want to upgrade to Transparent Ultra interconnects as the rest of my system is transparent cabling. That will need to wait need to save some money after this past year of hifi  spending.



Im using the cardas golden presence and I like it a lot. Very nice build and feel too. I recently received a set of Triode Wire Labs Spirit II XLR cables and am running them in, but so far I like what I'm hearing. 

The Transparent Ultra balanced XLRs must be a serious step up! I just went to have a look and the price made my heart skip a beat ha ha ha


----------



## kid vic

CreditingKarma said:


> My end game headphone setup for a long time I hope. It has been quite a journey this past year. Abyss and formula s with the Bartok are incredible. I got the formula sorted out with the Bartok the xlr inputs on the formula s are wired in a way that there was some hiss with the floating balanced stage of the Bartok. A pair of adapters for xlr to rca fixed everything. Thials amp is great and the powerman makes it even better.
> 
> Now I need to figure out how to push magico S1MKII to the same level. An amp upgrade and subs should do the trick. They will need to wait though.


Looks great, I hope your neighbors like what you like when the magicos get all you have in store for them.


----------



## UntilThen

joseph69 said:


> Thought you sold the Studio Six?



Nope. Sold the Glenn OTL amp but kept Studio Six and Oblivion.


----------



## joseph69

UntilThen said:


> Nope. Sold the Glenn OTL amp but kept Studio Six and Oblivion.


Oh, I see.
I thought it was the other way around.


----------



## GU1DO

frankraindog said:


> Here is the latest version of my Systeme


what is that light green box next to the Hugo TT2 ?


----------



## Rocklobst3r

My eyes like red


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rocklobst3r said:


> My eyes like red



I think I'm looking at a lot of good headphone audio gear--but can't make things out in the red haze (reminds me of the lighting in my old darkroom).  

On the right/row 2, is that an Eikon or Atticus w/something covering the headband?


----------



## Rocklobst3r

Pharmaboy said:


> I think I'm looking at a lot of good headphone audio gear--but can't make things out in the red haze (reminds me of the lighting in my old darkroom).
> 
> On the right/row 2, is that an Eikon or Atticus w/something covering the headband?


Thats an Eikon i Knitted a cover for the headband


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rocklobst3r said:


> Thats an Eikon i Knitted a cover for the headband



(insert emoji for "marveling in sheer amazement")

that's a borderline genius move IMHO...


----------



## Rocklobst3r

Pharmaboy said:


> (insert emoji for "marveling in sheer amazement")
> 
> that's a borderline genius move IMHO...


lol even better i got my mum to show me how to knit


----------



## bmichels

A new Phono-Preamp joined the team: the EAT E-GLO Petit.  A perfect martch with my "vintage" Thorend *TD160 + SME Serie 2 +Shure V15 III.... and the BHSE + SR009s*

so now I am 100% ready for staying at home until the virus disapear...












*
And some brand new vinyl arrived to feed the system.... All remastered Audiophile versions, some being LP 45 rpm....*


----------



## xeizo

The perfect desert island, except, it needs more guitars!


----------



## mahesvara

Reorganized my office so that my WA33 can climb on top of my desk for eye-candy purpose


----------



## Preachy1

mahesvara said:


> Reorganized my office so that my WA33 can climb on top of my desk for eye-candy purpose


Those wall shelves are jeenyus!!!  Any idea where I can find those brackets?


----------



## VRacer-111

My simplified office setup....


----------



## bmichels

xeizo said:


> The perfect desert island, except, it needs more guitars!



Agree...  BUT I also ordered some HARIBO to complement the new Vinyls delivery.   *" Music + Sweets " = my own survival kit for the next 15 days staying at home...*


----------



## waveSounds

The most recent incarnation of my desk setup. I normally have the Dangerous Source centred, and a pair of Audioengine A2+ on stands, but a recent tumble over a glass monitor riser (that I left laying in the middle of the floor) whilst carrying my morning coffee sent me sprawling headfirst into said desk resulting in a nice dousing of coffee over all equipment. Still haven't worked up the courage to test the speakers, hence their absence...


----------



## Lucky87 (Mar 19, 2020)




----------



## Pharmaboy

Lucky87 said:


>



Beautiful receiver (and bookmatched veneers!)


----------



## phaeton70




----------



## bmichels

phaeton70 said:


>



so many headphones for only 2 ears !   

It's good to see that, with my 5 headphones, I am not the only one....


----------



## phaeton70

... and there are even more, but I decided to not show in the pic


----------



## Shane D

phaeton70 said:


>



That is a lot of tubes! Nice set up.


----------



## Quinto




----------



## SalR406

Quinto said:


>


Beautiful Marantz stack.  Love the champagne color.


----------



## montanari

Less is more 
View attachment DSC_0081.JPG


----------



## Pharmaboy

montanari said:


> Less is more



Perhaps that's true in other areas of life. But in headphone audio, more is usually more.

Nice picture BTW!


----------



## DelsFan (Mar 20, 2020)

Current photos only...  This photo doesn't show the ToneKraft headphone cable from Audio Envy, nor the EtherREGEN switch, both of which gave a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  But I've got a large recliner in front of the setup now, and I don't want to move it to take another photo.  I believe all the equipment I have is listed in my signature.   The Mapleshade Sampson V.5 rack is superior for vibration isolation (with brass cones and footers), but it also has a high WAF.  The broken laundry rack at the rear, to support ribbon-based power cords and interconnects, not so much!  At Pierre Sprey's* suggestion, when I get caught up (possibly, never), for interconnect and power cord support my plan is to hang maple rods from the ceiling, supported by silk thread, so I can get rid of the laundry rack...
Click on the photo for a higher-rez viewing.



* By some standards, Pierre is "out there".  But (like many innovators in the high-end audio industry) he's an engaging and intelligent guy.  Amongst many other pursuits, in the 1960's he spearheaded the design of the F-16 fighter jet.  He makes terrific (nearly unparalleled) recordings, and every upgrade he's suggested to me (from Mapleshade) has sounded better than what I was using previously.


----------



## Rattle




----------



## bmichels

*Maintenant que mon EC 4-45 est réparé ,je lui ai offert une nouvelle source, analogique cette fois... une platine "vintage".*





Eh oui, je suis passé du coté obscur de la force: les Vinyls ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




La platine est une Thorens TD160 de 1970, reconditionnée à neuf, avec le magnifique bras SME Serie 2 "improved" et une cellule Shure V15 III également d'époque.... mais avec un stilus JICO SAS neuf  ( Le Phono-Preamp est un EAT E-GLO, moderne, mais... à tube tout de même ! )


----------



## Light - Man




----------



## Preachy1

DelsFan said:


> Current photos only...  This photo doesn't show the ToneKraft headphone cable from Audio Envy, nor the EtherREGEN switch, both of which gave a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  But I've got a large recliner in front of the setup now, and I don't want to move it to take another photo.  I believe all the equipment I have is listed in my signature.   The Mapleshade Sampson V.5 rack is superior for vibration isolation (with brass cones and footers), but it also has a high WAF.  The broken laundry rack at the rear, to support ribbon-based power cords and interconnects, not so much!  At Pierre Sprey's* suggestion, when I get caught up (possibly, never), for interconnect and power cord support my plan is to hang maple rods from the ceiling, supported by silk thread, so I can get rid of the laundry rack...
> Click on the photo for a higher-rez viewing.
> 
> 
> ...


I had to search on "WAF".  Thanks for the chuckle!!!!


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Redcarmoose

DelsFan said:


> Current photos only...  This photo doesn't show the ToneKraft headphone cable from Audio Envy, nor the EtherREGEN switch, both of which gave a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  But I've got a large recliner in front of the setup now, and I don't want to move it to take another photo.  I believe all the equipment I have is listed in my signature.   The Mapleshade Sampson V.5 rack is superior for vibration isolation (with brass cones and footers), but it also has a high WAF.  The broken laundry rack at the rear, to support ribbon-based power cords and interconnects, not so much!  At Pierre Sprey's* suggestion, when I get caught up (possibly, never), for interconnect and power cord support my plan is to hang maple rods from the ceiling, supported by silk thread, so I can get rid of the laundry rack...
> Click on the photo for a higher-rez viewing.
> 
> 
> ...



I’m pretty sure the repurposed laundry rack is single most audiophile thing I’ve seen here in 10 years?


----------



## BobG55

bmichels said:


> *Maintenant que mon EC 4-45 est réparé ,je lui ai offert une nouvelle source, analogique cette fois... une platine "vintage".*
> 
> 
> 
> ...



La platine Thorens est absolument magnifique “bmichels!  Félicitations.


----------



## bmichels

BobG55 said:


> La platine Thorens est absolument magnifique “bmichels!  Félicitations.



merci


----------



## Womaz




----------



## JTori

DelsFan said:


> Current photos only...  This photo doesn't show the ToneKraft headphone cable from Audio Envy, nor the EtherREGEN switch, both of which gave a noticeable improvement in sound quality.  But I've got a large recliner in front of the setup now, and I don't want to move it to take another photo.  I believe all the equipment I have is listed in my signature.   The Mapleshade Sampson V.5 rack is superior for vibration isolation (with brass cones and footers), but it also has a high WAF.  The broken laundry rack at the rear, to support ribbon-based power cords and interconnects, not so much!  At Pierre Sprey's* suggestion, when I get caught up (possibly, never), for interconnect and power cord support my plan is to hang maple rods from the ceiling, supported by silk thread, so I can get rid of the laundry rack...
> Click on the photo for a higher-rez viewing.
> 
> 
> ...



That's some serious vibration control!


----------



## JTori

bmichels said:


> A new Phono-Preamp joined the team: the EAT E-GLO Petit.  A perfect martch with my "vintage" Thorend *TD160 + SME Serie 2 +Shure V15 III.... and the BHSE + SR009s*
> 
> so now I am 100% ready for staying at home until the virus disapear...
> 
> ...



Beautiful rig!  Great selection of music!


----------



## bmichels (Mar 22, 2020)

JTori said:


> Beautiful rig!  Great selection of music!



thanks.  Indeed for the music, those albums are re-edition of those that I use to listen to ...45 years ago !    Memories memories.... 

BTW, listening to those vinyls, I discovered a little gem on side 2 of SuperTramp: " casual conversation". I never paid attention to this song when listening to the album in digital format because with a music server it is so easy to skip a track.... but with vinyl, you must listen to the entire album...


----------



## Preachy1

Cooking with gas now!  Woo amp is now dedicated to the TT.  Not quite complete.  I'm going to build a thicker platform for the TT.


----------



## Preachy1

Note to self:  make sure there are no drainage pipes behind where you drill holes for the shelving!!!!

:dumbass:


----------



## vmiguel

Preachy1 said:


> Note to self:  make sure there are no drainage pipes behind where you drill holes for the shelving!!!!
> 
> :dumbass:


Or worst... I once hit a gas pipe... on a Sunday, before a holyday!


----------



## Preachy1

vmiguel said:


> Or worst... I once hit a gas pipe... on a Sunday, before a holyday!


I assume no 'splosion!!!!


----------



## vmiguel

Preachy1 said:


> I assume no 'splosion!!!!


No explosion but I was in my 20's and learned a lot from that episode... namely the importance of reading the insurance's fine print, as I was left with a hole on the wall, that was not covered by the pipe repair insurance!


----------



## bmichels

after many many tears, I am still using this little gem from Analog Square paper.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bmichels said:


> after many many tears, I am still using this little gem from Analog Square paper.



That table is amazing!!


----------



## CJG888

That amp is amazing.


----------



## bmichels

Pharmaboy said:


> That table is amazing!!





CJG888 said:


> That amp is amazing.



thanks


----------



## RobertSM (Mar 23, 2020)

A newly setup secondary system.

Pleasantly surprised by the performance I've continued to squeeze out of the SPL Phonitor X with DAC. Newly added, Ifi Audio isilencer+ to clean up the usb noise from my Macbook pro. Also added a Ideon Audio renaissance MK-2 regen, reclocker just before the signal enters the DAC. Excllent results! The Phonitor X has never sounded better!

Turned the wooden box around. Now we can look at clean wood vs. the large sticker. Better.


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


> A newly setup secondary system.
> 
> Pleasantly surprised by the performance I've continued to squeeze out of the SPL Phonitor X with DAC. Newly added, Ifi isilencer+ to clean up the usb noise from my Macbook pro. Also added a Ideon Audio renaissance MK-2 regen, reclocker just before the signal enters the DAC. Excllent results! The Phonitor X has never sounds better!



There's nothing "secondary" about your secondary system...it's impressive.


----------



## big45-70 (Mar 23, 2020)

meze 99 noirs, he400is and T60 Aragon’s.  I run everything off a dragonfly black.


----------



## Gadget67

this is my private little world on a secluded landing.  My current favorite headphones are the Focal Stellia and Utopia (depending on ambient noise) and my “backups” are the Sony MDR-Z1R and Audeze LCD-X.  My IEM’s are Sony IER-Z1R (hiding in the little brown leather case).  The Sony TA-ZH1ES drives everything very nicely and my music source is the Sony NW-WM1Z with additional music stored on my Sony NW-ZX2.  I occasionally use my near field B&W MM 1 speakers which really seem to benefit from the angled ceiling reflecting surface.  If I wander around the house during the current lockdown, the WM1Z drives the Stellia very nicely.  If more mobile power is needed there is a Sony PHA-3 hiding in the desk drawer.  There is always something “better” out there but this more than meets my needs for now!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gadget67 said:


> this is my private little world on a secluded landing.  My current favorite headphones are the Focal Stellia and Utopia (depending on ambient noise) and my “backups” are the Sony MDR-Z1R and Audeze LCD-X.  My IEM’s are Sony IER-Z1R (hiding in the little brown leather case).  The Sony TA-ZH1ES drives everything very nicely and my music source is the Sony NW-WM1Z with additional music stored on my Sony NW-ZX2.  I occasionally use my near field B&W MM 1 speakers which really seem to benefit from the angled ceiling reflecting surface.  If I wander around the house during the current lockdown, the WM1Z drives the Stellia very nicely.  If more mobile power is needed there is a Sony PHA-3 hiding in the desk drawer.  There is always something “better” out there but this more than meets my needs for now!



"secluded landing" (nice!)


----------



## Kukuk

big45-70 said:


> meze 99 noirs, he400is and T60 Aragon’s.  I run everything off a dragonfly black.


Hey, the same monitor as me! The 34UM has kinda fallen out of popularity thanks to the high refresh/HDR/G-Sync ultrawides out there, but it's really a fantastic quality panel.


----------



## bmichels (Mar 24, 2020)

Too bad I can’t bring the BHSE tube amp/Stax SR009s outside under the sun...   Hopefully I have a « light portable set-up »  

Being confined at home is not that bad..... when you can enjoy calm, a nice vue and have good music ( and good GIN ) with you !    Very Lucky I am !


----------



## Wes S

bmichels said:


> Too bad I can’t bring the BHSE/Stax outside under the sun... hopefully I have a « light set-up »    Being confined at home is not that bad..... when you have good music with you !


What an amazing picture and place to be!  Endgame cans, and a view!


----------



## bmichels (Mar 24, 2020)

Wes S said:


> What an amazing picture and place to be!  Endgame cans, and a view!



Indeed.  I know that I am so lucky...

I will be happy to organise south of France a Head-Fier meeting in my guest house ( www.lesmatinsrubis.com ) to celebrate the end of this Virus mess ...  

Let me know who is interested...


----------



## whirlwind

Ohio is now at the "Stay At Home" stage.
I hope that this can help get this virus a bit more under control.  I think I will be good, of course this is only day 1 so who knows.

Day One Therapy


----------



## Wes S

whirlwind said:


> Ohio is now at the "Stay At Home" stage.
> I hope that this can help get this virus a bit more under control.  I think I will be good, of course this is only day 1 so who knows.
> 
> Day One Therapy


That has to be one of my favorite setups, that I have seen pics of.


----------



## big45-70

whirlwind said:


> Ohio is now at the "Stay At Home" stage.
> I hope that this can help get this virus a bit more under control.  I think I will be good, of course this is only day 1 so who knows.
> 
> Day One Therapy




How do you like the tube planar combo?


----------



## Gadget67

bmichels said:


> Too bad I can’t bring the BHSE tube amp/Stax SR009s outside under the sun...   Hopefully I have a « light portable set-up »
> 
> Being confined at home is not that bad..... when you can enjoy calm, a nice vue and have good music ( and good GIN ) with you !    Very Lucky I am !


VERY NICE!!!  My outside listening area is under last nights snow so, I’ll be staying indoors.  Gotta love spring snow in the northeastern US.


----------



## whirlwind

big45-70 said:


> How do you like the tube planar combo?



I like it quite well with both LCD-3 pf and the ZMF Ori






Wes S said:


> That has to be one of my favorite setups, that I have seen pics of.



Thanks much for your kind comments.


----------



## SupperTime

RobertSM said:


> A newly setup secondary system.
> 
> Pleasantly surprised by the performance I've continued to squeeze out of the SPL Phonitor X with DAC. Newly added, Ifi Audio isilencer+ to clean up the usb noise from my Macbook pro. Also added a Ideon Audio renaissance MK-2 regen, reclocker just before the signal enters the DAC. Excllent results! The Phonitor X has never sounded better!
> 
> Turned the wooden box around. Now we can look at clean wood vs. the large sticker. Better.


Does the ifi silencer+ change sound in any way?


----------



## RobertSM

SupperTime said:


> Does the ifi silencer+ change sound in any way?



So, in my opinion the ifi isilencer+ does two things:

1. Creates a blacker, silent background. Because of this I notice more micro details. More leading edge and more decay. Double bass notes seem to linger and fade away into space.

2. The other thing I've noticed is that it seems to tame that digital sheen. That hardness that I was getting prior. Some people describe this as digital glare or a metallic sound. 

Now I get a more organic natural sound. For me this was a really nice upgrade for $50.00.

Hope this helps...


----------



## SupperTime

RobertSM said:


> So, in my opinion the ifi isilencer+ does two things:
> 
> 1. Creates a blacker, silent background. Because of this I notice more micro details. More leading edge and more decay. Double bass notes seem to linger and fade away into space.
> 
> ...


They have another product, defender? Any experience with that? Can you link me to the one you got? I appreciate you


----------



## RobertSM

SupperTime said:


> They have another product, defender? Any experience with that? Can you link me to the one you got? I appreciate you



I have no experience with the defender.

Here is a link to the ifi isilencer+

https://ifi-audio.com/products/isilencer-plus/

I think this is a newly released product. But it's out there and available.


----------



## kid vic

My setup as of last week.
Probably gonna get the Aryas to replace the Anandas and the K812 to replace the (hidden) K7XX

Oracle Delphi Turntable
Cambridge Audio CXN v1
Kenwood KA-9100


----------



## Preachy1

Final (haha) tweaks in place.  If I could kick my photography habit, I'd have a fair amount more $$$ to spend on head-fi stuffs.


----------



## tracyca

Today rig.


----------



## Pharmaboy

tracyca said:


> Today rig.



Nice setup! How do you like the Expressivo? (it's a real beauty)

I like the screen covers of this Beyer HP ... a handsome design IMO.


----------



## tracyca

Thank you, I love 


Pharmaboy said:


> Nice setup! How do you like the Expressivo? (it's a real beauty)
> 
> I like the screen covers of this Beyer HP ... a handsome design IMO.


thank you, I love the Espressivo mk2. Sound is great and I love tube rolling 6922 to 5670 tubes with adapters.


----------



## Pharmaboy

It's OK to use 5670 tubes w/adapters? Very interesting. 

I know a little about 6922s...that's the tube in my Woo WA3, and you can get NOS examples at various prices. But I don't know diddly about 5670s.

Did the sound improve as a result?


----------



## tracyca

Pharmaboy said:


> It's OK to use 5670 tubes w/adapters? Very interesting.
> 
> I know a little about 6922s...that's the tube in my Woo WA3, and you can get NOS examples at various prices. But I don't know diddly about 5670s.
> 
> Did the sound improve as a result?


5670 tubes sound fantastic! They are more dynamic sounding plus cheaper to buy. I have a pair of bendex 6385 tubes that I love but real rare.


----------



## Wes S

Update to the system - I added my Jotunheim to the mix, because this amp still rocks.  Sometimes I just like the simplicity of a good solid state, and for the money and versatility the Jotunheim is hard to beat.

My happy place.


----------



## Wes S

tracyca said:


> 5670 tubes sound fantastic! They are more dynamic sounding plus cheaper to buy. I have a pair of bendex 6385 tubes that I love but real rare.


Good stuff and I totally agree they do sound fantastic. Just to add, the Tung Sol 2c51 and Western Electric 396a/2c51, are top tier tubes in the 5670 family, that I highly recommend.


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> Update to the system - I added my Jotunheim to the mix, because this amp still rocks.  Sometimes I just like the simplicity of a good solid state, and for the money and versatility the Jotunheim is hard to beat.
> 
> My happy place.



Nice and clean set-up.
I spy an ZMF Ori.....what an underrated headphone IMO


----------



## Pharmaboy (Mar 27, 2020)

whirlwind said:


> Nice and clean set-up.
> I spy an ZMF Ori.....what an underrated headphone IMO



What he said!

The Ori wasn't exactly under-rated back in its heyday (tho it may be today). Many here fell in love w/that fine example of the ZMF "house sound." Of course, all those new dynamics came later...and near earpads, cables, amps (the ZMF product set got a lot bigger).

The Ori is still a terrific headphone. Every time I put it on, it's back to my planar "happy place."


----------



## tracyca

Sylvania 5670 tubes! Smooth.


----------



## tracyca

Some more tubes to roll!


----------



## tracyca

Tung sol 2c51, ge jr 5star, cbs 5670, Raythion 5670 windmill getter, we 3c51.


----------



## wawatusi

HI, 


Brand new to the forum thanks to @Cannibalia 


current setup,  Schiit bifrost with the unison usb and the SPL phonitor 2, two headphones meze 99 noir and the Beyerdynamics amiron home...


----------



## Pharmaboy

wawatusi said:


> HI,
> 
> 
> Brand new to the forum thanks to @Cannibalia
> ...



always loved the dials on that Phonitor...


----------



## wawatusi

Pharmaboy said:


> always loved the dials on that Phonitor...





the vu needles tho......  

nevermind the sound has me questioning if I'm hearing the same recordings, the "matrix" seems to be a game changer for me.


----------



## Light - Man (Mar 27, 2020)




----------



## Turkeysaurus

Hi everyone!

My current set-up:
THX AAA 789
ifi Zen DAC
Sennheiser HD6XX
DIY cables


----------



## sachu

Dusted this off to get my work from home setup done. 

Been over 5 years since I put on headphones other than the JH reference audio monitors.


----------



## Silent One




----------



## RobertSM

sachu said:


> Dusted this off to get my work from home setup done.
> 
> Been over 5 years since I put on headphones other than the JH reference audio monitors.




It's nice to be able to get to know again gear that's been in the stable.

I'm actually doing something very similar. Setting up a secondary hunker-down system. It's pretty satisfying to once again enjoy gear that might have otherwise been in storage.

Nice tube amp BTW...


----------



## wawatusi

sachu said:


> Dusted this off to get my work from home setup done.
> 
> Been over 5 years since I put on headphones other than the JH reference audio monitors.







If that thing was just "in my stable" I'd have it in a place where I could just turn it on and stare at it. 


hhahaa


----------



## antdroid




----------



## Steve_72

Might be time to trim down the stable a bit.


----------



## Wes S (Mar 28, 2020)

whirlwind said:


> Nice and clean set-up.
> I spy an ZMF Ori.....what an underrated headphone IMO


Thanks man and I totally agree!  The Ori is and will always be my all time favorite headphone.  My Aelous is incredible as well, but the Ori is even more special to me.


----------



## Wes S

sachu said:


> Dusted this off to get my work from home setup done.
> 
> Been over 5 years since I put on headphones other than the JH reference audio monitors.


Wow!  That amp looks killer, and I would love to hear that one.


----------



## Wes S

tracyca said:


> Tung sol 2c51, ge jr 5star, cbs 5670, Raythion 5670 windmill getter, we 3c51.


All star lineup of tubes, right there.


----------



## Wes S (Mar 28, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> What he said!
> 
> The Ori wasn't exactly under-rated back in its heyday (tho it may be today). Many here fell in love w/that fine example of the ZMF "house sound." Of course, all those new dynamics came later...and near earpads, cables, amps (the ZMF product set got a lot bigger).
> 
> The Ori is still a terrific headphone. Every time I put it on, it's back to my planar "happy place."


Totally agree.  I have been using my Ori exclusively with my Liquid Platinum amp, and on a whim decided to throw the Jotunheim back in the mix, and the Ori sounds killer with the Jotunheim and Gumby combo, as well.  The ss power and control down low, really tightenens up the bass of the Ori, and it hits fast and hard, and is fun as heck.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Totally agree.  I have been using my Ori exclusively with my Liquid Platinum amp, and on a whim decided to throw the Jotunheim back in the mix, and the Ori sounds killer with the Jotunheim and Gumby combo, as well.  The ss power and control down low, really tightenens up the bass of the Ori, and it hits fast and hard, and is fun as heck.



Ori _*loves*_ Cavalli electronics...


----------



## Redcarmoose

*Noble Audio Kaiser 10 Encore IEM Universal (Sony Clear Silicone Hybrid Tips)(HanSound Audio ZENTOO 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated 4.4mm)
Sony NW-WM1A Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition)*


----------



## vodanhkhack

Cowon Plenue 2 mkii + Klipsch HP 3!


----------



## bmichels

The ZMF Verite Closed is a *very good match with my EC445 and Vinyls.* 

So, may be I will end with *BHSE+Stax SR009 for Digital* (Aurender W20)   and   *EC445+ZMF for Analog*  (Thorens TD160/SME) ?


----------



## nordkapp

Pharmaboy said:


> If there's a category for "big, sexy potentiometers" the VHP-2 wins it going away...


This is purely ergonomic. Trust me.


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> This is purely ergonomic. Trust me.



"Trust me...I'm from Rhode Island"


----------



## mroneto




----------



## Krassi (Apr 1, 2020)

I finally got my custom tube amp i have been waiting for a while (its a bit like a Almarro A205A on Hifi Steroids and with tons of weird stuff  )
and start to fit my new battlestation next to where i lie down on the sofa.

Its ..ehhh ..super amazing! Much much better than expected, so i will do a little review in the future once i got it fully tested.

Running it with khadas tone board or E1DA Pdv2 (that was really some tricky crap to get it running with this)
and plug AKG K340, Sash Tres, Sundaras in it and my SRMt1 with the RR1 seems to work tube.. ehh too 

Havent plugged my Nubert nu Pro speakers in yet.

Now i wait for my sofa upgrade )


----------



## paul30d

Krassi said:


> I finally got my custom tube amp i have been waiting for a while (its a bit like a Almarro A205A on Hifi Steroids and with tons of weird stuff  )
> and start to fit my new battlestation next to where i lie down on the sofa.
> 
> Its ..ehhh ..super amazing! Much much better than expected, so i will do a little review in the future once i got it fully tested.
> ...



Nice gear. Where did you get the plastic cover on the headphone stand? I could use one of them.


----------



## Wes S

paul30d said:


> Nice gear. Where did you get the plastic cover on the headphone stand? I could use one of them.


Looks like a Stax cover, to me.  I have always wanted to find a couple of those, for my cans.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Krassi said:


> I finally got my custom tube amp i have been waiting for a while (its a bit like a Almarro A205A on Hifi Steroids and with tons of weird stuff  )
> and start to fit my new battlestation next to where i lie down on the sofa.
> 
> Its ..ehhh ..super amazing! Much much better than expected, so i will do a little review in the future once i got it fully tested.
> ...


I looks so           minimi. 
Nice dwarf. ^^

Excuse my question, but wth is "Sound of Schnitzel"?


----------



## Thaddy

We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.


----------



## nordkapp

Thaddy said:


> We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.


Wow! Very nice!


----------



## Krassi

paul30d said:


> Nice gear. Where did you get the plastic cover on the headphone stand? I could use one of them.


That was a lucky find.. i got it over german amazon or ebay for 10 euros! and its an original stax one.. really the best solution to cover an electrostat.


----------



## fiiom11pro

Thaddy said:


> We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.



What ps audio is that?


----------



## Thaddy

fiiom11pro said:


> What ps audio is that?


It's a UPC-200 Power Center.


----------



## Krassi

Chris Kaoss said:


> I looks so           minimi.
> Nice dwarf. ^^
> 
> Excuse my question, but wth is "Sound of Schnitzel"?


actually there was some stuff on my tv that i didnt want to put online.. so i still had this picture of my moms schnitzel (we are austrians and love schnitzel) and i put some weird stuff on it to make it less weird


----------



## jasonb

My side recliner chair setup. Cheap HP laptop, Topping NX4DSD, Focal Elear with Focal Utopia pads.


----------



## Taz777

My portable and bedside Head-Fi station revolves around the Cayin N6ii DAP.

Here's my portable setup, consisting of a Cayin N6ii DAP with beyerdynamic Xelento IEMs.





And here's my bedside setup, consisting of my Cayin N6ii DAP connected via line out to an Arcam rHead headphone amp that feeds my beyerdynamic T1.2 over-ears.


----------



## fiiom11pro

Thaddy said:


> It's a UPC-200 Power Center.


 

thanks


----------



## bmichels (Apr 2, 2020)

I just received this gold record.  Obviously it is not ment to be played but.... to be used for deco 





So it is on my wall now, besides Marvin Gaye who's watching me...









The system is now complete...    until next time  

- Refurbished 'vintage' Thorens TD160 + EC445 amp with HE500 or ZMF Verite closed for *Vinyls*
or
- Aurender W20 + Denafrip terminator DAC + BHSE with Stax SR009s for *Digital Files and Streaming*.

you choose...


NOTE: The Thorens being my new toy, I spend quite some time now exploring my vinyl collection, but soon I may go back to digital for the convenience of the music server.  Who knows ?


----------



## CyberAthlete




----------



## bmichels (Apr 2, 2020)

*But, sometime, when it is sunny outside... less is better...  *


----------



## Pharmaboy

bmichels said:


> *But, sometime, when it is sunny outside... less is better...  *



Beautiful place! That is a lovely view.

Not sure how it is where you live in terms of "shelter-in-place" for the virus: but where I live (mid-state New York ~65 miles from NYC), I find that being outdoors for any reason whatsoever is more critical for mental health & happiness than ever before.


----------



## bmichels

Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful place! That is a lovely view.
> 
> Not sure how it is where you live in terms of "shelter-in-place" for the virus: but where I live (mid-state New York ~65 miles from NYC), I find that being outdoors for any reason whatsoever is more critical for mental health & happiness than ever before.



Agree, being outdor at least 1 hour/day is really necessary.


----------



## koven (Apr 3, 2020)

Thaddy said:


> We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.



Looks cozy well done!


----------



## Roasty

Thaddy said:


> We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.



That looks super clean. Where did u get the rack? Built it yourself?


----------



## Thaddy

Roasty said:


> That looks super clean. Where did u get the rack? Built it yourself?


The hardware is from an old Salamander stand, but the wood is re purposed counters that were sanded down and stained.


----------



## whirlwind

Thaddy said:


> We recently finished building a new house and COVID-19 has given us a lot of time to finish painting, organizing, and settling in.  It also means I've been working from home a lot and finally get to listen to the Aeolus LTD + WA22 combo.



Killer room!


----------



## Wes S (Apr 3, 2020)

My portable head-fi station, that is really helping me stay sane in these crazy scary times.  This setup sounds incredible!

Noble K10U > Satin Audio Athena 8 wire > iBasso DX 160 > 






Stay Safe and Happy Listening!


----------



## Turkeysaurus

I decided to take my Q350s out of storage and use them in near field.


----------



## joseph69

Roasty said:


> That looks super clean. Where did u get the rack? Built it yourself?


I'm not a rack guy (to be clear, audio racks ) but I also really like the looks of that one.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Turkeysaurus said:


> I decided to take my Q350s out of storage and use them in near field.



How did you get that spacey perspective? Wide-angle lens of some kind? The B&W gives it a very strange look (which I like).


----------



## genck

I have stuff going on with the other side of the room, you can get this view only. lol


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Pharmaboy said:


> How did you get that spacey perspective? Wide-angle lens of some kind? The B&W gives it a very strange look (which I like).


I used the wide angle camera in my Galaxy S10+, cropped it to 16:9 aspect ratio, and used an app called Snapseed to further edit the photo.


----------



## bmichels (Apr 4, 2020)

Gorgeous isn't it  ?   * I wish it was mine, but unfortunatly.... it isn't !  *           But now I have a good reason to empty my Attic  **


----------



## nordkapp

bmichels said:


> Gorgeous isn't it  ?   * I wish it was mine, but unfortunatly.... it isn't !  *           But now I have a good reason to empty my Attic  **


I do hope this attic is air conditioned. I see no insulation whatsoever. Otherwise, it is a dreadful location. It sure is beautiful however.


----------



## Preachy1 (Apr 4, 2020)

Hmmm, I like monochrome images as well.  Added a small tweak to the room, a shelf to get the cans off the desk top.  Next up will be to add some wall decos.View attachment 040320_01a.jpg

<edit:  can't seem to upload an actual photo>


----------



## gefski

nordkapp said:


> I do hope this attic is air conditioned. I see no insulation whatsoever. Otherwise, it is a dreadful location. It sure is beautiful however.



Has to be in a perfect climate — or a bubble.


----------



## Redcarmoose

bmichels said:


> Gorgeous isn't it  ?   * I wish it was mine, but unfortunatly.... it isn't !  *           But now I have a good reason to empty my Attic  **



Even this guy’s wife doesn’t allow these speakers in the living room.


----------



## bmichels

Tha


Redcarmoose said:


> Even this guy’s wife doesn’t allow these speakers in the living room.


that’s a possibility !


----------



## CJG888

Nice Nottingham Analogue turntable.


----------



## bmichels

and Diapason Dynamis speakers...


----------



## ratrace

WFH (Work-From-Home) setup. iFi Zen DAC with JH Audio Layla Siren Series. Got Zen DAC cos of 4.4mm since I’m no longer using DAP and have a few 4.4mm cable with me.

my tivoli model one is discoloured alr though!!!


----------



## OctavianH

Nothing new on the eastern front... just a new picture.


----------



## Lolito

Lovely photo. Happy with the ADAMS A5X? Do you have a sub? I was considering a5x with a sub, or a7x only... Then again, some people comment they are too analytical, and flat... not sure why is that supposed to be bad...


----------



## OctavianH

Yes, I am quite pleased about A5X. No sub. I do not find them analytical but it is a matter of taste. However I listened to them recently only in gaming sessions, I usually use my headphone line for music. And I listen mostly to rock, so no need for huge bass.


----------



## elChefe

Current set up.. Schiit Yggy A2 Uni> Audio GD HE9> Campfire Solaris SE


----------



## Pharmaboy

elChefe said:


> Current set up.. Schiit Yggy A2 Uni> Audio GD HE9> Campfire Solaris SE



Your photograph?


----------



## elChefe

Pharmaboy said:


> Your photograph?


In the background? Naa it’s from a gallery in nyc if I remember correctly


----------



## banda

There's something that tickles me about seeing a setup go from big to bigger to tiny.


----------



## OctavianH

OctavianH said:


> Nothing new on the eastern front... just a new picture.



And the B-Side of the picture. Like in real life, behind every successful man is a woman. And also behind any successful Amp there is a DAC...


----------



## Pharmaboy

"behind any successful Amp there is a DAC... " Funny & true!

Rodney Dangerfield: "They say behind every successful man stands the woman who makes it all possible. Can you _*imagine *_what's standing behind me?"


----------



## jasonb

Pulled my ODAC and Magni 2 Uber out of storage and rigged it up to my recliner side end table. I hadn't used either in a while and figured I'd try the combo out with my new Focal Elear with Utopia pads and the combo is sounding nice. This will be easier and more convenient compared to what I've been doing the last week or so. I didn't want to take up any valuable table space so I hid the ODAC behind the table, and attached the Magni to the side of the table, but still well within reach. This should work out well.


----------



## rds (Apr 9, 2020)




----------



## elChefe

Update.. new tube dac arrived!!! The station is looking, and sounding, pretty good right now! (minus that janky usb)


----------



## Preachy1

rds said:


>


Is that Roosevelt Island Tram in the window?


----------



## nordkapp (Apr 10, 2020)

More glamour shots....


----------



## rds

Preachy1 said:


> Is that Roosevelt Island Tram in the window?



It sure is


----------



## Pharmaboy

rds said:


> It sure is



That's a great catch @Preachy1!

My college roomate's parents had an apt. ~20 floors up in a upper E. Side high-rise on 79th St., I think it was. Their LR picture window had a view much like that. It may not be the prettiest bridge in NYC (that's the Brooklyn Bridge), but it's large & in charge at that point in Manhattan island.


----------



## banda

rds said:


>


First pic looks nice and homely.


----------



## gefski (Apr 10, 2020)

rds said:


>



Beautiful!
Is it quiet enough for open backed cans?


----------



## koven




----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


>



I visited Silicon Valley some years ago (to meet a longtime client). Everything & everyone there are in sleek monochrome, just like this picture.


----------



## genck

Pharmaboy said:


> I visited Silicon Valley some years ago (to meet a longtime client). Everything & everyone there are in sleek monochrome, just like this picture.


So essentially dull, to the point, clinical


----------



## rds

banda said:


> First pic looks nice and homely.



I’ve had that setup (minus the BT receiver) since 2009, when I built the amp and DAC. The next year I left my home city. I’ve moved a few times since then and this setup has always come along. So that always feels homely to me.



gefski said:


> Beautiful!
> Is it quiet enough for open backed cans?



Depends how quiet you like the room to be. There is the distant sound of cars always, almost like the sound of wind through a canyon. These days the traffic‘s pretty light but the sirens are much more frequent.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Some of you have speaker/monitor setups with w/subs (I have both). For any interested in better integrating sub w/speakers, a really high-quality solution just went F.S. on US Audiomart: the Marchand XM44 electronic crossover:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649608350-marchand-xm44-crossover-balanced-option/

I have the XM66 with variable crossover frequency capability and can't praise it highly enough. I can detect zero audible effect of having this crossover in the system, and believe me, I tried to find some...

Highly recommended--and the price is excellent. 

The fact that this particular unit can do either SE or balanced connections is pure gravy IMO.


----------



## Preachy1

rds said:


> Depends how quiet you like the room to be. There is the distant sound of cars always, almost like the sound of wind through a canyon. These days the traffic‘s pretty light but the sirens are much more frequent.


My daughter lives in Jackson Heights, and she says the same thing; traffic is nearly non-existent, but with the uptick in 911 calls, and the reduction in overall traffic noise, the sirens are eerily loud.


----------



## LifeAspect

Wish I had more space but this will have to do


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> My daughter lives in Jackson Heights, and she says the same thing; traffic is nearly non-existent, but with the uptick in 911 calls, and the reduction in overall traffic noise, the sirens are eerily loud.


My daughter in NYC says in between sirens she can actually hear the birds, without the constant backdrop of traffic noise and the bustling city!


----------



## ricksome

Pharmeboy: Marchand XM44 electronic crossover: That is a good price and I wanna buy it ... LOL ... Don't point these things out to me


----------



## fbarberis

Couch Setup:
Roon server (not in the picture) > Raspberry with Ropiee (Inside de white box) > Fiio X3ii DAC (docked) > Fiio K5 Amp > Superlux HD 668B / Pioneer SE A1200 / Sennheiser HD 558 / HD 569 / Senheiser HD700 (in the lower shelf).
Desktop Setup: Roon server (PC)> Traktor 2 Audio > Headamp 4 Amp > Sennheiser HD 559 / Sennheiser RS180 (not in the picture) / Speakers Edifier R2600


----------



## Pharmaboy

fbarberis said:


> Couch Setup:
> Roon server (not in the picture) > Raspberry with Ropiee (Inside de white box) > Fiio X3ii DAC (docked) > Fiio K5 Amp > Superlux HD 668B / Pioneer SE A1200 / Sennheiser HD 558 / HD 569 / Senheiser HD700 (in the lower shelf).
> Desktop Setup: Roon server (PC)> Traktor 2 Audio > Headamp 4 Amp > Sennheiser HD 559 / Sennheiser RS180 (not in the picture) / Speakers Edifier R2600



audio gatto!! what kind of cat is he/she?


----------



## fbarberis

Pharmaboy said:


> audio gatto!! what kind of cat is he/she?



She is a Siamese cat. Her name is Fedra.


----------



## gefski

fbarberis said:


> Couch Setup:
> Roon server (not in the picture) > Raspberry with Ropiee (Inside de white box) > Fiio X3ii DAC (docked) > Fiio K5 Amp > Superlux HD 668B / Pioneer SE A1200 / Sennheiser HD 558 / HD 569 / Senheiser HD700 (in the lower shelf).
> Desktop Setup: Roon server (PC)> Traktor 2 Audio > Headamp 4 Amp > Sennheiser HD 559 / Sennheiser RS180 (not in the picture) / Speakers Edifier R2600



Thumbs up on PET FRIENDLY HiFi!!!!


----------



## DaddyWhale

gefski said:


> Thumbs up on PET FRIENDLY HiFi!!!!


I once had a cat that bit off the tip on a tube. Didn't tell my then-wife because she would have forced me to get rid of the amp! Cat was fine


----------



## maheeinfy (Apr 11, 2020)




----------



## Rowethren

Pharmaboy said:


> Some of you have speaker/monitor setups with w/subs (I have both). For any interested in better integrating sub w/speakers, a really high-quality solution just went F.S. on US Audiomart: the Marchand XM44 electronic crossover:
> 
> https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649608350-marchand-xm44-crossover-balanced-option/
> 
> ...



If I wasn't in the UK I would have been sorely tempted by this. I have a pair of bookshelf speakers with a sub and have always been curious what the sound would be like if I pushed the crossover of the speakers up to around 80Hz from their default ~40Hz roll off.


----------



## bmichels (Apr 12, 2020)

My Hifi station ?  This morning it is Mother Nature: 

Turn on the volume and listen...  It is worth any Headphone cession


----------



## Preachy1

My head-fi room is now complete


----------



## Shane D

Preachy1 said:


> My head-fi room is now complete



Beautiful set-up, but that room needs a lazy-boy.


----------



## Preachy1

Shane D said:


> Beautiful set-up, but that room needs a lazy-boy.


That’s in my basement set up!


----------



## kkrazik2008

Borrowed a friend’s set up during stay-at-home;
First toe in the OTL water, using them with Sennheiser HD650 not my Aeon Flow Closed (output impedance mismatch)


----------



## Nostoi

Easing into the evening with some Danzig against the always present backdrop of my toddler's various accoutrements.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 15, 2020)

_*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player Japanese Tourist Edition Firmware Jupiter301-T1
qdc Anole V3 IEM #817993 (stock setting/Sony Hybrid Tips) Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech Rhodium plated CF - 7445 R  4.4mm*_


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Redcarmoose said:


> _*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player Japanese Tourist Edition Firmware Jupiter301-T1
> qdc Anole V3 IEM #817993 (stock setting/Sony Hybrid Tips) Han Sound Audio Zen 4 wire OCC litz copper cable terminated Furutech Rhodium plated CF - 7445 R  4.4mm*_


I'm not an iem guy, but this picture is worth a thumbs up.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


----------



## Nostoi

Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


Nice set-up. What's the stand you have for your RME - homemade?


----------



## Preachy1

I like everything in that pic, but what the heck is on the yellow plate?????


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Nostoi said:


> Nice set-up. What's the stand you have for your RME - homemade?



Thank you. There's a guy on Etsy that will do custom shelves for cheap- https://www.etsy.com/shop/CarltonworkshopCo



Preachy1 said:


> I like everything in that pic, but what the heck is on the yellow plate?????


Only the finest pizza NY has to offer (during a pandemic).


----------



## Preachy1

Elio's?


----------



## gefski

Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment



Aaargh...pizza prints on such beautiful equipment, LOL!


----------



## nordkapp

Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


Great photo!


----------



## dRnRcR (Apr 16, 2020)

Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


Ooooo it's mid-fi.  I recognize this setup from your videos.   Good video on the v280 vs RME-Adi 2 vs smsl.


----------



## waveSounds

Portable listening station


----------



## waveSounds

And seeing as it's such nice weather here in good Ol' Blighty; ultra-portable listening.


----------



## chrisdrop

Home sweet home.


----------



## Rowethren

chrisdrop said:


> Home sweet home.



Nice fire surround, is that the original Victoria one?


----------



## chrisdrop

Rowethren said:


> Nice fire surround, is that the original Victoria one?


While it doesn't help with the sound, sadly, we do love the Victorian fireplaces. The downstairs fireplaces are ornate like this, and the upstairs fireplaces are less ornate but still beautiful. All original and working. We want to get some Victorian radiators to match, but they are hard to come by ones in excellent condition. Having a house from the late 1800s has its ups and downs, but on the whole, we are _very_ thankful to have it!

On another note. I love this one. My 17 yo just got his first reasonable headphones & amp/ DAC. Couldn't be happier. Lucky kids!



Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


----------



## Rowethren

chrisdrop said:


> While it doesn't help with the sound, sadly, we do love the Victorian fireplaces. The downstairs fireplaces are ornate like this, and the upstairs fireplaces are less ornate but still beautiful. All original and working. We want to get some Victorian radiators to match, but they are hard to come by ones in excellent condition. Having a house from the late 1800s has its ups and downs, but on the whole, we are _very_ thankful to have it!
> 
> On another note. I love this one. My 17 yo just got his first reasonable headphones & amp/ DAC. Couldn't be happier. Lucky kids!



My house is from about 1883 and our fireplace looks very similar but the surround is much more boring lol. I love a good open fire, nice and homely during winter.


----------



## LoryWiv (Apr 16, 2020)

chrisdrop said:


> Home sweet home.


@chrisdrop: Looks very inviting!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rowethren said:


> My house is from about 1883 and our fireplace looks very similar but the surround is much more boring lol. I love a good open fire, nice and homely during winter.



Our 1st house (Hudson Valley area of NY State) had been built ~1825. The siding had been fashioned from resawn church pews (probably chestnut), scrap from the 1st iteration of the local Presbyterian church, torn down around that time (really). You could still see the little oval depressions where the nameplates had been screwed. Sadly the siding had been painted dozens of times.

Much as we loved this house, it had been a handyman's special for >150 yrs. Every owner who fancied himself a carpenter had done something or other atrocious to that house. Once I had to open up a wall in the upstairs bathroom, after finding nowhere to securely nail something on the wall...found a single horizontal stud inside the wall (!?!). That kind of thing.

Still, it was a lovely house w/2 active staircases & 2 porches (on of which was on the 2nd floor off MBR); it looked like a Mississippi river boat w/the outside lights on. I had my first good audio system in the LR of that house. Very fond memories.


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## dRnRcR

Strayngs said:


>


A thing of beauty


----------



## koven

Strayngs said:


>



Don't see that Trafomatic too often, how do you like it?


----------



## Taz777

Strayngs said:


>



What a work of art! Beautiful indeed.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Strayngs said:


>


Wow.
I like the look of the Head 2.
Best part there, imo.   
It make ordinary tube amps look like last century. ^^


----------



## Strayngs

koven said:


> Don't see that Trafomatic too often, how do you like it?


I really enjoy the Trafomatic. It is the better of my 2 amps. Extremely fast for a tube amp. Great detail mids and treble are at strong point. Bass is pretty good too. Soundstage is a little narrower than my primaLuna.


----------



## RobertSM (Apr 17, 2020)

My listening room. It's a small but cozy space that's allowed me to enjoy the hobby during this stay-at-home time.

I usually have a window opened but the neighbor was having the lawn mowed when I took these pictures. Works for me.


----------



## bmichels




----------



## Gadget67

Added an SPL Phonitor 2 to the mix since my last post.  The Sony serves as the DAC for the Phonitor and I can continue to use the Sony as a headphone amp.  The Phonitor matrix. function is interesting and fun to play with!


----------



## bmichels

Sorry, Sorry, it is *not* mine.   I wish it was...    !  . . . And this black SME3009 !

I never saw such a beauty !    Do someone know which model it is ?


----------



## kid vic

bmichels said:


> Sorry, Sorry, it is *not* mine.   I wish it was...    !  . . . And this black SME3009 !
> 
> I never saw such a beauty !    Do someone know which model it is ?


Thorens Prestige, 101 were made for the 101st anniversary of the company.


----------



## Wes S

Update - I added a ZMF Atticus to the collection, and moved some stuff around.  The collection is complete. . .for now.


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> Update - I added a ZMF Atticus to the collection, and moved some stuff around.  The collection is complete. . .for now.



Nice clean set-up...nice cans too


----------



## kkrazik2008

Wes S said:


> Update - I added a ZMF Atticus to the collection, and moved some stuff around.  The collection is complete. . .for now.


Nice addition Wes! Such a good looking wood to add to your fine collection.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Update - I added a ZMF Atticus to the collection, and moved some stuff around.  The collection is complete. . .for now.



That Atticus is outta sight beautiful!! If it sounds anything like it looks, you'll be one happy camper.


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> The collection is complete. . .for now.


"Now" being totally open to interpretation!  hehe


----------



## lukelev07 (Apr 19, 2020)

Monitor stands are hopefully arriving this week


----------



## chrisdrop

lukelev07 said:


> Monitor stands are hopefully arriving this week


A Guy Called Gerald +1
I hope NYC is bearable and you are keeping safe!


----------



## Pharmaboy

lukelev07 said:


> Monitor stands are hopefully arriving this week



Nice! What kind of monitors are those? And that office chair looks badass...never saw one like it. What is it?


----------



## lukelev07

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice! What kind of monitors are those? And that office chair looks badass...never saw one like it. What is it?



The speakers are DIY, based off of this kit from Parts Express: https://www.parts-express.com/tritr...vrKuk6Dn4Mi27CZkqDLQbr1Mx8dlyJwBoC8q0QAvD_BwE

Chair is a Herman Miller Embody that I found half price on craigslist  Was lucky to have it in advance of the WFH situation lol


----------



## Preachy1

Seems like every time a funky chair shows up, it's a Herman Miller design!!  I have been using an Aeron for the past few years and it totally reduced (actually eliminated) my back pain.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Seems like every time a funky chair shows up, it's a Herman Miller design!!  I have been using an Aeron for the past few years and it totally reduced (actually eliminated) my back pain.



I used a Herman Miller chair in NYC 20+ yrs ago when the brand was just becoming big. But in my home office (>21 years), I've always used Steelcase chairs. Started with a Criterion model; wore that out & got another one, and then another. And then 2 Steelcase "Leap" models. Thanks to these chairs & close attention to keyboard/mouse siting & monitor placement vs head/eyes, I've gone all these years w/no repetitive stress injuries.


----------



## Rowethren

Pharmaboy said:


> I used a Herman Miller chair in NYC 20+ yrs ago when the brand was just becoming big. But in my home office (>21 years), I've always used Steelcase chairs. Started with a Criterion model; wore that out & got another one, and then another. And then 2 Steelcase "Leap" models. Thanks to these chairs & close attention to keyboard/mouse siting & monitor placement vs head/eyes, I've gone all these years w/no repetitive stress injuries.



Been very tempted to get a Steelcase Gesture for a while now. As it stands I will either get a chair which would be a nice upgrade from my racing style chair or upgrade my speakers from Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II to KEF Reference 3. Decisions, decisions...


----------



## Whisky Warrior

Desktop listening station


----------



## Shane D

Whisky Warrior said:


> Desktop listening station



Nice, simple (but not cheap!) set up. I love my Loki.


----------



## GoldenOne

My cozy little corner of the world 
I've got a pair of Hifiman Susvara's and a Benchmark AHB2 on the way which i'm incredibly excited for.


----------



## Pharmaboy

GoldenOne said:


> My cozy little corner of the world
> I've got a pair of Hifiman Susvara's and a Benchmark AHB2 on the way which i'm incredibly excited for.



That is a seriously badass audio crib!


----------



## kkrazik2008

Rowethren said:


> Been very tempted to get a Steelcase Gesture for a while now. As it stands I will either get a chair which would be a nice upgrade from my racing style chair or upgrade my speakers from Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II to KEF Reference 3. Decisions, decisions...


+ 1 on Steelcase Leap. Very good value and just as ergonomic as the Gesture.


----------



## RobertSM

GoldenOne said:


> My cozy little corner of the world
> I've got a pair of Hifiman Susvara's and a Benchmark AHB2 on the way which i'm incredibly excited for.



Took the time and effort to do the acoustic treatment. I bet that room sounds great. Cheers!


----------



## dRnRcR

GoldenOne said:


> My cozy little corner of the world
> I've got a pair of Hifiman Susvara's and a Benchmark AHB2 on the way which i'm incredibly excited for.


Wow what an amazing setup.


----------



## Focux

GoldenOne said:


> My cozy little corner of the world
> I've got a pair of Hifiman Susvara's and a Benchmark AHB2 on the way which i'm incredibly excited for.



very nice room and not just the setup

don't mind sharing some feedback as to how your arya sounds w the rme and thx789?

i too am waiting for my 789 to arrive


----------



## GoldenOne (Apr 20, 2020)

Focux said:


> very nice room and not just the setup
> 
> don't mind sharing some feedback as to how your arya sounds w the rme and thx789?
> 
> i too am waiting for my 789 to arrive


Arya + 789 works brilliantly, clean, transparent, plenty of power.
Just be aware that with how transparent the 789 is, and how resolving the aryas can be, the characteristics of your DAC will play quite a large part in what the end result is like. I love the aryas and the 789 to bits, but make sure you've got a decent dac to go with them.


----------



## alota

My main rig for now


----------



## Focux (Apr 20, 2020)

GoldenOne said:


> Arya + 789 works brilliantly, clean, transparent, plenty of power.
> Just be aware that with how transparent the 789 is, and how resolving the aryas can be, the characteristics of your DAC will play quite a large part in what the end result is like. I love the aryas and the 789 to bits, but make sure you've got a decent dac to go with them.



for now i have a mojo but have shortlisted the qutest and smsl m500

however, am not sure if sabre sound is a good match for this much "neutrality" in the system

unfortunately i just realised that the ananda is almost half the price of the arya which makes me want to reevaluate


----------



## Preachy1 (Apr 21, 2020)

Getting closer to completion!


----------



## macaltec

A work in progress. Stole some speaker stands I built, grabbed a longer piece of extrusion to get the height I wanted. Cut up the sheetmetal bottom cover of an amp project and formed a loop. Going to consolidate into one stand. Have to make a new top plate to accommodate the DAC and amp. I have a nice fabric cover being made for the headphone loop. I may shorten that up a bit too. And I have to do some wire management as well. Too busy listening to do too much though.


----------



## alota

macaltec said:


> A work in progress. Stole some speaker stands I built, grabbed a longer piece of extrusion to get the height I wanted. Cut up the sheetmetal bottom cover of an amp project and formed a loop. Going to consolidate into one stand. Have to make a new top plate to accommodate the DAC and amp. I have a nice fabric cover being made for the headphone loop. I may shorten that up a bit too. And I have to do some wire management as well. Too busy listening to do too much though.


probably you spent more on stands compared to electronics?


----------



## roskodan

probably, but totally worth it


----------



## macaltec

Sometimes being a metal fabricator has its advantages. I havent spent a dime yet. Extrusion (upright pieces) are drops from work, too short for any other official use. The top and bottom plates I had cut on the laser at work as test plates during the initial setup. After drawing them all I had to do was countersink the top plate holes and tap the outside corner holes on the bottom plate. I borrowed a handful of bolts from the bolt bin. The sheetmetal loop was material scrounged from the scrap bin as well. Once the design is finalized I will powder coat the steel plates and loop a gloss micro texture black. I will also be doing this at work.


----------



## nordkapp

macaltec said:


> A work in progress. Stole some speaker stands I built, grabbed a longer piece of extrusion to get the height I wanted. Cut up the sheetmetal bottom cover of an amp project and formed a loop. Going to consolidate into one stand. Have to make a new top plate to accommodate the DAC and amp. I have a nice fabric cover being made for the headphone loop. I may shorten that up a bit too. And I have to do some wire management as well. Too busy listening to do too much though.


Nice hack!


----------



## Krassi

Since i am sitting in my kitchen on my nice new kitchen Sofa with a Computer on the table most of the time right now i put my new custom tube amp on the table and power it with E1DA pdv2 (i got dsom Usb cables for both 9038s and pdv2 with a wire for ground thats connected to one passiv Speaker output..

I love the size and light weight of that little amp  
And my favorites on this is still my AKG K340..


----------



## ScornDefeat




----------



## bmichels (Apr 22, 2020)

Another one that is NOT mine, but it is so increadible that I wanted to share this picture with you.  BRAVO to the owner:

Massive *Cessaro Carmen Reference* 4-way horn speakers driven by *Zanden Audio Chouku monobloc*k tube amps created by special order and in cooperation with Audio Exotics Hong Kong. Red boxes in the middle are *Tripoint Audio Troy *Signature filtration components. 

Credits by Alex@hifialex

*Note :*  I wonder what the Tripoint bring to the system... anyone tested this (very very expensive) filtration system ?


----------



## Scutey

bmichels said:


> Another one that is NOT mine, but it is so increadible that I wanted to share this picture with you.  BRAVO to the owner:
> 
> Massive *Cessaro Carmen Reference* 4-way horn speakers driven by *Zanden Audio Chouku monobloc*k tube amps created by special order and in cooperation with Audio Exotics Hong Kong. Red boxes in the middle are *Tripoint Audio Troy *Signature filtration components.
> 
> ...


That looks a mega expensive set up!.


----------



## traehekat (Apr 22, 2020)

I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.


----------



## fiiom11pro

traehekat said:


> I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife had commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.




very neat-looking station you got there.


----------



## Rowethren

traehekat said:


> I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.


Those draws look like Ikea but is the desk ontop? A very nice and organised setup!


----------



## Preachy1

traehekat said:


> I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.


NIce looking station you got there.  And nice quality pics, BTW!!!!!


----------



## traehekat

Rowethren said:


> Those draws look like Ikea but is the desk ontop? A very nice and organised setup!



All from Ikea! The top is actually a kitchen countertop, I believe it’s called the Karlby. The risers/legs are called Capita.


----------



## Rowethren

traehekat said:


> All from Ikea! The top is actually a kitchen countertop, I believe it’s called the Karlby. The risers/legs are called Capita.



Nice, never thought to do that for my desk it looks really smart!


----------



## Focux

traehekat said:


> I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.



pray tell, how long is that kitchen top?


----------



## traehekat

Focux said:


> pray tell, how long is that kitchen top?



98 inches, but they make a 74 inch version.


----------



## Dawnrazor (Apr 22, 2020)

Pictured left to right:
Iphone with Hysolid control app
Bbe sonic maximizer
Hafler Ha-75 tube amp


----------



## acbarn

My music production desk: MacBook Pro, Ableton Push, RME BabyFace Pro, Adam A5X, Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro


----------



## Pharmaboy

Dawnrazor said:


> Pictured left to right:
> Iphone with Hysolid control app
> Bbe sonic maximizer
> Hafler Ha-75 tube amp



I have the Hafler, too. What do you think of it?


----------



## Dawnrazor

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the Hafler, too. What do you think of it?


Love it.  I have the 2nd version where they ditch the tube flavor wheel for an impedance switch.  I love the matrix.  For me that is huge and the vox I use all the time surprisingly.  Its tube but not if that makes sense.  Its super clean but still a tad warm.  It will be hard to get a replacement because of the Matrix.  I try turning it off and well ALWAYS go back to it.  As you know its built like a tank!!

What do you think of it?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Dawnrazor said:


> Love it.  I have the 2nd version where they ditch the tube flavor wheel for an impedance switch.  I love the matrix.  For me that is huge and the vox I use all the time surprisingly.  Its tube but not if that makes sense.  Its super clean but still a tad warm.  It will be hard to get a replacement because of the Matrix.  I try turning it off and well ALWAYS go back to it.  As you know its built like a tank!!
> 
> What do you think of it?



Before I answer, bear in mind that I have a total of 7 amps, 6 SS & 1 OTL tube. So it's not as if I rely on the Hafler.

I got the first version. What's weird for me is that I got no real usable sonic differences out of the 2 settings you mention. The matrix in particular was why I bought it, but I just don't hear any sonic improvements that make it worth my while. The basic sound is quite good, however, exactly as you say. There's a bit too much gain for my system, but that's just my system & my DAC, which have higher than usual gain (most amps have too much gain in this system).

I'm actually thinking of selling my Hafler. Not because it's bad -- it's anything but bad -- but because it really hasn't managed to displace any of my other SS amps, each of which I like a lot for one reason or other.


----------



## Dawnrazor

Pharmaboy said:


> Before I answer, bear in mind that I have a total of 7 amps, 6 SS & 1 OTL tube. So it's not as if I rely on the Hafler.
> 
> I got the first version. What's weird for me is that I got no real usable sonic differences out of the 2 settings you mention. The matrix in particular was why I bought it, but I just don't hear any sonic improvements that make it worth my while. The basic sound is quite good, however, exactly as you say. There's a bit too much gain for my system, but that's just my system & my DAC, which have higher than usual gain (most amps have too much gain in this system).
> 
> I'm actually thinking of selling my Hafler. Not because it's bad -- it's anything but bad -- but because it really hasn't managed to displace any of my other SS amps, each of which I like a lot for one reason or other.


Such is audio and system matching.  What cans do you have?  I have open back planars mostly and the matrix is quite obvious.  It says "Focus" on mine and fwiw the knob is super hard to turn so make sure its actually on.  ALso I think I read a comparison where the impedence switch on my version was a more useful option than the original tube sound adjustments.  

Interesting about the gain.  My Dac has a DSD setting where 44.1 is converted to DSD sample rates.  A side effect of that is that the level is 10db less.  That said the other settings and other dacs I have had haven't been an issue.  And IIRC my Focusrite AM2 has an output setting that is adjustable to something like 24dbv max.  I recall setting it there and using it with the Hafler and no issues..  So I can't say I have experienced what you are talking about.  If the Focusrite has an output that high, what kind of level does your dac send out??


----------



## Taz777

Krassi said:


> Since i am sitting in my kitchen on my nice new kitchen Sofa with a Computer on the table most of the time right now i put my new custom tube amp on the table and power it with E1DA pdv2 (i got dsom Usb cables for both 9038s and pdv2 with a wire for ground thats connected to one passiv Speaker output..
> 
> I love the size and light weight of that little amp
> And my favorites on this is still my AKG K340..



That cassette player is beautiful. I want one so badly! And a lovely valve amp too.


----------



## Krassi (Apr 23, 2020)

Haha!
Thats a real Holy Grail of the boomboxes.. Its the 1978 (i am 1977 building date) AIWA TPR-950h ..
Its built like a tank and has an insanly good tweeter with some crazy crap ambience mode that all boomboxes have..
This was my kitchenradio for 3 Years.. i had one amazing Toshiba S90 before but one driver side failed some day.. looked like this Toshiba S890

Well i got around 9 Boomboxes and all work (but the s90).. amazing decoration in my opinion!


----------



## Wes S

fiiom11pro said:


> very neat-looking station you got there.


Nice clean setup!  I could be right at home, in that room.


----------



## n05ey

Well, first time posting in this thread. Enjoying my gear so much at the moment I had to share...






I have now raised the canton ergo 21's a little above the screen and working on some of the corner resonance, fine tuning my setup. Amp is an old JVC JR-S300. Working late tonight listening to Dream Theatre, Systematic Chaos on the hd250 linear II's and having a ball.


----------



## asilker

traehekat said:


> I haven’t visited this forum in quite some time so I thought I’d share a few pictures of my current station/work-from-home setup. The wife commandeered the dedicated office, so I had to set up shop in the basement/family room. I think I made the best of it, though! Hope everyone is healthy and staying safe.


Strat, Two Rock, JHS soul food, ts10, Aqua Puss... MMMMM

John Mayer fan?


----------



## traehekat (Apr 23, 2020)

asilker said:


> Strat, Two Rock, JHS soul food, ts10, Aqua Puss... MMMMM
> 
> John Mayer fan?



That obvious, huh? 😂

Good eye, btw!


----------



## Preachy1

I told my wife I want (need!) a kitchen sofa.  She looked at like I have three heads.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Dawnrazor said:


> Such is audio and system matching.  What cans do you have?  I have open back planars mostly and the matrix is quite obvious.  It says "Focus" on mine and fwiw the knob is super hard to turn so make sure its actually on.  ALso I think I read a comparison where the impedence switch on my version was a more useful option than the original tube sound adjustments.
> 
> Interesting about the gain.  My Dac has a DSD setting where 44.1 is converted to DSD sample rates.  A side effect of that is that the level is 10db less.  That said the other settings and other dacs I have had haven't been an issue.  And IIRC my Focusrite AM2 has an output setting that is adjustable to something like 24dbv max.  I recall setting it there and using it with the Hafler and no issues..  So I can't say I have experienced what you are talking about.  If the Focusrite has an output that high, what kind of level does your dac send out??



Didn't know that about DSD. -10 dB is quite a loss. But IMS it wouldn't be a problem since the V281 (both as HP amp & preamp) can swing as much as +/- 14 dB.

My gain issues really start w/my DAC, an MHDT Labs Orchid (NOS). I love the sound, but the output voltage is "hot" -- 3.0 volts vs the nominal/typical 2 v for most DACs. That kind of bakes in a lot of gain. So when I use the Hafler (which more than the usual gain & no low/high gain adjustment) it's too much of a good thing...

My headphones include ZMF Aeolus, Eikon, Ori; HEX v2; Jupiter Audio Research's heavily modded HD650, the JAR650; Nighthawk Carbon; and Marantz MPH-2 (closed back).

I never actually tried the matrix w/my only open back planar du jour, HEX v2. Have to do that, just to see if it's more audible w/that.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 24, 2020)

*Sony Pentaconn 4.4mm MUC-M12NB1 1.2m StarQuad OFC IEM Cable*
_*BGVP DM6 5BA Universal IEM*_
*Sony NW-WM1Z Digital Audio Player (Japanese Tourist Edition) FW Jupiter301T1*


----------



## koven

Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!


----------



## elChefe

koven said:


> Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!


Dat aesthetic doe


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


> Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!



Are you happy with the Lumin feeding the Benchmark stack?  It's a U1 Mini, correct?  This is a combination I've been thinking about a lot lately.


----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


> Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!



Beautiful photo & work space. It certainly appears that you have an orderly mind...


----------



## Stourmead

Tech end:
Hugo 2
Magni 3+
chord shawline RCA interconnects

and...

Head end:
Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed with Forza Audioworks Noir Hybrid Cable
❤️❤️❤️


----------



## koven

elChefe said:


> Dat aesthetic doe





Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful photo & work space. It certainly appears that you have an orderly mind...


Thanks!


SalR406 said:


> Are you happy with the Lumin feeding the Benchmark stack?  It's a U1 Mini, correct?  This is a combination I've been thinking about a lot lately.


Yep U1 Mini, I think Lumin makes great streamers, I'm happy w/ the sound into the Benchmark. Using Roon but the Lumin app functions well too.


----------



## gefski

A quick pic before getting going on packing up the speaker rig for a move. Will have to “suffer” with just headphones for a couple months.


----------



## roskodan

He's going to jail.


----------



## Shane D

koven said:


> Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!


VERY clean looking set-up. Didn't really stand out on my phone, but on my 32" monitor that is impressive!


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## elChefe




----------



## grokit (Apr 25, 2020)

Posting my rack again because there's been a few upgrades since last time. Plus it's about to undergo perhaps its final transformation soon, so I wanted to get a record of the last round posted before this next one starts. After the next round is complete I'll post in more context, showing this system in relation to other gear in my living room. But as a preview there's a record cleaning station just off to the right, and then to the left is another head (also speaker) amp, my Ragnarok 2. Further around the horn to the left of that are the speakers and subwoofer, surrounding a 65" screen with an old PS3, and an even older laserdisc player. The Rag 2 gets it from both sides, so to speak.

The most recent upgrades pictured below are an 'old favorite' rectifier tube of mine that I finally tracked down for the Woo, as well as a new Schiit DAC, and Marantz turntable. Headphones pictured from left to right are SR-007, HE-6, and SR-009. My gear is listed in more detail in my profile.




I'm letting my rock & roll hang out here, but have more varied musical tastes these days.


----------



## Focux

elChefe said:


>



What wood is the Aeolus?


----------



## elChefe

Focux said:


> What wood is the Aeolus?


 Think you might be looking for interweb 


interweb-tech said:


>


----------



## joseph69

grokit said:


> Posting my rack again because there's been a few upgrades since last time.


Damn, was hoping you were a hot chic with a new boob job.


----------



## interweb-tech

Focux said:


> What wood is the Aeolus?



Mine are Bubinga (LTD version)


----------



## Supremevegbeef

Blon BL03 , RY4S , Modded USB 1.1 DAC (ELNA Silmic II)


----------



## jambaj0e (Apr 25, 2020)

Chord Qutest DAC to the Cayin HA-300 with Psvane ACME Supreme 300b tubes  + Sylvania 1952 6SN7GT 3-hole Bad Boy tubes to the Audeze LCD-3 with Mavismodz balanced XLR cables + Furutech XLR ends. The Schiit Loki is no longer in my system once the ACME 300b passed 100 hours burn in and extended its bass to where it is now.


----------



## Preachy1

grokit said:


> Posting my rack again because there's been a few upgrades since last time. Plus it's about to undergo perhaps its final transformation soon, so I wanted to get a record of the last round posted before this next one starts. After the next round is complete I'll post in more context, showing this system in relation to other gear in my living room. But as a preview there's a record cleaning station just off to the right, and then to the left is another head (also speaker) amp, my Ragnarok 2. Further around the horn to the left of that are the speakers and subwoofer, surrounding a 65" screen with an old PS3, and an even older laserdisc player. The Rag 2 gets it from both sides, so to speak.
> 
> The most recent upgrades pictured below are an 'old favorite' rectifier tube of mine that I finally tracked down for the Woo, as well as a new Schiit DAC, and Marantz turntable. Headphones pictured from left to right are SR-007, HE-6, and SR-009. My gear is listed in more detail in my profile.
> 
> ...


E-72!!!!!!!!


----------



## tmb821

Heresy, es100, shp9500. Sounds good to me!


----------



## grokit

Preachy1 said:


> E-72!!!!!!!!


? I can't decode this...

Preach to me!


----------



## SupperTime

Stourmead said:


> Tech end:
> Hugo 2
> Magni 3+
> chord shawline RCA interconnects
> ...


Just curious, is the Hugo 2 amp that bad? That incapable?


----------



## Preachy1

grokit said:


> ? I can't decode this...
> 
> Preach to me!


Looking at your record collection, the Grateful Dead's "Europe '72" (E-72) jumped out at me.  Yeah, I'm one of those!!!!!


----------



## whirlwind

grokit said:


> Posting my rack again because there's been a few upgrades since last time. Plus it's about to undergo perhaps its final transformation soon, so I wanted to get a record of the last round posted before this next one starts. After the next round is complete I'll post in more context, showing this system in relation to other gear in my living room. But as a preview there's a record cleaning station just off to the right, and then to the left is another head (also speaker) amp, my Ragnarok 2. Further around the horn to the left of that are the speakers and subwoofer, surrounding a 65" screen with an old PS3, and an even older laserdisc player. The Rag 2 gets it from both sides, so to speak.
> 
> The most recent upgrades pictured below are an 'old favorite' rectifier tube of mine that I finally tracked down for the Woo, as well as a new Schiit DAC, and Marantz turntable. Headphones pictured from left to right are SR-007, HE-6, and SR-009. My gear is listed in more detail in my profile.
> 
> ...




I spy Gov't Mule & The Doors.....rock on


----------



## grokit

Preachy1 said:


> Looking at your record collection, the Grateful Dead's "Europe '72" (E-72) jumped out at me.  Yeah, I'm one of those!!!!!


Duh... ice cream to the forehead lol.
I just pulled these out of storage, can't wait to get that one cleaned up and evaluate it. 
I had a feeling you were referring to that album! 
I knew it was Dead, knew it was live...


----------



## grokit (Apr 26, 2020)

whirlwind said:


> I spy Gov't Mule & The Doors.....rock on


That's Val Kilmer on the cover of that Doors album... because it's actually a laserdisc of the Doors movie!
Analog audio/video with a digital audio track, encoded on a 12" optical disc. I think I that's correct.


----------



## holytiger

New desk


----------



## Gavin C4

Focal Utopia All the way. Great combo with Schiit Mj2 Gumby stack. Recently found the THX 789 a really good pairing too. 




PS: Spice things up with RGB LEDs when I need more mood.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gavin C4 said:


> Focal Utopia All the way. Great combo with Schiit Mj2 Gumby stack. Recently found the THX 789 a really good pairing too.
> 
> 
> PS: Spice things up with RGB LEDs when I need more mood.



That's a badass light...


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Taz777

holytiger said:


> New desk



That old school desk is so beautiful! When I was (much) younger I was into calligraphy and had a set of calligraphy pens (as opposed to the fountain pen in your photo - the calligraphy pens looked similar but had the nib cut at a slant) and I enjoyed stylised writing on high quality paper. Writing real letters to real people, back in the day! So your photo evoked some lovely memories for me. The valve-amp and pipes really set the scene!


----------



## Taz777

Redcarmoose said:


>



Does this have the cassette tape UI when playing music? If so, that's one of the coolest things ever.


----------



## Taz777

koven said:


> Desktop quarantine station..  I continue to be enamored w/ the HPA4, easily one of the best amps I've used!



Whoa! That is jaw-dropping!


----------



## Redcarmoose

Taz777 said:


> Does this have the cassette tape UI when playing music? If so, that's one of the coolest things ever.



That’s only with the 40th Anniversary Walkman. It is cool.


----------



## doyouknowSBmean (Apr 29, 2020)

It has been a while since..

Some updates:






Sorry for my potato iPhone 6 camera


----------



## Pharmaboy

doyouknowSBmean said:


> It has been a while since..
> 
> Some updates:
> 
> ...



You need to get yourself some upscale headphones...enough of these budget models (uh, joking)

What is that distinctive wooden HP? Early Sony?


----------



## doyouknowSBmean

Pharmaboy said:


> You need to get yourself some upscale headphones...enough of these budget models (uh, joking)
> 
> What is that distinctive wooden HP? Early Sony?


Indeed..
Oh, that's the MDR-R10, poor man's Hifiman. I am lucky enough to have multiple pairs of them.


----------



## LazyGrace

Here is my set up. Grado RS2i, Revo Superconnect, Musical Fidelity V90 BHA, Atoll DAC 100, Sbooster PSU connected to my headphone amp.


----------



## llysender

Current setup  k5 pro is a amazing dac/amp


----------



## holytiger

Taz777 said:


> That old school desk is so beautiful! When I was (much) younger I was into calligraphy and had a set of calligraphy pens (as opposed to the fountain pen in your photo - the calligraphy pens looked similar but had the nib cut at a slant) and I enjoyed stylised writing on high quality paper. Writing real letters to real people, back in the day! So your photo evoked some lovely memories for me. The valve-amp and pipes really set the scene!


I wish my handwriting was good enough for calligraphy ! My hand writing is almost a toddler level... I only collect fountain pens for collecting purposes but I should really practice my handwriting. But I do sure love smoking some pipe time to time


----------



## Preachy1

Roasty said:


> Sure man! That's a Woo audioA 22, Matrix Audio MQA X-Sabre Pro, Headamp GSX Mini and a Holo Spring 2 Wild Edition. Cheap adjustable stand from Amazon, and a walnut block from Butcher Block Acoustics.


Hey man, thanks for pointing out the Butcher Block.  I just ordered one for my VPI Scout!


----------



## judomaniak57

Just received my Hart Audio cables. now i can listen on my bryston balanced or my Astell and Kern 2.5mm balanced without changing cables i just change ends. great system  Hart Audio has going, and they sound great


----------



## Roasty

Preachy1 said:


> Hey man, thanks for pointing out the Butcher Block.  I just ordered one for my VPI Scout!



It'll probably be more useful for your TT. I got it just for looks.. Because without it, the dead space above the dac is just too much for me.. Enjoy man!


----------



## joseph69

holytiger said:


> My hand writing is almost a toddler level


MIne too, bad!


----------



## Preachy1

judomaniak57 said:


> Just received my Hart Audio cables. now i can listen on my bryston balanced or my Astell and Kern 2.5mm balanced without changing cables i just change ends. great system  Hart Audio has going, and they sound great


I have a pair on order as well, and I just received notice that they have shipped!!!  I opted for a longer cable and some custom color combos.


----------



## Rowethren

My new speakers have arrive, they sound incredible but a pain to setup as they weigh a ton! Going to be tinkering with these for quite a while but the clarity is amazing so far.


----------



## judomaniak57

i went to the custom colors page and it was blank. . i like the  red. quality of the cables


Preachy1 said:


> I have a pair on order as well, and I just received notice that they have shipped!!!  I opted for a longer cable and some custom color combos.



and connections is higher then i expected considering the price


----------



## Preachy1

judomaniak57 said:


> i went to the custom colors page and it was blank. . i like the  red. quality of the cables
> 
> 
> and connections is higher then i expected considering the price


the custom shop page basically links to an Amazon site that shows a bunch of different colors, so I assume that's where he gets his paracord from.


----------



## CreditingKarma

Rowethren said:


> My new speakers have arrive, they sound incredible but a pain to setup as they weigh a ton! Going to be tinkering with these for quite a while but the clarity is amazing so far.



Congrats on the new kefs. Are those the Ref 3? I was looking into the ref line before I got my Magicos. I used to have LS50 and Dynaudio C1 platinums. It took time to find a speaker that I really like but in the end it is worth the search. 

If at all possible try to pull them out from the wall some.  Are you listening to them while seated at the desk? I used to have my speakers setup like this and I removed the desk from between them and the improvement is incredible. The sound stage is much deeper and imaging is improved. 

Before




After


----------



## SalR406

CreditingKarma said:


> Congrats on the new kefs. Are those the Ref 3? I was looking into the ref line before I got my Magicos. I used to have LS50 and Dynaudio C1 platinums. It took time to find a speaker that I really like but in the end it is worth the search.
> 
> If at all possible try to pull them out from the wall some.  Are you listening to them while seated at the desk? I used to have my speakers setup like this and I removed the desk from between them and the improvement is incredible. The sound stage is much deeper and imaging is improved.
> 
> ...



I've never had an opportunity to hear them, but those Magicos are beautiful.  Great looking color and finish to them.


----------



## CreditingKarma

SalR406 said:


> I've never had an opportunity to hear them, but those Magicos are beautiful.  Great looking color and finish to them.




Thank you they do a great job with the automotive finishes on their speakers in the s line. It can be hard to find a place to audition Magico as most dealers are located near the larger cities. That is the one great thing about headphones with places like the cable co. That have a lending library.


----------



## Rowethren

CreditingKarma said:


> Congrats on the new kefs. Are those the Ref 3? I was looking into the ref line before I got my Magicos. I used to have LS50 and Dynaudio C1 platinums. It took time to find a speaker that I really like but in the end it is worth the search.
> 
> If at all possible try to pull them out from the wall some.  Are you listening to them while seated at the desk? I used to have my speakers setup like this and I removed the desk from between them and the improvement is incredible. The sound stage is much deeper and imaging is improved.
> 
> ...



Those are some nice looking speakers you have there! Mine are indeed the Reference 3s. When I do proper chilled out listening I normally wheel back a few feet which improves the sound a bit. I definitely plan on creating my own listening space but it will have to wait until I have my own place which hopefully should be by the end of this year Corvid-19 depending.


----------



## Preachy1

Put the (almost) final touches on my happy place (sounds better than "man cave", doesn't it?).  Just waiting for delivery of a Butcher Block Acoustics platform for the TT, and a couple new Hart cables.  I recently added the Panamax for safety, and a Chord Huei phono stage.  That and dressed the room up a bit with some artsy stuff and greenery.


----------



## MisterMoJo

Preachy1 said:


> Put the (almost) final touches on my happy place (sounds better than "man cave", doesn't it?).  Just waiting for delivery of a Butcher Block Acoustics platform for the TT, and a couple new Hart cables.  I recently added the Panamax for safety, and a Chord Huei phono stage.  That and dressed the room up a bit with some artsy stuff and greenery.


Nice!  Who is that in the picture above your monitor?


----------



## Preachy1

MisterMoJo said:


> Nice!  Who is that in the picture above your monitor?


That is Steve Hackett and Nad Sylvan.  Taken at the  Scottish Rite Theatre, in Collingswood, NJ.  2014  If you're a Genesis fan, this was right at the end of Supper's Ready.


----------



## MisterMoJo

Preachy1 said:


> That is Steve Hackett and Nad Sylvan.  Taken at the  Scottish Rite Theatre, in Collingswood, NJ.  2014  If you're a Genesis fan, this was right at the end of Supper's Ready.


It's eye-catchingly good.


----------



## Preachy1

MisterMoJo said:


> It's eye-catchingly good.


Thanks!  I have a personal relationship with Steve and his wife. I get special photo privileges at his shows.


----------



## drews




----------



## Toddy

My (slightly improvised) current setup in my corner at my girlfriend’s (where I stay during ‘these times‘): Macbook –>RME ADI-2 DAC–>Focal Elear. The RME is my endgame DAC/amp by the way. The Elear might be as well, at least in the category of open cans.

Okay, I confess: In case I win the lottery that might change. But since I don’t play, I’ll never again spend a four figure sum on a DAC or amp again.


----------



## Toddy

I would never allow my daughter food near that equipment.


Relaxasaurus said:


> Daughter needed to use the computer for a Google Classroom video assignment


----------



## interweb-tech

Updated with Monoprice Monolith XL Amplifier Stand. It's a perfect fit for the Audio-gd R-27. Reclaimed some desk space by raising it. Now I can move my keyboard around a bit.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> Updated with Monoprice Monolith XL Amplifier Stand. It's a perfect fit for the Audio-gd R-27. Reclaimed some desk space by raising it. Now I can move my keyboard around a bit.



Nice stand! I had to build several platforms so my crowded desktop could go vertical.

Very nice looking cable. Which one is that?


----------



## interweb-tech (May 3, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice stand! I had to build several platforms so my crowded desktop could go vertical.
> 
> Very nice looking cable. Which one is that?



That is the Norne Audio Solvine that I found here in 4sale group.


----------



## Preachy1

Hart Cables just arrived. Here are the custom colors.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Hart Cables just arrived. Here are the custom colors.



Wild green color! At first glance I thought it was a tropical snake sleeping next to a headphone cable.

How do they sound?


----------



## Shane D

Toddy said:


> My (slightly improvised) current setup in my corner at my girlfriend’s (where I stay during ‘these times‘): Macbook –>RME ADI-2 DAC–>Focal Elear. The RME is my endgame DAC/amp by the way. The Elear might be as well, at least in the category of open cans.
> 
> Okay, I confess: In case I win the lottery that might change. But since I don’t play, I’ll never again spend a four figure sum on a DAC or amp again.



Nice bright area! Much better than dark, cave-like spots. Only thing I can think of to improve the area is to change the chair for a Lazy-Boy.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Wild green color! At first glance I thought it was a tropical snake sleeping next to a headphone cable.
> 
> How do they sound?


HA!!!  The color is called Anaconda!  They sound fine so far, only been using them for about an hour.  But aesthetically and ergonomically, they are perfect. And get this, the maker actually labels the connectors R and L!!!!!


----------



## alota

Preachy1 said:


> HA!!!  The color is called Anaconda!


of course because seems a snake


----------



## gefski

Pharmaboy said:


> Wild green color! At first glance I thought it was a tropical snake sleeping next to a headphone cable.
> 
> How do they sound?


Us old coots remember the original “Cobra Cables”!


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> Us old coots remember the original “Cobra Cables”!


You must be a bit "cootier" than me.  no recollection of that.


----------



## gefski

Preachy1 said:


> You must be a bit "cootier" than me.  no recollection of that.



I no doubt am. Looking on eBay reminded me they were distributed by Polk. Here’s a seller looking to hook a big fish —Hilarious!

https://www.ebay.com/i/254568366661...MIlLrL4ZCb6QIVaR-tBh0k5AcKEAQYBCABEgINh_D_BwE


----------



## Preachy1

Now THAT's funny, but even funnier than the selling price are the shipping costs!!!!


----------



## Toddy

Shane D said:


> Nice bright area! Much better than dark, cave-like spots. Only thing I can think of to improve the area is to change the chair for a Lazy-Boy.



Actually it is too bright, the corner points almost directly to south. I have to close the blinds to be able to read almost all day . And the chair of course is a compromise. But actually a really comfortable one. And my girlfriend is happy, because she always, always wanted to have one of these.


----------



## jasonb

Just swapped out the old Magni 2Uber for a Magni Heresy:


----------



## interweb-tech

jasonb said:


> Just swapped out the old Magni 2Uber for a Magni Heresy:


I like that install. Velcro?


----------



## jasonb

interweb-tech said:


> I like that install. Velcro?



Yea. An ODAC is velcro'd to the back of the table pretty much out of sight, and the Heresy is velcro'd to the side as you can see. You could be concerned with it not meant to be positioned like this for heat dissipation reasons but it's not getting warm at all. It's powering an Elear which isn't hard to drive, so it's not working very hard. I didn't want to lose precious table space so this works very well. It's a chair side setup.


----------



## wawatusi (May 6, 2020)

Moved everything to the credenza, ran cable under floor so I can use the headphone jack at my desk


----------



## Focux

wawatusi said:


> Moved everything to the credenza, ran cable under floor so I can use the headphone jack at my desk



more interested in that watch case on the bottom left


----------



## Ishakushak




----------



## Ishakushak

I also made a little tube display during some time off thanks to COVID.  Need to make the stand look a little nicer, but I'm happy with it so far.


----------



## Scutey

Ishakushak said:


> I also made a little tube display during some time off thanks to COVID.  Need to make the stand look a little nicer, but I'm happy with it so far.


Nice work!, looks impressive.


----------



## MrPanda

Preachy1 said:


> That is Steve Hackett and Nad Sylvan.  Taken at the  Scottish Rite Theatre, in Collingswood, NJ.  2014  If you're a Genesis fan, this was right at the end of Supper's Ready.


From Collingswood here!  What a great place, and great place for a concert!


----------



## MrPanda

Shane D said:


> Nice bright area! Much better than dark, cave-like spots. Only thing I can think of to improve the area is to change the chair for a Lazy-Boy.


What a great -- and incredibly capable - setup!


----------



## Focux

Ishakushak said:


>



v nice crack there as well,

thoughts on the Z1R and Aeolus?


----------



## Preachy1

MrPanda said:


> From Collingswood here!  What a great place, and great place for a concert!


If you're a fan, his 2020 shows there have been rescheduled for April of next year.  See you there!!!!


----------



## Ishakushak

Focux said:


> v nice crack there as well,
> 
> thoughts on the Z1R and Aeolus?


build and comfort are top notch on both.  ZMFs stuff looks much better and higher quality in person, than in photos I must say, and that was a nice suprise.  
I really do love both of them, my two fav headphones out of my bunch.  Both are very fun.  
Z1r sounds BIG.  Smooth, relaxed, and enjoyable. Great treble and full low end. 
Aeolus is a bit more lively and energetic, and those mids are really killer in my opinion.  Not as big sounding as Z1r, but def a fun sound.  
I don't think both are very neutral in my opinion, so they each add their own flavor to tracks.  They're both really well done and worth the money in my opinion since you get something different from both.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> Now THAT's funny, but even funnier than the selling price are the shipping costs!!!!



Welcome to R.O.W. (rest of world)


----------



## UntilThen

Covid


Ishakushak said:


> I also made a little tube display during some time off thanks to COVID. Need to make the stand look a little nicer, but I'm happy with it so far.



And that's how you keep sane during these times. So I decide to take some pictures of my headphones.


----------



## koven

UntilThen said:


> Covid
> 
> 
> And that's how you keep sane during these times. So I decide to take some pictures of my headphones.



Looks like the Arya needs a taller stand...  Nice collection!


----------



## UntilThen

koven said:


> Looks like the Arya needs a taller stand...  Nice collection!



Yup Arya is a big egg. Thanks.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## kid vic

UntilThen said:


> Yup Arya is a big egg. Thanks.


Do you really use the Aryas at full extension like that??? Are you secretly Questloves afro guru?


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> Covid
> 
> 
> And that's how you keep sane during these times. So I decide to take some pictures of my headphones.



Great collection of cans Matt!


----------



## rx79ez08




----------



## UntilThen

kid vic said:


> Do you really use the Aryas at full extension like that??? Are you secretly Questloves afro guru?



Just got it today and I haven't got a big head.  Very comfortable though. Most comfortable of the 5 headphones there.


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> Great collection of cans Matt!



Thanks Joe. So are yours. One headphone a day. Thanks to @UsoppNoKami for egging me to buy the Arya.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Just got it today and I haven't got a big head.  Very comfortable though. Most comfortable of the 5 headphones there.



I have the HEX v2, which has the same immense earcups as the Arya...way longer than any other headphone. 

I find that if the HEX slides down even a little, the bottoms of the earcups are practically on my neck (and I have a big head).

But in this case, large definitely = comfortable


----------



## Krutsch

rx79ez08 said:


>



Question: the WM-PORT cable from your WM1a to the Sony TAZ... where did you get that cable? Does it have the little Walkman "nub" in addition to the USB Micro connector? I am looking for that cable - it's longer than what comes with the Sony PHA-3. Thanks, in advance!


----------



## kid vic

UntilThen said:


> Just got it today and I haven't got a big head.  Very comfortable though. Most comfortable of the 5 headphones there.





Pharmaboy said:


> I have the HEX v2, which has the same immense earcups as the Arya...way longer than any other headphone.
> 
> I find that if the HEX slides down even a little, the bottoms of the earcups are practically on my neck (and I have a big head).
> 
> But in this case, large definitely = comfortable


When I had the Anandas (same cup style) I think I used maybe one or two clicks of extension and I have a lot of hair. I agree that the design is super comfortable, but I feel like one would need an Badu-esque headwrap to need that much extension



Spoiler: The headwrap


----------



## Ficcion2

Id like to know what next. Headphones are HD660s


----------



## penmarker

Yes ugly photo I know 
That blank amp is a Pass Labs Whammy


----------



## koven

Ficcion2 said:


> Id like to know what next. Headphones are HD660s



Needs more dongles.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Ficcion2 said:


> Id like to know what next. Headphones are HD660s


Next?
Sell that mess and get a simple amplifier (perhaps with an onboard dac). 
Damn...just looking at that makes my head spin!


----------



## rx79ez08

Krutsch said:


> Question: the WM-PORT cable from your WM1a to the Sony TAZ... where did you get that cable? Does it have the little Walkman "nub" in addition to the USB Micro connector? I am looking for that cable - it's longer than what comes with the Sony PHA-3. Thanks, in advance!


It came with the amplifier. Is this the nub you are referring to? I think you can still get the WM-PORT to USB cable from Japan, but it is quite bulky and come out to USB A not micro USB.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> Question: the WM-PORT cable from your WM1a to the Sony TAZ... where did you get that cable? Does it have the little Walkman "nub" in addition to the USB Micro connector? I am looking for that cable - it's longer than what comes with the Sony PHA-3. Thanks, in advance!








That’s the regular Walkman side connector for the TA. They are pricey from Sony. These work for many, and cost less. You can hook a mini-usb to connect to the side of the TA. The one extra plug is simply for stability I think? But I’ve used this cable to connect to the side of the TA, and also to the back with a regular USB cable.


https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE





There are these types too. They can come with two different USB plug sizes (if I remember right?), though I’ve never used them.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-Mic...-For-walkman-genuine-from-JAPAN-/273787808067


----------



## rx79ez08

I think the small WM-PORT connector is only for charging via a USB micro cable. I don't think that transfer data.


----------



## Redcarmoose

rx79ez08 said:


> I think the small WM-PORT connector is only for charging via a USB micro cable. I don't think that transfer data.



Ok. Thank-you.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Ficcion2 said:


> Id like to know what next. Headphones are HD660s


You're kidding, right? ^^
I'd throw most of the dongles away and keep the setup as simple as possible.
Are these many connections neccessary and don't they interfere each other?


----------



## Ficcion2 (May 9, 2020)

Chris Kaoss said:


> You're kidding, right? ^^
> I'd throw most of the dongles away and keep the setup as simple as possible.
> Are these many connections neccessary and don't they interfere each other?


Definitely, it’s all a joke. But nope, it works without any hiccups.

It’s just the galvanic and purifier that’s attached and obviously the cables needed to connect em.

Have you heard the Micro with the purifier and galvanic? It’s way different than just the BL solo.


----------



## Ficcion2

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> Next?
> Sell that mess and get a simple amplifier (perhaps with an onboard dac).
> Damn...just looking at that makes my head spin!



So what’s your suggestion? I wonder why forums bring out useless knee jerk reactions with no real help.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Ficcion2 said:


> So what’s your suggestion? I wonder why forums bring out useless knee jerk reactions with no real help.


I apologise if my post was a little harsh. Truth be told a large part of me also thought you were joking...
But a friendly suggestion would be to scrap all those connections and just focus on a good amplifier. The more links you insert in your chain the more distortions you end up getting and you also end up with far more stuff that can go wrong. I know Chord and Ifi are continuing to woo their customers with add-on bricks and boxes with the promised bonus of conjuring up magic pixie dust and musicality...but I highly doubt any of them make a discernable difference in soundquality outside of placebo effecting the whack out of any buyer who just threw some money at the device


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2020)

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> I apologise if my post was a little harsh. Truth be told a large part of me also thought you were joking...
> But a friendly suggestion would be to scrap all those connections and just focus on a good amplifier. The more links you insert in your chain the more distortions you end up getting and you also end up with far more stuff that can go wrong. I know Chord and Ifi are continuing to woo their customers with add-on bricks and boxes with the promised bonus of conjuring up magic pixie dust and musicality...but I highly doubt any of them make a discernable difference in soundquality outside of placebo effecting the whack out of any buyer who just threw some money at the device



I think the general public would probably view most of us as very laughable. We can’t see ourselves for what we are. People reallocating kitchen chopping blocks as amp stands.....green ink pen markers on CDs. We are all happy lunatics! All of his connections have added sound quality so he started at one point and ended where he likes it. Every system is convoluted to a point I think.......but every piece is crucial!


----------



## Ficcion2

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> I apologise if my post was a little harsh. Truth be told a large part of me also thought you were joking...
> But a friendly suggestion would be to scrap all those connections and just focus on a good amplifier. The more links you insert in your chain the more distortions you end up getting and you also end up with far more stuff that can go wrong. I know Chord and Ifi are continuing to woo their customers with add-on bricks and boxes with the promised bonus of conjuring up magic pixie dust and musicality...but I highly doubt any of them make a discernable difference in soundquality outside of placebo effecting the whack out of any buyer who just threw some money at the device



Lol. I’m not joking.
Lurking on these forums actually makes my head spin as a total noob stepping into this game.


I tried out the attachments before buying them and it made my Micro BL sound way better.

Im looking into getting a proper set up in time but I’m still researching.

Thanks!


----------



## AudioPowerHead

interweb-tech said:


>


Nice headphone. Radiante Torino. First time I see this brand in Head Fi. How you like the sound ?


----------



## CJG888

FWIW, I tried a Jitterbug between my Shinrico D3S digital transport and its external HDD (WD 5TB) yesterday. It ruined the sound, collapsing the soundstage! Without, everything was fine again!


----------



## tmb821




----------



## Toddy

AudioPowerHead said:


> Nice headphone. Radiante Torino. First time I see this brand in Head Fi. How you like the sound ?



Not that I do own one… but there even are reviews here


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Ficcion2 said:


> Definitely, it’s all a joke. But nope, it works without any hiccups.
> 
> It’s just the galvanic and purifier that’s attached and obviously the cables needed to connect em.
> 
> Have you heard the Micro with the purifier and galvanic? It’s way different than just the BL solo.


Not, didn't demo the Micro BL.
But i'd give the advice to take a good active usb-hub or external usb docking station instead of all this dongle and cable nirvana. 
This will fix the noise coming from your notebook very effective, ime.
Next step up will be a lil proper amp.
But this isn't the right place for recommentations, i guess. 

Happy listening.
Chris


----------



## Chris Kaoss (May 9, 2020)

Double post, sorry.


----------



## Pharmaboy

kid vic said:


> When I had the Anandas (same cup style) I think I used maybe one or two clicks of extension and I have a lot of hair. I agree that the design is super comfortable, but I feel like one would need an Badu-esque headwrap to need that much extension
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: The headwrap



I have Badu-esque headwraps--different ones for every day of the week. 

My favorite is the "Carmen Miranda" model with bananas & pineapple on top.

Listening to the HEX v2 without the wrap would be impossible...


----------



## Krutsch

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s the regular Walkman side connector for the TA. They are pricey from Sony. These work for many, and cost less. You can hook a mini-usb to connect to the side of the TA. The one extra plug is simply for stability I think? But I’ve used this cable to connect to the side of the TA, and also to the back with a regular USB cable.
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE
> ...



Ha ha... that second adapter sells for $130 on eBay. EF'ing Sony...


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 9, 2020)

Krutsch said:


> Ha ha... that second adapter sells for $130 on eBay. EF'ing Sony...







https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE?tag=headfi-20
That’s not always the price of that second one listed. Also it was just mentioned that all is does is charge maybe. This above is the one to get.

Edit: You are right, second one listed is expensive!
They are expensive everywhere?

*Model # WMP-NWM10*


----------



## rx79ez08

Krutsch said:


> Ha ha... that second adapter sells for $130 on eBay. EF'ing Sony...


Apparently that adapter is out of production. So it is pretty much seller's market, as it seem a lot of people think taking a spare Walkman cable is too much trouble. 
The good sign is the latest player (ZX500 series) gone to a standard USB C connection, so hopefully WM-PORT will be slowly faded out.


----------



## rx79ez08

Redcarmoose said:


> That’s not always the price of that second one listed. Also it was just mentioned that all is does is charge maybe. This above is the one to get.
> 
> Edit: You are right, second one listed is expense!
> They are expensive everywhere?
> ...


Sorry, my mistake. After some further research, apparently it can be used for connection to PC for data transfer as well. Still not sure whether it can connect to a DAC though. I guess you probably can, but might need a bunch of OTG cables or something like that.


----------



## Redcarmoose

rx79ez08 said:


> Sorry, my mistake. After some further research, apparently it can be used for connection to PC for data transfer as well. Still not sure whether it can connect to a DAC though. I guess you probably can, but might need a bunch of OTG cables or something like that.



Lots of us have the Sony-WMC-NWH10.

I’m not sure of the use needed for the NWM-10?


----------



## LoryWiv

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> Next?
> Sell that mess and get a simple amplifier (perhaps with an onboard dac).
> Damn...just looking at that makes my head spin!


Beg to differ (mildly). There is a certain satisfaction in configurations like this especially when you close your eyes and are enveloped in music.


----------



## LoryWiv

Ficcion2 said:


> Lol. I’m not joking.
> Lurking on these forums actually makes my head spin as a total noob stepping into this game.
> 
> 
> ...


Having used some of these same iFi components I can attest that the results can be excellent. And of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I for one appreciate the steampunk elegance of your setup. Suggest you enjoy it for a while before allowing upgraditis (or peer pressure) to set in. The audiophile journey is a marathon, not a sprint, unless your last name is Gates or Bezos.


----------



## wwmhf

Those tubes deserve such a great way to be seen...



Ishakushak said:


> I also made a little tube display during some time off thanks to COVID.  Need to make the stand look a little nicer, but I'm happy with it so far.


----------



## wwmhf

This surely seems to be a happy palace ...



Preachy1 said:


> Put the (almost) final touches on my happy place (sounds better than "man cave", doesn't it?).  Just waiting for delivery of a Butcher Block Acoustics platform for the TT, and a couple new Hart cables.  I recently added the Panamax for safety, and a Chord Huei phono stage.  That and dressed the room up a bit with some artsy stuff and greenery.


----------



## betula




----------



## wwmhf

This simply looks good


----------



## dRnRcR

Agreed


----------



## cosplayerkyo




----------



## Jon L

0507201154a by drjlo2, on Flickr


----------



## josiah177

LazyGrace said:


> Here is my set up. Grado RS2i, Revo Superconnect, Musical Fidelity V90 BHA, Atoll DAC 100, Sbooster PSU connected to my headphone amp.


Which ear pad is your RS2i? I really want to buy a suitable large sponge for my RS1i.


----------



## joseph69

josiah177 said:


> Which ear pad is your RS2i? I really want to buy a suitable large sponge for my RS1i.


Looks like he's using Grado G cushions (or some knock-offs) which come stock on the Grado Statement & Professional series (except the PS 500e).


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> I have Badu-esque headwraps--different ones for every day of the week.
> 
> My favorite is the "Carmen Miranda" model with bananas & pineapple on top.
> 
> Listening to the HEX v2 without the wrap would be impossible...



BUT .... have you tried this? Ultimate comfort and royalty.


----------



## kid vic

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> I apologise if my post was a little harsh. Truth be told a large part of me also thought you were joking...
> But a friendly suggestion would be to scrap all those connections and just focus on a good amplifier. The more links you insert in your chain the more distortions you end up getting and you also end up with far more stuff that can go wrong. I know Chord and Ifi are continuing to woo their customers with add-on bricks and boxes with the promised bonus of conjuring up magic pixie dust and musicality...but I highly doubt any of them make a discernable difference in soundquality outside of placebo effecting the whack out of any buyer who just threw some money at the device


I think your post was on point and logical. If someone is that interested in having a really clean signal they should get themselves a Chord Dave (or Hugo TT2 if budget is smaller) and a really nice power regenerator and be done with it. The connection pictured needlessly adds distortion and complication as you pointed out.


----------



## tumpux

Redcarmoose said:


> I think the general public would probably view most of us as very laughable. We can’t see ourselves for what we are. People reallocating kitchen chopping blocks as amp stands.....green ink pen markers on CDs. We are all happy lunatics! All of his connections have added sound quality so he started at one point and ended where he likes it. Every system is convoluted to a point I think.......but every piece is crucial!



Word..
Lets not forget that we all are laughable in our own way. 
Enjoy it though guys.


----------



## RickB

tumpux said:


> Lets not forget that we all are laughable in our own way.



...And some hide it better than others.


----------



## Krutsch

What's old is new again!

I wanted more power for my HD-660S cans for my work rig. So... I dug out an old NuForce Icon HDP + NuForce LPS (Linear Power Supply, on the floor).

The NuForce Icon was my first headphone amp. I am pleasantly surprised how well my old Icon performs with the HD-660S ... great sound paired with the headphone out on the NW-A55.


----------



## Lolito

Krutsch said:


> What's old is new again!
> 
> I wanted more power for my HD-660S cans for my work rig. So... I dug out an old NuForce Icon HDP + NuForce LPS (Linear Power Supply, on the floor).
> 
> The NuForce Icon was my first headphone amp. I am pleasantly surprised how well my old Icon performs with the HD-660S ... great sound paired with the headphone out on the NW-A55.


great setup!! how do you like that sony walkman with a 1tb sd card? i've been considering something like that, or an ipod 5th gen with a 500gb ssd inside and large new battery.


----------



## Krutsch

Lolito said:


> great setup!! *how do you like that sony walkman with a 1tb sd card?* i've been considering something like that, or an ipod 5th gen with a 500gb ssd inside and large new battery.



I started the 50 Series thread with a review of the NW-55, which works really well with a large library - smooth, no lagging or delay.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-a50-series.888101/post-14463892


----------



## Pharmaboy

Krutsch said:


> I started the 50 Series thread with a review of the NW-55, which works really well with a large library - smooth, no lagging or delay.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-a50-series.888101/post-14463892



Question about the NW-55 (from someone who would only use the device to listen to FM radio or lengthy MP3 podcasts): when you shut it down in the middle of a tune or file--does it return that place in the tune or file when you next turn it on & press "Play"?

I've come close to buying 1-2 Sonys in the past because they didn't have that automatic feature.

(thanks)


----------



## holytiger

Had my room cleaned after 2 weeks of quarantine.


----------



## alota

holytiger said:


> Had my room cleaned after 2 weeks of quarantine.


Nice space and i like really ether 2


----------



## LazyGrace

joseph69 said:


> Looks like he's using Grado G cushions (or some knock-offs) which come stock on the Grado Statement & Professional series (except the PS 500e).


Yes, they are Grado G cushions.


----------



## Focux

holytiger said:


> Had my room cleaned after 2 weeks of quarantine.



how do u like ether 2 and auteur? 

auteur alot more natural i reckon


----------



## vodanhkhack

The good, the bad and the ugly!


----------



## koudairanger




----------



## Toddy

vodanhkhack said:


> The good, the bad and the ugly!



The M800 can't be the ugly one… So which is which?


----------



## vodanhkhack (May 14, 2020)

Toddy said:


> The M800 can't be the ugly one… So which is which?


From left to right please!

Btw, It 's a Pelikan Souverän M600, not the M800 sir.


----------



## Toddy

vodanhkhack said:


> From left to right please!
> 
> Btw, It 's a Pelikan Souverän M600, not the M800 sir.



Oops, my bad. I come from the times, when the M600 had one ring on the piston knob to distinguish it from the M800.


----------



## alota

vodanhkhack said:


> The good, the bad and the ugly!


Like the movie


----------



## judomaniak57

what cable you using on the klipsch


vodanhkhack said:


> The good, the bad and the ugly!


----------



## Pharmaboy

vodanhkhack said:


> The good, the bad and the ugly!



There is nothing even remotely ugly in this picture...


----------



## vodanhkhack

judomaniak57 said:


> what cable you using on the klipsch


It is  a 2.5mm balanced "*Satin Audio Auphire LITE 8x" standard version"*
Satin Audio 's website:
*https://satinaudio.com/en?v=e14da64a5617*


----------



## vodanhkhack

Pharmaboy said:


> There is nothing even remotely ugly in this picture...


No , no ...just kiding ... all three are ..."the good"


----------



## Preachy1

The happiest place on Earth, with the added bonus of being able to photograph birdies right outside my window.  I just need to replace the tacky vertical blinds with some nice drapes, and mission accomplished!!!

View attachment Room_03_a.jpg

View attachment Room_02_a.jpg

View attachment Room_01_a.jpg


----------



## Preachy1

I don't seem to be able to post pics directly, only links.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> The happiest place on Earth, with the added bonus of being able to photograph birdies right outside my window.  I just need to replace the tacky vertical blinds with some nice drapes, and mission accomplished!!!



What are those 2 stacked things in front of the closet doors?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Looks like some laundry boxes.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

I believe those are teleportation devices for cats. We have them here in Denmark as well
Is your cat a naughty boy? Well a few hours on the Serengeti will sort that right out!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Haha.


----------



## Preachy1

Containers for dog food and parrot seed.


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Containers for dog food and parrot seed.



For god's sake, don't get them mixed up--you'd end up with a talking dog & a parrot who shtts on the rug.


----------



## Preachy1

If I had a talking dog, can you imagine how I could parley that into a helluva system???


----------



## TS0711 (May 15, 2020)

Basement office - Covid19 // current rig
Old stuff with new Schiit.


----------



## alota

TS0711 said:


> Basement office - Covid19 // current rig
> Old stuff with new Schiit.


Mark levinson and schiit. Strange attraction


----------



## pataburd (May 15, 2020)

It's evening, and the Qutest lights are dimmed.


----------



## CJG888

Strayngs said:


>


Are those GRF Minis?


----------



## Strayngs

CJG888 said:


> Are those GRF Minis?



Yes Tannoy Autograph Mini (I think that’s what you were asking about)


----------



## CJG888

How do you like them?


----------



## Strayngs

I’m actually in awe of them. For their size they give ridiculous sound. I did Pait them with the Rel T5I which in combination makes them perfect for me.


----------



## spykez (May 15, 2020)

Laptop isn't setup there usually. I was reinstalling windows, while gaming and watching hockey.

Dac/Amp: Peachtree Audio Decco 2
Headphones: Audioquest Nighthawks / Focal Elear
Speakers: Focal Chorus 605
Subwoofer (not shown): Polk PSW111 (actually a nice little subwoofer for small rooms.)


----------



## tmb821

Tonight’s setup. Changes on a whim.


----------



## fiiom11pro (Feb 27, 2022)

edit


----------



## alota

@fiiom11pro Really? LOL


----------



## AudioPowerHead

@fiiom11pro 
Wow... that's a lot of headphones and gear you have there.


----------



## koven

@fiiom11pro I'm speechless! Please start a review channel on YouTube, you can give Zeos a run for his money..


----------



## alota

koven said:


> @fiiom11pro I'm speechless! Please start a review channel on YouTube, you can give Zeos a run for his money..


He needs 50 years to made all videos


----------



## Pharmaboy

fiiom11pro said:


>



AAAAH! Make it stop!!

(dreams he's being chased by dozens of headphones, looming over him...)


----------



## SteveM324

I think he needs to make a spreadsheet listing all of his gear so that he doesn’t forget and accidentally buys a duplicate. 😂.


----------



## TooFrank

SteveM324 said:


> I think he needs to make a spreadsheet listing all of his gear so that he doesn’t forget and accidentally buys a duplicate. 😂.


How can you tell that it is a guy ?


----------



## SteveM324

TooFrank said:


> How can you tell that it is a guy ?


Well I’m not 100% sure, only 99.999% sure. 😂


----------



## LoryWiv

fiiom11pro said:


>


Impressive HP stable. How do you allocate the head time w/o any getting neglected?


----------



## kdphan

Pretty sure my wife would pack her bags if I had that many headphones.


----------



## Scutey

fiiom11pro said:


>


Looks like there's one headphone for each week of the year.


----------



## Pro-Jules (May 17, 2020)

Sending 96k 24bit straight to these headphones via usb sounds amazing. The Audio Technica direct drive digital technology is awesome sounding. The Fab Filter equaliser plug in is a top the line Audio Unit eq. Audio Hijack is the "host" for the eq.

Amazon Music HD for hi res streaming.

Hi Res rules!

Edit- forgot to add link https://blog.audio-technica.com/technology-behind-ath-dsr7bt-ath-dsr9bt-headphones/


----------



## kid vic

fiiom11pro said:


>


You are now the de facto comparison wizard.


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## Scutey

vmiguel said:


>


Great idea for keeping the dust off.


----------



## whirlwind

Scutey said:


> Great idea for keeping the dust off.



Sure is...I use the covers that my Audioengine speakers came packed in. works well for this purpose and is nice and soft.


----------



## koven




----------



## johnzz4

koven said:


>


How do you like the HPA4?  I have one inbound to compare to the Headtrip.


----------



## koven

johnzz4 said:


> How do you like the HPA4?  I have one inbound to compare to the Headtrip.



It's great, I prefer it over other SS amps I've tried around this price. Look forward to your thoughts vs Headtrip!


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## ufospls2

koven said:


> It's great, I prefer it over other SS amps I've tried around this price. Look forward to your thoughts vs Headtrip!



How are you enjoying the Rockna?


----------



## koven

ufospls2 said:


> How are you enjoying the Rockna?



I've been A/B'ing with DAC3 which is a fantastic ESS implementation but I find the Rockna more analog and engaging, pretty happy w/ this sound and will part w/ my DAC3.


----------



## Focux

fiiom11pro said:


>



this is a shop right =p


----------



## alota

koven said:


> I've been A/B'ing with DAC3 which is a fantastic ESS implementation but I find the Rockna more analog and engaging, pretty happy w/ this sound and will part w/ my DAC3.


Rockna is ladder dac or i'm wrong?


----------



## SeniorBrother

Not the best way to power an l700 but it's the cheapest.


----------



## GilesM

fiiom11pro said:


>


When you settle down to listen to music, do you spend more time choosing your headphone than actually listening? I would find this much choice overwhelming...


----------



## Preachy1

I suppose it's all relative.  I mean, there are probably folks who own one or two sets of cans who think that owning more than that is insane.  But I'm curious to know of the owner of the above collection is a member of the trade in some fashion, and maybe makes a living (whole or part) in evaluating gear.


----------



## Simple Man

fiiom11pro said:


>



Hoarder. 😂


----------



## SeniorBrother

Simple Man said:


> Hoarder. 😂




I can just imagine an episode of Hoarders about this guy.


----------



## jasonb

I usually just keep one open back, one closed back, a true wireless IEM, and a wired IEM. Too much choice is too much.


----------



## Preachy1

jasonb said:


> I usually just keep one open back, one closed back, a true wireless IEM, and a wired IEM. Too much choice is too much.


That makes perfect sense.  I do the same (sort of).  I have three listening stations.  Two in my den (one for analog and one for digital), and one by my bedside.  I have a pair of open and pair of closed for each station (except for the bedroom, two pair of closed).  And even that's overkill.  I probably should, and likely will, pair the collection down a bit.  Here's how they shake out, and for no real reason:

Analog - Auteur/Atticus
Digital - Auteur/LCD-3
Bedroom - Vibro/LCD-XC

As I mentioned, no real reason for this deployment.  That's just how they are currently arranged, and fortunately, all the combos work very well.


----------



## Redcarmoose

fiiom11pro said:


>








In my time here I only saw something like this one time before in October 2012. 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared.634201/


----------



## gefski

Redcarmoose said:


> In my time here I only saw something like this one time before in October 2012.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared.634201/


That was a terrific compilation of his reviews. Still worth reading, though now I can’t get it to take me to a specific headphone by clicking on it.


----------



## BobG55 (May 19, 2020)

fiiom11pro said:


>


----------



## alota

Redcarmoose said:


> In my time here I only saw something like this one time before in October 2012.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared.634201/


I remember this thread. Incredible wall!!!


----------



## whirlwind

Redcarmoose said:


> In my time here I only saw something like this one time before in October 2012.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared.634201/



I spent a lot of time reading that thread , it was pretty incredible to say the least.


----------



## KC2020

fiiom11pro said:


>



You know if you sold all those you could probably afford to get one really good pair.   :~)


----------



## sennfan83261

KC2020 said:


> You know if you sold all those you could probably afford to get one really good pair.   :~)


You know that person has a few TOTL cans there, e.g. AB-1266, HEK (v1/v2?), HD800, and the HEDDPhone. Altogether, almost enough to get a proper Stax setup, hehe


----------



## 340519

I just bought the LCD 4s.


----------



## fiiom11pro

KC2020 said:


> You know if you sold all those you could probably afford to get one really good pair.   :~)




What is a really good pair for you?


----------



## KC2020 (May 20, 2020)

fiiom11pro said:


> What is a really good pair for you?



Sennheiser HD-650 were my preferred HPs for years. They still sound great with the Little Labs Monotor.

Now the Sennheiser HD-800s with the Quicksilver Audio amp sound amazing to me. I've had the Bryston, Pathos and many other 'high-end' amps. They're fine but the HD-800s really just come into another realm with Quicksilver HP amp.


----------



## fiiom11pro

KC2020 said:


> Sennheiser HD-650 were my preferred HPs for years. They still sound great with the Little Labs Monotor.
> 
> Now the Sennheiser HD-800s with the Quicksilver Audio amp sound amazing to me. I've had the Bryston, Pathos and many other 'high-end' amps. They're fine but the HD-800s really just come into another realm with Quicksilver HP amp.




Hd650/600 is my all time favorite. Got 2 or 3 pairs I think. Good choice.


----------



## InstantSilence




----------



## fiiom11pro

InstantSilence said:


>


It's a time bomb!


----------



## InstantSilence (May 21, 2020)

I apologize for double post


----------



## InstantSilence

Then did a thing....


----------



## alota

InstantSilence said:


> Then did a thing....


It is bigger compared to my home rig LOL


----------



## RickB

fiiom11pro said:


> What is a really good pair for you?


He is making a joke. Sheesh.


----------



## KPzypher (May 21, 2020)

Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

KPzypher said:


> Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?



Single malts, Bourbon, ammo cans. I agree you have the bases covered


----------



## KC2020

KPzypher said:


>



The vertical monitor is very cool ! Nice way to look through your catalog of tunes


----------



## fiiom11pro

KPzypher said:


> Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?



this... a GAMER, HEAD-FIER and ALCOHOL connoisseur ALL IN ONE.


----------



## fiiom11pro

KPzypher said:


> Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?




is that the new 10th gen cpu and z490 board?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

fiiom11pro said:


> this... a GAMER, HEAD-FIER and ALCOHOL connoisseur ALL IN ONE.



And we do not know the chronology!


----------



## fiiom11pro

Oh the MEG z390 goldlike.


----------



## KPzypher (May 21, 2020)

fiiom11pro said:


> is that the new 10th gen cpu and z490 board?



It's a i9-9900K on Z390 MSI MEG godlike.  Don't think the 10900K is out yet.  Bit disappointed they will still be on 14nm.


----------



## Krutsch

Work rig... NOW I am ready to get things done


----------



## Rowethren

KPzypher said:


> It's a i9-9900K on Z390 MSI MEG godlike.  Don't think the 10900K is out yet.  Bit disappointed they will still be on 14nm.



It is a bit disappointing but at least the chip thinning they have done clearly helped with temperatures as they don't run like a blast furnace lol.


----------



## KPzypher

Rowethren said:


> It is a bit disappointing but at least the chip thinning they have done clearly helped with temperatures as they don't run like a blast furnace lol.



True true.  Although AMD is still killing it with their threadripper especially in areas of productivity.  Competition is good for the consumers though.


----------



## koven

KPzypher said:


> It's a i9-9900K on Z390 MSI MEG godlike.



Hey! Twins..  Are you overclocked?


----------



## fiiom11pro

what's the verdict on amd vs the newest 10th gen? Haven't watched any reviews recently.

so AMD is still faster?


----------



## KPzypher

koven said:


> Hey! Twins..  Are you overclocked?



Hiya!  Yes, both CPU/GPU,albeit not super aggressively.  My room already puts out lot of heat w/ 38GL950G and XB271HU plus the PC.  That's why I removed the Focal Arche I initially had on my desk and put the tiny Schiit stack, which still sounds awesome.


----------



## number1sixerfan (May 21, 2020)

KPzypher said:


> Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?



This is so beautiful lol.. btw haven't built a computer in decades, my how things have evolved lol.. (first build ever was water cooled and looked absolutely ancient compared to this lol)


----------



## EtherealCereal

I have made a few adjustments to my listening station since before.  Especially as my compulsion to buy random vintage pairs of headphones on the auction site results in a massive expansion in my collection, I ended up needing to put together a rudimentary shelf to begin storing them.













I'm going after that whole family of Koss electrostats.  Those T.3 boxes are surprisingly useful outside of driving the Koss ESP 6's; I've got one hooked to my AKG K340s and my Denon drives them beautifully.  A friend was gracious enough to gift me his Schiit Modi 2 Uber, so I'm running that as my DAC.  For my regular headphones I have an ALT No.1 Class A amp, which works flawlessly and sounds gorgeous.  The Adcom speaker switch is for hooking all of my electrostats up.  $6 for that thing at Goodwill.

I've got a few more headphone stands coming to me in the mail, so this lineup is still subject to change.  My family and friends (except for one) think I've gone off the deep end.


----------



## ReAlien

My minimalistic setup for audio pleasure)


----------



## wwmhf

InstantSilence said:


>



An interesting bundle!


----------



## wwmhf

KPzypher said:


> Splendid tunes, a fine dram.... What more can I ask for?



It is cooled by liquors?


----------



## Pharmaboy

"With NEW Liquor-Cooled CPU!"

New Windows error message: "*The CPU is wasted and cannot process at this time*"


----------



## wwmhf

Pharmaboy said:


> "With NEW Liquor-Cooled CPU!"
> 
> New Windows error message: "*The CPU is wasted and cannot process at this time*"



I really hope Microsoft can provide such a clear message for some bugs coming with Windows ...


----------



## Pharmaboy

wwmhf said:


> I really hope Microsoft can provide such a clear message for some bugs coming with Windows ...



Really! I would appreciate simple, honest errors messages like these:

*Just wait for it, asshlle*
*Go away--I'm busy*
*You...talkin' to me?*
*Not now--I have a headache*


----------



## Simple Man

For a few days only. WAF. Zero. 🤨


----------



## waveSounds

koven said:


> Hey! Twins..  Are you overclocked?



Of course the inside of your rig is spotless, too. Look at those immaculately arranged cables... I'm almost tempted to post the inside of mine just to see if it makes you sweat 



You've got to be in the design trade? Even your pics are a work of art, let alone your room setup!


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## nickthefunking (May 23, 2020)

View attachment VBP_7729a.jpg


----------



## GREQ

fiiom11pro said:


> what's the verdict on amd vs the newest 10th gen? Haven't watched any reviews recently.
> 
> so AMD is still faster?


The overly simplistic, TLDR answer is:
Intel is still king of gaming due to the single-core turbo-boost feature. Most games still rely on a single fast core because it's easier to program them that way.
AMD is king of multitasking and rendering.

But that's without considering 'at what cost', only the raw output at the absolute top-end of the spectrum.


----------



## hodgjy




----------



## wwmhf

hodgjy said:


>



a cozy corner to enjoy music ...


----------



## hodgjy

wwmhf said:


> a cozy corner to enjoy music ...



It went from an afterthought in the man cave to a comfy little corner, just like you said.


----------



## johnzz4

koven said:


> It's great, I prefer it over other SS amps I've tried around this price. Look forward to your thoughts vs Headtrip!


Well, I got the HPA4, and unfortunately it wasn't my preference.  I spent several hours on the first day, and while it's very clean, snappy, and not harsh at all, it didn't keep me glued to my system like the Headtrip does, and I can see where some refer to it as a bit sterile.  I didn't want to spend a few weeks assimilating to its sound, so it's already on its way back.  The experience made me want to double down on the Headtrip, so I sent that out at the same time to get the Level 2 upgrade.  I'm using my trusty old Master 9 which is actually sounding surprisingly good - probably one of the better values in amps.


----------



## koven

johnzz4 said:


> Well, I got the HPA4, and unfortunately it wasn't my preference.  I spent several hours on the first day, and while it's very clean, snappy, and not harsh at all, it didn't keep me glued to my system like the Headtrip does, and I can see where some refer to it as a bit sterile.  I didn't want to spend a few weeks assimilating to its sound, so it's already on its way back.  The experience made me want to double down on the Headtrip, so I sent that out at the same time to get the Level 2 upgrade.  I'm using my trusty old Master 9 which is actually sounding surprisingly good - probably one of the better values in amps.



Poor HPA4, didn't stand a chance it seems..  I actually live 10 minutes from Wells Audio yet I've never tried their amps.. may have to give it a go someday.


----------



## johnzz4

koven said:


> Poor HPA4, didn't stand a chance it seems..  I actually live 10 minutes from Wells Audio yet I've never tried their amps.. may have to give it a go someday.


Jeff is a great guy to top it off - a blast to talk audio with. He used to be a dealer for several brands including Benchmark.  Even it not in the market for an amp, I imagine you'd enjoy a visit.  I'm pretty confident his amps wouldn't have stellar measurements, but they're off the charts subjectively.  They really do take the best attributes of tube and SS.  If you do swing by, tell him John said hi.  Now I have my eyes on his new Cipher DAC, but I'm going to give my wallet some time to recover, see a couple of reviews first, and let him work out any final bugs.  Sigh.


----------



## Gavin C4

Sometimes matching color adds up to your mood. Aiming for perfection for my setup.

Audrivana > Gumby MJ2 Clears


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gavin C4 said:


> Sometimes matching color adds up to your mood. Aiming for perfection for my setup.
> 
> Audrivana > Gumby MJ2 Clears



I just love that knit headband sock!


----------



## kid vic

Simple Man said:


> For a few days only. WAF. Zero. 🤨



A very "Bat cave" color scheme. I like it


----------



## UntilThen

Sunday siesta.


----------



## Swisshead

Guys, high-end sound for 2000 dollars!


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## alota

hodgjy said:


>


may the force be with you


----------



## MacedonianHero

johnzz4 said:


> Jeff is a great guy to top it off - a blast to talk audio with. He used to be a dealer for several brands including Benchmark.  Even it not in the market for an amp, I imagine you'd enjoy a visit.  I'm pretty confident his amps wouldn't have stellar measurements, but they're off the charts subjectively.  They really do take the best attributes of tube and SS.  If you do swing by, tell him John said hi.  Now I have my eyes on his new Cipher DAC, but I'm going to give my wallet some time to recover, see a couple of reviews first, and let him work out any final bugs.  Sigh.



I absolutely love the HPA4 (listening to it right now with my Phi TC) and I am floored at what I'm hearing. That said, the HeadTrip costs significantly more and is one heck of an option. Jeff is one of the nicest people I've met in this hobby.


----------



## JTori (May 25, 2020)

I completed building the stock Crackatwoa last night and have been enjoying listening to it.  It's character with both the ZMF Auteur and HD800S ideally matches my preference.  It's transparent in the presence region, noticeably tighter in the bottom end than my Crack/Speedball and delivers explosive dynamics.  Truly a keeper!  Over the next couple of days, I'll do some tube rolling.  A few weeks from now (or when the spirit moves me), I'll build and install the Two Quiet upgrade.  And, some time after that, I will probably install a pair of 100 uF Clarity CSAs I've got set aside.

Joe.


----------



## gefski

JTori said:


> I completed building the stock Crackatwoa last night and have been enjoying listening to it.  It's character with both the ZMF Auteur and HD800S ideally matches my preference.  It's transparent in the presence region, noticeably tighter in the bottom end than my Crack/Speedball and delivers explosive dynamics.  Truly a keeper!  Over the next couple of days, I'll do some tube rolling.  A few weeks from now (or when the spirit moves me), I'll build and install the Two Quiet upgrade.  And, some time after that, I will probably install a pair of 100 uF Clarity CSAs I've got set aside.
> 
> Joe.


Wow, a Mainline also!!!


----------



## KC2020

JTori said:


> It's transparent in the presence region, noticeably tighter in the bottom end than my Crack/Speedball and delivers explosive dynamics.  Truly a keeper!



Word for word quoted from the website or are they quoting you ?


----------



## kyotousa

JTori said:


> I completed building the stock Crackatwoa last night and have been enjoying listening to it.  It's character with both the ZMF Auteur and HD800S ideally matches my preference.  It's transparent in the presence region, noticeably tighter in the bottom end than my Crack/Speedball and delivers explosive dynamics.  Truly a keeper!  Over the next couple of days, I'll do some tube rolling.  A few weeks from now (or when the spirit moves me), I'll build and install the Two Quiet upgrade.  And, some time after that, I will probably install a pair of 100 uF Clarity CSAs I've got set aside.
> 
> Joe.



Where did you get the Tube Amp?


----------



## JTori

KC2020 said:


> Word for word quoted from the website or are they quoting you ?



I posted to the Bottlehead forum. They quoted my post.


----------



## JTori

kyotousa said:


> Where did you get the Tube Amp?



Both are from Bottlehead and are from kits I constructed.


----------



## kyotousa

JTori said:


> Both are from Bottlehead and are from kits I constructed.


I see thanks, I can't DIY lol...the power supply looks buff


----------



## KC2020

JTori said:


> I posted to the Bottlehead forum. They quoted my post.



Nice!

It looks like it would be fun to build a kit amp. As an audio engineer for 30+ years I've put in a lot of hours repairing vintage preamps so that satiates my need to breath flux and occasionally burn myself ;~)


----------



## JTori

kyotousa said:


> I see thanks, I can't DIY lol...the power supply looks buff



Bottlehead will build one for you. The charge for this is quite modest.


----------



## Swisshead

Also a very nice combination!


----------



## vmiguel

System 2: Tidal or Tune Browser on Surface, AQ Jitterbug, BTR5, Little Dot Mk II, Beyerdynamic DT150 or Massdrop x Sennheiser 6xx


----------



## kman1211 (May 26, 2020)

Current system and my two most used headphones. Trying out the Magni Heresy to see what a $100 amp gets you nowadays.


----------



## KPzypher

kman1211 said:


> Trying out the Magni Heresy to see what a $100 amp gets you nowadays.



While awaiting my new desktop setup, I purchased the Schiit Modi/Heresy stack for that same reason.  To test out equipment and hold me over until more permanent setup I'd ordered arrived.  And turning them on for the first time without any expectation, I was blown away by how good the combo sounded.  This shows you don't need a multi thousand dollar system to enjoy a quality sound.  I've wasted substantial amount of money over the years on a lot of so called high-end gear, and not so sure I want to continue that route anymore, other than continue to purchase quality HPs.  Difference between well-made gears (AMP/DAC), regardless of price, is more subtle than one would expect, or more preferential.  And I'll admit, self justification of 'expensive must sound better' usually played a bigger role in my purchasing decisions.  It's time I stopped chasing after a ghost.    

Cheers and enjoy the music!


----------



## kman1211 (May 26, 2020)

KPzypher said:


> While awaiting my new desktop setup, I purchased the Schiit Modi/Heresy stack for that same reason.  To test out equipment and hold me over until more permanent setup I'd ordered arrived.  And turning them on for the first time without any expectation, I was blown away by how good the combo sounded.  This shows you don't need a multi thousand dollar system to enjoy a quality sound.  I've wasted substantial amount of money over the years on a lot of so called high-end gear, and not so sure I want to continue that route anymore, other than continue to purchase quality HPs.  Difference between well-made gears (AMP/DAC), regardless of price, is more subtle than one would expect, or more preferential.  And I'll admit, self justification of 'expensive must sound better' usually played a bigger role in my purchasing decisions.  It's time I stopped chasing after a ghost.
> 
> Cheers and enjoy the music!



Honestly I am very impressed with the Heresy right now, much better than the older Magni 3, I may like it more than the Asgard 3 as it has a similar overall sound signature, but cleaner and smoother but I have to listen further to see what I think in terms of detail, imaging, etc, I found the Asgard 3 had a slight coarseness to it which prevented it from sounding as good as I wanted it to, the Heresy doesn't have that coarseness at all. It drives the T1.2 without issue but would like a little more power, curious if they will make a Heresy version of the Asgard 3 or Jot in the future with more power. This is both connected to the Bifrost 2. All the newer Schiit gear I tried has much more pleasant treble than their older stuff. Expensive doesn't always sound better.


----------



## Krassi

My kitchen is my living room at the moment and i like AKG K340


----------



## Preachy1

KPzypher said:


> While awaiting my new desktop setup, I purchased the Schiit Modi/Heresy stack for that same reason.  To test out equipment and hold me over until more permanent setup I'd ordered arrived.  And turning them on for the first time without any expectation, I was blown away by how good the combo sounded.  This shows you don't need a multi thousand dollar system to enjoy a quality sound.  I've wasted substantial amount of money over the years on a lot of so called high-end gear, and not so sure I want to continue that route anymore, other than continue to purchase quality HPs.  Difference between well-made gears (AMP/DAC), regardless of price, is more subtle than one would expect, or more preferential.  And I'll admit, self justification of 'expensive must sound better' usually played a bigger role in my purchasing decisions.  It's time I stopped chasing after a ghost.
> 
> Cheers and enjoy the music!


You just said what I've been thinking for a lot of years!  Yeah, I've sunk some serious $$$ into this hobby, with a few regrets.  I like what I have and will likely hold on to the gear for some time, but as you suggested above, I'm pretty much done, with the exception of perhaps adding a new set of cans or two over the next year.

Everything I have right now works perfectly and pleases my ears and eyes.


----------



## Swisshead

Home-Office: iPhone 11 Pro, iSine20 mit Cipher V2!


----------



## Preachy1

Ultra-portable, I use this combo when working around the yard, mowing the lawn and such.


----------



## CJG888

How do you cope with the incorrect replay speed of Redbook files? Have you Rockboxed it?


----------



## CJG888

I have a love/hate relationship with Xduoo. I am extremely impressed (well, floored actually) by the SQ achievable with the X-10Tii, but I am dismayed in equal measure by the total lack of aftersales support for X3 customers. The firmware is useless, and they did nothing about it! Mine is sitting in a drawer (has been since 5 minutes after I bought it). I have pretty good pitch.


----------



## Preachy1

CJG888 said:


> How do you cope with the incorrect replay speed of Redbook files? Have you Rockboxed it?


Yes, I did that as soon as I got it a few years ago.  I was not even aware that there was a speed issue.


----------



## Preachy1

I also use the TA-10 (amp section, fed from the DAC section of a Tube Magic Amp/DAC), and the XT10-II.  I don't notice any issues with pitch.


----------



## CJG888

The X-10T has no pitch issues, as it uses different firmware. The original X3 reproduces Redbook files as if they were recorded at 48kHz (or so I read in another forum...).


----------



## vodanhkhack

My current "End Game" Head-Fi station ???


----------



## 340519

Krassi said:


> My kitchen is my living room at the moment and i like AKG K340


I had a pair of those that my dad bought is the early 80s, but sold on CAM. They were an interesting electrostatic listen most definitely.


----------



## Krassi (May 28, 2020)

dmdm said:


> I had a pair of those that my dad bought is the early 80s, but sold on CAM. They were an interesting electrostatic listen most definitely.



3 of them are very unused in excellent condition and for me they made me loose my hifi madness with cables, dacs , EQ ing and whatever.. They just sound perfect and music sounds amazing on them.

They are electrets and not real electrostats and one has some really sick bass too since there are different versions of the dynamic driver...Got some Kaldas RR1 to with stax amp and whatever but those are my to go kitchen headphones 

I am glad that i live where most k340 come from and you get tons of excellent ones on ebeh and other marketplaces in germany and austria.

Soooo i am hooked on them now  and no mods are done yet on any


----------



## lalama

Not the best pic, but this is my current WFH setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

lalama said:


> Not the best pic, but this is my current WFH setup.



Nice Aeolus! Is that bubinga wood?

How's that Nobsound passive box working for you?


----------



## JTori

Swisshead said:


> Home-Office: iPhone 11 Pro, iSine20 mit Cipher V2!



I have the same setup.  Surprisingly good!  Beats the AK SR15 driving the iSines in balanced mode, in my opinion.

Joe.


----------



## lalama

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice Aeolus! Is that bubinga wood?
> 
> How's that Nobsound passive box working for you?



Yes, nice eye! The Nobsound has worked well in giving me some play in the pot on the liquid platinum without any difference in sound quality (that I can hear at least). Even with the high impedance on the Aeolus, I can't go past 9 o'clock without blowing my ear drums on the LP. For me, the Nobsound is essential for me to even be able to use the Cavalli.


----------



## wwmhf

vodanhkhack said:


> My current "End Game" Head-Fi station ???



"End Game" because it cannot produce any music?


----------



## alota

vodanhkhack said:


> My current "End Game" Head-Fi station ???


Wise guy LOL


----------



## vodanhkhack

wwmhf said:


> "End Game" because it cannot produce any music?


It is the first and best ever music phone and still sounds wonderfully now!


----------



## darmanastartes




----------



## Swisshead

Get new iFi Pro iCAN today!   First impression absolutely great! Discreet, inconspicuous, but absolute high end! Making home office fun! If my boss knew that....


----------



## Wyville

darmanastartes said:


>


Is that the Element II DAC/Amp, or just the Amp? Just wondering how the DAC/Amp is, as I am looking around at affordable and clean DAC/Amp options for my home office.


----------



## johnzz4 (May 29, 2020)

Wyville said:


> Is that the Element II DAC/Amp, or just the Amp? Just wondering how the DAC/Amp is, as I am looking around at affordable and clean DAC/Amp options for my home office.


I have the original Element DAC/Amp that I use with my computer and the LCD-X, and I am really impressed with how it sounds.  Only thing I'm not a fan of is some pretty pronounced channel imbalance under 9:00 on the dial, but I'm pretty sure this is par for the course for many volume controls.  My others are stepped attenuators, so it stands out for me on the Element.  Sound is excellent though - detailed and clean but non-fatiguing.  Also, very neutral and plenty of power for the vast majority of headphones.


----------



## Wyville

johnzz4 said:


> I have the original Element DAC/Amp that I use with my computer and the LCD-X, and I am really impressed with how it sounds.  Only thing I'm not a fan of is some pretty pronounced channel imbalance under 9:00 on the dial, but I'm pretty sure this is par for the course for many volume controls.  My others are stepped attenuators, so it stands out for me on the Element.  Sound is excellent though - detailed and clean but non-fatiguing.  Also, very neutral and plenty of power for the vast majority of headphones.


Thanks! Will read up on it a little more.


----------



## nabwong

I just returned to this forum a couple of weeks ago after a decade long “vacation” and I already bought 2 headphones. RIP my wallet.


----------



## fiiom11pro

nabwong said:


> I just returned to this forum a couple of weeks ago after a decade long “vacation” and I already bought 2 headphones. RIP my wallet.




It's just a restart again of never ending cycle. We call it HOOKED!   nice gears


----------



## koven

...you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...


----------



## nabwong

koven said:


> ...you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...



Be careful. Don Henley might come looking for you for using his lyrics.


----------



## nabwong

fiiom11pro said:


> It's just a restart again of never ending cycle. We call it HOOKED!   nice gears



Thanks. I think coming back to this hobby has helped my mental health a little during this lockdown.


----------



## Preachy1

nabwong said:


> Be careful. Don Henley might come looking for you for using his lyrics.


LOL, that thought crossed my mind as well.  It also had me thinking of other appropriate lyrics.  How about this:

"When at the last the work is done, don't sit down, it's time to dig another one"


----------



## whirlwind

nabwong said:


> I just returned to this forum a couple of weeks ago after a decade long “vacation” and I already bought 2 headphones. RIP my wallet.



Welcome back. Lots of Grado's


----------



## wwmhf

nabwong said:


> I just returned to this forum a couple of weeks ago after a decade long “vacation” and I already bought 2 headphones. RIP my wallet.



I like those hooks too


----------



## nabwong

wwmhf said:


> I like those hooks too



I got a pack of 6 on amazon. Pretty cheap. Folds up when not in use.


----------



## makan




----------



## Allegro maestoso

lalama said:


> Yes, nice eye! The Nobsound has worked well in giving me some play in the pot on the liquid platinum without any difference in sound quality (that I can hear at least). Even with the high impedance on the Aeolus, I can't go past 9 o'clock without blowing my ear drums on the LP. For me, the Nobsound is essential for me to even be able to use the Cavalli.



*Thank you* for the idea! I've had my LP for just over a week, and the volume output was insane. The channel imbalance at the low end of the pot was making the amp almost unusable. I read your post and realized I had this 2 in-1 out/ 1 in-2 out RCA switch lying around - it's a Nobsound too. Hooked it up today and it works a treat.  I'll be happily getting to know the new amp much better.

I'm using the single-ended output from a Modi multibit for now. When the Ares II arrives (I ordered it two weeks ago), I'll have to look at balanced output volume limiting solutions - possibly splurging on a Nobsound model like yours. I might try my SU-8 with the LP instead - that DAC has the advantage of built-in volume control. Not sure if that's possible with the Denafrips.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Allegro maestoso said:


> *Thank you* for the idea! I've had my LP for just over a week, and the volume output was insane. The channel imbalance at the low end of the pot was making the amp almost unusable. I read your post and realized I had this 2 in-1 out/ 1 in-2 out RCA switch lying around - it's a Nobsound too. Hooked it up today and it works a treat.  I'll be happily getting to know the new amp much better.
> 
> I'm using the single-ended output from a Modi multibit for now. When the Ares II arrives (I ordered it two weeks ago), I'll have to look at balanced output volume limiting solutions - possibly splurging on a Nobsound model like yours. I might try my SU-8 with the LP instead - that DAC has the advantage of built-in volume control. Not sure if that's possible with the Denafrips.



I recently got an amp with the same (high) gain as the LP. To get the gain under control, particularly when using this amp as a system preamp, I put my good-sounding transformer-based NHT passive volume controller in line before the amp (it worked like a charm & was quite transparent).


----------



## alota

makan said:


>


You drive the k1000 with the adi-2?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

<REDACTED>


----------



## makan

alota said:


> You drive the k1000 with the adi-2?


Yes. With the balanced output, it works fine for me....starting to think if I still need my Ifi pro ican.


----------



## alota

makan said:


> Yes. With the balanced output, it works fine for me....starting to think if I still need my Ifi pro ican.


I' m impressed, really. Some years ago i used an amplifier with 50 watt


----------



## KPzypher

Swapped the Schiit stack to Topping's A/D 90 stack for no apparent reason.......  And I love it!  It's always best when you purchase something with little expectation.


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## wwmhf

KPzypher said:


> Swapped the Schiit stack to Topping's A/D 90 stack for no apparent reason.......  And I love it!  It's always best when you purchase something with little expectation.



The color of your monitor blends well with the color of the machine


----------



## wwmhf

Turkeysaurus said:


>



Classical black&white picture, but what is the music?


----------



## tmb821

semi-portable. Home to semi truck.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

wwmhf said:


> Classical black&white picture, but what is the music?



Talking Heads - Burning Down the House


----------



## betula

Bass can't get better than this under 3K.


----------



## Lolito

betula said:


> Bass can't get better than this under 3K.



amen


----------



## Krutsch

The new Woo Audio WA2. Wow... I am going to spend the weekend in my head-fi chair.


----------



## big45-70

darmanastartes said:


>




I love my T0's.


----------



## Roasty

A mess of cables.. Wish I had a dedicated audio room and some nice audio racks. Just added in SOtM SNH-10G and TXUSBUltra into the chain. Trying fiber for the first time.


----------



## wwmhf

Krutsch said:


> The new Woo Audio WA2. Wow... I am going to spend the weekend in my head-fi chair.


“head-fi chair”? Do we officially have one?


----------



## big45-70




----------



## Pharmaboy

Krutsch said:


> The new Woo Audio WA2. Wow... I am going to spend the weekend in my head-fi chair.



That setup is really badass!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Krutsch said:


>



Beautiful Wooness!


----------



## Krutsch

wwmhf said:


> “head-fi chair”? Do we officially have one?



Don't know about *we*, but *I* do... I bought this chair in 1996 and it's still like new.

By the way, the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller definitely adds more bass slam, more air between the instruments, and a wider sound stage.


----------



## alota

Krutsch said:


> Don't know about *we*, but *I* do... I bought this chair in 1996 and it's still like new.
> 
> By the way, the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller definitely adds more bass slam, more air between the instruments, and a wider sound stage.


Ahahah i believe you


----------



## Pharmaboy

Krutsch said:


> Don't know about *we*, but *I* do... I bought this chair in 1996 and it's still like new.
> 
> By the way, the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller definitely adds more bass slam, more air between the instruments, and a wider sound stage.



I believe you mean "wider ass-stage." And those things there's more air between? "We won't go there."

PS: my longtime office chair is the Steelcase Leap v1. This is a home office & when I have work, it's 12 hrs at a stretch in this chair, no problem.


----------



## AudioPowerHead

Krutsch said:


> Don't know about *we*, but *I* do... I bought this chair in 1996 and it's still like new.
> 
> By the way, the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller definitely adds more bass slam, more air between the instruments, and a wider sound stage.


After so many years, I finally realized this is a critical missing piece in my chain for more airy butt and ass-stage.  Gonna get one of these comfy chairs.


----------



## mroneto

Finally got around to dusting off the table and taking a decent picture for once.
Speaking of sound-enhancing chairs, I just got my Mirra 2 recently, which allowed for much more treble extension due to my wallet screaming.


----------



## alota

mroneto said:


> Finally got around to dusting off the table and taking a decent picture for once.
> Speaking of sound-enhancing chairs, I just got my Mirra 2 recently, which allowed for much more treble extension due to my wallet screaming.


You are in the uss enterprise? Engage


----------



## Swisshead

Yeah, that's hot! Like the command center of a submarine.


----------



## mroneto

alota said:


> You are in the uss enterprise? Engage





Swisshead said:


> Yeah, that's hot! Like the command center of a submarine.



I've always wanted to try going in a submarine...but then I remember that I can't swim at all. Scotty can't beam me out of that one!


----------



## Wyville

mroneto said:


> Finally got around to dusting off the table and taking a decent picture for once.
> Speaking of sound-enhancing chairs, I just got my Mirra 2 recently, which allowed for much more treble extension due to my wallet screaming.


They have a new Mirra? I have the first model and it is such a great chair. Probably bought it ten years ago and it is still going strongly.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I believe you mean "wider ass-stage." And those things there's more air between? "We won't go there."
> 
> PS: my longtime office chair is the Steelcase Leap v1. This is a home office & when I have work, it's 12 hrs at a stretch in this chair, no problem.



Ok well I was going to point out the vertical and horizontal vanes offer extra comb filtering options rarely seen in other chairamps.


----------



## tmb821




----------



## Swisshead

Mammamia, the headphones are bigger than the laptop!  But nice!


----------



## alota

Swisshead said:


> Mammamia, the headphones are bigger than the laptop!  But nice!


I like mamma mia from CH lol


----------



## mroneto

Wyville said:


> They have a new Mirra? I have the first model and it is such a great chair. Probably bought it ten years ago and it is still going strongly.



Yeah, overall it's pretty much the same basic design, but they reinforced the upper back area and made some small changes to the seat. Oh and you can get a fabric covering on the backrest now!


----------



## eric0531

big45-70 said:


>



Looks nice. Is that a Liquid Spark amp?


----------



## Wyville

mroneto said:


> Yeah, overall it's pretty much the same basic design, but they reinforced the upper back area and made some small changes to the seat. Oh and you can get a fabric covering on the backrest now!


Fabric on the back would be very good. I often end up with a blanket over the chair because the plastic of the back feels cold, my only niggle with an otherwise outstanding chair.


----------



## big45-70

eric0531 said:


> Looks nice. Is that a Liquid Spark amp?




Yup sure is.  I'm in Canada it is it readily available, inexpensive and sounds great.  Its being fed by a dragonfly black dac.  The spark powers my Argon's just perfectly.


----------



## Sachada




----------



## vmiguel




----------



## h1f1add1cted




----------



## big45-70

vmiguel said:


>




I just started playing around with Volumio on an old pi,  would you mind telling me about your setup?


----------



## vmiguel

big45-70 said:


> I just started playing around with Volumio on an old pi,  would you mind telling me about your setup?


Glad to.

Hope I can make it clear enough...

My main system now is a Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB RAM (the 2 GB is perfectly enough). It runs a bit hot so I have it in an open "case". Volumio is installed in a Kingston micro-SD card. I have a iFi iPower just for the Raspberry.

The Raspberry sends the data to a iFi iDSD nano Black Label, trough a iDefender with it's own iFi iPower. This make for a clean data from the Pi to the main DAC.

Then I have a Pro-Ject Switch wich allows me to choose the source that goes to my powered Ruark MR1 speakers and PSB mini subwoofer or the Drop Koss ESP 95X (the Switch Box has 4 in and 2 out).

And that's the main system, wich could do without the Pro-Ject Switch if there were no other sources...

But... I have on the other side of the room a tube heaphone amp (Little Dot Mk II). So on the Pi I have also a Creative BT-W2 Bluetooth sender (APTX LL capable) and I can connect my Fiio BTR5 on the tube amp and send the audio via BT, to get it on a Beyerdynamic DT150 or Drop Sennheiser 6XX, with pretty good quality.

Or I can connect the BTR5 to the Pi and use it as a USB DAC. Or I can connect either DAC to the PC. Or I can connect an iPhone or one of the DAC to the Koss energizer. Or...

Too many options, too little time...

As per sources, I use mainly Radio Paradise and Tidal on the Pi. I had a SSD disk with all my local tracks but I'm in the proccess of building a NAS with another Raspberry.

Let me know if you need any clarification...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Is there a free version of this or do you pay a monthly fee?


----------



## vmiguel

There's a free version. Naturaly the paid version gives you more options, namely Tidal, Qobuz, and some other sources and features.


----------



## 340519

I just bought the bda3, the LCD 4s, sennheiser 600, 660s,

  and the empys just showed up today!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> I just bought the bda3, the LCD 4s, sennheiser 600, 660s, and the empys just showed up today!



Holy crap man. What an awesome Bryston stack, home-grown gear!

Amazing canology also...

Just wow.


----------



## 340519

gimmeheadroom said:


> Holy crap man. What an awesome Bryston stack, home-grown gear!
> 
> Amazing canology also...
> 
> Just wow.


Thank you very much! Yes and all Canadian like me lol.


----------



## alota

dmdm said:


> Thank you very much! Yes and all Canadian like me lol.


indeed. just for curiosity: prices are same of rest of the world?


----------



## iFi audio

vmiguel said:


> The Raspberry sends the data to a iFi iDSD nano Black Label, trough a iDefender with it's own iFi iPower. This make for a clean data from the Pi to the main DAC.



A solid plan to provide clean external 5V. You know how to min-max


----------



## 340519




----------



## 340519

alota said:


> indeed. just for curiosity: prices are same of rest of the world?


I'm really not sure actually. Sorry (to apologize for everything is very Canadian lol).


----------



## AudioPowerHead

dmdm said:


> I just bought the bda3, the LCD 4s, sennheiser 600, 660s,  and the empys just showed up today!


Wow... you are building an arsenal of headphones within a short span of time ! Enjoy !!


----------



## judomaniak57

dmdm how are the empyreans thru the bryston. awesome set up. Yahoo for Canadian audio


----------



## 340519

judomaniak57 said:


> dmdm how are the empyreans thru the bryston. awesome set up. Yahoo for Canadian audio


I haven't had much time to listen, but first impressions are good!


----------



## 340519

AudioPowerHead said:


> Wow... you are building an arsenal of headphones within a short span of time ! Enjoy !!


Yes I'm being a bit crazy lol.


----------



## Shane D

We got a new cable provider yesterday, so I decided to redesign the living room, including my "headphone station".  

I think this is end game, hardware wise, as anything above these is going to get into silly money, IMO.


----------



## kdphan

Shane D said:


> We got a new cable provider yesterday, so I decided to redesign the living room, including my "headphone station".
> 
> I think this is end game, hardware wise, as anything above these is going to get into silly money, IMO.


I can imagine how my wife would freak out if I had that setup in the living room 
Looks awesome!


----------



## LoryWiv

kdphan said:


> I can imagine how my wife would freak out if I had that setup in the living room
> Looks awesome!


Man cave required. I have dreamt of such things...but do love my wife (slightly) more than my audio gear.


----------



## 340519

LoryWiv said:


> Man cave required. I have dreamt of such things...but do love my wife (slightly) more than my audio gear.


I'm lucky to have a man cave and a nice wife that allows me to pursue this silly hobby lol.


----------



## kdphan

LoryWiv said:


> Man cave required. I have dreamt of such things...but do love my wife (slightly) more than my audio gear.


I spread my gear all over the house so it doesn't look too messy.
Main setup in the entertainment room, one in the office and one in the bedroom. Hiding all these boxes has been challenging.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LoryWiv said:


> Man cave required. I have dreamt of such things...but do love my wife (slightly) more than my audio gear.



Your headfi membership has been cancelled. Good luck in your future endevors


----------



## Shane D

kdphan said:


> I can imagine how my wife would freak out if I had that setup in the living room
> Looks awesome!



I just have my little corner of the room. We live in an apartment and my corner in the living room is that station, a lazy boy and a small end table.
I have a much smaller set-up in the second bedroom (office).

I don't really have any vices anymore. So as long as I don't damage the bank account too badly, she just shakes her head.


----------



## iFi audio

dmdm said:


>



Whoa, that's quite the setup right there! Do you use any speakers with it by any chance?


----------



## Preachy1

dmdm said:


> I'm lucky to have a man cave and a nice wife that allows me to pursue this silly hobby lol.


Same here.  In fact, she let's me have 1/2 the basement as my "cave", which is where I have my speaker system, and she has given over the spare bedroom to me for use as my "happy place", for my headphone station.  Two stations, actually.  One for digital, and one for analog.


----------



## 340519

Preachy1 said:


> Same here.  In fact, she let's me have 1/2 the basement as my "cave", which is where I have my speaker system, and she has given over the spare bedroom to me for use as my "happy place", for my headphone station.  Two stations, actually.  One for digital, and one for analog.


Oh very nice!


----------



## 340519 (Jun 12, 2020)

iFi audio said:


> Whoa, that's quite the setup right there! Do you use any speakers with it by any chance?


Yes I had Focal Electra towers which I'm now selling, and currently  I have my favorite speakers of all time hooked up to the Bryston: the Golden Ear Reference. I have all Kimber Kable Select interconnects and Speaker Wire. It sounds pretty good.


----------



## Swisshead (Jun 13, 2020)

Audeze In-ear family! 

Not a battle of materiel.


----------



## 340519

Added the dac3b to the bedside rig.


----------



## nordkapp

dmdm said:


> Added the dac3b to the bedside rig.


Ha. I was wondering what you did with it! Repurposed!


----------



## InstantSilence

Hmm


----------



## 340519

nordkapp said:


> Ha. I was wondering what you did with it! Repurposed!


Lol yeah.


----------



## Pharmaboy

InstantSilence said:


> Hmm



That looks insane. What's going on there?


----------



## InstantSilence

Pharmaboy said:


> That looks insane. What's going on there?


RCA to quarter inch adaptor


----------



## MacedonianHero

Swisshead said:


> Audeze In-ear family!
> 
> Not a battle of materiel.



This photo makes me so sad.  

My 27" iMac (2017 version) died today. No power, no nothing...PSU and/or motherboard shot. Ordered a new one from Apple...waiting for early July for it to arrive. In the meantime, I'm using the family HP laptop....I'm not a Windows fan.


----------



## Swisshead

MacedonianHero said:


> This photo makes me so sad.
> 
> My 27" iMac (2017 version) died today. No power, no nothing...PSU and/or motherboard shot. Ordered a new one from Apple...waiting for early July for it to arrive. In the meantime, I'm using the family HP laptop....I'm not a Windows fan.



Yes the iMac 27 is a great device. I still have the 2015. Bought 2016 in the fastest version! 

But be glad you didn't get yours. A brand new design is due to be announced on June 22, 2020. Narrower edges and bigger screen. Hope he gets Wifi 6 and some other nice things. Then I would finally change. So far I saw no reason to buy a new one. The 2015 is still more than fast enough for all applications!

But look forward to the new model now!


----------



## vonBaron (Jun 14, 2020)

Metrum Ambre is under desk


----------



## Swisshead

Oh iCan! For this you get a like! 

Very nice Equipment!👍


----------



## 340519

MacedonianHero said:


> This photo makes me so sad.
> 
> My 27" iMac (2017 version) died today. No power, no nothing...PSU and/or motherboard shot. Ordered a new one from Apple...waiting for early July for it to arrive. In the meantime, I'm using the family HP laptop....I'm not a Windows fan.


My condolences.


----------



## elvergun

MacedonianHero said:


> This photo makes me so sad.
> 
> My 27" iMac (2017 version) died today. No power, no nothing...PSU and/or motherboard shot. Ordered a new one from Apple...waiting for early July for it to arrive. In the meantime, I'm using the family HP laptop....I'm not a Windows fan.



That sucks.   My 2010 27" iMac is still going strong (kinda-sorta).   I gave it to my girlfriend and she is using it with her MacBook Pro as a second monitor.

Apple quality and reliability are not what they used to be.

I use a Windows machine now.   I find that Mac OS and Windows 10 are both great operating systems.  The iMac is a work of art though...I purchased an Alienware (it was cheap and powerful) and I had to hide it behind a cabinet.


----------



## wwmhf

mroneto said:


> Finally got around to dusting off the table and taking a decent picture for once.
> Speaking of sound-enhancing chairs, I just got my Mirra 2 recently, which allowed for much more treble extension due to my wallet screaming.


What a bunker!


----------



## wwmhf

Swisshead said:


> Audeze In-ear family!
> 
> Not a battle of materiel.


Very selective...


----------



## wwmhf

InstantSilence said:


> Hmm


Interesting adapter


----------



## 340519

Added 

a nice power conditioner:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

What's that new box on top of your Bryston Empire State Building?


----------



## 340519

gimmeheadroom said:


> What's that new box on top of your Bryston Empire State Building?


She's a super duper power conditioner.


----------



## 340519

Added a power conditioner here too:


----------



## CaptainFantastic

dmdm said:


> Added a power conditioner here too:


Made an audible difference?


----------



## 340519

CaptainFantastic said:


> Made an audible difference?


Nah, but the surge protection is nice. But I'm not one to hear differences between balanced and unbalanced, different cables, etc. So ymmv.


----------



## 340519

I


gimmeheadroom said:


> What's that new box on top of your Bryston Empire State Building?


I Must build it higher!


----------



## MacedonianHero

dmdm said:


> My condolences.



Thanks man...and the kicker...with this pandemic, there's up to a 3 week wait. 

I know, first world problems...but dang, only 3+ years was way too short and I loved my iMac. Good thing everything was back up and backed up again and then on the iCloud for good measure.


----------



## Preachy1

dmdm said:


> I
> 
> I Must build it higher!


Yeah man, there's a guy in Dubai who has a stack that 3-4 inches taller than yours.  C'mon, get on the stick!!!!!


----------



## 340519

Preachy1 said:


> Yeah man, there's a guy in Dubai who has a stack that 3-4 inches taller than yours.  C'mon, get on the stick!!!!!


Lol


----------



## smallcaps (Jun 15, 2020)

*Bedside Listening Station*

Hiby R3 > xDuoo TA-20 > AudioTechnica ATH-ES10


----------



## Pharmaboy

smallcaps said:


> *Bedside Listening Station*
> 
> Hiby R3 > xDuoo TA-20 > AudioTechnica ATH-ES10



How do you like that TA-20? 

The last thing I need is another amp--but I find myself somewhat interested in this one.


----------



## smallcaps

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like that TA-20?
> 
> The last thing I need is another amp--but I find myself somewhat interested in this one.


It's the first time I've noticed the benefits of burn-in, beyond the psychological type. When I first got it about a year ago, I hated the sound. It was grainy and just sounded distorted when compared to my THX AAA 789. 

I've since learned to "warm it up" before using it, and have a ritual of now turning it on about an hour before I go to bed. Once the caps and tubes settled, I find it quite pleasant, with a wider soundstage than my THX AAA 789, and a "sweetness" I can't really describe. It's not "tubey" per say, but it does sound quite nice, and nothing like my Bottlehead S.E.X., nor any of my solid states. 

It's also pretty powerful, and I can run all of my low efficiency headphones pretty well, such as my Beyerdynamic T1s. I do hear some hiss tho, with some of my more sensitive IEMs.

Overall I'm pretty happy with it for casual listening, the connectivity is great, but I worry about having to eventually change the valves. If I had to own only 1 amp, I would keep my THX AAA 789, but happy to have it in my stable.


----------



## Pharmaboy

smallcaps said:


> It's the first time I've noticed the benefits of burn-in, beyond the psychological type. When I first got it about a year ago, I hated the sound. It was grainy and just sounded distorted when compared to my THX AAA 789.
> 
> I've since learned to "warm it up" before using it, and have a ritual of now turning it on about an hour before I go to bed. Once the caps and tubes settled, I find it quite pleasant, with a wider soundstage than my THX AAA 789, and a "sweetness" I can't really describe. It's not "tubey" per say, but it does sound quite nice, and nothing like my Bottlehead S.E.X., nor any of my solid states.
> 
> ...



You call them "valves" ... wild guess that you're from UK, Australia or maybe NZ.


----------



## smallcaps

Pharmaboy said:


> You call them "valves" ... wild guess that you're from UK, Australia or maybe NZ.


Actually I'm originally from Canada! But I've spent enough years overseas to mix up my vocabulary...


----------



## bcaulf17

*LEFT TO RIGHT: EMU Ebony > AKG K371 > Etymotic ER4XR > Hifiman Sundara > Sennheiser HD6XX

SOURCE GEAR: Topping E30 > THX AAA 789*


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcaulf17 said:


> *LEFT TO RIGHT: EMU Ebony > AKG K371 > Etymotic ER4XR > Hifiman Sundara > Sennheiser HD6XX
> 
> SOURCE GEAR: Topping E30 > THX AAA 789*



To err is human...


----------



## bcaulf17

gimmeheadroom said:


> To err is human...


I am error


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Dammit, I forget the latin ipso facto joke ergo something


----------



## ricksome

*bcaulf17: My bias is showing. The Etymotic ER4XR for me. You can keep the others.*


----------



## bcaulf17

ricksome said:


> *bcaulf17: My bias is showing. The Etymotic ER4XR for me. You can keep the others.*


I don’t get it


----------



## 340519

bcaulf17 said:


> I don’t get it


Me either


----------



## bluzeboy

He means he  likes his  * The Etymotic ER4XR*   IEMS


----------



## KC2020 (Jun 17, 2020)

dmdm said:


> She's a super duper power conditioner.



Do you hear a super duper difference ?

I remember when they were introduced. It took years for the shouting to die down between Stereophile's reviewers and Richard Gray's management.


----------



## 340519

KC2020 said:


> Do you hear a super duper difference ?
> 
> I remember when they were introduced. It took years for the shouting to die down between Stereophile's reviewers and Richard Gray's management.


Nah, but it sure does look cool. I just like the looks of it on top of my megastructure!


----------



## thecrow (Jun 17, 2020)

MacedonianHero said:


> This photo makes me so sad.
> 
> My 27" iMac (2017 version) died today. No power, no nothing...PSU and/or motherboard shot. Ordered a new one from Apple...waiting for early July for it to arrive. In the meantime, I'm using the family HP laptop....I'm not a Windows fan.


You know there might be a new model of the imac released next week. Wwdc 2020. Rumours suggest that’s why 27inch imac not shipping for 2 weeks. Silver lining perhaps


----------



## KC2020

thecrow said:


> You know there might be a new model of the imac released next week. Wwdc 2020. Rumours suggest that’s why 27inch imac not shipping for 2 weeks. Silver lining perhaps



All Macs will be transitioning to ARM processors as Apple will no longer wait for Intel to solve their speed issues but the new iMac design that is likely to be introduced next Monday will be a 23" with the T2 chip assisting for certain functions. https://tinyurl.com/yc9uyer3


----------



## nordkapp

dmdm said:


> . I just like the looks of it on top of my megastructure


*"meagstructure".......*so classic.


----------



## 340519

I just ordered the 1266 TC . I'll post pics soon.


----------



## InstantSilence

dmdm said:


> I just ordered the 1266 TC . I'll post pics soon.


Can't wait to see them. I wonder of the difference between the phi and tc version


----------



## MacedonianHero

InstantSilence said:


> Can't wait to see them. I wonder of the difference between the phi and tc version



I covered some in my review:
https://headphone.guru/the-newly-up...dphones-one-of-the-very-best-just-got-better/

Simply Abyss upped their game in terms of detail retrieval, speed and transparency. One of the very best headphones I've ever had on my head.


----------



## shampoosuicide

Comin' at ya from 2014...


----------



## CaptainFantastic

dmdm said:


> I just ordered the 1266 TC . I'll post pics soon.



You are on the most legendary headphone buying spree I have witnessed (through these forums  ). You don't need to justify it, just saying... it is incredible.


----------



## AudioPowerHead (Jun 18, 2020)

CaptainFantastic said:


> You are on the most legendary headphone buying spree I have witnessed (through these forums  ). You don't need to justify it, just saying... it is incredible.


dmdm certainly has deep pockets... he is fast in building his “megastructure” and headphones arsenal.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

AudioPowerHead said:


> dmdm has deep pockets or had just made a fortune in recent V-shaped recovery of the stock market...  In any case, agree that he is fast in building his “megastructure”.



I am happy for him, the thought of all these excellent headphones being tried and compared. But I do wonder if it's a smart approach, all financial aspects aside. Suppose funds are unlimited. To maximize the enjoyment from the novelty of a new piece of gear, shouldn't one space his/her purchases through time a bit more? (Again, my intention is not at all to *** into someone's Easter basket)


----------



## AudioPowerHead

CaptainFantastic said:


> I am happy for him, the thought of all these excellent headphones being tried and compared. But I do wonder if it's a smart approach, all financial aspects aside. Suppose funds are unlimited. To maximize the enjoyment from the novelty of a new piece of gear, shouldn't one space his/her purchases through time a bit more? (Again, my intention is not at all to *** into someone's Easter basket)


I suppose everyone’s journey in this hobby is different. Some like it fast while others like it slow. No right or wrong. Most importantly, one is enjoying the time with his/her gear.


----------



## penmarker

CaptainFantastic said:


> ... shouldn't one space his/her purchases through time a bit more? ...


Not really no. Everyone has different approaches to everything. There are no fixed limits.


----------



## 340519

CaptainFantastic said:


> You are on the most legendary headphone buying spree I have witnessed (through these forums  ). You don't need to justify it, just saying... it is incredible.


Lol thanks dude. I appreciate it. It's good to have a headphone support group.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

dmdm said:


> Lol thanks dude. I appreciate it. It's good to have a headphone support group.


You've transformed into rapidly. ^^
Curious about your impressions of the bunch.


----------



## 340519

InstantSilence said:


> Can't wait to see them. I wonder of the difference between the phi and tc version


According to my sales invoice they are the
Abyss AB 1266 PHI TC Planar.
There you go.


----------



## 340519

Chris Kaoss said:


> You've transformed into rapidly. ^^
> Curious about your impressions of the bunch.


So far the Empys are my favorite.


----------



## 340519

MacedonianHero said:


> I covered some in my review:
> https://headphone.guru/the-newly-up...dphones-one-of-the-very-best-just-got-better/
> 
> Simply Abyss upped their game in terms of detail retrieval, speed and transparency. One of the very best headphones I've ever had on my head.


Excellent review!


----------



## 340519

MacedonianHero said:


> I covered some in my review:
> https://headphone.guru/the-newly-up...dphones-one-of-the-very-best-just-got-better/
> 
> Simply Abyss upped their game in terms of detail retrieval, speed and transparency. One of the very best headphones I've ever had on my head.


Thanks for telling me what TC stands for. Who knew.


----------



## 340519

Oh, and I went for the lite version. An extra 3k CAD for a bag and a stand was extreme, even for me lol.


----------



## 340519

Talked to my dealer about the bryston bha1 and the abyss, as they have now sold me both, and the amp should be good with it on high gain. 6 class A bryston amps should do the trick.


----------



## Pharmaboy

penmarker said:


> Not really no. Everyone has different approaches to everything. There are no fixed limits.



"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination."


----------



## indykun

I try to keep things neat and tidy, He-560's on a Jotunheim. Steelseries Arctis 5 for streaming and casual listening.


----------



## 340519

Well


dmdm said:


> I just ordered the 1266 TC . I'll post pics soon.


 It turns out the lead time is a month until I get them as I'm told they are built from scratch after being ordered.


----------



## RobertSM

Chord qutest DAC and Woo Audio WA6-SE added into the system. Peonies too...


----------



## pofofo

I too prefer things kinda tidy.


----------



## indykun

pofofo said:


> I too prefer things kinda tidy.


That is amazingly Tidy, I dig! Where did you get this slick monitor shelf setup?


----------



## Toddy

RobertSM said:


> Peonies too...



I‘d never place a water filled vase between my toys. Desaster would be imminent…


----------



## pofofo

indykun said:


> That is amazingly Tidy, I dig! Where did you get this slick monitor shelf setup?



Thanks! Both the desk and the monitor shelf are from Ikea. I noticed the sliced openings for the drawers and I figured it would work for the cables.


----------



## Toddy

pofofo said:


> Thanks! Both the desk and the monitor shelf are from Ikea. I noticed the sliced openings for the drawers and I figured it would work for the cables.



And it optically shouts Ikea so loudly, I didn‘t need to ask 😭


----------



## holytiger

My friend's house in NZ. His fav doll on top


----------



## wwmhf

shampoosuicide said:


> Comin' at ya from 2014...



What a color ...


----------



## Preachy1

pofofo said:


> Thanks! Both the desk and the monitor shelf are from Ikea. I noticed the sliced openings for the drawers and I figured it would work for the cables.


Any chance you can post the name and/or model number of that shelf?  I think it would work well with my setup, but I can't find anythin like it on their website.   TIA


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Here it is for Ikea Belgium: https://www.ikea.com/be/fr/p/alex-element-complementaire-blanc-20260718/ . Hope it helps.


----------



## Preachy1

CaptainFantastic said:


> Here it is for Ikea Belgium: https://www.ikea.com/be/fr/p/alex-element-complementaire-blanc-20260718/ . Hope it helps.


Thanks!!!!


----------



## nordkapp

holytiger said:


> My friend's house in NZ. His fav doll on top


Yeah, every grown man needs a favorite doll.


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> Yeah, every grown man needs a favorite doll.



I certainly do.


----------



## Preachy1

nordkapp said:


> Yeah, every grown man needs a favorite doll.


mine only takes about 15 minutes to inflate.

wait, did I really just say that????


----------



## johnzz4

Preachy1 said:


> mine only takes about 15 minutes to inflate.
> 
> wait, did I really just say that????


Everyone knows you just leave it inflated...


----------



## Preachy1

johnzz4 said:


> Everyone knows you just leave it inflated...


She has Sundays off.


----------



## johnzz4

Preachy1 said:


> She has Sundays off.


Mine doesn’t


----------



## kid vic

Preachy1 said:


> mine only takes about 15 minutes to inflate.
> 
> wait, did I really just say that????





johnzz4 said:


> Mine doesn’t



You guys still use inflatables?


----------



## TooFrank

bcaulf17 said:


> I am error


I am Groot


----------



## ufospls2

TooFrank said:


> I am Groot



this seemed appropriate. He appears to have gotten his hands on @Darthpool purple ZMFs.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## MrPanda

interweb-tech said:


>


Which phones and cables are those?  Beautiful setup.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## interweb-tech

MrPanda said:


> Which phones and cables are those?  Beautiful setup.



ZMF Vérité Ziricote with Norne Audio Silvergarde S3 cable. ZMF just arrived today.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


>



That is a lovely VO. I've heard that headphone & still think of it. 

Also a killer AGD all-in-one. I'll bet that rig sounds amazing.


----------



## MrPanda

interweb-tech said:


> ZMF Vérité Ziricote with Norne Audio Silvergarde S3 cable. ZMF just arrived today.


Just beautiful setup!


----------



## LoryWiv

interweb-tech said:


> ZMF Vérité Ziricote with Norne Audio Silvergarde S3 cable. ZMF just arrived today.


I use Norne Silvergarde S3 with ZMF Auteur, it is terrific. I never thought I'd feel a cable was worth that cost but build, ergonomics and the sense that it doesn't color but just delivers the music...great cable with ZMF's.


----------



## 19844




----------



## holytiger (Jun 21, 2020)

nordkapp said:


> Yeah, every grown man needs a favorite doll.




it sure is my next potential headphone stand


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Toddy said:


> I‘d never place a water filled vase between my toys. Desaster would be imminent…



Water? What water? The Woos boil off any water before he even plugs in a pair of headphones


----------



## Gadget67

So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!


----------



## bcaulf17

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!


Looks awesome! I love the Focal aesthetic especially with the matching stands


----------



## SalR406

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!



Love the Totem Arro speakers for small listening spaces.  Always a favorite of mine.


----------



## Krutsch

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!



I have the same NAD amp ... a giant killer, IMO.


----------



## kdphan

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!


Nice trio of Focal HPs you have there.


----------



## Gadget67

SalR406 said:


> Love the Totem Arro speakers for small listening spaces.  Always a favorite of mine.


Thanks!  There is a Totem storm sub off to the left.  The Arro speakers with the sub are every bit as good as the far more expensive Forrest based on extensive listening at the Totem dealer.  He was very accommodating and actually recommended the combination which I bi-amp them from the NAD.  The location is certainly not optimal but it’s still really fantastic.  I use either the Focal Arche or the Sony TA as a DAC As well.  The Sony works really well with DSEE upsampling.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!



How does that Brother laser printer sound?


----------



## vonBaron

Gadget67 said:


> So, I’ve moved my listening station for the summer (been 90+ here for a few days).  My landing listening area is not air conditioned but my entertainment room is.  It’s a little crowded and I’ll move back in the cooler weather, but this is it for now!


What Focal's are best in term of musicality?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> How does that Brother laser printer sound?



From my experience they add some color. If you want more texture you have to go with an older dot-matrix


----------



## Gadget67

gimmeheadroom said:


> From my experience they add some color. If you want more texture you have to go with an older dot-matrix


...unless the ink has dried up


----------



## LoryWiv

gimmeheadroom said:


> From my experience they add some color. If you want more texture you have to go with an older dot-matrix


Or if you really want leading edge note attack I recommend a laser model...


----------



## Pharmaboy

LoryWiv said:


> Or if you really want leading edge note attack I recommend a laser model...



and don't get me started on routers & computer monitors...


----------



## Gadget67

vonBaron said:


> What Focal's are best in term of musicality?


For me, it’s a toss up between the Utopia and Stellia.  I go with the Stellia when there is distracting ambient noise, but the Utopia is better (marginally) in a really quiet environment.  I ended up with the Clear because I purchased the Arche and Clear as a package and will probably end up gifting them to my stepson.  They are only a small step below the Utopia but the microfiber ear pads and headband are sweat magnets and I’m guessing they won’t hold up as well as leather pads In my early opinion.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Gadget67 said:


> ...unless the ink has dried up



There is no ink that's the point. Even with the cheapest laser printer you don't need EQ. You can just change the toner


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> There is no ink that's the point. Even with the cheapest laser printer you don't need EQ. You can just change the toner



"toner tonality"


----------



## TooFrank

Krutsch said:


> I have the same NAD amp ... a giant killer, IMO.


+1


----------



## Gadget67

Krutsch said:


> I have the same NAD amp ... a giant killer, IMO.


The dealer who sold me the Totem speakers was powering the setup i purchased with the NAD and gave me a killer deal because he was about to replace it.  I’ve had it for about 6-7 years and find it perfect for the Totems.  I’ve been tempted to replace it with the M32 but newer is not always better!


----------



## Krutsch

Gadget67 said:


> The dealer who sold me the Totem speakers was powering the setup i purchased with the NAD and gave me a killer deal because he was about to replace it.  I’ve had it for about 6-7 years and find it perfect for the Totems.  I’ve been tempted to replace it with the M32 but newer is not always better!



I have mine powering a set of Magnepan .7 speakers in a near-field setup. Pure heaven.


----------



## Gadget67

gimmeheadroom said:


> There is no ink that's the point. Even with the cheapest laser printer you don't need EQ. You can just change the toner


I meant my former (useless) Ink jet printer; that’s why I got the laser printer.  HP would give inkjet printers away on street corners for free just to lock you in to their useless ink cartridges which seem to dry up even when you don’t use it.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Gadget67 said:


> I meant my former (useless) Ink jet printer; that’s why I got the laser printer.  HP would give inkjet printers away on street corners for free just to lock you in to their useless ink cartridges which seem to dry up even when you don’t use it.



Understood. And some say the jets add a satisfying amount of bass rumble. Others say they add unwanted harmonics


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Bringing image from Diana thread.

Milo is not mine, but it was fun comparing it to CMA 12 Master amp section.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice looking setup! What light is that?


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Understood. And some say the jets add a satisfying amount of bass rumble. Others say they add unwanted harmonics



I like the way you keep pushing that metaphor onward...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I like the way you keep pushing that metaphor onward...



I need something to do until the situation improves


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> I need something to do until the situation improves



The actual situation? Or the metaphor that (indirectly) represents the situation? 

(sorry...had to ask!)


----------



## LoryWiv

gimmeheadroom said:


> Understood. And some say the jets add a satisfying amount of bass rumble. Others say they add unwanted harmonics


 I print to PDF. Lower noise floor.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LoryWiv said:


> I print to PDF. Lower noise floor.



Ok, at the loss of some compression...


----------



## canfabulous

gimmeheadroom said:


> From my experience they add some color. If you want more texture you have to go with an older dot-matrix



Produces flat output...


----------



## thecrow

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ok, at the loss of some compression...


Well don't use the wifi connection (or bluetooth).
But seriously, the resolution will not be any good as the main bottleneck is the usb cable that it comes with.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

canfabulous said:


> Produces flat output...



You're right, and if they have a scanner then the sound might be flat but is smooth as glass


----------



## gimmeheadroom

thecrow said:


> Well don't use the wifi connection (or bluetooth).
> But seriously, the resolution will not be any good as the main bottleneck is the usb cable that it comes with.



I don't believe cables have sound, especially not digital cables. So let's not start the debate again


----------



## canfabulous

gimmeheadroom said:


> You're right, and if they have a scanner then the sound might be flat but is smooth as glass



Good imaging capabilities...


----------



## thecrow

gimmeheadroom said:


> I don't believe cables have sound, especially not digital cables. So let's not start the debate again


I know what i've heard but let's not get caught up in the fax


----------



## canfabulous

thecrow said:


> I know what i've heard but let's not get caught up in the fax



All these puns... Oh brother...


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> You're right, and if they have a scanner then the sound might be flat but is smooth as glass



But is it as smooth as Philip Glass? That's the question...


----------



## Pharmaboy

canfabulous said:


> All these puns... Oh brother...



I just want you to know--this is the first time I gave a "like" for a pun.


----------



## Gadget67

canfabulous said:


> All these puns... Oh brother...


Next time I take a picture, I’ll put a cover over the printer.  Funny that my random printer generated many more comments (puns, jokes, etc) than my headphone station


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> But is it as smooth as Philip Glass? That's the question...



Sorry man, that one sailed right over the dome.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

thecrow said:


> I know what i've heard but let's not get caught up in the fax



high dollar printer cables are a big scan and you know it!


----------



## gefski

gimmeheadroom said:


> high dollar printer cables are a big scan and you know it!



You folks‘ clever use of malaprops is grate!


----------



## thecrow

having demoed the brother before let me just say that it won’t turn your hp’s a to bass canons if that’s what you are after


----------



## Pharmaboy

To a fisherman/woman, "bass cannon" has an entirely different meaning...


----------



## thecrow

Pharmaboy said:


> To a fisherman/woman, "bass cannon" has an entirely different meaning...


Yes, but those don’t scale up as well


----------



## adeadcrab

From top-down - DAC, Amp, and Preamp.
Not pictured - Headphones!


----------



## blackdragon87




----------



## Toddy

Gadget67 said:


> Next time I take a picture, I’ll put a cover over the printer.  Funny that my random printer generated many more comments (puns, jokes, etc) than my headphone station



This for sure is the funniest thread I‘ve read here. So it really was worth getting off topic.


----------



## thecrow

Gadget67 said:


> Next time I take a picture, *I’ll put a cover over the printer.*  Funny that my random printer generated many more comments (puns, jokes, etc) than my headphone station


then you could pair it with the hd650 - then no one could argue against there being a veil


----------



## Gadget67

thecrow said:


> then you could pair it with the hd650 - then no one could argue against there being a veil


I have an HD600...will that work?


----------



## Gadget67

thecrow said:


> then you could pair it with the hd650 - then no one could argue against there being a veil


Gonna need an adapter....


----------



## kali77

Sorry for the horrible pic. Figured I’d add this shot before my new DAC comes though.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

kali77 said:


> Sorry for the horrible pic. Figured I’d add this shot before my new DAC comes though.



Great to see the 660S there. What is the new DAC going to be?


----------



## kali77

CaptainFantastic said:


> Great to see the 660S there. What is the new DAC going to be?



Yeah, I actually really enjoy the 660s. Added the signum cable from artic cables which also made a very nice improvement all around imo. The new DAC is going to be the Audiobyte Vox and Zap combo. Kind of jumped off the ledge blind folded with this one. Very limited info out there on the unit, but the heritage of the company and affiliation to Rockna made me give it a shot unheard.


----------



## wwmhf

Gadget67 said:


> Gonna need an adapter....


I am sure that, with a suitable adapter, the Sennheiser and Brother will reproduce music together beautifully ...


----------



## wwmhf

adeadcrab said:


> From top-down - DAC, Amp, and Preamp.
> Not pictured - Headphones!



Preamp for the headphone amp?


----------



## carlman14

My setup. Sorry for the potato quality pics. This room has horrible lighting.


Then there's this rat's nest. Currently building a Tubelab SE headphone amp.


----------



## LoryWiv

Gadget67 said:


> Gonna need an adapter....


Oh, brother! This makes no senn's!


----------



## adeadcrab

wwmhf said:


> Preamp for the headphone amp?




Yes preamp for the headphone amp. The headphone out and DAC module on the bottom unit leave a lot to be desired. Adding a tube amp / preamp soon to maybe replace it.


----------



## fiiom11pro

kali77 said:


> Sorry for the horrible pic. Figured I’d add this shot before my new DAC comes though.




Superb lineup...


----------



## canfabulous (Jun 26, 2020)

Gadget67 said:


> Gonna need an adapter....



Upgraded drivers? 

p.s. units on top look easy to drive...


----------



## Silent One (Jun 27, 2020)




----------



## Mink

I know I am supossed to upload glossy, professional looking pictures, but helas, there wasn't enough light and I don't own a fancy camera.
Here it is (the horror!)


----------



## Preachy1

Silent One said:


>


Love the wood block stands.  Custom made or are they available commercially?


----------



## whirlwind

Silent One said:


>



Nice amp


----------



## nordkapp

Preachy1 said:


> Love the wood block stands.  Custom made or are they available commercially?


https://www.mapleshadestore.com/


----------



## banda

kali77 said:


> Sorry for the horrible pic. Figured I’d add this shot before my new DAC comes though.


What do you have over the Abyss headband?


----------



## kali77

banda said:


> What do you have over the Abyss headband?



ZMF pilot headband. Not the best fit but definitely helped me with the overall fit of the Diana.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

kali77 said:


> ZMF pilot headband. Not the best fit but definitely helped me with the overall fit of the Diana.



They just came out with the new "Co-Pilot" band. I think it will work well with more headphones.

https://www.zmfheadphones.com/pads-and-cables/copilot


----------



## kali77

CaptainFantastic said:


> They just came out with the new "Co-Pilot" band. I think it will work well with more headphones.
> 
> https://www.zmfheadphones.com/pads-and-cables/copilot



Sorry, this is the new co-pilot.


----------



## thesheik137




----------



## Silent One

Preachy1 said:


> Love the wood block stands.  Custom made or are they available commercially?
> [/QUOTE
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Silent One

whirlwind said:


> Nice amp


Thanks. JE Labs Phono Preamp (battery biased) - ‘Lady Shikibu’ edition.


----------



## LoryWiv




----------



## Pharmaboy

LoryWiv said:


>



Nice Einstein figurine. Even more nice is the Auteur & cable.

(and the album cover looks awfully familiar...)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

kali77 said:


> Sorry for the horrible pic. Figured I’d add this shot before my new DAC comes though.



Are you really driving the Abyss off the RME? Love the Woo stands...


----------



## Swisshead (Jun 28, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are you really driving the Abyss off the RME? Love the Woo stands...



Yes that is indeed interesting! All headphones that actually need a lot of power. Like the LCD-4, Abyss and HD660s.

So the ADI would have too little power for these HP's. Going does it already, but should play far below their level.

Or do he still have an AMP that you connect to the ADI?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Swisshead said:


> Yes that is indeed interesting! All headphones that actually need a lot of power. Like the LCD-4, Abyss and HD660s.
> 
> So the ADI would have too little power for these HP's. Going does it already, but should play far below their level.
> 
> Or do he still have an AMP that you connect to the ADI?



The 660S are very easy to drive. But yeah I would expect problems with the LCD-4 also as you point out.


----------



## kali77

gimmeheadroom said:


> The 660S are very easy to drive. But yeah I would expect problems with the LCD-4 also as you point out.



I am in the process of upgrading everything. I had the Liquid Platinum but sold it. I ordered the Audiobyte Vox and Zap which should be here in a week or so to replace the RME (going to bedroom setup/adding VC or Stellia), still deciding on amp for main rig. With that said the RME in high power get's the Diana and LCD-4 to adequate levels, but obviously not the most optimal.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

gimmeheadroom said:


> Nice looking setup! What light is that?



Thank you!

If what you mean is the red yellow light, they come standard from Milo.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheMiddleSky said:


> Thank you!
> 
> If what you mean is the red yellow light, they come standard from Milo.



It looked like you had a flashlight on the left side.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

gimmeheadroom said:


> It looked like you had a flashlight on the left side.



Oh, that shot was using available light from my room window


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheMiddleSky said:


> Oh, that shot was using available light from my room window



Sitting face down on the desk. A black thing that looks like a flashlight. If I'm wrong I hope my ears are in better shape than my eyes


----------



## TheMiddleSky

gimmeheadroom said:


> Sitting face down on the desk. A black thing that looks like a flashlight. If I'm wrong I hope my ears are in better shape than my eyes



Haha you have very detail eyes sir. True, that is my 8 years old little flashlight, contain of 24 small LEDs inside.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheMiddleSky said:


> Haha you have very detail eyes sir. True, that is my 8 years old little flashlight, contain of 24 small LEDs inside.



That is a relief 

I'm a bit into flashlights and didn't recognize which one it was, I had to ask   Thank you.


----------



## judomaniak57

using a Blusound Node 2i to stream


 tidal, enjoying MQA files


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> That is a relief
> 
> I'm a bit into flashlights and didn't recognize which one it was, I had to ask   Thank you.



you guys are killing me. I managed to lose my little/desktop flashlight (LEDs, bright as hell)...I'm lost w/out that thing!


----------



## Sazalirazak

Bit messy.. work in progress ..to be updated


----------



## CJG888

Like the 401!


----------



## Preachy1

Not my primary headphone station, but I occasionally recline and indulge my ears here.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Looks nice but the pictures are so tiny these old eyes really cannot be sure.


----------



## Preachy1

They look okay to me. Are you on a phone or a computer?


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Preachy1 said:


> They look okay to me. Are you on a phone or a computer?



They are tiny.


----------



## whirlwind (Jul 1, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> They look okay to me. Are you on a phone or a computer?



The look really small to me and I am on my pc...hope you can fix it as it is a killer looking listening room, plus I think I spy an Ekorness chair, but not quite sure.
If so I would be in that a good bit of the time    

Your signature says you like the same house sound's  as me....I love Audeze and ZMF.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> They look okay to me. Are you on a phone or a computer?



yup--they're small & cannot be enlarged by double-clicking. 

which is too bad because they look like nice pix of a very nice listening station.


----------



## Preachy1

Okay, let's try again.


----------



## Pharmaboy

THAT'S IT!!


----------



## Preachy1

It's a Stressless Chair.


----------



## koven

Nice chair, looks comfy and classy.


----------



## Preachy1

I intend to move the CD player to the open shelf, but I need a longer optical cable.


----------



## Lolito (Jul 1, 2020)

Mobile head-fi station, at it's current state. I switched from mp3 to apple lossless 1411kbs, so upgrade ipod with 128gb ssd, was not enough, got a 5th gen. and upgraded it to 256gb. Both with double size battery and nokia duration really. Fixed the old one headphone jack, got a new rear case with the matching storage size laser etched... New rubber cases in fancy colors... with the old one will do a transparent mod, with new click button, black headphone jack, black connector frame... sennheiser hd-25 25th anniversary also tuner for the occasion with copper cable and larger memory foam pads, will be shown soon. To be continued!!!!!:






After some thought and research, new daps use android, with very low battery. My old ipod with rotational HD and small battery could do 14 hours easily, long flights, transfer etc. This one with ssd and large battery, I think it could do 60 hours without charge easily. And then the interface, better than any other out there, imho. then if something breaks, like in a good headphone, there are parts available online for ever, and cheap.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, let's try again.



Wow, beautiful room! Spin up some Miles Davis and I'll bring the keg...


----------



## whirlwind (Jul 2, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> It's a Stressless Chair.




My back has thanked me ever since owning one of these chairs. Great recliner for music listening.    

Killer room!


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> Wow, beautiful room! Spin up some Miles Davis and I'll bring the keg...


How about Wes Montgomery and some bourbon?


----------



## Swisshead

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, let's try again.



Congratulations, impressive and very beautiful sound oasis! Have fun with it!

But it is immediately obvious that you are an American and live there! With us wood is frowned upon in the meantime and also we would make it "easier". But Americans love a lot of wood and a little bit of old-fashioned furniture...   

No, I like it!


----------



## nordkapp

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, let's try again.


Now that's an escape room! Very nice indeed!


----------



## Preachy1

A little detail, I built the rack in two days from a kit of wire shelves provided by ULIne.  I then took cabinet grade Birch plywood, had it cut to size, then stained and Poly'd the sheets.  I brought this project in under 1/4 of what a custom rack would've cost.  I was looking at some nice products from companies such as RigidRack or SolidSteel, but either of those would've run me close to $2,000.  This setup is steady as a big rock and founded on a cement floor.  Ain't no resonancez happening here!!!


----------



## metsat

This is my primary station (from left to right): AudioEngine A5+ Wireless, PS4 Slim, Sennheiser HDV820, Sennheiser HD820, LG 43UD79, XBOX ONE X, MSI Trident 3, Logitech G513 Carbon and Razer DeathAdder Elite. Every grown man is a child inside


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, let's try again.


Wow!  That looks like paradise and so enviting!  Nice setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> How about Wes Montgomery and some bourbon?



I don't drink...so how about some Grant Green + Canadian tea & biscuits? 

Have to comment on the Stressless chair. I'm impressed as hell by that, also envious--while I have free rein to get whatever orthopedic office chairs I like (I have 3 Steelcase Leap v1s + a Criterion), I've never messed around with equally supportive chairs for the living room/man cave. And in sad point of fact, I won't be able to get into it: my wife has thoroughly & very competently decorated the living spaces in our home, and there's no place for this kind of chair.

So I'll just have to admire your chair from afar...also admire the clear lineage to Eames chairs, many mint iterations of which I've seen at high-end auctions.


----------



## Pharmaboy

metsat said:


> Every grown man is a child inside



A wise statement! 

We each have our "inner child" (mine is often on the outside, making trouble--but I digress). In my experience w/high end audio & now headphone & desktop audio, I know it's all in service of my inner child's needs (he loves music w/senseless passion).


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> also admire the clear lineage to Eames chairs


That was one of the things that drew my eye to it.  Backstory, my wife and I were shopping for living room furniture. This was not in the plans, but the store was offering excellent zero interest financing, and as this was fairly pricey, we decided to take advantage of the offer.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> How about Wes Montgomery and some bourbon?



I'll get back to you


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'll get back to you


I'll be here.


----------



## basdek

Hugo 2, phonitor 2, roon, qobuz, beyer t1 gen 1

Phonitor is recently acquired


----------



## CaptainFantastic

This is where I am at. I took a journey into more expensive things only to decide that, for my ears and music taste, the HD-600 and family are the best, most natural sounding headphones. I am pairing them with a variety of good tubes on the equally unpretentious WA3.


----------



## InstantSilence

CaptainFantastic said:


> This is where I am at. I took a journey into more expensive things only to decide that, for my ears and music taste, the HD-600 and family are the best, most natural sounding headphones. I am pairing them with a variety of good tubes on the equally unpretentious WA3.


Why the loki if you have rme DSP 
?


----------



## CaptainFantastic

InstantSilence said:


> Why the loki if you have rme DSP
> ?



I had it, I sold it, then missed the tactile experience of small adjustments. Bought it again. To be honest, I don't use it much, just small adjustments on the odd track that has too much bass, etc. The RME EQ is for more substantial EQ adjustments stored as profiles like on the Nighthawk.


----------



## holytiger (Jul 3, 2020)

New DAC arrived yesterday with a linear power supply. Experiencing a whole new level of my HD800s. This headphone probably responds dramatically than any other headphones out there to a change in the system which could be a good thing or a bad thing...being so picky!  It does not guarantee that it will produce a desired sound but it sure does reveal what the component does within the system chain. And I DO sure like what I hear this time !


----------



## OctavianH

CaptainFantastic said:


> This is where I am at. I took a journey into more expensive things only to decide that, for my ears and music taste, the HD-600 and family are the best, most natural sounding headphones. I am pairing them with a variety of good tubes on the equally unpretentious WA3.



What earpads are those?


----------



## CaptainFantastic

OctavianH said:


> What earpads are those?



Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin. Despite what some say, personally I prefer the 6-series with these over stock, both sound (but don't ask me to describe exactly) and feel.


----------



## gefski

Preachy1 said:


> A little detail, I built the rack in two days from a kit of wire shelves provided by ULIne.  I then took cabinet grade Birch plywood, had it cut to size, then stained and Poly'd the sheets.  I brought this project in under 1/4 of what a custom rack would've cost.  I was looking at some nice products from companies such as RigidRack or SolidSteel, but either of those would've run me close to $2,000.  This setup is steady as a big rock and founded on a cement floor.  Ain't no resonancez happening here!!!


Nice work on the rack. Looking at the ULine site, what size are these? Do the two units bolt together with brackets from ULine? Thanks!


----------



## Pharmaboy

CaptainFantastic said:


> This is where I am at. I took a journey into more expensive things only to decide that, for my ears and music taste, the HD-600 and family are the best, most natural sounding headphones. I am pairing them with a variety of good tubes on the equally unpretentious WA3.



I, too, have the WA3. That's a competent, heavy little OTL. Every high impedance HP I've tried on it sounded terrific, as did all the planars I tried (planar drivers have a steady state impedance vs a frequency-mediated impedance, so they react to an OTL very differently).


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> New DAC arrived yesterday with a linear power supply. Experiencing a whole new level of my HD800s. This headphone probably responds dramatically than any other headphones out there to a change in the system which could be a good thing or a bad thing...being so picky!  It does not guarantee that it will produce a desired sound but it sure does reveal what the component does within the system chain. And I DO sure like what I hear this time !



How do you like the Pathos? I've been pretty interested in that one, off & on...


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> Nice work on the rack. Looking at the ULine site, what size are these? Do the two units bolt together with brackets from ULine? Thanks!


Each unit is 30 wide by 18 deep by 34 high. It comes as a starter kit with 4 poles and 2 shelves. You can get an “add-on” which includes two more shelves and poles . Which connect using S hooks. I bought 2 addl add on kits because I wanted three shelves per unit. I then used black zip ties to strap the poles together.


----------



## gefski

Preachy1 said:


> Each unit is 30 wide by 18 deep by 34 high. It comes as a starter kit with 4 poles and 2 shelves. You can get an “add-on” which includes two more shelves and poles . Which connect using S hooks. I bought 2 addl add on kits because I wanted three shelves per unit. I then used black zip ties to strap the poles together.


Ah yes, the basic kit doesn’t have the bottom shelf. We’re moving this year, so I’m saving this info and links, as I like what you’ve done there. Our son-in-law has a cabinet business, so I can get beautiful and heavy wood shelves at “those prices“.


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## gimmeheadroom

@holytiger 
The Aurium is bigger than I imagined. Nice gear


----------



## Mink

vmiguel said:


>


This is something we all should take a lesson from: just two pairs of headphones, one closed-back, one open-back. And I mean this, I'm not being condescending. If I see it correctly it is the HD6XX and the Beyerdynamic DT150? Nice choice.
What's that cube thing? Some sort of native Kubik's Cube?


----------



## vmiguel

Mink said:


> This is something we all should take a lesson from: just two pairs of headphones, one closed-back, one open-back. And I mean this, I'm not being condescending. If I see it correctly it is the HD6XX and the Beyerdynamic DT150? Nice choice.
> What's that cube thing? Some sort of native Kubik's Cube?


Thanks... and refrain from reading my signature regarding the 2 headphones...

That's actualy my "other" setup, based on a Little Dot Mk II, feed by a BTR5 from a Raspberry/MyVolumio/Creative aptx transmitter. And yes, it's a 6XX and a DT150 (that I got for 20€ in very poor shape but brought it to full spec with original parts). Love them both from the tubes!

The cube thing is a 3D 4-in-line game, there are two sets of wooden spheres, one darker than the other that go in 16 poles in a 4x4 pattern. It's a dad-daughter thing


----------



## ufospls2

Current set up looks like this right now.


----------



## albertmuc




----------



## canfabulous

ufospls2 said:


> Current set up looks like this right now.



Lovely trio... I guess you have no need for a closed back!


----------



## holytiger (Jul 5, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like the Pathos? I've been pretty interested in that one, off & on...



Well for me, it works extremely well with certain headphones! and quite good with others. with this combo, Hd800s pure heaven IMO.  But it also depends on what sort of tube you use because the stock tube(electroharmonix) is kinda meh not worth even mentioning.. but the amp made jaw dropping improvement when I upgraded to the orange labeled Amperex 7308. Also the stock power supply they provide is really 20-30 dollar worth of garbage so adding a proper linear power supply really beefed the amp up to a whole new level. With all the above upgrades I have mentioned(which costs about 200USD total) it pretty much comes out on top to any amps that I have heard under 2 grand for sure. Recently I even compared this amp head to head with Allnic 3000gt, questyle master twelve, bryston bha-1 and WA22 all five on the table and surprisingly this amp came out on top even though it was the least expensive one.(not by much though)


----------



## holytiger (Jul 5, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> @holytiger
> The Aurium is bigger than I imagined. Nice gear


It sure is, considering it does not have a transformer in the chassis! it comes with a separate power supply unit.


----------



## Roasty

ufospls2 said:


> Current set up looks like this right now.



very nice! how are you liking the Rockna? what dac were u using before?
i think that setup really deserves a new rack..!


----------



## ufospls2

Roasty said:


> very nice! how are you liking the Rockna? what dac were u using before?
> i think that setup really deserves a new rack..!



I'm enjoying it so far. I've cycled through a lot of DACs, but I think I'm going to keep this one for a while. Lol, I should look at a new rack I suppose, but I'd rather spend on audio gear than furniture.


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> Well for me, it works extremely well with certain headphones! and quite good with others. with this combo, Hd800s pure heaven IMO.  But it also depends on what sort of tube you use because the stock tube(electroharmonix) is kinda meh not worth even mentioning.. but the amp made jaw dropping improvement when I upgraded to the orange labeled Amperex 7308. Also the stock power supply they provide is really 20-30 dollar worth of garbage so adding a proper linear power supply really beefed the amp up to a whole new level. With all the above upgrades I have mentioned(which costs about 200USD total) it pretty much comes out on top to any amps that I have heard under 2 grand for sure. Recently I even compared this amp head to head with Allnic 3000gt, questyle master twelve, bryston bha-1 and WA22 all five on the table and surprisingly this amp came out on top even though it was the least expensive one.(not by much though)



Oh, damn...now I have to seriously obsess about this Pathos amp + your upgrades!!

(thanks for this informative reply)


----------



## KC2020

Pharmaboy said:


> Oh, damn...now I have to seriously obsess about this Pathos amp + your upgrades!!



Here's a photo of my temporary, working from home mixing and mastering set up with Pathos, Quicksilver and Little Labs Monotor amps sitting on top of the Crane Song Solaris DAC. The Crane Song is a standard 19" wide rack mount.  Hopefully that helps visualize the Pathos Aurium's size.

One of the nice features of the Pathos is it's dual pass-through. I have the balanced output of the DAC into the Pathos and the two pass throughs feed the other two HP amps. With the HP amp in the DAC that's 4 amps. I have each profiled in Sonarworks for various HPs for work but I turn that off when listening for pleasure.

The Pathos is a very good sounding tube / Mosfet hybrid. Mine came with a pair of Sovteks and they sound great. Pathos like many manufacturers doesn't always ship their amps with the same tubes because of availability etc.. I also have two of their high-end speaker amps that are tube / Mosfet hybrid. One came with Genalex Gold Lions and the other Mullards. Tube rolling with any of the Pathos amps is fun because the tubes are really part of the sound, not just a buffer.

FWIW, if you have clean power I think you'll find the power supply that ships with the Pathos to be just fine. I tried it with the SBooster and it made no difference. All my components are on a Furman line conditioner which is on an APC Smart UPS. So my power is a true sine wave and clean @ 120V all the time. 

Just my 2 cents worth based on a couple of decades as an audio engineer  and an audiophile.


----------



## Pharmaboy

KC2020 said:


> Here's a photo of my temporary, working from home mixing and mastering set up with Pathos, Quicksilver and Little Labs Monotor amps sitting on top of the Crane Song Solaris DAC. The Crane Song is a standard 19" wide rack mount.  Hopefully that helps visualize the Pathos Aurium's size.
> 
> One of the nice features of the Pathos is it's dual pass-through. I have the balanced output of the DAC into the Pathos and the two pass throughs feed the other two HP amps. With the HP amp in the DAC that's 4 amps. I have each profiled in Sonarworks for various HPs for work but I turn that off when listening for pleasure.
> 
> ...



Great post. I may respond to it later on. But for the moment--I can't believe you have a Quicksilver HP amp! So you have 2 of the amps I pine for (this coming from someone w/7 amps & truly no need for another).


----------



## Ralf Hutter

KC2020 said:


> Pathos, Quicksilver amps



How do the two amps compare?


----------



## KC2020

Pharmaboy said:


> Great post. I may respond to it later on. But for the moment--I can't believe you have a Quicksilver HP amp! So you have 2 of the amps I pine for (this coming from someone w/7 amps & truly no need for another).



Hah !

Your only hope is to admit you NEED another amp ;~)

The photo above is just my work HP amps. 


Ralf Hutter said:


> How do the two amps compare?



Similar but completely different. They're both amps with tubes that don't sound like tube amps. The Pathos is very defined, tight bass with good extension, detail through out the mids and highs but softer than a SS amp. It's a great amp but I'd take the Quicksilver over it any day. It sounds bigger and better in every way. Truly 'holographic' and detailed in the way an SET amp should sound. Listen to any amp and then go to the Quicksilver and it's like the nice sounding nightclub you were in turns into a concert hall.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Oh, damn...now I have to seriously obsess about this Pathos amp + your upgrades!!



Well maybe not. If you're lucky the English version of the Pathos website will break for you too, and you'll be unable to find a retailer


----------



## CaptainFantastic

KC2020 said:


> Similar but completely different. They're both amps with tubes that don't sound like tube amps. The Pathos is very defined, tight bass with good extension, detail through out the mids and highs but softer than a SS amp. It's a great amp but I'd take the Quicksilver over it any day. It sounds bigger and better in every way. Truly 'holographic' and detailed in the way an SET amp should sound. Listen to any amp and then go to the Quicksilver and it's like the nice sounding nightclub you were in turns into a concert hall.



What tubes does it use?


----------



## KC2020

CaptainFantastic said:


> What tubes does it use?



The Pathos Aurium uses a pair of 6922 for the preamp stage. The Quicksilver uses a pair of 12AX7 and a pair of 6BQ5 for output.


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

KC2020 said:


> Hah !
> 
> Your only hope is to admit you NEED another amp ;~)
> 
> ...


Users who have only experienced tubes in the Preamp stage & NOT in the amplification stage still can't grasp just how good a full boat is when compared to a hybrid...


----------



## Dan Fuentes




----------



## Mink

Don't like the looks of the Utopia and Stellia, but I must say the Clears are gorgeous. Didn't expect them to look better than the Klipsch, seeing them side by side.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Dan Fuentes said:


>



What's between your THX and glass mushrooms? Looked like a Meier something but I can't figure it out.


----------



## E8ArmyDiver (Jul 7, 2020)

Breaking in the new Burson Conductor 3P in the bedroom...


----------



## Pharmaboy

E8ArmyDiver said:


> Breaking in the new Burson Conductor 3P in the bedroom...



Tower of Babel on top of Burson...?


----------



## E8ArmyDiver (Jul 7, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Tower of Babel on top of Burson...?


The White City,Minas Tirith,from the Lord Of The Rings.Weighs about 1lb...There are 4ea.#3 Vibrapods under the 1.75" Maple/Walnut cutting board,then the Ginko MIni Clouds with the statue really anchoring everything..


----------



## CaptainFantastic

E8ArmyDiver said:


> The White City,Minas Tirith,from the Lord Of The Rings.Weighs about 1lb...There are 4ea.#3 Vibrapods under the 1.75" Maple/Walnut cutting board,then the Ginko MIni Clouds with the statue really anchoring everything..



Must be the easiest A/B testing in the world. If you remove Minas Tirith, what happens to the sound?


----------



## Pharmaboy

E8ArmyDiver said:


> The White City,Minas Tirith,from the Lord Of The Rings.Weighs about 1lb...There are 4ea.#3 Vibrapods under the 1.75" Maple/Walnut cutting board,then the Ginko MIni Clouds with the statue really anchoring everything..



Thanks for explaining. But you gotta admit, there's a certain resemblance to Bruegel's Tower of Babel:


----------



## Dan Fuentes

gimmeheadroom said:


> What's between your THX and glass mushrooms? Looked like a Meier something but I can't figure it out.


That is the Lake People RS-06 DAC being fed from CMA400i Spidf out


----------



## Dan Fuentes

Mink said:


> Don't like the looks of the Utopia and Stellia, but I must say the Clears are gorgeous. Didn't expect them to look better than the Klipsch, seeing them side by side.


Like two different worlds of aesthetic. If it were movies it would be sci-fi vs. old timey western. In terms of build the HP-3 edges out the Focal. IMO Focal loses points due to the metallic painted plastic cup rings. The Klipsch does not compromise anywhere in the build they look and feel like an industrial piece of art in your hands.


----------



## Mink

Nice analogy!
Wow, are those rings painted plastic? That's ridiculous! Still, I didn't notice it, so who cares?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Tower of Babel on top of Burson...?



I thought it was some new kind of barbecue. And I thought it was genius to run it off the heatsink fins. Seriously green conservation of energy!


----------



## sonics (Sep 15, 2020)




----------



## Scutey

My latest acquisition the V 281 Final Edition, hoping it will compliment the Felks Elise nicely.


----------



## CreditingKarma

Updated the system today nothing new on the headfi front. But I did finally get around to adding a subwoofer to my 2 channel system. I got a JL Audio Fathom F110v2. I was going between them and the rel s510 but from feed back and recommendations I went with the JL.

 It has made a pretty big improvement in the sound overall. After using REW and some slight eqing with roon the bass response is pretty flat in my room. There used to be a pretty big dip at 100hz and 80hz of almost 12db and now it is gone with no boosting in the eq just some very targeted cuts. I will add a second sub when we buy a house with a larger room but for now this works great in my room 10'x13'x8'.

A big bonus is that this was alot cheaper than upgrading to the Magico S3MK2 for another $20k on top of trading in my speakers. Plus I really like 2 speakers they do the disappearing act better.


----------



## KC2020

CreditingKarma said:


> ... But I did finally get around to adding a subwoofer to my 2 channel system. I got a JL Audio Fathom F110v2. I was going between them and the rel s510 but from feed back and recommendations I went with the JL.
> 
> It has made a pretty big improvement in the sound overall. After using REW and some slight eqing with roon the bass response is pretty flat in my room. There used to be a pretty big dip at 100hz and 80hz of almost 12db and now it is gone with no boosting in the eq just some very targeted cuts.



Very Nice! 

The Hegel is a cool sounding amp and with the Magico's extruded aluminum enclosure it has a bass signature that's hard to match a sub to. The auto room correction of the JL should create a great synergy between them, the perfect solution.

Congrats on the upgrade !


----------



## CreditingKarma

KC2020 said:


> Very Nice!
> 
> The Hegel is a cool sounding amp and with the Magico's extruded aluminum enclosure it has a bass signature that's hard to match a sub to. The auto room correction of the JL should create a great synergy between them, the perfect solution.
> 
> Congrats on the upgrade !



Thanks the sealed enclosures help to provide a really tight bass response. I know there are folks that think magico speakers are bass light I think it has more to do with the speed and how tight the bass response is from a sealed enclosure vs a ported speaker. The same goes for subs I much prefer a sealed sub over ported designs. 

I am happy that the sub has gotten my speakers closer to where the abyss is. The abyss is so good that it has had me chasing upgrades for my two channel system.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

sonics said:


>



Chrome City! Your rig is like the Harley Davidson of hifi


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CreditingKarma said:


> Updated the system today nothing new on the headfi front. But I did finally get around to adding a subwoofer to my 2 channel system. I got a JL Audio Fathom F110v2. I was going between them and the rel s510 but from feed back and recommendations I went with the JL.
> 
> It has made a pretty big improvement in the sound overall. After using REW and some slight eqing with roon the bass response is pretty flat in my room. There used to be a pretty big dip at 100hz and 80hz of almost 12db and now it is gone with no boosting in the eq just some very targeted cuts. I will add a second sub when we buy a house with a larger room but for now this works great in my room 10'x13'x8'.
> 
> A big bonus is that this was alot cheaper than upgrading to the Magico S3MK2 for another $20k on top of trading in my speakers. Plus I really like 2 speakers they do the disappearing act better.



I've seen you post more or less the same pic in probably a half dozen threads. Don't know why, I just keep clicking the Like button


----------



## Sazalirazak

sonics said:


>


Stunning!


----------



## Wes S

sonics said:


>


WOW!!!  Nice gear you got there.


----------



## CreditingKarma

gimmeheadroom said:


> I've seen you post more or less the same pic in probably a half dozen threads. Don't know why, I just keep clicking the Like button




Sorry for that I have been making updates all year. My room is so small that it is hard to get a different angle.


----------



## Wes S

CreditingKarma said:


> Sorry for that I have been making updates all year. My room is so small that it is hard to get a different angle.


Nothing wrong with having pride in your setup! Keep posting them man.  

 By the way, I see a Liquid Platinum, and if you have not heard of the new cap mod being done to it, I highly suggest looking in to it.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CreditingKarma said:


> Sorry for that I have been making updates all year. My room is so small that it is hard to get a different angle.



Great looking setup, if I didn't like it you would have 6 less likes


----------



## Preachy1

I need some help.  This is probably not the precise place to ask, so if someone can point me to the right forum, it would be much appreciated.  I'm getting some weird effects with my LCD-3's.  Sometimes (not all the time) when I'm wearing them, if I move my head suddenly, I get like a popping sound from each ear cup.  It sounds like built-up pressure being released from the cups.  Almost like they need a release vent or something like that.  If I'm sitting mostly still, there are no problems and they sound great.  Any thoughts on this?

TIA!!!!!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I guess my beard helps with my LCD-3F


----------



## KC2020

Preachy1 said:


> I need some help.  This is probably not the precise place to ask, so if someone can point me to the right forum, it would be much appreciated.  I'm getting some weird effects with my LCD-3's.  Sometimes (not all the time) when I'm wearing them, if I move my head suddenly, I get like a popping sound from each ear cup.  It sounds like built-up pressure being released from the cups.  Almost like they need a release vent or something like that.  If I'm sitting mostly still, there are no problems and they sound great.  Any thoughts on this?
> 
> TIA!!!!!



You most likely have a short somewhere in the HP cable, possibly at the plug / amplifier's jack. At a very low volume try moving the cable to see if you can cause it.


----------



## judomaniak57

gimmeheadroom said:


> Chrome City! Your rig is like the Harley Davidson of hifi


what over priced and doesn't run? i would love to hear that setup


----------



## Preachy1

KC2020 said:


> You most likely have a short somewhere in the HP cable, possibly at the plug / amplifier's jack. At a very low volume try moving the cable to see if you can cause it.


Thanks, but I don't think that's it.  It's hard to explain, but it's purely a mechanical sound, not electronic.  I did what you suggested, but I was not able to duplicate the noise.  

The noise also occurs if I adjust them while they are on my head. It's almost as if the seal is too tight around my ears.


----------



## KC2020

Preachy1 said:


> Thanks, but I don't think that's it.  It's hard to explain, but it's purely a mechanical sound, not electronic.  I did what you suggested, but I was not able to duplicate the noise.
> 
> The noise also occurs if I adjust them while they are on my head. It's almost as if the seal is too tight around my ears.



Well that's good news because a repeated shorting of the input could damage the HPs. 

You could try standing in front of a mirror with the HPs on and then moving your head left / right / up / down to try and replicate the sound. I doubt the seal is that tight but it's possible.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Preachy1 said:


> Thanks, but I don't think that's it.  It's hard to explain, but it's purely a mechanical sound, not electronic.  I did what you suggested, but I was not able to duplicate the noise.
> 
> The noise also occurs if I adjust them while they are on my head. It's almost as if the seal is too tight around my ears.



Speak with Audeze support too. I think their headphones are so heavy and somehow primitive in design, that build issues must be somewhat common. Maybe they've seen this one before.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

judomaniak57 said:


> what over priced and doesn't run? i would love to hear that setup



Like the Canadians have something better?


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> Like the Canadians have something better?


Actually, yeah.  They do!!!

View attachment Tryke_resized.jpg


----------



## Preachy1

LCD problem solved (or at least identified).  I went to adjust the ear pads, and they crumbled in my hands.  Glad it's not a driver issue!!!!


----------



## smallcaps

Just finished assembling my bedside listening station. Using my phone to transmit bluetooth via the LDAC codec into an ifi Zen Blue, outputting balanced using a 4.4mm to XLR interconnect into an xDuoo TA-20, currently driving a pair of Sennheiser HD580 balanced. 

Almost a perfect setup for me, minus the blinding blue LED readout from the TA-20. Nothing that a bit of tape can't fix! Using LDAC I can hear no noticable difference compared to the single-ended line out from my DAP in my previous configuration. Overall quite happy with the setup and may do some tube rolling next.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CreditingKarma said:


> Thanks the sealed enclosures help to provide a really tight bass response. I know there are folks that think magico speakers are bass light I think it has more to do with the speed and how tight the bass response is from a sealed enclosure vs a ported speaker. The same goes for subs I much prefer a sealed sub over ported designs.
> 
> I am happy that the sub has gotten my speakers closer to where the abyss is. The abyss is so good that it has had me chasing upgrades for my two channel system.



Interesting comment about sealed enclosures. The 3 speakers that worked well in my constrained desktop system (13' X 13' room) were all sealed designs, which interact with nearby boundaries far less than ported designs. Beyond that, there's unquestionably a qualitative difference in the sound of sealed vs ported bass. The former doesn't go as low (bass starts dropping off sharply at the cabinet's resonant frequency), but sounds more like music to my ears: tight, tuneful, timbrally accurate. 

I find it easier to integrate my sub (JL Audio e110) to the sealed 2-ways _du jour_ (ATC SCM12 Pro's) because of their sealed design. I just dial in 5-10 Hz above the bass drop-off frequency on the electronic crossover (that is ~55 Hz, so I use 70 Hz as the  crossover frequency), and it all sounds like one big speaker.

If you compare similar size sealed speakers vs ported ones that ported ones will initially sound "bassier," because they go a little lower in Hz. But the quality of bass reproduction is usually better in the sealed speakers--less boomy/muddy, more focused.


----------



## Pharmaboy

smallcaps said:


> Just finished assembling my bedside listening station. Using my phone to transmit bluetooth via the LDAC codec into an ifi Zen Blue, outputting balanced using a 4.4mm to XLR interconnect into an xDuoo TA-20, currently driving a pair of Sennheiser HD580 balanced.
> 
> Almost a perfect setup for me, minus the blinding blue LED readout from the TA-20. Nothing that a bit of tape can't fix! Using LDAC I can hear no noticable difference compared to the single-ended line out from my DAP in my previous configuration. Overall quite happy with the setup and may do some tube rolling next.



I'm very interested in the TA-20, though I need another amp like another hole in the head...


----------



## smallcaps

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm very interested in the TA-20, though I need another amp like another hole in the head...


It's a decent little amp but feels like a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things. If you're all amped up, I would probably skip it. For a first-time buy, beginner or budget offering, it's pretty worthwhile, however there's a lot of competition at the 300-500 price range. I got it a couple years ago when it first came out, but not sure if I would make the same choice in 2020. In fact I almost sold it, but decided to make it my bedside rig instead.


----------



## LoryWiv

sonics said:


>


Wonderful looking rig. What is the gorgeous tube amp?


----------



## Pharmaboy

smallcaps said:


> It's a decent little amp but feels like a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things. If you're all amped up, I would probably skip it. For a first-time buy, beginner or budget offering, it's pretty worthwhile, however there's a lot of competition at the 300-500 price range. I got it a couple years ago when it first came out, but not sure if I would make the same choice in 2020. In fact I almost sold it, but decided to make it my bedside rig instead.



Very perceptive comments & a good reminder to pause whenever experiencing irrational amp lust.

We all go for these "1/2-way" products (out of curiosity), but rarely are elevated by them. The amps I should pursue are the Pathos Aurium & Quicksilver HP amp. Each has its strengths, and either one would give me something I don't have in other amps.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> Actually, yeah.  They do!!!



Bzzzt! I thought he might say Bombardier snowmobiles


----------



## gibby (Jul 9, 2020)




----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> Bzzzt! I thought he might say Bombardier snowmobiles


hahaha, the Tryke is made by Bombardier.


----------



## sonics

LoryWiv said:


> Wonderful looking rig. What is the gorgeous tube amp?


That’s the HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition electrostatic headphone amplifier.


----------



## CreditingKarma (Jul 9, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Interesting comment about sealed enclosures. The 3 speakers that worked well in my constrained desktop system (13' X 13' room) were all sealed designs, which interact with nearby boundaries far less than ported designs. Beyond that, there's unquestionably a qualitative difference in the sound of sealed vs ported bass. The former doesn't go as low (bass starts dropping off sharply at the cabinet's resonant frequency), but sounds more like music to my ears: tight, tuneful, timbrally accurate.
> 
> I find it easier to integrate my sub (JL Audio e110) to the sealed 2-ways _du jour_ (ATC SCM12 Pro's) because of their sealed design. I just dial in 5-10 Hz above the bass drop-off frequency on the electronic crossover (that is ~55 Hz, so I use 70 Hz as the crossover frequency), and it all sounds like one big speaker.
> 
> If you compare similar size sealed speakers vs ported ones that ported ones will initially sound "bassier," because they go a little lower in Hz. But the quality of bass reproduction is usually better in the sealed speakers--less boomy/muddy, more focused.


My speakers go down to below 40hz but I am crossing over the sub around 75hz. After measuring with REW it gave me the flattest bass response in my room. The sealed design is definitely a tighter bass response and more musical to my ears as well.


----------



## KC2020 (Jul 9, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Interesting comment about sealed enclosures. ....there's unquestionably a qualitative difference in the sound of sealed vs ported bass. The former doesn't go as low (bass starts dropping off sharply at the cabinet's resonant frequency), but sounds more like music to my ears: tight, tuneful, timbrally accurate.



A good speaker will roll the bass off at a higher frequency in a sealed enclosure because distortion gets increasingly worse, more audible, as the mid/bass or bass driver reaches it's greatest extension. This may or may not be at the cabinet's resonant frequency. Even if it's designed to be, how you place it in the room, because boundary effect still happens to a sealed speaker, and whether it's coupled or de-coupled from the stand and/or floor all contribute.

The fixed volume of air in the sealed enclosure limits the movement and exacerbates any lack of uniformity at it's greatest extension and it distorts. As the surround ages it'll develop distortion at increasingly higher frequencies if it's over driven.

This also applies to closed HPs, though they're not truly sealed.

I replace the bass drivers in my studio monitors as soon as I can measure increased low end distortion from them (spectral analysis via tone sweep). I've never been able to hear it until I replace the drivers. That's been every 2 years with monitors that cost $40K.



Pharmaboy said:


> If you compare similar size sealed speakers vs ported ones that ported ones will initially sound "bassier," because they go a little lower in Hz. But the quality of bass reproduction is usually better in the sealed speakers--less boomy/muddy, more focused.



To general a statement, not true. But you did say 'usually' so you get a pass ;~)


----------



## Focux

gibby said:


>



first manchurian ash i've seen in awhile!


----------



## Focux

"Listening stations" in NZ & SG respectively, kinda miss having a bigger desk..


----------



## dogtagkz (Jul 10, 2020)

Current pandemic-WFH state.

Was mainly on DAP with no desktop setup and mostly earbuds and IEMS.

With the recent lockdown, restricted movement order and WFH policy, fell down further down the rabbit hold hole, sold most of my gears, IEMS and earbuds and switched to desktop setup. AKG K371 most of the time and the Senns HD650 for when the home is quiet.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Focux said:


> "Listening stations" in NZ & SG respectively, kinda miss having a bigger desk..



HHKB in the first pic?


----------



## ChijiroKuro

Greetings from Spain!!


sonics said:


>


One of the best systems around this and others worlds. Katalist is a must have. 
Be safe!!


----------



## Focux

gimmeheadroom said:


> HHKB in the first pic?



FC660M in white, FC660C in black


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Focux said:


> FC660M in white, FC660C in black



Huh I wouldn't have suspected that. Double shot keycaps? I have a few fullsize Filcos and I don't really like them. The keycap legends wore down after a few years.

I have some Model Ms but my daily drivers are Hyper X fullsize and tenkeyless with Cherry brown or blue. I think I have more than 6 in use now. Surprisingly good given they're made by Kingston.


----------



## Focux

gimmeheadroom said:


> Huh I wouldn't have suspected that. Double shot keycaps? I have a few fullsize Filcos and I don't really like them. The keycap legends wore down after a few years.
> 
> I have some Model Ms but my daily drivers are Hyper X fullsize and tenkeyless with Cherry brown or blue. I think I have more than 6 in use now. Surprisingly good given they're made by Kingston.



not too sure if the 660C is also doubleshot but both are PBT; can’t rmb what the improvement on the 660C keycaps are tho


----------



## iFi audio

sonics said:


> That’s the HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition electrostatic headphone amplifier.



Let's not forget about that Klimax on the bottom shlf


----------



## Coztomba

Some shots before I add the Icon Audio HP8 + Denafrips Ares II.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Coztomba said:


> Some shots before I add the Icon Audio HP8 + Denafrips Ares II.



love the blue backlight!


----------



## OctavianH




----------



## Sazalirazak

OctavianH said:


>


Are those feliks tube with Beyer T1s?


----------



## OctavianH

Yes, those are KT66 + 7581A with Beyerdynamic T1 gen. 2. The DAC is TT2, perfect for rock and metal. Currently listening to Paradise Lost - One Second album,


----------



## InstantSilence

OctavianH said:


> Yes, those are KT66 + 7581A with Beyerdynamic T1 gen. 2. The DAC is TT2, perfect for rock and metal. Currently listening to Paradise Lost - One Second album,


How do you find tt2 for electronic music. What do you like about it's sound most?


----------



## OctavianH

InstantSilence said:


> How do you find tt2 for electronic music. What do you like about it's sound most?



I do not listen to electronic music. I just listen to rock and metal, where the Chord DACs are doing a good job when paired with tube amps and proper headphones.


----------



## whirlwind

Coztomba said:


> Some shots before I add the Icon Audio HP8 + Denafrips Ares II.




Very cool space, well done.


----------



## Bonddam

wrong thread


----------



## Sazalirazak

OctavianH said:


> Yes, those are KT66 + 7581A with Beyerdynamic T1 gen. 2. The DAC is TT2, perfect for rock and metal. Currently listening to Paradise Lost - One Second album,


Which Feliks model is that please?


----------



## TheMiddleSky

OctavianH said:


>



what do you think the main differences between TT2 direct and pair with Elise?


----------



## OctavianH

TheMiddleSky said:


> what do you think the main differences between TT2 direct and pair with Elise?



TT2 is a great DAC but for high impedance headphones like T1.2 used in AMP mode is not enough. It cannot properly amplify them. I feel the sound is thin and the bass quantity is not as desired, not as punchy and clean like on the external amplifier. So what to say, better and cleaner bass, fuller sound. But my preferences might be biased because I never like the Solid State sound compared to the tube one. Solid state always sounded more digital to my ears. I have not tried other headphones on TT2, but I would recommend models with a darker signature, because I think the synergy is better in this way. T1.2 sounded sometimes harsh to my ears and I always wanted to rise the volume. On Elise I never needed to do that.


----------



## canfabulous

Sazalirazak said:


> Which Feliks model is that please?



I think it’s an Elise.


----------



## OctavianH

Yes it is Elise model 2018.


----------



## Sazalirazak

Using the T1 v2 now considering the Echo, Elise and Woo wa6..any thoughts?


----------



## OctavianH

Sazalirazak said:


> Using the T1 v2 now considering the Echo, Elise and Woo wa6..any thoughts?



I avoid to speak about what I have not heard, I can say only that Elise has a warmer nature which complements the T1 v2 in a good way. There is a very good synergy between them. Of course, the whole line and personal preferences are also important. The best way would be to demo them and decide which one suits you the best.


----------



## Sazalirazak

OctavianH said:


> I avoid to speak about what I have not heard, I can say only that Elise has a warmer nature which complements the T1 v2 in a good way. There is a very good synergy between them. Of course, the whole line and personal preferences are also important. The best way would be to demo them and decide which one suits you the best.


Thanks man appreciate..


----------



## Adnen Ayed

HiFiGuy528 said:


> Let's see your headphones station at it's current state.  You can clean things up and bit, but it has to be your current station.  NO old pictures please.
> 
> here is mine.  Took the pictures this morning.


----------



## Zurv (Jul 14, 2020)

Now i don't need heating in the winter!


----------



## TheMiddleSky (Jul 13, 2020)

OctavianH said:


> TT2 is a great DAC but for high impedance headphones like T1.2 used in AMP mode is not enough. It cannot properly amplify them. I feel the sound is thin and the bass quantity is not as desired, not as punchy and clean like on the external amplifier. So what to say, better and cleaner bass, fuller sound. But my preferences might be biased because I never like the Solid State sound compared to the tube one. Solid state always sounded more digital to my ears. I have not tried other headphones on TT2, but I would recommend models with a darker signature, because I think the synergy is better in this way. T1.2 sounded sometimes harsh to my ears and I always wanted to rise the volume. On Elise I never needed to do that.



Thank you for the explanation!

Got loaned TT2 and currently eyeing Feliks products (either elise or straight to euforia), or perhaps goes to SS option, still not sure. Your comparison really helpful.

Anyway, throwing a picture:


----------



## CaptainFantastic

OctavianH said:


> TT2 is a great DAC but for high impedance headphones like T1.2 used in AMP mode is not enough. It cannot properly amplify them. I feel the sound is thin and the bass quantity is not as desired, not as punchy and clean like on the external amplifier. So what to say, better and cleaner bass, fuller sound. But my preferences might be biased because I never like the Solid State sound compared to the tube one. Solid state always sounded more digital to my ears. I have not tried other headphones on TT2, but I would recommend models with a darker signature, because I think the synergy is better in this way. T1.2 sounded sometimes harsh to my ears and I always wanted to rise the volume. On Elise I never needed to do that.



I have a tube amp as well and I really enjoy it compared to solid state. So I understand completely what you mean. 

Nonetheless, to hear the TT2 amp "is not enough" is so crazy. I mean, we're talking about a 5k EUR/USD price tag with an amp built to even power speakers. It's a bit sad that such expensive gear is still lacking. It makes for one super expensive DAC-only unit.


----------



## iFi audio

OctavianH said:


>



Great setup and photo! +1 extra point for FAW Noir cable


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> I have a tube amp as well and I really enjoy it compared to solid state. So I understand completely what you mean.
> 
> Nonetheless, to hear the TT2 amp "is not enough" is so crazy. I mean, we're talking about a 5k EUR/USD price tag with an amp built to even power speakers. It's a bit sad that such expensive gear is still lacking. It makes for one super expensive DAC-only unit.



Chord site says:
*Output power (unbalanced):* (@1% THD) 288 mW RMS 300Ω; 

So I can see how somebody could feel it is not enough for 600 ohm Beyers or even 300 ohm Sennheisers.


----------



## TheMiddleSky (Jul 13, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Chord site says:
> *Output power (unbalanced):* (@1% THD) 288 mW RMS 300Ω;
> 
> So I can see how somebody could feel it is not enough for 600 ohm Beyers or even 300 ohm Sennheisers.



Actually the power output of Feliks Elise at 200 mw, although no information at what impedance. Anyway, TT2 alone able to powered zmf verite at 300 ohm just fine (even produce  slight more micro detail compare to TT2 + Violectric V281 pairing), and still plenty of headroom left in term of volume.

Having said that, TT2 produce "too much" of smoothness sometimes, that perhaps take away some impactful effect from music. It's in their sound character though, not power problem.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheMiddleSky said:


> Actually the power output of Feliks Elise at 200 mw, although no information at what impedance. Anyway, TT2 alone able to powered zmf verite at 300 ohm just fine (even produce  slight more micro detail compare to TT2 + Violectric V281 pairing), and still plenty of headroom left in term of volume.



OTL amps usually have more voltage, which is what Sennheisers seem to need. The volume isn't the issue. They can get ear-splitting loud and still sound lifeless. Unfortunately I don't have any ZMFs to compare.


----------



## LoryWiv

gimmeheadroom said:


> Chord site says:
> *Output power (unbalanced):* (@1% THD) 288 mW RMS 300Ω;
> 
> So I can see how somebody could feel it is not enough for 600 ohm Beyers or even 300 ohm Sennheisers.


Interestingly, I believe that's approx. same output power as Feliks Elise OTL, underscoring how different amp designs affect performance.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

TheMiddleSky said:


> Thank you for the explanation!
> 
> Got loaned TT2 and currently eyeing Feliks products (either elise or straight to euforia), or perhaps goes to SS option, still not sure. Your comparison really helpful.
> 
> Anyway, throwing a picture:


Naa.
You've a Master 12 on hand and plugging the VC to the TT2?


----------



## canfabulous




----------



## CaptainFantastic

canfabulous said:


>



Very nice. Are those 5998 Tung Sols?


----------



## canfabulous

CaptainFantastic said:


> Very nice. Are those 5998 Tung Sols?



It's the stock tube config as it's a home demo unit.  The thing is beautifully built and sounds very amazing (e.g. my Elegias are a different headphone and much more enjoyable), but at the price tag, I feel like I should be demoing other things before investing.   Being in the UK really limits my options  - difficult (near impossible) to find a way to audition the Studio Six, Moon Audio IHA-1 ZMF pendant, or the Glenn OTL that everyone raves about.


----------



## ItsThePeanutiest




----------



## gibby

Thinking of selling...


----------



## ItsThePeanutiest

gibby said:


> Thinking of selling...



ill be paying attention in case you do


----------



## johnzz4

The latest iteration..


----------



## Toddy

Update. (The stack, not the Senn.) I just couldn‘t resist Jan‘s summer sale…  






They are the _-ff_ versions by the way.


----------



## Focux

ItsThePeanutiest said:


> ill be paying attention in case you do



there is a new set in the same manchurian ash for sale in Singapore by Zeppelin & Co

they do ship internationally


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> Very nice. Are those 5998 Tung Sols?



Are those Tung Sols?! Look at the wood on those Verites! I couldn't even see the tubes in that picture. I was *blinded* by the wood!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Wow! Gorgeous setups, guys! Keep 'em coming!


----------



## canfabulous

ItsThePeanutiest said:


>


Love it... you sir... have GAS!  (gear acquisition syndrome)


----------



## canfabulous

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are those Tung Sols?! Look at the wood on those Verites! I couldn't even see the tubes in that picture. I was *blinded* by the wood!



Ah thank you sir... they really are lovely.   @zach915m did a lovely job on them as the cups almost mirror each other perfectly.  I'm thrilled with their sound too.  I prefer them to the Aeolus, but I think that's partly due to them being a closed back and blocking out background noise from noisy inner city living!


----------



## Toddy

canfabulous said:


> Love it... you sir... have GAS!  (gear acquisition syndrome)



Isn't that condition required to become a member here  ?


----------



## canfabulous

Toddy said:


> Isn't that condition required to become a member here  ?



Based upon my recent experiences, I would say so!  Damn enablers... all of you!


----------



## OctavianH

Like Sartre was saying, "Hell is Other People".


----------



## Preachy1

gibby said:


> Thinking of selling...


Wow, that wood is gorgeous (I know, that's what she said!!!).  If I didn't already have two sets of Auteurs.........


----------



## goldark




----------



## meomap




----------



## CJG888

meomap said:


>


Is that a Shinola Runwell?


----------



## meomap

CJG888 said:


> Is that a Shinola Runwell?


Yes, it is.


----------



## Pharmaboy

meomap said:


> Yes, it is.



Where in that picture is there a wristwatch? I just looked pretty closely.


----------



## meomap

Pharmaboy said:


> Where in that picture is there a wristwatch? I just looked pretty closely.


There's no wristwatch.
Maybe special edition version with a green color signed tag.


----------



## Pharmaboy

meomap said:


> There's no wristwatch.
> Maybe special edition version with a green color signed tag.



I'm confused. 

Shinola is a brand of watches & one of the model lines is called Runwell. I own the one shown in link below:
https://www.shinola.com/mens/watches/the-runwell/therunwell47-chrono-77936.html


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Shinola did sell some audio stuff at one point:
https://www.shinola.com/supply/audio.html


----------



## Pharmaboy

Thanks for explaining. 

If I ever knew they did audio, I managed to forget it...


----------



## meomap

Pharmaboy said:


> Where in that picture is there a wristwatch? I just looked pretty closely.


I thought you meant as a joke. Sorry.


----------



## CJG888

Shinola was part of the Detroit revival...


----------



## CJG888

... the original Shinola Brand was associated with shoe polish. It was then „recycled“ for a lifestyle goods company many decades later.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CJG888 said:


> ... the original Shinola Brand was associated with shoe polish. It was then „recycled“ for a lifestyle goods company many decades later.



All true. It's one of the positive tales of the Detroit renaissance. 

They also make a helluva watch IMO. I like big heavy watches but try to steer between el cheapos & big-bucks Swiss brands. That's where Shinola watches live.


----------



## Sazalirazak




----------



## puck

Here's me WFH setup.


----------



## nasty nate

My humble setup


----------



## CaptainFantastic

nasty nate said:


> My humble setup



Humble? More like end-game as soon as the HD-600 shows up. I actually took a similar picture recently:


----------



## nasty nate

CaptainFantastic said:


> Humble? More like end-game as soon as the HD-600 shows up. I actually took a similar picture recently:



Yours look customized; new pads, grill, and cables? They look great


----------



## Lolito

CaptainFantastic said:


> Humble? More like end-game as soon as the HD-600 shows up. I actually took a similar picture recently:



Gotta love those earpads


----------



## nick n (Jul 17, 2020)

Sazalirazak said:


>



VERY NICE.
You have great taste.

Teddy Pardo TeddyDac, double enclosure PR1 preamp and 2 x MB100 monoblocks ( I assume those are the MB100 )!!!

It's a great sounding combination isn't it   

1- What is the extra TeddyPardo power supply used for?
2- What is the unit top left with the silver knob?
3- What headphone amp is that?
4 - Is that a custom rack?


----------



## BobG55

Lolito said:


> Gotta love those earpads


What pads are those ?  They really look good.  I’m interested because I own a pair of HD600 & HD650, so I may be interested.  Thanks.


----------



## kman1211

BobG55 said:


> What pads are those ?  They really look good.  I’m interested because I own a pair of HD600 & HD650, so I may be interested.  Thanks.



I’m pretty sure those are Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads.


----------



## BobG55

kman1211 said:


> I’m pretty sure those are Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads.


Thank you.


----------



## Sazalirazak

nick n said:


> VERY NICE.
> You have great taste.
> 
> Teddy Pardo TeddyDac, double enclosure PR1 preamp and 2 x MB100 monoblocks ( I assume those are the MB100 )!!!
> ...


Indeed you are right ☺️ the top left is a Stevens & Billington Step up Transformer for At Art9 cart - Pardo Phn1phonostage AudioMods Arm -G401 powered by Nigel's Speed controller on the extreme right. Pardo Seas excel speakers passive crossover < 100hz goes to Dspeaker antimode dsp - 2 x 10inch Bk subs. I use a custom 3 output Pardo psu for powering the antimode dsp and Audiolab digital streamer optical to teddy dac. Acer xc 885 desktop inside the cabinet HDMI out to LG 55tv and USB out to teddy dac. Use this for Netflix Spotify Tidal mainly and Epl Spurs games of course😃 .. the sub levels were corrected using dsp umik etc
teddy Pardo rocks! 
Hp amp is Kevin Gilmore CFA-current feedback amplifier Golden Reference psu included. It's the latest KG designed dynamic amp,had it built by a local diyer and sounds absolutely fabulous powering my T1v2 and custom built-tuned orthos. also sounds very good as a preamp


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## iceman27

: L3000:


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Sennheiser Army is alive.


----------



## TheRH (Jul 19, 2020)

RME ADI-2 DAC and Sennheiser's.


----------



## TheRH




----------



## carboncopy




----------



## JMR77

carboncopy said:


>


Very nice!, Inpol Ear, is it the Dac version? fi yes, can you streamline Tidal to it somehow? does the Inpol Ear sound as good as it looks?


----------



## intlsubband (Jul 19, 2020)

Work from home station almost complete (electrostats to connect and complete the system soon)

Sorry for the photo quality - the light quality is very pleasant in person but looks terrible on camera! will take the next bunch of photos in daylight.


----------



## carboncopy

It is without the DAC. That is the Aqua under it. And an audio PC under it with Roon/Tidal.

I did try a few headphone amps, at the end it was between a Pass HPA-1 and this. The Pass was very good. In fact if the Pathos were not there for direct comparsion I would have bought it. The difference is...there is a wonderful (and moving) track from Tori Amos - Professional Widow [Merry Widow Version]. It's on Tidal too, a live performance. Tori's voice is very strong here, she is almost shouting direct into the microfon. I heard this track with a lot of systems. Several times it became too "hot". Easy to the point of uncomfortable. It's not the record, but it is hard to play it back right. Now, the Pass was OK. It wasn't bad, but I thought...here it comes, it will be too much. Then not, but it was borderline. With the Pathos it was simply magic, emotion and energy. So, for me it is good enough.


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


>



I want your DAC!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


> It is without the DAC. That is the Aqua under it. And an audio PC under it with Roon/Tidal.
> 
> I did try a few headphone amps, at the end it was between a Pass HPA-1 and this. The Pass was very good. In fact if the Pathos were not there for direct comparsion I would have bought it. The difference is...there is a wonderful (and moving) track from Tori Amos - Professional Widow [Merry Widow Version]. It's on Tidal too, a live performance. Tori's voice is very strong here, she is almost shouting direct into the microfon. I heard this track with a lot of systems. Several times it became too "hot". Easy to the point of uncomfortable. It's not the record, but it is hard to play it back right. Now, the Pass was OK. It wasn't bad, but I thought...here it comes, it will be too much. Then not, but it was borderline. With the Pathos it was simply magic, emotion and energy. So, for me it is good enough.



...and I want your Pathos amp!

Heard a couple of them in 2019 CanJam/NYC and had trouble leaving the booth.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

puck said:


> Here's me WFH setup.



Hah! Dueling Dell Professional monitors. I'm kicking myself now for not buying the tube upgrade you have


----------



## koven

carboncopy said:


>



Why Cascades? $10K worth of equipment seems kind of wasted on those since they're made to run from a phone.


----------



## carboncopy

koven said:


> Why Cascades? $10K worth of equipment seems kind of wasted on those since they're made to run from a phone.



The Cascade scales immensly. And I just love them. On the other hand, a ZMF Atticus is on the way.

Truth to be told I just getting back to headphone listening after nearly 10 years of speakers.


----------



## KC2020

carboncopy said:


> ... it was between a Pass HPA-1 and this. The Pass was very good. ... With the Pathos it was simply magic, emotion and energy.



I've owned a couple Pass amps and currently own 2 Pathos amps. Both brands have their signature sound and I've always thought the Pathos are just more 'musical'. It may have something to do with those little glowing things up top ;~)


----------



## 19844

Topiing D90+A90 not bad at all for Hifiman he1000v2


----------



## tabness

favorite setup: CD3000 out of anything including some lovely vintage Walkmans/Discmans






bedside setup: Stax





and when i really wanna feel the bass


----------



## FastAndClean

tabness said:


>


----------



## tabness

FastAndClean said:


>



yous nerds keep trying different amps and EQ and mods and whatever this is the best tweak to bump that bass lol


----------



## meomap

tabness said:


> favorite setup: CD3000 out of anything including some lovely vintage Walkmans/Discmans
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I got one of those Sony portable discman but was stolen during 89' earthquake on 5th floor at state university.


----------



## SalR406

tabness said:


>



That Sony SCD-1 is a beaut!  I owned its little brother, the SCD-777ES, for a while about 15 years ago.  Sounded fantastic through my Bryston preamp & amp and Totem Mani-2 speakers.  The ergonomics on the Sony were great, but the platter door was s-l-o-w moving and so was the disc reading mechanism.  Very high latency between "I have a disc in my hand I'd like to play" and "now I hear music".  Heh.  Nevertheless, I miss that system.  Sold it a long time ago.


----------



## Curtisvill

Some amazing setups in this thread.


----------



## BobG55 (Jul 22, 2020)

My “modest” audiophile headphone setup.  Woo Audio WA6 2nd gen > Schiit Loki EQ > Teac PD-H600 CD player (w/  Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component, for optimum audio quality.)

Headphones, L-R : Grado GS3000e,  Senns HD600/ HD650,  Beyers DT880/ 600 ohms

I enjoy this setup very much.  I’ve owned quite expensive headphones & headphone amps in the past.  For some reason I prefer this setup now.  I’ve most likely learned to enjoy/ listen to the music.  Having just turned 65, I seem to prefer things that are simple, quaint, no longer complicated for me.  And, I listen to CDs, only.

_(Room is dark, even during a sunny day like today.  I tried to get the best photo quality w/ my Apple iPad camera on HD mode.)_


----------



## BobG55

Duplicate [sorry]


----------



## Preachy1

The Nightfly!!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> The Nightfly!!!!!



I'll never forget the 1st time I went to Italy, in 1983, a year after THE NIGHTFLY came out. Practically every retail store I went into in Rome & Florence had either THE NIGHTFLY or various Louis Armstrong tunes (or both) on the sound system. That was thrilling, especially because this was definitely not the case in U.S. stores.


----------



## Shane D

BobG55 said:


> My “modest” audiophile headphone setup.  Woo Audio WA6 2nd gen > Schiit Loki EQ > Teac PD-H600 CD player (w/  Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component, for optimum audio quality.)
> 
> Headphones, L-R : Grado GS3000e,  Senns HD600/ HD650,  Beyers DT880/ 600 ohms
> 
> ...



So, what do think of your GS3000e's? Does the Woo Audio amp even work with them?


----------



## whirlwind

BobG55 said:


> My “modest” audiophile headphone setup.  Woo Audio WA6 2nd gen > Schiit Loki EQ > Teac PD-H600 CD player (w/  Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component, for optimum audio quality.)
> 
> Headphones, L-R : Grado GS3000e,  Senns HD600/ HD650,  Beyers DT880/ 600 ohms
> 
> ...




Great group of headphones to rotate, the Senn 600/650 have really stood the test of time, they are great headphones.


----------



## Deolum

BobG55 said:


> My “modest” audiophile headphone setup.  Woo Audio WA6 2nd gen > Schiit Loki EQ > Teac PD-H600 CD player (w/  Burr Brown PCM1796 D/A converter, a 192kHz/24-bit component, for optimum audio quality.)
> 
> Headphones, L-R : Grado GS3000e,  Senns HD600/ HD650,  Beyers DT880/ 600 ohms
> 
> ...



Would you buy the GS3000e again? I've sold many highend headphones for the HD600/540 600 Ohm and from what i've read i think we have a similar taste. What does the GS3000e offer you over the others?

At the moment the GS1000e is the last expensive headphone standing in my collection and i really don't know if i should sell or keep it.


----------



## BobG55 (Jul 23, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> The Nightfly!!!!!



Yep, The Nightfly.  It’s such an iconic album. Steely Dan & Fagen are my favourite band/ musician along w/ The BeaTles.  I own all of SD’s & Fagen’s albums.  SD is also my 28 year old son’s favourite band since he was 14 years old ! For his 18th birthday we drove from Ottawa, ON, Canada to Chicago to go see SD.  Best concert I’ve seen along w/ McCartney (2013).



whirlwind said:


> Great group of headphones to rotate, the Senn 600/650 have really stood the test of time, they are great headphones.



Thanks Whirlwind, and I conquer with your opinion concerning the Senn 600/650.  I’ve never been without an HD600 since 2003.



Shane D said:


> So, what do think of your GS3000e's? Does the Woo Audio amp even work with them?



Hi Shane, I’m not very good at describing sound.   I received them of Tuesday & I’ve listened to them for approx. 4 hours total.  The one thing I “did” notice is that the sound is “deep” as opposed to “at the forefront”.  On the album The Nightfly for example I detected a faint tambourine which I don’t remember hearing [can’t remember which song].  Also heard a triangle [percussion], but again, faint.  The sound also appears to be “large”.  The bass is also more prominent when compared to most Grado headphones.  I still prefer the bass on my HD650.  As for my WA6, it handles the GS3Ke with ease.
The GS3Ke‘s nominal impedance is 32 ohms.  The WA6 has a HI / LO headphone impedance switch at the back & will drive headphones 8-600 ohms.



Deolum said:


> Would you buy the GS3000e again? I've sold many highend headphones for the HD600/540 600 Ohm and from what i've read i think we have a similar taste. What does the GS3000e offer you over the others?
> 
> At the moment the GS1000e is the last expensive headphone standing in my collection and i really don't know if i should sell or keep it.



Hi Deolum, Would I buy it again ?  Probably not for several reasons.  I’m Canadian and up here the GS3Ke is $2,399 + 15% tax.  I put an “Wanted” ad on Canuck Audio Mart for it and expected a used GSK3e if I got a reply.   A Montreal retailer offered me a brand new one for $2,150 tax included along w/ s&h.  Heck of a deal. What they offer ? See my response to Shane D. above.



Pharmaboy said:


> I'll never forget the 1st time I went to Italy, in 1983, a year after THE NIGHTFLY came out. Practically every retail store I went into in Rome & Florence had either THE NIGHTFLY or various Louis Armstrong tunes (or both) on the sound system. That was thrilling, especially because this was definitely not the case in U.S. stores.



Hi Pharmaboy.  It doesn’t surprise me about the album not playing in U.S. stores.  It was the same up here in Canada in most music retailers/ stores.  They mostly played the newer artists’ music to promote their latest albums.  Donald Fagen‘s music is not “pop culture”.  BTW, I used the past tense writing about music stores.  They’re all pretty well gone.


----------



## KC2020

Preachy1 said:


> The Nightfly!!!!!



The Nightfly was Donald Fagen's first album without Walter Becker and his first foray into digital recording and overdubbing. He struggled with both and the album took 8 months to record. Its 'tone' can be attributed to both the new medium and the lack of influence / balance in song writing that Becker provided. I had just become a partner in a Southern California studio and we heard all the buzz about what they were going through. It wasn't until 1989, 7 years later that ProTools was introduced.


----------



## dnd3241 (Jul 23, 2020)

My Head-Fi Station.


----------



## KPzypher

Recently converted one of the walk-in closets into a dedicated listening/nap room. 
It's nice and cozy and I like it!


----------



## whirlwind

KPzypher said:


> Recently converted one of the walk-in closets into a dedicated listening/nap room.
> It's nice and cozy and I like it!




Great idea to convert a walk in closet.

It feels so nice to have a dedicated listening room, you will be glad you did this  
Nice gear, and two great cans....congrats.    Enjoy the music.


----------



## meomap

KPzypher said:


> Recently converted one of the walk-in closets into a dedicated listening/nap room.
> It's nice and cozy and I like it!


If I do that to my house then my lady will set up a dog house for me to stay in the backyard. 
Even my little pet dog sleeps on a bed......


----------



## KPzypher

meomap said:


> If I do that to my house then my lady will set up a dog house for me to stay in the backyard.
> Even my little pet dog sleeps on a bed......



It wasn't free 😬🤣
I had to give up some prime realestate  (my study) to my kids to be used as their new playground and move shop into one of the less desirable spare bedroom. lol


----------



## whirlwind

KPzypher said:


> It wasn't free 😬🤣
> I had to give up some prime realestate  (my study) to my kids to be used as their new playground and move shop into one of the less desirable spare bedroom. lol



A man's gotta do...what a man's gotta do


----------



## meomap

KPzypher said:


> It wasn't free 😬🤣
> I had to give up some prime realestate  (my study) to my kids to be used as their new playground and move shop into one of the less desirable spare bedroom. lol


It's ok. I set up my hp station or rack by front window......and my 2 channel setup next to it.


----------



## KPzypher

meomap said:


> It's ok. I set up my hp station or rack by front window......and my 2 channel setup next to it.



Front window? at least you've got a good view...... or I hope.. 
It's ok.  Looks like you've got an awesome system.  So you should be happy in the crawl space.


----------



## meomap

KPzypher said:


> Front window? at least you've got a good view...... or I hope..
> It's ok.  Looks like you've got an awesome system.  So you should be happy in the crawl space.



Something simple.
Piano on the Left along with 1 seater sofa just to enjoy the wonderful music has to offer.....
2 Channel system located on the Right against the wall with cathedral ceiling.....


----------



## Pharmaboy

meomap said:


> If I do that to my house then my lady will set up a dog house for me to stay in the backyard.
> Even my little pet dog sleeps on a bed......





KPzypher said:


> Recently converted one of the walk-in closets into a dedicated listening/nap room.
> It's nice and cozy and I like it!



I'm waiting for inevitable response here,

"I converted my dedicated listening room to a walk-in closet. Now I miss my music!"


----------



## KPzypher

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm waiting for inevitable response here,
> 
> "I converted my dedicated listening room to a walk-in closet. Now I miss my music!"



I've convinced my wife that I need a dedicated room to "shield our kids from harmful electromagnetic fields and RF energy....." so I think I'm safe for now.


----------



## Shane D

meomap said:


> Something simple.
> Piano on the Left along with 1 seater sofa just to enjoy the wonderful music has to offer.....
> 2 Channel system located on the Right against the wall with cathedral ceiling.....



Beautiful set-up!


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm waiting for inevitable response here,
> 
> "I converted my dedicated listening room to a walk-in closet. Now I miss my music!"


Ingenious.


----------



## goldark




----------



## Focux

missing it already..


----------



## meomap

Focux said:


> missing it already..


Why? You sold it already?


----------



## Focux

meomap said:


> Why? You sold it already?



yep, I did


----------



## llamaluv

Well, you can always get it again in the future. It seems pretty common among Utopia owners to have gone through two rounds with it...


----------



## Focux

llamaluv said:


> Well, you can always get it again in the future. It seems pretty common among Utopia owners to have gone through two rounds with it...



definitely on my radar if i can find a solution to wear for longer hours


----------



## meomap

llamaluv said:


> Well, you can always get it again in the future. It seems pretty common among Utopia owners to have gone through two rounds with it...


I have demoed other hp like : 1K v2, Susvara, LCD4.
Not worthy or overthrowing to replace any hp yet for my Utopia.


----------



## donlin




----------



## gimmeheadroom

donlin said:


>



Nice wood on those Grados!


----------



## elvergun

donlin said:


>



Nice.   How does the Hemp sound with that amp?


----------



## Wyville

donlin said:


>


Very nice! Really curious about the Hemp, not seen many impressions around.


----------



## donlin

I’ve only had the hemp for three days but after nearly thirty years of doing this, right now it’s the most enjoyable system I’ve ever owned. By far the cheapest phones I’ve bought in years too.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Focux said:


> yep, I did



Sold mine around the Christmas holidays...re-bought a new one in May. Just saying.


----------



## wishbon3




----------



## CaptainFantastic

MacedonianHero said:


> Sold mine around the Christmas holidays...re-bought a new one in May. Just saying.



What kind of a financial hit does something like that produce? When I sold my high-end Audeze I received around 50% of the new puchase price. I can't imagine repurchasing new.


----------



## Preachy1

My guess is that he didn't buy a "new" set, just a set that was new to him.

correct?


----------



## ItsThePeanutiest

cosplayerkyo said:


> Shinola did sell some audio stuff at one point:
> https://www.shinola.com/supply/audio.html



Yep!
Heck I even got a Shinola edition Benchmade Custom 485 Valet pocket knife


----------



## Focux

CaptainFantastic said:


> What kind of a financial hit does something like that produce? When I sold my high-end Audeze I received around 50% of the new puchase price. I can't imagine repurchasing new.



10-15%?

i lost exactly 11.89%


----------



## Gadget67

Here’s my latest hot weather set up.  It’s 90+ here today and only one room in my house is air conditioned so I’ve moved everything there until things cool off in September or October.  Im using my Focal Arche as a DAC through my Phonitor 2.  Currently listening to my Utopia!


----------



## Stourmead

SupperTime said:


> Just curious, is the Hugo 2 amp that bad? That incapable?



no - it’s lovely for most music but some bands I listen to, the finer detail just gets crushed behind a wall of sound . The separate amp just helps lift up some details. Was speaking to a couple of people about this and they both concluded an analogue Amp stage probably is able to do a better job than the digital stage in the Hugo 2 in terms of power. Also for the sake of £99 on the cost of that rig , it’s like a throwaway upgrade


----------



## basdek (Jul 28, 2020)

On my head is the HD800s, which is new!
Currently playing the 5th and 6th Brandenburg concerto! The detail resolution is amazing!


----------



## ivanrocks321 (Jul 29, 2020)

Newest setup. Just tried a Cherry STM its a class D speaker amp but im having great success with k1k. Gonna give it a go with a susvara later on.


----------



## basdek

Gadget67 said:


> Here’s my latest hot weather set up.  It’s 90+ here today and only one room in my house is air conditioned so I’ve moved everything there until things cool off in September or October.  Im using my Focal Arche as a DAC through my Phonitor 2.  Currently listening to my Utopia!


Would the Arche not be the most ideal amp for the Utopia?


----------



## 340519 (Jul 29, 2020)

bedroom setup.


----------



## KPzypher

basdek said:


> Would the Arche not be the most ideal amp for the Utopia?



That is an unusual setup.  I personally find Arche's DAC average and its amp excellent, and use a standalone DAC with the Arche for the Stellia.  Focal presets are its strong suit and a unique feature I think.

But hey, to each his own and whatever floats your boat.

Whichever setup sounds best to your ears is the right setup for you.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jul 29, 2020)

basdek said:


> Would the Arche not be the most ideal amp for the Utopia?



Hard to know. Just because a company is good at headphones and speakers doesn't mean they have guys who can design amps or DACs on staff. Maybe they can maybe they can't. I don't know.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> bedroom setup.



Seriously, I said to myself that looks exactly like one of @dmdm setups.

If I can recognize that it's your setups just from the pics does it mean I spend too much time on this site?


----------



## 340519

gimmeheadroom said:


> Seriously, I said to myself that looks exactly like one of @dmdm setups.
> 
> If I can recognize that it's your setups just from the pics does it mean I spend too much time on this site?


Lol maybe.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jul 29, 2020)

dmdm said:


> Lol maybe.



How are you liking the DAC3? I debated between Benchmark and Mytek but I wanted MQA so I went with the Brooklyn DAC+  
If I had the extra cash I'd buy a DAC3 for one of my other systems. I'd like to have both but can't do it right now.


----------



## 340519 (Jul 29, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> How are you liking the DAC3? I debated between Benchmark and Mytek but I wanted MQA so I went with the Brooklyn DAC+
> If I had the extra cash I'd buy a DAC3 for one of my other systems. I'd like to have both but can't do it right now.


It's fine but I wish it had more gain. Even at 0 gain with the jumpers it is relatively low. The smsl m200 on top of it sends out more vrms for some reason. Mqa doesn't interest me as tidal just sends it out 9624 so I'm good.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> It's fine but I wish it had more gain. Even at 0 gain with the jumpers it is relatively low. The smsl m200 on top of it sends out more vrms for some reason. Mqa doesn't interest me as tidal just sends it out 9624 so I'm good.



That's interesting, did you contact Benchmark support? I would think a pro device could put out a lot more voltage.

I've seen Tidal MQA do up to 24/192 for a lot of albums and there is a playlist I found a few weeks ago that has some 24/352!

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/9eabdfe6-deea-45b6-9eb1-0026cfd32dec


----------



## 340519 (Jul 29, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's interesting, did you contact Benchmark support? I would think a pro device could put out a lot more voltage.
> 
> I've seen Tidal MQA do up to 24/192 for a lot of albums and there is a playlist I found a few weeks ago that has some 24/352!
> 
> https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/9eabdfe6-deea-45b6-9eb1-0026cfd32dec


I just emailed Rory at benchmark to see if I can get some more gain output.


----------



## JDFlood

Gadget67 said:


> Here’s my latest hot weather set up.  It’s 90+ here today and only one room in my house is air conditioned so I’ve moved everything there until things cool off in September or October.  Im using my Focal Arche as a DAC through my Phonitor 2.  Currently listening to my Utopia!


Ok, you win on cool looking system. I didn’t realize how much I still like the tech look.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

JDFlood said:


> Ok, you win on cool looking system. I didn’t realize how much I still like the tech look.



Yeah VU meters are the cat's meow. I don't know why more companies don't include them. The RME spectrum analyzer is way cool and ultimately more useful, but VU meters kinda shout "audiophile" in an old school way that some of us appreciate.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> I just emailed Rory at benchmark tense of I can get some more gain output .



Mo-power...yeah, baby, yeah!


----------



## JDFlood

My current system until I get my Ayre QB-9 back from upgrade and my Aurrender N100.


----------



## Kukuk

Recently traded my MDR-Z1Rs. No regrets.





I honestly didn't think headphones could get better than my HE-500s. I was wrong.


----------



## 340519 (Jul 30, 2020)

Kukuk said:


> Recently traded my MDR-Z1Rs. No regrets.
> 
> 
> 
> I honestly didn't think headphones could get better than my HE-500s. I was wrong.


Wow. My z1rs are my favorite out of all my cans. Absolutely fabulous. And my abyss tcs I should have next week.


----------



## Gadget67

JDFlood said:


> Ok, you win on cool looking system. I didn’t realize how much I still like the tech look.


Thanks!  Now, here’s a “behind the scenes” look; I recently added a Niagara 1200 and Audioquest power cables.  That’s my Sony TA sitting on the Phonitor 2 and I have since swapped it out with the Focal Arche which is in my most recent system pic.  I certainly don’t have “dirty power” and I actually wasn’t expecting much by adding the Niagara and the cables; I was very pleasantly surprised by the difference!  Bass is definitely more impactful and there is very noticeable additional clarity and definition.  My comments are subjective but the one thing I can say that’s not at all in doubt is that my system is measurably louder based on comparisons at the same volume settings so there are definite changes since adding power management.  Let’s just say, I’m convinced!


----------



## kuutan (Jul 29, 2020)

My not-so-portable, portable setup. Th900, Ifi Micro BL, and the discontinued Fostex Hp-v1 portable tube amp.


----------



## 340519

Kukuk said:


> Recently traded my MDR-Z1Rs. No regrets.
> 
> 
> 
> I honestly didn't think headphones could get better than my HE-500s. I was wrong.


My abyss tcs show up next week. Stoked!


----------



## chillysalsa

My current office rig at night.


----------



## Kukuk

dmdm said:


> My abyss tcs show up next week. Stoked!



As you should be! Even the original model is absolutely superb sounding. I'm half-tempted to send mine in to get them updated to the new driver, though.


----------



## nordkapp

dmdm said:


> My abyss tcs show up next week. Stoked!


Man, u r dropping some coin lately!


----------



## Lolito

My system updated:





















New Adam A7x speakers, coffee machine cleaned, new shelf under de desk for the electronics. Atom and Khadas to be eventually upgraded, eventually, ipod 5G with transparent plate, new hd25-II with new large pads.


----------



## genck

I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.


----------



## canfabulous

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.



It's a whole new meaning to "burr brown"


----------



## JDFlood

canfabulous said:


> It's a whole new meaning to "burr brown"


Now that brings back memories. I worked for Burr-Brown for almost 20 years.


----------



## chillysalsa

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.


Ya I was looking at the speaker sideways at first, and thought the same thing for a second!  Be like... the high end is really percolating on this track!


----------



## canfabulous

Oooh, we haven't had a good series of terrible puns since the Brother printer! 

p.s. I love this thread!


----------



## CreditingKarma

meomap said:


> I have demoed other hp like : 1K v2, Susvara, LCD4.
> Not worthy or overthrowing to replace any hp yet for my Utopia.



Try the Abyss AB-1266 PHI TC. IMHO it bests the Utopia in pretty much every way. You do need a much beefier amp to drive it though.


----------



## Pharmaboy

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.



I just went through that mental spin-cycle myself...


----------



## Pharmaboy

canfabulous said:


> It's a whole new meaning to "burr brown"



"electrical grounds"


----------



## Lolito

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.



LOL, some brands are actually doing amplifiers with a design older than a 60's italian espresso coffee machine, or even uglier. Could be a mackintosh tube amplifier, or something even uglier. Could be a sonus faber with those ridiculous strings in front of them. Could be anything so ugly that the usual white-old-fat-american-heterosexual-man likes.


----------



## LoryWiv

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.


I'll bet it produces a nice, black background.


----------



## canfabulous

Pharmaboy said:


> "electrical grounds"



crema mids!


----------



## nasty nate

Recently upgraded the Asgard 2 to the Lyr 3


----------



## BobG55

genck said:


> I thought your coffee machine was some kind of crazy amplifier there for a bit, lol.



She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t liiiiie ... Caffeiiiiiiiine ...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

nasty nate said:


> Recently upgraded the Asgard 2 to the Lyr 3



Disconnect headphones before using


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 30, 2020)

.


----------



## Tarttett

ivanrocks321 said:


> Newest setup. Just tried a Cherry STM its a class D speaker amp but im having great success with k1k. Gonna give it a go with a susvara later on.


What do you think of the ES-1a?


----------



## 340519 (Jul 31, 2020)

Added a audio sensibility statement cable.


----------



## ivanrocks321

Tarttett said:


> What do you think of the ES-1a?


Fantastic think it’s a excellent value vs SR009 at used or new prices. They keep up with the totl stax but for less. I think these have the widest soundstage out of any current in production stax as a standout feature.


----------



## JDFlood

CreditingKarma said:


> Try the Abyss AB-1266 PHI TC. IMHO it bests the Utopia in pretty much every way. You do need a much beefier amp to drive it though.


The Utopias are really easy to drive. Not like I need another pair of headphones, but I’ll have to have a look.


----------



## Tarttett

ivanrocks321 said:


> Fantastic think it’s a excellent value vs SR009 at used or new prices. They keep up with the totl stax but for less. I think these have the widest soundstage out of any current in production stax as a standout feature.


Do you think that they could replace the SR-009 for you?


----------



## ivanrocks321 (Jul 31, 2020)

Tarttett said:


> Do you think that they could replace the SR-009 for you?


Yes I’ve been considering that lately. The ES1a is a bit less comfy as they are a bit heavier and fit looser than stax but that’s my only issue with es1a vs sr009. Also es1a can be pad swapped with sr7 and SR9 pads to see if you get a different change in flavor. ES labs has 2 stock pad options as well.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> I just emailed Rory at benchmark to see if I can get some more gain output.



Ok, two whole days went by! What's the news?


----------



## waveSounds

These B&O BeoPlay H2s were my gateway into headphones. Having been back and forth between a couple of locations in lockdown I remembered to bring my NightOwls with me, but not the cable...

I lost one of the ear pads for the H2s some time back so hadn't even considered them as an interim option until I ordered some 50mm foamies from Amazon lol. Not quite the lambskin leather ones that came with them, but at least they're usable. Must say, they don't sound half-bad, either!


----------



## 340519

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ok, two whole days went by! What's the news?


Nothing. They did not respond. It turns out that using the balanced output on the bryston sends out a lot more power so I'm going balanced.


----------



## JDFlood (Aug 1, 2020)

I got my upgraded Ayre QB-9 Twenty back. Wow, what an incredibly performance boost! If anyone has an Ayre QB-9 you should do it. This is my end objective. I may do some cable changes.


----------



## kali77

Fun week with some new toys added! Welcomed the Audiobyte stack and the Stellia’s


----------



## banda

Kukuk said:


> As you should be! Even the original model is absolutely superb sounding. I'm half-tempted to send mine in to get them updated to the new driver, though.


Only the Phi CC can have the TC drivers put in.


----------



## koven




----------



## kali77

koven said:


>


Sexy! Love the ProAcs. Used to have some monitors back in the day before I moved to some Green mountain audio free standing speakers (I know I’m dating myself lol).


----------



## Roasty

koven said:


>



How's the bryston? Better than the hpa4?


----------



## Focux

koven said:


>



Matrix Element X?


----------



## koven

kali77 said:


> Sexy! Love the ProAcs. Used to have some monitors back in the day before I moved to some Green mountain audio free standing speakers (I know I’m dating myself lol).





Roasty said:


> How's the bryston? Better than the hpa4?



Similar maybe a bit warmer like the GSX Mini.



Focux said:


> Matrix Element X?



Yeah


----------



## gimmeheadroom

dmdm said:


> Nothing. They did not respond. It turns out that using the balanced output on the bryston sends out a lot more power so I'm going balanced.



That's bad. I hope they are just out of the office for some reason. For the price you paid you ought to get some customer service.


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## InstantSilence

waveSounds said:


>


How Is a dangerous music dac compare to a chord dac?


----------



## Bling23

johnzz4 said:


> Auralic Aries G2 and Wells Audio Headtrip 2 incoming...  here it is today.


Hi , nice set up. how doe you like the G2. I was looking at it and the Aurender and Ineousnot sure which though.


----------



## waveSounds

@InstantSilence It's been a while since I had the Mojo in my quiver but I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out on anything with the Dangerous. It's a neutral, but very enjoyable sounding DAC. In no way is it sterile or clinical sounding.


----------



## OhmAlone




----------



## Shane D

I haven't posted here in a while, so I wanted to get a somewhat clean shoot by breaking it into 3 pics.
The first is my little part of the living room.


The second pic is my headphones:


The last pic is my system. DAP, DAC, EQ and amps:


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Aug 8, 2020)

How do you like your Meze 99s? I realliy don't need them but they're so pretty. Maybe I should get the Beyer AKG 240 since that was the original...


----------



## elvergun

Shane D said:


> The second pic is my headphones:


Nice selection.   A signature for every possible mood and/or genre.


I didn't know you had a Fostex in your stable.


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you like your Meze 99s? I realliy don't need them but they're so pretty. Maybe I should get the Beyer 240 since that was the original...



They are my oldest 'phones, at about three years. Beautiful, nice sound, Super easy to drive and pretty affordable.


----------



## Shane D

elvergun said:


> Nice selection.   A signature for every possible mood and/or genre.
> 
> 
> I didn't know you had a Fostex in your stable.



Yes, I got the TH-610's several months ago while looking for some bassy headphones. Got a good deal, but then did a Lawton driver tune-up and got a Periapt balanced cable. Savings lost!


----------



## bluecar




----------



## Gavin C4

Seems that stacking our equipments on wood is the current trend.


----------



## carlosgab




----------



## TheMiddleSky

koven said:


>



Oh man, what a great photograph here! (Ofc love the set up as well!)


----------



## interweb-tech

Small update to the headphone station. Replaced the JBL LSR308 with ADAM Audio T8V Powered Studio Monitors. The top end is totally transformed. Opened up and much clearer. I was worried it was going to be a lateral move but so far I think its an upgrade.


----------



## interweb-tech

okay here's the whole setup


----------



## kid vic

Demo'd this at a local hifi shop. Certainly an interesting setup


----------



## 529128 (Aug 7, 2020)

Keep it simple!


----------



## 340519

kid vic said:


> Demo'd this at a local hifi shop. Certainly an interesting setup


Love that bryston bha1 in the shot!


----------



## 340519

just got the abyss 1266 tcs yesterday along with the second bryston bha1 (in this shot).


----------



## 340519

Some of the collection in the man cave.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

henrikgadegaard said:


> Keep it simple!



...says the guy with the 8 gauge glow in the dark USB cable


----------



## acbarn




----------



## TLAV111

A few weeks ago I had commissioned Aric from Aric audio to build me a pre amp based on the 300b tube to match the 300b headphone amplifier he had built me a couple years ago.  I received it earlier this week and have been listening to it at every opportunity.  The only way to describe it is simply incredible, a huge step up from the Conrad Johnson I had been previously using.  If you are looking at any tube based gear Aric Audio deserves a spot on the short list.


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

^^^ Man you guys sure don't make it easy for us do you.
 Just reconfigured the C3P as I noticed that sitting on the factory rubber nubs they call feet the bottom was getting much warmer than the top.I had these Myrtlefeet from Waipuna Sound sitting around..They are designed with solid brass "thumbtacks"that pull vibration out of electronic devices & channel into the Myrtle wood..The brass studs sit absolutely perfectly into the Burson channeled housing & each sits on a #2 Vibrapod,eliminating vibration from below...Can't say for sure if I notice any SQ difference but the entire amp is running much cooler...


----------



## maheeinfy

.


----------



## Lolito

carlosgab said:


>


happy with the modius sound? how would you compare it with something like the D50? I was interested on the Soncoz, but that one sounds too dgy aparently... thanks!


----------



## TS0711

Was jamming to the Daze Between tribute to Jerry... Behind the Surface Pro is a Bifrost OG MB and that's an OG Freya... Rocking my old Dynaudio Special Five's.(they're up to Special 40's now). Mono blocks are as old as the speakers, NuForce Ref. 8.5 (some hybrid class D amp technology)


----------



## carlosgab

Lolito said:


> happy with the modius sound? how would you compare it with something like the D50? I was interested on the Soncoz, but that one sounds too dgy aparently... thanks!


I bought the Modius because I cant get enough volume from my THX 789 feeding either the HE500 especially the HE560 besides the fact that I dont like how the amp sounds shouty, less smooth from High gain hence I listen on my cans from Mid gain on 789. Btw Im not so good in reviewing sound but having tried cans in shops and Canjams, I find that the Modius sounded much livelier, edgier while D50 is smoother and has more space between instruments by a hair bit. Still I am keeping the Modius, selling the other.


----------



## kid vic

TLAV111 said:


> A few weeks ago I had commissioned Aric from Aric audio to build me a pre amp based on the 300b tube to match the 300b headphone amplifier he had built me a couple years ago.  I received it earlier this week and have been listening to it at every opportunity.  The only way to describe it is simply incredible, a huge step up from the Conrad Johnson I had been previously using.  If you are looking at any tube based gear Aric Audio deserves a spot on the short list.



Obviously a cutting edge modernist right here


----------



## chillysalsa

Custom 300B tube amp from Aric is beautiful. Is it optimized to drive any can well, or just low or high impedance?


----------



## elisiX

Current setup at home.

Utopia/Empyrean on RME/V281 and Hugo 2/WA2.








And the office.

Stellia running on Hugo 2 (Elegia gone once I upgraded to the Stellia).


----------



## CaptainFantastic

elisiX said:


> Current setup at home.
> 
> Utopia/Empyrean on RME/V281 and Hugo 2/WA2.
> 
> ...



Amazing pictures. How much better is the Stellia over the Elegia?


----------



## elisiX

Worth every cent IMO.

Elegia is very good, especially when you consider the cheaper prices they have been at more recently.

Stellia is just better in every aspect though.


----------



## koover (Aug 9, 2020)

Been a while since I’ve posted here. Not sure how much it’s changed since then but here we go again. I also included the rest of my man cave with a few pics of my other obsession if interested. Stay well
***sorry for the double pics. Don't know what happen. Oops!!


----------



## Focux

elisiX said:


> Current setup at home.
> 
> Utopia/Empyrean on RME/V281 and Hugo 2/WA2.
> 
> ...



i lke the tone of your shots, are you using some sort of filter btw?


----------



## TLAV111

chillysalsa said:


> Custom 300B tube amp from Aric is beautiful. Is it optimized to drive any can well, or just low or high impedance?



Aric does incredible work.  I have cans that range from 32 to 300 ohms and it drives them all equally as well.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Aug 10, 2020)

I wish drop could have released this combo 10 years earlier. This could save me a tone. Compared to the days where I am searching an amp to pair with the HD650 and with very limited information and demo available. LOL I guess this combo is a great example of technology improves.


----------



## elisiX

Focux said:


> i lke the tone of your shots, are you using some sort of filter btw?



I just use iPhone and the PSX app, so yes filters. I make some adjustments but it’s very basic. Generally I just try to frame and crop as best I can and then let the filter do it’s job.


----------



## vodanhkhack

koover said:


> Been a while since I’ve posted here. Not sure how much it’s changed since then but here we go again. I also included the rest of my man cave with a few pics of my other obsession if interested. Stay well
> ***sorry for the double pics. Don't know what happen. Oops!!


Wow! Nice collections of headphones and music ! But I still don't see the Meze Empyrean out there? So what is your most favourate hp so far?


----------



## steamboiled

koover said:


> Been a while since I’ve posted here. Not sure how much it’s changed since then but here we go again. I also included the rest of my man cave with a few pics of my other obsession if interested. Stay well
> ***sorry for the double pics. Don't know what happen. Oops!!


Nice setup. May i ask what headphone stands are you using? I'm particularly interested on those that can hold 2.Thanks.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

My summer vacation starting out in the best way possible


----------



## Viszla

Rme adi-2 fs new DAC! Great


----------



## elisiX (Aug 10, 2020)

Replaced my friends V281 that I was borrowing with my own V281 FE!

Quick and dirty pics without any editing. It’s dark in here!

Tried to connect everything as cleanly as possible. I've run out of power points!

I started in this hobby about 4 months ago and i've learned a lot in that time.

That said, I think i've reached a place where I can settle for a while.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

@elisiX Amazing setup and the photos look good even without editing. Quick question, without derailing the point of this thread: do you ever switch to the Violectric 281 from the WA2 with high impedance headphones, or the Violectric for the lower impedance ones only?


----------



## elisiX (Aug 10, 2020)

CaptainFantastic said:


> @elisiX Amazing setup and the photos look good even without editing. Quick question, without derailing the point of this thread: do you ever switch to the Violectric 281 from the WA2 with high impedance headphones, or the Violectric for the lower impedance ones only?



My HD6XX are out with a friend (whom I’m trying to get hooked on the hobby). I don’t have any other high impedance headphones to try in this setup yet. I feel like I want to add something from Audeze next which would fit the bill. It does seem like any of these units, RME/Hugo 2, Hugo 2 alone, RME/V281, RME alone can power just about anything.


----------



## llamaluv

Headphones-only shot. Mostly just excited about adding the new picture frame, heh. Source.


----------



## judomaniak57

elisiX said:


> Replaced my friends V281 that I was borrowing with my own V281 FE!
> 
> Quick and dirty pics without any editing. It’s dark in here!
> 
> ...


4 months? u already have a enviable endgame set up. awesome job


----------



## Wyville

llamaluv said:


> Headphones-only shot. Mostly just excited about adding the new picture frame, heh. Source.


As much as I envy your headphones, I got fascinated by the picture and will order one or two of the books soon!


----------



## llamaluv

Wyville said:


> As much as I envy your headphones, I got fascinated by the picture and will order one or two of the books soon!



Oh nice, now I'm glad I posted the photo!


----------



## headphonesQC

llamaluv said:


> Headphones-only shot. Mostly just excited about adding the new picture frame, heh. Source.


Wow, quite the selection! Is there any redundancy or each has it's moment of glory depending on the situation?


----------



## llamaluv

headphonesQC said:


> Wow, quite the selection! Is there any redundancy or each has it's moment of glory depending on the situation?



Thanks, good question (and well framed!). Argh, that's a hard one. I would really like to identify that redundancy if it exists in order to gain sufficient motivation to get rid of one of the four headphones, but... I can't!


----------



## headphonesQC

llamaluv said:


> Thanks, good question (and well framed!). Argh, that's a hard one. I would really like to identify that redundancy if it exists in order to gain sufficient motivation to get rid of one of the four headphones, but... I can't!


Hahaha! What a tough life we live!


----------



## NA Blur (Aug 10, 2020)

My work setup:




Headphone: HE-400i 2020 Version - $169
Amp: Schiit Heresy - $99
Topping E30 2004+ Version - $130
Various cables - $30

Track: Tempo by Donati on the Lounge Chill Out Sounds Vol 3 album


----------



## Pharmaboy

elisiX said:


> Replaced my friends V281 that I was borrowing with my own V281 FE!
> 
> Quick and dirty pics without any editing. It’s dark in here!
> 
> ...



Damn! That's a lot of screen square inches!


----------



## Pharmaboy

CaptainFantastic said:


> @elisiX Amazing setup and the photos look good even without editing. Quick question, without derailing the point of this thread: do you ever switch to the Violectric 281 from the WA2 with high impedance headphones, or the Violectric for the lower impedance ones only?



I'm going to weigh in because I have a V281 as well as the lesser value (but still good-sounding) Woo OTL, the WA3. I also own or owned or auditioned at length IMS a total of 6 high impedance headphones: JAR650 (HD650 heavily modded by Jupiter Audio Research); ZMF Aeolus, Eikon, Atticus, Verite Open, and Verite Closed. I've formed a few opinions based on that:

The V281 drives high impedance headphones as well as any other amp I've heard. It's quite powerful, thus doesn't struggle in any way w/high impedance headphones (any headphones, for that matter). 
I've heard all these high impedance HPs except the Atticus w/the WA3. It does a terrific job & clearly doesn't lack for power.
*Net/net:* While I get slightly different sound from high impedance HPs on an OTL (subtly more controlled & "calm," for lack of a better term) vs the V281, I'm totally satisfied with what I hear from the V281. I have 6 amps currently--I like hearing  different amps/different sounds & match-ups. But if I didn't have the WA3, I wouldn't rush out to buy another OTL just to service high impedance headphones...not even close.
The V281 is the best SS amp I've heard, all things considered The only headphone that it didn't totally light up sonically was the Atticus--but that's a notoriously picky headphone, and it didn't sound great on any of my other SS amps.


----------



## Pharmaboy

llamaluv said:


> Headphones-only shot. Mostly just excited about adding the new picture frame, heh. Source.



What  is that picture? It looks amazing but I don't recognize the subject.


----------



## llamaluv

Pharmaboy said:


> What is that picture? It looks amazing but I don't recognize the subject.


The artist is Simon Stalenhag (see the "source" link above). IMO the subject in the painting is supposed to look somewhat like Sonic the Hedgehog, heh.


----------



## Pharmaboy

llamaluv said:


> The artist is Simon Stalenhag (see the "source" link above). IMO the subject in the painting is supposed to look somewhat like Sonic the Hedgehog, heh.



Thanks for the reply. I never even noticed that "source" link. His stuff is amazing!


----------



## koven

llamaluv said:


> The artist is Simon Stalenhag (see the "source" link above). IMO the subject in the painting is supposed to look somewhat like Sonic the Hedgehog, heh.



'The nihilistic ambiance of this piece really speaks to me. Sonic - a childhood hero, once a shining beacon of hope and prosperity - has been left defunct and crestfallen, entangled in chains of despair emanating from a perturbing dystopia. The juxtaposition of the police car, the synergistic use of warm and dark hues.. it all represents a futile abnegation of inauspicious societal forces but alas, not even the master of speed can outrun such systemic corruption. Broken dreams. Shattered idealism. An archetypal mutilation of moral paragons in an iniquitous, invidious reality. Bravo Stalenhag, for this provocative masterpiece.' 

 - An art critic somewhere, probably.


----------



## gooeyrich

elisiX said:


> Replaced my friends V281 that I was borrowing with my own V281 FE!
> 
> Quick and dirty pics without any editing. It’s dark in here!
> 
> ...



What kind of monitor are you using?


----------



## elisiX

gooeyrich said:


> What kind of monitor are you using?



Samsung CRG9


----------



## llamaluv

koven said:


> 'The nihilistic ambiance of this piece really speaks to me. Sonic - a childhood hero, once a shining beacon of hope and prosperity - has been left defunct and crestfallen, entangled in chains of despair emanating from a perturbing dystopia. The juxtaposition of the police car, the synergistic use of warm and dark hues.. it all represents a futile abnegation of inauspicious societal forces but alas, not even the master of speed can outrun such systemic corruption. Broken dreams. Shattered idealism. An archetypal mutilation of moral paragons in an iniquitous, invidious reality. Bravo Stalenhag, for this provocative masterpiece.'
> 
> - An art critic somewhere, probably.



Haha, I know you're being semi-tongue-in-cheek, but yea, pretty much! Also, do you mind if I ping you about writing some art copy when I finally finish my finger-painting magnum opus?


----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


> 'The nihilistic ambiance of this piece really speaks to me. Sonic - a childhood hero, once a shining beacon of hope and prosperity - has been left defunct and crestfallen, entangled in chains of despair emanating from a perturbing dystopia. The juxtaposition of the police car, the synergistic use of warm and dark hues.. it all represents a futile abnegation of inauspicious societal forces but alas, not even the master of speed can outrun such systemic corruption. Broken dreams. Shattered idealism. An archetypal mutilation of moral paragons in an iniquitous, invidious reality. Bravo Stalenhag, for this provocative masterpiece.'
> 
> - An art critic somewhere, probably.



This suggests brilliant paintings as yet unpainted...

"The Passion of Gumby"


----------



## Pharmaboy

koven said:


> 'The nihilistic ambiance of this piece really speaks to me. Sonic - a childhood hero, once a shining beacon of hope and prosperity - has been left defunct and crestfallen, entangled in chains of despair emanating from a perturbing dystopia. The juxtaposition of the police car, the synergistic use of warm and dark hues.. it all represents a futile abnegation of inauspicious societal forces but alas, not even the master of speed can outrun such systemic corruption. Broken dreams. Shattered idealism. An archetypal mutilation of moral paragons in an iniquitous, invidious reality. Bravo Stalenhag, for this provocative masterpiece.'
> 
> - An art critic somewhere, probably.



Wait--you wrote this? If yes, I'm dazzled by the high-wire art satire.


----------



## gooeyrich

elisiX said:


> Samsung CRG9


----------



## joseph69

llamaluv said:


> Oh nice, now I'm glad I posted the photo!


Definitely a very cool picture!


----------



## Wyville

Pharmaboy said:


> Thanks for the reply. I never even noticed that "source" link. His stuff is amazing!


That is why I love following threads such as this. I love seeing the gear people have, but I also find that it can sometimes lead me to new things such as music (the thread on people's portable rigs has led me to a whole new genre of music I absolutely love these days), ideas for my own office and now this. Really fascinating work! I already found that I can get hold of the books easily here and those will be the first graphic novels I buy. Always wanted to buy something like that, but never found anything that intrigued me enough.


----------



## whirlwind

llamaluv said:


> The artist is Simon Stalenhag (see the "source" link above). IMO the subject in the painting is supposed to look somewhat like Sonic the Hedgehog, heh.



Great picture, sure looks like Sonic to me.


----------



## Wyville

llamaluv said:


> Oh nice, now I'm glad I posted the photo!


Just ordered 'The Electric State' and 'Tales from the Loop' ('Things from the Flood' will come too, but was temporarily unavailable at that store). Should get the first one in tomorrow. Now if I could also afford headphones and sources like yours...


----------



## roskodan (Aug 12, 2020)

LOL, wrong thread XD

Great rigs everyone.


----------



## nordkapp (Aug 12, 2020)

C.I. streamer/DAC > AMP.


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> C.I. streamer/DAC > AMP.



I've always been interested in Channel Islands gear, but never managed to hear any of it. How do you like these amps?


----------



## nordkapp

Pharmaboy said:


> I've always been interested in Channel Islands gear, but never managed to hear any of it. How do you like these amps?


I guess you could call me a super fan at this point. Dusty builds his stuff to sound natural, uses only high grade parts and is truly built to last. Outstanding customer service and real world prices too. My present all CI system is the simplest, most cost effective and enjoyable to date.


----------



## KC2020

nordkapp said:


> I guess you could call me a super fan at this point. Dusty builds his stuff to sound natural, uses only high grade parts and is truly built to last. Outstanding customer service and real world prices too. My present all CI system is the simplest, most cost effective and enjoyable to date.



I wonder how many boutique builders there are like this guy who we never hear of ? 

I look at the Channel Islands every day from my home in Santa Barbara but I've never heard of Channel Islands Audio.

I guess the real question is how did you become aware of this company from Rhode Island when I'm 25 miles from the guy and never hear of him ?


----------



## gooeyrich

When you tell yourself you don't need to buy anything and come into this thread.


----------



## nordkapp

KC2020 said:


> I wonder how many boutique builders there are like this guy who we never hear of ?
> 
> I look at the Channel Islands every day from my home in Santa Barbara but I've never heard of Channel Islands Audio.
> 
> I guess the real question is how did you become aware of this company from Rhode Island when I'm 25 miles from the guy and never hear of him ?


Haha. Years ago some of his stuff was sold through Music Direct. God bless the internet.


----------



## gefski

nordkapp said:


> Haha. Years ago some of his stuff was sold through Music Direct. God bless the internet.



In the earlier days of digital, he was with Audio Alchemy.


----------



## Pharmaboy

KC2020 said:


> I wonder how many boutique builders there are like this guy who we never hear of ?
> 
> I look at the Channel Islands every day from my home in Santa Barbara but I've never heard of Channel Islands Audio.
> 
> I guess the real question is how did you become aware of this company from Rhode Island when I'm 25 miles from the guy and never hear of him ?



I became aware of the C.I.A. ~4 years ago when I went on an extended hunt for audiophile-grade passive volume controllers (C.I.A. had one then, though not on the level of the one they now sell). I ended up going w/another company, to my eventual dismay.


----------



## KC2020

nordkapp said:


> Haha. Years ago some of his stuff was sold through Music Direct. God bless the internet.





gefski said:


> In the earlier days of digital, he was with Audio Alchemy.



So they did have distribution as some point.

Coming from AA would explain his location.I remember when they started and my local brick and mortar dealer had their gear. I bought a lot of it. They were innovators in addressing the issue of jitter.

So CIA is not a boutique company by intention then.

Thanks for the info guys !


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

The lying-on-the-porch set-up to end all lying-on-the-porch set-ups..on the cheap!


----------



## augustr

It's really nice to have an all in one unit like the Conductor V2+. Plenty of power for my cans, using it as a pre for my bookshelves, albeit I'm not that into speaker hi-fi.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

When the sun trumps the tubes:


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## Shane D

vmiguel said:


>


VERY cool monitor stand! Did you buy it or make it?


----------



## vmiguel

Shane D said:


> VERY cool monitor stand! Did you buy it or make it?


It's from ikea, look for Sigfinn.


----------



## Shane D

vmiguel said:


> It's from ikea, look for Sigfinn.



Thanks for the reply, but they don't sell anything like that in Canada.


----------



## Pharmaboy

vmiguel said:


>



Tidy! That's a seriously beautiful amp stand.


----------



## lord_tris

Current setup, Missing 4 pieces of equipment and a set or two of headphones. 
Little dot mk v
little dot dac_1
Schiit Magnius
Sony dvd player
monster "power cleaner"
Beyer DT880 chrome 
Grado 325 goldies 
and most of cd collectoin
I designed and made the stand.


----------



## OctavianH

The stand looks great, congrats!


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Kate Bush, aged rum and the Sundara


----------



## ruinedx (Aug 28, 2020)

put pc on floor and lose the light show or leave it on desk and have imbalanced studio monitor response ? 

DAC: MUSICAL FIDELITY MX-DAC:
HEADAMP: MONOLITH LIQUID PLATINUM by ALEX CAVALLI
MONITOR PRE: SPL VOLUME 2
POWERED MONITORS: KRK Rokit RP8
HEADPHONE1: Sennheiser HD820
HEADPHONE2: Sennheiser HD700
HEADPHONE3: Grado Hemp
PC FRONT PANEL 3.5" HPA+DAC: EVGA NU AUDIO
HEADPHONE4: Sennheiser GSP500
HEADPHONE5: Sennheiser HD25


----------



## nasty nate

Recently upgraded to the HD800S - love the big soundstage and detail - they're easy on the eyes too


----------



## Kukuk




----------



## Pharmaboy

Kukuk said:


>



How do you like that A 20? I've always been curious about it, one of the few high impedance SS amps I know of.


----------



## Preachy1

Recently got an unreal deal on a McIntosh MHA-150 (45% off list, open box at Magnolia Audio).  Pics to follow when I decide how to deploy it!


----------



## lord_tris

Preachy1 said:


> Recently got an unreal deal on a McIntosh MHA-150 (45% off list, open box at Magnolia Audio).  Pics to follow when I decide how to deploy it!


On my audio rack?


----------



## Kukuk

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like that A 20? I've always been curious about it, one of the few high impedance SS amps I know of.



I like it. Obviously ill-suited for the Abyss and HE-560, but for any non-planar it does fine. It actually really jammed with my DT770 Pro 80s when I had them, which I felt were really picky about amps. I did have a running issue with the amp for the longest time, though, that I only recently resolved. The amp was picking up nasty electrical noise, no matter what source or headphone I was using it with. Any time my computer would ramp up the electrical noise was unbearable. I randomly decided to try another power outlet, as I had been running this amp through a power strip, when I noticed the power strip was making an audible screeching. I plugged the amp straight into the wall, and bam, dead silent. So all my other amps are able to filter this noise out, except the A20. A weird issue, but easily resolved.

Running the Abyss and HE-560 off this was an interesting experiment. Those are my two hardest to drive headphones, and this poor amp only puts out 150mW@32ohms. Individually I'd say these headphones need about 1W at reasonable volumes. So even at low volume with these headphones, I was getting some pretty obvious distortion. Well, I say "even at low volumes", but with these headphones the amp can _only_ do low volumes, even maxed out. They were pushing about 65-70dB, which comes up just short of my normal listening at 70-75dB.


----------



## Coztomba

Moved some stuff around on my desk.  Ditched the wired mechanical keyboard and have gone wireless.





And my most used combo for music.  Denafrips > HP8 > Clears.  Anxiously waiting for my Hemp Grado's.  I missed the first batch and have to wait til September


----------



## gimmeheadroom

How do you like the Icon amp and your Aeres?


----------



## Coztomba

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you like the Icon amp and your Aeres?



Love it.  I feel it's a perfect combo of the Clear.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

There’s just something about staring into 4 glowing glass towers whilst listening to old school electronic music. Edgar Froese’s Epsilon In Malaysian Pale seems like it’s simultaneously being forged deep within these fiery glassy embers and similarly conjuring up all these vivid images in my mind. 
Either way this music has always felt like some magic intergalactic jungle soundtrack.
I usually close my eyes when listening to music, but I some times find it fascinating to watch the tubes. Like staring into small highly contained bonfires, similar effect.


----------



## raymondkerr

bluecar said:


>


fantastic setup, can I ask where you got the isolation boards from ?


----------



## OctavianH (Aug 20, 2020)

Nothing new, just enjoying my cup of coffee near my T1's, Elise and my Forza Audioworks cable.


----------



## Kelt0912

My set up. My new ATH-AWKT headphones.


----------



## Preachy1

raymondkerr said:


> fantastic setup, can I ask where you got the isolation boards from ?


I'm going to guess MapleShade.  ButcherBlock Acoustics also sells quality goods at very reasonable prices.


----------



## Preachy1

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> Edgar Froese’s Epsilon In Malaysian Pale


LOVE that album.  Huge TD/EF fan here!!!!


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Preachy1 said:


> LOVE that album.  Huge TD/EF fan here!!!!


I’m all about 1970s Germany - man I love that decade for music..and the Germans did some out of this world stuff...but keeping with the Froese/TD vibe I’ll add Klaus Schulze to the mix. Any electronic fan out there, new as old, owe themselves a listen to an album like ‘X’. Perhaps one of the finest headphone-albums out there (alongside several TD albums of course).


----------



## Preachy1

I'll have to look for that one.


----------



## walakalulu

My streaming stuff


----------



## walakalulu

Amp for Stax cans


----------



## dagothur

walakalulu said:


> Amp for Stax cans
> -snip-


That's the trouble with Kevin and Birgir's amps; they look too slick to go with anything but from the source.


----------



## Preachy1

My re-configured bedside setup.


----------



## EdgeOfSound

Preachy1 said:


> My re-configured bedside setup.


Those are some sexy looking amps.


----------



## Preachy1

EdgeOfSound said:


> Those are some sexy looking amps.


The unit on the bottom is an inexpensive (relatively) Amp/DAC that I'm using to feed the WA7.  The sound with either the Blackwoods or the Vibros is really quite good.


----------



## Preachy1

And my re-configured listening room, added the MHA-150


----------



## banda

dagothur said:


> That's the trouble with Kevin and Birgir's amps; they look too slick to go with anything but from the source.


What do you mean?


----------



## banda

Preachy1 said:


> My re-configured bedside setup.


Is that thing that looks like a giant toothbrush a lamp?


----------



## shampoosuicide (Aug 22, 2020)

"Cheap and cheerful"


----------



## Preachy1

banda said:


> Is that thing that looks like a giant toothbrush a lamp?


LOL, yes!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> My re-configured bedside setup.



Bedside Breitling!


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> And my re-configured listening room, added the MHA-150


I know it's an unfair comparison based on price, but what does the MHA-150 deliver that distinguishes it from the Feloiks OTL?


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> I know it's an unfair comparison based on price, but what does the MHA-150 deliver that distinguishes it from the Feloiks OTL?


TBH, it’s going to be hard to compare. I use the Elise strictly for digital media (FLACs, CDs), while I will be using the Mc for analog (vinyl). I only just got it set up this afternoon and I’ve been to busy with other things to give it any time. Probably won’t be until Monday that I will settle in for a few hours of listening time.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Bedside Breitling!


Good eye!!!


----------



## ricksome

Preachy1 said:


> And my re-configured listening room, added the MHA-150


Any Money Available In That Checkbook?


----------



## Preachy1

Well there was, but McIntosh happened!


----------



## interweb-tech

ZMF Auteur Teak has landed


----------



## OctavianH

Without my coffee I thought you are listening to your gear at the North Pole and you are the main cause of global warming.


----------



## whirlwind

interweb-tech said:


> ZMF Auteur Teak has landed



How are you liking that headphone cable ?


----------



## interweb-tech

whirlwind said:


> How are you liking that headphone cable ?


Love Norne cables. I have several in various terminations.


----------



## RH64

Do I win for simplest?


----------



## ra990




----------



## Taz777

RH64 said:


> Do I win for simplest?



You win for best wireless!!!


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka (Aug 23, 2020)

My return to the HD580 Precision has been a revelation of sorts - actually much like the one I previously experienced returning to the HD600 a good while ago. In short? The headphone simply steps out of the way and music just flows. That’s a very rare thing and ultimately has to do with tuning. I’ve spent time with a lot of different coconuts on the ol cabeza - headphones that cost the same as a used car - yet outside of better bass extension and clarity, I have yet to come across any headphone with better mids and treble than the classic Sennie 6 series.
One thing that has become very clear though is that these headphones don’t take particularly well to EQ in the bass - simply because they already come with their own little auras of bass-distortion..adding more bass via EQ ends up in mud and a complete loss of what’s going down in the low lows. Incidentally I find that the 650 is the one with the poorest deep bass whereas the 600 sounds much clearer and well-defined...yet the original daddyo seems wholly bereft of said midbass thump and as a result ends up sounding the clearest and most detailed of the lot. Then again not so incredibly surprising as bumps/peaks/valleys/troughs in the frequency response often have a way of masking detail close to them (also why the Eikon sounds that more clear in the low lows compared to the Atticus, ze bump).
I’m finding the HD580 almost impossible to take off my head. I want to listen to another album...and then another one! I just made it through Die Wilde Jagd’s selftitled debut with it’s contemporary electronic take on the Krautrock of yore with zooming bursts of deep bass synths and galloping earthy percussion dancing together like this beautiful psychedelic tango, and while I often tend to look long and hard after my HE500 whenever I’m listening to this album over the 600...with the old daddyo not so much.

What is it with cheap old Sennies and their ability to not only compete with but for my tastes completely annihilate most of the new competition? It’s baffling to say the least.
Not that I’m complaining. I paid something like a 100$ for what effectively is my ‘endgame coconut’ and I was prepared to pay about 20 times as much for the very same result


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> What is it with cheap old Sennies and their ability to not only compete with but for my tastes completely annihilate most of the new competition? It’s baffling to say the least.
> Not that I’m complaining. I paid something like a 100$ for what effectively is my ‘endgame coconut’ and I was prepared to pay about 20 times as much for the very same result



Nice post. I feel the same way about my HD-600 (having owned the HD-580 Precision). Others feel this way about the 650 or 660S. For sure the Sennheiser 6-series (including the 580 here) is special.

(re-posting picture since on topic)


----------



## RH64

Haha!  Thanks.  You know, I started doing this to my headphones because I found that I was using my Bose QC35 most of the time even though I didn't really like the sound and I didn't want the noise cancelling at home.  It was just so convenient to wear them.  I then made a "wireless" version of my HD600 with an ES100 and really liked the results.

By the time I'm done, I think all of my headphones will be franken-wireless!



Taz777 said:


> You win for best wireless!!!


----------



## TheHeedHunter

Got new family member last friday, the VC is awesome!


----------



## raymondkerr

Not long begun my journey into headphone side of things.  Just received my HD600s yesterday to compare to the HIFIMan HE35X, currently listening on Amazon Music HD using an iPhone 11 via a Schiit Stack, Magni/Modi 3.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

raymondkerr said:


> Not long begun my journey into headphone side of things.  Just received my HD600s yesterday to compare to the HIFIMan HE35X, currently listening on Amazon Music HD using an iPhone 11 via a Schiit Stack, Magni/Modi 3.



That's the way to start out and maybe you're done. Hard to beat a pair of 600s.


----------



## interweb-tech

Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?





1 ZMF Atticus Padauk
2 ZMF Aeolus Bubinga LTD
3 ZMF Auteur Teak
4 ZMF Vérité Ziricote
5 Focal Elegia
6 Audeze LCD-X
7 MrSpeakers Ether Flow 1.1
8 Hifiman Arya
9 Sennheiser HD 800
10 MrSpeakers Ether 2
11 Rosson RAD-0 (#008/100, red marble)
12 Fostex TH-X00 PH


----------



## ozz

For me it would be the LCD-X since the LCD-4 is supposed to give you more of everything the x has to offer.


----------



## fiiom11pro

interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




nothing. just put it in the very top shelf.


----------



## interweb-tech

fiiom11pro said:


> nothing. just put it in the very top shelf.


I like how you think!


----------



## CaptainFantastic

@interweb-tech Absolutely insane collection. I would get rid of the Rosson RAD-0 to avoid a future neck injury.  But then the LCD-4 is pretty much the same weight-wise. Good luck!


----------



## meomap

interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sell all.
Just buy Utopia, LCD4, Susvara.....


----------



## EdgeOfSound

Oh





interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Buy a bigger shelf. Problem solved.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



My vote would be TH-X00...it strikes me as the weak link in this collection (owned one, sold it because of grainy/etched treble). It does have good sub-bass, but so do others here.


----------



## fiiom11pro

Pharmaboy said:


> My vote would be TH-X00...it strikes me as the weak link in this collection (owned one, sold it because of grainy/etched treble). It does have good sub-bass, but so do others here.




nope. I won't remove it. the sub bass is just sublime. It cannot mimicked by the others. I was thinking of that as well due to it's the least pricey amongst them. But, there is still space on top shelf.


----------



## interweb-tech

fiiom11pro said:


> nope. I won't remove it. the sub bass is just sublime. It cannot mimicked by the others. I was thinking of that as well due to it's the least pricey amongst them. But, there is still space on top shelf.


It is also my first "real" headphone so it has sentimental value.


----------



## fiiom11pro

meomap said:


> Sell all.
> Just buy Utopia, LCD4, Susvara.....




maybe rather sell all and buy the Orpheus. 


interweb-tech said:


> It is also my first "real" headphone so it has sentimental value.




i've got some hiend stuff too. but, I always grab my fostex for watching movies and those bass-heavy sound files. Just sublime. It's always within my reach.


----------



## kid vic

interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Focal Elegia straight to the bin if you ask me. A strange and sonically unappealing can imo


----------



## fiiom11pro

with all honesty, I found one small teeny tiny space on my desk. I would gladly receive (as a form of head-fier's brotherhood incentive) any of the one you will dispose. I am just a DM away.


----------



## Pharmaboy

kid vic said:


> Focal Elegia straight to the bin if you ask me. A strange and sonically unappealing can imo



I agree...also bizarrely uncomfortable. But didn't want to start an anti-Focal thing here (not a fan).


----------



## kid vic

Pharmaboy said:


> I agree...also bizarrely uncomfortable. But didn't want to start an anti-Focal thing here (not a fan).


Lol I'll be the first to start it. Cover me, I'm going in.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I agree...also bizarrely uncomfortable. But didn't want to start an anti-Focal thing here (not a fan).


Interesting thought.  I've had and sold both the Elear and the Elegia.  Sonically they didn't do it for me, but there were the most comfortable cans I've ever put around my ears. I will at some point try the Utopias.


----------



## Kukuk (Aug 24, 2020)

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear the HE5se was a dynamic headphone. I've always said that it sounds like a really good dynamic headphone, but it's also extremely easy to drive. Even _really_ cranking the volume with this amp doesn't cause the bass to break up, as every other planar that I own does (aside from the Aiva).


----------



## Preachy1

Regarding the new MHA150, to quote Ferris Beuhler:

"If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up" 

Loving this amp!  So far I have 3 sources connected: TT, DAP, and USB from my computer (using Winyl).  Sound is lovely!!!!  The HXD feature is a really nice add-on.


----------



## JTori

A beauty shot I made of my Bottlehead Crack-a-two-a.  Lovin' this amp!


----------



## SalR406

JTori said:


> A beauty shot I made of my Bottlehead Crack-a-two-a.  Lovin' this amp!


Nice Graflex!


----------



## Terriero (Aug 24, 2020)

interweb-tech said:


> Inbound LCD-4 necessitates inventory rebalancing. Which one would you sell to make room?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



No sell, I would buy time to use all of them.


----------



## fiiom11pro

JTori said:


> A beauty shot I made of my Bottlehead Crack-a-two-a.  Lovin' this amp!



everything complements. the color, the devices etc. It's a classic beauty.


----------



## JTori

fiiom11pro said:


> everything complements. the color, the devices etc. It's a classic beauty.



Thank you for the kind comment.   Joe.


----------



## JTori

SalR406 said:


> Nice Graflex!



Love 4 x 5!    Best,  Joe.


----------



## ISOLordByron

My pretty-sloppy apartment headphone desk. Lots more headphones just not in the picture there.


----------



## TooFrank

It is summer and the temperature makes you want to stay outdoors, so this works very nicely. ps the gw100 sounds so much better when wired...


----------



## kali77




----------



## Deolum

ISOLordByron said:


> My pretty-sloppy apartment headphone desk. Lots more headphones just not in the picture there.


What the heck. Are those K1000s different versions or are all 3 the same? And what's the big can in the middle that looks like a mutation of K1000 and Mysphere. And whats that on the outer right that looks like a small mutation of the K1000 and Mysphere? And whats that between those two that looks like the child of a Stax and and a cheese grater?

Average tinder match walking into the room must think that's your bdsm room.


----------



## kman1211

ISOLordByron said:


> My pretty-sloppy apartment headphone desk. Lots more headphones just not in the picture there.



Someone likes rectangles, lol.


----------



## banda

Deolum said:


> What the heck. Are those K1000s different versions or are all 3 the same? And what's the big can in the middle that looks like a mutation of K1000 and Mysphere. And whats that on the outer right that looks like a small mutation of the K1000 and Mysphere? And whats that between those two that looks like the child of a Stax and and a cheese grater?
> 
> Average tinder match walking into the room must think that's your bdsm room.


Jecklin Float, MB Quart PMB-500 or 1000, and a hodgepodge STAX SR-Sigma.


----------



## ISOLordByron

Deolum said:


> What the heck. Are those K1000s different versions or are all 3 the same? And what's the big can in the middle that looks like a mutation of K1000 and Mysphere. And whats that on the outer right that looks like a small mutation of the K1000 and Mysphere? And whats that between those two that looks like the child of a Stax and and a cheese grater?
> 
> Average tinder match walking into the room must think that's your bdsm room.



All 3 K1000's are different versions, yes. Different serial ranges had slight silent revisions differences that lead to slightly different tonal changes due to mechanical differences. The big one in the middle is a Jecklin Float Model 2 Electrostatic, the can on the far right is a Peerless PMB-100, and the cheese grater is a Stax SR Sigma NB with custom drivers in it that are PB standard compatible.


----------



## Wes S

Changed out some cables, sold my HD650, and put my HD598se back in the mix.  Every headphone has it's place in my rotation, and I am quite happy and content with this setup.


----------



## FYFL

Bedroom rig at the moment.


----------



## psyclops

shampoosuicide said:


> "Cheap and cheerful"


I am loving the selection of books here. You have some great taste in philosophy.  
Also a very clean setup, only what you need.


----------



## NA Blur

I love seeing all of your stations, all.


----------



## KCXT (Aug 28, 2020)

The headphones live elsewhere in the room so are 'just visiting' and the THX 789 is peeking out behind the 1990s.


----------



## lugnut

kman1211 said:


> Someone likes rectangles, lol.


Triangles are my favorite shape
Three points where two lines meet
Toe to toe, back to back, let's go


----------



## cosplayerkyo

DMP-Z1 let’s any room be my head-fi station now ❤️ Love this thing so much


----------



## Wyville

cosplayerkyo said:


> DMP-Z1 let’s any room be my head-fi station now ❤ Love this thing so much


I have been dreaming about the DMP-Z1 ever since Sony released it, but sadly can't afford it. An awesome solution for when you want to be able to move your desktop setup between rooms.


----------



## dnd3241

Update....


----------



## waveinterference

Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.

Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?


----------



## Taz777

waveinterference said:


> Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.
> 
> Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?



That's a very lovely listening area!


----------



## psyclops

waveinterference said:


> Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.
> 
> Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?


This is a beautiful setup mate. And an interesting view


----------



## JTori

waveinterference said:


> Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.
> 
> Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?



If you are asking the members of this forum, the answer is unequivocally, "Yes!"


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveinterference said:


> Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.
> 
> Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?



Right. 

My experience has been that even if I have 5 or 6 headphone amps, I need another one. And another one.


----------



## elvergun

waveinterference said:


> Moved to a new apartment; I don’t know about you all, but one of my favorite (or most time-consuming and aggravating) parts of the process is setting up the new music area.
> 
> Now that my work desk is in a separate room, I guess that means I need a second headphone amp, right?



Love a cabinet full of Grados!!!


----------



## vmiguel

Pharmaboy said:


> Right.
> 
> My experience has been that even if I have 5 or 6 headphone amps, I need another one. And another one.


In bike world there's a math formula that I believe is also aplicable to headphones:
The right number of bikes to own = n+1

(n= bikes already owned)


----------



## Pharmaboy

vmiguel said:


> In bike world there's a math formula that I believe is also aplicable to headphones:
> The right number of bikes to own = n+1
> 
> (n= bikes already owned)



For certain deranged individuals who shall remain nameless (we know who we are) -- the formula for amps to own = n + ∞

(n = amps already owned)

PS: the formula for headphones to own is the same, sadly


----------



## adeadcrab (Aug 29, 2020)

n^2

If you have 1 headphone/amp, most (sane) people are happy with 1.

If you have 3, you want 9, and so on...


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> My experience has been that even if I have 5 or 6 headphone amps, I need another one. And another one.


----------



## interweb-tech (Aug 29, 2020)

adeadcrab said:


> n^2
> 
> If you have 1 headphone/amp, most (sane) people are happy with 1.
> 
> If you have 3, you want 9, and so on...


Reminds me of my recent post about having a dozen headphones on a 3 shelf unit with a new pair coming in. Asked the question which one should go to make room for the new one. Lots of rational, logical, & sensible answers describing which pair and why it should go. Then my spirit brother shows up and states unequivocally "get a bigger shelf".


----------



## adeadcrab

interweb-tech said:


> Reminds me of my recent post about having a dozen headphones on a 3 shelf unit with a new pair coming in. Asked the question which one should go to make room for the new one. Lots of rational, logical, & sensible answers describing which pair and why it should go. Then my spirit brother shows up and states unequivocally "get a bigger shelf".


look at drop.com's 6XX, most owners of that headphone say it's their end game and it's amazing.. meanwhile my 2010 era HD650 is my beater headphone for work calls, and I'm planning on 3 more headphones and another amp to get in the future alongside my current 3 or 4 headphones...


----------



## Preachy1

vmiguel said:


> In bike world there's a math formula that I believe is also aplicable to headphones:
> The right number of bikes to own = n+1
> 
> (n= bikes already owned)


I don't necessarily ascribe to that philosophy, per se, but I did buy me a new bike this summer.  I think I found the last available bike in all of the northeastern US!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

adeadcrab said:


> look at drop.com's 6XX, most owners of that headphone say it's their end game and it's amazing.. meanwhile my 2010 era HD650 is my beater headphone for work calls, and I'm planning on 3 more headphones and another amp to get in the future alongside my current 3 or 4 headphones...



I gave you a like not only because this is an excellent point--but also because "adeadcrab" is an amazing screen-name.


----------



## LoryWiv

interweb-tech said:


> Reminds me of my recent post about having a dozen headphones on a 3 shelf unit with a new pair coming in. Asked the question which one should go to make room for the new one. Lots of rational, logical, & sensible answers describing which pair and why it should go. Then my spirit brother shows up and states unequivocally "get a bigger shelf".





adeadcrab said:


> look at drop.com's 6XX, most owners of that headphone say it's their end game and it's amazing.. meanwhile my 2010 era HD650 is my beater headphone for work calls, and I'm planning on 3 more headphones and another amp to get in the future alongside my current 3 or 4 headphones...


----------



## shampoosuicide




----------



## Uebelkraehe

My happy place. Please ignore the cheap boxes from Creative with are a remnant from pre-audiophile times and only used to produce noise, but not for serious listening. Hidden behind the Monitor on the right there's also a DT 880 Pro which i nowadays only keep for the occasional gaming session.


----------



## holytiger

Just a small and tiny update in my system which made a tremendous amount of difference  











Take a guess what that is


----------



## gimmeheadroom

holytiger said:


> Just a small and tiny update in my system which made a tremendous amount of difference
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Great! How do you like the Aurium and how difficult was it to get it?


----------



## Nostoi

holytiger said:


> Just a small and tiny update in my system which made a tremendous amount of difference
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice. Miss my Aurium.


----------



## holytiger

gimmeheadroom said:


> Great! How do you like the Aurium and how difficult was it to get it?


I got it from a local dealer few years ago who had them in stock so I had a chance to audition it right on the spot. And my wallet was open lol.

I have a few friends here whom after hearing my system, they wanted to get Aurium as well. But they heard it with mine being added with a Teradek linear power supply so I heavily recommended them getting that too. It's about 130usd. But the problem of ordering from pathos started couple of months now because of the pandemic across Italy, Pathos are having hard time sourcing some parts and their factory workers having to take a break due to the risk of infection and such. So my friends needed to find a dealer who had Aurium in stock which was bit difficult to find currently, but I found a dealer eventually and they do all have Aurium at home.


----------



## holytiger

Nostoi said:


> Nice. Miss my Aurium.


Will not let go of mine for sure and definitely a keeper. After adding telefunken, it raised the performance to a whole new level !


----------



## Nostoi

holytiger said:


> Will not let go of mine for sure and definitely a keeper. After adding telefunken, it raised the performance to a whole new level !


A keeper, indeed. I sold mine as I moved to a solid state set-up, but I anticipate I'll probably get another one down the road. Great amp.


----------



## FYFL (Sep 2, 2020)

A quick update:
Cleaned it up over the weekend. Build some shelves from salvage walnut. Moved CD player to the bottom and unused gear out.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Highly portable edition:

Chord Mojo with the Sennheiser IE 800S or IE 800. So good I am thinking of adding the Poly.


----------



## JTori

FYFL said:


> A quick update:
> Cleaned it up over the weekend. Build some shelves from salvage walnut. Moved CD player to the bottom and unused gear out.



Beautiful, clean, well sorted out, nicely separated rig!  Nicely done!


----------



## ricksome

holytiger: The cardboard boxes behind the tubes will improve the sound in ways you simply cannot measure


----------



## FYFL (Aug 31, 2020)

JTori said:


> Beautiful, clean, well sorted out, nicely separated rig!  Nicely done!



Thank you. Trying to scale down a bit lol. At one point I had 5 cans and turntable on this tinny night stand. It was getting out of control. However, my daughter said goodbye to her MacMini so ............. I might try to set it up in here.


----------



## Preachy1

Nostoi said:


> Nice. Miss my Aurium.


Damn, I first read that as "kiss my Aurium" and it reminded me of Frank Zappa!!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Damn, I first read that as "kiss my Aurium" and it reminded me of Frank Zappa!!!!!



Yup..."Kiss my aura, Dora"


----------



## koven (Aug 31, 2020)




----------



## FYFL

koven said:


>


Love it. Can you tell me more about that 300b amp and this white audio rack?


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


>


James, man, you've always got the nicest gear cycling through your rack.


----------



## LoryWiv (Sep 1, 2020)

koven said:


>


Beautiful rig! Do I spy KEF LSX for nearfield speaker listening? How do you like them? I'm considering Audioengine HD3 as they are a little more compact and more affordable, yet have BT 5.0, AptX HD. None of that matters of course,, if they don't sound great!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ricksome said:


> holytiger: The cardboard boxes behind the tubes will improve the sound in ways you simply cannot measure



True that. And I challenge asr to prove otherwise


----------



## JTori

FYFL said:


> Thank you. Trying to scale down a bit lol. At one point I had 5 cans and turntable on this tinny night stand. It was getting out of control. However, my daughter said goodbye to her MacMini so ............. I might try to set it up in here.



I'm always amazed when I see expensive, high-quality components stacked one on top of the other, contributing to noise, interference and lack of heat dissipation.  Separating components, as you have done, extends their lifespan and improves audio quality.  And .... it's free!


----------



## koven

FYFL said:


> Love it. Can you tell me more about that 300b amp and this white audio rack?



Thanks it's a Woo WA33 amp, the rack I got from here.



SalR406 said:


> James, man, you've always got the nicest gear cycling through your rack.



Hah I'm hoping this combo stays for a while. 



LoryWiv said:


> Beautiful rig! Do I spy KEF LSX for nearfield speaker listening? How do you like them? I'm considering Audioengine HD3 as they are a little more compact and more affordable, yet have BT 5.0, AptX HD. None of that matters of course,, if they don't sound great!



Thanks I really like the LSX sound and size for nearfield, though you can't go wrong w/ Audioengine for desktop I think.


----------



## FYFL

koven said:


> Thanks it's a Woo WA33 amp, the rack I got from here.


I knew that there was something different about that rack. You just don’t see that kind of quality too often. Beautiful amp. I’m a bit of a tube aficionado myself. I’m sure it sounds fantastic.


----------



## Preachy1

Wow, that company makes some gorgeous shelves!!!!  similar to Mapleshade, I guess.  When I was looking to invest in a decent unit, I found that they were out of my price range. I tried to source the wood to make my own, but the wood itself is very pricey.  That's why I ended up going with wire racks and plywood shelves.  Not as pretty but very functional and cost efficient.

"cost efficient" - heh, I guess I don't know my audience here!!!


----------



## Preachy1

I could use a new Iso platform though!


----------



## FYFL

Isolation platforms are useful (to a degree) with turntables or tube gear. I wouldn't go crazy for any other application. On the cheap side you could use something like this.


----------



## Preachy1

FYFL said:


> Isolation platforms are useful (to a degree) with turntables or tube gear. I wouldn't go crazy for any other application. On the cheap side you could use something like this.


It would be for one of my turntables.  In fact, my Scout is perched upon a ButcherBlock Acoustics platform, which in turn rests on those foam pads (they are included with the platform).


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul




----------



## L0rdGwyn (Sep 3, 2020)

Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.

-GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
-CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
-Miflex KPCU-01 copper foil - polypropylene - PIO coupling caps
-6A5G output stage, NOS Mills MRA10 non-inductive wirewound cathode resistors, Clarity Cap ESA bypass caps
-Lundahl LL1620 60mA output transformers
-Yamamoto teflon tube sockets
-Goldpoint V47 stepped attenuator
-Goldpoint speaker / headphone switch
-WBT speaker binding posts and RCA sockets
-chassis powder coated in Prismatic Powders "Stage Pass Bronze"


----------



## gefski

L0rdGwyn said:


> Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.
> 
> -GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
> -CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
> ...


Beautiful! Wow! Sheeeesh!
If you haven’t, you might want to hook up with @johnjen at his DIY thread https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-diyrs-cookbook.781268/page-115#post-15835451
He’s gone way off the ledge with his purp-amp, which has been posted here a time or two.


----------



## vonBaron

How Susvara compares to AB1266?


----------



## BobG55

L0rdGwyn said:


> Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.
> 
> -GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
> -CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
> ...



Lame ?  I would say no.  Smart ?  Good taste ?  IMHO, I would say yes.  When properly amped/ driven, the HD650 is one of the best headphone regardless of price.  Never been without an HD600 since 2003 and same for the HD650 since 2007.  I’ve owned much more expensive and _“commercially” _reputable headphones [e.g. HD800, HD800S, Focal Utopia, PS1000e, etc.] which I eventually sold but not the HD650.   I would love to hear them on your headphone amp.  Very nice system BTW.  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## L0rdGwyn (Sep 1, 2020)

gefski said:


> Beautiful! Wow! Sheeeesh!
> If you haven’t, you might want to hook up with @johnjen at his DIY thread https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-diyrs-cookbook.781268/page-115#post-15835451
> He’s gone way off the ledge with his purp-amp, which has been posted here a time or two.



Thanks!  I know JJ and his purp-amp, I have my own DIY thread, so we visit eachother from time to time 



BobG55 said:


> Lame ?  I would say no.  Smart ?  Good taste ?  IMHO, I would say yes.  When properly amped/ driven, the HD650 is one of the best headphone regardless of price.  Never been without an HD600 since 2003 and same for the HD650 since 2007.  I’ve owned much more expensive and _“commercially” _reputable headphones [e.g. HD800, HD800S, Focal Utopia, PS1000e, etc.] which I eventually sold but not the HD650.   I would love to hear them on your headphone amp.  Very nice system BTW.  Thanks for sharing.



Thank you, and agreed, my experience has been much the same, many headphones have come and gone, the HD650 endures.  I am of the opinion that it can hang with TOTL headphones when properly amped, it truly does scale and has become something of a litmus test for me when evaluating amplifiers.


----------



## FYFL

Preachy1 said:


> It would be for one of my turntables.  In fact, my Scout is perched upon a ButcherBlock Acoustics platform, which in turn rests on those foam pads (they are included with the platform).


My friend got Scout and he struggled from the beginning with setup and vibration control. Not sure if that’s your experience as well. I’ve build my own turntable that is mass loaded and is pretty good as far as vibration rejection goes. But there’s too much to list that went into that monstrosity. Lol 
For TT under 50lbs I came up with pretty slick magnetic suspension solution but it is not super easy to execute. There are other way to address vibrations but it kinda depends on TT kind and structure it stands on. There are dedicated forums that talk in depth about these issues. Might be worth reading up on it and figure out what ppl use in case of your particular TT
Here is my red Frankenstein. 










Love me some tube porn. Those are some fine looking amps. 





PatekBruguetMogul said:


>





L0rdGwyn said:


> Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.
> 
> -GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
> -CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
> ...


----------



## FYFL

Can you please enlighten me about use of Lundahl chokes in your build. I’m using Dragon Inspire that they also offer with Lundahl chokes. What are the benefits and are they worth $250 upgrade? Thanks


----------



## L0rdGwyn

FYFL said:


> Can you please enlighten me about use of Lundahl chokes in your build. I’m using Dragon Inspire that they also offer with Lundahl chokes. What are the benefits and are they worth $250 upgrade? Thanks



Sure thing.  What I like about Lundahl chokes, compared to say, Hammond chokes, is they have a high inductance relative to their DC resistance, meaning you get more ripple filtering with less voltage dropped in the power supply.  They have many different models for various current ratings, and since they are dual C-core chokes, the two cores can be wired in series or in parallel, giving another degree of flexibility.

When it comes to the Dragon Inspire, it's hard to say whether or not it is worth it without looking at what they are doing with the circuit.  If they are simply substituting a Lundahl choke for a different choke of similar inductance, then I would say there is no benefit, the filtering will be the same in the end.  However, if they are using a Lundahl in place of a lower inductance choke, then it is worth considering as the ripple will be lower with the additional filtering.

In the end though, inaudible is inaudible, and I'm sure they've included enough filtering in the supply without the Lundahl chokes such that the ripple cannot be heard by the user, so additional filtering will likely have no appreciable effect on the noise floor from a subjective standpoint.


----------



## BobG55

FYFL said:


> My friend got Scout and he struggled from the beginning with setup and vibration control. Not sure if that’s your experience as well. I’ve build my own turntable that is mass loaded and is pretty good as far as vibration rejection goes. But there’s too much to list that went into that monstrosity. Lol
> For TT under 50lbs I came up with pretty slick magnetic suspension solution but it is not super easy to execute. There are other way to address vibrations but it kinda depends on TT kind and structure it stands on. There are dedicated forums that talk in depth about these issues. Might be worth reading up on it and figure out what ppl use in case of your particular TT
> Here is my red Frankenstein.
> 
> ...


 

*WOW !  *SUPER NICE !


----------



## FYFL

L0rdGwyn said:


> Sure thing.  What I like about Lundahl chokes, compared to say, Hammond chokes, is they have a high inductance relative to their DC resistance, meaning you get more ripple filtering with less voltage dropped in the power supply.  They have many different models for various current ratings, and since they are dual C-core chokes, the two cores can be wired in series or in parallel, giving another degree of flexibility.
> 
> When it comes to the Dragon Inspire, it's hard to say whether or not it is worth it without looking at what they are doing with the circuit.  If they are simply substituting a Lundahl choke for a different choke of similar inductance, then I would say there is no benefit, the filtering will be the same in the end.  However, if they are using a Lundahl in place of a lower inductance choke, then it is worth considering as the ripple will be lower with the additional filtering.
> 
> In the end though, inaudible is inaudible, and I'm sure they've included enough filtering in the supply without the Lundahl chokes such that the ripple cannot be heard by the user, so additional filtering will likely have no appreciable effect on the noise floor from a subjective standpoint.


That was very informative and helpful. What if they used it in place of lover inductance choke? Is it only affecting noise floor or are there other benefits? Someone implied that lundahls could be beneficial with harder to drive headphones or cans such as planars. But I'm not sure why would that be the case.


----------



## FYFL

BobG55 said:


> *WOW !  *SUPER NICE !


Thank you.


----------



## L0rdGwyn (Sep 1, 2020)

FYFL said:


> That was very informative and helpful. What if they used it in place of lover inductance choke? Is it only affecting noise floor or are there other benefits? Someone implied that lundahls could be beneficial with harder to drive headphones or cans such as planars. But I'm not sure why would that be the case.



Reading your response, figured something was up, so I just looked over the amp, it does not use Lundahl chokes, everything I said applies only to using chokes in a passively filtered power supply.

The option for the Dragon Inspire IHA-1 is for Lundahl input transformers, 1:2.5 step up.  The purpose of the transformers is to increase the gain of the amplifier, but you could simply turn up the volume.  One thing to keep in mind is it is another component in the signal path, even if it is a high-quality transformer.  Personally, I probably would not include it, I can't imagine any headphone would bring the amplifier anywhere near clipping, it is spec'd at 1.7W into 40ohm.


----------



## Dan Fuentes

Purchases have been made


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## whirlwind

L0rdGwyn said:


> Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.
> 
> -GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
> -CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
> ...




*Lovely...just plain killer!*


----------



## teknikk7

Office setup.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

teknikk7 said:


> Office setup.



Dear God man, if that's your office set up, we all want to see the home one but we are also afraid that we will feel very, very small.


----------



## FYFL (Sep 3, 2020)

L0rdGwyn said:


> Reading your response, figured something was up, so I just looked over the amp, it does not use Lundahl chokes, everything I said applies only to using chokes in a passively filtered power supply.
> 
> The option for the Dragon Inspire IHA-1 is for Lundahl input transformers, 1:2.5 step up.  The purpose of the transformers is to increase the gain of the amplifier, but you could simply turn up the volume.  One thing to keep in mind is it is another component in the signal path, even if it is a high-quality transformer.  Personally, I probably would not include it, I can't imagine any headphone would bring the amplifier anywhere near clipping, it is spec'd at 1.7W into 40ohm.


You are right. Dragon without Lundahl option drives all my headphones with no problems. I consider myself one of those guys that likes to listen to music quite loud.
Price increase for the Lundahl option wasn't the issue. I just wasn’t sure if it was what others made it out to be (keep in mine that non of those reviewers compared those units side by side with and without Lundahl choke option). And I know if there was an issue with it having trouble driving any of my headphones, Dennis Had would install them for me at  same cost as the original upgrade cost. 
Thank you very much for taking the time to get this sort out for me.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

FYFL said:


> You are right. Dragon without Lundahl option drives all my headphones with no problems. I consider myself one of those guys that likes to listen to music quite loud.
> Price increase for the Lundahl option wasn't the issue. I just wasn’t sure if it was what others made it out to be (keep in mine that non of those reviewers compared those units side by side with and without Lundahl choke option). And I know if there was an issue with it having trouble driving any of my headphones, Dennis Had would install them for me at  same cost as the original upgrade cost.
> Thank you very much for taking the time to get this sort out for me.



No worries!  Happy to help


----------



## kman1211

New addition to my headphone lineup.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> Dear God man, if that's your office set up, we all want to see the home one but we are also afraid that we will feel very, very small.



I am guessing he conveniently omitted "home" from "home office." 

But yeah, nice setup


----------



## teknikk7

Nah, just don’t really use headphones at home. Got kids 😂


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Sep 4, 2020)

teknikk7 said:


> Nah, just don’t really use headphones at home. Got kids 😂



Ok, well we're wondering how your stuff doesn't disappear when you leave at night then. Just so many questions due to your lack of a verbose explanation for all that shiny stuff 

@CaptainFantastic question is once again relevant


----------



## teknikk7

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ok, well we're wondering how your stuff doesn't disappear when you leave at night then. Just so many questions due to your lack of a verbose explanation for all that shiny stuff
> 
> @CaptainFantastic question is once again relevant



Haha, no problem...

I own my own business which is employed by all family.  While that can be a challenge all its own lol....one of the perks is that my office is safe from theft.

Here is my home setup... Some things have changed as noted in my sig.


----------



## Focux

koven said:


>



love and hate your posts


----------



## banda

teknikk7 said:


> Haha, no problem...
> 
> I own my own business which is employed by all family.  While that can be a challenge all its own lol....one of the perks is that my office is safe from theft.
> 
> Here is my home setup... Some things have changed as noted in my sig.


Wow, the Brooklyn looks so nice and compact amongst everything there. I want one even more badly now.


----------



## BobG55

teknikk7 said:


> Haha, no problem...
> 
> I own my own business which is employed by all family.  While that can be a challenge all its own lol....one of the perks is that my office is safe from theft.
> 
> Here is my home setup... Some things have changed as noted in my sig.


Oooooo, that’s pretty.


----------



## FYFL

teknikk7 said:


> Haha, no problem...
> 
> I own my own business which is employed by all family.  While that can be a challenge all its own lol....one of the perks is that my office is safe from theft.
> 
> Here is my home setup... Some things have changed as noted in my sig.


Sweet phonostage.


----------



## teknikk7

FYFL said:


> Sweet phonostage.



I actually live down the street from Upscale Audio, for a moment there I was in a couple times a week.  I pretty much auditioned everything in the 1-5K price range, and this one won out by a large margin. I tried the manly chinook with an assortment of different tubes, MF Nu-Vista, EAT, and a couple other lower priced ones.  Anyhow, loved it and the owner of Zesto is local and highly available if you have questions/concerns etc.


----------



## FYFL

teknikk7 said:


> I actually live down the street from Upscale Audio, for a moment there I was in a couple times a week.  I pretty much auditioned everything in the 1-5K price range, and this one won out by a large margin. I tried the manly chinook with an assortment of different tubes, MF Nu-Vista, EAT, and a couple other lower priced ones.  Anyhow, loved it and the owner of Zesto is local and highly available if you have questions/concerns etc.


I was looking at it as something that would bring my vinyl to another level. But it is a bit out of my price range. Maybe with some terrific discount I could stretch my budget but I have never seen those in open box or clearance section. It shows that those who get it, keep it. Maybe I could work something out with owner during one of those hifi shows...... maybe? Lol


----------



## teknikk7

FYFL said:


> I was looking at it as something that would bring my vinyl to another level. But it is a bit out of my price range. Maybe with some terrific discount I could stretch my budget but I have never seen those in open box or clearance section. It shows that those who get it, keep it. Maybe I could work something out with owner during one of those hifi shows...... maybe? Lol



Sent you a PM.


----------



## teknikk7

banda said:


> Wow, the Brooklyn looks so nice and compact amongst everything there. I want one even more badly now.



The Brooklyn+ is an amazing DAC for the price. Even the built-in phonostage is surprisingly good. Only issue I have had with it is the screens, being OLED they suffered severe burn-in.  To be fair I have never turned it off. But I sent it in for repair since they have a 2 year warranty. The SBooster turns the Brooklyn into a real contender with a nice bump to the low end and drops any remnants of a noise floor. Highly recommend the combo.


----------



## KC2020

teknikk7 said:


> the owner of Zesto is local and highly available if you have questions/concerns etc.



George has designed tube circuitry his entire life, was a recording engineer and listens to customer feedback as well. He has the ideal experience and skill set to build audio components.


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul




----------



## adeadcrab

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>



would love some higher-res pics!


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul (Sep 5, 2020)

adeadcrab said:


> would love some higher-res pics!



It is a WOO AUDIO WA5 2nd Generation  Marantz SA10 CD and Focal Utopia Headphones


----------



## banda

teknikk7 said:


> The Brooklyn+ is an amazing DAC for the price. Even the built-in phonostage is surprisingly good. Only issue I have had with it is the screens, being OLED they suffered severe burn-in.  To be fair I have never turned it off. But I sent it in for repair since they have a 2 year warranty. The SBooster turns the Brooklyn into a real contender with a nice bump to the low end and drops any remnants of a noise floor. Highly recommend the combo.


Really great to know, both about the issue and of it being covered by warranty! Thanks for the tip on the combo too. Did you ever use it for headphones?


----------



## koover

I posted some pics a week or so ago but I want





 to give a different perspective of my entire room set up. My man cave


----------



## gimmeheadroom

banda said:


> Wow, the Brooklyn looks so nice and compact amongst everything there. I want one even more badly now.



It is a beautiful device that is even more beautiful in person than the photos. The build is just gorgeous. I love mine.


----------



## teknikk7 (Sep 5, 2020)

banda said:


> Really great to know, both about the issue and of it being covered by warranty! Thanks for the tip on the combo too. Did you ever use it for headphones?



Briefly when I was breaking in a pair of ZMF Eikon's.  Very linear, very much sounding like a pro-audio solution - cold. But I never really liked the Eikon's so that may have been partly it.  But agree with the user above, she sure is a looker. A very nice piece!


----------



## dnd3241

Update my set up...


----------



## TopPop (Sep 7, 2020)

Office system: focusing on both vinyl and digital playback


----------



## Terriero

TopPop said:


> Office system: focusing on both vinyl and digital playback


I like the contrast between Amiron and the minimalist keyboard and, beside the table, the ancient phone  Good pics and better landscape.


----------



## TopPop

Terriero said:


> I like the contrast between Amiron and the minimalist keyboard and, beside the table, the ancient phone  Good pics and better landscape.



And next to the phone (which I actually use, btw)... a display rack of fountain pens! (which I also use)

My office is my happy place


----------



## Pharmaboy

TopPop said:


> Office system: focusing on both vinyl and digital playback



Nice space! 

Also a nice M Stage Matrix (have 2 of them--it's a sweet little amp)


----------



## TopPop

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice space!
> 
> Also a nice M Stage Matrix (have 2 of them--it's a sweet little amp)



Thanks! Yes, the Matrix M-Stage is a fantastic amp. I especially like the ability to try different op-amps and change the gain. Really allows for fine-tuning to your specific needs!


----------



## Pharmaboy

TopPop said:


> Thanks! Yes, the Matrix M-Stage is a fantastic amp. I especially like the ability to try different op-amps and change the gain. Really allows for fine-tuning to your specific needs!



True indeed. I tried 2 much-praised opamps and pretty much hated the resulting sound. Then I tried a 3rd--perfect sound!


----------



## TopPop

Pharmaboy said:


> True indeed. I tried 2 much-praised opamps and pretty much hated the resulting sound. Then I tried a 3rd--perfect sound!



Which are you using? I ended up using the Burson V5.


----------



## Pharmaboy

TopPop said:


> Which are you using? I ended up using the Burson V5.



How on earth did you fit a V5 in this amp? As I recall, that's a tall opamp.

I'm having trouble figuring out which opamp I'm using. Usually keep receipts for every transaction, but none in this case.

I had tried 2 opamps previously & hated them. Then got this 3rd and loved it right away.

I'll keep looking (bothers me to not know a thing like this)


----------



## TopPop

Pharmaboy said:


> How on earth did you fit a V5 in this amp? As I recall, that's a tall opamp.
> 
> I'm having trouble figuring out which opamp I'm using. Usually keep receipts for every transaction, but none in this case.
> 
> ...



It _just fits _in the chassis. The previous owner had some dynamat on the inside of the lid, and I had to cut a square of that out to make the V5s fit. But they do.


----------



## LoryWiv (Sep 7, 2020)

TopPop said:


> Office system: focusing on both vinyl and digital playback


Great looking, eclectic setup @TopPop. BTW what speakers are you using there? I am considering a pear for nearfield listening to complement my headphones.


----------



## TopPop

LoryWiv said:


> Great looking, eclectic setup @TopPop.



Thanks! It took the better part of a year, but I'm really happy with how it's come together. The Amiron Home gets most of its use with the vinyl setup that sits behind my chair:









LoryWiv said:


> BTW what speakers are you using there? I am considering a pear for nearfiled listening to complement my headphones.



First generation Audioengine A2. I've head them for many years, and they're still fantastic for their small size. The current A2 has the same design, I think, but also has a USB DAC built in.


----------



## LoryWiv

TopPop said:


> First generation Audioengine A2. I've head them for many years, and they're still fantastic for their small size. The current A2 has the same design, I think, but also has a USB DAC built in.


Great to know, @TopPop as I have my eye on Audioengine D3!


----------



## kkrazik2008

TopPop said:


> Office system: focusing on both vinyl and digital playback


This is such a practical set up, everything seems perfectly placed. What kind of table/desk are you using for the LP set up?


----------



## TopPop

kkrazik2008 said:


> This is such a practical set up, everything seems perfectly placed. What kind of table/desk are you using for the LP set up?



Practicality was really the name of the game with this setup, especially for vinyl playback: Pro-ject Genie 1.3 with an Ortofon 2M Blue, Musical Fidelity V90-LPS phono stage, and Pro-ject Speed Box S2. Each of these components has been specifically chosen to help quell upgraditis: each one is on the same mid-fi tier with respect to both cost and performance... which means that there isn't really any bottleneck that will nag at me!

Can't say much about the desk or table, unfortunately. Everyone has the same furniture at my university, so I think they probably have some sort of industrial supplier.


----------



## Pharmaboy

TopPop said:


> Which are you using? I ended up using the Burson V5.



OK, I found the 3rd opamp I tried: it was the OPA827 opamp on a brown dog adapter. Immediately liked that sound: better clarity overall, less boominess in upper bass w/a little more bass impact/dynamics, but no change in the overall musical sound of this amp. 

The first opamp I rolled was OPA627AP on a brown dog adapter. It might have been a counterfeit--I heard they're around. It sounded terrible so I yanked it. The 2nd opamp I rolled was the LME49990 opamp configured for this amp. Didn't like the sound.


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## Preachy1

vmiguel said:


>


I love the descriptors in your signature!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## vmiguel

Preachy1 said:


> I love the descriptors in your signature!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks! I would love to play with some of the toys in your signature...


----------



## Preachy1

vmiguel said:


> Thanks! I would love to play with some of the toys in your signature...


I'm from New York.  Howzabout we meet somewhere in the middle!  hehe


----------



## Chris Kaoss

skyhigh or down low?


----------



## vmiguel

Preachy1 said:


> I'm from New York.  Howzabout we meet somewhere in the middle!  hehe


Sounds great! I'm planing a holiday trip to Azores, so...


----------



## kali77

vmiguel said:


> Sounds great! I'm planing a holiday trip to Azores, so...



😂... We were supposed to go next month. That’s a long damn flight!


----------



## lugnut (Sep 11, 2020)

TopPop said:


> Thanks! Yes, the Matrix M-Stage is a fantastic amp. I especially like the ability to try different op-amps and change the gain. Really allows for fine-tuning to your specific needs!


I have this amp and a pair of Beyer Amiron Home, and it is a perfect match. The M-Stage off sets the small treble peak, it is such a great combo, that I would have thought they were made for each other. I also have a Matrix M-Stage HPA-3B, balanced headphone amp that is a little less warm, a great amp, wish they still produced it !


----------



## silent-circuit (Sep 11, 2020)

The Denon AH-D7200 showed up today, as did the the Focal Elegia. So far I much prefer the Denons. Hopefully the Focals calm down after a couple days of burn in, cause as it stands the treble is borderline painful.

I ordered a balanced cable that would have worked for both of them if it hadn't showed up broken/defective, so they're both using stock cables now. The Elegia cable is comically bad and I would have been upset if it was included with $200 headphones. Focal should be ashamed.

(No, "the floor" is not my usual setup)


----------



## TopPop

lugnut said:


> I have this amp and a pair of Beyer Amiron Home, and it is a perfect match. The M-Stage off sets the small treble peak, it is such a great combo, that I would have thought they were made for each other. I also have a Matrix M-Stage HPA-3B, balanced headphone amp that is a little less warm, a great amp, wish they still produced it !


 
Absolutely. It really is a fantastic pairing! I also have an in-line resistor (you can see it in the photos) to help tame that peak just a _little bit more_, and I think the end result is perfect for my taste.


----------



## interweb-tech




----------



## shampoosuicide (Sep 15, 2020)




----------



## EdgeOfSound

interweb-tech said:


>



Sweet Audio GD kit.


----------



## davesa

Finally going to post something here after enjoying all of the great headphone stations. I have my headphone setup in my home office. I can listen while at my desk, or with 9ft + cables in my chair where I like to read.  I am posting now because I just received my custom headphone holder that mounts to the side of the bookshelf and helps organize the headphones and get them off of sitting on my amp or desk when not in use. It is made from pomelle bubinga from Cook Woods - which has a wide variety of exotic and traditional woods. Still waiting on a pair of ZMF Verite closed so hopefully just a few weeks more. Excited to see my own Camphor Burl headphones join the rest.


----------



## Shane D

davesa said:


> Finally going to post something here after enjoying all of the great headphone stations. I have my headphone setup in my home office. I can listen while at my desk, or with 9ft + cables in my chair where I like to read.  I am posting now because I just received my custom headphone holder that mounts to the side of the bookshelf and helps organize the headphones and get them off of sitting on my amp or desk when not in use. It is made from pomelle bubinga from Cook Woods - which has a wide variety of exotic and traditional woods. Still waiting on a pair of ZMF Verite closed so hopefully just a few weeks more. Excited to see my own Camphor Burl headphones join the rest.



LOVE the set-up. Especially the audio rack/headphone storage stand. Great use of space. I ended up buying a cabinent because my apartment is so dusty I can't leave anything out.


----------



## davesa

Yes, we have an air cleaner in the kitchen, and another downstairs in addition to the filters on our furnace. I have thought of potentially adding something to the office too but have not yet. The Honeywell HPA300 we have in the kitchen has a low mode that is very quiet, we usually leave that on all the time and kick it up when we leave the area for a while.


----------



## canfabulous

holytiger said:


> Just a small and tiny update in my system which made a tremendous amount of difference
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm curious - what did the TFs bring to the table?


----------



## waveSounds (Sep 16, 2020)

We have a small Victorian terrace house and my wife's job requires her to be on conference calls 103% of the day, so to maintain my sanity I migrated my desk upstairs. The window to the left opens on a vertical hinge which works very nicely in this hotter weather, and I can blow my vapour straight to the great outdoors haha.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

What's with the dangerous angle of your Dangerous DAC


----------



## waveSounds

gimmeheadroom said:


> What's with the dangerous angle of your Dangerous DAC



I see what you did there... 

Sometimes you've gotta find uses for old purchases that have since been superseded. In this case, the best use for an old laptop stand was to turn it upside-down and put a DAC on it. As you do.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

waveSounds said:


> I see what you did there...
> 
> Sometimes you've gotta find uses for old purchases that have since been superseded. In this case, the best use for an old laptop stand was to turn it upside-down and put a DAC on it. As you do.



That's one understanding. My thought was he prefers running unbalanced


----------



## llamaluv

davesa said:


> The Honeywell HPA300 we have in the kitchen has a low mode that is very quiet


A *H*ead*P*hone *A*mp that doubles as an air purifier, now that's a first!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

llamaluv said:


> A *H*ead*P*hone *A*mp that doubles as an air purifier, now that's a first!



Well, he said he runs it on low gain. And probably no phono input because the flutter would be unacceptably high.


----------



## canfabulous

gimmeheadroom said:


> Well, he said he runs it on low gain. And probably no phono input because the flutter would be unacceptably high.


I’m not a fan...


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> I see what you did there...
> 
> Sometimes you've gotta find uses for old purchases that have since been superseded. In this case, the best use for an old laptop stand was to turn it upside-down and put a DAC on it. As you do.



Necessity is the mother of desperation


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's one understanding. My thought was he prefers running unbalanced



FUNNY!!

Reminds me the old vibraphone joke (really, any jazz instrument will do).

Q: How do you know the stage is level?
A: When the vibes player drools equally out of both sides of his mouth


----------



## Preachy1

waveSounds said:


> We have a small Victorian terrace house and my wife's job requires her to be on conference calls 103% of the day, so to maintain my sanity I migrated my desk upstairs. The window to the left opens on a vertical hinge which works very nicely in this hotter weather, and I can blow my vapour straight to the great outdoors haha.


Same here.  We have a small Cape.  My wife is on calls most of the day, so we (I) converted an unused spare bedroom into my listening station.  My speaker setup is in the basement, so I can use that any time as well, as long as I keep the volume reasonable.


----------



## spanner43

Just added a modi 3 to my little schiit stack, and I know far far to much clutter


----------



## Pharmaboy

spanner43 said:


> Just added a modi 3 to my little schiit stack, and I know far far to much clutter



You need to put some decorations on those walls...


----------



## NovaFlyer

spanner43 said:


> Just added a modi 3 to my little schiit stack, and I know far far to much clutter



Nice SAC and TAC patches, as well remembering closed bases.  I had friends at Chanute and some at George flying Wild Weasels.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Oct 2, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> You need to put some decorations on those walls...



That reminds me of the "Why don't you put some guns on me" scene from Johnny Dangerously


----------



## TooFrank

spanner43 said:


> Just added a modi 3 to my little schiit stack, and I know far far to much clutter


Wow, what’s the store about the axe on the wall? Are you a firefighter? Tough times....


----------



## Chris Kaoss

spanner43 said:


> Just added a modi 3 to my little schiit stack, and I know far far to much clutter


It's not really common to post your own wifi password on the net.


----------



## spanner43

TooFrank said:


> Wow, what’s the store about the axe on the wall? Are you a firefighter? Tough times....


I was retired in 2005 after 34 years first USAF (4 years) then Portland OR. Yes these are tough times


----------



## spanner43

Chris Kaoss said:


> It's not really common to post your own wifi password on the net.


I like to share


----------



## spanner43

NovaFlyer said:


> Nice SAC and TAC patches, as well remembering closed bases.  I had friends at Chanute and some at George flying Wild Weasels.


thanks. just thinking about that the other day, every base i was ever assigned to are now closed


----------



## spanner43

Pharmaboy said:


> You need to put some decorations on those walls...


I agree there's a lot of blank spots that need filling, I will get right on it


----------



## simorag

Taking my time for some tube rolling ...


----------



## Pro-Jules (Sep 19, 2020)

Amazon Music HD
Audio Hijack - to run Fabfilter ProQ equalizer
ATH-DSR9BT  - with pure drive digital @96k 24bit via USB

I have a nice Empire Ear Nemesis IEM  / Quidelix Bluetooth amp / Sony 507 DAP rig but since lockdown I have not been commuting. So hardly ever use it now - shame....


----------



## nordkapp

simorag said:


> Taking my time for some tube rolling ...


Life is good.


----------



## 19844




----------



## Strayngs




----------



## LoryWiv

simorag said:


> Taking my time for some tube rolling ...


Glass tubes to roll, glass of whiskey to dring, glass bottle to pour from...I'm getting glassy eyed just looking. Should be a spectacular Saturday...enjoy!!!


----------



## LoryWiv

19844 said:


>


Great setup and photo, thanks @19844. Which nearfield speakers are you rocking there?


----------



## Pharmaboy

LoryWiv said:


> Great setup and photo, thanks @19844. Which nearfield speakers are you rocking there?



They look like Audioengine A2s...which means there's a sub lurking somewhere.


----------



## cosplayerkyo




----------



## 19844

LoryWiv said:


> Great setup and photo, thanks @19844. Which nearfield speakers are you rocking there?


It's a  Audioengine A2


----------



## LoryWiv

19844 said:


> It's a  Audioengine A2


Thank you. I am considering the HD3, Thought there was a family resemblance  .


----------



## BugmenAndBoxes

The only thing left after downsizing


----------



## CaptainFantastic

BugmenAndBoxes said:


> The only thing left after downsizing



Yes, it's amazing how many people take the full journey and arrive at this answer: HD-600.


----------



## BugmenAndBoxes (Sep 20, 2020)

CaptainFantastic said:


> Yes, it's amazing how many people take the full journey and arrive at this answer: HD-600.


Luckily my journey didn't get out of mid-fi but I shouldn't have looked at all the hubbub as overrating that should be ignored. There's a reason every new planar flavor-of-the-month gets forgotten about while the 600 still spurs discussion to this day.

Although it's a bit of a last hurrah for this setup as I've gone with it solo for a while but I've decided to sell it (although somehow people seem to not really want it so I get to spend a good number more days with it than I thought) so I can afford a new speaker setup for my redone basement. If I were to go back to headphones I would get the 600 and a nice portable DAC/amp and enjoy the world with them


----------



## fogwall




----------



## MisterMoJo




----------



## TooFrank

Autumn evening, sitting outside, Chet Baker, ifi micro idsd bl, stellia with arctic cable, B&O H6.....


----------



## waveSounds (Sep 21, 2020)

Few minor alterations, but thus far quite happy with my limited-space desk setup.


----------



## Preachy1

The tilt sets off my OCD, which is OTC (off the charts).  But that's just me.  Otherwise, I love the clean look!!!!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 21, 2020)

I fixed it for you.


----------



## ckelly5

Redcarmoose said:


> I fixed it for you.



🤣 

btw, what monitor stand is that, if you don't mind my asking?


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

waveSounds said:


> Few minor alterations, but thus far quite happy with my limited-space desk setup.


Keyboard looks quite familiar... ?


----------



## kman1211 (Sep 21, 2020)

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> Keyboard looks quite familiar... ?


I think it’s a Corsair K70, I have the same keyboard, brown switches on mine and it’s a great keyboard.


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

kman1211 said:


> I think it’s a Corsair K70, I have the same keyboard, brown switches on mine and it’s a great keyboard.


Thats what I have too..


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul




----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> The tilt sets off my OCD, which is OTC (off the charts).  But that's just me.  Otherwise, I love the clean look!!!!



You said the thought that was in my mind! 

I couldn't handle a tilted component. It would aggravate my inner need for order.

Apart from that tilt, though, it looks like a tidy & usable desktop.


----------



## Pharmaboy

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>



I'm guessing that 50 mm lens (every photographer has one) isn't getting a lot of use there...


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm guessing that 50 mm lens (every photographer has one) isn't getting a lot of use there...




HUH..?  Surely your 50MM comment is a typo as its far from 50MM for sure..


----------



## canfabulous

The tilt would drive me absolutely crazy! 

I wonder if tilting the head at a similar angle is needed before using any of the controls!


----------



## waveSounds (Sep 21, 2020)

ckelly5 said:


> btw, what monitor stand is that, if you don't mind my asking?



Of course not; it was one of these.



PatekBruguetMogul said:


> Keyboard looks quite familiar... ?





kman1211 said:


> I think it’s a Corsair K70, I have the same keyboard, brown switches on mine and it’s a great keyboard.



Ja, indeed. The K70. An utter tank of a keyboard - if a bit "loud and clicky". Thankfully my wife is asleep within 0.3 seconds of her head hitting the pillow (my desk is in the adjacent room). I could probably get away with wearing open-backs (headphones, to clarify for you funny lads out there) in bed and she wouldn't notice/mind. This particular keyboard's been with me for at least 5, if not more, years, and survived many a spilled beverage.



Pharmaboy said:


> You said the thought that was in my mind!
> 
> I couldn't handle a tilted component. It would aggravate my inner need for order.
> 
> Apart from that tilt, though, it looks like a tidy & usable desktop.





Preachy1 said:


> The tilt sets off my OCD, which is OTC (off the charts).  But that's just me.  Otherwise, I love the clean look!!!!



I simply do it for the trollols 







canfabulous said:


> The tilt would drive me absolutely crazy!
> 
> I wonder if tilting the head at a similar angle is needed before using any of the controls!



It's not _required_, but it can help with fine tuning volume adjustments if you're particularly fastidious about the line on the control matching to one on the surround.


----------



## Preachy1

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>


Is that a 150-600?


----------



## fleo815




----------



## BobG55

BugmenAndBoxes said:


> The only thing left after downsizing



Love the concept and the two audio items.  I bought the HD600 in 2003 and have never been without one since.  In it’s 24th year and still amongst the best headphones out there regardless of price, IMHO.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 22, 2020)




----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

Preachy1 said:


> Is that a 150-600?



Nikon D850 with Nikon 500MM F/5.6 PF


----------



## alekc

PatekBruguetMogul said:


>


Nice setup. Is it MHA100 or MHA150? Are you using its internal dac?


----------



## PatekBruguetMogul

alekc said:


> Nice setup. Is it MHA100 or MHA150? Are you using its internal dac?



Its the MHA150 and quite honestly with all the headphone amps I own , the only one I have used and continue to use is my Woo WAF 2nd Generation.. One of these days the MHA150 will be fired up and tried out..


----------



## alekc

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> Its the MHA150 and quite honestly with all the headphone amps I own , the only one I have used and continue to use is my Woo WAF 2nd Generation.. One of these days the MHA150 will be fired up and tried out..


@PatekBruguetMogul another very nice setup indeed  From my end MHA150 amp section sounds quite close to some tube amps but dac section can be limitation.  Would love to hear your opinion especially in comparison with Woo.


----------



## Pharmaboy

fleo815 said:


>



Beautiful lighting & ambience!


----------



## Pharmaboy (Sep 22, 2020)

PatekBruguetMogul said:


> HUH..?  Surely your 50MM comment is a typo as its far from 50MM for sure..



I wrote that in a confusing way. I meant to suggest that the 50 mm lens you probably have for that camera (most photographers have a 50 mm lens, in addition to specialty lenses like this large telephoto lens) must not be getting much use--because a big telephoto is fun as hell to use.

Years ago I rarely ever used my Nikon 50mm; preferred a 35mm or 105 for daily use. Every now & again I forced myself to use the 50 to recalibrate my visual perspective, however briefly.


----------



## interweb-tech

New bedroom night stand kit


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## judomaniak57

Gavin C4 said:


>


where did u get the plugs for your xlr jacks


----------



## EdgeOfSound

interweb-tech said:


> New bedroom night stand kit


How do you find the Yulong? i'm thinking about getting one after returning the iFi CAN.


----------



## interweb-tech (Sep 23, 2020)

EdgeOfSound said:


> How do you find the Yulong? i'm thinking about getting one after returning the iFi CAN.


So far I like it. Listened for an hour or so last night using Rosson RAD-0 (great sound but not a good fit for laying back on pillow) and then the MrSpeakers Ether 2 (better fit for laying down but frankly sounded a little thin on bass) both through the balanced XLR output. The setup is dead simple with no fancy extra fiddling required (I can do plenty of that with main system lol). Some reviews I read mentioned it got very hot to the touch for them. It didn't feel extra hot to me and I wouldn't be concerned placing something on top of it temporarily.

I lucked across this in the head-fi forum so it wasn't something I chose from exhaustive research. More like quick research to verify it didn't suck before buying from head-fier.


----------



## EdgeOfSound

interweb-tech said:


> So far I like it. Listened for an hour or so last night using Rosson RAD-0 (great sound but not a good fit for laying back on pillow) and then the MrSpeakers Ether 2 (better fit for laying down but frankly sounded a little thin on bass) both through the balanced XLR output. The setup is dead simple with no fancy extra fiddling required (I can do plenty of that with main system lol). Some reviews I read mentioned it got very hot to the touch for them. It didn't feel extra hot to me and I wouldn't be concerned placing something on top of it temporarily.
> 
> I lucked across this in the head-fi forum so it wasn't something I chose from exhaustive research. More like quick research to verify it didn't suck before buying from head-fier.


Thanks for sharing your experience. It's been a bit hard to find much first hand comments on the unit.


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> More like quick research to verify it didn't suck before buying from head-fier.



I recognize myself in this statement...


----------



## holytiger

My new edition of headphone stands in a row


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Looks like i've to listen to them one time.


----------



## Preachy1

holytiger said:


> My new edition of headphone stands in a row


I like those small whiskey glasses. Where are they to be found?


----------



## EdgeOfSound

holytiger said:


> My new edition of headphone stands in a row


Wine and dining your headphones?


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> My new edition of headphone stands in a row



There's a logic-bomb here:

You take a pricey/valuable bottle of whiskey, either unopened or mostly full...
And put a headphone on it (nice!)
But what about drinking from that bottle? The headphone is in the way of that
Of course you could remove the headphone temporarily while decanting the bottle
But the more you drink from the bottle, the less full it is
And the more unstable it becomes as a headphone stand
I foresee a tsunami of beached & wallowing endgame headphones


----------



## CreditingKarma

BugmenAndBoxes said:


> Luckily my journey didn't get out of mid-fi but I shouldn't have looked at all the hubbub as overrating that should be ignored. There's a reason every new planar flavor-of-the-month gets forgotten about while the 600 still spurs discussion to this day.
> 
> Although it's a bit of a last hurrah for this setup as I've gone with it solo for a while but I've decided to sell it (although somehow people seem to not really want it so I get to spend a good number more days with it than I thought) so I can afford a new speaker setup for my redone basement. If I were to go back to headphones I would get the 600 and a nice portable DAC/amp and enjoy the world with them



What speakers are you thinking about getting?


----------



## Preachy1

My wife recently moved her home office to the basement, so I can boogie in the living room now.  Here is my humble setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> My wife recently moved her home office to the basement, so I can boogie in the living room now.  Here is my humble setup.



"...wife recently moved her home office to the basement...." 

(I'll have trouble getting that thought out of my head)


----------



## zeromacro (Sep 26, 2020)

My humble setup 😋


----------



## LoryWiv

zeromacro said:


> My humble setup 😋


Nice setup @zeromacro! What nearfield speakers are those and how do you like them?


----------



## TooFrank

holytiger said:


> My new edition of headphone stands in a row


Wauw - nice - what is the story about the pipes? Are they still a part of your life and enjoyment


----------



## zeromacro

LoryWiv said:


> Nice setup @zeromacro! What nearfield speakers are those and how do you like them?



Thanks! 

They're called Kanto YU2's. The company is actually near where I live which is how I got to know them. They're compact and I like the simple design and built in dac/amp.  A lot of people compare these to the Audioengine A2+'s but the YU2's to be more on the neutral side. I haven't heard the A2's but I'd agree that the sound signature is on the neutral side and is easy to listen to (slight roll off on the high frequency range). Not a high fidelity speaker by any means but gets the job done for what I use them for (background music, media consumption, slight games). It also has a lineout for their subwoofer which I hear are nice.


----------



## MLGrado (Sep 26, 2020)

Not much new to post but the system has changed a bit, and plans are in works to get rid of the desk matching glass 'tower' and go for a cleaner looking and hopefully more functional arrangement of pure computer componentry and critical audio components.  So in the next few months I am hoping for a substantial new look, but I HAVE found my final destination (very likely anyway) when it comes to my DAC.  The iFi iDSD Pro has moved in permanently.

What you can't see to the right is my Hewlett Packard All-in-One that handles typical computer chores, like posting on head-fi right now.

In the photo is pretty much all audio or an overlapping component.  Finally have it working flawlessly.  The audio equipment, anyway.  Still have occasional performance issues with my Synology NAS (not visible because it is on bottom shelf hidden by chair) that requires every once in awhile a restart to refresh everything.  The BIGGEST offender is something on the other side of the home network when using Roon.  Roon sometimes just doesn't like to move from NAS local files to MQA files on Tidal.  It will stutter, freeze, buffer etc, and give an error 'excuse' about slow network issues.  I have yet to experience this problem, though, when using Tidal's own desktop Macintosh software.  Feels no different than playing from a local SSD drive.  Its fast and so far flawless.  So it is probably safe to assume the issue is with somewhere between Roon, the Network and the DAC. It is a rare occurance but not so rare enough to be out of mind.  At least worst case scenario I can quit Roon and go directly to the Tidal software interface.

But back to the primary changes.. the new iDSD DAC Pro has rendered a lot of my USB equipment unnecessary as it doesn't use the 5v bus that comes from USB.  All I kept in the signal chain was the Intona USB 2.0 isolator.  The iFi is 100 percent Galvanically isolated internally; all its inputs, not just USB, are galvanically separated from the 'analog' side with the all important buffer/reclocker and the master clock.  Even still, from a previous experience with another respected company with a galvanically isolated USB input, having the USB signal  'cleaned up' externally specifically with galvanic isolation before it made it to the DAC caused a MAJOR drop in the noise floor and therefore a major gain in Signal to Noise ratio.  So ever since, regardless of the maker, I am going to keep my trusty Intona Galvanic Isolator handy and in use!

Source is year 2014 Mac Mini, now with Wireworld Chroma 8 USB 2.0 cables feeding the Intona and the iDSD.  (OH, there is also still one more small legacy part in the chain.. the USB port on the Mac Mini chosen for audio usage has a iFi iSilencer+ on it.  Overkill I am sure, and it probably will come out.  But I just bought it recently so I feel I need to get at least what I paid for out of it haha)

Of course the new crown jewel of my system is the iFi iDSD Pro Dac and headphone amp.  Used here only as a dac with fixed gain stage. RCA single ended output with Kimber Kable Tonik interconnects.

Interconnects over to the the other quite special if not underrated piece of gear, the Icon Audio HP8 MKII headphone amp with NOS tubes.  (Tungsram ECC 83 at the input and pair of Sylvania 6F8G as output, as of the typing)

I had to downgrade at one point my actual headphones.  I no longer have my Audeze LCD-X nor my Focal Clear Pro.  But I am currently using with great results a pair of Hifiman HE-560 Planar headphones.  Couple things in play here.  These headphones are under-rated or underappreciated, with part of that possibly being they are low sensitivity and not all that easy to drive, especially compared to say, the Audeze Planars. But the Icon Tube amp pair masterfully with them. With significant power to spare.  Which leads to incredible results on great orchestral recordings.  The quietest details all the way to massive swells that have nary a trace of audible distortion.  It is a glorious thing.  Soon enough, though, I am upgrading back up to the higher end planar spectrum. We will see.

Finally the photo itself.. a little aside thing.  I broke my iPhone so I went in yesterday and got one of the iPhone 11 Pro MAX phones.  Wanted to see what the camera upgrades could do.  This photo is in quite low light, so I set it manually to hold a full 3 second exposure.  No post processing has been done.  Phone did a pretty darn good job of stabilizing a handheld exposure of 3 seconds.  And it seems there are a lot of other tricks up its sleeve, for a smartphone camera, that is.  ANYWAY, enough with the fricking 'epistle' and here is the photo 

of course, click on the photo itself for full/highest rez version..

Peace

PS....  left out mention of the SBooster 15v BOTW linear power supply providing the juice to the iFi iDSD Pro!


----------



## KPzypher

Finished! A walk-in closet converted to a listening room.  Liking the compact speakers for such a small space.  nice and cozy and ready for the winter!


----------



## BobG55

KPzypher said:


> Finished! A walk-in closet converted to a listening room.  Liking the compact speakers for such a small space.  nice and cozy and ready for the winter!


Very nice conversion, looks very cool.  Your own private little audiophile paradise. A+


----------



## kyotousa

KPzypher said:


> Finished! A walk-in closet converted to a listening room.  Liking the compact speakers for such a small space.  nice and cozy and ready for the winter!


You just sit there and listen to music?


----------



## KPzypher

kyotousa said:


> You just sit there and listen to music?



Among other things.. 🙄


----------



## kyotousa

KPzypher said:


> Among other things.. 🙄


Oh jw, I just didn't see computer or books haha.


----------



## KPzypher

kyotousa said:


> Oh jw, I just didn't see computer or books haha.



Ah gotya! Computer and books are just outside the walk-in closet, in my study.  Walk-in closet is just for listening.


----------



## kyotousa

nice ardbeg uigedail


----------



## Kukuk

KPzypher said:


> Ah gotya! Computer and books are just outside the walk-in closet, in my study.  Walk-in closet is just for listening.



Is that the LG 38GL monitor? I went with the 38GN, and man, it is a fantastic panel. The latest generations of LG's IPS displays are killing it.


----------



## holytiger (Sep 27, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> I like those small whiskey glasses. Where are they to be found?


The bottle and the glasses comes together and it was a gift from the president's oval office as a thanksgiving present 








and the postman delivered with some cables I ordered few weeks ago.


----------



## holytiger

EdgeOfSound said:


> Wine and dining your headphones?


its their date night


----------



## holytiger

Pharmaboy said:


> There's a logic-bomb here:
> 
> You take a pricey/valuable bottle of whiskey, either unopened or mostly full...
> And put a headphone on it (nice!)
> ...



I'll just have to fill them with juice then! apple juice to be precise to look them like if its whiskey


----------



## KPzypher

Kukuk said:


> Is that the LG 38GL monitor? I went with the 38GN, and man, it is a fantastic panel. The latest generations of LG's IPS displays are killing it.



It is.  I love the ratio and everything else, except it generates a lot of heat.  That plus my PC warms up the room considerably.


----------



## Kukuk

KPzypher said:


> It is.  I love the ratio and everything else, except it generates a lot of heat.  That plus my PC warms up the room considerably.



I honestly can't go back to 16:9. My last monitor was a 34UM88C-P and that sold me on 21:9 forever. I even passed on high refresh 16:9 because I felt ultrawide was a bigger game changer.

I was half-tempted to go for the Samsung G9, but I feel like 32:9 is a little much. That, and the monitor seems to be cursed, as there is an endless flow of complaints about faulty panels.


----------



## albertmuc (Sep 27, 2020)




----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## BobSmith8901 (Sep 27, 2020)

KPzypher said:


> Ah gotya! Computer and books are just outside the walk-in closet, in my study.  Walk-in closet is just for listening.


I'm speechless. I am without speech.


----------



## Pharmaboy

KPzypher said:


> Among other things.. 🙄



Discretion is the better part of valor...


----------



## Pharmaboy

holytiger said:


> The bottle and the glasses comes together and it was a gift from the president's oval office as a thanksgiving present
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wait--the president's oval office? President of the country?


----------



## KPzypher

Kukuk said:


> I honestly can't go back to 16:9. My last monitor was a 34UM88C-P and that sold me on 21:9 forever. I even passed on high refresh 16:9 because I felt ultrawide was a bigger game changer.
> 
> I was half-tempted to go for the Samsung G9, but I feel like 32:9 is a little much. That, and the monitor seems to be cursed, as there is an endless flow of complaints about faulty panels.



I agree.  32:9 is a bit too much.  Plus, I need a vertical screen for Roon.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

An (ultra) smooth sound with plenty of effortless feel. Filter 2 works best for me.


----------



## Terriero

albertmuc said:


>


You had a reason to keep the Denon's... They matches your table    Beautiful pic.


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> Discretion is the better part of valor...



Where did you read that ?


----------



## Pharmaboy

BobG55 said:


> Where did you read that ?



It's from Shakespeare.


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> It's from Shakespeare.


Guess I put my foot in my mouth this time.  Needless to point out that, except for Macbeth, I’ve never read Shakespeare.  Nice quote Pharmaboy.


----------



## KC2020 (Sep 28, 2020)




----------



## kid vic

KPzypher said:


> Finished! A walk-in closet converted to a listening room.  Liking the compact speakers for such a small space.  nice and cozy and ready for the winter!


That's pretty awesome, I was thinking of doing something similar in the future actually. Are you planning on switching to speaker stands from the credenza at some point?


----------



## kid vic

kyotousa said:


> You just sit there and listen to music?


Isn't that how most people listen to music?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## gefski

kid vic said:


> Isn't that how most people listen to music?


Yep. Almost everybody “hears” music, but only a few of us actively “listen” to music. I’m the only one in my large extended family.


----------



## MLGrado (Sep 28, 2020)

Got to playing around a bit with the iPhone 11 Pro Max wide angle..  never have been able to get in a single wide shot what is really the 'control' area for the entire home A/V.  And the television for the extra bedroom we are looking at   It's really "old school" but still a helluva picture at the proper viewing angle, even if it only has 768p vertical resolution.  It is from the heydays of Panasonic's plasma production, I think right before or around the time Pioneer quit making the glass for their Kuro panels and started sourcing Panasonic made panels for them.

The likewise "old school" home theater with  JVC D-ILA 1080p RS46 shining on a 2.35:1 103" DaLite Cinema Contour screen and Martin Logan active Purity speakers as the mains is on other side of wall; currently active as source in the theater is an old Dune streamer hard wired back to control and managed by Zappiti.

But the rest of the house including the bonus room two floors up with 65 inch 4k HDR Samsung, all have either Rokus or Apple TV. So control center down here is a PLEX server with the Dune/Zappiti on the way out as soon as I get a capable 4k HDR projector.

So overall I am still waiting on what I want to do with the theater.  It was state-of-the-art circa 2012.  So its ancient lol.  Lots of upgrades to do if I can kick some of the head-fi habit!  Haha.

Therefore of course most all the time spent here at the desk is with headphones.  Rarely a moment they aren't on while I'm browsing headfi or really anything


----------



## gimmeheadroom

BobG55 said:


> Guess I put my foot in my mouth this time.  Needless to point out that, except for Macbeth, I’ve never read Shakespeare.  Nice quote Pharmaboy.



Maybe I misread it but I thought he said discretion is the better part of velour- as in go leather


----------



## mcgo

My audio exploration station. Fresh today, just for you. With a couple of easter eggs.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

mcgo said:


> My audio exploration station. Fresh today, just for you. With a couple of easter eggs.



The position of that volume control on your V280 with the 800s is more than scary given you have the RME in line-out mode as it should be 

I'm at -12 dB on my presets and I don't think I have a pair of headphones I can't set on fire with the volume at 2:00 in the afternoon!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

gefski said:


> Yep. Almost everybody “hears” music, but only a few of us actively “listen” to music. I’m the only one in my large extended family.



Same here, even my mom thought I got autism when I did that (when I was a kid). I almost thought what I did also a weird thing, but still, I keep did it


----------



## mcgo

gimmeheadroom said:


> The position of that volume control on your V280 with the 800s is more than scary given you have the RME in line-out mode as it should be
> 
> I'm at -12 dB on my presets and I don't think I have a pair of headphones I can't set on fire with the volume at 2:00 in the afternoon!



Well spotted. The volume is from last nights listening session which was a Kraftwerk live bootleg via my NOS dac. It puts out a puny 2V on RCA and needs the help, though I may have been enjoying it too much near the end. On the RME I’ll be less than 11 o’clock and very happy.


----------



## diggygun

My office system


----------



## Pharmaboy

TheMiddleSky said:


> Same here, even my mom thought I got autism when I did that (when I was a kid). I almost thought what I did also a weird thing, but still, I keep did it



Interesting comment. 

Many years after childhood I realized I'd had synesthesia as a child, say from age 4 or 5 up to early teens. It only happened when I listened to classical music with my eyes closed. Then I would "see" striking visual simulations based on the music--constantly changing, colorful, geometric/architectural figures. Bach's fugues caused the most extravagant visual simulations (all that counterpoint & harmonic variation). 

I thought nothing of it, never bothered mentioning it to anyone. I listened very passionately to music as a child & just assumed everyone experienced the same things as I did.

It still happens a bit now, though way lower in amplitude/noticeability.


----------



## Ciggavelli

Pharmaboy said:


> Interesting comment.
> 
> Many years after childhood I realized I'd had synesthesia as a child, say from age 4 or 5 up to early teens. It only happened when I listened to classical music with my eyes closed. Then I would "see" striking visual simulations based on the music--constantly changing, colorful, geometric/architectural figures. Bach's fugues caused the most extravagant visual simulations (all that counterpoint & harmonic variation).
> 
> ...


The same with me. I just thought everybody saw visuals when listening to music. Then I learned about synesthesia. I don’t see colors, but I see amazing shapes, waves, “fireworks,” etc.


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> Interesting comment.
> 
> Many years after childhood I realized I'd had synesthesia as a child, say from age 4 or 5 up to early teens. It only happened when I listened to classical music with my eyes closed. Then I would "see" striking visual simulations based on the music--constantly changing, colorful, geometric/architectural figures. Bach's fugues caused the most extravagant visual simulations (all that counterpoint & harmonic variation).
> 
> ...


Value added to the experience!!!


----------



## Gavin C4

Small gun vs Biggg gun

The THX 789 's 3.5mm output is really great for portable earphones.


----------



## vonBaron

I don't know where are topic of new buyed gear so i put it here.
RAD-0 sold so i buy again Ether Flow 1.1 with WyWires Platinum!


----------



## Mikey99

A bit chaotic at the moment...


----------



## gazzington

Pharmaboy said:


> Interesting comment.
> 
> Many years after childhood I realized I'd had synesthesia as a child, say from age 4 or 5 up to early teens. It only happened when I listened to classical music with my eyes closed. Then I would "see" striking visual simulations based on the music--constantly changing, colorful, geometric/architectural figures. Bach's fugues caused the most extravagant visual simulations (all that counterpoint & harmonic variation).
> 
> ...


That used to happen to me a lot when I was younger too. I assumed that it happened to everyone.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 30, 2020)

Ciggavelli said:


> The same with me. I just thought everybody saw visuals when listening to music. Then I learned about synesthesia. I don’t see colors, but I see amazing shapes, waves, “fireworks,” etc.



My entire life I have had slight hallucinations like stuff isn’t actually solid but is clear with an energy underneath? At times as a child of 5 or 6 I could visualize glitter tunnels that upon concentrating could travel down and into. Often the glitter would be gold but also a lime green. At 6 I could also create small floating gem like clear lights that could drift across my vision. I asked my parents what all this stuff was as I was sure everyone saw these things, that it was just part of life. My folks had no answer.

For my entire life I have been able to concentrate and see shapes and figures but have no control of what they are. I daily see small tiny lights which actually seem to be connected to thoughts that are profound. Mainly blue but at times dark blue and ruby red. I met a woman who has formed an on line group about the lights, so it feels good not to be alone with this as my wife thinks I’m crazy.


----------



## midicun (Sep 30, 2020)

Gavin C4 said:


> Small gun vs Biggg gun
> 
> The THX 789 's 3.5mm output is really great for portable earphones.


@Gavin C4 
How do you like your Luxman P750U? Does your Bartok not have a HP Amp? Your signature shows that the Bartok is feeding the P750U to the Utopias.

I am debating to get a P750U to drive my 1266 TC.


----------



## Gavin C4

midicun said:


> @Gavin C4
> How do you like your Luxman P750U? Does your Bartok not have a HP Amp? Your signature shows that the Bartok is feeding the P750U to the Utopias.
> 
> I am debating to get a P750U to drive my 1266 TC.



The Bartok is the DAC version only. I demoed the Utopia with Bartok Headphone amp version, it is too sterile. Therefore, I choose the P750U for the amp section to add more emotion to the Utopia. The Utopia might sound a bit thin or metallic on a certain setup. But the P750U really solves the problem, once this problem is solved, pairing the Utopia with ultra-high-end HiFi grade DAC will not be an issue.


----------



## tabness

Mikey99 said:


> A bit chaotic at the moment...



are those 47 labs speakers? i really wanted a pair of "micro cube" ones but they are discontinued


----------



## MRODEZE

Mikey99 said:


> A bit chaotic at the moment...


I love that chaos!


----------



## Mikey99 (Oct 1, 2020)

tabness said:


> are those 47 labs speakers? i really wanted a pair of "micro cube" ones but they are discontinued


They are Airtight AL-05 Bonsai speakers, which I understand are related to the 47 lab speakers (I think they had the same designer, Takanori Ohmura). I have them on demo, running them from a Riviera AIC-10 amp. Astounding sound from such a small speaker. There is a good review by Absolute Sound online.


----------



## llamaluv

mcgo said:


> My audio exploration station. Fresh today, just for you. With a couple of easter eggs.



Okay, I'll bite. Props for the Commodore 64 programmer's guide in the background. That brings me back. In hindsight, I wish I tried harder to grok the "machine language" section of the book, back in those days. I feel like it would have made me a better programmer, earlier in my life.


----------



## seamon




----------



## newworld666

My new Real Life Office and Travel Pack .... Waiting for my Headphones to speakers'amp to be burned for a 100 hours..


----------



## Preachy1

seamon said:


>


Your OCD just kicked my OCD in the pants and took its lunch money


----------



## mcgo (Oct 1, 2020)

llamaluv said:


> Okay, I'll bite. Props for the Commodore 64 programmer's guide in the background. That brings me back. In hindsight, I wish I tried harder to grok the "machine language" section of the book, back in those days. I feel like it would have made me a better programmer, earlier in my life.



Aah the joys of 6502. The original RISC chip.

Its the other chip though that has all the love. Commodore 64 SID chips and headphones go together like peas and carrots! The real thing is so much better than emulation or even recordings. It has that analogue feel.

Two SID chips are twice the fun! In a dual mono configuration there is a natural stereo effect which works well on all songs.

I have two real hardware setups in play: A 6581R4AR / 8580 config and dual 8580. The AR chip is well regarded though the modern 8580 stuff is very good since it has more waveforms. Think Hubbard -vs- LMan.

2 more easter eggs to go.


----------



## Pharmaboy

seamon said:


>



You really tolerate some chaos on the desktop, huh?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> You really tolerate some chaos on the desktop, huh?


No kidding. Pure cable hell


----------



## gimmeheadroom

llamaluv said:


> Okay, I'll bite. Props for the Commodore 64 programmer's guide in the background.



DOH! I didn't have my glasses and was trying to figure out which Commodores album that was


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Chris Kaoss said:


> It's not really common to post your own wifi password on the net.


It's more common than most people would imagine. It's just not a very good idea


----------



## jirams




----------



## TooFrank

MRODEZE said:


> I love that chaos!


+1 I would like to have space enough to create a chaos like that


----------



## VandyMan

mcgo said:


> Aah the joys of 6502. The original RISC chip.
> 
> Its the other chip though that has all the love. Commodore 64 SID chips and headphones go together like peas and carrots! The real thing is so much better than emulation or even recordings. It has that analogue feel.
> 
> ...



There was a program for the C-64 that filled an entire floppy disk and took about 20 minutes to load and then played five seconds of Led Zeppelin's Living Loving Maid. I worked in high school and college as a C-64 programmer. It seems like a joke now, but at the time (1985) we were totally blown away by that demo.


----------



## mcgo (Oct 3, 2020)

VandyMan said:


> There was a program for the C-64 that filled an entire floppy disk and took about 20 minutes to load and then played five seconds of Led Zeppelin's Living Loving Maid. I worked in high school and college as a C-64 programmer. It seems like a joke now, but at the time (1985) we were totally blown away by that demo.



I have a similar story from back in the day. I was at a copy party in ‘86 and I heard  ‘Everybody Loves Kung Fu Fighting!’ (the actual vocals) blaring from across the room. I was amazed! I had to have it! And I pestered they poor guy until he copied it to one of my hard earned blank floppies.  That and ‘Born in the USA’.

Back then they could only do 4 Bit samples with no compression, so you were limited to a few seconds. Now, 30+ years later, the lid had been blown off and techniques have been discovered to do full 8 Bit samples while retaining 2 synth channels. Plus they can do HQ sample mixing and basically duplicate Amiga quality audio, mods and all. LMan is the king of this technique. He has stuff on YT if you are interested.

Belated Hint: One of my easter eggs is magnetic!


----------



## interweb-tech (Oct 3, 2020)

Bedside station setup completed for now. Equipment left to right, top to bottom
Allo USBridge Signature Player (Roon endpoint), iFi nano iGalvanic3.0, DAART Yulong Aquila II
Furman AC-215A Compact Power Conditioner, Allo Shanti Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise PSU






VR headset stand used for headphones. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e for Roon remote. Seemingly random red cord is the tablet's usb charging cable.


----------



## snailmeat (Oct 4, 2020)

Back after quitting for about 12 years.


----------



## kumar402

interweb-tech said:


> Bedside station setup completed for now. Equipment left to right, top to bottom
> Allo USBridge Signature Player (Roon endpoint), iFi nano iGalvanic3.0, DAART Yulong Aquila II
> Furman AC-215A Compact Power Conditioner, Allo Shanti Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise PSU
> 
> ...


I like the stand that you are using for glasses.


----------



## interweb-tech

kumar402 said:


> I like the stand that you are using for glasses.


Found on Etsy.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

interweb-tech said:


> Bedside station setup completed for now. Equipment left to right, top to bottom
> Allo USBridge Signature Player (Roon endpoint), iFi nano iGalvanic3.0, DAART Yulong Aquila II
> Furman AC-215A Compact Power Conditioner, Allo Shanti Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise PSU
> 
> ...



Props for the old skool Maglite "persuader"


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> Bedside station setup completed for now. Equipment left to right, top to bottom
> Allo USBridge Signature Player (Roon endpoint), iFi nano iGalvanic3.0, DAART Yulong Aquila II
> Furman AC-215A Compact Power Conditioner, Allo Shanti Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise PSU
> 
> ...



HEX v2?


----------



## interweb-tech

Pharmaboy said:


> HEX v2?


Hifiman Arya


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## carboncopy

Second headphone amp arrived, the TMP Ant. It’s a local (Hungarian) product. Very unique circuit design, lots of power. Still burning because of the big Mundorf capacitors.


----------



## FinBenton




----------



## gefski (Oct 6, 2020)

Deleted.


----------



## gefski

carboncopy said:


> Second headphone amp arrived, the TMP Ant. It’s a local (Hungarian) product. Very unique circuit design, lots of power. Still burning because of the big Mundorf capacitors.


Thumbs up on buying homegrown.  I try to do likewise.


----------



## NickMimi (Oct 6, 2020)

Flavors of the week.


----------



## Makiah S

Pics kinda junk but here's what it looks like after moving some stuff around


----------



## dagothur

Mshenay said:


> Pics kinda junk but here's what it looks like after moving some stuff around


Is that an ES Labs ES1a I see?


----------



## Makiah S

dagothur said:


> Is that an ES Labs ES1a I see?


Yup, in for review. 009 is mine personally but I'll miss the ES-1A when it leaves :[


----------



## Terriero

Mshenay said:


> Pics kinda junk but here's what it looks like after moving some stuff around


I think that you NEED TIME!!!


----------



## EdgeOfSound

Mshenay said:


> Pics kinda junk but here's what it looks like after moving some stuff around


Nice feet warmer


----------



## dagothur

Mshenay said:


> Yup, in for review. 009 is mine personally but I'll miss the ES-1A when it leaves :[


I'll be sure to read the review. I've been thinking about doing a KGSSHV/ES-1A combo.


----------



## Swisshead

ZMF Vérité open LTD: brand new arrived today! Sounds awesome!


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Swisshead said:


> ZMF Vérité open LTD: brand new arrived today! Sounds awesome!



Looks great too! Is that one of the ZMF upgrade cables? How much does the headphone weigh with that ltd edition wood?


----------



## Swisshead

CaptainFantastic said:


> Looks great too! Is that one of the ZMF upgrade cables? How much does the headphone weigh with that ltd edition wood?



Yes is the upgrade cable from ZMF: Letrik S 4-strang. Ohh weight, must weigh... guess about 440 grams. But feels extremely light on the head. Wear it now for 3 hours and zero problems. No pressing, absolutely nothing. Super comfortable.

Also sounds sensational! Absolutely outstanding! No, Zach definitely did not promise too much!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mshenay said:


> Pics kinda junk but here's what it looks like after moving some stuff around



OK, this is astounding. 

I feel like I visited the tiger enclosure at the zoo--and there are 25 tigers standing around.


----------



## Makiah S

dagothur said:


> I'll be sure to read the review. I've been thinking about doing a KGSSHV/ES-1A combo.



I think solid state would be better overall than the tube set up I run... Tho even on Tube's it's spectacular, 



Pharmaboy said:


> OK, this is astounding.
> 
> I feel like I visited the tiger enclosure at the zoo--and there are 25 tigers standing around.



Yea I need to get a ZMF Back into the mix honestly... just to have on hand but I'll have a Denon D5k with mods again sooon! An thanks!


----------



## holytiger

I have just got myself THE first speaker system ever in my life. 

Before, I've only listened to headphones in my room so I had to do a bunch of research(over a year) and lot of auditioning to see what is the best system I can have with my current limited budget and the size of my room. 

It took 2 months for all the ingredients to arrive due to the pandemic... (power cables, speaker cables, amp, speaker, and 8 tubes from 4 different countries)








It was a torture because the speakers arrived first 3 weeks ago but I could not listen to them ! because the amp and the tubes didn't arrive.

So I was just staring at them on my desk... with a blank stare.. and pouring my whiskey with the thought of lusting them and imagining how they would sound like.







and that was ....Until yesterday where the final piece arrived !!! (the one pair tube thats missing for my amp to run) It came from Italy and tooooook soooo long to get here!! and finally! 














Very much worth the wait. It sounds lot better than 5-6 times more expensive speakers I have auditioned from local dealers. 

Sounds so silky and emotional with 300b mono blocks and sound artist ls3/5a. Truly magical.


----------



## EdgeOfSound

holytiger said:


> I have just got myself THE first speaker system ever in my life.
> 
> Before, I've only listened to headphones in my room so I had to do a bunch of research(over a year) and lot of auditioning to see what is the best system I can have with my current limited budget and the size of my room.
> 
> ...



hope u don't burn/melt all the little ornaments on top of the amp


----------



## Ethereal Sound

seamon said:


>



What Xbox controller is that? Do want! I see you're also into mechanical keyboards, another fellow connoisseur


----------



## seamon

Ethereal Sound said:


> What Xbox controller is that? Do want! I see you're also into mechanical keyboards, another fellow connoisseur


8bitdo SN30 Pro


----------



## silversurfer616

Can’t stop listening with the Heddphone...


----------



## Pharmaboy

silversurfer616 said:


> Can’t stop listening with the Heddphone...



IMO that's a beautiful system with high-quality components all-around. Which of the 2 DACs do you favor?


----------



## silversurfer616

Pharmaboy said:


> IMO that's a beautiful system with high-quality components all-around. Which of the 2 DACs do you favor?


Difficult to say but I tend to prefer the Holo Spring in NOS mode because it is just so natural and lets the music connect with me on a deeply emotional level. 
After more than 20 years exploring headphones and what they can do, I give now the proverbial about measurements and just need to *feel* the music.


----------



## Pharmaboy

silversurfer616 said:


> Difficult to say but I tend to prefer the Holo Spring in NOS mode because it is just so natural and lets the music connect with me on a deeply emotional level.
> After more than 20 years exploring headphones and what they can do, I give now the proverbial about measurements and just need to *feel* the music.



I totally agree. For the past 3-4 years my preferences are strongly for NOS or good multibit. Most of my reservations about delta-sigma digital are just memories at this point. 

My fantasy DAC is the Holo May. I can neither afford it nor fit it on my desktop. Still, I'd love to own one.


----------



## silversurfer616

Dacs are really *trial and error*. Had almost the complete Metrum line up in the past and always felt that some engagement was missing. Sold the Pavane and got the the Perfect Wave instead...which is a fantastic dac but one feels it’s on steroids.
I always think of the Holo Spring as the most pure alpine water...to use more analogies.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Oct 14, 2020)

Never heard music on headphones with such a level of density before. A glimpse into the 2 channel world. 

PS: Temporary placement before moving to an actual equipment rack.


----------



## whirlwind

silversurfer616 said:


> Difficult to say but I tend to prefer the Holo Spring in NOS mode because it is just so natural and lets the music connect with me on a deeply emotional level.
> After more than 20 years exploring headphones and what they can do, I give now the proverbial about measurements and just need to *feel* the music.



 Could not agree more with the Holo Spring NOS dac, I have not even thought about another dac since I have bought it.
It is warm, transparent as all get out, and the music always seems to have rounded notes, never edgy.
Congrats on your system, very nice.


----------



## nasty nate

Recently upgraded the tube in my Lyr 3 to the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE (GF Limited special Edition):


----------



## seamon

nasty nate said:


> Recently upgraded the tube in my Lyr 3 to the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE (GF Limited special Edition):


That is a very interesting tube.


----------



## stersa

*SONY is SONY......



*


----------



## Monsterzero

Dumped the vertical audio tower rack and went to a horizontal set-up. Makes cleaning, tube rolling and access to the rear very simple.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

stersa said:


> *SONY is SONY......
> 
> *


Beautiful headphones.


----------



## EdgeOfSound

nasty nate said:


> Recently upgraded the tube in my Lyr 3 to the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE (GF Limited special Edition):



The tube looks like a xmas bauble


----------



## Pharmaboy

EdgeOfSound said:


> The tube looks like a xmas bauble



I've never seen a tube that looks like this! 

I've seen some rectifier tubes that swelled out in the middle & upper part (Sophia tubes), but not on a tube this small.


----------



## BobG55 (Oct 15, 2020)

EdgeOfSound said:


> The tube looks like a xmas bauble


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Gavin C4 said:


> Never heard music on headphones with such a level of density before. A glimpse into the 2 channel world.
> 
> PS: Temporary placement before moving to an actual equipment rack.



George McFly: "Lorraine, I am your density."



seamon said:


> That is a very interesting tube.



Lorraine: "That's very interesting, George."


----------



## OctavianH

New headphones in town.


----------



## TooFrank

nasty nate said:


> Recently upgraded the tube in my Lyr 3 to the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE (GF Limited special Edition):


It looks absolutely gorgeous. Just of curiosity and especially tube-ignorance: Can you describe the improvement compared with the stock tube(or others)?


----------



## TooFrank

OctavianH said:


> New headphones in town.


Really nice It looks like a Feliks Euphoria? I am on the fence. Can you push me into the right direction


----------



## Pharmaboy

TooFrank said:


> Really nice It looks like a Feliks Euphoria? I am on the fence. Can you push me into the right direction



_(Pharmaboy frantically googles "right direction")_


----------



## TooFrank

Pharmaboy said:


> _(Pharmaboy frantically googles "right direction")_


I guess, I might as well have written "over the edge".... English is difficult...


----------



## LoryWiv

TooFrank said:


> Really nice It looks like a Feliks Euphoria? I am on the fence. Can you push me into the right direction


It's a Feliks Elise Mk. II, which I also own. Great amp., less spend-y then Euforia.


----------



## Pharmaboy

TooFrank said:


> I guess, I might as well have written "over the edge".... English is difficult...



Often in headphone audio, "over the edge" = "the right direction"


----------



## AudioPowerHead

Pharmaboy said:


> Often in headphone audio, "over the edge" = "the right direction"


Also = “rabbit hole” 😊


----------



## TooFrank

AudioPowerHead said:


> Also = “rabbit hole” 😊


+1 - so it is not a linguistic question.......rabbits are everywhere...😜


----------



## adeadcrab

OctavianH said:


> New headphones in town.


ATH-X5000? What do you think? I was planning on the X5000 as my next pair of headphones..


----------



## KPzypher

OctavianH said:


> New headphones in town.



Nice! ADX5000.  I've always wanted one of those.  Don't see them too often and I definitely think they're very much under appreciated.


----------



## nasty nate

TooFrank said:


> It looks absolutely gorgeous. Just of curiosity and especially tube-ignorance: Can you describe the improvement compared with the stock tube(or others)?



The improvements (in this case going from the stock Tung Sol / JJ tube to the new globe) were a couple things. Using what I consider to be a pretty revealing headphone I heard several differences:

Better low end - more impact, more detail - this one is tough to describe - but the best example would be if you're listening to a fast bass guitar player, I can now hear more detail in the strings, where as before they were audible, but not detailed. 
Better top end as well - less harsh, which means I can play it louder and therefore hear even more detail - this is also a testament to the quality of the Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2... 
Soundstage, which was already large, improved - as an example: take the beginning of the song Fancy Colours by Chicago (Chicago II Steven Wilson Mix) - the chimes are even further apart, and their echoes travel further away from my head. 
It looks better (as you noted   )
Lastly, and this is the most cliche in my opinion - but the sense of realism increased. This is another one that is tough to describe - but imagine a flute comes in on the left channel - does it _feel _like there is someone next to you playing a wind instrument? With this tube, I sometimes catch myself imagining the feeling of the breath hitting me - ridiculous I know - but this tube does it more often than the stock tubes. 

These are just first impressions too - I need to spend more time with not only these headphones, but the tube to fully understand and appreciate all of it. 

Hope this made sense! I haven't reviewed tube differences before


----------



## Gavin C4

A clean and minimal setup is always prefered. I literally couldnt put down the Utopia on this setup. Listening to it the entire afternoon. These DACs with Ethernet connection is really convinent as you can put your PC or NAS or Core in another room and control it through a mobile device. It allows you to physically eliminate all mechanical noise from your PC or NAs and listen to your music in the best possible environment.


----------



## Roasty

Gavin C4 said:


> A clean and minimal setup is always prefered. I literally couldnt put down the Utopia on this setup. Listening to it the entire afternoon. These DACs with Ethernet connection is really convinent as you can put your PC or NAS or Core in another room and control it through a mobile device. It allows you to physically eliminate all mechanical noise from your PC or NAs and listen to your music in the best possible environment.



That is amazing and beautiful! Congrats man I am jelly!


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Gavin C4 said:


> A clean and minimal setup is always prefered. I literally couldnt put down the Utopia on this setup. Listening to it the entire afternoon. These DACs with Ethernet connection is really convinent as you can put your PC or NAS or Core in another room and control it through a mobile device. It allows you to physically eliminate all mechanical noise from your PC or NAs and listen to your music in the best possible environment.


sleek minimalism at its finest...looks like a museum!


----------



## RONJA MESCO

interweb-tech said:


> Bedside station setup completed for now. Equipment left to right, top to bottom
> Allo USBridge Signature Player (Roon endpoint), iFi nano iGalvanic3.0, DAART Yulong Aquila II
> Furman AC-215A Compact Power Conditioner, Allo Shanti Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise PSU
> 
> ...


Where do you guys get those weights from? I seen other reviewers use them too...but I have no clue where to get em?


----------



## SalR406

RONJA MESCO said:


> Where do you guys get those weights from?


I don't have any myself, but I've seen them discussed before on the Darko site.  They are Relaxdays Türstopper door stops available on Amazon.


----------



## interweb-tech

RONJA MESCO said:


> Where do you guys get those weights from? I seen other reviewers use them too...but I have no clue where to get em?



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RL1RLVN


----------



## TooFrank

nasty nate said:


> The improvements (in this case going from the stock Tung Sol / JJ tube to the new globe) were a couple things. Using what I consider to be a pretty revealing headphone I heard several differences:
> 
> Better low end - more impact, more detail - this one is tough to describe - but the best example would be if you're listening to a fast bass guitar player, I can now hear more detail in the strings, where as before they were audible, but not detailed.
> Better top end as well - less harsh, which means I can play it louder and therefore hear even more detail - this is also a testament to the quality of the Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2...
> ...


Thanks a lot - As I said, I know nothing about tubes, but after your description, I am certainly tempted


----------



## Pharmaboy

nasty nate said:


> The improvements (in this case going from the stock Tung Sol / JJ tube to the new globe) were a couple things. Using what I consider to be a pretty revealing headphone I heard several differences:
> 
> Better low end - more impact, more detail - this one is tough to describe - but the best example would be if you're listening to a fast bass guitar player, I can now hear more detail in the strings, where as before they were audible, but not detailed.
> Better top end as well - less harsh, which means I can play it louder and therefore hear even more detail - this is also a testament to the quality of the Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2...
> ...



You haven't reviewed tube differences before? Damn, you coulda fooled me! 

These are excellent comments...having perceptions is one thing; explaining perceptions is quite another.


----------



## TiestoFan

Already posted a full write up here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/my-new-setup-update-final-thoughts-and-reviews.944904/

But for this thread these will do:


----------



## whirlwind

New cans, tubes and cables.


----------



## Ciggavelli

whirlwind said:


> New cans, tubes and cables.


What amp is that?  I see Glen in your sig, but it also looks like an Ampandsound amp. Either way, nice setup


----------



## whirlwind

Ciggavelli said:


> What amp is that?  I see Glen in your sig, but it also looks like an Ampandsound amp. Either way, nice setup



Thanks. The two tubes amps are both by Glenn. An OTL and an SET.


----------



## adeadcrab

whirlwind said:


> New cans, tubes and cables.


Looks like the Antec Server case that I had back in 2006


----------



## Arcayne

Here's my escape from reality. 






Headphones 
*Meze Empyrean *- My favorite, the one that has it all nailed down for me. Comfort, build, looks, and a sound that brings top tier musical enjoyment with zero fatigue. 
*Sennheiser HD660S *- My first open-back headphones, which I still love dearly. Super comfy, sound very neutral/natural, and never fatiguing. 

Source gear
*Schiit Bifrost 2* - A very capable DAC with a smooth, neutral, natural and 3-dimensional sound that is free from any type of digital glare or harshness. 
*Schiit Asgard 3* - My solid-state utility amp, which I primarily got because it stacks nicely with the Bifrost 2. It does the job.  
*Feliks Audio Euforia Mk2 (2019 model)* - My idea of what a tube amp should be. It takes the Empyrean to another level by greatly enhancing its dynamic capabilities, expanding its soundstage and fully resolving music in a lifelike manner. And with the HD660S, yeah, it scales with the Euforia in traditional Sennheiser fashion. Downright impressive.


----------



## whirlwind

adeadcrab said:


> Looks like the Antec Server case that I had back in 2006



It is actually a Coolermaster server case...I have owned it for years  and every once in awhile it will get a hard drive or two upgrade


----------



## KPzypher

TiestoFan said:


> Already posted a full write up here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/my-new-setup-update-final-thoughts-and-reviews.944904/
> 
> But for this thread these will do:



Simple, yet effective.


----------



## Coztomba

Arcayne said:


> Here's my escape from reality.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Any idea where you got that stand with adjustable legs?  I need something like that!  Nice setup.


----------



## Arcayne

Coztomba said:


> Any idea where you got that stand with adjustable legs?  I need something like that!  Nice setup.


Thanks! This is the stand: https://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B0847TJWSY/


----------



## OctavianH

adeadcrab said:


> ATH-X5000? What do you think? I was planning on the X5000 as my next pair of headphones..



Yes, the headphones are Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000. It depends, they are very transparent and dynamic, soundwise neutral to bright, but also very unforgiving. They are throwing at you every mistake made during the recording process. This might be good, or not, and I would say these are more towards HD800 than other headphones. If you properly amplify them, the best would be a tube amplifier, they are neutral and the brigthness goes away. However, I would recommend these for classical or jazz. In my case, listening mostly to rock music, I am not sure if these are the best match. There are a lot of reviews, but I guess a good read is this one:
https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/audio-technica-adx5000-review


----------



## carboncopy

A bit of cleaning up...that’s the whole system (minus the power cord and distributor).


----------



## Hooster (Oct 19, 2020)

Taken today.
The front:




The back:




The magic. Western Electric 111c transformers.:


----------



## drewTT




----------



## LoryWiv

drewTT said:


>


Beautiful, clean setup @drewTT. What "feet" are you using with the iDSD?


----------



## drewTT

LoryWiv said:


> Beautiful, clean setup @drewTT. What "feet" are you using with the iDSD?



Thank you. It' a rack from iFi made for the Pro line.


----------



## LoryWiv

Slick!!!


----------



## MLGrado

NickMimi said:


> Flavors of the week.


 how does that supposed giant killer pro-ject S2 compare to the RME?  Very familiar with RME and I have to be really impressed by something else in its price class (or less) to replace it.  Just curious on your thoughts.  I am actually going to repurchase an RME ADI-2 just to have around as a kind of 'reference' point to compare other DACs I am may purchase to just review or have actual interest in them for one of my own pet projects of the day, or something like that.  Not gonna replace my iFi iDSD Pro.  Its the endgame for me, at least until something can come along in the under $4000 range that has significant better sound.


----------



## carboncopy

Relocated my system to a dedicated spot. Till now I sat between the speakers...


----------



## NickMimi

MLGrado said:


> how does that supposed giant killer pro-ject S2 compare to the RME?  Very familiar with RME and I have to be really impressed by something else in its price class (or less) to replace it.  Just curious on your thoughts.  I am actually going to repurchase an RME ADI-2 just to have around as a kind of 'reference' point to compare other DACs I am may purchase to just review or have actual interest in them for one of my own pet projects of the day, or something like that.  Not gonna replace my iFi iDSD Pro.  Its the endgame for me, at least until something can come along in the under $4000 range that has significant better sound.


The RME is more detail oriented with a ton of useful features, extremely good value, while the Pro-Ject comes off to me as an excellent piece for under $500 that you really cannot much complain about and will give you good bang for the buck with much mid-fi gear IMO. Not any kind of “giant killer” but it‘s a solid little piece And i keep it on hand because i like to use it with IEM’s, i am able to throw it on a quick set-up to test speakers and amps, and because it has a remote and MQA ability. The different filter setting will allow you to adjust SQ a tiny bit, especially if you have a well trained ear and i believe that is where some of the hype came from, its got a solidly black background and works really well coupled with IEM’s and its fairrly small size Means it’s easy to move around with While taking up very little room. If you were on a budget and could find one used i think you would be getting excellent value for your money till you grow well past the $1k+ point.


----------



## iFi audio

carboncopy said:


> A bit of cleaning up...that’s the whole system (minus the power cord and distributor).



What is that rack if I may ask? DIY?


----------



## carboncopy

iFi audio said:


> What is that rack if I may ask? DIY?



Kinda...it was made by a local manufactur according to my drawings. They nest in each other and both parts have they own Townshend seismic pods. Plus I do not use any shelves. The cross bars are made of marble and glued with blue-tac to the position to fit the equipment's feet.

Very compact, no acoustic resonance and effective vibration control.


----------



## iFi audio

carboncopy said:


> Kinda...it was made by a local manufactur according to my drawings. They nest in each other and both parts have they own Townshend seismic pods. Plus I do not use any shelves. The cross bars are made of marble and glued with blue-tac to the position to fit the equipment's feet.
> 
> Very compact, no acoustic resonance and effective vibration control.



That's a lovely work   

I imagine it's not too heavy, isn't it?


----------



## carboncopy

iFi audio said:


> That's a lovely work
> 
> I imagine it's not too heavy, isn't it?



Not really. But it is a sealed structure and it can be filled with sand/lead...actually they were filled with shot pellet, but it would be too heavy now for the current seismic springs+equipment I use.


----------



## LoryWiv

What is that gorgeous wood clad component?


----------



## carboncopy

LoryWiv said:


> What is that gorgeous wood clad component?



Pathos Inpol Ear (with Zebrawood option) if that’s the question.


----------



## LoryWiv

carboncopy said:


> Pathos Inpol Ear (with Zebrawood option) if that’s the question.


It was, and thank you @carboncopy. beautiful setup!


----------



## carboncopy

Thanks!


----------



## canfabulous

OOoh, I’m looking into a Pathos Inpol Ear at the moment - how do you find it?  Is the Zebrawood finish real or is it an effect?


----------



## canfabulous

carboncopy said:


> Relocated my system to a dedicated spot. Till now I sat between the speakers...



That is a gorgeous setup!


----------



## Jerseyboy (Oct 24, 2020)

Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....


----------



## MrCypruz

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are an upgrade from the dCS Rossini to the Vivaldi stack; Shunyata power and cabling; Mutec reference Clock; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....


That’s a cost no object system right there! Congratulations!!! B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L


----------



## Roasty

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....



Oh my.. Those are system goals right there. Amazing setup! I can only imagine what it must sound like.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....


Wow O.o


----------



## koven

That's a lot of Townshend platforms..


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Added the LCD-X and SMSL-SU9 recently.


----------



## atarione

I feel like alot of you don't have pets / cats running around your house... i've got this little ginger bast*rd trying to climb up my Sony ES stack if I'm not very careful


----------



## carboncopy (Oct 24, 2020)

canfabulous said:


> OOoh, I’m looking into a Pathos Inpol Ear at the moment - how do you find it?  Is the Zebrawood finish real or is it an effect?



I would say it's real. I mean it's not made of wood, it's just a layer, but beautifully done.

Other than that I am very pleased with sound quality. Best I heard till now! But, if you happen to be a "Grado person" as I am (probably 1% of the population here), then you will find that it has some small noise. But only with the Grado. Everything else I tried was dead silent. (I haven't used IEM with it).

I ordered yesterday a full loom of shunyata power cables and what not plus I will change the stock tube, so let's see.

And it get's really hot! Not a problem for me, but it's a fact.

Oh, and don't forget it has no high impedance output should your can need it.


----------



## Gavin C4

The dCS trend going strong right here, Rossini and Rossini Clock


----------



## whirlwind

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....



Just killer!


----------



## EdgeOfSound

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....


Living the dream


----------



## Pharmaboy

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....



Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2 monitors? (don't see this mentioned in profile)


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 25, 2020)

*As infinite as the universe is big............the universe is small.........the mathematical term for infinity holds a duality...........as my universe is getting smaller?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-xba-n3.22428/reviews#item-review-24616


*





*Sony Walkman 1A Japan Region MrWalkman DMP-Z1MK2 Firmware 
Sony XBA-N3 Dunu Blue L tips*


----------



## fiiom11pro

silversurfer616 said:


> Can’t stop listening with the Heddphone...




nice rig


----------



## audiobomber (Oct 25, 2020)

The headphone station inherited an sMS-200 and Audiolab 8200CD/DAC/pre when I upgraded my main system. The sMS plays FLAC files from my NAS, the Eitr streams from the net via the laptop. An iPurifier2 was a nice addition to the Eitr. Both sMS and Eitr are upgraded with linear power supplies, interconnects and USB cables are very good. I change between the HA-15/DT 1990 and Asgard 2/GH4, depending on the music. The Hafler connects to the DAC's balanced outputs, the Schiit via RCA.

I spend about four hours a day here, surfing the net and processing photos:


----------



## Roasty

Gavin C4 said:


> The dCS trend going strong right here, Rossini and Rossini Clock



oh man this is beautiful. i bet even my wife would approve!


----------



## LoryWiv

Added some nearfield Audioengine HD3 powered speakers and they sound especially nice with the Feliks Elise as pre-amp.:


----------



## iFi audio

carboncopy said:


> Not really. But it is a sealed structure and it can be filled with sand/lead...actually they were filled with shot pellet, but it would be too heavy now for the current seismic springs+equipment I use.



If I had to guess, I'd opt for your rack with your current decouplers rather than extra mass from sand.


----------



## iFi audio

Pharmaboy said:


> Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2 monitors? (don't see this mentioned in profile)



...and lots of stuff by Shunyata


----------



## CADCAM (Oct 27, 2020)

Hybrid system is a Loxjie P20 with upgraded power supply and 6N3P tubes, SMSL SU-8 DAC & NAD C542, balanced HE400i & Superlux HD672 SE.


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## jonathan c

The current set-up: Focal Clears in use. The headphone stable includes Audeze LCD-X, Meze Empyrean, Rosson Audio Design RAD-0, and Sennheiser HD-600 (modified). The LP has the Tubemonger 9-pin socket savers. Tubes are now cryogenically treated Genalex / Gold Lion 6922 / E88CC. Cable is Palladium Series by Arctic Cables. Amplifiers not pictured: HeadAmp GSX-mini and LehmannAudio SE Linear.


----------



## Kartewii

I just upgraded from Q1 + HD598 to R2R11 + LCD-2C a month ago.


----------



## CADCAM (Oct 27, 2020)

My SS setup with a Keces HA-171 amp & Keces DA-131.1 DAC now using a pass through on the amp to feed the Monolith Tube amp so I guess it's actually two systems.


----------



## CADCAM (Oct 27, 2020)

Here's my Tube setup Little Dot MKIII, Maverick Audio D2 DAC & another NAD C542 with an old skool Audio Control EQ sounds exquisite.


----------



## BobSmith8901

CADCAM said:


> Here's my Tube setup Little Dot MKIII, Maverick Audio D2 DAC & another NAD C542 with an old skool Audio Control EQ sounds exquisite.


Wow, Audio Control C-22. Had the exact same model bought in 1981. Used the turntable rumble filter quite a bit and had it hooked up through an Omnisonix Imager to my Sansui AU-D9 integrated (latter still in service). Lasted several years til at some point it broke down. Never forget the humorous Schiit-esque instruction manual!


----------



## CADCAM (Oct 27, 2020)

BobSmith8901 said:


> Wow, Audio Control C-22. Had the exact same model bought in 1981. Used the turntable rumble filter quite a bit and had it hooked up through an Omnisonix Imager to my Sansui AU-D9 integrated (latter still in service). Lasted several years til at some point it broke down. Never forget the humorous Schiit-esque instruction manual!


I had a nice BSR EQ-3000 back in the day on my stereo and when I got into headphones I was like an EQ would be great so I bought this in like new condition and the thing is silent, I was impressed! I also got a Audio Control 520 with the rotary knobs also mint! Enjoying them both.
I sold audio years ago and was able to purchase a Sansui 1000A receiver from the original owner, thing was incredible and weighed like 30lbs+ tubes upon tubes!
Headphones are great and I have the three systems set up now in my computer room...great hobby!


----------



## Preachy1

CADCAM said:


> Here's my Tube setup Little Dot MKIII, Maverick Audio D2 DAC & another NAD C542 with an old skool Audio Control EQ sounds exquisite.


I think you're the only person (other than myself) who uses a Maverick Audio product.  I've been using the D1 for several years now.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> I think you're the only person (other than myself) who uses a Maverick Audio product.  I've been using the D1 for several years now.


I guess if the company had only two customers they would be out of business by now


----------



## CADCAM (Oct 28, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> I think you're the only person (other than myself) who uses a Maverick Audio product.  I've been using the D1 for several years now.


Ha ha I hope not! I think the D2 is awesome, I can use the tube or SS output (or both) and it has great input options as well (USB, Coaxil, spdif & BNC!) and of course it sounds good or it would be gone.I bought mine brandy new with the upgraded op-amp OPA627 and GE 5670 tube.

Hey just looked at your gear! Wow a lot of stuff and I also saw we have the DT990 in common as well!


----------



## iFi audio

CADCAM said:


> My SS setup with a Keces HA-171 amp & Keces DA-131.1 DAC now using a pass through on the amp to feed the Monolith Tube amp so I guess it's actually two systems.



How's that Keces stuff working for you? Lots of positive feedback about it recently here in Europe, probably for a reason


----------



## CADCAM

iFi audio said:


> How's that Keces stuff working for you? Lots of positive feedback about it recently here in Europe, probably for a reason


Clean, clean and did I say clean. I find the Keces to be the standard of get out of the way and play the music amp. If the recording is good your good if the recording sucks your done. No colour added, no imposing a personality of its own on your music it just plays your song. I love it with my DT990's because they are such a  "fun" can and the Keces just tames them a bit in a very good way. The Beyers are also 600 ohm and the Keces drives them without issue. I'm always amazed by the Keces and it reminds me of hearing my Placette RVC for the first time, a "preamp" with no sound sig of its own yet musical!


----------



## 529128




----------



## Scutey

My latest headphone acquisition, the ZMF Auteur.


----------



## Makiah S

Got the speakers worked in, got the toe and angle's set. Speakers are 6 feet apart and are optimized for a 6 foot listening distance, so like when I'm gaming! 





An finally the satellite station! 





Been enjoying the last few days I have with the V-Moda M200 mostly out of this set up.


----------



## iFi audio

CADCAM said:


> Clean, clean and did I say clean. I find the Keces to be the standard of get out of the way and play the music amp. If the recording is good your good if the recording sucks your done. No colour added, no imposing a personality of its own on your music it just plays your song. I love it with my DT990's because they are such a  "fun" can and the Keces just tames them a bit in a very good way. The Beyers are also 600 ohm and the Keces drives them without issue. I'm always amazed by the Keces and it reminds me of hearing my Placette RVC for the first time, a "preamp" with no sound sig of its own yet musical!



Very nice, thanks for sharing. It's time to audition it when possible. And I agree, DT990 are fun cans for sure. But then again, most full-sized Bayers are


----------



## nasty nate

drewTT said:


>



Love seeing the HD800S - what stand is that? It's beautiful!


----------



## drewTT

nasty nate said:


> Love seeing the HD800S - what stand is that? It's beautiful!



ROOMs Audio.


----------



## iFi audio

nasty nate said:


> Love seeing the HD800S - what stand is that? It's beautiful!



And that silver box just next to it, right ? 

Sorry, I had to


----------



## snailmeat

Added a rack with 2 empty shelves that I now have to fill.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

snailmeat said:


> Added a rack with 2 empty shelves that I now have to fill.


There are never enough shelves or rack space in the world. That's just the way it is


----------



## banda

iFi audio said:


> And that silver box just next to it, right ?
> 
> Sorry, I had to


I wish it could be a black box!


----------



## banda

snailmeat said:


> Added a rack with 2 empty shelves that I now have to fill.


I like the look of those headphones. What are they?


----------



## snailmeat

banda said:


> I like the look of those headphones. What are they?



They are closed back Sennheisers. HD630VB.


----------



## stersa

Sisco


----------



## Articnoise




----------



## canfabulous

Nice and clean - love it!


----------



## nordkapp (Oct 31, 2020)

So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.


----------



## ricksome

nordkapp: 
1 >> Glad you are okay
2 >> Glad your equipment is okay

I am digging the simplicity of your setup


----------



## whirlwind

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.



Sorry to hear this, we had some water trouble in our basement this past spring and i know it is not much fun.


----------



## nordkapp

ricksome said:


> nordkapp:
> 1 >> Glad you are okay
> 2 >> Glad your equipment is okay
> 
> I am digging the simplicity of your setup


Thanks @ricksome. It's temporary.......thankfully. We'll see how long Mrs Nordkapp can live with it.


----------



## lobster

My playground


----------



## SalR406

lobster said:


> My playground


Wow.  That T+A headphone amp looks fantastic.  I remember reading about it when they launched that model.  Very enticing.  Enjoy it!


----------



## lobster

Thanks!


----------



## banda

SalR406 said:


> Wow. That T+A headphone amp looks fantastic. I remember reading about it when they launched that model. Very enticing. Enjoy it!


Speaking of which, has anyone here tried T+A's headphones?


----------



## EdgeOfSound

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.



Cheer up. Sounds like you have a nice new listening room coming!


----------



## BobSmith8901

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.


So Sorry to hear. I've had both water heater and sewage basement flooding and I know how much it sucks. Good luck and very glad no gear was lost.


----------



## nordkapp

BobSmith8901 said:


> So Sorry to hear. I've had both water heater and sewage basement flooding and I know how much it sucks. Good luck and very glad no gear was lost.


Thanks a bunch. Very unnerving....


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.



Love that dining room table! The wood is really nice (cherry?)


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.



Too bad your water heater was located where it could reach your listening room. "Cause all water heaters eventually crap out.

My wife & I came back from our honeymoon in Italy (many years ago) to find the water heater in basement beneath the kitchen had ruptured. There was 6" of hot water in that basement (the ruptured tank kept filling & heating for days). Large wainscott-covered walls in the kitchen above had buckled outward from the hot/humid air rising up the walls. A bad ending to a great trip.


----------



## nordkapp

Pharmaboy said:


> Love that dining room table! The wood is really nice (cherry?)


I can''t tell you much about it other than it cost a fortune and the Amish people built it. My wife insisted she needed it. Ha.


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> I can''t tell you much about it other than it cost a fortune and the Amish people built it. My wife insisted she needed it. Ha.



If the Amish built it, they used no power equipment to make that very pretty, gently sloping chamfer on the edge. 

Your wife has excellent taste!


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Beautiful equipment. 


lobster said:


> My playground


----------



## Gavin C4 (Nov 3, 2020)

A glass of whisky neat makes up the last element of a true relaxing setup.


----------



## kid vic

Gavin C4 said:


> A glass of whisky neat makes up the last element of a true relaxing setup.



You desperately need a new chair. I would consider donating one to match the whisky and the setup!


----------



## Redcarmoose

kid vic said:


> You desperately need a new chair. I would consider donating one to match the whisky and the setup!


Be careful what chair you get for him as I guess he may prefer open back instead of closed back?


----------



## kkrazik2008

Gavin C4 said:


> A glass of whisky neat makes up the last element of a true relaxing setup.


I dig the Hibiki, it is some good crap to sip while listening to tunes. 
‘Agree the chair needs an upgrade, no way to relax with a fine tasting whisky and that killer set up.


----------



## walls

This is in my shop, my home setup is a woo wa2 with 650’s and T1’s.


----------



## Terriero

kid vic said:


> You desperately need a new chair. I would consider donating one to match the whisky and the setup!


I said to my wife that I want this for Christmas  . I have seen other relax armchairs (motorized) but they are so big and don't fit in the assigned place.


----------



## kid vic

Terriero said:


> I said to my wife that I want this for Christmas  . I have seen other relax armchairs (motorized) but they are so big and don't fit in the assigned place.


Looks like great chair! better than a camp chair for sure


----------



## Edward777 (Nov 4, 2020)

Not as fancy as what you guys have in here, but it works for me!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Edward777 said:


> Not as fancy as what you guys have in here, but it works for me!


The main thing is you got it right with the Sennheisers. The rest is just gravy


----------



## Edward777

gimmeheadroom said:


> The main thing is you got it right with the Sennheisers. The rest is just gravy



No matter how many more headphones I buy in the future (and I probably won't buy anymore for a while), I will NEVER get rid of my HD600s! I love 'em.


----------



## KPzypher

Edward777 said:


> No matter how many more headphones I buy in the future (and I probably won't buy anymore for a while), I will NEVER get rid of my HD600s! I love 'em.



I feel the same with my HD650s.  My sensei.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Edward777 said:


> No matter how many more headphones I buy in the future (and I probably won't buy anymore for a while), I will NEVER get rid of my HD600s! I love 'em.


Same with my HD6XX. They were my "gateway" headphones.


----------



## banda

Edward777 said:


> Not as fancy as what you guys have in here, but it works for me!


I don't like this. I can't stand to see a perfectly stackable stack unstacked.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gavin C4 said:


> A glass of whisky neat makes up the last element of a true relaxing setup.



Nice gear!

A beach chair in the house..."the road less traveled"


----------



## Edward777

banda said:


> I don't like this. I can't stand to see a perfectly stackable stack unstacked.



That's definitely on purpose. I worried about those cables breaking faster connecting the amp to the DAC, since they have to bend more when the Magni and Modi (both Uber 2s) are stacked. I feel better having it set up this way, even if it probably doesn't matter.


----------



## BobG55

Edward777 said:


> No matter how many more headphones I buy in the future (and I probably won't buy anymore for a while), I will NEVER get rid of my HD600s! I love 'em.


I’ve never been without an HD600 since 2003.


----------



## grokit (Nov 5, 2020)

Gavin C4 said:


> A glass of whisky neat makes up the last element of a true relaxing setup.


Love the gears but that chair needs an upgrade!

_edit:_ whoops I skipped a page, not too timely oh well.


----------



## banda

Edward777 said:


> That's definitely on purpose. I worried about those cables breaking faster connecting the amp to the DAC, since they have to bend more when the Magni and Modi (both Uber 2s) are stacked. I feel better having it set up this way, even if it probably doesn't matter.


What about getting an intropose?


----------



## Edward777

banda said:


> What about getting an intropose?



What's that?


----------



## jonathan c

The introprose is a bracket type that connects and braces the Schiit DAC with the Schiit headphone amplifier. See “introprose.myshopify.com”. It has short cables built in.


----------



## Edward777

jonathan c said:


> The introprose is a bracket type that connects and braces the Schiit DAC with the Schiit headphone amplifier. See “introprose.myshopify.com”. It has short cables built in.



Hmm...those are pretty nifty. I'm bookmarking the page. I also like the little feet you put at the bottom of the stack, since I think I lost the ones that originally came with my gear. 

To be honest, I'm fine with mine as it is now, but I'm staying with my parents during nursing school, so if space was a tight option, I definitely would consider getting getting one of those gadgets in the future.


----------



## Diosces

antdroid said:


> I just picked up the SMSL SP200 THX-AAA 888 Amp. Great value and small size is a plus!



Awesome thread, recently got back into audio gear--I'll be posting my humble setup shortly. 
Got some real tips on affordable gear in the Head-Fi reviews.

After going through over 1500 pages I find above to be my favorite setup. Simple elegance all around. Love the spectrum analyzer on the ADI2DC


----------



## ChijiroKuro

Redcarmoose said:


> Be careful what chair you get for him as I guess he may prefer open back instead of closed back?


Open, closed: It doesn't matter as long as the music flows ... AH! You meant the chair, sorry.


----------



## Malevolent

ChijiroKuro said:


> Open, closed: It doesn't matter as long as the music flows ... AH! You meant the chair, sorry.


An open-back chair allows for a greater flow of air; you will definitely feel like you're in a live concert as opposed to a closed-back chair, where airflow is blocked; thus, it will project an intimate, closed-in feel.


----------



## waveSounds (Nov 6, 2020)

Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour 




We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.

When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour
> 
> We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.
> 
> When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.



I stared at that color and briefly lost consciousness (I have so little to spare...)

I believe the color is best described as "coral," or better yet, "lobster guts coral."


----------



## CaptainFantastic

waveSounds said:


> Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour
> 
> We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.
> 
> When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.



I love it that you enjoy the Nightowls so much. I also can't find a worthy closed back replacement for it, at any price. I know it's subjective.


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour
> 
> We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.
> 
> When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.


Don't lie, you posted your setup to show your chair... Fabolous, I looked at the chair and not at the red wall


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour
> 
> We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.
> 
> When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.



Thanks to @Terriero I just noticed your office chair. What brand/model is it? Does it work well for you?

FWIW, I'm a bit of an orthopedic chair 'ho (understatement) -- I own 3 Steelcase Leap chairs (v.1) + a TOTL Steelcase Criterion chair for my wife.

(ie, my brain is at risk, but my ass is 100% covered)

BTW, I must commend you for this item I just noticed in your profile (it's as if you're describing my own tastes):

"*Head-heaven:*

*Strong bass, particularly sub-bass, on the warmer side of things, non-fatiguing, rich mids, "musical"*."


----------



## waveSounds

Pharmaboy said:


> I stared at that color and briefly lost consciousness (I have so little to spare...)
> 
> I believe the color is best described as "coral," or better yet, "lobster guts coral."



You wouldn't be able to walk down our road without passing out. One of our neighbours several houses down recently painted their entire house this exact colour. No joke!



CaptainFantastic said:


> I love it that you enjoy the Nightowls so much. I also can't find a worthy closed back replacement for it, at any price. I know it's subjective.



I adore them. It's definitely subjective, but if the 'Birds click with you then that's end of the line. I don't think there's anything else out there that's similar because of Skylar's approach to the development of them which was at odds with essentially what every other manufacturer aims for. I'm still a gear guy at heart, so of course I can't help but keep an eye on the market and, occasionally, covet some of the offerings in the TOTL price bracket, but so long as the Owls live, they shall remain!



Terriero said:


> Don't lie, you posted your setup to show your chair... Fabolous, I looked at the chair and not at the red wall



Haha, you got me. To be fair, though, the listening chair is possibly just as integral as the gear you use. After all, if you're not comfortable, can you truly immerse yourself into the music? From my time sitting in a dining chair, I wager not.



Pharmaboy said:


> Thanks to @Terriero I just noticed your office chair. What brand/model is it? Does it work well for you?
> 
> FWIW, I'm a bit of an orthopedic chair 'ho (understatement) -- I own 3 Steelcase Leap chairs (v.1) + a TOTL Steelcase Criterion chair for my wife.
> 
> ...



I seriously looked at the Steelcase offerings as I kept reading excellent things about them. Alas, I found it hard to track down a UK dealer and once I've decided I need something, if there's no next day option, I'll ashamedly look elsewhere. Real shame, too. Bet they're the absolute dogs!

Choosing a chair without being able to sit on it is an odd experience. I must have browsed through several hundred. In the end I just went for something that looked half-decent, what else is there to inform you?!

This is the one in the pics. My ass has only been acquainted with its properties for just over 12 hours, but so far it's suitably satisfied lol. The headrest makes for a superb way to kick back with cans on and just fully chill out.


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, the wall really is that colour
> 
> We've been meaning to paint it for 4+ years, but just... couldn't be arsed. Maybe the time is right, seeing as how I stare at it all day now.
> 
> When lockdown started and my wife began working from home I donated my decent chair to her, and had been using a dining chair ever since. It was definitely not ideal! Anyway, this guy turned up this morning.


The color of your wall is quite soothing, actually. It exudes a warm, cushy feel, especially if you spend a good night listening to your music with a NightOwl.


----------



## waveSounds

Malevolent said:


> The color of your wall is quite soothing, actually. It exudes a warm, cushy feel, especially if you spend a good night listening to your music with a NightOwl.



Well, Malevolent, not only did you bring me joy when you started the closed-back appreciation thread, but now you've only gone and excelled yourself by actually bestowing a compliment upon the wall that's been a blight to me since purchasing this house 




And indeed, I think the naming of AudioQuest's cans were a stroke of genius; intentional or not. I can't think of a better late-night listening headphone. Reclining now with my G&T and streaming Radio Paradise's mellow channel through Foobar is about as good as it gets for a chap of my modest requirements.


----------



## sirbogey

nordkapp said:


> So, sadly this is my head-fi station at it's current state. It has now been relocated to the dining room table after my water heater blew during sleeping hours and flooded my listening room. Thankfully all my gear was saved but the room will now need to be partially torn down and rebuilt. Wwhhaaaaaa.


Lovely set up! Great to see another VHP2 still in action. I loved mine, the VAC-1 power supply made a nice upgrade. Also had the VDA-1, one of the earlier Channel Islands DACs. That must have been some 13 years ago... The VPH2 was paired with the AKG's 701. A truly amazing setup.

However, the quality of the VHP-2 wasn't really great. The plasticy hardware inside the case, all started to break, the feet fell off, the 6.5mm adapter broke in half, the power connector on the back broke etc etc..

Nevertheless, your unit on the left looks of much newer design. What is that? a DAC ?


----------



## stersa (Nov 7, 2020)

Great Combination..





Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> Well, Malevolent, not only did you bring me joy when you started the closed-back appreciation thread, but now you've only gone and excelled yourself by actually bestowing a compliment upon the wall that's been a blight to me since purchasing this house
> 
> And indeed, I think the naming of AudioQuest's cans were a stroke of genius; intentional or not. I can't think of a better late-night listening headphone. Reclining now with my G&T and streaming Radio Paradise's mellow channel through Foobar is about as good as it gets for a chap of my modest requirements.


Funnily enough, I'm not usually a fan of red as a color on consumer products (e.g. personal tech, consumer electronics), but red with decor or furnishings, if tastefully done, actually look very good. In your case, the tone of red used in your house (or room) is just the right shade for me. It's within the habitable zone of colors. 

I blew my chance on getting a first hand NightOwl Carbon; right now, they are all out-of-stock, since AudioQuest has apparently stopped production. It is a great headphone; it's non-analytical (a plus), but it exists for sheer musical enjoyment.. and isn't that what we all really want with our audio gear?


----------



## Malevolent

stersa said:


> Great Combination..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is, indeed. It'll be perfect if the UI of the Sony Walkmans could be rotated to fit a landscape view.


----------



## audiobomber (Nov 11, 2020)

My best DAC; the exaSound e32 Mark II. The built-in headphone amp is surprisingly powerful, drives my 250-ohm DT 1990 Pro headphones easily. I normally run the volume at around -30dB.

The exaSound Playpoint is connected to the DAC via Curious USB. A Cambridge Audio DiscMagic CD1 transport connects via Pure Transfer coax. A 65" Vizio TV is connected via Toslink. The DAC is powered with a Teddy Pardo 2A LPS, the Playpoint by a Zero Zone 4A LPS.

PS The photo showed me I needed to re-position the Sorbothane footers.


----------



## waveSounds

Red wall updated pt 2. Upon finding I had to lift my left butt-cheek off my seat in order to stretch over to reach my volume control I decided changes were necessary. I live in a first world country, damnit. I shouldn't have to go through this stress!

Ala, migrate DAC over to the left hand cabinet and make it "float". Problem solved.


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> Red wall updated pt 2. Upon finding I had to lift my left butt-cheek off my seat in order to stretch over to reach my volume control I decided changes were necessary. I live in a first world country, damnit. I shouldn't have to go through this stress!
> 
> Ala, migrate DAC over to the left hand cabinet and make it "float". Problem solved.


Having 1 browser on Head-Fi, and the other on Amazon isn't a comforting thought for your wallet, I reckon.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

waveSounds said:


> Red wall updated pt 2. Upon finding I had to lift my left butt-cheek off my seat in order to stretch over to reach my volume control I decided changes were necessary. I live in a first world country, damnit. I shouldn't have to go through this stress!
> 
> Ala, migrate DAC over to the left hand cabinet and make it "float". Problem solved.


Duuuude! How do you like your Dangerous DAC running balanced now?


----------



## waveSounds

Malevolent said:


> Having 1 browser on Head-Fi, and the other on Amazon isn't a comforting thought for your wallet, I reckon.



Luckily for me, the only thing I'm browsing for on Amazon at the moment is a wine measure 

 Total damage? £12. I can take that!



gimmeheadroom said:


> Duuuude! How do you like your Dangerous DAC running balanced now?



LOL! You'll be able to sleep peacefully tonight, eh.


----------



## Terriero

Malevolent said:


> Having 1 browser on Head-Fi, and the other on Amazon isn't a comforting thought for your wallet, I reckon.


And you forgot the glass of wine!!! (to forgot what he bought the next morning ). No chair this time and I can properly enjoy his configuration


----------



## jonathan c

Current setup: Mod HD-600s with Palladium Series cables (Arctic); LPS-36 power supply next to LP; power / interconnect cables from Morrow Audio. Mission:  daybreak.


----------



## zeromacro




----------



## calvin8902

no space no room after sacrifice for my kids.


----------



## stersa (Nov 10, 2020)

Today,s Stationary...-

best Sisco


----------



## puck

Here's mine as of today.


----------



## Kukuk

stersa said:


> Today,s Stationary...-
> 
> best Sisco



I always love to see people with the K812; I think they're super underrated. How do you like them?


----------



## stersa (Nov 10, 2020)

Kukuk said:


> I always love to see people with the K812; I think they're super underrated. How do you like them?



i like more than HD800s .
it s best for a modern music . It s best All Rounder.—With Sony TA,they make a perfect combo

Hd800/S has more Scene,but 812 has best bass,and is more fast and dynamic..but anyone hears different.-

best

Sisco


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> Luckily for me, the only thing I'm browsing for on Amazon at the moment is a wine measure  Total damage? £12. I can take that!


It always starts small, doesn't it? £12 will soon be £120. 

That's how we all fell into the rabbit hole, yeah? First, an innocuous pair of decent upgrades, then our first foray into the various audio-related fora... 



Terriero said:


> And you forgot the glass of wine!!! (to forgot what he bought the next morning ). No chair this time and I can properly enjoy his configuration


Well, I'm allergic to alcohol, so I've never been able to savor the finer tastes of the myriad drinks available. My wife loves her beer, sake, and wine, though. Me? It's always a glass of Coke for our dinner dates.


----------



## Malevolent

stersa said:


> Today,s Stationary...-
> 
> best Sisco


A fine menagerie of assorted headphones! Nice! 

By the way, what headband "pads" are you using with the TH900 Mk2?


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Red wall updated pt 2. Upon finding I had to lift my left butt-cheek off my seat in order to stretch over to reach my volume control I decided changes were necessary. I live in a first world country, damnit. I shouldn't have to go through this stress!
> 
> Ala, migrate DAC over to the left hand cabinet and make it "float". Problem solved.


 
The difficulty you faced is almost unthinkable--yet you managed it with style & innovation. Good show!


----------



## stersa

Malevolent said:


> A fine menagerie of assorted headphones! Nice!
> 
> By the way, what headband "pads" are you using with the TH900 Mk2?



Its a protection Headband.I ordered another one for Sony,s..

Best regards

Sisco


----------



## Malevolent

stersa said:


> Its a protection Headband.I ordered another one for Sony,s..
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Sisco


Thanks.

Does it make the clamp a little tighter? I have ordered a ZMF Pilot Pad, and I should be collecting it soon; I'll be using it with my own TH900 Mk2, as I'd really like to make the headphone "stick" to my head better. As it is, it's quite loose, and prone to slipping.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Malevolent said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Does it make the clamp a little tighter? I have ordered a *ZMF Pilot Pad*, and I should be collecting it soon; I'll be using it with my own TH900 Mk2, as I'd really like to make the headphone "stick" to my head better. As it is, it's quite loose, and prone to slipping.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Mine as of today.






Heavy Transitioning phase.
The Meier Audio Corda classic and Oppo Sonica aren't used anymore, both got recently replaced.

However the replacements aren't Kalax-Fi.

The Nubert Equipment is for speakers, unfortunately I can't really use them in our current appartement...


----------



## nordkapp

sirbogey said:


> Lovely set up! Great to see another VHP2 still in action. I loved mine, the VAC-1 power supply made a nice upgrade. Also had the VDA-1, one of the earlier Channel Islands DACs. That must have been some 13 years ago... The VPH2 was paired with the AKG's 701. A truly amazing setup.
> 
> However, the quality of the VHP-2 wasn't really great. The plasticy hardware inside the case, all started to break, the feet fell off, the 6.5mm adapter broke in half, the power connector on the back broke etc etc..
> 
> Nevertheless, your unit on the left looks of much newer design. What is that? a DAC ?


Thanks. I've had zero issues with my VHP-2/VAC-1 combo going on 4 years now. I once owned the big Bryston BHA-1 and the little CIA amp is every bit as good, tbh with you. The box in the left is CI's new streaming/DAC. I have nothing but high praise for it as well. Simple, accurate and a nice smooth sound. I've been running it now for roughly 4 months and it's been perfect right out of the box.


----------



## dncnexus

I love going through this thread, so thought to finally share my setup
Gear: 
Yggdrasil GS
DNA Starlett
Bottlehead Tube Electrostatic Energizer
Eddie Current Black Widow 2
Darkvoice 336SE
Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball (Not Pictured)

Cans:
ZMF Auteur
HD 6XX KISS
Nectar Hive
HD 560S (loaner)


----------



## Malevolent

ThanatosVI said:


> Mine as of today.
> 
> 
> Heavy Transitioning phase.
> ...


I almost didn't notice the headphone! It looks like an afterthought.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Malevolent said:


> I almost didn't notice the headphone! It looks like an afterthought.


Yeah lighting on that is also really bad.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThanatosVI said:


> Yeah lighting on that is also really bad.


The camera was probably just blinded by the shine coming off that Rockna. They don't call it Wavelight for nothing!


----------



## ra990

It's a wonder I get any work done at all on this desk.

From left to right:
JBL LSR305 Monitors
Chord MScaler
Chord Qutest
Schiit Ragnarok 2
RME Babyface Pro
Hifiman Susvara
DCA Aeon 2 Open


----------



## whirlwind

stersa said:


> Today,s Stationary...-
> 
> best Sisco



The Grado SR60. This is the headphone that started me off on the journey.
I still have it, great headphone...it has become my travel headphone for vacation and over night trips.


----------



## TooFrank

whirlwind said:


> The Grado SR60. This is the headphone that started me off on the journey.
> I still have it, great headphone...it has become my travel headphone for vacation and over night trips.


+1 for me, I use the Grado 80i for same purpose. Really nice selection you present


----------



## koven

PS5 in the house.


----------



## silent-circuit

Everyone I know that even bothered to try was unsuccessful. Congrats.


----------



## MrCypruz

koven said:


> PS5 in the house.



W00t w00t! I sense some sleepless nights ahead of me....


----------



## Roasty

koven said:


> PS5 in the house.



Super clean and love the aesthetic. Man cave goals. Do you have kids?


----------



## koven

silent-circuit said:


> Everyone I know that even bothered to try was unsuccessful. Congrats.



I got lucky w/ a GameStop preorder!



MrCypruz said:


> W00t w00t! I sense some sleepless nights ahead of me....



Isn't it great?! I wish more games were out now, but the upcoming ones look promising. 



Roasty said:


> Super clean and love the aesthetic. Man cave goals. Do you have kids?



Thank you sir,  newlywed no kids (yet), I will enjoy it while it lasts.


----------



## Preachy1

koven said:


> PS5 in the house.


super nice setup!!!!  Love the artwork to the left and right.  Who is the the artist/artists?


----------



## Redcarmoose

New PlayStation no kids. New PlayStation no kids. The irony!!


----------



## waveSounds

Preachy1 said:


> super nice setup!!!!  Love the artwork to the left and right.  Who is the the artist/artists?



My guess would be that koven himself is the artist.


----------



## Terriero

Redcarmoose said:


> New PlayStation no kids. New PlayStation no kids. The irony!!


When the kids appears, his space will reduce or won't be so tidy (that's my experience)


----------



## LoryWiv

Terriero said:


> When the kids appears, his space will reduce or won't be so tidy (that's my experience)


 Worst case scenario, it becomes a nursery or play area. Kids are made cute so we put up with them!


----------



## waveSounds

I'm now wondering why it took me this long to get myself a monitor arm and some LED strips.


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> I'm now wondering why it took me this long to get myself a monitor arm and some LED strips.


Now red turns blue... (I think you are preparing the wall to paint ) Beautiful weeding photo


----------



## waveSounds

@Terriero Watch this space - although I know you'll miss the red 


 And thanks for the compliments on our snap. We got married last May, honeymooned in the Maldives for two weeks and followed up with 10 days in Jamaica in July. To think, if we'd have been 6 months later...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 23, 2020)

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bqeyz-spring-ii.24469/reviews#item-review-24795


----------



## TooFrank

Never thought about this combo: Sony nw zx2 + ifi micro idsd bl + Stellia’s (or Arya)...wow


----------



## snailmeat

Picked up the liquid platinum which is on sale now for $399. I am trying to stick to silver equipment but it was too good of a deal to pass up.


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## KPzypher

snailmeat said:


> Picked up the liquid platinum which is on sale now for $399. I am trying to stick to silver equipment but it was too good of a deal to pass up.



what's the usual price?


----------



## judomaniak57

new Focal Stellia headphone and Bluesound Node 2i


----------



## BobSmith8901

judomaniak57 said:


> new Focal Stellia headphone and Bluesound Node 2i


Beautiful set-up! Curious as to what exactly the tablet (or iPad) is over on the far right?


----------



## Swisshead (Nov 21, 2020)

*My 3rd job at home...*

- HP Spectre x360 15 inch 2020
- iFi micro iDSD Signature
- DCA AEON 2c
- Philips Monitor 32 inch 4K with Cam and speakers
- (Roberts DAB radio)

Alternatively with adapter 4.4mm - XLR to ZMF Atticus

Sound absolutely outstanding!


----------



## h1f1add1cted

My current setup:

Intel Mini-ITX build with Volumio and touchscreen display > USB > *RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition* > XLR > *Audiophonics MPA-S250NC* power amplifier (2x250 wpc) > speaker cable > *iFi Audio Pro iESL*









My STAX and headphones sounded never any better


----------



## ThanatosVI

h1f1add1cted said:


> My current setup:
> 
> Intel Mini-ITX build with Volumio and touchscreen display > USB > *RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition* > XLR > *Audiophonics MPA-S250NC* power amplifier (2x250 wpc) > speaker cable > *iFi Audio Pro iESL*
> 
> ...


What is that rack?
Can you give me a name or link?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

ThanatosVI said:


> What is that rack?
> Can you give me a name or link?



It's from a German company  -> EMPIRE Precision MC-Serie (Esche schwarz echtholzfurniert / schwarz)

Cheers


----------



## judomaniak57

BobSmith8901 said:


> Beautiful set-up! Curious as to what exactly the tablet (or iPad) is over on the far right?


Samsung Tab A with 8 inch screen


----------



## banda

h1f1add1cted said:


> My current setup:
> 
> Intel Mini-ITX build with Volumio and touchscreen display > USB > *RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition* > XLR > *Audiophonics MPA-S250NC* power amplifier (2x250 wpc) > speaker cable > *iFi Audio Pro iESL*
> 
> ...


Which STAX and headphones have you got?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

banda said:


> Which STAX and headphones have you got?



From top to down and left to right:



- A custom made planar headphone
- STAX Lamdba Pro
- Sennheiser HD800 (with French Mod)

Cheers


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> @Terriero Watch this space - although I know you'll miss the red  And thanks for the compliments on our snap. We got married last May, honeymooned in the Maldives for two weeks and followed up with 10 days in Jamaica in July. To think, if we'd have been 6 months later...


What? Getting rid of the red already?! 

Yeah, I agree with @Terriero - that's a very nice wedding photo. Congrats!


----------



## Malevolent

Swisshead said:


> *My 3rd job at home...*
> 
> - HP Spectre x360 15 inch 2020
> - iFi micro iDSD Signature
> ...


That's a nice, clean space you've got there. 

However, I could never use a stationary chair - I move about too much!


----------



## iFi audio

h1f1add1cted said:


> My current setup:
> 
> Intel Mini-ITX build with Volumio and touchscreen display > USB > *RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition* > XLR > *Audiophonics MPA-S250NC* power amplifier (2x250 wpc) > speaker cable > *iFi Audio Pro iESL*
> 
> ...



Very cool, thanks!


----------



## NovaFlyer

Just set up my new audio listening area after receiving new gear over the last couple of days - Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 to the Feliks Echo and my ZMF Vérité Open LTD in Camphor Burl. Still waiting for final Roon certification on the mini-i Pro 3, so I'm using my MacBook Pro to feed the mini-i Pro 3 in the meantime.


----------



## aleniola76

here you go...
here is my workstation setup:
Allo USB Bridge (+Shanti LPSU) > SMSL SU9 DAC to SH9 amp or Lake People G100W
Headphones: Beyer DT1990 and 1770 pro


----------



## nordkapp

aleniola76 said:


> here you go...
> here is my workstation setup:
> Allo USB Bridge (+Shanti LPSU) > SMSL SU9 DAC to SH9 amp or Lake People G100W
> Headphones: Beyer DT1990 and 1770 pro


What are your feelings towards the G100?


----------



## Redcarmoose (Nov 27, 2020)

_*https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/magaosi-k5.22812/reviews#item-review-24821


*_


----------



## aleniola76 (Nov 26, 2020)

nordkapp said:


> What are your feelings towards the G100?


LOVE.
The G100W is a very nice amp, I tried Burson HA160 and Soloist, Monolith THX, Beyerdynamic A20 and now the SH9 but none of them gave me the same joy as the LP.
Built like a tank, super silent, plenty of power, 90% neutral tone with 10% of "grunt", which makes it slightly more enjoyable than the surgical THX.
The only downside I see is the gain control via jumpers, you have to open the chassis for regulation , which may be an issue if you need to do that frequently.
I recently bought a Beyerdynamic A2 for my main set up, double the price of the LP and it is just a small improvement in sound (but massive improvement on features)
Also, I tried the Violectric HPA200 in the same set up and did not see/hear the reason for an upgrade.
The above impression is based on my taste, and my headphones: Beyerdynamic DT1990,1770,880 and 770
Last but not least, the G100W is now discontinued but the G111 is essentially the same amp


----------



## iFi audio

aleniola76 said:


> LOVE.



This one word says it all 

Which one do you fancy more? Would it be your G100W or that SMSL SH9?


----------



## aleniola76

iFi audio said:


> This one word says it all
> 
> Which one do you fancy more? Would it be your G100W or that SMSL SH9?


I have the SH9 since less than a week and I am still in a burn in phase (for my ears).
So far I still find something more with the LP but it may be a matter of habit. I have the impression that drums and percussions sounds more alive and dynamic on the G100w while the SH9 seems a tad shy in comparison.  Will find out more in the next days.


----------



## Roasty

NovaFlyer said:


> Just set up my new audio listening area after receiving new gear over the last couple of days - Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 to the Feliks Echo and my ZMF Vérité Open LTD in Camphor Burl. Still waiting for final Roon certification on the mini-i Pro 3, so I'm using my MacBook Pro to feed the mini-i Pro 3 in the meantime.



That is an extremely clean setup. Nicely done!


----------



## tmb821




----------



## Pharmaboy

NovaFlyer said:


> Just set up my new audio listening area after receiving new gear over the last couple of days - Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 to the Feliks Echo and my ZMF Vérité Open LTD in Camphor Burl. Still waiting for final Roon certification on the mini-i Pro 3, so I'm using my MacBook Pro to feed the mini-i Pro 3 in the meantime.



Uhh--where'd 1/2 a bottle that bottle of whiskey disappear to?


----------



## Terriero

tmb821 said:


>


Look for the differences...


----------



## NovaFlyer

Roasty said:


> That is an extremely clean setup. Nicely done!



Thanks!



Pharmaboy said:


> Uhh--where'd 1/2 a bottle that bottle of whiskey disappear to?



It went to a very, very good place.


----------



## Preachy1

NovaFlyer said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> It went to a very, very good place.


I'll guess down the hatch?


----------



## waveSounds

Much like the rest of our house, the lounge is in a state of development. But, it's been such a miserable year, my wife and I decided that we're going to enjoy the festive season for as long as we can this year!


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Much like the rest of our house, the lounge is in a state of development. But, it's been such a miserable year, my wife and I decided that we're going to enjoy the festive season for as long as we can this year!



Kudos for your angled-down flatscreen. 

Many people put TVs over the fireplace for aesthetic reasons, end up craning/straining their necks, fending off intense reflections, and dealing with LCDs' known inability to display quality picture off-axis (horizontal or vertical).


----------



## NovaFlyer

Preachy1 said:


> I'll guess down the hatch?



Yes and very tasty.  A perfect way to help get though this year.


----------



## waveSounds

@Pharmaboy All the furniture used to be in the same setup, but oriented 90 degrees clockwise, with the TV on a stand in front of the window. By the nature of our Victorian terrace, it meant when we were relaxing on the sofa we always had the front door in our view, which always detracted from the sense of "home" so we decided to make the change. I know what you mean. I chose the wall mount mainly because it had the tilt function! It had to satisfy the mix of both aesthetics and usability.


----------



## Pharmaboy

@waveSounds, your post demonstrates the subtle environmental factors that can add to or subtract from the experience of one's space. That setup does look quite comfortable & pleasing, especially w/light control on the windows as needed.

I have the good fortune (maybe the curse) of dropping my big OLED flatscreen into a near-ideal space--on top of a low built-in cabinet array flanked by twin cabinet/bookshelf built-ins (all my woodworking, now painted). The room is quite large w/a vaulted ceiling. Only flaw is the flatscreen faces a large/wide window array at the front of the house. Normally that would mean reflections, but I only watch TV in that room at night so it doesn't matter.

It only took me decades to build all that stuff (big built-ins on all 4 walls). But now I get to indulge my longstanding passion for the best possible video picture (a 77" LG OLED, which rocks my world):


----------



## Redcarmoose

Pharmaboy said:


> @waveSounds, your post demonstrates the subtle environmental factors that can add to or subtract from the experience of one's space. That setup does look quite comfortable & pleasing, especially w/light control on the windows as needed.
> 
> I have the good fortune (maybe the curse) of dropping my big OLED flatscreen into a near-ideal space--on top of a low built-in cabinet array flanked by twin cabinet/bookshelf built-ins (all my woodworking, now painted). The room is quite large w/a vaulted ceiling. Only flaw is the flatscreen faces a large/wide window array at the front of the house. Normally that would mean reflections, but I only watch TV in that room at night so it doesn't matter.
> 
> It only took me decades to build all that stuff (big built-ins on all 4 walls). But now I get to indulge my longstanding passion for the best possible video picture (a 77" LG OLED, which rocks my world):


----------



## waveSounds

@Pharmaboy I've found that ordering a house to your liking, even one as small as ours, can take a lot of time. We're mainly doing ours up now in preparation for selling so we can move to the country-side, but the four+ years we've been here has been _slow _when it comes to development. Hell, we still have a red wall and paint swatch patches! 

You've evidently cultivated a space that works for you, and it looks gorgeous. My folks have a 65" OLED and there's literally no comparison to any other tech for pure visuals. That infinite contrast ratio really is another level for immersion and realism. Hopefully I can steer the cinema room in our next pad to something more akin to yours!

Venturing a guess here, but are those speakers the Swans M300? They've been on my Amazon shortlist for a long time.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Redcarmoose said:


>



I don't often LOL, but I just did...


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @Pharmaboy I've found that ordering a house to your liking, even one as small as ours, can take a lot of time. We're mainly doing ours up now in preparation for selling so we can move to the country-side, but the four+ years we've been here has been _slow _when it comes to development. Hell, we still have a red wall and paint swatch patches!
> 
> You've evidently cultivated a space that works for you, and it looks gorgeous. My folks have a 65" OLED and there's literally no comparison to any other tech for pure visuals. That infinite contrast ratio really is another level for immersion and realism. Hopefully I can steer the cinema room in our next pad to something more akin to yours!
> 
> Venturing a guess here, but are those speakers the Swans M300? They've been on my Amazon shortlist for a long time.



"we still have a red wall and paint swatch patches!" (oh, the horror of a transitional domicile!)

Thanks for your comments. FYI, one's cinema room needn't be large or fancy. If you get comfortable furnishings, controllable light & an ideal distance to screen (higher % of your view the screen takes up, the better)--it's great. W/the advent of 4K, where even 1K or standard-def content is upscaled to 4K (& native 4K is really stunning), you actually can sit somewhat closer to the screen than before because the pixels are small. My low leather sofa is ~10-11 ft from the screen, which seems perfect. 

Funny thing about OLED vs LCD: OLED's calling card is better, more detailed black level (a different way of expressing high contrast). But top-level LCDs sport eye-popping absolute brightness, ~4-5X that of any OLED. I find in dimly lit evening viewing, I'd much rather have the OLED"s excellent black level, adding depth & richness to scenes, helping propel the narrative visually (and FWIW, the brightness of top OLEDs is pretty amazing, too). But if I had that LCD uber-brightness instead, I'd just have to turn it down to OLED levels to avoid retinal sunburn (picture vampire in direct sunlight...not pretty). 

You have a good eye. Those speakers are Swans, but not the 300. They're the Swan M200 MKIII, a very nice-sounding powered design I used to have on my desktop. Now I hold them as spares for the powered monitors I gave my twin brother (if one or both of those fail, drop in the Swans).


----------



## Terriero

Why buy an OLED screen to just enjoy the film sounds through your headphones? Image is not so important, is over-valorated


----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> Why buy an OLED screen to just enjoy the film sounds through your headphones? Image is not so important, is over-valorated



For me, high quality video display always paralleled high quality audio reproduction. They don't clash or compete.

Believe it or not, I never listened to TV audio on any headphone. 

FWIW, I don't have a big sound system w/this TV. The built-in sound is shockingly good, plus I have a small soundbar very cleverly designed to enhance dialogue. That's plenty for me...


----------



## NovaFlyer

Pharmaboy said:


> @waveSounds, your post demonstrates the subtle environmental factors that can add to or subtract from the experience of one's space. That setup does look quite comfortable & pleasing, especially w/light control on the windows as needed.
> 
> I have the good fortune (maybe the curse) of dropping my big OLED flatscreen into a near-ideal space--on top of a low built-in cabinet array flanked by twin cabinet/bookshelf built-ins (all my woodworking, now painted). The room is quite large w/a vaulted ceiling. Only flaw is the flatscreen faces a large/wide window array at the front of the house. Normally that would mean reflections, but I only watch TV in that room at night so it doesn't matter.
> 
> It only took me decades to build all that stuff (big built-ins on all 4 walls). But now I get to indulge my longstanding passion for the best possible video picture (a 77" LG OLED, which rocks my world):



Awesome looking and great craftsmanship.


----------



## MisterMoJo

waveSounds said:


> Much like the rest of our house, the lounge is in a state of development. But, it's been such a miserable year, my wife and I decided that we're going to enjoy the festive season for as long as we can this year!


Love that tree!


----------



## TooFrank

NovaFlyer said:


> Just set up my new audio listening area after receiving new gear over the last couple of days - Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 to the Feliks Echo and my ZMF Vérité Open LTD in Camphor Burl. Still waiting for final Roon certification on the mini-i Pro 3, so I'm using my MacBook Pro to feed the mini-i Pro 3 in the meantime.


Nice Seems though that the thing on the far right is having a wireless connection... may blow a fuse


----------



## carboncopy

I got at least my Tor audio "Balanced". I quite like it. So I spent the morning integrating it somehow into my listening space. The Aqua drives the Pathos via it's single ended output and the Tor balanced. So, both amp is ready to go...


----------



## EdgeOfSound

carboncopy said:


> I got at least my Tor audio "Balanced". I quite like it. So I spent the morning integrating it somehow into my listening space. The Aqua drives the Pathos via it's single ended output and the Tor balanced. So, both amp is ready to go...


Lovely set up. Looks cozy.


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


> I got at least my Tor audio "Balanced". I quite like it. So I spent the morning integrating it somehow into my listening space. The Aqua drives the Pathos via it's single ended output and the Tor balanced. So, both amp is ready to go...



The gear is nice, but those plants are _amazing_.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> The gear is nice, but those plants are _amazing_.


Yeah I was kinda thinking the same thing. I don't have enough sun here to make plants survive in the winter. I don't know how a guy from Hungary does...


----------



## carboncopy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeah I was kinda thinking the same thing. I don't have enough sun here to make plants survive in the winter. I don't know how a guy from Hungary does...



Spoiler alert: they are not real.


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


> Spoiler alert: they are not real.



HA!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

carboncopy said:


> Spoiler alert: they are not real.


Ooops!


----------



## banda

carboncopy said:


> Spoiler alert: they are not real.


Booo!


----------



## Hofy

carboncopy said:


> Spoiler alert: they are not real.



My wife would still kill them!


----------



## Austin Morrow (Nov 30, 2020)

The first picture is what my end-game setup for the HD650''s consisted of approximately 10 years ago when I was much heavier into the hobby than I am now. You become older and other priorities take hold, luckily, I can afford a little more now compared to when I was a lot younger, which makes this hobby that much more fun. If I can get back to the original setup in the first picture, I'd be very happy. For now, gotta live with my Schiit (which are by no means slouches). What's also not pictured is the HD800, currently out on loan to a friend for some testing.


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## Damz87

I’m normally more of an IEM guy but these Diana Phi’s are heavenly. Very happy with my desktop setup


----------



## Galapac




----------



## gimmeheadroom (Dec 1, 2020)

That's a serious piece of cable sticking out of your Phonitor!


----------



## carboncopy

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's a serious piece of cable sticking out of your Phonitor!



Hmmm...I have a very similar I bought used. Same color and everything. It’s an XLR > 4.4mm pentacon cable.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice looking amp!


----------



## Galapac

carboncopy said:


> It’s an XLR > 4.4mm pentacon cable.


Yes it is. I use all 4.4mm adapters because of my DAP. Got mine on Amazon.


----------



## Galapac

carboncopy said:


> Hmmm...I have a very similar I bought used. Same color and everything. It’s an XLR > 4.4mm pentacon cable.


Tor has a nice following. I hear they are really nice amps. Are those 6SN7 tubes?


----------



## carboncopy

Galapac said:


> Tor has a nice following. I hear they are really nice amps. Are those 6SN7 tubes?


Very similar, but not exactly


----------



## gibsonsg87

Brand New Setup. Loving it. It's like hearing my Eikon's for the first time all over again. It's also my first time using balanced connects. What a game changer!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 2, 2020)




----------



## Jukka

Here's mine.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Jukka said:


> Here's mine.


How is the Claire Hybrid doin with the Stellia?


----------



## Jukka

Chris Kaoss said:


> How is the Claire Hybrid doin with the Stellia?


I'm liking it. Good quality soundwise and much less microphonic than the oem.


----------



## Draygonn




----------



## jonathan c

On the field for this week: 600 ohm Beyerdynamic DT-880 paired with Violectric V280 - great synergy. Next week: TBA. Contenders are HD-600, LCD-X, Clear; Monolith LP, GSX-mini, BHC 1.1+


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Audiolab CD players rule!


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Audiolab CD players rule!


The 6000-cdt retrieves immense detail from my CDs. It also operates silently and reads all CDs - no pausing or skipping. I feel that the absence of a CD tray (another potential source of vibration) is sonically beneficial.


----------



## Lakson

@ jonathan c - Love the proportion of the components!
If it would fall more to the audiophile myths side - the transport surely would have the volume of Audiolab+Furman and the power conditioner would be the size of the wooden furniture  
The amp's size is legit though.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> The 6000-cdt retrieves immense detail from my CDs. It also operates silently and reads all CDs - no pausing or skipping. I feel that the absence of a CD tray (another potential source of vibration) is sonically beneficial.


I love the slot mechanism. My Audiolab is one of the most musical pieces of gear I have and it has a USB DAC. Great value and amazing sound quality.


----------



## Lakson

Isn't the drawer mechanism more beneficial for the longevity of CDs?
Or is it yet another myth?


----------



## alekc

gimmeheadroom said:


> Audiolab CD players rule!





jonathan c said:


> The 6000-cdt retrieves immense detail from my CDs. It also operates silently and reads all CDs - no pausing or skipping. I feel that the absence of a CD tray (another potential source of vibration) is sonically beneficial.



@jonathan c congrats on great setup 

Don't want to derail discussion by posting off topic, but I wonder what other CD transports have you been guys comparing 6000CDT to. I am asking since I've almost pulled a trigger on it recently but finally went with different manufacturer. Especially I am interested in transports with tray loading mechanism.


----------



## CJG888

I just replaced an ailing Meridian 506.24 (used as a transport into the MF Tri-Vista 24 DAC) with a Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T in the „Big Rig“. The difference was astounding. I wasn’t expecting anything like this magnitude of improvement from a Red Book transport.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> @jonathan c congrats on great setup
> 
> Don't want to derail discussion by posting off topic, but I wonder what other CD transports have you been guys comparing 6000CDT to. I am asking since I've almost pulled a trigger on it recently but finally went with different manufacturer. Especially I am interested in transports with tray loading mechanism.


I can't remember but for me it's not about comparing it to anything specifically. It's just that I get wow moments every time I put a disc in. It's incredible. By the way I'm referring to the 8300CD not the 6000. If you buy a new one you should get the 8300, it is an upgrade on the 6000.

I think maybe one of the reasons it sounds so amazing is they really seem to have spent a lot of engineering and some money on the power supply.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Lakson said:


> Isn't the drawer mechanism more beneficial for the longevity of CDs?
> Or is it yet another myth?


I don't know but I really dislike trays. It would seem impossible to get the alignment the same every time and it is weak when extended and just something else to break.

I've run tens of thousands of CDs through car disc players with slot loaders and never had a failure. CDs are pretty tough. Heat, cold, as long as you don't melt them on the dashboard they seem indestructible.


----------



## gefski

CJG888 said:


> I just replaced an ailing Meridian 506.24 (used as a transport into the MF Tri-Vista 24 DAC) with a Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T in the „Big Rig“. The difference was astounding. I wasn’t expecting anything like this magnitude of improvement from a Red Book transport.


Hmmm...I’m interested. A redbook transport with AES out!


----------



## MLGrado

Don't know if I have posted this one yet.  She is about to get away from the Mac Mini and HP All in One soon via ethernet for better isolation from noise; right now all sensitive audio equipment is not sharing ground with any noisy computer equipment.  Even still, I am going to move her all away from the PC house audio visual 'Control Center' over into a nice alcove all by itself with a new recliner, nice view of the East Tennessee mountains, and even further isolated from the PC rat's nest haha.  I am thinking going with one of the Sonore Ethernet streamers to work with Roon... any experience with them?  Anyway, here is a nice angle of her current state.  For the record, I think the Hifiman HE-560 turned into one of the very best values in headphone history when the price dropped.  I mean, when I paid $500 for my set I thought THAT was a killer value.  But, I am also goin going to move up in the line. I like the basic Hifiman sound sig, so I will probably head up to at least Ananda which is going for a great price right now.  Arya is the goal I think though.  Or if all the Pfizer stock I bought a week ago explodes maybe HE1000 hehehe... that would be a sweet little suprise


----------



## TooFrank

So happy with my new pro iDSD. And the Arya's fits in very nicely....


----------



## Roasty

TooFrank said:


> So happy with my new pro iDSD. And the Arya's fits in very nicely....



That's a very nice and clean simple setup! Wish my desktop looked as good.


----------



## MLGrado

TooFrank said:


> So happy with my new pro iDSD. And the Arya's fits in very nicely....



doesn't it sound amazing?????  And the other beautiful thing is it just WORKS.  At least in my experience it is bugless.  No crazy pops or clicks or sputters switching formats, seamless switching the new custom FPGA filters or DSD upconversion.  Once you actually kind of figure out on Roon or Tidal how to setup MQA properly, same thing.. Its a breeze.  Just perfect.  Oh, and did I mention it sounds great?  I pitted it for two months against what I still think is one of the best sounding DACs under 5k, the RME ADI-2 DAC fs. Yes the iFi costs much more, but it gave up nothing in actual subjective enjoyment to the the RME; no, it exceeded it by an unexpected margin.  Both DACs are extremely unique and featured; just in different ways.  I love the custom iFi filters over the stock AKM filters in the RME, and the DSD upconversion especially of DSD64 files is incredible.  I have only started fooling around with HQPlayer, but so far I am not sure as amazing as Miska's software is, that it is needed when the iDSD Pro does it SO well.


----------



## TooFrank

Roasty said:


> That's a very nice and clean simple setup! Wish my desktop looked as good.


Thanks, but I don't show you my more messy corners though


MLGrado said:


> doesn't it sound amazing?????  And the other beautiful thing is it just WORKS.  At least in my experience it is bugless.  No crazy pops or clicks or sputters switching formats, seamless switching the new custom FPGA filters or DSD upconversion.  Once you actually kind of figure out on Roon or Tidal how to setup MQA properly, same thing.. Its a breeze.  Just perfect.  Oh, and did I mention it sounds great?  I pitted it for two months against what I still think is one of the best sounding DACs under 5k, the RME ADI-2 DAC fs. Yes the iFi costs much more, but it gave up nothing in actual subjective enjoyment to the the RME; no, it exceeded it by an unexpected margin.  Both DACs are extremely unique and featured; just in different ways.  I love the custom iFi filters over the stock AKM filters in the RME, and the DSD upconversion especially of DSD64 files is incredible.  I have only started fooling around with HQPlayer, but so far I am not sure as amazing as Miska's software is, that it is needed when the iDSD Pro does it SO well.


I couldn't have written it more clearly (partly because I haven't the vocabulary), but I really enjoy the SQ. I really was hesitating to spend that kind of money, but now after a month, I don't look back. Still enjoy the micro BL, but the pro iDSD is a different thing. Before writing this, I was about calling it a day, but then I got to play the new Melody Gardot and I got stock. Fortunately it is Friday....


----------



## jonathan c

New stallion in the h/p stable...warming up for the “hard bop”/ R&B steeplechase...


----------



## jonathan c

jonathan c said:


> New stallion in the h/p stable...warming up for the “hard bop”/ R&B steeplechase...
> ...Stallion is BHC...jockey is HD600 mod...


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> New stallion in the h/p stable...warming up for the “hard bop”/ R&B steeplechase...



Pretty much any mention of hard bop is welcome at this point...


----------



## Gadget67

Been a while since I posted in this thread!  I’ve moved my Focal Arche/Phonitor 2 listening station back to my stair landing and I‘ve added significant upgrades to my entertainment room 2.1 and headphone system with a Chord 2650 integrated amplifier, Chord TT2 with M-Scaler and Totem Forest speakers with Storm Sub.  My wife can listen to the 2.1 system (hates headphones) and I can go to my private landing.  Nice to have choices!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gadget67 said:


> Been a while since I posted in this thread!  I’ve moved my Focal Arche/Phonitor 2 listening station back to my stair landing and I‘ve added significant upgrades to my entertainment room 2.1 and headphone system with a Chord 2650 integrated amplifier, Chord TT2 with M-Scaler and Totem Forest speakers with Storm Sub.  My wife can listen to the 2.1 system (hates headphones) and I can go to my private landing.  Nice to have choices!



I've never heard the Phonitor 2, but just love the look of it. 

When any manufacturer takes the time to give their component a genuinely balanced, together visual design, I totally  appreciate it.


----------



## Roasty

Spring cleaning... 
So. Much. Dust.


----------



## Galapac

@Gadget67 Acoustic pucks under a SS amp?


----------



## Gadget67

Galapac said:


> @Gadget67 Acoustic pucks under a SS amp?


I bought an 8 pack and had 4 left over so I figured it couldn’t hurt!  It’s magical...the music sparkles...I hear things I’ve never heard before...I now levitate while I listen...my love life is better...


----------



## kid vic

Roasty said:


> Spring cleaning...
> So. Much. Dust.


Don't the window sticker hurt system transparency?


----------



## bvhme

The Arche is really made for Focals headphones, but these look great on them.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

kid vic said:


> Don't the window sticker hurt system transparency?


I can't answer that but from the looks of things it definitely adds coloration


----------



## Roasty

kid vic said:


> Don't the window sticker hurt system transparency?



I have to live with a bit less transparency. If I remove them, floor noise from the kids goes way too high.


----------



## kid vic

Roasty said:


> I have to live with a bit less transparency. If I remove them, floor noise from the kids goes way too high.


Life is full of tradeoffs!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Gadget67 said:


> I bought an 8 pack and had 4 left over so I figured it couldn’t hurt!  It’s magical...the music sparkles...I hear things I’ve never heard before...I now levitate while I listen...my love life is better...


----------



## Terriero

Gadget67 said:


> I bought an 8 pack and had 4 left over so I figured it couldn’t hurt!  It’s magical...the music sparkles...I hear things I’ve never heard before...I now levitate while I listen...my love life is better...


I was going to buy the Abyss 1266 Phi TC but you have convinced me for those acoustic pucks... Thanks a lot, I save a lot of money


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Terriero said:


> I was going to buy the Abyss 1266 Phi TC but you have convinced me for those acoustic pucks... Thanks a lot, I save a lot of money


They really don't work that well with headphones anyway. I tried for years and found no matter how I placed them between my ears and the headphones, I couldn't hear anything. And the price or quality of the headphones didn't even matter. It was so frustrating


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


> They really don't work that well with headphones anyway. I tried for years and found no matter how I placed them between my ears and the headphones, I couldn't hear anything. And the price or quality of the headphones didn't even matter. It was so frustrating


I remember with your post the GH 50 mod by @John Massaria with those little furniture dots... But in his case the results are wonderful (and there are others here that think the same)


----------



## Galapac

Gadget67 said:


> I bought an 8 pack and had 4 left over so I figured it couldn’t hurt!  It’s magical...the music sparkles...I hear things I’ve never heard before...I now levitate while I listen...my love life is better...


Ahhh...that’s right....the spiked feet...strange it has that...can be used as a weapon when someone startles you unexpectedly.


----------



## donato

My current setup  I finally just switched over to using the Pass X150.5 speaker amp to drive the Susvaras and I've been ecstatic with it so far!


----------



## waveSounds

It's that time of the year again, folks. Christmas - collie edition


----------



## nordkapp

waveSounds said:


> It's that time of the year again, folks. Christmas - collie edition


Those dogs are mint!


----------



## thecrow

gimmeheadroom said:


> They really don't work that well with headphones anyway. I tried for years and found no matter how I placed them between my ears and the headphones, I couldn't hear anything. And the price or quality of the headphones didn't even matter. It was so frustrating


Between ears and headphones??!!??
You’re kidding me!! 

You’re supposed to stand on them!!


----------



## Gavin C4

Slight  aesthetics upgrade to match the colors from previous.


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> It's that time of the year again, folks. Christmas - collie edition


Where are the headphones? I though that they are music lovers  Happy Christmas


----------



## kmhaynes

Pretty simple.  Dell laptop > Monolith Liquid Spark > Grado GH2 (cocobolo).


----------



## Redcarmoose

waveSounds said:


> It's that time of the year again, folks. Christmas - collie edition



Those dogs!


----------



## Malevolent

waveSounds said:


> It's that time of the year again, folks. Christmas - collie edition


Clearly, they want some headphones for Christmas. You can see it in their eyes.


----------



## BobSmith8901 (Dec 12, 2020)

TooFrank said:


> Thanks, but I don't show you my more messy corners though
> 
> I couldn't have written it more clearly (partly because I haven't the vocabulary), but I really enjoy the SQ. I really was hesitating to spend that kind of money, but now after a month, I don't look back. Still enjoy the micro BL, but the pro iDSD is a different thing. Before writing this, I was about calling it a day, but then I got to play the new Melody Gardot and I got stock. Fortunately it is Friday....



OT: The new Melody Gardot _Sunset In The Blue_....phewwww....it's something special. Should be easy Grammy material for best vocal jazz album of 2020 and is one of the best headphone experiences on the planet, even with my modest system. She really knocked it out of the park both musically and sonically.


----------



## Coztomba

BobSmith8901 said:


> OT: The new Melody Gardot _Sunset In The Blue_....phewwww....it's something special. Should be easy Grammy material for best vocal jazz album of 2020 and is one of the best headphone experiences on the planet, even with my modest system. She really knocked it out of the park both musically and sonically.



I can’t stop listening to it.


----------



## BobSmith8901 (Dec 13, 2020)

Coztomba said:


> I can’t stop listening to it.



Same here. I've got a fairly simple set-up--streaming Tidal Hi-Fi through UAPP out of an older Android tablet--Meridian Explorer2 DAC--Schiit Magni2 Uber feeding a pair of HE-4XXs, and her record sounds sublime. On _Love Song, w_hen those strings swell up for the first time out of a dead quiet background, well that's just about as peak a Head-Fi moment as there is for me.


----------



## John Massaria




----------



## JTori

John Massaria said:


>



Beautiful amp!  Haven't seen or heard much from RSA in ages, which is a shame.  Would've loved to see them incorporate a DAC into their portable amps.  In fact, I've still got a lovely, little Tomahawk that was a constant travel companion for me for several years.

And, is that a Moreplay I see in the background?  As a Bottlehead loyalist myself, I can appreciate that.

Best,

Joe.


----------



## John Massaria (Dec 13, 2020)

JTori said:


> Beautiful amp!  Haven't seen or heard much from RSA in ages, which is a shame.  Would've loved to see them incorporate a DAC into their portable amps.  In fact, I've still got a lovely, little Tomahawk that was a constant travel companion for me for several years.
> 
> And, is that a Moreplay I see in the background?  As a Bottlehead loyalist myself, I can appreciate that.
> 
> ...


Thanks yes I love the RSA 
Will be doing a follow up review with half dozen opachips tested against the 1611 on the APACHE - with Kennerton Gh50JM edition- https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/up...limited-revision-4-newest-version-2020.24732/

The otl in the back is in fact a crack w/sb
Naked finish 
It’s a nice compliment to the 150ohm - 600ohm hps I use especially the hd600 which is a match made in heaven 
Anyway hopefully people can see my review and give me feed back


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## JTori (Dec 13, 2020)

> Thanks yes I love the RSA
> Will be doing a follow up review with half dozen opachips tested against the 1611 on the APACHE - with Kennerton Gh50JM edition- https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/up...limited-revision-4-newest-version-2020.24732/
> 
> The otl in the back is in fact a crack w/sb
> ...


----------



## Galapac

Strayngs said:


>


What a dream setup! Nice photography too. The wine seals the deal!


----------



## Strayngs

Galapac said:


> What a dream setup! Nice photography too. The wine seals the deal!


Thanks man, I do appreciate the kind works.


----------



## Pharmaboy

BobSmith8901 said:


> OT: The new Melody Gardot _Sunset In The Blue_....phewwww....it's something special. Should be easy Grammy material for best vocal jazz album of 2020 and is one of the best headphone experiences on the planet, even with my modest system. She really knocked it out of the park both musically and sonically.



I'm listening to the title song right now...just beautiful. I've liked her previous stuff, but IMHO this is a higher plane of artistry.


----------



## Pharmaboy

[deleted]


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## Cruelhand Luke




----------



## carboncopy

Just the amp the the headphone


----------



## banda

Cruelhand Luke said:


>


Where are you holed up?


----------



## Preachy1

Cruelhand Luke said:


>


On the high seas?


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Preachy1 said:


> On the high seas?


I live on my boat, in Morro Bay. I've been working for a year to get my headfi station in order. I've got it set up perfectly now. I've narrowed it down to two sets of headphones: the Fidelio X2 and X3, Hiby R5 dap and a 24in smart tv mounted at the end of my bunk.


----------



## DeweyCH

Just took this now:


----------



## telecaster

Sennheiser HD800S
Meridian 861
LaFigaro 339


----------



## richie60

telecaster said:


> Sennheiser HD800S
> Meridian 861
> LaFigaro 339


Beautiful picture.  Just got my new 339i.  The Meridian gear is nice too. Always fancied one of their old CD players.


----------



## Jose Hidalgo

More info and many pictures here.


----------



## sacguy231

I have a couple listening stations and amps setups, but this is where I listen most.  The combo of the tube buffer and this particular SS amp just sing together


----------



## telecaster

richie60 said:


> Beautiful picture.  Just got my new 339i.  The Meridian gear is nice too. Always fancied one of their old CD players.


Thanks a lot! The new 339i looks beautiful! I have a meridian 596 drive, play cd like a champ, if you still use CD, try one, it's stellar!
My 861 produce zero noise floor, I put the 339 on max volume level in order to bypass the pots completely, and I have zero noise hehe.
I then have the luxury of remote volume level, and I can also use the equaliser with my Stax setup. Great combo of modern DAC and preamp with tube power section ^^


----------



## JTori

telecaster said:


> Sennheiser HD800S
> Meridian 861
> LaFigaro 339


Very nice!  It's refreshing to see your thoughtful component selection and layout.  I especially appreciate the fact your rig isn't stacked component on component like the Tower of Babel.

Best,

Joe.


----------



## Galapac

Jose Hidalgo said:


> More info and many pictures here.


Quite the cabaret show with those red curtains over the headphones, hehe


----------



## LoryWiv (Dec 18, 2020)

telecaster said:


> Thanks a lot! The new 339i looks beautiful! I have a meridian 596 drive, play cd like a champ, if you still use CD, try one, it's stellar!
> My 861 produce zero noise floor, I put the 339 on max volume level in order to bypass the pots completely, and I have zero noise hehe.
> I then have the luxury of remote volume level, and I can also use the equaliser with my Stax setup. Great combo of modern DAC and preamp with tube power section ^^


Yes, that 339i is beautiful in silver, and that is a handsome tube set. Stock or something else?


----------



## Galapac

telecaster said:


> Thanks a lot! The new 339i looks beautiful! I have a meridian 596 drive, play cd like a champ, if you still use CD, try one, it's stellar!
> My 861 produce zero noise floor, I put the 339 on max volume level in order to bypass the pots completely, and I have zero noise hehe.
> I then have the luxury of remote volume level, and I can also use the equaliser with my Stax setup. Great combo of modern DAC and preamp with tube power section ^^


How does maxing the volume on the 339i bypass the pots or do you mean you are just using the preamp out of the 339i to feed into 861, controlling the volume on that instead? I do something similar but with my setup but I only need the 339i up to 9, maybe 10 o'clock and still get plenty of volume out of my Phonitor xe.


----------



## Galapac (Dec 18, 2020)

LoryWiv said:


> Yes, the 339 is beautiful, and that is a handsome tube set. Stock or something else?


Those GEC and mesh tubes are definitely not stock, high end tubes for sure as 339i comes with stock Chinese tubes.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Jose Hidalgo said:


> More info and many pictures here.



I recognize those Yenona/Freeboss closed backs up front.


----------



## Jose Hidalgo (Dec 18, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> I recognize those Yenona/Freeboss closed backs up front.


Nice try. The farthest to the right are a pair of OneOdio Studio Pro 50, bought for 25 € or so. I use them for riding my bike, as I'm not afraid to damage them. Plus they keep my ears warm in winter. 
The info is in my previous link with all the pictures, but here you go, from left to right : Sony MDR-CD1000 (25-y. o.) / Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon / Hifiman Sundara (revised earpads) / Sennheiser HD600 (restyled version, with an original vintage hinged box that isn't on sale anymore with the 600 - box courtesy of Sennheiser France)  / OneOdio Studio Pro 50.


----------



## Coztomba

DeweyCH said:


> Just took this now:



I thought that acoustic guitar had a flame maple top but it’s the reflection from the DVD rack 😂


----------



## marts30

Yes, that's a whole lot of drop. Panda, Elex, 789, M9XX, CTRL keyboard, MX Master 3, Focusrite 2i4, Kemper Profiler, Solar 1.6PP, Sony x950h, Klipsch RB81 II


----------



## telecaster

JTori said:


> Very nice!  It's refreshing to see your thoughtful component selection and layout.  I especially appreciate the fact your rig isn't stacked component on component like the Tower of Babel.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Joe.



Thanks man, i really like dig this setup. The 339 is a beast and reveal all the characters of the tube and the source.


----------



## telecaster

LoryWiv said:


> Yes, that 339i is beautiful in silver, and that is a handsome tube set. Stock or something else?



That is the old 339, i bought it 6 years ago I think. And it's been completely upgraded inside, i mean almost every parts have been upgraded...

The tubes are :
English made GEC CV2523
USA made Tungsol 6SJ7GT

I have GEC L63 inputs tubes that are noisy, but i will get a new pair in order to have a full English setup hehe!


----------



## telecaster

Galapac said:


> Those GEC and mesh tubes are definitely not stock, high end tubes for sure as 339i comes with stock Chinese tubes.



Oh yes, those were hard to find at decent price level i can tell you 😅


----------



## telecaster

Galapac said:


> How does maxing the volume on the 339i bypass the pots or do you mean you are just using the preamp out of the 339i to feed into 861, controlling the volume on that instead? I do something similar but with my setup but I only need the 339i up to 9, maybe 10 o'clock and still get plenty of volume out of my Phonitor xe.


By maxing the volume pots, it reduce the resistance to 0 basically, making it a simple wire.
The 339's behaving like a power amp with volume at max. 
The preamp duty is then up to the meridian.

You use the 339 as a tube buffer for your phonitor amp? Is it good?

I always love the raw tube power driving my sennheiser, it's perfect for me.

I find always something bothering me with solid-state on my hd650 and hd800S. But the tube have been really helping me with that. I have tried only a handful of SS amps though, so YMMV.


----------



## telecaster (Dec 19, 2020)

LoryWiv said:


> Yes, that 339i is beautiful in silver, and that is a handsome tube set. Stock or something else?



You didn't ask but here it is! To be Franck the stock 339 is perfect. I just had time to spare when I was younger, and was interested in tube amps.
Here are the mods :
custom made high speed rectifiers
maxed out the wattage of the output resistors as they can get very hot
MKP film outputs caps bypassed with high voltage Russian teflon caps
change all the caps to BC
wiring redone
new socket, news pots, news resistors all the good stuff
Neve knobs, news stainless steel feet.
oh and I modified the wiring to use 6J5 L63 input tubes

Enjoy your 339i, it's a really incredible amp!

Merry Christmas


----------



## CJG888

So bypassing the output caps with something more „high end“ is worthwhile?


----------



## Wes S (Dec 19, 2020)

I removed the Schiit Eitr, and added a Bluesound Node 2i, some new cables, and moved some stuff around.  I have to say, the Node 2i took the system to another level of performance.  The timbre got much better, and the sound really opened up.


----------



## telecaster

CJG888 said:


> So bypassing the output caps with something more „high end“ is worthwhile?


It's an ongoing debate, but for sure the output caps have their own sound signature.Film caps were better and then I had to try and It doesn't hurt to try, and I found teflon cap as bypass to be worthwhile.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> I removed the Schiit Eitr, and added a Bluesound Node 2i, some new cables, and moved some stuff around.  I have to say, the Node 2i took the system to another level of performance.  The timbre got much better, and the sound really opened up.


That is a nice setup. Great choice on amps - I use them too. Thank goodness for socket savers. Those are really needed on LP when tube removal / roll gets ornery.


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> That is a nice setup. Great choice on amps - I use them too. Thank goodness for socket savers. Those are really needed on LP when tube removal / roll gets ornery.


Thanks!  Those are actually 12AU7 to 6922 adapters, but they serve the same purpose when tube rolling and they definitely make rolling a breeze.  12au7's in that amp, take things to another level and are perfectly safe (with correct adapter), by the way.


----------



## Galapac

telecaster said:


> You didn't ask but here it is! To be Franck the stock 339 is perfect. I just had time to spare when I was younger, and was interested in tube amps.
> Here are the mods :
> custom made high speed rectifiers
> maxed out the wattage of the output resistors as they can get very hot
> ...


Real nice! Thanks for sharing. You inspired me to at least get new volume knobs for mine.


----------



## Galapac

Wes S said:


> I removed the Schiit Eitr, and added a Bluesound Node 2i, some new cables, and moved some stuff around.  I have to say, the Node 2i took the system to another level of performance.  The timbre got much better, and the sound really opened up.


I like the theme, nice synergy in the colors!


----------



## tmb821

Terriero said:


> Look for the differences...


Sorry, computer moron here...


----------



## tmb821




----------



## markkr (Dec 20, 2020)

Wes S said:


> I removed the Schiit Eitr, and added a Bluesound Node 2i, some new cables, and moved some stuff around.  I have to say, the Node 2i took the system to another level of performance.  The timbre got much better, and the sound really opened up.




Interesting, I recently added a 2i my setup (2i > Bifrost2 > BH Crack) and I’m struggling to hear any improvement whatsoever from my previous setup (Macbook via USB > Bifrost2 > BH Crack)

I love the way your rig looks on those shelves with your headphones, nice job!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Jose Hidalgo said:


> Nice try. The farthest to the right are a pair of OneOdio Studio Pro 50, bought for 25 € or so. I use them for riding my bike, as I'm not afraid to damage them. Plus they keep my ears warm in winter.
> The info is in my previous link with all the pictures, but here you go, from left to right : Sony MDR-CD1000 (25-y. o.) / Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon / Hifiman Sundara (revised earpads) / Sennheiser HD600 (restyled version, with an original vintage hinged box that isn't on sale anymore with the 600 - box courtesy of Sennheiser France)  / OneOdio Studio Pro 50.



OneOdio Studio Pro 50 = Yenona Adapter Free DJ headphones. Identical design re-licensed under different names.

I wasn't taking pictures back in 2016 when I reviewed my Yenonas. The picture below is from the webpage I purchased from...I think you'll see the resemblance. BTW, they didn't switch to earpads with red-piping/thread until ~2017 (I have a pair of those pads, too).


----------



## Jose Hidalgo

Pharmaboy said:


> OneOdio Studio Pro 50 = Yenona Adapter Free DJ headphones. Identical design re-licensed under different names.
> 
> I wasn't taking pictures back in 2016 when I reviewed my Yenonas. The picture below is from the webpage I purchased from...I think you'll see the resemblance. BTW, they didn't switch to earpads with red-piping/thread until ~2017 (I have a pair of those pads, too).


Nearly identical indeed !


----------



## sacguy231 (Dec 21, 2020)

I spent some time rearranging things today, very happy with the result.  This is my main listening corner, but like many of you I have gear scattered in various places.  I have a tube buffer feeding my Beyerdynamic A2 amp, and I use the pass-through audio output from the A2 to go into a Headroom Max amplifier. I really like the A2 for its remote functionality and it pairs well with high impedance cans, and the Max I like for its power and crossfeed circuitry. I also have my Koss E/90 in this setup.


----------



## Wes S

Galapac said:


> I like the theme, nice synergy in the colors!


Thanks!  It was planned.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Swapped the Heresy with an Atom because I had no volume control whatsoever, when I hooked up my K371. The little Schiit simply had too much boot...so I took a gamle on the Atom as it’s low gain is supposed to be compatible with sensitive iems. Hah! Same story as with the Heresy..I’m fumbling about at around 9 o clock🙄😆 
Good thing I just gave myself a D2000 for Christmas then...and the fact that all my other cans work wonderfully out of the Atom.


----------



## ricksome

I have an ATOM AMP also. All my cans/ iems work. Pleased with the purchase.


----------



## simorag




----------



## carboncopy

simorag said:


>


What are you driving with the Note? Speakers...or perhaps the Abyss?


----------



## MacedonianHero

No headphones, just upfront gear (taken about 5 minutes ago):


----------



## acbarn




----------



## simorag

carboncopy said:


> What are you driving with the Note? Speakers...or perhaps the Abyss?



I was feeling a bit nostalgic / curious so I went in and retrieved the good old OTO amp I was using in my young age, mainly to try it with the AB-1266. I still have the LS3/5a but I use them rarely because I live in a condo and enjoy headphones more. 

The sweet, thick nature of the Audio Note is as interesting pairing with the Abyss, but it is a bit noisy. At higher volumes, the noise is not an issue and I am getting a nice, large, expansive soundstage and especially vocals are projected bit more forward that I am used to, but in a pleasant way.

Overall, my AIC-10 with a NOS Mullard tube is a much superior amp (as it should, given the price differential) in all possible ways, with both the Abyss and the Spendor, but still the Audio Note has its charm ...


----------



## CJG888

simorag said:


> I was feeling a bit nostalgic / curious so I went in and retrieved the good old OTO amp I was using in my young age, mainly to try it with the AB-1266. I still have the LS3/5a but I use them rarely because I live in a condo and enjoy headphones more.
> 
> The sweet, thick nature of the Audio Note is as interesting pairing with the Abyss, but it is a bit noisy. At higher volumes, the noise is not an issue and I am getting a nice, large, expansive soundstage and especially vocals are projected bit more forward that I am used to, but in a pleasant way.
> 
> Overall, my AIC-10 with a NOS Mullard tube is a much superior amp (as it should, given the price differential) in all possible ways, with both the Abyss and the Spendor, but still the Audio Note has its charm ...


Is that the SE or push-pull version of the OTO? As I remember, it was an excellent little amp (especially into Snell speakers).

Of course, you could always upgrade the output tubes to NOS Tungsrams (IMHO the best EL84 by a country mile...).


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/thieaudio-legacy-4-universal-iem.24851/reviews#item-review-24982


----------



## banda

MacedonianHero said:


> No headphones, just upfront gear (taken about 5 minutes ago):


Is the HSA-1b not able to take the place of both of your other amps?


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

New iceblue volume knob, Sundara and my main man Stevie🤙


----------



## Pharmaboy

acbarn said:


>



This is a very appealing-looking system. I have no idea what that colorful thing is in front, but it sure looks nice.

What are those powered monitors?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Kammerat Rebekka said:


> New iceblue volume knob, Sundara and my main man Stevie🤙



Nice! What is that big/red cable (I have a thing for cables--this is cable porn!).


----------



## Terriero

Pharmaboy said:


> This is a very appealing-looking system. I have no idea what that colorful thing is in front, but it sure looks nice.
> 
> What are those powered monitors?


I think they are Adam AX (x). I like them because they have the power switch at the front.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Love this combo so much


----------



## MacedonianHero

banda said:


> Is the HSA-1b not able to take the place of both of your other amps?



It just arrived. My other 2 amps are the Jot R (so it will definitely displace that one). But being a reviewer, I like to have some options open when testing headphones/gear, so my Benchmark HPA4 isn't going anywhere. It can drive the SR1a to heights I didn't think possible...and it doesn't break a sweat powering my Abyss Phi TC or Susvara...impressive indeed!


----------



## LoryWiv

cosplayerkyo said:


> Love this combo so much


Really nice photo. I probably should know but don't: what headphones are those?


----------



## Galapac

LoryWiv said:


> Really nice photo. I probably should know but don't: what headphones are those?


By the curved headband and copper posts they appear to be Meze Empyreans.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

LoryWiv said:


> Really nice photo. I probably should know but don't: what headphones are those?



Thanks!  They're Meze Empyreans


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice! What is that big/red cable (I have a thing for cables--this is cable porn!).


Funny, I have a thing for colours
It’s actually orange and knitted by a good friend of mine who is very good with electronics and his hands.


----------



## godmax (Dec 24, 2020)

...guess I make good use of my available desk space


----------



## OctavianH

Yes, where have you found that rack? I am quite looking for something similar and I was thinking to do it myself.


----------



## Audio-MCFly

godmax said:


> ...guess I make good use of my available desk space



hi, 

what's the name of the foobar skin/theme?


----------



## SoLame

Audio-MCFly said:


> hi,
> 
> what's the name of the foobar skin/theme?


If I'm not wrong, that's TIDAL on the computer screen.


----------



## godmax

OctavianH said:


> Yes, where have you found that rack? I am quite looking for something similar and I was thinking to do it myself.


The rack is 3d printed (both sides) by myself with 4mm aluminum sheets (from eBay), since I could not find any premade affordable racks of this size.



Audio-MCFly said:


> what's the name of the foobar skin/theme?


That is the TIDAL desktop app on Windows, foobar never looks that pretty.



SoLame said:


> If I'm not wrong, that's TIDAL on the computer screen.


Yes, that is TIDAL.


----------



## Ficcion2

It’s been a good year to me. 
I’m hoping it’s been a good audio gear to you as well.


----------



## genefruit

My new setup has arrived and while I was waiting, I had to build a stand.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

simorag said:


>


I have the same Norstone bamboo rack. But I don't have a Dave 



godmax said:


> ...guess I make good use of my available desk space


I love that mini tower of gear! It would save me so much space on my desk.



godmax said:


> The rack is 3d printed (both sides) by myself with 4mm aluminum sheets (from eBay), since I could not find any premade affordable racks of this size.



Wow! If you would consider making one to sell I'd like to know the measurements.


----------



## CaptainFantastic (Dec 25, 2020)

Merry Christmas!


----------



## fixated

CaptainFantastic said:


> Merry Christmas!



Wow, either my TT2's chord plaque is really dirty or that's a really shiny one on yours !


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> Merry Christmas!


Uh oh, does it mean you're bailing from RME now that you got that fancy Chord gear?


----------



## Vaiet

My Manctuary. Kinda proud of it. Only HD800S are still hidden in the Dekoni Savior.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

gimmeheadroom said:


> Uh oh, does it mean you're bailing from RME now that you got that fancy Chord gear?



No way, I can't imagine selling or putting the RME aside. It has been here for more than two years now and it's not going anywhere.  

I use it with the Nighthawk since I have a nice EQ setting stored for it, with the IE 800S (although it's as silent on the TT2), and I will likely have it be the DAC for my OTL tube amp.

I honestly don't think I need to tinker with anything else for a good, long while.


----------



## quimbo




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Cool 1970s mouse pad!


----------



## psklrdk

Christmas setup


----------



## Pharmaboy

cosplayerkyo said:


> Thanks!  They're Meze Empyreans



They do have a very distinctive profile, don't they?


----------



## Pharmaboy

CaptainFantastic said:


> Merry Christmas!



Props for the WA3. I like the sound of mine so much (purchased w/stock power tube but upgrade 6922s) that I just ordered the supposed holy grail of power tubes for this, the Tung Sol 5998. Maybe just another tube rabbit hole--but if not, I can squeeze even more sonic goodness out of this little overachiever...


----------



## Steve160k (Dec 26, 2020)




----------



## KPzypher

Vaiet said:


> My Manctuary. Kinda proud of it. Only HD800S are still hidden in the Dekoni Savior.



I see you're also a fan of Islay whisky!


----------



## KPzypher

Steve160k said:


>



Automatic 'like' whenever I come across ADX5000.  So underrated...


----------



## Steve160k

KPzypher said:


> Automatic 'like' whenever I come across ADX5000.  So underrated...


My go to headphone. It does everything - even great bass now there are some hours on them.


----------



## Vaiet

KPzypher said:


> I see you're also a fan of Islay whisky!


Yesterday evening Lagavulin 16 joined the hall of fame (of empty bottles) and Port Charlotte 10 will follow today  Then there are Ardbeg Uigeadail and Corryvreckan which I just got and ohj my gods... They are amazing


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Try the 25 year old Macallan. Holy %*^&


----------



## Vaiet

gimmeheadroom said:


> Try the 25 year old Macallan. Holy %*^&


For now I'd rather buy ZMF Eikon than a bottle of Macallan 25


----------



## Wes S (Dec 27, 2020)

I added some NOS tubes and my favorite boxes as decorations, and now the setup is complete.

My Happy Place.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Vaiet said:


> For now I'd rather buy ZMF Eikon than a bottle of Macallan 25


I don't blame you one bit. I got my employer to pay for all the expensive tastings. But I was unable to get them to buy me headphones on the expense account.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Wes S said:


> I added some NOS tubes and my favorite boxes as decorations, and now the setup is complete.
> 
> My Happy Place.


Are you using rubber equipment feet to stack your Cavalli and Node? I am out of space on my stereo shelf so I used some rubber feet to give the gear some breathing room and they worked perfectly.


----------



## Wes S (Dec 27, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are you using rubber equipment feet to stack your Cavalli and Node? I am out of space on my stereo shelf so I used some rubber feet to give the gear some breathing room and they worked perfectly.


They are actually mix of cork inner core and rubber outer core that I made, and are about 1.5 inches tall to give some breathing room under my LP and Node 2i, and they work great as well.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Wes S said:


> They are actually mix of cork inner core and rubber outer core that I made, and are about 2.5 inches tall to give some breathing room under my LP and Node 2i, and they work great as well.


Awesome! How did you make them? That sounds really interesting


----------



## Wes S (Dec 27, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Awesome! How did you make them? That sounds really interesting


I used stacked cork rings, and Quiet Tape.  The cork rings are normally used for when I build fly rod grips, and the Quiet Tape has a rubberish feeling anti vibration coating on it.  I am not sure if the cork or sound dampening tape are really adding any benefits, but I figured it might help dampen vibrations, and looks pretty good.

Here are some pics of the parts.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I love it! Amazing idea and great job.


----------



## Wes S

gimmeheadroom said:


> I love it! Amazing idea and great job.


Thanks man!


----------



## quimbo

Aberfeldy 12 here, finished another one last night


----------



## Holgi32

Ficcion2 said:


> It’s been a good year to me.
> I’m hoping it’s been a good audio gear to you as well.


Same to you. 

Nice little rack. Self made?


----------



## bobboxbody

Dusty!


----------



## SalR406

gimmeheadroom said:


> Try the 25 year old Macallan.


I've always been a fan of Macallan. I had the good fortune to enjoy one bottle of the 25 Year in my life. Highly recommended.


----------



## waveSounds (Dec 28, 2020)

I need a bigger desk...

Moved the Dangerous Source underneath the monitor for easier volume control/source selection, and my latest addition (on top of the Source), the Lotoo PAW S1. For such a small device, it blows my mind upon each listen.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

looks like dangerous audio source, nighthawks, and koss porta pros maybe
audioengine speakers
not sure what else
don't need a prize, I have Czech beer which is prize enough


----------



## waveSounds (Dec 27, 2020)

gimmeheadroom said:


> dangerous audio source ✓
> audioengine speakers ✓



Your heart wasn't in it 

This is what happens when you have Czech beer at hand, nothing else offers enough incentive! I can't blame you, though, I thoroughly enjoy a Pilsner myself.


----------



## LoryWiv

gimmeheadroom said:


> I don't blame you one bit. I got my employer to pay for all the expensive tastings. But I was unable to get them to buy me headphones on the expense account.


Reason to change jobs?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LoryWiv said:


> Reason to change jobs?


So don't be sad
'cuz one outta two
ain't bad


----------



## Cruelhand Luke (Dec 27, 2020)

I got all the toys out for Christmas...
I think I am going to sell off everything in this picture except for the X3.
from the left: an AKG Sextett MP..such a sweet lovely rocker...but it needs old school speaker wire power. Modhouse Argons ( based off of a vintage fostex) gobs of dark chocolate bass, the sound happens in a in a huge sweaty cave...I love it, but it needs the same kind of power as the Sextets. 
Grado 325e, with custom headband, and SR80e cable ...such a great rock and roller....LOUD A.F. and in your face...


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

I bought these two for myself as a christmas present...I intended to listen to them both over the holiday and then return the loser...I genuinely thought I would like them both so much I would just "have to" keep them both. No such curse,the X3 are demonstrably better in nearly every regard. The 58x have been barely listened to and are going back.
I paid $150 for the 58x...at that price, if you have to pick one headphone, they are a 'steal' (IF you have an amp)
I paid $200 for the X3 and that was a goddamned steal...holy shirts these sound way better than $200. The X3 is a hidden gem...it's an absolutely fantastic headphone that has not gotten it's due


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> I added some NOS tubes and my favorite boxes as decorations, and now the setup is complete.
> 
> My Happy Place.



That would make me happy, too!

Do I spy a Mad Dog HP upper right?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> I used stacked cork rings, and Quiet Tape.  The cork rings are normally used for when I build fly rod grips, and the Quiet Tape has a rubberish feeling anti vibration coating on it.  I am not sure if the cork or sound dampening tape are really adding any benefits, but I figured it might help dampen vibrations, and looks pretty good.
> 
> Here are some pics of the parts.



Genius!


----------



## Wes S

Pharmaboy said:


> That would make me happy, too!
> 
> Do I spy a Mad Dog HP upper right?


Close, it is an Alpha Prime.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Close, it is an Alpha Prime.



Never managed to hear any of those early MrSpeakers headphones--though the pads impressed me mightily (actually bought a pair of Mad Dog pads--recently gave them to a Head-Fi pal). By the time I started going to shows in 2018, you never saw Alpha Primes or Mad Dogs anymore--it was all the newer Dan Clark Audio stuff. 

Then about 4 yrs ago I bought a new Ori, and that was that (off to the ZMF races!).


----------



## Wes S (Dec 27, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> Never managed to hear any of those early MrSpeakers headphones--though the pads impressed me mightily (actually bought a pair of Mad Dog pads--recently gave them to a Head-Fi pal). By the time I started going to shows in 2018, you never saw Alpha Primes or Mad Dogs anymore--it was all the newer Dan Clark Audio stuff.
> 
> Then about 4 yrs ago I bought a new Ori, and that was that (off to the ZMF races!).


As much as I like the Alpha Prime, the Ori smoke them in pretty much every area.  The A.Prime were my first good pair, and have a special place in my heart, and yes those pads and head strap are insanely comfortable, but once I heard the Ori it was ZMF all the way for me too.  I plan on owning all the ZMF'S eventually.  Also, I keep meaning to sell the A.Prime, but just have not got around to it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

I needed another headphone amp (I only have 6). Here's #7, a very tidy little ChiFi design, the xDuoo TA-20 (amp only). It's a hybrid: I bought it barely used w/just 5 hrs on the amp & NOS tubes many recommend. Have been burning it in since Wed.

It's a pleasant surprise w/better, more nuanced sound that I expected for such an inexpensive amp. The silkwood Verite Open sounds quite good on it; tonight I'll try the Ori. 

Sometimes I get lucky & this seems to be one of those times...

(pls excuse the quick 'n' dirty photo)


----------



## judomaniak57

Pharmaboy said:


> I needed another headphone amp (I only have 6). Here's #7, a very tidy little ChiFi design, the xDuoo TA-20 (amp only). It's a hybrid: I bought it barely used w/just 5 hrs on the amp & NOS tubes many recommend. Have been burning it in since Wed.
> 
> It's a pleasant surprise w/better, more nuanced sound that I expected for such an inexpensive amp. The silkwood Verite Open sounds quite good on it; tonight I'll try the Ori.
> 
> ...


is that a wifi booster in the corner, do u run your ethernet to your servers with it?


----------



## Preachy1

Current state of affairs.


----------



## Wes S (Dec 28, 2020)

Preachy1 said:


> Current state of affairs.


Nice man! I have always wanted to hear my ZMF's with the Elise and I bet they sound incredible.


----------



## Hofy

Preachy1 said:


> Current state of affairs.



Nice 100-400, I miss mine.


----------



## Preachy1

Hofy said:


> Nice 100-400, I miss mine.


Thanks, it sure is a work horse.  the zoom lock ring doesn't work (2nd time it's failed), but otherwise, it still performs like a champ.


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Dec 28, 2020)

Pharmaboy said:


> I needed another headphone amp (I only have 6). Here's #7, a very tidy little ChiFi design, the xDuoo TA-20 (amp only). It's a hybrid: I bought it barely used w/just 5 hrs on the amp & NOS tubes many recommend. Have been burning it in since Wed.
> 
> It's a pleasant surprise w/better, more nuanced sound that I expected for such an inexpensive amp. The silkwood Verite Open sounds quite good on it; tonight I'll try the Ori.
> 
> ...


I hate this hobby at times ....I started out with a Xduoo headphone amp this spring...and before you knew it, I had more headphone amps like you and some speakers and a computer for streaming. You often end up building out in unexpectedly new directions with this hobby FAST.


----------



## Hofy

Preachy1 said:


> Thanks, it sure is a work horse.  the zoom lock ring doesn't work (2nd time it's failed), but otherwise, it still performs like a champ.



I used mine for about 5 years.  I had to sell it after I lost my job and needed money.  Sure took nice pics at 400mm.  This one is a dusk.  f/10 1/125s 400mm


----------



## Redcarmoose (Dec 28, 2020)




----------



## gimmeheadroom

RONJA MESCO said:


> I hate this hobby at times ....I started out with a Xduoo headphone amp this spring...and before you knew it, I had more headphone amps like you and some speakers and a computer for streaming. You often end up building out in unexpectedly new directions with this hobby FAST.


The problem is you're looking at this as a hobby. It's not a hobby. It might be an obsession. It might be life. It's definitely a black hole for money!


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> The problem is you're looking at this as a hobby. It's not a hobby. It might be an obsession. It might be life. It's definitely a black hole for money!


Hell, it's a way of life, admit it!!!!!


----------



## Preachy1

Hofy said:


> I used mine for about 5 years.  I had to sell it after I lost my job and needed money.  Sure took nice pics at 400mm.  This one is a dusk.  f/10 1/125s 400mm


Great pic!  sorry you had to lose the lens.  It's actually my wife's lens.  In my previous life (i.e., pre-Covid) I was a concert photographer.  My main go-to is a 70-200.


----------



## fattyu

Current state at home. one more stax on the way tho


----------



## Hofy

Preachy1 said:


> Great pic!  sorry you had to lose the lens.  It's actually my wife's lens.  In my previous life (i.e., pre-Covid) I was a concert photographer.  My main go-to is a 70-200.



Yes the 70-200 is great, paired with a 85mm f/1.4 and there is nothing better for concerts.


----------



## Preachy1

Hofy said:


> Yes the 70-200 is great, paired with a 85mm f/1.4 and there is nothing better for concerts.


I borrowed a 1.4 for a while and didn't like it.  It's probably just me, but the way I shoot, I try to get a lot of DoF in my shots, and I find that the 1.4 is very limiting, especially when the subject (the guitarist, for example) is not facing you full on.  When shooting, I use two camera bodies with the 70-200 and a 24-70.


----------



## GuyForkes

My setup for the last 1.5 years. No urge to change anything, hope it stays that way in 2021


----------



## SalR406

GuyForkes said:


> My setup for the last 1.5 years. No urge to change anything, hope it stays that way in 2021



ED-209
"Spare parts for 25years. Who cares if it worked or not!"


----------



## GuyForkes

SalR406 said:


> ED-209
> "Spare parts for 25years. Who cares if it worked or not!"



I'd buy that for a dollar!


----------



## CaptainFantastic

GuyForkes said:


> My setup for the last 1.5 years. No urge to change anything, hope it stays that way in 2021



I love it that on the one side you have the $5k+ headphones and on the other the HD 600 and Nighthawk. Come on, admit it, the 600 and the Hawk get most of the listening time...


----------



## GuyForkes

CaptainFantastic said:


> I love it that on the one side you have the $5k+ headphones and on the other the HD 600 and Nighthawk. Come on, admit it, the 600 and the Hawk get most of the listening time...



They're placed right beside me for a reason. These are the best multipurpose headphones I own


----------



## alekc

GuyForkes said:


> They're placed right beside me for a reason. These are the best multipurpose headphones I own



And they are probably one of the best in this league anyway


----------



## frazrok (Dec 31, 2020)

This is my uni room setup. I've Audeze LCD-4z and a 2go/Hugo2 to stream into Pathos Aurium. With full Tellurium Q cables throughout. I also have the Focal Utopia, Beyerdynamic T1, HD650, Grado 2000e, HD800s and Campfire Audio Andromeda


----------



## waveSounds

frazrok said:


> This is my uni room setup. I've a Stack Audio Link into TT2 for the main headphones (Audeze LCD-4z) and a 2go/Hugo2 to stream into Pathos Aurium. With full Tellurium Q cables throughout. I also have the Focal Utopia, Beyerdynamic T1, HD650, Grado 2000e, HD800s and Campfire audio andromeda. Then you can just see the portable Mojo & Poly on top



A completely normal representation of audio equipment for the average student, except for everything in the picture, that is.


----------



## tomwoo

frazrok said:


> This is my uni room setup. I've a Stack Audio Link into TT2 for the main headphones (Audeze LCD-4z) and a 2go/Hugo2 to stream into Pathos Aurium. With full Tellurium Q cables throughout. I also have the Focal Utopia, Beyerdynamic T1, HD650, Grado 2000e, HD800s and Campfire audio andromeda. Then you can just see the portable Mojo & Poly on top


These are $$$ worth of gears we are looking at. Hope you bought some kind of insurance for them. I heard theft happens a lot in University dorms..


----------



## kid vic

GuyForkes said:


> My setup for the last 1.5 years. No urge to change anything, hope it stays that way in 2021


Susvara, D8000 AND Rising? You have phenomenal taste


----------



## Sachada

My stereo setup:


----------



## Junglebook3

Got a ZMF VC, Aeon 2 Closed Noir and a TR-x00 coming, and likely selling the Z7M2. Everything else stays!


----------



## CreditingKarma (Jan 1, 2021)

Year end rant/ My 3 year descent into audiophile madness.

Not strictly head-fi but it is in there as well. Scroll to the bottom for the TLDR and new system.

Slightly Long post but here is my roughly 3 year journey in hi-fi so far.

It all started in 2004 with a pair of shure E5C and an iPod. This lasted me until about 2017 when my wife knew my iPod was on its last legs and they weren't making anything but iPhones anymore. She got me an AK300 as a surprise gift. I remember thinking that it was crazy expensive at around $900. Then I bought the LCD-X and iDSD BL after seeing it on a Zeos video. I think it was the first really expensive headphone he had. Then was the Roxanne and after a year the SP1000.

I made it till October of 2018 and then it started Spiral down. I bought the LS50 and Arcam. Followed shortly by the Solaris, ALO CV5, and Clears. All the while telling my wife this is the last thing.

January 2019 after my first Head-fi meet. The ZMFestivus I guess I can blame Zach and Bev for all this just a bit right Well I did meet @cpzzy here too.
This was about one year into the journey. With a pair of LS50 and Arcam along with iDSD BL, Ak300, SP1000, JH Roxanne, CA solaris, LCD-x, and Clears.




On my birthday I decided to order the LCD-4Z for my 40th birthday. This led me to my local chord dealer to audition the TT2 with the 4z. Here I met @JamesonM. I ordered a TT2, but ended up canceling the order due to wait times and instead got the Hugo 2 and mscaler. All of this led to me hosting a head-fi meet at F1Audio.

Not me but one of the many incredible folks I have met through Head-Fi. Yes that is a Raal being drive with a $60k D'Agostino and Chord Dave.




Enter Axpona 2019
I bought the Noble Khans





Now is when it gets bad. After hearing all of the amazing speaker systems (in 2018 I only stayed in the headphone area of axpona). I got the bright idea to sell the 4Z and Chord stack and upgrade the speakers system.

Dynaudio C1 Platinums with a Hegel H360. May 2019 I of course say that these are my endgame speakers.




I ended up regretting the sale of the 4Z but F1Audio just happened to be an Abyss dealer.

AB-1266 Phi TC with the Metrum Onyx and Liquid Platinum great pairing. The roxanne, solaris, and LCD-x all found new homes. 



August 2019 I am presented with a deal that I just couldn't pass up. My Dynaudio C1 go to a new home and the Magico S1MKII come home. Incredible speakers this is it these are my real endgame.




November 2019 the Onyx goes away and I finally buy the TT2. The Mscaler follows shortly after before Christmas. The giant desk is gone too.




Chasing the dragon and not feeling that the Mscaler made as big an impact with the TT2 as it did with the Hugo 2 I pursue different avenues.
A new rack and the Auralic Aries G1 followed by the G2 plus Transparent power wave for conditioning
Early January 2020





After a day with the rack I realized that there was damage from the factory do that went back the Auralic G1 went back to be upgraded to the G2. This stayed in the system for about a week with the TT2 but then something changed my musical journey. I auditioned the dCS Bartok. I got one on loan for a weekend to audition with my system. I was floored by how much more I liked it with my Abyss but even more so with the speakers.

The TT2 is quickly sold and replace by the Bartok. I almost sold my Abyss to fund this but I couldn't let them go sorry @Litlgi74. Again my loving wife hears this is the only thing this year.





Right before covid hits in February @cpzzy visited and brought a ton of gear including his XIAudio Formula S and Powerman he let me audition the for an extended period. I ended up buying them they are incredible with the Abyss. Then in June I made a purchase of the one thing that I felt my system still needed. The JL Fathom F110v2 surely this will be the last thing I tell her.





Here comes September I find out that my company is permanently laying off over 5,000 of us. We need to find a new place to move. It was time anyway. On the day that I was being laid off I actually got a job offer. What are the odds I was on furlough for almost 7 months.

New Place we put the speakers in the main living space to enjoy more. I am still working on figuring out room treatments. I do have a sound deadening blanket that I place over the screen while listening. The Abyss are still here going strong perfect for late night listening or when I don't want to bother the wife. Also she got me another sub for Christmas. So everything should be set right endgame achieved. Oh yeah I was able to get my hands on a PS5 too ( 2 computers and iPad and phone all refreshing at midnight on release night did the trick).






Then this happened this past Tuesday.
I traded in my "Endgame" Magico S1MKII toward a pair of Rockport Technologies Atria II. I won't say this is the endgame but it is a good point to pause for a while. I do need to replace the Hegel maybe with the Gryphon Diablo 300 or D'Agostino Integrated. That will have to wait though I swore that I will not buy anything until next Christmas.












Sorry for all of the pictures but I am a visual person. If I could point to one thing that triggered the fast speaker upgrades it would be the Abyss. @Joe Skubinski has made such an incredible headphone that it is like crack. I have been chasing that resolution and presentation in my speaker system. I am not fully there yet either Maybe with a pair of Rockport Cygnus or Magico M2. The 1266 is so damn good anyone who says that they are too expensive and not worth the asking price should consider that they rank up there in sound quality with speakers costing 5-10X their price.

Thanks to all of the fine folks here that I am sharing this journey with.

Happy New Year
Bring on 2021 Christmas can't come soon enough


----------



## nordkapp (Jan 1, 2021)

CreditingKarma said:


> Year end rant/ My 3 year descent into audiophile madness.
> 
> Not strictly head-fi but it is in there as well. Scroll to the bottom for the TLDR and new system.
> 
> ...


Audiophilia Nervosa. Just ride your bikes more.


----------



## carboncopy

Yet again a small reorganisation. Now I have all the three amps at my disposal (altough some cable management is required). The TMP Ant which is a fantastic Hungarian product (under the DAC), the Tor Audio Balanced and the Pathos Inpol Ear. I listened for many weeks only the Tor, then a week the TMP and now back to the Pathos. The Pathos is the best by a mile. If I only could have them without the faint noise they have through my Grado...I just wrote an e-mail to Pathos if they can modify the gain or something...

Other than that, the whole cabling was changed to Shunyata Venom line. Power cords, distributor (which is huge - see picutre!) and the XLR cable. Together they made a significant change for the better.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 2, 2021)

I removed my Bottlehead Crack and put my Valhalla 2 back in the setup, which was the first amp I ever owned, that I bought back in 2016.  I am enjoying the heck out of it, with my Atticus.  Synergy is everything. . .


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> I removed my Bottlehead Crack and put my Valhalla 2 back in the setup, which was the first amp I ever owned, which I bought back in 2016.  I am enjoying the heck out of with my Atticus.  Synergy is everything. . .


are u running your node 2i thru the gungnir? and r you playing tidal? tidal is my main source that i play from my node 2i , mostly MQA , just wondering if i would miss the MQA by running the node 2i thru a good dac that doesnt support MQA


----------



## ufospls2

CreditingKarma said:


> Sorry for all of the pictures but I am a visual person. If I could point to one thing that triggered the fast speaker upgrades it would be the Abyss. @Joe Skubinski has made such an incredible headphone that it is like crack. I have been chasing that resolution and presentation in my speaker system. I am not fully there yet either Maybe with a pair of Rockport Cygnus or Magico M2. The 1266 is so damn good anyone who says that they are too expensive and not worth the asking price should consider that they rank up there in sound quality with speakers costing 5-10X their price.
> 
> Thanks to all of the fine folks here that I am sharing this journey with.
> 
> ...



Hey Man, could you describe the sound of the Rockports vs the Magico? I'm very interested in their speakers but have nowhere local to hear them.


----------



## Holgi32

Santa brought me an Feliks Audio - Elise.
Driving my LCD 2c closed back, driven by RME ADI II DAC... I'm in love ... A major improvement


----------



## LoryWiv

Holgi32 said:


> Santa brought me an Feliks Audio - Elise.
> Driving my LCD 2c closed back, driven by RME ADI II DAC... I'm in love ... A major improvement


Good to hear. I have Elise and have been eyeing LCD-2 as well but some say OTL amps don't play well with planar magnetic cans. can you say more about the combination's sound signature?

Thanks!


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Good to hear. I have Elise and have been eyeing LCD-2 as well but some say OTL amps don't play well with planar magnetic cans. can you say more about the combination's sound signature?
> 
> Thanks!


LoryWiv, I can tell you from experience (albeit from mine own ears) that the Elise loves planars long time!!!!  One of my favorite combos is the Elise with my (wait for it) ZMF Blackwoods!!!!  I won't get into sonic details, mostly because they still baffle me.


----------



## Holgi32

LoryWiv said:


> Good to hear. I have Elise and have been eyeing LCD-2 as well but some say OTL amps don't play well with planar magnetic cans. can you say more about the combination's sound signature?
> 
> Thanks!


 I have heared the same and can not tell for all tube Amps. But for me the combination of Elise and LCD 2c closed back works very weil.
Although Feliks Audio does     specify the operation with planar magnetic headphones for the Euphoria and not the Elise   explicitly.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> A completely normal representation of audio equipment for the average student, except for everything in the picture, that is.



droll!


----------



## Pharmaboy

CreditingKarma said:


> Year end rant/ My 3 year descent into audiophile madness.
> 
> Not strictly head-fi but it is in there as well. Scroll to the bottom for the TLDR and new system.
> 
> ...



2 comments:

Wow. Just wow.
Your wife must be an amazing person. I don't know many women who could hold fire through all that...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> LoryWiv, I can tell you from experience (albeit from mine own ears) that the Elise loves planars long time!!!!  One of my favorite combos is the Elise with my (wait for it) ZMF Blackwoods!!!!  I won't get into sonic details, mostly because they still baffle me.



I haven't heard the Elise, so can't comment. But in my system I've heard a number of planars with my OTL, the humble but excellent Woo WA3. All the planars (LCD-3/pre-fazor; LCD 2.1/pre-fazor; ZMF Ori; HEX v2; Empyrean) I tried got along w/this OTL just fine. You get none of that elevated puffy bass that happens with low impedance dynamics--because planar drivers don't have the wide impedance variations in the low frequencies that dynamics do.

I'm not saying the WA3 drives planar bass as deeply & authoritatively as SS. Then again, the somewhat gentler, more dimensional sonics of a tube amp bring out special things on planars or high impedance dynamics: a win of a different kind...


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> I haven't heard the Elise, so can't comment. But in my system I've heard a number of planars with my OTL, the humble but excellent Woo WA3. All the planars (LCD-3/pre-fazor; LCD 2.1/pre-fazor; ZMF Ori; HEX v2; Empyrean) I tried got along w/this OTL just fine. You get none of that elevated puffy bass that happens with low impedance dynamics--because planar drivers don't have the wide impedance variations in the low frequencies that dynamics do.
> 
> I'm not saying the WA3 drives planar bass as deeply & authoritatively as SS. Then again, the somewhat gentler, more dimensional sonics of a tube amp bring out special things on planars or high impedance dynamics: a win of a different kind...


Appreciate the positive input, @Holgi32, @Preachy1 and @Pharmaboy. I use Elise with ZMF Auteur, LOVE IT but am tempted to complement with a closed can and a planar to complement the Auteur open, biocellulose dynamic. I previously owned ZMF Ori which was a great, fun closed back planar but colored the sound (albeit quite well) more than I wanted, and from what i read Audeze LCD-2 leans north of neutral as well. I'm not prepared to shell out for what I think might be my endgame (ZMF Verite Closed) at this point, although might do so ultimately. In the meantime, wondering about the new DCA Aeon 2 Noire (but 12.5Ω , is that really a match with Elise?) or any other sub - $1K  closed back planars I should consider that Elise will drive well? Thoughts / suggestions welcomed!


----------



## vonBaron




----------



## h1f1add1cted

Got a decent upgrade on my rig, with a Xing AF200 DDC with Accusilicon AS318-B crystal oscillator (powerd by a iFi iPower 5V) for USB to AES connection to my RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition DAC, very good improvments on sound quality.


----------



## Wes S

judomaniak57 said:


> are u running your node 2i thru the gungnir? and r you playing tidal? tidal is my main source that i play from my node 2i , mostly MQA , just wondering if i would miss the MQA by running the node 2i thru a good dac that doesnt support MQA


I use the Node 2i coax into Gungnir, and stream Quboz HiRez and could not be happier.  I just recently got the Node 2i, which replaced a Schiit Eitr, and the upgrade was very noticeable.  The background got blacker, dynamics increased, and tone got more realistic, and the timbre and seperation got better as well.  I have had subscriptions to both Tidal and Quboz,  and always thought Quboz sounded better, with the music I listen to.


----------



## spanner43

Just some Schiit + drop HE 4xx and a fiio M11


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Appreciate the positive input, @Holgi32, @Preachy1 and @Pharmaboy. I use Elise with ZMF Auteur, LOVE IT but am tempted to complement with a closed can and a planar to complement the Auteur open, biocellulose dynamic. I previously owned ZMF Ori which was a great, fun closed back planar but colored the sound (albeit quite well) more than I wanted, and from what i read Audeze LCD-2 leans north of neutral as well. I'm not prepared to shell out for what I think might be my endgame (ZMF Verite Closed) at this point, although might do so ultimately. In the meantime, wondering about the new DCA Aeon 2 Noire (but 12.5Ω , is that really a match with Elise?) or any other sub - $1K  closed back planars I should consider that Elise will drive well? Thoughts / suggestions welcomed!


If you can find a gently used pair of Blackwoods or a Vibro (I have and love both), I'd suggest it would be a worthy experiment. There's a pair of Blackwoods up on eBay right now:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZMF-Blackw...265431?hash=item2653895157:g:tE4AAOSwbHpf4h1L


----------



## Wes S (Jan 2, 2021)

Preachy1 said:


> If you can find a gently used pair of Blackwoods or a Vibro (I have and love both), I'd suggest it would be a worthy experiment. There's a pair of Blackwoods up on eBay right now:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZMF-Blackw...265431?hash=item2653895157:g:tE4AAOSwbHpf4h1L


I owned a pair of the Blackwoods back in the day, and always regret selling them.  They are the Ying to the Ori's Yang.


----------



## YtseJamer

Denafrips Ares II  → Liquid Platinum  → ZMF Vérité Closed Leopardwood


----------



## whirlwind

vonBaron said:


>



Love the color of your mini.


----------



## 529128




----------



## MSA1133

Brought out some old gear, still sounds good *chef kiss*


----------



## Jerseyboy

The Office set-up.


----------



## vonBaron

whirlwind said:


> Love the color of your mini.


For me is the worse of all mini colour.


----------



## Bonddam




----------



## whirlwind

vonBaron said:


> For me is the worse of all mini colour.



Ha....must be why they make so many colors, something for everybody.


----------



## alekc

Jerseyboy said:


> The Office set-up.



I like how silver Mytek plays nicely with rest of your setup. It is brilliant dac BTW and tubes can really change its signature.


----------



## TheRH (Jan 3, 2021)

They Are Here.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 2, 2021)

YtseJamer said:


> Denafrips Ares II  → Liquid Platinum  → ZMF Vérité Closed Leopardwood


Oh my, those Leopard Wood are gorgeous! The grain pattern is mesmerizing.


----------



## whirlwind

Bonddam said:


>



That is some killer gear!


----------



## Wes S

Bonddam said:


>


Oh my!  I would love to sit in that seat, for a day or two. . .


----------



## Ilomaenkimi

Source is iPad or iPhone.


----------



## Shane D

My starting line-up for 2021:


----------



## ThanatosVI

Bonddam said:


>


Is this heaven?


----------



## Bonddam

Yes it’s good really enjoying the choices I have.


----------



## newworld666

ThanatosVI said:


> Is this heaven?


 
Not enough days in a week to try one every single working day !!! and having a rest on Sunday.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ThanatosVI said:


> Is this heaven?



_(sound of crickets...)_

Anyone know the answer?


----------



## Bonddam

Pharmaboy said:


> _(sound of crickets...)_
> 
> Anyone know the answer?


Thought I already answered. It’s really fun. Currently testing the HeadTrip as its the newest edition. I have to burn it in for a ridiculous amount of time.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Bonddam said:


> Thought I already answered. It’s really fun. Currently testing the HeadTrip as its the newest edition. I have to burn it in for a ridiculous amount of time.



Oh, sorry--you did answer it. 

I was just joking about the other person's tongue-in-cheek question, "Is this heaven?"


----------



## Bonddam

Pharmaboy said:


> Oh, sorry--you did answer it.
> 
> I was just joking about the other person's tongue-in-cheek question, "Is this heaven?"


Oh jokes don’t bother me I’m down to earth.


----------



## waveSounds

So my wife made me give in and take down the Christmas decorations, but as a final act of my displeasure I repurposed the fairy lights. There's till some work to be done on sorting the wires out - particularly that tangle of tentacles to the right of the fireplace ha.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> So my wife made me give in and take down the Christmas decorations, but as a final act of my displeasure I repurposed the fairy lights. There's till some work to be done on sorting the wires out - particularly that tangle of tentacles to the right of the fireplace ha.



It's outrageous that you're bossed around & compelled to live with only fairy lights (WTH are fairy lights?)...obviously inhumane conditions.

(tentacles...?)

PS: Guess I need some fairy lights, too!


----------



## vmiguel

waveSounds said:


> So my wife made me give in and take down the Christmas decorations, but as a final act of my displeasure I repurposed the fairy lights. There's till some work to be done on sorting the wires out - particularly that tangle of tentacles to the right of the fireplace ha.


And the title on the TV is just a "coincidence"?


----------



## waveSounds

Pharmaboy said:


> It's outrageous that you're bossed around & compelled to live with only fairy lights (WTH are fairy lights?)...obviously inhumane conditions.
> 
> (tentacles...?)
> 
> PS: Guess I need some fairy lights, too!



Tell me about it... I'll be sure to let my wife know of my fellow Head-Fiers discontent towards my situation!!!

Seriously, fairy lights isn't a known name to you chaps over the pond? Here in ol' Blighty that's what we call the standard lights you wrap around Christmas trees, over door-ways, around spouses and so on. I thought that was what they were called everywhere?!



vmiguel said:


> And the title on the TV is just a "coincidence"?



I, uh... yeah, my wife was watching TV at the time of the pic


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Tell me about it... I'll be sure to let my wife know of my fellow Head-Fiers discontent towards my situation!!!
> 
> Seriously, fairy lights isn't a known name to you chaps over the pond? Here in ol' Blighty that's what we call the standard lights you wrap around Christmas trees, over door-ways, around spouses and so on. I thought that was what they were called everywhere?!
> 
> ...



Nope, never heard of "fairy lights" until today in your post. We call them (generically/as a class) "Christmas Lights," which is silly for a couple reasons:

The lights most closely associated w/Christmas here in recent decade are multi-colors, not single colors like yours (a very pretty azure blue, at that--I WANT SOME). You will see blue lights outside houses and so on, but not as a rule
Some of us (OK--just me) like having lights up all year round, not only at christmas. My office is lit by many dozens of tiny multi-color christmas lights year round. I shut off regular lights and work just by the light from monitor screens & those multicolored lights (it's very soothing to the eyes).
I would gladly go nuts buying many dozens of the blue lights you have--there's just something about blue lights...some day.

The only semi-serious argument my wife & I have about christmas lights is that she will only decorate the house with white lights (warm/white LEDs, not super bright); whereas I could happily live with all-blue lights everywhere. I lose that argument, like all arguments.


----------



## CaveManta

I love lamp


----------



## AuxNuke

I love the variety in color and designs for headphones.  But the gear?  All black


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> So my wife made me give in and take down the Christmas decorations, but as a final act of my displeasure I repurposed the fairy lights. There's till some work to be done on sorting the wires out - particularly that tangle of tentacles to the right of the fireplace ha.


Do your wife know you have a new girl there?


----------



## Pharmaboy

AuxNuke said:


> I love the variety in color and designs for headphones.  But the gear?  All black



WA22 in the house!


----------



## hensi

Home office upgrade 2020. Greetings from Hong Kong.


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

Colour me jealous! What I wouldn’t give for a view of the mountains overlooking the river/sea. Adding my favourite headphone to the mix aka the Susvara is like the cherry on top.
Enjoy the music and beautiful view. I imagine it’s a great pairing. If I want anything of the sort, I bring my music with me out into the forrest...no lava-lamps there alas.


----------



## montanari

all I need to listen every kind of music lay down on the sofa!
another post will follow for the office and bed!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I would gladly go nuts buying many dozens of the blue lights you have--there's just something about blue lights...some day.



Smacks of Walmart's blue light specials


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 9, 2021)

Changed my setup on my secondary listening station. What I have:

iFi iPower > USB C power hub > Phone > USB power hub > iFi iSilencer+ > USB > iFi Micro 3.0 > Geek Out 2A Signature > Vali 2 (preamp) > SMSL SP200 THX Amp.

or

iFi iPower > USB C power hub > Phone > USB power hub > iFi iSilencer+ > USB > iFi Micro 3.0 > LH Labs Go2Pro Signature > Vali 1 amp.

The iFi Micro allows 2 outputs so I can run both DACs at once. I just have to move the Vali 2 off the Vali 1 if I want to use the Vali 1 so it can breathe.

Only thing I'm really missing off the setup is an iFi iGalvanic 3.0. (will come)  Cables include:  PANGEA AUDIO - PREMIER SE USB, Audioquest Carbon USB, Audioquest Golden Gate RCA, World's Best Cables Gotham GAC-4/1 (Black) Star-Quad RCA, Pangea Audio Premier RCA

iFi Micro is also powered by iFi iPower.


----------



## stuck limo

waveSounds said:


> Seriously, fairy lights isn't a known name to you chaps over the pond? I thought that was what they were called everywhere?!



They are. Though I honestly didn't really know that term until literally every bedroom YouTuber in the world started using them in their videos.


----------



## Deolum

Is there a thread were i can post my normal looking setup?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Deolum said:


> Is there a thread were i can post my normal looking setup?


Let's see it 

I'm due for a few pics since I updated a bunch of stuff. I'm gonna move some gear around and then take some more horrible pictures. Apologies in advance to anybody unlucky enough to see the photos I take. I can make any camera take bad pictures


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Deolum said:


> Is there a thread were i can post my normal looking setup?



Here. Someone literally posted an IEM and his iPhone not long ago.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> Here. Someone literally posted an IEM and his iPhone not long ago.


Off topic! There is a "Show us your portable rig" thread


----------



## ThanatosVI

Deolum said:


> Is there a thread were i can post my normal looking setup?


This thread my friend.


----------



## Deolum

Just took a pic, pressed "edit" and changed all sliders to completely random values. But i find it looks more professional than before now.





My hamster ate all my headphones sadly so can't show them.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Very handsome setup 

What gear is shown in the pic?


----------



## NYanakiev (Jan 10, 2021)

A Hugo 2+2Go is missing from this shot, little brother Mojo+Poly just below the Focal Arche. 

I should add that the device connected to the Arche is a RoPieee Pi4B, which makes for a fantastic Roon endpoint.


----------



## Deolum

gimmeheadroom said:


> Very handsome setup
> 
> What gear is shown in the pic?


Lumin U1 Mini -> Metrum Pavane L3 -> Audiovalve Solaris

And Neumann 120 A nearfield monitors.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice setup! I was thinking about that exact pair of Neumanns but I never got to it. How do you like them?


----------



## Pharmaboy

montanari said:


> all I need to listen every kind of music lay down on the sofa!
> another post will follow for the office and bed!



The perforated top of the amp matches the chair seats. That's pretty cool.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Deolum said:


> Is there a thread were i can post my normal looking setup?



I guess we'll have to define "normal" then...


----------



## RickB

Pharmaboy said:


> I guess we'll have to define "normal" then...



Costing less than a luxury car down payment?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

RickB said:


> Costing less than a luxury car down payment?


In what country


----------



## Pharmaboy

Deolum said:


> Just took a pic, pressed "edit" and changed all sliders to completely random values. But i find it looks more professional than before now.
> 
> 
> 
> My hamster ate all my headphones sadly so can't show them.



I think we need pictures of this hamster (mugshots, preferably).

Question: what is the TV on the top shelf?

Comment: I don't think I've ever seen workmanlike professional monitors displayed in such a glamorous way (terrific picture)/


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I think we need pictures of this hamster (mugshots, preferably).
> 
> Question: what is the TV on the top shelf?
> 
> Comment: I don't think I've ever seen workmanlike professional monitors displayed in such a glamorous way (terrific picture)/


I was thinking they need to be up a lot higher on stands but the low angle of the pic does make everything look really good.

I can recommend the Gravity brand stands that Thomann sells.

A picture of a satisfied cat would be good enough for me, and I don't even like cats. I didn't take his statement seriously, I hope it was just a bad joke


----------



## Lolito

Deolum said:


> Just took a pic, pressed "edit" and changed all sliders to completely random values. But i find it looks more professional than before now.
> 
> 
> 
> My hamster ate all my headphones sadly so can't show them.


great use of a newumann speaekrs seet, what size are the woofers? what speaker stands are those? They look ow but looking up, perfect for a living room, more stealthy location. Looks beautiful really.


----------



## carboncopy

My “second” system. The core is the fiio q5s. It is either my portable amp for movies with my iPad or I use it for gaming with the xbox through optical connection. The RS2e is connected to the pentacon output. It is a very space/cost effective solution for having a second/portable system.


----------



## Deolum

gimmeheadroom said:


> Nice setup! I was thinking about that exact pair of Neumanns but I never got to it. How do you like them?


They are perfect. I was looking for a modest pair of active speakers that benefits the most from my headphone system. The problem is that most active speakers work digital inside so every incoming analogue signal is converted into a digital signal which is of course not what i wanted.

Was also thinking about the 310 but now that i have the 120 i have no interest anymore. They are also perfect for extremely bad angles for listening, i.e. running around, multiple people etc.

They are indeed very low (50 cm above the ground) but my listening position is equally low and if i stand up they still work absolutely fine.



Pharmaboy said:


> I think we need pictures of this hamster (mugshots, preferably).
> 
> Question: what is the TV on the top shelf?
> 
> Comment: I don't think I've ever seen workmanlike professional monitors displayed in such a glamorous way (terrific picture)/



A normal Samsung TV. LCD and 55 inch i think.

I'm surprised myself. Like i said just changed all values to completely random things. Original foto looks lame and without low angle even lamer
(Don't trust instagram).



Lolito said:


> great use of a newumann speaekrs seet, what size are the woofers? what speaker stands are those? They look ow but looking up, perfect for a living room, more stealthy location. Looks beautiful really.



Stands are Neumann LH 65.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Lolito said:


> great use of a newumann speaekrs seet, what size are the woofers? what speaker stands are those? They look ow but looking up, perfect for a living room, more stealthy location. Looks beautiful really.



Consists of: 5,25" Woofer, 1" Tweeter
Frequency range: 52 Hz - 21 kHz (+/- 3 dB)
Peak SPL: 112.2 dB
Power: 50 W Woofer and 50 W Tweeter
4-Position bass, low-mid and treble acoustical controls
Separate woofer and tweeter electronic peak limiters and thermal-protection circuitry
Input gain and output level controls
Input: Balanced XLR
Magnetically shielded
Dimensions: 277 x 182 x 220 mm
Weight: 6,2 kg
https://www.thomann.de/intl/neumann_kh_120_a.htm


----------



## LeeJB1970 (Jan 10, 2021)

Here's  my set up. Been lurking on the forum reading great advice to help me make an informed purchase.
Decided to go from K550 mkiii and K701 straight to what's hopefully my endgame!


----------



## TooFrank

hensi said:


> Home office upgrade 2020. Greetings from Hong Kong.


Wow, what a view and such nice gear, including the happy little wooden monkey.....


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Preachy1

Strayngs said:


>


Is that a Veiled?  I tried keeping them some years back but I was never successful.


----------



## Strayngs

Preachy1 said:


> Is that a Veiled?  I tried keeping them some years back but I was never successful.


It is a Nosy Be Panther. He always eyeballs my audio and so this morning I let him check it out for the first time.


----------



## richie60

Not keen on the desktop stand, but it serves the purpose of keeping the rca cables short.  underneath is the rca switch I made.


----------



## CJG888

richie60 said:


> Not keen on the desktop stand, but it serves the purpose of keeping the rca cables short.  underneath is the rca switch I made.


Nice GL75 (I presume)...


----------



## richie60

CJG888 said:


> Nice GL75 (I presume)...


Indeed it is.  Pride of the system.


----------



## CJG888

richie60 said:


> Indeed it is.  Pride of the system.


A fellow Audio-Technica VM740ML user?


----------



## vmiguel

Setup #2, waiting on a Pimoroni Audio Pirate to attach to a Raspberry Pi 0, with Volumio. Meanwhile, the BTR5 does a pretty good job as a source for the LD.


----------



## richie60

CJG888 said:


> A fellow Audio-Technica VM740ML user?


One down, it’s a 540ML.  It’s a fabulous cart, matches well with the Lenco.


----------



## jonathan c

A little 📀💿 nightcap


----------



## CJG888

richie60 said:


> One down, it’s a 540ML.  It’s a fabulous cart, matches well with the Lenco.


Which tonearm are you using?


----------



## richie60

CJG888 said:


> Which tonearm are you using?


It's a Silvernote Saturn.  Drops straight in with no modification.


----------



## ThanatosVI

New tubes, Winter daylight makes for great tube glow.


----------



## Jerseyboy (Jan 12, 2021)

Listening Station No.3


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice rack! I was thinking about getting one of those rack tables. How are you liking it? It looks great from here.


----------



## CJG888 (Jan 12, 2021)

richie60 said:


> It's a Silvernote Saturn.  Drops straight in with no modification.


I read about those somewhere...

I suspect you might be interested in the idler drive turntable thread...


----------



## alekc

Jerseyboy said:


> Listening Station No.3



@Jerseyboy very nice setup including desk  Is that Mutec MC3 USB I see on the right side (closer to the middle)? If so I wonder how you find it since I've been considering it some time ago.


----------



## richie60

CJG888 said:


> I read about those somewhere...
> 
> I suspect you might be interested in the idler drive turntable thread...


I think i've posted in the thread.  I'll have to subscribe to it as i've not been there in a while...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CJG888 said:


> I suspect you might be interested in the idler drive turntable thread...


The devil finds work for idler drives


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> New tubes, Winter daylight makes for great tube glow.



Always wanted to hear the Cayin Ha-6a.


----------



## UntilThen

Jerseyboy said:


> Listening Station No.3



That's a brilliant table for my needs.


----------



## UntilThen

Bored. WFH setup while missing my main setup 300 kms away.


----------



## ThanatosVI

UntilThen said:


> Always wanted to hear the Cayin Ha-6a.


I can only recommend doing so.
Magnificent sound!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Bored. WFH setup while missing my main setup 300 kms away.


I had the same problem for almost a year. But I didn't have nearly as good a solution!


----------



## UntilThen

^^ was also interested in hearing the Cayin Ha300. Never got around to it yet. Too many too amps to try !


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> I had the same problem for almost a year. But I didn't have nearly as good a solution!



When I came home to WFH, I had only the WA22, LCD-X, HD800 and an unmentionable Topping D10.  

Then within less than a month, Questyle CMA Twelve came, then v280, then SMSL SP200, then Schiit Mjolnir 2, then a friend brought a SPL Phonitor X to try, oh then on Christmas eve got the Hekse. I hope WFH doesn't last longer ......


----------



## UntilThen

The main setup 300 kms away.


----------



## UntilThen

So after Covid-19, will do a jumble sale and start all over again.


----------



## UntilThen

So several ideas were toss around in my head. Perhaps an improved DNA Stratus next or a Benchmark HPA4 or a Violectric v590 or a Susvara or a LCD-4 or a super tube amp as discussed in the 1101 thread.


----------



## nordkapp

Jerseyboy said:


> Listening Station No.3


Damn!.....Impressive.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> So several ideas were toss around in my head. Perhaps an improved DNA Stratus next or a Benchmark HPA4 or a Violectric v590 or a Susvara or a LCD-4 or a super tube amp as discussed in the 1101 thread.


If you can afford the V590 and already have a good DAC, consider the Nimbus amps.


----------



## LoryWiv

UntilThen said:


> Bored. WFH setup while missing my main setup 300 kms away.


What are those handsome GEC powers in the back slots. 6080 or something else?


----------



## UntilThen

LoryWiv said:


> What are those handsome GEC powers in the back slots. 6080 or something else?



They're GEC 6080 and I got them NOS in their original boxes. I was lucky to pick up those as well as the Tung Sol 5998 NOS (brand new) some time ago. These tubes are so quiet I cannot let them go. The only quieter pair of tubes I had were the GEC 6as7g brand new NOS brown curve base when I bought them for US$500 and now sold off much to my regret.


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> If you can afford the V590 and already have a good DAC, consider the Nimbus amps.



Depends which Niimbus. The Niimbus US 4+ is a lot more than the Niimbus US 4 in price.

v590 is useful if I needed to travel to and fro between my 2 listening places. I don't want to carry Yggdrasil to and fro.


----------



## vonBaron

Both Niimbus are great


----------



## Pharmaboy

Strayngs said:


>



Thought bubble: "VTA needs to be adjusted _just a little bit_..."


----------



## Pharmaboy

Jerseyboy said:


> Listening Station No.3



Ascent Acoustics Sierra 2A? How do you like them for nearfield/against wall listening?


----------



## LoryWiv

vonBaron said:


> Both Niimbus are great


Pleural of Niimbus = Niimbi?


----------



## jonathan c

LoryWiv said:


> Pleural of Niimbus = Niimbi?


If “niimbus” were a second declension Latin noun, the plural would be “niimbi”. If a fourth declension Latin noun, the plural would be “niimbus”. Useful, eh?


----------



## UntilThen

Hahaha I'll just call it Bambi.


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> If “niimbus” were a second declension Latin noun, the plural would be “niimbi”. If a fourth declension Latin noun, the plural would be “niimbus”. Useful, eh?


My teeth are de clenching just thinking about the Latin.


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Pleural of Niimbus = Niimbi?


Dude, unless you're referring to the lining around your lungs, it's "plural".  hehehe


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Dude, unless you're referring to the lining around your lungs, it's "plural".  hehehe


Busted!


----------



## knopi




----------



## carboncopy




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Ascent Acoustics Sierra 2A? How do you like them for nearfield/against wall listening?


"Today Ascent Acoustics announced a new lineup. Against the wall, fellas!"


----------



## gefski

gimmeheadroom said:


> "Today Ascent Acoustics announced a new lineup. Against the wall, fellas!"


The actual lyric is “...up against the wall, redneck mother...“ by Jerry Jeff Walker.


----------



## Pharmaboy

LoryWiv said:


> Busted!



now say it in Latin!

I took Latin for 5 years...a fascinating and sometimes maddening experience. I learned things that are never to be forgotten. 

While I didn't exactly rock a toga, I did wear one on several occasions.


----------



## nordkapp

carboncopy said:


>


OMG. I could lose myself in this room. Bravo!


----------



## 340519

carboncopy said:


>


Beautiful!  I love it.


----------



## Gadget67

So, a couple of changes in my evolving headphone/2.1 system.  I’ve added a Danacable Lazuli reference cable for my Focal Utopia and flipped the Chord stack from the right side to the left so the Danacable comfortably reaches the much more comfortable listening chair instead of the straight back wooden desk chair.  I’ve also added Audirvana and Audirvana remote for my iPad to control the music from the chair and I can control volume with the Cord remote.  Other unseen changes include ISO Acoustics pucks order the speakers and and Audioquest NRG-Y2 power cable to the TT2 power supply.  After some experimentation I’ve set the TT2 audio filter to the 2 setting and crossfeed to the 2 setting as well.  Loving the changes; the Danacable is a worthwhile addition!  Here is the current set up.


----------



## silversurfer616

Sold Verite C this week and Abyss 1266Phi CC before that. This is what’s left...


----------



## simorag

Susvara joining the family


----------



## newworld666

simorag said:


> Susvara joining the family


 
WOW !!!!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Looks like Chord is out in force lately! I have to like a guy that uses all his desk space for an amplifier. Writing, paying bills?! That's NOT what a desk is for


----------



## Turkeysaurus

simorag said:


> Susvara joining the family


The Riviera amp looks awesome 👌


----------



## Galapac

simorag said:


> Susvara joining the family


Nice setup! May I ask where you acquired that stand?


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jan 16, 2021)

Galapac said:


> Nice setup! May I ask where you acquired that stand?


That's a Norstone Stabbil Bamboo shelf, made in France.

I have one and they're quite beautiful but I have a few gripes. For one, the veneer gets damaged when you look at it sideways. Some of the parts were already marred in the shipping box. There are metal/rubber pucks where the shelves sit. But for some reason, there is no rubber on the feet that go on the ground. It's not a cheap set of shelves and overall it's pretty nice. But for the money I would have expected better quality control and the bottom feet should have rubber isolators like the ones the shelf supports rest on.

I hate glass but in that stand glass might ultimately be a better choice depending on your usage.


----------



## Galapac (Jan 16, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's a Norstone Stabbil Bamboo shelf, made in France.
> 
> I have one and they're quite beautiful but I have a few gripes. For one, the veneer gets damaged when you look at it sideways. Some of the parts were already marred in the shipping box. There are metal/rubber pucks where the shelves sit. But for some reason, there is no rubber on the feet that go on the ground. It's not a cheap set of shelves and overall it's pretty nice. But for the money I would have expected better quality control and the bottom feet should have rubber isolators like the ones the shelf supports rest on.
> 
> I hate glass but in that stand glass might ultimately be a better choice depending on your usage.


Thanks. I personally like the Pangea shelves. The price is good and you can add or take away shelves by just screwing the corner pieces together. you can also get rollers for the feet or flat ended with felt cushions as I did. I have the rosenut version.

https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio...a+stand&qid=1610828711&sr=8-1&tag=googhydr-20

you can use these as feet if you don’t like the sharp, pointy ones:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D4UP3JA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

..and then put these felt on the feet if you have a wood floor like mine to slide around:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAK5Y8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Wes S

I added a more fitting headphone stand, the ZMF Salire in Wenge wood.  Also, I recently removed my Bottlehead Crack (sold) and put my Valhalla 2 back in the mix. The synergy between the Valhalla 2 with CV4033 tubes and the Atticus is freaking incredible.  Last but not least, I sold my MrSpeakers Alpha Prime, and have down sized my collection to a trio of ZMF'S, and wouldn't have it any other way.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Thanks, those pics of the ZMF headphone stand helped. I couldn't tell from the pics how big they are or whether you can put 2 pair of good sized headphones on one.


----------



## kkrazik2008

Wes S said:


> I added a more fitting headphone stand, the ZMF Salire in Wenge wood.  Also, I recently removed my Bottlehead Crack (sold) and put my Valhalla 2 back in the mix. The synergy between the Valhalla 2 with CV4033 tubes and the Atticus is freaking incredible.  Last but not least, I sold my MrSpeakers Alpha Prime, and have down sized my collection to a trio of ZMF'S, and wouldn't have it any other way.


That is a good looking and perfectly dark Wenge color! I am tempted to order this instead of the Walnut....


----------



## gimmeheadroom

@Wes S pic of that Valhalla 2 is messing with my mind. The tall tubes are supposed to be in the back. But the label on the front panel is ok. Some kind of weird mirror effect 

I know, I know, you're showing the killer tubes


----------



## jasonb

iPad Air 2020, to an old JDS Labs ODAC, to a Schiit Magni Heresy, to a Focal Elear with Clear pads.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 17, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> @Wes S pic of that Valhalla 2 is messing with my mind. The tall tubes are supposed to be in the back. But the label on the front panel is ok. Some kind of weird mirror effect
> 
> I know, I know, you're showing the killer tubes


LOL!  The front tubes are in adapters, which makes them taller than the power tubes in back.  Looks wierd but sounds insane! These CV4033 are the best tubes I have ever had the pleasure of using.  They even best the famous GEC A2900, for those in the know.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 17, 2021)

kkrazik2008 said:


> That is a good looking and perfectly dark Wenge color! I am tempted to order this instead of the Walnut....


I was considering the walnut as well, and I am really glad I went with Wenge.  I think the darker color really makes the lighter colored headphones pop.  Wenge has more depth and character and is the more unique and rare wood type, as well.


----------



## cddc

Jerseyboy said:


> Listening Station No.3




Lots of unknown equipments under the table, looks like some professional rigs?


----------



## cddc

HDVD800 might not have enough power to drive the K1000 though...


----------



## cddc

Bonddam said:


>



Way too many good stuff...a lucky man


----------



## cddc

dncnexus said:


> I love going through this thread, so thought to finally share my setup
> Gear:
> Yggdrasil GS
> DNA Starlett
> ...




Lots of good stuff!

What is HD560, did you mean Sennheiser HD650?


----------



## cddc

walls said:


> This is in my shop, my home setup is a woo wa2 with 650’s and T1’s.




Looks great, what paint / stain did you use on your Crack to achieve that beautiful chestnut appearance?


----------



## RickB

cddc said:


> Lots of good stuff!
> 
> What is HD560, did you mean Sennheiser HD650?



https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-560-s-audiophile-headphone-high-end-over-ear


----------



## cddc

RickB said:


> https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-560-s-audiophile-headphone-high-end-over-ear



Awwww, there is indeed such obscure Senn headphones, I thought Senn headphones start from HD580.


----------



## kman1211 (Jan 17, 2021)

cddc said:


> Awwww, there is indeed such obscure Senn headphones, I thought Senn headphones start from HD580.



It's not obscure at all, it's actually their newest full-size headphone and is quite popular. It's a bit lean sounding for my personal preference though. The HD 580 has been discontinued for a while. There is the Senn x Drop HD 58X but that's a different headphone


----------



## cddc

Jerseyboy said:


> Latest updates are Shunyata power and cabling; Hammer 2 equaliser; an upgraded W20 to give 28TB of hard drive space (2x14TB); HiFi Man Shangri-La Senior; monitoring speakers, and, of course, a comfy chair.....




Wow...these gears easily cost more than a house. Another lucky man!


----------



## cddc

Hooster said:


> Taken today.
> 
> 
> The magic. Western Electric 111c transformers.:




Is there such thing as a passive amplifier? First time heard of it, very interesting...

How does it amplify the signal?

Or is it just a passive preamp (turn down volume only)?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

cddc said:


> Awwww, there is indeed such obscure Senn headphones, I thought Senn headphones start from HD580.


Sennheiser has the HD 25, and some models in the 200 range. 414 came early then either. Numbers all over the place and don't mean much even within what seems like a series.


----------



## whirlwind

After that gut wrenching loss the Browns had vs the Chiefs yesterday....today music will be my therapy....still a great season if you are a Browns fan.
The season was a bright spot in a year that was very dismal with other issues we faced.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 18, 2021)

whirlwind said:


> After that gut wrenching loss the Browns had vs the Chiefs yesterday....today music will be my therapy....still a great season if you are a Browns fan.
> The season was a bright spot in a year that was very dismal with other issues we faced.


Now there's a setup, I would love to hear!  Awesome stuff!  Love the framed posters!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I keep debating whether I should get a lava lamp again. Had one in the 1960s. But I break out in a cold sweat when I think of hot wax (not the record album kind) splashing all over my gear. Has anybody had a problem with them? I think they ought to be safe but I really don't know.


----------



## whirlwind

gimmeheadroom said:


> I keep debating whether I should get a lava lamp again. Had one in the 1960s. But I break out in a cold sweat when I think of hot wax (not the record album kind) splashing all over my gear. Has anybody had a problem with them? I think they ought to be safe but I really don't know.



I have never personally had a problem, but I never leave it on for over 12 hours at a time. you definitely don't want to leave it on for 24/7 as I am sure it would over heat. Put it in a place where you don't have to worry about knocking it over is always a good thing   

Even being careful, I guess anything is possible


----------



## Wes S (Jan 18, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I keep debating whether I should get a lava lamp again. Had one in the 1960s. But I break out in a cold sweat when I think of hot wax (not the record album kind) splashing all over my gear. Has anybody had a problem with them? I think they ought to be safe but I really don't know.


I have one too, and love it!  I always turn my amp and lava lamp on at the same time.  Classic Rock, headphones and lava lamps,  all go together perfectly.


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> I have one too, and love it!  I always turn my amp and lava lamp on at the same time.  Classic Rock, headphones and lava lamps all go together perfectly.



I do the same....turn on together.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 18, 2021)

Speaking of Lava Lamps. . .Turning my tube amp and lava lamp on at the same time, let's me know when my amp is warmed up and ready to rock.  I just look for the lava to start flowing (takes 20 - 30 minutes), and then I know it's time to rock out!


----------



## banda

I had no idea that lava lamps shouldn't be kept on all the time. They've lost a lot of their lustre to me...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

banda said:


> I had no idea that lava lamps shouldn't be kept on all the time. They've lost a lot of their lustre to me...


No problem man. In most cases they're laquered aluminum. Just hit it with a microfiber and window cleaner and they'll shine like new


----------



## banda

gimmeheadroom said:


> No problem man. In most cases they're laquered aluminum. Just hit it with a microfiber and window cleaner and they'll shine like new


A tainted film floats between my eyes and every lava lamp forevermore.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

banda said:


> A tainted film floats between my eyes and every lava lamp forevermore.


I give up 

On second thought I'm calling in my e-buddy @Pharmaboy 

Discretion is the better part of velour- use leather.


----------



## gefski

gimmeheadroom said:


> I give up
> 
> On second thought I'm calling in my e-buddy @Pharmaboy
> 
> Discretion is the better part of velour- use leather.



Great malaprop!!


----------



## LoryWiv

gimmeheadroom said:


> I give up
> 
> On second thought I'm calling in my e-buddy @Pharmaboy
> 
> Discretion is the better part of velour- use leather.


Very convincing, consider me suede  .


----------



## cddc

gimmeheadroom said:


> Sennheiser has the HD 25, and some models in the 200 range. 414 came early then either. Numbers all over the place and don't mean much even within what seems like a series.




You guys didn't get it, the models below HD580 are consumer electronics, they are not hifi gears.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

cddc said:


> You guys didn't get it, the models below HD580 are consumer electronics, they are not hifi gears.


https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-560-s-audiophile-headphone-high-end-over-ear


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

Setup for 2021, pretty simple, cheap and cheerful.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Which switches in your Leopold?


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

gimmeheadroom said:


> Which switches in your Leopold?


Silent reds


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ChevyMonsenhor said:


> Silent reds


Ah, Browns are my favorite. I don't think I ever had a chance to try the reds.


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ah, Browns are my favorite. I don't think I ever had a chance to try the reds.


They're nice! 
About the same weight as the browns, minus the tactile bump, so the travel is uninterrupted from start to end, some people don't like this simplicity and prefer the tactile feel or clicks instead.
The silent version also has dampeners inside that drastically help with the noise on both the downstroke and upstroke.


----------



## SrTexugo

Mid Fi End Game! =)


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

SrTexugo said:


> Mid Fi End Game! =)



Hey, i found you here!
I'm the guy who asked you about the headphone stand on the group lol


----------



## Pharmaboy

silversurfer616 said:


> Sold Verite C this week and Abyss 1266Phi CC before that. This is what’s left...



You seem to know your planars. I've had a bunch, too--including the Empyrean, though not the Abyss.

Why'd you sell the Abyss, if I may ask? 

I'm looking for an endgame planar, but there really aren't many.


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> I do the same....turn on together.



"turn on"

(lava lamp speak, I'm guessing)


----------



## Terriero

dmdm said:


> Beautiful!  I love it.


I'm glad that you are ok. I knew you in Z1R thread and I was amazed because after you tried the Z1R you decided to sell some of your other TOTL headphones... But no more news of you until I saw you today in this thread


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 20, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I give up
> 
> On second thought I'm calling in my e-buddy @Pharmaboy
> 
> Discretion is the better part of velour- use leather.



I can't compete with that excellent pun. However, I've always admired my twin brother's unprompted pun in the early '80s:

"Beware of Geeks Bearing Grifts"

(he foretold iPhones & social media w/o even trying)


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ah, Browns are my favorite. I don't think I ever had a chance to try the reds.



I honestly have no idea what you guys are talking about. 

I'd like to think it concerns psilocybin-impregnated M&Ms (maybe I'm just projecting).


----------



## kman1211

Pharmaboy said:


> I honestly have no idea what you guys are talking about.
> 
> I'd like to think it concerns psilocybin-impregnated M&Ms (maybe I'm just projecting).



Key switches on mechanical computer keyboards.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 20, 2021)

kman1211 said:


> Key switches on mechanical computer keyboards.



Jeez, I should've known that. Keyboards are always threatening to become an even larger obsession.

It took some mistakes to get there, but my happy place = cherry MX clears. By far the best keyboard feel/action I've gotten from any switch. I have 3 Code 87 TKL keyboards w/cherry MX clears. There is no going back.


----------



## SalR406

Pharmaboy said:


> "Beware of Geeks Bearing Grifts"


Hah! This is excellent...


----------



## kman1211

Pharmaboy said:


> Jeez, I should've known that. Keyboards are always threatening to become an even larger obsession.
> 
> It took some mistakes to get there, but my happy place = cherry MX clears. By far the best keyboard feel/action I've gotten from any switch. I have 3 Code 87 TKL keyboards w/cherry MX clears. There is no going back.



I’ve been happy with a Corsair K70 with brown switches but I’ve only tried red and brown switches. I much prefer brown, don’t really like reds all that much. I’ve been wanting to try blue and clear switches.


----------



## Pharmaboy

kman1211 said:


> I’ve been happy with a Corsair K70 with brown switches but I’ve only tried red and brown switches. I much prefer brown, don’t really like reds all that much. I’ve been wanting to try blue and clear switches.



Blues are very clacky. I started out w/MX blues and pretty soon sidelined that keyboard...just too loud.

3 things I like about MX clears:

zero sound
great tactile feel (opposite of dead--hard to describe)
and even though they have the highest force-required rating, all that really means in practice is you don't bottom out keys easily or often
I always was a fast typist, even back in the mechanical Underwood days. But w/MX clears, it's really off to the races...


----------



## L0rdGwyn

I finished another DIY amp project, this is hybrid, 841 DHT to Cree SiC FET.


----------



## CJG888

L0rdGwyn said:


> I finished another DIY amp project, this is hybrid, 841 DHT to Cree SiC FET.


Best of both worlds.....


----------



## adamus (Jan 21, 2021)

6e6p-dr parafeed amp, regulated supply, sic diode bias... and its stunning. blows my old OTLs out of the water. Chinese planars 

aluminium drawer handles to protect the ragdoll cat with learning difficulties from itself....


----------



## silversurfer616

Pharmaboy said:


> You seem to know your planars. I've had a bunch, too--including the Empyrean, though not the Abyss.
> 
> Why'd you sell the Abyss, if I may ask?
> 
> I'm looking for an endgame planar, but there really aren't many.


I need a headphone that hugs my ears. I had no problem getting the fit right, I just missed the pads around my ears. Also, the bass is out of this world but because of that I sometimes had the feeling it is a headphone of two halves...the outstanding bass performance and the rest of the spectrum without really presenting a cohesive sound.


----------



## Rowethren

I bought a set of Boba U4s to fit into my Melody 96. They have silicone damping built in to the sliders and zero pre-travel with a firm D shaped force curve and 62g springs. An absolute dream to type on! They are made to really high tolerances so there is hardly any wobble as well. They do require you to build your own board though which could be a negative depending on your point of view.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Jeez, I should've known that. Keyboards are always threatening to become an even larger obsession.
> 
> It took some mistakes to get there, but my happy place = cherry MX clears. By far the best keyboard feel/action I've gotten from any switch. I have 3 Code 87 TKL keyboards w/cherry MX clears. There is no going back.


I've been using mechanical keyboards for mumble grumble decades. I don't game and I appreciate very positive response (from the keys! not from you guys...) when typing. I prefer IBM but they're getting almost too precious to actually use. The Cherry browns seem to be the sweet spot between the action feel I like and not making noise. That said, I'm typing on blues now, just because the 10-keyless HyperXs that I like were not available in browns here.


----------



## Rowethren

gimmeheadroom said:


> I've been using mechanical keyboards for mumble grumble decades. I don't game and I appreciate very positive response (from the keys! not from you guys...) when typing. I prefer IBM but they're getting almost too precious to actually use. The Cherry browns seem to be the sweet spot between the action feel I like and not making noise. That said, I'm typing on blues now, just because the 10-keyless HyperXs that I like were not available in browns here.



It sounds like Boba U4s would be perfect for you. Solid tactile response but sound dampening on the bottom out and return. Here are some reviews for reference: 

https://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/cmk_boba_u4/ 

https://www.theremingoat.com/blog/boba-u4-switch-review


----------



## MSA1133

With the Romi Audio BX-2 Plus my rig is going with me!  

Abyss 1266 TC, iBasso DX300, BX-2 Plus.


----------



## Wes S

MSA1133 said:


> With the Romi Audio BX-2 Plus my rig is going with me!
> 
> Abyss 1266 TC, iBasso DX300, BX-2 Plus.


Now, that's a portable rig!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Rowethren said:


> It sounds like Boba U4s would be perfect for you. Solid tactile response but sound dampening on the bottom out and return. Here are some reviews for reference:
> 
> https://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/cmk_boba_u4/
> 
> https://www.theremingoat.com/blog/boba-u4-switch-review


I'm kinda old school. If I find something I like, I'm done. These HyperX keyboards are really well made and there's a reasonable choice of switches.

I have some NOS IBM Model Ms, even one NIB. And I have a few Filcos. But I like the HyperX for most things.


----------



## Ilomaenkimi




----------



## breakfree40




----------



## Coztomba

breakfree40 said:


>



What wood is that on the Aeolus? Looks gorgeous.


----------



## breakfree40

Coztomba said:


> What wood is that on the Aeolus? Looks gorgeous.



Thanks for the compliment!  Zebrawood.  Evidently a few Aeolus were made in this wood but were never released as a limited or stock option.  It was termed a "rarity" version/wood when I purchased them.


----------



## MSA1133

Quiet time, Chord & Abyss


----------



## jonathan c

The invasion of the 12au7s...they control the horizontal...they control the vertical...but I control the volume😜...


----------



## UntilThen

One fine Sat afternoon, Audeze and Woo stepping out in (Que) style down Abbey road.


----------



## Hooster

cddc said:


> Is there such thing as a passive amplifier? First time heard of it, very interesting...
> 
> How does it amplify the signal?
> 
> Or is it just a passive preamp (turn down volume only)?



Sorry for late reply, I have been away.

It is not an amplifier at all. Maybe the best description is a hash cleaner, apparently you lose about 0.4dB with it in your chain but that is fine, given that most modern systems have too much gain. It just goes between my pre and power amp. You can not use this to adjust the volume. 

The benefits of transformers are well known and utilized in some very well reviewed and very expensive preamps. I don't know any that actually use these transformers but they use their own transformers to achieve something similar I suppose. For example:

" The front panel volume control is actually a 34-step rotary switch that triggers 34 relays located totally outside the signal path. The relays activate 34 taps on matching left and right transformers. It is these taps that adjust the volume in carefully calibrated steps.* Because transformer cores can influence sound quality,* we selected FINEMET® core material from Hitachi Metals, Ltd. This has a unique nanocrystal structure for high saturation flux density, high relative permeability and low core loss. So you’ll enjoy rich, detailed, uncompromising sound even at low volume."
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=35

I would not be surprised if the Western Electric 111C is a better than the transformer Luxman uses here, some say it is the best transformer for audio. It is no longer produced but it is still possible to obtain them.

More information here:
http://vintagehifiexperience.blogspot.com/2007/06/western-electric-111c-enhancement.html

What does it do for me? I feel like the sound is more dynamic, less digital and more engaging when listening at low levels.


----------



## bvhme

For when you want to listen to music in bed together. 2 volume pots are necessary and lucklily the tiny amp in the iFI Zen DAC has it's own dial and is pretty good and it will blast it's pre while using it fixed volume, the iFi Zen Can is a great addition to it.


----------



## drmmr

Back to school setup. Little crowded but if it works it works!


----------



## breakfree40

@drmmr

Dope keyboard - what is that thing?

And of course, the Argon mod is beautiful as well.  A small part of me wishes I had gone with the T60 instead of my Mk3s.


----------



## adamus

built this afternoon! Siemens d3a


----------



## drmmr

breakfree40 said:


> @drmmr
> 
> Dope keyboard - what is that thing?
> 
> And of course, the Argon mod is beautiful as well.  A small part of me wishes I had gone with the T60 instead of my Mk3s.


This one is called Terrazzo! A 40% keyboard with a neat LED matrix (that I should've turned on for the picture )


----------



## cddc

Hooster said:


> Sorry for late reply, I have been away.
> 
> It is not an amplifier at all. Maybe the best description is a hash cleaner, apparently you lose about 0.4dB with it in your chain but that is fine, given that most modern systems have too much gain. It just goes between my pre and power amp. You can not use this to adjust the volume.
> 
> ...



I see it now, obviously the 'passive amplifier' on the WE 111C confused me...LOL 

So it's actually a coupling transformer between your pre and power. There are definitely lots of benefits using the transformer - it matches the impedances between your pre and power, it isolates the ground loop noises and other noises, etc.


----------



## Redcarmoose

drmmr said:


> This one is called Terrazzo! A 40% keyboard with a neat LED matrix (that I should've turned on for the picture )


----------



## drmmr

Redcarmoose said:


>


NO WAY! I must ask, where'd your case go?


----------



## dnd3241

Update.....


----------



## TheRH




----------



## telecaster




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## CJG888

telecaster said:


>


Mmmmh...... 100% Telefunken!


----------



## guitargonaut




----------



## AKBAAR

Khadas Tone 1 + P20 + HiFiMAN 400i


----------



## Lolito

Redcarmoose said:


>



how many IEM's do you own? can you show the full collection? any other daps? do you like ipods?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Lolito said:


> how many IEM's do you own? can you show the full collection? any other daps? do you like ipods?



Feel free to check-out my previous posts. Cheers! They are all there. iPods are great! 

I’m a crazy middle class, middle aged man.


----------



## jonathan c

A new recWOOt (!) filling in OTL duties for the BHC 1.1 which has the weekend off. With TS 5998 & Brimar CV4003, a great partner to DT 1770s 👂👂


----------



## newworld666

It took me over a year, but I could manage to find a way to use a HEDDphone and still be free to move and listen music where I want at home ...  With one of the two available 12V output DAP on the market (A&K Kann Alpha).
And I could also manage to store 2Tb (dsd and flac) on 2 micro SD (1Tb in the internal SD reader of the Kann Alpha and 1Tb in a USB-C 3.0 OTG card reader).


----------



## banda

dnd3241 said:


> Update.....


Why do you use a Luminare rather than completing your iFi stack?


----------



## dnd3241

First Luminare offer a Stax output and I got 4 sets of tube to adjust the sound of this amp. Meantime my setting is iDSD as a DAC,  iCAN as a pre-amp and Luminare as a power amp and the result is positive, especially the treble is smooth and airy and the stage is bigger.


----------



## telecaster

CJG888 said:


> Mmmmh...... 100% Telefunken!


I can attest that the Telefunken 6080 are indeed incredibly good. The 100% Telefunken combo is lovely to hear !


----------



## dnd3241 (Jan 24, 2021)

.


----------



## UntilThen

Figaro has landed and the quality of finish on the LF339i surprised me. A much greater improvement over previous versions. Volume knobs are very smooth turning now. The sound is just plain gorgeous with RCA 5693 and Tung Sol 7236.


----------



## EDWARIS (Jan 25, 2021)




----------



## CJG888

EDWARIS said:


>


And that’s about as far as the rabbit hole goes...


----------



## CJG888

Correction: you need a Garrard 301 (with a suitable 12“ arm and either an EMT or a Decca / London)!


----------



## Deceneu808




----------



## guitargonaut

Another view...


----------



## UntilThen

Very interesting to see everyone's unique setup.


----------



## UntilThen

Redcarmoose said:


> I’m a crazy middle class, middle aged man.



Aren't we all? Except for the odd few Bill Gates and Elon Musk.


----------



## UntilThen

CJG888 said:


> And that’s about as far as the rabbit hole goes...



Most would notice the high end tube amp, the equally special Lampi tube dac and planar headphone but I notice the antique side dresser they are sitting on, the seasoned table and the high resolution BENQ monitor flanked by a swing arm monitor and of course the very unique headhunter headphone stand. .... and that chair.


----------



## Deceneu808

UntilThen said:


> Most would notice the high end tube amp, the equally special Lampi tube dac and planar headphone but I notice the antique side dresser they are sitting on, the seasoned table and the high resolution BENQ monitor flanked by a swing arm monitor and of course the very unique headhunter headphone stand. .... and that chair.


Ergohuman. Really nice chairs


----------



## EDWARIS

Deceneu808 said:


> Ergohuman. Really nice chairs


yes, ergohumans are great)) best friend for lockdown of 2020) it is the first time I was really happy I organised great cabinet at home, and did not work from kitchen as many of my friends))


----------



## EDWARIS

UntilThen said:


> Most would notice the high end tube amp, the equally special Lampi tube dac and planar headphone but I notice the antique side dresser they are sitting on, the seasoned table and the high resolution BENQ monitor flanked by a swing arm monitor and of course the very unique headhunter headphone stand. .... and that chair.


thank you, but tables (all 3 of them) aren't very expensive, it is china, not italy (I only wish I could have furniture like that in Putin palace)) but the picture was taken by sony a7r4, so probably it looks little better than in real life))


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> yes, ergohumans are great)) best friend for lockdown of 2020) it is the first time I was really happy I organised great cabinet at home, *and did not work from kitchen as many of my friends*))



How did you know I work from kitchen? and there's a reason I do... it's close to the food and drinks. I have a dedicated study but I chose the kitchen much to my wife (dis)like. And btw despite the special amp and dac, you have only 2 headphones and I have one of them and it's on my head right now - the incomparable, unbeatable and priceless He1000se, that will win the Academy Awards this year. Stand aside Jennifer Lawrence, this is not your year.


----------



## whirlwind

guitargonaut said:


> Another view...



Is that an Ekornes Stressless


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> Is that an Ekornes Stressless



You're noticing chairs too and what a name for a chair. Stressless !!! who wouldn't want to sit on it.


----------



## EDWARIS

UntilThen said:


> You're noticing chairs too and what a name for a chair. Stressless !!! who wouldn't want to sit on it.



great chair)) I also have 2 chairs in my cabinet - one for work+music, and one for reading/relaxing + music))


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> reat chair)) I also have 2 chairs in my cabinet - one for work+music, and one for reading/relaxing + music))



Ok that's a new way to show off your Head-Fi station and you're an NFL payer !


----------



## UntilThen

Lolito said:


> how many IEM's do you own? can you show the full collection? any other daps? *do you like ipods*?



In response to your post, I should post some pictures of my current head-fi station, instead of yaki do yaki do...

So a while ago someone told me that the He1000se can be driven by anything and I mean anything, including an iPod and an iPhone ... so I set out to verify it and by George, it can !!!


----------



## EDWARIS

UntilThen said:


> Ok that's a new way to show off your Head-Fi station and you're an NFL payer !



just a fan from Russia)) Let's go Niners!!!


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> just a fan from Russia)) Let's go Niners!!!



You've good taste in HiFi too. I should come for a visit. Australia isn't too far away. Dynaudio Confidence 20 - I chose Dynaudio Esotar splits for my car audio instead of Focal Utopia Be. I chose analogue over digital basically. Dynaudio is as comfy as the chair you sit on. Focals is like dating a high fashion model. You're always edgy.


----------



## EDWARIS

thank, you definitely should when borders get open, I will show you Moscow) and next year I am thinking to visit NZ)


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> thank, you definitely should when borders get open, I will show you Moscow) and next year I am thinking to visit NZ)



Moscow ! Now we are talking  I'll bring some Australian wine and Toohey's New & Old. Yeah come to Sydney and I'll make you climb up Harbour Bridge. It's quite a view.


----------



## newworld666 (Jan 25, 2021)

Another step in my search of the "good" combo to be free at home to move where I want and then listen music as if I was behind a standalone DAP with my HEDDphone !!
This morning, after a huge 7 months desperate waiting I got a surprising Centrance M8V2, as this sound much better than I was finally expecting as a really portable Amp (BT or USB-C connection to my Galaxy Z Fold 2) !! This was due to rather disappointing measures from AudioScienceReview and so many facturing delays.


----------



## UntilThen

Alright one more photo before I hit the sack again. I do love the He1000se and who would have known that the newly arrived La Figaro 339i will drive it so well.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

guitargonaut said:


> Another view...


Love this chair.


----------



## CJG888

EDWARIS said:


> just a fan from Russia)) Let's go Niners!!!


Bloomin’ heck!

Now that IS serious!


----------



## CJG888

You still need that Garrard, though! You know you do!


----------



## UntilThen

CJG888 said:


> You still need that Garrard, though! You know you do!



There’s something about vinyl and it’s a bottomless rabbit hole. That’s why I make myself content with just Rega RP8 and Apheta cartridge.

If Nils Lorfgen had heard ‘Keith Don’t Go’ on that, he would have been shocked with unbelief.


----------



## guitargonaut

whirlwind said:


> Is that an Ekornes Stressless



I don't remember.  About 10 years ago, the ex got all the furniture in the divorce.  (I kept the electronics.)  Anyway - had to buy new furniture.  I paid more for the chair than I did the sectional.  The sectional needs to be replaced - the chair still looks brand new.  I sit in the chair more than I sit on the sectional.


----------



## UntilThen

Divorce is always messy. Happen to a friend recently. They has twin dogs. She took one and he took one. How heartbreaking is that. Would have been better to chop Chord Dave in half and split it. Would half a Dave still work?


----------



## jonathan c

guitargonaut said:


> Another view...


I like the Woo Audio - a WA3? I just bought one...it is tremendous. Great chair with colour and form to ease you to 🎼🎼


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Divorce is always messy. Happen to a friend recently. They has twin dogs. She took one and he took one. How heartbreaking is that. Would have been better to chop Chord Dave in half and split it. Would half a Dave still work?


One could have digital, the other could have analogue...


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> I like the Woo Audio - a WA3? I just bought one...it is tremendous. Great chair with colour and form to ease you to 🎼🎼



Do you like my Woo? It’s in a previous post.


----------



## guitargonaut

jonathan c said:


> I like the Woo Audio - a WA3? I just bought one...it is tremendous. Great chair with colour and form to ease you to 🎼🎼


WA6 - had a WA3 a couple of years ago though.  Nice amp as well.


----------



## Pharmaboy

telecaster said:


>



Love the cinerama P.O.V.


----------



## sirbogey

EDWARIS said:


> great chair)) I also have 2 chairs in my cabinet - one for work+music, and one for reading/relaxing + music))


Oh man! This pic made me crack up! Love it. You've got style!


----------



## iFi audio

banda said:


> Luminare





EDWARIS said:


>



Killer setup! That recti is KR's 5U4G?


----------



## EDWARIS (Jan 26, 2021)

iFi audio said:


> Killer setup! That recti is KR's 5U4G?


yes, and output is KR PX-25, RK Limited series, very good staff)

actually thinking maybe sell GG2 and buy Formula xHD + LinQ - to create fully Italian sound & look) unfortunately don't know any Italian headphones to complement it, know only Italian speakers, like SF Guarneri, they are beautiful and have great sound, but why no any italian headphone brand?


----------



## CJG888

Now what would a quad of NOS GEC “balloon” PX25s cost?


----------



## EDWARIS

I think something like 400 euro each - but I have bought it with some discount.


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> but why no any italian headphone brand?



Italians don't use headphones. They go to opera house.


----------



## EDWARIS (Jan 26, 2021)

definitely)) in Russia we prefer go to ballet and listen headphones in our small Soviet apartments)) headphones really very popular here because less than 10% of people has own houses)


----------



## iFi audio

EDWARIS said:


> actually thinking maybe sell GG2



Lampizator offers some trade-in programs I've heard? So perhaps that would be something to consider?



EDWARIS said:


> but why no any italian headphone brand?



I've heard only about Spirit Torino, but this has something to do with Grados, I think.


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> definitely)) in Russia we prefer go to ballet and listen headphones in our small Soviet apartment)) headphones really very popular here because *less than 10% of people has own houses*)



Serious? Here in Australia, everyone lives in a mansion.   Just kidding but home ownership is high. That's why we can't afford head-fi because we're paying off our god damm mansions. More like sheep paddocks.


----------



## iFi audio

UntilThen said:


> That's why we can't afford head-fi because we're paying off our god damm mansions.



I'd gladly take a mansion over audio


----------



## UntilThen

iFi audio said:


> I'd gladly take a mansion over audio



But whether mansion or a tent, we humans need music through good gear because we're such sensual creatures. We need our auditory senses to be overwhelmed then we can come up with great inventions - like the lawn mover and the hills hoist ! and Vegemite !


----------



## EDWARIS

UntilThen said:


> Serious? Here in Australia, everyone lives in a mansion.   Just kidding but home ownership is high. That's why we can't afford head-fi because we're paying off our god damm mansions. More like sheep paddocks.



mansion on the beach and 12 months of sun and summer... hell, why I didn't move to Australia 10 years ago, I had options(( I even ready to refuse from head-fi for this)


----------



## iFi audio

UntilThen said:


> But whether mansion or a tent, we humans need music through good gear because we're such sensual creatures. We need our auditory senses to be overwhelmed then we can come up with great inventions - like the lawn mover and the hills hoist ! and Vegemite !



OK, that's a fair point


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> mansion on the beach and 12 months of sun and summer... hell, why I didn't move to Australia 10 years ago, I had options(( I even ready to refuse from head-fi for this)



If you do come later, make sure you pack Lampi Golden Gate II < Viva Egoista 2a3 so I can experience it.   Before you envy us further, we have 43 degrees C of heat yesterday ! I will gladly trade some winter cold for this.


----------



## grokit (Jan 26, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> We need our auditory senses to be overwhelmed then we can come up with great inventions - like the *lawn mover and the hills hoist ! and Vegemite* !



I'm familiar with lawn mowers, maybe 'lawn movers' are an Australian term like hills hoist and Vegemite? Nothing comes up lol.


----------



## UntilThen

grokit said:


> I'm familiar with lawn mowers, maybe 'lawn movers' are an Australian term like hills hoist and Vegemite? Nothing comes up lol.



Typo errors again and this cause my friend to choke up when he read it. He was like... Did you move your lawn? I do that occasionally swapping my neighbours beautiful lawn with mine. Just like you trade head-fi gear.


----------



## EDWARIS

UntilThen said:


> If you do come later, make sure you pack Lampi Golden Gate II < Viva Egoista 2a3 so I can experience it.   Before you envy us further, we have 43 degrees C of heat yesterday ! I will gladly trade some winter cold for this.


\
we had minus 22 last week, but hell no - +43 is not for me, anything bigger than 25 with some humidity make me feel terrible) so no Australia, I would choose Canada/NZ/Chilie for my pension home))


----------



## UntilThen

EDWARIS said:


> \
> we had minus 22 last week, but hell no - +43 is not for me, anything bigger than 25 with some humidity make me feel terrible) so no Australia, I would choose Canada/NZ/Chilie for my pension home))



LOL but hey you wanted to come here so no changing of mind now. Remember we have beautiful Spring, Autumn and Winter too. Not forgetting the very unique and desirable Halcro amps ! https://halcro.com


----------



## iFi audio

UntilThen said:


> Did you move your lawn?



At some point I wanted to highlight this jewel of a typo as well, but we're only humans


----------



## BobG55

My simple set up for my Grado SR325e : JDS Labs Objective2, Subjective3 & CD Player “Teac PD-H600”.  With this simple set up I listen to music written & recorded in a simple fashion, live in the studio. This morning I listened to a couple of JJ Cale albums.


----------



## guitargonaut (Jan 26, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> Italians don't use headphones. They go to opera house.


----------



## UntilThen

BobG55 said:


> My simple set up for my Grado SR325e : JDS Labs Objective2, Subjective3 & CD Player “Teac PD-H600”. With this simple set up I listen to music written & recorded in a simple fashion, live in the studio. This morning I listened to a couple of JJ Cale albums.



Oh gosh the JDS Labs o2/odac was my first foray into head-fi in 2015. Wish I had kept it as a reminder but I had just about sold everything as I move along in my head-fi journey.


----------



## BobG55

UntilThen said:


> Oh gosh the JDS Labs o2/odac was my first foray into head-fi in 2015. Wish I had kept it as a reminder but I had just about sold everything as I move along in my head-fi journey.


From time to time I feel a need to go back to the simple, basic side of this hobby.


----------



## UntilThen

BobG55 said:


> From time to time I feel a need to go back to the simple, basic side of this hobby.



I know !!! Like this !!!

     Post #27,330 of 27,370


----------



## MSA1133

It's a disaster! All of my headphones are leaping off my desk to hookup with the new DX300


----------



## Preachy1

And they landed in a circle?  You have them well trained.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## Galapac

MSA1133 said:


> It's a disaster! All of my headphones are leaping off my desk to hookup with the new DX300


Does the DX300 have a micro SD slot? I couldn’t find info on that spec and didn’t consider it as that would be a deal breaker for me as I have my whole library on One.


----------



## nordkapp

MSA1133 said:


> It's a disaster! All of my headphones are leaping off my desk to hookup with the new DX300


Eh, you just need more gear......You'll be ok.


----------



## Barnstormer13




----------



## Preachy1

Galapac said:


> Does the DX300 have a micro SD slot? I couldn’t find info on that spec and didn’t consider it as that would be a deal breaker for me as I have my whole library on One.


Odd that it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere, but this image seems to suggest that it has a single (1) slot.  Which considering the price is a  major shortcoming.


----------



## MSA1133

Galapac said:


> Does the DX300 have a micro SD slot? I couldn’t find info on that spec and didn’t consider it as that would be a deal breaker for me as I have my whole library on One.



Yes, it supports 1TB micro SD cards too.


----------



## gefski (Jan 26, 2021)

Botched post


----------



## LoryWiv

UntilThen said:


> Typo errors again and this cause my friend to choke up when he read it. He was like... Did you move your lawn? I do that occasionally swapping my neighbours beautiful lawn with mine. Just like you trade head-fi gear.


The other man's grass is always greener  .Bit I must say right this moment  ZMF Auter driven by Elise with some sweet NOS tubes leaves me envying no-one's gear. A string quartet is performing Haydn in my living room!


----------



## UntilThen

LoryWiv said:


> The other man's grass is always greener  .Bit I must say right this moment  ZMF Auter driven by Elise with some sweet NOS tubes leaves me envying no-one's gear. A string quartet is performing Haydn in my living room!



Absolutely. What you have there is good enough. Matrix X-Sabre Pro > Feliks Audio Elise Mark II > ZMF Auteur. There are times I think to myself that I should have stop at Elise or later Euforia or La Figaro 339i.


----------



## ascortjkk

MSA1133 said:


> It's a disaster! All of my headphones are leaping off my desk to hookup with the new DX300



Dang, nice collection. Whats your top 3 cans in that pile?


----------



## MSA1133

ascortjkk said:


> Dang, nice collection. Whats your top 3 cans in that pile?



Thanks! I'd use the cliche answer and say all of them as each one has a different flavor and mood, though I'd be happy if I only had the Abyss 1266 TC & the Sony Z1R or ZMF Verite Closed (VC).


----------



## BobSmith8901

Barnstormer13 said:


>


Beautiful pic! Love that pale AK winter daylight.


----------



## Wes S

I sold off some stuff, making room for future TOTL tube amp (ZMF Pendant SE), and the Valhalla 2 is holding it's spot for now.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> I sold off some stuff, making room for future TOTL tube amp (ZMF Pendant SE), and the Valhalla 2 is holding it's spot for now.


Audio shelves, like nature, abhor a vacuum.


----------



## jonathan c

At the @jonathan c corral, it was battle of the closed-backs. DT-1770 Pro made a valiant effort and represented itself well but was outmatched by Gjallarhorn JM. More points were awarded to GJM on: air, balance, linearity, resolution, soundstage, tone. DT certainly had strengths in all these areas but the judge awarded the TKO to GJM. Note: music used was a variety from Impulse! and Blue Note jazz labels.


----------



## SalR406

jonathan c said:


> Audio shelves, like nature, abhor a vacuum.


Ain't that the truth...


----------



## UntilThen

Bifrost 2 and Mjolnir 2 with Hekse


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Bifrost 2 and Mjolnir 2 with Hekse


A Museum of Modern Art style setup !


----------



## MSA1133




----------



## kumar402

UntilThen said:


> Bifrost 2 and Mjolnir 2 with Hekse


Love the contrast on display here


----------



## UntilThen

kumar402 said:


> Love the contrast on display here



Thanks. It turn out better than I expected. Both in looks and sound.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Here in Australia, everyone lives in a mansion



...with a tuxedo-clad marsupial man servant at the ready (


iFi audio said:


> I'd gladly take a mansion over audio



Headphones are little mansions for your ears.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Typo errors again and this cause my friend to choke up when he read it. He was like... Did you move your lawn? I do that occasionally swapping my neighbours beautiful lawn with mine. Just like you trade head-fi gear.



In 43 degrees C, that must be fairly arduous...


----------



## Pharmaboy

MSA1133 said:


>



_(sound of head banging desktop)_

sometimes this thread is simply unfair...


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Headphones are little mansions for your ears.



That’s my little comfort when I spend on He1000se. I get Buckingham Palace when I get Susvara with 10 maid servants.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> In 43 degrees C, that must be fairly arduous...



just think of it as a nice sauna. When you wear Abyss an 1266 phi TC to mow your lawn, you’ll be the envy of your neighbourhood.


----------



## Ad720

Where I spend as much of my time as possible. Forgive the dark pictures, I subscribe to the literal definition of "den".


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> ...with a tuxedo-clad marsupial man servant at the ready (
> 
> 
> Headphones are little mansions for your ears.


What would IEMs be?


----------



## Galapac

jonathan c said:


> What would IEMs be?


Inner Ear Mansions


----------



## jonathan c

Galapac said:


> Inner Ear Mansions


Tres bon 👍. Another question:  tube amp for Eustachian tube speaker?...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 28, 2021)




----------



## Galapac

jonathan c said:


> Tres bon 👍. Another question:  tube amp for Eustachian tube speaker?...


That would be an *E*soteric *A*udio *R*esearch amp: http://www.ear-usa.com/ear-tube-electronics


----------



## jonathan c

Galapac said:


> That would be an *E*soteric *A*udio *R*esearch amp: http://www.ear-usa.com/ear-tube-electronics


👂👍


----------



## banda

Ad720 said:


> Where I spend as much of my time as possible. Forgive the dark pictures, I subscribe to the literal definition of "den".


What pads do you have on that Lambda, and what do they do to the sound?


----------



## Ad720

banda said:


> What pads do you have on that Lambda, and what do they do to the sound?



Oh man. I was waiting for this. Sorry Stax purists! 

These are Lamda Pros. 

I'm using the SoCas Pad Mod 3d printed adapter and the pads are BrainWavz angled, oval, memory foam.

In this state, these are the most comfortable headphones I have bar none.

Sound wise, and this could just be my imagination, but I feel like the imaging is better and soundstage is wider because my ears are a bit further from the drivers. I also think the extra mass and better seal gives a pretty good bass boost. I don't think there was much a change to mids, it's still 100% Lamda in that area.

I'm sure it's not what the fine gentlemen from Saitama indented when they drew it up but I am very happy with these in the current state. My SR202 Lamdas are relatively unmolested (upgraded to Sr507 Pads).


----------



## spittis

Friday!


----------



## Simple Man

A bit peaty?


----------



## gefski (Jan 29, 2021)

Ad720 said:


> Oh man. I was waiting for this. Sorry Stax purists!
> 
> These are Lamda Pros.
> 
> ...


I’ve loved mine for years, but “comfortable Lambdas”? Hard to imagine, but thanks for the info!


----------



## spittis

Simple Man said:


> A bit peaty?



Ever so slightly, I get it more as an earthiness in the background. Lots of sherry influence.


----------



## Ad720

gefski said:


> I’ve loved mine for years, but “comfortable Lambdas”? Hard to imagine, but thanks for the info!



 Ha!


----------



## Terriero

spittis said:


> Friday!


Bring the 9200s to the table


----------



## davesa

It is Friday... it is an IPA for me but I thought why not capture a shot of my Z10e with the tubes glowing... enjoying it and my Ether2's tonight... I had the lights down and the ISO way up... they are not THAT bright in reality


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ad720 said:


> Where I spend as much of my time as possible. Forgive the dark pictures, I subscribe to the literal definition of "den".



Another terrific chair!


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> What would IEMs be?



_(stunned silence)_

There is no good answer for this...


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 30, 2021)

*Walkman 1Z/AQCarbon/Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10/Sony TA-ZH1ES/DUNU ZEN


*


----------



## Ilomaenkimi

iPad 7th gen is source. At the right in the picture. Sines use Cipher and Oppo uses Apple DAC-dongle.
Set goes where i go.


----------



## silvahr

spittis said:


> Friday!



Which Lake People is that?
I love Lake People/Violectric.
I’m selling mine G111 to get the V281.
Don’t need to search for another brand!


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## spittis

silvahr said:


> Which Lake People is that?
> I love Lake People/Violectric.
> I’m selling mine G111 to get the V281.
> Don’t need to search for another brand!



It's the G109, predecessor to your G111, I've had it since 2013(ish) and haven't felt the need to change


----------



## corgifall

My current setup. Where all the messy review magic happens 🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

silvahr said:


> Which Lake People is that?
> I love Lake People/Violectric.
> I’m selling mine G111 to get the V281.
> Don’t need to search for another brand!



I have the G109-A (predecessor of G111) AND the V281. I use the V281 as my main desktop HP amp and preamp for speakers + sub. And I often use the G109-A in the side system (headphone only) that's just 4 ft away. 

They both sound amazing -- the "Violectric house sound." Of course the V281 is more powerful, dynamic, with more spacious soundstaging--and it's balanced. But the G109-A sounds wonderful, with a similar tonal balance.


----------



## silvahr

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the G109-A (predecessor of G111) AND the V281. I use the V281 as my main desktop HP amp and preamp for speakers + sub. And I often use the G109-A in the side system (headphone only) that's just 4 ft away.
> 
> They both sound amazing -- the "Violectric house sound." Of course the V281 is more powerful, dynamic, with more spacious soundstaging--and it's balanced. But the G109-A sounds wonderful, with a similar tonal balance.



Thank you for the comparison.
Maybe I should keep the G111 and buy the V281 in the future.
I will think about that!


----------



## banda

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the G109-A (predecessor of G111) AND the V281. I use the V281 as my main desktop HP amp and preamp for speakers + sub. And I often use the G109-A in the side system (headphone only) that's just 4 ft away.
> 
> They both sound amazing -- the "Violectric house sound." Of course the V281 is more powerful, dynamic, with more spacious soundstaging--and it's balanced. But the G109-A sounds wonderful, with a similar tonal balance.


What's Violectric's house sound?


----------



## jonathan c

banda said:


> What's Violectric's house sound?


Deep, firm, sinewy bass - dimensional “sculpted” midrange - airy, extended treble without edge - all with a touch of tube “liquidity” and “sweetness”:  my assessment based on V280.


----------



## Wyville

After a long time lurking, finally have something to share. The Violectric V380 is a demo unit that was kindly sent to me by Dune Blue (distributor) and the HD650 is new because I bought that for the demo.


----------



## jonathan c

Wyville said:


> After a long time lurking, finally have something to share. The Violectric V380 is a demo unit that was kindly sent to me by Dune Blue (distributor) and the HD650 is new because I bought that for the demo.


That should be a synergistic pairing. Based on my experience with V280 + HD600 (mod), I hope that you are 👂👂🎼🎼😄😄


----------



## CreditingKarma

EDWARIS said:


> just a fan from Russia)) Let's go Niners!!!


Nice setup I have yet to hear the new Dynaudio confidence series. I used to own a pair of C1 Platinums. They are great speakers.


----------



## CreditingKarma (Feb 1, 2021)

Here is the latest from my system. I have moved on from the Hegel H360 and picked up a pair of Octave MRE 220 mono blocks to power my Atria II. The unfortunate side effect is that I have parted ways with my AB-1266 Phi TC and Formula S stack. At the end of the day they have seen very little use since we moved into the space. It is almost 100% speakers now. The only thing is that it cost quite a bit more to get to the same level with the speaker system.

I still have my clears and khan though. I can't totally get out of headfi.


----------



## Wyville

jonathan c said:


> That should be a synergistic pairing. Based on my experience with V280 + HD600 (mod), I hope that you are 👂👂🎼🎼😄😄


I really love what I am hearing, although I can't compare to something like the HD650 with a tube amp. This though is lovely. The V380 is neutral done very well, so smooth I would expect it to be warmer than it is and with good dynamics too.


----------



## k12azy13astard

iMac Setup -

27in iMac 2017, with Apple Music, to Audio Hijack running the Audeze Reveal plugin.
Schiit Modi -> Behinger Xenyx 802 Mixer to either:
Schiit Asgard 2 -> Audeze LCD-2Cs
Audioengine A5+ Bookshelves

DIY “AV Rack” on 16x12in Shou Sugi Ban prepped Pine with Black Iron Pipe legs. Walnut headphone rest. 

Gaming Rig Setup -

MSI TridentX 2019 -> Schiit Fulla 2 -> Audeze LCD-2Cs


----------



## nordkapp

CreditingKarma said:


> Here is the latest from my system. I have moved on from the Hegel H360 and picked up a pair of Octave MRE 220 mono blocks to power my Atria II. The unfortunate side effect is that I have parted ways with my AB-1266 Phi TC and Formula S stack. At the end of the day they have seen very little use since we moved into the space. It is almost 100% speakers now. The only thing is that it cost quite a bit oreily to get to the same level with the speaker system.
> 
> I still have my clears and khan though. I can't totally get out of headfi.


DCS, Octave monos and Rockport speakers.......I think you are finally there. Incredible!


----------



## jonathan c

New stands from Douk Audio / Nobsound for the Liquid Platinum. Form as well as function!


----------



## roskodan




----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Deep, firm, sinewy bass - dimensional “sculpted” midrange - airy, extended treble without edge - all with a touch of tube “liquidity” and “sweetness”:  my assessment based on V280.



Don't leave out the big, spacious soundstage (better than most SS amps) + dynamics that are large & in-charge...


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Don't leave out the big, spacious soundstage (better than most SS amps) + dynamics that are large & in-charge...


Definitely true. More reasons why the V280 is my head & shoulders favourite S/S amp.


----------



## AudioPowerHead

jonathan c said:


> Definitely true. More reasons why the V280 is my head & shoulders favourite S/S amp.


The same for me. I started with the entry level LP G103 amp ( smaller sibling of G109) years back, love its transparent and clean sound. Upgraded to V280 and simply love the transparent and slight warmish, spacious smooth sound. It’s my favorite amp to-date.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

roskodan said:


>


From your post it appears the support from Schiit is better than I expected 

P.S. I can't believe @Pharmaboy didn't beat me to that one.


----------



## Roasty (Feb 2, 2021)

Ok well, I guess this also counts as a picture of my current system.. Was quite fun making the diagram. My wife didnt bug me for a while because she thought I was doing up a project for work... 

*btw I do not have the Verite desert ironwood yet! Just decided to include it so I wouldn't have to add it in later.


----------



## piglet (Feb 2, 2021)

BobG55 said:


> My simple set up for my Grado SR325e : JDS Labs Objective2, Subjective3 & CD Player “Teac PD-H600”.  With this simple set up I listen to music written & recorded in a simple fashion, live in the studio. This morning I listened to a couple of JJ Cale albums.


That simple set up reminds me of my period living in London in the 90s. I was living in lodgings while working in TV and I moved from one lodging to another quite a lot. I had a suitcase of clothes, a Mac LCII with its monitor and a SyQuest for backup, a box of CDs and then an audio system that looked a bit like yours but all the components were different. The CD player was a Meridien 206B, I had changed headphone amps several times but they were always solid state ones, the headphones were Sennheiser HD 540 Reference Golds, which I loved.

I listened to JJ Cale quite a lot as well


----------



## CJG888

I still sometimes use my old Meridian 207...

Back in the late 80s, I used to have a pair of HD540s. Loved the transparency. Stupidly, I threw them out when the pads disintegrated (back then, I didn’t know they could be replaced).


----------



## kumar402

Roasty said:


> Ok well, I guess this also counts as a picture of my current system.. Was quite fun making the diagram. My wife didnt bug me for a while because she thought I was doing up a project for work...
> 
> *btw I do not have the Verite desert ironwood yet! Just decided to include it so I wouldn't have to add it in later.


Is it Verite Open or closed? I have closed one in Ironwood and its one of the heaviest wood around.


----------



## banda

kumar402 said:


> Is it Verite Open or closed? I have closed one in Ironwood and its one of the heaviest wood around.


I don't think the Open's been done in ironwood.


----------



## Galapac

banda said:


> I don't think the Open's been done in ironwood.


----------



## banda

Galapac said:


>


Oh, misremembered!


----------



## Deolum

Roasty said:


> Ok well, I guess this also counts as a picture of my current system.. Was quite fun making the diagram. My wife didnt bug me for a while because she thought I was doing up a project for work...
> 
> *btw I do not have the Verite desert ironwood yet! Just decided to include it so I wouldn't have to add it in later.


Looks like Nasa server room.


----------



## DeweyCH




----------



## Deolum

Roasty said:


> Ok well, I guess this also counts as a picture of my current system.. Was quite fun making the diagram. My wife didnt bug me for a while because she thought I was doing up a project for work...
> 
> *btw I do not have the Verite desert ironwood yet! Just decided to include it so I wouldn't have to add it in later.


I have a weird question. But looking at your system you seem weird too. 

Do you think that the GS3000e reacts extremely sensitive to changes in the digital chain before the Dac? 

In my experience my GS1000e reacts extremely sensitive to changing the streamer, changing dac input, reclocking, ethernet solutions while changing dac and amp itself doesn't affect it that much. That is completely weird.

It's also the only headphone that constantly moves from my least liked headphone to my most liked headphone and vice versa once i make a change.


----------



## Roasty

Deolum said:


> I have a weird question. But looking at your system you seem weird too.
> 
> Do you think that the GS3000e reacts extremely sensitive to changes in the digital chain before the Dac?
> 
> ...



Sorry man, I never really tried to tweak my system to suit the gs3000e. All I know is, it sounds better from my iBasso dx220 than it does from the system I posted above LOL..


----------



## Roasty

kumar402 said:


> Is it Verite Open or closed? I have closed one in Ironwood and its one of the heaviest wood around.



It's the open. I should be receiving it soon..!


----------



## CJG888

DeweyCH said:


>


Nice 1019! Does that cork mat fix the VTA issue (as the arm is optimised for autochanger operation)?

I presume you are aware of the idler drive turntable appreciation thread...


----------



## DeweyCH

CJG888 said:


> Nice 1019! Does that cork mat fix the VTA issue (as the arm is optimised for autochanger operation)?
> 
> I presume you are aware of the idler drive turntable appreciation thread...


It does indeed, and it helps that the cartridge is an old Shure M44 with springs to remain parallel to the record regardless of if it’s stacked or not.
I am not aware of the idler appreciation thread, I’ll have to pop into it and see what’s up, thanks!


----------



## Redcarmoose

*1A/ZEN



*


----------



## Lolito

Does Gala aprobes so many iems purchases?


----------



## Lolito

DeweyCH said:


>


darkvoice it's such a great looking thing, and great price, beautiful thing!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> From your post it appears the support from Schiit is better than I expected
> 
> P.S. I can't believe @Pharmaboy didn't beat me to that one.



That's because I just realized that wooden stand is on top of the audio component. That would make me pretty nervous...aka, "Schiit anxiety"


----------



## Pharmaboy

Galapac said:


>



AAAAH!! There it is! 

I just love the look of ironwood...

I'm _*very*_ happy w/the silkwood VO, wouldn't change a thing on it (the sound is ideal) ... which of course doesn't stop me from drooling over pictures like this.


----------



## Galapac

^^^^^^
same here @Pharmaboy, that ironwood with the brass hardware just screams class but I have to remind myself over and over that I can’t see them when they are on my head and it’s all about the sound but those sure are sweet, if not a bit heavy. I have the camphor Burl VC so maybe someday I’ll pick up it’s open twin but it will be some time before another purchase. I promised the wife this year purchases go into the house and furniture. Gives me something to look forward to and the longing is part of the joy, isn’t it?


----------



## jonathan c

Galapac said:


> ^^^^^^
> same here @Pharmaboy, that ironwood with the brass hardware just screams class but I have to remind myself over and over that I can’t see them when they are on my head and it’s all about the sound but those sure are sweet, if not a bit heavy. I have the camphor Burl VC so maybe someday I’ll pick up it’s open twin but it will be some time before another purchase. I promised the wife this year purchases go into the house and furniture. Gives me something to look forward to and the longing is part of the joy, isn’t it?


The Verite Ironwood certainly looks, to me, like furniture for the head...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> That's because I just realized that wooden stand is on top of the audio component. That would make me pretty nervous...aka, "Schiit anxiety"


Maybe it bothers people who are anal about schiit like that.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> like furniture for the head



(terrific phrase!)

I really need furniture for the _inside _of my head. You know how a big empty place looks better w/some furniture...?


----------



## ChevyMonsenhor

Update: improved cable management


----------



## koven

Happy Friday!


----------



## Ficcion2

Did you get rid of the Bakoon?

Im super curious to hear that amp and its probably the most beautiful SS amp around.

Such a stunning set up as always.



koven said:


> Happy Friday!


----------



## JT0513




----------



## Roasty

koven said:


> Happy Friday!



Awesomeness! 

So... Bricasti or May?


----------



## FYFL (Feb 5, 2021)




----------



## Preachy1

koven said:


> Happy Friday!


I'd have to agree!!!


----------



## koven

Ficcion2 said:


> Did you get rid of the Bakoon?
> 
> Im super curious to hear that amp and its probably the most beautiful SS amp around.
> 
> Such a stunning set up as always.



Thanks! Yes I moved from the Bakoon to WA33. I will likely keep the WA33 for a while, it sounds great.



Roasty said:


> Awesomeness!
> 
> So... Bricasti or May?



Hmm close call.. M1SE seems crisper, probably stronger on technicalities somewhat like DAVE, but the May has a sweeter organic tone. I was doing some A/B but a couple times I forgot to switch back to the Bricasti and just listened to May for a while. So I guess the May sounds more seductive to me in that sense.


----------



## SalR406

koven said:


> Happy Friday!


Ah, you bought a May. Enjoy it. Though, I thought you'd stay with the Bricasti a little longer! To be honest I've been thinking about an M21...


----------



## Coztomba




----------



## jonathan c

A tube tag team:  Elekit TU-8200 + Woo-WA3...first up, DT880 chrome 250 ohm...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> A tube tag team:  Elekit TU-8200 + Woo-WA3...first up, DT880 chrome 250 ohm...


Every time I see a shot of your setup it reminds me of @Wes S setup. I think it's the wooden cabinet.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Every time I see a shot of your setup it reminds me of @Wes S setup. I think it's the wooden cabinet.


It is part of a bookcase system in my study. I stored the shelf to give room / ventilation to the system. Plus, if I want to emulate head-fiers such as @bcowen, @JKDJedi, @L0rdGwyn, @Paladin79, et al I have space for a skyline of tube adapter skyscrapers....another angle


----------



## Paladin79 (Feb 6, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> It is part of a bookcase system in my study. I stored the shelf to give room / ventilation to the system. Plus, if I want to emulate head-fiers such as @bcowen, @JKDJedi, @L0rdGwyn, @Paladin79, et al I have space for a skyline of tube adapter skyscrapers....another angle


A very nice setup indeed. I like the oak as well as other hardwoods. Today I am rushing to build a tray before the Super Bowl tomorrow, a one day project with black limba and honey locusts woods. It will be done in time. I have a bunch of snack ideas for my wife and I and needed more room lol. No finish applied yet, but it should be pretty cool when the colors start to pop.


 Sorry I am off track, here are a couple gear setups.


----------



## jonathan c

Paladin79 said:


> A very nice setup indeed. I like the oak as well as other hardwoods. Today I am rushing to build a tray before the Super Bowl tomorrow, a one day project with black limba and honey locusts woods. It will be done in time. I have a bunch of snack ideas for my wife and I and needed more room lol. No finish applied yet, but it should be pretty cool when the colors start to pop.


That looks great even before finish. After, it will be ✨. (Incidentally, the ZMF Auteurs that I bought in the NOV-2020 sale were made with black limba - one of the “rarity” offerings...🤓)


----------



## Paladin79

jonathan c said:


> That looks great even before finish. After, it will be ✨. (Incidentally, the ZMF Auteurs that I bought in the NOV-2020 sale were made with black limba - one of the “rarity” offerings...🤓)


I received bunches of it from lumber yard by mistake, I called them and they told me to just keep it, 52 pieces as I recall.



After one coat of finish.  Oh and one more piece I just completed and sent out as a sample. I tend to stay busy.


----------



## Deolum

ChevyMonsenhor said:


> Update: improved cable management


I think i need some tips lol


----------



## Paladin79

Deolum said:


> I think i need some tips lol



Nice VU meters, I build with that style myself. I also make all my own cables, and racks, and headphone and speaker amps. One day soon I hope to build some headphone stands to match my amps. A new photo.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Deolum said:


> I think i need some tips lol


I'll give you a tip. Don't look at my setups! 

There ought to be some kind of online course on how to do cable management. No matter how hard I try the cords and wiring get out of control.


----------



## Paladin79

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'll give you a tip. Don't look at my setups!
> 
> There ought to be some kind of online course on how to do cable management. No matter how hard I try the cords and wiring get out of control.


If I get time tomorrow I will show a solution I like. It is also very inexpensive.


----------



## Galapac

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'll give you a tip. Don't look at my setups!
> 
> There ought to be some kind of online course on how to do cable management. No matter how hard I try the cords and wiring get out of control.


You re going to have a hard time hiding cables with glass shelves but you could buy some zip ties on Amazon for pennies and tie them to the posts in the back. You can also get these plastic tubes that have a split in them that you place the cables inside so there is only one large cable showing.


----------



## Paladin79

Galapac said:


> You re going to have a hard time hiding cables with glass shelves but you could buy some zip ties on Amazon for pennies and tie them to the posts in the back. You can also get these plastic tubes that have a split in them that you place the cables inside so there is only one large cable showing.




Here is one method using zip ties.


----------



## Terriero (Feb 6, 2021)

For cable management, here are some pics of my desk when I lived with my parents (10 years ago) from two different years:
















And now, with my children, I don't have time for that   (this pic is 2 or 3 years old, I think). I will post an actual pic when I move my desk to another room (hope will be soon):


----------



## jonathan c

Deolum said:


> I think i need some tips lol


Paint the wall & cables black?😜


----------



## Paladin79

[

Some of my work


----------



## LoryWiv

Paladin79 said:


> I received bunches of it from lumber yard by mistake, I called them and they told me to just keep it, 52 pieces as I recall.
> 
> 
> 
> After one coat of finish.  Oh and one more piece I just completed and sent out as a sample. I tend to stay busy.


That is a very handsome amp. @Paladin79.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Paladin79 said:


> [
> 
> Some of my work



Blah blah blah, we already know how gorgeous your work and setup is 

What we need to know is how to organize it? My hifi rigs make me feel like a failed housewife


----------



## UntilThen

Gemini twins.


----------



## Gavin C4

For the record, I've always listened to you guys on head-fi. Therefore I have upgraded the chair to matching color with the audio rack.
Thank you for all of your feed backs.







kid vic said:


> You desperately need a new chair. I would consider donating one to match the whisky and the setup!





Redcarmoose said:


> Be careful what chair you get for him as I guess he may prefer open back instead of closed back?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Gavin C4 said:


> For the record, I've always listened to you guys on head-fi. Therefore I have upgraded the chair to matching color with the audio rack.
> Thank you for all of your feed backs.



I kept thinking about that chair. I feel better now.


----------



## Paladin79

gimmeheadroom said:


> Blah blah blah, we already know how gorgeous your work and setup is
> 
> What we need to know is how to organize it? My hifi rigs make me feel like a failed housewife


Sorry if I was redundant, there are a lot of ids in here I do not know.

As far as racks or wiring I like to use solid cherry for the racks themselves as well as copper pipe I have cut into multiple lengths so I can change shelf height as i change equipment.

I shield all of my AC cords and keep them separate from signal wires. My main rack is on a tiled floor with felt pads under the bottom legs so I can easily swing the rack out to get behind it. I showed a photo earlier of a way to attach cables together that keeps them all separate and neat.  You basically wrap a longer zip tie around cables, I generally stick to four at a time, then in between the cables more zip ties are added to keep the cables flat and spaced apart. I change equipment a lot so I like to be able to see all cables and where they connect.


----------



## Alegion

Paladin79 said:


> [
> 
> Some of my work


What is all that stuff you have? What is the white thing that things are plugged down into?


----------



## Paladin79 (Feb 7, 2021)

Alegion said:


> What is all that stuff you have? What is the white thing that things are plugged down into?


Those are cables going into a splitter box I built for a 6sn7 tube shootout at Schiit audio. I needed to be able to switch back and forth between four devices so I built a few things.
I encased the tubes in PVC plastic as part of the blind listening. These are Saga preamps that were used. I decided to design four identical headphone amps for more local testing but Covid got in the way of that..

As far as other equipment I have most every tube device Schiit ever made as well as three multibit DACS. I no longer do much with solid state devices. In the mix I have a Cary power amp, and one I designed myself. All Class A.


----------



## jonathan c

Breaking in the Liquid Platinum after capacitor modifications by @ksorota (what a splendid job and what splendid results):


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> A tube tag team:  Elekit TU-8200 + Woo-WA3...first up, DT880 chrome 250 ohm...



I have the WA3, and from the look of it, also have the same power tube (Tung Sol 5998). Nice!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Paladin79 said:


> A very nice setup indeed. I like the oak as well as other hardwoods. Today I am rushing to build a tray before the Super Bowl tomorrow, a one day project with black limba and honey locusts woods. It will be done in time. I have a bunch of snack ideas for my wife and I and needed more room lol. No finish applied yet, but it should be pretty cool when the colors start to pop.
> 
> 
> Sorry I am off track, here are a couple gear setups.



Re the black limba/locustwood drawer, a couple questions:

Is that 1/4" furniture grade plywood as the bottom (sliding into dados on sides)? Or did you join the boards then plane it thinner? If the latter, you must have a helluva planer!
And how did you join the side to back & front? Biscuits? Dovetails?


----------



## judomaniak57 (Feb 7, 2021)

my favorite headphones


----------



## Paladin79

Pharmaboy said:


> Re the black limba/locustwood drawer, a couple questions:
> 
> Is that 1/4" furniture grade plywood as the bottom (sliding into dados on sides)? Or did you join the boards then plane it thinner? If the latter, you must have a helluva planer!
> And how did you join the side to back & front? Biscuits? Dovetails?


That is a solid 1/4 black limba bottom on the tray, into dados. I used small biscuits. Often I use 45 degree corners and splines. Sometimes corner blocks. An amp I designed, wood is curly maple and butternut.


----------



## donato (Feb 7, 2021)

donato said:


> My current setup  I finally just switched over to using the Pass X150.5 speaker amp to drive the Susvaras and I've been ecstatic with it so far!



A bunch of updates to my setup - added a Holo May KTE DAC, Sonore Ultra Rendru (on top of the DAC), a Luxman P-750u, and swapped the Pass X150.5 for an XA25.  I also added a Primaluna Prologue Premium amp with Brimar CV4003 and Sophia Electric KT88 and sold off the Violectric V281.






I can't back up to get a good straight on picture of my equipment rack, so here are some better shots by shelf. (after seeing my Pass XP-12 wasn't lined up with the Luxman, I straightened that out since it was annoying me, lol).


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 7, 2021)

Gavin C4 said:


> For the record, I've always listened to you guys on head-fi. Therefore I have upgraded the chair to matching color with the audio rack.
> Thank you for all of your feed backs.



Number 1 you don't listen to us on headfi because headfi is not youtube. There is no audio, nothing to listen to.

The chair is great, sure. But I don't see a Lava Lamp 



Paladin79 said:


> Sorry if I was redundant, there are a lot of ids in here I do not know.



I feel better now 

Anyway, I did a half-assed reorg of my shelving from hell this evening. It reminded me that this is the last stereo shelving I'm ever gonna buy. I'm going audio rack from now on. It's impossible to get at the equipment and even the cabling which makes it pretty hard to organize. Part of the problem is so many cables get stuck through and behind other cables. If I had access to everything I could do a much better job. But this is also true of my desks. Since everything is against the wall and it's impossible to get behind it, invariably, cables start growing out of control like a bunch of vines. I notice your setup is all over the place but you have access to the gear. This seems to be the key issue.


----------



## Paladin79

gimmeheadroom said:


> Number 1 you don't listen to us on headfi because headfi is not youtube. There is no audio, nothing to listen to.
> 
> The chair is great, sure. But I don't see a Lava Lamp
> 
> ...


I need audio racks so I can get proper air flow, class A is NOT efficient and puts out a lot of heat, couple that with my use of tubes and it gets hotter yet.

The SQ is worth it.


I tend to stop and build many of my cables to length except for power cords.


----------



## LoryWiv (Feb 7, 2021)

donato said:


> A bunch of updates to my setup - added a Holo May KTE DAC, Sonore Ultra Rendru (on top of the DAC), a Luxman P-750u, and swapped the Pass X150.5 for an XA25.  I also added a Primaluna Dialogue Premium amp with Brimar CV4003 12ax7 and Sophia Electric KT88 and sold off the Violectric V281.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Terrific gear @donato. I'm sure it sounds as great as it looks! BTW as a big KT88 fan (I have GL and vintage GEC, + Sylvania 6550) I'm interested your impressions of the Sophia KT88.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the WA3, and from the look of it, also have the same power tube (Tung Sol 5998). Nice!


I love the combination of the TS5998 and the CV2492 (Brimar 6922): deep sinewy bass / full-bodied midrange / ethereal treble and immense recovery of ambience. Next stop: let the WE 421a work its wares...


----------



## donato

LoryWiv said:


> Terrific gear @donato. I'm sure it sounds as great as it looks! BTW as a big KT88 fan (I have GL and vintage GEC, + Sylvania 6550) I'm interested your impressions of the Sophia KT88.



Thanks @LoryWiv !  I don't have a direct comparison since the other tubes I had were Primaluna stock EL34 and Gold Lion KT77.  I thought the stock tubes were meh.  I liked the mids on the KT77, but I was still missing bass.  The KT88 seemed to give me both the a sweet midrange and more assertive lower frequencies.  I don't have any other KT88 tubes to compare.  How would you describe the sound on your tubes?  I'm guessing the GECs sound really nice.


----------



## LoryWiv

donato said:


> Thanks @LoryWiv !  I don't have a direct comparison since the other tubes I had were Primaluna stock EL34 and Gold Lion KT77.  I thought the stock tubes were meh.  I liked the mids on the KT77, but I was still missing bass.  The KT88 seemed to give me both the a sweet midrange and more assertive lower frequencies.  I don't have any other KT88 tubes to compare.  How would you describe the sound on your tubes?  I'm guessing the GECs sound really nice.


Yes, the GEC KT88's are the absolute best power tubes I've used to date in Feliks Elise, really no weaknesses. They definitely lean warm / euphonic but unlike most warm tubes still reveal excellent detail and mids / treble are just as strong as the tuneful bass. Tried them with several HP's and their magical timbre holds true. They are spendy, but if I can rationalize it I'm interested in a backup pair as since I've got them I can't bring myself to roll in any other powers.


----------



## Paladin79

LoryWiv said:


> Yes, the GEC KT88's are the absolute best power tubes I've used to date in Feliks Elise, really no weaknesses. They definitely lean warm / euphonic but unlike most warm tubes still reveal excellent detail and mids / treble are just as strong as the tuneful bass. Tried them with several HP's and their magical timbre holds true. They are spendy, but if I can rationalize it I'm interested in a backup pair as since I've got them I can't bring myself to roll in any other powers.


And your favorite 6SN7’s?😺


----------



## LoryWiv

Paladin79 said:


> And your favorite 6SN7’s?😺


In the driver position now are Sylvania VT-107A w/adapters, next up will be the @Paladin79-endorsed Melz 1963 6SN7 ! So many promising, attractive combinations, so little time!


----------



## kid vic

Gavin C4 said:


> For the record, I've always listened to you guys on head-fi. Therefore I have upgraded the chair to matching color with the audio rack.
> Thank you for all of your feed backs.


I am honored and humbled that someone whos system costs as much as a third of my "disposable" internal organs took my advice. I have kept my kidney in good condition for a moment like this.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Got sick of dust so bought a simple glass case to cover up the headphones.


----------



## ivanrocks321

Need a few myself where did u get these I use the woo stands as well


----------



## BobG55

cosplayerkyo said:


> Got sick of dust so bought a simple glass case to cover up the headphones.


What a great idea, thanks cosplayerkyo.  Now we can fire the maid and save money. 😏


----------



## cosplayerkyo

ivanrocks321 said:


> Need a few myself where did u get these I use the woo stands as well



I bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016VAVHC2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

12x12x12 fit just right




BobG55 said:


> What a great idea, thanks cosplayerkyo.  Now we can fire the maid and save money. 😏



LOL


----------



## gimmeheadroom

cosplayerkyo said:


> Got sick of dust so bought a simple glass case to cover up the headphones.


Protecting precious headphones from covid is definitely a good idea


----------



## OctavianH

cosplayerkyo said:


> Got sick of dust so bought a simple glass case to cover up the headphones.



Not sure what I like more, the headphones or the bottles


----------



## Terriero

OctavianH said:


> Not sure what I like more, the headphones or the bottles


I wonder what would be adequate pairings. Z1R maridage with red wine or with whisky or ...?


----------



## Preachy1

Terriero said:


> I wonder what would be adequate pairings. Z1R maridage with red wine or with whisky or ...?


Would you prefer a Bordeaux or a Claret?   

LMK if you get that.


----------



## Paladin79

LoryWiv said:


> In the driver position now are Sylvania VT-107A w/adapters, next up will be the @Paladin79-endorsed Melz 1963 6SN7 ! So many promising, attractive combinations, so little time!


I just had a few more friends confirm that this rare variation of the Melz 1578 is one of the best tubes they have ever heard. It took six months of searching to find the 1958's, after I received a 1956 by accident. The perforated plates are popular but this tube offers a better noise floor when combined with various power tubes as well as having incredible balance and clarity across the spectrum.


----------



## Zachik

Paladin79 said:


> It took six months of searching to find the 1958's


Hopefully, from a seller who had a bulk box of 100, and you got the entire bulk...   Otherwise, how else can you provide 1 of those for every person who is lucky enough to get this amp from you?


----------



## Paladin79

Zachik said:


> Hopefully, from a seller who had a bulk box of 100, and you got the entire bulk...   Otherwise, how else can you provide 1 of those for every person who is lucky enough to get this amp from you?


LOL I found three, and I do not include them with my amps. I did have a large batch of 63 Melz but they went quickly and I did include some with my amps. When I can, I help out friends but I cannot do much on the solid plate Melz at this point in time. I sent one around to several friends on here for a listen and some were not too happy about sending it on lol.

Once Covid lets up I am in the middle of a 6sn7 compatible blind shoot out and know how that tube scored in comparison to some of the top tubes in the world, in preliminary tests it did extremely well. Final testing will involve 50 people and we will get an average score for what we believe to be the top 52 6sn7's and equivalents out there.

I say equivalent or compatible because we are even testing single triode tubes like 6j5's and 7A4's.


----------



## Ad720

I shared my main setup a few pages back. This is my pandemic work from home desk setup.


----------



## Zachik

Paladin79 said:


> Once Covid lets up I am in the middle of a 6sn7 compatible blind shoot out and know how that tube scored in comparison to some of the top tubes in the world, in preliminary tests it did extremely well. Final testing will involve 50 people and we will get an average score for what we believe to be the top 52 6sn7's and equivalents out there.


Cannot wait to see @bcowen choosing the GE as his favorite tube in the blind test!!!


----------



## Paladin79

Zachik said:


> Cannot wait to see @bcowen choosing the GE as his favorite tube in the blind test!!!


Bill did an amazing job in a bet I had with him. As I recall he picked five of eight tubes blind and just barely missed the GE. One of the tubes, a black glass VT-231 Ken Rad was not something he had heard before. In the mix I had the 56 solid plate. This was before I added vent holes.


----------



## wingtsun




----------



## Paladin79

Here are some pieces I use with a large battery pack at my fire pit. The usual Raspberry Pi devices as well as a Pono player and a Schiit Coaster amp I mounted in a magic 8 ball. Transducers include Alpha Primes and OPPO PM-1 headphones along with some Martin Logan powered speakers.


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Cannot wait to see @bcowen choosing the GE as his favorite tube in the blind test!!!



I hope you have lots of patience.


----------



## nasty nate

UntilThen said:


> Gemini twins.



Beautiful setup! You may have posted this before in other threads - but was curious what you think the main differences are between the Yggy and the Bifrost 2? 

Thank you in advance


----------



## Paladin79

bcowen said:


> I hope you have lots of patience.


I went through around 30 GE tubes trying to find the best one for @bcowen. It was like trying to select between different vintages of fine wine  Ripple but I finally found just the right tube. The remainder of the GE's will most likely end up on Cowen's door step one day as a testimony to his ability to hear differences in tubes.


----------



## bcowen

Paladin79 said:


> I went through around 30 GE tubes trying to find the best one for @bcowen. It was like trying to select between different vintages of fine wine  Ripple but I finally found just the right tube. The remainder of the GE's will most likely end up on Cowen's door step one day as a testimony to his ability to hear differences in tubes.



I had no idea you actually tortured yourself on those. I mean the time, thought, and effort put into those tubes was clearly evident and impressive, but having to actually listen to 30 GE tubes too?  I don't think even the CIA would go that far...


----------



## Zachik

Paladin79 said:


> The remainder of the GE's will most likely end up on Cowen's door step one day


You mean in a brown paper bag, set on fire before ringing the door bell and running off?


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kbear-lark.24761/reviews#item-review-25273


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> I hope you have lots of patience.


Just think. There is an alternate universe where GE made good tubes and @bcowen absolutely loves them there.


----------



## claud W

This is my computer headphone/IEM system. It is breaking in my KB ear Believe IEMs. Yes, It has two amps.


----------



## bcowen

RickB said:


> Just think. There is an alternate universe where GE made good tubes and @bcowen absolutely loves them there.



Is that the one where Spock has a goatee?  I need to plan a trip some day...


----------



## jonathan c

Paladin79 said:


> I went through around 30 GE tubes trying to find the best one for @bcowen. It was like trying to select between different vintages of fine wine  Ripple but I finally found just the right tube. The remainder of the GE's will most likely end up on Cowen's door step one day as a testimony to his ability to hear differences in tubes.


Is not the best GE tube for @bcowen all of them...irrespective of ability to discern “la merde de la merde”?....


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Is that the one where Spock has a goatee?  I need to plan a trip some day...


Bill - I just found the perfect gift for your birthday... What size do you wear?


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Bill - I just found the perfect gift for your birthday... What size do you wear?



Whichever size they don't make.  LOL!!!


----------



## Scutey

LoryWiv said:


> Yes, the GEC KT88's are the absolute best power tubes I've used to date in Feliks Elise, really no weaknesses. They definitely lean warm / euphonic but unlike most warm tubes still reveal excellent detail and mids / treble are just as strong as the tuneful bass. Tried them with several HP's and their magical timbre holds true. They are spendy, but if I can rationalize it I'm interested in a backup pair as since I've got them I can't bring myself to roll in any other powers.


I've been tempted to try a pair of those GEC for awhile, I keep telling myself they are too expensive and I don't need them, problem is @LoryWiv you're not helping with posts like this! .


----------



## LoryWiv

Scutey said:


> I've been tempted to try a pair of those GEC for awhile, I keep telling myself they are too expensive and I don't need them, problem is @LoryWiv you're not helping with posts like this! .


Aw, you don't really need both of your kidneys, do you?


----------



## Zachik

Zachik said:


> Bill - I just found the perfect gift for your birthday... What size do you wear?





bcowen said:


> Whichever size they don't make.  LOL!!!


I see the problem... not enough bling...
OK - here you go:


----------



## OctavianH

LoryWiv said:


> Aw, you don't really need both of your kidneys, do you?



Instead of searching for those very expensive GEC KT88, has anyone tried these?
https://www.ebay.de/itm/KT88-TII-1-...PSVANE-Rohren-Tubes-matched-pair/152501615168


----------



## ricthaman (Feb 9, 2021)

Loving all the setups, gear, chairs and racks! Thanks for sharing!

Here's the humble (simple) portable setup I'm enjoying right now:



ps: any Gary Moore listeners here?

Cheers!


----------



## CJG888

T5p in a portable setup does not, by any means, qualify as „humble“!


----------



## ricthaman

Haha, you are absolutely right! Simple might be a better description, since I was aiming at the simplicity of the setup (just a DAP and some Cans) which I appreciate.


----------



## Scutey

LoryWiv said:


> Aw, you don't really need both of your kidneys, do you?


Lol well I've decided to pull the trigger and buy a pair, I guess I'll be finding out if I really only need one kidney! .


----------



## DeweyCH

OK, so I'm having something of an unorthodox night. Hard to explain. But a photo tells a story:





Shockingly the headphone output on the CD player is enough to drive the 600 ohm Sextetts to an uncomfortable volume at 12 o'clock. It doesn't suck. And it's the setup my horrid amateur soldering wasteland deserves.

At my work desk, I have no idea why I did this in the first place, but:





Those are Insignia headphones that came with a CD player I bought my mother in law. I also bought her a pair of nice headphones because I am fond of her. I found these in the CD player's original packaging and figured I'd throw away the packaging and at least have a laugh with these before I chuck 'em.

They don't suck. I mean, it's almost an embarrassment having them plugged into the LP, but there's a really wide soundstage. I'd buy that for a dollar.


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> OK, so I'm having something of an unorthodox night. Hard to explain. But a photo tells a story:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like the Baldwin tubes!


----------



## UntilThen (Feb 10, 2021)

nasty nate said:


> Beautiful setup! You may have posted this before in other threads - but was curious what you think the main differences are between the Yggy and the Bifrost 2?
> 
> Thank you in advance



My Yggy is original without any upgrade. i.e. version 1. Prior to Bifrost 2, I see no reason to upgrade. Bifrost 2 sounded organic, analogue and with very good texture. Clarity and details is very good. However I have not been able to do a proper comparison yet as Yggy and Bifrost 2 are connected to different amps. I've only been back 2 days and in that time, I was simply enjoying music with Yggy, Elekit TU8200 and NOS EL34 and KT66 with He1000se. As good as this setup is, when I switch to Bifrost 2 with Oblivion and He1000se, I go wow. Now this is not a proper comparison but it's already making me want to upgrade Yggdrasil to analog 2 and unison usb. I use usb on both but Yggy has Schiit Eitr.

As of now, my ears perceive Yggy 1 as being more neutral with amazing micro details. Bifrost 2 sound a bit warmer, more organic and details are just a bit behind Yggy but still more than sufficient for me to enjoy it. Lots of details in fact. There's no lack here in details for BF2. The problem though is that the amps connected to either dacs are not the same. When I have time, I'll setup to have either Oblivion or Elekit TU-8220 connected to both dacs one at a time.

That said, both setup are very good with He1000se. I couldn't wish for more.


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Preachy1

Strayngs said:


>


Nice!  I have my VPI Scout perched on a BBA slab as well.


----------



## UntilThen

Strayngs said:


>



I want that classic chopping board for my turntable.


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> I want that classic chopping board for my turntable.


Here you go:
https://butcherblockacoustics.com/collections/audio-platforms


----------



## UntilThen

Zachik said:


> Here you go:
> https://butcherblockacoustics.com/collections/audio-platforms



Wow cheap and nice ! Think I will splash and buy the best chopping board in that catalog.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Zachik said:


> Here you go:
> https://butcherblockacoustics.com/collections/audio-platforms


I love the Brand name


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 11, 2021)

Edit:


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> I love the Brand name



I would have call it Aussie BBQ 🍗


----------



## Preachy1

Great products, and very reasonably priced.  I went for the 1 1/2 inch thickness block in maple.  My TT sits on a wall-mounted shelf that is near impervious to any vibrations.


----------



## Rowethren

Tweaked my setup a bit, really happy with the results.


----------



## Terriero

Rowethren said:


> Tweaked my setup a bit, really happy with the results.


I love your keyboard and your wrist rest... and also the headphones


----------



## gibsonsg87

Huge Improvement. Great to have my desired sound back and better than ever!


----------



## whirlwind

Rowethren said:


> Tweaked my setup a bit, really happy with the results.


Nice set-up...are those VC's monkey pod...iron wood....look killer.






gibsonsg87 said:


> Huge Improvement. Great to have my desired sound back and better than ever!



Oh man....yeah....warm and detailed spring to the mini to the ZMF.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Redcarmoose said:


> Edit:


You have almost 17 thousand likes. I figured one more isn't going to give you a big head


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> You have almost 17 thousand likes. I figured one more isn't going to give you a big head


I just now read your tag line at the bottom of your post.  I actually got into a spirited discussion recently with a friend of mine regarding the plural of "vinyl".  He insisted on putting an "s" at the end.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> I just now read your tag line at the bottom of your post.  I actually got into a spirited discussion recently with a friend of mine regarding the plural of "vinyl".  He insisted on putting an "s" at the end.


I think it's an American vs. UK thing like math or maths. But Thomas Edison invented the phonograph didn't he? If so it seems like the American version should win.


----------



## Zachik

ThanatosVI said:


> I love the Brand name


Yup. Me too 



Preachy1 said:


> Great products, and very reasonably priced.


Agreed. First time I saw them was in a CanJam 2 years ago... I was very impressed, and still looking for the right place to fit one


----------



## Preachy1

Zachik said:


> Yup. Me too
> 
> 
> Agreed. First time I saw them was in a CanJam 2 years ago... I was very impressed, and still looking for the right place to fit one


Their solid wood racks are really stunning, but a bit out of my price range.


----------



## donato

Nobsound 6J9 rolled with Amperex 6688 tubes and OPA2134PA opamps driving OG Koss Porta Pro!


----------



## Rowethren (Feb 12, 2021)

Terriero said:


> I love your keyboard and your wrist rest... and also the headphones



Thanks, the keyboard is a YMDK Melody 96 I built using Boba U4 switches, Durock V2 Stabilizers and MT3 Dev/tty keycaps. The wrist rest is a custom made affair from Artwood Design using white resin and black Rosewood.



whirlwind said:


> Nice set-up...are those VC's monkey pod...iron wood....look killer.



They are Ironwood bought in the original preorder. They ended up usurping my Empyrean and Z1R so shockingly they are now my only headphones at home... I can't see that changing anytime soon.


----------



## kid vic

Strayngs said:


>


Goldnote PH10 and Rockna? *Chefs kiss*


----------



## UntilThen

UntilThen said:


> Wow cheap and nice ! Think I will splash and buy the best chopping board in that catalog.



Why's everyone liking my chopping board that I haven't even bought @bcowen ? Btw tee off time for golf this Sunday is at 7:30am. I want you to be punctual there with the cart.


----------



## Wes S (Feb 12, 2021)

Keeping it simple for a bit, and loving every second.


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> Keeping it simple for a bit, and loving every second.


So much love for ZMF in these heah pahts!!!  and well deserved, I might add.

which I just did

add, that is.


----------



## bvega18

Been lurking for a while. Every setup I've seen has been so nice, thought I would show my humble setup.


----------



## UntilThen (Feb 12, 2021)

bvega18 said:


> Been lurking for a while. Every setup I've seen has been so nice, thought I would show my humble setup.



But the big question is does the gun work? If so I want to borrow it to shoot @bcowen for driving my cart into the lake.


----------



## bvega18

UntilThen said:


> But the big question is does the gun work? If so I want to borrow it.


Chamber and trigger move but sadly this world is not ready for a Thorn.


----------



## UntilThen

bvega18 said:


> Chamber and trigger move but sadly this world is not ready for a Thorn.



Do you have a club I can borrow? That will work too.


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> Do you have a club I can borrow? That will work too.


Here you go...


----------



## SrTexugo

Waiting for the Xduoo Xa-10


----------



## UntilThen

SrTexugo said:


> Waiting for the Xduoo Xa-10


Love your ps5 dac amp.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> But the big question is does the gun work? If so I want to borrow it to shoot @bcowen for driving my cart into the lake.



You told me it was waterproof.  Guess you really meant water _resistant? _ Language barrier, most probably.


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> So much love for ZMF in these heah pahts!!!  and well deserved, I might add.
> 
> which I just did
> 
> add, that is.


Do tell.  Which one?


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> You told me it was waterproof.  Guess you really meant water _resistant? _ Language barrier, most probably.



I just bought a mint Auralic Taurus Mk2. I want you to pick it up at the airport for me.


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> Do tell.  Which one?


Well, I think my message was misconstrued.  I was referring to adding the "well deserved" part, but I did in fact recently add a Cocobolo Aeolus to my stable.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I just bought a mint Auralic Taurus Mk2. I want you to pick it up at the airport for me.



I am only licensed to transport tube amplifiers.  You should know that by now.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> I am only licensed to transport tube amplifiers.  You should know that by now.



You should know by now that Taurus sound a bit tubey so that should qualify it as tube amplifiers. Do you really think I will get a strictly solid state amplifier?


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> You should know by now that Taurus sound a bit tubey so that should qualify it as tube amplifiers. Do you really think I will get a strictly solid state amplifier?



Yes.  After watching you play golf, my confidence has been diminished.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Yes.  After watching you play golf, my confidence has been diminished.



I was going to post a picture of Trump playing golf but I won't. We both might get sued !


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I was going to post a picture of Trump playing golf but I won't. We both might get sued !



Or worse, permanently banned.


----------



## UntilThen (Feb 13, 2021)

bcowen said:


> Or worse, permanently banned.



 

Look at it this way. If I get banned, I will play golf instead of wasting my time posting here.


----------



## OctavianH

Feliks Audio Elise rocking a pair of GEC KT66 and GE 7581A as drivers. Well, yep, normally those are output tubes but Elise take them all.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Look at it this way. If I get banned, I will play golf instead of wasting my time posting here.


Will you post scores < average dB listening level?


----------



## carboncopy

Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.


----------



## Blasterinn

DeweyCH said:


> OK, so I'm having something of an unorthodox night. Hard to explain. But a photo tells a story:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Some love for Cake...and who doesn't love cake?


----------



## TooFrank

cosplayerkyo said:


> Got sick of dust so bought a simple glass case to cover up the headphones.


So the glass is dust repellent?😜 Looks very nice though👍


----------



## UntilThen

carboncopy said:


> Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.



The plants are balanced too. Me like.


----------



## TooFrank

ricthaman said:


> Loving all the setups, gear, chairs and racks! Thanks for sharing!
> 
> Here's the humble (simple) portable setup I'm enjoying right now:
> 
> ...


+1 looks really simple - wauw. Btw how is the ifi micro idsd in the top right corner doing?🤓


----------



## LoryWiv

carboncopy said:


> Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.


What is the handsome wood base tubed component in the upper right of 1st photo?


----------



## carboncopy

LoryWiv said:


> What is the handsome wood base tubed component in the upper right of 1st photo?



That’s a Tor Audio Balanced headphone amp. Not just handsome, very good too!


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## guitargonaut

carboncopy said:


> Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.


Sweet!!!


----------



## ricthaman

TooFrank said:


> +1 looks really simple - wauw. Btw how is the ifi micro idsd in the top right corner doing?🤓



The iDSD is chillin' out nowaydays, mostly hanging 'round at my desk since the M11 pro came along. But when the D2K's come out, or the DT770, the iDSD will have to get crackin'  

Very nice piece of kit, and well spotted by the way!


----------



## walls

cddc said:


> Looks great, what paint / stain did you use on your Crack to achieve that beautiful chestnut appearance?


It’s just a walnut stain.


----------



## cosplayerkyo




----------



## Chefguru

Grado HP-2i vs Stax SR-009S​


----------



## joseph69

Chefguru said:


> Grado HP-2i vs Stax SR-009S​


And the verdict?


----------



## Chefguru

joseph69 said:


> And the verdict?


I planning on writing a more detailed review at some point.
SR-009S is superior in everyway technically however, is a little hot and overzealous on tracks. HP-2i is softer (not warmer) and has a "liquid" toned midrange. There is also a trade between the SR-009S feeling ethereal and the HP-2i adding a gritty tangible quality that I would describe as sounding exactly pitch perfect to the recordings intent.

The Stax is possibly the best headphone in the world right now; the HP-2i is the best dynamic headphone ever produced.


----------



## joseph69

Chefguru said:


> I planning on writing a more detailed review at some point.
> SR-009S is superior in everyway technically however, is a little hot and overzealous on tracks. HP-2i is softer (not warmer) and has a "liquid" toned midrange. There is also a trade between the SR-009S feeling ethereal and the HP-2i adding a gritty tangible quality that I would describe as sounding exactly pitch perfect to the recordings intent.
> 
> The Stax is possibly the best headphone in the world right now; the HP-2i is the best dynamic headphone ever produced.


Thanks for your short impressions.
I asked because I owned the both, the HP2 and 009 (I know, not exactly what you own) and was simply curious.
I sold off the HP2 because all of the lettering was 100% intact and they were Iin10/10 cosmetic/working order all around, but to be quite honest, I was afraid to handle them because I didn't want to ruin the lettering so I feared this instead of enjoying them. My 009 I enjoyed for +/-3yrs using multiple amps ( Mjolnir KGSShv, KGST and HeadAmps BHSE. Beautiful sounding system, but enjoyed it long enough that I found it to become a bit boring for my changing tastes, so I sold the system off as well and moved on to other headphones & gear. Glad I had the opportunity to experience both, though. Enjoy!


----------



## roskodan




----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


> Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.



Shag rug alert!! 

I'm guessing you don't have pets...


----------



## ThanatosVI

carboncopy said:


> Pathos is sold, and the Hungarian “Ant” got a dedicated extern power supply. The “Ant” is connected through single ended, the Tor through balanced.


What is that rack the La Scala is throning on?


----------



## Galapac




----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/see-audio-yume-anou.24866/reviews#item-review-25330


----------



## cadgers




----------



## bcowen

Redcarmoose said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/see-audio-yume-anou.24866/reviews#item-review-25330



Nice pic.  And very nicely written review!


----------



## carboncopy

ThanatosVI said:


> What is that rack the La Scala is throning on?



I showed some pics about the rack here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...state-no-old-pictures-please.529140/page-1778
And was discussed in the following page a bit.


----------



## MSA1133

All I need at the moment, Stax L700 MkII, SRM D-10 dac/amp and an iBasso DX300 for transport.


----------



## bobelton




----------



## Preachy1

My room after some fairly successful cable management. Now I just need to bury the HDMI cable behind the wall.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Shag rug alert!!
> 
> I'm guessing you don't have pets...


Wrong again. What do you think the rug is made of. Oh you meant you guess he doesn't have pets now. My bad


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Nice pic.  And very nicely written review!


Yep. @Redcarmoose photography is always killer. His shots are pure studio.


----------



## whirlwind

Preachy1 said:


> My room after some fairly successful cable management. Now I just need to bury the HDMI cable behind the wall.



Nice, great job with the cables.


----------



## carboncopy

Chefguru said:


> I planning on writing a more detailed review at some point.
> SR-009S is superior in everyway technically however, is a little hot and overzealous on tracks. HP-2i is softer (not warmer) and has a "liquid" toned midrange. There is also a trade between the SR-009S feeling ethereal and the HP-2i adding a gritty tangible quality that I would describe as sounding exactly pitch perfect to the recordings intent.
> 
> The Stax is possibly the best headphone in the world right now; the HP-2i is the best dynamic headphone ever produced.


 This post was the final nail in a coffin...and resulted in a big dent in my bank account (bought a HP2i which I was eyeing for some time)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

carboncopy said:


> This post was the final nail in a coffin...and resulted in a big dent in my bank account (bought a HP2i which I was eyeing for some time)


Pics or it didn't happen


----------



## carboncopy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Pics or it didn't happen



First they have to arrive, maybe next week


----------



## Turkeysaurus

I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.


----------



## cadgers

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.



That sucks bro. I had something similar happen with a water leak and I just left everything in bags of rice for a week and had no issues. As long as the stuff wasn't on or running you should be fine getting that sort of water on it. Stay safe.


----------



## robo24 (Feb 18, 2021)

Time to cut back some! (Edit: fixed to include the ones that were on my head!)


----------



## kkrazik2008

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.


Feel for all of you in Texas, hope y’all make it through safely.


----------



## whirlwind

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.



Oh man...sorry for you, I can relate to problems like that.  You guys are getting hit so hard.  I have a sister-in-law that lives close to Houston and she has been in touch with us through it all. 
 Hoping for the best for you.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.


That's terrible man.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

robo24 said:


> Time to cut back some!


Nice haul of ZMF-goodness!


----------



## whirlwind

robo24 said:


> Time to cut back some!



Ha.  The job of downgrading from those cans will be no easy task.
I hear you though.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

whirlwind said:


> Ha.  The job of downgrading from those cans will be no easy task.
> I hear you though.


What?! Upgrading would be hard. Downgrading from those is a slam dunk!


----------



## whirlwind

gimmeheadroom said:


> What?! Upgrading would be hard. Downgrading from those is a slam dunk!



What is the first one you drop


----------



## robo24

whirlwind said:


> Ha.  The job of downgrading from those cans will be no easy task.
> I hear you though.


Also have the ZMF Blackwoods (older planars) on the way, eventually a different Verite Open, and a Glenn OTL (hopefully some day). Next to go will probably be the 800 & Pro iCAN, then the Tuba amp once the Glenn arrives (or I give up waiting and go for a ZMF Pendant).


----------



## ricksome

whirlwind said:


> Oh man...sorry for you, I can relate to problems like that.  You guys are getting hit so hard.  I have a sister-in-law that lives close to Houston and she has been in touch with us through it all.
> Hoping for the best for you.


I am glad you are ok. Perhaps the equipment can dry out and work >>> but that is way down the list considering what you are going through. Good Luck / Rick


----------



## gimmeheadroom

whirlwind said:


> What is the first one you drop


It was just a joke based on how you look at upgrade/downgrade.

I meant with cans like that it will be difficult to improve. Anything you get after that is gonna be a downgrade...


----------



## Chris Kaoss

robo24 said:


> Time to cut back some! (Edit: fixed to include the ones that were on my head!)


It looks like a stalemate between ZMF and Sennheiser.   
Nice round-up.


----------



## LoryWiv

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.


Really glad you are safe. Does home owners insurance or similar cover any of this weather related badness?


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> Really glad you are safe. Does home owners insurance or similar cover any of this weather related badness?



Probably depends on the insurance company.  I won't name names here, but I had to hire an attorney to get the homeowner's insurance company to pay after Hurricane Fran (back in 1996) slung 5 trees through my roof.  At the end it was close to $50k to get everything repaired and restored, and their (initial) settlement calculation?  $2200.  After they got the "intent to sue" letter from the attorney their adjuster returned quickly with an open checkbook.  Pretty ridiculous you have to go to those lengths, IMO.


----------



## bcowen

Turkeysaurus said:


> I'm sorry for posting this here. I just wanted to share this with the only people that can empathize with me.  During the winter storm in Houston, TX we had a bad leak while we were away and as you can see the ceiling fell on my belongings.  On the bright side no one was hurt and I have my health.  Thanks for reading.



Man, so sorry to see that.  Very glad that you are OK though.  Stuff can be replaced...you can't.


----------



## bcowen

robo24 said:


> Also have the ZMF Blackwoods (older planars) on the way, eventually a different Verite Open, and a Glenn OTL (hopefully some day). Next to go will probably be the 800 & Pro iCAN, then the Tuba amp once the Glenn arrives (or I give up waiting and go for a ZMF Pendant).



You should probably get rid of the Atticus first.  Let me know if you need my PM.


----------



## robo24

bcowen said:


> You should probably get rid of the Atticus first.  Let me know if you need my PM.


Ha! It's actually my 2nd one which I custom ordered with Magnesium chassis, LTD wood and stained, with a purple Verite cable which made it cost as much as a used Verite. To my ears anyway, hard to go wrong with any of the ZMFs. Would love to hear some other Stax, Arya, HE1000SE some day.


----------



## whirlwind

LoryWiv said:


> Really glad you are safe. Does home owners insurance or similar cover any of this weather related badness?



In my case, which was my basement drain backing up while I was at work, due to some very heavy rain, homeowners did not cover anything, I would have needed flood insurance according to them.


----------



## Colonel Faulkner

Nothing real fancy here: 'Pimped' Asus EOne DAC, M2Tech Marley HPA and the good ol' Sennheiser HD800.


----------



## telecaster




----------



## judomaniak57

this why i am not into tube amps,sound great but all that tube rolling would drive me nuts


----------



## Galapac

judomaniak57 said:


> this why i am not into tube amps,sound great but all that tube rolling would drive me nuts


It's not that bad but you do need to keep your tube buying habit in check.  
The advantage is you can a slightly different amp sound tuned to your music preferences and change it up when you become bored.


----------



## Leonarfd




----------



## OctavianH

Leonarfd said:


>



Very nice setup. Those are Adam Audio rebranded to HEDD active monitors?


----------



## Leonarfd

OctavianH said:


> Very nice setup. Those are Adam Audio rebranded to HEDD active monitors?


It is the Hedd Type 05
https://hedd.audio/studio-monitors-series-one/type-05/
Had a failure on my Genelec, and got asked if I wanted this instead from my local shop since it was long wait for repair. They were with its siblings the first audio products from HEDD if I am not wrong. Was in the same league but more musical than most studio monitors. Had them for 4 years and still loving em.


----------



## OctavianH

Leonarfd said:


> It is the Hedd Type 05
> https://hedd.audio/studio-monitors-series-one/type-05/
> Had a failure on my Genelec, and got asked if I wanted this instead from my local shop since it was long wait for repair. They were with its siblings the first audio products from HEDD if I am not wrong. Was in the same league but more musical than most studio monitors. Had them for 4 years and still loving em.



They were looking similar with Adam A7X (I have A5X for several years already).


----------



## Terriero

Leonarfd said:


>


I love your minimalist desk. Is there a stairway to heaven in the left wall?


----------



## Preachy1

Terriero said:


> I love your minimalist desk. Is there a stairway to heaven in the left wall?


Could be a Highway to Hell!


----------



## donato

A few updates.  Pads on the PortaPro were starting to fall apart, so replaced with some blue Yaxi pads.  I also upgraded the opamps in the Nobsound to Burson V5i which were a huge upgrade.  Also received some new Mullard E180F to replace the Amperex tubes that I had been previously using.


----------



## OceanRanger

My "desktop" solution is beginning to outgrow my desk....


----------



## jonathan c

OceanRanger said:


> My "desktop" solution is beginning to outgrow my desk....


Bigger desk?...


----------



## OceanRanger

jonathan c said:


> Bigger desk?...


haha, that would be the cheapest approach. I'm considering a Cipher DAC upgrade which might mean that I have to find a rack, stand or butcher block on which to set the gear....


----------



## Zachik

OceanRanger said:


> haha, that would be the cheapest approach. I'm considering a Cipher DAC upgrade which might mean that I have to find a rack, stand or butcher block on which to set the gear....


I went that route, too. Opted for rack, and never regretted that decision


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> this why i am not into tube amps,sound great but all that tube rolling would drive me nuts



I was nuts_ before_ tube rolling...


----------



## Pharmaboy (Feb 21, 2021)

Leonarfd said:


> It is the Hedd Type 05
> https://hedd.audio/studio-monitors-series-one/type-05/
> Had a failure on my Genelec, and got asked if I wanted this instead from my local shop since it was long wait for repair. They were with its siblings the first audio products from HEDD if I am not wrong. Was in the same league but more musical than most studio monitors. Had them for 4 years and still loving em.



Yes, type 05 and type 07 were initial products. I read positive comments about both, though most users were (probably still are) music professionals who didn't say much about "musical sound" of their transducers. The 05s were small for me & the 07s were a bit large for my desktop--if I had a bit more space, it would've been the 07s for me.


----------



## Scutey

telecaster said:


>


You have some very nice tubes there .


----------



## johnzz4

OceanRanger said:


> My "desktop" solution is beginning to outgrow my desk....


Congrats on the Headtrip.  How do you like it?


----------



## bcowen (Feb 21, 2021)

Zachik said:


> I went that route, too. Opted for rack, and never regretted that decision


Me too.  Except I got 2 (always best to have a backup, of course).  But soon 2 wasn't enough, so I made a third one, and then suddenly it wasn't enough and had to buy a fourth one.  There's no such thing as too many racks, right?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I was nuts_ before_ tube rolling...


Wait until adapter rolling 🤪...


----------



## simorag

Trying some new toys ...


----------



## OceanRanger

johnzz4 said:


> Congrats on the Headtrip.  How do you like it?


Thanks. I am loving the Headtrip. I had a chance to audition the Milo as well as the Headtrip. I very much enjoyed both. The Headtrip was more detailed and had more punch with the 1266's. Full disclosure, I had been driving the 1266s out of the Hugo2. It is a great little DAC and drives my Aryas reasonably well, but it is obviously not nearly enough power for the 1266s. The Headtrip creates a much, much more immersive experience with these cans. Honestly, the biggest challenge that I've had is that the footprint is too big for my desk. I'm now looking for a compact butcher-block stand/rack.


----------



## carboncopy

simorag said:


> Trying some new toys ...
> 
> ​



May I ask what are your impressions about the Spirit Torino headphones?


----------



## John Massaria (Mar 4, 2021)

review here by me- enjoy the music everyone globally!!!  https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/spirit-torino-radiante-ragnarr-professional-edition.24977/


----------



## Roasty

OceanRanger said:


> Thanks. I am loving the Headtrip. I had a chance to audition the Milo as well as the Headtrip. I very much enjoyed both. The Headtrip was more detailed and had more punch with the 1266's. Full disclosure, I had been driving the 1266s out of the Hugo2. It is a great little DAC and drives my Aryas reasonably well, but it is obviously not nearly enough power for the 1266s. The Headtrip creates a much, much more immersive experience with these cans. Honestly, the biggest challenge that I've had is that the footprint is too big for my desk. I'm now looking for a compact butcher-block stand/rack.



Did you audition the Milo Reference or Milo? If you could maybe put a number/percentage as to how much better you feel the headtrip ii is over the Milo, I'd be grateful!


----------



## OceanRanger

Roasty said:


> Did you audition the Milo Reference or Milo? If you could maybe put a number/percentage as to how much better you feel the headtrip ii is over the Milo, I'd be grateful!


I wasn't able to audition the Reference, it was the base model. It is too hard for me to quantify these things. I really did like the Milo, but I didn't hesitate in making my decision to go with the Headtrip II. If I were driving headphones that didn't need quite so much power I would have really contemplated the reference version of the Milo. You might reach out to Bondam, I believe that he has heard the Milo Reference and the Headtrip II.


----------



## simorag

carboncopy said:


> May I ask what are your impressions about the Spirit Torino headphones?



Sure! As an analytical listener, my path in the headphone world so far has been along the lines of HD800 / HD800S / Utopia / Susvara / SR009-S/ AB-1266 / Raal SR1a, which all have more in common than what they do different (IMO).

The Spirit Torino sound is very different, much more grounded, chewy, rich in the midrange and mid-bass regions, while retaining a very good detail retrieval (especially the Valkyria of course). Energy density is higher as well, instruments like electric guitar and drums kit are rendered in a very visceral way. The flipside is a more closed in and less airy presentation.

I need some more listening time to recalibrate my brain for the new experience, but there are several ways to audio Nirvana and the journey looks promising!


----------



## OceanRanger

simorag said:


> Trying some new toys ...
> 
> ​


@simorag can I ask who makes that rack? it looks awesome.


----------



## simorag

OceanRanger said:


> @simorag can I ask who makes that rack? it looks awesome.


Thanks! It is a Norstone Stabbl Bamboo (a French manufacturer), costing about 650Euro in Italy.


----------



## bcowen

OceanRanger said:


> @simorag can I ask who makes that rack? it looks awesome.



I was going to say "nice rack," but not knowing if @simorag is male or female it might have caused offense.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

OceanRanger said:


> @simorag can I ask who makes that rack? it looks awesome.


Norstone Stabbil Hifi (bamboo)

Made in France, costs like it looks.

Some issues at the price point- all the intershelving supports have rubber inserts in the metal cups. For some reason the ones on the feet don't. Just weird.

The veneer is beautiful but scratches and blemishes much too easily. If you don't baby it, it will show. It's easy to bash and scratch the wood just setting gear in place.

It's beautiful, no, I would not buy it again.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 22, 2021)

bcowen said:


> I was going to say "nice rack," but not knowing if @simorag is male or female it might have caused offense.


I said that about the @Oregonian vintage pioneer setup and even added nice pair regarding his speakers. Nobody liked my post 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...lation-quarantine-set-up.927934/post-15583246


----------



## gimmeheadroom

simorag said:


> Thanks! It is a Norstone Stabbl Bamboo (a French manufacturer), costing about 650Euro in Italy.


Lucky you, we paid 850 in Czech Republic


----------



## OceanRanger

gimmeheadroom said:


> Lucky you, we paid 850 in Czech Republic


I decided to go with a relatively simple amp stand from Butcher Block Acoustics. I'll post another photo when the station is reconfigured. Thanks again for the information and the humor.


----------



## whirlwind

bcowen said:


> I was going to say "nice rack," but not knowing if @simorag is male or female it might have caused offense.



Wish I could have double liked this 

My son just came in as I was surfing head-fi and saw your avatar....he is a huge Tar Heel fan...one like for him and a like from me for your post!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I always used these kind of shelving "racks" but now that I'm living in places with less grandiose space I think the next time I get any rack it's going to be a real audio rack on wheels. The problem with these shelving units is they often go close to a wall (@simorag avoided that) so you don't have access to the business end of the gear. I want to be able to organize the cables and gear and just have more access. I'm looking into some racks designed for touring. They'll look like hell in an apartment but they ought to be super nice ways to make a clean setup and still be able to get to the back panels. I'm too old to be crawling around on wood floors holding 20 kg of expensive components trying to run cables.


----------



## OceanRanger

gimmeheadroom said:


> I always used these kind of shelving "racks" but now that I'm living in places with less grandiose space I think the next time I get any rack it's going to be a real audio rack on wheels. The problem with these shelving units is they often go close to a wall (@simorag avoided that) so you don't have access to the business end of the gear. I want to be able to organize the cables and gear and just have more access. I'm looking into some racks designed for touring. They'll look like hell in an apartment but they ought to be super nice ways to make a clean setup and still be able to get to the back panels. I'm too old to be crawling around on wood floors holding 20 kg of expensive components trying to run cables.


I agree with your thoughts about moving racks away from the wall, I too am feeling my age. That said, I'm already on thin ice with my bride regarding audio gear. I don't believe that she would give me the nod for touring racks in the living room.


----------



## bcowen

OceanRanger said:


> I decided to go with a relatively simple amp stand from Butcher Block Acoustics. I'll post another photo when the station is reconfigured. Thanks again for the information and the humor.


Please do (post a pic).  I love the look of their racks -- they look to be very nicely made.


----------



## bcowen

whirlwind said:


> Wish I could have double liked this
> 
> My son just came in as I was surfing head-fi and saw your avatar....he is a huge Tar Heel fan...one like for him and a like from me for your post!


Thanks!  And tell your son I'm very impressed with his classiness and good taste.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

OceanRanger said:


> I agree with your thoughts about moving racks away from the wall, I too am feeling my age. That said, I'm already on thin ice with my bride regarding audio gear. I don't believe that she would give me the nod for touring racks in the living room.


That's just it. Touring racks! They're not just for the living room anymore.

Going mobile! He he yeah...


----------



## banda

gimmeheadroom said:


> Norstone Stabbil Hifi (bamboo)
> 
> Made in France, costs like it looks.
> 
> ...


That's a shame about the sensitivity of the veneer. I do like the look of bamboo.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

banda said:


> That's a shame about the sensitivity of the veneer. I do like the look of bamboo.


Yeah it really is. I think it's a combination of the veneer being too thin and the underlying wood being too soft. It dents and chips out when struck.


----------



## judomaniak57 (Feb 23, 2021)

sibling rivalry


----------



## Rob80b

One more for Bryston.


----------



## jonathan c

Listening retreat in Laurel Mountains...


----------



## drews




----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> Listening retreat in Laurel Mountains...


When did Under Armour get into the audio biz?


----------



## jonathan c

Haha.  Box for headphone cables, extra equipment feet.  I suppose that UA could provide 'sleeving' for cables?...


----------



## Jose Hidalgo

Small update to our collection, with hinged glass doors in both the living room and the office.

From left to right : OneOdio Studio Pro, Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon, Meze 99 Classics Walnut/Gold, Hifiman Sundara (revised earpads), Sennheiser HD600.





Plus an Audioquest Nighthawk Wood in the office :


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Listening retreat in Laurel Mountains...


That's one of my favorite Art Blakey albums. But the opening cut on Caravan is about the best speaker test track I can think of.


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's one of my favorite Art Blakey albums. But the opening cut on Caravan is about the best speaker test track I can think of.


I didn't even notice that.  I've been head over heals with his material lately.  Along with Grant Green and Bobby Hutcherson.


----------



## jonathan c

The opening cut on Caravan is Caravan, one of Dizzy Gillespie's best oeuvres (besides Night in Tunisia). Incidentally, the AB+Jazz Messengers album Caravan was their first for the Riverside label owned by Orrin Keepnews (who recorded Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, and other jazz luminaries). You are right: Caravan tests many, if not all, parametres of music system performance.


----------



## CJG888

+1 on Grant Green. I use the opening track of this as one of my standard test tracks:


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Feb 26, 2021)

Waiting for the Hydra.HUB to complete the stack. DSD512 are just for kicks.


----------



## Brined Guardian

These are some impressive setups, mine is rather quaint by comparison.


----------



## Preachy1

CJG888 said:


> +1 on Grant Green. I use the opening track of this as one of my standard test tracks:


Opening track on this one for me:


----------



## bcowen

Brined Guardian said:


> These are some impressive setups, mine is rather quaint by comparison.


Some nice looking Alpha Primes there!


----------



## Preachy1

bcowen said:


> Some nice looking Alpha Primes there!


They are indeed!  Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the Dogs and Primes are both built on the Fostex T50RP, right?  Same as Zach's earlier Vibro's and Blackwoods?


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> They are indeed!  Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the Dogs and Primes are both built on the Fostex T50RP, right?  Same as Zach's earlier Vibro's and Blackwoods?


I believe that yes, they are modified T50RP's, but are Mr. Speakers (now Dan Clark Audio) rather than ZMF.


----------



## Preachy1

bcowen said:


> I believe that yes, they are modified T50RP's, but are Mr. Speakers (now Dan Clark Audio) rather than ZMF.


yes, I understand that the Dogs and Primes are DCA products, but Zach also used the T50's for his Blackwoods and Vibros, correct?

I should know this already, but some things have recently dropped out of my brain.


----------



## Brined Guardian

bcowen said:


> Some nice looking Alpha Primes there!


Aren't they though? I have to remind myself daily not to eat them, they look delicious.



Preachy1 said:


> They are indeed!  Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the Dogs and Primes are both built on the Fostex T50RP, right?  Same as Zach's earlier Vibro's and Blackwoods?


You are not wrong. I believe the Dogs are modded T50s and the Primes are modded Dogs?


----------



## CJG888

Basically, T50RP Mk.2 begat Mad Dogs begat Alpha Dogs begat Alpha Primes.

The last of the line, I believe, featured 3D printed cups....


----------



## piglet




----------



## SalR406

piglet said:


>


Those monitors are Focal Shape 40s, correct?  I almost bought a pair myself a couple of years ago.  How do you like them?


----------



## piglet

SalR406 said:


> Those monitors are Focal Shape 40s, correct?  I almost bought a pair myself a couple of years ago.  How do you like them?


I use them primarily when I am editing video which I do quite a lot of. The Foal Shape 40s are extremely accurate but they wouldn’t be my first choice if I were using them primarily for music.


----------



## TooFrank

drews said:


>


Very cozy and impressive: One complaint though: it is very difficult to see the vintage of the Glenmorangie


----------



## TooFrank

piglet said:


>


What is so special about these lava lamps😜 cannot remember all signatures, but these sculptures seem to be popular again. I was raised with these, and my mom certainly didn’t connect is with great sound🤪


----------



## bcowen

TooFrank said:


> What is so special about these lava lamps😜 cannot remember all signatures, but these sculptures seem to be popular again. I was raised with these, and my mom certainly didn’t connect is with great sound🤪


What's old is new again.  Lava lamps, tubes, vinyl....   Just hope I don't start seeing stagecoaches on the interstate.


----------



## piglet

TooFrank said:


> What is so special about these lava lamps😜 cannot remember all signatures, but these sculptures seem to be popular again. I was raised with these, and my mom certainly didn’t connect is with great sound🤪


I love my lava lamp .

At the end of the day I like to listen to music in low light and I find the lava lamp is the just great for sitting and gazing at.

My lava lamp is from Mathmos, the company that invented the lava lamp. That one is in fact the design they had when they first introduced them in 1963.

Another 60s thing that I love is bean bags. I have two leather ones in my living room. My headphone setup is actually in my study. The bean bag is an absolutely terrific chair for sitting in while listening to music. Bean bags are very comfortable and supportive.


----------



## Preachy1

bcowen said:


> Just hope I don't start seeing stagecoaches on the interstate.


Or worse, rotary phones!!!!  my gawd, the horror.


----------



## piglet

Preachy1 said:


> Or worse, rotary phones!!!!  my gawd, the horror.


If you ever get hold of one today and try it, it really is amazing how long it takes to dial a number. I grew up with them and used them in the first part of my adult life for many years. I don't want them to come back. Some things in the past should stay in the past.


----------



## Preachy1

piglet said:


> If you ever get hold of one today and try it, it really is amazing how long it takes to dial a number. I grew up with them and used them in the first part of my adult life for many years. I don't want them to come back. Some things in the past should stay in the past.


I recall really hating people that had a 9 or a 0 in their number!!!!!


----------



## piglet (Feb 26, 2021)

Preachy1 said:


> I recall really hating people that had a 9 or a 0 in their number!!!!!


It's the lower numbers that took the longest I think.


----------



## Barnstormer13




----------



## Barnstormer13

bcowen said:


> What's old is new again.  Lava lamps, tubes, vinyl....   Just hope I don't start seeing stagecoaches on the interstate.


Lava lamps were never old. Cheap and poorly made, sure, but always cool.


----------



## Pharmaboy

OceanRanger said:


> I agree with your thoughts about moving racks away from the wall, I too am feeling my age. That said, I'm already on thin ice with my bride regarding audio gear. I don't believe that she would give me the nod for touring racks in the living room.



Last October we celebrated our 36th anniversary. I've been on thin ice w/my wife pretty much the entire time (for audio & other obsessions). Like anything else, you sorta get used to it...


----------



## Pharmaboy

TooFrank said:


> What is so special about these lava lamps😜 cannot remember all signatures, but these sculptures seem to be popular again. I was raised with these, and my mom certainly didn’t connect is with great sound🤪


I don't know about other people, but I connect lava lamps with being stoned out of my mind...


----------



## ericgautier

Bifrost 2 > Shortest Way 51+ (SET amp) > ZMF Auteur


----------



## OceanRanger

Pharmaboy said:


> Last October we celebrated our 36th anniversary. I've been on thin ice w/my wife pretty much the entire time (for audio & other obsessions). Like anything else, you sorta get used to it...


good to know and congratulations! we're 11 years behind you.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Last October we celebrated our 36th anniversary. I've been on thin ice w/my wife pretty much the entire time (for audio & other obsessions). Like anything else, you sorta get used to it...


I'm only 35 years behind you (with wife #2).


----------



## Brined Guardian

ericgautier said:


> Bifrost 2 > Shortest Way 51+ (SET amp) > ZMF Auteur


These are beautiful. I want to upgrade into a ZMF myself once I can scrounge the funds together.


----------



## sacguy231

I have shifted some stuff recently, and do most of my headphone listening in this little corner.  It's an oddball mix of new and vintage, analog and digital.


----------



## Strayngs

Just added the Rogue


----------



## OceanRanger

Strayngs said:


> Just added the Rogue


That looks awesome. I just purchased two of Butcher Block Acoustics’ items and couldn’t be happier.


----------



## Strayngs

OceanRanger said:


> That looks awesome. I just purchased two of Butcher Block Acoustics’ items and couldn’t be happier.


Thanks. Yes I think that the Butcher Block is top notch.... Good Stuff


----------



## ScornDefeat

Strayngs said:


> Just added the Rogue



Always a huge like from me on any VPI shots 👍👍


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 2, 2021)

1A/DUNU SA6


----------



## ThanatosVI

Second to last upgrade.
Added the T+A PA2000R speaker amp to the setup and use it's EQ as replacement for the Schiit Loki.

The Meze Headphone Couch looks also gorgeous with the T+A Solitaire P


----------



## Preachy1 (Mar 2, 2021)

sacguy231 said:


> I have shifted some stuff recently, and do most of my headphone listening in this little corner.  It's an oddball mix of new and vintage, analog and digital.


What is the make of the preamp?  I can't quite make out the logo.


sacguy231 said:


> I have shifted some stuff recently, and do most of my headphone listening in this little corner.  It's an oddball mix of new and vintage, analog and digital.


----------



## sacguy231 (Mar 2, 2021)

Preachy1 said:


> What is the make of the preamp?  I can't quite make out the logo.
> 
> What's the model # of the Kenwood?  Beautiful piece!!!!


Actually, the Kenwood IS the preamp in this setup!   It's a KA-907, one of the most beautiful pieces of gear ever. http://www.thevintageknob.org/kenwood-KA-907.html 
Its preamp section is excellent, and I already have other amplifiers, so he got tasked to just be a preamp in this stack. The unit on top of it if a Logitech Transporter, used for streaming, an oldie but goodie - still my favorite streamer ever. I haven't found anything good enough to replace it yet. And Bryston BDA-2 is really nice because it acts as my main digital hub, but since it has an S/PDIF output, I can feed all the digital signals to the RME ADI-2 headphone amp below it.  I have several setups in the house and they are all a strange blend of brands, vintages, etc.  It's interesting how much equipment synergy plays a role in how things sound.  Fun experimenting for sure!


----------



## Preachy1

sacguy231 said:


> Actually, the Kenwood IS the preamp in this setup!  It's a KA-907, one of the most beautiful pieces of gear ever. http://www.thevintageknob.org/kenwood-KA-907.html
> Its preamp section is excellent, and I already have other amplifiers, so he got tasked to just be a preamp in this stack. The unit on top of it if a Logitech Transporter, used for streaming, an oldie but goodie - still my favorite streamer ever. I haven't found anything good enough to replace it yet. And Bryston BDA-2 is really nice because it acts as my main digital hub, but since it has an S/PDIF output, I can feed all the digital signals to the RME ADI-2 headphone amp below it.  I have several setups in the house and they are all a strange blend of brands, vintages, etc.  It's interesting how much equipment synergy plays a role in how things sound.  Fun experimenting for sure!


Thanks, I meant to say integrated amp.  I'm currently  using a Sansui AU-7700 as a preamp, feeding into a Yamaha amp.  Reason being that the left channel on the Sansui drops out, and I don't feel like paying many hundreds of $$$ to get it serviced.


----------



## sacguy231

Preachy1 said:


> Thanks, I meant to say integrated amp.  I'm currently  using a Sansui AU-7700 as a preamp, feeding into a Yamaha amp.  Reason being that the left channel on the Sansui drops out, and I don't feel like paying many hundreds of $$$ to get it serviced.


Oh yeah, I know that pain $$$$ all too well with vintage gear.  Love/hate relationship for sure.


----------



## kid vic

sacguy231 said:


> Actually, the Kenwood IS the preamp in this setup!  It's a KA-907, one of the most beautiful pieces of gear ever. http://www.thevintageknob.org/kenwood-KA-907.html
> Its preamp section is excellent, and I already have other amplifiers, so he got tasked to just be a preamp in this stack. The unit on top of it if a Logitech Transporter, used for streaming, an oldie but goodie - still my favorite streamer ever. I haven't found anything good enough to replace it yet. And Bryston BDA-2 is really nice because it acts as my main digital hub, but since it has an S/PDIF output, I can feed all the digital signals to the RME ADI-2 headphone amp below it.  I have several setups in the house and they are all a strange blend of brands, vintages, etc.  It's interesting how much equipment synergy plays a role in how things sound.  Fun experimenting for sure!


I've got the younger brother (or maybe its older brother) Kenwood KA-9100. Absolutely fantastic amp family!


----------



## Preachy1

More than anything else, I just love the stylings of the mid/late 70's pieces.  Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sherwood....  they really knew how to build them.  My dearly beloved 1977 Yamaha CR-1020 gave up the ghost last year.  I'm not kidding when I say I was in tears.


----------



## Galapac

Preachy1 said:


> More than anything else, I just love the stylings of the mid/late 70's pieces.  Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sherwood....  they really knew how to build them.  My dearly beloved 1977 Yamaha CR-1020 gave up the ghost last year.  I'm not kidding when I say I was in tears.


Did you have someone at least look at it? Most times its just a worn out resistor or capacitor that can easily be replaced.


----------



## Preachy1

Galapac said:


> Did you have someone at least look at it? Most times its just a worn out resistor or capacitor that can easily be replaced.


I did. I had two different people look at.  One wanted nothing to do with it. The other guy had it for 7 months before finally contacting me to tell me it wasn’t worth fixing. For that, he charged me $50.


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> I did. I had two different people look at.  One wanted nothing to do with it. The other guy had it for 7 months before finally contacting me to tell me it wasn’t worth fixing. For that, he charged me $50.


My 1977 Harman Kardon 730.  I replaced all the electrolytics in it a couple years ago but haven't done anything beyond that, and it still sounds as good as it did when it was new.  Still has all the original bulbs even, but one is burned out so I'll need to do something about that one of these days...


----------



## jonathan c

Strayngs said:


> Just added the Rogue


The RH-5:  wonderful, great sound, well built, amenable to tube rolling if you wish. 👍


----------



## jonathan c

The Woo brothers are taking a few days off (h/p/a union work rules...) and the LP is the DH (designated hybrid) for the time being...getting back in rotation with LCD-X...will face other h/p while in the listening cage...


----------



## piglet

Preachy1 said:


> More than anything else, I just love the stylings of the mid/late 70's pieces.  Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sherwood....  they really knew how to build them.  My dearly beloved 1977 Yamaha CR-1020 gave up the ghost last year.  I'm not kidding when I say I was in tears.


I was a teenager in the 70s. I had my first Hi Fi systems in the 70s but it was really the 80s where I really got into putting together good systems. In the 80s very minimalist designs became the thing, very simple, often black and with very few buttons. We looked at those 70s amps/tuners/receivers with horror!

Today they do look rather wonderful to me. Very opulent and grand.


----------



## CJG888

bcowen said:


> My 1977 Harman Kardon 730.  I replaced all the electrolytics in it a couple years ago but haven't done anything beyond that, and it still sounds as good as it did when it was new.  Still has all the original bulbs even, but one is burned out so I'll need to do something about that one of these days...



I’m sure you can find a nice GE bulb to replace it...🤪


----------



## bcowen

CJG888 said:


> I’m sure you can find a nice GE bulb to replace it...🤪


LOL!  I'd hope for a Sylvania...the GE would burn out again in a year.


----------



## Spacekop

New apartment, less room at my desk for my Euforia, so it's out in the living room now. I like it here...


----------



## Zachik

Spacekop said:


> New apartment, less room at my desk for my Euforia, so it's out in the living room now. I like it here...


Looks like Stressless recliner?
I am in the market for one, so been testing them in couple stores recently (including earlier today)... Might pull the trigger in the next couple days...


----------



## Spacekop

Zachik said:


> Looks like Stressless recliner?
> I am in the market for one, so been testing them in couple stores recently (including earlier today)... Might pull the trigger in the next couple days...


It is. I only needed to audition it once to know it was what I needed.


----------



## Zachik

Spacekop said:


> It is. I only needed to audition it once to know it was what I needed.


well... they have so many models - had to try ALL of them to make sure I end up with the right one for me!


----------



## tabness

the oddities of audio
• cd player smaller than a cd
• boutique mod of the cheapest amp in the lineup
• electrostatic in ear phone


----------



## whirlwind

Spacekop said:


> New apartment, less room at my desk for my Euforia, so it's out in the living room now. I like it here...


Nice...looks like life is good there!


----------



## Preachy1

Love the Stressless!  I got one of those last summer, and has become an extension of my backside!!!


----------



## Zachik

All the Stressless photos and enthusiastic recommendations here drove me to test ALL of their models in a nearby furniture store...
I am now settled on the Mayfair model. Will likely place an order over the weekend. 
Thanks to COVID - wait times are insane, unless I get the 1 color they have in (very low) stock. Not my first choice for color, but not objectionable either.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Zachik said:


> All the Stressless photos and enthusiastic recommendations here drove me to test ALL of their models in a nearby furniture store...
> I am now settled on the Mayfair model. Will likely place an order over the weekend.
> Thanks to COVID - wait times are insane, unless I get the 1 color they have in (very low) stock. Not my first choice for color, but not objectionable either.


I hate you guys, now I looked into those and have more stuff on the wishlist...


----------



## Barnstormer13

Zachik said:


> Looks like Stressless recliner?
> I am in the market for one, so been testing them in couple stores recently (including earlier today)... Might pull the trigger in the next couple days...


Bought one for my wife when she was pregnant 20 years ago. We have two now and there is no better recliner for listening to music. Essential equipment IMHO.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> More than anything else, I just love the stylings of the mid/late 70's pieces.  Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sherwood....  they really knew how to build them.  My dearly beloved 1977 Yamaha CR-1020 gave up the ghost last year.  I'm not kidding when I say I was in tears.



I bought a new Pioneer receiver (40 WPC) ~1978, one of those beautiful lighted-front Pioneer receivers. Outgrew it a few years later and gave it to my twin brother. He's used it ever since; had it repaired twice. Over the years, this lovely device has become a vintage audio piece--it always gets admiring comments from people visiting his house while I meditate on the folly of my younger-man choices. I must say, its 40 WPC sound like more, and it's a real pleasure to spin that big weighted dial to select FM stations (he lives ~20 miles from NYC & all the NY/NJ/CT stations comes through clear as a bell.


----------



## gikigill

tabness said:


> the oddities of audio
> • cd player smaller than a cd
> • boutique mod of the cheapest amp in the lineup
> • electrostatic in ear phone



The baby STAX can put out a surprising amount of low end once you get the seal right with their CES-A1 pack.

I run mine off the portable STAX amp and its amazing how good they sound for the price.


----------



## matthewh133

Leonarfd said:


>


This is sleek. What's that tube amp? And what's the middle thingy, to switch between headphones and monitors?


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I bought a new Pioneer receiver (40 WPC) ~1978, one of those beautiful lighted-front Pioneer receivers. Outgrew it a few years later and gave it to my twin brother. He's used it ever since; had it repaired twice. Over the years, this lovely device has become a vintage audio piece--it always gets admiring comments from people visiting his house while I meditate on the folly of my younger-man choices. I must say, its 40 WPC sound like more, and it's a real pleasure to spin that big weighted dial to select FM stations (he lives ~20 miles from NYC & all the NY/NJ/CT stations comes through clear as a bell.


My first real piece of audio gear was a Pioneer receiver.  It their entry level unit at the time (1973).  Bought it at EJ Korvettes in Port Chester, NY.  Along with a BSR turntable and XAM speakers (their house brand made by Magnavox).  I think I paid around $350 for that set up.


----------



## Preachy1

matthewh133 said:


> This is sleek. What's that tube amp? And what's the middle thingy, to switch between headphones and monitors?


The amp looks like a Feliks Echo, no?


----------



## matthewh133

Preachy1 said:


> The amp looks like a Feliks Echo, no?


Looks like it, thanks!


----------



## Leonarfd

matthewh133 said:


> This is sleek. What's that tube amp? And what's the middle thingy, to switch between headphones and monitors?


Thanks. The white one is a Palmer Monicon Analog monitor controller with a mute and mono, basically so the DAC can have fixed volume to both the tube amp (feliks echo) and the active speakers.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> The Woo brothers are taking a few days off (h/p/a union work rules...) and the LP is the DH (designated hybrid) for the time being...getting back in rotation with LCD-X...will face other h/p while in the listening cage...



"The Woo brothers" (funny!)


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> "The Woo brothers" (funny!)


Should almost be calling the "Woo-Hoo!!!" brothers.


----------



## Taz777

Latest photo of my compact bedside headphones system.

Cayin N6ii DAP as a digital transport --> Topping D90 DAC --> Arcam rHead headphone amp --> Beyerdynamic T1.2

The tape over the power light of the headphone is a piece of car window tint film to stop 95% of the light so it doesn't disturb me when I'm sleeping.


----------



## CJG888

New heart of the home office rig, just arrived this morning from Poland:


----------



## Coztomba




----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 6, 2021)




----------



## judomaniak57

you wear headphones, i thought u were a IEM only guy with so many professional looking photos of IEM's u post


Redcarmoose said:


>


----------



## Redcarmoose

judomaniak57 said:


> you wear headphones, i thought u were a IEM only guy with so many professional looking photos of IEM's u post


Thank-you.

Well, I have to make sure I’m not missing out on full-size.


----------



## jonathan c

CJG888 said:


> New heart of the home office rig, just arrived this morning from Poland:


Nice h/p/a....nice platform....nice feet.


----------



## elvergun

Coztomba said:


>


I also use G pads with my GH2.


----------



## jonathan c

Two favourites at the listening corner...


----------



## Uebelkraehe

Coztomba said:


>


Ah, a man of culture. The Hemp and tube amps are indeed an excellent pairing...


----------



## alastairpei

Plastic bag go crinkle.


----------



## nordkapp

jonathan c said:


> Two favourites at the listening corner...


Anything with a dog gets an automatic like.


----------



## Deolum

Least expensive headphones i bought in a while and most fun i had with headphones in a while.

By the way can anybody tell me why this track 



has severe bass distortion on Spotify? At first i thought my headphones are broken then i thought my amp was broken then i thought my dac was broken. Then i opened it on Quobuz and found out Spotify was broken.


----------



## dynavit

Hallo to all headphone lovers, 
this is my endgame-setup: a DAC and universal headphoneamp from Wolfgang Paltauf ( https://paltauf.com/) 
Read more about it here: https://musicalhead.de/2021/03/02/test-paltauf-khv-esd/


----------



## dynavit

That`s how it looked a year ago (when it`s crowded)


----------



## bcowen

nordkapp said:


> Anything with a dog gets an automatic like.



Say what?


----------



## ThanatosVI

First time sitting on my gear


----------



## bcowen

ThanatosVI said:


> First time sitting on my gear


Beautiful cat!

Oh, and I like the gear too.


----------



## ThanatosVI

bcowen said:


> Beautiful cat!
> 
> Oh, and I like the gear too.


I put those two in the same order.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Speakers are due to change soon. But this is my living room headphone set up. Weiss 501 + Meze Empyrean.

I also have a Sony 507 DAP + Empire Ears Nemesis rig


----------



## banda

ThanatosVI said:


> First time sitting on my gear


Won't be the last time.


----------



## CJG888

If you leave the cage off the tubes, it might just be...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Deolum said:


> Least expensive headphones i bought in a while and most fun i had with headphones in a while.
> 
> By the way can anybody tell me why this track
> 
> ...



I've been debating whether to get a pair of blues. I have two unopened boxes of the 75th anniversary yellows. I love HD 25s but if I buy any more of them they're just taking space in my closet. I have one I use all the time and a pair of aluminums that comes out once in a while.

P.S. HD 25s never break. I doubt the phonitor would ever break either


----------



## Deolum (Mar 7, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I've been debating whether to get a pair of blues. I have two unopened boxes of the 75th anniversary yellows. I love HD 25s but if I buy any more of them they're just taking space in my closet. I have one I use all the time and a pair of aluminums that comes out once in a while.
> 
> P.S. HD 25s never break. I doubt the phonitor would ever


Well i most likely sell the Phonitor anyway because i plan to go full estat so i don't need a dynamic amp anymore.

So if anyone EU located needs a Phonitor 2 feel free to pm me.

(Also have a Metrum Pavane L3, AKG K1000 and Sennheiser HD250 Linear I 600 ohm for sale)

But don't expect massive discounts on the Pavane and the Phonitor 2. Those are like new only a few month old with invoice.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just moved, set up my place of refuge.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nice, nice, nice selection of goodies!


----------



## LoryWiv (Mar 7, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Nice, nice, nice selection of goodies!


Yes he does, even keyboards in a glass case!


----------



## LoryWiv

Ethereal Sound said:


> Just moved, set up my place of refuge.


Nice gear, must sound great. Love my Matrix X-Sabre Pro Dac, detailed without being sterile or too analytic, especially paired with a tube amp.. Enjoy!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

LoryWiv said:


> Yes he does, even keyboards in a glass case!



What can I say, I hate dust


----------



## Zachik

Ethereal Sound said:


> Just moved, set up my place of refuge.


Headphones displayed in a glass case - excellent idea!! 
I wish I had the room to add one of those... But I guess if I had - I would probably add a 3rd rack for more amps


----------



## banda

Ethereal Sound said:


> Just moved, set up my place of refuge.


Is that a Dynahi?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

banda said:


> Is that a Dynahi?



It is! The SuSy dynahi is truly a marvel and can pretty much drive any headphone in existence with ease.


----------



## banda

Ethereal Sound said:


> It is! The SuSy dynahi is truly a marvel and can pretty much drive any headphone in existence with ease.


It does seem like the Dynahi should be plenty good for anything out there. I wonder what you'd really get from going beyond that.


----------



## Ciggavelli

I don't know where to put this, but I'm very proud of my collection of headphone adapters  





A. 4-pin XLR to 6.35
B. 6.35 to 3.5
C. 4-pin XLR to 6.35
D. 4.4mm to 4-pin XLR
E. Apple phone adapter for usb
F. SDcard
G. 4.4mm to 2.5mm
H. 4.4mm to 3.5mm
I. Hugo 2 RCA to 4.4mm
J. Jitterbug
K. DragonFly Red
L. 4.4mm to 2.5mm
M. 4.4mm to 3.5mm
N. 3-pin XLR to RCA
O. 4-pin XLR to 4.4mm
P. 2.5mm to 4-pin XLR
Q. 2.5mm to 4.4mm
R. 6.35 to 3.5
S. 3.5 to 6.35
T. 2.5mm to 3.25

It has taken me a long time to get all of these, as I had to get some special made from across the globe.  But, now I can connect almost anything to almost anything


----------



## JES

Ciggavelli said:


> ...
> D. 4.4mm to 4-pin XLR
> ...
> 
> It has taken me a long time to get all of these, as I had to get some special made from across the globe.  But, now I can connect almost anything to almost anything


Is D. a *female *4.4 mm balanced to *male* 4-pin XLR balanced? If so, where can I snag one?


----------



## Ciggavelli

JES said:


> Is D. a *female *4.4 mm balanced to *male* 4-pin XLR balanced? If so, where can I snag one?


Yes, it is.  I bought it from Affinity Adapters on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/str/affinitycables

He's a great guy to deal with, and his work is top-notch.  If he no longer has the 4.4mm female to male 4-pin XLR listed anymore, you can ask him to make it for you.  I had him make some Abyss to Utopia headphone adapters that I didn't see listed, and he made it quickly and shipped it quickly.


----------



## KPzypher (Mar 8, 2021)

An overhaul to my walk-in closet converted to a listening room.

Added HEDD Type 07 MKII and redid the walls. 


And my current big push to wireless....


And of course, I still have all my wired headphones.


----------



## DeweyCH

Not up to some of what I've seen here, but still proud of where I'm at now.

On the left is a Darkvoice 336se that I have modded significantly (replaced all resistors around the 6SN7 socket, new power switch, stepped attenuator, replaced both octal sockets, replaced heaters with twisted wire, created a virtual center tap, elevated heaters, and put two cathode bypass caps in - the 'Fitz' mod). It's currently running a pair of GEC CV4079 tubes in the power socket and a pair of GEC L63 in the driver socket.

On the right, a Bottlehead Crack, totally stock, that I just finished. It's running another pair of GEC CV4079s along with a Sylvania 6SN7W.

They're combining to drive a couple of ZMF headphones - Auteurs in almond wood and some stabilized Verite Closeds.

Not seen is a SMSL SU-8 DAC coming from my PC, with Amazon Music HD in exclusive mode.

And hanging behind them are a cheap nylon-string acoustic guitar I bought as a beater to take into the office and a 1960 Gibson Melody Maker.


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Not up to some of what I've seen here, but still proud of where I'm at now.
> 
> On the left is a Darkvoice 336se that I have modded significantly (replaced all resistors around the 6SN7 socket, new power switch, stepped attenuator, replaced both octal sockets, replaced heaters with twisted wire, created a virtual center tap, elevated heaters, and put two cathode bypass caps in - the 'Fitz' mod). It's currently running a pair of GEC CV4079 tubes in the power socket and a pair of GEC L63 in the driver socket.
> 
> ...


I like the word “now”..... ie, for the time being?...


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> I like the word “now”..... ie, for the time being?...


Well, I do have my Speedball as yet uninstalled...


----------



## CJG888

jonathan c said:


> I like the word “now”..... ie, for the time being?...



And he’s not even showing his perfectly restored Dual 1019....


----------



## DeweyCH

CJG888 said:


> And he’s not even showing his perfectly restored Dual 1019....


Is that a Garrard 301 in your profile pic?


----------



## CJG888

Yup. Early model (ca. 1954), grease bearing with SME3009 Improved (steel knife-edge bearing) and AT VM740ML. All in an Acoustand solid wood plinth.


----------



## pcourtney




----------



## DeweyCH

pcourtney said:


>


Quality B&O turntable goodness right there


----------



## DeweyCH

CJG888 said:


> Yup. Early model (ca. 1954), grease bearing with SME3009 Improved (steel knife-edge bearing) and AT VM740ML. All in an Acoustand solid wood plinth.


That's an amazing deck. How do you like the VM740? Only AT carts I've ever listened to are an AT95e and an AT130e (the latter is in current use)


----------



## CJG888

The AT is a very MC-like MM. Excellent resolution and microdynamics, if a little light in the bass and narrow of stereo image. IMHO, it’s the best currently available cartridge for the SME 3009 Improved (which demands a low-mass, high-compliance cartridge). Previously, I used a Shure V15 IV (Jico stylus) and an AT 440MLb. It has much more detail and resolution than the Shure (if less power in the bass), and is much more composed and three-dimensional than the 440.


----------



## CJG888

I suspect the ultimate match might be a Grace F9E (try finding one...).


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CJG888 said:


> I suspect the ultimate match might be a Grace F9E (try finding one...).


That was a big upgrade from my Stanton 681EEE back in the day. And they were not that expensive.


----------



## DeweyCH

CJG888 said:


> The AT is a very MC-like MM. Excellent resolution and microdynamics, if a little light in the bass and narrow of stereo image. IMHO, it’s the best currently available cartridge for the SME 3009 Improved (which demands a low-mass, high-compliance cartridge). Previously, I used a Shure V15 IV (Jico stylus) and an AT 440MLb. It has much more detail and resolution than the Shure (if less power in the bass), and is much more composed and three-dimensional than the 440.


Good insight, thanks. I always expect a Shure V15 of some sort to be the ideal pairing with a 3009, but I've not ever actually had a deck with a tonearm that needs a lightweight cartridge. The Dual certainly doesn't, and my Sony can deal with just about any cartridge mass, being a servo arm. My "audiophile" deck is a Thorens TD-125, but it's got the standard TP-16 arm on it that doesn't play nicely with low-mass carts the way a SME does.


----------



## jonathan c

Twoo Woos was not enough...😊...


----------



## BobG55

jonathan c said:


> Twoo Woos was not enough...😊...



*Woo Woo*


----------



## Lolito

pcourtney said:


>


coolest thing i saw here in a long time.


----------



## CJG888

DeweyCH said:


> Good insight, thanks. I always expect a Shure V15 of some sort to be the ideal pairing with a 3009, but I've not ever actually had a deck with a tonearm that needs a lightweight cartridge. The Dual certainly doesn't, and my Sony can deal with just about any cartridge mass, being a servo arm. My "audiophile" deck is a Thorens TD-125, but it's got the standard TP-16 arm on it that doesn't play nicely with low-mass carts the way a SME does.



I think you may find that your 1019 can approach the TD-125 in SQ terms. It’s really the arm which holds it back. I wonder what could be achieved with a 12“ unipivot in a separate „pod“...


----------



## DeweyCH

CJG888 said:


> I think you may find that your 1019 can approach the TD-125 in SQ terms. It’s really the arm which holds it back. I wonder what could be achieved with a 12“ unipivot in a separate „pod“...


Huh. Never even considered trying that with the Dual. May have to give it a shot.


----------



## jonathan c

CJG888 said:


> I think you may find that your 1019 can approach the TD-125 in SQ terms. It’s really the arm which holds it back. I wonder what could be achieved with a 12“ unipivot in a separate „pod“...


Does anyone remember the JH / Mayware Formula IV unipivot tone arm? I have used one with the Philips GA212 turntable...lovingly packed away awaiting phono preamplifier...


----------



## ivanrocks321

New additions over a last few months for headphones only I got more day and amps on the way next week.

Recent additions over last 2.5months: ATH-L3000, ATH-W11R, HE6SEv2, PMB100, Jecklin Model 1, NAD RP18


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ivanrocks321 said:


> New additions over a last few months for headphones only I got more day and amps on the way next week.
> 
> Recent additions over last 2.5months: ATH-L3000, ATH-W11R, HE6SEv2, PMB100, Jecklin Model 1, NAD RP18


Nice cannery!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

ivanrocks321 said:


> New additions over a last few months for headphones only I got more day and amps on the way next week.
> 
> Recent additions over last 2.5months: ATH-L3000, ATH-W11R, HE6SEv2, PMB100, Jecklin Model 1, NAD RP18


Some sort of retro-chic.
Nice collection.


----------



## soundchaos

ivanrocks321 said:


> New additions over a last few months for headphones only I got more day and amps on the way next week.
> 
> Recent additions over last 2.5months: ATH-L3000, ATH-W11R, HE6SEv2, PMB100, Jecklin Model 1, NAD RP18


Awesome collection! Which stands are those?


----------



## ivanrocks321

phoenixbt said:


> Awesome collection! Which stands are those?


Those are the woo audio stands on they are fantastic like the sturdy weight and adjustable height. Audio advisor has them for a bit less then from woo audio directly


----------



## CJG888

Wow- a Jecklin Float that hasn’t decomposed (or has it been comprehensively re-foamed?)...


----------



## ivanrocks321

CJG888 said:


> Wow- a Jecklin Float that hasn’t decomposed (or has it been comprehensively re-foamed?)...


It was reformed by the last owner. They do decompose fast luckily foam is easy to find


----------



## TooFrank

sacguy231 said:


> I have shifted some stuff recently, and do most of my headphone listening in this little corner.  It's an oddball mix of new and vintage, analog and digital.


Wow, looks like a cassette player on top? The Kenwood must be vintage😉


----------



## TooFrank

CJG888 said:


> New heart of the home office rig, just arrived this morning from Poland:


That heart must be happy with the new home😊 What is the pedestal made of?


----------



## TooFrank

Ciggavelli said:


> I don't know where to put this, but I'm very proud of my collection of headphone adapters
> 
> 
> A. 4-pin XLR to 6.35
> ...


Wow,  never seen anything like this. Congrats. Beautiful and useful....


----------



## TooFrank

gimmeheadroom said:


> Nice cannery!


Word of the day!


----------



## CJG888

TooFrank said:


> That heart must be happy with the new home😊 What is the pedestal made of?


Luanda Black granite.


----------



## ivanrocks321

TooFrank said:


> Word of the day!


I will be posting a few amps in a few days got 5 or so recently including a few very new novel electrostatic amps by some new up and coming companies by some very established members here on HF and the other sites.


----------



## Tom239

Pics from today.


----------



## TooFrank

Tom239 said:


> Pics from today.


So nice and beautiful.....


----------



## RickB

Still enjoying my new addition.


----------



## rlanger (Mar 12, 2021)

My quiet little corner of the world here in Japan on a rainy Saturday morning.


----------



## kumar402

SW51+ with ZMF VC Ironwood and Forza cable


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

It’s raining and the sky is luminous grey like radioactive ‘leverpostej’..so music will be adding all the colours I need today


----------



## JES

Space-limited gaming and listening station.


----------



## SoLame

Wife wanted to paint all rooms the house...gave me an empty cart to put my stuffs on so I can move around and get out of her way.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Haha.
A new definition of "portable gear".


----------



## MikeO3

SoLame said:


> Wife wanted to paint all rooms the house...gave me an empty cart to put my stuffs on so I can move around and get out of her way.


Hopefully won't turn into a _crashed_ cart!


----------



## xtiva

Current home system.

Source - Raspberry Pi running Volumio with LDC screen 
DAC  - Denafrips Terminator
Headamp - SPL Phonitor X & La Figaro LF339
Headphone - Sennheiser HD800 

All hosted in a DIY shelf made with IKEA chopping board


----------



## bcowen

SoLame said:


> Wife wanted to paint all rooms the house...gave me an empty cart to put my stuffs on so I can move around and get out of her way.


I like the way you think.  Pile all your stuff on a cart and get the hell out of Dodge so that _*she*_ can paint.  Genius!!


----------



## SoLame

bcowen said:


> I like the way you think.  Pile all your stuff on a cart and get the hell out of Dodge so that _*she*_ can paint.  Genius!!


LOL I thought I was going to get away with the dirty job...turned out I had to hold the ladders for *her* the whole time and I had to clean all those brushes and rollers too.


----------



## LoryWiv (Mar 14, 2021)

SoLame said:


> LOL I thought I was going to get away with the dirty job...turned out I had to hold the ladders for *her* the whole time and I had to clean all those brushes and rollers too.


Happy wife --> Happy life. The rolling gear cart is cool nonetheless.


----------



## CJG888

xtiva said:


> Current home system.
> 
> Source - Raspberry Pi running Volumio with LDC screen
> DAC  - Denafrips Terminator
> ...


----------



## CJG888

Looks good! Are you using the DigiOne or the DigiOne Signature? Which PSU are you using?


----------



## ArtemieTV

Been planning to upgrade cans but this is what I have so far.


----------



## xtiva

CJG888 said:


> Looks good! Are you using the DigiOne or the DigiOne Signature? Which PSU are you using?



I am just using DigiOne and powering them from battery pack....  this was first try but trying to get Kali + Ian Canada I2S transmitter for my next project... its just that Kali has been out of stock for more than a month... really want to try the I2S LDVS....


----------



## Preachy1

ArtemieTV said:


> Been planning to upgrade cans but this is what I have so far.


Okay, where can I get that Alien headphone stand?????


----------



## Hofy

jonathan c said:


> Twoo Woos was not enough...😊...


----------



## Leonarfd

My little record/vst playing rig.


----------



## arftech (Mar 14, 2021)

It’s coming together.  The new additions is the Woo Audio WA5-LE 2nd Gen, Classe components and the HE-1000 v2.  I’m considering upgrading my Auteurs to Verite C.


----------



## OceanRanger

I need to do do some rearranging, but the Butcher Block Acoustics stand and Cipher LII are new additions.


----------



## joseph69

I enjoy butcher block as well.


----------



## xtiva

joseph69 said:


> I enjoy butcher block as well.


Nice system...

BTW looks like you have the Holo Spring (2)? how did you make it to show Standby instead of Mute?  

Thanks.


----------



## joseph69

Thank you for the compliment on my system, and likewise.
I have the Kitsune Tuned Edition Spring DAC, and it's a very early model that doesn't have "mute" only standby as shown below (first button on the left) of the front panel. I assume you have a newer Spring 2 model that shows "mute" with no standby anymore?


----------



## xtiva

joseph69 said:


> Thank you for the compliment on my system, and likewise.
> I have the Kitsune Tuned Edition Spring DAC, and it's a very early model that doesn't have "mute" only standby as shown below (first button on the left) of the front panel. I assume you have a newer Spring 2 model that shows "mute" with no standby anymore?



yeah Spring 2 but only level 2  that looks better than just Mute and makes more sense though 

one day will get as nice setup as yours


----------



## CJG888

Leonarfd said:


> My little record/vst playing rig.


May I ask which cable you are using on the DT1990s?


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka




----------



## Leonarfd (Mar 15, 2021)

@CJG888 Just a cable a friend of me made, nothing to special flexible enough and light. Its tough and long 6m so it doesn't break when I'm suddenly stepping on it or roll on it when playing my bass guitar👍


----------



## barontan2418

Loving my new addition. Chord TT. Violectric V800 taking a back seat from now on.😁


----------



## gimmeheadroom

barontan2418 said:


> Loving my new addition. Chord TT. Violectric V800 taking a back seat from now on.😁


Is that glow in the dark tape on your Feliks?


----------



## barontan2418

gimmeheadroom said:


> Is that glow in the dark tape on your Feliks?


No just double sided white tape with the outside peel strip left on.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

barontan2418 said:


> No just double sided white tape with the outside peel strip left on.


The light caught it just right and it looked illuminated  kinda cool!


----------



## Deolum

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, where can I get that Alien headphone stand?????


Is there a predator one too?


----------



## Preachy1

arftech said:


> It’s coming together.  The new additions is the Woo Audio WA5-LE 2nd Gen, Classe components and the HE-1000 v2.  I’m considering upgrading my Auteurs to Verite C.


Talk about a throwback, look at the spindle of CD-R's!!!!!!  Man, did I go through a lot of those!


----------



## arftech

Preachy1 said:


> Talk about a throwback, look at the spindle of CD-R's!!!!!!  Man, did I go through a lot of those!


The crazy thing is I haven’t burned a CD in years. They’re just on standby. 😂🤣


----------



## OceanRanger

arftech said:


> The crazy thing is I haven’t burned a CD in years. They’re just on standby. 😂🤣


ohhh, shiny discs. I love that. I still have a few, just no devices in which to put them.


----------



## arftech

OceanRanger said:


> ohhh, shiny discs. I love that. I still have a few, just no devices in which to put them.


How are you like those Abyys?  I understand they’re 🔥!


----------



## whirlwind

Preachy1 said:


> Talk about a throwback, look at the spindle of CD-R's!!!!!!  Man, did I go through a lot of those!


LOL...me too!
I still use them in my 2001 Honda


----------



## dnd3241

Update some members...


----------



## Deolum

dnd3241 said:


> Update some members...


No Susvara. Cheap


----------



## dnd3241

Deolum said:


> No Susvara. Cheap


Ha ha..my bad...


----------



## anumits

Just got into tubes and boy do they make for a pretty picture.





HD600 hidden in the darkness to the left.


----------



## Scutey

The latest incarnation of my rig, Feliks Audio Elise, Chord Qutest DAC,  Cambridge CXC CD Drive and ZMF Atticus.


----------



## Preachy1

Scutey said:


> The latest incarnation of my rig, Feliks Audio Elise, Chord Qutest DAC,  Cambridge CXC CD Drive and ZMF Atticus.


Nice! I use an Elise for digital purposes only.


----------



## arftech

Scutey said:


> The latest incarnation of my rig, Feliks Audio Elise, Chord Qutest DAC,  Cambridge CXC CD Drive and ZMF Atticus.


Noice!


----------



## Preachy1

arftech said:


> Noice!


I know, roit????


----------



## arftech

Preachy1 said:


> I know, roit????


Hey Preach, I was looking at your gear sig and saw all of the ZMFs you have but don’t see the Verite.  You have no interest in those?

The reason I’m asking is because the plan is to maybe sale my Auteurs and then get the Verite C because I want a nice CB to go with my planars.  Have you heard those?


----------



## Dynamo5561

My beauties, mostsly running on RME ADI DAC 2.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Mar 19, 2021)

arftech said:


> The crazy thing is I haven’t burned a CD in years. They’re just on standby. 😂🤣


When the streaming services all go bust we're gonna wipe the smiles off their faces 

I have a crapload of AZO CDs just waiting for a good old fashioned ripping burning


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Dynamo5561 said:


> My beauties, mostsly running on RME ADI DAC 2.


I know how the Blues sound out of the RME. Game Over! It just does not get much better than that


----------



## Dynamo5561

gimmeheadroom said:


> I know how the Blues sound out of the RME. Game Over! It just does not get much better than that


Fun fact, I like the Fostex sound out of my portable FIIO Q5S a little more than from the RME (especially for EDM)  I feel it's sometimes too linear with the RME.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Dynamo5561 said:


> Fun fact, I like the Fostex sound out of my portable FIIO Q5S a little more than from the RME (especially for EDM)  I feel it's sometimes too linear.


Well, the RME is fiddly to set up. There is no way in hell the Fostex is gonna sound better out of anything FiiO will ever make. I have enough of their crap to be able to say this


----------



## Scutey

Preachy1 said:


> Nice! I use an Elise for digital purposes only.


Thanks!, it's a great amp, somewhat underrated imo.


----------



## lnforno




----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Nice! I use an Elise for digital purposes only.


Hi @Preachy1. I may be dense this evening but what does that mean....as a preamp out to another amp.?


----------



## kid vic

lnforno said:


>


That stand/box on the left is really cool, I had no idea that Focal did an Anniversary set like that!


----------



## kumar402

kid vic said:


> That stand/box on the left is really cool, I had no idea that Focal did an Anniversary set like that!


Is it from Focal?


----------



## lnforno

kumar402 said:


> Is it from Focal?


It is. It's a case/trunk made for their 40th anniversary. Called the Symphonie 40th.


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Hi @Preachy1. I may be dense this evening but what does that mean....as a preamp out to another amp.?


No, I meant that my Elise is the amp used to listen to digital music (FLACs, CDs, etc).  The chain is CD player or PC > Audio GD DAC > Elise > cans.
For LPs, I use a McIntosh MHA-150. No particular reason, that’s just the way my system is currently configured.


----------



## xtiva (May 3, 2021)

Latest addition to my Audio collection.  It is Custom made Tube amp by fellow called, Eric Mcchanson in Sydney Australia.

Ultra Linear ( UL) about 12W / SET ( Single End Triode) switchable, with 2-stage driving, integrated, point to point soldering

It uses KT77 as Power tube, 6EM7 as pre amp and for rectifier, Mullard GZ34 DD getter f33 NOS tube.


----------



## 340519

Dynamo5561 said:


> My beauties, mostsly running on RME ADI DAC 2.


Beautiful!


----------



## NovaFlyer

xtiva said:


> Latest addition to my Audio collection.  It is Custom made Tube amp by fellow called, Eric Mcchanson in Sydney Australia.
> 
> Ultra Linear ( UL) about 12W / SET ( Single End Triode) switchable, with 2-stage driving, integrated, point to point soldering
> 
> It uses KT77 as Power tube, 6EM7 as pre amp and for rectifier, Mullard GZ34 DD getter f33 NOS tube.


Impressive!


----------



## xtiva

NovaFlyer said:


> Impressive!


Thanks Mate


----------



## Cruelhand Luke




----------



## Shane D (Mar 21, 2021)

Did a little redesign today. The center is my lazy boy. To the right is the laptop and To the left is my gear. Only thing left to come in is an RCA switcher.
Feeling very content with my collection now. Nice variety of amps and 'phones.


----------



## bcowen

Shane D said:


> Did a little redesign today. The center is my lazy boy. To the right is the laptop and To the left is my gear. Only thing left to come in is an RCA switcher.
> Feeling very content with my collection now. Nice variety of amps and 'phones.


I see tubes.  Enough said.    

Seriously, very nice and organized.  Looks great!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> I see tubes.  Enough said.
> 
> Seriously, very nice and organized.  Looks great!


It's like a great white north version of @Wes S setup, complete with Cavalli and a wooden bookcase


----------



## Woolly Redbeard

This is what happens when you have a surface pro laying around and you don't really need it anymore lol.  Also, easily reconfigurable.


----------



## CJG888




----------



## mjavate

SoLame said:


> Wife wanted to paint all rooms the house...gave me an empty cart to put my stuffs on so I can move around and get out of her way.


Love this! One person's struggle and finding a solution to a problem that turned into a genius solution.  You should thank your wife for this. 😂

And like all hobbies. Your cart could use some upgrades.  I suggest new caster replacements with abec 5 rollerblade wheels.


----------



## mjavate (Mar 21, 2021)

So many nice setups, inspires me to re-org my stack.  It's conveniently set up with my WFH desk at the moment.

AGD R2R-1 DAC & DFR -> AGD NFB-1AMP.
NFB-1AMP -> pre-out-> EC ZDT Jr.

This chain allows me to pipe audio from the 2 sources to the ZDT without recabling.


----------



## Dionysus




----------



## Alboxhen




----------



## Chris Kaoss

Alboxhen said:


>


Doesn't look "Clear". ^^


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Chris Kaoss said:


> Doesn't look "Clear". ^^


Your eyes probably didn't focal


----------



## Chris Kaoss

gimmeheadroom said:


> Your eyes probably didn't focal


Hahaha.

You're right.


----------



## Orlok (Mar 23, 2021)

Newbie here and this is my current setup. Will be adding the AB-1266 TC soon to this rig and this headphone will naturally force the addition of other components in the future. Eyeing the ZMF Vérité Open or Closed headphone as well but they will have to wait while I pay off everything I have!


----------



## RONJA MESCO

mjavate said:


> So many nice setups, inspires me to re-org my stack.  It's conveniently set up with my WFH desk at the moment.
> 
> AGD R2R-1 DAC & DFR -> AGD NFB-1AMP.
> NFB-1AMP -> pre-out-> EC ZDT Jr.
> ...


Man, good to see another Audio-gd junkie in the house.


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Mar 22, 2021)

Here's where the magic happens...


----------



## mjavate

RONJA MESCO said:


> Man, good to see another Audio-gd junkie in the house.


Yes! I really like the plethora of I/O options on the NFB1Amp.


----------



## mjavate

RONJA MESCO said:


> Here's where the magic happens...


I understand AGD has been around for years, along with some history (both good and bad)...  I'm super late as I first heard about them last year when I came across the Fun model.


----------



## RONJA MESCO (Mar 22, 2021)

mjavate said:


> Yes! I really like the plethora of I/O options on the NFB1Amp.


Exactly...alot more than you would expect...it makes it so versatile in a system. And you're right, depending on who you talk to , you can get a myriad of viewpoints. I only got into them during the lockdown after looking at em for two years, so I am a new to em like you. For me, I also like the utilitarian look to em as well as the sound of them....and in spending the past year fiddling with this set up, I have it to a point where it sounds amazing for the space.


----------



## Wes S (Mar 22, 2021)

Finally playing with the big boys.  My new system, and I am loving it!


Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 > ZMF Atticus & Aeolus


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 22, 2021)

Wes S said:


> Finally playing with the big boys.  My new system, and I am loving it!
> 
> 
> Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 > ZMF Atticus & Aeolus


It was not that long ago that the shelf looked a little bare...A-1 gear now!...from the mains to the brains....PS, playing with the bad boys (the back of the bus type)....


----------



## kumar402

Wes S said:


> Finally playing with the big boys.  My new system, and I am loving it!
> 
> 
> Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 > ZMF Atticus & Aeolus


Wow complete change...


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> Finally playing with the big boys.  My new system, and I am loving it!
> 
> 
> Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 > ZMF Atticus & Aeolus


Killer!
Congrats


----------



## Wes S

Thank fellas!  I am in heaven and loving it.


----------



## UntilThen

Wes S said:


> Thank fellas!  I am in heaven and loving it.


No he call you a killer and he call me amp mafia.


----------



## 529128




----------



## UntilThen

For the 1st time, I'm not looking at the headphones. I'm looking at the scenery beyond the window !


----------



## 529128

UntilThen said:


> For the 1st time, I'm not looking at the headphones. I'm looking at the scenery beyond the window !


Thanks. Yes, I managed to reserve the best spot in the house for my corona workstation  Danish farmland. We have rabbits, deer, pheasants, birds of prey, foxes crossing the fields outside our garden. Very privileged to have this view.


----------



## arftech

henrikgadegaard said:


> Thanks. Yes, I managed to reserve the best spot in the house for my corona workstation  Danish farmland. We have rabbits, deer, pheasants, birds of prey, foxes crossing the fields outside our garden. Very privileged to have this view.


You’re living the good life with nature with all of that it entails.💯


----------



## 529128

arftech said:


> You’re living the good life with nature with all of that it entails.💯


----------



## UntilThen

henrikgadegaard said:


> Thanks. Yes, I managed to reserve the best spot in the house for my corona workstation  Danish farmland. We have rabbits, deer, pheasants, birds of prey, foxes crossing the fields outside our garden. Very privileged to have this view.



Well I have to take a picture of my view. We have kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian tigers, dinosaurs.... 

There... how do you get a 'hole in one' when the kangaroos are in your path?


----------



## 529128

UntilThen said:


> Well I have to take a picture of my view. We have kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian tigers, dinosaurs....


Wow! Amazing.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> For the 1st time, I'm not looking at the headphones. I'm looking at the scenery beyond the window !


You need to get to the doctor.  Probably curable if you address it early enough.


----------



## gefski

UntilThen said:


> Well I have to take a picture of my view. We have kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian tigers, dinosaurs....
> 
> There... how do you get a 'hole in one' when the kangaroos are in your path?


I don’t see Dino...


----------



## Preachy1

henrikgadegaard said:


>


Lovely!  Were you around for this show?  

https://glidemagazine.com/81306/gra...de-of-copenhagen-with-the-aarhus-blues-again/


----------



## CJG888

gefski said:


> I don’t see Dino...


The unicorns obviously ate them all...😂


----------



## kumar402

henrikgadegaard said:


>


Wow with that much open space you can really crank up speakers.....get away from headphones


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> You need to get to the doctor.  Probably curable if you address it early enough.



Damm this thread exploded because of you Bill. I've 17 notifications this morning !!!



gefski said:


> I don’t see Dino...



Like me, you've to see a doctor too... what Bill said.


----------



## carboncopy

Nightlife


----------



## JL Pettimore

Orlok said:


> Newbie here and this is my current setup. Will be adding the AB-1266 TC soon to this rig and this headphone will naturally force the addition of other components in the future. Eyeing the ZMF Vérité Open or Closed headphone as well but they will have to wait while I pay off everything I have!



Man, there is an awful lot going on in these photos and you have it all arranged so it looks good. Really nice hardware and great look to this room, overall. Everywhere I look there are things I covet. Love the bass traps in the corners and wall treatments. Nice spread.


----------



## VladYR

Ciggavelli said:


> I don't know where to put this, but I'm very proud of my collection of headphone adapters
> 
> 
> A. 4-pin XLR to 6.35
> ...


That’s an awesome collection indeed! Where did you get the C? I’ve been looking for something like this for a while without any luck.


----------



## John Massaria (Mar 23, 2021)

Gjallarhorn GH 50 JM Edition LIMITED Stabilized w/custom wood box​


----------



## Ciggavelli

VladYR said:


> That’s an awesome collection indeed! Where did you get the C? I’ve been looking for something like this for a while without any luck.


Thanks!  I got it from AffinityAdapters on eBay.  His name is Sean, and he makes very high quality adapters.  I see his work mentioned by other head-fi members a lot too.  If his store doesn't have an adapter you want made, you can email him, and he'll make the custom order.  I have bought several adapters from him that were not listed.  It looks like he has the adapter you want avaliable at the moment though:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Pin-Bala...799012?hash=item2ad1c24fe4:g:y4IAAOSwjqVZMutQ


----------



## VladYR

Ciggavelli said:


> Thanks!  I got it from AffinityAdapters on eBay.  His name is Sean, and he makes very high quality adapters.  I see his work mentioned by other head-fi members a lot too.  If his store doesn't have an adapter you want made, you can email him, and he'll make the custom order.  I have bought several adapters from him that were not listed.  It looks like he has the adapter you want avaliable at the moment though:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Pin-Bala...799012?hash=item2ad1c24fe4:g:y4IAAOSwjqVZMutQ


Thanks a lot. This is perfect and at the price I was looking for.


----------



## Orlok

RONJA MESCO said:


> Here's where the magic happens...





JL Pettimore said:


> Man, there is an awful lot going on in these photos and you have it all arranged so it looks good. Really nice hardware and great look to this room, overall. Everywhere I look there are things I covet. Love the bass traps in the corners and wall treatments. Nice spread.


Thanks. Yes, I'm somewhat of a minimalist who hates clutter so I always consider the layout and ergonomics of using things very carefully. I'm sure more stuff will get added as time goes by but I'm confident that I'll be able to maintain the overall neat and organized look. The bass traps and wall treatments definitely help for speaker listening but I like it in general to make the room sound cozy and quiet for conversations as well.


----------



## SoLame

VladYR said:


> Thanks a lot. This is perfect and at the price I was looking for.


Sorry to interrupt...FYI, Plussound Audio, based in Los Angeles also can make adapters like that. I got them to make a few adapters for me.


----------



## UntilThen

SoLame said:


> Sorry to interrupt...FYI, Plussound Audio, based in Los Angeles also can make adapters like that. I got them to make a few adapters for me.



Thanks. Love these. At least attention is taken away from my kangaroo photo, which has 101 likes now.


----------



## bcowen (Mar 23, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> Thanks. Love these. At least attention is taken away from my kangaroo photo, which has 101 likes now.


Psssssst.....it's not the kangaroos. It's the 45 degree house in the background.  Perhaps it's just settling its way down under?


----------



## RONJA MESCO

Orlok said:


> Thanks. Yes, I'm somewhat of a minimalist who hates clutter so I always consider the layout and ergonomics of using things very carefully. I'm sure more stuff will get added as time goes by but I'm confident that I'll be able to maintain the overall neat and organized look. The bass traps and wall treatments definitely help for speaker listening but I like it in general to make the room sound cozy and quiet for conversations as well.


I agree... Good set up.


----------



## Leonarfd

Cheap little work rig, with my trusty old Sandisk Sansa.


----------



## 529128

Preachy1 said:


> Lovely! Were you around for this show?


No, unfortunately not. Would have loved to.



kumar402 said:


> Wow with that much open space you can really crank up speakers.....get away from headphones


Yes. Problem isn't space outside the house but my girlfriend. Maybe she could move outside and then I could build a massive speaker setup.


----------



## ThanatosVI (Mar 24, 2021)

Turns out the Super Black Box is no bad place for a headphone stand


----------



## Toddy

After more than one year exclusively in the home office I treated myself to a dedicated system for it. After all, it will take at least another half a year for me to see the real office again. And even then I'll work from home at least twice a week.

(Balanced cable for HD700 already on order. For HD650 as well  )


----------



## UntilThen

US Masters setup as recommended by @bcowen.


----------



## UntilThen

Never had a better time than the KT77 amp powering HE1000 v2 and He6se v2. Didn't feel like returning these gear.  That KT77 amp puts out 12w in UL mode and about 8w in triode mode. Enough to spin these HiFimans at a leisurely pace with lots of power to spare. Sound is so spacious and airy and bass has a good whack.


----------



## UntilThen

Yesterday was with 300b amp.


----------



## Frasiercranium

Moving in to my new man cave.


----------



## whirlwind

Frasiercranium said:


> Moving in to my new man cave.


Congrats...I enjoy my listening room the most of all rooms in the house....except maybe the kitchen   
Enjoy the music.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Frasiercranium said:


> Moving in to my new man cave.


That looks extraordinarily comfortable


----------



## bcowen

Frasiercranium said:


> Moving in to my new man cave.


Nice!!!   My only man cave is in the crawlspace under the house, but I only bump my head occasionally on the floor joists now that I've gotten used to it.


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## John Massaria (Mar 26, 2021)




----------



## Shane D

My last piece came in, an RCA switcher. This is my living room system for the foreseeable future:


All four amps now have access to the Schiit Loki, if so inclined.


----------



## Orlok

I posted pics of my home office / music room man cave but thought I'd add the mobile setups since they get plenty of my daily ear time as well.

On top of this list is the Audeze LCDi4 for my daily 5-mile hikes through the neighborhood hills and trails. For being alone with nature, music and great expansive sound, this little wonder just can’t be beat.




And here’s my car system: the JH Audio Layla CIEM driven by Chord Mojo. I can’t imagine anything better for the car. It makes the normally stressful commutes around SoCal so much more tolerable and actually quite enjoyable.





And, finally, my pandemic-furloughed trio of the Sennheiser MTW for the gym (weightlifting and racquetball), Sony WH-1000XM3 for business travel, and a waterproofed iPod shuffle and Underwater Audio waterproof earbuds for lap swimming. I have to admit that I miss using them but mainly I miss these activities that had to be abruptly abandoned a little over a year ago.


----------



## Frasiercranium

ThanatosVI said:


> That looks extraordinarily comfortable


Yes it really is quite nice!


----------



## Frasiercranium

bcowen said:


> Nice!!!   My only man cave is in the crawlspace under the house, but I only bump my head occasionally on the floor joists now that I've gotten used to it.


Before me and my wife moved here we lived in a much smaller house where my listening space was in the laundry room. When i stretched my legs out my feet were inside the washing machine! I wish I had taken a photo for comparison^_^


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


>


I appreciate that the Italian headphone is on a goblet....vita bella...


----------



## CJG888

Orlok said:


> I posted pics of my home office / music room man cave but thought I'd add the mobile setups since they get plenty of my daily ear time as well.
> 
> On top of this list is the Audeze LCDi4 for my daily 5-mile hikes through the neighborhood hills and trails. For being alone with nature, music and great expansive sound, this little wonder just can’t be beat.
> 
> ...



I don’t want to sound preachy, but I would seriously advise against wearing CIEMs whilst driving.

Here in Germany it’s very illegal.


----------



## Orlok (Mar 26, 2021)

CJG888 said:


> I don’t want to sound preachy, but I would seriously advise against wearing CIEMs whilst driving.
> 
> Here in Germany it’s very illegal.


Yes, not the safest driving practice but I only use it for long freeway drives through routes I'm very familiar with. Over here, it's quite common and you see drivers with the familiar AirPods sticking out of their ears all the time. It's not legal here either per se, but they don't really crack down on it here. It is legal to have one ear with a Bluetooth ear bud for phone usage so, if people see a cop, they just take the other one out.


----------



## RickB

Orlok said:


> Yes, not the safest driving practice but I only use it for long freeway drives through routes I'm very familiar with. Over here, it's quite common and you see drivers with the familiar AirPods sticking out of their ears all the time. It's not legal here either per se, but they don't really crack down on it here. It is legal to have one ear with a Bluetooth ear bud for phone usage so, if people see a cop, they just the other one out.


I think I remember reading about TWS earphones that were designed for use in motorcycle helmets...


----------



## Ciggavelli

RickB said:


> I think I remember reading about TWS earphones that were designed for use in motorcycle helmets...


I’m not gonna lie, I’ve definitely used IEMs under my helmet when riding a motorcycle. Not safe, but deaf people can drive without hearing outside sounds though, right?


----------



## Zachik

CJG888 said:


> I don’t want to sound preachy, but I would seriously advise against wearing CIEMs whilst driving.
> 
> Here in Germany it’s very illegal.





Orlok said:


> Yes, not the safest driving practice but I only use it for long freeway drives through routes I'm very familiar with. Over here, it's quite common and you see drivers with the familiar AirPods sticking out of their ears all the time. It's not legal here either per se, but they don't really crack down on it here. It is legal to have one ear with a Bluetooth ear bud for phone usage so, if people see a cop, they just take the other one out.



@CJG888 - in SoCal (South California), CIEMs in your ears while driving is the *least *of your concerns...


----------



## ruinedx




----------



## banda

CJG888 said:


> I don’t want to sound preachy, but I would seriously advise against wearing CIEMs whilst driving.
> 
> Here in Germany it’s very illegal.


Preach it.


----------



## Orlok

Zachik said:


> @CJG888 - in SoCal (South California), CIEMs in your ears while driving is the *least *of your concerns...


Yeah, what is infuriating is seeing people still holding their phones next to their ears to talk or texting when they are stuck in traffic or while waiting out a red light.


----------



## kman1211 (Mar 26, 2021)

Some changes. In the process of getting new gear both headphone and computer (new keyboard and mouse), selling old stuff off, trimming down, and reorganization. Need to get a new desk sometime.


----------



## MSA1133




----------



## Gavin C4 (Mar 27, 2021)

After fiddling with all the equipment over the past year, I have finally settled with the current combination that I can finally lay-back and listen to music without thinking about the equipment in front anymore. To be honest, it is a really expensive hobby. However, this is all about aiming for the euphonic sound that you like and sometimes stretching your budget a bit. At the end of the day when the music is putting a smile on your face, you will realize that it is totally worth it.

PS Cost does not equal quality, I do have an HD6XX and THX 789 that I keep going to as a reference and for simple enjoyment casual listening that I enjoy just as much.


----------



## carboncopy

Spring is coming


----------



## Audi5000




----------



## Toddy

CJG888 said:


> Here in Germany it’s very illegal.


Actually it is not. At least not per se. You are not allowed to totally block out external sound like ambulance sirens etc. (also by loud car stereo systems), but wearing phones of any kind is not illegal in itself.


----------



## bvhme

I love how these look like they've come straight out of Blade Runner.


----------



## CJG888

Toddy said:


> Actually it is not. At least not per se. You are not allowed to totally block out external sound like ambulance sirens etc. (also by loud car stereo systems), but wearing phones of any kind is not illegal in itself.


CIEMs will block out all external sound (ambulance sirens, police cars, screaming pedestrians etc.).


----------



## Deolum

carboncopy said:


> Spring is coming


What is that thing?


----------



## nordkapp

Deolum said:


> What is that thing?


Nuclear reactor....


----------



## ThanatosVI

Deolum said:


> What is that thing?


The living room heater


----------



## Zachik

Deolum said:


> What is that thing?


Fancy mirror?


----------



## RickB

Deolum said:


> What is that thing?


http://aries-cerat.eu/products/da-converters/helene-dac


----------



## CaptainFantastic

RickB said:


> http://aries-cerat.eu/products/da-converters/helene-dac



From the website you linked:  " The Helene is our newest and smallest d/a converter coming out of our labs. " That is their smallest!?!


----------



## Deolum

CaptainFantastic said:


> From the website you linked:  " The Helene is our newest and smallest d/a converter coming out of our labs. " That is their smallest!?!


I thought i've seen it all in this hobby but this takes it to another level.

Their flagship dac costs 140k and weights 140kg. They must be trolling.


----------



## carboncopy

Deolum said:


> I thought i've seen it all in this hobby but this takes it to another level.
> 
> Their flagship dac costs 140k and weights 140kg. They must be trolling.


well..size and weight is not really a factor for them for sure. They have other priorities.

To have some context I bought the Heléne after home test/comparsion with the DAVE (as a DAC) and the Aqua LaScala. For me the difference was big enough...


----------



## bcowen

Deolum said:


> I thought i've seen it all in this hobby but this takes it to another level.
> 
> Their flagship dac costs 140k and weights 140kg. They must be trolling.



The flagship comes with a free forklift, so you have to factor that in.


----------



## Pharmaboy

John Massaria said:


> Gjallarhorn GH 50 JM Edition LIMITED Stabilized w/custom wood box​


Spectacular headphone! I love that cable--where'd it come from?


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> The flagship comes with a free forklift, so you have to factor that in.


I hear you can convert the forklift into a golf cart...


----------



## nordkapp

carboncopy said:


> well..size and weight is not really a factor for them for sure. They have other priorities.
> 
> To have some context I bought the Heléne after home test/comparsion with the DAVE (as a DAC) and the Aqua LaScala. For me the difference was big enough...


All kidding aside, wow.....very impressive piece of kit. I am sure it sounds lovely. Congrats!


----------



## John Massaria

88lbs


Pharmaboy said:


> Spectacular headphone! I love that cable--where'd it come from?


thanks man- I guess I should have requested a different color cable but... I didnt think of it until I looked at pictures... the Cable is Kennerton CLC-02/03 https://kennerton.org/shop/clc-03/


----------



## John Massaria (Mar 28, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> Spectacular headphone! I love that cable--where'd it come from?





I actually helped tune this model called the GH50 JM Edition- I should also mention this color was also a custom request (I think anyone could ask for directly) - read more here https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ke...d-generation-horn-graphine-closed-back.24769/


----------



## herretiko

Starter pack


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> I hear you can convert the forklift into a golf cart...


Is it waterproof?  That would be a big bonus....for me.


----------



## snailmeat

The Liquid Platinum looks really out of place now.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Mar 29, 2021)

Edit:


----------



## Gavin C4

herretiko said:


> Starter pack




Nice choice on the Audeze, the are little warm in the signature that makes them really suitable for long term listening!　
Really like the stealth-back theme, You might went to search for a steal black amp / dac or combo next !


----------



## SuperBurrito

Gavin C4 said:


> After fiddling with all the equipment over the past year, I have finally settled with the current combination that I can finally lay-back and listen to music without thinking about the equipment in front anymore. To be honest, it is a really expensive hobby.


Gavin, What headphone cables are those?  Wondering since I have the same setup as you - Rossini / Luxman / Utopia.  Thanks


----------



## Gavin C4 (Mar 29, 2021)

SuperBurrito said:


> Gavin, What headphone cables are those?  Wondering since I have the same setup as you - Rossini / Luxman / Utopia.  Thanks





Spoiler: Snake Oil Alert [Cables] 



They are norne audio Silver Garde S4. However, you should try to get a demo before selecting the headphone cable. Utopia may sound metallic or a bit bright or slightly thin depending on the system if you use a silver-based cable. I was also searching for an alternative cable for the utopia a while ago, and looking at copper-based cable from Taralabs for a warmer tonality shift or cables from Siltech Cables from the uber-expensive Hi-Fi world that is either silver-based or gold-silver alloy, but decided to stop and start enjoying the music before jumping into another rabbit hole.


----------



## SuperBurrito

Gavin C4 said:


> Spoiler: Snake Oil Alert [Cables]
> 
> 
> 
> They are norne audio Silver Garde S4. However, you should try to get a demo before selecting the headphone cable. Utopia may sound metallic or a bit bright or slightly thin depending on the system if you use a silver-based cable. I was also searching for an alternative cable for the utopia a while ago, and looking at copper-based cable for a warmer tonality shift or cables from Siltech Cables from the uber-expensive Hi-Fi world that is either silver-based or gold-silver alloy, but decided to stop and start enjoying the music before jumping into another rabbit hole.


Thanks for letting me know.  I'm interested in trying the Danacables https://audiobacon.net/2017/03/22/danacable-lazuli-reference-headphone-cable-for-the-focal-utopia/ .  I have the Nordost Heimdall 2 cables but they definitely don't warm up the tonality of the Utopia. 
I'll decide on Utopia cables after my Abyss Phi TCs arrive - hopefully any day now.


----------



## Terriero

Gavin C4 said:


> Spoiler: Snake Oil Alert [Cables]
> 
> 
> 
> They are norne audio Silver Garde S4. However, you should try to get a demo before selecting the headphone cable. Utopia may sound metallic or a bit bright or slightly thin depending on the system if you use a silver-based cable. I was also searching for an alternative cable for the utopia a while ago, and looking at copper-based cable for a warmer tonality shift or cables from Siltech Cables from the uber-expensive Hi-Fi world that is either silver-based or gold-silver alloy, but decided to stop and start enjoying the music before jumping into another rabbit hole.


I love that "snake oil" alert, should be mandatory in the forum


----------



## LoryWiv

Gavin C4 said:


> Spoiler: Snake Oil Alert [Cables]
> 
> 
> 
> They are norne audio Silver Garde S4. However, you should try to get a demo before selecting the headphone cable. Utopia may sound metallic or a bit bright or slightly thin depending on the system if you use a silver-based cable. I was also searching for an alternative cable for the utopia a while ago, and looking at copper-based cable for a warmer tonality shift or cables from Siltech Cables from the uber-expensive Hi-Fi world that is either silver-based or gold-silver alloy, but decided to stop and start enjoying the music before jumping into another rabbit hole.


Just a word of support for Norne Silvergarde: I have the S3 version and just as Trevor at Norne promised, they are not bbright as one typically associates with silver. I love mine, Build, ergonomics and sound are top-notch.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Terriero said:


> I love that "snake oil" alert, should be mandatory in the forum


So you mean basically every post should be with a snake oil flag?


----------



## bcowen

ThanatosVI said:


> So you mean basically every post should be with a snake oil flag?


LOL!  No, only the posts by @UntilThen .  Except that should perhaps be kangaroo oil....I forget.


----------



## elvergun

carboncopy said:


> well..size and weight is not really a factor for them for sure. They have other priorities.
> 
> To have some context I bought the Heléne after home test/comparsion with the DAVE (as a DAC) and the Aqua LaScala. For me the difference was big enough...



You think you are clever now, huh?   Wait until the Hungarian authorities come knocking at your door to investigate the strange power drain on Eastern Europe's power grid...which seems to be emanating from your house.


----------



## piglet

Frasiercranium said:


> Moving in to my new man cave.


I love the simplicity of this setup. For me this is one great thing about audio these days, it can be so simple and practical while sounding very good indeed.


----------



## Dogmatrix

bcowen said:


> LOL!  No, only the posts by @UntilThen .  Except that should perhaps be kangaroo oil....I forget.


Goanna oil is the correct Australian vernacular . Kangaroos are not particularly oily


----------



## jonathan c

Dogmatrix said:


> Goanna oil is the correct Australian vernacular . Kangaroos are not particularly oily


To be liberally applied after moving @carboncopy’s Helene DAC?....


----------



## UntilThen

Kangaroo oil is patented !!!! Good for everything.


----------



## hodgjy

After breaking up for a while, the band is back together. Gungnir multibit driving the Trafomatic Head One and the Modius driving the Teac HA-501.


----------



## herretiko

Gavin C4 said:


> Nice choice on the Audeze, the are little warm in the signature that makes them really suitable for long term listening!
> Really like the stealth-back theme, You might went to search for a steal black amp / dac or combo next !



I have my eyes (while my wallet gently weeps) on some stuff which will stay stealthy.


----------



## eliben85

Took a while but I finally have a setup I'm proud to show off 


Xonar STX feeding the Objective 2 which I use for headphones. Amiron home, phillips X2HR and the HD800's
Focusrite solo feeding the T5V monitors


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Deolum said:


> I thought i've seen it all in this hobby but this takes it to another level.
> 
> Their flagship dac costs 140k and weights 140kg. They must be trolling.


Why trolling? That's only a thousand euros/Kg. Where else are you going to be able to find that kind of value? Music by the pound! 



bcowen said:


> The flagship comes with a free forklift, so you have to factor that in.


Pallets?! Aaahahahahhaha! We don't need no steenkin' pallets


----------



## Curtisvill

New A&K SP2000, 64 Audio Tia via 64 Audio Premium Silver cable, and Effect Audio balanced adapter. The sound is absolutely sublime.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Curtisvill said:


> New A&K SP2000, 64 Audio Tia via 64 Audio Premium Silver cable, and Effect Audio balanced adapter. The sound is absolutely sublime.


What does the Effect Audio balance Adapter actually do?


----------



## Curtisvill

ThanatosVI said:


> What does the Effect Audio balance Adapter actually do?


It uses both the 2.5 mm TRS balanced out and 3.5 mm output so that I can use a 4.4 mm TRS terminated cable.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Curtisvill said:


> It uses both the 2.5 mm TRS balanced out and 3.5 mm output so that I can use a 4.4 mm TRS terminated cable.


Thanks for clarifying


----------



## ivanrocks321 (Apr 1, 2021)

ivanrocks321 said:


> New additions over a last few months for headphones only I got more day and amps on the way next week.
> 
> Recent additions over last 2.5months: ATH-L3000, ATH-W11R, HE6SEv2, PMB100, Jecklin Model 1, NAD RP18


Added a few more stuff this time the electronics side: cherry STM mk2, corsonus kodachi plus, Firstwatt F1J, triode TVR A300SE, matrix audio mini i pro 3. And a pair of diy frugal horn mk3


----------



## stasprof

snailmeat said:


> The Liquid Platinum looks really out of place now.


these DNA amps are really beautiful! Keep seeing them in the systems of +$10k rage.


----------



## stasprof

ivanrocks321 said:


> Added a few more stuff this time the electronics side: cheery STM mk2, corsonus kodachi plus, Firstwatt F1J, triode TVR A300SE, matrix audio mini i pro 3. And a pair of diy frugal horn mk3


Nice! Love the well-thought through electronics selection paired with a beautiful DIY speakers.


----------



## stasprof

hodgjy said:


> After breaking up for a while, the band is back together. Gungnir multibit driving the Trafomatic Head One and the Modius driving the Teac HA-501.


Europe, US, Japan - all sound schools/signatures in one pic =)


----------



## stasprof

carboncopy said:


> well..size and weight is not really a factor for them for sure. They have other priorities.
> 
> To have some context I bought the Heléne after home test/comparsion with the DAVE (as a DAC) and the Aqua LaScala. For me the difference was big enough...


Love Pathos amps! So Heléne is taking over Dave's duties?


----------



## stasprof

xtiva said:


> Latest addition to my Audio collection.  It is Custom made Tube amp by fellow called, Eric Mcchanson in Sydney Australia.
> 
> Ultra Linear ( UL) about 12W / SET ( Single End Triode) switchable, with 2-stage driving, integrated, point to point soldering
> 
> It uses KT77 as Power tube, 6EM7 as pre amp and for rectifier, Mullard GZ34 DD getter f33 NOS tube.


the amp looks very well built! Love the DIY (or done-to-order) electronics - they provide greater value compared to big name brands. The only downside is the resale option if you wish to upgrade in the future.


----------



## stasprof

L0rdGwyn said:


> Finished a new amp build, am I lame for still loving the HD650?  I guess I spend all my money on DIY, I have the Auteur too but the HD650 flies high with a proper tube amp.  Here are the high-level highlights on this one.
> 
> -GEC U18/20 tube-rectified passive CLCLCRC power supply featuring Lundahl chokes, Clarity Caps
> -CCS loaded MH4 / REN904 / AC/HL gain stage with 4V DC heater regulator
> ...


oh wow! beautiful amp! I've used these 4-pole ClarityCaps in my recent SET amp upgrade project. They added very noticeable improvement in dynamics with my 95dB efficiency speakers.


----------



## Joeyjoe26




----------



## OceanRanger

Joeyjoe26 said:


>


Wow, that looks awesome! When I see multiple amps I get curious about the way that things are setup. How do you juggle sources and DACs across your amps?


----------



## Joeyjoe26

OceanRanger said:


> Wow, that looks awesome! When I see multiple amps I get curious about the way that things are setup. How do you juggle sources and DACs across your amps?



Thanks! 

I use this Japanese made input/output selector

https://www.orb-audio.jp/english/lsx0i.html

Have one for rca and one for xlr. So output from dac into each of these boxes then into 3 diff amps each 

these are really well made and I honestly cannot hear any degradation of sound (though I am sure many would argue against this!)


----------



## stasprof

Joeyjoe26 said:


>


Some serious stacks! And stacks on top of the stacks (SOtMs..)! How does the Almarro holds itself against other amps you have here? I love mine, but always curious what others experience/like/dislike about this wonderful Japanese SET.


----------



## Chefguru




----------



## dnd3241 (Apr 1, 2021)

Update my gears....


----------



## gimmeheadroom

How do you like your Eikons? They're pretty close to the top of my must-buy list. What wood is that? It doesn't look like the light camphor that most of them seem to be made from.


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Handsome desk! Looks like it must have some history


----------



## vmiguel (Apr 1, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Handsome desk! Looks like it must have some history


Thanks! Got it from my grandfather, it's a complete office set: one bookshelf with glass doors, 2 visitor chairs and an armchair. I believe it's in the family for over 150 years.

Bonus pic: an old tavern table, wood with a marble top, where I keep the headphones:




PS: yes, it needs maintenance and some dusting...


----------



## OspreyAndy (Apr 2, 2021)

As good as a man cave I could muster for the last 1 year since this Covid thingy.....WFH/Audio/Gaming all in one area


----------



## dnd3241

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you like your Eikons? They're pretty close to the top of my must-buy list. What wood is that? It doesn't look like the light camphor that most of them seem to be made from.


This is a Cocobolo version the hardest wood material in ZMF series, good punch warm vocal, the sound stage is wider than I expect, perfect insulation, the down side is very heavy .


----------



## JES

vmiguel said:


>


Cool monitor stand ... is that a rock on the right?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

JES said:


> Cool monitor stand ... is that a rock on the right?


Rock on, Dude!


----------



## vmiguel

JES said:


> Cool monitor stand ... is that a rock on the right?


The monitor stand is from Ikea. And yes, it's a painted rock, a gift from my son, some 15 years ago. It's my paperweight since then.


----------



## Pharmaboy

dnd3241 said:


> Update my gears....



DAMN!!! I nearly went blind looking at all this glamorous audio jewelry.


----------



## xtiva

stasprof said:


> the amp looks very well built! Love the DIY (or done-to-order) electronics - they provide greater value compared to big name brands. The only downside is the resale option if you wish to upgrade in the future.



yeah very true about resale.... for now it is keeper so all is good but yeah probably lucky to get 50% of the price i paid...


----------



## OceanRanger

Pharmaboy said:


> DAMN!!! I nearly went blind looking at all this glamorous audio jewelry.
> 
> 
> dnd3241 said:
> ...


----------



## SoLame

dnd3241 said:


>


levitating rack...where to find one?


----------



## dnd3241

SoLame said:


> levitating rack...where to find one?


DIY unit !


----------



## BobG55 (Apr 3, 2021)

_SPL Phonitor SE > Teac PD-H600 > Schiit Loki+ Mini EQ > Sennheiser HD650_


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## bcaulf17

please delete!


----------



## bcaulf17




----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## bcowen

Gavin C4 said:


>


Nice!  But you got me....what does the gauge in the bottom right corner represent?


----------



## Gavin C4 (Apr 3, 2021)

bcowen said:


> Nice!  But you got me....what does the gauge in the bottom right corner represent?



It is a humid control cabinet that I use for storing camera gear and also headphones. These high end headphones are precious gear, I store them with care. We should all keep our headphones in a good condition. To prevent dust and humid


----------



## jonathan c

Gavin C4 said:


> It is a humid control cabinet that I use for storing camera gear and also headphones. These high end headphones are precious gear, I store them with care. We should all keep our headphones in a good condition. To prevent dust and humid


I assume that GE tubes would not qualify as “precious gear”......(maybe specious gear)...


----------



## Lucky87 (Apr 4, 2021)

as of today


----------



## Orlok

As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.





















I have to say that I'm lost in the Abyss right now.


----------



## kumar402

Orlok said:


> As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice working and enjoyment desk you have. Not really Chord sound Fanboy but I do like those colored marbles


----------



## nordkapp

Orlok said:


> As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow! What an office!


----------



## NovaFlyer

Orlok said:


> As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very nice!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Orlok said:


> As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You do realize that you're hopelessly outclassing the rest of us with your perfectly put-together system & listening environment, don't you?

_(Pharmaboy staring blankly at his home office/desktop audio squalor)_


----------



## 425455




----------



## ThanatosVI

drlorks said:


>


Sweet T+A Ha200


----------



## 425455

ThanatosVI said:


> Sweet T+A Ha200


Yeah. I'm pleased with how it fitted in with the mess of my desk.

Adds some refinement I think


----------



## Orlok

Pharmaboy said:


> You do realize that you're hopelessly outclassing the rest of us with your perfectly put-together system & listening environment, don't you?
> 
> _(Pharmaboy staring blankly at his home office/desktop audio squalor)_


Haha, thanks, but I don't think so. I see some rigs that people have here and they seem totally out of reach to me. I'm a mere mortal.   Obviously, I did put a lot of thought into building my system step by step over a few years. The furniture I have here is really cheap - $50 kinds of stuff from Amazon and the main desk is something my wife bought at a yard sale many years ago. As for the audio system, I assembled as I added one thing at a time. I guess my experience from putting together a system comes from having built guitar rigs for many years as a guitar player. What I'm going for is practicality, function, and ergonomics along with, of course, great sound quality.


----------



## DarginMahkum

drlorks said:


> Yeah. I'm pleased with how it fitted in with the mess of my desk.
> 
> Adds some refinement I think


An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.


----------



## bcowen

DarginMahkum said:


> An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.


Nice!  And bonus points for the cat.


----------



## BobG55 (Apr 4, 2021)

DarginMahkum said:


> An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.


You let your cat get that close to your computer “mouse“ ?😏


----------



## Joeyjoe26

stasprof said:


> Some serious stacks! And stacks on top of the stacks (SOtMs..)! How does the Almarro holds itself against other amps you have here? I love mine, but always curious what others experience/like/dislike about this wonderful Japanese SET.



It’s an amazing amp especially considering its modest price 

Have swapped in some decent tubes and am now considering upgrading the caps 

Sublime pairing with the abyss/he6/susvara and actually with the h800 too


----------



## ThanatosVI

DarginMahkum said:


> An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.


Cute cat


----------



## Terriero

DarginMahkum said:


> An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.


I think you need a bigger monitor  ... Maybe you bought that beast to have the equilateral triangle for your KRKs... But you have to sit so faaar away...


----------



## Terriero (Apr 5, 2021)

Orlok said:


> As of today with the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC joining the family yesterday. The 1266 TC is being driven by the Chord TToby power amp's speaker taps. The speaker jacks are connected to the RAAL interface box which has a rocker switch on the back and allows me to toggle between the XLR jack on the front for the SR1a and the speaker-thru in the back for the 1266 TC. I tried the TC through the Hugo TT2's front SE output, its XLR output and the TToby's speaker taps and there is no comparison. The TToby's speaker taps win by a huge margin to get the most out of the 1266 TC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When the man's cave is actually an entire room 

PS: I'm jealous, but just because my children only left me a 1,7 X 2,5 meter place.


----------



## DarginMahkum (Apr 5, 2021)

Terriero said:


> I think you need a bigger monitor  ... Maybe you bought that beast to have the equilateral triangle for your KRKs... But you have to sit so faaar away...


The KRKs are actually connected to my AxeFx III (very vaguely visible on the right bottom corner) and I used them mainly as FRFR speakers for guitar and bass amplifier simulation. And I do that mainly sitting on the sofa far away from my desk. Actually I am willing to sell them as I haven't been playing anything for a long time. Full time home office only made me a workaholic. 

For the monitor, I used to use two monitors but for someone developing software from morning to evening that curvature works very well ergonomically. The desk is a real studio desk with the additional tray I added for the keyboard and the mouse.

So, I built myself a man cave with everything a workaholic music loving software engineer needs.  And the cats (3) are part of that, too.


----------



## ThanatosVI

DarginMahkum said:


> The KRKs are actually connected to my AxeFx III (very vaguely visible on the right bottom corner) and I used them mainly as FRFR speakers for guitar and bass amplifier simulation. And I do that mainly by sitting on the sofa far away from my desk. Actually I am willing to sell them as I haven't been playing anything for a long time. Full time home office only made a workaholic.
> 
> For the monitor, I used to use two monitors but for someone developing software from morning to evening that curvature works very well ergonomically. The desk is a real studio desk with the additional tray I added for the keyboard and the mouse.
> 
> So, I built myself a man cave with everything a workaholic music loving software engineer needs.  And the cats (3) are part of that, too.


We need pictures of the 3 cats!


----------



## DarginMahkum

ThanatosVI said:


> We need pictures of the 3 cats!


Here you go.


----------



## ThanatosVI

DarginMahkum said:


> Here you go.


Aww so cute, lovely!


----------



## DarginMahkum

ThanatosVI said:


> Aww so cute, lovely!


Thank you!  But at the same time, I cannot leave any headphone, IEM or cable around. When I am done in the evening, everything has to go into a drawer or somewhere they cannot reach.


----------



## Audi5000

I know that feel. my cat loves the way braided cables texture under her claws. i learned the hard way


----------



## davidjus




----------



## ThanatosVI

DarginMahkum said:


> Thank you!  But at the same time, I cannot leave any headphone, IEM or cable around. When I am done in the evening, everything has to go into a drawer or somewhere they cannot reach.


I know the struggle, but the furballs are worth the extra effort.

Lost several cheap IEMs and work Headset cables to them.

Luckily they Show less interest in sleeved cables like my Silvergarde.


----------



## stasprof

Joeyjoe26 said:


> It’s an amazing amp especially considering its modest price
> 
> Have swapped in some decent tubes and am now considering upgrading the caps
> 
> Sublime pairing with the abyss/he6/susvara and actually with the h800 too


Those are wonderful headphones!

I recently re-built my 318B from the ground up, completely eliminating electrolytic caps in the PSU (now it is a mixture of film / film+oil by Clarity, ASC, and Mundorf), stepped attenuator as volume control, all resistors have been upgraded to Japanese AMRG and Charcrofts, KLIE RCA input sockets, Miflex + Duelund +Le Clanché signal caps, Kimber signal wire, silver plated wire in PSU, WE (Grant Fidelity) and Sophia Electric tubes.











Let me know if you have any questions on upgrading your Almarro, will be happy to help.



May I ask what kind of adapter do you use to connect the headphones? Are you plugging them right at the speaker terminals?

Thank you!


----------



## HBen (Apr 5, 2021)

Decided to have a nice listening evening today - mostly with planars this time ... here's what came in use 





... usually the headphones are in a shelf and not on top of the amp ... just put them shortly there for today's convenience


----------



## Pharmaboy

DarginMahkum said:


> An HA200 photo inside another HA200 photo.  My daily mess.



KITTY ON THE DESKTOP!! (priceless)


----------



## Pharmaboy

DarginMahkum said:


> Here you go.



You & these 3 cats just made my day!


----------



## dnd3241

HBen said:


> Decided to have a nice listening evening today - mostly with planars this time ... here's what came in use
> 
> 
> 
> ... usually the headphones are in a shelf and not on top of the amp ... just put them shortly there for today's convenience


That all my dream Cans !


----------



## ivanrocks321 (Apr 6, 2021)

ivanrocks321 said:


> Added a few more stuff this time the electronics side: cherry STM mk2, corsonus kodachi plus, Firstwatt F1J, triode TVR A300SE, matrix audio mini i pro 3. And a pair of diy frugal horn mk3


This will arrive in a few days. its not announced yet but ill be the first to try this wonderful electrostatic amp. The guy behind this a member who does DIY here and elsewhere as well. I guess this would be very early preview on how it looks.


----------



## ThanatosVI

ivanrocks321 said:


> This will arrive in a few days. its not announced yet but ill be the first to try this wonderful electrostatic amp. The guy behind this a member who does DIY here and elsewhere as well. I guess this would be very early preview on how it looks.


I don't have estats, but this is certainly  a pretty amp


----------



## Kukuk

The bass distorts like crazy at like 75dB: it's delightful.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Apr 6, 2021)

Music and a nice glass of alcohol, perfect match


----------



## Gavin C4 (Apr 6, 2021)

Unboxing a legendary DAC. DACs with built in streaming function through Ethernet is quite convenient because it eliminites a lot of problems. Such as fiddeling with raspberry pi systems or usb noises. Most importantly, everything is done within a single box.


----------



## Wes S

Current state (temporary) -  However, when my Pendant SE arrives there will be some rearranging, and shelving added. 

This is my hybrid amp Endgame setup, and really puts me "there".

Sonnet Hermes > Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 w/ Raytheon 7730 Long Plate D Getter tubes under the hood


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> Current state (temporary) -  However, when my Pendant SE arrives there will be some rearranging, and shelving added.
> 
> This is my hybrid amp Endgame setup, and really puts me "there".
> 
> Sonnet Hermes > Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5 w/ Raytheon 7730 Long Plate D Getter tubes under the hood


Those 7730's are absolutely horrible tubes.  Worse than GE's.  Worse even than Philips ECG's.  You should send those to me immediately so I can help you make your system sound better.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Haha.
Looks like @bcowen is on the hunt.


----------



## bcowen

Chris Kaoss said:


> Haha.
> Looks like @bcowen is on the hunt.


Just looking out for my fellow HeadFi brethren.  You know me...always wanting to help.  LOL!!!


----------



## Wes S

bcowen said:


> Those 7730's are absolutely horrible tubes.  Worse than GE's.  Worse even than Philips ECG's.  You should send those to me immediately so I can help you make your system sound better.


Sorry buddy,  I will be buried with both my pairs of 7730 Long Plate D-Getters!


----------



## RickB

Setup complete.


----------



## markel

This is my main headphone setup.  Not pictured here are my ZMF Verite Open’s and my Luxury & Precision P6 Pro, which also gets plugged directly into the Pendant SE.  The Hugo 2 is connected to a Pi 4 Roon Endpoint and the amp is a vintage Luxman for near field listening and I have a basic turntable set up.  The most important component is the Coach Leather sofa.  It is covered by quilts to provide protection from the dogs.


----------



## Audi5000

where is the 'love' button?


----------



## Wes S

markel said:


> This is my main headphone setup.  Not pictured here are my ZMF Verite Open’s and my Luxury & Precision P6 Pro, which also gets plugged directly into the Pendant SE.  The Hugo 2 is connected to a Pi 4 Roon Endpoint and the amp is a vintage Luxman for near field listening and I have a basic turntable set up.  The most important component is the Coach Leather sofa.  It is covered by quilts to provide protection from the dogs.


Cozy looking setup!  Killer looking wood grain on that Pendant SE too.  I hope mine looks that good.  I absolutely love me some Walnut Burl!


----------



## vmiguel




----------



## Wes S (Apr 7, 2021)

vmiguel said:


>


Love me some tube glow!  I like how you labeled stuff in your signature.


----------



## vmiguel

Wes S said:


> Love me some tube glow!  I like how you labeled stuff in your signature.


Thanks. 1.8sec handheld, hence the not so "perfect" photo, but I think it gives the proper mood.
Re. the sig, it was inspired by something I saw on a photo forum.


----------



## markel

Wes S said:


> Cozy looking setup!  Killer looking wood grain on that Pendant SE too.  I hope mine looks that good.  I absolutely love me some Walnut Burl!


I love the walnut burl on the Pendant SE. It goes well with the iron desertwood on the VO.


----------



## John Massaria




----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> Sorry buddy,  I will be buried with both my pairs of 7730 Long Plate D-Getters!


You have TWO pairs?  Hoarder.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Just looking out for my fellow HeadFi brethren.  You know me...always wanting to help.  LOL!!!


AND there is NO PayPal fee!...


----------



## banda

markel said:


> I love the walnut burl on the Pendant SE. It goes well with the iron desertwood on the VO.


Burlnut wal.


----------



## Giru (Apr 8, 2021)

DarginMahkum said:


> Here you go.


It seems that your ginger has a twin!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

There is a cat-fi thread fellas


----------



## Giru

gimmeheadroom said:


> There is a cat-fi thread fellas


Hehe...purrfect😅


----------



## Wes S

bcowen said:


> You have TWO pairs?  Hoarder.


No respectable tube roller/collector, would have only 1 pair of their favorite tube.  Honestly, I can't even enjoy a tube, if I don't have a backup for it, and knowing how these NOS tubes can go at any second, I've got to have backups for peace of mind. I did take this a little to far back in the day, and ended up with 14 pairs of Amperex USA 7308's, but have since sold them all, and come to my senses with currently having just 1 or 2 pairs of backups for all my favs.

Tube rolling 101 - Must have backups!


----------



## ThanatosVI

gimmeheadroom said:


> There is a cat-fi thread fellas


Cats fit into every thread (or cardbox ...)


----------



## Magicman74 (Apr 8, 2021)

Bedside Area,
Fed by the Marantz in my Sig, Or I just pop the Macbook down over there.


----------



## Magicman74

Oh Wait, almost forgot!


----------



## jasonb (Apr 8, 2021)

Has anyone else ever done a little setup like this? It's a JDS Labs ODAC plugged into a Schiit Magni Heresy, all inside of the center console of a loveseat. The USB cable will plug into either my iPad, Pixel 5, or a laptop and sit on top of the closed console while listening. I just moved into a studio apartment last week and came up with this simple solution this morning. I'm not one who is constantly adjusting the volume, so having the amp in there shouldn't be too inconvenient really, and the Heresy has always stayed pretty cool to the touch so heat won't be an issue either.


----------



## Preachy1

Audi5000 said:


> where is the 'love' button?


I can't believe no one commented on this one.  I need a few minutes to tune up first!!!!!!!


----------



## Audi5000

Preachy1 said:


> I can't believe no one commented on this one.  I need a few minutes to tune up first!!!!!!!


LOL... i found it on the second try.


----------



## markel

Audi5000 said:


> LOL... i found it on the second try.


There’s no “love” button, but there’s definitively a “sleep” button!!


----------



## Preachy1

Audi5000 said:


> LOL... i found it on the second try.


I think you may have missed my drift here.  on the other hand, if you did not, and you "found it" on the second try, congratulations!!!!   hehehe


----------



## Audi5000

running out of real estate... going to make a 7" fully adjustable shelf soon.. using wood and threaded rods, and well nuts.. and probably rubber feet.. debating lexan somewhere in between.. or a phone/tablet holder


----------



## Terriero

Audi5000 said:


> running out of real estate... going to make a 7" fully adjustable shelf soon.. using wood and threaded rods, and well nuts.. and probably rubber feet.. debating lexan somewhere in between.. or a phone/tablet holder


I would go crazy if I have a desk like this   I love to have it as clear as I can, and my children are always putting things on it...


gimmeheadroom said:


> There is a cat-fi thread fellas


Remember that cats also sound...


----------



## Audi5000

Terriero said:


> I would go crazy if I have a desk like this   I love to have it as clear as I can, and my children are always putting things on it...
> 
> Remember that cats also sound...


yeah,  my clean desk policy went out the window when I started dismantling old headphones and added the turntable..and 32" tv..  i have short cables on order... hopefully 1' of everything, and the shelf i'm going to build solves most of it.. the Tie's are just relaxing to straighten out.. .they were in my suitcase for 3 months.. lol


----------



## Ficcion2 (Apr 8, 2021)




----------



## jonathan c (Apr 8, 2021)

Started the music evening with the little giant. First time out for a pair of Sylvania / Raytheon branded 7N7s as drivers - behind them is the indomitable RCA 5U4G. Dynamic/expressive trio with PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing). As per the Duke (Ellington), “it don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing”...Really comes through with the Audeze LCD-X (not in picture, on my head). PS, could not do this without the great Woo adapters.


----------



## CJG888

+1 on Johnny Griffin!


----------



## donato

Here's what my setup is looking like today with the latest addition of the Cayin HA-300.  I also previously added a Viva Egoista 845 too.  La dolce vita.


----------



## Zachik

donato said:


> Here's what my setup is looking like today with the latest addition of the Cayin HA-300.  I also previously added a Viva Egoista 845 too.  La dolce vita.


Nice setup!
How do you like your Pass Labs HPA-1 amp? I love tube amps, and read somewhere that the HPA-1 sounds almost tube-like...


----------



## kuutan

Deciding which one to listen to while I do some art.


----------



## ThanatosVI

donato said:


> Here's what my setup is looking like today with the latest addition of the Cayin HA-300.  I also previously added a Viva Egoista 845 too.  La dolce vita.


Very nice looking forward to your impressions in the corresponding thread


----------



## TooFrank

ThanatosVI said:


> Cats fit into every thread (or cardbox ...)


You must be kitten....


----------



## donato

Zachik said:


> Nice setup!
> How do you like your Pass Labs HPA-1 amp? I love tube amps, and read somewhere that the HPA-1 sounds almost tube-like...



I love the HPA-1 and find it very musical.  Build quality is exceptional.  I had a Violectric V281 that I adored but after getting the HPA-1, i never went back to the V281.  For some, the fact that the HPA-1 is only single ended, is somewhat pricey and doesn't have the highest power output will not find a fit with the HPA-1 which I can understand.  But if you do use it within it's limits, it's fantastic.


----------



## Terriero

kuutan said:


> Deciding which one to listen to while I do some art.


Very difficult decision. Would I go there and decide by myself?  (I'm very interested in trying TH 900 and Z1R)


----------



## cgb3

Audi5000 said:


> running out of real estate... going to make a 7" fully adjustable shelf soon.. using wood and threaded rods, and well nuts.. and probably rubber feet.. debating lexan somewhere in between.. or a phone/tablet holder


Research "torsion box".

Hint: If 7' is enough, buy a hollow core door from your local big box home improvement store. Goes without saying; only if you have the experience and tools to cut it to size.


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> No respectable tube roller/collector, would have only 1 pair of their favorite tube.  Honestly, I can't even enjoy a tube, if I don't have a backup for it, and knowing how these NOS tubes can go at any second, I've got to have backups for peace of mind. I did take this a little to far back in the day, and ended up with 14 pairs of Amperex USA 7308's, but have since sold them all, and come to my senses with currently having just 1 or 2 pairs of backups for all my favs.
> 
> Tube rolling 101 - Must have backups!


No, no, no.  If I have plenty of whatever tube is being discussed or fawned over, it's defined as _collecting_.  If I don't have any of the tube being talked about, then anyone that _does_ have one (or more) is a hoarder.  Just want to be sure we keep definitions consistent here.


----------



## bcowen

Audi5000 said:


> running out of real estate... going to make a 7" fully adjustable shelf soon.. using wood and threaded rods, and well nuts.. and probably rubber feet.. debating lexan somewhere in between.. or a phone/tablet holder


Are those neckties draped over the monitor?  Almost forgot what those things looked like.  And not disappointingly either.


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> Remember that cats also sound...



And especially Siamese.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Are those neckties draped over the monitor?  Almost forgot what those things looked like.  And not disappointingly either.


Designer napkins...


----------



## Terriero

In a few days, my family will adopt some little kitties (I love that english word because it's remember me to "Alien" movie and that incredible sequence). I will post some pics of them (wearing headphones or something)


----------



## MLGrado (Apr 11, 2021)

I really like Icon Audio Tube Amps.  My first one, the HP8 MKII headphone amp, broke by my own fault from too much tube rolling.  the 12AX7 9 pin ceramic socket failed on me.  I still have this one, I have the replacement sockets, the old socket has been removed, and its just a matter of resoldering in the new one.  I have taken lots of photos thank goodness because I have dragged my heels so long on the project I need excellent refreshing. 

While that one gathers dust I purchased another HP8 MKII headphone amp from Music Direct.  It is aesthetically similar to the one I had already with the beautiful copper top, but it seems they do small updates on these things as time goes on.  Just opening and having a look shows better craftsmanship, better PTP wiring stategy etc.  BUT... this second Icon HP8 MKII malfunctioned right before the warranty expired.  Thank goodness BEFORE.  After a lot of haggling back and forth that has taken about two months, finally Music Direct has decided to just send me a brand new unit.  Of course they say they are out of stock with a 6 to 8 week backorder.  So from the time my unit failed (power supply is my guess) in mid February 2021, It could literally be June before I get my replacement.  Not sure 4 months to repair or replace a product under warranty purchased from the major music house that is Music Direct is all that acceptable. 

BUT... there is a silver lining of course!!!!! 

My DAC is the iFi iDSD PRO running the 2.08 firmware that the brainchild Thorsten Loesch says finally brings the expected potentional out of the hardware.  Thor. no longer works for iFi.  Interesting behind the scenes drama.  The tech that is his intellectual property is still licensed by iFi, but I personally would not buy anything from iFi made after the incredible value/performance Zen series little miracles.  Those are the last products T. had major input on.  I refuse to say anything bad about the latest stuff coming out of there with pretty colors and really no new evolution in performance other than repackaging the same tech for higher prices with some minor interface changes and some PCB 'rearrangements'.  I am sure those products which still rely on Thorsten's intellectual property sound nice.  (Of course, it was NOT surprising to see in a review of the new iFi Neo that Paul Miller measured jitter that was really off the charts bad compared to the established iFi standard).  But, I said I would not be critical.  Trying to just stick to the facts. 

What I learned in the absence of my single ended tube amp is how AMAZING the balanced headphone output is on the iFi iDSD PRO DAC.  INCREDIBLE.  At this time I am listening with my venerable Hifiman HE-560 headphones.  I wish I had paid the bargain price they go for these days.  Unfortunately  was more of an early adopter.  They are great headphones for the original MSRP.  But for the price they have sold for lately these are a NO BRAINER.  The only thing that separates these from the end game mega buck headphones really is a bit of treble refinement.  The treble is quite good, quite sweet, very detailed and I have never found it to be bright.  Just a bit 'grainy' perhaps at times.  Other than that, these really could be world class headphones. 


And they sound kick ass with the iFi iDSD Pro.  So much so, once I get my brand new in box Icon Audio HP8 MKII in exchange for my defective one, I may just sell it and go ahead and get the iCan PRO and have the full stack.  The iDSD PRO headamp really does sound amazing.  Pairing it with the matching head amp, and then with the option to add engergizer and go STAT.. yeah, I think that is where I am heading.  And my only tube rolling will be inside the iFi products.  Currently I am running Western Electric 396a in the iDSD PRO, and wow, what a sound. 

Anyway, here is a photo of what has been providing such great bliss since my tube amp died.


----------



## Deolum

Full Senn mode.


----------



## CJG888

Deolum said:


> Full Senn mode.


How do you like the HD250s? Those look like Mk 1 300 Ohm...


----------



## CJG888

I’m sure the new owners of Sennheiser’s consumer headphone division should be able to make a business case for an HD250 Linear 3. Back to the original Linear 1 cup design, maybe a more modern headband, and the classic 300 Ohm driver. All assembled in the Romanian facility. Price point similar to the Beyer DT1770 (its natural current rival). It was never a cheap can...

Oh, and then we will get original factory pads again 😀.


----------



## Deolum

CJG888 said:


> How do you like the HD250s? Those look like Mk 1 300 Ohm...


It's the 600 ohm one. For me they are the best closed back i've ever heard even before the TH900 and the AH-D9200. They have basically none of the typical closed back weaknesses, a huge soundstage and are more on the bright side. They tend to have slighly harsh heights and recessed mids and work exceptionally well on OTLs.


----------



## CJG888

My thoughts exactly! I picked up a pair of Linear 1 (300 Ohm) with stock pads in good condition on eBay. With the Forza Audioworks Copper Series cable they sound incredible. Almost at DT1990 Pro level, only closed (with actual isolation!). They really come alive on an OTL amp. N.B. the photo still shows the old ZY cable.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## bcowen

Lord Rexter said:


>


Beautiful amp!   That's a whole bunch of KT-77's for driving headphones...what does that put out, 30 - 35 watts/channel?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CJG888 said:


> My thoughts exactly! I picked up a pair of Linear 1 (300 Ohm) with stock pads in good condition on eBay. With the Forza Audioworks Copper Series cable they sound incredible. Almost at DT1990 Pro level, only closed (with actual isolation!). They really come alive on an OTL amp. N.B. the photo still shows the old ZY cable.


I don't see the Tzar on the WBA site. Have you heard any of their other amps?


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 12, 2021)

A work always in progress- Left to right-  18 IEMS in a case, Spirit Ragnarr Professional, Sound Devices Recorder, Kennerton GH50JM Edition, Gold Planar GL 2000, Kennerton GH50JM Edition, Ray Samuels  Apache, Topping D90, Sony SACD Player - a Mojo Mystique EVO Pro 21 D/A Converter on the way...
​


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 12, 2021)

John Massaria said:


> A work always in progress- Left to right-  18 IEMS in a case, Spirit Ragnarr Professional, Sound Devices Recorder, Kennerton GH50JM Edition, Gold Planar GL 2000, Kennerton GH50JM Edition, Ray Samuels  Apache, Topping D90, Sony SACD Player - a Mojo Mystique EVO Pro 21 D/A Converter on the way...
> 
> The Mystique! The sound from it is so natural - it will “upgrade” everything further in the sound reproduction chain. 🎶🎼😄


----------



## markel

Nightstand headphone station for bedtime listening.  Schiit Gumby/Mjolnir stack, with Mac Mini (as a Roon Endpoint) and Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport on the bottom shelf of the nightstand.


----------



## jonathan c

markel said:


> Nightstand headphone station for bedtime listening.  Schiit Gumby/Mjolnir stack, with Mac Mini (as a Roon Endpoint) and Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport on the bottom shelf of the nightstand.


I hope that you enjoy your 6000CDT as much as I enjoy mine: a tremendous piece of gear!


----------



## markel

jonathan c said:


> I hope that you enjoy your 6000CDT as much as I enjoy mine: a tremendous piece of gear!


I love the 6000CDT.  I have two of them.


----------



## iFi audio

MLGrado said:


> with pretty colors and really no new evolution in performance other than repackaging the same tech for higher prices with some minor interface changes and some PCB 'rearrangements'.



Of course you're free to disagree, but I'm quite positive that our latest stuff is a fair bit more than that


----------



## Redcarmoose

Sony Walkman 1A in “J” region, Midnight Plus aftermarket firmware. Noble Audio Encore Universal IEM/ZENTOO 4wire cable.


----------



## TooFrank

MLGrado said:


> I really like Icon Audio Tube Amps.  My first one, the HP8 MKII headphone amp, broke by my own fault from too much tube rolling.  the 12AX7 9 pin ceramic socket failed on me.  I still have this one, I have the replacement sockets, the old socket has been removed, and its just a matter of resoldering in the new one.  I have taken lots of photos thank goodness because I have dragged my heels so long on the project I need excellent refreshing.
> 
> While that one gathers dust I purchased another HP8 MKII headphone amp from Music Direct.  It is aesthetically similar to the one I had already with the beautiful copper top, but it seems they do small updates on these things as time goes on.  Just opening and having a look shows better craftsmanship, better PTP wiring stategy etc.  BUT... this second Icon HP8 MKII malfunctioned right before the warranty expired.  Thank goodness BEFORE.  After a lot of haggling back and forth that has taken about two months, finally Music Direct has decided to just send me a brand new unit.  Of course they say they are out of stock with a 6 to 8 week backorder.  So from the time my unit failed (power supply is my guess) in mid February 2021, It could literally be June before I get my replacement.  Not sure 4 months to repair or replace a product under warranty purchased from the major music house that is Music Direct is all that acceptable.
> 
> ...


Wauw thanks really nice. What are the nice "legs" the pro is standing on? Also what do you expect of further improvement with the ICAN (diminishing returns?)


----------



## Pharmaboy

jasonb said:


> Has anyone else ever done a little setup like this? It's a JDS Labs ODAC plugged into a Schiit Magni Heresy, all inside of the center console of a loveseat. The USB cable will plug into either my iPad, Pixel 5, or a laptop and sit on top of the closed console while listening. I just moved into a studio apartment last week and came up with this simple solution this morning. I'm not one who is constantly adjusting the volume, so having the amp in there shouldn't be too inconvenient really, and the Heresy has always stayed pretty cool to the touch so heat won't be an issue either.



INGENIOUS!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Started the music evening with the little giant. First time out for a pair of Sylvania / Raytheon branded 7N7s as drivers - behind them is the indomitable RCA 5U4G. Dynamic/expressive trio with PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing). As per the Duke (Ellington), “it don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing”...Really comes through with the Audeze LCD-X (not in picture, on my head). PS, could not do this without the great Woo adapters.



7N7 tubes as drivers? Had no idea it was OK to do that, even w/Woo adapters (which are the very best--had a pair for my WA22). 

How does the sound compare to std 6992/7308 driver tubes?

I'm interested because after upgrading the power tube to Tung Sol 5998 (amazing sound), I had the sense the power tube was outperforming the driver tubes (Amperex "Bugle Boy" 6992s), so have started tube-rolling.


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 13, 2021)

I just updated pic - I especially love my NICEHCK DarkJade 8 Strand Graphene Silver Plated OCC paired w/ Kinera Nanna2 and the Pure Silver Gold Palladium ( Pure Silver 97.42% + Gold 2.39% + Palladium 0.017% ) w/the Goldplanar GL2000 and my favorite hp of all time the Kennerton Gh50JM Edition w/ CLC-03 wire... yes I can hear the difference


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 12, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> 7N7 tubes as drivers? Had no idea it was OK to do that, even w/Woo adapters (which are the very best--had a pair for my WA22).
> 
> How does the sound compare to std 6992/7308 driver tubes?
> 
> I'm interested because after upgrading the power tube to Tung Sol 5998 (amazing sound), I had the sense the power tube was outperforming the driver tubes (Amperex "Bugle Boy" 6992s), so have started tube-rolling.


The Woo WA6 in the picture is first generation. The driver tube sockets are labeled ‘6DE7’. Woo Audio makes 6SN7 => 6DE7 and 7N7 => 6DE7 adapters. I have a set of each. I alternate between the Sylvania/Raytheon 7N7s and the CBS/Hytron 5692 (a 6SN7 type). The sound is full, detailed, wide, holographic:  involving! The WA6 never uses 6922s etc but the OTL WA3 does. In the WA3, I will use Amperex PQ 6922, Amperex PQ 7308, Brimar CV4003*, Lansdale 12AU7*, Raytheon 7730* (* with adapters). I do use a Tung-Sol 5998 as the power tube in the WA3.


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


> I just updated pic - I especially love my favorite graphene wire paired w/ kinera nanna 2 and the  99% pure silver graphene w/the Goldplanar GL2000 and my favorite hp of all time the Kennerton Gh50JM Edition


What make is (are) the graphene cable(s)?


----------



## Zachik

Pharmaboy said:


> 7N7 tubes as drivers? Had no idea it was OK to do that, even w/Woo adapters (which are the very best--had a pair for my WA22).


Some people have been using 7N7 in their Schiit Lyr 3 (with adapters). I think the formidable @bcowen started that specific Lyr 3 fad


----------



## John Massaria

jonathan c said:


> What make is (are) the graphene cable(s)?


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001714880020.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.a1794c4dbYbG49 and the other which is the Silver Gold Palladium is https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001218957136.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.a1794c4dbYbG49 - you can terminate them any way you like


----------



## Deolum

TooFrank said:


> Wauw thanks really nice. What are the nice "legs" the pro is standing on? Also what do you expect of further improvement with the ICAN (diminishing returns?)


I still wait for the day when i'll finally realize what this "emoticon" does represent.


----------



## Terriero

Deolum said:


> I still wait for the day when i'll finally realize what this "emoticon" does represent.


Audiophile porn, but protected? (stay safe)


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> The Woo WA6 in the picture is first generation. The driver tube sockets are labeled ‘6DE7’. Woo Audio makes 6SN7 => 6DE7 and 7N7 => 6DE7 adapters. I have a set of each. I alternate between the Sylvania/Raytheon 7N7s and the CBS/Hytron 5692 (a 6SN7 type). The sound is full, detailed, wide, holographic:  involving! The WA6 never uses 6922s etc but the OTL WA3 does. In the WA3, I will use Amperex PQ 6922, Amperex PQ 7308, Brimar CV4003*, Lansdale 12AU7*, Raytheon 7730* (* with adapters). I do use a Tung-Sol 5998 as the power tube in the WA3.


"Ahhh, now I understand. It's a WA6, not a WA3"

(I always seem to learn the face-plant way)


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 12, 2021)

Zachik said:


> Some people have been using 7N7 in their Schiit Lyr 3 (with adapters). I think the formidable @bcowen started that specific Lyr 3 fad


Fad?.....harrumph!.....the way of the future....(@bcowen telepathy?....)


----------



## jonathan c

.


----------



## dnd3241

My nest !


----------



## bcowen

dnd3241 said:


> My nest !



Nice!  No such thing as 'too many headphones,' right?


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Some people have been using 7N7 in their Schiit Lyr 3 (with adapters). I think the formidable @bcowen started that specific Lyr 3 fad



Sounds great in the Vali 2 as well.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Sounds great in the Vali 2 as well.


And costs less than the Vali 2 !


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Nice!  No such thing as 'too many headphones,' right?


A different take on headphone portfolio:


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> And costs less than the Vali 2 !


LOL!  Quite true.  That's my original Lansdale-labeled 7N7 I paid $5 for, and a custom adapter from @Deyan made to perfectly fit in the Vali.  Sounds better than some $100+ 6922's and 6DJ8's in the stash.


----------



## tomwoo

dnd3241 said:


> My nest !


I'm wondering how long do you need to decide which headphones to listen to every time. LOL.


----------



## dnd3241

tomwoo said:


> I'm wondering how long do you need to decide which headphones to listen to every time. LOL.


By Schedule...haha...2 for a day, 2.00pm -6.00pm Jazz/ Rock/ Pop and Vocal , 8.00pm - 11.00pm Classical. ZMF/Grado/Stellia/1000se and D8000pro take care the day time job, Abyss/Utopia/D8000pro/1000se on night shift.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> LOL!  Quite true.  That's my original Lansdale-labeled 7N7 I paid $5 for, and a custom adapter from @Deyan made to perfectly fit in the Vali.  Sounds better than some $100+ 6922's and 6DJ8's in the stash.


The Lansdale appears taller than the Sylvania / Raytheon / RCA 7N7s that I use. Is it of the “tall boy” or “long plate” variety?


----------



## jonathan c

tomwoo said:


> I'm wondering how long do you need to decide which headphones to listen to every time. LOL.


Also, do you rotate headphone amplifiers in conjunction with headphones? 🤔🤪


----------



## dnd3241

jonathan c said:


> Also, do you rotate headphone amplifiers in conjunction with headphones? 🤔🤪


Not really need, they all have their partner, Focal for Focal, Liminare for all the rest, Grado love iCan.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The Lansdale appears taller than the Sylvania / Raytheon / RCA 7N7s that I use. Is it of the “tall boy” or “long plate” variety?


Yes, it's the tall bottle with the specific racetrack mica shape.  As best I can tell, these are Sylvania 6SN7W's in a 7N7 format, and the W's fetch upwards of $100.  Only difference is the loctal versus octal base...the rest of the internals appear identical between the two.


----------



## ESL-1 (Apr 13, 2021)

Been busy but here are a few photos covering my different listening areas.  Stack of four is at the dining room table, the rack of amps and system on the dresser are both in my listening room.  There are several amps not shown in the pictures including a MapleTree Audio MADD, Cavalli/Drop CTH, Rupert Neve RNHP to name a few.


----------



## jonathan c

ESL-1 said:


> Been busy but here are a few photos covering my different listening areas.  Stack of four is at the dining room table, the rack of amps and system on the dresser are both in my listening room.  There are several amps not shown in the pictures including a MapleTree Audio MADD, Cavalli/Drop CTH, Rupert Neve RNHP to name a few.


I like the Theta Digital Pro Basic / Data Basic !!


----------



## ESL-1 (Apr 13, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> I like the Theta Digital Pro Basic / Data Basic !!


Thanks Jonathan, they are quite the nice pair. 
***For a more complete inventory just go to my profile page to get the latest.  The photos mainly cover the electronics but almost none of my numerous headphones including 12 pair of Stax Electrostatics and a wide assortment of other brands & models, lots of Grados also.***
Always fun to share.


----------



## Wes S

Got wood?


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> Got wood?


I do now!

sorry, couldn’t resist.


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> I do now!
> 
> sorry, couldn’t resist.


LOL!


----------



## AudioPowerHead

Wes S said:


> Got wood?


Nice ! You might just want to complete the pairings next with the VO.  The wood of your latest Verite Closed is just stunning !!


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> I do now!
> 
> sorry, couldn’t resist.


ROFL!!!   Best post of the day.


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> Got wood?


Sweet!  

What cable is that in the foreground?


----------



## Pharmaboy

ESL-1 said:


> Thanks Jonathan, they are quite the nice pair.
> ***For a more complete inventory just go to my personal page to get the latest.  The photos mainly cover the electronics but almost none of my numerous headphones including 12 pair of Stax Electrostatics and a wide assortment of other brands & models, lots of Grados also.***
> Always fun to share.



12 pair of Stax electrostatics? (shock & awe)


----------



## Wes S

bcowen said:


> Sweet!
> 
> What cable is that in the foreground?


Norne Draug 3SC Fusion, and it's a 50/50 silver/copper mix.  It is a killer cable, that really does highlight the best aspects of both metals.  Unfortunately, that particular model has since been sold out and discontinued.  I lucked out and bought it second hand.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Norne Draug 3SC Fusion, and it's a 50/50 silver/copper mix.  It is a killer cable, that really does highlight the best aspects of both metals.  Unfortunately, that particular model has since been sold out and discontinued.  I lucked out and bought it second hand.


It must be a wonderful headphone cable. I “settled for” 🤷🏻‍♂️ (!) Norne Vykari reference cable (occ silver + occ copper) since the 3SC was discontinued. Living & listening “vykariously” (🤦‍♂️👎) to ZMF Auteur...


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> It must be a wonderful headphone cable. I “settled for” 🤷🏻‍♂️ (!) Norne Vykari reference cable (occ silver + occ copper) since the 3SC was discontinued. Living & listening “vykariously” (🤦‍♂️👎) to ZMF Auteur...


@jonathan c  so sorry you had to settle for Vykari. I use Norne Silvergarde S3 w/Auteur and love the combinbation. Did you have any prior pure silver cables used with Auteur, and if so, what improvements / differences does Vykari bring?
Thanks!


----------



## ESL-1 (Apr 13, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> 12 pair of Stax electrostatics? (shock & awe)


Well, my excuse is I started early.  I bought my first Stax SR-X mk3 brand new late 70’s, early 80’s.  The overall collector in me (Mr. Hyde) did not influence me for a good while. 

The mid 90’s began Mr. Hyde’s campaign. I have been quite addicted since then.  Too much “Stuff” but fun factor keeps you entangled.


----------



## jonathan c

ESL-1 said:


> Well, my excuse is I started early.  I bought my first Stax SR-X mk3 brand new late 70’s, early 80’s.  The overall collector in me (Mr. Hyde) did not influence me for a good while.
> 
> The mid 90’s began Mr. Hyde’s campaign. I have been quite addicted since then.  Too much “Stuff” but fun factor keeps you entangled.


I admire one who ‘Stax’ ‘em high!...


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 13, 2021)

LoryWiv said:


> @jonathan c  so sorry you had to settle for Vykari. I use Norne Silvergarde S3 w/Auteur and love the combinbation. Did you have any prior pure silver cables used with Auteur, and if so, what improvements / differences does Vykari bring?
> Thanks!


I know, the grief is overwhelming 😭. I actually have an Arctic Cables Palladium Series cable (palladium-coated silver) that I use with the Auteur and the Audeze LCD-X. The Vykari has a little more ‘warmth’ than the ACPS yet keeps the detail and allows transients to occur unimpeded. Both cables excel in linearity and in the transmission of ambience in a recording. To use a solid-state h/p/a analogy, _for me_, the Vykari is to ACPS what the Violectric V280 is to the HeadAmp GSX-mini. As for pairing with ZMF Auteur when driven by a tube h/p/a, I will use the Vykari with Woo WA3 (otl) and the ACPS with Woo WA6 or WA22 (otc): admittedly ‘ocd-ish’ and definitely my way to meld aural yin & yang. [Postscript: for ss h/p/a, I use the Vykari with GSX-mini and ACPS with Violectric V280.]


----------



## OspreyAndy




----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> It must be a wonderful headphone cable. I “settled for” 🤷🏻‍♂️ (!) Norne Vykari reference cable (occ silver + occ copper) since the 3SC was discontinued. Living & listening “vykariously” (🤦‍♂️👎) to ZMF Auteur...


I think you "settled" quite well.


----------



## Sound Quality




----------



## Byrnie

Some recent pics of my Battlestations (one for gaming/music and one for TV/Anime/Movies).


----------



## bigbeans

My setup these days. To the left of my desk is my headphone shelf, I do my best to keep my headphone collection to a minimum.


----------



## kumar402

bigbeans said:


> My setup these days. To the left of my desk is my headphone shelf, I do my best to keep my headphone collection to a minimum.


We all try to keep our headphone collection to minimum 🤪


----------



## ThanatosVI

kumar402 said:


> We all try to keep our headphone collection to minimum 🤪


Even though this can be hard at times.

I definitely don't need more than my two headphones,  but some offers are really tempting


----------



## Byrnie

ThanatosVI said:


> Even though this can be hard at times.
> 
> I definitely don't need more than my two headphones,  but some offers are really tempting


It's very hard!


----------



## jonathan c

bigbeans said:


> My setup these days. To the left of my desk is my headphone shelf, I do my best to keep my headphone collection to a minimum.


That “minimum” for a HeadFi enthusiast could be anything < ♾....🤪


----------



## iFi audio

dnd3241 said:


> My nest !



The look of all your cans is really awesome, and it's very cool to see our stuff in there too


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Zachik

kumar402 said:


> We all try to keep our headphone collection to minimum 🤪


Speak for yourself  🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> That “minimum” for a HeadFi enthusiast could be anything < ♾....🤪


"Minimum" is a subjective term.  I keep my tube stash to a minimum, for instance.


----------



## banda

bcowen said:


> "Minimum" is a subjective term.  I keep my tube stash to a minimum, for instance.


Show us your stash.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> "Minimum" is a subjective term.  I keep my tube stash to a minimum, for instance.


If the tubes are GE, any definition of minimum, reasonable or not, is _de facto_ met...


----------



## jonathan c

banda said:


> Show us your stash.


A Bangybang response would be: tubes for rubes....


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Speak listen for yourself 🤣


----------



## Terriero

Sound Quality said:


>


Where are the fishes?


----------



## judomaniak57

Byrnie said:


> Some recent pics of my Battlestations (one for gaming/music and one for TV/Anime/Movies).


i enjoy my klipsch headphones almost as much as my stellias. great combo i think


----------



## gimmeheadroom

floydfan33 said:


>


The Audezes ought to be resting on the other side unless you want to buy a new set of cables!



Terriero said:


> Where are the fishes?


I was wondering how he could hear anything over the roar of the fans for his graphics card!


----------



## bcowen

banda said:


> Show us your stash.


This is the stuff that's easy to get to.  The big tubes are in the closet.


----------



## judomaniak57




----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> This is the stuff that's easy to get to.  The big tubes are in the closet.



Holy schiit. When you retire, you can become the new Mercedes Man (username of a tube seller) on eBay.


----------



## banda

bcowen said:


> This is the stuff that's easy to get to.  The big tubes are in the closet.


Show us the rest of your stash that's still stashed.


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> i enjoy my klipsch headphones almost as much as my stellias. great combo i think


Are there photographs of you wearing the La Scalas.?!....quite a feat! 😜🤪


----------



## Pharmaboy

bigbeans said:


> I do my best to keep my headphone collection to a minimum.



Each one of these words look familiar--but I just can't understand what they mean, used all together...


----------



## Pharmaboy

banda said:


> Show us the rest of your stash that's still stashed.


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> *This is the stuff that's easy to get to. * The big tubes are in the closet.


@bcowen meant to say: "*This is the stuff that my wife is aware of.*" 🤫


----------



## jonathan c

RickB said:


> Holy schiit. When you retire, you can become the new Mercedes Man (username of a tube seller) on eBay.


@bcowen a/k/a ‘living_high_tubes’ ?.....you and @cddc know who I mean...


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> @bcowen a/k/a ‘living_high_tubes’ ?.....you and @cddc know who I mean...


Since that username is already taken (and yes, I know who you mean ), I think I'll become Bill_Is_Definitely_High_Tubes and list them for 10x the going market price (but I'll accept offers down to 5x).


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> @bcowen meant to say: "*This is the stuff that my wife is aware of.*" 🤫


I regret the day I ever shared secrets with you.


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> Since that username is already taken (and yes, I know who you mean ), I think I'll become Bill_Is_Definitely_High_Tubes and list them for 10x the going market price (but I'll accept offers down to 5x).



Why put money into a 401K when you can invest in vacuum tubes that will probably be very scarce in the future?


----------



## ruinedx




----------



## Coztomba (Apr 15, 2021)




----------



## Audi5000

cleaned up some of my working mess. The Senn's are now powered by Rolls-Bellari HA543, (sitting on a quick little shelf i crafted up for $5  ) I actually enjoy the 'enhance' feature (read: treble boost).. Kenny Rogers sounded celestial, and Sinead O'Conner like an angel...


----------



## betula

Need a bigger bedside cabinet.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> Need a bigger bedside cabinet.


I thought you sold your RME...did I remember wrong or did you buy another one


----------



## betula (Apr 15, 2021)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I thought you sold your RME...did I remember wrong or did you buy another one


You remember wrong. I sold a TT2 back then, perhaps that is where the mix up comes from?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> You remember wrong. I sold a TT2 back then.


If that's the worst I did today then I'm ok.

BTW I don't blame you for keeping the RME.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

gimmeheadroom said:


> If that's the worst I did today then I'm ok.
> 
> BTW I don't blame you for keeping the RME.



Can we blame him for not keeping both?


----------



## betula

CaptainFantastic said:


> Can we blame him for not keeping both?


Blame my wallet. Sadly.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

betula said:


> Blame my wallet. Sadly.



Plus I really enjoyed/valued your reasoned comparison of the two a year or so back. I meant it as an excuse for posting the picture. No doubt I will have my own journey that will see me part with one or both for "wallet" reasons.


----------



## Pharmaboy

RickB said:


> Why put money into a 401K when you can invest in vacuum tubes that will probably be very scarce in the future?



"The NOS 401K power tube measures strongly in both channels."


----------



## roach7

mine...


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> "The NOS 401K power tube measures strongly in both channels."





"The NOS 401K power tube measures strongly in both channels according to the TV-7 tester I picked up at a yard sale 17 years ago and hasn't been calibrated since it was built in 1955."


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> "The NOS 401K power tube measures strongly in both channels according to the TV-7 tester I picked up at a yard sale 17 years ago and hasn't been calibrated since it was built in 1955."



Ever notice that the _*one thing*_ they never sell at a yard sale--is the yard itself?


----------



## ian91




----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> Ever notice that the _*one thing*_ they never sell at a yard sale--is the yard itself?


LOL!  One of the great mysteries of life.  Like why you park in a driveway but drive on a parkway.


----------



## Preachy1

bcowen said:


> LOL!  One of the great mysteries of life.  Like why you park in a driveway but drive on a parkway.


Saw that one coming a hundred miles off!!!!!


----------



## Preachy1

Have you ever bought a garage at a garage sale?  Ever saw tags for sale at a tag sale?  And just what the **** does one expect to find at a "rummage" sale?????


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> Have you ever bought a garage at a garage sale?  Ever saw tags for sale at a tag sale?  And just what the **** does one expect to find at a "rummage" sale?????


Well, all the stuff that _didn't_ sell at the garage and tag sales, obviously.


----------



## ThanatosVI

bcowen said:


> Well, all the stuff that _didn't_ sell at the garage and tag sales, obviously.


So garages and tags?


----------



## betula

These silver interconnects are all around the place.


----------



## ThanatosVI

betula said:


> These silver interconnects are all around the place.


Which interconnects are these?


----------



## betula

ThanatosVI said:


> Which interconnects are these?


Nothing special. I am not a cable fetishist, but like a good deal.
Cable details: 5N OCC Silver, gold plated connectors, 5N 99.9997% OCC Silver Wire, 8 strand braid, per cable, 4% Silver Content Solder.
I just wanted something affordable and reasonably good quality. Comes from Taiwan. Happy with price/quality ratio.


----------



## Preachy1

betula said:


> I am not a cable fetishist


At last, a voice of reason!!!!!


----------



## Audi5000

betula said:


> Nothing special.
> Cable details: VVS1 Leo 6 Carat Diamond connector jacket, 100N OCC Vibranium, 24k pure gold foil logo lettering 100N 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% OCC Silver Wire, 128 strand braid, per cable, 99% Silver Content Solder. Imported from Wakanda, hand assembled by The Sindarin Elf Royal artisans of Rivendell in the Third Age.... got it on a flash etsy sale.


----------



## betula

Preachy1 said:


> At last, a voice of reason!!!!!


Cables can make a difference to my experience, but there is no need to spend a fortune.


----------



## F Bizzle




----------



## Chops

I'm finally able to post something in this thread, sort of. Missing one key ingredient however... An amp! My Topping A90 was supposed to be here yesterday the 16th. It just arrived in Ohio yesterday morning, still sitting there today, and says that the arrival date is currently unavailable. Lovely. 

Anyway, all of this happened this week while I was on quarantine, the little table, the Sundara's, various cables, filtered power, another Raspberry Pi4, and more cables on the way...

Oh, and a couple of DAC's from one of my brothers. Both S.M.S.L., the M400 & Sanskrit 10th MkII. 

















And... AND!... I found something last night, a blast from the past, a classic, the original... Dan Clark's Mr Speakers Mad Dog's!


----------



## ThanatosVI

F Bizzle said:


>


What is the device on the right?


----------



## F Bizzle

ThanatosVI said:


> What is the device on the right?


Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## Terriero

Strayngs said:


>


You have a place reserved for Rögnir


----------



## Strayngs

Terriero said:


> You have a place reserved for Rögnir


Yes sir!!!!


----------



## ThanatosVI

Strayngs said:


>


The thekk looks beautiful


----------



## Strayngs

ThanatosVI said:


> The thekk looks beautiful


It still is my favorite!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Have you ever bought a garage at a garage sale?  Ever saw tags for sale at a tag sale?  And just what the **** does one expect to find at a "rummage" sale?????



that's easy: the verb "rummage" (priced to sell!)


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 18, 2021)

Just got the Mystique in the house less than *48 Hours*.... enough time to get Ganz and get Billy Bear too...plenty of time to know what this DAC can do


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 20, 2021)

John Massaria said:


> Just got the Mystique in the house less than *48 Hours*.... enough time to get Ganz and get Billy Bear too...plenty of time to know what this DAC can do


I am interested in the reactions of you and the group to the Mystique. I have lived very happily with it in my system for 1-1/2 years. It will stay, period.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Preachy1 said:


> Have you ever bought a garage at a garage sale?  Ever saw tags for sale at a tag sale?  And just what the **** does one expect to find at a "rummage" sale?????


----------



## thecrow

Pharmaboy said:


> Ever notice that the _*one thing*_ they never sell at a yard sale--is the yard itself?


I guess you’ve never been at a fire sale then.


----------



## thecrow

thecrow said:


> I guess you’ve never been at a fire sale then.


----------



## Chops

Main rig in family room as of tonight...





Bedroom rig for my other half as of tonight...


----------



## John Massaria

jonathan c said:


> I am interested in the reactions of you and the group to the Mystique. I have lived very happily with it in my system for 1-1/2 years.





working on a very comprehensive review probably will take a month to do justice to this DAC
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/mojo-mystique-evo-pro-d-a-converter.25088/


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


> working on a very comprehensive review probably will take a month to do justice to this DAC
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/mojo-mystique-evo-pro-d-a-converter.25088/


The bullet points certainly capture the essence of the EVO Mystique. KEYS: ‘organic’, ‘lives and breathes’. A fun month is in store...🎼🎶


----------



## CaptainFantastic

jonathan c said:


> The bullet points certainly capture the essence of the EVO Mystique. KEYS: ‘organic’, ‘lives and breathes’. A fun month is in store...🎼🎶


----------



## quimbo

Work setup (started going back afte a year)

Schiit stack on right bottom up

Wyrd
Modi 2 Uber
Loki Mini
Magni 3

Cowan Plenu Mark II

JBL 104s on rubber vibration pad on IsoAcoustic smalls


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 20, 2021)

review is now up of the GL1200 Ribbon HP (I am still working on full impressions but so far this will set the HP market upside down


----------



## joseph69

quimbo said:


> Work setup (started going back afte a year)
> 
> Schiit stack on right bottom up
> 
> ...


Love that rack!


----------



## Toddy

CaptainFantastic said:


>



I almost spilled my coffee…

And can't stop wondering who else caught the very last joke… I hope I don't get as obsessed as the main character (pun intended).


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Toddy said:


> I almost spilled my coffee…
> 
> And can't stop wondering who else caught the very last joke… I hope I don't get as obsessed as the main character (pun intended).



"Where do you even see this font?" 
"Hookah bars, Shakira merchandise, off-brand teas, EVO Mystique..."


----------



## Audi5000

Toddy said:


> I almost spilled my coffee…
> 
> And can't stop wondering who else caught the very last joke… I hope I don't get as obsessed as the main character (pun intended).


i was going to say something... but its not my place as a newbert.


----------



## Rhino73

Audi5000 said:


> i was going to say something... but its not my place as a newbert.


 

Wrong end of the stick?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

John Massaria said:


> review is now up of the GL1200 Ribbon HP (I am still working on full impressions but so far this will set the HP market upside down


This is an awesome pic! The album cover looks like a headphone ear cup.. perfect!


----------



## Terriero

John Massaria said:


> review is now up of the GL1200 Ribbon HP (I am still working on full impressions but so far this will set the HP market upside down


I love the pic. The aesthetics of the GL1200 Ribbon headphone and the Spandau Ballet poster, among with your other headphones. Have you reserved a place for Rögnir?


----------



## John Massaria

Terriero said:


> I love the pic. The aesthetics of the GL1200 Ribbon headphone and the Spandau Ballet poster, among with your other headphones. Have you reserved a place for Rögnir?


yes I think they are being perfected at Kennerton so I will wait for the green light


----------



## Gavin C4

A simple setup can easily make your day. Recent portable player's DAC has improved significantly and might even solved a lots of problem such as usb noise or static noise from the PC etc.


----------



## judomaniak57

i played my DAP thru my headphone amp for a couple of years, it is a great way to get more use out of it


----------



## ecva

Sharing my little touch of heaven


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ecva said:


> Sharing my little touch of heaven


Clean looking setup!


----------



## kumar402

quimbo said:


> Work setup (started going back afte a year)
> 
> Schiit stack on right bottom up
> 
> ...


Nice message on $100 bill. Good idea to keep yourself motivated and avoid procrastination


----------



## lumdicks

Setup completed finally with the arrival of M Scaler. Time to stop buying and enjoy.

Roon → Lumin U1 Mini (transport) → Chord M Scaler (upsampling) → Chord Hugo TT2 (DAC) → Audio-technica AT-BHA 100 (Amp)


----------



## simorag

Under testing ...


----------



## John Massaria

The most realistic woofer at my home


----------



## Audi5000

John Massaria said:


> The most realistic woofer at my home


I think the sub lows could be a little bit more upfront like my R0-TT, but I love the natural mids... almost like 7.1.. really warm when compared to other models of the same line.


----------



## ThanatosVI

simorag said:


> Under testing ...
> 
> ​


Oh Boy, sonic blies in its purest form


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 23, 2021)

CaptainFantastic said:


>



lmao EVO Mystique looks like papyrus perfect video


----------



## Audi5000

John Massaria said:


> lmao EVO Mystique looks like papyrus perfect video


when i did graphic design at an architecture firm, this is literally how I felt about helvetica. i dont think anyone dared use papyrus


----------



## Terriero

lumdicks said:


> Setup completed finally with the arrival of M Scaler. *Time to stop buying and enjoy*.


That is impossible here


----------



## Chops

Now sporting a brand spankin' new, super flexible and comfy Hart Audio HC-9 cable and IC-3 adapter...


----------



## waveSounds

Green is the new pink


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> Green is the new pink


Now you can pass through... You honored me, green is my favourite colour. I didn't like your red wall. By the way, very beautiful and organized desk, lacks some Denon AH-D9200


----------



## kuutan

Terriero said:


> Now you can pass through... You honored me, green is my favourite colour. I didn't like your red wall. By the way, very beautiful and organized desk, lacks some Denon AH-D9200


Lol I see you're going around promoting the 9200. You're going to have to let me demo a pair...


----------



## Ciggavelli (Apr 23, 2021)

It's ugly, but it works for me 🤷‍♂️






Video:


Spoiler


----------



## LoryWiv

Ciggavelli said:


> It's ugly, but it works for me 🤷‍♂️


To quote Thelonious Monk: "Ugly Beauty".


----------



## Gavin C4

Really nice color accent matching Y Split for the Utopia. Certainly looks great and sounded beautiful.


----------



## buzzlulu

Which Norne cable is that?  I just received a Vykari for my Utopias - copper/silver.
Nice setup.  I run a Rossini/Clock in my Naim 2 channel system while a Linn Klimax DS (which the Rossini replaced) is now moved into the headphone only system with a GSX MK2.  I keep a GSX Mini for occasional use with the Rossini


----------



## bcowen

Ciggavelli said:


> It's ugly, but it works for me 🤷‍♂️
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Interesting, um, wallpaper....but that's a gorgeous amp!!!


----------



## jonathan c

In the perennial debate concerning vacuum tubes vs solid-state for music reproduction, match this, ss, for sound & glamour !


----------



## Turkeysaurus

jonathan c said:


> In the perennial debate concerning vacuum tubes vs solid-state for music reproduction, match this, ss, for sound & glamour !


I love the look of those Aeco connectors.


----------



## jonathan c

Turkeysaurus said:


> I love the look of those Aeco connectors.


Thank you. The cable for the DT-1770 is the Lavricables Master Silver 20 Core with sleeving. Wonderful job by them !


----------



## koven

ecva said:


> Sharing my little touch of heaven



What is that Hugo holder, is it just a tablet stand? Looks good, maybe helps w/ heat dissipation too?


----------



## ecva

koven said:


> What is that Hugo holder, is it just a tablet stand? Looks good, maybe helps w/ heat dissipation too?


Yes that's just a regular tablet stand with eva foams as the clamps don't fit. I also got angled rca connectors and usb so the cables are not sticking out in the end.


----------



## OspreyAndy

My modest desktop nirvana....


----------



## jonathan c

A new amppendage to the body of the home listening system. It is getting acclimated via Amperex PQ 6922s. In a week (or more), on to Raytheon 7730s; after that, the 12A*7 family. [ [ Capacitor-modded by @ksorota (👍🥇) ]


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> A new amppendage to the body of the home listening system. It is getting acclimated via Amperex PQ 6922s. In a week (or more), on to Raytheon 7730s; after that, the 12A*7 family. [ [ Capacitor-modded by @ksorota (👍🥇) ]


Heck yeah bro, nice setup!  7730's and 7728's are as good as it gets.


----------



## alekc

jonathan c said:


> A new amppendage to the body of the home listening system. It is getting acclimated via Amperex PQ 6922s. In a week (or more), on to Raytheon 7730s; after that, the 12A*7 family. [ [ Capacitor-modded by @ksorota (👍🥇) ]


Every picture with cd player or transport deserves a like


----------



## Preachy1

alekc said:


> Every picture with cd player or transport deserves a like


If you say so.


----------



## carboncopy

alekc said:


> Every picture with cd player or transport deserves a like


----------



## jonathan c

carboncopy said:


>


...or an Oscar...


----------



## Zachik

alekc said:


> Every picture with cd player or transport deserves a like



Here you go!


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Here you go!


Isn't that @Ripper2860 's?  Or did you get one just like his?


----------



## Ripper2860 (Apr 26, 2021)

No.  I do Barbie -- not Hello Kitty.


----------



## Terriero

Zachik said:


> Here you go!


But... which amp and DAC are you using with this marvellous thing? You have to post the entire chain!!!


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Isn't that @Ripper2860 's?  Or did you get one just like his?


On 2nd thought - mine deserves twice the likes... for CD transport and for cats!  🤣


----------



## Zachik

Terriero said:


> But... which amp and DAC are you using with this marvellous thing? You have to post the entire chain!!!


I use it to play ONLY Britney Spears CDs.

So entire chain is:

My all-time-favorite CD...




inside...




and playing with my best closed-back headphones:




That makes me dance and giggle like a little girl 🤫


----------



## Terriero

Zachik said:


> I use it to play ONLY Britney Spears CDs.
> 
> So entire chain is:
> 
> ...


I think you should upgrade with a Dave and Mscaler, someone told me that the cats printed in the cups will fly away with that combo...


----------



## alekc

Zachik said:


> Here you go!



I've kept my promise


----------



## Roasty

jonathan c said:


> A new amppendage to the body of the home listening system. It is getting acclimated via Amperex PQ 6922s. In a week (or more), on to Raytheon 7730s; after that, the 12A*7 family. [ [ Capacitor-modded by @ksorota (👍🥇) ]



@jonathan c I have seen quite a few people using the mojo audio mystique dac. Have been curious about it, but somewhat hindered by the font used on the front fascia.. Well, aesthetics aside, can I ask what other dacs you have used before the Mystique?


----------



## jonathan c

Roasty said:


> @jonathan c I have seen quite a few people using the mojo audio mystique dac. Have been curious about it, but somewhat hindered by the font used on the front fascia.. Well, aesthetics aside, can I ask what other dacs you have used before the Mystique?


DACs which I used before the EVO Mystique include:  Border Patrol SE, Benchmark DAC2, Benchmark DAC3, and Copland DAC-415.
As for the font on the fascia, you might paint over it via spray or touch-up brush. In any event, to me, when the EVO is in play, the font goes away...


----------



## jonathan c

HeadFier John Massaria is in process of reviewing the EVO Mystique elsewhere in this forum. Interim comments have already been posted.


----------



## Ripper2860 (Apr 26, 2021)

Hifiman Arya | DCA Aeon Flow Closed | Incubus Elegan OTL HP amp | Roon Server


----------



## bcowen

Ripper2860 said:


> Hifiman Arya, DCA Aeon Flow Closed, Incubus Elegan OTL amp, Roon Server.



The Partridge Family appears to have grown.


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> I use it to play ONLY Britney Spears CDs.
> 
> So entire chain is:
> 
> ...


You *do* know that the open version of those 'phones is like way better, right?


----------



## gefski

bcowen said:


> You *do* know that the open version of those 'phones is like way better, right?


...and the cable conversion, silver, dual entry.


----------



## Zachik

Ripper2860 said:


> Hifiman Arya | DCA Aeon Flow Closed | Incubus Elegan OTL HP amp | Roon Server


Looking at your headphone "stands" - I now understand the reason for @bcowen complaint about "no water in the sink"...  🤣


----------



## Ripper2860

Those are scrap after having freeze damaged pipes replaced due to Snowmageddon in Texas.   



** Not really, but I hope you felt bad for a moment!


----------



## LoryWiv

Ripper2860 said:


> Hifiman Arya | DCA Aeon Flow Closed | Incubus Elegan OTL HP amp | Roon Server


@Ripper2860 does the DCA Aeon Flow Closed play nice with the OTL?
Thanks.


----------



## ra990

Working from home has its perks...


----------



## eobet

nasty nate said:


> Recently upgraded the Asgard 2 to the Lyr 3



Can I ask where that remote is from? It's exactly like one I had from a Swedish brand called Audio Pro, but I doubt you have the same which means it's probably an OEM remote other brands use as well...


----------



## Roasty

eobet said:


> Can I ask where that remote is from? It's exactly like one I had from a Swedish brand called Audio Pro, but I doubt you have the same which means it's probably an OEM remote other brands use as well...



Looks like the schiit remote.

https://www.schiit.com/products/remote-controls


----------



## Ripper2860 (Apr 27, 2021)

LoryWiv said:


> @Ripper2860 does the DCA Aeon Flow Closed play nice with the OTL?
> Thanks.


Not really.  At low volumes it gets by, but it's just too low of an impedance to get any real ooomph out of it.  I guess I should have included a pic of the Ragnarok that was out of frame and used primarily as the 2-channel and AFC rig.


----------



## MarcelE

The perfect headset stand. An empty whisky bottle box.


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Looking at your headphone "stands" - I now understand the reason for @bcowen complaint about "no water in the sink"...  🤣


There's a sink is in his outhouse, but the water for it comes from a small pump in its "basement."


----------



## YtseJamer




----------



## Wes S

YtseJamer said:


>


Heck yeah man!  How is it sounding?


----------



## YtseJamer

Wes S said:


> Heck yeah man!  How is it sounding?



Apart from the ground loop, I'm blown away


----------



## Chops

Well, I decided to swap out DAC's today. 





And no, those are NOT scratches or marks on the Bifrost 2. That's just the way the light is hitting the grain in the aluminum...


----------



## Miiksu (Apr 27, 2021)

My new stuff. Stax SRM-313 and Nectar Hive. Topping DX7 Pro feeding the signal with the Burson Audio V6 Classic op-amps.


----------



## RickB

Chops said:


> Well, I decided to swap out DAC's today.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's interesting that it has a brushed finish. My BF2 has a satin finish. I would've preferred brushed.


----------



## kuutan

Portable warmth.


----------



## Chops

RickB said:


> That's interesting that it has a brushed finish. My BF2 has a satin finish. I would've preferred brushed.


Huh... That _is_ interesting. I didn't know they changed the finish as some point along the line.


----------



## Chops

Already switched the DAC's back to their original spots.

Even though I had the M400 connected in the main system, I never gave it a listen since the headphone rig was the main concern at the time. Though the Topping A90/Schiit Bifrost 2 stack looks amazing, this combo did not sound amazing. Quite the opposite actually! A complete shocker to me!

With the Bifrost, bass got a little stronger, but also a bit muddled. Vocals, whether male or female, as well as any kind of midrange instruments took on an overbearing shouty, etchy trait. Treble wasn't too terribly bad except for the fact that it had a slight gritty sound to it. Not a pleasant experience, and not one that I was expecting at all from the Bifrost 2. 

Back in the main system, the Bifrost 2 sounds excellent again with the sound that I love, and the sound that shines through the speakers and subs flawlessly. 

No, I never listened to the M400 in the main system, so what I don't know won't hurt me. All I know is that the M400 sounds excellent in the headphone rig and the synergy with the A90 amp and my Sundara's are perfect.


----------



## RickB

Chops said:


> Huh... That _is_ interesting. I didn't know they changed the finish as some point along the line.



This is what it looks like now.


----------



## eobet

Roasty said:


> Looks like the schiit remote.
> 
> https://www.schiit.com/products/remote-controls


Thanks! The remote I used to have can be found a bit down on this page... very much feels as if it's sourced from the same place:

https://www.audiopro.com/sv/product/a36/#svart


----------



## Chops

RickB said:


> This is what it looks like now.


They must have started powder coating them. I'm glad mine isn't, or it wouldn't match my Freya+, which is also bare aluminum with grain.


----------



## RickB

Chops said:


> They must have started powder coating them. I'm glad mine isn't, or it wouldn't match my Freya+, which is also bare aluminum with grain.



It's nice, but the brushed look hides imperfections better.


----------



## LoryWiv

Ripper2860 said:


> Not really.  At low volumes it gets by, but it's just too low of an impedance to get any real ooomph out of it.  I guess I should have included a pic of the Ragnarok that was out of frame and used primarily as the 2-channel rig.


Thanks, not unexpected but good to know for certain.


----------



## LoryWiv

Miiksu said:


> My new stuff. Stax SRM-313 and Nectar Hive. Topping DX7 Pro feeding the signal with the Burson Audio V6 Classic op-amps.


What is the handsome, wood-clad tubed component on top.


----------



## Deceneu808

Sorry for the bad quality. Phone decided no for today


----------



## TooFrank

kumar402 said:


> We all try to keep our headphone collection to minimum 🤪


what does minimum mean? English is not my mother tongue....


----------



## bcowen

TooFrank said:


> what does minimum mean? English is not my mother tongue....


Minimum is clearly defined in Wikipedia as less than 500 pairs.


----------



## jonathan c

TooFrank said:


> what does minimum mean? English is not my mother tongue....


Please look at post #28,208 in this thread...


----------



## vmiguel

I believe we can use a bicycle saying: the perfect number of bykes to own is n+1 (n is the number of bykes you already have)...


----------



## bcowen

vmiguel said:


> I believe we can use a bicycle saying: the perfect number of bykes to own is n+1 (n is the number of bykes you already have)...


For tubes, the formula format is similar, except it's n + 1000.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> In the perennial debate concerning vacuum tubes vs solid-state for music reproduction, match this, ss, for sound & glamour !


WA3!! Love mine.

What tubes are these?


----------



## Pharmaboy

MarcelE said:


> The perfect headset stand. An empty whisky bottle box.



Related questions:

Where is the whiskey bottle that was in the box?
Is that whiskey bottle empty? 
If the river was whiskey, and you were a divin' duck -- would you dive to the bottom?


----------



## Pharmaboy

YtseJamer said:


> Apart from the ground loop, I'm blown away


What ground loop?

I have a terrible ground loop in my desktop system; have tried so many things to eradicate it, but no luck. I'm very interested in the Quicksilver, but reluctant to put it in that system where one wrong move might blow something up.


----------



## YtseJamer (Apr 30, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> What ground loop?
> 
> I have a terrible ground loop in my desktop system; have tried so many things to eradicate it, but no luck. I'm very interested in the Quicksilver, but reluctant to put it in that system where one wrong move might blow something up.



Oh man, it's a little bit better now because my router was too close from the amp, but I'm still trying to find a solution to get rid of the hum and the interferences.  It's a shame because the Quicksilver is a match made in heaven with the VC and the Aeolus.  I will order the Morley Hum Exterminator.


----------



## Pharmaboy

YtseJamer said:


> Oh man, it's a little bit better now because my router was too close from the amp, but I'm still trying to find a solution to get rid of the hum and the interferences.  It's a shame because the Quicksilver is a match made in heaven with the VC and the Aeolus.



sounds more like an RFI issue than a ground loop--which is actually lucky for you, because RFI interference is lessened by distance from the source. I know that's hard in a crowded system, but I've learned that vertical distance counts as much as horizontal distance (I put my router above anything that amplifies).

My problem is not hum, interference, any of that (unfortunately).


----------



## YtseJamer

Pharmaboy said:


> sounds more like an RFI issue than a ground loop--which is actually lucky for you, because RFI interference is lessened by distance from the source. I know that's hard in a crowded system, but I've learned that vertical distance counts as much as horizontal distance (I put my router above anything that amplifies).
> 
> My problem is not hum, interference, any of that (unfortunately).



I have both issues, RFI and the ground loop.  I will move my setup elsewhere in the house this weekend to try to isolate the problem.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> WA3!! Love mine.
> 
> What tubes are these?


The power tube is a British GEC 6080, the two driver tubes are Amperex PQ 7308 (orange shield).


----------



## John Massaria (Apr 30, 2021)

Let the music flow anyway you can


----------



## Barnstormer13

Got tired of the MDF box my gear was sitting on and made a new headphone listening station:


----------



## nerone

Barnstormer13 said:


> Got tired of the MDF box my gear was sitting on and made a new headphone listening station:


Nice station!
How does Lyr 3 Compares to WA6-SE? 
I have the woo with Elear and Aeon 2, and I'm thinking about getting a Lyr 3.


----------



## Barnstormer13 (Apr 30, 2021)

nerone said:


> Nice station!
> How does Lyr 3 Compares to WA6-SE?
> I have the woo with Elear and Aeon 2, and I'm thinking about getting a Lyr 3.


For high impedance headphones, the WA-6A beats the Lyr3 with impressive microdynamics and imaging. For low impedance planars, the Lyr3 does a much better job- much cleaner and tighter bass, less compression. I’ve used both the Lyr3 and the Woo with both an Elex and Aeon and prefer the Woo with the Elex and the Lyr3 with the Aeon. Generally speaking, the Lyr3 will power just about anything with low distortion and a little bit of tube magic. The Woo is pickier, but when matched to the right headphone is magical. YMMV of course


----------



## nerone

Barnstormer13 said:


> For high impedance headphones, the WA-6A beats the Lyr3 with impressive microdynamics and imaging. For low impedance planars, the Lyr3 does a much better job- much cleaner and tighter bass, less compression. I’ve used both the Lyr3 and the Woo with both an Elex and Aeon and prefer the Woo with the Elex and the Lyr3 with the Aeon. Generally speaking, the Lyr3 will power just about anything with low distortion and a little bit of tube magic. The Woo is pickier, but when matched to the right headphone is magical. YMMV of course


My wallet just said it doesn't like you.
Thanks very much on the feedback!


----------



## Barnstormer13

nerone said:


> My wallet just said it doesn't like you.
> Thanks very much on the feedback!


Well since you have your wallet out... I should mention that the Woo is an amazing match to a ZMF Verite. You get all the detail and resolution of the Aeon with the euphonic sound signature of the ZMF house sound and the dynamics of Focal.


----------



## vonBaron

Best SS amp i ever heard!


----------



## lumdicks

Another sleepless night.


----------



## CJG888

Friday Night in SF, I see…


----------



## judomaniak57

are the meze a good compilment to the Stellia? love my Stellia but would like a real good open headphone


lumdicks said:


> Another sleepless night.


----------



## lumdicks (May 3, 2021)

judomaniak57 said:


> are the meze a good compilment to the Stellia? love my Stellia but would like a real good open headphone


Yes it is a perfect compliment with Stellia and is very musical and engaging. If you are looking for something more transparent with sparkled mid and high, HE1000SE is the choice.


----------



## bcowen

Barnstormer13 said:


> Got tired of the MDF box my gear was sitting on and made a new headphone listening station:


Very nice!!!


----------



## Barnstormer13 (May 1, 2021)

bcowen said:


> Very nice!!!


Most of the work was finishing the wood. Never tried to do a high gloss finish before and screwed up multiple times before I got the technique down. I probably went a little overboard. Two coats of Tung oil, 8 coats of shellac, probably another 6 coats of polyurethane.
_


_


----------



## Miiksu

Miiksu said:


> My new stuff. Stax SRM-313 and Nectar Hive. Topping DX7 Pro feeding the signal with the Burson Audio V6 Classic op-amps.


Thank you guys liking my post it's very nice compo. Nectar Hive is perfectly balanced. Channel impalance is not more than 1dB. Yes, it's more than that on my measurements because I measure one ear at time and with shaky hands.  It's almost perfect. I only modified it by little. Adding more anti-reflection material to the sponge at back and slight EQ. I removed sponge from the picture that you can see the headphones better.

This measurement is taken without EQ. Only slight mod on it. 


Spoiler: Measurement


----------



## bcowen

Barnstormer13 said:


> Most of the work was finishing the wood. Never tried to do a high gloss finish before and screwed up multiple times before I got the technique down. I probably went a little overboard. Two coats of Tung oil, 8 coats of shellac, probably another 6 coats of polyurethane.
> __


Wow.  A lot of work, but the end result is quite impressive!  Beautiful wood as well.


----------



## Wes S

Barnstormer13 said:


> Got tired of the MDF box my gear was sitting on and made a new headphone listening station:


I don't know how I missed this.  Thanks to @bcowen for bringing it back up.  I Love all the wood and the clean look!  Very nice setup.


----------



## LoryWiv

Miiksu said:


> Thank you guys liking my post it's very nice compo. Nectar Hive is perfectly balanced. Channel impalance is not more than 1dB. Yes, it's more than that on my measurements because I measure one ear at time and with shaky hands.  It's almost perfect. I only modified it by little. Adding more anti-reflection material to the sponge at back and slight EQ. I removed sponge from the picture that you can see the headphones better.
> 
> This measurement is taken without EQ. Only slight mod on it.
> 
> ...


What is the handsome tubed component?


----------



## nerone

Barnstormer13 said:


> Well since you have your wallet out... I should mention that the Woo is an amazing match to a ZMF Verite. You get all the detail and resolution of the Aeon with the euphonic sound signature of the ZMF house sound and the dynamics of Focal.


I'd love to get a Verité with burl wood, but right now they are out of reach for me as my currency is very undervalued compared to USD, but I'll keep the in sight. Thanks!


----------



## Miiksu

Wes S said:


> I don't know how I missed this.  Thanks to @bcowen for bringing it back up.  I Love all the wood and the clean look!  Very nice setup.


Yarland FV-34C (2009) and I got it purchase price. 4*EL84 and 2*5670. I added steel mesh around the tubes. Removed some unwanted hiss and crackling noises. It's only 12W but can play loud enough Quad 12L speakers. It's good sounding for even it's age.


----------



## UntilThen

One of these nights ....


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> One of these nights ....


Livin' the "good life"

Rollin' with killer amp...LCD-4 and whiskey...only thing missing is some nice blues music....which I assume you listened to at some point!

Enjoy!


----------



## Roasty

UntilThen said:


> One of these nights ....



That looks heavenly..
Have you tried other headphones like Verite, Utopia, Susvara with that amp?
That bottle with the samurai top looks so cool.


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> Livin' the "good life"
> 
> Rollin' with killer amp...LCD-4 and whiskey...only thing missing is some nice blues music....which I assume you listened to at some point!
> 
> Enjoy!



I did get to the blues and this is my favourite ... on Tidal HiFi of course.  



https://tidal.com/browse/track/41508931



Roasty said:


> That looks heavenly..
> Have you tried other headphones like Verite, Utopia, Susvara with that amp?
> That bottle with the samurai top looks so cool.



Unfortunately have already sold off Verite LTD Open.

Only have He1000se, LCD4, HD800 and HD650 atm. Other headphones are not on my roadmap yet because in 2 months time, I have an even better KT88 / EL34 custom amp arriving.


----------



## UntilThen (May 2, 2021)

whirlwind said:


> Rollin' with killer amp...LCD-4



Amazing with blues, rock, metal, ambience, audiophile vocals !!! when you combine 300b amp (incidentally it's called Destiny) with LCD4.


----------



## TooFrank

John Massaria said:


> Let the music flow anyway you can


Nice - almost like the Grado’s with all that wood😜


----------



## betula

TooFrank said:


> Nice - almost like the Grado’s with all that wood😜


You have to work with what you have. An audiophile is always an audiophile.


----------



## RickB

TooFrank said:


> Nice - almost like the Grado’s with all that wood😜



It might sound better than Grado's. 

(j/k!)


----------



## UntilThen

Roasty said:


> Have you tried other headphones like Verite, Utopia, Susvara with that amp?


I’ll have the luxury to go off topic with just one reply to this question.

He1000se performed so amazingly well driven by the 300b amp. So much so I think it sounded better with the amp than LCD4. Very close though. Both headphones just very different presentations.

I would expect similar result with Susvara and this 300b amp will have no problem driving Susvara with 8 watts.


----------



## Dogmatrix

UntilThen said:


> I’ll have the luxury to go off topic with just one reply to this question.
> 
> He1000se performed so amazingly well driven by the 300b amp. So much so I think it sounded better with the amp than LCD4. Very close though. Both headphones just very different presentations.
> 
> I would expect similar result with Susvara and this 300b amp will have no problem driving Susvara with 8 watts.


Indeed , in fact running the numbers "Destiny" delivers a little over double the power needed to generate 110dB at 1Khz in the Susvara . So potentially you could make a Susvara desk top speaker .


----------



## hduong

After 9 years of enjoying my headphone system, decided to add some new gear this year.  My Headphone setup is also connected to my personal/work from home computer which I recently built last Christmas.  So space is at a premium.

New additions are:
Sennheiser HD660s
Questyle CMA400i
Balanced cable for the HD800


----------



## Preachy1

hduong said:


> After 9 years of enjoying my headphone system, decided to add some new gear this year.  My Headphone setup is also connected to my personal/work from home computer which I recently built last Christmas.  So space is at a premium.
> 
> New additions are:
> Sennheiser HD660s
> ...


I really love Violectric's form factor.  If I wasn't completely happy with my ***current*** system, I'd be looking for one.


----------



## rlanger

Preachy1 said:


> I really love Violectric's form factor.  If I wasn't completely happy with my ***current*** system, I'd be looking for one.


Ha. Was thinking the exact same thing looking at that pic, then scrolled down to see your comment.

Wish my space allowed me to have a desktop setup. Unfortunately, I don't have a desk which can accommodate it. I'm using a laptop desk so I have to stick with a transportable setup.

Fortunately though, the options in transportable these days are really good. Looking for a replacement for my XDuoo Basic that I had to return, I've been overwhelmed with the number and quality of options under $1000.


----------



## UntilThen

If the desk won’t fit there’s always racks. 😀


----------



## new2mus

Modest bedside setup


----------



## Chops

And now with a pair of proper XLR interconnects... 1 foot pair of Worlds Best Cables "Amphenol" Canare cables.


----------



## Zachik

new2mus said:


> Modest bedside setup


Nightowl for bedside setup... Appropriate choice!   🤣


----------



## Ethereal Sound

UntilThen said:


> If the desk won’t fit there’s always racks. 😀



Beautiful, what is the tube amp on the top right shelf?


----------



## UntilThen

Ethereal Sound said:


> Beautiful, what is the tube amp on the top right shelf?



It's 2 of Elekit amps use in combination. A TU-8500 (tube preamp / phono stage mm/mc)  and a TU-8200 (headphone / speaker amp - 4 watts in triode and 8 watts in ultralinear). Love this combination until a failed tube took out the amp. Still trying to get it fixed but I have better tube amps to play with now in the meantime.

This is the combo. It's using Brimar 12AU7 long plates and Telefunken EL12 spez with adapters.


----------



## new2mus

Zachik said:


> Nightowl for bedside setup... Appropriate choice!   🤣


Yep, I couldn't help myself ...


----------



## banda

Chops said:


> And now with a pair of proper XLR interconnects... 1 foot pair of Worlds Best Cables "Amphenol" Canare cables.


The reflection confused me for a bit too long.


----------



## Preachy1

My current setup.  No new gear, but I reversed everything left to right so I could connect my TT directly to the Feliks.  Now I have everything cross-wired so that I can listen to all sources from either amp.  What a pain in the ass that was!!!!  I'm not moving a thing ever again (erm, I mean, until the next time I do!).

Oh yeah, I do have a pair of Focal Clear MGs on the UPS truck scheduled for delivery sometime today!!!!!


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> My current setup.  No new gear, but I reversed everything left to right so I could connect my TT directly to the Feliks.  Now I have everything cross-wired so that I can listen to all sources from either amp.  What a pain in the ass that was!!!!  I'm not moving a thing ever again (erm, I mean, until the next time I do!).
> 
> Oh yeah, I do have a pair of Focal Clear MGs on the UPS truck scheduled for delivery sometime today!!!!!


Very nice!  

Although I have some concerns about your turntable dust cover not having quite enough vertical clearance....


----------



## new2mus

Preachy1 said:


> My current setup.  No new gear, but I reversed everything left to right so I could connect my TT directly to the Feliks.  Now I have everything cross-wired so that I can listen to all sources from either amp.  What a pain in the ass that was!!!!  I'm not moving a thing ever again (erm, I mean, until the next time I do!).
> 
> Oh yeah, I do have a pair of Focal Clear MGs on the UPS truck scheduled for delivery sometime today!!!!!


Love the tasting cups. 
Ugh, that last mile wait is excruciating.


----------



## Preachy1

new2mus said:


> Love the tasting cups.
> Ugh, that last mile wait is excruciating.


Been "out for delivery" since 9:30 this AM.  I can't complain though, I only purchased them on Sunday.  Seller threw in 2 day delivery.


----------



## Preachy1

bcowen said:


> Very nice!
> 
> Although I have some concerns about your turntable dust cover not having quite enough vertical clearance....


Yeah, it is pretty lofty!!!!  Not sure why they made it that big, but maybe to accomodate upgraded tonearms?


----------



## Preachy1

And the eagle has landed!  Arrived in what appears to brand new condition, although the seller listed them as used.  The cables weren't touched.  A quick sample of Steve Hackett Live from the Hammersmith, and I'm in Focal heaven!  

Unless a pair happens to fall off of a truck that by chance I'm closely following, these are as close as I will ever come to the Utopias.    I know that some are not crazy about the color schemes that Focal has chosen for their most recent releases, but that is what drew me to them in the first place.


----------



## RickB

Preachy1 said:


> Been "out for delivery" since 9:30 this AM.  I can't complain though, I only purchased them on Sunday.  Seller threw in 2 day delivery.



I've always gotten deliveries late in the day (as if I'm on some kind of schiit list). My question is, besides businesses, WHO gets their deliveries early in the day???


----------



## kingoftown1

It's usually businesses in the morning, residential in the afternoon for UPS, at least in my area.


----------



## Audi5000

RickB said:


> I've always gotten deliveries late in the day (as if I'm on some kind of schiit list). My question is, besides businesses, WHO gets their deliveries early in the day???


i get all my ups and fed ex before 11.. usps i have to wait until 5pm


----------



## bcowen

Audi5000 said:


> i get all my ups and fed ex before 11.. usps i have to wait until 5pm


If the USPS has only bills and junk mail to deliver, they show up between noon and 1:00 PM.  If they have a package I'm waiting on, it's 6:00 - 7:00 PM.  I'll give them due credit for being consistent though.


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> If the USPS has only bills and junk mail to deliver, they show up between noon and 1:00 PM.  If they have a package I'm waiting on, it's 6:00 - 7:00 PM.  I'll give them due credit for being consistent though.



My experience is, if it's a package I don't care about, it's always on time or early. If it's something I'm impatient to get, then I wait all day or maybe into the evening.


----------



## alekc

RickB said:


> My experience is, if it's a package I don't care about, it's always on time or early. If it's something I'm impatient to get, then I wait all day or maybe into the evening.



I'd add that sometimes it gets delayed or even lost... at least that is my experience


----------



## RetroE83

Mostly portable DACs  strewn across my listening station


----------



## Preachy1

kingoftown1 said:


> It's usually businesses in the morning, residential in the afternoon for UPS, at least in my area.


Interesting, I never thought of it that way.


----------



## Preachy1

RickB said:


> My experience is, if it's a package I don't care about, it's always on time or early. If it's something I'm impatient to get, then I wait all day or maybe into the evening.


Where USPS is concerned, if it’s a package I’m eagerly awaiting, I call and tell
them to hold it at the local office. Then I go pick it up at 9:00 AM sharp. My local PO is only about 2 miles away.


----------



## Preachy1

BTW, one odd thing I’ve found with Focal’s packaging; the boxes are so freakin’ air tight that it’s near impossible to fully push the outer cover down. I swear I could use four of these boxes as shocks for my car.


----------



## muckyfingers (May 14, 2021)

Choobs!


----------



## mariospeedwagon

Finally added headphones to my main rig
I'm mostly an analog 2-channel listener, but recently bought some Sennheisers so I don't have to turn down the volume when it gets late 

From Left to right
Thorens TD-160 w/ Hana SH
Harman Kardon A300
Schiit Eitr [fed mostly Qobuz from a Macbook]
Black Ice Tube DAC
Bottlehead Crack
Sennheiser HD650
I like tubes 

Analog source:  Tape Out from the HK into the Crack
Digital source: Don't need the HK


----------



## Preachy1

mariospeedwagon said:


> Finally added headphones to my main rig
> I'm mostly an analog 2-channel listener, but recently bought some Sennheisers so I don't have to turn down the volume when it gets late
> 
> From Left to right
> ...


God help me, but the Bevis and Butthead came out of me when I read “into the crack”!


----------



## BobG55 (May 4, 2021)

.


----------



## BobG55




----------



## Chillzone21 (May 7, 2021)

DIY Motorhome with Home Theatre (Toyota Coaster)
DIY Headphones (Ananda frames / Grado GS3000e drivers)
DIY Anaview Amplifier AMS1000
DIY 4K HTPC
Smyth Realiser A8
Audio Lab M-Dac
SVS PB1000 subwoofer


----------



## UntilThen

McChanson 300b and KT88 amps.


----------



## bigjako (May 5, 2021)

Stax setup: BH Stat, CCS-Modded 006t (Dominik), Topping D90, Jolida Glass FX (formerly BF2, which currently anchors second setup).




Edit for tall poppy: L700 headband broke immediately upon posting this and putting the cans away.  Serves me right I guess.  Socas yokes ordered.


----------



## bcowen

bigjako said:


> Stax setup: BH Stat, CCS-Modded 006t (Dominik), Topping D90, Jolida Glass FX (formerly BF2, which currently anchors second setup).


Mmmmmmmm.....tubes.  Me like.


----------



## bigjako

bcowen said:


> Mmmmmmmm.....tubes.  Me like.


Not on purpose, but there isn't a solid-state amp in that picture.  Even one of the DACs is a tubes.


----------



## Roasty

After having listened to quite a few TOTL headphones.. The HD650 still manages to hold its own, and remains the OG for me. Crazy good luscious mid range. Sweet highs and nice low end. The price it can be had for now, it is just bang for buck value for money. 

In the pic, I have it paired with a jps superconductor cable and hooked up to a denafrips athena/apollon power amp combo. Lost in the music...


----------



## gefski

bigjako said:


> Stax setup: BH Stat, CCS-Modded 006t (Dominik), Topping D90, Jolida Glass FX (formerly BF2, which currently anchors second setup).
> 
> 
> Edit for tall poppy: L700 headband broke immediately upon posting this and putting the cans away.  Serves me right I guess.  Socas yokes ordered.


So the new series Stax headbands like to break too? Disgusting. When my 407 band broke and I bought a replacement, I bought a basic black also and put it on my 404LE, putting away my irreplaceable anniversary headband.

Anyway that’s not why I replied. What are your comments on the BH Stat? We Seattle HeadFiers have a special connection to Bottlehead, and pre-COVID usually had our Spring meet there. Thanks in advance for your impressions.


----------



## OspreyAndy




----------



## bigjako

gefski said:


> So the new series Stax headbands like to break too? Disgusting. When my 407 band broke and I bought a replacement, I bought a basic black also and put it on my 404LE, putting away my irreplaceable anniversary headband.
> 
> Anyway that’s not why I replied. What are your comments on the BH Stat? We Seattle HeadFiers have a special connection to Bottlehead, and pre-COVID usually had our Spring meet there. Thanks in advance for your impressions.


I won’t clutter this thread up with BH Stat impressions, I’ll post them to the Stax III thread soonish, but long story short, it is an amazing counterpoint to my CCS modded 006.  It’s not as technically detailed as the 006 (which itself is a tube amp) but it really presents Stax uniquely.  I haven’t done tube rolling but am picking things off on eBay and will see what that does.

I must say dealing with Paul at Bottlehead was the best part about it, very awesome service (I bought it 3rd hand and it arrived exceptionally damaged).  Very reasonable repair experience and enjoying it with my NB Lambdas like crazy.


----------



## Sp12er3 (May 6, 2021)

A little Game of Spot the Cans


----------



## UntilThen

Roasty said:


> After having listened to quite a few TOTL headphones.. The HD650 still manages to hold its own


Can't wait to try my HD650 with my tube amps.


----------



## MSA1133

Currently, it's this all in one Shanling M30. DAP, AMP, Tubes and streamer.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

MSA1133 said:


> Currently, it's this all in one Shanling M30. DAP, AMP, Tubes and streamer.


Pretty 😍


----------



## betula

Nightscape.


----------



## Chops

Replaced the cheap USB cable with a short 1' Pangea cable. Also purchased a cheap red power cable to go along with the blue one I've had laying around for a few years. 

The USB cable is meant as an upgrade obviously, but the power cables are just for looks and better cable management since the back of the stack is right out in the open for everyone to see.


----------



## cgb3

Audi5000 said:


> cleaned up some of my working mess. The Senn's are now powered by Rolls-Bellari HA543, (sitting on a quick little shelf i crafted up for $5  ) I actually enjoy the 'enhance' feature (read: treble boost).. Kenny Rogers sounded celestial, and Sinead O'Conner like an angel...


Please, let me know what Kenny Rodgers song is "celestial" (with album if possible).

I liked Kenny well enough back in the day, loved his chicken joints. Not doubting your exuberance, I want to experience it myself.


----------



## UntilThen

I’m sure Kenny Rogers use a LCD4 with a tube amp because he wouldn’t be able to gamble as well without.


----------



## Deceneu808 (May 11, 2021)

Summer setup


----------



## 425455




----------



## 425455




----------



## hodgjy

A new chair and DAC (Musical Fidelity V90-DAC)


----------



## nordkapp

betula said:


> Nightscape.


How does the Burson amp compare to RME?


----------



## betula

nordkapp said:


> How does the Burson amp compare to RME?


The RME punches above its price as a DAC. The amp section is not bad, but only mediocre.
The 3XP in 'headphone power amp mode' with balanced output is just much more dynamic, detailed, spacious, clear. With some exaggeration it is like switching from an old radio to a proper hi-fi system. Flat versus spacious, blurred versus detailed, soft versus dynamic.


----------



## nordkapp

betula said:


> The RME punches above its price as a DAC. The amp section is not bad, but only mediocre.
> The 3XP in 'headphone power amp mode' with balanced output is just much more dynamic, detailed, spacious, clear. With some exaggeration it is like switching from an old radio to a proper hi-fi system. Flat versus spacious, blurred versus detailed, soft versus dynamic.


Wow. Now I am tempted......


----------



## Crowbar44




----------



## lugnut

Crowbar44 said:


>


So please tell us about the McIntosh MHA 200, not a lot of info out there. What tubes, how does it sound, how does it compare to other amps, just any information you can share with us ? Oh yeah, what does it cost ?


----------



## Crowbar44

lugnut said:


> So please tell us about the McIntosh MHA 200, not a lot of info out there. What tubes, how does it sound, how does it compare to other amps, just any information you can share with us ? Oh yeah, what does it cost ?


So it just hit dealers on Tuesday.  A few of us early owners have a thread going...

Posting to the dedicated thread is probably best - but I gotta say, I love this thing, really fast and musical.  I loved my Asgard 3 - but this is in a different league.  At $2,500 it better be!

A pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode tubes.  Push/pull SET, with a load switch that goes from 30 - 600 Ohms to match different headphone impedances...


----------



## MSA1133




----------



## judomaniak57

New Cardas Parsec cable


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## RobertSM




----------



## mammal




----------



## betula

mammal said:


>


How is the TC with this combo?


----------



## mammal

betula said:


> How is the TC with this combo?


Really liking it if you ask me. Still undecided if I wanna keep HMS (as it is a loaner) and if XLR over SE makes a difference. But HTT2 + TC is a no brainer, haven't heard anything better yet.


----------



## betula

mammal said:


> Really liking it if you ask me. Still undecided if I wanna keep HMS (as it is a loaner) and if XLR over SE makes a difference. But HTT2 + TC is a no brainer, haven't heard anything better yet.


I used to own the TT2 and it is not completely out of reach now, but it is definitely out of reach with the MScaler as a combo.
I am interested in the 1266, but a bit worried if the superior technicalities over the Empyrean would turn into a colder musical experience over time which I would not want.
Anyhow, my life won't feel complete unless trying 1266 bass at some point.


----------



## mammal

betula said:


> I used to own the TT2 and it is not completely out of reach now, but it is definitely out of reach with the MScaler as a combo.


I know what you mean, I am having issues justifying MScaler as an addition to TT2 myself.



betula said:


> I am interested in the 1266, but a bit worried if the superior technicalities over the Empyrean would turn into a colder musical experience over time which I would not want.


I compared (in a shop setting) AB-1266, LCD-4 and Empyrean and found AB-1266 the most resolving out of them. As far as bass goes, I felt that AB-1266 has more controlled bass, but as you said yourself, this is one of the technicalities it has over other headphones. I asked the shop owner and he told me he personally likes Empyrean more, exactly for that coloration. I think the best way forward is for you to try to audition them somewhere.


----------



## betula

mammal said:


> I know what you mean, I am having issues justifying MScaler as an addition to TT2 myself.
> 
> 
> I compared (in a shop setting) AB-1266, LCD-4 and Empyrean and found AB-1266 the most resolving out of them. As far as bass goes, I felt that AB-1266 has more controlled bass, but as you said yourself, this is one of the technicalities it has over other headphones. I asked the shop owner and he told me he personally likes Empyrean more, exactly for that coloration. I think the best way forward is for you to try to audition them somewhere.


I know, I must try at some point. I tried the LCD4 but haven't heard any Abyss.
I love the Empyrean for its musicality over some other more expensive flagship headphones.


----------



## Terriero (May 9, 2021)

Terriero said:


> In a few days, my family will adopt some little kitties (I love that english word because it's remember me to "Alien" movie and that incredible sequence). I will post some pics of them (wearing headphones or something)


Ok, time to fulfill what I promised. He is about 2 months, and he has learned to climb my leg, like in this pic  Last week, when we wake up, find him a little wounded, but I hope he'll recover soon...

At the end, we only adopted one kittie, the other one disappeared


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> Ok, time to fulfill what I promised. He is about 2 months, and he has learned to climb my leg, like in this pic  Last week, when we wake up, find him a little wounded, but I hope he'll recover soon...
> 
> At the end, we only adopted one kittie, the other one disappeared



How cute!!

But just a warning:  then they grow up.


----------



## DeweyCH

Bedside setup


----------



## judomaniak57

have always like the look of ZMF closed headphones, very nice


DeweyCH said:


> Bedside setup


----------



## hollandstein




----------



## UntilThen

Lots of LPs you have there. I love using my TT too despite the convenience of digital streaming. Vinyl and tube amps... ummmm 😊


----------



## hollandstein

UntilThen said:


> Lots of LPs you have there. I love using my TT too despite the convenience of digital streaming. Vinyl and tube amps... ummmm 😊


I stream things I don’t own physical copies of,  but there’s something about the ritual of placing a record that streaming can’t touch.


----------



## donato

Here's a photo of my current setup this time with some of my headphones.  Latest addition is the Raal SR1a which came with a Jotunheim R (sitting unused on top of the Cayin's transformers) as well as the speaker amp interface box (not shown, but that's what I'm currently using with the Pass XA25).  I also have a Bifrost 2 now (on top of the May DAC).  Things are getting a bit cramped so I'm probably have to start getting rid of some gear.


----------



## ThanatosVI

donato said:


> Here's a photo of my current setup this time with some of my headphones.  Latest addition is the Raal SR1a which came with a Jotunheim R (sitting unused on top of the Cayin's transformers) as well as the speaker amp interface box (not shown, but that's what I'm currently using with the Pass XA25).  I also have a Bifrost 2 now (on top of the May DAC).  Things are getting a bit cramped so I'm probably have to start getting rid of some gear.


You added a Bifrost 2 after having the May?
Interesting.
Just out of curiosity?


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> You added a Bifrost 2 after having the May?
> Interesting.
> Just out of curiosity?


Why not. I bought Bifrost 2 after having Yggdrasil for 3 years. I don’t use the Bifrost 2 much though and it’s gone to my son.


----------



## bcowen

hollandstein said:


> I stream things I don’t own physical copies of,  but there’s something about the ritual sound of placing a record that streaming can’t touch.


Here....fixed this for you.


----------



## bcowen

donato said:


> Things are getting a bit cramped so I'm probably have to start getting rid of some gear.


Very impressive!!  But what you meant is that you need to get an additional rack, right?


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Here....fixed this for you.


Rare flashes of brilliance there Mr Bcowen. Vinyl is alive. Digital is ones and zeros. Now I have restarted an old war.


----------



## donato

ThanatosVI said:


> You added a Bifrost 2 after having the May?
> Interesting.
> Just out of curiosity?



Pretty much.  My May is not directly connected to my desktop; it's network connected via Sonore Ultrarendu.  So when I want to listen to things directly off my desktop (i.e. not via Roon), I need a USB connected DAC so I was using Modi, Dragonfly Cobalt, etc. so I decided to upgrade that DAC.


----------



## donato

bcowen said:


> Very impressive!!  But what you meant is that you need to get an additional rack, right?



haha, yes, and I have been thinking about that as an option too...but realistically, I'm not using all of this other gear consistently, so I should just thin the herd.


----------



## UntilThen

I got to 3 racks. That’s when I say this madness has to stop. So the 3rd is gone now.


----------



## rocdoc

Bedside


----------



## whirlwind

donato said:


> Here's a photo of my current setup this time with some of my headphones.  Latest addition is the Raal SR1a which came with a Jotunheim R (sitting unused on top of the Cayin's transformers) as well as the speaker amp interface box (not shown, but that's what I'm currently using with the Pass XA25).  I also have a Bifrost 2 now (on top of the May DAC).  Things are getting a bit cramped so I'm probably have to start getting rid of some gear.


How are you liking the May ?


----------



## banda

donato said:


> haha, yes, and I have been thinking about that as an option too...but realistically, I'm not using all of this other gear consistently, so I should just thin the herd.


What will you be sending off?


----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> Lots of LPs you have there. I love using my TT too despite the convenience of digital streaming. Vinyl and tube amps... ummmm 😊


Yessir!  I recently reconfigured my system to have my TT feed into the Felix Elise. Magic!


----------



## donato

whirlwind said:


> How are you liking the May ?


I love it.  It replaced a Spring KTE that I had previously.  Having a TOTL DAC helps me get the most out of the rest of my system.



banda said:


> What will you be sending off?



Probably some amps.  The Viva Egoista and the Pass XA25 are in heavy use these days, the Cayin sadly hasn't seen too much use lately and the Luxman and the Pass HPA-1 I haven't used in awhile and a WA22 that hasn't been used for even longer.  It kind of becomes a self reinforcing thing when my TOTL headphones are also some of the most power hungry ones; that necessitates the use of powerful amps to get the most out of them and consequently, the lower powered gear doesn't get as much attention. 

That being said, I do still use this setup with a Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt.  I have replaced the Mullard tubes with Amperex and the opamp from a Burson V5i to a Sparkos since that picture was taken so it's not always about summit-fi.


----------



## ThanatosVI

donato said:


> I love it.  It replaced a Spring KTE that I had previously.  Having a TOTL DAC helps me get the most out of the rest of my system.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Too Bad the Wa22 has no 300B tubes instead of 6080s, otherwise I'd gladly take it from you 

I'm a little surprised that the Cayin doesn't see much use tho. 
What is it, that you're missing?
If you feel that these questions derail the thread too much, I'd be happy to receive a pm


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## Wes S (May 12, 2021)

I love the view of my new system when first entering my listening room, and this is what it currently looks like.  As you can see, my Verite C are ready to rock.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Wes S said:


> I love the view of my new system when first entering my listening room, and this is what it currently looks like.  As you can see, my Verite C are ready to rock.


I like the tubes on the 2nd shelf


----------



## Wes S

ThanatosVI said:


> I like the tubes on the 2nd shelf


Thanks!  I love old tube boxes and tubes, and think they look cool so I put a few of my favorites on display.


----------



## donato

Slipmyster said:


>



A fellow Nobsound user.   Nice!


----------



## donato

ThanatosVI said:


> I'm a little surprised that the Cayin doesn't see much use tho.
> What is it, that you're missing?
> If you feel that these questions derail the thread too much, I'd be happy to receive a pm



I've been using my Susvara and TC a lot lately and the 845 just has way more power (15W) and sounds fantastic (I've also upgraded most of the tubes on it (rectifier, 6sn7, and power tubes), but haven't yet upgraded the 300b on the Cayin).  I have used it with the LCD-4 when I was looking for a warmer sound which was great.


----------



## stemiki




----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> Ok, time to fulfill what I promised. He is about 2 months, and he has learned to climb my leg, like in this pic  Last week, when we wake up, find him a little wounded, but I hope he'll recover soon...
> 
> At the end, we only adopted one kittie, the other one disappeared


Beautiful little face!


----------



## Slipmyster

donato said:


> A fellow Nobsound user.   Nice!


Yes I think they are excellent for the price 👍


----------



## PierPP

ZMF Vérité Open with Headmp GS-X Mini and Gustard X16 DAC

I'm in the middle on an upgrade so I'm trying to figure which DAC I want (R2R?)


----------



## UntilThen

Excellento @PierPP . Green and wood ! Amazing colour.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/so...s-in-ear-headphone.20347/reviews#review-25850


----------



## Benny-x

donato said:


> I've been using my Susvara and TC a lot lately and the 845 just has way more power (15W) and sounds fantastic (I've also upgraded most of the tubes on it (rectifier, 6sn7, and power tubes), but haven't yet upgraded the 300b on the Cayin).  I have used it with the LCD-4 when I was looking for a warmer sound which was great.


It looks like you did upgrade the HA-300's 6SN7s to a pair of Tung-Sol VT99/6F8G tubes + adapters? If so, I've got the same ones for my HA-300, but unfortunately due to covid, they're stuck a very, very long ways away at my parents' house. 

How did you feel about the VT99 vs. stock?

A lot of owners say upgrading the 300Bs has quite a positive impact, but mine are also stuck at my parents'  Besides going after the insano priced WE 300Bs, people say the new Psvane Acme 300Bs are good with the HA-300. I went for the Elrog 300Bs as they're said to be a little livelier and hot. Maybe some day I'll get to find out~


----------



## John Massaria




----------



## telecaster (May 14, 2021)

Did some tinkering inside my amp!
Still LCD3 with 339 is my best setup of all times!


----------



## 425455

telecaster said:


> Did some tinkering inside my amp!
> Still LCD3 with 339 is my best setup of all times!


That's a box of fireworks!


----------



## UntilThen

telecaster said:


> Did some tinkering inside my amp!
> Still LCD3 with 339 is my best setup of all times!


Congrats Telecaster. That's a work of art.


----------



## UntilThen

The Gemini twins or the Thompson twins depending on how violent you want them to be.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> The Gemini twins or the Thompson twins depending on how violent you want them to be.


Pretty sweet!  Make us all jealous.  Fine.

This is what I'm listening to right now, and it doesn't sound very good.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Pretty sweet!  Make us all jealous.  Fine.
> 
> This is what I'm listening to right now, and it doesn't sound very good.



Well whoever build that is very talented if he's not already mad from all that soldering. If you put a nice chassis on and put in all the tubes and take a time exposure shot, it will be in-cre-di-ble.


----------



## UntilThen

I'm wearing out my iPhone camera shutters... Gemini twins look good at any angle. Wait till you hear how it sound.... I use Destiny 1 & 2 to drive Susvara .... one on each channel.


----------



## 425455

bcowen said:


> Pretty sweet!  Make us all jealous.  Fine.
> 
> This is what I'm listening to right now, and it doesn't sound very good.



I am continually awed by the dedication to audio by peeps on this site. 

Full on respect..


----------



## UntilThen

drlorks said:


> I am continually awed by the dedication to audio by peeps on this site.
> 
> Full on respect..



Well everyone here is as talented as Risitas, especially my cart driver Mr Bcowen.


----------



## bcowen

drlorks said:


> I am continually awed by the dedication to audio by peeps on this site.
> 
> Full on respect..


This is more of a dedication to tubes than audio itself.  It's a vintage B&K tube tester I'm working on for a friend.  Of course the tubes serve the audio, so there's that.  

It uses this 6BN8 that contains a pair of diodes and a triode all in one little noval tube.  Very bad things happen when the getter holder breaks off and shorts stuff together.      So far, a cap, a resistor, and 2 pots are toast....and I'm not done yet.  But I *will* be victorious...even if it kills me.


----------



## RickB

UntilThen said:


> Well everyone here is as talented as Risitas, especially my cart driver Mr Bcowen.



RIP.


----------



## Lolito

RIP was a great man, met him once.


----------



## LoryWiv

bcowen said:


> Pretty sweet!  Make us all jealous.  Fine.
> 
> This is what I'm listening to right now, and it doesn't sound very good.


@bcowen was that gear in the golf cart when it entered the lake, or is there another explanation?


----------



## UntilThen

LoryWiv said:


> @bcowen was that gear in the golf cart when it entered the lake, or is there another explanation?


It was in the bunker where the dame was lining up for a big drive.


----------



## Wes S




----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> @bcowen was that gear in the golf cart when it entered the lake, or is there another explanation?


Yes, unfortunately.  I was attempting to fix @UntilThen 's Akai that was stuck in a twin frown configuration when we hit the water.  Stupid me...I just assumed as old as that Akai is that it had tubes in it.


----------



## Chops

My Dekoni Elite Hybrid ear pads arrived a few days early, and I just popped them on my Sundara's. No pics were taken because they look almost the same as the stock pads except they are just a tad thicker on the thick end of the pad, maybe a 0.25" thicker at most. The Dekoni pads also don't really feel all that much softer than the stock pads, BUT... So far, they are much more comfortable. 

Lastly, even though the frequency response is supposed to remain virtually the same as stock, bass extension and impact do seem to have increased just a little bit, which is a good thing. 

Just for fun, here's one pic I did take, exposing the nice large magnetic planar driver in the Sundara's. Nice!


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## 425455




----------



## 425455

A great result for Leicester.


----------



## ThanatosVI

drlorks said:


>


So cute!


----------



## Shane D (May 16, 2021)

My end game for DAC/EQ/Amps for a long time to come.
Of course headphones are a whole different matter.


----------



## 425455

ThanatosVI said:


> So cute!



She looks cute but this one's a biter...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJ-S75puu8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link


----------



## ThanatosVI

drlorks said:


> She looks cute but this one's a biter...
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJ-S75puu8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link


A cute biter!


----------



## 425455

Shane D said:


> My end game for DAC/EQ/Amps for a long time to come.
> Of course headphones are a whole different matter.



that's awesome


----------



## Pharmaboy

drlorks said:


>



Pretty tortoise-shell kitty!!


----------



## Roasty

The RPi4 and display + OSMC remote have really transformed my listening experience.

I can now sit far back on the couch, get Roon radio going, and with the remote i can flip forwards and backwards on the songs, adjust the volume, and just really enjoy the music. The best part is i can do it all without having to unlock my phone to control Roon or get up to adjust the volume knob on the amp. i find the phone so distracting, as I always tend to end up surfing the web or facebook. The only time i really have to unlock my phone is to add the song as a favourite; i wish there was a way to program one of the buttons on the OSMC remote to automatically add the current song playing to my favourites list.

The rpi4 just serves mainly as a display for my SOTM Roon endpoint. I have a usb cable going out of the RPi4 when i want to run librespot for spotify.

i highly recommend this set up for couch listeners..!


----------



## banda

Lord Rexter said:


>


What amps are those?


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> The RPi4 and display + OSMC remote have really transformed my listening experience.
> 
> I can now sit far back on the couch, get Roon radio going, and with the remote i can flip forwards and backwards on the songs, adjust the volume, and just really enjoy the music. The best part is i can do it all without having to unlock my phone to control Roon or get up to adjust the volume knob on the amp. i find the phone so distracting, as I always tend to end up surfing the web or facebook. The only time i really have to unlock my phone is to add the song as a favourite; i wish there was a way to program one of the buttons on the OSMC remote to automatically add the current song playing to my favourites list.
> 
> ...


Pics of the wa33 are always nice


----------



## Lord Rexter

banda said:


> What amps are those?


These are Electrostatic AMPs which drive the Electrostatic Headphones like STAX, HiFiMAN Jade, Shangri-La Jr and Senior, Mr. speakers Voce, and many more electrostatic headphones.

To the left is a Tube AMP called Megatron build by a good friend An Thu wonderful DIY Electrostatic Tube and Solid State amplifier builder, configuration Power Tubes are two pairs of Quad Perfect paired KT77 Gold Loins and 2 x 12au7 and 2 x 12ax7 tubes, so total of 12 tubes.

Silver big AMP is a Solid state KGSSHV Carbon built by very famous builder John McLean from Australia.

Black AMP is again a Solid state KGSSHV custom built by Birgir Gudjonsson AKA spritzer (best DIY Electrostatic AMPs builder and a STAX historian, works very closely with Kevin Gilmore) 🔥

All the amplifiers are based on design by Kevin Gilmore.


----------



## banda

Lord Rexter said:


> These are Electrostatic AMPs which drive the Electrostatic Headphones like STAX, HiFiMAN Jade, Shangri-La Jr and Senior, Mr. speakers Voce, and many more electrostatic headphones.
> 
> To the left is a Tube AMP called Megatron build by a good friend An Thu wonderful DIY Electrostatic Tube and Solid State amplifier builder, configuration Power Tubes are two pairs of Quad Perfect paired KT77 Gold Loins and 2 x 12au7 and 2 x 12ax7 tubes, so total of 12 tubes.
> 
> ...


How old is your Megatron? Why do you still have a KGSSHV when you have a Carbon?


----------



## Lord Rexter (May 16, 2021)

banda said:


> How old is your Megatron? Why do you still have a KGSSHV when you have a Carbon?


The Megatron is a couple of years old I am the second owner.

KGSSHV to my ears has better sub-bass than the Carbon besides it is a custom built one, having said that am known to be a hoarder 😊 actual truth✌️


----------



## banda

Lord Rexter said:


> The Megatron is a couple of years old I am the second owner.
> 
> KGSSHV to my ears has better sub-bass than the Carbon besides it is a custom built one, having said that am known to be a hoarder 😊 actual true ✌️


That's interesting that the KGSSHV has better sub-bass. I wonder why that is. I like how compact yours is in comparison to the Carbon.


----------



## Lord Rexter (May 16, 2021)

banda said:


> That's interesting that the KGSSHV has better sub-bass. I wonder why that is. I like how compact yours is in comparison to the Carbon.


Yes it's pretty compact this unit that Birgir made, and his amps have better sub-bass widely reported in the other forum, besides my amp has 2 outputs which allows for A/B testing of different headphones (L700 Mk1 vs Mk2, L700 vs L300 LE vs L700 Mk2 etc.,).


----------



## banda

Lord Rexter said:


> Yes it's pretty compact this unit that Birgir made, and his amps have better sub-bass widely reported in the other forum, besides my amp has 2 outputs which allows for A/B testing of different headphones (L700 Mk1 vs Mk2, L700 vs L300 LE vs L700 Mk2 etc.,).


That's another thing that I like about your amps. Two outputs is too uncommon for electrostatic builds, and I really don't know why that is.
Is there a difference in the sound of the L700 models?


----------



## Lord Rexter

Purpose built for A/B testing in short 😂
These are my personal impressions so take them with a big grain of salt -
L700 Mk I has better top end performance (it's because my brain burn in), and sound stage is a tab wider
L700 Mk 2 has tighter bass and sounds more dynamic I oftentimes think is because of the better seal on them with metallic angled forks, also the marginal sound stage change.


----------



## Roderick




----------



## bcowen

Roderick said:


>


Proof positive that there's no such thing as too many headphones.  Damn.  I like!!


----------



## Terriero (May 16, 2021)

Roderick said:


>


I will look at your pic when I'm thinking I have a lot of headphones and I'm trying to decide which to use... (I have just 4) 

By the way, I will like to see you when you are looking for the correct cable for the headphones you decided to use


----------



## Roderick

Terriero said:


> I will look at your pic when I'm thinking I have a lot of headphones and I'm trying to decide which to use... (I have just 4)
> 
> By the way, I will like to see you when you are looking for the correct cable for the headphones you decided to use


I like to try new stuff all the time so many of my headphones are more for reference use than actual listening(or so cheap that there is not much to be gained by selling them). For example I rarely use hd800 or hd6xx but they're nice to have around when I try to make sense of some new headphone. Audio-Technica adx5000 gets most use these days. Atticus is fairly new to me also so I listen to that alot too. JVC DX1000 is still in regular rotation after 10 years of ownership. I've listened to all of them atleast once in past three months


----------



## Terriero

Roderick said:


> I like to try new stuff all the time so many of my headphones are more for reference use than actual listening(or so cheap that there is not much to be gained by selling them). For example I rarely use hd800 or hd6xx but they're nice to have around when I try to make sense of some new headphone. Audio-Technica adx5000 gets most use these days. Atticus is fairly new to me also so I listen to that alot too. JVC DX1000 is still in regular rotation after 10 years of ownership. I've listened to all of them atleast once in past three months


Yes, more or less the same happen to me with the HD 800. Like some people in the forum, I have thought a few times to sell them, because I use only in certain moments (when I don't disturb my wife and my children -because of the sound leakage- and they are not playing inside -because you know, they don't isolate at all) and with certain genres. But, I enjoy them a lot in these uncertain circumstances and that's why I keep them.


----------



## cgb3 (May 16, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> Rare flashes of brilliance there Mr Bcowen. Vinyl is alive. Digital is ones and zeros. Now I have restarted an old war.


I lived with vinyl for my first 20+ years. My earliest memories involved Dad loading stacks of albums on the RCA console, (it was a gorgeous bit of kit. About 5 ft. of choice walnut, with a lift up lid for the turntable).

My first major stereo for college in the late '70s, was The Fisher component system. Great equipment for the time.

My practice on buying an album: swipe with a disk washer, record to cassette, catalog album, listen to cassette. I often heard cracks and pops on the virgin cassette recording.

I purchased my first CD player in the early '80s, and I've never looked back. Please God, never make me deal with tempermental vinyl again.


----------



## hodgjy

A couple of new additions:

Sennheiser HD 660S and Rotel CD11 Tribute.


----------



## Chops

Well listening to the Sundara's with the new Dekoni pads for the past few days, the new pads really haven't solved the comfort issues I'm having. 

I still get the same discomfort by my right ear, but just to a lesser degree. That and I just can't seem to get these cans to sit on my head comfortably, as I'm literally constantly adjusting them the entire time I'm wearing them. 

As much as I love the sound of these headphones, I think I'm going to have to sell them and try something else.


----------



## shampoosuicide (May 23, 2021)




----------



## Terriero (May 18, 2021)

Chops said:


> Well listening to the Sundara's with the new Dekoni pads for the past few days, the new pads really haven't solved the comfort issues I'm having.
> 
> I still get the same discomfort by my right ear, but just to a lesser degree. That and I just can't seem to get these cans to sit on my head comfortably, as I'm literally constantly adjusting them the entire time I'm wearing them.
> 
> As much as I love the sound of these headphones, I think I'm going to have to sell them and try something else.


I think the best you can do is sell them. When I had comfort issues with Beyer T 1.3, I thought a lot of times what to do, at the end I returned them at border of Thomann returning time (30 days). Sometimes, I miss it's signature with some of my albums, but I have the 1990 Pros that fit me perfectly and, for me, are enjoyable for a wide variety of albums/genres.


----------



## jonathan c

Chops said:


> Well listening to the Sundara's with the new Dekoni pads for the past few days, the new pads really haven't solved the comfort issues I'm having.
> 
> I still get the same discomfort by my right ear, but just to a lesser degree. That and I just can't seem to get these cans to sit on my head comfortably, as I'm literally constantly adjusting them the entire time I'm wearing them.
> 
> As much as I love the sound of these headphones, I think I'm going to have to sell them and try something else.


The sound quality of a headphone, even a top of the line model, is irrelevant if discomfort arises. Why suffer to enjoy great sound? - this is not penance. To paraphrase Duke Ellington: “It don’t mean a thing if it makes your head sting...”


----------



## BobG55

jonathan c said:


> The sound quality of a headphone, even a top of the line model, is irrelevant if discomfort arises. Why suffer to enjoy great sound? - this is not penance. To paraphrase Duke Ellington: “It don’t mean a thing if it makes your head sting...”


That was one of the main reasons I got rid of the PS2000e.


----------



## samr33

My current setup, Naim uniti core > Chord hugo TT2 > Simaudio Moon 430ha > Balanced HD800s, 6.3 Denon D9200


----------



## jonathan c

samr33 said:


> My current setup, Naim uniti core > Chord hugo TT2 > Simaudio Moon 430ha > Balanced HD800s, 6.3 Denon D9200


I like the use of “current”: tacit acknowledgment of h/p listening improvement being an eternal quest...


----------



## samr33

jonathan c said:


> I like the use of “current”: tacit acknowledgment of h/p listening improvement being an eternal quest...


I agree, just back in the audio game not long ago, use to be a 2ch guy with little portable headfi on the side, but I quit long time ago, just got back in for around 6 months, my system is not yet finished, need to do something about the electricity, thinking about PS audio stella power plant 3, but it wont be soon, cause I've spend too much on the things in the pic already, so after all this is my "current" setup, cause it will be evolved in the near future


----------



## Chops

Terriero said:


> I think the best you can do is sell them. When I had comfort issues with Beyer T 1.3, I thought a lot of times what to do, at the end I returned them at border of Thomann returning time (30 days). Sometimes, I miss it's signature with some of my albums, but I have the 1990 Pros that fit me perfectly and, for me, are enjoyable for a wide variety of albums/genres.





jonathan c said:


> The sound quality of a headphone, even a top of the line model, is irrelevant if discomfort arises. Why suffer to enjoy great sound? - this is not penance. To paraphrase Duke Ellington: “It don’t mean a thing if it makes your head sting...”



I agree. No point in being constantly uncomfortable which in turn makes you not enjoy listening. Sadly, that's where I'm at currently, which is a true shame as these Sundara's DO sound really good.


----------



## MrGoat




----------



## Rebel Chris

My vinyl rig. Work in progress


----------



## blackgreen15

little recording stuff and the audio stuff on the right is the Loki min, and Geshelli Jnog and Archel.  Just got the Archel, the Geshelli stuff is fantastic.


----------



## BobSmith8901

blackgreen15 said:


> little recording stuff and the audio stuff on the right is the Loki min, and Geshelli Jnog and Archel.  Just got the Archel, the Geshelli stuff is fantastic.


Sometimes I just gotta comment--that's an AWESOME rig!!


----------



## alekc

blackgreen15 said:


> little recording stuff and the audio stuff on the right is the Loki min, and Geshelli Jnog and Archel.  Just got the Archel, the Geshelli stuff is fantastic.


Awesome setup mate! Is that Focusrite on the left? How do you find it?


----------



## blackgreen15

alekc said:


> Awesome setup mate! Is that Focusrite on the left? How do you find it?


Yes that's a Scarlett 2i2 for home studio it's awesome.  As a DAC it's pretty mediocre, but it's not really for that.  Lets me go straight into Logic from my board.


----------



## simorag

An Italian  dream team at work


----------



## BobG55

simorag said:


> An Italian  dream team at work


Molto Bella !


----------



## lumdicks

Eagerly waiting for delivery of Benchmark HPA4 to complete my desktop setup.


----------



## banda

lumdicks said:


> Eagerly waiting for delivery of Benchmark HPA4 to complete my desktop setup.


What will the HPA4 give you over the TT2?


----------



## lumdicks

banda said:


> What will the HPA4 give you over the TT2?


Personally I do not enjoy the TT2 Amp much as I found it too analytical and not very engaging. I am now pairing TT2 with M Scaler as DAC to Audio-technica AT-BHA 100 Amp which is a hybrid (ECC83 tubes as pre) and I enjoy the warm and smooth sound. Just want to put a TOTL SS Amp into the chain as complement and I understand that HPA4 is a very neutral but technical advanced SS Amp. I expect it can truly reflect the sound signature of Chord DAC, which I am into much.


----------



## jonathan c

lumdicks said:


> Eagerly waiting for delivery of Benchmark HPA4 to complete my desktop setup.


Nice gear....any room left for you to work in?


----------



## lumdicks

jonathan c said:


> Nice gear....any room left for you to work in?


Still have the left side for my iMac and laptop......


----------



## Benny-x

Roasty said:


> Ok well, I guess this also counts as a picture of my current system.. Was quite fun making the diagram. My wife didnt bug me for a while because she thought I was doing up a project for work...
> 
> *btw I do not have the Verite desert ironwood yet! Just decided to include it so I wouldn't have to add it in later.


What software did you use to make that flow chart? It's really clean looking and the equal spacing all through out it does wonders for my OCD


----------



## ThanatosVI

Benny-x said:


> What software did you use to make that flow chart? It's really clean looking and the equal spacing all through out it does wonders for my OCD


I looked at the graphic and was Like "this looks like Roastys' setup"

Turns out you quoted Roasty... guess I've been too long here by now


----------



## Benny-x

ThanatosVI said:


> I looked at the graphic and was Like "this looks like Roastys' setup"
> 
> Turns out you quoted Roasty... guess I've been too long here by now


Isn’t that hilarious? When you’ve been on here long enough to learn people’s writing styles and gear/systems just by eye. Hahaha


----------



## cprime

blackgreen15 said:


> little recording stuff and the audio stuff on the right is the Loki min, and Geshelli Jnog and Archel.  Just got the Archel, the Geshelli stuff is fantastic.


I've got a version of that DOD SR430 equalizer. The print detail on the face plate around the power switch and the logo/model number is different and it was made in China.


----------



## Roasty

Benny-x said:


> What software did you use to make that flow chart? It's really clean looking and the equal spacing all through out it does wonders for my OCD



I have (some degree) of OCD too lol (don't we all...). Anyways, I used LucidChart. The free version will suffice, if you don't have too many elements to place into your chart. Enjoy making yours! It is quite fun to do.


----------



## blackgreen15

cprime said:


> I've got a version of that DOD SR430 equalizer. The print detail on the face plate around the power switch and the logo/model number is different and it was made in China.


it's a good basic little unit, I like mine.  It's quiet.


----------



## Wes S

My "Endgame" system is complete, with the arrival of my Pendant SE.


----------



## Terriero

Wes S said:


> My "Endgame" system is complete, with the arrival of my Pendant SE.


Are you sure? Do you know where you are?


----------



## roskodan

It's definitely one of those "games" worth playing over and over again...


----------



## judomaniak57 (May 20, 2021)

So , which is better, Rogue or Pendant? beautiful set up, that wood siding is awesome, congrats


Wes S said:


> My "Endgame" system is complete


----------



## jonathan c (May 20, 2021)

Wes S said:


> My "Endgame" system is complete, with the arrival of my Pendant SE.


Just beware: it may be end of “game” but there is always next season...and the thrill of competition...😜🤪


----------



## Wes S (May 21, 2021)

Terriero said:


> Are you sure? Do you know where you are?


LOL!  I am pretty sure I don't make enough money to keep playing, so yes.



jonathan c said:


> Just beware: it may be end of “game” but there is always next season...and the thrill of competition...😜🤪


That's what tubes are for.    Speaking of competition, try finding one of these.

Hamburg 6201 Pinched Waist Triple Mica D Getter - Df1 bottom code = first version


----------



## Deaf Leopard




----------



## Benny-x

Roasty said:


> I have (some degree) of OCD too lol (don't we all...). Anyways, I used LucidChart. The free version will suffice, if you don't have too many elements to place into your chart. Enjoy making yours! It is quite fun to do.


Thanks for letting me know. That's funny, I've seen LucidChart ads maybe a hundred times when I was working on that 2-3 years, but in the end we went with Xmind and Visio 365. Seems I should have given them a look, even if only to continually map my audio chain  

I just found a sketch of my audio chain from 2009 with a LittleDot Mk IV and a DAC Magic. Oh how things have changed~


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## kumar402

waveSounds said:


>


That’s a nice stand for your DAC


----------



## Wes S

judomaniak57 said:


> So , which is better, Rogue or Pendant? beautiful set up, that wood siding is awesome, congrats


Still burning in Pendant SE, but as of right now they are in the same league, and I don't really think one is better than the other.  They each have very different presentations of the soundstage, and I love them both.  The RH-5 so far has a bit more grip in the bass, but the mids are very close on both, and the Pendant SE has some of the best highs I have heard so far.


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> My "Endgame" system is complete, with the arrival of my Pendant SE.


Sweet!  Since you're "done" (LOL!) with your HP system, now it's time to pour money into your 2-channel rig.


----------



## Wes S

bcowen said:


> Sweet!  Since you're "done" (LOL!) with your HP system, now it's time to pour money into your 2-channel rig.


Thankfully my living situation only allows for headphones, as there is no one I could afford to get to the level I am at with headphones, in the 2 channel world.


----------



## simorag

Looks like an interesting weekend has just begun


----------



## KlaraKlang

Cleaned up my new Equipment for a long Music Weekend


----------



## ThanatosVI

KlaraKlang said:


> Cleaned up my new Equipment for a long Music Weekend


Upvoted for the Corda classic!
How does it compete with the GSX Mini?
Would love to hear your opinion


----------



## KlaraKlang

The GSX-Mini has more Stage, more Dynamics and Resolution, Emotion and your are more in the Music as by.


----------



## carboncopy

New amp…


----------



## Chris Kaoss

carboncopy said:


> New amp…


The red Trafomatic looks amazing.


----------



## mammal




----------



## Terriero

mammal said:


>


You must be in "music heaven" with the Bartok...


----------



## robo24

New amp, so new rearranged set up. ZMF/Ampsandsound Pendant SE


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> My "Endgame" system is complete, with the arrival of my Pendant SE.


Congrats on all of your new gear.  

Some wonderful headphones to listen to tube gear with...enjoy


----------



## Roasty

simorag said:


> Looks like an interesting weekend has just begun



Do u like it? The spirit torino..


----------



## mammal

Terriero said:


> You must be in "music heaven" with the Bartok...


Did not expect to hear so much difference, but yes!


----------



## Orlok

Here's the latest state of my ever evolving setup but I do think that it will now stay this way for a while - well, at least the next several months! Haha. Kind of focused on getting mobile now that we are emerging out of the pandemic - well, at least here in the US. The newest member of the family is the Abyss Diana Phi along with the Woo Audio WA11, which I essentially got to take the Abyss House Sound with me wherever I go as well as use in the office.

Other changes have primarily been in tweaking the existing Chord HMS/TT2/TToby with JPS Superconductor cables (HP, RCA interconnects and USB) and batteries for the Chord stack. This has made a _huge_ change in the overall sound quality that I did not expect. The overall sound is now much more analog and lush sounding with zero noise and pitch black background while maintaining the clarity and transparency that the Chord stack delivers.

I use the TToby exclusively to drive the 1266 TC now while using the Audiophonics LPA-S400ET Purifi amp to drive the RAAL SR1a and the Buchardt S400 speakers. The TToby driving the TC - to my ears - is a major sonic improvement over driving the TC from the TT2. The extra power reserves of _current_ (not mere wattage) seem to do something magical in terms of greatly expanding the soundstage in all directions - especially depth - while improving the imaging and pinpoint placement of the instruments and the voice within it.

I'm now using the RAVPower batteries to power the HMS and TT2 and a Jackery 1000w battery for the TToby and Audiophonics power amps. The RAVPower batteries - by completely eliminating RFI/EMI noise inherent in mains power from the front end - have really smoothened out the highs while adding body to the mids. The MBP is also running on external batteries (three which I rotate every other day) and the Jackery has also wiped out any hint of hiss and background noise from the power amps. And, yes, these batteries will also allow me to take this rig with me on my upcoming RV trip as well as other outdoor outings.

I used to be a skeptic when it came to cables but the JPS Superconductor cables (the HP cables for the 1266 TC and the Diana Phi, RCA interconnects between the TT2 and TToby, and the USB from the MBP to HMS) have made a significant all-around improvement to the overall SQ. The Chord stack now sounds completely different and much better than what I had before optimizing with the JPS SC cables and the batteries. Power and cables really do matter. They greatly enhance what you have now although this will depend on the quality of the gear one has.

The Abyss Diana Phi is fantastic. It retains most of the positive qualities of the 1266 TC in a very compact and comfortable package. No, it's not quite the TC and is priced accordingly but, for its form factor and portability, it really is amazing. It's more intimate and balanced sounding than the TC and, for some, this may be more desirable than the hugeness and the overwhelming (some would say bombastic) wow factor that the TC is known for. 

Having owned the LCD-4, I can appreciate the more intimate soundstage and the warm mid-centric tonality. It's like the difference between listening in a large concert hall or arena and a small auditorium or chamber/club kind of setting. Being a live music aficionado who attends concerts ranging from colossal Beethoven/Wagner presentations at the spectacular Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA to intimate jazz trio/quartet shows at a club like the Baked Potato in Studio City that sits around 50 people, I've found that different headphones present different types of listening "environments". It's why I expect to have several different HPs as well as several different amps (including a tube amp, eventually) because they each provide a very different sonic flavor, vibe and character. One HP or amp simply cannot cover all genres, styles and sounds equally well.

So this is where the setup stands for now. The Susvara is next on my HP list and will complement the TC, SR1a and Diana very well. Then I know I'll want to add a tube amp/preamp to complement the SS amps. Having been a guitar player who swore by tube guitar amps for 40+ years, I know what tubes bring to the sound. There is nothing quite like it. I'm heavily leaning toward the WA33 JPS Edition right now but that's about a year out and who knows how things will develop by then. This audiophile journey _always_ takes you in unexpected directions.


----------



## Roasty

Orlok said:


> Here's the latest state of my ever evolving setup but I do think that it will now stay this way for a while - well, at least the next several months! Haha. Kind of focused on getting mobile now that we are emerging out of the pandemic - well, at least here in the US. The newest member of the family is the Abyss Diana Phi along with the Woo Audio WA11, which I essentially got to take the Abyss House Sound with me wherever I go as well as use in the office.
> 
> Other changes have primarily been in tweaking the existing Chord HMS/TT2/TToby with JPS Superconductor cables (HP, RCA interconnects and USB) and batteries for the Chord stack. This has made a _huge_ change in the overall sound quality that I did not expect. The overall sound is now much more analog and lush sounding with zero noise and pitch black background while maintaining the clarity and transparency that the Chord stack delivers.
> 
> ...



That's awesome man. Wish I had a man cave like yours.


----------



## Orlok

Roasty said:


> That's awesome man. Wish I had a man cave like yours.


Well, I envy your gear collection! That's a very impressive stable of HPs and amps you have. I'll be hitting you up about the WA33 JPS when I get closer.


----------



## simorag

Roasty said:


> Do u like it? The spirit torino..



Hi @Roasty, yes I like the Valkyria very much  I have sold my Susvara and RAAL SR1a because they did not get much headtime over my beloved AB-1266, and I have no regrets at all ... I am confident that with the Valkyria things are going to be quite different, as they are more different sounding hence complementary to the Abyss


----------



## Roasty

simorag said:


> Hi @Roasty, yes I like the Valkyria very much  I have sold my Susvara and RAAL SR1a because they did not get much headtime over my beloved AB-1266, and I have no regrets at all ... I am confident that with the Valkyria things are going to be quite different, as they are more different sounding hence complementary to the Abyss



Wow! That says a lot! The Valkyria must be something fantastic! Enjoy man.. They look pretty special indeed.


----------



## BobSmith8901

Orlok said:


> Here's the latest state of my ever evolving setup but I do think that it will now stay this way for a while - well, at least the next several months! Haha. Kind of focused on getting mobile now that we are emerging out of the pandemic - well, at least here in the US. The newest member of the family is the Abyss Diana Phi along with the Woo Audio WA11, which I essentially got to take the Abyss House Sound with me wherever I go as well as use in the office.
> 
> Other changes have primarily been in tweaking the existing Chord HMS/TT2/TToby with JPS Superconductor cables (HP, RCA interconnects and USB) and batteries for the Chord stack. This has made a _huge_ change in the overall sound quality that I did not expect. The overall sound is now much more analog and lush sounding with zero noise and pitch black background while maintaining the clarity and transparency that the Chord stack delivers.
> 
> ...


What a great post, well written and great pictures, not to mention a stunning system. Thank you!!


----------



## Terriero

Orlok said:


> Here's the latest state of my ever evolving setup but I do think that it will now stay this way for a while - well, at least the next several months! Haha. Kind of focused on getting mobile now that we are emerging out of the pandemic - well, at least here in the US. The newest member of the family is the Abyss Diana Phi along with the Woo Audio WA11, which I essentially got to take the Abyss House Sound with me wherever I go as well as use in the office.
> 
> Other changes have primarily been in tweaking the existing Chord HMS/TT2/TToby with JPS Superconductor cables (HP, RCA interconnects and USB) and batteries for the Chord stack. This has made a _huge_ change in the overall sound quality that I did not expect. The overall sound is now much more analog and lush sounding with zero noise and pitch black background while maintaining the clarity and transparency that the Chord stack delivers.
> 
> ...


You have an incredible setup, I have seen here before, I love it. The thing that impressed me most (but just because I'm looking for one similar  ) is the wrist-rest to use the mouse (with the same design as the one for the keyboard). Do you know where I can find one similar wrist-rest for mouse use (in my case will be for my trackball)? Or was from a drop or similar? Thanks in advance.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Terriero said:


> You have an incredible setup, I have seen here before, I love it. The thing that impressed me most (but just because I'm looking for one similar  ) is the wrist-rest to use the mouse (with the same design as the one for the keyboard). Do you know where I can find one similar wrist-rest for mouse use (in my case will be for my trackball)? Or was from a drop or similar? Thanks in advance.


Trackballs in 2021... bringing back the memories...


----------



## Terriero

ThanatosVI said:


> Trackballs in 2021... bringing back the memories...


Yes, I love it. Is a Elecom trackball with cable that I bought in Amazon, imported from China. Now is not available   (only the wireless version). For browsing, the normal mouses make hurt to my wrist, with the trackball I don't have this issue, but prefer to rest my wrist in a comfortable surface instead of the wood of my desk.


----------



## Orlok

simorag said:


> Hi @Roasty, yes I like the Valkyria very much  I have sold my Susvara and RAAL SR1a because they did not get much headtime over my beloved AB-1266, and I have no regrets at all ... I am confident that with the Valkyria things are going to be quite different, as they are more different sounding hence complementary to the Abyss


The Valkyria is starting to look more and more enticing every day. And your ears I certainly trust!


----------



## Orlok

Terriero said:


> You have an incredible setup, I have seen here before, I love it. The thing that impressed me most (but just because I'm looking for one similar  ) is the wrist-rest to use the mouse (with the same design as the one for the keyboard). Do you know where I can find one similar wrist-rest for mouse use (in my case will be for my trackball)? Or was from a drop or similar? Thanks in advance.


Thank you! Yes, I'm a real stickler for ergonomics and having everything laid out for easy operation as well as comfort. It's sort of a cockpit kind of concept. Here is the Amazon link for the keyboard and mouse pad.

Hope this helps!


----------



## Heyyoudvd

My shrine.


----------



## Amish

Most of my headphones are on a shelf on the other side of the room but my Stax, 325is and Koss are on display here.


----------



## Ciggavelli

Orlok said:


> Here's the latest state of my ever evolving setup but I do think that it will now stay this way for a while - well, at least the next several months! Haha. Kind of focused on getting mobile now that we are emerging out of the pandemic - well, at least here in the US. The newest member of the family is the Abyss Diana Phi along with the Woo Audio WA11, which I essentially got to take the Abyss House Sound with me wherever I go as well as use in the office.
> 
> Other changes have primarily been in tweaking the existing Chord HMS/TT2/TToby with JPS Superconductor cables (HP, RCA interconnects and USB) and batteries for the Chord stack. This has made a _huge_ change in the overall sound quality that I did not expect. The overall sound is now much more analog and lush sounding with zero noise and pitch black background while maintaining the clarity and transparency that the Chord stack delivers.
> 
> ...


I know this is a headphone site, but how’s the A500?  I’ve been contemplating upgrading my KEF LS50w (1st version) with the Buchardts

(Also, awesome set you have   )


----------



## AudioDuck

Not shown: The Gungnir Multibit (with a CDP as the transport) that provides lovely sound to the Echo (mk I). Recently had some tube noise emerge; replacement input tubes (Gold Lions) coming in a few days.


----------



## Orlok

Ciggavelli said:


> I know this is a headphone site, but how’s the A500?  I’ve been contemplating upgrading my KEF LS50w (1st version) with the Buchardts
> 
> (Also, awesome set you have   )


I have the S400 (passive speakers) but I heard the A500 is awesome. The Buchardt speakers are really something else. I got the S400 from my boss/friend as he replaced it with the A500 and he said it handily beat some high-end floor-standing speakers he had that cost 3 times as much. It sounds huge with an amazing bass for its size but still very balanced and clear. Haven't spent too much time listening to the S400 recently since I've been so absorbed with the TC but I'm sure I'll get back to using them more regularly eventually!


----------



## DragonOwen

Had been in bussiness trip for about 1.5 months, so decided that I want more high class "portable" rig (used DX100 with UM Miracle and Audez'e Sine)... so here is what I have now:



Notebook (Win 10, Audirvana 3.5) -> (WireWorld Starlight 8 Type С - Type С 1 m. cable) -> Centrance HiFi M8-V2 -> Abyss Diana V1 (DMS pads (unfortunatly not mine pads, need to send them to owner in a few days), stock cable with mod (changed stock Rean 3.5" jack to balanced Furutech 2.5"jack) + 2.5" jack to 4pin XLR adapter).

Really happy with sound and portability of the rig and already know that custom cable will make Diana sound even better (listened some cables of "cable master" at his home through a bunch of adapters, ordered cable, now waiting...).

P.S. Unexpectedly even on my stationary home rig Diana showed that they can be more interesting on some tracks (mainly tracks with focus on clean vocal) than my main "headphone love" STAX 009 and on some other tracks they can be similary interesting (overall different, but they have different pros and cons, so overall can't decide which I like more...)... Still with most of the music that I lisening I still prefer 009, but really didn't expect anything from Diana compared to 009, so I overjoyed!


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## Wes S

Just got the Walnut Burl base installed on my Pendant SE, and now the setup is complete.


----------



## jonathan c

Getting ready to audition some special tubes, on adapters, in the Woo Audio WA3...


----------



## Wes S

whirlwind said:


> Congrats on all of your new gear.
> 
> Some wonderful headphones to listen to tube gear with...enjoy


Thanks man!  I am having a blast.


----------



## Wes S

KlaraKlang said:


> Cleaned up my new Equipment for a long Music Weekend


I love the clean look!


----------



## Wes S

robo24 said:


> New amp, so new rearranged set up. ZMF/Ampsandsound Pendant SE


Love it man!  I am sure you are enjoying the SE as much as me.  You have some very beautiful and unique looking ZMF's!


----------



## Wes S

AudioDuck said:


> Not shown: The Gungnir Multibit (with a CDP as the transport) that provides lovely sound to the Echo (mk I). Recently had some tube noise emerge; replacement input tubes (Gold Lions) coming in a few days.


Nice cable you got hiding over there on the right!  Is that a Drausk?  I have been dreaming of owning that cable.


----------



## AudioDuck

Wes S said:


> Nice cable you got hiding over there on the right!  Is that a Drausk?  I have been dreaming of owning that cable.


Oh yes, that’s my clear Drausk. It has mini-XLR terminations, so it’s had a brief vacation while Trevor finishes a pair of 3.5 mm adapters. Can’t wait to use it with my Focals- it was WONDERFUL with my LCD-XCs (now sold). 

My new saying: “Headphones come and go, but Nornes are forever.” 😁

(OK, not really true if you own a pair of stabilized ZMFs, I would think, but still, not a bad phrase!)


----------



## Wes S

AudioDuck said:


> Oh yes, that’s my clear Drausk. It has mini-XLR terminations, so it’s had a brief vacation while Trevor finishes a pair of 3.5 mm adapters. Can’t wait to use it with my Focals- it was WONDERFUL with my LCD-XCs (now sold).
> 
> My new saying: “Headphones come and go, but Nornes are forever.” 😁
> 
> (OK, not really true if you own a pair of stabilized ZMFs, I would think, but still, not a bad phrase!)


Nice!  I bet that cable is gonna make your Focal's sing.  I hear ya on Norne cables, and will never get rid of mine.  The looks, ergonomics, and improvements in sound just can't be beat, in my opinion.


----------



## nickyhkg (May 25, 2021)

Hi everyone! I am kinda new to this desktop setup. Been an IEM + Portable guy for sometime. So lots to learn from here!

Current desk setup = MBP + Roon --> RME ADI-2 FC DAC AMP --> 10 wires silver + gold braided cable --> Focal Clear MG open back cans.
Current portable setup = Astell & Kern SP1000M Gold --> 10 wires silver + gold braided cable --> Campfire Audio Solaris (OG Gold)






https://photos.app.goo.gl/HcocvaXBvhV54rJL8

The Focal Clear MG is my new toy and I am still looking for a decent cable to upgrade. Currently am using one of those MMCX to 3.5mm adaptor to fit with my portable cable.

Cheers,
Nic


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> Just got the Walnut Burl base installed on my Pendant SE, and now the setup is complete.


wow, and i thought your other wood base was nice, that walnut burl is something else. Fantastic set up


----------



## Wes S

judomaniak57 said:


> wow, and i thought your other wood base was nice, that walnut burl is something else. Fantastic set up


Thanks!  I am happy as can be with how the Walnut Burl looks.


----------



## Preachy1

nickyhkg said:


> Hi everyone! I am kinda new to this desktop setup. Been an IEM + Portable guy for sometime. So lots to learn from here!
> 
> Current desk setup = MBP + Roon --> RME ADI-2 FC DAC AMP --> 10 wires silver + gold braided cable --> Focal Clear MG open back cans.
> Current portable setup = Astell & Kern SP1000M Gold --> 10 wires silver + gold braided cable --> Campfire Audio Solaris (OG Gold)
> ...


I recently acquired a pair of the MGs.  I'm using a Hart Audio cable and could not be happier.


----------



## jonathan c

KlaraKlang said:


> Cleaned up my new Equipment for a long Music Weekend


Ventilation issue for GSX-mini?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Nice cable you got hiding over there on the right!  Is that a Drausk?  I have been dreaming of owning that cable.


Me, too. Just ordered one last week...can't wait to get it.


----------



## KlaraKlang

jonathan c said:


> Ventilation issue for GSX-mini?


no problems here,Houston


----------



## Chris Kaoss

KlaraKlang = KlaraEnvironment  
Nice desk.


----------



## Yetiman72

Made a new Stand for my HeadFi set up Yesterday and finished her off today all set up..


----------



## Wes S

Yetiman72 said:


> Made a new Stand for my HeadFi set up Yesterday and finished her off today all set up..


Killer looking stand!  Those are some serious looking tube amps as well.


----------



## Preachy1

Yetiman72 said:


> Made a new Stand for my HeadFi set up Yesterday and finished her off today all set up..


Excellent!!!  I have that same chair in black.


----------



## Zachik

Preachy1 said:


> Excellent!!!  I have that same chair in black.


Stressless recliner?


----------



## tudedude

Bluetooth coffee table station.


----------



## ufospls2

tudedude said:


> Bluetooth coffee table station.



Very pretty stand, great photo too!


----------



## Preachy1

Zachik said:


> Stressless recliner?


Yes


----------



## shampoosuicide

2021






2008 (...for a lark) (Zero DAC to the left, Darkvoice 332i to the right. Not pictured: HD650)


----------



## Yetiman72 (May 26, 2021)

Thanx guy's,
Yes it is a Stressless Recliner Helps me Stressless. And on the stand is McChanson 300b Amp, La Figaro 339i Amp, Denafrips Artemis Amp and Denafrips Pontus Dac..
HP's I have are ( MrSpeakers ether C flow & ether flow, Kennerton Thridi Maple & Vali Oak, Audeze LCD-3f, Sony SA5000, Astell&Kern T5Pmk2, Pioneer Monitor-5, Fostex TH900mk2 )..
Cheers...


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 27, 2021)

_*Sony MUC-M12NB1 Headphone Cable 4.4mm Pentaconn-MMCX*_
*Walkman 1Z
MrWalkman's Midnight Plus, Region "J"*
_*BGVP DM6 Universal IEM*_


----------



## whirlwind

Yetiman72 said:


> Made a new Stand for my HeadFi set up Yesterday and finished her off today all set up..



Killer chair also...I have a blue Ekorness Stressless that I do all of my late night listening in.
Very nice set-up....enjoy.


----------



## Yetiman72

Thanx mate yes they are a perfect chair for comfort and HP enjoyment/relaxation.


----------



## arielext (May 27, 2021)

My (very humble) set-up:
PC -> RME ADI-2 DAC fs -> Audio-gd Master 19 / Corda Head-Five -> LSA HP-Diamond / LSA HP-2 Ultra
Not or hardly shown: Loxjie P20 -> Sash très


----------



## ThanatosVI

arielext said:


> Corda Head-Five


That's an old gem


----------



## arielext

ThanatosVI said:


> That's an old gem


Jan had to fix it bout a year ago but it's still going strong


----------



## 19844

Gustard x26pro + Cayin ha-6a + Hifiman hek v2


----------



## new2mus

tudedude said:


> Bluetooth coffee table station.


Love the colors. It looks like all you're missing is a glass of scotch/whiskey (or a Coke/Pepsi if you don't drink).


----------



## BPED

Currently rediscovering my Utopia after a log stretch of Abyss. The Riviera adds a nice touch


----------



## bvhme

Battle of the All In Ones!


----------



## kuutan




----------



## nordkapp

bvhme said:


> Battle of the All In Ones!


Who's the winner?


----------



## cgb3

UntilThen said:


> Well whoever build that is very talented if he's not already mad from all that soldering. If you put a nice chassis on and put in all the tubes and take a time exposure shot, it will be in-cre-di-ble.


Why not install vertical ceramic/wood dowels/posts? Wrap wire interconnects vertically, branching off to their connection(s)?

There's many techniques to making a breadboard appear neat.


----------



## carboncopy




----------



## roskodan

Thank God, seeing only them bloody Grado in every shot had me worried.


----------



## ddtomas

excluding my beloved DNA Starlett who is on the other side of the desk


----------



## bvhme

nordkapp said:


> Who's the winner?


Currently doing the DAC shootout and it is kind of amazing how well the iFi Zen DAC holds up in this, however there is a notable sound difference it is pretty close with the power adapter in.

However it is still far too early to tell what the results will be


----------



## whirlwind

Here is what mine looked like late last night and very early this morning....rolling amps..tubes ...headphones and music...only thing new here is the Mullard GZ37 rectifier
if you can spot that.


----------



## bcowen

whirlwind said:


> Here is what mine looked like late last night and very early this morning....rolling amps..tubes ...headphones and music...only thing new here is the Mullard GZ37 rectifier
> if you can spot that.


Nice!!  I could probably just live in that spot for a couple weeks.


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> Here is what mine looked like late last night and very early this morning....rolling amps..tubes ...headphones and music...only thing new here is the Mullard GZ37 rectifier
> if you can spot that.



Lovely listening spot Joe but I can hardly see your Mullard GZ37 rectifier.  Can you see my Mullard GZ34 rectifier. It sound golden to me and I don't think I want to return it to my friend.  



I'm listening to a much older Mark Knopfler with this setup and boy he sound better as he gets older. This is a chilling performance.


----------



## reel2reel

arielext said:


> My (very humble) set-up:
> PC -> RME ADI-2 DAC fs -> Audio-gd Master 19 / Corda Head-Five -> LSA HP-Diamond / LSA HP-2 Ultra
> Not or hardly shown: Loxjie P20 -> Sash très


You have got the LSA HP-Diamond, but why be so quiet on these ? Did you manage to do a review?

Rich


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> Lovely listening spot Joe but I can hardly see your Mullard GZ37 rectifier.  Can you see my Mullard GZ34 rectifier. It sound golden to me and I don't think I want to return it to my friend.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm listening to a much older Mark Knopfler with this setup and boy he sound better as he gets older. This is a chilling performance.



I spy that metal base GZ34 with no problem


----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> Lovely listening spot Joe but I can hardly see your Mullard GZ37 rectifier.  Can you see my Mullard GZ34 rectifier. It sound golden to me and I don't think I want to return it to my friend.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm listening to a much older Mark Knopfler with this setup and boy he sound better as he gets older. This is a chilling performance.



That MK video popped up on my FB feed earlier today.  bookmarked for later


----------



## arielext

reel2reel said:


> You have got the LSA HP-Diamond, but why be so quiet on these ? Did you manage to do a review?
> 
> Rich


First impressions: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ken...hror-discussion.732814/page-335#post-16356003


----------



## reel2reel

arielext said:


> First impressions: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kennerton-odin-magister-vali-magni-gjallarhorn-rögnir-thridi-wodan-thekk-and-thror-discussion.732814/page-335#post-16356003


Thanks


----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> That MK video popped up on my FB feed earlier today.  bookmarked for later



I think I met you before. Just can't remember where. Interesting you have the Feliks Audio Elise which I had some millennium years ago. We must have cross path before.



arielext said:


> First impressions: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kennerton-odin-magister-vali-magni-gjallarhorn-rögnir-thridi-wodan-thekk-and-thror-discussion.732814/page-335#post-16356003



Thanks for the impressions. A friend brought over 2 Kennertons recently to test it out with the 2 Destinies. I was rather impressed with one. Kennerton Thridi Maple & Vali Oak.

Rather like the Vali Oak. It's like a cowboy headphone. Build quality is great and feel light on the head. This dynamic headphone is clear, open, wide sounding with punchy bass. On the 300b amps, it was an interesting variation from my He1000se and LCD4.


----------



## carboncopy

roskodan said:


> Thank God, seeing only them bloody Grado in every shot had me worried.
> 
> {Hugo Mk1}[Mjolnir Mk1, HPA V200(DC coupled)](HD800, LCD2C, Focal Clear, HD650, AH-D2000, DT880, mdr-1r, SE530)
> head of the Ad-Fi *Schiit's **Balanced* *Amplifiers** Forever* club, representin'
> ...



They are still the best though


----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> I think I met you before. Just can't remember where. Interesting you have the Feliks Audio Elise which I had some millennium years ago. We must have cross path before.


Do mean we may have met somewhere IRL?


----------



## Slipmyster




----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> Do mean we may have met somewhere IRL?



No. In Head-Fi.. probably on the Elise thread.


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


>



What wood is that Aeolus? It looks pretty nice from the side...


----------



## joseph69

carboncopy said:


>


What Trafomatic is that?


----------



## ufospls2

joseph69 said:


> What Trafomatic is that?



Looks like the Head 2 to me, but I could be wrong.


----------



## joseph69

ufospls2 said:


> Looks like the Head 2 to me, but I could be wrong.


Yes, after doing a bit of research it does, thanks.


----------



## carboncopy

Pharmaboy said:


> What wood is that Aeolus? It looks pretty nice from the side...


Normal Sapele. It's just the lights...


----------



## Dawgfish

Cayin Idac6 -> Primaluna Prologue 4 -> Aeon Flow Open X.  Sometimes use Lyr 2 as preamp in this setup.


----------



## jonathan c

ZZZ time (for the gear...):


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> ZZZ time (for the gear...):


Tupperware --> Tuberware?


----------



## Redcarmoose

There was a wild Tupperware party last night!


----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> There was a wild Tupperware party last night!


See, tubes are and have more fun than SS !


----------



## Wes S (May 31, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> ZZZ time (for the gear...):


Your's solution for dust is a little more elegant looking than mine.  I remove the towels when I wake up, and the fun begins.  Removing the towels every morning is kind of like a ritual or unveiling, and I love catching that first glimpse of all that beautiful wood and metal.


----------



## Rebel Chris

After the doorstopper from Darko Audio, we now have tupperware introduced by Jonathan C.


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> Tupperware --> Tuberware?


LOL!  You got him at his own game.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Sorry for the silly question - what's the reason for covering the tubes when not in use?


----------



## bcowen

CaptainFantastic said:


> Sorry for the silly question - what's the reason for covering the tubes when not in use?


OCD.


----------



## jonathan c

CaptainFantastic said:


> Sorry for the silly question - what's the reason for covering the tubes when not in use?


Dust protection and as bcowen says OCD. As for the latter, I have these which I ordered from Langrex to put on my noval tubes when not in use and boxed: pin protection...:


----------



## gefski

Don’t have a pics because I’m traveling, but a 2 slice toaster cover works great for Woo and probably other amps.


----------



## Angertobi

Today bedroom test. Dacmagic>sansui au717>v-moda m200


----------



## Roasty

I think I'm going to be needing another rack soon.


----------



## BobSmith8901

Angertobi said:


> Today bedroom test. Dacmagic>sansui au717>v-moda m200


Love the AU-717 and it looks to be in mint condition! I've got an AU-D9 still going strong after 40 years.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Roasty said:


> I think I'm going to be needing another rack soon.


Selling some stuff would help too.


----------



## Roasty

Chris Kaoss said:


> Selling some stuff would help too.



well, yes... there is that option too.. but lets not go there!!


----------



## mammal

Roasty said:


> I think I'm going to be needing another rack soon.


How is Susvara on that WA33?


----------



## Roasty

mammal said:


> How is Susvara on that WA33?



It's alright. 
But not as good as Susvara with pre/power amp combo. Pretty much no contest. SQ is better with the athena/apollon in all aspects.


----------



## godmax

... brought up all the beauties out of the dark closet (aka. meeting of Hart Audio Cables anonymous) 




... listening desktop space (updated 2021 edition)


----------



## MasterZen

Roasty said:


> I think I'm going to be needing another rack soon.



I like the plastic covers you put on the headphones! I could do with some too for that dust protection ... Where did you get them from?


----------



## Roasty

MasterZen said:


> I like the plastic covers you put on the headphones! I could do with some too for that dust protection ... Where did you get them from?



Those are Stax covers. I got them off ebay. There is a seller in Japan who ships them worldwide.


----------



## MasterZen

Roasty said:


> Those are Stax covers. I got them off ebay. There is a seller in Japan who ships them worldwide.


Ok nice! They look pretty good. Do they cover your 1266?


----------



## Roasty

MasterZen said:


> Ok nice! They look pretty good. Do they cover your 1266?



Ah yes they do, but it's a snug fit and need to stretch the covers over the headphones. That's also partly because I constantly have the frame spread out to the widest. At the narrowest setting, no issue getting the cover over.


----------



## mammal

Roasty said:


> Ah yes they do, but it's a snug fit and need to stretch the covers over the headphones. That's also partly because I constantly have the frame spread out to the widest. At the narrowest setting, no issue getting the cover over.


Where do you keep buying them from? Ebay?


----------



## Roasty

mammal said:


> Where do you keep buying them from? Ebay?



Yep eBay has them. here ya go!
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=stax+cover&_sacat=0


----------



## Dawgfish

BobSmith8901 said:


> Love the AU-717 and it looks to be in mint condition! I've got an AU-D9 still going strong after 40 years.


Awesome!  Running an AU-719 myself.


----------



## mammal

Angertobi said:


> Today bedroom test. Dacmagic>sansui au717>v-moda m200


What model is the card board box? Is it V2 or V1? Are you the original owner? Does it increase the bottom end? Just kidding, really nice amplifier!


----------



## Preachy1

Dawgfish said:


> Awesome!  Running an AU-719 myself.


Love the vintage Sansuis.  I'm currently a pristine AU-5500 in my living room.  I have an AU-7700 running in my basement studio. The left channel drops out and I can't find anyone to service it, so I'm running the pre-amp section to an old Yamaha DSP A1000 (on which the Pre section doesn't work!).  An odd cobbling of partially working units that when combined, renders an incredible sound.  go figure!!!!


----------



## Angertobi

mammal said:


> What model is the card board box? Is it V2 or V1? Are you the original owner? Does it increase the bottom end? Just kidding, really nice amplifier!


What do you mean with card box? Dac? Cambridge audio azur. 2x WM8740


----------



## Angertobi

Preachy1 said:


> Love the vintage Sansuis.  I'm currently a pristine AU-5500 in my living room.  I have an AU-7700 running in my basement studio. The left channel drops out and I can't find anyone to service it, so I'm running the pre-amp section to an old Yamaha DSP A1000 (on which the Pre section doesn't work!).  An odd cobbling of partially working units that when combined, renders an incredible sound.  go figure!!!!


Have the same problem. You need an old hifi repair man, or you open it an spray some contact spray in the balanced potentiometer


----------



## mammal

Angertobi said:


> What do you mean with card box? Dac? Cambridge audio azur. 2x WM8740


It was a joke. In the picture, you had all of your gear on a brown cardboard box (used for shipping things). So I thought I would be clever and point out that some people are trying to reduce vibrations by buying expensive stands/racks, yet you solved the same problem by a simple cardboard box


----------



## Angertobi

mammal said:


> It was a joke. In the picture, you had all of your gear on a brown cardboard box (used for shipping things). So I thought I would be clever and point out that some people are trying to reduce vibrations by buying expensive stands/racks, yet you solved the same problem by a simple cardboard box


Carton of the 5inch JBL 4312Mk2


----------



## Preachy1

Angertobi said:


> Have the same problem. You need an old hifi repair man, or you open it an spray some contact spray in the balanced potentiometer


It's more than that.  When I engage the amp section, it works fine for a few minutes. then the left channel just goes away.  I brought it to a guy who specialized in restos, but he said he had a two year waiting list.  He cleaned and tweaked it for me, but that's as far as it went.  I'm actually very happy with the setup as it is now.  From source to speakers, the chain just works!!!!!


----------



## InvisibleInk

Pictured is my humble bedside rig, the centerpiece being Schiit Loki Mini sitting atop a Douk Audio passive RCA splitter. The playback source is a ZiShan DSDs digital audio player connected to the Loki via the ZiShan’s dedicated line out 3.5mm port.

The splitter has one input and four outputs. All outputs can be used simultaneously. That way, if I want to go crazy, I can have four amplifiers and headphones connected at the same time. Shown connected are the Schiit Magni 3 (solid state) and Vali 2 (tube). For those interested, the Vali 2 is sporting a sweet sounding Electro-Harmonix 6CG7 / 6FQ7 preamp tube.

Parked nearby are my Fostex T60rp and Sennheiser HD6XX headphones. These sound great with, and are driven well by, the Schiit amps.
I can use any DAP as a DAC that supports line out with this setup, so why the primitive ZiShan DSDs? It has the AKM AK4497 DAC, which somehow sounds noticeably better when paired with these amps and phones.

Sometimes I bring my Shanlings over. The M5s has an AK4493, which is also great. The Q1 has a Sabre DAC. The problem with these DAPs isn’t so much sound quality, as it is the lack of a dedicated line out physical port. You have to choose line out in software, and if you forget to deselect line out when you disconnect, and then turn the DAP back on and start playing music, you will find the volume set to maximum and panic trying to turn it down, or remove your head set. Damage to equipment is possible. Yikes!

So that’s it for my show and tell of my bedside rig. Cheers!


----------



## kuutan

The new headphone stand at the gaming station. You could do it with the Xbox series x too I assume.


----------



## ThanatosVI

kuutan said:


> The new headphone stand at the gaming station. You could do it with the Xbox series x too I assume.


This headphone stand is unreleased, can't be bought anywhere


----------



## kuutan

ThanatosVI said:


> This headphone stand is unreleased, can't be bought anywhere


Scalpers hoarding headphone stands.


----------



## HBen (Jun 2, 2021)

Roasty said:


> I think I'm going to be needing another rack soon.


Fun to see where the priorities are ... probably 50k$ worth of audio equipment next to a pretty average looking computer screen and a 19.99$ IKEA lamp


----------



## ThanatosVI

HBen said:


> Fun to see where the priorities are ... probably 50k$ worth of audio equipment next to pretty average looking computer screen and a 19.99$ IKEA lamp


Priorities in order!


----------



## RickB

HBen said:


> Fun to see where the priorities are ... probably 50k$ worth of audio equipment next to pretty average looking computer screen and a 19.99$ IKEA lamp



And the average burglar would have no idea!


----------



## ThanatosVI

RickB said:


> And the average burglar would have no idea!


Yeah weird Big Lamp with 9 lightbulbs in the middle of the room. Also crazy heavy


----------



## Roasty

HBen said:


> Fun to see where the priorities are ... probably 50k$ worth of audio equipment next to pretty average looking computer screen and a 19.99$ IKEA lamp



haha you got it right on the ikea lamp! the screen is not too shabby though.. went for quality over looks for this one!


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Dust protection and as bcowen says OCD. As for the latter, I have these which I ordered from Langrex to put on my noval tubes when not in use and boxed: pin protection...:



I like that quartersawn oak table!


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I like that quartersawn oak table!


Thanks; I certainly did not build the desk myself...just a little re-staining...


----------



## Wes S (Jun 4, 2021)

My current view, and where I will be sitting all day on my day off.


----------



## Terriero

Wes S said:


> My current view, and where I will be sitting all day on my day off.


Why don't you play with us to a game about changing seats?


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> My current view, and where I will be sitting all day on my day off.


Funny how the Footscray takes centre stage  in the picture without even trying...


----------



## silent-circuit

Angertobi said:


> Carton of the 5inch JBL 4312Mk2


That's good for at least 3db below 80Hz!


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> Funny how the Footscray takes centre stage  in the picture without even trying...


LOL!  Man it's crazy, but once you hear this tube and then look at that picture, it really does take center stage.


----------



## brunascle

My preferred listening station in the summer months.  Certainly not the most high end, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.


----------



## Richsvt

@brunascle It's not always about the gear, as long as it sounds good to you. Great choice on the Treehouse, which one is that?


----------



## brunascle

Richsvt said:


> Great choice on the Treehouse, which one is that?


Haze


----------



## Richsvt

Nice. My favorite has always been Julius.


----------



## brunascle

Richsvt said:


> Nice. My favorite has always been Julius.


Julius is my favorite as well.  I regret not getting more of it when I was there, but there are so many options I feel like I have to get a little of everything.


----------



## brunascle

brunascle said:


> My preferred listening station in the summer months.  Certainly not the most high end, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.


You might be thinking "Open backs outdoors?". But the background noise is mainly songbirds, wind, and a babbling brook, and I'll take that over silence any day.  At times I'd swear it was part of the recording.


----------



## jonathan c

brunascle said:


> My preferred listening station in the summer months.  Certainly not the most high end, but quite enjoyable nonetheless.


Not high end, just “my” end...😜


----------



## jonathan c

brunascle said:


> You might be thinking "Open backs outdoors?"


😜 No choice....your ears are open backs....


----------



## antdroid




----------



## Ciggavelli

antdroid said:


>


I’ve been trying to find that exact headphone stand. I need the length for my LCD-4s. The Woo Audio stand I normally use is a bit too small for the Audezes. Do you remember what that headphone stand is or where to buy it?


----------



## antdroid

Ciggavelli said:


> I’ve been trying to find that exact headphone stand. I need the length for my LCD-4s. The Woo Audio stand I normally use is a bit too small for the Audezes. Do you remember what that headphone stand is or where to buy it?



https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=490&area=en

I bought it on Amazon


----------



## Ciggavelli

antdroid said:


> https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=490&area=en
> 
> I bought it on Amazon


Thanks!


----------



## newworld666 (Jun 8, 2021)

error


----------



## Wes S

antdroid said:


>


Nice clean setup, with some serious gear!  I tried some of those fans, and they were way to loud for me.  I am curious if they are loud for you, or perhaps I just got some loud ones?


----------



## Roasty

Wes S said:


> Nice clean setup, with some serious gear!  I tried some of those fans, and they were way to loud for me.  I am curious if they are loud for you, or perhaps I just got some loud ones?



U can try some BeQuiet Silentwings 3 low RPM fans. I use them in my rig and they're really good and quiet.


----------



## Wes S

Roasty said:


> U can try some BeQuiet Silentwings 3 low RPM fans. I use them in my rig and they're really good and quiet.


Thanks for the tip!  With the summer heat in Texas well on it's way, fans are a must with my tube gear.


----------



## Roasty

Wes S said:


> Thanks for the tip!  With the summer heat in Texas well on it's way, fans are a must with my tube gear.



no prob man.
just make sure you get the pwm version, and NON high speed. i'm using the 140mm ones and they're the quietest fans i've ever used.


----------



## Dawgfish

Preachy1 said:


> Love the vintage Sansuis.  I'm currently a pristine AU-5500 in my living room.  I have an AU-7700 running in my basement studio. The left channel drops out and I can't find anyone to service it, so I'm running the pre-amp section to an old Yamaha DSP A1000 (on which the Pre section doesn't work!).  An odd cobbling of partially working units that when combined, renders an incredible sound.  go figure!!!!


Awesome!  In addition to the Au-719 and matching Tu-517 tuner I have for it we also have a Sansui G5000 receiver. My better half uses it along with some ZU Omen speakers and also to drive her Hifiman Devas when she is not running it bluetooth.  It has great synergy with the Omens.  We have a couple of Marantz receivers also (2220B and 2250B), but prefer the Sansuis.


----------



## antdroid

Wes S said:


> Nice clean setup, with some serious gear!  I tried some of those fans, and they were way to loud for me.  I am curious if they are loud for you, or perhaps I just got some loud ones?


the ac infinity fans have three speed options. i keep it on low and its pretty quiet and barely audible. its loud at high setting but i dont need that,


----------



## Wes S

antdroid said:


> the ac infinity fans have three speed options. i keep it on low and its pretty quiet and barely audible. its loud at high setting but i dont need that,


Perhaps mine were just loud, as I tried all 3 settings and the lowest was still very audible for me.  Thanks for the info!


----------



## silent-circuit

Wes S said:


> Nice clean setup, with some serious gear!  I tried some of those fans, and they were way to loud for me.  I am curious if they are loud for you, or perhaps I just got some loud ones?


Alternately, Noctua is always a safe bet. Most even come with low(er) speed adapters.


----------



## Terriero

Wes S said:


> Nice clean setup, with some serious gear!  I tried some of those fans, and they were way to loud for me.  I am curious if they are loud for you, or perhaps I just got some loud ones?


I have two 12 cm Silverstone fans in the front of a PS 07 case (code AP-123) and I configured them via mother board to 500 rpm and they don't bother at all. I live in a very quiet place and I can hear the humming of my monitor when powered on and the Noctua NF-F12 noise (also configured at 500-600 rpm) more than the Silverstone fans. Thankfully, my power supply is fanless


----------



## Wes S

Lots of great advice on quiet fans folks and I appreciate it!  As I said, the Texas heat is about to be on, and fans are a must with my tube amps.


----------



## LoryWiv

antdroid said:


> https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=490&area=en
> 
> I bought it on Amazon


I have and love the silverstone stand as well for my ZMF Auteur.


----------



## jonathan c

Black is the new black...:


----------



## pbui44

Sorry...but I have to keep my desktop as simple as possible:


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> I have and love the silverstone stand as well for my ZMF Auteur.


Same here.  I have several of these stands. I love them because they are long enough to hold two pair of headphones, even large cans such as ZMFs or Audezes.


----------



## mammal

Finally matching colors!


----------



## jonathan c

Brimar KB/FB (Footscray) all the way!!...5R4GY + CV4033...:


----------



## UntilThen

Angertobi said:


> Today bedroom test. Dacmagic>sansui au717>v-moda m200



Omg you've the Au-717. This brings back lots of memories for me.


----------



## John Massaria




----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Funny how the Footscray takes centre stage  in the picture without even trying...


OK, I'll be the dumb one and ask: what is "Footscray"? A type of tube? Which one is it in the picture?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Lots of great advice on quiet fans folks and I appreciate it!  As I said, the Texas heat is about to be on, and fans are a must with my tube amps.


No A.C.?


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jun 11, 2021)

pbui44 said:


> Sorry...but I have to keep my desktop as simple as possible:



My desktop is even simpler than yours!

This reminds me of a witty cartoon which shows a male & female rat, obviously a married couple. They're standing in what looks like a hollowed-out hole in a tree trunk. There are furnishings strewn around and a couple pictures on the wall are badly tilted. The place is a mess. Mrs. Rat looks very displeased.

Mr. Rat, obviously replying to something she just said,

"*But it's supposed to be a rathole!*"​


----------



## Rowethren

Pharmaboy said:


> OK, I'll be the dumb one and ask: what is "Footscray"? A type of tube? Which one is it in the picture?


It is the two small ones at the front. It is a Brimar CV4033 made in 1957 in their Footscray factory.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Rowethren said:


> It is the two small ones at the front. It is a Brimar CV4033 made in 1957 in their Footscray factory.


I have a WA3, too--but it looks like I'd need adapters to use these in place of typical 6922s? 

What's the sonic advantage/signature of these tubes?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> OK, I'll be the dumb one and ask: what is "Footscray"? A type of tube? Which one is it in the picture?


The one almost in the centre: a 12AT7 tube type. Brimar CV4033 KB/FB (Footscray plant: 1957). The best 12AT7 tube (tube, period?) that I have heard. Quite a few on the Mjolnir II Impressions thread are raving about the Footscray, too.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a WA3, too--but it looks like I'd need adapters to use these in place of typical 6922s?
> 
> What's the sonic advantage/signature of these tubes?


Oh, where to start…aha, go to Mjolnir II Impressions thread…plenty of Footscray talk there. You will need adapters: 12A## (top) —> 6922/ECC88 (bottom).


----------



## Rowethren

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a WA3, too--but it looks like I'd need adapters to use these in place of typical 6922s?
> 
> What's the sonic advantage/signature of these tubes?



As Jonathan says you need an adapter which you can buy here: https://pulsetubestore.com/products...uction-base-9-pin-b9a-noval-not-made-in-china

From my experience with the Rochester 58s (which are a bit below the Footscray 57s) the CV4033 are remarkably well balanced and extend clearly at the top and bottom. Tubes are really just personal preference but I think they sound great, so much so I ended up buying a pair of Footscrays 57s as well.


----------



## John Massaria




----------



## simorag




----------



## Rebel Chris




----------



## Preachy1

I guess I'll treat the cans du jour (likely Focal Clear MGs) to the following set.


----------



## Wes S (Jun 13, 2021)

Current state - RH-5 is warming up, and my Atticus is about to sing.


----------



## dnd3241 (Jun 14, 2021)

Update....


----------



## Benny-x (Jun 14, 2021)

ivanrocks321 said:


> Added a few more stuff this time the electronics side: cherry STM mk2, corsonus kodachi plus, Firstwatt F1J, triode TVR A300SE, matrix audio mini i pro 3. And a pair of diy frugal horn mk3


I've got an F1J as well. Given your line up, why did you get it? Like what gap or yearning is it filling?

And what's the best pairing with it?

Not too many people have them anyway, let alone for headphones, so I'm interested in hearing your take.

I pretty much just use mine for my HiFiMAN HE-6 4-screw.


----------



## Benny-x

Benny-x said:


> I've got an F1J as well. Given your line up, why did you get it? Like what gap or yearning is it filling?
> 
> And what's the best pairing with it.
> 
> ...


On second thought, they are built for single driver speakers, so I guess they might only be for your horns? I'm hoping you've got a nice headphone pairing with them, though~


----------



## JMCIII

Not pictured are my Focsl Elear and AudioQuest NightHawks. But this is 6/14/21 current.


----------



## John Massaria (Jun 14, 2021)




----------



## thatoneheadphonedood

The receiver is hooked to a surround system (5.1). Theres a FiiO m5. Modded akg’s and Grado sr60e’s.


----------



## BobG55

Rebel Chris said:


>


Nice set up & excellent album.


----------



## Aloen

Current, but about to swap out the LCD2's for HD800S .. Absolutely love the LCD2 sound but just can't get used to the weight.


----------



## jonathan c

mountain retreat listening centre (fueled by Reflektor 6N23P-EV…they are _really good;_ Footscrays are at home…where the Woos roam…):


----------



## Preachy1

Aloen said:


> Current, but about to swap out the LCD2's for HD800S .. Absolutely love the LCD2 sound but just can't get used to the weight.


I get the weight issue with the Audeze LCD series.  I must be in a very lonely camp of people who actually like the heft.  I also prefer tight clamp force.  I wonder if this says something about me.


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> I get the weight issue with the Audeze LCD series.  I must be in a very lonely camp of people who actually like the heft.  I also prefer tight clamp force.  I wonder if this says something about me.


I like the feeling of a little heft in my headphone - solidity 🙂


----------



## nasty nate

Aloen said:


> Current, but about to swap out the LCD2's for HD800S .. Absolutely love the LCD2 sound but just can't get used to the weight.



I'm looking to get the same complementary setup (HD800S and LCD2 [still deciding between Fazor / non Fazor]) - how do you like them as a pair? Do you listen to certain types of music with one and other types with the other? 

Or are you replacing the LCD2 with the HD800S? Seems like they have very different sound signatures...


----------



## Aloen

nasty nate said:


> I'm looking to get the same complementary setup (HD800S and LCD2 [still deciding between Fazor / non Fazor]) - how do you like them as a pair? Do you listen to certain types of music with one and other types with the other?
> 
> Or are you replacing the LCD2 with the HD800S? Seems like they have very different sound signatures...


I'm still kind of up in the air about replacing or adding for complementary setup. (I haven't pulled the trigger on the HD 800S yet) I can definitely see myself still using the LCD 2 but I'm not quite to the point where I think having two $1000 sets of cans is really a good idea, if you get what I'm saying! The only reason I'm really considering the 800S is the fact that I truly love my HD 600s and from what I've read the HD 800S are a similar sound signature just "better" .. Maybe I'm just too indecisive!


----------



## Zurv

dnd3241 said:


> Update....


Sweet. I always wanted to play around with the audiobyte stuff.


----------



## kid vic

Aloen said:


> I'm still kind of up in the air about replacing or adding for complementary setup. (I haven't pulled the trigger on the HD 800S yet) I can definitely see myself still using the LCD 2 but I'm not quite to the point where I think having two $1000 sets of cans is really a good idea, if you get what I'm saying! The only reason I'm really considering the 800S is the fact that I truly love my HD 600s and from what I've read the HD 800S are a similar sound signature just "better" .. Maybe I'm just too indecisive!


I find it refreshing to see someone one who hasn't fallen into the maniac hole of several $1000+ headphones and a minimum of $3000 in their amp+plus source.
My advice to you is RUNAWAY!! ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HEAD-FI CCORRUPTS YOU!!


----------



## Zurv (Jun 17, 2021)

kid vic said:


> I find it refreshing to see someone one who hasn't fallen into the maniac hole of several $1000+ headphones and a minimum of $3000 in their amp+plus source.
> My advice to you is RUNAWAY!! ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HEAD-FI CCORRUPTS YOU!!


+1
run sir!
I was away from head-fi for a few years. I was happy with the oppo-ha1 and HD800s. (the Oppo-ha1 is not a good dac.. but not knowing sometimes is a good thing.)
With in the last year and I went deep on schiit's costly stuff... pick up a meze empy and focal utopia. Picked up some Elac Vela speakers. (I'd recommend both the BS403.2 and the FS407/409s if you are looking at speakers. Really great and "small")
THEN.. less than a year later.. replaced the schiit stuff with PrimaLuna, Woo audio and Rockna.. and got Focal Sopra 2 speakers.
I also had contractors come in and smash up my apt to install multi single run 20amp lines.
oh the tubes.. so many NOS tubes... (A lot of real fancy cables too (note, they did nothing over the bluejean cables i had before.. AQ cables are poop and made things worse.. WW cables look nice and didn't make stuff worse.. so.. win?)


----------



## Preachy1

Similar sitch here.  I found mice elf starting relatively on the cheap with a pair of Beyer DT770's and an iPod.  At first slowly, then with the pace picking up, I started acquiring more and more gear.  At this point, now for about a year, I've settled quite comfortably into my end game system (no really, seriously, shut UP!!!!!).  I've probably approached if not actually exceeded low five figures overall.  I could (and at some point, likely will) consolidate a bit and pare off a few sets of cans and an amp or two.

and FWIW, I don't even want to improve on my vinyl setup.  VPI Scout > Chord Huei.  The output from the Chord is split into the following:

Schiit Loki > Feliks Elise (tube)
McIntosh MHA150 (solid state)

It seems that the Elise combo works best with the Aeolus, while the SS chain is quite sweet with the Clear MGs.   YMMV-APW


----------



## RCBinTN

Aloen said:


> Current, but about to swap out the LCD2's for HD800S .. Absolutely love the LCD2 sound but just can't get used to the weight.


If you don't already have the carbon-fiber headband for the LCD-2, it is a worthy upgrade. Greatly improves the comfort and stability. I think Audez'e also now offers a plastic headband for ~US$100.


----------



## Wes S

kid vic said:


> I find it refreshing to see someone one who hasn't fallen into the maniac hole of several $1000+ headphones and a minimum of $3000 in their amp+plus source.
> My advice to you is RUNAWAY!! ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HEAD-FI CCORRUPTS YOU!!


Killer movie by the way!


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> Killer movie by the way!


What flic is that?


----------



## Wes S

Preachy1 said:


> What flic is that?


It called, Get Out.

 It will blow your mind, and it's best to watch without knowing anything about it.


----------



## Aloen

RCBinTN said:


> If you don't already have the carbon-fiber headband for the LCD-2, it is a worthy upgrade. Greatly improves the comfort and stability. I think Audez'e also now offers a plastic headband for ~US$100.


I didn't think about this!


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> It called, Get Out.
> 
> It will blow your mind, and it's best to watch without knowing anything about it.


THanks, I'll check it out tonight.  I won't read up on it first.


----------



## robm321

^ Agree. Great movie.


----------



## Preachy1

Aloen said:


> I didn't think about this!


I tried upgrading to that headband, not so much to lessen the weight, but to alleviate some of the hot spots caused by the original (old style) band.  I found that the leather strap just under the headband did not offer enough suspension, and the the same hot spots existed.  this was a few years ago, so it may have been improved since then.


----------



## jonathan c

Colours of the day - black & blues…:


----------



## jonathan c

kid vic said:


> I find it refreshing to see someone one who ha
> My advice to you is RUNAWAY!! ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HEAD-FI CORRUPTS YOU!!


Alas, I resisted awhile…to no avail. In my study/office at home…headphoneS…hp amplifierS…boxES of tubeS…custom cableS…in use and in storage. In ‘Outer Limits’ fashion, they control the horizontal and the vertical…but I 👹 control the volume 🤪…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> mountain retreat listening centre (fueled by Reflektor 6N23P-EV…they are _really good;_ Footscrays are at home…where the Woos roam…):


Those 2 are essential CDs IMO


----------



## Pharmaboy

Aloen said:


> I didn't think about this!



For awhile I had a unicorn/vintage LCD-2.1 & LCD-3 (both pre-fazor). Stock LCD headbands from back then were torture to wear. I picked up the aftermarket Audeze headband linked below...it made a huge difference in comfort:

https://www.moon-audio.com/audeze-s...cTGzOo2EMj1bZ0emGbj6J2cSiG5McrxQaAgLKEALw_wcB


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> I tried upgrading to that headband, not so much to lessen the weight, but to alleviate some of the hot spots caused by the original (old style) band.  I found that the leather strap just under the headband did not offer enough suspension, and the the same hot spots existed.  this was a few years ago, so it may have been improved since then.



Some of my "hot spots" are actually inside the head, not on top. The aftermarket headbands did nothing for those.


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> Some of my "hot spots" are actually inside the head, not on top. The aftermarket headbands did nothing for those.


Possibly so, but my wife heard my complaints and unbeknownst to me, found some pads on Amazon that solved the issue.  I don’t recall the vendor nor the actual brand, but they work perfectly.


----------



## whirlwind

jonathan c said:


> Colours of the day - black & blues…:


Nice gear...and Rory ain't bad either!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> my wife heard my complaints


That is remarkable! Kudos to your wife. I thought people like us are beyond help.

Seriously, some of my problem w/the LCDs (with many headphones) is that I have a relatively big head. That sometimes puts me uncomfortably near full earcup excursion & tends to exacerbate clamp issues (if any). The Audeze aftermarket headband really did help a lot overall.

On a number of occasions I put this or that headphone-of-interest in my head at CanJam and immediately realized, "No way. This headphone is not happening for me."


----------



## jonathan c

whirlwind said:


> Nice gear...and Rory ain't bad either!


Thank you & nice avatar 👍


----------



## RCBinTN

Pharmaboy said:


> On a number of occasions I put this or that headphone-of-interest in my head at CanJam and immediately realized, "No way. This headphone is not happening for me."


Aah ... explains your avatar 

But seriously, I prefer the LCD-4 in the winter and HD800 in summer months. I keep both because they nicely complement each other, but also due to the sweat factor - it's a real thing.
I would caution about changing the pads, as I've heard (no direct experience) that the fenestrated pads can change performance, and not always in a good way.

ps. When I first went with the LCD-4, to replace my beloved LCD-X, I was blown away by the improvement ... thanks to @pippen99! Now, years later, I consider the LCD-4 to be nearly as resolving as the HD800. And, mates, that is saying a lot about them!

Happy Listening,
RCB


----------



## Terriero

RCBinTN said:


> Aah ... explains your avatar
> 
> But seriously, I prefer the LCD-4 in the winter and HD800 in summer months. I keep both because they nicely complement each other, but also due to the sweat factor - it's a real thing.
> I would caution about changing the pads, as I've heard (no direct experience) that the fenestrated pads can change performance, and not always in a good way.
> ...


No, he has that avatar because he wants someone to give him the Abyss 1266 TC


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 17, 2021)

Preachy1 said:


> I tried upgrading to that headband, not so much to lessen the weight, but to alleviate some of the hot spots caused by the original (old style) band.  I found that the leather strap just under the headband did not offer enough suspension, and the the same hot spots existed.  this was a few years ago, so it may have been improved since then.


Speaking of relieving head ‘hot spots’, here is what I did with Dekoni nuggets on the Rosson RAD-0 some time ago (the side nuggets are attached laterally; the middle nugget is attached front-to-back):


----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> No, he has that avatar because he wants someone to give him the Abyss 1266 TC


Funny you'd mention the Abyss. I listened to it at the Wells Audio booth (CanJam/NYC-2018). It felt like putting my head in a vise (image below). The sound was amazing, but the fit was medieval.


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> No, he has that avatar because he wants someone to give him the Abyss 1266 TC


With the head size and plateau of the avatar, the 1266 TC is the only fit possible - at the widest setting…


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Funny you'd mention the Abyss. I listened to it at the Wells Audio booth (CanJam/NYC-2018). It felt like putting my head in a vise (image below). The sound was amazing, but the fit was medieval.


Is this poor fellow listening to the complete lineage of GE tubes?…


----------



## kid vic

Pharmaboy said:


> Funny you'd mention the Abyss. I listened to it at the Wells Audio booth (CanJam/NYC-2018). It felt like putting my head in a vise (image below). The sound was amazing, but the fit was medieval.


Before I tried the 1266 I never understood why people complained about the fit of Audeze headphones, then when the 1266 damn near swung off my head while I was listening to music it all became clear. It really is a matter of how something feels on your head and where your discomfort threshold is. I'm almost jealous of the people who don't have issues with the fit.


----------



## mammal

kid vic said:


> Before I tried the 1266 I never understood why people complained about the fit of Audeze headphones, then when the 1266 damn near swung off my head while I was listening to music it all became clear. It really is a matter of how something feels on your head and where your discomfort threshold is. I'm almost jealous of the people who don't have issues with the fit.


I got lucky I guess. AB-1266 fits so much more comfortably than their Diana headphones, which had a pressure point in the middle of the headband I had to fix with an after market pad. With AB-1266 it just fits perfectly on my head.


----------



## kid vic

mammal said:


> I got lucky I guess. AB-1266 fits so much more comfortably than their Diana headphones, which had a pressure point in the middle of the headband I had to fix with an after market pad. With AB-1266 it just fits perfectly on my head.


90% of the problem is that I move my head a lot while I'm listening to music. With the earpads not touching your head -as designed- this basically means that they rotate along the width of the pad. I couldn't get a fit I found all that comfortable anyways, so I guess they just aren't for me.


----------



## mammal

kid vic said:


> 90% of the problem is that I move my head a lot while I'm listening to music. With the earpads not touching your head -as designed- this basically means that they rotate along the width of the pad. I couldn't get a fit I found all that comfortable anyways, so I guess they just aren't for me.


Yeah that’s fair, I can see how the loose fit could be an issue. Sorry to hear it doesn’t work for you though.


----------



## whirlwind (Jun 18, 2021)

kid vic said:


> 90% of the problem is that I move my head a lot while I'm listening to music. With the earpads not touching your head -as designed- this basically means that they rotate along the width of the pad. I couldn't get a fit I found all that comfortable anyways, so I guess they just aren't for me.


I hear you...I am a "head bobber" too.....I mean good music and good synergy just produce good"head bobbing"   
Even with the weight of the LCD-4, I can make it stick to my head firmly...some complain , but I like the fit of this headphone very much.
The only time my head does not move is when I am doing my late night listening in my easy chair.


----------



## Wes S

whirlwind said:


> I hear you...I am a "head bobber" too.....I mean good music and good synergy just produce good"head bobbing"
> Even with the weight of the LCD-4, I can make it stick to my head firmly...some complain , but I like the fit of this headphone very much.
> The only time my head does not move is when I am doing my late night listening in my easy chair.


Heck yeah!  I stand up when I listen, and my head is always moving, and half the time I am even dancing.


----------



## InvisibleInk

Wes S said:


> Heck yeah!  I stand up when I listen, and my head is always moving, and half the time I am even dancing.


----------



## jonathan c

InvisibleInk said:


>


Will their heads rotate clockwise south of the equator?…


----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> Heck yeah!  I stand up when I listen, and my head is always moving, and half the time I am even dancing.


Potential for a money-maker video on YouTube...


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Been listening with speakers a lot lately, getting in some headphone time this weekend.


----------



## Terriero

whirlwind said:


> I hear you...I am a "head bobber" too.....I mean good music and good synergy just produce good"head bobbing"
> Even with the weight of the LCD-4, I can make it stick to my head firmly...some complain , but I like the fit of this headphone very much.
> The only time my head does not move is when I am doing my late night listening in my easy chair.


That's one of the reasons because I won't pull the trigger for the Fostex TX 900 MK2, because of the loose fit of the headband area.

After my comfort issues with Beyer T 1.3 (althought the 1990s fit me perfectly, the T1 pads are smaller), I was worried about the hot spots that some people suffer with the Denon 9200s (specially with their less costier sibling: the 7200s), but luckily I have no problems at all with their fit and I can even headbang with them... By the way, right now I'm listening to "Theatre of tragedy" with them


----------



## Zurv

It is a little busy.. i might try to shove the SPL out of site.


----------



## koven

Zurv said:


> It is a little busy.. i might try to shove the SPL out of site.



You must have a lot of confidence in that floating shelf.  Nice to see your Wavedream arrived, how do you like it?


----------



## Zurv (Jun 18, 2021)

i'm not sure so far. Having a bunch of problem..
from the minor.. there was a screw i couldn't take out so i couldn't take pix of the inside.
to the buttons on the front not being responsive and audio cutting in and out. (which i think was connected to the front buttons. They work fine now and the drop outs stopped.)
Now via usb i'm getting click static - which i didn't have yesterday (i was using AES, I2s and coax yesterday.. ARGH! But that is likely caused by the rats nest of cables .. i'm about make a mess (and get yelled at by the wife) to find the source of the problem. It could be that I have XLR and RCA connected.
But when it worked it was stunning! (Last night i was playing with it on the Sopra 2s)

I'm still real tempted by the Halo May L2 or L3... lucky for me i think the bass color is ugly... soo..

hahha.. also all your fault!  I was fine with the wavelight and your boy gave me a good deal on the WD XLR... It is 100% not because i don't have self control. 

RE: shelf, under the button shelf is a ledge the comes out about a foot. That is hold the bottom one. There are also isoacoustics feet between the rockna and the shelf above.
without that it is likely that Primaluna would have taken the wall down. That sucker is like 60lb.


----------



## kid vic

Terriero said:


> That's one of the reasons because I won't pull the trigger for the Fostex TX 900 MK2, because of the loose fit of the headband area.
> 
> After my comfort issues with Beyer T 1.3 (althought the 1990s fit me perfectly, the T1 pads are smaller), I was worried about the hot spots that some people suffer with the Denon 9200s (specially with their less costier sibling: the 7200s), but luckily I have no problems at all with their fit and I can even headbang with them... By the way, right now I'm listening to "Theatre of tragedy" with them


I have never had any problem with my TH600; also, I'm fairly certain you can gently bend the headband inwards as I believe its metal (proceed with caution).


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Possibly so, but my wife heard my complaints and unbeknownst to me, found some pads on Amazon that solved the issue.  I don’t recall the vendor nor the actual brand, but they work perfectly.


Wow, lucky man...some wives cause headaches, yours cures it!


----------



## Prog Rock Man




----------



## TheRH (Jun 23, 2021)

The latest battle station with the new M1!  Mac Mini M1 > Roon > Qobuz > RME ADI-2 DAC FS > Audeze-X.


----------



## TheRH (Jun 23, 2021)

Delete


----------



## UntilThen

Odyssey station but Odyssey is not here yet. So it's Destiny's station for now.


----------



## Benny-x

TheRH said:


> The latest battle station with the new M1!  Mac Mini M1 > Roon > Qobuz > RME ADI-2 DAC FS > Audeze-X.


As soon as I read "new M1 Mac Mini" I was going to recommend you grab a Satechi Thunderbolt Dock for it. Then I had a good laugh once I got to your picture 😂

They're nicely made, eh? I have a couple Satechi electronics products and they're all great.


----------



## nasty nate

Decided to get a complement headphone to go with my HD800S - and I love the sound signature already


----------



## CJG888

nasty nate said:


> Decided to get a complement headphone to go with my HD800S - and I love the sound signature already



What’s the tube in your Lyr?


----------



## nasty nate

CJG888 said:


> What’s the tube in your Lyr?


It's called the Treasure Globe 6SN7-SE - I get them from here.


----------



## CJG888

Looks interesting. Presumably made by Psvane?


----------



## nasty nate

CJG888 said:


> Looks interesting. Presumably made by Psvane?



They are a special batch commissioned by Grant Fidelity - I think it's a limited run, not sold directly from Psvane...


----------



## Rowethren

Moved house and finally have my desk setup fully again, albeit with my old speakers as my KEFs have moved into the living room.


----------



## UntilThen

Rowethren said:


> Moved house and finally have my desk setup fully again, albeit with my old speakers as my KEFs have moved into the living room.



That’s what I call a neat and nice music corner. Mounting the speakers on the wall is  great idea.


----------



## fuzzroffe

Genesis on 180g vinyl, on a Luxman PD-284 with a Technics 270c pickup, going through a Pro-Ject RIAA, DIY all-tube headphone amp and Grado-esque headphones built with parts from earphonediylabs


----------



## Preachy1

fuzzroffe said:


> Genesis on 180g vinyl, on a Luxman PD-284 with a Technics 270c pickup, going through a Pro-Ject RIAA, DIY all-tube headphone amp and Grado-esque headphones built with parts from earphonediylabs


SEBTP is in my forever top 10!!!! I've seen Steve Hackett and his band perform it in full nearly 15 times over the last several years.


----------



## fuzzroffe

Preachy1 said:


> SEBTP is in my forever top 10!!!! I've seen Steve Hackett and his band perform it in full nearly 15 times over the last several years.


I got it today, it was my birthday present to myself along with a couple of other prog classics on vinyl (Lark's Tongues in Aspic and Close to the Edge). Such a great album.


----------



## Preachy1

We have very similar tastes!!!!!


----------



## Deceneu808

Simple summer setup


----------



## waveSounds (Jul 1, 2021)

I recently convinced my pa to invest in some speakers after years of using my old Onkyo AV receiver amp and Q Acoustics 2020 speakers. Music is possibly his dearest passion and hobby (a couple of his albums are now on Tidal and Spotify ha!) yet he's never had a decent sound system.

We ended up with a pair of Sonus faber Lumina III in the wengue and a HiFi ROSE RS201 on DAC, amp and streaming duties - gotta keep these things simple for him, so this fit the bill.

He's over the moon with them, and I must say, so am I!

















On another note, I'm also incredibly impressed with the general functionality, simplicity and features of the ROSE and its companion app - it's also a full MQA decoder which, while wasn't a deciding factor, is a nice bonus. The screen is awesome with touch interaction having no lag, plus it can show a real myriad of display options (such as the VU mode in the earlier snaps).


----------



## dynavit

When the days get too hot for tubes, you have to find other/small solutions:



Roon on NUCi7 - ifi iusb micro - ifi iDSD nano - ifi iCAN / Grado RSA - or Woo WA11


----------



## Wes S (Jul 2, 2021)

Current state - Just fired up the Pendant SE with a very special tube combo and my Atticus hooked up.  Let the long weekend begin!


----------



## NovaFlyer

waveSounds said:


> I recently convinced my pa to invest in some speakers after years of using my old Onkyo AV receiver amp and Q Acoustics 2020 speakers. Music is possibly his dearest passion and hobby (a couple of his albums are now on Tidal and Spotify ha!) yet he's never had a decent sound system.
> 
> We ended up with a pair of Sonus faber Lumina III in the wengue and a HiFi ROSE RS201 on DAC, amp and streaming duties - gotta keep these things simple for him, so this fit the bill.
> 
> ...


Very nice setup!!


----------



## UntilThen

Lights off and like @Wes S , let the weekend begin.


----------



## TheRH




----------



## MLGrado (Jul 4, 2021)

My first tube amp was a Icon Audio Stereo 20 that was lovely sounding on speaker taps.  And it had a nice sounding dedicated single ended headphone output with its own custom transformer winding.  But it just could not drive two of the three sets of headphones I owned at the time.

It drove my Grado RS1 brilliantly, but choked on the higher impedance Sennheiser HD650 in the bass.

 And it absolutely could not even begin to drive the Hi-Fiman HE560.

So I got a Icon Audio HP8 MKII that sounded brilliant and drove the HE560 and then some.  Right before the warranty lapsed, (lucky it happened that day and not a few weeks later) the Icon just died.  Power Supply was gone.  That was 6 months ago.  Music Direct still hasn't replaced my amp, which is in their possession this entire time.  They said they were not going to have it repaired but exchange with a brand new one.  Well, that is fine, but Icon themselves still don't know when they will ever be sending another stock shipment of any of their products here to the states at MD, the only authorized dealer.  So, I am effectively in Music Direct limbo with both my money and my product gone.

Silver lining??? I got a balanced cable and started listening to the 560 via the pentaconn port on my iFi iDSD Pro.

WOW, WOW. and WOW.  Stunning.  Whenever I get my brand new Icon HP8 it is getting sold to some lucky buyer at a small discount (and it will be a treat because it is a GREAT sounding tube headamp, probably the best sounding (especially with the proper vintage tube rolling) tube headamp under that $1500 mark.

But I am SO stunned at the synergy the HE-560 has in balanced operation via the iFi iDSD Pro. I am still stunned at the quality every time I listen.

Now everyone is going to have their own opinions no matter what, but there is a large part of me that wonders if those that do not like the sound of the HE560 Might change their minds if they heard it properly amped. It is not as notoriously Difficult as the HE-6 But nonetheless requires an extremely competent amp to sound its best. The more power the better. Right now I am in audio Nirvana. If I ever get my icon HP8 amplifier back for music direct like I’m supposed to, once it sells I am getting the matching iCan pro.




Also, I upgraded my 2014 Mac Mini with the Uptone LPS kit and chose this wonderful behemoth of a LPS by ZERO-ZONE.  I had no real expectations the sound would change other than perhaps take some burden off the USB receiver with a bit less noise in the signal, especially the removal of the PWM fan controller in the Mac Mini that operates at 25hkz, so very close to the audio band.  But WOW.  Its of course just a subjective anecdotal experience on my part, but it took the audio to another level of 'black background', realism and clarity.  Wow.




And just to be a head-fi junkie, here is the other computer audio setup.... HP Intel all in one, behind it is a Intona Galvanic USB Isolator and LPS for this little AD/DA from RME.  LOL.  It sounds great, but my preference for reference listening is still the iFi iDSD Pro.  I can listen back to back and compare all day relative strength and weakness of the DAC, but the iFi overall just wins pretty clearly in my head.

The real reason the RME is here is for her AD duties for measurements as I begin my online blog/v-log reviewer presence.  As if we need another one of those, but I like it so I am going to do it anyway haha.


----------



## alekc

MLGrado said:


> The real reason the RME is here is for her AD duties for measurements as I begin my online blog/v-log reviewer presence.  As if we need another one of those, but I like it so I am going to do it anyway haha.



@MLGrado congrats on great setup. You may want to checkout Pro iCan with your Pro iDSD. Being fan of some of ifi audio equipment I can understand why your prefer Pro iDSD over other dacs. 

I'm very interested in how you want to exploit RME as AD for measurements. If this is not a secret share some more details please. Looking forward to whatever you are planning.


----------



## gikigill

MLGrado said:


> My first tube amp was a Icon Audio Stereo 20 that was lovely sounding on speaker taps.  And it had a nice sounding dedicated single ended headphone output with its own custom transformer winding.  But it just could not drive two of the three sets of headphones I owned at the time.
> 
> It drove my Grado RS1 brilliantly, but choked on the higher impedance Sennheiser HD650 in the bass.
> 
> ...



We are either twins or brothers with the amount of equipment and tastes we share.


----------



## MLGrado

alekc said:


> @MLGrado congrats on great setup. You may want to checkout Pro iCan with your Pro iDSD. Being fan of some of ifi audio equipment I can understand why your prefer Pro iDSD over other dacs.
> 
> I'm very interested in how you want to exploit RME as AD for measurements. If this is not a secret share some more details please. Looking forward to whatever you are planning.



yup.  iFi is interesting.  Not going into too much detail, but Thorsten Loesch who is no longer with iFi anymore has a certain philosophy that leads to good sound, and I find the his 'signature' if you will to be my preferred type of sound.  He also is balanced and sensible about measurements vs subjective sound.  Measurements tell us some basic things, beyond that, we aren't even really sure how 'well' a product should measure before that particular parameter in isolation moves out of the realm of human discernment.  But don't ever believe his designs measure poorly.  Of course he and his team know (knew) what they should expect from the components they chose to use.  That is the nuance.  Building a device with components that are proven to sound outstanding, have synergy, and an EXPECTED result before measurements are even taken.  The measurements confirm their work along with what their ears hear.  

But iFi has some warts on the business side.  I hesitate to get into what little I know, but, for example, the iFi iDSD Pro review models that went to major publications like Stereophile??  Had incomplete and buggy firmware that led to less than the expected test results on the bench, such as noise floor and headphone power output.  The 2.08 firmware fixes all of that, and the end result is a product that is definitely Sterophile Class A.  Class B is an insult for this device.  

Yup, I am eyeing a iCan Pro right now.  Hoping that will be my final stop and my end game for a least a couple years.


----------



## MLGrado

gikigill said:


> We are either twins or brothers with the amount of equipment and tastes we share.


cool!  Yeah I have a certain philosophy on what I like and why.  Some people get it; some people don't and are very critical.  Thats fine.  Well the few that have PM me calling me an idiot and using 4 letter words, not so fine.  

Glad you like the same kind of sound.  For me?  Detailed with great imaging, good soundstage, warm midrange, tight punchy bass but not a 'Basshead', great instrument tone.  Palpable tone that just makes you want to listen for hours.  I like slightly more forwardness in the presence region, but hate treble distortion and sibilance, so I am always trying to find that balance between the detail and presence I want from the 8kz range, without being graining and bright.  Cymbals should have a gorgeous linear and smooth decay, not massive amounts of harmonic distortion that has that artificial metallic sound associated often with digital.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## gikigill

MLGrado said:


> cool!  Yeah I have a certain philosophy on what I like and why.  Some people get it; some people don't and are very critical.  Thats fine.  Well the few that have PM me calling me an idiot and using 4 letter words, not so fine.
> 
> Glad you like the same kind of sound.  For me?  Detailed with great imaging, good soundstage, warm midrange, tight punchy bass but not a 'Basshead', great instrument tone.  Palpable tone that just makes you want to listen for hours.  I like slightly more forwardness in the presence region, but hate treble distortion and sibilance, so I am always trying to find that balance between the detail and presence I want from the 8kz range, without being graining and bright.  Cymbals should have a gorgeous linear and smooth decay, not massive amounts of harmonic distortion that has that artificial metallic sound associated often with digital.



Yup, the 8khz perfection is a thing of beauty when you nail it right. Treble that is just making its presence known completely without stepping the line. 

Big fan of details with correct imaging and soundstage done correctly as it helps project a holographic space. 

Listening to a track on Apple Music yesterday and the portrayal of the kick drum along with the rest of the low end was just perfect.


----------



## DTgill

My cans are Hifiman Sundara and Ananda, speaker are KEF Q50


----------



## MLGrado

gikigill said:


> Yup, the 8khz perfection is a thing of beauty when you nail it right. Treble that is just making its presence known completely without stepping the line.
> 
> Big fan of details with correct imaging and soundstage done correctly as it helps project a holographic space.
> 
> Listening to a track on Apple Music yesterday and the portrayal of the kick drum along with the rest of the low end was just perfect.



yup, we pretty much on the exact same page.  Seeking similar goals in our audio.  I am a relative newbie to head-fi.. only about 7 years, but before that the 2-channel hi-fi quest was still similar.  Reminds me of one of the showrooms at the store I once managed (that of course doesn't exist anymore.  really the internet is your only store these days) back to back were packaged two channel setups... One had Dali Helicon Full Range with treble crossed over to a planar ribbon.  Gosh it sounded so good and airy, but, I still always preferred the second system, making me the minority opinion in the store.  The other side was a setup driving Von Schweikert VR-4jr, with an adustable back firing tweeter to provide a touch of extra soundstage and space without compromising the imaging.  And the soft dome tweeters were so smooth sounding.  Could listen for 30 minutes on the Dali and had some ear fatigue.  I could go 30 hours probably with the VR-4jr.  

Wish I still had those.  I bought the floor demo for a ridiculously low price and made the mistake of trying to turn a profit when that sound was the perfect sound for me that I never quite found again.  Until now I am finding it again in the headphone world haha


----------



## CJG888

Lord Rexter said:


>



How do you like the DX7 Pro as a DAC? Have ordered one to use on its own in balanced mode, or as a DAC to hook up to my WBA Tzar OTL tube amp (single ended).


----------



## Lord Rexter

CJG888 said:


> How do you like the DX7 Pro as a DAC? Have ordered one to use on its own in balanced mode, or as a DAC to hook up to my WBA Tzar OTL tube amp (single ended).


Like the DX7 pro over Matrix Audio Mini I 3 Pro for a few genres as pure DAC. And Topping DX7 pro has both SE via RCA and Balanced via XLR outputs which is good also it can be used as a Preamplifier 🙂


----------



## CJG888 (Jul 5, 2021)

Lord Rexter said:


> Like the DX7 pro over Matrix Audio Mini I 3 Pro for a few genres as pure DAC. And Topping DX7 pro has both SE via RCA and Balanced via XLR outputs which is good also it can be used as a Preamplifier 🙂



It certainly seems like good value for what it offers.

Out of interest, which genres would that be? I listen exclusively to jazz (50s to early 70s, plus ECM) and classical.


----------



## Lord Rexter

CJG888 said:


> Out of interest, which genres would that be? I listen exclusively to jazz (50s to early 70s, plus ECM) and classical.


I am mainly into Techno, EDM, Drums and Bass, OST/Soundtracks and orchestral music ☺️


----------



## iFi audio

MLGrado said:


> yup. iFi is interesting. Not going into too much detail, but Thorsten Loesch who is no longer with iFi anymore has a certain philosophy that leads to good sound, and I find the his 'signature' if you will to be my preferred type of sound. He also is balanced and sensible about measurements vs subjective sound. Measurements tell us some basic things, beyond that, we aren't even really sure how 'well' a product should measure before that particular parameter in isolation moves out of the realm of human discernment. But don't ever believe his designs measure poorly. Of course he and his team know (knew) what they should expect from the components they chose to use. That is the nuance. Building a device with components that are proven to sound outstanding, have synergy, and an EXPECTED result before measurements are even taken. The measurements confirm their work along with what their ears hear.
> 
> But iFi has some warts on the business side. I hesitate to get into what little I know, but, for example, the iFi iDSD Pro review models that went to major publications like Stereophile?? Had incomplete and buggy firmware that led to less than the expected test results on the bench, such as noise floor and headphone power output. The 2.08 firmware fixes all of that, and the end result is a product that is definitely Sterophile Class A. Class B is an insult for this device.
> 
> Yup, I am eyeing a iCan Pro right now. Hoping that will be my final stop and my end game for a least a couple years.



Thanks a lot for your input and yes, iFi's house sound is a thing  

Thanks for giving our Pro iCAN a chance and may it serve you well for years to come


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> I recently convinced my pa to invest in some speakers after years of using my old Onkyo AV receiver amp and Q Acoustics 2020 speakers. Music is possibly his dearest passion and hobby (a couple of his albums are now on Tidal and Spotify ha!) yet he's never had a decent sound system.
> 
> We ended up with a pair of Sonus faber Lumina III in the wengue and a HiFi ROSE RS201 on DAC, amp and streaming duties - gotta keep these things simple for him, so this fit the bill.
> 
> ...



A good son, indeed!


----------



## iFi audio

Pharmaboy said:


> A good son, indeed!



He sure is 

That Rose device has been getting a lot of street cred recently. Looks lovely!


----------



## Rebel Chris




----------



## dnd3241

System Updated !


----------



## new2mus

waveSounds said:


> I recently convinced my pa to invest in some speakers after years of using my old Onkyo AV receiver amp and Q Acoustics 2020 speakers. Music is possibly his dearest passion and hobby (a couple of his albums are now on Tidal and Spotify ha!) yet he's never had a decent sound system.
> 
> We ended up with a pair of Sonus faber Lumina III in the wengue and a HiFi ROSE RS201 on DAC, amp and streaming duties - gotta keep these things simple for him, so this fit the bill.
> 
> ...


I'm interested in the Rose streamer(s). Did you have a streamer or can provide any comparisons with other streaming methods you are familiar with? Also, love the set up.


----------



## Shane D

Just the headphones portion:


----------



## Lvivske

the workstation


----------



## iFi audio

Rebel Chris said:


>



I have to ask, how do you operate that monster of a laptop with this much audio hardware before it  ?


----------



## cgb3

Pharmaboy said:


> A good son, indeed!


I was hooked, until I saw the Tidal link.


----------



## driftingbunnies

Current setup


----------



## Coztomba




----------



## carboncopy

I think I am done...


----------



## ufospls2

carboncopy said:


> I think I am done...



How would you describe the Helène DAC?


----------



## carboncopy

It’s an R2R. So it has this organic, analog, human sound. Nothing is harsh or artiifical. What unique to it that it has at the same time a very open, fast sound with lot’s of energy. I loved my Aqua LaScala but it couldn’t compete regarding that. I haven’t heard any DAC that does the same. The only drawback is the size and the weight.


----------



## thinker (Jul 9, 2021)

Luxman D 10x Benchmark HPA4 Sennheiser HD-800


----------



## normie610

carboncopy said:


> I think I am done...


How‘s the Head 2? It does look amazing


----------



## normie610

Near the finish line, last step is to add a tube preamp.


----------



## ThanatosVI

normie610 said:


> Near the finish line, last step is to add a tube preamp.


Classy!


----------



## Roasty

normie610 said:


> Near the finish line, last step is to add a tube preamp.



Super clean! I love it!


----------



## normie610

ThanatosVI said:


> Classy!





Roasty said:


> Super clean! I love it!


Thanks!


----------



## lumdicks

Just got a rack for my setup, waiting for delivery of Final D8000 to complete my arsenal.


----------



## carboncopy

normie610 said:


> How‘s the Head 2? It does look amazing



Very Energetic. It’s a push-pull design, so it has lot’s off attack and it’s more neutral than most tube amp I heard. Absolutely not the romantic type.

But it was essential to upgrade the tubes.

https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/6n30p-dr/6h30n-dp?c=0

https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/e88cc-aka-6922-bel-gold-kontakte/nos-nib?c=0


----------



## bcowen

lumdicks said:


> Just got a rack for my setup, waiting for delivery of Final D8000 to complete my arsenal.


Love the rack!  What is it?


----------



## bcowen

carboncopy said:


> I think I am done...


....until your next upgrade.    

Seriously, that's an awesome setup!


----------



## judomaniak57

lumdicks said:


> Just got a rack for my setup, waiting for delivery of Final D8000 to complete my arsenal.


wow that benchmark wont even break a sweat pushing those stellias or the emperyeans. but probably gets a good workout with the susvara. very nice setup


----------



## lumdicks

bcowen said:


> Love the rack!  What is it?


Just a desktop rack from a seller in China.


----------



## lumdicks

judomaniak57 said:


> wow that benchmark wont even break a sweat pushing those stellias or the emperyeans. but probably gets a good workout with the susvara. very nice setup


Yes. The Benchmark is able to drive the Susvara nicely but not much headroom left indeed.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Lvivske said:


> the workstation


I really like that strip-club (uhh, I mean "mood") lighting...


----------



## KPzypher

Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.


----------



## Roasty

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.



Omg u have just triggered my OCD.. LOL


----------



## KPzypher

Roasty said:


> Omg u have just triggered my OCD.. LOL


lol I swear it doesn't look that bad in person


----------



## lucasratmundo

Roasty said:


> Omg u have just triggered my OCD.. LOL


Same here 🙃


----------



## whirlwind

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.


Cable rolling


----------



## bcowen

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.


You obviously don't have cats.


----------



## Nostoi

bcowen said:


> You obviously don't have cats.


Or children.


----------



## DTgill

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.


I thought I was the only one who hung my cables like that


----------



## KPzypher

Nostoi said:


> Or children.



Actually, I have two boys. 😅🤣


----------



## Nostoi

KPzypher said:


> Actually, I have two boys. 😅🤣


Oh nuts, you're braver than I am!


----------



## Lvivske

Roasty said:


> Omg u have just triggered my OCD.. LOL



I'm ordering him a large, large hair brush


----------



## Pharmaboy

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.


Exactly how does your wife help you sort out that rat's nest of cables? Details, please...


----------



## chrisdrop

How we are looking today …


----------



## Zachik

chrisdrop said:


> How we are looking today …


Chris, how does it compare to your Blue Halo?


----------



## pbui44

KPzypher said:


> Thanks to my wife, I can now quickly find the right HP cables I need.  I was starting to get confused which cable belongs to which headphone.



Please get this for more space...and a better look:

https://www.amazon.com/Fu-Store-Adj...t/dp/B08ZMLWQSK/ref=psdc_507844_t2_B082HKBDS8


----------



## chrisdrop

Zachik said:


> Chris, how does it compare to your Blue Halo?


Different 
Good
SET vs OTL
EC was a fair bit more expensive with very expensive tubes (that you don’t roll!!) Takatsuki 300Bs. 
The EC amp is dead silent with a big head stage. I wanted an EC amp for a while and this os his last run before retiring.
EC will power any headphones and efficient speakers (which is main reason it is in my living room). Now I need to find the right speakers 
Blue Halo is great for rolling all those 6J5s! All in all I’m lucky to have them both. I use it every day at my office for many hours. 
I recommended both of course !


----------



## iFi audio (Jul 10, 2021)

carboncopy said:


> organic, analog, human sound. Nothing is harsh or artiifical.



A spot on R2R description.



normie610 said:


> Near the finish line, last step is to add a tube preamp.



Not sure if it helps, but that Bakoon probably won't benefit from any considering what it is. But since you have a Lumin, recently someone (also with that Bakoon) did mention that Leedh volume in Lumin was better than Bakoon's own gain selector. It wasn't you, right ?


----------



## Zachik

chrisdrop said:


> EC was a fair bit more expensive with very expensive tubes (that you don’t roll!!) Takatsuki 300Bs.


Those are EXPENSIVE tubes...


----------



## normie610

iFi audio said:


> Not sure if it helps, but that Bakoon probably won't benefit from any considering what it is. But since you have a Lumin, recently someone (also with that Bakoon) did mention that Leedh volume in Lumin was better than Bakoon's own gain selector. It wasn't you, right ?


Hahaha…yep that was me! For the tube preamp, the only purpose is just to have a tube flavor in the sound, so it has nothing to do with volume control or input selection 😊


----------



## tudedude (Jul 10, 2021)

Made this side table stand for my Little Bear amp and Fiio BTR-5.


----------



## UntilThen

chrisdrop said:


> Different
> Good
> SET vs OTL
> EC was a fair bit more expensive with very expensive tubes (that you don’t roll!!) Takatsuki 300Bs.
> ...



It’s a shame he is retiring. Had always wanted to try an EC amp, esp a 300b.


----------



## Mightygrey




----------



## UntilThen

^^ now that's a music room I would be proud of.


----------



## Lolito

Under desk setup. New amp, new dac, new cans:


----------



## Wes S

Mightygrey said:


>


This is the best looking setup I have seen so far!  Very very nice!


----------



## NickMimi

I'm settling into this configuration for the rest of the month, good synergy and really enjoying the sound signature head and shoulders above other pieces I have had at the desk the past few years. Craig did an excellent job w/ the Studio B and the Line Magnetic 32 just flat out enhances all its best qualities. (I have a few more DAC's to try but I want to just sit back and enjoy what this combo does for now) WE 300's currently on the amp and HiFiberry running Roon for the stream.


----------



## RobertSM

NickMimi said:


> I'm settling into this configuration for the rest of the month, good synergy and really enjoying the sound signature head and shoulders above other pieces I have had at the desk the past few years. Craig did an excellent job w/ the Studio B and the Line Magnetic 32 just flat out enhances all its best qualities. (I have a few more DAC's to try but I want to just sit back and enjoy what this combo does for now) WE 300's currently on the amp and HiFiberry running Roon for the stream.



I'm actually looking for a desk rack and really like yours. What brand and model is that? Also are those the new production Western Electric 300b's? How do you like them?


----------



## Richsvt

After some room renovations recently, hadn't had much of my desktop systems running, Decided to start back small while the wife is traveling. Enjoying some smooth sounds and a beer this coolish Sunday.


----------



## iFi audio

normie610 said:


> Hahaha…yep that was me! For the tube preamp, the only purpose is just to have a tube flavor in the sound, so it has nothing to do with volume control or input selection 😊



Hah, now I feel like a dummy 

But I get what you wanted to do with that tube pre, totally legit to add some of that flavor to a transistor device.


----------



## NickMimi (Jul 11, 2021)

RobertSM said:


> I'm actually looking for a desk rack and really like yours. What brand and model is that? Also are those the new production Western Electric 300b's? How do you like them?


The Tubes are from the last batch produced by Western Electric, I'm not sure which year that was but yes, they are fairly new production. They came from a small dealer out in Arizona who took them in trade from an older gentleman who was "upgrading" his equipment to mostly SS and getting out of tubes. They were part of a fairly substantial collection of good tubes. The rack is from Sanus systems, very common and easily found on Amazon along w/ similar pieces from Vulcan and Monoprice.
I love the tubes, but cannot direct comparison them to the much older WE's. I can compare them to some older Electro Harmonix tubes I also own. They have less bloom on the bottom end with a crisper top end, and that is easy to hear. Both have a beautiful midrange which is of similar quality to my ears. I am extremely pleased w/ this combo and look forward to adding a 3rd pair of tubes with different properties to hopefully add just a bit of difference to the amps sound later on, (keeps things interesing) I'm still recovering from the expense currently.


----------



## Richsvt

NickMimi said:


> The Tubes are from the last batch produced by Western Electric, I'm not sure which year that was but yes, they are fairly new production. They came from a small dealer out in Arizona who took them in trade from an older gentleman who was "upgrading" his equipment to mostly SS and getting out of tubes. They were part of a fairly substantial collection of good tubes. The rack is from Sanus systems, very common and easily found on Amazon along w/ similar pieces from Vulcan and Monoprice.
> I love the tubes, but cannot direct comparison them to the much older WE's. I can compare them to some older Electro Harmonix tubes I also own. They have less bloom on the bottom end with a crisper top end, and that is easy to hear. Both have a beautiful midrange which is of similar quality to my ears. I am extremely pleased w/ this combo and look forward to adding a 3rd pair of tubes with different properties to hopefully add just a bit of difference to the amps sound later on, (keeps things interesing) I'm still recovering from the expense currently.


I love hearing the history of some of gear people acquire. What was the 'older gentleman' looking for when switching to a SS signatures? What didn't the tubes do for him? What a great find to capture some of that lost tube-ness.

Sorry, just geeking out a little...


----------



## NickMimi

Richsvt said:


> I love hearing the history of some of gear people acquire. What was the 'older gentleman' looking for when switching to a SS signatures? What didn't the tubes do for him? What a great find to capture some of that lost tube-ness.
> 
> Sorry, just geeking out a little...


That gentleman had just upgraded to a pair of Nagra Monoblocks, the big ones... I think he was simply moving towards a different direction overall from low power DHT's. and SET.


----------



## Barnstormer13 (Jul 11, 2021)

Not really a listening station photo. I made a cherry and maple audio rack for my headphones and amplifiers.




I posted pics of it a couple months ago. Recently I decided it was looking kind of clutter so I decided to make a couple wooden boxes to put stuff in. They’re not done yet (at the finishing stage), but I thought I’d share some pics. The finishing process is a coat or two of danish oil, wait a week, apply a layer of shellac, wait 24 hrs, then finish with multiple coats of polyurethane with 24 to 72 hours between coats. This piece has 2 coats of poly so far and I should be done by the end of the week.


----------



## Cruelhand Luke

Sorry if this is redundant...yet another 'listening station on an old sailboat' picture.


----------



## barbz127

Roon >> SOTM SMS-200 Neo >> Benchmark Dac3 >> Sparkos Aries >> DCA Ether2/ZMF Verite Closed


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Coming together.  DMP-Z1 to either the SA-Z1 speakers or the Empyrean as my relax zone


----------



## koven (Jul 12, 2021)

cosplayerkyo said:


> Coming together.  DMP-Z1 to either the SA-Z1 speakers or the Empyrean as my relax zone



For some reason I feel like this station is missing a Bonsai tree on the shelf. 
Classy setup man. First time seeing SA-Z1 in the wild, nice.


----------



## cosplayerkyo

koven said:


> For some reason I feel like this station is missing a Bonsai tree on the shelf.
> Classy setup man. First time seeing SA-Z1 in the wild, nice.


Thank you!  I'll eventually figure out what else to put in the shelf lol.
Agree, you don't really see too much of the SA-Z1.  The imaging on these speakers is really something else.  When an artist is singing, they really sound like they're in front of you.


----------



## Mightygrey

cosplayerkyo said:


> Coming together.  DMP-Z1 to either the SA-Z1 speakers or the Empyrean as my relax zone


Dude that's pretty epic.


----------



## alekc

Cruelhand Luke said:


> Sorry if this is redundant...yet another 'listening station on an old sailboat' picture.


Anything on a boat deserves high five


----------



## Mightygrey

barbz127 said:


> Roon >> SOTM SMS-200 Neo >> Benchmark Dac3 >> Sparkos Aries >> DCA Ether2/ZMF Verite Closed


Bloody nice chain you have set-up there. I've tried the Eikon with the Aries, I can only imagine that the Verite is a step up.


----------



## lumdicks

My workstation and gate to heaven.


----------



## Roasty

lumdicks said:


> My workstation and gate to heaven.



very nice setup! 
what is the black box on top of the lumin?
and could you share the link to the rack?


----------



## iFi audio

NickMimi said:


> The Tubes are from the last batch produced by Western Electric, I'm not sure which year that was but yes, they are fairly new production.



I'm not sure in 100%, but the last run was from 1988 IIRC accordingly to the WE company itself: https://www.westernelectric.com/company-history


----------



## whirlwind

lumdicks said:


> My workstation and gate to heaven.


Your rack is perfect size for your gear and space...nice clean look


----------



## lumdicks

Roasty said:


> very nice setup!
> what is the black box on top of the lumin?
> and could you share the link to the rack?


It is the Audio-technica AT-BHA100 Headphone amp.

I have got the rack via a Chinese seller via Taobao / Alibaba. Not sure whether they accept international order.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.4e922e8dWsIoKp&id=626629366176&_u=c1ilhr477257


----------



## iFi audio

Mightygrey said:


>



Three things I like the most about this pic:

1. a real instrument
2. lots of physical music
3. LS50 used in nearfield


----------



## shwnwllms

Upgraded my WFH setup recently


----------



## Pharmaboy

lumdicks said:


> It is the Audio-technica AT-BHA100 Headphone amp.
> 
> I have got the rack via a Chinese seller via Taobao / Alibaba. Not sure whether they accept international order.
> 
> https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.4e922e8dWsIoKp&id=626629366176&_u=c1ilhr477257


What do you think of the A-T amp? I see it listed on Drop but there's very little info available for it outside of Japan...


----------



## Ralf Hutter

> lumdicks said:
> 
> 
> > I have got the rack via a Chinese seller via Taobao / Alibaba. Not sure whether they accept international order.
> ...


Same one on aliexpress. Maybe it can be ordered form there:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001452687934.html


----------



## lumdicks

Pharmaboy said:


> What do you think of the A-T amp? I see it listed on Drop but there's very little info available for it outside of Japan...


I think it sounds very good indeed with warm and smooth signature of tubes while speed and transparency are not sacrificed. I mainly use it with Empyrean and Stellia for Vocals and Acoustic Jazz. On the other hand, dynamics and soundstage are just okay in my opinion.


----------



## riverground

The most recent photo of my review table 😂

It’s gotten pretty crowded… 😳

And I’m such a slow writer 😭


----------



## iFi audio

riverground said:


> The most recent photo of my review table 😂



To be more specific, that's only the stuff you intend to review? If so, that's a lot of work ahead of you


----------



## riverground

iFi audio said:


> To be more specific, that's only the stuff you intend to review? If so, that's a lot of work ahead of you


Everything you see on there that isn’t in my signature are stuff I have in for review. But at the same time, I did promise myself to review my personal IEMs too 😅

So yeah, definitely gonna take a long while 😂


----------



## iFi audio

riverground said:


> So yeah, definitely gonna take a long while 😂



All the best to you then 

But since we're at it, if you had to pick just one product from that photo, what would it be?


----------



## MisterMudd

shwnwllms said:


> Upgraded my WFH setup recently


Great setup dude. I love my headphones, but also love my Emotiva S4’s.


----------



## mammal

Which one would you choose?


----------



## Roasty

mammal said:


> Which one would you choose?



so much awesome in one pic!
for me, Utopia..
but i'm more interested in what you think of the Valkyria.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## mammal

Roasty said:


> but i'm more interested in what you think of the Valkyria.


Valkyria is a very interesting headphone. I have only listened to them for 2 days so far, but I would summarise them as "meat on bones" headphone. I did not expect so much resolution from an unknown brand, but it is very good (not as good as 1266, closer to Susvara). Its soundstage is much more intimate (which I liked in Utopia) and fits nicely to some synth pop like The Weeknd. Its bass surprised me to be honest, it is more boomey compared to 1266, but still keeps its layering (unlike Utopia), and has a bit more quantity than Susvara. Its overall presentation is darker than Susvara (which has to my ears joyful but sometimes thin mids), whereas Valkyria mids are thicker. It works very well for piano and string instruments, as if they were recorded in a studio (very little reverb), instead some open concert haul. I am not sure if I prefer Susvara or Valkyria on vocals though (definitely not 1266, those are cold, recessed as if person was singing from a hallway in comparison). I have never heard Max Payne piano soundtrack better than with Valkyria. I still think mids are best on Sennheiser HE-1, but that one is also not so universal (small soundstage compared to 1266, decent bass, but not as much as 1266, Valkyria or properly amped Susvara). Valkyria's looks are a bit weird to me, they feel luxurious to touch, bit a bit heavy. The cable I just don't like, too much bling, but the designer said he is willing to make me a different one. Honestly, the best piano ever is on Valkyria, but for that much money, I am not sure it does the rest well. It is more coherent than 1266 (which is very detailed, a bit cold/metallic, and holographic - which works magic on vocal less EDM), and Susvara to my ears are a bit thin/boring in comparison to Valkyria, which are definitely "enhanced", but they do (I know I am repeating myself) piano hammer hitting the felt so satisfactory. Hope this mumbling makes sense.


----------



## ThanatosVI

mammal said:


> Valkyria is a very interesting headphone. I have only listened to them for 2 days so far, but I would summarise them as "meat on bones" headphone. I did not expect so much resolution from an unknown brand, but it is very good (not as good as 1266, closer to Susvara). Its soundstage is much more intimate (which I liked in Utopia) and fits nicely to some synth pop like The Weeknd. Its bass surprised me to be honest, it is more boomey compared to 1266, but still keeps its layering (unlike Utopia), and has a bit more quantity than Susvara. Its overall presentation is darker than Susvara (which has to my ears joyful but sometimes thin mids), whereas Valkyria mids are thicker. It works very well for piano and string instruments, as if they were recorded in a studio (very little reverb), instead some open concert haul. I am not sure if I prefer Susvara or Valkyria on vocals though (definitely not 1266, those are cold, recessed as if person was singing from a hallway in comparison). I have never heard Max Payne piano soundtrack better than with Valkyria. I still think mids are best on Sennheiser HE-1, but that one is also not so universal (small soundstage compared to 1266, decent bass, but not as much as 1266, Valkyria or properly amped Susvara). Valkyria's looks are a bit weird to me, they feel luxurious to touch, bit a bit heavy. The cable I just don't like, too much bling, but the designer said he is willing to make me a different one. Honestly, the best piano ever is on Valkyria, but for that much money, I am not sure it does the rest well. It is more coherent than 1266 (which is very detailed, a bit cold/metallic, and holographic - which works magic on vocal less EDM), and Susvara to my ears are a bit thin/boring in comparison to Valkyria, which are definitely "enhanced", but they do (I know I am repeating myself) piano hammer hitting the felt so satisfactory. Hope this mumbling makes sense.


That makes the Valkyria certainly an interesting headphone. 
Thanks for the impressions


----------



## iFi audio

mammal said:


> Which one would you choose?


Knowing Susvara, that would be my top choice


----------



## Roasty

mammal said:


> Valkyria is a very interesting headphone. I have only listened to them for 2 days so far, but I would summarise them as "meat on bones" headphone. I did not expect so much resolution from an unknown brand, but it is very good (not as good as 1266, closer to Susvara). Its soundstage is much more intimate (which I liked in Utopia) and fits nicely to some synth pop like The Weeknd. Its bass surprised me to be honest, it is more boomey compared to 1266, but still keeps its layering (unlike Utopia), and has a bit more quantity than Susvara. Its overall presentation is darker than Susvara (which has to my ears joyful but sometimes thin mids), whereas Valkyria mids are thicker. It works very well for piano and string instruments, as if they were recorded in a studio (very little reverb), instead some open concert haul. I am not sure if I prefer Susvara or Valkyria on vocals though (definitely not 1266, those are cold, recessed as if person was singing from a hallway in comparison). I have never heard Max Payne piano soundtrack better than with Valkyria. I still think mids are best on Sennheiser HE-1, but that one is also not so universal (small soundstage compared to 1266, decent bass, but not as much as 1266, Valkyria or properly amped Susvara). Valkyria's looks are a bit weird to me, they feel luxurious to touch, bit a bit heavy. The cable I just don't like, too much bling, but the designer said he is willing to make me a different one. Honestly, the best piano ever is on Valkyria, but for that much money, I am not sure it does the rest well. It is more coherent than 1266 (which is very detailed, a bit cold/metallic, and holographic - which works magic on vocal less EDM), and Susvara to my ears are a bit thin/boring in comparison to Valkyria, which are definitely "enhanced", but they do (I know I am repeating myself) piano hammer hitting the felt so satisfactory. Hope this mumbling makes sense.



Thanks for that! At the price, it is hard to buy blind. Also, the looks are probably not everyone's cup of tea. Are you looking to just own one headphone out of the choices u have demoed?


----------



## mammal

Roasty said:


> Thanks for that! At the price, it is hard to buy blind. Also, the looks are probably not everyone's cup of tea. *Are you looking to just own one headphone out of the choices u have demoed?*


So I already own Bartok and 1266, but after auditioning HE-1, it left me wanting more (HE-1's mids are just amazing). I have been trying to reproduce that by acquiring a second headphone, perhaps adding a tube amplifier, or a clock to Bartok, strategies like that. People swear by Susvara's mids, but when I tried directly on Bartok, they were nice, but not HE-1 level. Then people told me Bartok must be under-powering them, so I tried with Viva, and some aspects of Susvara have improved, but it still does not sound like HE-1. I don't see myself owning both 1266 and Susvara to be honest, they are both good headphones and if I was into a different genre of music, I could see myself preferring Susvara over 1266, but for EDM, definitely not.

I have two more auditions (not at home sadly) planned, for Shangri-la Sr and then SR1a with HSA-1b, and 009S with Platauf amp. Then I will decide if there is anything that satisfies those mids (to my ears) and if yes, I will most likely buy that. I thought of buying HE-1, but I no longer have confidence in Sennheiser as they sold off the brand (they claim nothing will change, but who knows), and HE-1 isn't the best headphone (I don't think one exists), and benefits from a better DAC (I suspect the DAC to be the problem and why HE-1 lacks resolution to my ears). I know some owners who supplemented HE-1 with some dCS DAC and reported improvement in this aspect.

I am hopeful for some electrostats mids, maybe they sound like HE-1, which is electrostat on its own. Or, maybe my current amp (Viva and Bartok) simply does not make 1266 sound like I want from mids, it takes it directions EDM, which is absolutely freaking amazing. I like that I have built myself a setup that sounds good for EDM, I just want to supplement that with some mids, maybe not in the same headphone (I know people have said Superconductor + harmonics Tube amp can improve mids, but even they say not to the level of Susvara). Maybe this is a fool's errant, and one cannot supplement HE-1 without acquiring HE-1. If that's the case, I may wait a year or two and see how things at Sennheiser develop and then decide where to go.


----------



## Roasty

mammal said:


> So I already own Bartok and 1266, but after auditioning HE-1, it left me wanting more (HE-1's mids are just amazing). I have been trying to reproduce that by acquiring a second headphone, perhaps adding a tube amplifier, or a clock to Bartok, strategies like that. People swear by Susvara's mids, but when I tried directly on Bartok, they were nice, but not HE-1 level. Then people told me Bartok must be under-powering them, so I tried with Viva, and some aspects of Susvara have improved, but it still does not sound like HE-1. I don't see myself owning both 1266 and Susvara to be honest, they are both good headphones and if I was into a different genre of music, I could see myself preferring Susvara over 1266, but for EDM, definitely not.
> 
> I have two more auditions (not at home sadly) planned, for Shangri-la Sr and then SR1a with HSA-1b, and 009S with Platauf amp. Then I will decide if there is anything that satisfies those mids (to my ears) and if yes, I will most likely buy that. I thought of buying HE-1, but I no longer have confidence in Sennheiser as they sold off the brand (they claim nothing will change, but who knows), and HE-1 isn't the best headphone (I don't think one exists), and benefits from a better DAC (I suspect the DAC to be the problem and why HE-1 lacks resolution to my ears). I know some owners who supplemented HE-1 with some dCS DAC and reported improvement in this aspect.
> 
> I am hopeful for some electrostats mids, maybe they sound like HE-1, which is electrostat on its own. Or, maybe my current amp (Viva and Bartok) simply does not make 1266 sound like I want from mids, it takes it directions EDM, which is absolutely freaking amazing. I like that I have built myself a setup that sounds good for EDM, I just want to supplement that with some mids, maybe not in the same headphone (I know people have said Superconductor + harmonics Tube amp can improve mids, but even they say not to the level of Susvara). Maybe this is a fool's errant, and one cannot supplement HE-1 without acquiring HE-1. If that's the case, I may wait a year or two and see how things at Sennheiser develop and then decide where to go.



lol sounds like you are smitten with the HE-1... well, i dont think i will ever have the chance to own it, let alone try it out. anyways, all the best in your quest! i'd be surprised if the sr1a fit the bill though, but who knows. and I have yet to find a headphone as good with the mids as the Susvara.


----------



## mammal

Roasty said:


> lol sounds like you are smitten with the HE-1... well, i dont think i will ever have the chance to own it, let alone try it out. anyways, all the best in your quest! i'd be surprised if the sr1a fit the bill though, but who knows. and I have yet to find a headphone as good with the mids as the Susvara.


Yeah, SR1a seems to be more on the analytical side, I don't think it will replace 1266 either (due to its bass). But since my dealer in Germany has is, I thought it would be nice to audition it anyway, next to 009S of course, which could be nice on mids (but better than Susvara, or equal to HE-1? let's see!).


----------



## riverground

iFi audio said:


> All the best to you then
> 
> But since we're at it, if you had to pick just one product from that photo, what would it be?


If I just had to pick one… it’s definitely going to be the IER-Z1R 😂 

And if you’ve noticed, I made it clear even in the photo that the Z1R is the bae, being the only IEM plugged into a DAP 🤣 

How about you? I’m not sure if it’s obvious in the photo what the IEMs are, but which one would you choose? 🤔


----------



## shwnwllms

MisterMudd said:


> Great setup dude. I love my headphones, but also love my Emotiva S4’s.


Thank you! 🙏 

I rarely use them anymore, but every time I do I am blown away. Very underrated set of powered desktop speakers IMO. Shame they stopped producing them.


----------



## UntilThen

mammal said:


> Which one would you choose?



Congrats on all the awesome gear there. That egoistic viva at 30 kgs? I know how heavy my previous Sansui 907mr at 32 kgs is. That almost kill me when I try lifting it into the boot of my car.


----------



## meomap

mammal said:


> Which one would you choose?


Definitely that TUBE AMP......


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 13, 2021)

This is my latest "indoors" rig.

Etymotic ER4XR (In Snugs custom ear tips)
IPHONE 12 Pro Max - Qobuz
AAC Bluetooth to
Qudelix 5 portable Bluetooth amp / dac (with magnet to attach to shirt)
Short balanced 2.5 cable custom made by @ClieOS


----------



## Krassi

My lovely sofa amps.

black one is a bijou tube amp for headphones and white one tube amp for my philips rh 438 speakers.


----------



## mammal

UntilThen said:


> Congrats on all the awesome gear there. That egoistic viva at 30 kgs? I know how heavy my previous Sansui 907mr at 32 kgs is. That almost kill me when I try lifting it into the boot of my car.


Yeap, the amp itself is 30kg, but the real problem was the 43kg it came in as, with all the careful boxing and packaging! Getting that out of the delivery truck onto my second floor wasn't fun, but thankfully I had a dealer over (related to audio, but unrelated to Viva) who was kind enough to help!


----------



## UntilThen

mammal said:


> Yeap, the amp itself is 30kg, but the real problem was the 43kg it came in as, with all the careful boxing and packaging! Getting that out of the delivery truck onto my second floor wasn't fun, but thankfully I had a dealer over (related to audio, but unrelated to Viva) who was kind enough to help!



Yours is the Viva Egoista 845 right? Uses one 6N1P, one 6SN7GTB, two 845 power tubes and two EH 5U4GB rectifiers. 15 watts per channel.  At $13800 you can have it in any color you want. 845 power tubes are serious wattage power tubes typically used in stereo amps. If you want something less substantial they have the Viva Egoista 2a3.

Would love more impression on how your 845 amp perform with Susvara.


----------



## mammal

UntilThen said:


> Yours is the Viva Egoista 845 right? Uses one 6N1P, one 6SN7GTB, two 845 power tubes and two EH 5U4GB rectifiers. 15 watts per channel.  At $13800 you can have it in any color you want. 845 power tubes are serious wattage power tubes typically used in stereo amps. If you want something less substantial they have the Viva Egoista 2a3.
> 
> Would love more impression on how your 845 amp perform with Susvara.


Impressions are coming  Yes, it is the 845 version, Viva Solista offspring (which uses 4 x 845).


----------



## jonathan c

~ Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ3. Tubes in it are the Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray) v1956 and Melz 6N8S v1959.
~ Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM Edition (Baltic):


----------



## Strayngs

jonathan c said:


> ~ Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ3. Tubes in it are the Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray) v1956 and Melz 6N8S v1959.
> ~ Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM Edition (Baltic):


The Gjallarhorn is such a underrated headphone! Probably the best you can get in it’s price range imo! Great stuff you have!


----------



## ThanatosVI

jonathan c said:


> ~ Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ3. Tubes in it are the Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray) v1956 and Melz 6N8S v1959.
> ~ Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM Edition (Baltic):


I'm amazed how well the amp fits and how good it looks in a real life setup.


----------



## jonathan c

ThanatosVI said:


> I'm amazed how well the amp fits and how good it looks in a real life setup.


Thank you. I am excited to use this / live with this. It natively (without adapters) uses 12AT7s and 6SN7s (with a switch: 6SN7/12SN7). So my favourite tubes come directly into play: Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray plant: 1956) and Melz 1578 6N8S (1959). [I will give the CBS/Hytron 5692s a go at some point!] Between the separate power supply and the ZOTL feature (zero hysteresis output transformer-less), the immediacy and blossoming of music out of silence is astounding.


----------



## mammal

AMP comparison for AB-1266


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> ~ Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ3. Tubes in it are the Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray) v1956 and Melz 6N8S v1959.
> ~ Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM Edition (Baltic):


Sweet!!!


----------



## Lvivske (Jul 14, 2021)

Preview of my "mobile" station since the stand came in today. Restoring the SA-7500 so the wooden case is..._mangled_....it needs work (might just keep it metal, looks cool). When the Bifrost comes in, the bluetooth DAC on top will be replaced with an Apple TV/E30/Loki EQ combo






Power bar is velcro-zip tied under the caging for cable management points, 10ft white braided cord is the only one visible to the outlet


----------



## lumdicks

Reshuffled my gears on rack to free up some real estate of my desk.


----------



## 04gto




----------



## Roasty (Jul 15, 2021)

lumdicks said:


> Reshuffled my gears on rack to free up some real estate of my desk.



Aww... i preferred the previous configuration. Looks a bit top heavy now..

How about lumin and TT2 stack below, mscaler in middle, and black components up top?


----------



## lumdicks

Roasty said:


> Aww... i preferred the previous configuration. Looks a bit too heavy now..
> 
> How about lumin and TT2 stack below, mscaler in middle, and black components up top?


Thanks. Yes the previous setup may be better but I want to spare some space for future requisition, and I am considering to get MHA200 to complement with my Benchmark.

Thanks for the suggestion and let me think about it.


----------



## iFi audio

riverground said:


> And if you’ve noticed, I made it clear even in the photo that the Z1R is the bae, being the only IEM plugged into a DAP 🤣



OK, now I see what you did there 



riverground said:


> How about you? I’m not sure if it’s obvious in the photo what the IEMs are, but which one would you choose? 🤔



There's very little stuff on your photo I'm familiar with, but after hearing Roxanne years ago I have a soft spot for JH's products, so I would probably go with one of theirs.


----------



## riverground

iFi audio said:


> OK, now I see what you did there


I try to do some Easter eggs on my photos whenever I can 😂 



iFi audio said:


> There's very little stuff on your photo I'm familiar with, but after hearing Roxanne years ago I have a soft spot for JH's products, so I would probably go with one of theirs.


The Layla has always been my favourite (considering I’ve owned it for 6 years 😂) until the Jolene came around.

The midrange of the Jolene coincides with my current preferences more now than the Layla’s.

I wanna try the Roxanne again sometime soon though.


----------



## iFi audio

riverground said:


> I wanna try the Roxanne again sometime soon though.



I don't know how Roxanne holds up against more complex and costlier siblings, but that's the one that got me interested in JH's work. I've heard this model several times and after each audition I promise myself to finally get it one day


----------



## mammal

lumdicks said:


>


Is that Gudetama butt in the top middle of the screen???


----------



## riverground

mammal said:


> Is that Gudetama butt in the top middle of the screen???


I’m pretty sure that’s Gudetama inside the kotatsu 🤣


----------



## riverground

iFi audio said:


> I don't know how Roxanne holds up against more complex and costlier siblings, but that's the one that got me interested in JH's work. I've heard this model several times and after each audition I promise myself to finally get it one day


When I first heard the Roxanne when it came out, I was really impressed, it was an energetic and engaging sound to my ears. I just bought my SE846 at the time, so that was my reference point. It wasn’t until I heard the Layla that really made me jump over the JH bandwagon tho 😂 

It was a tamer more “reference” tuned and quite a bit more technical and resolving than the Roxanne. It was those differences at the time that made me wanna take home the Layla and not the Roxanne.

But yeah, can’t wait to try the Roxanne again sometime soon!


----------



## lumdicks

mammal said:


> Is that Gudetama butt in the top middle of the screen???


Yes you are right. My wife's favourite!


----------



## iFi audio

riverground said:


> It was a tamer more “reference” tuned and quite a bit more technical and resolving than the Roxanne. It was those differences at the time that made me wanna take home the Layla and not the Roxanne.



Knowing both these IEMs, I would be happy with either


----------



## DTgill

Waiting on my new black Loki+


----------



## jadverkko

Saturday quality time.


----------



## 04gto

jadverkko said:


> Saturday quality time.


It is good....to be King!


----------



## Strayngs




----------



## u2u2

Totally redid my listening station tonight. A Head-Fi reset.
Boxed up and put aside the accumulation of higher level tech and prettier looking DACs, amps, and headphones.
Back to my original source, amp, rectifier, phones, and cables, as they were seven years ago.
Simple, reliable, standing up to the test of time.


----------



## 04gto

u2u2 said:


> Totally redid my listening station tonight. A Head-Fi reset.
> Boxed up and put aside the accumulation of higher level tech and prettier looking DACs, amps, and headphones.
> Back to my original source, amp, rectifier, phones, and cables, as they were seven years ago.
> Simple, reliable, standing up to the test of time.


Nice. What are the headphones?


----------



## lumdicks

Combining top of the class line amplifier of HPA4 and 7.5W pure class A output of Conductor 3XR, the Susvara sings beautifully with expanded soundstage, amazing transparency and dynamic. Bass is deep with good layering, treble sparkles but no silibant, and the mid is sweet.


----------



## Roasty

Of all the stuff I've bought in the past few months.. I think the Singxer SA-1 has impressed me the most. I am really enjoying it with the Utopia! 

Pro-Ject DS2 T cd transport, aes/ebu to May KTE, rca out to sa-1 on low gain. Not jumper modded. 

For the price, it is really a fantastic little amp. It loses out to the WA33 in bass impact, width and some holographic staging, but more than makes up for it with a luscious intimate sound, low end tightness, and super sweet top end. 

It does not have enough juice to drive the Susvara well even on high gain. The low end is lacking oomph and the overall sound is somewhat strained. But for low requirement headphones like the Utopia and Stellia, it sounds great! 

If funds permit, I would still like to try the Mcintosh MHA200 or Flux FA-22.


----------



## lumdicks

Roasty said:


> Of all the stuff I've bought in the past few months.. I think the Singxer SA-1 has impressed me the most. I am really enjoying it with the Utopia!
> 
> Pro-Ject DS2 T cd transport, aes/ebu to May KTE, rca out to sa-1 on low gain. Not jumper modded.
> 
> ...


Glad to see another crazy guy here........ I also built up my desktop setup from scratch in 4 months.


----------



## u2u2

04gto said:


> Nice. What are the headphones?


Sony MDR-Z7. 
Not the best for any form of critical listening. They are my work horse, get the job done, and are tank tough, like the Woo gear.


----------



## Terriero

u2u2 said:


> Sony MDR-Z7.
> Not the best for any form of critical listening. They are my work horse, get the job done, and are tank tough, like the Woo gear.


I love them with jazz


----------



## Nostoi

Roasty said:


> Of all the stuff I've bought in the past few months.. I think the Singxer SA-1 has impressed me the most. I am really enjoying it with the Utopia!
> 
> Pro-Ject DS2 T cd transport, aes/ebu to May KTE, rca out to sa-1 on low gain. Not jumper modded.
> 
> ...


I'd suggest looking into the Luxman SQ-N150 over the MHA200 personally. Seems as though the latter is problematic in a number of respects.


----------



## DTgill

Got my Loki+ yesterday


----------



## u2u2

Nostoi said:


> I'd suggest looking into the Luxman SQ-N150 over the MHA200 personally. Seems as though the latter is problematic in a number of respects.


I wouldn't pass by the MHA200 any too quickly. It is a beauty on so many levels and has massive potential at the price point. My guess is, somewhere in the not distant future, we will be saying McIntosh knocked it out of the ball park. I say that as someone who is going through the problematic stage with one. Always remember, and never forget, social media amplifies problems! 🙂


----------



## riverground

Strayngs said:


>


Those Violins tho… 🤤


----------



## Strayngs

riverground said:


> Those Violins tho… 🤤


The violins get a workout on the weekends and the headphones get to work out at night!


----------



## Nostoi

u2u2 said:


> I wouldn't pass by the MHA200 any too quickly. It is a beauty on so many levels and has massive potential at the price point. My guess is, somewhere in the not distant future, we will be saying McIntosh knocked it out of the ball park. I say that as someone who is going through the problematic stage with one. Always remember, and never forget, social media amplifies problems! 🙂


Absolutely, sir. I was and to some extent still am very keen. Issues with the volume control and availability have been a turn off, however. I hope you own situation gets resolved pronto!


----------



## Lvivske

Current state...🥲


----------



## Terriero

Strayngs said:


> The violins get a workout on the weekends and the headphones get to work out at night!


Your son has no problems with the shallow pads of the Rögnir (now he is trying the Hifimans, lucky...)   (I can't write in the other thread).


----------



## riverground

Strayngs said:


> The violins get a workout on the weekends and the headphones get to work out at night!


I gotta hear those violins one day!


----------



## Strayngs

riverground said:


> I gotta hear those violins one day!


If you ever find yourself in Denver….


----------



## Strayngs

Terriero said:


> Your son has no problems with the shallow pads of the Rögnir (now he is trying the Hifimans, lucky...)   (I can't write in the other thread).


He seems to be fine with the thin pads LOL.


----------



## vmiguel (Jul 20, 2021)

After some simplification:





Raspberry Pi 4 with Volumio and Chromecast, both sending do DacMagic 200M (also, a Ruark MR1 mk2 speaker).





Little Dot Mk 2 to connect Sundara, HD6xx and Beyer DT150. Also PSB M4U 1 and KPH30i




DacMagic getting signal from Raspberry, Chromecast optical and Topping D10s coaxial (the D10s gets signal from a PC, trought a iFi USB3.0, and D10s also feeds the electrostatic Koss 950; the iFi USB3.0 also power the Raspberry).
The DacMagic also feeds the Ruark speakers.


----------



## riverground

Strayngs said:


> If you ever find yourself in Denver….


Lol one day!


----------



## wilk0076

Simple setup - laptop to FiiO Q5 via mini-usb to Denon AH-D7000s. 
The laptop and PS5 are standing vertical behind the monitor. 
The PS5 has an HDMI splitter, so I can send optical-out to the FiiO when I'm playing the PS5.


----------



## Terriero

wilk0076 said:


> Simple setup - laptop to FiiO Q5 via mini-usb to Denon AH-D7000s.
> The laptop and PS5 are standing vertical behind the monitor.
> The PS5 has an HDMI splitter, so I can send optical-out to the FiiO when I'm playing the PS5.


Love your AH-D7000s and they are in very good shape


----------



## DTgill

Here's one of my second system...


----------



## Barnstormer13

I think I’m about done now.


----------



## DTgill

Barnstormer13 said:


> I think I’m about done now.


That one is a beauty!


----------



## arftech

Barnstormer13 said:


> I think I’m about done now.


There will be more.😂


----------



## Barnstormer13

arftech said:


> There will be more.😂


You’re right of course. Planning to go to the SoCal can jam and there’s a good chance I’ll bring home an amp. If I do though, I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go.


----------



## arftech

Barnstormer13 said:


> You’re right of course. Planning to go to the SoCal can jam and there’s a good chance I’ll bring home an amp. If I do though, I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go.


Your setup looks noice!  What amp are you looking at?


----------



## Barnstormer13

arftech said:


> Your setup looks noice!  What amp are you looking at?


Probably tube, but not certain. I’m thinking Amp&Sound, but that’s based on reviews only. I figured I’ll bring my VCs and see what sounds best in my price range.


----------



## DTgill

Both of my messy systems, excuse the mess I call my computer room


----------



## MisterMudd

Barnstormer13 said:


> I think I’m about done now.


Sure you are.


----------



## Roasty

vmiguel said:


>



could you let me know where you got that wooden riser? i think it looks really nice!


----------



## vmiguel

Roasty said:


> could you let me know where you got that wooden riser? i think it looks really nice!


It's from Ikea. Link for the portuguese store.


----------



## NovaFlyer

Barnstormer13 said:


> I think I’m about done now.


Very nice and "clean" set up.  Very useful during the cold AK winters


----------



## lumdicks

Friday night session. Roon's Daily Mix is an amazing feature!


----------



## ceteris paribus

lumdicks said:


> Friday night session. Roon's Daily Mix is an amazing feature!


Nice!
What line Boost level are you using on HPA4;  is your TT2 running in DAC or Amp Mode?


----------



## thinker (Jul 23, 2021)

Sennheiser HD-800 amp. OTL 300B


----------



## lumdicks

ceteris paribus said:


> Nice!
> What line Boost level are you using on HPA4;  is your TT2 running in DAC or Amp Mode?


TT2 as DAC, HPA4 as line amplifier to control volume, Burson Conductor 3X Reference as power amplifier at fixed volume at 80.


----------



## Zachik

thinker said:


> Sennheiser HD-800 amp. OTL 300B


I hope the amp sounds better than it looks!


----------



## thinker

Zachik said:


> I hope the amp sounds better than it looks!


This amp is God i try to get WE300B on it , i play it with luxman D10x .This amp shows the true potential of Sennheiser HD-800.The amp plays 30% better than Benchmark Hpa4 my second HD-800 amp


----------



## DJJEZ (Jul 23, 2021)




----------



## kumar402

DJJEZ said:


>


i was confused looking at your signature.


----------



## DJJEZ (Jul 23, 2021)

kumar402 said:


> i was confused looking at your signature.



Lmao I just sold my TT2. The silver dave in the pic is a loaner. I just Bought a black DAVE but also have a holo may KTE incoming so yes a little confusing lol

 I will update the pic again very soon and should probaly organise my signature better lol


----------



## Chris Kaoss

DJJEZ said:


>


It's gettin dark in here. 
Nice rig.


----------



## normie610

Had to re-arrange since the preamp on top is huge. A vintage beauty, I had to post some close up pictures as well 😁


----------



## Barnstormer13

normie610 said:


> Had to re-arrange since the preamp on top is huge. A vintage beauty, I had to post some close up pictures as well 😁


How’s it sound? I’ve always been curious about that model since I first saw it.


----------



## normie610

Barnstormer13 said:


> How’s it sound? I’ve always been curious about that model since I first saw it.


I posted a brief impression here: 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/post-16468127


----------



## SalR406

normie610 said:


> Had to re-arrange since the preamp on top is huge. A vintage beauty, I had to post some close up pictures as well 😁



Great photos.  Fantastic system.  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## mammal




----------



## jonathan c

Barnstormer13 said:


> I think I’m about done *now.*


Tomorrow may be different…


----------



## Curtisvill

I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.


----------



## Zachik

Curtisvill said:


> I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.


Beautiful amp 😍


----------



## meomap

Curtisvill said:


> I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.


Remote  Control for 1Z yet?


----------



## MLGrado

Have I reached my 'end game"?  Gosh I am getting close.  I NEED to be close, lol for the sake of my wallet.  I LOVE these Focal Clear MG Pro headphones.  Even with limited listening, I believe they are among the very very best dynamic headphones I have ever heard.  

But as for my end game?  My ears are so very much addicted to the planar sound.  It may take one more dive into the deep end of the planar pool to see what comes back up with me before I am satisfied I have my end game 'phones.  If I had known what kind of rabbit hole I was going down when I entered the head-fi world?  I may have reconsidered.  For a few seconds anyway haha.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Does the Cradle work for your non-Sony DACs?


Curtisvill said:


> I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.


----------



## Barnstormer13

jonathan c said:


> Tomorrow may be different…



No, I’m not really done. I don’t think I’ve explored the full potential of my VCs and figure I’ll do an amp upgrade in the next 6 months.

I am, however, done with the woodwork. Mostly.


----------



## John Massaria (Aug 1, 2021)




----------



## Preachy1

MLGrado said:


> Have I reached my 'end game"?  Gosh I am getting close.  I NEED to be close, lol for the sake of my wallet.  I LOVE these Focal Clear MG Pro headphones.  Even with limited listening, I believe they are among the very very best dynamic headphones I have ever heard.
> 
> But as for my end game?  My ears are so very much addicted to the planar sound.  It may take one more dive into the deep end of the planar pool to see what comes back up with me before I am satisfied I have my end game 'phones.  If I had known what kind of rabbit hole I was going down when I entered the head-fi world?  I may have reconsidered.  For a few seconds anyway haha.


The oft-sought after "end game" is much like a white whale.  We are convinced it exists, but few if any of us have actually seen it. 

Okay, </snark>.  I recently acquired a pair of the MGs, and I really love them!  They get more playing time than my other cans, with the exception of my Aeolus.


----------



## Curtisvill

Zachik said:


> Beautiful amp


Thank you sir. The build is amazing and the sound is even better. I will have try to write a review shortly. All I know is it is the best amp for headphones I have ever owned.




meomap said:


> Remote Control for 1Z yet?


Not as far as I know, but the dock sits in a convenient spot so I am able to change the music I’m listening to without any difficulty.




Redcarmoose said:


> Does the Cradle work for your non-Sony DACs?


The cradle only works with the Sony, the connectors on the Sony and A&K are different. The dock allows the Sony to connect to my DAC with a USB cable and charges at the same time. When I want to listen to the A&K in my system I use an optical cable from the 2.5 balanced out. I will be adding a Hermès streamer to my system which will run an I2S connection to the Morpheus.

John


----------



## chrisdrop

Curtisvill said:


> I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.


Glad to see Mischa getting appreciated - as he should !

Nice amp. Happy listening.


----------



## MacMan31

Curtisvill said:


> I just replaced my LP with my new 1101 Audio White Dwarf and power conditioner. Desktop rack on the way. Im close to end game.



Damn that is an amazing headphone setup. If that is not endgame already I don't know what is. It's clearly far above anything I could ever afford. I do enjoy the DAC/amp I have but I wouldn't mind "upgrading" to something else.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 25, 2021)

Curtisvill said:


> Thank you sir. The build is amazing and the sound is even better. I will have try to write a review shortly. All I know is it is the best amp for headphones I have ever owned.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is a remote but it’s import only. No need for a remote in your use. 

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/RMT-NWS20-Commander-Attachment-Bluetooth-Connection/dp/B01LRQZWT4


----------



## meomap

Redcarmoose said:


> There is a remote but it’s import only.
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/RMT-NWS20-Commander-Attachment-Bluetooth-Connection/dp/B01LRQZWT4


I know. 50 usd for a very tiny. Like a regular usb plug into a PC.
Just replaced the battery last week.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> The oft-sought after "end game" is much like a white whale.  We are convinced it exists, but few if any of us have actually seen it.
> 
> Okay, </snark>.  I recently acquired a pair of the MGs, and I really love them!  They get more playing time than my other cans, with the exception of my Aeolus.


As Ahab found out the hard way, if you actually catch hold of a white whale--you're going down with the ship.


----------



## cgb3 (Jul 25, 2021)

Barnstormer13 said:


> You’re right of course. Planning to go to the SoCal can jam and there’s a good chance I’ll bring home an amp. If I do though, I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go.


"I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go."

Alternate reality. I'm bringing back a new amp or 3. Pack your bags if you have a problem.

Anyone wonder why I have 2 exes?


----------



## jonathan c

cgb3 said:


> "I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go."
> 
> Alternate reality. I'm bringing back a new amp or 3. Pack your bags if you have a problem.
> 
> Anyone wonder why I have 2 exes?


Let’s shift to: how many ex-amps? and any regrets over an ex-amp?


----------



## LoryWiv

cgb3 said:


> "I’ve promised my wife one or both of the current amps will go."
> 
> Alternate reality. I'm bringing back a new amp or 3. Pack your bags if you have a problem.
> 
> Anyone wonder why I have 2 exes?


Maybe you should downscale to bringing back 2 amps to avoid having 3 exes. Math is fun.


----------



## Lvivske

New EQ & DAC & repainted the headphones, so here's the update:










and now I've repurposed my E30 DAC & Schiit EQ, adding it with an Apple TV to my integrated amp, so "new pic" reshuffling older stuff





I'm thinking of getting some speakers for the lower level to double as a rolling headphone station or room music (only speakers I have are my TV's sound bar, we can do better).


----------



## Mightygrey

Lvivske said:


> New EQ & DAC & repainted the headphones, so here's the update:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


While I'm sure it's pretty stable, that tube amp standing on its side is making me anxious. Maybe it's because I'm a cat owner...


----------



## bcowen

Mightygrey said:


> While I'm sure it's pretty stable, that tube amp standing on its side is making me anxious. Maybe it's because I'm a cat owner...


Plus it's now 90 degrees out of phase.


----------



## Lvivske

Mightygrey said:


> While I'm sure it's pretty stable, that tube amp standing on its side is making me anxious. Maybe it's because I'm a cat owner...



lol no cat and even if i did, its so heavy i'd have to *really* force it for something to happen



bcowen said:


> Plus it's now 90 degrees out of phase.



Bifrost has a phase inverter so, double negative, back to normal (right?)


----------



## bcowen

Lvivske said:


> Bifrost has a phase inverter so, double negative, back to normal (right?)


LOL!  No, switching that just makes it 270 degrees out of phase.  

More seriously, I cannot hear any difference with phase via headphones (I have a BF2 as well).  There are a few recordings in my 2-channel system where I can tell a difference, but through HP's?  Nada.  And not for lack of trying.  Maybe my brain is out of phase...


----------



## Lvivske

bcowen said:


> LOL!  No, switching that just makes it 270 degrees out of phase.
> 
> More seriously, I cannot hear any difference with phase via headphones (I have a BF2 as well).  There are a few recordings in my 2-channel system where I can tell a difference, but through HP's?  Nada.  And not for lack of trying.  Maybe my brain is out of phase...



....I just think the light is pretty


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> LOL!  No, switching that just makes it 270 degrees out of phase.
> 
> More seriously, I cannot hear any difference with phase via headphones (I have a BF2 as well).  There are a few recordings in my 2-channel system where I can tell a difference, but through HP's?  Nada.  And not for lack of trying.  Maybe my brain is out of phase...


Is there a list of famous rock recordings known to be out of phase? My google-fi fails me.


----------



## bcowen

RickB said:


> Is there a list of famous rock recordings known to be out of phase? My google-fi fails me.


Not that I know of.  Papa Legba from Talking Heads _True Stories_ is one I can hear it on though, and more so with the LP than the CD. Bass notes have more impact, and not just audibly, but viscerally. The recording (of that song) seems to be in phase as flipping the phase switch reduces the impact. Not night and day by any means, and if I didn't have a phase switch to play with I probably wouldn't ever know the difference....or care.


----------



## jonathan c

Lvivske said:


> New EQ & DAC & repainted the headphones, so here's the update:


There are two reasons why you might consider having the Valhalla II on its feet rather than on its side. First, proper ventilation with the tube grilles facing up. Second, security of tube connection to adapter to tube socket. Have gravity work in your favour here.


----------



## Lvivske

jonathan c said:


> There are two reasons why you might consider having the Valhalla II on its feet rather than on its side. First, proper ventilation with the tube grilles facing up. Second, security of tube connection to adapter to tube socket. Have gravity work in your favour here.



I'm not too concerned gravity will yank a tube out its socket any more than the power cord


----------



## Gavin C4

Remote Controller  through an iPad makes listening that much enjoyable


----------



## koven

Gavin C4 said:


> Remote Controller  through an iPad makes listening that much enjoyable



I'm a simple man, I see Taeyeon and I click like.


----------



## riverground

Gavin C4 said:


> Remote Controller  through an iPad makes listening that much enjoyable


Taeyeon… instant like!
I’m such a big fan of her JP releases.  



koven said:


> I'm a simple man, I see Taeyeon and I click like.


Same man… same 🤣


----------



## Draygonn




----------



## whirlwind

Draygonn said:


>


Lots of "Big Schiit"


----------



## Lvivske

Draygonn said:


>



I think the retro keyboard contrast with the futuristic is the coolest part


----------



## cgb3

Lvivske said:


> New EQ & DAC & repainted the headphones, so here's the update:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Consider raising the vertically presented audio components (schiit valhalla et al. on stands. Devices intended to be employed horizontally have cooling slots on the sides. Tomorrow or next decade, lack of cooling will kill your device.


----------



## nordkapp

Draygonn said:


>


Excellent!


----------



## chrisdrop

Updated pic
Same seat/ spot
Different kit
Ears happy


----------



## Wes S

chrisdrop said:


> Updated pic
> Same seat/ spot
> Different kit
> Ears happy


Wow!  True Endgame.


----------



## Lvivske

chrisdrop said:


> Updated pic
> Same seat/ spot
> Different kit
> Ears happy








precious...


----------



## KittySneeze

Headphones — Eikons, Elear w/Elex Pads
DACs — SMSL SU-9, Topping D90
Amps — THX 888, Project Ember Mk2, xDuoo TA-20


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Update on my headphone rig today, added the iFi ZEN Blue V2 as LDAC receiver and the iFi ZEN Stream as UPNP bridge, both working just perfect.


----------



## kid vic

chrisdrop said:


> Updated pic
> Same seat/ spot
> Different kit
> Ears happy


R2R-->Tubes-->ZMF is always a fantastic formula. Measurement weasels are punching the air looking at that


----------



## jonathan c

chrisdrop said:


> Updated pic
> Same seat/ spot
> Different kit
> Ears happy


The best part is the wear on the seat !


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The best part is the wear on the seat !


That's not wear.  It's the visual indicator that the chair is fully broken-in and has achieved maximum comfy-ness.


----------



## MLGrado

Preachy1 said:


> The oft-sought after "end game" is much like a white whale.  We are convinced it exists, but few if any of us have actually seen it.
> 
> Okay, </snark>.  I recently acquired a pair of the MGs, and I really love them!  They get more playing time than my other cans, with the exception of my Aeolus.



Agreed I am Ahab chasing his white whale. 

Actually, I prefer to thing of myself of the genetically superiors lead by Kahn in his search for Kirk, lol..

)---- hahahaa

But yeah, the Focal Clear is awesome.  Currently evaluating its performance with my RME ADI-2 Pro FS Black Edition with vs Ifi IDSD Pro.  

My previous 'daily driver' headphone was the HifiMan HE560.  Things getting quite a bit more interesting now with the Focal Clear MG in the comparo.


----------



## thatoneheadphonedood

All of these amazing set ups are making me sooo jealous!! My minky FiiO m5 and grado sr60e’s or sterling s400’s get beaten by a landslide! (Getting a ifi zen dac real soon!)


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## 14christ

lumdicks said:


> Friday night session. Roon's Daily Mix is an amazing feature!


I wanna grow up and be just like you. 😂😂

Absolutely flawless system man, no joke. Like looking at a flawless diamond. 👍👍


----------



## chrisdrop

jonathan c said:


> The best part is the wear on the seat !


I do love this seat. It has an "all natural posterior-driven rustic aspect" that I should patent for artisanal product marketing.

I was just looking closer at this pic for myself...

I notice most of the books belong to my wife.  But mostly I notice - those cables in the back make my eye twitch - need to find a more graceful way to conceal them!

Also, there are a few good tubes on that shelf that I should take to the amp that uses them and use 'em ASAP.


----------



## Preachy1

That seat isn’t “broken in”, it’s “burnt in”.


----------



## rex4539




----------



## bcowen

chrisdrop said:


> But mostly I notice - those cables in the back make my eye twitch - need to find a more graceful way to conceal them!


LOL!  Every time I spend a bunch of time carefully routing, organizing, and hiding my cables, it seems I buy a new component and have to undo it all.  Perhaps clutter is a sign of progress in some cases?


----------



## whirlwind

kid vic said:


> R2R-->Tubes-->ZMF is always a fantastic formula. Measurement weasels are punching the air looking at that



Yeah, no truer words have ever been spoken.
R2R / Tubes / ZMF  For The Win


----------



## Strayngs

MLGrado said:


> Have I reached my 'end game"?  Gosh I am getting close.  I NEED to be close, lol for the sake of my wallet.  I LOVE these Focal Clear MG Pro headphones.  Even with limited listening, I believe they are among the very very best dynamic headphones I have ever heard.
> 
> But as for my end game?  My ears are so very much addicted to the planar sound.  It may take one more dive into the deep end of the planar pool to see what comes back up with me before I am satisfied I have my end game 'phones.  If I had known what kind of rabbit hole I was going down when I entered the head-fi world?  I may have reconsidered.  For a few seconds anyway haha.


That IDSD sure is a looker!


----------



## nicholas1213

Lovely ZMF VC with Leopardwood - I am having hard time taking them off my head from every listening session! - ignore the Mojo, he is just chilling out with its lights..





The heavy weight LCD-X - When you need the extra kick!


----------



## Preachy1

Strayngs said:


> That IDSD sure is a looker!


No kidding. The lighting is JEP!!!!!


----------



## MLGrado

Strayngs said:


> That IDSD sure is a looker!




For a couple years, I had a Icon Audio MKII head-amp and used it with every DAC I owned during that time, for the original iFi iDSD Micro, the Wyred4Sound DAC-1 LE Femto (not gonna get into a war here, but, that was just NOT a good DAC. The cheaper iFi so much better), next was the RME DAC ADI-2 FS (akm 4490 chip addition, and it was and still is a KILLER DAC with a choice of native DSD path, which was just killed by the way in the latest RME DAC offering moving the ESS hardware due to AKM shortages from that horrendous fire), then to the iFi iDSD Pro. 

the Icon amp broke (power supply fail I think) a month of two before warranty expires, so I wait 5 or 6 months and think I will just sell it when the brand new in box replacement gets here, because at the time I had fallen in complete love with the sound of the iDSD in balanced operation. WOW.  

But like any man who loves to play with toys, I could not just let the box sit forever, and it began to dawn on me, I was never going to be able to resell this thing for anything close to the price I wanted.  I mean hey, its literally brand new in box and you can have  it for yourself and I will knock a couple hundred bucks off.  I learned people would rather use that 200 dollars to get a brand new on of their own with an actual warranty in their name, so I decided to re-insert the Icon Audio amp into the system, use it for several hundred hours, and THEN sell it for the price folks shopping used will pay lol.  (Yes I know there are consignment houses, and trade houses like TMR, but I have already spoken enough here lol)

So here is is... the iDSD Pro, my brand new Focal Clear MG Pro, and my latest less than 2 hours of use Icon Audio HP8 MKII amp ready to make delicious music


----------



## KPzypher

nicholas1213 said:


> Lovely ZMF VC with Leopardwood - I am having hard time taking them off my head from every listening session! - ignore the Mojo, he is just chilling out with its lights..
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's a good looking leopardwood.

And you're right about the heavy weight!! In literal term 😅🤣 At over 600g, I don't see how people can wear these for an extended use.  I tried and I just couldn't.


----------



## banda

nicholas1213 said:


> Lovely ZMF VC with Leopardwood - I am having hard time taking them off my head from every listening session! - ignore the Mojo, he is just chilling out with its lights..
> 
> 
> 
> ...





KPzypher said:


> That's a good looking leopardwood.
> 
> And you're right about the heavy weight!! In literal term 😅🤣 At over 600g, I don't see how people can wear these for an extended use.  I tried and I just couldn't.


I agree about the VC! That one might be my favourite that I've seen (at least that one side of it).


----------



## DTgill

My other amp and cans... Soon to be a Schiit Jot


----------



## drifter74

My very first post here, though I have been a long time lurker.


----------



## nicholas1213

KPzypher said:


> That's a good looking leopardwood.
> 
> And you're right about the heavy weight!! In literal term 😅🤣 At over 600g, I don't see how people can wear these for an extended use.  I tried and I just couldn't.


Gotta keep the head straight else it will tend to topple left / right 😂 Putting weight aside, it is actually quite comfy..


----------



## iFi audio

h1f1add1cted said:


> Update on my headphone rig today, added the iFi ZEN Blue V2 as LDAC receiver and the iFi ZEN Stream as UPNP bridge, both working just perfect.



That's a pretty view, thanks for sharing


----------



## nicholas1213

drifter74 said:


> My very first post here, though I have been a long time lurker.



That is a lovely pair of lcd-xc with lcd-2!


----------



## jonathan c

Black is the new black - Act I, Scene II:


----------



## Preachy1

drifter74 said:


> My very first post here, though I have been a long time lurker.




Welcome.  You have no idea what you've just done to yourself!!!!!


----------



## NovaFlyer

nicholas1213 said:


> Lovely ZMF VC with Leopardwood - I am having hard time taking them off my head from every listening session! - ignore the Mojo, he is just chilling out with its lights..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your ZMF VC looks amazing!  Quite the dilemma, look at them or listen to them.


----------



## nicholas1213

NovaFlyer said:


> Your ZMF VC looks amazing!  Quite the dilemma, look at them or listen to them.


Thanks! Even if just to look at them, I have dilemma at choosing side - left cup or right cup 😂 Each sides with their own unique gorgeous look, simply stunning..


----------



## jonathan c

NovaFlyer said:


> Your ZMF VC looks amazing!  Quite the dilemma, look at them or listen to them.


Easily solved: Listen to the LCD-X while gazing in adoration at the VC. Then switch as the LCD-X becomes the target of your affection.


----------



## Sword of Damocles

My new living room listening spot aiming for relaxed sound.


----------



## nicholas1213

Sword of Damocles said:


> My new living room listening spot aiming for relaxed sound.



What a match between your headphone stand, headphone, amp and the desk! So pleasing to just look at it..


----------



## nicholas1213

jonathan c said:


> Easily solved: Listen to the LCD-X while gazing in adoration at the VC. Then switch as the LCD-X becomes the target of your affection.


Actually I do have a mirror beside which occasionally I will gaze into to admire the leopardwood


----------



## banda

nicholas1213 said:


> Thanks! Even if just to look at them, I have dilemma at choosing side - left cup or right cup 😂 Each sides with their own unique gorgeous look, simply stunning..


Well, show us the other side then!


----------



## Uebelkraehe (Aug 4, 2021)

nicholas1213 said:


> Actually I do have a mirror beside which occasionally I will gaze into to admire the leopardwood


Obviously, you should set up a camera on each side and feed this directly to a pair of monitors in front of you to not miss out on something...


----------



## OctavianH

I received yesterday DCA's Ether 2 and start enjoying it, near a nice cold beer.


----------



## Draygonn

nicholas1213 said:


> Actually I do have a mirror beside which occasionally I will gaze into to admire the leopardwood


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Let’s shift to: how many ex-amps? and any regrets over an ex-amp?



Ha ha ha


----------



## UntilThen

LoryWiv said:


> Maybe you should downscale to bringing back 2 amps to avoid having 3 exes. Math is fun.



2 is not enough. Not even 3.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Black is the new black - Act I, Scene II:



What happen to the Elekit?


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> What happen to the Elekit?


My brother is using it…driving a pair of old Altec Lansings…a few watts really goes a long way with those…


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> 2 is not enough. Not even 3.


I _start _with four: a OTC tube hpa, a OTL tube hpa, a tube/SS hybrid hpa, and a SS (😳?) hpa (Violectric V280) as backup pending delivery of holy grail tubes…


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> My brother is using it…driving a pair of old Altec Lansings…a few watts really goes a long way with those…



Hmmm Altec… @L0rdGwyn ’S favourite. 😊 and you’re right. 4 watts in triode mode can move some speakers and if that is not enough switch to UL for 8 watts.



jonathan c said:


> I _start _with four: a OTC tube hpa, a OTL tube hpa, a tube/SS hybrid hpa, and a SS (😳?) hpa (Violectric V280) as backup pending delivery of holy grail tubes…



I see you’re in the deep end already. 😊


----------



## nicholas1213

banda said:


> Well, show us the other side then!



Here you go


----------



## Kammerat Rebekka

The new pad update from Audeze has done a similar thing to the presentation as the recent one Hifiman did on the Sundara’s: raising the upper mids. 
I really dig the result yet at the same time prefer the Sundara. There’s a creamy chocolaty thing going down which I actually really like, but as chocolaty affairs go I’d honestly rather listen to my HD58X..which doesn’t have the impressive low lows of the Audeze, but bests it in midrange realism and ‘punch’ to the sound via the bump in the bass. 
Still..I understand the love affair many have with these headphones. There is a warmth and easy going vibe to this that never renders music harsh or strident..and the bass is just marvelous. I’d probably hang onto it if it wasn’t for the weight and general discomfort. Soundwise it’s a wonderful late night listening experience for when your ears are tired and you want to sauce them up with some chocolate tunes.



Perhaps save up for the Crbn😋 An estat flagship with something akin to “Sennheiser tonality” at around 300 grams (going by Jude’s measurement at least)…is one of the only pricey flagships that I’ve been dying to try out.


----------



## lucasratmundo (Aug 6, 2021)

I think I've hit what I consider a good end-to-end "1.0" version of my systems at home.


_My home office desk, where I spend most of my time._


_Headphones + Streamer + PC by my desk._


_Casual music enjoyment corner by the sofa._


_Transportable bedside system for IEMs._


----------



## judomaniak57 (Aug 6, 2021)

How is that new Naim head amp/ streamer? heard it once with focal clear and liked it. Also i like that clean desk setup,very nice


----------



## lucasratmundo

judomaniak57 said:


> How is that new Naim head amp/ streamer? heard it once with focal clear and liked it. Also i like that clean desk setup,very nice


It's a very polished package with very nice sound. Great as a secondary system for casual music enjoyment. It pairs very well with the Empy and Utopia.


----------



## SuperBurrito

lucasratmundo said:


> I think I've hit what I consider a good end-to-end "1.0" version of my systems at home.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time._
> ...


Well done!  Very informed choices and clean layout.  I know we are never done with this hobby, but you could easily enjoy your setups for a very long time!


----------



## Big In Japan

@lucasratmundo What a collection! Very very nice. Really like your homeoffice desk setup as well.


----------



## riverground

lucasratmundo said:


> I think I've hit what I consider a good end-to-end "1.0" version of my systems at home.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time._
> ...


Man... That is one amazing collection/setup!

I gotta ask though, which headphone do you reach out for the most?


----------



## NovaFlyer

lucasratmundo said:


> I think I've hit what I consider a good end-to-end "1.0" version of my systems at home.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time._
> ...


Very nice and clean setup with great gear.  Enjoy!


----------



## arftech

Many of y’all have gorgeous systems and I thought I would share mine.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## 14christ

Mine is nothing compared to most of you guys but here it is anyways. 😬


----------



## lucasratmundo

riverground said:


> Man... That is one amazing collection/setup!
> 
> I gotta ask though, which headphone do you reach out for the most?



It really depends on my mood. I think I’d be happy with just the Susvara and the 1266 in my desk setup. The VC is my go-to pair at late hours to avoid disturbing the family. I love it’s organic sound! I’m still making my mind about the RADs.

I use the Naim system by the sofa almost every morning and keep alternating between the Utopia and the Empys. This is my casual listening corner. I have a slight preference for the Utopia’s sound but the Empys are so comfortable!

As for the transportable system, I’ve been reaching out for the Odin and U12t the most while in bed or in the back garden. I’ll probably sell the Z1R and/or the MEST soon.


----------



## axsnyder

arftech said:


> Many of y’all have gorgeous systems and I thought I would share mine.


Very nice!  How much time do you give the Eikons?  I have VCs too and am thinking about adding some rumble to the stable.


----------



## arftech

I don’t spend that much time with the Eikons after acquiring the VC.   They’re both closed but the VC is on a different level.   The Eikons are very good tho.


----------



## Wes S

lucasratmundo said:


> I think I've hit what I consider a good end-to-end "1.0" version of my systems at home.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time._
> ...


You have conquered the personal audio world no doubt!  Incredible collection of gear!  I love seeing well thought out systems all the way down to the cables.


----------



## bcowen

arftech said:


> Many of y’all have gorgeous systems and I thought I would share mine.


That is entirely too neat and organized.  What kind of audiophile are you?    

Seriously, great  looking rig and some seriously nice 'phones!


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> I love seeing well thought out systems all the way down to the cables.


You mean this hobby requires _thinking_?  Dangit.  I just knew I'd stumbled into the wrong building at some point...


----------



## arftech

bcowen said:


> That is entirely too neat and organized.  What kind of audiophile are you?
> 
> Seriously, great  looking rig and some seriously nice 'phones!


Thanks man.  You should look behind my rack.🤣

Initially, I had the opinion headphones could never measure up to what I consider a great sound experience.  Boy was I wrong!  There are weeks where I don’t listen to my speakers.

Headphones have opened up another soundscape for me as I can now dig deeper into the artist’s intentions in what they were trying to convey musically.


----------



## jonathan c

On a quiet (so far) Saturday, contemplating the mosaic of life…


----------



## OceanRanger

arftech said:


> Thanks man.  You should look behind my rack.🤣
> 
> Initially, I had the opinion headphones could never measure up to what I consider a great sound experience.  Boy was I wrong!  There are weeks where I don’t listen to my speakers.
> 
> Headphones have opened up another soundscape for me as I can now dig deeper into the artist’s intentions in what they were trying to convey musically.


Me too. I started this hobby with two channel. I work about 350 miles away from my home and have a small apartment. Missing music, I started with headphones at the apartment. Gradually I grew to enjoy headphones more than two channel. It is a much more immersive experience. I find sound stage and imaging especially more pleasing with headphones.


----------



## canfabulous (Aug 7, 2021)

Loving some of these latest setups!


----------



## Wes S

Current State - Listening with my RH-5 and VC while my Pendant SE is cooling down as I just can't get enough, and getting ready for another tube roll.  It's another tube rolling day, and I have some very special tubes sitting to the left of my Atticus that I am about to roll in the Pendant SE.  The synergy between the Atticus and Pendant SE is incredible and especially with some of the tubes I have recently discovered.


----------



## 19844

Very enjoy my he1000se with Cayin


----------



## MacMan31

Here is my latest iteration of my setup. Need to tweak it some more as I do need a place for my laptop.


----------



## Terriero

arftech said:


> Many of y’all have gorgeous systems and I thought I would share mine.


I love the wood of your second headphones from the left (Are them the VCs?) The wood seems to have an "x" but I think is due to the cut of the wood...


----------



## arftech

Terriero said:


> I love the wood of your second headphones from the left (Are them the VCs?) The wood seems to have an "x" but I think is due to the cut of the wood...


Thanks.  Yes, they are the VC in olive and the “x” is the cut in the wood as you suggested.


----------



## LoryWiv (Aug 9, 2021)

Wes S said:


> Current State - Listening with my RH-5 and VC while my Pendant SE is cooling down as I just can't get enough, and getting ready for another tube roll.  It's another tube rolling day, and I have some very special tubes sitting to the left of my Atticus that I am about to roll in the Pendant SE.  The synergy between the Atticus and Pendant SE is incredible and especially with some of the tubes I have recently discovered.


Beautiful photo @Wes S. I'm curious if the tubes in the pendant require wires from base to top anode cap. I've also thought tubes with that appearance did, and aesthetically that turned me off a bit. They sure look fetching in your setup, however. I think I can say that in this crowd and not be judged...


----------



## Wes S

LoryWiv said:


> Beautiful photo @Wes S. I'm curious if the tubes in the pendant require wires from base to top anode cap. I've also thought tubes with that appearance did, and aesthetically that turned me off a bit. They sure look fetching in your setup, however. I think I can say that in this crowd and not be judged...


Thanks!  The taller tubes are EL84's and thankfully they don't require those crazy looking adapters with the wire and cap.


----------



## shampoosuicide




----------



## Quinto




----------



## cosplayerkyo




----------



## Redcarmoose

cosplayerkyo said:


>


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Redcarmoose said:


>


----------



## BobG55

Source :TEAC PD-H600 > Amp : SPL Phonitor 2 > EQ : Schiit Lokius > Headphone : Sennheiser HD600


----------



## DeweyCH

Today's setup. Brought the LP out of my bedroom and into my office, so now I'm working with my Dual 1019, Monoprice Liquid Platinum with a pair of Conn-branded RCA 12AU7s, my Verite Closeds, and my Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball, sporting another RCA 12AU7 and a graphite-plate Tung-Sol 6080. Also lots of tubes and adapters for rolling (these are the ones that get semi-regular use).


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.


----------



## ufospls2

L0rdGwyn said:


> Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.



I love that colour


----------



## jonathan c

L0rdGwyn said:


> Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.


Absolutely stunning. It (or a replica) should be in the Museum of Modern Art. Plus, it reproduces music !!!


----------



## L0rdGwyn

jonathan c said:


> Absolutely stunning. It (or a replica) should be in the Museum of Modern Art. Plus, it reproduces music !!!



Stop!! You are making me blush.


----------



## jonathan c

L0rdGwyn said:


> Stop!! You are making me blush.


The colour of the amp body……Strike up the amp for the good old red (body), white and blue (caps)!….🎺 🥁…


----------



## L0rdGwyn

L0rdGwyn said:


> Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.



This is an amplifier I might sell, it has to pass my testing and I will send to some friends for their evaluation and approval before greenlighted, so we will see, but it was designed with that intention in mind.


----------



## kid vic

DeweyCH said:


> Today's setup. Brought the LP out of my bedroom and into my office, so now I'm working with my Dual 1019, Monoprice Liquid Platinum with a pair of Conn-branded RCA 12AU7s, my Verite Closeds, and my Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball, sporting another RCA 12AU7 and a graphite-plate Tung-Sol 6080. Also lots of tubes and adapters for rolling (these are the ones that get semi-regular use).


For a split second I thought the tubes sticking out of the foam was a full on amp and I was extraordinarily confused and worried.


----------



## Redcarmoose

kid vic said:


> For a split second I thought the tubes sticking out of the foam was a full on amp and I was extraordinarily confused and worried.


Me too.


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## walakalulu

My Stax amp:


----------



## lucasratmundo

lumdicks said:


>


What's your favourite amp pairing for the Empys?


----------



## lumdicks

lucasratmundo said:


> What's your favourite amp pairing for the Empys?


I enjoy the Empy most with the Benchmark which sounds neutral so that the signature of Empy will not be further coloured.


----------



## normie610

walakalulu said:


> My Stax amp:


Nice! May I ask who build your GG?


----------



## hodgjy

L0rdGwyn said:


> Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.


Oh my goodness, that is wonderful. I want. If you wouldn’t mind, just put that in a box and mail it to me for safe keeping. You can never be too sure these days.


----------



## lucasratmundo

lumdicks said:


> I enjoy the Empy most with the Benchmark which sounds neutral so that the signature of Empy will not be further coloured.


Yeah, I didn't really enjoy the Empy on the Pendant SE because it colours them further. This is why I've been really enjoying the Empy on the Naim Uniti Atom HE.


----------



## DTgill

One of my favorite combos


----------



## Preachy1 (Aug 12, 2021)

My current setup.  No new items, but I moved things around a bit.  The Feliks is used only for analog listening.  I split the signal from the Chord Huei so that it feeds to either the Feliks or the McIntosh.  The CD player (which I rarely use) feeds to the Audio GD.  My computer (using either Winyl or Foobar2000) feeds to the Topping D10 (converting from USB to Coax), then to the McIntosh.  I found this necessary because the Mac was not handling a direct USB feed well.  The techs at Mac told me that the problem was on my end and not with the Amp, but the issues are pretty well documented on the web.


----------



## DeweyCH

kid vic said:


> For a split second I thought the tubes sticking out of the foam was a full on amp and I was extraordinarily confused and worried.


We can't all be @L0rdGwyn making beautiful amps out of nice materials. Some of us have to work with what we have. My styromania amp will show you all!


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> We can't all be @L0rdGwyn making beautiful amps out of nice materials. Some of us have to work with what we have. My styromania amp will show you all!


…and it will reproduce any music in three-dimensional ‘styreo’…😆…😒…


----------



## ScornDefeat

Preachy1 said:


> My current setup.  No new items, but I moved things around a bit.  The Feliks is used only for analog listening.  I split the signal from the Chord Huei so that it feeds to either the Feliks or the McIntosh.  The CD player (which I rarely use) feeds to the Audio GD.  My computer (using either Winyl or Foobar2000) feeds to the Topping D10 (converting from USB to Coax), then to the McIntosh.  I found this necessary because the Mac was not handling a direct USB feed well.  The techs at Mac told me that the problem was on my end and not with the Amp, but the issues are pretty well documented on the web.



ALWAYS a like from me when I see a VPI in the chain!


----------



## NovaFlyer

L0rdGwyn said:


> Another amplifier build done!  This is an OTL, 6J5 input, 6AS7G / 6080 / 5998 outputs, ClarityCap output caps.


Incredible looking!!!


----------



## hodgjy

Rolling with a “new” vintage 1963 GE 6CG7. Such a lovely sounding tube.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The colour of the amp body……Strike up the amp for the good old red (body), white and blue (caps)!….🎺 🥁…


If @L0rdGwyn would add a white LED, he'd score with both you and @UntilThen .


----------



## Alfred Oz




----------



## shwnwllms

Quick update, moved the location of my stand, got a balanced cable for my HD650’s and most importantly my LCD-X’s were just swapped out under warranty from Audeze. (But otherwise everything is pretty much the same as before).


----------



## bcowen

Alfred Oz said:


>


Wow!  Awesome pic!  Is that an EML 5U4G?


----------



## Alfred Oz

bcowen said:


> Wow!  Awesome pic!  Is that an EML 5U4G?


Thanks, phone took it in dark mode and made it look better than it is! - no it's just the Sophia 'Princess' 274B, would love to try the EML one day.


----------



## ThEvil0nE




----------



## bcowen

Alfred Oz said:


> Thanks, phone took it in dark mode and made it look better than it is! - no it's just the Sophia 'Princess' 274B, would love to try the EML one day.


"Just" the Sophia?  That's way more than just a "just."     I've never heard the EML myself and wondered if its sonics justified its price.  Mesh plate tubes are so cool regardless, IMO.


----------



## Leonarfd




----------



## Big In Japan (Aug 15, 2021)

Those monitor stands look great. Do you have a link to them?

EDIT: Isoacoustics?


----------



## ScornDefeat

Leonarfd said:


>



We're twins...I also got HEDD monitors (Type 20 for me) on Isoacoustic stands! 👊



Big In Japan said:


> Those monitor stands look great. Do you have a link to them?
> 
> EDIT: Isoacoustics?



Yes, Isoacoustics for those.


----------



## arftech

Leonarfd said:


>


Nice!


----------



## italiandoc1




----------



## Preachy1

italiandoc1 said:


>


<Frank Barone voice> Holy Crap!!!  </Frank Barone voice>

Love to see some detail pics, and nice Eames chair!!!!!!


----------



## Ficcion2




----------



## dncnexus

Getting a couple more things in shortly


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Uebelkraehe

Redcarmoose said:


>


Now that's some really nice composition. Love the interesting but nevertheless unobstrusive background, too.


----------



## Sebbai




----------



## fuzzroffe

Got some Psvane 6SN7s for the front end. Expensive, but they sound very nice and look good. Output is a White cathode follower with RCA 6BX7GTs, the rest of the tubes are for the regulated power supply. Yeah, it gets dusty when it sits on the floor


----------



## KDS315 (Aug 20, 2021)

STAX SR-009 (and 007 not visible) and a couple of Lambdas, served via fanless ROON ROCK server (leftmost) into a RME ADI-2 FS DAC, powered by a STAX SRM-T1(CCS+ECC99 mod) plus a high-amp SIRIUS V9


----------



## Roasty

Changed things up a bit..

Took out the denafrips athena and apollon power amp and replaced them with Kinki Studio P27 pre and M7 stereo amp. Geez man they're heavy as hell. But the build quality is fantastic. Running them in as I type this. 

Also added a monitor riser stand to the bottom rack to separate out some smaller components and linear power supplies.


----------



## ES_EF

dncnexus said:


> Getting a couple more things in shortly


wow wow wow


----------



## lumdicks

My bedside setup.
Roon → Matrix Mini-i Pro 3 → Audio-technica AT-BHA100 → Audio-technica ATH-AWAS


----------



## Pashmeister (Aug 20, 2021)

My current cozy corner that I (try to) keep neat. Stuff that don’t get used much goes in the box and inside the cabinets. I like my dedicated tube preamp, but I still somehow prefer my tiny iTube2 — small and overperforms. Considering a potential amp upgrade but my Burson Timekeeper with its desktop footprint has still been performing exceptionally. Using speaker amps mostly; I’ve let go my easier to drive cans and streamlined to a TC and Susvara. Two headphone boxes on the wall reminds me that I can only have 2 (max of 3) cans at any given time.

Linear power supplies, conditioners and spaghetti monsters remain tucked away in the back, including some less attractive stuff that have no business being visible such as a chain of Allo audio streamer with HQplayer NAA, into ISO Regen, into an SRC-DX before it connects via dual bnc into the TT2 (beats the M-Scaler personally)

Any new powerful amps for consideration will have to have a small footprint as such. My future choices look to be very narrow (Benchmark AHB2, Bakoon and the like).


----------



## gefski

Roasty said:


> Changed things up a bit..
> 
> Took out the denafrips athena and apollon power amp and replaced them with Kinki Studio P27 pre and M7 stereo amp. Geez man they're heavy as hell. But the build quality is fantastic. Running them in as I type this.
> 
> Also added a monitor riser stand to the bottom rack to separate out some smaller components and linear power supplies.


Yep, I also use risers because I don’t like components stacked on each other.


----------



## ufospls2

Roasty said:


> Changed things up a bit..
> 
> Took out the denafrips athena and apollon power amp and replaced them with Kinki Studio P27 pre and M7 stereo amp. Geez man they're heavy as hell. But the build quality is fantastic. Running them in as I type this.
> 
> Also added a monitor riser stand to the bottom rack to separate out some smaller components and linear power supplies.


I still have my EX-M1. Its a good amp


----------



## jonathan c

It’s funny how tubes can interfere with ‘work from home’ (as if I had nothing to do with them 😆…):


----------



## floydfan33

work setup. ADI-2 FS and CA Cascades today.


----------



## italiandoc1

nice setup!


----------



## italiandoc1

Preachy1 said:


> <Frank Barone voice> Holy Crap!!!  </Frank Barone voice>
> 
> Love to see some detail pics, and nice Eames chair!!!!!!


Thanks! anything in particular?


----------



## jonathan c

As much as I truly enjoy the gear, the music (jazz, R&B, blues) coming out of TOTL headphone/cable/amplifier/DAC/CD transport systems, these make me wonder “why?”


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> As much as I truly enjoy the gear, the music (jazz, R&B, blues) coming out of TOTL headphone/cable/amplifier/DAC/CD transport systems, these make me wonder “why?”


I've never heard 'no dISC' before.  Is it good?


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> I've never heard 'no dISC' before.  Is it good?


Haven't you heard sound of silence.


----------



## Roasty

UntilThen said:


> Haven't you heard sound of silence.



I see what u did there.. LOL


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I've never heard 'no dISC' before.  Is it good?


I actually use that setting at high-ish volume to check connections, microphony, etc. ‘No disc’ is far better than a crappy disc (Manson?)…😜


----------



## UntilThen

This has dISC.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> This has dISC.


So then 'no dISC' is a boy band?


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> So then 'no dISC' is a boy band?


That would likely be ‘no d**K’…?


----------



## Ciggavelli

I'm not good at taking pictures, and I have an, um, unconventional "rack."  I recently added a K50 and DC4 for my DAVE though


----------



## Wes S (Aug 22, 2021)

I am trying to get the most of out my system, so I took a page from some of you and added another stand to raise my Hermes.  Now, none of my components are stacked on top of each other.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## TheMiddleSky

Currently thinking if I need TT2 in my life or not


----------



## mammal

TheMiddleSky said:


> Currently thinking if I need TT2 in my life or not


Was where you are now - had Hugo 2, Diana, and later TT2. Save yourself the "upgrade/sell/upgrade/sell" cycle and just buy Dave or Bartok to be done with it!


----------



## jonathan c

mammal said:


> Was where you are now - had Hugo 2, Diana, and later TT2. Save yourself the "upgrade/sell/upgrade/sell" cycle and just buy Dave or Bartok to be done with it!


Take a look at Mojo Audio EVO Mystique…


----------



## TheMiddleSky

mammal said:


> Was where you are now - had Hugo 2, Diana, and later TT2. Save yourself the "upgrade/sell/upgrade/sell" cycle and just buy Dave or Bartok to be done with it!


Bartok is currently out of reach. Dave actually is nice (especially the second hand price), but I'd need Formula S for amplification, and these two stretch budget a lot more than TT2 alone. Decision, decision, rabbit hole


----------



## John Massaria

L0rdGwyn said:


> This is an amplifier I might sell, it has to pass my testing and I will send to some friends for their evaluation and approval before greenlighted, so we will see, but it was designed with that intention in mind.


drool


----------



## lumdicks

Serious listening session at night.


----------



## rangerid

lumdicks said:


> Serious listening session at night.


I really like the shelf and looking to get the same one, does it come pre-assembled? Wondering if you can customize the number of layers


----------



## lumdicks (Aug 25, 2021)

rangerid said:


> I really like the shelf and looking to get the same one, does it come pre-assembled? Wondering if you can customize the number of layers


It can be ordered here:

*https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001452687934.html*


----------



## Curtisvill

> It can be ordered here:
> 
> *https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001452687934.html*



I have the same rack in a different color, I will try and shoot some pictures to post.  It is a very nice and serviceable rack in a small footprint.


----------



## dynavit




----------



## j0val

Just added the Lyr 3 a couple weeks ago.


----------



## Preachy1

I was not aware that the Lokius was actually a thing!  Looks like my wallet will be a bit lighter by the end of the day.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## KDS315

A KGSSHV CARBON on bottom AND a Mjolnir KGSS (??)


----------



## Lord Rexter

KDS315 said:


> A KGSSHV CARBON on bottom AND a Mjolnir KGSS (??)


Yeah bottom one is KGSSHV Carbon (built by John McLean) and the top one is Mjolnir Audio KGSSHV (custom built by Birgir) ✌️


----------



## KDS315

Which one sounds better and with which headphones?


----------



## ThanatosVI

Haven't shared my newest addition outside of the CRBN thread yet.


----------



## Lord Rexter (Aug 28, 2021)

KDS315 said:


> Which one sounds better and with which headphones?


Carbon and 009BK sounds amazing, and 007 Mk2 Blutack modded on KGSSHV.


----------



## Stevko (Aug 29, 2021)




----------



## Torq

Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


----------



## arftech

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


Your gear is fantastic!  Do you also spin vinyl?


----------



## ThanatosVI

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


It's so beautiful


----------



## Torq

arftech said:


> Your gear is fantastic! Do you also spin vinyl?



Thanks!

I do, but only in my 2-channel/speaker rigs.


----------



## meomap

Torq said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I do, but only in my 2-channel/speaker rigs.


VPI Classic I for 2 channel rig..
Shinola TT for HP rig.

Both need to install upgraded needles...SOON


----------



## normie610

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


Drooling to the max


----------



## Torq

meomap said:


> VPI Classic I for 2 channel rig..
> Shinola TT for HP rig.
> 
> Both need to install upgraded needles...SOON



Nice!

I'm running a Michell GyroDec/SME V/AT Art-9 in my office/den/cave speaker rig, which is otherwise all Linn Exakt gear.

Not sure what table is going in the new/main (dedicated room) speaker setup yet.


----------



## KDS315

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


Wow, impressive - STAX nicely separated to the good side (right) 😊


----------



## NovaFlyer

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


WOW!!  That's an incredible set-up, what headphones do you have?


----------



## Torq

NovaFlyer said:


> WOW!!  That's an incredible set-up, what headphones do you have?



Thanks!

Right now ...

Audeze LCD-4, Focal Stellia and Utopia, RAAL SR1a, Rosson RAD-0, Sennheiser HD800S and HD820, ZMF Vérité LTD (Cocobolo) and Vérité Closed LTD (SMB), Stax SR-007MK2 and SR-009S, and then a set of Audeze CRBN on order.


----------



## arftech

Torq said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Right now ...
> 
> Audeze LCD-4, Focal Stellia and Utopia, RAAL SR1a, Rosson RAD-0, Sennheiser HD800S and HD820, ZMF Vérité LTD (Cocobolo) and Vérité Closed LTD (SMB), Stax SR-007MK2 and SR-009S, and then a set of Audeze CRBN on order.


Oh my goodness! 🤤


----------



## NovaFlyer

Torq said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Right now ...
> 
> Audeze LCD-4, Focal Stellia and Utopia, RAAL SR1a, Rosson RAD-0, Sennheiser HD800S and HD820, ZMF Vérité LTD (Cocobolo) and Vérité Closed LTD (SMB), Stax SR-007MK2 and SR-009S, and then a set of Audeze CRBN on order.





arftech said:


> Oh my goodness! 🤤


OMG is right!  I have the Vérité Open as well, in the Camphor Burl and they are awesome, especially driven by a tube amp.


----------



## SuperBurrito

Torq said:


> Quick and dirty shot of the headphone rig, while awaiting new stands/racks ...


Amazing!  You win!


----------



## arftech

SuperBurrito said:


> Amazing!  You win!


I’m gonna give Goodwill my setup!😂


----------



## jonathan c

arftech said:


> I’m gonna give Goodwill my setup!😂


They will gladly accept with the exception of GE…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> They will gladly accept with the exception of GE…


LOL!  Last I heard they will only accept GE's if you give them a sizable cash donation at the same time.


----------



## Preachy1

After looking at that setup (those setups!), I feel like I just got out of a cold pool.  I'm sure you get my drift.


----------



## KDS315

Preachy1 said:


> After looking at that setup (those setups!), I feel like I just got out of a cold pool.  I'm sure you get my drift.


Yeah and exactly for that reaction “those people” do it 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## telecaster




----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 1, 2021)

Nothing flashy but it gives me all the leisure-pleasure I need on my cans currently to tickle my ears delights.


----------



## lumdicks

Here comes my new Final D8000, after 2 months waiting.

Wonderful bass, airy presentation, expanded soundstage and sweet mid, a perfect complement of my Susvara and Empyrean.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Sep 1, 2021)

Added in the A90 into the mix. It is the perfect amp for IEMS. Zero hiss and it power is just right. A great source really made the difference. A lot of old headphones and in ears in my collection sounded very good compared to my second tier backup source gears.


----------



## FYFL

Humble nightstand setup.


----------



## MrPanda

lumdicks said:


> Here comes my new Final D8000, after 2 months waiting.
> 
> Wonderful bass, airy presentation, expanded soundstage and sweet mid, a perfect complement of my Susvara and Empyrean.


I'd be really curious about your thoughts on how the Stellia's hold up to the other flagships.


----------



## lumdicks

MrPanda said:


> I'd be really curious about your thoughts on how the Stellia's hold up to the other flagships.


Stellia is having very high resolution only second to Susvara in my collection. As a closed back headphone its soundstage is admirable. Tonality wise the high low dynamic is very good but the treble is a bit harsh for me. It is a bit fatiguing for long listening but technically it is a strong contender to other flagships.


----------



## Pashmeister

Added a really solid Cayin tube preamplifier to the silver fam. Tubes into solid state goodness.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I never thought of putting the turntable on a nightstand, but it totally makes sense! I have to try it now! 


FYFL said:


> Humble nightstand setup.


----------



## KDS315

Redcarmoose said:


> I never thought of putting the turntable on a nightstand, but it totally makes sense! I have to try it now!


yeah, superb place with lots of dust...You never made beds I guess??


----------



## FYFL

Redcarmoose said:


> I never thought of putting the turntable on a nightstand, but it totally makes sense! I have to try it now!


Unfortunately, when my significant other takes my main listening room hostage to watch her trash, this is my retreat for a good listen and a book. It also works great to isolate noise, also courtesy of significant other.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 1, 2021)

KDS315 said:


> yeah, superb place with lots of dust...You never made beds I guess??


Edit:


----------



## MisterMudd

Silver Wolf said:


> Nothing flashy but it gives me all the leisure-pleasure I need on my cans currently to tickle my ears delights.


Love all the gear man. Gives you plenty of listening choices. Great photos.


----------



## axsnyder




----------



## ufospls2

axsnyder said:


>



Very nice looking set up man. Love all the wood.


----------



## Silver Wolf

axsnyder said:


>


Yup, agree 1000%. Love all the timber, beautiful.


----------



## FYFL

KDS315 said:


> yeah, superb place with lots of dust...You never made beds I guess??


That's what central AC-fitration is for. How much dust have you encounter near your bed? Perhaps it's time to do some “socializing”.  


Redcarmoose said:


> You probably don’t like Vanilla Ice Cream or Christmas either?


You know what else is crazy? I also drive my car in the rain. Lol


----------



## MrPanda

lumdicks said:


> Stellia is having very high resolution only second to Susvara in my collection. As a closed back headphone its soundstage is admirable. Tonality wise the high low dynamic is very good but the treble is a bit harsh for me. It is a bit fatiguing for long listening but technically it is a strong contender to other flagships.


 Thanks!  I have a pair and hope to fight off today's case of upgraditis!


----------



## Silver Wolf

MisterMudd said:


> Love all the gear man. Gives you plenty of listening choices. Great photos.



There's this weeks rotation of cans to the right just hanging about waiting and a larger view of the playground


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

This is where I am currently..Maybe,just maybe next year I'll go all in on a summit-fi pair of cans but for now
 the grin on my face is 10 MILES WIDE!


----------



## Wes S

Silver Wolf said:


> There's this weeks rotation of cans to the right just hanging about waiting and a larger view of the playground


Awesome pic and setup!


----------



## Wes S

These 3 pieces of gear have amazing synergy.

Sonnet Hermes  > Sonnet Morpheus > Rogue RH-5


----------



## jonathan c

🎼🎶 and gratitude to start the day…


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> 🎼🎶 and gratitude to start the day…


Nice bro!  Is that a new Woo?  I would hunt down some G.E.C. U709 rectifiers for that amp, if I were you.


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 2, 2021)

Wes S said:


> Nice bro!  Is that a new Woo?  I would hunt down some G.E.C. U709 rectifiers for that amp, if I were you.


Thank you…the new fampily (😖) member…brothers are Mjolnir II, LTA MZ3…the tubes in the middle on adapters are the Tungsram ECC81 (👏)…I will definitely be GECing…Tesla is there now…soon to be…


----------



## Preachy1

E8ArmyDiver said:


> This is where I am currently..Maybe,just maybe next year I'll go all in on a summit-fi pair of cans but for now
> the grin on my face is 10 MILES WIDE!


I know the feeling!  About a year ago, I randomly wandered into a nearby Magnolia Audio shop and they had a demo MHA150 for 40% off.  No idea why, but I actually got them down another 10% so I walked out with it for around $2700 after tax.  My intro to the McIntosh world.  I guess it's all downhill from here!!!!!


----------



## SalR406

Silver Wolf said:


> There's this weeks rotation of cans to the right just hanging about waiting and a larger view of the playground


Great hats!


----------



## ThanatosVI

Preachy1 said:


> I know the feeling!  About a year ago, I randomly wandered into a nearby Magnolia Audio shop and they had a demo MHA150 for 40% off.  No idea why, but I actually got them down another 10% so I walked out with it for around $2700 after tax.  My intro to the McIntosh world.  I guess it's all downhill from here!!!!!


Quite simple, markup on those things is huge. They still Made a Profit there.
I bought new devices for 40% off on release and I doubt that it was out of selflessness of the dealer


----------



## Preachy1

ThanatosVI said:


> Quite simple, markup on those things is huge. They still Made a Profit there.
> I bought new devices for 40% off on release and I doubt that it was out of selflessness of the dealer


Makes sense.  This is one of the very few items that I've bought new.  About 90% of my gear was acquired on the secondary (or tertiary etc.) market.


----------



## quimbo (Sep 2, 2021)

Added a used Emotiva ERC-1 to my work setup.  This thing is a tank


----------



## Silver Wolf

quimbo said:


> Added a used Emotiva ERC-1 to my work setup.  This thing is a tank


Nice CD player, I have the same one in the other room. My wife loves it and uses it often also


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> Thank you…the new fampily (😖) member…brothers are Mjolnir II, LTA MZ3…the tubes in the middle on adapters are the Tungsram ECC81 (👏)…I will definitely be GECing…Tesla is there now…soon to be…


Nice man great addition!  I would definitely add Mullard EZ81 Square Getter from Blackburn to that list, as they are outstanding and a close second to the G.E.C. U709.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Nice man great addition!  I would definitely add Mullard EZ81 Square Getter from Blackburn to that list, as they are outstanding and a close second to the G.E.C. U709.


Getting closer…in process…


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> Getting closer…in process…


Ouch, that price man!  I have found mine for about $30 to $50 a piece from very reputable sellers on the bay.


----------



## Nostoi

jonathan c said:


> 🎼🎶 and gratitude to start the day…


MZ3 in the box on the left?


----------



## Reputator




----------



## ThanatosVI

Reputator said:


>


Nice Corda Classic


----------



## DJJEZ




----------



## aroldan

Sweet sounds are coming out from here


----------



## adeadcrab

aroldan said:


> Sweet sounds are coming out from here


Still rocking the fun! I always loved its preamp section..
Rock on!


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 3, 2021)

Nostoi said:


> MZ3 in the box on the left?


The MZ3 is at the far left but not in the picture. The Valhalla II is in the box…going to mountain house…My ‘home amp’ rotation is Mjolnir II, MZ3, WA2…


----------



## piakoB

Pictures aren't the clearest. Funny thing, I used to care about cable management -- now that I'm 41 not that big a deal anymore. I received the M500 today. Banging combo with the Grados. Sundaras come tomorrow. I only have 1 tv/monitor/display in the house and I use it for pc display, tv etc. I can listen to my stereo system in the living room during the day but at night I turn to the headphone rig since I can't blast the neighbors.


----------



## UntilThen

Silverado


----------



## MisterMudd

piakoB said:


> Pictures aren't the clearest. Funny thing, I used to care about cable management -- now that I'm 41 not that big a deal anymore. I received the M500 today. Banging combo with the Grados. Sundaras come tomorrow. I only have 1 tv/monitor/display in the house and I use it for pc display, tv etc. I can listen to my stereo system in the living room during the day but at night I turn to the headphone rig since I can't blast the neighbors.


I’m with you on the wiring. Too many wires and not enough time to care. Just me 99.9999999%……of the time anyhow.


----------



## DTgill

piakoB said:


> Pictures aren't the clearest. Funny thing, I used to care about cable management -- now that I'm 41 not that big a deal anymore. I received the M500 today. Banging combo with the Grados. Sundaras come tomorrow. I only have 1 tv/monitor/display in the house and I use it for pc display, tv etc. I can listen to my stereo system in the living room during the day but at night I turn to the headphone rig since I can't blast the neighbors.


I thought I was alone...
Nice setups, I don't have the time or the care to make my wires blend in, as long as they don't trip me and my grandkids don't play with them.


----------



## BobSmith8901

Reputator said:


>


Like the feet on the Modi!


----------



## Reputator

BobSmith8901 said:


> Like the feet on the Modi!



Thanks! I was worried I'd be making a lava sandwich if I didn't give them space to ventilate.


----------



## j0val

Added a new tube to my setup a couple days ago.


----------



## Bonddam

My updated basement corner.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Bonddam said:


> My updated basement corner.


I never knew you had the 99 classics.
Do they still get some usage?


----------



## Bonddam

ThanatosVI said:


> I never knew you had the 99 classics.
> Do they still get some usage?


Justin from headamp gave those to my daughter for Christmas. I sometimes listen on my big amp and they sound a lot better.


----------



## OceanRanger

Bonddam said:


> My updated basement corner.


I'm jealous of the man-cave nature of your setup. Comfy and everything is within reach. What are those headphone stands, they look nice. Do the 1266s not work well on them?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

OceanRanger said:


> I'm jealous of the man-cave nature of your setup. Comfy and everything is within reach. What are those headphone stands, they look nice. Do the 1266s not work well on them?


These're ZMF stands. 
Everyone of them looks gorgeous, but  I do prefer the Room Audio Line stands for certain reason.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

aroldan said:


> Sweet sounds are coming out from here


Change your Arya plug into XLR is "a must" in this case. Noticeable improvement with using balance on SA1 indeed.


----------



## aroldan

TheMiddleSky said:


> Change your Arya plug into XLR is "a must" in this case. Noticeable improvement with using balance on SA1 indeed.


That's what I've read. I'm actually waiting for my XLR cable to arrive


----------



## DTgill

Look at what the mail lady drop(ed) off on my porch today.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Look at what the mail lady drop(ed) off on my porch today.


Your mail lady has been as busy as hell…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Your mail lady has been as busy as hell…


LOL... Yeah, I seem to bring out the best in her.

I'm sure she like to see the smile on my face.


----------



## ufospls2

DTgill said:


> LOL... Yeah, I seem to bring out the best in her.
> 
> I'm sure she like to see the smile on my face.



Any thoughts on those music master planars?


----------



## DTgill

ufospls2 said:


> Any thoughts on those music master planars?


To my ears (I'm no reviewer) they sound nice, they don't have a lot of low end, not that it doesn't have any bass just not as much as my Ananda the midrange is a bit forward, vocals aren't recessed, they are in the mix and are heard clearly, highs aren't shrill, these definitely don't make my ears hurt, they sound a bit cleaner than than the Ananda.

I purchased them from a fellow Head-Fi(er) 

MAXX134

Here they are

They need about as much power as the Sundara to be driven properly.

Would I pay what they originally cost no, but I wouldn't have paid what Hifiman was first asking for the Sundara and Ananda.


----------



## Big In Japan (Sep 8, 2021)

I don`t have to luxury of a dedicated head-fi space here, so it`s a some kind of all-in-one homeoffice/computer-stuff/music area.  Thought I share it anyway.

Normally there is a office chair of course but I have this ikea armchair I pull into reach of my headphone cables when listening to music exclusively 

The left monitor (and the docking station behind) is the homeoffice part, to the right is my personal stuff. Since the desk is adjustable in height I can also listen to the active speakers in the low armchair by moving it down to 60cm. The monitors are floating and mounted via something like this mechanism to the tabletop. Therefore there is place to put in stuff underneath. I have added  Hue lightstrips to the side an the rear of the desk and the shelf next to it to be able to vary the lighting depending on what I do.

There is a RME ADI-2 DAC, a Burson Soloist 3XP and (still) a Topping A90 amp. Behind the left screen sits a Intel NUC with roon. On the wall to the left I have mounted some short boards and this is where I store my over-ear-headphones when not using them. (Arya, VC Closed, Clear & HD660S)


----------



## Sebbai

Update!


----------



## John Massaria (Sep 8, 2021)

lumdicks said:


> Stellia is having very high resolution only second to Susvara in my collection. As a closed back headphone its soundstage is admirable. Tonality wise the high low dynamic is very good but the treble is a bit harsh for me. It is a bit fatiguing for long listening but technically it is a strong contender to other flagships.


your not alone with that idea of the Stellia being a short term listen - I would look elsewhere for sure


----------



## Womaz




----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## Coztomba




----------



## Big In Japan (Sep 9, 2021)

Womaz said:


>



I german there is a saying "Klasse statt Masse" (maybe you could translate it to quality, not quantity!) Like this setup a lot.

Does the Burson work as an Roon endpoint?


----------



## Womaz (Sep 9, 2021)

Big In Japan said:


> I german there is a saying "Klasse statt Masse" (maybe you could translate it to quality, not quantity!) Like this setup a lot.
> 
> Does the Burson work as an Roon endpoint?


It does not unfortunatley. I am looking at options to use Roon in my HP set up as I use it on my main system.
I use Tidal through my IPhone with the headphone set up


----------



## DTgill

Flavor of the day


----------



## Big In Japan

Womaz said:


> It does not unfortunatley. I am looking at options to use Roon in my HP set up as I use it on my main system.
> I use Tidal through my IPhone with the headphone set up


You could buy a Raspberry PI with Ropieee. Not expensive, works perfectly.


----------



## Curtisvill

Womaz said:


> It does not unfortunatley. I am looking at options to use Roon in my HP set up as I use it on my main system.
> I use Tidal through my IPhone with the headphone set up



I just built a Roon NUC as my core and it was simple to do and I am not the most electronically gifted individual.  I bought the parts on Amazon for $650, built the NUC, added the Bios, hooked it up to my network, and have been enjoying it ever since.  I am able to stream to my headphone setup as well as the Bluetooth speakers we have in the house using my iPhone as the remote.  Darko has a great video walking you thru the process which I spent more time watching twice than it did for me to build mine.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Flavor of the day


Nice….and the Sweetwater emblem seals the deal…good company…😜


----------



## Big In Japan (Sep 9, 2021)

@Curtisvill He already has a nucleus; This is a roon server. I think a network streamer is what he`s looking for. The Ropieee project is open source and the hardware is really inexpensive. You can use it with any DAC that has a USB Input to extend your Roon ecosystem easily. I have two of those in use, one with the optional touch screen. All integrated via WLAN.

check ropieee.org

There are also commercial products that work with roon, like the bluenote streamers. But they are overkill...


----------



## Deceneu808




----------



## CJG888

Deceneu808 said:


>


You do seem to like your OTL amps!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Took this picture because the dimension of Oblivion surprised me. Easily toy the TT2 by weight and size.


----------



## jonathan c

The second best way to spend Headphone Saturday…


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> The second best way to spend Headphone Saturday…


Ah, cruisin' top down I see!


----------



## UntilThen

LoryWiv said:


> Ah, cruisin' top down I see!



If it ain't down under, it ain't right.


----------



## UntilThen

Womaz said:


>



Nice wireless setup !


----------



## RobertSM

jonathan c said:


> The second best way to spend Headphone Saturday…



I recognize those internals. Love the clean layout of the RH-5.


----------



## Bonddam

OceanRanger said:


> I'm jealous of the man-cave nature of your setup. Comfy and everything is within reach. What are those headphone stands, they look nice. Do the 1266s not work well on them?


ZMF Salire stands


----------



## John Massaria (Sep 11, 2021)




----------



## Bonddam

John Massaria said:


>


That's DOPE!! My favorite stabilized color. Tried to get the Zmf one but no luck.


----------



## bcowen

John Massaria said:


>


Those are just awesome!


----------



## jonathan c

With the right partners, a rogue can be domesticated…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> With the right partners, a rogue can be domesticated…


Yes, but can the owner?


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yes, but can the owner?


Have you heard of “chores”?…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Have you heard of “chores”?…


I've heard of them.  Interesting concept, but I'll have to pass.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 11, 2021)




----------



## LoryWiv

Focal Clear MG has joined the family!


----------



## Big In Japan (Sep 12, 2021)

Here`s a pic of my bedside table setup. It`s not very elegant and a all-in-one device would look much better and create less cable mess, but it`s build of gear  that I bought in the beginning of my fall into the "headphone rabbit hole" and that was still available. And it works fine for now.

Hidden behind the bedside table is a Raspi running Ropieee to make this an Roon endpoint. The whole stack is plugged into a wall plug with an Remote Switch (home automation) because two of these ifi devices don`t have a proper power-off and I don`t want to have the light glowing all night. The Zen Blue in the middle provides LDAC-capable BT-connectivity, in case I want to stream a video or listen to Spotify directly from a tablet or mobile.

 All of my headsets can be driven by the ifi Zen Can properly, so it really fullfills it`s purpose.


----------



## riverground

Big In Japan said:


> I don`t have to luxury of a dedicated head-fi space here, so it`s a some kind of all-in-one homeoffice/computer-stuff/music area.  Thought I share it anyway.
> 
> Normally there is a office chair of course but I have this ikea armchair I pull into reach of my headphone cables when listening to music exclusively
> 
> ...


I wish my desk was this clean... lol

Great gear and great setup buddy!


----------



## Big In Japan (Sep 12, 2021)

Thank you very much @riverground ! 

But there is also a dark side to it  

Had to buy and mount a large (1,20m) cable managment thing under the tabletop to hide most of the cable an powerbrick mess. And you better don`t look at it from its back side... However, the monitor arms help alot to keep things clean when you look from the front.


----------



## Wes S (Sep 12, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> With the right partners, a rogue can be domesticated…


. . .and with these partners it remains a rogue.   





Your silver face sure would look good in place of my black. . .I bought mine second hand so did not have a choice.  The RH-5 really is a killer amp, that does not get the attention it deserves.   

I love the look of the internals of this beast, and when you open the hood you can tell it's legit. . .


----------



## Zachik

LoryWiv said:


> Focal Clear MG has joined the family!


Lory, does the coffee cup work? Does the coffee taste *perfect*?  
Very nice and clean setup!


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Lory, does the coffee cup work? Does the coffee taste *perfect*?
> Very nice and clean setup!


I was wondering the same thing even though that cup wouldn't work for me....I'm right handed.


----------



## MisterMoJo

Big In Japan said:


> Thank you very much @riverground !
> 
> But there is also a dark side to it
> 
> Had to buy and mount a large (1,20m) cable managment thing under the tabletop to hide most of the cable an powerbrick mess. And you better don`t look at it from its back side... However, the monitor arms help alot to keep things clean when you look from the front.


I've seen worse.  (in my house)


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> I was wondering the same thing even though that cup wouldn't work for me....I'm right handed.


Hmmm... good point - I am right handed too!
I wonder what the other side say? If it says "Perfect Tea", I might still get it and switch to tea!   
@LoryWiv help us here... the suspense is killing us.


----------



## LoryWiv

Zachik said:


> Lory, does the coffee cup work? Does the coffee taste *perfect*?
> Very nice and clean setup!



My wife got me a spectacular coffee / espresso machine for my last birthday.
So yes, the coffee is PERFECT!!! 
A simple twirl of the cup allows right handed use, and glory be the logo is on both sides.
I know many on the forums enjoy there favorite alcoholic beverage, but as a non / minimal drinker give me great coffee and great music on a Sunday morning, and that's the good life for me.


----------



## Zachik

LoryWiv said:


> My wife got me a spectacular coffee / espresso machine for my last birthday.
> So yes, the coffee is PERFECT!!!


Hmmm... I want a cup that makes any coffee - perfect! Easier (and cheaper) than espresso machine 



LoryWiv said:


> A simple twirl of the cup allows right handed use


@bcowen what do you know? An ambidextrous coffee cup! Do you think someone already patented it?


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Hmmm... I want a cup that makes any coffee - perfect! Easier (and cheaper) than espresso machine
> 
> 
> @bcowen what do you know? An ambidextrous coffee cup! Do you think someone already patented it?


Dang!  First fire, then the wheel, then sliced bread.....and now *this*!   We are so fortunate to be living in such futuristic times.


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Hmmm... I want a cup that makes any coffee - perfect! Easier (and cheaper) than espresso machine
> 
> 
> @bcowen what do you know? An ambidextrous coffee cup! Do you think someone already patented it?


Yes, @mbicowen already did and he’s demanding royalties: the word on the street is that he owes Bangybang $$$, £££, and €€€…


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Dang!  First fire, then the wheel, then sliced bread.....and now *this*!   We are so fortunate to be living in such futuristic times.


…and it took GE to bring us back to the 🎼 Dark Ages…


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Lory, *how* does *a *coffee cup work? Does the coffee taste *perfect*?


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## iFi audio

Big In Japan said:


> All of my headsets can be driven by the ifi Zen Can properly, so it really fullfills it`s purpose.



That's good to know and I'm happy if you are, enjoy!


----------



## riverground

Big In Japan said:


> Thank you very much @riverground !
> 
> But there is also a dark side to it
> 
> Had to buy and mount a large (1,20m) cable managment thing under the tabletop to hide most of the cable an powerbrick mess. And you better don`t look at it from its back side... However, the monitor arms help alot to keep things clean when you look from the front.


Oh man… that’s still clean lol

I have no cable management whatsoever.
I really need to start doing that tho.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Yes, @mbicowen already did and he’s demanding royalties: *the word on the street is that he owes Bangybang $$$, £££, and €€€…*


No way.  I already sent him 8 big boxes of GE tubes to relabel as something desirable, and I have the tracking numbers to prove it.


----------



## Big In Japan

iFi audio said:


> That's good to know and I'm happy if you are, enjoy!


To me it`s astonishing that you are able to sell these devices so reasonably priced. Especially the X-Bass is really useful when no PEQ is available with some bass-light headphones. And it`s always nice to have a good old analogue volume knob too


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> I already sent him 8 big boxes of GE tubes to relabel


Bill, I think you just invented GEcoin. WAY better than BitCoin!!


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 12, 2021)

Zachik said:


> Bill, I think you just invented GEcoin. WAY better than BitCoin!!


**itcoin…🪙…no, make that *GEC*oin 😆🤪…


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Bill, I think you just invented GEcoin. WAY better than BitCoin!!


Way!  And they're only $0.0000000003 (USD) each, instead of $45k like Bitcoin!  Of course they're probably not even worth that.


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 12, 2021)

bcowen said:


> Way!  And they're only $0.0000000003 (USD) each, instead of $45k like Bitcoin!  Of course they're probably not even worth that.


Currency is a: (i) unit of account; (ii) medium of exchange; (iii) store of value. GEcoin is the -trifecta, it meets none of the above…👏🤪🎉🍾…


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> No way.  I already sent him 8 big boxes of GE tubes to relabel as something desirable, and I have the tracking numbers to prove it.


…not so fast…BB will relabel the tracking numbers to cover his tracks 🤫…


----------



## galileaux




----------



## DTgill

galileaux said:


>


Work of art, very beautiful!


----------



## LoryWiv (Sep 12, 2021)

galileaux said:


>


That is a clean and inviting set-up! Thanks for sharing. What is generating the album art and controls, your PC or some other source?


----------



## galileaux (Sep 12, 2021)

LoryWiv said:


> That is a clean and inviting set-up! Thanks for sharing. What is generating the album art and controls, your PC or some other source?


Thank you!!

I set up a Raspberry Pi with the official 7" display, loaded with Ropieee. Then on Roon (powered by an Intel NUC) I grouped the Hugo 2+2go with the Raspberry Pi, so technically there's a music stream going to it, but its for the sole purpose of showing the album art. Not the most elegant set-up, but I preferred how Ropieee shows album art vs Roon sending it to a Chromecast-enabled display. [Edit > Plus I get playback controls on the RPi!]


----------



## NovaFlyer

galileaux said:


>


Very nice. I can imagine sitting there listening to great music and having a dram of great whisky!!


----------



## riverground

galileaux said:


>


The amount of amazing woodwork in this photo brings so much pleasantness to my eyes.


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Focal Clear MG has joined the family!


Feliks Amp - Check; Auteur - Check; Clear Mg - Check; Silverstone stands (x2) - Check.  Love of all things java - Check.   

I think we were separated at birth!!!!!!


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> My wife got me a spectacular coffee / espresso machine for my last birthday.


Okay, sorry to divert this thread, but I must know what machine you are using.  I bought a Breville (used) a few years back and it is amazing.


----------



## TheRedCar

Big In Japan said:


> Thank you very much @riverground !
> 
> But there is also a dark side to it
> 
> Had to buy and mount a large (1,20m) cable managment thing under the tabletop to hide most of the cable an powerbrick mess. And you better don`t look at it from its back side... However, the monitor arms help alot to keep things clean when you look from the front.


I've not come across Nubert actives before or seen any reviews. They look great, like the connectivity.


----------



## jonathan c

LoryWiv said:


> My wife got me a spectacular coffee / espresso machine for my last birthday.
> So yes, the coffee is PERFECT!!!
> A simple twirl of the cup allows right handed use, and glory be the logo is on both sides.
> I know many on the forums enjoy there favorite alcoholic beverage, but as a non / minimal drinker give me great coffee and great music on a Sunday morning, and that's the good life for me.


OK, OK 👍….but what tubes do you use in the coffee machine….6SN7s for espresso?….


----------



## Big In Japan

TheRedCar said:


> I've not come across Nubert actives before or seen any reviews. They look great, like the connectivity.



They are really good. Room correction, BT, Wireless connectivity between the sats and to the woofer, remote control... Down to 30Hz @-3db...

Have a look into the manual if you are interested.
https://www.nubert.de/downloads/nupro-x-4000-rc-manual-e12-en.pdf


----------



## TheRedCar

Big In Japan said:


> They are really good. Room correction, BT, Wireless connectivity between the sats and to the woofer, remote control... Down to 30Hz @-3db...
> 
> Have a look into the manual if you are interested.
> https://www.nubert.de/downloads/nupro-x-4000-rc-manual-e12-en.pdf


Thanks 👍🏻


----------



## gibby (Sep 13, 2021)

I took a break.  I returned the Arya last year because they were collecting dust and headphones.com is awesome.  I ended up replacing some Ham gear.  I’m doing some research on the Aeolus.  I have not even listened to the HD600’s or HD6xx in a year.  I should.


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Okay, sorry to divert this thread, but I must know what machine you are using.  I bought a Breville (used) a few years back and it is amazing.


Jura.


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> Jura.


Damn!  Does that thing wash and wax your car as well?????


----------



## LoryWiv

Preachy1 said:


> Damn!  Does that thing wash and wax your car as well?????


No but when you are well-caffeinated the task flies by like a pleasant breeze...


----------



## DragonOwen

As my digital rig (includes solved "power question", "cables question" and "headphones question") IMO is "done", I decided to try to make analog rig as some alternative... So, rearranged my setup (fortunatelly my atacama racks is modular, so have a chance to do this rearrangement) to make all digital and analog devices connectable to my amps, and for now got myself Michell Engeneering GyroDec turntable, Rega RB300 tone arm (it's temporary, don't have money for something more fancy for now...) and AudioNote IQ3 MM cartridge, as for phono stage I got myself SimAudio MOON LP310... also bought (and waiting for it's arrival in a few days) Voodoo Electra power cord, which probably will supply my phono stage...


----------



## bobelton

j0val said:


> Added a new tube to my setup a couple days ago.


Great look there!


----------



## CJG888

DragonOwen said:


> As my digital rig (includes solved "power question", "cables question" and "headphones question") IMO is "done", I decided to try to make analog rig as some alternative... So, rearranged my setup (fortunatelly my atacama racks is modular, so have a chance to do this rearrangement) to make all digital and analog devices connectable to my amps, and for now got myself Michell Engeneering GyroDec turntable, Rega RB300 tone arm (it's temporary, don't have money for something more fancy for now...) and AudioNote IQ3 MM cartridge, as for phono stage I got myself SimAudio MOON LP310... also bought (and waiting for it's arrival in a few days) Voodoo Electra power cord, which probably will supply my phono stage...


There’s nowt wrong with the RB300. Punches well above its weight!


----------



## CJG888

Michell used to make a range of upgrades for the RB300, IIRC.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Last weekend I had the chance to bring these out and enjoy comparing what I hear with a variety of music. I love all of these headphones (maybe the 650 a bit less). It was interesting to see that at the same time of day, in the same state of mind, there are indeed tracks in a variety of music genres on which I prefer the Aeolus or 600 over the VO or vice-versa, etc. They are all excellent and they all excel at some things.

I wish I could take better photos, these don't really do them justice.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-walkman-wm1a.25427/


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> With the right partners, a rogue can be domesticated



There is a disc in there now.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> There is a disc in there now.


I needed a little variety from “no disc”…


----------



## Chris Kaoss

jonathan c said:


> I needed a little variety from “no disc”…


Guess this will be "loading". ^^


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Somatic

DJJEZ said:


>


Nice setup. Will you still be keeping your Arya's or do you find them redundant at this point?


----------



## DJJEZ

Somatic said:


> Nice setup. Will you still be keeping your Arya's or do you find them redundant at this point?


I'm keeping them. I use them in my PC setup for gaming


----------



## Somatic

DJJEZ said:


> I'm keeping them. I use them in my PC setup for gaming


I actually was thinking of keeping them for gaming for the PS5 as well. They sound excellent for gaming.


----------



## DJJEZ

Somatic said:


> I actually was thinking of keeping them for gaming for the PS5 as well. They sound excellent for gaming.


yes, extremely comfortable and much easier to drive than susvara so they make great gaming headphones


----------



## jonathan c

DJJEZ said:


> yes, extremely comfortable and much easier to drive than susvara so they make great gaming headphones


…you would use susvara for gaming 😳…?


----------



## DJJEZ (Sep 16, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> …you would use susvara for gaming 😳…?


Yes. I game with my Abyss 1266TC on my xbox and ps5 as well 😂


----------



## Somatic

DJJEZ said:


> Yes. I game with my Abyss 1266TC on my xbox and ps5 as well 😂


Sounds glorious


----------



## OceanRanger

DJJEZ said:


> yes, extremely comfortable and much easier to drive than susvara so they make great gaming headphones


I have the same three headphones. I too am keeping the Aryas. I use them with the Dragon Fly for Zoom meetings and with the Hugo2 for portable / travel scenarios.

They were my first full-size headphones.


----------



## Wes S

Current State - My Pendant SE with some killer tubes in it, is about to get fired up.  Got to love the 4 day work week.   Happy Friday!


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Current State - My Pendant SE with some killer tubes in it, is about to get fired up.  Got to love the 4 day work week.   Happy Friday!


The four tube workday is even better!…


----------



## UntilThen

Wes S said:


> Current State - My Pendant SE with some killer tubes in it, is about to get fired up. Got to love the 4 day work week. Happy Friday!



Congrats on moving up the tube amp food chain.


----------



## UntilThen

Happy Sat !  How do you like my purple LCD5 ?


----------



## lumdicks

Weekend Fever. Elite whatsoever does not matter to me and I enjoy the smoothness, cohesiveness and musicality of my Empyrean every second of listening.


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> Congrats on moving up the tube amp food chain.


Thanks man!


----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 18, 2021)

plus this below = enjoyment  .....who says you can't enjoy planars on tubes woohooo


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> Happy Sat !  How do you like my purple LCD5 ?


That is such an awesome picture and dream system!  I can only imagine . . .


----------



## piakoB

I’m experimenting with couch side listening. So far it is pretty good because I can mute the tv and turn on Roon and then back and forth etc as I like. Only problem is the noise floor with the laptop fan. I’ve been looking at bridge solutions like RoPieee and the iFi Stream unit. Not really sure how to defeat the fan noise other than going with a more expensive solution like a dedicated network player. Even the raspberry pi has a fan although I’m not sure how loud it is. Suggestions welcome. The nice thing about the laptop and Roon is that it is running the laptop touchscreen which is nice so I can scroll easily. It’s not ideal but it’s working at the moment.


----------



## vmiguel

Raspberry Pi4 with FLIRC case. The all case is a heat sink with no fan.
Running Volumio it maxed out at 52ºC.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

piakoB said:


> I’m experimenting with couch side listening. So far it is pretty good because I can mute the tv and turn on Roon and then back and forth etc as I like. Only problem is the noise floor with the laptop fan. I’ve been looking at bridge solutions like RoPieee and the iFi Stream unit. Not really sure how to defeat the fan noise other than going with a more expensive solution like a dedicated network player. Even the raspberry pi has a fan although I’m not sure how loud it is. Suggestions welcome. The nice thing about the laptop and Roon is that it is running the laptop touchscreen which is nice so I can scroll easily. It’s not ideal but it’s working at the moment.


Nice.

My indent to eliminate such noise would be an external USB-C touch display. 

But my Surface serves my very well without disturbing noise on a balanced energy state.


----------



## ttocs

vmiguel said:


> Raspberry Pi4 with FLIRC case. The all case is a heat sink with no fan.
> Running Volumio it maxed out at 52ºC.


Second the recommendation of the FLIRC case.  Barely warm to the touch running Ropiee and aesthetically pleasing too.  Nothing flashy, but gets the job done.  Currently running at 45C at the board with no issues.


----------



## jonathan c

A fruitful journey into the State of Solid…quite the hpa / hp pairing, to boot !


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## jonathan c

floydfan33 said:


>


I especially like the ‘old style’ Audeze headband 😜👍…


----------



## Kukuk




----------



## piakoB

ttocs said:


> Second the recommendation of the FLIRC case.  Barely warm to the touch running Ropiee and aesthetically pleasing too.  Nothing flashy, but gets the job done.  Currently running at 45C at the board with no issues.


Thanks. I borrowed a Pi 4 from my buddy and ordered the Flirc case off Amazon. Everything works great so far. Nice to use my phone as the Roon remote.


----------



## Alfred Oz

floydfan33 said:


>


Love the keycaps and wrist rest, very cool.


----------



## Big In Japan

piakoB said:


> Thanks. I borrowed a Pi 4 from my buddy and ordered the Flirc case off Amazon. Everything works great so far. Nice to use my phone as the Roon remote.



I know it`s too late, but also with the standard plastic case and passive heat sinks you won`t run into any problems either. A cooling case is actually not neccesary.  If you ever plan to use Bluetooth on the Pi (i.e. with Ropieee XL) an metal case is not ideal, since there is no external antenna for that.


----------



## MisterMudd

piakoB said:


> I’m experimenting with couch side listening. So far it is pretty good because I can mute the tv and turn on Roon and then back and forth etc as I like. Only problem is the noise floor with the laptop fan. I’ve been looking at bridge solutions like RoPieee and the iFi Stream unit. Not really sure how to defeat the fan noise other than going with a more expensive solution like a dedicated network player. Even the raspberry pi has a fan although I’m not sure how loud it is. Suggestions welcome. The nice thing about the laptop and Roon is that it is running the laptop touchscreen which is nice so I can scroll easily. It’s not ideal but it’s working at the moment.


Great setup and picture. I have been seeing the M500 in a lot of pictures lately. How do you like it? Anything to compare it with?


----------



## Gavin C4

Roon offers a really good libary interface for usage. Although it may cost a fortune, but after upgrading all the headphone and DAC, getting Roon is the next best choice to get most of your listening experience.


----------



## Vyyy

Thats mine working/ listening Station


----------



## Vyyy

Deleted


----------



## Big In Japan

That`s a looooot of money you put into your source gear... Is the Aeon 2 your only pair of headphones?


----------



## Pharmaboy

piakoB said:


> I’m experimenting with couch side listening. So far it is pretty good because I can mute the tv and turn on Roon and then back and forth etc as I like. Only problem is the noise floor with the laptop fan. I’ve been looking at bridge solutions like RoPieee and the iFi Stream unit. Not really sure how to defeat the fan noise other than going with a more expensive solution like a dedicated network player. Even the raspberry pi has a fan although I’m not sure how loud it is. Suggestions welcome. The nice thing about the laptop and Roon is that it is running the laptop touchscreen which is nice so I can scroll easily. It’s not ideal but it’s working at the moment.


Quartersawn oak table? I'd like to see pix of the side/facia, which look interesting.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> A fruitful journey into the State of Solid…quite the hpa / hp pairing, to boot !


"Blues and the Abstract Truth" !!

Apart from that very popular recording, Oliver Nelson was underappreciated in his lifetime IMO. I loved his straight-ahead, big-tone reed playing, and his arranging was even better, if that's possible.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> "Blues and the Abstract Truth" !!
> 
> Apart from that very popular recording, Oliver Nelson was underappreciated in his lifetime IMO. I loved his straight-ahead, big-tone reed playing, and his arranging was even better, if that's possible.


For arranging, give me Oliver Nelson, Quincy Jones on any day ending in “y”…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> For arranging, give me Oliver Nelson, Quincy Jones on any day ending in “y”…


Exactly. 

I would add Gil Evans and George Russell to the list.


----------



## Vyyy

UntilThen said:


> Happy Sat !  How do you like my purple LCD5 ?


What are those speakers? Thanks.


----------



## piakoB (Sep 19, 2021)

MisterMudd said:


> Great setup and picture. I have been seeing the M500 in a lot of pictures lately. How do you like it? Anything to compare it with?


Well I don’t actually have a direct sound test comparison but I was looking at the EX5 and DX7 Pro from Topping when I bought this. They both have a stronger headphone amp compared to the M500. EX5 has the Q2M Dac and then the DX7 pro has the 9038Pro ESS like the M500. I didn’t need the 4-pin connector on either options, so I went with the M500. To me it’s sounds great with the pi bridge and sundaras. My next upgrade path would be to something like the Hugo 2 or TT 2.

Here’s a pic with the final setup. Picked up the FLIRC case from micro center this morning. Using either my phone or the iPad for the remote. Makes it much more clean than the laptop and silent in comparison.


----------



## UntilThen (Sep 19, 2021)

Vyyy said:


> What are those speakers? Thanks.



Axis Voicebox S. Several reviews out there. https://6moons.com/audioreviews2/axis/1.html

A picture that shows it better.


----------



## Shane D

I revamped my listening station today. I removed one amp, that I am selling, and put two splitters/switchers back in. I think I am pretty set  going forward, except maybe changing the Loki to a Lokius.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Vyyy said:


> Thats mine working/ listening Station


oh wow this is nice, silver set up make them like set up from the future


----------



## TheRedCar

Vyyy said:


> Thats mine working/ listening Station


Nice minimalist setup. Looks great 

The different heights of the risers are driving my OCD crazy though lol


----------



## Somatic

Current setup. Windows PC > Chord TT2 > Benchmark AHB2 > HFM Susvara or Arya V2. Loving the combo.


----------



## 9fF3pZAQMj




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## abheybir




----------



## Roasty

Have a couple of friends coming over tomorrow for an afternoon listening session. Moved all my stuff out from the study to the lounge, so everyone can chill together and listen to 3 systems/headphones at one go. My wife said "u better remove all that s**t after tomorrow".


----------



## normie610

Roasty said:


> Have a couple of friends coming over tomorrow for an afternoon listening session. Moved all my stuff out from the study to the lounge, so everyone can chill together and listen to 3 systems/headphones at one go. My wife said "u better remove all that s**t after tomorrow".


So you’re still using the Milo ref to drive TC?


----------



## Roasty

normie610 said:


> So you’re still using the Milo ref to drive TC?



Yep I quite like the sound I'm getting with that pairing. I do pair the TC with speaker amp sometimes. But with the Milo Ref I seem to get a more enjoyable time.


----------



## ufospls2

Roasty said:


> Yep I quite like the sound I'm getting with that pairing. I do pair the TC with speaker amp sometimes. But with the Milo Ref I seem to get a more enjoyable time.




How are you enjoying the Kinki gear? I'm using my EX-M1 still when the boulder is in my speaker set up. 

Milo+TC is a great combo, the REF must take it to a better place.


----------



## Roasty

ufospls2 said:


> How are you enjoying the Kinki gear? I'm using my EX-M1 still when the boulder is in my speaker set up.
> 
> Milo+TC is a great combo, the REF must take it to a better place.



I like the pre and power units from kinki. No complaints, and am very happy with the sound I'm getting. Their build quality is an added plus too. I tried the ex-m1+ (borrowed from a friend) and it was also really very good.


----------



## arftech

Roasty said:


> Have a couple of friends coming over tomorrow for an afternoon listening session. Moved all my stuff out from the study to the lounge, so everyone can chill together and listen to 3 systems/headphones at one go. My wife said "u better remove all that s**t after tomorrow".


I’m sure you will.😂


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## cosplayerkyo

Roasty said:


> Have a couple of friends coming over tomorrow for an afternoon listening session. Moved all my stuff out from the study to the lounge, so everyone can chill together and listen to 3 systems/headphones at one go. My wife said "u better remove all that s**t after tomorrow".


Duuuude this is epic


----------



## BobG55

Silver Wolf said:


>


Love your signature Wolf.  I’m not the only “old, cranky person” on this site.😉


----------



## TheRH

Silver Wolf said:


> plus this below = enjoyment  .....who says you can't enjoy planars on tubes woohooo


What Aeons are these?


----------



## Silver Wolf

TheRH said:


> What Aeons are these?


Drop + DCA Aeon Open X


----------



## TheRH

How do you like the sub-bass and the mids on them?


----------



## whirlwind

BobG55 said:


> Love your signature Wolf.  I’m not the only “old, cranky person” on this site.😉


Put me in the club!


----------



## someguyontheinternet

ADI-2 DAC is getting serviced because of a defect. This setup also works well in terms of sound quality, but I'm missing the quick EQ and remote.


----------



## stevesterns

Big In Japan said:


> I don`t have to luxury of a dedicated head-fi space here, so it`s a some kind of all-in-one homeoffice/computer-stuff/music area.  Thought I share it anyway.
> 
> Normally there is a office chair of course but I have this ikea armchair I pull into reach of my headphone cables when listening to music exclusively
> 
> ...


What cable is that for your VCs? Love the setup!


----------



## Big In Japan

Thank you very much! 

It`s one of those in 2,5m length, so that I can use the armchair also with the VC  

: https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/product.php?id_product=81


----------



## Gavin C4

New amp combo from Ferrum arrives. It consists of the power supply unit Ferrum Hypsos and Amp section Ferrum OOR. Both unit look really nice with the glowing logo and small monitor. Matching glowing logo with the dCS DAC unit.

Out of the box, it already sounds great. However, I will let it run in for at least 100 hours to allow all  components fo stablize before intensive A B comparsion. Generally very sufficient amount of power for hard to drive planner, at the same time maintaining great control of all the power it is dishing out.

One thing that is really good about the amp is even it pushes out 8w into 60 omhs, plugging in sensitive IEMs to it is dead silent. With the volume nob at the lowest level, there are zero channel imbalance heard from the IEM. All I wish is the amp could come with an 4.4 mm output together with the XLR and 6.3.

The Ferrum Hypsos is only slightly warm when turnned on. But the Amp OOR is slightly on the warm to hot sides of things. It gets really warm to touch when it is on.


----------



## cgb3

Roasty said:


> Have a couple of friends coming over tomorrow for an afternoon listening session. Moved all my stuff out from the study to the lounge, so everyone can chill together and listen to 3 systems/headphones at one go. My wife said "u better remove all that s**t after tomorrow".


Wide angle lenses do alter reality.

I'm guessing one would need a pumpkin head to use the headphones on the far left.

Apoligies if you have a pumpkin head in-house.


----------



## Roasty

cgb3 said:


> Wide angle lenses do alter reality.
> 
> I'm guessing one would need a pumpkin head to use the headphones on the far left.
> 
> Apoligies if you have a pumpkin head in-house.



Apparently there are many pumpkin heads in this forum lol!


----------



## jonathan c

Roasty said:


> Apparently there are many pumpkin heads in this forum lol!


Time for “CanJam on Elm Street”?…Jason with JAR600?…


----------



## jonathan c

‘Valhallahorn’ has a play day…


----------



## lucasratmundo

May KTE + WA33 EE JPS + 1266 Phi TC = 👌


----------



## nasty nate

Added the Devialet Phantom in matte-black to the desk setup... it's very large but worth it ♠️ and the bass is incredible.


----------



## malocadi

Doing an extended stay at an Airbnb while we figure out where to settle down. Majority of my gear is tucked away in a storage unit many states away so I took my "mobile" set of the Shanling M8 and the Emypreans. At first I was skeptical but the M8 held its own quite surprisingly. Still, I longed for my desktop setup, missed my beloved ADI-2 FS. 

Didn't take long browsing Headfi where I discovered that Schiit had released updated versions of the magni/modi to my surprise. This was near and dear to me because this stack was my first foray into this silly hobby, powering an HD598 after almost dismissing the cans completely because of how bad the experience was listening on a plane ride ...sigh oh the naievity back then.

In any case, longing for a desktop setup I picked up the magnius and modius as an almost tribute to those simpler and less expensive times.


----------



## BobG55 (Sep 25, 2021)

malocadi said:


> Doing an extended stay at an Airbnb while we figure out where to settle down. Majority of my gear is tucked away in a storage unit many states away so I took my "mobile" set of the Shanling M8 and the Emypreans. At first I was skeptical but the M8 held its own quite surprisingly. Still, I longed for my desktop setup, missed my beloved ADI-2 FS.
> 
> Didn't take long browsing Headfi where I discovered that Schiit had released updated versions of the magni/modi to my surprise. This was near and dear to me because this stack was my first foray into this silly hobby, powering an HD598 after almost dismissing the cans completely because of how bad the experience was listening on a plane ride ...sigh oh the naievity back then.
> 
> In any case, longing for a desktop setup I picked up the magnius and modius as an almost tribute to those simpler and less expensive times.


For a second there I thought your phone was an eight track cartridge 😂.  Just shows you how old I am.  Nice set up BTW.


----------



## Steven31

Humble beginnings


----------



## Stevko




----------



## malocadi

BobG55 said:


> For a second there I thought your phone was an eight track cartridge 😂.  Just shows you how old I am.  Nice set up BTW.


That'd be cool, repurposed cartridge as digital music player.


----------



## jonathan c

malocadi said:


> That'd be cool, repurposed cartridge as digital music player.


Would you really want to hear ‘Slim Whitman Greatest Hits’ in digitised form ?


----------



## malocadi

jonathan c said:


> Would you really want to hear ‘Slim Whitman Greatest Hits’ in digitised form ?


I was thinking more along the lines of hollowed out 8 track with a pi zero inside and USB out to DAC.


----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> Would you really want to hear ‘Slim Whitman Greatest Hits’ in digitised form ?


Give you a nickel if you can tell me Slim's real name!  hehehe


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> Give you a nickel if you can tell me Slim's real name!  hehehe


Otis Dewey Whitman


----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> Otis Dewey Whitman


You take PayPal?


----------



## bcowen

Preachy1 said:


> You take PayPal?


That's his wife.  And almost as not attractive.


----------



## aleniola76




----------



## jadverkko




----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> You take PayPal?


Send a GEC 6AS7G and we can call it even 😜


----------



## malocadi

aleniola76 said:


>


I really wish I went in on the headband cozy with my clears. Those seem comfy to boot!


----------



## aleniola76

malocadi said:


> I really wish I went in on the headband cozy with my clears. Those seem comfy to boot!


they're comfy indeed, and the cover keeps the original headband clean...
I really don't know why Focal chosen this colour for their Clears, it is a stain magnet...


----------



## Steven31

Just moved into my first house and as i'm single I have a lounge and spare bedroom to dedicate entirely towards my passion; that is music, all things HiFi and TV. Going to setup an ebay business soon to help me raise the money to get the setup I want.


----------



## judomaniak57

Steven31 said:


> Just moved into my first house and as i'm single I have a lounge and spare bedroom to dedicate entirely towards my passion; that is music, all things HiFi and TV. Going to setup an ebay business soon to help me raise the money to get the setup I want.


enjoy the freedom while u can


----------



## E8ArmyDiver (Sep 27, 2021)

My new work rig.3m Worktunes Pro w/TaoTronic BT5.0 TX/RX double taped on(hahahah also 3m)....Noise attenuation is 23db.,plenty enough to mute the steel guys pounding & banging on girders going in or pretty much any loud noises on an Industrial construction project..
Sound quality is ok for what they are & a hell of a lot better than nothing or something shoved down the ear canal all day..
 There is a HUGE UNTAPPED MARKET here for someone like HFM,Audeze,Dan Clark or ZMF!!!!


----------



## Gavin C4 (Sep 27, 2021)

Recently there are lots of upstream gear added into the chain such as the Roon Nucleus and Ferrum Hyposos and OOR and also with a Lightspeed Power conditioner H1 in coming to replace a home standard poweroutlet. It will be placed at the bottom level of the rack. The Ferrum is really a headphone amp with great breakthrough. It suits my preference and philosophy that upstream gear should be neutral in signature and maintain TOTL detail and must contribute to the width and depth of the music.

What makes the Ferrum Hypsos and OOR really shine is the spaciousness and depth that you get from the music. The OOR does this by a very neutral presentation in the music, with all the instruments are presented equally in relative to each other. No instrument will pop up and be super eye catching. Nothing will cover up each other. At the same time, it will leave enough space between each instrument inside the stage.  The bass is presented in a neutral manner and it contributes a lot to the depth of the stage. While it maintains how the bass actually sounds in the music and not adds any extra punch, you can actually see the bass coming from a distance in front of you, instead of trying to add slam to make the music fun.

With all the above characteristics, the vocals in the music became the star of the day. Since all the instrument and bass is carefully placed in the wide and deep stage, the vocals are able to get your full attention. Don't get me wrong, the OOR does not do it like tube amps by adding some tube magic to the mids. Vocals on the OOR are very liquid and transparent. It is floating in the middle of the stage and this is especially true with you listen to the 1266tc.

Those of you who are lucky enough to visit camjam must give the Ferrum OOR a visit. It can definitely unleash the full potential of your headphone even for the 1266 tc.


----------



## jonathan c

An amazing combination: Audeze LCD-4 (200 ohm) & Woo WA2 OTL (Mullard EZ81, GEC CV2984, Brimar CV455 KB/FB _Footscray):

_


----------



## jonathan c

Steven31 said:


> Just moved into my first house and as i'm single I have a lounge and spare bedroom to dedicate entirely towards my passion; that is music, all things HiFi and TV. Going to setup an ebay business soon to help me raise the money to get the setup I want.


While you can, CRANK IT UP…


----------



## CJG888

jonathan c said:


> While you can, CRANK IT UP…


Exactly. At this stage, you probably don’t need to be faffing about with headphones. Yours is more of a Klipsch Cornwall use case…

😀


----------



## adeadcrab

aleniola76 said:


>


Darn, that must be one smooth listen...!


----------



## jonathan c

CJG888 said:


> Exactly. At this stage, you probably don’t need to be faffing about with headphones. Yours is more of a Klipsch Cornwall use case…
> 
> 😀


….and if you really save, it’s Klipsch La Scala time!….📢🎼🎵


----------



## CJG888

Just get the K-Horns. No compromises!


----------



## lumdicks

Here comes my new Kinki Studio Vision THR-1, will let it burn in a while and compare with my HPA4 and Conductor 3XR on Susvara and other cans.

Out of the box I am amazed by the power, warmth and smoothness, and at this price it is a steal for me already.


----------



## alekc

lumdicks said:


> Here comes my new Kinki Studio Vision THR-1, will let it burn in a while and compare with my HPA4 and Conductor 3XR on Susvara and other cans.
> 
> Out of the box I am amazed by the power, warmth and smoothness, and at this price it is a steal for me already.



@lumdicks congrats on great setup. As TT2 and HPA4 owner how would describe Conductor 3XR head amp section? I'm looking for a small headphone amp to one of my setups and I'm thinking about Soloist 3X. Please update us on THR-1 too. This amp looks very interesting indeed.


----------



## lumdicks (Sep 29, 2021)

alekc said:


> @lumdicks congrats on great setup. As TT2 and HPA4 owner how would describe Conductor 3XR head amp section? I'm looking for a small headphone amp to one of my setups and I'm thinking about Soloist 3X. Please update us on THR-1 too. This amp looks very interesting indeed.


Both Conductor and Kinki are having similar power and sound signature. I mainly using my Conductor with HPA4 as line amplifier and the sound is a bit on warm side, with good smoothness and good dynamic. The Kinki is also a warm sounding one but more neutral compared to Conductor. What amazed me on Kinki is it sounds like tube amp rather than a SS one, and the soundstage is more holographic even before burn in.

I think you will be happy with either Soloist or Kinki. I shall share more later as I have just listened to my Kinki for 30 minutes and the impression is very much a preliminary one.


----------



## alekc

lumdicks said:


> Both Conductor and Kinki are having similar power and sound signature. I mainly using my Conductor with HPA4 as line amplifier and the sound is a bit on warm side, with good smoothness and good dynamic. The Kinki is also a warm sounding one but more neutral compared to Conductor. What amazed me on Kinki is it sounds like tube amp rather than a SS one, and the soundstage is more holographic even before burn in.
> 
> I think you will be happy with either Soloist or Kinki. I shall share more later as I have just listened to my Kinki for 30 minutes and the impression is very much a preliminary one.


@lumdicks thank you for your initial impressions. Looking forward for full review, 30 minutes is definitively not long enough to learn all about sound signature.


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 29, 2021)

CJG888 said:


> Just get the K-Horns. No compromises!


There is no substitute for a Phil Spector - like “wall of sound”…and as Paul W. Klipsch used to say: “what this country needs is a _good_ five-watt amplifier”…


----------



## tomwoo

lumdicks said:


> Here comes my new Kinki Studio Vision THR-1, will let it burn in a while and compare with my HPA4 and Conductor 3XR on Susvara and other cans.
> 
> Out of the box I am amazed by the power, warmth and smoothness, and at this price it is a steal for me already.


I like the way how you arrange your equipments. They look awesome together!


----------



## judomaniak57

klipsch hp3 feeling neglected lately. still sound great


----------



## whitefang (Sep 30, 2021)

My GSX-mini finally arrived and filled in the blank space on my rack.
I like how they all happen to have volume knob in the center now.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

whitefang said:


> My GSX-mini finally arrived and filled in the blank space on my rack.
> I like how they all happen to have volume knob in the center now.


Indeed.
The volume knob thing is outstanding. ^^

Well calculated, I'd say.


----------



## David222

Top Deck --> Orchid MHDT w/ LM Ericsson --> Burson 3XP

Lower Deck --> Aune X8 w/ Burson V6 --> Hagerman Tuba w/ Ei Yugos


----------



## hemipowered007

Took a year or so off from headfi, never stopped the hunt for some gear though. Current rig (some of it)

Pioneer sx1010
Audio GD r2r11
Pioneer pl41 turntable
Fully refurbished KLH model 5 speakers
Hemipants HPS
Denon d2k modded hps.


----------



## DTgill

hemipowered007 said:


> Took a year or so off from headfi, never stopped the hunt for some gear though. Current rig (some of it)
> 
> Pioneer sx1010
> Audio GD r2r11
> ...


Nice!


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> An amazing combination: Audeze LCD-4 (200 ohm) & Woo WA2 OTL (Mullard EZ81, GEC CV2984, Brimar CV455 KB/FB



Did not know we have the same headphone on our heads.


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 2, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> Did not know we have the same headphone on our heads.


I just purchased these from another Head-Fier. I have been thinking about the high-Z LCD-4 with an OTL for some time. The Audeze LCD-5 intro / LCD-4 ‘outro’ announcement sprung me to action…
Edit:  I have been using RFT ECC81s after the CV455s…such clarity and expansive soundstage…kudos to @Wes S for the recommendation!


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> I just purchased these from another Head-Fier. I have been thinking about the high-Z LCD-4 with an OTL for some time. The Audeze LCD-5 intro / LCD-4 ‘outro’ announcement sprung me to action…



imo you'll not find a more satisfying night in your cave with the LCD4 and a tube amp with sufficient drive. Add to that your whisky or bourbon and put on some smokey blues and you're in Havana.


----------



## bcowen

hemipowered007 said:


> Took a year or so off from headfi, never stopped the hunt for some gear though. Current rig (some of it)
> 
> Pioneer sx1010
> Audio GD r2r11
> ...


Love the Pioneer SX!  Same vintage as my HK 730 (purchased in 1977).  I replaced the electrolytics and a couple of the front panel bulbs a few years ago, and almost 45 years later it still plays some nice tunes.  They just don't make things like they used to.


----------



## Preachy1

hemipowered007 said:


> Took a year or so off from headfi, never stopped the hunt for some gear though. Current rig (some of it)
> 
> Pioneer sx1010
> Audio GD r2r11
> ...


Really nice!  My first real piece of stereo gear was a Pioneer SX-424 (purchased in 1974 with all the money I made working a summer job!).  I later graduated to a Yamaha CR-1020 (1977).  Had that baby until about a year ago.  I finally had to give it an appropriate send-off.


----------



## j0val




----------



## TheRH

EDWARIS said:


>


Where did you get the Tiki head? I think it is awesome!


----------



## bcowen

TheRH said:


> Where did you get the Tiki head? I think it is awesome!


+1 on that.  Love it!


----------



## NickMimi

Sunday morning changeover for the next few weeks: Roon > Border Patrol SEI or LM32 > Pass HPA-1 or A&S OG Pendant.
The Pass is set-up to also work as a pre-for the A&S which allows me much better volume control and power for planars.
The Border Patrol doubles as a SPIDIF converter when i decide to use the Mac Book instead of the PI once in a while.
I feel like the PASS was a really great value since it does a very respectable job as a Pre-amp too. All pieces are relative in value to one another and offer a good sense of diverse SQ and capable performance.


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

The MHA-100 was good,damn good but this is a whole new level for me...


----------



## alekc

E8ArmyDiver said:


> The MHA-100 was good,damn good but this is a whole new level for me...


Have you compared MHA100 to MHA150? Is that AUDIO-GD R28?


----------



## E8ArmyDiver

alekc said:


> Have you compared MHA100 to MHA150? Is that AUDIO-GD R28?


Yes new R28 with about 135 hours now.No sorry never heard the MHA-150.


----------



## tomwoo (Oct 4, 2021)




----------



## Preachy1

As happy with my current setup(s) as I am (very happy), there are still a few pieces out there that I'd really like to try out.  That Phonitor for one, a couple of IFI products, as well as some of the Cayin units.  Oh well, in another lifetime, I guess.


----------



## jonathan c

Another foray into the State of Solid to mix in with vacuum tubing. The Flux Lab FA-22 has a Hifi Tuning Supreme fuse, is connected to the Mystique with Forza Audio Works Hybrid Noir XLR/XLRs. The Clear are connected also with FAW Hybrid Noir XLR cable. Kudos to Flux Lab and to Forza! A SS system that does not sound SS or “tubey”. With apologies to Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, my head “is alive with the sound of music”…


----------



## UntilThen

An old flame but still passionate ! There's something about a 300b amp.


----------



## piakoB

Added my Lyr back into the mix. Will be getting a Chord Qutest around Christmas. Schiit was nice enough to repair my busted power switch for free.


----------



## Steven31 (Oct 5, 2021)




----------



## betula




----------



## MatW




----------



## EDWARIS

TheRH said:


> Where did you get the Tiki head? I think it is awesome!


Hi! I have bought it in Moscow audio store Dr. Head. They said it was handmade by some religious group in Siberia. 

By the way my new system looks something like this:


----------



## Gavin C4

Really wanted to share some eye candy. Shout out to Norne Audio for such a high-quality and durable cable that I have been using for years. The color matching with the Ferrum Hypsos and Ferrum OOR combo is really lovely. With a touch of bronze color highlight in both the cable and the equipment. Really a heavenly matching pair and nice to watch.


----------



## jonathan c

Gavin C4 said:


> Really wanted to share some eye candy. Shout out to Norne Audio for such a high-quality and durable cable that I have been using for years. The color matching with the Ferrum Hypsos and Ferrum OOR combo is really lovely. With a touch of bronze color highlight in both the cable and the equipment. Really a heavenly matching pair and nice to watch.


‘Watch’ rather than ‘look at’? 🤔…what do they DO?…


----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> ‘Watch’ rather than ‘look at’? 🤔…what do they DO?…


LOL, you beat me to it!!!!!


----------



## FinalAd




----------



## judomaniak57

how do u like the dekoni pads. have them on my elear and found they improved the midrange and they are also comfortable


FinalAd said:


>


----------



## Wes S (Oct 7, 2021)

Current State - Just for fun, I swapped out the power cable on my Pendant SE from the Audioquest NRG-Z3 to a Pangea AC14SE MKII and I actually prefer the Pangea (less than half the cost of the Z3).  Synergy is everything in this hobby.


----------



## gibby

Until the Aeolus arrives.  Looking for a new Amp/DAC.  DX7 Pro???


----------



## MatW

jonathan c said:


> ‘Watch’ rather than ‘look at’? 🤔…what do they DO?…





Preachy1 said:


> LOL, you beat me to it!!!!!


Not everyone is a native English speaker, folks... Bear with us global citizens...  Or we can change to French or something. Would be fun too..


----------



## FinalAd

judomaniak57 said:


> how do u like the dekoni pads. have them on my elear and found they improved the midrange and they are also comfortable


I really like them with both the Clear MG and the Elex. They bring a more tactile bass response and they make the upper mids slightly smoother. The comfort is also top notch.


----------



## Preachy1

MatW said:


> Not everyone is a native English speaker, folks... Bear with us global citizens...  Or we can change to French or something. Would be fun too..


No offense intended, I can assure you!  All in fun.


----------



## Preachy1

gibby said:


> Until the Aeolus arrives.  Looking for a new Amp/DAC.  DX7 Pro???


Very interesting color combo.  What are these?


----------



## CJG888

gibby said:


> Until the Aeolus arrives.  Looking for a new Amp/DAC.  DX7 Pro???


I’m happy with my DX7 Pro…


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Current State - Just for fun, I swapped out the power cable on my Pendant SE from the Audioquest NRG-Z3 to a Pangea AC14SE MKII and I actually prefer the Pangea (less than half the cost of the Z3).  Synergy is everything in this hobby.


There are some really good products in the Pangea line. I especially like the True Balance Premier SE (special edition) XLR/XLR cable. Jay Victor’s credentials are impressive.


----------



## gibby

Preachy1 said:


> Very interesting color combo.  What are these?


SIVGA SV021 Classic Wooden Closed Back Wired Over-Ear Headphone (Rosewood)  I blame Zeos.​


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> There are some really good products in the Pangea line. I especially like the True Balance Premier SE (special edition) XLR/XLR cable. Jay Victor’s credentials are impressive.


Yes sir!  I have a set of those XLR/XLR as well, and they are fantastic.  Jay Victor designed with Cardas copper is a killer combo.


----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> Just for fun, I swapped out the power cable on my Pendant SE from the Audioquest NRG-Z3 to a Pangea AC14SE MKII and I actually prefer the Pangea (less than half the cost of the Z3). Synergy is everything in this hobby.


Which differences could you hear between the 2 cables?


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Yes sir!  I have a set of those XLR/XLR as well, and they are fantastic.  Jay Victor designed with Cardas copper is a killer combo.


Jay Victor has also designed for Clarus Cables…interesting…(but the Forza Hybrid Noirs are it…more on the way for the other h/p…):


----------



## Wes S (Oct 7, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> Jay Victor has also designed for Clarus Cables…interesting…(but the Forza Hybrid Noirs are it…more on the way for the other h/p…):


FAW Noirs are next for me, no doubt.


----------



## Wes S (Oct 7, 2021)

Zachik said:


> Which differences could you hear between the 2 cables?


The Pangea is more neutral top to bottom, compared to the warmer Audioquest NRG-Z3.  The Audioquest has stronger bass, and thicker lower mids, with the upper mids and highs being about the same on both.  I love the Audioquest with my more neutral sounding RH-5 and the Pangea with the slightly warmer Pendant SE.  The Pangea is a great cable that would work in any scenario and would be a great first cable upgrade due to the low cost.  The Audioquest has a tad more flavor and works better in certain situations.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Current State - Just for fun, I swapped out the power cable on my Pendant SE from the Audioquest NRG-Z3 to a Pangea AC14SE MKII and I actually prefer the Pangea (less than half the cost of the Z3).  Synergy is everything in this hobby.


That cable on the right looks an awful lot like a high-tech bolo tie...


----------



## Wes S

Pharmaboy said:


> That cable on the right looks an awful lot like a high-tech bolo tie...


A Norne made bolo could be cool. . .


----------



## Stourmead

Quick rearrange and a dust down, now using the Burson in 'headphone power amp mode' and the Hugo2 controlling the volume directly instead of guessing 'line out' as a deep blue.

Just sounds lush


----------



## Deolum

gibby said:


> Until the Aeolus arrives.  Looking for a new Amp/DAC.  DX7 Pro???


Looks like straight outta happy meal.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> A Norne made bolo could be cool. . .


"The first bolo tie that looks good _*and*_ sounds good!"


----------



## MatW




----------



## TheRH (Oct 12, 2021)

The new Amp/DAC and new Headphones.


----------



## Spawn300Z

On the Cruise with my Portable Hi-Fi Station


----------



## jonathan c

TheRH said:


> The new Amp/DAC and new Headphones.


Are you FaceTiming with @bcowen? 😳…


----------



## TheRH

That is Roon, and Roon art of Peter Gabriel.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

DIY DAC + Amp listening this morning with the classic


----------



## MisterMoJo

TheRH said:


> The new Amp/DAC and new Headphones.


Your wallet there looks a little lighter!


----------



## Whazzzup




----------



## 19844




----------



## DTgill

Whazzzup said:


>


Very nice setup what KEFs' are those?


----------



## Whazzzup (Oct 13, 2021)

don't remember, bookshelf computer speakers with there own internal DAC.....ahhh X300A


----------



## Pharmaboy (Oct 13, 2021)

_(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_

One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.

These speakers are borderline huge for a desktop system...and I doubt anyone but crazy me ever considered them for nearfield use. But I've had serial successes w/acoustic suspension designs in this desktop system, so gave them a shot.

*Punchline: *These big KEF's sound _amazing_ in this system. Their overall musical/organic sound character is ideal for my tastes; they play extremely well/clearly at low volumes (as acoustic suspension designs tend to do); and on the rare occasions when I crank them, they blow the house down. It doesn't hurt to have a JL Audio sub working <80 Hz + a powerful, good-sounding class D amp providing the power + the V281 as preamp + MHDT Labs Orchid/NOS DAC.

I love these speakers!


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Pharmaboy said:


> _(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_
> 
> One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.
> 
> ...



Those are some legendary speakers, haven't heard them myself, but have read great things.  Congrats!


----------



## Preachy1

TheRH said:


> That is Roon, and Roon art of Peter Gabriel.


Next, queue up some Steve Hackett and you're all set!!!!


----------



## cwoo

Pharmaboy said:


> _(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_
> 
> One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.
> 
> ...


This is the greatest home office setup I have seen in awhile.. Still rocking the square 15" NEC monitor.  The KEFs dwarf that little guy.  Obviously audio takes precedence in this office!


----------



## Pharmaboy

cwoo said:


> This is the greatest home office setup I have seen in awhile.. Still rocking the square 15" NEC monitor.  The KEFs dwarf that little guy.  Obviously audio takes precedence in this office!


Funny you'd think that's a 15" monitor (the perspective is misleading). Actually, that's a 20" NEC monitor. It's pretty big, yet the KEFs dwarf it. These are big speakers...

There's more audio in this home office than what you see in those pictures. To the left of the speakers, there's a 4 ft. side-board coming off the main desktop @90 degrees. On that side-board is a separate computer (15" laptop + 19" NEC monitor which, like its 20" neighbor, is trad 4 X 3 aspect ratio). I just swivel my chair to the left of the main desktop & work on this side-board system (all my work for past 9-10 yrs was on the side computer system).

There's an Audio GD DAC-19 DAC on a shelf under the side-board; it's fed signal by a Lush Phasure v1 USB cable from the laptop; then a 2M AQ Black Mamba cable feeds the DAC's output to a headphone amp. This side system is headphone only; I constantly rotate different amps in/out (currently it's the Liquid Carbon v2).


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> _(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_
> 
> One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.
> 
> ...


Given the design lineage of *K*ent *E*ngineering & *F*oundry and the personnel there who gained much experience at the BBC, using your KEFs as ‘near-field’ monitors on your desk is not a daft idea! 👍


----------



## DTgill

I saw a couple of peeps showing their KEF speakers, here's mine, love for nearfield!


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 13, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> _(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_
> 
> One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.
> 
> ...


👍👍 PS - we don’t excuse the home office disarray , we expect the home office disarray…😜🤪…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> 👍👍 PS - we don’t excuse the home office disarray , we expect the home office disarray…😜🤪…


You know it brother


----------



## CJG888

Pharmaboy said:


> _(pls excuse the awful picture quality & home office disarray)_
> 
> One of my biggest audio "wins" in 35+ years was picking up a vintage pair of KEF 2-ways, the KEF 103.2s, (sealed/acoustic suspension; 8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) ~6 months ago. These were hot stuff 35-40 years ago, very pricey for that time. I knew of them because I was hearing the bigger KEF floorstanders in audio salons and loving them.
> 
> ...


Yes, they are a bit like mid-sized LS3/5As…

Back in the day, their popularity was somewhat constrained by the availability of affordable high quality high power amplification. Class D changes all that. Maybe we should generally revisit the older KEF Reference Series models (e.g. 104ab).


----------



## Pharmaboy

CJG888 said:


> Yes, they are a bit like mid-sized LS3/5As…
> 
> Back in the day, their popularity was somewhat constrained by the availability of affordable high quality high power amplification. Class D changes all that. Maybe we should generally revisit the older KEF Reference Series models (e.g. 104ab).


Very true. If your goal is really light up the 103.2s, I'm guessing it would take 150+ watts with a strong power supply. That's typical of sealed/acoustic suspension designs: they don't need big power to play at moderate volumes, but they do need it to play moderately loud or even louder.

The speakers that were on this desktop before the KEFs were the rather amazing ATC SCM12 Pro's, a plain black box professional passive monitor with heavy engineering & pro audio expertise under the hood (proprietary ATC fabric tweeter + 6" mid/woofer with the heaviest magnet you can imagine). The ATCs were a sonic revelation; I knew going in that they would need real power to get going. I lucked out in a big way to find a gently used Wyred4Sound ST-500 Class D amp for sale. W4S approved my plan to stack the amp on its side to save space (otherwise I couldn't possibly fit it)--and I can see why they would approve that, since the amp basically puts out no detectable heat.

I had done a couple months' deep-dive research into class D amps (a real info cesspool, let me tell you--complete with insane pro & con opinions, comments flaming class D in general [and other comments], etc). Reviews of the ST-500 described it as slightly warm/dark, with great bass and a musical sound, top to bottom. The reviews were correct, and the ATCs took to that amp like a duck to water...just amazing sound, very resolving but not fatiguing. Just like the KEFs, the ATCs sound clear as a bell and musical at very low listening volumes.

Now the ATCs sit against a wall in the home office, probably wondering how come they were replaced. I'm still amazed how the KEFs just took over this system. Not sure what to do with ATCs beyond occasionally cycle them into the system to get reaquainted with their wonderful sound...


----------



## Rowethren

If KEFs current Reference Series is anything to go by the vintage one must be pretty decent too! They do need a fair wack of power though.


----------



## CJG888

Big heavy Bextrene cones and complex (but linear) crossovers. Back in the day, they would have found themselves on the end of a Quad 405 or A&R A60, and would have sounded- meh!


----------



## CJG888

Of course, KEF were sole suppliers of the LS3/5A drivers back then!


----------



## CJG888

I wonder how a pair of 101s sound on the end of a decent Class D amp. They are certainly cheaper than their BBC-endorsed sister model!


----------



## bcowen

CJG888 said:


> I wonder how a pair of 101s sound on the end of a *decent Class D amp*. They are certainly cheaper than their BBC-endorsed sister model!


This is a bit of an oxymoron...


----------



## gefski

Actually, there were some terrific amps back in the day that I owned or got to put lots of ear time into that drove some of these low sensitivity speakers (LS3/5A, DQ10) beautifully. GAS, Apt, bridged NADs, and I had an Amber Series 70 for several years that really sounded good and had an iron grip with only 70 wpc.


----------



## jonathan c

Headphones at rest before the next performance…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Headphones at rest before the next performance…


----------



## CJG888

gefski said:


> Actually, there were some terrific amps back in the day that I owned or got to put lots of ear time into that drove some of these low sensitivity speakers (LS3/5A, DQ10) beautifully. GAS, Apt, bridged NADs, and I had an Amber Series 70 for several years that really sounded good and had an iron grip with only 70 wpc.


Yes, there are always exceptions. But the majority of British solid-state integrated amps of the late 70s / early 80s were not exactly powerhouses!


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> Headphones at rest before the next performance…


You present quite a strong _case_ for owning / storing multiple top tier HP's! (see what I did there?)


----------



## CJG888

gefski said:


> Actually, there were some terrific amps back in the day that I owned or got to put lots of ear time into that drove some of these low sensitivity speakers (LS3/5A, DQ10) beautifully. GAS, Apt, bridged NADs, and I had an Amber Series 70 for several years that really sounded good and had an iron grip with only 70 wpc.


Oh, and 70WPC are plenty, as long as they are genuine (not “music power”, as they used to say back then), and backed up by a proper power supply.


----------



## Steven31 (Oct 15, 2021)

CJG888 said:


> Yes, there are always exceptions. But the majority of British solid-state integrated amps of the late 70s / early 80s were not exactly powerhouses!


Have you heard Linn amps? they are quite good (though can be expensive, well expensive to me at least, even second hand). I used to own a Linn LK140 power amp and it was very impressive indeed, designed in the late 80's and manufactured in the early 90's (the one I had was 23 years old when I bought it in 2013). I would use it with the Marantz CD5005 I had at that time, with some Mistral Bow 3 loudspeakers (I still have the speakers but they are gathering dust because I can't use them at the moment as I just moved house and have yet to get things sorted). These speakers are not very well known (even to the audiophile community) and have been in production for around 10 years or so, i'll provide a link for more information on them:
http://www.mistralaudio.com/en_product_view_602.html
Mistral Audio are a subsidised (wholly owned) branch of the luxury Canadian hifi manufacturer Napa Acoustics. I got the Bow 3 in 2012 for around £400 ($550 U.S.D) and at that price I was blown away by them. I consider them a bargain at that price. I think the warm, natural sound they produce is quite astonishing, to be honest. I have never tried them with a record player but I imagine they'd sound exceptional with one. 

Here they are,  gathering dust at the moment


----------



## CJG888

The Linn amps are excellent, but wouldn’t have been around to drive the 103s😀. The early Naim amps would, of course, and I suspect they would have made a fine match. Unfortunately, back in the day, Naim dealers tended to push customers into Linn speakers. The Sara was an interesting speaker, but far from neutral (and it didn’t really “do” imaging).


----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> Headphones at rest before the next performance…


While the hardcases are indeed pretty cool as marketing products, I think they are a bit overkill.  IMO, Focal really nails it with their Louis-Vuitton inspired cases.


----------



## CJG888

I think Sennheiser should provide Rimowa-style hard cases (HD600 and above)…

😁

Aluminium, of course…


----------



## Preachy1

CJG888 said:


> I think Sennheiser should provide Rimowa-style hard cases (HD600 and above)…
> 
> 😁
> 
> Aluminium, of course…


Not familiar with that brand, but I assume they are similar to the old school Halliburton cases?  I used to have one of those to store and transport my remote recording gear (remember the Sony TCD-5M >Sennheiser 421 combo?).  Yeah, I used to tape Dead shows.


----------



## betula

jonathan c said:


> Headphones at rest before the next performance…


When each listening session starts with an unboxing experience.


----------



## judomaniak57

Lots of reorganizing my set up today. Tube set up with cd player, used with senn 600hd only. sounds fantastic. Solid state side using stream music only. Focal stellia and elear, and klipsch hp3 used for headphones on this side.


----------



## DTgill (Oct 16, 2021)

One of many... The Mail lady delivered my IFI ZEN CAN


----------



## judomaniak57

Have not played this amp in a long time. enjoying the glow


----------



## JL Pettimore

2am hair metal listening session using my humble setup. Sounds great to me. Enjoying a vape and a sip or two.


----------



## snapple10

Cleaned up my desk


----------



## Pharmaboy (Oct 17, 2021)

bcowen said:


> This is a bit of an oxymoron...


I respectfully disagree.

After decades of owning various class AB solid state amps, as well as big transformer coupled tube amps, about 2 years ago I faced the need to somehow accommodate an amplifier in my crowded desktop system (up to that point I had used only powered monitors--now switching to passives). There was no room for even the most compact AB amps I knew of--and besides, compact AB amps are low power, and I needed real power for these passive monitors (ATC SCM12 Pro's, an acoustic suspension design). Thus began a months long binge of reading about class D amps.

It didn't take long to realize class D amps have a "story arc" worthy of a fairy tale: decades ago the early models sounded horrifying and earned a bad reputation that persists in the high end audio world (a lot of us are old f**ks capable of holding a sonic grudge forever). But in recent years a series of new class D amp modules (ICE, Hypex, Pascal, and most recently, GaN) have transformed the class D scene--as have the custom-designed and -manufactured input boards and power supplies that high end vendors utilize to squeeze the best sonics out of the stock amplifier modules.

So I found myself looking for a relatively recent vintage, gently used class D amplifier with solid reviews & a good reputation.

I ended up with a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500, a very compact & powerful stereo amp (ICE modules; 250 WPC/8 ohms & 500 WPC/4 ohms). I read a number of very positive user comments and audio reviews of this model, which was described as going against the typical class D sound profile (very low distortion, great bass, high transparency, but sometimes having less than full weight in lower mids and borderline bright upper mids & treble). The ST-500's sound was often described as musical, weighty in the bass, not bright or edgy, slightly dark. Because that pretty much sums up my desired sonic profile in all audio gear--and seemed especially promising in combination with the high-resolution, dynamic ATCs--I picked it up. The cherry on top was that W4S advised me it was OK to stand the amp on one side (necessary to save space...see photo below...the DAC changed since then), because its heat output is negligible (very true). So I bought it.

That ST-500 + my pair of gently used ATCs proved mind-blowing in every way. I've heard many decent 2-ways, but to have this powerhouse, high resolution (but still musical) set-up my nearfield system was pretty amazing. I since swapped out the ATCs for a vintage pair of KEF 103.2 2-way (also acoustic suspension), and once again am getting terrific sound. Note that acoustic suspension designs like these really gobble up power at higher volumes, but this amp never runs out.

In the old days I would've tested this amp in a full sized 2-channel system. I can no longer do that. But I can tell you that if this class D amp is riddled with sonic deficiences common to all class D designs...I'm not hearing it.


----------



## adeadcrab

Pharmaboy said:


> I respectfully disagree.
> 
> After decades of owning various class AB solid state amps, as well as big transformer coupled tube amps, about 2 years ago I faced the need to somehow accommodate an amplifier in my crowded desktop system (up to that point I had used only powered monitors--now switching to passives). There was no room for even the most compact AB amps I knew of--and besides, compact AB amps are low power, and I needed real power for these passive monitors (ATC SCM12 Pro's, an acoustic suspension design). Thus began a months long binge of reading about class D amps.
> 
> ...


What is that audio-gd device on the right? A switcher?


----------



## alekc

Pharmaboy said:


> I respectfully disagree.
> 
> After decades of owning various class AB solid state amps, as well as big transformer coupled tube amps, about 2 years ago I faced the need to somehow accommodate an amplifier in my crowded desktop system (up to that point I had used only powered monitors--now switching to passives). There was no room for even the most compact AB amps I knew of--and besides, compact AB amps are low power, and I needed real power for these passive monitors (ATC SCM12 Pro's, an acoustic suspension design). Thus began a months long binge of reading about class D amps.
> 
> ...


@Pharmaboy first of all congrats on great setup. Secondly I agree with your point of view and experience. I had a chance to listen to Mytek AMP and this is another great example of class D amp that is missing old class D drawbacks. If there are any I haven't heard them with right speakers matching. Audio hobby is full of myths that does not hold against current facts and products unfortunately. I guess dislike towards class D amps is one of them. On the other hand I was surprise how small - comparing to other class amps - Mytek AMP/AMP+ is. For those who value simplicity and space without compromising SQ this is also very important factor.


----------



## Pharmaboy

adeadcrab said:


> What is that audio-gd device on the right? A switcher?


That was the Audio GD NOS 19, Audio GD's non-oversampling design that uses PCM1704 chips. I sold it a couple years ago when I upgraded to another NOS DAC, the MHDT Labs Orchid. Both good DACs, but IMO the Orchid is better. 

Note that the DAC in my nearby side-system (which is headphone only) is Audio GD's longtime multibit design, the DAC-19.


----------



## Steven31

Thought I would give Sonarworks a try. I have never been a fan of such programs/software, I have never believed in E.Q-ing my headphones, I prefer to listen to their natural tonality, but this software is impressing me. It actually seems to work, without giving me the impression that it's just distorting the sound of my headphones. Its the free trial but I might buy it. I thought my Sennheiser HD206 was very close to neutral but according to this software it's not quite. I'm impressed. Looking forward to trying my Fostex TH500RP and AKG K702 with Sonarworks tomorrow.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Oct 17, 2021)

HD6XX pairing with the Ferrum OOR Hypsos stack. The HD6XX is really an all time easy listen. It performs so well when I want to shuffle through my Roon libary. It has an really stable performance for literally every genera of music. So smooth and slightly warm. Big guns are for intensive listening. 

Really enjoying the Roon experience, though it may cost a fortune. But it allows seamlessly intergrating my Tidal playlist libary with my local files libary. I could hit the radio button and it will randomly play music of the same genera from local and Tidal. Really great way to discover new music.


----------



## TheRH (Oct 18, 2021)

SPL Phonitor SE/ SPL DAC and Audeze LCD-2C.


----------



## TheRH

Any idea how long the 2C take to break in?


----------



## whirlwind

snapple10 said:


> Cleaned up my desk


I have the same two amps


----------



## lumdicks

Pretty done with my endgame currently with the arrival of Woo Audio WA22.


----------



## alekc

lumdicks said:


> Pretty done with my endgame currently with the arrival of Woo Audio WA22.


@lumdicks congrats on awesome setup. Could you tell a bit more about HTT2 sound signature change after adding mscaler and WA22 into the chain? Does WA22 background is really black?


----------



## lumdicks (Oct 19, 2021)

alekc said:


> @lumdicks congrats on awesome setup. Could you tell a bit more about HTT2 sound signature change after adding mscaler and WA22 into the chain? Does WA22 background is really black?


I got my TT2 with M Scaler together so have not experienced much on the change of addition of the latter. However, I have done some short testings by removing the M Scaler from the chain and for my genres of preference (acoustic, jazz, classical and vocals), the benefit of M Scaler is quite substantial in sound refinement, imaging and smoothness.

The WA22 is my first tube amp ever and I have just got it today so may need more time to share. But the first impression is really nice as it drives my Susvara and other cans beautifully, with very smooth, well extended sound and amazing imaging. With the stock tubes it is very silent and just very low hum with my Stellia, which will become less noticeable after the tubes heating up and the music starts.

May start some tube rolling later but overall it is a very good complement to my Benchmark HPA4 (perfectly neutral, colourless but not boring) and Kinki THR-1 (powerful, a bit warm, good dynamic and very analogue sounding).


----------



## stuck limo

Hafler HA75 tube headphone amp being fed by LH Labs Geek Pulse Signature Edition DAC. The amp has a Mullard NOS from 1958 or so in it. The amp is on loan from a friend.
























And a new chair. Ikea Poang leather set I got on the used market for 88 bucks.


----------



## Pharmaboy

stuck limo said:


> Hafler HA75 tube headphone amp being fed by LH Labs Geek Pulse Signature Edition DAC. The amp has a Mullard NOS from 1958 or so in it. The amp is on loan from a friend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I had the Hafler a couple years ago, but never tried rolling a buffer tube. How do you like the amp? Did the tube make a difference?

Also had a lovely pre-fazor LCD-2.1 headphone ~3 years ago. I'm guessing the LCD-2 + Hafler would be a great sounding combo...


----------



## stuck limo (Oct 19, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> I had the Hafler a couple years ago, but never tried rolling a buffer tube. How do you like the amp? Did the tube make a difference?
> 
> Also had a lovely pre-fazor LCD-2.1 headphone ~3 years ago. I'm guessing the LCD-2 + Hafler would be a great sounding combo...



The LCD 2.2 + Hafler amp is a really great combo. The original tube (not stock, another one I don't remember, I may update you with details) was decent but nothing mindblowing. However, the new Mullard is ahead of the original replacement in dimensionality, layering, soundstage. It's still warm but not overly and it still has plenty of detail. The amp is REALLY powerful and drives the headphones with zero issue with tons of headroom. The bass especially is really punchy and powerful. It adds a really nice lower end firm foundation. I haven't really used the internal DAC so I can't really comment on it. I heard it with a pair of Beyer T1 Gen 2 and wasn't overly impressed but it was serviceable.

Edit: original replacement tube pictured below.

I usually like the Focus Control to be around 11 or 12 on the dial. (see attached pic) It sounds the most "right" or natural to me on most headphones.

I would love to buy this amp but I don't see anything on the market. It appears this is a really hard amp to find since it's discontinued and probably sold in low quantities.


----------



## Wes S

Just installed the newly released Synergistic Research Purple fuse in my RH-5, and it's go time.


----------



## Preachy1 (Oct 20, 2021)

stuck limo said:


> The LCD 2.2 + Hafler amp is a really great combo. The original tube (not stock, another one I don't remember, I may update you with details) was decent but nothing mindblowing. However, the new Mullard is ahead of the original replacement in dimensionality, layering, soundstage. It's still warm but not overly and it still has plenty of detail. The amp is REALLY powerful and drives the headphones with zero issue with tons of headroom. The bass especially is really punchy and powerful. It adds a really nice lower end firm foundation. I haven't really used the internal DAC so I can't really comment on it. I heard it with a pair of Beyer T1 Gen 2 and wasn't overly impressed but it was serviceable.
> 
> Edit: original replacement tube pictured below.
> 
> ...


Question:  is this the updated version of the HA75?  It seems to lack the Focus level control.  If I’m not mistaken, the original version had multiple tubes, not just one. please correct me if I’m wrong!

edit/. Please disregard the comment about the Focus level control. Clearly my eyes were not, um, “focusing” properly on the image you posted!


----------



## u2u2




----------



## floydfan33 (Oct 20, 2021)

MacBook Air m1 > ifi Diablo > HD6XX


----------



## Pharmaboy

u2u2 said:


>



OK--I have to ask: how do you get green glow from tubes instead of the usual red? 

I'd simply assume you were using a filter, except the headphone in foreground appears to be a Focal color I recognize...


----------



## interweb-tech

Pharmaboy said:


> OK--I have to ask: how do you get green glow from tubes instead of the usual red?
> 
> I'd simply assume you were using a filter, except the headphone in foreground appears to be a Focal color I recognize...


All McIntosh glows green. I would assume it's done with LEDs.


----------



## FYFL

Blue meters and now, green glowing ( with LEDs) tubes is how McIntosh gets you. Lol


----------



## Pharmaboy

interweb-tech said:


> All McIntosh glows green. I would assume it's done with LEDs.


I guess the fact I never owned, or even saw McIntosh gear...kinda shows, huh?


----------



## meomap

interweb-tech said:


> All McIntosh glows green. I would assume it's done with LEDs.


Before Mc275 mkVI, no green LED.
Only red or dark amber from glowing tubes.

I have Mc275 MKV, red glowing tubes....
Only newer version started to have Green LED underneath tubes....


----------



## acroyear

This afternoon it's the 7hertz Timeless and a Cowon Plenue P2 mkii.


----------



## gibby

Anxiously waiting for Aeolus.  HD 600’s on my head.


----------



## Wes S

gibby said:


> Anxiously waiting for Aeolus.  HD 600’s on my head.


I see you are listening to some Punch Brothers, and that entire album is incredible.  You are in for a treat once you get your Aeolus, as that headphone really plays well with that album, and it's as if they were made for each other.  I listen to that album daily with my Atticus and can never get enough.  Fun times ahead . . .


----------



## OctavianH




----------



## atarione

Living room bookshelf...   Yamaha CX-630 (hooked up to Parasound HCA-750A and some B&W bookshelf speakers) and a Nikko NR-750 stereo receiver > Monitor Audio Silver S1 speakers and the old Magnavox CD player which sounds quite nice.. but I need to fix the CD tray not opening / closing on it's own right now.)   The headphone section on the Nikko and Yamaha are both pretty good for my needs and I am occassionally know to drag my DT770's (or something with long cable) out there for some late night listening.   there is a Yamaha DD turntable (YP-D6 circa 1977~) that I use mainly with these  and a Chromecast audio


----------



## atarione

in my office (home)   Sony ES Stack circa 1989~   TA-N77ES / TA-E77ESD/ 730ES tuner /700ES DD 3head tape deck (love this thing) and C75ES cd changer and a 2nd non ES N110 amp and a currently unused ES surround processor (SDP-777ES)/ Speakers Yamaha NS-344 10" 3-ways...   Pictured with my Fostex T50RP Mk3 headphones


----------



## MisterMoJo

atarione said:


> in my office (home)   Sony ES Stack circa 1989~   TA-N77ES / TA-E77ESD/ 730ES tuner /700ES DD 3head tape deck (love this thing) and C75ES cd changer and a 2nd non ES N110 amp and a currently unused ES surround processor (SDP-777ES)/ Speakers Yamaha NS-344 10" 3-ways...   Pictured with my Fostex T50RP Mk3 headphones


Great stuff!  Where do you buy your vintage (I presume) electronics?  Or have you had them for a while?


----------



## robo24

The little set up I use downstairs in my husband's office when I'm working down there. Put in a recommended RFT ECC82 foil getter in it and just using a cheapy DAC from an old iMac. I gifted him those and an HD700 when I first got into headphones and I have to say it sounds pretty amazing and the treble is inoffensive. It's got a hum, but still nice to know if I ever have to sell off my expensive gear I could learn to live with something much cheaper is still pretty great. Anyway, here's my low cost, unimpressive little set up which sounds great.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

My OTL just returned from its tour.  Getting to listen with my PCM56 DAC for the first with some ZMFs - really like the pairing


----------



## jonathan c

Traneing in the Laurel Mountains of Western Pennsylvania…


----------



## DTgill

Garage1217 6SN7 TO 5670
Psvane 6SN7-SE
Sounds Awesome!


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Garage1217 6SN7 TO 5670
> Psvane 6SN7-SE
> Sounds Awesome!


Where is the garage 1217 amp? Is it project ember?…🤔


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Where is the garage 1217 amp? Is it project ember?…🤔


Nope, it's just a tube adapter the Istanbul takes a 5670 tube. I wanted to try my Psvane 6SN7-SE in my Istanbul.


----------



## David222

DTgill said:


> Nope, it's just a tube adapter the Istanbul takes a 5670 tube. I wanted to try my Psvane 6SN7-SE in my Istanbul.



How do you like the 6SN7 compared to the Tesla ?


----------



## DTgill (Oct 22, 2021)

David222 said:


> How do you like the 6SN7 compared to the Tesla ?


It brings the midrange out a bit, and expands the stage, and adds a hint of distortion, I do like the way it sounds, but it's not a keeper... I just wanted to try my
Psvane 6SN7-SE in the Istanbul.

The Tesla is a bit more laid back than the Psvane.

With that said, the Istanbul was built with a 5670 type tube in mind.

Not every 6SN7 will sound good, I've had em' sound like shizza, some sound good like this one. I just like to roll em'


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## nepherte




----------



## David222

nepherte said:


>



Wow...Nice DAC !!!!  ...amps are cool too


----------



## nepherte

David222 said:


> Wow...Nice DAC !!!!  ...amps are cool too


Thanks. The Mola Mola + BHSE + SR-007A is my audio nirvana. I value each link in the chain as much as the others.


----------



## Steven31

The PS3: an over engineered masterpiece (imho). 48Khz playback and you can rip your entire cd library on to its hard drive at an unbelievable 352kbps. That’s higher than cd quality. So glad I still have my ps3, 10 years after I bought it it still works like new.


----------



## alekc

nepherte said:


>


@nepherte congrats on awesome setup! Would you be so kind and share some details about pairing with Mola Mola and differences between Headamp GS-X Mini and Blue Hawaii. Out of curiosity which colors are those two: polished or satin?


----------



## kimdeug

My bedroom setup


----------



## jonathan c

kimdeug said:


> My bedroom setup


Where do / how can you sleep?


----------



## kimdeug (Oct 24, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> Where do / how can you sleep?


Ha HA HA.

You are so right.
I need to sacrifice the  bed  for this.
So the queen size mattress lining against the wall on the other side of the room. And going on the floor for sleep.
My room is quite big 7x7=49 m(square) and this is a like my studio/office/man cave room, which placed on top of the double garage, which stays separately from the main house.
So, I can make a noise as much I want.
Recently (during the Covid lockdown) I have realised, that I start to sleep more here than at mine house.
My partner is not happy, but this is a catch ( you know what I mean)))

Regards,
Kim



jonathan c said:


> Where do / how can you sleep?


----------



## bcowen

kimdeug said:


> Ha HA HA.
> 
> You are so right.
> I need to sacrifice the  bed frame for this.
> ...


I applaud you for clearly having your priorities right.


----------



## kimdeug (Oct 23, 2021)

bcowen said:


> I applaud you for clearly having your priorities right.


Thank you my friend.

But this is a more safety reason than priority.
We have 3 small kids and they will destroy EVERYTHING!!
So, I have to move all my valuable/hobby stuff into the loft above the garage.

Regards,
Kim


----------



## nepherte

alekc said:


> @nepherte congrats on awesome setup! Would you be so kind and share some details about pairing with Mola Mola and differences between Headamp GS-X Mini and Blue Hawaii. Out of curiosity which colors are those two: polished or satin?


The colors of the face plates are polished blue and red. When I ordered the Blue Hawaii back in the day, satin wasn't an option, so when I got the Mini I went with polished as well for 'matching' purposes. If I had to start all over again, I would probably go for satin (colors seem a bit more vivid / saturated), but you can't go wrong either way.

Not sure if it make sense to compare the Blue Hawaii with the Mini. You can't compare them side-by-side as they cater for different headphones altogether (electrostats vs dynamics / planars). Both have excellent build quality, not just on the outside, but the inside as well (which matters to me).

There's something about these Stax headphones that delivers a magical combination of trebble, speed and resolution that I have yet to find with other headphones. The BHSE really brings out the best out of both the SR-009 and the SR-007, whereas with a Stax amplifier, for example, I find the trebble of the SR-009 too piercing.

I've had this itch to get back into non-electrostats and wanted an amplifier that would work with a majority of headphones. I've only just ended up getting the Mini, while previously owning its larger brother, the GS-X mk2 (a long time ago). The latter sounds dead-neutral whereas the former sounds more fun a tad more warm (but not too much). To my ears, between the two, there's no question which one to get these days.


----------



## Deceneu808




----------



## lumdicks




----------



## aroldan




----------



## Roasty

lumdicks said:


>



How are u liking the Kinki hp amp? Worth the money?


----------



## lumdicks

Roasty said:


> How are u liking the Kinki hp amp? Worth the money?


Indeed it is the most impressive solid state headphone amp that I have ever owned. Soundwise it is neutral with a bit warm, but given its amazing power output, its smoothness and analogue sound are unbelievable. I am using my WA22 as preamp and the Kniki as poweramp, and the combo drives all my headphones including Susvara heavenly.

It worths every penny and I whole-heartedly recommend it to all Susvara owners.


----------



## Roasty

lumdicks said:


> Indeed it is the most impressive solid state headphone amp that I have ever owned. Soundwise it is neutral with a bit warm, but given its amazing power output, its smoothness and analogue sound are unbelievable. I am using my WA22 as preamp and the Kniki as poweramp, and the combo drives all my headphones including Susvara heavenly.
> 
> It worths every penny and I whole-heartedly recommend it to all Susvara owners.



Thanks v much. 
I had tried to get a home demo, but oddly Kinki does not accommodate for it (even though the distributor is just a 20 min drive from me).


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Deceneu808 said:


>



Very nice line-up. And not saying it just because I have four of those headphones myself.  If you had to add a closed back, what would it be?


----------



## Deceneu808

CaptainFantastic said:


> Very nice line-up. And not saying it just because I have four of those headphones myself.  If you had to add a closed back, what would it be?


VC. November is around the corner


----------



## Whitigir

Night time !! 

Day time !!

300B !!  Or 2A3 !!


----------



## bcowen

Whitigir said:


> Night time !!
> 
> Day time !!
> 
> 300B !!  Or 2A3 !!


And not just any old 300B, mind you.  Nice!!!

And what about the 2A3's?  RCA's?


----------



## jonathan c

I am a _fortunate_ owner of Woo Audio WA6 (1st Gen) which can accept 6SN7s (CBS/Hytron 5692s below) with the stunning Woo adapters. 
The Mullard GZ34 is no slouch either. All told, musically convincing and enthralling with high-Z and low-Z headphones…🎼😄…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> I am a _fortunate_ owner of Woo Audio WA6 (1st Gen) which can accept 6SN7s (CBS/Hytron 5692s below) with the stunning Woo adapters.
> The Mullard GZ34 is no slouch either. All told, musically convincing and enthralling with high-Z and low-Z headphones…🎼😄…



Beautiful system! 

How do you like that Furman power conditioner?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful system!
> 
> How do you like that Furman power conditioner?


I have had it for a number of years; no component issues…I sense greater dynamic range, lower noise floor…certainly no hum issues with WA6…WA2…LTA MZ3…Designed by Garth Powell who now does all of Audioquest’s power/conditioning engineering.


----------



## DTgill (Oct 24, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> I am a _fortunate_ owner of Woo Audio WA6 (1st Gen) which can accept 6SN7s (CBS/Hytron 5692s below) with the stunning Woo adapters.
> The Mullard GZ34 is no slouch either. All told, musically convincing and enthralling with high-Z and low-Z headphones…🎼😄…


Are those 5692 tubes?
Very nice system!​


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Are those 5692 tubes?
> Very nice system!​


Thank you. Those are the “brown base” CBS/Hytron 5692.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Thank you. Those are the “brown base” CBS/Hytron 5692.


Awesome tubes!  They were my favorites in a number of different Cary Audio components.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Awesome tubes!  They were my favorites in a number of different Cary Audio components.


My favourite source for them has been Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio:  a bit $$$ but absolutely no issues!


----------



## gibby




----------



## jonathan c

gibby said:


>


Nice glowing profile!


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## jonathan c

Every so often, the listening corner is in a state of flux…


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> Every so often, the listening corner is in a state of flux…


Chet Baker is a good fit for state of flux. Even if he was often "amped up" with various substances man that cat could blow sweetly.


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 26, 2021)

LoryWiv said:


> Chet Baker is a good fit for state of flux. Even if he was often "amped up" with various substances man that cat could blow sweetly.


In fact, when Chet Baker was hired (after a three minute listen) by Charlie Parker for gigs in LA, Charlie Parker called Miles Davis saying that “there’s this white mfer out here who can outplay your a##”. It was right around then that Chet Baker met heroin…Charlie Parker was a user since age 16 (died at age 34).


----------



## Wes S

Current State - Just rolled in some Sylvania 6BQ5 Black Plates, and fired up the Pendant SE for a quick session.   

I love this amp!


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> Current State - Just rolled in some Sylvania 6BQ5 Black Plates, and fired up the Pendant SE for a quick session.
> 
> I love this amp!


Damn i would keep that amp around even if it didnt sound good, what a beauty


----------



## Wes S

judomaniak57 said:


> Damn i would keep that amp around even if it didnt sound good, what a beauty


LOL, and I hear ya!  I spend as much time admiring it as I do listening with it, and it sounds as good as it looks paired up with my Atticus.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Oct 26, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> In fact, when Chet Baker was hired (after a three minute listen) by Charlie Parker for gigs in LA, Charlie Parker called Miles Davis saying that “there’s this white mfer out here who can outplay your a##”. It was right around then that Chet Baker met heroin…Charlie Parker was a user since age 16 (died at age 34).


I never much cared for Chet's playing. It struck me as tuneful & pretty, but definitely inferior to Miles' playing in his intense '50s/'60's bands.

But I just heard some late-career Chet Baker music (1985, 3 years before his death) that have me rethinking this. It sounded so much better than his playing 30 years earlier when people were going crazy over him--with fuller, more soulful tone and longer lines in the solos. That doesn't even make sense, since Chet was a junkie to the end & had suffered violence to his face & teeth, had to relearn his embrochure, and so on (career ending events for a brass player).

I had avoided Chet's late career music because I assumed it must be low quality (junkie musicians don't usually get better with age). But I was wrong...


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 26, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> I never much cared for Chet's playing. It struck me as tuneful & pretty, but definitely inferior to Miles' playing in his intense '50s/'60's bands.
> 
> But I just heard some late-career Chet Baker music (1985, 3 years before his death) that have me rethinking this. It sounded so much better than his playing 30 years earlier when people were going crazy over him--with fuller, more soulful tone and longer lines in the solos. That doesn't even make sense, since Chet was a junkie to the end & had suffered violence to his face & teeth, had to relearn his embrochure, and so on (career ending events for a brass player).
> 
> I had avoided Chet's late career music because I assumed it must be low quality (junkie musicians don't usually get better with age). But I was wrong...


The CD that I was listening to ‘My Favourite Songs (The Last Great Concert)’ was recorded two weeks before his death (fall / push? from hotel window in Amsterdam). Chet Baker _really_ had chops that evening!


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> I never much cared for Chet's playing. It struck me as tuneful & pretty, but definitely inferior to Miles' playing in his intense '50s/'60's bands.
> 
> But I just heard some late-career Chet Baker music (1985, 3 years before his death) that have me rethinking this. It sounded so much better than his playing 30 years earlier when people were going crazy over him--with fuller, more soulful tone and longer lines in the solos. That doesn't even make sense, since Chet was a junkie to the end & had suffered violence to his face & teeth, had to relearn his embrochure, and so on (career ending events for a brass player).
> 
> I had avoided Chet's late career music because I assumed it must be low quality (junkie musicians don't usually get better with age). But I was wrong...


Have you heard his new album? I listened on iTunes and it didn't really move me.
I never got the appeal of Chet Baker.

In a similar category I have tons of Miles and love his stuff. I have been playing his new album to death!


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> Have you heard his new album? I listened on iTunes and it didn't really move me.
> I never got the appeal of Chet Baker.
> 
> In a similar category I have tons of Miles and love his stuff. I have been playing his new album to death!


I have not heard the new one


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> Have you heard his new album? I listened on iTunes and it didn't really move me.
> I never got the appeal of Chet Baker.
> 
> In a similar category I have tons of Miles and love his stuff. I have been playing his new album to death!


What's Chet's new (posthumous) album?

I saw Miles repeatedly all throughout his electric period, which lit me up like a Christmas tree for the rest of my life. So maybe I'm not impartial here. I already loved Miles' trad jazz, especially the modal stuff--but in the '70s that s**t got extremely real IMHO...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> Have you heard his new album? I listened on iTunes and it didn't really move me.
> I never got the appeal of Chet Baker.
> 
> In a similar category I have tons of Miles and love his stuff. I have been playing his new album to death!


Wait--Miles also has a new posthumous recording? What is it?


----------



## Shane D (Oct 26, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> What's Chet's new (posthumous) album?
> 
> I saw Miles repeatedly all throughout his electric period, which lit me up like a Christmas tree for the rest of my life. So maybe I'm not impartial here. I already loved Miles' trad jazz, especially the modal stuff--but in the '70s that s**t got extremely real IMHO...


The newest Chet album is: Chet in Paris: Everything Happens to Me - The Complete Barclay Recording, Vol. 2

Yes, that is all one title!


Meanwhile...Merci Miles! Live at Vienne is a concert in 1991, while he was in France to receive an award from the French gov't.
Miles, to me, is at or near his best!
I believe this is just a few months before his death.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> What's Chet's new (posthumous) album?
> 
> I saw Miles repeatedly all throughout his electric period, which lit me up like a Christmas tree for the rest of my life. So maybe I'm not impartial here. I already loved Miles' trad jazz, especially the modal stuff--but in the '70s that s**t got extremely real IMHO...


I do love the first quintet and second quintet repertoire. In A Silent Way, Bitches Brew…very fine too. To my thinking, the most “balls-out” trumpet playing by Miles, or by anyone, is the first track (“Right Off”) on Tribute to Jack Johnson….the air is filled with the ‘soundz’ of testosterone…🎺…


----------



## jonathan c

PS - all of the above is definitely on topic. The music IS the _raison d’etre_ for our head-fi stations…


----------



## betula




----------



## alekc

betula said:


>


I have Pro iCan and Soloist 3XP and I am wondering how do you find (if any) differences between iCan Siganture (in SS mode obviously)) and Burson? Considering how hot those two can get I wouldn't keep them running so close.


----------



## betula (Oct 28, 2021)

alekc said:


> I have Pro iCan and Soloist 3XP and I am wondering how do you find (if any) differences between iCan Siganture (in SS mode obviously)) and Burson? Considering how hot those two can get I wouldn't keep them running so close.


IMO some audiophiles can easily get paranoid when it comes to class-A amp heat. Class-A amps run hot and they are fine doing so. We shouldn't worry that much. 50-60 Celsius can still be ok.

I have just received the iFi Pro iCan Signature, so I wouldn't go into deep comparisons just yet but my superficial and very initial impressions are: the iCan has a fuller body pretty much equal dynamics and detail retrieval. The 3XP just sounds more organic even though it is 'lighter/thinner' in a way. They are very close but very different at the same time. (Mind I use super charger 3A with the 3XP.)

I love the more organic sound of the 3XP, but I also love the fuller and thicker sound of the iCan Pro Signature even though the subtle nuances are more audible on the 3XP for now. Macro dynamics seem better on the iFi  but micro dynamics, space and airiness better on the 3XP.
It is a tough choice and I need much more time to fairly evaluate these two amps. These really are only my very first impressions. A review is coming up in a few weeks with proper comparisons once I had a chance to dive deep into both audio approaches.

Edit: the amps were cramped together for the sake of a picture. Normally they are not this close to each other. (Even though IMO there is no harm in such proximity.)


----------



## hewlett168

A very small, but nice audio corner!

Stax SR-007 Mk2 with Blu-tack mod, SRM-353X and Denafrips Ares 2. I might or hope to one day add SR-009, but for now, this is lovely.


----------



## Whazzzup

I got a couple of those stax hp bags


----------



## jonathan c

hewlett168 said:


> A very small, but nice audio corner!
> 
> Stax SR-007 Mk2 with Blu-tack mod, SRM-353X and Denafrips Ares 2. I might or hope to one day add SR-009, but for now, this is lovely.


Nice little corner! And your gear footnote has the essence of HeadFism!  “(Temporary) Endgame” 😄😜…


----------



## hewlett168

jonathan c said:


> Nice little corner! And your gear footnote has the essence of HeadFism!  “(Temporary) Endgame” 😄😜…


After saying "This will be my last headphone" for so many times, it is mere self-reflection, possibly also induced by the people around me.


----------



## jonathan c

hewlett168 said:


> After saying "This will be my last headphone" for so many times, it is mere self-reflection, possibly also induced by the people around me.


Here’s a thought 🤔🤪…if you use/stay with closed-back headphones, you’ll not hear what others say as inducement…


----------



## hewlett168

jonathan c said:


> Here’s a thought 🤔🤪…if you use/stay with closed-back headphones, you’ll not hear what others say as inducement…


That would be possible, were it not that I would then have to listen the horror that closed-back headphones are...


----------



## jonathan c

hewlett168 said:


> That would be possible, were it not that I would then have to listen the horror that closed-back headphones are...


There are some excellent c/b headphones: Kennerton Gjallarhorn, Kennerton Rognir, ZMF  Verite Closed, ZMF Eikon…. I own several of these.


----------



## hewlett168

jonathan c said:


> There are some excellent c/b headphones: Kennerton Gjallarhorn, Kennerton Rognir, ZMF  Verite Closed, ZMF Eikon…. I own several of these.


I suppose it is a personal thing. To each his own.


----------



## Preachy1

judomaniak57 said:


> Damn i would keep that amp around even if it didnt sound good, what a beauty


Hah!  You took the words outta mine mouth.  I was going to say that it could sound l like doody and I'd still love it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Hah!  You took the words outta mine mouth.  I was going to say that it could sound l like doody and I'd still love it.


 OK, I have to ask--what does doody sound like?


----------



## Pharmaboy (Oct 26, 2021)

hewlett168 said:


> After saying "This will be my last headphone" for so many times, it is mere self-reflection, possibly also induced by the people around me.


Well said!

Friends & loved ones generally appreciate sanity & predictability from us. They're less happy when they get compulsion and audio mania...

I generally defend myself saying things like, "At least I'm not out robbing liquor stores or gambling away my retirement savings." So far, that's still true.


----------



## hewlett168

Pharmaboy said:


> Well said!
> 
> Friends & loved ones generally appreciate sanity & predictability from us. They're less happy when they get compulsion and audio mania...
> 
> I generally defend myself saying things like, "At least I'm not out robbing liquor stores or gambling away my retirement savings." So far, that's still true.


I usually buy second-hand, so my common defense is: "if I do not like it, I can always sell it." This gives great flexibility, allowing one-self to try a wide arrange of gear, to find your sweetspot, but I also see it as a curse: having an easy way out creates a lack of commitment.

I remember my first, truly high-end headphone that I bought, the Rosson Audio Design Rad-0. Buying it was so expensive and the product to me seemed very niche, I thought I would not be able to sell it for at least some years. That was last March, so you can see how that turned out... Point still is, I enjoyed that headphone like no other, simply because I was fully committed to it.


----------



## Terco

- Denafrips Ares 2 > SMSL SA300 > Elac UB52
- Topping D90 > Schiit Lokius > Topping A90 > Audeze LCD 5 & LCD X 2021

The xDuoo 604 sometimes I use it with the Denafrips and the Audeze LCD X


----------



## xtiva (Oct 29, 2021)

Just downgraded my DAC from Denafrips Terminator to Aqua La Voce but soundwise, I seem to like La Voce more personally... also it now color matches, all black theme


----------



## Big In Japan

Terco said:


> - Denafrips Ares 2 > SMSL SA300 > Elac UB52
> - Topping D90 > Schiit Lokius > Topping A90 > Audeze LCD 5 & LCD X 2021
> 
> The xDuoo 604 sometimes I use it with the Denafrips and the Audeze LCD X


Congratulations to your LCD-5s! But isn`t the monitor far too high to work with it from an ergonomical standpoint?


----------



## Terco

Big In Japan said:


> Congratulations to your LCD-5s! But isn`t the monitor far too high to work with it from an ergonomical standpoint?



Thanks! The monitors are tilt down a bit.


----------



## Dr_Hibbert




----------



## Big In Japan

Terco said:


> Thanks! The monitors are tilt down a bit.


Hi again, I actually ment the computer-monitor / iMac  It looks like it might be a bit inconvenient to work with the screen so high up. BTW: Very cool photos on your website!


----------



## dnd3241




----------



## Lvivske

Gave both the Valhalla and Rebel knob upgrades, much big improvement to dynamics


----------



## jonathan c

Lvivske said:


> Gave both the Valhalla and Rebel knob upgrades, much big improvement to dynamics


Does the Valhalla FR graph have to be plotted versus the y-axis?


----------



## Lvivske

jonathan c said:


> Does the Valhalla FR graph have to be plotted versus the y-axis?



yes, it's in the manual, someone on ASR uploaded the pdf

this feels weird:


----------



## DeweyCH

My vintage stereo stack. Was listening to CDs here earlier.

Turntable: Sony PS-X600
CD player: Teac CD-P650
Preamp: Luxman TP-117
Receiver: Luxman R-117
Speakers: KEF 103.2
Headphones 1: AKG K340 hybrid dynamic/electret
Headphones 2: Yamaha YH-2 orthodynamic


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> My vintage stereo stack. Was listening to CDs here earlier.
> 
> Turntable: Sony PS-X600
> CD player: Teac CD-P650
> ...


I have the same speakers. Believe it or not, I use them in a nearfield/desktop system, and they're amazing.


----------



## DeweyCH

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the same speakers. Believe it or not, I use them in a nearfield/desktop system, and they're amazing.


They're great speakers, but so damned hard to drive. What are you using as a source for them?


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> They're great speakers, but so damned hard to drive. What are you using as a source for them?


All acoustic suspension speakers gobble power, but IMO they're worth it sonically (this is my 4th pair of acoustic suspension speakers, and the best).

My system consists of:

MHDT Labs NOS DAC
Violectric V281 as system amp/headphone amp
Marchand XM66 crossover with variable crossover
Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 class D amp (250 WPC/8 ohms; 500 WPC/4 ohms)
KEF 103.2s (with 5-way binding posts)
JL Audio e110 sub


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I have the same speakers. Believe it or not, I use them in a nearfield/desktop system, and they're amazing.


The BBC —> KEF lineage in terms of personnel and loudspeaker design is conducive to ‘nearfield’ use.


----------



## DTgill

Pharmaboy said:


> All acoustic suspension speakers gobble power, but IMO they're worth it sonically (this is my 4th pair of acoustic suspension speakers, and the best).
> 
> My system consists of:
> 
> MHDT Labs NOS DAC


Which one do you own?


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> Which one do you own?


Oh, sorry--it's the Orchid. I asked the U.S. distributor to mod mine by adding a 2nd RCA output pair on the back. That makes the DAC very useful to me, able to feed signal to 2 headphone amps at a time (one also a preamp).

I also rolled buffer tubes until I got the right one. Amazing sound.

It's a complicated system...


----------



## CJG888

As I mentioned elsewhere: now that we have good, cheap class D power, it’s time to start re-assessing some of those 70s speakers…


----------



## jonathan c

CJG888 said:


> As I mentioned elsewhere: now that we have good, cheap class D power, it’s time to start re-assessing some of those 70s speakers…


It’s time to double-stack Snell A….😜….


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## atarione

It was a lot of work and i am pretty sure I absolutely hosed my back ... but redid my desk and swapped one of the receivers on my desk, had to clean the various switches / pots on both of these... The SX-3600 is sounding very great with these JBL L1's here right now.. The SX-450 is powering some NHT SuperZero's and a NHT passive sub woofer...   I am listening to some Japanese Citypop on the SX-3600 now with JBL L1's and it is fantastic ... speakers cost $40 and receiver cost $60 can't really complain for $100~ the sx-3600 manages to drive these Fostex T50RP's as well.. which is good My creek OBH-11 and DV336 are both useless with these planar fostex headphones.. 

For my part people can have my 70s/ 80s / 90s speakers when they pry them from my cold dead hands.. =p


----------



## jonathan c

atarione said:


> It was a lot of work and i am pretty sure I absolutely hosed my back ... but redid my desk and swapped one of the receivers on my desk, had to clean the various switches / pots on both of these... The SX-3600 is sounding very great with these JBL L1's here right now.. The SX-450 is powering some NHT SuperZero's and a NHT passive sub woofer...   I am listening to some Japanese Citypop on the SX-3600 now with JBL L1's and it is fantastic ... speakers cost $40 and receiver cost $60 can't really complain for $100~ the sx-3600 manages to drive these Fostex T50RP's as well.. which is good My creek OBH-11 and DV336 are both useless with these planar fostex headphones..
> 
> For my part people can have my 70s/ 80s / 90s speakers when they pry them from my cold dead hands.. =p


Impressive!...as for prying the Carlsberg…?


----------



## atarione

jonathan c said:


> Impressive!...as for prying the Carlsberg…?


adds bass to the listening experience... placement is key... hence the large mouse pad.. =p   also $14~ at Total Wine (12pk) ... well worth the investment for improved bass response.


----------



## CJG888

jonathan c said:


> It’s time to double-stack Snell A….😜….


The Snell Type A are a cinch to drive. The best sound I ever heard out of those was back at the Bristol Show in the mid-80s. Source was a CD transport (can’t remember which one) into a prototype Audio Note NOS tube DAC and an early AN Kit One (300B SET) stuffed with “designer” components…


----------



## Stourmead

jonathan c said:


>


How's the CD ? I've been thinking about that particular one for a while


----------



## ChijiroKuro

Greetings from Spain.
The LCD-5s were loaned to me to test last weekend, they are wonderful.




I still enjoy my LCD-4 but the LCD-5 may have a good place at home, they will complement each other perfectly as they make good friends.


----------



## CJG888

Stourmead said:


> How's the CD ? I've been thinking about that particular one for a while


I’m always a little concerned about slot-loaders scratching discs…


----------



## SalR406

CJG888 said:


> I’m always a little concerned about slot-loaders scratching discs…


A valid concern.  Many discs in my collection are scratched because I noticed too late in the ripping process that my slot-loader drive was damaging them.  Not horrible scratches, but certainly noticeable .  I immediately switched to a tray-loader and haven't had any scratching problems since.  (Sorry, this is off-topic for this thread.)


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 29, 2021)

Stourmead said:


> How's the CD ? I've been thinking about that particular one for a while


Wonderful! Quiet, reads discs perfectly, 100% reliable, detailed retrieval of disc information. In a difference from @CJG888, I prefer the slot-loading CD transports: less potential vibration from ‘tray clatter’ to affect disc reading. In all, “Five-Star” in my book. (I have owned this for a bit over three years.)


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## TooFrank

snapple10 said:


> Cleaned up my desk


Looks sooo clean - suppose you do not much paper work Congrats


----------



## jonathan c

TooFrank said:


> Looks sooo clean - suppose you do not much paper work Congrats


Too many distractions!!…


----------



## TooFrank

jonathan c said:


> I have had it for a number of years; no component issues…I sense greater dynamic range, lower noise floor…certainly no hum issues with WA6…WA2…LTA MZ3…Designed by Garth Powell who now does all of Audioquest’s power/conditioning engineering.


How come that you've had this system for a number of years? - Folks here appear to change ever so often - endgame doesn't seem to exist - just joking, good point to be happy....


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 29, 2021)

TooFrank said:


> How come that you've had this system for a number of years? - Folks here appear to change ever so often - endgame doesn't seem to exist - just joking, good point to be happy....


I have a few different headphone amplifiers / headphones that I use/rotate. But the CD / DAC arrangement will not change. I went TOTL for that part of the chain - “one and done”. My thought then and now is “get the best source possible”. I have never regretted that. 😄


----------



## TooFrank

jonathan c said:


> I have a few different headphone amplifiers / headphones that I use/rotate. But the CD / DAC arrangement will not change. I went TOTL for that part of the chain - “one and done”. My thought then and now is “get the best source possible”. I have never regretted that. 😄


Good point. I have owned and appreciated the ifi iDSD pro for a while, and now has been tempted by a relatively good price (1kUSD) of a second hand ifi pro ICAN amp. Would it be worth it?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

TooFrank said:


> Good point. I have owned and appreciated the ifi iDSD pro for a while, and now has been tempted by a relatively good price (1kUSD) of a second hand ifi pro ICAN amp. Would it be worth it?


Go for it.
You won't regret, for sure.


----------



## alekc

TooFrank said:


> Good point. I have owned and appreciated the ifi iDSD pro for a while, and now has been tempted by a relatively good price (1kUSD) of a second hand ifi pro ICAN amp. Would it be worth it?


@TooFrank I would say go for it if you accept the price and like ifi house sound. Pro iCan is a great add on for iDSD and at 1k I guess you could find very few amps that could compete unless you would like some THX implementation. However keep in mind that difference between SS/Tube/Tube+ modes are not night and day. 3d and Xbass can be great feature for some recordings/cans but I feel there is a kind of sound slowdown.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CJG888 said:


> The Snell Type A are a cinch to drive. The best sound I ever heard out of those was back at the Bristol Show in the mid-80s. Source was a CD transport (can’t remember which one) into a prototype Audio Note NOS tube DAC and an early AN Kit One (300B SET) stuffed with “designer” components…


I heard a few Snells back in the mid-'80s when I made the rounds of audio salons in the northeast and midwest. I briefly thought of buying their big speaker if/when it came up F.S. used, which didn't happen in my timeframe, so went with Vandersteen 4As (amazing).

It was sad to see the Snell brand essentially vanish in high-end circles following the untimely death of Peter Snell. I know the company kept going in other ways, but it would be years before the name was seen at audio shows again.


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


>


I love that album


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> I love that album



Me too ! Now may buy the Pulse album.


----------



## bcowen (Oct 30, 2021)

jonathan c said:


> It’s time to double-stack Snell A….😜….


LOL!  Snell E-3's were my very first "hi end" speakers.  Loved them. As with all of Voeck's designs, they got the PRaT thing right.  They were replaced with Snell C-4's, then C-5's, then....nevermind (the list would be TL;DR). 

(not my pic...)


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


>


I'm pleased to see you're actually cleaning your stylus now.


----------



## tjdub




----------



## tjdub




----------



## UntilThen

Not my place.  I was at Addicted To Audio yesterday to audition Audeze LCD5 and CRBN. I wish it was not just 30 mins but that was all the time I was allocated and I have the whole room to myself with the door closed.  LCD5 was on my head that's why you don't see it in the picture. Z10e electrostatic headphone / integrated amp driving the CRBN and Naim Uniti Atom driving the LCD5.


----------



## Shane D

TooFrank said:


> Good point. I have owned and appreciated the ifi iDSD pro for a while, and now has been tempted by a relatively good price (1kUSD) of a second hand ifi pro ICAN amp. Would it be worth it?


The Pro iCAN is a work of art and can drive anything. And the wide array of options is very cool.


----------



## Preachy1

ChijiroKuro said:


> Greetings from Spain.
> The LCD-5s were loaned to me to test last weekend, they are wonderful.
> 
> 
> ...


Rockin' some King Crimson, are we?


----------



## SalR406

UntilThen said:


> Not my place.  I was at Addicted To Audio yesterday to audition Audeze LCD5 and CRBN. I wish it was not just 30 mins but that was all the time I was allocated and I have the whole room to myself with the door closed.  LCD5 was on my head that's why you don't see it in the picture. Z10e electrostatic headphone / integrated amp driving the CRBN and Naim Uniti Atom driving the LCD5.


Love the Sopras.  They would be my go-to speakers if I had the space for a proper stereo setup.  And this choice of finish is very sharp looking.  (Though I would be tempted by the orange - just because.)


----------



## UntilThen

SalR406 said:


> Love the Sopras.  They would be my go-to speakers if I had the space for a proper stereo setup.  And this choice of finish is very sharp looking.  (Though I would be tempted by the orange - just because.)



The whole shop is filled with Focal and Naim gear but I have only eyes and ears on the Audezes .... and the amps driving them. I just found out that the LTA Z10e drives dynamic, planar and electrostatic headphones and they have EL84 tubes in them. They have speakers out too with 12 watts. The Naim Uniti Atom is a compact nice sounding amp.

Never get the chance to listen to the Sopras.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> I'm pleased to see you're actually cleaning your stylus now.



Wait till you see my high fidelity camel hair brush.


----------



## ChijiroKuro

Preachy1 said:


> Rockin' some King Crimson, are we?


OUH YEAH!!!  LCD-5 and all kind of Music!!!!


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Wait till you see my high fidelity camel hair brush.


A lot of good that does when you let little people walk all over your LP's.  Just sayin'.


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> Not my place.  I was at Addicted To Audio yesterday to audition Audeze LCD5 and CRBN. I wish it was not just 30 mins but that was all the time I was allocated and I have the whole room to myself with the door closed.  LCD5 was on my head that's why you don't see it in the picture. Z10e electrostatic headphone / integrated amp driving the CRBN and Naim Uniti Atom driving the LCD5.


Would love to spens a few hours in there myself.....like maybe 10!


----------



## ufospls2 (Oct 31, 2021)

This is my current set up. Enjoying the Empyreans quite a lot as an easy to drive option (they work very well from the iFi HipDAC V2.)


----------



## atarione

Sony Discman  D-131(Japan Sept 1994) and removable cable mod Sony MDR-V6's (Steve Miller band - Greatest Hits)


----------



## judomaniak57

atarione said:


> Sony Discman  D-131(Japan Sept 1994) and removable cable mod Sony MDR-V6's (Steve Miller band - Greatest Hits)


that is awesome, 27 years old and the discman still runs.


----------



## Curtisvill

I am very pleased with how everything is sounding. Roon Nuc ->Sonnet Hermès->Sonnet Morpheus->1101 Audio White Dwarf, 1101 Audio power conditioner. Headphone choice depending on the genres of music I am listening to, the Meze Elites I am absolutely loving right now.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Nov 1, 2021)

atarione said:


> Sony Discman  D-131(Japan Sept 1994) and removable cable mod Sony MDR-V6's (Steve Miller band - Greatest Hits)


I've had a series of Sony discman players over the past 30+ years. When portable CD players became scarce ~13 yrs ago, I snapped up 3 of the last Sony portables I could find. Still using #2 in my daily walk.

Some people find this pretty amusing. I find it helps to not give a rat's ass about what people think...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Curtisvill said:


> I am very pleased with how everything is sounding. Roon Nuc ->Sonnet Hermès->Sonnet Morpheus->1101 Audio White Dwarf, 1101 Audio power conditioner. Headphone choice depending on the genres of music I am listening to, the Meze Elites I am absolutely loving right now.


Nice gear and nice wood. Did you make the table & shelves yourself?


----------



## Wes S

Curtisvill said:


> I am very pleased with how everything is sounding. Roon Nuc ->Sonnet Hermès->Sonnet Morpheus->1101 Audio White Dwarf, 1101 Audio power conditioner. Headphone choice depending on the genres of music I am listening to, the Meze Elites I am absolutely loving right now.


Awesome setup man!


----------



## Curtisvill

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice gear and nice wood. Did you make the table & shelves yourself?


I wish I had the skills to make furniture like that. The table is Gustav Stickley and the rack I purchased from Aliexpress.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Nov 1, 2021)

(deleted post)


----------



## atarione

So inadvertent portable CD player Shootout occurred... I have a Sony D-2 (japan 1988 (i think the last number of the year is illegible)...  and a 1993 Panasonic SL-S150... well perhaps a not surprising verdict is the D-2 > D131 > SL-S150   ...

In my listening the D-2 has the best bass response and clarity , imagining..etc ..    D-131 is pretty good but the D-2 sounds better.    The Panasonic SL-S150 may need cleaning / TLC??... but it is not my favorite at all, even with the XBS off the bass is boomy / muddled with the XBS on it was un-listenable (imho).

TL: DR get a D-2 of these 3 at least.     Amussingly it isn't the same unit but I had a SL-S150 back in the 90s my cat broke it in about 1995 as I recall..     But yeah this is my listening space tonight just messing around with 30~ year old portable cd players.. could be worse.. I am actually quite enjoying the D-2.








ummm the headphone section of this Sony C75ES cd changer... is pretty legit.. put the portables away and put my headphones on with this ES changer.. YES.. it is quite good.


----------



## Pharmaboy

atarione said:


> So inadvertent portable CD player Shootout occurred... I have a Sony D-2 (japan 1988 (i think the last number of the year is illegible)...  and a 1993 Panasonic SL-S150... well perhaps a not surprising verdict is the D-2 > D131 > SL-S150   ...
> 
> In my listening the D-2 has the best bass response and clarity , imagining..etc ..    D-131 is pretty good but the D-2 sounds better.    The Panasonic SL-S150 may need cleaning / TLC??... but it is not my favorite at all, even with the XBS off the bass is boomy / muddled with the XBS on it was un-listenable (imho).
> 
> ...


I had a wonderful-sounding Onkyo portable CD player in 1999 (can't recall model). It was stolen from my office in NYC, which forced me to start using Sony portable CD players, which were more easily obtained at retail stores I frequented. 

I found Sony CD players to have excellent bass & dynamics, with a straightforward sound otherwise. Not bright or edgy, but also not warm to any degree. The Onkyo player had nice bass (though not quite as authoritative as Sony's) but otherwise was noticeably more musical/euphonic. I missed that Onkyo player for a long time...


----------



## xtiva

Curtisvill said:


> I wish I had the skills to make furniture like that. The table is Gustav Stickley and the rack I purchased from Aliexpress.



Love your Shelf... been looking something like this as well for my desktop setup.. currently doing away with DIY shelf using IKEA chopping board but if you don't mind, could you let me what your shelf is or share the link to site?

awesome setup too


----------



## shampoosuicide




----------



## EDWARIS

Verite - HE1000se - Diana V2 + Viva Egoista/Rockna/Antipodes..


----------



## No Disc

Newly installed shelves for headphone setup. The shelves were not deep enough to put the power regenerator in normal orientation so on it's side was what I had to go with.  Dussun X600 power regenerator powering the Cayin HA-1A MK2 Headphone amp.


----------



## Curtisvill

xtiva said:


> Love your Shelf... been looking something like this as well for my desktop setup.. currently doing away with DIY shelf using IKEA chopping board but if you don't mind, could you let me what your shelf is or share the link to site?
> 
> awesome setup too


Thank you, it has been a fun journey getting to this point.  This is the rack I purchased from Aliexpress.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Curtisvill said:


> Thank you, it has been a fun journey getting to this point.  This is the rack I purchased from Aliexpress.



How are you liking that rack? Does it feel nice and solid, it sits level? I understand it's made out of a wood composite.


----------



## Curtisvill

CaptainFantastic said:


> How are you liking that rack? Does it feel nice and solid, it sits level? I understand it's made out of a wood composite.


The rack is fine and does the job it is intended to do, you get what you pay for.  You can level the rack by adjusting the feet.  The rack is stable and sits solidly on the table.  It was the only rack I was able to find to fit my needs, and for the price, I would purchase again if I needed another small rack.  Hope that helps.


----------



## everyusername

There are some absolutely divine setups in this thread! Thanks all for sharing. 

Here's my desk setup:





And portable setup:


----------



## SalR406

everyusername said:


> There are some absolutely divine setups in this thread! Thanks all for sharing.
> 
> Here's my desk setup:
> 
> ...


I used to use that JDS Labs headphone amp.  Fantastic piece and remarkable for the cost.  I loved the large volume knob.


----------



## piakoB

Got my Woo Audio headphone stand in the mail today. Really high quality all aluminum build. Getting the Chord Qutest for Christmas and next year probably in February will probably pick up a pair of LCD-X.


----------



## jonathan c

piakoB said:


> Got my Woo Audio headphone stand in the mail today. Really high quality all aluminum build. Getting the Chord Qutest for Christmas and next year probably in February will probably pick up a pair of LCD-X.


Nice setup! Q: One or two LCD-X 😜🤪?


----------



## nordkapp




----------



## piakoB

jonathan c said:


> Nice setup! Q: One or two LCD-X 😜🤪?


Funny. Just one. I have been looking at others as well such as the 800S, 2C, Arya, RS1e. I prefer my Anandas for mostly everything except music with heavy electrical guitars or opera, symphonic music. I use the grado for those, although that’s just my preference. Am looking to develop a collection in the next few years.


----------



## Preachy1

Newest addition, a pair of Klipsch bookshelves running out of the McIntosh MHA150


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> Newest addition, a pair of Klipsch bookshelves running out of the McIntosh MHA150


Very nice! Next step?….Klipsch La Scalas?😜


----------



## CJG888

Nah, I’m sure that room has corners…

K-Horns!


----------



## Preachy1

Everybody's a comedian!!!!


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> Everybody's a comedian!!!!


What?!……Speak up! those Klipsches are _so_ efficient! 📢🙉…


----------



## HAWKEYE7

This is my headphone rig, such as it is. I picked the tube am up at an auction and I believe it was some sort of kit. It works but none of the controls have any affect on the sound. I'm teaching myself electronics so I can hopefully get the wiring correct inside.


----------



## lucasratmundo

My new sofa setup


----------



## judomaniak57

lucasratmundo said:


> My new sofa setup


nice setup. are the elite a big step up from the empyrean?


----------



## Pharmaboy

HAWKEYE7 said:


> This is my headphone rig, such as it is. I picked the tube am up at an auction and I believe it was some sort of kit. It works but none of the controls have any affect on the sound. I'm teaching myself electronics so I can hopefully get the wiring correct inside.


That's a lovely oak table!


----------



## TheRH

Well, look what arrived today.


----------



## TheRH

Has anyone noticed that the pads on the LCD-X (2021) are a bit stiffer than LCD-2C? I know that the ones on mine are, and this is a very good thing.


----------



## jonathan c

lucasratmundo said:


> My new sofa setup


Picture of sofa, too? That is an important part of the “setup”..,😜


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> Picture of sofa, too? That is an important part of the “setup”..,😜


Perhaps you should _couch_ your request in audiophile terms.


----------



## nagi8404




----------



## lucasratmundo

judomaniak57 said:


> nice setup. are the elite a big step up from the empyrean?


For me, totally. I was not a big fan of the Empyrean's bloomy bass as it didn't pair well with my systems. The Elite are technically superior without overdoing it and has a much more balanced tonality.


----------



## lucasratmundo

jonathan c said:


> Picture of sofa, too? That is an important part of the “setup”..,😜


Absolutely a key part of the setup. Nothing special about it though


----------



## jonathan c

As the November mornings start with chill, the tubes are warm with sound to kill…Caliente !


----------



## CJG888

Try 6S41S! You won’t need to turn the heating on!


----------



## Pharmaboy

LoryWiv said:


> Perhaps you should _couch_ your request in audiophile terms.


_(arghhhhhh)_


----------



## jonathan c

LoryWiv said:


> Perhaps you should _couch_ your request in audiophile terms.


But, as @lucasratmundo has indicated, the sofa is not SOTA…


----------



## TheRH (Nov 4, 2021)

Battle Station 2.0. Roon > Qobuz > SPL Phonitor SE > RME ADI-2 DAC FS >Audeze LCD -X (2021)


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Picture of sofa, too? That is an important part of the “setup”..,😜



I used to have a sofa.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


>


Don’t be surprised: GE tubes were used 😒…


----------



## kimdeug

Curtisvill said:


> I wish I had the skills to make furniture like that. The table is Gustav Stickley and the rack I purchased from Aliexpress.


Nice Gears man. Is it possible to find the link for this shelf from Aliexpress, please?


----------



## jonathan c

Started the day easy…will finish the evening strong…


----------



## Lord Rexter

Left to right -> Denafrips Terminator OG DE customized edition, Cayin HA-1A Mk2, Xduoo MT-604, Denafrips Hermes and Aurender N100C


----------



## Big In Japan

@Lord Rexter Nice equipment, but even nicer marble floor!


----------



## Markolav

...


----------



## nordkapp

Markolav said:


> ...


 Best set up I've seen here in a while.


----------



## jonathan c

nordkapp said:


> Best set up I've seen here in a while.


I’ll drink to that 😜🤪…


----------



## nordkapp

jonathan c said:


> I’ll drink to that 😜🤪…


Bottoms UP!


----------



## Gavin C4

Since owning Utopia and Abyss that scales extremely well with upfront source gear. I started to leveling up the source component for the best detail and transparency while maintaing a good amount of mids to emotional vocals. These headphones are totally capable handleing the best possible source gear and scales exponentially.

Current Roon streaming setup with both Local files and Tidal. 
Lightspeed Reference Mark 3 conditioner > Ferrum Hypsos LPS > Roon nucleus > dCS Rossini DAC & Clock.


----------



## carboncopy

Moved to Germany...no NAS here, so I came up with a (maybe) unique solution. I installed an internal SSD into the Aries G2.1. First of all the system now functions without the Roon core too with Lighting DS (both Tidal and off-line files.) Then I connected togehter the Archlinux based Roon Core with Aries using samba. Essentially the Aries is a samba server too. That way I have two completly independent digital frontend with both of them having all my music.


----------



## Wes S

carboncopy said:


> Moved to Germany...no NAS here, so I came up with a (maybe) unique solution. I installed an internal SSD into the Aries G2.1. First of all the system now functions without the Roon core too with Lighting DS (both Tidal and off-line files.) Then I connected togehter the Archlinux based Roon Core with Aries using samba. Essentially the Aries is a samba server too. That way I have two completly independent digital frontend with both of them having all my music.


Cool painting!


----------



## cradams1020

carboncopy said:


> Moved to Germany...no NAS here, so I came up with a (maybe) unique solution. I installed an internal SSD into the Aries G2.1. First of all the system now functions without the Roon core too with Lighting DS (both Tidal and off-line files.) Then I connected togehter the Archlinux based Roon Core with Aries using samba. Essentially the Aries is a samba server too. That way I have two completly independent digital frontend with both of them having all my music.


nice set up!  love the art on the wall as well!


----------



## cradams1020

dnd3241 said:


>


really nice set up!  What model studio monitor is this?  Adam Audio?


----------



## cradams1020

Wes S said:


> Current State - Just rolled in some Sylvania 6BQ5 Black Plates, and fired up the Pendant SE for a quick session.
> 
> I love this amp!


lovely amplifier!


----------



## cradams1020

kimdeug said:


> My bedroom setup


who needs a place to sleep?!  Nice setup


----------



## nordkapp

cradams1020 said:


> who needs a place to sleep?!  Nice setup


Sleep is wayyy overrated anyway.


----------



## cradams1020 (Nov 6, 2021)

One of my desk setups...Sugden Headmaster and Monolith Liquid Platinum.  While different finishes on the metal, they look like they belong together as a stack!


----------



## Big In Japan

Looks nice, indeed! What cable do you use with your Sennheisers? Seems to be very soft and evenly woven.


----------



## cradams1020

Big In Japan said:


> Looks nice, indeed! What cable do you use with your Sennheisers? Seems to be very soft and evenly woven.


Thanks!  It's a relatively inexpensive cable from KK Cable I picked up on Amazon.  Quality is great for what I paid for it...


----------



## jonathan c

cradams1020 said:


> One of my desk setups...Sugden Headmaster and Monolith Liquid Platinum.  While different finishes on the metal, they look like they belong together as a stack!


Oh my…the first Headmaster…(one of) the earliest class A variety…😯…


----------



## beholder

Seeing all these god-tier equipment in here man, wow.
Mine is just a plebeian, lowest-of-the-low, entry-level setup.

...but gets the job done!

HD650, Focal Elex, Schiit Bifrost 2, Topping A90, 3rd-party balanced cables


----------



## CaptainFantastic

beholder said:


> Seeing all these god-tier equipment in here man, wow.
> Mine is just a plebeian, lowest-of-the-low, entry-level setup.
> 
> ...but gets the job done!
> ...



You really shouldn't think that. Your system probably gets you 90% of the sound a 10k system would. You're already winning with that 650 which sounds better than most flagships out there. Enjoy the experience and also the knowledge that you have that money to spend on other things.


----------



## gefski

beholder said:


> Seeing all these god-tier equipment in here man, wow.
> Mine is just a plebeian, lowest-of-the-low, entry-level setup.
> 
> ...but gets the job done!
> ...


I’ll sit down for a listen there anytime!


----------



## Big In Japan

gefski said:


> I’ll sit down for a listen there anytime!


But not for very long with an A90 on High Gain and Volume knob @ 12 o`clock  on the balanced out ^^ That must be VERY loud...


----------



## beholder

Big In Japan said:


> But not for very long with an A90 on High Gain and Volume knob @ 12 o`clock  on the balanced out ^^ That must be VERY loud...


I usually have my volume between ~20  and 30 on Windows, so I compensate there. I honestly don't listen to music very loud.

With the Focals I switch to Mid gain (80 Ohm), but I thought because the HD650 are 300Ohm, High might be better, so I don't have to crank up the volume knob.

Should I change my take on that, as-in increase the volume on the computer, and lower it on the Amp ?


----------



## beholder

CaptainFantastic said:


> You really shouldn't think that. Your system probably gets you 90% of the sound a 10k system would. You're already winning with that 650 which sounds better than most flagships out there. Enjoy the experience and also the knowledge that you have that money to spend on other things.


Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately the left driver of the Elex has stopped working. So now I'm trying to find what's going to be the next stop on my journey (for an upgrade to the HD650)

I'm between the Focal Clear MG and the Empyreans. The Clear MG because I really liked the sound from the Elex. I like to listen to EDM most of the time, and the bass there was very impressive.
But then the comfort was quite terrible on the Focals (too squeaky, too clumpy, at times even painful, and a bit heavy), and hence why I'm looking for alternatives, such as the Meze, which (should) sound good but most importantly I think I'll be able to wear them all day long (as I usually do, you see work from home and such).

Any input on the matter highly appreciated.


----------



## UntilThen

Nikka tube amp with HD800S. It's quite intoxicating.


----------



## drews

The Meze do sound good and are very comfortable but for EDM I enjoy my Sony MDR-Z1R just as much and they're closed and half the price).


beholder said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Unfortunately the left driver of the Elex has stopped working. So now I'm trying to find what's going to be the next stop on my journey (for an upgrade to the HD650)
> 
> ...



The Meze do sound good and are very comfortable but for EDM I enjoy my Sony MDR-Z1R just as much and they're closed and almost equally comfortable and half the price).  I'd also consider the Arya which is arguably superior to the Meze sound-wise.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CaptainFantastic said:


> You really shouldn't think that. Your system probably gets you 90% of the sound a 10k system would. You're already winning with that 650 which sounds better than most flagships out there. Enjoy the experience and also the knowledge that you have that money to spend on other things.


_*what he said*_


----------



## Pharmaboy

beholder said:


> I usually have my volume between ~20  and 30 on Windows, so I compensate there. I honestly don't listen to music very loud.
> 
> With the Focals I switch to Mid gain (80 Ohm), but I thought because the HD650 are 300Ohm, High might be better, so I don't have to crank up the volume knob.
> 
> Should I change my take on that, as-in increase the volume on the computer, and lower it on the Amp ?


I believe when you lower the volume in Windows, that control being digital, you lose some resolution in the signal going to the Bifrost.

Or course, maxing the volume in windows, while solving the resolution problem, might cause another: excess system gain. If that's the case, you'll find yourself using the amp's volume control at the far low end with very little adjustment range to achieve safe/preferred volume levels. 

I'm very familiar with excess gain in my system. It comes from a DAC whose output volume is higher than nominal 2V output voltage of DACs.


----------



## Steven31

UntilThen said:


> Nikka tube amp with HD800S. It's quite intoxicating.


I like the angle you have your HD800s in this photo. The design of the HD800 series of headphones never fails to amaze me. Sennheiser really did put so much thought into the design of this headphone. I remember years ago reading about how they came up with a radical new design of the chamber that the drivers are attached to, they designed it in a way that meant no vibrations around the chamber would travel through the drivers, affecting/distorting the sound. This was a revolutionary new design that was meant to minimise vibrations and distortion in headphones with large drivers. JVC also implemented this in their HA-SZ2000 headphones, with their 55mm drivers. I had the (sadly discontinued) HD700 which actually had a very similar design, but much smaller drivers than the HD800 and a ultimately thin sound. I have never heard an HD800s but I imagine it has much fuller sound, with a high quality linear and accurate bass response in comparison. A genius design


----------



## UntilThen

Steven31 said:


> I like the angle you have your HD800s in this photo. The design of the HD800 series of headphones never fails to amaze me. Sennheiser really did put so much thought into the design of this headphone. I remember years ago reading about how they came up with a radical new design of the chamber that the drivers are attached to, they designed it in a way that meant no vibrations around the chamber would travel through the drivers, affecting/distorting the sound. This was a revolutionary new design that was meant to minimise vibrations and distortion in headphones with large drivers. JVC also implemented this in their HA-SZ2000 headphones, with their 55mm drivers. I had the (sadly discontinued) HD700 which actually had a very similar design, but much smaller drivers than the HD800 and a ultimately thin sound. I have never heard an HD800s but I imagine it has much fuller sound, with a high quality linear and accurate bass response in comparison. A genius design



I prefer it at this angle.  HD800S is photogenic even after more than 10 years since it's debut and sound outrageous on these 2 tube amps. The 'Nikka' amp landed on my lap from the amp builder for testing.


----------



## Steven31

I think i'm going to have to order one from Drop.com now. Great photo's!
Enjoy


----------



## carboncopy

Late night listening


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Steven31 said:


> I think i'm going to have to order one from Drop.com now. Great photo's!
> Enjoy



Careful! I hear the Drop version has some serious tuning issues.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Nikka tube amp with HD800S. It's quite intoxicating.


The Nikka in the background can do the job, too…


----------



## Steven31

CaptainFantastic said:


> Careful! I hear the Drop version has some serious tuning issues.


To be honest, I wouldn't mind that. I wasn't a fan of the HD700 but i've always intended to buy a HD800 series headphone. And as from next week i'll have the money to buy one. I would buy one, just to look at it and admire it's design.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> The Nikka in the background can do the job, too…



When the job is as taxing as auditioning head-fi gear, you need the Nikka !


----------



## Big In Japan

beholder said:


> I usually have my volume between ~20  and 30 on Windows, so I compensate there. I honestly don't listen to music very loud.
> 
> With the Focals I switch to Mid gain (80 Ohm), but I thought because the HD650 are 300Ohm, High might be better, so I don't have to crank up the volume knob.
> 
> Should I change my take on that, as-in increase the volume on the computer, and lower it on the Amp ?


Definitely increase the volume on the computer, lower the volume on the amp. I would only switch to a higher gain mode, if I have to. Higher gain means higher noise floor!


----------



## gefski

UntilThen said:


> I prefer it at this angle.  HD800S is photogenic even after more than 10 years since it's debut and sound outrageous on these 2 tube amps. The 'Nikka' amp landed on my lap from the amp builder for testing.


Form follows function.


----------



## jonathan c

Not the Head-Fi station _per se_, but an antecedent?…🤔…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Not the Head-Fi station _per se_, but an antecedent?…🤔…


Nice collection! That's almost like tube pronz


----------



## judomaniak57

jonathan c said:


> Not the Head-Fi station _per se_, but an ant


us tube guys are crazy, more time changing tubes then listening too music, pursuit of the best in this crazy hobby


----------



## simorag




----------



## bcowen

judomaniak57 said:


> us tube guys are crazy, more time changing tubes then listening too music, pursuit of the best in this crazy hobby


Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.


OH!  I'm not worthy to view this page... My wife would say you are a bad influence, now I am going to have to buy a  new tube just to stop the relapse


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> OH!  I'm not worthy to view this page... My wife would say you are a bad influence, now I am going to have to buy a  new tube just to stop the relapse


LOL!  _My_ wife says that too.


----------



## Curtisvill

bcowen said:


> Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.


Jealousy rears it's ugly head.......


----------



## judomaniak57

all this talk of tubes got me wondering how much my antique sound labs can scale up, alot it seems


----------



## MacMan31

judomaniak57 said:


> all this talk of tubes got me wondering how much my antique sound labs can scale up, alot it seems



I have not heard of Antique Sound Lab but that looks like a sweet setup. Are those stock tubes or after market tubes?


----------



## MacMan31

j0val said:


> Added a new tube to my setup a couple days ago.



That's quite a big tube for the Lyr. Are you using an adapter for it?


----------



## judomaniak57

MacMan31 said:


> I have not heard of Antique Sound Lab but that looks like a sweet setup. Are those stock tubes or after market tubes?


el84 are replaced with elctro harmonix and the 12axt is stock. antique sound labs went out of business awhile ago. to bad, affordable tube amps that sound really good


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> Form follows function.


I don't like the sound of this headphone--but the visual design is stunning IMO.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.



Why do you have so many types of vitamins. Give me some.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Why do you have so many types of vitamins. Give me some.


Those are generic viagra…


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> el84 are replaced with elctro harmonix and the 12axt is stock. antique sound labs went out of business awhile ago. to bad, affordable tube amps that sound really good


Maybe _too _affordable…?🙄


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Those are generic viagra…


Yes, quite sadly Viagra is like some other drugs where your body builds up a tolerance.  At my age I have to take about 40 of them each time....


----------



## dnd3241

cradams1020 said:


> really nice set up!  What model studio monitor is this?  Adam Audio?


Thanks ! That is S1X.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Those are generic viagra…



Ha ha haaaaaaaaaah ..... they look NOS to me.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Ha ha haaaaaaaaaah ..... they look NOS to me.


Their owner is OOS?…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Their owner is OOS?…


Awesome starts with an A, not an O.  Sheeeez.


----------



## UntilThen

Time to up the ante with KT150 tubes.


----------



## MacMan31

Here is my current headphone setup. Gear list is in my signature and is accompanied by a Marantz HD-CD1.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> OH!  I'm not worthy to view this page... My wife would say you are a bad influence, now I am going to have to buy a new tube _*Tub *_just to stop the relapse


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]…🤪


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.


I hope you have insurance.


----------



## jonathan c

RickB said:


> I hope you have insurance.


There is none for GE tubes…the catastrophic loss occurs on acquisition…


----------



## DTgill

DTgill said:


> OH!  I'm not worthy to view this page... My wife would say you are a bad influence, now I am going to have to buy a  new tube just to stop the relapse


You guys drove me to it... I broke down and bought a 5692, I thought I had gotten past my tube (acquiring) rollin' issue.


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> You guys drove me to it... I broke down and bought a 5692, I thought I had gotten past my tube (acquiring) rollin' issue.


Tube-aholism can (supposedly) go into remission, but there is no known cure.


----------



## j0val

MacMan31 said:


> That's quite a big tube for the Lyr. Are you using an adapter for it?



Yep. I had to use a socket saver to get it connected. The base of the tube is too wide to fit in without it.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> You guys drove me to it... I broke down and bought a 5692, I thought I had gotten past my tube (acquiring) rollin' issue.


~ We didn’t drive you to it….the glow, the sound, the _allure_ of tubes pulled you, beckoned you with not eternal but ephemeral musical bliss - to be pursued yet again with a different tube of desire…
~ Face it, an op amp or transistor would not do that.
~ Also, understand that acquiring ==> rolling ==> inquiring ==> acquiring…🤔🤨😜…


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Tube-aholism can (supposedly) go into remission, but there is no known cure.


Not even solid-state conversion therapy has a chance to be a cure….in fact, it may deepen tube-aholism.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> You guys drove me to it... I broke down and bought a 5692, I thought I had gotten past my tube (acquiring) rollin' issue.


Which 5692?


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Which 5692?


RCA Red Base


----------



## LoryWiv (Nov 8, 2021)

bcowen said:


> Yes, quite sadly Viagra is like some other drugs where your body builds up a tolerance.  At my age I have to take about 40 of them each time....


Deleted, will stay on topic.


----------



## LoryWiv

MacMan31 said:


> Here is my current headphone setup. Gear list is in my signature and is accompanied by a Marantz HD-CD1.


That is a very inviting vertical presentation, nicely configured!


----------



## CJG888

judomaniak57 said:


> el84 are replaced with elctro harmonix and the 12axt is stock. antique sound labs went out of business awhile ago. to bad, affordable tube amps that sound really good





jonathan c said:


> Not even solid-state conversion therapy has a chance to be a cure….in fact, it may deepen tube-aholism.


Tried that, ended up rolling op-amps, and then needed new tubes to go with each op-amp!


----------



## UntilThen

Napolean gave Josephine a gold medallion with the words 'To Destiny' inscribed on it. This 300b amp is called 'Destiny' and HD800 has never sounded better.


----------



## Coztomba




----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Awesome starts with an A, not an O.  Sheeeez.


So does antique 🤣🤣


----------



## betula

bcowen said:


> Well, @jonathan c is most definitely crazy, but I'm not.


That is audio insanity in one picture. 

I always heard tube guys are one of a kind even in this hobby, but imho you have managed to max it out. 
Sure you must have a very understanding life partner. (Or no partner at all.)


----------



## RickB

betula said:


> That is audio insanity in one picture.
> 
> I always heard tube guys are one of a kind even in this hobby, but imho you have managed to max it out.
> Sure you must have a very understanding life partner. (Or no partner at all.)


What he has could turn out to be a very smart financial investment.


----------



## UntilThen

betula said:


> That is audio insanity in one picture.
> 
> I always heard tube guys are one of a kind even in this hobby, but imho you have managed to max it out.
> Sure you must have a very understanding life partner. (Or no partner at all.)



I've seen other private collectors with more. Maybe Bcowen didn't show us all that he has. Especially the quad pair of WE300B tubes that he has willed to me.


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> I've seen other private collectors with more. Maybe Bcowen didn't show us all that he has. Especially the quad pair of WE300B tubes that he has willed to me.


I am 100% sure, he is hiding some more tubes somewhere else. In undisclosed locations.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Napolean gave Josephine a gold medallion with the words 'To Destiny' inscribed on it. This 300b amp is called 'Destiny' and HD800 has never sounded better.


yadda yadda ... you're going to be exiled in Elba.

Seriously, that amp is a MF!!


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> yadda yadda ... you're going to be exiled in Elba.
> 
> Seriously, that amp is a MF!!



Happy to be exiled in Elba with Josephine and Destiny. I hope they have WiFi there. A turntable maybe?


----------



## bcowen

betula said:


> That is audio insanity in one picture.
> 
> I always heard tube guys are one of a kind even in this hobby, but imho you have managed to max it out.
> Sure you must have a very understanding life partner. (Or no partner at all.)


LOL!  My wife never says anything because her shoes probably outnumber my tubes. OK, maybe that's exaggerating a little, but _only_ a little.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Happy to be exiled in Elba with Josephine and Destiny. I hope they have WiFi there. A turntable maybe?


My wife belongs to this _ad hoc_ group of women who journey to amazing places & hike all through them. 3 years ago she went to Elba, as well as 2 or 3 other islands west of Italy. Her many pictures of Elba were a revelation. For one thing, the place is crazy beautiful: high, rocky, with all manner of flora I'm not used to seeing. For another, the place where Napolean lived in exile is a high-up stone mansion--a stunning place with sea views all around. And finally, if that's exile--I want me some exile!


----------



## bcowen (Nov 8, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> I've seen other private collectors with more. Maybe Bcowen didn't show us all that he has. Especially the quad pair of WE300B tubes that he has willed to me.


Those are (mostly) just the octal and noval driver tubes and 6AS7G/6080 types.  The big power pentodes, 845's, etc. are in boxes in the back of the closet 'cause I don't have an amp for them. Today.  Never know what tomorrow might bring.  

The WE's were just transferred to an impenetrable vault since you know about them now.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Happy to be exiled in Elba with Josephine and Destiny. I hope they have WiFi there. A turntable maybe?


How about electricity 😜😯…?


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> How about electricity 😜😯…?



Elon Musk will supply batteries. He's into head-fi.


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> Those are (mostly) just the octal and noval driver tubes and 6AS7G/6080 types.  The big power pentodes, 845's, etc. are in boxes in the back of the closet 'cause I don't have an amp for them. Today.  Never know what tomorrow might bring.
> 
> The WE's were just transferred to an impenetrable vault since you know about them now.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> The WE's were just transferred to an impenetrable vault since you know about them now.


To make them even more secure, they are in GE boxes!  😜 See?…even knowing this, they are beyond your grasp…🤣🤣🤣…


----------



## UntilThen

My head-fi station is changing every day. Loving the KT150. I need to try the KT170.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> LOL!  My wife never says anything because her shoes probably outnumber my tubes. OK, maybe that's exaggerating a little, but _only_ a little.


I _did _say this before! …. tongue-soles for her, Tung Sols for you.


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 8, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> My wife belongs to this _ad hoc_ group of women who journey to amazing places & hike all through them. 3 years ago she went to Elba, as well as 2 or 3 other islands west of Italy. Her many pictures of Elba were a revelation. For one thing, the place is crazy beautiful: high, rocky, with all manner of flora I'm not used to seeing. For another, the place where Napolean lived in exile is a high-up stone mansion--a stunning place with sea views all around. And finally, if that's exile--I want me some exile!


Here’s the ticket…


----------



## gefski

bcowen said:


> LOL!  My wife never says anything because her shoes probably outnumber my tubes. OK, maybe that's exaggerating a little, but _only_ a little.


At least my tubes have all been used at one time or another!


----------



## uzairahmed101

Here you go.......


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## ThanatosVI

hke3g2006 said:


>


I see Empyrean,  I upvote!


----------



## Preachy1

DTgill said:


>


An I the only one who recognizes this guy as "Smilin' Bob"?


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> At least my tubes have all been used at one time or another!


Imelda, Baby!!!!  Apologies to Mark Knopfler


----------



## cradams1020

hke3g2006 said:


>


Love Violectric stuff!  Had the V280 that I regrettably sold


----------



## DTgill

Preachy1 said:


> An I the only one who recognizes this guy as "Smilin' Bob"?


Nope those tubes got me excited...


----------



## cradams1020

simorag said:


>


that's a lot 'a horsepower!  Nice setup!


----------



## Pharmaboy

uzairahmed101 said:


> Here you go.......


This gear is really fine looking. 

Is that a computer on the right in the final photo? If yes, that's pretty fine looking, too.


----------



## nordkapp

Multitudes of big $$ DACS, amps & cans and here's where I've landed.......full circle.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Stevko

nordkapp said:


> Multitudes of big $$ DACS, amps & cans and here's where I've landed.......full circle.


this is a good choice. all you need


----------



## ThanatosVI

jonathan c said:


>


You have the Wa2 im addition to your MZ3 right?


----------



## uzairahmed101

Pharmaboy said:


> This gear is really fine looking.
> 
> Is that a computer on the right in the final photo? If yes, that's pretty fine looking, too.


Yes that's my gaming rig and I use Microsoft surface and MacBook Pro with woo audio WA8 for bedside listening, He 400i with computer for gaming, DX 150 for outdoors with iems.


----------



## CJG888

jonathan c said:


>


Not a bad recording…


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 10, 2021)

ThanatosVI said:


> You have the Wa2 im addition to your MZ3 right?


Yes. I do prefer the WA2 over the MZ3 for the high-impedance h/p in the ‘stable’. The MZ3 is ‘SOTA’ to my ears for low-impedance h/p. The low output impedance of the MZ3 creates a high ‘damping factor’ and ‘throttles’ a bit the high-impedance h/p. With the WA2, those h/p ‘blossom’.


----------



## aroldan

*New addition: Ares II




*


----------



## Steven31

TH500RP - my headphone of choice for movies and gaming. Sound like speakers!


----------



## szore




----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


>


Sweet!

What output tube is that in the Woo?  Seems to have sprouted a couple hairs.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Sweet!
> 
> What output tube is that in the Woo?  Seems to have sprouted a couple hairs.


On the silver WA6 to the side, the rectifier is a USAF 596 on a Woo adapter (596 => 5U4). Here is a closer picture:


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> On the silver WA6 to the side, the rectifier is a USAF 596 on a Woo adapter (596 => 5U4). Here is a closer picture:


Ahhh...  Didn't know that was a rectifier.  Looks cool, and I love the caps....very robust yet elegant looking.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Ahhh...  Didn't know that was a rectifier.  Looks cool, and I love the caps....very robust yet elegant looking.


That Woo adapter base comes with the ‘antennae’ and the caps. Between these, the 6SN7 => 6DE7, and 7N7 => 6SN7, Woo Audio has bowled me over with the quality and appearance of their adapters.


----------



## jonathan c

szore said:


>


What adapter, if any, do you use for that IPA tube…?🤪😜


----------



## DTgill

Forget the old dude in the background...


----------



## BobG55 (Nov 10, 2021)

Error.


----------



## BobG55

*MY SON !!!!!*


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Forget the old dude in the background...


What old dude? The equipment is great, the setup is *fun*ctional. Music & family - when those are OK, life is better than OK…


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## MisterMudd

szore said:


>


Ha ha. My desk, except NO IPA’s.


----------



## Wes S (Nov 11, 2021)

Current State - Tube rolling marathon continues. . .


----------



## Steven31 (Nov 11, 2021)

Steven31 said:


> TH500RP - my headphone of choice for movies and gaming. Sound like speakers!














Went to my parents house last night to bring back to my place, my 2010 Pioneer PL-990 turntable. Over the coming weeks I hope to restore it to it's former glory. I bought it in 2010 but didn't use it much, it spent most of it's life gathering dust in a cold garage. I will see if I can source the components for it online and order new one's for it. It will need a new belt drive, stylus and rubber matt to protect the records. I think that is part of the fun of this hobby - I get a kick out of rebuilding/repairing and restoring things. It would be good to get it fixed and working again for Christmas, so I can start buying records again.


----------



## cradams1020

one of my current desk setups where I typically work from home.


----------



## waveSounds

Got a move approaching so things are a bit messy, but I just keep reminding myself a bigger desk awaits.


----------



## jonathan c

waveSounds said:


> Got a move approaching so things are a bit messy, but I just keep reminding myself a bigger desk awaits.


Bigger desk ==> bigger gear / MORE!! gear 🥲🥲🥲


----------



## CaptainFantastic

jonathan c said:


> Bigger desk ==> bigger gear / MORE!! gear 🥲🥲🥲



Actually good point here. He has a secret to share with us. If I am not mistaken, his audio gear is identical to one or two years ago. Everyone's question is: *how *did you manage not to acquire more gear? What is the secret? Were you away in the jungles of Borneo for a year?


----------



## waveSounds (Nov 11, 2021)

CaptainFantastic said:


> Actually good point here. He has a secret to share with us. If I am not mistaken, his audio gear is identical to one or two years ago. Everyone's question is: *how *did you manage not to acquire more gear? What is the secret? Were you away in the jungles of Borneo for a year?



Aha! I acquired the PAW S1 last Christmas, but other than that you are correct. There has been... no change.

If not actually _the _jungles of Borneo, I went there in my mind's eye and reflected upon what I have, what I want, and the disillusionment that was introduced in between the two-states. I then began my long climb to Machu Picchu (again, a metaphor) where salvation lay in wait. Upon the approach to the summit, a ghostly apparition tenderly offered me an ethereal hand, before embracing me and befalling upon me an all-consuming state of acceptance. I was there. I was... happy. I could now return and enjoy what was already mine, and so I did, and have done in the months since.

Well, that and we're expecting a baby so I had to cut back on certain expenses...


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> Aha! I acquired the PAW S1 last Christmas, but other than that you are correct. There has been... no change.
> 
> If not actually _the _jungles of Borneo, I went there in my mind's eye and reflected upon what I have, what I want, and the disillusionment that was introduced in between the two-states. I then began my long climb to Machu Picchu (again, a metaphor) where salvation lay in wait. Upon the approach to the summit, a ghostly apparition tenderly offered me an ethereal hand, before embracing me and befalling upon me an all-consuming state of acceptance. I was there. I was... happy. I could now return and enjoy what was already mine, and so I did, and have done in the months since.
> 
> Well, that and we're expecting a baby so I had to cut back on certain expenses...


Congratulations for that, daddy Wavesounds    I think you shold buy some Denons for your newborn


----------



## waveSounds

Why thank you, Monsieur Terriero! For both the 'grats and the idea. A birthing gift, I love it. Brb, going to suggest it to the wife...

Edit: I'm not allowed on here anymore.


----------



## bcowen

Steven31 said:


> Went to my parents house last night to bring back to my place, my 2010 Pioneer PL-990 turntable. Over the coming weeks I hope to restore it to it's former glory. I bought it in 2010 but didn't use it much, it spent most of it's life gathering dust in a cold garage. I will see if I can source the components for it online and order new one's for it. It will need a new belt drive, stylus and rubber matt to protect the records. I think that is part of the fun of this hobby - I get a kick out of rebuilding/repairing and restoring things. It would be good to get it fixed and working again for Christmas, so I can start buying records again.


LP's rule!!!


----------



## Preachy1

That TT is a beauty!!!


----------



## asarkhentamentiu

My humble system


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Current State - Tube rolling marathon continues. . .



_(Pharmaboy behind one-way glass)_

"It was No. 4, the 6DJ8. I'd know that tube anywhere!"


----------



## jonathan c

A Head-Fi new children’s classic?: “Goodnight Tubes” 🛌 …🐑🐑🐑…☁️☁️☁️


----------



## Steven31

bcowen said:


> LP's rule!!!


I agree 100%.
That's an incredible system you have, very inspiring. I hope to arrive at that stage in my journey one day although it might take some time until I get there (if I ever do). 
So much uncertainty in my life at the moment, argh! 🤦‍♂️earlier this year I didn't even have a place to stay! 🤷‍♂️
Ah families - overrated nonsense, I tell ya! 😫
I enjoy being on my own now.


----------



## CJG888

I always liked those Tom Fletcher turntables.


----------



## Twjones

Just upgraded my amp - nice little stack that also feeds into my main living room stereo.  My Shanling M8 was putting it to shame...


----------



## toodles1978

Think i have completed the desk set up with the wa7.. The only thing I would do moving forward is to add an atom amp to complete the stack.


----------



## Preachy1

toodles1978 said:


> Think i have completed the desk set up with the wa7.. The only thing I would do moving forward is to add an atom amp to complete the stack.


Looks A-OK to me!!!!!


----------



## Twjones

toodles1978 said:


> Think i have completed the desk set up with the wa7.. The only thing I would do moving forward is to add an atom amp to complete the stack.


Lovely.  Might I ask how you are supplying music to it?


----------



## toodles1978

Twjones said:


> Lovely.  Might I ask how you are supplying music to it?


Qobuz 》Microsoft surface tablet 》 jds atom plus dac... I was using roon but it needed too much Internet juice for everything to play smoothly.


----------



## asarkhentamentiu

Better pic today 😁


----------



## JamesCanada

Here is my Current setup at the workstation


----------



## MHLC

While my company is 100% WFH, I still love to go to the office.


----------



## Terriero

toodles1978 said:


> Think i have completed the desk set up with the wa7.. The only thing I would do moving forward is to add an atom amp to complete the stack.


I love the coiled cable of the Magnis


----------



## Pharmaboy

Twjones said:


> Just upgraded my amp - nice little stack that also feeds into my main living room stereo.  My Shanling M8 was putting it to shame...


How do you like the Gustard amp? 

What that amp what the Shanling M8 was putting to shame?


----------



## TooFrank

carboncopy said:


> Moved to Germany...no NAS here, so I came up with a (maybe) unique solution. I installed an internal SSD into the Aries G2.1. First of all the system now functions without the Roon core too with Lighting DS (both Tidal and off-line files.) Then I connected togehter the Archlinux based Roon Core with Aries using samba. Essentially the Aries is a samba server too. That way I have two completly independent digital frontend with both of them having all my music.


Nice - indeed. A slightly detailed question, have I seen the tray in the back with the bottles before?


----------



## toodles1978

Terriero said:


> I love the coiled cable of the Magnis


Can't stand a messy cable


----------



## carboncopy

TooFrank said:


> Nice - indeed. A slightly detailed question, have I seen the tray in the back with the bottles before?


It grows on me...I mean japanese whisky


----------



## TooFrank

MHLC said:


> While my company is 100% WFH, I still love to go to the office.


Nice - what is the name of the big snake on the desk?


----------



## TooFrank

carboncopy said:


> It grows on me...I mean japanese whisky


Love it


----------



## MHLC

TooFrank said:


> Nice - what is the name of the big snake on the desk?


It is the Norne Audio Nameless One, actually just recently got this cable earlier this month.  Build quality definitely surpass the Silver Dragon that I was originally using.


----------



## TooFrank

Wes S said:


> Current State - Tube rolling marathon continues. . .


Wauw - Is this tube shop on the internet???


----------



## nordkapp

TooFrank said:


> Nice - what is the name of the big snake on the desk?


Oil......Sorry, just had to. Ha!


----------



## TooFrank

nordkapp said:


> Oil......Sorry, just had to. Ha!


yeah - got it - sort of asked for it...


----------



## Twjones

Pharmaboy said:


> How do you like the Gustard amp?
> 
> What that amp what the Shanling M8 was putting to shame?


I like it a lot. Good power, and I wanted something I could feed single ended from my stereo  (old skool analog with tuner, tapedeck, turntable) and balanced directly from the RaspTouch/Gustard A18 DAC, without having to go through my preamp. Before I had both a Little Dot mkiii (a terrible match with my AKGs, and frankly not all that good in comparison with my Beyerdynamic DT770 600ohm) and a Drop CTH.  

The amplification from my Shanling DAP destroyed them both - much more versatile and so... well, just yummy.


----------



## MHLC

My home office setup - my CPA said these are consider "office expense"


----------



## jonathan c

MHLC said:


> My home office setup - my CPA said these are consider "office expense"


….🤣….qualifies as “overhead”….🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

Twjones said:


> I like it a lot. Good power, and I wanted something I could feed single ended from my stereo  (old skool analog with tuner, tapedeck, turntable) and balanced directly from the RaspTouch/Gustard A18 DAC, without having to go through my preamp. Before I had both a Little Dot mkiii (a terrible match with my AKGs, and frankly not all that good in comparison with my Beyerdynamic DT770 600ohm) and a Drop CTH.
> 
> The amplification from my Shanling DAP destroyed them both - much more versatile and so... well, just yummy.


Very interesting. It's not every DAP than can lap a pair of full headphone amps, especially a relatively high power design like the Gustard. I guess you're lucky to have that Shanling...


----------



## Twjones

Pharmaboy said:


> Very interesting. It's not every DAP than can lap a pair of full headphone amps, especially a relatively high power design like the Gustard. I guess you're lucky to have that Shanling...


Oh, the DAP doesn't lap the Gustard combo, just the Little Dot and CTH.  I would say overall it is the equal of my new stack. Which it should be as it cost the same


----------



## Shane D

MHLC said:


> My home office setup - my CPA said these are consider "office expense"


Cool headphones. AWESOME dog! You could include him/her more in pics...


----------



## MHLC

Shane D said:


> Cool headphones. AWESOME dog! You could include him/her more in pics...


Thank you, will definitely snap some additional photo of him


----------



## MisterMudd (Nov 13, 2021)

Steven31 said:


> Went to my parents house last night to bring back to my place, my 2010 Pioneer PL-990 turntable. Over the coming weeks I hope to restore it to it's former glory. I bought it in 2010 but didn't use it much, it spent most of it's life gathering dust in a cold garage. I will see if I can source the components for it online and order new one's for it. It will need a new belt drive, stylus and rubber matt to protect the records. I think that is part of the fun of this hobby - I get a kick out of rebuilding/repairing and restoring things. It would be good to get it fixed and working again for Christmas, so I can start buying records again.


Great pictures. I have one from 2005 gathering dust. Used it back then to transfer all my vinyl to digital. Bought a Pro-ject in 2013 and never looked back. Recently thought  about using the Pioneer at my work desk, but after reviewing the specs again decided against: Uses a proprietary cartridge, non-removable headshell, and this turntable tracks very heavy. Don’t want to chance damaging my vinyl records. Have fun refurbishing though! It was hugely popular and parts should be easy to find.


----------



## MisterMudd

JamesCanada said:


> Here is my Current setup at the workstation


Man, I am thoroughly jealous of those monitors. Nice setup.


----------



## u2u2

Anni arrived yesterday and spent the afternoon and evening pushing the big tubes amps to the curb...
Being fed by an Apple Music / iPad Pro combo on USB C to Qutest. Utopia on Silver Dragons.


----------



## bcowen

u2u2 said:


> Anni arrived yesterday and spent the afternoon and evening pushing the big tubes amps to the curb...
> Being fed by an Apple Music / iPad Pro combo on USB C to Qutest. Utopia on Silver Dragons.


Nice!!

But where do you live?  I'd like to come by and clean your curb off for you.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Never like ZMF Auteur before because I think it's too dry. 

The Ambrosia Maple wood change my opinion though! Sound really natural, love how it blend technicality and musicality!


----------



## stemiki




----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## Wes S

TheMiddleSky said:


> Never like ZMF Auteur before because I think it's too dry.
> 
> The Ambrosia Maple wood change my opinion though! Sound really natural, love how it blend technicality and musicality!


Ambrosia Maple is a fantastic wood!  My VC are Ambrosia Maple and I love it.  I think Ambrosia Maple is way underrated as a tone wood, and it looks killer too.


----------



## Preachy1

Wes S said:


> Ambrosia Maple is a fantastic wood!  My VC are Ambrosia Maple and I love it.  I think Ambrosia Maple is way underrated as a tone wood, and it looks killer too.


What you said.  My Auteurs are in AM as well.


----------



## gefski

Lol, someone said my LCD-3 maple looked like a bowling alley. That left me crying and sobbing as I listened to beautiful music.


----------



## Preachy1

gefski said:


> Lol, someone said my LCD-3 maple looked like a bowling alley. That left me crying and sobbing as I listened to beautiful music.


Never seen a finish like that on a pair of LCD's.  Looks like about 12 coats of poly!!!!!


----------



## gibsonsg87

New Headphone Day: ZMF Atticus Cocobolo!






Family Picture (The stand is placed there for display purposes only.)


----------



## TheRH (Nov 16, 2021)

Excellent combo! Audeze LCD-X 2021. SPL Phonitor SE/ SPL DAC.


----------



## Wes S

gibsonsg87 said:


> New Headphone Day: ZMF Atticus Cocobolo!
> 
> 
> Family Picture (The stand is placed there for display purposes only.)


Nice headphones and welcome to the Cocobolo Atticus club!  Nice gear too, but where are the tubes?   Seriously though, the Atticus does become magical with a good tube amp.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## Shane D

I was doing a three way shootout with three 'phones on three different amps.


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> Lol, someone said my LCD-3 maple looked like a bowling alley. That left me crying and sobbing as I listened to beautiful music.


That's messed up! Tell them as long as you're not wearing those goofy shoes, it's nothing like a bowling alley....


----------



## pataburd (Nov 16, 2021)

. . . all tweaked out and ready to go . . .  Bob James: "Far from Turtle": Mid-Fi has never sounded better!


----------



## atya35mm




----------



## 04gto

atya35mm said:


>


This is a person really knows what they are doing.


----------



## atya35mm

04gto said:


> This is a person really knows what they are doing.


Very kind of you to say, but it's all gained from trawling through head-fi threads.


----------



## 04gto




----------



## whirlwind

atya35mm said:


>


A little piece of heaven


----------



## j0val

atya35mm said:


>


Wow. Looks like you could spend hours there.  Very nice.


----------



## j0val




----------



## alekc

Shane D said:


> I was doing a three way shootout with three 'phones on three different amps.


@Shane D  and the results are...?


----------



## nordkapp

atya35mm said:


>


Life is tough.......Luxury-fi!


----------



## ThanatosVI

nordkapp said:


> Luxury-fi!


Luxury-fi I like that!


----------



## Shane D

alekc said:


> @Shane D  and the results are...?


My new LSA HP-2's are Awesome!


----------



## alekc

Shane D said:


> My new LSA HP-2's are Awesome!


 @Shane D   tell me more about LSA cans please.


----------



## Shane D

alekc said:


> @Shane D   tell me more about LSA cans please.


There is a thread here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kennerton-lsa-hp2.956588/


----------



## Terriero

04gto said:


> This is a person really knows what they are doing.


What? Putting the Susvaras where he/she put his/her feet? No way...


----------



## 04gto

Terriero said:


> What? Putting the Susvaras where he/she put his/her feet? No way...


I mean _some of us_ wash our feet on a daily basis and maybe even wear house shoes. Some of us even put those feet in our beds. 🤷‍♂️


----------



## DTgill

I'm really grooving the Grado-IFI pairings.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> I'm really grooving the Grado-IFI pairings.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


----------



## David222

atya35mm said:


>



That is a great chair. Gears not bad either


----------



## DTgill

I'm collecting too many beauties... Naw, one can never have too much goodness...


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


>


----------



## piakoB

Not much new here. Made the couch side table a dedicated listening station and cleared off my vape gear and cup coasters.


----------



## jurumal

HE6SE V2 sounds great out of the 789 btw. Controversial take. I know.


----------



## Steven31

piakoB said:


>


Now that's how it's done! 🔊 
That's a proper speaker setup right there. Don't see it often enough on Head Fi. Everything about this is perfect! You don't have a massive desk or conglomeration of objects taking up all the physical space between your speakers which would inevitably ruin the soundfield, your floorstanding speakers are far enough apart and angled nicely, you have the rug which will undoubtedly help to maximise soundstage and imaging preciseness of your speakers, your sitting area is a good distance from your speakers and in the correct location in accordance with the speakers location and angle. Brilliant


----------



## JamesCanada

MisterMudd said:


> Man, I am thoroughly jealous of those monitors. Nice setup.


thanks. They are really nice I must say. I splurged a bit.


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## Preachy1

piakoB said:


> Not much new here. Made the couch side table a dedicated listening station and cleared off my vape gear and cup coasters.


Love TD!!!  What were you listening to here?


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## MisterMoJo

jonathan c said:


>


Nice!!  What tubes are you using in that amp?


----------



## jonathan c

MisterMoJo said:


> Nice!!  What tubes are you using in that amp?


RFT EZ81 (foil getter) rectifiers; GEC CV5008 powers; RFT ECC81 (foil getter) / Tungsram E88CC (foil getter) drivers.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


>


Stephanie Mills!!


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 19, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> Stephanie Mills!!


An unbelievable voice. Vocals are my key to evaluating any audio gear. I love (did play) acoustic bass BUT, if the equipment gets voices right, the rest will follow…The ZMF trio of mine definitely pass the course in this respect…


----------



## jonathan c

…so does the Grado PS2000e (and I will be finding out with the Grado RS-1x 😜)…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> An unbelievable voice. Vocals are my key to evaluating any audio gear. I love (did play) acoustic bass BUT, if the equipment gets voices right, the rest will follow…The ZMF trio of mine definitely pass the course in this respect…


Little girl, BIG voice

When she broke out in the early '80s after her Broadway hit, I was more into Kiri Te Kanawa & Kathleen Battle. But in those days you couldn't miss Stephanie--she was everywhere, hit after hit. 

I agree about vocals being key to evaluating audio gear. I find the voice of Morgan James (classically trained coloratura soprano turned R&B cover queen) especially useful for evaluating upper midrange/low treble.


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 19, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> Little girl, BIG voice
> 
> When she broke out in the early '80s after her Broadway hit, I was more into Kiri Te Kanawa & Kathleen Battle. But in those days you couldn't miss Stephanie--she was everywhere, hit after hit.
> 
> I agree about vocals being key to evaluating audio gear. I find the voice of Morgan James (classically trained coloratura soprano turned R&B cover queen) especially useful for evaluating upper midrange/low treble.


Plus getting the correct proportion of: air, chestiness, diction, projection…..so few audio components in the chain do this…The irony / tragedy about this is that the voice is what the human ear is most attuned to…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Plus getting the correct proportion of: air, chestiness, diction, projection…..so few audio components in the chain do this…


All true. A well trained singer puts out more sound that a cello (albeit in a somewhat higher range).


----------



## piakoB

Preachy1 said:


> Love TD!!!  What were you listening to here?


Well I was supposed to get to some listening last night but instead I was visiting with friends on Twitch. I think the last TD album I listened to was underwater sunlight.


----------



## antdroid




----------



## albertmuc




----------



## Turkeysaurus

albertmuc said:


>


Nice speakers 🔊


----------



## albertmuc

Turkeysaurus said:


> Nice speakers 🔊


Fj Ohm


----------



## floydfan33 (Nov 20, 2021)

Playing around with Ropieee today.

Roon>Pi4 running Ropieee>iFi Diablo>CA Cascades


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Never expect a Romanian to stole my heart


----------



## alekc

TheMiddleSky said:


> Never expect a Romanian to stole my heart


Try Rockna instead of HTT2 and you may be surprised even more


----------



## j0val

lumdicks said:


>


How can anyone compete with this setup? I bet it sounds amazing


----------



## meomap

TheMiddleSky said:


> Never expect a Romanian to stole my heart


Not just stole your heart, your money too....🤑🤪😜😛


----------



## bcowen (Nov 21, 2021)

Oops...


----------



## jonathan c

meomap said:


> Not just stole your heart, your money too....🤑🤪😜😛


No theft of money….just “pay to play”…😆


----------



## thinker




----------



## DTgill

Grado head here


----------



## maggiesbrother




----------



## DTgill

maggiesbrother said:


>


Very nice!


----------



## jonathan c

‘Godzilla vs Gradolon’,  Scene 1, Take 1:


----------



## 04gto

Work is not such a bad place.


----------



## jonathan c

04gto said:


> Work is not such a bad place.


Work = _paying_ chores…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> ‘Godzilla vs Gradolon’,  Scene 1, Take 1:


----------



## L0rdGwyn (Nov 22, 2021)

Just some pics of a type 45 headphone amp I am building for Zach at ZMF, needs a little more work, but cosmetically it is done, so thought I'd share!  Color isn't accurate in the pics though, especially the last pic, oh well.









Edit: here's one more from my phone with some globe RCA 45!


----------



## jonathan c

L0rdGwyn said:


> Just some pics of a type 45 headphone amp I am building for Zach at ZMF, needs a little more work, but cosmetically it is done, so thought I'd share!  Color isn't accurate in the pics though, especially the last pic, oh well.


Phenomenal…🥲…


----------



## ufospls2

L0rdGwyn said:


> Just some pics of a type 45 headphone amp I am building for Zach at ZMF, needs a little more work, but cosmetically it is done, so thought I'd share!  Color isn't accurate in the pics though, especially the last pic, oh well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks awesome. Should work very well with ZMF's! : )


----------



## toodles1978

Just over a week ago I posted a similar picture but with the kennerton magni in shot saying how I am done apart from adding an atom amp to complete the stack... well that may have been a bit of a miscalculation..


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## cradams1020

j0val said:


>


love the Genelecs!


----------



## jonathan c

Headphone heaven…


----------



## corgifall

Review desk is a mess but at least it’s full of stuff to listen with!


----------



## jonathan c

corgifall said:


> Review desk is a mess but at least it’s full of stuff to listen with!


Anything to listen _to?….🤪😜…._


----------



## DeweyCH

Here's my home office setup this morning:





Hanging cans from left to right: AKG K240DF with ZMF solid Eikon pads, AKG K240 Sextett LP with ZMF Auteur perf. suede pads and a MMCX mod, Steelseries Arctis 7 (purely for Zoom), Koss Portapro with Yaxi pads, Avantone Planar.

Stack from top to bottom: SMSL SU-8 DAC, Schiit Lokius, Monoprice THX 887.

Plugged in right now: Hifiman HE6SE v2 with DCA Ether Flow angled pads, Dekoni Nuggets and a honeycomb grill mod.





To the left of my desk, a cap-modded Monoprice Liquid Platinum with Mullard CV4003 tubes, a JDS Labs OL Switcher, a Bottlehead Crack with Speedball sporting another Mullard CV4003 and a Tung-Sol 5998, a ZMF Auteur in Almond wood and a ZMF Verite Closed in stabilized wood. They're sitting on a ZMF Salire in Katalox. Oh, and a couple of Dekoni attenuation rings serving no purpose.





For listening in bed or moving around the house, Thieaudio Monarchs, a Dragonfly Red (if using my phone) and an Astell & Kern KANN. Dirty desk, too. Gross.






To the left of the table with the tube amps on it, a currently-not-connected Dual 1019 and my tube rolling zone.





Further left still, my Thorens TD-125 MkII (connected via a Schiit Mani to the OL Switcher).





Finally, on the far end of the room - directly behind me when I'm seated at my desk - my loudspeaker and "sitting in my armchair" setup.

Stack from top to bottom: Sony PS-X600 turntable, TEAC CD-P650, Luxman TP-117 tuner preamplifier, and Luxman R-117 receiver. Speakers are KEF 103.2. On top of the speaker, a pair of AKG K340 and a pair of Yamaha HP-2 orthos. Finally, sitting on that stupid outcropping of concrete that I hate with a passion, an iFi Zen Blue.


----------



## corgifall

DeweyCH said:


> Here's my home office setup this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


All those yummy tubes


----------



## j0val

cradams1020 said:


> love the Genelecs!


They’re my first pair of monitors and they’re awesome.


----------



## Terriero

JoeTho said:


>


Incredible pic. I love the resolution


----------



## Terriero

jonathan c said:


> Anything to listen _to?….🤪😜…._


Music from head-fi forum


----------



## TooFrank

DeweyCH said:


> Here's my home office setup this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Really, really nice home office. What do you do for real with all these beautifull procrastinator devices around you? Sorry if I sound envious


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Headphone heaven…


Lovely rug!


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> Here's my home office setup this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


KEF 103.2s!!


----------



## bcowen

DeweyCH said:


> Here's my home office setup this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Love the Dual (well, actually love the whole setup ).  My very first 'serious' turntable was a 1218.


----------



## whirlwind

DeweyCH said:


> Here's my home office setup this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How does your phone power the Monarch's......thinking about getting the Monarch, just wonder if thr Hiby R3 will do them justice.


----------



## DeweyCH

whirlwind said:


> How does your phone power the Monarch's......thinking about getting the Monarch, just wonder if thr Hiby R3 will do them justice.


With the Dragonfly Red they sound great. Your R3 puts out more power, so I’d expect the combo to be very very nice.


----------



## whirlwind

DeweyCH said:


> With the Dragonfly Red they sound great. Your R3 puts out more power, so I’d expect the combo to be very very nice.


How is the fit for you...they look extremely large ?


----------



## DeweyCH

bcowen said:


> Love the Dual (well, actually love the whole setup ).  My very first 'serious' turntable was a 1218.


At some point I’d like to hear a higher end idle drive deck but my 1019 was restored nicely by Bill from FixMyDual and it’s hard to fault it. You can hear the difference in sound style vs the DD Sony and belt drive Thorens. A noticeable bit more aggressive.


----------



## DeweyCH

whirlwind said:


> How is the fit for you...they look extremely large ?


They’re not small. I have big ears so they’re ok, but kinda just on the edge of ok. That said I’ve had no problem with them, and the only time I feel their size is if I’m wearing them to fall asleep.

Edit: apparently the v2 or mkII or whatever monarchs are bigger than the originals, which these are.


----------



## whirlwind

DeweyCH said:


> They’re not small. I have big ears so they’re ok, but kinda just on the edge of ok. That said I’ve had no problem with them, and the only time I feel their size is if I’m wearing them to fall asleep.
> 
> Edit: apparently the v2 or mkII or whatever monarchs are bigger than the originals, which these are.


Thanks.


----------



## bvhme

Small footprint endgame

Bluesound Node 2i → Benchmark DAC3 B →Benchmark HPA4 → Lavri Grand → Meze Empyrean.


----------



## alekc

bvhme said:


> Small footprint endgame
> 
> Bluesound Node 2i → Benchmark DAC3 B →Benchmark HPA4 → Lavri Grand → Meze Empyrean.


@bvhme congrats on awesome setup. I'm thinking about Bluesound node 2i. Could you tell me a few words how it performs in headphone desktop setup please? I have few possible dacs on the table right now including R2R and FPGA based but I know I will eventually want to add a streamer. Bluesound is interesting due to its compact size.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

alekc said:


> Try Rockna instead of HTT2 and you may be surprised even more


 
Heard good things about them, one of my friend actually order Wavedream to replace his bartok.

Personally, even Wavelight is more expensive than TT2, and I still need to add external amp after that. For now I think I'd allocate budget for more headphones first


----------



## alekc

TheMiddleSky said:


> Heard good things about them, one of my friend actually order Wavedream to replace his bartok.
> 
> Personally, even Wavelight is more expensive than TT2, and I still need to add external amp after that. For now I think I'd allocate budget for more headphones first


Sounds like a great plan too  Indeed Rockna is huge in size and requires external amp - here HTT2 clearly wins. HTT2 is overall one of best dacs/amps combos available currently. As for the price difference between WL and HTT2 I'm not so sure - I've got very similar price offering for both but in may be different outside of EU due to difference tax rates, etc.


----------



## bvhme

alekc said:


> @bvhme congrats on awesome setup. I'm thinking about Bluesound node 2i. Could you tell me a few words how it performs in headphone desktop setup please? I have few possible dacs on the table right now including R2R and FPGA based but I know I will eventually want to add a streamer. Bluesound is interesting due to its compact size.


Yeah, it's a great little streamer. I think the BluOS software is pretty good and streaming Qobuz from it sounds just perfect over the Coax out and seems to be unadulterated streaming. It won't stream bit rates that are very high, though, but neither does my DAC.

I also love that the Node 2i has a trigger out, so it can turn on the HPA4 amp, which in turn can turn on the DAC3. This means I can turn the streamer on from the app, and it'll wake these other little monsters. The output on the Node 2i can be fixed as well if you'd rather use the internal DAC; however, I haven't listened to it yet.

As far as DACs go, this is the one I ended up with after a lot of trial and error. This is great especially with the HPA4 as they are both operating on +24dB. If I didn't have this set I would most likely chosen to keep the RME ADI-2-DAC fs, which is as incredible in my ears, very customizable and incredible value for money. I've tried some FPGA DACs and didn't believe them to have an edge over well implemented chip DACs. I've never heard a R2R so I couldn't say.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

alekc said:


> Sounds like a great plan too  Indeed Rockna is huge in size and requires external amp - here HTT2 clearly wins. HTT2 is overall one of best dacs/amps combos available currently. As for the price difference between WL and HTT2 I'm not so sure - I've got very similar price offering for both but in may be different outside of EU due to difference tax rates, etc.



Agree, TT2 hold such great value in high end market. When travel become easy again, I would go back to Singapore and try to find dealer there (no dealer/distributor here in Indonesia). Still can't imagine the sound of any Rockna now.


----------



## SalR406

bvhme said:


> Small footprint endgame
> 
> Bluesound Node 2i → Benchmark DAC3 B →Benchmark HPA4 → Lavri Grand → Meze Empyrean.


Really nice system.  Fantastic choices.  I bet it sounds great.  Enjoy it!


----------



## jonathan c

bvhme said:


> Small footprint endgame
> 
> Bluesound Node 2i → Benchmark DAC3 B →Benchmark HPA4 → Lavri Grand → Meze Empyrean.


small physical footprint, big sonic footprint…


----------



## Ficcion2

Here’s a #waybackwednesday as I don’t own various components here anymore.


----------



## Wes S (Nov 25, 2021)

My setup for the holiday weekend while out of town with the family.  I sold off all my higher end iems a while back, as I preferred my full sized system.  However, I did keep one of my favorite iem cables and the cheapest set of iems I own, and all be darned if they don't sound incredible together off my Galaxy S10+ (snapdragon).  I sure am glad I kept the cable (Satin Athena 8 wire) and the famous Chi-Fi iem the BLON BL03.  Pretty amazing what an $800 cable can do for a $30 dollar set of iems!


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> My setup for the holiday weekend while out of town with the family.  I sold off all my higher end iems a while back, as I preferred my full sized system.  However, I did keep one of my favorite iem cables and the cheapest set of iems I own, and all be darned if they don't sound incredible together off my Galaxy S10+ (snapdragon).  I sure am glad I kept the cable (Satin Athena 8 wire) and the famous Chi-Fi iem the BLON BL03.  Pretty amazing what an $800 cable can do for a $30 dollar set of iems!


ROFL!  I wonder how an $800 set of IEM's would sound with a $30 cable?


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> My setup for the holiday weekend while out of town with the family.  I sold off all my higher end iems a while back, as I preferred my full sized system.  However, I did keep one of my favorite iem cables and the cheapest set of iems I own, and all be darned if they don't sound incredible together off my Galaxy S10+ (snapdragon).  I sure am glad I kept the cable (Satin Athena 8 wire) and the famous Chi-Fi iem the BLON BL03.  Pretty amazing what an $800 cable can do for a $30 dollar set of iems!


Whatever works


----------



## Wes S

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  I wonder how an $800 set of IEM's would sound with a $30 cable?


Done that too (in the past), and it's scary how close both setups can sound on certain tracks.  It always amazes me how much a quality cable can affect the sound.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Done that too (in the past), and it's scary how close both setups can sound on certain tracks.  It always amazes me how much a quality cable can affect the sound.


That holds all through the chain: power, source/DAC interconnect, DAC/hpa interconnect, hpa/hp.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> My setup for the holiday weekend while out of town with the family.  I sold off all my higher end iems a while back, as I preferred my full sized system.  However, I did keep one of my favorite iem cables and the cheapest set of iems I own, and all be darned if they don't sound incredible together off my Galaxy S10+ (snapdragon).  I sure am glad I kept the cable (Satin Athena 8 wire) and the famous Chi-Fi iem the BLON BL03.  Pretty amazing what an $800 cable can do for a $30 dollar set of iems!


No turkeys, all gravy…


----------



## ttocs

Trying a stack.....


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## Draygonn




----------



## sacguy231

I have a couple setups in the house, this is the one I spend the most time using


----------



## meomap

I have not use WA6SE for a long time now.
Just dusted out and use with DX300MAX Ti LO and with HE1000SE. 
Quite a surprise combo.....
All tubes are upgraded.....
Just setup by dining table listening while waiting for turkey to cook.....


----------



## jonathan c

meomap said:


> I have not use WA6SE for a long time now.
> Just dusted out and use with DX300MAX Ti LO and with HE1000SE.
> Quite a surprise combo.....
> All tubes are upgraded.....
> Just setup by dining table listening while waiting for turkey to cook.....


The tunes were cooking long before the turkey! Nice Sophia rectifier!


----------



## meomap

ttocs said:


> Trying a stack.....


What kind of source you use to plug into MHA200?


----------



## ttocs

meomap said:


> What kind of source you use to plug into MHA200?


Roon to a rasberry pi to the Bifrost.


----------



## meomap

ttocs said:


> Roon to a rasberry pi to the Bifrost.


Thanks.


----------



## hewlett168

meomap said:


> I have not use WA6SE for a long time now.
> Just dusted out and use with DX300MAX Ti LO and with HE1000SE.
> Quite a surprise combo.....
> All tubes are upgraded.....
> Just setup by dining table listening while waiting for turkey to cook.....


What tubes do you use? Just got a Woo Wa6SE (2ng gen) with stock tubes and interest to see what other people use.


----------



## simon740

aroldan said:


> *New addition: Ares II
> *


Hello,

how the sound of this combination?

regards,
Simon


----------



## meomap

hewlett168 said:


> What tubes do you use? Just got a Woo Wa6SE (2ng gen) with stock tubes and interest to see what other people use.


2 driver tubes are upgraded from Woo Audio website.
Rectifier tube was from Sophie Princess 247B. I think I bought from from Woo Audio from that time too.


----------



## Lord Rexter

My modest STAX collection (From left to right)

STAX SR-404 Limited Edition for Lambda 30th Anniversary (2009)
STAX SR-202 Basic (2006)
STAX SR-207 Basic (2010)
STAX SR-007 A (2007)
STAX SR-009 (2011)
STAX SR-003 Mk2 (2012)
STAX SR-L700 (2015)
STAX SR-L300 (2016)
STAX SR-L300 Limited Edition for 80th Anniversary (2018)
STAX SR-009 Black Edition for 80th Anniversary (2018)
STAX SR-L700 Mk2 (2019)


----------



## betula (Nov 26, 2021)




----------



## aroldan

simon740 said:


> Hello,
> 
> how the sound of this combination?
> 
> ...


I don't have different setups to compare mine with, but I'm pretty happy with the results. The bass is prominent without overwhelm the rest of the frequencies. The midrange is detailed and highs are never harsh. Soundstage is expansive.

Honestly, I'm rediscovering and liking more my music collection which was the ultimate purpose after all.


----------



## Terriero

betula said:


>


Will be so difficult to you to depart from your Empys (I saw you reopened your classified listing).


----------



## ThanatosVI

Terriero said:


> Will be so difficult to you to depart from your Empys (I saw you reopened your classified listing).


Parting ways witg the Empys is the wrong decision anyways


----------



## meomap

WA6SE + DX300MAX Ti + UTOPIA + DHC COMP 4 SILVER


----------



## HBen

Lord Rexter said:


> My modest STAX collection (From left to right)
> 
> STAX SR-404 Limited Edition for Lambda 30th Anniversary (2009)
> STAX SR-202 Basic (2006)
> ...


Awesome collection! Congratulations!

So which ones you like best and on what amps/dacs?


----------



## TooFrank

Lord Rexter said:


> My modest STAX collection (From left to right)
> 
> STAX SR-404 Limited Edition for Lambda 30th Anniversary (2009)
> STAX SR-202 Basic (2006)
> ...


Realy, reale impressed. I have never tried Stacks and is wondering: How have they developed over the years? If anybody should know, it must be you


----------



## TooFrank

betula said:


>


Looks really great. Is that an ICan Signature? Do you have experience as to how it compares with the "old" version?


----------



## DTgill

I love diversity... Mail lady dropped off my Audio-gd NFB-11


----------



## pataburd (Nov 29, 2021)

Sundara 2021
4-cores 22AWG Neotech UPOCC solid silver cable
HeadphoneLounge 4-pin XLR-to-speaker bananas adapter
Wadia 151PowerDAC mini (25wpc/8ohms, Class D; approximately 6wpc/37ohms)
Ultra-Fi USB (B) cable/K-Line USB filter
USB Disruptor (on order); iFi iSilencer+ (on order); iFi iPurifier3 (on order)
Lenovo G50
(MAC PC power cord, PowerVar AC conditioner; AQ Jitterbug, Infinity Audio shorting plugs; Alan Maher Infinity RFI treatments, Shakti Stone, RDC Cones and cups)


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> I love diversity... Mail lady dropped off my Audio-gd NFB-11


Great piece of gear !!


----------



## Lord Rexter

HBen said:


> Awesome collection! Congratulations!
> 
> So which ones you like best and on what amps/dacs?


Thank you ☺️

My personal preference is the 009BK closely followed by L700 OG/Mk1 for DAC I have the Denafrips Terminator DE customized edition, Gustard X26 Pro and AMPs - KGSSHV Carbon, KGSSHV, Megatron, besides a few STAX drivers etc.,


----------



## Pharmaboy

pataburd said:


> Sundara 2021
> 4-cores 22AWG Neotech UPOCC solid silver cable
> HeadphoneLounge 4-pin XLR-to-speaker bananas adapter
> Wadia 151PowerDAC mini
> ...


Evidently things are hopping in rural New York State! That Wadia is pretty cool...


----------



## PrTv

My current rig (details in sig). VC is not in pic.



Too bad I can't place the DDC on the center of the DAC because of the very stiff I2S cable (purple). I don't want to stress the cable by forcing it too much. So DDC must be off-center to give the cable some slack.


----------



## Lord Rexter (Nov 27, 2021)

PrTv said:


> My current rig (details in sig). VC is not in pic.
> 
> 
> Too bad I can't place the DDC on the center of the DAC because of the very stiff I2S cable (purple). I don't want to stress the cable by forcing it too much. So DDC must be off-center to give the cable some slack.


Nice collection ✌️I have similar setup Aurender N100C + Denafrips Hermes DDC and Terminator DE customized edition 😜


----------



## PrTv

Lord Rexter said:


> Nice collection ✌️I have similar setup Aurender N100H + Denafrips Hermes DDC and Terminator DE customized edition 😜


Thanks... I wish my N100H were in black. Too bad the seller didn't have the black one when I bought it few years ago.


----------



## senseitedj (Nov 27, 2021)

Portable Flagship - HiBy RS6 + LCD-4z 

connected using 28 AWG Silver Cables (4.4mm BAL)

Desktop set-up soon to come

@TheMiddleSky


----------



## TheMiddleSky (Nov 27, 2021)

senseitedj said:


> Portable Flagship - HiBy RS6 + LCD-4z
> 
> connected using 28 AWG Silver Cables (4.4mm BAL)
> 
> ...


RS6 does surprise me with its capability to drive 4Z. Definitely a really nice transportable set up. I can imagine it is a perfect combo to listen on the bed before sleep rather than use full desktop chain.

Anyway, my honeymoon phase is still not over yet


----------



## betula

Terriero said:


> Will be so difficult to you to depart from your Empys (I saw you reopened your classified listing).


Every now and then we face some tough decisions in life, do not we? 


ThanatosVI said:


> Parting ways witg the Empys is the wrong decision anyways


Care to elaborate? Openly labelling my decision 'bad' without knowing my background just made me curious.


TooFrank said:


> Looks really great. Is that an ICan Signature? Do you have experience as to how it compares with the "old" version?


I tested the original Pro iCan, but that was quite some time ago. Take my word with a grain of salt as I am speaking from memory here. This is what I said in my review: _"As I mentioned earlier, I do not have the original iCan Pro with me, but from memory the Signature is perhaps a bit warmer, more natural. I remember, the treble occasionally came across as dry and bright on the original version, but I never had that impression with the Signature."_
Apart from this perhaps the background is even more 'black'. I think the Elite PSU plays a big role here.


----------



## Necro82

Here is mine!

MacMini+Roon ->Sonnet Hermes -> Sonnet Morpheus -> Rogue RH5 / MHZ Musicale

'MHZ Musicale' is a really impressive aftermarket italian heaphones amp: full tubes, 6922 + EL34.


----------



## senseitedj

TheMiddleSky said:


> RS6 does surprise me with its capability to drive 4Z. Definitely a really nice transportable set up. I can imagine it is a perfect combo to listen on the bed before sleep rather than use full desktop chain.
> 
> Anyway, my honeymoon phase is still not over yet


Lovely Set-up, simple but effective. Elite easily one of the most comfortable HPs out there. I tried directly from empy, out of the bat elite has much more air than the former. Need more listening time to assess further especially after breaking in.


----------



## Necro82

I forgot the headphones!


----------



## Necro82

Impressive! The minute amp is terrific!


PrTv said:


> My current rig (details in sig). VC is not in pic.
> 
> 
> Too bad I can't place the DDC on the center of the DAC because of the very stiff I2S cable (purple). I don't want to stress the cable by forcing it too much. So DDC must be off-center to give the cable some slack.


----------



## Necro82

Last but not least, arrived yesterday....the new Phobos 2021!!


----------



## Wes S

Necro82 said:


> Here is mine!
> 
> MacMini+Roon ->Sonnet Hermes -> Sonnet Morpheus -> Rogue RH5 / MHZ Musicale
> 
> 'MHZ Musicale' is a really impressive aftermarket italian heaphones amp: full tubes, 6922 + EL34.


Nice setup and some familiar looking components!  That Italian amp looks really cool.


----------



## Necro82

Wes S said:


> Nice setup and some familiar looking components!  That Italian amp looks really cool.


Yes it is. I'm waiting for Svetlana Winged C EL34 and Tesla NOS ECC88 from UK next days for the maximum performance.


----------



## lucasratmundo




----------



## Preachy1

Necro82 said:


> Last but not least, arrived yesterday....the new Phobos 2021!!


Helluva nice looking setup!!!  Never heard of Phobos.


----------



## Necro82

Preachy1 said:


> Helluva nice looking setup!!!  Never heard of Phobos.


Phobos is a kind of Empyrean-on-steroid with more open and detailed sound in my opinion, especially in the high and mid-high range.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

lucasratmundo said:


>



Beautiful sets! 

Is that Verite Silver cable with LCD5?


----------



## PrTv

Necro82 said:


> Phobos is a kind of Empyrean-on-steroid with more open and detailed sound in my opinion, especially in the high and mid-high range.


Sounds like Empyrean Elite for me haha.

Would love to hear the Phobos but not possible where I live.


----------



## lucasratmundo

TheMiddleSky said:


> Beautiful sets!
> 
> Is that Verite Silver cable with LCD5?


Yep! I'm probably getting a Norne Drausk re-terminated for the LCD-5 soon.


----------



## Bonddam

Office setup Stax srm 007t, ZMF Pendant and Chord Qutest. Headphone is Meze Liric. I just bring my headphones up from my main setup in basement.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Necro82

PrTv said:


> Sounds like Empyrean Elite for me haha.
> 
> Would love to hear the Phobos but not possible where I live.


Maybe, I don't know the elite but phobos is cheaper for sure. The main big problem is the heavy weight compared to the better ergonomic of the Meze headphones...


----------



## Bonddam

jonathan c said:


>


The all black is very nice. You’re amp with zotl topology how is it with actually performing with super low impedance cans? I’ve looked a many times as otl out of my Crack I just love. Basically I’d love to add a MZ23 some day.


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 29, 2021)

Bonddam said:


> The all black is very nice. You’re amp with zotl topology how is it with actually performing with super low impedance cans? I’ve looked a many times as otl out of my Crack I just love. Basically I’d love to add a MZ23 some day.


The LTA MZ3 is fantastic with lower impedance headphones. Those that I use are Audeze LCD-X (20 ohms), Focal Clear OG (55 ohms), Gjallarhorn JM Edition (32 ohms), Grado RS-1x (38 ohms). Per the manual, the output impedance of the MZ3 is 2 ohms - at 0.5A and 60 Hz. In the MZ3, I use Melz 6N8Ss (1963 vintage) and RFT ECC81s (foil getter) with no adapters.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


>


That looks like a great place to sit and relax


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> That looks like a great place to sit and relax


It certainly is…not far from my WFH desk…😀


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> That looks like a great place to sit and relax


I was thinking it was awful nice of him to buy such a nice chair for his 'phones, and then even give them a pillow.   May be a bit overboard on the pampering, but who am I to judge?


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I was thinking it was awful nice of him to buy such a nice chair for his 'phones, and then even give them a pillow.   May be a bit overboard on the pampering, but who am I to judge?


They treat me well…I can return the favour; besides, unlike family members, if I don’t like what I hear (🤷🏻), I can turn them off / put them away…😆😆😆


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> It certainly is…not far from my WFH desk…😀


a What desk?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> a What desk?


Work from home…(or with favourite headphone)…


----------



## arftech (Nov 29, 2021)

My new 274B tubes came today for my Woo.  Sounds noice!


----------



## DTgill

arftech said:


> My new 274B tubes came today for my Woo.  Sounds noice!


Scuse me I have to wipe off the drool!


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> Scuse me I have to wipe off the drool!


Try the new *AudioBib*®

_no more embarrassing drool stains!_


----------



## bcowen

arftech said:


> My new 274B tubes came today for my Woo.  Sounds noice!


Nice!  Love the look of those mesh plates.


----------



## DTgill

Pharmaboy said:


> Try the new *AudioBib*®
> 
> _no more embarrassing drool stains!_


You are so right, how could I forget... LOL


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> You are so right, how could I forget... LOL


Yeah, when it comes to headphone audio, my inner child is running the show!


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> You are so right, how could I forget... LOL


That look can only come from the glow of tubes ! (With SS, wail away…)


----------



## Gavin C4 (Nov 30, 2021)

Tubes can also power the Meze Elite really well.


----------



## arftech

Gavin C4 said:


> Tubes can also power the Meze Elite really well.


That amp is sexy!


----------



## lumdicks

My dream team of tubes here.


----------



## arftech

lumdicks said:


> My dream team of tubes here.


Cool.💯   What you roll with?


----------



## lumdicks

arftech said:


> Cool.💯   What you roll with?


I really enjoy tube rolling with below mainly:

Rectifier: Western Electric 274A, KR Audio 274B, Mullard GZ33 and Fivre 5U4G
Driver: Marconi B65 x 2 (MWT and Marconi), Mullard ECC32, Sylvania 6SN7WGT, RGA Victor 6SN7
Power: Western Electric 421A, Chatham 6AS7G, Sylvania 7236


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## Preachy1

Gavin C4 said:


> Tubes can also power the Meze Elite really well.


The only thing missing here is a glass of fine Kentucky Bourbon and a robust cheroot!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gavin C4 said:


> Tubes can also power the Meze Elite really well.


That Auris is just killer. If it sounds even close to how it looks--heaven.

I've heard a few of their amps at shows. Between the size (too big for my cramped desktop) & price, I'm a sidelines admirer.


----------



## Terriero

hke3g2006 said:


>


The 9200s look incredible in this pic, and also the V550 aluminium plate   Congrats


----------



## dnd3241

arftech said:


> Cool.💯   What you roll with?


Is the WA22 good enough to kick the Susvara ?


----------



## dnd3241

lumdicks said:


> My dream team of tubes here.


Is the WA22 good enough to kick the Susvara ?


----------



## MacedonianHero

dnd3241 said:


> Is the WA22 good enough to kick the Susvara ?


Nope...sorry. Not even worth a try. The WA5, yes.


----------



## lumdicks

dnd3241 said:


> Is the WA22 good enough to kick the Susvara ?


Marginally with 421A as power tube. To drive Susvara, I usually use WA22 as preamp to Kinki THR-1 as poweramp.


----------



## floydfan33




----------



## Pharmaboy

lumdicks said:


> Marginally with 421A as power tube. To drive Susvara, I usually use WA22 as preamp to Kinki THR-1 as poweramp.


That's a terrific idea. Killer tube + killer SS sound.

The Kinki interests me a lot, but the lack of a remote makes it hard for me to use as a system preamp (in addition to HP amp, of course), which is how I would ideally use it. 

I keep hoping the designer will refine a few things and make it my dream amp...maybe someday.


----------



## lumdicks (Dec 1, 2021)

Pharmaboy said:


> That's a terrific idea. Killer tube + killer SS sound.
> 
> The Kinki interests me a lot, but the lack of a remote makes it hard for me to use as a system preamp (in addition to HP amp, of course), which is how I would ideally use it.
> 
> I keep hoping the designer will refine a few things and make it my dream amp...maybe someday.


Yes indeed, the Kinki is the most analogue sounding SS headphone amp I have ever heard so the synergy of the combo is really amazing.

For other cans with more normal sensitivity, I prefer either WA22 or Kinki, depends on mood.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## orronoco

My desktop setup which is very simple and semi portable when I want listen music through my headphone anywhere not only on my desk.
DIY SPDIF Receiver R2R DAC AD1865NK +headphone amp
Fiio M5 SPDIF output
Koss KPH-30i


----------



## CJG888

orronoco said:


> My desktop setup which is very simple and semi portable when I want listen music through my headphone anywhere not only on my desk.
> DIY SPDIF Receiver R2R DAC AD1865NK +headphone amp
> Fiio M5 SPDIF output
> Koss KPH-30i


Those output caps look interesting…


----------



## orronoco

CJG888 said:


> Those output caps look interesting…


Thanks. It is PIO K40Y. Quite cheap and sound good


----------



## CJG888

Russian NOS?


----------



## orronoco

CJG888 said:


> Russian NOS?


Yes. I think I bought it more than 10 years ago and still available today


----------



## PrTv

arftech said:


> My new 274B tubes came today for my Woo.  Sounds noice!


Really nice ZMF collection you have there!


----------



## David222

Missing a few family members that are out for various tune-ups.


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> Missing a few family members that are out for various tune-ups.


Very nice! Tremendous choice on the brown base 5692s! Behind them, a GZ32 (CV593) ?


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> Missing a few family members that are out for various tune-ups.


Your loved ones are robotic/AI beings?


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> Very nice! Tremendous choice on the brown base 5692s! Behind them, a GZ32 (CV593) ?



Thanks! Yes CV593.  I also picked up a GZ34 1950s Bugle Boy/F31 ... Brimar 5R4GY and 5Z4G. Playing with this group to learn the sound signatures before the 596.

Still hunting certain unique 6SN7 inventory


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> Your loved ones are robotic/AI beings?



Ha. My wife/daughter would argue that I'm the droid


----------



## OkPsychology

Loving my recently acquired Rag2. It's the centerpiece of my whole setup now. Could do a little better with the cable management, but I'm feeling pretty content with my current ecosystem


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> Thanks! Yes CV593.  I also picked up a GZ34 1950s Bugle Boy/F31 ... Brimar 5R4GY and 5Z4G. Playing with this group to learn the sound signatures before the 596.
> 
> Still hunting certain unique 6SN7 inventory


The USAF 596 is _fantastic!_


----------



## Terriero

OkPsychology said:


> Loving my recently acquired Rag2. It's the centerpiece of my whole setup now. Could do a little better with the cable management, but I'm feeling pretty content with my current ecosystem


I love the landscape. I'm sorry, I prefer to look there instead to look at your headphones and head-fi station   I live in a similar place but the window is behind my desk.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Your loved ones are robotic/AI beings?


…. I’ll take natural stupidity over artificial intelligence any day….it is more reliable (in occurrence) 🤪….


----------



## OkPsychology (Dec 1, 2021)

Terriero said:


> I love the landscape. I'm sorry, I prefer to look there instead to look at your headphones and head-fi station   I live in a similar place but the window is behind my desk.


Thank you! Funny, the _real_ view is behind me also (we live on the ocean and have a beautiful view South/South West which boasts some absolutely stunning sunsets)


----------



## Terriero

OkPsychology said:


> Thank you! Funny, the _real_ view is behind me also (we live on the ocean and have a beautiful view South/South East which boasts some absolutely stunning sunsets)


Share with us a pic, if you can. Thanks  (_After this pandemic, my next destiny will be Maine_  )


----------



## nordkapp

OkPsychology said:


> Loving my recently acquired Rag2. It's the centerpiece of my whole setup now. Could do a little better with the cable management, but I'm feeling pretty content with my current ecosystem


What model Dynaudio are those?


----------



## OkPsychology

Terriero said:


> Share with us a pic, if you can. Thanks  (_After this pandemic, my next destiny will be Maine_  )


Well since you asked!! (I apologize for this being so off topic). Yeah, come visit Maine when you can. It certainly doesn't suck!


----------



## OkPsychology

nordkapp said:


> What model Dynaudio are those?


They're LYD 8's. Very neutral. Great for mixing. Wish they had a little more low end a lot of the time, but I knew that when I bought 'em


----------



## Pharmaboy

OkPsychology said:


> Loving my recently acquired Rag2. It's the centerpiece of my whole setup now. Could do a little better with the cable management, but I'm feeling pretty content with my current ecosystem


Maine!! 

Terrific gear there. What speakers are you using?


----------



## OkPsychology

Pharmaboy said:


> Maine!!
> 
> Terrific gear there. What speakers are you using?


Goshen!! I'm from Woodstock originally, so upstate NY represent!!

Thank you! The speakers are Dynaudio LYD8. I've had them for about a year and really like them a lot!


----------



## jadverkko




----------



## Preachy1

OkPsychology said:


> Well since you asked!! (I apologize for this being so off topic). Yeah, come visit Maine when you can. It certainly doesn't suck!


visited Bar Harbor for the first time a few months ago.  Loved it!!!!


----------



## nordkapp

OkPsychology said:


> They're LYD 8's. Very neutral. Great for mixing. Wish they had a little more low end a lot of the time, but I knew that when I bought 'em


Does the Raggy have pre-outs to control them?


----------



## jonathan c

OkPsychology said:


> Well since you asked!! (I apologize for this being so off topic). Yeah, come visit Maine when you can. It certainly doesn't suck!


Indeed! I have aunts / uncles etc who have lived in York Village for decades. My grandparents did too. 😄


----------



## OkPsychology

Preachy1 said:


> visited Bar Harbor for the first time a few months ago.  Loved it!!!!


Nice!! Very fun place to hang. I hope you enjoyed yourself 😁


----------



## OkPsychology

nordkapp said:


> Does the Raggy have pre-outs to control them?


It has pre-outs that feed the Ear Max Pro (lil tubey dude). I use the multitude of outputs on my Motu ultralight to feed the powered speakers (main outs) and 3/4 to my headamp gear (passing through the lokius so all hp’s get EQ). The speaker outs on the Ragnarok feed the SRD-7 for my estats. All in all the system works quite nicely. I like that I can run a thirsty set of planars (HE6se or Aeon) off the balanced out of the Rag, a nice dynamic (HD800S, Clear, Q701) off the tubes, and run a stat (L300LE or 007) off the energizer all at the same time and mostly match levels for A/B/C comparos!! Super fun


----------



## senseitedj (Dec 2, 2021)

My current Desktop setup is optimized to power the HEDDphone. WA6 SE with Sophia tubes tames the treble of T1 (gen 1) and adds bass body to the former.

Burson Conductor 3XP (Upgraded PSU) + Woo Audio WA6 SE (2nd Gen). Connected via RCA Output/Input

Sophia 274B Rectifier tubes and Stock driver tubes on WA6 SE, V6 Vivid Op amps on Burson.

In addition to 4 outputs (SE and BAL burson, High-Z and Low-Z WA6 SE) the op amps and tubes can be rolled. So this setup is like a chameleon.


----------



## judomaniak57

jadverkko said:


>


2 thumbs up for using a bryston. such a good amp.seems to be underapreciated . my fave amp


----------



## Chefguru (Dec 2, 2021)

.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## OkPsychology

Lord Rexter said:


>


gorgeous! what energizer is that?


----------



## Lord Rexter

OkPsychology said:


> gorgeous! what energizer is that?


John McLean built KGSSHV Carbon 😜


----------



## OkPsychology

Lord Rexter said:


> John McLean built KGSSHV Carbon 😜


and which stats do you have? I'm drooling. don't keep me waiting!!


----------



## Lord Rexter

OkPsychology said:


> and which stats do you have? I'm drooling. don't keep me waiting!!


My partial collection -

HiFiMAN Jade II
Koss ESP95x
Nectar sound Hive
RR1 Bespoke and Premium editions
STAX SR-003MK2
STAX SR-003MK2 with STAX CES-A1
STAX SR-007A Mk2 (Black Edition with Blutack mod)
STAX SR-009 OG
STAX SR-009BK (80th Anniversary Black Limited Edition)
STAX SR-202 (Ultra-Modded)
STAX SR-207
STAX SR-L300 (w L500 pads and Blutack mod)
STAX SR-L300 Limited Edition (w L700 headband and earpads)
STAX SR-L404 Limited Edition
STAX SR-L500 MK 2
STAX SR-L700
STAX SR-L700 MK 2


----------



## OkPsychology

Lord Rexter said:


> My partial collection -
> 
> HiFiMAN Jade II
> Koss ESP95x
> ...


Absolutely amazing collection! How do you feel about the Hives? I'm very curious to try a pair. I have L300LE's and 007A's also, and love them both for different reasons.


----------



## Lord Rexter

OkPsychology said:


> Absolutely amazing collection! How do you feel about the Hives? I'm very curious to try a pair. I have L300LE's and 007A's also, and love them both for different reasons.


Thank you, thank you ☺️

Hives unfortunately broke (the driver enclosure cracked up at the cable connector location on left earcup) and I couldn't test it out as much as I wanted to they were supposed to have better bass performance than the RR1s.


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## Pharmaboy

OkPsychology said:


> It certainly doesn't suck!


Amazing state motto. Beats the hell out "New York is for lovers." (lover of what, exactly...I always think).

The motto I would pick for Goshen, NY: "Cows good. People--not so much"


----------



## Ciggavelli

My WA33 EE JPS got a buddy today (3ES EE)


----------



## Roasty

Ciggavelli said:


> My WA33 EE JPS got a buddy today (3ES EE)



Wow! This is epic... Congrats dude!


----------



## maggiesbrother

Had to vacate my house today due to plumbing issues - will be at a rental for a week. I managed to grab the important stuff though.


----------



## arftech

Ciggavelli said:


> My WA33 EE JPS got a buddy today (3ES EE)


WOW!


----------



## jonathan c

Relaxin’ in the Laurel Mountains of Western Pennsylvania:


----------



## senseitedj

maggiesbrother said:


> Had to vacate my house today due to plumbing issues - will be at a rental for a week. I managed to grab the important stuff though.


Take only the essentials... Well chosen!


----------



## lucasratmundo

As it usually goes, I've quickly iterated on my "1.0 systems" and I think I've now hit a "2.0" milestone.




_My home office desk, where I spend most of my time: HQPlayer NUC → sMS-200ultra + sPS-500 → May KTE → WA33 EE JPS | US5 Pro




Casual music enjoyment corner by the sofa: sMS-200ultra + sPS-500 → M Scaler + TT2 → Hypsos + Oor_


----------



## SalR406

lucasratmundo said:


> As it usually goes, I've quickly iterated on my "1.0 systems" and I think I've now hit a "2.0" milestone.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time: HQPlayer NUC → sMS-200ultra + sPS-500 → May KTE → WA33 EE JPS | US5 Pro
> ...


Beautiful setup there.  Do you have the May DAC connected to both the Woo and Niimbus amps at the same time - one XLR and one RCA - or do you swap cables around?


----------



## lucasratmundo

SalR406 said:


> Beautiful setup there.  Do you have the May DAC connected to both the Woo and Niimbus amps at the same time - one XLR and one RCA - or do you swap cables around?



Thanks! I have both amps connected via XLR to the May via a GoldPoint SW2X-O output switcher.


----------



## Terriero

lucasratmundo said:


> As it usually goes, I've quickly iterated on my "1.0 systems" and I think I've now hit a "2.0" milestone.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time: HQPlayer NUC → sMS-200ultra + sPS-500 → May KTE → WA33 EE JPS | US5 Pro
> ...


I love the table of your desk and your keyboard (I have a tenkeyless Topre keyboard   )


----------



## Pharmaboy

lucasratmundo said:


> As it usually goes, I've quickly iterated on my "1.0 systems" and I think I've now hit a "2.0" milestone.
> 
> 
> _My home office desk, where I spend most of my time: HQPlayer NUC → sMS-200ultra + sPS-500 → May KTE → WA33 EE JPS | US5 Pro
> ...



Love the lighting in the office (+ the gear is insane!)


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y




----------



## Roasty

My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!







Then over the weekend, one of my friends was kind enough to lend me his Mola Mola Tambaqui. I have it till the end of the week. 

As much as I love my kids.. Not having screaming children running around the house constantly making a huge ruckus and mess is actually really really nice!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Roasty said:


> My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


DAMN!!


----------



## OceanRanger

Roasty said:


> My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is like a headphone room, not a headphone station.....awesomeness!!!


----------



## Preachy1

Roasty said:


> My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My wife will be traveling on business for the week  I won’t be moving my gear around but I will be able to listen to Frank Zappa good and loud!

Happy Zappadan!


----------



## Redcarmoose

When the cats away......the mice will play! 


Roasty said:


> My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## nagi8404

Just got this tank and finally was able to play my SACD collection.
Even with albums I've heard many times with streaming, the Sony SCD-1 sounds miles better.
I just hope it won't die on me soon.


----------



## Terriero

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


>


My daughter would love your head-fi station (she loves panda bears  )


----------



## Terriero

Roasty said:


> My wife and kids are out of the house for 3 weeks; they flew back to my home country for end of year holidays. Right after getting home from sending them to the airport, took out some audio gear into the living room LOL I am really looking forward to some quality listening time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like an audiophile theatre you have there... Enjoy your days as a single


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> DAMN!!



Wow! enjoy man...looks cozy.


----------



## DTgill

ESCUSE the mess, it's how I roll


----------



## Zachik

DTgill said:


> ESCUSE the mess, it's how I roll


Is there any other way?!


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Zachik said:


> Is there any other way?!



The answer to that is "Yes". See post #30209. No judgement, just different ways.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...e-no-old-pictures-please.529140/post-16695713


----------



## InvisibleInk

CaptainFantastic said:


> The answer to that is "Yes". See post #30209. No judgement, just different ways.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...e-no-old-pictures-please.529140/post-16695713


So tidy! My OCD is pleased


----------



## DTgill (Dec 7, 2021)

CaptainFantastic said:


> The answer to that is "Yes". See post #30209. No judgement, just different ways.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...e-no-old-pictures-please.529140/post-16695713


I tried to keep my act together, but with grandkids, work, and life, I just can't keep it looking as good as that picture... I live in here when I'm home

Thank God I'm not OCD, I can't even keep my name tag straight on my shirt...


----------



## Zachik

CaptainFantastic said:


> The answer to that is "Yes". See post #30209. No judgement, just different ways.


I was just kidding. My setup is probably somewhere in-between...


----------



## alekc

DTgill said:


> I tried to keep my act together, but with grandkids, work, and life, I just can't keep it looking as good as that picture... I live in here when I'm home
> 
> Thank God I'm not OCD, I can't even keep my name tag straight on my shirt...


@DTgill there is a huuuuge difference between real life system where one is actually listening to the music and the one which is simply a show off of components used. I just love all those reviewers who are putting head gear on trees, in the garden, in the background, between flowers and cats but they seem never to actually connect anything and how they can listen to it without cables? Guess this is how so many high score reviews of very poor equipment are born  

 I prefer your way since I know the stuff you have in there must sounds great because it is in actual use!


----------



## DTgill

alekc said:


> @DTgill there is a huuuuge difference between real life system where one is actually listening to the music and the one which is simply a show off of components used. I just love all those reviewers who are putting head gear on trees, in the garden, in the background, between flowers and cats but they seem never to actually connect anything and how they can listen to it without cables? Guess this is how so many high score reviews of very poor equipment are born
> 
> I prefer your way since I know the stuff you have in there must sounds great because it is in actual use!


I love my headphones amps and dacs they all get used on a regular basis, but I think I'm done for now, at least for a while. 

I've been sucked into a vortex that is head-fi


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> I was just kidding. My setup is probably somewhere in-between...


If you can find it…😂🤪😜…


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> I tried to keep my act together, but with grandkids, work, and life, I just can't keep it looking as good as that picture... I live in here when I'm home
> 
> Thank God I'm not OCD, I can't even keep my name tag straight on my shirt...


Three out of four is not bad…your name, your tag, your shirt…😜


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> ESCUSE the mess, it's how I roll



(me, too)


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## ufospls2

The current state of the union. Going to try and work out a better table solution for them, but yeah, this is things currenty.


----------



## waveSounds

"Boulder 866", yep, name checks out. I imagine this is what would be used in place of Atlas Stones for the world's strongest audiophile competition!


----------



## Terriero

ufospls2 said:


> The current state of the union. Going to try and work out a better table solution for them, but yeah, this is things currenty.


When the money went to headphones and you forgot to upgrade the tables or rack


----------



## waveSounds

New toy fresh from Santa's sleigh.


----------



## jonathan c

waveSounds said:


> New toy fresh from Santa's sleigh.


…and Clarence got a new amp instead of his wings…


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Both really complement each other nicely in term of sound character!


----------



## jonathan c

Almost two years have passed with a hybrid work from home / work at work regimen in place…🤷🏻…Thanksgiving Day has passed but the thankfulness has not…


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Terriero said:


> When the money went to headphones and you forgot to upgrade the tables or rack


I always "forget" to upgrade my chair lol.

See a nice working chair for $100, I think I can get something with cheaper price. See a nice pentacon connector for $100 = auto buy. Sometimes I feel horrible about my self


----------



## kumar402

TheMiddleSky said:


> I always "forget" to upgrade my chair lol.
> 
> See a nice working chair for $100, I think I can get something with cheaper price. See a nice pentacon connector for $100 = auto buy. Sometimes I feel horrible about my self


A good chair and work setup really helps in better productivity and you wanting to go back to work every morning. Think of them as good investment


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Almost two years have passed with a hybrid work from home / work at work regimen in place…🤷🏻…Thanksgiving Day has passed but the thankfulness has not…


The chair of contemplation


----------



## senseitedj

TheMiddleSky said:


> I always "forget" to upgrade my chair lol.
> 
> See a nice working chair for $100, I think I can get something with cheaper price. See a nice pentacon connector for $100 = auto buy. Sometimes I feel horrible about my self



$500 for TV is expensive. $1000 for DAC leggo


----------



## betula

TheMiddleSky said:


> Both really complement each other nicely in term of sound character!


The two headphones I am most interested in at the moment. 
Would you mind to share a brief personal comparison?


----------



## Preachy1

kumar402 said:


> A good chair and work setup really helps in better productivity and you wanting to go back to work every morning. Think of them as good investment


True story!!!  I have an Aeron in my home office and a Stressless in my 2-channel room.


----------



## Amish

Current station:


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> Almost two years have passed with a hybrid work from home / work at work regimen in place…🤷🏻…Thanksgiving Day has passed but the thankfulness has not…


Do I spy Gato Barbieri "Caliente"? Boy that takes me back....


----------



## senseitedj

TheMiddleSky said:


> Both really complement each other nicely in term of sound character!


 Ill take the chord please


----------



## TheMiddleSky (Dec 9, 2021)

betula said:


> The two headphones I am most interested in at the moment.
> Would you mind to share a brief personal comparison?


LCD-5:
Fast, intense, tight, forward presentation. Imagine ATC Studio Monitor speaker.

Elite:
Sweet, relax, BIG Imaging, full body tone. Imagine Sonus Faber floor stand speaker.

One of my friend actually has one nice description about Empyrean and Elite. Empyrean is like LCD-2F, while Elite is LCD-4. The difference is significant, but you will know they share same house sound.



senseitedj said:


> Ill take the chord please


Ready for tomorrow's battle? haha


----------



## jonathan c

On a whim…Schiit Valhalla II (Foton / RFT) as preamplifier to Flux Lab FA-22 via custom silver interconnects from Arctic Cables. The respective strengths of vacuum tube & solid state with no perceivable weaknesses so far…another _tasty _sonic flavour!…


----------



## senseitedj

Excuse the poor quality photo. My Dad's office set-up. The Burson Conductor 3XP was a gift from me, and Bluesound node 2i is gift from my granny.

Bluesound does the streaming and unfolds MQA in tidal, Burson does the rest. Powering Focal Clear OG. Upgraded supercharger PSU, V6 Vivid Op Amps


----------



## Hello kitty

Here is mine currently. The Audeze case has an LCD-X and the ZMF wooden case has a Verite Open.

I am currently waiting on an LCD-5 to add here.


----------



## DeweyCH

From left to right: AKG K240DF | Hifiman HE6SE v2 with DCA Ether Flow pads, grille mod and an old-school ZMF headband assembly | Stealth magnet Hifiman Arya | LSA HP-2 | ZMF Auteurs


----------



## DeweyCH

Hello kitty said:


> Here is mine currently. The Audeze case has an LCD-X and the ZMF wooden case has a Verite Open.
> 
> I am currently waiting on an LCD-5 to add here.


Digging that Pendant


----------



## Redcarmoose

*WM1Z MrWalkmans "Walkman One" MX3/Nobel Audio Kaiser 10 Encore*


----------



## UntilThen

Yggdrasil > Odyssey > He6se V2.


----------



## alreadyused (Dec 10, 2021)

Geshelli J2 + E2 + MEZE LiRIC


----------



## Hello kitty

DeweyCH said:


> Digging that Pendant


Thanks! The wood is Black Limba. Here is a close up for you.


----------



## Shane D

It is a mess as of December 10th, but will be much smaller by the end of January.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> It is a mess as of December 10th, but will be much smaller by the end of January.


… ‘much smaller’…go big or go home!….oh, you are already home…therefore…


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> … ‘much smaller’…go big or go home!….oh, you are already home…therefore…


I am on a mission to shrink my collection and my waistline. Hopefully I can succeed at both!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> True story!!!  I have an Aeron in my home office and a Stressless in my 2-channel room.


True x 3. I've worked in my home office for 25 years. A year or so in, using a flea-market chair & suffering serious back problems, I picked up a used Steelcase Criterion chair (based on some online recommendations). That was the magic wand that let me keep working like this.

All these years later I own 3 Criterion "Leap I" chairs & 1 modified Criterion chair (that's my wife's). I can sit in a Leap I chair for 11-12 hours straight and not feel discomfort. These chairs aren't glamorous, but _man_, do they work!


----------



## CJG888

Hello kitty said:


> Thanks! The wood is Black Limba. Here is a close up for you.


Are those Baldwin tubes actually Sylvania 6BQ5s?


----------



## judomaniak57

need a break from the stellia's closed in sound. klipsch hp3 hit the spot


----------



## jonathan c

To @Steven31:    If it were Guinness, Coldplay would not be on 😜!


----------



## jonathan c

To @TheMiddleSky:  -30dB?….crank it up 🤪


----------



## Steven31

jonathan c said:


> To @Steven31:    If it were Guinness, Coldplay would not be on 😜


Lol yeah you’re absolutely right, I’ve actually just finished listening to U2 lol.
I always start my marantz HDCD1 listening sessions off with Coldplay’s 2014 Ghost Stories album, it’s an album that means allot to me.


----------



## Skev

Just so I can move it from room to room but that is my favourite spot.


----------



## alekc

A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...


----------



## Skev

alekc said:


> A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...


The wife is spending money Christmas shopping today so I'm treating myself 👌🤗


----------



## DTgill

alekc said:


> A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...


LOL...


----------



## bcowen

alekc said:


> A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...



🤣🤣🤣

You mean not everybody gets drunk on Sunday morning?  You can't be serious.  😀


----------



## Steven31

alekc said:


> A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...


Alcohol heightens the experience, regardless of the music 
I don't need alcohol to enjoy music, have you ever experienced frission? (that's the scientific term for "goosebumps"), when I listen to my favourite songs I get that all the time - regardless of the equipment I use to listen to it with.


----------



## DTgill

alekc said:


> A little joke for Sunday: you guys must be listening to a lot of awful music on great setups, this is why there are so many bottles of alcohol on the pictures...


Maybe they like listening to George Thorogood & The Destroyers..."I Drink Alone"?


----------



## CreditingKarma

The journey continues.

Sold the abyss and xiaudio stack this year upgraded my speakers to a pair of Rockport Atria II with a pair of JL F110v2. Sold the hegel and tried some octave monos that did not ay well with the rockports. Ended up with a krell duo 300xd. Upgraded all power cords to transparent reference level next is speaker cables. Maybe upgrade the krell to D'Agostino progression or add a krell preamp to the system.

I still have my clears, noble khan, sp1000 and liquid platinum for desktop use and late night listening. I just got to a point that no matter how good the abyss was it could not keep up with the speakers and got very little use.


----------



## ufospls2

CreditingKarma said:


> The journey continues.
> 
> Sold the abyss and xiaudio stack this year upgraded my speakers to a pair of Rockport Atria II with a pair of JL F110v2. Sold the hegel and tried some octave monos that did not ay well with the rockports. Ended up with a krell duo 300xd. Upgraded all power cords to transparent reference level next is speaker cables. Maybe upgrade the krell to D'Agostino progression or add a krell preamp to the system.
> 
> I still have my clears, noble khan, sp1000 and liquid platinum for desktop use and late night listening. I just got to a point that no matter how good the abyss was it could not keep up with the speakers and got very little use.



Might be worth checking out Boulder (866 or maybe 1110/1160) at D'agostino pricing. I'm certainly impressed with mine. Depends on what you are looking for sonically I suppose, but Boulder supposedly pairs well with Rockports. 

Good to see you posting, hadn't seen you around for a while, used to see you post in the abyss thread : )


----------



## Pharmaboy

Steven31 said:


> have you ever experienced frission?


Yes--at every single alien encounter!


----------



## Steven31

lol


----------



## jonathan c

Steven31 said:


> Have you ever experienced frission?


Yes, chomping chips at Three Mile Island…😂


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Yes, chomping chips at Three Mile Island…😂


omigod, it's a pun-attack ("fission chips")

("Beam me up, Scottie!")


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> omigod, it's a pun-attack ("fission chips")
> 
> ("Beam me up, Scottie!")


Or Fritos / fission….


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> ("Beam me up, Scottie!")


*“I can’nae do it Pharmaboy, it’s da Dilithium Crystals, dey can’nae take any more”



*


----------



## Steven31

Pharmaboy said:


> omigod, it's a pun-attack ("fission chips")
> 
> ("Beam me up, Scottie!")


I read that in a Scottish accent (we Scots love our fish and chips) 
You are very funny  brilliant


----------



## nordkapp

CreditingKarma said:


> The journey continues.
> 
> Sold the abyss and xiaudio stack this year upgraded my speakers to a pair of Rockport Atria II with a pair of JL F110v2. Sold the hegel and tried some octave monos that did not ay well with the rockports. Ended up with a krell duo 300xd. Upgraded all power cords to transparent reference level next is speaker cables. Maybe upgrade the krell to D'Agostino progression or add a krell preamp to the system.
> 
> I still have my clears, noble khan, sp1000 and liquid platinum for desktop use and late night listening. I just got to a point that no matter how good the abyss was it could not keep up with the speakers and got very little use.


Let's see it.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> You mean not everybody gets starts drunk on Sunday morning?  You can't be serious.  😀


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## CreditingKarma

nordkapp said:


> Let's see it.


Will upload soon photo was too large to upload.


----------



## jonathan c

Breaking down musical barriers: the Eikonoclast !


----------



## 529128




----------



## CaptainFantastic

henrikgadegaard said:


>



I'm a simple man. I see the HD-600, I click Like.


----------



## Gavin C4

LCD 5 is very well controlled and tuned. Auris Nirvana can handle the LCD 5 easily without sweat. The VU meter is barely moving. Vocals and mids on the LCD 5 are slightly forward which makes vocals sound very pleasant.


----------



## ufospls2

Gavin C4 said:


> LCD 5 is very well controlled and tuned. Auris Nirvana can handle the LCD 5 easily without sweat. The VU meter is barely moving. Vocals and mids on the LCD 5 are slightly forward which makes vocals sound very pleasant.



Very sweet looking combo! Enjoy it man : )


----------



## darylobert

Nothing too fancy.


----------



## DTgill

darylobert said:


> Nothing too fancy.


Nice, what tube is that?


----------



## darylobert

DTgill said:


> Nice, what tube is that?


It's a Psvane, with a little dampener on the outside.  I like that it looks like a UFO.


----------



## DTgill

darylobert said:


> It's a Psvane, with a little dampener on the outside.  I like that it looks like a UFO.


Kind of looks like CV181-Z (6SN7) 
What model number?


----------



## David222

Gavin C4 said:


> LCD 5 is very well controlled and tuned. Auris Nirvana can handle the LCD 5 easily without sweat. The VU meter is barely moving. Vocals and mids on the LCD 5 are slightly forward which makes vocals sound very pleasant.



Your Nirvana is a show-stopper everytime.  What an absolutely incredible piece of audio craftsmanship!!  The LCD5 are cool too


----------



## darylobert

DTgill said:


> Kind of looks like CV181-Z (6SN7)
> What model number?


I think it was a PSVANE CV181-T Mark II, but I can not find the old email/receipt.


----------



## betula

Gavin C4 said:


> LCD 5 is very well controlled and tuned. Auris Nirvana can handle the LCD 5 easily without sweat. The VU meter is barely moving. Vocals and mids on the LCD 5 are slightly forward which makes vocals sound very pleasant.


Sweet.
Would you say this combo is even more compelling audibly than visually? 
Beautiful.


----------



## dynavit




----------



## alekc

@dynavit congrats on awesome setup. I love my Mytek Brooklyn Bridge. I think this one of best looking and sounding dac around especially when considering price tag of competitors. You will have a lot of fun switching between analog and digital volume control and fiddling with filters. One of few dacs that also really lets you "see" the music as it plays due to display options.


----------



## Gavin C4

betula said:


> Sweet.
> Would you say this combo is even more compelling audibly than visually?
> Beautiful.



It is totally worth it to get matching color wood furniture to build up the atmosphere of the listening room


----------



## ihyan2

Mine currently is being packed...


----------



## dnd3241

My station....


----------



## newworld666

M17, cleaning pad, Dock, Sony's Remote Control, Sennheiser IE 900, 2 x (USB-A+1Tb micro SD)+Voltmeter, 1m20 balanced Cable with DCA Connectors, USB-C to 5.5mm/2.1mm adapter, ddHifi 2.5mm DAC (for my Galaxy Z fold 3 & IE 900), some USB-C to USB-A or USB-C cables and connectors, 2Tb SSD Samsung, THE MONSTER DCA Stealth and a rather convenient Dignis case..
I am still waiting for 12V3A 25000 mha powerbank.. And not on the picture, a galaxy Z Fold 3 as Wifi access point for M17, movie player (via a BT-LDAC to M17 connection for sound without noticeable lag), Internet, games,........ and stuff for my real job (needs mainly office 365)


----------



## Spawn300Z (Dec 14, 2021)

newworld666 said:


> M17, cleaning pad, Dock, Sony's Remote Control, Sennheiser IE 900, 2 x (USB-A+1Tb micro SD)+Voltmeter, 1m20 balanced Cable with DCA Connectors, USB-C to 5.5mm/2.1mm adapter, ddHifi 2.5mm DAC (for my Galaxy Z fold 3 & IE 900), some USB-C to USB-A or USB-C cables and connectors, 2Tb SSD Samsung, THE MONSTER DCA Stealth and a rather convenient Dignis case..
> I am still waiting for 12V3A 25000 mha powerbank.. And not on the picture, a galaxy Z Fold 3 as Wifi access point for M17, movie player (via a BT-LDAC to M17 connection for sound without noticeable lag), Internet, games,........ and stuff for my real job (needs mainly office 365)


Which Dignis case are you using? I think I found it but it don’t show dimensions. Was wondering would it fit my Chord Mojo and Cayin C9 stack.


----------



## newworld666

Spawn300Z said:


> Which Dignis case are you using? I think I found it but it don’t show dimensions. Was wondering would it fit my Chord Mojo and Cayin C9 stack.


Sorry .. I can't remember at all where I bought this case and for which model of DAP it was made 
I can just tell you size measured by myself ..
Inside :
Length 22.5 cm
Large   12.0 cm
Depth    3.5 cm


----------



## jonathan c

dnd3241 said:


> My station....


… “make that ‘command centre’, do you copy?” …


----------



## jonathan c

Black is the new black, part III:


----------



## Spawn300Z

jonathan c said:


> Black is the new black, part III:


Just a suggestion, move your power conditioner under your woo audio amp. It would look better by having a more uniformed look. But looks great


----------



## jonathan c

Spawn300Z said:


> Just a suggestion, move your power conditioner under your woo audio amp. It would look better by having a more uniformed look. But looks great


Thank you (twice). [ If I move the stack ‘layers’ around, I have to get different interconnect  & power cords. Each set is of a specific length. The Furman has  the deepest front-to-back dimension of all the gear…]


----------



## Spawn300Z

jonathan c said:


> Thank you (twice). [ If I move the stack ‘layers’ around, I have to get different interconnect  & power cords. Each set is of a specific length. The Furman has  the deepest front-to-back dimension of all the gear…]


I was just looking at how it was from the front view. Custom lengths defiantly keeps it clean. Nice looking setup either way. Enjoy


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Thank you (twice). [ If I move the stack ‘layers’ around, I have to get different interconnect  & power cords. Each set is of a specific length. The Furman has  the deepest front-to-back dimension of all the gear…]


OK fine.  But it's against audiophile rules to double stack CD's.  When you pull one out on the bottom, the upper one falls into the space. You then wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with that nagging knowledge the alphabetical order has been compromised, which causes you to oversleep the next morning and you're late for work and the boss yells at you and since you didn't get enough sleep you're rather cranky and snap back at him (or her), and then you get fired and you have to sell some of those CD's to make the mortgage payment.  So I guess the universe rebalances itself regardless.  Nevermind.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> OK fine.  But it's against audiophile rules to double stack CD's.  When you pull one out on the bottom, the upper one falls into the space. You then wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with that nagging knowledge the alphabetical order has been compromised, which causes you to oversleep the next morning and you're late for work and the boss yells at you and since you didn't get enough sleep you're rather cranky and snap back at him (or her), and then you get fired and you have to sell some of those CD's to make the mortgage payment.  So I guess the universe rebalances itself regardless.  Nevermind.


…😁😊😒😖🤢🤮…or the installment payment to Bangybang…


----------



## jonathan c

Spawn300Z said:


> I was just looking at how it was from the front view. Custom lengths defiantly keeps it clean. Nice looking setup either way. Enjoy


I like “defiantly”! Did you mean “definitely”? “Defiantly” is better & has _bravado_ to it…👍


----------



## John Massaria

not mine but I WANT!


----------



## DTgill

Mail lady dropped off an Audio-gd R2R-11, decided to pair my GS1000 with it, damn it sounds awesome!


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Mail lady dropped off an Audio-gd R2R-11, decided to pair my GS1000 with it, damn it sounds awesome!


Fantastic! Welcome to R2R world! Who can resist resistor-to-resistor done right? 🎼😆


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Fantastic! Welcome to R2R world! Who can resist resistor-to-resistor done right? 🎼😆


Yeah, I love it


----------



## LoryWiv

darylobert said:


> It's a Psvane, with a little dampener on the outside.  I like that it looks like a UFO.


Looks like a Herbie's damper...


----------



## Wes S (Dec 15, 2021)

.


----------



## kumar402

Wes S said:


> .


Just what we need in month of Dec. Something warm and musical


----------



## Dawgfish




----------



## DarginMahkum

This is the cave I am living in daily, which is actually a studio desk my wife didn't like. I attached an extension to it. In the last few days M17 with Stealth my main listening setup. I have the HA200 next to me, but the ease of use of M17 works very well with a lazy person like me. I have to say, Stealth and M17 (for which I wa waiting for since February) are the real deals of 2021.


----------



## kumar402

DarginMahkum said:


> This is the cave I am living in daily, which is actually a studio desk my wife didn't like. I attached an extension to it. In the last few days M17 with Stealth my main listening setup. I have the HA200 next to me, but the ease of use of M17 works very well with a lazy person like me. I have to say, Stealth and M17 (for which I wa waiting for since February) are the real deals of 2021.


Is M17 a warm DAP or neutral one with emphasis on treble?


----------



## DarginMahkum

kumar402 said:


> Is M17 a warm DAP or neutral one with emphasis on treble?


It is not warm but it also doesn't have any treble emphasis. Very nicely tuned.


----------



## cwoo

darylobert said:


> Nothing too fancy.


I would say it's fancy... My gear never outright tells me it loves me!


----------



## Gavin C4 (Dec 16, 2021)

Audeze CRBN is not the typical Stax kind of electrostatic headphones. The CRBN retains a bit of the Audeze house sound with very nice bass and slightly thicker vocals than the typical Stax vocals.


----------



## Wes S (Dec 16, 2021)

I switched things up, rolled tubes and swapped pairings.  Now my VC is paired with the Pendant SE and my Atticus is paired with the RH-5.  A couple of headphones, a bunch of tubes and 2 different types of tube amps, really helps me keeps things fresh and exciting.  I have learned having multiple options is the best way for me to stay content with my gear.  I am so lucky to own gear this good, and continue to be blown away every time I listen.

Happy listening!


----------



## cradams1020

Wes S said:


> I switched things up, rolled tubes and swapped pairings.  Now my VC is paired with the Pendant SE and my Atticus is paired with the RH-5.  A couple of headphones, a bunch of tubes and 2 different types of tube amps, really helps me keeps things fresh and exciting.  I have learned having multiple options is the best way for me to stay content with my gear.  I am so lucky to own gear this good, and continue to be blown away every time I listen.
> 
> Happy listening!


Beautiful set up!  I see you are as OCD as I am with symmetry!


----------



## ScornDefeat

This is my tertiary listening station, not pictured is the Soekris DAC2541.

Great synergy between the Soekris, the Pendant and the Verite Open.


----------



## Preachy1

Recent (ish) updates include the addition of the Focal Clear MGs and a pair of inexpensive Klipsch bookshelf speakers. Other than those, this has been the state of my station for over a year now. I know, never say never, but as of now, I am thoroughly happy with my set up!


----------



## kumar402

Preachy1 said:


> Recent (ish) updates include the addition of the Focal Clear MGs and a pair of inexpensive Klipsch bookshelf speakers. Other than those, this has been the state of my station for over a year now. I know, never say never, but as of now, I am thoroughly happy with my set up!


Nice setup you have


----------



## carboncopy

kumar402 said:


> Nice setup you have


That's also a great pick-up line...

Sorry


----------



## Pharmaboy

DarginMahkum said:


> This is the cave I am living in daily, which is actually a studio desk my wife didn't like. I attached an extension to it. In the last few days M17 with Stealth my main listening setup. I have the HA200 next to me, but the ease of use of M17 works very well with a lazy person like me. I have to say, Stealth and M17 (for which I wa waiting for since February) are the real deals of 2021.


Is that one continuous monitor screen? If yes, I must've woken up in the 22nd century...


----------



## UntilThen

Finally put up my Christmas tree.


----------



## DeweyCH

Stack is a little Schittier than it was two days ago: yesterday I got a Bifrost 2 from a fellow enthusiast, and today my Magnius arrived (replacing the THX 887 as my primary solid state amp).





Brought down my new-to-me LSA HP-2 (AKA a Kennerton Gjallarhorn with less visually fancy cups and no leather caps) to test out the Magnius. Spent most of the day listening to my Auteurs on the LP.


----------



## DarginMahkum

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that one continuous monitor screen? If yes, I must've woken up in the 22nd century...


Yes, it is. I can open 5 windows of source code next to one another, which is very useful for software development. Also the curve is very natural. Great for someone spending about 10h daily in front of the monitor. Probably one of the best investments I have ever made.


----------



## Terriero

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that one continuous monitor screen? If yes, I must've woken up in the 22nd century...


Where is the monitor screen?


----------



## UntilThen

DarginMahkum said:


> Yes, it is. I can open 5 windows of source code next to one another, which is very useful for software development. Also the curve is very natural. Great for someone spending about 10h daily in front of the monitor. Probably one of the best investments I have ever made.



What brand is that? I wanted to get Odyssey G9 49" for obvious reason. I spend too much time using a monitor for both work and non-work.


----------



## UntilThen

At the moment I'm using the LG Predator 34" but I need it wider.


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> At the moment I'm using the LG Predator 34" but I need it wider.


That girl is pretty as she is, don't nee to be wider   _Remember: if you put a wider monitor, you have to change to a bigger desk or remove your speakers from the table_

I love your configuration.


----------



## Pharmaboy

DarginMahkum said:


> Yes, it is. I can open 5 windows of source code next to one another, which is very useful for software development. Also the curve is very natural. Great for someone spending about 10h daily in front of the monitor. Probably one of the best investments I have ever made.


I've made my living for years as a writer. Because of that I've held onto the older format 4 x 3 aspect ratio LCD monitors. The 19" version in particular allows me to size a page in MS WORD that's almost identical in dimension to the physical/printed page. So what I'm seeing on the screen is what readers will see...and when I pick fonts, text spacing, and place graphics among blocks of text, I'm seeing the final result in real time.

All to say I wouldn't know what to do with a monitor like yours. Having a thing like that on my desk would absolutely confound me...

(but it sure is pretty!)


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> That girl is pretty as she is, don't nee to be wider  _Remember: if you put a wider monitor, you have to change to a bigger desk or remove your speakers from the table_
> 
> I love your configuration.



I love silhouettes. Both table and monitor are less than a year old. Table is 1.5 metres specially chosen for the width. Still would love a 49" for wider soundstage or is it eyes wide shut.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> I've made my living for years as a writer.


Are you Matthew Reilly?


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Are you Matthew Reilly?


Wish I had his sales (and was his age)! 

It's not that dramatic. My work has been ~98% medical writing & the rest humor/satire.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Wish I had his sales (and was his age)!
> 
> It's not that dramatic. My work has been ~98% medical writing & the rest humor/satire.



It's quite amazing how many professionals there are on head-fi. I have been in IT all my life. Occasionally I play the US Masters with @bcowen caddying for me.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Dec 16, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> What brand is that? I wanted to get Odyssey G9 49" for obvious reason. I spend too much time using a monitor for both work and non-work.


That's what I use the 49" Sammy G9, I used to always be a dual or triple monitor kinda person but loving having a single screen and no bezel between..


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> It's quite amazing how many professionals there are on head-fi. I have been in IT all my life. Occasionally I play the US Masters with @bcowen caddying for me.


Is that why you never get to “moving day” on the ‘bleeder’ board?…


----------



## DarginMahkum (Dec 17, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> What brand is that? I wanted to get Odyssey G9 49" for obvious reason. I spend too much time using a monitor for both work and non-work.


It is the Odyssey G9 49. The curvature is just perfect. As said, best investment I have made for computer in years. Highly recommended.


Pharmaboy said:


> I've made my living for years as a writer. Because of that I've held onto the older format 4 x 3 aspect ratio LCD monitors. The 19" version in particular allows me to size a page in MS WORD that's almost identical in dimension to the physical/printed page. So what I'm seeing on the screen is what readers will see...and when I pick fonts, text spacing, and place graphics among blocks of text, I'm seeing the final result in real time.
> 
> All to say I wouldn't know what to do with a monitor like yours. Having a thing like that on my desk would absolutely confound me...
> 
> (but it sure is pretty!)


I can see your point. The trend of applying the 1920x1080 resolution with 16x9 format to computers was plain wrong. For professional usage it is just not suitable. I think only Apple kept their macbooks in 16x10 format. I preferred 16x10 for years before switching to curved monitors. With Samsung G9, I found my endgame monitor.


----------



## sebbaan

One of the best synergies I have heard to date.


----------



## OctavianH

DarginMahkum said:


> It is the Odyssey G9 49. The curvature is just perfect. As said, best investment I have made for computer in years. Highly recommended.


I am not sure if this one accepts multiple input: like to connect your PC and your laptop/docking station and to split screen to have let's say the left half for personal use and right half for work. And yep, you need a KVM for mouse/keyboard.


----------



## samr33

My current setup, few changes since last time I post my setup here~


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Please spare a thought for me being away from my "Head Fi Station" a few days for Christmas. I will rough it out with this lowly setup that seems to fit perfectly in a Pelican 1060 case.


----------



## waveSounds

@CaptainFantastic One man's roughing is another man's TOTL. 

I'm another man. Gimme that Hugo²!


----------



## DarginMahkum

OctavianH said:


> I am not sure if this one accepts multiple input: like to connect your PC and your laptop/docking station and to split screen to have let's say the left half for personal use and right half for work. And yep, you need a KVM for mouse/keyboard.


It does, but I don't use it, as I only use my desktop machine.


----------



## alekc

CaptainFantastic said:


> Please spare a thought for me being away from my "Head Fi Station" a few days for Christmas. I will rough it out with this lowly setup that seems to fit perfectly in a Pelican 1060 case.


You'll be just fine. I'm traveling with Mojo for years, and even after having TT2 on desk, it is always refreshing to listen to this little fella. Having Mojo and H2 jointly means you will have 2 different sound signature... so you will be just fine, trust me. 

Only single pair of IEMs? I'm sure there is still some space left to squeeze in some more in there


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## u2u2

alekc said:


> You'll be just fine. I'm traveling with Mojo for years, and even after having TT2 on desk, it is always refreshing to listen to this little fella. Having Mojo and H2 jointly means you will have 2 different sound signature... so you will be just fine, trust me.
> 
> Only single pair of IEMs? I'm sure there is still some space left to squeeze in some more in there


The OP knows his gear, and it would seem, how to flex... Good job all around!


----------



## MacMan31

darylobert said:


> It's a Psvane, with a little dampener on the outside.  I like that it looks like a UFO.



What does the dampener do? How does it affect the sound? Also how do you like the pairing of Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2?


----------



## MacMan31

Wes S said:


> I switched things up, rolled tubes and swapped pairings.  Now my VC is paired with the Pendant SE and my Atticus is paired with the RH-5.  A couple of headphones, a bunch of tubes and 2 different types of tube amps, really helps me keeps things fresh and exciting.  I have learned having multiple options is the best way for me to stay content with my gear.  I am so lucky to own gear this good, and continue to be blown away every time I listen.
> 
> Happy listening!



Amazing setup and great collection of tubes. Do you give all your tubes a fairly regular rotation? I just have a Valhalla 2 right now but would love a more fancy tube amp. I was think of the Feliks Audio Echo MKII.


----------



## kumar402

MacMan31 said:


> What does the dampener do? How does it affect the sound? Also how do you like the pairing of Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2?


I had Lyr3 and BF2 and the Combo will be best stack at its price point. Very smooth, good tube bloom combined with R2R richness in mid bass that will give vocals nice weight. Top end will be silky smooth and mids will be organic.


----------



## MacMan31

kumar402 said:


> I had Lyr3 and BF2 and the Combo will be best stack at its price point. Very smooth, good tube bloom combined with R2R richness in mid bass that will give vocals nice weight. Top end will be silky smooth and mids will be organic.



But that would depend on the tube used right? My current headphones are the HD6XX and ZMF Aeolus.


----------



## Bonddam

This weekend sold my WA5 LE and brought in Wells Audio Milo to add solid state to my Wells system.


----------



## elementze

A few recent moves / updates on my desk: added the MTM's and BF2 DAC.  The room correction / calibration on the MTM make a big difference given my much less than optimal speaker positioning.


----------



## cradams1020

elementze said:


> A few recent moves / updates on my desk: added the MTM's and BF2 DAC.  The room correction / calibration on the MTM make a big difference given my much less than optimal speaker positioning.


I have the MTMs and they are absolutely stellar!


----------



## elementze

my only complaint on the MTM's is how high their internal gain is.  They really want to be loud!  I'm considering putting them on a DAC / Pre-Amp that is a little bit more tame.  The Jot2/BF2 stack barely gets past 8 o'clock and it's a good listening level.  9 o'clock and some tracks are too loud.  I would like to recover some volume range.  Even turning down the volume on the back doesn't make that much of a difference.


----------



## kumar402

elementze said:


> A few recent moves / updates on my desk: added the MTM's and BF2 DAC.  The room correction / calibration on the MTM make a big difference given my much less than optimal speaker positioning.


I like how well you have kept your pigtails and adapter. Mine is all over the place and most of the time I don't find them.


----------



## elementze

You'll never guess what those are: hardwood soap dishes! 

Buddy of mine from high school makes these, and I took a few scraps home last time I visited him.  One is made of Zebra Wood, the other is Red Oak.  If you look at his "exotic wood" section there's Purple Heart and African Cherry.  Really nice way to keep little odds and ends organized!  If you message him I'm sure he would sell smaller quantities than what is listed.


----------



## waveSounds

elementze said:


> You'll never guess what those are: hardwood soap dishes!



Genius! I love seeing inventive use of seemingly random objects for audio purposes.

Also, your bud is now going to be busy catching up with demand after that post


----------



## elementze

waveSounds said:


> Genius! I love seeing inventive use of seemingly random objects for audio purposes.
> 
> Also, your bud is now going to be busy catching up with demand after that post


agreed!


----------



## cradams1020

elementze said:


> my only complaint on the MTM's is how high their internal gain is.  They really want to be loud!  I'm considering putting them on a DAC / Pre-Amp that is a little bit more tame.  The Jot2/BF2 stack barely gets past 8 o'clock and it's a good listening level.  9 o'clock and some tracks are too loud.  I would like to recover some volume range.  Even turning down the volume on the back doesn't make that much of a difference.


Interestingly enough, that "volume" knob adjust the amount of signal coming from your source, not really the actual volume output of the speaker.  To me, that seems like 6 of one, half dozen of the other, but that knob didn't affect volume the way I thought it would.  I also struggle with volume range a bit with them, but man, they sound soooooo good!


----------



## Preachy1

Pardon, but is "MTM" a brand or a style?  TIA


----------



## cradams1020

Preachy1 said:


> Pardon, but is "MTM" a brand or a style?  TIA


iLoud MTM.  They are studio monitor speakers


----------



## Preachy1

cradams1020 said:


> iLoud MTM.  They are studio monitor speakers


Got it, thanks!


----------



## Colonel Faulkner (Dec 21, 2021)

Bought myself two 'Amazon Basics monitor stands'. Satisfied with their re-modeled use as a 'mini-rack'.
Brings some sort of calmness to the desktop imo...

Pictured: Asus Xonar Essence One  (DAC), M2Tech Marley (SS HPA/Preamp), Brocksieper EarMax SE (Tube HPA) and my trusty, beloved HiFiMAN HE-500 cans.
Smurfs for remembering me: Don't take everything too serious and for some smoother sound, of course (joking).
Not pictured: Sennheiser HD800 cans while waiting for new earpads - they're to be connected to the Brocksieper unit then.


----------



## Preachy1

Colonel Faulkner said:


> Bought myself two 'Amazon Basics monitor stands'. Satisfied with their re-modeled use as a 'mini-rack'.
> Brings some sort of calmness to the desktop imo...
> 
> Pictured: Asus Xonar Essence One  (DAC), M2Tech Marley (SS HPA/Preamp), Brocksieper EarMax SE (Tube HPA) and my trusty, beloved HiFiMAN HE-500 cans.
> ...


Looks  great!   BTW, curious to know how many people here recognize your avatar as Richard Burton from the movie The Wild Geese.


----------



## Chastity (Dec 20, 2021)

SMSL M300 MKII + FX-Audio Tube-01 preamp + Schiit Asgard 3 + Monolith M1570


----------



## Pharmaboy

Bonddam said:


> This weekend sold my WA5 LE and brought in Wells Audio Milo to add solid state to my Wells system.


You must be reading my mind. The Milo & Dragon are both extremely interesting to me...


----------



## Bonddam

Took my Milo to work 



Here is what allows me to have AC power


----------



## Deceneu808




----------



## Pharmaboy

Bonddam said:


> Took my Milo to work
> 
> Here is what allows me to have AC power


"Wells Milo goes for a ride"

But why no seatbelt? I'd belt that puppy in...


----------



## arielext

Deceneu808 said:


>


@CaptainFantastic You are missing in this list




You are welcome


----------



## CaptainFantastic

arielext said:


> @CaptainFantastic You are missing in this list
> 
> 
> You are welcome



You know me well.  I've been travelling. I don't mind the California sun, but I wish I could also keep up with HeadFi.


----------



## chaseedward4

Workplace setup.


----------



## jonathan c

chaseedward4 said:


> Workplace setup.


Do you get anything done 🤭?…


----------



## chaseedward4

jonathan c said:


> Do you get anything done 🤭?…





jonathan c said:


> Do you get anything done 🤭?…


I try.


----------



## Preachy1

I "git 'er done" most every day.

sorry, couldn't resist


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Bonddam said:


> This weekend sold my WA5 LE and brought in Wells Audio Milo to add solid state to my Wells system.


Even after experienced some much more expensive amps, you still back to Milo. So how do you feel right now about Milo? Still as great as ever?


----------



## Dynamo5561




----------



## Wes S

Dynamo5561 said:


>


Cool looking cable!  Curious what brand is it?


----------



## Dynamo5561

Wes S said:


> Cool looking cable! Curious what brand is it?


Thanks! I made it by myself.


----------



## OceanRanger

Deceneu808 said:


>


That stand is awesome!


----------



## UntilThen

I get it done.


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> I get it done.


Yes sir...you get it done pal......gotta love that tube power


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> Yes sir...you get it done pal......gotta love that tube power



Holidays Joeeeeeeeeeeeeee    Finally 2 1/2 weeks of...... I get it !


----------



## UntilThen

Compared to the beginning of this year, I'm pretty much solid stateless now. I do miss those 2 sometimes.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Compared to the beginning of this year, I'm pretty much solid stateless now. I do miss those 2 sometimes.


To paraphrase WC Fields…. “if you miss solid state, lie down ‘til the feeling goes away”….


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> To paraphrase WC Fields…. “if you miss solid state, lie down ‘til the feeling goes away”….



I lie down and I may not get up again ! I will miss tube amps more than I miss solid state. Just saying....


----------



## OctavianH

UntilThen said:


> I get it done.


I like the 2 bottles of whiskey obstructing your Start menu in Windows.


----------



## UntilThen

OctavianH said:


> I like the 2 bottles of whiskey obstructing your Start menu in Windows.



They are wine.   

Very surprised that the Wa22 can drive He6se V2. In balance mode fed from NAD M51. Volume at 1 pm. I have not use the Wa22 for 6 months or more.


----------



## UntilThen

Listening to this setup at the same time. Friend install Sparkos and Vivid opamps in the DX7 Pro and ask me to try. Not too shabby with the LCD4.


----------



## Skev

UntilThen said:


> I get it done.


I love the AC in the corner... you know... Just to keep the room cool due to all the valve grear! Nice play room 👍


----------



## UntilThen

Skev said:


> I love the AC in the corner... you know... Just to keep the room cool due to all the valve grear! Nice play room 👍



Yup aircon is necessary. It's summer now. Come winter, it's heater again. It's the circle of life.


----------



## UntilThen

So decide to light it all up.


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> So decide to light it all up.


 I like the horizontal layout much more than the vertical racks option.

Everything is just much more handy.  Easy to get to wires, tubes ect.


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> So decide to light it all up.


Man, what I wouldn't give to spend a full day in that chair with my VC!  Amazing amps and tubes!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

UntilThen said:


> I get it done.



I see no Oblivion


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


> I like the horizontal layout much more than the vertical racks option.
> 
> Everything is just much more handy.  Easy to get to wires, tubes ect.



I agree. Sydney has the horizontal and Canberra has the vertical. Laying all the amps on the table makes changing tubes easier. 



Wes S said:


> Man, what I wouldn't give to spend a full day in that chair with my VC!  Amazing amps and tubes!



Mr Wesley, you can come here anytime.  I got spoilt a long time ago. It started around the time of the Glenn OTL amp and Studio Six with Wa22.




TheMiddleSky said:


> I see no Oblivion



 I came home for Christmas without Yggdrasil and Oblivion. Enough gear here already.


----------



## UntilThen

It is Christmas Eve 24th Dec 2021 today at 5:30 am. Alone and with the lights off, I took a couple of shots and start listening to music. Just got up from sleep. My day has begun.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> They are wine.
> 
> Very surprised that the Wa22 can drive He6se V2. In balance mode fed from NAD M51. Volume at 1 pm. I have not use the Wa22 for 6 months or more.


I'm not surprised. The WA22 is a beast.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> It is Christmas Eve 24th Dec 2021 today at 5:30 am. Alone and with the lights off, I took a couple of shots and start listening to music. Just got up from sleep. My day has begun.


Whiskey at 5:30AM? Well, damn...


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> It is Christmas Eve 24th Dec 2021 today at 5:30 am. Alone and with the lights off, I took _*had*_ a couple of shots and start listening to music. Just got up from sleep. My day has begun.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> It is Christmas Eve 24th Dec 2021 today at 5:30 am.


WOW - you're living in the future...


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> WOW - you're living in the future...


That is how he gets all his ‘holy grails’ before we _present_ minions scour for ours…


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm not surprised. The WA22 is a beast.



With Destiny and Odyssey pumping out 8 and 15 watts into 8 ohms triode mode respectively, Wa22 is not a beast. 

However I was using it in single ended mode previously and it was struggling to drive even LCD4. Now in fully balanced mode from M51 to Wa22, it is handling He6se v2 easy. I do miss these smaller tubes sound. Ken Rad 6sn7gt black glass, Tung Sol 5998 and Cossor 53ku rectifier. There's a certain sweetness here coming out of the HiFiMan.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Whiskey at 5:30AM? Well, damn...


Not quite ! I may have to do the soccer ball ham, turkey, king prawns and Christmas fruit cake.... think I will pass on those duties to the wife and daughter.


----------



## UntilThen

Zachik said:


> WOW - you're living in the future...





jonathan c said:


> That is how he gets all his ‘holy grails’ before we _present_ minions scour for ours…



Seriously you guys are still at 23rd Dec 2021? Tsk tsk tsk.


----------



## Lord Rexter

STAX SR-003 Mk2 and Woo Audio GES Tube AMP


----------



## OctavianH

Time to try some Final D8000 on my tube amp.


----------



## UntilThen

OctavianH said:


> Time to try some Final D8000 on my tube amp.



Nice. Haven't tried the D8000. Are those 807 power tubes?


----------



## Preachy1

dafuq is a "soccer ball ham"???

Hey, someone has to ask.


----------



## OctavianH

UntilThen said:


> Nice. Haven't tried the D8000. Are those 807 power tubes?


Yes, RCA 807 with Philips EL3N. D8000 are quite good on tubes, close to Verite in signature, neutral towards warm. Verite wins at timbre while D8000 wins at bass. As expected, dynamic vs planar. Otherwise they are somehow on the same level.


----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> dafuq is a "soccer ball ham"???
> 
> Hey, someone has to ask.



Have you been living in the dark ages?


----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> Have you been living in the dark ages?


LOL!!!! Never heard of it!


----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> LOL!!!! Never heard of it!



If you look at the history of soccer ball ham, it's West Ham United who invented it. Naturally.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Have you been living in the dark ages?


Here in the Land Up Over, we have Honey Baked Ham.  Ham of the gods.  Up there with fire, the wheel, sliced bread, and magic erasers. Everything (*everything*) else is decidedly plebeian in comparison.


----------



## thecrow (Dec 23, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> If you look at the history of soccer ball ham, it's West Ham United who invented it. Naturally.



I won’t ask what food the Arsenal FC created


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Here in the Land Up Over, we have Honey Baked Ham.



Do you put honey to everything up there? Including tubes I supposed. Clever idea. Advertise it as sweeter.


----------



## UntilThen

thecrow said:


> I won’t ask what food the Arsenal FC created



That's a tough one. Got to start with ars something.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> That's a tough one. Got to start with ars something.


Arsenic and old lace…


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Do you put honey to everything up there? Including tubes I supposed. Clever idea. Advertise it as sweeter.


You have never used honey-baked GE tubes?…sweeter but they out-buzz DarkVoices…


----------



## UntilThen

Alright let's get back to Head-Fi central Houston, lest we drown in honey glazed ham. Still awake after a 5:30am start and now rocking to new Indie rock album by War On Drugs - 'I don't live here anymore'. 

Back to swapping headphones and amps and there's 3 amps and 2 headphones to choose from here. Also using Bayern Munich EL156 tubes and hey presto GE 5691. The best of Germany and Americaaaa !


----------



## UntilThen

Yaaaa. LCD4 on Wa22 and He6se on Odyssey are perfect on this type of songs. Wa22 on balance setup is just so much more powerful. He6se on Odyssey is just sublime.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Alright let's get back to Head-Fi central Houston, lest we drown in honey glazed ham. Still awake after a 5:30am start and now rocking to new Indie rock album by War On Drugs - 'I don't live here anymore'.
> 
> Back to swapping headphones and amps and there's 3 amps and 2 headphones to choose from here. Also using Bayern Munich EL156 tubes and* hey presto GE 5691. The best of Germany and Americaaaa !*


Whew.  Glad America is represented by RCA....that actually made that 5691.


----------



## judomaniak57

are those open tube spots optional for more power, different sound options?


UntilThen said:


> Alright let's get back to Head-Fi central Houston, lest we drown in honey glazed ham. Still awake after a 5:30am start and now rocking to new Indie rock album by War On Drugs - 'I don't live here anymore'.
> 
> Back to swapping headphones and amps and there's 3 amps and 2 headphones to choose from here. Also using Bayern Munich EL156 tubes and hey presto GE 5691. The best of Germany and Americaaaa !


----------



## UntilThen

judomaniak57 said:


> are those open tube spots optional for more power, different sound options?



There's a choice of using 2 x Telefunken EL11 drivers (those 2 empty spots) or a single 6SL7 double triodes driver. Obviously those drivers have different sound signatures.

This is a picture when the EL11s are used. There's a switch behind to select EL11 or 6SL7. The amp needs to be power off before this is done. The unused drivers can be removed or left there.


----------



## UntilThen

Merry Christmas 2021 all. It's 2:45 am on Christmas day.


----------



## UntilThen

Before I get summon on duty for Christmas, here's a few more festive cheers.


----------



## UntilThen

Pavlova


----------



## UntilThen

Caesars Palace


----------



## UntilThen

Woo is this?


----------



## UntilThen

Final Christmas message. Go forth multiply your gear and enjoy your music .


----------



## shampoosuicide (Dec 25, 2021)

A couple of new additions...





Alessandro MS2e for all things acoustic, E-MU Teak for all things electronic.

Happy holidays, everybody!


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## UntilThen

Post Christmas... I know some of you are still on Christmas day but it's Boxing Day 26th Dec here now. It's got nothing to do with boxing btw. It's the day you you box up your decorations to be kept away for next year. BUT I ain't boxing them up yet. Not for another 2 weeks.  

The Christmas fruit cake is a success. It's saturated now. As saturated as the Wa22. This amp puts out 1.5w into 32 ohms. It's more than enough for most headphones.


----------



## UntilThen

3 tube amps, all different flavours. This is the middle child.


----------



## UntilThen

Bringing up the rear is Odyssey with Telefunken EL156 power tubes. Merry Christmas to those who are still on 25th Dec 2021.


----------



## sacguy231

I've had many headphones come and go over the past year; it's been a lot of fun, as well as very educational. Most interesting to me has been admitting to myself that I liked certain things (such as a brighter sound signature) that I thought I did not (for whatever reason). I've had lots come and go over the course of 2021, but these are the ones that have stayed. Some surprises for me have included the Hifiman Deva and the Audeze LCD-GX. Looking forward to spending more time in 2022 LISTENING to the music and not searching for gear


----------



## MatW (Dec 25, 2021)




----------



## Terriero

sacguy231 said:


> I've had many headphones come and go over the past year; it's been a lot of fun, as well as very educational. Most interesting to me has been admitting to myself that I liked certain things (such as a brighter sound signature) that I thought I did not (for whatever reason). I've had lots come and go over the course of 2021, but these are the ones that have stayed. Some surprises for me have included the Hifiman Deva and the Audeze LCD-GX. *Looking forward to spending more time in 2022 LISTENING to the music and not searching for gear*


We will miss you   


MatW said:


>


9 position, almost don't fit to you, but thankfully you, like me, are enjoying the Denons these christmas days   Do you notice an improvement using the Ferrum with them? There are some people in it's thread that find better source sinergys for the 9200s, other people say that thy work equal with all sources.


----------



## MatW

Terriero said:


> We will miss you
> 
> 9 position, almost don't fit to you, but thankfully you, like me, are enjoying the Denons these christmas days   Do you notice an improvement using the Ferrum with them? There are some people in it's thread that find better source sinergys for the 9200s, other people say that thy work equal with all sources.


I don't know, I only listened to the D9200 with the Ferrum. They're both recent acquisitions. The D9200 are very easy to drive, so I can imagine they work well with a DAP too.


----------



## atarione

Received HD6XX headphones for Christmas... quite nice,  sounding pretty good with my DV 336SE


----------



## UntilThen

atarione said:


> Received HD6XX headphones for Christmas... quite nice, sounding pretty good with my DV 336SE



HD650 and Dv 336se were probably my very first setup. However what is that receiver you're using to drive those Yamahas? Did miss my Sansuis.


----------



## whirlwind




----------



## atarione

UntilThen said:


> HD650 and Dv 336se were probably my very first setup. However what is that receiver you're using to drive those Yamahas? Did miss my Sansuis.


Hi, Merry Christmas... the DV336 and HD650 seem to be a nice combo ... I'm Driving the Yammy's with this..  Sony TA-N77ES 200WPC amp  The reciever in the photo is powering the JBL L1's on the shelf to the right of the yammy's it is a Pioneer SX3600 (which drives headphones pretty good it ownself.. the Sony TA-E77ESD preamp is kind of a beast for powering headphones as well.


----------



## UntilThen

whirlwind said:


>



Brilliant. One of the few who love their tube amps. Especially Glenn custom build amps.


----------



## UntilThen

atarione said:


> Hi, Merry Christmas... the DV336 and HD650 seem to be a nice combo ... I'm Driving the Yammy's with this.. Sony TA-N77ES 200WPC amp The reciever in the photo is powering the JBL L1's on the shelf to the right of the yammy's it is a Pioneer SX3600 (which drives headphones pretty good it ownself.. the Sony TA-E77ESD preamp is kind of a beast for powering headphones as well.



Crikey some very lovely vintage gear there and you're showing the hd6xx and dv336se.  

Because I went down the Sansui vintage amps rabbit hole, I cancel my DNA Stratus order after waiting 8 months. I'll never get to sample the Stratus again or to own it. However I did love the Sansui AU-7700, AU-717 and AU-Alpha 907mr. I've since sold off all the Sansuis and have only a Kenwood KA-3300D left.


----------



## bcowen

atarione said:


> Received HD6XX headphones for Christmas... quite nice,  sounding pretty good with my DV 336SE


Sweet!  Wait until they've played for a while and break in some.  One of the big bangs for the buck in audio, IMO.  They will benefit from a decent aftermarket cable too...no need to go insane, just something decent (the stock cable is a weak link, again IMO).


----------



## UntilThen

Vintage speaker amps do drive headphones very well. This holiday I'll put this Kenwood next to Odyssey and see which make better music with my He6se and LCD4.


----------



## aroldan

DarginMahkum said:


> This is the cave I am living in daily, which is actually a studio desk my wife didn't like. I attached an extension to it. In the last few days M17 with Stealth my main listening setup. I have the HA200 next to me, but the ease of use of M17 works very well with a lazy person like me. I have to say, Stealth and M17 (for which I wa waiting for since February) are the real deals of 2021.


I spot a Midnight Commander session! Nice! I'm a Linux user as well. I'm also happy that I wasn't the only one sitting their headphones on a microfiber cloth


----------



## UntilThen

What took me so long to use the Kenwood with He6se V2.


----------



## UntilThen

There are a couple of head-fiers who swears by behemoth vintage amps driving He6se. These need to be heard to believe. Where are my vintage friends.   @kid vic, @Oregonian, @Monsterzero, @SpeakerBox, @petemac110. There you go.


----------



## DTgill

UntilThen said:


> What took me so long to use the Kenwood with He6se V2.


Indeed...


----------



## kumar402

MatW said:


>


Killer amp and DAC. You have contrast with solid state and tube amp both best in class


----------



## lucasratmundo

MatW said:


>


It seems Setup 2 is quickly catching up with Setup 1 😊


----------



## MatW

lucasratmundo said:


> It seems Setup 2 is quickly catching up with Setup 1 😊


Lol....

This is it. I'm done...


----------



## normie610

MatW said:


> Lol....
> 
> This is it. I'm done...


Famous last words 😁


----------



## bcowen

normie610 said:


> Famous last words 😁


LOL!  That statement is only used to temporarily placate spouses.  They don't believe it either.  🤣


----------



## waveSounds

It's not easy being a Brit when it comes to locating aftermarket cables that won't be subject to import fees and/or ridiculous wait times. Thankfully, I stumbled across Ian's services at Cosmic Cables. Here's my TH900 rocking his Aladdin's Cave cable.


----------



## Bonddam

Pharmaboy said:


> "Wells Milo goes for a ride"
> 
> But why no seatbelt? I'd belt that puppy in...


Lady cut me off and everything went flying but the amp good thing is I stuff coats in foot area. The power cable is wire world so it is rectangular and doesn’t allow the amp to move. 

Ps do you have any extra Klonopin 1 mg


----------



## bcowen

waveSounds said:


> It's not easy being a Brit when it comes to locating aftermarket cables that won't be subject to import fees and/or ridiculous wait times. Thankfully, I stumbled across Ian's services at Cosmic Cables. Here's my TH900 rocking his Aladdin's Cave cable.


Very nice looking cable!  How does it sound?


----------



## waveSounds

@bcowen Thanks! It is a stunner. I love how it the lighter tones contrast with those deep, myriad reds on TH900s. 

As for sound, I'm not a cabeliever when it comes to that sort of stuff - I buy cables primarily for their aesthetics and usability - so I can only say that it sounds excellent, but so did the one that came with the 900s. Having a 10ft python when I sit literally ~30cm away from my gear was the main factor in going aftermarket.

Here it is featuring in my holiday listenin' setup.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

waveSounds said:


> It's not easy being a Brit when it comes to locating aftermarket cables that won't be subject to import fees and/or ridiculous wait times. Thankfully, I stumbled across Ian's services at Cosmic Cables. Here's my TH900 rocking his Aladdin's Cave cable.



Very nice cable. And great that you found a UK solution.

Can we talk about how 90% of the tubes I bought in 2021 were in the UK and I had to pay insane double VAT and processing fees to the mainland on more than one ocassion?


----------



## UntilThen

waveSounds said:


> Here it is featuring in my holiday listenin' setup.



A little over a year ago I was listening with my friend @Yetiman72 TH900. Of the 8 headphones he brought over, the TH900 is one of them that got my attention. The first time I heard the TH900 was at the HiFi Show in the A2A booth. I thought to myself .... 'where's the treble?'.   

However when I heard Yeti's TH900, it was like a totally different headphone. It's linear, tight and has treble ! I need to listen to that headphone again. It can't be so different sounding on 2 separate occasions. 

As much as I was looking at the TH900, what is that Dangerous Music Source? How dangerous is it?


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> @bcowen Thanks! It is a stunner. I love how it the lighter tones contrast with those deep, myriad reds on TH900s.
> 
> As for sound, I'm not a cabeliever when it comes to that sort of stuff - I buy cables primarily for their aesthetics and usability - so I can only say that it sounds excellent, but so did the one that came with the 900s. Having a 10ft python when I sit literally ~30cm away from my gear was the main factor in going aftermarket.
> 
> Here it is featuring in my holiday listenin' setup.


Those nuggets you have installed in the TH 900 look like they came stock with the Fostex... I love those speakers and the enormous TV. Have a good vacation there


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @bcowen Thanks! It is a stunner. I love how it the lighter tones contrast with those deep, myriad reds on TH900s.
> 
> As for sound, I'm not a cabeliever when it comes to that sort of stuff - I buy cables primarily for their aesthetics and usability - so I can only say that it sounds excellent, but so did the one that came with the 900s. Having a 10ft python when I sit literally ~30cm away from my gear was the main factor in going aftermarket.
> 
> Here it is featuring in my holiday listenin' setup.


Love that cable! What kind of TV/size is that?


----------



## TLAV111

It has been a little while since I have had a major upgrade to my set up, but this I feel qualifies.  Aric Kimball from Aric audio did a complete rebuild of the 300b headphone amplifier he built for me a couple years ago. The first iteration was built to somewhat of a budget, this time around I asked him what upgrades he would do to make the ultimate 300b headphone amp. We went from a single chassis to a dual walnut chassis. The power supply was changed to a toroidal transformer, all capacitors are now Milflex copper foil paper in oil. The 6sn7 driver circuit was resigned for lower noise along with a number of other changes.  Just got it out of the boxes and in the first few hours of listening the results are spectacular.


----------



## DTgill

TLAV111 said:


> It has been a little while since I have had a major upgrade to my set up, but this I feel qualifies.  Aric Kimball from Aric audio did a complete rebuild of the 300b headphone amplifier he built for me a couple years ago. The first iteration was built to somewhat of a budget, this time around I asked him what upgrades he would do to make the ultimate 300b headphone amp. We went from a single chassis to a dual walnut chassis. The power supply was changed to a toroidal transformer, all capacitors are now Milflex copper foil paper in oil. The 6sn7 driver circuit was resigned for lower noise along with a number of other changes.  Just got it out of the boxes and in the first few hours of listening the results are spectacular.


Very nice


----------



## UntilThen

This don't make sense. It's almost 2022. How did this setup make the day after Christmas seem like ... well it question my sanity. The headphone stand is free. My friend gave it to me because he's afraid of scratching his headphones on the solid steel stand.  The He6se v2 was bought 2nd hand for aussie $850 but is kept better than new. The Kenwood ka-3300d was bought over more than a year ago and was almost forgotten because I was so wrapped in tube amps. The NAD M51 was purchase 6 months ago for aussie $730.  

Yet this setup left me totally dumbfounded. How did it sound so right? Listening to War On Drugs 'I don't live here anymore' now on Roon / Tidal. Should hear the drums kicks and the Niagara Falls soundscape. It's unbelievably good.

Oh have to acknowledge the Forza Noir Hybrid cable.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> This don't make sense. It's almost 2022. How did this setup make the day after Christmas seem like ... well it question my sanity. The headphone stand is free. My friend gave it to me because he's afraid of scratching his headphones on the solid steel stand.  The He6se v2 was bought 2nd hand for aussie $850 but is kept better than new. The Kenwood ka-3300d was bought over more than a year ago and was almost forgotten because I was so wrapped in tube amps. The NAD M51 was purchase 6 months ago for aussie $730.
> 
> Yet this setup left me totally dumbfounded. How did it sound so right? Listening to War On Drugs 'I don't live here anymore' now on Roon / Tidal. Should hear the drums kicks and the Niagara Falls soundscape. It's unbelievably good.
> 
> Oh have to acknowledge the Forza Noir Hybrid cable.


Without the Forza Noir, silence would reign…


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## waveSounds

UntilThen said:


> A little over a year ago I was listening with my friend @Yetiman72 TH900. Of the 8 headphones he brought over, the TH900 is one of them that got my attention. The first time I heard the TH900 was at the HiFi Show in the A2A booth. I thought to myself .... '*where's the treble*?'.
> 
> However when I heard Yeti's TH900, it was like a totally different headphone. It's linear, tight and has treble ! I need to listen to that headphone again. It can't be so different sounding on 2 separate occasions.
> 
> As much as I was looking at the TH900, what is that Dangerous Music Source? How dangerous is it?



Ha, now there's a sentence I never thought I'd read. Many people take issue with the _brightness _of the TH900. It's probably the most common criticism I see about it, so I can't imagine what was going on with the one you first heard! It was one of the main things that made me hesitant with the blind buy, but in the end, the allure of its legendary bass won out. Don't regret it one iota. Endgame has been achieved. Ever been tempted to add one to your collection? I'd be interested in having a listen on the LCD4 or 5, but I don't really have the environment conducive for an open back. 



Terriero said:


> Those nuggets you have installed in the TH 900 look like they came stock with the Fostex... I love those speakers and the enormous TV. Have a good vacation there



Thanks, bud! Crashing with my pa to keep him company over the holidays. We spend many hours swapping music finds from the year with each other whilst sippin' on JD honeys with the listening done through his Sonus Fabers. It's been a slow process, but finally managed to introduce some techno into his repertoire heh. Hope all's been well in the Terriero household, and you've got your metal playlist lined up to ring in the new year  



Pharmaboy said:


> Love that cable! What kind of TV/size is that?



It's a 65" LG OLED. It's maybe 3-4 years old now, but still makes my TV feel positively pedestrian each time I return home after the pure blacks and infinite contrast ratios of the OLED screen!


----------



## UntilThen

waveSounds said:


> Ha, now there's a sentence I never thought I'd read. Many people take issue with the _brightness _of the TH900. It's probably the most common criticism I see about it, so I can't imagine what was going on with the one you first heard!



The year was 2018 and it was the Sydney HiFi show at the Addicted To Audio booth. That year I got to listen to 3 headphones for the first time. The TH900, Grado gs2000e and Susvara. Not sure what happen there but all I heard was the TH900 bass. The Grado was new and interesting. Lite is the word that comes to mind. Susvara with Wa33 was an eye and ear opener.

Because I spend too much time with these 3 headphones, I miss the long queue for the Sennheiser HE1. What a shame. I'm still waiting to hear the HE1.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Without the Forza Noir, silence would reign…



That's what I'm listening now !
https://i.imgur.com/wzyHVYk.png


----------



## UntilThen

Omg Roon found me this next song which I have to show you the Youtube version.... unfortunately. However this comment crack me up. 

_this song is soo good my neighbours threw a brick through my window to hear it better

_


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> It's a 65" LG OLED. It's maybe 3-4 years old now, but still makes my TV feel positively pedestrian each time I return home after the pure blacks and infinite contrast ratios of the OLED screen!


You have a good eye. Not everyone appreciates the really special look of a big OLED like that.

I have an LG C8 77" OLED purchased in late 2018. I've been a video aficionado my whole adult life: had some excellent CRTs back in the day, and still have 2 reference-level plasmas that look quite wonderful. Regardless, this big OLED blows away everything I've ever seen previously.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> That's what I'm listening now !
> https://i.imgur.com/wzyHVYk.png


And with the Forza Noir, silence would reign…🤷🏻


----------



## bcowen




----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


>


Next: a horizontal photograph of the ‘Sidecubus’ 😜…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Next: a horizontal photograph of the ‘Sidecubus’ 😜…


You mean like this?   Just hoping all the electrons don't spill out.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> You mean like this?   Just hoping all the electrons don't spill out.


Splines!


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> You mean like this?   Just hoping all the electrons don't spill out.


No; but if you leave the Sidecubus like that for a while, perhaps the two tubes on the adapter will straighten out and be parallel to the 6080 tube 😜.


----------



## NickT23

natalieann said:


>


What ! what a setup ?! Is this home or office.


----------



## UntilThen

The magic of GEC and unmistakable tone of KT66. The glow from the Sittard made Miniwatt GZ34 / 5AR4 far exceeds any Mullard GZ34. Had to get back to Odyssey because the Kenwood almost stole the show. Both are great with he6se but Odyssey tone is more accentuated and vivid.


----------



## Lord Rexter

UntilThen said:


> The magic of GEC and unmistakable tone of KT66. The glow from the Sittard made Miniwatt GZ34 / 5AR4 far exceeds any Mullard GZ34. Had to get back to Odyssey because the Kenwood almost stole the show. Both are great with he6se but Odyssey tone is more accentuated and vivid.


What a beauty to behold  I think my Megatron has the same volume knob as your's check this out:


----------



## UntilThen

Lord Rexter said:


> What a beauty to behold  I think my Megatron has the same volume knob as your's check this out:



I am quite taken aback with this picture of the Megatron. If you didn't post a picture, I would have thought you're talking about Transformers. So what the heck is a Megatron. A little digging and I discover that Kevin Gilmore had some contribution to it's design. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/megatron-electrostatic-amplifier.773778/ 

I see my friend @Rossliew is very keen in that thread.  

8 x EL34 and in your case I think you're using 8 x KT77 Genalex. Volume knob does look like what's on Odyssey. Who build this Megatron for you and when was it built? I bet @paramesh didn't have one.


----------



## whirlwind

Lord Rexter said:


> What a beauty to behold  I think my Megatron has the same volume knob as your's check this out:


 For all of your Stats.


----------



## Lord Rexter (Dec 27, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> I am quite taken aback with this picture of the Megatron. If you didn't post a picture, I would have thought you're talking about Transformers. So what the heck is a Megatron. A little digging and I discover that Kevin Gilmore had some contribution to it's design. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/megatron-electrostatic-amplifier.773778/
> 
> I see my friend @Rossliew is very keen in that thread.
> 
> 8 x EL34 and in your case I think you're using 8 x KT77 Genalex. Volume knob does look like what's on Odyssey. Who build this Megatron for you and when was it built? I bet @paramesh didn't have one.


Yes, right you are on the Megatron is a DIY Tube AMP designed by Kevin Gilmore, Birgir and you nailed the configuration of my Megatron I got with a perfectly matched quad pair of Gold Loins KT77 (it was purchased from Paramesh ) this was built by Thu Ận it has C-core transformers I believe and this particular one has solid-state output stage.

And I am currently contemplating on the Tube rolling (one more rabbit hole ) just to get a little bit of bass out of the AMP and the maker recommended getting the Electro Harmonix 6CA7-EH to improve the bass performance...


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> Splines!


Good eye!  Ebony ones at that.  The amp was designed and built by fellow HeadFi'er @Paladin79 whose woodworking skills are on the same high level as his circuit design skills.   It's an OTL (obviously) and sounds awesome with high impedance 'phones -- currently ZMF Atticus and Drop HD-6XX's for me.


----------



## paramesh

UntilThen said:


> I am quite taken aback with this picture of the Megatron. If you didn't post a picture, I would have thought you're talking about Transformers. So what the heck is a Megatron. A little digging and I discover that Kevin Gilmore had some contribution to it's design. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/megatron-electrostatic-amplifier.773778/
> 
> I see my friend @Rossliew is very keen in that thread.
> 
> 8 x EL34 and in your case I think you're using 8 x KT77 Genalex. Volume knob does look like what's on Odyssey. Who build this Megatron for you and when was it built? I bet @paramesh didn't have one.  '


@UntilThen  hows cold are  aussie winters ?.. guess it goes down to 4 deg at times ?.. if the odyssey doesnt do help.. i would suggest Light up 2 quads of EL34 !


----------



## UntilThen

Lord Rexter said:


> Yes, right you are on the Megatron is a DIY Tube AMP designed by Kevin Gilmore, Birgir and you nailed the configuration of my Megatron I got with a perfectly matched quad pair of Gold Loins KT77 (it was purchased from Paramesh ) this was built by Thu Ận it has C-core transformers I believe and this particular one has solid-state output stage.
> 
> And I am currently contemplating on the Tube rolling (one more rabbit hole ) just to get a little bit of bass out of the AMP and the maker recommended getting the Electro Harmonix 6CA7-EH to improve the bass performance...



That must light up your Stax headphones. Built looks impeccable. How did you wrest it from Paramesh and I was joking when I mention his name. Did not know he sold it to you. I got to know Paramesh after I sold the Glenn OTL amp to him with a whole bunch of tubes. I think he still have the GOTL.  

I shouldn't be surprised because Paramesh got a KG CFA3 amp recently. I should make a trip to India when we're rid of Covid.


----------



## UntilThen

paramesh said:


> @UntilThen  hows cold are  aussie winters ?.. guess it goes down to 4 deg at times ?.. if the odyssey doesnt do help.. i would suggest Light up 2 quads of EL34 !



Hello pal ! Happy New Year before I forget. That Megatron did remind me of my previous Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP. I was using it with 2 quads of KT88. 

Aussie winters are perfect for me and this year's Summer isn't that hot because of La Nina.


----------



## Paladin79

Some of my work.


----------



## IovOrc

I know it's a lil bit too cute for a grown man


----------



## jonathan c

IovOrc said:


> I know it's a lil bit too cute for a grown man


At least the gear is black…😜


----------



## jonathan c

Paladin79 said:


> Some of my work.


Note the front-to-back orientation….bco###….!


----------



## UntilThen

IovOrc said:


> I know it's a lil bit too macho cute for a grown man but it's ok. It's almost 2022 !!!


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


>


AU versus NZ?…🤪


----------



## Terriero

IovOrc said:


> I know it's a lil bit too cute for a grown man


Remember, when you put a classified listing, you will be lying if you say the mantra: "I live in a house with no pets"


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> Remember, when you put a classified listing, you will be lying if you say the mantra: "I live in a house with no pets"



Smoke free and pets free. Gear immaculate condition.


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> Smoke free and pets free. Gear immaculate condition.


Smoke free, but two dogs, one cat and one parrot.  I cannot/will not live without animal companionship.  I'd sooner cut off my ears.


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> Smoke free, but two dogs, one cat and one parrot.  I cannot/will not live without animal companionship.  I'd sooner cut off my ears.


…then take up impressionist painting…


----------



## UntilThen

JoeTho said:


>



Ah ha, a vintage Sanyo receiver and He6se. That’s got to be better than good.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> _Solid-state free, _smoke free and pets free. Gear immaculate condition. _No Marilyn Manson exposure._


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> …then take up impressionist painting…


There’s only one Monet and that’s mine.


----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> Smoke free, but two dogs, one cat and one parrot.  I cannot/will not live without animal companionship.  I'd sooner cut off my ears.



Pets free but I have a tube rolling assistant. He’s very good with tubes.


----------



## Pharmaboy

JoeTho said:


>


That integrated is beautiful.

What is the blue headphone?


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> Pets free but I have a tube rolling assistant. He’s very good with tubes.


It's incredible the realistic of your plush doll... I want one


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> It's incredible the realistic of your plush doll... I want one


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


----------



## JoeTho

Pharmaboy said:


> That integrated is beautiful.
> 
> What is the blue headphone?


Hifiman HE6 SEv2. The DAC which is not in the picture is the Denafrips Ares II.


----------



## jonathan c

JoeTho said:


> Hifiman HE6 SEv2. The DAC which is not in the picture is the Denafrips Ares II.


Nice headphone collection! Well done on the Ares II !  The Sanyo could reside in MOMA !


----------



## JoeTho

jonathan c said:


> Nice headphone collection! Well done on the Ares II !  The Sanyo could reside in MOMA !


Thank you kindly. I pulled out the vintage receiver when I grabbed the HE6. I run it to the speaker taps using the HE Adapter, but then I became infatuated with how great it sounds. The Ares makes it sound to me like I'm listening to a high-end turntable on a good vintage stereo receiver from back in the day.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> What is the blue headphone?



The world's greatest headphone right now.


----------



## jonathan c

JoeTho said:


> Thank you kindly. I pulled out the vintage receiver when I grabbed the HE6. I run it to the speaker taps using the HE Adapter, but then I became infatuated with how great it sounds. The Ares makes it sound to me like I'm listening to a high-end turntable on a good vintage stereo receiver from back in the day.


You make me want to retrieve my packed Kenwood receiver (1980) from my sister’s house. As for DACs, well engineered NOS / R2R will shame well engineered delta/sigma chip topology on all days ending in “y”.


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 28, 2021)

UntilThen said:


>


“Where’s that bcowen?….he owes me that NIB GEC KT-88 quad…”


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> You make me want to retrieve my packed Kenwood receiver (1980) from my sister’s house.



Do it. This is what my Kenwood looks like without the cover.


----------



## UntilThen

But this Sansui 907mr was my fav. What did I sell it.


----------



## Paladin79 (Dec 28, 2021)

UntilThen said:


> Pets free but I have a tube rolling assistant. He’s very good with tubes.



Cats can also roll tubes.😜


----------



## jonathan c

Paladin79 said:


> Cats can also roll tubes.😜


Said before, so true: “Finnegan _knows_ tubes” !


----------



## Preachy1

UntilThen said:


> But this Sansui 907mr was my fav. What did I sell it.


Yeah, why indeed!!!!  I moved from Pioneer (my first real stereo) to Yamaha, and finally just last year landed on Sansui.  I have two integrated amps currently in service; an AU-5900 and an AU-7900.  Both will follow me to the grave (or the incinerator, as the case may be).


----------



## UntilThen

Paladin79 said:


> Cats can also roll tubes.😜



Yeah she picks the right tube too.


----------



## UntilThen

Preachy1 said:


> Yeah, why indeed!!!!  I moved from Pioneer (my first real stereo) to Yamaha, and finally just last year landed on Sansui.  I have two integrated amps currently in service; an AU-5900 and an AU-7900.  Both will follow me to the grave (or the incinerator, as the case may be).



Nice very nice. Those 2 Sansui(s) should serve you well. Why do you have to make me long for Sansui again 3 days before the New Year???

I started with a Sansui AU-505 but my folly was buying from a Sansui 'Master'. You know a Yoda of the vintage world? He and his dad are genuine collectors and lovers of Sansui gear. They service it too. Very soon after that I bought AU-7700 which was later sold to @UsoppNoKami. The AU-7700 is very GOOD with headphones and I think the 7900 would be better. The next amp is an important milestone in the history of Sansui. It is the AU-717. This one's a beauty in tone. Warm, deep, deep bass, like Tsunami bass and yet you get treble. Oo yeah, all you need is a cigar and a glass of whisky and you're in Havana. Finally I bought the golden child - Sansui au-alpha 907mr. 

Sansui of the 70s are like all the amps of that era, the golden age of audio. 

AU-505


AU-7700


AU-717


The interior of the 907mr


Yoda's collection of Sansui(s). This is just one panel. There are 3 panels. 


Oh I have a Sony STR-7025 and I still have it.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Dec 28, 2021)

Paladin79 said:


> Cats can also roll tubes.😜


What a great little face!

I've had many cats in my life; each is totally different from any other. But there's one constant: I look in the face of my cat and think, "I wonder what's going on inside that head?" (I will never have an answer).


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Pets free but I have a tube rolling assistant. He’s very good with tubes.


This is one of the finest doggie portraits ever. That personality just jumps off the screen at the viewer.


----------



## Terriero

Paladin79 said:


> Cats can also roll tubes.😜


Ok, ok... Sooo... yesterday my cat "Kepler" went to Indiana when he escaped from home... Now I see where he was... (Tomorrow I will take a pic of my cat, it's a copy of yours)


----------



## Terriero

Pharmaboy said:


> This is one of the finest doggie portraits ever. That personality just jumps off the screen at the viewer.


I think the photo is after hairdressing


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


>


…..you may need a sub-woofer in your system…..🤔


----------



## piakoB

Got a Chord DAC for the holidays. Really a sweet upgrade, sounds great.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> This is one of the finest doggie portraits ever. That personality just jumps off the screen at the viewer.



I contribute to his doggie fund every month. He has 7k now. Maybe I should use that to buy Susvara?


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> I contribute to his doggie fund every month. He has 7k now. Maybe I should use that to buy Susvara?


Susvara is a great name for a female puppy!


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> I contribute to his doggie fund every month. He has 7k now. Maybe I should use that to buy Susvara?


Blood under his mouth?  Or he ate beetroot?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> You make me want to retrieve my packed Kenwood receiver (1980) from my sister’s house. As for DACs, well engineered NOS / R2R will shame well engineered delta/sigma chip topology on all days ending in “y”.


My 1976 vintage Harman Kardon 730 was a great sounding receiver in its day (for speakers), but it sounds like dreg with headphones.  Possibly user error.


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> What a great little face!
> 
> I've had many cats in my life; each is totally different from any other. But there's one constant: I look in the face of my cat and think, "I wonder what's going on inside that head?" (I will never have an answer).


And as the cat looks in _your_ eyes it's thinking: "I wonder what the human servant is thinking. Hopefully food."


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> Nice very nice. Those 2 Sansui(s) should serve you well. Why do you have to make me long for Sansui again 3 days before the New Year???
> 
> I started with a Sansui AU-505 but my folly was buying from a Sansui 'Master'. You know a Yoda of the vintage world? He and his dad are genuine collectors and lovers of Sansui gear. They service it too. Very soon after that I bought AU-7700 which was later sold to @UsoppNoKami. The AU-7700 is very GOOD with headphones and I think the 7900 would be better. The next amp is an important milestone in the history of Sansui. It is the AU-717. This one's a beauty in tone. Warm, deep, deep bass, like Tsunami bass and yet you get treble. Oo yeah, all you need is a cigar and a glass of whisky and you're in Havana. Finally I bought the golden child - Sansui au-alpha 907mr.
> 
> ...


Ah, the good old days. When the quality of a component was measured in KPI (knobs per inch)


----------



## Paladin79

UntilThen said:


> Yeah she picks the right tube too.


That is Finnegan and he chose that tube so I let him keep it. He turned down Tung Sols and Svetlanas.


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Ah, the good old days. When the quality of a component was measured in KPI (knobs per inch)


….when snobbery was measured by knobbery…


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> I contribute to his doggie fund every month. He has 7k now. Maybe I should use that to buy Susvara?


Just the most beautiful little dog I've seen in years. You're a lucky man!


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 28, 2021)

bcowen said:


> My 1976 vintage Harman Kardon 730 was a great sounding receiver in its day (for speakers), but it sounds like dreg with headphones.  Possibly user error.


Were you putting the speaker cables in your ears?…at least use alligator clips!…


----------



## DeweyCH

This evening, how my setup looks.

On the desk: ZMF VC and VO stabilized, fed by a cap-modded Liquid Platinum running a pair of NOS Mullard CV4003 tubes, a Lokius, Bifrost 2 and (when solid-state is desired) Magnius.

Hanging on the wall, from left to right: AKG K240DF, Hifiman HE6SE v2 with DCA pads and ZMF frame, LSA HP-2, MMCX-modded AKG K240 Sextetts (LP) and ZMF Auteurs.


----------



## Strat1117 (Dec 28, 2021)

Sorry - love the pooches - just getting back on topic. But, just to be safe, and lest you think me heartless, here’s a photo of my goldendoodle rescue…


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Just the most beautiful little dog I've seen in years. You're a lucky man!



Tyvm. Now I shall desist from posting any more 'Show us your Pet-Fi station at it's current state'.


----------



## Strat1117

UntilThen said:


> Tyvm. Now I shall desist from posting any more 'Show us your Pet-Fi station at it's current state'.


Lol!! I think you should start a new thread. You’ve already named it!


----------



## DeweyCH

Oh we doing dog-fi now?


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> Ah, the good old days. When the quality of a component was measured in KPI (knobs per inch)



Huh guess we can compare knobs. I blame Bcowen for making me sell this beautiful Akai 24 band equaliser. So beautiful. It's like new. I count every one of those sliders as knobs. I even got it to smile !


----------



## Paladin79

Here is my current setup with some headphones I will send out with one of my amps, Focal Utopias are the best choice and ZMF depending on model.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Huh guess we can compare knobs. I blame Bcowen for making me sell this beautiful Akai 24 band equaliser. So beautiful. It's like new. I count every one of those sliders as knobs. I even got it to smile !


I did you a favor.  Again.


----------



## jonathan c

Be careful…🤫…this banter about comparing knobs…😳…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> We’re you putting the speaker cables in your ears?…at least use alligator clips!…


Well maybe that's the problem.  I thought the little hole was for headphones. No?  I even tried putting a joint cigarette in it just in case that's what it was for, but it didn't light.  Maybe it's just worn out.


----------



## UntilThen

Paladin79 said:


> Here is my current setup with some headphones I will send out with one of my amps, Focal Utopias are the best choice and ZMF depending on model.



You wouldn't want to send to Australia, would you? It's a beautiful land and the seas around here are pirate free.


----------



## Mr Trev

Since Sansui was brought up here's my early '80s stack
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Probably after Sansui's glory days…


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Oh we doing dog-fi now?


Yes indeed….high fidolity….😖👎….


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> Oh we doing dog-fi now?


my god, that's pretty!


----------



## Ciggavelli

(Yes, I do need to get a black tabletop for the dac stuff…)


----------



## jonathan c

…form follows funktion…in Jamaica NY…


----------



## thecrow

piakoB said:


> Got a Chord DAC for the holidays. Really a sweet upgrade, sounds great.


Nice touch. Enjoy


----------



## thecrow

Preachy1 said:


> Yeah, why indeed!!!!  I moved from Pioneer (my first real stereo) to Yamaha, and finally just last year landed on Sansui.  I have two integrated amps currently in service; an AU-5900 and an AU-7900.  Both will follow me to the grave (or the incinerator, as the case may be).


I’ve heard and subscribe to the principle of burn in, but that level of commitment is ridiculous


----------



## ihyan2

This is literally my current set first as I bunk in in-laws place while I recover after surgery.

Can't wait to get back to my own place..


----------



## kumar402

ihyan2 said:


> This is literally my current set first as I bunk in in-laws place while I recover after surgery.
> 
> Can't wait to get back to my own place..


Not bad for secondary set up.
Wishing you a speedy recovery


----------



## Womaz




----------



## David222 (Dec 29, 2021)

Hagerman Tuba recently returned from tune-up.  At least one of us left rainy California and went to Hawaii


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> Hagerman Tuba recently returned from tune-up.  At least one of us left rainy California and went to Hawaii


As nice as my Picasso.


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> As nice as my Picasso.



You said you were a George Bush collector


----------



## SpeakerBox

UntilThen said:


> There are a couple of head-fiers who swears by behemoth vintage amps driving He6se. These need to be heard to believe. Where are my vintage friends.   @kid vic, @Oregonian, @Monsterzero, @SpeakerBox, @petemac110. There you go.


Don't have HE6SE, but do drive my HD-600 from the speaker taps on my 70s vintage HK330A receiver.  That has really made them come alive.  Was almost ready to ditch the HD600, but will keep them now.


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> You said you were a George Bush collector



Not that. This Picasso.


----------



## Mr Trev

David222 said:


> Hagerman Tuba recently returned from tune-up.  At least one of us left rainy California and went to Hawaii


Nice. How's the Tuba treating you? I'm soo tempted to get one myself except when I emailed Hagerman about using it with planars, he said no, not really
Still tempted, however


----------



## David222

Mr Trev said:


> Nice. How's the Tuba treating you? I'm soo tempted to get one myself except when I emailed Hagerman about using it with planars, he said no, not really
> Still tempted, however



I love the Tuba and will never not own it. It's totally straight sound signature...silent noise floor. I primarily use the Tungsram Ei Yugos (in photo) as they lean warmer / thicker and compliment the Tuba's neutral profile. I usually roll (slightly brighter/forward tubes) when using ZMF Aeolus. 

Focal Clear, Grados, Senn HD600/XX and Aeolus... sound fantastic.  Agree with Jim, not sure how planars would fair. 

Given the overall performance, price-point and 10 year warranty -- it's quite a great AMP.  Just a well-made (no BS) piece of gear. 

Drop me a PM downstream if you pick one up -- I've paired multiple DACs over the years -- happy to share a few thoughts on synergy.


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> Hagerman Tuba recently returned from tune-up.  At least one of us left rainy California and went to Hawaii


Tell us all about the Furman Elite-15i….an inquiring owner (😜) wants to know…!


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> Tell us all about the Furman Elite-15i….an inquiring owner (😜) wants to know…!



You saved the day on that one  

Knocked out the ground-loop issue (with WA6).  Great call and huge thanks!!


----------



## jonathan c

You should also experience < noise floor, > dynamic range, > instrument/voice separation, and > natural note decay especially via MHDT Orchid…


----------



## cgb3

Pharmaboy said:


> I've made my living for years as a writer. Because of that I've held onto the older format 4 x 3 aspect ratio LCD monitors. The 19" version in particular allows me to size a page in MS WORD that's almost identical in dimension to the physical/printed page. So what I'm seeing on the screen is what readers will see...and when I pick fonts, text spacing, and place graphics among blocks of text, I'm seeing the final result in real time.
> 
> All to say I wouldn't know what to do with a monitor like yours. Having a thing like that on my desk would absolutely confound me...
> 
> (but it sure is pretty!)


You do realize one can make multiple windows of any size on a monitor? A 7 page spread? Sure.

I'm considering mounting an inexpensive 60" 4K monitor to my back wall, and use my 2 ISP 27" high color calibrated monitors on articulating risers as outriggers.

Shout out to Terry Gilliam.

Brazil (1985)


----------



## bcowen (Dec 29, 2021)

Ciggavelli said:


> (Yes, I do need to get a black tabletop for the dac stuff…)


When you have _that _many tubes to gaze upon, the tabletop is wholly irrelevant.   

Very nice!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

cgb3 said:


> You do realize one can make multiple windows of any size on a monitor? A 7 page spread? Sure.


I did not realize that was possible.


----------



## DTgill

Running out of room


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Running out of room


Nice gear….oh, the fellow reflected in the tube bears _zero_ resemblance to the avatar…thank god…


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Nice gear….oh, the fellow reflected in the tube bears _zero_ resemblance to the avatar…thank god…


----------



## UntilThen

DTgill said:


> Running out of room



Omg it's a Aune T1, the amp/dac that got me started in all these madness.


----------



## Rossliew

UntilThen said:


> I am quite taken aback with this picture of the Megatron. If you didn't post a picture, I would have thought you're talking about Transformers. So what the heck is a Megatron. A little digging and I discover that Kevin Gilmore had some contribution to it's design. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/megatron-electrostatic-amplifier.773778/
> 
> I see my friend @Rossliew is very keen in that thread.
> 
> 8 x EL34 and in your case I think you're using 8 x KT77 Genalex. Volume knob does look like what's on Odyssey. Who build this Megatron for you and when was it built? I bet @paramesh didn't have one.


Lol, that was ages ago....no more now. It costs a fair bit to commission and with the heat we get here all year round, the Megatron is not going to help....and that's not even taking into consideration the electricity bill


----------



## nerone

David222 said:


> Hagerman Tuba recently returned from tune-up.  At least one of us left rainy California and went to Hawaii


Is the one on the left a WA6?
Which one do you prefer? I have a WA6-SE and was thinking about getting the tuba.


----------



## Rebel Chris

Vacation is for rearranging my stuff. @#€# my new turntable (xtension 12) is to big..


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 30, 2021)

To @darmanastartes:  Why is the brew in focus and the headphones not in focus…hmmm…?🤔


----------



## Hofy

cgb3 said:


> You do realize one can make multiple windows of any size on a monitor? A 7 page spread? Sure.
> 
> I'm considering mounting an inexpensive 60" 4K monitor to my back wall, and use my 2 ISP 27" high color calibrated monitors on articulating risers as outriggers.
> 
> ...


This is why I have  a second monitor in portrait mode.  1440x900 19"  Work well for letter and legal size documents. When not viewing documents it usually has 2 browser windows open on it.


----------



## Chastity

Hofy said:


> This is why I have  a second monitor in portrait mode.  1440x900 19"  Work well for letter and legal size documents. When not viewing documents it usually has 2 browser windows open on it.


this is why I have a 4K monitor, everything fits no matter how it's rotated.


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> To @darmanastartes:  Why is the brew in focus and the headphones not in focus…hmmm…?🤔




...And, why is a 4 pack $17 USD...scratch "vasen" off the list.  

Would be curious to see the AMPs these headphones plug into


----------



## jonathan c

Hanging out on New Year’s Eve Eve with audio pals Senn, Norne, Lyr, Ken & Rad…(five guys named music…):


----------



## kumar402

jonathan c said:


> Hanging out on New Year’s Eve Eve with audio pals Senn, Norne, Lyr, Ken & Rad…(five guys named music…):


HD600 and Lyr3 is a sweet combo and gives many goosebumps moments. Enjoy


----------



## UntilThen

Rossliew said:


> Lol, that was ages ago....no more now. It costs a fair bit to commission and with the heat we get here all year round, the Megatron is not going to help....and that's not even taking into consideration the electricity bill



Haha Ross you appeared on New Year's Eve !


----------



## David222

nerone said:


> Is the one on the left a WA6?
> Which one do you prefer? I have a WA6-SE and was thinking about getting the tuba.



Yes, WA6 on left in photo. My WA6 is new, but modded with 6DE7 sockets w/ 6SN7 adapters, so I'm not beholden to 13 tubes. The AMPs have different sound signatures. So, my preference depends on headphones/music during a given session.  Overtime, I may acquire a Decware Taboo or comparable, at which point I'd jettison the WA6. I will not sell the Tuba, too attached  

Will send PM with more details.


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> My WA6 is new, but modded with 6DE7 sockets w/ 6SN7 adapters



My opinion is that the 6FD7 tubes used in the original version of WA6 is good. Very good indeed. They are used as drivers on my 300b amp - that golden child on the right.


----------



## Ciggavelli (Dec 30, 2021)

I posted my adapter set a long while back, but I got a few new adapters and a better case  





Top Row: USB-C Charger, future room for other adapters

Middle Row (left to right): AudioQuest Dragon, Jutterfly, USB-C to Lightning, Hugo 2 RCA to 4.4m, Abyss Connector to HD800. Susvara to Abyss, Abyss to Susvara, Abyss to Utopia, Abyss to LCD-4

Horizontal items in the middle (left to right): 4.4 to 2.5, 2.5 to 3.25

Bottom Row: XLR to RCA, XLR to RCA, XLR to 4.4, XLR to 6.35, 2.5 to XLR, 4.4 to XLR, 6.35 to 3.25, 3.25 to 6.35, 2.5 to 4.4, 4.4 to 3.25


----------



## Mr Trev

Ciggavelli said:


> I posted my adapter set a long while back, but I got a few new adapters and a better case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think @bcowen has a set like that. Except his adapters are tube adapters. Apparently tube adapters are his weakness so if you know any obscure ones that he may not have, be sure to talk them up


----------



## UntilThen

Ciggavelli said:


> I posted my adapter set a long while back, but I got a few new adapters and a better case
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Simply amazing. Ingenious.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ciggavelli said:


> I posted my adapter set a long while back, but I got a few new adapters and a better case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ColSaulTigh




----------



## Terriero (Dec 30, 2021)

Paladin79 said:


> Cats can also roll tubes.😜





Terriero said:


> Ok, ok... Sooo... yesterday my cat "Kepler" went to Indiana when he escaped from home... Now I see where he was... (Tomorrow I will take a pic of my cat, it's a copy of yours)



Here are the promised pics. I put them into spoiler:



Spoiler



Here is when he is not meowing while crossing in front of my feet asking for food. I think he put this face  






During the day he usually falls asleep:






And one in our garden:








And now a bonus... Nooo, back to topic   :

Here is my current head-fi station, *a Sound Science true believer*:






... But the closed back headphones are under arrest. I hope @Malevolent won't get angry...  







Post script: I want to thank one guy in this thread which published a pic of a mat with wrist-rest similar to the one I purchased after I saw his message. And... I'm a little OCD, just a little...


----------



## David222

Terriero said:


> Here are the promised pics. I put them into spoiler:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



There is no OCD on Head-Fi. Only OCE (Obsessive Compulsive Encouraged).


----------



## bcowen

Rebel Chris said:


> Vacation is for rearranging my stuff. @#€# *my new turntable (xtension 12) is to big*..


That's a matter of perspective.  From my viewpoint, your shelf is too small.  😂

Nice 'table!!!


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I think @bcowen has a set like that. Except his adapters are tube adapters. Apparently tube adapters are his weakness so if you know any obscure ones that he may not have, be sure to talk them up


I'm not that organized.  Or clever.  I keep my tube adapters in a tube caddy though if that counts.  🤪


----------



## DeweyCH

Bedroom setup right now: Focal Clear MG and Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH 40. Under the table are a SMSL stack - SU-8 and SH-8.


----------



## OceanRanger

Ciggavelli said:


> I posted my adapter set a long while back, but I got a few new adapters and a better case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hmmm, the Abyss to Susvara peaks my interest. I wonder how the SC cables would sound on the Susvaras....


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> I'm not that organized.  Or clever.  I keep my tube adapters in a tube caddy though if that counts.  🤪


Beats the heck out of the Ziploc "Totally Not Tupperware" containers I use


----------



## Ciggavelli

OceanRanger said:


> hmmm, the Abyss to Susvara peaks my interest. I wonder how the SC cables would sound on the Susvaras....


I actually don't like the combo that much.  The Susvaras are smooth sounding and the SC is also smooth sounding.  In my opinion, the combo of Susvaras with the SC cable is too much of a good thing.


----------



## jonathan c

New Year’s Eve Eve in the Laurel Mountains (of Western Pennsylvania) with more audio pals:


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> New Year’s Eve Eve in the Laurel Mountains (of Western Pennsylvania)



More room up in the mountains I guess.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> More room up in the mountains I guess.


The ‘mountain’ system is in a loft…getaway within a getaway 🙂…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> *The ‘mountain’ system is in a loft*…getaway within a getaway 🙂…


Seems like an appropriate place for _loft_y equipment, no?


----------



## tombrisbane

Messy at the moment - have been charging my wireless cans (some stacked on top of the Tazzy lol)


----------



## mikey1964

I don't recall posting a pic of my setup after upgrading to a new desk, and I feel a little embarrassed as mine is a simple audio setup compared to some of you guys' which are some pretty sick audio setups I must say. In this pic, I had my modded Fostex T50RP + Alpha Pads, AKG K812 and Senn HD600 on rotation. I've just rotated them out and am using my HD6XX, ENIGMAcoustics Dharma D1000 and a Grado GS1000i, and a HE560 just for some Planar Mag creds.


----------



## Terriero

mikey1964 said:


> I don't recall posting a pic of my setup after upgrading to a new desk, and I feel a little embarrassed as mine is a simple audio setup compared to some of you guys' which are some pretty sick audio setups I must say. In this pic, I had my modded Fostex T50RP + Alpha Pads, AKG K812 and Senn HD600 on rotation. I've just rotated them out and am using my HD6XX, ENIGMAcoustics Dharma D1000 and a Grado GS1000i, and a HE560 just for some Planar Mag creds.


But, where is your monitor screen?


----------



## Terriero

For the new year, a little advice for some of you... Last days, I was thinking where I was and where I am regarding to this hobby, of course:

Last year (a difficult year...), I had the Senn HD 555 for multipurpose uses (Youtube, games and very little to listen to music)  and the HD 800 that I barely used because I disturb my family at nights. I had had bad experiencies with closed back headphones in the past (Beyer MMX 300 and Senn PC 360) and I thought that all closed back would sound bad. Then, I bought the DT 150 to try another closed back and I liked very much them, but they lacked something...

Now, I have swapped the HD 555 for the DT 1990 Pros (my initial purpose when I entered in this forum   ) and also have two very different closed cans that I love for different purposes.

Why this advice? Because in this forum there are a lot of temptations (new headphones, DACs or AMPS, cables...) and if you realize where you are and compare that to your past in this hobby, maybe you are good where you are now and don't need to upgrade... And I have two headphones in my wishlist, but I have had a lot of them based on the praise for them in their respective threads...

Happy new year to everybody here


----------



## David222

Terriero said:


> For the new year, a little advice for some of you... Last days, I was thinking where I was and where I am regarding to this hobby, of course:
> 
> Last year (a difficult year...), I had the Senn HD 555 for multipurpose uses (Youtube, games and very little to listen to music)  and the HD 800 that I barely used because I disturb my family at nights. I had had bad experiencies with closed back headphones in the past (Beyer MMX 300 and Senn PC 360) and I thought that all closed back would sound bad. Then, I bought the DT 150 to try another closed back and I liked very much them, but they lacked something...
> 
> ...



Sage advice...  I'm glad you left "tubes" off your list above. I felt guilty reading this just after placing a large Langrex order this morning. 

Happy New Year!!


----------



## UntilThen

My advice for 2022 ... btw happy new year everyone.


----------



## bcowen

David222 said:


> Sage advice...  I'm glad you left "tubes" off your list above. I felt guilty reading this just after placing a large Langrex order this morning.
> 
> Happy New Year!!


But if you didn't buy them now, the price would go up and you'd feel even _more _guilty in the future.  Regretting it forward, kind of.


----------



## David222

bcowen said:


> But if you didn't buy them now, the price would go up and you'd feel even _more _guilty in the future.  Regretting it forward, kind of.



 I agree. That is exactly what he said


----------



## UntilThen

New Year's Day setup. Woo Hi O. or WHO for short.


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> If you realize where you are and compare that to your past in this hobby, maybe you are good where you are now and don't need to upgrade…
> Happy new year to everybody here


Unfortunately, this personal audio hobby of ours is an evolving pursuit just as we are an evolving species. Desire morphs into need. Contentment is not our lot in personal audio. 🤷🏻


----------



## skhan007

My humble set up below- ZMF Auteur, Bottlehead Crack w/NOS tubes, and RME ADI2 DAC. 

I'm currently on a prog kick and got three King Crimson box sets for Xmas (63 discs) that include many hi-res Blu Ray, which sound great! Also listening to the YES Steven Wilson remixes today. Great stuff!!


----------



## Preachy1

That’s a lot of Crimson!!!!  I missed the last tour but as a consolation, I’m seeing Stick Men in a few weeks.


----------



## mikey1964 (Dec 31, 2021)

Terriero said:


> But, where is your monitor screen?


Eh, you making a funny?  Regardless, here's a shot I'd just take, with previously stated cans, and my iFi Micro iDSD BL at the ready....pretty proud of my cable management, cleared up all those cables that were hanging down at the back. I was once really crazy into trying out new cans and DAC stack/combo, but after a while, I'd decided to stick with my Oppo HA-1 (on 2nd rig) and the iFi on my main rig. I do have >10 cans which I'd rotate from time to time (and only when I'm in the mood), much like my keyboards (I think I have 15....or more). Monitor's a Samsung 49" 32:9 3840x1080 144Hz beast (easier for my RX 6900 XT to run games at max setting, 4K would bog it down).


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Contentment is not our lot in personal audio. 🤷🏻


I'm contented until the next thing comes along... Just ask my wife...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> I'm contented until the next thing comes along... Just ask my wife...


This is personal audio (only, I hope!):

😄…🤔…😕…😒…🤩…💸…😄…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> This is personal audio (only, I hope!):
> 
> 😄…🤔…😕…😒…🤩…💸…😄…


Maybe LOL...


----------



## Pharmaboy

mikey1964 said:


> Eh, you making a funny?  Regardless, here's a shot I'd just take, with previously stated cans, and my iFi Micro iDSD BL at the ready....pretty proud of my cable management, cleared up all those cables that were hanging down at the back. I was once really crazy into trying out new cans and DAC stack/combo, but after a while, I'd decided to stick with my Oppo HA-1 (on 2nd rig) and the iFi on my main rig. I do have >10 cans which I'd rotate from time to time (and only when I'm in the mood), much like my keyboards (I think I have 15....or more). Monitor's a Samsung 49" 32:9 3840x1080 144Hz beast (easier for my RX 6900 XT to run games at max setting, 4K would bog it down).


This setup is impressive. You're Captain of your own starship!


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Unfortunately, this personal audio hobby of ours is an evolving pursuit just as we are an evolving species. Desire morphs into need. Contentment is not our lot in personal audio. 🤷🏻


----------



## Terriero

mikey1964 said:


> Eh,* you making a funny?*  Regardless, here's a shot I'd just take, with previously stated cans, and my iFi Micro iDSD BL at the ready....pretty proud of my cable management, cleared up all those cables that were hanging down at the back. I was once really crazy into trying out new cans and DAC stack/combo, but after a while, I'd decided to stick with my Oppo HA-1 (on 2nd rig) and the iFi on my main rig. I do have >10 cans which I'd rotate from time to time (and only when I'm in the mood), much like my keyboards (I think I have 15....or more). Monitor's a Samsung 49" 32:9 3840x1080 144Hz beast (easier for my RX 6900 XT to run games at max setting, 4K would bog it down).


Of course, of course   It's incredible how big the monitor screens have become... I remember in 2011 when I felt enormous my Dell U3011 and now is the son of your monitor screens...


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> Of course, of course   It's incredible how big the monitor screens have become... I remember in 2011 when I felt enormous my Dell U3011 and now is the son of your monitor screens...


LOL!  My first computer monitor was a 12" _monochrome_ CRT that came with the original 4.77 MHz IBM PC.  

No, wait...my _very_ first one was a 19" Sharp TV that I used as the display for a Commodore 64. 😁


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> LOL!  My first computer monitor was a 12" _monochrome_ CRT that came with the original 4.77 MHz IBM PC.
> 
> No, wait...my _very_ first one was a 19" Sharp TV that I used as the display for a Commodore 64. 😁



We lived through the same era. I bought the IBM PC in 1981. However are we still on head-fi station? I'm tempted to bring on dog-fi again because Archie and Hugo came to visit Finn and I didn't know I love dogs so much.


----------



## Preachy1

I may be the outlier here, but as it stands, I really don't see any upgrades in my future.  I'm quite happy with what I have.



In fact, I'm in the process of selling off some of my gear.  Part of this is because I'm getting into another expensive hobby (woodworking).  Add that to head-fi, photography, and cooking.  All of these can be quite pricey!  I guess I need to find a cheaper hobby.


----------



## SalR406 (Jan 1, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> We lived through the same era. I bought the IBM PC in 1981. However are we still on head-fi station? I'm tempted to bring on dog-fi again because Archie and Hugo came to visit Finn and I didn't know I love dogs so much.


That picture brings back some memories.  I wrote my Master's thesis on one of those original IBM PCs.  When I see the picture, I can still hear those giant floppy drives buzzing and clanking away.


----------



## jonathan c

SalR406 said:


> That picture brings back some memories.  I wrote my Master's thesis on one of those original IBM PCs.  When I see the picture, I can still hear those giant floppy drives buzzing and clanking away.


…quite the ‘buzzing/clanking’ evolution…from XT PC — — —> DV…


----------



## UntilThen

SalR406 said:


> That picture brings back some memories.  I wrote my Master's thesis on one of those original IBM PCs.  When I see the picture, I can still hear those giant floppy drives buzzing and clanking away.



That picture brings back memories because I won the neighbourhood Pong championship on it haha. 2 years after I got that I join GE as a trainee computer programmer. How could I not love GE.


----------



## UntilThen

Back to Head-Fi Station ! 2nd day of 2022, this is my setup. Not sure why I didn't sell off the Wa22 because I've just about sold off every amps under the sun in my possession.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Back to Head-Fi Station ! 2nd day of 2022, this is my setup. Not sure why I didn't sell off the Wa22 because I've just about sold off every amps under the sun in my possession.


Fully balanced tube h/p/a are far / few / between…


----------



## alekc

bcowen said:


> No, wait...my _very_ first one was a 19" Sharp TV that I used as the display for a Commodore 64. 😁


One of the greatest computers ever build - still have few including C128 and C128D on my desk. SID music is awesome, and some David Whittaker (among other great SID composers) music was kind of eye opener for me in terms what can be achieved on this little 8-bit computer.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Fully balanced tube h/p/a are far / few / between…



That is true. All my other tube amps are single ended. Only this Wa22 is fully balanced.


----------



## simorag

Latest status, although changes are not visible, Santa brought a couple of big snakes power cords ...


----------



## nasty nate

I thought adding more knobs to the desk setup would improve it - I was correct ⚙️


----------



## Wes S (Jan 2, 2022)

bcowen said:


> LOL!  My first computer monitor was a 12" _monochrome_ CRT that came with the original 4.77 MHz IBM PC.
> 
> No, wait...my _very_ first one was a 19" Sharp TV that I used as the display for a Commodore 64. 😁


LOL!!! I had the same setup with the C-64.  It was my first gaming system, and man that sure brings back some memories. . .


----------



## bcowen

Wes S said:


> LOL!!! I had the same setup with the C-64.  It was my first gaming system, and man that sure brings back some memories. . .


🤣🤣 Megawars III on Compuserve (at 300 baud) anybody?  😀


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> 🤣🤣 Megawars III on Compuserve (at 300 baud) anybody?  😀


I remember getting a 14.4k modem for my Amiga. It was like being a god


----------



## floydfan33

Speaker listening this morning.


----------



## Lvivske (Jan 2, 2022)

So to start the new year I got some amps recapped, and to give things a new look I painted the inner chassis on the Valhalla black and got my Pioneer's light converted to LED so its blazing in blinding amber glory now (lens flare for dramatic effect)


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> Back to Head-Fi Station ! 2nd day of 2022, this is my setup. Not sure why I didn't sell off the Wa22 because I've just about sold off every amps under the sun in my possession.


Neat. Extra thumbs up for the visual consistency of the system including the stand.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Lvivske said:


> So to start the new year I got some amps recapped, and to give things a new look I painted the inner chassis on the Valhalla black and got my Pioneer's light converted to LED so its blazing in blinding amber glory now (picture for dramatic effect)


Wow.

Glorious looking Pioneer. 
Great pic.


----------



## Unterstuffz

My first setup so WIP...


----------



## UntilThen

betula said:


> Neat. Extra thumbs up for the visual consistency of the system including the stand.



Thanks but I prefer this shot.  
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/oblivion-ultrasonic-studios.902926/post-16741620


----------



## jonathan c

Unterstuffz said:


> My first setup so WIP...


…whiskey in progress?…🤪


----------



## judomaniak57

pink floyd on the AK and klipsch. sounds great


----------



## DTgill

Oldies but goodies...


----------



## Xerosnake90

Though the Ananda are gone, I'm picking up the XS intead


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Oldies but goodies...


No kidding! Great equipment!  _…I assume that  the photo title applies to the avatar too…😜_


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> No kidding! Great equipment!  _…I assume that  the photo title applies to the avatar too…😜_


You got that right...


----------



## ihyan2

My portable head fi station simple. I alternate IEMs with the Celestee...
I am toying with the idea to move up to the Stellia but not sure if I would still be comfortable to bring it out....

HiBy RS6 to Focal Celestee


----------



## Unterstuffz

jonathan c said:


> …whiskey in progress?…🤪


Oh believe me that is finished by now


----------



## jonathan c

The little h/p/a that _definitely_ could !


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> The little h/p/a that _definitely_ could !


If memory serves (and it rarely does), the first time I heard the Empyrean was in the Gilmore booth at CanJam/NYC--powered by the Gilmore Lite. That was a really excellent pairing... 

I went on to own the Empryean, though not the GL (my amp-acquisition spree took me in different directions).


----------



## Rebel Chris

Pharmaboy said:


> I went on to own the Empryean, though not the GL (my amp-acquisition spree took me in different directions).


Haha..nice one. It's not the destination but the voyage


----------



## 04gto

My favorite closed backs and the best headphones named after a favorite GOT character.


----------



## jonathan c

Rebel Chris said:


> Haha..nice one. It's not the destination but the voyage


…and that is why Bugs Bunny 🐰 says to Elmer Fudd “bon voy-agee”…


----------



## Mr Trev

'ol deathless
She may not be "HiFi", but she has survived rain, snow, leaking batteries and a fall off a LRT station platform


----------



## tudedude

My diy stands. One of them integrating a budget amp stack.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> …and that is why Bugs Bunny 🐰 says to Elmer Fudd “bon voy-agee”…



Did someone say Bugs Bunny?


----------



## Pharmaboy

tudedude said:


> My diy stands. One of them integrating a budget amp stack.


Nice! What is the vertical/on its side component on top of the Schiit box?


----------



## tudedude

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice! What is the vertical/on its side component on top of the Schiit box?


Ty, it's the xduoo mt-602 hybrid tube amp. I replaced the bright red knob with a black one.


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> 'ol deathless
> She may not be "HiFi", but she has survived rain, snow, leaking batteries and a fall off a LRT station platform



Wow Summit-Fi !!!


----------



## floydfan33

Fiio M17 balanced to LCD-XC 2021


----------



## UntilThen

When you want wide soundstage, line up your gear in a row and make it as wide as possible.


----------



## Paladin79 (Jan 4, 2022)

An amp I built a couple years ago is back home, reunited with a matching meter box. Spalted tulip poplar and ebony.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Paladin79 said:


> An amp I built a couple years ago is back home, reunited with a matching meter box. Spalted tulip poplar and ebony.


Looks reall, nice


----------



## Paladin79

ThanatosVI said:


> Looks reall, nice


Thanks, I need to repair the amp but it is once again mine. I have dual headphone jacks, preamp out, and the meter box has a preamp out so I am not losing the output jacks in this configuration. I also prefer audio pots for each channel rather than having them ganged together. I intended to keep the amp but a friend needed one so the amp and meter box were split up.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Paladin79 said:


> An amp I built a couple years ago is back home, reunited with a matching meter box. Spalted tulip poplar and ebony.



I love the artisan look. Great job.

Are those 6J5 tubes? What kind? GEC L63s?


----------



## Paladin79 (Jan 4, 2022)

CaptainFantastic said:


> I love the artisan look. Great job.
> 
> Are those 6J5 tubes? What kind? GEC L63s?


GEC L 63's and yes 6j5 equivalents.

Now it is all GEC.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Funny. It's exactly what I had in my BHC just 20 minutes ago (GEC L63s and GEC 6AS7G A1834) before deciding to give one of my GEC 6080s a try for comparison.


----------



## Paladin79 (Jan 4, 2022)

CaptainFantastic said:


> Funny. It's exactly what I had in my BHC just 20 minutes ago (GEC L63s and GEC 6AS7G A1834) before deciding to give one of my GEC 6080s a try for comparison.


My BH Crack is a little different.😜 It still has the original power transformer, not much else.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Paladin79 said:


> An amp I built a couple years ago is back home, reunited with a matching meter box. Spalted tulip poplar and ebony.


Man, I love your work!


----------



## Paladin79 (Jan 4, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Man, I love your work!


Thanks, every amp is one of a kind. @bcowen has one that is extremely one of a kind.😜
He is unique, just like everybody else.


----------



## jonathan c

Paladin79 said:


> Thanks, every amp is one of a kind. @bcowen has one that is *extremely *one of a kind.😜
> He is unique, just like everybody else.


…versus ‘just barely’ one of a kind?…🤔😐…


----------



## jonathan c

…to paraphrase the Bard in _The Tempest: ‘_good music acquaints head gear with strange bedfellows’…LCD-4 & LYR-3…(giggle and snicker if you wish…the 🎼 is amazing…)


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> …to paraphrase the Bard in _The Tempest: ‘_good music acquaints head gear with strange bedfellows’…LCD-4 & LYR-3…(giggle and snicker if you wish…the 🎼 is amazing…)


... What else is there to say?


----------



## bcowen

Paladin79 said:


> Thanks, every amp is one of a kind. @bcowen has one that is extremely one of a kind.😜
> *He is special, just like nobody else.*


Here....FTFY.     

My amp is the only one configured correctly.  Everyone else's is 90 degrees out of phase.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> …to paraphrase the Bard in _The Tempest: ‘_good music acquaints head gear with strange bedfellows’…LCD-4 & LYR-3…(giggle and snicker if you wish…the 🎼 is amazing…)


So you're only getting a hair over 9 watts of power?  Seems a bit on the edge of anemic.  The 13 ohm DCA Aeons are a better match as you get two hairs over 9 watts.   😂


----------



## Paladin79

bcowen said:


> Here....FTFY.
> 
> My amp is the only one configured correctly.  Everyone else's is 90 degrees out of phase.


I believe Finnegan built that amp, I was trying to hide and pretend I did not know you.😜


----------



## Paladin79

jonathan c said:


> …versus ‘just barely’ one of a kind?…🤔😐…


There is one of a kind, and there is the absurd, Bill falls into the latter category.😁


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> Here....FTFY.
> 
> My amp is the only one configured correctly.  Everyone else's is 90 degrees out of phase.


Shouldn't your 6j5 adapter be skewed sideways too?


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 10, 2022)

[duplicate]


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 10, 2022)

[duplicate]


----------



## ThanatosVI

jonathan c said:


> …to paraphrase the Bard in _The Tempest: ‘_good music acquaints head gear with strange bedfellows’…LCD-4 & LYR-3…(giggle and snicker if you wish…the 🎼 is amazing…)


Haven't been here for a while, what happened to your LTA MZ3?


----------



## jonathan c

ThanatosVI said:


> Haven't been here for a while, what happened to your LTA MZ3?


It is in the h/p/a rotation…Schiit Lyr III turn for a few days…would not sell LTA MZ3!


----------



## BobG55 (Jan 5, 2022)

I’m old school.  Still listen to music on CDs.  I no longer own any headphone amps.  I owned some very renowned ones in the past.  I own/ use my Kenwood KA-8006, (1974) to listen to my headphones with. My brother offered it to me some twelve years ago or so & I was elated. I was with my brother when he bought it brand new back in ‘74.


----------



## Mr Trev

BobG55 said:


>


Awesome seeing the vintage gear is still getting the love


----------



## ThanatosVI

BobG55 said:


> I’m old school.  Still listen to music on CDs.  I no longer own any headphone amps.  I owned some very renowned ones in the past.  I own/ use my Kenwood KA-8006, (1974) to listen to my headphones with. My brother offered it to me some twelve years ago or so & I was elated. I was with my brother when he bought it brand new back in ‘74.


Do you still remember its price back in '74?


----------



## DeweyCH (Jan 5, 2022)

Moved things around a little bit. On the left Salire: my new Verite Open stabilized set "Nechtan." On the right Salire: almond wood Auteurs in the back, Rognir Dynamic Baltic Sea in the front. On the little glass table I repurposed this morning is my Crack with Speedball, running a Tung-Sol 5998 and a Sylvania VT-99 (in a 6F8G->6SN7 adapter in a 6SN7->12AU7 adapter).

On the desktop is my Schiit stack - Magnius, Lokius and Bifrost 2. Next to that is my cap-modded Liquid Platinum with a pair of Mullard CV4003s. And one random brown-base CBS/Hytron 5692 tube just chilling out.

EDIT: Didn't even mention the Verite Closed stabilized "Behir"


----------



## BobG55 (Jan 5, 2022)

ThanatosVI said:


> Do you still remember its price back in '74?


Wish I did.  The other thing is he also bought an AM/ FM KT-8007 SS Stereo Tuner at the same time.  I still have the manuals and warranties for both.  I also have the KT-8007 but it needs to be serviced.  It’s in great shape aesthetically but not working.


----------



## Pharmaboy

I have a Carver cube amp + their famous tuner. Both look fantastic but neither works. They need service.

It would cost more to service them than I could sell if they were in working condition (a conundrum).


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a Carver cube amp + their famous tuner. Both look fantastic but neither works. They need service.
> 
> It would cost more to service them than I could sell if they were in working condition (a conundrum).


That may be / is true now. But if after servicing, the amp+tuner were in better than working condition and kept that way, would not their value (rarity) increase over time? You might be able to ‘breakeven’ and then some in monetary terms.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> That may be / is true now. But if after servicing, the amp+tuner were in better than working condition and kept that way, would not their value (rarity) increase over time? You might be able to ‘breakeven’ and then some in monetary terms.


That's a very logical question. But events go against it. I priced these 2 items out on the open market ~12 years ago. They're worth just 50%-60% now, what they had been then.

(insert sad trombone sound)


----------



## ColSaulTigh

A wise man once said "just because something is old doesn't mean it's valuable".  Learn to let go...


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> A wise man once said "just because something is old doesn't mean it's valuable".  Learn to let go...


Would you say that about Mum & Dad ? 🤪😆


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Would you say that about Mum & Dad ? 🤪😆


You've never met my parents, apparently. Lol!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

The Internet Fairy dropped off a package today...


----------



## cgb3

nasty nate said:


> I thought adding more knobs to the desk setup would improve it - I was correct ⚙️


It appears we're rocking similar tubes in our Lyr 3's. I've got the Psvane 6SN7-SE, which is mirrored. Your tennis ball appears clear.


----------



## Paladin79

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a Carver cube amp + their famous tuner. Both look fantastic but neither works. They need service.
> 
> It would cost more to service them than I could sell if they were in working condition (a conundrum).





Pharmaboy said:


> I have a Carver cube amp + their famous tuner. Both look fantastic but neither works. They need service.
> 
> It would cost more to service them than I could sell if they were in working condition (a conundrum).


I would offer to help but I have too much going on right now.😜


----------



## Paladin79

Finnegan gets serious when he wants me to try out a tube, no messing around here.


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 5, 2022)

Paladin79 said:


> Finnegan gets serious when he wants me to try out a tube, no messing around here.


“Only this one tests NOS on the just calibrated TV-7”


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Empyreans with the DMP-Z1 on a snowy day = relaxation


----------



## MisterMudd

cosplayerkyo said:


> Empyreans with the DMP-Z1 on a snowy day = relaxation


Just beautiful. What chair?


----------



## whirlwind

cosplayerkyo said:


> Empyreans with the DMP-Z1 on a snowy day = relaxation



Very nice.  Great pic.


----------



## cradams1020

Like many of you, I have a few "stations" throughout my house...my wife hates it!  This is one of mine in the basement...I've got a a few options for headphone listening on this setup.  I love listening through my vintage Pioneer VSX-D1S integrated amp...it's a BEAST!  Also have my Questyle CMA600i setup here and a SoundBlaster E5 DAC/Amp that I mostly use as a DAC into both the Rotel and Pioneer depending on which amp I want to listen to.  Don't mind the speakers on the ground...new stands should be here any day.


----------



## Rossliew

UntilThen said:


> My opinion is that the 6FD7 tubes used in the original version of WA6 is good. Very good indeed. They are used as drivers on my 300b amp - that golden child on the right.


Matt, you thinking of selling any of your tubed gears? ;p Oh...and here's wishing you a Happy New Year!


----------



## Big In Japan

cosplayerkyo said:


> Empyreans with the DMP-Z1 on a snowy day = relaxation


Simply beautiful. These huge windows   Is the eames chair an orginal one? Best looking piece of furniture on the planet!


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a Carver cube amp + their famous tuner. Both look fantastic but neither works. They need service.
> 
> It would cost more to service them than I could sell if they were in working condition (a conundrum).


Have you ever talked with Mike at Hudson Valley Hi-Fi?  Good man, revived my Sansui AU-5900!!!


----------



## dynavit

ColSaulTigh said:


> A wise man once said "just because something is old doesn't mean it's valuable".  Learn to let go...


Another wise man once said: "Just because something is new doesnˋt mean it is better!"
Good luck with your new headphone.


----------



## kumar402

cosplayerkyo said:


> Empyreans with the DMP-Z1 on a snowy day = relaxation


Wow beautiful…what a place to listen to music.


----------



## Preachy1

kumar402 said:


> Wow beautiful…what a place to listen to music.


Yeah no kidding!!!!  I really wanted an Eames chair, but wifey said "are you out of your mind?"  My response, of course, was "um, how long have you known me?".

that said, I settled for a nice comfy Stressless recliner.

But dang, that room!!!  I'd park my butt on a wooden stool!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> Have you ever talked with Mike at Hudson Valley Hi-Fi?  Good man, revived my Sansui AU-5900!!!


Actually I did, but it wasn't about the Carver units. I had a bunch of other vintage gear (including some rather fine pieces) that I  needed a buyer to pick it all up at a discount, check out/repair if necessary, then sell. We didn't get very far with that. 

But thanks for the suggestion. I keep forgetting you live in downstate NY not terribly far from me. A very nice part of Dutchess County, from what my map tells me...


----------



## Mansinthe86

So far, my living setup.


----------



## Terriero

Preachy1 said:


> Yeah no kidding!!!!  I really wanted an Eames chair, but wifey said "are you out of your mind?"  My response, of course, was "um, how long have you known me?".
> 
> that said, I settled for a nice comfy Stressless recliner.
> 
> But dang, that room!!!  I'd park my butt on a wooden stool!!!!


Since his Empyrean review, sometimes I like to watch this youtube channel. This video is so funny, specially at the beginning. He brought alternatives to the Eames chair at cheaper prices:


----------



## Draygonn

Terriero said:


> Since his Empyrean review, sometimes I like to watch this youtube channel. This video is so funny, specially at the beginning. He brought alternatives to the Eames chair at cheaper prices:



"If you didn't like my intro you can email me at cheapaudioman@gmail.com."  LMAO


----------



## ThanatosVI

Terriero said:


> Since his Empyrean review, sometimes I like to watch this youtube channel. This video is so funny, specially at the beginning. He brought alternatives to the Eames chair at cheaper prices:



I didn't know that I NEED this chair, now I do.
Thx head-fi ...


----------



## Terriero

ThanatosVI said:


> I didn't know that I NEED this chair, now I do.
> Thx head-fi ...


Is not all about DACs, AMPs and multibuck cables


----------



## ThanatosVI

Terriero said:


> Is not all about DACs, AMPs and multibuck cables


Very true, everything that enhances the experience counts


----------



## Terriero

ThanatosVI said:


> Very true, everything that enhances the experience counts


By the way, I have this model: https://www.ikea.com/es/es/p/poang-sillon-chapa-abedul-hillared-azul-oscuro-s49197806/#content


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 9, 2022)

Terriero said:


> Since his Empyrean review, sometimes I like to watch this youtube channel. This video is so funny, specially at the beginning. He brought alternatives to the Eames chair at cheaper prices:



FWIW, I've seen any number of Eames chairs (and screens and other things) at antique shows and/or auctions. With padded leather things that are in close contact with one's body (like the chair & ottoman) IMO it's better to buy it new.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> Is not all about DACs, AMPs and multibuck cables


It's also about booze, comfy chairs, cats and dogs


----------



## Preachy1

Pharmaboy said:


> It's also about booze, comfy chairs, cats and dogs


and the occasional parrot!


----------



## cosplayerkyo

Big In Japan said:


> Simply beautiful. These huge windows   Is the eames chair an orginal one? Best looking piece of furniture on the planet!


Thank you!

I was originally planning on buying a replica and then a friend told me “you’re willing to spend how on your headphones and player and you’re going to listen to it on a fake replica chair?” 🙃

So yeah, waited longer and ordered the real thing when it was on sale. I’m sure the replica is pretty spot on comfort wise too but I’d figure this is one of those seats that will last me a lifetime of wonderful music listening comfort.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

ThanatosVI said:


> I didn't know that I NEED this chair, now I do.
> Thx head-fi ...


Like any other gear shown here.


----------



## TheRH

New headphone setup. 

M1 Mac Mini (Late 2021 model 16Gb/512Gb), Keychron K8 keyboard (Brown Gateron switches), Logitech 502 mouse, Dell P2721Q Monitor, and Satechi USB-C hub.

Roon, Qobuz, Pro-Ject S2 DAC, SPL Phonitor SE/SPL DAC amp, 2021 Edition LCD-X Headphones.


----------



## nasty nate

cgb3 said:


> It appears we're rocking similar tubes in our Lyr 3's. I've got the Psvane 6SN7-SE, which is mirrored. Your tennis ball appears clear.



It does appear that way - mine also has some writing on it - I wonder if there are sonic differences:


----------



## cgb3

I believe this is the answer.

Apparently, PSV changed the getter from my tube to yours.


----------



## lumdicks

Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.


----------



## cradams1020

lumdicks said:


> Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.


quite a setup!


----------



## carboncopy (Jan 8, 2022)

Presented here is probably THE most unlikely headphone system ever. It starts with a Roon Nucleus (with a custom made external Linear PSU from TPM Audio), Shunyata Venom USB cable to an Aries Cerat Heléne DAC. The external PSU and the DAC is powered by Shunyata Venom Power Cables and both of them are driven balanced (+-115V) through a Trafomatic Classic 1000 power conditioner. Which is driven through a Shunyata Venom Power Strip. The Traformatic and the Nucleus sits on Townshend Seimic pods for complete mechanical isolation. The RCA from the Heléne is made from pure Mundorf silver (again, from TPM audio).

And all that goes in a battery powered Grado RA-1. Which sits on a Shaki stone.

Headphones are the Grado RS-1 classic.

And for some unexplainable reason it sounds divine. Or you could say "source first" theory at its max. I am truly shocked and I heard a lot of things...and before you think it is good for a girl with a guitar I listen to "Impulse and Inhibition Pt II" from CT Kidobó. Full with drive, energy and heft.


----------



## toaster10v

Pretty simple but works great with my LCD-24!


----------



## Unterstuffz

Mansinthe86 said:


> So far, my living setup.


Can i ask what Pad these are on the Elegia ?
Thanks in Advance !


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Pharmaboy

lumdicks said:


> Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.


Interesting to see a Studio Vision THR-1 nestled amidst these whopper tube amps (and 3 nice headphones).


----------



## LoryWiv

lumdicks said:


> Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.


Impressive stack!!! Tell us more about that handsome glowing beast at the top!


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


>


Looks like some of those cd's haven't even been opened yet...


----------



## Mansinthe86

Unterstuffz said:


> Can i ask what Pad these are on the Elegia ?
> Thanks in Advance !


Dekonis Sheepskin Stellia pads


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> Looks like some of those cd's haven't even been opened yet...


  I bet if the cabinet door was open we'd see a whole bunch of tubes that haven't been out of their boxes yet too. Perhaps it's time for an intervention.  🧐


----------



## Terriero

DTgill said:


> Looks like some of those cd's haven't even been opened yet...


They are Jonathan C decoration... Or maybe he is waiting to acquire the proper headphones to listen to them? hahahaha


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 8, 2022)

bcowen said:


> I bet if the cabinet door was open we'd see a whole bunch of tubes that haven't been out of their boxes yet too. Perhaps it's time for an intervention. 🧐


Here’s a fuller perspective on the study. The lower left cabinets _do _have medium-size boxes of tubes: “all RFT / EZ81 / ECC81 / ECC82”, “all Brimar KB/FB”, “all 12AT7”, “all 6SN7”, “all 6922 / 7308 / 7316 / 12AU7”, “all 6080”, “all EZ34 / CV593”. The lower right cabinets have more CDs and original vinyl (eg. Parlophone, Decca, ECM). The shelf arrangements are in progress after several donations to the library 😀.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I bet if the cabinet door was open we'd see a whole bunch of tubes that haven't been out of their boxes yet too. Perhaps it's time for an _roller_vention.🧐


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## lumdicks

LoryWiv said:


> Impressive stack!!! Tell us more about that handsome glowing beast at the top!


It is the Little Dot LD-Y2 that I got as used but at top condition. Still need more time for tube rolling and more critical listening but first impression is very good with very smooth but not over-warm sound. Details retrieval and soundstage are amazing with lovely 300B signature. Compared to my Woo WA22 with TOTL tubes (WE274A, Marconi B65 and WE421A), WA22 is having better soundstage and imaging but tonality the Little Dot is more pleasing.


----------



## jonathan c

lumdicks said:


> It is the Little Dot LD-Y2 that I got as used but at top condition. Still need more time for tube rolling and more critical listening but first impression is very good with very smooth but not over-warm sound. Details retrieval and soundstage are amazing with lovely 300B signature. Compared to my Woo WA22 with TOTL tubes (WE274A, Marconi B65 and WE421A), WA22 is having better soundstage and imaging but tonality the Little Dot is more pleasing.


…the little dot that ‘could’…!


----------



## RAYC (Jan 8, 2022)

My office setup. Sources (out of picture) are a Blusound Node 2i (using internal dac), my mac mini via an old audioengine D1, and an old apple tv feeding optical to the cheapest Schiit DAC (used for casual youtube / netflix / prime viewing on ipad via airplay). All sources connected via RCA into the 4x2 matrix switch / selector under the screen on the left.

Output switches between Burson Funk for speakers (JBL Studio 530) and a Monoprice Liquid Platinum for headphones (which i marginally prefer to the Funk headphone out, though i do like to change between them and the Hart cables make that easy!). Headphones are Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM edition. Thinking of upgrades but this has been a very enjoyable and functional rig for the last year or so. Volume knob on the Funk is so satisfying that i often find myself tweaking the volume just for the sake of it!


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Here’s a fuller perspective on the study. The lower left cabinets _do _have medium-size boxes of tubes: “all RFT / EZ81 / ECC81 / ECC82”, “all Brimar KB/FB”, “all 12AT7”, “all 6SN7”, “all 6922 / 7308 / 7316 / 12AU7”, “all 6080”, “all EZ34 / CV593”. The lower right cabinets have more CDs and original vinyl (eg. Parlophone, Decca, ECM). The shelf arrangements are in progress after several donations to the library 😀.


That's entirely too organized.  What kind of audiophile are you, anyway?   

And where's the turntable?  Or are you just stashing vinyl for some future date?


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 8, 2022)

bcowen said:


> That's entirely too organized.  What kind of audiophile are you, anyway?
> 
> And where's the turntable?  Or are you just stashing vinyl for some future date?


The vinyl is that which I bought in college and after (decade*s* ago). The turntable, a Yamaha PF-1000, is boxed upstairs awaiting redeployment. The phono cartridges are ADC XLM (moving iron: unopened), Fidelity Research III (moving coil: lightly used), Supex SD-901 (high-output moving coil: lightly used + unopened), Sonus Blue (moving iron: lightly used). All cartridges were carefully packed and stored in moderate temperatures. Memory lane…🥲


----------



## RAYC

jonathan c said:


> The shelf arrangements are in progress after several donations to the library 😀.


 I'm impressed that Cassell's New Latin Dictionary is one of the select few that made it though the thinning process!


----------



## jonathan c

RAYC said:


> I'm impressed that Cassell's New Latin Dictionary is one of the select few that made it though the thinning process!


That I have had since primary / secondary school.😄


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> That I have had since primary / secondary school.😄


You mean they had books back then?  Dang.  🤣


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 8, 2022)

bcowen said:


> You mean they had books back then?  Dang.  🤣


These. Oh yes. 


[Picture included in case dyslexia sets in…]


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## dnd3241

lumdicks said:


> Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.


Is the Little Dot can fully drive the Susvara ?


----------



## Redcarmoose

dnd3241 said:


> Is the Little Dot can fully drive the Susvara ?


----------



## UntilThen

Rossliew said:


> Matt, you thinking of selling any of your tubed gears? ;p Oh...and here's wishing you a Happy New Year!



Hehehe. Happy New Year Ross. Already sold off the Elekit TU-8200. I'll let you know if I want to sell off some of the others. I thought you retired from head-fi.


----------



## lumdicks

dnd3241 said:


> Is the Little Dot can fully drive the Susvara ?


Yes it can.


----------



## MisterMudd

RAYC said:


> My office setup. Sources (out of picture) are a Blusound Node 2i (using internal dac), my mac mini via an old audioengine D1, and an old apple tv feeding optical to the cheapest Schiit DAC (used for casual youtube / netflix / prime viewing on ipad via airplay). All sources connected via RCA into the 4x2 matrix switch / selector under the screen on the left.
> 
> Output switches between Burson Funk for speakers (JBL Studio 530) and a Monoprice Liquid Platinum for headphones (which i marginally prefer to the Funk headphone out, though i do like to change between them and the Hart cables make that easy!). Headphones are Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM edition. Thinking of upgrades but this has been a very enjoyable and functional rig for the last year or so. Volume knob on the Funk is so satisfying that i often find myself tweaking the volume just for the sake of it!


I will say it again - Luv me some Hart cables! Sooo easy to switch. Great setup.


----------



## DTgill

Driving my PS500... Sounds like apple pie


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 9, 2022)

DTgill said:


> Driving my PS500... Sounds like apple pie


Is the Grado PS500 plugged into Schiit Asgard? with the tube buffer engaged? That sounds 👍 (I got the answer from your post on the ‘multiple headphones’ thread.)


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> That I have had since primary / secondary school.😄


5 years of Latin study here. 

_(I came, I saw, I concurred)_

Only then did I discover the stunning truth: there are NO jobs as Latin Translator at the U.N.


----------



## Neoaudiophile21

It ain't pretty yet. I still need to re-arrange stuff and get all my cables in to have it all prettied up, but it's mine. 
Bifrost 2/Jotun 2, WA22 and Diana TCs. Going to try to use the WA22 as a preamp once my new cables come in and see where that gets me.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheRH said:


> New headphone setup.
> 
> M1 Mac Mini (Late 2021 model 16Gb/512Gb), Keychron K8 keyboard (Brown Gateron switches), Logitech 502 mouse, Dell P2721Q Monitor, and Satechi USB-C hub.
> 
> Roon, Qobuz, Pro-Ject S2 DAC, SPL Phonitor SE/SPL DAC amp, 2021 Edition LCD-X Headphones.


It's a brave man indeed who puts a Mathmos on his Phonitor.

Run! Run for your lives...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


>


Just what I needed to see, a pair of Eikon camphors.

I still don't have enough money to buy everything


----------



## jonathan c

To @Silver Wolf:  These are tremendous…AND they look like Head-Fi ‘moai’ on Easter Island !


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jan 10, 2022)

Current state of SilverWolf Studio's main Head-Fi space as of few mins ago.....


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## lumdicks (Jan 10, 2022)

lumdicks said:


> Got my second tube amp which is powered by 300B (Little Dot LD-Y2). Too little time for music indeed.





Amazing fireworks show with the 2021 WE300B on the Little Dot LD-Y2.


----------



## whirlwind

Silver Wolf said:


> Current state of SilverWolf Studio's main Head-Fi space as of few mins ago.....


Nice...love the hats!


----------



## bcowen

lumdicks said:


> Amazing fireworks show with the 2021 WE300B on the Little Dot LD-Y2.


Sweet!  What do you think of the latest WE reissues?


----------



## lumdicks (Jan 12, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Sweet!  What do you think of the latest WE reissues





bcowen said:


> Sweet!  What do you think of the latest WE reissues?


May need at least 100 hours for burning in. First impression is very good and it preserves the same WE sound signature of the vintage one. Amazing soundstage, smooth and a bit forward mid, but the high low dynamic should further improve after the burn in.


----------



## toaster10v

Neoaudiophile21 said:


> It ain't pretty yet. I still need to re-arrange stuff and get all my cables in to have it all prettied up, but it's mine.
> Bifrost 2/Jotun 2, WA22 and Diana TCs. Going to try to use the WA22 as a preamp once my new cables come in and see where that gets me.


Nice Schiit stack. Always gotta go with the black Schiit products they just look the best.


----------



## Neoaudiophile21

toaster10v said:


> Nice Schiit stack. Always gotta go with the black Schiit products they just look the best.


Most definitely. Looking to trade my WA22 for a black one to complete the black set.


----------



## Ciggavelli

jonathan c said:


> To @Silver Wolf:  These are tremendous…AND they look like Head-Fi ‘moai’ on Easter Island !


They look cool for real 

At risk of being a party-pooper, they can be bad for the headbands though. They stretch them out. It’s best to get some stands that are tall enough for the cables and let the earcups rest naturally. I’m also working on the theory that laying the headphones down on a shelf, or soft cushion/pad, is probably best for the headphones in the long term. But it’s not convenient and it looks bad. Beauty over function


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jan 10, 2022)

whirlwind said:


> Nice...love the hats!


I have many in my studio and too many elsewhere lol....
Some are custom Akubra's (by myself/wife) and others are handmade rabbit/beaver fur-felts made by myself or better half.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jan 10, 2022)

Ciggavelli said:


> They look cool for real
> 
> At risk of being a party-pooper, they can be bad for the headbands though. They stretch them out. It’s best to get some stands that are tall enough for the cables and let the earcups rest naturally. I’m also working on the theory that laying the headphones down on a shelf, or soft cushion/pad, is probably best for the headphones in the long term. But it’s not convenient and it looks bad. Beauty over function



I'll take some front on photos when I get a chance but there is little-to no pressure placed upon the ear pads/cushions for the most part on many of my headphones and I have a large head lol. (size 62) But all my headphones get rotated and spend limited time on display stands either way... It's all good, I love them !

Edit: To add to this in part this is also why you see so many of my felt hats in my studio, besides the fact I have to remove them when wearing a set of cans but fur felts and poly-felts are exceptional at offering control of stray frequencies, standing waves 'n reflections etc.

2nd edit to add photos:

There's 5mm-10mm of clearance on most of my tighter cans such as Focals. sorry for low quality bad phone pic..just for example.


----------



## Ciggavelli

Silver Wolf said:


> I'll take some front on photos when I get a chance but there is little-to no pressure placed upon the ear pads/cushions for the most part on many of my headphones and I have a large head lol. (size 62) But all my headphones get rotated and spend limited time on display stands either way... It's all good, I love them !
> 
> Edit: To add to this in part this is also why you see so many of my felt hats in my studio, besides the fact I have to remove them when wearing a set of cans but fur felts and poly-felts are exceptional at offering control of stray frequencies, standing waves 'n reflections etc.
> 
> ...


Oh, nice!


----------



## Chastity (Jan 11, 2022)

I have a nice duckbill headphone stand, tall enough for any can, and cheap on Amazon:





https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZYTS86X $15.99 currently


----------



## Mr Trev

Chastity said:


> I have a nice duckbill headphone stand, tall enough for any can, and cheap on Amazon:
> 
> 
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZYTS86X $15.99 currently


Nice, and it occurs to me a person could do the same thing with a bike saddle and seat post


----------



## afernandezfada

This looks like an amazing setup, really amazed. Claps to you


----------



## simorag

Latest addition is the Niagara power conditioner, replacing my previous IsoTek Aquarius ... first impressions are promising


----------



## kilonewt

Nothing glitzy here, just a desktop setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ciggavelli said:


> They look cool for real
> 
> At risk of being a party-pooper, they can be bad for the headbands though. They stretch them out. It’s best to get some stands that are tall enough for the cables and let the earcups rest naturally. I’m also working on the theory that laying the headphones down on a shelf, or soft cushion/pad, is probably best for the headphones in the long term. But it’s not convenient and it looks bad. Beauty over function





Chastity said:


> I have a nice duckbill headphone stand, tall enough for any can, and cheap on Amazon:
> 
> 
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZYTS86X $15.99 currently


A point about this kind of headphone stand: 

For headphones that have inner/soft headbands secured under an outer/hard headband, it can stretch the soft underband if using a single point HP stand & putting _both headbands_ atop the stand.
When I use a HP stand for headphones like that (ie, Fidelio X2s; any ZMF dynamic), I put the inner headband _under_ the stand and rest the HP on the stand by its hard outer headband only.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Pharmaboy said:


> A point about this kind of headphone stand:
> 
> For headphones that have inner/soft headbands secured under an outer/hard headband, it can stretch the soft underband if using a single point HP stand & putting _both headbands_ atop the stand.
> When I use a HP stand for headphones like that (ie, Fidelio X2s; any ZMF dynamic), I put the inner headband _under_ the stand and rest the HP on the stand by its hard outer headband only.


That's why I always use and like Room Audioline stands the most.   

No complains about the pressure a certain weight will cause.


----------



## Chastity

Pharmaboy said:


> A point about this kind of headphone stand:
> 
> For headphones that have inner/soft headbands secured under an outer/hard headband, it can stretch the soft underband if using a single point HP stand & putting _both headbands_ atop the stand.
> When I use a HP stand for headphones like that (ie, Fidelio X2s; any ZMF dynamic), I put the inner headband _under_ the stand and rest the HP on the stand by its hard outer headband only.


Agreed.  Hanging by the suspension strap is bad, mmkay...


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## waveSounds

ménage à trois


----------



## Light - Man

waveSounds said:


> ménage à trois


?!


----------



## waveSounds

Light - Man said:


> ?!



How did you get a picture of me during my Christmas celebrations?!


----------



## NickT23

waveSounds said:


> How did you get a picture of me during my Christmas celebrations?!


Are these your friends in the picture ?


----------



## waveSounds

NickT23 said:


> Are these your friends in the picture ?



A few of my nearest and dearest, you could say. My brother's on the left, and father on the right.


----------



## 04gto

waveSounds said:


> ménage à trois


ménage à basse


----------



## 04gto




----------



## NickT23

waveSounds said:


> A few of my nearest and dearest, you could say. My brother's on the left, and father on the right.


Then who is two women ? One mom and sister ?


----------



## jonathan c

Does everyone remember the childhood (maybe adult?) taunt “hey, four-eyes!”? Well…


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Does everyone remember the childhood (maybe adult?) taunt “hey, four-eyes!”? Well…


hows about "nice rack"?


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> hows about "nice rack"?


…or ‘you are _really_ stacked’…


----------



## DTgill

A work in progress


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> A work in progress


…battle of the ‘gd’s at the summit…


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> …battle of the ‘gd’s at the summit…


The one on the right might not be there for long... The Sabre glare isn't to my tastes


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> The one on the right might not be there for long... The Sabre glare isn't to my tastes


You have experienced the big sonic difference between sigma/delta chip & R2R ladder DAC (beyond ESS chip vs AKM chip). A good TV analogy in the colour / background setting: _vivid_ rather than _natural._


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> You have experienced the big sonic difference between sigma/delta chip & R2R ladder DAC (beyond ESS chip vs AKM chip). A good TV analogy in the colour / background setting: _vivid_ rather than _natural._


I received a WAudio AC Noise Power Conditioner today and after plugging the Audio-gd NFB-11 into it the sound seems to have mellowed out, I'm listening to it right now and I think that it sounds settled down, not sure if I'm just hearing things...  But right now it doesn't sound as harsh, right now I don't hate it.
​


----------



## DTgill

Family photo


----------



## Chefguru




----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## NickT23

You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


----------



## betula

NickT23 said:


> You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


It is not the spent money that matters, but the enjoyment you get out of your gear. An entry level combo can be just as pretty. Also, even the owners of multiple TOTL headphones started somewhere.


----------



## Redcarmoose

NickT23 said:


> You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


Music enjoyment is a state of mind, not a contest.


----------



## pspentax

A little messy because of some testing 🤣


----------



## Wes S

Redcarmoose said:


> Music enjoyment is a state of mind, not a contest.


This just might be the best statement I have read on this forum.


----------



## NickT23

betula said:


> It is not the spent money that matters, but the enjoyment you get out of your gear. An entry level combo can be just as pretty. Also, even the owners of multiple TOTL headphones started somewhere.


Thanks. But I just feel out of touch. I dont want bad comments !


----------



## betula

NickT23 said:


> Thanks. But I just feel out of touch. I dont want bad comments !


Well, noone is forcing you to share anything. 

At the same time it is good to grow a thicker skin on Head-Fi, because whatever you share some people will react in a negative way. 

Luckily this thread is usually full of friendly chaps.


----------



## NickT23

betula said:


> Well, noone is forcing you to share anything.
> 
> At the same time it is good to grow a thicker skin on Head-Fi, because whatever you share some people will react in a negative way.
> 
> Luckily this thread is usually full of friendly chaps.


Majority of the people here are rich


----------



## DTgill

NickT23 said:


> You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


Come on! Enquiring minds want to see what you're hiding...  

Yes, most of them are very nice, but I still really like the cheap ones I have, and don't mind showing them off....


----------



## NickT23

DTgill said:


> Come on! Enquiring minds want to see what you're hiding...
> 
> Yes, most of them are very nice, but I still really like the cheap ones I have, and don't mind showing them off....


Yea alright, will think about it. But people setup here make my jaw drop and makes me feel quite inferior.


----------



## jonathan c

NickT23 said:


> You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


If the setup keeps you glowing, it’s worth showing…😅


----------



## waveSounds

@NickT23 Here's your membership card to the "Looking On In Wonder" club. We're not a small group...   

Audio will always draw those with deep pockets, but it doesn't mean those of us with more modest budgets should feel excluded. Or even worse, _embarrassed_. Every man (and woman) has their own means by which to live within. You've got to put things in perspective, the chaps in here with the awe-inspiring setups are representative of <0.01% of the population. Everyone is in this together and the majority of head-fiers are just keen to engage in discussion about the hobby they enjoy with one another, regardless of gear price.

It is the enjoyment of music that fundamentally underpins this hobby, after all. And that's free!


----------



## NickT23

jonathan c said:


> If the setup keeps you glowing, it’s worth showing…😅


HI that statement make sense...


----------



## NickT23

waveSounds said:


> @NickT23 Here's your membership card to the "Looking On In Wonder" club. We're not a small group...
> 
> Audio will always draw those with deep pockets, but it doesn't mean those of us with more modest budgets should feel excluded. Or even worse, _embarrassed_. Every man (and woman) has their own means by which to live within. You've got to put things in perspective, the chaps in here with the awe-inspiring setups are representative of <0.01% of the population. Everyone is in this together and the majority of head-fiers are just keen to engage in discussion about the hobby they enjoy with one another, regardless of gear price.
> 
> It is the enjoyment of music that fundamentally underpins this hobby, after all. And that's free!


Woman like the your sisters or wives from the pictures ?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> Yea alright, will think about it. But people setup here make my jaw drop and makes me feel quite inferior.


Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....

Ignore the haters, you do you.


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> Well, noone is forcing you to share anything.
> 
> At the same time it is good to grow a thicker skin on Head-Fi, because whatever you share some people will react in a negative way.
> 
> Luckily this thread is usually full of friendly chaps.


Let’s not forget the ladies…


----------



## NickT23

jonathan c said:


> Let’s not forget the ladies…


Hence, I was referring to "waveSounds"


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.


A great example of:  tubes PSI and knobs PSI !!


----------



## Mr Trev

NickT23 said:


> You know sometimes I rather not show my setup after seeing of all your setup here. Mine cannot hold up to that level of calibre compare to most of you.


Now that you brought it up, you realize we're going to be whining for pics like a teenage on prom night…
Besides, have you seen the pic of my beat up Panasonic CD player? Talk about low calibre


----------



## waveSounds

NickT23 said:


> Woman like the your sisters or wives from the pictures ?



Exactly 

It's probably time I gave up the charade, though. My avatar is of Dr Frasier Crane from the sitcom Frasier (who I am not lol), and the picture the other user posted was in reference to it. I'm guessing you haven't seen it, in which case you really should!


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Now that you brought it up, you realize we're going to be whining for pics like a teenage on prom night…
> Besides, have you seen the pic of my beat up Panasonic CD player? Talk about low calibre


As I recall, it was a trade from this…😜…


----------



## NickT23

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.


Its not just gear, its also the environtment and all that. And yours is quite a looker !


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> Its not just gear, its also the environtment and all that. And yours is quite a looker !


Eh, it's sitting next to my monitor for my home office setup (that's the red light).  Noting fancy, cheap Amazon monitors.  You can also catch a glimpse of my generic antacids behind everything.  The desk is a cheap Office Depot thing my Dad got when a family friend passed away.

Hell, Zeos reviews gear that's thousands of dollars in his basement with his Anime girl pics as wallpaper, and uses the F-word as an adjective at least twice in every sentence.  It has nothing to do with appearance - it's about what YOU enjoy.  Everybody else can eat a bag of d ¡ © k $.


----------



## jonathan c

NickT23 said:


> Majority of the people here are rich_er for having audio systems, of whatever ilk, that bring them joy._


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## NickT23

waveSounds said:


> Exactly
> 
> It's probably time I gave up the charade, though. My avatar is of Dr Frasier Crane from the sitcom Frasier (who I am not lol), and the picture the other user posted was in reference to it. I'm guessing you haven't seen it, in which case you really should!


Oh I see, I will take a look at it. Mind my rudeness, I really thought its you lmao


----------



## NickT23

ColSaulTigh said:


> Eh, it's sitting next to my monitor for my home office setup (that's the red light).  Noting fancy, cheap Amazon monitors.  You can also catch a glimpse of my generic antacids behind everything.  The desk is a cheap Office Depot thing my Dad got when a family friend passed away.
> 
> Hell, Zeos reviews gear that's thousands of dollars in his basement with his Anime girl pics as wallpaper, and uses the F-word as an adjective at least twice in every sentence.  It has nothing to do with appearance - it's about what YOU enjoy.  Everybody else can eat a bag of d ¡ © k $.


I personally hate that guy. Zeos associate with Z Review. Honestly I like his setup. My setup is had damaged wooden table and half way renovating. Do you people wanna get your eye sored ?


----------



## NickT23

Mr Trev said:


> Now that you brought it up, you realize we're going to be whining for pics like a teenage on prom night…
> Besides, have you seen the pic of my beat up Panasonic CD player? Talk about low calibre


OK you have a point. But then again, I have a radio, not sure if it works. If have the time, I will post here.


----------



## NickT23

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.


Hello very sorry, did you purposefully buy cheap stuff to make it look cheap or something to make me feel better ?


----------



## Mr Trev

NickT23 said:


> OK you have a point. But then again, I have a radio, not sure if it works. If have the time, I will post here.


That's the spirit!
I'll chime in with the other guys… as long as you enjoy it, who cares what others think


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> Hello very sorry, did you purposefully buy cheap stuff to make it look cheap or something to make me feel better ?


Is that a compliment or an insult?


----------



## 04gto

Redcarmoose said:


> Music enjoyment is a state of mind, not a contest.


To me one of the best things about this hobby is that you can get truly amazing sound for just a few hundred dollars. For a few thousand you can achieve world class audio that would cost many tens of thousands to match or exceed in a two channel system. 


NickT23 said:


> OK you have a point. But then again, I have a radio, not sure if it works. If have the time, I will post here.


A good example (as others have posted here as well) of a modest set up with modest presentation. Here is one of my transportable budget set ups. Sony PHA-1A DAC/AMP & 7hz Timeless. $300 all in with truly incredible sound. Sounds better than some other gear I have heard costing many times its price. I truly enjoy it as much as my other more costly gear. 




The question is: will you show us what YOU are currently deriving sonic pleasure from?


----------



## NickT23

04gto said:


> To me one of the best things about this hobby is that you can get truly amazing sound for just a few hundred dollars. For a few thousand you can achieve world class audio that would cost many tens of thousands to match or exceed in a two channel system.
> 
> A good example (as others have posted here as well) of a modest set up with modest presentation. Here is one of my transportable budget set ups. Sony PHA-1A DAC/AMP & 7hz Timeless. $300 all in with truly incredible sound. Sounds better than some other gear I have heard costing many times its price. I truly enjoy it as much as my other more costly gear.
> 
> ...


Nice setup. But thought the setup would be something like dedicated, amp, dac or even big ass speakers. You know, those $$$ ! that turn me off.


----------



## NickT23

Nostoi said:


> Is that a compliment or an insult?


Just a question towards his comment regarding me. Because I dont need him to make me feel better. I appreciate it and understand where he is coming from. Am not really referring to just audio gear, I was also referring the whole setup.


----------



## Preachy1

waveSounds said:


> Exactly
> 
> It's probably time I gave up the charade, though. My avatar is of Dr Frasier Crane from the sitcom Frasier (who I am not lol), and the picture the other user posted was in reference to it. I'm guessing you haven't seen it, in which case you really should!


I was wondering if that really needed 'splaining!   

FWIW, I binge watch that show at least once a year.


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> Just a question towards his comment regarding me. Because I dont need him to make me feel better. I appreciate it and understand where he is coming from. Am not really referring to just audio gear, I was also referring the whole setup.


Well, he seemed to be just demonstrating that one can obtain good quality audio on a modest budget. I can't speak for him, but I doubt he was thinking about anything beyond that. 

What's your budget? There's so many entry level DAPs that sound perfectly decent these days. Pair that with a budget "reference" headphone and you're good to go. There's never been a better time for those on a modest budget.


----------



## NickT23

Nostoi said:


> Well, he seemed to be just demonstrating that one can obtain good quality audio on a modest budget. I can't speak for him, but I doubt he was thinking about anything beyond that.
> 
> What's your budget? There's so many entry level DAPs that sound perfectly decent these days. Pair that with a budget "reference" headphone and you're good to go. There's never been a better time for those on a modest budget.


No am not into DAP. Am just referring to the setup post. Thats all.


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> No am not into DAP. Am just referring to the setup post. Thats all.


Well desktop DAC/AMP combo is even cheaper. So #winning


----------



## alekc

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.


@ColSaulTigh great tube setup. I always like HD660S sound signature.


NickT23 said:


> Yea alright, will think about it. But people setup here make my jaw drop and makes me feel quite inferior.


@NickT23 from my experience it is not about how much setup costs, but how much joy it gives you. I still love my Chord Mojo + AQ NO and it brings me a lot of joy. I'm sure you are more happy with any setup you have at the moment than some people here who have setups in rage of $30k-$150k and are still looking for their audio nirvana.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> Hello very sorry, did you purposefully buy cheap stuff to make it look cheap or something to make me feel better ?


It was my first step back into "quality" listening after having been out of the hobby for 20 years.  I didn't want to invest a ton of money into something without first seeing what was out there.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> Hello very sorry, did you purposefully buy cheap stuff to make it look cheap or something to make me feel better ?


No, that's literally my original setup (see my signature below).  I did my toes into the hobby first, and tinkered with low end tubes before I started investing lots of money into rigs.

Certainly wasn't meant to imply anything other than everybody starts somewhere.


----------



## NickT23

ColSaulTigh said:


> No, that's literally my original setup (see my signature below).  I did my toes into the hobby first, and tinkered with low end tubes before I started investing lots of money into rigs.
> 
> Certainly wasn't meant to imply anything other than everybody starts somewhere.


Yes and now you have high calibre stuff that outweighs mine...


----------



## pbui44

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.



I recently recommended this amp to someone who wanted to get something for his father that had severe high-note-hearing-loss and I really would like to see more Class-A amps with on-board EQ, like this one.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> Yes and now you have high calibre stuff that outweighs mine.


"The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step."


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ColSaulTigh said:


> "The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step."


Corollary: The money blackhole of hifi and other hobbies starts with the first credit card payment.


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 13, 2022)

ColSaulTigh said:


> "The journey of a thousand mile_$ _starts with the first _easy_ step _which is known as ‘Place Order’…”_


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's my $99 Amazon Tube Amp w/DAC and Bluetooth, and my $70 (after using points) Open Box Sennheiser HD660S, with OEM cable, no less.  The shame.....
> 
> Ignore the haters, you do you.


Hey, you have_ tubes,_ man!  Everything else is irrelevant.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

bcowen said:


> Hey, you have_ tubes,_ man!  Everything else is irrelevant.


TOOOOOOOBZZZZZ!!!!


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jan 13, 2022)

ColSaulTigh said:


> TOOOOOOOBZZZZZ!!!!


My wife loves eating those, addicted to them (lol toobs are a BBQ flav no glass involved audiophile snack j/k) I prefer the taste of the ones I like to put in my ears rofl.


----------



## bcowen

Silver Wolf said:


> My wife loves eating those, addicted to them (lol toobs are a BBQ flav no glass involved audiophile snack j/k) *I prefer the taste of the ones I like to put in my ears rofl.*


_Before_ putting them in your ears, or after?


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jan 13, 2022)

Well I'm clear as mud lol, but I don't put either in my mouth haha. Even I don't know what I mean but I still like gravy in my  ears   If putting tubes in my ears brings that then so be it...j/k.....Uncle fester put light globes in his mouth didn't he?


----------



## CrocCap




----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> Well I'm clear as mud lol, but I don't put either in my mouth haha. Even I don't know what I mean but I still like gravy in my  ears   If putting tubes in my ears brings that then so be it...j/k.....Uncle fester put light globes in his mouth didn't he?


…and they were GE !! 😳


----------



## Rossliew

UntilThen said:


> Hehehe. Happy New Year Ross. Already sold off the Elekit TU-8200. I'll let you know if I want to sell off some of the others. I thought you retired from head-fi.


Happy New Year to you too!... Kinda semi retired but the pic of setup is just so yummylicious!


----------



## kid vic

CrocCap said:


>


I will forever lust after an OG HE-6 to compliment my HE-500 and HE-1000. Also, your setup mirrors mine in that we both use an R2R DAC to feed two vintage integrateds. I also have a one tube, one solid state combo, but mine are HH Scott and Kenwood respectively.


----------



## Uguccione

Silver Wolf said:


> My wife loves eating those, addicted to them...


I guess you only have closed-back headphones in the house


----------



## CJG888

Silver Wolf said:


> My wife loves eating those, addicted to them (lol toobs are a BBQ flav no glass involved audiophile snack j/k) I prefer the taste of the ones I like to put in my ears rofl.


Not sure you want those as 1950s NOS!


----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> My wife loves eating those, addicted to them (lol toobs are a BBQ flav no glass involved audiophile snack j/k) I prefer the taste of the ones I like to put in my ears rofl.


They have to be fantastic! A health rating of *half A star* … rip open that bag!! 🤪😛😋…


----------



## u2u2

A SPL Phonitor XE kicked a Woo amp aside yesterday. This one came with a 768 DAC and the performance is, well, very impressive...
Going to be a keeper for sure.


----------



## TooFrank

jonathan c said:


> Here’s a fuller perspective on the study. The lower left cabinets _do _have medium-size boxes of tubes: “all RFT / EZ81 / ECC81 / ECC82”, “all Brimar KB/FB”, “all 12AT7”, “all 6SN7”, “all 6922 / 7308 / 7316 / 12AU7”, “all 6080”, “all EZ34 / CV593”. The lower right cabinets have more CDs and original vinyl (eg. Parlophone, Decca, ECM). The shelf arrangements are in progress after several donations to the library 😀.


So why is it that the chair is pointing away from all the beautiful stuff? What's on the other wall that can challenge such a sight?


----------



## jonathan c

TooFrank said:


> So why is it that the chair is pointing away from all the beautiful stuff? What's on the other wall that can challenge such a sight?


Good question. I like having the chair face towards my WFH desk and study door…🤷🏻


----------



## TooFrank (Jan 14, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Good question. I like having the chair face towards my WFH desk and study door…🤷🏻


Sorry, I am not very good at acronyms: What is WFH?

Edit: Ok - got it  - a bit slow though: Working from home......


----------



## CaptainFantastic




----------



## NickT23

CaptainFantastic said:


>


More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


Friendly tip for your sense of self-esteem: don't _ever _accidently stray into the Summit-Fi threads....


----------



## ColSaulTigh

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


You really shouldn't take this stuff so personally.  Everyone has the right to enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Your time will come with hard work and dedication.


----------



## ufospls2

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


Bro, you've posted on this a lot over the last few pages. This thread is to show the rest of the forum your set up, modest, or more expensive. We all enjoying sharing our stuff, and its a hobby, its not about showing off wealth. Its fun to share what you are listening to with like minded people.


----------



## Lvivske

CrocCap said:


>



bruh.


----------



## betula

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


I do not go into a Ferrari salon and start to publicly beat myself up that I can't afford those supercars. I might go in to have a look though and enjoy the sight. I would suggest something similar here until your financial situation changes.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !



Do you pelt with eggs every BMW you see passing on the street? Most of those people are "wealthier" than me. I choose to take the bus to work. 

Life is about choices. This is my hobby and it's where I allow myself to spend my hard earned and very average disposable income. I enjoy it tremendously.

Enjoy what you have! (also stop trolling, peeing in other people's baskets, etc., etc.)


----------



## Nostoi

We all have to start somewhere. Here's where I started in 1986. 

The only way is up! 👍🏻🍕👍🏻


----------



## Lvivske

Nostoi said:


> We all have to start somewhere. Here's where I started in 1986.
> 
> The only way is up! 👍🏻🍕👍🏻



honestly, i dont know how you top that


----------



## Pharmaboy

Nostoi said:


> We all have to start somewhere. Here's where I started in 1986.
> 
> The only way is up! 👍🏻🍕👍🏻



C'est magnifique!


----------



## Nostoi

Lvivske said:


> honestly, i dont know how you top that


Complimentary headphones from Pan-Am coupled with an AM radio from Radio Shack would be another first step to developing one's Head-fi station. Did I mention the synergy was awful? 

(Really showing my age here...)


----------



## Nostoi

Pharmaboy said:


> C'est magnifique!


Sounded as good as it smelt!


----------



## Zachik

Nostoi said:


> We all have to start somewhere. Here's where I started in 1986.
> 
> The only way is up! 👍🏻🍕👍🏻


I bet, taking its cost into account, it represented a pretty good value!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Nostoi said:


> Complimentary headphones from Pan-Am coupled with an AM radio from Radio Shack would be another first step to developing one's Head-fi station. Did I mention the synergy was awful?
> 
> (Really showing my age here...)


Luckily, you had no idea what synergy is (at least, not then)...


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Nostoi said:


> We all have to start somewhere. Here's where I started in 1986.
> 
> The only way is up! 👍🏻🍕👍🏻


...but do you pad roll, bruv?


----------



## Nostoi

ColSaulTigh said:


> ...but do you pad roll, bruv?


Naturally. The Pizza Hut headphones only really came to life once you modded the bass port, rewired them for balanced use, and, yes, applied velour pads. Moreover, 100 hours of burn in would generate a tad more soundstage. 

At that point, they could easily rival an entry level pair of headphones from K-Mart.


----------



## betula

I worked during school holidays as a young teenager to be able to buy a Walkman like this. (And later on Sony discmans.)


The first time I heard bass was through a little Sony in-ear like this one. 
I never dreamed one day I will enjoy my bass through a Final D8000.


----------



## Mr Trev

Lvivske said:


> honestly, i dont know how you top that


----------



## Mr Trev

betula said:


> I worked during school holidays as a young teenager to be able to buy a Walkman like this. (And later on Sony discmans.)
> 
> 
> The first time I heard bass was through a little Sony in-ear like this one.
> I never dreamed one day I will enjoy my bass through a Final D8000.


I had a pair of Sonys kinda like that - mine were white. First ever pair of IEMs I owned


----------



## CaptainFantastic

This is what my first pair of headphones looked like. 




Age 15 - I start work at supermarket as bagger for $4.25/hour
Age 16-17 - I get a raise to $5/hour stocking the frozen foods department 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., then going to high school in the morning
Age 19-23 - I work full time for $10 to $12 an hour daytimes, then take full schedule college classes in the evenings and weekends at a damn good university
Age 45 - I get called out in the Head-fi forum for ostentatious display of wealth in thread designed for showing off hobby gear accumulated over years using the resources earned in nearly a lifetime of work

Thanks Nick for making me think back to how much I've earned this!


----------



## betula

CaptainFantastic said:


> This is what my first pair of headphones looked like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I actually also had a headphone (we need to use singular here as it was mono) like that as a child. I used it with a pocket radio. 
On the comment you received: just don't take everything you read here seriously.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mr Trev said:


>


Nope. Doesn't top pizza headphones.


----------



## bcowen

ufospls2 said:


> Bro, you've posted on this a lot over the last few pages. This thread is to show the rest of the forum your set up, modest, or more expensive. We all enjoying sharing our stuff, and its a hobby, its not about showing off wealth. Its fun to share what you are listening to with like minded people.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This.


----------



## EstrangedBaron

In a weird spot right now where I really should do an amp upgrade next, but definitely enjoying where I'm at atm.


----------



## bcowen

Lvivske said:


> honestly, i dont know how you top that


LOL!  I see what you did there.


----------



## TooFrank

Holy smoke - those were the days - thanks and let's fast forward


----------



## galileaux

My better half built this wall display stand for my headphones, and I love it! Just have to find a better way to organize the cables.


----------



## TooFrank

galileaux said:


> My better half built this wall display stand for my headphones, and I love it! Just have to find a better way to organize the cables.


waow - congratulations with the better half - cannot wish/hope for another half to be just as good


----------



## Zachik

ufospls2 said:


> This thread is to show the rest of the forum your set up, modest, or more expensive. We all enjoying sharing our stuff, and its a hobby, its not about showing off wealth.


My *personal* opinion:
Showing off a setup consisting of $4K DAP and $5K IEMs - sure would make some people jealous, but perfectly OK to share.
Showing off above setup, while seated in your Lamborghini Veneno (costs ~$4.5M) - you're a jerk! Go post in the site that shall not be named...


----------



## Draygonn

waveSounds said:


> Exactly
> 
> It's probably time I gave up the charade, though. My avatar is of Dr Frasier Crane from the sitcom Frasier (who I am not lol), and the picture the other user posted was in reference to it. I'm guessing you haven't seen it, in which case you really should!


Frajer!


----------



## jonathan c

galileaux said:


> My better half built this wall display stand for my headphones, and I love it! Just have to find a better way to organize the cables.


Wonderful craftsmanship and generosity! [With separate cable storage, you _might_ even get a second row below 🥲…]


----------



## bcowen

TooFrank said:


> waow - congratulations with the better half - cannot wish/hope for another half to be just as good


Yeah, what you said.  My better other half would only build a display rack to hang _me _from.  😟


----------



## ColSaulTigh

bcowen said:


> Yeah, what you said.  My better other half would only build a display rack to hang _me _from.  😟


Some people pay good money for that...


----------



## ScornDefeat

My secondary listening set-up/primary headphone set-up/office. 

Just added the Mytek Liberty DAC II less than an hour ago.


----------



## jonathan c

ScornDefeat said:


> My secondary listening set-up/primary headphone set-up/office.
> 
> Just added the Mytek Liberty DAC II less than an hour ago.


Nice clean setup. Go Pens!


----------



## Chastity

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


Hey, I posted my setup, which I consider to be modest. (about $1K) However, I think it synergizes very well, and is a very solid performer with no apparent flaws, except for requiring EQ.    I take pride in being able to achieve this level of quality on my budget.  Achievement!  I'm glad that there's some good hardware to be had at affordable prices.  Makes it easier for a budding enthusiast to get involved.  Plus you get into the realm of diminishing returns as prices soar exponentially.

If you can afford your setup, and it puts a smile on your face, then you win.

My next possible addition will probably be the GoldPlanar GL1200 ribbon headphones.  I have a 15 yr old Yamaha AV unit to drive them initially, and then I can consider a dedicated ribbon amp, like the Jotenheim-R.  Also have an itch for a Bifrost 2.


----------



## jonathan c

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


•  First off, @CaptainFantastic is rightly showing off his gear. The relevant words in this thread title are ‘show’ and ‘station’.
•  Secondly, his audience is Head-Fi enthusiasts - not just users of, but people who _get excited_ _about,_ personal audio gear. I am proud to be one of those; and _I _enjoy seeing the gear and how it is displayed.
•  Thirdly, personal audio gear _is _exciting, to me, even if the chance of owning specific pieces is nil. Pride and the thrill of ownership are important BUT are eclipsed by the joy from the music and by the give-‘n-take in these threads/forums about gear that I own / dream of owning / could never own.
•  When COVID etc subsides, I would love to personally meet Head-Fi *friends* - ideally at Can-Jams.
•  It is unfortunate that the sight of gear in a Head-Fi post makes you “feel like crap”. If you cannot get excited about _your_ gear, or about the possibilities from future gear, only you can remedy that…..(gratitude…)


----------



## gikigill

ColSaulTigh said:


> Some people pay good money for that...



Imagine all the audio you could buy with such "activities"


----------



## gikigill

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !



If it makes you feel any better, still chasing the dragon after having a large collection of audio including personal and home audio.

Built my collection over 20 years and each time I quit, they pull me back.


----------



## Nostoi

jonathan c said:


> •  First off, @CaptainFantastic is rightly showing off his gear. The relevant words in this thread title are ‘show’ and ‘station’.
> •  Secondly, his audience is Head-Fi enthusiasts - not just users of, but people who _get excited_ _about,_ personal audio gear. I am proud to be one of those; and _I _enjoy seeing the gear and how it is displayed.
> •  Thirdly, personal audio gear _is _exciting, to me, even if the chance of owning specific pieces is nil. Pride and the thrill of ownership are important BUT are eclipsed by the joy from the music and by the give-‘n-take in these threads/forums about gear that I own / dream of owning / could never own.
> •  When COVID etc subsides, I would love to personally meet Head-Fi *friends* - ideally at Can-Jams.
> •  It is unfortunate that the sight of gear in a Head-Fi post makes you “feel like crap”. If you cannot get excited about _your_ gear, or about the possibilities from future gear, only you can remedy that…..(gratitude…)


Exactly.

If I may paraphrase Dr. Phil, sometimes we need to work on who we are before we work on our Head-fi Stations (cc @NickT23) 🙏🏻


----------



## Mansinthe86

These days it's so easy to get something really good even if all you got is a normal salary.

Just looking at the DACs and headphone amps you get these days for $400-500 each.

Add to that a headphone for $1k or $2k. Many shops even offer to pay in interest free installments these days.

Now compare that to what most people pay for a 65" OLED or a new iPhone / MacBook every other year.


----------



## thecrow

betula said:


> I actually also had a headphone (we need to use singular here as it was mono) like that as a child. I used it with a pocket radio.
> On the comment you received: just don't take everything you read here seriously.


Yes - you/we could “stream” live radio


----------



## thecrow

Pharmaboy said:


> Nope. Doesn't top pizza headphones.


The pizza headphones were sauce dependant


----------



## NickT23

Mansinthe86 said:


> These days it's so easy to get something really good even if all you got is a normal salary.
> 
> Just looking at the DACs and headphone amps you get these days for $400-500 each.
> 
> ...


Ya I agree. But some people are still quite poor. We save what we could. $500 is quite expensive outside of headfi user.


----------



## NickT23

gikigill said:


> If it makes you feel any better, still chasing the dragon after having a large collection of audio including personal and home audio.
> 
> Built my collection over 20 years and each time I quit, they pull me back.


Not sure if that makes me feel better.


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 17, 2022)

As I mentioned earlier, only you can do that. It is *your *choice. [PS, with a persistently whiny tone, you risk being put into “ignoring” on each Head-Fier’s account setting.]


----------



## dirtrat

jonathan c said:


> •  First off, @CaptainFantastic is rightly showing off his gear. The relevant words in this thread title are ‘show’ and ‘station’.
> •  Secondly, his audience is Head-Fi enthusiasts - not just users of, but people who _get excited_ _about,_ personal audio gear. I am proud to be one of those; and _I _enjoy seeing the gear and how it is displayed.
> •  Thirdly, personal audio gear _is _exciting, to me, even if the chance of owning specific pieces is nil. Pride and the thrill of ownership are important BUT are eclipsed by the joy from the music and by the give-‘n-take in these threads/forums about gear that I own / dream of owning / could never own.
> •  When COVID etc subsides, I would love to personally meet Head-Fi *friends* - ideally at Can-Jams.
> •  It is unfortunate that the sight of gear in a Head-Fi post makes you “feel like crap”. If you cannot get excited about _your_ gear, or about the possibilities from future gear, only you can remedy that…..(gratitude…)



Completely agree with you. I want to see everyone's setup regardless of cost. I think it's pretty petty of people for claiming they are showing off! Thats what this thread is all about! Sounds like some people are just jealous. Some people will always have something better than you regardless of your financial standing.


----------



## NickT23

dirtrat said:


> Completely agree with you. I want to see everyone's setup regardless of cost. I think it's pretty petty of people for claiming they are showing off! Thats what this thread is all about! Sounds like some people are just jealous. Some people will always have something better than you regardless of your financial standing.


I think am the only one here. Somewhat jealous.  Again not about the gear, its the setup as well !


----------



## waveSounds

The only thing jealousy results in is self-destruction and isolation. Positive people achieve positive things.


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> I think am the only one here. Somewhat jealous.  Again not about the gear, its the setup as well !


You're oversharing and coming across as entitled. 

Work hard and you'll be able to afford decent gear.


----------



## DownToThis




----------



## betula

NickT23 said:


> I think am the only one here. Somewhat jealous.  Again not about the gear, its the setup as well !


Is there something you want to achieve with this rambling from page to page or is it just ventilation? For ventilation there are better, certified places.


----------



## lumdicks

1. British Sound: Woo WA22 with GEC U52, Marconi B65 and GEC 6AS7.
2. The legendary Western Electric: Little Dot LD-Y2 with WE274, WE717A and WE300B.

Which one is your favourite?


----------



## jonathan c

NickT23 said:


> I think am the only one here. Somewhat jealous.  Again not about the gear, its the setup as well !


Keep it to yourself. Happy New Year! Over & Out!


----------



## Nostoi

Started with a pair of Pizza Hut headphones.


----------



## jonathan c

thecrow said:


> The pizza headphones were sauce dependant


I always thought that “it was all in the crust”…


----------



## DTgill

NickT23 said:


> More like showing off your wealth here, kinda feel like crap !


Are you a troll?


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> I always thought that “it was all in the crust”…


It is in the crust ...


----------



## pspentax

Today my station is a little messy.
Testing the Stax-007tII and the Berkeley Alpha DAC 🤦‍♂️


----------



## NickT23

DTgill said:


> Are you a troll?


Hello no am not. Also I have been call a troll in several forums and thread for someone reason. Especially when I go against their contradiction or statement. 
But anyway most of the setup here really make me feel like crap and to me some of the gear are all made of gold and asset. Sometimes it felt like a jewellery than audio gear. Splashing wealth for fun. Most setup do impress me a lot !


----------



## ufospls2 (Jan 15, 2022)

deleted


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> Hello no am not. Also I have been call a troll in several forums and thread for someone reason. Especially when I go against their contradiction or statement.
> But anyway most of the setup here really make me feel like crap and to me some of the gear are all made of gold and asset. Sometimes it felt like a jewellery than audio gear. Splashing wealth for fun. Most setup do impress me a lot !


You're either a troll or have a pathological lack of self-awareness...


----------



## DTgill

NickT23 said:


> Hello no am not. Also I have been call a troll in several forums and thread for someone reason. Especially when I go against their contradiction or statement.
> But anyway most of the setup here really make me feel like crap and to me some of the gear are all made of gold and asset. Sometimes it felt like a jewellery than audio gear. Splashing wealth for fun. Most setup do impress me a lot !


Geez dude get over yourself, this forum is for enthusiasts rich and poor if you don't want to show your system off then maybe you need to stop whining


----------



## NickT23

DTgill said:


> Geez dude get over yourself, this forum is for enthusiasts rich and poor if you don't want to show your system off then maybe you need to stop whining


Ya alright. But sometimes its pretty despair. Am yet to see a poor setup apart from mine.


----------



## NickT23

Nostoi said:


> You're either a troll or have a pathological lack of self-awareness...


Lack of self-awareness perhaps. Ok, I think I should just respond now.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Nostoi said:


> Started with a pair of Pizza Hut headphones.



Absolutely gorgeous. May I ask what brand/make is the block of wood?


----------



## betula




----------



## Nostoi

CaptainFantastic said:


> Absolutely gorgeous. May I ask what brand/make is the block of wood?


Thanks 🙏🏻 The wooden stand comes from Fern and Roby, who make stuff for Linear Tube Audio. Originally meant for MZ3 but fits the TT2 perfectly. Info here - https://www.fernandroby.com/products/details/the-amp-stand


----------



## NickT23

Nostoi said:


> You're oversharing and coming across as entitled.
> 
> Work hard and you'll be able to afford decent gear.


I did work hard. But thats besides the point.


----------



## DTgill

NickT23 said:


> Ya alright. But sometimes its pretty despair. Am yet to see a poor setup apart from mine.


I don't believe you have a setup...


----------



## Chastity

Just amused how NickT23 is able to trigger some people here    Just let it go and rock on!


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> It is in the crust ...


That means that we all own Gradoughs!! [ 😖😖😖…boo…hiss…👎👎👎 ]


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> That means that we all own Gradoughs!! [ 😖😖😖…boo…hiss…👎👎👎 ]


😆


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> As I mentioned earlier, only you can do that. It is _your_ choice. [PS, with a persistently whiny tone, you risk *being put into “ignoring” *on each Head-Fier’s account.]


As at least one of us has already done.


----------



## waveSounds

Chastity said:


> Just amused how NickT23 is able to trigger some people here    Just let it go and rock on!



I think it's mainly that we feel sorry for him. Jealousy isn't a personality attribute that anyone seeks out actively to be around. Happiness is a choice and he, unfortunately, has his achievement of this based on a certain acquirement of wealth. You could be the richest man in the world and still be unhappy if you don't take happiness into your own hands.


----------



## Nostoi

NickT23 said:


> Lack of self-awareness perhaps. Ok, I think I should just respond now.


OK. Well, Head-Fi is not the outlet for all of this, I'm afraid. After all, the folks here are generally supportive, but group therapy it's not. 🤷‍♂️


----------



## Pharmaboy

"not for nothing" 

3 prototypical ways to describe a person's mental status -- "positive" "negative" & "grounded" -- also apply to electricity.

Coincidence? I think not.


----------



## Chastity

waveSounds said:


> I think it's mainly that we feel sorry for him. Jealousy isn't a personality attribute that anyone seeks out actively to be around. Happiness is a choice and he, unfortunately, has his achievement of this based on a certain acquirement of wealth. You could be the richest man in the world and still be unhappy if you don't take happiness into your own hands.


Well, Fraser, if you want to discuss the psychology of it, it could simply be that he's insecure about how good his setup is, and lacks experience with comparing to higher end gear.  If he has, he'd probably find that it's better than he suspects.

On other fronts, the LCD-5 and using hot glue to mount their input plugs... ugh.  Units being reported they get pulled out or pushed in, requiring RMA.  Bad, Audeze, bad!


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 15, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> "not for nothing"
> 
> 3 prototypical ways to describe a person's mental status -- "positive" "negative" & "grounded" -- also apply to electricity.
> 
> Coincidence? I think not.


…balanced…alternating…direct…


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 15, 2022)

DTgill said:


> I don't believe you have a setup...


The posts, then, are a setup…😏


----------



## thecrow

quoting @NickT23 from his own profile:
”I cant relate to other audiophiles”

there’s an ongoing theme there

and i wish you all the best in “pursuing a degree for better life” - it’s a great thing to do

now, for me….. enough said.


----------



## Korean audiophile

LCD-4 , Denafrips Pontus 2 , Audiolab CDT6000 , Burson Soloist Grand Tourer Amp


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> LCD-4 , Denafrips Pontus 2 , Audiolab CDT6000 , Burson Soloist Grand Tourer Amp


Three cheers for the CDT-6000! A remarkable transport…and affordable! 😄


----------



## NickT23

Korean audiophile said:


> LCD-4 , Denafrips Pontus 2 , Audiolab CDT6000 , Burson Soloist Grand Tourer Amp


Am not going to reference what I said earlier. But thats an insane setup for something so simple.


----------



## Korean audiophile

jonathan c said:


> Three cheers for the CDT-6000! A remarkable transport…and affordable! 😄


Yep it really is. Upscales well with better equipment!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Korean audiophile said:


> LCD-4 , Denafrips Pontus 2 , Audiolab CDT6000 , Burson Soloist Grand Tourer Amp


How do you like your Denafrips?


----------



## Korean audiophile

NickT23 said:


> Am not going to reference what I said earlier. But thats an insane setup for something so simple.


Thank you prior to this I was rocking a A90 D90 and a Arya V2 until Crypto put alittle extra in my pocket for a upgrade. I am really enjoying this setup.


----------



## nordkapp (Jan 15, 2022)

Simple, affordable and non offensive........


----------



## Korean audiophile (Jan 15, 2022)

ColSaulTigh said:


> How do you like your Denafrips?


Remarkable for the price a big step up from the D90 and the Aries 2. Really get the space in between instruments more depth the bass has more texture as well adds just a hint of warmth to the vocals. I would say a slightly warm and textured R2R DAC with great instrument isolation. 
But now makes me want to test out the Venus 2 being that how much I love the Pontus 2.


----------



## Korean audiophile

nordkapp said:


> Simple, affordable and non offensive........


This makes me want to purchase a 600 series to add to my collection.


----------



## NickT23

nordkapp said:


> Simple, affordable and non offensive........


Am impress even with that reddish purple table.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Chastity said:


> Well, Fraser, if you want to discuss the psychology of it, it could simply be that he's insecure about how good his setup is, and lacks experience with comparing to higher end gear.  If he has, he'd probably find that it's better than he suspects.
> 
> On other fronts, the LCD-5 and using hot glue to mount their input plugs... ugh.  Units being reported they get pulled out or pushed in, requiring RMA.  Bad, Audeze, bad!


Yep alott of Redditors are showing the lcd-5 plug problem best not to buy a Audeze TotL headphone until a yr later remember when lcd-4 had driver issues until the 2yrs later they fixed it yes bad Audeze smh


----------



## NickT23

Korean audiophile said:


> Yep alott of Redditors are showing the lcd-5 plug problem best not to buy a Audeze TotL headphone until a yr later remember when lcd-4 had driver issues until the 2yrs later they fixed it yes bad Audeze smh


Hi I have see the controversy as well. Am not going to comment about the truth and unethicalness about it since its sensitive to people apparently. Does this applies to LCD-2 as well ? Also, my question is out of topic


----------



## Korean audiophile

NickT23 said:


> Hi I have see the controversy as well. Am not going to comment about the truth and unethicalness about it since its sensitive to people apparently. Does this applies to LCD-2 as well ? Also, my question is out of topic


No Idts. The LCD2 has no QC issues from what I can gather are u looking to pick one up?


----------



## NickT23

Korean audiophile said:


> No Idts. The LCD2 has no QC issues from what I can gather are u looking to pick one up?


Nope. Just curious. How can lower price have better QC than higher price. I can understand some worries because bad QC is worrisome to many.


----------



## Korean audiophile

NickT23 said:


> Nope. Just curious. How can lower price have better QC than higher price. I can understand some worries because bad QC is worrisome to many.


Unfortunately even the $6000 hifiman susvara's had driver issues when 1st released. I think anything from PS5 etc you should wait a yr to see the issues before going all in on a expensive product.


----------



## nordkapp

Korean audiophile said:


> This makes me want to purchase a 600 series to add to my collection.


I luv'em. Should never have sold my HD580s too.


----------



## NickT23

Korean audiophile said:


> Unfortunately even the $6000 hifiman susvara's had driver issues when 1st released. I think anything from PS5 etc you should wait a yr to see the issues before going all in on a expensive product.


Ok dont even want to think about it, Scared. But not that I can afford anyway so nothing to be worry about.


----------



## judomaniak57 (Jan 15, 2022)

nordkapp said:


> Simple, affordable and non offensive........


what a great looking cozy corner, looks very inviting. got to love big padded leather chairs for a good night of music


----------



## NickT23

judomaniak57 said:


> what a great looking cozy corner, looks very inviting


Damn I dint even realize the second picture. If the cable management is enhance, it take it to the next level. Indeed is cozy.


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> Simple, affordable and non offensive........


That 2nd picture! That awesome chair!! You really know how to put together a room...all the colors are outstanding. 

This is the best advertisement for dark wall color/covering I've ever seen.


----------



## judomaniak57

my little corner, just for me


----------



## NickT23

judomaniak57 said:


> my little corner, just for me


Wow. Is that your bed room or living room ?


----------



## Unterstuffz

judomaniak57 said:


> my little corner, just for me


Woah  that looks cozy !!!! What is your source ?


----------



## Mink




----------



## nordkapp

judomaniak57 said:


> my little corner, just for me


I once owned the BHA-1 & Elears. Damn fine combo.


----------



## bcowen

Mink said:


>


Holy stack of disc players, Batman!   Is the sound better directly out of the player versus going through the amp?


----------



## nordkapp

Pharmaboy said:


> That 2nd picture! That awesome chair!! You really know how to put together a room...all the colors are outstanding.
> 
> This is the best advertisement for dark wall color/covering I've ever seen.


Thanks @Pharmaboy Here's the other view. Its was torn down and rebuilt after a water heater flood a year ago.  I've got the room and systems pretty dialed in now. Quite happy!


----------



## Korean audiophile

nordkapp said:


> Thanks @Pharmaboy Here's the other view. Its was torn down and rebuilt after a water heater flood a year ago.  I've got the room and systems pretty dialed in now. Quite happy!


Ooohhh audio enthusiast man cave I love it


----------



## bcowen

nordkapp said:


> Thanks @Pharmaboy Here's the other view. Its was torn down and rebuilt after a water heater flood a year ago.  I've got the room and systems pretty dialed in now. Quite happy!


Nice!


----------



## Korean audiophile

nordkapp said:


> I luv'em. Should never have sold my HD580s too.


How does the 660's compare to the 600 and 650?


----------



## grokit

NickT23 said:


> Hello no am not. Also I have been call a troll in several forums and thread for someone reason. Especially when I go against their contradiction or statement.
> But anyway most of the setup here really make me feel like crap and to me some of the gear are all made of gold and asset. Sometimes it felt like a jewellery than audio gear. Splashing wealth for fun. Most setup do impress me a lot !


Ignored. You have nothing positive to contribute. PLEASE FOLKS STOP FEEDING THE TROLL.
(all caps was by accident but I left it for a reason!)


----------



## Mink

bcowen said:


> Holy stack of disc players, Batman!   Is the sound better directly out of the player versus going through the amp?


Yes it is, they all sound better out of the player directly. The Marantz CD player has the best headphones output of the bunch. The output of the Marantz amp essentially has a similar simple op amp circuit as those used in the CD players, but the amp colors the sound, makes it slightly warmer and less clean (all CD players already have their own warmth) and there is a hum in the left channel, which only disappears when I put the amp in class A, but that doesn't do anything to the sound of the headphones output.


----------



## nordkapp

Korean audiophile said:


> How does the 660's compare to the 600 and 650?


IDK......Never heard the 600 & 650. Sad face


----------



## Korean audiophile

nordkapp said:


> IDK......Never heard the 600 & 650. Sad face


I had both but never have I listened to the 660 I am assuming it's a bit more energetic and punchier out of the 3? How's the bass?


----------



## nordkapp

Korean audiophile said:


> I had both but never have I listened to the 660 I am assuming it's a bit more energetic and punchier out of the 3? How's the bass?


They are evenly balanced, top to bottom, imho.


----------



## judomaniak57

Unterstuffz said:


> Woah  that looks cozy !!!! What is your source ?


Blusound node 2i


----------



## Korean audiophile

judomaniak57 said:


> Blusound node 2i


Looking to pick me up one soon


----------



## Pharmaboy

nordkapp said:


> IDK......Never heard the 600 & 650. Sad face


By the time I first heard the HD650, I already had several headphones that outweighed it in multiple ways (literal & sonic). Yet there's something so true & real about the midrange of the HD650. It's honest yet merciful; realistic, not forensic.

I came away from that understanding why those headphones probably outsold every other to this day...


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> my little corner, just for me


The perfect location for serving detention…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The perfect location for serving detention…


If that's where you go for detention, I need to act up more.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> If that's where you go for detention, I need to act up more.


Just be yourself, “time out” will come your way! 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Korean audiophile

How much value do you put in after market headphone cables? I


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> How much value do you put in after market headphone cables? I


Enough whereby I use them on all the headphones that I own, except Grado headphones (non-detachable cables). Cable makers that I greatly recommend and whose cables I own: Arctic Cables, Custom Cans, Forza Audio Works, Impact Audio, Lavricables, Norne Audio.


----------



## jonathan c

grokit said:


> Ignored. You have nothing positive to contribute. PLEASE FOLKS STOP FEEDING THE TROLL.
> (all caps was by accident but I left it for a reason!)


A troll, like nature, abhors a vacuum…


----------



## meomap

Korean audiophile said:


> How much value do you put in after market headphone cables? I


Rule of thumb is about or max at 1/4 of hp value.....


----------



## Chris Kaoss

nordkapp said:


> Thanks @Pharmaboy Here's the other view. Its was torn down and rebuilt after a water heater flood a year ago.  I've got the room and systems pretty dialed in now. Quite happy!


Really nice "corner".

What are those little mono blocks in the lower right for?
Is there something on its way?


----------



## jonathan c

The newest headphone sibling (Grado)… ‘stereoscopic’ vs ‘quadroscopic’ array…


----------



## Lvivske (Jan 16, 2022)

Mansinthe86 said:


> These days it's so easy to get something really good even if all you got is a normal salary.
> 
> Just looking at the DACs and headphone amps you get these days for $400-500 each.
> 
> ...



Seriously, I've spent a good amount on my audio but its still roughly what I put into my old work macbook pro. A lot of us aren't breaking the bank, just making it a priority in line with a lot of sub-crucial expenses. (ie, less than a car but maybe more than a TV)

and on that note, I kind of wish I balanced more money into audio but it is what it is. I spent 5k on a 46" 1080p once because it was bleeding edge at the time. Great use out of it for several years so no regrets, but its gone now. My amps and headphones? Still in my collection


----------



## rids57

I fit firmly in the lower end of setups here but I love what I have and spend many hours a day using it, mixing and matching headphones, DACs and Amps. Now there is not a cat's chance in hell that I could afford most of the equipment shown in this thread but that doesn't spoil my enjoyment of following it, in fact it's probably my favourite thread on Head-Fi. I see these wonderful setups, admire them and wonder just how amazing they must be to listen to and often think what I would get when I win the lottery (not if ). Does it make me feel down or unsatisfied with what I have? Nope, not really, I feel happy for those that are able to afford such TOTL setups while my own little collection still makes me grin when I listen to it.


----------



## jonathan c

rids57 said:


> I fit firmly in the lower end of setups here but I love what I have and spend many hours a day using it, mixing and matching headphones, DACs and Amps. Now there is not a cat's chance in hell that I could afford most of the equipment shown in this thread but that doesn't spoil my enjoyment of following it, in fact it's probably my favourite thread on Head-Fi. I see these wonderful setups, admire them and wonder just how amazing they must be to listen to and often think what I would get when I win the lottery (not if ). Does it make me feel down or unsatisfied with what I have? Nope, not really, I feel happy for those that are able to afford such TOTL setups while my own little collection still makes me grin when I listen to it.


Well said! One query:  cat’s chance in hell? ….
maybe cat’s chance in kennel…😈…


----------



## betula

Pharmaboy said:


> By the time I first heard the HD650, I already had several headphones that outweighed it in multiple ways (literal & sonic). Yet there's something so true & real about the midrange of the HD650. It's honest yet merciful; realistic, not forensic.
> 
> I came away from that understanding why those headphones probably outsold every other to this day...


The HD600 first came out in 1997, the HD650 in 2003. Those days they were like the high-end, TOTL. Perhaps with some AKGs. They were truly special and desirable. It really says a lot, that they are still made and sold in good volume after 20 odd years. Many headphones surpassed them in many ways since then, but they are still in the game. Every now and then I play with the thought of owning a pair just for the sake of history. (I used to own a HD600 about 8 years ago.)
That said, I need a linear bass with good sub-bass, and the Senns unfortunately roll off heavily down there, so I really would not listen to them much.
That does not take away anything from their legendary status and as you said, they probably outsold every other headphones to date.


----------



## Mansinthe86

Lvivske said:


> and on that note, I kind of wish I balanced more money into audio but it is what it is. I spent 5k on a 46" 1080p once because it was bleeding edge at the time. Great use out of it for several years so no regrets, but its gone now. My amps and headphones? Still in my collection



Had a Blu-ray collection of over 1000 movies when these things where expensive. (10€ the cheap ones 30-50€ for imported collector editions)

The money that I lost on the blurays alone would probably have been enough for a serious high-end headphone with some nice gear.

To bad Netflix and qobuz where not where they are today when I was spending money on physical collections like a idiot


----------



## Korean audiophile

jonathan c said:


> The newest headphone sibling (Grado)… ‘stereoscopic’ vs ‘quadroscopic’ array…


6000CDT very nice indeed


----------



## NickT23

Korean audiophile said:


> 6000CDT very nice indeed


Yea I commented this guy setup on other thread as well. Something about this bookshelf and uniqueness impress me alot. I just dont have the space and capacity to do it. I personally love it by the way.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 16, 2022)

betula said:


> The HD600 first came out in 1997, the HD650 in 2003. Those days they were like the high-end, TOTL. Perhaps with some AKGs. They were truly special and desirable. It really says a lot, that they are still made and sold in good volume after 20 odd years. Many headphones surpassed them in many ways since then, but they are still in the game. Every now and then I play with the thought of owning a pair just for the sake of history. (I used to own a HD600 about 8 years ago.)
> That said, I need a linear bass with good sub-bass, and the Senns unfortunately roll off heavily down there, so I really would not listen to them much.
> That does not take away anything from their legendary status and as you said, they probably outsold every other headphones to date.


The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


----------



## nordkapp

Chris Kaoss said:


> Really nice "corner".
> 
> What are those little mono blocks in the lower right for?
> Is there something on its way?


Thank you. No, nothing new coming in-they are just presently out of rotation. They are 200wpc class D monos (Hypex UcD, 3rd generation) with giant linear power supplies and custom input stages.


----------



## nordkapp

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


Wow! Is that a Plinius integrated?


----------



## Voxata

Oops, error!


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


Nice setup!  What's that LP spinner up top?  Looks sweet.


----------



## betula

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


They scale well and there is good mid-bass quantity with a strong amp, but I listen to a lot of electronic music as well. I need that sub-bass that only planar drivers can offer. Pretty much all dynamic drivers roll off in the sub-bass, on the Senns it is even more prominent than on a Focal for instance. It is a physical limitation of the driver that no amp pairing will solve. There is not much to hear on the Senns under 80 Hz. That said, they are still good for many genres of music.


----------



## meomap

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


For sure one expensive TT right on top....


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 16, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Nice setup!  What's that LP spinner up top?  Looks sweet.


Thanks!

It’s an old SME 10 with an even older SME IV arm and and a Kleos cartridge.






@betula - I listen to mostly jazz and classical, along with some classic rock, but little to no Electronica/EDM, so I suppose my bass needs are different. The only Focals I’ve owned were a pair of Elears, and I personally found the Sennheisers much more satisfying. And I REALLY wanted the Elears to be  ‘it’.  Just couldn’t get them to do it for me. Horses for courses….


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> It’s an old SME 10 with an even older SME IV arm and and a Kleos cartridge.


Ahhh.  I had an SME 309 at one point.  Beautifully engineered and crafted tonearm.  

And I recognize the Walker Valid Points.  Have quite a few of those myself.


----------



## betula

Strat1117 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> It’s an old SME 10 with an even older SME IV arm and and a Kleos cartridge.
> 
> ...


I never liked Focal either. Audeze/Meze/Final planars for me thank you.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 16, 2022)

NickT23 said:


> Hi I have see the controversy as well. Am not going to comment about the truth and unethicalness about it since its sensitive to people apparently. Does this applies to LCD-2 as well ? Also, my question is out of topic


You have no basis to comment on it since you don’t own it. Are you just repeating what you read on Reddit?  And why is every one of your comments negative and/or deliberately provocative? I was prepared to defend you on the basis of a language gap, English obviously not being your first language, but you clearly have other, more comprehensive logic and wiring problems.  Feh.  This is a place for people who enjoy their systems and appreciate others’. Go away.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 16, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> How does the 660's compare to the 600 and 650?


I’ve owned all of them  - 580/600/650/660S - and they’re all good. Which you prefer will depend upon your taste and ancillary equipment. For me, the 660S didn’t quite satisfy me the way the others do, so I returned them. Depending upon YOUR taste and YOUR ancillary equipment, you could certainly go the other way.  I’ve had the 580 for 25 years, so I might well be a bit biased in favor of that little 300 ohm lollipop driver…

Anyway, getting far afield from the topic. Sorry. I’ll post a picture of my desktop set up just to get back on track - betcha haven’t seen a pair of 580’s here in a while!  ;0)


----------



## NickT23

Strat1117 said:


> You have no basis to comment on it since you don’t own it. Are you just repeating what you read on Reddit?  And why is every one of your comments negative and/or deliberately provocative? I was prepared to defend you on the basis of a language gap, English obviously not being your first language, but you clearly have other, more comprehensive logic and wiring problems.  Feh.  This is a place for people who enjoy their systems and appreciate others’. Go away.


hmmm how rude


----------



## frudogg

My room, 75% 2 channel audio or headphone use, rest movies/TV.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

frudogg said:


> My room, 75% 2 channel audio or headphone use, rest movies/TV.


Is that the "Bone Clone" Sabertooth skull?  I was looking at getting one to match my T-Rex.


----------



## nordkapp

frudogg said:


> My room, 75% 2 channel audio or headphone use, rest movies/TV.


Ah yes! A man of the 90s.....vintage Aerials and Reservoir Dogs art. Loved Mr. Pink.


----------



## frudogg

ColSaulTigh said:


> Is that the "Bone Clone" Sabertooth skull?  I was looking at getting one to match my T-Rex.


Resin cast, I do not remember maker, how big is your T-Rex?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

frudogg said:


> Resin cast, I do not remember maker, how big is your T-Rex?


Zinc Decor Large Dinosaur Skull Sculpture T Rex Head Natural Looking Bone Tyrannosaurus https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07D7J8...t_i_T0BYDFRZ5CR76ZTW8Q9N?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## genefruit

As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.


----------



## soundofsingle

This afternoon...


----------



## betula

genefruit said:


> As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.


IMO that DNA is one of the coolest looking amps out there with that blue chassis. I hope one day I can try one.


----------



## DTgill

Almost finished!


----------



## Korean audiophile

genefruit said:


> As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.


This is were I want to get too really nice set up n chain


----------



## Korean audiophile

DTgill said:


> Almost finished!


Nice which equipment gets the most time? Love the variety


----------



## Korean audiophile

Strat1117 said:


> I’ve owned all of them  - 580/600/650/660S - and they’re all good. Which you prefer will depend upon your taste and ancillary equipment. For me, the 660S didn’t quite satisfy me the way the others do, so I returned them. Depending upon YOUR taste and YOUR ancillary equipment, you could certainly go the other way.  I’ve had the 580 for 25 years, so I might well be a bit biased in favor of that little 300 ohm lollipop driver…
> 
> Anyway, getting far afield from the topic. Sorry. I’ll post a picture of my desktop set up just to get back on track - betcha haven’t seen a pair of 580’s here in a while!  ;0)


I previously owned the HD600 and 6XX. I really want a HD650 although some people would say the 6XX is a clone of the 650 others say it's not. Never heard the OG 580 but you peeked my interest might look for one on the open market. Love Burson which model is that ?


----------



## Korean audiophile

soundofsingle said:


> This afternoon...


The Phonitor is one sexy head amp love the dials wait that's not a Phonitor?


----------



## soundofsingle

Korean audiophile said:


> The Phonitor is one sexy head amp love the dials wait that's not a Phonitor?


It's the phonitor's unkle aka T+A HA200


----------



## Korean audiophile

soundofsingle said:


> It's the phonitor's unkle aka T+A HA200


Ahhh now I see more like Father nice amp I would love to test it


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> Zinc Decor Large Dinosaur Skull Sculpture T Rex Head Natural Looking Bone Tyrannosaurus https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07D7J8...t_i_T0BYDFRZ5CR76ZTW8Q9N?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


LOL!  For that price, I'm gettin' 2 of them.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 16, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> I previously owned the HD600 and 6XX. I really want a HD650 although some people would say the 6XX is a clone of the 650 others say it's not. Never heard the OG 580 but you peeked my interest might look for one on the open market. Love Burson which model is that ?


That is an old HA-160DS (precursor to the Conductor SL, with a built in USB dac).  Something about it makes EVERYTHING sound great.

Thanks.


----------



## bcowen

genefruit said:


> As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.


Very cool!  How does it sound, or is it too early to tell?  Nice rack too.  (ooops...apologies to any females in attendance )


----------



## genefruit

bcowen said:


> Very cool!  How does it sound, or is it too early to tell?  Nice rack too.  (ooops...apologies to any females in attendance )


Early indications is it's a keeper . Swapped in a Ruby Tiger input tube, GEC built U52, and RCA monoplates.


----------



## MacMan31

nordkapp said:


> Thanks @Pharmaboy Here's the other view. Its was torn down and rebuilt after a water heater flood a year ago.  I've got the room and systems pretty dialed in now. Quite happy!



That is a beautiful room. Do you have a photo of your setup as seen from the listening position? Also (unless I missed it) could you please provide a gear list?


----------



## MacMan31

Mink said:


>



Nice stack of gear. What is your take on that Marantz amp on top? Unfortunately Marantz does not provide the silver option for their gear in North America.


----------



## Strat1117

NickT23 said:


> hmmm how rude


You really do have a misfiring synapse somewhere. I feel sorry for you but I’m also blocking you because, as far as I can tell, your posts merely detract from the forum. A pity.


----------



## bcowen

genefruit said:


> Early indications is it's a keeper . Swapped in a Ruby Tiger input tube, GEC built U52, and RCA monoplates.


Very nice.  While many (myself included) consider Western Electric to be the king of the 300B, I think RCA was the king of the 2A3.  And the black monoplates are the best of the best, IMO.


----------



## DTgill

Korean audiophile said:


> Nice which equipment gets the most time? Love the variety


Thank you!

Grado GS1000 > Audio-gd R2R-11

Two great tastes that taste great together...


----------



## Strat1117

bcowen said:


> Very nice.  While many (myself included) consider Western Electric to be the king of the 300B, I think RCA was the king of the 2A3.  And the black monoplates are the best of the best, IMO.


Love it. Brings me back to my tube rolling days. I loved it when I was doing it (and I did it for 30+ years), but I’m glad to be out of that particular rabbit hole at this point in my life (age 62).  On the other hand, I do occasionally miss the warm orange glow….


----------



## nerone

genefruit said:


> As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.


I really love the blue color DNA amps. The transformer covers, not so much.


----------



## Unterstuffz

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


Off Topic but Beautiful PRS Hollow <3 im Saving for S2 at the moment.


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> Love it. Brings me back to my tube rolling days. I loved it when I was doing it (and I did it for 30+ years), but I’m glad to be out of that particular rabbit hole at this point in my life (age 62).  On the other hand, I do occasionally miss the warm orange glow….


You could always put in a Yaqin SD-CD3 tube buffer for old times’ sake…🥲…


----------



## Pharmaboy

frudogg said:


> My room, 75% 2 channel audio or headphone use, rest movies/TV.


Aerial Acoustics 10Ts!!

I had the 2-way 5Bs a couple years back. Beautiful looking & sounding speakers. Sold them to a Head-Fi pal when the vintage KEF 103.2s showed up (nobody said change is easy).

Never got to hear the 10Ts, but I'd bet the ranch they sound wonderful.


----------



## Mink

MacMan31 said:


> Nice stack of gear. What is your take on that Marantz amp on top? Unfortunately Marantz does not provide the silver option for their gear in North America.


A great amp in my opinion, I bought it in 2003 and never considered buying anything better.
For my purpose, playing in a moderately small room at low to moderate levels it is pretty transparant, refined, well grounded and a warm sounding amp. But it isn't as powerful as it looks, I wouldn't drive low sensitive speakers in a large room with this amp. It is not a very fast amp, it lacks a bit of PRaT. Micro dynamics are good, macro dynamics are excellent. Great amp for acoustic music and classical. But I enjoy rock and pop with it as well.


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> Love it. Brings me back to my tube rolling days. I loved it when I was doing it (and I did it for 30+ years), but I’m glad to be out of that particular rabbit hole at this point in my life (age 62).  On the other hand, I do occasionally miss the warm orange glow….


I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible.  Any tips?


----------



## frudogg

Pharmaboy said:


> Aerial Acoustics 10Ts!!
> 
> I had the 2-way 5Bs a couple years back. Beautiful looking & sounding speakers. Sold them to a Head-Fi pal when the vintage KEF 103.2s showed up (nobody said change is easy).
> 
> Never got to hear the 10Ts, but I'd bet the ranch they sound wonderful.


I bought them new and they are the 2nd version. I am very happy with them, they have a very coherent, dynamic sound with fast and deep bass. They have nice soundstage depth and width in my treated room with favorable dimensions.  I know Michael Kelly is working on a new TOTL speaker and I would be very interested in it. 
It is a real chore and roll of the dice to replace large, heavy speakers.


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


Oh' my goodness, that's a lot of tubes...


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


Ever get the urge to wire the bunch of them up, just to see how bright it would be?


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Ever get the urge to wire the bunch of them up, just to see how bright it would be?


No, 'cause then I'd have to start socket rolling.  Please don't tempt me.


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


The thing I like the most about @bcowen - everything is done in moderation!


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


OW ! (oscar wilde…. “nothing succeeds like excess”)


----------



## betula

Zachik said:


> The thing I like the most about @bcowen - everything is done in moderation!


@bcowen is not a tube addict. bcowen just likes tubes.


----------



## bcowen

betula said:


> @bcowen is not a tube addict. bcowen just likes tubes.


Yeah, what you said.  Did you catch that, @Zachik ?    

I read on the internet that "there's no such thing as too many tubes" so knew it must be true.


----------



## nordkapp

MacMan31 said:


> That is a beautiful room. Do you have a photo of your setup as seen from the listening position? Also (unless I missed it) could you please provide a gear list?


Thanks. It's been an great adventure.


Using a Channel Islands Audio server/DAC fully balanced into a Schiit FreyaS into CIAudio amp. Speakers are Audio Physic.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yeah, what you said.  Did you catch that, @Zachik ?
> 
> I read on the internet that "there's no such thing as too many tubes" so knew it must be true.


And we all know that cloud servers backing the internet are tube-driven…(ultramega ENIAC)…


----------



## soundofsingle

Tonight in my bedroom...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TH900s out of the RME are rock and roll high skool even without a separate amp...


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> The thing I like the most about @bcowen - everything is done in moderation!


…including moderation…🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

Korean audiophile said:


> How much value do you put in after market headphone cables? I


Just for the sheer idiocy of it… This cable (Dunu DUW 03 - stock with my SA6) is worth 5x more than the iems (Blon BL-03) it's connected to (actually, now that I think of it, the cable cost about the same as I paid for the potato of a phone I used to take the picture)


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


Ebay?


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jan 17, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> …including moderation…🤣


Guy walks into a church Tuesday afternoon around 5pm.

Hello.
Hi there.
<grumbles> ah, uh, is this the meeting?
What meeting might that be?
Well you know, the meeting.
No, I don't know. Maybe you ought to say what you're looking for.
Well I thought the meeting was here.
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. We can't help you if you don't tell us why you came.
Ok, my name is Ted, and I have a problem.
What sort of problem might that be?
Ok, ok, I'm a tubeaholic! There! I said it!
<laughs> Oh, those nuts are upstairs on the second floor. This is the Knights of Columbus...


----------



## Strat1117

jonathan c said:


> You could always put in a Yaqin SD-CD3 tube buffer for old times’ sake…🥲…


I’ve still got a bat VK-D5 tubed CD player with diy ‘six-pak’ in my basement. Unfortunately it’s spitting up cds, and I’m too lazy to take the drive apart and clean it up.


----------



## Strat1117

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


One day at a time, my friend. (I’ve still got stacks of tubes, mostly 6922 types - nothing like your stacks! - even with nothing to put them in).


----------



## Redcarmoose

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?


That brings me back to when SS was just beginning and as kids we would toss about that many in the street, to enjoy the pop sound they made! Well on second thought, really not THAT many, that’s a lot of tubes!


----------



## stersa

Arrived Now.. *Limited Edition Empyrean PHOENIX*

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> That brings me back to when SS was just beginning and as kids we would toss about that many in the street, to enjoy the pop sound they made! Well on second thought, really not THAT many, that’s a lot of tubes!


As I recall from some other bcowen photos, those are just the containers from under the bed…😳


----------



## Mansinthe86 (Jan 17, 2022)

stersa said:


> Arrived Now.. *Limited Edition Empyrean PHOENIX*
> 
> Best Regards
> 
> Sisco




That just looks ridiculous good. I love how some of these limited editions headphones look.

Is that the rooms FS stand that is adjustable?


----------



## stersa

Mansinthe86 said:


> That just looks ridiculous good. I love how some of these limited editions headphones look.
> 
> Is that the rooms FS stand that is adjustable?


Tks..

no,it s a standard one..

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 17, 2022)

Redcarmoose said:


> That brings me back to when SS was just beginning and as kids we would toss about that many in the street, to enjoy the pop sound they made! Well on second thought, really not THAT many, that’s a lot of tubes!


I was watching a recent episode of "American Pickers" (for those not in US, it's about people who buy and sell antique everything & how they buy quantities of old stuff). Anyway, the 2 pickers were being shown through the house of a now-deceased master collector of everything, mostly electronics.

The man's daughter shows them a storeroom which is relatively large (20 ft. X 20 ft., maybe more), and it's absolutely stuffed with old radios, televisions, parts for old radios & TVs--and tubes. 1000s of tubes, many in drawers. These pickers know nothing about tubes and had no interest in them.

...and I was sitting there watching all this, tearing my hair out, imagining what's in those drawers. A legendary NOS tube find (big & small, name brands/types & obscure brands/types).


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 17, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> I was watching a recent episode of "American Pickers" (for those not in US, it's about people who buy and sell antique everything & how they buy quantities of old stuff). Anyway, the 2 pickers were being shown through the house of a now-deceased master collector of everything, mostly electronics.
> 
> The man's daughter shows them a storeroom which is relatively large (20 ft. X 20 ft., maybe more), and it's absolutely stuffed with old radios, televisions, parts for old radios & TVs--and tubes. 1000s of tubes, many in drawers. These pickers know nothing about tubes and had no interest in them.
> 
> ...and I was sitting there watching all this, tearing my hair out, imagining what's in those drawers. A legendary NOS tube find (big & small, name brands/types & obscure brands/types).


Well any old tube junk people in my rich neighborhood would toss out had tubes. Basically everything! Replace the tubes with SS was what everyone was doing so? Mainly TVs, but radios and amps. We would collect hundreds of tubes/amo then go to war. Pop, pop, pop.

They were a burden as housewives would have to take all the tubes to the grocery store and test them on the tube tester, then the gals would reinstall the whole set. Solid State was a revolution in maintainability!


----------



## David222

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible. Any tips?




just an idea....for your escape plan... consider building a raft and using each tube/bin as pontoon...looks like you have enough tubes for good ballast!


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I was not aware that escape from _that_ rabbit hole was even possible desirable.  Any tips tubes?


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> As I recall from some other bcowen photos, those are just the containers from under the bed…😳


Yeah, the others are in the closet and would require actual effort to retrieve.    (they're mostly power pentodes that I don't use much these days)


----------



## bcowen

David222 said:


> just an idea....for your escape plan... consider building a raft and using each tube/bin as pontoon...looks like you have enough tubes for good ballast!


LOL!  But the tube boxes might get wet.  Plan B I guess.


----------



## bcowen

Redcarmoose said:


> Well any old tube junk people in my rich neighborhood would toss out had tubes. Basically everything! Replace the tubes with SS was what everyone was doing so? Mainly TVs, but radios and amps. We would collect hundreds of tubes/amo then go to war. Pop, pop, pop.
> 
> They were a burden as housewives would have to take all the tubes to the grocery store and test them on the tube tester, then the gals would reinstall the whole set. Solid State was a revolution in maintainability!


Oh, the horror.  

Fast forward 15 years and people did the same thing with LP's in favor of Perfect Sound Forever (and back in the mid-80's it was very, very far from perfect).  There were a couple used book/record stores in town that I frequented and can remember walking out with 50 LP's for $50 on a regular basis. Even if half of them were losers it was still a pretty sweet deal, and I got some real gems along the way as well.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 17, 2022)

Yes, well at the time all the men were employed and the gals stayed home. So a broken tube TV or Hi-Fi meant a trip to the grocery store. They were going there anyway. They took out all the tubes, or later the sophisticated housewives only took out an area of tubes. They had to use tape to remember where they pulled the tube from, and corresponding tape on the tubes. The machine may have also helped put too much energy into testing the tube? But when they were done they pulled a new tube from a drawer at the bottom of the testing machine and placed the bag of tubes into their cart to continue shopping. You can only imagine the paradigm shift to SS! Everyone did this, unless you wanted to pay, then you called the repair man instead. He had a truck full of tubes.


bcowen said:


> Oh, the horror.
> 
> Fast forward 15 years and people did the same thing with LP's in favor of Perfect Sound Forever (and back in the mid-80's it was very, very far from perfect).  There were a couple used book/record stores in town that I frequented and can remember walking out with 50 LP's for $50 on a regular basis. Even if half of them were losers it was still a pretty sweet deal, and I got some real gems along the way as well.


What was interesting was the grocery store sold records and had these enormous wire record racks that were in the shopping isles. They stuck out at eye level so you could see one record cover or examine all of them. They were in front of the food and staggered at times. That was one reason the covers were so flamboyant. So actually the woman a lot of the times purchased the music for the home as the men didn't have the time or place to buy it. Really in those days the grocery store was a place of woman and kids.


----------



## David222

bcowen said:


> LOL!  But the tube boxes might get wet.  Plan B I guess.



I suppose Plan B would be a Foton (only) made vessel.  I hear they're totally water resistant... so not to worry


----------



## bcowen

David222 said:


> I suppose Plan B would be a Foton (only) made vessel.  I hear they're totally water resistant... so not to worry


LOL!

"Gentlemen, I present to you the Red Foton."   Maybe doesn't have the same ring to it...


----------



## LaughMoreDaily (Jan 17, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Oh, the horror.
> 
> Fast forward 15 years and people did the same thing with LP's in favor of Perfect Sound Forever (and back in the mid-80's it was very, very far from perfect).  There were a couple used book/record stores in town that I frequented and can remember walking out with 50 LP's for $50 on a regular basis. Even if half of them were losers it was still a pretty sweet deal, and I got some real gems along the way as well.


About 5 years ago a city on a nearby island was getting rid of old tech. I walked out of a record store with like 50 LP's for free. It wasn't fun caring them "hundreds of miles" (?) home without a vehicle though.

A local used CD store there also got rid of their whole onventory and closed at the same time there. $1 a CD at the end. It was a sad sight to see. That was a fun store.

Rest in peace physical music technology.

*** On the plus side Tascam is apparently joining another company to create brand new cassettes.


----------



## bcowen

LaughMoreDaily said:


> About 5 years ago a city on a nearby island was getting rid of old tech. I walked out of a record store with like 50 LP's for free. It wasn't fun caring them "hundreds of miles" (?) home without a vehicle though.
> 
> A local used CD store there also got rid of their whole onventory and closed at the same time there. $1 a CD at the end. It was a sad sight to see. That was a fun store.
> 
> ...


Oh the horror.  😂


----------



## jonathan c

LaughMoreDaily said:


> Rest in peace physical music technology.
> 
> *** On the plus side Tascam is apparently joining another company to create brand new cassettes.


•  Meanwhile vinyl / turntable sales go their merry way!
•  Hope springs eternal for the reprise of eight-track with ‘The Best of Slim Whitman: Remastered!”…🤪…


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 17, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> •  Meanwhile vinyl / turntable sales go their merry way!
> •  Hope springs eternal for the reprise of eight-track with ‘The Best of Slim Whitman: Remastered!”…🤪…


This sold-out in a day last year! Expensive too!


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> •  Meanwhile vinyl / turntable sales go their merry way!
> •  Hope springs eternal for the reprise of eight-track with ‘The Best of Slim Whitman: Remastered!”…🤪…


                               "Looks like we have a convoy."


----------



## dnd3241

NuForce STA120 (Class D Speaker Amp) to drive Susvara with DIY 4 Pin Cable. It sound really good, the cost is $300 (Used) as a second amp for Susvara it is the Best Buy option.


----------



## UntilThen

dnd3241 said:


> NuForce STA120 (Class D Speaker Amp) to drive Susvara with DIY 4 Pin Cable. It sound really good, the cost is $300 (Used) as a second amp for Susvara it is the Best Buy option.



Very rare to see a Single Power amp still around.


----------



## dnd3241

UntilThen said:


> Very rare to see a Single Power amp still around.


For the vocal with H800s and Utopia it sound like a heaven.


----------



## ihyan2

This is my main Headfi station.
I use the LTA as both to drive my hifi system going to Audionote AN-K with the firstwatt F7.


----------



## ihyan2

I actually have a bad habit of collecting DACs.

Current ones I have:
Denafrips Terminator V1
Lampizator lvl 4 custom one off mod by Lukas Fikusz ( the owner of Lampizator)
Rockna Wavedream

Likely will get an Audionote DAC.

Am partial to R2R NOS DACs lol.
Can be used in both Head-fi and hi-fi


----------



## Mansinthe86

ihyan2 said:


> I actually have a bad habit of collecting DACs.
> 
> Current ones I have:
> Denafrips Terminator V1
> ...



What's your favourite DAC?


----------



## ihyan2

Mansinthe86 said:


> What's your favourite DAC?


This is a difficult question to answer but my longest DAC and still my reference as of today is the Denafrips Terminator that I bought 4-5 years ago I think. 

Bought from a guy that literally bought it say Denafrips shop/outlet in Shenzhen China near the plant.

It's my current reference and what I judge others DAC with. The others are alternative flavours. And yes I've listened to MSB/DCS and yes they do better than terminator to certain degrees but not the whole package but the price Delta to me is not worth it YMMV ..


----------



## carboncopy

ihyan2 said:


> I actually have a bad habit of collecting DACs.
> 
> Current ones I have:
> Denafrips Terminator V1
> ...


Try out if you can an Aries Cerat Heléne. It is really endgame stuff and I heard a lot.


----------



## ihyan2

carboncopy said:


> Try out if you can an Aries Cerat Heléne. It is really endgame stuff and I heard a lot.


One of my buddies is planning to get the full fledged Aries Cerat Kassandra looking forward to listen to that....


----------



## lumdicks (Jan 18, 2022)




----------



## Zachik

carboncopy said:


> Try out if you can an Aries Cerat Heléne. It is really endgame stuff and I heard a lot.


I was curious, so looked for the price...
When it goes for 80% off - it will be in my budget for a DAC   
Also, this thing is a beast (size and weight wise)! Will not fit in my 19" rack.


----------



## Nostoi

lumdicks said:


>


The AT-BHA100 has gone?


----------



## frudogg

dnd3241 said:


> NuForce STA120 (Class D Speaker Amp) to drive Susvara with DIY 4 Pin Cable. It sound really good, the cost is $300 (Used) as a second amp for Susvara it is the Best Buy option.





dnd3241 said:


> NuForce STA120 (Class D Speaker Amp) to drive Susvara with DIY 4 Pin Cable. It sound really good, the cost is $300 (Used) as a second amp for Susvara it is the Best Buy option.


----------



## frudogg

dnd3241 said:


> NuForce STA120 (Class D Speaker Amp) to drive Susvara with DIY 4 Pin Cable. It sound really good, the cost is $300 (Used) as a second amp for Susvara it is the Best Buy option.


Would you please tell me who makes the headpad on the Utopias? You have a very nice collection.


----------



## carboncopy

Zachik said:


> I was curious, so looked for the price...
> When it goes for 80% off - it will be in my budget for a DAC
> Also, this thing is a beast (size and weight wise)! Will not fit in my 19" rack.


See post 30.747


----------



## u2u2

My black Phonitor XE needed a DAC upgrade. Phenomenal support from the Focal/Naim/SPL North American distributor resulted in a menu of choices and cut my down time to a business day and change. At the peak of our pandemic woes and with near record snowfall at both ends of the transaction.  I am gobsmacked. Nobody does it better. Red is the new black.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

u2u2 said:


> My black Phonitor XE needed a DAC upgrade. Phenomenal support from the Focal/Naim/SPL North American distributor resulted in a menu of choices and cut my down time to a business day and change. At the peak of our pandemic woes and with near record snowfall at both ends of the transaction.  I am gobsmacked. Nobody does it better. Red is the new black.


Interested to hear some reactions to the Phonitor, not many reviews. How is the build quality, do the meters match, how is the switchgear etc.?


----------



## dnd3241

frudogg said:


> Would you please tell me who makes the headpad on the Utopias? You have a very nice collection.


I Brough from the local Audio shop $5.00.


----------



## Roasty

Solitaire P just arrived yesterday. I am really enjoying the tuning! it makes for a great all rounder headphone!


----------



## lumdicks

Nostoi said:


> The AT-BHA100 has gone?


Yes, gone already.


----------



## DTgill

Look what the mail lady dropped off today for my listening pleasure...

Burson Playmate 2, my GS1000's are lovin' it...


----------



## penmarker

Redcarmoose said:


> Well any old tube junk people in my rich neighborhood would toss out had tubes. Basically everything! Replace the tubes with SS was what everyone was doing so? Mainly TVs, but radios and amps. We would collect hundreds of tubes/amo then go to war. Pop, pop, pop.
> 
> They were a burden as housewives would have to take all the tubes to the grocery store and test them on the tube tester, then the gals would reinstall the whole set. Solid State was a revolution in maintainability!


Sorry for replying an old post but I have memories of throwing rocks at the floating light bulbs in a small pond back when I was 12-13 or so. We still have no idea why that pond was covered with floating light bulbs. Makes that satisfying Pop pop pop sound.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Look what the mail lady dropped off today for my listening pleasure...
> 
> Burson Playmate 2, my GS1000's are lovin' it...


Op-amp rolling coming? …. Oh, is the GS1000 on call to the ER…?😜


----------



## ColSaulTigh




----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Op-amp rolling coming? …. Oh, is the GS1000 on call to the ER…?😜


No, the person I bought it from upgraded it already, Burson Vivid duals and Burson Classic singles, both version 6, I hope I'm set.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> No, the person I bought it from upgraded it already, Burson Vivid duals and Burson Classic singles, both version 6, I hope I'm set.


Quite a piece of equipment! Does NFB-11 have its “ticket to ride” punched yet?


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Quite a piece of equipment! Does NFB-11 have its “ticket to ride” punched yet?


Right now, I'm going to keep it at least for a while, my Phillips needs an amp to be plugged into. I might sell it later on...


----------



## waveSounds

u2u2 said:


> My black Phonitor XE needed a DAC upgrade. Phenomenal support from the Focal/Naim/SPL North American distributor resulted in a menu of choices and cut my down time to a business day and change. At the peak of our pandemic woes and with near record snowfall at both ends of the transaction.  I am gobsmacked. Nobody does it better. Red is the new black.



Love the red of the Phonitor! It's nice to see a something stand out from the sea of black and silver that adorns most audio boxes. 

Both that xe and the Ferrum OOR are the two that interest me the most should I ever decide to look at adding another amp. Is that the Uniti Atom Headphone edition it sits atop? I've often contemplated that just for its volume dial


----------



## DTgill

Well, the families all together... Xcuse the wire mess


----------



## Chastity

DTgill said:


> Well, the families all together... Xcuse the wire mess


Someone likes their Schiit


----------



## u2u2

gimmeheadroom said:


> Interested to hear some reactions to the Phonitor, not many reviews. How is the build quality, do the meters match, how is the switchgear etc.?,



Build quality seems to be up with the best. The case metal work, powder coating, anodizing, and labeling are as good as I have seen. My other gear is Chord, McIntosh, Naim, and Woo for comparison. I am very picky and find no appearance flaws.
The meters work perfectly and for me the off white colour and lighting work well to give an old school look and feel. Goes well with the plethora of switches and knobs all of which do what SPL claims. The switches are solid and work smartly. They exude confidence and would be at home on an aircraft instrument panel from the 50s or 60s. The quality feels that good. I risk dating myself here. The volume goes from zero up with ultra smooth control, perfect balance, and can be easily controlled as in no sudden step up or other nonsense. This amp has been thought out and the build executed such that they avoided the little annoyances my other items possess. A joy to setup and you can pair any remote with it in about 15 seconds.
Sound wise it will reveal every flaw in a recording but feed it well and I don’t think you can do better near its price point. I have several amps that could have been endgame. The Phonitor XE was money well spent.


----------



## u2u2

waveSounds said:


> Love the red of the Phonitor! It's nice to see a something stand out from the sea of black and silver that adorns most audio boxes.
> 
> Both that xe and the Ferrum OOR are the two that interest me the most should I ever decide to look at adding another amp. Is that the Uniti Atom Headphone edition it sits atop? I've often contemplated that just for its volume dial


The red anodizing is darker and richer in colour when seen in person. Good job by SPL.
The Atom HE, if kept in arms reach, has a volume that is a joy to use. My desk became too cluttered with gear so I had to cover it up. I have to use the Naim app for a Unity Core server so it worked out well. All their kit integrates seamlessly through the app.


----------



## Korean audiophile

I remember my first pair of cans which started me on this audio journey.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

u2u2 said:


> Build quality seems to be up with the best. The case metal work, powder coating, anodizing, and labeling are as good as I have seen. My other gear is Chord, McIntosh, Naim, and Woo for comparison. I am very picky and find no appearance flaws.
> The meters work perfectly and for me the off white colour and lighting work well to give an old school look and feel. Goes well with the plethora of switches and knobs all of which do what SPL claims. The switches are solid and work smartly. They exude confidence and would be at home on an aircraft instrument panel from the 50s or 60s. The quality feels that good. I risk dating myself here. The volume goes from zero up with ultra smooth control, perfect balance, and can be easily controlled as in no sudden step up or other nonsense. This amp has been thought out and the build executed such that they avoided the little annoyances my other items possess. A joy to setup and you can pair any remote with it in about 15 seconds.
> Sound wise it will reveal every flaw in a recording but feed it well and I don’t think you can do better near its price point. I have several amps that could have been endgame. The Phonitor XE was money well spent.


Thanks a lot for that very helpful info. I was considering the Phonitor 2 rather than the XE but I'm sure most/all of what you said should apply.

A while back, it seemed SPL viewed balanced headamps negatively so I was surprised to see the XE and other models when they came out.


----------



## carboncopy




----------



## llamaluv (Jan 19, 2022)

(Headphones: Susvara, TC, Elite)


Previous:
Late 2019
Mid 2019
Early 2019
Mid 2018
Early 2018


----------



## bcowen

Korean audiophile said:


> I remember my first pair of cans which started me on this audio journey.


LOL!  I also remember my first pair when I decided to set up a headphone rig.  I promptly returned them and went back to my 2-channel rig.  It was almost a year before that aural assault was far enough removed from memory to give things a 2nd try.   Fortunately a lovingly pre-owned pair of Alpha Primes gave me a glimpse of what was possible on the second go 'round.


----------



## dnd3241 (Jan 19, 2022)

llamaluv said:


> (Headphones: Susvara, TC, Elite)
> 
> 
> Previous:
> ...


Super nice gears ! May I ask which is the best one to drive Susvara? Is the 300B quiet enough ? any hass or hum sound from the background ?


----------



## Chastity

bcowen said:


> LOL!  I also remember my first pair when I decided to set up a headphone rig.  I promptly returned them and went back to my 2-channel rig.  It was almost a year before that aural assault was far enough removed from memory to give things a 2nd try.   Fortunately a lovingly pre-owned pair of Alpha Primes gave me a glimpse of what was possible on the second go 'round.


I have a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP, and boy, have they deteriorated.  All that leather on them is pleather, so the headband peeled, and these are my 2nd set of cups, and those are getting ratty too.  I'm thinking of replacing them with a set of Mackie MC-350, so I have a nice set for my venerable iPod.


----------



## llamaluv (Jan 19, 2022)

dnd3241 said:


> Super nice gears ! May I ask which is the best one to drive Susvara? Is the 300B quite enough ? any hass or hum sound from the background ?



Thanks!

The HA-300 drives the Susvara well, giving it a very likeable, organic character. But I use it mostly as a fun, alternate "flavor".

The Bakoon gives it just a really well-balanced presentation. Simultaneously highly resolving and buttery smooth. But despite being a (low-power) speaker amp, it does not sound very "speaker-amp-like".

The Pass Labs X150.8 on the other hand... very much does, lol. Super-dynamic, almost aggro, kind of raw-sounding, and very far away from the typical characterization of the Susvara sounding "soft". And very taut bass, which gives it a slightly lean character. With my current DAC, adding a passive preamp is what "unlocked" its potential.

Having said that, I listen to the Susvara most with the Bakoon.


----------



## Davidzak64




----------



## pataburd




----------



## lumdicks

WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC6080. It pairs very well with Final D8000 with neutral tonality, great soundstage, dark background and amazing dynamics and resolution.


----------



## Korean audiophile

carboncopy said:


> Love the simple earthy setup 👍 what amp is what btw


----------



## Korean audiophile

bcowen said:


> LOL!  I also remember my first pair when I decided to set up a headphone rig.  I promptly returned them and went back to my 2-channel rig.  It was almost a year before that aural assault was far enough removed from memory to give things a 2nd try.   Fortunately a lovingly pre-owned pair of Alpha Primes gave me a glimpse of what was possible on the second go 'round.


Yea back then I was going off reviews of very few audiophile YouTubers and websites that's before the likes of Zeos and Josh Valor even existed. 

The HD598 is when I discovered what a open back headphone was and man I thought that was end game back then. After wards I started with portable Amps many in the $100-$300 range then I discovered what a DAC could do with a all in one OPpO SE portable with Saber DAC that little device blew my socks off wish I still kept it, my portable journey ended with the ifi black label.  Then came the desk top with the Audio GD nfb 11 then came the Toppings many different toppings with THX779 amp sprinkled on top.
Then Aries 2 to the Pontus 2 then went from A90 to Soloist 3xp to the Soloist Grand Tourer with super charger. Now I opened a new can of worms with power conditioners Jesus !! 

Headphones went from Beats , M50, HD598 , HD6XX, HD600, HE-500 original, focal Clear, Arya's V2 , Arya SE , LCD-4


----------



## carboncopy

You don't see on the picture what's on the left is, and what under the amp is 

The amp is the Grado RA-1


----------



## jonathan c

Sennheiser HD600 (CNC-backweight / foam mods) << Norne Audio Vygarde HPC << Woo Audio WA2 (RFT / GEC / RFT) << Audiolab CDT-6000:


----------



## StarFox132




----------



## nordkapp

pataburd said:


>


Haven't seen a Shakti stone in forever.


----------



## carboncopy

nordkapp said:


> Haven't seen a Shakti stone in forever.


Do you see them it post 31.134? from yesterday? They are under the amp!


----------



## Redcarmoose

nordkapp said:


> Haven't seen a Shakti stone in forever.



Next.......


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


> Next.......


Wasn't going to say anything, but yeah this too. Lmao.


----------



## Redcarmoose

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/nordkapp.415112/


I feel it’s great if it works. I have lots of questionable tweaks. There is no right or wrong to this. Though the history is charming and even cute when you dig it up!


----------



## Mr Trev

Redcarmoose said:


> Next.......


Good ol green marker. Never did try that tho…

The only "tweak" I really put much faith in was/is Blu-tak. That stuff is awesome. Used it to attach my speakers to the stands and I literally had to pry the speakers off their stands when I had to move. Great for attaching DAPs to amps too - no ampbands for this guy!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 20, 2022)

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/mr-trev.373753/

Who is to say the green ink doesn’t tame the nasty red distortion wavelengths? What about the Shakti stones? The thing is even with all the science behind what’s right and wrong, what may work or what doesn’t work; expectation bias is real. So......it’s what ever gives you a “good attitude” is what works.


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/mr-trev.373753/
> 
> Who is to say the green ink doesn’t tame the nasty red distortion wavelengths? What about the Shakti stones? The thing is even with all the science behind what’s right and wrong, what may work or what doesn’t work; expectation bias is real. So......it’s what ever gives you a “good attitude” Gues





Redcarmoose said:


> @https://www.head-fi.org/members/mr-trev.373753/
> 
> Who is to say the green ink doesn’t tame the nasty red distortion wavelengths? What about the Shakti stones? The thing is even with all the science behind what’s right and wrong, what may work or what doesn’t work; expectation bias is real. So......it’s what ever gives you a “good attitude” is what works.


I just can't help it. I'm a big skeptic by nature. When I see companies selling $2k power cords and magical rocks for your interconnections....well u get it.


----------



## bcowen

Redcarmoose said:


> Next.......


And when you get bored with that, there's these:






If they don't instantly transform your system to uber status, then you also need this.  🤣🤣


----------



## pataburd

carboncopy said:


> Do you see them it post 31.134? from yesterday? They are under the amp!


They actually work better that way.  Need some taller cones/lifters underneath the Wadia.


----------



## jonathan c

Failing that @bcowen, try this:


----------



## Preachy1

What’s with the green ink thing?  Never heard of that.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Failing that @bcowen, try this:


I already have a tweako-nerd disc.  More evidence of an ill-spent youth.


----------



## bcowen (Jan 20, 2022)

Preachy1 said:


> What’s with the green ink thing?  Never heard of that.


Audio Prism was the original peddler of this called CD Stoplight.  You'd paint it around the outer edge of a CD, and for best effect paint the groove near the center spindle hole as well.  Claimed to absorb stray/reflected light in and around the CD, thereby making it easier to read with fewer errors and sound more like analog.  Yes, I tried it.  But I found that the best way to make a CD sound like analog (back then) was to turn off the CD player and put on an LP.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> What’s with the green ink thing?  Never heard of that.


A legendary tweak of early compact disc days. You'd paint the circumference of the disc with this green marker and the disc would then sound better (or so it was alleged). 

Some well regarded critics believed in this implicitly. I bought one of these then was too lazy to even try it. Threw it out decades later.


----------



## pataburd (Jan 20, 2022)

Not a very stirring testimonial from someone self-admittedly "too lazy to even try".

I still fine sand the (outer and inner) edges of CDs, apply black marker and then surface treat the entire disc.
Of course Herbie's "Black Hole" disc mat is also a must.

Did get the Wadia elevated enough (on ebony pads) to slide the Shakti Stone underneath it, though.  So the snide remarks, in spite of themselves, have borne fruit.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Audio Prism was the original peddler of this called CD Stoplight.  You'd paint it around the outer edge of a CD, and for best effect paint the groove near the center spindle hole as well.  Claimed to absorb stray/reflected light in and around the CD, thereby making it easier to read with fewer errors and sound more like analog.  Yes, I tried it.  But I found that the best way to make a CD sound like analog (back then) was to turn off the CD player and put on an LP.



I had multiple recordings in both LP & CD form. Circa '85-'87 I fairly often did head-to-head comparisons of CD to LP. The system was relatively good & pretty high resolution (Vandersteen 4s; VTL Ultimate preamp; 100 wpc Music Reference-9 tube amp (>80Hz); Perreaux 2150b (<80Hz/subs built into Vandies); VPI-19 TT + Grado tonearm + Grado MM [forget model...it was ~$750]; Magnavox CD player modded by a well-regarded mod company in N.C.).

These contests were a bad joke. The LPs so thunderously beat the CDs, there was really nothing to say. The most surprising thing, given the mechanical kluge that is vinyl playback, was how much deeper and authoritative LP bass was, and how much more expansive the soundstage.

It took me 35 years to get digital sound that really sounds good and would hold up well vs LP (courtesy of multibit & NOS DACs). But back then, digital sound was like bringing a pen-knife to a gatling gun fight.


----------



## Pharmaboy

pataburd said:


> Not a very stirring testimonial from someone self-admittedly "too lazy to even try".
> 
> I still fine sand the (outer and inner) edges of CDs, apply black marker and then surface treat the entire disc.
> Of course Herbie's "Black Hole" disc mat is also a must.
> ...


Wadia CD players came along just as I was about to break down my big 2-channel system forever. If I'd heard that tech, I might have thought better of early digital.

As to why I was too lazy to try, see post immediately above.


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jan 21, 2022)

The one that does work is EMF paper. But again part of it may be true and part suggestive. You have one camp that believes everything can be measured, and the other camp of non-believers. EMF paper does work if there is an issue, but the situation changes every time you move your equipment in your life. Though it is fairly well known in some circles and absolutely can be tested in extreme situations. If you are experiencing the effects with less radiant, it's debatable?

But the phenomenon of psychological changes hasn’t even been started on Head-Fi. The fact that our mind is capable of modifying our perception at will. We have very little control of it. I mean why is it that your main system sounds different all the time? It is the control of those factors that we would love to control, yet at times the moments escape us. It’s chemical (endorphins) and electronic variations that allow an end result.........in the most bewildering of things..........an experience. It’s just an experience in the end!


Mr Trev said:


> Good ol green marker. Never did try that tho…
> 
> The only "tweak" I really put much faith in was/is Blu-tak. That stuff is awesome. Used it to attach my speakers to the stands and I literally had to pry the speakers off their stands when I had to move. Great for attaching DAPs to amps too - no ampbands for this guy!





bcowen said:


> I already have a tweako-nerd disc.  More evidence of an ill-spent youth.


----------



## pataburd (Jan 20, 2022)

The essence of Audio Prism was not just the green marker (CD Stoplight), it was their CD Blacklight, the fluorescent mat that you "charged" with incandescent light until it glowed that glorious green.  Then you placed the mat on the disc and hit the PLAY button.  The charge would only last 10 minutes or so before needing renewal.



 There's one on eBay right now for $20, boys and girls.

I remember using CD Stoplight and CD Blacklight with a Pioneer Stable Platter player that I had back in the day (when the wooly mammoth roamed freely about on what are now the streets of urban America).

Yes, Blu-tak, anti-static foam, constrained layer damping all have their place in the Ultimate Tweaker's Manual.


----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> Next.......


Making perfect sound perfecter…😖😳…


----------



## bcowen

pataburd said:


> The essence of Audio Prism was not just the green marker (CD Stoplight), it was their CD Blacklight, the fluorescent mat that you "charged" with incandescent light until it glowed that glorious green.  Then you placed the mat on the disc and hit the PLAY button.  The charge would only last 10 minutes or so before needing renewal.
> 
> There's one on eBay right now for $20, boys and girls.
> 
> ...



Stick-on sheets, periphery rings, add-on discs, different colors of edge paint/marker...after pulling out a random stack of CD's just now I'm proud (or is it ashamed?) to admit that all but one had at least one tweak applied.  I had to do a full stop on the Peter Belt stuff though.


----------



## penmarker

bcowen said:


> I already have a tweako-nerd disc.  More evidence of an ill-spent youth.


That off center sticker would do the balance great when the CD is spinning 200-500 rip'ems.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Stick-on sheets, periphery rings, add-on discs, different colors of edge paint/marker...after pulling out a random stack of CD's just now I'm proud (or is it ashamed?) to admit that all but one had at least one tweak applied.  I had to do a full stop on the Peter Belt stuff though.


Those stick-on rings brought me to ruin years later. I'd try to play discs w/rings in CD drives (because I did most of my listening to CDs in the home office), and the drive would make hellacious noises then spit the CD out. 

I was able to take all those rings off and life returned to (semi)(ab)normal again.


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> I had multiple recordings in both LP & CD form. Circa '85-'87 I fairly often did head-to-head comparisons of CD to LP. The system was relatively good & pretty high resolution (Vandersteen 4s; VTL Ultimate preamp; 100 wpc Music Reference-9 tube amp (>80Hz); Perreaux 2150b (<80Hz/subs built into Vandies); VPI-19 TT + Grado tonearm + Grado MM [forget model...it was ~$750]; Magnavox CD player modded by a well-regarded mod company in N.C.).
> 
> These contests were a bad joke. The LPs so thunderously beat the CDs, there was really nothing to say. The most surprising thing, given the mechanical kluge that is vinyl playback, was how much deeper and authoritative LP bass was, and how much more expansive the soundstage.
> 
> It took me 35 years to *get digital sound that really sounds good and would hold up well vs LP* (courtesy of multibit & NOS DACs). But back then, digital sound was like bringing a pen-knife to a gatling gun fight.


Tube amps baby, there's no turning back. I had hundreds, possibly thousands of LP's collected since college days thumbing through bins at used record stores for that special find,  meticulously cleaning my treasures with discwasher, albums stored at just the right vertical angle in peach crates, stylus kept pristine... the good old days...sort of. Admittedly when I first heard CD's in the 80's they sounded like harsh non-musical garbage, or to paraphrase Sir Thomas Beecham "two skeletons copulating on a tin roof in a thunderstorm" (he was talking about the sound of the harpsichord which I actually quite like, but that's another subject).

However, IMO digital recording techniques have evolved to a quite musically refined state, at least for the recent vintage classical recordings I mostly collect. Using HQ Player to upsample or transocde FLAC to DSD and running though my chain below to Feliks-Audio Elise OTL has me certain the "effort / return ratio" is such that nostalgia aside, I will never return to vinyl. I understand and respect that many will disagree...just where I've come to after a lifetime of loving and collecting music.
​


----------



## David222 (Jan 21, 2022)

I agree with the previous post "_no turning back_."  I'm starting to future-proof for various pieces of gear in my chain, and a few components I hope to (soon) acquire.  As a tube newbie...it's getting harder and harder to find great tubes.

Tubes...Tubes...Tubes!!   I love it. 

_*Brivaron was just for fun...thought it was a cool/vintage valve_


----------



## sacguy231

Pharmaboy said:


> Those stick-on rings brought me to ruin years later. I'd try to play discs w/rings in CD drives (because I did most of my listening to CDs in the home office), and the drive would make hellacious noises then spit the CD out.
> 
> I was able to take all those rings off and life returned to (semi)(ab)normal again.


Oh yes, they didn't age well! I got a very large lot of classical CDs locally a few years back for an unbelievable deal, some incredible recordings. But the original owner had placed those rings on so many discs and by now, so many years later, the adhesives had deteriorated and getting them off the discs was a real pain. I also got a free Rotel CD player from a buddy a couple years ago where the original owner had painted the ENTIRE TRAY green...WITH A PAINTBRUSH! apparently thinking the green color would magically enhance all CDs (a sick take on the CD green marker trick from all those years ago) it was a hot mess. Spent the better part of one day disassembling the unit and stripping all the green paint from teh tray, lens rail, and a million other little grooves it had gotten into.


----------



## bcowen

sacguy231 said:


> Oh yes, they didn't age well! I got a very large lot of classical CDs locally a few years back for an unbelievable deal, some incredible recordings. But the original owner had placed those rings on so many discs and by now, so many years later, the adhesives had deteriorated and getting them off the discs was a real pain. I also got a free Rotel CD player from a buddy a couple years ago where the original owner had painted the ENTIRE TRAY green...WITH A PAINTBRUSH! apparently thinking the green color would magically enhance all CDs (a sick take on the CD green marker trick from all those years ago) it was a hot mess. Spent the better part of one day disassembling the unit and stripping all the green paint from teh tray, lens rail, and a million other little grooves it had gotten into.


Apparently there _is_ such a thing as 'over tweaking.'


----------



## Redcarmoose

bcowen said:


> Apparently there _is_ such a thing as 'over tweaking.'







Any opposing vibrations which are in reality simply unwanted vibrations which could effect the signal detrimentally will be stifled accordingly to their vibrational value. Of course the sorbothane also somehow stops those vibrations also coming from the floor? The marble adds stability and swagger. The base is also timeless (whatever that means). Of course the solid natural oak cable saddle continues to reinforce the position just in case of any lateral or horizontal displacement! Next the unique mechanical cable clamp, which in fact emulates how newspapers have been fashioned together since invention of the rubber-band. Finally static free material throughout! The size is called Dimensional Data.......furthering the epic dimensions this cable rise will take us!


----------



## Mr Trev

Redcarmoose said:


> Any opposing vibrations which are in reality simply unwanted vibrations which could effect the signal detrimentally will be stifled accordingly to their vibrational value. Of course the sorbothane also somehow stops those vibrations also coming from the floor? The marble adds stability and swagger. The base is also timeless (whatever that means). Of course the solid natural oak cable saddle continues to reinforce the position just in case of any lateral or horizontal displacement! Next the unique mechanical cable clamp, which in fact emulates how newspapers have been fashioned together since invention of the rubber-band. Finally static free material throughout! The size is called Dimensional Data.......furthering the epic dimensions this cable rise will take us!


There's one big flaw… it doesn't adhere to The Golden Ratio
Disclaimer: I suck at math, so apologies if it actually does <I just used an online calculator>


----------



## frudogg

Pharmaboy said:


> Those stick-on rings brought me to ruin years later. I'd try to play discs w/rings in CD drives (because I did most of my listening to CDs in the home office), and the drive would make hellacious noises then spit the CD out.
> 
> I was able to take all those rings off and life returned to (semi)(ab)normal again.


I spent hours treating CD's with a green marker back in the early 90's.


----------



## Sebbai




----------



## bcowen

Redcarmoose said:


> Any opposing vibrations which are in reality simply unwanted vibrations which could effect the signal detrimentally will be stifled accordingly to their vibrational value. Of course the sorbothane also somehow stops those vibrations also coming from the floor? The marble adds stability and swagger. The base is also timeless (whatever that means). Of course the solid natural oak cable saddle continues to reinforce the position just in case of any lateral or horizontal displacement! Next the unique mechanical cable clamp, which in fact emulates how newspapers have been fashioned together since invention of the rubber-band. Finally static free material throughout! The size is called Dimensional Data.......furthering the epic dimensions this cable rise will take us!


LOL!  But rubber band technology is so 2010's.  Modern audiophiles _clamp_ those unruly beasts into submission with hybrid nano crystal devices.  Only $377.  _Each_. 😲

https://www.thecableco.com/accessories/cable-lifts/ncf-booster-connector-and-cable-holder.html


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Sebbai said:


>


Ok, I need to know - what's up with the bottle of Kikkoman's?


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> There's one big flaw… it doesn't adhere to The Golden Ratio
> Disclaimer: I suck at math, so apologies if it actually does <I just used an online calculator my fingers>


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> Any opposing vibrations which are in reality simply unwanted vibrations which could effect the signal detrimentally will be stifled accordingly to their vibrational value. Of course the sorbothane also somehow stops those vibrations also coming from the floor? The marble adds stability and swagger. The base is also timeless (whatever that means). Of course the solid natural oak cable saddle continues to reinforce the position just in case of any lateral or horizontal displacement! Next the unique mechanical cable clamp, which in fact emulates how newspapers have been fashioned together since invention of the rubber-band. Finally static free material throughout! The size is called Dimensional Data.......furthering the epic dimensions this cable rise will take us!


This reads like one of my “due in thirty minutes” term papers in college…🤣


----------



## nordkapp

Redcarmoose said:


> Any opposing vibrations which are in reality simply unwanted vibrations which could effect the signal detrimentally will be stifled accordingly to their vibrational value. Of course the sorbothane also somehow stops those vibrations also coming from the floor? The marble adds stability and swagger. The base is also timeless (whatever that means). Of course the solid natural oak cable saddle continues to reinforce the position just in case of any lateral or horizontal displacement! Next the unique mechanical cable clamp, which in fact emulates how newspapers have been fashioned together since invention of the rubber-band. Finally static free material throughout! The size is called Dimensional Data.......furthering the epic dimensions this cable rise will take us!


Such a marvel of engineering.


----------



## Sebbai

ColSaulTigh said:


> Ok, I need to know - what's up with the bottle of Kikkoman's?


Glad you asked good sir! Saturdays I reward myself with with a hot bowl of nuddle soup, after eating oatmeal for the last five days. This is a situation I’m in because I chose to use my salary on headfi gears.!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Sebbai said:


> Glad you asked good sir! Saturdays I reward myself with with a hot bowl of nuddle soup, after eating oatmeal for the last five days. This is a situation I’m in because I chose to use my salary on headfi gears.!


My follow-up question: do you use the Soy Sauce in the noodle soup, the oatmeal, or both?  Yes, I've heard of people adding soy sauce to oatmeal although I myself have not tried it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> Ok, I need to know - what's up with the bottle of Kikkoman's?


You never heard of Kikkoman's being used as a contact enhancer? It's all the rage in Japan, Southeastern Asia, and several Nordic countries.

(everybody knows about this)


----------



## Roasty

Pharmaboy said:


> (everybody knows about this)



it's true. it works better and lasts longer if u add a dash of Ajinomoto as well. more flavour to the music.


----------



## David222

Roasty said:


> it's true. it works better and lasts longer if u add a dash of Ajinomoto as well. more flavour to the music.



Ahhh...crap...I poured Cholula all over my DAC during power-up.  

I should keep up on this thread.


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> You never heard of Kikkoman's being used as a contact enhancer? It's all the rage in Japan, Southeastern Asia, and several Nordic countries.
> 
> (everybody knows about this)


I think if you paint Kikkoman ever so lightly around the edges of a CD the sound is more robust and flavorful.


----------



## dynavit

First floor:





Basement:


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> You never heard of Kikkoman's being used as a contact enhancer? It's all the rage in Japan, Southeastern Asia, and several Nordic countries.
> 
> (everybody knows about this)


----------



## Preachy1

LoryWiv said:


> I think if you paint Kikkoman ever so lightly around the edges of a CD the sound is more robust and flavorful.


You  guys are ****ing killing me!!!!!


----------



## jonathan c

LoryWiv said:


> I think if you paint Kikkoman ever so lightly around the edges of a CD the sound is more robust and flavorful.


It makes you take a bite out of that CD sound…😖🤣 👎…


----------



## lumdicks

Another round of tube rolling on WA22, Sylvania 274B, CBS Hyton 5692 and Chatham 6AS7.


----------



## judomaniak57

15 years and only changed tubes once. some of u guys on here change tubes 2 or 3 times per song


----------



## Terriero

judomaniak57 said:


> 15 years and only changed tubes once. some of u guys on here change tubes 2 or 3 times per song


I'm just imagining that: pausing the song to change tubes, and laughing a lot...


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> I'm just imagining that: pausing the song to change tubes, and laughing a lot...


A remake of the Bob Dylan classic? —>
“The Tubes They Are A-Changing”…🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Terriero said:


> I'm just imagining that: pausing the song to change tubes, and laughing a lot...


Give @bcowen some credit, guys. He doesn't need to pause the song to change tubes. He has baker's fingers, he changes tubes on the fly, gapless


----------



## Ficcion2 (Jan 22, 2022)

What it looks like as I type. Of course the Phi’s went back on my head after the quick picture which makes the red look really bright. 
The rack is about 2 tones darker in person with more visible grain but I don't know squat about photography.


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Give @bcowen some credit, guys. He doesn't need to pause the song to change tubes. He has baker's fingers, he changes tubes on the fly, gapless


LOL!  Noval tubes barely register any pain at all. Small octals might, kind of depends on the tube.  Power tubes and rectifiers still require the Ove Glove though...apparently my fingers still have a few active nerve endings for whatever reason.  But I _always_ turn the amp off first, as long as I don't forget.


----------



## Mr Trev

judomaniak57 said:


> 15 years and only changed tubes once. some of u guys on here change tubes 2 or 3 times per song


I've seen those ASL amps pop up in the classifieds from time to time… how's it treating you?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

So my listening station got another upgrade today...


----------



## Preachy1

ColSaulTigh said:


> So my listening station got another upgrade today...


My holy grail (one of them, anyway!).  Congrats!!!!!


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> So my listening station got another upgrade today...


VERY nice.  Congrats!


----------



## LoryWiv




----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 22, 2022)

LoryWiv said:


>


I'm thinking of getting my next desktop from AVA Direct. And it'll have to be a Fractal box. What has your experience been with this one?

PS: bought a tricked-out 17" Clevo laptop for my wife from AVA Direct 4 years ago. That thing has been aces...excellent.


----------



## judomaniak57

sounds great, but it has been is storage for awhile. my stellias sound so good thru my bryston i rarely listen to this setup anymore. really is a shame b/c the antique soundlabs with the senn 600 sounds really good


Mr Trev said:


> I've seen those ASL amps pop up in the classifieds from time to time… how's it treating you?


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm thinking of getting my next desktop from AVA Direct. And it'll have to be a Fractal box. What has your experience been with this one?
> 
> PS: bought a tricked-out 17" Clevo laptop for my wife from AVA Direct 4 years ago. That thing has been aces...excellent.


A definite strong recommend. PM me if you need details


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


>


Nice!  What tubes do you have in the Elise?

Something is not computing here though.  The coffee mug is oriented in a left-handed position, but is on the right side of the desk.  Perhaps a 'Perfect' optical illusion?  Or you have really long arms?  This is all so confusing.  🤣🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

judomaniak57 said:


> sounds great, but it has been is storage for awhile. my stellias sound so good thru my bryston i rarely listen to this setup anymore. really is a shame b/c the antique soundlabs with the senn 600 sounds really good


Tried it with low Z phones or iems? I haven't been able to find much info bout the ASL


bcowen said:


> Nice!  What tubes do you have in the Elise?
> 
> Something is not computing here though.  The coffee mug is oriented in a left-handed position, but is on the right side of the desk.  Perhaps a 'Perfect' optical illusion?  Or you have really long arms?  This is all so confusing.  🤣🤣


I'm more worried about the Col. Sanders action figure under the amp


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I'm more worried about the Col. Sanders action figure under the amp


ROFL!  Stupid me, I thought that was a @Ripper2860 doll.  That's worrying on several levels....


----------



## judomaniak57

Mr Trev said:


> Tried it with low Z phones or iems? I haven't been able to find much info bout the ASL
> 
> I'm more worried about the Col. Sanders action figure under the amp


Only tried with senn 600, and focal Eliar and stellia.. Amp pushes the senn 600 easily. Only turn up to about 10 o'clock and it is pretty loud. Nice n quit Amp too,no hum. ASL has been out of business for awhile now. I would easily recommend this Amp for a cheap way to get into tube amps if u can find one


----------



## Ripper2860 (Jan 22, 2022)

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  Stupid me, I thought that was a @Ripper2860 doll.  That's worrying on several levels....


😐

I look nothing like Col. Sanders.


----------



## LoryWiv

bcowen said:


> Nice!  What tubes do you have in the Elise?
> 
> Something is not computing here though.  The coffee mug is oriented in a left-handed position, but is on the right side of the desk.  Perhaps a 'Perfect' optical illusion?  Or you have really long arms?  This is all so confusing.  🤣🤣


Brimar 6L6G driving Sylvania 6BX7GT. Coffee makes it into the mouth and bloodstream, everything else is superfluous!


----------



## Korean audiophile

ColSaulTigh said:


> So my listening station got another upgrade today...


Been looking for a 2nd hand Utopia for some time now never listened to one before but loved the clears what's your 1st impression?


----------



## DTgill

Getting my Emotiva A-100 ready to be pair to a modded AKG K340 (the hard to drive 1980's vintage)

The question is wilI I have to use the jumpers and unleash the power of the A-100? 

My Audio-Technica R70X is a place holder... Oh' my goodness it sounds so good!


----------



## LegatoB (Jan 23, 2022)

Here is a photo of my station just taken moments ago 

Edit: not the most flattering photo. in the future I want to take some night-time ones to show off the tubes


----------



## hensi (Jan 23, 2022)

Upgrade 2022. Added some decent near-field monitors with some extra umph to my head-fi rig. 😁


----------



## fiiom11pro

tkss4489 said:


> Here is a photo of my station just taken moments ago
> 
> Edit: not the most flattering photo. in the future I want to take some night-time ones to show off the tubes


I think we have the same rack station. I just ordered another one to elevate it.


----------



## fiiom11pro

tkss4489 said:


> Here is a photo of my station just taken moments ago
> 
> Edit: not the most flattering photo. in the future I want to take some night-time ones to show off the tubes


what do you mean not flattering. It is flattering. It's a beauty and amazing setup.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Korean audiophile said:


> Been looking for a 2nd hand Utopia for some time now never listened to one before but loved the clears what's your 1st impression?


They make listening to the Clears sound like draggiang nails on a chalkboard.

They are very precise, bit not shrill.  They present a much wider space than the Clears, and they have a much smoother sound overall.  Not quite as clinical and cold.

They have a soul, where the Clears don't.


----------



## lumdicks

It's gonna be an enjoyable night of music listening.


----------



## LegatoB

lumdicks said:


> It's gonna be an enjoyable night of music listening.


That is beautiful my friend. Cheers


----------



## Mansinthe86

lumdicks said:


> It's gonna be an enjoyable night of music listening.



I would be interested to see your bedside setup 😂

Mini 3 pro + burson


----------



## LegatoB

fiiom11pro said:


> what do you mean not flattering. It is flattering. It's a beauty and amazing setup.


hahaha i say that because of the angle doesn't show the front as much


----------



## LegatoB

fiiom11pro said:


> I think we have the same rack station. I just ordered another one to elevate it.


awesome! yeah I really like the rack, i feel it's really sturdy, the Monoprice I believe it is. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p...krjiJBpNKIGUk-D7cfuaNPaAqJph1_MxoCmjQQAvD_BwE


----------



## Chris Kaoss

hensi said:


> Upgrade 2022. Added some decent near-field monitors with some extra umph to my head-fi rig. 😁


Rofl.

Very discreet, indeed.


----------



## kumar402

lumdicks said:


> It's gonna be an enjoyable night of music listening.


Great setup you have….enjoy the music


----------



## lumdicks

Mansinthe86 said:


> I would be interested to see your bedside setup 😂
> 
> Mini 3 pro + burson


Here you go.


----------



## Mansinthe86

lumdicks said:


> Here you go.


Was there a reason you went with the conductor instead of the Soloist?
Shouldn't the DAC in the matrix be even better?


----------



## lumdicks

Mansinthe86 said:


> Was there a reason you went with the conductor instead of the Soloist?
> Shouldn't the DAC in the matrix be even better?


Originally I used the Conductor as my alternative desktop DAC and AMP but I have no space left on my desk after acquiring WA22 and Little Dot so............


----------



## Mansinthe86

lumdicks said:


> Originally I used the Conductor as my alternative desktop DAC and AMP but I have no space left on my desk after acquiring WA22 and Little Dot so............


I assumed something like that already after looking at all your gear. But it's nice to see that the matrix and burson are such a nice match . (Size, colour, design).


----------



## lumdicks

Mansinthe86 said:


> I assumed something like that already after looking at all your gear. But it's nice to see that the matrix and burson are such a nice match . (Size, colour, design).


And they sound beautifully, with one of the best UI Mini-i Pro having and the great and powerful sound of the Burson.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

lumdicks said:


> Originally I used the Conductor as my alternative desktop DAC and AMP but I have no space left on my desk after acquiring WA22 and Little Dot so............


That's what home improvement loans are for... just build a new wing on the house!


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's what home *a*mprovement loans are for... just build a new wing on the house!


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


You lost me again


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> You lost me again


Fixed This For You; @bcowen is the creator / master of this inane bit of editing…🤪. I acknowledge sources so as to stay out of court…😄…


----------



## omkazn

Strat1117 said:


> You have no basis to comment on it since you don’t own it. Are you just repeating what you read on Reddit?  And why is every one of your comments negative and/or deliberately provocative? I was prepared to defend you on the basis of a language gap, English obviously not being your first language, but you clearly have other, more comprehensive logic and wiring problems.  Feh.  This is a place for people who enjoy their systems and appreciate others’. Go away.


Just sharing I had the complete misfortune of dealing with this asshat nick. 

I was in discussion with him about selling my Atticus, and he dicked me around for a whole week saying he couldn’t transfer me money then next day saying he was ready and then when I said I was ready he said he was busy. Literally this went on for 5-6 days until I said **** it. Then he couldn’t find me on PayPal, I said send me a dollar as a test so we can proceed when I receive the dollar. I recieved the dollar and then immediately he went MIA again. Never proceeded with the transaction then bothered to ask me for the $1 back, ****ing kidding me. 

TLDR, this guy is a poisonous disingenuous troll who should be banned. Sorry for hijacking the thread, everyone can have it back. I just got so fed up and saw him commenting pure bs on here and thought it’d be good to share my experience. Attached the screen of his last asshat comment to me.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

omkazn said:


> Just sharing I had the complete misfortune of dealing with this asshat nick.
> 
> I was in discussion with him about selling my Atticus, and he dicked me around for a whole week saying he couldn’t transfer me money then next day saying he was ready and then when I said I was ready he said he was busy. Literally this went on for 5-6 days until I said **** it. Then he couldn’t find me on PayPal, I said send me a dollar as a test so we can proceed when I receive the dollar. I recieved the dollar and then immediately he went MIA again. Never proceeded with the transaction then bothered to ask me for the $1 back, ****ing kidding me.
> 
> TLDR, this guy is a poisonous disingenuous troll who should be banned. Sorry for hijacking the thread, everyone can have it back. I just got so fed up and saw him commenting pure bs on here and thought it’d be good to share my experience. Attached the screen of his last asshat comment to me.


Report him like I did, then block him.  He's a toxic troll.


----------



## betula

omkazn said:


> Just sharing I had the complete misfortune of dealing with this asshat nick.
> 
> I was in discussion with him about selling my Atticus, and he dicked me around for a whole week saying he couldn’t transfer me money then next day saying he was ready and then when I said I was ready he said he was busy. Literally this went on for 5-6 days until I said **** it. Then he couldn’t find me on PayPal, I said send me a dollar as a test so we can proceed when I receive the dollar. I recieved the dollar and then immediately he went MIA again. Never proceeded with the transaction then bothered to ask me for the $1 back, ****ing kidding me.
> 
> TLDR, this guy is a poisonous disingenuous troll who should be banned. Sorry for hijacking the thread, everyone can have it back. I just got so fed up and saw him commenting pure bs on here and thought it’d be good to share my experience. Attached the screen of his last asshat comment to me.


Report him. He has been trolling in several threads. I do not think he is mean, but probably has severe mental issues. I am not joking.


----------



## bcowen

omkazn said:


> Just sharing I had the complete misfortune of dealing with this asshat nick.
> 
> I was in discussion with him about selling my Atticus, and he dicked me around for a whole week saying he couldn’t transfer me money then next day saying he was ready and then when I said I was ready he said he was busy. Literally this went on for 5-6 days until I said **** it. Then he couldn’t find me on PayPal, I said send me a dollar as a test so we can proceed when I receive the dollar. I recieved the dollar and then immediately he went MIA again. Never proceeded with the transaction then bothered to ask me for the $1 back, ****ing kidding me.
> 
> TLDR, this guy is a poisonous disingenuous troll who should be banned. Sorry for hijacking the thread, everyone can have it back. I just got so fed up and saw him commenting pure bs on here and thought it’d be good to share my experience. Attached the screen of his last asshat comment to me.


Thanks for the heads-up.


----------



## DTgill

Another angle what a wire mess, seems to go with the territory...


----------



## Nostoi

omkazn said:


> Just sharing I had the complete misfortune of dealing with this asshat nick.
> 
> I was in discussion with him about selling my Atticus, and he dicked me around for a whole week saying he couldn’t transfer me money then next day saying he was ready and then when I said I was ready he said he was busy. Literally this went on for 5-6 days until I said **** it. Then he couldn’t find me on PayPal, I said send me a dollar as a test so we can proceed when I receive the dollar. I recieved the dollar and then immediately he went MIA again. Never proceeded with the transaction then bothered to ask me for the $1 back, ****ing kidding me.
> 
> TLDR, this guy is a poisonous disingenuous troll who should be banned. Sorry for hijacking the thread, everyone can have it back. I just got so fed up and saw him commenting pure bs on here and thought it’d be good to share my experience. Attached the screen of his last asshat comment to me.


That's the vibe I got from this guy. Either a troll or not the sharpest knife in the drawer....to put it politely.


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> Report him. He has been trolling in several threads. I do not think he is mean, but probably has severe mental issues. I am not joking.


Mental issues: ☑️. Malicious intent: 🤷🏻. Ability to understand the community aspect of these forums/threads: 0️⃣.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Another angle what a wire mess, seems to go with the territory...


Ah….the cooler (ie. coolest) headphone stand on the left… ‘Oh Mabel, black cable…’


----------



## DTgill (Jan 23, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Ah….the cooler (ie. coolest) headphone stand on the left… ‘Oh Mabel, black cable…’


That one used to be a computer case I built out of the Corona cooler. It just didn't have enough room inside to do what I wanted, I didn't have the heart to send it away, so now it's a computer stand and a place for my Thieaudio Phantom to land.


----------



## bcowen

Nostoi said:


> That's the vibe I got from this guy. Either a troll or not the sharpest knife in the drawer....to put it politely.


Appears the poor, destitute Nick has either won the lottery or is searching high and low for a too-trusting HeadFi'er to scam. Pretty sad.


----------



## Pharmaboy

hensi said:


> Upgrade 2022. Added some decent near-field monitors with some extra umph to my head-fi rig. 😁


You're using LM-812s (among the most efficient ever made) as _nearfield speakers_? 

(that's kind of amazing)


----------



## pspentax

Let’s see if this ones will have a place on my Stax family station 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## betula

bcowen said:


> Appears the poor, destitute Nick has either won the lottery or is searching high and low for a too-trusting HeadFi'er to scam. Pretty sad.


Based on his comments in different threads I would still think there is a mental problem there and maybe it is just wishful thinking on his behalf to get those items. So much, that he starts conversations with sellers and when it actually gets to payment he disappears. 
Or maybe I am just too naive in this case and he is a scammer.


----------



## Nostoi

betula said:


> Based on his comments in different threads I would still think there is a mental problem there and maybe it is just wishful thinking on his behalf to get those items. So much, that he starts conversations with sellers and when it actually gets to payment he disappears.
> Or maybe I am just too naive in this case and he is a scammer.


I noticed this, too, just looking at his interaction - always the request to send things overseas whether it be US/EU/UK, and then when it's not possible, he seems to be offended in some capacity. I think a few people here had some compassion when he complained here of feeling inadequate, and yet at the same time he's also on the hunt for ZMF Veritie and other _not _low-end gear. Weird. Definitely toxic, probably a troll and/or fantasist, definitely suffering from some emotional and cognitive issue, and definitely best avoided.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Nostoi said:


> probably a troll and/or fantasist


(pithy)


----------



## Malevolent

Nostoi said:


> I noticed this, too, just looking at his interaction - always the request to send things overseas whether it be US/EU/UK, and then when it's not possible, he seems to be offended in some capacity. I think a few people here had some compassion when he complained here of feeling inadequate, and yet at the same time he's also on the hunt for ZMF Veritie and other _not _low-end gear. Weird. Definitely toxic, probably a troll and/or fantasist, definitely suffering from some emotional and cognitive issue, and definitely best avoided.


I just popped into this thread about a half an hour ago, and I've been down the rabbit hole with Nick's posts since. His MO is apparent and all-too-frequent - _"Hi, do you ship overseas?"_ is his standard opening statement.

I'm trying to look at things from a less-nefarious perspective; maybe the poor soul is suffering from a mental condition in some capacity or other? In any case, I hope he gets the help he needs.


----------



## Nostoi

Malevolent said:


> I just popped into this thread about a half an hour ago, and I've been down the rabbit hole with Nick's posts since. His MO is apparent and all-too-frequent - _"Hi, do you ship overseas?"_ is his standard opening statement.
> 
> I'm trying to look at things from a less-nefarious perspective; maybe the poor soul is suffering from a mental condition in some capacity or other? In any case, I hope he gets the help he needs.


I think many of us here who have been following NickGate had similar thoughts of first trying to encourage him to feel better about his set-up and feeling some compassion for him. But as it proceeded, it seemed as though the narrative he presented here was disingenuous and didn't quite add up - to say nothing of some of his stranger remarks here, which I think have now been removed by the Mods. 

If he is suffering from an emotional condition, then I certainly hope with you that he gets the help he needs. However, my hunch is that his motivations are dubious.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

"Does not pay to speculate further. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along..."


----------



## waveSounds

gimmeheadroom said:


> "Does not pay to speculate further. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along..."



Probably the best course of action, although, I was looking forward to a Reddit-style snoop investigation unfolding here on Head Fi...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

waveSounds said:


> Probably the best course of action, although, I was looking forward to a Reddit-style snoop investigation unfolding here on Head Fi...


Sorry, wrong forum. You probably meant to look in "Sound Science"


----------



## nasty nate

genefruit said:


> As of today - Donald North Audio Stellaris has landed.



The aesthetic 👌🏼 not to mention the wonderful gear and the arrangement / selection  🙌🏼


----------



## MacMan31

David222 said:


> I agree with the previous post "_no turning back_."  I'm starting to future-proof for various pieces of gear in my chain, and a few components I hope to (soon) acquire.  As a tube newbie...it's getting harder and harder to find great tubes.
> 
> Tubes...Tubes...Tubes!!   I love it.
> 
> _*Brivaron was just for fun...thought it was a cool/vintage valve_



So you are stocking up on extra tubes? No wonder it's getting harder to find good tubes.


----------



## jonathan c

An engaging / exciting combination:


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> An engaging / exciting combination:



The first time I heard an Empyrean was on a Gilmore Lite in the Headamp booth at CanJam 2018. That was a great listen. I liked that little amp...and ended up buying an Empyrean.  

What does the external P.S. do for the amp's sound?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> The first time I heard an Empyrean was on a Gilmore Lite in the Headamp booth at CanJam 2018. That was a great listen. I liked that little amp...and ended up buying an Empyrean.
> 
> What does the external P.S. do for the amp's sound?


I _assume _(since I have not heard a GL-II ‘sans’ external power supply) that the noise floor is lower, dynamic range is greater. Certainly the GL-II+ does _not_ sound solid-state. When fed by the NOS/R2R Mojo Audio DAC, the GL-II+ is _musically convincing. _It’s all mine 😄!


----------



## MacMan31

lumdicks said:


> It's gonna be an enjoyable night of music listening.



That's an awesome stack of gear. What are those on the top with the big tubes?


----------



## ThEvil0nE

Same minimalist setup except new key caps opened up the soundstage even more 🤣


----------



## lumdicks

MacMan31 said:


> That's an awesome stack of gear. What are those on the top with the big tubes?


Little Dot LD-Y2, with Western Electric 300B and Psvane ACME 274B.


----------



## Malevolent

Nostoi said:


> I think many of us here who have been following NickGate had similar thoughts of first trying to encourage him to feel better about his set-up and feeling some compassion for him. But as it proceeded, it seemed as though the narrative he presented here was disingenuous and didn't quite add up - to say nothing of some of his stranger remarks here, which I think have now been removed by the Mods.
> 
> If he is suffering from an emotional condition, then I certainly hope with you that he gets the help he needs. However, my hunch is that his motivations are dubious.


Well, I wish him all the best. If he's a troll, I hope he goes away; if he needs medical assistance, I hope he gets some, sooner, rather than later. 



ThEvil0nE said:


> Same minimalist setup except new key caps opened up the soundstage even more 🤣


And.. moving on from NickGate... 

That's a very nice shot - great headphones and a pretty-looking cable, too!

What keyboard is that, by the way?


----------



## Quinto




----------



## ThEvil0nE

Malevolent said:


> Well, I wish him all the best. If he's a troll, I hope he goes away; if he needs medical assistance, I hope he gets some, sooner, rather than later.
> 
> 
> And.. moving on from NickGate...
> ...


😂 thanks. Keyboard is Wooting One with linear85 flaretech black optical/analog clickless switch.


----------



## TooFrank

Sometimes simplicity is a bliss


----------



## DTgill

For a second...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DTgill said:


> For a second...


You guys can't tell from the pic but @DTgill has some tiles from the space shuttle construction-glued to the underside of the shelf above it


----------



## stersa

best Regards

Sisco


----------



## DTgill

gimmeheadroom said:


> You guys can't tell from the pic but @DTgill has some tiles from the space shuttle construction-glued to the underside of the shelf above it


LOL...


----------



## SalR406

stersa said:


> best Regards
> 
> Sisco


Love those red Meze Empyreans.  Really beautiful.


----------



## richie60

Current set up.  Audiolab CDT6000, Topping D70S, La Figaro 339i, Beyer DT1990


----------



## stersa

SalR406 said:


> Love those red Meze Empyreans.  Really beautiful.


Tks..*PHOENIX Limited Edition..

Best Regards

Sisco*


----------



## Pharmaboy

richie60 said:


> Current set up.  Audiolab CDT6000, Topping D70S, La Figaro 339i, Beyer DT1990


Nice gear, but not sure how you walk around in that room--the whole thing is tilted down to the left.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice gear, but not sure how you walk around in that room--the whole thing is tilted down to the left.


Well correct me if I'm wrong, but you were the one talking about running cars off french fry oil, weren't you?

I think a lot of people only think of the positive aspects of that and don't consider what happens when you get some of that on the bottom of your shoes. I mean, he was perfectly fine, saving the environment, and had the picture framed perfectly. And then it happened


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice gear, but not sure how you walk around in that room--the whole thing is tilted down to the left.


LOL!  On the bright side, once you get all the components turned on it's all downhill from there.


----------



## Korean audiophile

jonathan c said:


> An engaging / exciting combination:


How is the Furman ? Does it give a blacker back ground?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Korean audiophile said:


> How is the Furman ? Does it give a blacker back ground?


Are you even allowed to ask that in 2022?


----------



## whirlwind

richie60 said:


> Current set up.  Audiolab CDT6000, Topping D70S, La Figaro 339i, Beyer DT1990


I love the horizontal layout of the gear...it is so much easier to get to your gear and not having to fight with shelves in a rack
Head-fi won't allow me, but off the record....I give it 2 likes


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are you even allowed to ask that in 2022?


*ROFL!!!!*


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> Nice gear, but not sure how you walk around in that room--the whole thing is tilted down to the left.



This much gravitational pull could certainly cause a left/channel imbalance


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 28, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> How is the Furman ? Does it give a blacker back ground?


•  I will say that the Furman has lowered the noise “floor”, allowed more subtle detail and tonal shadings to come through, and has removed impediments to wider dynamic range.
•  When hearing live music, I never consciously think of quiet backgrounds, height/depth of soundstage…I’m trying to get my system so that I listen to music for what is rather than for what it is not…


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Are you even allowed to ask that in 2022?


One can always ask….the reactions may be not to one’s liking….


----------



## jonathan c

richie60 said:


> Current set up.  Audiolab CDT6000, Topping D70S, La Figaro 339i, Beyer DT1990


No vinyl LP/EP turntable to be sure! No anti-skating system on the tonearm could offset that tilt!


----------



## toodles1978

Here we have it... the end my friends, the end..


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## CJG888

Strat1117 said:


> The 580/600/650 have plenty of bass if you feed them right. The 300 ohm impedance precludes big bass from a cell phone, but a good tube amp or a big class A SS will get them to boogie. My 650s are on the business end of a full blown old school two channel system and they stay there, no matter how many alternatives I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT)!


Do I spy an SME10?


----------



## Korean audiophile

Should I sell my lcd-4 for a Utopia? Thoughts please I need to make a decision pretty quick before he finds another buyer


----------



## betula

Korean audiophile said:


> Should I sell my lcd-4 for a Utopia? Thoughts please I need to make a decision pretty quick before he finds another buyer


If you like your LCD4, the answer is no.


----------



## vonBaron

Korean audiophile said:


> Should I sell my lcd-4 for a Utopia? Thoughts please I need to make a decision pretty quick before he finds another buyer


Yes


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Why not both?


----------



## u2u2

Korean audiophile said:


> Should I sell my lcd-4 for a Utopia? Thoughts please I need to make a decision pretty quick before he finds another buyer


In this hobby you only know the right answer after you have done it... The itch will remain until you try the Utopia. Find a way to keep your LCD-4 until you have tried Utopia then sell one or the other.
I am biased and listening to Utopia right now. Bliss.


----------



## Korean audiophile

ColSaulTigh said:


> Why not both?


Pockets won't let me keep both


----------



## ThanatosVI

Korean audiophile said:


> Should I sell my lcd-4 for a Utopia? Thoughts please I need to make a decision pretty quick before he finds another buyer


Short answer: no

Unless you don't like the LCD-4 Sound,  but then this wouldn't be a question in the first place


----------



## Korean audiophile (Jan 28, 2022)

ThanatosVI said:


> Short answer: no
> 
> Unless you don't like the LCD-4 Sound,  but then this wouldn't be a question in the first place


I love my lcd-4 but i feel like am not getting the whole frequency range with them like the high treble it's cut off I don't know about the Utopia haven't had a chance to hear them but from what I read and seen it seems like the complete package to me.


----------



## betula

Korean audiophile said:


> No issues I love my lcd-4 but the Utopia keeps popping up in my head like a itch


Don't sell the LCD4 and buy the Utopia blindly. You might regret it. Try to audition first. The Utopia is not better, just different. Very different. I would pick the LCD4 out of these two, but that's purely personal taste.


----------



## galveston22

Temporary testing


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> This much gravitational pull could certainly cause a left/channel imbalance


"And that's _another_ thing..."

The electricity in that room is flowing downhill, too.


----------



## 04gto

u2u2 said:


> In this hobby you only know the right answer after you have done it... The itch will remain until you try the Utopia. Find a way to keep your LCD-4 until you have tried Utopia then sell one or the other.


This. 100% best answer.


----------



## 04gto




----------



## Mr Trev

u2u2 said:


> In this hobby you only know the right answer after you have done it... The itch will remain until you try the Utopia. Find a way to keep your LCD-4 until you have tried Utopia then sell one or the other.
> I am biased and listening to Utopia right now. Bliss.


That be true, but what's that old saying…
It's better to regret something you have done, rather than something you haven't


----------



## Korean audiophile (Jan 28, 2022)

04gto said:


>


The metal gride though does it serve a purpose?


----------



## betula




----------



## Pharmaboy

1 Elite & 1 original Empyrean? That's kind of amazing...


----------



## Korean audiophile

betula said:


>


Lovely trio, are you enjoying the Soloist 3xp?


----------



## 04gto (Jan 28, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> The metal gride though does it serve a purpose? And is that a Aura SE


The metal is just polished aluminum diamond plate. I built myself an office in the corner of may garage and there was some 'issues' with the drywall. So I used the diamond plate to clean it up a bit. Already had it on hand and it looks cool (to me) and way better than just patch n paint.

What is an Aura SE?


----------



## Pharmaboy

04gto said:


> The metal is just polished aluminum diamond plate. I built myself an office in the corner of may garage and there was some 'issues' with the drywall. So I used the diamond plate to clean it up a bit. Already had it on hand and it looks cool (to me) and way better than just patch n paint.
> 
> What is an Aura SE?


There's another advantage of that aluminum wall covering:

If you bang your head against painted drywall hard enough, you may punch a big hole in it (PITA to fix, repaint)
But if you bang your head against the aluminum panel and dent it--just yank it out and install a new panel


----------



## betula

Pharmaboy said:


> 1 Elite & 1 original Empyrean? That's kind of amazing...


It is indeed, but only the Elite will stay. 


Korean audiophile said:


> Lovely trio, are you enjoying the Soloist 3xp?


Most definitely.


----------



## DTgill

Vintage 1980's...


----------



## ColSaulTigh

04gto said:


>


So, about that headphone stand.....?????


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> That be true, but what's that old saying…
> It's better to regret something you have done, rather than something you haven't


The specific corollary that all us Head-Fiers have gone through:

Is the regret of buying < = > the regret of not buying?…


----------



## 04gto

ColSaulTigh said:


> So, about that headphone stand.....?????


I found this stand during year one of the not so great pandemic. I was searching for a Silver Woo Audio double stand ($130), but they were sold out everywhere for months. People were selling used ones for $30-40 over retail. Zero chance I am paying over retail for anything. So I was just looking at pictures of alternative stands and found the 'SilverStone Technology (EBA01S-USA Aluminum)', which is ironically now hard to find. I Paid $75 plus tax. I still like the Woo Audio stand a little better because of the height adjustment, but the build quality on this one is 95% as good.


----------



## Kevintj604

Just my current view on a Friday when my wife is out of the house.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Kevintj604 said:


> Just my current view on a Friday when my wife is out of the house.


Nice portable setup


----------



## Kevintj604 (Jan 29, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> Nice portable setup


It's unbelievable. Got the Aeolus this week and tonight i've got time to test with a bunch of pairings. Super excited with this combo. Amazing synergy.

The Diablo brings a tonne of dynamics and slam out of the Aeolus which are already a super fun listen. Adds a noticeable bump in resolving capabilities. Can't stop listening to my library.

Pads are the original Aeolus Perfs with a Meze PCUHD Silver 4.4 and a KANN Alpha.


----------



## LoryWiv

04gto said:


> I found this stand during year one of the not so great pandemic. I was searching for a Silver Woo Audio double stand ($130), but they were sold out everywhere for months. People were selling used ones for $30-40 over retail. Zero chance I am paying over retail for anything. So I was just looking at pictures of alternative stands and found the 'SilverStone Technology (EBA01S-USA Aluminum)', which is ironically now hard to find. I Paid $75 plus tax. I still like the Woo Audio stand a little better because of the height adjustment, but the build quality on this one is 95% as good.


I have 2 of the SilverStone stands, they are very well-built and classy looking. Qualities I wish I shared...


----------



## FinHifi

Should have cleared the cable-mess


----------



## LoryWiv

FinHifi said:


> Should have cleared the cable-mess


Nah, it is has the well-used lived-in look!


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> I have 2 of the SilverStone stands, they are very well-built and classy looking. *Qualities I wish I shared..*.


ROFL!  My older sisters got more than their fair share....in fact _all_ Mom and Dad had to share before I came along.  They should have named me Leftover.


----------



## Olmanwood123

More pics to follow, but my desktop set-up is now utter simplicity with topped with sonic bliss….


----------



## ThanatosVI

New tubes for my Octave.
Sophia Electric KT88 and 12au7.
Pure sonic bliss


----------



## Roasty

ThanatosVI said:


> New tubes for my Octave.
> Sophia Electric KT88 and 12au7.
> Pure sonic bliss



how do u find the tube dampers? I can't seem to find them available online. I looked up some herbies audio lab dampers and seems they get favourable reviews. I've not tried tube dampers before.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> how do u find the tube dampers? I can't seem to find them available online. I looked up some herbies audio lab dampers and seems they get favourable reviews. I've not tried tube dampers before.


Well they seem to do what they are supposed to. The sound gets Clearer and crisper while the Bass gets tighter.
For the price a worthwhile sound tuning Gadget. With my Empyrean the effect is amazing.

They are hard to get, I found them at an austrian Dealer few weeks ago, 
https://www.d-t-s.at/de/eat-cool-damper-in-schwarz
Also available here, but shipping killed it for me
https://www.technologyfactory.eu/en/eat/tubes/eat-cool-damper/a-525-10000258


----------



## Mansinthe86

Temporary setup location for trying out stuff.

MacBook M1 with QOBUZ app, Singxer SA 1, SMSL D300 . Headphones are the Dan Clark Aeon 2.

This is going to be my secondary setup once I'm sure what Headphone amp I'm going to get for the living room setup.


----------



## Olmanwood123 (Jan 29, 2022)

Quite a pair. Can't wait for the LCD-5's to compare. Now I need a power amp to match for the "big boys" to see how they respond.


----------



## betula

Olmanwood123 said:


> Quite a pair. Can't wait for the LCD-5's to compare.


While I really like the LCD line, the 5 just did not click with me. I would pick the Elite any day versus the LCD5.


----------



## Olmanwood123

betula said:


> While I really like the LCD line, the 5 just did not click with me. I would pick the Elite any day versus the LCD5.


What was it that didn't work for you? I am curious as I await mine to arrive. What were you running them with?


----------



## betula

Olmanwood123 said:


> What was it that didn't work for you? I am curious as I await mine to arrive. What were you running them with?


I tried the LCD5 straight out of a Chord Dave. 

To my personal taste the sound was just too neutral and bass light. 
The LCD5 still has the signature Audeze energy and punch, but strangely lacks any sort of warmth that previous LCD models had. I prefer the LCD4's colouration versus the LCD5's superior but flavourless technical performance. 
It is personal taste I guess, but the LCD5 is simply not for me.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> There's another advantage of that aluminum wall covering:
> 
> If you bang your head against painted drywall hard enough, you may punch a big hole in it (PITA to fix, repaint)
> But if you bang your head against the aluminum panel and dent it--just yank it out and install a new panel


You didn't even mention cosmic ray supression and the non-slip surface



FinHifi said:


> Should have cleared the cable-mess


Cable mess. LOL. I'm the king of cable mess, no matter how hard I have tried over the years to abdicate the throne...


----------



## RobertSM

Olmanwood123 said:


> Quite a pair. Can't wait for the LCD-5's to compare. Now I need a power amp to match for the "big boys" to see how they respond.



How do you like the Weiss dac501? I'm in the market for a new dac later this year and the Weiss is on my very shortlist.


----------



## LoryWiv

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  My older sisters got more than their fair share....in fact _all_ Mom and Dad had to share before I came along.  They should have named me Leftover.


Take comfort Bill. I am fairly certain your tube collection is more impressive than theirs!


----------



## Olmanwood123 (Jan 29, 2022)

RobertSM said:


> How do you like the Weiss dac501? I'm in the market for a new dac later this year and the Weiss is on my very shortlist.


I would very highly recommend it. I have been an owner of a TT2/mscaler combo for several years now and this DAC501 is at or above that level of performance. I am honestly blown away at how good it is. Although  I have only had it for 2 days now, it has moved me. The level of detail, fluidity of its musicality, versatility/features (headphone amp, preamp and streamer) form factor, ease of use... all of it.

This purchase was not planned. I was initially leaning towards a TT2 and Ttoby for my office headphone system and my audio of dealer of many years brought this by, along with a number of other pieces to try and play around with, in the meantime, as Chord, like so many other audio companies, are back-ordered for 1+ months these days. I knew immediately that I wanted to keep the Weiss DAC501 and cancelled my Chord order.

I also had a need for a headphone amp, and it is no slouch in this area as well. Enough power for my easier-to-drive headphones. My Meze Elites have never sounded so good and have definitely scaled with this dac to show me what they can really do. Makes me wonder what others who have been overly critical of the Elites are listening to them with?

The "big-boys" like the Susvara and Abyss 1266 TC will need more power to get them to sing, but again, this is more of a "casual", "everyday" listening area, that I can always add a speaker amp to in the future (and fully plan to). I know the DAC502 has a balanced output for headphones and if it is at all as capable as the SE in the 501, who knows what that could do. But it di comes down to the form factor as well - so I did not audition the full-sized 502.

I fully plan in the near future to try my etude with the DAC501, and who knows, maybe it will de-throne the TT2/Mscaler that sits in my main system... too early to tell right now.

Hopefully, this helps you a bit. Let me know if you want to know anything else specifically. There are some glowing reviews online. But, I guess given the price point it is very much a niche product, so there isn't a tonne of press. Thankfully my dealer gave me a price point that I could not pass up. He is small independent, no storefront, no online presence, just local word of mouth. Great service, great guy - been dealing with him for 20+ years now.


----------



## RobertSM

Olmanwood123 said:


> I would very highly recommend it. I have been an owner of a TT2/mscaler combo for several years now and this DAC501 is at or above that level of performance. I am honestly blown away at how good it is. Although  I have only had it for 2 days now, it has moved me. The level of detail, fluidity of its musicality, versatility/features (headphone amp, preamp and streamer) form factor, ease of use... all of it.
> 
> This purchase was not planned. I was initially leaning towards a TT2 and Ttoby for my office headphone system and my audio of dealer of many years brought this by, along with a number of other pieces to try and play around with, in the meantime, as Chord, like so many other audio companies, are back-ordered for 1+ months these days. I knew immediately that I wanted to keep the Weiss DAC501 and cancelled my Chord order.
> 
> ...



Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. You are confirming what I was hoping was the case, the Weiss DAC501 is a excellent high-end DAC. 

I'm definitely very interested in one for myself later this year.


----------



## Barnstormer13

Added a set of cherry drawers for storing cables and parts. It was made (not by me) last week so the wood hasn’t darkened yet, but it should match the top of the audio rack and the boxes on the bottom in a month or 2.


----------



## Zachik

Barnstormer13 said:


> Added a set of cherry drawers for storing cables and parts. It was made (not by me) last week so the wood hasn’t darkened yet, but it should match the top of the audio rack and the boxes on the bottom in a month or 2.


Hmmm.... I need something like that to organize my mess!


----------



## ra990

My latest bedside setup. The Abyss are surprisingly comfortable in bed.


----------



## Roasty

Olmanwood123 said:


> I would very highly recommend it. I have been an owner of a TT2/mscaler combo for several years now and this DAC501 is at or above that level of performance. I am honestly blown away at how good it is. Although  I have only had it for 2 days now, it has moved me. The level of detail, fluidity of its musicality, versatility/features (headphone amp, preamp and streamer) form factor, ease of use... all of it.
> 
> This purchase was not planned. I was initially leaning towards a TT2 and Ttoby for my office headphone system and my audio of dealer of many years brought this by, along with a number of other pieces to try and play around with, in the meantime, as Chord, like so many other audio companies, are back-ordered for 1+ months these days. I knew immediately that I wanted to keep the Weiss DAC501 and cancelled my Chord order.
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard of that dac till you posted it. I guess for some reason it's not commonly mentioned here (?). really nice small form factor. any plans to add an amp to it? I'd imagine enleum or ferrum would go nicely, aesthetics wise. perhaps a HPA4 too.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard of that dac till you posted it. I guess for some reason it's not commonly mentioned here (?). really nice small form factor. any plans to add an amp to it? I'd imagine enleum or ferrum would go nicely, aesthetics wise. perhaps a HPA4 too.


Where have you been during last CanJam if you haven't heard of Weiß DACs yet?


----------



## Roasty

ThanatosVI said:


> Where have you been during last CanJam if you haven't heard of Weiß DACs yet?



I've never been to any canjam before and outside of music u can find me under a rock.


----------



## Korean audiophile

ra990 said:


> My latest bedside setup. The Abyss are surprisingly comfortable in bed.


Do you think listening in bed makes it more enjoyable?


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> I've never been to any canjam before and outside of music u can find me under a rock.


Well I thought you had followed the impressions threads.
Either way, weiss 501/502 has been available there and some impressions mentioned them.

Certainly interesting gear. Btw the DAC 501 and 502 have an headphone amp included. Basically Bartok/Tambaqui like devices.

There is also the DSP 501/502 that offers all the EQ, Room correction, Loudness, crossfeed and upsampling, for those that want to keep their current DAC.

501 and 502 are internally the same, one is in the small chassis the other in a regular hifi rack size.
The big one has a headphone 4-pin XLR on the rear as well.


----------



## Barnstormer13

Zachik said:


> Hmmm.... I need something like that to organize my mess!


Etsy is the place to go. Lots of excellent stuff, decent prices.


----------



## ra990

Korean audiophile said:


> Do you think listening in bed makes it more enjoyable?


Yes, I'm usually more relaxed, ready to slip into some nice music. I find myself falling asleep with the headphones on, frequently!


----------



## Olmanwood123 (Jan 29, 2022)

Roasty said:


> Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard of that dac till you posted it. I guess for some reason it's not commonly mentioned here (?). really nice small form factor. any plans to add an amp to it? I'd imagine enleum or ferrum would go nicely, aesthetics wise. perhaps a HPA4 too.


It’s internal headphone amp is really good (on par with the TT2) May add a speaker amp to power my Susvara and Abyss 1266 TC . Looking for one that has a small form factor as well (special limitations). This is a secondary desktop system , so I don’t want to make a huge outlay as my primary system was a considerable investment


----------



## meomap

Korean audiophile said:


> Do you think listening in bed makes it more enjoyable?


The answer might surprise you.
Big YES.....


----------



## RickB

FinHifi said:


> Should have cleared the cable-mess


For a second I thought I was looking at a Topping amp with tubes.


----------



## ThEvil0nE

Because remote viewing and meeting is  becoming a work norm, just add a little play in it.


----------



## whitefang (Jan 30, 2022)

whitefang said:


> My GSX-mini finally arrived and filled in the blank space on my rack.
> I like how they all happen to have volume knob in the center now.


After some months my system changed and pretty much finalized. still have all knobs neatly in the center


----------



## pspentax (Jan 30, 2022)

Playing today with the amazing Bricasti M3 and using the speakers amp Clones 25i to drive the HEDDphone. 🔥🔥🔥👌👌👌


----------



## DownToThis (Jan 30, 2022)

Enjoying my recent MHDT Orchid with the Ericsson 2C51 tube


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## Olmanwood123

RobertSM said:


> Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. You are confirming what I was hoping was the case, the Weiss DAC501 is a excellent high-end DAC.
> 
> I'm definitely very interested in one for myself later this year.


Have been playing a bit this morning. Comparing the DAC501 headphone output vs my Chord Etude... I can say that I am again incredibly surprised by what this can do. 

Now obviously it has no problem driving the Meze Elites. So I tried my 1266 TC's with the DAC501 vs Chord Etude. The Weiss was able to drive them, and not just make them "loud", but the bass was present, controlled, the sound stage was as I was used to. All the boxes were checked. Now, don't get me wrong, the Etude has more grunt to it - and could drive them further, but I could easily listen to the 1266's thru the Weiss and would be very happy. For the TT2 to meet this, it would have had to have used its XLR outs. 

Still waiting on the Susvaras to arrive (still being sorted in the post), and will do a similar test.

And no I don't receive any commissions on this, it just seems like for me the Weiss DAC501 came out of the blue and has me converted.


----------



## Mr Trev

Olmanwood123 said:


> Have been playing a bit this morning. Comparing the DAC501 headphone output vs my Chord Etude... I can say that I am again incredibly surprised by what this can do.
> 
> Now obviously it has no problem driving the Meze Elites. So I tried my 1266 TC's with the DAC501 vs Chord Etude. The Weiss was able to drive them, and not just make them "loud", but the bass was present, controlled, the sound stage was as I was used to. All the boxes were checked. Now, don't get me wrong, the Etude has more grunt to it - and could drive them further, but I could easily listen to the 1266's thru the Weiss and would be very happy. For the TT2 to meet this, it would have had to have used its XLR outs.
> 
> ...


Awesome avatar.


----------



## MoarCoffeePlzzz

Here is my head-fi set up in my office atm.


----------



## Preachy1

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> Here is my head-fi set up in my office atm.


Dude, you have your own ATM????  Koo-ahllll


----------



## MoarCoffeePlzzz

Preachy1 said:


> Dude, you have your own ATM????  Koo-ahllll


I traded it in for this picture


----------



## OspreyAndy




----------



## MacMan31

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> Here is my head-fi set up in my office atm.



That's an awesome setup. Makes me want to have a desk setup again. Is that desk and monitor riser from IKEA? Where did you get the lamp? Also curious about the folded US flag. Are you or a family member a military vet?


----------



## MacMan31

I switched things around in my room. So here is my current setup. Still tweaking things a bit. Also still looking for a new integrated amp for my speakers. My current HP amp is a Schiit Valhalla II but that may change as I have a Lyr 3 on the way. Bought one used on CAM.


----------



## Nostoi

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> Here is my head-fi set up in my office atm.


Very nice set-up, indeed. 

Also - this will sound a little creepy, but I used to live in Memphis and couldn't help but notice the photo on your desk, which is the fountain at South Bluffs if I'm not mistaken? This will also sound even creepier, but I think I know who your partner is in the photo (if she used to work at Bluff City Coffee?) I know the area well, because I used to live around the corner in The Lofts at South Bluffs (and miss it quite a bit...!)


----------



## arielext

Nostoi said:


> Very nice set-up, indeed.
> 
> Also - this will sound a little creepy, but I used to live in Memphis and couldn't help but notice the photo on your desk, which is the fountain at South Bluffs if I'm not mistaken? This will also sound even creepier, but I think I know who your partner is in the photo (if she used to work at Bluff City Coffee?) I know the area well, because I used to live around the corner in The Lofts at South Bluffs (and miss it quite a bit...!)


no doesn't sound creepy *at all* 😱


----------



## Nostoi

arielext said:


> no doesn't sound creepy *at all* 😱


Heh, I know. Double creepy. It's such an obscure thing I couldn't help but say...! 

*Disclaimer*:_ I'm not a stalker_.


----------



## MoarCoffeePlzzz

Nostoi said:


> Very nice set-up, indeed.
> 
> Also - this will sound a little creepy, but I used to live in Memphis and couldn't help but notice the photo on your desk, which is the fountain at South Bluffs if I'm not mistaken? This will also sound even creepier, but I think I know who your partner is in the photo (if she used to work at Bluff City Coffee?) I know the area well, because I used to live around the corner in The Lofts at South Bluffs (and miss it quite a bit...!)


LOL!!! All is correct. Small world!!!


----------



## Nostoi

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> LOL!!! All is correct. Small world!!!


Ha! Nice to hear. Say hello from the British academic and his French wife! 

And have a soul burger and Ghost River on me!


----------



## MoarCoffeePlzzz

Nostoi said:


> Ha! Nice to hear. Say hello from the British academic and his French wife!
> 
> And have a soul burger and Ghost River on me!


Haha she just confirmed all of these things. She remembers you all well and says hello!


----------



## Nostoi

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> Haha she just confirmed all of these things. She remembers you all well and says hello!


Great! Hello to her, too. Hope to get back some day. 

See @arielext - not a stalker!


----------



## arielext

Nostoi said:


> Great! Hello to her, too. Hope to get back some day.
> 
> See @arielext - not a stalker!


haha, Good to know  (Although I already knew you were OK)


----------



## richie60

jonathan c said:


> No vinyl LP/EP turntable to be sure! No anti-skating system on the tonearm could offset that tilt!


There was.  I simplified and removed the turntable for now, that's upstairs in it's own system...


----------



## Necro82

Some update...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Necro82 said:


> Some update...


Handsome setup!

What is that reddish headphone to the left of the D8000?


----------



## Zachik

Pharmaboy said:


> What is that reddish headphone to the left of the D8000?


Fostex TH-909​


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 31, 2022)

Zachik said:


> Fostex TH-909​


Thank you.

Somehow I never heard about these headphones (or if I did, forgot them). Reading about them now.


----------



## pataburd (Feb 1, 2022)

*HE-6se v.2* (Grill Mod)<--4x 22AWG Neotech UPOCC solid core silver cable<--*SMSL SP200 *(high gain, volume: 1 o'clock, ~2.35W/50ohms), EVS Ground Enhancer (@6.35mm jack), Infinity Audio shorting plugs (@ unused RCA inputs)<--Amphenol jumpers<--Tri-pazer 2.0<--SoundSilver Cosmos interconnects<--DakiOm R203 Feedback Stabilizer<--*Topping D50s *@32/384<--Uptone Audio USPCB<--Wyred4Sound Recovery<--USB Disruptor/daBig Genius USB cable<--AQ Jitterbug<--iFi iSilencer+<--Lenovo G50 [Tidal Master] . . . MyAudioCable power cord, Shakti Stone (underneath SP200), RDC cones and cups, Herbies' Gabon Ebony cones and ebony blocks, Alan Maher Infinity RFI filters, TrippLite and PowerVar AC conditioners, Furutech AC receptacle


----------



## pspentax

Today my station is at this state... testing the HD800S vs the HEDDphone, L300, L300 Limited an the L700mkII. 🤦‍♂️


----------



## Chastity

pspentax said:


> Today my station is at this state... testing the HD800S vs the HEDDphone, L300, L300 Limited an the L700mkII. 🤦‍♂️


One of these headphones is not like the others... one of these headphones doesn't belong.


----------



## bcowen

Chastity said:


> One of these headphones is not like the others... one of these headphones doesn't belong.


Is it the black one?


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> Is it the black one?


Can you even say that anymore?


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Still Meze and Chord, but with a little twist. My TT2 will be in my friend's place for a week, thankfully Qutest Anni perform really well too!


----------



## betula

TheMiddleSky said:


> Still Meze and Chord, but with a little twist. My TT2 will be in my friend's place for a week, thankfully Qutest Anni perform really well too!


How do you find the combo versus the TT2?
Is the fan in the Anni not bothering?


----------



## DJJEZ

Still a work in progress but getting there


----------



## Unterstuffz

DJJEZ said:


> Still a work in progress but getting there


Good Lord .... Are you intressted in some homecooked chilli or irish beef stew in exchange for a hour long listening session with your system xD? What even is there to upgrade...and it looks so beautiful too ... all black ...


----------



## Terriero

DJJEZ said:


> Still a work in progress but getting there


Getting to music heaven?


----------



## Terriero

MoarCoffeePlzzz said:


> Here is my head-fi set up in my office atm.


I love your desk


----------



## Terriero

Nostoi said:


> Very nice set-up, indeed.
> 
> Also - this will sound a little creepy, but I used to live in Memphis and couldn't help but notice the photo on your desk, which is the fountain at South Bluffs if I'm not mistaken? This will also sound even creepier, but I think I know who your partner is in the photo (if she used to work at Bluff City Coffee?) I know the area well, because I used to live around the corner in The Lofts at South Bluffs (and miss it quite a bit...!)


You know how to zoom


----------



## pspentax

Chastity said:


> One of these headphones is not like the others... one of these headphones doesn't belong.





bcowen said:


> Is it the black one?


🤣🤣🤣🤣👌👌👌👌


----------



## pspentax (Feb 1, 2022)

DJJEZ said:


> Still a work in progress but getting there


The first track (almost all the tracks) of the soundtrack of the movie in that poster is a great stress test for that headphone’s 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

pataburd said:


> *HE-6se v.2* (Grill Mod)<--4x 22AWG Neotech UPOCC solid core silver cable<--*SMSL SP200 *(high gain, volume: 1 o'clock, ~2.35W/50ohms), EVS Ground Enhancer (@6.35mm jack), Infinity Audio shorting plugs (@ unused RCA inputs)<--Amphenol jumpers<--Tri-pazer 2.0<--SoundSilver Cosmos interconnects<--DakiOm R203 Feedback Stabilizer<--*Topping D50s *@32/384<--Uptone Audio USPCB<--Wyred4Sound Recovery<--USB Disruptor/daBig Genius USB cable<--AQ Jitterbug<--iFi iSilencer+<--Lenovo G50 [Tidal Master] . . . MyAudioCable power cord, Shakti Stone (underneath SP200), RDC cones and cups, Herbies' Gabon Ebony cones and ebony blocks, Alan Maher Infinity RFI filters, TrippLite and PowerVar AC conditioners, Furutech AC receptacle


How does that HE-6se sound? 

That's a borderline legendary HP, but often described as near-impossible to drive.


----------



## pataburd (Feb 2, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> How does that HE-6se sound?
> 
> That's a borderline legendary HP, but often described as near-impossible to drive.


Detailed, precise, agile, in taut control of the signal, with lively dynamics and pristine tonality.

The SMSL SP200 does a surprisingly capable job of driving the HE-6se (~2.35W available).

Right now, I am driving them directly from the speaker taps of the Wyred4Sound mINT, with volume knob at about 11 o'clock.  The mINT's [Class D] amp section is rated at 100wpc/8ohms, translating to about 17W available at the HE-6se's rated impedance of 50ohms.  With more available power, the HE-6se sound bigger, bolder, brassier and more detailed, with improved imaging and expanded soundstage.  They can hit fast and hard or sound serenely sublime, depending on the track.



The HE-6se is a departure from the original HE-6, which had a bit drier, less dense tonality and a more analytic character overall, but was ultra-transparent, more detailed, more open, further extended (bass- and treble-wise) and had a cavernous soundstage.  It was like entering another world with the original HE-6.


----------



## Pharmaboy

pataburd said:


> Detailed, very detailed, spot-on/agile, in complete control of the signal, with lively dynamics and pristine tonality.
> 
> The SMSL SP200 does a surprisingly respectable job of driving the HE-6se (~2.35W available).
> 
> ...


Thanks for a most detailed & informative answer. I didn't realize there was so much difference between the original 6 & 6se.

Never heard of the Wyred4sound mINT until today. I'm a W4S fan--their ST-500 class D amp is currently powering my vintage KEF 103.2s. IMO it's a fine sounding amp, class D or otherwise. I've heard it on 2-3 sets of speakers that would really show me deficiencies.


----------



## pataburd (Feb 1, 2022)

Original HE-6 are true classics and in a league of their own--to this day.
The HE-6se v.2 can be found nowadays at a very affordable price ($450-$600): new, open box or used.  Speaker amps can provide a very affordable and effective means to drive them.
(The mINT pairs very well with the HFM.)

The mINT is W4S's all-in-one DAC/amp.
At the moment, I am using the Topping D50s DAC and the mINT's analogue inputs.
I accrued the mINT, Wadia 151 and bel canto C5i (all with well-implemented Class D amp sections) when building a simple outboard system (ended up settling with the bel canto and a pair of the Triangle BR03).  Am  curious to hear the bel canto drive the HE-6se v.2 (think it would be a very good match), but am avoiding the rigmarole of having to break down that system to get at the DAC/amp.


----------



## Pharmaboy

pataburd said:


> The mINT is W4S's all-in-one DAC/amp.
> At the moment, I am using the Topping D50s DAC and the mINT's analogue inputs.
> I accrued the mINT, Wadia 151 and bel canto C5i when building a simple outboard system (ended up settling with the bel canto and a pair of the Triangle BR03).  Am  curious to hear the bel canto drive the HE-6se v.2 (think it would be a very good match), but am avoiding the rigmarole of having to break down that system to get at the amp.


I've always been curious about the sound of bel canto class D amps. Just never managed to hear any.

Do you like that sound?


----------



## pspentax (Feb 1, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> I've always been curious about the sound of bel canto class D amps. Just never managed to hear any.
> 
> Do you like that sound?


some years ago i had a Belcanto set in my store for some time and never find nothing special about them.
Nothing more than a little modded  B&O's ICE power class D technology. 🤷‍♂️


----------



## pataburd (Feb 1, 2022)

I like the C5i with the Triangles; everything seems just right.  Some reviewers catalogue bel canto to be tuned on the warmer side, but I don't get that impression with the C5i.  It sounds very even-handed in every technical aspect, but maintains a primarily musical character.

"Nothing special" about the bel canto?  I would tend to agree.  It gets out of the way and simply passes the music through, intact, like a good amp should.  : )

The C5i sports a very competent DAC, too, IMHO.


----------



## pataburd (Feb 1, 2022)

Repeat.  Delete.


----------



## pataburd

pspentax said:


> some years ago i had a Belcanto set in my store for some time and never find nothing special about them.
> Nothing more than a little modded  B&O's ICE power class D technology. 🤷‍♂️


How are things in Portugal?
Yours is one country I have always wanted to visit. and have wanted to live there--since I was child.


----------



## pspentax

pataburd said:


> How are things in Portugal?
> Yours is one country I have always wanted to visit. and have wanted to live there--since I was child.


Not as bad as we think it will be because the Covid.
In fact it is a great place to visit and live if you have some money or a good job.
Many people in the last’s years came to live in Portugal.
Send a message when you want to come here 😉


----------



## pataburd

If limited to a one word descriptor for the HE6se v.2: "incisive".


----------



## jonathan c

pataburd said:


> If limited to a one word descriptor for the HE6se v.2: "incisive".


…Dickensian?…it could be the best of qualities, it could be the worst of qualities…


----------



## pataburd

Another thought crossed my mind:
"HiFiMan HE6se v.2 is to Ananda (v.2) as Focal Utopia is to Clear OG."


----------



## pspentax

I’m loving this small station combination…
Mojo->Clones->HD800S

Driving the HD800S by speakers amp 🔥🔥🔥


----------



## alekc

pspentax said:


> I’m loving this small station combination…
> Mojo->Clones->HD800S
> 
> Driving the HD800S by speakers amp 🔥🔥🔥


Simply brilliant  Simplicity and SQ at its best - congrats on great setup and taste @pspentax


----------



## Terriero

pspentax said:


> I’m loving this small station combination…
> Mojo->Clones->HD800S
> 
> Driving the HD800S by speakers amp 🔥🔥🔥


And that book at the back about "Minimalismo"...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> And that book at the back about "Minimalismo"...


I would expect any book with the title "Minimalismo" to be somewhat shorter...


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I would expect any book with the title "Minimalismo" to be somewhat shorter...


….or in very small font…


----------



## filud




----------



## shwnwllms (Feb 3, 2022)

New addition to the family - ZMF Auteur Teak


----------



## DeweyCH

I think I might be done... oh, who am I kidding? Here's today:






















'Phones from left to right: Verite Closed stabilized "Behir", Aeolus Sapele, Susvara, Verite Open stabilized "Nechtan," Auteur Almond. Only thing I _might_ pursue at some point in the future is a closed-back planar, but... why?


----------



## betula

DeweyCH said:


> I think I might be done... oh, who am I kidding? Here's today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is definitely a detectable level of dedication to headphone audio shining through your pictures.


----------



## kumar402

DeweyCH said:


> I think I might be done... oh, who am I kidding? Here's today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great collection!
These hardware EQ devices give a glimpse of listening preference or shortcoming of headphone. We need more analogue EQ


----------



## bcowen

shwnwllms said:


> New addition to the family - ZMF Auteur Teak


Nice!!!


----------



## jasonb

iPhone 13Pro using Apple Music (lossless) to a Qudelix 5K with an AKG K371.


----------



## ihyan2

My bedroom setup:
Bluesound Node 
Lampizator lvl 4
Wells Audio Milo 
Hifiman HE1KV2


----------



## Pharmaboy

ihyan2 said:


> My bedroom setup:
> Bluesound Node
> Lampizator lvl 4
> Wells Audio Milo
> Hifiman HE1KV2


Wells Milo! I'm very interested in that amp...

What level is yours?


----------



## ihyan2

Pharmaboy said:


> Wells Milo! I'm very interested in that amp...
> 
> What level is yours?


Mine is the one with the upgraded khozmo stepped attenuator and Vishay resistors


----------



## UntilThen

New high end headphone


----------



## RickB

UntilThen said:


> New high end headphone


In the 1950s that would have been *very* high-end.


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> New high end headphone


I hope you own a proper amp for them!!!


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> New high end headphone


Yeah, but I heard the microphone sucks.  🤣🤣


----------



## pataburd

Stax SR-L500 Mk.2<--Mjolnir SRD-7 eStat Transformer<--Wadia 151PowerDAC mini<--USB Disruptor/daBig Genius<--Tidal Master [Henri Mancini]:


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> I hope you own a proper amp for them!!!



Couple of speaker amps to drive it. Should be good.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Couple of speaker amps to drive it. Should be good.


Want to borrow these (they come in a 2-pack)?  150wpc should allow at least moderate volume levels.  🤣🤣


----------



## Coztomba

Nothing new except the Shako beanie and my renewed loved for D2 via D2r.  Listening to the Focal Clear OG > HP8 > ADI2 tonight.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Coztomba said:


> Nothing new except the Shako beanie and my renewed loved for D2 via D2r.  Listening to the Focal Clear OG > HP8 > ADI2 tonight.


That Shako beany! Love it and still on the hunt for a shako drop


----------



## UntilThen

Ah I see a Soloist 3XP there, a sweet sounding solid state. I don't usually say that about a ss amp. I am using it right now with He6se V2.


----------



## DeweyCH

Bedside setup:





Headphones rotate in and out, last night was Nechtan. New to me Conductor 3XP sounds great and is the perfect small footprint all-in-one.

Kinda nuts how different Nechtan looks under one of those “bedtime friendly” lights.


----------



## UntilThen

Another Burson? Is this the Burson full moon night?


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> Another Burson? Is this the Burson full moon night?


It seems so.


----------



## pspentax (Feb 5, 2022)

Today is a little messy 🤣🤦‍♂️


----------



## kawhia (Feb 5, 2022)

Hi folks. This is my first post. I have only started two years ago with headphones but am happy where the journey has taken me so far. Happy listening.
Ugh. Can’t post pictures of my sweet setup it seems…


----------



## snapple10 (Feb 5, 2022)

For the day


----------



## Khaos663




----------



## Yesthereisgasinthecar

Here is the latest PC station.  EVGA Nu Audio TOSLINK->Topping D70 -> Phonitor 2 -> McIntosh MHA200.  Headphones are whatever Focal or Sennheiser that I have out that day; they all sound great so I cycle through them. -Cheers


----------



## DeweyCH

pspentax said:


> Today is a little messy


Thank you for introducing me to Leben, had to zoom in to find the name of that integrated amp up there because it’s striking. Are you using it exclusively for driving your speakers or are you using any of its headphone capabilities,


----------



## DeweyCH

kawhia said:


> Hi folks. This is my first post. I have only started two years ago with headphones but am happy where the journey has taken me so far. Happy listening.
> Ugh. Can’t post pictures of my sweet setup it seems…


Tell us about them then! And post pictures when you can!


----------



## pspentax (Feb 5, 2022)

DeweyCH said:


> Thank you for introducing me to Leben, had to zoom in to find the name of that integrated amp up there because it’s striking. Are you using it exclusively for driving your speakers or are you using any of its headphone capabilities,


In a store i have worked maybe 15 years ago we sold many Leben and my favorite product was the CS300 line.
The Leben CS300 line is fantastic and this one is the CS300X Limited🔥🔥🔥and is amazing.
I use it manly for speakers but it as also a fantastic headphone output directly from the output transformer.
This one is tuned for low impedance phones HE6SE but changing an internal resistor it can be converted to high impedance phones.
And also use many headphones connected directly to the speakers output.
Many people love it only for headphones but they don’t know what are losing with speakers 😉
You have here a tread about it:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-leben-cs300xs-thread.415214/


----------



## jms91




----------



## kawhia (Feb 5, 2022)

DeweyCH said:


> Tell us about them then! And post pictures when you can!


My first real HP was the Grado RS2e that I bought at a local dealer and liked for quite a while. Then I got interested in other stuff, went to other dealers etc. one Day I had the opportunity at a different dealer to hear many different higher end HP (Empyrean, Verite etc) and I fell in love with the Diana V2. For one year I had the V2 with the Felix Euforia and I like it a lot.

Cambridge Audio Edge NQ - Felix Euforia - Abyss Diana V2

PS next to the Grado I also own the Meze 99 classics.


----------



## betula

jms91 said:


>


Volume on the 3XP at 99 and music is playing?


----------



## jms91

betula said:


> Volume on the 3XP at 99 and music is playing?


Not quite.. The volume was set low on the RME otherwise my ears wouldn't forgive me. The Burson is a new addition and I'm still figuring out how to run them together best. Right now I'm running the Burson on the headphone power amp on Medium power so I control volume through RME solo now. 
Btw, nice set up


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Yeah, but I heard the microphone sucks.  🤣🤣


You totally missed the fact he got the upgraded model with windscreen. I have never seen one in Europe!


----------



## betula (Feb 5, 2022)

jms91 said:


> Not quite.. The volume was set low on the RME otherwise my ears wouldn't forgive me. The Burson is a new addition and I'm still figuring out how to run them together best. Right now I'm running the Burson on the headphone power amp on Medium power so I control volume through RME solo now.
> Btw, nice set up


That 3XP on the picture is not in headphone power amp mode. Check the picture I have just shared. You should see that sign on the display and not the volume numbers.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jms91 said:


> Not quite.. The volume was set low on the RME otherwise my ears wouldn't forgive me. The Burson is a new addition and I'm still figuring out how to run them together best. Right now I'm running the Burson on the headphone power amp on Medium power so I control volume through RME solo now.
> Btw, nice set up


Set the RME to fixed output and control volume at the amp.


----------



## betula

gimmeheadroom said:


> Set the RME to fixed output and control volume at the amp.


That is an option as well, but the Soloist 3XP has a function called 'headphone power amp mode' when it completely bypasses the volume stage, so the volume can only be controlled on the DAC. For this @jms91 you need to press the menu button for 15 seconds. But _make sure you turn the volume down on the RME_, otherwise it will be way too loud and can destroy ears/drivers.


----------



## jms91

betula said:


> That 3XP on the picture is not in headphone power amp mode. Check the picture I have just shared. You should see that sign on the display and not the volume numbers.



Not in the picture no, but it's on the same display as yours now. Was excited to get it all set up! Amazing combo so far and very happy with improvement over running the Empyrean solely through RME.


----------



## betula

jms91 said:


> Not in the picture no, but it's on the same display as yours now. Was excited to get it all set up! Amazing combo so far and very happy with improvement over running the Empyrean solely through RME.


That is great, but doesn't quite explain the picture.  So on the picture the amp was at max volume and the ADI-2 was not set to 0 (fixed) output level (as it should be in normal mode)?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Coztomba said:


> Nothing new except the Shako beanie and my renewed loved for D2 via D2r.  Listening to the Focal Clear OG > HP8 > ADI2 tonight.


Never heard of a Skako beanie. 

After 10" of googling, I'm still not sure what it means, beyond the fact that it's some kind of headgear and might tie into a computer game (and you can buy them on Etsy).


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 5, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Never heard of a Skako beanie.
> 
> After 10" of googling, I'm still not sure what it means, beyond the fact that it's some kind of headgear and might tie into a computer game (and you can buy them on Etsy).


You see the + sign after the Shak?

It's Shake, Rattle, and Roll. Just not enough real estate on the hat for the full slogan.

I just realized you only googled ten inches. You should have gone the whole 9 yards


----------



## DeweyCH

jms91 said:


>


Burson gang rolls on today


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## SalR406

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Nice clean design to this space.  Muted colors, with a little splash of green from the baby snake plant.  I like that mini rack, too.


----------



## carbonF1

On the opposite end of the clean spectrum, here's my station which in a rare moment has everything in one spot and cables running amuck 🤣 (mostly because I've been moving the schiit stack back and forth a couple of times this week). The HD600s are the latest addition and will probably be going to the work desk along with all of the other Schiit on Monday.


----------



## Khaos663

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Very nice!  Where is that mini rack from?


----------



## ThanatosVI

Pharmaboy said:


> Never heard of a Skako beanie.
> 
> After 10" of googling, I'm still not sure what it means, beyond the fact that it's some kind of headgear and might tie into a computer game (and you can buy them on Etsy).


It is from a Computer game. From Diablo 2 actually, which received a remake After 20 years with Diablo 2 Ressurected.

Shako is a headgear item one of the best unique items in the game.
The Font used on the beanie is the same used ingame.


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Khaos663 said:


> Very nice!  Where is that mini rack from?


Thanks. The mini rack I made myself.


----------



## DeweyCH

kawhia said:


> My first real HP was the Grado RS2e that I bought at a local dealer and liked for quite a while. Then I got interested in other stuff, went to other dealers etc. one Day I had the opportunity at a different dealer to hear many different higher end HP (Empyrean, Verite etc) and I fell in love with the Diana V2. For one year I had the V2 with the Felix Euforia and I like it a lot.
> 
> Cambridge Audio Edge NQ - Felix Euforia - Abyss Diana V2
> 
> PS next to the Grado I also own the Meze 99 classics.


I’m jealous of that Euforia. Gorgeous.


----------



## Khaos663

Turkeysaurus said:


> Thanks. The mini rack I made myself.


Well done!  Looks great and its the perfect size.


----------



## Pharmaboy

SalR406 said:


> Nice clean design to this space.  Muted colors, with a little splash of green from the baby snake plant.  I like that mini rack, too.


True. It's austere, orderly, calming.


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## jonathan c

carbonF1 said:


> On the opposite end of the clean spectrum, here's my station which in a rare moment has everything in one spot and cables running amuck 🤣 (mostly because I've been moving the schiit stack back and forth a couple of times this week). The HD600s are the latest addition and will probably be going to the work desk along with all of the other Schiit on Monday.


Tremendous!  + @Ripper2860 nightmare: Valhalla front tubes are taller than back tubes 🤣


----------



## Ripper2860 (Feb 5, 2022)

Dear Lord! Have we no standards. My OCD is preventing a like of anything where the front tubes are taller than the rear.  😒


----------



## EstrangedBaron (Feb 6, 2022)




----------



## galveston22

.


----------



## jonathan c

EstrangedBaron said:


>


Very nice ensemble. (Hang your Hifiman h/p by the outer metal band?…)


----------



## EstrangedBaron

jonathan c said:


> Very nice ensemble. (Hang your Hifiman h/p by the outer metal band?…)


Thanks! An amp upgrade is definitely next on the list for me. (thanks for the tip! I edited the photo)


----------



## jonathan c

What do you seek via the h/p/a upgrade?


----------



## EstrangedBaron

jonathan c said:


> What do you seek via the h/p/a upgrade?


At the moment I am primarily considering having a KG CFA 3 built. I tend to prefer a wider soundstage, deep but controlled bass, balanced mids, and highs that give me information without hurting my ears with sharpness lol. I feel like the CFA 3 will give me that signature with the Susvara, and if I feel like I want more buttery mids I could add a tube preamp to the setup. If I don't end up with the CFA 3 though I may go with the Enleum 23r instead.


----------



## Kingrex

15ips reel to reel.  The heads are direct wired out to a NAB/IEC eq and the Schiit Valhalla 2 is the preamp.  I can use headphones or out to my main stereo.


----------



## Kingrex (Feb 6, 2022)

Thats the Who on now. Copy of a  Production Master tape.  I have been thinking of new cans.  Those are AKG K702.  They are not bad.  I sat in my hifi shop and found the multi thousand $ selections to sound bass fat and not natural.  I need to go to a headphone show.  I am not sure what pleases me yet.  Maybe what I have does.  Maybe something else will sing more to my liking.


----------



## Kevbo

Current station complete with my bad habits spending fund


----------



## jonathan c

Kevbo said:


> Current station complete with my bad habits spending fund


That envelope looks rather thin…🙁


----------



## bcowen

Kevbo said:


> Current station complete with my *bad habits spending fund*


ROFL!!


----------



## DownToThis

Kevbo said:


> Current station complete with my bad habits spending fund


Is that the 3M Littmann Classic III stethescope on the wall?  How does it sound?  I hear it lacks some microdetail but the sub bass is outstanding.  Upgrading the ear tips is a must to really make them shine!


----------



## alekc

gimmeheadroom said:


> Set the RME to fixed output and control volume at the amp.


@gimmeheadroom @jms91  I'd rather do the other way around: set Burson in power amp mode and control volume from RME, consider how well it is implemented in that dac, contrary to Burson implementation, unless one is using remote exclusively on Soloist. The problem with Burson volume know is that it constantly is getting lost due to sensitivity. 

@jms91 just put it in power amp mode and select proper gain. This is the only way I'm using my Soloist but do not pair it with IEMs. Be also careful with mid and hi gain as those can introduce some noise.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DownToThis said:


> Is that the 3M Littmann Classic III stethescope on the wall?  How does it sound?  I hear it lacks some microdetail but the sub bass is outstanding.  Upgrading the ear tips is a must to really make them shine!


Well spotted!

Silly me, I assumed it was a remote Grado driver on a test rig. Man, the more I read these posts the more I realize how far there is to go...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> @gimmeheadroom @jms91  I'd rather do the other way around: set Burson in power amp mode and control volume from RME, consider how well it is implemented in that dac, contrary to Burson implementation, unless one is using remote exclusively on Soloist. The problem with Burson volume know is that it constantly is getting lost due to sensitivity.
> 
> @jms91 just put it in power amp mode and select proper gain. This is the only way I'm using my Soloist but do not pair it with IEMs. Be also careful with mid and hi gain as those can introduce some noise.


That's because I didn't know Burson has such a mode. It's unsafe and a bad idea to control volume at the input. If you do that enough you'll burn your gear or your ears or both. If this case is an exception, ok. But, somebody else already mentioned it above.


----------



## alekc

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's because I didn't know Burson has such a mode. It's unsafe and a bad idea to control volume at the input. If you do that enough you'll burn your gear or your ears or both. If this case is an exception, ok. But, somebody else already mentioned it above.


@gimmeheadroom you are right - it is dangerous game unfortunately, especially if you tend to switch gear - don't we all do  - and/or fiddle with gear settings.


----------



## Kingrex

Kevbo said:


> Current station complete with my bad habits spending fund


What headphone plays best on the V2 at moderately low volumes.


----------



## David222

betula said:


> That is great, but doesn't quite explain the picture.  So on the picture the amp was at max volume and the ADI-2 was not set to 0 (fixed) output level (as it should be in normal mode)?



I think the missing explanation is  @jms91  likely became distracted from my MHDT Orchid posts in the Burson Soloist thread.  While learning of the Orchid / Burson synergy (unknowingly) spun the pot up to 99 out of excitement... The Orchid can have this (analog) effect.


----------



## jonathan c

EstrangedBaron said:


> At the moment I am primarily considering having a KG CFA 3 built. I tend to prefer a wider soundstage, deep but controlled bass, balanced mids, and highs that give me information without hurting my ears with sharpness lol. I feel like the CFA 3 will give me that signature with the Susvara, and if I feel like I want more buttery mids I could add a tube preamp to the setup. If I don't end up with the CFA 3 though I may go with the Enleum 23r instead.


Also to consider, within solid-state, if you want (need) fully balanced: Flux Lab Acoustics FA-12.


----------



## jonathan c

Kevbo said:


> Current station _competes _with my bad habits spending fund. 🤣


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## David222

The Burson train rolls on 🚂 + "Morning Light" Aeolus


----------



## msing539

David222 said:


> The Burson train rolls on 🚂 + "Morning Light" Aeolus



More like 'morning wood'


----------



## DeweyCH

msing539 said:


> More like 'morning wood'


It would have cost you exactly zero dollars not to have made that comment


----------



## msing539

DeweyCH said:


> It would have cost you exactly zero dollars not to have made that comment



I couldn't pass on the opportunity... I have the impulse of an adolescent.


----------



## DeweyCH

msing539 said:


> I couldn't pass on the opportunity... I have the impulse of an adolescent.


Just giving you a little grief. Was a funny comment. Sarcasm doesn’t always translate well in text.


----------



## Preachy1

DeweyCH said:


> Just giving you a little grief. Was a funny comment. Sarcasm doesn’t always translate well in text.


sure it does, you just have to remember to include the right emojis!


----------



## DeweyCH

Preachy1 said:


> sure it does, you just have to remember to include the right emojis!


👯‍♀️


----------



## msing539 (Feb 6, 2022)

DeweyCH said:


> 👯‍♀️



Nervous robot falls asleep while in class. Family kicks him out of Georgia with nothing but his headphones and pet dragon. Takes on life as a miner before becoming a Rockette.

You truly are a master of storytelling. 

Back to the post, I need to get my stuff in order and post a setup pic here.


----------



## betula

msing539 said:


> Nervous robot falls asleep while in class. Family kicks him out of Georgia with nothing but his headphones and pet dragon. Takes on life as a miner before becoming a Rockette.
> 
> You truly are a master of storytelling.
> 
> Back to the post, I need to get my stuff in order and post a setup pic here.


He must be a modern Egyptologist.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> He must be a modern Egyptologist.


I'm telling my Mummy on you all!


----------



## bcowen

msing539 said:


> Nervous robot falls asleep while in class. Family kicks him out of Georgia with nothing but his headphones and pet dragon. Takes on life as a miner before becoming a Rockette.
> 
> You truly are a master of storytelling.
> 
> Back to the post, I need to get my stuff in order and post a setup pic here.


I want some of whatever you're smoking.  😇


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> I want some of whatever you're smoking.  😇


He's high on life


----------



## Pharmaboy

DownToThis said:


> Is that the 3M Littmann Classic III stethescope on the wall?  How does it sound?  I hear it lacks some microdetail but the sub bass is outstanding.  Upgrading the ear tips is a must to really make them shine!


An audio first: noise-cancelling stethoscopes ("Bluetooth ready!")


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> An audio first: noise-cancelling stethoscopes ("Bluetooth ready!")


This patient's dead.

What do you mean?! His eyes are wide open and he just asked for a drink!

Well, I listened to his heart and I didn't hear anything


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> This patient's dead.
> 
> What do you mean?! His eyes are wide open and he just asked for a drink!
> 
> Well, I listened to his heart and I didn't hear anything


Ironically, the practice's mandatory pre-appointment wallet biopsy showed the patient to be alive and well--at least financially. As for zero signs of life, respiration, pulse, and so on..._C'est la vie_!


----------



## David222

DeweyCH said:


> Just giving you a little grief. Was a funny comment. Sarcasm doesn’t always translate well in text.



Looks like possible Beantown / Big Apple @msing539  rivalry given both locations   

--> Likely can only be settled with more HP/AMP photos


----------



## gimmeheadroom

You didn't just say *THAT!*


----------



## msing539

Challenge accepted. I give you the Skullcandy Crusher EVO x ZMF Mod.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

msing539 said:


> Challenge accepted. I give you the Skullcandy Crusher EVO x ZMF Mod.


Righteous!


----------



## msing539

gimmeheadroom said:


> Righteous!


I've heard wired sounds better.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

msing539 said:


> I've heard wired sounds better.


LOL you lost me.


----------



## msing539

gimmeheadroom said:


> LOL you lost me.


Lol ... wired Skullcandy Crushers. It's a poorly executed project visual on my part.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

msing539 said:


> Lol ... wired Skullcandy Crushers. It's a poorly executed project visual on my part.


Nevertheless, I think that's gonna be a hard act to follow


----------



## DeweyCH




----------



## OpusRob

First team is this column:






Bench is over here:


----------



## msing539

DeweyCH said:


>




Skullcandy Crusher EVO BT has a bass slider tho. Also 100% transparent with the Burson.


----------



## DeweyCH

msing539 said:


> Skullcandy Crusher EVO BT has a bass slider tho. Also 100% transparent with the Burson.


But does the bass slider go to eleven? That’s one more you know!


----------



## Preachy1

OpusRob said:


> First team is this column:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You have no idea how many cases of OCD you just triggered!!!!!


----------



## msing539

DeweyCH said:


> But does the bass slider go to eleven? That’s one more you know!



You've won this round. We'll see how your Susvara stacks up against my Razer Kraken Kitty Edition.


----------



## Pharmaboy

OpusRob said:


> First team is this column:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


1 - Great pix
2 - Pls tell me that's your cat in the Avatar shot...


----------



## DeweyCH

msing539 said:


> You've won this round. We'll see how your Susvara stacks up against my Razer Kraken Kitty Edition.


Oh my friend, just you wait. I have a toddler with toddler headphones. I shall prevail!


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Oh my friend, just you wait. I have a toddler with toddler headphones. I shall prevail!


If your toddler has a toddler OTL tube headphone amp, victory is certain…!


----------



## jonathan c

DownToThis said:


> Is that the 3M Littmann Classic III stethescope on the wall?  How does it sound?  I hear it lacks some microdetail but the sub bass is outstanding.  Upgrading the ear tips is a must to really make them shine!


It gets to the heart of the music 😖👎👎👎


----------



## msing539

jonathan c said:


> If your toddler has a toddler OTL tube headphone amp, victory is certain…!



But the glass...


----------



## DeweyCH

msing539 said:


> But the glass...


Toddler burn cream


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 6, 2022)

David222 said:


> Looks like possible Beantown / Big Apple @msing539  rivalry given both locations
> 
> --> Likely can only be settled with more HP/AMP photos


…in a parking lot…


----------



## jonathan c

msing539 said:


> But the glass...


not glass…shiny sky blue (or pink) Fisher-Price plastic…


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Toddler burn cream


…@bcowen has used it on his fingers since infancy..


----------



## bcowen

DeweyCH said:


> Oh my friend, just you wait. I have a toddler with toddler headphones. I shall prevail!


@Ripper2860 would like to enter his favorites into the fray....wires permitting, and all.


----------



## jonathan c

OpusRob said:


> First team is this column:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


….more like a bench brawl?…


----------



## msing539

jonathan c said:


> not glass…shiny sky blue (or pink) Fisher-Price plastic…





bcowen said:


> @Ripper2860 would like to enter his favorites into the fray....wires permitting, and all.


Now I want to see the graphs


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> …@bcowen has used it on his fingers since infancy..


I don't need it anymore.  The last of the nerve endings burned away several years ago.


----------



## bcowen

msing539 said:


> Now I want to see the graphs


The only thing they measured was the length of the cable.


----------



## galveston22 (Feb 6, 2022)

Just finished building the shelf.  node2i > vmv d1se > freya+ > burson > hd800s with ipad mini as remote.


----------



## Ripper2860

bcowen said:


> @Ripper2860 would like to enter his favorites into the fray....wires permitting, and all.


Here we go again.  BARBIE!  I collect BARBIE items - not Hello Kitty.  🙄


----------



## Bonddam

The system moved from basement to office where my wife makes me sleep!
Little Dot LD-Y2 300b
Wells Milo
Stax srm007t
Chord Qutest 
Ifi zen sig dac
Knock off Chinese clone tube preamp it’s funny they wrote high end amplifier on it instead of preamp.
My big monster Woo WA234


----------



## Kevbo

jonathan c said:


> That envelope looks rather thin…🙁


It’s never been very full 💀


----------



## Kevbo

Kingrex said:


> What headphone plays best on the V2 at moderately low volumes.


Definitely the Hd650 by a large margin. With some EQ for sub bass they sound amazing. The planars are alright ehh, I’ve been waiting on a SS amp for like a month now to use with them


----------



## jonathan c

Ripper2860 said:


> Here we go again.  BARBIE!  I collect BARBIE items - not Hello Kitty.  🙄


…Barbie amps with Ken-Rad tubes…🤣🤣😖👎👎


----------



## OpusRob

Preachy1 said:


> You have no idea how many cases of OCD you just triggered!!!!!


how so?


----------



## OpusRob

Pharmaboy said:


> 1 - Great pix
> 2 - Pls tell me that's your cat in the Avatar shot...


Former cat - Opus - old pic. He was my listening buddy back in the day.


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> You have no idea how many cases of OCD you just triggered!!!!!


One case in many people or many cases in you…?…🤣🤣🤪🤪


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> One case in many people or many cases in you…?…🤣🤣🤪🤪


I have some I can share if anybody is in need.  😬


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I have some I can share for sale if anybody is in need. My OCDs test 115% NOS on Loony Tunes psychometer 😬


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## jonathan c

The little h/p/a that could - still can - and will:


----------



## Preachy1

jonathan c said:


> One case in many people or many cases in you…?…🤣🤣🤪🤪


probably both, but def option B


----------



## Pharmaboy

OpusRob said:


> Former cat - Opus - old pic. He was my listening buddy back in the day.


Opus had the most wonderful face...


----------



## alekc

The initial battery charging time is killing me  but is there a better way to start a winter morning?


----------



## TheRH

whitefang said:


> After some months my system changed and pretty much finalized. still have all knobs neatly in the center


I dig the Matrix DAC! What is the Unbranded Box?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> The initial battery charging time is killing me  but is there a better way to start a winter morning?



It's winter? All we had is 4 weeks of rain and 2 weeks of wind over 150 km/h...


----------



## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> It's winter? All we had is 4 weeks of rain and 2 weeks of wind over 150 km/h...


Started to see a lot of  high 30s on the forecast and bought an 18" industrial wall mount fan.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThEvil0nE said:


> Started to see a lot of  high 30s on the forecast and bought an 18" industrial wall mount fan.


If I remember correctly you are in the Philipines?


----------



## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> If I remember correctly you are in the Philipines?


Born in the Philippines, lives in Chicago


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThEvil0nE said:


> Born in the Philippines, lives in Chicago


So 30 degrees was F and not C after all?


----------



## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> So 30 degrees was F and not C after all?


That is correct


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThEvil0nE said:


> That is correct


Ok so send us some freezing weather and I'll ship you a couple of containers of wind 

And since you live in Chicago, this is really saying something about the wind here


----------



## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ok so send us some freezing weather and I'll ship you a couple of containers of wind
> 
> And since you live in Chicago, this is really saying something about the wind here


🤣🤣


----------



## MoWe

My most used Headphone at the Moment.


----------



## simorag

Latest changes are a new rack, several cable upgrades, new arrangement (M Scaler physical separation vs. DAVE).
Just finished reconnecting everything, phew .


----------



## Pharmaboy

ThEvil0nE said:


> Born in the Philippines, lives in Chicago


I love Chicago and love winter...used to go there on business every 3-4 weeks for ~15 years. I loved being there in the deep winter--not if it was snowing a lot (that wouldn't work on a business trip), but that windy, tinkly cold was pretty amazing.


----------



## Ciggavelli

simorag said:


> Latest changes are a new rack, several cable upgrades, new arrangement (M Scaler physical separation vs. DAVE).
> Just finished reconnecting everything, phew .


Nice!

How do you like the AQ Niagara 5000 compared to your previous Isotek conditioner?


----------



## Chastity

"The Folkvangr, a 10-tube... Yes, 10. tube. Headphone amp, additionally, has also gone into production. This will likely be Schiit's TOTL headphone amp, with sources claiming that the pricing will be around 10x the vali, or around $1500 USD."

Fun stuff coming from Schiit this year


----------



## bcowen

Chastity said:


> "The Folkvangr, a 10-tube... Yes, 10. tube. Headphone amp, additionally, has also gone into production. This will likely be Schiit's TOTL headphone amp, with sources claiming that the pricing will be around 10x the vali, or around $1500 USD."
> 
> Fun stuff coming from Schiit this year


10x the tubes, 10x the price.  Seems logical enough.  🤣


----------



## ColSaulTigh

bcowen said:


> 10x the tubes, 10x the price.  Seems logical enough.  🤣


Yes, but are they all DIFFERENT tubes, or is it just 10x the same tube?


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> Yes, but are they all DIFFERENT tubes, or is it just 10x the same tube?


8 are 6N6P's (no matching required), and 2 are 6N1P's (matched pair).  I already have a stash of 1950's Fotons patiently waiting.  😂


----------



## Shane D

simorag said:


> Latest changes are a new rack, several cable upgrades, new arrangement (M Scaler physical separation vs. DAVE).
> Just finished reconnecting everything, phew .


What a beautiful stand.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I love Chicago and love winter...used to go there on business every 3-4 weeks for ~15 years. I loved being there in the deep winter--not if it was snowing a lot (that wouldn't work on a business trip), but that windy, tinkly cold was pretty amazing.


…great for Cary 211 amps!…


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 8, 2022)

bcowen said:


> 8 are 6N6P's (no matching required), and 2 are 6N1P's (matched pair).  I already have a stash of 1950's Fotons patiently waiting. 😆


🎼 🎶 🎵 🎼 🎶 🎵:
“Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a    man with tubes - no shame;
I’ve been around for long, long years,
Charging millions, bcowen’s the name…”😏😈


----------



## abheybir




----------



## simorag (Feb 9, 2022)

Ciggavelli said:


> Nice!
> 
> How do you like the AQ Niagara 5000 compared to your previous Isotek conditioner?



The Niagara 5000 has produced a significant impact on my system. The most notable improvements have been: soundstage size in all directions (while retaining imaging capabilities), bass / sub-bass (down to the infrasonic) oomph, smoothness in the midrange / lower treble areas. There is a calmness, I would even say profoundess to the sound which I have not heard before in my system.

My IsoTek Aquarius was not on the same tier of the Niagara, so not not completely fair to put it against the 5000, but in comparison the sound was brighter, nore edgy, analytical, leaner. On the pros, details stood out in a very etched fashion, and the viscerality of the dynamics was punchier.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> What a beautiful stand.


I think his photographs are even more beautiful than the gear. And that's saying something!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> 10x the tubes, 10x the price.  Seems logical enough.  🤣


Yeah a while back somebody was objecting to a DAC that cost like 14,000 euros. But then I read that it weighed 22 kilos. So I said, look fellas, just price it out and you'll see that compared to some popular DACs like the RME that weighs like 1/2 kilo and costs 1,000 euros, it's really an ok value. So I agree with you, people are not focusing on the price per unit weight metric that we have relied upon to make purchasing decisions in the past


----------



## ihyan2

Today setup changed the Lampizator Lvl 4 DAC with Metrum Pavane. Repeated with my hifi system...


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> 🎼 🎶 🎵 🎼 🎶 🎵:
> “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a    man with tubes - no shame;
> I’ve been around for long, long years,
> Charging millions, bcowen’s the name…”😏😈


I'm too old to form new habits.  🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> I'm too old to form new habits.  🤣


Being old is also a habit. Ask me how I know


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Being old is also a habit. Ask me how I know


ROFL!  That's a habit you _can_ actually kick, it's just that there's a bucket involved. 🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  And it's a habit you _can_ actually kick, it's just that there's a bucket involved. 🤣


Exactly. But I always tell people, you know what? Being old sucks. But it's better than the alternative...


----------



## msing539

gimmeheadroom said:


> Exactly. But I always tell people, you know what? Being old sucks. But it's better than the alternative...


When I can only hear 500-5kHz, just put me out of my misery.


----------



## snapple10 (Feb 9, 2022)

Setting up for the morning session.
Going with the oldies
HD650 and Denon LA7000


----------



## NStef

ihyan2 said:


> Today setup changed the Lampizator Lvl 4 DAC with Metrum Pavane. Repeated with my hifi system...


----------



## NStef (Feb 9, 2022)

I am out of the equipment game but I enjoy following this thread for the "eye candy". 

That headphone amp is one of the coolest little things I've seen. Sorry for the double post.


----------



## snapple10

NStef said:


> I am out of the equipment game but I enjoy following this thread for the "eye candy".
> 
> That headphone amp is one of the coolest little things I've seen. Sorry for the double post.


----------



## Preachy1

gimmeheadroom said:


> Being old is also a habit.


More like a vice, actually.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Being old is also a habit. Ask me how I know


Being old…😤, acting old…👎👎👎


----------



## judomaniak57

snapple10 said:


> Setting up for the morning session.
> Going with the oldies
> HD650 and Denon LA7000


those denon hp are sure nice looking. they sound as good as they look?


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## snapple10

judomaniak57 said:


> those denon hp are sure nice looking. they sound as good as they look?


enjoyable phone with a wide variety of music, can get lost for hours. I really like the bass impact it produces


----------



## jonathan c

snapple10 said:


> Setting up for the morning session.
> Going with the oldies
> HD650 and Denon LA7000


So well crafted.


----------



## grokit

It's been a while. WA22 has moved to upstairs bedroom. Same racks, mostly new (some just new to me) gear.




Also some new groovy tapestries




Full racks plus a record cleaning station on the side




Zooming in on the 'source station'




Off to the other side (fed by the SA3)




Chair leans back more and gets closer to zero g when I'm in it. Front center is my low-tech remote volume controller for the Headtrip


----------



## DTgill

grokit said:


> It's been a while. WA22 has moved to upstairs bedroom. Same racks, mostly new (some just new to me) gear.
> 
> 
> Also some new groovy tapestries
> ...


Beautiful!


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> 10x the tubes, 10x the price.  Seems logical enough.  🤣


It's going to be really fun shipping it.


----------



## jonathan c

RickB said:


> It's going to be really fun shipping it.


What if it is take-out only?…


----------



## bcowen

RickB said:


> It's going to be really fun shipping it.


Child's play.  The Cary V-12i monoblocks were more interesting. 16 tubes....x2.


----------



## RickB

bcowen said:


> Child's play.  The Cary V-12i monoblocks were more interesting. 16 tubes....x2.


I mean for Schiit. I wonder how many are going to end up damaged in shipping.


----------



## bcowen (Feb 10, 2022)

RickB said:


> I mean for Schiit. I wonder how many are going to end up damaged in shipping.


Possible to be sure, although Schiit always does a good job packaging stuff and I'm assuming they'll be shipped in their individual boxes rather than installed in the amp.  Plus the Russian 6N1P's and 6N6P's are built like tanks with very thick glass (for novals).


----------



## Redcarmoose (Feb 10, 2022)

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/earsonics-onyx.25694/reviews


----------



## Wes S

Current State - Installed an Audio Envy Ocean Elite 3p power cable on my RH-5 and first impressions are very very good.  I also just got my VC's back from their cleaning/checkup, and this pairing is absolutely sublime.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Wes S said:


> Current State - Installed an Audio Envy Ocean Elite 3p power cable on my RH-5 and first impressions are very very good.  I also just got my VC's back from their cleaning/checkup, and this pairing is absolutely sublime.


Beautiful maple on your ZMFs and handsome setup. When I see you and @jonathan c posting the rigs in those wooden shelves it looks like you guys share the same house


----------



## Sebbai

Sorry “Only” 2 new headphone’s arrived since last post, but it’s from a different angle 😁


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Just got the VC in black and white ebony, paired with muh toobs.  Gonna build a new OTL for them.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Beautiful maple on your ZMFs and handsome setup. When I see you and @jonathan c posting the rigs in those wooden shelves it looks like you guys share the same house


That would be a _rocking _duplex !! 🤣🤣


----------



## dcguy73 (Feb 11, 2022)

I’m not much of a photographer, but here’s what I’ve got. As you can tell, I don’t believe in stacking equipment. Everything gets its own shelf with enough height for proper ventilation (and an IKEA butcher block).


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> That would be a _rocking _duplex !! 🤣🤣


That sure would be bro!


----------



## SlothRock (Feb 11, 2022)

The last few months have been a bit of a spending spree to get myself to the next level of Hifi gloriousness and I regret nothing


----------



## DTgill

For my listening pleasure...


----------



## Redcarmoose

*WM1Z-MrWalkman-HanSound Zen 4Wire-Earsonics ONYX 



*


----------



## LegatoB (Feb 12, 2022)

Listening with the Ampsandsound Bigger Ben right now to the HE-560’s.


----------



## HWB3 (Feb 12, 2022)

It's centered around an Emotiva A-100 BassX amp. I stream Amazon Unlimited. I have an Apple iPod Touch, Panasonic Blu Ray player for movies and CD's and a mini disc player. My headphones are Sundara's, AKG 702's and Sennheiser HD6XX's. Nice little set up that provides me with a bit of fun. I got most of my ideas from you kind people and the ones over at Audiokarma.org. So thanks.
Also, for DACs, I have a Schiit Modi 3+ and a Dragonfly Red and Black. Enjoy all three.


----------



## betula (Feb 13, 2022)

I wish this was my desk, but no. This was only a recent audition. 
I ended up buying the Elite though. 

It is crazy, if you add up the value of each component you see on the picture it comes to around £40.000.


----------



## Chastity

betula said:


> I wish this was my desk, but no. This was only a recent audition.
> I ended up buying the Elite though.
> 
> It is crazy, if you add up the value of each component you see on the picture it comes to around £40.000.
> ...


I can live with that choice.


----------



## blackgreen15




----------



## simorag

Latest addition is a Google Chromecast Audio dongle - sadly discontinued now - connected to the DAVE via optical, and aptly hidden from view. Nice for watching YouTube content on my laptop with (not great yet still beareable) audio from the rig 
I am a voracious consumer of YT documentaries about music, musicians etc., lots of great stuff hard to find elsewhere!


----------



## jonathan c

Back to the ‘audio loft’ in the Laurel Mountains…


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 14, 2022)

Posted this just now in the Phonitor thread


----------



## DownToThis

Adding some organization in my life with a pair of headphone stands.  Gotta start somewhere


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## DeweyCH




----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## DTgill

Tube rollin' today!


----------



## jonathan c

Diversion before another WFH week (which is not bad at all)…


----------



## David222

Rolled the USAF/596 this past week/weekend. Very enjoyable on the WA6.


----------



## jonathan c

Tag Team…here comes sixilla…


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> Tag Team…here comes sixilla…


Is that a matched pair of brown base CBS Hytrons?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DeweyCH said:


> Is that a matched pair of brown base CBS Hytrons?


What difference does that make!? Just look at that Flux Capacitor! Back...to the Future!


----------



## DTgill

DeweyCH said:


> Is that a matched pair of brown base CBS Hytrons?


I think they are they look like mine...


----------



## DeweyCH

gimmeheadroom said:


> What difference does that make!? Just look at that Flux Capacitor! Back...to the Future!


Hah, I was trying to focus on the thing I can understand before shifting to the mad science.


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Is that a matched pair of brown base CBS Hytrons?


Indeed!


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> Indeed!


OK, so that's the easy stuff. What's with the Dalek behind 'em?


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> OK, so that's the easy stuff. What's with the Dalek behind 'em?


USAF 596 rectifier tube with Woo Audio 596 => 5U4G adapter.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> *USAF 596 rectifier tube* with Woo Audio 596 => 5U4G adapter.


Yeah, those fell out of the alien craft when the USAF shot it down over Roswell.   🤣🤣


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> USAF 596 rectifier tube with Woo Audio 596 => 5U4G adapter.


Does it exterminate the music with cold authority?


----------



## bcowen

DeweyCH said:


> Does it exterminate the music with cold authority?


The plates are made out of plutonium.  Explains a lot with @jonathan c .  🙃


----------



## ColSaulTigh

This is how we communicate with the homeworld!

EXTERMINATE!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DeweyCH said:


> Does it exterminate the music with cold authority?


There's a tube on the road
He's microphonic like a toad
Take a long holiday
Let your music play
If you leave the plates outside
The rust surely will abide
Tube on the road, yeah...


----------



## DeweyCH

ColSaulTigh said:


> This is how we communicate with the homeworld!
> 
> EXTERMINATE!


OK, I'm gonna revise my observation. That is obviously a disembodied Cyberman head.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yeah, those fell out of the alien craft when the USAF shot it down over Roswell.   🤣🤣


But not for use in Shortest Way 51+ in Area 51…👽…🛸…


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 14, 2022)

ColSaulTigh said:


> This is how we communicate with the homeworld!
> 
> EXTERMINATE!


“If solid-state, must terminate…”👽⚡


----------



## DTgill (Feb 14, 2022)




----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> Is that a matched pair of brown base CBS Hytrons?


Sorry...I thought brown base was heroin from Mexico.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Sorry...I thought brown base was heroin from Mexico.


Guys, I'm doing a gofundme to bail @Pharmaboy out of jail. I know most of us don't approve of drug abuse, but nevertheless he is a good man and he had a tough childhood. We have to help him out.

So send me a paypal and I'll make a despot in your name


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 14, 2022)

2 channel set up. Was hestitant to post a pic due to the unforgiveable speaker positioning. But, I have windows, heaters, closets, or doors on every wall and this was all I could do. Aside from that, it will reaffirm (if there was ever any doubt) that I retain the title of World's Worst Photographer, by a comfortable margin.


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Guys, I'm doing a gofundme to bail @Pharmaboy out of jail. I know most of us don't approve of drug abuse, but nevertheless he is a good man and he had a tough childhood. We have to help him out.
> 
> So send me a paypal and I'll make a despot in your name


The moniker @Pharmaboy wasn't chosen at random, apparently.  

Funds just sent.  🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> The moniker @Pharmaboy wasn't chosen at random, apparently.
> 
> Funds just sent.  🤣🤣


….pharmagringo…?


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 14, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> ….pharmagringo…?


Badges!? Aahahaha we don't need no stinkin' badges


----------



## David222

bcowen said:


> The moniker @Pharmaboy wasn't chosen at random, apparently.
> 
> Funds just sent.  🤣🤣



I believe he prefers _Heisenberg_ going forward


----------



## gimmeheadroom

David222 said:


> I believe he prefers _Heisenberg_ going forward


It was just the craziest thing- the headphones didn't measure the same when he was wearing them


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> I believe he prefers _Heisenberg_ going forward


I don't even know what this means (never watched this series)--but it's still funny.


----------



## BobG55

JoeTho said:


>


Wow ! 140 WPC ! Magnificent vintage amp Jo Tho.


----------



## DeweyCH

Pharmaboy said:


> I don't even know what this means (never watched this series)--but it's still funny.


All it means is you need to start practicing your knocking


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 14, 2022)

BobG55 said:


> Wow ! 140 WPC ! Magnificent vintage amp Jo Tho.


Going into headphones —> ears, think of the watts per square inch 🤪🤣 !!


----------



## JoeTho

jonathan c said:


> Going into headphones —> ears, think of the watts per square inch 🤪🤣 !!


I suppose you can say I push the envelope a lot. Right now I'm listening to my old LCD-X Classic being driven by a pair of Nelson Pass "First Watt" ACA Mono-Blocks (15 WPC), and the LCD-X is connected directly to the speaker taps.


----------



## bcowen

JoeTho said:


> I suppose you can say I push the envelope a lot. Right now I'm listening to my old LCD-X Classic being driven by a pair of Nelson Pass "First Watt" ACA Mono-Blocks (15 WPC), and the LCD-X is connected directly to the speaker taps.


You are the MAN!  Absolute power powers absolutely. Or something to that effect.  🤣🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 14, 2022)

JoeTho said:


> I suppose you can say I* push the envelope* a lot. Right now I'm listening to my old LCD-X Classic being driven by a pair of Nelson Pass "First Watt" ACA Mono-Blocks (15 WPC), and the LCD-X is connected directly to the speaker taps.



Postman with an amp, knows how to deliver the goods


----------



## jonathan c

JoeTho said:


> I suppose you can say I push the envelope a lot. Right now I'm listening to my old LCD-X Classic being driven by a pair of Nelson Pass "First Watt" ACA Mono-Blocks (15 WPC), and the LCD-X is connected directly to the speaker taps.


The LCD-X is quite efficient (103 dB/mw or 120 dB/V)….what “o’clock” is the maximum to which you can turn the volume knob? 😳


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 15, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> The LCD-X is quite efficient (103 dB/mw or 120 dB/V)….what “o’clock” is the maximum to which you can turn the volume knob? 😳


He can't with that setup. He just listens with the amp turned off  since there's enough juice left in the power supply caps to rock out


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Handsome setup! Do I recall correctly you make your own hats? Those are quite smashing.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 15, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Handsome setup! Do I recall correctly you make your own hats? Those are quite smashing.


We have made some, but if honest most we custom modified more. Millinery and leather work are among our hobbies to keep busy   . Cheers for the kind remarks, I will pass them on

sorry for off topic photo, well maybe not...felt is fantastic for acoustics lol...







Hint, silver wolf broach on all my hats is my give-away giggle....Should be white Wolf these days...grrrrrr


----------



## JoeTho (Feb 15, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> The LCD-X is quite efficient (103 dB/mw or 120 dB/V)….what “o’clock” is the maximum to which you can turn the volume knob? 😳


I don't listen loud. I use the RME ADI 2 DAC as the DAC and to control volume. My normal listening sits at around -46dbr. This gives me a max of 70db. Because of the efficiency of the LCD-X, I could never use more than 1 Watt to drive them. 103db is more than I want to hear. Which is why I chose the Nelson Pass Mono-Blocks. His design focuses on producing the best sound quality within the First Watt. "The First Watt is the most important Watt" (Nelson Pass).


----------



## lumdicks (Feb 15, 2022)

Got the Fostex HP-V8 as junk item from Yahoo Japan. I guess it is one of the demo units intentionally damaged by the dealer following Fostex discontinued the production. When it arrived the volume knob is missing, analogue input deformed with very poor cosmetic. As expected the circuit and transformers are intact and as new, and it works perfectly except the damaged electronic volume module. With some simple repainting and putting on a volume knob (for look only) I am pairing it with m-TT2 as preamp and it sounds incredibly even with the low priced tubes that I purchased for this revitalization project. Will let it burn in a while and start some serious tube rolling.


----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> We have made some, but if honest most we custom modified more. Millinery and leather work are among our hobbies to keep busy   . Cheers for the kind remarks, I will pass them on
> 
> sorry for off topic photo, well maybe not...felt is fantastic for acoustics lol...
> 
> ...


Better than bald wolf 😏…


----------



## bcowen

JoeTho said:


> I don't listen loud. I use the RME ADI 2 DAC as the DAC and to control volume. My normal listening sits at around -46dbr. This gives me a max of 70db. Because of the efficiency of the LCD-X, I could never use more than 1 Watt to drive them. 103db is more than I want to hear. Which is why I chose the Nelson Pass Mono-Blocks. His design focuses on producing the best sound quality within the First Watt. *"The First Watt is the most important Watt" (Nelson Pass).*


And the corollary to that:  if the first watt sounds like crap, why would you want a whole bunch more of them?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Silver Wolf said:


>


Do I spy a pair of Swan M200 MKIIs? 

If yes, they were one of my first good-sounding pairs of powered speakers. Still have them here in boxes.


----------



## jclyle

I bought this bookcase a few weeks ago, and its one of the best audio related purchases I've made! The lower cabinet was assembled without a back panel. The bookcase is in front of an outlet, so my power condoner and related cable clutter is out of sight (I HATE clutter)

72 in. Industrial Modern Reclaimed Barnwood Ladder Bookcase


----------



## Silver Wolf

Pharmaboy said:


> Do I spy a pair of Swan M200 MKIIs?
> 
> If yes, they were one of my first good-sounding pairs of powered speakers. Still have them here in boxes.


Pretty close in looks, but sorry no match lol... They are Edifier S2000 Pro monitors


----------



## bcowen (Feb 15, 2022)

jclyle said:


> I bought this bookcase a few weeks ago, and its one of the best audio related purchases I've made! The lower cabinet was assembled without a back panel. The bookcase is in front of an outlet, so my power condoner and related cable clutter is out of sight (I HATE clutter)
> 
> 72 in. Industrial Modern Reclaimed Barnwood Ladder Bookcase


Very nice!  Love the look of that wood. From the pics it looks like natural walnut,


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Very nice!  Love the look of that wood. From the pics it looks like natural walnut,


You surprised me, bcowen 😜; I was certain that you would extol upon the sonic superiority ☝️of maple…🤷🏻‍♂️…


----------



## senseitedj

WA6 SE with burson conductor 3xp

Cameo with audiolab a6000 for my speakers and ps5 controllers xD


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> You surprised me, bcowen 😜; I was certain that you would extol upon the sonic superiority ☝️of maple…🤷🏻‍♂️…


I'm unpredictable.    Plus I've never heard barnwood, so can't offer any sonic comparison.  🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

DT-1770’s turn…


----------



## Codyyy

1. I am very messy
2. I just sold my hd 660s and I miss it so much 
3. idk I’m broke and might be in debt atm


----------



## Zachik

jonathan c said:


> DT-1770’s turn…


Did you place the Gilmore Lite and its golden reference LPU side-by-side for wider sound stage?


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Did you place the Gilmore Lite and its golden reference LPU side-by-side for wider sound stage?


Indeed!…And to shorten the soundstage!…I dislike having to always look up while the headphones are on 🤪🤣🤪🤣…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> I'm unpredictable.    Plus I've never heard barnwood, so can't offer any sonic comparison.  🤣🤣


Well, barnwood imparts a rustic tone and a wide sound stage. Some say, wide as a barn door.



Zachik said:


> Did you place the Gilmore Lite and its golden reference LPU side-by-side for wider sound stage?


That's what I'm talkin' about!


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Indeed!…And to shorten the soundstage!…I dislike having to always look up while the headphones are on 🤪🤣🤪🤣…


The Mystique will sound noticeably better if the mass loading on top is evenly distributed.  It's in the manual.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> The Mystique will sound noticeably better if the mass loading on top is evenly distributed.  It's in the manual.


Heck, even the Sidecubus has a fairly even distribution of mass load. 


That is surely not in the manual because the Sidecubus has no manual (nor a warranty…being a one-off).


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Heck, even the Sidecubus has a fairly even distribution of mass load. That is surely not in the manual because the Sidecubus has no manual (nor a warranty…being a one-off).


ROFL!  Yeah, but I had to put 5 pounds of lead in the 6J5 adapter box to balance out the transformer weight.


----------



## Chastity

jonathan c said:


> Heck, even the Sidecubus has a fairly even distribution of mass load. That is surely not in the manual because the Sidecubus has no manual (nor a warranty…being a one-off).


"The Sidecubus.  You opened it.  We came."  "Who are you?!"

"Audiophiles of the Furthest Regions of Experience.  Demons to wallets, Angels to aural canals."

:insert meme of Pinhead with ZMF headphones:


----------



## jonathan c

??


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Chastity said:


> "The Sidecubus.  You opened it.  We came."  "Who are you?!"
> 
> "Audiophiles of the Furthest Regions of Experience.  Demons to wallets, Angels to aural canals."
> 
> :insert meme of Pinhead with ZMF headphones:


----------



## Silver Wolf

Made me think of listening to this lol


----------



## YtseJamer




----------



## j3n5




----------



## Shane D

YtseJamer said:


>


So, the Quicksilver is good with low impedance/very efficient headphones?


----------



## YtseJamer

Shane D said:


> So, the Quicksilver is good with low impedance/very efficient headphones?



Yes, but I wouldn't mind a little bit less gain.


----------



## Khaos663




----------



## jonathan c

It is 6J5 time…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> It is 6J5 time…


Nice tin cans!  Really nice sounding (to my ears) regardless of price, and super nice sounding _considering_ the price.   

I'm jammin' with some Lansdale branded 6C4's today.  Rather small soundstage with these, but bone-crushing bass that's extremely well defined.


----------



## senseitedj

My portable set up feat one of the OG daps: astell and kern ak100

Pikachu sticker on diablo to increase power output and dynamic range xD


----------



## Shane D

Just a section. I got a new toy today. I am running my HE6se V2's through this little baby amp and they sound pretty good.
BF2 to Loki to switcher to MT-602.


----------



## alekc

While it could be easily called portable setup it sounds so good that this my current go-to-setup and I could live only with it if I never had Rockna and HEADA before.


----------



## j3n5




----------



## Korean audiophile

I got a offer for a  trade offer for a Verite closed for a LCD 4 what guys think?


----------



## jonathan c

To @Sword of Damocles: 

You devil, you! Being the very first - the top of page 666 of the “Pics of Headphones. Rules: One Pic, No Words” thread.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> To @Sword of Damocles: You devil, you! Being the very first - the top of page 666 of the “*Pics of Headphones. Rules: One Pic, No Words” thread.*


I don't know about you, but _I'm _at a loss for words.  I *am* drooling though.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 17, 2022)

Well it's a new image of my listening station or what I'd been upto at it today lol, got got some spare litz wire/s and plugs laying about and the OEM Fostex balanced cable has always been meh and difficult.... Started doing something about it while at my listening station chilling out to tunes on my LC2c's... Old broken fingers doing braids ain't easy anymore but looks not too shabby


----------



## Rowethren

Korean audiophile said:


> I got a offer for a  trade offer for a Verite closed for a LCD 4 what guys think?


----------



## ThanatosVI

A new member of the ThanatosVI setup!


----------



## alekc

ThanatosVI said:


> A new member of the ThanatosVI setup!


Have you gave up on Rockna Server or is it just another great gear to enjoy different sound? Please let us know how it sounds


----------



## Wes S

Korean audiophile said:


> I got a offer for a  trade offer for a Verite closed for a LCD 4 what guys think?


I would do it in a heart beat.  Gotta to imagine that VC will hold it's value a bit more being a limited, and I think you would come out on top with that trade.


----------



## ThanatosVI

alekc said:


> Have you gave up on Rockna Server or is it just another great gear to enjoy different sound? Please let us know how it sounds


Potentially.
This T+A MP2000R Mk2 is basically Server + DAC in one unit.
Additionally I can use it with the same remote as my T+A amplifier. I can also configure the amp EQ settings now via App which isn't possible without the MP.

I got it used in excellent condition at a sweet price.

I will compare the DAC section with the Wavelight by using
MP2000R Server Module-> internal DAC
AND
MP2000R Server digital out-> Wavelight DAC

If the Wavelight doesn't sound better to my ears I will put it up for sale, since useability of the T+A units together is very comfortable.

I pre ordered the Wavelight Server 2 years ago at a good price.  I will go through with the purchase either way, even if only to sell it new at a good price to my head-fi friends

Current setup:


----------



## DeweyCH

A little messy still but I've updated the main desk setup a bit:






Brought my primary 2-channel amp/preamp over, moved the big Ikea thing full of records, and now I have the easy option to listen to my hard-to-drive cans from a proper monster speaker amp.

Stack on the left: Sony PS-X600 turntable (3 cheers for Biotracer arms!), Bottlehead Crack with Speedball, and it's kind of hard to see but the stuff on the bottom is a Hifiman HE-adapter on a Luxman TP-117 tuner/preamp on a Luxman R-117 receiver, which has the HE-adapter connected to speaker "A" and a LQI banana plug to XLR adapter in speaker "B."

Stack on the desk: iFi Pro iCAN on a Schiit Lokius on a Schiit Bifrost 2.

Cans on the desk: Kennerton Rognir

Cans on the wall (left to right): ZMF Auteur Almond (Eikon perf suede pads), LSA HP-2, ZMF Verite Closed Stabilized (Auteur solid hybrid pads), Hifiman Susvara, Hifiman HE6SEv2 (ZMF Unverse perforated suede pads).

Random gear on the desk includes stock velour Hifiman pads, DCA Ether Flow angled pads, stock Hifiman Pali pads, a messily placed Etymotics ER4XR (for when my ears start getting arrogant and need to be put back in their place), some Burson standard op amps, an Astell & Kern KANN, the Rognir's wonderful stock cable, and Grant Fuhr hiding behind the keyboard.

I regret selling and miss my stabilized Verite Open, but at this point anything going out is going to hurt a lot.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Wes S said:


> I would do it in a heart beat.  Gotta to imagine that VC will hold it's value a bit more being a limited, and I think you would come out on top with that trade.


Unfortunately he wanted added cash and he said in his country which is Sweden I believe the VAT is 25% I had to take a hard pass. If am paying more plus my lcd-4 it would have to be for a Susvara , LCD 5 , or a Utopia 2020


----------



## SenyorC

Korean audiophile said:


> Unfortunately he wanted added cash and he said in his country which is Sweden I believe the VAT is 25% I had to take a hard pass. If am paying more plus my lcd-4 it would have to be for a Susvara , LCD 5 , or a Utopia 2020



Just as an FYI, VAT is only relevant if being sold by a company and inside the country they are registered in. Or, if it is being sold by a company to a private person inside the EU.

There is no VAT between private parties. Also, there is no VAT if the article leaves the EU.


----------



## Korean audiophile

SenyorC said:


> Just as an FYI, VAT is only relevant if being sold by a company and inside the country they are registered in. Or, if it is being sold by a company to a private person inside the EU.
> 
> There is no VAT between private parties. Also, there is no VAT if the article leaves the EU.


Don't know why he mentioned VAT then? 🤷


----------



## snapple10

Korean audiophile said:


> Don't know why he mentioned VAT then? 🤷


VAT paid initially ( at purchase) with increase cost of ownership , will be my guess


----------



## stersa

*Closed Circle...






Best Regards

Sisco*


----------



## Chastity (Feb 17, 2022)

stersa said:


> *Closed Circle...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Needs more crimson red balanced cable

Candy-Apple Red Burson too?


----------



## SenyorC

Korean audiophile said:


> Don't know why he mentioned VAT then? 🤷


Good excuse to ask for more money?

(Edit: maybe he was referring to the fact that he should pay VAT on your headphones when he imports them)


----------



## Korean audiophile

SenyorC said:


> Good excuse to ask for more money?
> 
> (Edit: maybe he was referring to the fact that he should pay VAT on your headphones when he imports them)


It wasn't worth it although they are limited and look well I enjoy my lcd-4 too much for a trade off for just looks and way more cash


----------



## Sword of Damocles (Feb 17, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> To @Sword of Damocles: You devil, you! Being the very first - the top of page 666 of the “Pics of Headphones. Rules: One Pic, No Words” thread.



I had waited all 665 pages to execute my devilish plan


----------



## SalR406

ThanatosVI said:


> Potentially.
> This T+A MP2000R Mk2 is basically Server + DAC in one unit.
> Additionally I can use it with the same remote as my T+A amplifier. I can also configure the amp EQ settings now via App which isn't possible without the MP.
> 
> ...


Congratulations on the new gear.  It looks great - thanks for sharing the photo.  Is that a heat radiator behind your shelving?


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> A little messy still but I've updated the main desk setup a bit:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You call that system "a little bit messy"? 

It looks pretty tidy to me...


----------



## Korean audiophile

Wants my lcd-4 plus $500 for a Utopia am really thinking about pulling the trigger any advice btw never heard the Utopia before


----------



## ThanatosVI

SalR406 said:


> Congratulations on the new gear.  It looks great - thanks for sharing the photo.  Is that a heat radiator behind your shelving?


It is but it's never in use. The room is heated by another Radiator (and the hifi gear lol)


----------



## vonBaron

Korean audiophile said:


> Wants my lcd-4 plus $500 for a Utopia am really thinking about pulling the trigger any advice btw never heard the Utopia before


Go for them!


----------



## Korean audiophile

vonBaron said:


> Go for them!


Have u listened to both ?


----------



## vonBaron

Yes


----------



## Korean audiophile

vonBaron said:


> Yes


What makes them better to u


----------



## betula

Korean audiophile said:


> Wants my lcd-4 plus $500 for a Utopia am really thinking about pulling the trigger any advice btw never heard the Utopia before


It is always risky to buy headphones blindly. Try to audition. It is kind of like ordering food in a restaurant where you have no clue what the menu items are. The LCD4 and Utopia are very different headphones.


----------



## Korean audiophile

betula said:


> It is always risky to buy headphones blindly. Try to audition. It is kind of like ordering food in a restaurant where you have no clue what the menu items are. The LCD4 and Utopia are very different headphones.


Unfortunately I have no means of a audition with a Utopia 😔 so I have go with here say


----------



## vonBaron

Korean audiophile said:


> What makes them better to u


Both pairs are great, but I prefer Utopias and Focals are also much more comfortable.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Korean audiophile said:


> Wants my lcd-4 plus $500 for a Utopia am really thinking about pulling the trigger any advice btw never heard the Utopia before


I've never heard the LCD-4, but my Utopias are excellent!  Highly recommend them - in a class by themselves!


----------



## Ciggavelli (Feb 17, 2022)

The Utopias are better at everything compared to the LCD-4, other than tone and mids. If you are really into guitars and rock and metal, you might like the LCD-4s more, but for resolution, layering, dynamics, speed, and imaging the Utopias are better in my opinion. I currently have both


----------



## Korean audiophile

Ciggavelli said:


> The Utopias are better at everything compared to the LCD-4, other than tone and mids. If you are really into guitars and rock and metal, you might like the LCD-4s more, but for resolution, layering, dynamics, speed, and imaging the Utopias are better in my opinion. I currently have both


If u had to pick one which one would u keep


----------



## Ciggavelli

Korean audiophile said:


> If u had to pick one which one would u keep


If I only had the LCD-4 and the Utopias, I’d choose the Utopias. Personally, I keep the LCD-4s in my collection for doom/stoner rock. The Utopias are better all arounders, and the imaging, resolution and layering are top notch. That’s why I keep the Utopias in my collection. I prefer the Susvaras and TCs more, but they also cost a bit more.


----------



## thecrow

Korean audiophile said:


> Wants my lcd-4 plus $500 for a Utopia am really thinking about pulling the trigger any advice btw never heard the Utopia before


The utopias sell for less than the lcd 4 from what i have seen


----------



## Mansinthe86

thecrow said:


> The utopias sell for less than the lcd 4 from what i have seen


Yep. Utopia + 500$ for the lcd4 seems more reasonable.


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## Kukuk

Might as well enjoy a planar off of tubes for once. This amp butchers even easy to drive planars, like the HE-5XX.


----------



## Silver Wolf

I was doing kind of the same thing atm, Planar off tubes lol, good times


----------



## Pharmaboy (Feb 18, 2022)

Kukuk said:


> Might as well enjoy a planar off of tubes for once. This amp butchers even easy to drive planars, like the HE-5XX.


"butchers" meaning it sounds bad? Or sounds good?


----------



## jonathan c

Kukuk said:


> Might as well enjoy a planar off of tubes for once. This amp butchers even easy to drive planars, like the HE-5XX.


I enjoy the LCD-4 (200 ohms) w/ the Woo WA2 !!


----------



## DTgill

Kukuk said:


> Might as well enjoy a planar off of tubes for once. This amp butchers even easy to drive planars, like the HE-5XX.


That is very pretty!


----------



## Kukuk

Pharmaboy said:


> "butchers" meaning it sounds bad? Or sounds good?



Bad. I had tried my old HE-5's off of it and the bass turned into a distorted mess even at very low volumes (Like 70dB). Others planars are less extreme than that, but still not good!


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## Silver Wolf

May favorite flavor of poison, warm glowing VU meters, tubes glowing... looks lovely and so inviting, all my favs @once lol.


----------



## UntilThen

It's call Whiskey Blues.


----------



## akelew

Chastity said:


> Needs more crimson red balanced cable
> 
> Candy-Apple Red Burson too?


Like this?


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


>



What a great way to listen to the LCD-4......I will have a shot of all 3


----------



## Terriero

akelew said:


> Like this?


Share porn should be forbidden here... Almost report that post


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


>


When I first saw that label I thought it said, "Mother's Milk"

(OB/GYN: "This baby is unusually happy")


----------



## Terriero

Pharmaboy said:


> When I first saw that label I thought it said, "Mother's Milk"
> 
> (OB/GYN: "This baby is unusually happy")


You need glasses to accompany your 1266 TCs 

Should be strange if he keeps a bottle of "Mother's milk" (Hitchcock's "Psycho" in the forum).


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> When I first saw that label I thought it said, "Mother's Milk"
> 
> (OB/GYN: "This baby is unusually happy")



When you finished that bottle, it can be call whatever you want and LCD4 will blow your mind.   LCD4 never sounded better with a muscular, very clear tube amp with fast transients.


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> When you finished that bottle, it can be call whatever you want and LCD4 will blow your mind.   LCD4 never sounded better with a muscular, very clear tube amp with fast transients.


Very true. The LCD4s are still one of the most fabulous sounding headphones to date. That bass is to die for. Yet, 700g+ weight is heavy and deters many bass enthusiasts including me.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

The weight is probably down the list of deterrents. And I say this as a guy who loves the LCD-3


----------



## UntilThen

betula said:


> Very true. The LCD4s are still one of the most fabulous sounding headphones to date. That bass is to die for. Yet, 700g+ weight is heavy and deters many bass enthusiasts including me.



That's right, LCD4 cannot be your one and only headphone. You need others to swap around with and the contrast is what makes it interesting. The change to Audeze latest leather pads is also a gem. Clarity went up a few notches.


----------



## betula

gimmeheadroom said:


> The weight is probably down the list of deterrents. And I say this as a guy who loves the LCD-3


It is a shame, that the LCD3 is kind of a gamble. I met a few audio enthusiasts, who were really into their LCD-3s (preferring them to the Susvara for example). Yet, the manufacturing differences can't guarantee you are getting the same experience. Buying an LCD3 is a bit of a gamble. I am still tempted though...


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> When you finished that bottle, it can be call whatever you want and LCD4 will blow your mind.   LCD4 never sounded better with a muscular, very clear tube amp with fast transients.


Do you need to drink an entire whiskey bottle to "hold" the LCD 4 on your head?


----------



## betula

Terriero said:


> Do you need to drink an entire whiskey bottle to "hold" the LCD 4 on your head?


Definitely no. Half of a bottle should be sufficient.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> It is a shame, that the LCD3 is kind of a gamble. I met a few audio enthusiasts, who were really into their LCD-3s (preferring them to the Susvara for example). Yet, the manufacturing differences can't guarantee you are getting the same experience. Buying an LCD3 is a bit of a gamble. I am still tempted though...


I really don't know any headphone where every one is the same but it seems like there is more unit to unit variation with planars.

My 3F is other-worldy. At first it was too much but after a while I started to get it. I'd like to see what's up the charts from there but I'm not going to listen anything that's out of budget range. Anyway from my sample of 2, Audeze build quality and materials is probably better than anything else I have. Which is not necessarily saying much. But I also have not read anything negative on the 3.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> That's right, LCD4 cannot be your one and only headphone. You need others to swap around with and the contrast is what makes it interesting. The change to Audeze latest leather pads is also a gem.





UntilThen said:


> Clarity went up a few notches.


….sleeping off the Makers Mark helped…😆


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> Do you need to drink an entire whiskey bottle to "hold" the LCD 4 on your head?



Yes


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Yes


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


>



I understand that the head-fi station is inside the small house at the end of the video...


----------



## Uncle00Jesse

betula said:


> It is a shame, that the LCD3 is kind of a gamble. I met a few audio enthusiasts, who were really into their LCD-3s (preferring them to the Susvara for example). Yet, the manufacturing differences can't guarantee you are getting the same experience. Buying an LCD3 is a bit of a gamble. I am still tempted though...


This has turned me off of spending a ton of money on high end pairs anymore. Way back I was lent a pair of LCD-3s shortly after they first came out (classics not fazor) and I absolutely fell in love. They were just magical in every possible way. Spending 2k on headphones in 2011 was absolutely crazy at that time but I just had to do it. My brand new pair never sounded right with the same exact setup. I kept trying to chase that dragon from the loaner pair and it just never happened. It had less bass, had more aggressive treble and just overall not the same. Don’t get me wrong, they were very good, but just didn’t capture the magic of the first pair I heard. I ended up keeping them for like 7 years and took a long break from the hobby. Having been strongly bitten by the bug recently and getting heavily back into all this, I’m still scarred by that experience and it’s hard for me to pull the trigger on high ticket gear.


----------



## Lord Rexter

HiFiMAN Edition XS, Arya v2 and ATH ADX5000


----------



## jonathan c

Uncle00Jesse said:


> This has turned me off of spending a ton of money on high end pairs anymore. Way back I was lent a pair of LCD-3s shortly after they first came out (classics not fazor) and I absolutely fell in love. They were just magical in every possible way. Spending 2k on headphones in 2011 was absolutely crazy at that time but I just had to do it. My brand new pair never sounded right with the same exact setup. I kept trying to chase that dragon from the loaner pair and it just never happened. It had less bass, had more aggressive treble and just overall not the same. Don’t get me wrong, they were very good, but just didn’t capture the magic of the first pair I heard. I ended up keeping them for like 7 years and took a long break from the hobby. Having been strongly bitten by the bug recently and getting heavily back into all this, I’m still scarred by that experience and it’s hard for me to pull the trigger on high ticket gear.


There are times when the satisfaction and glee from owning MOTL gear that ‘punches well above its weight class’ are the _trip._


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> There are times when the satisfaction and glee from owning MOTL gear that ‘punches well above its weight class’ are the _trip._


I'm lost with the latest acronyms. Took me years to understand what TOTL meant.

Now MOTL...

My output transformerless?


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'm lost with the latest acronyms. Took me years to understand what TOTL meant.
> 
> Now MOTL...
> 
> My output transformerless?


I think is Mid Of The Line...


----------



## UntilThen

MOTL = Mother of Output Transformer less.


----------



## ThanatosVI

UntilThen said:


> MOTL = Mother of Output Transformer less.


Let's go with that one^^


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> MOTL = *Matt's *Output Transformer Less.


FTFY.


----------



## Mr Trev

MOTL = monkeys on the lam


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 19, 2022)

MOTL:

a) Middle Of The Line,
b) Mammoth Output Transformer Less,
c) My Obsolete Total Loser.

(ps….acronym = abbreviation where the first letters form a word in use)


----------



## Mr Trev

acronym = A Criminal Regiment of Nasty Young Men


----------



## Mr Trev

even better A Crazy Reminder Of Names You Misplace


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> MOTL = monkeys on the lam*bourghini*


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> FTFY.



Heresy. Mine is loaded with transformers. Loaded and ready to fire.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Heresy. Mine is loaded with transformers. Loaded and ready to fire.


Well, excuuuuuuse me.   *M*att's *O*utput *T*ransformers, *L*arge.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Heresy. Mine is loaded with transformers. Loaded and ready to _catch _fire.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## gimmeheadroom

*IWRU, BTWG, COTL. At YLHS HHTP COTB for TLAG. SFOL, IGWT, AOPC*

IWRU = It was real unfortunate
BTWG = But that's the Way it Goes
COTL = credit over the limit
YLHS = your local headphone shop
HHTP = he had to pay
COTB = cash on the barrelhead
TLAG = the latest and greatest
SFOL = Simple fact of life
IGWT = in God we trust
AOPC = all others pay cash


----------



## Chastity

jonathan c said:


> There are times when the satisfaction and glee from owning MOTL gear that ‘punches well above its weight class’ are the _trip._


I agree with this statement, tho I don't consider my M1570 to be mid-fi


----------



## betula




----------



## ThanatosVI

betula said:


>


Nice Marketing shot


----------



## betula

ThanatosVI said:


> Nice Marketing shot


Haha. I am not marketing anything. Simply getting enthusiastic about my current love.


----------



## Terriero

ThanatosVI said:


> Nice Marketing shot


Would be if he posted the Empys or the D8000 and put the pics in his classified listings  (and a message here saying: I'm tempting you!!!)


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Chastity

jonathan c said:


>


How are those Kennertons?


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 20, 2022)

Chastity said:


> How are those Kennertons?


I love these. They are the original JM Edition: the @John Massaria modified version that was adopted by Kennerton as an official product in their lineup. The JME are: very efficient, absolutely full-range, a detail & soundstage maestro, dynamic & exciting == musical to the _n_th degree. I often forget that the JME are closed-back headphones!


----------



## Zachik

jonathan c said:


> I love these. They are the original JM Edition: the @John Massaria modified version that was adopted by Kennerton as an official product in their lineup. The JME are: very efficient, absolutely full-range, a detail & soundstage maestro, dynamic & exciting == musical to the _n_th degree. I often forget that the JME are closed-back headphones!


Did you have the opportunity to compare them to the ZMF Verite Closed?


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Did you have the opportunity to compare them to the ZMF Verite Closed?


Not _yet. _There will be a Verite Closed in the h/p collection. I cannot say when, though.


----------



## ndgns

Cans & Gear accumulated since COVID- "Audiophile Variant"

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/zz177/ndgns


----------



## DTgill

ndgns said:


> Cans & Gear accumulated since COVID- "Audiophile Variant"
> 
> https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/zz177/ndgns


Very nice, which one is your # 1?


----------



## ndgns

Focals? But I'm not that loyal...


----------



## Zachik

ndgns said:


> Cans & Gear accumulated since COVID- "Audiophile Variant"
> 
> https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/zz177/ndgns


...and I thought I was a bad boy! You put my spending to shame


----------



## betula

ndgns said:


> Cans & Gear accumulated since COVID- "Audiophile Variant"
> 
> https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/zz177/ndgns


You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice. 
How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 21, 2022)

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


And here I was thinking they had been showing more restraint than I rofl  ... Lots of flavors there, never get bored of the same ice cream in ya ears..Keeps brain on re-fresh also.. "no matter... "it's all good" ... More gravy anyone ?


----------



## dnd3241

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


Totally agreed !


----------



## Mansinthe86

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?



Same here. I would get a Burson Conductor 3x reference for a clean desktop setup.

And 2-3 endgame headphones.  

That's really alot of headphones and it can't be about "flavour" anymore.


----------



## 529128




----------



## bcowen

ndgns said:


> Cans & Gear accumulated since COVID- "Audiophile Variant"
> 
> https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/zz177/ndgns


Holy cow!  Thanks for propping up the economy singlehandedly.  🤣🤣


----------



## Terriero (Feb 21, 2022)

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


I thought the same when I saw the pic, but he get a lot of different flavours with those cans for more or less the price of a brand new Susvara...

... Says the guy that only uses his Sony Z7s for jazz genre (I have tried my other cans with jazz but with most jazz albums I prefer the Z7s approach).

The only thing I notice is that @ndgns needs a lot of time to enjoy his cans...


----------



## Terriero

jonathan c said:


> I love these. They are the original JM Edition: the @John Massaria modified version that was adopted by Kennerton as an official product in their lineup. The JME are: very efficient, absolutely full-range, a detail & soundstage maestro, dynamic & exciting == musical to the _n_th degree. I often forget that the JME are closed-back headphones!


Do you plan to send them to him to upgrade to the 2.0 version?


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## DTgill

This mornings' flavor


----------



## ndgns

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


If I knew then what do now.  I'm also new to the hobby started at the end of 2019.


----------



## betula

ndgns said:


> If I knew then what do now.  I'm also new to the hobby started at the end of 2019.


Haha!  In this case it seems you have got sufficient finances with a tendency to buy the next thing and forgetting the resale value of older purchases. You obviously do whatever you like and whatever suits you, but if I were in your shoes, I would sell 80% of those headphones and get one or two second-hand flagships. (And perhaps upgrade the DAC/amp.) That is just me though, YMMV. There is no one valid path in this hobby. Do whatever makes you the happiest.


----------



## Terriero

And the million of dolars question, what your wife -if you are not single- thinks about that pile of headphones, @ndgns ? Some people in this forum will lay under soil if they manage to own that pile...


----------



## betula

Terriero said:


> And the million of dolars question, what your wife -if you are not single- thinks about that pile of headphones, @ndgns ? Some people in this forum will lay under soil if they manage to own that pile...


I always laugh when I see comments about unhappy better halves or secret purchases/denying real value.  Moments when we can truly feel the brotherly communion.  
That said, I have been quite lucky so far in this regard. I am currently single, but my exes were always pretty accepting about my purchases. "As long as you can afford it and it does not take finances away from more essential things, it is fine." 
Sure babe, but perfect audio reproduction is pretty essential, right?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> I always laugh when I see comments about unhappy better halves or secret purchases/denying real value.  Moments when we can truly feel the brotherly communion.
> That said, I have been quite lucky so far in this regard. I am currently single, but my exes were always pretty accepting about my purchases. "As long as you can afford it and it does not take finances away from more essential things, it is fine."
> Sure babe, but perfect audio reproduction is pretty essential, right?


Right but there is also a tactical side. For example, when she goes out with the girls out comes your camera and you spend a little time in her closets.

When she comes home, there are beautifully-framed pics of her shoe collection hanging next to the dresser. And you say "honey, I thought you would appreciate this."

And by the way, would you please be around tomorrow at 4pm? UPS is coming with 100 kg of headphones


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ndgns said:


> If I knew then what do now.  I'm also new to the hobby started at the end of 2019.


If I remember correctly from forum posts, @betula had his share of one-night headphone stands


----------



## DTgill

Afternoon flavor


----------



## betula

gimmeheadroom said:


> If I remember correctly from forum posts, @betula had his share of one-night headphone stands


I was faithful to all my daily drivers for at least 6 months, usually way longer. For sure, I had shorter adventures, but the reason they did not last is my sonic preference.


----------



## Pharmaboy

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


Hard to be sure, but I think at least a couple of these headphones are (or were) TOTL designs


----------



## Terriero

betula said:


> I always laugh when I see comments about unhappy better halves or secret purchases/denying real value.  Moments when we can truly feel the brotherly communion.
> That said, I have been quite lucky so far in this regard. I am currently single, but my exes were always pretty accepting about my purchases. "As long as you can afford it and it does not take finances away from more essential things, it is fine."
> Sure babe, but perfect audio reproduction is pretty essential, right?


Just look what happened to me when I received my AH-D9200s


----------



## Pharmaboy

ndgns said:


> If I knew then what do now.  I'm also new to the hobby started at the end of 2019.


All that since 2019? (sound of hand smacking forehead). _Mon Dieu!_


----------



## gregadd

Xduoo TA-30,Senheoser HD800S


----------



## DTgill

gregadd said:


> Xduoo TA-30,Senheoser HD800S


How do you like that amp, and are you using stock tubes?


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> If I remember correctly from forum posts, @betula had his share of one-night headphone stands


That is why each is a headph*one 😆. *Also, how many of us practice ‘monogampy’? 🤣


----------



## DTgill (Feb 21, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> That is why each is a headph*one 😆. *Also, how many of us practice ‘monogampy’? 🤣


Not me... I have a headphone-ampcubine... I can't be loyal to just one...


----------



## gregadd

DTgill said:


> How do you like that amp, and are you using stock tubes?


My initial impressio was Wow! WOW! That has not changed.Those are stock tubes. I may roll tubes if I ever get bored.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> That is why each is a headph*one 😆. *Also, how many of us practice ‘monogampy’? Mahogany 🤣


FTFY Copyright@ @bcowen


----------



## LoryWiv

DTgill said:


> Not me... I have a headphone-ampcubine... I can't be loyal to just one...


Headphone harem?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LoryWiv said:


> Headphone harem?


Harem, scarem. COTL.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 21, 2022)

Terriero said:


> And the million of dolars question, what your wife -if you are not single- thinks about that pile of headphones, @ndgns ? Some people in this forum will lay under soil if they manage to own that pile...


I don't have this concern as my wife has bought more of my headphones (actually she bought me most my stands as well) than I lol, to the point where I have asked, nay begged her to please stop lol. One can only endure so much bliss , she loves to spoil me as much as I do her and being retired for so long and such as the world is, we try to enjoy whatever things we can with whatever time we have. "it's all good"

I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Silver Wolf said:


> I don't have this concern as my wife has bought more of my headphones (actually she bought me most my stands as well) than I lol, to the point where I have asked, nay begged her to please stop lol. One can only endure so much bliss , she loves to spoil me as much as I do her and being retired for so long and such as the world is, we try to enjoy whatever things we can with whatever time we have. "it's all good"
> 
> I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


Lies, damned lies, and statistics


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Lies, damned lies, and statistics frequency response graphs


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Not me... I have a headphone-ampcubine... I can't be loyal to just one...


The new Head-Fi ‘porn’ flick:  DT Does Dekoni ….😳🤣🤣🤣….


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 21, 2022)

Just to add, we all know the saying Happy Wife' Happy life...
Well it's true and I never argue with my Mrs... (real reason is she has a BIG granite rolling pin, husband re-alignment device she calls it) 

just giving these old cans a spin off a litle fIIO dac/amp, chilling to some classic 80's tunes


----------



## Terriero

Silver Wolf said:


> I don't have this concern as my wife has bought more of my headphones (actually she bought me most my stands as well) than I lol, to the point where I have asked, nay begged her to please stop lol. One can only endure so much bliss , she loves to spoil me as much as I do her and being retired for so long and such as the world is, we try to enjoy whatever things we can with whatever time we have. "it's all good"
> 
> I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


Lovely


----------



## bcowen

Silver Wolf said:


> I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


Does she have a spare sister available?  🤣🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

Silver Wolf said:


> I don't have this concern as my wife has bought more of my headphones (actually she bought me most my stands as well) than I lol, to the point where I have asked, nay begged her to please stop lol. One can only endure so much bliss , she loves to spoil me as much as I do her and being retired for so long and such as the world is, we try to enjoy whatever things we can with whatever time we have. "it's all good"
> 
> I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


I wish more of us would make admissions like this...


----------



## Terriero

bcowen said:


> Does she have a spare sister available?  🤣🤣


A "tubey" girl?


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 21, 2022)

Sorry folks, no sister/s and she only has one brother, though if you speak to his wife he may be of avail lmao j/k


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> A "tubey" girl?


What about a ‘transister’?….


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> What about a ‘transister’?….


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> What about a ‘transister’?….


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> A "tubey" girl?


Katie 88?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Katie 88?


Over here we prefer the European version, Easy 88


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Over here we prefer the European version, Easy 88


Easy 88CC….what is the ‘CC’?🤔…


----------



## ndgns

betula said:


> Haha!  In this case it seems you have got sufficient finances with a tendency to buy the next thing and forgetting the resale value of older purchases. You obviously do whatever you like and whatever suits you, but if I were in your shoes, I would sell 80% of those headphones and get one or two second-hand flagships. (And perhaps upgrade the DAC/amp.) That is just me though, YMMV. There is no one valid path in this hobby. Do whatever makes you the happiest.


Had to hear the different brands and their sound sigs for my self before committing TOTL cans.  Then just enjoying the trip while narrowing down some faves and yes deciding what to part with. Cheers!


----------



## ndgns

betula said:


> You could buy a couple of really nice TOTLs instead of this army. I presume, it is a conscious choice.
> How long does it take to decide which one you put on your head?


Yeah, didn't really have a plan just kept trying new sets and sound signatures, without realizing how the collection was growing. 
Depending on my varied taste and switching sets often.


----------



## ndgns

betula said:


> Haha!  In this case it seems you have got sufficient finances with a tendency to buy the next thing and forgetting the resale value of older purchases. You obviously do whatever you like and whatever suits you, but if I were in your shoes, I would sell 80% of those headphones and get one or two second-hand flagships. (And perhaps upgrade the DAC/amp.) That is just me though, YMMV. There is no one valid path in this hobby. Do whatever makes you the happiest.





Terriero said:


> And the million of dolars question, what your wife -if you are not single- thinks about that pile of headphones, @ndgns ? Some people in this forum will lay under soil if they manage to own that pile...


Happily Single!


----------



## DTgill

LoryWiv said:


> Headphone harem?


Yes, and they give me all the pleasure I want out of my music after a long day of wearing a polythene smile...


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> The new Head-Fi ‘porn’ flick:  DT Does Dekoni ….😳🤣🤣🤣….


----------



## ndgns

betula said:


> Haha!  In this case it seems you have got sufficient finances with a tendency to buy the next thing and forgetting the resale value of older purchases. You obviously do whatever you like and whatever suits you, but if I were in your shoes, I would sell 80% of those headphones and get one or two second-hand flagships. (And perhaps upgrade the DAC/amp.) That is just me though, YMMV. There is no one valid path in this hobby. Do whatever makes you the happiest.


Agreed, thats why I'm here, finding ideas on upgrade routes,  specifically narrowing my HP tastes with appropriate gear choices   which  50% are for sale. I'm not unhappy with 
my pathway focusing on the cans and not so much on high-end Amps.  Appreciate the advice and again cheers !!


----------



## Zachik

ndgns said:


> specifically narrowing my HP tastes with appropriate gear choices which 50% are for sale. I'm not unhappy with


I am curious:
which are your top favorites, and which are the first few to go?


----------



## ndgns

Zachik said:


> I am curious:
> which are your top favorites, and which are the first few to go?


Hi Curious Zachik, just kiddin. For my first post I'm surprised to get such a response and in-turn responding back.
 1. Clear MG  2. LCD-X 2021  3. Aryas V3.    ToGos ; Sendys, Sundaras, HD660s, Anandas , last and harderst to part with, Elears.
Let me know what you think, Cheers


----------



## LoryWiv

ndgns said:


> Hi Curious Zachik, just kiddin. For my first post I'm surprised to get such a response and in-turn responding back.
> 1. *Clear MG*  2. LCD-X 2021  3. Aryas V3.    ToGos ; Sendys, Sundaras, HD660s, Anandas , last and harderst to part with, Elears.
> Let me know what you think, Cheers


Happily using Clear MG as daily driver, it's even displaced my ZMF Auteur as "go to" /  "all arounder" across genres.


----------



## David222

LoryWiv said:


> Happily using Clear MG as daily driver, it's even *displaced* my ZMF Auteur as "go to" /  "all arounder" across genres.



displaced


----------



## ndgns

LoryWiv said:


> Happily using Clear MG as daily driver, it's even displaced my ZMF Auteur as "go to" /  "all arounder" across genres.


COOL!  I wasn't sure about the Clears at first but after some reluctant EQ'ing they sound more like and better then my Elears.
So you chose them over Auteurs, now that satisfies my curiosity about those ZMFs.  I'm with you there about the versatility across genres,  what are you powering them with?


----------



## Silver Wolf (Feb 22, 2022)

Silver Wolf said:


> I'm a very lucky guy and she's a very special woman


LMAO! I now have proof, not only does she spoil me, she does it for my gear as well.

eg: I put my xDuoo TA-30 on-top of desk as I thought it got a bit toasty under shelf for want of better air flow...
Lovely... Wife worries it'll get too cold 'n dusty when not in use now... Made it a cosy lambskin leather SW dust cover so it'll always be warm 'n feel special...giggle..

edit: She really is the best, rock's my world everyday even after all these years!


----------



## ndgns

David222 said:


> displaced


That popped up and surprised me as I was posting  a reply


----------



## ndgns

LoryWiv said:


> Happily using Clear MG as daily driver, it's even displaced my ZMF Auteur as "go to" /  "all arounder" across genres.


Pardon me for not realizing you weren't Zachik.  Thats some impressive gear you got there,  Headphoneus Supremus , also fittingly impressive.
Do you think their an optimal pairing for the Clears?


----------



## Zachik

ndgns said:


> Hi Curious Zachik, just kiddin. For my first post I'm surprised to get such a response and in-turn responding back.
> 1. Clear MG  2. LCD-X 2021  3. Aryas V3.    ToGos ; Sendys, Sundaras, HD660s, Anandas , last and harderst to part with, Elears.
> Let me know what you think, Cheers


Funny! My headphone collection is pretty big, but I do not own a single one from your list of favorites nor togos...
I do own the Massdrop Focal Elex, which supposedly sound a lot like the original Clear. 



LoryWiv said:


> Happily using Clear MG as daily driver, it's even displaced my ZMF Auteur as "go to" /  "all arounder" across genres.


Lory - have you tried ZMF Verite as all-arounder? 
To my ears, they sound better than the Auteur (and definitely better than Elex).


----------



## LoryWiv

ndgns said:


> Pardon me for not realizing you weren't Zachik.  Thats some impressive gear you got there,  Headphoneus Supremus , also fittingly impressive.
> Do you think their an optimal pairing for the Clears?


Feliks-Audio Elise probably isn't an optimal pairing for Clear MG as OTL tube amps generally prefer higher impedance cans, but damn if it doesn't sound great to me anyway!!!


----------



## LoryWiv

Zachik said:


> Funny! My headphone collection is pretty big, but I do not own a single one from your list of favorites nor togos...
> I do own the Massdrop Focal Elex, which supposedly sound a lot like the original Clear.
> 
> 
> ...


 Not in ages, I'll definitely have another listen at CanJam NYC!


----------



## ndgns

Zachik said:


> Funny! My headphone collection is pretty big, but I do not own a single one from your list of favorites nor togos...
> I do own the Massdrop Focal Elex, which supposedly sound a lot like the original Clear.
> 
> 
> ...


Yeh, i'm still new to the hobby so just tryin some midfi cans till I decide which TotL s to invest in.  Do you have a picture in this gallery so i can see what an upscale collection looks like. The Elex are the same as Elear but with similar to Clear pads, and they do sound similar.


----------



## ndgns

LoryWiv said:


> Feliks-Audio Elise probably isn't an optimal pairing for Clear MG as OTL tube amps generally prefer higher impedance cans, but damn if it doesn't sound great to me anyway!!!


Glad to here it, what other rigs would you consider trying them with?


----------



## Zachik

ndgns said:


> Yeh, i'm still new to the hobby so just tryin some midfi cans till I decide which TotL s to invest in.


The best option for you would be to attend CanJam - you can try pretty much ALL of the TOTL headphones out there.
In case you're not aware, the next CanJam is during the coming weekend in NYC. I know it is VERY last minute, but I actually booked my flights and hotel less than a week ago, and found pretty good rates for both! 
So... being single and have a few dollars to burn - join the party in NYC


----------



## ndgns

How inviting !  I did see the ad around here, I may have to plan on attending one of those one day but thats a long flight with out better vacation planning for me.  Is it a bussiness for you as a sponser?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Easy 88CC….what is the ‘CC’?🤔…


Closed-captioned for the headphone impaired


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> Yes, and they give me all the pleasure I want out of my music after a long day of wearing a polythene smile...


LOL!  But real audiophiles wear polycarbonate smiles.   Just sayin'.  🤣🤣


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> LOL!  But real audiophiles wear polycarbonate smiles.   Just sayin'.  🤣🤣


I'm working on getting there...


----------



## Zachik

ndgns said:


> Is it a bussiness for you as a sponser?


Nope.  Going as an individual. Paying for my own flights and hotel room.


----------



## Terriero

Silver Wolf said:


> LMAO! I now have proof, not only does she spoil me, she does it for my gear as well.
> 
> eg: I put my xDuoo TA-30 on-top of desk as I thought it got a bit toasty under shelf for want of better air flow...
> Lovely... Wife worries it'll get too cold 'n dusty when not in use now... Made it a cosy lambskin leather SW dust cover so it'll always be warm 'n feel special...giggle..
> ...


Stop doing that!!! I imagine a lot of guys here travelling to Australia to meet your wife...


----------



## jonathan c

The Brimar CV717 (KB/FB: Footscray) appearance and sound bring to mind the compilation LP of singles by The Who: Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy 😂


----------



## chesebert (Feb 22, 2022)

betula said:


> It is a shame, that the LCD3 is kind of a gamble. I met a few audio enthusiasts, who were really into their LCD-3s (preferring them to the Susvara for example). Yet, the manufacturing differences can't guarantee you are getting the same experience. Buying an LCD3 is a bit of a gamble. I am still tempted though...


I bought a couple and got lucky with one that is just lovely. Sold the other, they sound like different cans.


----------



## ThEvil0nE

Still currently stuck on Amazon HD


----------



## betula

A rather excellent combo.


----------



## Unterstuffz

betula said:


> A rather excellent combo.


1.) Slainte  !
2.)Is that the soloist x3 ? Im currently searching for a Solid State amp for my Empy.


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> A rather excellent combo.


…a crappy combo without the Lagavulin ? 🤪🤣…


----------



## betula

Unterstuffz said:


> 1.) Slainte  !
> 2.)Is that the soloist x3 ? Im currently searching for a Solid State amp for my Empy.


It is the 3XP currently fed by the ADI2.


jonathan c said:


> …a crappy combo without the Lagavulin ? 🤪🤣…


I wouldn't say so. The Lagavulin definitely smooth things out though and contribute to a more cohesive and smoother overall sound experience.


----------



## Zachik

betula said:


> The Lagavulin definitely smooth things out though and contribute to a more cohesive and smoother overall sound experience.


Good alcohol makes ANY combo sound better (and smoother), but details will be lost (or forgotten)


----------



## ThEvil0nE

betula said:


> It is the 3XP currently fed by the ADI2.
> 
> I wouldn't say so. The Lagavulin definitely smooth things out though and contribute to a more cohesive and smoother overall sound experience.


I smell a dozen campfires burning from here with the Laga 8


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## LoryWiv

ndgns said:


> Glad to here it, what other rigs would you consider trying them with?


A hybrid tube amp or solid state with low output impedance.


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> The Brimar CV717 (KB/FB: Footscray) appearance and sound bring to mind the compilation LP of singles by The Who: Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy 😂


I think that album title was referring to something else. You should really keep abreast of these things.


----------



## stersa

New Amp For my other equiptment...*Monoprice Monolith THX AAA 887*..A very neutral and clean sound for my Empyrean Phoenix..






best

Sisco


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## drifter74




----------



## bcowen

drifter74 said:


>


*Very* nice!!

But you realize this is too neat and entirely too organized?  We need to get you some tubes to litter around the desktop.    🤣🤣


----------



## drifter74 (Feb 26, 2022)

bcowen said:


> *Very* nice!!
> 
> But you realize this is too neat and entirely too organized?  We need to get you some tubes to litter around the desktop.    🤣🤣


LoL
I'm super OCD. Can't function if things are not perfect.
Valves - I'm not a big fan. I like my music warts and all. 

The iFi PRO iDSD does have a valve mode, I the prefer the punchy bass and treble attack of solid state.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

UntilThen said:


>



UT posting set up without tube inside frame? Something must be "very" wrong here


----------



## David222

drifter74 said:


> LoL
> I'm super *OC*D*E*. Can't function if things are not perfect.
> Valves - I'm not a big fan. I like my music warts and all.
> 
> The iFi PRO iDSD does have a valve mode, I the prefer the punchy bass and treble attack of solid state.




FTFY  --> Obsessive Compulsive Encouraged

Don't forget to dust under the stands


----------



## drifter74

David222 said:


> FTFY  --> Obsessive Compulsive Encouraged
> 
> Don't forget to dust under the stands


Every Friday everything is disconnected and cleaned. Stands are removed and cleaned individually.
It is quite a battle to be like this ....... my mother in law does not understand me .........
I which I could just be dirty


----------



## Pharmaboy

drifter74 said:


>


Those are the best stands I've seen...they do the least deforming to the headphones & pads. 

I'd have them here if there was any room!


----------



## Pharmaboy

drifter74 said:


> Every Friday everything is disconnected and cleaned. Stands are removed and cleaned individually.
> It is quite a battle to be like this ....... my mother in law does not understand me .........
> I which I could just be dirty


Reading this post, I could actually feel my mind breaking. 

As for this ("I which I could just be dirty") ... be careful what you wish for!


----------



## UntilThen

TheMiddleSky said:


> UT posting set up without tube inside frame? Something must be "very" wrong here



It's temporary.  I'll have a 6as7 transformer coupled amp to play with next week.


----------



## David222

drifter74 said:


> Every Friday everything is disconnected and cleaned. Stands are removed and cleaned individually.
> It is quite a battle to be like this ....... *my mother in law does not understand me* .........
> I which I could just be dirty


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Those are the best stands I've seen...they do the least deforming to the headphones & pads.
> 
> I'd have them here if there was any room!


I like those stands also but I can't get them here at an acceptable price. The K&M is probably even better in regard to what you said about the risk of deforming, the top plate is rubber. But they are not as good looking as the Woo stands.


----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## jonathan c (Feb 27, 2022)

_Apres ski_ at the Laurel Mountain audio loft…


----------



## ColSaulTigh




----------



## miuywu

RME ADI 2 DAC + XI AUDIO Broadway + Diana v2
Woo Audio WA8 Eclipse
PC Panel - quick channel balance for voice chat, system sounds


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> _Apres ski_ at the Laurel Mountain audio loft…


Ooh ooh, what's the shiny silver box?


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ooh ooh, what's the shiny silver box?


Cambridge Audio 840c CD player (2014)


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> _Apres ski_ at the Laurel Mountain audio loft…



Is this....._dust_?  OMG!!  I can't unsee this!


----------



## ArtemieTV

Headphones: Heddphone
Amp: Bryston BHA-1
Source: Denafrips Terminator 
_feat_. Sideshow Big Chap Legendary Scale Bust 

Also in picture: STAX SRM-353X for powering the Kaldas RR1 (not pictured).


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Is this....._dust_? OMG!! I can't unsee this!


Don't be absurd. He's just anal, like all the hifi guys, and was tracing out the best way to position his stack. He used the tip of a magic marker...so sue him


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Don't be absurd. He's just anal, like all the hifi guys, and was tracing out the best way to position his stack. He used the tip of a magic marker...so sue him


Well, if he's marking the position for that CD player he should be using a _green_ pen.  Sheeez.  That's just like, well, _really _obvious. I expect better from @jonathan c . 🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Is this....._dust_? OMG!! I can't unsee this!


I thought that you would say “Is this….._solid state?_ OMG!! I can’t unsee this!”. Never fear, Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference LPS are excellent, have no SS sound gremlins, hint of warmth 😀


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Well, if he's marking the position for that CD player he should be using a _green_ pen.  Sheeez.  That's just like, well, _really _obvious. I expect better from @jonathan c . 🤣


…and polishing the end/table with Armour All.. 🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> I thought that you would say “Is this….._solid state?_ OMG!! I can’t unsee this!”. Never fear, Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference LPS are excellent, have no SS sound gremlins, hint of warmth 😀


Crap, I didn't even see the components.   I saw the dust and couldn't go further. But_ solid state_? 😂😂


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Crap, I didn't even see the components.   I saw the dust and couldn't go further. But_ solid state_? 😂😂


Yep, the world went to hell in our lifetime.

I remember when we rolled up our noses at the idea of cheap plastic transistors. Look how far we have fallen


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Well, if he's marking the position for that CD player he should be using a _green_ pen.  Sheeez.  That's just like, well, _really _obvious. I expect better from @jonathan c . 🤣


Green pen, LOL. We've been *slimed!*


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Green pen, LOL. We've been *slimed!*



🤣🤣🤣🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> 🤣🤣🤣🤣


Audio prism, perfect...


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yep, the world went to hell in our lifetime.
> 
> I remember when we rolled up our noses at the idea of cheap plastic transistors. Look how far we have fallen


Here is the endgame amplifier where the name (and look) says it all. Why even turn it on?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Here is the endgame amplifier where the name (and look) says it all. Why even turn it on?


Through many years of conditioning, I'm able to tune HoneyTone completely out.  🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Through many years of conditioning, I'm able to tune HoneyTone completely out.  🤣🤣


Does that include the missus?🤣🤣🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Does that include the missus?🤣🤣🤣


LOL!  Her too.  But I was referring more to the girlfriends.  😂


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> LOL!  Her too.  But I was referring more to the girlfriends.  😂


Hers or yours?😂


----------



## alekc

jonathan c said:


> _Apres ski_ at the Laurel Mountain audio loft…


@jonathan c tell us little more how this Azure cd player sounds please


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> @jonathan c tell us little more how this Azure cd player sounds please


Don't bother. @jonathan c and I have already agreed the Audiolab rules


----------



## LegatoB (Feb 27, 2022)

Plugged into Singxer SU-6, Audio GD HE-7, Feliks Audio Euforia Mk I, LCD 2 Rev. 2 Pre-Fazor (LCD Premium Cable)


----------



## jonathan c (Feb 27, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Don't be absurd. He's just anal, like all the hifi guys, and was tracing out the best way to position his stack. He used the tip of a magic marker...so sue him


It’s better to be anal than digi 🤣🤣🤣.


----------



## jonathan c

alekc said:


> @jonathan c tell us little more how this Azure cd player sounds please


Like 🎼…the successor, the 851c, has more _bas relief_ in its presentation - less like 🎼.


----------



## jonathan c

WA6, back from mountain abode, is sporting Brimar CV717, ‘red base’ RCA 5692s.


----------



## steamboiled




----------



## jonathan c

steamboiled said:


>


Nice setup!….trounced by the avatar, though…


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> WA6, back from mountain abode, is sporting Brimar CV717, ‘red base’ RCA 5692s.


And no dust.  Whew.  I was hoping not to have to do an intervention on a Sunday.  🤣


----------



## jonathan c

jonathan c said:


> It’s better to be anal than digi 🤣🤣🤣.


…a hybrid is when the finger is up the…


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> And no dust.  Whew.  I was hoping not to have to do an intervention on a Sunday.  🤣


…what if the music were that of Dusty Springfield, one of the greats…?


----------



## pataburd

Stax SR-007 Mk.1 (Omega II)<--Mjolnir SRD-7 eStat Transformer<--TDK/Furutech 11AWG jumpers<--bel canto e.One c5i<--Topping D50s@32bit/384kHz<--USB Disruptor/Wyred4Sound Recovery<--Lenovo G50


----------



## DeweyCH

The '80's powerhouse:





K240 Sextett LP, K240DF, Sony PS-X600, Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball, Luxman TP-117, Luxman R-117. I rearranged some stuff over the weekend. Out of the frame is my desktop components - Bifrost 2, Lokius, Pro iCAN, Quicksilver Headphone Amp, and my modern headphones. But I like this '80's aesthetic.


----------



## David222

Setup out back today


----------



## gimmeheadroom

You gotta love a set of premium cans that can run off a portable!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DeweyCH said:


> The '80's powerhouse:
> 
> 
> 
> K240 Sextett LP, K240DF, Sony PS-X600, Bottlehead Crack w/Speedball, Luxman TP-117, Luxman R-117. I rearranged some stuff over the weekend. Out of the frame is my desktop components - Bifrost 2, Lokius, Pro iCAN, Quicksilver Headphone Amp, and my modern headphones. But I like this '80's aesthetic.


The system is so good it brings tears to his eyes- please note the handy box of kleenex


----------



## jonathan c

When a ‘work-from-home’ conference call becomes as boring as hell…


----------



## Terriero

Guys, when you insist to Terriero: "you have to upgrade your amp", "your current DAC is not acceptable for those headphones", "you don't pair correctly these headphones, you need to enter in the "tube's rabbit hole"...

You don't know that I already have: *THE ESSENCE OF SOUND  *


----------



## Unseen Aura

Just Set Up 🦇


----------



## Mr Trev

Unseen Aura said:


> Just Set Up 🦇


Best volume knob yet.


----------



## Textfeud

Unfortunately not that exciting anymore. I now listen with my Moon Ace speakeramp but the HE-500 sound surprisingly good through it. The stand I just got and just love. New long cable for the HE-500 is incoming.


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## betula

Even in the reflection on the headphone cup frames you can see this is a good synergy. They connect. 

As aesthetically and visually pleasing this combination of black and aluminium is, they do bring the best out of each other sonically too. The 3XP brings some tight yet natural discipline into the Elite's lifelike, sweet, easy-listening yet already pretty accurate and clean sound.


----------



## gregadd

Too bad you can't see them when in use.


----------



## betula

gregadd said:


> Too bad you can't see them when in use.


Sunshine is the best lighting, so I have to unplug them for a decent picture. 

I can ensure you, in use they also look quite pretty. Please do not worry too much about that.


----------



## gregadd

I am just jealous. No worries


----------



## Terriero

gregadd said:


> Too bad you can't see them when in use.


He has a mirror in front of the head-fi station


----------



## Terriero

Mr Trev said:


> Best volume knob yet.


Also a pleasure gadget


----------



## Thaddy

WFH has it's benefits...


----------



## Mansinthe86

Thaddy said:


> WFH has it's benefits...



Beautiful!
How are the noire with such fancy equipment?


----------



## Korean audiophile

Not a real fan of the Woo Audio headphone stand that I own the half arch leaves a dent imprint on my LCD-4 leather head strap. 

Which headphone 🎧 stands do people like on this thread?


----------



## Mansinthe86

Korean audiophile said:


> Not a real fan of the Woo Audio headphone stand that I own the half arch leaves a dent imprint on my LCD-4 leather head strap.
> 
> Which headphone 🎧 stands do people like on this thread?


https://www.rooms-design.de/


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Mar 2, 2022)

K&M is cheap and has a wide rubber top-plate. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...e-no-old-pictures-please.529140/post-16838338


----------



## Thaddy

Mansinthe86 said:


> Beautiful!
> How are the noire with such fancy equipment?


I've only had them for a few days.  They sound like they may benefit from the black foam insert with the GSX-Mk2, but with the WA22 they are excellent right out of the box.  A very fun an engaging headphone.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Mansinthe86 said:


> https://www.rooms-design.de/


Second.

They make several sizes and from different materials, too.


----------



## mks100

AudioQuest Perch


----------



## Korean audiophile

ColSaulTigh said:


> Second.
> 
> They make several sizes and from different materials, too.


I like the red mahogany one but looking at your wood one the height can't be adjusted and the cables looks like it bends maybe better to go with the black one with height adjustment


----------



## Preachy1

Korean audiophile said:


> Not a real fan of the Woo Audio headphone stand that I own the half arch leaves a dent imprint on my LCD-4 leather head strap.
> 
> Which headphone 🎧 stands do people like on this thread?


Silverstone, if you find one for a reasonable price.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Preachy1 said:


> Silverstone, if you find one for a reasonable price.


Looks like my woo stand but with a more straightforward bill not good for arching headbands


----------



## DownToThis

ColSaulTigh said:


> Second.
> 
> They make several sizes and from different materials, too.


Agree, I posted a pic of the rooms I bought used from the classified here a few pages back and they've been working great:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...e-no-old-pictures-please.529140/post-16815256


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Lord Rexter said:


>


What do you have against Hifiman


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Best volume knob yet.


Yeah, pretty handy to have.


----------



## Roasty




----------



## hammersrocco

Turkeysaurus said:


>



I have to ask - what is that rack? where to find it?

thnx!

hammers


----------



## kumar402

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Killer rack.
Never seen THX789 at such pedestal


----------



## Turkeysaurus

hammersrocco said:


> I have to ask - what is that rack? where to find it?
> 
> thnx!
> 
> hammers


It's from a local company here in Houston.

https://audiobastion.us/collections/products/products/x-rack-desktop-system-tempo-series-xd-2


----------



## jonathan c

kumar402 said:


> Killer rack.


…Breast-Fi?…🤣


----------



## Korean audiophile

Turkeysaurus said:


> It's from a local company here in Houston.
> 
> https://audiobastion.us/collections/products/products/x-rack-desktop-system-tempo-series-xd-2





Dear god $400 for a two tier rack! That thx 789 is living like a King 👑


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Korean audiophile said:


> Dear god $400 for a two tier rack! That thx 789 is living like a King 👑


😂 only reason I went for it was because I got it half off.


----------



## hammersrocco

Turkeysaurus said:


> It's from a local company here in Houston.
> 
> https://audiobastion.us/collections/products/products/x-rack-desktop-system-tempo-series-xd-2


Thanks so much!

hammers


----------



## jonathan c

Turkeysaurus said:


> 😂 only reason I went for it was because I got it half off.


The price or the stand ? 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> Dear god $400 for a two tier rack! That thx 789 is living like a King 👑


…so…you coronate solid-state…we tube folk get restless…🤣…


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> Second.
> 
> They make several sizes and from different materials, too.



What's that headphone in the 2nd picture (it has words including "technology" engraved in the wood)?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> What's that headphone in the 2nd picture (it has words including "technology" engraved in the wood)?


Sendy Audio Peacock…


----------



## Preachy1

US site if anyone is interested 

https://www.thomannmusic.com/rooms_audio_line.html


----------



## sacguy231

My main listening corner, kinda random mix of analog and digital.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner, kinda random mix of analog and digital.


Handsome setup and wild mix of gear! What's the Sony 2nd up from the bottom on the shelf to the right side of the picture?


----------



## bcowen

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner, kinda random mix of analog and digital.


"Amidst the towering stacks that dwarf it, one valiant tube stands proudly."


----------



## sacguy231

gimmeheadroom said:


> Handsome setup and wild mix of gear! What's the Sony 2nd up from the bottom on the shelf to the right side of the picture?


Thx! Sony pro model minidisc player.


bcowen said:


> "Amidst the towering stacks that dwarf it, one valiant tube stands proudly."


DED! hahaha


----------



## gimmeheadroom

sacguy231 said:


> Thx! Sony pro model minidisc player.



I thought so but I don't recognize that one. MD is still a great format.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Sendy Audio Peacock…


Correct.

A surprisingly competent, well-crafted planar at a reasonable price.  IMO a much better choice for the money than any HiFiMan in the same range.  Search for it in the forums for my full review.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> "Amidst the towering stacks that dwarf it, one valiant tube stands proudly."





bcowen said:


> "Amidst the towering stacks that dwarf it, one valiant tube stands proudly."


“A beacon of natural sound amidst a wilderness of solid-state cacophony. Behold: the Statube of Liberty!” 🇺🇸


----------



## jonathan c

Hmm….Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Footscray….Oh yes! The WA6 has been ‘Footscrayed’ and is ready for sonic duty !! 

Brimar CV717 (KB/FB) & pair Brimar CV455 (KB/FB)


----------



## shwnwllms

Current status


----------



## MacMan31

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner, kinda random mix of analog and digital.



Nice room. I am curious about the chair, the light behind it and the Sony headphones on the floor. Any more info on those items please?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

I think I have a new favorite headphone stand...


----------



## jonathan c

My favourite headphone stand is my head 🤣


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> My favourite headphone stand is my head 🤣


Sure, but when you own 7 pair (and growing) that becomes impractical.  So the next best thing is to look at the ones currently not in use in the best way possible!


----------



## sacguy231

MacMan31 said:


> Nice room. I am curious about the chair, the light behind it and the Sony headphones on the floor. Any more info on those items please?


Thx, the chair I got from amazon, search "floor chair" and there's a ton of results and options for gaming or lounging chairs. Great if you are like me and do lots of listening on the floor and near your gear. Lamp I got ages ago from Ikea if I recall, no other info on it. Headphones are Sony MDR-Z1R


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> Sure, but when you own 7 pair (and growing) that becomes impractical.  So the next best thing is to look at the ones currently not in use in the best way possible!


When not on my head, this is where the headphones reside…


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> When not on my head, this is where the headphones reside…


But how do you admire their beauty that way?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> My favourite headphone stand is my head 🤣



Doesn't that stretch the crap out of the top band?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Doesn't that stretch the crap out of the top band?
> 
> 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


Not if I switch to these at the maximum setting 🤪


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> But how do you admire their beauty that way?


In my mind’s eye…


----------



## j3n5




----------



## HWB3

A good way to start your day.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## wilk0076

A thing I like to call "Saturday Morning Interactive Cartoons"...


----------



## TheMiddleSky

j3n5 said:


>


Nice and lovely ambience. But if i may ask, why light up the candle, is it purely for mood booster? haha


----------



## Chastity

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice and lovely ambience. But if i may ask, why light up the candle, is it purely for mood booster? haha


Candles are what we had to use before tubes were invented.


----------



## simorag

Turning my listening couch into a bed while recovering from surgery, music is healing, no?


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Chastity said:


> Candles are what we had to use before tubes were invented.



I should write it down in my note with bold, italic, and underline



simorag said:


> Turning my listening couch into a bed while recovering from surgery, music is healing, no?



impressive stuff sir


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ColSaulTigh said:


> But how do you admire their beauty that way?


Just look at the right side. He urned it


----------



## Terriero

Finally!!! A game for us, headfiers


----------



## botmann

Stellia, BTR5, Meze 99 Classic silver plated 2.5mm balanced cable

In the background you can a Digitech D Drop and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300 guitar pedals, and Getaria wireless guitar systems.

The PC is a Intel Nuc 10.  Yes, it's very small.


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> Finally!!! A game for us, headfiers



…. “last one in is a rotten tube….na na - na na na!…” 🤪🤣


----------



## UntilThen

Listening to a prototype amp that uses:-

6BW4 as rectifier
6SL7 or 12AT7 or 12AV7 or T7 as driver
6AS7 or 5998 or 6BX7 or 6BL7 as power tube.

At the moment it's a RCA 6AS7 and 12AV7 in there and it's a very impressive quality sound with LCD4. Amp is from Eric of McChanson's amps.


----------



## j3n5

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice and lovely ambience. But if i may ask, why light up the candle, is it purely for mood booster? haha


To be serious, im listening to music watching the sunrise from my kitchen window, yeah mood boostter but in north Sweden its still winter and kind of dark when i sit down. And try it, adding a couple of candles sure adds thatwarm feeling to the Apple USC-C dongle!


----------



## UntilThen

Alright impressions on the McChanson's thread. The amp sound drop dead gorgeous with a budget price. A 6as7 transformer coupled amp that drives my He1000se and LCD4 so well and very quiet too.


----------



## fattycheesebeef

Just curious, does the tube amps run hot or just the tube itself!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

fattycheesebeef said:


> Just curious, does the tube amps run hot or just the tube itself!


Yes


----------



## UntilThen

fattycheesebeef said:


> Just curious, does the tube amps run hot or just the tube itself!



Tubes are hot, as are the main (power) transformer. On some tube amps like the La Figaro 339, the chassis itself is a heat sink, so the chassis is very hot to the touch. 

It also depends on the design of the amp. On my Oblivion, only the tubes are hot, the amp on the whole is pretty cool in all sense of the word. On Odyssey (KT88 amp), the tubes and main transformer are hot but the chassis is cool even after 6 hours plus of operation.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Tubes are hot, as are the main (power) transformer. On some tube amps like the La Figaro 339, the chassis itself is a heat sink, so the chassis is very hot to the touch.
> 
> It also depends on the design of the amp. On my Oblivion, only the tubes are hot, the amp on the whole is pretty cool in all sense of the word. On Odyssey (KT88 amp), the tubes and main transformer are hot but the chassis is cool even after 6 hours plus of operation.


Just subscribed to that thread. Your posts here & there have me interested in this amp...


----------



## Korean audiophile

UntilThen said:


> Alright impressions on the McChanson's thread. The amp sound drop dead gorgeous with a budget price. A 6as7 transformer coupled amp that drives my He1000se and LCD4 so well and very quiet too.


Where can I buy one and how much is it?


----------



## fattycheesebeef

UntilThen said:


> Tubes are hot, as are the main (power) transformer. On some tube amps like the La Figaro 339, the chassis itself is a heat sink, so the chassis is very hot to the touch.
> 
> It also depends on the design of the amp. On my Oblivion, only the tubes are hot, the amp on the whole is pretty cool in all sense of the word. On Odyssey (KT88 amp), the tubes and main transformer are hot but the chassis is cool even after 6 hours plus of operation.



Thanks for this! Appreciate it 😊


----------



## DeweyCH

Can anyone guess which is my favorite?


----------



## betula

DeweyCH said:


> Can anyone guess which is my favorite?


Probably the Susi and not because it is the most expensive, but you wouldn't keep them in the stable if you did not like them so much. The VC is a close second contender as they offer a unique sound signature. My guess without knowing your actual sonic preference.


----------



## DeweyCH

betula said:


> Probably the Susi and not because it is the most expensive, but you wouldn't keep them in the stable if you did not like them so much. The VC is a close second contender as they offer a unique sound signature. My guess without knowing your actual sonic preference.


Nope, it's the Buddyphone on the left. Good guesses though!

(Honestly it's the Sus, followed by the VC, so you're spot on there)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DeweyCH said:


> Can anyone guess which is my favorite?


Ok Mister, don't try to file a claim for dead pixels. We see, very clearly, the stealth magnets against the screen. That is *not* covered under the warranty!


----------



## betula

DeweyCH said:


> Nope, it's the Buddyphone on the left. Good guesses though!
> 
> (Honestly it's the Sus, followed by the VC, so you're spot on there)


I would be interested to hear your brief impressions on the Rögnir though.


----------



## pspentax

My couch head-fi station 🤣🤣🤣
Mojo -> Clones i25 -> HD800S


----------



## DeweyCH (Mar 7, 2022)

betula said:


> I would be interested to hear your brief impressions on the Rögnir though.


It's tied for 2nd with the VC. Just a fantastic headphone. It's on my bedside setup right now. Really huge soundstage, not just for a closed-back, with that planar bass - doesn't attack as hard as the VC, but it's got better definition and reaches a bit lower (I think). Unreal clarity (again, more or less equal to the VC). It's my endgame closed-back planar.

Edit to add: the only headphones I've had that better it technically are the Susvaras.


----------



## betula

DeweyCH said:


> It's tied for 2nd with the VC. Just a fantastic headphone. It's on my bedside setup right now. Really huge soundstage, not just for a closed-back, with that planar bass - doesn't attack as hard as the VC, but it's got better definition and reaches a bit lower (I think). Unreal clarity (again, more or less equal to the VC). It's my endgame closed-back planar.


How about impact and forwardness? Would you say the Rögnir is a more intense listen while the VC is a bit more relaxed? Or the opposite?

I heard the Verité open, but haven't heard any Kennertons. To me ZMF bass attack was not really hard at all. This somewhat contradicts my expectations with the Rögnir. From what I read, the Rögnir is a pretty forward, pretty intense/coloured listen. To hear that ZMF has harder attack is surprising. (And potentially makes Kennerton even more interesting to me.)


----------



## DeweyCH

betula said:


> How about impact and forwardness? Would you say the Rögnir is a more intense listen while the VC is a bit more relaxed? Or the opposite?
> 
> I heard the Verité open, but haven't heard any Kennertons. To me ZMF bass attack was not really hard at all. This somewhat contradicts my expectations with the Rögnir. From what I read, the Rögnir is a pretty forward, pretty intense/coloured listen. To hear that ZMF has harder attack is surprising. (And potentially makes Kennerton even more interesting to me.)


I want to avoid speaking out of turn, let me do a side-by-side later tonight and give you less of a "how well do I remember this?" response.


----------



## Lord Rexter

My personal spaceships


----------



## pspentax

Lord Rexter said:


> My personal spaceships


Nice for this cold days 🔥🔥🔥 🤣


----------



## ufospls2

Lord Rexter said:


> My personal spaceships


Cool, whats that amp on the left?


----------



## gefski

pspentax said:


> My couch head-fi station 🤣🤣🤣
> Mojo -> Clones i25 -> HD8


OK, Lambdas peeking over the couch.


----------



## bcowen

Lord Rexter said:


> My personal spaceships


Nice!  Although I feel a little intimidated....like a rag-tag rebel going up against the Imperial fleet.  🤣


----------



## Terriero

DeweyCH said:


> Nope, it's the Buddyphone on the left. Good guesses though!
> 
> (Honestly it's the Sus, followed by the VC, so you're spot on there)


A very big NOOO... Your favourite is the gadget to scratch your back (or other anatomy parts ) that you have between both screens...

_BTW, I need one... _


----------



## DeweyCH

Terriero said:


> A very big NOOO... Your favourite is the gadget to scratch your back (or other anatomy parts ) that you have between both screens...
> 
> _BTW, I need one... _


Bought that at the zoo. Worth its weight in Planars.


----------



## Lord Rexter

ufospls2 said:


> Cool, whats that amp on the left?


Megatron DIY Estat Tube AMP based on Kevin Gilmore's design.


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> A very big NOOO... Your favourite is the gadget to scratch your back (or other anatomy parts ) that you have between both screens...
> 
> _BTW, I need one... _


Huh?  Here all along I thought that was an eyelash curler, but I didn't want to say anything.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Terriero said:


> A very big NOOO... Your favourite is the gadget to scratch your back (or other anatomy parts ) that you have between both screens...
> 
> _BTW, I need one... _


Amazon.  I have three same one in red.  Was a stocking stuffer.


----------



## DeweyCH

Butt scratchaaaaaa


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Can anyone guess which is my favorite?


The red/white one: far left.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

DeweyCH said:


> Butt scratchaaaaaa


Buttscratchaaaa?


----------



## pspentax

gefski said:


> OK, Lambdas peeking over the couch.


You have a good eye 🤣


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> Amazon.  I have three same one in red.  Was a stocking stuffer.


Not a stuffer for somewhere else?…🤨🤣…


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Not a stuffer for somewhere else?…🤨🤣…


That might prove a bit painful...


----------



## DeweyCH (Mar 7, 2022)

betula said:


> How about impact and forwardness? Would you say the Rögnir is a more intense listen while the VC is a bit more relaxed? Or the opposite?
> 
> I heard the Verité open, but haven't heard any Kennertons. To me ZMF bass attack was not really hard at all. This somewhat contradicts my expectations with the Rögnir. From what I read, the Rögnir is a pretty forward, pretty intense/coloured listen. To hear that ZMF has harder attack is surprising. (And potentially makes Kennerton even more interesting to me.)


OK, here goes... I'll be listening to both with the same amp (Mogwai SE) and the same cable (Forza Noir Hybrid with the Rognir's Soviet-era Litz XLR to 1/4" adapter). VC has hybrid solid Auteur pads, Rognir has the stock solid leather pads (with perforations inside and a small stretch of perforations on the front):





First song: "Surface Pressure" by Lin-Manuel Miranda (I have a 3-year-old so Encanto's soundtrack is stuck in my brain)

Rognir: bass is strong, kick drum has a nice thump to it. No congestion in any reasonably complex parts; I'm having no problem identifying all of the instruments. Attack and decay are fast. Maybe a little bit of warm bloom in the bass. Digs very very deep. Vocals are a little recessed behind the percussion and bass. Not enough to be annoying or anything. The finger cymbals (I think?) moving around the soundstage are hard to ignore. I don't think the bass "attacks" a ton, but I'm probably not all that good at describing what that means.

VC: bass is cleaner (so ignore everything I said in my first post). Crisper. Vocals are more forward. The soundstage is a little narrower, a touch more "closed" sounding. Percussion still has the crisp attack like the Rognir. Digs almost as deep bass-wise. It's a more relaxing sound, I think. I could sit back, close my eyes and lose myself in the song much more easily. Whatever those finger cymbal things are sound more like background, they move around nicely but don't demand your attention like they do with the Rognir. Overall, the sound is cleaner. Both are supremely detailed, but to your point, there seems to be less aggressive attitude in the song.

Second song: "You Make Loving Fun" by Fleetwood Mac

VC: again, very clean bass. Decay is again faster that the Rognir. Vocals are right in line with the instruments - not forward, not recessed. Soundstage is much more impressive in this than the cartoon soundtrack song. Hi-hat in the left ear is really nice - it's not coming out and screaming at you, but it is pulling attention. Rhythm guitar comes out way to the right and seems cleaner and more present than the lead. Lead guitar is relaxed and enjoyable. Very clear, very detailed, again, with both the kick drum and the bass line layering nicely into the song. Hits fast, decays fast, but doesn't jump forward. Treble is fabulous. When the guitar jumps up an octave or 2 for the "lead" lick, it's like the guitarist is wandering around the stage and you can hear him doing so.

Rognir: High-hat leaps out to start with. Like the other song, it's really forward - not enough to detract, but enough that you're kind of enraptured by it, and everything else is following it. Vocals are again recessed slightly behind the instruments - including the backup vocals, which didn't jump out to me on the VC but really come in hard on the Rognir. Lead guitar is sharper, crisper. Bass is way down there. Not leaping forward, and has a little warm bloom, but getting more of that bowel-vibrating element to it. Chimes (strangely) are less apparent than on the VC. I'm seeing this lending itself more to critical listening rather than relaxing. Lead guitar is now ahead of the rhythm guitar, and the rhythm guitar has lost a little bit of the cool "wow that's way over to the right, I notice you!" effect.

One more: "Make It Bun Dem" by Skrillex (for something way way different)

Rognir: It attacks. From the start, you're demanded to listen. Percussion is way there. The "squee squee squee" thing that he uses is piercing. I don't know what that is, I just know that it's assaulting my eardrums. Combination of a really aggressive track with fairly aggressive cans. Bass is kind of overwhelmed. I expected this to be a bass blasty song, but it's really mid- and treble-forward. I do not enjoy this combination. Might be I just don't like the song. I'm not really big into this genre. There is serious subbass - and it's rumbling my head despite not being particularly loud.

VC: Not nearly as aggressive out of the gate. It's... not bad. Percussion is less present and over the vocals. The "squee squee squee" thing isn't nearly so piercing, and the sub-bass is very obvious and balancing it much better. It's still not a mid-bass-blasty track, but the tuning feels like the sub-bass and the treble are making a song sandwich rather than the treble screaming at you while the sub-bass is just there. This is a listenable track on the VCs. I'm still not going to go out and listen to it again on purpose, but for the purposes of comparing these two, it's done its job.

One one more, since that was not fun: "Cara Mia Addio" by Aperture Science Psychoacoustic Laboratories (the Portal 2 soundtrack)

VC: I can hear like the resonating inside of a cello from the initial fake cello run. It's cool. Waiting on the bass to "drop," as the kids say... and it's pleasant. Not super forward, which is a little disappointing. But this is like a synth-opera song, so it's kind of laid back to begin with. I can hear the synth voices clearly like I never have before, and the little synth flute kind of falls back and seems less clear than I remember. I'm actually kinda excited to try this song with the...

Rognir: Seems a little clearer. This isn't a Master track, but the presentation of the initial upper mids is really quite nice and crystal-clear. Vocals are, again, recessed. Clear, but I wish they were a little more forward on this. Bass drop... not really any more attacking than the VC. It's a better overall presentation of the song, but the bass is similarly deep but polite. The low synth timbre is really lovely. Edit to add: the "resonating inside of a cello" in the beginning (listened again just now) sounds less natural, more like a synth cello that's just being held. Sounds great, but that resonance was really cool with the VC.

So, I don't know if I have a conclusion. Just some observations. Hope they're at least reasonably interesting.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Currently Gradoing...


----------



## Whazzzup

ahh my TT, nice


----------



## xtiva

Hopefully this is it...


----------



## Wes S (Mar 8, 2022)

DeweyCH said:


> OK, here goes... I'll be listening to both with the same amp (Mogwai SE) and the same cable (Forza Noir Hybrid with the Rognir's Soviet-era Litz XLR to 1/4" adapter). VC has hybrid solid Auteur pads, Rognir has the stock solid leather pads (with perforations inside and a small stretch of perforations on the front):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dude!  I know everyone that owns a VC or Rognir and that has been interested in the other just like me, is thankful for this information.  Thanks for sharing and I have a feeling a Rognir is in my future.  


xtiva said:


> Hopefully this is it...


Dude, that's some serious gear right there!  Nice.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Mar 8, 2022)




----------



## jonathan c

a short break from the VT gear….🎼 play on!…


----------



## rex4539




----------



## Korean audiophile

jonathan c said:


> a short break from the VT gear….🎼 play on!…


What pads are those?


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> What pads are those?


Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Self quarantine set up for now


----------



## jonathan c

The VT break mentioned in post #32,026 has been sidelined for a bit. 2x6J5 -> 6SN7 adapter by @Deyan has arrived. First conscripts for duty are the Ken-Rads:


----------



## Mr Trev




----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


>


….nice setup beverage!…🤪


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> ….nice setup beverage!…🤪


----------



## u2u2

Doing the headphone equipment shuffle as I prepare to retire my beloved late 2013 Mac Pro and Thunderbolt display...
Kissing Intel goodbye in favour of a Mac Studio setup. Hoping the fans are as quiet as the Mac Pro was. Eight plus years of audio bliss and flawless performance will be a tough act to follow. 
Endgame in sight?
Loving the rear outputs on the Phonitor. Great performance with a clean presentation.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Is the OG Clears really 90% of the Utopia? Asking for a friend


----------



## Preachy1

Korean audiophile said:


> Is the OG Clears really 90% of the Utopia? Asking for a friend


Is it even possible to compare devices using a percentage value?


----------



## kumar402 (Mar 11, 2022)

u2u2 said:


> Doing the headphone equipment shuffle as I prepare to retire my beloved late 2013 Mac Pro and Thunderbolt display...
> Kissing Intel goodbye in favour of a Mac Studio setup. Hoping the fans are as quiet as the Mac Pro was. Eight plus years of audio bliss and flawless performance will be a tough act to follow.
> Endgame in sight?
> Loving the rear outputs on the Phonitor. Great performance with a clean presentation.


I'm still using 2013 macbook Pro and now with Roon + HQPLAYER. It's a work horse and still gives me good battery backup.
I can run Spring Tool Suite, Roon and HQPLAYER and it just doesn't give up. I hope to use it for as long as I can as I have spent all my spare fund on audio purchase.


----------



## jonathan c

Preachy1 said:


> Is it even possible to compare devices using a percentage value?


I think so…if that person is assigning the percentage value for the overall _perception _of performance by _that person. _The utility / validity of that percentage may not / will not carry over to a different person.


----------



## Mansinthe86

kumar402 said:


> I'm still using 2013 macbook Pro and now with Roon + HQPLAYER. It's a work horse and still gives me good battery backup.
> I can run Spring Tool Suite, Roon and HQPLAYER and it just doesn't give up. I hope to use it for as long as I can as I have spent all my spare fund on audio purchase.




MacBook Air M1 has been awesome with roon as well. Battery life forever. Fast, no lag while streaming and upsampling.

I probably wouldn't even know what to do with a pro/max or studio mac


----------



## ST33L

Here’s my upstairs set-up


----------



## pataburd

Ananda/SP200/D50s: a surprisingly competent and rewarding budget threesome (with lots of tweaky stuff in between):


----------



## bcowen

pataburd said:


> Ananda/SP200/D50s: a surprisingly competent and rewarding budget threesome (with lots of tweaky stuff in between):


Nice!  I like tweaky stuff.


----------



## TooFrank

Silver Wolf said:


>


Wauw - you've hat it


----------



## pataburd

TooFrank said:


> Wauw - you've hat it


Looks like Grand Central headphone Station!


----------



## bigjako

I just did some crazy gear upgrades (Kenzie Encore Deluxe, Eddie Current Electra, Mjolnir Carbon) that have been a long time in motion.  I replaced the cheapo Wayfair cart with a Monoprice XL stand but thought the fake wood and shiny metal look wack so I spray painted and stickered it.  I screwed up the Yggys coax jack and corrupted the Allo’s SD card in the process but I’m pretty happy with it all.


----------



## pataburd (Mar 11, 2022)

What power cord is that going into the "Dunelt"?


----------



## bigjako (Mar 11, 2022)

It's a Ven den hul. I bought a lot of 2nd hand power cords and I suspect they may be counterfeits.  It does sound great, though so I suspect even the counterfeits use quality parts?  I hold out hope it's legit.  I have a second I'm too scared to use on more expensive amps but was just thinking about trying it for the Kenzie (which is using a Shunyata Venom).

Edit: when I say a lot, I mean I won an auction for "a lot".
Edit 2: the Dunelt is a BH Crack, I found an old bike emblem from the 30s and put it on the case.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bigjako said:


> I just did some crazy gear upgrades (Kenzie Encore Deluxe, Eddie Current Electra, Mjolnir Carbon) that have been a long time in motion.  I replaced the cheapo Wayfair cart with a Monoprice XL stand but thought the fake wood and shiny metal look wack so I spray painted and stickered it.  I screwed up the Yggys coax jack and corrupted the Allo’s SD card in the process but I’m pretty happy with it all.


Vornado!!


----------



## RickB

Dug out my old Penguin Caffeine 9V battery amp (made by Robert Gehrke in Germany) and hooked it up to my B2. This mint tin amp is 13 years old and still works! Doesn't sound too bad with my HD600.


----------



## RickB

RickB said:


> Dug out my old Penguin Caffeine 9V battery amp (made by Robert Gehrke in Germany) and hooked it up to my B2. This mint tin amp is 13 years old and still works! Doesn't sound too bad with my HD600.


D'oh! Should've included the interior:


----------



## UntilThen

bigjako said:


> I just did some crazy gear upgrades (Kenzie Encore Deluxe, Eddie Current Electra, Mjolnir Carbon) that have been a long time in motion. I replaced the cheapo Wayfair cart with a Monoprice XL stand but thought the fake wood and shiny metal look wack so I spray painted and stickered it. I screwed up the Yggys coax jack and corrupted the Allo’s SD card in the process but I’m pretty happy with it all.



You can never have too many tube amps. This is the new normal.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

pataburd said:


> Ananda/SP200/D50s: a surprisingly competent and rewarding budget threesome (with lots of tweaky stuff in between):



Your laptop's usb port really handle the hard work here


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> You can never have too many tube amps. This is the new normal.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## z1kq

Terriero said:


> Here are the promised pics. I put them into spoiler:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Love the keyboard too!


----------



## carboncopy




----------



## carboncopy




----------



## Mr Trev

A beer a day…



…doesn't make me a better photographer


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> A beer a day…
> 
> …doesn't make me a better _looking _photographer


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]   😂


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]   😂


Are you kidding? Beer goggles is probably the only way I'd get any attention


----------



## rex4539

Mr Trev said:


> A beer a day…
> 
> …doesn't make me a better photographer


...but Dead Guy Ale is awesome


----------



## bcowen

rex4539 said:


> ...but Dead Guy Ale is awesome


Except Dead Guy dude has some rather lustful eyes drilled onto those headphones.  Hope they don't mysteriously, um, disappear.


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 12, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Except Dead Guy dude has some rather lustful eyes drilled onto those headphones.  Hope they don't mysteriously, um, disappear.


I think those hp are safe. Dead Guy dude looks like the Skullcandy type!…..💀🤣🤣🤣…..


----------



## gregadd

Mr Trev said:


> Are you kidding? Beer goggles is probably the only way I'd get any attention


Uh I think beer goggles go on the other person.


----------



## Radaos




----------



## Korean audiophile

carboncopy said:


>


My Soloist GT looking at me now saying "am sorry" 
Me "Don't be sorry, Do better"


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> My Soloist GT looking at me now saying "am sorry"
> Me "Don't be sorry, Do better"


….a/k/a… shape up 💪 or ship out 🚢…


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Korean audiophile

carboncopy said:


>


----------



## Mr Trev

gregadd said:


> Uh I think beer goggles go on the other person.


That be true. Why do you think_ I'm_ not in any of the pics I post


----------



## gregadd

Dutch courage.


----------



## nagi8404

I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


----------



## kumar402

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


 800s with DNA amp is what you need.


----------



## Korean audiophile

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


How much does the luxman go for on the used market nowadays?


----------



## Korean audiophile

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


Coming from SS amps how does The DNA sound with a Lcd-4? Does it work well with planars?


----------



## nagi8404

Korean audiophile said:


> Coming from SS amps how does The DNA sound with a Lcd-4? Does it work well with planars?


Never owned LCD so I can't say anything.
I enjoy HD800s out of DNA but didn't really like Empys out of it.
From what I've heard DNA amps don't sound _too_ tubelike but for me it kinda tamed HE1000se and made it less offensive to my ears.

Perhaps other members can provide better opinion.


----------



## szore




----------



## Diosces

lumdicks said:


>


If I had $10k to spend that Fostex would be the headphone tube amp for me.


----------



## lumdicks

Diosces said:


> If I had $10k to spend that Fostex would be the headphone tube amp for me.


Yes it is truly amazing but unfortunately it is now discontinued and can hardly find one in the used market.


----------



## szore

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


What are you looking at for new headphones? What's your budget?


----------



## Pharmaboy

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


If that's the Meze Empyrean on the floor/lower right, you already have at least one pretty good headphone (just sayin').


----------



## Lord Rexter (Mar 13, 2022)

pspentax said:


> You have a good eye 🤣



My 40+ years old eyes can see the following, nice collection you got there 

STAX SR-L300
STAX SR-L300 Limited Edition
STAX SR-L500 Mk2
STAX SRM-353X Limited Edition
STAX SRM-727II
STAX SRM-007tII


----------



## nagi8404

szore said:


> What are you looking at for new headphones? What's your budget?


I'm either going for 1266 or Stax X9K. Most likely going to be 1266 since I don't have an estat amp yet.


Pharmaboy said:


> If that's the Meze Empyrean on the floor/lower right, you already have at least one pretty good headphone (just sayin').


Yes that's the Empys, but I rarely use it as I listen to mostly classical music and that isn't Empy's strong suit. For modern pop I've been enjoying my IER-Z1R due to its bass. I haven't used the Empys much lately 😅


----------



## SalR406

nagi8404 said:


> I'm close to endgame... just need better headphones


Beautiful system.  What's that cone of light coming out of the top of the rectifier tube on the Stratus?


----------



## Unterstuffz

System Chain Roon (Core is on Dell Latitude 5411(I7 16 Gb) i could recycle from work (broken Display)which is hidden behind the Tower Pc -> Endpoint is the Rasberry Pie 4 with RooopieXL wich is feeding a Topping D10 Balanced wich is feeding a Xduoo TA20 -> Meze Empyrean with a hart Audio Cable and a Pair of Bose Companion 2 behind the monitor ^^...


----------



## Pharmaboy

nagi8404 said:


> I'm either going for 1266 or Stax X9K. Most likely going to be 1266 since I don't have an estat amp yet.
> 
> Yes that's the Empys, but I rarely use it as I listen to mostly classical music and that isn't Empy's strong suit. For modern pop I've been enjoying my IER-Z1R due to its bass. I haven't used the Empys much lately 😅


When I first read about the Meze Elite, I mentally dismissed it. Many mfrs seem to be in a rush to make their TOTL headphones/DACs/amps sound less musical, less organic, and less like music in real space.

Then I heard the Elite 3X at CanJam/NYC, and I was dead wrong. This permutation of the Empyrean (at least under show conditions), sounded like a genuine sonic upgrade of the original Empyrean in every way. The bass quality in particular is on another level in the Elite vs OG Empyrean. 

I could be wrong. It could be that I'd get the Elite IMS and find things to dislike. But in those 3 brief listens, I was impressed.

PS: I had the Empyrean for awhile ~2 yrs ago and found it to be quite good on classical music, albeit in a rather diffuse way with only middling resolution. But it did get the spacious-sound thing exactly right, which is good on large-scale classical and choral music IMO.


----------



## nagi8404

Pharmaboy said:


> When I first read about the Meze Elite, I mentally dismissed it. Many mfrs seem to be in a rush to make their TOTL headphones/DACs/amps sound less musical, less organic, and less like music in real space.
> 
> Then I heard the Elite 3X at CanJam/NYC, and I was dead wrong. This permutation of the Empyrean (at least under show conditions), sounded like a genuine sonic upgrade of the original Empyrean in every way. The bass quality in particular is on another level in the Elite vs OG Empyrean.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input.
The Elite is under my radar but I'm still trying to find one for a demo.
I do find the Empys a bit too laidback and warm for my tastes, so I only use it for specific genres but perhaps the Elite will change that.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## msing539

I wouldn't exactly call it a "station"​


----------



## ufospls2 (Mar 14, 2022)

Well, here are things currently.

I've sold my Susvara and they ship out tomorrow.

The SR009S are borrowed, and I'll do a bunch of listening and review in the next month. I'm not sure if there is any point in keeping the SR007mk2 as well as the SR009S _and _SR-X9000 (which I plan on trying eventually.) Also financially that doesn't make sense, so maybe I'll just end up with the X9000's, I'm not sure. Perhaps the 009S and the X9000 would make sense as a contrasting pair. Not sure.

CRBNs are still making weird noises beyond what is normal and will be off to get examined by Audeze tomorrow. I'm looking forward to hearing the CRBNs working fully The small amount I've been able to hear sounds promising so far.

Solitaire P and TC's are great as always, but I'm enjoying the electrostatic stuff as a change of pace : )


----------



## gohminghui88 (Mar 15, 2022)

Removed


----------



## Roasty

ufospls2 said:


> Well, here are things currently.
> 
> I've sold my Susvara and they ship out tomorrow.
> 
> ...



amazing setup and lineup! 
Any plans to add an Innuos PhoenixNet before the Boulder?


----------



## ARCXENOS

Once I get past the indecision, an amplifier upgrade will come


----------



## gimmeheadroom

SalR406 said:


> Beautiful system.  What's that cone of light coming out of the top of the rectifier tube on the Stratus?


That's not a rectifier tube. That's an IMCO Triplex cigarette lighter.


----------



## ufospls2

Roasty said:


> amazing setup and lineup!
> Any plans to add an Innuos PhoenixNet before the Boulder?


Nah no real use for me. I use it directly, never use streaming.


----------



## Korean audiophile

DTgill said:


>


The nfb 11 was my 1st desktop setup my god it was and is still soo good


----------



## Pharmaboy

Korean audiophile said:


> The nfb 11 was my 1st desktop setup my god it was and is still soo good


I have a new AGD R2R-11 MK2 that I finally finished burining in (500 hrs) 2-3 weeks ago. I'm very happy with it! 

The DAC is a very nice quality NOS design; not using the HP amp, but it's the usual strong/neutral AGD single-ended amp; and the I/O settings are quite extensive. I'm using the DAC with the very transparent volume pot in-line/affecting the output to two other amps (because I paid AGD to add a 2nd RCA output pair), set ~80%. This allows me to use the two amps with their volume pots set to a more normal/good for ears 11AM-1PM.

That's especially important w/the Monoprice Liquid Gold X (killer amp for planars), which has no low gain setting and very wonky pot behavior @approx 10AM. Problem solved!

I'm a long-time AGD fanboy. This is my 2nd AIO from them; I also own/owned 2 dedicated amps (NOS 19 & DAC-19). Will shortly be selling the DAC-19, a very nice multibit that also has 2 RCA output pairs.


----------



## DTgill

Korean audiophile said:


> The nfb 11 was my 1st desktop setup my god it was and is still soo good


That one is my R2R 11 my NFB 11 is setup next to it in a different case.


----------



## Roasty

I get a small cubicle at work where I like to hide from people and get some peace and quiet. 

Dave and Kimber cable belong to a friend. I guess I will have to make do with those whilst waiting for a Schiit Magnius/Modius stack and Forza cable to arrive (lol). Printer usb cable from an Intel Nuc running Roon, with data out of a pocket WiFi...


----------



## Whitigir

Roasty said:


> I get a small cubicle at work where I like to hide from people and get some peace and quiet.
> 
> Dave and Kimber cable belong to a friend. I guess I will have to make do with those whilst waiting for a Schiit Magnius/Modius stack and Forza cable to arrive (lol). Printer usb cable from an Intel Nuc running Roon, with data out of a pocket WiFi...


Nice setup! I spot dx220! Where do you get that beautiful case ?


----------



## Roasty

Whitigir said:


> Nice setup! I spot dx220! Where do you get that beautiful case ?



Thanks! and that's a Dignis Felix dx220 leather case.


----------



## Chefguru




----------



## Silver Wolf




----------



## gregadd

"Old,Cheap, Cranky, and Nasty..."
That's  a great name for a country song.


----------



## Olmanwood123

gregadd said:


> "Old,Cheap, Cranky, and Nasty..."
> That's  a great name for a country song.


That will be on my tombstone


----------



## lumdicks (Mar 16, 2022)

1. Woo Audio WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC 6080




2. Little Dot LD-Y2 with Western Electric 274B, Western Electric 717A and Western Electric 300B




3. Fostex Hp-V8 with GEC Genalex KT88, Siemens CCa E88CC and Takatsuki TA300B




Which one is your favourite?


----------



## KlaraKlang (Mar 16, 2022)

little upgrade from my desktop corner , last pic was from may 22th 2021, am i finished? what do you think?


----------



## DTgill

lumdicks said:


> 1. Woo Audio WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC 6080
> 
> 
> 2. Little Dot LD-Y2 with Western Electric 274B, Western Electric 717A and Western Electric 300B
> ...


The Fostex


----------



## shwnwllms

V550 Pro arrived Monday, I am officially done


----------



## bcowen

lumdicks said:


> 1. Woo Audio WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC 6080
> 
> 
> 2. Little Dot LD-Y2 with Western Electric 274B, Western Electric 717A and Western Electric 300B
> ...


Who cares about the amps?  I just want the tubes.  _All_ of them.  🤣🤣


----------



## Shane D

Chefguru said:


>


LOVE that stand!


----------



## Pharmaboy

gregadd said:


> "Old,Cheap, Cranky, and Nasty..."
> That's  a great name for a country song.


Indeed!

The great alt-country Austin, Tx musician, Junior Brown, has a song title that covers some of this territory:

"What's Left Just Won't Go Right"


----------



## Pharmaboy

shwnwllms said:


> V550 Pro arrived Monday, I am officially done


That is one sweet stack of quality audio gear!


----------



## DeweyCH

shwnwllms said:


> V550 Pro arrived Monday, I am officially done


Real impressive stack, but that Auteur is just sexy as hell.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Has anyone auditioned the Ferrum OOR + Hypsos stack yet I might switch my Soloist GT but wondering if it's worth the price hike


----------



## Korean audiophile

shwnwllms said:


> V550 Pro arrived Monday, I am officially done


Lcd-4 still the king 👑 in my opinion and Pontus 2 awesome DAC I am saying this because I own both lol 😂🤣 but it's true . ..


----------



## TheMiddleSky

KlaraKlang said:


> little upgrade from my desktop corner , last pic was from may 22th 2021, am i finished? what do you think?


Nice and practical arrangement. Warm light really helps the mood. 



shwnwllms said:


> V550 Pro arrived Monday, I am officially done


Nice set up. Flagship headphone on the hunt?


----------



## DeweyCH

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice and practical arrangement. Warm light really helps the mood.
> 
> 
> Nice set up. Flagship headphone on the hunt?


I’m sorry do you not see that awesome Auteur?


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## bluenight (Mar 17, 2022)




----------



## Chefguru

New family member. One of the last grado hp-2i ever made.


----------



## FYFL

lumdicks said:


> 1. Woo Audio WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC 6080
> 
> 
> 2. Little Dot LD-Y2 with Western Electric 274B, Western Electric 717A and Western Electric 300B
> ...


Number 2!!!!!!


----------



## Tex Irie

lumdicks said:


> 1. Woo Audio WA22 with Mullard GZ34 Metal Base, Marconi B65 and GEC 6080
> 
> 
> 2. Little Dot LD-Y2 with Western Electric 274B, Western Electric 717A and Western Electric 300B
> ...


That Fostex looks debonair!


----------



## Wes S

Downsized to one system and still loving every second.


----------



## Mansinthe86

Wes S said:


> Downsized to one system and still loving every second.


What headphones are those? They look really comfortable 😬


----------



## TheRH

Those are ZMF's, but not sure what model.


----------



## Wes S

Mansinthe86 said:


> What headphones are those? They look really comfortable 😬


ZMF Atticus in Cocobolo, and they are extremely comfortable.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

DeweyCH said:


> I’m sorry do you not see that awesome Auteur?


Haha, clearly that's impressive, my most fav of Auteur is the Maple one.

However, the temptation for Verite...


----------



## DeweyCH

TheMiddleSky said:


> Haha, clearly that's impressive, my most fav of Auteur is the Maple one.
> 
> However, the temptation for Verite...


I kinda hate myself for letting my stabilized Verites go


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> ZMF Atticus in Cocobolo, and they are extremely comfortable.


As I've said more than once, these are among the prettiest cocobolo ZMFs I've ever seen. 

The wood is (I believe) rift-cut, a different way of sectioning the wood that brings out grain & figure that are quite different from most of the cocobolo earcups we see.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

DeweyCH said:


> I kinda hate myself for letting my stabilized Verites go



Oh no... But hey at least you still acquire the beautiful blue beast


----------



## ufospls2

Pharmaboy said:


> As I've said more than once, these are among the prettiest cocobolo ZMFs I've ever seen.
> 
> The wood is (I believe) rift-cut, a different way of sectioning the wood that brings out grain & figure that are quite different from most of the cocobolo earcups we see.


Those and @Torq's Cocobolo Verite (which look like a Tiger!) are both epic : )


----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> Downsized to one system and still loving every second.


What happened to your Rogue amp?!


----------



## Wes S

Zachik said:


> What happened to your Rogue amp?!


It's about to get listed and is packed up and ready for it's next owner.  I need to downsize due to personal reasons.  It's still the best amp I have heard so far, but I am only keeping one amp and the Pendant has won my heart.


----------



## Wes S (Mar 17, 2022)

ufospls2 said:


> Those and @Torq's Cocobolo Verite (which look like a Tiger!) are both epic : )


Those are flat out insane!  My pair can get quite orange and red depending on lighting, but not quite like those.


----------



## DeweyCH




----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## Pharmaboy

ufospls2 said:


> Those and @Torq's Cocobolo Verite (which look like a Tiger!) are both epic : )


Stunning wood!!


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> I need to downsize due to personal reasons.  It's still the best amp I have heard so far, but I am only keeping one amp and the Pendant has won my heart.


I hope you'll be able to re-acquire one, soon!


----------



## Monsterzero

new ZMF Atrium


----------



## piakoB

Not much has changed for me. Probably in 2023 I might pick up a LCD-X or Arya. I still use the loudspeakers for symphonic music nothing like a blast of sound to be honest. Was listening to some van cliburn concerto recordings few days ago. The tv setup is not ideal because the gear is just stacked up under my old desk. Need to get a proper solution like a entertainment center or some kind of HiFi shelf system. Ideas welcome.


----------



## kid vic (Mar 18, 2022)

Monsterzero said:


> new ZMF Atrium


NVM, found it


----------



## Monsterzero

kid vic said:


> Teaser? Are they planars?


haha, glad I'm not the only one waiting for that glorious day that a planar arrives with ZMF tuning! No these are a new biocel dynamic headphone, coming out April 1st ( no fooling)

I have it on my skull as im typing, listening to Metallica- Kill Em All. 

These headphones are killer!


----------



## kid vic

Monsterzero said:


> haha, glad I'm not the only one waiting for that glorious day that a planar arrives with ZMF tuning! No these are a new biocel dynamic headphone, coming out April 1st ( no fooling)
> 
> I have it on my skull as im typing, listening to Metallica- Kill Em All.
> 
> These headphones are killer!


Just updated my original post.

Interestingly, I was planning to sell my Eikons in the near future. I might have to reconsider since after this there will be no more......


----------



## Monsterzero

kid vic said:


> Just updated my original post.
> 
> Interestingly, I was planning to sell my Eikons in the near future. I might have to reconsider since after this there will be no more......


Just speculation on my part, but I'd be pretty shocked if a closed back version doesnt drop in the hopefully not to distant future.

Ironically, the Eikon is the only ZMF ive yet to own.


----------



## kid vic

Monsterzero said:


> Just speculation on my part, but I'd be pretty shocked if a closed back version doesnt drop in the hopefully not to distant future.
> 
> Ironically, the Eikon is the only ZMF ive yet to own.


Well, if you keep your eyes peeled there might be a nice Cocobolo one in your future... Unless someone pays my tuition and negates inflation.


----------



## Monsterzero

kid vic said:


> Well, if you keep your eyes peeled there might be a nice Cocobolo one in your future... Unless someone pays my tuition and negates inflation.


I'm trying to figure out a way to break it to my wife that I need to buy the amp in the photo above, Wells Dragon level 3. this amp is kraaaazy


----------



## Wes S (Mar 18, 2022)

Monsterzero said:


> I'm trying to figure out a way to break it to my wife that I need to buy the amp in the photo above, Wells Dragon level 3. this amp is kraaaazy


Nice amp man!  I have had my eye on that Dragon level 3 for a while now, and will own one someday. . .


----------



## walker.777

Monsterzero said:


> new ZMF Atrium


How does Wells Dragon pair with new Atrium??


----------



## Pharmaboy

Monsterzero said:


> Just speculation on my part, but I'd be pretty shocked if a closed back version doesnt drop in the hopefully not to distant future.
> 
> Ironically, the Eikon is the only ZMF ive yet to own.


IMO the Eikon is a killer headphone. Huge/impressive in size and sound. Mine was padauk, which was pretty beyond words.

I always said listening to the Eikon was like strapping into a very fast amusement park ride. It was a thrill a minute, including epic sub-bass and a far bigger midrange than most closed backs can manage.

I only sold mine because I reluctantly concluded that closed back dynamic HPs were aggravating my tinnitus & migraine. I could only listen to the Eikon in particular for short periods, then really paid for it afterward. So I sold it, but that headphone lives on in sonic memory.

Oddly enough, my closed back planar (ZMF Ori, which I flat out adore) doesn't really aggravate my issues, so I'm able to listen to it now and then.

The holy grail really is an open back planar with the ZMF house sound. I've been chasing that very thing for ~4 years.


----------



## Monsterzero

walker.777 said:


> How does Wells Dragon pair with new Atrium??


Having owned only OTL's for the better part of 9 years, the Dragonj is a totally different animal altogether. The first thing I noticed was how damn fast this amp is...like really fast. 
The Atrium isnt slow, but its not VC fast either, but it gets pretty close on the Dragon.

Dynamics are fantastic. The first few hours I listened to it after a cross country journey from Wells Audio to my doorstep, I found the dynamics a bit lacking, but once the Dragon awoke from its slumber, the sonic assault commenced.

Mids are liquid. Not OTL liquid, but def much more creamy than your run of the mill solid state amp.

The fact that you can drive efficient IEMs, Susvara, Abyss 1266, HE6 and everything in between with a solid black background is just icing on the cake. I'll be doing a full video review of the Dragon on my Youtube channel (link in signature)


----------



## MHLC

Monsterzero said:


> Having owned only OTL's for the better part of 9 years, the Dragonj is a totally different animal altogether. The first thing I noticed was how damn fast this amp is...like really fast.
> The Atrium isnt slow, but its not VC fast either, but it gets pretty close on the Dragon.
> 
> Dynamics are fantastic. The first few hours I listened to it after a cross country journey from Wells Audio to my doorstep, I found the dynamics a bit lacking, but once the Dragon awoke from its slumber, the sonic assault commenced.
> ...


Glad the dragon is getting the exposure it definitely deserve.  It's such a versatile amp and makes anything sound good if not great.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Mar 18, 2022)

I got super-interested in the Dragon for a few days, until I realized how big it is. It wouldn't possibly fit in either my main desktop system (headphones, speakers, sub) or side-system (headphones only).

However, in yet another example of my addiction to musical, slightly warm & bassy solid state amps, I just bought a Kinki Studio THR-1, an amp I've been interested in for months. It should show up in ~2 weeks. Then after 2 weeks' burn-in, it goes in the main system. I have solid work-arounds for its two main drawbacks (no remote; and no low gain setting, so this uber-powerful amp tends to blow up [or hum with] low impedance headphones). The THR-1 is a no-go with IEMs, but I don't use them and don't mind that.

Soon I'll sell a real classic amp that I rarely use these days, the Lake People G109-A single-ended amp.

(_plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose_)


----------



## Monsterzero

Pharmaboy said:


> I got super-interested in the Dragon for a few days, until I realized how big it is. It wouldn't possibly fit in either my main desktop system (headphones, speakers, sub) or side-system (headphones only).


It is substantially longer from front to back than my GOTL, and even a few inches more than my DAC, which has an enormous footprint of its own.


Pharmaboy said:


> Soon I'll sell a real classic amp that I rarely use these days, the Lake People G109-A single-ended amp.


Ive never heard a Lake People amp, but not from a lack of desire, as ive read lots of good things about them.


----------



## Ciggavelli

Monsterzero said:


> haha, glad I'm not the only one waiting for that glorious day that a planar arrives with ZMF tuning! No these are a new biocel dynamic headphone, coming out April 1st ( no fooling)
> 
> I have it on my skull as im typing, listening to Metallica- Kill Em All.
> 
> These headphones are killer!


Between the VCs and the Atriums, which do you like better with metal (death, doom, black)?


----------



## MHLC

Pharmaboy said:


> I got super-interested in the Dragon for a few days, until I realized how big it is. It wouldn't possibly fit in either my main desktop system (headphones, speakers, sub) or side-system (headphones only).
> 
> However, in yet another example of my addiction to musical, slightly warm & bassy solid state amps, I just bought a Kinki Studio THR-1, an amp I've been interested in for months. It should show up in ~2 weeks. Then after 2 weeks' burn-in, it goes in the main system. I have solid work-arounds for its two main drawbacks (no remote; and no log gain setting, so this uber-powerful amp tends to blow up [or hum with] low impedance headphones). The THR-1 is a no-go with IEMs, but I don't use them and don't mind that.
> 
> ...


I currently have a Dragon L3 but had and own the v281w/ the attenuator and the Milo with all the upgrades which is a better comparasion giving their used market price.  The v281 is more clean and neutrual, letting the headphone's characteristic really shine while the Milo adds a tube like bloom to the mids.  There is a bit of noise floor on the Milo unless you're using he6 or something of that sorts while the v281 is dead silent.

Both are great amps and needs more recognition.  I definitely would take these two over the gsx mini which is in the same price bracket...


----------



## Monsterzero

Ciggavelli said:


> Between the VCs and the Atriums, which do you like better with metal (death, doom, black)?


That is a complicated answer because of several factors, but...

1.I loathe lo-fi
2.Im a midhead
3.I adore speed in gear
4.I like my riffage and double kicks to be well articulated as opposed to a wall of blur.

The Verites are brutal on low fi recordings, so I prefer the Atrium because of them being much more gentle on garbage recordings.
The Atrium mids are some of the best I've ever heard
The Verites are speed demons. The Atrium isnt, especially on an OTL. On the Dragon, the Atrium's transients are much quicker though, still to acheive that staccato, rapid fire sound, the VC is the way to go.

So honestly that really depends on what aspects of metal appeal to you the most.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Monsterzero said:


> It is substantially longer from front to back than my GOTL, and even a few inches more than my DAC, which has an enormous footprint of its own.
> 
> Ive never heard a Lake People amp, but not from a lack of desire, as ive read lots of good things about them.


Lake People owns Violectric; and in turn, both are owned by CMA Audio, which I never heard of until today.

The fabled "Violectric house sound" (which I can attest to courtesy of the V281) equally applies to Lake People gear. If you're into solid state, this is the motherlode...


----------



## Nostoi

Goings off-the-grid in style: the battery powered Bakoon HPA-21 and Hugo2Go. Ideal setup for a saunter around town.


----------



## Pharmaboy

MHLC said:


> I currently have a Dragon L3 but had and own the v281w/ the attenuator and the Milo with all the upgrades which is a better comparasion giving their used market price.  The v281 is more clean and neutrual, letting the headphone's characteristic really shine while the Milo adds a tube like bloom to the mids.  There is a bit of noise floor on the Milo unless you're using he6 or something of that sorts while the v281 is dead silent.
> 
> Both are great amps and needs more recognition.  I definitely would take these two over the gsx mini which is in the same price bracket...


Funny you mention the Milo. That's yet another SS amp I've been jonesing for. 

(I can stop buying amps anytime--honest)


----------



## msing539

Pharmaboy said:


> Funny you mention the Milo. That's yet another SS amp I've been jonesing for.
> 
> (I can stop buying amps anytime--honest)


Every time you buy a new amp, you can send me one of your old ones.


----------



## silversurfer616

My current setup. Surprisingly the Burson Soloist(4W per channel into 32ohm) is an exquisite match with the Susvara.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## kid vic

Nostoi said:


> Goings off-the-grid in style: the battery powered Bakoon HPA-21 and Hugo2Go. Ideal setup for a saunter around town.


This is the closest someone could get me to a portable set up. Other than my MDR-7520 + LG V30 that is


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## Nostoi

kid vic said:


> This is the closest someone could get me to a portable set up. Other than my MDR-7520 + LG V30 that is


I might try stacking the Bakoon and the Hugo this afternoon, obviously with an audiophile grade rubber band. The only question is whether it'll fit in my briefcase. Stay tuned.


----------



## jonathan c

These stay put…


Nostoi said:


> I might try stacking the Bakoon and the Hugo this afternoon, obviously with an audiophile grade rubber band. The only question is whether it'll fit in my briefcase. Stay tuned.


Do not cryogenically treat the rubber band! Stretch is lost! Here is an alternative to the briefcase: Bakoon Below, Hugo High!…🤣


----------



## jonathan c

hke3g2006 said:


>


Hang the Hifiman by the upper metal band? 🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## msing539

jonathan c said:


> Hang the Hifiman by the upper metal band? 🤷🏻‍♂️



I'm so concerned about wear, I reached out to Hifiman to see if I could order the leather suspension strap for the HE1000v2... 

Which is a headphone I still do not own.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> *Do not cryogenically treat the rubber band! Stretch is lost! *Here is an alternative to the briefcase: Bakoon Below, Hugo High!…🤣


A true audiophile rubber band would have been cryogenically treated while still in molecular state, so the stretch won't be adversely affected.  You must be talking about fake audiophile rubber bands?  😂


----------



## Terriero (Mar 19, 2022)

hke3g2006 said:


>



I have checked with my 9200s that we share same size of head, so you can share with me your other headphones without further worries... 

And... *editing*... don't forget to accompany them with those expensive amps to control them...


----------



## kid vic

bcowen said:


> A true audiophile rubber band would have been cryogenically treated while still in molecular state, so the stretch won't be adversely affected.  You must be talking about fake audiophile rubber bands?  😂


Actually, a true audiophile rubber band would include its own dedicated stand to negate the negative effects resting on untreated floors has on stability and retention. I suggest you look up the side by side reviews done on these mandatory objects


----------



## arftech

Some new additions.


----------



## Nostoi

I didn't get a chance to take the Bakoon/Hugo stack out for a walk today, but I did get a chance to move from my desk and have off-the-grid session on the couch, after Nostoi Jr was put to bed, with the WA8 and Bakoon HPA-21 combo. 

Wow. The Bakoon HPA-21 is quite special. It has truly stunning dynamics, with outstanding transparency, and a level technical precision that leaves the listener - me - quite breathless. I did an extensive set of comparisons between the TT2 and the Hugo 2 & HPA-21 combo this afternoon, and I'm afraid to say the latter wipes the floor with the former. The amp section in the TT2 sounds positively sleepy in comparison to the HPA-21. 

This thing is also *powerful.* Don't be fooled by the max power output of 1W, I don't know what kind of alchemical magic is going on with current amplification tech, but on dynamic headphones - even 600ohm Beyers - I don't even go beyond 10am low gain. It's clear this amp is meant for planar headphones. And, yes, my Kennerton Rognir sound absolutely exceptional. This is one of those magical pairings that I know will endure through whatever hype-trains lie ahead in the audio journey. 

In any case, if you get a chance to demo/buy the HPA-21, please do. If you're a fan of hyper-revealing/transparent/resolving SS amps, you can't go wrong.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> A true audiophile rubber band would have been cryogenically treated while still in molecular state, so the stretch won't be adversely affected.  You must be talking about fake audiophile rubber bands?  😂


The cryogenic rubber band would be made of cryogenic rubber from a cryogenic tree 🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 19, 2022)

bcowen said:


> A true _quantum_ audiophile rubber band would have been cryogenically treated while still in molecular state, so the stretch won't be adversely affected. You must be talking about fake audiophile rubber bands? 😂


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## OctavianH

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


Being a total ignorant I might ask: What is FTFY?


----------



## msing539

OctavianH said:


> Being a total ignorant I might ask: What is FTFY?


Fixed That For You... FWIW


----------



## linshu1992 (Mar 19, 2022)

Listening station next to my work station. Thought the silver colors are quite nicely matched!


----------



## fattycheesebeef

What a view for a work station!



linshu1992 said:


> Listening station next to my work station. Thought the silver colors are quite nicely matched!


----------



## gregadd

Love those cables tell us more.


----------



## mulveling (Mar 19, 2022)

Playing with headphones for the first time in a while and made a huge damn mess of my desktop today 
Using my old Singepower SDS toaster amp and AKG K340 to listen-test my stash of vintage 6SN7 tubes (using V1 slot to test, V2 slots have 6BX7GT). Damn, this amp sounds sweet (standard Singlepower warning disclaimers apply). It makes the ancient K340 sound surprisingly good (I didn't have the right adapter for the PS1000). And holy crap the Tung-Sol black glass round plate tubes sound amazing. Thrilled that 6 out of the 7 round plates in my stash sound great. I though I had more dead ones than that, honestly. Now 4 of those tubes have gone into my big rig amps where they're doing amazing things to the sound.

Also the PS1000 are rocking it with reversed pads (I loathe how they sound with stock pads in standard configuration - reversing made all the difference) and a Headroom Balanced Max amplifier from 2006/7. DAC is an ECP Audio Mx (prototype?).


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## jonathan c

linshu1992 said:


> Listening station next to my work station. Thought the silver colors are quite nicely matched!


Oh oh…😳 solid-state lisst?…


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 20, 2022)

OctavianH said:


> Being a total ignorant I might ask: What is FTFY?


----------



## linshu1992

gregadd said:


> Love those cables tell us more.


My picture? That's Norne Audio Drausk Silver, 16-wire (equiv. 4 x 19.0 awg silver occ litz per polarity). It's a new cable from Trevor


----------



## linshu1992

jonathan c said:


> Oh oh…😳 solid-state lisst?…


Yep, I don't think they are the best. But for my work station I don't care that much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


----------



## pspentax

Love that Leica stand 🤣🤣🤣


hke3g2006 said:


>


----------



## pspentax

Today mine station is at this state.
Listening an reference DAC from the old times the Counterpoint DA-10 with UltraAnalog DAC module 🔥🔥🔥


----------



## Spacekop

Nice knockers


----------



## jonathan c

Spacekop said:


> Nice knockers


Breast-fi, _again?_


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Breast-fi, _again?_


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Breast-fi, _again?_


Tit for tat, slings and arrows of contention, etc...


----------



## jonathan c

Spacekop said:


> Nice knockers


Put this in a thread for T + A gear?…🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Put this in a thread for T + A gear?…🤣


As long as the T&A gear goes in a _nice rack._


----------



## gregadd (Mar 20, 2022)

Measurements are for desiners/engineers.  Sound is for audiophiles.


----------



## bcaulf17

linshu1992 said:


> Listening station next to my work station. Thought the silver colors are quite nicely matched!


This is beautiful!


----------



## Pharmaboy

linshu1992 said:


> Listening station next to my work station. Thought the silver colors are quite nicely matched!


Nice light!


----------



## Pharmaboy

pspentax said:


> Today mine station is at this state.
> Listening an reference DAC from the old times the Counterpoint DA-10 with UltraAnalog DAC module 🔥🔥🔥


Quads!


----------



## pspentax

Pharmaboy said:


> Quads!


The amazing ESL 63 🔥🔥😉😉


----------



## nephilim32

From the left. PS AUDIO AC REGENERATOR P3 STELLAR, BURSON SOLOIST SL, ZERO ZONE LINEAR POWER SUPPLY, CYRUS CDI WITH PSXR-2, OPPO BDP 83, CHORD QUTEST, HARMON KARDON AVR 120.


----------



## Gavin C4

Going to upgrade to the new Rossini Apex DAC. It will be a new Ring DAC from dCS. The OOR Hypsos amp really synergies well with the Utopia. The slight warm charactistic and clarity pairs really well with the Utopia.


----------



## L0rdGwyn (Mar 21, 2022)

New OTL I just finished, 6J5 input, 6336 or 6528 output.  Paired with my new headphone, ZMF Atrium in curly bubinga.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

[…Atrium audition…]


----------



## Chefguru

New Mjolnir for the Hp-2i, awaiting the CRBN's return for the Carbon


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> […Atrium audition…]


Nice man, and lucky you!


----------



## TheMiddleSky




----------



## Wes S (Mar 22, 2022)

Current State - Just fired up a killer tube combo with my VC's hooked up, and today's fun is about to begin. . .   Got to love that Walnut Burl on the Pendant SE, with it's psychedelic looking grain pattern!


----------



## Wes S




----------



## ColSaulTigh

Wes S said:


>


That tube shelf gave me an idea for a neat shadowbox piece of artwork for my wall in my office!


----------



## Zachik

ColSaulTigh said:


> That tube shelf gave me an idea for a neat shadowbox piece of artwork for my wall in my office!


Looking forward to seeing the result.


----------



## Guipnox (Mar 22, 2022)

My setup is finished. Very happy with the result 
EQ takes the HE6seV2 to the next level imo.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Guipnox said:


> My setup is finished. Very happy with the result
> EQ takes the HE6seV2 to the next level imo.


Do u EQ with lokius?


----------



## Guipnox

Korean audiophile said:


> Do u EQ with lokius?


Yes.
I have used PeaceUI to EQ before but mostly premade sets.
With Lokius, I can hear the changes in real time and tune the sound the way I like.
It's so satisfying.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Guipnox said:


> Yes.
> I have used PeaceUI to EQ before but mostly premade sets.
> With Lokius, I can hear the changes in real time and tune the sound the way I like.
> It's so satisfying.


How do u think it will work with a Lcd-4? Maybe I will go ahead and purchase it just for that n it connects to the DaC through which connection?


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 22, 2022)

ZMF Atrium ‘audition / break-in” continues (next h/p/a stop is the OTL Woo WA2):


----------



## Guipnox

Korean audiophile said:


> How do u think it will work with a Lcd-4? Maybe I will go ahead and purchase it just for that n it connects to the DaC through which connection?


You can use a balanced/SE DAC into Lokius then into a balanced/SE AMP. 
I don't know how LCD-4 is, nor how it handles EQ.
But I guess it'd improve its sound if you take the time to tweak a little. 
It's hard to know for sure.


----------



## Korean audiophile

_Was_


Guipnox said:


> You can use a balanced/SE DAC into Lokius then into a balanced/SE AMP.
> I don't know how LCD-4 is, nor how it handles EQ.
> But I guess it'd improve its sound if you take the time to tweak a little.
> It's hard to know for sure.


I have a Pontus 2 and a Soloist GT and yes the lcd-4 takes EQ very well from what every reviewer said. I don't use A PC so I never heard it EQ'ed but they said it makes a big difference in the lcd-4.


----------



## jonathan c

Atrium (L) & Aeolus (R)…_preliminary_ comparison in the works…


----------



## piakoB (Mar 23, 2022)

Moved the power conditioner to the headphone rig. Because I’m in a condo I can’t really run my loudspeakers at my preferred volume except maybe from like 10am-5pm so I figured the power conditioner would be better used here since I listen to the headphone setup more.


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> Atrium (L) & Aeolus (R)…_preliminary_ comparison in the works…


The suspense is killing me!


----------



## AudioPowerHead

jonathan c said:


> Atrium (L) & Aeolus (R)…_preliminary_ comparison in the works…


Will be keen hear your impressions comparing between the 2 especially in the mids department. I have Aeolus Camphor Burl too.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> The suspense is killing me!


Yes, but you have Atticus + Pendant + great tubes to bide the while…😂


----------



## Chastity

piakoB said:


> Because I’m in a condo I can’t really run my loudspeakers at my preferred volume except maybe from like 10am-5pm so I figured the power conditioner would be better used here since I listen to the headphone setup more.


I live in an apartment, so I understand completely.  I only use loudspeakers when I have company.


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> Yes, but you have Atticus + Pendant + great tubes to bide the while…😂


. . .and a VC as well of which has become my number one.  So, yes I am well bided for a while no doubt.


----------



## Pharmaboy

The ZMF Atrium is in the house! It's aged cherry with black grills.

I plan to listen to it on 3 amps & 2 DACs (V281; LC v2; WA3 ... MHDT Labs Orchid NOS w/rolled tube; Audio GD R2R-11 NOS). The cable will be my 2.5M ForzaAudioWorks Noir HPC MK2. 

Current pads are stock Universe
I'll also try Auteur & BE2 pads
After I get a basic sense of the sound, I'll compare it to my blackwood Aeolus & silkwood VO. 

It's a beautiful headphone--the screen in particular is a real work of art IMO. My crappy pictures can't show how pretty the screen is (+ black isn't the best color if you want to see the screen's design clearly).


----------



## jonathan c

Continuing from where post #32,222 in this thread left off. The h/p/a now is the Woo WA2 (w/ RFT EZ81, GEC CV2984, Tungsram E88CC). Cable is the Forza Noir Hybrid:

 •  The Atrium is a remarkable headphone that has the ZMF attribute of complete musicality. Rather than offer my detailed impressions list, I highly recommend post #2, by @warrenpchi, in the ‘ZMF ATRIUM !!!’ thread: it is spot on and certainly squares with what I hear from the Atrium.
•  An immense and real captivation for me about the Atrium is imaging / portrayal / soundstaging. In these, the Atrium excels. The soundstage is definitely wider than that of the Aeolus; it is also deeper than that of the Aeolus. This width and depth is _special_ because it is not filled with individual flat musical images separated by a little distance. Each image (instrument / voice) has _its own_ depth and full dimension within the soundstage. This characteristic, to me, distinguishes the Atrium from the Aeolus. This also allows instruments / voices to fill naturally the space ‘allotted’ to them. This, for me, adds tremendously to the cascading effect of ambience / reverberation.
•  The cohesion and transient response of the Atrium drivers allow for the above to occur in the best way possible. Nimbleness / quickness is there but not to say “watch what I can do!” The ‘air / space’ between instruments and voices is ‘clear’ and ‘inert’: it is not charged _with_ energy - the musical energy passes through it. Individual voices in a chorus are thus easy to follow within the power of the collective voice. The texture of each voice, unadorned by a ‘halo’ or ‘sheen’, in its own ‘space’ is thrilling to hear.
•  At first, the midrange of Atrium seemed reticent compared to that of Aeolus. It is all there, just not as ‘upfront’. But that midrange is more fully ‘fleshed out’ via greater dimensionality. Thus Atrium midrange detail is actually greater despite that midrange seeming to be ‘further away’.
•  I _perceive _the bass extension of Atrium as deeper than that of Aeolus but without exaggeration. This is probably due to the efficient propagation and dimensionality of that bass.
•  Due to the above, for me, Atrium sound has more force / gravitas / heft (independent of tonal balance) than does Aeolus sound. Better? 🤷🏻‍♂️ Different? ☑️  Like / want both? 👍.


----------



## LoryWiv

piakoB said:


> Moved the power conditioner to the headphone rig. Because I’m in a condo I can’t really run my loudspeakers at my preferred volume except maybe from like 10am-5pm so I figured the power conditioner would be better used here since I listen to the headphone setup more.


 I have the same Furman in my headphone rig, great unit!


----------



## pspentax

Some combinations that i love at this moment. 🔥🔥🔥
Audeze LCD3/Pass HPA-1
Stax 700mk2/007tII
Sennheiser HD800S/Leben CS300X Limited


----------



## Pharmaboy

pspentax said:


> Some combinations that i love at this moment. 🔥🔥🔥
> Audeze LCD3/Pass HPA-1
> Stax 700mk2/007tII
> Sennheiser HD800S/Leben CS300X Limited


Is that a Pioneer Kuro 42"? If yes, it is 720p or 1080p?

The Kuro is a legendary plasma. It still occasionally pops up in modern-day TV reviews, usually as a black level comparator.


----------



## carbonF1

New DAC in the rig, at last all of my components are now in black! Except that silver remote, agh!

I may look into a stand-alone shelf next. I enjoy looking at everything on the desk but it takes up a good deal of room and is a bit close to my computer.

Gear: PS Audio Directstream Jr, Sony DVP-NS300, Sennheiser HDV 820, and the legendary HD800/6XX headphones.


----------



## Nostoi

pspentax said:


> Some combinations that i love at this moment. 🔥🔥🔥
> Audeze LCD3/Pass HPA-1
> Stax 700mk2/007tII
> Sennheiser HD800S/Leben CS300X Limited


How's the PassLab pairing with the LCD?


----------



## LifeAspect

the headphones are basically in the cabinet below my desk when I am not using them


----------



## pspentax (Mar 24, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that a Pioneer Kuro 42"? If yes, it is 720p or 1080p?
> 
> The Kuro is a legendary plasma. It still occasionally pops up in modern-day TV reviews, usually as a black level comparator.


I have one 720p 42” in my bedroom this one is the 1080p 60” 🤣 9°generation… the last ones.
They still are a reference in picture quality.
I work everyday installing high end hi-fi, tv stuff and still love this kuro 😉


----------



## Pharmaboy

pspentax said:


> I have one 720p 42” in my bedroom this one is the 1080p 60” 🤣 9°generation… the last ones.
> They still are a reference in picture quality.
> I work everyday installing high end hi-fi, tv stuff and still love this kuro 😉



I have that same 42"/720p Kuro in the bedroom. It still has one of the best pictures I've seen from any TV, new or old. It has what I call "Rembrandt lighting," ability to depict fine gradations of natural lighting on fabric, objects, people's faces. It's a lovely picture.

One of my friends has the 60"/1090p Kuro. That's a plasma masterpiece IMO. He knows it will someday die, but dreads the thought of replacing it...

The only display that conclusively betters my Kuro in most ways is one that damn well should, given its price & technology: my 77" LG C8PUA OLED (now ~3 years old).


----------



## pspentax

Nostoi said:


> How's the PassLab pairing with the LCD?


Amazing combination, wide soundstage, very detailed but not clinical, crazy extension/impact/dynamic bass but i think the best part is how silent is the Pass👌


----------



## pspentax

Pharmaboy said:


> I have that same 42"/720p Kuro in the bedroom. It still has one of the best pictures I've seen from any TV, new or old. It has what I call "Rembrandt lighting," ability to depict fine gradations of natural lighting on fabric, objects, people's faces. It's a lovely picture.
> 
> One of my friends has the 60"/1090p Kuro. That's a plasma masterpiece IMO. He knows it will someday die, but dreads the thought of replacing it...
> 
> The only display that conclusively betters my Kuro in most ways is one that damn well should, given its price & technology: my 77" LG C8PUA OLED (now ~3 years old).


From my experience the Pioneer will last forever, i have sold many and sometimes go to some clients that still have ones from 4/5 generations 🤣
The last Sonys OLED are amazing but still the Kuro  9th generation have something special 😉


----------



## simorag




----------



## pspentax

simorag said:


>


That Taiko 🔥👌


----------



## pspentax

simorag said:


>


The last ethernet card from Taiko that use the internal power supply connection is an amazing upgrade 😉


----------



## Gavin C4

Esoteric N-05XD streaming DAC and amp combo pairs really well with the Focal Utopia.


----------



## Wes S




----------



## SalR406

Gavin C4 said:


> Esoteric N-05XD streaming DAC and amp combo pairs really well with the Focal Utopia.


The Esoteric N-05XD is on my list of pieces I really want to try.  Looks like a great all-in-one.


----------



## snapple10




----------



## DTgill

snapple10 said:


>


Nice, I wonder what the difference is between your PS500e and my PS500 original?


----------



## snapple10

DTgill said:


> Nice, I wonder what the difference is between your PS500e and my PS500 original?


Not sure. I had both, couldn't tell the difference( I don't have golden hears), sold the PS500 and kept PS500e especially since I can use it SE or balanced


----------



## DTgill

snapple10 said:


> Not sure. I had both, couldn't tell the difference( I don't have golden hears), sold the PS500 and kept PS500e especially since I can use it SE or balanced


Right on, I got very good deal for these from a person on Reverb, the cups were in rough shape, repaired to satisfaction, and had a guy cable mod them for me and the rest is history.


----------



## betula

I am really enjoying this combo with the Elite. The Elite matches my personal preference better than any other headphones I heard so far and I heard most of them. After two months of ownership I still can't wait to get my daily dose of listening in the evenings.  
Endgame? Perhaps. But I think endgame is subjective. It is about finding the perfect match to your personal sonic expectations. 
Sure the chain could be upgraded to squeeze out another 10% performance increase for 50% more money. But honestly, I am at a very happy place right now which I think will last longer than usual.


----------



## Zachik

DTgill said:


> Right on, I got very good deal for these from a person on Reverb, the cups were in rough shape, repaired to satisfaction, and had a guy cable mod them for me and the rest is history.


Your cable modder has not been seen on reddit for 4 months now... I was hoping to use his services, too.
How did you repair the cups that were in rough shape? That might be useful piece of knowledge


----------



## Gavin C4

LCD 5 actually works really well with tubes too. Emotional vocals and wide sound stage.


----------



## tudedude

I am surprised how well these two work together.


----------



## UntilThen

tudedude said:


> I am surprised how well these two work together.



A great picture. Everything blends in. Even the brick wall.


----------



## UntilThen

Listening to an amp based on the 6EM7 dissimilar triode tubes. The amp on the left. The 6SL7 tube in front is a dummy and does nothing. Astonishingly devoid of any hiss or hump. Powerful and muscular driving He6se V2. Volume knob is at midway.





How does it sound. Similar to this 6EM7 amp.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Listening to an amp based on the 6EM7 dissimilar triode tubes. The amp on the left. The 6SL7 tube in front is a dummy and does nothing. Astonishingly devoid of any hiss or hump. Powerful and muscular driving He6se V2. Volume knob is at midway.
> 
> 
> 
> How does it sound. Similar to this 6EM7 amp.



The white speakers in the video really baffle me.

(ugh,..sorry)


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> The white speakers in the video really baffle me.
> 
> (ugh,..sorry)


Use a translator


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Everything blends in. Even the brick wall.





bcowen said:


> The white speakers in the video really baffle me.



Probably, you just didn't have the opportunity to hear them through the brick wall filter


----------



## szore




----------



## szore




----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> The white speakers in the video really baffle me.
> 
> (ugh,..sorry)



It's a full range speakers. Ideally suited for tube amps.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> It's a full range speakers. Ideally suited for tube amps.


Yes, I know.  Whoooooosh on the humor.    

(the whole speaker _is_ the baffle, save the driver.....)


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Yes, I know.  Whoooooosh on the humor.
> 
> (the whole speaker _is_ the baffle, save the driver.....)



Ah I see. Well as baffling as it is, it's a great sounding baffle. Listening to Danny Boy now. Bafflingly good.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Ah I see. Well as baffling as it is, it's a great sounding baffle. Listening to Danny Boy now. Bafflingly good.


Sometimes it's like talking to a brick wall


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Sometimes it's like talking to a brick wall



You want to understand what a baffle is? Well she will explain it to you.


----------



## CJG888

UntilThen said:


> It's a full range speakers. Ideally suited for tube amps.


Are those the JE Labs OBs? Which drivers are you using?


----------



## UntilThen

CJG888 said:


> Are those the JE Labs OBs? Which drivers are you using?



Those aren't my speakers. I was using that video to demonstrate what a 6EM7 amp can do but everyone is looking at the speakers instead. 

But thanks to @DTgill, that driver is a RCA 12 inch full range speaker. See the link here - choose the English translation or you will get it in Korean.
https://hifimuse.tistory.com/124


----------



## UntilThen

So once again these are Australian made Single Ended transformer coupled amps of about 2 to 3 watts per channel. From an elderly gentleman in his retirement years who has been making tube amps all his life and who has a Masters in Mathematics. 

The table cloth is all mine and priceless.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

UntilThen said:


> So once again these are Australian made Single Ended transformer coupled amps of about 2 to 3 watts per channel. From an elderly gentleman in his retirement years who has been making tube amps all his life and who has a Masters in Mathematics.
> 
> The table cloth is all mine and priceless.


$7 for the tablecloth!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

betula said:


> I am really enjoying this combo with the Elite. The Elite matches my personal preference better than any other headphones I heard so far and I heard most of them. After two months of ownership I still can't wait to get my daily dose of listening in the evenings.
> Endgame? Perhaps. But I think endgame is subjective. It is about finding the perfect match to your personal sonic expectations.
> Sure the chain could be upgraded to squeeze out another 10% performance increase for 50% more money. But honestly, I am at a very happy place right now which I think will last longer than usual.



It's not everyday I see a person use copper upgrade cable for Elite (silver is more favourite choice I guess).

Personally I also copper team, use cable from effect audio for my Elite.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

TheMiddleSky said:


> It's not everyday I see a person use copper upgrade cable for Elite (silver is more favourite choice I guess).
> 
> Personally I also copper team, use cable from effect audio for my Elite.


I just got a Norne Draug 3 from the Classifieds earlier this week.  I also have the Meze Silver.  I like my Norne cables, they add some warmth, where the silver tend to be a touch cold.  Depends on what m listening to, really.

First. World. Problems.


----------



## betula

TheMiddleSky said:


> It's not everyday I see a person use copper upgrade cable for Elite (silver is more favourite choice I guess).
> 
> Personally I also copper team, use cable from effect audio for my Elite.


The Meze copper upgrade cable seems to be quite popular. Even @Andykong prefers it to the silver plated copper version. 
I never heard the silver plated Meze cable, but owned several silver cables. 

What I can say the copper Meze upgrade cable brings a lot more clarity and definition/detail/balance to the picture versus the aesthetically annoying default Meze cables. (Honestly, at this price Meze should include one of the upgrade cables and forget the sonically and physically clumsy stock cables.)

Sure I would try the silver plated Meze cable, but I doubt the difference is that much. I bought my copper Meze upgrade cable for less than half of RRP. 

I tried other cables too like full silver Lavricables or Toxic cables. While they both sound better than stock, Lavricables build quality and customer service was a complete disappointment and put off to me. I will never contact Lavricables ever again. Toxic is fine, but similar quality is available elsewhere.


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Probably, you just didn't have the opportunity to hear them through the brick wall filter


I understand that in the very first DACs, the brick wall filters were actually made of brick & mortar. 

Those things weighed a _ton_...


----------



## Mr Trev

ColSaulTigh said:


> $7 for the tablecloth!


$8! and I'll point out Canadian money supposedly smells like maple syrup


----------



## DTgill




----------



## L0rdGwyn




----------



## Korean audiophile

Picked up a stack of $1.00 CD's at the local record store and got a new headphone stand for my lovely lcd-4


----------



## jonathan c (Mar 27, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> Picked up a stack of $1.00 CD's at the local record store and got a new headphone stand for my lovely lcd-4


Wonderful choices of CD transport, DAC, headphone…🥲👍…oh, the CDs are right up there, too…


----------



## snapple10 (Mar 28, 2022)

Set-up for the day, at least the morning part


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Those aren't my speakers.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I understand that in the very first DACs, the brick wall filters were actually made of brick & mortar.
> 
> Those things weighed a _ton_...


That's when they used to sell DACs by the pound. I miss the good ole days


----------



## audiocroissant




----------



## gimmeheadroom

audiocroissant said:


>


Running_ only_ balanced, I feel humbled by a setup where a guy bi-amps a set of Finals out of two Bursons


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## YtseJamer




----------



## Gavin C4 (Mar 28, 2022)

The Burson has a significantly jaw droping width and expanson of the sound stage with the LCD 5. It is certaintly powerfull enough to make the LCD slam.


----------



## pspentax

Gavin C4 said:


> The Burson has a significantly jaw droping width and expanson of the sound stage with the LCD 5. It is certaintly powerfull enough to make the LCD slam.


How it compared with the Stax that are surrounding it ?!🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Roasty

changed up the office rig a bit.

the SOtM stack and Dave belong to a friend. SOtM connected via a WiFi dongle and works just fine! setting up the network on the sMS-200Ultra Neo requires a LAN connection to access eunhasu, but once the wireless network is set, it keeps the setting even when turning the unit on/off. 

added a Gustard U18; just received this ddc yesterday. so far it sounds pretty good but most definitely prefer AES into Dave over USB.


----------



## judomaniak57

hd 600s sounds so good, dont know why i have not used them in months


----------



## DTgill




----------



## UntilThen

ColSaulTigh said:


> $7 for the tablecloth!



I came on with 26 alerts. Must be the tablecloth.


----------



## VanHai (Mar 29, 2022)

Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.


----------



## Chastity

VanHai said:


> Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.


I see that you have a rare Australian Headphone Tree growing there


----------



## DTgill

VanHai said:


> Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.


You just have to love this!


----------



## snapple10

VanHai said:


> Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.


You should send that blue amp my way, its out of place.wink


----------



## VanHai

snapple10 said:


> You should send that blue amp my way, its out of place.wink


Ha ha! that one is for me to keep for sure. Very sweet with ZMF headphones, but you are welcome for audition if you live nearby.


----------



## VanHai (Mar 29, 2022)

Chastity said:


> I see that you have a rare Australian Headphone Tree growing there


Australian headphones tree, that is funny. DIY tree rack  that can hold 12 headphones.


----------



## Miori

Greetings from my attic in my quarantine time.


----------



## Korean audiophile

VanHai said:


> Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.


That's dedication to the craft


----------



## Pharmaboy

VanHai said:


> Just built my audio rack with Sapele wood.



These are large boards--there must've been some edge glueing & sanding for this project. 

I wouldn't even know where to find sapele boards of any size in the U.S.

Apparently the headphone tree already bloomed and now the fruit is ready to pick (uhh, _listen to_).


----------



## UntilThen

L0rdGwyn said:


>



Stunning. That's a gorgeous looking amp.


----------



## VanHai

Pharmaboy said:


> These are large boards--there must've been some edge glueing & sanding for this project.
> 
> I wouldn't even know where to find sapele boards of any size in the U.S.
> 
> Apparently the headphone tree already bloomed and now the fruit is ready to pick (uhh, _listen to_).


I took me 2 weeks to find these large Sapele board at special shop. One piece, no glue at all.


----------



## Pharmaboy

VanHai said:


> I took me 2 weeks to find these large Sapele board at special shop. One piece, no glue at all.


That's amazing. Unless those boards are veneered (impossible to tell from pictures), you scored big!


----------



## L0rdGwyn

UntilThen said:


> Stunning. That's a gorgeous looking amp.



Thanks, Matt.  Very proud of this one, the sound is good!


----------



## DTgill




----------



## botmann

Just got the FiiO K9 Pro ESS today.  I haven’t had much time to listen yet. Tried the Stellia with 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced. Both cables are the Meze Classic 99 upgrade with silverlining. 3.5mm sounded good. Felt distorted a little a higher volumes. Still a good sound to me. 4.4mm balanced stay clean at higher volumes. Definitely push the headset. More separation.

I do need to get a slightly longer power cord.  It's not necessarily kinked, but I don't like the tension on the K9.


----------



## shampoosuicide (Mar 31, 2022)

At its current state...


----------



## jonathan c

Indeed, an atrium to any music venue…


----------



## Chastity

shampoosuicide said:


> At its current state...


Are those Dekoni pads on those DT-1990?


----------



## UntilThen

DTgill said:


>



I started Head-Fi with HD650 and DV336se many moons ago.


----------



## Chastity

UntilThen said:


> I started Head-Fi with HD650 and DV336se many moons ago.


If you haven't spent over $1K then you managed to dodge a bullet in this hobby.  (Looks at those here who've spent $1K+ just on tubes to roll)


----------



## UntilThen

Chastity said:


> If you haven't spent over $1K then you managed to dodge a bullet in this hobby.  (Looks at those here who've spent $1K+ just on tubes to roll)



Oh I've dodge the bullets alright. They just go right through my body.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Chastity said:


> If you haven't spent over $1K then you managed to dodge a bullet in this hobby.  (Looks at those here who've spent $1K+ just on tubes to roll)



I'm feeling attacked...


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> Oh I've dodge the bullets alright. They just go right through my body.


----------



## tudedude

Rearranged things to fit the Valhalla 2. Trying out the xduoo as a pre-amp I think it adds something to the sound. I still need a proper dac, currently using the fiio btr-5.


----------



## Gavin C4

Esoteric N-05XD all in one streaming DAC and AMP pairs extremely well with the Utopia. Is has a life like feeling and the bass reverb notes are surrounding you. Really high detail and very nice mids. It is the best all in one solution that I have heard so far.


----------



## Mr Trev

tudedude said:


> Rearranged things to fit the Valhalla 2. Trying out the xduoo as a pre-amp I think it adds something to the sound. I still need a proper dac, currently using the fiio btr-5.


How's that oddball next to the Xduoo sound? I keep seeing amps that use that type of tube, but I'm too much of a coward to pull the trigger


----------



## tudedude

Mr Trev said:


> How's that oddball next to the Xduoo sound? I keep seeing amps that use that type of tube, but I'm too much of a coward to pull the trigger


I like it. Sounds more "tubey" than the xduoo. Not as detailed and clean but has this nice warm sound with bass that is a little loose, in a way I like. It's not as powerful though. You can also swap out its op amp for different signatures. Not too bad for around 80usd.


----------



## jonathan c

I have a soft spot not just for ZMF headphones but also Woo Audio amplifiers. Despite owning a Woo WA2 (OTL), I _had_ to act when a fellow Head-Fier listed a silver WA3 (OTL) for sale…(I had a black WA3 some time ago)…


----------



## LoryWiv

ColSaulTigh said:


> I'm feeling attacked...


More likely envied...


----------



## Redcarmoose

ColSaulTigh said:


> I'm feeling attacked...


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> I'm feeling attacked...


Have rectifier, will travel…


----------



## whirlwind

Listening to some JJ Cale.

What a smooth delivery this guy had...the Atrium has a smooth delivery too


----------



## Zachik

whirlwind said:


> Listening to some JJ Cale.


Would sound even better with JJ tubes


----------



## whirlwind

Zachik said:


> Would sound even better with JJ tubes



Ha...good one


----------



## gefski

whirlwind said:


> Listening to some JJ Cale.
> 
> What a smooth delivery this guy had...the Atrium has a smooth delivery too


After Midnight no doubt.


----------



## sacguy231

My listening cave


----------



## Andrewteee

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave


A few Naks! Nice.


----------



## TooFrank

Again, a minimalistic approach: Very surprised to experience how this tiny Go Blu could do miracles with my new Grado's.


----------



## botmann

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave


You left Utopias laying on the floor.....Money Bags, LOL


----------



## sacguy231

botmann said:


> You left Utopias laying on the floor.....Money Bags, LOL


Funny enough, that's how I got into this crazy hobby. Almost 20 ago I stepped on my trusty old Sennheiser HD280 that I had left on the floor and I broke them.  I went to go buy a new pair but thought, "hmmm....wonder what's next up the ladder..."


----------



## xtiva

Chastity said:


> (Looks at those here who've spent $1K+ just on tubes to roll)



Think you are speaking to the person who has multiple of those tubes already


----------



## botmann

sacguy231 said:


> .... "hmmm....wonder what's next up the ladder..."


I suggest the Sennheiser HE1.   They probably look good on the floor too, LOL


----------



## gefski

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave


A DP60-L there? Mine is still boxed up after a move, awaiting completion of my ‘quiet room’.


----------



## Gavin C4

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave



That is a glory collection of CDs. Even my Roon libary felt shy.


----------



## sacguy231

Gavin C4 said:


> That is a glory collection of CDs. Even my Roon libary felt shy.


Thx! Those are all classical, my regular CDs are on a different wall.


----------



## jonathan c

TooFrank said:


> Again, a minimalistic approach: Very surprised to experience how this tiny Go Blu could do miracles with my new Grado's.


It has to seem minimalist if you don’t have your glasses on…😂


----------



## dunpeal

Here's my Schiity stack.


----------



## nagi8404

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave


Holy crap is that a nakamichi dragon


----------



## simorag

Picking my poison ...


----------



## Mansinthe86

My bedroom Setup. 
Connected to it is a MacBook with Roon.


----------



## jonathan c

simorag said:


> Picking my poison ...


…the tubes or the CH3CH2OH…?🤪


----------



## Big In Japan

Added a new sideboard to my room and a TV. The Topping headphone combo went there too, so it doubles as a TV & music listening spot. To the right I store my overear headphones. The ugly grey things are basotect absorbers that help to reduce reflections when listening to speakers.


----------



## jonathan c

Big In Japan said:


> Added a new sideboard to my room and a TV. The Topping headphone combo went there too, so it doubles as a TV & music listening spot. To the right I store my overear headphones. The ugly grey things are basotect absorbers that help to reduce reflections when listening to speakers.


Nice…well organised…PS, what do the shoes do here?…🤪


----------



## DeweyCH

Planning on having a mini shootout between the Conductor and the EF400 both as all-in-ones and as dacs feeding the QS.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Nice…well organised…PS, what do the shoes do here?…🤪


Room correction, obviously.  They help break up the standing waves between your ears.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Room correction, obviously.  They help break up the standing waves between your ears.


…probably work best when listening to Little Feat…


----------



## dunpeal

Working from home definitely has its advantages.


----------



## Big In Japan (Apr 2, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Nice…well organised…PS, what do the shoes do here?…🤪


Thank you... But believe me, you`ll like my shoes better than my naked feet 

@bcowen 

Somehow the basotect mats did not fit in between my ears and the headphones cups, so I had to put them on the wall 

And actually I generally prefer my minidsp studio for room corrections  This is then also my "main" listening spot... Yes I know... it`s stupid to have both setups in the same room and within the reach of a 3m heaphone cable...


----------



## Ciggavelli

Almost out of space


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ciggavelli said:


> Almost out of space


_(insert emoji for "awestruck")_


----------



## betula (Apr 2, 2022)

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave


Very nice outer space navigation station. 
That CD collection in FLAC library takes a lot less space though. 

Edit: Even I am old-school now when everyone is into streaming... To me my bitperfect FLAC sounds way better than any streaming I tried so far.


----------



## Mr Trev

DeweyCH said:


> Planning on having a mini shootout between the Conductor and the EF400 both as all-in-ones and as dacs feeding the QS.


Looking forward to your thoughts, I've been thinking about caving in and getting a solid DAC/amp - that new Topping DX5 also caught my eye


----------



## bcowen

Ciggavelli said:


> Almost out of space


I guess I should say "nice 'phones, man!" but I can't unsee those tubes.  So....nice tubes, man!    

I've never heard the Takatsuki 300B's, only read that they are quite highly regarded.  What do you think of them, and have you compared them to anything else?


----------



## Ciggavelli

bcowen said:


> I guess I should say "nice 'phones, man!" but I can't unsee those tubes.  So....nice tubes, man!
> 
> I've never heard the Takatsuki 300B's, only read that they are quite highly regarded.  What do you think of them, and have you compared them to anything else?


I like the Tak 300Bs a lot.  I've only compared them to the stock 3ES tubes, and they are definitely better.  I like the Tak 274b a lot too, and have one in both my WA33 and 3ES. I wish Tak made more tubes than just those two


----------



## Shane D

A picture from the other side of my lazy boy. This cabinet holds my headphones. I was worried about the frames rubbing against the wood shelves going in and out. So I bought small carpets and cut them up.


----------



## SlothRock

Just added the Euforia AE offically as of yesterday. Absolutely love having a tube amp in my setup now. I was honestly pretty skeptical how much it would impact the sound but you can tell a clear difference. I had my wife and a buddy of mine test both out and all of us preferred the Euforia on the HD800S and Verite haha. It's good to have options, though


----------



## Korean audiophile

Bucktown cables finally finished my custom 15ft made cables for the lcd-4 can't wait to receive them.


----------



## DTgill

Shane D said:


> A picture from the other side of my lazy boy. This cabinet holds my headphones. I was worried about the frames rubbing against the wood shelves going in and out. So I bought small carpets and cut them up.


I like the comfy looking Grado pads how do they sound?


----------



## Gavin C4 (Apr 2, 2022)

Grimm MU 1 to Weiss DAC 502 with the Focal Utopia. Really high definition, it is such a balance and neutral sound.


----------



## Shane D

DTgill said:


> I like the comfy looking Grado pads how do they sound?


The BA pads are super comfortable. And don't affect the music in a negative way.


----------



## DTgill

Shane D said:


> The BA pads are super comfortable. And don't affect the music in a negative way.


Where did you buy them?


----------



## Shane D

DTgill said:


> Where did you buy them?


Beautiful Audio is in New Zealand. I bought the hybrids. I believe it is beautifulaudio.biz

I would also look at the Shipibo pads, depending on shipping costs.


----------



## DeweyCH

DeweyCH said:


> Planning on having a mini shootout between the Conductor and the EF400 both as all-in-ones and as dacs feeding the QS.


Just a short observation, Conductor is significantly better as an all in one, but the EF400 is a cleaner standalone DAC.


----------



## ra990

Not my head-fi station, but I just posted a bunch of pics of my home recording studio here.


----------



## David222




----------



## pspentax

All shuffled and an strange combination 🤦‍♂️🤣

Naim Atom -> Pass HPA-1 “as pre” -> Luxman P-750u -> Audeze LCD-3


----------



## nagi8404

pspentax said:


> All shuffled and an strange combination 🤦‍♂️🤣
> 
> Naim Atom -> Pass HPA-1 “as pre” -> Luxman P-750u -> Audeze LCD-3


Wow that's triple-preamping the thing. May I ask the reason why?


----------



## u2u2

Getting ready for warmer temperatures with spring coming into full force. Added active cooling to my most used amp. Dropped the case temperature a couple of degrees Celsius and the cooler has massive headroom so no effect on it. 
Still awaiting a monitor with better height adjustment and a non glare nano screen for ultimate control...
HD820 hanging off the rear Phonitor XLR doing its thing with aplomb. Naim Unity Core source.


----------



## TooFrank

simorag said:


> Picking my poison ...


Take much more fluid to swallow those big pills 😜


----------



## UntilThen

sacguy231 said:


> My listening cave



Very neat. Someone who has more racks than I do. Love vintage Denon TT.


----------



## UntilThen

Ciggavelli said:


> Almost out of space



Very nice. My amps would love to drive those headphones.


----------



## Olmanwood123

Gavin C4 said:


> Grimm MU 1 to Weiss DAC 502 with the Focal Utopia. Really high definition, it is such a balance and neutral sound.


The Weiss DAC502 is amazing . Have one myself and have fallen in love with music again.


----------



## DTgill (Apr 3, 2022)

This is my old man rig... Errr, I mean my vintage rig


----------



## Deaf Leopard




----------



## Thaddy

My recently acquired Verite Closed LTD Koa with some brand new 5998's warming up in the WA22.


----------



## Mansinthe86

Thaddy said:


> My recently acquired Verite Closed LTD Koa with some brand new 5998's warming up in the WA22.


I would be interested in a comparison between aeon noire (since I own them too) and the ZMF (interested in the new auteur).


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Thaddy said:


> My recently acquired Verite Closed LTD Koa with some brand new 5998's warming up in the WA22.


Handsome setup!


----------



## listen4joy




----------



## Xerosnake90

Got my first tube set up. Phenomenal


----------



## Mr Trev

listen4joy said:


>


My first thought when I saw this picture was the headphones were plugged into the front of the Schitt. I was going to reply with a "My god man. What do you do, listen with your head inside the cabinet with such short cables"
Then I took a closer look…


----------



## jonathan c

Xerosnake90 said:


> Got my first tube set up. Phenomenal


Welcome to tubery!!


----------



## judomaniak57 (Apr 4, 2022)

dammit, all you tube guys. i was trying to sell my tube amp but now its back in rotation. i just cant let it go


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> dammit, all you tube guys. i was trying to sell my tube amp but now its back in rotation. i just cant let it go


….vacuum tubes just suck you in…🤣😖👎


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> dammit, all you tube guys. i was trying to sell my tube amp but now its back in rotation. i just cant let it go


You _shouldn’t _let it go. An OTL with external power supply? Keep! Think of the fun & sound that tube ‘rolling’ could bring…😏


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> ….vacuum tubes just suck you in…🤣😖👎


Can be dangerous. Try to avoid those "break the glass" moments.


----------



## YtseJamer




----------



## Korean audiophile (Apr 5, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> dammit, all you tube guys. i was trying to sell my tube amp but now its back in rotation. i just cant let it go





The tube guys always pull u back in 😂


----------



## Chastity

YtseJamer said:


>


dusty Lyr is dusty


----------



## Korean audiophile

Chastity said:


> dusty Lyr is dusty


That's Audiophile dust makes the soundstage wider and adds clarity to the top end.


----------



## SlothRock

Korean audiophile said:


> That's Audiophile dust makes the soundstage wider and adds clarity to the top end.



Only if the dust is 100% pure silver strand dust 🤣


----------



## Korean audiophile (Apr 5, 2022)

SlothRock said:


> Only if the dust is 100% pure silver strand dust 🤣


I sprinkle Silver Copper gold mix all over my chain for max effect ! 😂🤣


----------



## Korean audiophile

SlothRock said:


> Only if the dust is 100% pure silver strand dust 🤣





We should corner the Audiophile powder market diamond dust makes your low end more defined. 

We can pay Zeos to say excellent things about it lol 😂🤣


----------



## Chastity

Korean audiophile said:


> We should corner the Audiophile powder market diamond dust makes your low end more defined.
> 
> We can pay Zeos to say excellent things about it lol 😂🤣


I'm surprised Abyss Audio hasn't jumped on this already.


----------



## DTgill

Schiit repaired, I think it sounds better...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Schiit repaired, I think it sounds better...


No Schiit ! 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> No Schiit ! 🤣🤣🤣


LOL, I guess I should have written better than it sounded before I killed it...


----------



## jonathan c

My above response was reflexive!  Maybe the next Lyr step is a @Deyan adapter for twin 6J5s / 6C5s…


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Back to the office has never been so much fun. I am enjoying the extra desk space to rediscover my HE-60 and lost arts like printing and highlighting. And yes, my door is closed. These are the most open headphones I have ever heard.


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/trn-bax.25781/reviews#review-28294

TRN Bax IEM


----------



## YtseJamer

ZMF Atrium + Quicksilver Tube Amp


----------



## Roasty

nowadays, I honestly look forward to going to work.


----------



## Gavin C4

Holo May with Ferrum Hypsos and OOR. Matching stacks that sounds slightly euphonic.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Enjoying some John Mayer on the Soloist Grand Tourer & lcd-4, now all I need is a glass of Cognac


----------



## Roasty

Gavin C4 said:


> Holo May with Ferrum Hypsos and OOR. Matching stacks that sounds slightly euphonic.



I'm gg to the dealer to see the ferrum stack this afternoon. May end up taking a set home. I see you're stacking with some isoacoustics oreas; is that for heat dissipation or aesthetic? (it's ok if this is the reason.. because I sometimes do that too.. lol).


----------



## Gavin C4

Roasty said:


> I'm gg to the dealer to see the ferrum stack this afternoon. May end up taking a set home. I see you're stacking with some isoacoustics oreas; is that for heat dissipation or aesthetic? (it's ok if this is the reason.. because I sometimes do that too.. lol).



I put isoacoustic under the Holo May DAC because I also use the same setup with speakers. Though I will not listen to the Ferrum OOR while having my speakers turnned on. Sometimes it just looks nicer to have matching and shiny oreos under them. xp


----------



## Roasty

Gavin C4 said:


> I put isoacoustic under the Holo May DAC because I also use the same setup with speakers. Though I will not listen to the Ferrum OOR while having my speakers turnned on. Sometimes it just looks nicer to have matching and shiny oreos under them. xp



I use Oreas between my May dac and psu sections too. but I was actually asking about the oreas between the ferrum units; do they get hot enough to require them?


----------



## RobertSM

Gavin C4 said:


> Grimm MU 1 to Weiss DAC 502 with the Focal Utopia. Really high definition, it is such a balance and neutral sound.



I just had the Weiss DAC 502 in house for an audition. Outstanding DAC. Loved it so much that I'll buy a 501 here at the end of the summer. Enjoy!


----------



## DTgill

Time to relax...


----------



## kumar402 (Apr 8, 2022)

Roasty said:


> I'm gg to the dealer to see the ferrum stack this afternoon. May end up taking a set home. I see you're stacking with some isoacoustics oreas; is that for heat dissipation or aesthetic? (it's ok if this is the reason.. because I sometimes do that too.. lol).


Mostly those are useful in digital component which has clocks that needs to be stable or in component which has transformer to avoid any vibrations


----------



## Gavin C4

Roasty said:


> I use Oreas between my May dac and psu sections too. but I was actually asking about the oreas between the ferrum units; do they get hot enough to require them?



They are only a bit warm, I suggest to put them side by side rather than stacking them on top of each other. If you really need to stack them, I do prefer using Oreas.


----------



## Roasty (Apr 8, 2022)

oops I did a thing...


----------



## kingoftown1

Put a purple in that hypsos


----------



## devilboy

Denafrips Hermes DDC>Sonnet Morpheus DAC>Luxman p750u amp>Meze Elite.


----------



## TWerk (Apr 9, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> hd 600s sounds so good, dont know why i have not used them in months



It's because they didn't cost enough. Same problem I run into with my pair of HD600 as well.


----------



## Chastity (Apr 9, 2022)

My headphone journey:

1) Sennheiser HD-580 Precisions (original owner)  sometime in the mid 1990's along with Cardas cable to fix the "center of head" imaging they have
2) looking for a better sound, I nab a set of the Sony MDR-SA5000 flagships for $325  ($799 msrp)   this becomes my reference for later purchases and my main set for many years.  Hard to find something with similar qualities for quite a few years.  (Picked these up towards the end of Sony's production cycle, early 2000's)
3) fast forward to Dec 2019, picked up the DT-1990 Pro. ($436) I had a hard time tuning the heck out of these, notably with the lack of sub-bass extension.  Got into pad rolling with some Dekoni Elite Velours and Hybrids.  Loved the detail and imaging, has a natural width soundstage
4) April 2021  Decided to try out some planars, get a set of Monolith M1070 for $239, love the smoothness and bass extension, learn that planars need EQ to be their best   Better than the DT-1990 but not quite there.  Bit dark for my tastes compared to the MDR-SA5000
5) Aug 2021   Get the M1570 for $399.  Clearer, not as dark as M1070, esp using Oratory1990 tunings with personal adjustments.  After many retweaks with EQ I hit upon my sound signature.  Has all the strengths I love about the MDR-SA5000, in regards to detail and imaging, tho not as wide, but it comes close with EQ.  Vocals sound extremely natural and you can easily get immersed in the sound and imaging.  Full-bodied FR response.  <3

As you can see, I never sold off any of my old cans, except for the DT-990 Pro I bought two weeks before the DT-1990, and hated them.  Gave them to my nephew who loves them with his guitar.

My biggest gripe is the pads of the Sony MDR-SA5000... someone at Sony thought it was a great idea to put leather pads on the cups, and use pleather for the lip behind the cups... so that part peels off, while the pads themselves are pristine.  Why?!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Chastity said:


> My biggest gripe is the pads of the Sony MDR-SA5000... someone at Sony thought it was a great idea to put leather pads on the cups, and use pleather for the lip behind the cups... so that part peels off, while the pads themselves are pristine.  Why?!


Happen with almost of all other brands too.

I think it's hard or even impossible for modern headphone below $500 to beat SA5000.


----------



## jonathan c

Another round of the h/p/a ‘Wootation’…


----------



## Gavin C4

When turn table meets headphones. Such an adidcitive texture.


----------



## Chastity

TheMiddleSky said:


> I think it's hard or even impossible for modern headphone below $500 to beat SA5000.


It's why I use them as my benchmark in comparing other cans.  My M1570 come very close to the performance of the SA5000, and has a more robust bass response, but it needs EQ to get there.  I know why the Sony's are tuned like that.  An engineer explained that they wanted to replicate what it would be like listening to a jazz band with female vocalist playing in a club venue, and you're about 4 tables deep.  Having listened to such venues, I get it... the bassist / chello player is usually unmiked.

The SA5000 also make great gaming headphones... detailed, fast transients, impeccable imaging, wide soundstage, and unlike the HD-800, can also be intimate.  And that manganese headband is soooo light.  Too bad the cabling is fixed on, tho mine has no contact issues.


----------



## jokervn91

So I like wood


----------



## jonathan c

April Snow - slopes closed - in Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania: it is (A) 



or (B)


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> April Snow - slopes closed - in Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania: it is (A) or (B)


Not familiar w/Coltrane's "SETTIN' THE PACE." How good is it? 

(it's Coltrane, so it's a given it's good--just a question of degree)


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> April Snow - slopes closed - in Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania: it is (A) or (B)


(B). I guess you'll just have to "putter" around the house.


----------



## jonathan c

LoryWiv said:


> (B). I guess you'll just have to "putter" around the house.


Or as the Duke (of) Ellington said: ‘It don’t mean a thing if it don’t have that swing”…


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> April Snow - slopes closed - in Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania: it is (A) or (B)


Hey, new avatar! Don't take it the wrong way, but… the top pair of cans look like the eyes on some wild audiophile muppet - good luck trying to unsee it now


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Not familiar w/Coltrane's "SETTIN' THE PACE." How good is it?
> 
> (it's Coltrane, so it's a given it's good--just a question of degree)


•  It is a great album - and one of my favourites. JC is melodic / ferocious / gentle / searching: sequentially and sometimes all at once. 
•  Anyone who feels that JC is not otherworldly lyrical needs to address: hearing =/= listening.
•  Five-stars to Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Art Taylor (d) on this outing!


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Hey, new avatar! Don't take it the wrong way, but… the top pair of cans look like the eyes on some wild audiophile muppet - good luck trying to unsee it now


👍…now a happy muppet…


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Hey, new avatar! Don't take it the wrong way, but… the top pair of cans look like the eyes on some wild audiophile muppet - good luck trying to unsee it now


"Luke....I am your father."  Oh wait, wrong movie...


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> Or as the Duke (of) Ellington said: ‘It don’t mean a thing if it don’t have that swing”…


Pretty sure he's never seem me golf!


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Hey, new avatar! Don't take it the wrong way, but… the top pair of cans look like the eyes on some wild audiophile muppet - good luck trying to unsee it now


…another reason to put them on my head!😂…


----------



## jonathan c

Mid-evening change-up at the Laurel Mountains audio den….(don’t fret, bcowen: all the VT gear is in my study at ‘homehome’):


----------



## pspentax

I think that I will have to reduce the size of my Stax station 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣🤣
252S+L300 ||  353X Limited+L300 Limited. ||  727II/007tII+L700mk2


----------



## Gavin C4

Roasty said:


> oops I did a thing...






I did the exact same thing too.


----------



## Andy777777




----------



## DTgill

Life's little enjoyments...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Life's little enjoyments...


Especially the pix…😄


----------



## judomaniak57

i was bored this weekend so i made a couple of headphone stands. turned out ok considering i no nothing about wood work


----------



## Shane D

One addition to the collection.


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> One addition to the collection.


Nice. Initial impressions?
What flavour LD is it? I can't quite read the mk number


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> Nice. Initial impressions?
> What flavour LD is it? I can't quite read the mk number


Very impressed so far! It is a Little Dot MK 9. It was a crapshoot for me. Every decent tube amp seems to be at Least $1,000.00Cdn. I have been severely underwhelmed by tube amps so far but I wanted to give tubes one more chance. This one is pretty unknown, but it was not a huge gamble as I landed it for $660.00Cdn., all in.

Sounds very full with good bass and the treble is not piercing. Some music on my Grado's can get a little hot, but this is awesome. Did my test list, a good amount of jazz and now I am going through my large Deftones playlist.

Shiny new toy syndrome in full effect.

After my first or second test song I checked to see if I had accidentally turned my EQ on. My Grado's like their new buddy.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Apr 11, 2022)

Shane D said:


> Very impressed so far! It is a Little Dot MK 9. It was a crapshoot for me. Every decent tube amp seems to be at Least $1,000.00Cdn. I have been severely underwhelmed by tube amps so far but I wanted to give tubes one more chance. This one is pretty unknown, but it was not a huge gamble as I landed it for $660.00Cdn., all in.
> 
> Sounds very full with good bass and the treble is not piercing. Some music on my Grado's can get a little hot, but this is awesome. Did my test list, a good amount of jazz and now I am going through my large Deftones playlist.
> 
> ...


I always liked the look of this amp. It's not easy to find a halfway decent transformer coupled tube amp in that price range.

From my experience w/SS & tubed amps, burn-in is for real, not just w/the amp, but also the tubes. So if this is a recent acquisition, you probably have some positive sonic changes ahead of you...


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> I always liked the look of this amp. It's not easy to find a halfway decent transformer coupled tube amp in that price range.
> 
> From my experience w/SS & tubed amps, burn-in is for real, not just w/the amp, but also the tools. So if this is a recent acquisition, you probably have some positive sonic changes ahead of you...


That is what I am hoping. I was surprised to like it this much right out of the box. I just shut down the listening station for today and can't wait to get back at it tomorrow. Looking even more forward to rolling headphones.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## ndgns

ndgns said:


> Had to hear the different brands and their sound sigs for my self before committing TOTL cans.  Then just enjoying the trip while narrowing down some faves and yes deciding what to part with. Cheers!


Ugraded DAC , Amps, and tryin 2 Closed Backs.


ndgns said:


> Happily Single!


----------



## Redcarmoose

TRN Bax with DUNU Wide Bore “Blue” Tips, included cable 4.4mm and Sony TA. WM1A to the Cradle to the TA via AQCarbon USB.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/trn-bax.25781/reviews#review-28294


----------



## bobmysterious

My little slice of headphone heaven.


----------



## DeweyCH (Apr 12, 2022)

Sorry about the mess...





A little panorama of the home office.

Turntables: Thorens TD-125 MkII, Dual 1019, Luxman P-405
Stack on the black rack: Ampsandsound Mogwai SE, Bottlehead Crack with Speedball
Stack on the wood-front rack (hard to see): Luxman R-117 and TP-117 (and Ender 3 Pro 3d printer)
Main amp on desk: Burson Timekeeper 3ir
Cans on desk: Hifiman Susvara
Cans on wall: Sennheiser HD-8XX, ZMF Verite Closed, ZMF Atrium, ZMF Auteur, Hifiman HE6SEv2

Edit for a little more: the speakers by the fireplace are KEF 103.2, driven by the Luxman stack. The speakers on the desk are powered KEF Eggs.


----------



## DTgill

DeweyCH said:


> Sorry about the mess...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very nice!


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> Sorry about the mess...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very nice……what happened to the red & white headphone that was on the far left (wall)? 🤔


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> Very nice……what happened to the red & white headphone that was on the far left (wall)? 🤔


My 3-year-old won't give them back.


----------



## bcowen

DeweyCH said:


> Sorry about the mess...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Mess?  I only see turntables, tube amps, and guitars.  Selective seeing, perhaps?   😂


----------



## DeweyCH

bcowen said:


> Mess?  I only see turntables, tube amps, and guitars.  Selective seeing, perhaps?   😂


Bless This Mess


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> My 3-year-old won't give them back.


Offer him (her?) the Atrium…🤣🤣🤣


----------



## DeweyCH

jonathan c said:


> Offer him (her?) the Atrium…🤣🤣🤣


I just got a MiniDSP Ears today, I'm tempted to run the FR graphs on her headphones.


----------



## Pharmaboy

DeweyCH said:


> Sorry about the mess...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


KEF 103.2! Love mine...


----------



## DeweyCH

Pharmaboy said:


> KEF 103.2! Love mine...


They are SO GOOD when you feed them, the hungry buggers.


----------



## dirtrat

bobmysterious said:


> My little slice of headphone heaven.



VERY NICE!


----------



## jonathan c

DeweyCH said:


> I just got a MiniDSP Ears today, I'm tempted to run the FR graphs on her headphones.


….that sounds like a job for Crinacles 🤭…


----------



## rev92

Shane D said:


> One addition to the collection.


What's that glass stand? A monitor raiser? Could you link it?


----------



## Shane D

rev92 said:


> What's that glass stand? A monitor raiser? Could you link it?


They are glass tables from, I believe, FituEyes. They are available on Amazon under monitor risers. Those come as a two pack. I also bought a single one, but it is longer.


----------



## Chastity

Shane D said:


> They are glass tables from, I believe, FituEyes. They are available on Amazon under monitor risers. Those come as a two pack. I also bought a single one, but it is longer.


I have a pair of those.  Good quality, attractive, simple, and affordable.


----------



## jonathan c

🎼🎵😄🥲…


----------



## judomaniak57

i am so confused, where is the tubes?


jonathan c said:


> 🎼🎵😄🥲…


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> i am so confused, where is the tubes?


A)  taking a break….cleaning of tube pins, adapter pins, tube sockets, IEC sockets.
B)  the eustachean tubes are still in my ears…😄


----------



## TheRH

The desktop rig is down now, so this is what I have. iBasso DX240 and Fir Audio V x Vs.


----------



## lumdicks (Apr 14, 2022)

Unbelievable sound from this monster.


----------



## Korean audiophile

End Game Headphone 🎧 Game Over


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> End Game Headphone 🎧 Game Over


This will only work for 24 hours?…😮😠🤣…


----------



## Korean audiophile (Apr 14, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> This will only work for 24 hours?…😮😠🤣…


24 hrs to live in Audiophile Nirvana totally worth it!  Sounds better than the Susvara when I sprinkle that audiophile dust all over it !! 🤯


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> This will only work for 24 hours?…😮😠🤣…


I'd like to have gotten that much life out of some crap I've bought over the years. This could be the deal of the century!


----------



## gefski

jonathan c said:


> A)  taking a break….cleaning of tube pins, adapter pins, tube sockets, IEC sockets.
> B)  the eustachean tubes are still in my ears…😄


Ah…you’re organized, sit down, and do it all. I do this amp, then that one, then in a couple days these interconnects, etc. so I guess I’m “always cleaning” (and never done!)


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'd like to have gotten that much life out of some crap I've bought over the years. This could be the deal of the century! _day._


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## domiji




----------



## Pharmaboy

Korean audiophile said:


> End Game Headphone 🎧 Game Over


24 hours of use on what planet, exactly?

I'd like to think those 2 big yellow "ears" are attennas, but probably not...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> 24 hours of use on what planet, exactly?
> 
> I'd like to think those 2 big yellow "ears" are attennas, but probably not...


My Favorite Martian Headphones


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> End Game Headphone 🎧 Game Over


Hey….Grado could learn from this!!! …(They already have a Pokémon limited edition)…detachable cable!!!! 🤪😄🤪…


----------



## Gavin C4

Upgraded to braided cable immediately for my Hifiman Susvara. The stock cable is really underwhelming consider the look of clear plastic tubes...

Ferrum OOR still the best pairing for the Susvara I have heard so far.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Hey….Grado could learn from this!!! …(They already have a Pokémon limited edition)…detachable cable!!!! 🤪😄🤪…


Yeah! And besides, everyone knows that wireless headphones always sound best with a cable.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yeah! And besides, everyone knows that wireless headphones always sound best with a cable.


…And, everyone knows that solid-state h/p/a always sound best with tubes…🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> My Favorite Martian Headphones


_Yellow _headphones might clash with the little _green _people with _red_ eyes….mistaken for interplanetary traffic lights?…🤔🤪…


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

🎼 🎶🎵…


----------



## ColSaulTigh




----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> 🎼 🎶🎵…


DT-880's and solid state?  When did you become a masochist?  🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> DT-880's and solid state?  When did you become a musichist?  🤣🤣


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## KaiFi

Well, it's nothing too impressive but I get some good sound of this:


----------



## jonathan c

KaiFi said:


> Well, it's nothing too impressive but I get some good sound of this:


The sound is impressive. Those are ☑️ gear with musicality.


----------



## Tompo88




----------



## Pharmaboy

KaiFi said:


> Well, it's nothing too impressive but I get some good sound of this:



Getting good sound itself is impressive. Often in audio, it takes years to get good sound...


----------



## jonathan c

It is back to VT time (_whew!_ says bcowen 🤗) having stocked up on ‘Woo food’… 




Why would tubes have been sold in a _five_-pack?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> It is back to VT time (_whew!_ says bcowen 🤗) having stocked up on ‘Woo food’…



Serious whew.  My ears _already_ feel better.  🤣🤣



jonathan c said:


> Why would tubes have been sold in a _five_-pack?



Two pair and a spare, of course.  😁


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Serious whew.  My ears _already_ feel better.  🤣🤣
> 
> 
> 
> Two pair and a spare, of course.  😁


Monday - Friday, no TV use on weekend?…🤔🤪


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 16, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Getting good sound itself is impressive. Often in audio, it takes years to get good sound...


⭐️⭐️⭐️…and the best guides are your ears and your heart…(📊s and 📈s are only tools, idolatry of them will surely take you astray…😮🥺😳…)


----------



## shwnwllms

Current status (hard at work burning in a new cable)


----------



## DTgill




----------



## DTgill

Hi I'm DTgill and I'm an addict...


----------



## Zachik

... we love you DTgill    

BTW, you're not an addict. You are an audiophile!  (or else I will have to admit of having a problem, too...)


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> Hi I'm DTgill and I'm an addict...


They say admitting that you're powerless to control your addiction is the first step in ... in ... surrendering yourself totally to it for the rest of your life

_(actually, it was me that said it)_


----------



## Terriero

DTgill said:


> Hi I'm DTgill and I'm an addict...



But... Where are the alcohol bottles?


----------



## DTgill

Terriero said:


> But... Where are the alcohol bottles?


No bottles, I've seen too much insanity in my day, I haven't had anything to drink for almost 30 years.


----------



## bcowen

DTgill said:


> Hi I'm DTgill and I'm an addict...


Addiction or not, I want some of whatever you're having.


----------



## DTgill

bcowen said:


> Addiction or not, I want some of whatever you're having.


Thank you!


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> … I want some of whatever you're having…


🎵 “you can’t always get what you want”… 🎶


----------



## TheMiddleSky

When afternoon sun was being nice to show up and hit my room


----------



## baunauf

DTgill said:


> Hi I'm DTgill and I'm an addict...


Serious question, not trolling, but do you find that W Audio power filter actually does anything?


----------



## DTgill

baunauf said:


> Serious question, not trolling, but do you find that W Audio power filter actually does anything?


Well, my toys have a place to be plugged in and there's no noise, so I guess it does work.


----------



## baunauf

DTgill said:


> Well, my toys have a place to be plugged in and there's no noise, so I guess it does work.


Do you have noise without it?


----------



## DTgill

baunauf said:


> Do you have noise without it?


Yes, it was noisy, with my Asgard and the SD-CD3, and there was another piece before I got the conditioner. 

Why do you ask?


----------



## whirlwind

TheMiddleSky said:


> When afternoon sun was being nice to show up and hit my room


Great pic.  Gorgeous VO


----------



## Olmanwood123

TheMiddleSky said:


> When afternoon sun was being nice to show up and hit my room


nice


----------



## Shane D

Monday at lunch time. Want to try out the Elex's with my new toy.


----------



## baunauf

DTgill said:


> Yes, it was noisy, with my Asgard and the SD-CD3, and there was another piece before I got the conditioner.
> 
> Why do you ask?


Just curious, thanks.


----------



## VanHai

An old friend, 3D printed Blue Open Alpha.


----------



## thebratts

Work in progress. Relocated to a corner of the bedroom to finally have my own permanent space.. ... Squeezed in on 70cm width...  
More to come..


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> Monday at lunch time. Want to try out the Elex's with my new toy.


If you're feeling masochistic, lemme know how badly the LD chokes driving your HE6


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> If you're feeling masochistic, lemme know how badly the LD chokes driving your HE6


I am going to run all seven headphones through the LD. I am not expecting great results with the T60 Argons and HE6se V2's. Not only do they like the power, but they need the bass boost.
Although I could turn on the Loki.
I will save those two for last. And there is a high gain.


----------



## Terriero

DTgill said:


> No bottles, I've seen too much insanity in my day, I haven't had anything to drink for almost 30 years.


Good for you  Some times, my friend _Franziskaner _or _Paulaner _visits me when listening to music at nights


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> Good for you  Some times, my friend _Franziskaner _or _Paulaner _visits me when listening to music at nights


…better than being taunted by this?…😳😵‍💫🤣:


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> I am going to run all seven headphones through the LD. I am not expecting great results with the T60 Argons and HE6se V2's. Not only do they like the power, but they need the bass boost.
> Although I could turn on the Loki.
> I will save those two for last. And there is a high gain.


Its all good. Just part of my seemly never-ending quest to find a cheapish tube amp for planars.
I see you got a fan running… unsolicited advice… cook that bad boy!! Talking to folks who build PCs, they burn them in for 48 hrs or so. If a component is going to fail from heat, let it happen right away while it's under warranty


----------



## Mansinthe86

Mr Trev said:


> Its all good. Just part of my seemly never-ending quest to find a cheapish tube amp for planars.
> I see you got a fan running… unsolicited advice… cook that bad boy!! Talking to folks who build PCs, they burn them in for 48 hrs or so. If a component is going to fail from heat, let it happen right away while it's under warranty



The little dot MK3 SE should be alright for planar headphones? Did just read a whole bunch of reviews and it seems to be more than powerful enough if you are not planning to use it with susvara.


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> …better than being taunted by this?…😳😵‍💫🤣:


LOL...


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> Its all good. Just part of my seemly never-ending quest to find a cheapish tube amp for planars.
> I see you got a fan running… unsolicited advice… cook that bad boy!! Talking to folks who build PCs, they burn them in for 48 hrs or so. If a component is going to fail from heat, let it happen right away while it's under warranty


This unit just runs very warm. The volume pot is even hot to touch. I just want to cool the whole unit down.

I had the Little Dot Mark III late last year. Loved it with the Grado's, but found it weak with the DT880 (600 Ohms). Can't recall how it handled the planar's at all, so I guess it wasn't great.

In the past three years I have been on a frantic mission to buy, assess and sell gear (at a large loss of course) as fast as possible. Now I am slowing down. This amp is my first substantial purchase in four months and I am going to run it for the whole summer. No rush anymore.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> …to buy, assess and sell gear (at a large loss of course) as fast as possible…now I am slowing down…


Ah yes…the old business school _anti-mantra:_ ‘sell below cost, make it up on volume’ 🤪🤣


----------



## Chastity

Shane D said:


> I had the Little Dot Mark III late last year. Loved it with the Grado's, but found it weak with the DT880 (600 Ohms). Can't recall how it handled the planar's at all, so I guess it wasn't great.


I am interested in a LD Mark III SE for my setup for use with the M1570.  I am thinking the balanced connection should help with things.


----------



## Mr Trev

Chastity said:


> I am interested in a LD Mark III SE for my setup for use with the M1570.  I am thinking the balanced connection should help with things.


The SE is a hybrid so there's no doubt it'll drive planars even with the SE output. How tubey it sounds is yet to be seen - or read about, I haven't gone looking for reviews yet…


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> The SE is a hybrid so there's no doubt it'll drive planars even with the SE output. How tubey it sounds is yet to be seen - or read about, I haven't gone looking for reviews yet…


I have never found a single hybrid that sounded very tubey. I loved my LP, but it did not sound very tubey to me.


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> I have never found a single hybrid that sounded very tubey. I loved my LP, but it did not sound very tubey to me.


That's why I'm hoping for full glass.
I have vague hopes that since the mk.9 uses dual 6080s (I'm assuming the triodes are parallelled) it might have a fighting chance at cranking out enough current (plus my A2C and Edition XS aren't nearly as hard to drive as your HE6)


----------



## Shane D (Apr 19, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> That's why I'm hoping for full glass.
> I have vague hopes that since the mk.9 uses dual 6080s (I'm assuming the triodes are parallelled) it might have a fighting chance at cranking out enough current (plus my A2C and Edition XS aren't nearly as hard to drive as your HE6)


It does seem to have a lot of juice, although I am a quiet listener.
The Grado's couldn't go past 10:00. The Elex's go between 11:00-12:00, depending on the music. I bet five of my headphones don't even get out of low gain.

I think the two planar's will need high gain.


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> That's why I'm hoping for full glass.
> I have vague hopes that since the mk.9 uses dual 6080s (I'm assuming the triodes are parallelled) it might have a fighting chance at cranking out enough current (plus my A2C and Edition XS aren't nearly as hard to drive as your HE6)


I didn't read your reply fully at first. I think those two headphones would work quite well with this amp. Me being me though I would still use my Loki for some bass.

My two planar's Love bass boost and don't seem to distort at all. Of course I don't go really overboard with the bass or the volume.


----------



## carboncopy

I tried today something....the Trafomatic Head 2 functions here as a preamp, driving the Enleum (to the right). Should be absolute uneccessary, the Heléne can drive loads down to 200 Ohm, the Enleum has more than enough gain and still. The sound became more enveloping and grand. 

I got the idea from the Oor thread were the role of the preamp in head-fi system is discussed actually.


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> I didn't read your reply fully at first. I think those two headphones would work quite well with this amp. Me being me though I would still use my Loki for some bass.
> 
> My two planar's Love bass boost and don't seem to distort at all. Of course I don't go really overboard with the bass or the volume.


Cool. You know what, shoot me a PM when you put the mk 9 up for sale


----------



## Terriero

thebratts said:


> Work in progress. Relocated to a corner of the bedroom to finally have my own permanent space.. ... Squeezed in on 70cm width...
> More to come..


I recommend to you to remove the paintings from the wall and maybe hang the monitor on it. Maybe your space wouldn't be so claustrophobic.


----------



## gianni60

This was mine,sold 2 months ago because having a system in a dedicated room,i near never listened
cd Wadia S7I
amp Megaherts Guerra
Stax 009


----------



## Pharmaboy

carboncopy said:


> I tried today something....the Trafomatic Head 2 functions here as a preamp, driving the Enleum (to the right). Should be absolute uneccessary, the Heléne can drive loads down to 200 Ohm, the Enleum has more than enough gain and still. The sound became more enveloping and grand.
> 
> I got the idea from the Oor thread were the role of the preamp in head-fi system is discussed actually.


I don't own any of this gear, but I'm fascinated by your post anyway. My issue is a new headphone amp/preamp that I just finished burning in and put in my main system (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1). It has rather extreme power and no low or medium gain settings--just the one way-too-powerful gain setting. This makes it nearly impossible to use as either HP amp or preamp.

I'm getting around it by inserting a transformer-based passive volume controller between the DAC and this amp. I also have a pair of high quality resistor-based 10 dB attenuators (Rothwell 10 dB attenuators) on order to see if that works well, too. So my gain problem is solveable.

But I did wonder about using a 2nd active preamp in-line between the DAC and THR-1. I have one that is very compact and good sounding; it might be perfect. But I didn't pursue this because I feared creating hum or audible effects.

Can you explain how you use the Traformatic w/the other HP amp? Which unit's volume pot do you use to adjust volume? And what do you set the other unit's volume pot to?


----------



## carboncopy

Pharmaboy said:


> I don't own any of this gear, but I'm fascinated by your post anyway. My issue is a new headphone amp/preamp that I just finished burning in and put in my main system (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1). It has rather extreme power and no low or medium gain settings--just the one way-too-powerful gain setting. This makes it nearly impossible to use as either HP amp or preamp.
> 
> I'm getting around it by inserting a transformer-based passive volume controller between the DAC and this amp. I also have a pair of high quality resistor-based 10 dB attenuators (Rothwell 10 dB attenuators) on order to see if that works well, too. So my gain problem is solveable.
> 
> ...


Interestingly the gain is no problem. The Trafomatic is at about 10 o clock and the Enleum too. I use the Trafomatic to set the volume so, that the Enleum is about this 10 clock position. The if needed I make fine adjustment on the Enleum (convinient because of the remote). There is also absolutely no hum. It just kinda works.


----------



## Pharmaboy

"It just kinda works" (I love that)

It totally goes against high-end audio beliefs to insert one line-level gain stage ahead of another, whether this is for convenience, overall gain reduction, or some sonic objective. But that's what you've done & it works. Not only works, but apparently sounds even better. That's very interesting.

What I inserted in-line ahead of the preamp was a passive device, and these play by slightly different rules than do active devices. Regardless. I hear zero sonic effects--not even the most subtle things. Morever, I believe any microscopic sonic changes caused by adding 1 extra interconnect + a passive volume control device ahead of my HP amp/preamp, are more than offset by getting that HP amp/preamp's volume pot into its ideal range (ie, between 10:00 and 2:00 on the dial), instead of being buried down at the far end of counter-rotation (where channel imbalance lives) due to excess gain.

I think based on what you report, I should take this one step further and insert my nice-sounding little preamp in-line in place of the passive device ... then see how the sound changes, if it changes at all.


----------



## carboncopy

Pharmaboy said:


> "It just kinda works" (I love that)
> 
> It totally goes against high-end audio beliefs to insert one line-level gain stage ahead of another, whether this is for convenience, overall gain reduction, or some sonic objective. But that's what you've done & it works. Not only works, but apparently sounds even better. That's very interesting.
> 
> ...


The thing is, I had every component at hand, a try costs nothing.

What really interesting is, the contrary to the logic, the resolution is higher this way too.

By the way, I had a Townshend Allegri+ in my system for years. Super thing!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Just reading about the Townshend Allegri+. I want one!! My passive device is transformer based, but doubtless not the same quality of transformer as this.

*Note: *I have some very decent headphone audio equipment, but all your gear is on a higher level than mine (simple truth)

It's funny how the gain issues of this new HP amp/preamp pushed me into this voodoo zone of chaining devices with volume pots to not just knock down excess gain, but maybe even improve sound.

I'll report back when my little experiment is done...


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> Cool. You know what, shoot me a PM when you put the mk 9 up for sale


I don't even want to think about that, but you are probably not far off. 
The iFi is not going anywhere. It can just do too many things to ever let go of. There is a much better chance that I look at moving the MK9 OR the Violectric V220 in a few months. I seem to Crave variety. I think the iFi and one of the other two would be a great contrast.


----------



## Asterisk3095

It's not much, but it's mine! Still quite new to this hobby, and looking to expand my collection further in the future (whenever I have funds to allocate towards it)!


----------



## jonathan c

Asterisk3095 said:


> It's not much, but it's mine! Still quite new to this hobby, and looking to expand my collection further in the future (whenever I have funds to allocate towards it)!


That is a pretty good start! The HD600, for many, is end-of-the-line: it’s that good! The SR325e is no slouch, either. ‘Looking to expand’? Hint: a closed-back headphone. 😜


----------



## Asterisk3095 (Apr 19, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> That is a pretty good start! The HD600, for many, is end-of-the-line: it’s that good! The SR325e is no slouch, either. ‘Looking to expand’? Hint: a closed-back headphone. 😜


Yep I am in fact saving for a closed back pair of headphones next! I'm leaning towards the Kennerton Gjallarhorn Jm Edition. Its design and aesthetic just sings to me! I also just need a pair of cans that is good on the low end, and the Gjallarhorn supposedly has very good bass. The ZMF Verite Closed also interests me, but that's way over the price I'm willing to pay right now


----------



## piakoB (Apr 20, 2022)




----------



## u2u2

This is still a work in progress...
A little Queen as a motivator.


----------



## jonathan c

🎵These are a few of my favourite things 🎶:


----------



## DTgill

Dinner time...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Dinner time...


Corona for dinner 🤪🤣?


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> Corona for dinner 🤪🤣?


No Teriyaki pork and fries and a 7UP...


----------



## pspentax

Dynamic, planar and electrostatic… the best thing is a little bit of each other 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Headphone partners…


----------



## phthora




----------



## Redcarmoose

*There can be only one RAPTGO HOOK-X....................only one!*


----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> *There can be only one RAPTGO HOOK-X....................only one!*


AND WHOSE IS IT !!!! ???? 🤣


----------



## Redcarmoose (Apr 21, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> AND WHOSE IS IT !!!! ???? 🤣


They are sold out! And they haven't even been released yet!


----------



## Korean audiophile

I received the og blue cable I believe there are only 600 made of these. Great cable totally makes a difference soundstage increased seperation between instruments more defined, more clarity very satisfied. sounds like a totally different headphone


----------



## jonathan c

Korean audiophile said:


> I received the og blue cable I believe there are only 600 made of these. Great cable totally makes a difference soundstage increased seperation between instruments more defined, more clarity very satisfied. sounds like a totally different headphone


Who makes the cable? Pictures?


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## jonathan c

Redcarmoose said:


> They are sold out! And they haven't even been released yet!


…a BangyBang DREAM  !!!


----------



## Korean audiophile

jonathan c said:


> Who makes the cable? Pictures?





They came with the 1st 600 lcd-4 made after that Audeze discontinued them. There was a older thread on here talking about how wonderful these were people saying even better than any other aftermarket $1000 plus cables. I had to try them because of the hype and OMG!! Their magic 

I bought them on classifieds the seller shipped them from Canada.


----------



## Chastity

Korean audiophile said:


> They came with the 1st 600 lcd-4 made after that Audeze discontinued them. There was a older thread on here talking about how wonderful these were people saying even better than any other aftermarket $1000 plus cables. I had to try them because of the hype and OMG!! Their magic
> 
> I bought them on classifieds the seller shipped them from Canada.


Their looks remind me of Cardas cables


----------



## Polypterus




----------



## Pharmaboy (Apr 22, 2022)

carboncopy said:


> The thing is, I had every component at hand, a try costs nothing.
> 
> What really interesting is, the contrary to the logic, the resolution is higher this way too.
> 
> By the way, I had a Townshend Allegri+ in my system for years. Super thing!


Well, I've now tried my new super-amp, the Kinki Studio Vision THR-1, in 3 configurations, each intended to knock down the amp's excessive gain using different tactics:

For 2-3 days I ran the amp with a transformer-based passive volume controller in-line between the DAC and the THR-1. I situated the passive within easy reach so I could use its pot to adjust overall volume, rather than the THR-1. The sound was quite good, but the inconvenience (passive unit + separate interconnect) was PITA-level
Yesterday I ran it with a nice little HP amp/preamp (Matrix Audio HPA-1 w/my favorite of 3 opamps rolled in it) replacing the passive & serving the same purpose--allowing me to use its volume control rather than the THR-1's. This configuration was inspired by your posts about putting the Traformatic in line before another HP amp. But sadly, the sound went downhill noticeably, with an edgy sheen over the upper mids. It hurt my ears
So below is pictured the 3rd & final configuration:
_No more passive or 2nd interconnect_
_Instead, 2 x 10dB attenuators are plugged into the RCA input pair on the back of the THR-1 (see URL below); and the interconnect direct from the DAC plugs into the attenuators_
_I had to situate the THR-1 on its side with its volume pot within easy reach (because there's no remote, another PITA). I marked the pot's hash-mark more clearly using white adhesive paper so I can see where the pot is in any light. The sound is back to at least as good as what I was hearing with the passive controller_

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/attenuators.html





The gain on this amp is so excessive that I really couldn't comfortably listen to the amp w/o some kind of attenuation. So I'm not comparing any of these 3 configurations to the amp sans attenuation--just to each other.

What I'm hearing so far from this amp (mainly via speakers in preamp mode) is promising. It's insanely powerful yet capable of considerable nuance and subtlety. It's somewhat warm, but not excessively so. Bass is quite strong. I have more listening to do, but so far, it sounds like it's in the sonic ballpark of the V281--different in certain ways, but similar in that it's a very musical, powerful SS sound with finesse.

PS: Before I ordered this unit, knowing I might have to site it on one side nearby so I could adjust volume by hand (because there's no remote), I asked the mfr if that was OK to do. His reply was priceless (they're in Singapore so English is 2nd language):



> > "Normally it won't be placed that way, but you can try it and observe it for a certain time Sorry for can't given you an answer because we also never try it before."


----------



## DTgill

Cheap, but worth twice the price...


----------



## ColSaulTigh

DTgill said:


> Cheap, but worth twice the price...


There's a "twice nothing is still nothing" joke in there somewhere...lol!


----------



## BlakeT (Apr 22, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> "It just kinda works" (I love that)
> 
> I think based on what you report, I should take this one step further and insert my nice-sounding little preamp in-line in place of the passive device ... then see how the sound changes, if it changes at all.



I've done a fair bit of experimenting on this as well.  Right now I've got Holo Spring 3 with built-in preamp (analog) going to an active separate tube preamp, then into my headphone amp.  I experimented without the additional active preamp, swapping in and out.  I've also done this in my speaker system going DAC direct to power amp, then compared to adding an active preamp and I always preferred the sound with the active preamp in the chain.

I am finding I like the sound best using a combination of attenuation with both the Spring 3 built-in preamp and my active tube preamp in the chain.  I can't detect any loss of transparency so there are no sonic detriments and to the contrary, the sound is more three-dimensional, holographic and fleshed out using the combo of the two active preamps.  No loss in detail or apparent resolution at all.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 13, 2022)

Well I was getting tired of sharing my old Silver Wolf Dominatrix (custom 28 awg x 8 way silver braid) AKG cable between my AKG and Beyer can's






and was looking at these 3 litz cable sizes 28/22/16 I had still laying about and thought I'd try some of the 16awg OMG speaker litz for fun, well looks like I'm getting low on the normal 28 gauge and everyone uses nice fat 22... it was an obvious choice lol for a crazy person.






A Silver Wolf copper Anaconda is born/in the making lol... at my Head-Fi station today...  edit: and yes I'm using a solderpot lol, it's not cheating...you try silver/rhodium tinning almost 520+ strands of litz...it's da pitz..!!!






2nd edit: still trying to figure out how to terminate this monster into a mini neutrik XLR rofl...... To be continued...


----------



## geoffalter11

jonathan c said:


> Continuing from where post #32,222 in this thread left off. The h/p/a now is the Woo WA2 (w/ RFT EZ81, GEC CV2984, Tungsram E88CC). Cable is the Forza Noir Hybrid: •  The Atrium is a remarkable headphone that has the ZMF attribute of complete musicality. Rather than offer my detailed impressions list, I highly recommend post #2, by @warrenpchi, in the ‘ZMF ATRIUM !!!’ thread: it is spot on and certainly squares with what I hear from the Atrium.
> •  An immense and real captivation for me about the Atrium is imaging / portrayal / soundstaging. In these, the Atrium excels. The soundstage is definitely wider than that of the Aeolus; it is also deeper than that of the Aeolus. This width and depth is _special_ because it is not filled with individual flat musical images separated by a little distance. Each image (instrument / voice) has _its own_ depth and full dimension within the soundstage. This characteristic, to me, distinguishes the Atrium from the Aeolus. This also allows instruments / voices to fill naturally the space ‘allotted’ to them. This, for me, adds tremendously to the cascading effect of ambience / reverberation.
> •  The cohesion and transient response of the Atrium drivers allow for the above to occur in the best way possible. Nimbleness / quickness is there but not to say “watch what I can do!” The ‘air / space’ between instruments and voices is ‘clear’ and ‘inert’: it is not charged _with_ energy - the musical energy passes through it. Individual voices in a chorus are thus easy to follow within the power of the collective voice. The texture of each voice, unadorned by a ‘halo’ or ‘sheen’, in its own ‘space’ is thrilling to hear.
> •  At first, the midrange of Atrium seemed reticent compared to that of Aeolus. It is all there, just not as ‘upfront’. But that midrange is more fully ‘fleshed out’ via greater dimensionality. Thus Atrium midrange detail is actually greater despite that midrange seeming to be ‘further away’.
> ...


Awesome impressions my friend. Really good stuff. I want one. I also want your Mystique, but you already know that. How would you compare it to the Auteur?


----------



## Stelian99

TheMiddleSky said:


> When afternoon sun was being nice to show up and hit my room


What headphones stand is that?


----------



## bcowen

Silver Wolf said:


> Well I was getting tired of sharing my old Silver Wolf Dominatrix (custom 28 awg x 8 way silver braid) AKG cable between my AKG and Beyer can's and was looking at these 3 litz cable sizes 28/22/16 I had still laying about and thought I'd try some of the 16awg OMG speaker litz for fun, well looks like I'm getting low on the normal 28 gauge and everyone uses nice fat 22... it was an obvious choice lol for a crazy person.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice braiding job!  And using a solderpot for litz isn't cheating....it's the only way to do it correctly IMO.


----------



## Korean audiophile

Silver Wolf said:


> Well I was getting tired of sharing my old Silver Wolf Dominatrix (custom 28 awg x 8 way silver braid) AKG cable between my AKG and Beyer can's and was looking at these 3 litz cable sizes 28/22/16 I had still laying about and thought I'd try some of the 16awg OMG speaker litz for fun, well looks like I'm getting low on the normal 28 gauge and everyone uses nice fat 22... it was an obvious choice lol for a crazy person.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Are u going to sell to the public or just a hobby?


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Well I was getting tired of sharing my old Silver Wolf Dominatrix (custom 28 awg x 8 way silver braid) AKG cable between my AKG and Beyer can's and was looking at these 3 litz cable sizes 28/22/16 I had still laying about and thought I'd try some of the 16awg OMG speaker litz for fun, well looks like I'm getting low on the normal 28 gauge and everyone uses nice fat 22... it was an obvious choice lol for a crazy person.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You really want to show off your solder-fu?
Terminate that bugger with 2.5mm balanced!🤣


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Stelian99 said:


> What headphones stand is that?


it's an old Crossroad Headphone Stand from 2012 if I remember correctly. Don't worry, the brand vanished already (I think around 2016). You can't buy it anymore haha.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Apr 24, 2022)

Korean audiophile said:


> Are u going to sell to the public or just a hobby?


These days I just make them for myself I'm sorry, besides being an old 'n cranky retired bastage I'm disabled and have buggered hands (twisted/curled with arthritis and tendon contractures 'n my thumbs don't work and throw in pretty bad neuropathy etc..you get the idea) so it's not fun and takes lots of work and literal pain. But nay not something I would say I enjoy or is a "hobby" these days. 


Mr Trev said:


> You really want to show off your solder-fu?
> Terminate that bugger with 2.5mm balanced!🤣


Yeah, nah... lol.... Too hard for me and I avoid 2.5mm terminations, they can brake and I don't use anything 2.5mm so pointless also lol.

edit: Well here's the finished cable, man I super friggin hate, love but hate litz lol! (mutters and grumbles under-breath cussing). About to have a sit 'n relax with it after I finish cleaning up, bastage had better work!


----------



## LetTheKidsTechno




----------



## Hiker816

I built myself a flexi-rack with IKEA bamboo cutting boards for my office desk.  (Please excuse the cable mess).  It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but it works!  I made it with a cage of sorts to deter the cleaning crew from walking off with my gear.  The back bar locks in place thanks to cam locks on the top and bottom that slot into grooves I made in the bar with a dremel too.  I can unlock it and slide the bar out when I need to move gear around.


----------



## bobmysterious (Apr 23, 2022)

Studio B at night...


----------



## jonathan c

Hiker816 said:


> I built myself a flexi-rack with IKEA bamboo cutting boards for my office desk.  (Please excuse the cable mess).  It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but it works!  I made it with a cage of sorts to deter the cleaning crew from walking off with my gear.  The back bar locks in place thanks to cam locks on the top and bottom that slot into grooves I made in the bar with a dremel too.  I can unlock it and slide the bar out when I need to move gear around.


That is a functional work of art 👍.


----------



## jonathan c

Atrium break…


----------



## silversurfer616

Surprisingly the Burson drives the Susvara quite well. Only at 1.30 and Medium Gain. Cable is a leftover from my Heddphone with Infinity adapter at the headphone end and XLR to SE adapter( made from the far too long Final Audio 8000 Pro cable) at the amp end.


----------



## simorag (Apr 24, 2022)

Latest upgrade, a 2009 1er Cru Meursault


----------



## Pharmaboy

simorag said:


> Latest upgrade, a 2009 1er Cru Mersault


Heavyweight gear + serious style...bellissimo


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## Korean audiophile

Just found my Unicorn 🦄


----------



## bcowen

On the road a lot these days.  Forgot I had the Aune....it was buried in the stash closet.  A far cry from my home rig, but can be set up in 2 minutes and playing tunes and is surprisingly decent to listen to.  That's a '61 Amperex 6922 PQ in there, but somehow I seem to have packed a '59 Telefunken 6DJ8 and a '63 (I think) Brimar 6BQ7A. Tube rolling in a travel system?  I think I probably might have a problem.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> On the road a lot these days.  Forgot I had the Aune....it was buried in the stash closet.  A far cry from my home rig, but can be set up in 2 minutes and playing tunes and is surprisingly decent to listen to.  That's a '61 Amperex 6922 PQ in there, but somehow I seem to have packed a '59 Telefunken 6DJ8 and a '63 (I think) Brimar 6BQ7A. Tube rolling in a travel system?  I think I probably might have a problem.


What does TSA do when they see tubes on the X-ray screen? 🤔😳…


----------



## Roasty

simorag said:


> Latest upgrade, a 2009 1er Cru Meursault



that rack is beautiful!
could you tell me what model it is?


----------



## simorag

Roasty said:


> that rack is beautiful!
> could you tell me what model it is?



Sure! It is a Neo High End Quattron (https://neohighend.com/quattron), matte walnut with 'diamond black' legs.


----------



## rev92

Couldnt find any "rack" that I'd like, so I built one. For now it'll do, saving desk space is nice


----------



## shwnwllms

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice set up. Flagship headphone on the hunt?



Flagship incoming!!! (LCD-5 should arrive tomorrow)


----------



## TheMiddleSky

shwnwllms said:


> Flagship incoming!!! (LCD-5 should arrive tomorrow)



Waiting for your impression sir.

Next step: DAC hunt

I know I know, it never end


----------



## DTgill

TheMiddleSky said:


> I know I know, it never end


Oh man, isn't that the truth...


----------



## shwnwllms (Apr 25, 2022)

TheMiddleSky said:


> Next step: DAC hunt
> 
> I know I know, it never end



Well I just upgraded my DAC (and added a DDC) around the same time I upgraded my amp so I think I’ll take a break from the hunt after this


----------



## Whitigir




----------



## barbz127

Whitigir said:


>


Love it.

Out of curiosity whats the second headphone jack?


----------



## Whitigir

barbz127 said:


> Love it.
> 
> Out of curiosity whats the second headphone jack?


Thanks !
A 6.3mm and 4.4mm


----------



## Silver Wolf (Apr 26, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Nice braiding job!  And using a solderpot for litz isn't cheating....it's the only way to do it correctly IMO.


Thank you, it's not easy for me at all but it looks good 'n works.... Litz sucks, don't know why I'm addicted to it lol.

edit: In fact thinking about it now the larger cable is easier to braid for my buggered hands but just a ^$%#!!! to tin/solder etc due to such a enameled high strand count (maybe my exotic/precious metal solder mix makes life harder also, no idea...go figure smile).


Mr Trev said:


> You really want to show off your solder-fu?
> Terminate that bugger with 2.5mm balanced!🤣


Some others already asked me about this, here's an image showing it's a 3 cable/single ended design, for balanced/balanced differential you need 4/6 wires... this wire/cable is Approx 2 mm each cable/conductor so you'd be looking at 4 x 2 mm into a 2.5 mm termination...Not even the gods rofl...lol can work that math giggle...

I think I did  ok as it was ('n I had to use the doctors tardis to make it)
But, now I'm thinking of trying to make a balanced version....thanks for that challenge lol 






look above and behold, that's my best-est magic lol..... My Fu remains strong young grasshopper


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Thank you, it's not easy for me at all but it looks good 'n works.... Litz sucks, don't know why I'm addicted to it lol.
> 
> edit: In fact thinking about it now the larger cable is easier to braid for my buggered hands but just a ^$%#!!! to tin/solder etc due to such a enameled high strand count (maybe my exotic/precious metal solder mix makes life harder also, no idea...go figure smile).
> 
> ...


Looks great. Kinda like the headphone cable equivalent of a MLB necklace.


----------



## Whitigir (Apr 26, 2022)

Since we are talking about DIY here

Upgraded TA ZH1ES output stage capacitors from Nichicon fine gold to Kasei Bipolar .  The TA-ZH1ES is a beast with other mods and upgrades too.  Let’s get back to our desktop pictures 



Silver Wolf said:


> Thank you, it's not easy for me at all but it looks good 'n works.... Litz sucks, don't know why I'm addicted to it lol.
> 
> edit: In fact thinking about it now the larger cable is easier to braid for my buggered hands but just a ^$%#!!! to tin/solder etc due to such a enameled high strand count (maybe my exotic/precious metal solder mix makes life harder also, no idea...go figure smile).
> 
> ...



I like that vices, look very nice 👍


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Heavyweight gear + serious style...bellissimo


Not to mention the fact @simorag really knows how to swing a camera. Beautiful shots!



jonathan c said:


> What does TSA do when they see tubes on the X-ray screen? 🤔😳…


They grope the kid wearing them


----------



## gianni60

This is one of my cartridge to listen music,and i conside cartridges a jewel like iem
This is a Koetsu Coralstone Diamond,with diamond cantilever


----------



## gianni60

Also i have Air Tight Opus 1 and other 6


----------



## shwnwllms




----------



## AudioDuck

I’m set for source/amp options/open and closed headphone options, finally. All that remains this year is some spacing/vibration control tweaking (spacing under the Node 2, vibration control under the Feliks Echo) and higher-quality single-ended cabling for ZMFs and the Stellia. Very pleased with the setup now. 

Not shown: Trusty daily drivers (Shure SEH-1540s) and DAP for around-the-house/desk/travel listening, the amazing Sony WM1A (mk I).


----------



## Pharmaboy

Whitigir said:


>


Damn, that's pretty. I don't even know what it is, but I want it!


----------



## Mr Trev

Pharmaboy said:


> Damn, that's pretty. I don't even know what it is, but I want it!


Tell me about it. My head has been spinning since I found out tubes can fluoresce too


----------



## Sebbai

New! (Everything)


----------



## adeadcrab

Sebbai said:


> New! (Everything)


woah? what the hell is that?!


----------



## Sebbai

adeadcrab said:


> woah? what the hell is that?!


Bluesound NODE
Bakoon 13r
Denafrips Ares 2


----------



## cwoo

shwnwllms said:


>


How does the "Staples" Amp sound?  I kid, I kid.... nice setup


----------



## shwnwllms

cwoo said:


> How does the "Staples" Amp sound?  I kid, I kid.... nice setup



“Staples” Audio Rack w/ Mechanical Vibration Dampening Mounts (aka I ran out of space on my desk and moved a few thousand dollars of audio equipment on top of a $100 filing cabinet)


----------



## jonathan c

cwoo said:


> How does the "Staples" Amp sound?


….wide & stable, inky black background, silent / no hum…🤣


----------



## shwnwllms

jonathan c said:


> ….wide & stable, inky black background, silent / no hum…🤣



Bunch of jokers, I add an LCD-5 to the stable and all you guys notice are my office furnishings. 😝


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> Bunch of jokers, I add an LCD-5 to the stable and all you guys notice are my office furnishings. 😝


…and I thought that the addition was the PC ‘mouse’…🤔🤪…


----------



## cwoo

shwnwllms said:


> Bunch of jokers, I add an LCD-5 to the stable and all you guys notice are my office furnishings. 😝


ha, just messing... you have a nice setup... how are you enjoying the LCD-5?


----------



## jonathan c

cwoo said:


> ha, just messing... you have a nice setup... how are you enjoying the LCD-5?


With the LCD-5 sensitivity of 90 dB/mw and nominal impedance of 14 ohms, a h/p/a such as the Violectric V550 would seem to be a necessity.


----------



## cwoo

jonathan c said:


> With the LCD-5 sensitivity of 90 dB/mw and nominal impedance of 14 ohms, a h/p/a such as the Violectric V550 would seem to be a necessity.


I would love to hear the V550 with the LCD-5... the V281 has been no slouch but it would be cool to see what they have improved.


----------



## CJG888

Frankly, at 14 Ohms and 90 dB, they are CRYING OUT for a speaker amp!


----------



## thecrow (Apr 28, 2022)

Sebbai said:


> New! (Everything)





adeadcrab said:


> woah? what the hell is that?!



That, my friend, is what is known as a balanced system


----------



## betula

thecrow said:


> That, my friend, is what is known as a balanced system


----------



## Korean audiophile

Sebbai said:


> New! (Everything)


----------



## shwnwllms

CJG888 said:


> Frankly, at 14 Ohms and 90 dB, they are CRYING OUT for a speaker amp!


Even with a bit of EQ, I'm running the V550 at -6dB preamp and I'm only at 2 o' clock


----------



## jonathan c

Sebbai said:


> New! (Everything)


“ I am Excelar…..will exterminate Essey…”


----------



## angpsi

Sebbai said:


> Bluesound NODE
> Bakoon 13r
> Denafrips Ares 2


Always been tempted by the Bakoon, never managed to get my hands on one though... How's the Ares doing on that system? Tempted to get one for my HP system, I already have a Pontus II rocking on my stereo system and I find it a truly remarkable piece of gear.


----------



## Stelian99

Audeze LCD-X & Burson Conductor 3 Performance


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 28, 2022)

You know that you are OTL (over the line!) when…

  …12A*7–> E88CC adapters…


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Stelian99 said:


> Audeze LCD-X & Burson Conductor 3 Performance


need shutter speed of camera at around 1/60s to prevent the flicker at screen

anyway, audeze + burson in general always become lovely combo


----------



## Sebbai

angpsi said:


> Always been tempted by the Bakoon, never managed to get my hands on one though... How's the Ares doing on that system? Tempted to get one for my HP system, I already have a Pontus II rocking on my stereo system and I find it a truly remarkable piece of gear.


Ares is my first R2R experience, coming from Burson Composer 3xp I feel the Ares is more sharp (more resolving?). About the same in musicality, but dryer bass. Bigger sense of soundstage. More forward in the mids. 

Not sure if it is the ultimate DAC for the Bakoon, but since I want something that is about the same size as the Bakoon, Ares was chosen.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

shwnwllms said:


> Even with a bit of EQ, I'm running the V550 at -6dB preamp and I'm only at 2 o' clock


That's how you know you didn't get a fake


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> You know that you are OTL (over the line!) when…  …12A*7–> E88CC adapters…


I thought we were supposed to use green marker on all our gear


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Mr Trev said:


> I thought we were supposed to use green marker on all our gear


Look between the bottle of paint and the brush. @jonathan c doesn't miss anything


----------



## Stelian99

TheMiddleSky said:


> need shutter speed of camera at around 1/60s to prevent the flicker at screen
> 
> anyway, audeze + burson in general always become lovely combo


i've took the pic on auto with my i12 pro; thank you for the tips 

today i've received the burson and i like the combo very much; i'm listening mainly electronic music (house, deep house, etc).


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I thought we were supposed to use green marker on all our gear


Oh geeez.  Green marker is only for software.  You know, like tubes.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Oh geeez.  Green marker is only for software.  You know, like tubes those who wear headphones.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021].


----------



## jonathan c (Apr 28, 2022)

[Most of] the h/p/a gang is all here…


----------



## Mr Trev (Apr 28, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Oh geeez.  Green marker is only for software.  You know, like tubes.


Dang. Wish I knew that before I markered my entire listening room


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Dang. Wish I knew that before I markered my entire listening room


Only by Trev……Vert……🤪


----------



## Twjones (Apr 29, 2022)

Station #2 - home office.  Restored 1979 Yamaha CR2020 powering nearfield speakers and Beyer DT990s for when the volume just has to be anti-social


----------



## Wes S (Apr 29, 2022)

Current State - Been doing some tube rolling, my pair of Ambrosia Maple VC are on my head, and the music is playing. . .


----------



## shwnwllms

cwoo said:


> ha, just messing... you have a nice setup... how are you enjoying the LCD-5?


They are incredible, I don't know exactly what I was expecting but this wasn't it. They are so light they feel like a toy compared to my LCD-X, and unlike the LCD-X they don't necessarily need EQ, but after a few hours vanilla it was apparent they would definitely benefit from it to unlock their full potential. I wouldn't recommend it unless you plan on EQ-ing tbh. I've been using Resolves v2 EQ and (tried Crinacle's before that and it wasn't doing it for me). They are highly resolving and juicy mids for days, its a departure from the Audeze house sound of the past. I can't remember if I read it in a review or on the LCD-5 thread but someone described it as "an analogue sounding planar" and that pretty much sums it up for me so far.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Twjones said:


> Station #2 - home office.  Restored 1979 Yamaha CR2020 powering nearfield speakers and Beyer DT990s for when the volume just jas to be anti-social


I want that little TT.


----------



## Twjones

Pharmaboy said:


> I want that little TT.


Little Corgi replica of the 2001 roadster in the garage


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Dang. Wish I knew that before I markered my entire listening room


Perhaps a bit of green overkill, but I have to admit that's one spiffy looking Carolina Blue suit!


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> You know that you are OTL (over the line!) when…  …12A*7–> E88CC adapters…



The Pittsburgh Post editor might halt your deliveries if you keep this up


----------



## cwoo

shwnwllms said:


> They are incredible, I don't know exactly what I was expecting but this wasn't it. They are so light they feel like a toy compared to my LCD-X, and unlike the LCD-X they don't necessarily need EQ, but after a few hours vanilla it was apparent they would definitely benefit from it to unlock their full potential. I wouldn't recommend it unless you plan on EQ-ing tbh. I've been using Resolves v2 EQ and (tried Crinacle's before that and it wasn't doing it for me). They are highly resolving and juicy mids for days, its a departure from the Audeze house sound of the past. I can't remember if I read it in a review or on the LCD-5 thread but someone described it as "an analogue sounding planar" and that pretty much sums it up for me so far.


It's funny you should say... I am a big fan of EQ, and I do really like Resovle's 2nd EQ profile and wasn't particularly in love with Crinacle's.  I haven't spent enough time with the TC or Susvara to really compare, but the LCD-5 is insanely good.  I'm listening to the LCD-4 right now, and the 5 still keeps a bit of the Audeze sound while not being true to the normal LCD lineup.  I'm glad we are both digging them! enjoy!

Also, I just moved... I am excited to get my space setup and post some pics of my current listening setup!


----------



## BobG55

Twjones said:


> Station #2 - home office.  Restored 1979 Yamaha CR2020 powering nearfield speakers and Beyer DT990s for when the volume just has to be anti-social


Beautiful vintage Yamaha.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Apr 30, 2022)

Isn't the first step of dealing with an addiction admitting to it! 
I think I may suffer Shinyitis....??? lol.. Was thinking about making a "different" kind of cable but they all seem similar somehow......


----------



## CJG888

Twjones said:


> Station #2 - home office.  Restored 1979 Yamaha CR2020 powering nearfield speakers and Beyer DT990s for when the volume just jas to be anti-social





Twjones said:


> Little Corgi replica of the 2001 roadster in the garage


Hang onto it. Future classic!

4cyl Turbo or VR6? Baseball glove interior?


----------



## Wes S




----------



## thecrow

Wes S said:


>


Is it just me??

but i’m not sure about this recent cluster of amps that i am seeing with these vertical headphone jacks  

it seems to me like they could put unnecessary pressure on the cable connection to the cable’s jack


----------



## Wes S (Apr 30, 2022)

thecrow said:


> Is it just me??
> 
> but i’m not sure about this recent cluster of amps that i am seeing with these vertical headphone jacks
> 
> it seems to me like they could put unnecessary pressure on the cable connection to the cable’s jack


If I was constantly moving/bending the cables back and forth perhaps . . .but as it stands with my setup they all stay stationary at the bend they are currently at (even the headphone cable as it's secured to the desk at a lower point of which is not visible in the pic), at all times.  They have been making tube amps like this for years, and a natural stationary bend or curve in the cables is no concern for me and I am as OCD as it gets.  Lastly, it might be a concern for cheaply made amps with thin materials, but tube amps made by AmpsandSound like the Pendant SE are built like tanks, and there is no flexing or bending of the jacks or top plate whatsoever.

Of note, there are right angle connections and adapters out there, that will let the cable lay straight for those that are still worried or don't like the look of a cable bending/curving. . .


----------



## betula

Yes, I love my Elite. It is rare to find such a satisfying piece of audio equipment.


----------



## waveSounds

The latest addition (and it's not the headphones).


----------



## jonathan c

In contrast to the @waveSounds household (bless them!), it is planar time here…


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> The Pittsburgh Post editor might halt your deliveries if you keep this up


…the PG will have to stop delivery to the local service stations…🤣


----------



## Twjones

CJG888 said:


> Hang onto it. Future classic!
> 
> 4cyl Turbo or VR6? Baseball glove interior?


225hp 1.8 turbo.  Silver on black, just like the Corgi


----------



## DTgill

All the best people and things...


----------



## ufospls2

Here is my set up currently. iFi iDSD is borrowed, as is the Shang Sr. Got a new table from ikea, painted the walls.

-Boulder 866
-HeadAmp BHSE
-Stax SR007mk2
-T+A Solitaire P
-Abyss 1266TC


----------



## jonathan c

Almost back to tubes…


----------



## Twjones (May 2, 2022)

ufospls2 said:


> Here is my set up currently. iFi iDSD is borrowed, as is the Shang Sr. Got a new table from ikea, painted the walls.
> 
> -Boulder 866
> -HeadAmp BHSE
> ...


Now THAT is what I call overkill!  Love it.  The Boulder is one hell of a streaming DAC!

Below is my Station #1, like yours a hybrid speaker and headphone setup sharing the streamer (RaspTouch with Kali clocking) and DAC (Gustard A18 via IIS).  I use the rear speakers from my home theater system as headphone stands for my open cans (modified balanced AKG K702) and closed (Denon AH-D9200). As I  own a T+A power amp, I tried the T+A Solitaires in Zürich a year or so ago. Lovely. Opted for the Denons as what I really needed were closed cans for Corona times.

These days, the fact is my normal headphone use is via "Station 3" - a Shanling M8 DAP with Linsoul Monarch Mkii IEMs, or "Station 4" - my iPad with Aëdle VK-2s for films and TV.

Great stuff on here!


----------



## Twjones

The "other Stations."


----------



## Olmanwood123

Wish I could get a better photo I, but here is my desktop (basement) setup.


----------



## Olmanwood123

….and with the lights off


----------



## jonathan c

City of Headphonopolis ‘skyline’…


----------



## Chastity

Olmanwood123 said:


> Wish I could get a better photo I, but here is my desktop (basement) setup.


Holy Enclosed Cubicle, Batman!!

I gather you are closing out the world, or at least the locals.


----------



## Olmanwood123

Chastity said:


> Holy Enclosed Cubicle, Batman!!
> 
> I gather you are closing out the world, or at least the locals.


There is more space than the picture alludes to. But I do have to section off the entertainment area beside it


----------



## Mr Trev

Olmanwood123 said:


> Wish I could get a better photo I, but here is my desktop (basement) setup.


No worries. Your avatar image more than makes up for that lack of photo skills


----------



## gefski

Twjones said:


> Now THAT is what I call overkill!  Love it.  The Boulder is one hell of a streaming DAC!
> 
> Below is my Station #1, like yours a hybrid speaker and headphone setup sharing the streamer (RaspTouch with Kali clocking) and DAC (Gustard A18 via IIS).  I use the rear speakers from my home theater system as headphone stands for my open cans (modified balanced AKG K702) and closed (Denon AH-D9200). As I  own a T+A power amp, I tried the T+A Solitaires in Zürich a year or so ago. Lovely. Opted for the Denons as what I really needed were closed cans for Corona times.
> 
> ...


Thumbs up on Sonic Frontiers hiding there. Hope to unpack mine soon after a move.


----------



## Twjones

gefski said:


> Thumbs up on Sonic Frontiers hiding there. Hope to unpack mine soon after a move.


Thanks - it's a keeper form sure. Good luck moving!


----------



## Stevko

jonathan c said:


> City of Headphonopolis ‘skyline’…


What kind is the boxes to left?


----------



## thecrow

Stevko said:


> What kind is the boxes to left?


Grado and Dr scholl i believe.

could the first one be a focal?


----------



## Stevko

thecrow said:


> Grado and Dr scholl i believe.
> 
> could the first one be a focal?


Dr scholl?

https://www.drscholls.com/


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Stevko said:


> Dr scholl?
> 
> https://www.drscholls.com/


Yep, they fit you like a pair of shoes


----------



## thecrow

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yep, they fit you like a pair of shoes


Great with sole music


----------



## jonathan c (May 3, 2022)

Stevko said:


> What kind is the boxes to left?


Top to bottom:  Focal Clear OG, Grado RS1x, Grado PS500e, Grado GS3000e, Grado PS2000e, ‘marble’ Senn HD600 frame, Audeze LCD-4.


----------



## Stevko

jonathan c said:


> Top to bottom:  Focal Clear OG, Grado RS1x, Grado PS500e, Grado GS3000e, Grado PS2000e, ‘marble’ Senn HD600 frame, Audeze LCD-4.
> 
> Across (on top of) the table:  Tung Sol 5998 (power tubes) and Brimar CV1863 (rectifier tubes).


Maybe it is my bad english!Sorry for that😆
But I meant to ask:
Who made the case/box/suitcase?Also the thing that the headphones laying in.


----------



## jonathan c

Stevko said:


> Maybe it is my bad english!Sorry for that😆
> But I meant to ask:
> Who made the case/box/suitcase?Also the thing that the headphones laying in.


The cases come from the headphone maker.


----------



## Stevko

jonathan c said:


> The cases come from the headphone maker.


ZMF?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Stevko said:


> ZMF?


I think he meant _for each headphone_


----------



## Stevko

These


----------



## jonathan c

Stevko said:


> These


Each of those is a ZMF case. They come with the headphones (and vice versa). The LTD special versions of ZMF headphones come in a nice wooden box, as below:


----------



## Stevko

Nice


----------



## TheMiddleSky

jonathan c said:


> Each of those is a ZMF case. They come with the headphones (and vice versa). The LTD special versions of ZMF headphones come in a nice wooden box, as below:


I think I should post more photos where wooden box include in frame. Will do it tomorrow!


----------



## jonathan c

TheMiddleSky said:


> I think I should post more photos where wooden box include in frame. Will do it tomorrow!


A wooden box would enhance the look, but not the sound, of GE / ECG tubes! Then you can bury the tubes…⚰️…🤣


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Each of those is a ZMF case. They come with the headphones (and vice versa). The LTD special versions of ZMF headphones come in a nice wooden box, as below:


*used to.  My Atrium LTD Bubinga came in the same pelican-style case.  I think Zach mentioned they're having a hard time getting supply of the boxes.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

jonathan c said:


> A wooden box would enhance the look, but not the sound, of GE / ECG tubes! Then you can bury the tubes…⚰️…🤣



understood, I will try to solder few tubes on my chord tt2, let's see what happen


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> The latest addition (and it's not the headphones).


Now I know why you chosed the TH 900... You will hear him crying due to the semi-closed nature of them  I hope your baby is not as "open" as something like the HD 800 

Very beautiful pic


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheMiddleSky said:


> I think I should post more photos where wooden box include in frame. Will do it tomorrow!


I seem to remember the Klipsch come in a beautiful wood box, and you can also buy wooden boxes as an upgrade with (some) Grados.

I prefer the Audeze boxes (and the ZMF ones @jonathan c showed) since they're bomb proof. They might not be pretty but you can throw them out of an airplane and your headphones and the case will survive.


----------



## jonathan c

It is time to revisit and to honour the classics…


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> The cases come from the headphone maker.



But where is the elephant from??


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> But where is the elephant from??


My elephant lamp is that which I used at my school desk in Nairobi, Kenya.


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> My elephant lamp is that which I used at my school desk in Nairobi, Kenya.



A fantastic piece to my eye. That must have been quite the adventure.


----------



## LoryWiv

Stevko said:


> These


those are Seahorse cases, SE430 model I believe, and can be purchased separately apart form with ZMF headphones. I use them to store my vacuum tubes securely.


----------



## Stevko

LoryWiv said:


> those are Seahorse cases, SE430 model I believe, and can be purchased separately apart form with ZMF headphones. I use them to store my vacuum tubes securely.


Thanks  

http://www.seahorsecases.com/


----------



## Stevko

50 for the case.

and freight:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Stevko said:


> 50 for the case.
> 
> and freight:


Hah! I feel your pain, bro. I just tried to order a 20 euro glass monitor stand from monoprice and the shipping was like 250 USD. No, I don't think I'm buying from you today, fellas...

BTW the USPS Priority mail price seems like a bargain


----------



## Stevko

think a seahorse case would be nice for my Grado rs2e


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Stevko said:


> 50 for the case.
> 
> and freight:


I think fedex thought you live in north pole

Actually same problem with me here, the only option is to buy "not sure about the brand" of safety case locally, to not deal with the ship cost.



gimmeheadroom said:


> I seem to remember the Klipsch come in a beautiful wood box, and you can also buy wooden boxes as an upgrade with (some) Grados.
> 
> I prefer the Audeze boxes (and the ZMF ones @jonathan c showed) since they're bomb proof. They might not be pretty but you can throw them out of an airplane and your headphones and the case will survive.



I just know recently modern grado may come with wooden case!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Stevko said:


> Thanks
> 
> http://www.seahorsecases.com/


I've opened a number of seahorse cases. Not* once* did I find a real seahorse.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> I've opened a number of seahorse cases. Not* once* did I find a real seahorse.


You have to add water


----------



## ColSaulTigh

gimmeheadroom said:


> You have to add water


That's Sea Monkeys.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 5, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> You really want to show off your solder-fu?
> Terminate that bugger with 2.5mm balanced!🤣


See what you've done setting a challenge rofl!... Now I'm trying small balanced thingy's damnit hahaha... Ok my reading glasses didn't seem strong enough even with the magnifying glass...giggle... It's all still relevant as it's all happening at my Head-Fi station...(Listening to NIN on DCA powered by toobz lol, not bad for an oldfart)

edit: oh yes lol that's my CrAzY 16awg litz cable again, (look at the size of that stuff..photo reference ROFL) I'm about to start, thinking of making one cable to rule them all... In other words how to make an expensive DIY cable cost you several times more than normal woohoo ......  hahahahaha


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


>


Wait, what? What do you get rid of?


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Wait, what? What do you get rid of?


Nothing…on different shelves…


----------



## Zachik

jonathan c said:


> Nothing…on different shelves…


You are such a drama queen...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Nothing…on different shelves…


What a relief! Phew, that was too close for comfort


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## jonathan c

hke3g2006 said:


>


Quite the pair! 👍


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> See what you've done setting a challenge rofl!... Now I'm trying small balanced thingy's damnit hahaha... Ok my reading glasses didn't seem strong enough even with the magnifying glass...giggle... It's all still relevant as it's all happening at my Head-Fi station...(Listening to NIN on DCA powered by toobz lol, not bad for an oldfart)
> 
> edit: oh yes lol that's my CrAzY 16awg litz cable again, (look at the size of that stuff..photo reference ROFL) I'm about to start, thinking of making one cable to rule them all... In other words how to make an expensive DIY cable cost you several times more than normal woohoo ......  hahahahaha


How exactly do you strip the insulation of that Litz wire anyways?


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 5, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> How exactly do you strip the insulation of that Litz wire anyways?


Just using a pair of wire strippers.


----------



## zeromacro




----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Just a pair of wire strippers


Huh. I'd have thought it'd be more complicated, what with the individually insulated strands and all.
Nonetheless, feel free to send a pair my way when your done


----------



## Silver Wolf

Mr Trev said:


> Huh. I'd have thought it'd be more complicated, what with the individually insulated strands and all.
> Nonetheless, feel free to send a pair my way when your done


Oh you mean the enamel coating on the strands etc, not just the outer cover/insulator. Well first shuck outer then scrape the fine strands with a razor blade repeatedly and then I plunge them into a high-temp pot of molten solder. That's why I use a solder pot and it's still a nightmare lol, I hate litz.


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Oh you mean the enamel coating on the strands etc, not just the outer cover/insulator. Well first shuck outer then scrape the fine strands with a razor blade repeatedly and then I plunge them into a high-temp pot of molten solder. That's why I use a solder pot and it's still a nightmare lol, I hate litz.


I guess I'll stick to pre-built Litz cables then. I thought maybe you could burn the insulation off with a butane torch or something


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


>


What, do your headphones sleep in a separate bed or something?  How prude.


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I guess I'll stick to pre-built Litz cables then. I thought maybe you could *burn the insulation off with a butane torch *or something


You can.  The solder pot just makes it slightly less of a PITA.


----------



## Papabiker

Waiting for amp to arrive, but it will go on this.


----------



## Silver Wolf

Papabiker said:


> Waiting for amp to arrive, but it will go on this.


Looking very nice, like the workshop also ...Mines tiny and a hotbox (small metal shed)


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> What, do your headphones sleep in a separate bed or something?  How prude.


When I turn in, the h/p curfew is in effect; any miscreants will face the next day with this:


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 6, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> You really want to show off your solder-fu?
> Terminate that bugger with 2.5mm balanced!🤣





Silver Wolf said:


> See what you've done setting a challenge rofl!... Now I'm trying small balanced thingy's damnit hahaha... Ok my reading glasses didn't seem strong enough even with the magnifying glass...giggle... It's all still relevant as it's all happening at my Head-Fi station...(Listening to NIN on DCA powered by toobz lol, not bad for an oldfart)
> 
> edit: oh yes lol that's my CrAzY 16awg litz cable again, (look at the size of that stuff..photo reference ROFL) I'm about to start, thinking of making one cable to rule them all... In other words how to make an expensive DIY cable cost you several times more than normal woohoo ......  hahahahaha



I've been known to bend over backwards for a laugh 'n to entertain to meet some challenges when I can lol, or as close to as I can get... I'll do a BAL 3.5mm at some point but here's a 4.4mm BAL short cable (for an interchangeable termination main cable I'm still working on ). SW Carbon fiber, polished Rhodium custom terminations and uber phat litz .... Smexy looking as heck, well to me it is lol.. I hate it !


----------



## Shane D

My favourite corner in the world...


----------



## cradams1020

zeromacro said:


>


very clean!


----------



## Shane D

Yet more adjusting...I think I have to buy a rack.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> Yet more adjusting...I think I have to buy a rack.


Then you can get more gear!…🤪


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> *Quite the pair!* 👍





Mr Trev said:


> *How exactly do you strip* the insulation of that Litz wire anyways?



Get your minds outta the gutter, fellas! This is a family show! 



jonathan c said:


> Then you can get more gear!…🤪



Stack 'em deep and sell 'em cheap!


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Get your minds outta the gutter, fellas! This is a family show!
> 
> 
> 
> Stack 'em deep and sell 'em cheap!


….stack them high and watch them fly…😜


----------



## Pharmaboy

Papabiker said:


> Waiting for amp to arrive, but it will go on this.


Beautiful work!! How do you plan to finish the wood?

You have a couple tools I oogled for decades but never sprung for (larger/stronger table saw w/wide & deep table; oscillating sander; probably more I can't see).


----------



## ricksome

Shane D said:


> My favourite corner in the world...


I almost agree. You need another Coke.


----------



## Shane D (May 6, 2022)

ricksome said:


> I almost agree. You need another Coke.


Head-Fi gear and Coke are my two addictions.


----------



## jonathan c

Ahh! (exhale)…


----------



## ARCXENOS




----------



## Papabiker

Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful work!! How do you plan to finish the wood?
> 
> You have a couple tools I oogled for decades but never sprung for (larger/stronger table saw w/wide & deep table; oscillating sander; probably more I can't see).


This is made from a 200+ year old white oak lost in an ice storm years ago.  I still have a little quarter sawn left and plan to finish with Rubio Monocoat.


----------



## dusty.ro




----------



## pspentax

Today is like this 🤦‍♂️


----------



## cwoo

pspentax said:


> Today is like this 🤦‍♂️


ah, the Kuro!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Finished my woodworking project - 2" thick Black Walnut Live Edge shelf.  Figured I needed something to hold the 70+lbs of Woo Audio WA5-LE...


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> Finished my woodworking project - 2" thick Black Walnut Live Edge shelf.  Figured I needed something to hold the 70+lbs of Woo Audio WA5-LE...


Impressive !! What are you using for the legs?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Impressive !! What are you using for the legs?


1" Glavanized 5" threaded pipe, into floor-mount fittings, and pipe caps.  About $80 in parts at the hardware store.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> Finished my woodworking project - 2" thick Black Walnut Live Edge shelf.  Figured I needed something to hold the 70+lbs of Woo Audio WA5-LE...


That's a very handsome slab of wood! Did you sand & seal the exposed edges?


----------



## Pharmaboy

cwoo said:


> ah, the Kuro!


Is that a Kuro? 

My first high-def TV was a 720p 42" Kuro. Still have it; the picture is still terrific looking. At that time nothing else came close to plasma IMHO.

To this day the Kuro occasionally pops up in video reviews as a comparator (from the old days) to some newbie OLED or QLED design.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Pharmaboy said:


> That's a very handsome slab of wood! Did you sand & seal the exposed edges?


Yessir.  Sanded, coated with Danish Oil, then 3-4 coats of Polycrilic (clear).


----------



## Redcarmoose

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that a Kuro?
> 
> My first high-def TV was a 720p 42" Kuro. Still have it; the picture is still terrific looking. At that time nothing else came close to plasma IMHO.
> 
> To this day the Kuro occasionally pops up in video reviews as a comparator (from the old days) to some newbie OLED or QLED design.


Yes, those old plasma 720p 42” still look good! They quit making them due to cost, not enough profit for manufacturers. I also have a  42” 1080p plasma that I will keep forever!


----------



## Shane D

Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, those old plasma 720p 42” still look good! They quit making them due to cost, not enough profit for manufacturers. I also have a  42” 1080p plasma that I will keep forever!


I read an article that said that they couldn't, for some reason, make 1080p work with the plasma screens. And that was the end of plasma. Maybe it just wasn't cost effective.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2022)

Shane D said:


> I read an article that said that they couldn't, for some reason, make 1080p work with the plasma screens. And that was the end of plasma. Maybe it just wasn't cost effective.


No they work? I have had both 1080i and 1080p. But plasma TVs are big and heavy in comparison to newer technologies. My TV salesman also thinks that it cost too much to make plasma TVs. I  love TVs........it’s horrible but I have 5 of them.


----------



## Shane D

Redcarmoose said:


> No they work? I have had both 1080i and 1080p.


Weird as I was sure I read that. By the time I got to shopping for 1080p TV's plasma's were finished.
I still have a 60" plasma in the bedroom (720p), but I never watch TV in bed anymore.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2022)

Shane D said:


> Weird as I was sure I read that. By the time I got to shopping for 1080p TV's plasma's were finished.
> I still have a 60" plasma in the bedroom (720p), but I never watch TV in bed anymore.


They made a bunch of 1080p plasmas in 2010, 2011. I’m not totally sure when 1080p came out, maybe around 2008-2009. But you are right it was only a small window of time, about three years that they were popular. They did seem to start getting rare......maybe? I’m not sure when they were rare as my very last TV was in 2018....and there was no plasmas to be found then!


----------



## newworld666 (May 8, 2022)

Redcarmoose said:


> No they work? I have had both 1080i and 1080p. But plasma TVs are big and heavy in comparison to newer technologies. My TV salesman also thinks that it cost too much to make plasma TVs.



I used to have at home a Sony 1024*1024 Pfm42b1e for a few years when it became available in France, then a Hitachi 720p plasma TV and even 62 or 63" Samsung full HD Plasma.. Though, view angle and black were far better than LCD tech, I would say plasma was, after all, a rather quite weak tech, becoming very hot and almost difficult to keep alive for years if they were used many hours a day.


----------



## Shane D

Redcarmoose said:


> No they work? I have had both 1080i and 1080p. But plasma TVs are big and heavy in comparison to newer technologies. My TV salesman also thinks that it cost too much to make plasma TVs. I  love TVs........it’s horrible but I have 5 of them.


I just looked it up and you are, of course, very correct. They were doing 1080p, but LCD and OLED took all the market share and by 2013 (when I was looking for 1080p), they were done.

It wouldn't be a day on Head-Fi if I didn't learn or re-learn something.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 8, 2022)

https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-50PN5300-plasma-tv

This 50 inch was almost 53 pounds......haha!


Shane D said:


> I just looked it up and you are, of course, very correct. They were doing 1080p, but LCD and OLED took all the market share and by 2013 (when I was looking for 1080p), they were done.
> 
> It wouldn't be a day on Head-Fi if I didn't learn or re-learn something.


----------



## Shane D

Redcarmoose said:


> They made a bunch of 1080p plasmas in 2010, 2011. I’m not totally sure when 1080p came out, maybe around 2008-2009. But you are right it was only a small window of time, about three years that they were popular. They did seem to start getting rare......maybe? I’m not sure when they were rare as my very last TV was in 2018....and there was no plasmas to be found then!


I got my Samsung plasma around Christmas 2014 for $799.00 in Canuck bucks. It is not even a smart TV. They were clearing them out and said they were done with plasma. I got pretty much the last one. I never saw a 1080p plasma, but I bet it was awesome.


----------



## Redcarmoose

newworld666 said:


> I used to have at home a Sony 1024*1024 Pfm42b1e for a few years when it became available in France, then a Hitachi 720p plasma TV and even 62 or 63" Samsung full HD Plasma.. Though, view angle and black were far better than LCD tech, I would say plasma was, after all, a rather quite weak tech, becoming very hot and almost difficult to keep alive for years if they were used many hours a day.


I still have a 42” Plasma and love it, it works still and is from 2010. Who knows how long it will work though?


----------



## Redcarmoose

I wonder if a mod will delete all these posts? I still love my TV. I think plasma looks cool. It’s grainy and bright compared to other technologies. 


Shane D said:


> I got my Samsung plasma around Christmas 2014 for $799.00 in Canuck bucks. It is not even a smart TV. They were clearing them out and said they were done with plasma. I got pretty much the last one. I never saw a 1080p plasma, but I bet it was awesome.


----------



## Shane D (May 8, 2022)

Redcarmoose said:


> I wonder if a mod will delete all these posts?


Probably by afternoon. Just realized I haven't even turned on my plasma this year


----------



## Redcarmoose

60” that must weight-in close to 100lbs? Lol


Shane D said:


> Probably by afternoon. Just realized I haven't even turned on my plasma this year


----------



## Shane D (May 8, 2022)

Redcarmoose said:


> 60” that must weight-in close to 100lbs? Lol


Not even close. It feels very close to my 55" LCD, weight wise.
I just did a quick search and found a few articles from CNET and others that 4K was too hard/expensive to implement in plasma.

All of a sudden I am thinking that I should watch the ball game in the bedroom this afternoon on my plasma.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## ColSaulTigh

Lord Rexter said:


>


Just curious - what's customized on your Denafrips Terminator?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ColSaulTigh said:


> Just curious - what's customized on your Denafrips Terminator?


He has a buddy in Customs that made sure it slipped through without him paying tax on it


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> I read an article that said that they couldn't, for some reason, make 1080p work with the plasma screens. And that was the end of plasma. Maybe it just wasn't cost effective.


Sorry to contradict you, but that's not accurate. My 2nd plasma is one of the last top-model Panasonic Viera's to be made. It's full 1080p. 

And the 42" and 60" Kuro models that came just after mine were both 1080p (and fabulous looking).

What plasma could not do, however, was scale up to deliver a 4K picture. It just wasn't feasible on technical grounds. And that's too bad, because in my experience, plasma has an organic, smooth, relaxed way of delivering original high-def content (regardless of how detailed you set it to be) that LED/LCD screens just couldn't match.

OLED is a different kind of wonderful. My 77" LG C8 continues to amaze. While it's not quite as relaxed and organic as plasma, the colors and black level, both on native 4K content and upscaled 1K content, are truly spectacular. And it's still far more relaxed and organic than any 4K LED/LCD I've seen. 

When my 50" Panny finally bites the biscuit, I'll have to replace it w/a 4K LED/LCD--I can't use an OLED for the cable sports and news content we watch on that 50" screen (it would probably cause ineradicable burn-in).


----------



## HWB3

I have a Panasonic TC-P55ST30 in my family room that I bought ten years ago. It's 1080P and 3D. Never used that but it still has a great picture. There's a 42 inch Hitachi plasma tv in my bedroom that is from 2008. The picture on that is still good. I think the reason that they stopped making plasmas is that there wasn't enough of a profit margin on them.


----------



## Lord Rexter

ColSaulTigh said:


> Just curious - what's customized on your Denafrips Terminator?


It has all pure silver wiring, upgraded capacitors and the main power supply ✌️


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> Sorry to contradict you, but that's not accurate. My 2nd plasma is one of the last top-model Panasonic Viera's to be made. It's full 1080p.
> 
> And the 42" and 60" Kuro models that came just after mine were both 1080p (and fabulous looking).
> 
> ...


Yes, as I noted earlier, 4K was the big problem for plasma's. I still enjoy my old plasma (720p) although I rarely watch TV in the bedroom anymore. If it was a smart TV I would have it in the living room.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> Yes, as I noted earlier, 4K was the big problem for plasma's. I still enjoy my old plasma (720p) although I rarely watch TV in the bedroom anymore. If it was a smart TV I would have it in the living room.


Sorry--posted my comments before I saw your 2nd post about it.

Nice to meet another plasma-appreciator!


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> Sorry--posted my comments before I saw your 2nd post about it.
> 
> Nice to meet another plasma-appreciator!


Now that we're talking about them I wish I had a 1080p.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Lord Rexter said:


> It has all pure silver wiring, upgraded capacitors and the main power supply ✌️


Did Denafrips do it, or done by yourself or a 3rd party?  Inquiring minds want to know!


----------



## jonathan c (May 8, 2022)

.…for a while, then….[clue: Latin word for ‘entrance hall’]


----------



## cwoo

Pharmaboy said:


> Sorry to contradict you, but that's not accurate. My 2nd plasma is one of the last top-model Panasonic Viera's to be made. It's full 1080p.
> 
> And the 42" and 60" Kuro models that came just after mine were both 1080p (and fabulous looking).
> 
> ...


It's kinda sad... when they killed plasma, it left all TV enthusiasts holding their breath that their TVs wouldn't break until OLED was finally proven.  The 5+ years between plasma and OLED was a dark time.  I had a 59" samsung 1080p plasma and still use a 42" panasonic 1080p in the bedroom.  The powerboard died on the samsung after 10 years of ownership and decided to replace the TV.  Ended up getting a LG CX OLED and did auto-calibration on it.  It is an amazing TV and blows the plasmas I had out of the water.  I have never seen a Kuro in person, but they were the gold standard for TVs for a very long time.  I could never find one when I was searching for a TV.

Also, why are we still making LCD based TVs?  They are basically releasing new versions of LCD TVs that have technology in them that tries to sort out their problems rather than making a stellar picture.


----------



## Roasty

moved the study table and short drawer out of the room, and shifted the rig to the corner. I really wanted to have everything tucked in nicely behind the rack, but many thick and unwieldy power cables and interconnects prevented that.. 

was thinking of changing the AQ1200 to a 3000 or maybe a Puritan block but realized I just don't have the real estate.. well, short of adding another level to the rack.. hmmm


----------



## Orangutan

From small -> XL


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Well you have some classics there  Welcome abroad!


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that a Kuro?
> 
> My first high-def TV was a 720p 42" Kuro. Still have it; the picture is still terrific looking. At that time nothing else came close to plasma IMHO.
> 
> To this day the Kuro occasionally pops up in video reviews as a comparator (from the old days) to some newbie OLED or QLED design.






Redcarmoose said:


> Yes, those old plasma 720p 42” still look good! They quit making them due to cost, not enough profit for manufacturers. I also have a  42” 1080p plasma that I will keep forever!



I agree, the picture on these were fantastic


----------



## jonathan c

Roasty said:


> moved the study table and short drawer out of the room, and shifted the rig to the corner. I really wanted to have everything tucked in nicely behind the rack, but many thick and unwieldy power cables and interconnects prevented that..
> 
> was thinking of changing the AQ1200 to a 3000 or maybe a Puritan block but realized I just don't have the real estate.. well, short of adding another level to the rack.. hmmm


Very nice! Where is the comfy seat?


----------



## Roasty

jonathan c said:


> Very nice! Where is the comfy seat?



the seat is nearby, but it isn't comfy.. am working on that one!


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Roasty said:


> moved the study table and short drawer out of the room, and shifted the rig to the corner. I really wanted to have everything tucked in nicely behind the rack, but many thick and unwieldy power cables and interconnects prevented that..
> 
> was thinking of changing the AQ1200 to a 3000 or maybe a Puritan block but realized I just don't have the real estate.. well, short of adding another level to the rack.. hmmm


Nice looking family photos. What's the wooden box near power conditioner?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice looking family photos. What's the wooden box near power conditioner?


----------



## betula

ColSaulTigh said:


>


----------



## ColSaulTigh

betula said:


>


----------



## pspentax (May 9, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that a Kuro?
> 
> My first high-def TV was a 720p 42" Kuro. Still have it; the picture is still terrific looking. At that time nothing else came close to plasma IMHO.
> 
> To this day the Kuro occasionally pops up in video reviews as a comparator (from the old days) to some newbie OLED or QLED design.


Yes it is.
60” from the 9.º generation.
The last produced and still one of the best picture you can have.
I work in a high-end shop and sell the amazing oled from LG/Sony etc… but this one are still strong  🔥🔥🔥🔥


----------



## pspentax

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice looking family photos. What's the wooden box near power conditioner?


I think is an earth connection box.


----------



## pspentax

Roasty said:


> moved the study table and short drawer out of the room, and shifted the rig to the corner. I really wanted to have everything tucked in nicely behind the rack, but many thick and unwieldy power cables and interconnects prevented that..
> 
> was thinking of changing the AQ1200 to a 3000 or maybe a Puritan block but realized I just don't have the real estate.. well, short of adding another level to the rack.. hmmm


I have also the 1200 the 3000/5000 are in another level.
If you can do the upgrade it will worth 😉


----------



## basdek




----------



## kingoftown1

pspentax said:


> I have also the 1200 the 3000/5000 are in another level.
> If you can do the upgrade it will worth 😉


As another 1200 owner, stop it.


----------



## Roasty

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice looking family photos. What's the wooden box near power conditioner?



that's a grounding box. tbh, not entirely sure if it makes a difference in my system.. 



pspentax said:


> I have also the 1200 the 3000/5000 are in another level.
> If you can do the upgrade it will worth 😉



Lol! I had this argument in my mind before.. I gotta ask, if u have tried any other conditioner aside from AQ? was looking at internal pics and Puritans seem to have a lot more going on inside.


----------



## DTgill

My headphone adapter showed up today!  That little tube amp makes a very nice headphone rig for not too much change...


----------



## ColSaulTigh

New toys showed up today!

Sophia Electric Blue Glass 6SN7's.  They BARELY fit, now let's see how they sound!


----------



## pspentax

Roasty said:


> Lol! I had this argument in my mind before.. I gotta ask, if u have tried any other conditioner aside from AQ? was looking at internal pics and Puritans seem to have a lot more going on inside.


I have sell/installed others from Isotek, Stromtank/psaudio etc…
But for me the most amazing was the AQ 😉
Some photos of installations of my clients.


----------



## bobmysterious

Mmmmm… Nagra 🤑


----------



## Mr Trev

DTgill said:


> My headphone adapter showed up today!  That little tube amp makes a very nice headphone rig for not too much change...


Explain.
It seems like a nice setup, but why not just use speaker taps?
Do tell about the amp too. Looks like something I might need


----------



## jonathan c

Pre-audition…


----------



## DTgill

Mr Trev said:


> Explain.
> It seems like a nice setup, but why not just use speaker taps?
> Do tell about the amp too. Looks like something I might need


You can only plug banana plugs in, I would probably F' it up'  if I tried to go any other route.
I really like the looks of the adapter, and it works off of banana plugs too.

Look Here

Ebay

I paid 50 bucks less going the route I did, only took a couple of weeks for the headphone adapter to get here from China.


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> You can only plug banana plugs in, I would probably F' it up'  if I tried to go any other route.
> I really like the looks of the adapter, and it works off of banana plugs too.
> 
> Look Here
> ...


That is a marvelous ‘little’ system! 😄


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Pre-audition…


Are the tubes inside it?  🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Explain.
> It seems like a nice setup, but why not just use speaker taps?
> Do tell about the amp too. Looks like something I might need


I like _need _versus _want…😏_


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Are the tubes inside it?  🤣🤣


They are in my ears: they are *G*ood *E*ustacheans…😜🤪🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Audition:


----------



## Mr Trev

DTgill said:


> You can only plug banana plugs in, I would probably F' it up'  if I tried to go any other route.
> I really like the looks of the adapter, and it works off of banana plugs too.
> 
> Look Here
> ...





jonathan c said:


> I like _need _versus _want…😏_


I'm totally tempted to get one just for the sake of using it for a headphone amp. Fab up a banana plug to XLR interconnect and good to go.
Pretty cheap. Be interesting to hear how well it'd compete with a dedicated headphone amp at the same price


----------



## kid vic

DTgill said:


> My headphone adapter showed up today!  That little tube amp makes a very nice headphone rig for not too much change...


I'd love to see a picture of the innards of that little adapter box. I want something like that for my future tube amp purchases


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 10, 2022)




----------



## CJG888

ColSaulTigh said:


> New toys showed up today!
> 
> Sophia Electric Blue Glass 6SN7's.  They BARELY fit, now let's see how they sound!


I don’t like the way the envelopes appear to be touching. May lead to problems in the future (hot spot etc.).


----------



## gianni60

My portable system


----------



## Mr Trev

kid vic said:


> I'd love to see a picture of the innards of that little adapter box. I want something like that for my future tube amp purchases


Best I can tell, it's just a bunch of resistors to pad down the output to "sane" headphone levels. IIRC, that's pretty much what the better manf. do with the headphone outs on their stereo components


----------



## Davidzak64




----------



## carlcamper (May 11, 2022)

*Headphones:*
Koss Porta Pro with Yaxi Pads (in case below)
Coolermaster MH752 (Takstar Pro 82 with a mic!)
Hifiman HE400SE with 2.5mm balanced cables
AKG K371
Drop x Sennheiser HD6xx (ZMF perforated suede Earpads) with 2.5mm balanced cables
Audeze LCD-XC 2021 with 2.5mm balanced cables

*IEMs:*
Sony MH755 with cable extender (got it from a Sony SBH24)
CCA CRA+ with 2.5mm balanced cables
KZ x Crinacle CRN aka Zex Pro (attached to CCA BTX)
Etymotic ER2XR with 2.5mm balanced cables
7hz Timeless with 2.5mm balanced cables
Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing 2 Dusk with 2.5mm balanced cables
Moondrop Variations with 2.5mm balanced cables
Sony IER-M9 with 2.5mm balanced cables

*TWS:*
Apple Airpods Pro
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
CCA BTX AptX Adaptive Bluetooth IEM Ear Hook Module

*DAC/AMPs:*
Qudelix 5K Bluetooth USB LDAC AptX Adaptive Portable DAC/Amp
Topping D10 Balanced DAC
Gustard H16 Balanced Headphone Amplifier

*Speakers:*
SVS SBS01 Bookshelf Speakers
Rythmik F12 Active Servo Subwoofer

*Incoming:*
Moondrop Chu
Sabaj A20h Balanced Headphone Amplifier


----------



## DTgill

kid vic said:


> I'd love to see a picture of the innards of that little adapter box. I want something like that for my future tube amp purchases


Her ya go, naked as the day it was formed...


----------



## DTgill

kid vic said:


> I'd love to see a picture of the innards of that little adapter box. I want something like that for my future tube amp purchases


Sorry mis read your post the first time I read it...


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 13, 2022)

Well finished another SW copper litz anaconda (No# 3) lol, will be listening to this set-up tomorrow but who am I kidding, I'm already sneaking..... Well have to test the cable don't I ? New NOS tubes rolled into the TA-30 (5U4 Miniwatt (Heerlen)/matched pair 12AU7a Mullards (Australian 1948) been burning away for a bit already (was sneaking a listen this morn with the LCD2C's while finishing this monster lol)






edit: not that anyone can tell/cares lol but I tried a new/different technique this time, countering the twist that happens when braiding and splitting it evenly. eg: 2 cables clockwise and the other 2 counter-clock and then continue the twist/counter twist out through the 2 separate channel lengths. Seems even more flexible/relaxed maybe to my mind..that's phat cable lol.

Edit 2: Close up photo to explain...If you look close at right channel it's wound clock wise and left is wound opposite..counter clock wise etc.. Devil is always in the details.... Did I say that this cable is phat (16awg), close up shows, 520 nano litz strands.... wooohooo lol.. I'm a little crazy yes but I thought that was obvious by now  






The tubes sound pretty sweet too, another win... Happy Days!


----------



## kid vic

DTgill said:


> Sorry mis read your post the first time I read it...


You are a gentleman and a scholar


----------



## CJG888

Please bear in mind that this adapter connects the grounds of both channels. Not all amps will like this, and chip amps are liable to self-immolate. Balanced connection is safer, if you’re not sure…


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## TWerk (May 11, 2022)

All my Favorites:


----------



## Zachik

Silver Wolf said:


> Well finished another SW copper litz anaconda (No# 3) lol


Your cable making work is nothing short of amazing!
I have read your previous posts mentioning the (literal) pain involved, but the outcome is (I think) worth the effort and pain. 
Maybe I should get into cable making, too...  For my own use... not as a business...
@Silver Wolf - where did you learn how to braid the cables, which wires to use, etc.?  Any online (YouTube or written text) resources you could recommend?


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 20, 2022)

Zachik said:


> Your cable making work is nothing short of amazing!
> I have read your previous posts mentioning the (literal) pain involved, but the outcome is (I think) worth the effort and pain.
> Maybe I should get into cable making, too...  For my own use... not as a business...
> @Silver Wolf - where did you learn how to braid the cables, which wires to use, etc.?  Any online (YouTube or written text) resources you could recommend?


Thank you for the kind words, I don't know about amazing lol but I like them obviously as I'm making them for myself. I used to sleeve everything but so many materials they use seem to increase micro-phonic pick-up so am just going for naked beauty of the enameled copper currently. As to worth the pain and effort, well DIY makes having a nice custom cable more affordable and can be of my own want/design whatever... The only DIY limitations are budget/imagination/skill

Where did I learn braiding (as a child'n through having children mostly) it's fairly easy once you get the hang of it (if you have working hands). What kind of braid, well that can differ in many ways, just depends on the look your after I guess.. Same with cable, much of it is personal choice, most folks for headphones seem to like 26awg to 24awg as a sweet spot (most cables will vary somewhere between 28 - 22 awg). Now the type of wire/conductor is again personal many use quad microphone cable when starting out.  I've many cables indeed over my time..I have a shed outside full of them (I think they breed out there in the dark lol)

The unseen work is another tricky aspect, modding connections and terminations if you use a larger cable than they are designed for (often my problem lol) but if you use a normal cable size that fits that's it's easy as no modding. A little tip-bit I'll throw in is I use PTFE (plumber tape) to insulate between wires at termination before heat shrinking as well.

Why my choice is Litz type cables is for the ability to be non-offensive, I hate jenky, non conforming, memory stiff cables getting in my way... Litz is a very flexible 'n forgiving cable that often outlasts. But I wouldn't advise litz as a starting point unless your a glutton for punishment lol, it's difficult to tin for every single nano strand of copper is enameled individually. You need to strip that all off, sounds pretty easy...it's often a PITA.... But a blow torch, razor blade, solder pot all make the magic work.

I've not explored these forums as much as I should have as yet but they may be a DIY section you could check out, as to websites/video's I don't know any offhand but I'm positive there's truck loads of info on how to and why's... I'll have a look for something showing how simple this style of braid is, you just want wire that's flexible enough for braiding work.

Sorry for going a bit off topic,


----------



## nonnegaard

Got some things you don't see every day. A Chord 2qute and a Linn Kolektor preamp (VINTAGE!). I'm actually an exchange student, so I brought this stuff to Ireland. Except for the Vérité, I actually bought them from a fellow Head-Fi member and had them sent here to save space in my luggage. First-world problems, I suppose.


----------



## jonathan c

Hybrid time at the listening post…


----------



## judomaniak57

finally went from wireless to ethernet. new cable, audioquest pearl. wow what a difference over wireless and the stock ethernet cable that came with the node 2i


----------



## UntilThen

New 596 rectifier arrived from Jack Woo. Such a beautiful tone from the WA22 with Ken Rad 6sn7gt and Tung Sol 5998. How could I leave this amp on the floor for 6 months?


----------



## Badas (May 13, 2022)

Just installed the Cambridge CXN and SPL xe. Cabinet was purchased just for HP gear also.
My Woo is old. 2013.

A fairly simple rig. Turn streamer on and choose an amp. SS or tubes.
Streamer is a pre-amp so I control volume using my phone controlling it.


----------



## UntilThen

Badas said:


> Just installed the Cambridge CXN and SPL xe. Cabinet was purchased just for HP gear also.
> My Woo is old. 2013.
> 
> A fairly simple rig. Turn streamer on and choose an amp. SS or tubes.
> Streamer is a pre-amp so I control volume using my phone controlling it.



Unique and tasteful.


----------



## adeadcrab

Badas said:


> Just installed the Cambridge CXN and SPL xe. Cabinet was purchased just for HP gear also.
> My Woo is old. 2013.
> 
> A fairly simple rig. Turn streamer on and choose an amp. SS or tubes.
> Streamer is a pre-amp so I control volume using my phone controlling it.


A little bit too industrial for my tastes.


----------



## UntilThen

I need to add a colour shot here.


----------



## judomaniak57

Loving that tube glow


UntilThen said:


> I need to add a colour shot here.


----------



## UntilThen

judomaniak57 said:


> Loving that tube glow



The best part is that the 596 rectifier made the amp perform even better. There's that crispness to the tone now. Transparent and revealing.


----------



## simorag

Temporary wife vacancy allowed a quick 'n dirty speaker setting ...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

simorag said:


> Temporary wife vacancy allowed a quick 'n dirty speaker setting ...


When she gets back it's gonna hit the fan


----------



## sacguy231

My main listening corner. At night I like fun (outrageous) lighting


----------



## jonathan c

simorag said:


> Temporary wife vacancy allowed a quick 'n dirty speaker setting ...


…and minimum of 90dB…!


----------



## UntilThen

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner. At night I like fun (outrageous) lighting



And what better way to capture that with a vintage receiver setup and is that a high end cassette deck? Vintage whisky helps too. A piano keyboard seat covers? And of course you're like me - the CDs have to be perfectly aligned.

Marvel poster? Guess it's a good substitute for Marilyn Monroe.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> And what better way to capture that with a vintage receiver setup and is that a high end cassette deck? Vintage whisky helps too. A piano keyboard seat covers? And of course you're like me - the CDs have to be perfectly aligned.
> 
> Marvel poster? Guess it's a good substitute for Marilyn Monroe.


_Shot Sage Blue Marilyn_ by Andy Warhol just sold for $195 million (USD)…


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> _Shot Sage Blue Marilyn_ by Andy Warhol just sold for $195 million (USD)…



Really? Well I'm going to keep this carefully. That's Simba on the rock. Someday it will be worth a lot.


----------



## Olmanwood123

UntilThen said:


> I need to add a colour shot here.


Industrial beauty


----------



## UntilThen

Olmanwood123 said:


> Industrial beauty



It's Industrial Disease.


----------



## UntilThen

One more pic because this thing looks so darn good in any lighting and sound amazing with He1000se. 2nd day using this wa22 and Odyssey is put aside. That's unheard of. Now using the left over stock tubes from Euforia, the Psvane 6sn7 and Tung Sol 5998.


----------



## DTgill

My head-fi station in the middle of a rebuild. Going with team red this build. She sends the signals that make it happen...


----------



## UntilThen

DTgill said:


> My head-fi station in the middle of a rebuild. Going with team red this build. She sends the signals that make it happen...



You mean your Battle Station. Mine is purple. NZXT colours. 😈


----------



## DTgill

UntilThen said:


> You mean your Battle Station. Mine is purple. NZXT colours. 😈


Yes, that too, now if the 5900x would get here I could zip her up.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> New 596 rectifier arrived from Jack Woo. Such a beautiful tone from the WA22 with Ken Rad 6sn7gt and Tung Sol 5998. *How could I leave this amp on the floor for 6 months?*



A textbook case of _rack deficiency_.  I'd recommend something like this to cure it.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> A textbook case of _rack deficiency_.  I'd recommend something like this to cure it.


And in case bcowen did not tell you, EVERYTHING SOUNDS BETTER ON MAPLE !😅.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> And in case bcowen did not tell you, EVERYTHING SOUNDS BETTER ON MAPLE !😅.


Wait....are you suggesting I need to actually _say_ that?  I thought it was common knowledge.  Wow.  Perhaps my work is not yet done.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Wait....are you suggesting I need to actually _say_ that?  I thought it was common knowledge.  Wow.  Perhaps my work is not yet done.


In this case, yes. A healthy reminder that for just under $ 29K one _should _get maple (even for cables 🤣🤣).


----------



## UntilThen

What the… $28900. I will go Japanese and sit on the floor.


----------



## jonathan c (May 14, 2022)

No adapters needed…


----------



## UntilThen

I’m listening to a different setup now and it’s not mine. 😉

HD800S with Violectric v281 Final Edition. Lovely, I can enjoy it. No complaints. In fact it’s very good.


----------



## UntilThen

With my He1000se. My opinion - Violectric shouldn’t discontinue the v281.


----------



## UntilThen

The Battle Station that is driving all these.


----------



## DTgill

UntilThen said:


> The Battle Station that is driving all these.


Nice


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 14, 2022)

Well took another couple of days (takes me 2-3 days to make a cable, meh leave me alone lol) but made yet another SW copper anaconda, couldn't sleep last night (pain doing these cables I guess lol go figure) so thought I'd stay up, get drunk and listen to some tunes...No idea what happened after I got drunk..I think elve's must have been at play lol... There's an extra cable now in there some how in one night/few hours lol now hahaha.... And y'all thought I was just showing the same cable on different cans j/k rofl.... Man I hate litz! That's it for a while lol. Or I need to get drunk way more often hahahaha!!!


----------



## Olmanwood123

Silver Wolf said:


> Well took another couple of days (takes me 2-3 days to make a cable, meh leave me alone lol) but made yet another SW copper anaconda, couldn't sleep last night (pain doing these cables I guess lol go figure) so thought I'd stay up, get drunk and listen to some tunes...No idea what happened after I got drunk..I think elve's must have been at play lol... There's an extra cable now in there some how in one night/few hours lol now hahaha.... And y'all thought I was just showing the same cable on different cans j/k rofl.... Man I hate litz! That's it for a while lol. Or I need to get drunk way more often hahahaha!!!


Now that is a battle station. And with optional hats. Sweet


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> The Battle Station that is driving all these.


Needs more fans.


----------



## Giru

UntilThen said:


> With my He1000se. My opinion - Violectric shouldn’t discontinue the v281.


Amen to that!!😎😎🙏🏼

It's been 2 years with my V281 now and I've been constantly listening to a lot of new amps (some from Violectric as well), but nothing has come close to this amp in terms of dynamics, tonality and sheer viscerality (not even the Flux Volot; which was twice the size). This is truly a beast in every sense of the word and can push anything to ear splitting levels. As a bonus it also performs remarkably well as a preamp; transparent and smooth af✌

My unit will probably be passed on as a family heirloom😅😅


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Needs more fans.



Cosair NOS fans are as expensive as WE 300b tubes. So one can't just add fans without counting the pennies.


----------



## UntilThen

Giru said:


> Amen to that!!😎😎🙏🏼
> 
> It's been 2 years with my V281 now and I've been constantly listening to a lot of new amps (some from Violectric as well), but nothing has come close to this amp in terms of dynamics, tonality and sheer viscerality (not even the Flux Volot; which was twice the size). This is truly a beast in every sense of the word and can push anything to ear splitting levels. As a bonus it also performs remarkably well as a preamp; transparent and smooth af✌
> 
> My unit will probably be passed on as a family heirloom😅😅



I think the shoe box size is very nice. I listen to that setup this afternoon and I really enjoy it with HD800S and He1000se. I didn't have time to bring along the LCD4 and He6se but I've no doubt the v281 will drive them just as well. 

I'm back with my own tube amps now. 300b at the moment. I still prefer tube amps with my headphones but for solid state, the v281 gets the nod.


----------



## Badas

Giru said:


> Amen to that!!😎😎🙏🏼
> 
> It's been 2 years with my V281 now and I've been constantly listening to a lot of new amps (some from Violectric as well), but nothing has come close to this amp in terms of dynamics, tonality and sheer viscerality (not even the Flux Volot; which was twice the size). This is truly a beast in every sense of the word and can push anything to ear splitting levels. As a bonus it also performs remarkably well as a preamp; transparent and smooth af✌
> 
> My unit will probably be passed on as a family heirloom😅😅


I have just semi-retired my V281 (Owned 4 years). 
I believe this is a V281 beater. A new king.




It is just as powerful. More detailed than the V281 and more flexible in its sound. Adjustments make real differences.
Reviews say it is neutral. However with Matrix engaged it takes on a V281 warmth.
Add to the mix it is more attractive in my opinion. I've never been a fan of the V281 looks.
Violectric has competition.

My V281 has been moved to headphone movie watching only.


----------



## Pharmaboy

simorag said:


> Temporary wife vacancy allowed a quick 'n dirty speaker setting ...


I like your floor! What wood is that?


----------



## Pharmaboy

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner. At night I like fun (outrageous) lighting


Beautiful stuff there. But the lighting is gonzo!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Giru said:


> Amen to that!!😎😎🙏🏼
> 
> It's been 2 years with my V281 now and I've been constantly listening to a lot of new amps (some from Violectric as well), but nothing has come close to this amp in terms of dynamics, tonality and sheer viscerality (not even the Flux Volot; which was twice the size). This is truly a beast in every sense of the word and can push anything to ear splitting levels. As a bonus it also performs remarkably well as a preamp; transparent and smooth af✌
> 
> My unit will probably be passed on as a family heirloom😅😅


I'm nuts about my V281. But it has an issue now: that big 128-step pot doesn't reliably respond to the rocker/up & down switch on the remote to change volume. Sometimes it does; more often than not it doesn't. Changed batteries, but that wasn't it.

Anyone ever have this issue?


----------



## simorag

Pharmaboy said:


> I like your floor! What wood is that?



Wild black cherry if I remember right (the wife sure does   ).


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Not much but it's mine 😂


----------



## bcowen

Turkeysaurus said:


> Not much but it's mine 😂


That's some serious water piping there!


----------



## Turkeysaurus

bcowen said:


> That's some serious water piping there!


I know. It's completely unnecessary but it looks really cool IMO. 😀


----------



## UntilThen

Turkeysaurus said:


> Not much but it's mine 😂



Cool ! I like it. I have to water cool my next PC.


----------



## bcowen

Turkeysaurus said:


> I know. It's completely unnecessary but it looks really cool IMO. 😀


If you're using it for audio, then there's no such thing as unnecessary.


----------



## Giru

Badas said:


> I have just semi-retired my V281 (Owned 4 years).
> I believe this is a V281 beater. A new king.
> 
> It is just as powerful. More detailed than the V281 and more flexible in its sound. Adjustments make real differences.
> ...


I did audition the Phonitor 2 but it wasn't my jam. I found it a bit thin and dull. Haven't heard the x or the xe tho.



Pharmaboy said:


> I'm nuts about my V281. But it has an issue now: that big 128-step pot doesn't reliably respond to the rocker/up & down switch on the remote to change volume. Sometimes it does; more often than not it doesn't. Changed batteries, but that wasn't it.
> 
> Anyone ever have this issue?


Oh damn that's sad 😥.
Did you contact Vio? What they say?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Needs more fans.



Is that even possible? All of us Like all his posts


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Is that even possible? All of us Like all his posts


Then let’s relike his posts…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Then let’s relike his posts…


I tried that. For example, one time I clicked 100 times on one post and I'll be dipped but nothing happened


----------



## UntilThen

Giru said:


> I did audition the Phonitor 2 but it wasn't my jam. I found it a bit thin and dull. Haven't heard the x or the xe tho.



My same experience when I had my friend's Phonitor X for a few days. However Badas did say he use it with Matrix on which I didn't try. 

Phonitor sounded transparent and neutral to my ears. A bit thin probably but I wouldn't say dull, which is pretty unflattering.    It's very revealing though and as my friend only listen to classical music, he loves it. I listen to 'Keith Don't Go' by Nils Lofgren and it's a pretty darnnnn good performance. So good that I was going to say 'Phonitor don't go' when it came time to return the amp.


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> Is that even possible? All of us Like all his posts



Ha ! You guys are incredibly witty.


----------



## pspentax

Today is time for the HD800S.


----------



## nonnegaard

pspentax said:


> Today is time for the HD800S.


My god this looks great


----------



## Badas

pspentax said:


> Today is time for the HD800S.


Looks fantastic. A lot of style.


----------



## jonathan c (May 15, 2022)

Ranks just below listening…🙂…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Ranks just below listening…🙂…


YOWZA!


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Ranks just below listening…🙂…



Nice. I listen to the Z10e with Audeze CRBN at Addicted To Audio.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> YOWZA!


…updated for RFT ECC81s and Zalytron ‘brown base’ 5692s…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> …updated for RFT ECC81s and Zalytron ‘brown base’ 5692s…


I have no idea what that means but it sounds cool


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have no idea what that means but it sounds cool


The tube roll…


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have no idea what that means but it sounds cool



Those RFT ECC81 and brown base 5692 have street cred.


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have no idea what that means but it sounds cool


Better for you to have no idea


----------



## Pharmaboy

Terriero said:


> Better for you to have no idea


For real. 

Of all the rabbit holes we regularly go down here, tube rolling is one of the deepest and most hazardous for financial sanity. It literally is a bottomless pit, not just of expensive things to buy, but of arcane knowledge. The sheer amount of audio trivia and insider knowledge one must have to even to start tube rolling (much less do it well) is intimidating.

I've done enough of it to know I totally suck at it. So I slink past that particular rabbit hole with great caution.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> For real.
> 
> Of all the rabbit holes we regularly go down here, tube rolling is one of the deepest and most hazardous for financial sanity. It literally is a bottomless pit, not just of expensive things to buy, but of arcane knowledge. The sheer amount of audio trivia and insider knowledge one must have to even to start tube rolling (much less do it well) is intimidating.
> 
> I've done enough of it to know I totally suck at it. So I slink past that particular rabbit hole with great caution.



It's a wonderful hole with many lovely bunnies. Have no fear.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> It's a wonderful hole with many lovely bunnies. Have no fear.


The only thing to fear is the day the realization hits that you could have bought a new Porsche with the money you spent on tubes.

But then there's the next day, when you realize that with prices what they are today you could sell them all and buy two Porsches.


----------



## UntilThen

The only Porsche you can buy with those tubes are matchbox Porsche.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> The only thing to fear is the day the realization hits that you could have bought a new Porsche with the money you spent on tubes.
> 
> But then there's the next day, when you realize that with prices what they are today you could sell them all and buy two Porsches.


Then there’s petrol to address…😒


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> The only Porsche you can buy with those tubes are matchbox Porsche.


…or silkscreened ‘Porsches’ offered by Chitty Chitty Bangybang…🤣🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

The day’s workout is in, the workweek prep is done, the system is ready…


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 20, 2022)

Olmanwood123 said:


> Now that is a battle station. And with optional hats. Sweet


Got twice the memory now but this is mostly still the same rig for listening to my tunes , system controls whole rooms lighting/HT room sound 'n lighting,streaming and IPTV, home automation etc... Meet Minerva (Mini for short)... 9 or 10 fans from memory +, 3 on GPU and 1 PSU obviously lol)...can't see them all (can't see rad fans).... Front fans can't see... The hats are all fiber optic audiophile acoustical SW customs lol... Lots of Corsair tax been paid hahaha...I love her..






But while a full XL tower it has to share the under desk space with these giggle....


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Black and white ebony VC +  mega OTL.


----------



## bcowen

L0rdGwyn said:


> Black and white ebony VC +  mega OTL.


The OTL with enough power to drive Apogee Scintillas to rock concert levels.  In a large room.  With carpeting.  🤣😂


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> The OTL with enough power to drive Apogee Scintillas to rock concert levels.  In a large room.  With carpeting.  🤣😂


…..home of the two ohm monolith 🥲…


----------



## UntilThen

L0rdGwyn said:


> Black and white ebony VC +  mega OTL.



That's a very nice OTL amp using 6336 power tubes? I could live with such an amp.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

UntilThen said:


> That's a very nice OTL amp using 6336 power tubes? I could live with such an amp.



Thanks!  Yes 6336 but more importantly 6528, it's like using 2.5 Tung-Sol 5998s per channel.  Each power tube biases at around 275mA, hot hot hot 🔥🔥🔥


----------



## UntilThen

L0rdGwyn said:


> Thanks!  Yes 6336 but more importantly 6528, it's like using 2.5 Tung-Sol 5998s per channel.  Each power tube biases at around 275mA, hot hot hot 🔥🔥🔥



I've used the 6336 in Glenn OTL amp. Someday I will hassle you to make me that amp and no is not an answer.


----------



## UntilThen

L0rdGwyn said:


> Thanks!  Yes 6336 but more importantly 6528, it's like using 2.5 Tung-Sol 5998s per channel.  Each power tube biases at around 275mA, hot hot hot 🔥🔥🔥



Ok I guess it will be my winter amp. I will talk to you later so don't go away.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 27, 2022)

Was showing off my last months efforts of my uber-phat cables to a family member, they wanted to learn how but asked can I do something more flash??? Thinking to myself wth? these aint flash 'n overkill enough rofl... I settle down and try to think... smell smoke, no fire it's an idea (I'm a analog kinda guy, it's just the dust burning off once the tubes warm up a bit giggle)... an idea... I'm kinda tiny bit crazy lol. Thought put a square peg into dual round to impress will maybe do it ? So this happened.

Spent whole day (well 13 or so hours) at my head-fi station showing them my cans, listening to music and trying to show em how to do this...
8 way 22awg litz box weave (square) into dual 4 way round braid... Not terminated as didn't plan this cable... But it exists now and as most know it's not easy for me so I am not going to waste it (also 18m {2.25m x 8} worth of copper there rofl ain't cheap/now crying thinking about it all lol), just have to work out which cans it'd be used on for terminations rofl... (for nerds it's 22awg litz @133 strand count x 8 = 1,064 strand count  cable)

The start....







The middle






The finish






Edit update: Terminated


----------



## ChijiroKuro (May 17, 2022)

A spring weekend dream:


----------



## Zachik

Silver Wolf said:


> The finish


WOW. Just wow!!!


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Was showing off my last months efforts of my uber-phat cables to a family member, they wanted to learn how but asked can I do something more flash??? Thinking to myself I wth? these aint flash 'n overkill enough rofl... I settle down and try to think... smell smoke, no fire it's an idea (I'm a analog kinda guy, it's just the dust burning off once the tubes warm up a bit giggle)... an idea... I'm kinda tiny bit crazy lol. Thought put a square peg into dual round to impress will maybe do it ? So this happened.
> 
> Spent whole day ( well 13 or so hours) at my head-fi station showing them my cans, listening to music and trying to show em how to do this...
> 8 way 22awg litz box weave (square) into 4 way round braid... Not terminated as didn't plan this cable... But it exists now and as most know it's not easy for me so I am not going to waste it, just have to work out which cans it'd be used on for terminations rofl... (for nerds it's litz 133 strand count by 8 = 1,064 strand count  cable)
> ...


DAmn. I said it before, I'll say it again. Baseball players would wear that as a gold chain


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mr Trev said:


> DAmn. I said it before, I'll say it again. Baseball players would wear that as a gold chain


At the Meze booth at CanJam NYC (February '22), they gave every visitor a white wrist bracelet made of twisted HP wire. The little SS end fits into the magnetic clasp--elegant and simple.

I still wear it from time to time. It's very cool.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> At the Meze booth at CanJam NYC (February '22), they gave every visitor a white wrist bracelet made of twisted HP wire. The little SS end fits into the magnetic clasp--elegant and simple.
> 
> I still wear it from time to time. It's very cool.


LOL RFID and you guys went for it hook, line, and sinker 

From then on, they know everything about you


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 20, 2022)

Zachik said:


> WOW. Just wow!!!





Mr Trev said:


> DAmn. I said it before, I'll say it again. Baseball players would wear that as a gold chain



Everyone's too kind ty again,  it' doesn't even have shiny bling terminations yet....That said if you like nice cable 'n like a lil  bling wait till you see me spinning some silver strands if you like shiny things... Hhmm, there's an idea, maybe I'll do some sometime ....

I love the bling of the rhodium stuff I use sometimes but OMG it's more of a PITA than litz for soldering lol....


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## gimmeheadroom

^ Impressive gear and a nice photo!


----------



## Olmanwood123

lumdicks said:


>


Love it.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> LOL RFID and you guys went for it hook, line, and sinker
> 
> From then on, they know everything about you


Send Meze some megaHertz transmission of Marilyn Manson at his (its) finest (worst)…🤣😈…


----------



## jonathan c

If not tube h/p/a, at least it is…(no 😒😣):


----------



## jonathan c

Fun pairing:  Focal Clear OG and Grado RA-1 (9V battery powered). Tremendous dynamics via battery DC power / inert / silent backdrop!


----------



## Wes S (May 19, 2022)

Current State - Just rolled in a very special driver tube, the 6201 Hamburg Pinched Waist Triple Mica D Getter, and my VC's are singing.

Holographic staging and realism is in full effect. . .


----------



## Stevko

Silver Wolf said:


> Well finished another SW copper litz anaconda (No# 3) lol, will be listening to this set-up tomorrow but who am I kidding, I'm already sneaking..... Well have to test the cable don't I ? New NOS tubes rolled into the TA-30 (5U4 Miniwatt (Heerlen)/matched pair 12AU7a Mullards (Australian 1948) been burning away for a bit already (was sneaking a listen this morn with the LCD2C's while finishing this monster lol)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice foto quality! Using a real camera?


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 19, 2022)

Stevko said:


> Nice foto quality! Using a real camera?


Just my mobile phones built-in camera, but ty. 

It's just always easier as it's out 'n handy already, camera gear I have to get out and sort lenses etc...I'm lazy... It's not bad for quick photo snaps but seem come out a bit meh also, I try to just use the better ones.


----------



## dk604

Just wanted to share my compact headphone set up with you guys. RME ADI 2 PRO FS R -> ENLEUM AMP 23R -> Hifiman Susvara.


----------



## ARCXENOS

>



new DAC came in time for the weekend


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## betula

Sometimes I wonder, if the 'no old pictures please' in the thread title means no old pictures of your 'long-owned' gear, or no old pictures in general. 
Many of us seem to regularly share new pictures of the same beloved audio chain. Which I personally do not mind, in fact quite enjoy. 

Following this logic here is another rather zoomed in pic of the rig I am listening to. Nothing new (well, five months old), but still enjoying them as new. 
The picture is not quite a whole desk, like those spectacular computer stations some of you share. Mine is just really a bedroom setup with a good laptop.
That said, when it comes to music and audio this is the best I have ever owned. And I built my system slowly, step by step through many years. Enjoying and appreciating each and every upgrade from Fidelio X2 to the Elite. It has been a fun and satisfying adventure.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 21, 2022)

Not sure it fits here but it's as close as it gets maybe lol. Just to the right of my main Head-Fi listening station is my primary rolling station (I have a massive pad collection/addiction issue plus I also make'n design my own pads... ya some say, some do... Here's one of my prototypes, hope you like pink...giggle... That's kangaroo 'n organic blood linen 'n my own poly felt acoustical treatments/extensions...blah...blah )






Here's main post image though, how do you roll ? giggle


----------



## adeadcrab

Silver Wolf said:


> Not sure it fits here but it's as close as it gets maybe lol. Just to the right of my main listening station is my primary rolling station (I have a massive pad collection/addiction issue plus I also make'n design my own pads...)


I'm a fan of the drawers. You didn't make them too did ya?


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 21, 2022)

They are just thick brown cardboard folded/glued and a cloth covering also glued over... To make them look pretty, I'm glad you like them, ty.. Was wife's idea...saw something similar somewhere I guess to make them... I keep silica bags in them with my ear pads to keep everything dry and draw moisture ..


edit: Full disclosure = upon further questioning wife says she did buy them in fact buy 'n we did not make them it seems lol, they were just from K-Mart or somehwere


----------



## Harry_H

My desktop setup


----------



## 3ggerhappy

Been like this for little over a year now, only thing changing are the headphones on rotation.


----------



## riverground

3ggerhappy said:


> Been like this for little over a year now, only thing changing are the headphones on rotation.


Your setup never ceases to amaze me whenever I see it.


----------



## voja

3ggerhappy said:


> Been like this for little over a year now, only thing changing are the headphones on rotation.


Looks very dark (just the way I like it!).

Would definitely get transferred to another universe with that setup, in that environment.



Silver Wolf said:


>



That's a pretty neat collection. Nice cables, nice cans, nice organization =)


----------



## Zachik

What's that? Analog tube dB or VU meter?


----------



## 3ggerhappy

Zachik said:


> What's that? Analog tube dB or VU meter?


Its a frequency visualizer made using in9 nixie tubes🙂


----------



## CJG888

Oh, those must be the ones used in those Nixie thermometers…


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> Sometimes I wonder, if the 'no old pictures please' in the thread title means no old pictures of your 'long-owned' gear, or no old pictures in general.
> Many of us seem to regularly share new pictures of the same beloved audio chain. Which I personally do not mind, in fact quite enjoy.


In my setup, the literal ‘base of the pyramid’ is the Furman Elite-15i power conditioner, the Audiolab CDT-6000 transport, the Mojo Audio EVO Mystique DAC. These are _constants_ (no intention of replacement) while the headphone amplifiers & headphones are _rotated_. Thank you all for looking!


----------



## newworld666 (May 21, 2022)

Not exactly my real Head-Fi station .. but, since yesterday, I'm just trying a new home mobile music station (living room, garden, sleeping room) ... I will see in the next few months what it will really be, but the first hours playing with this combo seem to be rather promising, based on this ultra light and very airy Grado GS3000e.


----------



## bcowen

CJG888 said:


> Oh, those must be the ones used in those Nixie thermometers…


And clocks.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

3ggerhappy said:


> Its a frequency visualizer made using in9 nixie tubes🙂


I saw one of those advertised not to long ago - like $1,500 or something?


----------



## 3ggerhappy

ColSaulTigh said:


> I saw one of those advertised not to long ago - like $1,500 or something?


Pretty sure it’s a different one maybe covers more frequency bands, bought mine for about $250 way back from mr. nixie.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 21, 2022)

bcowen said:


> And clocks.


I've also got a nixie clock at my head-fi station, pressie from Mrs Wolf (made in Ukraine). I love it.


----------



## Braver

Nothing too fancy, but it's a great work from home setup that I love to sit at even when not working. And when I _do_ work I don't want to go to the office where I need to make do with some ANC cans. Covid really brought me back into the hobby 

M1 MacBook Air into AOC 4K monitor that acts as a hub, Apple Music lossless into Topping E30, Woo Audio WA6 (first gen, Sophia Electric, RCA 6DE7) and finally the good old HD600 in classic blue marble.


----------



## RobertSM




----------



## bcowen

Silver Wolf said:


> I've also got a nixie clock at my head-fi station, pressie from Mrs Wolf (made in Ukraine). I love it.


Nixies are cool, IMO.  My clock has been on 24/7 (save for a couple household moves) since I put it together over 20 years ago, and all 6 tubes are still working perfectly.  I bought two backup sets when I first got it not knowing how long the tubes would last, and the answer apparently is: a long time.   

Your case is _way_ more awesome though!


----------



## Pharmaboy

RobertSM said:


>


Bob Marley!


----------



## aroldan

UntilThen said:


> My same experience when I had my friend's Phonitor X for a few days. However Badas did say he use it with Matrix on which I didn't try.
> 
> Phonitor sounded transparent and neutral to my ears. A bit thin probably but I wouldn't say dull, which is pretty unflattering.    It's very revealing though and as my friend only listen to classical music, he loves it. I listen to 'Keith Don't Go' by Nils Lofgren and it's a pretty darnnnn good performance. So good that I was going to say 'Phonitor don't go' when it came time to return the amp.


Nice! What cable is that? Looks interesting...


----------



## Andrewteee

3ggerhappy said:


> Been like this for little over a year now, only thing changing are the headphones on rotation.


Nightwish! I have not listened to them in a while. Will have to this weekend. 

Are you going to upgrade your Rossini to Apex? I have the Bartok which is getting a 2.0 software upgrade.


----------



## voja

Silver Wolf said:


> I've also got a nixie clock at my head-fi station, pressie from Mrs Wolf (made in Ukraine). I love it.


You are in audiophile heaven. Your desk looks so cozy and welcoming!

I love wood =)


----------



## Pharmaboy

I never heard the words "Nixie clock" until today. Live and learn...


----------



## voja

Pharmaboy said:


> I never heard the words "Nixie clock" until today. Live and learn...


You are missing out big time!


----------



## ColSaulTigh (May 21, 2022)

bcowen said:


> And clocks.


Here's mine, currently packed away from my last move...



Note: the flashing was from the camera.


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> Here's mine, currently packed away from my last move...
> 
> 
> 
> Note: the flashing was from the camera.



Sweet!  This link was recently posted by someone on another thread:

https://www.spactecular.com/products?handler=nixie-tube

Prices seem too good to be true, but you never know.  I have no personal experience with this vendor or the products shown.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Sweet!  This link was recently posted by someone on another thread:
> 
> https://www.spactecular.com/products?handler=nixie-tube
> 
> Prices seem too good to be true, but you never know.  I have no personal experience with this vendor or the products shown.


Those prices are definitely too good to be true. Here's the Nixie site. The six-tube clocks start at $230, ~10x the price shown on spectacular.com (?!?).

https://nixieshop.com/

I'm not in the market for one of these clocks. But if I was, I'd buy it direct from the mfr.


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Sweet!  This link was recently posted by someone on another thread:
> 
> https://www.spactecular.com/products?handler=nixie-tube
> 
> Prices seem too good to be true, but you never know.  I have no personal experience with this vendor or the products shown.


I ordered 1 of these a few days ago... we'll know soon enough if they're for real, or too good to be true


----------



## 3ggerhappy (May 21, 2022)

Andrewteee said:


> Nightwish! I have not listened to them in a while. Will have to this weekend.
> 
> Are you going to upgrade your Rossini to Apex? I have the Bartok which is getting a 2.0 software upgrade.


This is actually a dilemma im having right now. I have the budget for the upgrade, but that budget is set for a stax(estat setup) w/c i was saving for a while. Then this apex upgrade came, and im confused what to do. Also the fact that my dealer is bugging me to make the upgarde does not help haha. Either upgrade now, stax later or the other way around.😂.

The 2.0 is an awesome upgrade. Do it asap once its released. New mappers and filters galore.


----------



## 3ggerhappy

Pharmaboy said:


> Those prices are definitely too good to be true. Here's the Nixie site. The six-tube clocks start at $230, ~10x the price shown on spectacular.com (?!?).
> 
> https://nixieshop.com/
> 
> I'm not in the market for one of these clocks. But if I was, I'd buy it direct from the mfr.


Yup, buy direct from the manufacturer nixie shop is the legit one. Also Bought mine from this wonderful ukrainian guy.


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> I ordered 1 of these a few days ago... we'll know soon enough if they're for real, or too good to be true


Cool. You 'da man!  Be interested to know what you get, and if the tubes are actually included.


----------



## Pharmaboy

3ggerhappy said:


> Yup, buy direct from the manufacturer nixie shop is the legit one. Also Bought mine from this wonderful ukrainian guy.


That's another reason I'd pay more money to buy from mfr. This company is located in Ukraine -- we all know what's happening there. There's info on main pg about them having to stop business, move, partially reopen it; also that a % of every dollar spent on them is donated to the Ukranian war effort.

Really, that's all I need to hear...


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Cool. You 'da man!  Be interested to know what you get, and if the tubes are actually included.


Order placed on Monday (5 days ago), and I paid extra for express shipping... So far, 5 days later, my order has not shipped yet!
I will keep updating, but my suggestion to others: if you order from these guys - do NOT pay extra for faster shipping. Use that money for Whiskey - would make the wait more pleasant


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## AnalogEuphoria

shame about the blue leds, red/amber would have been a better choice by the manufacturers.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Oh, I don't know....I'd much rather have a blue LED than a red/amber one. 

I have 3 devices in my 2 systems that are either blue LED or tiny blue lamp. As long as they're not overpowering intensity, I find blue to be soothing.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Pharmaboy said:


> Oh, I don't know....I'd much rather have a blue LED than a red/amber one.
> 
> I have 3 devices in my 2 systems that are either blue LED or tiny blue lamp. As long as they're not overpowering intensity, I find blue to be soothing.


fair enough, blue always reminds me of cheap Chinese equipment and doesn't match as well aesthetically imo.


----------



## Pharmaboy

AnalogEuphoria said:


> fair enough, blue always reminds me of cheap Chinese equipment and doesn't match as well aesthetically imo.


Fair enough.

I'm not about to argue the point w/someone whose screen name is "AnalogEuphoria" (that is amazing!).


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## Mr Trev

Lord Rexter said:


>


Whats the deal with the stilts? I'm guessing something to do with vibration control - maybe cooling, but man, I'd be way paranoid about them tipping over sitting up that high (esp. the tubes)


----------



## TS0711

jonathan c said:


> In my setup, the literal ‘base of the pyramid’ is the Furman Elite-15i power conditioner, the Audiolab CDT-6000 transport, the Mojo Audio EVO Mystique DAC. These are _constants_ (no intention of replacement) while the headphone amplifiers & headphones are _rotated_. Thank you all for looking!


Ouch, I had an OG grado amp from 20 years ago... I'm my humble opinion it's a POS.  What are those two off to the side?


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> Fair enough.
> 
> I'm not about to argue the point w/someone whose screen name is "AnalogEuphoria" (that is amazing!).


Yeah.  And besides, everyone knows analog is orange.


----------



## dirtrat

Wrong forum post


----------



## jonathan c

TS0711 said:


> Ouch, I had an OG grado amp from 20 years ago... I'm my humble opinion it's a POS.  What are those two off to the side?


Woo WA6 (1st Gen: OTC) and Woo WA3 (OTL).


----------



## Chris Kaoss (May 23, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Fair enough.
> 
> I'm not about to argue the point w/someone whose screen name is "AnalogEuphoria" (that is amazing!).


Yeah.
But why isn't there a Megadeth LP instead of a CD.


----------



## CJG888

TS0711 said:


> Ouch, I had an OG grado amp from 20 years ago... I'm my humble opinion it's a POS.  What are those two off to the side?


IIRC, it’s basically a posh CMoy.

But Grados are fairly easy to drive.


----------



## ctjacks336

Run optical from my lg to my SMSL 6 stack. Playing video games with Spotify music running over that. Listening with Hifiman he-560 v4 and Beyerdynamic dt 177x go with Hart audio cable always


----------



## Papabiker

Table is finished, waiting for Sudio B.  Made from a 200+ y.o. white oak we lost during an ice storm years ago.


----------



## Redcarmoose (May 24, 2022)

Tansio Mirai Sands


----------



## bcowen

Papabiker said:


> Table is finished, waiting for Sudio B.  Made from a 200+ y.o. white oak we lost during an ice storm years ago.


That is gorgeous!!


----------



## ctjacks336

Mr Trev said:


> Whats the deal with the stilts? I'm guessing something to do with vibration control - maybe cooling, but man, I'd be way paranoid about them tipping over sitting up that high (esp. the tubes)


Pretty setup… but scary🥸


----------



## ctjacks336

Braver said:


> Nothing too fancy, but it's a great work from home setup that I love to sit at even when not working. And when I _do_ work I don't want to go to the office where I need to make do with some ANC cans. Covid really brought me back into the hobby
> 
> M1 MacBook Air into AOC 4K monitor that acts as a hub, Apple Music lossless into Topping E30, Woo Audio WA6 (first gen, Sophia Electric, RCA 6DE7) and finally the good old HD600 in classic blue marble.


Very nice!


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yeah.  And besides, everyone knows analog is orange.


…Stanley Kubrick _loves_ clockwork analogue…


----------



## judomaniak57

some late night jazz to wind down the day


----------



## jonathan c

Lord Rexter said:


>


The upper right amp looks out of level (right side is higher than left side…)🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## Lord Rexter

jonathan c said:


> The upper right amp looks out of level (right side is higher than left side…)🤷🏻‍♂️


Yes I had fixed that after taking this pic


----------



## simorag

Had a strike of nostalgia ... my VRDS-10 just got recapped and recalibrated after 25+ years of oblivion. A rough sound check, then up it goes back on the rack


----------



## CJG888

simorag said:


> Had a strike of nostalgia ... my VRDS-10 just got recapped and recalibrated after 25+ years of oblivion. A rough sound check, then up it goes back on the rack


That’s one heck of a CD player. Hang onto it!


----------



## robo24

New DAC, 2 new amps, 3 new headphones and my mess of a headphone station. (This is actually cleaned up, lol). I think I'm done for awhile, at least until the next ZMF creation.


----------



## ricksome

robo24 said:


> New DAC, 2 new amps, 3 new headphones and my mess of a headphone station. (This is actually cleaned up, lol). I think I'm done for awhile, at least until the next ZMF creation.


Outrageous !!! Color me impressed !!!


----------



## ctjacks336

robo24 said:


> New DAC, 2 new amps, 3 new headphones and my mess of a headphone station. (This is actually cleaned up, lol). I think I'm done for awhile, at least until the next ZMF creation.





robo24 said:


> New DAC, 2 new amps, 3 new headphones and my mess of a headphone station. (This is actually cleaned up, lol). I think I'm done for awhile, at least until the next ZMF creation.


🤩 🤩 🤩


----------



## Brandfuchs

Yeeeeeeah, it's *FOSTEX* and blue tone time!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Brandfuchs said:


> Yeeeeeeah, it's *FOSTEX* and blue tone time!


Blue headphone + blue amplifier = chromatic goodness!


----------



## morserotonin

Right now! Must be Wednesday it's a mess around here!


----------



## morserotonin

Redcarmoose said:


> Tansio Mirai Sands


Those are gorgeous!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

so that's what's at the end of a rainbow


----------



## DTgill

morserotonin said:


> Right now! Must be Wednesday it's a mess around here!


Thanks for making me feel right at home...


----------



## DTgill

Tonight, me and the gang... Gona go play some Days Gone in a bit...


----------



## morserotonin

DTgill said:


> Thanks for making me feel right at home...


Thought I would post  "real" pic


----------



## newworld666

As today is a national bank holiday, I had a fun time this morning playing making a focus stacking of my actual outdoor head-fi station. Then, I could enjoy, almost a couple of hours this afternoon, sitting and walking in my garden with a comfortable sunny spring weather around 25 °C,  just listening nice music with this interesting airy combo....


----------



## jonathan c

Getting the Laurel Mountain audio loft ready for Memorial Day weekend…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Getting the Laurel Mountain audio loft ready for Memorial Day weekend…
> Cu



Custom cans cable, modded HD 600, Violectric...yeah, baby, YEAH


----------



## morserotonin

newworld666 said:


> As today is a national bank holiday, I had a fun time this morning playing making a focus stacking of my actual outdoor head-fi station. Then, I could enjoy, almost a couple of hours this afternoon, sitting and walking in my garden with a comfortable sunny spring weather around 25 °C,  just listening nice music with this interesting airy combo....


That is a great photo!


----------



## John Massaria (May 30, 2022)




----------



## jonathan c (May 26, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Custom cans cable, modded HD 600, Violectric...yeah, baby, YEAH


_•  Seven Steps To Heaven _by Miles Davis is so good on HD600/Custom Cans cables via either Violectric V200 or Lyr 3 (KenRad 6C5s).
_*•  If *_I had my head screwed on straight, I should be content…but nooo…(_everyone fill in the rest)

_


----------



## jjshin23




----------



## voja

jjshin23 said:


>


I see you've also got a nice kicks collection


----------



## John Massaria

voja said:


> I see you've also got a nice kicks collection



 there ought to be a thread on that


----------



## mulveling

Look at what I've done to the nice office (that I've taken over) at my girlfriend's home


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## Mr Trev

mulveling said:


> Look at what I've done to the nice office (that I've taken over) at my girlfriend's home


Nice. 
Should we have a pre-emptive moment of silence for when your girlfriend finds out


----------



## jonathan c

mulveling said:


> Look at what I've done to the nice office (that I've taken over) at my girlfriend's home


And when she finds out…..that’s what closed-back headphones are for…..🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Chastity

mulveling said:


> Look at what I've done to the nice office (that I've taken over) at my girlfriend's home


I see Sony MDR-SA5000, I upvote.  My pair says "Hi"


----------



## duffer5 (May 27, 2022)

Hifi Rose 150b

Fiio M17 DAP

Hiby 2020 R6 DAP

Ultimate Mest MK2 IEM

Shure se846 IEM

Output “Frontier” audio monitors

OPPO Ha-1 and PM-1 (Planar HP)

CocoPar portable 17 in monitor

SoundRise Pro 9 speaker stands


----------



## newworld666 (May 27, 2022)

I am still trying different types of DAP & Portable Amps with my newly arrived Grado GS3000e ..
With a modded WM1A by Nayparm helped with a Centrance Ampersand or with the powerful FIIO M17...
Clearly faster and deeper low frequencies when power is there, though Grado's reputation should be an easy to drive Headphone... but I think it's not so easy.


----------



## mulveling (May 27, 2022)

Chastity said:


> I see Sony MDR-SA5000, I upvote.  My pair says "Hi"


I liked them the previous times I'd heard them, but I'm even more impressed now. Very close to the detail and speed I remember from Qualia 010, but with a much more "normal" midrange and a very reasonable headband/fit mechanism. Rivals great electrostats in these attributes, but with better "jump" factor and slam. On paper or on first listen, you'd think a headphone with a tipped-up response like this must be fatiguing, but the treble is so smooth and clean (completely free of all ringing, glare, and distortion) that they're magically fatigue-free. This pair has a Black Dragon re-cable and the Beautiful audio leather pads. They're wonderful headphones that got a lot of play time this week!


----------



## Chastity

mulveling said:


> I liked them the previous times I'd heard them, but I'm even more impressed now. Very close to the detail and speed I remember from Qualia 010, but with a much more "normal" midrange and a very reasonable headband/fit mechanism. Rivals great electrostats in these attributes, but with better "jump" factor and slam. On paper or on first listen, you'd think a headphone with a tipped-up response like this must be fatiguing, but the treble is so smooth and clean (completely free of all ringing, glare, and distortion) that they're magically fatigue-free. This pair has a Black Dragon re-cable and the Beautiful audio leather pads. They're wonderful headphones that got a lot of play time this week!


Mine are still very stock.  My big disappointment is from the pads, as the rear lip is pleather, and prone to flaking.  The cups themselves are actual leather, and have endured nicely.  I agree about having great upper presence and no fatigue at all.  In fact, when I compare cans, it's the Sony's I use as a baseline.  The low end is recessed, but that was intentional according to an interview with one of the engineers.  They were trying to replicate what a bass sounds like in a club and you're sitting about 4-5 tables back, which is a rather spot on description.

My current can is the Monolith M1570, which comes very close to the SA5000's strengths, but has better low end extension and presence, and isn't as wide as the Sonys.  If you wish, listen to Billy Joel's "The Downeaster Alexa".  You'll pick up in that song that the bassist and drummer are creating the sense of the rocking of a boat, and the SA5000 have the width to demonstrate this.


----------



## VancityDreaming

newworld666 said:


> I am still trying different types of DAP & Portable Amps with my newly arrived Grado GS3000e ..
> With a modded WM1A by Nayparm helped with a Centrance Ampersand or with the powerful FIIO M17...
> Clearly faster and deeper low frequencies when power is there, though Grado's reputation should be an easy to drive Headphone... but I think it's not so easy.


Do you notice any degradation with connecting an amp to the wm1a? What gain and volume do you set your wm1a to when plugging it into an external amp? Thanks!


----------



## jjshin23

voja said:


> I see you've also got a nice kicks collection


Can’t have too many hobbies 😬


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


> there ought to be a thread on that


Foot-Fi.org     😂😂


----------



## jonathan c (May 27, 2022)

Giving the HD6XX (with _all _foam removed, Chicopee Chix #8311 inserted as driver screen) a whirl…


----------



## thecrow

jonathan c said:


> Foot-Fi.org     😂😂


Tread-fi


----------



## Zachik

jonathan c said:


> Giving the HD6XX (with _all _foam removed, Chicopee Chix #8311 inserted as earscreen) a whirl…


Was the removed foam used for your Grados, as earpads?


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Was the removed foam used for your Grados, as earpads?


Only for the IEMs 🥲😜


----------



## newworld666

VancityDreaming said:


> Do you notice any degradation with connecting an amp to the wm1a? What gain and volume do you set your wm1a to when plugging it into an external amp? Thanks!


Without any true line out with Sony WM1A, I connect all my portable external amps to the WM1A in balance mode with the power set to max in low gain mode on the DAP.. 
I can say, that at the same volume pressure between the external amp and the WM1A => I, definitely, can't catch any sound quality difference with the Grado GS3000E, the Sony Z7MK2 or an IEM like Vision Ears EXT. But, I can get a more realistic volume level with most of my external amps (Centrance Ampersand or Less BX2+).
I would say, it's really worth to give a try. I like the WM1A DSP features, It's really an improvement for lower quality files... Actually, with the Grado, I imagine the Single Ended connection can be a real SQ limit for the stage size (In balanced mode, the closed DCA Stealth offers a large stage than the open GS3000e).


----------



## sprellemannen

phthora said:


>


Amazing Benchmark-gear, and it looks stunning as well.


----------



## phthora

sprellemannen said:


> Amazing Benchmark-gear, and it looks stunning as well.



Thanks! It's become my endgame* set-up, exactly what I wanted out of my gear. Unfortunately, Zeus there doesn't seem to like the LCD-5.


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## jonathan c

phthora said:


> Thanks! It's become my endgame* set-up, exactly what I wanted out of my gear. Unfortunately, Zeus there doesn't seem to like the LCD-5.


Give Zeus an Olympus camera to sling over his shoulder; that should appease him 🤣.


----------



## phthora

jonathan c said:


> Give Zeus an Olympus camera to sling over his shoulder; that should appease him 🤣.



Then it would be my wife aiming the lightning bolt.


----------



## jonathan c

phthora said:


> Then it would be my wife aiming the lightning bolt.


…hell hath no fury like…


----------



## Gavin C4

The Susvara really need some current to shine through the speaker taps.


----------



## Silver Wolf (May 29, 2022)

Was chilling out listening to some dark classical (Peter Gundry) on my open SW modded HD58x and wife starts to vacuum about in the studio no less..... So with a quick switch I thought I'd run with some Pink-Floyd on my SW modded closed back HD58x - cable SW copper anaconda (BAL) - SMSL stack (SU-9/SP 400 BAL)....

Turn it up 'n "It's all good" ....... Good times  

Was this ....





Into this.....


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Silver Wolf said:


> Was chilling out listening to some dark classical (Peter Gundry) on my open SW modded HD58x and wife starts to vacuum about in the studio no less..... So with a quick switch I thought I'd run with some Pink-Floyd on my SW modded closed back HD58x - cable SW copper anaconda (BAL) - SMSL stack (SU-9/SP 400 BAL)....
> 
> Turn it up 'n "It's all good" ....... Good times
> 
> ...


You're really making some awfully handsome cables, @Silver Wolf 

I've got a best friend in NZ. I'll have to see about him smuggling some of your cables if I can get him to come back to Prague


----------



## newworld666 (May 29, 2022)

Definitely my most versatile combo as desktop (with a proper DC input) and "on the way" system  .. I just get an incredibly airy headphone for a closed headphone and, of course, really deep and clear ultra low frequencies for a closed headphone !!!
I love this combo.


----------



## Krutsch

Haven't posted for a while. My work setup, using 'legacy' gear: 

Bluesound Node 2i (audio files on company NAS ), connected with Kimber D-60 coax
Rega DAC v1, connected with Kimber PBJ
Woo WA3 (w/ Western Electric 421a Power Tube, Telefunken E188CC drivers)
Sennheiser HD-660S 'phones.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Krutsch said:


> Haven't posted for a while. My work setup, using 'legacy' gear:
> 
> Bluesound Node 2i (audio files on company NAS ), connected with Kimber D-60 coax
> Rega DAC v1, connected with Kimber PBJ
> ...


Love the ambience, if only my working desk has this view, I can stop going cafe outside


----------



## jonathan c

Happy Memorial Day (U.S.), Happy Headphone Day (_non_-U.S.) !! 🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## Wes S

Pure bliss. . .


----------



## judomaniak57

watched a movie with the seen 600. so much detail to hear in movies. a great listening experience


----------



## whirlwind

morserotonin said:


> That is a great photo!


That is a great looking GS 3000 Grado.

I have been thinking about grabbing a Grado for some portable listening on my porch.
It would be a change from listening to my IEM's. The wonderful thing about the Grado is that it is easily powered. It is also a very transparent sound.


----------



## newworld666

whirlwind said:


> That is a great looking GS 3000 Grado.
> 
> I have been thinking about grabbing a Grado for some portable listening on my porch.
> It would be a change from listening to my IEM's. The wonderful thing about the Grado is that it is easily powered. It is also a very transparent sound.



I think, though basically it is quite easy to be powered, it can be improved with some rather powerful amplification to be able to apply some Parametric EQ in ultra low frequencies around 25hz .... if we increase by 7Db those frequencies, we have to avoid some distortion by lowering by 7Bd to pre amp volume.
I know that it's not absolutely necessary to do this, but it's pleasant to have a rather transparent sound with a bit more low frequencies with the GS3000e.


----------



## alota

My new rig


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> watched a movie with the seen 600. so much detail to hear in movies. a great listening experience


LG OLED?


----------



## whirlwind

newworld666 said:


> I think, though basically it is quite easy to be powered, it can be improved with some rather powerful amplification to be able to apply some Parametric EQ in ultra low frequencies around 25hz .... if we increase by 7Db those frequencies, we have to avoid some distortion by lowering by 7Bd to pre amp volume.
> I know that it's not absolutely necessary to do this, but it's pleasant to have a rather transparent sound with a bit more low frequencies with the GS3000e.



Yeah, they benefit from some current, but still sound good even driven by a very cheap dap


----------



## tameral

Nothing Summit-Fi but gives me different flavors and gets the job done.  

LCD-X 2021, HD8XX, Atticus --> Bifrost 2, Jotunheim 2
HD-6xx - Bifrost 2, Darkvoice SE
HE-6se V2 - Emotiva BasX A2mini (jumpers installed, 8 Watts or more into 50 ohms)
Pair of basic monitors and a sub from the preamp out of the Jotunheim 2 for fun / big stage + bass


----------



## judomaniak57 (May 30, 2022)

not sure, owners manual says LED. but i do know picture better then my LG Plasma that i was reluctant to give up


Pharmaboy said:


> LG OLED?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

tameral said:


> Nothing Summit-Fi but gives me different flavors and gets the job done.
> 
> LCD-X 2021, HD8XX, Atticus --> Bifrost 2, Jotunheim 2
> HD-6xx - Bifrost 2, Darkvoice SE
> ...



Sorry man, your setup looks like you have some killer gear. Please move that laptop, we wanna see beauty, eh?


----------



## Terriero

judomaniak57 said:


> watched a movie with the seen 600. so much detail to hear in movies. a great listening experience


I love to watch movies with my HD 800s. My only issue is when I watch them with spanish translation, because in some films (especially in the oldish ones) you can notice the translation embeded, for example is very noticiable in 1979's Alien.

I remember to play Bioshock with the HD 800s and I could notice the distorsion in the sound (like a walkie-talkie) when a NPC starts a dialogue... Was so annoying to play the game like that (maybe that only occurs in the spanish translation).


----------



## Gavin C4

Using speaker amps really opened up a new realm for the Susvara. SoulNote A2 dishing out tones of power. And dCS Rossini Apex upgrade kit will arrive by mid June. Extremely excited.


----------



## jonathan c

•  Inaugural run-through with the Quicksilver Audio h/p/a. Genalex/Gold Lion (cryo treated) EL84s & 12AX7s; Senn HD6XX (rear foam removed, inner foam replaced, cnc copper backweight installed); Norne Audio Vygarde h/p cable.
•  Dynamic, engaging, natural. The QHA produces no hum / noise at the maximum volume setting. The QHA is _very_ well built and has _the look_ to my eyes. Much more listening (different tubes / headphones) to come. I am a happy _h/p amper !!_


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> not sure, owners manual says LED. but i do know picture better then my LG Plasma that i was reluctant to give up


Thanks for the reply. LG makes both 4K LEDs & OLEDs. I like all their stuff.


----------



## shwnwllms

This concludes the desktop portion of my audio journey, I have now reached the “custom rack build” stage. (I don’t have a problem, I swear. I can stop stop at any time)


----------



## DTgill

A little Thin Lizzy...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> A little Thin Lizzy...


_Great tubes in the Yaqin! _The Emotiva cannot possibly sound any better 😄.


----------



## jonathan c

Warming up for an OTL** session:



  ** Off Track Listening 😝


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 1, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> You're really making some awfully handsome cables, @Silver Wolf
> 
> I've got a best friend in NZ. I'll have to see about him smuggling some of your cables if I can get him to come back to Prague


Thanks for the super remarks, it's a good thing I like them also as I'm making them for myself lol, made my mind up to make a complete set of cables for my collection of cans this winter as a project (starts today down under) as I'll be stuck inside till I can turn some wood into shavings when it gets warmer outside... giggle...

But I got distracted (as always) from my SW copper anaconda's, shiny things will do that with me lol. Look at how pretty 'n shiny this stuff is with my LED on it... Maybe not the ideal spot again but it's at my Head-Fi Station giggle. Now that is BLING! looks energized 'n glowing magical like.....I love it!






I'm on a new idea, or same idea but bigger again 'n more shiny..... seeing if I can squeeze 8 x 18awg (phat 504 strands) silver plated litz cable into some terminations . Not sure if it's gonna work out but sure looks purdy ... It's all good head-fi pron though I have something even BIGGER, more excessive 'n expensive  but pretty 'n shiny on my mind for later hehehe






last image is for reference: The Copper 8 way there is the big 22 awg stuff I'd been working wooohoooo.... Crazy remember, but hope it works out ... it's going to get worse before it gets better rofl.... Sorry everyone...

lol it's still a fair swim from NZ to me.. ..wooohooo


----------



## Hiker816

Silver Wolf said:


> Thanks for the super remarks, it's a good thing I like them also as I'm making them for myself lol, made my mind up to make a complete set of cables for my collection of cans this winter as a project (starts today down under) as I'll be stuck inside till I can turn some wood into shavings when it gets warmer outside... giggle...
> 
> But I got distracted (as always) from my SW copper anaconda's, shiny things will do that with me lol. Look at how pretty 'n shiny this stuff is with my LED on it... Maybe not the ideal spot again but it's at my Head-Fi Station giggle. Now that is BLING! looks energized 'n glowing magical like.....I love it!
> 
> ...


Damn, that is gorgeous.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Silver Wolf said:


> Thanks for the super remarks, it's a good thing I like them also as I'm making them for myself lol, made my mind up to make a complete set of cables for my collection of cans this winter as a project (starts today down under) as I'll be stuck inside till I can turn some wood into shavings when it gets warmer outside... giggle...
> 
> But I got distracted (as always) from my SW copper anaconda's, shiny things will do that with me lol. Look at how pretty 'n shiny this stuff is with my LED on it... Maybe not the ideal spot again but it's at my Head-Fi Station giggle. Now that is BLING! looks energized 'n glowing magical like.....I love it!
> 
> ...


INB4 "Shut up and take my money!"

Also...


----------



## Pharmaboy

Silver Wolf said:


> Thanks for the super remarks, it's a good thing I like them also as I'm making them for myself lol, made my mind up to make a complete set of cables for my collection of cans this winter as a project (starts today down under) as I'll be stuck inside till I can turn some wood into shavings when it gets warmer outside... giggle...
> 
> But I got distracted (as always) from my SW copper anaconda's, shiny things will do that with me lol. Look at how pretty 'n shiny this stuff is with my LED on it... Maybe not the ideal spot again but it's at my Head-Fi Station giggle. Now that is BLING! looks energized 'n glowing magical like.....I love it!
> 
> ...


I WANT THAT!!


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Silver Wolf said:


> I'm on a new idea, or same idea but bigger again 'n more shiny..... seeing if I can squeeze 8 x 18awg (phat 504 strands) silver plated litz cable into some terminations . Not sure if it's gonna work out but sure looks purdy ... It's all good head-fi pron though I have something even BIGGER, more excessive 'n expensive  but pretty 'n shiny on my mind for later hehehe


To make it a bit easier for you,

XLR-extension cable   

For challenge:
2.5 to 4.4 adapter cable. ^^


----------



## Turkeysaurus

I added an Arctic Cables Apeiron cable to my chain. Vast improvement in sound and ergonomics over my DIY Black Dragon cable.


----------



## dynavit

Never enjoyed so much hifi for such a little bit of money. This upgraded Little Dot is amazing.


----------



## gefski

I haven’t posted pics here in a year or so since we moved and are in the middle of some remodeling, with me listening in a small space surrounded by boxes. So I’ve just been following this thread, looking and liking as usual.

Since we are adding a couple rooms in the basement (bathroom and a small 11 X 11 room, I planted my Head-Fi flag squarely in the small room. It will be a “quiet room” for Head-Fi listening. My room won’t be treated for speakers; rather it’s about keeping noise from adjacent rooms, overhead, and hvac from entering in the first place. So just throwing out some of the things I’ve done if anyone else might be interested in some effective ways to quiet the ambient noise down. This is, of course, the time to do it — since we have to have it framed, sheetrocked, door hung, anyway the additional $ for my tweaks is minimal.

Two walls are concrete, so it’s got some advantages right off. Kilmat (made for car sound) applied to HVAC duct really dulls the sound when rapping on it. These ducts are among the worst sources of ambient noise. Eliminating it was not an option, since it serves heating and cooling to living and dining room upstairs. Selectively using rock wool around it. Exterior and interior walls and ceiling are insulated with R15 fiberglass batts. (Almost all homes and remodels are not insulated between rooms & floors.) Adjacent plumbing and drainpipes wrapped. Putty pads around outlets that could transmit sound. 5/8” sheetrock instead of 1/2”. 

Instead of an interior door, I’m using a basic steel exterior door as it has insulation, sill, and weatherstripping all around. All gaps in the pre-hung will be insulated/filled. Floor is painted concrete, and I’ll use cotton or wool area rugs (don’t want poly or vinyl floor because of potential static.) Using Trademark acoustic sealant (dries rubbery) behind trim & molding. Two dedicated AC lines with Hubbell fixtures that I like. Recessed can lights in ceiling are cool enough to have Kilmat applied and insulation touching. These led lights won’t be on when listening, just table & floor lamp with conventional bulbs. Filling every other gap I can find. Already a quiet house in a quiet neighborhood, so looking forward to some “great escapes”. 

Now nearing completion, room seems eerily silent. Will post as I get set up and moved in.


----------



## UntilThen

Always interesting to see others 'great escapes. This is mine with 3 tube amps power on. All I have to do is plug my headphone into any of them to get a different flavour. LCD4 is going through the pace now.


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> I haven’t posted pics here in a year or so since we moved and are in the middle of some remodeling, with me listening in a small space surrounded by boxes. So I’ve just been following this thread, looking and liking as usual.
> 
> Since we are adding a couple rooms in the basement (bathroom and a small 11 X 11 room, I planted my Head-Fi flag squarely in the small room. It will be a “quiet room” for Head-Fi listening. My room won’t be treated for speakers; rather it’s about keeping noise from adjacent rooms, overhead, and hvac from entering in the first place. So just throwing out some of the things I’ve done if anyone else might be interested in some effective ways to quiet the ambient noise down. This is, of course, the time to do it — since we have to have it framed, sheetrocked, door hung, anyway the additional $ for my tweaks is minimal.
> 
> ...


That's the perfect time to fine-tune your space: before the walls go up.


----------



## judomaniak57 (Jun 1, 2022)

gefski said:


> I haven’t posted pics here in a year or so since we moved and are in the middle of some remodeling, with me listening in a small space surrounded by boxes. So I’ve just been following this thread, looking and liking as usual.
> 
> Since we are adding a couple rooms in the basement (bathroom and a small 11 X 11 room, I planted my Head-Fi flag squarely in the small room. It will be a “quiet room” for Head-Fi listening. My room won’t be treated for speakers; rather it’s about keeping noise from adjacent rooms, overhead, and hvac from entering in the first place. So just throwing out some of the things I’ve done if anyone else might be interested in some effective ways to quiet the ambient noise down. This is, of course, the time to do it — since we have to have it framed, sheetrocked, door hung, anyway the additional $ for my tweaks is minimal.
> 
> ...


or u could get some good closed headphones and forget all that stuff. but seriously that is going to be a great room for some good headfi listening


----------



## gefski (Jun 1, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> or u could get some good closed headphones and forget all that stuff. but seriously that is going to be a great room for some good headfi listening


Yeah could have bought Stellia…  But this whole deal has been fun!!


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> Always interesting to see others 'great escapes. This is mine with 3 tube amps power on. All I have to do is plug my headphone into any of them to get a different flavour. LCD4 is going through the pace now.


As a bonus, it'll cut down on the heating bill too


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> As a bonus, it'll cut down on the heating bill too



It's late Autumn now and getting colder. This morning I still have the heater on. Maybe I should power on 5 tube amps and turn off the lights.


----------



## jonathan c

Organised at last:

  (Three others are at ‘Laurel Mountain audio den’.)


----------



## gefski

UntilThen said:


> Always interesting to see others 'great escapes. This is mine with 3 tube amps power on. All I have to do is plug my headphone into any of them to get a different flavour. LCD4 is going through the pace now.


Bottle joy for sure!


----------



## UntilThen

gefski said:


> Bottle joy for sure!



I've heard it call tube or valve but bottle is an interesting name.


----------



## thecrow

jonathan c said:


> Organised at last:  (Three others are at ‘Laurel Mountain audio den’.)


Having the wa2 and 6se, is there ever a call for your wa3 or wa6?


----------



## jonathan c

thecrow said:


> Having the wa2 and 6se, is there ever a call for your wa3 or wa6?


I am glad that you asked!!😀. I _do _rotate between them. The WA2 and WA3 are quite similar in overall sound: the WA2 with greater impact / scale, the WA3 with more intimacy. On the WA6, I do ‘roll’ in 6SN7s and 12AT7s via adapters; I use only 13DE7s / 13FD7s in the WA6SE.


----------



## gefski

UntilThen said:


> I've heard it call tube or valve but bottle is an interesting name.


Yeah, “glass audio” is another one.


----------



## dnd3241

Gavin C4 said:


> Using speaker amps really opened up a new realm for the Susvara. SoulNote A2 dishing out tones of power. And dCS Rossini Apex upgrade kit will arrive by mid June. Extremely excited.


How many Watts needs to drive Susvara ?


----------



## Mr Trev

dnd3241 said:


> How many Watts needs to drive Susvara ?


If this isn't the beginning of a joke with a crude fratboy punchline, I'm going to be sorely disappointed


----------



## alekc

dynavit said:


> Never enjoyed so much hifi for such a little bit of money. This upgraded Little Dot is amazing.


I can imagine @dynavit. Congrats on great purchase  

Mytek Brooklyn can be great pairing with probably any tube amp, due to its clean and resolving sound signature, especially when used in volume bypass mode and FRMP or SRMP filter.


----------



## RadekB




----------



## waveSounds

Just sent my custom Fostex TH900 cable off to be terminated for portable use. I wonder why...


----------



## nonnegaard

waveSounds said:


> Just sent my custom Fostex TH900 cable off to be terminated for portable use. I wonder why...


Cutie <3 How old is she?


----------



## waveSounds

Ha thanks man. She's going to be 8 weeks on Saturday.


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> Just sent my custom Fostex TH900 cable off to be terminated for portable use. I wonder why...


Thank you very much. I missed your pics with that beauty baby  (tomorrow I'll show them to my wife, those are the only pics she likes from this forum ). I hope and wish she is better now, she looks so pleasant sleeping on your arms


----------



## waveSounds

@Terriero Appreciate it, dude! We're definitely seeing some improvement in her and the pain she frequently gets from eating is slowly decreasing, which has been a blessing for us all. Still in her little harness for her hip dysplasia, but on all hospital check ups the socket is on track for being set properly, but I'm longing the days to see the poor little thing out of the contraption - it's adjusted with velcro and rubs on her skin causing sore patches 

As the man in my avatar put it best with the line, that until I became a parent could appreciate but not fully comprehend - you don't love your children, you fall in love with them. With everyday that passes of seeing her flourish into her own little personality I now truly understand the sentiment in that statement.

If (or should I say when) we decide to holiday in the canaries with her I'll make sure to drop you a line! It goes without saying that I'd bring the TH900 in tow so we could do some A/Bing of gear


----------



## judomaniak57

re-arranged setup to include my tube amp, which for some reason i keep taking it out and putting it back in a month or 2 later. rediscovering jazz again and find it goes well with tubes.


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> If this isn't the beginning of a joke with a crude fratboy punchline, I'm going to be sorely disappointed



In everything there is a punchline. I'm trying to blow the drivers of He6se V2 to smetterings here with the behemoth vintage Kenwood KA-3300D. This is one of my speaker amps. I fail in my mission because the drivers didn't explode or fly across the room.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 3, 2022)

Hiker816 said:


> Damn, that is gorgeous.


I like shiny things, I sure think it's purdy 'n then some 


Pharmaboy said:


> I WANT THAT!!


Me too! 


Chris Kaoss said:


> To make it a bit easier for you,
> 
> XLR-extension cable
> 
> ...


Why does everyone want to make things more of a challenge for me  lol? Have you ever tried tying your shoe laces without use of your thumbs I know I can woohooo? giggle

Mind you easy is never as much fun or satisfying for anyone woohoo... Crazy folk have no sense of reason but 2.5mm BAL been suggested before but I have no use for that termination. Mind you I've never not taken a challenge or lost or a dare rofl, how bout I meet you half way between 2.5mm-4.4mm and do a slim-line small 3.5mm BAL termination seeing as I have one in my kit..

Only catch is cable is slightly larger than the plug over-all, the math doesn't work out but .......hahaha... ....but wait...........YES!

Thank goodness for shoe horns 'n crazy folks rofl


----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## obzilla

hke3g2006 said:


>




That purple really slaps!


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> I like shiny things, I sure think it's purdy 'n then some
> 
> Me too!
> 
> ...


Nice.
I have some beastly 16 guage speaker cables sitting around. Wanna try braiding them into a headphone cable


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> In everything there is a punchline. I'm trying to blow the drivers of He6se V2 to smetterings here with the behemoth vintage Kenwood KA-3300D. This is one of my speaker amps. I fail in my mission because the drivers didn't explode or fly across the room.


There's yer problem. 
You're connected to the proper headphone jack. Plug those suckers into the speaker taps… fire in the hole!


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> There's yer problem.
> You're connected to the proper headphone jack. Plug those suckers into the speaker taps… fire in the hole!



I didn't show you what happen when I plug in the speaker taps cable. The house is still standing but the roof's gone. Workmen coming today for a new roof.


----------



## UntilThen

I did manage to plug in Susvara.


----------



## obzilla

UntilThen said:


> I didn't show you what happen when I plug in the speaker taps cable. The house is still standing but the roof's gone. Workmen coming today for a new roof.



Now *THAT* is a danger noodle.


----------



## UntilThen

So after 4 hours of toying with Susvara, I came to the conclusion that a speaker amp is desirable but not necessary to hit sonic perfection with Susvara. Some dedicated headphone amps can and will drive it just as well, such as my Odyssey. 

For my ears, Susvara needs a tube amp with gutsy power delivery and then some to spare.   I have not heard Eva Cassidy sing with so much emotion and feelings. It's equally at home with Metallica and Led Zeppelin.


----------



## adeadcrab

hke3g2006 said:


>


Thoughts on the dac2541?


----------



## obzilla

adeadcrab said:


> Thoughts on the dac2541?


^^ Also curious.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I didn't show you what happen when I plug in the speaker taps cable. The house is still standing but the roof's gone. Workmen coming today for a new roof.


Those forky-looking things on the one end are supposed to go your speakers, not into the AC outlet.  Now you know.  Sorry about your roof.  🤣🤣


----------



## UntilThen

Saturday listening pleasure. 300b goodness into He6se V2.  No blown roof. Just precision strikes.


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## SlothRock (Jun 4, 2022)




----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 8, 2022)

I'm slow yes, I know and told you as such.... I said it takes me days to do a cable  and you lot didn't make it any easier adding challenges  j/k, but makes for more fun stories to share/tell.

Though I'm old 'n a lil broken/bent  it's done now so time to enjoy My pretty, My precious    . Need to give hands/fingers a rest for a bit anyways, I just get excited and gives me something to do/feel useful....

(info 4 any interested : 63 strand/s per single 18awg core x 8 = 504 strands silver plated copper Litz... Gold/Rhodium plated copper terminations 'n prolly my best work yet, that's as tight as they come from me giggle... Doubt I could top it anyways YMMV ) 

Chilling out trying the cable tonight... Have a great Day/Night where-ever you are.. Stay safe everyone, you and yours all


----------



## Shane D

I am now on my third piece of furniture for my headphone system. Last try was a TV stand as I thought that the length, along with my shelving would accommodate everything I own. And I was correct. However, what I didn't count on was that having a 41" table injects some ergonomic problems next to my lazy boy. You can't access the full length of the table while remaining seated. I thought about building a custom stand but was quickly dissuaded by two factors: I have no talent for building things and I am too poor to buy something really nice.

After browsing Amazon dozens of times, I settled on a cheapie solution with the right dimensions. The stand is nothing beautiful or high quality, but excels at functionality. Everything is easily within reach from my chair beside it.
Top is perfect height (24") for my laptop/mouse and the amps are easily reachable.


----------



## obzilla

Shane D said:


> After browsing Amazon dozens of times, I settled on a cheapie solution with the right dimensions. The stand is nothing beautiful or high quality, but excels at functionality. Everything is easily within reach from my chair beside it.
> Top is perfect height (24") for my laptop/mouse and the amps are easily reachable.



Nothing wrong with cheapo Amazon furniture. I went the same way. This one has a power strip built in that top compartment that the amp and dac sit in. That much less cable mess (though I still have plenty). I think my head-fi stand cost all of $65


----------



## Shane D

obzilla said:


> Nothing wrong with cheapo Amazon furniture. I went the same way. This one has a power strip built in that top compartment that the amp and dac sit in. That much less cable mess (though I still have plenty). I think my head-fi stand cost all of $65


Nice! Mine cost $83.00Cdn., so about $60.00US. Very functional.


----------



## TWerk




----------



## VanHai

Denon 5200 Modded  
DIY Open Alpha


----------



## Pharmaboy

Gavin C4 said:


>


This is confusing. I thought the A2 is a highway in the UK. Now this...


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> This is confusing. I thought the A2 is a highway in the UK. Now this...


…And ‘A-2’ is Standard & Poor’s rating on second tier commercial paper issued by financial / nonfinancial corporations…😉


----------



## obzilla

jonathan c said:


> …And ‘A-2’ is Standard & Poor’s rating on second tier commercial paper issued by financial / nonfinancial corporations…😉


It’s also a size of printing paper.  What a nightmare


----------



## Wes S




----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> @Terriero Appreciate it, dude! We're definitely seeing some improvement in her and the pain she frequently gets from eating is slowly decreasing, which has been a blessing for us all. Still in her little harness for her hip dysplasia, but on all hospital check ups the socket is on track for being set properly, but I'm longing the days to see the poor little thing out of the contraption - it's adjusted with velcro and rubs on her skin causing sore patches
> 
> As the man in my avatar put it best with the line, that until I became a parent could appreciate but not fully comprehend - you don't love your children, you fall in love with them. With everyday that passes of seeing her flourish into her own little personality I now truly understand the sentiment in that statement.
> 
> If (or should I say when) we decide to holiday in the canaries with her I'll make sure to drop you a line! It goes without saying that I'd bring the TH900 in tow so we could do some A/Bing of gear


That will be marvellous  And you will finally try the 9200s  Nowadays, I'm in some very sensitive moment, because I'm seeing little babies everywhere (even yours here ) and I'm putting "those eyes" to my wife to go for the third... (we have two children: 8 and almost 5 years old) and I think we are a little old for that... Maybe would be better to adopt a... new pair of headphones hahahaha


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 4, 2022)

Terriero said:


> That will be marvellous  And you will finally try the 9200s  Nowadays, I'm in some very sensitive moment, because I'm seeing little babies everywhere (even yours here ) and I'm putting "those eyes" to my wife to go for the third... (we have two children: 8 and almost 5 years old) and I think we are a little old for that... Maybe would be better to adopt a... new pair of headphones hahahaha


Foster Fostex?……🤣🤣🤣  [Our second (three total) when I was 47…]


----------



## dfreemansc

Silver Wolf said:


> I'm slow yes, I know and told you as such.... I said it takes me days to do a cable  and you lot didn't make it any easier adding challenges  j/k, but makes for more fun stories to share/tell.
> 
> Though I'm old 'n a lil broken/bent  it's done now so time to enjoy My pretty, My precious    . Need to give hands/fingers a rest for a bit anyways, I just get excited and gives me something to do/feel useful....
> 
> ...


Lovely cable!
Your t60’s are the spitting image of mine - they wouldn’t be aliexpress sheepskins by any chance? My favourite pads if they are - the only unperforated non-velour pad that softens sharp treble without destroying bass.
live just read back on your mods for this - one extra I did was to line the cups with thin felt - I didn’t find the need to add a front filter, even though I’m  quite treble sensitive.


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> That will be marvellous  And you will finally try the 9200s  Nowadays, I'm in some very sensitive moment, because I'm seeing little babies everywhere (even yours here ) and I'm putting "those eyes" to my wife to go for the third... (we have two children: 8 and almost 5 years old) and I think we are a little old for that... Maybe would be better to adopt a... new pair of headphones hahahaha


You're never too old.  Mine (only one) graduated from high school today (whew!).  I was 45 when we adopted him, and he doesn't seem too worse for the wear.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 4, 2022)

dfreemansc said:


> Lovely cable!
> Your t60’s are the spitting image of mine - they wouldn’t be aliexpress sheepskins by any chance? My favourite pads if they are - the only unperforated non-velour pad that softens sharp treble without destroying bass.
> live just read back on your mods for this - one extra I did was to line the cups with thin felt - I didn’t find the need to add a front filter, even though I’m  quite treble sensitive.


Thank you, I'm very happy with how it turned out. Very tight fit job, perfect though even the headphone jack only just fits nice. I'm yet to do any treatments inside the cups as yet, always something to do lol. I've got all sorts of customization plans for these babies later on, all new custom Kangaroo leather work and maybe pyography personal custom images/wording etc...

Different pads, I have so many but these lambskin ones fitted now are in fact part perforated ones... image to show


----------



## UntilThen

Kids are the only time I prefer current production over NOS.


----------



## Krutsch

Shane D said:


> I am now on my third piece of furniture for my headphone system. Last try was a TV stand as I thought that the length, along with my shelving would accommodate everything I own. And I was correct. However, what I didn't count on was that having a 41" table injects some ergonomic problems next to my lazy boy. You can't access the full length of the table while remaining seated. I thought about building a custom stand but was quickly dissuaded by two factors: I have no talent for building things and I am too poor to buy something really nice.
> 
> After browsing Amazon dozens of times, I settled on a cheapie solution with the right dimensions. The stand is nothing beautiful or high quality, but excels at functionality. Everything is easily within reach from my chair beside it.
> Top is perfect height (24") for my laptop/mouse and the amps are easily reachable.


I had the same problem, as I keep buying more gear (tape decks, sacd spinner, turn table, et al. ) I finally just bought a table from IKEA to hold it all. Your solution looks nice; mine looks like a customer service work bench.


----------



## UntilThen

When your setup requires racks, it's time to book yourself into rehab.


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> Kids are the only time I prefer current production over NOS.


I will trade your current production (as in fresh) steaks for my NOS steaks that have been... aging in the freezer


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Kids are the only time I prefer current production over NOS.


Adoption ===> rebranding ? 🤔


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 4, 2022)

Zachik said:


> I will trade your current production (as in fresh) steaks for my NOS steaks that have been... aging in the freezer


At least you can say that your NOS (filament mignon 🤦🏻👎) has been cryogenically treated 🥶😂🤣🤣.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> When your setup requires racks, it's time to book yourself into rehab.


When your setup _doesn't_ require racks, you're doing something wrong.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> When your setup _doesn't_ require racks, you're doing something wrong.



Alright Bill, what took you so long to share your system? That turntable looks serious. What is it? And I can't believe you're a vinyl guy.


----------



## John Massaria (Jun 4, 2022)

I mod all my headphones - all of em get improvement from modding/fine tuining except one- anyone care to guess which one?
Just a hand full of my current modded headphones


----------



## John Massaria

newworld666 said:


> Definitely my most versatile combo as desktop (with a proper DC input) and "on the way" system  .. I just get an incredibly airy headphone for a closed headphone and, of course, really deep and clear ultra low frequencies for a closed headphone !!!
> I love this combo.


audio slave you had me at


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


> Just a hand full of my current modded headphones


Big hands !! 🤣🤣


----------



## John Massaria

jonathan c said:


> Organised at last:  (Three others are at ‘Laurel Mountain audio den’.)


wish my headphones were there


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Alright Bill, what took you so long to share your system? That turntable looks serious. What is it? And I can't believe you're a vinyl guy.


That's my 2-channel setup, not my HP rig and I didn't want to derail this thread (like I do most others 😀).  And as much grief as I've given you over your turntable setup, you didn't think I was a vinyl guy?  🤣🤣 

It's a Nottingham Ace-Space with the Ace-Space arm, a later/improved version of the original Spacedeck.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> That's my 2-channel setup, not my HP rig and I didn't want to derail this thread (like I do most others 😀).  And as much grief as I've given you over your turntable setup, you didn't think I was a vinyl guy?  🤣🤣
> 
> It's a Nottingham Ace-Space with the Ace-Space arm, a later/improved version of the original Spacedeck.



Oh well for some of us, a turntable is right at home with our head-fi setup. I had mine next to Yggdrasil and Ragnarok.


----------



## ColdsnapBry (Jun 4, 2022)




----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Oh well for some of us, a turntable is right at home with our head-fi setup. I had mine next to Yggdrasil and Ragnarok.


When did you get the Rega?


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> When did you get the Rega?



After I got Yggy and Rggy and Euforia was still around. So that must have been 2017.

When I still had GOTL.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Alright Bill, what took you so long to share your system? That turntable looks serious. What is it? And I can't believe you're a vinyl guy.


…even his clothes are vinyl: Carolina blue, to boot!


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> …even his clothes are vinyl: Carolina blue, to boot!


That's my most favorite leisure suit.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> …even his clothes are vinyl: Carolina blue, to boot!



Ha ha ha ha !


----------



## pspentax

Not to much different from the other setup… preamplifier change and balanced cable for the HD800S.
This way the system is in balanced mode all the way and i can listen the HD800S at is best 🔥🔥🔥


----------



## CJG888

bcowen said:


> That's my 2-channel setup, not my HP rig and I didn't want to derail this thread (like I do most others 😀).  And as much grief as I've given you over your turntable setup, you didn't think I was a vinyl guy?  🤣🤣
> 
> It's a Nottingham Ace-Space with the Ace-Space arm, a later/improved version of the original Spacedeck.



Does it still come with that ultra-low torque motor, so that you have to yell "contact" and start it by hand, like firing up a Sopwith Camel?


----------



## bcowen

CJG888 said:


> Does it still come with that ultra-low torque motor, so that you have to yell "contact" and start it by hand, like firing up a Sopwith Camel?


Yup.  Well, the start by hand part anyway.  Yelling "contact" doesn't seem to do much.  

I've always been impressed with the bearing though. Take the belt off, spin the platter up by hand, and 10 minutes later it will still be spinning...


----------



## carboncopy

There are headphone and there ist the Raal system...


----------



## obzilla

carboncopy said:


> There are headphone and there ist the Raal system...


This is porn


----------



## Mr Trev

carboncopy said:


> There are headphone and there ist the Raal system...


Man, that's some epic wall art


----------



## Mr Trev

ColdsnapBry said:


>


You have/had a Hagerman Tuba didn't you? Wondering you find it compares with the SW51


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## asix

Lord Rexter said:


>


Look at that glow!!


----------



## jonathan c

Always a satisfying combination…


----------



## UntilThen

Jonathan what Grado is that?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Jonathan what Grado is that?


RS1X


----------



## whirlwind

At times I miss my old RS1.

It was not a vintage one, but called semi-vintage.  Not much bass, but fast and very transparent.

Now that I'm retired I am on the go more , so that is a great portable option as it is powered so easily.


----------



## alota

sorry. completely wrong post


----------



## jonathan c

In the midst of A-B comparison…


----------



## redlegs75




----------



## Davidzak64

jonathan c said:


> In the midst of A-B comparison…


What may that be?


----------



## UntilThen

Davidzak64 said:


> What may that be?



In the people of *left Foot*scray vs *right Foot*scray.


----------



## jonathan c

Davidzak64 said:


> What may that be?


Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference vs Quicksilver Audio.


----------



## Davidzak64

jonathan c said:


> Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference vs Quicksilver Audio.


What HP'S are you using for a/b?


----------



## jonathan c

Davidzak64 said:


> What HP'S are you using for a/b?


Kennerton Gjallarhorn JM Edition (original: in picture), Focal Clear OG, ZMF Atrium.


----------



## gefski

jonathan c said:


> In the midst of A-B comparison…


Well that’s fun!  I’ve got some Telam and Polam EL84s on the way for my QS…if they make it from Ukraine.


----------



## linshu1992

My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725

Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?


----------



## alekc

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?


@linshu1992 congrats on great setup, view and pictures. It is hard not to love Seattle  

As for dac, try Rockna WaveLigth. Here is interesting discussion: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rockna-wavelight.932400/page-62#post-16994685 

An upgrade from Hugo 2 is TT2 but I would still go with Rockna. Some other IMHO interesting dacs to explore are: Mola Mola, T+A and Weiss. If Mytek has flawless implementation of their new Roon core platform in Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan this could be an interesting single box solution.


----------



## linshu1992 (Jun 7, 2022)

alekc said:


> @linshu1992 congrats on great setup, view and pictures. It is hard not to love Seattle
> 
> As for dac, try Rockna WaveLigth. Here is interesting discussion: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rockna-wavelight.932400/page-62#post-16994685
> 
> An upgrade from Hugo 2 is TT2 but I would still go with Rockna. Some other IMHO interesting dacs to explore are: Mola Mola, T+A and Weiss. If Mytek has flawless implementation of their new Roon core platform in Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan this could be an interesting single box solution.


Thank you!! Seattle is a quite magical place!

I appreciate the recommendations. I will check them out. I tried Mytek Manhattan at CanJam last year with Blue Hawaii on Stax 009s, and remember the unlawful, seductive amount of sparkle it gives. Very, very interesting. I originally thought it was the way electrostatic headphones sound, but later I had a chance to just hear Stax 009s on same amp but a different dac, and it sounded way more "ordinary". I thought it was a very bold, very interesting attempt by Mytek. But at the same time it's so wildly different that I felt maybe something is off..


----------



## whirlwind

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?



Wow, what a view  

I would like to hear the Holo May.


----------



## waveSounds

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?



As someone that is usually adverse to living in the urban environment, that is still a view I can appreciate!

Received my altered cable today (shortened to 4ft and with a 3.5mm jack). Portable listening bliss ensues.


----------



## Terriero (Jun 7, 2022)

waveSounds said:


> As someone that is usually adverse to living in the urban environment, that is still a view I can appreciate!
> 
> Received my altered cable today (shortened to 4ft and with a 3.5mm jack). Portable listening bliss ensues.


Where is she? Don't post pics without her   ... 

Yesterday, my wife wanted to send me a Whatsapp message with a facebook link about a worldwide movement to regenerate the soil (I'm interested in that), but she failed with the link and the link redirected me to one about Cameron Diaz and her recent maternity at 47 years... When she arrived at home from work, I asked to her: what are you suggesting to me? hahahahaha

BTW, don't drink San Miguel, my friend, when using those marvellous headphones, they deserve something better


----------



## Pharmaboy

redlegs75 said:


>


nice table!


----------



## waveSounds

Terriero said:


> Where is she? Don't post pics without her   ...
> 
> Yesterday, my wife wanted to send me a Whatsapp message with a facebook link about a worldwide movement to regenerate the soil (I'm interested in that), but she failed with the link and the link redirected me to one about Cameron Diaz and her recent maternity at 47 years... When she arrived at home from work, I asked to her: what are you suggesting to me? hahahahaha
> 
> BTW, don't drink San Miguel, my friend, when using those marvellous headphones, they deserve something better



LOL! But San Miguel is my favourite beer 

Baby WaveSounds wasn't in an agreeable mood this eve, I'll make sure she features again in the next one.

So I guess it's confirmed then; the Terriero's will be trying for their next one! Wonder whether it'll be an open or a closed back...


----------



## jonathan c

waveSounds said:


> LOL! But San Miguel is my favourite beer
> 
> Baby WaveSounds wasn't in an agreeable mood this eve, I'll make sure she features again in the next one.


….Baby WaveofSounds….😭😭😩….


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 8, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> Nice.
> I have some beastly 16 guage speaker cables sitting around. Wanna try braiding them into a headphone cable


Nice? Just nice lol...giggle j/k....

OK Another challenge lol, you folks always like to up the ante on me don't you...your difficult to impress that's for sure giggle.......j/k.... You shouldn't encourage crazy people! 16 awg cable, I've already done in a x4 round braid unless your suggesting like a 16 awg x8 braid wooohooo  but now you got me thinking ...oh no smoke alarm will go off again sigh...lol.

In truth I was looking for an excuse 'n already had in my mind about trying to do something truly opulent and way over-kill well, just because lol. I like shiny pretty! That gear is all solid copper with x4 plated coatings finished in rhodium   

22m of 16awg (140 strand count per core x8  ) .... Wowza that looks like a lot of cable rofl....
Hahahaha, not sure that fat cable is going to fit into these terminations I had in mind but oh well.... it's cut up now 'n you know me   lol

edit: if it's too big for headphone use it'll make a nice tow rope for the car's trailer lmao!

You only live once lol


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Nice? Just nice lol...giggle j/k....
> 
> OK Another challenge lol, you folks always like to up the ante on me don't you...your difficult to impress that's for sure giggle.......j/k.... You shouldn't encourage crazy people! 16 awg cable, I've already done in a x4 round braid unless your suggesting like a 16 awg x8 braid wooohooo  but now you got me thinking ...oh no smoke alarm will go off again sigh...lol.
> 
> ...


----------



## UntilThen

To all the Grado fans out there, I understand your obsession now.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 9, 2022)

Silver Wolf said:


> Nice? Just nice lol...giggle j/k....
> 
> OK Another challenge lol, you folks always like to up the ante on me don't you...your difficult to impress that's for sure giggle.......j/k.... You shouldn't encourage crazy people! 16 awg cable, I've already done in a x4 round braid unless your suggesting like a 16 awg x8 braid wooohooo  but now you got me thinking ...oh no smoke alarm will go off again sigh...lol.
> 
> ...


Oh man I'm a lost cause, was having trouble getting cable to fit through holes 'n my fingers hurt so started drinking 'n I gave up am sorry, but hey not all is lost... Magic elves came to my rescue 'n finished the soldering work I was having difficulty with 'n space problems getting fat cables into tight spots...(try getting 2mm x 8 into a 10mm hole giggle)....






Must be time for sleep.... yawn... more booze please burp!

it dark here 'n sshhhh... quick little listen 'n bed... I rolled tubes also but forget what they are..update later giggle.

edit: xDuoo TA-30 rolled with Miniwatt 5UG/matched pair Miniwatt 12BH7A


----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> Oh man I'm a lost cause, was having trouble getting cable to fit through holes 'n my fingers hurt so started drinking 'n I gave up am sorry, but hey not all is lost... Magic elves came to my rescue 'n finished the soldering work I was having difficulty with 'n space problems getting fat cables into tight spots...(try getting 2mm x 8 into a 10mm hole giggle)....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


👍👍. Just don’t put the cables in the sockets and the tubes in the vice! 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> 👍👍. Just don’t put the cables in the sockets and the tubes in the vice! 🤣🤣🤣


srlsy, sockets and tubes *are the vice*


----------



## Mr Trev

Silver Wolf said:


> Oh man I'm a lost cause, was having trouble getting cable to fit through holes 'n my fingers hurt so started drinking 'n I gave up am sorry, but hey not all is lost... Magic elves came to my rescue 'n finished the soldering work I was having difficulty with 'n space problems getting fat cables into tight spots...(try getting 2mm x 8 into a 10mm hole giggle)....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?



Holy cow that's beautiful, change the computer for an iMac and id never leave the desk with a view like that...


----------



## linshu1992

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Holy cow that's beautiful, change the computer for an iMac and id never leave the desk with a view like that...


Thank you! The station is powered by a maxed out M1 Macbook Pro, though I don't own it (belongs to my employer). Quite snappy!


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> To all the Grado fans out there, I understand _our _obsession now.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021].


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021].



 

I went for a morning walk and pick up a Grado GH1, put it on my head and now I couldn't get it off. It's the headphone version of Jim Carrey's Mask.


----------



## jonathan c

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/for...e-you-listening-with-now.881631/post-17000295


----------



## Gavin C4 (Jun 10, 2022)

Battle of titans My attatchment to r2r or ring DAC technology over conventional ready made DAC chips.
The just sounded fuller and smoother but just as detailed.

Esoteric N-05XD and Holo May.
Modern streaming DACs provides a more compact solution. Did I mention the silver mental work and engraved Esoteric logo is at a historical artifacts level.

A compact streaming DAC with preamp function actually saved up a few extra box includes the streamer, DDC USB box, power bricks. Less things to worry about.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Holy cow that's beautiful, change the computer for an iMac and id never leave the desk with a view like that...



I was thinking along the lines of saying he should ditch the monitor and use a tablet! Nothing should get in the way of that view...


----------



## TheRH

Digging the iBasso DX320 and Fir Audio V x Vs!


----------



## Mr Trev

So, who's gonna be the first to add one of these to their station?
https://newatlas.com/home-entertainment/ikea-obegransad-turntable/


----------



## Ari Pereira

7XXX....


----------



## Reputator




----------



## Mr Trev

Reputator said:


>


Oooh, trippy bulbs.
Now somebody really need to make a vacuum tube with heaters in that shape


----------



## BobG55




----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> So, who's gonna be the first to add one of these to their station?
> https://newatlas.com/home-entertainment/ikea-obegransad-turntable/


OMG.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but to this eye _that_ is a poster child of butt ugly.  However, it has the vinyl covered particle board cabinet and the opportunity to assemble it with indecipherable instructions going for it.


----------



## alota

BobG55 said:


>


The best


----------



## TheRH

alota said:


> The best


Nice!


----------



## CJG888

Mr Trev said:


> So, who's gonna be the first to add one of these to their station?
> https://newatlas.com/home-entertainment/ikea-obegransad-turntable/


With USB-only power, this thing has the potential to completely redefine what are considered acceptable levels of wow and flutter! Presumably it’s a very low-torque belt drive system with a lightweight platter.

Frankly, we are talking 80s Amstrad levels of performance here (at best!)… I’m amazed it comes with a MM cartridge, rather than a ceramic!

It was a good idea (still is), and could have been done so much better. As it is, it looks like it’s going for the Crosley market.

I would have gone for a modern, minimalist design in the Dieter Rams idiom and dropped in a Chinese-made direct drive system… Something like one of the entry-level Audio-Technica decks in a nice package, with line level, headphone and Bluetooth outputs. It would have hit a different market segment, but I am convinced that the volume potential is there.


----------



## Harry_H

warming up


----------



## alota

Harry_H said:


> warming up


Beautiful


----------



## SenyorC

CJG888 said:


> Presumably it’s a very low-torque belt drive system with a lightweight platter.



Seeing that it is aimed at "music production", I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually direct drive.


----------



## obzilla

Harry_H said:


> warming up


Gorgeous


----------



## CJG888

SenyorC said:


> Seeing that it is aimed at "music production", I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually direct drive.


With 5V USB power?

Good luck with that!


----------



## Gavin C4

Meze Elite stepping up and performs pretty well, as long as you give some effort to choose some quality up front gear. Every single component matters and will affect the performance. 

Elite is actually quite dynamic and punchy, vocals are lush and emotional. Just a tiny tiny bit of sparkle up top.


----------



## obzilla

Gavin C4 said:


> Meze Elite stepping up and performs pretty well, as long as you give some effort to choose some quality up front gear. Every single component matters and will affect the performance.
> 
> Elite is actually quite dynamic and punchy, vocals are lush and emotional. Just a tiny tiny bit of sparkle up top.


Care to share any thoughts between the two Mytek boxes you got there? As far as a dac goes, got amplification covered for now.


----------



## BobG55 (Jun 11, 2022)

alota said:


> The best


They don’t make ‘em _like_ _that_ anymore. 😁


----------



## Pharmaboy

Reputator said:


>


baddass lights!


----------



## SalR406

Gavin C4 said:


> Meze Elite stepping up and performs pretty well, as long as you give some effort to choose some quality up front gear. Every single component matters and will affect the performance.
> 
> Elite is actually quite dynamic and punchy, vocals are lush and emotional. Just a tiny tiny bit of sparkle up top.


I've heard the Niimbus amp in a couple of show situations, but never owned one.  What do you think of the build quality, reliability, and usability?  How do you find it performing with the Susvara?


----------



## Mr Trev

CJG888 said:


> With USB-only power, this thing has the potential to completely redefine what are considered acceptable levels of wow and flutter! Presumably it’s a very low-torque belt drive system with a lightweight platter.
> 
> Frankly, we are talking 80s Amstrad levels of performance here (at best!)… I’m amazed it comes with a MM cartridge, rather than a ceramic!
> 
> ...


Good points, but could your design still be assembled at home with a single allen key


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Good points, but could your design still be assembled at home with a single allen key *and cause even moderately religious people to scream long strings of profanities during the assembly process? *


FTFY.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> baddass lights!


You were blinded by the lights and didn't notice the Meier!?


----------



## Gavin C4

SalR406 said:


> I've heard the Niimbus amp in a couple of show situations, but never owned one.  What do you think of the build quality, reliability, and usability?  How do you find it performing with the Susvara?



I have actually posted on the Niimbus thread, ther you go.

Impression of the Niimbus US 5 Pro and Ferrum Hypsos OOR. Impression is based on the paring with the Utopia and Susvara.


I will be solely focussing on the *sonic aspect* of the two amps.

The width of the *sound stage* with the US 5 Pro slightly ahead of the OOR. The stage with the US 5 Pro slightly sounded wider to the left and right. This characteristic also gives the upper hand to the US 5 Pro in terms of separation. Whereas for the depth of the stage, the OOR has a slightly upper hand, some instruments sounded further back at the stage. It may be due to tuning and the blacker background in the OOR, it sounded there are more contrast between black areas and color, this creates a deeper stage. The black background contributes to the presentation of the stage and positioning of instruments on the stage.

For both amps.  The size of all instruments and vocals are very well controlled with an accurate amount of space added between them, as if the resolution is enhanced slightly.



The *tuning and tonality* of the US 5 Pro is very neutral. I really agree with the sonical description that it is a reliable " tool " for music amplification. It does not have much sonical character or coloration to it. It is studio monitor quality neutral, it does not exaggerate your bass, does not add any additional emotion to the vocals, highs are extended and articulated as a *studio monitor reference* signature. It reveals exactly what is given to it from your upper front gear. It is extremely transparent to it point that it makes everything up front counts including your DAC, XLR analog cable, power cable and even your power source. It is a reliable Tool or a professional device for you to evaluate and compare your headphones and DAC. It is the most neutral and well balance amp that I have came across. Perfectly studio monitor neutral and reference quality in all aspects including tonality, details and staging.


The *tuning and tonality* of the Hypsos and OOR stack leans slight to the side of coloration for enjoyment. As most of us here have a general consensus that the tuning of the Hypsos and OOR leans *slightly warmth of neutral*. The higher frequency is also very detailed while being very well controlled in quantity to ensure no excessive hotness or brightness for particular headphones, while maintain the details it some how may masked off some unwanted artifacts in the remix. The tonality characteristic of the Hypsos OOR and tuned with one sole purpose in mind, is to create a musical amp that enables you to enjoy music at the top level of detail and transparency for an extended period of time without fatigue. The Hypsos OOR is not a neutral amp, it has a very slight tasteful coloration to it.

Though the two amps are placed at different price points. Both the US 5 Pro and Hypsos OOR are solid choices. If your preference leans towards the raw performance and wanted to reveal the original track as it is recorded as in the music mastering and production studio, the US 5 Pro is prefered. I would also give the upper hand to the build quality to the US 5 Pro. The amp is masive, heavy duty and the volume nob is like a tank. You are getting a Germany made level of craftsmanship and this tool will last literally more than half a centry.


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> You were blinded by the lights and didn't notice the Meier!?


That's exactly right. I missed that. 

At the last CanJam/NYC pre-pandemic, I spend an extremely interesting 15 minutes talking with the top guy/chief designer of Meier. He was explaining the engineering principles behind his TOTL amp. It was the size of this one in the picture but it might have had a different name. I know it had more controls. Fascinating fellow.


----------



## SalR406

Gavin C4 said:


> I have actually posted on the Niimbus thread, ther you go.
> 
> Impression of the Niimbus US 5 Pro and Ferrum Hypsos OOR. Impression is based on the paring with the Utopia and Susvara.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much for responding.  (I should have thought to check the Niimbus thread first!)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> That's exactly right. I missed that.
> 
> At the last CanJam/NYC pre-pandemic, I spend an extremely interesting 15 minutes talking with the top guy/chief designer of Meier. He was explaining the engineering principles behind his TOTL amp. It was the size of this one in the picture but it might have had a different name. I know it had more controls. Fascinating fellow.


This is the old one. There was something called "Country" but I'm not sure what happened to it. Jan is a great guy and makes great stuff.


----------



## Gavin C4

obzilla said:


> Care to share any thoughts between the two Mytek boxes you got there? As far as a dac goes, got amplification covered for now.



I bet you mean brooklyn bridge and liberty dac.

Based on functionality, if you are roon, tidal user, just get the bridge with roon capabilities and streaming function, its no brainer, saves you a lot of hassle on the extra streamer, usb ddc, lps power supply, fiber optics converter etc and tons of other boxes you name it.


Sound wise, I would say both DAC are heading towards a similar direction in terms of sound, both are very detailed. Myket house sound and neutral presentation. Of cuz the higher model has slightly better hardware overall and slight edge overall.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jun 13, 2022)

Yep, you guessed it rofl yet another SW cable lol, sorry everyone. But I'm on a roll, or rather working off the roll/s lol. Is my Head-Fi project for this winter member.....

Continuing on: 22awg pure copper litz (133 strand count) x8 (1064 rockinstrands) into dual x4........


----------



## cradams1020

Reputator said:


>


one of the best things in this picture is your old Boston Acoustic sound cube computer speakers!  Those things are amazing little speakers that used to come with older Gateway computers...still have my set and love them!  Really a sleeper set of speakers!


----------



## alekc

Gavin C4 said:


> I bet you mean brooklyn bridge and liberty dac.
> 
> Based on functionality, if you are roon, tidal user, just get the bridge with roon capabilities and streaming function, its no brainer, saves you a lot of hassle on the extra streamer, usb ddc, lps power supply, fiber optics converter etc and tons of other boxes you name it.
> 
> ...


@Gavin C4 may I ask for your impressions with Mytek Liberty THX AAA? Can you compare it with Niimbus since I think both are very clean and neutral.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> @Gavin C4 may I ask for your impressions with Mytek Liberty THX AAA? Can you compare it with Niimbus since I think both are very clean and neutral.


@alekc Don't do it, Buddy


----------



## alekc

gimmeheadroom said:


> @alekc Don't do it, Buddy


@gimmeheadroom than you for warning mate  I do it on purpose since I'm still in a quest for new head amp for my Rockna WaveLigth and it seems I have a very short amps list at the moment and Niimbus is on it. 

BTW I really like Mytek Liberty THX AAA pairing with Hugo TT2 for example. Despite its limitations and drawback it is not a bad amp but for Rockna I need something exceptional.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

alekc said:


> @gimmeheadroom than you for warning mate  I do it on purpose since I'm still in a quest for new head amp for my Rockna WaveLigth and it seems I have a very short amps list at the moment and Niimbus is on it.
> 
> BTW I really like Mytek Liberty THX AAA pairing with Hugo TT2 for example. Despite its limitations and drawback it is not a bad amp but for Rockna I need something exceptional.


Take a look at Audio-gd amps. They can drive pretty much anything and have much better build and connectivity than the Liberty.


----------



## Reputator

cradams1020 said:


> one of the best things in this picture is your old Boston Acoustic sound cube computer speakers!  Those things are amazing little speakers that used to come with older Gateway computers...still have my set and love them!  Really a sleeper set of speakers!



lol I'm surprised someone recognized them. I'm into retro computers so I keep them around, and yeah they're pretty good for their age/size!


----------



## obzilla

Gavin C4 said:


> I bet you mean brooklyn bridge and liberty dac.
> 
> Based on functionality, if you are roon, tidal user, just get the bridge with roon capabilities and streaming function, its no brainer, saves you a lot of hassle on the extra streamer, usb ddc, lps power supply, fiber optics converter etc and tons of other boxes you name it.
> 
> ...


correct. And yeah, extra features aside, was just curious if there was a meaningful sound difference between the two. Mytek is on a shortlist of DAC makers im looking at for an imminent upgrade. Not interested in streaming or amp features as I have that covered and don’t want to pay the premium for those features on an all in wonder box, unless the DAC is truly better.

appreciate your thoughts!


----------



## Krutsch

I have come full circle. Starting out with iTunes in 2001, I've probably used just about everything along the way: Napster, Rhapsody, JRiver, UPnP/DLNA servers (e.g. Twonky, MinimServer), Bluesound and Sonos (still use the hardware), ending up at Roon.
I've ditched everything except Apple Music. With Apple's lossless music caching on my MacBook and iPhone, along with Lossless Switcher for macOS, it's back to a USB cable into a DAC. The End.


----------



## Gavin C4

alekc said:


> @Gavin C4 may I ask for your impressions with Mytek Liberty THX AAA? Can you compare it with Niimbus since I think both are very clean and neutral.



 After reaching such high with your Rockna dac, I see no reason for you to move back down the ladder.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## dcguy73 (Jun 13, 2022)

I'm not the best photographer, but here's my twin towers of headphone power in my combination home office/man cave. I have a personal rule not to stack any equipment so long as I have shelves to hold it all. I use butcher block cutting boards extensively for isolation, so the people at IKEA probably think I have five different kitchens.


----------



## jonathan c

dcguy73 said:


> I'm not the best photographer and my subject is pretty tall, but here's my twin towers of headphone power:


Impressive!! At what distance is the listening chair / settee / sofa?


----------



## dcguy73 (Jun 12, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Impressive!! At what distance is the listening chair / settee / sofa?


My listening recliner is three feet away from the towers of power in my combination home office/man cave. I'd include it in the picture, but my office is a bit of a mess right now.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Jun 12, 2022)

The industrial color matching tone from the Ferrum and the Holo stack are heavenly matched pairing. Both shares the same color and comes in stacks.


----------



## obzilla

dcguy73 said:


> I'm not the best photographer, but here's my twin towers of headphone power in my combination home office/man cave. I have a personal rule not to stack any equipment so long as I have shelves to hold it all.


Jesus ****ing Christ


----------



## dcguy73 (Jun 12, 2022)

obzilla said:


> Jesus ****ing Christ




Huh, that's exactly what my spouse said...


----------



## Gavin C4

dcguy73 said:


> I'm not the best photographer, but here's my twin towers of headphone power in my combination home office/man cave. I have a personal rule not to stack any equipment so long as I have shelves to hold it all.


Oh that's the reason why I could not find any chopping board for my kitchen in ikea.... God dayum it


----------



## Pharmaboy

dcguy73 said:


> My listening recliner is three feet away from the towers of power in my combination home office/man cave. I'd include it in the picture, but my office is a bit of a mess right now.



Based on this impressive picture, I find that hard to believe...


----------



## obzilla

dcguy73 said:


> Huh, that's exactly what my spouse said...



meanwhile in bachelor land…


----------



## dcguy73

Pharmaboy said:


> Based on this impressive picture, I find that hard to believe...


A little OCD goes a long way!


----------



## jonathan c

Gavin C4 said:


> The industrial color matching tone from the Ferrum and the Holo stack are heavenly matched pairing. Both shares the same color and comes in stacks.


Does that mean you only play tunes by James Brown (_the self-proclaimed king of soul)?🤪_


----------



## dcguy73 (Jun 13, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Impressive!! At what distance is the listening chair / settee / sofa?


Only because you asked...my not-so-fancy listening recliner setup with aging audiophile (TM) lumbar support pillow.


----------



## DJJEZ




----------



## Zachik

DJJEZ said:


>


Nice entry level setup


----------



## pspentax

Building the Stax stack 🤣 in the Ikea shelf and maybe the Mojo will be the captain.


----------



## hifixman




----------



## gimmeheadroom

pspentax said:


> Building the Stax stack 🤣 in the Ikea shelf and maybe the Mojo will be the captain.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Does that mean you only play tunes by James Brown (_the self-proclaimed king of soul)?🤪_


I think you meant


----------



## judomaniak57

dcguy73 said:


> Only because you asked...my not-so-fancy listening recliner setup with aging audiophile (TM) lumbar support pillow.


old chairs rock


----------



## gimmeheadroom

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock


Old guys rock! Ask me how I know


----------



## dcguy73

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock


Your old chair looks much more overstuffed and comfy than mine...I’m jealous, though I don’t think yours would fit through my doorway.


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock


old chairs rock old asses


----------



## Lvivske

The mobile 'vintage' headphone stack is growing.  Still looking to add more metal and lights though, for fidelity


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> old chairs rock old asses


…and old asses listen to old rock…🎼👴…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> …and old asses listen to old rock…🎼👴…


Speak for ourselves why don'tcha


----------



## AnalogEuphoria (Jun 13, 2022)

Krutsch said:


> I have come full circle. Starting out with iTunes in 2001, I've probably used just about everything along the way: Napster, Rhapsody, JRiver, UPnP/DLNA servers (e.g. Twonky, MinimServer), Bluesound and Sonos (still use the hardware), ending up at Roon.
> I've ditched everything except Apple Music. With Apple's lossless music caching on my MacBook and iPhone, along with Lossless Switcher for macOS, it's back to a USB cable into a DAC. The End.


I've done the same, I kept having bugs in Audirvana and the price tag for Roon is silly. What app are you using to bypass the OS mixer?

(duh, found it)


----------



## Sp12er3

I guess you could say I have a bit of a box fetish 🙃 The IER easily competes with the big boys btw


----------



## whirlwind

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock



That is the same way I like to get lost in the music at night, in the dark, with a cocktail.

Nice set up.


----------



## whirlwind

dcguy73 said:


> Only because you asked...my not-so-fancy listening recliner setup with aging audiophile (TM) lumbar support pillow.



Nice. I am a believer that kicking back in an easy chair makes listening a so much better experience for me. It always sounds better.


----------



## bcowen

whirlwind said:


> Nice. I am a believer that kicking back in an easy chair makes listening a so much better experience for me. It always sounds better.


A comfy butt is a happy butt.


----------



## Sp12er3

Not sure why but I prefer to listen on my bed, I do have an easy chair near it tho. 
Bed usage is a tad harder with the Z1R just from the sheer size of its cups.


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 14, 2022)

bcowen said:


> A comfy butt is a happy butt.


And if the butt is 😊, the rest of you is 😊 (mission statement: butt-fi.org)


----------



## UntilThen

Surprise no one use this chair.


----------



## obzilla

UntilThen said:


> Surprise no one use this chair.


cant reach the amp.


----------



## willd3

UntilThen said:


> Surprise no one use this chair.


Probably get some bone conduction interference... 🤔😂


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Surprise no one use this chair.


That thing looks like it would eat you for dinner.  😵


----------



## TheMiddleSky

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock



Anyone can post their million dollar set up, I won't envy. However this couch photo really make me insecure...


----------



## Audi5000

Hi, my name's NOT Randy, grab a glass of water, and lets talk about not working on the job because I'm testing out headphones.
This post is sponsored by Old Republic Audio. F* the Sith.


----------



## UntilThen

Audi5000 said:


> Hi, my name's NOT Randy



My name's not UntilThen. That's my altered ego.


----------



## UntilThen

obzilla said:


> cant reach the amp.



Most headfiers here can afford a butler for that.


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> Most headfiers here can afford a butler for that.


So true.
BTW Cato (Fong) says hi!


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> So true.
> BTW Cato (Fong) says hi!



Many years ago, I listen to a setup consisting of Yggdrasil, Blue Hawaii SE and SR-009, SR-007 and the song was Pink Panther. It was fabulous.


----------



## Pharmaboy

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock


That chair is really calling to me. It's looks spectacularly comfortable. 

Is there a raisable leg-rest? If yes, and you hear noises in the middle of the night--it's me stealing your chair.

My college room mate had a funny bit about furniture comfort. I asked him once how comfortable an easy chair was in his parents' house. He said, "It's like sitting in a big, warm hand."

(messed up but memorable)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Is there a raisable leg-rest?



Keep your dogs out in the yard and you won't need to find out


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Keep your dogs out in the yard and you won't need to find out


In my house, _I'm _the dog...


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> In my house, _I'm _the dog...


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> In my house, _I'm _the dog...


Thank you, I understand your question better now, in-context


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Most headfiers here can afford a butler for that.


Or a caddy.


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> Most headfiers here can afford a butler for that.


or better yet pay @bcowen his $1.60 / hr rate


----------



## UntilThen

Zachik said:


> or better yet pay @bcowen his $1.60 / hr rate



There's no guarantee that he will plug your headphone jack into the right amp.


----------



## Chastity (Jun 14, 2022)

Zachik said:


> or better yet pay @bcowen his $1.60 / hr rate


The problem with using @bcowen for that is he'll roll your tubes when you aren't looking, and even swap your components from time to time.  "I FTFY."

In regards to chairs, I have a very super comfy La-Z-Boy desk chair that just molds to me and offers all-day lumbar support.


----------



## UntilThen

Chastity said:


> The problem with using @bcowen for that is he'll roll your tubes when you aren't looking, and even swap your components from time to time.  "I FTFY."



It's call blind test. To see if you can tell GE from GEC.


----------



## bcowen

Chastity said:


> The problem with using @bcowen for that is he'll roll your tubes when you aren't looking, and even swap your components from time to time.  "I FTFY."


Shhhhh!!!!   Why do you think I caddy for @UberTube (I mean @UntilThen )?  It's not for the pay.  😂


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Surprise no one use this chair.


Accommodate libations?


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## David222

judomaniak57 said:


> old chairs rock



Finally figured out what this chair reminds me of....a much more comfortable and improved version of the old baseball glove chair


----------



## jonathan c

Morning melodies before work…


----------



## whirlwind (Jun 15, 2022)

That baseball chair is cool as heck !

I roll with the Ekornes Stressless.

It has great synergy with an old man's back


----------



## thecrow

bcowen said:


> That thing looks like it would eat you for dinner.  😵


i feel that chair would feel even better if you sit facing into the chair before turning it on


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Morning melodies before work…



Interesting choice of morning music. This used to be my alarm clock song…


----------



## jonathan c

whirlwind said:


> That baseball chair is cool as heck !
> 
> I roll with the Ekornes Stressless.
> 
> It has great synergy with an old man's back


It must be tricky rolling tubes while being supine on the Ekornes….🤪


----------



## gianni60

New entry yesterday 
Boulder 812,here with Kalista Dreamplay One and Red Halo Fe


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Or a caddy.



Or a Caddyshack !


----------



## judomaniak57

that is one awesome looking cd player


gianni60 said:


> New entry yesterday
> Boulder 812,here with Kalista Dreamplay One and Red Halo Fe


----------



## waveSounds

Personally I don't go for CD players below $45k, so the Kalista at $43k just missed the cut. It does look cool, though.


----------



## Sebbai

Only the "heavy lifters" update for now... Headphone collection is the same


----------



## bcowen

waveSounds said:


> Personally I don't go for CD players below $45k, so the Kalista at $43k just missed the cut. It does look cool, though.


I'm glad to see someone else around here with standards.  😆


----------



## DisguisedPikachu

My little piece of heaven


----------



## obzilla

DisguisedPikachu said:


> My little piece of heaven


I wanna know what toys/statues/figurines are in the glass case.


----------



## DisguisedPikachu

obzilla said:


> I wanna know what toys/statues/figurines are in the glass case.


Anime statues and some korean pop collectibles


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Or a Caddyshack !


“Solid-state don’t get no respect. The sound is so ugly, your mama can retire.”


----------



## obzilla

DisguisedPikachu said:


> Anime statues and some korean pop collectibles


It’s almost exactly what I expected to find 👍


----------



## thecrow

waveSounds said:


> Personally I don't go for CD players below $45k, so the Kalista at $43k just missed the cut. It does look cool, though.





bcowen said:


> I'm glad to see someone else around here with standards.  😆



Yeah - me too. That’s why i decided to never date super models. It’s not easy but life has showed me sometimes you just have to make these calls


----------



## hifixman (Jun 15, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Morning melodies before work…


Very nice synergy!

I feel the air and ease of your amp must be a match made in heaven with the weight and density of mojo


----------



## hifixman

Gavin C4 said:


> Battle of titans My attatchment to r2r or ring DAC technology over conventional ready made DAC chips.
> The just sounded fuller and smoother but just as detailed.
> 
> Esoteric N-05XD and Holo May.
> ...


Deep comparison between Holo May with Esoteric will be enormously appreciated 👍 I sold my May KTE the same night I received it in that I found its image way too lacking and resolution not there, while it does have decent depth of stage. I'm on the fence of N05 XD/ N-01 XD


----------



## UntilThen

waveSounds said:


> Personally I don't go for CD players below $45k, so the Kalista at $43k just missed the cut. It does look cool, though.



Oh well you need my megabucks CD player then. It's bigger than Tidal's catalogue.


----------



## hifixman

mulveling said:


> Look at what I've done to the nice office (that I've taken over) at my girlfriend's home


Best Vintage dynamic and electrostatic cans!!!! Any sound impression,?


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> Oh well you need my megabucks CD player then. It's bigger than Tidal's catalogue.


I remember them. The only thing stopping me from getting one was it _only_ holds 300 discs


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> I remember them. The only thing stopping me from getting one was it _only_ holds 300 discs



You're forgetting that you can daisy chain 3 of them together and control it from the remote. That's 900 disc. That's bigger than Apple's catalogue.


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> You're forgetting that you can daisy chain 3 of them together and control it from the remote. That's 900 disc. That's bigger than Apple's catalogue.


Hmm. I wonder if they can be configured into some kinda auto-ripping station. My audio butler gets rather pissy when I make him rip more than 100 discs at a time


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> Hmm. I wonder if they can be configured into some kinda auto-ripping station. My audio butler gets rather pissy when I make him rip more than 100 discs at a time



Can't help you there. Hire Cato Fong to do the ripping.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> You're forgetting that you can daisy chain 3 of them together and control it from the remote. That's 900 disc. That's bigger than Apple's catalogue.


I wasn't aware Justin Bieber had done 900 albums, but I suppose you'll have room left for future releases?  🤔


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> I wasn't aware Justin Bieber had done 900 albums, but I suppose you'll have room left for future releases?  🤔



I can't help it if you keep sending me Justin who? All I want to hear is Mick Jagger sing 'As tears go by'.


----------



## bigbeans

Reconfigured my station, a little messy 😅


----------



## alota

UntilThen said:


> Oh well you need my megabucks CD player then. It's bigger than Tidal's catalogue.


I love this player


----------



## linshu1992

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?



Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.

I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.

It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..


----------



## linshu1992

bigbeans said:


> Reconfigured my station, a little messy 😅


Oh don't we all get messy.. I like how 80% of the mess are audio gears. You got your priorities straight!


----------



## Roasty

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



that looks so beautiful! great "simple" setup.. I sometimes wish I had just gone down this route rather than my spaghetti chain.


----------



## linshu1992

Roasty said:


> that looks so beautiful! great "simple" setup.. I sometimes wish I had just gone down this route rather than my spaghetti chain.


If I remember correctly, you have an entire room that's straight out of a hifi shop?? That's quite something to drool over! 

Also, comparing gears is a pretty exciting part of the hobby! As you can see I have both the Holo May and Hugo2 here in A/B tests..


----------



## alekc

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..


@linshu1992  Seattle is truly magical place and you just added to this magic, magical music experience - congrats mate! 

You guys often tell tourists that there is always rain in Seattle - I tend to disagree and your pictures are another proof that this is an old slogan trick to keep of tourists from this great city. This is the only place in US I could live.


----------



## alekc

Roasty said:


> that looks so beautiful! great "simple" setup.. I sometimes wish I had just gone down this route rather than my spaghetti chain.


@Roasty but then what would you do? Just/only listen to music?  Nah...  But you are right: I could live with only Rockna WaveLight and AuroraSound HEADA and maybe add some tube amp... and here is goes again.


----------



## waveSounds

Is there another can that comes remotely close to matching the splendor of the TH900's reflective urushi in the sun?


----------



## Gulipan

My study's setup:





iFi Audio ZEN Stream -> Ayre QB-9 DSD / Schiit Bifrost Multibit A2 -> Khozmo passive preamp (64 step relay based attenuator) -> Auralic Taurus MKII -> Audeze LCD3 pre-fazor

My living room's setup:





Auralic Aries Mini -> Sony TA-ZH1ES -> ZMF Verité Closed Monkeypod

I’ve yet to put together a Bottlehead Crack + Speedball kit that’s been sitting on a shelf for months. The idea is to use the TA-ZH1ES as a preamp. I’m curious about the Verité + tubes combination.


----------



## lumdicks

My cave.


----------



## voja

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..


I'll never get over how damn good your setup and view is! 

You posted your setup to The Headphones Communit as well, right? I'm positive I've seen your setup there.


----------



## linshu1992

voja said:


> I'll never get over how damn good your setup and view is!
> 
> You posted your setup to The Headphones Communit as well, right? I'm positive I've seen your setup there.


Thank you for the kind words! I posted in this thread a few times. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing other people’s setup and want to contribute a little


----------



## riverground

DisguisedPikachu said:


> My little piece of heaven


Very clean and loving the overall aesthetics!!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

whirlwind said:


> That baseball chair is cool as heck !
> 
> I roll with the Ekornes Stressless.
> 
> It has great synergy with an old man's back



I bet that corner gets a little toasty in the summer


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

gianni60 said:


> New entry yesterday
> Boulder 812,here with Kalista Dreamplay One and Red Halo Fe



Looks like its using parts from the Roswell crash


----------



## TheMiddleSky

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



Let me sign up to your woking place. I need office with that kind of view lol. Nice rig and screen btw!


----------



## Pharmaboy

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Looks like its using parts from the Roswell crash


I don't know why, but I'm laughing at this. 

I believe that TT has a flux capacitor. Beyond that, it's all speculation...


----------



## judomaniak57

surprised at how good the klipsch sound on tubes, and a new room view


----------



## obzilla




----------



## Gavin C4

Rearranged the placement of dCS Rossini and Soulnote A2 to make the rack more balanced with gradually change in the highlight of wooden acent bottom up. With the final piece of the puzzle completed by Susvara.


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> surprised at how good the klipsch sound on tubes, and a new room view


Great h/p/a! Like that external power supply! Oh, nice chair…..zzzzz😴


----------



## pspentax

Some evolution in the Stax stack 🔥😉


----------



## NYanakiev

Living room stack


----------



## gimmeheadroom

lumdicks said:


>



The lower right cabinet can double as a warming shelf. Play some tunes and keep some brisket at the right temperature


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DisguisedPikachu said:


> My little piece of heaven


That's a handsome monitor stand. All I've found is MDF or glass. What's yours made of?


----------



## DisguisedPikachu

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's a handsome monitor stand. All I've found is MDF or glass. What's yours made of?


Walnut wood, https://grovemade.com/product/wood-desk-shelf/?initial=342
These guys make amazing desk products, top notch quality


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DisguisedPikachu said:


> Walnut wood, https://grovemade.com/product/wood-desk-shelf/?initial=342
> These guys make amazing desk products, top notch quality


How did you get it to Belgium without being murdered with custom fees and duties?


----------



## UntilThen

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



Outstanding. With views to match the sound.


----------



## UntilThen

Mine on a Sunday morning.


----------



## Roasty

took a 2 week break and flew back home to visit family. simple Stellia and dx220 does the trick and is actually very enjoyable. added bonus is the isolation; drowns out noise from the kids when they're awake, and I can listen to my music when they're asleep. surprisingly, have managed to not get any staining/patina on the Stellia headband since getting them! and the Focal are just so comfortable to wear. really quite the whole package, especially for travel.


----------



## JoeDoe

UntilThen said:


> Mine on a Sunday morning.


Beautiful! I’d you decide to sell those GH1s, let a brother know!


----------



## UntilThen

JoeDoe said:


> Beautiful! I’d you decide to sell those GH1s, let a brother know!



How do you even know I have a GH1. I may have Susvara and intend to get Abyss 1266 TC later but this Grado will stay. It was with me yesterday on a road trip and it sound good out of iPhone.


----------



## obzilla

UntilThen said:


> How do you even know I have a GH1.


your signature would be my guess 😏


----------



## JoeDoe

obzilla said:


> your signature would be my guess 😏


Yep @UntilThen


----------



## UntilThen

obzilla said:


> your signature would be my guess 😏



Ah doh forget I put it there. Grado GH1 is right at home with Susvara and He1000se. After 3 weeks, I still can't believe how much enjoyment I get out of this can.


----------



## Thaddy

judomaniak57 said:


> surprised at how good the klipsch sound on tubes, and a new room view


Haven't seen an ASL MG-Head in a long time, and it looks brand new.  Are you the first owner?  Very cool.


----------



## JoeDoe (Jun 18, 2022)

Not gonna win an award for the pic, but the sound quality might!





Yggy LIM into Kenzie Encore Deluxe and Grado PS2000e. Stellar.


----------



## UntilThen

JoeDoe said:


> Yggy LIM into Kenzie Encore Deluxe and Grado PS2000e. Stellar.



Having heard the Kenzie Encore before, Grados will feel right at home. It will certainly be a stellar performance.


----------



## judomaniak57

Thaddy said:


> Haven't seen an ASL MG-Head in a long time, and it looks brand new.  Are you the first owner?  Very cool.


yeh original owner. pretty carefull with my equipment. only changed tubes once. not really a tube roller. changed the power tubes, liked the sound so i quit while it sounded good


----------



## shwnwllms (Jun 18, 2022)

Late night vibes


----------



## Giru

shwnwllms said:


> Late night vibes


Noice!😎


----------



## DisguisedPikachu

gimmeheadroom said:


> How did you get it to Belgium without being murdered with custom fees and duties?


I survived the murder, but yeah it gets really expensive.
https://oakywood.shop/ 
Their product has a little less finesse, but still really nice and within EU, so no import duties / unexpected tax


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DisguisedPikachu said:


> I survived the murder, but yeah it gets really expensive.
> https://oakywood.shop/
> Their product has a little less finesse, but still really nice and within EU, so no import duties / unexpected tax


Thanks a lot! Please post this in the Europe deals thread.


----------



## Gavin C4

Looking at my exotic DAC at a different angle.


----------



## TooFrank

voja said:


> I'll never get over how damn good your setup and view is!
> 
> You posted your setup to The Headphones Communit as well, right? I'm positive I've seen your setup there.


and the view….deep sigh….wonderful….


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## hifixman (Jun 21, 2022)

Dacs matching and shootout


----------



## EDWARIS




----------



## jasonb

Lately the AirPods Max (with a little EQ) and an iPhone 13Pro has been my listening station.


----------



## TheRH

Oh heck yeah! System two!


----------



## obzilla

TheRH said:


> Oh heck yeah! System two!



nice mechanical! I’m a ducky fan myself


----------



## Erwinatm

My Oasis


----------



## shampoosuicide

*Tidal on Mac > iFi ZEN DAC Signature > iFi ZEN CAN > Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm [ Balanced ]*

Running a Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm fully balanced out of the iFi ZEN stack.

Suffice to say, the ZEN CAN powers them with aplomb. Incredibly effortless sounding with plenty of headroom available. 

Other amps I’ve paired the DT 880 with include the Drop + THX AAA 789, Monolith Liquid Platinum, and Schiit Valhalla 2, and let's just say the ZEN CAN doesn't leave me wanting in the least.

As far as mid-fi open-backs go--Sennheiser HD 650, Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, Hifiman Edition XS, Massdrop x Focal Elex--the DT 880 600 ohm are easily my favourite by far and stand head and shoulders above the pack to my ears.


----------



## jonathan c

When the DT880 (600 ohm) is driven by Woo WA2 (OTL) with RFT EZ81, TS 5998, RFT ECC81 it is certainly _not _a ‘mid-fi’ headphone 😄😄😄.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> When the DT880 (600 ohm) is driven by Woo WA2 (OTL) with RFT EZ81, TS 5998, RFT ECC81 it is certainly _not _a ‘mid-fi’ headphone 😄😄😄.


It's made by Grado under contract.

You can tell by the non-detachable cable


----------



## jonathan c

That is why I had it modified by ‘jfunk.org’ (Custom Cans UK) to detachable cable: which is now Lavricables Grand Silver:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> That is why I had it modified by ‘jfunk.org’ (Custom Cans UK) to detachable cable: which is now Lavricables Grand Silver:


Touche! I should have known bettuh


----------



## TheRH (Jun 22, 2022)

obzilla said:


> nice mechanical! I’m a ducky fan myself


Thanks, it's a Razer Huntsman tkl (2021)


----------



## Pharmaboy

shampoosuicide said:


> *Tidal on Mac > iFi ZEN DAC Signature > iFi ZEN CAN > Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm [ Balanced ]*
> 
> Running a Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm fully balanced out of the iFi ZEN stack.
> 
> ...


"aplomb"

(!)


----------



## Derivative

Lounge listening station, complete with pirates:


----------



## llamaluv (Jun 22, 2022)

Change log since last time

In: Bricasti M3h​In: ZMF Atrium (not pictured)​In: Lots of Furutech DPS-4.1 power cables​Out: Bakoon AMP-13R​


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Why does the Bricasti show temperatures? What temperatures are those?


----------



## llamaluv

gimmeheadroom said:


> Why does the Bricasti show temperatures? What temperatures are those?


I think that's the internal temperature of the DAC. Maybe to give you reassurance as to when it's sufficiently warmed up? Truth be told, I haven't even looked at the manual yet. Kind of fun though, I think.

That's not the default info it displays though; I just happened to have that up on the panel at the time I took the picture.


----------



## UntilThen

Derivative said:


> Lounge listening station, complete with pirates:



I don't see Johnny Depp.


----------



## llamaluv

EDWARIS said:


>


Ooh, I'd love to hear more about that Egoista 2A3. Also, do you use the Solista for headphones as well, and if so, how do you like that one, too?


----------



## obzilla

got a new (Cheapo Amazon) component rack in. Not everything moved over and the cables are a mess, but a decided improvement over the improvised rack I’d been using.


----------



## lugnut

jonathan c said:


> That is why I had it modified by ‘jfunk.org’ (Custom Cans UK) to detachable cable: which is now Lavricables Grand Silver:


Only thing left now is a pair of J Money Beyer pads for that extra small % !


----------



## jonathan c

Extending the theme in post #33,346…when the Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 ohm) is driven by Woo WA6SE (Brimar CV1863 KB/FE, Sylvania 13DE7 pair), it is again certainly _not_ a ‘mid-fi’ headphone. The DT880/600 just needs a h/p/a capable of large voltage swings.


----------



## obzilla

jonathan c said:


> Extending the theme in post #33,346…when the Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 ohm) is driven by Woo WA6SE (Brimar CV1863 KB/FE, Sylvania 13DE7 pair), it is again certainly _not_ a ‘mid-fi’ headphone. The DT880/600 just needs a h/p/a capable of large voltage swings.



I’d love to hear my T1.2 600ohm out of it!


----------



## UntilThen

T1.2 needs a motherlode amp to drive it. Sound out of this world.


----------



## obzilla

UntilThen said:


> T1.2 needs a motherlode amp to drive it. Sound out of this world.


NICE!!!!!


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 22, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> T1.2 needs a motherlode amp to drive it. Sound out of this world.


Sansui = pinnacle of ‘golden age’ of solid-state integrated amps 🧎


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> I don't see Johnny Depp.


….out celebrating…🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> ….out celebrating…🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## MacMan31

UntilThen said:


> T1.2 needs a motherlode amp to drive it. Sound out of this world.



That is such a beautiful amp! Looks in pristine condition. I'd love to find one like that.


----------



## UntilThen

MacMan31 said:


> That is such a beautiful amp! Looks in pristine condition. I'd love to find one like that.



Yes unfortunately I sold the Sansui to replace it with a Kenwood. Which btw sounds just as gorgeous.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Yes unfortunately I sold the Sansui to replace it with a Kenwood. Which btw sounds just as gorgeous.


“I sold the Sansui to replace it with a Kenwood”. Is it me? Why does this have the cadence, the rhythm of a US country & western tears-in-the-beer lament? (Despite the happy outcome.)


----------



## obzilla

jonathan c said:


> “Why does this have the cadence, the rhythm of a US country & western tears-in-the-beer lament? (Despite the happy outcome.)


They’re really uplifting songs if you play them backwards. Everyone gets their stuff back.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> “I sold the Sansui to replace it with a Kenwood”. Is it me? Why does this have the cadence, the rhythm of a US country & western tears-in-the-beer lament? (Despite the happy outcome.)



Next I would want a Pioneer.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Next I would want a Pioneer.



Nahhh. Not enough buttons & switches...


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Nahhh. Not enough buttons & switches...



How about my Akai equaliser. It can even smile at you. If not for Bcowen I would still have this.


----------



## hifixman

llamaluv said:


> Change log since last time
> 
> In: Bricasti M3h​In: ZMF Atrium (not pictured)​In: Lots of Furutech DPS-4.1 power cables​Out: Bakoon AMP-13R​


It seems as DCS and Cayin Tube Amp a great match as I have seen many systems with this combination


----------



## TheRH

What is the break-in time for a pair of LCD-X headphones?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> I don't see Johnny Depp.


That's not what Amber Heard...


----------



## kibot (Jun 23, 2022)

Hi guys, thats my main one (more pics in profile)


----------



## Erwinatm

Pharmaboy said:


> Nahhh. Not enough buttons & switches...





Is this enough? 😉


----------



## Derivative

UntilThen said:


> I don't see Johnny Depp.


He's passed out in the bar!


----------



## EDWARIS (Jun 23, 2022)

llamaluv said:


> Ooh, I'd love to hear more about that Egoista 2A3. Also, do you use the Solista for headphones as well, and if so, how do you like that one, too?


Egoista 2A3 is the best headphone amp which I or a dozen of my fellow audiophiles which visited me have ever listened. It is absolutely common opinion from anybody here who listened it. It is definitely one of the best in the world. But I am thinking to upgrade it to Egoista 845, it probably would be end game and the best headphone amp you can find for any money)

My Solista Mk III was used by some guys to listen hard driving headphones - Susvara and 1266 - and they wrote very good reviews on Russian-speaking audio forums about this experience. I don't have headphones which require more power than Egoista 2A3 can give and never used it for headphones on my own (only one time with borrowed Susvara) - so I would prefer first get Egoista 845 and only then buy Susvara, LCD-4 or 1266. I think Egoista 845 and Susvara would be a dream combination, better than Solista Mk III - which was also worked fine with Susvara.

Actually this Sunday I am waiting 6-7 head-fi audiophiles from Moscow who bring a lot of headphones and sources with them and who also want to listen Solista Mk III with some of their stuff.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> How about my Akai equaliser. It can even smile at you. If not for Bcowen I would still have this.


bee-YOU-tee-full

This brings back funny memories of these 1/3 octave equalizers that were built to a low price-point and sold in electronics stores. People went crazy for them but never knew quite what to do with them.

Early in my audio journey I borrowed one and tried to use it in my then-system. I wasted hours changing the sound in 1000 ways. Only when I took it out of the system did it sound 1/2-way decent again.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Erwinatm said:


> Is this enough? 😉


UNCLE!

(that's a true audio heirloom!)


----------



## jonathan c

Erwinatm said:


> Is this enough? 😉


Get out the Maxell chromium UD cassettes!


----------



## BlakeT (Jun 23, 2022)

EDWARIS said:


> Egoista 2A3 is the best headphone amp which I or a dozen of my fellow audiophiles which visited me have ever listened. It is absolutely common opinion from anybody here who listened it. It is definitely one of the best in the world. But I am thinking to upgrade it to Egoista 845, it probably would be end game and the best headphone amp you can find for any money)
> 
> My Solista Mk III was used by some guys to listen hard driving headphones - Susvara and 1266 - and they wrote very good reviews on Russian-speaking audio forums about this experience. I don't have headphones which require more power than Egoista 2A3 can give and never used it for headphones on my own (only one time with borrowed Susvara) - so I would prefer first get Egoista 845 and only then buy Susvara, LCD-4 or 1266. I think Egoista 845 and Susvara would be a dream combination, better than Solista Mk III - which was also worked fine with Susvara.
> 
> Actually this Sunday I am waiting 6-7 head-fi audiophiles from Moscow who bring a lot of headphones and sources with them and who also want to listen Solista Mk III with some of their stuff.



Nice to see another Egoista 2A3 owner!

I purchased my Egoista 2A3 from my Viva dealer last week and I've been listening non-stop ever since.  It is amazing- mind blowing, and it certainly has end game status for me.

With respect to Egoista 845 vs. Egoista 2A3, two different Viva dealers here in the USA told me they personally preferred and strongly recommended the 2A3 version over the 845 version, even though 845 is just a little bit more expensive.  Also a very well-regarded enthusiast Roy ("romaz") lived with both 845 and 2A3 over weeks at the same time and he bought the 2A3.  Roy is at the bleeding edge of audio (Taiko Extreme, etc.).  His Egoista comparison review is on this site.

I am so floored by the Egoista, I just bought a Viva Linea preamp for my speaker system, arriving next week.


----------



## BlakeT (Jun 23, 2022)




----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Get out the Maxell chromium UD cassettes!



Metal! It's not just for breakfast anymore...


----------



## EDWARIS

BlakeT said:


>


haha - it can't be real! I had absolutely the same system some time ago! I also had Superkomputer + GG2 + Egoista 2A3 + as well as you I had PP12 and 4z and 1000se. Do you steal my old system?


----------



## BlakeT

EDWARIS said:


> haha - it can't be real! I had absolutely the same system some time ago! I also had Superkomputer + GG2 + Egoista 2A3 + as well as you I had PP12 and 4z and 1000se. Do you steal my old system?




That is crazy! 

In that case, just tell me what I'm buying next.  That will save me time reading and researching new stuff.


----------



## Erwinatm

jonathan c said:


> Get out the Maxell chromium UD cassettes!


Hahaha...left over from glorious 80s. It is stored in my "museum" now.


----------



## Erwinatm

Pharmaboy said:


> UNCLE!
> 
> (that's a true audio heirloom!)


Yes true..it had its time.

Still , it is 1 of most hunted audio eq in Japan.


----------



## hifixman

Best synergy so far between Mojo Mystique Dac & Woo Wa22


----------



## EDWARIS

BlakeT said:


> That is crazy!
> 
> In that case, just tell me what I'm buying next.  That will save me time reading and researching new stuff.


I think it would be Antipodes K50) really great thing)


----------



## EDWARIS

EDWARIS said:


>


my old picture from this thread)


----------



## waveSounds

I keep disappointing my bud @Terriero by posting snaps of audio gear sans baby waveSounds, so here she is joining me for a Friday morning listening (sleeping) session.


----------



## alota

waveSounds said:


> I keep disappointing my bud @Terriero by posting snaps of audio gear sans baby waveSounds, so here she is joining me for a Friday morning listening (sleeping) session.


so cute. enjoy this time because passes quickly. my daughter this year goes to university.......


----------



## xtiva (Jun 24, 2022)

Post of new headphone stands from Etsy. The previous stand was a tad too short.


----------



## rush1 (Jun 24, 2022)

My listening booth 😊


----------



## holytiger

EDWARIS said:


> my old picture from this thread) what chair is that?! looks very comfy


----------



## EDWARIS

Ergohuman, deutche company which make great chairs for work.


----------



## jonathan c (Jun 24, 2022)

This is a “you _are_ there” 🎼🎵 combination!  

[HD6XX: CNC backweight mod, foam mod / removal; WA3: Tung Sol 5998, Brimar CV455 (KB/FB 1956)]


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> I keep disappointing my bud @Terriero by posting snaps of audio gear sans baby waveSounds, so here she is joining me for a Friday morning listening (sleeping) session.


1 - Fantastic Dad/Baby pix!
2 - Love the furry bathrobe!


----------



## SlothRock

Here’s my latest! What other headphones do I need?


----------



## UntilThen

Nice but you need Susvara.


----------



## SlothRock

UntilThen said:


> Nice but you need Susvara.


Oh lawd please don’t put that evil on my wallet 😂


----------



## Ciggavelli

UntilThen said:


> Nice but you need Susvara.


And the Abyss AB 1266 TC


----------



## UntilThen

Ciggavelli said:


> And the Abyss AB 1266 TC



Now you're being evil. My Susvara is one week old or new.


----------



## Gavin C4

SlothRock said:


> Here’s my latest! What other headphones do I need?


When you have the Ferrum OOR stack, how do you make the most of out its power? Get the Susvara


----------



## Mr Trev (Jun 24, 2022)

SlothRock said:


> Here’s my latest! What other headphones do I need?


I'd suggest these





The guy looks happy enough with 'em

<edit> I just noticed… maybe he's the inspiration for my avatar


----------



## pbui44

Derivative said:


> Lounge listening station, complete with pirates:



I wanted to do something like this, but with a Lego Apocalypseburg set that was released in 2019...but then the global pandemic happened and now that set is on Amazon for $749.99 new and similar at a similar price and condition on eBay:

https://www.amazon.com/Lego-70840-Movie-Welcome-Apocalypseburg/dp/B07JNFXJJ2


----------



## UntilThen

I did this years ago but that is not in keeping with my sobriety. So I packed it away.


----------



## UntilThen

And replace it with this !


----------



## SlothRock (Jun 24, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> I'd suggest these
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How come I didn’t think of this before?! BRB while I rip my speakers out of my car and put them on my head 😂


----------



## UntilThen

SlothRock said:


> I support this sobriety!! I match it with the Whistlepig 10 year I’m currently sipping on



Oh I'm not opening the Samurai whisky. Hasn't been opened since I bought it in 2010 in Tokyo.


----------



## SlothRock (Jun 24, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> Oh I'm not opening the Samurai whisky. Hasn't been opened since I bought it in 2010 in Tokyo.


Ahh OK  - thought it mighta been tongue in cheek at first. Cheers to that streak - very impressive!


----------



## LoryWiv (Jun 25, 2022)

SlothRock said:


> Here’s my latest! What other headphones do I need?


Oh man, Ferrum OOR + Hypsos, Feliks Euforia 20th AE. I will soon be upgrading my Feliks-Audio Elise to the AE and heard / was impressed with the Ferrum gear at CanJam Chicago last week. San Franciscans have great taste in audio gear (I work in the city and live in the North Bay across the GG Bridge).


----------



## SlothRock

LoryWiv said:


> Oh man, Ferrum OOR + Hypsos, Feliks Euforia 20th AE. I will soon be upgrading my Feliks-Audio Elise to the AE and heard / was impressed with the Ferrum gear at CanJam Chicago last week. San Franciscans have great taste in audio gear (I work in the city and live in the North Bay across the GG Bridge).



Thank you much! I love the North Bay! I'm actually over in the East Bay, but no one else knows the Bay Area unless you live here so I just put San Francisco lol. Jealous you were able to get to CanJam! Really wanted to make my way out after looking at that thread. Maybe next year....or maybe they will even add a San Francisco show . There's not enough HiFi going on over here - we need to amp it up!


----------



## UntilThen

I work in the South Bay. Not far from where you are. Just keep looking south.


----------



## SlothRock

Haha we just need someone on the Peninsula to chime in now and we're having a true Bay Area party


----------



## LoryWiv

SlothRock said:


> Haha we just need someone on the Peninsula to chime in now and we're having a true Bay Area party


I think @UntilThen was heaving a little fun with us...his South Bay is on another continent "down under".


----------



## LoryWiv

SlothRock said:


> Thank you much! I love the North Bay! I'm actually over in the East Bay, but no one else knows the Bay Area unless you live here so I just put San Francisco lol. Jealous you were able to get to CanJam! Really wanted to make my way out after looking at that thread. Maybe next year....or maybe they will even add a San Francisco show . There's not enough HiFi going on over here - we need to amp it up!


Yes, we need to amp it up and keep current.  Next: *CanJam SoCal*, baby!


----------



## SlothRock

LoryWiv said:


> I think @UntilThen was heaving a little fun with us...his South Bay is on another continent "down under".


----------



## Derivative

pbui44 said:


> I wanted to do something like this, but with a Lego Apocalypseburg set that was released in 2019...but then the global pandemic happened and now that set is on Amazon for $749.99 new and similar at a similar price and condition on eBay:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Lego-70840-Movie-Welcome-Apocalypseburg/dp/B07JNFXJJ2


I hadn't seen that set before, looks great! but yeah, $750 is eye watering...


----------



## betula (Jun 25, 2022)

My pile of toys for this afternoon:





Edit: Just realised what an international gathering this is; the best of Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany and Romania on one picture...


----------



## judomaniak57

How that elite with the bryston? Thinking of the elite for myself someday


betula said:


> My pile of toys for this afternoon:


----------



## betula

judomaniak57 said:


> How that elite with the bryston? Thinking of the elite for myself someday


The BHA-1 is still the best SS amp I heard in 2022. The resolution, clarity, speed, dynamics and impact are simply next level compared to any other SS amp I tried. These are the exact qualities I thought I could improve on the already fantastic Elites when I listened to them on lesser amplifiers. So yes, from a technical standpoint it really is a very impressive match which I enjoy a lot at the moment. The bass tightness and impact the BHA-1 produces with the Elite is dreamlike.


----------



## hifixman

totl dacs shootout with my amp


----------



## alota

hifixman said:


> totl dacs shootout with my amp


I'm curious about aries amplifiers. They have a solid reputation. I have no money to buy one


----------



## betula

hifixman said:


> totl dacs shootout with my amp


Impressive... Only four of those boxes are worth well over $100.000 and I didn't even count the rest. 
Enjoy my man!


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


> I keep disappointing my bud @Terriero by posting snaps of audio gear sans baby waveSounds, so here she is joining me for a Friday morning listening (sleeping) session.


Thank you very much... Next will be my turn


----------



## Gavin C4

Silver and black, it back to serioud work type of atmosphere for studio records.


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> How do you even know I have a GH1. I may have Susvara and intend to get Abyss 1266 TC later but this Grado will stay. It was with me yesterday on a road trip and it sound good out of iPhone.



Grado's have to be the easiest to drive headphones that I have ever owned...makes them great for on the go.
They are better amped, but it is nice to have something easy to drive for portable use.


----------



## hifixman

Just managed to squeeze four desktop systems in one audio rack, waiting for T2 to arrive to take the place of BHSE ( well there will be a battle for survival, considering how much I maximized the potentials of BHSE )


----------



## carboncopy

hifixman said:


> totl dacs shootout with my amp


Kassandra against what? I have the lowly Heléne and it is wonderful enough for me to stop looking for another DAC.


----------



## BlakeT




----------



## BlakeT

^^^ uhhh, so about last night.....


----------



## hifixman

BlakeT said:


>


So jealous always want to hear Viva headphone amps but only owned Viva preamp and hate it lol


----------



## gimmeheadroom

BlakeT said:


>


----------



## TheRH

How does the Audeze-X (2021) compare to the DCA Noire?


----------



## Gavin C4

The dCS Rossini DAC went off to get the Apex Board upgrade. So I am left of L&P P6 Pro as source. Although it might not sound as real as the dCS Rossini and does not has the signature of high-end tuning. It still performs decently well with Susvara, at least during the wait for my Apex Upgrade.


----------



## eskamobob1

Gavin C4 said:


> The dCS Rossini DAC went off to get the Apex Board upgrade. So I am left of L&P P6 Pro as source. Although it might not sound as real as the dCS Rossini and does not has the signature of high-end tuning. It still performs decently well with Susvara, at least during the wait for my Apex Upgrade.



I'm running P6 Pro -> aic-10 currently and it's pretyy shockingly competent as a dac given it fits in a pocket


----------



## vmiguel

on the road again 😁


----------



## morserotonin

tameral said:


> Nothing Summit-Fi but gives me different flavors and gets the job done.
> 
> LCD-X 2021, HD8XX, Atticus --> Bifrost 2, Jotunheim 2
> HD-6xx - Bifrost 2, Darkvoice SE
> ...


This set up is actually awesome!


----------



## lumdicks

Sold my Chord M-Scaler and TT2 to down scale my system. But felt that the stack is a bit empty so getting HiFi Rose RS250 as alternative network streamer and oh my goddness! This little device not only looks gorgeous but also sounds amazingly well with better dynamics and more holographic soundstage compared to my Lumin U1 Mini with S-Booster.


----------



## Mansinthe86

Hifi Rose has some nice stuff. Isn't that one able to show VU meters?

(Just a bit expensive )


----------



## nagi8404

Gavin C4 said:


> The dCS Rossini DAC went off to get the Apex Board upgrade. So I am left of L&P P6 Pro as source. Although it might not sound as real as the dCS Rossini and does not has the signature of high-end tuning. It still performs decently well with Susvara, at least during the wait for my Apex Upgrade.


Wow a rare SoulNote user, you must love Japanese audio products so much!
I recall you having the P-750u, any differences that you can tell us?


----------



## judomaniak57

lumdicks said:


> Sold my Chord M-Scaler and TT2 to down scale my system. But felt that the stack is a bit empty so getting HiFi Rose RS250 as alternative network streamer and oh my goddness! This little device not only looks gorgeous but also sounds amazingly well with better dynamics and more holographic soundstage compared to my Lumin U1 Mini with S-Booster.


are you sure it wasn't the chord equipment holding you back and not the lumin


----------



## Gavin C4

nagi8404 said:


> Wow a rare SoulNote user, you must love Japanese audio products so much!
> I recall you having the P-750u, any differences that you can tell us?



Both are very very different. The P-750u goes for a golden atmosphere, almost like a tube presentation with lots of weight and very dense notes.

The SoulNote A2 goes for a fast and transparent with a very quick bass punch and slam and little coloration overall.


----------



## Gavin C4

lumdicks said:


> Sold my Chord M-Scaler and TT2 to down scale my system. But felt that the stack is a bit empty so getting HiFi Rose RS250 as alternative network streamer and oh my goddness! This little device not only looks gorgeous but also sounds amazingly well with better dynamics and more holographic soundstage compared to my Lumin U1 Mini with S-Booster.


Wow there are lots of devices on the rack. I can literally build 3 full setup from all your gears on the shelf. I think you should start to scale down your main setup and maybe move some of the gear to a secondary setup on a different location since you have 2 streamers, all you need is an internet connection.


----------



## hifixman

Gavin C4 said:


> Both are very very different. The P-750u goes for a golden atmosphere, almost like a tube presentation with lots of weight and very dense notes.
> 
> The SoulNote A2 goes for a fast and transparent with a very quick bass punch and slam and little coloration overall.


I always want to try soulnote especially after listening to the soulnote system from a Japanese YouTube video which sounds soooooo good


----------



## Gavin C4

hifixman said:


> I always want to try soulnote especially after listening to the soulnote system from a Japanese YouTube video which sounds soooooo good




Japanese Yen hits historical lows.  Soulnote and Esoteric totl devices literally cost a fraction of other Swiss or UK based brands.


----------



## obzilla

Little decorating today.


----------



## nagi8404

Gavin C4 said:


> Japanese Yen hits historical lows.  Soulnote and Esoteric totl devices literally cost a fraction of other Swiss or UK based brands.


Unfortunately for me my savings are all in Yen... I was planning to buy 1266 but now that Yen sunk to historical low, that dream is flying away


----------



## Wes S (Jun 29, 2022)

Current State - Removed my old interconnects, swapped in some new ones, and could not be happier.  These Audio Envy Studio Prestige RCA's are freaking legit, and took my system to another level.  The transparency, detail, texture, holographic staging and timbre all improved to a level I did not know was possible.  It never ceases to amaze me how much cables can influence the sound.


----------



## Sp12er3

hifixman said:


> Best Vintage dynamic and electrostatic cans!!!! Any sound impression,?


I think both of those are ES-Lab replicas, ES-1A and ES-R10, not really a vintage in matter of their age, but should express music like from days gone by regardless.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Current State - Removed my old interconnects, swapped in some new ones, and could not be happier.  These Audio Envy Studio Prestige RCA's are freaking legit, and took my system to another level.  The transparency, detail, texture, holographic staging and timbre all improved to a level I did not know was possible.  It never ceases to amaze me how much cables can influence the sound.


What are the new interconnects? Are the blue ones I see behind the amp?


----------



## Reputator

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



Beautiful. I'm getting serene vibes just reading that.


----------



## Wes S

.


Pharmaboy said:


> What are the new interconnects? Are the blue ones I see behind the amp?


Yes sir, the blue ones, and they are some serious sleepers.  Audio Envy seems to fly under the radar, and I can confirm their wire is legit.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jun 29, 2022)

Extra long July 4th weekend starts now!


----------



## RingingEars

> Extra long July 4th weekend starts now!


Not with and almost empty bottle of scotch. Looks like you need to make a run


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Current State - Removed my old interconnects, swapped in some new ones, and could not be happier.  These Audio Envy Studio Prestige RCA's are freaking legit, and took my system to another level.  The transparency, detail, texture, holographic staging and timbre all improved to a level I did not know was possible.  It never ceases to amaze me how much cables can influence the sound.


•  @Wes S , after a conversation with @billerb1 and with Captain Payne at Audio Envy, I went full scale AE: power cords, digital interconnect, analogue interconnects.
•  Captain Payne is a brilliant fellow AND has the wherewithal to explain concepts without following _every _‘tributary’.
•  Your comments above are 🎯 !!!
•  AE cables are _very reasonably _priced. In my audio experience, AE is THE cable price / performance ‘sweet spot’. 😀


----------



## billerb1

jonathan c said:


> •  @Wes S , after a conversation with @billerb1 and with Captain Payne at Audio Envy, I went full scale AE: power cords, digital interconnect, analogue interconnects.
> •  Captain Payne is a brilliant fellow AND has the wherewithal to explain concepts without following _every _‘tributary’.
> •  Your comments above are 🎯 !!!
> •  AE cables are _very reasonably _priced. In my audio experience, AE is THE cable price / performance ‘sweet spot’. 😀


You know Audio Envy DOES make a headphone cable, albeit with a somewhat funky color scheme.  You gotta go full flotilla my friend !!!


----------



## kingoftown1

Interesting looking cables.  Looks like they're using AECO connectors, which are pretty awesome.  AECO + OCC copper would definitely lead to the attributes you're describing.


----------



## DatClampTho

Out of the crisis zone and into the chill zone


----------



## jonathan c

DatClampTho said:


> Out of the crisis zone and into the chill zone


…and with a refill, the twilight zone…🤪😏…


----------



## Mr Trev

Strat1117 said:


> Extra long July 4th weekend starts now!


Scotch? On American independence day?





Sorry, got an early start on the beer for July 1

Anyways… here's my contribution to the big cable, Grado love


 
Whats new? Dekoni Jersey earpads (and the A55). How's it sound? Overdamped TBH, but at least they're starting to look like something I wouldn't be embarrassed to wear outside of my listening hovel


----------



## Strat1117

Mr Trev said:


> Scotch? On American independence day?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Actually, July 1 is Canada day - should have put up a bottle of rye! 🤭


----------



## paulrbarnard




----------



## Wes S

DatClampTho said:


> Out of the crisis zone and into the chill zone


Awesome pic!


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> Actually, July 1 is Canada day - should have put up a bottle of rye! 🤭


Canadian Club with Canada Dry ginger ale…😂


----------



## Strat1117 (Jun 30, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Canadian Club with Canada Dry ginger ale…😂


Lol!  Although I’m more of a Whistle Pig man these days….


----------



## Mr Trev

Strat1117 said:


> Actually, July 1 is Canada day - should have put up a bottle of rye! 🤭


No worries, the rye is coming🥳


----------



## waveSounds

lumdicks said:


> Sold my Chord M-Scaler and TT2 to down scale my system. But felt that the stack is a bit empty so getting HiFi Rose RS250 as alternative network streamer and oh my goddness! This little device not only looks gorgeous but also sounds amazingly well with better dynamics and more holographic soundstage compared to my Lumin U1 Mini with S-Booster.



Nice to see someone else with a Rose! Put one in my father's system last July and made a post about how great it was back then. Still appreciate it every time I go around there!


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> No worries, the rye is coming🥳


Beware of the catcher in the rye…😏…


----------



## Shane D

Nova Scotia rum for Canada Day.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> Nova Scotia rum for Canada Day.


I'm thinking you like hot toddys?


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> I'm thinking you like hot toddys?


I am a rum and coke guy. Actually, a coke guy every night, but very occasionally I drop in some rum.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Shane D said:


> I am a rum and coke guy. Actually, a coke guy every night, but very occasionally I drop in some rum.


I meant "stacking" that bottle on your ican. I mean, that's a statement on so many levels


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> I meant "stacking" that bottle on your ican. I mean, that's a statement on so many levels


Both are VERY smooth!


----------



## Shane D

gimmeheadroom said:


> I meant "stacking" that bottle on your ican. I mean, that's a statement on so many levels


I just got what you meant! Doh!!
The amp is not on. I am using the Violectric right now.


----------



## bcowen

Shane D said:


> Nova Scotia rum for Canada Day.


Isn't that kinda like salsa made in New York City?  🤣


----------



## Shane D

bcowen said:


> Isn't that kinda like salsa made in New York City?  🤣


It is the bestest rum.

My favourite rum used to be Jamaican, but now it's made here in Nova Scotia.


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> Isn't that kinda like salsa made in New York City?  🤣


Dude! Never mock an Eastcoaster's taste in rum. They have a 6th sense about that🥴


----------



## lumdicks

waveSounds said:


> Nice to see someone else with a Rose! Put one in my father's system last July and made a post about how great it was back then. Still appreciate it every time I go around there!


Yes it is an amazing piece of gear and may be the most satisfying one that I have got so far. I attached an Apple Super Drive to my RS250 for CD playing and ripping, with USB out to the Rockna Wavelight DAC and the sound is stunning.


----------



## TheRH

tameral said:


> Nothing Summit-Fi but gives me different flavors and gets the job done.
> 
> LCD-X 2021, HD8XX, Atticus --> Bifrost 2, Jotunheim 2
> HD-6xx - Bifrost 2, Darkvoice SE
> ...


How do you like the Atticus?


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Isn't that kinda like salsa made in New York City?  🤣


Not really.

You can eat any amount of salsa, then not blow a 1.8 on the breathalizer & not spend a week in Riker's Island getting it sorted out.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Shane D said:


> It is the bestest rum.
> 
> My favourite rum used to be Jamaican, but now it's made here in Nova Scotia.


...presumably using the sugarcane that grows in abundance all over the province?


----------



## shwnwllms




----------



## Erwinatm

shwnwllms said:


>


Wow that is beautiful wood piece.


----------



## Shane D

Pharmaboy said:


> ...presumably using the sugarcane that grows in abundance all over the province?


Not so much...


----------



## jokervn91




----------



## Twjones

Just swapped my Fisher 400 into my home office system - nearfield ADS L200 speakers and 600ohm Beyerdynamic Manufaktur DT990s.  

Er, wow.

Some seriously fine sound with the Beyers, if slightly sibilant.  Am hoping to tame that with some Dekoni sheepskins. As engaging as any head-fi I have experienced to date.


----------



## Chastity (Jul 2, 2022)

Twjones said:


> Just swapped my Fisher 400 into my home office system - nearfield ADS L200 speakers and 600ohm Beyerdynamic Manufaktur DT990s.
> 
> Er, wow.
> 
> Some seriously fine sound with the Beyers, if slightly sibilant.  Am hoping to tame that with some Dekoni sheepskins. As engaging as any head-fi I have experienced to date.


You can tame the treble using the newer dust foams from the Amiron Wireless and other later series. (It has a stitched circle in the middle along the edge of the driver.) If in North America, you can contact Sales and get them.  Much cheaper than Dekoni pads.

https://europe.beyerdynamic.com/foam-disc-amiron-wireless.html This page has the part number. Last time I checked the NA site has no page for it.


----------



## CJG888

As I’ve been saying all along: the DT990-600 really sing on the end of a good tube amp. The midrange just opens up.


----------



## Twjones

Chastity said:


> You can tame the treble using the newer dust foams from the Amiron Home and other later series. (It has a stitched circle in the middle along the edge of the driver.) If in North America, you can contact Sales and get them.  Much cheaper than Dekoni pads.
> 
> https://europe.beyerdynamic.com/foam-disc-amiron-wireless.html This page has the part number. Last time I checked the NA site has no page for it.


Great tip. Just ordered them!  Thanks


----------



## Terriero

Twjones said:


> Just swapped my Fisher 400 into my home office system - nearfield ADS L200 speakers and 600ohm Beyerdynamic Manufaktur DT990s.
> 
> Er, wow.
> 
> Some seriously fine sound with the Beyers, if slightly sibilant.  Am hoping to tame that with some Dekoni sheepskins. As engaging as any head-fi I have experienced to date.


I love those Fisher 400 things


----------



## Terriero

jokervn91 said:


>


EMU Teak? I think they are the prettiest of the bunch.


----------



## bcowen

Twjones said:


> Just swapped my Fisher 400 into my home office system - nearfield ADS L200 speakers and 600ohm Beyerdynamic Manufaktur DT990s.
> 
> Er, wow.
> 
> Some seriously fine sound with the Beyers, if slightly sibilant.  Am hoping to tame that with some Dekoni sheepskins. As engaging as any head-fi I have experienced to date.


Mmmmmmmmm.....tubes.   That Fisher 400 is a true classic.  Don't ever sell it (unless to me ).


----------



## Twjones (Jul 2, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Mmmmmmmmm.....tubes.   That Fisher 400 is a true classic.  Don't ever sell it (unless to me ).


Gotta love it.  I appreciate it now even more than ever, having purchased it refurbished many years ago and long before I tripped into the headphone hole.  We were both made in NYC the same year 

For box speakers, I slightly prefer my Yamaha CR2020, and for planars, greatly prefer my T+A A1520R amp. But as an all-rounder, and at least for high impedance cans, the Fisher strikes me as damned hard to beat.

Also, it's cool.


----------



## Onik

SlothRock said:


> Here’s my latest! What other headphones do I need?


I wanna pay someone to do a desk setup like that❕


----------



## Mansinthe86

Onik said:


> I wanna pay someone to do a desk setup like that❕



I wish I had the free space for a nice desktop setup.


This is my bedroom setup in a kallax shelve.
It's a rather simple setup and compared to other peoples beautiful gear here, on the "inexpensive" side.

But I use it nearly every Day and it makes me happy everytime.


----------



## VanHai




----------



## CJG888

VanHai said:


>


Are those Thunderpants?


----------



## VanHai

CJG888 said:


> Are those Thunderpants?


No, those are Vibro-Labs cups that i built using Fostex MK2 drivers. They are very similar to Thunderpants.


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> Not so much...


You could always go for PEI potato vodka



CJG888 said:


> Are those Thunderpants?


…and we have a candidate for cheesiest audiophile pickup line


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jul 2, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> You could always go for PEI potato vodka


Great comment!

Ideally, one of the island vodkas would be named "Thunderpants Vodka."


----------



## Papabiker

Studio B arrived today.  Now my headphone station is….complete??


----------



## TheRH

Mansinthe86 said:


> I wish I had the free space for a nice desktop setup.
> 
> 
> This is my bedroom setup in a kallax shelve.
> ...


How do you like the bass and sub-bass on those?


----------



## judomaniak57

Mansinthe86 said:


> I wish I had the free space for a nice desktop setup.
> 
> 
> This is my bedroom setup in a kallax shelve.
> ...


As long as it makes you happy, that's what the hobby is about


----------



## stuck limo

Gavin C4 said:


> Meze Elite stepping up and performs pretty well, as long as you give some effort to choose some quality up front gear. Every single component matters and will affect the performance.
> 
> Elite is actually quite dynamic and punchy, vocals are lush and emotional. Just a tiny tiny bit of sparkle up top.



I thought your Meze was the Scream mask for a second.


----------



## Mansinthe86

TheRH said:


> How do you like the bass and sub-bass on those?




I like it. I'm going to quote this from someone else 

" at least the closed-back versions of the DCA Aeon phones deliver a fine dose of clean bass down to the sub-bass. *The DCA's trained me to love low-distortion bass."*


----------



## nieveulv

VanHai said:


>


Nice!!! Which tube amps is your favorite?


----------



## thecrow

Gavin C4 said:


> Meze Elite stepping up and performs pretty well, as long as you give some effort to choose some quality up front gear. Every single component matters and will affect the performance.
> 
> Elite is actually quite dynamic and punchy, vocals are lush and emotional. Just a tiny tiny bit of sparkle up top.


Hi just wanted to check how you are finding the elite with the niimbus, particularly if you still have the susvaras

I have a niimbus us4 with the susvara as my main hp set up.
I’ve owned the empyreans twice and sold them twice..
I have not yet demoed the elites but have read up on them.
Are you still in the “honeymoon period” with them? 

Or did you just borrow them

TIA


----------



## Gavin C4

thecrow said:


> Hi just wanted to check how you are finding the elite with the niimbus, particularly if you still have the susvaras
> 
> I have a niimbus us4 with the susvara as my main hp set up.
> I’ve owned the empyreans twice and sold them twice..
> ...



The nimmbus is a very transparent and flat amp with very little to no characteristic, if you agree with me. All it does is allow the headphone to do their job. The entire Empyrean house sound remains the same. I would describe the Elite as the modern HD6XX in planar magnetic style.

If you sold your empyrean twice, this would be your third time selling them, considering if you like your Susvara a lot.


----------



## TheRH

Just my "little setup."


----------



## gimmeheadroom

TheRH said:


> Just my "little setup."



Liked for the Lava Lamp


----------



## VanHai

nieveulv said:


> Nice!!! Which tube amps is your favorite?


It is hard to say, they all sound great. The Ultrasonic Studios Oblivion sounds beautiful and can drive with both dynamic and high impedance planar headphones. .


----------



## buke9

Strat1117 said:


> Lol!  Although I’m more of a Whistle Pig man these days….


I see your Whistle Pig and raise . Love some Whistle Pig as you can see.


----------



## MacMan31

DatClampTho said:


> Out of the crisis zone and into the chill zone



Where did you get your right angle 1/4" plug adapter. I'm looking for one for my BHC.


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> Where did you get your right angle 1/4" plug adapter. I'm looking for one for my BHC.





You might do the same for the power cord:


----------



## MacMan31

jonathan c said:


> You might do the same for the power cord:



I have seen those right angle 1/4" adapters on Amazon. Does it matter if it's "gold plated" or not? I can't seem to find any that are. But perhaps the idea of being gold plated is just more audiophile snake oil.


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> I have seen those right angle 1/4" adapters on Amazon. Does it matter if it's "gold plated" or not? I can't seem to find any that are. But perhaps the idea of being gold plated is just more audiophile snake oil.


No


----------



## snapple10




----------



## Pharmaboy

stuck limo said:


> I thought your Meze was the Scream mask for a second.


a seriously funny comment!


----------



## thecrow

Gavin C4 said:


> The nimmbus is a very transparent and flat amp with very little to no characteristic, if you agree with me. All it does is allow the headphone to do their job. The entire Empyrean house sound remains the same. I would describe the Elite as the modern HD6XX in planar magnetic style.
> 
> If you sold your empyrean twice, this would be your third time selling them, considering if you like your Susvara a lot.


Thanks for that - yes i do like my susvaras a lot.
I haven’t found anything better thus far for my prefs. Though i still use the utopia and hd800 with tubes

I also found that the niimbus added a nice texture to the sound (a slightly fuller sound perhaps) when using it with my metrum hex dac (traditional nos with a mids focus and warm tilt) v previous amps including Taurus and v280


----------



## Gavin C4 (Jul 3, 2022)

thecrow said:


> Thanks for that - yes i do like my susvaras a lot.
> I haven’t found anything better thus far for my prefs. Though i still use the utopia and hd800 with tubes
> 
> I also found that the niimbus added a nice texture to the sound (a slightly fuller sound perhaps) when using it with my metrum hex dac (traditional nos with a mids focus and warm tilt) v previous amps including Taurus and v280



I think the warm and texture sound comes from your DAC, I have tried the US5 pro with multiple source, it is generally very transparent and let all the other component to show their characteristics. The US 5 Pro is studio quality tuning with zero to no colouration. All it does it music amplification, it makes your upgrade in source gear and headphones really worth it as the amp will scale up with out and you do not need to worry about it even with hardest to drive Susvara.


----------



## jonathan c

Evening shift at the ‘Laurel Mountain audio den’ on Independence Eve (US):


----------



## SlothRock

Beautiful ^^! Love the cable color with the 6xx color


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Evening shift at the ‘Laurel Mountain audio den’ on Independence Eve (US):



Love the sound of those KenRads.  Just wish they glowed.


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Love the sound of those KenRads.  Just wish they glowed.


They have an inner glow... you know, like inner beauty


----------



## gefski

bcowen said:


> Love the sound of those KenRads.  Just wish they glowed.


Style OR substance, right? 😎


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

I feel like it should be illegal to make tubes that don't glow.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Love the sound of those KenRads.  Just wish they glowed.


The glow is on face / in heart….😀


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> They have an inner glow... you know, like inner beauty


….like that of _your_ blind date…😵‍💫🤣🤣


----------



## Roasty

some t+a love.


----------



## thecrow (Jul 5, 2022)

Roasty said:


> some t+a love.


For all broadway/musical lovers (from A Chorus Line)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

thecrow said:


> For all broadway/musical lovers (from A Chorus Line)


We were all thinking that. We just had the decorum not to say it


----------



## thecrow

gimmeheadroom said:


> We were all thinking that. We just had the decorum not to say it


They’re even more enjoyable when you are plugged in.

The headphones that is


----------



## bcowen

thecrow said:


> They’re even more enjoyable when you are plugged in.
> 
> The headphones that is


Well, kinda both, actually.


----------



## CJG888

AnalogEuphoria said:


> I feel like it should be illegal to make tubes that don't glow.


About as much point as a quiet V8!


----------



## Redcarmoose (Jul 5, 2022)




----------



## MacMan31

My revamped setup. A mix of Schiit, Sennheiser, ZMF, Marantz, Feliks Audio and BottleHead.


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> My revamped setup. A mix of Schiit, Sennheiser, ZMF, Marantz, Feliks Audio and BottleHead.


What are all the gear plugged into? Power filter / surge suppressor?


----------



## MacMan31

jonathan c said:


> What are all the gear plugged into? Power filter / surge suppressor?



It's a power bar with surge protection.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## MacMan31

jonathan c said:


>



What do you have your headphones plugged into there? Also what cable is that and how does the Custom Can mod change the sound of the 6XX?


----------



## gibby

Waiting for an new DAC and planning to go back to solid state.  About to pull the trigger on the Arya.


----------



## MacMan31

gibby said:


> Waiting for an new DAC and planning to go back to solid state.  About to pull the trigger on the Arya.



You don't like tubes? I really want a pair of those HD600.


----------



## gibby

MacMan31 said:


> You don't like tubes? I really want a pair of those HD600.


In the winter, yes.     The HD600 was my first serious headphones.  I need to give a listen.


----------



## MacMan31

gibby said:


> In the winter, yes.     The HD600 was my first serious headphones.  I need to give a listen.



That's why they invented air conditioning.  That's also why I have a SS amp and tube amp.


----------



## alekc

CJG888 said:


> About as much point as a quiet V8!


@CJG888  Indeed. The same rule applies to V6 and boxer engines too.


----------



## AndreRitter

The beginning. Yes, the toothbrush is Shun Mook approved.


----------



## kibot

gibby said:


> In the winter, yes.     The HD600 was my first serious headphones.  I need to give a listen.


HD 600 my hellyeah lovely one with tubes!🤟


----------



## whirlwind

New PC and monitor have been added to the cave 

The Samsung Odyssey G7 Gaming monitor, gets great praise from me, a great upgrade over my last gaming monitor.  240Hz is real smooth experience in FPS

I have been using the ZMF VC & GS-X mk2 for gaming....overkill I know, but sounds great!









​


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> What do you have your headphones plugged into there? Also what cable is that and how does the Custom Can mod change the sound of the 6XX?


Linear Tube Audio MZ3. Norne Audio Vygarde. There are discussions about the Custom Cans mod on the 650 / 6XX thread.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

MacMan31 said:


> It's a power bar with surge protection.



I got ripped off! My Power Bar didn't come with any sugar protection


----------



## obzilla

what a setup!



whirlwind said:


> New PC and monitor have been added to the cave
> 
> The Samsung Odyssey G7 Gaming monitor, gets great praise from me, a great upgrade over my last gaming monitor.  240Hz is real smooth experience in FPS
> 
> I have been using the ZMF VC & GS-X mk2 for gaming....overkill I know, but sounds great!





whirlwind said:


> ​


----------



## HWB3

whirlwind said:


> New PC and monitor have been added to the cave
> 
> The Samsung Odyssey G7 Gaming monitor, gets great praise from me, a great upgrade over my last gaming monitor.  240Hz is real smooth experience in FPS
> 
> ...


Samantha Fish should be bigger than she is. She's got good music and plays the hell out of her guitar.


----------



## whirlwind

obzilla said:


> what a setup!


Thank you.






HWB3 said:


> Samantha Fish should be bigger than she is. She's got good music and plays the hell out of her guitar.


Shhh.....not too loud. right now you can still catch her in very small venues and the shows are killer!


----------



## jonathan c

alekc said:


> @CJG888  Indeed. The same rule applies to V6 and boxer engines too.


Except the crappy little engine in the ‘Deux Chevaux’ (Citroen)…


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> I got ripped off! My Power Bar didn't come with any sugar protection


It also didn't come with urge protection.


----------



## morserotonin

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..


Beautiful Seattle Skyline... I may have lived in LA for 16 years but that's still home. Amazing rig as well!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> It also didn't come with urge protection.


Aren't you really saying the same thing I did


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Aren't you really saying the same thing I did


Yes and no. Sugar is one of so many other urges. 

You know, urges like the strong impulse to don pricey headphones and listen to music at life-threatening volumes.


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> It also didn't come with urge protection.


Neither does this…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

BANNED


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Neither does this…


This is the inverse of "urge protection" -- "urge projection"

My favorite viagra joke is the first one I ever heard:

A semi-trailer full of Viagra has been hijacked. Police are on the lookout for hardened criminals.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> This is the inverse of "urge protection" -- "urge projection"
> 
> My favorite viagra joke is the first one I ever heard:
> 
> A semi-trailer full of Viagra has been hijacked. Police are on the lookout for hardened criminals.


And the guy driving sticks out like a sore thumb...


----------



## DJJEZ




----------



## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


>



I feel like you're single handedly keeping this thread very active


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


>



Have you had any issues with the Audioloab CDT? tests have shown its scratches discs eventually. its one if the reasons I went for a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 instead even though the Audiolab looks much nicer.


----------



## LoryWiv

Pharmaboy said:


> This is the inverse of "urge protection" -- "urge projection"
> 
> My favorite viagra joke is the first one I ever heard:
> 
> A semi-trailer full of Viagra has been hijacked. Police are on the lookout for hardened criminals.


Viagra now comes in a liquid form. That is so you can pour yourself a stiff one. Now back on topic please for everyone's sake.


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> Viagra now comes in a liquid form. That is so you can pour yourself a stiff one. Now back on topic please for everyone's sake.


I think this is the first night I've ever moaned groaned for like 9 posts in a row.


----------



## jonathan c

We are on topic. This is head-fi…🤭😆…


----------



## jonathan c (Jul 6, 2022)

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Have you had any issues with the Audioloab CDT? tests have shown its scratches discs eventually. its one if the reasons I went for a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 instead even though the Audiolab looks much nicer.


Some small surface scratches on a few discs. Absolutely first rate in CD play without interruption, alien noises. First rate also in sound quality / disc information retrieval. I have owned the CDT-6000 going on five years. I have an unopened one as backup.


----------



## orrm

It ain't pretty but it sure sounds amazing. Headphones are Susvara, 1266 TC and Verite Closed.

Next steps are probably a PS Audio Stellar Powerplant 3, another amp (WA33, CFA3 or maybe buying again the Ferrum stack), and speakers.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jul 7, 2022)

orrm said:


> It ain't pretty but it sure sounds amazing. Headphones are Susvara, 1266 TC and Verite Closed.
> 
> Next steps are probably a PS Audio Stellar Powerplant 3, another amp (WA33, CFA3 or maybe buying again the Ferrum stack), and speakers.


Actually, it _is_ pretty in a matter-of-fact way...


----------



## hk29 (Jul 7, 2022)

orrm said:


> It ain't pretty



I see what you did ... Small to biggers vs the chain: streamer > DAC > amp with short cable runs ... So you chose form over function...  Therefore it is pretty.


----------



## Vindication

Current


----------



## thecrow

bcowen said:


> I think this is the first night I've ever moaned groaned for like 9 posts in a row.


If you owned a utopia hp and were watching the utopia thread you would moan every two weeks when someone new brings utopia the warranty or driver failure question up and the same naysayers jump in even though their criticisms are dealt with every two weeks. 

Not too mention the audeze threads

And then there is the susvara question of “what amps can i use?”

You know, the usual repeated questions in a number of threads.

So in a nutshell you may not groan 9 times in a row but you will groan regularly.

Btw they use viagara and my granddad’s nursing home for two reasons:
1) it helps keep the bedsheets off sunburnt legs; and
2) it stops the old men from rolling off the bed when they sleep

Thank you and goodnight.
Try the veal!!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Have you had any issues with the Audioloab CDT? tests have shown its scratches discs eventually. its one if the reasons I went for a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 instead even though the Audiolab looks much nicer.



I have an 8300CD and I like it more than any other CD player I've seen or used. It's unbelievably musical running off the internal DAC.

I haven't noticed scratches on discs, but I prefer the slot drive. There is always a compromise- the sliding door drives break or at least need a new belt now and then, the slot drive may or may not handle discs a bit more roughly (in my limited experience from my Audiolab and CD drives in car audio they do not). You can't win 'em all, CDs are cheap, so go for sound quality!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have an 8300CD and I like it more than any other CD player I've seen or used. It's unbelievably musical running off the internal DAC.
> 
> I haven't noticed scratches on discs, but I prefer the slot drive. There is always a compromise- the sliding door drives break or at least need a new belt now and then, the slot drive may or may not handle discs a bit more roughly (in my limited experience from my Audiolab and CD drives in car audio they do not). You can't win 'em all, CDs are cheap, so go for sound quality!



I fully agree and usually I wouldn’t care as most CDs can be replaced for pennies but I’ve got a stack of rare first presses that I’d rather keep pristine.


----------



## jonathan c

An additional thought for post #33,574. I believe that one reason for the amazing sound quality of the Audiolab CDT-6000 _is_ the slot loading feature. This avoids vibration / ‘tray clatter’ that could interfere with the laser read of the disc data and could trigger more ‘corrective interpolation’ by a DAC.


----------



## CJG888

Best of all is a top loader!


----------



## Chastity (Jul 7, 2022)

And now for some vintage headphone love:





We have the venerable HD-580 Precisions, and I'm the original owner.  Headband cushion has been replaced, pads are Dekoni Elite Velours (tired of using OEM pads that self destruct in 2 years, and these are way more comfy), and sporting a Cardas Cable upgrade, from when they were under $100 to purchase. (I think I paid $65)  The 6.2mm head piece also eliminates the "image centered in your head" problem these have and now sound more natural. On my current rig, I can use these w/o EQ, and enjoy the tube preamp, and they still sound intimate and lush. (The M1570 are better, but they need EQ)

Next to those are the Sony MDR-SA5000, all still having stock components and pads, and also original owner.  The cups themselves are leather, and have retained integrity for 21 years.  However, the lip of the pads are pleather, and have flaked away, exposing some foam, but doesn't affect the audio, since it's outside of the cup.  I consider these to be the basis of what Sennheiser copied to create the HD-800 series, around the time when Sony's copyrights expired. IMO. (Conspiracy hat enabled)

Back in those days, my amp was a Headroom Supreme portable amp, using 4 D cell batteries, or the included wall wart.


----------



## gefski

Chastity said:


> And now for some vintage headphone love:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very interesting. I sure see the chassis similarity of the Sony to the Senn 800.


----------



## Chastity (Jul 7, 2022)

gefski said:


> Very interesting. I sure see the chassis similarity of the Sony to the Senn 800.


Sony invented the biocellulose driver, or at least was 1st to market, with the MDR-R10 (closedback) then later the Qualia 010 (open).  The SA5000 are the mass production version of the Qualia.  MSRP was $799.99, but I got my set for $325, about a year before they were discontinued.


----------



## alota

Vindication said:


> Current


Where is captain Kirk?


----------



## SalR406

alota said:


> Where is captain Kirk?



Jeder war ein großer Krieger
Hielten sich für Captain Kirk

[Everyone's a superhero.
Everyone's a Captain Kirk.]


----------



## alota

SalR406 said:


> Jeder war ein großer Krieger
> Hielten sich für Captain Kirk
> 
> [Everyone's a superhero.
> Everyone's a Captain Kirk.]



Danke. I like so much this song


----------



## SalR406

alota said:


> Danke. I like so much this song


This song was released in 1983.  I was 16 years old.  Pretty singer.  Catchy tune.  Star Trek reference.  I felt like it was made just for me.


----------



## alota

SalR406 said:


> This song was released in 1983.  I was 16 years old.  Pretty singer.  Catchy tune.  Star Trek reference.  I felt like it was made just for me.


I remember perfectly. I was 12 old...


----------



## Audi5000

SalR406 said:


> Jeder war ein großer Krieger
> Hielten sich für Captain Kirk
> 
> [Everyone's a superhero.
> Everyone's a Captain Kirk.]



this is my first track in my playlist.. well because of alphabetical title order.. but i'm not mad at that at all. <3


----------



## jonathan c

[An eikonic headphone. Using 12AT7s rather than 12AX7s in QSA: Brimar CV455 (Footscray, 1956)….🎼😊…]


----------



## UntilThen

VanHai said:


> It is hard to say, they all sound great. The Ultrasonic Studios Oblivion sounds beautiful and can drive with both dynamic and high impedance planar headphones. .



I agree.


----------



## gibby

Not an old picture.  Selling the Feliks shown earlier and may list the Aeolus soon.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> [An eikonic headphone. Using 12AT7s rather than 12AX7s in QSA: Brimar CV455 (Footscray, 1956)….🎼😊…]


I have been _pining_ for a pair of Eikons in camphor! Nice pair!


----------



## betula

And that is what I call a happy marriage.


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> And that is what I call a happy marriage.


Tie the knot with a great headphone cable 😜?


----------



## KlaraKlang

After two days shipping, a new Amp is in da house, thx @Salguson for the great Deal, it completely changed my hearing experience, what a wonderful combination with the two headphones, i am a very happy man now :-D


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Tie the knot with a great headphone cable 😜?


He definitely has knots from the Chord lying around


----------



## betula

jonathan c said:


> Tie the knot with a great headphone cable 😜?


Haha.. That's the plan. Changing my Meze copper upgrade cable to the silver plated one.


----------



## alekc

orrm said:


> It ain't pretty but it sure sounds amazing. Headphones are Susvara, 1266 TC and Verite Closed.
> 
> Next steps are probably a PS Audio Stellar Powerplant 3, another amp (WA33, CFA3 or maybe buying again the Ferrum stack), and speakers.


@orrm I wonder how do you find pairing Rockna WaveDream with Enleum?


----------



## orrm

alekc said:


> @orrm I wonder how do you find pairing Rockna WaveDream with Enleum?


I really like this chain, I think the Rockna balances the Enleum really nicely. It did tone down the bass which I need to get used to but I think it makes it a bit more accurate and still has plenty detail, perhaps just a bit less boomy and massive.
Stage size compared to the Spring 3 that it replaced is a tad smaller (less width) but better height and depth and instrument separation and placement is top notch.
Generally speaking I think the Rockna was an upgrade over the Spring so it's a bit unfair comparison and I haven't had much experience with other DACs in this caliber.
With the Spring and Enleum I felt the Susvara was a bit too smooth and relaxed and I feel the Wavedream compliments it well to a more overall balanced sound signature.

Those are relatively first impressions as from my experience it takes me more time to get a full picture of a new DAC in my system. And it also changed a bit with the introduction of the Aries G1 instead of the Node it replaced..


----------



## swiftdaddy

Nothing too fancy but it’s all I need!


----------



## judomaniak57

holiday setup for last 10 days


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## judomaniak57

DJJEZ said:


>


which amp do you listen to more, Woo or Ampsandsound


----------



## DJJEZ

judomaniak57 said:


> which amp do you listen to more, Woo or Ampsandsound


They sound completely different. The Red october is extremely tubey and the wa33 is more solid state sounding. I listen to them both just as much lol


----------



## jonathan c

This may be insane: could Red October be used as a preamplifier to WA33?


----------



## thecrow

betula said:


> And that is what I call a happy marriage.


From memory did you used to own the tt2 and empys but had to sell one or both?

and now you’ve upgraded and returned.

enjoy


----------



## betula (Jul 9, 2022)

thecrow said:


> From memory did you used to own the tt2 and empys but had to sell one or both?
> 
> and now you’ve upgraded and returned.
> 
> enjoy


Sir, you have got the memory of an elephant!  🐘

I did indeed sold a TT2 a couple of years ago. I owned quite a few amps/DACs/headphones since then though.


----------



## DTgill

Makes my PS500 look tiny...


----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


> Makes my PS500 look tiny...


PS.005 ?😄


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> Makes my PS500 look tiny...


40" monitor?


----------



## MatW (Jul 11, 2022)




----------



## TheMiddleSky

MatW said:


>


When gorgeous lightning hit beautiful camphor burl wood


----------



## jonathan c

Such a great combination at the ‘Laurel Mountain audio loft’ that I had to bring them back to my home study/office. GEC L63 / CV1067 in for Ken-Rad 6C5.


----------



## hsg120

My home office setup. Great for the times when I need to block everything else out and just get things done...


----------



## jonathan c

hsg120 said:


> My home office setup. Great for the times when I need to block everything else out and just get things done...


Beautiful wood cups…aftermarket for Fostex?


----------



## hsg120

jonathan c said:


> Beautiful wood cups…aftermarket for Fostex?



Tyvm! Yep aftermarket for Fostex--I actually bought them off another Headfi member a couple years ago. They're made by a company called Lawton.


----------



## jonathan c

‘Takwin’ it to a higher level…


----------



## lumdicks (Jul 10, 2022)

Perfect Sunday afternoon for some Classical!


----------



## CJG888

Kertesz‘ Dvorak cycle has never been beaten, even after all these years.


----------



## jonathan c

CJG888 said:


> Kertesz‘ Dvorak cycle has never been beaten, even after all these years.


Beaten? Not ‘surpassed’? 🤔


----------



## paulrbarnard

jonathan c said:


> Beaten? Not ‘surpassed’? 🤔


I assumed it was a very fast cycle


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Beaten? Not ‘surpassed’? 🤔


Shaken, not stirred


----------



## paulrbarnard

lumdicks said:


> Perfect Sunday afternoon for some Classical!


Thank you for the recommendation. Though I’m travelling light(ish).


----------



## obzilla

still working cable management and accessibility. New desk is a huge improvement


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> Beaten? Not ‘surpassed’? 🤔


Obviously you missed the late '60s headline in the International Herald Tribune:

*Kertesz‘ Dvorak Cycle Found Beaten in Budapest Alley*​​_A Quick Recovery Is Expected_​


----------



## MacMan31

DatClampTho said:


> Out of the crisis zone and into the chill zone



Nice BHC. Where did you get the right angle headphone adapter?


----------



## Reputator

I stuck these howlite cubes between my amp and dac. I quite like how it looks.


----------



## Zachik

Reputator said:


> I stuck these howlite cubes between my amp and dac. I quite like how it looks.


Love your light - looks like a giant vacuum tube!


----------



## LoryWiv

Reputator said:


> I stuck these howlite cubes between my amp and dac. I quite like how it looks.


Howite is supposed to have healing properties, but how is as audio gear feet? Does it allow good vibrations only?


----------



## Reputator

LoryWiv said:


> Howite is supposed to have healing properties, but how is as audio gear feet? Does it allow good vibrations only?



They eliminate negative psychoacoustic waveforms from the ionic atmosphere, allowing for precise boolean response curves in negative pressure waves that are sometimes caused by the aligning planets, so you can attain transcendental musical superconciousness. 🤪



But mostly they prop up my dac off my amp nice n good so they don't turn into a lava sandwich.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Reputator said:


> They eliminate negative psychoacoustic waveforms from the ionic atmosphere, allowing for precise boolean response curves in negative pressure waves that are sometimes caused by the aligning planets, so you can attain transcendental musical superconciousness. 🤪
> 
> 
> 
> But mostly they prop up my dac off my amp nice n good so they don't turn into a lava sandwich.



^ is a guy who has truly reached enlightenment


----------



## Stevko




----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## TheMiddleSky

Reviving the LCD-3F Bamboo


----------



## skhan007

ZMF Camphor Burl Verite Open, Bottlehead Crack Speedball w/ Chatham 5998 and RCA clear top 12au7, (not pictured) RME ADI2 DAC.


----------



## Ficcion2

I’ve decided to size down and keep the stuff I use daily.


----------



## jonathan c

skhan007 said:


> ZMF Camphor Burl Verite Open, Bottlehead Crack Speedball w/ Chatham 5998 and RCA clear top 12au7, (not pictured) RME ADI2 DAC.


…always a fantastic tube duet! 🥲


----------



## judomaniak57

tonight's musical pairing


----------



## jonathan c

A little planar time…an old favourite…LCD-X


----------



## Twjones

Chastity said:


> You can tame the treble using the newer dust foams from the Amiron Wireless and other later series. (It has a stitched circle in the middle along the edge of the driver.) If in North America, you can contact Sales and get them.  Much cheaper than Dekoni pads.
> 
> https://europe.beyerdynamic.com/foam-disc-amiron-wireless.html This page has the part number. Last time I checked the NA site has no page for it.


Hey, thanks again for the tip - works great. MUCH better than the Dekoni pads, which I think give the 990's too much bass and muddy the entire signature.  Many thanks!


----------



## nepherte

The Eksonic T2  finally arrived. Been really looking forward to this one:


----------



## Chastity

Twjones said:


> Hey, thanks again for the tip - works great. MUCH better than the Dekoni pads, which I think give the 990's too much bass and muddy the entire signature.  Many thanks!


Glad I could help with that.  I know this mod from owning the DT-1990 Pros.  These new foams are in their newer models, like the Tygr, 900 Pro X and T1.3.


----------



## obzilla

nepherte said:


> The Eksonic T2  finally arrived. Been really looking forward to this one:



I feel like just looking at it will leave fingerprints! Gorgeous set up!


----------



## nepherte

obzilla said:


> I feel like just looking at it will leave fingerprints! Gorgeous set up!


It certainly is a fingerprint magnet. I don't see that as a big issue though. Once you've set everything up, you (or certainly I) normally wouldn't be touching the amp that much. I know Kerry is also experimenting with / working on anodized black plates for the T2, instead of the chrome finish.


----------



## TheRH

u2u2 said:


> A SPL Phonitor XE kicked a Woo amp aside yesterday. This one came with a 768 DAC and the performance is, well, very impressive...
> Going to be a keeper for sure.


I have the little brother, the SE, and it is awesome!


----------



## gefski

skhan007 said:


> ZMF Camphor Burl Verite Open, Bottlehead Crack Speedball w/ Chatham 5998 and RCA clear top 12au7, (not pictured) RME ADI2 DAC.


Wow on that custom base!!!!!


----------



## Zaplanc

"Summertime" retreat, it's hot....


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## newworld666




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## David222




----------



## Strat1117




----------



## vmiguel




----------



## AnalogEuphoria

I think you got the wrong thread mate that looks more like a toaster oven


----------



## paulrbarnard

I’ve reached my end game, well for now…




QoBuzz via Roon to Roopi streamer. Optical to DAVE. Choice of outputs. DAVE direct to LCD5 or Grado RS1i or via Woo WA7. Speakers Genelec 8331A and 7360A with GLM. I’m very happy with the system as it sounds now. I wonder if I will get any work done…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


>


NEFERTITI!! 

"Pinocchio"!


----------



## Zachik

paulrbarnard said:


> I’ve reached my end game, well for now…


I wish MY end game was so cheap, and physically small...


----------



## UntilThen

My end game.  It cooks, wash the dishes and vacuum the house. Just need to teach it to mow the lawn.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> My end game.  It cooks, wash the dishes and vacuum the house. Just need to teach it to mow the lawn.


And once that happens I'm gonna get laid off?  Great, just great.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> And once that happens I'm gonna get laid off?  Great, just great.



I'm not sure about getting laid but yes robot will replace man very soon.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I'm not sure about getting laid but yes robot will replace man very soon.


That's fine, just as long as robot doesn't also replace woman.


----------



## Mr Trev (Jul 16, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> I'm not sure about getting laid but yes robot will replace man very soon.


Have you seen the super expensive, super creepy sex dolls yet? That part has been dealt with long ago.
I read a funny/sad story on reddit somebody posted about his experience after buying one - thankfully he left out the pornographic details

I also watched a story on the news about a place that rented them. By far the worst job in the world goes to the poor person that has to clean the returns


----------



## UntilThen

We're way off topic now.   End game remember? That's what you need to focus on.


----------



## vmiguel

AnalogEuphoria said:


> I think you got the wrong thread mate that looks more like a toaster oven


Was that for me? If so, thank you for your kind words, good Sir.
In fact, it was not only the wrong thread, it was the entire wrong forum! The pic was intended to Volumio's forum. But, as some people seamed to enjoy it, I decided to left it here. Hope it's alright by you...
Oh, and the toaster oven? It brings great music to my family since the day my parents got married, some 60+ years ago. It's working as good as the first day, as a radio, and it was just a mather of getting the right cable to hook up a Raspberry Pi to get it to the 21st century.
So, there's that...


----------



## hifixman (Jul 16, 2022)

A Chifi dac & amp that sounds as Nagra and Mola Mola


----------



## Barnstormer13

New amp-


----------



## TheRH

Barnstormer13 said:


> New amp-


How long did it take for your Noire to break in?


----------



## Barnstormer13 (Jul 17, 2022)

TheRH said:


> How long did it take for your Noire to break in?


It’s actually an OG Aeon Flow Closed, but I suspect any break in time would be similar with the Noire.

Regarding break in time- I bought it on vacation and used a cheap underpowered mobile amp connected to my iphone for the first two weeks of ownership. If there was a break in period, it was long over before I had it hooked up to decent upstream gear.


----------



## Pharmaboy

hifixman said:


> A Chifi dac & amp that sounds as Nagra and Mola Mola



Which DAC and amp are you using?


----------



## LoryWiv

Barnstormer13 said:


> New amp-


Folkvangr!


----------



## LoryWiv

Euforia Anniversary Edition is in the house:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LoryWiv said:


> Folkvangr!


Room heater!


----------



## Barnstormer13

gimmeheadroom said:


> Room heater!


It’s about 54F here. I actually lit the fireplace this morning. A little room heater isn’t bad.


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> I wish MY end game was so cheap, and physically small...


He said ‘for now’! We know what happens next…😕😏…🤣!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> He said ‘for now’! We know what happens next…😕😏…🤣!


Yep, read my mind. End game is like a good haircut- it exists only at a moment in time


----------



## SlothRock

True headphone peace and tranquility comes the moment you realize endgame doesn’t exist…the game just gets paused for a bit 😂


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jul 17, 2022)

Somethings just start where they finish anyways, only constant is change... I'm having too much fun for any games to end just yet...


----------



## obzilla

SlothRock said:


> True headphone peace and tranquility comes the moment you realize endgame doesn’t exist…the game just gets paused for a bit 😂


----------



## paulrbarnard

obzilla said:


>


But can you resist?…


----------



## obzilla

paulrbarnard said:


> But can you resist?…


How about a nice game of chess?


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> And once that happens I'm gonna get laid off?  Great, just great.


I didn’t see caddying & club cleaning on the list…🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## jonathan c

obzilla said:


> How about a nice game of chess?


Or ‘snakes & ladders’ DACs…?🇬🇧


----------



## Pharmaboy

SlothRock said:


> True headphone peace and tranquility comes the moment you realize endgame doesn’t exist…the game just gets paused for a bit 😂


Thanks for a very zen-like & adult response.

(I don't believe it for a second!)


----------



## jonathan c

SlothRock said:


> True headphone angst and futility come the moment you realize endgame doesn’t exist…the game just gets paused for a bit 😂


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## hmss007




----------



## obzilla

hmss007 said:


>


This is glorious. Looks almost like something out of A Clockwork Orange.


----------



## alota (Jul 18, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Thanks for a very zen-like & adult response.
> 
> (I don't believe it for a second!)


It is hard but after years to chase the holy graal in the headphones, i went to detox. Now i go to meeting and i say: my name is Aldo and I haven't changed headphone in 5 years


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jul 18, 2022)

LCD Vs LCD = Silver Vs Copper.......


----------



## alota

Silver Wolf said:


>


I want this screen


----------



## judomaniak57

Silver Wolf said:


> LCD Vs LCD = Silver Vs Copper.......


and the winner is............


----------



## Erwinatm

Drown in never-ending end game.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Silver Wolf said:


> LCD Vs LCD = Silver Vs Copper.......


Been following you in the cables thread and here...You're doing such beautiful work!


----------



## adydula (Jul 23, 2022)

Over the years I have gone thru many, many amps and many DIY amps....all of these provide a wonderful listening experience. From the low cost Schiit Vali 2 + (a superlative tube amp hybrid). To the much more costly PassLabs HPA-1 and the expensive and powerful iFI iCan Pro....Adding a switchbox I can test three dacs to two amps easily. All combinations are different some by a little some by alot.


----------



## Strat1117 (Jul 18, 2022)

Silver Wolf said:


> Somethings just start where they finish anyways, only constant is change... I'm having too much fun for any games to end just yet...


Endgame is still part of the game. Checkmate is the finish. 50+ years in, I’m still playing. What’s the fun in being done?  Silly boys.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Silver Wolf said:


> LCD Vs LCD = Silver Vs Copper.......


that monitor is INSANE!


----------



## Silver Wolf (Jul 19, 2022)

Wasn't expecting the new OTL for month but oh well....giggle, NOS rolling along already...... Happy days


----------



## andrewski (Jul 19, 2022)

Sunday smoothies


----------



## lumdicks




----------



## obzilla

lumdicks said:


>


Nice entry level setup 🤣

Gorgeous stuff!


----------



## alota

obzilla said:


> Nice entry level setup 🤣
> 
> Gorgeous stuff!


Agree about entry level


----------



## alekc

lumdicks said:


>


Rockna WaveLight is hell of great DAC/preamp  As I've said before @lumdicks this is awesome setup full of brilliant taste.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

lumdicks said:


>


is that small desk rack DIY/ custom made?


----------



## lumdicks

AnalogEuphoria said:


> is that small desk rack DIY/ custom made?


I got it locally in Hong Kong, but it should be available at Ali Express as well.


----------



## hifixman (Jul 19, 2022)

If there is a system to shut you'all up...

From someone who sold me his previous system...

Making my second system with X9000&T2 under building a GIANT killer lmao...


----------



## obzilla

hifixman said:


> If there is a system to shut you'all up...
> 
> From someone who sold me his previous system...


This thread isn’t for portables 😂


----------



## alota

hifixman said:


> If there is a system to shut you'all up...
> 
> From someone who sold me his previous system...
> 
> Making my second system with X9000&T2 under building a GIANT killer lmao...


Wow


----------



## xcluded

My miserable tiny desk. 
Cramped until nowhere to move about.


----------



## Zaplanc

...and this is my cramped desk... 😉


----------



## Pharmaboy

xcluded said:


> My miserable tiny desk.
> Cramped until nowhere to move about.


Well, some of your gear is far from miserable...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, some of your gear is far from miserable...


I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to agree with @Pharmaboy 

I know I'll hate myself in the morning


----------



## lafeuill (Jul 20, 2022)

Blood sweat & tears to reach this

I'll try and avoid doing an Icarus to get past this 

The Aune S16 dac exceeded my expectations, frankly

Only with this complete chain did I realize its qualities

Audiosensibility's Statement Silver XLR ICs also have to be credited


----------



## Gavin C4




----------



## linshu1992 (Jul 21, 2022)

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



I added a few new things to my desktop and as you can see it’s a mess now. New audio bliss was achieved with Holo Audio May -> WA33 (as pre-amp) -> AHB2 -> Susvara. I wrote more about this combo here (Susvara) and here (1266 TC). Now I really need a quality desktop rack. Any recommendations?


----------



## obzilla

Yeah, total effing disaster. 🙃



linshu1992 said:


> I as you can see it’s a mess now.


----------



## linshu1992

obzilla said:


> Yeah, total effing disaster. 🙃


Hahahahahahahaha I literally lolled. I took a picture. And browsed a few pages of other people's pictures. Then I looked at my picture again, shook my head and decided to push the 20 headphones, cables, adapters, more cables, documents, just out of the frame and took a new picture.


----------



## obzilla

linshu1992 said:


> Hahahahahahahaha I literally lolled. I took a picture. And browsed a few pages of other people's pictures. Then I looked at my picture again, shook my head and decided to push the 20 headphones, cables, adapters, more cables, documents, just out of the frame and took a new picture.


Lies, I can zoom in and see you and a spartan clean office in the reflection on the volume knob 🤣
spic and span set up man. I’m abnormally tidy by headfier standards but you have me beat hands down.


----------



## linshu1992

obzilla said:


> Lies, I can zoom in and see you and a spartan clean office in the reflection on the volume knob 🤣
> spic and span set up man. I’m abnormally tidy by headfier standards but you have me beat hands down.


This is great. Let's just keep it at that. I may have just peaked.


----------



## Ficcion2 (Jul 21, 2022)

linshu1992 said:


> I added a few new things to my desktop and as you can see it’s a mess now. New audio bliss was achieved with Holo Audio May -> WA33 (as pre-amp) -> AHB2 -> Susvara. I wrote more about this combo here. Now I really need a quality desktop rack. Any recommendations?


Stunning views and sounds! (I safely presume)

I wanted all silver components but honestly silver + black is still a complementary look IMO.
A member with another gorgeous set up recommended Timbernation.com for custom, beautiful wooden racks.


----------



## linshu1992

Ficcion2 said:


> Stunning views and sounds! (I safely presume)
> 
> I wanted all silver components but honestly silver + black is still a complementary look IMO.
> A member with another gorgeous set up recommended Timbernation.com for custom, beautiful wooden racks.


View is quite nice! (Check out my previous posts!)

I'm a sucker for silver looks. I try to keep most of my stuff light colored, desk, furniture, etc. If I were to purchase all my gears, they'd all be silver (in reality probably different shades of silver ). I enjoyed the look of my Schiit setup immensely. But when you buy used, you don't always get a say in their color ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I like the way you look at this random mix as a "complementary look"! And thanks for the recommendation!


----------



## nagi8404

Listening to SACD rip of John Williams in Vienna with the May.
It's really something special


----------



## Gavin C4

nagi8404 said:


> Listening to SACD rip of John Williams in Vienna with the May.
> It's really something special






Lets go team amp made in Japan, SoulNote A2 driving the Susvara.


----------



## nagi8404

Gavin C4 said:


> Lets go team amp made in Japan, SoulNote A2 driving the Susvara.


Absolutely beautiful.
One thing I like abt Soul Note is they publish their upcoming products and when they will release it.
Like they have a USB DDC and SACD transport in their pipeline.

Since Yen is ridiculously weak right now, I can only buy local products.
I was so close to buying 1266 but then Yen crashed...


----------



## AnalogEuphoria (Jul 22, 2022)

xcluded said:


> My miserable tiny desk.
> Cramped until nowhere to move about.



Hey man make the most of what you got, example I use speakers these days and my room is far from ideal, pushed up in corners against walls barely any space to breathe but ive put the effort in to try and improve the sound. tone control for bass, bungs, decoupling, toe in etc and I still enjoy it more than headphones.


----------



## Chefguru

King’s new throne


----------



## alota

Chefguru said:


> King’s new throne


i had two: one balanced and one original in perfect conditions. This last i sold for 700€. yeas i know...i´m crazy. i love this headphone but i hate the confort


----------



## Chefguru (Jul 23, 2022)

alota said:


> i had two: one balanced and one original in perfect conditions. This last i sold for 700€. yeas i know...i´m crazy. i love this headphone but i hate the confort


I’m lucky that I don’t have too much of a comfort issue but yeah wish it was over ear.
This one is the last Joe made back in 2013~ “Hp-2i”. Some change/driver changes and a different  dual cabling. Up there with the Orpheus & sr-omega to my ears.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

hifixman said:


> If there is a system to shut you'all up...



Ok, I see a wine cooler and two cigar humidors. Does he have some hifi gear somewhere?


----------



## alota

Chefguru said:


> I’m lucky that I don’t have too much of a comfort issue but yeah wish it was over ear.
> This one is the last Joe made back in 2013~ “Hp-2i”. Some change/driver changes and a different  dual cabling. Up there with the Orpheus & sr-omega to my ears.


Yeah i saw the cable. Last magic of Joe


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

nice rack


----------



## hifixman

Battles of who is the second best electrostatic systems...


----------



## alota

hifixman said:


> Battles of who is the second best electrostatic systems...


Rudistor...is egmont?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Zachik said:


> Here in the US - that comment is considered sexual harassment!


Stop wining


----------



## MLGrado (Jul 25, 2022)

Beginnings of major changes. Tired of this setup, the desk, the aesthetic, etc.  Been like this for too many years.

I have already torn down the 'reference' equipment area which includes my iFi iDSD PRO.  Think I will will get the ZEN STREAM and move it to a different part of room, say next to a window of the forest around me, with a cozy listening chair.  Oh, and finally add that PRO iCAN to go with it.


In the meantime, I have been greatly enjoying my Sennheiser HD650 with a iFi ZEN CAN being fed by my RME ADI-2 PRO FS R Black Edition with the last version of the AKM chip they put in it.

WOW.  It sounds GREAT.  The iFi ZEN stuff is really amazing.  Under 200 bucks should not sound this good, or to the contrary, shame on everthing over $200 who can't make sound like this.

Then as a bonus, when I got super tired of all my spring cleaning in July, I sat down in the theater room, where finally a legit opportunity is arising to go 4K HDR with no sacrifices in overall projector quality to get there.

Still trying to make fun times out of my inflation rocked world, where discretionary spending is looking more like a zero each day, sigh.


----------



## Zaplanc

MLGrado said:


> Beginnings of major changes. Tired of this setup, the desk, the aesthetic, etc.  Been like this for too many years.
> 
> I have already torn down the 'reference' equipment area which includes my iFi iDSD PRO.  Think I will will get the NEO STREAM and move it to a different part of room, say next to a window of the forest around me, with a cozy listening chair.  Oh, and finally add that PRO iCAN to go with it.
> 
> ...


Wow, this is really nice multimedia setup.


----------



## alota

MLGrado said:


> Beginnings of major changes. Tired of this setup, the desk, the aesthetic, etc.  Been like this for too many years.
> 
> I have already torn down the 'reference' equipment area which includes my iFi iDSD PRO.  Think I will will get the NEO STREAM and move it to a different part of room, say next to a window of the forest around me, with a cozy listening chair.  Oh, and finally add that PRO iCAN to go with it.
> 
> ...


I like the HT system. The processor is from emotiva?


----------



## MLGrado

alota said:


> I like the HT system. The processor is from emotiva?



I got lucky on that one.  XMC-1with the Dirac Live mic brand new in box never used, given away to me for free.  Guy had a boat at the same marina as my father's retirement toy.  Said he heard I was into home theater and just wanted rid of it and I could have it. 

Like winning the lottery.  

It has its quirks and bugs, but one thing is sure.. it sounds great.  Especially in two channel reference stereo mode.


----------



## alota

MLGrado said:


> I got lucky on that one.  XMC-1with the Dirac Live mic brand new in box never used, given away to me for free.  Guy had a boat at the same marina as my father's retirement toy.  Said he heard I was into home theater and just wanted rid of it and I could have it.
> 
> Like winning the lottery.
> 
> It has its quirks and bugs, but one thing is sure.. it sounds great.  Especially in two channel reference stereo mode.


nice. i think is a great processor. i have an integrated HT amplifier from Sherbourn. This brand was same thing of Emotiva. I bought for a very special price directly from emotiva. The built is incredible and drives very well my speakers. i can´t imagine new production


----------



## RobertSM (Jul 25, 2022)

Just back from Zurich where I was able to purchase the outstanding and newly released Weiss DAC501- 4Ch directly from Daniel Weiss at Weiss Engineering.


----------



## mulveling (Jul 25, 2022)

The headphone setup at the loft, currently. DIY T2 amp (electrostatics) will be coming back, and will obviously dominate then. Other favorites that should have been in the pic (but I swap out a lot to experiment): Headroom Max Balanced amp, IXYS KGSShv, AT L3000, Stax SR-009, 007 Mk I, ES Lab ES-1a, AKG K340. Wow, that's more out of pic than in lol. I love that Phison PD2 SE preamp + DAC; it's consistently elevated every headphone + amp combo I have. It's an ESS chip but sounds much more analog than my Yggy A2.

The Old Singlepower SDS tube amp (OTL) always does some interesting things to a headphone, sonically. On the ES-R10 it brings some plusses and minuses. It's straining at 32 ohms so the bass gets a bit muddled on faster rock, but adds great punch & impact for most pop recordings. Midrange is gorgeous! Treble's a mixed bag - sweet sparkle, plus a bit of fatigue. On the K340 this amp brings only positives (400 ohms load is ideal), and it's stupid how good those ancient hybrid headphones can sound.


----------



## MLGrado

Chefguru said:


> King’s new throne


if you don't mind, who made the rack?
gorgeous stuff


----------



## odarg64 (Jul 25, 2022)

mulveling said:


> The headphone setup at the loft, currently. DIY T2 amp (electrostatics) will be coming back, and will obviously dominate then. Other favorites that should have been in the pic (but I swap out a lot to experiment): Headroom Max Balanced amp, IXYS KGSShv, AT L3000, Stax SR-009, 007 Mk I, ES Lab ES-1a, AKG K340. Wow, that's more out of pic than in lol. I love that Phison PD2 SE preamp + DAC; it's consistently elevated every headphone + amp combo I have. It's an ESS chip but sounds much more analog than my Yggy A2.
> 
> The Old Singlepower SDS tube amp (OTL) always does some interesting things to a headphone, sonically. On the ES-R10 it brings some plusses and minuses. It's straining at 32 ohms so the bass gets a bit muddled on faster rock, but adds great punch & impact for most pop recordings. Midrange is gorgeous! Treble's a mixed bag - sweet sparkle, plus a bit of fatigue. On the K340 this amp brings only positives (400 ohms load is ideal), and it's stupid how good those ancient hybrid headphones can sound.


Bread box with a built-in bread warming unit?


----------



## mulveling (Jul 25, 2022)

odarg64 said:


> Bread box with a built-in bread warming unit?


Haha we affectionately referred to it as the toaster amp. It’s one of the first prototype Singlepower SDS amps. LOTS of safety disclaimers apply on anything from Singlepower. This one uses 6BX7GT outputs and a WE 396A input tube. And has been checked & modified for safety by a tech.

The bridge rectifier indeed gets very toasty hot. There‘s a fan inside that attempts to cool it.


----------



## judomaniak57

long enjoyable listening session tonight. all headphones got played tonight on both amps


----------



## slex

Station on wheels.


----------



## Thaddy

What amp is that?  It looks like the chassis Woo Audio used for their CDP and DAC.  Similar to what Jan Meier used to use as well.


----------



## slex

Thaddy said:


> What amp is that?  It looks like the chassis Woo Audio used for their CDP and DAC.  Similar to what Jan Meier used to use as well.


Hi, it a generic OTL from AliX, I think it's modelled under " 100E ". Using it mostly  to drive high impedance earbuds.


----------



## jadverkko




----------



## Turkeysaurus

jadverkko said:


>


Nice keyboard.


----------



## jadverkko

Turkeysaurus said:


> Nice keyboard.


Thank you! OG beige keycaps are definitely my fav color scheme.


----------



## kingoftown1

@jadverkko how's the sangaku with hd800s?


----------



## carlcamper (Jul 26, 2022)




----------



## InvisibleInk

carlcamper said:


>


 Gotta have a rack for the boxes, too


----------



## carlcamper

InvisibleInk said:


> Gotta have a rack for the boxes, too


Yes I'm a box hoarder, it is a disease


----------



## jonathan c

InvisibleInk said:


> Gotta have a rack for the boxes, too


Or do this…put away after use…good for new headphone smell 😄…


----------



## 04gto

jonathan c said:


> Or do this…put away after use…good for new headphone smell 😄…


Not too many things as satisfying as a bunch of headfi gear properly stored safely in military grade, crush & water resistant cases! Seahorse cases are my favorite (the brand ZMF uses).



To stay on topic~ my scenery from tonight.


----------



## Wes S

Current State - Been doing some tube rolling (all the tubes on the upper shelf), landed on a killer combo, and loving every second.


----------



## Terriero

jonathan c said:


> Or do this…put away after use…good for new headphone smell 😄…


Good way to hide our new headphones from our wives' sight


----------



## nepherte

Moved to a different appartment. The setup in the study room:


----------



## 04gto

Have


nepherte said:


> Moved to a different appartment. The setup in the study room:


This image is missing something.......not sure what?


----------



## nepherte (Jul 27, 2022)

04gto said:


> This image is missing something.......not sure what?


Your guess is as good as mine 😉


----------



## alota

04gto said:


> Have
> 
> This image is missing something.......not sure what?


Forgot headphones in older appartment


----------



## nepherte

Still had to unpack them from their moving boxes. Rest assured, the 009 is now on my head


----------



## gimmeheadroom

nepherte said:


> Your guess is as good as mine 😉


Cable-hell, cats, empty glasses and mugs etc. In otherwise, very clean and nice setup


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Terriero said:


> Good way to hide our new headphones from our wives' sight



Yeaaah, like a wall piled high with plastic boxes doesn't draw her attention 

Her: "Honey, did you by another revolver?"
Him: "Hahaha, no babe, just another pair of headphones, don't worry..."


----------



## Chastity

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeaaah, like a wall piled high with plastic boxes doesn't draw her attention
> 
> Her: "Honey, did you by another revolver?"
> Him: "Hahaha, no babe, just another pair of headphones, don't worry..."


I just had that discussion....

<Him>  "I just got a text saying you bought something."
<Me>  "Yes, I bought a new mouse."
<Him>  "But you just bought a new one on Prime Day."
<Me>  "Yes, it's an ultralight.  But I want to try a light wireless.  And I am tired of black, so I got it in Pink."
<Him>  "Pink?  Is there a problem with any of the old ones?"
<Me>  "Other than they're all black?"
<Him> ........


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeaaah, like a wall piled high with plastic boxes doesn't draw her attention
> 
> Her: "Honey, did you by another revolver?"
> Him: "Hahaha, no babe, just another pair of headphones, don't worry..."


No, my friend, all the boxes are empty... They are my "box collection" (of course, you have to envelope the headphones boxes with a normal cardbox)... Trust me


----------



## Mr Trev

Chastity said:


> I just had that discussion....
> 
> <Him>  "I just got a text saying you bought something."
> <Me>  "Yes, I bought a new mouse."
> ...


I totally support you and your no black components cause. Please send me some literature so I can learn more

<PSA> proof reading what you type before clicking reply is always a good idea. My first response would've got me in very deep hot water if taken out of context


----------



## BobG55

Burson HA-160/ Teac PD-H600/ Schiit Lokius/ Senns HD650 & HD600  >  That’s it.


----------



## InvisibleInk

BobG55 said:


> Burson HA-160/ Teac PD-H600/ Schiit Lokius/ Senns HD650 & HD600  >  That’s it.


I'm guessing the Teac is an older model with no digital output?


----------



## BobG55 (Jul 27, 2022)

InvisibleInk said:


> I'm guessing the Teac is an older model with no digital outputs


No it doesn’t have any digital outputs.


----------



## acguitar84




----------



## vonBaron

Niimbus + Utopia = my like


----------



## Chastity

Mr Trev said:


> I totally support you and your no black components cause. Please send me some literature so I can learn more
> 
> <PSA> proof reading what you type before clicking reply is always a good idea. My first response would've got me in very deep hot water if taken out of context


TY for your support!   I mean, my audio gear is black, except for the SMSL M300 MKII DAC, which I got in China Red.  (yay color!)  Other than that, I get some color from the preamp tubes, otherwise black.  Keyboard: slate grey with black keycaps, thankfully has RGB lighting, so pink.    Same for mouse  (G903 Hero and Monoprice Hyper-K Dark Matter)  and a Powerplay mat with BLACK mouse mats.  Monoprice gear is also stuck in black.  My PC case is black.  HDD enclosures... black.  Cell phone... black.  Borders on my monitor... almost black.  Desk phone, black.  Interconnect cables, black. Too much monochrome!!!

At least my desk is cherrywood.  Window view supplies some greens.  Old desk chair was black & blue, replaced with a leather brown.

The mouse I purchased has 4 color options:  Black $99.99, Cyberpunk Yellow $136, Mercury White $146, *Quartz Pink $99.99*  < WINNER! (tho the rubber pads on the sides are lite-med gray, ugh.  At least the snek logo is white)


----------



## Mr Trev

Chastity said:


> TY for your support!   I mean, my audio gear is black, except for the SMSL M300 MKII DAC, which I got in China Red.  (yay color!)  Other than that, I get some color from the preamp tubes, otherwise black.  Keyboard: slate grey with black keycaps, thankfully has RGB lighting, so pink.    Same for mouse  (G903 Hero and Monoprice Hyper-K Dark Matter)  and a Powerplay mat with BLACK mouse mats.  Monoprice gear is also stuck in black.  My PC case is black.  HDD enclosures... black.  Cell phone... black.  Borders on my monitor... almost black.  Desk phone, black.  Interconnect cables, black. Too much monochrome!!!
> 
> At least my desk is cherrywood.  Window view supplies some greens.  Old desk chair was black & blue, replaced with a leather brown.
> 
> The mouse I purchased has 4 color options:  Black $99.99, Cyberpunk Yellow $136, Mercury White $146, *Quartz Pink $99.99*  < WINNER! (tho the rubber pads on the sides are lite-med gray, ugh.  At least the snek logo is white)


The biggest selling point of the A2C is they're red. I really don't know why so many people in this hobby are so adverse to colour


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> The biggest selling point of the A2C is they're red. I really don't know why so many people in this hobby are so adverse to colour


Red-fi.org ….🤪🤣


----------



## Terriero (Jul 28, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Red-fi.org ….🤪🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Mr Trev said:


> The biggest selling point of the A2C is they're red. I really don't know why so many people in this hobby are so adverse to colour


I hate red. I don't think I have anything red in this apartment except ketchup and hot sauce


----------



## jonathan c

This looks rather smart !!…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> This looks rather smart !!…


Mine's silver


----------



## jonathan c

…the nondescript one…🥱…


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Jul 28, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> …the nondescript one…🥱…


Yeah the black one would have blended better with the gear stacked on it but it was not in stock. So I got a silver one that was in stock and avoided the recent price increase. And maybe it's actually better, I like the look after all and the lettering is very readable.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeah the black one would have blended better with the gear stacked on it but it was not in stock. So I got a silver one tha was in stock and avoided the recent price increase.


“…got to be good looking ‘cause _it’s _so hard to see…_blend_ together…right now…_in front of_ me…” 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Terriero

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeah the black one would have blended better with the gear stacked on it but it was not in stock. So I got a silver one that was in stock and avoided the recent price increase. And maybe it's actually better, I like the look after all and the lettering is very readable.


----------



## Mr Trev

gimmeheadroom said:


> I hate red. I don't think I have anything red in this apartment except ketchup and hot sauce


Wow. You must be really popular with the Tifosi.
And personally, I would rather the blue of the original Aeon Flow


----------



## jonathan c

Gimmeheadroom & Mr Trev, you could meet halfway 🤔….😀… :


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Gimmeheadroom & Mr Trev, you could meet halfway 🤔….😀… :


Haha yeah this was a discussion in the TH900 thread. I think the pics from the guys who bought a pair look better than the P.R. photos.

But I want a pair of emerald greens


----------



## mulveling

nepherte said:


> Moved to a different appartment. The setup in the study room:


Wonderful! Possibly nothing finer on earth. A source that does it justice too! How long have you had your T2, and are those JJ KT77 or Black Diamond EL34?


----------



## Badas

Terriero said:


>





jonathan c said:


> This looks rather smart !!…


Mines Black


----------



## hifixman

nepherte said:


> Moved to a different appartment. The setup in the study room:


Am I the only one who wish there is black version of Mola mola!

Black Color matters!


----------



## nepherte

mulveling said:


> How long have you had your T2?


Must be around a month now. A very blissful month I might add. 



mulveling said:


> and are those JJ KT77 or Black Diamond EL34?


Neither. Those are Psvane EL34C.


----------



## nepherte

hifixman said:


> Am I the only one who wish there is black version of Mola mola!


You sound like @Roasty!  I personally like how it looks. Plus the pictures don’t do it justice. It’s hard to capture due to the reflective chrome finish and the poor lighting. The T2 actually blends well with the silver of the Mola Mola.


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## judomaniak57

Turkeysaurus said:


>


such a clean setup. can we see the rest of the desk


----------



## Zachik

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Next time, get a color film...   
Kidding aside, I love how clean and organized your setup is. B&W and beautiful.


----------



## jadverkko

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Really love this minimalistic look! Mind sharing what rack that is? Looking damn good.


----------



## Roasty

got the wavedream on loan from the local dealer. Wavedream single ended signature edition. I believe this is the "older" model as I've seen some units with different case marking and white lcd display. 

to cut to the chase, in order of preference/listening enjoyment.. Wavedream, Wavelight, May KTE. 

not saying the May KTE is a bad dac. it isn't; its actually very good, and very responsive to hqplayer upsampling. it's just that I prefer the Rockna presentation. May KTE reminds me more of a delta sigma dac than r2r. 

now just trying to figure out how I can keep the Wavedream for a bit longer..


----------



## alekc

Roasty said:


> got the wavedream on loan from the local dealer. Wavedream single ended signature edition. I believe this is the "older" model as I've seen some units with different case marking and white lcd display.
> 
> to cut to the chase, in order of preference/listening enjoyment.. Wavedream, Wavelight, May KTE.
> 
> ...


@Roasty  easy: just ask a dealer for WaveDream in black to find out if the background will be darker. You will get another 1-2 weeks 🤣


----------



## Elegiac

CD time


----------



## Turkeysaurus

judomaniak57 said:


> such a clean setup. can we see the rest of the desk


----------



## Turkeysaurus

jadverkko said:


> Really love this minimalistic look! Mind sharing what rack that is? Looking damn good.


It's from Audio Bastion: https://audiobastion.us/collections/products


----------



## Pharmaboy

Turkeysaurus said:


>


This is disturbingly uncluttered. 

I haven't seen that much of my own desk since I first set it up in 1996; and about 7 years later, when I built & installed a new, larger "L" component for the main desk. Both times there was briefly some visible space on the desktop(s).

(not any more)


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Pharmaboy said:


> This is disturbingly uncluttered.
> 
> I haven't seen that much of my own desk since I first set it up in 1996; and about 7 years later, when I built & installed a new, larger "L" component for the main desk. Both times there was briefly some visible space on the desktop(s).
> 
> (not any more)


To me this is cluttered. I was working on my keyboard, that's why you see the keycap and switch puller 😀


----------



## MisterMudd

Turkeysaurus said:


>


What keyboard?


----------



## Turkeysaurus

MisterMudd said:


> What keyboard?


It's a Keychron Q3. It's my first custom mechanical keyboard. I'm looking to get either the Mode Sonnet or Eighty next.


----------



## Strat1117

Turkeysaurus said:


>






😜


----------



## betula

Turkeysaurus said:


>


I needed Google Lens to identify some of your tools.


----------



## mulveling

Just a small corner of my gear collection / problem, as it stands today. Definitely past time to organize and figure some things out better. Also need to hook that SOTA turntable up again (its platter is being used for cartridge storage right now, shame on me).





Aaaaaaand, currently enjoying this beauty, an absolute masterpiece


----------



## betula

mulveling said:


> Just a small corner of my gear collection / problem, as it stands today. Definitely past time to organize and figure some things out better. Also need to hook that SOTA turntable up again (its platter is being used for cartridge storage right now, shame on me).
> 
> 
> Aaaaaaand, currently enjoying this beauty, an absolute masterpiece


You must have a very understanding partner.


----------



## Since1991

mulveling said:


> Just a small corner of my gear collection / problem, as it stands today. Definitely past time to organize and figure some things out better. Also need to hook that SOTA turntable up again (its platter is being used for cartridge storage right now, shame on me).
> 
> 
> Aaaaaaand, currently enjoying this beauty, an absolute masterpiece



Where did you get the headphone tents? Those look pretty cool.


----------



## lugnut

Since1991 said:


> Where did you get the headphone tents? Those look pretty cool.


https://audio46.com/products/stax-c...tm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping


----------



## judomaniak57

nothing like some good tunes while sitting on a comfy chair on a rainy day


----------



## Alien HP




----------



## judomaniak57

Alien HP said:


>


What's the switch box for.


----------



## ufospls2

mulveling said:


> Just a small corner of my gear collection / problem, as it stands today. Definitely past time to organize and figure some things out better. Also need to hook that SOTA turntable up again (its platter is being used for cartridge storage right now, shame on me).
> 
> 
> Aaaaaaand, currently enjoying this beauty, an absolute masterpiece


Cool! Did you sell your other T2 and buy one built by Kerry? Or borrowing from a friend?

EDIT: oops, i see the other one on the bottom. Two T2's, damn, haha.


----------



## Alien HP

judomaniak57 said:


> What's the switch box for.


It's a passive headphone switch similar to this one https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds...ully-balanced-xlr-headphone-amp-switch.29264/


----------



## Miiksu

I keep it simple and big. I upgraded Stax SRM-313 to Muzishare X7 and Ifi Pro iESL. When I have more money I try different stereo amps for the electrostatic headphones. I still use Topping DX7 Pro because I can change op-amps. Hive is changed to HiveX.  Also in the near future I will try a new Topping headphone amp for the stereo amp. Let's see how it turns out.


----------



## Chastity

Mr Trev said:


> I totally support you and your no black components cause. Please send me some literature so I can learn more
> 
> <PSA> proof reading what you type before clicking reply is always a good idea. My first response would've got me in very deep hot water if taken out of context


The War Against Monochromatism Hath Begun!


----------



## MacMan31

judomaniak57 said:


> nothing like some good tunes while sitting on a comfy chair on a rainy day



That looks like the chair I have. Did you get that from Leon's? I have the matching sofa.


----------



## judomaniak57

yes it is from leon's


MacMan31 said:


> That looks like the chair I have. Did you get that from Leon's? I have the matching sofa.


----------



## Strat1117

Chastity said:


> The War Against Monochromatism Hath Begun!


Everyone please send your black faced components to me for proper disposal. Especially interested in tube and high powered SS amps. 

😬


----------



## mulveling (Jul 31, 2022)

ufospls2 said:


> Cool! Did you sell your other T2 and buy one built by Kerry? Or borrowing from a friend?
> 
> EDIT: oops, i see the other one on the bottom. Two T2's, damn, haha.


First T2 is waiting on a repair. Couldn’t stop myself from grabbing this Nascent / Eksonic one when it came up recently.

I really have no problem keeping two T2s. Hope to compare them side by side eventually but from what I’m hearing now they do 99% the same thing.

Almost forgot how stunning the T2 / 009 combo is on vinyl. Finally hooked up my SOTA with a Koetsu again last night. As much as I love my new Phison PD2 DAC, still nothing touches top flight vinyl for me. Pure effing magic, nothing finer. Honey in the ears 😍


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Beautiful cabinet on your turntable!


----------



## mulveling

gimmeheadroom said:


> Beautiful cabinet on your turntable!


Yes, thank you 
It's a fiery Koa wood, and they don't make that anymore. Literally iridescent in direct light. I saw this table in a local shop on consignment 15 years ago, and couldn't get it out of my head. It gave me "feelings". Went back on my birthday to buy. And that's how I got into vinyl! It was a SOTA Star Series III back then - must be originally from late 80's / early 90s. I had SOTA bring it up to Nova V specs a few years ago. Wish I'd waited for VI series, but mainly I wanted the vacuum clamping working again, which functions beautifully now. It's plenty good as a V series.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

mulveling said:


> Yes, thank you
> It's a fiery Koa wood, and they don't make that anymore. Literally iridescent in direct light. I saw this table in a local shop on consignment 15 years ago, and couldn't get it out of my head. It gave me "feelings". Went back on my birthday to buy. And that's how I got into vinyl! It was a SOTA Star Series III back then - must be originally from late 80's / early 90s. I had SOTA bring it up to Nova V specs a few years ago. Wish I'd waited for VI series, but mainly I wanted the vacuum clamping working again, which functions beautifully now. It's plenty good as a V series.


It looked like quilted maple, but didn't. I couldn't place it. Anyway, thanks for sharing that story, I can only imagine your delight at bringing that home. Wow!


----------



## Pharmaboy

MacMan31 said:


> That looks like the chair I have. Did you get that from Leon's? I have the matching sofa.


Qu'est-ce que c'est Leon's?


----------



## MacMan31

Pharmaboy said:


> Qu'est-ce que c'est Leon's?



Leon's is a furniture and appliance store in Canada.  https://www.leons.ca


----------



## ufospls2

mulveling said:


> First T2 is waiting on a repair. Couldn’t stop myself from grabbing this Nascent / Eksonic one when it came up recently.
> 
> I really have no problem keeping two T2s. Hope to compare them side by side eventually but from what I’m hearing now they do 99% the same thing.
> 
> Almost forgot how stunning the T2 / 009 combo is on vinyl. Finally hooked up my SOTA with a Koetsu again last night. As much as I love my new Phison PD2 DAC, still nothing touches top flight vinyl for me. Pure effing magic, nothing finer. Honey in the ears 😍



Thats really cool man. Hope you continue to really enjoy it


----------



## TheRH

gimmeheadroom said:


> Mine's silver


I have an SE with DAC a d it is pretty awesome!


----------



## LostOnEarth




----------



## genefruit

Needs a bit of tidying up but plan has come together.


----------



## betula

genefruit said:


> Needs a bit of tidying up but plan has come together.


Every time a Stratus pops up it makes me feel I want to own one even just for the looks. (Never heard one.)


----------



## mulveling

genefruit said:


> Needs a bit of tidying up but plan has come together.


Wow, amazing gear! I would be nervous with that VTI rack, though - somewhat tippable with 3 support posts, and stacked so high.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LostOnEarth said:


>



I guess that's the reissue IMSAI? Do you run CP/M on it? What do you do with it?


----------



## LostOnEarth

gimmeheadroom said:


> I guess that's the reissue IMSAI? Do you run CP/M on it? What do you do with it?


https://thehighnibble.com/imsai8080/
It's a replica - mostly used to learn how the IMSAI operated, but it does run CP/M and is reachable via Wi-Fi, of all things!
A great computer kit, recommended!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

LostOnEarth said:


> https://thehighnibble.com/imsai8080/
> It's a replica - mostly used to learn how the IMSAI operated, but it does run CP/M and is reachable via Wi-Fi, of all things!
> A great computer kit, recommended!


Awesome, thanks for the link!


----------



## j0val

WFH setup


----------



## Andrewteee

j0val said:


> WFH setup


Nice setup. How do you like the Genelecs?


----------



## j0val

Andrewteee said:


> Nice setup. How do you like the Genelecs?


They’ve been great. I sold my Empyreans last year for them as well as the Grados. Don’t regret it. 

I find myself listening to the Genelecs way more since they don’t tether me down like headphones do while working. Also, their imaging is amazing even while sitting just a couple feet away.


----------



## jonathan c

On most setups, she sounds great! In this case, she sounds magnificent (so does the band and accompanying vocalists):


----------



## Chastity (Aug 2, 2022)

@jonathan c I see you also suffer from Monochromatism.  Can you add something on top of the stack to break up that sea of black / brown?  Maybe a picture behind it?


----------



## Mr Trev

Coming soon to a Head-Fi station near you:
https://newatlas.com/aircraft/samson-switchblade-flying-car-flight-faa-approval/

Although, I guess this'd be more of a portable rig


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 2, 2022)

Chastity said:


> @jonathan c I see you also suffer from Monochromatism.  Can you add something on top of the stack to break up that sea of black / brown?  Maybe a picture behind it?


I do have silver h/p/a off to the side…in any event, all the colour & drama is between my ears…😀😜.


----------



## Pharmaboy

j0val said:


> WFH setup


Another tidy desk! 

(and more ignominy for me--my desktop is the home office equivalent of the Augean stables)


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Another tidy desk!
> 
> (and more ignominy for me--my desktop is the home office equivalent of the Augean stables)


…the twelve labours of Pharmaboy…(the last is 12 hours of Marilyn Manson / Captain & Tenille…😈 / 🤢 ?….…..🤣🤣)


----------



## j0val

Pharmaboy said:


> Another tidy desk!
> 
> (and more ignominy for me--my desktop is the home office equivalent of the Augean stables)



I make sure to tidy up a bit before taking pics. Gotta admit that the tidiness doesn’t last too long during a work day.


----------



## waveSounds

New desk time.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

1. Those mousepads make all the difference in the world.
2. I see you're no longer running dangerously unbalanced

All seriousness aside, nice setup! Lovely yard as well.


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> New desk time.


Is that a printer to the left in 1st picture? Is yes, it's HUGE...gotta know what kind it is & why you'd need such a thing

What can I say? I have a thing for printers...headphones...televisions...amplifiers...speakers (fade to black)


----------



## waveSounds

@gimmeheadroom Ha! Thanks. Garden is still very much a work in progress, but it's come along a fair way compared to how it was when we moved in here back in Feb.

Current -





Original state -





@Pharmaboy It is indeed a printer. I print out, maybe, a page or two every few months so clearly a colour laser printer was what was required 

It's a remnant from a time when a friend and I ran our SEO business from an actual office premises. I moved to the countryside and decided to leave that industry entirely, choosing a simple(r) life of gardening to be able to spend more time with my family. However that meant the printer had to go somewhere, and thus it lives on in my home office, patiently waiting for the next time I need to print out a grocery list.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

waveSounds said:


> @gimmeheadroom Ha! Thanks. Garden is still very much a work in progress, but it's come along a fair way compared to how it was when we moved in here back in Feb.
> 
> Current -
> 
> ...



Really beautiful job and such a nice sunny day! I can imagine sitting out there with a cold drink of some kind


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> @gimmeheadroom Ha! Thanks. Garden is still very much a work in progress, but it's come along a fair way compared to how it was when we moved in here back in Feb.
> 
> Current -
> 
> ...


That backyard is really fabulous!


----------



## Mr Trev

waveSounds said:


> @Pharmaboy It is indeed a printer. I print out, maybe, a page or two every few months so clearly a colour laser printer was what was required
> 
> It's a remnant from a time when a friend and I ran our SEO business from an actual office premises. I moved to the countryside and decided to leave that industry entirely, choosing a simple(r) life of gardening to be able to spend more time with my family. However that meant the printer had to go somewhere, and thus it lives on in my home office, patiently waiting for the next time I need to print out a grocery list.


There's no kill like overkill! How do I know? I just got a Lenovo Legion laptop and I'm not really a gamer - 16:10 displays FTW!!


----------



## odarg64 (Aug 2, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I guess that's the reissue IMSAI? Do you run CP/M on it? What do you do with it?


CP/M, now there's a blast from the past. I got a lot of work done on the old Kaypro until about 1991.


----------



## jonathan c

LostOnEarth said:


>


Cambridge Audio makes great gear. [I still use a 640C CD player from 2014:  🎼😀🎵]


----------



## LostOnEarth

jonathan c said:


> Cambridge Audio makes great gear. [I still use a 640C CD player from 2014:  🎼😀🎵]


I agree - but I also have an Evo, and I'm less happy about it...


----------



## MisterMudd

waveSounds said:


> New desk time.


Love the desk pads. Who please?


----------



## jonathan c

LostOnEarth said:


> I agree - but I also have an Evo, and I'm less happy about it...


…What is causing your discontent?


----------



## LostOnEarth

jonathan c said:


> …What is causing your discontent?


It seems to me like a missed opportunity. 
I'm using it as a sort of an AVR (granted, perhaps not the best use, but it does have HDMI), and while it does the job, 
the big screen is a missed chance to actually provide proper info (and somethings the info it's too small to read), 
not a lot of audio format support (e.g. bitstream),
and the sound it's nothing extraordinary (perhaps the speakers don't do it justice).
Also, it's my second unit - the first one bricked after a firmware update. 
But perhaps I'm being too demanding, after my experience with the CX line.


----------



## jonathan c

waveSounds said:


> @gimmeheadroom Ha! Thanks. Garden is still very much a work in progress, but it's come along a fair way compared to how it was when we moved in here back in Feb.
> 
> Current -


…very nice…and cutting the grass can be a good test for closed-back headphones 😀 !!


----------



## Mansinthe86

LostOnEarth said:


> It seems to me like a missed opportunity.
> I'm using it as a sort of an AVR (granted, perhaps not the best use, but it does have HDMI), and while it does the job,
> the big screen is a missed chance to actually provide proper info (and somethings the info it's too small to read),
> not a lot of audio format support (e.g. bitstream),
> ...



I got the cxn V2+cxa81... Roon provides all the info that U need . 😇


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> …very nice…and cutting the grass can be a good test for closed-back headphones 😀 !!


Remember to use BT. Some of these new-fangled el-cheapo lawnmowers will balk if a Sennheiser cable gets wrapped up in the blades.


----------



## morserotonin

Spent last Sunday rewiring stuff and adding the pi2aes to the rig.. Digital source setup on the rack to my left with amps and stuff on the desk.


----------



## vmiguel

morserotonin said:


> Spent last Sunday rewiring stuff and adding the pi2aes to the rig.. Digital source setup on the rack to my left with amps and stuff on the desk.


A printer in the hi-fi rack? The horror!


----------



## morserotonin (Aug 3, 2022)

vmiguel said:


> A printer in the hi-fi rack? The horror!


Some concessions were made to keep the household happy I do have to admit. Vibration is a concern of course but as long as I don't power it on while listening is just an eyesore.


----------



## Ripper2860




----------



## H20Fidelity

When there's no more bedroom space left, so you just keep building custom shelves upwards. "P


----------



## Chastity

H20Fidelity said:


> When there's no more bedroom space left, so you just keep building custom shelves upwards. "P


"If you want to build a proper audio rack, you build down, not up!"  - Khelgar, Dwarven Audiophile of Neverwinter


----------



## LifeAspect

Changed some stuff around😅


----------



## MisterMudd

Ripper2860 said:


>


How do the new speakers sound?


----------



## Chefguru

MisterMudd said:


> How do the new speakers sound?


This. And what's the name? Love the design.


----------



## Ripper2860 (Aug 4, 2022)

MisterMudd said:


> How do the new speakers sound?


Excellent.  Despite being that far apart and having a big monitor between them, the center stage is locked on.  Sounds like a wall of sound with center stage coming from the monitor.   I had to check to see if the monitor's built-in speakers were disabled and they were!  The soundstage is wider than one would expect and the mids are delicious.  They do need a bit of help on the bottom-end, but Schiit Loki EQ to the rescue!!


----------



## TooFrank

Tried a bottle (fridge) as a preamp
It really adds some spirit.....


----------



## NovaFlyer

ZMF, Feliks audio and whisky after a long week...the warm glow of tubes matched with the warm smokiness of a whisky


----------



## Gavin C4

Using dCS Rossini as DAC source and output to portable amp Mass Kobo 428 to power IEMs. The texture and details had reached another realem.


----------



## jonathan c

Not Finch….   

  ….but ZMF


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Not Finch….     ….but ZMF


By "adding color," I think something other than black and white was the intent of the suggestion.   🤣


----------



## judomaniak57

ahhhh tubes and Pink Floyd


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 6, 2022)

🙁😢😭


----------



## InvisibleInk

jonathan c said:


> 🙁😢😭


Did you gear trip a fuse?


----------



## jonathan c

InvisibleInk said:


> Did you gear trip a fuse?


…🥱…it’s time for sleep 😴…


----------



## muckyfingers

Sublime.


----------



## jadverkko (Aug 6, 2022)




----------



## Wes S (Aug 6, 2022)

Current State - My Cayin HA300mk2 is out for delivery, and I am ready.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Current State - My Cayin HA300mk2 is out for delivery, and I am ready.


I doubt that the Cayin will be as transparent as your current amp 🤣🤣🤣!


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> I doubt that the Cayin will be as transparent as your current amp 🤣🤣🤣!


LOL!  We shall see very soon, and I have a good feeling it just might be a bit better.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> I doubt that the Cayin will be as transparent as your current amp 🤣🤣🤣!


ROFL!!!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> Current State - My Cayin HA300mk2 is out for delivery, and I am ready.


I'm guessing that feeling of emptiness is both physical and psychological (!) ...


----------



## jonathan c

muckyfingers said:


> Sublime.


Is that an older WA22?


----------



## jonathan c

NovaFlyer said:


> ZMF, Feliks audio and whisky after a long week...the warm glow of tubes matched with the warm _glow from _a whisky


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## Wes S

Current State - The HA300mk2 has arrived, and is about to get fired up shortly.


----------



## muckyfingers

jonathan c said:


> Is that an older WA22?


It’s a 1st Gen for sure.


----------



## kumar402

Wes S said:


> Current State - The HA300mk2 has arrived, and is about to get fired up shortly.


Do let us know your initial impression


----------



## theeclone (Aug 6, 2022)

Firmly in the chifi zone. Liking the Bifrost 2/64 --> Lyr 3 through the sr225s. Saga S in between strictly as a source selector. Phono preamp card in the lyr.






Edit: accidentally hit reply too soon:

Using a sylvania gta for headphones. Love that tube. Rebranded as "Delco", which I believe means it was used in car stereos. Cars must've sounded awesome back then.




Full rig. Lisst in the Lyr 3 for most speaker sessions


----------



## hifixman

kumar402 said:


> Do let us know your initial impression


warm amp with warm dacs 

It is gonna be warmmmm


----------



## UntilThen

A lazy Sunday afternoon.


----------



## UntilThen

There are 2 loves in my life. The one above and the one below it.


----------



## Wes S (Aug 7, 2022)

hifixman said:


> warm amp with warm dacs
> 
> It is gonna be warmmmm


Kind of a lame response you got here, and you forgot to mention the warm and gooey new production stock tubes. 

Tube rolling can do wonders for a TOTL tube amp, and it is going to be fun with this one no doubt. If I planned on staying with the stock tubes (of which I never do), then yes it would be too warm.  The good thing is, there are 3 tube types and many different combos possible to dial in the sound.  There is also many more tube rolling options when you throw adapters in the mix.  I think it's funny and a bit strange how often TOTL tube amps get labled as sounding a certain way with just the stock tubes.  Heck, I consider the warm and gooey new production stock tubes throwaways, and only use them to burn in the amp.  I have been in the hobby since 2016, and have yet to see a proper review on a TOTL tube amp by the way, as no one ever tube rolls them in their reviews. . .


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> Current State - The HA300mk2 has arrived, and is about to get fired up shortly.


Congrats on the new gear


----------



## Wes S

whirlwind said:


> Congrats on the new gear


Thanks buddy!


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> There are 2 loves in my life. The one above and the one below it.


….and Mrs. UT?….😕😡….


----------



## dynavit

jonathan c said:


> ….and Mrs. UT?….😕😡….


Mrs UT is also sometimes above, sometimes below as she loves it.


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> ….and Mrs. UT?….😕😡….



That's a higher love, on another plane. These are material love.


----------



## shwnwllms




----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> That's a higher love, on another plan_ar. _These are material love.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## UntilThen

Life's about the moment and the moment is with KT66 that was introduced to the world by GEC-MOV in 1937 for audio purposes. It wasn't until 1956 that a successor KT88 came along. Picture is dedicated to Judith Durham of the Seekers fame who passed away last Friday.


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> Life's about the moment and the moment is with KT66 that was introduced to the world by GEC-MOV in 1937 for audio purposes. It wasn't until 1956 that a successor KT88 came along. Picture is dedicated to Judith Durham of the Seekers fame who passed away last Friday.


A real beauty. 
I just love when when aesthetics align with sound quality.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Life's about the moment and the moment is with KT66 that was introduced to the world by GEC-MOV in 1937 for audio purposes. It wasn't until 1956 that a successor KT88 came along. Picture is dedicated to Judith Durham of the Seekers fame who passed away last Friday.


an unconscious alignment….sonic ‘seeker’ travelling through…audiodom… ‘until then’…🤔👋…


----------



## jonathan c

The dog days tube times of August…


----------



## Lord Rexter (Aug 7, 2022)




----------



## UntilThen

I agree @betula about aesthetics with sound quality. I see and I hear and it's the latter that wow me more. I've been listening to music since 3:30am and it's 5:30am now - the sun's coming up soon !


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> I agree @betula about aesthetics with sound quality. I see and I hear and it's the latter that wow me more. I've been listening to music since 3:30am and it's 5:30am now - the sun's coming up soon !


All those precious minutes and hours we can spend in our personal audio heaven are invaluable.


----------



## UntilThen

betula said:


> All those precious minutes and hours we can spend in our personal audio heaven are invaluable.



Or in the words of my wife - a total waste of time. An indecent obsession.


----------



## betula

UntilThen said:


> Or in the words of my wife - a total waste of time. An indecent obsession.


She must have other ways to recharge and has learnt to respect your own ways to relax and recharge... 
It is only a sign of a healthy relationship, if you keep teasing each-other about hobbies/time spent separately...


----------



## mithiral67

Yall's set up are way fancier than mine!!


----------



## alota

UntilThen said:


> Or in the words of my wife - a total waste of time. An indecent obsession.


The same thinking of wife in the entire world


----------



## UntilThen

mithiral67 said:


> Yall's set up are way fancier than mine!!



Just an illusion. Yours is just as good. By the way what's yours? 

To reinforce my statement that simple is just as good, the Sennheiser Momentum earbud with my iPhone kept me company in the 2 weeks I was recovering from an operation in hospital !


----------



## jonathan c

alota said:


> The same thinking of wife in the entire world


….at least the spouse knows where the other is….that is worth something….😄🤷🏻‍♂️.


----------



## Chastity

Could be worse.  You could have an audiophile wife, who takes your favorite cans when you are not looking.


----------



## jonathan c

Chastity said:


> Could be worse.  You could have an audiophile wife, who takes your favorite cans tubes when you are not looking.


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## Terriero

Chastity said:


> Could be worse.  You could have an audiophile wife, who takes your favorite cans when you are not looking.


And scratch them... _Was an accident_...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> I agree @betula about aesthetics with sound quality. I see and I hear and it's the latter that wow me more. I've been listening to music since 3:30am and it's 5:30am now - the sun's coming up soon !



Ok, but you're Down Under and everything is reversed, so I hear.

You have your headamps and headphones on reverse phase, and not only that but by 5:30 A.M. where you are the sun is going down, not coming up. Right?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Terriero said:


> And scratch them... _Was an accident_...


----------



## caryking

Lord Rexter said:


>



what are these headphones?  They are beautiful!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

caryking said:


> what are these headphones?  They are beautiful!


Headphones? What headphones? I was blinded by the chrome-plated McIntosh


----------



## Lord Rexter

caryking said:


> what are these headphones?  They are beautiful!





gimmeheadroom said:


> Headphones? What headphones? I was blinded by the chrome-plated McIntosh


They are the Gold Planar GL1200 ribbon headphones 👍


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

LifeAspect said:


> Changed some stuff around😅



What are those speakers stands?


----------



## bcowen

Chastity said:


> Could be worse.  You could have an audiophile wife, who takes your favorite cans when you are not looking.


LOL!  Can you imagine having an audiophile spouse?  

"The RCA sounds better"
_"The Sylvania sounds better"_

"Man, the treble is really extended and airy!"
_"The treble is calling attention to itself and fatiguing"_

"Wow, what boomy, ill-defined, one-note bass"
_"Will you listen to the slam and fullness of those bass notes?"_

"This tube amp rocks!"
_"This tube amp sounds like a caramel coated sugar cube"_

"This solid-state amp sounds artificial and has zero harmonic detail or depth"
_"This solid-state amp rocks!"_

"I want the ZMF's"
_"I want the Focals"_

"I want to listen to Marilyn Manson"
_"I want a divorce"_

🤣


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

UntilThen said:


> Or in the words of my wife - a total waste of time. An indecent obsession.



Time for a divorce...


----------



## MLGrado

04gto said:


> Not too many things as satisfying as a bunch of headfi gear properly stored safely in military grade, crush & water resistant cases! Seahorse cases are my favorite (the brand ZMF uses).
> 
> To stay on topic~ my scenery from tonight.


I have yet to try my RME AD-2 Pro FS R Black Edition as a recording interface.  I plan on eventually ripping some vinyl as a start.  
Have you given that a go, yet?

Thanks and very nice system


----------



## 04gto (Aug 8, 2022)

MLGrado said:


> I have yet to try my RME AD-2 Pro FS R Black Edition as a recording interface.  I plan on eventually ripping some vinyl as a start.
> Have you given that a go, yet?
> 
> Thanks and very nice system


Thank you for the compliments. Actually me and my son are gonna try it the first time this weekend. We previously recorded Black Sabbath- Paranoid via usb using the internal AD converter on his Audio Technica turntable. We are curious to compare the sound quality after recording it again on the PRO. After that we will rip the rest of his modest collection.


----------



## Zachik

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Time for a divorce...


Been there. Done that (13 years ago). Happy now!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Zachik said:


> Been there. Done that (13 years ago). Happy now!


The tubes will still keep you warm at night


----------



## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> The tubes will still keep you warm at night


…and if you don’t like what you hear, you can shut them down…


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> …and if you don’t like what you hear, you can shut them down…


Now we know why they call 'em rectifiers!


----------



## UntilThen

Are you guys on some strange medicine?  Anyhoo let's get back to the station and it's without tubes.


----------



## UntilThen

Susvara transforms on the Sony. Who would have known that? It has been a really strange hobby.


----------



## Mojo65

Current set up, minimal so to say..


----------



## caryking

should I repair this (just needs a good tune-up) and use it?


----------



## UntilThen

caryking said:


> should I repair this (just needs a good tune-up) and use it?



Of course. I just discovered that my Susvara sound magical with my vintage amps. Wish I had kept my 4 Sansui amps. Your 9090DB will look great with Susvara on top of it.  

...and with that, I drop the mike because I'm at post 19,999.


----------



## Terriero

bcowen said:


> LOL!  Can you imagine having an audiophile spouse?
> 
> "The RCA sounds better"
> _"The Sylvania sounds better"_
> ...


I think is worse when you have multibuck headphones and also multibuck DAC, amps, cables and so on... and your wife is a *"sound science" wife*...


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Terriero said:


> I think is worse when you have multibuck headphones and also multibuck DAC, amps, cables and so on... and your wife is a *"sound science" wife*...


Start throwing fuses into the mix and watch her go crazy!


----------



## jonathan c

A Jack Klugman / Tony Randall *  fun setup this evening!


  [Outer space / vacuum silent background, clear imaging without etch / glare, excellent tonal balance, abundance of detail. * The ‘Odd Couple’]


----------



## linshu1992 (Aug 10, 2022)

.


----------



## steamboiled

Sidegrade maybe? Oh and a new keyboard.


----------



## samr33

My current stack:

Naim uniti core > Chord TT2 > Auris Nirvana > D8000pro/Adx5000/HD800s/HD600/D9200/Empyrean


----------



## jonathan c

The ‘Woos of Navarone’…


----------



## skhan007

Got an adapter for my Bottlehead Crack, which allows me to now use a 6sn7 tube for the preamp. This is as of today. ZMF Verite Open & Bottlehead Crack (pictured) and RME ADI2 DAC (not pictured):


----------



## sacguy231

My main headphone rig is on an different wall, but this is where I have my speaker setup. It's a blend of analog and digital stuff, lots of formats, but also allows me to listen to headphones with ease.


----------



## theeclone

sacguy231 said:


> My main headphone rig is on an different wall, but this is where I have my speaker setup. It's a blend of analog and digital stuff, lots of formats, but also allows me to listen to headphones with ease.


That's alotta Nakamichi!


----------



## sacguy231

theeclone said:


> That's alotta Nakamichi!


Thx! I have another still in the closet to be restored.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Badas




----------



## Unseen Aura




----------



## bcowen

sacguy231 said:


> Thx! I have another still in the closet to be restored.


You have a still in the closet?  Now _that_ is cool. Nothing like some good 'shine. 🤣🤣


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Badas said:


>


The headphone cable coil thing under the Omega stand (or part of it) is brilliant!


----------



## Badas

ColSaulTigh said:


> The headphone cable coil thing under the Omega stand (or part of it) is brilliant!


Thanks!

Yeah! I liked them. 
I purchased 4 of them for my needs. It keeps them very tidy.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Badas said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yeah! I liked them.
> I purchased 4 of them for my needs. It keeps them very tidy.


Brand/model?


----------



## Badas

ColSaulTigh said:


> Brand/model?


Very hard to get now.

Oppo headphone stand.
The stand under the Woo WA22 also matches. It was made for the Oppo headphone amp (which I owned for a short time).


----------



## MacMan31

Badas said:


>



Nice setup. How do you like the Aeon 2 Open? Also where did you get the stand for them and the amp on top?


----------



## LoryWiv

Badas said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yeah! I liked them.
> I purchased 4 of them for my needs. It keeps them very tidy.


Very cool. Please share the link for purchasing those stands.


----------



## piakoB




----------



## hifixman

Viva Pre Amp & Riviera Power Amp =

Bad Italian Marriage


----------



## BlakeT

hifixman said:


> Viva Pre Amp & Riviera Power Amp =
> 
> Bad Italian Marriage



What is the problem with that combo?


----------



## alota

hifixman said:


> Viva Pre Amp & Riviera Power Amp =
> 
> Bad Italian Marriage


And from dave to riviera?


----------



## Dawgfish




----------



## happygamera156

Dawgfish said:


>


Love the antique looks of this.


----------



## Dawgfish

happygamera156 said:


> Love the antique looks of this.


Thank you!  Much appreciated!


----------



## kumar402

Dawgfish said:


>


Hello from fellow mainline owner. What is that power plug that you are using. Seems to be right match for mainline as it reduces strain.


----------



## hifixman

BlakeT said:


> What is the problem with that combo?


Muffled


----------



## Dawgfish (Aug 12, 2022)

kumar402 said:


> Hello from fellow mainline owner. What is that power plug that you are using. Seems to be right match for mainline as it reduces strain.


It is the power cord kit from Bottlehead. How do you like your Mainline?  I'm very impressed so far.


----------



## hifixman (Aug 12, 2022)

alota said:


> And from dave to riviera?


I never get the point of Dave sonically, I personally much prefer Esoteric N05XD, or even Mola Mola if I want digital sounding.


----------



## kumar402

Dawgfish said:


> It is the power cord kit from Bottlehead. How do you like your Mainline?  I'm very impressed so far.


I’m enjoying it a lot, it’s linear sounding and doesn’t color the sound a lot and that’s a good thing, really enjoying it with ZMF and Bifrost2. It’s sounds close to SW51+ but has better dynamic swing then it.


----------



## atarione




----------



## Dawgfish

kumar402 said:


> I’m enjoying it a lot, it’s linear sounding and doesn’t color the sound a lot and that’s a good thing, really enjoying it with ZMF and Bifrost2. It’s sounds close to SW51+ but has better dynamic swing then it.


I've been enjoying it with ZMFs as well.  Right now I'm running it with a MHDT Steeplechase DAC but I need to try it with the Bifrost 2.  I bet the full sound of the Bifrost goes well with the airy yet solid sound of the Mainline.


----------



## Dawgfish (Aug 13, 2022)

atarione said:


>


I really like the vintage receivers.  I have a few Marantz and Sansui receivers and integrateds that I like to use as headphone amps as well.


----------



## Ganymede




----------



## TheR0v3r

UntilThen said:


> Susvara transforms on the Sony. Who would have known that? It has been a really strange hobby.


Nice! From the headphone output???


----------



## UntilThen

TheR0v3r said:


> Nice! From the headphone output???



Yes. Vintage amps headphone output are just as good as the amp’s speakers output. Same circuitry.


----------



## TheR0v3r

UntilThen said:


> Yes. Vintage amps headphone output are just as good as the amp’s speakers output. Same circuitry.


Aha, didn’t know that! Thank you 🙏


----------



## riverground (Aug 13, 2022)

The Empire Ears Wraith is still by far my favourite IEM by the company. Not only is its name my favourite Royce car it also lives up to its namesake by giving a ghostly presence while listening to it. What I mean by that is that the Wraith possesses this almost ethereal and haunting vocal rendering that always leaves me speechless.

I might do a more in-depth review of the Wraith sometime in the near future.

Featuring: Sony WM1A & Effect Audio Cleopatra

EDIT: This was supposed to be posted on a different thread 🤣 

But glad you guys like it.


----------



## EarlyHearingLoss

gefski said:


> Wow on that custom base!!!!!


Yo, that’s a sick base. What’s it made of?


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> Susvara transforms on the Sony. Who would have known that? It has been a really strange hobby.


Those vintage Sonys were great receivers!  They don't get as much love as the Marantz, Sansui, and Pioneer receivers but they are every bit as good.  I hope to add one to the collection one day.  Yours looks to be in incredible shape.  I bet it sounds incredible with the Susvara!


----------



## Dawgfish

caryking said:


> should I repair this (just needs a good tune-up) and use it?


Damn right you should repair that!  Lol!  Its a classic.  They are worth serious $$$$ these days but if it were me I would repair it and keep it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

atarione said:


>


Pioneer receiver!!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Not sure if I mentioned this on this thread, but here goes nothing: in the late '70s I assembled the 1st of countless "serious" audio systems. Much of it was ill-considered stuff (I was learning the ropes), but the very 1st amp I bought was a 60 WPC Pioneer receiver, the one with that gorgeous-feeling weighted FM dial & pretty lighting. Several years later, I'd already replaced it w/separate tuner & integrated amp, so I gave the Pioneer to my twin brother, after first getting it tuned up at a local HiFi repair place. I started having twinges of regret when the tech said, "Damn, this thing is beautiful. Sounds great, too" (but I ignored the feeling).

So decades later this receiver I blithely gave away is a genuine audio collectable. My brother still uses it every day and loves it. It needed a repair exactly once in the 30+ years since he got it. 

I've given him any number of things since then, including a complete desktop audio system + headphone (all stuff I'd used for 4+ yrs), but the only thing that stings even a little is that receiver.


----------



## Allegro maestoso

Unseen Aura said:


>


Love what you've done with the Geschelli.


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> Not sure if I mentioned this on this thread, but here goes nothing: in the late '70s I assembled the 1st of countless "serious" audio systems. Much of it was ill-considered stuff (I was learning the ropes), but the very 1st amp I bought was a 60 WPC Pioneer receiver, the one with that gorgeous-feeling weighted FM dial & pretty lighting. Several years later, I'd already replaced it w/separate tuner & integrated amp, so I gave the Pioneer to my twin brother, after first getting it tuned up at a local HiFi repair place. I started having twinges of regret when the tech said, "Damn, this thing is beautiful. Sounds great, too" (but I ignored the feeling).
> 
> So decades later this receiver I blithely gave away is a genuine audio collectable. My brother still uses it every day and loves it. It needed a repair exactly once in the 30+ years since he got it.
> 
> I've given him any number of things since then, including a complete desktop audio system + headphone (all stuff I'd used for 4+ yrs), but the only thing that stings even a little is that receiver.


That had to be hard getting rid of that but you did a noble thing.  I say find a similar one, have a tech go through it and enjoy.  I love the vintage 70s and early 80s stuff.  They are so versatile and sound great!


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> Those vintage Sonys were great receivers!  They don't get as much love as the Marantz, Sansui, and Pioneer receivers but they are every bit as good.  I hope to add one to the collection one day.  Yours looks to be in incredible shape.  I bet it sounds incredible with the Susvara!



You wouldn’t believe it if I told you how much I paid for it.

I have 4 Sansui amps in the past. 

Sansui au-alpha 907mr
Sansui 717
Sansui 7700
Sansui 505

I love tube amps the most. Next are vintage amps.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Not sure if I mentioned this on this thread, but here goes nothing: in the late '70s I assembled the 1st of countless "serious" audio systems. Much of it was ill-considered stuff (I was learning the ropes), but the very 1st amp I bought was a 60 WPC Pioneer receiver, the one with that gorgeous-feeling weighted FM dial & pretty lighting. Several years later, I'd already replaced it w/separate tuner & integrated amp, so I gave the Pioneer to my twin brother, after first getting it tuned up at a local HiFi repair place. I started having twinges of regret when the tech said, "Damn, this thing is beautiful. Sounds great, too" (but I ignored the feeling).
> 
> So decades later this receiver I blithely gave away is a genuine audio collectable. My brother still uses it every day and loves it. It needed a repair exactly once in the 30+ years since he got it.
> 
> I've given him any number of things since then, including a complete desktop audio system + headphone (all stuff I'd used for 4+ yrs), but the only thing that stings even a little is that receiver.



Nice story !

There’s a blip in my audio journey that was unusual.

I had ordered DNA Stratus from Donald North. After waiting 8 months for it, I was smitten with vintage amps big time. So I canceled the Stratus order and never got to experience it to this day.

The next stage of my audio journey was getting rid of most of my vintage amps and going full throttle tube amps. And I live happily ever after …..😀


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> That had to be hard getting rid of that but you did a noble thing.  I say find a similar one, have a tech go through it and enjoy.  I love the vintage 70s and early 80s stuff.  They are so versatile and sound great!



70s was the golden age of audio.

I wanted a Pioneer sx1280 so much at one time. It was claimed to have solid thunderous bass. 185 watts into 8 ohms !

These days I learn not to lust after more watts than needed because with power comes great responsibility! 😎


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> with power comes great responsibility!


(funny!)

I only get away w/real power (250 WPC) on my space-limited desktop because the amp is good-sounding class D design,  the Wyred4Sound ST-500, that I place on its side (with W4S' approval--it puts out zero heat). If not for that, I'd be SOL.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> (funny!)
> 
> I only get away w/real power (250 WPC) on my space-limited desktop because the amp is good-sounding class D design,  the Wyred4Sound ST-500, that I place on its side (with W4S' approval--it puts out zero heat). If not for that, I'd be SOL.



What speakers are you powering with that much power?

Class D is an affordable means to lots of power. My car has a Hertz 1000w mono amp powering the sub and a separate amp delivering 250w into each of the Dynaudio Esotec splits.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Aug 13, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> What speakers are you powering with that much power?
> 
> Class D is an affordable means to lots of power. My car has a Hertz 1000w mono amp powering the sub and a separate amp delivering 250w into each of the Dynaudio Esotec splits.


I landed on two fairly large 2-way passive speakers for the desktop system (they are used with a JLAudio 10" sub and a Marchand external electronic crossover):

*KEF Reference 103.2s: *This large vintage pair of 2-ways (8" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) was an expensive item back in the mid-1980s. They definitely weren't intended for nearfield or desktop use, but because they're a sealed/acoustic suspension design, they work extremely well in that application. These are the best sounding speakers I've had in the home office, bar none. Borderline too large, but well worth it;
*ATC SCM12 Pros: *Another fairly large, heavy 2-way, this sealed/acoustic suspension studio speaker (6" mid/woofer; 1" silk dome tweeter) has remarkably accurate, yet musical sound. The ATCs do dynamics better than any speaker I've heard. Real jump factor. I have them in the closet and sooner or later will swap them for the KEFs just to get a different sound. I like them so much I'm reluctant to sell them.
These large 2-ways only need a fraction of the amp's power most of the time. But because they're sealed designs, when I really crank them, they pull more power on the peaks than similarly sized bass reflex/ported speakers would. So it all works out.

PS: The system preamp is the Violectric V281 with the 128-stepped pot & remote control. It is a superb preamp, also a superb headphone amp (the two functions are completely independent in this clever/convenient design).


----------



## UntilThen

Yeah I know the KEF 103.2 lovely sounding speakers.


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> (funny!)
> 
> I only get away w/real power (250 WPC) on my space-limited desktop because the amp is good-sounding class D design,  the Wyred4Sound ST-500, that I place on its side (with W4S' approval--it puts out zero heat). If not for that, I'd be SOL.


Occasionally I'll fire up the main 2 channel rig which I rotate several amps in depending on what speakers I'm running at the time.  Currently a B&K Reference 200.2 is in the amplifier spot which is about 220 wpc at 8ohms. I also run an Anthem Amp 2 SE tube/solid state amp at 250 wpc as well as several lower powered tube amps.  All amps are used with a Joule Electra tube preamp.  I use the higher powered amps on my fully modded Polk SDA SRS 2s, CRS 4.1tls, DCM Timewindow 3s, and Maggie's.  I use the lower powered tube amps when running ZU Omens and several more efficient bookshelves.  Honestly I don't listen to this system enough anymore.


----------



## mks100

For your consideration...


----------



## Dawgfish

mks100 said:


> For your consideration...


Very nice!  Love the Omens.  My lady commandeered my pair (along with a Sansui receiver she is powering them with).


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> Very nice!  Love the Omens.  My lady commandeered my pair (along with a Sansui receiver she is powering them with).



Omens would be perfect with my tube amps and vintage receivers. I see you have the Sansui 719. I sorely missed my 717.

I see you have countless headphones.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> Omens would be perfect with my tube amps and vintage receivers. I see you have the Sansui 719. I sorely missed my 717.
> 
> I see you have countless headphones.


Thank you!  I love the 719 and many people like the 717 better as I'm sure you are aware.  The Omens pair wonderfully well with tube amps and vintage receivers.  They are pure magic out of my Rogue 88 Magnum in triode mode.  Unfortunately I won't be getting the Omens back any time soon.  My lady has them paired with a Sansui G5000 receiver and she is not about to let them go.  Lol!


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> I love the 719 and many people like the 717 better as I'm sure you are aware.



Yes many prefer 717 because of the voluptuous bass and camp fire warmth. Good with speakers and headphones ! Good with dark side of the moon too.  

Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward in my audio journey. These were superb systems.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> Yes many prefer 717 because of the voluptuous bass and camp fire warmth. Good with speakers and headphones ! Good with dark side of the moon too.
> 
> Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward in my audio journey. These were superb systems.
> 
> 717


Agreed!  Feature rich and great sound.  There's nothing like 70s vintage classic rock out of one of the classic receivers/integrateds.  Your 717 looks to be in excellent condition.


----------



## UntilThen

It was in superb condition. Was serviced and given the whole treatment by one of the local Sansui gurus here.  

And I sold it for $900. I must be out of my mind.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> It was in superb condition. Was serviced and given the whole treatment by one of the local Sansui gurus here.
> 
> And I sold it for $900. I must be out of my mind.


That's right you sold it.  Sorry about that.  It's amazing what they are going for these days.


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> That's right you sold it.  Sorry about that.  It's amazing what they are going for these days.



I know why I sold off my vintage amps. They make way for the next phase of my audio journey - the remarkable tube amps. The tube amps are so clean and audiophile sounding with that analog sweetness. Fast transients and bass that is life like. The Glenn OTL amp ousted Ragnarok easily. I sold off Ragnarok within a year.

However it's the Ultrasonic Studio tube amps that roots me in my chair listening to music for countless hours at times. That and the arrival of Susvara and I forget about my stereo system.


----------



## Badas

LoryWiv said:


> Very cool. Please share the link for purchasing those stands.


No longer for sale. Stopped a few years ago.


----------



## Badas

MacMan31 said:


> Nice setup. How do you like the Aeon 2 Open? Also where did you get the stand for them and the amp on top?


Very early days for the Aeon 2 Open. Not really sure yet. 
Bass is the biggest uptick so far over Aeon 1 Open. 
I think the Aeon 2 is going to take a while to get use to and break in.

Headphone amp stand is now obsolete. Oppo use to sell amps and the stand was an option.
I have repurposed for the Woo WA22.


----------



## Strat1117




----------



## Gavin C4

The Susvara team is really strong. Most balanced plannar headphone available with the best resolution and detail.


----------



## David222 (Aug 15, 2022)




----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


>


Oh oh… you are on the monochromatic ‘blacklist’ with me…😳🤣…


----------



## alekc

jonathan c said:


> Oh oh… you are on the monochromatic ‘blacklist’ with me…😳🤣…


@jonathan c you're not the only one... @David222 congrats on brilliant setup. Concerning @jonathan c comment: I had both silver and black Rockna WL and the black one has darker background and darker sound signature 🤣 

May I ask which amp you prefer most with Rockna?


----------



## Since1991

David222 said:


>



That's a pretty clean looking rack. Where did you get the rack?


----------



## Chastity

jonathan c said:


> Oh oh… you are on the monochromatic ‘blacklist’ with me…😳🤣…


He has a window behind his setup at least


----------



## Chastity

Gavin C4 said:


> The Susvara team is really strong. Most balanced plannar headphone available with the best resolution and detail.


As far as an orthodynamic can do, however.  I would rather have a ribbon driver can than Susvara.


----------



## richie60

Strat1117 said:


>


I wanted to like this amp, but mine had channel imbalance….


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> Oh oh… you are on the monochromatic ‘blacklist’ with me…😳🤣…



LOL - Yes, OCD _(Obsessive Compulsive Desired)_ I will even admit that I had a dealer offer a "better" deal on silver Aurender and I kindly declined


----------



## David222

Since1991 said:


> That's a pretty clean looking rack. Where did you get the rack?



Thank you! I spent many hours looking around for a new rack and am still not 100% on keeping this unit. Build quality seems decent / took ~45 min to assemble with power-screw driver.

This is the company --> https://www.fitueyes.com

I was going to put the Rockna top-shelf - but not totally confident (yet) as it's my first purchase from this company _(previously unknown to me) _


----------



## David222

alekc said:


> @jonathan c you're not the only one... @David222 congrats on brilliant setup. Concerning @jonathan c comment: I had both silver and black Rockna WL and the black one has darker background and darker sound signature 🤣
> 
> May I ask which amp you prefer most with Rockna?



Thank you Alek! I've not clocked enough hours just yet - will have report back soon!  I have a feeling the answer(s) will be headphone (synergy) dependent  

Apologies also to this group for not threading my last few responses (shame on me)


----------



## Dawgfish

David222 said:


>


Very nice!  How do you like the Tuba compared to the WA6?


----------



## jonathan c

In this era of global warming, I keep my amps in the ‘fridge !!! 🤪🤣🤣🤣:


----------



## David222 (Aug 15, 2022)

Dawgfish said:


> Very nice!  How do you like the Tuba compared to the WA6?



I find them to be totally different and complimentary:

*Tuba*: almost sounds SS - but with a smoothness/flow that most SS cannot deliver.  I use Tuba primarily for synergy with Focal Clear (OG) as it takes the edge off the top end of the Focal and brings them into near perfect frequency response (to my ear).  The Tuba is very punchy, extremely clean and quite resolving.
Grado's also play nicely here. Favorite tube pairing are Tungsram silver plates.

*WA6*:  Much warmer than Tuba - but by no means muddy/tubey. It's both detailed and dynamic. A great all-arounder that punches above it's price-point.  I find the WA6 does a wonderful job in accentuating the "grado growl" / grado house sound that I personally love.  ZMFs and Sennheiser also play very well with the WA6, as long as the user is thoughtful when tube rolling/pairing. The rectifier seems to have much more impact on the overall sound profile. I modded with a Synergistic Research Purple Fuse - which I find helped push this AMP the extra-mile (thanks to @jonathan c for much guidance)

It's worth noting to avoid confusion - that my WA6 is newly built / customized with 6DE7 sockets to allow for 6SN7 rolling via adapters *vs.* 13DE7 that are somewhat limiting on the standard WA6 model.  Additionally, I have a custom (pure) pass-through on back to daisy-chain  DAC.


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 15, 2022)

I have a 1st Generation WA6 (with the 6DE7 sockets). I agree with David222’s comments. To my thinking, the _biggest_ difference between Tuba and WA6 is solid-state rectification vs tube rectification: conversion of AC to DC to feed the amp circuitry. The next difference comes from EL84 s in Tuba vs 6SN7 s / 12AT7 s via adapters in WA6. With tube rolling, different shades of tone may be had thereafter.


----------



## Dawgfish (Aug 15, 2022)

David222 said:


> I find them to be totally different and complimentary:
> 
> *Tuba*: almost sounds SS - but with a smoothness/flow that most SS cannot deliver.  I use Tuba primarily for synergy with Focal Clear (OG) as it takes the edge off the top end of the Focal and brings them into near perfect frequency response (to my ear).  The Tuba is very punchy, extremely clean and quite resolving.
> Grado's also play nicely here. Favorite tube pairing are Tungsram silver plates.
> ...


Very nice!  Thank you for the excellent comparison between the two.  I have and love the WA6 but I always have been intrigued by the Tuba.  Truth be told the Violectric has always intrigued me as well.

My WA6 is first generation also.  I use adapters and run 6EM7s (Sylvania and RCA black plates).  Usually I use a Mullard GZ32 or GZ34 for the rectifier tube with great results.


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward in my audio journey


Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward, period...


----------



## jonathan c

Dawgfish said:


> Very nice!  Thank you for the excellent comparison between the two.  I have and love the WA6 but I always have been intrigued by the Tuba.  Truth be told the Violectric has always intrigued me as well.
> 
> My WA6 is first generation also.  I use adapters and run 6EM7s (Sylvania and RCA black plates).  Usually I use a Mullard GZ32 or GZ34 for the rectifier tube with great results.


The Violectric V200 (older SE amp) is wonderful with high impedance h/p —> Beyer DT880/600, Senn HD600/650/6XX, ZMFs…


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward, period...


And looking in a mirror won’t help 🤪…


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> And looking in a mirror won’t help 🤪…


especially when there's a 2nd mirror behind my head


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> The Violectric V200 (older SE amp) is wonderful with high impedance h/p —> Beyer DT880/600, Senn HD600/650/6XX, ZMFs…


As is the V281. That's good with every headphone I've tried.

My recently departed Lake People G109-A was also terrific with high impedance dynamics.

I think anything Fried Reim designs is going to sound pretty good with just about any headphone...it's solid state done totally right IMO.


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> The Violectric V200 (older SE amp) is wonderful with high impedance h/p —> Beyer DT880/600, Senn HD600/650/6XX, ZMFs…


Thank you!  With the recent addition of the Mainline I have found my end game tube headphone amp.  I'm looking for an end game solid state (or tube hybrid) headphone amp and Violectric/Lake People is on my short list.


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> As is the V281. That's good with every headphone I've tried.
> 
> My recently departed Lake People G109-A was also terrific with high impedance dynamics.
> 
> I think anything Fried Reim designs is going to sound pretty good with just about any headphone...it's solid state done totally right IMO.


I thought about contacting you on that G109-A several times.  Wish I would have pulled the trigger on that one as it was a great deal!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Dawgfish said:


> I thought about contacting you on that G109-A several times.  Wish I would have pulled the trigger on that one as it was a great deal!


Yeah, I loved that amp to pieces. It was the first serious headphone amp I got. 

At the time my only serious headphone was the Fidelio X2 (which I still have & enjoy). After I burned it in and tried the X2s on it, my mind was thoroughly blown. Had no idea a good standalone amp would make that much difference. I've been a Violectric/Lake People fanboy ever since.

I only sold it because most of my headphones and cables now are balanced...and I have a V281.


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> In this era of global warming, I keep my amps in the ‘fridge !!! 🤪🤣🤣🤣:


Have you tried that?  I'm a craft beer guy but I don't think I have seen that here in north GA.


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> Yeah, I loved that amp to pieces. It was the first serious headphone amp I got.
> 
> At the time my only serious headphone was the Fidelio X2 (which I still have & enjoy). After I burned it in and tried the X2s on it, my mind was thoroughly blown. Had no idea a good standalone amp would make that much difference. I've been a Violectric/Lake People fanboy ever since.
> 
> I only sold it because most of my headphones and cables now are balanced...and I have a V281.


My first serious headphone was a X1.  My lady uses them now but every time I listen to them they still sound great!  I have thought about picking up a pair of X2s since they are relatively reasonable and I would love to hear them on the WA6 or Mainline.


----------



## David222 (Aug 15, 2022)

Dawgfish said:


> Very nice!  Thank you for the excellent comparison between the two.  I have and love the WA6 but I always have been intrigued by the Tuba.  Truth be told the Violectric has always intrigued me as well.
> 
> My WA6 is first generation also.  I use adapters and run 6EM7s (Sylvania and RCA black plates).  Usually I use a Mullard GZ32 or GZ34 for the rectifier tube with great results.



The Violectric is v280 (FE)... a phenomenal AMP. I believe one was listed in classifieds last week.   I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some ZMF/Violectric wisdom from @Pharmaboy - when he's not looking in the mirror    -- excellent synergy in nearly all pairings due to the adjustable dip-switches.

Re: rectifiers, I am partial to the Philips made _(often Mullard or Amperex labeled)_ GZ34. Specifically, the Sittard plant from late 1950s. It has f30/31 along with X8 / X9 etched in the glass,   "X" for Sittard plant.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Sometimes I wonder if I'm going forward or backward, period...



Told you not to moonwalk !


----------



## Dawgfish

David222 said:


> The Violectric is v280 (FE)... a phenomenal AMP. I bleieve one was listed in classifieds last week.   I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some ZMF/Violectic wisdom from @Pharmaboy - when he's not looking in the mirror    -- excellent synergy in nearly all pairings due to the adjustable dip-switches.
> 
> Re: rectifiers, I am partial to the Philips made _(often Mullard or Amperex labeled)_ GZ34. Specifically, the Sittard plant from late 1950s. It has f30/31 along with X8 / X9 etched in the glass,   "X" for Sittard plant.


Awesome!  I will have a Violectric (or family) one day.  That's the GZ34 I am running but mine is Mullard labeled.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Dawgfish said:


> My first serious headphone was a X1.  My lady uses them now but every time I listen to them they still sound great!  I have thought about picking up a pair of X2s since they are relatively reasonable and I would love to hear them on the WA6 or Mainline.


The X2 was the first headphone that truly locked in with my longtime sonic preferences. Everything up to that point (at least with headphones) was hit & (mostly) miss. Then the X2s came along and I had a revelation: "Here's the sound I need."

I had always liked a certain kind of sound from big audio systems. I had it all figured out by 1990. But the real desktop audio & headphone revelations came just 6-7 years ago. 

I've owned 1-2 dozen headphones since getting the X2, and the few that stayed IMS (3 ZMFs & the Final D8000) all give me my sonic preferences at higher levels of refinement and resolution than the X2. But it's not a contest; I still love the sound of the X2, a most relaxing, enveloping, musical design. It's also built like a tank and so well thought out physically. So if you find a good used X2 (the X2HR is said to sound a little different), you really should try one...


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> *The Violectric is v280* (FE)... a phenomenal AMP. I bleieve one was listed in classifieds last week. I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some ZMF/Violectic wisdom from @Pharmaboy - when he's not looking in the mirror  -- excellent synergy in nearly all pairings due to the adjustable dip-switches.
> 
> Re: rectifiers, I am partial to the *Philips made (often Mullard or Amperex labeled) GZ34. Specifically, the Sittard plant *from late 1950s. It has f30/31 along with X8 / X9 etched in the glass, "X" for Sittard plant.



I agree on both reports. Both v280 and Sittard gz34. They were on my wall of fame.


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> and I have a V281



ah this one too and it drives my Susvara.


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> The X2 was the first headphone that truly locked in with my longtime sonic preferences. Everything up to that point (at least with headphones) was hit & (mostly) miss. Then the X2s came along and I had a revelation: "Here's the sound I need."
> 
> I had always liked a certain kind of sound from big audio systems. I had it all figured out by 1990. But the real desktop audio & headphone revelations came just 6-7 years ago.
> 
> I've owned 1-2 dozen headphones since getting the X2, and the few that stayed IMS (3 ZMFs & the Final D8000) all give me my sonic preferences at higher levels of refinement and resolution than the X2. But it's not a contest; I still love the sound of the X2, a most relaxing, enveloping, musical design. It's also built like a tank and so well thought out physically. So if you find a good used X2 (the X2HR is said to sound a little different), you really should try one...


Sounds like we have had similar experiences.  I'm a long time 2 channel stereo guy but really just got into headphones about 5 years ago.  Couldn't agree with you more regarding the Fidelio X1/X2.  They have the solid bass and large sound stage that I enjoy from a good 2 channel speaker system.


----------



## UntilThen

This is my system as of today. Tomorrow is another story.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> This is my system as of today. Tomorrow is another story.


Love that DP47!


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> Love that DP47!



It's great but I'm struggling whether to keep it as I also have the Rega RP8 with Apheta cartridge. I need to free up some gear to fund some money sucking 300b tubes.

and this DP47 is in mint condition. Perfect all round. Not a scratch or blemish. It's begging to stay with me. Perhaps I might consider some el cheapo 300b tubes instead.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> It's great but I'm struggling whether to keep it as I also have the Rega RP8 with Apheta cartridge. I need to free up some gear to fund some money sucking 300b tubes.
> 
> and this DP47 is in mint condition. Perfect all round. Not a scratch or blemish. It's begging to stay with me. Perhaps I might consider some el cheapo 300b tubes instead.


Yeah I would hold on to that DP47.  They are only increasing in value.  Those Japanese direct drives from that era are works of art.  I have a JVC QL-A75, Sony PS-X75 Biotracer, Pioneer PL-L1000, and several others from that era that I will not get rid of.


----------



## UntilThen

Playing my almost new copy of War On Drugs, using Avid Pellar phono amp and listening with Susvara powered by Odyssey, it's ecstasy. Definitely better than any digital copy. I get connected with vinyl and tube amps.


----------



## jonathan c

Dawgfish said:


> Have you tried that?  I'm a craft beer guy but I don't think I have seen that here in north GA.


I have not. The closest to an amp in a metal can that I have gotten are Ken-Rad 6C5 s (in Lyr 3) 🤣🤣🤣:


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> This is my system as of today. Tomorrow is another story.



Incredible setup.  Does the red light have a function beyond looking cool ?


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> Incredible setup.  Does the red light have a function beyond looking cool ?



It's a record size detector lamp.  This is a microprocessor controlled direct drive fully automatic turntable.


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> It's a record size detector lamp.  This is a microprocessor controlled direct drive fully automatic turntable.



Well heck - that beats my guess of dust zapper   

Thanks for the education. I'll have to Google this device. Fascinating.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> It's a record size detector lamp.  This is a microprocessor controlled direct drive fully automatic turntable.


Does it detect / prevent the stylus from contact with a groove in a Marilyn Manson 45 / EP / LP…?😳🤣


----------



## bcowen

David222 said:


> Well heck - that beats my guess of dust zapper
> 
> Thanks for the education. I'll have to Google this device. Fascinating.


Don't feel bad, I was wrong too.  I thought it was his nose glowing bright (but then remembered it's not Christmas right now).   🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Does it detect / prevent the stylus from contact with a groove in a Marilyn Manson 45 / EP / LP…?😳🤣


No, it just edits out all the four-letter words.  Which also means there's no lyrics left.  🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Don't feel bad, I was wrong too.  I thought it was his nose glowing bright (but then remembered it's not Christmas right now).   🤣


That Japanese whiskey was not shown….🤔


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> I have not. The closest to an amp in a metal can that I have gotten are Ken-Rad 6C5 s (in Lyr 3) 🤣🤣🤣:


🤪


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> Does it detect / prevent the stylus from contact with a groove in a Marilyn Manson 45 / EP / LP…?😳🤣


If only! 🤣


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> No, it just edits out all the four-letter words.  Which also means there's no lyrics left.  🤣



LOL. It's smart but not that smart.

My LPs are all almost virgin new. Pops and crackles don't exist in my vocabulary. This is the first time I'm listening to the Love Over Gold album with Susvara. I'm near in tears now. Sound so good I'm lost for words to describe what I hear. It's electrifying ! Marilyn who? Monroe?


----------



## Gavin C4 (Aug 16, 2022)

Made in Japan quality from Mass kobo Model 428 and Audio Technica AD 1000X headphones. This pairing is extremely good for female vocals.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> LOL. It's smart but not that smart.
> 
> My LPs are all almost virgin new. Pops and crackles don't exist in my vocabulary. This is the first time I'm listening to the Love Over Gold album with Susvara. I'm near in tears now. Sound so good I'm lost for words to describe what I hear. It's electrifying ! Marilyn who? Monroe?


Do you have a good record cleaning machine?  That will keep those LPs snap and crackle free (or at least minimize them).  I bought a VPI record cleaning machine and it was the best thing I could have done for my vinyl.  Of course if you have one already please disregard.  That's a great album by DS btw.  The sound quality is impressive as I'm sure you know and that's my kind of Marilyn!  Lol!


----------



## UntilThen

Dawgfish said:


> Do you have a good record cleaning machine?  That will keep those LPs snap and crackle free (or at least minimize them).  I bought a VPI record cleaning machine and it was the best thing I could have done for my vinyl.  Of course if you have one already please disregard.  That's a great album by DS btw.  The sound quality is impressive as I'm sure you know and that's my kind of Marilyn!  Lol!



I always take pride in showing off my record cleaning machines for the umpteen times. There was a time I love doing this like you would with a new barista coffee machine.  So I have 2 machines. One to clean and the other Doctor Record V to vacuum dry ! I might just take it out again soon to go through the ritual. I'm on Norah Jones albums now.


----------



## Dawgfish

UntilThen said:


> I always take pride in showing off my record cleaning machines for the umpteen times. There was a time I love doing this like you would with a new barista coffee machine.  So I have 2 machines. One to clean and the other Doctor Record V to vacuum dry ! I might just take it out again soon to go through the ritual. I'm on Norah Jones albums now.


Very nice!  Way to take care of your vinyl!


----------



## UntilThen

Not quite purple but I'm sure Prince wouldn't mind his Grammy award album in Moulin Rouge color. 1984 ! What was I doing then?


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> It's a record size detector lamp.  This is a microprocessor controlled direct drive fully automatic turntable.


I had a much earlier DD Denon TT back in the late '80s. It had a tall, wide reddish wood base. A very handsome device, and pretty good sounding for DD (all the cheap TTs also used DD but cheaped out on implementation & didn't sound so good).

I've always had a soft spot for certain Japanese high-end brands, including Denon, Nakamichi, and Luxman (the pricier/bigger Onkyo stuff is pretty wonderful, too).


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> I had a much earlier DD Denon TT back in the late '80s. It had a tall, wide reddish wood base. A very handsome device, and pretty good sounding for DD (all the cheap TTs also used DD but cheaped out on implementation & didn't sound so good).
> 
> I've always had a soft spot for certain Japanese high-end brands, including Denon, Nakamichi, and Luxman (the pricier/bigger Onkyo stuff is pretty wonderful, too).



Vintage gear is a totally different hobby. It can consumed you.


----------



## golgi

I recently upgraded my headphone amp and what a fantastic upgrade it is. So it was a great time to capture the current state of my headphone system.


----------



## UntilThen

golgi said:


> I recently upgraded my headphone amp and what a fantastic upgrade it is. So it was a great time to capture the current state of my headphone system.



That’s a great vinyl station. So easy to access the LPs.


----------



## golgi

Thanks, I would highly recommend it to any vinyl fans as it is a great way to keep things organized yet easy access. It's the Unison record stand by Symbol Audio.


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 17, 2022)

Everything right here at my fingertips.
Nothing special, but it sure does put a big smile on my face. 😁


----------



## Strat1117

richie60 said:


> I wanted to like this amp, but mine had channel imbalance….


I’ve had no such issue, and I do quite like this combo, but now that you’ve put it in my head … 😱


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> Vintage gear is a totally different hobby. It can consumed you.



But the non vintage gear hobby isn't consuming? When did this happen!?


----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> But the non vintage gear hobby isn't consuming? When did this happen!?



The non vintage gear hobby is now on fire, an inferno gone out of control. No fire extinguisher can put it out now. Waiting for a tsunami wave to come. But you know what? Living in a volcano is an experience you NEED to try. 

ps - don't take my advice literally please !


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> In this era of global warming, I keep my amps in the ‘fridge !!! 🤪🤣🤣🤣:



In this era of global warming, I keep my tubes in the fridge.  Metallica !


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> In this era of global warming, I keep my tubes in the fridge.  Metallica !



It's really a black album spinning


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> It's really a black album spinning



It's a black album indeed. I had to put the sleeve there otherwise you'll only see blackness. However when Enter the Sandman comes on, you just have to close your eyes.


----------



## Shane D

Davidzak64 said:


> Everything right here at my fingertips.
> Nothing special, but it sure does put a big smile on my face. 😁


Don't your headphones get dusty? I find our apartment super dusty even in the winter with the doors and windows closed.


----------



## Davidzak64

Shane D said:


> Don't your headphones get dusty? I find our apartment super dusty even in the winter with the doors and windows closed.


I keep a sheet over them when I'm not using my system. I use them too often for them to accumulate a lot of dust. The occasional dusting the wife does plus a hepa filter helps out greatly.


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 17, 2022)

Shane D said:


> Don't your headphones get dusty? I find our apartment super dusty even in the winter with the doors and windows closed.


I see you took notice of my Selectaphone 3000 with selectomatic random play rotating carousel.
pedestal and headphone cover (sold separately) 🤣. For the HP's in my rotation. 😉


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 17, 2022)

Before @jonathan c asks. No, I don't put a bag over Jada's face. 🤣😅🤣


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> But the non vintage gear hobby isn't consuming? When did this happen!?


When your non-vintage gear becomes vintage gear is when you realise all that has been consumed…😳 !!


----------



## David222

Davidzak64 said:


> I keep a sheet over them when I'm not using my system. I use them too often for them to accumulate a lot of dust. The occasional dusting the wife does plus a hepa filter helps out greatly.



Instead of the sheet for your dust management  -- @UntilThen has a dust zapper perhaps he'll lend you


----------



## UntilThen

David222 said:


> Instead of the sheet for your dust management  -- @UntilThen has a dust zapper perhaps he'll lend you



For a fee yes because it’s a very expensive zapper.


----------



## Shane D

Davidzak64 said:


> I see you took notice of my Selectaphone 3000 with selectomatic random play rotating carousel.
> pedestal and headphone cover (sold separately) 🤣. For the HP's in my rotation. 😉


Impressive looking!


----------



## ahossam

Here is my most recent audio gear. WA33 is really a must have for 1266 TC, even with stock tubes its way better than any other amp that I have.


----------



## linshu1992 (Aug 18, 2022)

linshu1992 said:


> Holo Audio May just arrived two days ago! Now the chain is "complete"! I don't know if this system will stay the same forever but I'm enjoying it immensely.
> 
> I like having the monitor a bit lower than my normal eye level so I can just raise my eyes from the monitor and instantly enjoy the expansive view while listening to ridiculously high quality music. The sensation gets surreal late into the night, when everything has quieted down and it's just the city lights glimmering, silently. Then music just flows through you.
> 
> It's not really possible to do this during daylight. My days are hectic. Also because it gets way too bright, and I can't see crap on the monitor without blinds..



I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.


----------



## riverground

linshu1992 said:


> I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.


Your setup never ceases to amaze me man… That view day and night is such a stunner too.


----------



## fiiom11pro

linshu1992 said:


> I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.




that night background, stunning. and stunning gears as well.


----------



## lumdicks (Aug 18, 2022)

One of the never ending arguments on head-fi is whether a speaker amp is required to drive Susvara fully, so I connect my spare Naim XS2 for some experiments again.
Simple answer - the 60W Naim provides more authority to Susvara with a more expanded soundstage, but I love it with my 2W Fostex HP-V8 more with unbeatable transparency, speed and resolution.


----------



## Terriero

lumdicks said:


> One of the never ending arguments on head-fi is whether a speaker amp is required to drive Susvara fully, so I connect my spare Naim XS2 for some experiments again.
> Simple answer - the 60W Naim provides more authority to Susvara with a more expanded soundstage, but I love it more with my 2W Fostex HP-V8 more with unbeatable transparency, speed and resolution.


I will like all your head-fi stations posts because of the Fostex HP-V8 you restored. I love the aesthetics of that thing, although I'll never buy it (also is difficult to find, like I remember from your restoration)... BTW, incredible headphones...


----------



## UntilThen

lumdicks said:


> One of the never ending arguments on head-fi is whether a speaker amp is required to drive Susvara fully, so I connect my spare Naim XS2 for some experiments again.
> Simple answer - the 60W Naim provides more authority to Susvara with a more expanded soundstage, but I love it with my 2W Fostex HP-V8 more with unbeatable transparency, speed and resolution.



Yes is all I can say.


----------



## UntilThen

linshu1992 said:


> I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.



A powerful, very well executed tube amp is frightening to listen to with Susvara or other headphones for that matter.


----------



## Since1991

lumdicks said:


> One of the never ending arguments on head-fi is whether a speaker amp is required to drive Susvara fully, so I connect my spare Naim XS2 for some experiments again.
> Simple answer - the 60W Naim provides more authority to Susvara with a more expanded soundstage, but I love it with my 2W Fostex HP-V8 more with unbeatable transparency, speed and resolution.



Where did you find the mini rack on the left side? I've been looking for something like that for a long time.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

riverground said:


> Your setup never ceases to amaze me man… That view day and night is such a stunner too.



What setup? I was looking out the window


----------



## Ficcion2

I’m almost embarrassed to post mines up after those.
Got my first R2R DAC warming up; can’t wait to get home.


----------



## judomaniak57

Ficcion2 said:


> I’m almost embarrassed to post mines up after those.
> Got my first R2R DAC warming up; can’t wait to get home.


why be embarrassed? thats a great system


----------



## UntilThen

judomaniak57 said:


> why be embarrassed? thats a great system



That's why I gave him a like, not for being embarrassed but a nice personalized system.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> When your non-vintage gear becomes vintage gear is when you realise all that has been consumed…😳 !!


That, and that you're old.  My stuff has moved beyond vintage into collectible.   🤣


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> That, and that you're old.  My stuff has moved beyond vintage into collectible.   🤣



You mean museum pieces?


----------



## judomaniak57

new Hart cable for Senn 600hd. can now play thru my AK 70mk2 balanced and my Bryston amp balanced. sounds crazy good thru the bryston


n


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> That, and that you're old.  My stuff has moved beyond vintage into collectible.   🤣



Gave him a like too because he's moved beyond vintage. Hope he can still drive the golf cart.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ficcion2 said:


> I’m almost embarrassed to post mines up after those.
> Got my first R2R DAC warming up; can’t wait to get home.


I'm very interested to hear what you think of this DAC.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> That, and that you're old.  My stuff has moved beyond vintage into collectible.   🤣


Well 😤, _my _stuff has moved beyond vintage into paleolithic…🦕…🧐…🤪


----------



## jonathan c

… “it’s just a K.I.S.S. away…” 🤦🏻🤷🏻‍♂️…


----------



## UntilThen

lumdicks said:


> One of the never ending arguments on head-fi is whether a speaker amp is required to drive Susvara fully, so I connect my spare Naim XS2 for some experiments again.
> Simple answer - the 60W Naim provides more authority to Susvara with a more expanded soundstage, but I love it with my 2W Fostex HP-V8 more with unbeatable transparency, speed and resolution.



Stunning picture and I thought my iPhone pictures are Picasso.


----------



## lumdicks

Since1991 said:


> Where did you find the mini rack on the left side? I've been looking for something like that for a long time.


Here you go:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...00027094637427!sea&curPageLogUid=qiEnq0Zt3iRR


----------



## Strat1117

bcowen said:


> That, and that you're old.  My stuff has moved beyond vintage into collectible.   🤣


Yes, it happens before you know it.  I recently realized that my ‘new’ turntable is 18 years old.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

New amp!


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Gave him a like too because he's moved beyond vintage. Hope he can still drive the golf cart.


Hope that he can still swim 🏊‍♂️……🤣


----------



## vonBaron

A good power strip really improves the sound quality.


----------



## Wes S (Aug 19, 2022)

My happy place.


----------



## CJG888




----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> My happy place.


I feel happy just looking at it (and I never feel that!)


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> My happy place.


Beautiful amp. is Cayin better sounding then Pendant or just diiferent ?


----------



## UntilThen

Wes S said:


> My happy place.



A well executed 300b amp is a joy to listen with. Every tube amp lover should have one in their collection.


----------



## RickB

So I changed my amp, went from a Jotunheim 2 to a Vali 2+. Opted for the black finish, which I know would bother some people with a silver Bifrost 2, but I actually like the contrast and wanted to buy my first black Schiit anyway. 

I consider this a sidegrade rather than a downgrade, because there's something about the tube Vali that sounds more musical than the Jot 2. The Jot 2 is better in technicalities, but the Vali sounds more natural to me. Glad I kept about 10 tubes when I sold my original Vali 2 about two years ago. I missed this sound, though the + is a little drier than the original Vali 2.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Wes S said:


> My happy place.


Them Elrogs doe!!!


----------



## Terriero

RickB said:


> So I changed my amp, went from a Jotunheim 2 to a Vali 2+. Opted for the black finish, which I know would bother some people with a silver Bifrost 2, but I actually like the contrast and wanted to buy my first black Schiit anyway.
> 
> I consider this a sidegrade rather than a downgrade, because there's something about the tube Vali that sounds more musical than the Jot 2. The Jot 2 is better in technicalities, but the Vali sounds more natural to me. Glad I kept about 10 tubes when I sold my original Vali 2 about two years ago. I missed this sound, though the + is a little drier than the original Vali 2.


No bother with the colour you choose... You go from silver to black, and dark grey in the middle, with your three devices


----------



## UntilThen

RickB said:


> I consider this a sidegrade rather than a downgrade, because there's something about the tube Vali that sounds more musical than the Jot 2.



Tube amps always sound more musical, sweeter and natural than their solid states cousins. I got rid of the original Jot and Rag, a whole army of mid range solid states - v280, Auralic Taurus Mk2, Burson Soloist 3xp, Questyle CMA 12, Mjolnir 2, all because I prefer the tone of tube amps.


----------



## jonathan c

@Shane D , if this is “culling the herd” I can’t wait for you to go on a spree…🤣:


----------



## UntilThen

I also cull my herd. There's only Peter, Paul and Mary left.


----------



## Shane D (Aug 19, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> @Shane D , if this is “culling the herd” I can’t wait for you to go on a spree…🤣:


I am going to start culling in September. He said, full of what he thought was conviction...


----------



## Wes S (Aug 19, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> Beautiful amp. is Cayin better sounding then Pendant or just diiferent ?


The Cayin is on a completely different level in all regards and it's not even close.  The Cayin with it's looks and sound, is truly an incredible experience.  I will be selling my Pendant soon by the way, as I just won't ever use it again.  It's crazy I never thought I would sell it as I love my Pendant to death, and I have cherished my time with it immensely, but there is true magic with some good 300B's that take things to levels I did not know were possible and the Cayin is the one for me.


----------



## genefruit

I made some small changes by bringing in a rack that I had in storage to reduce the equipment stack height. Also added these storage boxes for my headphones. Their intended for sneakers but work well in my setup. More info here - Sneakerview Clear Shoe Boxes –360° Clear Plastic Stackable Sneaker Storage For Sneakerhead. Professional Grade Acrylic Shoe Display Case .Shoe and Hat Organizer Storage. Fits US Size 14 - 4 pack https://a.co/d/bFMpz3I


----------



## Zachik

UntilThen said:


> I also cull my herd. There's only Peter, Paul and Mary left.


So... Susvara is a better endgame planar than LCD-4 ?


----------



## BobG55

In January of this year I had 8 pairs of headphones.  Down to these two.  I’ve never been without the top one, the HD600 since 2003 & the bottom one, the HD650 since 2005.  They’re still my favourite headphones and I’m quite happy with owning just the two of them.


----------



## Gavin C4

Esoteric N05XD and a little blue butterfly resting on top.


----------



## BobG55

Wes S said:


> My happy place.





Happy Gilmore’s Happy Place


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Gave him a like too because he's moved beyond vintage. Hope he can still drive the golf cart.


If there's a lake around, I retain full confidence that I can drive into it.   🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> The Cayin is on a completely different level in all regards and it's not even close.  The Cayin with it's looks and sound, is truly an incredible experience.  I will be selling my Pendant soon by the way, as I just won't ever use it again.  It's crazy I never thought I would sell it as I love my Pendant to death, and I have cherished my time with it immensely, but there is true magic with some good 300B's that take things to levels I did not know were possible and the Cayin is the one for me.


…just sayin’ Cayin…🥰


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> If there's a lake around, I retain full confidence that I can drive into it.   🤣


Does your club have hole lake-in-one insurance? 🤣🤣🤣…


----------



## UntilThen

Wes S said:


> The Cayin is on a completely different level in all regards and it's not even close.  The Cayin with it's looks and sound, is truly an incredible experience.  I will be selling my Pendant soon by the way, as I just won't ever use it again.  It's crazy I never thought I would sell it as I love my Pendant to death, and I have cherished my time with it immensely, but there is true magic with some good 300B's that take things to levels I did not know were possible and the Cayin is the one for me.



Are you going to will the Telefunken G73R to me so I can put the debate to rest, whether the GEC A2900 or the Telefunken G73R is best? Quite happy to give my unbiased opinion.


----------



## UntilThen

Will be saying goodbye to Hekse soon. Which is a shame as I have enjoyed it immensely for more than a year but Susvara is better. Just a smite better.


----------



## Mansinthe86

I like closed back headphones.
The Aeon 2 noire & Meze Liric are my current ones.
Sold the Focal Elegia.


----------



## JohanE

Current state. Out of the picture is my Feliks Echo mkII.


----------



## dnd3241

All this buddies will being with me in the rest of my retirement life...


----------



## senseitedj

Enjoying my WA6SE with Burson Conductor 3xp powering my LCD4Z. 

Rolling in GEC U52 tubes and SR purple fuse to make the amp punch above its weight class

Cameo with ps5 controllers and audiolab a6000 powering my KEF LS50 speakers


----------



## Wes S

UntilThen said:


> Are you going to will the Telefunken G73R to me so I can put the debate to rest, whether the GEC A2900 or the Telefunken G73R is best? Quite happy to give my unbiased opinion.


I am actually going to be listing it soon in the classifieds for a great price. . .


----------



## L0rdGwyn




----------



## bcowen

dnd3241 said:


> All this buddies will being with me in the rest of my retirement life...


Going to be an extremely nice retirement.  Very cool!


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Does your club have hole lake-in-one insurance? 🤣🤣🤣…


@UntilThen 's club doesn't need hole-in-one insurance.  Or Eagle or Birdie insurance either...none have ever happened.   🤣


----------



## jirams (Aug 20, 2022)

Running in Roon/Qobuz with crazy bit rate reported.  I use Roon to get access to Roon DSP - EQ.


----------



## hifixman

Gavin C4 said:


> Esoteric N05XD and a little blue butterfly resting on top.


N05XD does one thing most excellent which is DAC part, and it has amazing synergy with Riviera amp


----------



## chef8489

If my new lyr 3 and headphones are delivered on Monday I'll post pics of my station, but looks like FedEx is sitting on my lyr3 in California. Says arrived and not departed 3 days ago and has to travel all the way to NC by Monday.


----------



## Pharmaboy

JohanE said:


> Current state. Out of the picture is my Feliks Echo mkII.


I noticed the ATC Scm19 v2 in your signature. How do you like it? 

I have the studio/professional version of it: SCM 12 Pro (same amazing drivers in a smaller box). This pair of speakers is borderline huge on my desktop (and sound it). I could never fit the 19 v2 here.

I'm a huge fan of ATC.


----------



## betula




----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> @UntilThen 's club doesn't need hole-in-one insurance.  Or Eagle or Birdie insurance either...none have ever happened.   🤣


AUSSIE BUSINESS FLASH: @UntilThen Golf Club files for bankruptcy court protection: excess payments on ‘hole-in-other’ policies 😳.


----------



## Davidzak64

betula said:


>


Those are one of the most beautiful 😍 headphones I have ever laid my eyes on. Absolutely stunning! If they sound as good as they look you are most definitely very happy.
When you get tired of listening to them, I will gladly trade you my equally as beautiful Pioneer Monitor 10 and gladly pay for the shipping. Just PM me. 😏 enjoy them!




P.S Maniquin (Jada) not included.😉


----------



## betula

Davidzak64 said:


> Those are one of the most beautiful 😍 headphones I have ever laid my eyes on. Absolutely stunning! If they sound as good as they look you are most definitely very happy.
> When you get tired of listening to them, I will gladly trade you my equally as beautiful Pioneer Monitor 10 and gladly pay for the shipping. Just PM me. 😏 enjoy them!


I have been most definitely very happy in the last 8 months with my Elite. 
Gorgeous sound, stellar look, but there are some other aesthetically very pleasing headphones out there for the fraction of the price. I always liked the look of the HD598 for example. But Audeze's industrial design is also close to my heart.


----------



## Davidzak64

betula said:


> I have been most definitely very happy in the last 8 months with my Elite.
> Gorgeous sound, stellar look, but there are some other aesthetically very pleasing headphones out there for the fraction of the price. I always liked the look of the HD598 for example. But Audeze's industrial design is also close to my heart.


Well, okay my friend. You drive a hard bargain. I shall throw in the Maniquin. And pay for the shipping. 😁


----------



## betula

Davidzak64 said:


> Well, okay my friend. You drive a hard bargain. I shall throw in the Maniquin. And pay for the shipping. 😁


Tempting. You have got more than one beauties there...


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 20, 2022)

betula said:


> Tempting. You have got more than one beauties there...



Thanks, Jada is quite a Looker. 🙄


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jirams said:


> Running in Roon/Qobuz with crazy bit rate reported.  I use Roon to get access to Roon DSP - EQ.



That's not a crazy sample rate. Qobuz now has headphone detection and corrects the apparent sample rate that you hear. Your Sennies make a 16/44.1 recording sound like it's 24/384


----------



## Pharmaboy

Davidzak64 said:


> Those are one of the most beautiful 😍 headphones I have ever laid my eyes on. Absolutely stunning! If they sound as good as they look you are most definitely very happy.
> When you get tired of listening to them, I will gladly trade you my equally as beautiful Pioneer Monitor 10 and gladly pay for the shipping. Just PM me. 😏 enjoy them!
> 
> 
> P.S Maniquin (Jada) not included.😉


What are those headphones? I know they're Pioneer, but never saw anything like them before...


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 20, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> What are those headphones? I know they're Pioneer, but never saw anything like them before...


Monitor 10 made in the mid 70's. Very neutral flat frequency with a decent soundstage. They are actually quite enjoyable.
They are built like a tank and will probably last forever.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## jirams

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's not a crazy sample rate. Qobuz now has headphone detection and corrects the apparent sample rate that you hear. Your Sennies make a 16/44.1 recording sound like it's 24/384


🤣🤣🤣


----------



## UntilThen

dnd3241 said:


> All this buddies will being with me in the rest of my retirement life...



I only notice one item there and it's a Single Power tube amp.   and it's in mint condition !


----------



## DJJEZ (Aug 20, 2022)

linshu1992 said:


> I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.


Nice setup. we have very similar setups regarding amps and dacs except you have nautilus and I have red october.  Agree about the nautilus, ampsandsound amps are something special, the most musical amps I've ever heard.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


>


Einvaldi?


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> Einvaldi?


Vykari


----------



## linshu1992

DJJEZ said:


> Nice setup. we have very similar setups regarding amps and dacs except you have nautilus and I have red october.  Agree about the nautilus, ampsandsound amps are something special, the most musical amps I've ever heard.


Red october is the other piece of gear I am most curious about. I plan to compare it with Nautilus at upcoming socal canjam, where Justin said he'll bring both amps for demo. There's surprisingly little info online and very few people who have owned or even heard it..


----------



## DJJEZ (Aug 21, 2022)

linshu1992 said:


> Red october is the other piece of gear I am most curious about. I plan to compare it with Nautilus at upcoming socal canjam, where Justin said he'll bring both amps for demo. There's surprisingly little info online and very few people who have owned or even heard it..


Let me know what you think when you hear the red october. I could tell you how it sounds but I haven't heard the nautilus but I know plenty of people who own the nautilus!

I have a friend who heard the red october and nautilus at canjam NY and said the red october was quite a leap above the nautilus. Looking forward to see what you think!


----------



## UntilThen

Red October is a 300b amp whereas Nautilus is KT150, KT120, KT88, EL34 etc. Both family of tubes has appeal. If you love tubes like I do, you will want both amps.


----------



## linshu1992

UntilThen said:


> Red October is a 300b amp whereas Nautilus is KT150, KT120, KT88, EL34 etc. Both family of tubes has appeal. If you love tubes like I do, you will want both amps.


I'm curious - just generally speaking, what's the sound signature difference between 300B vs KT150, KT 120, KT88? Justin mentioned the internals of Nautilus and Red October are very similar, so I wonder maybe the tubes make up a big part of those amps' difference in sound signature


----------



## UntilThen

linshu1992 said:


> I'm curious - just generally speaking, what's the sound signature difference between 300B vs KT150, KT 120, KT88? Justin mentioned the internals of Nautilus and Red October are very similar, so I wonder maybe the tubes make up a big part of those amps' difference in sound signature



300b tubes are mid centric with a drop dead gorgeous low end. KT88 and her cousins are tighter and more linear the whole FR. 

That in a nutshell is a very simplistic way of describing them. 

It’s not surprising that many love 300b because midrange is king. Most of what you hear in music happens there. It is the main meal. Treble and bass are desserts but a lot of us loves our desserts more than main meals 🥹


----------



## Wes S (Aug 21, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> 300b tubes are mid centric with a drop dead gorgeous low end. KT88 and her cousins are tighter and more linear the whole FR.
> 
> That in a nutshell is a very simplistic way of describing them.
> 
> It’s not surprising that many love 300b because midrange is king. Most of what you hear in music happens there. It is the main meal. Treble and bass are desserts but a lot of us loves our desserts more than main meals 🥹


I listen to a lot of Folk and Bluegrass and the 300B's in my Cayin, make that kind of mid centric music sound so lifelike it's nuts.  That said, the type of music you listen to, could be a factor in which tube type you go for.  If I listened to Classical or Electronica more often, perhaps the KT88 (and cousins) would have been a better choice.  Either way, we have some great options right now, and I think it's a great time to get into tube amps.

Happy Listening and Rolling.


----------



## Mansinthe86

Wes S said:


> I listen to a lot of Folk and Bluegrass and the 300B's in my Cayin, make that kind of mid centric music sound so lifelike it's nuts.  That said, the type of music you listen to, could be a factor in which tube type you go for.  If I listened to Classical or Electronica more often, perhaps the KT88 (and cousins) would have been a better choice.  Either way, we have some great options right now, and I think it's a great time to get into tube amps.
> 
> Happy Listening and Rolling.


What would you pick for music like bob Dylan, David Bowie, rolling stones?


----------



## Miiksu

Miiksu said:


> I keep it simple and big. I upgraded Stax SRM-313 to Muzishare X7 and Ifi Pro iESL. When I have more money I try different stereo amps for the electrostatic headphones. I still use Topping DX7 Pro because I can change op-amps. Hive is changed to HiveX.  Also in the near future I will try a new Topping headphone amp for the stereo amp. Let's see how it turns out.


Yes. I decided to update this setup. Cheap update but it made a notable difference. So much better than DX7 Pro's headphone out. Tube amp works now as a power amp. 

It is just this tiny hp amp over the Pro iESL. Topping L30 II.


----------



## Wes S (Aug 21, 2022)

Mansinthe86 said:


> What would you pick for music like bob Dylan, David Bowie, rolling stones?


For that kind of music, I wouldn't be looking at SET tube amps, and I would actually go with an OTL like something from 1101 Audio or Decware.  I use 300ohm headphones exclusively, so factor that in to my answer.   Otherwise, if only looking at SET for a variety of headphones, I would go with 300B for that type of music with a strong focus on vocals, but it really is all preference in the end.


----------



## linshu1992

UntilThen said:


> 300b tubes are mid centric with a drop dead gorgeous low end. KT88 and her cousins are tighter and more linear the whole FR.
> 
> That in a nutshell is a very simplistic way of describing them.
> 
> It’s not surprising that many love 300b because midrange is king. Most of what you hear in music happens there. It is the main meal. Treble and bass are desserts but a lot of us loves our desserts more than main meals 🥹



Wowza.. Me want…


----------



## senseitedj

Tube setup at night...


----------



## JohanE

Pharmaboy said:


> I noticed the ATC Scm19 v2 in your signature. How do you like it?
> 
> I have the studio/professional version of it: SCM 12 Pro (same amazing drivers in a smaller box). This pair of speakers is borderline huge on my desktop (and sound it). I could never fit the 19 v2 here.
> 
> I'm a huge fan of ATC.


Yeah I have the Scm19 v2 in my livingroom.  I completely love them! They are big, very big indeed weighing in at 17,8 kg each. 
They sound terrific. I don't miss anything and I had the PMC Twenty5.24 before these.


----------



## UntilThen

Mansinthe86 said:


> What would you pick for music like bob Dylan, David Bowie, rolling stones?



Lol I hope I haven't typecast tube types so that they become so compartmentalized. If you're going to listen to Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Rolling Stones, 300b and KT88 amps are right up your alley. 

It's my opinion that these musicians aged gracefully, with voices that gets better with the passing of years. Sounds like NOS tubes?   Well listen to David Bowie dish it out here and you have to listen with it through a gutsy tube amp.


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> Lol I hope I haven't typecast tube types so that they become so compartmentalized. If you're going to listen to Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Rolling Stones, 300b and KT88 amps are right up your alley.
> 
> It's my opinion that these musicians aged gracefully, with voices that gets better with the passing of years. Sounds like NOS tubes?   Well listen to David Bowie dish it out here and you have to listen with it through a gutsy tube amp.



I choose different headphones for different genres... Didn't know that you, guys, choose different tubes for the task...


----------



## Alien HP




----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> I choose different headphones for different genres... Didn't know that you, guys, choose different tubes for the task...


Ha!……I choose different ears for the task 🤣


----------



## Terriero

jonathan c said:


> Ha!……I choose different ears for the task 🤣


Just show them!!! Maybe, like our friend @Davidzak64, you have some Jadas* lying* around?


----------



## jonathan c

….different mindset 🧠, different ears👂….


----------



## Terriero

_And now, I'm thinking in some sound-science answer, but this is not the correct subforum... (I have laughed a lot today watching some Scientific Audiophile videos on youtube, so I'm biased   )_


----------



## bcowen

Terriero said:


> I choose different headphones for different genres... Didn't know that you, guys, choose different tubes for the task...


We just listen to whichever tubes we know @UntilThen doesn’t have, and then gloat endlessly about how awesome they are.  Audio is fun.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> We just listen to whichever tubes we know @UntilThen doesn’t have, and then gloat endlessly about how awesome they are.  Audio is fun.


Then buy more of those tubes to keep them from @UntilThen !! 🤔😏🤣


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> We just listen to whichever tubes we know @UntilThen doesn’t have, and then gloat endlessly about how awesome they are.  Audio is fun.





jonathan c said:


> Then buy more of those tubes to keep them from @UntilThen !! 🤔😏🤣



I leave Fotons and GEs for my friends. After all what are friends for?


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> I choose different headphones for different genres... Didn't know that you, guys, choose different tubes for the task...



Not going to kid you but you need a few amps if you have several headphones. After all you don't go and conquer Augusta with just one iron in your bag, do you?


----------



## Terriero

UntilThen said:


> Not going to kid you but you need a few amps if you have several headphones. After all you don't go and conquer Augusta with just one iron in your bag, do you?


I have to confess that you all tempt me a lot since I entered in the forum... But still with my Asus Xonar Essence One and enjoying a lot the music and the different registers my headphones give me   

When I have doubts, I enter in the dark side sound-science subforum


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> I leave Fotons and GEs for my friends. After all what are friends for?


To leave you the ECGs….🤢😏🤣…


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> After all you don't go and conquer Augusta with just one iron golf ball in your bag, do you?


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> It's my opinion that these musicians aged gracefully, with voices that gets better with the passing of years. Sounds like NOS tubes?


Keith Richards?


----------



## Davidzak64

jonathan c said:


> Ha!……I choose different ears for the task 🤣


You should donate them to the ones that are less fortunate.  😔


🤣😁🤣😁🤣😁


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> Keith Richards?



Keith Richards is a gem. Songs I can tap my feet with.


----------



## jonathan c

Davidzak64 said:


> You should donate them to the ones that are less fortunate.  😔
> 
> 🤣😁🤣😁🤣😁


…. “friends, Romans, countrymen” …


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 21, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> …. “friends, Romans, countrymen” …


We can really derail a thread. 🙄


----------



## jonathan c

Davidzak64 said:


> We can really derail a thread. 🤣


I am trak 🤪🤣


----------



## DTgill

Simply good sounding...


----------



## whirlwind

UntilThen said:


> Keith Richards is a gem. Songs I can tap my feet with.



So true


----------



## chef8489 (Aug 22, 2022)

Got in my Lyr 3 multibit and my Aeon open X today. Glad to be back in the game after a few years.


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> Got in my Lyr 3 multibit and my Aeon open X today. Glad to be back in the game after a few years.


That would sound great. Lov the Aeon Open with tube amps. 
Great setup.


----------



## Strat1117 (Aug 22, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> AUSSIE BUSINESS FLASH: @UntilThen Golf Club files for bankruptcy court protection: excess payments on ‘hole-in-other’ policies 😳.


Not that there’s anything wrong with that….


----------



## UntilThen

Terriero said:


> When I have doubts, I enter in the dark side sound-science subforum



I only know Dark Side of the Moon. When did dark side sound-science subforum come about?


----------



## Chris Kaoss

UntilThen said:


> I only know Dark Side of the Moon. When did dark side sound-science subforum come about?


When Google started the dark theme in Chrome.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria (Aug 22, 2022)

Davidzak64 said:


> Well, okay my friend. You drive a hard bargain. I shall throw in the Maniquin. And pay for the shipping. 😁



Good to see you're staying a'head of the game


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I only know Dark Side of the Moon. *When did dark side sound-science subforum come about?*


Shortly after everyone learned the main forum was your father, Luke.


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Shortly after everyone learned the main forum was your father, Luke.



Yes Darth Vader. I know you will make an appearance soon.


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


>


…may the Forza be with you…🤣🤔👎😖…


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 22, 2022)

UntilThen said:


>


No matter how you try you could not break free, and the Tubes ate into your brain. 😉


----------



## UntilThen

Davidzak64 said:


> No matter how you try you could not break free, and the Worms ate into your brain. 😉



Dammm those lyrics need to change. Maybe something like

_the brain pulsate with the rhythm and it breaks free !_


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> To leave you the ECGs….🤢😏🤣…


He's gonna need an EKG if he hangs out in _that forum _


----------



## Dawgfish (Aug 23, 2022)

System 2:


----------



## jonathan c

Dawgfish said:


> System 2:


Have you thought about one of these for your BHC?


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> Have you thought about one of these for your BHC?


That's a great idea.  I'm eventually going to replace the power cable in the photo with a different cable with a 90 degree connector.  It will probably be one of the Bottlehead power cables.  I had great luck with the Bottlehead power cable with my Mainline so it should be good with the BHC also.


----------



## jonathan c

Dawgfish said:


> That's a great idea.  I'm eventually going to replace the power cable in the photo with a different cable with a 90 degree connector.  It will probably be one of the Bottlehead power cables.  I had great luck with the Bottlehead power cable with my Mainline so it should be good with the BHC also.


A few years ago, this is what I used on my BHC (now with my brother). It cleaned up the _look_, took stress off the top plate and off the top IEC socket. ☺️


----------



## Dawgfish

jonathan c said:


> A few years ago, this is what I used on my BHC (now with my brother). It cleaned up the _look_, took stress off the top plate and off the top IEC socket. ☺️


It could definitely use something like that.  As you can see its a pretty large cable and does put a good deal of stress on the top plate and socket.  I really like the Bottlehead cable because not only does it have the 90 degree connector but it is very flexible and fairly light to boot.  That will probably be the next addition.


----------



## TooFrank

linshu1992 said:


> I thought WA33 was pretty damn nice. But then power amps have taken everything to the next level. Nautilus is a stunner. It's puts so, so much emotion into everything. It also has a ridiculous soundstage (with certain tubes). It makes my HD600 sound like HD800.


With a view like that,  I would never get any sleep - breathtaking…


----------



## TooFrank

DJJEZ said:


> Nice setup. we have very similar setups regarding amps and dacs except you have nautilus and I have red october.  Agree about the nautilus, ampsandsound amps are something special, the most musical amps I've ever heard.


But you don’t have that view……? ….again: deep sigh….😉


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Aug 23, 2022)

Sorry, wrong thread


----------



## TooFrank

Summer and holiday again…just forgot how good the Beoplay H7 (BT) sounds when cabled……


----------



## David222

Dawgfish said:


> It could definitely use something like that.  As you can see its a pretty large cable and does put a good deal of stress on the top plate and socket.  I really like the Bottlehead cable because not only does it have the 90 degree connector but it is very flexible and fairly light to boot.  That will probably be the next addition.



The Audio Envy (Ocean Elite) power cable is also highly flexible - just a thought.  I've been using them for a while now.


----------



## carboncopy

morning light...(lid is off the Heléne because I experiment with the bias settings)


----------



## alota

carboncopy said:


> morning light...(lid is off the Heléne because I experiment with the bias settings)


Wow


----------



## Audi5000

current daily drivers:Yamaha MT5 w HM5 pads and generic blue m50x audiophile cable out of a Zen Air Dac..


----------



## Dawgfish

David222 said:


> The Audio Envy (Ocean Elite) power cable is also highly flexible - just a thought.  I've been using them for a while now.


Thank you!  I'll check those out.


----------



## jasonb

Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?


----------



## alota

jasonb said:


> Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?


always in the couch. with old traditional system(meaning amplier, cd player) i had very long wire from furniture to couch. now i have a mini system near to couch


----------



## Davidzak64

alota said:


> always in the couch. with old traditional system(meaning amplier, cd player) i had very long wire from furniture to couch. now i have a mini system near to couch


----------



## alota

Davidzak64 said:


>


Same thing. Only difference you have more stuffs lol


----------



## Dawgfish

jasonb said:


> Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?


I do as well.  Both of my headphone stations are located on tables directly adjacent to couches.  I often watch sports or other stuff on TV on mute while listening to headphones.


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## Pharmaboy

Audi5000 said:


> current daily drivers:Yamaha MT5 w HM5 pads and generic blue m50x audiophile cable out of a Zen Air Dac..


More screens, please!

(seriously--an amazing setup there)


----------



## chef8489

Lcd-2c arrived today.


----------



## jonathan c

jasonb said:


> Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?


The headphone amplifiers and CDs have since been added to and rearranged but you get the idea…


----------



## hifixman

jonathan c said:


> The headphone amplifiers and CDs have since been added to and rearranged but you get the idea…


Great great synergy! Mojo Mystique really shines with tube amp like LTA


----------



## jonathan c

hifixman said:


> Great great synergy! Mojo Mystique really shines with tube amp like LTA


R2R / non-oversampling all the way !!!😀


----------



## judomaniak57

jasonb said:


> Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?







yep, i got 2 big comfy chairs


----------



## judomaniak57

jonathan c said:


> The headphone amplifiers and CDs have since been added to and rearranged but you get the idea…


so many nice headphones and amps, how do you decide what to play? do you have a regular rotation?


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 24, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> so many nice headphones and amps, how do you decide what to play? do you have a regular rotation?


More irregular…along the lines of ‘what about ABC?’…Some gear does get more playing time but all get their share…🤷🏻‍♂️ I will say that I am often delighted with the sound from gear out of a ‘hiatus’…😀


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> Lcd-2c arrived today.


Geee,
I debated that. I have Aeon 1 (like you) and debated to get LCD-2. 
I ended up getting Aeon 2. So now I have one and two.
Still thinking about LCD-2 tho.


----------



## chef8489

Badas said:


> Geee,
> I debated that. I have Aeon 1 (like you) and debated to get LCD-2.
> I ended up getting Aeon 2. So now I have one and two.
> Still thinking about LCD-2 tho.


These are the Aeon open x not the aeon 1.


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> These are the Aeon open x not the aeon 1.


Ahh! Look the same.
What is the difference between Aeon Open X and Aeon Open 1?


----------



## chef8489 (Aug 24, 2022)

Badas said:


> Ahh! Look the same.
> What is the difference between Aeon Open X and Aeon Open 1?


The tuning and the earpads. Its tuning is closer to the Harmon target. Has more bass, more mids, and I think the treble is a bit rolled off. the Aeon rt are similar from what I hear.  Lcd-2c are easier to drive on my lyr 3 than the Aeon open.


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> The tuning and the earpads. Its tuning is closer to the Harmon target. Has more bass, more mids, and I think the treble is a bit rolled off. the Aeon rt are similar from what I hear.  Lcd-2c are easier to drive on my lyr 3 than the Aeon open.


Now I freakin want one


----------



## chef8489

Badas said:


> Now I freakin want one


Which ones?


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> Which ones?


Aeon rt


----------



## chef8489

Badas said:


> Aeon rt


Luckily they are only 500.00, but then you have to get a set of lcd-2c.


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> Luckily they are only 500.00, but then you have to get a set of lcd-2c.


Think I will just put Aeon 2 pads on my Aeon 1 (i have a spare set) and call it the Aeon RT 
I'm tempted on the LCD-2C . However I'm enjoying Aeon 2 too much.
I previously had LCD-X and LCD-3c and I moved on. So that held me back from LCD-2c ultimately.


----------



## chef8489

Badas said:


> Think I will just put Aeon 2 pads on my Aeon 1 (i have a spare set) and call it the Aeon RT
> I'm tempted on the LCD-2C . However I'm enjoying Aeon 2 too much.
> I previously had LCD-X and LCD-3c and I moved on. So that held me back from LCD-2c ultimately.


I prefer the 2c to the x. Wider soundstage, more bass impact in my opinion, more mids less highs and less neutral sound. In October or Nov I should get by moon audio and hopefully get to audition the rest of the audeze line as well as whatever else they have in stock. Hopefully the ether flow and some hifiman and meze.


----------



## chef8489

Badas said:


> Think I will just put Aeon 2 pads on my Aeon 1 (i have a spare set) and call it the Aeon RT
> I'm tempted on the LCD-2C . However I'm enjoying Aeon 2 too much.
> I previously had LCD-X and LCD-3c and I moved on. So that held me back from LCD-2c ultimately.


BTW the aeon open x are 429 on Drop right now.


----------



## orrm

jonathan c said:


> The headphone amplifiers and CDs have since been added to and rearranged but you get the idea…


That's so nicely stacked up. I wonder have you ever compared the system stacked vs separate to see if it affects sound quality or introduces unwanted noise?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Have you thought about one of these for your BHC?


OMG!  What kind of audiophile are you?   🤣 

https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-power-adapter-female-degree/dp/B000J34ON2


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 25, 2022)

orrm said:


> That's so nicely stacked up. I wonder have you ever compared the system stacked vs separate to see if it affects sound quality or introduces unwanted noise?


•  Thank you. I have not. The Furman has the deepest chassis - hence it is the ‘pyramid base’. The interconnects and power cords are all no longer than 2ft.
•  Every component is plugged into the Furman which is plugged to a separate circuit wall socket.
•  I have had no extraneous noise issues - even with tube rectified h/p/a.
•  The updated arrangement:


----------



## LoryWiv

Davidzak64 said:


>


What, no recliner for Jada?


----------



## jonathan c

For Jada, only a throne will do….👑


----------



## Derek Dean

Topping D30 Pro - Topping A30 Pro - Hifiman Arya


----------



## jonathan c

Change-up for the time being (Woo WA6SE in the h/p/a berth + Grado GS3000e with transducer honours):


----------



## shwnwllms

If you have to work as many hours as I do, staring at a screen, you might as well make it enjoyable (alt text - I’m never going back into the office)


----------



## Chris Kaoss

I would not part with that system either.  
The Vio is very tempting.


----------



## jonathan c

The stare of the X X eyes holds one in place…🤔😳🤣…


----------



## Elegiac

Yeeeaaah. What are those things and what are they doing there. 

I'm not one to judge needlessly, buuuuut...


----------



## shwnwllms

It’s a KAWS Companion

https://www.christies.com/features/kaws-artist-guide-9756-1.aspx


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


>


I miss her a lot   I think all people eyes go to the left of the pic


----------



## alota

Terriero said:


> I miss her a lot   I think all people eyes go to the left of the pic


No doubt. The best part. And the sound is really audiophile


----------



## Dawgfish

bcowen said:


> OMG!  What kind of audiophile are you?   🤣
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-power-adapter-female-degree/dp/B000J34ON2


Lol!  I was actually just looking at that!  I think I'm going to order one.


----------



## Dawgfish

shwnwllms said:


> If you have to work as many hours as I do, staring at a screen, you might as well make it enjoyable (alt text - I’m never going back into the office)


That VO is stunning!!!!!


----------



## eddie0817 (Aug 27, 2022)

After 3 months of long waiting, my MSB combo is finally here. 

Roon Nucleus + PLIXIR BDC Power Supply
MSB Discrete DAC + ProUSB Adapter
MSB Premier Headphone Amplifier

It was getting better after burning in 2 weeks.

https://www.msbtechnology.com/dacs/discrete-dac-features/
https://www.msbtechnology.com/....../the-premier....../


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The headphone amplifiers and CDs have since been added to and rearranged but you get the idea…


Does sitting on the CD jewel case make the sound more insertive immersive?   🤣


----------



## buke9

shwnwllms said:


> If you have to work as many hours as I do, staring at a screen, you might as well make it enjoyable (alt text - I’m never going back into the office)


Great album.


----------



## shwnwllms

Dawgfish said:


> That VO is stunning!!!!!



These photos don’t even do it justice. I need to get some better photos in more natural lighting (these came out really dark). It’s a gold stabilized VO so there are some really stunning details up close.


----------



## Dawgfish (Aug 27, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Does sitting on the CD jewel case make the sound more insertive immersive? 🤣


Thankfully its semi horizontal.  🤣


----------



## RestoredSparda




----------



## chef8489

RestoredSparda said:


>


Great looking amp.


----------



## silversurfer616

Sold my TT2 as it is more fun to experiment with separates, especially with the Susvara. Just bought the HE-500 again for sentimental reasons because it’s the headphone that opened up the rabbit hole for me…unfortunately!


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 29, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Does sitting on the CD jewel case make the sound more insertive immersive? 🤣


….it had better make the music sound feel less _digit-al…more anal-ogue…😳🤣🤣_


----------



## gibby




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## David222




----------



## jonathan c

Thinking alike…


----------



## alota

silversurfer616 said:


> Sold my TT2 as it is more fun to experiment with separates, especially with the Susvara. Just bought the HE-500 again for sentimental reasons because it’s the headphone that opened up the rabbit hole for me…unfortunately!


He-500 was a good headphone. Underrated in my opinion


----------



## silversurfer616

alota said:


> He-500 was a good headphone. Underrated in my opinion


Indeed, it’s rather remarkable how well it holds up to Susvara or Utopia.


----------



## alota

silversurfer616 said:


> Indeed, it’s rather remarkable how well it holds up to Susvara or Utopia.


And compared to actual prices was really cheap


----------



## silversurfer616

alota said:


> And compared to actual prices was really cheap


Don’t get me started on that…


----------



## alota

silversurfer616 said:


> Don’t get me started on that…


Ahahahahah right


----------



## carboncopy

eddie0817 said:


> After 3 months of long waiting, my MSB combo is finally here.
> 
> Roon Nucleus + PLIXIR BDC Power Supply
> MSB Discrete DAC + ProUSB Adapter
> ...


Getting better is not highest praise I think...this a _very_ pricey combo. What are your thoughts? Any comparsions maybe?


----------



## toodles1978 (Aug 28, 2022)

The end


----------



## Zachik

toodles1978 said:


> The end


Hahahaha   
Been a while since I stopped lying to myself... You'll get there - that is the next step in Audiophilia


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Zachik said:


> Hahahaha
> Been a while since I stopped lying to myself... You'll get there - that is the next step in Audiophilia


My thoughts too. ^^

"Famous words of an (ongoing) audiophile"


----------



## toodles1978

Zachik said:


> Hahahaha
> Been a while since I stopped lying to myself... You'll get there - that is the next step in Audiophilia


Mate it's been a painful experience to get here... I may mess about with some wireless stuff in the new year but for desktop and main Set up I am done (until something blows up)


----------



## Lord Rexter




----------



## David222

toodles1978 said:


> Mate it's been a painful experience to get here... I may mess about with some wireless stuff in the new year but for desktop and main Set up I am done (until something blows up)



Never give up!


----------



## judomaniak57

My system as of today. sold my tube amp to free up funds for a dac. will miss my tube amp but looking forward to upgrading my sound with a dac


----------



## alota

judomaniak57 said:


> My system as of today. sold my tube amp to free up funds for a dac. will miss my tube amp but looking forward to upgrading my sound with a dac


Now the dac is the embedded on bluesound? I ask because i have bluesound too and waiting for my dac i have used the dac of bluesound with satisfaction


----------



## Terriero

Terriero said:


> Thank you very much... Next will be my turn


Ok, @waveSounds, finally is "my turn"... Too late to the party, but you can see here my two children in their weekly videogames two hours session (Sonic Mania in the pic, but they also played to Plants vs Zombies and Lego Jurassic World   ) at my head-fi station... Yes, they have learned to respect my toys and that's very good... (The games' sound comes from my DT 1990 Pros, lying on the desk, at high volume...)






No faces, when they grow up they will decide their media exposition...


----------



## judomaniak57

i think the bluesound node 2i sound is pretty good also, but with the Focal Stellia i want to get more out of my music. looking at the Denafrips Ares 2


alota said:


> Now the dac is the embedded on bluesound? I ask because i have bluesound too and waiting for my dac i have used the dac of bluesound with satisfaction


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> i think the bluesound node 2i sound is pretty good also, but with the Focal Stellia i want to get more out of my music. looking at the Denafrips Ares 2


Denafrips Ares II (R2R) will be a great choice! I am sad that you sold your tube h/p/a…Antique Sound Labs, I recall…The pairing of it with Ares II would have been 🎵☁️☁️🌈🌈…


----------



## jonathan c (Aug 28, 2022)

.


----------



## alota

judomaniak57 said:


> i think the bluesound node 2i sound is pretty good also, but with the Focal Stellia i want to get more out of my music. looking at the Denafrips Ares 2


Of course. I bought another dac based on philips tda 1541. This dac is superior but node 2i for the price is really good. Some people say that improves with the new power supply sold in Poland


----------



## carbonF1




----------



## judomaniak57

jonathan c said:


> Denafrips Ares II (R2R) will be a great choice! I am sad that you sold your tube h/p/a…Antique Sound Labs, I recall…The pairing of it with Ares II would have been 🎵☁️☁️🌈🌈…


Who knows with this crazy hobby, maybe a tube amp in the future


----------



## Ficcion2

Terriero said:


> Ok, @waveSounds, finally is "my turn"... Too late to the party, but you can see here my two children in their weekly videogames two hours session (Sonic Mania in the pic, but they also played to Plants vs Zombies and Lego Jurassic World   ) at my head-fi station... Yes, they have learned to respect my toys and that's very good... (The games' sound comes from my DT 1990 Pros, lying on the desk, at high volume...)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your kids playing Sonic & Knuckles is a great start to artistic appreciation.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## cgb3

Badas said:


> Think I will just put Aeon 2 pads on my Aeon 1 (i have a spare set) and call it the Aeon RT
> I'm tempted on the LCD-2C . However I'm enjoying Aeon 2 too much.
> I previously had LCD-X and LCD-3c and I moved on. So that held me back from LCD-2c ultimately.


I've moved to Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin for my various phones (other than Grado).

Too expensive, but once purchased... .


----------



## cgb3

judomaniak57 said:


> Who knows with this crazy hobby, maybe a tube amp in the future


Looking forward to some cheaper Schiit folkvangrs showing up on the 2nd hand market.


----------



## Wes S

Current State - Finally got my tubes all dialed in with the new amp, and it's blissful listening from here on. . .


----------



## Nostoi

Terriero said:


> Ok, @waveSounds, finally is "my turn"... Too late to the party, but you can see here my two children in their weekly videogames two hours session (Sonic Mania in the pic, but they also played to Plants vs Zombies and Lego Jurassic World   ) at my head-fi station... Yes, they have learned to respect my toys and that's very good... (The games' sound comes from my DT 1990 Pros, lying on the desk, at high volume...)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice on all respects! Great your kids respect your space. I have to do a rapid bit of distraction when my toddler comes to "work" at my desk.

What's that keyboard, incidentally?


----------



## alekc

Wes S said:


> Current State - Finally got my tubes all dialed in with the new amp, and it's blissful listening from here on. . .


@Wes S  brilliant setup and picture. Wish I could give more than one like... Congrats


----------



## David222

alekc said:


> @Wes S  brilliant setup and picture. Wish I could give more than one like... Congrats



+1 @Wes S awesome setup!!


----------



## kumar402

@Wes S is enjoying tubelight breakfast, lunch and dinner these days


----------



## jonathan c

kumar402 said:


> @Wes S is enjoying tubelight breakfast, lunch and dinner these days


Wes, you will have to run the Cayin through this…🤣:


----------



## waveSounds

Terriero said:


> Ok, @waveSounds, finally is "my turn"... Too late to the party, but you can see here my two children in their weekly videogames two hours session (Sonic Mania in the pic, but they also played to Plants vs Zombies and Lego Jurassic World   ) at my head-fi station... Yes, they have learned to respect my toys and that's very good... (The games' sound comes from my DT 1990 Pros, lying on the desk, at high volume...)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Brilliant! I'm looking forward to the day when baby waveSounds is old enough to play video games with me. That game brings back many memories, and awesome that your kids get to share your spot (respectfully). Now you just need to add an amp with two headphone outs and let them each choose a 'can for their gaming sessions 

Love the keyboard, too.


----------



## linshu1992

Wes S said:


> Current State - Finally got my tubes all dialed in with the new amp, and it's blissful listening from here on. . .


Boy, I can't get over how beautiful the Cayin looks.. If I ever get one, it will have to be silver. I like my gears to be colorful.


----------



## senseitedj

Moved the trio to the top of the table so I can have a better view of the tubes

DAC: Burson Conductor 3XP
Tubes: Woo Audio WA6 SE


----------



## Wes S

linshu1992 said:


> Boy, I can't get over how beautiful the Cayin looks.. If I ever get one, it will have to be silver. I like my gears to be colorful.


I hear ya!  I have been quite mesmerized by it, and the crazy thing is it sounds even better than it looks.


----------



## Ganymede

RH84 built as a headphone amp


----------



## whirlwind

Wes S said:


> Current State - Finally got my tubes all dialed in with the new amp, and it's blissful listening from here on. . .


 Nice....enjoy


----------



## Mr Trev

Ganymede said:


> RH84 built as a headphone amp


You have cats? If so, they're gonna be in for a big surprise when they try and warm themselves on that sucker


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> You have cats? If so, they're gonna be in for a big surprise when they try and warm themselves on that sucker


…or mistake all that wiring for ‘kitty yarn’…


----------



## Davidzak64 (Aug 30, 2022)

Not much to look at here 🙄, but it does kick some High impedance Headphone @ss. A very flexible system. I have no complaints at all. 😉 The Luxman R-113 makes a great HP amplifier. I think I'm the only person on Head-fi who likes using vintage receivers as Headphone Amplifiers. 😁


----------



## jonathan c

Davidzak64 said:


> Not much to look at here 🙄…


…Gee, thanks! and you wonder why Jada looks pissed off…🤷🏻‍♂️❓….


----------



## Davidzak64

jonathan c said:


> …Gee, thanks! and you wonder why Jada looks pissed off…🤷🏻‍♂️❓….


She's not pissed off. She keeps herself well medicated. 🍷


----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 10, 2022)




----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


>


Nice tubes, also.


----------



## morserotonin

carboncopy said:


> morning light...(lid is off the Heléne because I experiment with the bias settings)


I love my SR1a... this setup is aspirational!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Nice tubes, also.


Made in Australia Mullard, yet! How fitting!


----------



## EstrangedBaron




----------



## Elegiac

gimmeheadroom said:


> Made in Australia Mullard, yet! How fitting!


And it's good? Sound impressions? I'd read that Aussie Mullards weren't great.


----------



## jonathan c

Bliss…


----------



## Roasty

changed out some stuff and swapped in a NAD M23 power amp + Lumin U2 mini. also added a Lab12 Gordian power conditioner. 





might need to add an extra shelf.. don't like the Gordian on the floor, especially with kids who wanna step on stuff all the time.


----------



## j0val




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Elegiac said:


> And it's good? Sound impressions? I'd read that Aussie Mullards weren't great.



Well our friend @Silver Wolf is from Down Under so I'm sure he's pleased to be able to have tubes made in his country. Not many places in the world where one can say that!


----------



## chef8489

j0val said:


>


How do you like your Lyr+ and bifrost and what tube are you using? I just got the Lyr 3 again with the multibit as I felt it was a space saver and much cheaper than that route, plus I loved this combo when I had it before.


----------



## j0val

chef8489 said:


> How do you like your Lyr+ and bifrost and what tube are you using? I just got the Lyr 3 again with the multibit as I felt it was a space saver and much cheaper than that route, plus I loved this combo when I had it before.



Not sure yet. I have the Bifrost 2/64 and the combo with the Lyr+ makes the setup more neutral than what I’m used to. I enjoy a bit of warmth and darkness. I may swap the old Bifrost card in to see how that sounds.

 I’m using a tung sol tube. Going to try my Shuguang treasure tomorrow.


----------



## Elegiac

gimmeheadroom said:


> Well our friend @Silver Wolf is from Down Under so I'm sure he's pleased to be able to have tubes made in his country. Not many places in the world where one can say that!


Yes, we'll never run out of tubes.


----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 1, 2022)

Elegiac said:


> And it's good? Sound impressions? I'd read that Aussie Mullards weren't great.





gimmeheadroom said:


> Well our friend @Silver Wolf is from Down Under so I'm sure he's pleased to be able to have tubes made in his country. Not many places in the world where one can say that!



I'm not good with word-salads to describe details I'm sorry, that and I'm a retired old fart (so aged hearing and suspected losses etc) so I bow out 'n don't get into that side of things. I just try to enjoy things best as I can for myself. Also the Mullards above only have a few hours on them so early but they sound fine to my ears, I'm happy and scored them very cheap 

But in regard to Aussie Vs UK manufactured Mullards, what I can say is I have a few 12au7 Mullards (BVA and Aussie) and I can't tell them apart if I honest myself (all have "Mullard" house sound to me), YMMV as we're all different with varying gear, mine may not be as resolving as someone else's etc. I don't know much about tubes but from what I read Mullard only had 1 factory in Sydney, Australia which had a short life as most states opened up Philips factory production making early Aussie Mullards and Philips gear etc...

Edit: Just to add from what I can tell the tube we've been discussing (Mullard 6SN7GTA) is a rare oddity as UK Mullard operations never produced a 6SN7GTA, no idea myself but they fetch a hefty price 'n mine only cost me $45   ... I've very happy giggle 

Edit 2: Surprised we're talking about the Mullard 6SN7GTA when there's a rare _*MWT*/Osram/GEC_ *A1834*/6080 gold plated copper oddity in the picture giggle... ...





Edit 3: _*MWT*/Osram/GEC_ *A1834*/6080 pic etc..


----------



## gimmeheadroom

EstrangedBaron said:


>


I had your post only partially on my screen and I said to myself huh, I wonder who has a 3D printer on his desk. Then I scrolled and saw your desktop rack


----------



## bcowen

Ganymede said:


> RH84 built as a headphone amp


One of the wires is crooked.  Just sayin'.   🤣  🤣


----------



## chef8489

j0val said:


> Not sure yet. I have the Bifrost 2/64 and the combo with the Lyr+ makes the setup more neutral than what I’m used to. I enjoy a bit of warmth and darkness. I may swap the old Bifrost card in to see how that sounds.
> 
> I’m using a tung sol tube. Going to try my Shuguang treasure tomorrow.


I found vintage tubes always sounded batter to me than any newer made tubes in my lyr 3 ever did.


----------



## j0val

chef8489 said:


> I found vintage tubes always sounded batter to me than any newer made tubes in my lyr 3 ever did.


Interesting. Where’s a good place to buy vintage tubes? I’m still pretty new to the tube world.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

j0val said:


> Interesting. Where’s a good place to buy vintage tubes? I’m still pretty new to the tube world.


Ebay, if you do your homework and find trusted sellers.


----------



## chef8489

j0val said:


> Interesting. Where’s a good place to buy vintage tubes? I’m still pretty new to the tube world.


Jump into the lyr 3 tube rolling thread then check out eBay and you can find some on the classifieds here. There are also 2 6sn7 identification threads that help identify different tubes.


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> One of the wires is crooked.  Just sayin'.   🤣  🤣


Jeez, that's cold man. You didn't hear me saying anything about the wires (heaters?) being twisted the wrong way round did you?


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Jeez, that's cold man. You didn't hear me saying anything about the wires (heaters?) being twisted the wrong way round did you?


No, but I'm not sure if that's because you have more class than me, or whether you didn't realize they were Australian tubes.   🤣


----------



## David222




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## ARCXENOS

Been a fun couple months, I am finally gonna take a break from acquiring more tubes for awhile. I'll be back someday!

Mullard ECC32 + ER300b + GE 22DE4


----------



## bcowen

ARCXENOS said:


> Been a fun couple months, I am finally gonna take a break from acquiring more tubes for awhile. I'll be back someday!
> 
> Mullard ECC32 + ER300b + GE 22DE4


Sweet.  Love the top picture!


----------



## ARCXENOS

bcowen said:


> Sweet.  Love the top picture!


Thanks for all help in the 6SN7 thread btw!


----------



## shwnwllms

Tried to get a couple of better photos of my gold resin stabilized VO in better lighting to show some of the incredible detail work on this set.


----------



## Strat1117

jasonb said:


> Does nobody else just listen while sitting on a couch or recliner?


95% of the time is on the couch. The rest is either at my desk or in bed.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Strat1117 said:


> 95% of the time is on the couch. The rest is either at my desk or in bed.


You must have a relaxing job


----------



## ufospls2

Well, this will be fun to get to know. I spent a week or two with a borrowed A1 yggdrasil, so the unison USB and "OG"/A2 will be interesting to try out.


----------



## Strat1117

gimmeheadroom said:


> You must have a relaxing job


Lol!  I have one of the least relaxing jobs imaginable (divorce lawyer, solo practitioner), which is why I do my listening on the couch at home and not at my desk at work.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Strat1117 said:


> Lol!  I have one of the least relaxing jobs imaginable (divorce lawyer, solo practitioner), which is why I do my listening on the couch at home and not at my desk at work.


Damn. The things you must hear when agitated clients call you, screaming bloody murder about "the other." 

Whatever the fees are -- it's not enough!


----------



## Strat1117

Pharmaboy said:


> Damn. The things you must hear when agitated clients call you, screaming bloody murder about "the other."
> 
> Whatever the fees are -- it's not enough!


You got it, brother. All day long they suck my soul out through my ears right into the telephone. When I get home I rely on the music to put it back in. Thank you!!


----------



## orrm

I like my gear and noise floor black as possible. Let the music add the color.


----------



## David222

ufospls2 said:


> Well, this will be fun to get to know. I spent a week or two with a borrowed A1 yggdrasil, so the unison USB and "OG"/A2 will be interesting to try out.



Nice cabinets.  Maple wood ?


----------



## ufospls2

David222 said:


> Nice cabinets.  Maple wood ?


.....ikea wood.


----------



## David222

ufospls2 said:


> .....ikea wood.



I heard ZMF is moving to ikea wood in 2023


----------



## bcowen

ufospls2 said:


> .....ikea wood.


Ikea wood is an oxymoron.   🤣


----------



## carboncopy

orrm said:


> I like my gear and noise floor black as possible. Let the music add the color.


And that's why I sold my Auralic Aries G2.1..


----------



## Pharmaboy (Sep 3, 2022)

Well, amp #8 arrived the other day (yes, psychiatric intervention sorely overdue). I have one amp F.S. here (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1), but this gently used Icon Audio HP8 MKII deal came up and could not be ignored. These don't come up F.S. very often (pictures below...excuse the pigsty desktop).

And now I see why they don't come up F.S. very often. Even with stock power tubes and a decent but not outstanding input tube, this amp sounds amazing. It has easily the best bass I've ever heard from a tube amp. It goes lower, hits harder, and conveys tonal nuances in the bass far better than any other tube amp I've heard. I haven't lived with any of the big transformer-couple amps many here have, but I've heard a number of them at shows. This bass is crazy good. The rest of the frequencies are quite good, as well; plus the usual 3D note thing and extra space in the soundstage that tube amps do.

With aid from @geoffalter11, who also owns one of these, tube rolling will soon commence, and I suspect everything I like about this amp will get even better. We've had fun PM'ing about this remarkable little amp. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's such a handsome design.


----------



## geoffalter11

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, amp #8 arrived the other day (yes, psychiatric intervention sorely overdue). I have one amp F.S. here (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1), but this gently used Icon Audio HP8 MKII deal came up and could not be ignored. These don't come up F.S. very often (pictures below...excuse the pigsty desktop).
> 
> And now I see why they don't come up F.S. very often. Even with stock power tubes and a decent but not outstanding input tube, this amp sounds amazing. It has easily the best bass I've ever heard from a tube amp. It goes lower, hits harder, and conveys tonal nuances in the bass far better than any other tube amp I've heard. I haven't lived with any of the big transformer-couple amps many here have, but I've heard a number of them at shows. This bass is crazy good. The rest of the frequencies are quite good, as well; plus the usual 3D note thing and extra space in the soundstage that tube amps do.
> 
> With aid from @geoffalter11, who also owns one of these, tube rolling will soon commence, and I suspect everything I like about this amp will get even better. We've had fun PM'ing about this remarkable little amp. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's such a handsome design.


What a beautiful HP8.  The brown base CV-181s look great aesthetically. Buying an HP8 was one of the best decisions I have made in my audio quest.  @Pharmaboy is right about the bass.  It is deep, clear, fast and full of life without feeling wooly, humped or all consuming.  It is near perfect.  The amp also has amazing midrange articulation. Years ago @project86 reviewed this amp for Innerfidelity.  He basically said that the amp "flowed like a warm summer breeze".  Sorry John if I didn't quote you 100%, I read it 6 yrs ago.  But, it was that review that put this amp on my radar and it took me 6 yrs to buy one.  Enjoy your HP8, it is gorgeous!


----------



## geoffalter11

orrm said:


> I like my gear and noise floor black as possible. Let the music add the color.


Awesome set up. Congrats! I can’t tell what is below the Rockna DAC. What is that?


----------



## geoffalter11

orrm said:


> I like my gear and noise floor black as possible. Let the music add the color.


I see it now. It’s your Power Plant. I see your WTB section. I owned a CFA3. Awesome amp! It is huge, but will fit on your rack. About the same size as your Rockna. Sound is clean, fast and expansive with impeccable balance.


----------



## jonathan c

geoffalter11 said:


> Awesome set up. Congrats! I can’t tell what is below the Rockna DAC. What is that?


PS Audio Stellar Powerplant 1


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, amp #8 arrived the other day (yes, psychiatric intervention sorely overdue). I have one amp F.S. here (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1), but this gently used Icon Audio HP8 MKII deal came up and could not be ignored. These don't come up F.S. very often (pictures below...excuse the pigsty desktop).
> 
> And now I see why they don't come up F.S. very often. Even with stock power tubes and a decent but not outstanding input tube, this amp sounds amazing. It has easily the best bass I've ever heard from a tube amp. It goes lower, hits harder, and conveys tonal nuances in the bass far better than any other tube amp I've heard. I haven't lived with any of the big transformer-couple amps many here have, but I've heard a number of them at shows. This bass is crazy good. The rest of the frequencies are quite good, as well; plus the usual 3D note thing and extra space in the soundstage that tube amps do.
> 
> With aid from @geoffalter11, who also owns one of these, tube rolling will soon commence, and I suspect everything I like about this amp will get even better. We've had fun PM'ing about this remarkable little amp. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's such a handsome design.



She's a bute!  What DAC are you pairing with?


----------



## geoffalter11

orrm said:


> I like my gear and noise floor black as possible. Let the music add the color.


I can’t seem to back out of this post. So saying something so it will get off my screen. I hit send and it sent but stayed on my screen to send twice. Sorry for the useless post.


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> She's a bute!  What DAC are you pairing with?


MHDT Labs Orchid. It's a great pairing. 

I still have to sort out the NOS tubes thing...and there's too much gain. But if plans go well, I'll end up w/a lower gain input tube (NOS, rare) that mfr OKs for use in this amp. That's one way to knock down the gain, possibly also change the sound, which is already terrific, for the better.


----------



## UntilThen

Happy Father's Day. Listening to Mike Oldfield - Let There Be Light.


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> Happy Father's Day. Listening to Mike Oldfield - Let There Be Light.


Sure, I'll bite. Happy Father's Day! - even thought it was like 3 mo. ago


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> Sure, I'll bite. Happy Father's Day! - even thought it was like 3 mo. ago


He's 14 hours ahead of Eastern time, but 3 months behind.   🤣


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> Sure, I'll bite. Happy Father's Day! - even thought it was like 3 mo. ago



Which planet are you from? Father's Day is today 4th Sept 2022.


----------



## bcowen (Sep 3, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> Which planet are you from? Father's Day is today 4th Sept 2022.


Planet America?  I didn't even know there were different dates in other countries until now.  Learn something new every day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father's_Day


----------



## Andrew_WOT




----------



## ufospls2

Andrew_WOT said:


>



That Auralic stack is still one of the better looking gear combos, even years after its EOL status. I used to own the Taurus mk2 : )


----------



## joseph69

bcowen said:


> Planet America?  I didn't even know there were different dates in other countries until now.  Learn something new every day.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father's_Day


----------



## UntilThen

Some iconic gear there @Andrew_WOT . I did have the Taurus Mk2 and I have kept my HD800 in the box. It's time to take it out for today.


----------



## jadverkko




----------



## Andrew_WOT

UntilThen said:


> Some iconic gear there @Andrew_WOT . I did have the Taurus Mk2 and I have kept my HD800 in the box. It's time to take it out for today.


You can save Susvara headband suspension from unnecessary stretching by hanging on the metal part.


----------



## UntilThen

Andrew_WOT said:


> You can save Susvara headband suspension from unnecessary stretching by hanging on the metal part.



I'd just leave Susvara on the table on top of a felt mat. Hanging it by the metal part will one day scratch the metal.


----------



## Andrew_WOT (Sep 4, 2022)

UntilThen said:


> I'd just leave Susvara on the table on top of a felt mat. Hanging it by the metal part will one day scratch the metal.


It's steel, if anything it will scratch aluminum WooAudio stand, leaving on the table puts stress on leather strap, reason some older HE-1000 have it flopping around.


----------



## hifixman

BHSE with Mullard NOS EL34 XF2 and  Titan Labs Helen Jitter Purifier on my new RTI Audio Rack.


----------



## Pharmaboy

hifixman said:


> BHSE with Mullard NOS EL34 XF2 and  Titan Labs Helen Jitter Purifier on my new RTI Audio Rack.


I love EL34s. Years ago I had amps w/8 of them, 4 per channel (I alternated w/KT88s, but EL34s sounded so perfect). 

That amp must be a lot of power...


----------



## Terriero

Nostoi said:


> Nice on all respects! Great your kids respect your space. I have to do a rapid bit of distraction when my toddler comes to "work" at my desk.
> 
> What's that keyboard, incidentally?


Topre Realforce TKL ANSI 55G in white/grey I love it


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> I love EL34s. Years ago I had amps w/8 of them, 4 per channel (I alternated w/KT88s, but EL34s sounded so perfect).
> 
> That amp must be a lot of power...



I can think of Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP that use 8 x KT88 or EL34. I had that amp several years ago.


----------



## Terriero (Sep 4, 2022)

waveSounds said:


> Brilliant! I'm looking forward to the day when baby waveSounds is old enough to play video games with me. That game brings back many memories, and awesome that your kids get to share your spot (respectfully). Now you just need to add an amp with two headphone outs and let them each choose a 'can for their gaming sessions
> 
> Love the keyboard, too.


After my son destroyed his very cheap cans (from his child-camera) -I repaired them several times-, I'm thinking of give to him my Superlux HD 668-B which I don't use anymore because of the comfort... A good pair of headphones to enter in this world, but my headphones are still untouchables by them... I don't want to find them playing with them...

Time goes very very fast, believe me... Enjoy a lot your time as a dedicated father (I know you are).


----------



## project86 (Sep 4, 2022)

My younger kids (age 10 and 13 now) have had good luck with the Sennheiser HD58X and the Meze 99 Neo. Both are very sturdy, with easily replaceable parts (especially cables and pads), comfy, and sound great. It is tough when they are single digits though... not sure what to recommend for a 5-8 year old.

Keeping this relevant to the thread:


----------



## Dawgfish

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, amp #8 arrived the other day (yes, psychiatric intervention sorely overdue). I have one amp F.S. here (Kinki Studio Vision THR-1), but this gently used Icon Audio HP8 MKII deal came up and could not be ignored. These don't come up F.S. very often (pictures below...excuse the pigsty desktop).
> 
> And now I see why they don't come up F.S. very often. Even with stock power tubes and a decent but not outstanding input tube, this amp sounds amazing. It has easily the best bass I've ever heard from a tube amp. It goes lower, hits harder, and conveys tonal nuances in the bass far better than any other tube amp I've heard. I haven't lived with any of the big transformer-couple amps many here have, but I've heard a number of them at shows. This bass is crazy good. The rest of the frequencies are quite good, as well; plus the usual 3D note thing and extra space in the soundstage that tube amps do.
> 
> With aid from @geoffalter11, who also owns one of these, tube rolling will soon commence, and I suspect everything I like about this amp will get even better. We've had fun PM'ing about this remarkable little amp. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's such a handsome design.


Congrats!  What a beautiful amp!


----------



## Berico

A lot of  lamps


----------



## phila

A few years ago I decided to give up the hobby, now about five years later, back again but this time only with a "transportable" setup.


----------



## alota

Berico said:


> A lot of  lamps


i like the furniture too


----------



## SalR406

Berico said:


>


Wow, that iMac blast-from-the-past!


----------



## project86

Blast from the past here...


----------



## Pharmaboy

project86 said:


> Blast from the past here...


2 x V281s!!

Icon Audio HP8!

(familiar things...)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

project86 said:


> Blast from the past here...



2xV281... what an embarassment of riches 

What's your take on the Icon headamp? I looked into years ago and at the time, without being able to hear or get my hands on one, I wrote it off as another lowball Chinese amp being sold as English... but from recent comments it looks like it has some fans.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> 2 x V281s!!



Great minds think alike!


----------



## alota

project86 said:


> Blast from the past here...


Edition 10 or 12?


----------



## stuck limo

I upgraded the caps to my SMSL SP200 and now I can't fit the case over the board.


----------



## CJG888

Presumably you could use two capacitors of half the value in parallel on each channel? Then they might fit inside.


----------



## alota

stuck limo said:


> I upgraded the caps to my SMSL SP200 and now I can't fit the case over the board.


A little capacitor lol


----------



## project86

gimmeheadroom said:


> 2xV281... what an embarassment of riches
> 
> What's your take on the Icon headamp? I looked into years ago and at the time, without being able to hear or get my hands on one, I wrote it off as another lowball Chinese amp being sold as English... but from recent comments it looks like it has some fans.



Haha agreed, I've been spoiled over the years with lots of excellent gear to play with!

One of those was V281's was mine and the other was a loaner for comparison purposes. Mine had the relay-based volume control, the loaner had the standard Alps pot. It made a small difference but not drastic, and probably not worth the money for most people. 

I absolutely adore the Icon amp. You're right, the initial version like mine was fairly generic looking, which has been somewhat solved by the newer edition with that attractive copper layer. Unfortunately my review from InnerFidelity got lost in the post-Tyll transition but it was what you might call a "rave" review (and I don't use that term lightly). 




alota said:


> Edition 10 or 12?



Edition 12, which was actually rather nice. The 10... not so much.


----------



## alota

project86 said:


> Edition 12, which was actually rather nice. The 10... not so much.


yes. some people told me same thing


----------



## Pharmaboy

project86 said:


> Unfortunately my review from InnerFidelity got lost in the post-Tyll transition but it was what you might call a "rave" review (and I don't use that term lightly).


Sad to say, a great many things have gotten lost since the Tyll transition--not least of which is/was your regular reviews in the I.F. pages. I know you publish in other places now and hope that continues (and expands).

I have the 2nd generation HP8 (oddly, both old & new are called "MKII" ... go figure) and am very impressed with it. I'm no expert in the big transformer-coupled tube amps that rule the tube landscape. With just 3 tubes, total, the HP8 is not one of those, but IMO it's about as good as one can get without vaulting up multiple steps on the size & cost ladder of tube amps.

The HP8 also has clearly the best bass I've ever heard from a tube amp of any size. That means a lot to me...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

project86 said:


> I absolutely adore the Icon amp. You're right, the initial version like mine was fairly generic looking, which has been somewhat solved by the newer edition with that attractive copper layer. Unfortunately my review from InnerFidelity got lost in the post-Tyll transition but it was what you might call a "rave" review (and I don't use that term lightly).



Thanks, this is very helpful. And we know that about you, hence your opinion is valued 



Pharmaboy said:


> I have the 2nd generation HP8 (oddly, both old & new are called "MKII" ... go figure) and am very impressed with it. I'm no expert in the big transformer-coupled tube amps that rule the tube landscape. With just 3 tubes, total, the HP8 is not one of those, but IMO it's about as good as one can get without vaulting up multiple steps on the size & cost ladder of tube amps.



Thanks. The price is now at WA2 levels and is not easy to get here, thanks to brexit and other vicissitudes of life. I don't have room for another amp but this is on the back burner.


----------



## JoeTho




----------



## project86




----------



## Pharmaboy

JoeTho said:


>


Wow that amp looks interesting.

Just researched it. Very interested to find it's triode/pentode switchable. Which mode do you prefer?

Years ago I had a 100 WPC all-tube amp, Music Reference RM-9. Input tubes were 6DJ8s & power tubes were EL34s. I paid the mfr, Roger Modjeski, to modify the amp by adding a triode/pentode switch at the base of each of the 8 power tubes. Pentode was the stock amp's configuration; IMO triode was a taste of heaven, so beautiful & spacious.


----------



## JoeTho

Pharmaboy said:


> Wow that amp looks interesting.
> 
> Just researched it. Very interested to find it's triode/pentode switchable. Which mode do you prefer?
> 
> Years ago I had a 100 WPC all-tube amp, Music Reference RM-9. Input tubes were 6DJ8s & power tubes were EL34s. I paid the mfr, Roger Modjeski, to modify the amp by adding a triode/pentode switch at the base of each of the 8 power tubes. Pentode was the stock amp's configuration; IMO triode was a taste of heaven, so beautiful & spacious.


I prefer Ultra-linear Mode with my headphones and my favorite genre (Vocal Jazz)


----------



## silversurfer616

Couldn’t resist as the Utopia 2020 version was on sale in AU/NZ; it’s my fourth pair and the synergy with the Gilmore Lite is superior to all my other more powerful amps. Probably technically not as impressive as Susvara or AbyssTC but the energy, heft and layering is insane. Please don’t let me sell this one again, dear fickle audio heart.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Pharmaboy said:


> Wow that amp looks interesting.
> 
> Just researched it. Very interested to find it's triode/pentode switchable. Which mode do you prefer?
> 
> Years ago I had a 100 WPC all-tube amp, Music Reference RM-9. Input tubes were 6DJ8s & power tubes were EL34s. I paid the mfr, Roger Modjeski, to modify the amp by adding a triode/pentode switch at the base of each of the 8 power tubes. Pentode was the stock amp's configuration; IMO triode was a taste of heaven, so beautiful & spacious.


I was curious about these Willsenton amps myself when I first started looking at tube amps.  I ultimately took the plunge down the Woo Audio rabbit hole.  Curious as to your overall impressions.


----------



## HelpMeWithHeadphones

Lord Rexter said:


>


This is seriously some crazy awesome gear. The green on that McIntosh adds a vibe I never knew I could get from just a picture. Idk man its just so dope. Anything you were hoping to upgrade any time soon?


----------



## HelpMeWithHeadphones

silversurfer616 said:


> Couldn’t resist as the Utopia 2020 version was on sale in AU/NZ; it’s my fourth pair and the synergy with the Gilmore Lite is superior to all my other more powerful amps. Probably technically not as impressive as Susvara or AbyssTC but the energy, heft and layering is insane. Please don’t let me sell this one again, dear fickle audio heart.


When it comes to pure enjoyment, which does it better? The Susvara, or the Utopia? 
Insanely nice set up by the way. I as well have the Ican and its awesome.


----------



## silversurfer616

HelpMeWithHeadphones said:


> When it comes to pure enjoyment, which does it better? The Susvara, or the Utopia?
> Insanely nice set up by the way. I as well have the Ican and its awesome.


Provocatively one could say the Susvara is slightly boring compared to Utopia‘s energy. But then again Susvara has the most natural and pure sound…just beautiful and emotionally moving, depending on the music. With the Utopia you just have to move and headbang…as much as possible.


----------



## HelpMeWithHeadphones

silversurfer616 said:


> Provocatively one could say the Susvara is slightly boring compared to Utopia‘s energy. But then again Susvara has the most natural and pure sound…just beautiful and emotionally moving, depending on the music. With the Utopia you just have to move and headbang…as much as possible.


I love how you worded all of that. I would like the opportunity to listen to the new Utopia revision and just lose myself in those headphones. I also cannot wait to try the Susvaras, hopefully I can AB them like you have, I assume


----------



## jonathan c

silversurfer616 said:


> Provocatively one could say the Susvara is slightly boring compared to Utopia‘s energy. But then again Susvara has the most natural and pure sound…just beautiful and emotionally moving, depending on the music. With the Utopia you just have to move and headbang…as much as possible.


Headbanging with a $4k piece? 🤕🎧💸😢…


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> Headbanging with a $4k piece? 🤕🎧💸😢…



Head bop ? 😂


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 6, 2022)




----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> Head bomp ? 😂


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]



At some point, I’d love to know what @bcowen is planning to do with all his royalties from Headfi??  Fancy Boat ? Fast car ? More Fotons? 😂😜


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> At some point, I’d love to know what @bcowen is planning to do with all his royalties from Headfi??  Fancy Boat ? Fast car ? More Fotons? 😂😜


The world’s shiniest, glitziest, perfect measure / abysmal sound solid-state headphone amp !!🤣


----------



## bfin3

jonathan c said:


>


Dang, did you spend your whole budget on the DAC?!


----------



## David222

bfin3 said:


> Dang, did you spend your whole budget on the DAC?!



Not to worry mate - he saved 10% from his car insurance  🤣


----------



## silversurfer616

jonathan c said:


> Headbanging with a $4k piece? 🤕🎧💸😢…


Didn’t I say it was on special?


----------



## jonathan c

bfin3 said:


> Dang, did you spend your whole budget on the DAC?!


No, but a significant portion of it. When I purchased the EVO Mystique two+ years ago, I sought an absolutely TOTL DAC that featured R2R topology, non-oversampling, and immensely robust power supply. This was and is my forever DAC.


----------



## jonathan c

silversurfer616 said:


> Didn’t I say it was on special?


…doorbuster…🦵🚪…


----------



## sleepdeprecation

It took me awhile to learn it, but sometimes the simpler setups are still really nice


----------



## Ciggavelli (Sep 6, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


I gotta ask, since I’ve seen this so many times…lol, but you do know “FTFY” was a term created before 2021, right?  (and was most certainly created by somebody else). Unless, I’m missing something.


----------



## hifixman (Sep 7, 2022)

bfin3 said:


> Dang, did you spend your whole budget on the DAC?!


General speaking, there are three approaches of price matching in building a system:

1, costly dac + cheap amp:
In most cases in this formula, the dac is highly detailed and analytical normally with strong house sound (colorization), making the less detailed that is less colored sounding and cheaper amp better match to get the rather balanced and smooth sound for music enjoyment.

Examples: Rockana Wavedream, Mojo Mystique

2, cheap dac + costly amp:
Under this circumstance, the amp must be the strong point with superb imaging, stage and tonality so that it doesn't need to reply on a dac to add anything to reach high resolution.

Examples: Eksonic T2,  Woo Wa234 & 3SE, Hifiman Shangri La SR

3, costly dac + costly amp:
Commonly found in submit hi systems, in this scenario, the dac doesn't force micro details but with three dimensionality as well as the least coloration. The amp is a giant monster with top quality and killer competence:

Examples: Soulnote 3 Series, DCS


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Ciggavelli said:


> I gotta ask, since I’ve seen this so many times…lol, but you do know “FTFY” was a term created before 2021, right?  (and was most certainly created by somebody else). Unless, I’m missing something.


It's a long-running joke.


----------



## bfin3

hifixman said:


> 1, costly dac + cheap amp:
> In most cases in this formula, the dac is highly detailed and analytical normally with strong house sound (colorization), making the less detailed that is less colored sounding and cheaper amp better match to get the rather balanced and smooth sound for music enjoyment.


This is interesting. I thought the less expensive amps introduced more color and artifacts and that the best didn't alter the signal besides increasing the gain. Not that the amp in question is necessarily cheap, but in relation to the mojo it's several tiers down the ladder. Very different, people usually skimp on the DAC if anything.


----------



## hifixman (Sep 7, 2022)

bfin3 said:


> This is interesting. I thought the less expensive amps introduced more color and artifacts and that the best didn't alter the signal besides increasing the gain. Not that the amp in question is necessarily cheap, but in relation to the mojo it's several tiers down the ladder. Very different, people usually skimp on the DAC if anything.


There has been a saying, mid fi chases details, submit fi seeks flavors (colorization with a neat name of house sound), which could be true for so many gears, and cables but with exceptions as well, as Soulnote 3 Series which is the brand with least coloration to my ears at submit fi level. US doesn't have any soulnote distributor till this summer. It is definitely the dac to watch!


----------



## Elegiac

And tubes fix everything 
My cheat is this: Burr Brown DAC's have a good 'Hi-Fi' sound signature to my ear. Take a cheap BB DAC and run it through a nice tube. I've got an Xduoo MT-603 tube buffer with a lovely '62 Blackburn Mullard sitting in it... warm and smooth. I'm putting that between an FX-Audio DAC SQ5 (PCM1794) and an SMSL SH-6 for the amp. All up about $350, but it should sound very decent. Just need to get that amp... after my next DAP purchase


----------



## jonathan c

hifixman said:


> General speaking, there are three approaches of price matching in building a system:
> 
> 1, costly dac + cheap amp:
> In most cases in this formula, the dac is highly detailed and analytical normally with strong house sound (colorization), making the less detailed that is less colored sounding and cheaper amp better match to get the rather balanced and smooth sound for music enjoyment.
> ...


While detailed, I would hardly deem the sound from Mojo Audio EVO Mystique to be ‘analytical’ let alone colourised: … natural … organic.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

bfin3 said:


> Very different, people usually skimp on the DAC if anything.


That is the ironic part, dac create the sound, amplifier just amplify it.


----------



## BoyNamedSue

Turned off my desktop system to save power in lieu of heat wave here in Cali. No AC, no system, no problem! Seriously, the Aeolus off a DAP sounds so good, I don't miss my system at all.


----------



## jonathan c

TheMiddleSky said:


> That is the ironic part, dac reconstructs the sound, amplifier just amplify it.


☑️


----------



## sprellemannen

jonathan c said:


>


I auditioned Violectric short time ago (the HPA V550 and the DHA V226): They are both amazing. The sound quality was great, they are very powerful and the build quality is amazing. I guess your HPA V200 is all of that, too


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 7, 2022)

sprellemannen said:


> I auditioned Violectric short time ago (the HPA V550 and the DHA V226): They are both amazing. The sound quality was great, they are very powerful and the build quality is amazing. I guess your HPA V200 is all of that, too


AND even though the headphone ‘outs’ are SE, I can still use the V200 back XLR ‘ins’ from the DAC for higher S/N ratio and greater voltage for difficult headphones such as Beyer DT880 (600 ohms).


----------



## kumar402

TheMiddleSky said:


> That is the ironic part, dac create the sound, amplifier just amplify it.


Agree 
I was turned off by the music I was getting out of my system even after getting good headphones and amp and it all came together once I got the DAC of my liking.


----------



## project86




----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> AND even though the headphone ‘outs’ are SE, I can still use the V200 back XLR ‘ins’ from the DAC for higher S/N ratio and greater voltage for difficult headphones such as Beyer DT880 (600 ohms).


 From your V220 step brother!


----------



## rlanger

hifixman said:


> There has been a saying, mid fi chases details, submit fi seeks flavors (colorization with a neat name of house sound), which could be true for so many gears, and cables but with exceptions as well, as Soulnote 3 Series which is the brand with least coloration to my ears at submit fi level. US doesn't have any soulnote distributor till this summer. It is definitely the dac to watch!


What is "submit fi"? Do you mean Summit-Fi?


----------



## bobmysterious

The sound is so amazing that your ears just give up...


----------



## carbonF1

Small update - I decided to put everything on a table separate from my desk. Kind of a first step before I go and look at racks or other furniture. This way I can control the PS Audio gear from the couch. My biggest worry is whether the headphone cords would reach to where I sit at the computer. Thankfully they do. Next order of business is to get a good 4pin extension cable so I can listen to phones on the couch   and maybe some curtains...


----------



## Pharmaboy

rlanger said:


> What is "submit fi"? Do you mean Summit-Fi?


I never noticed that. You have a good eye.

If I had my way, "submit-Fi" would mean "audio for sadomasochists."


----------



## Chastity

Pharmaboy said:


> I never noticed that. You have a good eye.
> 
> If I had my way, "submit-Fi" would mean "audio for sadomasochists."


cue Omnimar - Sadizm


----------



## jonathan c

rlanger said:


> What is "submit fi"? Do you mean Summit-Fi?


‘Submit fi’ is expensive gear that has to be submitted as collateral to a bank loan officer 🤣.


----------



## bcowen

David222 said:


> At some point, I’d love to know what @bcowen is planning to do with all his royalties from Headfi??  Fancy Boat ? Fast car ? More Fotons? 😂😜


I'm going to invest it all in Dogecoin.   🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The world’s shiniest, glitziest, perfect measure / abysmal sound solid-state headphone amp !!🤣


Yeah, exactly.  Not.  🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I'm going to invest it all in Dogecoin.   🤣


Not DVcoin…where your portfolio just hums along…?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Not DVcoin…where your portfolio just hums along…?


Until it catches on fire and burns up.  Kinda like, um, Dogecoin.  🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> …"submit-Fi" would mean "audio for sadomasochists…”


….hybrid SS / ECG tube gear with no volume knob / power switch….😳


----------



## colinharding

My current work system - small, but quite a nice sound 

Headphones are Earsonics SM3v2.


----------



## jonathan c

colinharding said:


> My current work system - small, but quite a nice sound
> 
> Headphones are Earsonics SM3v2.


A Violectric HPA V200 !! 😀…


----------



## colinharding

Yes sir! Best amp I've found for IEM use. 

The Jolida DAC is a gem.  Replaced the output capacitors with some vintage ones (aerovox paper and wax) and man does it sing!


----------



## Zaplanc




----------



## colinharding

What are the headphones plugged into?  Is that an amp/dac combo?


----------



## alota

colinharding said:


> What are the headphones plugged into?  Is that an amp/dac combo?


Seems shanling m30, the swiss knife


----------



## colinharding

Wow very nice, thanks for the clarification!


----------



## jonathan c

After a _regular _cleaning of RCA input sockets, IEC plug receptacle, tube sockets, tube pins, adapter pins, headphone socket, volume shaft, WA3 exclaims: “High-Z ‘phones, bring ‘em on !”


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> After a _regular _cleaning of RCA input sockets, IEC plug receptacle, tube sockets, tube pins, adapter pins, headphone socket, volume shaft, WA3 exclaims: “High-Z ‘phones, bring ‘em on !”


Such a handsome amp!

Input tubes are on adapters? What are those tubes? 

I got nowhere rolling 6922s/6DJ8s (frustrating)


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Such a handsome amp!
> 
> Input tubes are on adapters? What are those tubes?
> 
> I got nowhere rolling 6922s/6DJ8s (frustrating)


The tubes are Brimar CV455 KB/FB (Footscray: 1956), a 12AT7 type. It is one of my favourites in the 12AT7 group. The adapters are 12A#7 —> E88CC from Pulse Tube Store (India). PTS makes the adapters that are on the Tubemonger website. One can buy directly from PTS.


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 8, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> After a _regular _cleaning of RCA input sockets, IEC plug receptacle, tube sockets, tube pins, adapter pins, headphone socket, volume shaft, WA3 exclaims: “High-Z ‘phones, bring ‘em on !”


“Yes, sir!”


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> Such a handsome amp!
> 
> Input tubes are on adapters? What are those tubes?
> 
> I got nowhere rolling 6922s/6DJ8s (frustrating)



The E188CC / CV4108 7308 is wonderful (to my ear).   --> Here

"This 1960s Halo Getter Mullard E188CC variant is more desirable than the dimple disk getter tubes from the 70s._ In our experience, these are probably the best E188CC/CV4108/7308 type tube made by Mullard."_


----------



## Silver Wolf (Sep 10, 2022)

Seems it was a day for cleaning 'n rolling giggle.....(Me 'n my big mouth lol....  Mr's Wolf is da best-est!!! Sorry to show off but she is so special still after all these decades ) Not only did I get a new tube (5998) she made another lambskin cover to keep this amp warm 'n dust free....


----------



## piakoB

Re-did my office and living room setup.


----------



## Pharmaboy

I love pictures of big flatsceen TVs. Here's mine, an LG OLED.

The room is large, which makes the screen look smaller than the 77" it really is (pardon the lazy picture-taking):


----------



## kumar402

Pharmaboy said:


> I love pictures of big flatsceen TVs. Here's mine, an LG OLED.
> 
> The room is large, which makes the screen look smaller than the 77" it really is (pardon the lazy picture-taking):


wow you really have a big room. I can't imagine 77" in my room.


----------



## orrm

Pharmaboy said:


> LG OLED.
> 77"


That's my plan for Black Friday


----------



## bobmysterious




----------



## kumar402

bobmysterious said:


>


That’s one way to hang the headphone.


----------



## bobmysterious

kumar402 said:


> That’s one way to hang the headphone.


It works well enough for small breaks, like to take a rig picture (hahaha), but I keep them elsewhere usually.  Waiting on the ROOMs stands to come back in stock.


----------



## kumar402

bobmysterious said:


> It works well enough for small breaks, like to take a rig picture (hahaha), but I keep them elsewhere usually.  Waiting on the ROOMs stands to come back in stock.


I like this innovative way


----------



## bobmysterious

Necessity is the mother of invention.


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## Since1991

UntilThen said:


>



Where did you get that rack? That looks very nice.


----------



## UntilThen

Since1991 said:


> Where did you get that rack? That looks very nice.



Gecko racks. Someone sold them to me for $50 for 2 racks a few years ago.


----------



## Chefguru

Joseph Grado Hp-2i > Mjolnir Pure Bipolar
Stax Sr-x9000 > Mjolnir Carbon


----------



## simorag

Some minor new entries, consolidation stuff ... another Hurricane power cord (almost full loom now) and a delicious Marconi ECC82 tube for the AIC-10.

Mostly enjoying the Valkyria over the last several months, need to cuddle these tired ears  



​


----------



## orrm

simorag said:


> Some minor new entries, consolidation stuff ... another Hurricane power cord (almost full loom now) and a delicious Marconi ECC82 tube for the AIC-10.
> 
> Mostly enjoying the Valkyria over the last several months, need to cuddle these tired ears
> 
> ​


Gorgeous stuff, what rack is that?


----------



## simorag (Sep 10, 2022)

orrm said:


> Gorgeous stuff, what rack is that?


Thanks! The rack is a Quattron from Neo High End.


----------



## Clive101 (Sep 10, 2022)

simorag said:


> Some minor new entries, consolidation stuff ... another Hurricane power cord (almost full loom now) and a delicious Marconi ECC82 tube for the AIC-10.
> 
> Mostly enjoying the Valkyria over the last several months, need to cuddle these tired ears
> 
> ​


I see single BNC at 705.6 how can one do this this when Dave can only support 304 with a single BNC acording to the manual ?
Thank you

Edit I see the "D" for Dual


----------



## simorag

Clive101 said:


> I see single BNC at 705.6 how can one do this this when Dave can only support 304 with a single BNC acording to the manual ?
> Thank you


I have an embarassingly crazy digital path that goes like this: Server > USB > SRC-DX > dual BNC > M Scaler > OPTO-DX > dual BNC > DAVE


----------



## Gavin C4

The 2022 new Utopia is just around the corner.


----------



## stersa

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## gimmeheadroom

stersa said:


> Best Regards
> 
> Sisco


Did you get the TH900 Pearl Whites in Europe?


----------



## stersa

were bought on dec21 in Spain.

Only 1 pair in stock..

Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## pbui44

stersa said:


> were bought on dec21 in Spain.
> 
> Only 1 pair in stock..
> 
> ...



But that was right before Christmas, so that retailer has restocked by now, right?


----------



## stersa

It was a limited edition of 200 units worldwide..


----------



## gimmeheadroom

pbui44 said:


> But that was right before Christmas, so that retailer has restocked by now, right?



Probably not, it is a limited edition and not many are likely to make it across the ocean. I got the last pair of Sapphire Blues that I was able to find in Europe.


----------



## toodles1978

Warming up a rainy Scottish Sunday evening..


----------



## gimmeheadroom

No wonder the dinosaurs became extinct! Their feet burned on the hot lava


----------



## hifixman (Sep 12, 2022)

Welcome home baby!

Crowned as the best product of the year 2011, Esoteric discrete dac has the biggest 3D dimensionality (Macro details) in all dacs along with top tier information, imaging and micro details, in a non-fatiguing way that even most submit fi ToTl dacs struggle.


----------



## Gavin C4 (Sep 12, 2022)

hifixman said:


> Welcome home baby!
> 
> Even though you are going to face some serious battles!
> 
> Crowned as the best product of the year 2011, Esoteric discrete dac has the biggest 3D dimensionality (Macro details) in all dacs along with top tier information, imaging and micro details, in a non-fatiguing way that even most submit fi ToTl dacs struggle.






Totally agree, Esoteric N05XD is really a high-quality product. Top-level of craftsmanship and modern design. Really totl performance in terms of R2R dacs with streaming ability. It could also be used as an all-in-one with its headphone output. It is extremely good with Utopia and ZMFs.


----------



## hifixman




----------



## hifixman

Gavin C4 said:


> Totally agree, Esoteric N05XD is really a high-quality product. Top-level of craftsmanship and modern design. Really totl performance in terms of R2R dacs with streaming ability. It could also be used as an all-in-one with its headphone output. It is extremely good with Utopia and ZMFs.


 It has the biggest three dimensionality yet with top notch imaging and Micro-details in the meantime. It hits a perfect balance between R2R with Chip dacs
It is good enough to make me question if im going to spend over 40K to upgrade to the prep, streamer, dac, and clock of Soulnote 3 Series.

The dac is the latest discrete dac with the same chip in its flagship. It is full analogue sounding yet with the technicalities of chip dac for the notch notch macro and micro details. It sounds bigger with better height and depth than even MSB. It is less constrained and less weighty than playback designs. Definition and resolution definitely beat DCS and May, making it crowned as the product of the year in 2021.

Streamer is powered by an independent transformer ( the Lumin counterpart with separate linear power supply cost over 6k)

The preamp is the top 3 I have seen in built in pre in any dacs. It is balanced in volume control throughout 8 channels with very complex design and the best finish and built I have ever seen. 

I experimented with various DDCs, jitter Purifier, isolation and grounding materials only to find out that the built-in counterparts are good enough! It is crisper and more netural than the twice priced big brother N-01XD. I prefer it to N01XD with both my warm sounding tube amps and my anologue sounding solid state amps.

The headphone amp is quiet enough to drive sensitive IEMs and powerful enough to drive HD 800s and Hifiman with magic.


----------



## hifixman (Sep 13, 2022)

Gavin C4 said:


> Totally agree, Esoteric N05XD is really a high-quality product. Top-level of craftsmanship and modern design. Really totl performance in terms of R2R dacs with streaming ability. It could also be used as an all-in-one with its headphone output. It is extremely good with Utopia and ZMFs.


OMG, I have zero expectations about the built in headphone amp and has been using with Rivera to drive my Susvara till I tried tonight just out of curiosity.

I actually prefer the built in amp than connecting to Riviera which is also damn good! It is crazy cause I was listening to Hip-hop!

But so far the best pairing in my collection is Stax for classical with N05XD and HD800s with the built in amp. When the can with the biggest stage mated with the dac with the biggest three dimensionality, the room doesn't sound as exaggerated at all but surprisingly natural and actually most organic in my experiment.


----------



## CreditingKarma

I am back for my yearly update.

Things have changed a bit. I picked up an LCD-4 for my highend head-fi fix. I sill have Khan and clears too.

Things really changed outside of headfi though. I moved from the Krell duo.300xd to the new Classe Delta seperates. Swapped out the Bartok for MSB Discrete Dac.

 Then this past week I lost my mind and went all in full endgame. I sold my Classe and picked up D'Agostino Momentum HD pre and a pair of Momentum M400 monos. I really want to try driving the LCD-4 with them but don want to risk the amps or drivers in the LCD-4. They put out 400w into 8ohms. 

Will post photos soon.


----------



## BobG55

Chefguru said:


> Joseph Grado Hp-2i > Mjolnir Pure Bipolar
> Stax Sr-x9000 > Mjolnir Carbon


The Joseph Grado Hp-2i is such an iconic headphone.  I owned one a few years ago.  I never should have sold it.  Aesthetically it‘s absolutely perfect.


----------



## ufospls2

CreditingKarma said:


> I am back for my yearly update.
> 
> Things have changed a bit. I picked up an LCD-4 for my highend head-fi fix. I sill have Khan and clears too.
> 
> ...


D'agostino and Rockport isn't a combo you see very often. Hope you really enjoy them mate : ) 

You could maybe talk to zynsonix about a speaker amp to headphone coverter box with some resistors or something in it to make it a bit safer/give you peace of mind, to try with the D'agostinos. 

https://www.zynsonix.com/


----------



## CreditingKarma

ufospls2 said:


> D'agostino and Rockport isn't a combo you see very often. Hope you really enjoy them mate : )
> 
> You could maybe talk to zynsonix about a speaker amp to headphone coverter box with some resistors or something in it to make it a bit safer/give you peace of mind, to try with the D'agostinos.
> 
> https://www.zynsonix.com/


The usual D'Agostino combo is wilson. Pretty much every pair of wamms  is sold with a pair of relentless.


----------



## elee703

The Vali 2++ finally came in. Now i can tube my planars


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> I love pictures of big flatsceen TVs. Here's mine, an LG OLED.
> 
> The room is large, which makes the screen look smaller than the 77" it really is (pardon the lazy picture-taking):


Nice looking room.  It’s an aesthetic style that appeals to me.


----------



## Pharmaboy

BobG55 said:


> Nice looking room.  It’s an aesthetic style that appeals to me.


Thank you. 

My wife and I like Arts & Crafts furniture and furnishings. My woodwork was influenced by that as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, Joseph Hoffman, etc.


----------



## Badas (Sep 13, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Thank you.
> 
> My wife and I like Arts & Crafts furniture and furnishings. My woodwork was influenced by that as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, Joseph Hoffman, etc.


Here is mine. 83" Oled. Sony A90J.
Just setting the gear up our my rental home while we get our dream house built (under construction).

I'm installing and running new gear to work out the kinks. So it's all ready to go when we move in.
UHD player, Multi zone Blu-ray, Marantz power amps, Violectric V281, turntable etc.....
Cabinet took the longest to procure. Custom wood turning. It took 6 months from confirmed design and order.


----------



## BobG55 (Sep 14, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Thank you.
> 
> My wife and I like Arts & Crafts furniture and furnishings. My woodwork was influenced by that as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, Joseph Hoffman, etc.


I’ve heard of Frank Lloyd Wright, he was an architect I believe but don’t know Joseph Hoffman.  What I like mostly about the room is the shelving and cabinets.  Their shape appears to be a mixture of old and modern finish.  Also the bottom middle cabinets where the television sits on. They protrude outward which gives the whole structure character.  The shelving & cabinets colours & shade contrast with the wall is a nice touch.  I also like the carpet and it’s motif (Turkish ?) & nice work on the furniture.  Good for your wife and you. 👍


----------



## judomaniak57

you going to have another home theatre in the new house?


Badas said:


> Here is mine. 83" Oled. Sony A90J.
> Just setting the gear up our my rental home while we get our dream house built (under construction).
> 
> I'm installing and running new gear to work out the kinks. So it's all ready to go when we move in.
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Sep 16, 2022)

Now, my Audiobyte stack is complete Hydra.Hub (Streamer, Upsampler, Format Converter, DDC),Hydra.Vox (DAC/Amp/Preamp) and Hydra.Zap (LPS). Headphone amp/preamp is Pathos Inpol Ear w/ '70 Mullard E188CC,  DDC is Singxer SU-6 but now rarely used since now I stream directly to the HUB via Roon or UPnP/OpenHome. HP is Audio Zenith PMx2 v.2.


----------



## whirlwind

Pharmaboy said:


> I love pictures of big flatsceen TVs. Here's mine, an LG OLED.
> 
> The room is large, which makes the screen look smaller than the 77" it really is (pardon the lazy picture-taking):


Beautiful  room


----------



## Pharmaboy (Sep 14, 2022)

BobG55 said:


> I’ve heard of Frank Lloyd Wright, he was an architect I believe but don’t know Joseph Hoffman.  What I like mostly about the room is the shelving and cabinets.  Their shape appears to be a mixture of old and modern finish.  Also the bottom middle cabinets where the television sits on. They protrude outward which gives the whole structure character.  The shelving & cabinets colours & shade contrast with the wall is a nice touch.  I also like the carpet and it’s motif (Turkish ?) & nice work on the furniture.  Good for your wife and you. 👍


Thank you for noticing those things. "Character" was certainly one of the objectives...

The room is big (front wall @25'; rear wall @28'; sidewalls @28'; vaulted ceiling @16') & each wall has built-ins of some kind (my grand obsession). The 100s of glue joints all through the woodwork mandated painting, not staining. And that called for maximum deployment of what Frank Lloyd Wright (genius architect & designer of furnitures & furnishings) called  "shadow lines."


----------



## xxicrimsonixx




----------



## kumar402

Can Hydra hub be an independent purchase and used with other system? 
How much does the hub cost?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Sep 14, 2022)

Yes, however there are some catches:
- Need a special DIN to Barrel plug to power the Hub. Contact Audiobyte.
- I2S is Rockna Standard.
- Need to update to latest FW. Early FW were buggy.

Here in Italy it costed me €2190


----------



## Badas

judomaniak57 said:


> you going to have another home theatre in the new house?


Nope. 
I'm done with home theatre. Just a wall with this equipment. 

I must say. I'm not missing the old HT even tho it was truly state of the art. Guess I'm getting older and don't care as much anymore. 
Bourbon and music has taken over.


----------



## 04gto




----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Elegiac (Sep 16, 2022)

DVD/VHS player to SMSL SD-793II to AKG k371.

What can I say. It sounds serviceable. Quite good. The amp in the 793 is the weak link, and even that doesn't matter for a quick and easy listen.





EDIT: ...some time later. This sounds a bit better 

DVD/VHS Player to DAC-SQ5 to TA-01B to k240s






Sent from Nokia 3310


----------



## ufospls2

So this is my current source set up. Boulder 866 used with the TC's, and the Yggdrasil/T2 used with the Shangri-La Jr.


----------



## ThanatosVI

ufospls2 said:


> So this is my current source set up. Boulder 866 used with the TC's, and the Yggdrasil/T2 used with the Shangri-La Jr.


I'm pretty shocked that the T2 actually looks small besides the Boulder and Yggi


----------



## ufospls2

ThanatosVI said:


> I'm pretty shocked that the T2 actually looks small besides the Boulder and Yggi


I was surprised too. The photo is sort of making it look smaller than it is, but still, it's not as big as I thought it might be.


----------



## DJJEZ




----------



## ColSaulTigh

DJJEZ said:


>


----------



## DJJEZ

ColSaulTigh said:


>


you at canjam this weekend?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

DJJEZ said:


> you at canjam this weekend?


Sadly, no.  I had surgery last week (heel spur and Achilles tendon repair) so I'm not exactly mobile at the moment.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> Sadly, no.  I had surgery last week (heel spur and Achilles tendon repair) so I'm not exactly mobile at the moment.


You tore your Achilles? Damn, that's heavy.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Pharmaboy said:


> You tore your Achilles? Damn, that's heavy.


No, I had a bone spur that grew THROUGH it, basically like a fish hook.  Caused it to rip a 7mm tear where it attaches to the heel.


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> No, I had a bone spur that grew THROUGH it, basically like a fish hook.  Caused it to rip a 7mm tear where it attaches to the heel.


OUCH!


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> No, I had a bone spur that grew THROUGH it, basically like a fish hook.  Caused it to rip a 7mm tear where it attaches to the heel.


😳😱…


----------



## ThanatosVI

ColSaulTigh said:


> No, I had a bone spur that grew THROUGH it, basically like a fish hook.  Caused it to rip a 7mm tear where it attaches to the heel.


Damn, that's rough.

Get well soon mate!


----------



## Strat1117 (Sep 17, 2022)

ColSaulTigh said:


> No, I had a bone spur that grew THROUGH it, basically like a fish hook.  Caused it to rip a 7mm tear where it attaches to the heel.


Achilles’ tendon is a painful injury. A former partner of mine (avid tennis player) popped his while ascending the courthouse steps at 60 Centre Street many years ago, and he was crying before he hit the ground, he was in so much pain.

Speedy recovery.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ColSaulTigh said:


> Sadly, no.  I had surgery last week (heel spur and Achilles tendon repair) so I'm not exactly mobile at the moment.


Get well soon!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Thanks all for the well wishes!  Fortunately during my convalescence I've got good headphones, good tubes, and good tunes to help heal the wound!

No dancing for a few more weeks though...


----------



## lumdicks

Home, sweet home.


----------



## waveSounds

A rather chilly British Sunday afternoon.


----------



## Shane D

waveSounds said:


> A rather chilly British Sunday afternoon.


And the same across the pond. In Nova Scotia the temperature is currently 14 degrees, celsius and the sky has been dark all day.

If ever there has been an example of " Fall is in the air", today is it.


----------



## skhan007

Well, I've had nothing to update in quite a long time, as I don't purchase much. Thankfully, FedEx delivers on Sunday and I'm now in possession of what I truly believe is my endgame headphone amp (go ahead and laugh, as I know many of you think there is no end and gear purchasing just keeps going). I'm a gear minimalist of all the headphone amps I've auditioned over the past couple of years (not a ton, but many), this is my favorite and now I've got one!


----------



## waveSounds

Shane D said:


> And the same across the pond. In Nova Scotia the temperature is currently 14 degrees, celsius and the sky has been dark all day.
> 
> If ever there has been an example of " Fall is in the air", today is it.



Ah, thankfully it's still been bright here in ol' Blighty today. But we have been having a few 5°c nights lately. Living in a listed building, built in the 1800s, means the installation of double glazing is prohibited which has really had me contemplating turning the heating back on...

Your comment about fall is in the air really reminded me of the excellent Sky is Falling by Natalie Duncan. Anyone who is a fan of female vocals should appreciate it!


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> A rather chilly British Sunday afternoon.


Yet there's nothing chilly about that TH900, is there?


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> And the same across the pond. In Nova Scotia the temperature is currently 14 degrees, celsius and the sky has been dark all day.
> 
> If ever there has been an example of " Fall is in the air", today is it.


If it’s that cool, take the LD MK9 for a spin outside!!! 🤣


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> If it’s that cool, take the LD MK9 for a spin outside!!! 🤣


I did have it going yesterday and as long as you don't touch the tubes, it didn't seem hot at all.


----------



## waveSounds

Pharmaboy said:


> Yet there's nothing chilly about that TH900, is there?



Only perhaps the treble which, according to some opinions, would have you believe they literally sent piercing icicles out from their drivers into the ear canal.

I, personally, don't have that experience. All they send into my ears is lush, enveloping musicality


----------



## Pharmaboy

waveSounds said:


> Only perhaps the treble which, according to some opinions, would have you believe they literally sent piercing icicles out from their drivers into the ear canal.
> 
> I, personally, don't have that experience. All they send into my ears is lush, enveloping musicality


You're fortunate to not be treble-sensitive. Or you're plenty sensitive to it, but interpret it as pleasing. Either way, you get to hear a headphone (among others) that would send me to the freezer for ice packs for my head.

I was this way 40+ years ago...hardly a new thing. Never liked audio gear with strong presence in the upper mids & treble.


----------



## waveSounds

I'm either not treble sensitive, or a truly terrible audiophile (not that I'd really describe myself as one), as I find the 900's treble to not stand out in any particular way.

Probably the latter, then...


----------



## Terriero (Sep 18, 2022)

waveSounds said:


> A rather chilly British Sunday afternoon.


Well, "Estrella de Galicia" is better, but still not an "Alhambra"   ... But... where is she? 

It's curious your beers' appetence, it's like if I would drink "Guinness" or some UK beers... Well, my favourite beers are "Paulaner" and "Franziskaner", but there are some very weird local beers with high graduation that I also love


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 18, 2022)




----------



## Since1991

skhan007 said:


> Well, I've had nothing to update in quite a long time, as I don't purchase much. Thankfully, FedEx delivers on Sunday and I'm now in possession of what I truly believe is my endgame headphone amp (go ahead and laugh, as I know many of you think there is no end and gear purchasing just keeps going). I'm a gear minimalist of all the headphone amps I've auditioned over the past couple of years (not a ton, but many), this is my favorite and now I've got one!



I heard it today at CanJam and you have every right to call this your end game. I’m sure I’m going to own this amp some day in my future as well.


----------



## jonathan c

skhan007 said:


> Well, I've had nothing to update in quite a long time, as I don't purchase much. Thankfully, FedEx delivers on Sunday and I'm now in possession of what I truly believe is my endgame headphone amp (go ahead and laugh, as I know many of you think there is no end and gear purchasing just keeps going). I'm a gear minimalist of all the headphone amps I've auditioned over the past couple of years (not a ton, but many), this is my favorite and now I've got one!


New? Secondhand? Which tubes? ZOTL minds want to know…😜


----------



## jonathan c

When an ‘eikonic’ headphone woos via transformer-less seduction…


----------



## Strat1117 (Sep 19, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> You're fortunate to not be treble-sensitive. Or you're plenty sensitive to it, but interpret it as pleasing. Either way, you get to hear a headphone (among others) that would send me to the freezer for ice packs for my head.
> 
> I was this way 40+ years ago...hardly a new thing. Never liked audio gear with strong presence in the upper mids & treble.


I think this goes for a lot of us who were weaned on Cerwyn Vegas and Altec Lansings with 15” woofers - we want everything to be bass-centric. I’ve overcome it intellectually, but it’s still there deep down in the firmware - I’m always initially drawn to deep bass/punchy mid-bass, and off-put by forward uppper-mids/lower-treble.


----------



## skhan007

jonathan c said:


> New? Secondhand? Which tubes? ZOTL minds want to know…😜


I got it preowned and the tubes are brown base Tung Sol 6sn7 and Brimar cv4024.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Strat1117 said:


> I think this goes for a lot of us who were weaned on Cerwyn Vegas and Altec Lansings with 15” woofers - we want everything to be bass-centric. I’ve overcome it intellectually, but it’s still there deep down in the firmware - I’m always initially drawn to deep bass/punchy mid-bass, and off-put by forward uppper-mids/lower-treble.


Hilarious. Although continents away, yeah, exactly.

But I watched the loudness wars of the 1970s and ensuing graphic EQ abusaganza with a jaundiced eye, even back in the day. I want good bass, but I want everything else good with it. At the beginning and at the end, the goal of audiophile quest is to reproduce the live music experience.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

And by the way, since I was around in the time of Cerwin Vega and Altec Lansing, I scratch my head (or something else) when I see companies selling dedicated subs with 8, 10, or 12 inch drivers. Srlsly


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> And by the way, since I was around in the time of Cerwin Vega and Altec Lansing, I scratch my head (or something else) when I see companies selling dedicated subs with 8, 10, or 12 inch drivers. Srlsly


Why do you scratch your head about this? Because subs <15" diameter are used in subs?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Why do you scratch your head about this? Because subs <15" diameter are used in subs?


Pfft…..Think….double….24”….Hartley….woofers….in….multidirectionally….braced….oak….cabinets….😳


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> Why do you scratch your head about this? Because subs <15" diameter are used in subs?


Get serious!


----------



## Strat1117 (Sep 20, 2022)

[product of misfiring synapses deleted]


----------



## Strat1117

Pharmaboy said:


> Why do you scratch your head about this? Because subs <15" diameter are used in subs?


I dinna think he intended ta be takin’ literally. 



jonathan c said:


> Pfft…..Think….double….24”….Hartley….woofers….in….multidirectionally….braced….oak….cabinets….😳


Aye, Cap’n.


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> [product of misfiring synapses deleted]


Was the post or were the synapses deleted 🤣?


----------



## Strat1117

jonathan c said:


> Was the post or were the synapses deleted 🤣?


Some of each…🫥


----------



## Chris Kaoss

DJJEZ said:


>


Whenever I see these amazing front plate with these beautiful cooper "eyes" it's an instant hit.
Like the style of Holo Audio.
The amp looks great too.


----------



## orrm

New house, semi-temporary setup as I figure out where everything goes. Might stay like this for a while


----------



## jonathan c

orrm said:


> New house, semi-temporary setup as I figure out where everything goes. Might stay like this for a while


That looks rather good for semi-temporary!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

orrm said:


> New house, semi-temporary setup as I figure out where everything goes. Might stay like this for a while


Sweet! Good light in that location. What keyboard is that?

My 2nd Filco is falling apart and my go-to keyboard is no longer made. I'm on the lookout.


----------



## orrm

gimmeheadroom said:


> Sweet! Good light in that location. What keyboard is that?
> 
> My 2nd Filco is falling apart and my go-to keyboard is no longer made. I'm on the lookout.


Thanks, there are two big windows in the room so getting a lot of natural light which is awesome but also requires a super bright screen

The keyboard is a custom built QK65 with Alpaca V2 L+F linear switches and Cherry Notion keycaps. It's my first mechanical keyboard ever. Went deep in with the first one and probably will stop here (unlike audio lol)


----------



## jonathan c

[ To be attached (?) ]

When a Head-Fi station becomes a refuge…

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-audio-lounge.855661/post-17154354


----------



## shwnwllms

The Holo May KTE has landed and found its new home.


----------



## jonathan c

My Head-Fi station essential practice….  

[Barkeeper’s Friend is great for tube pin cleaning. Then, isopropyl alcohol wipedown]


----------



## Elegiac (Oct 1, 2022)

DAP HUB-PLUS.


----------



## thecrow

shwnwllms said:


> The Holo May KTE has landed and found its new home.


A few comments on the holo may / v550/ lcd5 combo please?


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> My Head-Fi station essential practice….  [Barkeeper’s Friend is great for tube pin cleaning. Then, isopropyl alcohol wipedown]


That looks like work, but those are some mighty clean pins.  Here's the lazy man's approach:   🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

Even lazier…


----------



## Strat1117

My secret sauce comes in a can….


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> My secret sauce comes in a can….


The G5 is more of a conditioner than a cleaner, although it works great if the pins aren't in terrible shape.  For the really cruddy/oxidized ones, the full strength D100 is my favorite elixir.  Brush it on, let it sit for 5+ minutes, then hit it with the Dremel.  Like @jonathan c , I follow that with isopropyl alcohol to remove any residue.


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> My secret sauce comes in a can….


While you’re Head-Fi housekeeping, clean out your insides with this _from a can…😜…

_


----------



## gefski

You have to ask for the 99% alky these days — the 50 and 70 % on the shelves is cut with water.


----------



## Strat1117 (Sep 24, 2022)

bcowen said:


> The G5 is more of a conditioner than a cleaner, although it works great if the pins aren't in terrible shape.  For the really cruddy/oxidized ones, the full strength D100 is my favorite elixir.  Brush it on, let it sit for 5+ minutes, then hit it with the Dremel.  Like @jonathan c , I follow that with isopropyl alcohol to remove any residue.


All true. The G5 works on everything, but it is a gold-specific product and not intended for baked-on crud removal. I learned about it from the guy who used to work on my guitars - it fixes 99% of everything that goes ‘wrong’ on the inside of an electric guitar….


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> All true. The G5 works on everything, but it is a gold-specific product and not intended for baked-on crud removal. I learned about it from the guy who used to work on my guitars - it fixes 99% of everything that goes ‘wrong’ on the inside of an electric guitar….


…but fixes 0% of anything that goes ‘wrong’ with the player of an electric guitar…😜


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> …but fixes 0% of anything that goes ‘wrong’ with the player of an electric guitar…😜


Personally, I'd need G50000000 for that.   🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Personally, I'd need G50000000 for that.   🤣


(_in the voice of actor Edward G. Robinson) “So where’s your scientific notation, n-o-w ?”_


----------



## Strat1117

jonathan c said:


> …but fixes 0% of anything that goes ‘wrong’ with the player of an electric guitar…😜


Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it…. 🫠


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> While you’re Head-Fi housekeeping, clean out your insides with this _from a can…😜…_


What? I thought I was Milwaukee's finest (my hometown)!


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> What? I thought I was Milwaukee's finest (my hometown)!


Yeah, I thought the same thing.  What's the deal, @jonathan c ?


----------



## LoryWiv

LoryWiv said:


> What? I thought I was Milwaukee's finest (my hometown)!





bcowen said:


> Yeah, I thought the same thing.  What's the deal, @jonathan c ?


Maybe at this point in my life I'm just Old Milwaukee.


----------



## bcowen

LoryWiv said:


> Maybe at this point in my life I'm just Old Milwaukee.


Well, at least you're not Milwaukee's Best.  That would be really bad.   🤣  🤣


----------



## jonathan c (Sep 24, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Yeah, I thought the same thing.  What's the deal, @jonathan c ?


Blatz is the sound that emanates** after you finish one…

[** from either end 😳]

Besides, the best from Milwaukee is Koss Corporation…


----------



## jjshin23

All beer is perfect for Octoberfest!


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> While you’re Head-Fi housekeeping, clean out your insides with this _from a can…😜…_


Blatz? What, they name it after the sound you make puking it up the next day
Besides, everybody knows that Milwaukee's finest beer is "Milwaukee's Best" - it's in their name after all


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Which thread am I in...


----------



## Terriero

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Which thread am I in...


One about "cans" of beer


----------



## jonathan c

jjshin23 said:


> All beer is perfect for Ocoberfest all year !


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Blatz? What, they name it after the sound you make puking it up the next day
> Besides, everybody knows that Milwaukee's finest beer is "Milwaukee's Best" - it's in their name after all


The prototypical Blatz Head Fi Heave-Fi station…..   


 [🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮]


----------



## Light - Man

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Which thread am I in...


----------



## judomaniak57

SACD and Focal Stellia = 🎼


----------



## bcowen

Light - Man said:


>


Finally....the perpetual optimist thread, where the glass is _always_ half full.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Finally....the perpetual optimist thread, where the glass is _always_ half full.


…..and so is the _bottle !!! 🤣🤣🤣_


----------



## Somafunk

jonathan c said:


> …..and so is the _bottle !!!_



That’s just greedy


----------



## bigjako (Sep 24, 2022)

I was walking by my setup last night and was struck by the by LED-ness of it at night.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bigjako said:


> LED-ness


excellent!


----------



## jonathan c

bigjako said:


> I was walking by my setup last night and was struck the by LED-ness of it at night.


Is certainly not ‘_The Unbearable LEDness Of Being’…_


----------



## Pharmaboy (Sep 24, 2022)

bigjako said:


> I was walking by my setup last night and was struck the by LED-ness of it at night.


I'm a sucker for azure blue LEDs especially, also green ones. I'm looking at 7 blues & 3 greens right now (two computers + a complex audio system)

The single red LED (flatscreen's "off" light) is annoying, but _c'est la vie_.

(that's not counting the double string of blue LED Christmas lights that're my only home office light source at night)


----------



## bigjako (Sep 24, 2022)

I think that, for similar reasons for why I like high quality audio, I enjoy “good” lighting (and tasting and smelling  and touching, etc).  The experiential spectrum between color temp - natural (incandescent / tubes) vs artificial / trying to “recreate” the natural - has direct analogues in other senses - audio and fragrance, eg.

Anyways my point is that lighting that pleases sustains the experience of the audio that pleases.

I generally hate LEDs, they have the lighting equivalent of glare like grados. But they achieve a goal, under extreme limitations so when it’s done well, it’s appreciated.  I have a bright blue Eddie Current PSU turned perpendicular to the rest that would light up the room like a blue full moon.

Here’s the lit-up view of that nighttime shot.


----------



## colinharding

Nice system!! What’s the bulb in the window?


----------



## bigjako

colinharding said:


> Nice system!! What’s the bulb in the window?


It’s just a light bulb lamp.


----------



## carboncopy (Sep 25, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm a sucker for azure blue LEDs especially, also green ones. I'm looking at 7 blues & 3 greens right now (two computers + a complex audio system)
> 
> The single red LED (flatscreen's "off" light) is annoying, but _c'est la vie_.
> 
> (that's not counting the double string of blue LED Christmas lights that're my only home office light source at night)


And that's how different we are. A bule LED is a dealbreaker for me. I simply do not buy gear with blue or (strong) white LED. I listen to music at night, lights out, they are like laser pointers for me.


----------



## TheRH

Current setup. Topping A30 Pro, Topping D 30 Pro, SPL Phonitor, Hifiman Arya, Fir Audio V x V, iBasso DX 320, SE W/ DAC, 27' Dell 4K Monitor, M1 Mac Mini, Keychron Q3.


----------



## Wes S (Sep 25, 2022)

Current State -  Moved everything to the other side of the room, plugged in to a different wall/outlet, separated the power supply further from the amp, and the noise floor has dropped/vanished.  Blissful listening is in full effect with more detail coming through than ever before, and with what I am hearing now it was totally worth moving everything around. 






Happy Listening!


----------



## Coztomba

Wes S said:


> Current State -  Moved everything to the other side of the room, plugged in to a different wall/outlet, separated the power supply further from the amp, and the noise floor has dropped/vanished.  Blissful listening is in full effect with more detail coming through than ever before, and with what I am hearing now it was totally worth moving everything around.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy Listening!


😍 Olive wood VC's? They have to be my favourite!  I um'd and ah'd about getting them and then they were gone seemingly a lot quicker than most of the other LTD versions.  I guess they didn't have much of the wood?  If they ever pop up again I won't be able to resist.


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> Current State -  Moved everything to the other side of the room, plugged in to a different wall/outlet, separated the power supply further from the amp, and the noise floor has dropped/vanished.  Blissful listening is in full effect with more detail coming through than ever before, and with what I am hearing now it was totally worth moving everything around.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy Listening!


did you try moving the power supply before moving the big cabinet and all your equipment?


----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> Current State -  Moved everything to the other side of the room, plugged in to a different wall/outlet, separated the power supply further from the amp, and the noise floor has dropped/vanished.  Blissful listening is in full effect with more detail coming through than ever before, and with what I am hearing now it was totally worth moving everything around.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy Listening!


WOW - not used to seeing your top shelf without an impressive tube collection on it... 
Very nice setup, and oh so organized!


----------



## project86

Yeah that's a beautiful looking (and sounding I'm sure) setup. I used Hermes/Morpheus/HA300 for a while and absolutely loved it!


----------



## Wes S (Sep 26, 2022)

Coztomba said:


> 😍 Olive wood VC's? They have to be my favourite!  I um'd and ah'd about getting them and then they were gone seemingly a lot quicker than most of the other LTD versions.  I guess they didn't have much of the wood?  If they ever pop up again I won't be able to resist.


Actually they are Ambrosia Maple, of which was a "November Rarity" with only a few ever made.  The Olive Wood look killer too though.


----------



## Wes S

judomaniak57 said:


> did you try moving the power supply before moving the big cabinet and all your equipment?


Of course, and now my setup is much further away (quieter) from my router and the outlet it's plugged into, as well as having the power supply further away from the amp.


----------



## Wes S (Sep 26, 2022)

project86 said:


> Yeah that's a beautiful looking (and sounding I'm sure) setup. I used Hermes/Morpheus/HA300 for a while and absolutely loved it!


Thanks man!  Your reviews of the HA300 and Sonnet Hermes/Morpheus are a big reason why I went this route, and are spot on.


----------



## orrm

I'll shamelessly plug that I'm selling a Olive VC in case someone is interested


----------



## senseitedj

Few days ago, I finally receiced my ultrasonic telemachus 300b amp after 9 months of waiting.

Here is a photo with 274b sophia rectifier. Also has another separate solid state PSU


----------



## benjifx19

Meze type of night


----------



## Pharmaboy

benjifx19 said:


> Meze type of night


You have a very interesting amp+DAC pairing there. I'll bet those units complement each other well.


----------



## benjifx19

Pharmaboy said:


> You have a very interesting amp+DAC pairing there. I'll bet those units complement each other well.


sounds wonderful. I know the RNHP is a bit overpriced but i got it used.


----------



## DTgill

Making room for my future turntable setup


----------



## UntilThen

DTgill said:


> Making room for my future turntable setup



That's a wise man. Vinyl with headphones is without peers.   Playing Tangerine Dream 'Out of this world'.


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> That's a wise man. Vinyl with headphones is without peers.   Playing Tangerine Dream 'Out of this world'.


See, I could never do that. The crackles & pops would drive me crazy. Listening on speakers - no problem. Headphones would be too much tho


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Mr Trev said:


> See, I could never do that. The crackles & pops would drive me crazy. Listening on speakers - no problem. Headphones would be too much tho


Clearly you've never had a tube amplifier with Melz tubes....


----------



## UntilThen

Mr Trev said:


> See, I could never do that. The crackles & pops would drive me crazy. Listening on speakers - no problem. Headphones would be too much tho



If you have pops and crackles in your vinyl system, you haven’t done it right then. They don’t exist in my setup.


----------



## Badas

Mr Trev said:


> See, I could never do that. The crackles & pops would drive me crazy. Listening on speakers - no problem. Headphones would be too much tho


I'm with you on that one.
I tried it once. Never again.


----------



## Mr Trev

ColSaulTigh said:


> Clearly you've never had a tube amplifier with Melz tubes....


No, but I do have an extremely microphonic 6bz7 that darn near put me in a rubber room.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> No, but I do have an extremely microphonic 6bz7 that darn near put me in a rubber room.


I had an Elekit headphone amplifier whose body was microphonic….I could hear the music from all over it with the volume knob at minimum…😱🤪😡🤬…


----------



## barbz127

jonathan c said:


> I had an Elekit headphone amplifier whose body was microphonic….I could hear the music from all over it with the volume knob at minimum…😱🤪😡🤬…



The transformers on my 8200 would sing if there was no headphone/speaker connected. Upgraded transformers had no such issue.

Was very odd


----------



## UntilThen

Damm what I want to know is, did it sing hip hop or rock and roll .


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> Damm what I want to know is, did it sing hip hop or rock and roll .


That Elekit was great at acapella 🤣🤣🤣. (I would have to use closed-backs @ medium to high volume to block out the ‘acc_amp_animent) !!


----------



## DTgill




----------



## UntilThen

Humfree or humpfrey


----------



## UntilThen

And from the same album, for dog lovers.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Roasty

dealer was nice enough to let me have the Pasithea and Enleum for a few days.


----------



## benjifx19

Roasty said:


> dealer was nice enough to let me have the Pasithea and Enleum for a few days.


in love with this setup


----------



## dinkostinko




----------



## Andrewteee

Roasty said:


> dealer was nice enough to let me have the Pasithea and Enleum for a few days.


FYI the Enleum gets _very_ hot after a while. I would give it some room to vent.


----------



## Mr Trev

DTgill said:


>


Hows the Tube Cube treating you? I thought about maybe grabbing one for the purpose of using it as a headphone amp. The price is right and it darn well should be able to drive planars with ease




dinkostinko said:


>


Great solution to making Grados detachable. I really should try that with mine


----------



## xcluded




----------



## CJG888




----------



## ThanatosVI

500 pages ago there was some discussion about Stressless Recliners.
I already told you guys back then that I hate you for putting them on my Radar.

Last friday I went to a furniture store and tested most models, today I pulled the trigger on a Mayfair.


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Really nice "chair". 

For those of you with extended listening sessions, here's your pick.   
Lots of capabilities. ^^


----------



## ColSaulTigh

ThanatosVI said:


> 500 pages ago there was some discussion about Stressless Recliners.
> I already told you guys back then that I hate you for putting them on my Radar.
> 
> Last friday I went to a furniture store and tested most models, today I pulled the trigger on a Mayfair.


I have a Stressless Signature and love it.


----------



## robo24 (Oct 1, 2022)

Enjoyed my space heaters tube amps last night! Pendant SE & Glenn OTL.


----------



## SalR406

xcluded said:


>


Nice Benchmark stack!  Fantastic pieces.  Lots of fun to listen to.  (I own an HPA4 and used to own a DAC2.)

However... Different heights, different widths, different side panels, different feet, no face plate harmony, etc..  It looks like each piece was designed without stacking in mind.  Probably from Benchmark's pro-audio heritage where everything is rack-mounted.  In my view, they need to harmonize the casework across products for the audiophile and head-fi markets so they make a more appealing stack.  Even just putting the DAC3 (or a new DAC4) into the HPA4 chassis would get most of the way there.  This thread over on ASR resonates.


----------



## Zachik

ThanatosVI said:


> Last friday I went to a furniture store and tested most models, today I pulled the trigger on a Mayfair.


That was my GF's gift for my birthday last year!!


----------



## judomaniak57

CJG888 said:


>


your tube amp is backwards, how you supposed to enjoy that glow? nice setup by the way


----------



## DTgill (Sep 29, 2022)

Mr Trev said:


> Hows the Tube Cube treating you? I thought about maybe grabbing one for the purpose of using it as a headphone amp. The price is right and it darn well should be able to drive planars with ease
> 
> 
> 
> Great solution to making Grados detachable. I really should try that with mine


I'm thinking about using that amp for my future turntable, it sounds pretty good hooked up to speakers and pretty good as a headphone amp. I'm looking for a turntable and a DAC, but that one is probably for this summer.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Zachik said:


> That was my GF's gift for my birthday last year!!


What a keeper!


----------



## waveSounds




----------



## whirlwind

ThanatosVI said:


> 500 pages ago there was some discussion about Stressless Recliners.
> I already told you guys back then that I hate you for putting them on my Radar.
> 
> Last friday I went to a furniture store and tested most models, today I pulled the trigger on a Mayfair.



Congrats. I have tried all different kinds of chairs and the Stressless is the most comfortable for my back.


----------



## ThanatosVI

whirlwind said:


> Congrats. I have tried all different kinds of chairs and the Stressless is the most comfortable for my back.


The Reno was also very comfortable


----------



## thecrow

whirlwind said:


> Congrats. I have tried all different kinds of chairs and the Stressless is the most comfortable for my back.


Are they seriously _THAT_ good?

I have never tried them and am scared to.
Is trying these like the first time one might want to listen to a “serious” headphone and selecting the hd800 for a demo (from my own experience way back when)?
is it that kind of a wow factor?


----------



## jonathan c

thecrow said:


> Are they seriously _THAT_ good?
> 
> I have never tried them and am scared to.
> Is trying these like the first time one might want to listen to a “serious” headphone and selecting the hd800 for a demo (from my own experience way back when)?
> is it that kind of a wow factor?


I think that it is the absence of an ‘ow! factor’…🤣


----------



## ThanatosVI

thecrow said:


> Are they seriously _THAT_ good?
> 
> I have never tried them and am scared to.
> Is trying these like the first time one might want to listen to a “serious” headphone and selecting the hd800 for a demo (from my own experience way back when)?
> is it that kind of a wow factor?


I guess it depends. 
The Mayfair was like a huge wow factor for me, while some others (both more and less expensive) were rather dissapointing (compared to cheap furniture)


----------



## whirlwind (Sep 29, 2022)

thecrow said:


> Are they seriously _THAT_ good?
> 
> I have never tried them and am scared to.
> Is trying these like the first time one might want to listen to a “serious” headphone and selecting the hd800 for a demo (from my own experience way back when)?
> is it that kind of a wow factor?


Well, I don't know about that   

I have a bit of lower back issues, so the more comfortable I am, the more I enjoy my listening.

Not even sure why it is so comfortable on my lower back, but it works well.

I can listen for a couple of hours and basically never touch my headphones or move in my seat....except maybe to sip a cocktail or go pee  

I am sure there are many good chairs now days, but these are pretty damn comfy. After you get it adjusted the way you want it.

You lock it in once you are comfortable, so if you get up and come back there is no need to readjust.


----------



## judomaniak57

this was my dads chair. probably over 30 years old. went looking for a new chair but decided i cant get rid of this one. too many good memories associated with this chair


----------



## DTgill

judomaniak57 said:


> this was my dads chair. probably over 30 years old. went looking for a new chair but decided i cant get rid of this one. too many good memories associated with this chair


That chair was built for comfort and therefore it was built to listen to your cans in...


----------



## Zachik

ThanatosVI said:


> The Mayfair was like a huge wow factor for me, while some others (both more and less expensive) were rather dissapointing (compared to cheap furniture)


*Exactly *the same experience for me!!!


----------



## thecrow

judomaniak57 said:


> this was my dads chair. probably over 30 years old. went looking for a new chair but decided i cant get rid of this one. too many good memories associated with this chair


That’s great - a family heirloom to be treasured by the sounds if it - even if it needs reupholstering in another 30 years


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThanatosVI said:


> The Reno was also very comfortable


"I bought a chair in Reno, just to watch it recline. Every time I hear that Lazy Boy, I bang my head and cry"


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> "I bought a chair in Reno, just to watch it recline. Every time I hear that Lazy Boy, I bang my head and cry"


Each time I read a gimmeheadroom verse, I think “holy f##k, it _does _get worse”…🤣😜


----------



## Lvivske

Technically it still qualifies as a Schiit stack


----------



## jonathan c

Lvivske said:


> Technically it still qualifies as a Schiit stack


How? In any event, _impressive!_


----------



## gimmeheadroom

gimmeheadroom said:


> "I bought a chair in Reno, just to watch it recline. Every time I hear open that Lazy Boy, I bang my head and cry"



FTFM Copyright @gimmeheadroom 2022


----------



## Lvivske

jonathan c said:


> How? In any event, _impressive!_



schiit loki (now with an amber light) is a little cherry on top
(derp, realize now it was cut off in the pic)


----------



## Pharmaboy

whirlwind said:


> except maybe to sip a cocktail or go pee


_(Pharmaboy nods sagely ... "Perhaps these factors are related somehow")_


----------



## Chastity

Lvivske said:


> Technically it still qualifies as a Schiit stack


such EQ... it's The Scooped Mids EQ


----------



## Lvivske

Chastity said:


> such EQ... it's The Scooped Mids EQ



b00sted mids

(technically its not in the main loop, just for show)


----------



## RestoredSparda

Replaced HD800 with Atrium.  Good stuff!

HD 650 KISS will never leave however. Synergy with Stratus is too good.


----------



## tyk103

RestoredSparda said:


> Replaced HD800 with Atrium.  Good stuff!
> 
> HD 650 KISS will never leave however. Synergy with Stratus is too good.


The ZMF Atriums are my next purchase list.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## DTgill




----------



## Mr Trev

Some lo-fi for your Head-fi?
https://newatlas.com/music/teenage-engineering-po-80-record-factory/


----------



## fiiom11pro

xcluded said:


>




this is how you properly use benchmark products.

very nice


----------



## Chastity

xcluded said:


>


that bottle, sanitizer or lubricant?   and that pad, it's so small (looks at my 480 x 400 pad)


----------



## tyk103




----------



## DTgill

Small but mighty


----------



## DTgill (Oct 1, 2022)




----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Damm what I want to know is, did it sing hip hop or rock and roll .


Do you have an example of a hip hop song where there is actual singing?  I must have missed it.   🤣


----------



## bcowen

Chris Kaoss said:


> Really nice "chair".
> 
> For those of you with extended listening sessions, here's your pick.
> Lots of capabilities. ^^


LOL!  The only thing missing is a motor so that you can drive it to the 'fridge for a beer.   🤣


----------



## ColSaulTigh

bcowen said:


> Do you have an example of a hip hop song where there is actual singing?  I must have missed it.   🤣


Killing Me Softly by the Fugees.  Remake of the Roberta Flack song.


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> Killing Me Softly by the Fugees.  Remake of the Roberta Flack song.


I'll check it out.  Funny, I was just listening to "The First Time (ever I saw your face)" the other day.  The LP is a regular Atlantic recording, but is spookily good and one of those "she's in the room" experiences.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Do you have an example of a hip hop song where there is actual singing?  I must have missed it.   🤣


I used to listen to a fair amount of French & North African hip-hop, all in French. I thought it quite musical, with real singing as well as recitation. Never got names (it was radio stuff) but liked the sly wit, rhyming and sexy vibe.

A couple recent examples. This singer is from Mali and sings in French (two very good things IMO):


----------



## Chris Kaoss

bcowen said:


> LOL!  The only thing missing is a motor so that you can drive it to the 'fridge for a beer.   🤣


^^ You got the stand on the left side for. Suitable for 4 sixpacks of beer, if handled correctly.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> LOL!  The only thing missing** is a motor so that you can drive it to the 'fridge for a beer.   🤣


** Not quite. What about the IV bag system for the _natural_ disposal of the _rented_ beer 🤣…


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Gavin C4

Utopia 2022 is actually pretty easy to drive. Well driven by Luxury and Precision LP6 Ti. It is definitely on the slightly warmer tonality but it has just as good or even better detail and resolution.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Do you have an example of a hip hop song where there is actual singing?  I must have missed it.   🤣


The Whoa, Nelly! album by Nelly Furtado is amazing from every angle. Incredible production, fantastic music, etc. A must-listen.


----------



## project86




----------



## gimmeheadroom

project86 said:


>


Ok, that's a good start. Now ditch the Musician DAC and try an R7 or R8 DAC from Audio-gd. That will be a more fitting partner for your Nimbus, at least until you can get a Master 9HE headamp


----------



## Reactcore

Just finished making my Chord Choral housed Mscaler today.

Read my forum how i made it.
Link in my signature.


----------



## orrm

project86 said:


>


I love it when gear from different companies is matched together in a cohesive look (can't comment on sound synergy in this case). This is a cool grungy stack and cans. Reminds me of the Ares II and GS-X mini stack as well


----------



## Pharmaboy

project86 said:


>


Beautiful gear!

That wooden sideboard it sits on is pretty interesting, too: the striated wood; and what appears to be barn door type sliding doors hardware (don't see that every day). Did you make that piece?


----------



## project86 (Oct 2, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> Ok, that's a good start. Now ditch the Musician DAC and try an R7 or R8 DAC from Audio-gd. That will be a more fitting partner for your Nimbus, at least until you can get a Master 9HE headamp



Haha yep, I _consistently _love the sound of all the Audio GD gear. Each new model (released every 6 months or so) is better than the last!



orrm said:


> I love it when gear from different companies is matched together in a cohesive look (can't comment on sound synergy in this case). This is a cool grungy stack and cans. Reminds me of the Ares II and GS-X mini stack as well



Agree! Each unit has very different lines but somehow it just works. Despite the Aquarius being a few inches deeper than the Niimbus, it still stacks nicely.



Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful gear!
> 
> That wooden sideboard it sits on is pretty interesting, too: the striated wood; and what appears to be barn door type sliding doors hardware (don't see that every day). Did you make that piece?



Thanks!

As for my audio console, I'll have to make a thread about it some day. It's a custom made piece, spent a decent amount on it several years back and am very pleased with the result. The downside is that I now start seeing very similar looking stuff at amazon etc for a fraction of the cost. I'm sure it isn't built nearly as well (seriously mine is crazy heavy and well-braced) but it kind of detracts from the uniqueness of what I have - at the time I had never seen anything like it.

The sliding barn doors hide all sorts of other gear, cables, etc that I am not using right now. Also has a storage area on each side with a door that opens, for additional stuff. If I was smart I would keep my music server and power conditioner in those, running cables through the rear panel holes. But I'm not smart...


----------



## Terriero

waveSounds said:


>


She is beginning her audiophile career very soon    Don't let her to browse this forum 

No headphones showed here can compete with her, little beauty


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> She is beginning her audiophile career very soon    Don't let her to browse this forum
> 
> No headphones showed here can compete with her, little beauty


A pair of KEF LS50 embedded in the car carrier? 😊.


----------



## jonathan c

I had not listened via the Beyerdynamic DT-880 (600 ohms) for some time. For this headphone (high impedance, mid-low sensitivity), the amp for the job had to be Woo WA2 (OTL):


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> I'll check it out.  Funny, I was just listening to "The First Time (ever I saw your face)" the other day.  The LP is a regular Atlantic recording, but is spookily good and one of those "she's in the room" experiences.



I sing this song to Odyssey all the time.


----------



## jonathan c

Next it will be 🎵 “How much is that Telemachus in the window 🎶?”


----------



## UntilThen

I'll be singing, 'Last time ever I saw your face' for Telemachus.


----------



## carlcamper




----------



## 04gto

Just added the ZMF Suede pads to my HD6XX. Great results. The only aftermarket pads that I have tried on any Sennheiser that don't ruin the sound. And in this case the soundstage is improved a little, now equal or better than the stage on the HD560S.


----------



## steamboiled

carlcamper said:


>


Nice box.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

Wanting to give the TS 5998 and Brimar CV455 pair a breather, a Mullard 6080 (rebranded Philips) and pair of Tungsram E88CC (Nov 1973) were conscripted for duty…..OH 🥲 MY! 



 [_Beautiful rendition of dual piano…]_


----------



## hifixman (Oct 6, 2022)

I finally understand why are all master clocks that expensive 🫰

In the case of Esoteric, it is because

With the master clock, it is a high end dac, without the master clock, it is a half high end dac.

With the master clock, the music became alive; without the master clock, it sounded dead.

The rumors are true that once you hear it you can never go back;
The rumors are not true that the difference is only very minor.

I could happily stay with Mutec, but I really wanna try these even higher clocks as Titan Labs' Cronus Limited Version.


----------



## ppbb

bbophead said:


>


OMG I have that headroom amp from like 20 years ago.


----------



## bauce




----------



## ThEvil0nE

Added A4V in the mix. Other than that.. still tuning the usual.


----------



## carboncopy




----------



## ThanatosVI

carboncopy said:


>


Is that a Stromtank?


----------



## carboncopy

ThanatosVI said:


> Is that a Stromtank?


yes sir! S1000. Powers the whole system for probably 4-5 hours...I don't know. Was always more then enough.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 8, 2022)

*Sony WM1A, MrWalkman's firmware, included cable with the TANGZU Zetian Wu planar universal IEM*


----------



## voja

carboncopy said:


>


Now, that, that's a _setup_.

Congrats!!


----------



## Roasty

sometimes I look at this and think maybe I should've just gotten an all in one box Naim Atom HE...


----------



## Mr Trev

Roasty said:


> sometimes I look at this and think maybe I should've just gotten an all in one box Naim Atom HE...


But then you wouldn't have all that beautiful copper spaghetti.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Roasty said:


> sometimes I look at this and think maybe I should've just gotten an all in one box Naim Atom HE...


"Paging Medusa--you have a call on the white courtesy phone"

PS: You should see the rat's nest behind my desktop surface that most of the components sit on or beneath. It's makes this look 100% orderly.


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> "Paging Medusa--you have a call on the white courtesy phone"
> 
> PS: *You should see the rat's nest behind my desktop *surface that most of the components sit on or beneath. It's makes this look 100% orderly.


So the usual drill is "pics or it didn't happen," but in this case we'll take your word for it.   🤣  🤣  🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> So the usual drill is "pics or it didn't happen," but in this case we'll take your word for it.   🤣  🤣  🤣


Until I read this post, it never occurred to me to take pictures. So here they are. BTW, the empty spot on top of the shorter equipment stand is where the V281 usually sits.

It actually looks worse that what you see here...the flash doesn't pick up some of the more sordid details:


----------



## project86 (Oct 9, 2022)

Ah yes, cable messes... gotta love em!










Sometimes even a single component can look pretty busy with cables if you use most of the options:






Don't worry, the pros deal with messy cables as well. I've visited the studio at Skywalker Sound and they have cables all over the place too. Some of it is high-end MIT cable in really long runs:


----------



## nordkapp

ThEvil0nE said:


> Added A4V in the mix. Other than that.. still tuning the usual.


How are they? I've been considering grabbing a pair myself.


----------



## duffer5 (Jan 5, 2023)

Hifi Rose 150b

Output “Frontier” audio monitors

OPPO Ha-1 and PM-1 (Planar HP)

UM Mest MK 2 IEM

Shure 846se IEM

CocoPar portable 17 in monitor

SoundRise Pro 9 speaker stands


----------



## Terriero

duffer5 said:


> Hifi Rose 150b
> 
> Output “Frontier” audio monitors
> 
> ...


Incredible, love the aesthetics of the set.


----------



## duffer5

Terriero said:


> Incredible, love the aesthetics of the set.


Thank you!


----------



## Pharmaboy

duffer5 said:


> Hifi Rose 150b
> 
> Output “Frontier” audio monitors
> 
> ...


This is the 1st time I looked at a pair of powered studio monitors and thought, "That's beautiful!"

If these sound as good as they look...amazement.

PS: Whatever that component is between the speakers stands--it's beautiful, too!


----------



## duffer5 (Oct 9, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> This is the 1st time I looked at a pair of powered studio monitors and thought, "That's beautiful!"
> 
> If these sound as good as they look...amazement.
> 
> PS: Whatever that component is between the speakers stands--it's beautiful, too!


Thank you.

 The monitors are made by Output and engineered by Barefoot Audio. Barefoot makes very high end monitors for studio music production. These are their first and only consumer version. And they sound as good as they look. I can’t recommend enough if you drive powered speakers / monitors for home use.

The other unit is from HIFI Rose. This one is the https://eng.hifirose.com/rs150 I have and I love it.  It would be easier for me to tell you what it doesn’t do vs what it does.  It is not a amp but does everything else.  Think streamer, DAC, video multi media, internet radio, Roon end point, local audio & video file access , etc.  Again, a real winner.


----------



## DTgill

Starting to branch out


----------



## mayurs

My HP listening setup. Description/Listing of components in my signature.


----------



## project86

New toy - the Cayin CS-100DAC. Roughly 26 pounds worth of goodness including selectable tube or solid-state output.


----------



## project86

The CS-100DAC has more mass/weight than the Musician Aquarius and the Niimbus US4+ put together - and those aren't exactly petite components either.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

project86 said:


> The CS-100DAC has more mass/weight than the Musician Aquarius and the Niimbus US4+ put together - and those aren't exactly petite components either.


How do you like the Aquarius?  Also, are there internal fuses like in the Pegasus?  I know in those, fuses DO make a big difference...


----------



## project86

I've barely done any serious listening on the Aquarius yet, still finishing another project first. So far it has a pretty interesting, somewhat unique sound. Like it has a sort of softness/delicacy to the presentation but also very dynamic and insightful - which seems contradictory, I know. 

Part of it is related to the somewhat lower than normal output voltage, particularly when playing DSD which is 1.3V on RCA and 2.6 via XLR. That's _really _low and calls for some adjustment in gain settings if your amp does that, or just cranking the volume knob way more than normal. PCM is higher at 1.8V RCA and double that XLR, but still generally a bit lower than many other DACs which makes A/B comparisons tough. 

It does have two replaceable fuses inside if I recall correctly.


----------



## musicinmymind




----------



## quimbo

duffer5 said:


> Thank you.
> 
> The monitors are made by Output and engineered by Barefoot Audio. Barefoot makes very high end monitors for studio music production. These are their first and only consumer version. And they sound as good as they look. I can’t recommend enough if you drive powered speakers / monitors for home use.
> 
> The other unit is from HIFI Rose. This one is the https://eng.hifirose.com/rs150 I have and I love it.  It would be easier for me to tell you what it doesn’t do vs what it does.  It is not a amp but does everything else.  Think streamer, DAC, video multi media, internet radio, Roon end point, local audio & video file access , etc.  Again, a real winner.


Great, just when I thought I was done along comes some monitors to replace the JBL 308P MkII speakers currently in my desktop setup.  Now I know what to get myself for xmas


----------



## duffer5

quimbo said:


> Great, just when I thought I was done along comes some monitors to replace the JBL 308P MkII speakers currently in my desktop setup.  Now I know what to get myself for xmas


Ha, so true.  Output.com lets you try these for 30 days and they pay for shipping to you and back if you don't like them.  I am a near field monitor snob and these are the best I have heard at this price point.  On par with the higher end Adams at twice the cost.  Barefoot knows what they are doing when it comes to musicality of monitors.  And they are damn good looking to boot.  FYI, I don't have any affiliation with Output, I just like their gear and appreciate superior sound.


----------



## quimbo

duffer5 said:


> Ha, so true.  Output.com lets you try these for 30 days and they pay for shipping to you and back if you don't like them.  I am a near field monitor snob and these are the best I have heard at this price point.  On par with the higher end Adams at twice the cost.  Barefoot knows what they are doing when it comes to musicality of monitors.  And they are damn good looking to boot.  FYI, I don't have any affiliation with Output, I just like their gear and appreciate superior sound.


Appreciate the feedback, was drooling when looking at the site last night.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Shane D

I recently bought yet another rack. I think I have it figured out now. 
New 4-tier rack from Fitueyes beside my Home Depot cabinet that holds headphones, cables, adapters, etc.
My favourite corner of the world. And with the Lazy-Boy it is all reachable. Good times indeed!


----------



## MacMan31

DTgill said:


>



The Micca Origen was one of my first headphone amps. It was a great little amp. I think I got it after the AudioEngine D1.


----------



## DTgill

MacMan31 said:


> The Micca Origen was one of my first headphone amps. It was a great little amp. I think I got it after the AudioEngine D1.


It was a good $50.00 purchase! tiny sweet a bit like the Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels I love to eat most of the time, after lunch.


----------



## Mr Trev

Shane D said:


> I recently bought yet another rack. I think I have it figured out now.
> New 4-tier rack from Fitueyes beside my Home Depot cabinet that holds headphones, cables, adapters, etc.
> My favourite corner of the world. And with the Lazy-Boy it is all reachable. Good times indeed!


Nice, but it needs more amps


----------



## Shane D

Mr Trev said:


> Nice, but it needs more amps


I am thinking that maybe it needs a little less, but that is a future thing.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> I am thinking that maybe it needs a little less, but that is a future thing.


….every midnight on February 29th….🤪


----------



## ThEvil0nE

nordkapp said:


> How are they? I've been considering grabbing a pair myself.


I demoed them vs the A7V and the A4V is by far superior to my ears. I have them paired with the Focal Sub One in a 2.1 configuration with a footswitch. Also, in that configuration, it is just amazing and gaps the A7Vs even further. For about the same price, pair of A4V + Focal Sub One vs a pair of A7V, it's a no brainer.


----------



## Redcarmoose




----------



## Somafunk

I don’t have a dedicated headphone listening setup as I use my portable mojo/poly + Dunu vulkan/7hz timeless/Truthear Crinacle zero/HiFiman sundara for headphone duties, As for my other listening, seeing as the Output/barefoot monitor collaboration has been posted this is my main listening setup. Dynaudio LYD 48’s with Dynaudio 18s subwoofer in a fully acoustically treated room with parametric EQ implemented with Roon to handle the problematic room modes (using Umik mic + rew)






[/url]






[/url]






[/url]


----------



## piakoB

This is my current Head-Fi station. I recently re-installed my MLA-30 OTA radio antenna on the balcony and ran the feed line into the office and bundled up the cables nicely. The antenna can tune from about 1.5 MHz - 150 MHz which is pretty good for such a small antenna compared to what HAMs have with giant mast antennas. CubicSDR running on the left display. I need to button up the cables behind the desk I'll probably look into some net I can mount underneath the desk somehow and make that a project. I might get a WA22 in 2023 but I'm still undecided the Lyr is really a nice amp. I'd also like to eventually hear a pair of the HD800s and see if I would want one.


----------



## project86

New reference DAC - what could it be?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Somafunk said:


> I don’t have a dedicated headphone listening setup as I use my portable mojo/poly + Dunu vulkan/7hz timeless/Truthear Crinacle zero/HiFiman sundara for headphone duties, As for my other listening, seeing as the Output/barefoot monitor collaboration has been posted this is my main listening setup. Dynaudio LYD 48’s with Dynaudio 18s subwoofer in a fully acoustically treated room with parametric EQ implemented with Roon to handle the problematic room modes (using Umik mic + rew)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That room is just gorgeous: the colors, the earthy wood accents, the crown molding, and the handsome sound attenuation panels. It's a feast for the eyeballs.


----------



## Somafunk

Cheers pharmaboy, still got walnut flooring to go down and eve led light strips to mount behind panels but like all house jobs you get to 90% then sit down to relax.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Somafunk said:


> Cheers pharmaboy, still got walnut flooring to go down and eve led light strips to mount behind panels but like all house jobs you get to 90% then sit down to relax.


You're saying that room will get even better? Damn, you have a terrific project going there!


----------



## Terriero

ThEvil0nE said:


> I demoed them vs the A7V and the A4V is by far superior to my ears. I have them paired with the Focal Sub One in a 2.1 configuration with a footswitch. Also, in that configuration, it is just amazing and gaps the A7Vs even further. For about the same price, pair of A4V + Focal Sub One vs a pair of A7V, it's a no brainer.


I'm waiting for the frequency graphs of the new A series... It's very suspicious that Adam Audio haven't published the charts yet... And also the software is pending to release since some time...

We have just one analysis of your monitors (A4V) by Amir of ASR...


----------



## Womaz




----------



## project86

Wow you have excellent taste there - Stack Audio with Niimbus on a white console with wood finish on top, looks very familiar!


----------



## Womaz

project86 said:


> Wow you have excellent taste there - Stack Audio with Niimbus on a white console with wood finish on top, looks very familiar!


Yeah a lot of deliberating was done last year and ended up with this gear.....you may recall helping me on the Niimbus and Violectric threads. Love the set up.


----------



## vonBaron

Niimbus + 1266 = perfect combo!


----------



## szore




----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

“Noah’s Amps” = 2 OTC tube, 2 OTL tube, 2 SS:


----------



## LoryWiv

jonathan c said:


> “Noah’s Amps” = 2 OTC tube, 2 OTL tube, 2 SS:


I hope none of those tubes *arc*.


----------



## judomaniak57

jonathan c said:


> “Noah’s Amps” = 2 OTC tube, 2 OTL tube, 2 SS:


what happened to the Quick Silver amp?


----------



## hbmorrison




----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> what happened to the Quick Silver amp?


Sold. The Icon Audio _to my thinking _bested it.


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Sold. The Icon Audio _to my thinking _bested it.


You sure about that? I mean I don't want you laying awake all night wondering if you did the right thing


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> You sure about that? I mean I don't want you laying awake all night wondering if you did the right thing


_Chez moi, _it is ‘amp up or ramp out!’ 😠😉


----------



## mwilson

Mr Trev said:


> You sure about that? I mean I don't want you laying awake all night wondering if you did the right thing


He totally did the right thing. No sense keeping that Quicksilver around.


----------



## Guarddawg30

JoeTho said:


>


Hey Joe I have to ask have you ran the Willsenton with you Klipsch?  I came across a really good deal on a pair of Klipsch KLF-30's and have been kicking around the idea of trying tubes with them..


----------



## Sound Quality (Oct 12, 2022)




----------



## project86

Aeron plus Violectric=satisfaction. 

(How do you keep the room so clean though?)


----------



## Sound Quality (Oct 12, 2022)

project86 said:


> Aeron plus Violectric=satisfaction.
> 
> (How do you keep the room so clean though?)


It doesn't show in the photos but the white floor paint often shows up every bit of dirt and dust so I'm having to be a bit more fussy with cleaning!

I sometimes like to use electrostatic wipes which attract dust and hair for a quick regular clean.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Sound Quality said:


>


The gear is fantastic. But the fact that you made the bed is mind-blowing.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Sound Quality said:


>



You know what bugs me? That you actually have room for plants on your desk! I am hopelessly out of room, 1 cm gaps between gear and here you are dedicating a full 50 cm to a plant. Infuriating!

Kidding of course. Well done building the atmosphere that works for you.


----------



## Pharmaboy

CaptainFantastic said:


> You know what bugs me? That you actually have room for plants on your desk! I am hopelessly out of room, 1 cm gaps between gear and here you are dedicating a full 50 cm to a plant. Infuriating!
> 
> Kidding of course. Well done building the atmosphere that works for you.


hmmm...apparently "on a higher plane" is somewhat cramped for space.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

CaptainFantastic said:


> You know what bugs me? That you actually have room for plants on your desk! I am hopelessly out of room, 1 cm gaps between gear and here you are dedicating a full 50 cm to a plant. Infuriating!
> 
> Kidding of course. Well done building the atmosphere that works for you.



I know the feeling! I have plants on my windowsills. Desks are for computers and hifi


----------



## jacobalexandermcc

Hoping to sell these Focal Radiance + Hifiman Arya v3's as soon as I can pass the posting requirements needed to list them on the classifieds section


----------



## orrm

jacobalexandermcc said:


> Hoping to sell these Focal Radiance + Hifiman Arya v3's as soon as I can pass the posting requirements needed to list them on the classifieds section


Only five more! Are you upgrading?


----------



## JoeTho

Guarddawg30 said:


> Hey Joe I have to ask have you ran the Willsenton with you Klipsch?  I came across a really good deal on a pair of Klipsch KLF-30's and have been kicking around the idea of trying tubes with them..


Yes Sir! I've tried my Heresy IVs, KG4s, and I have a pair of RP600s. They have excellent synergy. I am about to move it into my loft and use it to drive my Buchardt S400s


----------



## Guarddawg30

Nice!! So many people enjoy tubes with Klipsch products...I would try it on my 600s also...It is definitely on the short list of things i want to get.


----------



## Guarddawg30

First off some of you guys have amazing setups..I just went through page after page and was completely impressed..I just got back into the headphone game about a year or year and a half ago...I am happy with my modest set up for now until the upgrade bug bites me...Current set up: Focal Elex, Hd6xx,modius and asgard 3..


----------



## jonathan c

Guarddawg30 said:


> First off some of you guys have amazing setups..I just went through page after page and was completely impressed..I just got back into the headphone game about a year or year and a half ago...I am happy with my modest set up for now until the upgrade bug bites me...Current set up: Focal Elex, Hd6xx,modius and asgard 3..


A nice set of gear! Well done!


----------



## ThEvil0nE

Terriero said:


> I'm waiting for the frequency graphs of the new A series... It's very suspicious that Adam Audio haven't published the charts yet... And also the software is pending to release since some time...
> 
> We have just one analysis of your monitors (A4V) by Amir of ASR...


Yeah I've seen the ASR thread. It's good to see graphs but I rely more on what my ears hear.  I'm kinda bummed that the app has been further more delayed.


----------



## jonathan c

Tubes in Icon Audio HP8 MK-II are Mullard 6201 and pair RCA 6SN7GTB (narrow gap plate / bottom D-getter). I have never heard the HD6XX sound better 🙂.


----------



## Mystel

These days just rockin a Diablo Utopia for nearfield and Susvara with ZMF pads for gaming/general use (comfort is key)  . Also gotta clean up the cables soon lmao


----------



## Guarddawg30

jonathan c said:


> Tubes in Icon Audio HP8 MK-II are Mullard 6201 and pair RCA 6SN7GTB (narrow gap plate / bottom D-getter). I have never heard the HD6XX sound better 🙂.


Thank you Jonathan..Looks really good...I have heard a lot of people say how good the 6xx sound on tubes...A tube amp is going to be one of my next purchases and then we go down the tube rolling rabbit hole..lol


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 13, 2022)

Guarddawg30 said:


> Thank you Jonathan..Looks really good...I have heard a lot of people say how good the 6xx sound on tubes...A tube amp is going to be one of my next purchases and then we go down the tube rolling rabbit hole..lol


Here is a suggestion for a first (last?…not likely, this _is_ Head-Fi 🤣) tube h/p/a (at your leisure): Xduoo TA-26 [$319]. This is an Output Transformer Less tube h/p/a with a higher output impedance that should be a sensational match for your high impedance (300 ohms) HD6XX!


----------



## vmiguel

jonathan c said:


> Here is a suggestion for a first (last?…not likely, this _is_ Head-Fi 🤣) tube h/p/a (at your leisure): Xduoo TA-26 [$319]. This is an Output Transformer Less tube h/p/a with a higher output impedance that should be a sensational match for your high impedance (300 ohms) HD6XX!


I have it and love it with HD6XX and Beyerdynamic DT150!


----------



## Guarddawg30

jonathan c said:


> Here is a suggestion for a first (last?…not likely, this _is_ Head-Fi 🤣) tube h/p/a (at your leisure): Xduoo TA-26 [$319]. This is an Output Transformer Less tube h/p/a with a higher output impedance that should be a sensational match for your high impedance (300 ohms) HD6XX!


it is actually one of the ones I was looking at...What part of Western Pa if I may ask? If you don't want to post it on here I get it shoot me a pm


----------



## orrm

jonathan c said:


> Here is a suggestion for a first (last?…not likely, this _is_ Head-Fi 🤣) tube h/p/a (at your leisure): Xduoo TA-26 [$319]. This is an Output Transformer Less tube h/p/a with a higher output impedance that should be a sensational match for your high impedance (300 ohms) HD6XX!


I had one and it buzzed like crazy no matter where I tried it, picked up noise everywhere


----------



## sacguy231

Having some cheap bourbon and sitting on the floor pressing buttons.


----------



## Pharmaboy

sacguy231 said:


> Having some cheap bourbon and sitting on the floor pressing buttons.


I like your style!


----------



## ColSaulTigh

orrm said:


> I had one and it buzzed like crazy no matter where I tried it, picked up noise everywhere


I have a TA-30 in the bedroom and it works like a champ!  Bluetooth from the phone (LDAC, no less), and great tube rolling capabilities!  Not a single complaint from me.


----------



## Badas

orrm said:


> I had one and it buzzed like crazy no matter where I tried it, picked up noise everywhere


Could have been tubes. 

My WA22 buzzed for a while brand new. Once worn in it was dead quiet.


----------



## orrm

Badas said:


> Could have been tubes.
> 
> My WA22 buzzed for a while brand new. Once worn in it was dead quiet.


Could be, I returned it while I could have. As with everything in this hobby, ymmv.


----------



## UntilThen

One spring day in mid October.


----------



## snapple10

morning coffee set up while I enjoy the view our first snow


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> One spring day in mid October.


With a setup such as that, how do you know which season it is…🤣?


----------



## Shane D (Oct 14, 2022)

snapple10 said:


> morning coffee set up while I enjoy the view our first snow


Where do you live to be getting your first snow?
I am hoping that I still have several snowless weeks in front of me.


----------



## snapple10

Shane D said:


> Where do you live to be getting your first snow?
> I am hoping that I still have several snowless weeks in front of me.


'
 Bemidji, MN.  I love the look of snow. Moved some gears, so, I can get a good view. Most of it melted away when the sun came out


----------



## Shane D

snapple10 said:


> '
> Bemidji, MN.  I love the look of snow. Moved some gears, so, I can get a good view. Most of it melted away when the sun came out


I live in Canada and will see several months of it. I am A-OK with holding it off longer before starting. Once it starts it will be here until the end of March.

I think it is beautiful on Christmas Eve and that's about it.


----------



## pbui44

snapple10 said:


> '
> Bemidji, MN.  I love the look of snow. Moved some gears, so, I can get a good view. Most of it melted away when the sun came out



You reminded me of this How I Met Your Mother episode:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h4137

https://how-i-met-your-mother.fandom.com/wiki/Bemidji


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> With a setup such as that, how do you know which season it is…🤣?



When my Sydney rock orchid starts to bloom, that's when I know it's Spring.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## hifixman




----------



## rlanger

Recently picked up a standing desk, which I absolutely love. Previously, I only had the folding laptop stand that now sits atop the standing desk, which works perfectly. Eventually, I hope to add a monitor.

Under the laptop desk is a WiiM Mini, a USB hub, and the cable management. Adding the WiiM and Toslink has made a definite improvement in sound from going straight to the Mojo from the laptop via USB-C. And the biggest benefit is no more white noise blasts.


----------



## kibot

jonathan c said:


> Here is a suggestion for a first (last?…not likely, this _is_ Head-Fi 🤣) tube h/p/a (at your leisure): Xduoo TA-26 [$319]. This is an Output Transformer Less tube h/p/a with a higher output impedance that should be a sensational match for your high impedance (300 ohms) HD6XX!


Hellyeah agree - it blow up my HD 600!!!!


----------



## gibsonsg87

I am happy to say that I am now a proud owner of a ZMF Verite Closed Camphor Burl. Absolutely beautiful headphone with excellent sound. (I have the universe lambskin on mine.)

I also acquired the Gustard U18 DDC near the end of July. That upgraded my music listening experience significantly! Didn't know I was missing so much listening through the USB. So much detail revealed!


----------



## j0val




----------



## Zaplanc

Mobile setup....


----------



## Elegiac

Finally got a Topping M50 to feed the DAC's. All that's left is a respectable CD player. 
Then I can start on my third and final setup. The 'Endgame'.


----------



## dunpeal

Swapped the Lyr 3 with a Darkvoice.


----------



## FlyingFungus

j0val said:


>


That's some nice Schiit! Lol


----------



## Redcarmoose (Oct 18, 2022)




----------



## chef8489

dunpeal said:


> Swapped the Lyr 3 with a Darkvoice.


You don't have an issue with the audeze with the dark voice?


----------



## samr33

little update on my system, replaced my old TT2 with Esoteric N05-XD, this is my current stack.


----------



## Reputator

j0val said:


>



This is actually the first image I've seen posted ANYWHERE of the cap cover that goes over the tube socket on the Lyr+.


----------



## Badas

samr33 said:


> little update on my system, replaced my old TT2 with Esoteric N05-XD, this is my current stack.


I love the cat. Essential to making everything sound great.
Beautiful amp. I am envious. 
Enjoy.


----------



## dunpeal

chef8489 said:


> You don't have an issue with the audeze with the dark voice?


Not really. My LCD 2 sounds wonderful with the darkvoice. But the LCD XC does not sound good with it at all.


----------



## jonathan c

samr33 said:


> little update on my system, replaced my old TT2 with Esoteric N05-XD, this is my current stack.


Why oh why did Auris forgo the wood…? 😢


----------



## jonathan c

[Audeze LCD-4 @ 200 ohms, no less!] ☑️


----------



## Mr Trev

samr33 said:


> little update on my system, replaced my old TT2 with Esoteric N05-XD, this is my current stack.


Nice bit 'o cable management. Is that a connector or some type of filtery thingy (apologies for the tech speak)?


----------



## ufospls2

jonathan c said:


> [Audeze LCD-4 @ 200 ohms, no less!] ☑️


Thats a really unique looking LCD-4. Nice!


----------



## jonathan c

ufospls2 said:


> Thats a really unique looking LCD-4. Nice!


Thank you, it is Camphor Burl.


----------



## MLGrado (Oct 18, 2022)

Latest iteration

This is the start of my test bench for Euphonicreview.com

Currently the main equipment for recording includes a RME adi-2 pro FS R Black Edition, and my top listening system is a iFi iDSD Pro 4.4mm fed via a iFi STREAM via Network. 

One of the most substantial upgrades I have ever made, and recommend to anyone who is somewhat savvy with networking and setup, who wishes to add to their DAC network bridge capability.  (I realize the iDSD PRO has a comparatively rudimentary network connection, but, it is light years behind the STREAM in features, functionality and sound quality)  If you have ROON, then the iFi Stream becomes an absolute no brainer in my mind.  Setup was done in less than a minute, and was streaming DSD256 bit-perfect via ASIO with NO dropouts.  Still no dropouts weeks later. 

Devices on test currently are a iFi ZEN DAC V2, iFi ZEN CAN, and the aforementioned iFi ZEN stream.  Cans currently used for evaluation:  Senn. HD650, Hifiman HE-560, Focal CLEAR MG PRO.


----------



## roadcykler

Pretty simplistic. Asus>Schiit Lyr3 with multibit DAC>LCD 5.


----------



## jonathan c

roadcykler said:


> Pretty simplistic. Asus>Schiit Lyr3 with multibit DAC>LCD 5.


Nice! What tube in Lyr 3?


----------



## judomaniak57

a great night of music with Canada's finest on the Klipsch hp3


----------



## roadcykler

jonathan c said:


> Nice! What tube in Lyr 3?


It's an RCA GT with the graphite coating on the upper part, inside the tube.


----------



## jonathan c

judomaniak57 said:


> a great night of music with Canada's finest on the Klipsch hp3


Is Canada’s finest the Bryston or the Tragically Hip…🤣?


----------



## samr33

jonathan c said:


> Why oh why did Auris forgo the wood…? 😢


Yeah, too bad😭


----------



## samr33

Mr Trev said:


> Nice bit 'o cable management. Is that a connector or some type of filtery thingy (apologies for the tech speak)?


It comes with the cable, not really sure it's for decor or what.


----------



## rab900

Hi folks,

this is my first post at head-fi. Just want to introduce myself with a pic of my current setup. I'm into this hobby since one year and a half.








Greetings from germany,
rab


----------



## Terriero

Badas said:


> I love the cat. Essential to making everything sound great.
> Beautiful amp. I am envious.
> Enjoy.


Don't give audio brands more ideas!!! They will start to sell us those cats to improve the sound


----------



## samr33

Badas said:


> I love the cat. Essential to making everything sound great.
> Beautiful amp. I am envious.
> Enjoy.


Yes, they made everything better, but it would be even better if my cat stop waking me up at 6……


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Is Canada’s finest the Bryston or the Tragically Hip…🤣?


Toss in a pair of Mirage M1 and you're well on your way to Mount Canuckmore


----------



## gimmeheadroom

samr33 said:


> Yes, they made everything better, but it would be even better if my cat stop waking me up at 6……


More tube amps = less likelihood of cats ever waking up again


----------



## Elegiac

rab900 said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> this is my first post at head-fi. Just want to introduce myself with a pic of my current setup. I'm into this hobby since one year and a half.
> 
> ...


What's that tube thing there perched on top of the Aune?


----------



## rab900

My phono tube preamp. Pro-Ject Tube Box S2


----------



## iFi audio

MLGrado said:


> Latest iteration
> 
> This is the start of my test bench for Euphonicreview.com
> 
> ...



That post gets a lot of love from us, thanks


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mr Trev said:


> Mount Canuckmore


I like that.

What about the Lerner & Loewe musical about Canada, *Canuckalot*? The ballad, "I Loved You Once in Sackville," is beyond compare!


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Toss in a pair of Mirage M1 and you're well on your way to Mount Canuckmore


I loved the Mirage M1 ☑️ 

 [From _Stereophile_: June, 1989.]


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> I like that.
> 
> What about the Lerner & Loewe musical about Canada, *Canuckalot*? The ballad, "I Loved You Once in Sackville," is beyond compare!


Then there’s the pop classic: ‘Do You Swoon When You’re In Saskatoon?’  🤣🤣🤣🤔🤢


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> Is Canada’s finest the Bryston or the Tragically Hip…🤣?


I would vote the Hip. I am sure the Bryston is a good amp, but c'mon...


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> I loved the Mirage M1 ☑️  [From _Stereophile_: June, 1989.]


I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space. 

I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.


----------



## Badas

Terriero said:


> Don't give audio brands more ideas!!! They will start to sell us those cats to improve the sound


In my case I have a mini elephant. It makes the whole system better.   Look on streamer.
A mini cat may improve it again.


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> I loved the Mirage M1 ☑️  [From _Stereophile_: June, 1989.]





Pharmaboy said:


> I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space.
> 
> I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.


The M1 being driven by Mark Levinson electronics still stands as the "best" 2 channel system I've heard. It was astonishing that a pair of speakers that large could completely disappear into a room like they did


----------



## Terriero

Badas said:


> In my case I have a mini elephant. It makes the whole system better.   Look on streamer.
> A mini cat may improve it again.


Let's change the thread title: "Show us your head-fi station mini animals"   At least, you don't have to change valves, just adopt another one.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mr Trev said:


> The M1 being driven by Mark Levinson electronics still stands as the "best" 2 channel system I've heard. It was astonishing that a pair of speakers that large could completely disappear into a room like they did


M1 + Mark Levinson electronics? _Insert emoji for "titanic envy"_ (!)


----------



## chef8489

Terriero said:


> Let's change the thread title: "Show us your head-fi station mini animals"   At least, you don't have to change valves, just adopt another one.


Does this count as an animal?


----------



## Terriero

chef8489 said:


> Does this count as an animal?


That's a DIY R2D2


----------



## chef8489

Terriero said:


> That's a DIY R2D2


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 19, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space.
> 
> I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.


The Vandersteen line of loudspeakers is tremendous: not just unbelievable value for performance but unbelievable performance, period! If I get back to room based stereo listening, it’s Vandersteen 2Ce for me…😌.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Oct 19, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> The Vandersteen line of loudspeakers is tremendous: not just unbelievable value for performance but unbelievable performance, period! If I get back to room based stereo listening, it’s Vandersteen 2Ce for me…😌.


Richard Vandersteen talked to me at length on several occasions, which frankly surprised me. I had purchased my Vandersteen 4s used (they were shipped to me in NYS from CA in a semi-trailer). I had questions and he was only too happy to answer them. He clearly loved the 4s, even had just revised them w/a new midrange module since they first came out. He offered that mod to me at a very reasonable price, but shipping my 4s back to CA was out of the question.

I remember people taking potshots at him for having 6 dB slopes in all crossovers. He poo-poo'd that and said it was one of the simplest, best ways to ensure in phase and in synch arrival of signals (each driver in those big 4s was set back the precise amount needed to assure time coherence). He said, "Every decision you make as a speaker designer involves tradeoffs. The cost of 6 dB slopes is slightly less absolute dynamic range. Do you think it was a wise tradeoff?" I practically jumped out of my shoes answering "Hell, yes!" The way those giant speakers imaged was a thing of beauty. And if I'd had any more dynamic range than they already were giving me, I'm not sure I would've survived it.

I heard several other models, including the 2C, his biggest seller. The "house sound" was easy to hear. For someone like me whose main genres of music were (still are) classical, choral, singers, and acoustic jazz, Vandersteens were a dream come true. They also banged like crazy when I cranked them (those built-in subs shook all the little stuff on shelves around the 1st floor). I never had it so good before or after that.

Another great thing about Vandys...they love tubes and they love SS. No favorites played there.

The other brand that just destroyed me back then, sound-wise, was KEF. I heard their mid-to-late '80s floorstanders and their legendary reference 2-way, the 103.2s. I now own a vintage pair of 103.2s and adore that sound.

I love headphone audio. Just love it. But there really is something special about speakers. I'm so lucky to have great examples of both...


----------



## Badas

chef8489 said:


> Does this count as an animal?


Absolutely.


----------



## benjifx19

Before my Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen comes

Meze Empyreans > RNHP > Musician Draco


----------



## jonathan c

Terriero said:


> That's a DIY R2D2


So you must have somewhere a DIYR2D2R2RDAC…?🤔😵‍💫


----------



## Mr Trev

Pharmaboy said:


> M1 + Mark Levinson electronics? _Insert emoji for "titanic envy"_ (!)


Being somewhat fresh out of high school, I was suitably blown away. By both sound and price. I just wish I could've heard the M1 driven by the Classé Audio monoblocks they also had in the demo room ("great white north" indeed)


----------



## RobWilde

As I'm awaiting a house move my head-fi set up looks like a Tetris competition. My much loved Sugden amp rests in a different room.


----------



## RobWilde

musicinmymind said:


>



You know that behaviour when owners of the same lesser seen car acknowledge each other as they drive pass? This is me waving to another Dave + M Scaler owner. I'm now going to look that amp up.


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Elegiac

rab900 said:


> My phono tube preamp. Pro-Ject Tube Box S2


Mmm. I remember coming across that, in my endless and basically fruitless search for a decent tube buffer. I wish they also made a regular tube preamp.


----------



## Ripper2860

I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.


----------



## RobWilde

Ripper2860 said:


> I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.


My latent desire to try tube amps did not survive this thread. Already got some head fi reviews queued up for tomorrow.


----------



## chef8489

Ripper2860 said:


> I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.


My system is pretty budget compared to most in here.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Ripper2860 said:


> I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.



Live vicariously through this thread


----------



## BobG55

chef8489 said:


> My system is pretty budget compared to most in here.


Same & I’m happy with it.


----------



## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Live vicariously through this thread


…and it’s easy to be generous with others’ money…😳💸🤣…


----------



## judomaniak57

jonathan c said:


> Then there’s the pop classic: ‘Do You Swoon When You’re In Saskatoon?’  🤣🤣🤣🤔🤢


The Guess Who " running back to Saskatoon"


----------



## RickB

Here's a budget system that has me happy and content for now:


----------



## chef8489

RickB said:


> Here's a budget system that has me happy and content for now:


Vali 2 is a great amp and a lot of fun to tube roll. You can get some really great sound of that little amp with different tubes.


----------



## benjifx19

RickB said:


> Here's a budget system that has me happy and content for now:


one of my favorite combinations


----------



## Wes S




----------



## Zaplanc (Oct 20, 2022)

Oooops, wrong thread...


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Wes S said:


>



Very nice. What wood is that on the VC? Great pattern...


----------



## Badas

Wes S said:


>


Beautiful,
What is the big tube in the middle amp. I remember holding one in my hands once. 845 or something???
They get super hot.


----------



## Wes S

Badas said:


> Beautiful,
> What is the big tube in the middle amp. I remember holding one in my hands once. 845 or something???
> They get super hot.


Thanks!  Those are Elrog 300B's, and they sound incredible.


----------



## Reputator

Ripper2860 said:


> I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.



How else will you live vicariously through others?!


----------



## Mr Trev

Ripper2860 said:


> I gotta quit coming back to this thread.  It just makes me jealous to see all the top-notch gear and setups.


Eh, just search for my pics, that'll cure what ails you


----------



## DTgill




----------



## jonathan c

DTgill said:


>


What is the difference between the two Audio gds 🤔?


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


> What is the difference between the two Audio gds 🤔?


The R2R-11 is a R2R DAC amp and the NFB-11 is a ES9018 DAC amp.

The R2R-11 sounds better to my old ears, I think the NFB-11 sounds harsh with most of my cans, it does sound pretty good with my ATH-AD900X.


----------



## jonathan c

[Tubes:  pair RCA ‘narrow gap plate’ 12SN7, pair Marconi / M-O-V A2900]


----------



## Guarddawg30

samr33 said:


> Yes, they made everything better, but it would be even better if my cat stop waking me up at 6……


Ahhh yes the Audiophile grade cat upgrade...Try three of them...Definitely one of the widest sound stages you will ever hear ...Hey in all seriousness I get the waking up thing...My wife and I used to get up at 0430 everyday for work...We both switched our shifts and get up at 0645 now...The cats on the other hand they still try to make sure we are both up at 0430..


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## tyk103

Turkeysaurus said:


>


solid


----------



## Uebelkraehe




----------



## samr33

Guarddawg30 said:


> Ahhh yes the Audiophile grade cat upgrade...Try three of them...Definitely one of the widest sound stages you will ever hear ...Hey in all seriousness I get the waking up thing...My wife and I used to get up at 0430 everyday for work...We both switched our shifts and get up at 0645 now...The cats on the other hand they still try to make sure we are both up at 0430..


Yes, and its even worse for me, I mostly work in afternoon shift which means I need to wake up around 10am and then my cat woke me up when I'm in my deep sleep........
Well it is a pain in the ass sometimes, but I still love my cat from the bottom of my heart


----------



## Guarddawg30

samr33 said:


> Yes, and its even worse for me, I mostly work in afternoon shift which means I need to wake up around 10am and then my cat woke me up when I'm in my deep sleep........
> Well it is a pain in the ass sometimes, but I still love my cat from the bottom of my heart


I completely get it...Two of ours are brothers that we adopted and the third one is a Maine Coon that we rescued and of course he is the one that decides that it is time for you to get up  ...We are the same we wouldn't trade them for anything.


----------



## sprellemannen (Oct 21, 2022)




----------



## Wes S (Oct 21, 2022)

Current State - Absolutely spellbound by the sound and mesmerized by the glow of this fantastic tube combo, in my Cayin using my VC's.

RFT 6SN7 Welded Plates w/Ceramic Spacers and Dual Foil Getters 54' and Elrog ER300B's 22' in all their glory.


----------



## sacguy231

My main listening corner. It changes quite often.


----------



## Pharmaboy

sacguy231 said:


> My main listening corner. It changes quite often.


You Photoshopped in that pinkish/reddish glow under the stand, right?


----------



## sacguy231

Pharmaboy said:


> You Photoshopped in that pinkish/reddish glow under the stand, right?


Nope! Just cheapo LED lights from amazon that are adhered undereath the bottom shelf.  Looks great at night, and I can change colors too


----------



## Chastity

sacguy231 said:


> Nope! Just cheapo LED lights from amazon that are adhered undereath the bottom shelf.  Looks great at night, and I can change colors too


"Alexa, change the audio lights to Midnight Rouge, and play my Sexy playlist."


----------



## botmann

This is both my desktop and portable setups.   I did not include the various headphone cables.


----------



## jonathan c

Laurel Highlands Audio loft time this weekend 😀:    

 Grado PS500e << HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference PSU << Cambridge Audio 840C CD Player. _(Oh no, mr bcowen: not a tube in the system! 😳😵‍💫)_


----------



## sprellemannen (Oct 22, 2022)

The photo below is from my living room. The Benchmark DAC2 HGC has two headphone outputs, the left one mutes the speakers, the right one does not mute the speakers and the speakers are muted if both are used.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> Laurel Highlands Audio loft time this weekend 😀: Grado PS500e << HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II + Golden Reference PSU << Cambridge Audio 840C CD Player. _*(Oh no, mr bcowen: not a tube in the system! 😳😵‍💫)*_


This is a family friendly forum....please don't use foul language.   🤣  🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

sprellemannen said:


> The photo below is from my living room. The Benchmark DAC2 HGC has two headphone outputs, the left one mutes the speakers, the right one does not mute the speakers and the speakers are muted if both are used.


Those are mind-blowing speakers. Love the infographic...


----------



## David222

sprellemannen said:


> The photo below is from my living room. The Benchmark DAC2 HGC has two headphone outputs, the left one mutes the speakers, the right one does not mute the speakers and the speakers are muted if both are used.



Interesting approach with the pink orchids -- may try this  to see if wife becomes confused/distracted when looking at my gear


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 22, 2022)

David222 said:


> Interesting approach with the pink orchids -- may try this  to see if wife becomes confused/distracted when looking at my _new _gear


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.]


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/the-new-kz-zs10-pro-x-universal-iem.26128/reviews#review-29430


----------



## Roasty




----------



## hke3g2006




----------



## BobG55

Chastity said:


> "Alexa, change the audio lights to Midnight Rouge, and play my Sexy playlist."


*Alexa : *“_should I slip into something more comfortable” … 😁_


----------



## Elegiac (Oct 24, 2022)

Default setup in place now.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## musicinmymind

RobWilde said:


> You know that behaviour when owners of the same lesser seen car acknowledge each other as they drive pass? This is me waving to another Dave + M Scaler owner. I'm now going to look that amp up.



Irony is that, my better half is yelling at me for spending on these gears, she wanted to get second car for the family.
Go for the amp, it is wonderful, anything comes in contact with it will sound great IMO.


----------



## Strat1117

(Headphones placed on amplifier for photo only)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Strat1117 said:


> (Headphones placed on amplifier for photo only)


^ This guy is amazing and serious about audio! He even uses wall treatments with headphones!


----------



## Elegiac

I like the way that Burson thing is hovering hahaha


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> ^ This guy is amazing and serious about audio! He even uses wall treatments with headphones!


Or he uses only open-backs cranking at ♾ dB….😫😖….(PS, those also ‘sub’ as spare Grado foam cushions….🤣)


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 25, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Or he uses only open-backs cranking at ♾ dB….😫😖….(PS, those also ‘sub’ as spare Grado foam cushions….🤣)










Just in case anyone is still wondering if there is a factual/experiential basis for me to be cranky about guys posting proudly that they are listening to the moral equivalent of The Archies on $4,000 headphones. 

🧐


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> (Headphones placed on amplifier for photo only)


I see Lloyd Walker has been to visit.   🤣


----------



## senseitedj

Another sleepless night with the Ultrasonic Telemachus.

A 300b tube amp that combines the tubes' tone and richness, but still has speed and resolving capability of an SS amp


----------



## shwnwllms

Endgame is a myth 



(excuse the stock ZMF cable, it’s temporary until my Vygarde is completed)

*Bonus points to anyone who recognizes the Pendant SE and can name the previous owner*


----------



## benjifx19

LCD-X > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician Draco


----------



## kumar402

I think I put it in ZMF thread but it belongs here as well


----------



## stuck limo

iFi Zen One Signature > Schiit Vali 2 for a switch-up. (modded HE-400 OG shown)


----------



## UntilThen

senseitedj said:


> Another sleepless night with the Ultrasonic Telemachus.
> 
> A 300b tube amp that combines the tubes' tone and richness, but still has speed and resolving capability of an SS amp



I'm getting Telemachus in April 2023. Looking forward to it !


----------



## David222

shwnwllms said:


> Endgame is a myth
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'll take a flyer on your "thread-challenge"  --> was Wes the previous owner?

I'd prefer a beer vs. points - but all good


----------



## Dawgfish

shwnwllms said:


> Endgame is a myth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's Wes S's former Pendant SE.  You beat me to it!


----------



## Dawgfish

I wound up with this after Shawn beat me to the Pendant.  It all worked out!


----------



## David222

Dawgfish said:


> That's Wes S's former Pendant SE.  You beat me to it!



If correct, I'll split the bonus points with you 🤣


----------



## tyk103

Dawgfish said:


> I wound up with this after Shawn beat me to the Pendant.  It all worked out!


I just got a warm and fuzzy feeling - I have to excuse myself.


----------



## Dawgfish

David222 said:


> If correct, I'll split the bonus points with you 🤣


All good.  No worries!  The Mogwai is reward enough.  I'm loving that amp!


----------



## Dawgfish

tyk103 said:


> I just got a warm and fuzzy feeling - I have to excuse myself.


Lol!  Thank you.  It's been giving me warm and fuzzy feelings all afternoon/evening listening to it! 🤪


----------



## shwnwllms

David222 said:


> I'll take a flyer on your "thread-challenge"  --> was Wes the previous owner?
> 
> I'd prefer a beer vs. points - but all good



You are correct sir 🍺


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> Endgame is a myth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Endgame is aspiration not achievement…🤔😏


----------



## David222

shwnwllms said:


> You are correct sir 🍺



Thanks for that beer 

Here's one more  fun fact - to conclude our game  "where in the world is Wes S  audio gear" ---> I believe THIS is Wes's Rogue RH-5

This fine fellow (seller) was pretending to be the original owner (I  made an offer a while back). Based on researching the serial number on head-fi... he is owner *number 3.  *

He's since updated his listing as such...perhaps he will read this and reconsider my generous offer


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 26, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Endgame is aspiration not achievement…🤔😏


You are absolutely correct. Endgame is a chess term for the play leading up to the actual end of the game, which (as we all know) is called Checkmate. So, in point of fact, Endgame is a journey, _not_ a destination.

🤓


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> Thanks for that beer
> 
> Here's one more  fun fact - to conclude our game  "where in the world is Wes S  audio gear" ---> I believe THIS is Wes's Rogue RH-5
> 
> ...


this is seriously funny. there's nothing quite like getting busted while committing baby crimes


----------



## shwnwllms

David222 said:


> Thanks for that beer
> 
> Here's one more  fun fact - to conclude our game  "where in the world is Wes S  audio gear" ---> I believe THIS is Wes's Rogue RH-5
> 
> ...



Gotta watch those guys over at USAM 😂


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> this is seriously funny. there's nothing quite like getting busted while committing baby crimes


…then doing baby time…😩


----------



## Wes S

shwnwllms said:


> Endgame is a myth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Man I miss that beautiful amp!  I sure am glad it's getting the love it deserves.      That has to be the best looking Walnut Burl Pendant ever made.    Happy Listening!


----------



## Wes S (Oct 27, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Endgame is aspiration not achievement…🤔😏


I beg to differ.    This is my Endgame and I feel it's quite the achievement.  That empty Salire headphone stand is waiting for a Caldera Closed and then I am done.


----------



## richie60

Small changes today.  Turntable upstairs in a separate system, added the Gustard U18 to the D70S, fed with a rpi4 powered by a LPS.

Only been a couple of hours, but I think there's a subtle improvement in sound.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

First sight of my table after changing apartment:


----------



## duffer5 (Oct 27, 2022)

A bit of an update:
Added:
Focal Clear OG
Topping A90 Discrete
Panamax 5300-pm
John Boos walnut cutting board / headphone stand (ties in nicely with the walnut base of the monitors
Little Bear XLR Switch with World's best Cables (XLR x 8)

Kept:
Hifi Rose 150b
Output “Frontier” audio monitors
OPPO Ha-1 and PM-1 (Planar HP)
Fiio m17 DAP
UM Mest MK 2 IEM
CocoPar portable 17 in monitor
Ipad 12.9 (Hifi Rose 150b remote)
SoundRise Pro 9 speaker stands

Not pictured:
Hiby R6 2020 Dap/Dac/IEM amplifier
Shure 846se IEM
BeoPlay H6 (closed back HP)


----------



## benjifx19

Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician Draco


----------



## Pharmaboy

Wes S said:


> and then I am done


Wes, unless you're in the ground pushing up daisies--you're never done


----------



## Pharmaboy

richie60 said:


> Small changes today.  Turntable upstairs in a separate system, added the Gustard U18 to the D70S, fed with a rpi4 powered by a LPS.
> 
> Only been a couple of hours, but I think there's a subtle improvement in sound.


1 - lovely amp!
2 - very nice wood furniture
3 - love the wall color


----------



## Wes S

Pharmaboy said:


> Wes, unless you're in the ground pushing up daisies--you're never done


Your probably right, as I am sure Zach will release something in the future after the Caldera Closed that I will have to own.  However, I am done with the amp and DAC part of the system no doubt.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> I beg to differ.    This is my Endgame and I feel it's quite the achievement.  That empty Salire headphone stand is waiting for a Caldera Closed and then I am done.


Wait a moment 🤣….. ‘quite the _achievement’_ …. _‘then _I am done’ …. hmm…🤪


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 27, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Wait a moment 🤣….. ‘quite the _achievement’_ …. _‘then _I am done’ …. hmm…🤪


Checkmate

♟


----------



## ColSaulTigh

benjifx19 said:


> Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician Draco


Are those Empyreans broken in yet?  Once they hit about 150 hours, something MAGIC happens with them!  They're just fantastic and a GREAT match for your amp!


----------



## benjifx19

ColSaulTigh said:


> Are those Empyreans broken in yet?  Once they hit about 150 hours, something MAGIC happens with them!  They're just fantastic and a GREAT match for your amp!


you bet they are. I am a huge fan of your gear by the way, You inspire me


----------



## jonathan c

benjifx19 said:


> you bet they are. I am a huge fan of your gear by the way, You inspire me


If in need of Woo WA6-SE information, better Col Saul…..(Netflix to jonathan c: 😡)…..🤭


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> Wes, unless you're in the ground pushing up daisies--you're never done


….agreed, because Wes S will be rolling daisies….


----------



## Strat1117

Pharmaboy said:


> Wes, unless you're in the ground pushing up daisies--you're never done





jonathan c said:


> ….agreed, because Wes S will be rolling daisies….








This is an ex- GZ34…!


----------



## BobG55

Strat1117 said:


> This is an ex- GZ34…!


I’m no Ornithologist nor am I a Veterinarian but, this parrot looks dead to me.  Or is it ? 😁


----------



## Strat1117

BobG55 said:


> I’m no Ornithologist nor am I a Veterinarian but, this parrot looks dead to me.  Or is it ? 😁


No.  It’s pinin’.


----------



## RogueCrusher




----------



## jonathan c

A headphone system ‘power trio’…


----------



## alekc

jonathan c said:


> A headphone system ‘power trio’…


@jonathan c in my book any cd based setup equals at least single "like", but this one also looks great and must sound great at least  

I wish Azur 851C would be still available, but is it out of stock currently. That made look into other directions like Musical Fidelity, but I am still considering sticking with a cd transport, on the other hand MF is Burr-brown based and I like its sound signature. Anyway your pictures were my inspiration to have another setup: just cd player and a headphone amp.


----------



## basdek

RogueCrusher said:


>


What kind of speakers are that?


----------



## Elegiac

Elegiac said:


> Default setup in place now.


Ahhhh. Every like this post gets rubes salt in the wound. The Sabaj turned out to be a lemon. Binned it. That's two in a row that have bombed, plus the MT-603 tube buffer has some low-key QC issues. If I switch from one aux input to another that's not in use, and raise the volume, I can hear the music from the other input. Thankfully it doesn't seem to affect sound quality (?), and I'm not using a tube buffer to A/B anything, I'm just playing one source at a time. Still annoys me though.

I'm officially done with cheap chi-fi. Can't be bothered rolling the QC dice anymore. Can't be bothered fighting with them to get a defective product returned or refunded. So dodgy. I'll keep the components I lucked out on, and look elsewhere from now on. I'll get a Pro-ject DAC box E to fill the role of cheap DAC. You live and learn.


----------



## RogueCrusher

basdek said:


> What kind of speakers are that?


Home Home Martin Logan Motion 60XT in gloss white


----------



## DTgill

Just sounds good... O.K. really good, nice and open...


----------



## Turkeysaurus

Update: New XLR cables.


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

BobG55 said:


> I’m no Ornithologist nor am I a Veterinarian but, this parrot looks dead to me.  Or is it ? 😁


No. It is lost in enthrall to the music...small bluetooth iem's, birdy edition.


----------



## jonathan c

Turkeysaurus said:


> Update: New XLR cables.


Forza Audio Works?…


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 28, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Forza Audio Works?…


I had some Forza cables for a long-gone pair of Hifimans or Senn 700 (or both).  Beautifully made cable. I think my brother may still be using them on his HE-560’s (which were MY 560s until I gave them to him to get my Senn HD580s back.  Rat b@st@rd*.)

🤬

*I notice that Big Brother auto-censored  that word to ‘person’ - I apologize wholeheartedly for any offense given. I’m talking about my younger brother, an only child, not you. 😇


----------



## jonathan c

Strat1117 said:


> I had some Forza cables for a long-gone pair of Hifimans or Senn 700 (or both).  Beautifully made cable. I think my brother may still be using them on his HE-560’s (which were MY 560s until I gave them to him to get my Senn HD580s back.  Rat person.)
> 
> 🤬


I use the Forza Audio Works Noir Hybrid hpc - great workmanship and sound! Reasonably priced, too!


----------



## Turkeysaurus

jonathan c said:


> Forza Audio Works?…


The cable is from Arctic Cables. 
https://www.arcticcables.com/apeiron


----------



## xeizo

Flock of Beyerdynamics Openbacks ...


----------



## voja

RogueCrusher said:


>


That's a CLEAN setup, damn.  Love it. The doggo cute too


----------



## RogueCrusher

RogueCrusher said:


> Home Home Martin Logan Motion 60XT in gloss white





voja said:


> That's a CLEAN setup, damn.  Love it. The doggo cute too


Thanks, not as clean as the wife would like it (was just the PowerNode by itself for a while).  She thought that running the 3.5mm headphone output from the PowerNode would be “sufficient” for headphone listening.  Didn’t like the fact that we had to get the additional Node dedicated to headphones only as transport, and then the iFi gear.

That was until she heard the difference for herself! Plus the rest of the house isn’t disturbed by late night loud music anymore.

PS - wait till I sneak the Warwick Bravura under the white portion of media console for out-of-sight plug-in.   It will be months before she notices I hope.🤫


----------



## jonathan c

alekc said:


> @jonathan c in my book any cd based setup equals at least single "like", but this one also looks great and must sound great at least
> 
> I wish Azur 851C would be still available, but is it out of stock currently. That made look into other directions like Musical Fidelity, but I am still considering sticking with a cd transport, on the other hand MF is Burr-brown based and I like its sound signature. Anyway your pictures were my inspiration to have another setup: just cd player and a headphone amp.


I use the Audiolab CDT-6000 transport in my primary (office/study) setup. When the Cambridge Audio 840C ‘spins its last’ 🪦, I will probably go the Rotel route (CD14, CD16, RCD-1572). CD14, for example:


----------



## basdek

Just moved to a new house. Decorated my office with a dac upgrade. Damn what a difference does this beast make compared to the HUGO 2. 
No time to clean up the mess, enjoying friday evening with bruckner 4 by celibidache / municher.


----------



## Strat1117

basdek said:


> Just moved to a new house. Decorated my office with a dac upgrade. Damn what a difference does this beast make compared to the HUGO 2.
> No time to clean up the mess, enjoying friday evening with bruckner 4 by celibidache / municher.


And an Ardbeg…


----------



## Pharmaboy

BobG55 said:


> this parrot looks dead to me.


...something you never want a sex partner to say


----------



## Pharmaboy

RogueCrusher said:


> It will be months before she notices I hope.🤫


I guess we'll find out who crushes the "RogueCrusher"


----------



## RogueCrusher

Pharmaboy said:


> I guess we'll find out who crushes the "RogueCrusher"


----------



## jonathan c

[Flux Lab Acoustics FA-22]


----------



## tralfaz04

Cayin HA-3A with Baldwin/Sylvania 12au7's and NOS Westinghouse 6V6GT's.
The headphones are ZMF Cocobolo Eikons and the source is an RPI4/Digi2 Pro feeding a Geshelli Labs J2 DAC.


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> [Flux Lab Acoustics FA-22]


Does it have a capacitor?


----------



## hifixman (Oct 28, 2022)

My Three Kingdoms Period

After achieving the balance and correct sound in each of my system, I was like damn they sound so much alike lol. But they are still different in nuanced ways. I would rather not to differentiate systems by dramatic and unrealistic colorizations, as I’m comforting myself.


----------



## BobG55 (Oct 28, 2022)

Strat1117 said:


> This is an ex- GZ34…!


The guy working behind the counter looks familiar … let’s see … I’m sure I’ve seen him before … let’s see … AH !  GOT IT !


----------



## Roasty

*

*

got some new toys in recently. 
added another rack base and shelf to reduce the height of my first tower. 

sr1b + ti1b box + OB compensation adaptors and Mitch raal rilters, sounds great out of the pre/power combo! am enjoying this round of the raal much more than when I owned the sr1a a while back. 

am also enjoying the new Utopia 2022 from the same stack. that nad m23 purifi amp makes the utopia sound really clean and nimble, and I'm getting lovely space and low end punch which I'm thinking is coming via the pre. it makes the Utopia sound less thick and flabby than via the wa33 (although this is likely contributed by the tube combo I'm running). 

the Solitaire P looks like it is hidden in the corner but it still gets the most listening time. feels like a mix between the Raal + Utopia but with the bass coming close to the Abyss TC Phi (and sometimes even surpassing it).


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 29, 2022)

Roasty said:


> **
> 
> got some new toys in recently.
> added another rack base and shelf to reduce the height of my first tower.
> ...


I had a pair of Prima Luna mono amps for a while back in my tube days - point to point wiring, self-biasing, could run el34, 6550, kt88, kt90. Strong piece.  I especially liked them with the el34s, as I recall. I hear from ears I trust that the integrated amp is something special. The EVO pre must be wonderful. Enjoy!


----------



## bcowen

BobG55 said:


> The guy working behind the counter looks familiar … let’s see … I’m sure I’ve seen him before … let’s see … AH !  GOT IT !


ROFL!  That sure brings back memories of loud, drunken choruses in the college dorm room.   🤣


----------



## Roasty

Strat1117 said:


> I had a pair of Prima Luna mono amps for a while back in my tube days - point to point wiring, self-biasing, could run el34, 6550, kt88, kt90. Strong piece.  I especially liked them with the el34s, as I recall. I hear from ears I trust that the integrated amp is something special. The EVO pre must be wonderful. Enjoy!



Thanks man! the Evo pre is definitely one of my favourite components! I had the chance to demo almost the entire lineup at the dealers. the integrated was indeed very impressive; if I didn't already have a power amp, I'd have most likely gone with the integrated instead. build quality of the Primaluna stuff is fantastic. amazingly quiet for a tube pre/amp as well.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  That sure brings back memories of loud, drunken choruses in the college dorm room.   🤣


Better those than ‘blackout’…🤪😀.


----------



## Elegiac

Ol' faithful.


----------



## Strat1117

Elegiac said:


> Ol' faithful.


From the early 1980’s until I bought the 580’s in the mid-late 1990’s, I had a pair of Sennheisers that looked almost identical to these - I had to do a double take. I don’t recall the model designation, maybe 520?  I remember buying thrm in Crazy Eddie on Coney Island Avenue (?) in Brooklyn…

They were eventually abused to death by my older son (now 35) when he was in college and he, coincidentally, replaced them with a pair of AKGs (550?), which he still uses to this day.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!


----------



## Elegiac

Strat1117 said:


> From the early 1980’s until I bought the 580’s in the mid-late 1990’s, I had a pair of Sennheisers that looked almost identical to these - I had to do a double take. I don’t recall the model designation, maybe 520?  I remember buying thrm in Crazy Eddie on Coney Island Avenue (?) in Brooklyn…
> 
> They were eventually abused to death by my older son (now 35) when he was in college and he, coincidentally, replaced them with a pair of AKGs (550?), which he still uses to this day.
> 
> Thanks for the trip down memory lane!


Hahaha... 15 years of these?


----------



## Strat1117 (Oct 29, 2022)

Elegiac said:


> Hahaha... 15 years of these?


Lol!  Hell no!  I had the number wrong - HD430:


----------



## Elegiac

Strat1117 said:


> Lol!  Hell no!  I had the number wrong - HD430:


Yeah that looks more likely. Nice foamy bits in there, like an audio loofah.


----------



## thinker




----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> ROFL!  That sure brings back memories of loud, drunken choruses in the college dorm room.   🤣


'least you had a dorm room…


----------



## Strat1117

Mr Trev said:


> 'least you had a dorm room…


Lol! We lived in a shoe box in the middle of the road, and we had to wake up every morning at 3am, an hour before we went to sleep….

🥺


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> 'least you had a dorm room…


I was only fortunate enough to _visit _the dorm rooms, but only after I finished cleaning the bathrooms and mopping the halls. 🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

Strat1117 said:


> Lol! We lived in a shoe box in the middle of the road, and we had to wake up every morning at 3am, an hour before we went to sleep….
> 
> 🥺


We used to live in a shoe _tree._
It got chopped down by lumberjacks. We're not OK with that


----------



## Pharmaboy

Mr Trev said:


> We used to live in a shoe _tree._
> It got chopped down by lumberjacks. We're not OK with that


I miss the days when lumberjacks roamed the land, menacing us serfs with their razor-sharp axes.


----------



## Strat1117

Pharmaboy said:


> I miss the days when lumberjacks roamed the land, menacing us serfs with their razor-sharp axes.


Help, Help - I’m bein’ repressed! (Maybe things haven’t changed all that much…. 🤐🤣)


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 29, 2022)

bcowen said:


> I was only fortunate enough to _visit _the dorm rooms, but only after I finished cleaning the bathrooms and mopping the halls. 🤣


My frat dorm was on tyres. What was it? PSI… 🤣 🤔 😖 🤢 …


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> I miss the days when lumberjacks roamed the land, menacing us serfs with their razor-sharp axes.


Yeah, and raping and pillaging has become so politically incorrect these days.  How are young 'uns supposed to form fond memories?   🤣


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> Yeah, and raping and pillaging has become so politically incorrect these days.  How are young 'uns supposed to form fond memories?   🤣


"It's good to be old"


----------



## jonathan c (Oct 29, 2022)

George Bernard Shaw: “It is too bad that it [youth] has to be wasted on young folk.”


----------



## hifixman (Oct 29, 2022)

thinker said:


>


Nice source and Interesting energizer! May I ask What is the electrostatic amp?


----------



## benjifx19

Dark room but hopefully some appreciate it


----------



## jonathan c

benjifx19 said:


> Dark room but hopefully some appreciate it


Is GE actually ‘bringing good things to life’…?🤔😲…


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Yeah, and raping and pillaging has become so politically incorrect these days.  How are young 'uns supposed to form fond memories?   🤣


…plus, as my grandmum would say, “if you want something done right, do it yourself.”


----------



## benjifx19

jonathan c said:


> Is GE actually ‘bringing good things to life’…?🤔😲…


yes sir they are


----------



## RogueCrusher

Roasty said:


> **
> 
> got some new toys in recently.
> added another rack base and shelf to reduce the height of my first tower.
> ...





jonathan c said:


> Is GE actually ‘bringing good things to life’…?🤔😲…


Yes indeed 💡 💡


----------



## alekc

RogueCrusher said:


> Yes indeed 💡 💡


@RogueCrusher  the blue picture is amazing  

The ifi Pro iCan, the master of none but a swiss army knife of audio. There is something magical about this amp since I am always returning to it despite the fact I have other, better ones.


----------



## richie60 (Oct 30, 2022)

Needed some sort of stand to tidy up the cupboard where the rpi4 lives.

Two cheap chopping boards and threaded rod does the job.


----------



## RogueCrusher

alekc said:


> @RogueCrusher  the blue picture is amazing
> 
> The ifi Pro iCan, the master of none but a swiss army knife of audio. There is something magical about this amp since I am always returning to it despite the fact I have other, better ones.


The iCan Pro (Signature), along with its soulmate the iDSD Pro (Signature) has brought me to 80% of headphone nirvana/निर्वाण/nirvāṇa (with the addition of THC I’m able to reach the 100% level 😉) and has stepped up well as my investment in headphones continues to climb the ladder towards TOTL.  For now this pair are solid keepers.  Would just love to add the iESL Pro for my trifecta and to allow me to dabble into the Estat realm too.


----------



## thinker

hifixman said:


> Nice source and Interesting energizer! May I ask What is the electrostatic amp?


The amp is not yet commercial, it's called VAmp-ET/Energon and it has great synergy/perfect match with X9K, p2p wiring inside, double mono design, complitely new electric circuit approach/ design to drive electrostatic headphones, super musical . I have owned Mjölnir Carbon and other stax mafia amps but they don't touch this amp.
My impression with other amps is that they control the headphones, this amp just disappears, you have to hear this amp to know what i mean. Head-fi member ZOLKIS
has more information about design and where to buy it. For me X9K with Energon is the ultimate endgame. Energon is made by amp designer with over 40 years experience
who also designs amps for other known companies


----------



## nordkapp

....


----------



## benjifx19

With a new Sophia Princess 274B and two General Electric 13DE7's 

LCD-X > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician DRACO


----------



## ColSaulTigh

benjifx19 said:


> With a new Sophia Princess 274B and two General Electric 13DE7's
> 
> LCD-X > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician DRACO


My OCD is going crazy!!!  Center the DAC under the amp, please!!!


----------



## Guarddawg30

benjifx19 said:


> With a new Sophia Princess 274B and two General Electric 13DE7's
> 
> LCD-X > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician DRACO


How do you like the new Sophia Princess 274B?


----------



## benjifx19

ColSaulTigh said:


> My OCD is going crazy!!!  Center the DAC under the amp, please!!!


done. Laughing too hard


----------



## benjifx19

Guarddawg30 said:


> How do you like the new Sophia Princess 274B?


It packs more of bass punch then the stock tube i love it. Oh and the light show is something else


----------



## Guarddawg30

benjifx19 said:


> It packs more of bass punch then the stock tube i love it. Oh and the light show is something else


I think a WA6 is going to be my next purchase...I am waiting to see if I find a deal on a  used one if not I think I am just going to buy one..


----------



## benjifx19

Guarddawg30 said:


> I think a WA6 is going to be my next purchase...I am waiting to see if I find a deal on a  used one if not I think I am just going to buy one..


It blows me away, really makes music come to life. I didn't know the LCD-X could be this good. Next pair is a ZMF Atrium or Verite Open to really realize its full potential


----------



## Dawgfish

benjifx19 said:


> It blows me away, really makes music come to life. I didn't know the LCD-X could be this good. Next pair is a ZMF Atrium or Verite Open to really realize its full potential


Both the Atrium and Verite Open pair extremely well with the WA6.  I know you are running the SE 274B with the WA6 but if you get a chance try the Brimar GZ32.   That rectifier in particular goes extremely well with ZMFs (and everything else I've tried with it).


----------



## Terriero (Oct 31, 2022)

benjifx19 said:


> done. Laughing too hard


But, have you noticed a sound improvement when centered the DAC?


----------



## ColSaulTigh

benjifx19 said:


> It blows me away, really makes music come to life. I didn't know the LCD-X could be this good. Next pair is a ZMF Atrium or Verite Open to really realize its full potential


You have a Brimar on the way too, right?  That little nuclear reactor isn't anywhere near as pretty, but it sure packs a mean punch!  Fair Warning - I call it "Chernobyl" for a reason - it gets HOT!


----------



## benjifx19

Dawgfish said:


> Both the Atrium and Verite Open pair extremely well with the WA6.  I know you are running the SE 274B with the WA6 but if you get a chance try the Brimar GZ32.   That rectifier in particular goes extremely well with ZMFs (and everything else I've tried with it).


I have a NOS Brimar 5Z4G coming from UK, Really excited about it


----------



## benjifx19

ColSaulTigh said:


> You have a Brimar on the way too, right?  That little nuclear reactor isn't anywhere near as pretty, but it sure packs a mean punch!  Fair Warning - I call it "Chernobyl" for a reason - it gets HOT!


Bring on the heat. Can't wait


----------



## ArtemieTV

Headphones: Heddphone, Kaldas RR1, Altiat Cal.1H 
CD Transport: Audiolab 6000CDT 
Amp: Bryston BHA-1
DAC: Denafrips Terminator 
Bust: Sideshow Alien Big Chap Legendary Scale


----------



## Elegiac (Nov 1, 2022)

Ad hoc experiment/setup. Running OTG out of the M50 to the M5s as DAC and then Line Out to the SH-6.

UPDATE: The M5s is such a smooooooth operator, it's actually making Bolt Thrower sound like.. like... like music! While leaving all the scunge intact! 
It's not hurting me to listen to it through a proper amp and headphones. You can feed the M5s shrapnel and it'll send it back to you as a creme brulee of detail and poise. Outstanding. I've only had one other source that could do this and that was the Cayin C5DAC. That thing would tame the harshest Industrial Black Metal.
"Here's your music, sir. I've taken the liberty of correcting it for you."


Spoiler












Sent from Nokia 3310


----------



## ufospls2

The wall behind my headphone set up was kind of bland and empty, so I thought I'd try jazzing it up a bit with stuff I had lying around. I think I'll try to get some black thumb tacks as that would look a bit better. Will update this as I go along, might try to get some other brands t-shirts or similar


----------



## Chris Kaoss

Elegiac said:


> Ad hoc experiment/setup. Running OTG out of the M50 to the M5s as DAC and then Line Out to the SH-6.
> 
> UPDATE: The M5s is such a smooooooth operator, it's actually making Bolt Thrower sound like.. like... like music! While leaving all the scunge intact!
> It's not hurting me to listen to it through a proper amp and headphones. You can feed the M5s shrapnel and it'll send it back to you as a creme brulee of detail and poise. Outstanding. I've only had one other source that could do this and that was the Cayin C5DAC. That thing would tame the harshest Industrial Black Metal.
> ...



Thank you so much for the laugh. 
Nice write up.


----------



## Terriero

ArtemieTV said:


> Headphones: Heddphone, Kaldas RR1, Altiat Cal.1H
> CD Transport: Audiolab 6000CDT
> Amp: Bryston BHA-1
> DAC: Denafrips Terminator
> Bust: Sideshow Alien Big Chap Legendary Scale


I love the Alien head


----------



## orrm

My tower of audio goodness.


----------



## Roasty

orrm said:


> My tower of audio goodness.



daaaaaayummmmmnnnnnn!


----------



## hifixman

orrm said:


> My tower of audio goodness.


Good synergy. Systems making sense


----------



## Guarddawg30

orrm said:


> My tower of audio goodness.


Very nice @orrm


----------



## Pharmaboy

orrm said:


> My tower of audio goodness.


I'm green with envy (and I'm green to begin with!)


----------



## RogueCrusher

orrm said:


> My tower of audio goodness.


Sweet!  I would feel obligated to genuflect every time I would pass that greatness.


----------



## Terriero

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm green with envy (and I'm green to begin with!)


There are a "lot of greens" in the pic...


----------



## benjifx19

jonathan c said:


> A headphone system ‘power trio’…


How are these modded Grados with the WA6? I ma thinking of getting a pair of Grados and want to mod them like you did. Is the mod from ZMF Headphones?


----------



## ColSaulTigh (Nov 2, 2022)

benjifx19 said:


> How are these modded Grados with the WA6? I ma thinking of getting a pair of Grados and want to mod them like you did. Is the mod from ZMF Headphones?


You have to summon the spirit of @jonathan c .  He will guide you down the dark path of Grado ownership.  Bring a cookie.  That's his usual fee...


----------



## Pharmaboy

ColSaulTigh said:


> You have to summon the spirit of @jonathan c .  He will guide you down the dark path of Grado ownership.  Bring a cookie.  That's his usual fee...


"Bring a cookie" (priceless). Thanks for a very witty post.


----------



## jonathan c

benjifx19 said:


> How are these modded Grados with the WA6? I ma thinking of getting a pair of Grados and want to mod them like you did. Is the mod from ZMF Headphones?


They are wonderful with WA6. Set the impedance switch to ‘low’: 0-99 ohms. The RS-1x _itself _has not been modified. I _did_ put on the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin earpads. These, incidentally, have velour inner lining.


----------



## David222

jonathan c said:


> They are wonderful with WA6. Set the impedance switch to ‘low’: 0-99 ohms. The RS-1x _itself _has not been modified. I _did_ put on the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin earpads. These, incidentally, have *velour inner lining*.



that's right - fenestrated velour


----------



## BobG55

Pharmaboy said:


> I'm green with envy (and I'm green to begin with!)


LOL


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> You have to summon the spirit of @jonathan c .  He will guide you down the dark path of Grado ownership. * Bring a cookie. * That's his usual fee...


Just so there are no misunderstandings, _this_ is a Cookie.


----------



## tyk103

bcowen said:


> Just so there are no misunderstandings, _this_ is a Cookie.


Yeah....a heavily facetuned cookie.


----------



## rhinech




----------



## Guarddawg30

tyk103 said:


> Yeah....a heavily facetuned cookie.


but none the less a cookie


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> You have to summon the spirit of @jonathan c .  He will guide you down the dark path of Grado ownership.  Bring a cookie.  That's his usual fee...


….and down the path of ZMF ownership 😀


----------



## orrm

rhinech said:


>


Nice! What VC wood is it?


----------



## rhinech

orrm said:


> Nice! What VC wood is it?


Thanks, wood is koa


----------



## hifixman

.


----------



## hifixman (Nov 2, 2022)

ufospls2 said:


> The wall behind my headphone set up was kind of bland and empty, so I thought I'd try jazzing it up a bit with stuff I had lying around. I think I'll try to get some black thumb tacks as that would look a bit better. Will update this as I go along, might try to get some other brands t-shirts or similar


I really appreciate boulder sound, your picture inspired me to try Boulder 802.

Boulder 802 as a dac must be perfect with T2, that muscle and bones of Boulder sound are so sick, dynamic yet natural, which must be perfect to electrostatic systems. I’m sad for not hearing them together!!!

802 as a preamp, must also be perfect combo with tube/hybrid power amp to drive Susvara.

Another possibility of sick end game setups. I just wish 802 has better space presentation.


----------



## rhinech

ArtemieTV said:


> Headphones: Heddphone, Kaldas RR1, Altiat Cal.1H
> CD Transport: Audiolab 6000CDT
> Amp: Bryston BHA-1
> DAC: Denafrips Terminator
> Bust: Sideshow Alien Big Chap Legendary Scale


Haha, 20~20kHz is not enough for that bro!


----------



## hifixman




----------



## BobG55

bcowen said:


> Just so there are no misunderstandings, _this_ is a Cookie.


At my age, it’s a forbidden fruit.


----------



## filuS

It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


----------



## orrm

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


Very nice! Where is the furniture from? I like the combination of wood and steel


----------



## Roasty

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.



Very nice! 
I was looking at the Hattor preamp a while back. How are you liking it? Adding the tube stage down the road?


----------



## filuS

orrm said:


> Very nice! Where is the furniture from? I like the combination of wood and steel


The table/rack are from Norstone Esse line, combination of black metal and walnut shelfs. Before I had hifi rack from Empire at around same price and I like Norstone ones more - they look and "feel" better, at least to me.


----------



## filuS (Nov 3, 2022)

Roasty said:


> Very nice!
> I was looking at the Hattor preamp a while back. How are you liking it? Adding the tube stage down the road?


I wanted my preamp to be as transparent as possible - I spoke with Arek from Hattor Audio and he recommended Takman REY resistors. This is also a reason why I wasn't interested in tube stage (plus I already have a tube amp, so if I want to have some of that "tube magic", I can just switch the amps). At first I could have sworn that there was a slight drop off in bass quantity compared to hooking up GS-X mini directly to the DAC but the more I listen to this setup with Hattor pre-amp the more I like it. Perhaps the pre-amp is just going through the burn-in and still needs some time to settle down. In any case the pre-amp was pretty much a necessity for me, Holo Audio Spring 3 outputs are way too hot and on most of my headphones I was around 3rd/4th tick from the lowest volume on GS-X mini. However I'm still wondering how passive volume control from Goldpoint would compare to the Hattor pre-amp. But since I'm living in EU I opted out for something "local" instead of getting a unit from overseas


----------



## DMITRIY R

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


This is what true love of music looks like.


----------



## Pharmaboy (Nov 3, 2022)

filuS said:


> However I'm still wondering how passive volume control from Goldpoint would compare to the Hattor pre-amp.


I never had a passive as good as the Hattor, but I did have a Goldpoint passive at one time (one RCA input, 2 RCA outputs live at all times). It had the best stepped pot Goldpoint made for that application...an expensive little box.  I also have a modest transformer-based passive ("PVC") I got from NHT audio 15 years ago.

At least in my system (of that time), the Goldpoint sounded awful: edgy, bright, bass down, treble up. So bad that I immediately sold it. I know it wasn't the Goldpoint's fault: resistor-based passives are entirely at the mercy of (ie, sound like) input & output impedance & cable capacitance on whatever devices are upstream and downstream of them. I doubt any resistor-based passive would have sounded good in that system.

But the transformer-based passive sounded very good in that system--also in every system I've had here (there are 2 systems in this home office; they've changed often over the years). I can't test this in a big high-rez living room system having the best of everything audio: but at least in my above average home office systems, transformer based passives sound way better. Whenever I used this little box, all I can hear (and barely, at that) is the interconnect I have to add for it to be in the circuit.


----------



## Ganymede

My Rev.2 of an RH84 design. Modded with parafed Sowter output transformers for headphones and hammond chokes.It's almost cat friendly, and is now allowed out of the garage.


----------



## RogueCrusher

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


How are you liking/still liking the Denon 9200’s on their own merit and compared to the AT closed backs or any other closed backs you have heard or owned?


----------



## FlyingFungus

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


...wow!!!


----------



## Fsilva

Clean and simple!
All the gear used is listed on my sig.


----------



## Somafunk

Fsilva said:


> Clean and simple!
> All the gear used is listed on my sig.



Nice, what do you feel the Barefoots give you that the Hedds are up for sale?, I ask as I heard a pair of Hedd type 20 mk2 in my room a couple of years ago and thought they sounded amazing, couldn’t afford them at the time so bought Dynaudio Lyd 48’s and Dynaudio 18s subwoofer instead, still very happy with them. I’ve used active studio monitors from various manufacturers for the past 18 odd years, much simpler in setup and designed to be used day in day out, active crossovers before amplification makes so much sense for accurate sound quality.

Here’s my Dynaudio Lyd setup I posted on here a few days ago,


----------



## Fsilva

Well the Barefoot´s are just on another level in terms of detail retrieval, bass is also tighter, can only imagine what would be to own a pair of the MM26 for instance...


----------



## Somafunk

I’ve only heard the Barefoot Footprint 02 and was impressed with the bass response for such a small design but I figured the meme option was wasted on a purely listening setup.


----------



## hifixman

As for now, changes will keep coming at the source…


----------



## Heyyoudvd




----------



## dnd3241




----------



## bcowen

Heyyoudvd said:


>


Nice!  And the expression from the lofty feline seems to be "Hmmmm....where to start?"   🤣


----------



## TheMiddleSky

filuS said:


> It's been a while since I posted a picture of my system in this thread so here is the most recent state of it.


Impressive!

If I may ask, how you able to keep the desk clean (from dust)? Hard for me to imagine you keep clean the table everyday with all of that stuff on there haha.


----------



## TWerk




----------



## Terriero

TheMiddleSky said:


> Impressive!
> 
> If I may ask, how you able to keep the desk clean (from dust)? Hard for me to imagine you keep clean the table everyday with all of that stuff on there haha.


That's why a lot of us suffer from OCD


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Terriero said:


> That's why a lot of us suffer from OCD


I vacuum most of my gear once a week. I'm looking for a maid


----------



## RogueCrusher

TheMiddleSky said:


> Impressive!
> 
> If I may ask, how you able to keep the desk clean (from dust)? Hard for me to imagine you keep clean the table everyday with all of that stuff on there haha.


If you have a headphone selection like this it is very likely that you also employ a cleaning service/maid and don’t have to worry about the dusting.


----------



## Heyyoudvd

bcowen said:


> Nice!  And the expression from the lofty feline seems to be "Hmmmm....where to start?"   🤣



Her (and her sister’s) fur is everywhere. I constantly have fur on all my headphones. I’ve tried preventing them from being near that area, but to no avail.

I keep a lint roller at my desk and have to use it to remove the fur from my headphone pads almost daily.

That’s my kind of pad rolling.


----------



## jonathan c

Heyyoudvd said:


> Her (and her sister’s) fur is everywhere. I constantly have fur on all my headphones. I’ve tried preventing them from being near that area, but to no avail.
> 
> I keep a lint roller at my desk and have to use it to remove the fur from my headphone pads almost daily.
> 
> That’s my kind of pad rolling.


….is it time for Felix Audio gear?…😹


----------



## jonathan c

No Felix Audio gear here 😿, but one form of purrfection 😸:


----------



## George Hincapie (Nov 6, 2022)

It's a work in progress...


----------



## bcowen

Heyyoudvd said:


> Her (and her sister’s) fur is everywhere. I constantly have fur on all my headphones. I’ve tried preventing them from being near that area, but to no avail.
> 
> I keep a lint roller at my desk and have to use it to remove the fur from my headphone pads almost daily.
> 
> That’s my kind of pad rolling.


Maybe you should get one of these:    🤣


----------



## Olmanwood123

linshu1992 said:


> My previous post: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...ictures-please.529140/page-2146#post-16872725
> 
> Thought the 49 inch monitor is sort of crazy to go with equally crazy WA33 and Susvara.. The schiit stack is gone. Now I am using my portable solution Hugo2 as the dac to WA33. I'm eyeing Holo Audio May, but what else is out there?


A Weiss Dac 501 or 502 both amazing.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Ganymede said:


> My Rev.2 of an RH84 design. Modded with parafed Sowter output transformers for headphones and hammond chokes.It's almost cat friendly, and is now allowed out of the garage.



I love the toggle switch cover. Looks like something out of a cockpit


----------



## nephilim32

Happy and grateful.


----------



## DarenLee (Nov 8, 2022)

Minimalist Setup - Less is more.


----------



## jonathan c

nephilim32 said:


> Happy and grateful.


Your gratitude can only boost your happiness.


----------



## jonathan c

George Hincapie said:


> It's a work in progress...


Very nice arrangement!


----------



## jonathan c

The FA-22 has been easily and joyfully Fluxing its stuff with the ZMF brigade. LTD Aeolus this time around. 🎶 😊 🎵:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Your gratitude can only boost your happiness.



And vice versa


----------



## karangovil (Nov 8, 2022)

I might have gone a bit overboard with some of the lighting which makes it a bit hard to get a good picture but here it is…

There are many like it, but this one is mine


----------



## ufospls2

karangovil said:


> I might have gone a bit overboard with some of the lighting which makes it a bit hard to get a good picture but here it is…
> 
> There are many like it, but this one is mine


Nah, that looks epic! Love how big the Elrogs are. Must be a nice pre-pairing with the TC and CFA3


----------



## Pharmaboy

karangovil said:


> I might have gone a bit overboard with some of the lighting which makes it a bit hard to get a good picture but here it is…
> 
> There are many like it, but this one is mine


If disco taught us one thing, it's that you can't go overboard with lighting. 

Great picture!


----------



## karangovil

ufospls2 said:


> Nah, that looks epic! Love how big the Elrogs are. Must be a nice pre-pairing with the TC and CFA3


Thanks  haven’t done a detailed A/B yet since I got the CFA3 just last week but so far it sounds pretty epic. I’ve mostly been running it with Studio B as pre but just CFA3 alone wasn’t bad either.


----------



## George Hincapie

karangovil said:


> I might have gone a bit overboard with some of the lighting which makes it a bit hard to get a good picture but here it is…
> 
> There are many like it, but this one is mine


You little minx 😊💕


----------



## benjifx19

finally got long enough RCA cables to center the WA6 and Musician DRACO


----------



## ColSaulTigh

benjifx19 said:


> finally got long enough RCA cables to center the WA6 and Musician DRACO


Aaaaaah......so satisfying!


----------



## Pharmaboy

benjifx19 said:


> finally got long enough RCA cables to center the WA6 and Musician DRACO


On behalf of all OCD obsessives, THANK YOU!


----------



## dude120

karangovil said:


> I might have gone a bit overboard with some of the lighting which makes it a bit hard to get a good picture but here it is…
> 
> There are many like it, but this one is mine


Which kind of Atriums are those?

I also have the CFA3 + Abyss1266. Its a phenomenal combo. Do you find the 300B preamp makes a big difference with it?


----------



## SlothRock

Rolling with a “small but mighty” setup moving forward. Decided to slim down amps and move away from tubes to SS so all of my gear gets many, many hours on it vs collecting dust. This combo is covering so, so many bases


----------



## nephilim32

jonathan c said:


> Your gratitude can only boost your happiness.


Absolutely. I certainly don’t take this wonderful tech for granted.


----------



## 04gto




----------



## jonathan c

Three icons:


----------



## hifixman

THE DUO:


----------



## samr33

Some minor changes, but this is my system at its current state.


----------



## lumdicks

Just finished upgrade of my 2 channels setup. Amazing sound and it competes seriously my listening time with my head-fi system.

Roon -> Hifi Rose 210e -> Denafrips Iris -> Holo Spring 3 -> Willsenton R8 -> Buchardt S400 MKII.


----------



## benjifx19

This mornings pairings


----------



## kingoftown1

@samr33 which components are you using the Entreqs with?


----------



## betula

My kind of sandwich for this afternoon. Plenty of combinations to discover.


----------



## VanHai

Rearranged  my set up with a bigger audio rack.


----------



## Barnstormer13

VanHai said:


> Rearranged  my set up with a bigger audio rack.


I’d say you needed a bigger rack!


----------



## jonathan c

Barnstormer13 said:


> I’d say you needed still need a bigger rack! _(more gear…)_


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.]


----------



## Barnstormer13 (Nov 11, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.]


LOL! That got me laughing. Audio version of entropy: Audio gear will always expand to fill all available space.


----------



## Rowethren

Finished changing to desk setup from a Gungnir Multibit/Mjolnir 2 stack for a Soekris DAC2541 and Cayin HA-3A. I couldn't be happier!


----------



## xeizo

That Cayin has the looks!


----------



## samr33

kingoftown1 said:


> @samr33 which components are you using the Entreqs with?


1 connect to the streamer /Dac, another 1 connect to the power strip.


----------



## shwnwllms

New Vygarde arrived today 😍


----------



## Wes S (Nov 11, 2022)

Cayin sure got that right.


----------



## Pharmaboy

shwnwllms said:


> New Vygarde arrived today 😍


Did you make that dark grey wooden rack? I see high-grade furniture plywood there (lovely to work with).


----------



## shwnwllms

Pharmaboy said:


> Did you make that dark grey wooden rack? I see high-grade furniture plywood there (lovely to work with).



I did not make it, but its made from fault-free birch (13 layer furniture grade strength) with a charcoal stain. Standard studio rack. Mine is 10U, with 8” hairpin legs. I added real rails as well for some cable management and some ventilated shelving to maximize airflow. 

Studio rack was a custom job from Etsy. (They also do heritage series (hardwoods & dovetails) but they can get pricey. The carpenter Louis is out of Brooklyn and is a pleasure to work with if you need something custom built. Zero VOC finishes as well so no off gassing. It’s built like a tank. (Furman is flush mounted at the bottom)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/819708227/studio-rack-hairpin-legs-free


----------



## Pharmaboy

shwnwllms said:


> I did not make it, but its made from fault-free birch (13 layer furniture grade strength) with a charcoal stain. Standard studio rack. Mine is 10U, with 8” hairpin legs. I added real rails as well for some cable management and some ventilated shelving to maximize airflow.
> 
> Studio rack was a custom job from Etsy. (They also do heritage series (hardwoods & dovetails) but they can get pricey. The carpenter Louis is out of Brooklyn and is a pleasure to work with if you need something custom built. Zero VOC finishes as well so no off gassing. It’s built like a tank. (Furman is flush mounted at the bottom)
> 
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/819708227/studio-rack-hairpin-legs-free


I used a lot of Baltic birch in my day. This 13-layer plywood is the only plywood I know of that looks terrific with the cut edges shown & stained. 

Never saw charcoal stain before. It's an interesting look!


----------



## shwnwllms

Pharmaboy said:


> I used a lot of Baltic birch in my day. This 13-layer plywood is the only plywood I know of that looks terrific with the cut edges shown & stained.
> 
> Never saw charcoal stain before. It's an interesting look!



I’ve got a BDI console on another floor with that same charcoal finish. It’s a nice look and can look either gray or brown depending on lighting (and surrounding furnishings). The other hardwood nearby the studio rack is all ebony so it works well. I didn’t have the Pendant in mind when it was built but the walnut burl looks nice sitting on top of it IMO


----------



## orrm

shwnwllms said:


> New Vygarde arrived today 😍


This made me miss my LCD-5 a bit for some reason


----------



## shwnwllms

orrm said:


> This made me miss my LCD-5 a bit for some reason



Why did you sell them?


----------



## orrm

shwnwllms said:


> Why did you sell them?


Simply moved on to other flavors and a system that's better and easier without EQ. They are still one of my favorite headphones and top 5 sound quality to my ears.


----------



## jonathan c

… return of the prodiga*L* am*P* … 

[tubes are Tungsram ‘red print’ E88CCs]


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Elegiac

Wes S said:


> Cayin sure got that right.


The Chinese need to be banned from using Comic Sans though.


----------



## Wes S (Nov 12, 2022)

Don't get it and don't care.


----------



## Wes S (Nov 12, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> … return of the prodiga*L* am*P* … [tubes are Tungsram ‘red print’ E88CCs]


Cap modded?  That sure brings back some good memories. . .

Nice tubes too!


----------



## shwnwllms

Wes S said:


> Don't get it and don't care.



Its a graphic design joke (about the font - Comic Sans is universally hated among graphic designers, artists etc.) 

It’s mildly racist in its delivery though. Comic Sans should be banned for everyone, not just the Chinese


----------



## Wes S (Nov 12, 2022)

shwnwllms said:


> Its a graphic design joke (about the font - Comic Sans is universally hated among graphic designers, artists etc.)
> 
> It’s mildly racist in its delivery though. Comic Sans should be banned for everyone, not just the Chinese


Got ya and interesting that Cayin would use it anyway.  I like their style and I am also one to buck the trend from time to time (almost always ).  It's no fun and boring trying to be like everyone else. . .


----------



## Elegiac

shwnwllms said:


> Its a graphic design joke (about the font - Comic Sans is universally hated among graphic designers, artists etc.)
> 
> It’s mildly racist in its delivery though. Comic Sans should be banned for everyone, not just the Chinese


Ah. Mild racism was not my intent. It's just that the Chinese are particularly strong offenders. Aliexpress is the home of Comic Sans lol


----------



## Elegiac

Default setup MkII. The DacMagic 100 has actually surpassed my expectations.


----------



## Wes S




----------



## jonathan c

Atticus + Liquid Platinum (Tungsram E88CCs) are 🥲:

 [Welcome back, ‘*L*il *P*al]


----------



## simorag




----------



## nephilim32

A chillin headphone meditating in its own nook. ✌️


----------



## dnd3241

Wes S said:


>





Wes S said:


>


Is your Verite C have a good bass with 300 MK2 ? I running my VC about 100 hours but the bass is very soft and weak, how long it needs to fully break in ? Thanks


----------



## shwnwllms

Nighttime vibes


----------



## khbaur330162

Vintage DAC:




Vintage amp, with self-transplanted vintage planar drivers for headphones.




All still sound GOOD!


----------



## xeizo

khbaur330162 said:


> Vintage DAC:
> 
> 
> Vintage amp, with self-transplanted vintage planar drivers for headphones.
> ...



LoL I have a pair of those cans, but with the original drivers not Yamaha planar drivers, well done! And the amp is nostalgic, many, many years ago when I was into normal HiFi/Speakers I used to have this beast:





It drove my back then filter-mod Infinity RS3a to unprecedented levels!
Never had planar cans back then nor later, bought my first planars just a few days ago. Interesting technology.


----------



## Wes S (Nov 13, 2022)

dnd3241 said:


> Is your Verite C have a good bass with 300 MK2 ? I running my VC about 100 hours but the bass is very soft and weak, how long it needs to fully break in ? Thanks


The bass hits so hard and deep it's startling with my VC's, and they almost sound like planars.  The last time I heard or felt bass like this was with my old Ori's (planars that slam).  I suggest tube rolling, as the stock tubes (especially the Gold Lion 300B's and 6SN7's) are warm and slow with bloated bass.

For 300B's, the Elrog ER300B will give you unbelievably tight, deep and textured bass, and then roll some G.E. 22DE4 rectifiers and get ready for some power and even more impact.  As for the 6SN7's, I am running RFT Welded Plates and they also slam like no other.  I am a basshead at heart that has turned into a mids guy, and the HA300mk2 with upgraded tubes powering my VC's satisfies my soul in both areas.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> My kind of sandwich for this afternoon. Plenty of combinations to discover.



Tower of chrome!

I didn't realize the GS-X mini was available in chrome. Handsome pile o' gear


----------



## dnd3241

Wes S said:


> The bass hits so hard and deep it's startling with my VC's, and they almost sound like planars.  The last time I heard or felt bass like this was with my old Ori's (planars that slam).  I suggest tube rolling, as the stock tubes (especially the Gold Lion 300B's and 6SN7's) are warm and slow with bloated bass.
> 
> For 300B's, the Elrog ER300B will give you unbelievably tight, deep and textured bass, and then roll some G.E. 22DE4 rectifiers and get ready for some power and even more impact.  As for the 6SN7's, I am running RFT Welded Plates and they also slam like no other.  I am a basshead at heart that has turned into a mids guy, and the HA300mk2 with upgraded tubes powering my VC's satisfies my soul in both areas.


Thanks for your response, my HA300MK2 is working great with other cans , only both of the ZMF are  quite disappointed ! I bought in July and running about 50-80hours max , maybe it needs more time to break in, some said 150 hours 。


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


> Atticus + Liquid Platinum (Tungsram E88CCs) are 🥲: [Welcome back, ‘*L*il *P*al



How does the icon pair with HD650?


----------



## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> How does the icon pair with HD650?


Extremely well when the impedance switch is set to “H”.


----------



## jonathan c

Liquid Platinum (w/ Valvo E88CCs) + Clear OG (w/ Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads) = ☁️☁️ :


----------



## karangovil

jonathan c said:


> Liquid Platinum (w/ Valvo E88CCs) + Clear OG (w/ Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads) = ☁️☁️ :


That looks like a nice way to spend a chilly Sunday evening with a nice coffee or a scotch with some sweet tunes


----------



## karangovil

dude120 said:


> Which kind of Atriums are those?
> 
> I also have the CFA3 + Abyss1266. Its a phenomenal combo. Do you find the 300B preamp makes a big difference with it?


Those are the Bubinga LTD Atriums.

I’m still figuring it out but I think the addition of 300b has makes a subtle but noticeable difference. It makes everything a bit richer or perhaps full bodied. I wouldn’t notice without it but CFA3 itself comparatively feels a bit leaner or dryer and with 300b it just seems to kind of fill that seeming emptiness. It’s like adding gravy or sauce to a dry feeling burger if that makes sense.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


> Extremely well when the impedance switch is set to “H”.



Does it lack dynamics on a lower setting?


----------



## jonathan c

It does lack a bit of dynamics & volume at the lower settings. Remember that the Sennheiser HD600 / HD650 / HD6XX have nominal impedance of 300 ohms (which will vary across the frequency spectrum). Hence, the optimum by design and by sound is the “H” setting.


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> It does lack a bit of dynamics & volume at the lower settings. Remember that the Sennheiser HD600 / HD650 / HD6XX have nominal impedance of 300 ohms (which will vary across the frequency spectrum). Hence, the optimum by design and by sound is the “H” setting.


I did a lot of listening to my Icon Audio HP8 with the Verite Open (300 ohms) and fully expected to hear differences in sound at the "L" "M" and "H" settings. But I didn't hear sonic difference, just volume differences (louder at "H" & least loud on "L." Still don't know what to make of that...


----------



## alekc

betula said:


> My kind of sandwich for this afternoon. Plenty of combinations to discover.


@betula I bet it will bring you a lot of fun and long listening sessions. One thing that nobody can deny about ifi Pro iCan is that it is a very fun amp that gives you plenty of setting to fiddle with. What I really like about this amp is that all of those sound changing features are implemented in analog and not digital domain. If only the difference between Tube and Tube+ modes was bigger...

Actually this picture and your findings post from Pro iCan thread got me inspired to connect this amp again to TT2 and I will soon post my findings. It is always great to coma back to the some older gear and give it a go. Very pleasurable moments indeed.


----------



## Ripper2860 (Nov 14, 2022)

My 2-channel speaker / 'serious HP listening' rig sans HPs.


----------



## Nostoi

#BakoonLife #BakeliteLife


----------



## khbaur330162

xeizo said:


> LoL I have a pair of those cans, but with the original drivers not Yamaha planar drivers, well done! And the amp is nostalgic, many, many years ago when I was into normal HiFi/Speakers I used to have this beast:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Absolutely. These "STASIS" amps are no joke (designed by Nelson Pass for Nakamichi). I compared my TA-2A to a Mjolnir Audio Dynalo and didn't hear a lick of difference between my Nakamichi and that, so sold the Dynalo. If you can get a good deal on a TA-2A that's been run through by a technician (volume pot, tone controls, etc. can get a bit scratchy without cleaning and/or normal use) it's a pretty good deal for inefficient headphones (can have some noise floor issues with efficient dynamics). Has endless amounts of power, it runs Hifiman Arya's with ease and also has very clean bass boost knob which helps a lot with neutral planars. T50RP's are also a good match. You just need to get used to using software as a preamp, some headphones don't even allow you to get the volume pot past the mismatch range if music player/DAC is set to max so you'll have channel imbalance if the amp is that low. All in all, I love my TA-2A but mostly used with vintage planars (read inefficient). Plus if I ever get into bookshelf speakers I got 50wpc to play with and I know it's gonna sound bonkers.

You'll have to send in your Sony's to me for "the treatment."  Jk, jk, but you'd be surprised how good that housing can sound, I think. Even lowly HP-1's with a recable are pretty eye opening, but the YH-100's are next level with high end rig, imho, they portray differences in upstream gear remarkably well. Sold my Arya V2's because I preferred the Yamaha YH-100 tuning with my damping scheme and earpad combination. Arya's more detailed slightly with much better left-right and depth delineation, but just for casual listening I preferred the Yamaha house sound. YH-5000SE will be nuttttts.

I apologize for slight de-railing and long winded post in a pictures only thread, I just agree with @xeizo and feel this gear deserves a bit of discussion.


----------



## benjifx19 (Nov 14, 2022)

LCD X> Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen> Musician DRACO


----------



## Mr Trev

benjifx19 said:


> LCD X> Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen> Musician DRACO


Now that's some righteous tube glow…


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


>


Nice, but lacking in the tube glow department


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Nice, but lacking in the tube glow department


Didn’t you see the two Valvo E88CCs peeking out 🫣?


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Didn’t you see the two Valvo E88CCs peeking out 🫣?


If it ain't over-exposing the pic, it ain't tube glow


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> If it ain't over-exposing the pic, it ain't tube glow


… “so where’s your _aurora borealis_ n—o—w?”


----------



## shwnwllms (Nov 14, 2022)

And now for something completely different


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> And now for something completely different


…it is…


----------



## shwnwllms

jonathan c said:


> …it is…



Finally got around to EQ’ing my UM MEXT tonight and now I can’t stop listening. They handle EQ very well. My portable rig A&K SE180 with DAR activated on my SEM4 sounds incredible when I’m not near my desktop setup.


----------



## Elegiac

Now this setup is complete as well. The dual CS4398 DAC in the xduoo was... not great, sadly. The DAC-SQ5 was a bit dodgy as well. 
This is a lot better. The DAC BOX E only puts out 0.7vrms, but the ridiculous gain and power of the TA-01 scoffs at that.


----------



## thebratts (Nov 15, 2022)

Recently reinvested in speakers (ls50 meta) super impressed by the sound (the tdai-1120 might have a little/a lot.. to do with it) so now it's a mix of headphone and speaker listening at the desk..

Edit: For those interested. In a room with concrete backwall and speakers close the the wall, right side window next to desk.., roomperfect is just amazing, the difference between on and off is dramatic. I used roomperfect Way back when TACT was new but this is even more impressive.. the imaging, control of the bass((think boomy to tight), etc..
I'm certain (if i close my eyes) that the singer is standing there behind the screen singing (lifelike)..., and  i can hear the placement of the different instruments both in width and depth in an impressive way. Anyways, it's rivaling my headphones now (which i didn't think it would) so i guess the next step is to upgrade the headphones


----------



## Mr Trev

shwnwllms said:


> And now for something completely different


The utter convenience of stuffing a pair of IEMs in your ears and a DAP in your pocket is something I'm totally on board with. In all honesty, I find myself using IEMs at home more often than not.


----------



## shwnwllms

Mr Trev said:


> The utter convenience of stuffing a pair of IEMs in your ears and a DAP in your pocket is something I'm totally on board with. In all honesty, I find myself using IEMs at home more often than not.



The A&K SE180 (SEM4) can hardware upsample to DSD128 as well. Now my May KTE can do DSD512 but I can’t fit that in my pocket. Since it’s a Roon endpoint it’s highly versatile (around the house anyway) and really brings the UM MEXT into the next weight class with a proper PEQ applied through Roon.


----------



## Moose246




----------



## xeizo

This amp is _tiny_, it drives Hifiman *HE400SE* to high levels, using TRS out on the M2, strikingly low distorsion. Multiple voiced harmonies can be picked out like never before (for me). And in particular drums/percussions is very enthusiastic sounding. It is a little more dynamic sounding on high gain, even if low gain certainly gets loud enough


----------



## tyk103

xeizo said:


> This amp is _tiny_, it drives Hifiman *HE400SE* to high levels, using TRS out on the M2, strikingly low distorsion. Multiple voiced harmonies can be picked out like never before (for me). And in particular drums/percussions is very enthusiastic sounding. It is a little more dynamic sounding on high gain, even if low gain certainly gets loud enough


the SH-6 is a little beast for sure.


----------



## Ciggavelli (Nov 15, 2022)

This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.


----------



## jonathan c

Ciggavelli said:


> This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.


Track #3 on the 1985 album _Voices Carry_ by ‘Til Tuesday: “I Could Get Used To This”…🥲


----------



## judomaniak57

Ciggavelli said:


> This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.


WOW , very nice


----------



## Roasty

Ciggavelli said:


> This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.



Lol I like how u said end game "currently"! 

cmon man it is time for a nice rack!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

“Current endgame” 

It’s the addiction speaking, cracks me up.


----------



## betula

AnalogEuphoria said:


> “Current endgame”
> 
> It’s the addiction speaking, cracks me up.


It is always very satisfying to reach that 'endgame' time every now and then.


----------



## xeizo

Going for a planar and a modern dedicated headamp was the biggest jump in SQ in many years for me, let's hope it's just diminishing returns above LoL


----------



## ThanatosVI

AnalogEuphoria said:


> “Current endgame”
> 
> It’s the addiction speaking, cracks me up.





betula said:


> It is always very satisfying to reach that 'endgame' time every now and then.


We all know that sensation.


----------



## SlothRock

I've given up on labeling anything endgame at this point lol. I am perfectly content with my setup right now but I still ended up buying the Holo Audio Bliss headphone amp because it was just pressing too many of my buttons in the right way to ignore it. Oh ya, and I want the Caldera. Oh, and the upcoming Atrium Closed. Oh, and the upcoming Caldera Closed


----------



## George Hincapie

SlothRock said:


> I've given up on labeling anything endgame at this point lol. I am perfectly content with my setup right now but I still ended up buying the Holo Audio Bliss headphone amp because it was just pressing too many of my buttons in the right way to ignore it. Oh ya, and I want the Caldera. Oh, and the upcoming Atrium Closed. Oh, and the upcoming Caldera Closed


VC over AC surely?


----------



## SlothRock

George Hincapie said:


> VC over AC surely?


Who knows until I'd be able to try both, ya know? I loved my Atrium when I had it. I only sold it because I felt the Susvara had a similar sound signature but was just better in multiple ways. I could see myself being a huge fan of the more neutral tonality of an Atrium Closed along with the fat bass bump. But it's tough because the VC is already such a great headphone. I'll have to hope I can grab a loaner pair to compare


----------



## jonathan c

…when one reaches endgame, there’s always next season…😏…😍…💸…


----------



## jonathan c

… median projection of 2023 season, Ears vs Wallet:   5W - 5L - 0T…🎲🎲…


----------



## shwnwllms

E N D G A M E



At least that’s what I tell my wife every time I buy something new


----------



## SlothRock

shwnwllms said:


> E N D G A M E
> 
> 
> 
> At least that’s what I tell my wife every time I buy something new



Whenever I get a new piece of headphone gear, I always justify it with the wife by saying something like: "Well I sold the last thing so pretty much broke even here!" even when I pretty much didn't break even in any way, shape or form


----------



## shwnwllms

SlothRock said:


> Whenever I get a new piece of headphone gear, I always justify it with the wife by saying something like: "Well I sold the last thing so pretty much broke even here!" even when I pretty much didn't break even in any way, shape or form



I feel extremely seen


----------



## rivonlol

Spring 3 KTE > WA22 > Atrium alongside Vérité Closed


----------



## jonathan c

SlothRock said:


> Whenever I get a new piece of headphone gear, I always justify it with the wife by saying something like: "Well I sold the last thing so pretty much broke even here!" even when I pretty much didn't break even in any way, shape or form


Just a minute…you DID break even…the number of pieces of audio gear stayed the same…🤣🤣🤣


----------



## ufospls2

Reacquainting myself with DAVE after 4 years. Still haven't found black thumb tacks


----------



## George Hincapie

SlothRock said:


> Who knows until I'd be able to try both, ya know? I loved my Atrium when I had it. I only sold it because I felt the Susvara had a similar sound signature but was just better in multiple ways. I could see myself being a huge fan of the more neutral tonality of an Atrium Closed along with the fat bass bump. But it's tough because the VC is already such a great headphone. I'll have to hope I can grab a loaner pair to compare


I absolutely understand. I wonder what you'd make of Atrium if you went back to them now? I've read of several members doing that and found that Atrium was presenting a level of musicality that Susvara wasn't.


----------



## George Hincapie

ufospls2 said:


> Reacquainting myself with DAVE after 4 years. Still haven't found black thumb tacks


What's the big silver thing? Boulder/Constellation?


----------



## ufospls2

George Hincapie said:


> What's the big silver thing? Boulder/Constellation?


Boulder 866 integrated. I use it for hard to drive conventional headphones, and sometimes speakers also.


----------



## hifixman

ufospls2 said:


> Boulder 866 integrated. I use it for hard to drive conventional headphones, and sometimes speakers also.


Wow it must be good for SUS!!!!!!


----------



## ufospls2

hifixman said:


> Wow it must be good for SUS!!!!!!


Though I don't have a Susvara currently (sold it to explore electrostats for a while), I ran that combo for over a year. Very good match IMO. Also very good with the 1266TC


----------



## hifixman (Nov 16, 2022)

ufospls2 said:


> Though I don't have a Susvara currently (sold it to explore electrostats for a while), I ran that combo for over a year. Very good match IMO. Also very good with the 1266TC


I tried Susvara with Boulder 812 headphone amp with surprising results yet restricted by its power. Therefore I bet 866 must be a better solution.


----------



## Turkeysaurus




----------



## Chastity

What happens when the wife is the audiophile of the couple?


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Roasty said:


> cmon man it is time for a nice rack!



That is always true, on many levels


----------



## gimmeheadroom

xeizo said:


> Going for a planar and a modern dedicated headamp was the biggest jump in SQ in many years for me, let's hope it's just diminishing returns above LoL



You won't know until you're working three jobs


----------



## joseG86

SlothRock said:


> Whenever I get a new piece of headphone gear, I always justify it with the wife by saying something like: "Well I sold the last thing so pretty much broke even here!" even when I pretty much didn't break even in any way, shape or form


That doesn't work anymore for me hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahaahhahahahaah


----------



## orrm

New toys for the weekend!


----------



## jonathan c

orrm said:


> New toys for the weekend!


.…send back on Monday?….😳😫😭….


----------



## orrm

jonathan c said:


> .…send back on Monday?….😳😫😭….


Haha no. The LE is mine, the Pro will go back to its owner soon but not that soon!


----------



## John Massaria

jonathan c said:


>


Are you selling mojo? What’s replacing it?



xeizo said:


> LoL I have a pair of those cans, but with the original drivers not Yamaha planar drivers, well done! And the amp is nostalgic, many, many years ago when I was into normal HiFi/Speakers I used to have this beast:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I used to have pa7ii nakamichi too - I enjoyed it but wound up getting Adcom mono blocks that pic brought back some memories


----------



## Terriero

Ciggavelli said:


> This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.


I don't have any issues to adopt your other headphones


----------



## hifixman (Nov 18, 2022)

Ciggavelli said:


> This is my end game currently.  These two headphones and associated equipment are all I need.  If I had to get rid of all of my other headphones, I would be fine with just these two.


Aesthetically and sonically impressive! I’m interested in your Elite& Shangrila SR system


----------



## Ciggavelli

hifixman said:


> Aesthetically and sonically impressive! I’m interested in your Elite& Shangrila SR system
> 3SE is perfect to bass light and bright sounding cans! I might get a Shangrila soon but I’m not confident it will sound better in my electrostatic system than 3SE, truth to be told.


It's a good match for sure.  I wish we lived in the same city, we could swap your T2 with my 3ES Elite and each try out the new systems for a weekend.  And we could directly compare too.


----------



## hifixman

Ciggavelli said:


> It's a good match for sure.  I wish we lived in the same city, we could swap your T2 with my 3ES Elite and each try out the new systems for a weekend.  And we could directly compare too.


Your feeling is mutual, our systems could complete each other amazingly!


----------



## jonathan c

John Massaria said:


> Are you selling mojo? What’s replacing it?


Oh?…..no!…..mo……jo……no…..go!


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## karloil

Just starting out with desktop setups


----------



## nagi8404

hifixman said:


> For electrostatic headphone alone, I only like Aperio so far before demoing a 200k upgraded super HE-1 next month.


Excuse me what??


----------



## gimmeheadroom

karloil said:


> Just starting out with desktop setups


That's a heck of a good start!


----------



## karloil

gimmeheadroom said:


> That's a heck of a good start!



Thanks, I appreciate that!  Not as grand as other setups here though  Been mostly using portable setups for the longest. Since I've been staying home more and more, I'm now diving into desktop setups.

Next would be a decent DAC/AMP stack - still looking into either the new Schiit Magni+/Modi+, Geshelli E2/J2 or Fiio K7 - still keeping a tab on my budget


----------



## riverground

orrm said:


> New toys for the weekend!


How’s the LE compared to the Pro?


----------



## orrm

riverground said:


> How’s the LE compared to the Pro?


I received both of them yesterday so can't say yet. I'll post my impressions next week probably.


----------



## betula

Although the stack looks more aesthetic with the Pegasus on top, the Mini wasn't the happiest on the bottom. It needs more air to dissipate heat more efficiently. Probably would have been ok anyway, but the temperature difference on the amp's top must be at least 10 degrees Celsius, so I am sure the little GSX will be grateful long term.

The issue was that the Mini is wider than the Pegasus so the tiny feet did not sit on the narrower DAC. After considering several options from racks to different feet, came up with this idea of speaker cones. (The desktop space wouldn't allow me to put them next to each other.)
Still looking alright, I guess, and plenty of air for the amp to breath now.


----------



## Chastity (Nov 18, 2022)

betula said:


> Although the stack looks more aesthetic with the Pegasus on top, the Mini wasn't the happiest on the bottom. It needs more air to dissipate heat more efficiently. Probably would have been ok anyway, but the temperature difference on the amp's top must be at least 10 degrees Celsius, so I am sure the little GSX will be grateful long term.
> 
> The issue was that the Mini is wider than the Pegasus so the tiny feet did not sit on the narrower DAC. After considering several options from racks to different feet, came up with this idea of speaker cones. (The desktop space wouldn't allow me to put them next to each other.)
> Still looking alright, I guess, and plenty of air for the amp to breath now.


I solved that issue on my desk with glass shelving, which allows me to put my Asgard 3 amp below and still have plenty of access to air.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M8PVXIW


----------



## ColSaulTigh

betula said:


> Although the stack looks more aesthetic with the Pegasus on top, the Mini wasn't the happiest on the bottom. It needs more air to dissipate heat more efficiently. Probably would have been ok anyway, but the temperature difference on the amp's top must be at least 10 degrees Celsius, so I am sure the little GSX will be grateful long term.
> 
> The issue was that the Mini is wider than the Pegasus so the tiny feet did not sit on the narrower DAC. After considering several options from racks to different feet, came up with this idea of speaker cones. (The desktop space wouldn't allow me to put them next to each other.)
> Still looking alright, I guess, and plenty of air for the amp to breath now.


You might want to look at an inexpensive monitor stand on Amazon - they work great, fairly compact, adjustable height, and keep things tidy.


----------



## riverground

orrm said:


> I received both of them yesterday so can't say yet. I'll post my impressions next week probably.


Looking forward to it!


----------



## snapple10




----------



## botmann

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Many stores could make a good chunk of money if they did this too beyond audio.


----------



## bcowen

Turkeysaurus said:


>


Hilarious!  I love it.


----------



## riverground

snapple10 said:


>


How do the Z1R and HD820 compare to the R10?


----------



## benjifx19

Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen> Musician DRACO
Tubes: 2 Sylvania 13DE7's, 1 Sophia Princess 274B Rectifier


----------



## dunpeal




----------



## Barnstormer13

The headphones (L-R) are ZMF auteur, Aeon Flow Closed, Focal Clear, ZMF Verite C, Audeze LCD-X (2021).


----------



## jonathan c

Barnstormer13 said:


> The headphones (L-R) are ZMF auteur, Aeon Flow Closed, Focal Clear, ZMF Verite C, Audeze LCD-X (2021).


Your setup is well organised and visually stunning!  What is in the leftside drawer cabinet?🤔


----------



## sicnesse

Please ignore the dust


----------



## Ripper2860 (Nov 20, 2022)

I'll reach 'End of Funds' long before reaching 'End of Game'.  😒


----------



## Barnstormer13

jonathan c said:


> Your setup is well organised and visually stunning!  What is in the leftside drawer cabinet?🤔


Thanks jonathan C. You’re basically seeing the corner of the living room my wife allows me to claim as my territory provided   it remains reasonably organized and dust free. The drawers hold headphone cables, adapters, a couple usb charge cords, etc.


----------



## Barnstormer13

Ripper2860 said:


> I'll reach 'End of Funds' long before reaching 'End Game'.  😒


Now I’m confused. I thought that’s what end game meant.


----------



## Zachik

Barnstormer13 said:


> Now I’m confused. I thought that’s what end game meant.


No. That is what "Game Over" means...


----------



## Elegiac

Condensed things. Stopped caring for the sound of the TA-01b. And the Mullard in the MT-603 was making the HD 599 _too_ warm. So.
RFT goes in the tube buffer. Perfect. And the TA-01b gets retired. Permanently.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Your setup is well organised and visually stunning!



You're just saying that since you thought it was @Wes S setup


----------



## simorag

Speakers day for a change, on a semi-improvised setup


----------



## hifixman

simorag said:


> Speakers day for a change, on a semi-improvised setup


The Best dynamic and planar can for bass！


----------



## ThanatosVI

hifixman said:


> The Best dynamic and planar can for bass！


Sp the Spirit Torino Valkyria is the best dynamic for bass?


----------



## hifixman (Nov 20, 2022)

ThanatosVI said:


> Sp the Spirit Torino Valkyria is the best dynamic for bass?


To my ears and my personal opinion, yes! Besides, it is really not just the best bass, but also resolution and many aspects as well. Valkyria is THE ONE and best match for dCS Lina stack ( even the dCS folks at Canjam SoCal agree with me). I haven’t listened to it via my Riviera though but I suppose the synergy must be good between the dynamic monster to the smooth riviera sound. Would love to hear the sound impression from the user and owner @simorag.  @simorag just inspired me for another great synergy with my system!

PS. I am also super impressed by Spirit’s own solid and dynamic sounding amp. I can totally imagine that amp be more amazing with cans as Hifiman and Audeze.


In my humble opinion, their headphones could stand toe to toe and even slay so many big names out there in the market. I think American audiophiles will love that big, masculine, dynamic Italian sound after hearing it in the RIGHT systems.

Compared to DACs and cables, I think the price of headphones is more apportionate to their performances, making the cans more worthwhile for investment. Yes Valkyrie even topples the price above my beloved Susvara and Stax X9000, there must be reasons for that from engineering, materials used, design, to the most important factor: the sound, to be explored myself!

Just found out the US dealer @justin w. for purchase, I am gonna try it in my reference system:
https://www.headamp.com/products/spirit-torino-valkyria


----------



## snapple10

riverground said:


> How do the Z1R and HD820 compare to the R10?


Sorry, am afraid I don't have the language to describe what I hear. I do favor the Z1R// R10 over HD 820 though. I like the overall presentation. I listening to all genres with very little heavy metal, if that says anything. Happy Listening!!!


----------



## simorag

hifixman said:


> To my ears and my personal opinion, yes! Besides, it is really not just the best bass, but also resolution and many aspects as well. Valkyria is THE ONE and best match for DCS Lina stack. I haven’t listened to it via my Riviera though but I suppose the synergy must be good between the dynamic monster to the smooth riviera sound. Would love to hear the sound impression from the user and owner @simorag.  @simorag just inspired me for another great synergy with my system!
> 
> PS. I am also super impressed by Spirit’s own solid and dynamic sounding amp. I can totally imagine that amp be more amazing with cans as Hifiman and Audeze.
> 
> ...




The Valkyria sound presentation has a very strong foundation between the lower midrange and the bass, which provides an hefty, succulent, masculine signature. Their other pièce de resistance is the most lifelike macrodynamics I ever experienced via headphones.

They synergize very well with upstream chains that provide clarity, control, transparency, finesse, speed, otherwise they can sound veiled, relatively closed-in, even boomy in the worst case. 

The AIC-10 excels at the same things the Valkyria does, therefore in order not to overdo muscularity at the expense of articulation, the source and DAC are crucial. My key finding was the G73-R preamp tube for the Riviera, which made the sonic pairing click so well that it has become my daily driver since.

I have tried the Valkyria with the Lina system and was greatly impressed by the - admittedly short - audition. When I tried the album below (one of my go-to demo discs) the dCS gear particularily stroke me.





With the dCS you have liquidity, poise, resolution, whereas the AIC-10 gives you scale, drama, density.

Pick your (expensive) poison


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ripper2860 said:


> I'll reach 'End of Funds' long before reaching 'End of Game'.  😒


At least for me, "End of Sanity" will precede both...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> At least for me, "End of Sanity" will preceded both...



FTFY


----------



## ThanatosVI

Pharmaboy said:


> At least for me, "End of Sanity" will precede both...


This sanity you speak of, is nothing more than a distant memory at this point...


----------



## hifixman (Nov 20, 2022)

simorag said:


> The Valkyria sound presentation has a very strong foundation between the lower midrange and the bass, which provides an hefty, succulent, masculine signature. Their other pièce de resistance is the most lifelike macrodynamics I ever experienced via headphones.
> 
> They synergize very well with upstream chains that provide clarity, control, transparency, finesse, speed, otherwise they can sound veiled, relatively closed-in, even boomy in the worst case.
> 
> ...


Very comprehensive and valuable information shared! Largely appreciated!

I am also thinking of driving it with Esoteric headphone amplifier with Soulnote X3 Master Clock as my reference system for dynamic cans that is close to DCS Lina stack with the features you mentioned

I hear you and feel you in that Valkyria is sooooooo good with classical music with a clean and transparent setup.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

karloil said:


> Just starting out with desktop setups



You do realise after trying tons of cans that’s still most people’s endgame headphone. (Talking HD6X0 owners specifically)


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

betula said:


> Although the stack looks more aesthetic with the Pegasus on top, the Mini wasn't the happiest on the bottom. It needs more air to dissipate heat more efficiently. Probably would have been ok anyway, but the temperature difference on the amp's top must be at least 10 degrees Celsius, so I am sure the little GSX will be grateful long term.
> 
> The issue was that the Mini is wider than the Pegasus so the tiny feet did not sit on the narrower DAC. After considering several options from racks to different feet, came up with this idea of speaker cones. (The desktop space wouldn't allow me to put them next to each other.)
> Still looking alright, I guess, and plenty of air for the amp to breath now.



Do you still have TT2?


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> You're just saying that since you thought it was @Wes S setup


I knew that it wasn’t Wes S’ listening station: no in-the-dark tube glow shots! 🤣


----------



## betula

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Do you still have TT2?


Just sold it two days ago.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> I knew that it wasn’t Wes S’ listening station: no in-the-dark tube glow shots! 🤣



Come on, the bottom shelf is full of glowing goodies


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

betula said:


> Just sold it two days ago.


Oh how come? I thought you were a dedicated chord guy.


----------



## betula

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Oh how come? I thought you were a dedicated chord guy.


I am a dedicated audio guy. 

I like Chord sound and the TT2 a lot, but with the recent price increases and the more and more colourful and affordable competition I started to struggle justifying the TT2's price. The TT2 is nice, detailed, spacious with good instrument placement but also quite neutral and occasionally a little thin (I would never dare to say 'boring'). 
So, the two sides of the coin behind this decision were finances and subjective sonic preference.

It all started with R2R DACs.  Once you go R2R I think there is no turning back. At least for me there wasn't. Chord DACs are a lot better than traditional delta/sigma DACs when it comes to spaciousness and lifelikeness, but at the end of the day Rob's revolutionary FPGA design is 'just' a supremely perfectionist delta/sigma DAC. 
More decent R2R DACs best even Chord when it comes to lifelike sound reproduction (texture, timbre) giving a more natural and analogue feel to the sound; and they don't fall behind in 3D spaciousness either. Some companies realised this and spent a lot of time and money perfecting R2R technology in the last few years which resulted in technically better and better and more and more affordable R2R DACs on the market. (TT2 is almost 4 years old now and 20% more expensive than it used to be.) 

To cut a long story short I wanted some life and colour (euphonic engagement factor) in my sound with the least amount of compromise in technicalities. The Pegasus DAC (with SR Purple fuse) and the GSX Mini give me just that. And I saved some money too. 

It is about subjective preferences and budget at the end of the day for each of us. I have found a very sweet subjective spot for myself which is rather rare. The TT2 is more neutral and better at micro-dynamics but I find my Pegasus combo a lot more fun and musically more engaging while it is still surprisingly good at technicalities. As always, YMMV.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> ... but I find my Pegasus combo a lot more fun and musically more engaging while it is still surprisingly good at technicalities.



Audio-gd R8 or R7, and done!


----------



## betula

gimmeheadroom said:


> Audio-gd R8 or R7, and done!


I am aware that Audio-GD has a strong following, but those DACs are just ginormous!  15kg is quite substantial.  I need to stay more 'mobile'.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

betula said:


> I am aware that Audio-GD has a strong following, but those DACs are just ginormous!  15kg is quite substantial.  I need to stay more 'mobile'.


True enough. Most of us had to build a new wing on the Old Homestead


----------



## Ciggavelli

hifixman said:


> To my ears and my personal opinion, yes! Besides, it is really not just the best bass, but also resolution and many aspects as well. Valkyria is THE ONE and best match for dCS Lina stack ( even the dCS folks at Canjam SoCal agree with me). I haven’t listened to it via my Riviera though but I suppose the synergy must be good between the dynamic monster to the smooth riviera sound. Would love to hear the sound impression from the user and owner @simorag.  @simorag just inspired me for another great synergy with my system!
> 
> PS. I am also super impressed by Spirit’s own solid and dynamic sounding amp. I can totally imagine that amp be more amazing with cans as Hifiman and Audeze.
> 
> ...



I've started to get interested in the Valkyria again after reading that it has good bass in several places now.  How does it compare to planar bass, specifically the TCs and Susvaras?


----------



## jonathan c

betula said:


> I am a dedicated audio guy.
> 
> I like Chord sound and the TT2 a lot, but with the recent price increases and the more and more colourful and affordable competition I started to struggle justifying the TT2's price. The TT2 is nice, detailed, spacious with good instrument placement but also quite neutral and occasionally a little thin (I would never dare to say 'boring').
> So, the two sides of the coin behind this decision were finances and subjective sonic preference.
> ...


Amen to the non-over-sampling R2R DAC…..natural rendition vs technicolour reconstruction…..🤷🏻‍♂️😊


----------



## karloil (Nov 20, 2022)

AnalogEuphoria said:


> You do realise after trying tons of cans that’s still most people’s endgame headphone. (Talking HD6X0 owners specifically)



Being mostly on portable setups (IEMs, DAPs, etc) since I started this hobby eons ago - the only main stayer for cans in my line-up ever since I started is the 600. In Singapore, we are blessed to audition cans at will (different brands and at any price point). While I was mostly focused on IEMs, I still do audition/listen to cans just for the heck of it. And yes, I understand why people still speak highly of these cans.

Like some, lockdown did change my outlook in this hobby and that's why I'm now starting out with desktop setups. And yes, I know that A LOT in the hobby still go back to the 6XX family after owning tons of (and more expensive) cans. That's why I call them "*timeless cans*" - as they really stood the test of time.

With its well known sound signature, easily modded, cheaply priced (at least at Sennheiser Singapore) - it's a no brianer that people are always (almost) are drawn back to them - and eventually call them their "endgame" cans (although I really don't believe in endgame in this hobby)


----------



## simorag

Ciggavelli said:


> I've started to get interested in the Valkyria again after reading that it has good bass in several places now.  How does it compare to planar bass, specifically the TCs and Susvaras?



The Valkyria bass is very different from the best renditions of planar bass (TC, LCD4, Susvara in my order of preference).

First things first, strictly speaking about extension: the V. has very little _sub-bass_ presence, in that the first octave of the frequency band is barely audible, with about nothing happening below 30Hz. This alone, makes the Valkyria, in my opinion, not ideal for genres that rely strongly on synthetic bass, like EDM, hip-hop etc..

However, for most acoustic bass, like piano lowest registers, double bass, percussions, or - to a certain extent - electric bass, the Valkyria presentation is significantly more visceral, charged of energy and impactful than any planar I have tried.
Jazz, blues, orchestral music (those tympani! those fff piano octaves!), and above all, drum kits over a well driven Valkyria are a unique experience when it comes to bass content. It is as a concert-level lifelike bass exposure as you can get on headphones.

Planar bass appeals me because of the subterranean, skull-rattling oomph, which you can _feel_, before hearing it, and for its enveloping plushness. The Valkyria bass is more like a punch in the chest, and I mean a heavy, strong punch which shakes you and lasts longer than the airwave impact from a planar transducer. 

Both versions are supremely engaging, in a very complementary way, and this is the reason why I keep both the TC and the V.


----------



## Ciggavelli

simorag said:


> The Valkyria bass is very different from the best renditions of planar bass (TC, LCD4, Susvara in my order of preference).
> 
> First things first, strictly speaking about extension: the V. has very little _sub-bass_ presence, in that the first octave of the frequency band is barely audible, with about nothing happening below 30Hz. This alone, makes the Valkyria, in my opinion, not ideal for genres that rely strongly on synthetic bass, like EDM, hip-hop etc..
> 
> ...


Thank you   

I guess these wouldn't be good with hip-hop, but I think they could be a good fit for metal, especially the intricate drumming.  I'm going to Can-Jam NYC in Feb, and hopefully the Valkyria is there so I can get an audition.  I need to make sure to bring my own music to test out.


----------



## ThanatosVI (Nov 21, 2022)

Just realized that this is the wrong thread
Moved the post to 

Post in thread 'Spirit Torino Valkyria' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/spirit-torino-valkyria.951421/post-17254411

@Ciggavelli  there is a FR graph which might give an indication of how much bass quantity the Valkyria provides


----------



## shwnwllms

Some morning light and dat tube glow


----------



## daddyo1973

Been away for a while, so this desktop system marks my return to the game..


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## Unterstuffz

New Table New Station 
I Tried to keep it clean and Exiled all the "Stuff" in a small cabinet beside the table.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Unterstuffz said:


> New Table New Station
> I Tried to keep it clean and Exiled all the "Stuff" in a small cabinet beside the table.


That desk is immaculate. By comparison, my home office looks like hoarder's paradise!


----------



## analogTubeSound

You did say current state... Which right now is a mess... But its current...


----------



## Unterstuffz

Pharmaboy said:


> That desk is immaculate. By comparison, my home office looks like hoarder's paradise!


Mine did too hence the cabinet for the "Stuff"...


----------



## gimmeheadroom

analogTubeSound said:


> You did say current state... Which right now is a mess... But its current...


I like that you have the spray refill right next to your bottle of Heine


----------



## analogTubeSound

gimmeheadroom said:


> I like that you have the spray refill right next to your bottle of Heine


LOL. One is for cleaning tubes... one is for listening to tubes!


----------



## jonathan c

It isn’t spray Heineken refill? 😳🤪


----------



## analogTubeSound

jonathan c said:


> It isn’t spray Heineken refill? 😳🤪


Hah! More or less... Caught me on an off day drinking football party fridge leftovers  - Normally there would be a glass of bourbon in its place!


----------



## morserotonin

Listening space as it is now...


----------



## Guarddawg30

analogTubeSound said:


> You did say current state... Which right now is a mess... But its current...


That isn't a mess that is what is called organized confusion 🤣


----------



## DTgill




----------



## bcowen

morserotonin said:


> Listening space as it is now...


Obviously some great tunes as the sheep does not appear to be nervous.   🤣🤣


----------



## kibot

Just add HD 650 to my "family"


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Obviously some great tunes as the sheep does not appear to be nervous.   🤣🤣


…can’t pull the wool over its ears…


----------



## Pharmaboy

morserotonin said:


> Listening space as it is now...


My eyes see a hassock in the shape of a sheep.

...and my brain can't believe it.


----------



## Pharmaboy

kibot said:


> Just add HD 650 to my "family"


Gibson SG!


----------



## kibot

Pharmaboy said:


> Gibson SG!


Hellyeah 🤘
This guy make this perfect miniatures:

https://instagram.com/mg_customshop?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=


----------



## jonathan c

kibot said:


> Hellyeah 🤘
> This guy make this perfect miniatures:
> 
> https://instagram.com/mg_customshop?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=


Can you get stacks of miniature Marshall amps? 🙂


----------



## kibot

jonathan c said:


> Can you get stacks of miniature Marshall amps? 🙂


Hehe maybe in future))


----------



## rids57

jonathan c said:


> Can you get stacks of miniature Marshall amps? 🙂


Yes you can, they work too


----------



## Roasty

just got these in today. lovely cup colours and grain! I'm in love lol
sound wise I definitely prefer these over my previous GS3000e. there is much less treble in your face. quite possibly my favourite Grado, probably the only one I think I will enjoy a lot. a very engaging sound. 

stock cabling is a bit short for my liking so will likely get the extension cable. am running it in out from the ferrum stack and it is cleeeaaan. a very good pairing indeed. Will try it out of my tube amp later tonight.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Those are beautiful pieces of wood, but it seems odd for that price they couldn't match the color. I saw short videos hosted on the Audeze site, it seems like they pay attention to cut the rings from the same stock so this doesn't happen.


----------



## Roasty

gimmeheadroom said:


> Those are beautiful pieces of wood, but it seems odd for that price they couldn't match the color. I saw short videos hosted on the Audeze site, it seems like they pay attention to cut the rings from the same stock so this doesn't happen.



I was surprised when I opened the box. didn't know what to think at first, but didn't take long to feel that these were quite special, rather than annoyed they were not matched.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Roasty said:


> I was surprised when I opened the box. didn't know what to think at first, but didn't take long to feel that these were quite special, rather than annoyed they were not matched.


Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rain on the parade. The color and grain is amazing.


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

gimmeheadroom said:


> Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rain on the parade. The color and grain is amazing.


You'll always be able to tell left from right at a glance....


----------



## TheMiddleSky

Roasty said:


> just got these in today. lovely cup colours and grain! I'm in love lol
> sound wise I definitely prefer these over my previous GS3000e. there is much less treble in your face. quite possibly my favourite Grado, probably the only one I think I will enjoy a lot. a very engaging sound.
> 
> stock cabling is a bit short for my liking so will likely get the extension cable. am running it in out from the ferrum stack and it is cleeeaaan. a very good pairing indeed. Will try it out of my tube amp later tonight.



Vocal on GS3000x definitely much better than GS3000e too! X is fuller, sweeter, smoother and overall more organic. 

It's the first time I've seen "not matching" cup for GS3000x, definitely a rare sight (at least for now).


----------



## Hofy

rids57 said:


> Yes you can, they work too


We need the model that goes to 11.


----------



## benjifx19

Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician DRACO
2 Sylvania 13DE7's, Sophia Princess 274B Rectifier


----------



## jonathan c

benjifx19 said:


> Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen > Musician DRACO
> 2 Sylvania 13DE7's, Sophia Princess 274B Rectifier


Wonderful ensemble! Which cables for Empyrean? 🤔


----------



## jonathan c

Sennheiser HD6XX (Custom Cans UK mod / JC foam removal / mesh insertion), Icon Audio HP8 (Raytheon CK 5751, RCA ‘narrow gap plate’ 6SN7s).


----------



## tyk103

Couldn't help but see this face


----------



## hifixman (Nov 24, 2022)

The configuration of my electrostatic system is finally set:


----------



## UntilThen




----------



## orrm

UntilThen said:


>


How are you liking the Enleum? It's new for you no?


----------



## Roasty

UntilThen said:


>



damn dude that silver amp is gorgeous. I remember asking Ultrasonic about it a while back but didn't pull the trigger..


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> damn dude that silver amp is gorgeous. I remember asking Ultrasonic about it a while back but didn't pull the trigger..


Maybe you should look at this one
https://ultrasonicstudios.org/telemachus/

The price is a bargain for a 300B amp.
I believe there will be a 2nd Version with different transformers "soon"


----------



## Roasty

ThanatosVI said:


> Maybe you should look at this one
> https://ultrasonicstudios.org/telemachus/
> 
> The price is a bargain for a 300B amp.
> I believe there will be a 2nd Version with different transformers "soon"



Thanks man. that amp looks great too. but I think I'm done with the amp front for now. (famous last words).


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> Thanks man. that amp looks great too. but I think I'm done with the amp front for now. (famous last words).


Yeah you're really well set on the amp front.
More are certainly not what you need.


----------



## benjifx19

jonathan c said:


> Wonderful ensemble! Which cables for Empyrean? 🤔


Audeze


----------



## Ilomaenkimi




----------



## UntilThen

orrm said:


> How are you liking the Enleum? It's new for you no?



It's my friend's unit and he has it for a few months so it's all burn in. Took about 30 minutes for it to warm up though and then it was lukewarm to the touch. When you power it off, the volume dial down to zero by itself. There's a whirling sound when you move the volume. Not a fault but part of the mechanism. The amp is very light. You can carry it with one hand and it has 3 feet.   

Here's my impression of it.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/oblivion-ultrasonic-studios.902926/post-17261649


----------



## orrm

UntilThen said:


> It's my friend's unit and he has it for a few months so it's all burn in. Took about 30 minutes for it to warm up though and then it was lukewarm to the touch. When you power it off, the volume dial down to zero by itself. There's a whirling sound when you move the volume. Not a fault but part of the mechanism. The amp is very light. You can carry it with one hand and it has 3 feet.
> 
> Here's my impression of it.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/oblivion-ultrasonic-studios.902926/post-17261649


Nice read thanks for sharing. I've owned the Enleum for about 6 months and recently moved on to a Linear Tube Audio Z40+ Integrated amp. I'm really amazed by it. Driving the Susvara from the speaker taps and the rest of my headphones from the headphones out. It works well with all of them.


----------



## UntilThen

orrm said:


> Nice read thanks for sharing. I've owned the Enleum for about 6 months and recently moved on to a Linear Tube Audio Z40+ Integrated amp. I'm really amazed by it. Driving the Susvara from the speaker taps and the rest of my headphones from the headphones out. It works well with all of them.



Never heard the Z40+ but I audition Audeze CRBN with Z10E, the same day I audition LCD5 with Naim Uniti Atom at Addicted To Audio. Quite a day actually.  

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/pro...phone-amp-audeze-crbn-electostatic-headphones


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> Maybe you should look at this one
> https://ultrasonicstudios.org/telemachus/
> 
> The price is a bargain for a 300B amp.
> I believe there will be a 2nd Version with different transformers "soon"



That's coming to me in April 2023. It was rather strange because I was deciding whether to spend on the Abyss 1266 TC or Telemachus. So I flip a coin and it landed on Telemachus.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> That's coming to me in April 2023. It was rather strange because I was deciding whether to spend on the Abyss 1266 TC or Telemachus. So I flip a coin and it landed on Telemachus.


….had the coin landed on Abyss, would you have flipped until it landed on Telemachus?…🤷🏻‍♂️


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> ….had the coin landed on Abyss, would you have flipped until it landed on Telemachus?…🤷🏻‍♂️



I followed Aristotle's teaching of ethos, pathos, and logos. His proposal was based on three types of appeal: an ethical appeal or ethos, an emotional appeal, or pathos, and a logical appeal or logos.

The reasoning here is that I can always get Abyss after I get Telemachus..... if the next Great Depression hasn't come in yet.


----------



## bagwell359

Stereo w/ headphones and speakers.  Room is brutal even all my ASC traps cannot save it.


----------



## bagwell359 (Nov 25, 2022)

Where the work is done and 3 of the 5 guitars and piano.  I know off topic, but it's hour 4 in the ER....


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

LanceSaintPaul said:


> You'll always be able to tell left from right at a glance....



Unintentional benefit


----------



## UntilThen

Roasty said:


> just got these in today. lovely cup colours and grain! I'm in love lol
> sound wise I definitely prefer these over my previous GS3000e. there is much less treble in your face. quite possibly my favourite Grado, probably the only one I think I will enjoy a lot. a very engaging sound.
> 
> stock cabling is a bit short for my liking so will likely get the extension cable. am running it in out from the ferrum stack and it is cleeeaaan. a very good pairing indeed. Will try it out of my tube amp later tonight.



Ummmm I want.


----------



## Pharmaboy

bagwell359 said:


> Where the work is done and 3 of the 5 guitars and piano.  I know off topic, but it's hour 4 in the ER....


That piano is dazzling! Who painted it?


----------



## bagwell359

Pharmaboy said:


> That piano is dazzling! Who painted it?


Markus Leslie based in Chelmsford MA.  He had a craft shop "Markus and Leslie" that closed a few years ago.  He painted murals, portraits, woodwork, all sorts of stuff - very creative.  It's the only piano (1996) he ever painted he told me about 3 years ago.  I think he's retired now.  

It's a Baldwin and you cannot play it hard or it goes out of tune, but the wife has a light touch thankfully.


----------



## bagwell359 (Nov 25, 2022)

The guitars:

Yamaha NTX700
Taylor 314ce
Yamaha AC1R

Not pictured:

Gibson Les Paul Special faded cherry
Fender Squier Vibe
Yamaha FG830c

BTW I stink and am only allowed to play the 830 and Gibson since I rebuilt it.  oops there it is....


----------



## piakoB (Nov 25, 2022)

Mainly tried this to see and experiment if it would even work. M1 iPad Air > Qutest. Works fine even with hi-res albums (192/24) via Roon. I’m using a OWC dock and a generic USB 3.0 hub to get the audio output to work. Hub has a keyboard and mouse connected then the cable to the dac. Roon didn’t see the dac over ALSA just said “iPad.” When Apple finally rolls out full extended display support this will make for a cool little listening station. Still works pretty good now even though under iPad os 16 they haven’t enabled yet the full display support.


----------



## Shane D

My Favourite corner of the world!


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> My Favourite corner of the world!


I’m surprised that ‘tabby’ has not commandeered the recliner…😸


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> I’m surprised that ‘tabby’ has not commandeered the recliner…😸


Only when I am there. He needs my legs to act as back rests. I have finally found my purpose in life.


----------



## peterinvan

jonathan c said:


> Amen to the non-over-sampling R2R DAC…..natural rendition vs technicolour reconstruction…..🤷🏻‍♂️😊


I enjoy my Cayin RU6 R2R in NOS mode.   Recent swap tests  .... I can't tell the difference between RU6 and FiiO M11Pro with AK4497EQ DACs and TSX amps.


----------



## Roasty

U22, definitely ranking high on my favourite purchases for 2022. fantastic all rounder and makes for a great listen any time of the day.


----------



## benjifx19

Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen> Musician DRACO
Tubes:2 Sylvania 13DE7's, Rectifier: Brimar 5Z4GY

Messing around with Black and White hope its ok


----------



## jonathan c

benjifx19 said:


> Meze Empyrean > Woo Audio WA6 2nd Gen> Musician DRACO
> Tubes:2 Sylvania 13DE7's, Rectifier: Brimar 5Z4GY
> 
> Messing around with Black and White hope its ok


Is that a ‘phone camera’ or a ‘camera’ picture?


----------



## UntilThen

Roasty said:


> U22, definitely ranking high on my favourite purchases for 2022. fantastic all rounder and makes for a great listen any time of the day.



What is a U22?


----------



## Roasty

UntilThen said:


> What is a U22?



Utopia 2022.. just too lazy to type it out.


----------



## benjifx19

jonathan c said:


> Is that a ‘phone camera’ or a ‘camera’ picture?


phone picture on apple 13 mini settings i changed them


----------



## UntilThen

Roasty said:


> Utopia 2022.. just too lazy to type it out.



Is it much different from U original?


----------



## orrm

Roasty said:


> U22, definitely ranking high on my favourite purchases for 2022. fantastic all rounder and makes for a great listen any time of the day.



Bought it a few weeks ago, I'm really really enjoying it. Synergy with my LTA is through the roof. 100% agree on the all rounder description. I think for specific sonic tasks or in specific technical comparisons you can find better but it's really balanced and enjoyable.


----------



## benjifx19

Roasty said:


> Utopia 2022.. just too lazy to type it out.


made me laugh, love it mate


----------



## Roasty

UntilThen said:


> Is it much different from U original?



different, yes, and imo a better hp overall. kept most of the qualities of the outgoing model, and improved on it. 



orrm said:


> Bought it a few weeks ago, I'm really really enjoying it. Synergy with my LTA is through the roof. 100% agree on the all rounder description. I think for specific sonic tasks or in specific technical comparisons you can find better but it's really balanced and enjoyable.



really enjoyable headphone. super fuss free listen! yes, other totl will best it on individual technicalities but taking it as a whole picture, the U22 is just a fantastic dynamic headphone. getting myself lost in the music is so easy with these cans. not even needing to think or concern myself with positioning or comfort (queue Abyss), sufficient/insufficient amplification etc.


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> What is a U22?


Utopia 2022. A Focal revised Utopia.


----------



## bcowen

Roasty said:


> Utopia 2022.. just too lazy to type it out.


Oh, that makes more sense.  I was wondering why (and how) you bought an old submarine.   🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Oh, that makes more sense.  I was wondering why (and how) you bought an old submarine.   🤣🤣


He thought that it was a king-sized Telefunken G73R?…😂:


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> He thought that it was a king-sized Telefunken G73R?…😂:


How do you telefunken salesman which tubes you want?


----------



## UntilThen

I thought it’s the come back of U2.


----------



## YtseJamer




----------



## UntilThen

gimmeheadroom said:


> How do you telefunken salesman which tubes you want?



The Telefunken combination to beat Ferrari. TFK ECC801s and EL156. I'm using these tubes in Odyssey now.

These holy grail of the EL world.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Roasty said:


> Utopia 2022.. just too lazy to type it out.


Relieved to read this. I thought U22 might be another rock band I should know about, but don't


----------



## UntilThen

Chris told Bono, I'll do it with or without you.


----------



## jonathan c (Nov 28, 2022)




----------



## Badas

UntilThen said:


> The Telefunken combination to beat Ferrari. TFK ECC801s and EL156. I'm using these tubes in Odyssey now.
> 
> These holy grail of the EL world.


What are they? Driver or power tubes.
Can I use them in Woo WA22?


----------



## UntilThen

Badas said:


> What are they? Driver or power tubes.
> Can I use them in Woo WA22?



They are power tubes - pentodes and unfortunately not suitable for Wa22.

EL156 is one of the best tube in the world, made by Telefunken in the golden ages.  

Source - https://www.tubeguru.eu/el156-se/


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> Only when I am there. He needs my legs to act as back rests. I have finally found my purpose in life.


When it is recliner time / Shane-shin time, is this the look?….


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> He thought that it was a king-sized Telefunken G73R?…😂:


I haven't bought any submarines lately, but with what the G73-R's go for these days the submarine would probably be cheaper.   🤣


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> I haven't bought any submarines lately, but with what the G73-R's go for these days the submarine would probably be cheaper.   🤣


After 10,000 hours…the Gs can be torpedoes…💥


----------



## hifixman (Nov 28, 2022)

Placing my T2 with on the Adona Reference marble stand, I start to understand why HE-1 would chop the highest quality of marbles from mountains in Italy as its amp materials!


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> When it is recliner time / Shane-shin time, is this the look?….


Nope. If he jumps up and my legs aren't open, he just stares at me. That is cat talk for, "Are you stupid? I have been here for 2 seconds already! Why aren't your legs open?"
I then meekly apologize and open my legs. He will then turn his back to me and groom for 5-10 minutes before laying down for a much needed nap.


----------



## DTgill

jonathan c said:


>


Beautiful setups' as always...


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


>


It's good to finally see an audio photo where not every single thing is aligned & perfect...


----------



## DTgill

Pharmaboy said:


> It's good to finally see an audio photo where not every single thing is aligned & perfect...


LOL, that pretty much sums me up


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> It's good to finally see an audio photo where not every single thing is aligned & perfect...



Oh right, like his pictures could possibly be worse than mine. Srlsly


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Oh right, like his pictures could possibly be worse than mine. Srlsly


It's only becomes a race to the bottom _if you really need that_...


----------



## Pharmaboy

DTgill said:


> LOL, that pretty much sums me up


Me, too. 

My wife walks in this office and looks around with disdain, like it's the Augean stables ("paging Hercules!"). In reality, I'm more organized & neat than ever before in my life. Still, my "neat" falls far short of the design, style & perfection some people exhibit in their systems.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> It's only becomes a race to the bottom _if you really need that_...


I don't need that and no, it's not a race. My photos speak for themselves!


----------



## Badas

jonathan c said:


>


Brimar 5Z4G is a nice recitifier.
I often switch backwards and forwards between Brinmar and Tak 274B.
Not sure which I like best. Problem is I think I like certain qualities from both. I would like to mash them together.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Badas said:


> Brimar 5Z4G is a nice recitifier.
> I often switch backwards and forwards between Brinmar and Tak 274B.
> Not sure which I like best. Problem is I think I like certain qualities from both. I would like to mash them together.


That would be an Elrog 5U4G.

Sorry, but my Gods command I spread the gospel.


----------



## hifixman

Change is the only constant of life and music lol


----------



## Badas

ColSaulTigh said:


> That would be an Elrog 5U4G.
> 
> Sorry, but my Gods command I spread the gospel.


Damn, 
I don't want to buy another tube. I have too many.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Badas said:


> Damn,
> I don't want to buy another tube. I have too many.


----------



## Roasty

ColSaulTigh said:


> That would be an Elrog 5U4G.
> 
> Sorry, but my Gods command I spread the gospel.



have you tried the elrog 274b?
found a local dealer for elrog tubes and am curious.


----------



## UntilThen

Badas said:


> Damn,
> I don't want to buy another tube. I have too many.



Don't we all. My tubes are under the bed, in the roof cavity, etc. Now that the Christmas tree is up they are there too.


----------



## ColSaulTigh

Roasty said:


> have you tried the elrog 274b?
> found a local dealer for elrog tubes and am curious.


Yes.  Unfortunately their 274B (pair) did not play nice with my Woo Audio WA5-LE.  I'm not sure if I just happened to get a bad tube or it's an actual compatibility issue.  Other 274B's work just fine.  Theirs blew 2 fuses.  Sent them back and got the 5U4Gs, which have worked perfectly since.


----------



## Badas

UntilThen said:


> Don't we all. My tubes are under the bed, in the roof cavity, etc. Now that the Christmas tree is up they are there too.


Lol. Mine is the same.
I have in roof cavity, Spare room wardrobe and lounge.


----------



## Roasty

ColSaulTigh said:


> Yes.  Unfortunately their 274B (pair) did not play nice with my Woo Audio WA5-LE.  I'm not sure if I just happened to get a bad tube or it's an actual compatibility issue.  Other 274B's work just fine.  Theirs blew 2 fuses.  Sent them back and got the 5U4Gs, which have worked perfectly since.



I heard and read of some elrog tube issues.. it is making me slightly concerned. I really don't want a repeat of my EML tube rma issues. 

the local dealer only has the 274b listed. have asked about the 5u4g.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> I heard and read of some elrog tube issues.. it is making me slightly concerned. I really don't want a repeat of my EML tube rma issues.
> 
> the local dealer only has the 274b listed. have asked about the 5u4g.


Before Thomas Mayer Took over, they had quality issues.
Ever since then they are great tho. (From whst I heard, can't say from expe yet)


----------



## ColSaulTigh

ThanatosVI said:


> Before Thomas Mayer Took over, they had quality issues.
> Ever since then they are great tho. (From whst I heard, can't say from expe yet)


This is correct.  Thomas even acknowledges the issues and explains that's why he bought the company - to build the best quality tubes possible.

Between my 5U4G's and 300B's (and everyone else in the multiple tube threads where they are discussed), there are no other complaints of current-generation tubes.


----------



## shwnwllms

I think I actually found a pair of IEMs that I like






Audeze Euclid + Roon preset + A&K SE180 (SEM4 - DAR enabled) is the best portable rig I’ve heard and gets incredibly close to my “desktop” setup. Closed back planar IEMs are insane.


----------



## DTgill

Comforting after a long day in the pit...


----------



## Zachik

DTgill said:


> Comforting after a long day in the pit...


What were you doing in a pit?!


----------



## DTgill

Zachik said:


> What were you doing in a pit?!


Getting my hands dirty...


----------



## paradoxper

Roasty said:


> I heard and read of some elrog tube issues.. it is making me slightly concerned. I really don't want a repeat of my EML tube rma issues.
> 
> the local dealer only has the 274b listed. have asked about the 5u4g.


Pending your input specification the 274B can be iffy but you should be ok with the 33.

Quality has largely been rectified with Thomas Mayer taking helm.

My original pair under his takeover is only testing stronger. Ha.


----------



## Wes S




----------



## shwnwllms

Wes S said:


>



Show off 😉


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Wes S said:


>


Elegant!


----------



## Roasty

Wes S said:


>



that's so much wood and it's making me smile and I don't know how I should feel anymore.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Wes S said:


>


This is beautiful.


----------



## YtseJamer (Dec 2, 2022)

Probably the best "affordable" setup I had since I've been in this hobby.


----------



## UntilThen

My most affordable headphone powered by Ragnarok.


----------



## judomaniak57

finally got myself the matching dac to my headphone amp, older but still very good. The bryston bda2


----------



## SalR406

judomaniak57 said:


> finally got myself the matching dac to my headphone amp, older but still very good. The bryston bda2


Those are both older pieces, but excellent performers and built to last.  Great value, especially for someone in Canada.  And they look great stacked!


----------



## bcowen

Roasty said:


> that's so much wood and it's making me smile....


My wife said the exact same thing last night. 

(sorry, couldn't resist )


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

judomaniak57 said:


> finally got myself the matching dac to my headphone amp, older but still very good. The bryston bda2



The best gear doesn’t age.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

AnalogEuphoria said:


> The best gear doesn’t age.


@bcowen said the same thing to his wife last night


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

gimmeheadroom said:


> @bcowen said the same thing to his wife last night



Probably still said she got a headache…


----------



## Chefguru




----------



## bcowen

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Probably still said she got a headache…


That's kind of irrelevant as long as *I* don't have a headache.   🤣


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> @bcowen said the same thing to his wife last night


…or this ‘tube’ still tests at NOS…🤣


----------



## Chris Kaoss

judomaniak57 said:


> finally got myself the matching dac to my headphone amp, older but still very good. The bryston bda2


The eyes are listening too. 
Great combo.


----------



## Ficcion2

Enjoying a full weekend off for once.


----------



## hifixman (Dec 5, 2022)

Summit-fi Streamers: K50 vs MU1

Thanks to my awesome audiophile buddies, I am lucky enough to test and experience these two top of the line streamers in my reference systems.

Long story short, Antipodes K50 and Grimm MU1 are as different as Yin and Yang in stock cables( a pc could change everything). They both have their house sound where the former is like a delicate, soft, nuanced and super clean lady while the later sounds as a masculine, beefy, powerful and dynamic gentleman to my ears. Physically, the former is heavy as irons while the later is sooooo light as I could grab in one hand.


----------



## bcowen

hifixman said:


> From a unique friend, Grimm  MU1 is a very unique streamer to my ears even after experiencing Antepodes K50, Lumin X1, Arrender, Linn, Cambridge… in my reference systems.


Lots of tubes.  Love it!!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Well that's one way to heat a home this winter, impressive!


----------



## MacMan31

Chefguru said:


>



What headphones are these?  Also a random headphones related question for anyone here. Why are headphones often referred to as "cans"? The only thing I can think of is a game kids used to play long ago with a tin can at each end of a string.


----------



## Reputator

Wes S said:


>



Oh man, so gorgeous.


----------



## Chefguru (Dec 4, 2022)

MacMan31 said:


> What headphones are these?  Also a random headphones related question for anyone here. Why are headphones often referred to as "cans"? The only thing I can think of is a game kids used to play long ago with a tin can at each end of a string.


Stax Sr-x9000
Arguably best in-production headphone  

https://www.headamp.com/products/stax-sr-x9000


----------



## MacMan31

Chefguru said:


> Stax Sr-x9000
> Arguably best in-production headphone
> 
> https://www.headamp.com/products/stax-sr-x9000



Well perhaps if I win the lottery I'll be able to buy a set.


----------



## RogueCrusher

Chefguru said:


> Stax Sr-x9000
> Arguably best in-production headphone
> 
> https://www.headamp.com/products/stax-sr-x9000


Agree - as one of the best 😃.  Equal in price point but also with amplification, The Warwick Bravura sits right up next to them though as far as eStats go.


----------



## hifixman (Dec 4, 2022)

RogueCrusher said:


> Agree - as one of the best 😃.  Equal in price point but also with amplification, The Warwick Bravura sits right up next to them though as far as eStats go.


I feel they both sound special and unusual in different ways but X9000 is more detailed and bigger sounding than Bravura in my memory.


----------



## Roasty

wife and kids are away for 3 weeks! cleaned up the hse, cleared up all the toys and junk, moved the furniture around, and shifted out the big boy toys

going to hook up the REL sub and do some measurements for room correction later today. Dec should be a good month if the Raal tube amp and my new dac get delivered on time.


----------



## hifixman (Dec 4, 2022)

Roasty said:


> wife and kids are away for 3 weeks! cleaned up the hse, cleared up all the toys and junk, moved the furniture around, and shifted out the big boy toys
> 
> going to hook up the REL sub and do some measurements for room correction later today. Dec should be a good month if the Raal tube amp and my new dac get delivered on time.


I guess You must love classical music based on your cans. I tried driving Susvara with Primaluna speaker out which turned out to be a disaster lol


----------



## Roasty

hifixman said:


> I guess You must love classical music based on your cans. I tried driving Susvara with Primaluna speaker out which turned out to be a disaster lol



classical music is definitely not on my playlist LOL.. years and years of being forced to learn piano when I was a kid completely killed any love for it..!


----------



## hifixman (Dec 4, 2022)

Roasty said:


> classical music is definitely not on my playlist LOL.. years and years of being forced to learn piano when I was a kid completely killed any love for it..!


Oops sorry for wrong guess and your story which is so typical in Asian culture as well lol . Then you use Raal and T+A for Hip hop?


----------



## jonathan c

Someday, the sheer musicality of simplicity will sink in…😳 🤔 🤨

   [My little audio loft in the Laurel Mountains]


----------



## Roasty

hifixman said:


> Oops sorry for wrong guess and your story which is so typical in Asian culture as well lol . Then you use Raal and T+A for Hip hop?



I listen to pretty much everything except rap and classical. I had Susvara before but sold it since I had two driver failures, one soon after the other, and also because I got more enjoyment out of the T+A. I have a few other headphones which I like to rotate too.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Roasty said:


> wife and kids are away for 3 weeks! cleaned up the hse, cleared up all the toys and junk, moved the furniture around, and shifted out the big boy toys
> 
> going to hook up the REL sub and do some measurements for room correction later today. Dec should be a good month if the Raal tube amp and my new dac get delivered on time.


Unbelievable setup! I love the wood on your table, is it maple?


----------



## Roasty

gimmeheadroom said:


> Unbelievable setup! I love the wood on your table, is it maple?



Thanks man! 
oops, I have no idea what kind of wood it is...


----------



## jonathan c

@bcowen would say that it has to be maple - it sounds best! 🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Roasty said:


> wife and kids are away for 3 weeks! cleaned up the hse, cleared up all the toys and junk, moved the furniture around, and shifted out the big boy toys
> 
> going to hook up the REL sub and do some measurements for room correction later today. Dec should be a good month if the Raal tube amp and my new dac get delivered on time.


21-day weather forecast for Roastyville: => 95 dB 🤣


----------



## ThanatosVI

Moved into the new home.
That's my setup right now.
it's not finished yet but already very nice







First Listening Session in the new house is with the Meze Elite


----------



## Chastity

ThanatosVI said:


> Moved into the new home.
> That's my setup right now.
> it's not finished yet but already very nice
> 
> ...


Those headphone stands


----------



## gefski

MacMan31 said:


> What headphones are these?  Also a random headphones related question for anyone here. Why are headphones often referred to as "cans"? The only thing I can think of is a game kids used to play long ago with a tin can at each end of a string.


I remember A/B testing we did with two cans and various strings (cotton, nylon, etc.) That’s when I first learned that cables make a difference.


----------



## Fsilva

Decided to sell my svs sb 3000 sub, and upgraded the Auralic Altair G1 for the G2.1


----------



## jonathan c

gefski said:


> I remember A/B testing we did with two cans and various strings (cotton, nylon, etc.) That’s when I first learned that cables make a difference.


Cans can make a difference, too. Especially, those with the designation b-e-e-r…..🤪🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

Roasty said:


> Thanks man!
> oops, I have no idea what kind of wood it is...


It's not maple. The grain and figure are all wrong for maple (which is nearly featureless). Besides, I see several large strips of sapwood there...never saw that with the maple I worked with.


----------



## phila

Probably my final setup for the next few years.. few changes like cables will be done and a new lowboard


----------



## xeizo

phila said:


> Probably my final setup for the next few years.. few changes like cables will be done and a new lowboard



Impressive setup! But why no Audeze planar?


----------



## orrm

Fsilva said:


> Auralic Altair G1 for the G2.1


how are you liking that upgrade? worth the difference?
I'm thinking of upgrading my Aries G1 to G2.1 as well (with the PSU upgrade probably)


----------



## phila

xeizo said:


> Impressive setup! But why no Audeze planar?


Thanks a lot, Audeze is an awesome brand with great headphones, unfortunately I've always been put off by the weight.


----------



## xeizo

phila said:


> Thanks a lot, Audeze is an awesome brand with great headphones, unfortunately I've always been put off by the weight.



Yes, comfort is important and not that your current cans are subpar LoL


----------



## Fsilva

orrm said:


> how are you liking that upgrade? worth the difference?
> I'm thinking of upgrading my Aries G1 to G2.1 as well (with the PSU upgrade probably)


Totally worth it! As for the psu upgrade, i don´t think is worth it for the G2.1 models.


----------



## ThanatosVI

Does anyone have an electrical chimney near his setup (just for the looks not for the heating)?

With the new setup and the incoming stressless Mayfair I now look for further things that can improve the overall setup.
Chimneys with Opti V technology look interesting


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> @bcowen would say that it has to be maple - it sounds best! 🤣


Maple _does_ sound best to be sure, but I agree with @Pharmaboy that the tabletop isn't maple. I like it a lot though -- very pretty. Fortunately it's not supporting any audio devices, so any negative sonic impact is substantially minimized. 🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

ThanatosVI said:


> Does anyone have an electrical chimney near his setup (just for the looks not for the heating)?
> 
> With the new setup and the incoming stressless Mayfair I now look for further things that can improve the overall setup.
> Chimneys with Opti V technology look interesting


I think @bcowen has an electric chimney. It's called a Voltwanger or something like that. From what I hear, it most definitely works for heating too


----------



## RickB

Mr Trev said:


> I think @bcowen has an electric chimney. It's called a Voltwanger or something like that. From what I hear, it most definitely works for heating too


How'd he get an electric chimney made out of cardboard to work?


----------



## ARCXENOS

I uh, finally got rid of the storeroom rack, by actually using it as a storeroom rack.

Getting a proper rack makes me irrationally happy. Empty space reserved for the Holo Bliss!


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

@ARCXENOS:
What feet are under those? Factory?


----------



## ARCXENOS

LanceSaintPaul said:


> @ARCXENOS:
> What feet are under those? Factory?


its indeed factory, pretty sharp and stable


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

Nice. Looks the part.


----------



## Mr Trev

RickB said:


> How'd he get an electric chimney made out of cardboard to work?


----------



## carbonF1

I picked up one of the Monoprice Monolith XL racks that was on sale this Black Friday. I'm pretty happy I went with espresso over black, wish I got one of these sooner. I like it better than the "gear sandwich" from before. Don't mind the rats nest of cables


----------



## jonathan c

No capacitor modifications for MLP but…


----------



## bcowen (Dec 7, 2022)

RickB said:


> How'd he get an electric chimney made out of cardboard to work?


Artificial flames.   🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> No capacitor modifications for MLP but…


You know, I hear good things about Jupiter caps. I'm current trying to find a way to shoehorn some in my Vali2


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I think @bcowen has an electric chimney. It's called a Voltwanger or something like that. From what I hear, it most definitely works for heating too


Kinda more like an electric _bonfire_, but almost the same.  🤣


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> Kinda more like an electric _bonfire_, but almost the same.  🤣


I tells you… toasting marshmallows while you listen would totally up the experience

<edit> or Jiffy Pop. That'd be awesome


----------



## ColSaulTigh

bcowen said:


> Kinda more like an electric _bonfire_, but almost the same.  🤣






:twitch:


----------



## shwnwllms

ColSaulTigh said:


> :twitch:


Ain’t that some schiit


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> I tells you… toasting marshmallows while you listen would totally _####_ up the experience
> 
> <edit> or Jiffy GE tube pop. That'd be awesome


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.]


----------



## bcowen

ColSaulTigh said:


> :twitch:


No wonder the left channel sounds a little louder.....electrons are leaking out the bottom of the tube on the right.   🤣


----------



## kibot

Just add Meze 99 Neo to my portative setup


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 8, 2022)

For this X'mas season added/upraded (present for myself) the following:
*Upgraded:* from Shuttle DH370 i9-9900 32Gb *to* Lenovo P360 Ultra i7-12700 RTX A2000 128Gb
*Added:* Puritan PSM156, Ethernet Tweaks (Fiber Optic Media Converters + LPS + Lan Isolators)


----------



## Pharmaboy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For this X'mas season added/upraded (present for myself) the following:
> *Upgraded:* from Shuttle DH370 i9-9900 32Gb *to* Lenovo P360 Ultra i7-12700 RTX A2000 128Gb
> *Added:* Puritan PSM156, Ethernet Tweaks (Fiber Optic Media Converters + LPS + Lan Isolators)


Is that 128 GB of RAM for the Lenovo? If so, I never heard of so much RAM on a laptop. Why would you need that much?

(sorry it's not an audio question...I'm just curious)


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Dec 8, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Is that 128 GB of RAM for the Lenovo? If so, I never heard of so much RAM on a laptop. Why would you need that much?
> 
> (sorry it's not an audio question...I'm just curious)


It's not a laptop 

You can never have too much RAM, especially on Windows. I consider 32G a minimum lately. Even our office laptops from 5 years ago are all configured with 32G and Core i7s.

edited for spelling, probably didn't catch them all.


----------



## Ari Pereira




----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 8, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Why would you need that much?
> 
> (sorry it's not an audio question...I'm just curious)


Just for kinks/show...wanted to always see what I could stuff on a small 3.8 liter package. Plus bragging rights...

Oh, and has 3 (could place 4) SSD drives..






Sorry for OT...


----------



## shwnwllms

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just for kinks/show...wanted to always see what I could stuff on a small 3.8 liter package. Plus bragging rights...
> 
> Oh, and has 3 (could place 4) SSD drives..
> 
> ...



With an i9-12.7K & 128G RAM you better be running HQPlayer on that rig, upsampling to DSD1024 using Extended Compensation (w/ CUDA offload) or you have to turn in your audiophile card.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 8, 2022)

That's the idea...Plus it has an extra PCIe 3.0 X8 slot for an audiophile USB/Lan card. JCAT?


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> I consider 32G a minimum lately.


Me, too. Just ordered a new 17" laptop and spec'd it to have 32 GB of RAM. I'm hardly a power user, but the OS, the standard apps, and the online environment (browsers) all hog RAM in my experience. 

FWIW, this laptop will serve streaming and music file content to my side system (headphone only): Audio GD NOS DAC + SPDIF converter, Monoprice LGX, and Liquid Carbon v2.


----------



## MacMan31

jonathan c said:


> No capacitor modifications for MLP but…


What is that black box to the right of the Monoprice tube amp?


----------



## shwnwllms

MacMan31 said:


> What is that black box to the right of the Monoprice tube amp?


Linear Power Supply…or transdimensional vortex to get the bits to line up perfectly for maximum fidelity and minimum friction. It’s hard to tell from the photo.


----------



## emdeevee

Suitable endgame setup


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> What is that black box to the right of the Monoprice tube amp?


That is a LPS-36: linear power supply of 36 volts, 1.5 Amps - specific values for the Monoprice / Cavalli Liquid Platinum. The ‘umbilical’ cord between LPS and MCLP is ‘5N’ silver.


----------



## MacMan31

jonathan c said:


> That is a LPS-36: linear power supply of 36 volts, 1.5 Amps - specific values for the Monoprice / Cavalli Liquid Platinum. The ‘umbilical’ cord between LPS and MCLP is ‘5N’ silver.



Oh okay. So it's something specific for the Monoprice amp.


----------



## shwnwllms

LCD-5 challenge…V550 Pro versus Pendant SE


----------



## Festive56

As it is right now. Check out my bitchin headphone stand i made using my righteous woodworking skills!  It’s almost level! It’ll look better soon I promise, sounds fantastic now though…


----------



## Badas

Festive56 said:


> As it is right now. Check out my bitchin headphone stand i made using my righteous woodworking skills!  It’s almost level! It’ll look better soon I promise, sounds fantastic now though…


Is that the CXN Streamer. If so then snap! I have the same one.
Do you use the internal DAC? or an external?


----------



## Pharmaboy

Festive56 said:


> righteous woodworking skills! It’s almost level!


very droll


----------



## Festive56

Badas said:


> Is that the CXN Streamer. If so then snap! I have the same one.
> Do you use the internal DAC? or an external?


I see my photo skills are as good as my woodworking skills. Second box down is my Schiit Bifrost 2/64 DAC.


----------



## j0val

I think it’s a pretty versatile setup.


----------



## jonathan c

MacMan31 said:


> Oh okay. So it's something specific for the Monoprice amp.


It is. It is not made by Monoprice / Monolith.


----------



## Badas

Festive56 said:


> I see my photo skills are as good as my woodworking skills. Second box down is my Schiit Bifrost 2/64 DAC.


Ahh! I'm not that keen sighted myself.

I use to have a Schiit Yggy DAC. 
I got the CXN streamer and compared the two. 
I couldn't tell the difference so the Yggy went to a new owner. 
Since then I've never had regrets. The Wolfton DAC in the CXN is hot!


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Festive56 said:


> As it is right now. Check out my bitchin headphone stand i made using my righteous woodworking skills!  It’s almost level! It’ll look better soon I promise, sounds fantastic now though…



How you liking that piety with 6XX?


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Badas said:


> Ahh! I'm not that keen sighted myself.
> 
> I use to have a Schiit Yggy DAC.
> I got the CXN streamer and compared the two.
> ...



I think DAC differences are so subtle most people can’t hear any difference, find it’s a different story with amplification though.


----------



## Festive56




----------



## Festive56 (Dec 9, 2022)

AnalogEuphoria said:


> How you liking that piety with 6XX?


If youre expecting a miracle, forget it. They still sound like 6XX‘s, dark and veiled. The piety sweetens up the top end some but its not a night and day difference in the phones overall. On the other hand, the Sundaras have a great synergy with the Piety.They sound sweet and clear, well balanced and detailed, without a hint of that sizzle and shoutiness that makes you want to quickly crank down the volume. A fantastic pairing that keeps me listening for hours…. Full disclosure; I just got back into headphones after about 15 years listening to Acoustat electrostatic speakers, so I may be a bit biased against dynamic drivers. 🤷


----------



## Chastity

Pharmaboy said:


> Me, too. Just ordered a new 17" laptop and spec'd it to have 32 GB of RAM. I'm hardly a power user, but the OS, the standard apps, and the online environment (browsers) all hog RAM in my experience.
> 
> FWIW, this laptop will serve streaming and music file content to my side system (headphone only): Audio GD NOS DAC + SPDIF converter, Monoprice LGX, and Liquid Carbon v2.


I recently got a new laptop, Asus G513QY, swapped in 32GB RAM, and added a 2nd NVMe.  Quite the beast, and I use that to feed my SMSL M300 MKII / tube buffer preamp / Schiit Asgard 3 / Monoprice M1570, and using EQ APO to apply systemwide EQ, along with Redscape/Dolby Access/DTS:X to provide 7.1 VSS.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Festive56 said:


> If youre expecting a miracle, forget it. They still sound like 6XX‘s, dark and veiled. The piety sweetens up the top end some but its not a night and day difference in the phones overall. On the other hand, the Sundaras have a great synergy with the Piety.They sound sweet and clear, well balanced and detailed, without a hint of that sizzle and shoutiness that makes you want to quickly crank down the volume. A fantastic pairing that keeps me listening for hours…. Full disclosure; I just got back into headphones after about 15 years listening to Acoustat electrostatic speakers, so I may be a bit biased against dynamic drivers. 🤷



My 650 don’t sound dark and veiled, they are just a tad warm with smooth treble. I’ve heard there are a lot of unit variations with 6XX though leading to some sounding not great at all.


----------



## Pharmaboy

AnalogEuphoria said:


> My 650 don’t sound dark and veiled, they are just a tad warm with smooth treble. I’ve heard there are a lot of unit variations with 6XX though leading to some sounding not great at all.


I loved the sound of the stock HD650 from note-1 (didn't care much for the comfort, but I've had worse, too). I could easily hear why that headphone became a classic. 

The worst things I could say about the HD650 were that the soundstaging is "intimate" rather than expansive (but that's actually ideal for what was designed to be a monitoring headphone); and the very bottom Hz of the bass are MIA (many other headphones are the same).

Didn't like much of what I read about the HD6XX. Sounded like the "improvements" in its voicing could be problematic, though I never heard one to verify for myself.


----------



## Festive56

AnalogEuphoria said:


> My 650 don’t sound dark and veiled, they are just a tad warm with smooth treble. I’ve heard there are a lot of unit variations with 6XX though leading to some sounding not great at all.


You make a very good point. Waay back in the day i had a pair of real HD650’s which I sold for one reason or another. I remembered them fondly and when Drop offered the 6XX’s i snapped up a pair, but come to think of it, I‘ve always been disappointed in their sound signature. They've been sitting around for quite a while, and when I got back into the hobby, of course I used them, but I also bought a pair of Sundaras which I use almost exclusively. I gave my impression of my 6XXes with the Piety, but you could very well be right, my particular pair might be crap. Sorry man, not trying to offend anyone! ✌️


----------



## bcowen

Festive56 said:


> If youre expecting a miracle, forget it. They still sound like 6XX‘s, dark and veiled. The piety sweetens up the top end some but its not a night and day difference in the phones overall. On the other hand, the Sundaras have a great synergy with the Piety.They sound sweet and clear, well balanced and detailed, without a hint of that sizzle and shoutiness that makes you want to quickly crank down the volume. A fantastic pairing that keeps me listening for hours…. Full disclosure; I just got back into headphones after about 15 years listening to Acoustat electrostatic speakers, so I may be a bit biased against dynamic drivers. 🤷


Ahhhh….Acoustat Model 1’s were the drug that got me started in all this.  Loved their sound (even with the poor external woofer implementation), but hate them for throwing me headfirst into this rabbit hole (and then filling it with dirt so I couldn’t escape).


----------



## Festive56

bcowen said:


> Ahhhh….Acoustat Model 1’s were the drug that got me started in all this.  Loved their sound (even with the poor external woofer implementation), but hate them for throwing me headfirst into this rabbit hole (and then filling it with dirt so I couldn’t escape).


Acoustat Model 4's, 4 panels wide each, with custom interfaces, driven with a Plinius SA-100 mk3, 100 watts pure class A power. 👍


----------



## hifixman (Dec 10, 2022)

Emm Labs is Home directly from DC Capital Audio Festival, meh with T2, ok with Riviera/ Luna, good with Viva, amazing with loudspeaker…


----------



## judomaniak57

hifixman said:


> Emm Labs Home directly from DC Capital Audio Festival


. very impressive collection.is that at a dealers or is that your setup?if is yours


----------



## hifixman

judomaniak57 said:


> . very impressive collection.is that at a dealers or is that your setup?if is yours


No dealers have all of them in US as far as I know lol


----------



## Wes S (Dec 10, 2022)




----------



## lolbolpower

Wes S said:


>


That tube glow is amazing!


----------



## karloil

My humble desktop setup...all the while I'm into portables, now slowly going desktop....Just waiting for my new tubes...


----------



## shwnwllms

Rare full desktop photo (since I finally got around to installing some isoacoustic risers and can use my speakers again)


----------



## Ilomaenkimi




----------



## bcowen

Festive56 said:


> Acoustat Model 4's, 4 panels wide each, with custom interfaces, driven with a Plinius SA-100 mk3, 100 watts pure class A power. 👍


Oh man.  I never had a Plinius but had a dealer/friend that sold them. Very musical.  Spent a lot of time listening to the SA-100, but don't remember which version it was.  I went the way of tubes, but for solid state the Plinius or the BEL 1001 (Brown Electronic Labs) would have taken up residence in my system.


----------



## Festive56

bcowen said:


> Oh man.  I never had a Plinius but had a dealer/friend that sold them. Very musical.  Spent a lot of time listening to the SA-100, but don't remember which version it was.  I went the way of tubes, but for solid state the Plinius or the BEL 1001 (Brown Electronic Labs) would have taken up residence in my system.


One of the best features was the bias switch, for casual listening you could idle along in class A/B or flick the switch into Class A, and settle in with maybe your favorite mood enhancer for a close listening session. 😮‍💨


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Ahhhh….Acoustat Model 1’s were the drug that got me started in all this.  Loved their sound (even with the poor external woofer implementation), but hate them for throwing me headfirst into this rabbit hole (and then filling it with dirt so I couldn’t escape).


Sure, this makes total sense.

"My Acoustat Model 1s ate my IRS tax return!"


----------



## judomaniak57

full set up as of today. enjoying the music from cd thru my new dac


----------



## baneand




----------



## Strat1117 (Dec 11, 2022)

Thought I was the only Plinius guy around here. I’m a recovering tubeaholic, and the Plinius Hautonga integrated (side panel seen in photo under the headphones) was my way out. Of course, I’ve now added the Mc MHA200, not just because I love the way it looks and sounds (I have always secretly pined after my brother’s MC275), but because, as tube amps go, it is a veritable brick, plus I am very familiar/comfortable with the 12at7/12bh7 combo from my years and years with VTL amps.

YMMV, just my $.03, etc., _ad nauseum._


----------



## snapple10




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Strat1117 said:


> Thought I was the only Plinius guy around here. I’m a recovering tubeaholic, and the Plinius Hautonga integrated (side panel seen in photo under the headphones) was my way out. Of course, I’ve now added the Mc MHA200, not just because I love the way it looks and sounds (I have always secretly pined after my brother’s MC275), but because, as tube amps go, it is a veritable brick, plus I am very familiar/comfortable with the 12at7/12bh7 combo from my years and years with VTL amps.
> 
> YMMV, just my $.03, etc., _ad nauseum._



Oh man, you're starting to become a great photographer!  Beautiful shot!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

snapple10 said:


>


Minnesota, fireplace, hmmm


----------



## lolbolpower

Strat1117 said:


> Thought I was the only Plinius guy around here. I’m a recovering tubeaholic, and the Plinius Hautonga integrated (side panel seen in photo under the headphones) was my way out. Of course, I’ve now added the Mc MHA200, not just because I love the way it looks and sounds (I have always secretly pined after my brother’s MC275), but because, as tube amps go, it is a veritable brick, plus I am very familiar/comfortable with the 12at7/12bh7 combo from my years and years with VTL amps.
> 
> YMMV, just my $.03, etc., _ad nauseum._


Hi what a Beautiful amp!
Why do the tubes glow green? Is it a certain material used in the build of the tubes or is there a green light under the tubes?


----------



## snapple10

gimmeheadroom said:


> Minnesota, fireplace, hmmm


cold enough , the wind is making it feel colder than 28 degrees


----------



## gimmeheadroom

snapple10 said:


> cold enough , the wind is making it feel colder than 28 degrees


We should really have fireplaces here, it's a wet cold. But most people live in apartment buildings without fireplaces. If you have a weekend cabin you usually have a wood stove.


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

For me it's not the fireplace - it's the apparently vintage Tung Sol box...love vintage tube boxes! (so sad, but true)


----------



## Strat1117

lolbolpower said:


> Hi what a Beautiful amp!
> Why do the tubes glow green? Is it a certain material used in the build of the tubes or is there a green light under the tubes?


Thanks! The green glow is actually from a silly led located under each of the tubes that McIntosh started putting in all of their tube amps a number of years ago. Yes, it looks kinda neat at first but, frankly, I’d turn it off in favor of the natural tube glow if I could. Nevertheless, it doesn’t affect the sound (at least as far as I can hear), so a minor aesthetic quibble at best.


----------



## Strat1117

gimmeheadroom said:


> Oh man, you're starting to become a great photographer!  Beautiful shot!


Thanks, Bro. Even a blind mouse occasionally finds the cheese….


----------



## lolbolpower

Strat1117 said:


> Thanks! The green glow is actually from a silly led located under each of the tubes that McIntosh started putting in all of their tube amps a number of years ago. Yes, it looks kinda neat at first but, frankly, I’d turn it off in favor of the natural tube glow if I could. Nevertheless, it doesn’t affect the sound (at least as far as I can hear), so a minor aesthetic quibble at best.


True the green looks cool! But i do agree that the nice Orange glow is special.


----------



## LanceSaintPaul

Orange glow is warm, green glow is fluorescent....


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

I don't like it when chifi tube amps use a blue led under them as well, absolutely ruins the lustre of the glass marvels we all love.


----------



## bcowen

LanceSaintPaul said:


> Orange glow is warm, green glow is fluorescent nuclear....


FTFY.   🤣


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Meanwhile at McIntosh factory 😅


----------



## jonathan c

LanceSaintPaul said:


> Orange glow is warm, green glow is fluorescent....


…and with a white hot filament, you have the Irish flag 🇮🇪!  Eirinn go ‘brachuum’ tube ☘️🤣…


----------



## Strat1117

bcowen said:


> FTFY.   🤣


That’s nucular honey, nucular.


----------



## Ilomaenkimi




----------



## DMITRIY R

Ilomaenkimi said:


>


I think this is some kind of quest.... "find my installation".
Hmmm.. I think she's behind the globe.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

DMITRIY R said:


> I think this is some kind of quest.... "find my installation".
> Hmmm.. I think she's behind the globe.


I see a pair of Grado hemps in the left corner, and the red circle LED of an RME DAC


----------



## samr33

AnalogEuphoria said:


> I don't like it when chifi tube amps use a blue led under them as well, absolutely ruins the lustre of the glass marvels we all love.


I agree, I love the natural glow from the tubes


----------



## jonathan c

samr33 said:


> I agree, I love the natural glow from the tubes


…all the joys of living next to Three Mile Island - without the radiation ☢️ 👍…


----------



## bcowen

Strat1117 said:


> That’s nucular honey, nucular.


Only in Texas.   🤣  🤣


----------



## bcowen

gimmeheadroom said:


> I see a pair of Grado hemps in the left corner, and the red circle LED of an RME DAC


I see dead people. 

Oh wait, wrong thread.  Nevermind.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> Only in Texas.   🤣  🤣


….no wonder that there are electricity outages in Texas with ‘nucular’ power….did they also spell incorrectly ‘on / off’….☢️ / 🥴 …


----------



## jonathan c

A new arrival (left)….now part of the ‘Amps of Navarone’ 🙂🤪:    

 First dibs goes to V281 with ZMF Atticus (Bocote):


----------



## Pharmaboy

jonathan c said:


> A new arrival (left)….now part of the ‘Amps of Navarone’ 🙂🤪:     First dibs goes to V281 with ZMF Atticus (Bocote):


I love going back and forth between the V281 & the Icon Audio HP8: from a SS amp that's muscular but has finesse to a transformer-coupled tube amp that is rather similar (but also different).

It's easy to do that in my main system because the preamp has 2 RCA output pairs, so both amps are working simultaneously (just switch the headphone jack from one to the other).


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> A new arrival (left)….now part of the ‘Amps of Navarone’ 🙂🤪:     First dibs goes to V281 with ZMF Atticus (Bocote):


The Grado's really love the Violectric.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> The Grado's really love the Violectric.


That will be a treat. Because they _do love _the V200. ☑️


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> That will be a treat. Because they _do love _the V200. ☑️


What gain are you running for the ZMF's? +6? +12?
I assume balanced out?


----------



## Shane D

jonathan c said:


> That will be a treat. Because they _do love _the V200. ☑️


Interesting to hear a comparison between the two with Grado's.


----------



## jonathan c

Shane D said:


> What gain are you running for the ZMF's? +6? +12?
> I assume balanced out?


I have the ‘pre-gain’ set at 0 (all the tabs down). V281 is connected to Mystique DAC by XLR / XLR interconnect cables. The XLR outs from Mystique are 5.0V: plenty! The ZMFs are plugged into the front XLR socket. The Grados are plugged into the front left SE socket. Speaking of which, the GH2 and the RS1 (original, a recent purchase) are _glorious _with V281 !!


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 13, 2022)

Shane D said:


> Interesting to hear a comparison between the two with Grado's.


•  Just going by sonic memory / familiarity, the V281 is a ‘turbo’ V200. The depth of bass extension, heft, solidity, stability of instrument placement are quite greater in V281 than in V200. The sense of _ease with power in reserve_ is clearly present in V281; in V200, the ‘smaller’ sibling, this sense is _there_ but not in as obvious a fashion. This is not surprising given the circuit configuration of each HPA.
•  What _I hear _the V281 doing with the RS-1x is to: ‘wring’ out deeper bass, ‘flatten out’ a slightly uptilted frequency response, add _gravitas_ to the wonderful airiness. Wow!


----------



## UntilThen

With great resolves I have given up head-fi for ear-fi. This thing does everything including predicting your future.... and no clutter.


----------



## hifixman (Dec 13, 2022)

Not mine but it is so cool that I really wanna share… could look even more consistent with a silver woo234ii

The choices of cables, source and so forth are so typical of Asian audiophiles


----------



## CaptainFantastic

jonathan c said:


> A new arrival (left)….now part of the ‘Amps of Navarone’ 🙂🤪:     First dibs goes to V281 with ZMF Atticus (Bocote):



Nice addition. I recently (re)acquired a V200 and I am amazed how much I enjoy it. It's like a new category... there's my Bottlehead Crack for tubes, my TT2 for solid state and then the V200. Very "musical".


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> I have the ‘pre-gain’ set at 0 (all the tabs down). V281 is connected to Mystique DAC by XLR / XLR interconnect cables. The XLR outs from Mystique are 5.0V: plenty! The ZMFs are plugged into the front XLR socket. The Grados are plugged into the front left SE socket. Speaking of which, the GH2 and the RS1 (original, a recent purchase) are _glorious _with V281 !!


@Pharmaboy and I and some other guys all run our V280/281s at -12 dB.

Even with the attenuation, HD 800, 600 etc. get scary loud fast on the volume dial.


----------



## Ilomaenkimi

DMITRIY R said:


> I think this is some kind of quest.... "find my installation".
> Hmmm.. I think she's behind the globe.


Okay, here is better image.


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 14, 2022)

With great resolves I have given up head-fi for ear-fi. This thing does everything including predicting your future.... and no clutter.


UntilThen said:


>


…you can send your headphones to me via StrayPal 😂 …


----------



## jonathan c

jonathan c said:


> ….no wonder that there are electricity outages in Texas with ‘nucular’ power….did they also spell incorrectly ‘on / off’….☢️ / 🥴 …


….the power must be out, @Ripper2860 would have checked in with a response by now….🤷🏻‍♂️🤣.


----------



## Ripper2860 (Jan 2, 2023)

Knucliar power.  No freakin' chance as long as there is oil and gas that can be fracked and pumped out of the ground.  That meteor didn't kill off the dinosaurs for nothing. 

Nah.  Just been really busy shopping for a generator as we get closer to Feb.  😉


----------



## jonathan c

Ripper2860 said:


> Knucliar power.  No freakin' chance as long as there is oil and gas that can be fracked pumped out of the ground.  That meteor didn't kill off the dinosaurs for nothing.
> 
> Nah.  Just been really busy shopping for a generator as we get closer to Feb.  😉


….when you celebrate the Valentines Day Grid  Massacre…. escargot for ERCOT….😋


----------



## hifixman (Dec 14, 2022)

This streamer is OMG!


----------



## willd3

Ripper2860 said:


> Nah.  Just been really busy shopping for a generator as we get closer to Feb.  😉


Make sure to get a super quiet inverter generator, that'll be more fuel efficient and you'll get a lot better power quality for sensitive electronics. 🎅🦌⛄🎄


----------



## vonBaron




----------



## ThanatosVI (Dec 14, 2022)

Added some Walnut flavor to the setup







Edit:
My cat approves as well


----------



## gefski

ThanatosVI said:


> Added some Walnut flavor to the setup
> 
> Edit:
> My cat approves as well


I’m with you on having a “pet filled” rather than a “pet free” environment.


----------



## Wes S

Just can't get enough.


----------



## kumar402

Zana Deux S is a big amp


----------



## xeizo

I received a SMSL D-6 for my untidy desktop, here hidden behind my screen LoL. Anyways, the D-6 sounds surprisingly good, I changed AKM scene and filter from the flat sounding default 1+1 to 2+6 and it sounds pretty much like classic HiFi - meaning warm and powerful with a crispness to the sound. The resolution is the best of all my playback chains, can't argue against that, the sound is _very_ resolving. Using with the Hifiman HE400SE at the moment.


----------



## jonathan c

The electronics lineup:


----------



## TheMiddleSky

ThanatosVI said:


> Added some Walnut flavor to the setup
> 
> Edit:
> My cat approves as well



Nice family photo man! (especially the Cat). 

How you enjoy Expanse after listened to Elite/Soltaire?


----------



## gefski

kumar402 said:


> Zana Deux S is a big amp


Double thumbs up — haven’t seen a Zana Deux in a while.


----------



## kumar402

gefski said:


> Double thumbs up — haven’t seen a Zana Deux in a while.


Most owners are satisfied enough with ZDS and HD650 that they have stopped visiting forums for any update and are busy listening to music


----------



## BlakeT

kumar402 said:


> Zana Deux S is a big amp



Good call on the RCA 5691 red base, I really liked that tube with my ZDS.


----------



## ThanatosVI

TheMiddleSky said:


> Nice family photo man! (especially the Cat).
> 
> How you enjoy Expanse after listened to Elite/Soltaire?


Yeah the cat (and the other one) are by far the most important part of my home setup.

I really like the Expanse. They do things uniquely. Neither of those headphones is able to replace another, each has things only they bring to the table.

It was unexpected, but the Expanse was my head-fi Highlight of 2022


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThanatosVI said:


> Yeah the cat (and the other one) are by far the most important part of my home setup.
> 
> I really like the Expanse. They do things uniquely. Neither of those headphones is able to replace another, each has things only they bring to the table.
> 
> It was unexpected, but the Expanse was my head-fi Highlight of 2022



If that cat lets go on your gear, it's gonna be another unexpected expanse


----------



## Badas




----------



## gimmeheadroom

msing539 said:


> When I can only hear 500-5kHz, just put me out of my misery.


You can always quit your current gig and get a job as a flight-line mechanic. Look, Ma, no hearing protectors!


----------



## ThanatosVI

gimmeheadroom said:


> If that cat lets go on your gear, it's gonna be another unexpected expanse


The only thing the cat ever destroyed Was a stock IEM cable.

The rest of the gear and also thick cabling is "not interesting" to my cat. 
Therefore I ordered a regular 19awg Silvergarde S4 for my IEMs, and everything is fine.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

ThanatosVI said:


> The only thing the cat ever destroyed Was a stock IEM cable.
> 
> The rest of the gear and also thick cabling is "not interesting" to my cat.
> Therefore I ordered a regular 19awg Silvergarde S4 for my IEMs, and everything is fine.



I have to admit, that is the smartest, most useful cat I have ever heard of!


----------



## ThanatosVI

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have to admit, that is the smartest, most useful cat I have ever heard of!


Yeah my Babies are special!


----------



## Pharmaboy

Preachy1 said:


> I have absolutely no $$$ left over for drugs or hookers!


(loan sharks)


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Pharmaboy said:


> (loan sharks)


"He spent all his money on women and wine, and squandered the rest." -- Benny Hill


----------



## ARCXENOS

I really was not ready for how good these actually are


----------



## Ari Pereira (Dec 16, 2022)

Testing Day


----------



## judomaniak57

Ari Pereira said:


> Testing Day


looks like a fun day


----------



## betula

*Tweaking your ideal DAC/amp pairing*

It is not very often in this hobby when we manage to acquire an ideal DAC/amp combination for our beloved headphones. By ideal I rather mean superb and perfectly matched _for our taste_. The line of priority should be the following: headphones, amp, DAC, tweaks. (I have always been a bit sceptical about the superiority of amps in this line versus DACs, I am even more sceptical now. I would rather put amps and DACs on the same level.) This priority list is based on how much of a difference/improvement certain links make in the audio chain. It is a rough guide only, which should be kept in mind, as the whole system has to match well and work together.

I bought my Meze Elite in February this year and I still love them to bits. I prefer the Elites to many other flagship headphones because on the right system they are technical enough and I find their musical involvement unparallel. This year I tried several amps, DACs, DAC/amps to search for the right chain running them. They sound pretty good out of the Chord Dave, but a little uninteresting/anaemic from the TT2. I can't afford a Dave, so I started to look for different combinations around the price of a used TT2 which is my budget.

I fell in love with R2R DACs earlier, so I bought a Pegasus. I loved it immediately. Natural, smooth, musical R2R sound with surprisingly good spatial rendering, detail retrieval and bass quantity/quality. The Pegasus did feel a bit soft though through the iFi iCan, so I got a GSX-Mini which has tremendously tightened up the sound. Brought control and discipline to bass and treble, speed and spaciousness able to mirror/further improve the pretty excellent 3D qualities of the Pegasus.
I find the GSX Mini surprisingly transparent in the sense it really lets the DAC shine through. Many amplifiers colour the sound more than the DAC would (at least delta/sigma DACs) but the GSX Mini is clear/transparent enough to adapt to the sound of the DAC. I imagine, with certain D/S DACs the Mini can sound bright or fatiguing, but with a good and smooth R2R DAC it is just a dream combo. You get the smooth, extremely natural and effortlessly spacious sound of R2R while the Mini being a good class A amp really brings energy and clarity to the picture. Bass and treble extension is maxed out and everything is brought under supreme control which results in a tight and punchy sound with excellent clarity and resolution. 

So, back to the original aim of this post; if you have found a similarly pleasing and matching combo with your beloved pair of headphones, it is probably time to fine tune/tweak that system to squeeze out even the last drops of enjoyment.
Most of these tweaks are controversial in the community, and my aim is not to open any cans that contain worms. I am simply sharing my experience here in order to bring fellow hobbyists closer to the mirage of audio nirvana. 

If you are a cable denier, stop reading, skip to the next post and forget me, as the most obvious upgrade is cables. We will go even deeper than cables, so cable deniers just go and get a rest somewhere else. 
I am a sceptical person, but not the kind who only believes in measurements. On the contrary, I think measurements can quantify only a fraction of truth. Therefore I believe my own ears only, but I do test and challenge my ears regularly. 
The fact that headphone cables make a difference hasn't been a question for me for quite a few years. Headphone cables can make a difference, but of course they are overpriced and there is a lot of misunderstanding and snake oil in the industry regarding them. One misconception is that the metal (copper or silver) makes the difference. To some degrees it is true, but not in all cases. There is insulation and other materials like carbon foam or graphene that has an effect on shielding and so on. 

There are other bits you can improve too, and I was _very _sceptical about them, but they work so I have no choice but to share my experience. I am talking about fuses and power cables. It did sound crazy to me too at first, but they both work. Sure, you can spend a fortune on these too, it still seems insane to me that you can buy an 'audiophile fuse' for $1500 and power cables for $10.000, but I think as long as they are in proportion with your system they worth it. I don't think you should spend more than 10% on cables/fuse upgrade of the full worth of your system, but that 10% will very much worth it as they can bring more than 10% improvement to the sound.

Let me close with my personal example:

_1, WyWires Platinum balanced headphone cable:_

The best headphone cables I tried to date. Better than both Meze upgrade cables. It brings clarity, balance, improved resolution and black background to the picture. It surpasses the clarity improvement of many pure silver cables I tried, while keeping the natural warmth of most copper cables. Bass separation, clarity, body and smooth balance makes this cable exceptional. Especially with the 40% seasonal discount. (Around $400 with the discount depending on your desired length.)

_2, Synergistic Research Purple Fuse_

I was the most sceptical about fuse upgrades, but at least in my Pegasus it makes a big difference. Again, blacker background, more definition, more details, more soundstage depth, better instrument separation. I tried other fuses too in the £50-£150 price range but none of them performed at the level of the Purple one. The Purple fuse costs £190.

_3, QED3 pure silver balanced interconnects_

Improved clarity and definition versus stock copper interconnects. 

_3, Russ Andrews YellO power cables_

These are only entry level power cables (£60-80+ each depending on length and discount deal) , but I think for my combo they are probably just enough. Same record here: blacker background, more clarity, more details, more depth with better separation. 

_Most of these upgrades seem to decrease electrical noise which you do not realise is there until it is gone._

I listed these tweaks in the order of the impact they make on the overall sound, but in fact they all work together. Adding all of these tweaks to my system cost almost like a new component but combined they also bring the improvement level of a new component. Pretty much like a DAC _and _amp upgrade.

I hope, I managed to put the effect of these tweaks in context and nobody will go and buy £1000 power cables for their £100 amps. 
We shouldn't forget, ears and hearing play a big role too. Ears can be trained to some extent, but we can't deny inherent genetic hearing abilities either. I met audiophiles who can't hear difference between headphone earpads or DACs and they are still happy audiophiles with their stuff. I think, most cable deniers simply have hearing limitations with all due respect. Headphone cables can sound pretty different which I think is relatively easy to hear. And then there is the rest like fuses, interconnects or power cables and so on. This abyss of upgrades is bottomless, so you have to set sane levels where you stop and enjoy what you have. 

I hope some will find my experience useful and it will also bring some other enthusiasts closer to that mirage of perfect sound we keep chasing. 
Tweak and upgrade responsibly.


----------



## orrm

betula said:


> *Tweaking your ideal DAC/amp pairing*
> 
> It is not very often in this hobby when we manage to acquire an ideal DAC/amp combination for our beloved headphones. By ideal I rather mean superb and perfectly matched _for our taste_. The line of priority should be the following: headphones, amp, DAC, tweaks. (I have always been a bit sceptical about the superiority of amps in this line versus DACs, I am even more sceptical now. I would rather put amps and DACs on the same level.) This priority list is based on how much of a difference/improvement certain links make in the audio chain. It is a rough guide only, which should be kept in mind, as the whole system has to match well and work together.
> 
> ...


Nice write up thanks for sharing. I have a soft spot in my heart for the gs-x mini especially when paired with the Denafrips Ares II and with a Hifiman Arya or LCD-5. Those were some of my favorite combinations and to this day, even after moving to higher end gear, I have times I miss that chain!


----------



## David222




----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


>


Love the airplane (and the Milo)


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> Love the airplane (and the Milo)



thank you!  Both were hand-made in the USA


----------



## rangerid (Dec 16, 2022)

betula said:


> *Tweaking your ideal DAC/amp pairing*
> 
> It is not very often in this hobby when we manage to acquire an ideal DAC/amp combination for our beloved headphones. By ideal I rather mean superb and perfectly matched _for our taste_. The line of priority should be the following: headphones, amp, DAC, tweaks. (I have always been a bit sceptical about the superiority of amps in this line versus DACs, I am even more sceptical now. I would rather put amps and DACs on the same level.) This priority list is based on how much of a difference/improvement certain links make in the audio chain. It is a rough guide only, which should be kept in mind, as the whole system has to match well and work together.
> 
> ...


This is an excellent post and outlines the importance of system synergy - the sound that reaches your ears isn't just the headphones or any component but a summation of all the entire signal chain starting from the source. Unless you know you have the exact preference as someone else it takes time to find a chain that matches your preference. Throwing a bunch of high end components together just because they measure/review well don't always work unless you get lucky. The issue with 'tweaks' is most entry level stuff cables, power cords, etc. don't make much of a difference or sound that different, just like entry level DAC/Amps where off the shelf chip based/opamp components all sound pretty similar. You have to invest more than what most want in this area where there is controversy and the $ amount spent can be better put into component/headphones where the impact is more significant.


----------



## alekc

David222 said:


>


@David222  as I do not have access to my Rockna right now I do miss it. IMHO you have a brilliant setup. How is Violectric pairing with Rockna?


----------



## David222

alekc said:


> @David222  as I do not have access to my Rockna right now I do miss it. IMHO you have a brilliant setup. How is Violectric pairing with Rockna?



Thank you my friend...

I just got the Rockna (and my system) back online after a few months down - construction project at the house. It was hard watching everyone here from the sideline!  

Answering your Q --> The Violectric (v280 FE) is fantastic paired with the Rockna.  Also, I personally find great (headphone) synergy  with Grado & ZMF when running the v280.  

I'm currently running a shootout with the Milo (recent purchase) against the v280...  the Milo was heavily modified to eliminate any noise (LPS, Goldpoint attenuator, etc.) - the Violectric is stock - will see how the next month plays out.


----------



## Jukka




----------



## LifeAspect

Updated my speaker setup a bit


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> thank you!  Both were hand-made in the USA


May I suggest you add a tiny figure as the pilot of the airplane? Ideally this figure wears a tiny pair of headphones on its head.

_(hey, it makes sense to me)_


----------



## gefski (Dec 17, 2022)

Well, my mini-man isn’t a pilot, but he has cans and a big cigar.


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> May I suggest you add a tiny figure as the pilot of the airplane? Ideally this figure wears a tiny pair of headphones on its head.
> 
> _(hey, it makes sense to me)_



There actually is a pilot. He was (one of) the more frustrating / time consuming pieces to paint (years ago). I will see about headphones for him - most likely some Koss PortaPros  


@gefski the pocket watch chain is a classy touch


----------



## gefski (Dec 17, 2022)

David222 said:


> There actually is a pilot. He was (one of) the more frustrating / time consuming pieces to paint (years ago). I will see about headphones for him - most likely some Koss PortaPros
> 
> 
> @gefski the pocket watch chain is a classy touch


In my “neighborhood” there is a black (“Marines” I believe) Corsair at the Boeing museum in Seattle, and a blue one at the Paul Allen museum in Everett (sadly hasn’t reopened since Covid).  I like the weathered look of yours.


----------



## karloil

Just an update, trying out linear power supply for the K7


----------



## smalltime (Dec 17, 2022)

Just a quick shot of my initial testing setup in the living room after buying this entire chain from @osanchez4808 earlier today, getting back into the hobby after selling off most of my stuff a few years ago and stagnating with a TEAC HA-P50 -> AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon combination (which was pleasant enough to listen to, but not particularly mindblowing).

The last combination of equipment that I really loved was an ODAC -> O2 -> HD650, and so far the Drop + Grace SDAC Balanced -> Drop + THX AAA 789 -> ETHER Flow is reminiscent of that with more sparkle up top and plenty more detail all around. I'll have some other photos another day, once I get everything situated in my home office.


----------



## jonathan c

smalltime said:


> Just a quick shot of my initial testing setup in the living room after buying this entire chain from @osanchez4808 earlier today, getting back into the hobby after selling off most of my stuff a few years ago and stagnating with a TEAC HA-P50 -> AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon combination (which was pleasant enough to listen to, but not particularly mindblowing).
> 
> The last combination of equipment that I really loved was an ODAC -> O2 -> HD650, and so far the Drop + Grace SDAC Balanced -> Drop + THX AAA 789 -> ETHER Flow is reminiscent of that with more sparkle up top and plenty more detail all around. I'll have some other photos another day, once I get everything situated in my home office.


Off to the races…🐎…😜


----------



## jonathan c

karloil said:


> Just an update, trying out linear power supply for the K7


Give us your thoughts, please.


----------



## karloil

jonathan c said:


> Give us your thoughts, please.



1st time using LPS - this definitely is not placebo as I bothered my wife to do a blind test last night using the LP50 and the default power supply. Much much darker background, overall cleaner sounding, bass has more defined impact, mids are more pronounced, more warm. Very very happy that I tried using this PL50.


----------



## jonathan c

karloil said:


> 1st time using LPS - this definitely is not placebo as I bothered my wife to do a blind test last night using the LP50 and the default power supply. Much much darker background, overall cleaner sounding, bass has more defined impact, mids are more pronounced, more warm. Very very happy that I tried using this PL50.


I had the same experience with Monolith (Cavalli) Liquid Platinum plus LPS-36 versus the ‘stock’ SMPS (switching mode power supply).


----------



## Roasty

this is taking up almost all of my listening time right now. but that poorly aligned sticker is really triggering my OCD...


----------



## ThanatosVI

Roasty said:


> this is taking up almost all of my listening time right now. but that poorly aligned sticker is really triggering my OCD...


Enjoy and let us know your impressions in due time


----------



## lolbolpower (Dec 18, 2022)

Roasty said:


> this is taking up almost all of my listening time right now. but that poorly aligned sticker is really triggering my OCD...


WOW that tube amp looks amazing! Those red buttons look very nice. I have never seen that amp what is it called?


----------



## Chastity

lolbolpower said:


> WOW that tube amp looks amazing! Those red buttons look very nice. I have never seen that amp what is it called?


It's the RAAL Requisite, it's labeled all over the unit     It's an amp for ribbon driver headphones, like the SR1A/B


----------



## ThanatosVI

Chastity said:


> It's the RAAL Requisite, it's labeled all over the unit     It's an amp for ribbon driver headphones, like the SR1A/B


Actually RAAL Requisite is the manufacturer. The amp is called VM-1a (which is also labelled on the front plate)

It's their flagship tube amp for their Ribbon headphones.


----------



## jonathan c

Active duty for ZMF Verite Closed & Woo Audio WA6 (Gen-1):  

 [featuring pair Sylvania 6DE7 and Brimar CV1863 KB/FE]


----------



## gefski

jonathan c said:


>





jonathan c said:


>


A WA6 and a WA3???


----------



## gefski

karloil said:


> 1st time using LPS - this definitely is not placebo as I bothered my wife to do a blind test last night using the LP50 and the default power supply. Much much darker background, overall cleaner sounding, bass has more defined impact, mids are more pronounced, more warm. Very very happy that I tried using this PL50.


I try to avoid switchers too. The large Acopian LPS is 12V 6A powering the MacMini, the small one 24V 1.25A for the Atterotech Ethernet/AES serving Yggy.


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 18, 2022)

gefski said:


> A WA6 and a WA3???


Indeed! Same look but: OTC v OTL, vt rectification v ss rectification…🙂🤪.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> Indeed! Same look but: OTC v OTL, vt rectification v ss rectification…🙂🤪.


Talking 'bout my rectification, bebe


----------



## malenak




----------



## dnd3241

Wes S said:


> Just can't get enough.


Love your 300B Tube


----------



## shwnwllms




----------



## cringeana

Wes S said:


> Just can't get enough.


beautiful setup


----------



## Pharmaboy

gimmeheadroom said:


> Talking 'bout my rectification, bebe


You say you want rectification

Well, you know

We all want to change the world


----------



## Badas

malenak said:


>


Not that I've heard that combo but I would be fairly sure that would sound primo. Congrats.


----------



## RestoredSparda (Dec 19, 2022)




----------



## smalltime

smalltime said:


> Just a quick shot of my initial testing setup in the living room after buying this entire chain from @osanchez4808 earlier today, getting back into the hobby after selling off most of my stuff a few years ago and stagnating with a TEAC HA-P50 -> AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon combination (which was pleasant enough to listen to, but not particularly mindblowing).
> 
> The last combination of equipment that I really loved was an ODAC -> O2 -> HD650, and so far the Drop + Grace SDAC Balanced -> Drop + THX AAA 789 -> ETHER Flow is reminiscent of that with more sparkle up top and plenty more detail all around. I'll have some other photos another day, once I get everything situated in my home office.


Update on this - everything's now set up in the office (complete with cat).


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Roasty said:


> this is taking up almost all of my listening time right now. but that poorly aligned sticker is really triggering my OCD...



EL34


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> You say you want rectification
> 
> Well, you know
> 
> We all want to change the world


----------



## wawatusi




----------



## gimmeheadroom (Dec 20, 2022)

Uniden scanner, check. Phonitor 2, check. Adcom stack, check. Nakamichi cassette deck, check!

Outrageous setup, guy! 

edited: Oh, and Wharfdales! How I could I forget the Wharfdales!


----------



## Badas

gimmeheadroom said:


> Uniden scanner, check. Phonitor 2, check. Adcom stack, check. Nakamichi cassette deck, check!
> 
> Outrageous setup, guy!
> 
> edited: Oh, and Wharfdales! How I could I forget the Wharfdales!


Yeah, Super nice.


wawatusi said:


>


I really, really like this system and we have similar gear.
Cambrige streamer - snap! the same, Phonitor 2 - Close snap! I have Phonitor Xe, Wharfdale - Close again snap! I have Wharfdale Lintons.


----------



## Pharmaboy

wawatusi said:


>


I'm not sure I ever saw this much gear in one place. Remarkable collection!

Like the butcher block stand for the TT. I once built someone a "sandbox" stand for their TT--it weighs a ton but completely eliminates floor/footfall impacts.


----------



## TheRH

dunpeal said:


> Swapped the Lyr 3 with a Darkvoice.


What mouse is that?


----------



## TheRH

Redcarmoose said:


>


What IEMs are those?


----------



## Redcarmoose

TheRH said:


> What IEMs are those?


https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tansio-mirai-land.25127/reviews#review-29445


----------



## ThanatosVI (Dec 21, 2022)

Supreme comfort entered the room!

Also T+A released a new version of their streaming Module.
Curious what it brought.

It feels like early christmas!

Edit: 
Added a small carpet for increased feet comfort. Let's see how long until the cats claim it their own


----------



## Chastity

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zqjcly/first_ever_sennheiser_he1_unboxing_owner_review/

Love the packaging.


----------



## whirlwind

wawatusi said:


>



Definitely a little slice of heaven    

Very nice.


----------



## hifixman

Chastity said:


> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zqjcly/first_ever_sennheiser_he1_unboxing_owner_review/
> 
> Love the packaging.


I think the current retail price is 89K


----------



## gimmeheadroom




----------



## gimmeheadroom




----------



## 04gto




----------



## lumdicks




----------



## DMITRIY R

lumdicks said:


>


What do you think sounds better Holo Audio Spring 3 or Rockna Wavelight?


----------



## lumdicks

DMITRIY R said:


> What do you think sounds better Holo Audio Spring 3 or Rockna Wavelight?


I have not compared them in a single system but imo the Rockna is still having better sound with darker background, more resolving but the Holo is more natural and transparent.


----------



## Saberpunch

lumdicks said:


>


That is still one of the coolest tube amp i seen in this World Wide Web 👀


----------



## ThanatosVI

Saberpunch said:


> That is still one of the coolest tube amp i seen in this World Wide Web 👀


Yeah it's a shame that they didn't only discontinue but also destroy all remsining amps


----------



## Saberpunch

I knew


ThanatosVI said:


> Yeah it's a shame that they didn't only discontinue but also destroy all remsining amps


I knew it was discontinued, but did they actually destroy the remaining amps? That’s a huge waste!


----------



## Fsilva




----------



## jonathan c

Saberpunch said:


> I knew
> 
> I knew it was discontinued, but did they actually destroy the remaining amps? That’s a huge waste!


I can think of a few SS amps that deserve(d) that fate….🤔…👎… 💥.


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## hifixman




----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> I can think of a few SS amps that deserve(d) that fate….🤔…👎… 💥.


What do you have against landfills?   🤣  🤣


----------



## jonathan c

When zero degree bomb cyclone strikes, headphones take shelter…


----------



## orrm

Interesting. I'm out of the country but our house is kept steady at 65f (18c) while we're out so hoping I don't come back and something isn't right. All my gear is disconnected from the wall but still on the rack


----------



## Wes S (Dec 23, 2022)

Current State - Burning in my new Forza Noir Hybrid headphone cable and loving every second.


----------



## LISIANTHUS

jonathan c said:


> When zero degree bomb cyclone strikes, headphones take shelter…


Where can I buy these? Any link please


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 23, 2022)

Wes S said:


> Current State - Burning in my new Forza Noir Hybrid headphone cable and loving every second.


Wes, that is (as you would say) a killer cable! FAW Noir Hybrid (and Norne Audio Vygarde) are _go-to, near SOTA _cables. So reasonably priced, too! Have you thought of FAW-NH as the component interconnects? I love the XLR-XLR from DAC to headphone amplifier 😊.


----------



## jonathan c

LISIANTHUS said:


> Where can I buy these? Any link please


The cases in the middle are Seahorse #430. They come standard with the ZMF headphones. The Seahorse #430 can be ordered via ‘enclosure hub.com’.


----------



## Zachik

Wes S said:


> Burning in my new Forza Noir Hybrid headphone cable and loving every second.


Listening while burning-in? Heresy!!!


----------



## jonathan c

Zachik said:


> Listening while burning-in? Heresy!!!


Not heresy….. hear! see! ….. 🤣🤣


----------



## bcowen

Zachik said:


> Listening while burning-in? Heresy!!!


Totally!  Always use the proper tool for the job.   🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The cases in the middle are Seahorse #430. They come standard with the ZMF headphones. The Seahorse #430 can be ordered via ‘enclosure hub.com’.


Don't you have to turn the volume WAY up when using those?  Seems like it'd be hard on the drivers.  🤣🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> Totally!  Always use the proper tool for the job.   🤣


This is so hardcore...doubtless some of the cables are, too.


----------



## bcowen

Pharmaboy said:


> This is so hardcore...doubtless some of the cables are, too.


LOL!  Just photographic proof that an audiophile and his money are soon parted.


----------



## Zachik

bcowen said:


> Totally!  Always use the proper tool for the job.   🤣


Show off...


----------



## RickB

Zachik said:


> Show off...





bcowen said:


> Totally!  Always use the proper tool for the job.   🤣


I read that as "Audio Harma."


----------



## dunpeal

TheRH said:


> What mouse is that?


https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Uio...671827546&sprefix=wireless,aps,58&sr=8-3&th=1


----------



## Wes S (Dec 23, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Wes, that is (as you would say) a killer cable! FAW Noir Hybrid (and Norne Audio Vygarde) are _go-to, near SOTA _cables. So reasonably priced, too! Have you thought of FAW-NH as the component interconnects? I love the XLR-XLR from DAC to headphone amplifier 😊.


I am currently running some Audio Envy O'nestian IC's (XLR-XLR) and loving them, however with what I am hearing with the Noir Hybrid I am very interested in some FAW interconnects as well.  I had forgetten that Matt makes IC's, so thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## jonathan c (Dec 23, 2022)

bcowen said:


> Totally!  Always use the proper tool for the job.   🤣





bcowen said:


>


As my Grandmum would say: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” THIS IS BURN-IN 🤣:


----------



## Silver Wolf (Dec 24, 2022)

Having fun with my old Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm cans at my Head-Fi station today, always planned on modding them but I'm ever so slow as I've said many times before giggle. I'm old 'n broken, still working on last winters cable projects even, leave me alone  lol.

Anyways, cleaned away the mess just now after modding/upgrading the DT990's and time for a listen. Modded for balanced wiring/ removable cable etc, heck it's all upgraded.... silver solder, super soft SW custom goatskin internally ported pads to quad braided 24awg obsidian silver (black)/sterling silver (xtra shiny) litz mix internal/headband wiring... SW silver litz cables etc...     You get the idea, just sharing current listening fun... Hope_ everyone _enjoys a safe and extra_ *Merry Xmas* _!


----------



## hifixman




----------



## Pharmaboy

Silver Wolf said:


> Having fun with my old Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm cans at my Head-Fi station today, always planned on modding them but I'm ever so slow as I've said many times before giggle. I'm old 'n broken, still working on last winters cable projects even, leave me alone  lol.
> 
> Anyways, cleaned away the mess just now after modding/upgrading the DT990's and time for a listen. Modded for balanced wiring/ removable cable etc, heck it's all upgraded.... silver solder, super soft SW custom goatskin internally ported pads to quad braided 24awg obsidian silver (black)/sterling silver (xtra shiny) litz mix internal/headband wiring... SW silver litz cables etc...     You get the idea, but just sharing current listening fun... Hope everyone enjoys a safe and extra merry xmas !


You do very nice work!


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## Silver Wolf (Dec 24, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> You do very nice work!


Many thanks for the kind remark! I just make things I want the way I want and how I want them and not to someone else's choice or cost cutting etc....  My own dime, My own time.......


----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> Many thanks for the kind remark, I just make things I want the way I want and how I want them and not to someone else's choice or cost cutting etc....  My own dime, My own time.......


…a wonderful example of enjoying the fruits of one’s labour…🥲👍


----------



## ThanatosVI

jonathan c said:


>


Great pair of ZMFs


----------



## mauaudiocr

Got a Sparkos SS3602 from @David222, Thank you David! 

I will be trying out the Sparkos SS3602 with the Little Dot 1+


----------



## David222

mauaudiocr said:


> Got a Sparkos SS3602 from @David222, Thank you David!
> 
> I will be trying out the Sparkos SS3602 with the Little Dot 1+



Enjoy!  Happy to have gifted it along / to good use.  Welcome to this thread - nice setup!


----------



## andrewski

Listening to Handel's Messiah - Karl Richter and the LSO 1972 - Merry Christmas ❤️


----------



## bcowen

andrewski said:


> Listening to Handel's Messiah - Karl Richter and the LSO 1972 - Merry Christmas ❤️


OK, you're gonna have to explain what we're looking at here.  Entirely cool, just that I've never seen this before.


----------



## andrewski

bcowen said:


> OK, you're gonna have to explain what we're looking at here.  Entirely cool, just that I've never seen this before.


My bad

Sony NW-WM1AM2
iFi balanced cable
Art Clean Box Pro
Audioquest Golden Gate 3.5mm to 3.5mm (x9)
Minirig Mini2 (x2)
Minirig 3 (x4)
Minirig Sub 3 (x3)

Sounds invisible, and incredible ❤️


----------



## gimmeheadroom

bcowen said:


> OK, you're gonna have to explain what we're looking at here.  Entirely cool, just that I've never seen this before.


I see a cassette tape. That's enough for me to click the Like button frantically- but to no avail.

I love retro audio.


----------



## David222 (Dec 25, 2022)

bcowen said:


> OK, you're gonna have to explain what we're looking at here.  Entirely cool, just that I've never seen this before.



That's one chain I would not "push play" on 

Jokes aside —> the cassette tape source is super cool


----------



## xeizo (Dec 25, 2022)

Looks like Franken-high end Bluetooth speakers in a flock, it was unavoidable the bluetooth generation would make TOTL bluetooth pucks LoL


----------



## Zachik

andrewski said:


> My bad
> 
> Sony NW-WM1AM2
> iFi balanced cable
> ...


Only 3 Sub3 units? I guess you're not a fan of BIG bass?   

Joking aside, REALLY cool setup. Assuming it is stereo (as opposed to surround) - why not just a single (or 2) subs and 2 x Minirig 3 speakers? Why 4 of the Minirig 3 and why Minis at all? Just curious... "Just for fun overkill" is a good answer, BTW


----------



## andrewski

Zachik said:


> Only 3 Sub3 units? I guess you're not a fan of BIG bass?
> 
> Joking aside, REALLY cool setup. Assuming it is stereo (as opposed to surround) - why not just a single (or 2) subs and 2 x Minirig 3 speakers? Why 4 of the Minirig 3 and why Minis at all? Just curious... "Just for fun overkill" is a good answer, BTW


Stereo indeed, but wired the subs play both channels.

Started with a 2.2 setup, but needed another pair of 3's, because they're so awesome. Then got a pair of Mini2's on a Black Friday for their extra portability but loved their airier sound signature. Then why not an extra sub? I very rarely hook them all up. Usually just use them in pairs wirelessly.

I Love Minirigs


----------



## judomaniak57

Wes S said:


> Current State - Burning in my new Forza Noir Hybrid headphone cable and loving every second.


beautiful system and great new cable, curios as to why you didnt go balanced 4 pin for the cable


----------



## ricksome

andrewski said:


> Listening to Handel's Messiah - Karl Richter and the LSO 1972 - Merry Christmas ❤️


I hit the like button. This is outrageous. Color me jealous!!!


----------



## andrewski

ricksome said:


> I hit the like button. This is outrageous. Color me jealous!!!


😂 Thank you so much!


----------



## Zachik

andrewski said:


> I Love Minirigs


Any idea where to buy them in the US?


----------



## ThanatosVI

New S4A 6550 Carbon tubes.
Very full bodied and captivating, yet clear and detailed. 

The christmas gift from my brother


----------



## bcowen

ThanatosVI said:


> New S4A 6550 Carbon tubes.
> Very full bodied and captivating, yet clear and detailed.
> 
> The christmas gift from my brother


Nice looking tubes!

Wish I had a brother.   🤣


----------



## andrewski (Dec 25, 2022)

Zachik said:


> Any idea where to buy them in the US?


Not exactly, sorry. Sometimes they're available on Amazon. They're gaining popularity, so some boutique shops are starting to carry them such as BayBloor Radio in Toronto. But I'm unaware of anywhere in the US. I do recommend directly from https://minirigs.co.uk/ their customer service is top notch, just requires a few weeks patience for shipping.

And here's the review that led me to them
https://www.audiophileon.com/news/minirig-3-review


----------



## klyzon

Just a simple corner


----------



## Wes S (Dec 26, 2022)

judomaniak57 said:


> beautiful system and great new cable, curios as to why you didnt go balanced 4 pin for the cable


Thanks and good question!

I went with 1/4" with the Noir Hybrid due to already having another great cable (Norne Solvine 2s) with 4 pin XLR, and also the fact that I have found I prefer the sound of 1/4" output with my VC's with this amp.  The XLR output is a bit too dynamic/overpowering for my easy to drive ZMF's, and the bass is so huge it can overpower the lower mids and mask some lower level detail / little nuances.  If I was using the harder to drive Susvara or any other planar for that matter, I am sure I would prefer the XLR output.  That being said, I do plan to add a planar (ZMF Caldera) in the future and use the XLR output eventually, and I have found it quite awesome how the HA300mk2 sounds killer (although slightly different) from both outputs, of which with most amps that have balanced outputs it's usually the best (only way) to go.  The HA300mk2 is a SET (single ended triode) amp by the way, so it only stands to reason the single ended output would be good and I can confirm that it is.


----------



## NiftyVT

And so it begins. Got everything over the past month and 6xx for Christmas. Except the ancient iPad (has a 3.5mm jack) that is my source. Modi/Magni stack is on the short list.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> Thanks and good question!
> 
> I went with 1/4" with the Noir Hybrid due to already having another great cable (Norne Solvine 2s) with 4 pin XLR, and also the fact that I have found I prefer the sound of 1/4" output with my VC's with this amp.  The XLR output is a bit too dynamic/overpowering for my easy to drive ZMF's, and the bass is so huge it can overpower the lower mids and mask some lower level detail / little nuances.  If I was using the harder to drive Susvara or any other planar for that matter, I am sure I would prefer the XLR output.  That being said, I do plan to add a planar (ZMF Caldera) in the future and use the XLR output eventually, and I have found it quite awesome how the HA300mk2 sounds killer (although slightly different) from both outputs, of which with most amps that have balanced outputs it's usually the best (only way) to go.  The HA300mk2 is a SET (single ended triode) amp by the way, so it only stands to reason the single ended output would be good ^^ and I can confirm that it is.


^^ … isn’t the concept / application of ‘single ended’ different in ‘triode’ from in ‘output’ 🤔?


----------



## VanHai




----------



## Ripper2860

Wow!!  I feel so inadequate right about now.


----------



## jonathan c

Ripper2860 said:


> Wow!!  I feel so inadequate right about now.


….come on, bring out the Schiit flotilla !!!


----------



## SalR406

klyzon said:


> Just a simple corner


I confess that _Elden Ring_ has taken up some of my music listening time in 2022.  My son put me on to it back in February.  He says my play style is "practically a meme of a Dad gamer".  One of my resolutions for the coming new year is: no video games, more music.

I defeated Malenia in mid Summer and became Elden Lord by end of Summer.  Considering my age and the state of my reflexes, I deserve a cookie.


----------



## Wes S

jonathan c said:


> ^^ … isn’t the concept / application of ‘single ended’ different in ‘triode’ from in ‘output’ 🤔?


I think you might be right on that one, and what ever the case the 1/4" output sounds heavenly with my VC's.


----------



## jonathan c

Wes S said:


> I think you might be right on that one, and what ever the case the 1/4" output sounds heavenly with my VC's.


That’s what counts 🎼😊🎶…. ‘heck yeah!’


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ripper2860 said:


> Wow!!  I feel so inadequate right about now.


This is the downside of looking at headphone audio porn...


----------



## Roasty

the wa33 has gone into the study, and the Raal sr1b + vm1a takes its place (for a while) in the lounge. this combo is just so amazing for vocals/jazz. swapped out all the tubes for NOS Mullards (EL34 and 6sn7gtb) and the mid range and vocals and presentation are sublime. I think the vm1a quite likes the hot xlr output from the wavelight, and this pairing will stay until the wavedream signature arrives. 

did not think I would enjoy the Raal this much. a long time ago I borrowed a set from a friend, then ended up trading my zmf VO for an sr1a but could not get it to sound great and sold it. perhaps it was due to the old resistor box ribbon interface. the ti1b adaptor box and vm1a are totally different stories.


----------



## rfernand (Dec 26, 2022)

A pile of good-sounding things


----------



## elee703

My Xmas gift to myself for my work computer


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

SalR406 said:


> I confess that _Elden Ring_ has taken up some of my music listening time in 2022.  My son put me on to it back in February.  He says my play style is "practically a meme of a Dad gamer".  One of my resolutions for the coming new year is: no video games, more music.



Life is about variety my friend, enjoy it all equally because it’s easy to become burned out obsessing over one thing. ✌🏻


----------



## j0val




----------



## thecrow (Dec 27, 2022)

SalR406 said:


> *He says my play style is "practically a meme of a Dad gamer".  *


That’s a good line -  brings a smile to my face  

I have an 11 year old son.


----------



## orrm

Roasty said:


> the wa33 has gone into the study, and the Raal sr1b + vm1a takes its place (for a while) in the lounge. this combo is just so amazing for vocals/jazz. swapped out all the tubes for NOS Mullards (EL34 and 6sn7gtb) and the mid range and vocals and presentation are sublime. I think the vm1a quite likes the hot xlr output from the wavelight, and this pairing will stay until the wavedream signature arrives.
> 
> did not think I would enjoy the Raal this much. a long time ago I borrowed a set from a friend, then ended up trading my zmf VO for an sr1a but could not get it to sound great and sold it. perhaps it was due to the old resistor box ribbon interface. the ti1b adaptor box and vm1a are totally different stories.


what did you use to take this photo? phone or actual camera?


----------



## Roasty

orrm said:


> what did you use to take this photo? phone or actual camera?



used my fuji xt4 for this shot!


----------



## hifixman (Dec 27, 2022)




----------



## gimmeheadroom

Why is he sitting alone in his living room with a mask


----------



## rfernand

Elementary, my dear Watson! This must have been recorded after dinner on a Tuesday.


----------



## kumar402

gimmeheadroom said:


> Why is he sitting alone in his living room with a mask


maybe there are ppl on other side of camera.
Also, a good practice to keep mask on


----------



## ColSaulTigh

gimmeheadroom said:


> Why is he sitting alone in his living room with a mask


He's not alone.  He's with someone (Asian, I believe), and they are discussing the Susvana and a new amplifier (I believed designed by the Asian gentleman).


----------



## gimmeheadroom




----------



## donpablo (Dec 28, 2022)

From the bottom to top:
Marantz CD63mkII
Flux Lab FA-12
Sinus Audio OTL (6n13s but I have different than stock tubes)
+ Beyerdynamic DT880 600Ohm and Quad Era-1
It sounds equally good on every setup of above three, literally beautiful, each different, each stunning. This 30yo Marantz has an awesome/well sounding headphone out!


----------



## Pharmaboy (Dec 27, 2022)

hifixman said:


>



Is this you in these videos? If yes, I compliment you on comparing this audio system to art--the fact that we can discuss art's "technicalities," but there's always something more than just that. There are words that nearly (but not fully) describe this: aesthetics; beauty; creativity; inspirational.

The fact that no audio system can come close to equalling real music IRL, yet some audio systems or components please us so much...it all hints at that mystical "something more than technicalities."


----------



## hifixman (Dec 29, 2022)

Pharmaboy said:


> Is this you in these videos? If yes, I compliment you on comparing this audio system to art--the fact that we can discuss art's "technicalities," but there's always something more than just that. There are words that nearly (but not fully) describe this: aesthetics; beauty; creativity; inspirational.
> 
> The fact that no audio system can come close to equalling real music IRL, yet some audio systems or components please us so much...it all hints at that mystical "something more than technicalities."


It is not me nor my self entitlement. The guy in this video is a friend with ears, gears and manners and knows what he was listening to, which seems to be very rare in this circle of headphones audio. But he still shocked me by how accurate he could elaborate and pinpoint the nuances in and among my systems. I think he is entitled to say anything he feels based on his listening.

Regarding the “fact” you mentioned about, it is nothing new or ground breaking. The accusation per se is rather meaningless and worthless. The crux is to find the key to approach the goal, even can’t 100% reach it admittedly. My friend Dr Larry Borden published papers insisting that the current Hifi sources are all flawed, which I can’t agree more after hearing that many so much so that I tend to ignore the external factors and only focus on the sonic features.


> The fact that no audio system can come close to equalling real music


Therefore for my SUS system in this video, I might appear to be very not Hifi in the source link. I didn’t heavily resort to DACs, streamers or cables to tune the system even I did tried and abandoned tons of them. Instead I keep the source as netural and invisible void of colorization as much as possible. What I did is that I try to use the preamp to tune my susvara system with much better results that DACs, streamers and Cables could catch up with in terms of naturalism, dynamics, and void of colorization. That is how the friend in the video couldn’t hear any house sound throughout the source, which is the result I worked very hard to reach.

I even tried Rivera flagship integrated speaker amp Levante with Totaldac flagship source via speaker out which could not rivals the dynamics, bass, vocals, naturalism, and neutrality that this particular preamp could do, and as a matter the gap is not small. The preamp is way organic, and superior toner than Hifi cables and DACs. The fact is any gimmicks, voicing or “house sound” at the source, no matter how mesmerizing and impressive, will come with strawbacks and side effect. The even worse resort is via Hifi cables which I do use as well, but it is even less natural and organic than DACs/ Streamers. Any improvement made with cables is very likely coming with errors. Don’t get me wrong I still use cables and such, after weighing the pros and cons, and give and take.

That is only the short answer behind years of research, practice, and hard work. The final results are very rewarding to myself. While I don’t care to prove to anyone, I am glad that there are friends who can recognize and appreciate it. I know this underestimated format can generate high level of works to truly represent the beauty of music, of which as many loudspeakers people are suspicious.

Plus I agree with everything he said, there is nothing wrong with the analogy he used! It is my honor to share my years of hard work with him. I’m as selective to my guest as to my systems especially with my current setups.


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> Why is he sitting alone in his living room with a mask


He doesn’t want his gear to be ‘Covided’… 🏥


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## David222




----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


>


That is quite the setup ! In Lyr 3, twin L63 / CV1067 will > a 6SN7 !


----------



## Silver Wolf (Dec 28, 2022)

Just spending some time with the DT1770's last 3 days that I finished upgrading/modding...etc the other week. Looking at them I thought maybe I should make a main cable that matches/reflects the cans new internal/external headband silver/copper mix braided wiring.....


----------



## jonathan c

Silver Wolf said:


> Just spending some time with the DT1770's last 3 days that I finished upgrading/modding...etc the other week. Looking at them I thought maybe I should make a main cable that matches/reflects the cans new internal/headband silver/copper mix wiring.....


…. whew! the satisfaction from better sound _and from having done this yourself! …. 🥲_


----------



## musicinmymind

Silver Wolf said:


> Just spending some time with the DT1770's last 3 days that I finished upgrading/modding...etc the other week. Looking at them I thought maybe I should make a main cable that matches/reflects the cans new internal/external headband silver/copper mix braided wiring.....



Cable looks awesome, which raw wire did you use for this DIY?


----------



## Silver Wolf (Dec 28, 2022)

musicinmymind said:


> Cable looks awesome, which raw wire did you use for this DIY?


Many thanks for kind remark,
The raw cable itself is a high strand count (140 strands per cable) silk / Litz config OFC cable and the other cable used is same size/type litz but SPC = cable itself is almost 2mm OD (strips clean/easy @16awg). It's not pre-braided as it's single core cable, I get via aliexpress....


----------



## AudioDuck

Current state shown below. 

Coming soon: Upgraded seating at bottom. Very, very excited about that arrival!


----------



## ThanatosVI (Dec 28, 2022)

AudioDuck said:


> Current state shown below.
> 
> Coming soon: Upgraded seating at bottom. Very, very excited about that arrival!


Prepare to be amazed.
The comfort of my Mayfair is even better than it seemed from the short test Session.

Living with it for a week as of today.
The chair you sit in doesn't get enough attention for how much it impacts the overall experience!


----------



## AudioDuck

ThanatosVI said:


> Prepare to be amazed.
> The comfort of my Mayfair is even better than it seemed from the short test Session.
> 
> Living with it for a week as of today.
> The chair you sit in doesn't get enough attention for how much it impacts the overall experience!


Congratulations on your new chair! It was striking to me how different the models felt, and how getting the right size/fit made a MASSIVE difference. I can’t wait until mine (a “Wing” model) is delivered!


----------



## ThanatosVI

AudioDuck said:


> Congratulations on your new chair! It was striking to me how different the models felt, and how getting the right size/fit made a MASSIVE difference. I can’t wait until mine (a “Wing” model) is delivered!


Thank you!

Yeah to me too. 
I tested most models and was quite lucky that my favourite was the Mayfair which is one if the more reasonably priced ones. (Just like the Wing)

Getting the right size and fit has such an huge impact. It's probably also the reason why they are this expensive. Getting that right required a lot of research.
There are many knock offs that aim for similar aesthetics but don't come even close in comfort, since the Support and angles aren't at the right places.

I missed to try their "Magic" model, it's the only one I still want to try. (And hope that the Mayfair remains my favourite even afterwards)


----------



## Elegiac

Icon Audio BA3 arrived today. Giving it a run to make sure it works before I stash it away for the 'endgame' chain. It's a big boy. Far bigger than I imagined. Big, chonky, heavy thing. Solid chungus... hefty.

The 6N6 tubes sound okay. I think the quality of the components around them elevates them. Considering pin adapters so I can drop some superior tubes in there. Have to figure out/ask whether a 12au7 would work in the circuit. Regulator tube is sitting a bit wonky, which triggers me. The bypass switch certainly soothes me again, for now. It's the first time I've bought second-hand. But I think it's worked out okay. Certainly saved myself something like $700.

But all-in-all, it sounds good. And when I've got it chained with better gear, it should sound great.


----------



## zen87192

Reached a point where I am very happy with the sound...  for the time being... 😂  🎧


----------



## ThanatosVI

zen87192 said:


> Reached a point where I am very happy with the sound...  for the time being... 😂  🎧


Susvara + Envy  
Certainly a reason to be happy


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Silver Wolf said:


> Just spending some time with the DT1770's last 3 days that I finished upgrading/modding...etc the other week. Looking at them I thought maybe I should make a main cable that matches/reflects the cans new internal/external headband silver/copper mix braided wiring.....



Beautiful work, as usual! Love it!



AudioDuck said:


> Current state shown below.
> 
> Coming soon: Upgraded seating at bottom. Very, very excited about that arrival!



Very handsome setup! What speakers are those?


----------



## whirlwind

SalR406 said:


> I confess that _Elden Ring_ has taken up some of my music listening time in 2022.  My son put me on to it back in February.  He says my play style is "practically a meme of a Dad gamer".  One of my resolutions for the coming new year is: no video games, more music.
> 
> I defeated Malenia in mid Summer and became Elden Lord by end of Summer.  Considering my age and the state of my reflexes, I deserve a cookie.


 My son say's this is what is going to happen to be.  He gifted me Red Dead Redemption 2 through Steam and has told me that I will be putting too many hours into the game.


----------



## AudioDuck

gimmeheadroom said:


> Very handsome setup! What speakers are those?


Thank you! It’s a pair of Tannoy Precision 6.2s - sadly no longer made, but replaced by another model that also punches above its weight class. The 6.2s are highly recommended if you come across a pair.


----------



## David222

zen87192 said:


> Reached a point where I am very happy with the sound...  for the time being... 😂  🎧



Love your 3x stack of Farad LPS.   Setup looks amazing.


----------



## alekc

ThanatosVI said:


> Susvara + Envy
> Certainly a reason to be happy


@ThanatosVI @zen87192  Definitively also one very hard to beat  Indeed such pairing is a pure pleasure IMHO. @zen87192 congrats on brilliant setup.


----------



## whirlwind

AudioDuck said:


> Current state shown below.
> 
> Coming soon: Upgraded seating at bottom. Very, very excited about that arrival!



Killer set-up. Relax.....Enjoy


----------



## zen87192

alekc said:


> @ThanatosVI @zen87192  Definitively also one very hard to beat  Indeed such pairing is a pure pleasure IMHO. @zen87192 congrats on brilliant setup.


Many thanks to you for the kind comments. It is also with thanks to all on the HeadFi forum pages that I have reached this stage. Without their knowledge and assistance my setup would never have been this great. May you all find your Audio Nirvana in this coming New Year of 2023 together with Good Health, Good Hearing and Good Fortune! 🎧


----------



## Pharmaboy

Elegiac said:


> Icon Audio BA3 arrived today. Giving it a run to make sure it works before I stash it away for the 'endgame' chain. It's a big boy. Far bigger than I imagined. Big, chonky, heavy thing. Solid chungus... hefty.
> 
> The 6N6 tubes sound okay. I think the quality of the components around them elevates them. Considering pin adapters so I can drop some superior tubes in there. Have to figure out/ask whether a 12au7 would work in the circuit. Regulator tube is sitting a bit wonky, which triggers me. The bypass switch certainly soothes me again, for now. It's the first time I've bought second-hand. But I think it's worked out okay. Certainly saved myself something like $700.
> 
> But all-in-all, it sounds good. And when I've got it chained with better gear, it should sound great.


Very interesting post! I have an Icon Audio amp that impresses me greatly (HP8), but had no idea this product existed. 

I'm a big fan of tube buffers and can't wait to read your comments on the sound of this one.


----------



## willd3

AudioDuck said:


> Thank you! It’s a pair of Tannoy Precision 6.2s - sadly no longer made, but replaced by another model that also punches above its weight class. The 6.2s are highly recommended if you come across a pair.


I thought the speakers looked like Martin Logan, the ones that can be wall mounted.


----------



## AudioDuck

willd3 said:


> I thought the speakers looked like Martin Logan, the ones that can be wall mounted.


Yes, unfortunately my photo does not do the speakers justice at all. Since I don’t have a good shot handy of mine, here’s a photo of the same model/finish as mine (with the magnetic grilles removed). They not only sound good, but look great too.


----------



## Elegiac

Pharmaboy said:


> Very interesting post! I have an Icon Audio amp that impresses me greatly (HP8), but had no idea this product existed.
> 
> I'm a big fan of tube buffers and can't wait to read your comments on the sound of this one.


Well, it's pleasant in its stock form. Punchy, weighty. Percussion has an organic thwackiness. Synths sound heavenly. There's a sort-of-effortless low-key power to the whole thing.
Instrument separation and definition are a little less, but the organic mass of the music takes up enough space that my mind can fill in the details of outlines. And it really is marginal except with busier music, and even then it doesn't seem congested, just... natural. Like, yeah... that many noises are going to meld a little. But just a little. Some smoothing of detail is present, but again, nothing drastic.

The 6N6's do impress me now that I've spent more time with them. But I'm gonna roll them. 12au7's and 6N6's are both low gain tubes, so that's the start of my rationale for believing it should be fine to do. I think my pair of matched late-60's RFT tubes would make this thing absolutely beastly. Somewhat less 'tubey', but a bigger, clearer sound.


----------



## Chefguru

Lambda Nova Signature has entered the chat


----------



## jonathan c

Elegiac said:


> Well, it's pleasant in its stock form. Punchy, weighty. Percussion has an organic thwackiness. Synths sound heavenly. There's a sort-of-effortless low-key power to the whole thing.
> Instrument separation and definition are a little less, but the organic mass of the music takes up enough space that my mind can fill in the details of outlines. And it really is marginal except with busier music, and even then it doesn't seem congested, just... natural. Like, yeah... that many noises are going to meld a little. But just a little. Some smoothing of detail is present, but again, nothing drastic.
> 
> The 6N6's do impress me now that I've spent more time with them. But I'm gonna roll them. 12au7's and 6N6's are both low gain tubes, so that's the start of my rationale for believing it should be fine to do. I think my pair of matched late-60's RFT tubes would make this thing absolutely beastly. Somewhat less 'tubey', but a bigger, clearer sound.


…RCA ‘cleartop’ 12AU7s may be helpful here; and they are not expensive (💪 & 🦵) …


----------



## Elegiac

jonathan c said:


> …RCA ‘cleartop’ 12AU7s may be helpful here; and they are not expensive (💪 & 🦵) …


If I was gonna buy some more tubes for it, I'd be chasing Tungsrams... I have a thirst to hear the legend in action


----------



## UntilThen

Will be a busy few days as I put a prototype U-amp running KT170 through the pace. Was also loan a HE1000 v1 and Audeze LCD3, both pads are long past due for replacement but nevertheless sounding perfect. I was very surprised by HE1000 v1. I've heard V2 and SE but not V1 before and I must say I do like the V1. But the biggest surprise is the LCD3. This must be pre fazer and it sounded very good ! I've had LCD3f and LCD4 before but hearing this now is a wow moment.

Both Odyssey and the U-amp make these headphones sound amazing. The clarity and sweetness of high frequencies just beg you to put up a sign on the door 'Do not disturb'.


----------



## Elegiac

This is all I've turned up so far: https://www.ebay.com/itm/283119072561






I just... get a bad feeling about it. They're all 9 pin tubes, so what kind of space magic is happening in that in-betweeny bit.


----------



## Mr Trev

Elegiac said:


> This is all I've turned up so far: https://www.ebay.com/itm/283119072561
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nothing magical, just wires. The pinout for 12a-7 and 6n2 will be different (I'm assuming - I haven't actually looked it up), so the internal wires will do the "re-wiring" for you


----------



## Elegiac

Mr Trev said:


> Nothing magical, just wires. The pinout for 12a-7 and 6n2 will be different (I'm assuming - I haven't actually looked it up), so the internal wires will do the "re-wiring" for you


Mmm. I feel distrust. I don't understand enough about it.
I don't think I'm going to try rolling to another type of tube in the end. I mistook what I was working with- hadn't really looked into the 6N6 until tonight. And there's not a dearth of info except to say that there are no equivalents and you most likely shouldn't try to get clever with rolling them to other tubes.





Luckily enough these tubes sound/the unit overall is sounding better and better to me. Probably just needed a couple of days to blink away its hibernation.


----------



## Mr Trev

Elegiac said:


> Mmm. I feel distrust. I don't understand enough about it.
> I don't think I'm going to try rolling to another type of tube in the end. I mistook what I was working with- hadn't really looked into the 6N6 until tonight. And there's not a dearth of info except to say that there are no equivalents and you most likely shouldn't try to get clever with rolling them to other tubes.
> 
> 
> ...


Might be a wise choice, considering those tubes are kind of a one-off oddball. The adapter would allow the 12a-7 to work, but if it would function well (ie. sound good)… I'd defer that to smarter folks than me


----------



## TooFrank

bcowen said:


> Nice looking tubes!
> 
> Wish I had a brother.   🤣


maybe rather *the* brother  I have 2 and they would probably not qualify for this.....


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Nice looking tubes!
> 
> Wish I had a brother.   🤣



I thought I am your brother. Do you need more GE tubes?


----------



## ThanatosVI

UntilThen said:


> I thought I am your brother. Do you need more GE tubes?


Yes!


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> Yes!



 there can't be so many bcowen.


----------



## SlothRock (Dec 30, 2022)

Current setup. Just got the riser in which made a huge difference to the desk organization


----------



## ColSaulTigh

SlothRock said:


> Current setup. Just got the riser in which made a huge difference to the desk organization


I really need to get a Grumpy Goose one of these days....


----------



## jonathan c

NYE weekend: ⛷, 🏃, 🏋️‍♀️, and…


----------



## ThanatosVI

ColSaulTigh said:


> I really need to get a Grumpy Goose one of these days....


Still undecided if I should get a ZMF Salire or Grumpy Goose 

Probably whichever offers the correct wood first.


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> there can't be so many bcowen.


This is a relief to, well, everyone.   🤣


----------



## UntilThen

Happy New Year everyone. May your stockings be filled with head-fi goodies for 2023.

This is my current head-fi station.


----------



## Saberpunch

UntilThen said:


> Happy New Year everyone. May your stockings be filled with head-fi goodies for 2023.
> 
> This is my current head-fi station.


I love the paint job on that amp. What is the name of the amp? Also, Happy New Year to you too.


----------



## UntilThen

Saberpunch said:


> I love the paint job on that amp. What is the name of the amp? Also, Happy New Year to you too.



Not a paint job. It's gold anodised solid aluminium and those are solid aluminium knobs and not plastic. The amp builder call it U-amp but I call it Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun. Happy New Year !


----------



## zen87192

Happy New Year to all on HeadFi! May 2023 bring you Good Health, Good Fortune and very Happy Listening 🎧 🎶


----------



## UntilThen

zen87192 said:


> Happy New Year to all on HeadFi! May 2023 bring you Good Health, Good Fortune and very Happy Listening 🎧 🎶



Thank you very much. I won $24 out of a 40 million Lotto so I will be ordering some high end gear.


----------



## zen87192

UntilThen said:


> Thank you very much. I won $24 out of a 40 million Lotto so I will be ordering some high end gear.


Looks like my Good Luck came your way! Reward yourself with a great CD to listen to! 🎶 🎧 Happy New Year to you!


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> Thank you very much. I won $24 out of a 40 million Lotto so I will be ordering some high end gear.


Sweet!  That'll pay the shipping on your next pair of $750 tubes.   🤣


----------



## UntilThen

bcowen said:


> Sweet!  That'll pay the shipping on your next pair of $750 tubes.   🤣



Coming from you in Brooklyn, I'm afraid it will cost more than $24 unless you send it out with the dolphins. And that $750 tubes is my coveted 350B tubes !


----------



## CaptainFantastic

zen87192 said:


> Happy New Year to all on HeadFi! May 2023 bring you Good Health, Good Fortune and very Happy Listening 🎧 🎶



Happy New Year! If 2 a.m. doesn't find you enjoying your music this night, you're not doing right...


----------



## zen87192

CaptainFantastic said:


> Happy New Year! If 2 a.m. doesn't find you enjoying your music this night, you're not doing right...


I'm on it!  Going through the night tonight!


----------



## bcowen

CaptainFantastic said:


> Happy New Year! If 2 a.m. doesn't find you enjoying your music this night, you're not doing right...


I'm doing Folkvangr tonight with some '57 Brimar Footscray CV4033's in the driver's seat.


----------



## UntilThen

I'm environmentally friendly. These are bicycle pedalled powered.


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> I'm environmentally friendly. These are bicycle pedalled powered.




Interesting approach with the bicycle... this guy powers my chain... I prefer the heavier set hamster for additional  "heft" to my music.


----------



## Mr Trev

bcowen said:


> I'm doing Folkvangr tonight with some '57 Brimar Footscray CV4033's in the driver's seat.


I see the warning, so I gots to ask… how many times have you touched the hot surfaces? I imagine it has to be like a wet paint sign on a bench


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> Thank you very much. I won $24 out of a 40 million Lotto so I will be ordering some high end gear.


Wait...what?


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

UntilThen said:


> Thank you very much. I won $24 out of a 40 million Lotto so I will be ordering some high end gear.



I know its tempting but don't spend it all at once.


----------



## bcowen

Mr Trev said:


> I see the warning, so I gots to ask… how many times have you touched the hot surfaces? I imagine it has to be like a wet paint sign on a bench


I keep touching it, and it's _still _not hot.  I think maybe they put the wrong label on it.


----------



## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> I know its tempting but don't spend it all at once.


You can put a $4999 Quantum Science Audio silver fuse on a 209-year layaway…😂


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> You can put a $4999 Quantum Science Audio silver fuse on a 209-year layaway…😂


....and then just pray it doesn't blow protecting a $3000 amp.   🤣  🤣


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


> You can put a $4999 Quantum Science Audio silver fuse on a 209-year layaway…😂



Absolutely worth it, the family could be paying for generations. minor inconvenience for a life changing audio product.


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

bcowen said:


> ....and then just pray it doesn't blow protecting a $3000 amp.   🤣  🤣



You could stick it in a Topping amp and make it glitch out lol, don't forget to add the magic stone on top.


----------



## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> ....and then just pray it doesn't blow protecting a DarkVoice…🤣  🤣


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.] 🤣🤣


----------



## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.] 🤣🤣


LOL!  Anybody that puts a $5000 fuse in a Darkvoice is a true......audiophile.   🤣


----------



## DTgill




----------



## Elegiac

Pharmaboy said:


> Very interesting post! I have an Icon Audio amp that impresses me greatly (HP8), but had no idea this product existed.
> 
> I'm a big fan of tube buffers and can't wait to read your comments on the sound of this one.





Elegiac said:


> Well, it's pleasant in its stock form. Punchy, weighty. Percussion has an organic thwackiness. Synths sound heavenly. There's a sort-of-effortless low-key power to the whole thing.
> Instrument separation and definition are a little less, but the organic mass of the music takes up enough space that my mind can fill in the details of outlines. And it really is marginal except with busier music, and even then it doesn't seem congested, just... natural. Like, yeah... that many noises are going to meld a little. But just a little. Some smoothing of detail is present, but again, nothing drastic.
> 
> The 6N6's do impress me now that I've spent more time with them. But I'm gonna roll them. 12au7's and 6N6's are both low gain tubes, so that's the start of my rationale for believing it should be fine to do. I think my pair of matched late-60's RFT tubes would make this thing absolutely beastly. Somewhat less 'tubey', but a bigger, clearer sound.



Oh dear. Turns out that's just a description of the DacMagic 100 + SH-6 combo. I was only used to hearing it through the X2HR or k371, which I don't use with tubes.
Because the on-switch function was reversed (to match Australian electrical switch directions?) I assumed the bypass switch was as well. But I was always doubting, and now I've figured it out for sure... and I have to say. I'm a bit underwhelmed. Although it speaks well of my default SS setup. Which I meant to be other than cold and neutral, so I'm glad that it is.

But the buffer... it softens everything a touch. Gives less bass. Less treble. A touch less volume... And that's it. It's so subtle. It's barely worth bothering with, honestly. No added richness or body.
Possibly, the previous owner has thrashed these tubes. They certainly look it. Or they're just not great tubes to begin with. So my first course of action will be to get some NOS Soviet 6N6P's. Probably a new regulator tube as well, just to round things out.
I've never heard such a marginal tube buffing, and so I refuse to believe this is all it's capable of, yet.


----------



## Wes S (Jan 1, 2023)

Current State - Starting the New Year off with a bang, and just fired up my HA300MK2 with my beloved pair of Cocobolo Atticus connected. The synergy between the two is unreal, and there is no better way to start a new year than jamming out with my all-time favorite pair of headphones.  





Happy New Year and Happy Listening!


----------



## whirlwind

Not much new here, not even any tubes....but I did score a concert poster of my latest live show.

Happy New Year to everyone.


----------



## HWB3

Samantha Fish shreds. She has good songs too and should be bigger than she is.


----------



## KlaraKlang (Jan 1, 2023)

Sunday=Tubeday  

Caldera with Pendant and the Vintage Tube Set are amazing!


----------



## Pharmaboy

bcowen said:


> ....and then just pray it doesn't blow protecting a $3000 amp.   🤣  🤣


...shorted out by a 14 cent fuse holder


----------



## UntilThen

I have these wonderful sounding fuse call 'Never Fail' and for you wonderful folks, I will sell it for $500 each ...only. Hurry up only 8 left and I'm keeping 2 for myself.


----------



## zen87192

Oh wow! Excellent... I'll have two of those fuses and I will send you my Bank Details so you can take the money from me yourself... 😉🙃


----------



## bcowen

UntilThen said:


> I have these wonderful sounding fuse call 'Never Fail' and for you wonderful folks, I will sell it for $500 each ...only. Hurry up only 8 left and I'm keeping 2 for myself.


If they "Never Fail", why do you need 10 of them?  Something sounds fishy here.  Best I'll offer is $250 a piece.


----------



## David222

UntilThen said:


> I have these wonderful sounding fuse call 'Never Fail' and for you wonderful folks, I will sell it for $500 each ...only. Hurry up only 8 left and I'm keeping 2 for myself.



Do you accept doge coin ?


----------



## jonathan c

UntilThen said:


> I have these wonderful sounding fuse call 'Never Fail' and for you wonderful folks, I will sell it for $500 each ...only. Hurry up only 8 left and I'm keeping 2 for myself _to sell later at $750 each. That’s USD not AUD !!_


FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021.]


----------



## George Hincapie

Wes S said:


> Current State - Starting the New Year off with a bang, and just fired up my HA300MK2 with my beloved pair of Cocobolo Atticus connected. The synergy between the two is unreal, and there is no better way to start a new year than jamming out with my all-time favorite pair of headphones.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy New Year and Happy Listening!


How do you like Hermes/Morpheus stack?


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> Do you accept doge coin ?


They have bitcoin in Venice?


----------



## David222 (Jan 1, 2023)

Pharmaboy said:


> They have bitcoin in Venice?



Not that doge...he wont accept bitcoin






this doge!


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> Not that doge...he wont accept bitcoin
> 
> 
> 
> ...


_(Pharmaboy nods, pretending to understand...)_


----------



## George Hincapie

donpablo said:


> From the bottom to top:
> Marantz CD63mkII
> Flux Lab FA-12
> Sinus Audio OTL (6n13s but I have different than stock tubes)
> ...


I have a CD63MKII. It was my first CD player, bought it new from Richer Sounds in Northumberland. Excellent. It still works 😊


----------



## George Hincapie

VanHai said:


>


Which tubes are you running in the MZ3?


----------



## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> They have bitcoin in Venice?


Whatever you can abscondola by gondola….🤣


----------



## VanHai

George Hincapie said:


> Which tubes are you running in the MZ3?








Currently Westinghouse 12SN7 and Amperex 6201 gold pin.


----------



## George Hincapie

jonathan c said:


> Wes, that is (as you would say) a killer cable! FAW Noir Hybrid (and Norne Audio Vygarde) are _go-to, near SOTA _cables. So reasonably priced, too! Have you thought of FAW-NH as the component interconnects? I love the XLR-XLR from DAC to headphone amplifier 😊.


Curious to know how Forza compare to Periapt, which are my current go to.


----------



## George Hincapie

VanHai said:


> Currently Westinghouse 12SN7 and Amperex 6201 gold pin.


Thank you 😊


----------



## Mr Trev

UntilThen said:


> I have these wonderful sounding fuse call 'Never Fail' and for you wonderful folks, I will sell it for $500 each ...only. Hurry up only 8 left and I'm keeping 2 for myself.


I have some of those in my shed. Considering what the temp was a couple weeks ago, that'd make mine cryo-treated too.


----------



## jonathan c

George Hincapie said:


> Curious to know how Forza compare to Periapt, which are my current go to.


I cannot make that comparison; I have no Periapt cable experience.


----------



## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> I have some of those in my shed. Considering what the temp was a couple weeks ago, that'd make mine cryo-treated too.


At their asking price, those fuses are cry “oh ####” treated…😒😳🤣


----------



## Pharmaboy

George Hincapie said:


> Curious to know how Forza compare to Periapt, which are my current go to.


I owned one Periapt cable, a red single-ended one for a headphone long-since sold. That particular cable sounded quite good (better than the stock cable), but it had condition issues (the fabric covering pulled away from the amp jack).

IMHO Periapt is an excellent value cable--I would glady buy one again--but doesn't approach the build quality of the Forza, which aims higher...


----------



## jonathan c




----------



## George Hincapie

Pharmaboy said:


> I owned one Periapt cable, a red single-ended one for a headphone long-since sold. That particular cable sounded quite good (better than the stock cable), but it had condition issues (the fabric covering pulled away from the amp jack).
> 
> IMHO Periapt is an excellent value cable--I would glady buy one again--but doesn't approach the build quality of the Forza, which aims higher...


I'll order a Forza cable for my new VC and compare them. Thanks.


----------



## Elegiac

MT-603, out from its brief retirement- popped the old Mullard in there. Need to reaffirm my belief in the humble tube buffer. 
Some A/B-ing... yep there's the enveloping liquidy richness. 
I don't mind tubes that aren't too 'tubey' as long as they improve the solid state performance. But you need a good tube for that. Sorta looking askance at the BA3 at the moment. Must 'solve' it.

 Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl


----------



## Pharmaboy

Elegiac said:


> MT-603, out from its brief retirement- popped the old Mullard in there. Need to reaffirm my belief in the humble tube buffer.
> Some A/B-ing... yep there's the enveloping liquidy richness.
> I don't mind tubes that aren't too 'tubey' as long as they improve the solid state performance. But you need a good tube for that. Sorta looking askance at the BA3 at the moment. Must 'solve' it.
> 
> Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl


So you use the XDUOO switchbox as a tube buffer? Which tube are you using?

(XDUOO is an interesting brand)


----------



## Elegiac

Pharmaboy said:


> So you use the XDUOO switchbox as a tube buffer? Which tube are you using?
> 
> (XDUOO is an interesting brand)


Yes, that's what it is, but it leaks sound between the different switches. Doesn't matter if you play one thing at a time. But I dislike that it happens strongly. Emailed Xduoo, never heard back. 
And the tube is this one (1962 NOS): https://nesstone.com/product/mullard-ecc82-b-12au7-6189-5814-5963-cv4003-12au7wa/

Anyway. I've been looking into 6n6p's... and some red tips may get the BA3  to where I want it.


----------



## stuck limo

. please delete. wrong thread.


----------



## alekc (Jan 3, 2023)

VanHai said:


>


@VanHai is that Rotel 1572 MkII? Could you share details of its sound signature and overall performance please? Congrats on great setup


----------



## Roasty

managed to get a tube cage for the vm1a. many thanks to the guys at Raal! apparently this is 1 of 3 prototypes they made. it cost a pretty penny but I think it was well worth it!


----------



## Wes S (Jan 2, 2023)

George Hincapie said:


> How do you like Hermes/Morpheus stack?


I love this stack, and I can't imagine ever changing or wanting to "upgrade" as it's just perfect for my taste.  I use Roon and the Hermes streamer has worked flawlessly and I also use the I2S connection between the Hermes and Morpheus of which is the best way to use this DAC.  This combo has amazing detail, texture, impact and really good separation and sense of space.  I can hear all the little micro details and nuances in the recording, yet it never sounds harsh or forced at all, and overall it's a very natural/lifelike and cohesive sound.


----------



## Elegiac

Mr Trev said:


> Might be a wise choice, considering those tubes are kind of a one-off oddball. The adapter would allow the 12a-7 to work, but if it would function well (ie. sound good)… I'd defer that to smarter folks than me


Hur Dur. I can roll E88CC/ECC88's in there. Problem solved. All I had to do was re-read the product page


----------



## judomaniak57

Roasty said:


> managed to get a tube cage for the vm1a. many thanks to the guys at Raal! apparently this is 1 of 3 prototypes they made. it cost a pretty penny but I think it was well worth it!


it is a shame to have to cover up those beautiful tubes


----------



## ThanatosVI

judomaniak57 said:


> it is a shame to have to cover up those beautiful tubes


Nah real classy cagefighter tubes.

Actually really fits the industrial Raal aesthetics


----------



## VanHai

alekc said:


> @VanHai is that Royal 1572 MkII? Could you share details of its sound signature and overall performance please? Congrats on great setup


Thank you @alekc. It is Rotel RCD 1572, not MKll. They are exactly the same CD player, the MKll has an improved DAC. It is big, heavy and very well built. I use it as a CD transport only, not it's DAC to my Gustard R26 Dac. Compared to other CD players that i own, the Rotel 1572 delivers much better in detail, clarity, very well defined in bass, mid and high. I can hear all the nuances that i did not hear from other CD players.


----------



## orrm

Roasty said:


> managed to get a tube cage for the vm1a. many thanks to the guys at Raal! apparently this is 1 of 3 prototypes they made. it cost a pretty penny but I think it was well worth it!


Looks awesome. Industrial look ftw


----------



## Mr Trev

Elegiac said:


> Hur Dur. I can roll E88CC/ECC88's in there. Problem solved. All I had to do was re-read the product page


Well that makes things way easier. Tons of 6dj8 types of tubes to roll. I still prefer 12au7, and considering what you posted they should work without things exploding in a comical fashion (I use 12au7 with an adapter in my Vali2 all the time)


----------



## Elegiac

Mr Trev said:


> Well that makes things way easier. Tons of 6dj8 types of tubes to roll. I still prefer 12au7, and considering what you posted they should work without things exploding in a comical fashion (I use 12au7 with an adapter in my Vali2 all the time)


Just one of them ebay adapters?


----------



## Mr Trev (Jan 2, 2023)

Elegiac said:


> Just one of them ebay adapters?


Yup. Or give @Deyan a shout. He makes some good stuff


----------



## Mr Trev

ThanatosVI said:


> Nah real classy cagefighter tubes.
> 
> Actually really fits the industrial Raal aesthetics


Is a nice cage, but if you want to go full industrial, replace those heathen screws with rivets


----------



## gefski (Jan 2, 2023)

Roasty said:


> managed to get a tube cage for the vm1a. many thanks to the guys at Raal! apparently this is 1 of 3 prototypes they made. it cost a pretty penny but I think it was well worth it!



I really like cages. They turn me voyeur, peeking inside from all angles. Here’s the Quicksilver GLA I had for about 20 years and foolishly sold.


----------



## jonathan c

alekc said:


> @VanHai is that Royal 1572 MkII? Could you share details of its sound signature and overall performance please? Congrats on great setup


Rotel


----------



## jonathan c

gefski said:


> I really like cages. They turn me voyeur, peeking inside from all angles.


….🤔….a fan of female MMA….?….🤣


----------



## TooFrank

David222 said:


> Interesting approach with the bicycle... this guy powers my chain... I prefer the heavier set hamster for additional  "heft" to my music.


Can you change the gain?


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> I really like cages. They turn me voyeur, peeking inside from all angles. Here’s the Quicksilver GLA I had for about 20 years and foolishly sold.


Damn, that's pretty. Mike Sanders does nice work! 

It reminds me of the handsome cages on my two Music Reference RM-9s. Here's a picture of one (not my amp, but same cage):


----------



## gefski

Pharmaboy said:


> Damn, that's pretty. Mike Sanders does nice work!
> 
> It reminds me of the handsome cages on my two Music Reference RM-9s. Here's a picture of one (not my amp, but same cage):


Yep, Roger Modjeski RIP.


----------



## Pharmaboy

gefski said:


> Yep, Roger Modjeski RIP.


I was so sorry to hear he'd died. Roger treated me very well, which kind of surprised me, since both my RM-9s were purchased used, not new. He offered to modify each amp to make the 8 power tubes triode/pentode switchable (8 EL-34s or KT-88s, each w/its own switch). I took him up on it: sent both amps to CA to be modded. Think it cost ~$500 including RT shipping...a stone cold deal.

I can't tell you how good that amp sounded in triode mode. It was amazing (it already sounded wonderful in pentode mode). Output power went from 100 wpc to 50 wpc in triode mod, but it was well worth it.

People tell me his amps got even better after mine. Hard to believe.


----------



## cplus44

i started from the beginning of the thread and im working my way up the pages still but its pretty interesting seeing in photos what people were using from 13 years ago to now.


----------



## gefski

Pharmaboy said:


> I was so sorry to hear he'd died. Roger treated me very well, which kind of surprised me, since both my RM-9s were purchased used, not new. He offered to modify each amp to make the 8 power tubes triode/pentode switchable (8 EL-34s or KT-88s, each w/its own switch). I took him up on it: sent both amps to CA to be modded. Think it cost ~$500 including RT shipping...a stone cold deal.
> 
> I can't tell you how good that amp sounded in triode mode. It was amazing (it already sounded wonderful in pentode mode). Output power went from 100 wpc to 50 wpc in triode mod, but it was well worth it.
> 
> People tell me his amps got even better after mine. Hard to believe.


Just WOW!


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 3, 2023)

Yeah, it still glows nucular green, but it’s a little beast - makes every headphone I own sound two+ levels better, especially the LCD-3 and the modified HD580/600/650.  (Didn’t love it with the RS-1e’s, but I never quite cottoned to those anyway and recently sold them. Probably add a PS or GS of one variety or another before long, because there is definitely something beguiling about the ‘Grado sound’ - just need to figure out which ones deliver it without some of the accompanying nasties that turn me off.) Now outfitted with NOS Mullard 6201’s and mid-1970’s Zenith branded GE 12bh7’s. Cage is currently on for you ‘voyeurs’ and because my 18-month-old granddaughter and her delicate yet curious fingers spent the weekend with us.


----------



## jonathan c

@Pharmaboy, this one is for you…🎼☺️🎶:


----------



## Heyyoudvd

Hi, my name is Dave and I’m a headphoneaholic.


----------



## jonathan c

Heyyoudvd said:


> Hi, my name is Dave and I’m a headphoneaholic.


…we admitted that we were powerless over headphones - that our lives had become unmanageable…😕


----------



## George Hincapie

jonathan c said:


> …we admitted that we were powerless over headphones - that our lives had become unmanageable…😕


Have you got a link to the headphone hooks please? Both styles if possible?


----------



## alekc

jonathan c said:


> Rotel


@jonathan c thank you for spotting my misspelling. You are right: just made the correction


----------



## UntilThen

Heyyoudvd said:


> Hi, my name is Dave and I’m a headphoneaholic.



That's ok Dave. The way to cure headphoneaholic is to become an ampholic.


----------



## ThanatosVI

UntilThen said:


> That's ok Dave. The way to cure headphoneaholic is to become an ampholic.


Tubeampholic 😅


----------



## UntilThen

ThanatosVI said:


> Tubeampholic 😅



That's a given. A bonus of that is tubeholic.


----------



## alekc

VanHai said:


> Thank you @alekc. It is Rotel RCD 1572, not MKll. They are exactly the same CD player, the MKll has an improved DAC. It is big, heavy and very well built. I use it as a CD transport only, not it's DAC to my Gustard R26 Dac. Compared to other CD players that i own, the Rotel 1572 delivers much better in detail, clarity, very well defined in bass, mid and high. I can hear all the nuances that i did not hear from other CD players.


@VanHai thank you for your description - it is very useful for me. I'm surprised it is so revealing but this is a great feature, especially at this price point.


----------



## UntilThen

Sennheiser HE1 ----- A


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Heyyoudvd said:


> Hi, my name is Dave and I’m a headphoneaholic.



Nice collection but not really complete without a set of beats


----------



## gimmeheadroom

UntilThen said:


> That's ok Dave. The way to cure headphoneaholic is to become an ampholic.


Bank robbery is the cure for both. But, I hear (pun intended) that the acoustics in prisons are confining


----------



## Heyyoudvd

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Nice collection but not really complete without a set of beats



See the black case on the shelf above the 6XX?

Those are Powerbeats Pro. 😜

Believe it or not, they’re pretty decent. I mean, they don’t sound as good as nearly anything else in that photo (besides the OG AirPods next to them), but as far as consumer wireless headphone go, they’re quite good. And they’re great for gym use. They’re my workout headphone. Or, they were until the battery on the left one decided to go to hell.


----------



## Nostoi

The closest one can get to a complete Bakoon set-up on the semi-go (portable in theory thanks to 5v power requirements). Cap-1005 into HDA-5230 driving Audio-Technica W1000X (courtesy of @paggio). Bonus points for matching gain controller with headphone plug.


----------



## Elegiac

Nostoi said:


> The closest one can get to a complete Bakoon set-up on the semi-go (portable in theory thanks to 5v power requirements). Cap-1005 into HDA-5230 driving Audio-Technica W1000X (courtesy of @paggio). Bonus points for matching gain controller with headphone plug.



https://www.amazon.com.au/Headphone-Multipurpose-Shoulder-Crossbody-Backpack/dp/B07XBSJ5ZD?th=1

Probably need the large one


----------



## Strat1117 (Jan 3, 2023)

UntilThen said:


> That's ok Dave. The way to cure headphoneaholic is to become an ampholic.


It’s not really a cure - either way, you’ve still got _audiophilia nervosa_. Just different strains.

🦠🦠🦠


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Nostoi said:


> The closest one can get to a complete Bakoon set-up on the semi-go (portable in theory thanks to 5v power requirements). Cap-1005 into HDA-5230 driving Audio-Technica W1000X (courtesy of @paggio). Bonus points for matching gain controller with headphone plug.


Oh man, the wood on ATs is always so beautiful. And here the colors on the gear even seem to be a perfect complement. Beautiful setup!

(That cabinet is also gorgeous!)


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> @Pharmaboy, this one is for you…🎼☺️🎶:



Love the color of Verite with black v281. Imo that Violectric should have continued. It's a great sounding amp.


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 3, 2023)

Working from home: when conference call gets _zzz

_


----------



## jonathan c

Nostoi said:


> The closest one can get to a complete Bakoon set-up on the semi-go (portable in theory thanks to 5v power requirements). Cap-1005 into HDA-5230 driving Audio-Technica W1000X (courtesy of @paggio). Bonus points for matching gain controller with headphone plug.


Can you get a custom gain knob to match the headphone wood - including grain …🤔😀?


----------



## Nostoi

jonathan c said:


> Can you get a custom gain knob to match the headphone wood - including grain …🤔😀?


Totally possible, except the gain knob is made of Bakelite, and it's entirely possible that much of the Bakoon magic derives from the Bakelite sauce/source


----------



## ColSaulTigh

jonathan c said:


> Working from home: when conference call gets _zzz_


Your amp is a bit lopsided.

Also, the market is terrible - not a great start to the year....recession definitely hasn't hit bottom yet...


----------



## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


> Working from home: when conference call gets _zzz_


Nothing like a mug o iso to liven up a conference call!


----------



## gimmeheadroom

..


Mr Trev said:


> Nothing like a mug o iso to liven up a conference call!


If it was anybody but @jonathan c or @bcowen then yeah, that would be the first guess. _I JUST CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!_

But given who posted it, we know he's cleaning tubes again. Boooring


----------



## Pharmaboy

UntilThen said:


> That's ok Dave. The way to cure headphoneaholic is to become an ampholic.


Bizarrely enough, this is 100% true, at least in my case.


----------



## jonathan c

The next stage….cableholism….😳


----------



## jonathan c

gimmeheadroom said:


> ..
> 
> If it was anybody but @jonathan c or @bcowen then yeah, that would be the first guess. _I JUST CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!_
> 
> But given who posted it, we know he's cleaning tubes again. Boooring


As Johnny Carson could have said to Ed McMahon: “you are _wrong, _nine-pin-head! He cleans adapter pins too!” 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## jonathan c

Western Electric 396A / 2C51 on WA3 duty:


----------



## UntilThen

Pharmaboy said:


> Bizarrely enough, this is 100% true, at least in my case.



Your my man.  

When I started, I had just one Felix Audio Euforia and HD800, LCD2f, Eikon and Atticus.

By the beginning of 2020, I had HD800, LCD3f, Verite and Glenn OTL, Studio Six, Violectric v280, Questyle CMA 12, Auralic Taurus Mk2, Schiit Mjolnir Mk2, Wa22, La Figaro 339i, Elekit 8200, SMSL SP200, Ultrasonic Studio Oblivion.

Then I checked into Head-Fi Anonymous. Now I'm on a safe 3 headphones and 2 amps..... with another amp coming. Still safe.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> The next stage….cableholism….😳


----------



## UntilThen

jonathan c said:


> The next stage….cableholism….😳


----------



## Heyyoudvd

George Hincapie said:


> Have you got a link to the headphone hooks please? Both styles if possible?



Was this directed at me?

If so, I have 3 kinds of hooks in that photo, and I believe they’re all currently available on Amazon.

1. The table stand hook - Lamicall Headphone Stand

2. The adhesive hooks I have stuck to the side of the cabinet - Neetto Headphone Hanger by Avantree

3. The hooks attached to the shelves - Klearlook Headphone Hanger


----------



## jonathan c

Heyyoudvd said:


> Was this directed at me ?  “_You talkin’ to me?” **_
> 
> If so, I have 3 kinds of hooks in that photo, and I believe they’re all currently available on Amazon.
> 
> ...


** (Taxi Driver) 🚕 🤣


----------



## George Hincapie

Heyyoudvd said:


> Was this directed at me?
> 
> If so, I have 3 kinds of hooks in that photo, and I believe they’re all currently available on Amazon.
> 
> ...



Thank you Sir.


----------



## jonathan c

George Hincapie said:


> Thank you Sir. _May I have another?_


….🤣….Neidermeyer in _Animal House…._


----------



## AnalogEuphoria

Mr Trev said:


> Nothing like a mug o iso to liven up a conference call!



I think that's an indicator Jonathon has clinical taste...


----------



## jonathan c

ColSaulTigh said:


> ….Also, the market is terrible - not a great start to the year....recession definitely hasn't hit bottom yet.…


The U.S. Conference Board, via its index of leading economic indicators, agrees….


----------



## David222

The Milo is a nice distraction from my IRA performance chart  

Nothing but  with the HD600 _(UK Custom Cans Mod) _


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jan 3, 2023)

UntilThen said:


> Your my man.
> 
> When I started, I had just one Felix Audio Euforia and HD800, LCD2f, Eikon and Atticus.
> 
> ...


In your 2nd paragraph I count 11 amps. I'm relieved to find someone as amp-addicted as I am (I have 10, one of which is F.S.).

Headphones are intimidating. A new headphone is a real commitment, a relationship that may be glorious--or just "eh." But amps are somehow easier, with fewer consequences. To me, just 2 of my amps are heavyweights, real commitments I never want to part with. The rest are all sonic "flavors" of one kind or other. It's fun to match up a headphone with this amp today, then that one tomorrow.

(sometimes I can't tell whether I'm in is a race to the bottom -- or a race to the top)


----------



## jonathan c

David222 said:


> The Milo is a nice distraction from my IRA performance chart
> 
> Nothing but  with the HD600 _(UK Custom Cans Mod) _


Nothing but 🤢🤮😡🤬 from the IRA….? *I*’m *R*uined *A*lready.


----------



## Pharmaboy

David222 said:


> The Milo is a nice distraction from my IRA performance chart
> 
> Nothing but  with the HD600 _(UK Custom Cans Mod) _


I have a thing for that amp...


----------



## David222

Pharmaboy said:


> I have a thing for that amp...



I was unfamiliar with it - until you noted it in a post well over a year ago - caught my attention....so thank you


----------



## FAlSe1 (Jan 4, 2023)

Finally got to a point I'm happy with

Running this with HD58X, Elegias, and SR60x.


----------



## Pharmaboy

FAlSe1 said:


> Finally got to a point I'm happy with
> 
> Running this with HD58X, Elegias, and SR60x.


Did you make the keyboard frame & wrist-rest? They're nice.

I see the horizontal Edifier speakers & would guess they're sideways because if vertical on those same shelves the tweeter is too far above ears...? How do they sound when placed horizontally?


----------



## FAlSe1

Pharmaboy said:


> Did you make the keyboard frame & wrist-rest? They're nice.
> 
> I see the horizontal Edifier speakers & would guess they're sideways because if vertical on those same shelves the tweeter is too far above ears...? How do they sound when placed horizontally?



The keyboard was a KBDfans 65% kit that I put together, still a work in progress but the caps I'm looking at are out of stock right now.
I was also originally going to have the speakers mounted vertically, but the one of the mounts wouldn't tighten cuz one of the screws was a little jacked up near the head. I didn't really expect any sound difference from the mount but was absolutely blown away. When they were just sitting on the table, vocals were a bit muted and they were pretty unimpressive. After they were mounted, it sounded like the singer was in the room with me.


----------



## UntilThen

FAlSe1 said:


> The keyboard was a KBDfans 65% kit that I put together, still a work in progress but the caps I'm looking at are out of stock right now.



I have a Keychron 65 now with custom caps. They make my music sound better. 😀


----------



## FAlSe1

UntilThen said:


> I have a Keychron 65 now with custom caps. They make my music sound better. 😀


Agreed, better play button, better music.


----------



## atarione

Probably Nobody at the ol' starbucks would appreciate me showing up with these Senn HD6XX open headphones??  But seeing how well my rather ancient FiiO E07K Does with my Thinkpad X380 and Senn HD6XX headphones...     Pretty well actually, but not really a good choice for using OTG or whatever?


----------



## FAlSe1

atarione said:


> Probably Nobody at the ol' starbucks would appreciate me showing up with these Senn HD6XX open headphones??  But seeing how well my rather ancient FiiO E07K Does with my Thinkpad X380 and Senn HD6XX headphones...     Pretty well actually, but not really a good choice for using OTG or whatever?


I think that's the fastest way to get a black eye. Also a really funny power move.


----------



## kingoftown1

atarione said:


> Probably Nobody at the ol' starbucks would appreciate me showing up with these Senn HD6XX open headphones??  But seeing how well my rather ancient FiiO E07K Does with my Thinkpad X380 and Senn HD6XX headphones...     Pretty well actually, but not really a good choice for using OTG or whatever?


Man, that brings me back.  Totally forgot about having an E7 10+ years ago. I remember being so impressed with the screen & build at the time.


----------



## RickB

FAlSe1 said:


> I think that's the fastest way to get a black eye. Also a really funny power move.


----------



## Hofy

I am so glad we dont have Starbucks.


----------



## Mr Trev

atarione said:


> Probably Nobody at the ol' starbucks would appreciate me showing up with these Senn HD6XX open headphones??  But seeing how well my rather ancient FiiO E07K Does with my Thinkpad X380 and Senn HD6XX headphones...     Pretty well actually, but not really a good choice for using OTG or whatever?


Reminds me of when I went back to school. Nobody had a clue about "open back" and were always "how are you not deaf?" That said, I still prefer IEMs when out in public. For whatever reason, I just can't feel comfortable wearing headphones outdoors


----------



## FAlSe1 (Jan 4, 2023)

RickB said:


>


How? Why? I've never been so confused and impressed... I kinda want to do that now.


----------



## Chastity

FAlSe1 said:


> How? Why? I've never been so confused and impressed... I kinda want to do that now.


I just maintain a varied amount of good teas, and a hot water maker to keep me stocked in hot water on demand.  Who needs a Starbucks?


----------



## Chefguru

Best purchase I’ve made in a long time.


----------



## jonathan c (Jan 5, 2023)

RickB said:


>


No substitute for this:   

 _Nighthawks _(Edward Hopper, 1942)


----------



## atarione

FAlSe1 said:


> I think that's the fastest way to get a black eye. Also a really funny power move.


Well... it would be an improvement to the imbicels that use their tinny AF smartphone speakers in the middle of everyone now?  Of course I am also 6'3" and about 240lbs...  I am rarely too worried about anyone trying to give me a black eye?    But yeah, I would never use open headphones in such a setting as I try to maintain a "don't be an assh*le" stance in general, unless anyone gives me a reason to be one.


RickB said:


>


OMG ... now more than ever I hate that my NEC 19" Trinitron CRT ate crap some time ago...  I would absolutely do this?


Mr Trev said:


> Reminds me of when I went back to school. Nobody had a clue about "open back" and were always "how are you not deaf?" That said, I still prefer IEMs when out in public. For whatever reason, I just can't feel comfortable wearing headphones outdoors


I was out a while ago, and some dude had his Beyerdynamic DT990s on in the middle of the coffee shop...  no amp either just smartphone to DT990s...  I lol'd...


----------



## gefski

jonathan c said:


> No substitute for this:    _Nighthawks _(Edward Topper, 1942)


Thanks, love Hopper. Have seen quite a bit of it through the years, either when we traveled, or when there was some on tour.


----------



## hifixman (Jan 5, 2023)




----------



## gimmeheadroom

jonathan c said:


> No substitute for this:    _Nighthawks _(Edward Topper Hopper, 1942)


FTFY! Psych


----------



## Roasty

so the Raal in the lounge was a bit short-lived. 

WA33 and PhoenixUSB returns.. this is probably the most all rounder combo I have right now. pretty much everything I play sounds great on this setup. with the Rockna Wavelight, Elrog 5u4g/we417a/kr2a3 and the Utopia 22 + Cardas Clear hp cable. I know Cardas isn't the first that comes to mind for hp cables, but this one really is a great pairing with the Utopia 22.


----------



## whirlwind

Roasty said:


> so the Raal in the lounge was a bit short-lived.
> 
> WA33 and PhoenixUSB returns.. this is probably the most all rounder combo I have right now. pretty much everything I play sounds great on this setup. with the Rockna Wavelight, Elrog 5u4g/we417a/kr2a3 and the Utopia 22 + Cardas Clear hp cable. I know Cardas isn't the first that comes to mind for hp cables, but this one really is a great pairing with the Utopia 22.


Very nice!

How do you like the Grado GS3000X ?

Caldera also incoming....  Life is good


----------



## Roasty

whirlwind said:


> Very nice!
> 
> How do you like the Grado GS3000X ?
> 
> Caldera also incoming....  Life is good



Thanks man!

The Grado GS3KX is probably the first Grado which i truly enjoy. Made a mistake getting the non-fenestrated velour dekoni pads though; they mess up the sound too much. Am getting the fenestrated version to try instead. Surprisingly it has really quite a large soundstage and good front back depth too. Vocals sounds so “real”, almost like my Raal SR1a. 

yeah the Caldera… i placed a deposit within a few minutes of listening with it. If all goes well i should have it with me soon!


----------



## Chastity (Jan 5, 2023)

Roasty said:


> I know Cardas isn't the first that comes to mind for hp cables, but this one really is a great pairing with the Utopia 22.


I have a Cardas hp cable on my HD-580 Precisions.    I blame Tyll for that, tho it does a great job of addressing the imaging in the middle of your head problem with those.


----------



## xeizo

rangerid said:


> This is an excellent post and outlines the importance of system synergy - the sound that reaches your ears isn't just the headphones or any component but a summation of all the entire signal chain starting from the source. Unless you know you have the exact preference as someone else it takes time to find a chain that matches your preference. Throwing a bunch of high end components together just because they measure/review well don't always work unless you get lucky. The issue with 'tweaks' is most entry level stuff cables, power cords, etc. don't make much of a difference or sound that different, just like entry level DAC/Amps where off the shelf chip based/opamp components all sound pretty similar. You have to invest more than what most want in this area where there is controversy and the $ amount spent can be better put into component/headphones where the impact is more significant.



And then you can just use EQ and be able to change SQ a thousand times more to your liking YMMV


----------



## ChrisOc

You are cordially invited to attend the annual voting gala for all headphones you have ever known.

The 2022 Head-Fi Members' Poll for headphones begins at 0.00 GMT on the 7th of  January 2023.
Venue: Thread 'The Head-Fi Members' Poll for IEMs - 2022' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-head-fi-members-poll-for-headphones-2022.966400/

Come dressed for fun, and bring your own popcorn.


----------



## Roland de Gilead (Jan 5, 2023)

Bonjour tout le monde,

Je relis toutes les pages de ce fil.

Maintenant, je connais le kung-fu. #Neo.


----------



## eggyhustles

A mix of old and older

Little dot MKV and Topping D10s connected to JVC HARX900

Need more bass...just don't know where to start


----------



## Chastity

eggyhustles said:


> A mix of old and older
> 
> Little dot MKV and Topping D10s connected to JVC HARX900
> 
> Need more bass...just don't know where to start


In line EQ, tube buffer preamp, PEQ on PC, leather pads


----------



## Pharmaboy

eggyhustles said:


> A mix of old and older
> 
> Little dot MKV and Topping D10s connected to JVC HARX900
> 
> Need more bass...just don't know where to start


Well, if you need more bass the problem almost certainly isn't your amp. Probably not the DAC, either. My vote would be the headphone.

Hadn't heard of this particular headphone until you mentioned it, but just read a couple reviews, and both mention that it's shy on bass.

What to do? Well, the classic budget work-around for headphone bass is to get an inexpensive closed-back headphone that can actually serve up bass. For that, my vote is one of the ISK MDH9000 clones--4 or 5 headphones that are identical to that ChiFi classic, but are rebranded or have slight color/design variations from it. 

My favorite of these is the Marantz MPH-2: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Marant...es-1500000006703.gc?cntry=us&source=4SOS0DRBA

<$100 headphones always have their issues, but I've always found these (I own or owned 3) to have a very pleasant, balanced sound, slightly warm, with a pleasingly rich bass. 

Here's another of the clones that I owned (gave this one to a friend). It's indentical in sound and design to the Marantz, only differing slightly in accent colors. It's also cheaper:
https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-HAS-30-Professional-Headphones-Entertainment/dp/B018Y5CVO0


----------



## eggyhustles

Pharmaboy said:


> Well, if you need more bass the problem almost certainly isn't your amp. Probably not the DAC, either. My vote would be the headphone.
> 
> Hadn't heard of this particular headphone until you mentioned it, but just read a couple reviews, and both mention that it's shy on bass.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the recommendations.

What would you consider the next step up? I have around $300 to play with. Primarily listen to Rap, R&B, and House.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

eggyhustles said:


> Thank you for the recommendations.
> 
> What would you consider the next step up? I have around $300 to play with. Primarily listen to Rap, R&B, and House.


If you are ok with a V signature and can grab a Drop TR-X00, they're easy to drive, are very fast in the price range, and slam. Very fun cans.


----------



## Pharmaboy

eggyhustles said:


> Thank you for the recommendations.
> 
> What would you consider the next step up? I have around $300 to play with. Primarily listen to Rap, R&B, and House.


@gimmeheadroom beat me to it by recommending the Drop TR-X00. Early on I bought one of those from Drop (think it was mahogany), and that was my first introduction to strong bass that stayed level/flat all the way down into the sub-bass. These were sold at various times in mahogany, ebony, purpleheart, and maybe other woods I'm forgetting.

BUT...(there's always a but)...if you're at all sensitive to upper midrange & treble sonic nasties (I am), you might notice that the upper mids and treble of the TR-X00 sound somewhat elevated and grainy-sounding.

IMO, a more enjoyable sound signature from a nearly identical headphone is found in the E-Mu Teak. This has the same frame and driver as the TR-X00, but the wood (teak) is lighter and permits a bit more resonance, which is welcome in such a matter-of-fact sounding design. Best of all, the teak earcups are slightly deeper than the TR-X00's as a result having more interior volume. That really does change the sound. I loved the sound of the E-Mu Teak. It trades a very minor amount of sub-bass for a slightly fuller mid-bass and better, more pleasing upper mids & treble (all welcome to my ears).

The genres you listen to really put an emphasis on bass quantity & quality; both are quite good with any of these headphones based on the Fostex frame w/biodynamic driver.

I just searched via HiFiShark.com and don't see any E-Mu Teaks F.S., but that could change. BTW, these typically go for somewhat more than your budget of $300) but if you can swing another $50-$75, they're probably worth it.


----------



## orrm

@Roasty care to share a quick comparison between your Wavelight and Wavedream Signature? Did you ever listen to the regular Edition?

Thanks!


----------



## Elegiac

Ampapa A1, featuring the Two-DAC-Stack  !!!

Using the DAC Box E for MP3 320's, and other harsher or relatively less well-produced FLAC, since due to its low output whatever it's hooked up to has to supply the gain/volume... and in this case there are tubes to do just a little smoooooothing  ...this is actually the first time my MP3's have had the honour of a desktop rig outing.


----------



## Roasty

orrm said:


> @Roasty care to share a quick comparison between your Wavelight and Wavedream Signature? Did you ever listen to the regular Edition?
> 
> Thanks!



sure man. I think the Wavelight is a fantastic dac for the money. it has, what I feel, is the classic NOS sound. I can listen with the wavelight for hours and still not get enough of it. I recently revisited i2s vs aes/ebu into the WL and I definitely prefer the aes connection; organic and natural sounding, great space and depth, and better bass all round and more extension down low. 

the Wavedream seems more immediate and more dynamic. slightly more upfront in presentation, with a more V shaped sound than the WL. there is more sense of space, and it seems easier to pick out details with the WD too. I'd give both micro and macro dynamics to the WD. in contrast to the WL, I actually prefer the linear filter on the WD over NOS. hybrid filter is occasionally enjoyable; there is some added bass boost but also comes with some smear, less bass definition and less clarity. NOS mode seems a bit flat sounding for some reason.. 

given the chance to do it over, I'd still take both/either the WL and WD over the May KTE. sorry, never had a chance to try the regular WD edition. 

*bonus
I got the Meitner Audio MA3 as a blind buy and went for it because it was offered at an unbelievable price. I also wanted to mix things up and get an upsampling dac to complement my r2r lineup. man, what a lovely unit this is. looks great, functional, no nonsense, convenient (streamer and roon ready). sounds so clean and accurate but far from boring (I had the Benchmark DAC3B and know what that sounds like). the clarity, airiness, sense of space is really impressive; I suppose that may be due to the internal dsd upsampling. definitely leans more towards neutral than both the WL and WD.


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## lucasratmundo

Roasty said:


> so the Raal in the lounge was a bit short-lived.
> 
> WA33 and PhoenixUSB returns.. this is probably the most all rounder combo I have right now. pretty much everything I play sounds great on this setup. with the Rockna Wavelight, Elrog 5u4g/we417a/kr2a3 and the Utopia 22 + Cardas Clear hp cable. I know Cardas isn't the first that comes to mind for hp cables, but this one really is a great pairing with the Utopia 22.


Nice! What specific we417a tubes are you using?


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## FranckZZZ

What's the old Mac


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## Roasty

lucasratmundo said:


> Nice! What specific we417a tubes are you using?



I got these western electric 417a tubes and Woo adaptors from a member here off the classifieds.


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## Roland de Gilead

*let’s start. 

*


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## ThanatosVI

Some Deyan socket Saver goodness.(ceramic socket, silver wire, gold plated pins)




Installed in the Octave 



Running


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## Mr Trev

ThanatosVI said:


> Some Deyan socket Saver goodness.(ceramic socket, silver wire, gold plated pins)
> 
> Installed in the Octave
> 
> Running


Seems nice… needs moar glow


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## jonathan c (Friday at 3:08 PM)

The only glow from these is between the ears…😜: 

[Audeze LCD-4 (Camphor Burl)]


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## Pharmaboy

Elegiac said:


> Ampapa A1, featuring the Two-DAC-Stack  !!!
> 
> Using the DAC Box E for MP3 320's, and other harsher or relatively less well-produced FLAC, since due to its low output whatever it's hooked up to has to supply the gain/volume... and in this case there are tubes to do just a little smoooooothing  ...this is actually the first time my MP3's have had the honour of a desktop rig outing.


What is the black component on top of the S.M.S.L. amp? Some kind of preamp? Never saw anything like that before...


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## jonathan c

Pharmaboy said:


> What is the black component on top of the S.M.S.L. amp? Some kind of preamp? Never saw anything like that before...


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## Pharmaboy

Very interesting. Literally nothing about this little unit is as I would expect...


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## Elegiac

Pharmaboy said:


> What is the black component on top of the S.M.S.L. amp? Some kind of preamp? Never saw anything like that before...


This: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ampapa-a1-tube-phono-headphone-amp.964564/

With the A1 and the BA3, I can finally stop mucking around with tube buffers. 
The Ampapa A1 seems to be the culmination and climax of all the cheap chinese tube buffers. Someone out there must have thought: "Alright, let's take that idea and do it properly. A nice enclosure, fully functioned, and what's the NOS tube that people most commonly replace the stock tubes with in these things.... a GE 6AK5w? Put those in there as stock then." Anyway, it sounds good.
There are at least 5 or 6 reviews on youtube.


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## David222

A little night    with Violectric v280 _(FE)_ and Grado


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## AnalogEuphoria

Those Rockna DACs sure are good to look at.


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## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Those Rockna DACs sure are good to look at.


Is that all?….🤣


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## AnalogEuphoria

jonathan c said:


> Is that all?….🤣



For me yes, I can't afford pretty DACs


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## jonathan c

AnalogEuphoria said:


> For me yes, I can't afford pretty DACs



Howling Wolf would say (🤣):

Some _DACs_ built like this, some _DACs_ built like that,
But the way I’m built, a-don’t you call me fat,
Because I’m built for comfort, I ain’t built for speed,
But I got everything a good _DAC_ needs…🎼


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## ChrisOc

The Poll is now open for your headphones votes: 

Thread 'The Head-Fi Members' Poll for headphones - 2022' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-head-fi-members-poll-for-headphones-2022.966400/

You can also vote for IEMs here:

Thread 'The Head-Fi Members' Poll for IEMs - 2022' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-head-fi-members-poll-for-iems-2022.966386/


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## Roland de Gilead

Night


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## Roland de Gilead

And day


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## bcowen

jonathan c said:


> The only glow from these is between the ears…


That's _not_ a glow.  It's your brain exploding after listening to solid state.   🤣  🤣


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## NiftyVT

Finally got the Modius in and switched to the camera dongle from the 3.5mm jack on the iPad! Now I have a optical from my PC to Modius. No more swapping the 3.5-rca cable between the iPad and PC.


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## jonathan c

bcowen said:


> That's _not_ a glow.  It's your brain exploding after listening to solid state.   🤣  🤣


Solid-state exposure recovery session?…🤔


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## judomaniak57

nothing like some good blues on a lazy sunday afternoon


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## jonathan c




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## RestoredSparda




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## JaquesGelee




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## lolbolpower

JaquesGelee said:


>


What cable is that? It looks really nice!


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## JaquesGelee (Tuesday at 5:29 AM)

lolbolpower said:


> What cable is that? It looks really nice!


That's a DIY one with ViaBlue, Neutrik, Tutanchamun Sleeve. Not made by me this time. Thank you, i like it a lot too.


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## thinker

Use Stax X9K with Energon and Hifiman HE-1000 stealth with the other tube combo


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## Roland de Gilead

thinker said:


> Utilisez Stax X9K avec Energon et Hifiman HE-1000 furtif avec l'autre combo de tubes


Wonderful  pieces


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## simorag (Tuesday at 3:11 PM)

Trying out some audio exotica with the Valkyria at Clinamenaudio atelier


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## Pharmaboy

JaquesGelee said:


>


How do you like this AIO? I've been reading about it, curious to read user comments.


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## jonathan c




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## Mr Trev

jonathan c said:


>


Hey, I just noticed your Icon has a mono/stereo switch. I can't remember the last time I saw one of those


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## jonathan c

Mr Trev said:


> Hey, I just noticed your Icon has a mono/stereo switch. I can't remember the last time I saw one of those


It is handy for those albums that came out in mono (especially Parlophone label Beatles!)


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## hifixman




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## Elegiac (Yesterday at 12:11 PM)

Tungsram EF95's arrived earlier today. They've had a few hours warm-up and musical activity.
So far, impressions are... smooth and clean and a bit... creamy? Liquid? Better than the GE 5654w's.
Likely a better measuring set of tubes.
Snappier drums, a little less bass. Better depth. Slightly more detail, better presented.
Getting into that smooth, ethereal territory, where space rock gets extra spacey.
Glowier than the GE's.
Mr BubbaHyde

EDIT: Hate to say it... they're a bit sibilant at the moment. Specifically vocals and nothing else. Weird. Didn't seem as bad at first. I'll persevere... see how they go.

EDIT 2: Alright, the sibilance is not so bad... certainly will accentuate it where it already exits... a little slurred as well. These have turned 'bright'... it's interesting. I've never had a bright tube before. All these things have a tubey 'tilt', but a brightness. It's potentially fatiguing, but too fascinating to bother me right now. Tube treble has always fascinated me, so there's a lot to take in here.

EDIT 3: All right, I think I have their measure now. Clear and crisp, a body to it... not sterile, not untubey. And French. Not British or Australian. I was overthinking their origin, when I should have looked closer at physicalities. They were sent to me from Belgium. Who lives next door to Belgium? At this point I'm tempted to think that 'BRU' is just the first three letters of Brussels lol

EDIT 4: 10 hours break-in... these are nice. Just nice. Really nice


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## VanHai




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## Mr Trev

VanHai said:


>


headphone xmas tree. Nice!


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## Pharmaboy

Elegiac said:


> Tungsram EF95's arrived earlier today. They've had a few hours warm-up and musical activity.
> So far, impressions are... smooth and clean and a bit... creamy? Liquid? Better than the GE 5654w's.
> Likely a better measuring set of tubes.
> Snappier drums, a little less bass. Better depth. Slightly more detail, better presented.
> ...


Tube burn-in is a fuzzy area w/no certainty. But in my humble experience, 10 hours is minimal burn-in. Not sure the sound will stop changing until you put more hrs on (25-50 hrs total).

To make things even fuzzier, not every tube reacts the same. They differ in construction/design; some burn-in quickly and others don't.


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## Pharmaboy

VanHai said:


>


Beautiful amp (and photo!).

Is that legal weed growing by the window?


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## VanHai (Yesterday at 1:02 PM)

Pharmaboy said:


> Beautiful amp (and photo!).
> 
> Is that legal weed growing by the window?


I wish ! You are very funnyThey are just tropical plants that my wife makes me bring them inside for the winter


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## Elegiac

Pharmaboy said:


> Tube burn-in is a fuzzy area w/no certainty. But in my humble experience, 10 hours is minimal burn-in. Not sure the sound will stop changing until you put more hrs on (25-50 hrs total).
> 
> To make things even fuzzier, not every tube reacts the same. They differ in construction/design; some burn-in quickly and others don't.


Yeah, these are making me work for it (if you can call wandering over to sit on your ass occasionally 'work'). 

Right now though... right now... how. How are these silly little things the best tubes I've ever heard? The sibilance is gone. Smooth... (and don't laugh at me) hyperdetail? The euphony. Right now, I might be euphoric. Emotion... I had forgotten what pleasure is. Sublime.


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## ChrisOc (Yesterday at 3:45 PM)

Vote for your favourite earphones  here: Thread 'The Head-Fi Members' Poll for IEMs - 2022' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-head-fi-members-poll-for-iems-2022.966386/

Headphones poll here: Thread 'The Head-Fi Members' Poll for headphones - 2022' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-head-fi-members-poll-for-headphones-2022.966400/

The poll closes on the 14th of January 2023.


----------



## scottm18

Here's my "listening station". State-of-the-art Cayin balanced tube DAP paired with top-of-the-line (and _totally_ underappreciated) Final Sonorous & Piano Forte X headphones.

Vintage turntable afficiandos should _really_ appreciate my second picture. After dealing with unbearable static and hum from my main listening area (unknowm reasons), I finally moved these coveted classic pieces to my back room setup & they play beautifully there.   They're both in pristine condition and yes that is the _original_ 310MC cartridge on the SL10 and still sounds as awesome as it did new. This picture total is worth a mint now.

I just had to get a picture of some of the best vinyl electronics released in the past 40 years IMHO--both Technics SL10 and SL7 and the beautifully adjustable Hagerman Fuglehorn preamp.


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## jonathan c (Yesterday at 9:52 PM)

It is the ZMF _Hardwood Closed-Back Revue _performing at jonathan c’s tonight !! Playing all his favourites !! 

 [starring _Atticus Bocote _& _Eikon Cocobolo_, hailing from Central America; together with Icon Audio HP8, not for bassophobiacs…😳🤣]


----------



## stersa

*One of the best Headphones..Maybe the best??  I m very surprised..*









Best Regards

Sisco


----------



## VanHai (Today at 2:31 PM)

Auteur OG, Eikon and Ultrasonic Studios Oblivion.


----------



## betula

Betula got tubified.


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## scottm18 (Today at 3:18 PM)

As shown above in my post, I have Cayin's state-of-the-art Tube DAP.  That $1,500 amp looks like it's about 6 grand. 

Man does "Zhuhai Spark" make some seriously gorgeous equipment!


----------



## duffer5

Feeling nostalgic. Can’t go wrong with Sting.

Output Frontier Studio Monitors, HIFI Rose 150b Streamer, Ferrum OOR / Hypsos headphone Amp, Gustard DDC and Gustard R26 DAC, Susvara HP, Focal Clear HP and Oppo Pm-1 HP, Panamax 5300 power manager.


----------



## TheRH

duffer5 said:


> Feeling nostalgic. Can’t go wrong with Sting.
> 
> Output Frontier Studio Monitors, HIFI Rose 150b Streamer, Ferrum OOR / Hypsos headphone Amp, Gustard DDC and Gustard R26 DAC, Susvara HP, Focal Clear HP and Oppo Pm-1 HP, Panamax 5300 power manager.


What power conditioner is that?


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## duffer5

TheRH said:


> What power conditioner is that?


It is the Panamax 5300 PM.  Made by the same company that makes the Furman Power conditioners.


----------

